| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09344041B2 |
Polar amplification transmitter distortion reduction
A method of optimizing a transmitter, the transmitter including a polar amplification stage including a main signal path and a magnitude signal path, a receiver being located with the transmitter, the method comprising: generating an amplified signal for transmission at the output of the amplifier; tuning the receiver to a frequency to reject the intended transmit signal of the transmitter; determining a characteristic of a signal detected in the receiver representing an indication of distortion in the transmitted signal; and adjusting a setting of the transmitter in dependence on the determined characteristic. |
| US09344040B2 |
Amplifier circuit with cross wiring of direct-current signals and microwave signals
Disclosed is an amplifier circuit with cross wiring of direct-current signals and microwave signals. The circuit includes a circuit network unit formed of a direct-current feeding circuit and a microwave power signal circuit. The direct-current feeding circuit comprises a high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) drain power-up bonding point, a corresponding line, a feeding end of a tail-level HEMT transistor core, a first Metal-Insulator-Metal (MIM) capacitor, a first micro-strip inductor, symmetrical branch micro-strips, a second MIM capacitors. The microwave power signal circuit comprises a signal end of the tail-level HEMT transistor core, two third MIM capacitors, other electrode of the second MIM capacitors, a ground micro-strip inductors, a second micro-strip inductors, a third micro-strip inductor, a fourth MIM capacitor. |
| US09344028B2 |
Traction motor retarding flux reference
A traction motor system calculates motor flux by generating a real time effective resistance of a resistance grid calculated from motor torque and measured voltage on a DC link. Calculating effective resistance avoids solely relying on DC link voltage, which can be influenced by conditions such as wheel slip and drop out of one or more resistance grids. The effective resistance calculation is based on nominal motor values using known power levels and conditions. From these nominal values and the effective resistance, various scaling factors based on actual motor power can be generated and used to adjust a nominal flux reference to more accurately reflect actual motor flux. The scaling factors include power and torque scaling factors and a resistance scaling factor that is active during conditions such as wheel slip. |
| US09344026B2 |
Induction motor flux and torque control
An induction motor controller is provided. The induction motor controller includes a first module that derives a commanded stator voltage vector, in a stator flux reference frame, via a rotor flux regulator loop and a torque regulator loop, which process at least partially in the stator flux reference frame. The induction motor controller includes a second module that processes the commanded stator voltage vector to produce AC (alternating current) power for an induction motor. |
| US09344025B2 |
Wind farm and method for operating a wind farm
A method for operating a wind farm and to a wind farm is disclosed. When a wind farm and the wind energy installations involve target values for the reactive power being prescribed by a farm regulatory device, said target values for the reactive power ignored by the control units when controlling the respective wind energy installation in the event of a power supply system fault in the power supply system. Only when the power supply system fault has been rectified are said target values considered by the control units again for controlling the respective wind energy installation. |
| US09344019B2 |
Control device and method for AC rotating machine, and electrical power steering device
Provided is a control device for an AC rotating machine, for controlling the AC rotating machine including a plurality of sets of windings. The control device includes: a plurality of inverters each including, in respective phases, switching elements for controlling voltages to be applied to respective phases of the windings; current control portion for issuing voltage commands corresponding to the voltages to the respective inverters to control currents flowing through the windings; and failure detection portion for detecting at least one of a short-circuit failure or an open-circuit failure in each of the switching elements. The current control portion sets, in accordance with the failure detected by the failure detection portion, the same potential side of the respective phases of a faulty-side inverter in the same state as in the detected failure, and continues control on a normal-side inverter except for the faulty-side inverter. |
| US09344017B2 |
Driving circuit and driving method thereof
A driving circuit drives a motor containing a first coil and a second coil. The driving circuit includes a switching unit, an operation unit and a control unit. The switching unit receives a switching signal from the control unit for driving the motor. The control unit detects the rotation speed of the motor. When the rotation speed of the motor is greater than a predetermined rotation speed, the control unit outputs a first operation signal to the operation unit to couple the first terminals of the first and second coils and couple the second terminals of the first and second coils. When the rotation speed of the motor is less than or equal to the predetermined rotational speed, the control unit outputs a second operation signal to the operation unit to couple the second terminal of the first coil to the first terminal of the second coil. |
| US09344016B2 |
Storage module voltage equalizer, storage device, and operating machine
A storage module voltage equalizer includes a plurality of voltage equalization circuits that are prepared to correspond to a plurality of storage cells which are arranged to be lined up in a first direction, and equalize an inter-terminal voltage of the plurality of storage cells, and a plurality of mounting substrates that are stacked, in which the plurality of voltage equalization circuits are mounted, in a distributed manner, on the plurality of mounting substrates. |
| US09344015B2 |
Variable speed control apparatus and operation method
According to one embodiment, there is provided a variable speed control apparatus applied to a variable speed system of secondary excitation including a double feed synchronous machine and a frequency converter. The variable speed control apparatus includes a secondary current controller configured to control an output current from the frequency converter, and a secondary current limiter configured to limit an effective component current command and a reactive component current command of a secondary current for the secondary current controller by using a given secondary current limit value and output a limited result to the secondary current controller. |
| US09344012B2 |
Control system for ultrasonic motors
A method for controlling an ultrasonic motor coupled to a motor driver circuit, comprises obtaining a position of a first encoder coupled to the ultrasonic motor, calculating an error between the position of the first encoder and a target position, and sending a control signal to the motor driver circuit to control the ultrasonic motor to adjust the position of the first encoder based the calculated error. |
| US09344010B2 |
Power electronic converter
A power electronic converter (30), for connecting AC and DC networks (46,44) and transferring power therebetween, comprises: first and second DC terminals (32,34) defining a DC link for connection to a DC network (44); wherein, in use, the DC link has a reversible DC link voltage applied thereacross; at least one converter limb (36) extending between the first and second DC terminals (32,34) and having first and second limb portions (38,40) separated by an AC terminal (42) for connection to an AC network (46), each limb portion (38,40) including at least one rationalized module (52) having first and second sets of series-connected current flow control elements (54) connected in parallel with at least one energy storage device (56), each set of current flow control elements (54) including a primary active switching element to selectively direct current through the energy storage device (56) and a primary passive current check element to limit current flow through the rationalized module (52) to a single direction, the current flow control elements (54) and the or each energy storage device (56) combining to selectively provide a voltage source to synthesize an AC voltage at the AC terminal (42); and a first controller (60) to selectively switch the or each rationalized module (52) in each limb portion (38,40) to control the configuration of the AC voltage at the corresponding AC terminal (42) so as to transfer power from the AC network (46) to the DC network (44) in an AC to DC power transfer mode and to transfer power from the DC network (44) to the AC network (46) in a DC to AC power transfer mode, wherein each limb portion (38,40) includes: one or more secondary passive current check elements (48) to limit current flow through the corresponding limb portion (38,40) to a single direction between the corresponding AC and DC terminals (42,32,34), the or each secondary passive current check element (48) being connected in series with the or each rationalized module (52); or one or more secondary active switching elements that is connected in series with the or each rationalized module (52). |
| US09344009B2 |
Inverter circuit, power converter circuit, and electric vehicle
An object is to reduce, with the control circuit of the full-bridge inverter circuit, distortions in an output signal of the inverter circuit resulting from an error in control of the switching of the high-side transistors and low-side transistors included in the first half-bridge circuit and the second half-bridge circuit. The pulse width of a signal that controls ON/OFF of the high-side transistors and low-side transistors included in the first half-bridge circuit and the second half-bridge circuit is reduced, i.e., the duty cycle of the signal is reduced. This results in a reduction in short-circuit periods during which both the high-side transistor and the low-side transistor are on, thereby reducing distortions in a signal. |
| US09344004B2 |
Power conversion system
The invention relates to a power conversion system, wherein a first switch is connected between a input voltage source and a second switch, wherein the second switch is connected to a third switch, wherein the third switch is connected to a fourth switch, wherein the fourth switch is connected to the input voltage source, wherein a first diode is connected between a neutral point and the second switch, wherein a second diode is connected between the third switch and the neutral point. Two or more current transformers are arranged such that a drive signal is produced in an interleaved mode. |
| US09344002B2 |
Adaptive sampling circuit for detecting the demagnetized voltage of the transformer
An adaptive sampling circuit of the power converter according to the present invention comprises a sample-and-hold unit and a signal-generation circuit. The sample-and-hold unit is coupled to a transformer to generate a feedback signal by sampling a demagnetized voltage of the transformer in response to a sample signal. The signal-generation circuit generates the sample signal in response to a magnetized voltage of the transformer, the demagnetized voltage of the transformer, a switching signal and a code. The sample signal is used for sampling the demagnetized voltage. The feedback signal is correlated to an output voltage of the power converter. The switching signal is generated in response to the feedback signal for switching the transformer and regulating the output of the power converter. The adaptive sampling circuit is used to precisely measure the demagnetized voltage of the transformer without the limitation of the transformer design. |
| US09344001B2 |
Inverter circuits for electrical machines
An inverter circuit comprises an inverter which can be configurable for controlling the supply of mains current from a grid to an electric machine in a start-up mode whereby the machine drives the prime mover for initialization. Thereafter the same inverter is reconfigurable as part of the circuit to supply reactive power to the grid when the machine is running as a generator powered by the prime mover. |
| US09343997B2 |
Load control device for high-efficiency loads
A two-wire load control device (such as, a dimmer switch) for controlling power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load (such as, a high-efficiency lighting load) includes a thyristor coupled between the source and the load, a gate coupling circuit coupled between a first main terminal and a gate terminal of the thyristor, and a control circuit. The control circuit is configured to control the gate coupling circuit to conduct a pulse of current through the gate terminal to render the thyristor conductive at a firing time during a half cycle of the AC power source, and to allow the gate coupling circuit to conduct at least one other pulse of current after the firing time during the half cycle. The load control device is further arranged to conduct current through the electrical load if the thyristor becomes non-conductive and remains non-conductive during the half-cycle. |
| US09343996B2 |
Method and system for transmitting voltage and current between a source and a load
For transmitting voltage and current between a source and a load, a magnetic amplifier with a power winding connectable with the source and the load and with at least one control winding is provided, and current and voltage difference between the source and the load are controlled by applying a portion of a rectified source voltage to the at least one control winding of the magnetic amplifier, and applying a portion of a rectified load voltage to the at least one control winding of the magnetic amplifier to prevent the current from exceeding a level which can endanger the source and/or the load and to minimize the voltage difference between the source and the load. |
| US09343992B2 |
Power converter with low standby power consumption
A power converter for converting an AC input of between frequency F1 at voltage V1 and frequency F2 at voltage V2 into a stable AC output of frequency F3 and voltage V3 comprises an AC/DC/AC/AC/DC converter (100) that converts the AC input power (between F1, V1 to F2, V2) into a DC output DC1 as a function of the input (F1, V1 or F2, V2) and an inverter (200) that converts the DC output DC1 into an AC output AC2 of frequency F3 and voltage V3. |
| US09343991B2 |
Current balance control for non-interleaved parallel bridge circuits in power converter
Systems and methods for reducing current imbalance between parallel bridge circuits used in a power converter of a power generation system, such as a wind driven doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) system, are provided. The power converter can include a plurality of bridge circuits coupled in parallel to increase the output power capability of the system. Each of the bridge circuits can include a pair of switching elements, such as insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs), coupled in series with one another. The switching elements of the parallel bridge circuits can be controlled, for instance, using control commands (e.g. pulse width modulation commands) according to a substantially non-interleaved switching pattern. The timing of the control commands according to the substantially non-interleaved switching pattern can be adjusted to reduce current imbalance between the parallel bridge circuits. |
| US09343989B2 |
Method for controlling a cycloconverter, electronic control device therefor, cycloconverter, and computer program
In a method for controlling a cycloconverter having six converter branches connected in series, in which converter branches electrical energy stores are provided, the energy transfer from a first three-line network into a second three-line network or vice versa is controlled according to energy demand criteria, energy supply criteria, and/or reactive power criteria for converter operation control. The amount of electrical energy stored in each converter branch or an electrical variable that characterizes the amount of electrical energy is controlled to a predetermined setpoint range for energy converter control. |
| US09343987B2 |
Method and device for frequency generation for a resonance converter
A method and an activation circuit for frequency generation for a resonance converter that is driven by a half bridge or a full bridge. An activation circuit with a controller excites a resonance circuit belonging to the resonance converter. The power, current or voltage of the resonance converter is controlled via the frequency. The controller activates a programmable variable clock generator via a first interface. The frequency dividers able to be programmed via a second interface create the operating frequency of the half bridge or full bridge by dividing the frequency of a clock generator into different duty cycles. The frequency of the clock generator amounts to a multiple of the bridge frequency, and the second clock generator and thereby the H-bridge frequency of the resonance converter is independent of the first clock generator which supplies the controller. |
| US09343985B2 |
Power supply apparatus and image forming apparatus
The power supply apparatus includes a transformer having a primary side and a secondary side insulated from each other, a switch element for switching current flowing in the primary side of the transformer, a control part configured to control an operation of the switch element, and two feedback parts configured to detect an output voltage from the transformer so as to output, to the control part, a detection signal in accordance with the output voltage for feedback to the primary side of the transformer. |
| US09343984B2 |
Controller of a power converter with adjustable jitter amplitude and method of generating adjustable jitter amplitude thereof
A controller of a power converter with adjustable jitter amplitude includes a feedback pin, a logic circuit, an auxiliary pin, and a current sensing pin. The feedback pin is used for receiving a feedback voltage from a secondary side of the power converter. The feedback voltage corresponds to an output voltage of the secondary side of the power converter. The logic circuit is used for generating a jitter signal according to a clock, the feedback voltage, and a first resistor. The auxiliary pin is used for receiving a voltage corresponding to an auxiliary winding of the power converter. The current sensing pin is used for generating a detection voltage according to a current flowing through a primary side of the power converter. The voltage, the jitter signal, and the detection voltage determine turning-on time of the primary side of the power converter. |
| US09343973B2 |
Power conversion apparatus
A power conversion apparatus includes a switch circuit which activates switching elements on the basis of a control signal, a feedback means which performs feedback control, a signal output means which outputs the control signal on the basis of a control variable of the feedback control, and a mode switching means which controls switching operation of the switch circuit by switching an operation mode between a normal mode and an intermittent mode in which the number of operations is less than that in the normal mode. The mode switching means changes timing of switching from the normal mode to the intermittent mode, on the basis of either or both of a first detection value which is an input value inputted to the switch circuit and a second detection value which is an output value outputted from the switch circuit. |
| US09343969B2 |
Switching regulator, control circuit and control method thereof, and electronic apparatus
A control circuit for controlling a switching transistor and a synchronous rectifying transistor of a switching regulator includes: a bottom detection comparator configured to assert an on signal; a timer circuit configured to generate an off signal; a zero current detector configured to assert a zero current detection signal; and a driving circuit configured to receive the on signal, the off signal and the zero current detection signal, and (i) turn on the switching transistor and turn off the synchronous rectifying transistor when the on signal is asserted, (ii) turn off the switching transistor and turn on the synchronous rectifying transistor when the off signal is asserted, and (iii) turn off the switching transistor and the synchronous rectifying transistor when the zero current detection signal is asserted. |
| US09343968B2 |
Adaptive low-power zero-cross comparator for discontinuous current mode operated switching mode power supply
A time off estimator and an adaptive controller implemented on an integrated circuit to emulate current dependent zero crossing circuitry to permit improved performance of a buck type switching mode power supply. The time off estimator circuit is enhanced by an automatic correction circuit for the timing of a zero crossing where energy to a reference capacitor returns to zero and is turned off awaiting the next cycle where the capacitor is again charged and discharged. |
| US09343967B2 |
Single input multiple input/output supply for energy harvest application
An apparatus comprises a switching power circuit and a control circuit. The switching power converter circuit includes an output port for electrical coupling to a variable load, an input port for electrically coupling to a first energy source, wherein the energy density of the first energy source is insufficient to meet a peak energy requirement of the variable load, an input/output port for electrical coupling to a second energy source, and one inductor electrically coupled to the input port and a circuit node, wherein the electrical coupling is non-switchable. The control circuit is configured to charge the inductor using the first energy source via the input port, to provide energy from the inductor to the load via the output port, and to provide both of, via the input/output port, energy from the inductor to the second energy source and energy from the second energy source to the variable load. |
| US09343965B2 |
Switching regulator and control circuit and control method therefor
Disclosed are a switching regulator and a control circuit and a control method therefor. In one embodiment, the control circuit generates a supplementary signal varying with a state parameter of the power stage in a first mode and keeps the supplementary signal substantially unchanged in a second mode with respect to the value thereof at the moment of switching from the first mode to the second mode so that the supplementary signal at the moment of mode switching is maintained substantially constant, therefore, a steady state can be achieved quickly, and ripples in the output voltage are restrained. |
| US09343963B2 |
Dual mode voltage regulator with dynamic reconfiguration capability
A dual mode voltage regulator according to one embodiment includes a passive regulator circuit; a switching regulator circuit; and a controller circuit configured to monitor operational parameters of the dual mode voltage regulator and selectively couple either the passive regulator circuit or the switching regulator circuit between an input voltage port and an output load. The selective coupling is based on the monitoring of parameters including current through the output load, voltage at the input voltage port and voltage at the output load as well as the availability of a system clock signal. |
| US09343962B2 |
Power regulator system with adaptive ramp signal generator
One embodiment includes a power regulator system. The system includes a switch control stage configured to generate at least one activation signal based on a pulse-width modulation (PWM) signal and to control a respective at least one switch to generate an output voltage. The system also includes a feedback stage configured to generate the PWM signal based on a ramp signal and a feedback voltage that is based on the output voltage. The system further includes a ramp generator stage configured to adaptively generate the ramp signal based on the output voltage and based on the at least one activation signal. |
| US09343959B2 |
Interrupt protection circuits, systems and methods for sensors and other devices
Embodiments relate to circuits, systems and methods for providing interruption protection for sensors and other devices. One example embodiment includes an interruption protection circuit comprising at least one charge pump and at least one buffer capacitor configured to maintain and/or provide sufficient voltage for output signals of sensors or other devices during micro-breaks or other interruptions. |
| US09343957B1 |
Multi-converter system including a power distribution balancing circuit and operating method thereof
A multi-converter system includes a first converter configured to receive an input voltage and output a first PWM switching signal based on the input voltage. A power distribution balancing circuit is configured to detect a frequency of the first PWM switching signal and generate a control signal based on the frequency of the first PWM switching signal. A second converter is configured to receive the input voltage and output a second PWM switching signal in response to the control signal. An output voltage node is configured to output an output voltage based on the first and second PWM switching signals. |
| US09343955B2 |
Active power factor corrector circuit
An electronic device includes a controller configured to apply slope compensation to a reference signal in a power factor corrector. The device also configured to adjust the slope compensation based on an input voltage of the power factor corrector. |
| US09343952B2 |
System and method for controlling charge pump circuit, and display device
The present disclosure provides a system and a method for controlling a charge pump circuit, and a display device. The system includes the charge pump circuit configured to output a driving voltage to a gate driver circuit; and a controlling device in communication with the charge pump circuit and a timer and configured to, when a working time of the gate driver circuit is equal to a predefined working time threshold, reset the working time of the gate driver circuit to an initial value, acquire a compensating voltage corresponding to the working time of the gate driver circuit in accordance with a correspondence between the working time and the compensating voltage, output a compensating voltage signal and increase the driving voltage outputted by the charge pump circuit by the compensating voltage. |
| US09343949B2 |
Control circuit to detect a noise signal during a state change of a switch
Several circuits and methods for driver control of a switching circuit are disclosed. In an embodiment, a circuit for driver control of a switching circuit includes a driver circuit and a control circuit. The driver circuit is capable of being coupled to the switching circuit. The switching circuit includes a first switch and a second switch. The driver circuit is configured to control a conductive state of the switching circuit by facilitating an alternate state change of the first switch and the second switch. The control circuit is coupled to the driver circuit and is configured to detect a noise signal during a state change of the first switch. The control circuit is further configured to control the driver circuit to thereby slow down the state change of the first switch. |
| US09343945B2 |
Slip ring device for rotating electric machine
Provided is a slip ring device for a rotating electric machine, which is capable of reliably retaining a long lead while preventing movement and deformation of the long lead during insert molding. The slip ring device for a rotating electric machine includes: a first ring and a second ring; a long lead (12) having one end portion connected to the first ring and another end portion connected to a rotor coil; a short lead having one end portion connected to the second ring and another end portion connected to the rotor coil; and a molded body formed by insert molding, for retaining the first ring, the second ring, the long lead (12), and the short lead in a mutually insulated fashion. The molded body includes a restricting member (15) for restricting the long lead (12) from being moved and deformed during the insert molding. |
| US09343941B2 |
Inverter terminal block installed in motor case
In a terminal block 10 which is interposed between a motor case 100 and an inverter case 200 placed in the motor case 100 and connects a motor input terminal to an inverter output terminal, an upper base 10U for accommodating an inverter side connecting terminal 20T connected to the inverter output terminal is fixed to the inverter case 200, and a lower base 10D for accommodating a motor side connecting terminal 20M is fixed to the motor case 100, and a waterproof and elastic member 60 is interposed between the upper base 10U and the lower base 10D and the motor side connecting terminal 20M is connected to the inverter side connecting terminal 20T by a flexible conductive member (a braided wire) 20H. |
| US09343935B2 |
Rotor of a permanently excited synchronous machine
A rotor of a permanently excited synchronous machine includes a shaft capable of rotating about an axis and a laminated core having an axial layering arrangement defined by planes which are aligned perpendicular to the axis. The laminated core has at least two layers of different geometry. A first layer has a plate with a closed outer contour at least at an outer periphery, and a second layer has plural plate segments. The first and second layers of the laminated core are arranged in an axial direction to form axial pockets in interspaces between the plate segments of the second layer and recesses formed radially within the outer contour of the first layer for receiving permanent magnets. An adhesive is provided in radial gaps formed at least in axial sections of the second layer between adjacent plate segments and the permanent magnets. |
| US09343932B2 |
Motor
A motor is disclosed, the motor including a housing, a stator mounted on the housing, and including a stator core having a plurality of teeth, an insulator and a coil, a rotor core rotatatively disposed at a center of the stator and centrally having a space unit, and a magnet module mounted on a surface of the rotor core, wherein the magnet module includes a plurality of magnets each having a predetermined size, and a guide plate having an embossed unit accommodated by the plurality of magnets and attached to an inner surface of the magnet. |
| US09343927B2 |
Method of controlling the supply of electricity from a public network for public street lighting
In the method of controlling a public lighting network for public street lighting, a member, such as a server uses a telecommunications network to send at least one command for switching a power supply circuit of an electricity outlet to an electricity source of the network. The outlet is accessible from the public street and from an outside portion of the device of the lighting network. |
| US09343922B2 |
Wireless energy transfer for rechargeable batteries
A wireless energy transfer enabled battery includes a resonator that is positioned asymmetrically in a battery sized enclosure such that when two wirelessly enabled batteries are placed in close proximity the resonators of the two batteries have low coupling. |
| US09343917B2 |
Control circuit for charging battery through programmable power supplier
A charging circuit for charging a battery is provided. A power supplier has a communication interface coupled to a cable for receiving command-data and generates a DC voltage and a DC current in accordance with the command-data. A controller is coupled to the battery for detecting a battery-voltage and generates the command-data in accordance with the battery-voltage. A switch is coupled to the cable for receiving the DC voltage and the DC current through a connector. The DC voltage and the DC current generated by the power supply are coupled to the cable, and the DC voltage and the DC current are programmable in accordance with the command-data. The command-data generated by the controller is coupled the cable through a communication circuit of the controller. The controller is coupled the connector for detecting a connector-voltage and control an on/off state of the switch in response to the connector-voltage. |
| US09343916B2 |
Modular charging device
A modular charging device includes a chassis, a plurality of cradle mounts and a power distribution unit including a power outlet corresponding to each of the said cradle mounts. Each mount is suitably adapted for detachably affixing a cradle to the chassis, and a charging plug of each cradle is electrically connectable to the power distribution unit via a fly lead providing an electrical connection between the said charging plug and the power outlets. The use of a modular chassis and cradle mount system may conveniently enable each cradle to be attached or detached individually, meaning that the component parts can be removed and replaced upon failure, or for upgrade, with minimal effort. Additionally, the invention suitably permits charging of multiple mobile communication devices or batteries for same. |
| US09343915B2 |
Semiconductor device including charging system
The semiconductor device includes the charging system including: electric power generating unit for supplying electric power; electric power storing unit for storing electric power generated by the electric power generating unit; switch unit provided in a charging path for charging the electric power storing unit with the electric power generated by the electric power generating unit; a comparator driven by the electric power generated by the electric power generating unit for comparing a reference voltage and a stored voltage of the electric power storing unit; and a level converter provided between the comparator and the switch unit for, based on a result of a comparison made by the comparator, converting a level of a generated voltage to a level of the stored voltage and outputting a resultant signal to the switch unit. |
| US09343913B2 |
Power charging device and mobile terminal apparatus
A charging device that includes a first battery charged at a first rate and a second battery that is charged at a second rate, which is faster than the first rate. The charging device includes an interface that receives electric power from a charger; a first switch disposed between the interface and the first battery; a second switch disposed between the second battery and the first battery; a battery voltage detection circuit that detects a voltage of the second battery; a charger detection circuit connected to the interface that detects whether power is being received from the charger; and a switch control circuit that controls the first switch and the second switch based on outputs of the charger detection circuit and the battery voltage detection circuit. |
| US09343912B2 |
Power charging device and mobile terminal apparatus
A charging device that includes a first battery charged at a first rate and a second battery that is charged at a second rate, which is faster than the first rate. The charging device includes an interface that receives electric power from a charger; a first switch disposed between the interface and the first battery; a second switch disposed between the second battery and the first battery; a battery voltage detection circuit that detects a voltage of the second battery; a charger detection circuit connected to the interface that detects whether power is being received from the charger; and a switch control circuit that controls the first switch and the second switch based on outputs of the charger detection circuit and the battery voltage detection circuit. |
| US09343908B2 |
Power transmitting apparatus, power transfer system, control method for power transmitting apparatus, and storage medium
A power transmitting apparatus which has a power transmitting antenna, and transfers power from the power transmitting antenna to a power receiving antenna. The power transmitting apparatus includes a storage unit configured to be associated with a position of the power receiving antenna, and to store a parameter for controlling a resonance frequency of the power transmitting antenna; a determination unit configured to determine the position of the power receiving antenna; and a control unit configured to control the resonance frequency of the power transmitting antenna based on the position of the power receiving antenna. |
| US09343907B2 |
Energy assist system selection supporting apparatus, capacity selecting apparatus, power consumption calculating apparatus, and layout generating apparatus
An energy assist system selection supporting apparatus equipped with a step-up/step-down chopper unit, an electricity storage unit, and an electric motor configured to drive a machine includes an operation-pattern generating section for generating an operation pattern taking into account an electronic machine configuration, a load-pattern generating section for generating a load pattern concerning power consumption according to the generated operation pattern, a data processing section for evaluating, according to the generated load pattern, a characteristic of the energy assist system applied with the generated operation pattern while comparing the characteristic with a limit value and generate, according to an evaluation result, configuration information including the number of each unit of the energy assist system, and a layout section configured to lay out and arrange the units on a virtual space and display the units on a display screen according to the generated configuration information. |
| US09343902B2 |
Uninterruptible power supply apparatus and control method
A second DC power-supply voltage that is obtained by outputting a first DC power-supply voltage obtained by converting an AC power supply into a direct current in an AC-DC converter circuit, through a first switch for PWM switching is smoothed and fed to a load as an output DC power-supply voltage. The first DC power-supply voltage is also supplied to a battery through a third switch for PWM switching and the battery is thereby charged. Further, a third power-supply voltage output from the battery is output to the output side of the first switch through a fourth switch for PWM switching. |
| US09343901B2 |
Power system and short-circuit protection circuit thereof
A short-circuit protection circuit adapted to a voltage regulator module is provided. The voltage regulator module includes a high side transistor and a low side transistor. The short-circuit protection circuit includes a short-circuit detecting circuit, a first switch, and a second switch. The short-circuit detecting circuit includes a detecting terminal coupled with the high side transistor. The high side transistor is connected with the low side transistor and a load, and the low side transistor is coupled with a ground. The first switch is connected with the low side transistor in parallel. The second switch coupled between the high side transistor and the power supply. The first switch is turned on before the power supply is powered on, the short-circuit detecting circuit sends a detecting voltage to the high side transistor via the detecting terminal to determine whether the high side transistor is short-circuited to control to second switch. |
| US09343892B1 |
Mushroom-shaped high voltage electrode
A high voltage electrode arrangement includes a dome-shaped top portion, a toroid-shaped bottom portion, and an intermediate portion for connecting the top portion and the bottom portion. The intermediate portion includes a lead-trough for receiving high voltage equipment to be interconnected. |
| US09343886B2 |
System and method for providing final drop in a living unit in a building
A cable routing system is described. More specifically, described is a cable routing system that includes a main fiber channel configured to receive a drop fiber to allow it to fit within the main fiber channel, where the channel is surrounded by a discontinuous segmented duct, and the duct comprises a continuous flange structure to provide support for the system as it is installed on or fastened to a wall or other generally flat surface. |
| US09343885B2 |
System and method for providing final drop in a living unit in a building
A cable routing system is described. More specifically, described is a cable routing system that includes a main fiber channel configured to receive a drop fiber to allow it to fit within the main fiber channel, where the channel is surrounded by a discontinuous segmented duct, and the duct comprises a continuous flange structure to provide support for the system as it is installed on or fastened to a wall or other generally flat surface. |
| US09343884B2 |
Mounting unit
A mounting unit (10) for mounting an electrical component (16) to a panel has a first member (12) arranged to engage a first side of said panel and a second member (14) arranged to engage the first member and a second, opposite side of said panel, so as to secure the first and second members to opposite sides of the panel through a hole in the panel. The first and second members define a space for receiving the electrical component. The mounting unit is particularly suitable for mounting the electrical component to a ceiling tile. |
| US09343877B2 |
Spark plug and manufacturing method thereof
A spark plug includes a center electrode, a ground electrode, and a cylindrical metal shell. The ground electrode is welded to the metal shell via a weld portion. The weld portion is formed along the outer circumference end part of an annular part in the ground electrode. The weld portion has a plurality of melt extending parts extending toward the inner circumference side from the outer circumference end part of the annular part and aligned such that adjacent ones are connected to each other at the end part. The plurality of melt extending parts partially include smaller melt extending parts whose melting depth is smaller than others. |
| US09343876B2 |
Spark plug
A spark plug including a center electrode; an insulator; a metallic shell; and a ground electrode, wherein at least one of the center electrode and the ground electrode has thereon an intermediate member which connects the center electrode or the ground electrode to a noble metal tip. The intermediate member has a tip-bonding portion to which the noble metal tip is bonded, and an electrode-bonding portion which has a diameter greater than that of the tip-bonding portion, and which is bonded to the center electrode or the ground electrode. The intermediate member contains nickel (Ni) as a main component, and also contains chromium (Cr) in an amount of 15 to 25 wt. %. The intermediate member contains, in a surface portion thereof, silicon (Si) in an amount per unit volume of 0.04 mg/mm3 to 0.12 mg/mm3, and aluminum (Al) in an amount per unit volume of 0.03 mg/mm3 to 0.10 mg/mm3. |
| US09343875B2 |
Spark plug for internal combustion engines and mounting structure for the spark plug
A spark plug for an internal combustion engine includes a housing, an insulation porcelain, a center electrode and a ground electrode. Both of a tip portion of the center electrode and an opposing portion of the ground electrode are provided with respective projection portions which are projected toward a spark discharge gap. At least one of the projection portions has an opposing face that confronts the spark discharge gap and is inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to an axial direction of the plug. The spark discharge gap is configured to be gradually enlarged, in one direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the plug, from a narrow gap on one end side toward a wide gap on the other end side. |
| US09343868B2 |
Efficient generation of intense laser light from multiple laser light sources using misaligned collimating optical elements
A system is provided for combining laser light sources. The system includes: a stack of laser diode bar arrays, comprising two or more laser diode bar arrays, each laser diode bar array having multiple laser diodes; a multimode optical fiber; and a plurality of optical elements disposed between the stack of laser diode bar arrays and the multimode optical fiber, configured to direct light from the stack of laser diode bar arrays to the multimode optical fibers, the plurality of optical elements further including: a plurality of fast-axis collimating (FAC) lenses, wherein at least one FAC lens of the plurality of FAC lenses corresponds to each laser diode bar array. At least one FAC lens of the plurality of FAC lenses is misaligned with respect to the corresponding laser diode bar array. At least one misaligned FAC lens has at least one of a translational position and a orientation relative to its corresponding laser diode bar array different from another FAC lens of the plurality of FAC lenses relative to its corresponding laser diode bar array. |
| US09343867B2 |
Gas laser system re-activatable without any damage within short time during recovery of power supply
A gas laser system including a laser oscillator including a device which needs a predetermined standby time until normally starting an operation after stopping an operation due to reduction of a power supplied from a power source unit, a controller, a power reduction detection unit, and a nonvolatile storage unit storing time data of a first time point when the reduction of the supplied power is detected by the power reduction detection unit. The controller calculates an operation stop time of the device, based on time from the first time point to a second point time when a next system activation command is output, and inhibits operation resumption of the device when the operation stop time is within a predetermined standby time. |
| US09343863B2 |
Method for manufacturing mount assembly
A mount assembly includes a member in which a mount component is mounted at least on one main face of the member and at which a member connecting electrode is formed; and a connection member that has a pillar-shaped parallel portion arranged so that a longitudinal direction of the parallel portion is parallel to the main face of the member, one end side of the parallel portion being connected to the member connecting electrode. |
| US09343860B2 |
Distribution networks for safety sensors and devices
In distribution networks for safety sensors and devices, aspects of the invention provide routing individualized status signals in parallel to potential safety sensor locations in addition to serially routing safety signals to provide substantially increased protection. A shorting plug that electrically shorts together an individualized status signal to a voltage reference level at a safety sensor location, in addition to electrically shorting together the safety signals for electrical continuity, provides individualized status information for each potential safety sensor location in addition to the serial safety information provided by the safety signals. Another aspect of the invention provides a remote monitoring device coupled to one or more adapter ports, with each adapter port coupled to one or more safety sensors, wherein adapter ports are coupled via cabling with cable endings of the same type, thereby preventing circumvention of a safety sensor simply by coupling together adjacent cables. |
| US09343859B2 |
Micro USB connector and electronic device including the same
Disclosed is a micro universal serial bus (USB) connector. The micro USB connector according to the present disclosure may include a receptacle contact including a plurality of pins, a receptacle insulator coupled to one surface of the receptacle contact, a support plate disposed on an opposite side to the receptacle contact across the receptacle insulator, and being clear of a part opposite to a pin as a power terminal of the receptacle contact, and a receptacle shell covering an exterior of the receptacle insulator where the receptacle contact and the support plate are supported. |
| US09343858B1 |
Connector
A connector includes a female connector and a male connector. The female connector includes a first sidewall, two resisting members, and a number of first electrical terminals. Each resisting member includes a base plate. The base plates cooperate with the first sidewall to form a receiving space to receive the male connector. The first electrical terminals are received in the receiving space and secured to the base plates. The male connector includes a supporting plate, a first elastic, and a number of second electrical terminals. The supporting plate defines an inner first hollow portion. The first elastic is received in the first hollow portion and resists opposite inner surfaces of the supporting plate. The first elastic is configured to resile the supporting plate outwardly. The second electrical terminals are attached to opposite outer surfaces of the supporting plate and are configured to electrically contact the first electrical terminals. |
| US09343857B2 |
Jack
There is provided a jack that can be easily applied to an electronic device adopting a design where an outer edge portion of a casing is formed in an arc or tapered shape. |
| US09343852B2 |
Connector
A connector includes a connector housing having a mating connector receiving portion adapted to receive a mating connector, a plurality of signal contacts each having a connector contact portion formed at one end thereof and disposed in the mating connector receiving portion of the connector housing, a metal shell disposed to cover at least the connector contact portion of each of the plurality of signal contacts, a switch contact having a switch contact portion formed thereon, and a switch member connected to the metal shell and disposed facing the switch contact portion of the switch contact, the switch member being deformed, when pressed, to come into contact with the switch contact portion of the switch contact and thereby connect the switch contact with the metal shell. |
| US09343849B2 |
Electronic device and interface connector
An interface connector includes a connection terminal unit configured to be connected with an external connector, and a metallic shell configured to enclose the connection terminal unit. The metallic shell includes a first shell unit, in which the connection terminal unit is mounted, and which is grounded with a printed circuit board, and a second shell unit mounted to be separated and spaced from the first shell unit. An electronic device comprises a connection terminal unit configured to be connected with an external connector and a metallic shell configured to enclose the connection terminal unit, wherein the metallic shell comprises a first shell unit in which the connection terminal unit is mounted, and a second shell unit mounted to be separated and spaced from the first shell unit. |
| US09343848B2 |
Lever-fit-type connector
A lever-fit-type connector includes: a first connector; a lever provided on the first connector; and a second connector configured to be fitted with the first connector by an operation of the lever, wherein the lever includes a U-shaped elastic member including: a proximal end portion fixed to the lever; a distal end portion projecting in a vertical direction; a projecting portion projecting in a horizontal direction in the vicinity of the distal end portion; a U-shaped portion disposed between the proximal end portion and the distal end portion; and an engaging portion disposed between the distal end portion and the U-shaped portion, the U-shaped elastic member has a clearance between the proximal end portion and the distal end portion in the horizontal direction, and one of the first and second connectors includes an engaging portion operable to be engaged with the engaging portion of the U-shaped elastic member. |
| US09343844B2 |
Electronic component
Based on a result of repeated analysis of stress caused by application of an external impact in a circuit board, which is rectangular or substantially rectangular in plan view and includes mounting electrodes, included in an electronic component, the mounting electrodes near four corners of the circuit board, of the mounting electrodes provided on a back surface of the circuit board included in the electronic component, are provided at positions shifted from diagonal lines of the back surface. Hence, the stress produced near the four corners of the circuit board is reduced, and this can effectively prevent a fracture, a chip, and a crack from being caused in the circuit board. |
| US09343838B2 |
Method for producing a sealed connector and the sealed connector obtained
It comprises a first phase wherein cables (1) are connected to a base (2) with terminals (3, 3a), characterized in that it comprises a second phase wherein a protective element (4) is provided over at least a part of terminals (3a), which coincides with the part of the connector that is going to be overmolded, with said protective element (4) being welded to base (2) by ultrasound defining a sealed housing where at least said terminals (3a) are housed, and a third phase wherein the unit from the second phase is inserted into a mold and protective element (4), a part of base (2) and a part of cables (1) is overmolded, defining a predetermined overmolded outer shape (5) and sealing the cables-terminal unit. |
| US09343837B2 |
Docking apparatus of electronic apparatus
A docking apparatus of an electronic apparatus that can support the electronic apparatus is provided. The docking apparatus of an electronic apparatus may include a body that forms an exterior of the docking apparatus, a support portion rotatably coupled to the body, and an interface module coupled to the body and including an interface terminal configured to connect the docking apparatus to the electronic apparatus. |
| US09343836B2 |
Electrical socket having improved cam
An electrical socket used for an electronic package with a plurality of pins, includes a base defining a number of passageways in a vertical direction. A number of contacts are received in the passageways. A cover is slidably mounted upon the base and defines a plurality of holes corresponding to the passageways. A cam is used for driving the cover horizontally moved along the base between an open position and a closed position. Wherein, the pins moves with regard to the contact in a linear return path when the electrical socket moved from the open position to the closed position or from the closed position to the open position. |
| US09343831B2 |
Electrical connector
Into one housing, another housing interlocks, and a penetrating hole into which a lock member for maintaining the interlocking state between the connectors is insertable and from which the inserted lock member is removable when releasing the interlocking state is formed in the other housing. A lock section is attached at a position corresponding to the penetrating hole in the inner wall of the one housing facing the other housing when the connectors are interlocked with each other, and is composed to be lockable with the lock member inserted into the penetrating hole. A connector is a pair of members attached to both ends of the lock section facing each other so as to interpose the lock section in between, and is connected to a circuit board positioned on the outside of the first housing in a state covering a portion of the one housing along with the lock section. |
| US09343827B2 |
Connecting terminal with a web-shaped conductor guide
A connecting terminal includes a housing, a current rail, and a spring clamp. The housing includes a conductor inlet opening configured to receive a conductor to be clamped. The housing also includes a conductor guide configured to guide the conductor to be clamped. The conductor guide includes a web-shaped extension of the conductor inlet opening and extends from the conductor inlet opening in an insertion direction of the conductor to be clamped. The current rail and the spring clamp are disposed in the housing. |
| US09343824B2 |
Sleeved fastener assembly
The present disclosure describes a conductive fastener assembly, system, and method, wherein the fastener assembly comprises a nut having a counterbore formed therein. The counterbore is formed to maintain a sufficient gap between the nut and the protruding end of a fastener sleeve. The nut with the counterbore improves the conductive fastener system such that the need for a solid copper grid and a cap seal is reduced or eliminated. |
| US09343819B2 |
Swaged connectors for a grounding grid
A family of swaged connectors has particular application for joining segments of copper cable that make up a subterranean grounding grid in an electrical utility substation. The connectors have a body member with at least one swage region having a trough for receiving an electrical conductor. The swage region has an opening extending the length of the trough to allow insertion, in a radial direction, of the electrical conductor into the trough. An insert is configured for mating engagement with the opening in the swage region, such that, when the insert is mated with the body member, an electrical conductor disposed within the trough is radially entrapped in the connector. The connector body and insert have a cylindrical outer surface in the swage region to facilitate swaging the connector to secure it to the electrical conductor. The connector may be configured as a lap splice, tee or elbow. |
| US09343818B2 |
Antenna configurations for wireless speakers
Antenna configurations for wireless speakers are disclosed. An example playback device includes a housing having a metallic face and a non-metallic face, the metallic face including an opening; a first antenna of a first type positioned within the housing adjacent an inner surface of the non-metallic face; and a second antenna of second type different from the first type positioned within the housing, the second antenna including a slot aligned with the opening of the metallic face. |
| US09343816B2 |
Array antenna and related techniques
An antenna array includes a plurality of radiating elements disposed on a layer that is situated above an egg crate structure that is formed of interconnected dielectric panels. In some embodiments, balun circuitry is disposed on at least some of the dielectric panels of the egg crate structure for use in feeding corresponding radiating elements of the array in a balanced manner. Ground plane blocks may also be coupled to some or all of the dielectric panels to provide circuit shielding and/or to form a ground plane for the array antenna. |
| US09343807B2 |
Antenna system for receiving and transmitting wireless signals
An antenna system includes an antenna and N integrated passive components (IPCs). A first end of each IPC of the N IPCs is directly coupled to the antenna for receiving signals of a band corresponding to the IPC and filtering signals of bands corresponding to other IPCs of the N IPCs. The antenna system can prevent signals of various bands from interfering with each other, reduces parasitic effect, and further improves nonlinear distortion. |
| US09343806B2 |
Antennas integrated in shield can assembly
Antennas are integrated into shield cans by etching one or more slots from a body portion thereof. Multiple antennas can be grouped onto a single shield can to provide both cost and space saving features. Antenna feed and ground connections are positioned on the circuit board and connections to the antenna are made when the shield can connects to the circuit board assembly. |
| US09343805B2 |
Printed antenna
An antenna is provided, having a foil sheet, an antenna structure and a connector. The foil sheet includes a front side and a back side, while the antenna structure is printed on the front side using a conductive ink. The antenna structure includes a contact pad. The connector is connected to the contact pad and includes a metallic blade extending through the foil sheet and the contact pad. |
| US09343804B2 |
Antenna apparatus for portable terminal
An antenna apparatus for a portable terminal is provided. The portable terminal includes a printed circuit board (PCB) having a ground surface and RF components to process a wireless signal received through at least one antenna element. A housing forms an external appearance of the portable terminal, and has a non-conductive member with a plurality of metal fragments attached thereto. At least one of the metal fragments is electrically connected to the ground surface. The metal fragments may enhance the texture and durability of the housing. Preferably, the shapes, sizes and distances separating the metal fragments are designed to minimally impact, or improve, the antenna performance provided by the at least one antenna element. |
| US09343800B2 |
Flexible mounting apparatus for mounting an antenna
A mounting apparatus (102) comprises a plurality of flexible interconnected spacer segments (104) for receiving the antenna (106), the plurality of flexible interconnected spacer segments provide a continuous offset (114) between the antenna and another surface. Each of the plurality of flexible interconnected spacer segments (104) comprises a unitarily molded flexible link, each link having a triangular cross sectional geometry (350) having an opening (108) on top (302) for receiving the antenna, and the top leading to a wider base for mounting to a surface. The links are separable (312) providing for a customizable length and form factor. |
| US09343797B2 |
Converged in-building network
A converged network is described. The converged network includes a distributed antenna system hub coupled to the communication lines for wireless communications, horizontal cabling to carry communication lines for wired communications and wireless communications and a remote socket. The horizontal cabling is a duct that carries the wired and wireless communication lines to convey the telecommunication signals within the building. The remote socket connects the wireless communication lines with a remote electronics unit. In addition, one or more antennas can also be coupled to the remote socket to convey analog RF electrical radiation from the remote socket over adhesive backed coaxial cabling to the indoor environment. |
| US09343793B2 |
Millimeter wave bands semiconductor package
A millimeter wave bands semiconductor package includes a metal base body, a circuit board, and a metal cover body. The base body has a first penetration hole and a second penetration hole. The circuit board is disposed on the base body and has an input signal line and an output signal line on a front side surface thereof. The cover body is disposed on the circuit board and has a first non-penetration hole and a second non-penetration hole. The cover body is disposed such that the first non-penetration hole is disposed directly above the first penetration hole of the base body and the second non-penetration hole is disposed directly above the second penetration hole of the base body. Further, the first non-penetration hole and the first penetration hole constitute a first waveguide and the second non-penetration hole and the second penetration hole constitute a second waveguide. |
| US09343792B2 |
Band-pass filter that can be frequency tuned including a dielectric element capable of carrying out a rotation
A band-pass filter for microwave is provided that can be frequency-tuned the filter comprising an input resonator comprising a metal input cavity and an input dielectric element, an output resonator comprising a metal output cavity and an output dielectric element, an input excitation means (S1) of elongate shape, an output excitation means of elongate shape, the input resonator and the output resonator being coupled, characterized in that the input dielectric element and the output dielectric element have a recess, the input excitation means penetrates the recess of the input dielectric element the output excitation means penetrates the recess of the output dielectric element, the input dielectric element is capable of carrying out a rotation about an input rotation axis, the rotations of the dielectric elements allowing the modification of the central frequency of the filter. |
| US09343791B2 |
Frequency-tunable microwave-frequency wave filter with a dielectric resonator including at least one element that rotates
A frequency-tunable microwave-frequency wave filter with dielectric resonator, comprises a metallic cavity and at least one stack along a rotation axis, the resonator-forming stack being disposed inside the cavity and comprising at least a first and a second element each made of dielectric material, the second element being mobile in rotation with respect to the first element around the rotation axis and exhibiting a first position and at least one second position separated by an angle of rotation, and the elements exhibiting shapes such that the overall geometry of the stack is different in the at least two positions, the stack forming a first resonator adapted so that the filter exhibits a first central frequency when the second element is in the first position, and forming a second resonator adapted so that the filter exhibits a second central frequency when the second element is in the second position. |
| US09343790B2 |
Method of operation and construction of filters and multiplexers using multi-conductor multi-dielectric combline resonators
This invention provides novel combline resonators with multiple conductors and multiple dielectrics for compact filters and multiplexers with improved electric response. The novel combline resonator consists of multi-conductors being made up for the simplest case of an inner metallic post, an intermediate conductor, and an enclosure. This structure provides two resonant modes that can be used for realizing compact microwave filters and multiplexers. Such filters offer the low cost, compact size and ease of manufacturing features of traditional combline resonator filters, with additional size reduction due to the fact that a single physical cavity provides two electrical resonators. In addition, the new cavity inherently introduces a transmission zero in the guard-bands enhancing the filter selectivity. |
| US09343789B2 |
Compact microstrip bandpass filter with multipath source-load coupling
A method and device for a compact microstrip bandpass filter that includes an input terminal, an output terminal, a plurality of quarter-wavelength resonators, a resonant disk, a plurality of layers, and a microstrip line which connects the resonant disk to a joint point of the quarter-wavelength resonators. A method of forming two signal paths in a compact microstrip bandpass filter includes forming a first signal path between an input terminal and an output terminal of the filter with a plurality of quarter-wavelength resonators with a resonant disk and a microstrip line which connects the resonant disk to a joint point of the quarter-wavelength resonators. The method includes forming a second signal path of the quarter-wavelength resonators, the filter includes a plurality of layers. |
| US09343784B2 |
Battery pack assembly having thermal transfer sheets and heat sink
A battery pack thermal management assembly draws heat from prismatic batteries having opposed major surfaces and arranged in a stacked configuration inside a housing. The thermal management assembly includes a plurality of thermal transfer sheets made from sheets of a compressed mass of exfoliated graphite particles. Each thermal transfer sheet is positioned to contact the major surface of at least one of the prismatic batteries. A cover plate has a top face and a bottom face and includes a plurality of apertures through which the plurality of thermal transfer sheets extend. The apertures include at least one curved sidewall and the thermal transfer sheets are bent over the curved sidewall. At least a portion of each of the thermal transfer sheets is secured between a heat sink and the top face. |
| US09343781B2 |
Adaptive current-collector electrochemical system
An Adaptive Current-collector Electrochemical (ACE) system utilizes an array of contact pads and associated current control transistors to control localized current generation in discrete regions of a battery. Each contact pad is formed on a battery electrode (anode or cathode) and coupled to an associated discrete battery region, and is connected by an associated transistor to a current collection plate. Sensors are used to monitor operating parameters (e.g., localized current flow and operating temperature) of each discrete battery region, and a control circuit uses the sensor data to control the operating state of the transistors, whereby localized current flow through each transistor is increased, decreased or turned off according to measured local operating parameters. The control circuit utilizes local control circuits that process local sensor data using “stand-alone” control logic, or a central controller that processes all sensor data and coordinates transistor operations. |
| US09343780B2 |
Secondary battery
Provided is a secondary battery capable of preventing metal-plating and curling, the secondary battery including: at least one anode including an anode current collector and an anode active material layer coated on the anode current collector; at least one cathode including a cathode current collector, a cathode active material layer coated on one surface of the cathode current collector, which faces the anode, and an outermost coating layer coated on the other surface of the cathode current collector, which does not face the anode, the outermost coating layer being formed by coating an anode active material, an inorganic particle, or a mixture thereof; and at least one separator positioned between the cathode and the anode. |
| US09343778B2 |
Electrolyte for lithium secondary battery and lithium secondary battery including the same
An electrolyte for a lithium secondary battery, the electrolyte including a lithium salt, a non-aqueous organic solvent, and an additive represented by Formula 1 below: wherein CY1 and R1 through R7 are the same as defined above; and a lithium secondary battery containing the electrolyte. |
| US09343777B2 |
Non-aqueous liquid electrolyte and non-aqueous liquid electrolyte secondary battery
A non-aqueous liquid electrolyte suitable for use in a non-aqueous liquid electrolyte secondary battery comprising a negative electrode and a positive electrode, capable of intercalating and deintercalating lithium ions, and the non-aqueous liquid electrolyte, the negative electrode containing a negative-electrode active material having at least one kind of atom selected from the group consisting of Si atom, Sn atom and Pb atom, wherein the non-aqueous liquid electrolyte comprises a carbonate having at least either an unsaturated bond or a halogen atom. |
| US09343776B2 |
Electrolyte for electrochemical device and the electrochemical device thereof
An electrolyte for electrochemical device and the electrochemical device thereof. The electrolyte comprises 9.95˜19.95 wt % of a salt; 80.0˜90.0 wt % of a non-aqueous solvent; 0.05˜10.00 wt % of an additive comprising a compound represented by below formula (I) or (II): wherein X1, R1, and R4˜R10 is defined as herein. Besides, the present invention also provides a method for enhancing cycle life of electrochemical device which accomplished by adding above additive to an electrolyte of electrochemical device. |
| US09343775B2 |
Nonaqueous electrolyte composition and nonaqueous electrolyte battery
A nonaqueous electrolyte battery is provided and includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and an electrolyte. The electrolyte contains a nonaqueous solvent, an electrolyte salt, a matrix polymer and a ceramic powder, and further contains a polyacid and/or a polyacid compound. |
| US09343771B2 |
Energy storage device and method for the reversible storage of energy
An energy storage device for a reversible storage of energy has a reversibly designed metal/metal oxide storage unit for indirectly storing energy in form of a fluid material and a reversibly designed electrolysis device for providing and using the fluid material in an electrolysis reaction. The metal/metal oxide storage unit is disposed spatially separated from the electrolysis device. A fluid exchanging unit is provided for exchanging the fluid material between the reversibly designed metal/metal oxide storage unit and the electrolysis device, and a heat exchanging unit is provided for exchanging thermal energy between the metal/metal oxide storage unit and the electrolysis device. Further, a method for a reversible storage of energy is provided. |
| US09343768B2 |
Method for activating fuel cell
In a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell, a potential is swept to obtain a cyclic voltammogram. The activation treatment is completed when any of conditions (a) to (c) is satisfied. (a): the peak number between 0.1 and 0.3 V increases from one to two, and inequalities of I1/I3≧1.2 and I2/I3≧1.2 are satisfied where I1, I2 and I3 are current values of the two peaks, and the minimum current value between the two peaks, respectively; (b): an oxidation peak within a range of 0.4 to 0.7 V decreases, and a charge amount corresponding to the peak decreases to 20 mC or less; and (c): the ratio I5/I4 increases from less than 1 to 1 where I4 and I5 are current values of a reduction peak within a range of 0.6 to 0.7 V and a reduction peak within a range of 0.7 to 0.8 V, respectively. |
| US09343767B2 |
Catalyst for low-temperature conversion and process for the low-temperature conversion of carbon monoxide and water into carbon dioxide and hydrogen
Chromium-free catalyst for the low-temperature conversion of carbon monoxide and water into hydrogen and carbon dioxide, which comprises a mixed oxide comprising at least copper oxide, zinc oxide and aluminum oxide, with the catalyst precursor being present essentially as hydrotalcite and the copper oxide content being not more than 20% by weight. |
| US09343764B2 |
Integration of molten carbonate fuel cells in methanol synthesis
In various aspects, systems and methods are provided for integration of molten carbonate fuel cells with a methanol synthesis process. The molten carbonate fuel cells can be integrated with a methanol synthesis process in various manners, including providing synthesis gas for use in producing methanol. Additionally, integration of molten carbonate fuel cells with a methanol synthesis process can facilitate further processing of vent streams or secondary product streams generated during methanol synthesis. |
| US09343758B2 |
Solid oxide fuel cell systems with hot zones having improved reactant distribution
A Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) system having a hot zone with a center cathode air feed tube for improved reactant distribution, a CPOX reactor attached at the anode feed end of the hot zone with a tail gas combustor at the opposing end for more uniform heat distribution, and a counter-flow heat exchanger for efficient heat retention. |
| US09343756B2 |
Fuel cell separator and fuel cell stack and reactant gas control method thereof
A fuel cell separator, a fuel cell stack having the fuel cell separator, and a reactant gas control method of the fuel cell stack are provided. That is, even when the fuel cell stack operates under the low load operation condition, a reactant gas is supplied to the reactant gas passages of the fuel cell separator, and thus, the length of the passage can be shortened by 50% as compared with the prior art having only one reactant gas passage. Therefore, the reactant gas can be effectively supplied without experiencing pressure loss. Further, in the high load operation of the fuel cell stack, the reactant gas is introduced into the first reactant gas passage of the fuel cell separator and utilized in half of the whole electrode area. Subsequently, the reactant gas is introduced into the second reactant gas passage and utilized in the remaining half of the electrode area. The flow rate of the reactant gas flowing along the passage channels is increased by two times, even when the reactant gas utilizing rate is identical as compared with the reactant gas flow in the low load operation. As a result, the moisture existing in the passage channels can be more effectively discharged and the flooding phenomenon occurring in the high load operation can be prevented. By controlling the reactant gas supply in accordance with an operation condition of the fuel cell stack without experiencing pressure loss and deterioration of the utilizing rate, the flooding phenomenon and concentration polarization phenomenon that occur in the fuel cell stack can be prevented. |
| US09343751B2 |
Porous electrode substrate, method for producing the same, precursor sheet, membrane electrode assembly, and polymer electrolyte fuel cell
The provision of a porous electrode substrate that has large sheet strength, low production costs, high handling properties, high thickness precision and surface smoothness, and sufficient gas permeability and electrical conductivity. A porous electrode substrate including a three-dimensional entangled structure including short carbon fibers (A) dispersed in a three-dimensional structure, joined together via three-dimensional mesh-like carbon fibers (B). A method for producing a porous electrode substrate, including a step (1) of producing a precursor sheet including short carbon fibers (A), and short carbon fiber precursors (b) and/or fibrillar carbon fiber precursors (b′) dispersed in a two-dimensional plane; a step (2) of subjecting the precursor sheet to entanglement treatment; and a step (3) of subjecting this sheet to carbonization treatment at 1000° C. or higher. It is preferable to include a step (4) of subjecting the sheet to hot press forming at lower than 200° C. between step (2) and step 3), and to further include a step (5) of subjecting the sheet after hot press forming to oxidation treatment at 200° C. or higher and lower than 300° C. between step (4) and step (3). |
| US09343749B2 |
Ultrathin platinum films
In at least one embodiment, a method of forming a platinum thin film is provided, including performing a first atomic layer deposition (ALD) process on a substrate using a first platinum organometallic precursor in a first step and an oxidizing precursor in a second step to form an at least partially coated substrate. A second ALD process is then performed on the at least partially coated substrate using a second platinum organometallic precursor in a first step and a reducing precursor in a second step to form a thin film of platinum on the substrate. The first ALD process may be performed for 5 to 150 cycles to nucleate platinum on the substrate surface and the second ALD process may be performed thereafter to grow the thin film and remove surface oxides. A conformal platinum thin film having a thickness of 1 to 10 monolayers may be deposited. |
| US09343748B2 |
Bulk metallic glass nanowires for use in energy conversion and storage devices
A class of materials has advantageous utility in electrocatalytic applications, e.g., fuel cells. The materials circumvent conventional Pt-based anode poisoning and the agglomeration/dissolution of supported catalysts during long-term operation by exploiting the unique physical and chemical properties of bulk metallic glass to create nanowires for electrocatalytic applications, e.g., fuel cell and battery applications. These amorphous metals can achieve unusual geometries and shapes along multiple length scales. The absence of crystallites, grain boundaries and dislocations in the amorphous structure of bulk metallic glasses results in a homogeneous and isotropic material down to the atomic scale, which displays very high strength, hardness, elastic strain limit and corrosion resistance. The melting temperatures of the disclosed bulk metallic glasses are much lower than the estimated melting temperatures based on interpolation of the alloy constituents making them attractive as highly malleable materials. |
| US09343743B2 |
Methods and systems for making an electrode free from a polymer binder
The disclosure describes an exemplary binding layer formed on Aluminum (Al) substrate that binds the substrate with a coated material. Additionally, an extended form of the binding layer is described. By making a solution containing Al-transition metal elements-P—O, the solution can be used in slurry making (the slurry contains active materials) in certain embodiments. The slurry can be coated on Al substrate followed by heat treatment to form a novel electrode. Alternatively, in certain embodiments, the solution containing Al-transition metal elements-P—O can be mixed with active material powder, after heat treatment, to form new powder particles bound by the binder. |
| US09343730B2 |
Lithium-ion battery and deformable safety valve as overcharge protection device thereof
The present disclosure provides a lithium-ion battery and a deformable safety valve as an overcharge protection device thereof. The deformable safety valve as the overcharge protection device of the lithium-ion battery comprises a short-circuit conductive plate and a deformable plate made from aluminum, a facing surface of the deformable plate being coated with a metal layer to reduce contact resistance between the deformable plate and the short-circuit conductive plate. The lithium-ion battery comprises a first electrode post; a cap plate electrically connected to the first electrode post; an electrolyte-injection hole provided in the cap plate; a vent provided in the cap plate; a deformable safety valve provided to the cap plate; and a second electrode post assembled to the cap plate in an insulating manner; wherein the deformable safety valve is the above deformable safety valve as the overcharge protection device of the lithium-ion battery. |
| US09343727B2 |
Electricity storage device
An electricity storage device includes an electrode assembly such that positive and negative electrodes are alternately stacked in which the positive and negative electrodes are insulated from one another. Tab groups each including positive or negative electrode tabs bundled in the stacking direction of the electrode assembly are provided on an edge portion of the electrode assembly. The tab groups each include a first bent portion and an extending portion, which extends from the first bent portion in the stacking direction of the electrode assembly. The tab groups also each include a second bent portion at which the tab group is curved or bent such that the distal end in the extending direction of the tab that is located at an outermost position of the first bent portion is positioned between the electrode assembly and the tab that is located at an innermost position of the first bent portion. |
| US09343723B2 |
Battery pack and battery module comprising the same
A battery pack having a battery cell and a case accommodating the battery cell and including a terminal portion that is electrically connected to the battery cell. The terminal portion includes a first groove portion for attaching a temperature sensor for obtaining temperature information of the battery cell. |
| US09343719B2 |
Method for producing laminated porous film, and laminated porous film
The present invention produces a laminated porous film which improves the stability of an aqueous dispersion of a metal oxide without lowering battery characteristics, while having high binding properties and excellent heat resistance. This laminated porous film exhibits excellent characteristics when used as a separator for batteries. This laminated porous film is produced by forming a porous coating layer on at least one outer surface of a resin porous film, which is formed of a single layer or a laminate of a plurality of layers, by applying a coating liquid that contains a metal oxide, a resin binder and a volatile acid thereto and drying the applied coating liquid. The coating liquid is prepared so that the difference between the pH (pH1) of the coating liquid and the pH (pH2) of the coating layer is not less than 2. |
| US09343717B2 |
Method for producing battery modules or battery systems having a plurality of battery cells
A method for producing battery modules or battery systems having a plurality of battery cells includes interconnecting and optionally arranging the battery cells with cell connectors to form the battery module or battery system architecture. The method also includes fitting the battery module or battery system with terminals and packaging all the battery cells of the battery module or system in a common plastic sheath by injection molding, so that the battery cells and cell connectors of the battery module or system are surrounded substantially completely by the plastic sheath. The battery module terminals or battery system terminals remain accessible from outside. A battery module or battery system can be produced in accordance with the method of the disclosure. |
| US09343715B2 |
Extended battery
A battery for use in an electronic device having a user-accessible battery compartment, including a connection module accommodatable in the battery compartment, and an extension module attached to and in electrical connection with the connection module. The extension module is larger than the battery compartment, such that, when the battery in installed, the connection module is disposed in the battery compartment, and the extension module covers the battery compartment and a portion of the electronic device other than the battery compartment. |
| US09343711B2 |
Positive electrode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, battery pack, and method for manufacturing positive electrode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery
According to one embodiment, it is provided with a positive electrode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery represented by a general formula Li(LiaMnbNicCodFee)O2-xFx, wherein a, b, c, d, e and x in the general formula are values such that 0 |
| US09343710B2 |
Method of manufacturing EL display device
A method of manufacturing an EL display device having a panel part is such that a constituent element of the panel part is formed through film formation in a vacuum atmosphere. After the constituent element of the panel part has been formed on a substrate in the vacuum atmosphere, the post-film-formation substrate is placed on standby during transporting the substrate from a place in the vacuum atmosphere to a place in an atmospheric-pressure atmosphere. The placing the substrate on standby includes a first intake period and a second intake period. During the first intake period, an intake gas is gradually introduced to change the atmosphere, from the first vacuum atmosphere to the second vacuum atmosphere that exhibits a lower degree of vacuum than that of the first vacuum atmosphere. During the second intake period, the intake gas is introduced to change the atmosphere, from the second vacuum atmosphere to the atmospheric-pressure atmosphere. The first period is set to be longer in time than the second period. |
| US09343709B2 |
Light-emitting device and a method of manufacturing light-emitting device
To provide a highly reliable light-emitting device and especially a light-emitting device which can be formed without use of a metal mask and includes a plurality of light-emitting elements. A structural body at least an end of which has an acute-angled shape is provided so that the end can pass downward through an electrically conductive film formed over the insulating layer and can be at least in contact with an insulating layer having elasticity, thereby physically separating the electrically conductive film, and the electrically conductive films are thus electrically insulated from each other. Such a structure may be provided between adjacent light-emitting elements so that the light-emitting elements can be electrically insulated from each other in the light-emitting device. |
| US09343701B2 |
Organic light emitting display device and method for manufacturing the same
An organic light-emitting display device includes a pixel array on a first substrate, a second substrate disposed above the first substrate to face the pixel array, a sealant between the first and second substrates to surround the pixel array, and a barrier layer on outer surfaces of the first substrate, the second substrate, and the sealant. |
| US09343695B2 |
Method of fabricating organic light emitting device (OLED) panel of arbitrary shape
OLED panels and techniques for fabricating OLED panels are provided. Multiple cuts may be made in an OLED panel to define a desired shape, as well as the location and shape of external electrical contacts. The panel may be encapsulated before or after being cut to a desired shape, allowing for greater flexibility and efficiency during manufacture. |
| US09343693B2 |
Organic light emitting diode and organic light emitting display apparatus having the same
An organic light emitting diode includes a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, an optical compensation layer, an emission layer, an electron transport layer and an electron injection layer. The optical compensation layer is disposed on the hole transport layer and includes a phosphorescent host material. Thus, an electron barrier on an interface between the optical compensation layer and an emission layer may be reduced. Thus, the luminance efficiency in a low gray scale area may be decreased, and the stain and roll-off phenomenon in the low gray scale area may be improved. |
| US09343688B2 |
Semiconductor polymers
Disclosed is a semiconductor polymer having the following structure: |
| US09343686B2 |
Compound, solar cell module, and solar power generation device
A compound is represented by the following general formula (IA0) or (IB0). A solar cell module for which the compound is used is used for a solar power generation device. |
| US09343684B2 |
Substituted bisaryloxybiphenyl compounds for use in light-emitting devices
Compounds according to Formula 1 may be used as host materials, hole-transfer materials, hole-injecting materials, or for other purposes in electronic devices such as in organic light-emitting devices. |
| US09343683B2 |
Compounds for electronic devices
The present invention relates to compounds having a spirobifluorene skeleton of the formula (I) for use as functional materials in electronic devices, in particular for use in the charge-transport layer and/or emission layer of organic electroluminescent devices. The invention furthermore relates to a process for the preparation of the compounds according to the invention and to mixtures comprising the compounds according to the invention. The invention furthermore relates to the use of the compounds of the formula (I) in electronic devices and to electronic devices comprising the compounds of the formula (I). |
| US09343680B2 |
Printed electronic device
This invention generally relates to a patterned substrate for an electronic device and to electronic devices, device arrays, field effect transistors and transistor arrays comprising the patterned substrate. The invention also relates to a logic circuit, display, memory or sensor device comprising the patterned substrate. Further the invention relates to a method of patterning a substrate for an electronic device. In an embodiment, a patterned substrate for an electronic device comprises: a first body having an edge; a second body comprising an elongate plurality of printed droplets having an edge adjacent to and substantially aligned to said first body edge; and a separation between said first body edge and said second body edge, wherein said elongate plurality of printed droplets is at an angle of about 5 degrees to about 90 degrees to said first body edge. |
| US09343673B2 |
Method for forming metal oxides and silicides in a memory device
Embodiments of the invention generally relate to memory devices and methods for fabricating such memory devices. In one embodiment, a method for fabricating a resistive switching memory device includes depositing a metallic layer on a lower electrode disposed on a substrate and exposing the metallic layer to an activated oxygen source while heating the substrate to an oxidizing temperature within a range from about 300° C. to about 600° C. and forming a metal oxide layer from an upper portion of the metallic layer during an oxidation process. The lower electrode contains a silicon material and the metallic layer contains hafnium or zirconium. Subsequent to the oxidation process, the method further includes heating the substrate to an annealing temperature within a range from greater than 600° C. to about 850° C. while forming a metal silicide layer from a lower portion of the metallic layer during a silicidation process. |
| US09343669B2 |
Semiconductor structures and devices including conductive lines and peripheral conductive pads
Semiconductor devices and structures, such as phase change memory devices, include peripheral conductive pads coupled to peripheral conductive contacts in a peripheral region. An array region may include memory cells coupled to conductive lines. Methods of forming such semiconductor devices and structures include removing memory cell material from a peripheral region and, thereafter, selectively removing portions of the memory cell material from the array region to define individual memory cells in the array region. Additional methods include planarizing the structure using peripheral conductive pads and/or spacer material over the peripheral conductive pads as a planarization stop material. Yet further methods include partially defining memory cells in the array region, thereafter forming peripheral conductive contacts, and thereafter fully defining the memory cells. |
| US09343668B2 |
Low temperature in-situ doped silicon-based conductor material for memory cell
Providing for two-terminal memory cell structures and fabrication that can be achieved with a relatively low temperature process(es) is described herein. By way of example, disclosed two-terminal memory cells can be formed at least in part as a continuous deposition, potentially yielding improved efficiency in manufacturing. Furthermore, various embodiments can be compatible with some existing complementary metal oxide semiconductor fabrication processes, reducing or avoiding retooling overhead that might be associated with modifying existing fabrication processes in favor of other two-terminal memory cell fabrication techniques. |
| US09343662B2 |
Magnetic memory device and method of forming thereof
A device and a method of forming a device are presented. A substrate is provided. Front end of line processing is performed to form circuit component on the substrate and back end of line processing is performed to include the uppermost inter level dielectric (ILD) layer. The uppermost ILD layer includes first and second interconnects. A pad level is formed over the uppermost ILD layer. A storage unit of a memory cell is provided in the pad level. The storage unit is coupled to the first interconnect of the uppermost ILD layer. A cell interconnect and a pad interconnect are formed in the pad level. The cell interconnect is formed on top of and coupled to the storage unit and the pad interconnect is coupled to the second interconnect in the uppermost ILD layer. |
| US09343661B2 |
Non-reactive photoresist removal and spacer layer optimization in a magnetoresistive device
In forming a top electrode for a magnetoresistive device, photoresist used in patterning the electrode is stripped using a non-reactive stripping process. Such a non-reactive stripping process uses water vapor or some other non-oxidizing gas that also passivates exposed portions the magnetoresistive device. In such magnetoresistive devices, a non-reactive spacer layer is included that helps prevent diffusion between layers in the magnetoresistive device, where the non-reactive nature of the spacer layer prevents sidewall roughness that can interfere with accurate formation of the lower portions of the magnetoresistive device. |
| US09343660B2 |
Magnetic memory device
A magnetic memory device is provided. The magnetic memory device includes a first vertical magnetic layer and a second vertical magnetic layer on a substrate, a tunnel barrier layer between the first vertical magnetic layer and the second vertical magnetic layer, and an exchange-coupling layer between a first sub-layer of the first vertical magnetic layer and a second sub-layer of the first vertical magnetic layer. |
| US09343656B2 |
Magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structure in magnetic random access memory
Methods and apparatuses for a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) which can be used in as a magnetic random access memory cell are disclosed. The MTJ comprises a free layer and an insulator layer. The MTJ further comprises a pinned layer with a first region, a second region, and a third region. The second region is of a first length and of a first thickness, and the first region and the third region are of a second length and of a second thickness. A ratio of the first thickness to the second thickness may be larger than 1.2. A ratio of the second length to the first length is larger than 0.5. The first thickness may be larger than a spin diffusion length of a material for the pinned layer. So formed MTJ results in increased tunneling magnetic resistance ratio and reduced critical switch current of the MTJ. |
| US09343653B2 |
Piezoelectric element including fluororesin film
There is provided a piezoelectric element, including: a porous fluororesin film made of a first fluororesin; and a nonporous fluororesin layer stacked on at least one surface of the porous fluororesin film and made of a second fluororesin, wherein the first fluororesin is different in type from the second fluororesin, and when 50 pores are selected in descending order from a pore having the longest thickness-direction length, of pores present in a cut surface of the porous fluororesin film in a thickness direction, an average value A50 of thickness-direction lengths of the 50 pores is 3 μm or smaller. |
| US09343652B2 |
Method for producing a piezoelectric multilayer component and a piezoelectric multilayer component
A method for producing a piezoelectric multilayer component is disclosed. Piezoelectric green films and electrode material are provided, arranged alternately on top of one another and sintered. The electrode material is provided with a PbO-containing coating and/or PbO is mixed into the electrode material. |
| US09343651B2 |
Organic packaging carrier
An organic packaging carrier is provided. The organic packaging carrier includes an organic substrate, a conductive circuit layer, and a sealing metal layer. The organic substrate has a first surface. The conductive circuit layer is located on the first surface and includes at least a conductive layer and a sealing ring. The sealing ring is a closed ring. The sealing metal layer is located on the sealing ring, wherein a material of the sealing metal layer includes AgSn and is lead-free. |
| US09343647B2 |
Position detection device
A position detection device includes a thermoelectric conversion portion which includes a magnetic layer and a plurality of electrodes. The magnetic layer has magnetization. The plurality of electrodes are formed of a material having spin-orbit interaction, and are formed on the magnetic layer so as to extend in a direction which intersects with the magnetization direction of the magnetic layer. When an arbitrary location on the layer-surface of the magnetic layer is heated, the thermoelectric conversion portion modulates the effective temperature in the magnetic layer and induces a spin Seebeck effect. As a result, the thermoelectric conversion portion generates, from the plurality of electrodes, a voltage corresponding to the heated position as position information. |
| US09343642B2 |
Optoelectronic semiconductor chip
An optoelectronic semiconductor chip includes a carrier including a carrier element having a mounting side; one electrically conductive n-type wiring layer arranged at the mounting side; a structured, electrically conductive contact layer having a p-side and n-side contact region and arranged at a side of the n-type wiring layer facing away from the carrier element; at least one insulation region electrically insulating the p-side contact region from the n-side contact region; at least one electrically insulating spacer layer arranged at a side of the n-type wiring layer facing away from the carrier element in a vertical direction between the p-side contact region and the n-type wiring layer, wherein the n-side contact region and the n-type wiring layer electrically conductively connect to one another, and the p-side contact region and the spacer layer border the n-side contact region in a lateral direction; an optoelectronic structure connected to the carrier. |
| US09343635B2 |
Light conversion light-emitting device with enhanced luminescence efficiency using anisotropic metal nanoparticles
There is provided a light-emitting device with enhanced luminescence efficiency, which simultaneously exhibits excitation enhancement and emission enhancement of a light-emitting material by controlling two or multiple surface plasmon resonance bands of anisotropic metal nanoparticles to be formed in a near ultraviolet light range and a visible light range and optimizing overlapping of a wavelength of a near ultraviolet or blue light source with an absorption wavelength and an emission wavelength of the light-emitting material. There is also provided a light-emitting device with improved color gamut and luminance, which simultaneously exhibit emission enhancement of different types of light-emitting materials by controlling two or multiple surfaces plasmon resonance bands of anisotropic metal nanoparticles to be overlapped with absorption and emission wavelengths of two or more light-emitting materials having different emission wavelengths from one another. |
| US09343633B1 |
Light-emitting diode lighting device
A light-emitting diode (LED) lighting device includes a substrate, a first bottom electrode, a second bottom electrode, a first bottom transparent isolation layer, a second bottom transparent isolation layer, a first vertical LED, a second vertical LED, and a top transparent electrode. The substrate has a first recess and a second recess therein. The first bottom electrode and the second bottom electrode are respectively disposed in the first recess and the second recess and are reflective. The first vertical LED is disposed in the first recess and on the first bottom electrode. The second vertical LED is disposed in the second recess and on the second bottom electrode. The first bottom transparent isolation layer and the second bottom transparent isolation layer are respectively disposed in the first recess and the second recess. The top transparent electrode electrically connects the first vertical LED and the second bottom electrode. |
| US09343632B2 |
Encapsulation housing and LED module with the same
An encapsulation housing for a LED module, may include an upper housing and a lower housing joined together and defining together a cavity, wherein at least one of the upper housing and the lower housing has an inner partition wall partitioning the cavity into an assembly cavity and an anti-leakage cavity encircling the assembly cavity. |
| US09343630B2 |
Semiconductor light emitting element
A semiconductor light emitting element includes a semiconductor laminated body comprising a first conductivity type layer, a light emitting layer and a second conductivity type layer in this order from a lower side, a first electrode formed on the first conductivity type layer, and a second electrode comprising a transparent electrode formed on the second conductivity type layer and an auxiliary electrode formed on the transparent electrode, the transparent electrode comprising an oxide and having sheet resistance smaller than that of the second conductivity type layer and the auxiliary electrode comprising metal and having sheet resistance smaller than that of the transparent electrode, wherein the auxiliary electrode has, in a planar view, a linear surrounding portion surrounding the first electrode and a pad portion formed outside the surrounding portion for connecting a wire and the surrounding portion has a plurality of shortest-distance portions, in which a plan view distance from the first electrode is minimum, in a circumferential direction. |
| US09343629B2 |
Light emitting device
A light emitting device including a light emitting structure having a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer, and an active layer between the first and second semiconductor layers; a first electrode electrically connected to the first semiconductor layer; and a second electrode disposed on the second semiconductor layer. Further, the second electrode include a reflective layer disposed on the second semiconductor layer; a metal layer disposed on a side surface of the reflective layer and on a top surface of reflective layer; a first anti-oxidation layer on the metal layer; and a second anti-oxidation layer on the first anti-oxidation layer. In addition, the second anti-oxidation layer is more than 10 times thicker than the first anti-oxidation layer. |
| US09343628B2 |
Semiconductor light emitting device
A light emitting device includes a first layer of a first conductivity type, a second layer of a second conductivity type, and a light emitting layer between the first and second layers. A resin layer is disposed on a first surface of the first layer. The first layer has an outer portion that extends beyond the second and light emitting layers to an outer edge. A first electrode contacts the first layer in the outer portion on a second surface opposite the first surface; and a second electrode contacts the second layer. A first insulating material contacts the first surface in the outer portion of the first layer and has a wall surface extending from the first surface at a position that is in the outer portion and spaced from the outer edge. |
| US09343626B2 |
Semiconductor structures having active regions comprising InGaN, methods of forming such semiconductor structures, and light emitting devices formed from such semiconductor structures
Semiconductor structures include an active region between a plurality of layers of InGaN. The active region may be at least substantially comprised by InGaN. The plurality of layers of InGaN include at least one well layer comprising InwGa1-wN, and at least one barrier layer comprising InbGa1-bN proximate the at least one well layer. In some embodiments, the value of w in the InwGa1-wN of the well layer may be greater than or equal to about 0.10 and less than or equal to about 0.40 in some embodiments, and the value of b in the InbGa1-bN of the at least one barrier layer may be greater than or equal to about 0.01 and less than or equal to about 0.10. Methods of forming semiconductor structures include growing such layers of InGaN to form an active region of a light emitting device, such as an LED. Luminary devices include such LEDs. |
| US09343624B2 |
Light emitting device and method of manufacturing the same
A light emitting device is disclosed. The light emitting device includes a conductive support layer; a reflective layer disposed on the conductive support layer; a nitride semiconductor layer disposed on the reflective layer. Furthermore, the nitride semiconductor layer includes a second-type semiconductor layer on the reflective layer, an active layer on the second-type semiconductor layer, and a first-type semiconductor layer on the active layer; a light extraction structure disposed on the first-type semiconductor layer; and a first-type electrode disposed on the light extraction structure. |
| US09343617B2 |
Method of manufacturing light emitting element
A method of producing light emitting elements includes providing a wafer that includes a growth substrate and a semiconductor structure formed on the growth substrate, a lower side of the wafer being a growth substrate side, and an upper side of the wafer being a semiconductor structure side as an upper side; forming a separation groove in the wafer from the upper side of the wafer to demarcate portions of the semiconductor structure, the separation groove extending in a depth direction to a location in the wafer; forming a p-electrode and an n-electrode on an upper side of each of the demarcated portions of the semiconductor structure; forming a dielectric multilayer film at an upper side of the wafer, including portions defining the separation groove, by using an atomic layer deposition method; and separating the wafer into a plurality of light emitting elements by removing a portion of the wafer from a lower side of the wafer to at least the location to which the separation groove extends. |
| US09343615B2 |
Method for producing an optoelectronic semiconductor chip and optoelectronic semiconductor chip
A method of producing an optoelectronic semiconductor chip includes providing a growth substrate, producing a III nitride nucleation layer on the growth substrate by sputtering, wherein a material of the growth substrate differs from a material of the nucleation layer, and growing a III nitride semiconductor layer sequence having an active layer onto the nucleation layer. |
| US09343612B2 |
Method of bonding a semiconductor device to a support substrate
A method according to embodiments of the invention includes providing a wafer of semiconductor devices grown on a growth substrate. The wafer of semiconductor devices has a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The second surface is a surface of the growth substrate. The method further includes bonding the first surface to a first wafer and bonding the second surface to a second wafer. In some embodiments, the first and second wafer each have a different coefficient of thermal expansion than the growth substrate. In some embodiments, the second wafer may compensate for stress introduced to the wafer of semiconductor devices by the first wafer. |
| US09343606B2 |
Solar cell structures, photovoltaic panels and corresponding processes
Photovoltaic modules comprise solar cells having doped domains of opposite polarities along the rear side of the cells. The doped domains can be located within openings through a dielectric passivation layer. In some embodiments, the solar cells are formed from thin silicon foils. Doped domains can be formed by printing inks along the rear surface of the semiconducting sheets. The dopant inks can comprise nanoparticles having the desired dopant. |
| US09343605B2 |
Photovoltaic equipment
A photovoltaic unit can minimally reduce a displacement of focus positions from solar cells and prevent a decrease in power generation efficiency even if elastic behaviors of a Fresnel lens sheet and a base plate on which solar cells are arranged due to changes in temperature and humidity are different. The photovoltaic unit includes an integrated multiple Fresnel lens sheet and a base plate on which solar cells are arranged adjacent to the focus positions of individual Fresnel lenses. The multiple Fresnel lens sheet is fixed to the base plate by a lens sheet fixing element at a lens sheet fixing portion adjacent to the center of gravity of the sheet. |
| US09343600B2 |
Integrated microinverter housing for a PV AC module
Systems and devices relating to an integrated housing for microinverters. The housing has a cavity for housing the circuitry of the microinverter. The housing is mountable on a back sheet of a PV module by way of the housing's top cover. An opening at the back of the housing accommodates DC contacts coming from the PV module while a void configured for an output port is also present in the housing. When mounted on the PV module, the housing is spaced apart from the module. |
| US09343594B2 |
Conductive composition, conductive member and production method thereof, touch panel, and solar cell
A conductive composition includes at least: a) metal conductive fibers having an average minor axis length of from 1 nm to 150 nm; and b) a compound represented by the following Formula (1) or Formula (2) in an amount of from 0.1% by mass to 1000% by mass with respect to the metal conductive fibers: P—(CR1═Y)n-Q Formula (1) wherein, in Formula (1), P and Q each independently represent a group represented by OH, NR2R3 or CHR4R5, in which R2 and R3 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a group that can be substituted on a nitrogen atom, and R4 and R5 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a substituent; Y represents CR6 or a nitrogen atom; R1 and R6 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a substituent; at least two of the groups represented by R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 or R6 may be bonded to each other to form a ring; n represents an integer from 0 to 5; when n is 0, neither P nor Q is a group represented by OH or CHR4R5; and when n represents a number of 2 or greater, the plurality of atomic groups each represented by (CR1═Y) may be the same as or different from each other; R7—C(═O)—H Formula (2) wherein, in Formula (2), R7 represents a hydrogen atom, an OH group, an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group. |
| US09343592B2 |
Electrical interconnects for photovoltaic modules and methods thereof
System and method for interconnecting photovoltaic modules. The system includes a first photovoltaic module and a second photovoltaic module. The first photovoltaic module includes a first bus bar and a first interconnect tab connected to the first bus bar. The second photovoltaic module includes a second bus bar and a second interconnect tab connected to the second bus bar. The system for interconnecting photovoltaic modules additionally includes a module interconnector configured to interconnect the first and the second photovoltaic modules. The module interconnector includes an interconnection component and an interconnection protector. Additionally, the system for interconnecting photovoltaic modules includes a first connection component connecting the interconnection component to the first interconnect tab of the first photovoltaic module and a second connection component connecting the interconnection component to the second interconnect tab of the second photovoltaic module. |
| US09343591B2 |
Methods of printing solar cell contacts
Silicon solar cells and contacts thereof are printed in at least a two stage printing process where the busbars and fingerlines may be printed separately. A reduction in silver content in busbars and fingerlines through use of the techniques of the invention have been realized, including the use of certain base metals, while maintaining low contact resistance similar to silve pastes. |
| US09343589B2 |
Field effect transistor (FET) with self-aligned double gates on bulk silicon substrate, methods of forming, and related design structures
At least one isolation trench formed in a layer stack including substrate, channel, and upper gate layers define a channel in the channel layer. Lateral etching from the isolation trench(es) can form lateral cavities in the substrate and upper gate layer to substantially simultaneously form self-aligned lower and upper gates. The lower gate undercuts the channel, the upper gate is narrower than the channel, and a source and a drain can be formed on opposed ends of the channel. As a result, source-drain capacitance and gate-drain capacitance can be reduced, increasing speed of the resulting FET. |
| US09343586B2 |
Thin film transistor
Provided is a thin film transistor having an oxide semiconductor layer that has high mobility, excellent stress resistance, and good wet etching property. The thin film transistor comprises at least, a gate electrode, a gate insulating film, an oxide semiconductor layer, source-drain electrode and a passivation film, in this order on a substrate. The oxide semiconductor layer is a laminate comprising a first oxide semiconductor layer (IGZTO) and a second oxide semiconductor layer (IZTO). The second oxide semiconductor layer is formed on the gate insulating film, and the first oxide semiconductor layer is formed between the second oxide semiconductor layer and the passivation film. The contents of respective metal elements relative to the total amount of all the metal elements other than oxygen in the first oxide semiconductor layer are as follows; Ga: 5% or more; In: 25% or less (excluding 0%); Zn: 35 to 65%; and Sn: 8 to 30%. |
| US09343585B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
A highly reliable semiconductor device is provided. A semiconductor device is manufactured at a high yield, so that high productivity is achieved. In a semiconductor device including a transistor in which a gate electrode layer, a gate insulating film, an oxide semiconductor film containing indium, and an insulating layer provided on and in contact with the oxide semiconductor film so as to overlap with the gate electrode layer are stacked and a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer are provided in contact with the oxide semiconductor film and the insulating layer, the chlorine concentration and the indium concentration on a surface of the insulating layer are lower than or equal to 1×1019/cm3 and lower than or equal to 2×1019/cm3, respectively. |
| US09343583B2 |
Thin film transistor and thin film transistor array panel including the same
A thin film transistor, a thin film transistor array panel including the same, and a method of manufacturing the same are provided, wherein the thin film transistor includes a channel region including an oxide semiconductor, a source region and a drain region connected to the channel region and facing each other at both sides with respect to the channel region, an insulating layer positioned on the channel region, and a gate electrode positioned on the insulating layer, wherein an edge boundary of the gate electrode and an edge boundary of the channel region are substantially aligned. |
| US09343578B2 |
Semiconductor device and measurement device
A semiconductor device includes an oxide semiconductor layer over a first oxide layer; first source and drain electrodes over the oxide semiconductor layer; second source and drain electrodes over the first source and drain electrodes respectively; a second oxide layer over the first source and drain electrodes; a gate insulating layer over the second source and drain electrodes and the second oxide layer; and a gate electrode overlapping the oxide semiconductor layer with the gate insulating layer provided therebetween. The structure in which the oxide semiconductor layer is sandwiched by the oxide layers can suppress the entry of impurities into the oxide semiconductor layer. The structure in which the oxide semiconductor layer is contacting with the source and drain electrodes can prevent increasing resistance between the source and the drain comparing one in which an oxide semiconductor layer is electrically connected to source and drain electrodes through an oxide layer. |
| US09343572B1 |
High-voltage semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
A high-voltage semiconductor device is provided. The high-voltage semiconductor device includes a substrate; an epitaxial layer and a gate structure; a first conductive type first high-voltage well region and a second conductive type high-voltage well region disposed in the epitaxial layer at opposite sides of the gate structure respectively, wherein the first conductive type is different from the second conductive type; a source region and a drain region; and a stack structure disposed between the gate structure and the drain region, wherein the stack structure includes: a blocking layer; an insulating layer disposed over the blocking layer; and a conductive layer disposed over the insulating layer and electrically connected the source region or the gate structure. A method for manufacturing the high-voltage semiconductor device is also provided. |
| US09343571B2 |
MOS with recessed lightly-doped drain
LDD regions are provided with high implant energy in devices with reduced thickness poly-silicon layers and source/drain junctions. Embodiments include forming an oxide layer on a substrate surface, forming a poly-silicon layer over the oxide layer, forming first and second trenches through the oxide and poly-silicon layers and below the substrate surface, defining a gate region therebetween, implanting a dopant in a LDD region through the first and second trenches, forming spacers on opposite side surfaces of the gate region and extending into the first and second trenches, and implanting a dopant in a source/drain region below each of the first and second trenches. |
| US09343570B2 |
Semiconductor device and fabrication method thereof
A p channel TFT of a driving circuit has a single drain structure and its n channel TFT, an LDD structure. A pixel TFT has the LDD structure. A pixel electrode disposed in a pixel unit is connected to the pixel TFT through a hole bored in at least a protective insulation film formed of an inorganic insulating material and formed above a gate electrode of the pixel TFT, and in an inter-layer insulation film disposed on the insulation film in close contact therewith. These process steps use 6 to 8 photo-masks. |
| US09343550B2 |
Silicon-on-nothing FinFETs
A semiconductor device includes an insulator formed within a void to electrically isolate an active fin from an underlying substrate. The void is created by removing a sacrificial portion formed between the substrate and the active fin. The sacrificial portion may be doped to allow for a greater thickness relative to an un-doped portion of substantially similar composition. The doped sacrificial portion thickness may be between 10 nm and 250 nm. The thicker sacrificial portion allows for a thicker insulator so as to provide adequate electrical isolation between the active fin and the substrate. During formation of the void, the active fin may be supported by a gate. The semiconductor structure may also include a bulk region that has at least a maintained portion of the sacrificial portion material. |
| US09343549B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a first mask on a substrate, forming a first side wall of a fin by performing a first etching of the substrate using the first mask, forming a second mask on the substrate, the second mask being different from the first mask, and forming a second side wall of the fin by performing a second etching of the substrate using the second mask. |
| US09343548B1 |
Manufacturing method of thin film transistor of display device
A manufacturing method of a thin film transistor of a display device, the method including forming a gate insulating layer on a semiconductor layer; attaching a halftone mask onto the gate insulating layer; forming a channel region including a plurality of bridged grain lines formed; exposing the gate insulating layer of the channel region; forming a gate electrode layer on the halftone mask and the gate insulating layer; forming a gate electrode on the channel region by etching a portion corresponding to a boundary of the channel region of the gate electrode layer; removing the halftone mask; forming source/drain regions; forming an interlayer insulating layer on the gate electrode and the gate insulating layer; forming contact holes by etching the gate insulating layer and the interlayer insulating layer to expose the source/drain regions; and forming source/drain electrodes connected with the source/drain regions through the contact holes. |
| US09343546B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device includes a channel region extending in a vertical direction perpendicular to a substrate and having a nitrogen concentration distribution, a plurality of gate electrodes arranged on a side wall of the channel region and separated from each other in a vertical direction, and a gate dielectric layer disposed between the channel region and the gate electrodes. The nitrogen concentration distribution has a first concentration near an interface between the channel region and the gate dielectric layer. |
| US09343543B2 |
Gate contact for a semiconductor device and methods of fabrication thereof
Embodiments of a gate contact for a semiconductor device and methods of fabrication thereof are disclosed. In one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a semiconductor structure and a dielectric layer on a surface of the semiconductor structure, where the dielectric layer has an opening that exposes an area of the semiconductor structure. A gate contact for the semiconductor device is formed on the exposed area of the semiconductor structure through the opening in the dielectric layer. The gate contact includes a proximal end on a portion of the exposed area of the semiconductor structure, a distal end opposite the proximal end, and sidewalls that each extend between the proximal end and the distal end of the gate contact. For each sidewall of the gate contact, an air region separates the sidewall and the distal end of the gate contact from the dielectric layer. |
| US09343540B2 |
Transistors with a gate insulation layer having a channel depleting interfacial charge
A metal-insulator-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MISFET) includes a SiC layer with source and drain regions of a first conductivity type spaced apart therein. A first gate insulation layer is on the SiC layer and has a net charge along an interface with the SiC layer that is the same polarity as majority carriers of the source region. A gate contact is on the first gate insulation layer over a channel region of the SiC layer between the source and drain regions. The net charge along the interface between the first gate insulation layer and the SiC layer may deplete majority carriers from an adjacent portion of the channel region between the source and drain regions in the SiC layer, which may increase the threshold voltage of the MISFET and/or increase the electron mobility therein. |
| US09343538B2 |
High voltage device with additional isolation region under gate and manufacturing method thereof
A high voltage device includes: a substrate having a first isolation structure to define a device region; a source and a drain in the device region; a gate on the substrate and between the source and the drain; and a second isolation structure. The second isolation structure includes a first isolation region and a second isolation region. The first isolation region is on the substrate and between the source and the drain, and is partially or totally covered by the gate. The second isolation region is in the substrate and below the gate, and has a depth in the substrate which is deeper than the depth of the first isolation region in the substrate, and the length of the second isolation region in a direction along an imaginary line connecting the source and the drain does not exceed one-third length of the first isolation region. |
| US09343537B2 |
Split gate embedded memory technology and manufacturing method thereof
A device and method of forming the device using a split gate embedded memory technology are presented. The device includes two polysilicon layers, one for floating gate poly and the other for logic, HV and stack gate and split gate. An oxide-nitride-oxide process of the manufacturing method results in low reliability risk and good uniformity in the device. Moreover, embodiments of the manufacturing method have good controllability of the profile and critical dimension of select gates in production. Furthermore, there is no need to provide non-volatile memory and high-voltage protection for devices manufactured by embodiments of the manufacturing method of the present disclosure. |
| US09343533B2 |
Direct formation of graphene on semiconductor substrates
The invention generally related to a method for preparing a layer of graphene directly on the surface of a semiconductor substrate. The method includes forming a carbon-containing layer on a front surface of a semiconductor substrate and depositing a metal film on the carbon layer. A thermal cycle degrades the carbon-containing layer, which forms graphene directly upon the semiconductor substrate upon cooling. In some embodiments, the carbon source is a carbon-containing gas, and the thermal cycle causes diffusion of carbon atoms into the metal film, which, upon cooling, segregate and precipitate into a layer of graphene directly on the semiconductor substrate. |
| US09343525B2 |
Aluminum nitride substrate and group-III nitride laminate
A substrate includes aluminum nitride, wherein the aluminum nitride substrate has on at least a surface thereof an aluminum nitride single-crystal layer having as a principal plane a plane that is inclined 0.05° to 0.40° in the m-axis direction from the (0001) plane of a wurzite structure. |
| US09343521B2 |
Organic light-emitting display apparatus and method of manufactuing the same
Provided is an organic light-emitting display apparatus including a thin-film transistor (TFT) that includes an active layer, a gate electrode, and source/drain electrodes; an organic light-emitting device that includes a pixel electrode which is connected to the TFT, an intermediate layer which includes a light-emitting layer, and an opposite electrode; and an opposite electrode contact unit in which the opposite electrode is electrically connected to a power wiring, wherein, with regard to the power wiring, a surface that contacts the opposite electrode is formed to have an embossed structure. |
| US09343520B2 |
Organic light-emitting diode display and method of fabricating the same
An organic light-emitting diode display can include an improved aperture ratio by configuring a circuit pattern between neighboring subpixels in a symmetrical fashion such that the subpixels share signal lines. Each pixel of the organic light-emitting diode display is formed in a symmetrical fashion with respect to one contact area, the number of reference connecting patterns can be reduced and therefore the area occupied by an opening area for each pixel can be made wider, thus leading to an improved aperture ratio. |
| US09343519B2 |
Method of manufacturing organic light emitting display device
Provided is a method of manufacturing an organic light emitting display device. The method includes: providing a first substrate including: a display portion, and a non-display portion, forming a thin film transistor (TFT) and an organic light emitting diode (OLED) in the display portion of the first substrate, providing a pad portion including: at least one pad contact portion at the non-display portion and electrically connected to the TFT, and a pad insulating portion between adjacent pad contact portions, providing an anti-moisture insulation layer entirely covering the first substrate, adhering an encapsulating substrate onto the anti-moisture insulation portion in correspondence with the display portion, and removing the anti-moisture insulation layer, at the pad contact portion, using a laser. |
| US09343512B2 |
Light-emitting device and electronic apparatus
A light-emitting device has a resonant structure including a reflection layer, an emitting layer and a semitransmissive reflection layer with the same optical length between the reflection layer and the semitransmissive reflection layer in all of regions from which light is emitted. The light emitting device further includes color filters through which light from the emitting layer having wavelengths of red, green and blue light is extracted, and a notch filter having the lowest transmittance for light having wavelengths in a region between red light and green light and wavelengths in a region between green light and blue light. |
| US09343511B1 |
Pixel arrangement structure for organic light-emitting diode
A pixel arrangement structure for an organic light-emitting diode includes a plurality of red subpixel groups, a plurality of green subpixel groups, and a plurality of blue subpixel groups. Each red subpixel group is comprised of a plurality of red subpixels. Each green subpixel group is comprised of a plurality of green subpixels. Each blue subpixel group is comprised of a plurality of blue subpixels. The red subpixel groups, the green subpixel groups, and the blue subpixel groups are spaced from each other. One of the red subpixels of the red subpixel groups, one of the green subpixels of the green subpixel groups, and one of the blue subpixels of the blue subpixel groups, which are adjacent to each other, together form a pixel. The subpixels of the same color are gathered to form a subpixel group to increase the aperture ratio of metal masks. |
| US09343509B2 |
Organic light-emitting device
Provided is an organic light-emitting device including a plurality of pixels, each including a first sub-pixel, a second sub-pixel, and a third sub-pixel having different colors from each other. Each of the pixels includes a substrate, a first electrode layer on the substrate, a first light-emitting layer disposed on the first electrode in the first, second and third sub-pixels, an auxiliary layer disposed on the first light-emitting layer in the second and third sub-pixels, a second light-emitting layer disposed on the auxiliary layer in the second sub-pixel, a third light-emitting layer disposed on the auxiliary layer in the third sub-pixel, and a second electrode layer on the first, second, and third light-emitting layers. |
| US09343505B2 |
Wafer level reflector for LED packaging
An optical emitter is fabricated by bonding a Light-Emitting Diode (LED) die to a package wafer, electrically connecting the LED die and the package wafer, forming a phosphor coating over the LED die on the package wafer, molding a lens over the LED die on the package wafer, molding a reflector on the package wafer, and dicing the wafer into at least one optical emitter. |
| US09343502B2 |
Organic photoelectronic device including a first light-transmitting electrode, an active layer, and a second light-transmitting electrode, and image sensor including the organic photoelectronic device
Disclosed are an organic photoelectronic device including a first light-transmitting electrode, an active layer positioned on one side of the first light-transmitting electrode, and a second light-transmitting electrode positioned on one side of the active layer, wherein the first light-transmitting electrode and the second light-transmitting electrode independently comprise at least one of indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZO), tin oxide (SnO), aluminum tin oxide (ATO), aluminum zinc oxide (AZO), and fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO). Also disclosed is an image sensor including the organic photoelectronic device. |
| US09343500B2 |
Solid-state imaging device, driving method thereof, and electronic device
A solid-state imaging device including a pixel region in which a plurality of pixels are arranged. The pixels each includes a photoelectric conversion section, a transfer transistor, a plurality of floating diffusion sections that receive a charge from the photoelectric conversion section through the transfer transistor, a reset transistor that resets the floating diffusion sections, a separating transistor that performs on-off control of a connection between the plurality of floating diffusion sections, and an amplifying transistor that outputs a signal corresponding to a potential of the floating diffusion sections. |
| US09343499B1 |
Integrated circuit stack with strengthened wafer bonding
An integrated circuit system includes a first device and second device wafer. A wafer bonding region is disposed at an interface of a front side of a first dielectric layer of the first device wafer and a front side of a second dielectric layer of the second device wafer such that wafer bonding region bonds the first device wafer to the second device wafer. The wafer bonding region includes dielectric material having a higher silicon concentration than a dielectric material of the first and second dielectric layers of the first and second device wafers. A conductive path couples a first conductor of the first device wafer to a second conductor of the second device wafer. The conductive path is formed in a cavity etched through the wafer bonding region between the first conductor and the second conductor. |
| US09343496B2 |
Solid-state imaging device, production method thereof and camera
A solid-state imaging device and the production method capable of effectively suppressing color mixture between sensor portions, and a camera provided with the solid-state imaging device are provided: wherein the solid-state imaging device includes a first conductivity type semiconductor substrate, a second conductivity type epitaxial layer formed on the first conductivity type semiconductor substrate, a first conductivity type sensor portion formed in the epitaxial layer, and an active element formed in the epitaxial layer and for reading charges obtained by photoelectric conversion at the sensor portion. |
| US09343491B2 |
Spectral imaging sensors and methods
Spectral imaging sensors and methods are disclosed. A spectral imaging sensor includes a color-coded array of apertures positioned to receive light from an object to be imaged. The array includes a first plurality of apertures configured to pass light in a first predetermined wavelength range and a second plurality of apertures configured to pass light in a second predetermined wavelength range different from the first predetermined wavelength range. The imaging sensor further includes one or more optical elements positioned to receive light passing through the color-coded array, and a photodetector positioned to receive light from the one of more optical elements. A spectral imaging method includes the steps of filtering light from an object to be imaged through a color-coded array of apertures, redirecting the filtered light with one or more optical elements, and receiving the redirected light with a photodetector. |
| US09343489B2 |
Image sensor for endoscopic use
An endoscopic device having embodiments of a hybrid imaging sensor that optimizes a pixel array area on a substrate using a stacking scheme for placement of related circuitry with minimal vertical interconnects between stacked substrates and associated features are disclosed. Embodiments of maximized pixel array size/die size (area optimization) are disclosed, and an optimized imaging sensor providing improved image quality, improved functionality, and improved form factors for specific applications common to the industry of digital imaging are also disclosed. Embodiments of the above may include systems, methods and processes for staggering ADC or column circuit bumps in a column or sub-column hybrid image sensor using vertical interconnects are also disclosed. |
| US09343485B2 |
Semiconductor device
Solved is a problem of attenuation of output amplitude due to a threshold value of a TFT when manufacturing a circuit with TFTs of a single polarity. In a capacitor (105), a charge equivalent to a threshold value of a TFT (104) is stored. When a signal is inputted thereto, the threshold value stored in the capacitor (105) is added to a potential of the input signal. The thus obtained potential is applied to a gate electrode of a TFT (101). Therefore, it is possible to obtain the output having a normal amplitude from an output terminal (Out) without causing the amplitude attenuation in the TFT (101). |
| US09343484B2 |
Thin film transistor substrate and display apparatus including the same
A thin film transistor substrate and a display apparatus including the same are provided. The thin film transistor substrate includes a plurality of pixels each including: a first transistor for receiving a data signal in response to a first gate control signal; a second transistor for outputting a driving current according to the data signal applied to a gate electrode of the second transistor; and a third transistor for initializing a gate node connected to the gate electrode of the second transistor in response to a second gate control signal, wherein first electrodes of the third transistors of at least some adjacent pixels of the plurality of pixels are connected to the gate node, and second electrodes thereof are connected to a shared transistor that applies an initialization voltage to the second electrodes. |
| US09343483B2 |
Method for manufacturing thin film transistor array substrate
A method for manufacturing a thin film transistor (TFT) array substrate having enhanced reliability is disclosed. The method includes forming a multilayer structure including at least one first metal layer and a second metal layer made of copper, forming a first mask layer including a first mask area corresponding to a data line and a second mask area corresponding to an electrode pattern to overlap with an active layer, patterning the multilayer structure, thereby forming the data line constituted by the multilayer structure, patterning the second metal layer, thereby forming the electrode pattern constituted by the at least one first metal layer, forming a second mask layer to expose a portion of the electrode pattern corresponding to a channel area of the active layer, patterning the at least one first metal layer, thereby forming source and drain. |
| US09343482B2 |
Switching device of active display device and method of driving the switching device
Example embodiments are directed to a switching device of an active display device and a method of driving the switching device, such that electrical reliability of the active display device is improved. The switching device of the active display device includes a plurality of thin film transistors (TFTs) that are connected in series. Except for a refresh time duration during which the plurality of TFTs of the switching device are simultaneously turned ON, a positive voltage is applied to at least one of the plurality of TFTs of the switching device so that a reliability of the switching device may be improved. |
| US09343480B2 |
Semiconductor device
It is an object to give excellent data retention characteristics to a semiconductor device in which stored data is judged in accordance with the potential of a gate of a specified transistor, by achieving both reduction in variation of the threshold voltage of the transistor and data retention for a long time. Charge is held (data is stored) in a node electrically connected only to a source or a drain of a transistor whose channel region is formed using an oxide semiconductor. There may be a plurality of transistors whose sources or drains are electrically connected to the node. The oxide semiconductor has a wider band gap and a lower intrinsic carrier density than silicon. By using such an oxide semiconductor for the channel region of the transistor, the transistor with an extremely low off-state current (leakage current) can be realized. |
| US09343478B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device and method of manufacturing the same
A nonvolatile memory device includes gate electrodes three dimensionally arranged on a semiconductor substrate, a semiconductor pattern extending from the semiconductor substrate and crossing sidewalls of the gate electrodes, a metal liner pattern formed between the semiconductor pattern and formed on a top surface and a bottom surface of each of the gate electrodes, and a charge storage layer formed between the semiconductor pattern and the metal liner pattern. |
| US09343469B2 |
Three dimensional NAND flash with self-aligned select gate
An integrated circuit may include a pillar of semiconductor material, a field effect transistor having a channel that is formed in the pillar of semiconductor material, and two or more memory cells, stacked vertically on top of the field effect transistor, and having channels that are formed in the pillar semiconductor of material. |
| US09343467B2 |
Semiconductor device
According to this embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, element formation regions that are formed in a line-and-space pattern in a surface layer portion of the semiconductor substrate to extend in a first direction, a coupling portion that is formed in the surface layer portion of the semiconductor substrate to couple the element formation regions adjacent to each other in a second direction intersecting the first direction, a source line that is disposed in an upper layer of the semiconductor substrate through an insulating film, a source line contact, having a circular shape or an elliptical shape, that is provided to electrically connect a source region pattern and the source lines by passing through the insulating film, when a region including the coupling portion and portions of the element formation regions coupled by the coupling portion is set to the source region pattern, and a bit line contact, having a circular shape or an elliptical shape, that is provided to electrically connect the element formation regions and a wiring layer located in an upper layer by passing through the insulating film. |
| US09343460B2 |
Semiconductor device with output circuit and pad arrangements
The present invention has for its purpose to provide a technique capable of reducing planar dimension of the semiconductor device. An input/output circuit is formed over the semiconductor substrate, a grounding wiring and a power supply wiring pass over the input/output circuit, and a conductive layer for a bonding pad is formed thereover. The input/output circuit is formed of MISFET elements in the nMISFET forming region and the pMISFET forming region, resistance elements in the resistance element forming regions and diode elements in the diode element forming regions functioning as protective elements. A wiring connected to the protective elements and positioned under the grounding wiring and the power supply wiring is pulled out in a pulling-out region between the nMISFET forming region and the pMISFET forming region and between the grounding wiring and the power supply wiring to be connected to the conductive layer. |
| US09343453B2 |
Semiconductor device
A field plate electrode is repetitively disposed in a folded manner or a spiral shape in a direction along an edge of a first circuit region. A coupling transistor couples a first circuit to a second circuit lower in supply voltage than the first circuit. A second conductivity type region is disposed around the coupling transistor. A part of the field plate electrode partially overlaps with the second conductivity type region. The field plate electrode is electrically coupled to a drain electrode of the coupling transistor at a portion located on the first circuit region side from a center thereof in a width direction of the separation region. A ground potential or a power potential of the second circuit is applied to the field plate electrode at a portion located on the second conductivity type region side from the center. |
| US09343449B2 |
Alternative 3D stacking scheme for DRAMs atop GPUs
Embodiments of the invention provide an integrated circuit system, which includes a first supporting substrate and a second supporting substrate, a logic chip disposed between the first supporting substrate and the second supporting substrate, and a plurality of memory stacks disposed adjacent to one another on a surface of the logic chip. The logic chip is separated from the first supporting substrate and the second supporting substrate by a distance such that at least a portion of a first memory stack in the plurality of memory stacks extending outwards past a first side edge of the logic chip is supported by the first supporting substrate, and at least a portion of a second memory stack in the plurality of memory stacks extending outwards past a second side edge of the logic chip that is opposite to the first side edge is supported by the second supporting substrate. |
| US09343444B2 |
Light-emitting dies incorporating wavelength-conversion materials and related methods
In accordance with certain embodiments, electronic devices feature a polymeric binder, a frame defining an aperture therethrough, and a semiconductor die (e.g., a light-emitting or a light-detecting element) suspended in the binder and within the aperture of the frame. |
| US09343442B2 |
Passive devices in package-on-package structures and methods for forming the same
A device includes a polymer. A device die is disposed in the polymer. A passive device includes three Through Assembly Vias (TAVs) penetrating through the polymer, wherein the TAVs are coupled in series. A Redistribution Line (RDL) is underlying the polymer. The RDL electrically couples a first one of the TAVs to a second one of the TAVs. |
| US09343440B2 |
Stacked composite device including a group III-V transistor and a group IV vertical transistor
In one implementation, a stacked composite device comprises a group IV vertical transistor and a group III-V transistor stacked over the group IV vertical transistor. A drain of the group IV vertical transistor is in contact with a source of the group III-V transistor, a source of the group IV vertical transistor is coupled to a gate of the group III-V transistor to provide a composite source on a bottom side of the stacked composite device, and a drain of the group III-V transistor provides a composite drain on a top side of the stacked composite device. A gate of the group IV vertical transistor provides a composite gate on the top side of the stacked composite device. |
| US09343438B1 |
Semiconductor apparatus having multiple channels
A semiconductor apparatus may include a plurality of core chips and a base chip. The plurality of core chips may respectively include a plurality of channels, and each of the plurality of channels may include at least two pseudo channels. Each of the plurality of core chips may include a channel selection unit that selects one or more of the pseudo channels based on a channel mode signal, a pseudo channel signal, a stack information signal, and a slice information signal. |
| US09343433B2 |
Packages with stacked dies and methods of forming the same
A method includes bonding a first plurality of device dies onto a wafer, wherein the wafer includes a second plurality of device dies, with each of the first plurality of device dies bonded to one of the second plurality of device dies. The wafer is then sawed to form a die stack, wherein the die stack includes a first device die from the first plurality of device dies and a second device die from the second plurality of device dies. The method further includes bonding the die stack over a package substrate. |
| US09343428B2 |
Semiconductor device including semiconductor construct installed on base plate, and manufacturing method of the same
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor construct including a semiconductor substrate and an external connection electrode provided to protrude on a surface of the semiconductor substrate, a base plate on which the semiconductor construct is installed, and a sealing layer stacked on the semiconductor substrate except for the external connection electrode and on the base plate including a side surface of the semiconductor substrate. |
| US09343427B2 |
Manufacturing method of semiconductor device and semiconductor device manufactured thereby
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device that can be transferred to a circuit board with improved product reliability, and a semiconductor device manufactured according to the method, are described. A non-limiting example of the manufacturing method includes preparing a wafer having multiple semiconductor die portions formed on the semiconductor wafer, performing a sawing operation to separate the multiple semiconductor die portions into multiple discrete semiconductor die, arranging the multiple discrete semiconductor die on an adhesive member, encapsulating the multiple semiconductor die using an encapsulant, and performing a second sawing operation upon the encapsulated multiple semiconductor die to produce multiple individual encapsulated semiconductor devices. |
| US09343425B1 |
Methods for bonding substrates with transient liquid phase bonds by spark plasma sintering
According to one embodiment disclosed herein, a first substrate may be bonded to a second substrate by a method which includes providing the first substrate which includes a bonding surface, providing the second substrate which includes a complementary bonding surface, providing a bonding layer precursor which includes metal particles of a first metal composition and metal particles of a second metal composition, and forming a transient liquid phase bonding layer by spark plasma sintering the bonding layer precursor. The bonding layer precursor may be positioned between the first substrate and the second substrate, and the bonding layer may be in contact with the bonding surface of the first substrate and the complementary bonding surface of the second substrate. |
| US09343423B2 |
No flow underfill or wafer level underfill and solder columns
A preassembly semiconductor device comprises chip soldering structures on a semiconductor chip and substrate soldering structures on a substrate corresponding to the chip soldering structures. The substrate soldering structures extend toward the chip soldering structures for forming solder connections with the chip soldering structures. The chip and the substrate are in preassembly positions relative to one another. The height of the substrate soldering structures is greater than the height of the chip soldering structures. A pre-applied underfill is contiguous with the substrate and is sufficiently thick so as to extend substantially no further than the full height of the substrate soldering structures. In another embodiment the height of the chip soldering structures is greater than the height of the substrate soldering structures and the pre-applied underfill is contiguous with the semiconductor chip and sufficiently thick so as to extend substantially no further than the full height of the chip soldering structures. A process comprises manufacturing semiconductor assemblies from these devices by soldering the chip and the substrate to one another. |
| US09343411B2 |
Techniques for enhancing fracture resistance of interconnects
Techniques and structure are disclosed for enhancing fracture resistance of back-end interconnects and other such interconnect structures by increasing via density. Increased via density can be provided, for example, within the filler/dummified portion(s) of adjacent circuit layers within a die. In some cases, an electrically isolated (floating) filler line of an upper circuit layer may include a via which lands on a floating filler line of a lower circuit layer in a region corresponding to where the filler lines cross/intersect. In some such cases, the floating filler line of the upper circuit layer may be formed as a dual-damascene structure including such a via. In some embodiments, a via similarly may be provided between a floating filler line of the upper circuit layer and a sufficiently electrically isolated interconnect line of the lower circuit layer. The techniques/structure can be used to provide mechanical integrity for the die. |
| US09343410B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor substrate and a second semiconductor substrate laminated with an insulating layer, a first transmission line formed on the first semiconductor substrate, the first transmission line including a signal line and a ground, a second transmission line formed on the second semiconductor substrate, the second transmission line including a signal line and a ground, a first via layer for the signal lines, the first via layer for the signal lines being formed of a conductor layer formed within a via hole, a first via layer for the grounds, the first via layer for the grounds being formed of a conductor layer formed within a via hole, and a second via layer for the grounds, the second via layer for the grounds being formed of a conductor layer formed within a via hole. |
| US09343408B2 |
Method to etch Cu/Ta/TaN selectively using dilute aqueous HF/H2SO4 solution
Copper can be etched with selectivity to Ta/TaN barrier liner and SiC hardmask layers, for example, to reduce the potential copper contamination. The copper film can be recessed more than the liner to further enhance the protection. Wet etch solutions including a mixture of HF and H2SO4 can be used for selective etching copper with respect to the liner material, for example, the copper film can be recessed between 2 and 3 nm, and the barrier liner film can be recessed between 1.5 and 2 nm. |
| US09343406B2 |
Device having self-repair Cu barrier for solving barrier degradation due to Ru CMP
A method of forming a doped TaN Cu barrier adjacent to a Ru layer of a Cu interconnect structure and the resulting device are provided. Embodiments include forming a cavity in a SiO-based ILD; conformally forming a doped TaN layer in the cavity and over the ILD; conformally forming a Ru layer on the doped TaN layer; depositing Cu over the Ru layer and filling the cavity; planarizing the Cu, Ru layer, and doped TaN layer down to an upper surface of the ILD; forming a dielectric cap over the Cu, Ru layer, and doped TaN layer; and filling spaces formed between the dielectric cap and the doped TaN layer. |
| US09343403B2 |
Stress mitigation structure for wafer warpage reduction
An integrated circuit device includes a substrate. The integrated circuit device also includes a first conductive stack including a back-end-of-line (BEOL) conductive layer at a first elevation with reference to the substrate. The integrated circuit device also includes a second conductive stack including the BEOL conductive layer at a second elevation with reference to the substrate. The second elevation differs from the first elevation. |
| US09343400B2 |
Dual damascene gap filling process
A method of forming a metallization layer in a semiconductor substrate includes forming a patterned dielectric layer on a substrate, the patterned dielectric layer having a plurality of first openings. A first conductive layer is formed in the plurality of first openings. A patterned mask layer is formed over portions of the first conductive layer outside the plurality of first openings, the patterned mask layer having a plurality of second openings, wherein at least a subset of the second openings are disposed over the first openings. A second conductive layer is filled in the plurality of second openings. The patterned mask layer is removed to leave behind the conductive layer structures on the substrate. The substrate is heated to form a self-forming barrier layer on the top and sidewalls of the conductive layer structures. |
| US09343399B2 |
Thick conductive stack plating process with fine critical dimension feature size for compact passive on glass technology
An integrated circuit device includes a substrate, and a first interlayer dielectric layer on the substrate that includes a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer. The integrated circuit device also includes a first conductive stack including a third conductive layer coupled to a portion of the second conductive layer with a first via. The integrated circuit device further includes a second conductive stack comprising a fourth conductive layer directly on a portion of the third conductive layer that is isolated from the substrate. The integrated circuit device also includes a second interlayer dielectric layer surrounding the third conductive layer and the fourth conductive layer. |
| US09343395B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method of same
To provide a semiconductor device having improved reliability by improving a coupling property between a semiconductor chip and a bonding wire. A redistribution layer is comprised of a Cu film, an Ni film, and a Pd film which have been formed successively from the side of a semiconductor substrate. The Pd film on the uppermost surface is used as an electrode pad and a bonding wire made of Cu is coupled to the upper surface of the Pd film. The thickness of the Pd film is made smaller than that of the Ni film and the thickness of the Ni film is made smaller than that of the Cu film. The Cu film, the Ni film, and the Pd film have the same pattern shape in a plan view. |
| US09343394B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device of the present invention includes a resin package, a semiconductor chip sealed in the resin package, and having first and second pads on a front surface, a lead integrated island sealed in the resin package, to one surface of which a back surface of the semiconductor chip is bonded, and the other surface of an opposite side to the one surface of which is partially exposed from a bottom surface of the resin package as a first pad connecting terminal for electrical connection between the first pad and outside and a back connecting terminal for electrical connection between the back surface of the semiconductor chip and outside separately from each other, and a lead formed separately from the lead integrated island, sealed in the resin package, one surface of which is connected with the second pad by a wire, and the other surface of an opposite side to the one surface of which is exposed from a bottom surface of the resin package as a second pad connecting terminal for electrical connection between the second pad and outside, and the semiconductor chip is, on the one surface of the lead integrated island, disposed at a position one-sided to the first pad connecting terminal side, and the first pad and the one surface of the lead integrated island are connected by a wire. |
| US09343392B2 |
Semiconductor device, manufacturing method for semiconductor device, and electronic device
There is provided a semiconductor device including a first semiconductor base substrate, a second semiconductor base substrate that is bonded onto a first surface side of the first semiconductor base substrate, a through electrode that is formed to penetrate from a second surface side of the first semiconductor base substrate to a wiring layer on the second semiconductor base substrate, and an insulation layer that surrounds a circumference of the through electrode formed inside the first semiconductor base substrate. |
| US09343384B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor chip comprising a first and second terminal surfaces. An insulator surrounds an outer circumference of a side surface of the chip. A reinforcing-member is arranged between the side surface of the chip and an inner side surface of the insulator and surrounds the outer circumference of the side surface of the chip. A first and second holders hold the reinforcing-member therebetween at a top and bottom surfaces of the reinforcing-member. The first and second holders comprise protrusions facing an inner wall surface of the reinforcing-member, and the when φ1in represents an inner-diameter of parts of the reinforcing-member opposing to the protrusions, φ1out represents an outer-diameter of the reinforcing-member, φ2 represents an outer-diameter of the protrusion of either the first or the second holder, and φ3 represents an inner diameter of the insulator, the following Expression 1 is satisfied φ1in−φ2<φ1out. |
| US09343378B2 |
Optical control of multi-stage thin film solar cell production
Embodiments include methods of depositing and controlling the deposition of a film in multiple stages. The disclosed deposition and deposition control methods include the optical monitoring of a deposition matrix to determine a time when at least one transition point occurs. In certain embodiments, the transition point or transition points are a stoichiometry point. Methods may also include controlling the length of time in which material is deposited during a deposition stage or controlling the amount of the first, second or subsequent materials deposited during any deposition stage in response to a determination of the time when a selected transition point occurs. |
| US09343377B1 |
Test then destroy technique for security-focused semiconductor integrated circuits
A method includes forming an integrated circuit device having device circuitry disposed in a device circuitry area on a substrate and a destroyable circuit formed in a destroyable circuitry area on the substrate; testing at least one operational aspect of the device circuitry using the destroyable circuit; and destroying the destroyable circuit subsequent to testing the at least one operational aspect of the device circuitry. |
| US09343374B1 |
Efficient main spacer pull back process for advanced VLSI CMOS technologies
Forming a poly-Si device including pulling back spacers prior to silicidation and the resulting device are provided. Embodiments include forming two poly-Si gate stacks on an upper surface of a substrate; forming a hardmask over the second poly-Si gate stack; forming eSiGe with a silicon cap at opposite sides of the first poly-Si gate stack; removing the hardmask; forming nitride spacers at opposite sides of each of the poly-Si gate stacks; forming deep source/drain regions at opposite sides of the second poly-Si gate stack; forming a wet gap fill layer around each of the poly-Si gate stacks to a thickness less than the poly-Si gate stack height from the substrate's upper surface; removing an upper portion of the nitride spacers down to the height of the wet gap fill layer followed by removing the wet gap fill layer; and performing silicidation of the deep source/drain regions and the silicon cap. |
| US09343373B2 |
Semiconductor device including work function adjusting element, and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device has a substrate; and an N-channel MIS transistor and a P-channel MIS transistor provided on the same substrate; each of the N-channel MIS transistor and the P-channel MIS transistor having a Hf-containing, high-k gate insulating film, and a gate electrode provided over the high-k gate insulating film, the N-channel MIS transistor having a silicon oxide film or a silicon oxynitride film, which contains a first work function adjusting element, provided between the substrate and the high-k gate insulating film, and, the P-channel MIS transistor having a silicon oxide film or a silicon oxynitride film, which contains the first work function adjusting element same as that contained in the N-channel MIS transistor, provided between the high-k gate insulating film and the gate electrode. |
| US09343372B1 |
Metal stack for reduced gate resistance
A method includes forming an n-FET device and a p-FET device on a substrate, each of the n-FET device and the p-FET device include a metal gate stack consisting of a titanium-aluminum carbide (TiAlC) layer above and in direct contact with a titanium nitride (TiN) cap, and removing, from the p-FET device, the TiAlC layer selective to the TiN cap. The removal of the TiAlC layer includes using a selective TiAlC to TiN wet etch chemistry solution with a substantially high TiAlC to TiN etch ratio such that the TiN cap remains in the p-FET device. |
| US09343371B1 |
Fabricating fin structures with doped middle portions
Methods are provided for fabricating fin structures. The methods include: fabricating at least one fin structure, the at least one fin structure having a doped middle portion separating an upper portion from a lower portion, and the fabricating comprising: providing an isolation layer in contact with the lower portion of the at least one fin structure; forming a doping layer above the isolation layer and in contact with the at least one fin structure; and annealing the doping layer to diffuse dopants therefrom into the at least one fin structure to form the doped middle portion thereof, wherein the isolation layer inhibits diffusion of dopants from the doping layer into the lower portion of the at least one fin structure. |
| US09343370B1 |
Method for fabricating semiconductor device
An exemplary method of fabricating a semiconductor device is provided. First and second hard mask patterns adjacent to each other are formed on a substrate. First and second active fins are formed by etching the substrate using the first and second hard mask patterns as a etch mask. An isolation layer is formed to fill a region defined by the first and second active fins and the first and second hard mask patterns. A mask pattern is formed to be positioned on the first hard mask pattern and overlap the first active fin. A first trench is formed by etching a portion of the isolation layer and a portion of the second active fin using the mask pattern as an etch mask. The remaining portion of the second active fin is removed by performing an isotropic etching process. |
| US09343369B2 |
Three dimensional (3D) integrated circuits (ICs) (3DICs) and related systems
Methods for constructing three dimensional integrated circuits and related systems are disclosed. In one aspect, a first tier is constructed by creating active elements such as transistors on a holding substrate. An interconnection metal layer is created above the active elements. Metal bonding pads are created within the interconnection metal layer. A second tier is also created, either concurrently or sequentially. The second tier is created in much the same manner as the first tier and is then placed on the first tier, such that the respective metal bonding pads align and are bonded one tier to the other. The holding substrate of the second tier is then released. A back side of the second tier is then thinned, such that the back surfaces of the active elements (for example, a back of a gate in a transistor) are exposed. Additional tiers may be added if desired essentially repeating this process. |
| US09343368B2 |
Disabling electrical connections using pass-through 3D interconnects and associated systems and methods
Pass-through 3D interconnects and microelectronic dies and systems of stacked dies that include such interconnects to disable electrical connections are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a system of stacked dies includes a first microelectronic die having a backside, an interconnect extending through the first die to the backside, an integrated circuit electrically coupled to the interconnect, and a first electrostatic discharge (ESD) device electrically isolated from the interconnect. A second microelectronic die has a front side coupled to the backside of the first die, a metal contact at the front side electrically coupled to the interconnect, and a second ESD device electrically coupled to the metal contact. In another embodiment, the first die further includes a substrate carrying the integrated circuit and the first ESD device, and the interconnect is positioned in the substrate to disable an electrical connection between the first ESD device and the interconnect. |
| US09343361B2 |
Semiconductor device, fabricating method thereof and semiconductor package including the semiconductor device
In one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a first surface, and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The second surface defines a redistribution trench. The substrate has a via hole extending therethrough. The semiconductor device also includes a through via disposed in the via hole. The through via may include a via hole insulating layer, a barrier layer, sequentially formed on an inner wall of the via hole. The through via may further include a conductive connector adjacent the barrier layer. The semiconductor device additionally includes an insulation layer pattern formed on the second surface of the substrate. The insulation layer pattern defines an opening that exposes a region of a top surface of the through via. The semiconductor devices includes a redistribution layer disposed in the trench and electrically connected to the through via. The insulation layer pattern overlaps a region of the conductive connector. |
| US09343359B2 |
Integrated structure and method for fabricating the same
A method for fabricating integrated structure is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: providing a substrate; forming a through-silicon hole in the substrate; forming a patterned resist on the substrate, wherein the patterned resist comprises at least one opening corresponding to a redistribution layer (RDL) pattern and exposing the through-silicon hole and at least another opening corresponding to another redistribution layer (RDL) pattern and connecting to the at least one opening; and forming a conductive layer to fill the through-silicon hole, the at least one opening and the at least another opening in the patterned resist so as to form a through-silicon via, a through-silicon via RDL pattern and another RDL pattern in one structure. |
| US09343351B2 |
Process for transferring a layer
This transfer process comprises the following steps: (a) providing a donor substrate and a support substrate; (b) forming an embrittlement region in the donor substrate; (c) forming what is called a bonding layer between the first part of the donor substrate and the support substrate; and (d) assembling the donor substrate to the support substrate, and is noteworthy in that it comprises the following step: (e) exposing, in succession, portions of the embrittlement region to electromagnetic irradiations for an exposure time at a given power density, the exposure time being chosen depending on the thickness of the bonding layer so that the support substrate is thermally decoupled from the first part of the donor substrate, the exposure time being chosen depending on the power density in order to activate kinetics that weaken the embrittlement region. |
| US09343350B2 |
Anti-slip end effector for transporting workpiece using van der waals force
An anti-slip end effector for transporting a workpiece, configured to be attached to a robotic arm, includes: a workpiece-supporting area for placing a workpiece thereon for transportation; and at least one anti-slip protrusion disposed in the workpiece-supporting area for supporting a backside of the workpiece, said anti-slip protrusion having a top face capable of contacting and adhering to the backside of the workpiece by van der Waals force and capable of pivoting on a pivot axis, said pivot axis being disposed away from a center of the top face as viewed from above. |
| US09343347B2 |
Portable electrostatic chuck carrier for thin substrates
Embodiments of a portable electrostatic chuck for use in a substrate process chamber to support an ultra-thin substrate when disposed thereon are provided herein. In some embodiments, a portable electrostatic chuck may include a carrier comprising a dielectric material; an electrically conductive layer disposed on a top surface of the carrier; a dielectric layer disposed over the electrically conductive layer, such that the electrically conductive layer is disposed between the carrier and the dielectric layer; and at least one conductor coupled to the electrically conductive layer, wherein the portable electrostatic chuck is configured to electrostatically retain the ultra-thin substrate to the portable electrostatic chuck, wherein the portable electrostatic chuck is further configured to be handled and moved by substrate processing equipment outside of the substrate process chamber, and wherein the portable electrostatic chuck is sized to support large ultra-thin substrates. |
| US09343345B2 |
Replaceable wafer support backstop
A wafer container an enclosure portion including a top wall, a bottom wall, a pair of side walls, a back wall, and a door frame opposite the back wall, the door frame defining a front opening, and a wafer support structure including two side wafer supports 5 each side wafer support including a removable backstop. The invention includes maintaining wafer containers by replacing the removable backstop. The invention includes converting shipping containers that ship large diameter wafers vertically to containers to be used in fabrication facilities that store wafers horizontally for robotic pickup for processing. |
| US09343338B2 |
Pick-up method of die bonder and die bonder
When a die to be stripped out of plural dies (semiconductor chips) bonded to a dicing film is to be tossed and stripped from the dicing film, the dicing film corresponding to predetermined positions out of the peripheral portion of the die is tossed to form stripping start points. The dicing film corresponding to portions other than the above predetermined positions is then tossed to strip the die from the dicing film. |
| US09343337B2 |
Device and method for coating a substrate using CVD
The invention relates to a device for coating a substrate using CVD, in particular for coating with diamond or silicon, wherein a neat conductor array composed of a plurality of elongated heat conductors (2) is provided in a housing (9), said heat conductors extending between a first (1) and a second electrode (6), wherein the heat conductors are held individually tensioned by a weight (4) attached to one end thereof. To increase the life of the neat conductors (2), the invention proposes that the weight (4) or the heat conductor (2) be guided at the second electrode (6), forming an electrical loop contact, in such a way that a vector of the weight force (G) produced by the weight (4) makes an angle (α) of no more than 45° with a direction of the longitudinal extension of the heat conductor (2). |
| US09343336B2 |
Plasma processing apparatus and plasma processing method
In a plasma processing apparatus including a processing room disposed in a vacuum vessel, a sample stage located in the processing room, a dielectric film disposed on the top surface of the sample stage and serving as the sample mounting surface of the sample stage, and a plurality of electrodes embedded in the dielectric film for chucking the sample to the dielectric film when supplied with electric power, a part of the sample is chucked by supplying electric power to at least one of the electrodes while the sample is mounted on the sample stage; the sample is heated up to a predetermined temperature; a larger part of the sample is chucked by supplying electric power to the other of the electrodes; and the processing of the sample using the plasma is initiated. |
| US09343331B2 |
Method of manufacturing semiconductor device
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device provided with a stack of a first film substantially free of oxygen and a second film disposed above the first film and comprising a metal oxide containing an uneasily etched material is disclosed. The method includes etching the second film by a first process using a first etch gas containing a boron trichloride containing gas and by a second process following the first process using a second etch gas containing an inert gas. In the second process, the second etch gas is used while a bias power is controlled to be equal to or greater than an etching threshold energy of the second film. |
| US09343320B2 |
Pattern factor dependency alleviation for eDRAM and logic devices with disposable fill to ease deep trench integration with fins
Dummy deep trenches can be formed within a logic device region in which logic devices are to be formed while deep trench capacitors are formed within a memory device region. Semiconductor fins are formed over a top surface prior to forming trenches, and disposable material is filled around said semiconductor fins. A top surface of said disposable filler material layer can be coplanar with a top surface of said semiconductor fins, which eases deep trench formation. Conductive material portions of the dummy deep trenches can be recessed to avoid electrical contact with semiconductor fins within the logic device region, while an inner electrode of each deep trench can contact a semiconductor fin within the memory device region. A dielectric material portion can be formed above each conductive material portion of a dummy deep trench. |
| US09343313B2 |
Heat treatment method and heat treatment apparatus for heating substrate by irradiating substrate with light
First irradiation which causes an emission output from a flash lamp to reach its maximum value over a time period in the range of 1 to 20 milliseconds is performed to increase the temperature of a front surface of a semiconductor wafer from a preheating temperature to a target temperature for a time period in the range of 1 to 20 milliseconds. This achieves the activation of the impurities. Subsequently, second irradiation which gradually decreases the emission output from the maximum value over a time period in the range of 3 to 50 milliseconds is performed to maintain the temperature of the front surface within a ±25° C. range around the target temperature for a time period in the range of 3 to 50 milliseconds. This prevents the occurrence of process-induced damage while suppressing the diffusion of the impurities. |
| US09343312B2 |
High temperature intermittent ion implantation
A method includes providing a semiconductor substrate, and performing an ion implantation process to a surface of the substrate. The ion implantation process includes intermittently applying an ion beam to the surface, and while applying the ion beam, applying a heating process with a heating temperature above a threshold level. |
| US09343308B2 |
Method for trimming carbon-containing film at reduced trimming rate
A method for trimming a carbon-containing film includes: (i) providing a substrate having a carbon-containing film formed thereon; (ii) supplying a trimming gas and a rare gas to the reaction space, which trimming gas includes an oxygen-containing gas; and (iii) applying RF power between the electrodes to generate a plasma using the trimming gas and the rare gas and to thereby trim the carbon-containing film while controlling a trimming rate at 55 nm/min or less as a function of at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of a flow rate of an oxygen-containing gas, a flow rate of nitrogen-containing gas to be added to the oxygen-containing gas, pressure in the reaction space, RF power, a duty cycle of RF power, a distance between the electrodes, and a temperature of a susceptor on which the substrate is placed. |
| US09343305B2 |
Method and device for continuously coating substrates
The invention relates to a method for the continuous coating of at least one substrate 14 with a semiconductor material e.g. CdTe. To this end a semiconductor material is sublimated in at least one crucible 30 in order to deposit it on a substrate, e.g. a glass panel. If the crucible 30 is filled with semiconductor material (16) during the deposition and/or evaporation, the set-up time required otherwise is then eliminated. Preferably used for carrying out the method is a CSS reactor comprising a crucible, a guide for substrates and at least one lock through which the crucible can be refilled during evaporation of semiconductor material from the crucible. |
| US09343302B2 |
Silicon germanium and germanium multigate and nanowire structures for logic and multilevel memory applications
A method to provide a transistor or memory cell structure. The method comprises: providing a substrate including a lower Si substrate and an insulating layer on the substrate; providing a first projection extending above the insulating layer, the first projection including an Si material and a Si1−xGex material; and exposing the first projection to preferential oxidation to yield a second projection including a center region comprising Ge/Si1−yGey and a covering region comprising SiO2 and enclosing the center region. |
| US09343300B1 |
Methods of forming source/drain regions for a PMOS transistor device with a germanium-containing channel region
The present disclosure is directed to forming relatively abrupt junctions between the channel region and source/drain regions of a PMOS transistor device with a germanium-containing channel region. A liner layer is formed in previously formed source/drain cavities prior to the formation of epi semiconductor material in the source/drain cavities above the liner layer. The materials for the liner layer and, particularly, the concentration of germanium (if any is present) are adjusted relative to the germanium concentration in the channel region and the epi source/drain material such that, during an anneal process, dopant materials (e.g., boron) that diffuse from the source/drain region during the anneal process tend to accumulate in or near the liner layer. |
| US09343299B2 |
Trench formation method for releasing a substrate from a semiconductor template
A method is provided for fabricating a semiconductor substrate by forming a porous semiconductor layer conformally on a semiconductor template and then forming a semiconductor substrate conformally on the porous semiconductor layer. An inner trench having a depth less than the thickness of the semiconductor substrate is formed on the semiconductor substrate. An outer trench providing access to the porous semiconductor layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate and is positioned between the inner trench and the edge of the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate is then released from the semiconductor template. |
| US09343290B2 |
Method of manufacturing semiconductor device, substrate processing apparatus, and recording medium
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming an oxide film on a substrate by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times. The cycle includes supplying a precursor gas to the substrate; and supplying an ozone gas to the substrate. In the act of supplying the precursor gas, the precursor gas is supplied to the substrate in a state where a catalytic gas is not supplied to the substrate, and in the act of supplying the ozone gas, the ozone gas is supplied to the substrate in a state where an amine-based catalytic gas is supplied to the substrate. |
| US09343288B2 |
Semiconductor device
To increase the degree of integration of a semiconductor device such as a DCDC converter. In a semiconductor device (e.g., DCDC converter) including a controller circuit and a switching transistor, the switching transistor formed using an oxide semiconductor layer is stacked over a substrate on which the controller circuit is formed. The switching transistor includes a backgate to release heat generated in the oxide semiconductor layer. The backgate has electrical conduction with a wiring to release heat and prevent a temperature increase with integration. Moreover, for power saving, a potential hold portion including a transistor and a capacitor may be formed using part of the oxide semiconductor layer over the controller circuit. The potential hold portion is formed in a circuit for generating a bias potential in the controller circuit. |
| US09343287B2 |
Substrate processing apparatus including spin chuck
A substrate processing apparatus includes a plurality of chuck pins and a heat source. The chuck pin includes a conductive member made of a material containing carbon, and a pin cover that covers the conductive member. The conductive member includes a gripping portion softer than the substrate, the gripping portion to be pressed onto a peripheral edge portion of the substrate, and protrudes outward from an outer peripheral edge of the substrate in a plan view in a state where the gripping portion is pressed onto the peripheral edge portion of the substrate. The pin cover covers, in a plan view, the entire region of a part of the conductive member protruding outward from the outer peripheral edge of the substrate in a plan view in a state where the gripping portion is pressed onto the peripheral edge portion of the substrate. |
| US09343286B2 |
Lamp with electrical components embedded in an insulation compound
A lamp (10) is described comprising a burner (14) fixed to a lamp base (12). The lamp base (12) includes a top wall oriented towards the burner (14). Within the top wall, an opening (28) is provided. The lamp base (12) further comprises an insulation chamber (42) where an electrical component, e. g. a transformer (54), is embedded within an insulation compound (43). In order to prevent possibly spilled insulation compound from leaking through the opening (28), a raised retention wall (46) is provided around the opening. |
| US09343275B1 |
Methods for characterizing carbon overcoat
A method for characterizing a carbon overcoat is provided. The method includes performing electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) spectrum imaging for an area of a preselected carbon-based material and an area of the carbon overcoat to generate a reference EELS dataset and a carbon overcoat EELS dataset, respectively, and determining a carbon bonding content of the carbon overcoat based on the reference EELS dataset and the carbon overcoat EELS dataset. |
| US09343266B2 |
Charged particle beam pattern writing method and charged particle beam writing apparatus that corrects beam rotation utilizing a correlation table
A charged particle beam pattern writing method according to an embodiment, includes measuring a position displacement amount of a stage above which a target object is placed, in a rotation direction; and writing a pattern of a beam image on the target object above the stage while the beam image is rotated, by using a plurality of electrostatic lenses at least one of which is arranged in a magnetic field of each of the plurality of electromagnetic lenses whose magnetic fields are in opposite directions, to avoid a focus displacement of a charged particle beam passing through the plurality of electromagnetic lenses and to correct the position displacement amount measured, in the rotation direction of the stage. |
| US09343264B2 |
Scanning electron microscope device and pattern dimension measuring method using same
In a panoramic image construction technology a wide-range imaging area (EP) of semiconductor patterns is divided into a plurality of imaging areas (SEP), and joined a group of images, which are obtained by imaging the SEPs using an SEM, through image processing. Although a pattern serving as a key to joining is not contained in an overlap area between some of the SEPs, all the images can be joined in some cases is noted so that: although the number of patterns serving as keys to joining is small, SEPs whose images are all joined can be determined; or even if such SEPs cannot be determined, SEPs satisfying user's request items as many as possible can be determined. The cases are extracted by optimizing an SEP arrangement, whereby the number of cases in which SEPs whose images are all joined can be determined is increased. |
| US09343263B2 |
Ion implanter, beam energy measuring device, and method of measuring beam energy
A beam energy measuring device in an ion implanter includes a parallelism measuring unit that measures a parallelism of an ion beam at a downstream of a beam collimator of the ion implanter and an energy calculating unit that calculates an energy of the ion beam from the measured parallelism. The ion implanter may further include a control unit that controls a high energy multistage linear acceleration unit based on the measured energy of the ion beam so that the ion beam has a target energy. |
| US09343260B2 |
Multipole and charged particle radiation apparatus using the same
In order to realize a multiple assembled easily with high accuracy, a multipole having assembly accuracy within 10 micrometer and within several seconds of angle is achieved by fixing multipole elements by being guided by grooves provided on an inner side of a cylindrical housing to form the multipole. |
| US09343255B2 |
Normally closed microelectromechanical switches (MEMS), methods of manufacture and design structures
Normally closed (shut) micro-electro-mechanical switches (MEMS), methods of manufacture and design structures are provided. A structure includes a beam structure that includes a first end hinged on a first electrode and in electrical contact with a second electrode, in its natural state when not actuated. |
| US09343248B2 |
Systems and methods for implementing spring loaded mechanical key switches with variable displacement sensing
Systems and methods are disclosed that enable spring loaded mechanical key switch assemblies having variable displacement sensing capabilities. In one example, the disclosed key switch assemblies may be implemented in a keyboard system and used for providing variable displacement output signals that may be processed by a controller for input to a host processing device of an information handling system, such as a desktop or notebook computer. In another example, the disclosed key switch assemblies may be configured to provide both a digital “make” connection signal and separate variable displacement output signal/s that may be processed for input to a host processing device of an information handling system. |
| US09343247B2 |
Keyswitch
A keyswitch includes a casing having a first magnetic area, a key cap, and a support device including first and second support members rotatably connected to the key cap and the base plate. The first support member has a receiving opening and a second magnetic area disposed within the receiving opening. When the key cap is not pressed, a magnetic attraction force between the first and second magnetic areas keeps the key cap at a non-pressed position. When the key cap is pressed by an external force, the key cap moves with the support device toward a pressed position. When the external force is removed, the second magnetic area moves toward the first magnetic area due to the magnetic attraction force such that the key cap moves with the support device from the pressed position toward the non-pressed position. |
| US09343244B2 |
Energy-storing unit with forcing mechanism, and on-load tap changing device
An energy-storing unit with a forcing mechanism and an on-load tap changing device provided with the same which employ an inexpensive and simple structure and which can suppress a loading torque to operate stably. A forcing mechanism built in an energy-storing unit includes a protrusion, a bearing, and a loading cam. Among those components, the protrusion is attached to the bottom face of an eccentric cam, and the bearing is attached to the tip of the protrusion. The loading cam is an isosceles triangle having a vertex that is substantially 90 degrees, and is attached to the top face of an energy-storing case. The loading cam becoming in contact with the bearing causes a crank to rotate through the energy-storing case, and feeds a catch to a standby position. |
| US09343243B2 |
Actuation device for an explosion-proof housing
An actuation device (11) for an explosion-proof housing (10) in compliance with the ignition protection category “pressure-proof encapsulation”. The actuation device (11) has an actuation unit (15) with a manually actuatable actuation element (16), and an actuation device (11) having a switch unit (14) with a switch element (14) for switching an associated electrical contact. The actuation unit (15) is located outside the housing (10), whereas the switch unit (13) is located in the interior space (12) of the housing (10). An adapter device (22) mechanically connects the actuation unit (15) and the switch unit (13) and comprises at least one adapter plunger (38) that is supported so as to be movable in axial direction (A) in order to transmit the movement of the actuation element (16) via the adapter plunger (38) to the switch element (14). The adapter plunger (38) is arranged in an adapter channel (39) so as to be axially shiftable while forming a gap (53) that is resistant to ignition transmission. |
| US09343241B2 |
Power storage device
A power storage device with high output is provided, in which the specific surface area is increased while keeping the easy-to-handle particle size of its active material. The power storage device includes a positive electrode including a positive electrode current collector and a positive electrode active material layer, a negative electrode including a negative electrode current collector and a negative electrode active material layer, and an electrolyte. The negative electrode active material layer includes a negative electrode active material having a plurality of graphite particles. Each of the graphite particles consists of graphite layers that are overlapped with each other with a gap of 1 nm to 10 nm therebetween. It is preferable that the grain diameter of the particle be 1 μm to 50 μm. Further, the specific surface area of the particles is 20 m2/g to 200 m2/g. |
| US09343232B2 |
Conductive paste composition for external electrode and multilayer ceramic electronic component including the same
There is provided a conductive paste composition for an external electrode, the conductive paste composition including a polymer resin, spherical first conductive metal particles included in the polymer resin and being hollow in at least a portion thereof, and second conductive metal particles of a flake shape included in the polymer resin and being hollow in at least a portion thereof. |
| US09343230B2 |
Chip-type electronic component with outer electrodes
In an electronic component, a body includes top and bottom surfaces, first and second end surfaces, and first and second lateral surfaces. A first outer electrode partially extends over the bottom surface and the first end surface without being disposed on the top surface, the second end surface, and both the lateral surfaces. A second outer electrode partially extends over the bottom surface and the second end surface without being disposed on the top surface, the first end surface, and both the lateral surfaces. An area of a first end surface portion of the first outer electrode disposed on the first end surface and area of a second end surface portion of the second outer electrode disposed on the second end surface are in a range of about 6.6% to about 35.0% of area of the first and second end surfaces, respectively. |
| US09343220B2 |
Planar transformer
Disclosed is a planar transformer including a first planar core which is formed of a magnetic substance, a lower secondary winding which is disposed to enclose a first left sill of the first planar core between a first rear sill and a first front sill of the first planar core; a primary winding which is disposed on the lower secondary winding so as to enclose first left and right sills of the first planar core; an upper secondary winding which is disposed on the primary winding to enclose the first left sill of the first planar core; and a second planar core disposed on the upper secondary winding. |
| US09343219B2 |
Reactor, converter, power converter apparatus, and method for manufacturing reactor
The present invention is directed to a reactor 1 including a combined product 10 made up of a coil member 2 and a magnetic core 3, and a case 4 storing the combined product 10. The case 4 is formed by a combination of a side wall portion 41 surrounding the combined product 10 and a bottom plate portion 40 being a member separate from the side wall portion 41. Between the bottom plate portion 40 of the case 4 and the coil member 2 (coils 2a and 2b), an insulating sheet 42 is interposed. In order to fabricate the reactor 1, the insulating sheet 42 is disposed on the bottom plate portion 40, and the combined product 10 is disposed on the insulating sheet 42. Then, the side wall portion 41 is disposed from above the combined product 10, and the side wall portion 41 and the bottom plate portion 40 are engaged with each other. |
| US09343213B2 |
Component for fixing curvature of flexible device and deformation and fixing curvature method
Provided is a component for fixing the curvature of a flexible device. The component includes a permanent magnet substrate and a magnetic substrate connect to the permanent magnet substrate. The permanent magnet substrate includes a first permanent magnet structure, and the magnetic substrate includes an electromagnet structure, a second permanent magnet structure, or a ferromagnetic material structure. |
| US09343211B2 |
Ignition coil for internal combustion engine
An ignition coil for an internal combustion engine is provided with a coil section that includes a primary coil and a secondary coil, and a connector case section. The primary coil is formed by winding a primary electric wire about the outer periphery of a primary spool made of a resin. The connector case section is provided with terminals each formed of a conductor and arranged from a fitting hole of the connector case section to a connector portion. In each terminal, an insertion portion arranged in the fitting hole is formed with an insertion slit in a fitting direction in which the coil section is fitted to the connector case section. Each winding end portion is drawn out substantially along a winding direction of the primary electric wire and inserted into the insertion slit in the fitting direction. |
| US09343202B2 |
Transparent metal oxide nanoparticle compositions, methods of manufacture thereof and articles comprising the same
Disclosed herein is a composition for making a thin film comprising a solvent; a plurality of particles; the particles being derived by reacting a metal salt with itself or with a ligand; where the metal salt forms metal oxides and/or metal hydroxides upon reacting with itself or with a ligand; and where the particles have a metal oxide content that is substantially greater than their metal hydroxide content when heated at a temperature of less than or equal to 200° C. Disclosed herein too is a method for making the composition. |
| US09343201B2 |
Method for manufacturing a reinforced overhead multipurpose cable for outside telecommunication
The invention relates to a method for manufacturing reinforced overhead multipurpose cable for outside telecommunications of Voice, Video, and Data Distribution (VVDD) type. The reinforced overhead multipurpose cable comprises a dry and multipair construction core, electromagnetic shielding elements and external protection thermoplastic cover, characterized because it includes one or several externally placed metal or plastic supporting elements for cable self-support; a core integrated by insulated electrical conductors of 2 to 300 twisted pairs, formed with twisting closed lay lengths and reduced in the formation of said component pairs; a plastic tape helicoidally arranged; a tape wrapping the assembled core; said tape being of aluminum for electromagnetic shielding and an external insulating cover both for the core and the reinforcement element, the dry core does not affect the conductance or capacitance or resistance of the insulation. |
| US09343196B2 |
Resin composition with high dielectric insulation properties
Provided is a resin composition with high dielectric insulation properties that has a dielectric constant of at least 20, a dielectric tangent of 0.1 or less, outstanding insulation properties (at least 1012 Ω·cm), and for use in electrical power, communication devices, and the like. A resin composition with high dielectric insulation properties comprises a constituent (A), which is 100 parts by mass of a polymer material that acts as a dispersion medium for constituent (B), and a constituent (B), which is 100-3000 parts by mass of a perovskite complex oxide powder comprising secondary particles formed by the mutual bonding of primary particles through sintering and represented by the formula: ABO3. |
| US09343195B2 |
Stabilization agents for silver nanowire based transparent conductive films
Certain pyridine-ketone compounds have been found to provide anticorrosion properties when incorporated into silver nanowire containing films. Such compounds may be incorporated into one or more silver nanowire containing layers or in one or more layers disposed adjacent to the silver nanowire containing layers. |
| US09343192B2 |
Densified waste form and method for forming
Materials and methods of making densified waste forms for temperature sensitive waste material, such as nuclear waste, formed with low temperature processing using metallic powder that forms the matrix that encapsulates the temperature sensitive waste material. The densified waste form includes a temperature sensitive waste material in a physically densified matrix, the matrix is a compacted metallic powder. The method for forming the densified waste form includes mixing a metallic powder and a temperature sensitive waste material to form a waste form precursor. The waste form precursor is compacted with sufficient pressure to densify the waste precursor and encapsulate the temperature sensitive waste material in a physically densified matrix. |
| US09343191B2 |
Cask transport assembly
A cask transport system includes a support assembly including a plurality of wheels and a support frame coupled to and supported by the wheels. The cask transport system also includes a tower disposed above the support assembly, the tower including a base portion and a tower frame coupled to the base portion, the tower frame movable relative to the base portion. The cask transport system also includes an upper beam assembly coupled to the tower frame, and a bottom block assembly coupled to the upper beam assembly, the bottom block assembly movable relative to the upper beam assembly. |
| US09343188B2 |
Control rod for high temperature gas reactor
A high-temperature gas reactor control rod is provided that does not degrade the joining state between the control rod elements even when stress is applied thereto, and that can improve the safety of the high temperature gas reactor remarkably by improving the heat resistance thereof.The high-temperature gas reactor control rod has a plurality of control rod elements (1) each having a neutron absorber (7) between an outer cylinder (9) and an inner cylinder (8) that form a double cylindrical tubular shape, the control rod elements (1) joined to each other in a vertical direction, characterized by: a columnar support member (2) for supporting at least the neutron absorber (7), disposed in the inner cylinder (8); and joining means for joining to another control rod element (1), provided at least one of upper and lower ends of the support member (2). |
| US09343187B2 |
Compact nuclear reactor with integral steam generator
In an illustrative embodiment, a pressurized water nuclear reactor (PWR) includes a pressure vessel (12, 14, 16), a nuclear reactor core (10) disposed in the pressure vessel, and a vertically oriented hollow central riser (36) disposed above the nuclear reactor core inside the pressure vessel. A once-through steam generator (OTSG) (30) disposed in the pressure vessel includes vertical tubes (32) arranged in an annular volume defined by the central riser and the pressure vessel. The OTSG further includes a fluid flow volume surrounding the vertical tubes and having a feedwater inlet (50) and a steam outlet (52). The PWR has an operating state in which feedwater injected into the fluid flow volume at the feedwater inlet is converted to steam by heat emanating from primary coolant flowing inside the tubes of the OTSG, and the steam is discharged from the fluid flow volume at the steam outlet. |
| US09343185B2 |
Electronic circuit for fitting a virtual address range to a physical memory containing faulty address
A memory having variable size blocks of failed memory addresses is connected to a TCAM storing data values of ranges of addresses in the memory. The ranges of addresses correspond to virtual addresses that, in combination with an offset, point away from failed memory addresses. A reduction circuit connected to the TCAM produces an output for each programmed range of addresses based on a virtual address. A priority encoder, connected to the reduction circuit, selects a first range from the reduction circuit and passes the first range to a random-access memory (RAM). Responsive to the virtual address bring an address in one of the ranges of addresses, the priority encoder passes the first range containing the virtual address to the RAM, which passes a corresponding offset value to the Adder based on the first range. The Adder calculates a physical memory address directing the virtual address to a functional memory location. |
| US09343177B2 |
Accessing control registers over a data bus
An electronic apparatus that includes a controlled device with a plurality of control registers. A data bus is coupled between the controlled device and a processor, and an interface is configured to receive a plurality of portions of data read from or to be written to the plurality of control registers. The electronic apparatus also includes a correlation circuit configured to associate at least some of the plurality of portions of data with respective physical addresses of the plurality of control registers based on respective positions of the respective portions of data within the plurality. |
| US09343174B2 |
Data storage circuit and system including the same
A data storage circuit includes a first antifuse which is programmed in response to a first access signal, and provide data indicating whether the first antifuse is programmed to a data node, an initialization section which controls a voltage level of the data node in response to an initialization flag, and a second antifuse which is programmed in response to the first access signal, and provide the initialization flag indicating whether the second antifuse is programmed to the initialization section. |
| US09343173B2 |
Semiconductor device and control method of the same
A semiconductor device comprises a bit determination circuit to count the number of bits at a first level in an input address signal formed of a plurality of bits and to output a result indicating whether or not a value of the count exceeds a predetermined determination threshold value, as a bit determination result signal, and a selection control circuit to select a non-volatile program element to be cut off, based on the bit determination result signal and the address signal. Additional apparatus and methods are described. |
| US09343172B2 |
Extended protection for embedded erase of non-volatile memory cells
Methods and systems are disclosed for extended erase protection for non-volatile memory (NVM) cells during embedded erase operations for NVM systems. The embodiments described herein utilize an additional threshold voltage (Vt) check after soft programming operation within an embedded erase operation completes to provide extended erase protection of NVM cells. In particular, the threshold voltages for NVM cells are compared against a threshold voltage (Vt) check voltage (VCHK) level and an additional embedded erase cycle is performed if any NVM cells are found to exceed the threshold voltage (Vt) check voltage (VCHK) level. The threshold voltage (Vt) check voltage (VCHK) level can be, for example, a voltage level that is slightly higher than an erase verify voltage (VEV) level and lower than read voltage level (VR). |
| US09343169B2 |
Architecture and method for memory programming
Methods of programming a memory, memory devices, and systems are disclosed, for example. In one such method, each data line of a memory to be programmed is biased differently depending upon whether one or more of the data lines adjacent the data line are inhibited. In one such system, a connection circuit provides data corresponding to the inhibit status of a target data line to page buffers associated with data lines adjacent to the target data line. |
| US09343168B2 |
Multiple step programming in a memory device
Method of operating a memory include programming a memory cell and reading the memory cell to determine a programmed threshold voltage of the memory cell. If the programmed threshold voltage is within a threshold voltage distribution of a plurality of threshold voltage distributions, the memory cell is reprogrammed, and if the programmed threshold voltage is not within a threshold voltage distribution of the plurality of threshold voltage distributions, the memory cell is allowed to remain at the programmed threshold voltage. |
| US09343166B2 |
Non-volatile semiconductor storage device
A non-volatile memory includes a plurality of word lines, power supply units are provided for word line columns, a different unit voltage is applied for each of power supply units depending on whether a selected memory cell exists in the column, a switching mechanism in each power supply unit is switched by the word line depending on a voltage value on a control line, a charge storage gate voltage or inhibition gate voltage is applied for each of the word lines so that the inhibition gate voltage value and a bit line voltage value can be freely set for each of the word line columns to values at which occurrence of disturbance can be suppressed. A plurality of power supply units are connected to the control line in a common row direction, and a row-direction address decoder, which is independent for each of the word line columns is not required. |
| US09343162B2 |
Protection against side-channel attacks on non-volatile memory
A non-volatile memory (NVM) device includes an NVM array, which is configured to store data, and control logic. The control logic is configured to receive data values for storage in the NVM array, and to write at least some of the received data values to the NVM array and simultaneously to write complements of the at least some of the received data values. |
| US09343161B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and methods of operating the same
A semiconductor memory device comprises a memory cell array including a plurality of memory blocks each including a plurality of pages, wherein each of the plurality of pages includes at least one flag cell indicating whether data is in a corresponding page, and a peripheral circuit configured to read data of flag cells of a selected memory block in response to an erase request and to omit an erase operation on the selected memory block based on the data of the flag cells. |
| US09343160B1 |
Erase verify in non-volatile memory
Reducing peak current and/or power consumption during erase verify of a non-volatile memory is disclosed. During an erase verify, memory cells are verified at a strict reference level that is deeper (e.g., lower threshold voltage) than a target reference level. After the strict erase verify, strings of memory cells that pass the strict erase verify are locked out from a next erase verify at the target reference level. Locked out strings do not conduct a significant current during erase verify, thus reducing peak current and/or power consumption. |
| US09343159B2 |
Avoiding unintentional program or erase of a select gate transistor
Techniques are provided for preventing inadvertent program or erase of select gate transistors and dummy memory cells during an erase operation involving data-storing memory cells in a three-dimensional memory device. The erase operation charges up a channel of a NAND string using gate-induced drain leakage from the select gate transistors. An erase voltage waveform and a select gate waveform are ramped up to intermediate levels which allow some charging of the channel to occur. The intermediate level of the select gate waveform is low enough to avoid inadvertent programming of the select gate transistors. Subsequently, the erase voltage waveform and the select gate waveform are ramped up to peak levels which allow additional charging of the channel to occur. The peak levels are set to avoid inadvertent erasing of the select gate transistors. |
| US09343152B2 |
Cell array with a manufacturable select gate for a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
A three-dimensional integrated circuit non-volatile memory array includes a memory array with first and second NAND memory cell string stacks having opposite orientations, where each NAND memory cell string includes a plurality of transistors and a source line contact connected in series between a bit line and string extension region which extends from the source line contact and past a first self-aligned SSL gate electrode located on a peripheral end of the NAND memory cell string, and also includes a string select transistor formed with a second self-aligned SSL connected in series between the bit line and the plurality of transistors, where the first and second self-aligned SSL gate electrodes are shared between adjacent NAND memory cell strings having opposite orientations. |
| US09343151B1 |
Resistive random access memory and method of resetting a resistive random access memory
According to another embodiment, a method of a reset operation for a RRAM is provided. The method includes the following operations: providing a first voltage to the dielectric side electrode of the resistor; and providing a second voltage to a gate of the transistor, wherein the first voltage in a second loop is lower than that in a first loop, and the second voltage in the second loop is higher than that in the first loop. |
| US09343145B2 |
Memory cells, memory cell programming methods, memory cell reading methods, memory cell operating methods, and memory devices
Embodiments disclosed include memory cell operating methods, memory cell programming methods, memory cell reading methods, memory cells, and memory devices. In one embodiment, a memory cell includes a wordline, a first bitline, a second bitline, and a memory element. The memory element is electrically connected to the wordline and selectively electrically connected to the first bitline and the second bitline. The memory element stores information via a resistive state of the memory element. The memory cell is configured to convey the resistive state of the memory element via either a first current flowing from the first bitline through the memory element to the wordline or a second current flowing from the wordline through the memory element to the second bitline. |
| US09343144B2 |
Memory device and method of controlling memory device
According to one embodiment, a memory device includes a plurality of global column lines arranged in parallel and extending in a first direction; a plurality of row lines extending in a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction; a plurality of column lines in a two-dimensional arrangement, which extend in a third direction which is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction; and a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells arranged at intersections between the row lines and the column lines. |
| US09343143B2 |
Resistance change nonvolatile storage device and method of controlling the same
To improve a reading speed and a writing speed while preventing occurrence of disturbance in a resistance storage element, specifically, a nonvolatile storage device that has a memory having at least one nonvolatile resistance storage element and a control unit configured to write a high resistance state or a low resistance state to the resistance storage element, wherein the control unit applies a bias to the resistance storage element in a verification operation carried out after writing the high resistance state, or applies a bias to the resistance storage element in a verification operation carried out after writing the low resistance state, these biases being in directions opposite to each other. |
| US09343138B2 |
Sense amplifier, semiconductor memory device using thereof and read method thereof
A sense amplifier is provided which includes a first load supplied with a selection cell current from a read bit line connected to a selected memory cell; a second load supplied with a reference current from a reference read bit line connected to a reference cell, a resistance value of the second load being different from a resistance value of the first load; and a sensing unit configured to correct a level of the reference current based on a resistance ratio of the first and second loads and to compare the selection cell current and the corrected reference current. |
| US09343132B2 |
MRAM write pulses to dissipate intermediate state domains
A write method for a STT-RAM MTJ is disclosed that substantially reduces the bit error rate caused by intermediate domain states generated during write pulses. The method includes a plurality of “n” write periods or pulses and “n−1” domain dissipation periods where a domain dissipation period separates successive write periods. During each pulse, a write current is applied in a first direction across the MTJ and during each domain dissipation period, a second current with a magnitude equal to or less than the read current is applied in an opposite direction across the MTJ. Alternatively, no current is applied during one or more domain dissipation periods. Each domain dissipation period has a duration of 1 to 10 ns that is equal to or greater than the precession period of free layer magnetization in the absence of spin torque transfer current. |
| US09343131B1 |
Mismatch and noise insensitive sense amplifier circuit for STT MRAM
A technique for sensing a data state of a data cell. A comparator has a first input at a node A and a second input at a node B. A first n-channel transistor is connected to a first p-channel transistor at the node A. A second n-channel transistor is connected to a second p-channel transistor at the node B. A multiplexer is configured to selectively connect a first reference cell or the data cell to the first n-channel transistor and configured to selectively connect the data cell or a second reference cell to the second n-channel transistor. The comparator outputs the data state of the data cell based on input of a node A voltage at the node A and a node B voltage at the node B. |
| US09343127B1 |
Memory device having an adaptable number of open rows
A memory device comprises a memory array, at least one row address buffer, a set of row data buffers, a row decoder, an array of sense amplifiers, and a demultiplexer. The memory array comprises data elements organized into rows and columns. Each of the rows is addressable by a row address. Each of the data elements in each of the rows is addressable by a column address. The at least one row address buffer holds a selected row address of a set of successive selected row addresses. The set of row data buffers holds respective contents of selected rows that correspond to the set of successive selected row addresses. The row decoder decodes the selected row address to access a selected row. The array of sense amplifier reads the selected row and transmits content of the selected row to one of the row data buffers through the demultiplexer, and writes the content of the selected row back to the selected row. |
| US09343125B2 |
Memory macro with a voltage keeper
A memory macro includes a first data line, a second data line, a first switch and a voltage keeper. The first switch is configured between the first data line and the second data line. The voltage keeper is electrically coupled to the second data line. The voltage keeper is configured to control a voltage level at the second data line in response to the voltage level at the second data line during the first switch electrically couples the second data line to the first data line. |
| US09343115B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
A memory array includes a resistive memory cell array having a first cell transistor and a resistance change element connected in series and a reference cell array having a second cell transistor and a resistance element connected in series. The second cell transistor of the reference cell array is connected to a reference source line, and the resistance element is connected to a reference bit line. A dummy memory cell is connected to the reference bit line in the memory cell array, and both ends of a resistance change element of the dummy memory cell are short-circuited through the reference bit line. |
| US09343114B2 |
Memory arrays and methods of forming electrical contacts
Some embodiments include methods of forming electrical contacts. A row of semiconductor material projections may be formed, with the semiconductor material projections containing repeating components of an array, and with a terminal semiconductor projection of the row comprising a contact location. An electrically conductive line may be along said row, with the line wrapping around an end of said terminal semiconductor projection and bifurcating into two branches that are along opposing sides of the semiconductor material projections. Some of the semiconductor material of the terminal semiconductor projection may be replaced with dielectric material, and then an opening may be extended into the dielectric material. An electrical contact may be formed within the opening and directly against at least one of the branches. Some embodiments include memory arrays. |
| US09343110B2 |
Dynamic synchronization tool
The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for synchronizing one or more mediatations with a video timeline. A mediatation may refer to any media content displayed in a separate window from a video stream. Example mediatations include, but are not limited to, portable document format (PDF) documents, text documents, and image documents. Mediatations are associated with a timeline for a video stream. As the video stream is played, different indications of mediatations may appear in a window separate from the window playing the video. A user may then select an indication of a mediatation to display the entirety of the mediatation. |
| US09343106B2 |
Performing process for removal medium
In a controller of a tape drive, when an error recovery section cannot recover an error detected by an error detecting section, an error-report generation section generates an error report, an error-information acquisition section acquires error information of the tape drive and a cartridge loaded in the tape drive, an error-information exchange section acquires pieces of error information of other tape drives and cartridges loaded in these other tape drives, an error-factor judging section judges whether the error is attributable to the tape drive or the cartridge based on these pieces of error information, an error-report update section updates the error report in accordance with the result of this judgment, and an error-report output section outputs the error report thus updated to a host. |
| US09343102B1 |
Data storage device employing a phase offset to generate power from a spindle motor during a power failure
A data storage device is disclosed comprising a disk, a spindle motor configured to rotate the disk, wherein the spindle motor comprises a plurality of windings, and a head actuated over the disk. The windings are commutated based on a commutation sequence while applying a periodic driving voltage to each winding, wherein the periodic driving voltage comprises an operating amplitude during normal operation. When a supply voltage falls below a threshold, the spindle motor is configured into a power generator by at least adjusting a phase of the periodic driving voltage by a phase offset and adjusting the amplitude of the periodic driving voltage based on the phase offset. |
| US09343100B2 |
Media library system and method for monitoring changes in inventory of media cartridges
A method for monitoring changes in an inventory of media cartridges in a media library includes the steps of determining with a controller that the inventory of media cartridges in the media library has changed, and asynchronously reporting with the controller the specific change in inventory of media cartridges that has occurred in the media library. The method can also include the step of determining whether the change in inventory included an increase or a decrease in the quantity of media cartridges within the media library, or whether the change in inventory did not include an increase or decrease in the quantity of media cartridges within the media library. Further, the method can also include the step of determining whether the change in inventory of media cartridges is required to be reported. A media library system includes a media library having a plurality of media cartridges, and a controller that determines a change in an inventory of media cartridges in the media library. In certain embodiments, the controller asynchronously and selectively reports a specific change in the inventory of media cartridges in the media library. |
| US09343097B2 |
Method of forming magnetic recording head having protected reader sensors and near zero recession writer poles
A method according to one embodiment includes applying a coating to a media facing side of a module, the module having first and second transducers of different magnetic transducer types positioned towards the media facing side of the module, wherein the different transducer types are selected from a group consisting of data reader transducers, servo reader transducers, write transducers, piggyback read-write transducers and merged read-write transducers; wherein the coating forms at least a portion of a first protection structure for protecting the first transducer; and wherein the second transducer has either no protection or is protected by a second protection structure that is different than the first protection structure. |
| US09343094B1 |
Data storage device filtering burst correction values before downsampling the burst correction values
A data storage device is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk comprising a plurality of servo tracks defined by servo bursts. A number of burst correction values are generated by reading at least one of the servo bursts at a number of different radial locations across the disk. The burst correction values are filtered to generate filtered burst correction values, and the filtered burst correction values are downsampled to generate downsampled burst correction values. The downsampled burst correction values are written to the disk, and the head is servoed over the disk by reading the downsampled burst correction values from the disk. |
| US09343092B1 |
Pro-active protection of communication devices that are senstive to vibration or shock
A method includes a first communication device detecting vibration or shock, and, in response to detecting vibration or shock, the first communication device broadcasting an alert message that identifies a physical location of the first communication device at the time that the vibration or shock was sensed. The method further includes a second communication device receiving the alert message, wherein the second communication device includes a hard disk drive that can be damaged by vibration or shock. In response to receiving the alert message, the second communication device temporarily parks a read-write head of the hard disk drive to prevent damage from the vibration or shock, wherein the second communication device parks the read-write head without the second communication device independently detecting the vibration or shock. In one option, a server can receive and send alert messages from and to any number of communication devices. |
| US09343091B1 |
Sensor structure having layer with high magnetic moment
A reader sensor having a composite shield and a sensor stack. The composite shield includes a high magnetic moment layer having a magnetic moment greater than 1.0 T, a low magnetic moment layer, and a spacer therebetween. The high magnetic moment layer is closer to the stack than the low magnetic moment layer. The high magnetic moment layer may be a single layer or have a plurality of layers. |
| US09343090B1 |
Magnetoresistive sensor having an Ir seed layer for improved pinned layer robustness
A magnetic sensor having an Ir seed layer for improved pinning robustness and improved sensor performance. The sensor includes an Ir seed layer formed directly beneath and in contact with a layer of antiferromagnetic material (AFM). The Ir seed layer improves the grain structure and smoothness of the above applied layers to significantly improve the performance and pinning robustness of the sensor. The use of the Ir seed layer reduces interlayer magnetic coupling of the layers, reduces surface roughness and increases the temperature at which the pinned layer looses it's pinning (i.e. raises the mean blocking temperature Tc of the pinned layer structure). |
| US09343085B2 |
Data writer with flux density insert
A data writer may be generally configured at least with a write pole adjacent to and separated from a side shield and a trailing shield. The side shield may be formed of a first material and configured with a trailing box region that is at least partially filled with a flux density insert formed of a second material that is different than the first material. |
| US09343081B2 |
Magnetic business communication product and method of producing same
A magnetic business communication is produced in a unique manner in which a pigmented coating is applied over one face of the magnetic substrate so as to change the appearance of the magnetic material. An image is applied either directly over the pigmented coating or alternatively, the image may be reverse printed on a transparent film such that when the film is applied over the pigmented coating, the image will be visible through the face of the film. |
| US09343079B2 |
Receiver intelligibility enhancement system
Embodiments of the invention provide a communication device and methods for enhancing audio signals. A first audio signal buffer and a second audio signal buffer are acquired. Thereafter, the second audio signal is processed based on the linear predictive coding coefficients and gains based on mean noise power of the first audio signal to generate an enhanced second audio signal. |
| US09343078B2 |
Pre-process (amplitude distortion) and post-process (phase synchronization) for linear AEC system
An acoustic processing apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a pre-processing component, a filter and a first signal processing component. The pre-processing component compensates a non-linearity of a reference signal to generate an input signal. The filter coupled to the pre-processing component, the filter executes filtering on the input signal to generate an output signal. The first signal processing component, coupled to the pre-processing component, the reference signal obtains a gain from the first signal processing component to generate a first signal, and the first signal processing component passes the gain to the pre-processing component. |
| US09343077B2 |
Pitch filter for audio signals
In some embodiments, a pitch filter for filtering a preliminary audio signal generated from an audio bitstream is disclosed. The pitch filter has an operating mode selected from one of either: (i) an active mode where the preliminary audio signal is filtered using filtering information to obtain a filtered audio signal, and (ii) an inactive mode where the pitch filter is disabled. The preliminary audio signal is generated in an audio encoder or audio decoder having a coding mode selected from at least two distinct coding modes, and the pitch filter is capable of being selectively operated in either the active mode or the inactive mode while operating in the coding mode based on control information. |
| US09343076B2 |
Methods and systems for generating filter coefficients and configuring filters
Methods for generating a palette of feedback (IIR) filter coefficient sets and using the palette to configure (e.g., adaptively update) a prediction filter which includes a feedback filter, and a system for performing any of the methods. Examples of the system include an encoder, including a prediction filter and configured to encode data indicative of a waveform signal (e.g., samples of an audio signal), and a decoder. In some embodiments, the prediction filter is included in an encoder operable to generate (and assert to a decoder) encoded data including filter coefficient data indicative of the selected IIR coefficient set with which the prediction filter was configured during generation of the encoded data. In some embodiments, the timing with which adaptive updating of prediction filter configuration occurs or is allowed to occur is constrained (e.g., to optimize efficiency of prediction encoding). |
| US09343075B2 |
Voice processing apparatus and voice processing method
A voice processing apparatus includes: a dividing unit which divides a voice signal into frames in such a manner that any two successive frames overlap each other by a predetermined amount; a first windowing unit which multiplies each frame by a first windowing function that attenuates a signal at both ends of the frame; an orthogonal transform unit which computes a frequency spectrum for each frame multiplied by the first windowing function; a frequency signal processing unit which computes a corrected frequency spectrum; an inverse orthogonal transform unit which computes a corrected frame by applying an inverse orthogonal transform to the corrected frequency spectrum; a second windowing unit which multiplies each corrected frame by a second windowing function that attenuates a signal at both ends of the corrected frame; and an addition unit which adds up the each corrected frame multiplied by the second windowing function, sequentially in time order. |
| US09343074B2 |
Apparatus and method for audio encoding and decoding employing sinusoidal substitution
An apparatus for generating an audio output signal based on an encoded audio signal spectrum has a processing unit, a pseudo coefficients determiner, a spectrum modification unit, a spectrum-time conversion unit, a controllable oscillator and a mixer. The pseudo coefficients determiner is configured to determine pseudo coefficients of the decoded audio signal spectrum. The spectrum modification unit is configured to set the pseudo coefficients to a predefined value to acquire a modified audio signal spectrum. The spectrum-time conversion unit is configured to convert the modified audio signal spectrum to a time-domain. The controllable oscillator is configured to generate a time-domain oscillator signal and is controlled by the spectral location and the spectral value of at least one of the pseudo coefficients. The mixer is configured to mix the time-domain conversion signal and the time-domain oscillator signal. |
| US09343073B1 |
Robust noise suppression system in adverse echo conditions
The present technology provides adaptive noise and echo reduction of an acoustic signal which can overcome or substantially alleviate problems associated with mistaken adaptation of speech and noise models to acoustic echo. The present technology carries out a multi-faceted analysis to identify echo within the near-end acoustic signal to derive an echo model. Echo classification information regarding the derived echo model is then utilized to build near-end speech and noise models. These echo, speech, and noise models are then used to generate one or more signal modifications applied to the acoustic signal to preserve the desired near-end speech signal and reduce the echo and near-end noise signals. By building near-end speech and noise models utilizing echo classification information, the present technology can prevent adaptation of the speech and noise model to the acoustic echo. |
| US09343071B2 |
Reconstructing an audio signal with a noise parameter
A method for generating a reconstructed audio signal having a baseband portion and a highband portion is disclosed. The method includes deformatting an encoded audio signal into a first part and a second part and decoding the first part to obtain a decoded baseband audio signal. The method also includes extracting an estimated spectral envelope of the highband portion and a noise parameter from the second part and filtering the decoded baseband audio signal to obtain a plurality of subband signals. The method further includes generating a high-frequency reconstructed signal by copying a number of consecutive subband signals of the plurality of subband signals and adjusting a spectral envelope of the high-frequency reconstructed signal based on the estimated spectral envelope of the highband portion to obtain an envelope adjusted high-frequency signal. |
| US09343068B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling access to applications having different security levels
A method for controlling access to a plurality of applications in an electronic device includes receiving a voice command from a speaker for accessing a target application among the plurality of applications, and verifying whether the voice command is indicative of a user authorized to access the applications based on a speaker model of the authorized user. In this method, each application is associated with a security level having a threshold value. The method further includes updating the speaker model with the voice command if the voice command is verified to be indicative of the user, and adjusting at least one of the threshold values based on the updated speaker model. |
| US09343067B2 |
Speaker verification
A speaker verification method is proposed that first builds a general model of user utterances using a set of general training speech data. The user also trains the system by providing a training utterance, such as a passphrase or other spoken utterance. Then in a test phase, the user provides a test utterance which includes some background noise as well as a test voice sample. The background noise is used to bring the condition of the training data closer to that of the test voice sample by modifying the training data and a reduced set of the general data, before creating adapted training and general models. Match scores are generated based on the comparison between the adapted models and the test voice sample, with a final match score calculated based on the difference between the match scores. This final match score gives a measure of the degree of matching between the test voice sample and the training utterance and is based on the degree of matching between the speech characteristics from extracted feature vectors that make up the respective speech signals, and is not a direct comparison of the raw signals themselves. Thus, the method can be used to verify a speaker without necessarily requiring the speaker to provide an identical test phrase to the phrase provided in the training sample. |
| US09343066B1 |
Social network system
The present invention includes systems and methods for sending social media messages without the need for keyboard inputs. A microphone captures live audio speech data and transmits the audio data to a processing unit. The processing unit converts the audio to speech data. The processing unit also removes censored words, emphasizes key words, and edits that data to include product and promotional messages where appropriate. The processing unit then uses code words contained in the speech data to send the speech data to the appropriate social media outlets for output. |
| US09343064B2 |
Establishing a multimodal personality for a multimodal application in dependence upon attributes of user interaction
Establishing a multimodal personality for a multimodal application, including evaluating, by the multimodal application, attributes of a user's interaction with the multimodal application; selecting, by the multimodal application, a visual demeanor in dependence upon the values of the attributes of the user's interaction with the multimodal application; and incorporating, by the multimodal application, the visual demeanor into the multimodal application. |
| US09343062B2 |
Detecting potential medically-significant errors in speech recognition results
In some embodiments, the recognition results produced by a speech processing system (which may include two or more recognition results, including a top recognition result and one or more alternative recognition results) based on an analysis of a speech input, are evaluated for indications of potential significant errors. In some embodiments, the recognition results may be evaluated to determine whether a meaning of any of the alternative recognition results differs from a meaning of the top recognition result in a manner that is significant for a domain, such as the medical domain. In some embodiments, words and/or phrases that may be confused by an ASR system may be determined and associated in sets of words and/or phrases. Words and/or phrases that may be determined include those that change a meaning of a phrase or sentence when included in the phrase/sentence. |
| US09343056B1 |
Wind noise detection and suppression
Wind noise is detected in and removed from an acoustic signal. Features may be extracted from the acoustic signal. The extracted features may be processed to classify the signal as including wind noise or not. The wind noise may be removed before or during processing of the acoustic signal. The wind noise may be suppressed by estimating a wind noise model, deriving a modification, and applying the modification to the acoustic signal. In audio devices with multiple microphones, the channel exhibiting wind noise (i.e., acoustic signal frame associated with the wind noise) may be discarded for the frame in which wind noise is detected. |
| US09343055B2 |
Fluid density stratification location system, device and method
A fluid flow system, device, and method for locating a fluid layer in a fluid flow using an acoustic waveguide. The acoustic waveguide comprises a waveguide base segment, and a waveguide reflector segment. The waveguide reflector segment comprises a plurality of disc shaped waveguide reflectors along its length for locating a fluid layer. |
| US09343048B2 |
Drum rim raising device with a piezoelectric sensor and a force sensor
A rim raising device attaches to a drum rim, or operates remotely from a drum. The device provides additional elevation above the drum, and increased surface area to a section of the drum rim such that a percussion technique is enhanced. The increased elevation provides space for other components to attach to the drum rim. A trigger assembly comprises at least one piezoelectric sensor and/or at least one force sensor that detect the force. The piezoelectric sensor generates an intensity sensitive signal. The force sensor generates an on/off, linear signal that produces sound, or serves as a gate for the piezoelectric sensor. The force converts into both types of signals, and wirelessly transmitted to a sound module for generating a predetermined sound. A transmitter on the device uses wireless technology, or an instrument cable/wire to transmit the signal. A vibration suppression portion inhibits interferences and other unwanted vibrations. |
| US09343045B1 |
Capo system
A capo system includes a stringed instrument that has a neck, a fret board and a plurality of strings. A housing is removably positioned at a desired location along the fret board. A plurality of engaging units is provided and each of the engaging units is positioned within the housing. Each of the engaging units is positioned within an associated one of the channels. Each of the engaging units is positionable between an engaging position having each of the engaging units selectively depressing associated ones of the strings onto the fret board. Each of the engaging units is positionable in a releasing position having each of the engaging units being spaced from the associated string such that the associated string is spaced from the fret board. |
| US09343043B2 |
Methods and apparatus for generating composite images
Apparatuses and methods for capturing and generating composite images. In various aspects, the invention provides apparatuses and methods for correcting position information of captured images received by position sensors based on alignment of overlapping images. Corrected position information is then taken into account when displaying the locations of captured images on a display for providing guidance to users for generating composite images. |
| US09343040B2 |
Four-channel display power reduction with desaturation
A method of presenting an image on a display device having color channel dependent light emission comprising receiving an image input signal including a plurality of three-component input pixel signals; selecting a reduction color component; calculating a reduction factor for each input pixel signal dependent upon a distance metric between the input pixel signal and the selected reduction color component; selecting a respective saturation adjustment factor for each color component of each pixel signal; producing an image output signal having four color components from the image input signal using the reduction factors and saturation adjustment factors to adjust the luminance and color saturation, respectively, of the image input signal; providing a four-channel display device having color channel dependent light emission; and applying the image output signal to the display device to cause it to present an image corresponding to the image output signal. |
| US09343036B2 |
Electronic apparatus and operation method thereof
An electronic apparatus and an operation method thereof are provided. In case that a display unit enters a screen lock mode, a message input interface is displayed on the display unit when it is detected that a message option is enabled, and a note message is generated by the message inputting interface. A lock screen is returned and a prompt item corresponding to the note message is displayed on the lock screen when the message input interface is finished. |
| US09343035B2 |
Transmission of video in wireless environment
A video transmission method is provided. The video transmission method includes providing a wireless transmission environment for transmitting a video, wherein the wireless transmission environment includes an application layer, a media access control (MAC) layer and a physical layer; detecting a delay bound and a frame error rate (FER) of the video in the wireless transmission environment; detecting a present packet error rate (PER) of a packet in the physical layer when the physical layer transmits an error report to the MAC layer; calculating an estimated PER; comparing the present PER and the estimated PER for providing a determined result; and calculating an optimal video rate of the video and an optimal payload length of the packet using a geometric programming scheme when the determined result indicates that a retransmission is required, wherein the geometric programming scheme is based on the delay bound and the FER. |
| US09343034B2 |
User interface, device and method for displaying a stable screen view
A user interface configured to display a screen view representing an application and to receive motion data representing a detected movement, said user interface being further configured to update said displayed screen view to visually counteract said detected movement. |
| US09343033B2 |
Method of controlling polarity of data voltage and liquid crystal display using the same
A method of controlling polarity of a data voltage and a liquid crystal display using the same, the method including calculating a direct current DC value of the data from each group which data to be output through I-channels adjacent to each other in a source drive IC belong; accumulating the DC value; comparing an absolute value of the accumulation DC value of the n-th group obtained by adding the accumulation DC value of the n−1-th group accumulated up to the n−1-th group to the DC value of the n-th group (n is positive integer) with a predetermined threshold value; and changing a group polarity data when the absolute value of the accumulation DC value of the n-th group exceeds the threshold value. |
| US09343031B2 |
Electronic device with compact gate driver circuitry
An electronic device display may have an array of display pixels that are controlled using a grid of data lines and gate lines. The display may include compact gate driver circuits that perform gate driver operations to drive corresponding gate lines. Each compact gate driver circuit may include a first driver stage and a second driver stage. The first driver stage may receive a start pulse signal and produce a control signal. The control signal may be stored by a capacitor to identify a control state of the gate driver circuit. The second driver stage may receive the control signal, a clock signal, and a corresponding inverted clock signal and drive the corresponding gate line based on the received signals. The second driver stage may include pass transistor circuitry that passes the clock signal to the corresponding gate line and may include short circuit protection circuitry. |
| US09343026B2 |
Pixel circuit for active matrix display apparatus and the driving method thereof
Provided is the pixel circuit for active matrix display apparatus and the driving method thereof, which is controlled by digital signal. The pre-charge pixel voltage is controlled and discharged by controlling the resistor and transistors, so that the desired grey scale is generated. The pixel circuit includes: a first switch, a second switch, a third switch, an energy storage device and resistor. By controlling the third switch, the first end of the energy storage device is charged to the voltage of the second source. The first switch and the second switch are controlled to switch on, so that the first end of the energy storage device discharging to the first source. The second switch switches off when the first end of the energy storage device reaches the desired pixel voltage. |
| US09343024B2 |
Liquid crystal display apparatus and a driving method thereof
A method of driving a liquid crystal display apparatus includes gamma-correcting first and second gray scale data using a first gamma value to generate first and second luminance data; generating sub luminance data based on a smaller value of the first and second luminance data; correcting the sub luminance data using a second gamma value larger than the first gamma value to generate sub correction luminance data; correcting the first luminance data using the sub or second luminance data to generate first correction luminance data; correcting the second luminance data using the sub or first luminance data to generate second correction luminance data; performing inverse gamma correction on the first, second and sub correction luminance data using the first gamma value to generate first, second and sub correction gray scale data; and providing first to third pixels with the first, second, and sub correction gray scale data. |
| US09343022B2 |
Display panel having a main color subpixel and a multi-primary subpixel and display apparatus having the same with reduced number of data lines
A display panel includes a plurality of pixels including at least four even-numbered subpixels. The at least four even-numbered subpixels includes: a first red subpixel including a pixel electrode electrically connected to a switching element which is connected to a first data line and a first gate line; a first green subpixel including a pixel electrode electrically connected to a switching element which is connected to a second data line and a second gate line, where the second data line is disposed adjacent to the first data line; a first blue subpixel including a pixel electrode electrically connected to a switching element which is connected to the first data line and the second gate line; and a first multi-primary subpixel including a pixel electrode electrically connected to a switching element which is connected to the second data line and the first gate line. |
| US09343019B2 |
Transflective display apparatus and operation method thereof
A transflective display apparatus and an operation method thereof are provided. The transflective display apparatus includes a transflective display panel and a backlight module. The transflective display panel includes a plurality of pixels. Each pixel includes a plurality of sub-pixels with different colors. Each sub-pixel includes a transparent area and a reflective area. The operation method includes: determining whether the transflective display apparatus is operated in a reflective mode or not; and driving, when the transflective display apparatus is determined being operated in the reflective mode, the transflective display panel by way of driving at least one of the plurality of sub-pixels in each pixel each time and turning off the backlight module, thereby facilitating the transflective display apparatus to display an image by using the reflective areas of the driven sub-pixels to reflect an ambient light of the transflective display apparatus. |
| US09343017B2 |
Driving method of electrophoretic display device, and controller
A driving method of an electrophoretic display device, where a first display state and a second display state are respectively selected as a display state of one pixel by applying a voltage with a positive polarity or a negative polarity, and a halftone between the first display state and the second display state is selected according to a total duration of the negative polarity voltage applied to a pixel in the first display state, including setting a display state of the one pixel to the first display state; applying a compensating voltage pulse with the positive polarity to the one pixel; and applying a first driving voltage pulse with the negative polarity to the one pixel; wherein, the applying of the compensating voltage pulse is executed between the setting of the display state and the applying of the first driving voltage pulse. |
| US09343016B2 |
Display device
A display device includes a plurality of common lines, a plurality of driving lines, a plurality of light emitting elements, a source driver, a sink driver, discharge devices, discharge limiting devices, and rectifying devices. The discharge devices are connected to the common lines and configured to lower voltage at the connected common lines. The discharge limiting devices are connected to the common lines and to the discharge devices, and apply a limitation so that the voltage at the connected common lines is not lowered below a prescribed value by the discharge devices. The rectifying devices are connected between the discharge devices and the discharge limiting devices, and the common lines, and pass a current from the common lines toward the discharge devices and the discharge limiting devices but do not pass a current from the discharge devices and the discharge limiting devices toward the common lines. |
| US09343015B2 |
Organic light emitting display device including a sensing unit for compensating degradation and threshold voltage and driving method thereof
An organic light emitting display device includes pixels each including a driving transistor and an organic light emitting diode, and a sensing unit configured to extract threshold voltage information of the driving transistor and degradation information of the organic light emitting diode from each of the pixels, wherein the sensing unit includes a conversion unit configured to convert pixel current supplied from a respective one of the pixels into a first voltage, and configured to convert a reference current from a current source into a second voltage, and a comparison unit configured to calculate a difference between the first voltage and the second voltage, and configured to output a comparison voltage corresponding to the difference. |
| US09343007B2 |
Switch structure and method of charging and discharing scan lines of an LED display
A method to eliminate caterpillar phenomenon in a scanning LED display is disclosed, wherein each scan line comprises a USW(N) for charging the scan line(N) and a DSW(N) for discharging the scan line(N), the method comprising: turning on the USW(N) to charge the scan line(N) for a first time interval; turning on the DSW(N) to discharge the scan line(N) for a second pre-determined time interval; and turning off the DSW(N) after the second pre-determined time interval is elapsed. |
| US09343004B2 |
LCD TFT sign for on-board use in public transportation
An LCD destination sign is provided that provides a high resolution image and operates in at least two modes. One mode is a destination message mode that is used when a destination message (i.e., a route number and/or destination name in substantially static alphanumeric or symbols) is to be displayed on the destination sign. The second mode is a non-destination mode wherein graphic images are displayed on the destination sign, wherein such graphic images do not provide a destination message and may include video feeds, weather forecasts or newsreels. |
| US09343003B2 |
Backlit graphic display device with device-to-surface mounts
A graphic display device illuminates interchangeable graphic panels and is mountable to a translucent mounting surface. The graphic display device includes a housing assembly, a light source assembly, a light guide assembly, and device-to-surface mounts. The housing assembly includes a housing back, a housing front, and peripheral housing edging. Together, the housing back and housing edging define a panel-receiving volume. The light source assembly includes a power source, a light source, and circuitry. A light guide of the light guide assembly is positionable within the panel-receiving volume for guiding light from the light source in an anterior direction. The device-to-surface mounts fasten the graphic display device to a translucent mounting surface, and are cooperably associated with the peripheral housing edging for supporting the housing assembly such that the light from the light source is guided in an anterior direction through the translucent mounting surface. |
| US09343002B2 |
Window including integrated display signage
A display apparatus comprises a transparent panel and a display system for displaying information through a light emitting array that is enclosed within the transparent panel. |
| US09343000B2 |
Fine pitch full color variable message sign
A fine pitch full color variable message sign has a housing with a front face. A number of printed circuit boards are arranged along the front face of the housing. A number of LEDs are attached to each of the printed circuit boards. The LEDs are grouped into a number of pixels, each pixel has three LEDs arranged in a line. A mask covers the printed circuit boards. The mask has a number of elliptical apertures. A glazing may cover the printed circuit boards and is between the printed circuit boards and the mask. Each pixel has three LEDs; red, blue, and green. The LEDs that form a pixel are arranged in a line. The elliptical apertures are aligned with each pixel. |
| US09342998B2 |
Techniques to annotate street view images with contextual information
Techniques to annotate street level images with contextual information are described. A map application may comprise a street level component that when executed by a processor is operative to generate annotated street view images of a location. The street level component may comprise a street view component operative to generate a street view image from multiple street level images, the street view image having one or more objects located within the street view image. The street level component may further comprise a metadata component communicatively coupled to the street view component, the metadata component operative to generate a horizontal metadata panel having object metadata positioned in approximate vertical alignment with a corresponding object in the street view image, and combine the horizontal metadata panel with the street view image to form an annotated street view image. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09342997B2 |
Modular staged reality simulator
This invention is directed to a modular staged simulator and a process of simulating medical trauma and maladies for the purpose of training or certifying individuals including medical professionals. More specifically, this disclosure relates to ex vivo training exercises as opposed to traditional forms of training using intact cadavers, in vivo surgery on animal subjects; and supervised apprenticeship performing surgery on human subjects with trauma or maladies under the watch of a skilled medical practitioner. |
| US09342995B2 |
Double-sided, front-to-back-aligned, tactile graphic learning aid
A double-sided, front-to-back aligned tactile learning aid is provided, which includes a substantially planar carrier medium with a protruding front tactile graphic aligned with and symmetrical to a protruding back tactile graphic. The carrier medium may be one, two, or more sheets of paper, plastic, or other generally planar material. The front graphic and the back graphic protrude from the front and back, respectively, of the carrier medium. At least a portion of the back tactile graphic is aligned with at least a portion of the front tactile graphic. The double-sided, front-to-back aligned tactile learning aid is clearly expressive of (and/or representational of) a physical structure, yet is embodied in a generally two-dimensional planar construction, so is easier to store. The double-sided, front-to-back aligned tactile learning aid may be used as a semi-concrete or demi-concrete aid for sighted and visually-impaired students. |
| US09342994B2 |
Motion analyzing apparatus and motion analyzing program
A motion analyzing apparatus includes a first calculation unit that calculates a position of a first line segment representing a direction in which a rod-like part of a sporting tool extends in a stationary state, a second calculation unit that calculates the position of the first line segment at hitting, and a third calculation unit that specifies a virtual plane formed by the first line segment in the stationary state and a second line segment representing a ball hitting direction, wherein a relation between the virtual plane and the first line segment at the hitting is compared. |
| US09342993B1 |
Real-time driver observation and scoring for driver's education
A method includes, during a driving session in which a student driver operates a vehicle, gathering driving skill data indicative of at least one of behavior of the student driver, acceleration of the vehicle, braking of the vehicle, or steering of the vehicle, and gathering comments from a driving instructor about the driving session. The method also includes generating a driving session report corresponding to the driving session. The driving session report includes at least one score based on the driving skill data, and the comments from the driving instructor about the driving session. Still further, the method includes causing the driving session report to be displayed on a display device. |
| US09342990B2 |
Learning system and method that prevents communication of unauthorized content during a learning session
A learning management system and method displays a learning environment for delivery of instructional material to a remote student workstation student after authenticating a student at the remote student workstation. The learning environment displays a user interface to the student on the remote student workstation used to interact with an instructional material when the student enters into a learning session associated with a course when messages are communicated to and from the student. Communicated messages with the student are monitored to determine whether a message contains an unauthorized content and upon detection of an unauthorized content, an alert message is transmitted, for example, to an student associated with the course or to the student. |
| US09342986B2 |
Vehicle state prediction in real time risk assessments
A driver assistance system takes as input a number of different types of vehicle environment inputs including positions of objects in the vehicle's environment. The system identifies possible outcomes that may occur as a result of the positions of the objects in the environment. The possible outcomes include predicted positions for the objects involved in each outcome. The system uses the inputs to determine a likelihood of occurrence of each of the possible outcomes. The system also uses the inputs to determine a current risk value for objects as well as predicted risk values for objects for the possible outcomes. A total risk value can be determined by aggregating the current and predicted risk values of an object weighted by the likelihood of occurrence. Total risk values for objects can be used to determine how the driver assistance system responds to the inputs. |
| US09342984B2 |
System and method for monitoring and capturing potential traffic infractions
The present invention refers to a system and method for monitoring and supervising potential traffic infractions, comprising the detection of potential traffic infractions and the capture of the images thereof, wherein the images preferentially relate to a sequence of images of the pre and post events, further comprising a multi-thread module which enables the capture of images of one or more potential traffic infractions occurring in the same or in different lanes of the road, with almost simultaneous pre-event and post-event sequences. |
| US09342983B1 |
User interface for driver performance application
A method, apparatus and a computer program product are described for providing visual presentation of driving related information, by detecting one or more driving events carried out by a driver of a moving vehicle; determining performance severity of the one or more driving events; classifying the one or more driving events according to pre-defined categories based on the respective performance severity of the one or more driving events; providing a visual presentation which comprises one or more concentric rings, and wherein the number of the concentric rings provides an indication that relates to recent driving performance of the driver. |
| US09342982B2 |
Traffic control agency deployment and signal optimization for event planning
Embodiments relate to traffic control resource planning. An aspect includes receiving information about available routes in a transportation network and receiving an estimate of a traffic demand in the transportation network. Traffic control planning is performed and it may include: simulating a traffic flow based on the available routes and the traffic demand; applying a model that varies traffic control agent (TCA) placement and traffic signal settings in the transportation network to minimize a cost associated with the traffic flow, the cost including a TCA deployment cost and a traffic delay cost; and outputting a traffic control plan based on the applying, the traffic control plan including a TCA placement and traffic signal setting plan. |
| US09342981B1 |
Instantiating an application based on connection with a device via a universal serial bus
An apparatus for managing telemetry sensor controllers identified by their communication port identifiers is disclosed. The apparatus may include a memory that stores telemetry sensor controller mappings, where a telemetry sensor controller mapping associates an equipment identifier for a telemetry sensor controller with a communication port identifier, and equipment identifier mappings, where an equipment identifier mapping associates an equipment identifier with a telemetry monitoring application. The apparatus may detect a connection with a telemetry sensor controller and receive an equipment identifier. The apparatus may then instantiate a telemetry monitoring application for managing the connected telemetry sensor controller by accessing the plurality of equipment identifier mappings with the received equipment identifier, where the telemetry monitoring application may instruct the connected telemetry sensor controller to perform a requestable operation. |
| US09342979B2 |
Radio unit for field devices used in automation technology
A radio unit RU for field devices used in automation technology can be detachably connected to a field device. Via the radio unit RU, a radio connection to a service unit SU is possible over a radio network. The radio unit RU reads an identifier of the field device F1 from a memory in the field device and uses this identifier to report in the radio network. |
| US09342978B2 |
Method and system for configurable security and surveillance systems
A method and system for a configurable security and surveillance system are provided. A configurable security and surveillance system may comprise at least one programmable sensor agent and/or at least one programmable content analysis agent. A plurality of processing features may be offered by the configurable security and surveillance system by programming configurable hardware devices in the programmable sensor agents and/or the programmable content analysis agents via a system manager. Device programming files may be utilized to program the configurable hardware devices. The device programming files may be encrypted and decryption keys may be requested to enable the programming of different processing features into the programmable sensor agents and/or the programmable content analysis agents. The device programming files and/or the decryption keys may be received via a network transfer and/or via a machine-readable media from an e-commerce vendor. |
| US09342977B2 |
Method and apparatus for mobile device security
A method, non-transitory computer readable medium and apparatus for providing security on a mobile endpoint device are disclosed. For example, the method scans for a radio frequency signal, determines a state of the mobile endpoint device and triggers an alarm on the mobile endpoint device if the radio frequency signal is not detected for a predefined period of time and the state of the mobile endpoint device is an inactive state. |
| US09342973B2 |
Fall event handling method and mobile electronic device using the same
The present disclosure proposes a method of handling a fall event for use by a handheld mobile electronic device, and a handheld mobile electronic device using the same method. Accordingly, the handheld mobile electronic device first detects a fall event. In response to the fall event determined to have exceeded a predetermined distance, the device would detect whether the device has moved or has experienced a pressure variation within a time period after the fall event has ended. If the result is negative, the device would activate an alarm and transmit a notification related to the fall event. |
| US09342972B2 |
Life management apparatus and life management method
A fatigue degree input unit inputs a fatigue degree of a user through use of a processing device, and writes an input value of the fatigue degree into a storage device. A recommended duration calculation unit reads the input value of the fatigue degree written by the fatigue degree input unit from the storage device. In accordance with the input value of the fatigue degree read from the storage device, the recommended duration calculation unit calculates a bath duration to be recommended to the user, as a recommended duration, through use of the processing device. A recommended duration informing unit informs the user of the recommended duration calculated by the recommended duration calculation unit, through an output device. |
| US09342968B2 |
Electronic article surveillance systems implementing methods for determining security tag locations
Systems (100) and methods (600) for detecting a location of an EAS security tag (112). The methods involve: determining a first amplitude of a response signal generated by the EAS security tag and received at a first pedestal (102a), and a second amplitude of the response signal received at a second pedestal (102b); processing the first and second amplitudes to determine whether the EAS security tag resides within a specified distance range of the first or second pedestal, a detection zone of an EAS detection system, or a backfield of the EAS detection system; issuing an alarm when the EAS security tag is determined to reside within the specified distance range of the first/second pedestal or the detection zone of the EAS detection system; and preventing issuance of the alarm when the EAS security tag is determined to reside in the backfield of the EAS detection system. |
| US09342966B2 |
Determining a restricted apparatus with respect to a location
A method and system for determining restricted apparatuses with respect to a location is provided. The method includes determining that a user is in possession of a restricted apparatus. A video based process and a global positioning system (GPS) based process is executed with respect to the restricted apparatus and a location associated with a user. Restrictions associated with the restricted apparatus with respect to the location associated with the user are determined based on results of the video based process and the GPS based process. The restrictions are presented to the user. |
| US09342963B1 |
Geo-spatial-awareness-based monitoring, notification and maintenance for self service terminals
The present disclosure provides systems and methods for implementing a self-service terminal (“SST”) monitoring, notification and maintenance system. Embodiments of the proposed invention may simplify a task of locating an operational SST having a specific operational status and/or capability within a geographic area. Embodiments may automatically determine and monitor an operational status and/or capabilities of a SST. The operational status may include an operational status indicative of a SST that need servicing or repair. A location of a device used to submit a request for SST information may be automatically determined. Location, operational status and directions on how to locate a specific SST within a distance of the determined location may be transmitted in response to a request for SST information. The operational status of multiple SSTs within a geographic area may be monitored. |
| US09342950B2 |
Gaming machine and methods of upgrading game symbols in an outcome of a game
A gaming machine and method allow a player to play a game. The game has an associated set of game symbols. The game symbols in the set of game symbols are arranged in a predetermined order from lowest to highest. A display device is configured to display a plurality of symbol regions arranged in a grid. The controller is configured to randomly select an initial outcome of the game. The initial outcome of the game includes an initial game symbol associated with each of the symbol regions. The controller detects a triggering condition associated with the initial outcome of the game and responsively replaces the initial game symbol in at least one predetermined symbol region with a replacement symbol to establish a secondary outcome of the game. The replacement symbol is determined as a function of the initial symbol and the predetermined order of the game symbols. |
| US09342949B2 |
Gaming machine
Highly entertaining games are provided. When a trigger condition is established in a normal game, the following processes are executed: a process of shifting to a bonus game in which a re-trigger condition which is less stringent than the trigger condition may be established; a process of executing a free game at least once in the bonus game; and a process of increasing the number of times of execution of the free game in the bonus game, when the re-trigger condition is established in the bonus game. |
| US09342946B2 |
Gaming system and a method of gaming
A method of gaming comprising: conducting a base game; modifying a current value of a feature counter by a random value in response to a designated counter event occurring in the base game; determining whether the current value of the feature counter corresponds to one of a plurality of feature games in response to a feature trigger event occurring; and conducting any feature game to which the current value of the feature counter corresponds. |
| US09342944B2 |
Paper-sheet storing/feeding machine, paper-sheet handling machine and method for storing paper sheets
In order to prevent the paper sheets from being wound around the winding roller, unevenly, in substantially the same position, the paper-sheet storing/feeding machine includes at least one tape, a winding roller, to which one end of the tape is attached, and which is configured to wind and rewind the paper sheets together with the tape, a reel, to which the other end of the tape is attached, and which is configured to wind and rewind the tape relative to the winding roller, a driving source configured to rotate the winding roller, a sensor configured to detect each paper sheet transported thereto, and, a control unit configured to implement a control, each time the transported paper sheet is detected, in which the driving source is controlled to decelerate the winding roller after accelerating the winding roller in a winding direction with the detection of the transported paper sheet by the sensor, and configured to control the driving source, in order to change the length of the tape used for storing one paper sheet, thereby to control a storing pitch of the stored paper sheets to be any one of at least two kinds of storing pitches, when storing the transported paper sheet. |
| US09342943B2 |
Banknote processing device, and banknote processing method
The present invention provides a banknote processing device that, even when banknotes are being processed based on commands from plural users, the banknotes that each user is responsible for handling may be easily identified. Namely, banknote processing device according to the present invention is connected with plural operation devices respectively operated by plural users and processes banknotes based on commands from the users inputted via the operation devices. The banknote processing device includes a conveyance section that conveys the banknotes and plural banknote storage sections that store the banknotes conveyed by the conveyance section. The plural banknote storage sections include: a first dedicated storage section that stores only banknotes processed based on commands from a first user among the plural users; and a second dedicated storage section that stores only banknotes processed based on commands from a second user among the plural users. |
| US09342942B2 |
Bill-recycling ATM for teller with supplementary collection box and banknote transfer method applied thereto
The present invention relates to a bill-recycling automated teller machine (ATM) for a teller with a supplementary collection box and a banknote transfer method applied thereto, and more particularly, to a bill-recycling ATM for a teller with a supplementary collection box and a banknote transfer method applied thereto, in which in configuring the ATM for a teller used when the teller performs a banking transaction at a counter, as the supplementary collection box for replenishing or collecting banknotes is provided in the ATM, a large quantity of banknotes can be promptly replenished into or collected from banknote cassettes through the supplementary collection box, and, at the same time, when a settlement work is performed, an automatic settlement can be performed by counting banknotes through a banknote discriminating unit provided on a transporting path in a process of transporting the banknotes stored in the banknote cassettes to the supplementary collection box. |
| US09342940B2 |
Cashbox and money validator using the same
A cashbox and a money validator using the same, wherein the cashbox includes a box body, a partition for separating an inner space of the box body into a storage space and a temporary storage space that are horizontally arranged, a supporting plate assembly located inside the storage space, and a currency pressing assembly for pressing a paper currency in the temporary storage space into the storage space; further includes a sliding plate assembly located inside the storage space for supporting the paper currency, wherein the sliding plate assembly includes a sliding plate, and a plurality of rolling bodies located between the sliding plate and a bottom wall of the box body; wherein the sliding plate contacts with an end face of the paper currency, and can move back and forth along a stacking direction of the paper currency. |
| US09342938B2 |
Keyless entry device
A portable device acquires a signal of noise component data that is based on signal intensity of a signal received in an OFF time in which the portable device does not communicate with the vehicle-side device, and then transmits an information signal that is based on the noise component data, and a vehicle-side device transmits a measurement signal controlled based on the information signal, at a predetermined time period. |
| US09342937B2 |
Control system during fuel supply to vehicle, and portable device
A control system during fuel supply to a vehicle has a portable device configured to be carried by a user, and an in-vehicle device that is mounted on the vehicle to conduct wireless communication with the portable device. The portable device is configured to conduct wireless communication with a facility communicator that is installed in a fuel supply facility. The in-vehicle device includes a portable device authentication part that authenticates the portable device and a fuel supply lid controller that opens or unlocks a fuel supply lid of the vehicle. The portable device receives a fuel supply inquiry signal transmitted by the facility communicator when the facility communicator detects an operation performed by the user or existence of the user. The portable device transmits a fuel supply starting message signal and authentication information on the portable device to the in-vehicle device when receiving the inquiry signal from the facility communicator. |
| US09342932B2 |
Monitoring objects in motion along a static route using sensory detection devices
A system for monitoring a plurality of objects in motion (OIMs) along a static route using a plurality of sensory detection devices, the static route having a plurality of route portions, each route portion having an entering boundary and an exiting boundary, at least one OIM being a designated OIM and having a tag indicating the location of the designated OIM along the route, the system comprising a plurality of sensory detection devices corresponding to the plurality of route portions for monitoring activity in each of the plurality of route portions and for providing monitor output representing activity within each of the plurality of route portions, a plurality of data stores corresponding to each of the plurality of route portions for receiving and storing the monitor output for each of the plurality of route portions, and a plurality of location detectors communicative with the tag of the designated OIM for identifying the location of the designated OIM, each location detector providing output when the designated OIM is located within a route portion. |
| US09342930B1 |
Information aggregation for recognized locations
An image or video of a location can be captured using an electronic device. A physical location associated with the image or video can be determined by analyzing the image data, and information about the physical location can be presented to a user of the electronic device. Images or video may include multiple locations, and information about each of the multiple locations can be presented to the user or a single location can be automatically determined and information about the single location can be displayed. Data from other sensors of the electronic device, such as GPS, digital compasses, accelerometers, gyroscopes, barometers, or altimeters, can also be acquired and combined with image analysis to determine a location. The information presented to the user regarding the recognized location may be based on user preferences or user behavior of the specific user of the electronic device, or a community of users who share demographic traits with the specific user. |
| US09342925B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program
An information processing apparatus includes an image generation unit configured to generate a viewpoint image in a case where a watch point set in a three-dimensional virtual space is viewed from a predetermined virtual viewpoint, a detection unit configured to detect a movement of an operator, and a viewpoint displacement unit configured to displace the virtual viewpoint with the set watch point as a reference on the basis of the detected movement of the operator. |
| US09342924B2 |
Conservative cell and portal graph generation
Embodiments presented herein provide techniques for creating and simplifying a cell and portal graph. The simplified cell and portal graph may be used to make a conservative determination of whether an element of geometry is visible for a given view frustum (and therefore needs to be rendered). That is, the simplified cell and portal graph retains the encoded visibility for given set of geometry. The simplified cell and portal graph provides a “conservative” determination of visibility as it may indicate that some objects are visible that are not (resulting in unneeded rendering), but not the other way around. Further, this approach allows cell and portal graphs to be generated dynamically, allowing the cell and portal graphs to be used for scenes where the geometry can change (e.g., as 3D world of a video game). |
| US09342916B2 |
Coarse-to-fine multple disparity candidate stereo matching
An image processing apparatus, system, and method to generate an estimation of a disparity map for a stereo pair of images based on multiple disparity assignments and a matching cost for each disparity assignment; and generate a final disparity map by refining the estimated disparity map. |
| US09342915B2 |
Three dimensional image display method
The present application provides an image display method and device. A frame of 3D image including a left eye image and a right eye image is received, two fields of compensation images are inserted between the left eye image display and the right eye image display, so that the superposed effect of displaying four fields of images of the frame of 3D image is the left eye image or the right eye image, to achieve a 2D image, furthermore, the left spectacle lens of the 3D glasses is opened when the left eye image is displayed, the right spectacle lens of the 3D glasses is opened when the right eye image is displayed, and both the left spectacle lens and the right spectacle lens are closed when the compensation images are displayed, to achieve the 3D image display. |
| US09342913B2 |
Method and system for emulating inverse kinematics
System and method are provided for achieving “inverse kinematics” of 3D graphics depicting an object that consists of multiple parts. The system displays an animation of a 3D graphics object that consists of multiple moving parts. The animation is associated with an animation timeline defined by two end points—a starting time point and an ending time point. The user can manipulate the object back and forth along the animation timeline, between the two end points, by selecting (e.g., clicking on) and moving (dragging) any of the movable parts of the object on a display screen. In short, the user can use any of the movable parts as a scroll/slide button to move the animation forward and backward along the animation timeline, to achieve real-time inverse kinematics movement. |
| US09342909B2 |
Computer-implemented system and method for grafting cluster spines
A computer-implemented system and method for grafting cluster spines is provided. Cluster spines, each having two or more clusters of documents, are obtained. A score vector is generated for each of the cluster spines based on the documents within the clusters for that spine. The score vectors of the cluster spines are compared. Those cluster spines that are sufficiently dissimilar from the other cluster spines based on the comparison are placed into a display. At least one remaining cluster spine is grafted onto one of the displayed spines such that no overlap of the placed spine and the remaining spine occurs. |
| US09342907B1 |
Method and system for analyzing ballistic trajectories
A method for analyzing ballistic trajectories comprises determining invariants for known ballistic objects, defining a reference graph having nodes corresponding to the invariants, and defining a query graph having nodes connected to nodes of the reference graph corresponding to anticipated invariant queries to be made using the query graph. One or more sets of invariants corresponding to trajectories of one or more observed objects are input into the reference graph and traverse through the nodes of the reference graph, leaving a record in the nodes traversed. A query is selected for the query graph corresponding to one or more range of invariants, the query generating a query result identifying the nodes of the reference graph that satisfy the query. Identifying each of the observed objects identified by a record in the identified nodes determines which of the one the observed objects satisfy the query. |
| US09342906B2 |
Connecting method for drawing
A connecting method for drawing includes the steps of selecting a first target and moving a cursor; calculating a distance between the cursor and a second target; determining whether the distance is less than a predetermined value; and prompting/displaying a connecting shortcut if the distance is less than the predetermined value. |
| US09342905B2 |
Method and apparatus for displaying tubular object
A disclosed display processing method includes: first generating data of a faying surface region between a first line element, for which a greatest radius is defined, and a second line element, for which a second greatest radius is defined, at a point where end points of plural line elements are connected, by using data of plural line elements for which a radius and coordinates of both end points are defined and data representing connection relationships between line elements; and second generating, for each line object of the plural line elements, data of a tubular object that is defined based on a faying surface region generated for the line element. |
| US09342904B2 |
Composing shapes and data series in geometries
Formulating a visual scene includes accessing shapes, each corresponding to an object that is to be visually represented. Formulating the visual scene also includes accessing a data series, which includes data points to be applied to the shapes. Formulating the visual scene also includes accessing a geometry, which includes a container, a binding definition, and an arrangement definition. The data series is visualized within the container by visually rendering each shape within the container. The binding definition defines how to apply each data point to a shape. The arrangement definition defines how to map an axis set to a coordinate system of the container, and how to lay out the shapes within dimensions of the container. Formulating the visual scene includes populating the geometry with a visual representation of the data series using the shapes, including visually rendering each shape within the container according to the binding and arrangement definitions. |
| US09342902B2 |
Method and apparatus for improving image reconstruction speed
Disclosed are a method and apparatus for improving image reconstruction speed, to improve the image reconstruction speed by acquiring optimal thread configurations of execution units under different scanning conditions. The method includes: acquiring scanning data and extracting an image-construction parameter from the scanning data; generating thread configurations each comprising the numbers of threads in respective image reconstruction execution units, and obtaining image reconstruction speeds corresponding to the thread configurations by performing image reconstruction on the scanning data with the thread configurations; and obtaining image reconstruction speeds meeting a preset condition, grouping the thread configurations, which correspond to the image reconstruction speeds meeting the preset condition, into a candidate set, and extracting a thread configuration from the candidate set as an optimal thread configuration to be used in image reconstruction of the scanning data having the image-construction parameter. |
| US09342900B1 |
Distinguishing between stock keeping units using marker based methodology
The disclosure includes a system and method for distinguishing between stock keeping units of similar appearance that vary in size. An image recognition application receives an image depicting a plurality of items, identifies each item in the image, generates a region of interest for each identified item in the image, determines a pixel dimension of the region of interest for each identified item, determines whether one of the identified items in the image is a reference marker with a stored physical dimension, determines a pixel-to-physical dimension ratio for the reference marker using the dimension in pixels and stored physical dimension of the reference marker, and determines a stock keeping unit identifier of each identified item in the image based on the pixel-to-physical dimension ratio and the pixel dimension of the region of interest for each identified item. |
| US09342895B2 |
Device and method for detecting a plant against a background using photographs with different levels of brightness
A device for detecting a plant against a background includes a provider for providing a plurality of different photographs of the plant leaf against the background, the photographs differing in that image points of the different photographs relating to the same location of the plant leaf are illuminated with different levels of brightness, a selector for selecting such image points, from the different photographs, whose levels of brightness are within a predetermined range, an image point of a first photograph being selected for a first location of the plant leaf, and an image point of a second, different photograph being selected for a different location of the plant leaf to obtain a representation of the plant leaf against the background, the representation being composed of and/or merged from different photographs, and a segmenter for segmenting the composite photograph to obtain a segment representation having the plant leaf without the background or the background without the plant leaf. |
| US09342894B1 |
Converting real-type numbers to integer-type numbers for scaling images
Subject matter disclosed herein relates to arrangements and techniques that provide for identifying objects within an image such as the face position of a user of a portable electronic device. An application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) is configured to locate objects within images. The ASIC includes an image node configured to process an image and a search node configured to scale the image and search the scaled image for an object in the image. The ASIC also includes an ensemble node configured to confirm the presence of the object in the image. The ASIC is configured to convert scaling ratios from real-type numbers to integer-type numbers. |
| US09342889B2 |
Three-dimensional measurement system and method therefor
A 3D measurement system and method therefor having improved precision can be provided by projecting a pattern using a grid pattern or a chessboard grid pattern and performing interpolation based on a method for measuring differences in illuminance. A 3D measurement system includes a coordinate value calculation unit for calculating 3D coordinate values from pattern image information captured using a predetermined pattern, and a depth value calculation unit for calculating a depth value at a first position from N pieces of illuminance image information captured using lighting devices installed at N different locations. |
| US09342887B2 |
High accuracy image matching apparatus and high accuracy image matching method using a skin marker and a feature point in a body
A high accuracy image matching apparatus and a high accuracy image matching method using a skin marker and a feature point in a body, which uses ultrasonic probe or a radiation probe as a portion of the marker for image matching, are disclosed. As an embodiment, the high accuracy image matching apparatus and the high accuracy image matching method using a skin marker and a feature point in a body, use the ultrasonic probe or the radiation probe as a portion of marker for image matching indicating an anatomical feature point to reduce an error in operation point, and more precise operation can be possible and better operation result can be obtained by using the ultrasonic probe or a radiation probe. |
| US09342884B2 |
Systems and methods of monitoring waste
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for monitoring waste. Example methods may include monitoring a waste compartment of a waste container, the waste compartment configured to receive waste items, and determining a waste level of waste items in the waste compartment. Methods may include identifying a waste haul threshold indicative of a predetermined waste level at which a waste haul notification is triggered, determining that the waste level meets the waste haul threshold, and triggering the waste haul notification indicating that the waste container is to be emptied based at least in part on the waste level. |
| US09342878B2 |
Charged particle beam apparatus
For inspection of a pattern such as a semiconductor device, it is useful to selectively detect a defect on the specific pattern in order to estimate the cause of the occurrence of the defect. An object of the invention is to provide a charged particle beam apparatus capable of setting, on the basis of the shape of the pattern on a sample, a region to be inspected. The invention is characterized in that the contour of the pattern on the sample is extracted using a template image obtained on the basis of an image of the sample, the region to be inspected is set on the basis of the contour of the pattern, a defect candidate is detected by comparing the image to be inspected with a comparative image, and the sample is inspected using a positional relationship between the region to be inspected and the defect candidate included in the region to be inspected. |
| US09342875B2 |
Method for generating image bokeh effect and image capturing device
An image capturing device and a method for generating a bokeh effect are provided. The method includes the following steps. An image including a current input pixel is captured. Next, blurring processes are performed on the image by using a first image blur filter and a second image blur filter so as to generate a plurality of first blur images and second blur images corresponding to different blur levels. A distance between the current input pixel and a focal plane is calculated to obtain a current distance. A first current blur image and a second current blur image are respectively selected from the first blur images and the second blur images according to the current distance. Next, a first current blur pixel of the first current blur image and a second current blur pixel of the second current blur image are combined to generate a current output pixel. |
| US09342867B2 |
Apparatus and method for reconstructing super-resolution three-dimensional image from depth image
An apparatus and method for reconstructing a super-resolution three-dimensional (3D) image from a depth image. The apparatus may include an error point relocation processing unit to relocate an error point in a depth image, and a super-resolution processing unit to reconstruct a 3D image by performing a super-resolution with respect to the depth image in which the error point is relocated. |
| US09342866B2 |
Method, apparatus and computer program product for generating panorama images
In accordance with an example embodiment a method and apparatus is provided. The method comprises facilitating receiving of a first image and a second image. The method also comprises facilitating receiving of location information of a movable object and generating a panorama image based on the first image, the second image and the location information of the movable object. |
| US09342858B2 |
Systems and methods for statistics collection using clipped pixel tracking
Systems and methods are provided for selectively performing image statistics processing based at least partly on whether a pixel has been clipped. In one example, an image signal processor may include statistics collection logic. The statistics collection logic may include statistics image processing logic and a statistics core. The statistics image processing logic may perform initial image processing on image pixels, at least occasionally causing some of the image pixels to become clipped. The statistics core may obtain image statistics from the image pixels. The statistics core may obtain at least one of the image statistics using only pixels that have not been clipped and excluding pixels that have been clipped. |
| US09342856B2 |
Social network pruning
A social networking service is provided, the social networking service having a user with a social connection to a first contact within a social network of the user and a social connection to a second contact with the social network of the user, wherein the first contact has a separate social connection to the second contact within a social network of the first contact. A computer system determines that the first contact has lowered a strength of the social connection to the second contact within the social network of the first contact. Based, at least in part, on the lowering of the strength of the social connection to the second contact within the social network of the first contact, the computer system recommends, to the user, to lower a strength of the social connection to the second contact within the social network of the user. |
| US09342854B2 |
Identifying communities within a social network based on information propagation data
Methods and systems for identifying communities based on information propagation data are described. One of the methods includes receiving a social graph, which includes nodes and relationships between the nodes. The method further includes receiving a number of the communities to find within the social graph, receiving data regarding propagation of information between the nodes, and calculating a probability of formation of a link between a first one of the nodes and a second one of the nodes based on the data. The link provides a direction of flow of media between the first and second nodes. The method includes calculating a probability that media will be accessed by the second node based on the data. One of the communities includes the first node, the second node, and the link. |
| US09342853B2 |
Social network pruning
A social networking service is provided, the social networking service having a user with a social connection to a first contact within a social network of the user and a social connection to a second contact with the social network of the user, wherein the first contact has a separate social connection to the second contact within a social network of the first contact. A computer system determines that the first contact has lowered a strength of the social connection to the second contact within the social network of the first contact. Based, at least in part, on the lowering of the strength of the social connection to the second contact within the social network of the first contact, the computer system recommends, to the user, to lower a strength of the social connection to the second contact within the social network of the user. |
| US09342851B2 |
Systems and methods for aggregating and filtering content of social media activity
Systems and methods for aggregating and filtering content of social media activity are provided. In one example, a method includes receiving content posted to a social network and associated with a user profile. The social network comprises a network of users that are related via one or more relationships indicating a type of connection between respective users, and the content posted to the social network includes a plurality of distinct data sets. The method also includes processing the plurality of distinct data sets to identify one or more respective data sets being indicative of media content, and filtering the one or more respective data sets based on a type of media content indicated by the one or more respective data sets. The method further includes providing within the social network for the user profile the content in an order based on the filtering. |
| US09342848B2 |
Apparatus and method for providing a search result with position information and recording medium therefor
The present invention includes acquiring a search word related to a product (S2), and referring to a memory means (12b) which stores position information of a store which provides a product and stock information of a product which the store has and searching for position information of a store which has a predetermined number of stocks of a product which is searched for by the acquired search word (S3 and S4). Further, the present invention includes generating map data (webpage 40) of a map on which information M1 indicating the stores is mapped in accordance with the position information of the searched store (S8), and outputting the map data (S13). |
| US09342846B2 |
Reconciling detailed transaction feedback
Reconciling detailed transaction feedback by detecting a rating of a transaction, where the rating indicates a negative experience, mining the sentiment of words in feedback text that is included with or as part of the rating to detect whether the words indicate positive sentiment or negative sentiment, responsive to determining that the words in the feedback text indicate that the feedback text connotes a positive sentiment, adjusting the rating of the transaction. The mining may include testing words in the feedback text to detect whether the words indicate positive sentiment or negative sentiment by calculating a sentiment score. |
| US09342845B1 |
Determining an order of participation for participants of a multi-party communication session
A system and method for queuing participants of a multi-party communication session are disclosed. In one embodiment, the system includes a concentration signal module, a concentration information module, an ordering module and a queuing module. The concentration signal module receives one or more concentration signals associated with a multi-party communication session. The concentration information module receives concentration information of a participant of the multi-party communication session. The ordering module determines an order for a plurality of participants of the multi-party communication session based at least in part on the one or more concentration signals and the concentration information of each participant of the multi-party communication session. The queuing module queues the plurality of participants of the multi-party communication session in the determined order, wherein a participant at the front of the queue asks a question. |
| US09342843B2 |
Integration of offline activity records and online data records
A method of collecting and indexing data by appending a tracking identifier (generated directly or indirectly by a tracking company) into a data file, wherein the data file is acquired from a computer system operated by a user. The data file could be data collected by a form made available through a website hosted by a web server. Additional data collected from other sources (stored as a record), such as a computer system operated by an agent, would be associated with the collected data file by an inquiry management company. The collected data and associated records are forwarded to a computer system that tracks online users and visitors. The process can many computer collected data (other than the data file) about website activity with other activities that are independent of the website. |
| US09342840B2 |
Controlling simultaneous execution of multiple telecom campaigns
Methods and arrangements for managing execution of multiple campaigns. At least two campaigns are directed to a target. A monitor is associated with the target, and the at least two campaigns are delivered to the monitor, wherein at least one campaign is in a run mode and at least one campaign is in a wait mode. |
| US09342839B2 |
Combining content with a search result
Methods, systems, and apparatus include computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, including a method for providing content. A search query is received. Search results responsive to the query are identified, including identifying a first search result in a top set of search results that is associated with a brand. Based at least in part on the query, one or more eligible content items are identified for delivery along with the search results responsive to the query. A determination is made as to when at least one of the eligible content items is associated with a same brand as the brand associated with the first search result. The first search result and one of the determined at least one eligible content items are combined into a combined content item and providing the combined content item as a search result responsive to the request. |
| US09342838B2 |
System and method for providing a rewards program based on electronic acquisition of a displayed dynamic mark
Systems (100) and methods (2000) for providing a rewards program. The method involves presenting a Digital Dynamic Mark (“DDM”) to a viewer that comprises a sequence of Active Image Patterns (“AIPs”). Each AIP exclusively comprises First Pattern Regions (“FPRs”) for encoding symbols. At least two FPRs are rendered with at least one color other than a defined background color for the image pattern. The FPRs are arranged in a non-grid like pattern. Each FPR has a non-square shape with a single side boundary line directly abutting a single side boundary line of at least one other FPR. Information is received which indicates that the viewer captured an image of the DDM using a computing device thereof. Reward points are awarded to the viewer for capturing the image of the DDM. The reward points are redeemable by the viewer for one or more redemption items. |
| US09342837B2 |
Use of stored search results by a travel search system
A method and apparatus are provided for a dynamic information connection search engine. User actions may be detected on at least one client system. In response, a determination may be made whether the user is searching for supported information. When the user is searching for supported information, information may be extracted electronically from, for example, third party websites, direct supplier connections, and/or intermediate databases. Potential suppliers may be automatically selected in response to the detected user search. Queries may be formulated from the user search and transferred to one or more selected suppliers over a network coupling (e.g., the Internet and/or an intranet). The queries may include one or more requests for information. One or more responses may be received from the suppliers, and the responses may be used to generate a result list for the user. The result list may include information and/or query status information. Further, an electronic link may be provided to a website of one or more of the supplies from which the information was derived. |
| US09342836B2 |
Systems, methods, and apparatuses for implementing a predict command with a predictive query interface
Disclosed herein are systems and methods for implementing a PREDICT command with a predictive query interface including means for generating indices from a dataset of columns and rows, the indices representing probabilistic relationships between the rows and the columns of the dataset; storing the indices within a database of a host organization; exposing the database of the host organization via a request interface; receiving, at the request interface, a query for the database specifying at least (i) a PREDICT command term, (ii) one or more specified columns to be predicted, and (iii) one or more column name=value pairs specifying column names to be fixed and the values by which to fix them; and querying the database using the PREDICT command term and passing the one or more specified columns to be predicted and the one or more column name=value pairs to generate a representation of a joint conditional distribution of the one or more specified columns to be predicted fixed according to the column name=value pairs using the indices stored in the database. Other related embodiments are further disclosed. |
| US09342832B2 |
Securing external systems with account token substitution
Systems, apparatuses, and methods for providing an account token to an external entity during the lifecycle of a payment transaction. In some embodiments, an external entity may be a merchant computer requesting authorization of a payment message. In other embodiments, the external entity may be a support computer providing a payment processing network or a merchant support functions. |
| US09342828B2 |
Systems and methods for facilitating the approval and use of a credit account via mobile commerce
A consumer can receive a new credit application at their mobile device. The consumer can complete and electronically transmit the credit application via a mobile application on their mobile device. A transaction processing system can receive the credit application and electronically pass it along to the financial institution issuing the credit for a determination on the credit application. An approval or denial can be electronically received by the transaction processing system from the financial institution. If approved, the transaction processing system can forward the approval along with the new credit account information and a code or other device to allow the consumer to immediately use the new credit account. The mobile device can receive the approval via the mobile application as well as any coupons associated with the new account and can provide the consumer with a mechanism to immediately purchase items with the newly approved credit account. |
| US09342827B2 |
Pre-paid usage system for encoded information reading terminals
A fleet management system for managing a fleet of encoded information reading (EIR) terminals can comprise one or more computers, a fleet management software module, and a payment processing software module in communication with the fleet management software module. The fleet management software module can be configured, responsive to receiving a customer initiated request, to generate an unlocking message upon processing a payment by the payment processing software module. The unlocking message can be provided by a bar code to be read by an EIR terminal, or by a bit stream to be transferred to an EIR terminal via network. Each EIR terminal can be configured to perform not more than a pre-defined number of EIR operations responsive to receiving the unlocking message. |
| US09342826B2 |
System, apparatus, and method for utilizing a reading of a machine readable element associated with a consumable product
A method for utilizing a reading of a machine readable element associated with a consumable product, may include storing, by a computer, in a memory in communication with the computer, a record of apparatus identification information associated with an apparatus having a reader for reading the machine readable element. The method may also include obtaining usage information based on a reading of the machine readable element by the reader, wherein the usage information comprises identity information indicative of an identity of a supplier of the consumable product and applying, by the computer, a debit to the supplier of the consumable product based on the usage information and the apparatus identification information. |
| US09342822B2 |
Display control system, display control method, document extracting device, portable information terminal, and information storage medium
An identification information obtaining unit obtains identification information which is assigned in order to identify an industrial machine. An extraction target identifying unit identifies as an extraction target a portion of the document information accumulated in advance, based on the identification information. An extracting unit extracts the extraction target from the document information. A display unit displays what is extracted by the extracting unit. |
| US09342815B2 |
System for transmitting an electronic recommendation
The invention concerns a system for transmitting an electronic recommendation to members of a social network, the system having a user activity monitor (304) adapted to determine when a set of friends of a member in the social network accesses an item of media content or activity associated with at least one category and finds it of interest; a register arranged to store interest scores indicating an interest to the member of one or more items of media content or activities previously recommended to the member; and a recommendation manager (306) adapted to transmit an electronic recommendation relating to the item of media content or activity to the member based on the interest scores stored by the register relating to items of media content or activities of the at least one category previously recommended to the member by one or more of the set of friends. |
| US09342811B2 |
System and method for filling an order
A method for fulfilling inventory requests includes receiving an inventory request requesting an inventory item and selecting the requested inventory item from an inventory holder. The method further includes storing the requested inventory item in an order holder associated with the inventory request and moving the order holder to a storage space. In addition, the method includes detecting a triggering event and in response to detecting the triggering event, retrieving the order holder from the storage space. |
| US09342807B2 |
Management system, computer system, and method of providing information
A management system includes a plurality of analyzers; and a computer system connected to the analyzers via a network, wherein each of the analyzers comprises: a data transmitter for transmitting data produced by the analyzer to the computer system via the network, and wherein the computer system includes a memory under control of a processor, the memory storing instructions enabling the processor to carry out operations, comprising: (a) receiving a plurality of data transmitted from the data transmitters of the plurality of analyzers; (b) generating an aggregate result used for determining a determination condition for making a determination as to whether or not a notification to a user of the analyzer is required based on the plurality of received data; and (c) outputting the aggregate result. A computer system and a method of providing information are also disclosed. |
| US09342804B2 |
Centralized work flow monitoring
Centralized monitoring of a system, such as a content management system is performed by a monitoring apparatus that stores status information from elements in the system by element according the status information severity. The monitoring apparatus processes the status information for each element in the order of severity by applying at least one user-specified rule to determine whether to generate an alert for such information. |
| US09342795B1 |
Assisted learning for document classification
Methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture for assisted learning for document classification are provided herein. A method includes analyzing a collection of documents within a document repository to identify a set of multiple documents corresponding to a sample document, presenting at least a portion of the set of multiple documents to a user for user classification, and calculating a confidence measure based on the user classification of the at least a portion of the set of multiple documents, wherein said confidence measure corresponds to a level of accuracy by which a document classification algorithm detects one or more documents related to the sample document. |
| US09342791B2 |
Systems and methods for trend aware self-correcting entity relationship extraction
Methods and systems for trend aware self-correcting entity relationship extraction are disclosed. For example, a method can include receiving a selected entity, determining a plurality of entities related to the selected entity, determining a plurality of most probable entities, calculating relevance scores, and displaying a subset of the plurality of most probable entities. The selected entity can be received on a network-based transaction system. The plurality of entities related to the selected entity can be determined based on a relationship score. The relationship score can represent navigation transitions, aggregated over time, between the selected entity and each of the plurality of entities. The plurality of most probable entities can be determined based on probabilities. Relevance scores can be calculated for each of the plurality of most probable entities. Finally, the subset of the plurality of most probable entities to be displayed can be determined according to the relevance scores. |
| US09342789B2 |
Classification reliability prediction
A method, apparatus and product useful for classification reliability prediction. The method being a computer-implemented method performed by a processor, the method comprising: obtaining a prediction of a label for a dataset made by a classifier tool, wherein the classifier tool is aimed at predicting the label based on a classification model and in view of a set of features defining the dataset; obtaining a reliability prediction of a reliability label relating to the prediction of the classifier tool based on a reliability classifier tool, wherein the reliability classifier tool is aimed at predicting the reliability label based on a classification model and in view of a second set of features; and outputting to a user the label prediction and an associated reliability prediction. |
| US09342786B2 |
Method and system for parallel batch processing of data sets using Gaussian process with batch upper confidence bound
A method and system for selecting a batch of input data from available input data for parallel evaluation by a function is disclosed. The function is modeled as drawn from a Gaussian process. Observations are used to determine a mean and a variance of the modeled function. An upper confidence bound is determined from the determined mean and variance. A decision rule is applied to select input data from the available input data to add to the batch of input data. The selection of the input data is based on a domain-specific time varying parameter. Intermediate observations are hallucinated within the batch. The hallucinated observations are used with the decision rule to select subsequent input data from the available input data for the batch of input data. The input data of the batch is evaluated in parallel with the function. The resulting determined data outputs are stored. |
| US09342783B1 |
Systems and methods for data verification
Embodiments are directed to data verification of business or consumer data. Certain embodiments include a data verification system that receives or selects data to be verified, selects one or more verification methods to verify, update, and/or append/enhance the data. The data verification system may verify the data with one or more data verification methods, either alone or in combination. The methods may include a web-crawling verification method, an agent web verification method, a call verification method, a direct mail method, an email method, an in-person verification method, or other methods. The system has the ability to, automatically or manually, (1) blend automatic and manual segmentation of records or elements by criteria such as industry type, best times of day/month/year to verify, update, or append, cost, and level of importance (2) select the best verification processing method(s), and (3) manage the results and properly verify, update, append/enhance records. |
| US09342779B2 |
Smart card simultaneously having two read/write mode matrixes and method for producing same
A smart card with two read-write modes includes antenna layer, and an antenna and a chip module circuits on the antenna layer, wherein the antenna and the chip module circuit are electrically connected via an elastic conductive device. The invention also provides a manufacturing method of the aforesaid smart card with two read-write modes, which includes steps of: embedding an antenna on a back side or a front side of an antenna layer; after completing embedding on the antenna layer, add bedding sheets, printed sheets and protection films respectively above and underneath the antenna layer, then laminating to obtain a card base carrier; cutting card from the treated whole-sheet card base carrier to obtain a card base, and milling slots on the obtained card base, then finally encapsulating. |
| US09342774B1 |
Smart card with a fingerprint identifying module
The smart card has a supporting body, a flexible circuit board, a holding frame, a fingerprint identifying module, and a cover sheet. The flexible circuit board is attached to the top of the supporting body and has a data chip. The holding frame is mounted on the flexible circuit board and has a holding recess and an opening. The fingerprint identifying module is mounted in the holding frame and has an identifying chip, a flexible electrical connection sheet, and a hard supporting board to provide a supporting effect to the identifying chip. The cover sheet is attached to the top of the flexible circuit board and has an identifying window. The identifying window is defined through the cover sheet and corresponds to the identifying chip in position to allow the identifying chip to be exposed from the identifying window. |
| US09342767B2 |
Image formation apparatus
An image formation apparatus including: a first image data creation unit configured to create image data of a main image to be formed on the front side of a first medium; a second image data creation unit configured to create image data of a sub-image to be formed on the back side of the first medium; and an engine unit configured to form the main image on the front side of the first medium on the basis of the image data of the main image, and the sub-image on the back side of the first medium on the basis of the image data of the sub-image. A position indication part that indicates a position of the main image on the front side of the first medium is formed on the sub-image. |
| US09342764B1 |
Methods and systems for performing queue-based routing of print jobs in a multi-site print production environment
A system for performing queue-based routing of print jobs in a multi-site print production environment may include a computing device having a scheduling queue and a processor, and a computer-readable storage medium in communication with the computing device. The computer-readable storage medium may include one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to receive a plurality of print jobs from one or more client computing devices, store the received print jobs in the scheduling queue, determine that a released print job has been released by a print production environment, identify a similar print job from the received print jobs in the scheduling queue, remove the identified similar print job from the scheduling queue, and route the identified similar print job to the print production environment. |
| US09342762B2 |
Function executing device and server
A function executing device may obtain any of a plurality of screen information from a server, and display a screen represented by the obtained screen information. The function executing device may store in a device-side memory two or more code information corresponding to two or more character strings for displaying a first screen in a case where a creation instruction for creating a shortcut corresponding to the first screen is given, and supply the two or more code information within the device-side memory to the server in a case where a selection instruction for selecting the shortcut is given. In a case where the two or more code information is supplied to the server, the function executing device may obtain first screen information that represents the first screen from the server, and display the first screen represented by the obtained first screen information. |
| US09342760B1 |
System and method for combining color information with spatial information in multispectral images
An image processing system combines higher-resolution panchromatic images and lower resolution multispectral images using a hyperspherical color space pan-sharpening technique. By converting the multispectral images into a hyperspherical color space, the intensities of the multispectral images can be intensity matched to the intensities of the panchromatic image and then retransformed back to the original color space. The intensity matching can utilize a number of techniques, including, but not limited to, direct substitution of the intensities of the panchromatic image for the intensities of the multispectral images, modification of the intensities of the multispectral images based on predefined statistical models and modification of the intensities of the multispectral images based on dynamically generated statistical models and a selected sharpening parameter β. |
| US09342759B1 |
Object recognition consistency improvement using a pseudo-tracklet approach
Described is a system for improving object recognition. Object detection results and classification results for a sequence of image frames are received as input. Each object detection result is represented by a detection box and each classification result is represented by an object label corresponding to the object detection result. A pseudo-tracklet is formed by linking object detection results representing the same object in consecutive image frames. The system determines whether there are any inconsistent object labels or missing object detection results in the pseudo-tracklet. Finally, the object detection results and the classification results are improved by correcting any inconsistent object labels and missing object detection results. |
| US09342742B2 |
Systems and methods for mobile image capture and processing
In various embodiments, methods, systems, and computer program products for processing digital images captured by a mobile device are disclosed. Myriad features enable and/or facilitate processing of such digital images using a mobile device that would otherwise be technically impossible or impractical, and furthermore address unique challenges presented by images captured using a camera rather than a traditional flat-bed scanner, paper-feed scanner or multifunction peripheral. |
| US09342740B1 |
Identifying a portion of an image without content based on a measure of diversity of pixels in the portion
A digital magazine server detects a portion of an image including pixels having similar or matching color values. Values are identified for pixels within the portion based on color values of the pixels and a measure of diversity of color is determined based on the identified values. The measure of color diversity is compared to a threshold value, and if the measure of diversity does not exceed the threshold value, the digital magazine server stores information indicating the portion does not include content. The digital magazine server may also identify an additional portion within a threshold distance of the portion if the portion does not include content and determine whether the additional portion includes pixels having matching or similar color values. |
| US09342734B2 |
Systems and methods for counting cells and biomolecules
The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for counting biomolecules or cells. In certain embodiments, the invention provides a cell counting or biomolecule counting system including: a covered chamber having a known height and configured to hold a suspension of biomolecules or cells in a sample; at least one fluorescent light source connected to at least one fluorescent light beam narrowing device; a bright-field light source connected to a bright-field light beam narrowing device; a microscope objective; a detection device; a fluorescent filter assembly to allow only excitation light to illuminate the sample and allow only emission light from the sample to be imaged by the detection device; and a movable light shutter to block bright-field light during fluorescent detection. |
| US09342728B2 |
System and method for contactless multi-fingerprint collection
A system and method for contactless multi-fingerprint collection is disclosed. The contactless multi-fingerprint collection system includes an imaging volume, a user interface configured to provide feedback to the subject regarding a proximity of a hand to a desired imaging location within the imaging volume, and at least one image capture device to capture images of each of the plurality of fingerprints at each of at least two different depths from the fingerprints. The contactless multi-fingerprint collection system also includes a processor coupled to the at least one image capture device that is programmed to generate a composite image and a contour map of each of the plurality of fingerprints from the images captured at the at least two different depths and generate a two-dimensional rolled equivalent image of each of the plurality of fingerprints from the composite image and the contour map. |
| US09342726B2 |
Imaging device, imaging method, and non-transitory computer-readable medium
An imaging device that generates a taken image of an object in an image area by taking an image of each line structuring the image area, includes: an inclination estimate unit that estimates an inclination of the object based on a portion of the taken image corresponding to a first line and a portion of the taken image corresponding to a second line; an image estimate unit that estimates an image of the object to be generated when the image is taken having an inclination estimated by the inclination estimate unit, based on the inclination; and a correction process unit that corrects the taken image based on a result of a comparison between the taken image and the image estimated by the image estimated unit. |
| US09342725B2 |
Image manipulation utilizing edge detection and stitching for fingerprint recognition
An error correction method and a mobile communication device incorporating the error correction method. The error correction method begins with receiving fingerprint image information that includes a set of swatches. A first one of the received swatches is matched to a second one of the swatches at an edge. A measure of fingerprint image manipulation is determined responsive to an amount of processing to perform and an amount of fingerprint image error. Then the fingerprint image information is manipulated in response to an optimum value of the measure. |
| US09342724B2 |
Variable depth of field barcode scanner
Generally discussed herein are techniques, software, apparatuses, and systems configured for variable depth of field scanners. In one or more embodiments, a method can include exposing a light sensor of a barcode scanner for a specified time, altering a focal point of a variable focus element situated in the light path of the light sensor from a first focal point to a second focal point in the specified time, and processing an image of a barcode produced by the light sensor to deblur the image. |
| US09342722B1 |
Verification of an item
Mechanisms for verification of an item. A controller reads out signals from an antenna array comprising a plurality of individual antenna elements that is configured to overlay an item that generates radio frequency (RF) emissions. The signals quantify the RF emissions received by antenna elements from the item. The controller generates an ad hoc RF emission signature based on the signals. A predetermined RF emission signature associated with the item is accessed. The ad hoc RF emission signature and the predetermined RF emission signature are compared to determine a verification status, and the controller performs a verification action based on the verification status. |
| US09342721B2 |
System and method to determine sterilization of a device
A system and method for verifying the occurrence of an environmental condition is disclosed. Rather than store information concerning the occurrence and/or success of the sterilization process, the present invention modifies the wireless transmission characteristics of the device. In some embodiments, the bandwidth of the wireless transceiver is altered as a result of undergoing sterilization. In other embodiments, the resonance frequency of the circuit is affected. In other embodiments, one or more of these parameters are affected based on other environmental conditions, such as shock or vibration. |
| US09342718B2 |
Memory device including wireless antenna
According to one embodiment, a memory device includes a memory, a first controller, a wireless antenna, a memory unit, and a second controller. The first controller controls the memory. The memory unit is capable of operating by the wireless antenna. The second controller is capable of operating by the wireless antenna, reads data from the memory unit when receiving a read instruction, and outputs the data using the wireless antenna. |
| US09342714B2 |
Method for reproducing and using a bar code symbol
A segmented 2D matrix symbol may be formed by dividing data into a plurality of segments, separately encoding the plurality of segments as corresponding arrays of cells, and arranging the arrays of cells in an abutting relationship. The segmented symbol may be reproduced, for example by receiving a bitmap corresponding to the formed symbol followed by printing; by copying a printed symbol; or by scanning a printed symbol and printing a copy. The reproduced symbol may be scanned, and data from only decoded segments, for example audio data, may be output. |
| US09342707B1 |
Searchable encryption for infrequent queries in adjustable encrypted databases
Methods, systems, and computer-readable storage media for selecting columns for selecting encryption to perform an operator during execution of a database query. Implementations include actions of determining a current encryption type of a column that is to be acted on during execution of the database query, the column storing encrypted data, determining a minimum encryption type for performance of the operator on the column, selecting a selected encryption type based on the current encryption type, the minimum encryption type, and a budget associated with the column, and performing the operator based on the selected encryption type. |
| US09342705B1 |
Systems and methods for searching shared encrypted files on third-party storage systems
A computer-implemented method for searching shared encrypted files on third-party storage systems may include (1) receiving, at a server-side computing system, a request from a user to search at least one encrypted file to which a group of users that includes the user shares access, (2) identifying, in response to the request, at least one encrypted search index compiled for and shared by the group of users that enables the encrypted file to be searched, (3) decrypting the encrypted search index with a key with which each user within the group of users has access, and (4) using the decrypted search index to respond to the request from the user. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US09342700B2 |
Implementing enhanced security with storing data in DRAMs
A method, system and memory controller for implementing enhanced security in a memory subsystem including DRAM in a computer system. A memory includes a register to hold scrambling information transmitted from a memory controller; and scrambling circuitry on the memory to scramble at least one of bank select bits and data bits responsive to the scrambling information in the register. |
| US09342698B2 |
Providing privacy enhanced resolution system in the domain name system
An apparatus and a non-transitory computer-readable medium may perform a method of minimizing the disclosure of a domain name contained in a DNS query. The method may include determining a first label and a second label associated with a domain name included in a DNS query. A first nameserver may be queried for a first resource record type associated with the first label without revealing information related to the second label by removing information related to the second label from the DNS query. A response may be received from the first nameserver, and the response may include the first resource record type which directs a resolver to a second nameserver. The second nameserver may be queried for a second resource record type associated with the first label and the second label. |
| US09342697B1 |
Scalable security policy architecture for data leakage prevention
One embodiment relates to an apparatus for creating and managing security policies for data leakage prevention. The apparatus includes a database which stores three layers of objects comprising digital assets, content templates, and security policies, and a user interface configured to access said database so as to provide for input and editing of said three layers of objects. The security policies may include at least a target element, an action element, and a condition element. A content template may be used to form the condition element. Content templates may include compliance templates which are configured to satisfy specific regulatory requirements and other templates to protect specified types of information. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed. |
| US09342696B2 |
Attesting use of an interactive component during a boot process
A method for attesting use of an interactive component during a boot process, comprising the steps of: reading, in response to determining use of the interactive component, associated interactive input; determining whether the input should be trusted; and in response to determining that the input should be trusted, processing the input to create a trusted cryptographic value, further comprising: matching, in response to a subsequent interactive input being read, the subsequent interactive input with one or more of the trusted cryptographic values in order to determine whether the subsequent interactive input is trusted. |
| US09342692B2 |
Neutralizing propagation of malicious information
Methods and arrangements for controlling a spread of malicious information in a network. A viral spread of information is tracked, in a network comprising interconnected nodes. Malicious information in the viral spread of information is identified. A topic-specific sub-network of nodes prone to be affected by the malicious information is predicted, and the effect of the malicious information at the sub-network of nodes is neutralized, via initiating a spread of neutralizing information to the sub-network of nodes. Other variants and embodiments are broadly contemplated herein. |
| US09342688B2 |
Apparatus and method for inheriting a non-secure thread context
Disclosed is a method for inheriting a non-secure thread context. In the method, a first secure monitor call associated with a first non-secure thread of a non-secure environment of a processing system is received. A first secure thread is created, in response to the first secure monitor call, that inherits a first interrupt state of the first non-secure thread. |
| US09342686B2 |
Systems and methods for updating scanning rules
Systems and methods are provided for updating one or more scanning rules. For example, one or more first operation records being uploaded are obtained; scanning information corresponding to the first operation records is extracted; one or more recommended operations corresponding to the scanning information are obtained based on at least information associated with one or more scanning rules; a matching degree between the first operation records and the recommended operations is calculated; and the scanning rules are updated based on information associated with the matching degree. |
| US09342685B2 |
Electric circuit and terminal
In a system, there is communication between an electric circuit and a terminal within a scope of a terminal session, wherein the electric circuit has a current consumer for causing additional current consumption, and the terminal has a current consumption meter detecting the current consumption of the electric circuit and coupled to a checker checking authenticity of the electric circuit if the current consumption of the electric circuit has additional current consumption. |
| US09342684B2 |
Flexible real-time inbox access
Systems and methods for authenticating access to multiple data stores substantially in real-time are disclosed. The system may include a server coupled to a network, a client device in communication with the server via the network and a plurality of data stores. The server may authenticate access to the data stores and forward information from those stores to the client device. An exemplary authentication method may include receipt of a request for access to data. Information concerning access to that data is stored and associated with an identifier assigned to a client device. If the identifier is found to correspond to the stored information during a future request for access to the store, access to that store is granted. |
| US09342682B2 |
Portable electronic device
A portable electronic device includes a display unit; an input detection unit that detects an input to the display unit, and a lock control unit that sets or releases a locked state for a part or all of functions of the portable electronic device when a predetermined input is detected by the input detection unit, wherein the predetermined input includes inputs, in which a preset screen operation is continuously performed by a predetermined number of times in an area of the display unit. |
| US09342679B2 |
Password authentication
A user credential comprising a user password and a one-time password (OTP) may be provided to access a computing system. The user password is authenticated and the network connection status of the computing system is determined. If the computing system is offline, the user password and the OTP are stored in memory and the user is granted a first level of access to the computing system. Upon detecting that the network connection status of the computing system has changed to online, the user password and the OTP are provided to an authentication server for authentication. If the authentication of the user password and the OTP is successful, the user is granted a second level of access to the computing system, the second level of access being higher than the first level of access. |
| US09342677B2 |
Method and apparatus to provide continuous authentication based on dynamic personal information
An authentication method, system and device are provided to continuously collect dynamic personal identification data (DPID) samples through a user device by using one or more sensors to continuously collect biometric and location data samples associated with the user and then securely transfer the DPID samples to a central authentication server where attributes of the DPID samples may be captured and incorporated as part of a challenge-response pair which requests an arbitrarily generated N-tuple of the DPID samples from a predetermined time interval from the user device that is unique to the user and dynamic based on the sensed data and the time-interval of collection. |
| US09342673B2 |
Method for user authentication in a device comprising a touch screen
A method for user authentication in a device comprising a touch screen is provided. In operation, the device stores a user authentication code corresponding to a user. When a trigger for user authentication is detected, the device randomly selects one or more character positions in the sequence of characters. The device further requests the user to enter a character corresponding to each of the selected one or more character positions in the sequence of characters. When the device detects a user entry made using a keypad on the touch screen, the device determines whether the user entry matches a character corresponding to each of the selected one or more character positions. When the user entry matches a character corresponding to each of the selected one or more character positions in the sequence of characters, then the user is successfully authenticated to the device. |
| US09342669B2 |
Systems and methods of licensing and identification of virtual network appliances
Systems and methods of licensing and identification of a virtual network appliance. The systems and methods obtain information specific to an instance of a virtual machine corresponding to the virtual network appliance. The instance of the virtual machine is deployed on a predetermined virtualization platform. The systems and methods can generate an identifier as well as a serial number for the virtual machine based at least on the information specific to the instance of the virtual machine, and generate a license including license data for the virtual network appliance, embedding at least the identifier for the virtual machine in the license data. The information specific to the instance of the virtual machine can include a universally unique identifier (UUID) and at least one virtual media access control (MAC) address for the virtual machine deployed on the predetermined virtualization platform. |
| US09342668B2 |
Signaling and handling content encryption and rights management in content transport and delivery
An apparatus comprising a memory, a processor coupled to the memory and configured to obtain a protection description for media content comprising a plurality of content items, wherein the protection description comprises data signaling at least two protection mechanisms for at least two content items in a media content, wherein each of the at least two content items is protected by one or more of the at least two protection mechanisms, and wherein the protection mechanisms for the at least two content items are different, determine the protection mechanisms for the at least two content items from the data, and process the at least two content items according to their associated protection mechanisms. |
| US09342662B2 |
Method and system for controlling video media
A method and system for controlling video input media is described. The method includes receiving video media via a video media input device. The video media input device is communicatively coupled with and operable in conjunction with the electronic device. The method further includes monitoring a data path within the electronic device associated with the video media. The monitoring is performed by a compliance mechanism communicatively coupled with and operable in conjunction with the electronic device. The method further includes preventing the video media from reaching a usage mechanism via the data path, the usage mechanism communicatively coupled with the electronic device. The usage mechanism is able to create an environment in which the video media can be used in an unauthorized manner. The preventing performed by the compliance mechanism is done when usage of the video media with the usage mechanism violates a usage restriction applicable to the video media. |
| US09342659B2 |
Method and system for controlling the dispensation of medications from a medication dispenser
The present invention provides a method and a system for controlling the dispensation of medications from a medication dispenser, which includes medication packages containing medications to be taken at predetermined taking times. The method comprises several steps, including providing the medication dispenser with a medication profile of a patient and notifying the medication dispenser of a period of absence of the patient. Thereafter, the medications that should be taken by the patient during the period of absence are determined and the appropriate medications delivered to the patient. |
| US09342657B2 |
Methods for predicting an individual's clinical treatment outcome from sampling a group of patient's biological profiles
Methods, systems, and computer program products that predict an individual's treatment outcome from a sampling of a group of patients' biological profiles. Biological profile information is received from patients who had a medical condition and who received a treatment. Treatment outcome information regarding the patients who had the medical condition and who received the treatment is also received. A discriminant analysis-based pattern recognition process is then performed on the biological profile information and the treatment outcome information, thereby generating a model that correlates between the biological profile information and the treatment outcome information. The model can be used for, among other things, predicting treatment outcome for the new patient for the treatment. |
| US09342655B2 |
Graphical display of actions for handling medical items
In a system, a computer readable recording medium and a method, user input can be received in response to prompts on a display, wherein the user input may identify a processable medical item (e.g., a medical sample or medical product) and can select each of a plurality of discrete actions for handling the medical item. The actions can have an at least implied order to be performed. Based on the received user input, identification information can be stored which identifies the medical item. Action information can also be stored which represents the selected actions. Then, a flow diagram can be displayed with at least some of the action information and at least some of the identification information. The flow diagram can depict at least some of the selected actions, the actions being automatically arranged on the displayed screen in the at least implied order. |
| US09342654B2 |
Encoding high quality (medical) images using standard lower quality (web) image formats
A system for encoding web accessible high quality medical images (5) includes one or more processors (45) and one or more servers (14). The one or more processors a reprogrammed to divide (54) the high quality medical image into multiple 8 bit files (12) by bit location in each pixel of the high quality medical image (5) and padding bits in each file to total 8 bits where the divided number of bits from the high quality medical is less than 8 bits. The one or more processors compress (56) each 8 bit file. The one or more servers (14) are configured to send the compressed files in response to a hyper-text transport protocol(HTTP) request for the high quality medical image (5). |
| US09342649B2 |
Rule check system, method, and non-transitory computer readable medium storing presentation program
To specify high-risk error positions in consideration of effects of electromagnetic noise flowing through a printed wiring board. A design rule check system (1) includes a pattern information acquisition unit (11) for acquiring a layout pattern of a board to be checked, a design rule check unit (12) for carrying out a design rule check on the layout pattern, a current calculation unit (13) for calculating distribution of noise current values on the board based on the layout pattern, a weighting unit (14) for adding a weight to a result of the design rule check according to the magnitude of the noise current values calculated by the current calculation unit (13) and corresponding to each error position detected through the design rule check, and an error information generation unit (15) which generates information indicating a risk level of each error position based on the weight. |
| US09342646B2 |
Method, system and computer readable medium using stitching for mask assignment of patterns
A method comprises: accessing data representing a layout of a layer of an integrated circuit (IC) comprising a plurality of polygons defining circuit patterns to be divided among a number (N) of photomasks for multi-patterning a single layer of a semiconductor substrate, where N is greater than one. For each set of N parallel polygons in the layout closer to each other than a minimum separation for patterning with a single photomask, at least N−1 stitches are inserted in each polygon within that set to divide each polygon into at least N parts, such that adjacent parts of different polygons are assigned to different photomasks from each other. Data representing assignment of each of the parts in each set to respective photomasks are stored in a non-transitory, computer readable storage medium that is accessible for use in a process to fabricate the N photomasks. |
| US09342645B2 |
Method for testing a computer program
A method for testing a circuit specification after changing a first version of the circuit specification into a second version of the circuit specification due to a revision of the circuit specification includes receiving a first set of mutations that can be or have been inserted into the first version of the circuit specification and a second set of mutations that can be inserted into the second version of the circuit specification computer program. Changed and unchanged mutations are identified in the first set of mutations and in the second set of mutations based on a comparison between the second version of the circuit specification and against the first version of the circuit specification. Information configured to test the second version of the circuit specification is generated using at least a portion of the identified mutations classified as the changed mutations. |
| US09342644B1 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit having differential amplifier and method of arranging the same
A semiconductor integrated circuit comprises: a transistor region having a center line; a first block arranged in one side of the center line of the transistor region, and comprising a plurality of first and second groups each having a plurality of first and second segment transistors constituting first and second transistors of a differential amplifier; and a second block arranged in the other side of the center line, and having an arrangement corresponding to the arrangement of the first and second groups of the first block. |
| US09342641B1 |
Configuration of logic analyzer using graphical user interface
A method of configuring a logic analyzer based on user input received through a graphical user interface (GUI) comprises receiving at least one first GUI input identifying at least one characteristic of a target system configured to be connected to the logic analyzer, receiving at least one second GUI input indicating a footprint associated with the target system, and receiving at least one third GUI input indicating a mapping between the footprint and a connector of the logic analyzer. |
| US09342640B1 |
Method and apparatus for protecting, optimizing, and reporting synchronizers
A method for designing a system on a target device using an electronic design automation (EDA) tool including identifying synchronizer chains in a system design using timing relationships. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the method includes conveniently reporting system reliability considering synchronization, and automatically protecting and optimizing synchronizer chains to improve system robustness. |
| US09342632B2 |
Methods and apparatus for handheld tool
In exemplary implementations of this invention, a computer-assisted, handheld machining tool allows even an inexperienced user to carve a complex 3D object, while maintaining artistic freedom to modify the sculpture from an initial CAD design. The tool prevents the user from unintentionally removing material from a volume defined by the CAD design. It does so by slowing or halting spindle rotation as the bit approaches or penetrates the protected volume. The user can override this protective feature. The tool may operate in at least three interaction modes: (i) a static mode in which a static CAD model is used, where the computer assists by preventing the user from damaging the static model; (ii) a dynamic mode where the computer dynamically modifies the CAD model during the sculpting process; and (iii) an autonomous mode where the computer can operate independently of the user, for tasks such as semi-automatic texture rendering. |
| US09342631B2 |
User interfaces for designing objects
A collaborative method of generating a design representation of an object between a first user and a second user is described. The method comprises: designating, at a first user terminal, a set of design object variables relating to different aspects of the design representation; specifying, at the first user terminal, constraints for the set of design object variables, the constraints comprising a range of first user designated values for each of the designated object variables of the set; receiving at a second user terminal, the set of design object variables, the constraints for the set and the design representation via a communication network; enabling, at the second user terminal, manipulation of the design object representation, the enabling step comprising enabling selection of a particular value of at least one of the designated object variables only within the constrained value range specified by the first user; and presenting on the second user terminal a graphical representation of the design object representation as specified by the second user selection. |
| US09342629B2 |
Content searching chip based protocol conversion
A content searching chip and system based on a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus. The content searching chip includes a peripheral component interconnect interface module, a protocol conversion module, and a content storage module. The content storage module is connected to the protocol conversion module using an instruction bus and a data bus. The peripheral component interconnect interface module acquires a first processing layer data packet using the peripheral component interconnect bus; the protocol conversion module acquires the first processing layer data packet from a parallel bus provided between the protocol conversion module and the peripheral component interconnect interface module, parses and converts the first processing layer data packet to an operation request and data; the content storage module stores content, performs an operation according to the operation request, and returns operation response data; the instruction bus transmits the operation request, and the data bus transmits the data. |
| US09342620B2 |
Loading of web resources
A method and apparatus for improving loading of web resources. A server receives a request for a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) document requested by a client network application. The server retrieves the requested document. The server automatically modifies objects referenced in the HTML document that have an external source such that loading of those objects by the client network application will be deferred. The server inserts a client-side script loader or a reference to the client-side script loader into the HTML document. The client-side script loader is configured to, when executed by the client network application, attempt to load the objects that have been deferred. The server transmits the modified HTML document to the client network application. |
| US09342617B1 |
Unique identifiers for browsers
A webpage may be downloaded by a browser at a computing device. Such downloaded webpage may be associated with a reference to a browser identifier file. The browser may be directed to access the referenced browser identifier file. As a result, the browser may automatically check a local browser cache for the referenced browser identifier file. A request regarding the referenced browser identifier file may be sent over a communication network to an identifier server. Such request may be indicative of whether the referenced browser identifier file is found in the local browser cache. A response may be received from the identifier server. Such response may include the referenced browser identifier file when the referenced browser identifier file (or a current version thereof) is not found in the local browser cache. Alternatively, the response may include an indicator when the referenced browser identifier file is found in the local browser cache. The contents of the referenced browser identifier file may be made available to the browser and other related applications. |
| US09342616B2 |
User influenced asynchronous module definition loader
Embodiments relate to prioritizing the loading of a portion of a web page based on a user designation. An aspect includes providing a user interface for controlling page loading. A user selection of a portion of a web page is received at a server for priority loading. Accordingly, the loading of the portion of the web page is then prioritized based on the user selection. Embodiments further disclose measuring page loading analytics for a plurality of users. The loading of a portion of a web page may be prioritized based on the measured page loading analytics for the plurality of users. Responsive to subsequent page accesses from one of the plurality of users, the prioritized portion of the page is loaded. |
| US09342608B2 |
Clarification of submitted questions in a question and answer system
Mechanisms for clarifying an input question are provided. A question is received for generation of an answer. A set of candidate answers is generated based on an analysis of a corpus of information. Each candidate answer has an evidence passage supporting the candidate answer. Based on the set of candidate answers, a determination is made as to whether clarification of the question is required. In response to a determination that clarification of the question is required, a request is sent for user input to clarify the question. User input is received from the computing device in response to the request and at least one candidate answer in the set of candidate answers is selected as an answer for the question based on the user input. |
| US09342607B2 |
Dynamic inference graph
A search engine system, including a slashtag server configured to detect at least one key word in a search query and generate an alternative search query from the at least one key word, the alternative search query being based at least on computing an intermediary search of a plurality of characters from the at least one key word as the plurality of characters are being typed by a user, and for use in searching unaltered internet documents. Also a web server that may be configured to generate a first search result based on the alternative search query and cause display of the first search result in a web browser. |
| US09342605B2 |
Client-side modification of search results based on social network data
In particular embodiments, a method comprising, accessing, at a client device, a set of search results in a structured document loaded into a client application, wherein the search results correspond to a search query of a first user, accessing a data store of social graph information to determine if one or more second users having an association with the first user have accessed any of the search results, and visually distinguishing, at the client device, in a user interface of the client application each of the one or more search results that have been accessed by one or more second users. |
| US09342603B2 |
Experience graph
Method and system for organizing and sharing content through experience are described. In one embodiment, content may be organized and shared among users through a specific experience. A method for sharing content in a network may include: collecting contents related to a specific experience from a specific user; generating an experience graph of the specific experience; enabling the specific user to invite other users to join the experience graph; and enabling each user inside the experience graph to share new content into the experience graph. |
| US09342599B2 |
Methods and systems for centralized audio and video news product collection, optimization, storage, and distribution
Methods and systems are disclosed for collecting media and news products such as audio sound bites and/or video clips. Methods and systems in accordance with an embodiment include organizing, categorizing, or cataloguing the collected news products. Further, methods and systems include storing such multimedia products in a searchable manner so that they may be easily found and retrieved. |
| US09342598B1 |
Methods, devices, and mediums associated with collaborative research
An apparatus may include a memory device configured to store instructions, and a processing device that, in response to executing the instructions stored in the memory device, may be configured to perform operations. The operations may include identifying a first set of search results associated with a first user and identifying a second set of search results associated with a second user. The first set of search results may be compared with the second set of search results, and the second set of search results may be modified based, at least in part, on the comparison. The processing device may be configured to generate a modified version of the second set of search results that is displayed to the second user. |
| US09342595B2 |
System and method for generating media thumbscapes
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for generating a visualization of video content. The method includes receiving video content, receiving user input associated with the received video content, extracting each frame in the video content, processing the extracted frames based on the received user input, and outputting a still image including each of the processed extracted frames positioned sequentially. The still image can include a histogram of sound data associated with the processed extracted frames. The user input can indicate an image adjustment to be applied when processing the extracted frames, a number of frames of video content per column, a paper size, and/or a frame size. The frames can be positioned sequentially in columns and/or rows. The image can be output as an image file or on a printable medium. The image can contain more than one video clip, such as films in a trilogy. |
| US09342594B2 |
Indexing and searching according to attributes of a person
An approach that indexes and searches according to a set of attributes of a person is provided. In one embodiment, there is an extensible indexing and search tool, including an extraction component configured to extract a set of attributes of a person monitored by a set of sensors in a zone of interest. An index component is configured to index each of the set of attributes of the person within an index of an extensible indexing and search tool. A search component is configured to enable a search of the index of the extensible indexing and search tool according to at least one of the set of attributes of the person. |
| US09342585B2 |
Text searching method and device and text processor
The present invention provides a text searching method including the steps of: extracting initials of corresponding words in a text to be searched according to a predetermined extracting rule to form an initial character string; creating mapping relation between the extracted initial character string and the text to be searched; performing matching between the initial character string and an abbreviation character string to be searched for; and determining an expanded phrase corresponding to the abbreviation character string to be searched for and a location of the expanded phrase in the text to be searched according to a result of the matching and the mapping relation. The invention further provides a text searching device for implementing the method and a text processor including the text searching device. With the invention, a searching function can be implemented precisely and efficiently to locate an expanded phrase of a phrase abbreviation in the text to be searched, even if a user only knows the phrase abbreviation but can not completely spell the expanded phrase thereof. |
| US09342574B2 |
Distributed storage system and distributed storage method
A distributed storage system of the present invention includes a plurality of data nodes coupled via a network and respectively including data storage units. At least two of the data nodes hold in the respective data storage units thereof replicas of a plurality of types of data structures that are logically identical but are physically different between the data nodes. |
| US09342573B2 |
Universal delta data load
Described herein is a technology for facilitating delta data load. In some implementations, history tables corresponding to physical tables in a data source are provided in a database layer. The database layer includes change list tables corresponding to the history tables and a physical data model based on one or more physical tables. Delta data is determined by analyzing the change list table to create delta data summary tables. Key lists are generated for summary tables corresponding to physical tables which physical data is based. The delta data is applied to the physical data model. |
| US09342569B2 |
System and method of adding user interface element groups
In one embodiment the present invention includes a computer implemented method of adding user interface elements within an application program. The method includes generating a user interface layout having user interface elements and database connections, where the database connections relate the user interface elements to a database. The method further includes generating a selection layout having element groups, where each of the element groups includes a first element and a second element that are spatially related. The method further includes receiving a user selection of a selected element group of the element groups, and generating the user interface layout having the user interface elements, where the user interface elements now includes the selected element group. In this manner, the user interface layout may be efficiently adjusted. |
| US09342565B1 |
Variable query generation
An example device includes a memory and one or more processors configured to receive an indication of a first set of characters, responsive to determining that a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since the indication of the first set of characters was received, execute a query generated based on the first set of characters, to determine a typing speed associated with the first set of characters, and to generate, based on the predetermined amount of time and the typing speed, an adjusted amount of time, the adjusted amount of time being different from the predetermined amount of time. The processor(s) are further configured to receive an indication of a second set of characters, and responsive to determining that the adjusted amount of time has elapsed since the indication of the second set of characters was received, execute a second query generated based on the second set of characters. |
| US09342564B2 |
Distributed processing apparatus and method for processing large data through hardware acceleration
A distributed data processing apparatus and method through hardware acceleration are provided. The data processing apparatus includes a mapping node including mapping units configured to process input data in parallel to generate and output mapping results. The data processing apparatus further includes a shuffle node including shuffle units and a memory buffer, the shuffle units configured to process the mapping results output from the mapping units in parallel to generate and output shuffle results, and the shuffle node configured to write the shuffle results output from the shuffle units in the memory buffer. The data processing apparatus further includes a merge node including merge units configured to merge the shuffle results written in the memory buffer to generate merging results. |
| US09342555B2 |
Reporting tools for object-relational databases
A view schema is generated from a view definition, wherein the view schema includes one or more relational views that are created by translating one or more object queries in the view definition into one or more relational queries. A report design schema is generated from the view definition by: creating one or more report tables that correspond to the one or more relational views of the view schema and extending the one or more report tables with one or more primary key constraints and one or more foreign key constraints. A reporting model is generated by reverse engineering the report design schema, wherein the reporting model includes the one or more primary key constraints and the one or more foreign key constraints. A report is generated using the reporting model, wherein the report includes the one or more primary key constraints and the one or more foreign key constraints. |
| US09342550B1 |
Systems and methods for preventing data loss via temporary-file generating applications
A computer-implemented method for preventing data loss via temporary-file generating applications may include (1) identifying an application that is configured to update a file by generating a temporary file that includes updated content of the file and replacing the file with the temporary file, (2) detecting an attempt by the application to update the file by detecting an attempt by the application to generate the temporary file and/or an attempt by the application to replace the file with the temporary file, and (3) performing, in response to detecting the attempt by the application to update the file, a data-loss-prevention action on the file instead of the temporary file. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US09342548B2 |
Accessing data entities
Data entities in a client-server system are accessed. The client-server system comprises a set of clients, a server system, and a repository for storing a plurality of data entities. The server system comprises an inter-transactional cache, the inter-transactional cache being accessible for each client of the set of clients. A first client of the set of clients comprises a first intra-transactional cache. If a copy of a first data entity is in the inter-transactional cache, a version identifier of the original first data entity is read from the repository. If the copy of the first data entity is to be accessed with an exclusive lock, a copy of the copy of the first data entity is added to the first intra-transactional cache. The copy of the copy of the first data entity in the first intra-transactional cache is accessed for further processing of the first data entity by the first client. |
| US09342545B2 |
Using a partially built index in a computer database system
A partially built index is used in a computer database system. When a database index is being built, or rebuilt, the database manager keeps track of the records processed using a relative row number (RRN) to track what part of the partially built index is complete. Queries are optimized by a query optimizer associated with the database manager that uses the portion of the index that is complete with reference to the RRN. The remainder of the database table beyond the RRN can be estimated or implemented using the completed data or can be determined by searching the relevant portion of the database table. |
| US09342541B1 |
Presentation oriented rules-based technical architecture display framework (PORTRAY)
An improved mainframe application framework system and method for the publication and manipulation of content that provides for rapid development, encapsulated and extensible functionality, and simplified communication with a wide variety of systems, each of which may support multiple data formats. |
| US09342540B2 |
Method and system for creating and maintaining unique data repository
In accordance with the disclosure, there is provided a system and method for creating and maintaining unique data repository comprising a matching process based on a set of predefined matching conditions and thereon performing an action type corresponding to the outcome of matching process. The present disclosure provides for real time data de-duplication and updation of unique data repository to obtain a unified view of unique and matching records. |
| US09342533B2 |
System and method for feature recognition and document searching based on feature recognition
A system for document searching can include a camera. The system may further include an image capturing module configured to capture a first image of a first portion of a document, a feature recognition module in communication with the image capturing module, the feature recognition module configured to determine a first feature associated with the first image, a search module configured to send search information to a server and receive a first result from a first search of a set of documents that was performed based on one or more search criteria determined based on the first feature associated with the first image, and a search interface configured to present the first result on the device. |
| US09342527B2 |
Sharing electronic file metadata in a networked computing environment
Embodiments of the present invention provide an approach for sharing electronic file metadata in a networked computing environment (e.g., a cloud computing environment). In a typical embodiment, metadata related to electronic files stored in a shared storage device is maintained and updated. Such metadata may be viewable via a user interface of one or more applications used to access the files (e.g., from a plurality of computerized/electronic devices). Among other things, the metadata may identify previous accesses of the files (e.g., by user, date/time, etc.), and may be provided in a list or the like. |
| US09342524B1 |
Method and apparatus for single instance indexing of backups
A method and apparatus for single instance indexing of backup images is provided. In one example, a content identifier is established for a file in the backup images. An index database associated with the backup images is queried with the content identifier. Content and metadata of the file is indexed if the content identifier is not in the index database. Only the metadata for the file is indexed if the content identifier is not in the index database. In one example, the content identifier comprises a file identifier defined by the metadata for the file. In another example, the content identifier comprises a checksum computed for the file. |
| US09342519B2 |
Systems and methods for a media application including an interactive grid display
Described herein are systems and methods for a media application including an interactive grid display. A method may comprise displaying a grid including a central hub and a plurality of spokes connected to the central hub, inserting a first media element on a first spoke of the grid, the first media element including a first timestamp and activating a first media file, inserting a second media element on the first spoke of the grid, the second media element including a second timestamp and activating a second media file, wherein the second media file is related to the first media file, comparing the first timestamp to the second timestamp, and arranging the presentation of the first and second media elements along the first spoke based on the compared first and second timestamps. |
| US09342518B1 |
Declaring directives in a data store
An association between a set of data and a pre-storage operation is obtained where the set of data is defined in a manner that permits the set of data to include more than one unit of data. In response to receiving data which meets the definition of the set of data, the pre-storage operation is performed on the received data and the output of the pre-storage operation is stored. |
| US09342515B2 |
Device and method for searching for an e-book via e-book categories in a virtual bookshelf in a portable terminal
A device and a method for searching for an electronic book (e-book) in a portable terminal are provided. More particularly, a device and a method for searching for an e-book in a portable terminal, which can conveniently manage and search for a plurality of e-books in a portable terminal, are provided. The device includes a display unit for displaying categories of e-books that each include one or more e-books, and a controller for controlling such that an e-book is searched for by displaying and scrolling through the categories of e-books according to a detected shift of the portable terminal, a corresponding category is enlarged according to a touch to the corresponding category, and at least one of the one or more e-books included in the enlarged category is displayed. |
| US09342513B2 |
Methods and apparatus for optimizing responsiveness of portable documents
One disclosed method includes the steps of initiating a download of a first document by a computer system, the first document having a plurality of parts according to a first predefined format; initiating a download of a second document by the computer system, the second document having a plurality of parts according to a second predefined format; determining a download priority of at least one of the plurality of parts of the first document by the computer system based at least in part on the predefined format of the first document; downloading the at least one of the plurality of parts of the first document according to the download priority; determining whether to suspend the download of the second document based on a state of a resource available to the computer system and the download priority; and suspending the download of the second document. |
| US09342505B2 |
Translation protocol for large discovery projects
The present invention is a server-based translation protocol for improving translation performance for cases where a large number of documents are generated in a source language context but the controversies are adjudicated in a different language context. The protocol is intended to improve terminology consistency, offset the effects of contextual shift on perceived facts in translations, and improve task-tracking order. If the protocol is used by well trained and motivated document reviewers in a collaborative and harmonic environment, it can reduce unnecessary translations, improve translation accuracy, minimize the needs for amendments, control translation costs, and help the client significantly improve its litigation position. |
| US09342504B2 |
Phrase-based dialogue modeling with particular application to creating a recognition grammar
The invention enables creation of grammar networks that can regulate, control, and define the content and scope of human-machine interaction in natural language voice user interfaces (NLVUI). The invention enables phrase-based modeling of generic structures of verbal interaction to be used for the purpose of automating part of the design of such grammar networks. Most particularly, the invention enables such grammar networks to be used in providing a voice-controlled user interface to human readable text data that is also machine-readable (such as a Web page, a word processing document, a PDF document, or a spreadsheet). |