| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09350310B2 |
Receiver front end for carrier aggregation
Techniques for providing a receiver front end supporting carrier aggregation with gain alignment and improved matching across modes. In an aspect, auxiliary circuitry is configurable to selectively enable or disable mutual coupling between a source degeneration inductor of an LNA input transistor and an auxiliary inductor. A negative turns ratio coupling is provided between the inductors, such that the effective inductance of the source degeneration inductor is lowered when mutually coupled to the auxiliary inductor. In a non-carrier aggregation (non-CA) mode, the auxiliary inductor is disabled, while in a carrier aggregation (CA) mode, the auxiliary inductor is enabled. In this manner, using a single transistor, gain alignment across non-CA and CA modes is achieved. Furthermore, matching is preserved across non-CA and CA modes using a single external matching component. |
| US09350306B2 |
Amplification circuit, amplification device, AFE circuit, and signal processing system
According to one embodiment, an amplification circuit includes first and second differential amplification circuits, each having an output connected to an output terminal and a feedback resistor connected between the output and a negative input of the respective differential amplification circuit. The amplification circuit includes a switching circuit that receives a first signal on first input terminal and a second signal on a second input terminal and includes set of switches that is configured to apply the first and second signals to the first and second differential amplification circuits such that in a first switching state an amplified voltage difference of the first and second signals is available between the two output terminals, and in a second switching state an amplified current difference of the first and second signals is available between the two output terminals. |
| US09350305B2 |
Preamplifier circuit for a microelectromechanical capacitive acoustic transducer
Described herein is a preamplifier circuit for a capacitive acoustic transducer provided with a MEMS detection structure that generates a capacitive variation as a function of an acoustic signal to be detected, starting from a capacitance at rest; the preamplifier circuit is provided with an amplification stage that generates a differential output signal correlated to the capacitive variation. In particular, the amplification stage is an input stage of the preamplifier circuit and has a fully differential amplifier having a first differential input (INP) directly connected to the MEMS detection structure and a second differential input (INN) connected to a reference capacitive element, which has a value of capacitance equal to the capacitance at rest of the MEMS detection structure and fixed with respect to the acoustic signal to be detected; the fully differential amplifier amplifies the capacitive variation and generates the differential output signal. |
| US09350304B2 |
Quiescent current equalization method, output stage circuit, class AB amplifier and electronic device
An output stage circuit is provided, which includes a power supply, a quiescent current control circuit, an output circuit, and a quiescent current equalization circuit. The quiescent current equalization circuit is configured to decrease or increase a quiescent current flowing through a quiescent current biasing circuit in the quiescent current control circuit when a change of a voltage of the power supply is detected, such that a quiescent current flowing through the output circuit remains constant. A quiescent current equalization method, a Class AB amplifier and an electronic device are also provided. When the voltage of the power supply is increased, the quiescent current of the output circuit of the output stage circuit can maintain constant. As such, the power supply rejection ratio (PSRR) of the output circuit can be efficiently increased and the power consumption of the device can be reduced. |
| US09350296B1 |
Systems and methods for calibrating a dual port phase locked loop
The present disclosure provides for a phase-locked loop (PLL) that includes a high-port calibration control module configured to calibrate an input modulation value of a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) to a first modulation value that results in an output signal of the VCO having a positive frequency change from an initial output frequency, and capture a positive frequency value of the output signal after a first accumulation time period. The high-port calibration control module is also configured to calibrate the input modulation value of the VCO to a second modulation value that results in the output signal having a negative frequency change from the initial output frequency, capture a negative frequency value of the output signal after a second accumulation time period, and calculate a calibration scale factor based on a difference between the positive and negative frequency values. |
| US09350295B2 |
Modulation circuit and semiconductor device including the same
A modulation circuit includes a load and a transistor serving as a switch. The transistor has an oxide semiconductor layer in which hydrogen concentration is 5×1019/cm3 or less. The off-state current of the transistor is 1×10−13 A or less. A modulation circuit includes a load, a transistor serving as a switch, and a diode. The load, the transistor, and the diode are connected in series between the terminals of an antenna. The transistor has an oxide semiconductor layer in which hydrogen concentration is 5×1019/cm3 or less. An off-state current of the transistor is 1×10−13 A or less. On/off of the transistor is controlled in accordance with a signal inputted to a gate of the transistor. The load is a resistor, a capacitor, or a combination of a resistor and a capacitor. |
| US09350293B1 |
Amplitude-noise reduction system and method for ultra-low phase-noise oscillators
Embodiments of a microwave oscillator and method for amplitude noise reduction are generally described herein. The oscillator may include a resonator and an RF bridge to combine an incident and a reflected RF signal. The oscillator may further comprise an amplitude noise reduction loop, which may be configured to use a first baseband control signal to perform amplitude modulation (AM) of an oscillator feedback signal for reduction of amplitude noise on the oscillator output signal. |
| US09350292B2 |
Oscillation circuit, current generation circuit, and oscillation method
An oscillation circuit includes a first current source having dependency of current value/temperature exhibiting a first characteristic; a second current source having dependency of current value/temperature exhibiting a second characteristic; a first conversion section, input with a current from the first current source, that outputs a first current having a specific characteristic which is converted from the first characteristic; a second conversion section, input with a current from the second current source, that outputs a second current having a specific characteristic which is converted from the second characteristic; a subtraction section, input with the first and the second current, that outputs a difference current that is a difference between the first and the second current; and a clock generation section that generates a clock signal by alternately charging and discharging a first capacitor and a second capacitor based on the difference current. |
| US09350291B2 |
Oscillation circuit, oscillator, electronic apparatus, and moving object
An oscillation circuit includes an oscillating section configured to output an oscillation signal, a first characteristic adjusting section including a first terminal, which is electrically connected to the oscillating section, and configured to adjust characteristics of the oscillation signal output by the oscillating section, a second characteristic adjusting section including a first terminal electrically connected to the oscillating section and configured to adjust the characteristics of the oscillation signal output by the oscillating section, and a voltage applying section (a first voltage applying section) configured to apply a first voltage to the first terminal of the first characteristic adjusting section and the first terminal of the second characteristic adjusting section and apply a second voltage, which is different from the first voltage and changes in association with the first voltage, to a second terminal of the first characteristic adjusting section. |
| US09350290B2 |
Solar water-collecting, air-conditioning, light-transmitting and power generating house
A system for collecting solar energy and fresh water may be disclosed. The system may include one or more assemblies of collector modules, each of which module may contain a photovoltaic cell and a thermal fluid. The thermal fluid may be used to heat a building and/or produce electricity. The assembly may further be coupled to a collection shaft which may collect water and/or disseminate light through a building. Various configurations of single modules, single assemblies, or multiple large-scale assemblies are also possible. If integrated with a house, the system may reduce the net energy consumption of the household. |
| US09350284B2 |
Power conversion device
In a system for driving an electric motor by an engine generator, there is a possibility that oscillation and d-axis current are increased. In an engine generator system, a power converter (105) controls a generator (104) so that the phase of an oscillating component included in the d-axis current in the rotor magnetic flux direction of the generator (104) advances by 90 degrees or more with respect to the phase of an oscillating component of the identical frequency included in the rotating electric angular frequency of the generator (104), and further using q-axis voltage adjusting device (118) so that the phase of an oscillating component included in the q-axis current advances by 90 degrees or more with respect to the phase of an oscillating component of the identical frequency included in the rotating electric angular frequency of the generator (104). |
| US09350280B2 |
Method for operating a power supply unit for an electrical system of a motor vehicle
A method for operating a power supply unit for an electrical system of a motor vehicle, the power supply unit having an electric generator having a stator having a stator winding and a rotor having a rotor winding, as well as a field current controller assigned to the rotor winding for selecting the setpoint of the current flowing through the rotor winding; the electric generator being set into rotation without a current being specified by the rotor winding, thereby generating a starting voltage; at least one component of the power supply unit or of the vehicle electrical system being energized by the starting voltage. |
| US09350279B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for compensating for friction torques of permanent magnet synchronous motors
A method of compensating for a friction torque of a permanent magnet synchronous motor may include: receiving input of a motor current and a rotor speed of the permanent magnet synchronous motor; estimating a motor torque based on the input motor current; acquiring a first friction torque corresponding to the input rotor speed and the estimated motor torque by using a lookup table of friction torques; compensating for a second friction torque of the permanent magnet synchronous motor based on the first friction torque, wherein the compensating is in response to a first torque command input to control driving of the permanent magnet synchronous motor and outputs a second torque command that compensates for the second friction torque; and/or controlling the driving of the permanent magnet synchronous motor based on the second torque command. |
| US09350278B1 |
Circuit technique to integrate voice coil motor support elements
A current sensing circuit includes: a first controlled device; a first controlled device; a first current mirror configured to cause a first mirror current to flow through a first load device based on a first control signal received by the first controlled device; a second controlled device; a second current mirror configured to cause a second mirror current to flow through a second load device based on a second control signal received by the second controlled device; and an amplifier configured to output a voltage signal based on the first mirror current flowing through the first load device and the second mirror current flowing through the second load device. The first control signal is substantially proportional to a first drive signal applied to a first controlled remote device, and the second control signal is substantially proportional to a second drive signal applied to of a second controlled remote device. |
| US09350276B2 |
Electronic control circuitry with start up capability
Certain configurations of the present disclosure present a PTC starter. The PTC starter includes a housing, a first conductive terminal (6), a second conductive terminal (7), a control PTC thermistor (3), a start PTC thermistor (4) and a TRIAC (5), wherein the control PTC thermistor (3), the start PTC thermistor (4) and the TRIAC (5) being accommodated in the housing, the start PTC thermistor (4) being connected in series with the TRIAC (5), wherein one electrode of the control PTC thermistor (3) is connected with the gate (G) of the TRIAC (5), the control PTC thermistor (3) is connected in series with the start PTC thermistor (4), the volume of the control PTC thermistor (3) is less than 30 mm3, and the distance between the control PTC thermistor (3) and the start PTC thermistor (4) is less than 5 mm. |
| US09350275B2 |
Quasi variable frequency motor controller
An apparatus for a quasi variable frequency motor controller is includes a DFC module that applies a first frequency to a motor as part of a discrete frequency control (“DFC”) method for motor starting. The first frequency includes a discrete frequency in a plurality of discrete frequencies of the DFC method and each discrete frequency includes a frequency lower than a fundamental frequency of an alternating current (“AC”) voltage source providing power to the motor. The apparatus includes a torque module that determines when motor torque generated by the motor reaches a negative torque threshold and a next frequency module that applies a second frequency to the motor in response to the torque module determining that the motor torque has reached the negative torque threshold. The second frequency is a next frequency in the DFC method. |
| US09350273B2 |
Piezoelectric power generating device having a stress applying member
A piezoelectric power generating device that includes a piezoelectric element having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, a stopper, and a lever. The stopper has a first contact surface that is in contact with the first surface. The lever includes a contact portion, which includes a second contact surface that is in contact with the second surface, and a displacement portion. The lever is arranged in such a manner as to be rotatable relative to the stopper around a rotation axis such that the second contact surface presses the second surface when the displacement portion rotates relative to the stopper around the rotation axis. |
| US09350264B2 |
Control device of power converter circuit
It provides the effective power conversion control technique which it can control which it made use of a characteristic (nature) of each A/D converter in. It comprises the third control part including the third operating circuit it inputs signal from third A/D converter inputting the detecting signal which is different from the detecting signal which is the same as the detecting signal or the detecting signal and above third A/D converter, and to generate the third operating signal, and the above actuating management circuit manages the actuating of an above first control part and the second above control part and the third above control part. |
| US09350263B2 |
Apparatus for controlling conversion between alternating current and direct current
Embodiments provide an apparatus for controlling conversion between an alternating current and a direct current, including a rectifier circuit, a detection circuit, and a logic circuit, where the detection circuit includes a voltage divider module, a first comparator module, and a second comparator module. |
| US09350262B1 |
Synchronous rectifier controlling module and method for controlling a synchronous rectifier
A synchronous rectifier controlling module includes a signal-processing unit and a plurality of driving units, the signal-processing unit is coupled with a secondary winding of a power transformer, and the driving units are electrically connected to a plurality of switch groups, each switch group includes a plurality of power switches. The signal-processing unit measures a current flowing through the secondary winding and determined operation mode of each of the power switches. When the current is increased from a first determined level to the second determined level, the synchronous rectifier controlling module makes an amount of the power switches of each of the switch groups turn on and off by following the driving signal increase accordingly. |
| US09350261B2 |
Power converter apparatus applied to wind power generation system
There is provided a power converter apparatus including a detector detecting a system voltage, and a controller stably outputting power generated by the wind power generator to the power system based on a power instruction value and controlling an output voltage to stabilize the system voltage based on a voltage instruction value in a case where the system voltage is within a preset range, and controlling an active current component and a reactive current component of an output current to stabilize the system voltage of the power system by use of a voltage drop due to impedance of the power system in a case where the system voltage is outside the preset range. |
| US09350256B1 |
Common slot battery backup unit for network devices
An internal common slot battery backup unit (CSBBU) is provided that can be placed in a network device's power supply unit (PSU) slot. The CSBBU has the same features of a PSU and communicates with other PSUs in the network device in order to determine when it should supply power to the networking device and when it should be in a recharging state. |
| US09350251B2 |
Power conversion apparatus and over power protection method thereof
A power conversion apparatus and an over power protection method thereof are provided. A number of times a sensing voltage exceeding a reference voltage is counted, so as to determine whether to disable a power switch in the power conversion apparatus according to the number of times the sensing voltage exceeding the reference voltage, in which the sensing voltage corresponds to a current flowing through the power switch on a resistor. |
| US09350250B2 |
High voltage DC/DC converter with cascaded resonant tanks
A converter, for use in high voltage direct and alternating current power transmission comprises a primary charge transfer converter. The charge transfer converter includes first and second primary terminals for connection to one or more electrical networks. The primary charge transfer converter also includes a plurality of charge transfer elements and a plurality of primary switching elements which are connected in a cascade circuit between the first and second primary terminals. Each charge transfer element includes at least one resonant circuit. The primary switching elements are operable to selectively cause charging and discharging of each resonant circuit to transfer charge between the charge transfer elements and thereby create a voltage difference between the first and second primary terminals. |
| US09350245B2 |
Power management multi-chip module with separate high-side driver integrated circuit die
A packaged device includes a first die, a second die, and specially spaced and positioned sets of package terminals. The first die includes a pulse-width modulator (PWM), a processor, a timer, high-side drivers, low-side drivers, and a fault protection circuit. The second die includes ultra-high voltage high-side drivers. In an ultra-high voltage application, the PWM and external circuitry together form a switching power supply that generates a high voltage. The high voltage powers external high-side transistors. The processor and timer control the ultra-high voltage high-side drivers, that in turn supply drive signals to the external high-side transistors through the package terminals. External low-side transistors are driven directly by low-side drivers of the first die. If the fault protection circuit detects an excessive current, then the fault protection circuit supplies a disable signal to high-side and low-side drivers of both dice. The disable signal is generated without execution of processor instructions. |
| US09350244B2 |
Switching regulator with increased light load efficiency in pulse frequency modulation mode
A switching regulator includes a multiphase converter which includes a plurality of main phases configured to covert a power supply voltage to a lower voltage for application to an electronic device at different load conditions. The switching regulator also includes an auxiliary phase configured to operate in a pulse frequency modulation mode during a light load condition so that power is supplied to the electronic device by at least the auxiliary phase during the light load condition. |
| US09350242B2 |
Power supply and DC-DC converter with voltage drop circuit therein
A power supply includes a rectifier circuit to rectify power, a smoothing circuit unit to smoothen a voltage of the rectified power, and a voltage drop circuit unit to drop the smoothened voltage. The voltage drop circuit unit includes an electric charge storage circuit to output the voltage-dropped voltage, a resonance circuit to receive first current from the smoothing circuit unit and to supply second current to the electric charge storage circuit, and a current interruption circuit to control the first current and the second current using zero current switching for performing switching when current does not flow using a resonance circuit. |
| US09350240B2 |
Power converter soft start circuit
PWM control circuits and soft start circuitry thereof are presented in which a source follower circuit provides an input to a pulse generator error amplifier during startup according to a lower one of an internal soft start circuit ramp signal and a voltage across and externally connected capacitor, with a current source connected to the source follower to limit the charging current supplied to the externally connected capacitor. |
| US09350239B2 |
Split-switcher voltage regulator architecture
A power management system that can include an application processor and a power management unit (PMU). The PMU can generate a regulated output voltage based on control signals generated by a switch control module of the application processor. The control signals can be determined based on a comparison of monitored voltages within the application processor and a generated reference voltage. The reference voltage can be generated based on fed back signals corresponding to the control signals. The application processor and the PMU can be formed utilizing different size manufacturing process technologies. For example, the PMU can be formed utilizing a larger size manufacturing process technology than the application processor. |
| US09350234B2 |
Voltage regulator and method for regulating dual output voltages by selective connection between a voltage supply and multiple capacitances
A voltage regulator including a first, second, and third capacitances, first switches, and second switches. A first terminal of the first capacitance is connected to a first output. The first output is at a first output voltage. A first terminal of the second capacitance is connected to a second output. The second output is at a second output voltage. The first switches connect a first terminal of the third capacitance to a voltage supply, the first output, or the second output. The second switches connect a second terminal of the third capacitance to a reference terminal, the first output, or the second output. The first and second switches are controlled, based on the first output voltage and the second output voltage, to: adjust voltages across the first, second, and third capacitances; maintain the first output at a first predetermined voltage; and maintain the second output at a second predetermined voltage. |
| US09350229B2 |
System and method of controlling an inverter based on a calculated capacitance of a DC link capacitor
A system, comprising a control regulation system, an inverter, a DC link capacitor, which is coupled to input connections of the inverter, at least one control apparatus, which is coupled to semiconductor switches of a half-bridge of the inverter, wherein the control apparatus is configured to actuate the semiconductor switch on the basis of a control signal from the control regulation system, at least one temperature sensor, which is configured to determine a change in temperature of the semiconductor switches in the half-bridge of the inverter, and a voltage sensor, which is configured to determine the voltage at the DC link capacitor is disclosed. |
| US09350226B2 |
Apparatus and method for reducing a noise in an output waveform using a multi-bit sigma-delta modulator and a three phase inverter
Disclosed is a power control driving device which includes a sine wave signal generating unit; a control signal converting unit configured to convert a sine wave from the sine wave signal generating unit into a multi-bit control signal; and a three-phase inverter circuit configured to output a voltage varied by the multi-bit control signal from the control signal converting unit. The control signal converting unit includes a multi-bit sigma-delta modulator configured to convert an analog sine wave into a digital signal. The three-phase inverter circuit includes a plurality of switch units, on-off states of the plurality of switch units being controlled according to the multi-bit control signal from the control signal converting unit. |
| US09350223B2 |
Power generator having coil and magnet disposed between pair of leaf springs
A power generator 100 includes a housing 20 and a power generating unit 10 disposed in the housing 20. The power generating unit 10 is constituted of a magnet assembly 30 having a permanent magnet 31, a coil 40 disposed so as to surround the permanent magnet 31, a coil holding portion 50 holding the coil 40 and a pair of an upper leaf spring 60U and a lower leaf spring 60L disposed in the housing 20 so as to be opposed to each other through at least one of the magnet assembly 30, the coil 40 and the coil holding portion 50. |
| US09350222B2 |
Inertial drive actuator
An inertial drive actuator includes a displacement unit, a vibration substrate, a first magnetic field generator which generates a magnetic field, a movable body disposed on a flat surface of the vibration substrate, and which includes a first yoke that concentrates a magnetic flux of an N-pole and an S-pole generated by the first magnetic field generator, at a predetermined position, and a second yoke which is disposed on a side of the vibration substrate, opposite to a direction facing the movable body. A movement in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which, the movable body is driven is regulated mechanically by end portions of the second yoke facing end portions of the first yoke at an outer side of the vibration substrate, and a frictional force is controlled by controlling the magnetic field, and the movable body is driven. |
| US09350220B2 |
Vibration generator moving vibrator by magnetic field generated by coil and holder used in vibration-generator
A vibration generator includes a vibrator, a holder, and a plurality of coils. The vibrator includes a magnet and has a plate shape parallel to a horizontal surface. The holder is attached to a chassis and holds the vibrator such that the vibrator can be displaced with respect to the vibrator. The plurality of coils generate a magnetic field for changing at least one of a position and a posture of the vibrator with respect to the chassis. Each of the plurality of coils is a thin coil, and is arranged face to face with the vibrator. The vibrator can move at least according to magnetization of the coils, while deforming a portion of the holder. |
| US09350210B2 |
Spark suppression shield for electric motors
Spark suppression shield for electric motors relates to universal commutator motors and to permanent magnet DC motors operating in environment containing flammable or explosive gases. The collar shaped as a wall is extending from bearing frame and surrounding commutator in approximately it's total height, where the gap in radial direction between commutator and collar is up to 3 mm and the collar might or might not have collar openings. |
| US09350209B2 |
Stator of electric motor provided with coil fastening part, electric motor, and fastening method of unit coil
A coil fastening part in a stator of the present invention can be turned about its axis of rotation in a gap between an end face of a tooth and an inner circumferential surface of a unit coil and has a noncircular shape cross-section vertical to its axis of rotation. The noncircular shape cross-section of the coil fastening part has a first dimension which is represented by a first line segment which intersects its axis of rotation and a second dimension which is represented by a second line segment which intersects its axis of rotation, is different from the first line segment, and is larger than the first dimension. The coil fastening part is arranged in the gap in a state where the second line segment is aligned with the height direction of the gap and pushes against both the end face and the inner circumferential surface to thereby fasten the unit coil to a tooth. |
| US09350207B2 |
Motor and method of manufacturing motor
An insulator of a motor includes a body portion and a wire guide portion. The body portion is arranged to cover an upper surface, a lower surface, and circumferential side surfaces of each of a plurality of teeth. The wire guide portion is arranged to project downward from the body portion. A drawn-out portion of an electric wire which extends from a coil is arranged to reach a land portion arranged on a lower surface of a circuit board after passing through the wire guide portion. In addition, an area of contact between the drawn-out portion and the wire guide portion is arranged at an axial height lower than that of the lower surface of the circuit board. |
| US09350206B2 |
Axial gap rotating electrical machine
An axial-gap rotating electrical machine in which the distance of the air gap between a rotor and a stator can be accurately controlled is provided. A large diameter portion and a small diameter portion are formed on a rotating shaft and a stepped portion is formed therebetween. A rotor yoke is secured thereon and the position of the rotor is determined. The position of a bearing secured in a housing for rotatably supporting the rotating shaft is determined by a boss portion of the rotor yoke. The position of the housing is determined by the position of the bearing and the securing position of the stator is determined by a stepped portion formed on the inner circumference of the housing. Thus the position of the housing relative to the rotating shaft can be determined from the position of the rotor and the securing position of the stator can be determined. |
| US09350205B2 |
Motor having rotor cores with protrusions to prevent magnetic flux leakage
A motor having a structure capable of achieving a reduction in magnetic flux leakage occurring at a rotor and a washing machine, to which the motor is applied. The motor includes a stator including a plurality of stator cores arranged in a circumferential direction, and coils respectively wound around the stator cores, and a rotor rotatably arranged inside the stator. The rotor includes a plurality of rotor cores arranged in a circumferential direction of the rotor, a plurality of magnets each disposed between neighboring ones of the rotor cores such that the magnet extends in an axial direction of the rotor outwardly of upper and lower surfaces of the neighboring rotor cores, and a molded body to support the plurality of rotor cores and the plurality of magnets. The molding body includes a shaft hole, to which a motor shaft is coupled. |
| US09350204B2 |
Permanent magnet rotating electrical machine and electric power steering apparatus having a stator core with supplemental grooves
A compact, light permanent magnet motor with low torque pulsations is obtained by reducing a cogging torque resulting from variations at the end of a rotor, such as an error in attachment position and a variation in magnet characteristic of the permanent magnets. A permanent magnet rotating electrical machine includes a rotor and a stator, a stator core provided with slots in which to store an armature winding wire wound around the teeth, and supplemental grooves provided to the teeth in portions opposing the rotor in an axial direction of the stator core. The supplemental grooves are provided to the stator in a part in the axial direction of the stator core, and that let P be the number of the magnetic poles (the number of poles) and S be the number of the slots (the number of slots), then a relation, 0.75 |
| US09350203B2 |
Rare earth sintered magnet, method for producing the same, motor, and automobile
Provided is a rare earth sintered magnet 10 comprising a group of main phase grains 2 each composed of an R-T-B-based rare earth magnet comprising a core 4 and a shell 6 covering the core 4, wherein a thickness of the shell 6 is 500 nm or less, R includes a light rare earth element and a heavy rare earth element, and a Zr compound 8 is present in a grain boundary phase 7 of the group of main phase grains 2 and/or the shell 6. Also provided are a motor comprising the rare earth sintered magnet 10 and an automobile comprising the motor. |
| US09350198B2 |
Active voltage balancing of series capacitor arrangement
A circuit includes a series arrangement of capacitors and a balancing circuit coupled to the series arrangement of capacitors, the balancing circuit having drive circuits each coupled at a node in the series arrangement at which two of the capacitors are coupled in series. The drive circuit includes an output stage having switches arranged to either push or pull current from a drive circuit output depending on the state of the switches. |
| US09350196B2 |
Non-contact charging apparatus and non-contact charging method
A non-contact charging apparatus configured to, vary the inductance and the capacitance of the matching unit for matching the impedance of the power supply system that supplies alternate current power and the impedance of the power transmitting/receiving system including a power transmitting unit and a power receiving apparatus according to the variable information. |
| US09350195B2 |
Wireless power charging device and method for mobile equipment
A wireless power charging device and method for mobile equipment is provided. The wireless power charging device for mobile equipment includes: a signal oscillating unit receiving power from a power supply unit and oscillating a signal; a power signal generating unit generating a power signal by resonating with a signal oscillated by the signal oscillating unit; and a charging unit storing the generated power signal and supplying power to the mobile equipment on the basis of the stored power signal. |
| US09350194B2 |
Limiting wireless power receiver voltage
Disclosed are various embodiments for controlling voltage in a wireless power receiver. A wireless power receiver may comprise an electromagnetic coil configured to receive a current induced by a magnetic flux generated by a wireless power transmitter and a comparator configured to compare a voltage generated by the induced current to a threshold voltage indicating a capability of circuitry coupled to the wireless power receiver. In the event the voltage generated by the induced current exceeds the threshold voltage, the voltage may be limited to a safe value. |
| US09350179B2 |
Charging device
A charging device for a battery of a vehicle includes an insulation resistance detecting circuit, a charging circuit, a leak current detecting circuit and a decoupling circuit. The insulation resistance detecting circuit includes a coupling capacitor, and is disposed between the battery and a vehicle body for detecting an insulation resistance between the battery and the vehicle body. The charging circuit converts an alternating current supplied from an alternating current source into a direct current and charges the battery in a state without insulting the input terminal and the output terminal and in a state where the vehicle body is coupled to an earth. The leak current detecting circuit detects a leak current between the charging circuit and the earth. The decoupling circuit decouples the insulation resistance detecting circuit from one of the battery and the vehicle body during a charging of the battery. |
| US09350176B2 |
System and method for allocating communication ID for multi-BMS
The present disclosure discloses a system and method for allocating a communication identification (ID) associated with a position of a multi-battery management system (BMS). According to the system and method for allocating a communication ID according to the present disclosure, the communication ID associated with the position may be allocated to the multi-BMS quickly. |
| US09350175B2 |
Input relay architecture for rectifying power converters and suitable for AC or DC source power
Power converter circuitry for converting power from a power source of any one of a number of power source types, and in which arcing at relays in the event of a shutdown is avoided. A shunt circuit is provided in inrush and protection circuitry of the power converter, the circuit including a power field-effect transistor and optionally a series-connected relay. The shunt circuit is controlled to divert current from the main relay in the event of a rectifier fault, allowing the main relay to be opened under reduced or zero current. The field-effect transistor of the shunt circuit can then be safely opened, allowing its series relay to be opened under zero current conditions. |
| US09350171B2 |
Transmission line for capacitive coil
The present invention provides a transmission line for a capacitive coil. The transmission line may include: a plurality of first cylindrical conductors; a plurality of second cylindrical conductors arranged alternately with the first cylindrical conductors in a layered structure; and dielectrics arranged between the first cylindrical conductors and the second cylindrical conductors. According to the present invention, a coaxial cable having multi-layered pairs of cylindrical conductors and dielectrics inserted between the cylindrical conductors or a cable having one or more layers of conductors separated by dielectrics is provided to thereby minimize current loss in a transmission line by compensating for line voltage drop due to self-inductance L of the line. |
| US09350169B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for controlling power within a power-redundant system
An apparatus may include a bus that electrically couples an electrical load to redundant power feeds. The apparatus may also include at least one capacitive component electrically coupled between first and second rails of the bus via both a conductive path and a resistive path that has substantially greater resistance than the conductive path. In addition, the apparatus may include a switching mechanism electrically coupled between the first and second rails of the bus that causes the capacitive component to charge through the conductive path until a threshold voltage on the first rail of the bus is reached. When the threshold voltage on the first rail of the bus is reached, the switching mechanism may close the conductive path and force the capacitive component to charge through the resistive path. Various other systems and methods are also disclosed. |
| US09350165B2 |
High-voltage power gating
Power gating circuits. A transistor stack is coupled between a voltage supply to provide a gated supply voltage. The supply voltage is greater than the maximum junction voltage of the individual transistors in the transistor stack. Termination circuitry for input/output (I/O) lines coupled to operate using the gated supply voltage. The termination circuitry comprising at least a resistive element coupled between an I/O interface and a termination voltage supply. |
| US09350159B2 |
Methods and apparatus to clamp overvoltages for alternating current systems
Methods and apparatus to clamp overvoltages for inductive power transfer systems are described herein. An example overvoltage protection circuit is described, including a first terminal configured to receive an alternating current signal for conversion to a second signal, a capacitor, a first switch configured to selectively electrically couple the capacitor to the first terminal based on an overvoltage detection signal to reduce an overvoltage on the second signal, and an overvoltage detector. The example overvoltage detector is configured to determine a signal level of the second signal and, in response to determining that the signal level of the second signal is greater than a threshold, to output the overvoltage detection signal to cause the switch to electrically couple the capacitor between the first terminal and a second terminal. |
| US09350158B2 |
Over-current protection circuit and pulse width modulator having the same
An over-current protection circuit and a pulse width modulator having the same are provided. The pulse width module includes a high-side switch, a low-side switch, and a driving module. The driving module controls the high-side switch and the low-side switch according to a set signal and a reset signal periodically to adjust an inductive current flowing through the high-side switch and the low-side switch. When inductive current is the overcurrent during the minimum on time of the high-side switch, the over-current protection circuit turns off the high-side switch in a predefined time to decrease the inductive current continuously, so that the average current of the inductive current does not become too high to damage the pulse width module. |
| US09350157B2 |
Control and protection device for low-voltage electrical appliance
Disclosed is a control and protection device for a low-voltage electrical apparatus, comprising a pedestal and a control and protection module. The control and protection module may be plugged into the pedestal and is replaceable. The pedestal comprises a base and a housing, and is further provided with a moving contact, a static contact, and a current conductor connected to a main circuit current; a control electromagnet operation mechanism for controlling close and open of the moving contact and the static contact according to a control signal, and maintaining a close or open status of the moving contact and the static contact; a manual operation knob providing a control signal for controlling the close and open of the moving contact and the static contact; a control contact connected to the manual operation knob; and a current sensor for detecting a current that flows through the main circuit current conductor and generating a sensing signal. The control and protection device further comprises: a signal processing unit for controlling a state of the control electromagnet according to the sensing signal via an electrical circuit; and a tripping device for controlling actions of the operation mechanism with a mechanical connection in response to the signal processing unit. The current sensor has a secondary circuit connection detection device. |
| US09350156B2 |
Power supply control apparatus of electric load
Disclosed is a power supply control apparatus of an electric load that includes an upstream side switching element and a downstream side switching element and detects various abnormality states of a load wiring by a small number of detection signals. The power supply control apparatus includes a control circuit unit that gives a power supply command signal to the upstream switching element connected in series with the electric load and gives a conduction command signal to the downstream switching element, open-circuits the upstream and downstream switching elements by a synthetic overcurrent determination storage circuit that is operated in response to an overcurrent detecting circuit, monitors a value of one variable divided voltage generated by the voltage monitoring circuit for the electric load, and identifies and stores a wiring abnormality such as a negative line supply fault, a positive line ground fault, and a load short circuit abnormality. |
| US09350154B2 |
Liquid-tight conduit fitting with grounding element
A fitting for terminating a conduit includes a substantially tubular fitting body having a central bore extending therethrough, a forward end, and a rearward end opposing the forward end. The fitting body includes a first liquid-proof coating that includes a rearward sealing rim. A gland nut is rotatably coupled to the rearward end of the fitting body. The gland nut includes a second liquid-proof coating that includes a forward sealing rim. A grounding ring is positioned between the gland nut and the fitting body and contacts the fitting body. Upon axial movement of the gland nut, the grounding ring engages the rearward sealing rim of the first liquid-proof coating on the fitting body and the forward sealing rim of the second liquid-proof coating on the gland nut to form a sealed relationship therewith. |
| US09350150B2 |
Casing system with cable retainer for electronic device chargers
The present disclosure is directed to systems and components for covering charger assemblies. In one embodiment, a casing system comprises a colored or decorative cover for an AC adapter (also known as an AC/DC converter, adapter block, or transformer block) and an extension for fastening the cable portion of the charger assembly to the AC adapter. |
| US09350149B2 |
Universal box system
A universal electrical box which includes a body having at least one opening for receiving an electrical device. The device can also include at least one mounting bracket coupled to the body, and at least one frame configured to be coupled to the at least one body. In addition there is at least one duplex electrical mounting plate configured to couple to the at least one frame. In this case, the duplex electrical mounting plate is configured to revive a duplex electrical device. In addition, there is at least one sealing gasket configured to be coupled to the body between the at least one frame and the body. This design allows for a universal configuration which allows for multiple different types of electrical devices to be coupled to the enclosure. |
| US09350141B2 |
Stabilization of wavelength beam combining laser systems in the non-wavelength beam combining direction
In various embodiments, wavelength beam combining laser systems incorporate optics having optical power along the non-WBC direction (and/or the slow-diverging axis) of the combined multi-wavelength beam proximate to or combined with the partially reflective output coupler in order to correct pointing variation in the non-WBC direction (and/or the slow-diverging axis). |
| US09350140B2 |
Quantum cascade laser and method for manufacturing quantum cascade laser
A quantum cascade laser includes a substrate having first and second regions; a stacked semiconductor layer disposed on the second region, the stacked semiconductor layer including an active layer, the stacked semiconductor layer having a first end facet and a second end facet that constitute a laser cavity; an insulating layer disposed on the first end facet and an upper surface of the stacked semiconductor layer, the insulating layer having an opening on the upper surface; a conductive layer disposed on the insulating layer and in the opening, the conductive layer being in contact with the upper surface through the opening; and a metal layer disposed on the conductive layer on the first end facet and the upper surface. The first end facet of the stacked semiconductor layer is retreated from an end facet of the substrate to a boundary between the first and second regions. |
| US09350138B2 |
Single-step-grown transversely coupled distributed feedback laser
A transversely-coupled distributed feedback laser diode, which can be processed without overgrowth, is disclosed. The laser is made from an epitaxial heterostructure including a core layer located between two cladding layers, a cap layer, and at least one Al-rich layer. The lateral waveguide is formed by selective oxidation of the Al-rich layer. A surface corrugated grating is formed above the waveguide. The heteroepitaxial structure is designed so that the core layer is placed in close proximity to the top of the laser structure to provide a required overlap between the light and the grating. In order to avoid inadmissible optical losses, there is no metallization above the waveguide. Instead, the metal contacts are offset at some distance, so that the current has to spread in the cap layer before vertical injection into the core layer. |
| US09350137B1 |
Laser processing method and laser processing system
The disclosed invention relates to a method of realizing a laser processing system. The system relating to one aspect of the invention is provided with a processing laser, a vaporization laser, and an oscillator controller. The processing laser is a flashlamp-pumped 1.06 μm solid-state laser, a pulsed iodine laser or an oxygen molecule laser. The vaporization laser is a pulsed laser whose wavelength is longer than 1.4 μm. |
| US09350134B2 |
Laser oscillator provided with laser medium flow path
A laser oscillator which can keep distributions of pressure of a laser medium inside of a plurality of discharge tubes constant while making the laser medium circulate without stagnating. The laser oscillator is comprised of a first discharge tube, second discharge tube, first light guide, laser medium flow path, and blower. A flow resistance of a laser medium flow path between the blower and the first discharge tube and a flow resistance of the laser medium flow path between the blower and second discharge tube are the same as each other. A flow resistance of the laser medium flow path between the blower and a first end of the first light guide and a flow resistance of the laser medium flow path between the blower and a second end of the first light guide differ from each other. |
| US09350133B2 |
Method of controlling laser apparatus and laser apparatus
A method of controlling a laser apparatus may include: exchanging a gain medium in a chamber configured to output a laser beam by exciting the gain medium; first measuring, after the exchanging, pulse energy of a laser beam which is oscillated in the chamber under a specific gas pressure and a specific charge voltage; calculating an approximate expression indicating a relationship between the pulse energy of the laser beam and the gas pressure in the chamber and the charge voltage, or a table representing a correlationship between the pulse energy, the gas pressure and the charge voltage, based on the specific pressure, the specific charge voltage and the pulse energy in the first measuring; storing the approximate expression or the table; second measuring, after the first measuring, pulse energy Er of a laser beam oscillated in the chamber; calculating pulse energy Eec which is supposed to be obtained directly after the exchanging under the gas pressure and the charge voltage in the second measuring based on the approximate expression or the table; calculating a reduction amount ΔEd of pulse energy based on the pulse energy Eec and the pulse energy Er using ΔEd=Eec−Er; and calculating a partial gas exchange amount Q for partial gas exchange in the chamber based on the reduction amount ΔEd of pulse energy. |
| US09350132B2 |
Mold structure
A fixed mold and a movable mold as joined together are configured to nip a terminal base of a tuning-fork terminal between a terminal base receiving portion and a terminal base abut portion with the tuning-fork terminal being protruded outside a cavity of the fixed mold. |
| US09350126B2 |
Electrical connector having a receptacle with a shielding plate and a mating plug with metallic side arms
A plug connector includes an insulative housing with mating slot, contacts disposed in the housing by two sides of the mating slot, and a pair of side arms located by two opposite ends of the mating slot in a horizontal transverse direction. a receptacle connector includes an insulative housing defining a horizontal mating tongue; contacts disposed in the housing with contacting sections exposed upon two opposite surfaces of the mating tongue; and a monolithic horizontal metallic shielding plate disposed and extending substantially fully the mating tongue. The shielding plate defines side protruding edge sections exposed outside of corresponding side edges of the mating tongue and a notch structure on each side protruding edge section, the pair of side arms each defines a hook structure to engagement with the notch structure. |
| US09350125B2 |
Reversible USB connector with compliant member to spread stress and increase contact normal force
Embodiments can provide reversible or dual orientation USB plug connectors for mating with standard USB receptacle connectors, e.g., a standard Type A USB receptacle connector. Accordingly, the present invention may be compatible with any current or future electronic device that includes a standard USB receptacle connector. USB plug connectors according to the present invention can have a 180 degree symmetrical, double orientation design, which enables the plug connector to be inserted into a corresponding receptacle connector in either of two intuitive orientations. Thus, embodiments of the present invention may reduce the potential for USB connector damage and user frustration during the incorrect insertion of a USB plug connector into a corresponding USB receptacle connector of an electronic device. Reversible USB plug connectors according to the present invention may include a compliant member or structural support for distributing stress and increasing contact normal force at the tongue of the reversible USB plug connector. |
| US09350124B2 |
High speed circuit assembly with integral terminal and mating bias loading electrical connector assembly
A method of making an array of integral terminals on a circuit assembly. The method includes the steps of depositing at least a first liquid dielectric layer on the first surface of a first circuit member, imaged to include a plurality of first recesses corresponding to the array of integral terminals. The selected surfaces of the first recesses are processed to accept electro-less conductive plating deposition. Electro-lessly plating is applied to the selected surfaces of the first recesses to create a plurality of first conductive structures electrically coupled to, and extending generally perpendicular to, the first circuitry layer. Electro-plating is applied to the electro-less plating to substantially first recesses with a conductive material. The steps of depositing, processing, electro-less plating, and electro-plating are repeated to form the integral terminals of a desired shape. The dielectric layers are removed to expose the terminals. |
| US09350122B2 |
Electrical connector having surface mount transformers
An electrical connector includes an insulative housing, a contact module, and a magnetic module. The insulative housing defines a receiving cavity forwardly communicating with an exterior plug and a mounting cavity located behind the receiving cavity. The contact module includes a set of mating contacts each having a contacting portion exposed within the receiving cavity and a set of mounting contacts for connecting to an exterior substrate. The magnetic module is received in the mounting cavity and electrically connecting the mating contacts to corresponding mounting contacts. The magnetic module includes a printed circuit board (PCB) and four isolated transformers surface mounted on a same face thereof. The four discrete transformers are arranged on a limited space of the PCB. |
| US09350121B2 |
Electrical connector with improved grounding means
An electrical connector for mating with a mating connector includes an insulating body having a base and a tongue extending forward from the base. An upper row of terminals and a lower row of terminals are disposed in the insulating body. Each upper or lower row terminal has a contact portion exposed from an upper or a lower surface of the tongue, respectively. An upper and a lower grounding sheets are laminated to the upper and lower surfaces of the tongue respectively, and are assembled and connected to each other. A shielding case covers the periphery of the insulating body, and the upper and lower grounding sheets. The shielding case, the insulating body, and the upper and lower grounding sheets together form an insertion space for the mating connector to be inserted therein. The shielding case is respectively and electrically conducted to the upper and lower grounding sheets. |
| US09350119B2 |
Wrong insertion preventive structure of connector
A first shielding case of a receptacle respectively has arms extending to a forward side to be forwardly folded back from proximal ends fixed to a back end of an upper surface wall, stopper walls formed on free ends of the arms and projecting from outside to inside of the first shielding case and abut on an unauthorized plug in inserting the unauthorized plug, plug pickup parts formed on the free ends of the arms and are integrally formed in parallel with the stopper walls and projecting from outside to inside of the first shielding case and abut on an authorized plug in of inserting the authorized plug, and holes formed near to an opening of the upper surface wall, the holes into which the stopper walls and the plug pickup parts are inserted, on both ends of a width direction. |
| US09350118B2 |
Charging port locking device
A charging port locking device is provided with an engagement member provided in a charging connector, for regulating the removal of the charging connector by engagement with an engagement part provided in a charging port, a restriction member provided in a vehicle, for restricting the disengagement of the engagement member, and a lock actuator for driving the restriction member. By virtue of the charging port locking device, the unintentional disconnection of the charging connector from the charging port can be avoided during charging in a state in which the charging port and the charging connector are connected. |
| US09350116B1 |
Connector system with connector position assurance device
A connector system includes a first connector body defining a channel between a longitudinally-oriented fixed wall and a longitudinally-oriented flexible beam. The flexible beam is located opposite and generally parallel to the fixed wall when in a relaxed state. A distal surface of the flexible beam defines a first protrusion having a first inclined surface. A second connector body defines a cavity configured to receive the first connector body. A mesial surface inside the cavity defines a second protrusion having a second inclined surface configured to engage the first inclined surface of the flexible beam when the connector bodies are mated. A member inserted into the channel causes the flexible beam to flex laterally and move the first inclined surface with respect to the second inclined surface sufficient to generate a longitudinal force between the first and second inclined surfaces and thus between the first and second connector bodies. |
| US09350115B2 |
Electrical connector with improved position hole
An electrical connector is provided for electrically connecting a chip module with a position post to a printed circuit board. The connector includes an insulative housing defining a matching surface and a mounting surface opposite each other, and a position hole disposed in the insulative housing; a plurality of terminals loaded in the insulative housing. The position hole has three ribs in an inner surface thereof, the ribs extend from the matching surface toward the mounting surface along a straight line. |
| US09350112B2 |
Electrical plug with a cable fastener
An improved electrical plug uses a wire receiver for connecting to electrical lines. These receivers include a hook received by a cavity, the hook having an arm for moving the hook and pressing the electrical line against an electrical contact A locking and unlocking mechanism secures a plug cover to an electrical contact holder, the cover having a number of passages and slopes for locking and unlocking the cover from the contact holder. A space adjuster mechanism is provided to fasten against a cable containing the electrical lines. A number of concentrically and uniformly arranged petals slide against each other and tighten about the cable, locking it in place. |
| US09350105B2 |
Surface-mount type electric connecting terminal, and electronic module unit and circuit board using the same
Provided is a surface-mount type electric connecting terminal which is disposed between opposing conductive objects and is configured to electrically connecting the objects while easily adjusting pressing force and recovery force. The electric connecting terminal includes a cylindrical fixed member which is made from a metallic material; a cylindrical movable member which is slidably inserted in the fixed member and is made from a metallic material; and an electrical conductive spring which is accommodated in the fixed member and whose one end contacts with the bottom of the fixed member and the other end contacts with the bottom of the movable member for thereby allowing the movable member to elastically slide against the fixed member. |
| US09350104B1 |
Connector structure with retractable terminal
A connector structure with a retractable terminal includes an insulative main body having a receiving portion and a through hole. A terminal assembly includes a push pin and a connecting terminal, the connecting terminal having a connecting portion, the push pin having a contact portion and an attachment portion, the contact portion protruded out of the through hole, the attachment portion disposed inside the receiving portion; an elastic unit arranged inside the receiving portion and indirectly abutted the push pin protruded out of the through hole; an electrical insulating member covering an outer of the attachment portion of the push pin and disposed between the push pin and the elastic unit for insulation; the electrical insulating member slidably contacts the receiving portion, and a cut-out slot formed on the electrical insulating member, the connecting portion of the connecting terminal penetrating the cut-out slot to electrically contact the push pin. |
| US09350099B2 |
Connector having a conductive casing with an inclined plane parallel to a section of a terminal
A connector including a conductive casing, a terminal, a first insulation structure and a conductive structure is provided. The conductive casing has an inner wall. The terminal includes a first section and a second section. The first section is disposed in the conductive casing, and the first section and the inner wall have a gap therebetween. The second section is located outside the conductive casing. The first insulation structure is disposed between the first section and the inner wall. The conductive structure is electrically connected to the conductive casing and has an inclined plane. The inclined plane is aligned to the second section, the second section and the inclined plane have a gap therebetween, and the inclined plane is parallel to a extending direction of the second section. In addition, a printed circuit board module having the connector is also provided. |
| US09350097B2 |
Electrical connector
An electrical connector is to be connected to a mating connector. The electrical connector includes a plurality of terminals; a housing for holing the terminals in a terminal arrangement direction; and a guide member for guiding the mating connector. The housing includes a sidewall portion and an edge wall portion connected to the sidewall portion. The guide member includes a first attaching portion, a second attaching portion, and a connecting portion connecting the first attaching portion and the second attaching portion. The first attaching portion is attached to the sidewall portion. The second attaching portion is attached to the edge wall portion. |
| US09350095B2 |
Connector
The Present Disclosure is a connector comprising a connector main body, terminals mounted in the connector main body, and a reinforcing main fitting mounted in the connector main body. The connector main body includes a mating guide portion formed on both longitudinal ends, the mating guide portion mating with an opposing mating guide portion formed on both longitudinal ends of the opposing connector main body of an opposing connector. The reinforcing metal fitting includes a pair of left and right contact arm portions, and a pair of left and right side guide portions disposed in the mating guide portions. The side guide portions guide the opposing mating guide portions, and the contact arm portions establishing contact with the opposing reinforcing metal fitting mounted in the opposing connector main body when the connector main body is mated with the opposing connector main body. |
| US09350094B2 |
Electrical circuit for the interconnection of an electrical component, such as a power component
An electrical circuit including at least one electrical component, such as a power component, and an electrical flex circuit, and at least one electrical conductor part connecting the electrical component to the flex circuit, the electrical conductor part including at least a first contact portion configured to receive in contact a contact element of the electrical power component and a second contact portion configured to receive in contact a conductive layer of the electrical flex circuit, the extent of the width of the second contact portion corresponding to the width of the flex circuit, and the extent of the length of same being adjusted to provide a contact surface that one of transmitting a density of electrical current of between 4.5 and 5.5 A/mm2 and allowing the electrical circuit to support a current specific to the power component, i.e. between 30 and 80 A. |
| US09350090B2 |
Coaxial cable assembly
A coaxial cable assembly including a plurality of first and second wires of different diameters and a grounding member. Each wire defines a central conductor, an inner insulative layer, a shielding layer, and an outer insulative layer. The grounding member surrounds the plurality of wires and electrically connect with the shielding layers of the wires. The grounding member includes a first grounding piece and a second grounding piece having opposing first and second grooves, respectively. |
| US09350089B2 |
Connection structure of bus bar and terminal
By forming a bus bar-swaging part at a terminal, forming a bus bar-crimping part at a bus bar, and providing a crimping posture-retaining part that retains the crimping posture of the bus bar-crimping part when crimping the bus bar-swaging part to the bus bar-crimping part, the present invention provides a connection structure capable of preventing defective crimping caused by the change in the posture of the bus bar-crimping part to thereby enhance the reliability on connection. |
| US09350087B2 |
Method for producing an electric interface and interface
A method for the production of a multi-polar shielded electric interface, particularly a plug-in connection, such as a plug, a socket, a Y-part, a T-part, or the like comprising at least one cable (2) connected thereto with a shielding (1), the interface comprising electric contacts (4) and with the cable (2) with the electric contacts (4) comprising conductors (3) to be connected and a shielding (1) surrounding the conductors (3), to be guided from the cable (2) to the interface, wherein to form a shielding element (6) the shielding (1) of the cable (2) and at least an area adjacent to the shielding (1) around the electric contacts (4) is coated by injection molding with an electrically conductive composite material, with the shielding element (6) being distanced from the electric contacts (4) or an isolating body (5) being embedded. An interface is produced accordingly. |
| US09350083B2 |
Portable satellite communication system
Systems and methods for providing a Portable Satellite Communication (“PSC”) antenna. The PSC antenna (100) comprises: a Parabolic Segmented Antenna (“PSA”) reflector (102) with a plurality of identical and interchangeable panels (106) that can be stowed in a nested stacked arrangement; a plurality of interchangeable feedhorn assemblies (104) that can be coupled to a center hub (110) via a quick-connect mechanism (112); an adjustment mechanism (2512, 2602, 2604) for adjusting an angular orientation of the feedhorn assemblies relative to the center hub; a transceiver (202) that can be coupled to a convex side of the PSA reflector; a base panel (120) which is coupled to a tripod positioning structure (118) such that reflector wind moment loads can be transferred through a base panel to the tripod positioning structure; and a tripod positioning structure with folding legs (3102, 3104) and hard stops (3306) against which the folding legs can be preloaded. |
| US09350082B2 |
Dual-band monopole coupling antenna
A dual-band monopole coupling antenna is disclosed, which comprises: a first radiation part, configured with a frame and an extension section while being disposed on a surface of a substrate; a second radiation part, disposed on the surface of the substrate at a position neighboring to the first radiation part for enabling a coupling effect between the two, allowing the second radiation part to be used as an extension of the first radiation part, and thus adjusting the operation frequency, impedance and impedance matching accordingly; a signal ground section, disposed coupling to the second radiation part; a signal feed-in section, disposed on the surface at a position neighboring to the signal ground section while coupling to the first radiation part; a ground, disposed coupling to the second radiation part; and a dielectric layer, disposed at an non-conductive area arranged between the first radiation part and the second radiation part. |
| US09350079B2 |
Wireless chip and electronic device having wireless chip
It is an object to provide a wireless chip which can increase a mechanical strength, and a wireless chip with a high durability. A wireless chip includes a transistor including a field-effect transistor, an antenna including a dielectric layer sandwiched between conductive layers, and a conductive layer connecting the chip and the antenna. Further, a wireless chip includes a transistor including a field-effect transistor, an antenna including a dielectric layer sandwiched between conductive layers, a sensor device, a conductive layer connecting the chip and the antenna, and a conductive layer connecting the chip and the sensor device. Moreover, a wireless chip includes a transistor including a field-effect transistor, an antenna including a dielectric layer sandwiched between conductive layers, a battery, a conductive layer connecting the chip and the antenna, and a conductive layer connecting the chip and the battery. |
| US09350077B1 |
Low SAR folded loop-shaped antenna
A low Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) gamma-folded loop-shaped antenna has a resonant structure including two arms connected to an elongated loop and has dual resonant elements in the 5 GHz WiFi band, dividing emissions in the 5 GHz bands between two emission hotspots. The elongated loop folds back upon itself 180 degrees. The antenna also may include a discontinuous transition in cross-sectional area tuned to boost emissions in the 2.4 GHz WiFi band. The antenna is designed for compact handheld devices that may be held close to a person's body, reducing the intensity of energy irradiated into the body in the 5 GHz band by distributing the energy across spatially-separated dual resonant elements. |
| US09350076B1 |
Wideband voltage-driven electrically-small loop antenna system and related method
An antenna system and related method are disclosed for an electrically small antenna of variable geometry capable of a harmonically pure resonant radiation pattern over a broadband coverage of frequency selection. One geometrical embodiment comprises a multiple loop antenna system is configured to radiate a switched signal via the multiple antenna elements to inhibit transmission of any of the harmonics of the signal. An additional geometrical embodiment comprises a cylindrical shell with one or more interior center conductors to overcome radiation resistance and radiate a signal pattern of desirable toroidal shape free from undesirable harmonics. |
| US09350072B2 |
Electronic apparatus for isolating signal generation device
An electronic apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes at least one signal generation device that generates a signal when power is supplied, a grounding plate in which a slot is formed, which grounds the signal generation device when the signal generation device is operated, and a blocking device interposed in the slot, which closes the slot, provides an output path of the signal, and blocks an inflow of the signal to the signal generation device when the signal generation device is operated. |
| US09350066B2 |
Antenna unit
This antenna unit comprises an antenna having a radiating front surface, a back surface and a lateral outline having at least one electric field reinforcing region. It is characterized in that it further comprises a device protecting the antenna from lightning, having an internal surface at least partially capping the lateral outline of said antenna by being in electrical contact with said lateral outline, said internal surface covering the or each electric field reinforcing region, said protecting device having a curved external surface opposite said internal surface. |
| US09350064B2 |
Power division and recombination network with internal signal adjustment
A power division and recombination network with internal signal adjustment (“PDRN”) is described. The PDRN may include a means for dividing an input power signal having a first amplitude value into eight intermediate power signals, where each intermediate power signal has an intermediate amplitude value equal to approximately one-eighth the first amplitude value. The PDRN may also include a means for processing the intermediate power signals and a means for combining the intermediate power signal into a single output power signal. |
| US09350063B2 |
Dielectric waveguide with non-planar interface surface and mating deformable material
A dielectric wave guide (DWG) has a dielectric core member having that has a first dielectric constant value. A cladding surrounding the dielectric core member has a second dielectric constant value that is lower than the first dielectric constant. A mating end of the DWG is configured in a non-planer shape for mating with a second DWG having a matching non-planar shaped mating end. |
| US09350060B2 |
Combline-cavity duplexer, duplexing apparatus, and antenna system for frequency division duplexing operation
The present disclosure relates to microwave cavity filters used in cellular communication systems. More specifically, in one aspect, the present disclosure relates to the integration of combline cavity filters directly with antenna elements without galvanic connections. In another aspect, the present disclosure relates methods for loading combline filters without contact. |
| US09350058B2 |
Air cell and assembled battery using the same
An air cell includes a positive electrode layer, an electrolyte layer stacked on the positive electrode layer, a negative electrode layer stacked on the electrolyte layer and an electroconductive liquid-tight ventilation layer stacked on the positive electrode layer, the electroconductive liquid-tight ventilation layer being positioned on the opposite side of the positive electrode from the electrolyte layer. The assembled battery is provided with a plurality of the air cells described above. The assembled battery is provided with a flow path through which oxygen-containing gas flows interposed between the electrically-conductive liquid-tight ventilation layer of a first air cell and the negative electrode layer of a second air cell adjacent to the first air cell. The first air cell is electrically connected to the negative electrode layer of the second air cell via the electrically-conductive liquid-tight ventilation layer. |
| US09350056B2 |
Heat managing unit of high-voltage battery and high-voltage battery including the same
Disclosed herein are a heat managing unit of a high-voltage battery and a high-voltage battery including the heat managing unit. The heat managing unit of a high-voltage battery includes: insertion heat pipes interposed between overlapped battery cells and having contact parts formed by bending upper end portions in a horizontal direction in a state in which the upper end portions are exposed; a conduction plate surface-contacting the contact parts of the insertion heat pipes to be thermally connected to the insertion heat pipes; a thermoelectric element having an air conditioning surface and a heat radiating surface, thermally connected to the conduction plate by the air conditioning surface surface-contacting the conduction plate, and cooling or heating the conduction plate through the air conditioning surface; and a heat sink surface-contacting the heat radiating surface of the thermoelectric element to be thermally connected to the heat radiating surface. |
| US09350054B2 |
Electric energy store
An electric energy store having a thermally insulated chamber that has a process gas inlet and a process gas outlet is provided. The thermally insulated chamber is equipped with at least two stacks, each of which has at least one electrochemical storing cell, and each stack has a process gas inlet and a process gas outlet. The at least two stacks are serially connected with respect to the process gas flow. |
| US09350053B2 |
Energy storage device with heating device and method for heating energy cells of an energy storage device
The invention relates to an energy storage device (1) for generating an n-phase supply voltage for an electric machine (2), wherein n≧1, with n energy supply branches which are connected in parallel and which can each be connected to one of n phase conductors (2a, 2b, 2c), wherein each of the energy supply branches has a large number of energy storage modules (1a, 1b) which are connected in series and which each comprise: an energy storage cell module (5, 7) which has at least one energy storage cell (5a, 7a) and a coupling device (3), which is designed to connect the energy storage cell module (5, 7) selectively into the respective energy supply branch or to bridge said energy storage cell module, wherein in each case at least one of the energy storage modules (1b) also has in each case one heating element (8) for the at least one energy storage cell (7a); and a heating device (9), which is connected to the heating elements (8) and which is designed to actuate the heating elements (8) for heating the energy storage cells (7a) in the groups of energy storage modules (1b). |
| US09350042B2 |
Nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery
The nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes a wound electrode body in which a positive and a negative electrode plates are wound with a separator therebetween and an air gap portion is formed at the winding axis center. A negative electrode collector tab is joined to a negative electrode exposed portion on the winding start side. This collector tab is bent so as to be touched and joined to the inside bottom portion of a battery exterior can at the position corresponding to the air gap portion. In a plan view, the air gap portion of is formed in a shape having an arc portion and a chord portion. In a plan view, the negative electrode collector tab is made to be linear along the chord portion of the negative electrode exposed portion on the winding start side, and is joined to the negative electrode exposed portion at this chord portion. |
| US09350039B2 |
Flow battery with two-phase storage
A flow battery includes at least one cell that has a first electrode, a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode, and an electrolyte separator layer arranged between the first electrode and the second electrode. A reactant material is stored within a storage portion and selectively delivered to the at last one cell. At least one reactant material is present in a solid phase in the storage portion and is present in a liquid phase in the at least one cell. |
| US09350035B2 |
Cross-linked polymer electrolyte membranes
Crosslinked polymers are produced by polymerizing a styrene-based comonomer with a bifunctional styrenated crosslinkable monomer comprising the following straight chain formula: CH2═CH—C6H4—CH2—(OCH2CH2)n—O—CH2—C6H4—CH═CH2. The styrenated crosslinkable monomer can be produced from a two arm polyethylene glycol having a molecular weight between 200 g/mol and 35,000 g/mol. The styrenated crosslinkable monomer can also be produced from a two arm polyethylene oxide having a molecular weight between 100 kg/mol and 800 kg/mol. The styrenated crosslinkable monomer can also be produced from a four arm polyethylene glycol. Polymer electrolyte membranes are produced from the crosslinked polymers. |
| US09350033B2 |
Fuel cell system
A fuel cell system includes a cathode gas supply unit, a cathode pressure detection unit, a fuel cell temperature detection unit configured to detect a temperature of the fuel cell, an internal resistance detection unit configured to detect an internal resistance of the fuel cell, a target cathode flow rate calculation unit configured to calculate a target cathode flow rate necessary for supply to the fuel cell based on an operating state of the fuel cell system, a cathode flow rate estimation unit configured to estimate a flow rate of the cathode gas according to the pressure of the cathode gas, the temperature of the fuel cell and the internal resistance of the fuel cell, and a cathode flow rate control unit configured to control the cathode gas supply unit based on the target cathode flow rate and the estimated flow rate of the cathode gas. |
| US09350031B2 |
Fuel cell stack having a plurality of modules
A fuel cell stack having a plurality of connected modules. Each module includes an elongate hollow member and at least one passage extending through the hollow member. Each hollow member has a first flat surface and a second flat surface arranged parallel to the first flat surface. A first module includes a plurality of fuel cells arranged on at least one of the first and second flat surfaces. A first end of each module has an integral spacer and the modules are connected by the spacer of a first module contacting a second end of a second module. |
| US09350027B2 |
Sealing structure and fuel cell having the sealing structure
A sealing structure includes: components (1, 2, 11, 16, 21, 22, 33, 34, 44, 51, 52, 61, 62) respectively having sealing surfaces (8, 9, 14, 17, 30, 31, 42, 43, 49, 71, 72) on surfaces thereof facing each other; and a seal member (3, 18, 25, 37, 46, 50, 55, 65, 104, 105, 106, 140, 240) interposed between the sealing surfaces to make the sealing surfaces closely adhere to each other, and at least a hard carbon film (6, 7, 13, 28, 29, 40, 41, 48, 53, 54, 66, 67, 108, 120, 130, 220, 230, 320, 330, 430) is formed on one or both of the sealing surfaces. |
| US09350024B2 |
Lead-carbon battery current collector shielding with ported packets
Provided is an activated carbon lead energy storage/battery containing an improved negative activated electrode packet exhibiting substantially reduced resistance with ported paraffin impregnated expanded graphite foil shielding overlying a cutaway notch in the underlying current collector to permit sulfuric acid electrolyte infiltration. |
| US09350019B2 |
Nonaqueous secondary battery and method of using the same
A nonaqueous secondary battery having a positive electrode having a positive electrode mixture layer, a negative electrode, and a nonaqueous electrolyte, in which the positive electrode contains, as an active material, a lithium-containing transition metal oxide containing a metal element selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ti, Zr, Ge, Nb, Al and Sn, the positive electrode mixture layer has a density of 3.5 g/cm3 or larger, and the nonaqueous electrolyte contains a compound having two or more nitrile groups in the molecule. |
| US09350015B2 |
Anode active material, anode and lithium battery including the material, and method of preparing the material
In one aspect, an anode active material is provided. The anode active material may include a crystalline carbon-based material that includes a core having a lattice spacing d002 of about 0.35 nm or more, and titanium-based oxide particles. |
| US09350014B2 |
Nanoscale nickel-based catalytic material
The performance of an ABx type metal hydride alloy is improved by adding an element to the alloy which element is operative to enhance the surface area morphology of the alloy. The alloy may include surface regions of differing morphologies. |
| US09350013B2 |
Method for producing electrode assembly
A method for producing an electrode assembly includes: obtaining a porous active material molded body by molding a constituent material containing a lithium multiple oxide in the form of particles by compression, and then performing a heat treatment at a temperature of 850° C. or higher and lower than the melting point of the used lithium multiple oxide; forming a solid electrolyte layer by applying a liquid containing a constituent material of an inorganic solid electrolyte to the surface of the active material molded body including the inside of each pore of the active material molded body, and then performing a heat treatment; and bonding a current collector to the active material molded body exposed from the solid electrolyte layer. |
| US09350008B2 |
Automobile cell and related method
An automobile cell is provided with an electric power generating element composed of a positive electrode having a positive electrode active substance layer, a negative electrode having a negative electrode active substance layer and a separator interposed between the electrodes, a cell outer sheath made of a laminate film compositely composed of polymer and metal, a positive electrode terminal lead electrically conductive with the positive electrode and extending to an outside of the cell outer sheath, and a negative electrode terminal lead electrically conductive with the negative electrode and extending to the outside of the cell outer sheath. The positive electrode and the negative electrode associated therewith via the separator defines a unit electrode, and the relationship between a thickness of the automobile cell and a sum of a thickness of the positive electrode active substance layer and a thickness of the negative electrode active substance layer of the unit electrodes, is defined such that a value obtained by dividing the former by the latter is equal to or less than 80. |
| US09350003B2 |
Battery module with fixing and burglarproof functions
A battery module for an electric vehicle includes an external case, a battery box, a fixing mechanism, and a rotatable pull tab. The external case is fixed in the electric vehicle, and includes an accommodation space and a first fixing part. The battery box is detachably installed in the accommodation space. The fixing mechanism is disposed on the battery box. When the battery box is installed in the accommodation space, the fixing mechanism engages or disengages the first fixing part to selectively lock or unlock the battery box. When the battery box is locked, the battery box is securely fixed in the accommodation space. When the battery box is unlocked, the battery box is removable from the accommodation space. The rotatable pull tab is detachably inserted into the fixing mechanism. By rotating the rotatable pull tab the battery box is selectively locked or unlocked. |
| US09350002B2 |
Thermal management of a battery system
A battery module includes a plurality of electrochemical cells arranged within the battery module and a thermal management system configured to provide thermal management to the plurality of electrochemical cells. The thermal management system includes a first thermal plate provided adjacent a first side of the battery module and a second thermal plate provided adjacent a second side of the battery module opposite that of the first side of the battery module. The first thermal plate includes a series of fins that extend from a surface of the first thermal plate from the first side of the battery module to the second side of the battery module. The second thermal plate comprises a series of fins that extend from a surface of the second thermal plate from the second side of the battery module to the first side of the battery module. |
| US09350001B2 |
Battery pack for a lithium polymer Battery
A polymer battery pack assembly comprising a mounting frame having a first cavity defining a first mounting location and a second cavity defining a second mounting location, the first and second cavities being separated from each other; a top case mounted on the second mounting location, the top case having a third cavity defining a third mounting location; a lithium polymer battery cell mounted within the first mounting location, the battery cell having a positive tap and a negative tap extending beyond the first cavity towards the second mounting location; and a protection circuit module mounted in the third mounting location, the protection circuit module being electrically connected to the positive tap and the negative tap when the top case is mounted to the mounting frame such that the protection circuit module fits into said second cavity. |
| US09349994B2 |
Light emitting device with improved internal out-coupling and method of providing the same
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a light emitting device with improved internal out-coupling by providing an intermediate layer (11) with a modulated surface. This is achieved by exposure of a flat glass surface (100) to a saturated etching fluid or by providing local changes in the chemical surface composition of the glass substrate or by depositing locally separated sub-μm particles. By removal of the etching fluid, either ultrafine particles (12) are deposited or defects are generated consisting of glass component areas of sub^m-size extension with a high sticking coefficient with respect to the species deposited later on from the gas phase. These ultrafine particles or defects induce locally different growth by different sticking coefficients, with preferential columnar cone shaped growth, leading to small bumps (14) on the top surface of the intermediate layer (11), which are then over-coated with the layers (200) of the light emitting element and induce sufficient scattering by subsequent reflections. |
| US09349993B2 |
Film for improving color display and method for manufacturing the same, and display apparatus including improved color display film
Provided are a color display film, a method for manufacturing the same, and a display apparatus including the color display film. The color display film includes a base material layer, a high-refractive light diffusion layer including a light diffuser, a high-refractive resin layer, and a low-refractive resin layer on which an optical pattern is formed. The method for manufacturing a color display film includes forming a high-refractive light diffusion layer by coating a resin comprising a diffuser on one surface of a base material layer and hardening the resin, forming a high-refractive resin layer, in which optical patterns are formed, on one surface of the high-refractive light diffusion layer, and forming a low-refractive resin layer having optical patterns formed on one surface thereof by coating a low-refractive transparent resin on a surface of the high-refractive resin layer in which the optical patterns are formed and hardening the resin. |
| US09349992B2 |
Methods of forming an organic scattering layer, an organic light emitting diode with the scattering layer, and a method of fabricating the organic light emitting
Provided is a method of fabricating an organic scattering layer. The method may include providing a deposition apparatus with a reaction chamber and a source chamber, loading a substrate in the reaction chamber, supplying carrier gas into the source chamber that may be configured to supply an evaporated organic source material into the reaction chamber, a temperature of the carrier gas ranging from 25° C. to 50° C., and spraying the carrier gas and the evaporated organic source material into the reaction chamber through a showerhead to deposit an organic scattering layer on the substrate, the organic scattering layer including organic particles, which may be provided in a molecularized form of the evaporated organic source material, and thereby having an uneven surface. |
| US09349990B2 |
Light emitting unit, light emitting device, and lighting device
The light-emitting unit has at least a first light-emitting element, a second light-emitting element, and a separation layer. The separation layer has a leg portion and a stage portion which protrudes outside of a bottom surface of the leg portion over the leg portion. An upper electrode of the first light-emitting element is electrically connected to a lower electrode of the second light-emitting element in a region where the upper electrode and the lower electrode overlap with the stage portion of the separation layer. By providing the separation layer, the light-emitting unit can be formed without using a metal mask. The upper electrode can be a composite material including an organic compound and a metal oxide or a stacked layer of the composite material and a metal material or a light-transmitting conductive material. |
| US09349985B2 |
Display device
A display device includes a circuit substrate that is formed of a plurality of layers including a light control element; a counter substrate that faces a surface of the circuit substrate on which the light control element is disposed, with a gap therebetween; a seal that is disposed between the circuit substrate and the counter substrate to surround the light control element; and a filler with which a sealed space surrounded by at least the circuit substrate, the counter substrate, and a sealing surface of the seal is filled. The sealing surface includes internal angle corner surfaces formed by an inner surface of the seal, and a convex surface formed adjacent to the corner surfaces from at least one of the circuit substrate, the counter substrate, and the seal. |
| US09349983B2 |
Display panel and organic light emitting display device comprising the same
A display panel including: a first substrate; a second substrate opposing the first substrate; a sealing substructure on the first substrate, the sealing substructure surrounding a display unit having a plurality of pixels, the sealing substructure including a metal mesh layer having a mesh shape; and a sealing member between the sealing substructure and the second substrate to seal between the first substrate and the second substrate. |
| US09349981B2 |
Substrate for organic electronic device
Provided are a substrate for an organic electronic device (OED), an organic electronic system, a method of manufacturing the substrate or the system, and lighting. The substrate for an OED may be increased in durability by preventing penetration of an external material such as moisture or oxygen, and thus an organic electronic system having excellent light extraction efficiency may be formed. In addition, since the substrate may be stably attached to an encapsulating structure sealing the organic electronic system, the device may have excellent durability with respect to abrasion of an electrode layer or pressure applied from an external environment. In addition, a surface hardness of an external terminal of the organic electronic system may be maintained at a suitable level. |
| US09349980B2 |
Scattering film for organic EL and organic EL light emitting device using same
There is provided a scattering film that can be used in organic EL light emitting devices and that not only improves efficiency for light utilization and improves viewing angle dependency, which have conventionally been problems, but also can solve the problem of reflection when lights-off. This scattering film for organic EL is used in organic EL light emitting devices. The scattering film comprises a scattering layer that includes a binder resin and particles having a refractive index different from the binder resin. The average particle size of the particles is 10 μm or less, and the coefficient of variation of the average particle size for the particles is 30% or greater. |
| US09349977B2 |
Light-emitting device having mixed layer including hole transporting compound
A light-emitting device includes a transistor over a substrate and an insulating film over the transistor. The light-emitting device further includes a wiring over the insulating film and a light-emitting element. The insulating film includes a first opening and a second opening, and the wiring is electrically connected to the transistor through the first opening. The light-emitting element is provided in the second opening, and includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and an organic compound layer provided between the first electrode and the second electrode. |
| US09349972B2 |
Photodetector having a built-in means for concentrating visible radiation and corresponding array
An organic photodetector comprising a first electrode (11 to 31) that is plane and formed on a substrate (10 to 30) that is plane, a convex active layer (12 to 32) formed on the first electrode, and a second electrode (13 to 33) formed on the active layer, means for concentrating light radiation in the active layer being incorporated in the photodetector. |
| US09349968B2 |
Organic metal complex and organic electroluminescence device using the complex
To provide an organic electroluminescence device that emits blue light and is excellent in luminescence properties (in particular, external quantum yield), and provide an organic metal complex including xanthone in a ligand of the following formula (1). |
| US09349965B2 |
Photoelectric conversion material, film containing the material, photoelectric conversion device, method for preparing photoelectric conversion device, method for using photoelectric conversion device, photosensor and imaging device
There is provided a compound represented by a specific formula, which has an absorption maximum at 400 nm or more and less than 720 nm in a UV-visible absorption spectrum, wherein a molar extinction coefficient is 10,000 mol−1·l·cm−1 or more at the absorption maximum wavelength, and a difference between a melting point and a deposition temperature (a melting point−a deposition temperature) is 31° C. or more. |
| US09349964B2 |
Organic light emitting diode and manufacturing method thereof
The present invention relates to a heat emitting body comprising a transparent board, a bus bar, a power supply connected to the bus bar, a heat emitting pattern line provided on the transparent board and electrically connected to the bus bar, and a non-heat emitting pattern line provided on the transparent board and not electrically connected to the bus bar, and a method for manufacturing the same. |
| US09349962B2 |
Composition for an active layer or electrode of photovoltaic cells
A composition including a graft copolymer, having: a linear trunk including at least one non-aromatic vinyl polymer or an unsaturated polyolefin; and at least two grafts attached to said trunk via a chemical bond, each graft having a conjugated polymer, characterized in that said composition further includes: fullerenes and a conjugated polymer; or carbon and/or graphene nanotubes. Also, a photovoltaic module incorporating such a composition, and to the use of said composition for the same purposes. Finally, methods for synthesizing the molecules forming all or part of the composition. |
| US09349960B2 |
Compounds and polymers which contain substituted indenofluorene derivatives as structural unit, process for the preparation thereof, and the use thereof as electronic devices and mixtures and solutions
The present invention relates to polymers which contain substituted indenofluorene derivatives as structural unit, to substituted indenofluorene derivatives, to a process for the preparation of the polymers according to the invention, to mixtures and solutions which comprise the polymers according to the invention, and to the use of the polymers according to the invention in electronic devices, in particular in organic electroluminescent devices, so-called OLEDs (OLED=organic light emitting diode). |
| US09349959B2 |
Method of manufacturing a polymer molecular film
The present invention provides a polymer molecular film, a photo-electronic element comprising the same and method for manufacturing the same. The polymer molecular film of the invention is formed via a deformation process on a substrate. Particularly, the polymer molecular film includes a plurality of conjugated polymers, therein at least one of the conjugated polymers has a stretched molecular structure. As a result, the photo-electronic element having said polymer molecular film performs with good lighting or power generating efficiency. |
| US09349958B2 |
Use of zwitterionic molecules for forming a hole or electron transport layer
The invention relates to the use of zwitterionic molecules for forming a hole or electron transport layer. The preferred zwitterionic molecules of the invention are derivatives of p-benzoquinonemonoimines. The invention is useful in the field of electronic devices in particular. |
| US09349957B2 |
Method for forming OLED devices with patterned hole or electron transport layers
An organic light emitting display device includes a hole transport layer (HTL) having a first region and a second region, an emitting layer (EML) disposed on the hole transport layer in the first region, a hydrophobic pattern disposed on the hole transport layer in the second region and an electron transport layer (ETL) disposed on the hydrophobic pattern and the emitting layer. |
| US09349952B1 |
Methods for fabricating a memory device with an enlarged space between neighboring bottom electrodes
Embodiments of the present invention describe a method for fabricating a memory device comprising an enlarged space between neighboring bottom electrodes comprising depositing a poly-silicon layer on a substrate depositing a carbon layer above the poly-silicon layer, patterning a photo-resist layer on the carbon layer, depositing a first spacer layer on the photo-resist layer and performing a modified photolithography process on the photo resist layer after etching back the spacer layer creating sidewalls. |
| US09349951B2 |
Phase change memory cell
A phase change memory cell includes a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit includes a first electrode, a carbon nanotube wire and a second electrode electrically connected in series; wherein the first circuit is adapted to write data into the phase change memory cell or reset the phase change memory cell. The second circuit includes a third electrode, a phase change layer, the carbon nanotube wire, and the first electrode or the second electrode electrically connected in series, wherein the second circuit is adapted to read data from the phase change memory cell or reset the phase change memory cell, the carbon nanotube wire includes a bending portion, the third electrode is spaced from the bending portion, and the phase change layer covers the bending portion of the carbon nanotube wire. |
| US09349949B2 |
Horizontally oriented and vertically stacked memory cells
Horizontally oriented and vertically stacked memory cells are described herein. One or more method embodiments include forming a vertical stack having a first insulator material, a first memory cell material on the first insulator material, a second insulator material on the first memory cell material, a second memory cell material on the second insulator material, and a third insulator material on the second memory cell material, forming an electrode adjacent a first side of the first memory cell material and a first side of the second memory cell material, and forming an electrode adjacent a second side of the first memory cell material and a second side of the second memory cell material. |
| US09349948B2 |
Non-volatile variable resistive element, controlling device and storage device
A non-volatile variable resistive element according to an embodiment comprises a first electrode including a first metal, a second electrode including a second metal, a third electrode placed opposite to the first and second electrodes, and a variable resistive layer placed between the first and second electrodes and the third electrode, a resistance of the variable resistive layer reducing when at least either one of the first metal and the second metal is diffused into the variable resistive layer and the resistance of the variable resistive layer rising when at least either one of the first metal and the second metal diffused into the variable resistive layer is collected by the first electrode or the second electrode. |
| US09349942B2 |
Semiconductor device having magnetic shield layer surrounding MRAM chip
A semiconductor device includes a MRAM chip including a semiconductor substrate and a memory cell array area includes magnetoresistive elements which are provided on the semiconductor substrate, and a magnetic shield layer surrounding the memory cell array area in a circumferential direction of the MRAM chip, and having a closed magnetic path. |
| US09349941B2 |
STTMRAM element having multiple perpendicular MTJs coupled in series
The present invention is directed to a multi-state current-switching magnetic memory element configured to store a state by current flowing therethrough to switch the state. The magnetic memory element includes a stack of two or more magnetic tunneling junctions (MTJs) with each MTJ including a free layer with a switchable magnetic orientation perpendicular to a layer plane thereof, a barrier layer, and a fixed layer with a fixed magnetic orientation perpendicular to a layer plane thereof. Each MTJ is separated from other MTJs in the stack by at least an isolation layer. The stack of MTJs may store more than one bit of information. The free layer of each MTJ has a switching current threshold different from free layers of other MTJs in the stack. |
| US09349939B2 |
Etch-resistant protective coating for a magnetic tunnel junction device
A method of forming a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device includes forming a spacer on an exposed side portion of the MTJ device. The method further includes forming an etch-resistant protective coating associated with the MTJ device. The etch-resistant protective coating provides greater etch resistance than the spacer. |
| US09349938B2 |
Atomic layer deposition encapsulation for acoustic wave devices
Acoustic wave devices and methods of coating a protective film of alumina (Al2O3) on the acoustic wave devices are disclosed herein. The protective film is applied through an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process. The ALD process can deposit very thin layers of alumina on the surface of the acoustic wave devices in a precisely controlled manner. Thus, the uniform film does not significantly distort the operation of the acoustic wave device. |
| US09349932B2 |
Flexible lighting assembly, a luminaire, and a method of manufacturing a flexible layer
A flexible lighting assembly 100, a luminaire, a method of manufacturing a flexible layer 102 and a use of the flexible layer 102 is provided. The flexible lighting assembly 100 comprises a flexible layer 102 of a flexible polymer and comprises aC light source 108 which is thermally coupled to the flexible layer 102. The flexible layer 102 comprises boron nitride particles 106 that have a hexagonal crystal structure. |
| US09349930B2 |
LED module and lighting assembly
Disclosed are a light emitting diode (LED) module and a lighting assembly. The lighting assembly comprises a light emitting device, a driver integrated circuit device for driving the light emitting device, a heat sink for dissipating heat generated from the light emitting device, and a heat shielding portion for blocking thermal interference between the driver integrated circuit device and the light emitting device. In the LED module, the driver integrated circuit device is disposed on the heat shielding portion. Accordingly, it is possible to block thermal interference between the light emitting device and the driver integrated circuit device and to decrease the size of the lighting assembly. |
| US09349926B2 |
Light emitting module
There are provided a light emitting module including a luminescent material layer (15) which is disposed so as to cover a light emitting surface (13a) of a semiconductor light emitting element (13) and which changes a wavelength of at least part of light emitted from the semiconductor light emitting element, and a light shielding wall (16) which surrounds the semiconductor light emitting element and the luminescent material layer from the circumference thereof, and the luminescent material layer is bonded to the semiconductor light emitting element and the light shielding wall with a bonding resin (23) having a light transmittivity, a distal end portion of the light shielding wall is caused to project further forwards than the luminescent material layer, and a transparent resin (24) is applied so as to cover an exposed surface (20a) of a distal end portion (21) of the light shielding wall. |
| US09349923B2 |
Light-emitting diode package
Disclosed is a light-emitting diode package according to an embodiment, including; a body having a cavity formed therein, a lead frame placed in the cavity; and a light emitting diode electrically connected to the lead frame while having a slope angle relative to the bottom surface of the cavity, wherein a light emitting part and a non-light emitting part are present on the light emitting diode, and wherein a connection part is provided in a region of the cavity to be connected to at least a region of the non-light emitting part. |
| US09349911B2 |
Method for manufacturing a monolithic LED micro-display on an active matrix panel using flip-chip technology
A high-resolution, Active Matrix (AM) programmed monolithic Light Emitting Diode (LED) micro-array is fabricated using flip-chip technology. The fabrication process includes fabrications of an LED micro-array and an AM panel, and combining the resulting LED micro-array and AM panel using the flip-chip technology. The LED micro-array is grown and fabricated on a sapphire substrate and the AM panel can be fabricated using CMOS process. LED pixels in a same row share a common N-bus line that is connected to the ground of AM panel while p-electrodes of the LED pixels are electrically separated such that each p-electrode is independently connected to an output of drive circuits mounted on the AM panel. The LED micro-array is flip-chip bonded to the AM panel so that the AM panel controls the LED pixels individually and the LED pixels exhibit excellent emission uniformity. According to this constitution, incompatibility between the LED process and the CMOS process can be eliminated. |
| US09349910B2 |
Staggered composition quantum well method and device
A light emitting device comprising a staggered composition quantum well (QW) has a step-function-like profile in the QW, which provides higher radiative efficiency and optical gain by providing improved electron-hole wavefunction overlap. The staggered QW includes adjacent layers having distinctly different compositions. The staggered QW has adjacent layers Xn, wherein X is a quantum well component and in one quantum well layer n is a material composition selected for emission at a first target light regime, and in at least one other quantum well layer n is a distinctly different composition for emission at a different target light regime. X may be an In-content layer and the multiple Xn-containing layers provide a step function In-content profile. |
| US09349908B2 |
Method for manufacturing semiconductor light-emitting element
Provided are a highly reliable semiconductor light-emitting element having uniform protrusions that are arranged regularly and have the same size and a method of producing the same. The method of producing a semiconductor light-emitting element according to the present invention includes: forming a mask layer having a plurality of openings that are arranged at equal intervals along a crystal axis of a semiconductor structure layer on the surface of the semiconductor structure layer; performing a plasma treatment on the surface of the semiconductor structure layer exposed from the openings in the mask layer; removing the mask layer; and wet-etching the surface of the semiconductor structure layer to form protrusions on the surface of the semiconductor structure layer. |
| US09349901B2 |
Solar cell apparatus and method of fabricating the same
A solar cell apparatus according to the embodiment includes a support substrate; a back electrode layer on the support layer; a light absorbing layer on the back electrode layer; a first buffer layer having first conductivity on the light absorbing layer; a second buffer layer having second conductivity on the first buffer layer; and a window layer on the second buffer layer. |
| US09349898B2 |
Optical system provided with aspherical lens for generating electrical energy in a photovoltaic way
Disclosed is an optical system for concentrating effective light the wavelength whereof is comprised between two limit values (λi, λs), comprising: an aspheric lens adapted for receiving and refracting the sunlight and provided with a convex lower portion defining a lower face with curved profile consisting of a predetermined number of curvatures with common tangency points in the contact points between two contiguous curvatures and which therefore provides for different focal points, each one corresponding to a wavelength value of effective light, comprised within the range defined by two focal points (fi, fs) respectively corresponding to said limit values (λi, λs); an optical manifold with tapered shape, internally hollow and provided with an internal reflecting surface; said manifold extending from a larger base, facing said lower portion of the aspheric lens, to a smaller base and being adapted for receiving the effective light therein, focused by said aspheric lens, and for reflecting the effective light portion that does not directly hit the receiving surface interfaced with the smaller base of said optical manifold; and a photovoltaic cell facing the smaller base of the manifold and provided with a predetermined number of respectively superimposed layers, each layer being intended for absorbing light rays of predetermined wavelengths coming from a corresponding capture area of the aspheric lens and/or from the manifold, so as to have on said photovoltaic cell, a distribution of light energy with a predetermined homogeneity level. |
| US09349896B2 |
Solar battery, method for manufacturing solar battery, method for manufacturing solar cell module, and solar cell module
The present invention provides a solar battery including a solar cell; a wiring substrate having a wire to be electrically connected to an electrode provided in the solar cell; and an adhesive agent for adhering the solar cell and the wiring substrate to each other. The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing the solar battery, a method for manufacturing a solar cell module using the solar battery, and the solar cell module. |
| US09349892B2 |
Solar cell module
A solar cell module includes a solar cell panel which includes multiple solar cells, a bus bar being disposed at a side of the solar cell panel, an external interconnection cable including a bypass diode, and connected to the bus bar, and a case including an inner space for accommodating the solar cell panel and the external interconnection cable. |
| US09349891B2 |
Submicron gap thermophotovoltaic structure and fabrication method
An MTPV thermophotovoltaic chip comprising a photovoltaic cell substrate, micron/sub-micron gap-spaced from a juxtaposed heat or infrared radiation-emitting substrate, with a radiation-transparent intermediate window substrate preferably compliantly adhered to the photovoltaic cell substrate and bounding the gap space therewith. |
| US09349877B1 |
Nitridation oxidation of tunneling layer for improved SONOS speed and retention
A nonvolatile trapped-charge memory device and method of fabricating the same are described. Generally, the memory device includes a tunneling layer on a substrate, a charge trapping layer on the tunneling layer, and a blocking layer on the charge trapping layer. The tunneling layer includes a nitrided oxide film formed by annealling an oxide grown on the substrate using a nitrogen source. The tunneling layer comprises a first region proximate to the substrate, and a second region proximate to the charge trapping layer, and wherein the nitrogen concentration decreases from a first interface between the second region and the charge trapping layer to a second interface between the first region and the substrate to reduce nitrogen trap density at the second interface. Other embodiments are also described. |
| US09349871B2 |
Semiconductor device
A transistor is provided in which the bottom surface portion of an oxide semiconductor film is provided with a metal oxide film containing a constituent similar to that of the oxide semiconductor film, and an insulating film containing a different constituent from the metal oxide film and the oxide semiconductor film is formed in contact with a surface of the metal oxide film, which is opposite to the surface in contact with the oxide semiconductor film. In addition, the oxide semiconductor film used for the active layer of the transistor is an oxide semiconductor film highly purified to be electrically i-type (intrinsic) through heat treatment in which impurities such as hydrogen, moisture, hydroxyl, and hydride are removed from the oxide semiconductor and oxygen which is one of main component materials of the oxide semiconductor is supplied and is also reduced in a step of removing impurities. |
| US09349870B2 |
Method for forming low-temperature polysilicon thin film, thin film transistor and display device
A method for forming low-temperature polysilicon thin film, a thin film transistor and a display device are provided. The method for forming low-temperature polysilicon thin film comprises: depositing an amorphous silicon thin film on a base substrate; covering the amorphous silicon thin film with an anti-reflective optical film; performing photolithography and etching on the anti-reflective optical film such that light condensing structures are provided in an array on the anti-reflective optical film; and irradiating the amorphous silicon thin film with the anti-reflective optical film covered by laser light such that the amorphous silicon film is converted into the low-temperature polysilicon thin film. The method may improve the grain size and uniformity of the low-temperature polysilicon thin film, make full use of the energy of the incident laser light, facilitate the reduction of the production cost of the low-temperature polysilicon thin film, and improve the performance of the low-temperature polysilicon thin film transistor. |
| US09349860B1 |
Field effect transistors and methods of forming same
Semiconductor devices and methods of forming the same are provided. A semiconductor device includes a substrate, the substrate having a first source/drain feature and a second source/drain feature formed thereon. The semiconductor device further includes a first nanowire on the first source/drain feature and a second nanowire on the second source/drain feature, the first nanowire extending vertically from an upper surface of the first source/drain feature and the second nanowire extending vertically from an upper surface of the second source/drain feature. The semiconductor device further includes a third nanowire extending from an upper end of the first nanowire to an upper end of the second nanowire, wherein the first nanowire, the second nanowire and the third nanowire form a channel. |
| US09349859B1 |
Top metal pads as local interconnectors of vertical transistors
An integrated circuit structure includes a first vertical transistor and a second vertical transistor. The first vertical transistor includes a first semiconductor channel, a first top source/drain region over the first semiconductor channel, and a first top source/drain pad overlapping the first top source/drain region. The second vertical transistor includes a second semiconductor channel, a second top source/drain region over the second semiconductor channel, and a second top source/drain pad overlapping the second top source/drain region. A local interconnector interconnects the first top source/drain pad and the second top source/drain pad. The first top source/drain pad, the second top source/drain pad, and the local interconnector are portions of a continuous region, with no distinguishable interfaces between the first top source/drain pad, the second top source/drain pad, and the local interconnector. |
| US09349858B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of fabricating the same
Provided are a semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same. The semiconductor device comprises a first trench formed in a substrate; a first insulating film formed on sidewalls and a bottom surface of the first trench and not formed on a top surface of the substrate; and a first conductive film formed on the first insulating film to partially fill the first trench, wherein the first insulating film comprises a first portion which overlaps the first conductive film and a second portion which does not overlap the first conductive film, wherein the second portion comprises first fixed charges. |
| US09349850B2 |
Thermally tuning strain in semiconductor devices
A method includes performing a first epitaxy to grow a silicon germanium layer over a semiconductor substrate, performing a second epitaxy to grow a silicon layer over the silicon germanium layer, and performing a first oxidation to oxidize the silicon germanium layer, wherein first silicon germanium oxide regions are generated. A strain releasing operation is performed to release a strain caused by the first silicon germanium oxide regions. A gate dielectric is formed on a top surface and a sidewall of the silicon layer. A gate electrode is formed over the gate dielectric. |
| US09349848B2 |
Gateless switch with capacitively-coupled contacts
A switch includes an input contact and an output contact to a conducting channel. At least one of the input and output contacts is capacitively coupled to the conducting channel. A control contact is located outside of a region between the input and output contacts, and can be used to adjust the switch between on and off operating states. The switch can be implemented as a radio frequency switch in a circuit. |
| US09349844B2 |
Semiconductor device manufacturing method
The present invention makes it possible to lower the on resistance of a semiconductor element without hindering the function of a diffusion prevention film in a semiconductor device having the semiconductor element that uses a wire in a wiring layer as a gate electrode and has a gate insulation film in an identical layer to the diffusion prevention film. A first wire and a gate electrode are embedded into the surface layer of an insulation layer comprising a first wiring layer. A diffusion prevention film is formed between the first wiring layer and a second wiring layer. A gate insulation film is formed by: forming a recess over the upper face of the diffusion prevention film in the region overlapping with the gate electrode and around the region; and thinning the part. |
| US09349843B2 |
Method for manufacturing thin-film transistor
The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a thin-film transistor. The thin-film transistor has a bottom gate coplanar structure. The method includes the following steps: step (1): providing a substrate (20); step (2): forming a gate terminal (22) on the substrate (20); step (3): forming a gate insulator layer (24) on the gate terminal (22) and the substrate (20); step (4): forming a source/drain terminal (26) on the gate insulator layer (24) and covering the source/drain terminal (26) with a photosensitive material layer (27); step (5): subjecting a surface of the gate insulator layer (24) to a plasma treatment; step (6): removing the photosensitive material layer (27) located on the source/drain terminal (26); and step (7): forming an oxide semiconductor layer (28) on the source/drain terminal (26) and the gate insulator layer (24) and patternizing the oxide semiconductor layer (28). The present invention applies a plasma treatment to a surface of the gate insulator layer to repair defects on an interface between the gate insulator layer and the oxide semiconductor layer so as to improve the electrical characteristics of the thin-film transistor. |
| US09349838B2 |
Semiconductor structure with deep trench thermal conduction
Diodes and resistors for integrated circuits are provided. Deep trenches (DTs) are integrated into the diodes and resistors for the purposes of thermal conduction. The deep trenches facilitate conduction of heat from a semiconductor-on-insulator substrate to a bulk substrate. Semiconductor fins may be formed to align with the deep trenches. |
| US09349835B2 |
Methods for replacing gate sidewall materials with a low-k spacer
A semiconductor device includes gates and a low-k spacer. The low-k spacer includes low-k spacer portions formed upon the gate sidewalls and a low-k spacer portion formed upon a top surface of an underlying substrate adjacent to the gates. When a structure has previously undergone a gate processing fabrication stage, the gates and at least a portion of the top surface of the substrate may be exposed thereby allowing the formation of the low-k spacer. This exposure may include removing any original gate spacers, removing an original liner formed upon the original spacers, and removing any original fill material formed upon the liner. |
| US09349832B1 |
Sacrificial silicon germanium channel for inversion oxide thickness scaling with mitigated work function roll-off and improved negative bias temperature instability
A technique relates to forming a transistor. A dummy gate is formed on a substrate with spacers on both sides. A source and a drain are formed in the substrate, where the source and the drain are positioned under the spacers. An interlayer dielectric is formed on top of the substrate, the spacers, and the dummy gate. The interlayer dielectric is planarized along with part of the spacers and the dummy gate. The dummy gate is removed, thereby leaving an opening. A sacrificial layer is deposited on top of the substrate in a bottom of the opening. The sacrificial layer includes at least one of silicon germanium and/or germanium. The sacrificial layer is removed from the substrate in the bottom of the opening, thereby growing an interfacial oxide layer on the substrate in the opening. A high-κ dielectric layer is deposited on top of the interfacial oxide layer. |
| US09349828B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor layer formed of a nitride semiconductor on a substrate; a second semiconductor layer formed of a nitride semiconductor on the first semiconductor layer; an insulating layer formed on the second semiconductor layer; a source electrode and a drain electrode formed on the second semiconductor layer; and a gate electrode formed on the insulating layer. The insulating layer is formed of a material including an oxide and is formed by laminating a first insulating layer and a second insulating layer in a positioning order of the first insulating layer followed by the second insulating layer from a side of the second semiconductor layer, and an amount of hydroxyl groups included in per unit volume of the first insulating layer is less than an amount of hydroxyl groups included in per unit volume of the second insulating layer. |
| US09349826B2 |
Semiconductor device and the method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device according to the invention includes p-type well region 3 and n+ source region 4, both formed selectively in the surface portion of n− drift region 2; trench 6 in contact with n+ source region 4 and extending through p-type well region 3 into n− drift region 2; field plate 8 formed in trench 6 with first insulator film 7 interposed between the trench 6 inner surface and field plate 8; gate electrode 10 formed in trench 6 with second insulator film 9 interposed between the trench 6 side wall and gate electrode 10, gate electrode 10 being formed above field plate 8; first insulator film 7 being thicker than second insulator film 9; and n−− lightly doped region 21 in n− drift region 2, n−− lightly doped region 21 crossing under the bottom surface of trench 6 from the corner portion thereof, n−− lightly doped region 21 covering the bottom surface of trench 6. The semiconductor device according to the invention and the method of manufacturing the semiconductor device according to the invention facilitate lowering the ON-state voltage, preventing the breakdown voltage from lowering, lowering the gate capacitance, and reducing the manufacturing costs. |
| US09349822B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same
A method for fabricating semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: providing a substrate having an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer thereon; forming a first recess, a second recess, and a third recess in the ILD layer; forming a material layer on the ILD layer and in the first recess, the second recess, and the third recess; performing a first treatment on the material layer in the first recess; and performing a second treatment on the material layer in the first recess and second recess. |
| US09349818B2 |
Metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor device having a drain side dummy contact
A MOS transistor device includes a substrate including a gate formed thereon, and a spacer being formed on a sidewall of the gate; a source region and a drain region formed in the substrate; and at least a first dummy contact formed above the substrate on a drain side of the gate. More important, the first dummy contact is formed apart from a surface of the substrate. |
| US09349817B2 |
Semiconductor device including spacers having different dimensions
Embodiments of the disclosure provide semiconductor device structures and methods of forming the same. The semiconductor device structure includes a metal gate over a substrate. A first spacer is formed over sidewalls of the metal gate and having a first height. A second spacer is formed over the sidewalls of the metal gate and having a second height. The first height is higher than the second height. The first spacer is farther from the sidewalls of the metal gate than the second spacer. In addition, the semiconductor device structure includes a dielectric layer formed over the substrate to surround the first spacer and the metal gate. |
| US09349815B2 |
Semiconductor structure and a fabricating method thereof
A gate structure is provided. The gate structure includes a substrate, a gate disposed on the substrate and a gate dielectric layer disposed between the substrate and the gate, wherein the gate dielectric layer is in the shape of a barbell. The barbell has a thin center connecting to two bulging ends. Part of the bulging ends extends into the gate and the substrate. |
| US09349814B2 |
Gate height uniformity in semiconductor devices
Methods of facilitating gate height uniformity by controlling recessing of dielectric material and semiconductor devices formed from the methods are provided. The methods include, for instance, forming a transistor of the semiconductor device with an n-type transistor and a p-type transistor, the n-type transistor and the p-type transistor including plurality of sacrificial gate structures and protective masks at upper surfaces of the plurality of sacrificial gate structures; providing a dielectric material over and between the plurality of sacrificial gate structures; partially densifying the dielectric material to form a partially densified dielectric material; further densifying the partially densified dielectric material to create a modified dielectric material; and creating substantially planar surface on the modified dielectric material, to control dielectric material recess and gate height. |
| US09349813B2 |
Method for fabricating semiconductor device
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming at least two gate patterns on a substrate, forming sidewalls surrounding the gate patterns, wherein the sidewalls extend above an upper surface of the gate patterns, and forming a first conducting material in a first space and a second space, wherein the first space is provided above the gate patterns and between the sidewalls that extend above the upper surface of the gate patterns and the second space is provided between the gate patterns. |
| US09349811B2 |
Field plate configuration of a semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a principal surface, and an insulating film formed on the principal surface and continuously covering a top surface of a first boundary region and a top surface of a second boundary region, the first boundary region including a boundary between a well layer and a RESURF layer, the second boundary region including a boundary between the RESURF layer and a first impurity region. The semiconductor device further includes a plurality of lower field plates formed in the insulating film in such a manner that the plurality of lower field plates do not lie directly above the first and second boundary regions, and a plurality of upper field plates formed on the insulating film in such a manner that the plurality of upper field plates do not lie directly above the first and second boundary regions. |
| US09349805B2 |
III-n device with dual gates and field plate
A semiconductor apparatus includes a substrate; a first semiconductor layer formed on the substrate and formed of a nitride semiconductor; a second semiconductor layer formed on the first semiconductor layer and formed of a nitride semiconductor; first and second gate electrodes, a source electrode, and a drain electrode formed on the second semiconductor layer; an interlayer insulation film formed on the second semiconductor layer; and a field plate formed on the interlayer insulation film. Further, the first gate electrode and the second gate electrode are formed between a region where the source electrode is formed and a region where the field plate is formed, an element isolation region is formed in the first and the second semiconductor layers which are between the first and the second gate electrodes, and the second gate electrode is electrically connected to the source electrode. |
| US09349803B2 |
Semiconductor graphene structures, semiconductor devices including such structures, and related methods
A semiconducting graphene structure may include a graphene material and a graphene-lattice matching material over at least a portion of the graphene material, wherein the graphene-lattice matching material has a lattice constant within about ±5% of a multiple of the lattice constant or bond length of the graphene material. The semiconducting graphene structure may have an energy band gap of at least about 0.5 eV. A method of modifying an energy band gap of a graphene material may include forming a graphene-lattice matching material over at least a portion of a graphene material, the graphene-lattice matching material having a lattice constant within about ±5% of a multiple of the lattice constant or bond length of the graphene material. |
| US09349799B2 |
Adjusting the charge carrier lifetime in a bipolar semiconductor device
Disclosed are a method and a semiconductor device. The method includes implanting recombination center atoms via a first surface into a semiconductor body, and causing the implanted recombination center atoms to diffuse in the semiconductor body in a first diffusion process. |
| US09349798B1 |
CMOS structures with selective tensile strained NFET fins and relaxed PFET fins
A method of forming CMOS structures with selective tensile strained NFET fins and relaxed PFET fins includes performing a first, partial fin etch on a tensile strained silicon layer of a semiconductor substrate; selectively oxidizing bottom surfaces of the tensile strained silicon layer in a PFET region of the semiconductor substrate, thereby causing PFET silicon fins defined in the PFET region to become relaxed; and performing a second fin etch to define NFET silicon fins in an NFET region of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the NFET silicon fins remain tensile strained. |
| US09349796B2 |
Nanotube semiconductor devices
Semiconductor devices includes a thin epitaxial layer (nanotube) formed on sidewalls of mesas formed in a semiconductor layer. In one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a first epitaxial layer and a second epitaxial layer formed on mesas of the semiconductor layer. The thicknesses and doping concentrations of the first and second epitaxial layers and the mesa are selected to achieve charge balance in operation. In another embodiment, the semiconductor body is lightly doped and the thicknesses and doping concentrations of the first and second epitaxial layers are selected to achieve charge balance in operation. |
| US09349793B2 |
Semiconductor structure with airgap
A field effect transistor (FET) with an underlying airgap and methods of manufacture are disclosed. The method includes forming an amorphous layer at a predetermined depth of a substrate. The method further includes forming an airgap in the substrate under the amorphous layer. The method further includes forming a completely isolated transistor in an active region of the substrate, above the amorphous layer and the airgap. |
| US09349784B2 |
Organic light-emitting display apparatus and method of manufacturing the same
An organic light-emitting display apparatus includes: a substrate; a thin film transistor formed on the substrate; a pixel electrode connected to at least one of the source or drain electrodes; a pixel-defining layer having a first opening exposing at least a portion of the pixel electrode and a second opening adjacent to the first opening; an intermediate layer formed on the pixel electrode, including an organic emission layer, and having a first hole corresponding to the second opening; an opposite electrode formed on the intermediate layer; and first and second auxiliary electrodes formed below the pixel-defining layer, at least portions of the first and second auxiliary electrodes are exposed through the second opening, where ends of the first and second auxiliary electrodes are spaced apart from each other, and where the opposite electrode contacts the ends of the and second first auxiliary electrodes which are exposed through the first hole. |
| US09349781B2 |
Organic light emitting diode display and method of manufacturing the same
An organic light emitting diode display includes: a substrate; a semiconductor layer formed on the substrate and including a switching semiconductor layer, a driving semiconductor layer, and a light emission control semiconductor layer spaced apart from each other; a first gate insulating layer covering the semiconductor layer; a light emission control gate electrode formed on the first gate insulating layer and overlapping the light emission control semiconductor layer; a second gate insulating layer covering the light emission control gate electrode; a switching gate electrode and a driving gate electrode formed on the second gate insulating layer and respectively overlapping the switching semiconductor layer and the driving semiconductor layer; and an interlayer insulating layer covering the switching gate electrode, the driving gate electrode, and the second gate insulating layer. A doping concentration of a channel region of the driving semiconductor layer is higher than a doping concentration of a channel region of the light emission control semiconductor layer. |
| US09349776B2 |
Organic light-emitting display apparatus
A display apparatus includes an array of pixels and dummy pixels. A plurality of first lines are connected to the pixels and the dummy pixels. A plurality of repair lines are connected to the dummy pixels and are selectively connected to the pixels. A plurality of second lines are connected to the pixels. At least one dummy line is connected to the dummy pixels. At least one dummy wiring is connected to the at least one dummy line and is selectively connected to one of the second lines. |
| US09349773B2 |
Memory devices using a plurality of diodes as program selectors for memory cells
At least one junction diode fabricated in standard CMOS logic processes can be used as program selectors for the memory cells that can be programmed based on the directions of current flow. These memory cells are MRAM, RRAM, CBRAM, or other memory cells that have a resistive element coupled to the P terminal of the first diode and to the N terminal of a second diode. The diodes can be constructed by P+ and N+ active regions on an N well as the P and N terminals of the diodes. By applying a high voltage to a resistive element and switching the N terminal of the first diode to a low voltage while disabling the second diode, a current flows through the memory cell can change the resistance into one state. Similarly, by applying a low voltage to a resistive element and switching the P terminal of the second diode to a high voltage while disabling the first diode, a current flows through the memory cell can change the resistance into another state. The P+ active region of the diode can be isolated from the N+ active region in an N well by using dummy MOS gate, SBL, or STI isolations. |
| US09349771B2 |
Microlens forming method and solid-state image sensor manufacturing method
A microlens forming method, comprising etching a first member and a second member arranged on the first member, the second member including a concavo-convex shape, and forming a microlens from the first member, wherein, the etching of the first and the second members is performed under a condition that an etching rate of the first member is higher than that of the second member, a portion of the first member under the concave portion is exposed during the etching of the second member, and the exposed portion of the first member is removed in the etching of the first member. |
| US09349761B2 |
Solid-state image pickup device and color signal reading method including a plurality of electrically-coupled substrates
A solid-state image pickup device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes: a first substrate including first pixels arranged in a matrix; and a second substrate electrically coupled to the first substrate and including second pixels arranged in a matrix. The first pixel including a photoelectric conversion element configured to generate a color signal corresponding to an m-th color is the first pixel corresponding to the m-th color where m is an integer equal to one of 1 to n. The second pixel including the signal storing circuit configured to store the color signal corresponding to the m-th color is the second pixel corresponding to the m-th color. At least two second pixels of the second pixels corresponding to the same color are arranged in the same column on the second substrate. |
| US09349760B2 |
Method of manufacturing a TFT-LCD array substrate having light blocking layer on the surface treated semiconductor layer
A thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) array substrate comprises a gate line, a data line, a pixel electrode and a thin film transistor. The pixel electrode and the thin film transistor are formed in a pixel region defined by intersecting of the gate line and the data line, and the thin film transistor comprises a gate electrode, a semiconductor layer, a source electrode and a drain electrode. Two separate parts of the surface of the semiconductor layer are treated by a surface treatment to form into an ohmic contact layer, and the source electrode and the drain electrode are connected with the semiconductor layer through the ohmic contact layer in the two separate parts, respectively. |
| US09349756B2 |
Array substrate, display panel and display device
An array substrate including a plurality of pixel units each including a 2×2 sub-pixel area matrix, where each of the sub-pixel areas includes three sub-pixel electrodes. The strip electrode of at least one of the sub-pixel electrodes from each of the first sub-pixel area and the third sub-pixel area is parallel to a first direction, and the strip electrode of at least one of the sub-pixel electrodes from each of the second sub-pixel area and the fourth sub-pixel area is parallel to a second direction. The first direction intersects with the second direction. Also, a first area is defined by the sub-pixel electrodes including the strip electrodes parallel to the first direction and the sub-pixel electrodes including the strip electrodes parallel to the second direction, and the first area is provided with a sub-pixel switch. |
| US09349747B2 |
Semiconductor devices having gate stack portions that extend in a zigzag pattern
A semiconductor device includes a substrate having an upper surface extended in first and second directions perpendicular to each other, gate stack portions spaced apart from each other in the first direction, the gate stack portions including gate electrodes spaced apart from each other in a direction perpendicular to the an upper surface of the substrate and having lateral surfaces extended in the second direction to have a zigzag form, channel regions penetrating through the gate stack portions and disposed to form columns having a zigzag form in the second direction, at least two channel regions among the channel regions being linearly arranged in the first direction within the respective gate stack portion, and a source region disposed between the gate stack portions adjacent to each other and extended in the second direction to have a zigzag form. |
| US09349746B1 |
Method of fabricating deep trench semiconductor devices, and deep trench semiconductor devices
Present example embodiments relate generally to methods for fabricating semiconductor devices comprising forming an initial stack of alternating insulative and conductive layers over a substrate, identifying a plurality of bit line locations and word line locations for the initial stack, including a first bit line location and a first word line location, and forming, from the initial stack, a vertical arrangement of bit lines in the first bit line location, the vertical arrangement of bit lines having opposing sidewalls. The method further comprises forming a word line by forming a thin conductive layer over selected sections of the opposing sidewalls, the selected sections of the opposing sidewalls being sections within the first word line location. The forming the word line further comprises depositing conductive material adjacent to each thin conductive layer, the deposited conductive material in direct contact with the thin conductive layer. |
| US09349738B1 |
Content addressable memory (CAM) device having substrate array line structure
A content addressable memory (CAM) device can include a plurality of CAM cells each formed within a cell area of a substrate. Each cell area can have a cell length dimension in a first direction parallel to a substrate surface. The CAM device can also include at least one common line comprising a contiguous region of the substrate doped to a first conductivity type and formed in a base semiconductor region doped to a second conductivity type. The common line can extend in the first direction for more than one cell length and can be commonly coupled to non-power supply connections to the plurality of CAM cells. |
| US09349737B2 |
Passing access line structure in a memory device
A method for memory device fabrication includes forming a plurality of continuous fins on a substrate. An insulator material is formed around the fins. The continuous fins are etched into segmented fins to form exposed areas between the segmented fins. An insulator material is formed in the exposed areas wherein the insulator material in the exposed areas is formed higher than the insulator material around the fins. A metal is formed over the fins and the insulator material. The metal formed over the exposed areas is formed to a shallower depth than over the fins. |
| US09349727B2 |
Semiconductor device
In a semiconductor device, an active region includes: a first impurity region to which a predetermined voltage is applied; second and third impurity regions forming a pair of conductive electrodes of an insulated gate field effect transistor; and at least one impurity region disposed between the first and second impurity regions. A voltage that causes electrical conduction between the second and third impurity regions is applied to a gate electrode disposed between the second and third impurity regions. All gate electrodes disposed between the first and second impurity regions are configured to be electrically connected to the first impurity region constantly. All impurity regions disposed between the first and second impurity regions are electrically isolated from the first and second impurity regions and maintained in a floating state. |
| US09349723B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of forming passive devices
A flip chip semiconductor device has a substrate with a plurality of active devices formed thereon. A passive device is formed on the substrate by depositing a first conductive layer over the substrate, depositing an insulating layer over the first conductive layer, and depositing a second conductive layer over the insulating layer. The passive device is a metal-insulator-metal capacitor. The deposition of the insulating layer and first and second conductive layers is performed without photolithography. An under bump metallization (UBM) layer is formed on the substrate in electrical contact with the plurality of active devices. A solder bump is formed over the UBM layer. The passive device can also be a resistor by depositing a resistive layer over the first conductive layer and depositing a third conductive layer over the resistive layer. The passive device electrically contacts the solder bump. |
| US09349721B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device comprising: a Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor including: a semiconductor substrate including a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type; second semiconductor layers of a second conductivity type extending in a depth direction from one surface of the semiconductor substrate, and having space each other; a first diode including a fifth semiconductor layer of the second conductivity type contacting the second semiconductor layer in one surface side of the semiconductor substrate, the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layers; and an anode of the second diode connected to an anode of the first diode. |
| US09349715B2 |
Depletion mode group III-V transistor with high voltage group IV enable switch
There are disclosed herein various implementations of a half-bridge or multiple half-bridge switch configurations used in a voltage converter circuit using at least two normally ON switches. Such a circuit includes a high side switch and a low side switch coupled between a high voltage rail and a low voltage rail of the voltage converter circuit. The high side switch is coupled to the low side switch at a switch node of the voltage converter circuit. At least one group IV enhancement mode switch is used as an enable switch. The group IV enhancement mode enable switch may be an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT), a super junction field-effect transistor (SJFET), a unipolar group IV field-effect transistor (FET), or a bipolar junction transistor (BJT). |
| US09349714B2 |
Method of manufacturing semiconductor device, block stacked body, and sequential stacked body
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided which is capable of improving productivity and reliability. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device (1) of the invention includes a sequential stacking process, an individual stacked body-obtaining process, and a base material bonding process. In the sequential stacking process, a block stacked body is obtained. The block stacked body is a block stacked body (2B) in which semiconductor blocks (10B, 12B, 14B, and 16B) are stacked in a state of not being solder-bonded. In the semiconductor blocks (10B, 12B, 14B, and 16B), a plurality of semiconductor components are arranged. In the individual stacked body obtaining process, an individual stacked body (2) is obtained in which terminals of the stacked semiconductor components are solder-bonded and which is cut from the block stacked body (2B) in a stacked semiconductor component unit. |
| US09349713B2 |
Semiconductor package stack structure having interposer substrate
Provided is a semiconductor package stack structure. The semiconductor package stack structure includes a lower semiconductor package, an interposer substrate disposed on the lower semiconductor package and having a horizontal width greater than a horizontal width of the lower semiconductor package, an upper semiconductor package disposed on the interposer substrate, and underfill portions filling a space between the lower semiconductor package and the interposer substrate and surround side surfaces of the lower semiconductor package. |
| US09349706B2 |
Method for package-on-package assembly with wire bonds to encapsulation surface
A microelectronic assembly (10) includes a substrate (12) having a first and second opposed surfaces. A microelectronic element (22) overlies the first surface and first electrically conductive elements (28) can be exposed at at least one of the first surface or second surfaces. Some of the first conductive elements (28) are electrically connected to the microelectronic element (22). Wire bonds (32) have bases (34) joined to the conductive elements (28) and end surfaces (38) remote from the substrate and the bases, each wire bond defining an edge surface (37) extending between the base and the end surface. An encapsulation layer (42) can extend from the first surface and fill spaces between the wire bonds, such that the wire bonds can be separated by the encapsulation layer. Unencapsulated portions of the wire bonds (32) are defined by at least portions of the end surfaces (38) of the wire bonds that are uncovered by the encapsulation layer (42). |
| US09349699B2 |
Front side copper post joint structure for temporary bond in TSV application
A method of forming an integrated circuit structure is provided. The method includes providing a substrate, the substrate having a conductive pad thereon. A dielectric buffer layer is formed over at least a portion of the conductive pad, and an under-bump-metallurgy (UBM) is formed directly coupled to the conductive pad, wherein the UBM extends over at least a portion of the dielectric buffer layer. Thereafter, a conductive pillar is formed over the UBM, and one or more conductive materials are formed over the conductive pillar. The substrate may be attached to a carrier substrate using an adhesive. |
| US09349697B2 |
Microbump and sacrificial pad pattern
Embodiments described herein generally relate to connections for integrated circuit (IC) dies. For example, in an embodiment an integrated circuit (IC) die is provided. The IC die includes a plurality of clusters of pads formed on a surface of the IC die, each cluster being associated with a respective circuit formed in the IC die. Each cluster includes a plurality of micropads each electrically coupled to the circuit associated with the cluster through a respective via and a sacrificial pad coupled to the circuit through the plurality of micropads, the sacrificial pad being larger than each of the micropads. |
| US09349696B2 |
Integrated antennas in wafer level package
A semiconductor module comprises a wafer package comprising an integrated circuit (IC) device embedded within the wafer package and a layer comprising at least one antenna structure and redistribution structures, wherein the antenna structure is coupled to the IC device and wherein the redistribution structures are coupled to the IC device. |
| US09349695B2 |
Semiconductor integrated device including FinFET device and protecting structure
A semiconductor integrated device includes a substrate having an active region defined thereon, a plurality of active fins positioned in the active region, and a plurality of first protecting fins surrounding the active region. Each of the plurality of active fins extends along a first direction and includes a first length along the first direction. The plurality of first protecting fins extend along the first direction. One of the plurality of first protecting fins immediately adjacent to the active region has a second length along the first direction, and the second length is longer than the first length. |
| US09349688B2 |
Systems and methods to enhance passivation integrity
A semiconductor device having enhanced passivation integrity is disclosed. The device includes a substrate, a first layer, and a metal layer. The first layer is formed over the substrate. The first layer includes a via opening and a tapered portion proximate to the via opening. The metal layer is formed over the via opening and the tapered portion of the first layer. The metal layer is substantially free from gaps and voids. |
| US09349687B1 |
Advanced manganese/manganese nitride cap/etch mask for air gap formation scheme in nanocopper low-K interconnect
After forming a manganese (Mn)-containing cap layer over interconnects embedded in an interlevel dielectric (ILD) layer, a lithographic stack is formed over the Mn-containing cap layer. The lithographic stack is subsequently patterned to expose a portion of the Mn-containing cap layer that overlies a subset of the interconnects between which the air gaps are to be formed. A portion of the ILD layer located between the subset of the interconnects is damaged through the exposed portion of the Mn-containing cap layer. The damaged portion of the ILD layer is subsequently removed to form openings between the subset of the interconnects. The Mn-containing cap layer acts as a temporary protection layer preventing erosion of the underlying interconnects during the air gap formation. |
| US09349680B2 |
Chip arrangement and method of manufacturing the same
A chip arrangement is provided which comprises a carrier; and at least two chips arranged over the carrier; wherein a continuous insulating layer is arranged between the at least two chips and between the carrier and at least one of the at least two chips. |
| US09349668B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes; a semiconductor layer mainly made of GaN; a protective film provided to have electrical insulation property and configured to coat the semiconductor layer; and an electrode provided to have electrical conductivity and configured to form a Schottky junction with the semiconductor layer. The protective film includes: a first layer made of Al2O3 and arranged adjacent to the semiconductor layer; a second layer made of an electrical insulation material different from Al2O3 and formed on the first layer; and an opening structure formed to pass through the first layer and the second layer. The electrode is located inside of the opening structure. |
| US09349665B2 |
Methods and apparatus of packaging of semiconductor devices
Methods and apparatuses for forming an under-bump metallization (UBM) pad above a dielectric layer are disclosed. The dielectric layer may be above a metal layer and comprises a first opening and a second opening surrounding the first opening, which divide the dielectric layer into a first area and a second area. An UBM pad extends into and fills the first opening of the dielectric layer, above the first area between the first opening and the second opening, and may further extends down at least partly into the second opening covering a part or the whole of the second opening of the dielectric layer. The UBM pad may further extend over a part of the second area of the dielectric layer if the UBM pad fills the whole of the second opening of the dielectric layer. A solder ball may be mounted on the UBM pad. |
| US09349663B2 |
Package-on-package structure having polymer-based material for warpage control
A package on package structure providing mechanical strength and warpage control includes a first package component, a second package component, and a first set of conductive elements coupling the first package component to the second package component. A first polymer-comprising material is molded on the first package component and surrounds the first set of conductive elements. The first polymer-comprising material has an opening therein exposing a top surface of the second package component. A third package component and a second set of conductive elements couples the second package component to the third package component. |
| US09349659B2 |
Methods for probing semiconductor fins and determining carrier concentrations therein
A method includes probing at least one semiconductor fin using a four-point probe head, with four probe pins of the four-point probe head contacting the at least one semiconductor fin. A resistance of the at least one semiconductor fin is calculated. A carrier concentration of the semiconductor fin is calculated from the resistance. |
| US09349656B2 |
Method of forming a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) device
A complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) device and methods of formation thereof are disclosed. In a particular example, a method of forming a CMOS device includes forming a first layer on an extension layer of a wafer, forming a first gate on a portion of the first layer, and forming an expansion region proximate to the extension layer. The method also includes removing a portion of the first gate to create a cavity and removing a portion of the first layer to extend the cavity to the extension layer. |
| US09349654B2 |
Isolation for embedded devices
Device and a method of forming a device are presented. The method includes providing a substrate prepared with isolation regions. The substrate includes first, second and third regions. The first region includes a memory region, the second region includes a high voltage (HV) region and the third region includes a logic region. An additional dielectric layer covering the substrate and the isolation regions is formed. A first select region is selectively processed while protecting first non-select regions. The first select region is one of the first, second and third device regions. A first gate dielectric is formed on the select region. Top substrate active area and isolation regions of the first non-select regions are not exposed during processing of the first select region and forming the first gate dielectric. |
| US09349644B2 |
Semiconductor device producing method
In a method for producing a semiconductor device having a through electrode structure, a masking material is formed so as to bridge over a through hole formed in a second semiconductor substrate, and a hole is formed in the masking material at a position corresponding to the through hole. A contact hole is formed in an insulating film via this hole. In such a method, even if there is a large level difference from the surface of the second semiconductor substrate to the bottom of the through hole, only the masking material bridged over the through hole is exposed by photolithography. Therefore, photolithography for a large level difference is not necessary. As a result, the hole can be formed in the masking material successfully, and the contact hole can be formed successively by an anisotropic dry etching via this hole, even in the case where etching for a large level difference is performed. |
| US09349641B2 |
Wafer with improved plating current distribution
A semiconductor wafer is provided including a plurality of dies, each of the plurality of dies including a plurality of semiconductor devices, a plurality of die seals, each of the plurality of die seals being formed at a perimeter of one of the plurality of dies, and a plurality of electrically conductive links, each of the plurality of conductive links connecting one of the plurality of die seals with another one of the plurality of die seals. |
| US09349640B1 |
Electrode pair fabrication using directed self assembly of diblock copolymers
Structures including alternating first U-shaped electrodes and second U-shaped electrodes and contact pads interconnecting the first and the second U-shaped electrodes are provided. Each of the first U-shaped electrodes includes substantially parallel straight portions connected by a bent portion located on one end of a substrate. Each of the second U-shaped electrodes includes substantially parallel straight portions connected by a bent portion located on an opposite end of the substrate. Every adjacent straight portions of neighboring first and second U-shaped electrodes constitute an electrode pair having a sub-lithographic pitch. Each of the contact pads overlaps and contacts the bent portion of one of the first and the U-shaped electrodes. |
| US09349639B2 |
Method for manufacturing a contact structure used to electrically connect a semiconductor device
A method for manufacturing contact structure includes the steps of: providing a substrate having the semiconductor device and an interlayer dielectric thereon, wherein the semiconductor device includes a gate structure and a source/drain region; forming a patterned mask layer with a stripe hole on the substrate, and concurrently forming a stripe-shaped mask layer on the substrate; forming a patterned photoresist layer with a plurality of slot holes on the substrate, wherein at least one of the slot holes is disposed right above the source/drain region; and forming a contact hole in the interlayer dielectric by using the patterned mask layer, the stripe-shaped mask layer and the patterned photoresist layer as an etch mask, and the source/drain region is exposed from the bottom of the contact hole when the step of forming the contact hole is completed. |
| US09349635B2 |
Integrated circuits and methods of forming the same with multi-level electrical connection
Integrated circuits and methods of forming integrated circuits are provided. A method of forming an integrated circuit includes providing a substrate that includes an electrical contact disposed therein. A first dielectric layer is formed over the substrate and electrical contact. A metal-containing layer is patterned over the first dielectric layer, with at least a first portion of the patterned metal-containing layer disposed over the first dielectric layer. The patterned metal-containing layer is absent in regions of the first dielectric layer over the electrical contact. A second dielectric layer is formed over the patterned metal-containing layer. A first via is etched in the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer over the electrical contact, and a second via is etched in the second dielectric layer over the patterned metal-containing layer. The first via and the second via are filled with an electrically-conductive material. |
| US09349634B2 |
Semiconductor arrangement and formation thereof
A semiconductor arrangement and method of formation are provided. The semiconductor arrangement includes a metal connect over and connected to a first active region, over and connected to a second active region and over a shallow trench isolation (STI) region thereby connecting the first active region to the second active region. A metal contact is over and connected to a gate in the STI region. The metal connect is formed in a first opening and the metal contact is formed in a second opening, where the first opening and the second opening are formed concurrently using a single mask. The semiconductor arrangement formed using a single mask is less expensive to fabricate and requires fewer etching operations than a semiconductor arrangement formed using multiple masks. |
| US09349630B2 |
Methods and apparatus for electrostatic chuck repair and refurbishment
In one embodiment of the invention, a substrate support assembly comprises an electrostatic chuck having an electrode embedded therein and having an aperture disposed therethrough, a conductive liner disposed on the surface of the electrostatic chuck within the aperture, a conductive tubing extending from a lower surface of the electrostatic chuck and axially aligned with the aperture, and a conductive coating at least partially within the aperture and at least partially within the conductive tubing, wherein the conductive coating provides a conductive path between the conductive liner and the conductive tubing. |
| US09349629B2 |
Touch auto-calibration of process modules
Methods and systems for the touch auto-calibration for robot placement of substrate in process modules are provided. Touch auto-calibration allows for the automatic calibration of robot end effector positioning with respect to an aligning base in a process module. Touch auto-calibration also allows for calibration of process modules at temperatures and pressures similar to the temperatures and pressures experienced during production. The end effector has one or more aligning surfaces configured to align it with the aligning base upon contact with the aligning base. After contact, the position of the end effector and the calibrated position of the end effector during a pick or place move can then be determined. In some implementations, the positioning of the end effector as it transfers a substrate during production is based on a placement coordinate with the placement correction applied. |
| US09349620B2 |
Apparatus and method for pre-baking substrate upstream of process chamber
A pre-baking apparatus for heating a substrate upstream of a process tool is adapted to be connected to an EFEM (equipment front end module) and includes: a chamber which has a front face with multiple slots arranged in a height direction of the chamber, and which is divided into multiple compartments extending from the multiple slots, respectively, toward a rear end of the chamber for loading and unloading substrates; and a connecting frame for connecting the chamber to the process tool. The multiple compartments are separated from each other by a divider plate and provided with heaters for heating the multiple compartments, and each compartment has a gas injection port for blowing a hot inert gas over the substrate placed therein toward the slot. |
| US09349614B2 |
Device and method for localized underfill
A device and method for localizing underfill includes a substrate, a plurality of dies, and underfill material. The substrate includes a plurality of contacts and a plurality of cavities separated by a plurality of mesas. The plurality of dies is mounted to the substrate using the plurality of contacts. The underfill material is located between the substrate and the dies. The underfill material is localized into a plurality of regions using the mesas. Each of the contacts is located in a respective one of the cavities. In some embodiments, the substrate further includes a plurality of channels interconnecting the cavities. In some embodiments, the substrate further includes a plurality of intra-cavity mesas for further localizing the underfill material. In some embodiments, outer edges of a first one of the dies rest on first mesas located on edges of a first one of the cavities. |
| US09349610B2 |
Assembly structure for connecting multiple dies into a system-in-package chip and the method thereof
A method for assembling multiple integrated circuit dies into a system-in-package chip is disclosed, the method comprising: providing a plurality of integrated circuit dies; disposing at least one redistribution layer on at least one of the plurality of integrated circuit dies for making wire connections among the plurality of integrated circuit dies without using a substrate underneath the plurality of integrated circuit dies; establishing wire connections among the plurality of integrated circuit dies and verifying the plurality of wire connections; and packaging the plurality of integrated circuit dies and the verified wire connections into a system-in-package chip. |
| US09349605B1 |
Oxide etch selectivity systems and methods
Embodiments of the present technology may include a method of etching a substrate. The method may include striking a plasma discharge in a plasma region. The method may also include flowing a fluorine-containing precursor into the plasma region to form a plasma effluent. The plasma effluent may flow into a mixing region. The method may further include introducing a hydrogen-and-oxygen-containing compound into the mixing region without first passing the hydrogen-and-oxygen-containing compound into the plasma region. Additionally, the method may include reacting the hydrogen-and-oxygen-containing compound with the plasma effluent in the mixing region to form reaction products. The reaction products may flow through a plurality of openings in a partition to a substrate processing region. The method may also include etching the substrate with the reaction products in the substrate processing region. |
| US09349603B2 |
Plasma processing method
A plasma processing method in which a stable process region can be ensured in a wide range, from low microwave power to high microwave power. The plasma processing method includes making production of plasma easy in a region in which production of plasma by continuous discharge is difficult, and plasma-processing an object to be processed, with the generated plasma, wherein the plasma is produced by pulsed discharge in which ON and OFF are repeated, radio-frequency power for producing the pulsed discharge, during an ON period, is a power to facilitate production of plasma by continuous discharge, and a duty ratio of the pulsed discharge is controlled so that an average power of the radio-frequency power per cycle is power in the region in which production of plasma by continuous discharge is difficult. |
| US09349602B2 |
Semiconductor wafer chuck and method
A semiconductor wafer spinning chuck includes a rotatable base, a plurality of arms, upstanding from the base, a selectively releasable clamping mechanism, associated with the arms, and a spray nozzle, extending through the base. The clamping mechanism has a first portion configured to mechanically clamp an edge of a first semiconductor wafer and hold the first wafer in a substantially horizontal orientation upon all of the arms, with a backside of the first wafer facing down. The spray nozzle is oriented to direct a spray of fluid at the backside of the first wafer. |
| US09349599B1 |
Method for fabricating semiconductor device
A method for fabricating semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: providing a substrate having gate structure thereon, wherein the gate structure comprises a high-k dielectric layer; increasing an ambient pressure around the gate structure to a predetermined pressure by injecting a first gas; reducing the ambient pressure to a base pressure; and forming a spacer around the gate structure. |
| US09349596B2 |
Methods of processing semiconductor wafers having silicon carbide power devices thereon
Methods of forming a silicon carbide semiconductor device are disclosed. The methods include forming a semiconductor device at a first surface of a silicon carbide substrate having a first thickness, and mounting a carrier substrate to the first surface of the silicon carbide substrate. The carrier substrate provides mechanical support to the silicon carbide substrate. The methods further include thinning the silicon carbide substrate to a thickness less the first thickness, forming a metal layer on the thinned silicon carbide substrate opposite the first surface of the silicon carbide substrate, and locally annealing the metal layer to form an ohmic contact on the thinned silicon carbide substrate opposite the first surface of the silicon carbide substrate. The silicon carbide substrate is singulated to provide a singulated semiconductor device. |
| US09349593B2 |
Method for manufacturing semiconductor device
To improve electric characteristics of a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor. Alternatively, to improve reliability of a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor. In a transistor including a first oxide film, an oxide semiconductor film, a pair of electrodes in contact with the oxide semiconductor film, and a second oxide film in contact with the oxide semiconductor film and the pair of electrodes, oxygen is added to the first oxide film and the second oxide film in contact with the oxide semiconductor film and the pair of electrodes, so that oxygen vacancies are reduced. The oxygen is diffused to the oxide semiconductor film by heat treatment or the like; thus, oxygen vacancies in the oxide semiconductor film are reduced. |
| US09349592B2 |
Method for making electronic device using group III nitride semiconductor having specified dislocation density oxygen/electron concentration, and active layer thickness
The present invention discloses an electronic device using a group III nitride substrate fabricated via the ammonothermal method. By utilizing the high-electron concentration of ammonothermally grown substrates having the dislocation density less than 105 cm−2, combined with a high-purity active layer of Ga1-x-yAlxInyN (0≦x≦1, 0≦y≦1) grown by a vapor phase method, the device can attain high level of breakdown voltage as well as low on-resistance. To realize a good matching between the ammonothermally grown substrate and the high-purity active layer, a transition layer is optionally introduced. The active layer is thicker than a depletion region created by a device structure in the active layer. |
| US09349582B2 |
Liquid chemical for forming water repellent protecting film, and process for cleaning wafers using the same
A liquid chemical for forming a water repellent protecting film on a wafer having at its surface an uneven pattern and containing at least one kind of element selected from the group consisting of titanium, tungsten, aluminum, copper, tin, tantalum and ruthenium at surfaces of recessed portions of the uneven pattern, the water repellent protecting film being formed at least on the surfaces of the recessed portions. The liquid chemical is characterized by including: a water repellent protecting film forming agent; and water, and characterized in that the water repellent protecting film forming agent is at least one selected from compounds represented by the following general formula [1] and salt compounds thereof and that the concentration of the water relative to the total quantity of a solvent contained in the liquid chemical is not smaller than 50 mass %. |
| US09349580B2 |
Coupling devices and source assemblies including them
Certain embodiments described herein are directed to couplers that can be used to provide a seal between a source assembly and a vacuum chamber. In certain examples, the seal can be provided upon movement of a moveable component of the coupler. In some examples, rotation of the moveable component is operative to provide an axial force to a stationary component coupled to the moveable component such that the stationary component is biased to provide a suitable seal to the vacuum chamber. |
| US09349577B2 |
Process for locating a positron radionuclide, applications and device for implementing same
The present disclosure relates to a method for locating a radionuclide emitting positons and having a child core emitting a photon by de-excitation, that includes detecting a radionuclide response line using a positon-emitting tomography camera. According to the disclosure, for each of the arrangements ordered by pairs of first and second interactions of the Compton type detected by a Compton telescope, the method comprises determining the angle between the direction of the incident photon of the first interaction and the geometrical axis connecting the position of the first interaction with the position of the second interaction, determining the half-aperture cones of the angle in which the geometrical surface does not include an intersection with line, selecting at least one cone in which the geometrical surface includes an intersection with line, selecting the radionuclide position from said reconstructed intersection of the response line with the geometrical surface of the selected cone. |
| US09349575B2 |
Remote plasma system having self-management function and self management method of the same
A remote plasma system having a self-management function measures an operating state of a remote plasma generator while a remote plasma generator operates, which generates plasma and remotely supplies the generated plasma to a process chamber, thereby allowing a process manager to check the measured operating state and performing a required process control depending on an operating state. According to the remote plasma system having the self-management function, it is possible to check operating state information of the remote plasma generator and plasma treatment process progress state information in the process chamber in real time so as to determine whether the remote plasma generator normally operates and immediately sense occurrence of an error during the operation. |
| US09349568B2 |
Sample introduction device and charged particle beam instrument
A sample introduction device (100) is adapted to introduce a sample (S) into the sample chamber (1) of a charged particle beam instrument. The device includes: a pre-evacuation chamber (2) for performing a pre-evacuation; a sample holder (10) having a sample holding portion (12) capable of holding the sample (S); a support portion (20) for supporting the sample holder (10); mechanical drives (30); and goniometer (50) for moving and rotating the support portion (20) such that the sample holding portion (12) moves from inside the pre-evacuation chamber (2) into the sample chamber (1). Partition valve (70) can be activated by the action of the goniometer. |
| US09349565B2 |
Multipole lens, aberration corrector, and electron microscope
A multipole lens (100) which can produce static magnetic fields showing different strengths in the direction of travel of an electron beam has lens subasssemblies (10a, 10b, 10c) stacked on top of each other. The lens subassemblies (10a, 10b, 10c) have yokes (14a, 14b, 14c), respectively, and polar elements (12a, 12b, 12c), respectively. The polar elements (12a, 12b, 12c) have base portions (13a, 13b, 13c), respectively, magnetically coupled to the yokes (14a, 14b, 14c), respectively, and front end portions (11a, 11b, 11c), respectively, magnetically coupled to the base portions (13a, 13b, 13c), respectively. Magnetic field separators (20, 22) made of a nonmagnetic material are mounted between the front end portions (11a, 11b, 11c) which are successively adjacent to each other in the direction of stacking of the lens subassemblies (10a, 10b, 10c). |
| US09349563B2 |
X-ray radiation source
In an X-ray radiation source, a lid part is fastened to a main part with screws, so that an X-ray tube is secured to a housing while being pressed against an inner surface of the wall part a by a first circuit board. The X-ray tube can be secured stably within the housing by thus being held between the first circuit board and the wall part. The X-ray radiation source uses the first circuit board incorporated in the housing itself for pressing the X-ray tube. This makes it unnecessary to provide new members for pressing the X-ray tube and can prevent the device structure from becoming complicated. |
| US09349562B2 |
Field emission device with AC output
A field emission device is configured as a heat engine with an AC output. |
| US09349561B2 |
Impregnated yttric or gadolinium-containing Barium-aluminum-scandate cathodes and their fabrication methods
Impregnated rare earth metal-containing barium-aluminum-scandate cathodes with a rare earth oxide doped tungsten matrix and methods for the fabrication thereof are described. In one aspect, an impregnated rare earth metal-containing barium-aluminum-scandate cathode comprises: a rare earth oxide doped tungsten matrix, and an impregnated active substance. The active substance comprises scandium oxide (Sc2O3), a second rare earth oxide, and barium calcium aluminate, wherein the molar ratio of Ba:Ca:Al is about 4:1:1. |
| US09349553B2 |
Slide switch
A slide switch includes a case forming an accommodation space, a first contact disposed in the accommodation space, a second contact disposed in the accommodation space, a third contact disposed in the accommodation space, and a slider fixed to the third contact. The slider is movable between a first position in which the first contact and the second contact are electrically insulated from each other and a second position in which the first contact and the second contact are electrically connected to each other via the third contact. The case includes a projection supporting the third contact in a normal direction of a plane which includes a moving path of the slider in the accommodation space. |
| US09349549B2 |
Electronic component
An electronic component comprises a flexible planar substrate which is substantially non-stretchable, the substrate having at least two slits arranged to allow first and second portions of the substrate lying in the same plane to be moved apart, the first portion of the substrate supporting a region of conductive material. |
| US09349548B2 |
Redundant excess voltage circuit breaker with a rotational disk and with an added electronic assembly intended to extend a life span of an excess-voltage component
The invention belongs to the field of overvoltage protection devices intended to protect sensitive electric/electronic devices and assemblies against effects of increased voltages, more precisely to the field of overvoltage protective devices provided with an electronic assembly intended to extend a life span of the basic component and to ensure a higher quality level of protection of electronic devices. The redundant overvoltage circuit breaker with a rotational disk and with an added electronic assembly intended to extend a life span of an overvoltage component is characterized in that it has a gas discharge tube (3) connected in series with a coil (5) and a resistor (4) with a positive thermal characteristic, and a gas discharge tube (6) connected parallel thereto; that a common point of these two branches prevents a route of leakage current via gas discharge tube (3) between the terminals, which can be connected to a line or neutral conductor, via varistor to an earthing point; that there is no leakage current in any of these two branches, since the varistor is galvanically separated between the clamp terminal and the earthing point; that in case of increased current surges the gas discharge tube (6) discharges through a branch of the varistor (7 and 8) into the earthing point; that the varistors (7 and 8) each has its own rotational circuit breaker (9 and 10). |
| US09349545B2 |
Method for producing microcarriers
The present invention relates to a method for producing microcarriers comprising the following steps: (a) providing a wafer having a sandwich structure comprising a bottom layer, a top layer and an insulating layer located between said bottom and top layers, (b) etching away the top layer to delineate lateral walls of bodies of the microcarriers, (c) depositing a first active layer at least on a top surface of the bodies, (d) applying a continuous polymer layer over the first active layer, (e) etching away the bottom layer and the insulating layer, (f) removing the polymer layer to release the microcarriers. |
| US09349543B2 |
Nano tri-carbon composite systems and manufacture
Nano-carbon material is described that combines the common and unique properties of spherical fullerenes, carbon nanotubes and graphene carbon allotropes to create an architecture that has unique mechanical and electrical properties. The combined tensile strength of graphene with the compressive strength of fullerenes attached to nanotubes creates a high strength material. By attaching fullerenes to nanotubes, the surface area of the material is greatly enhanced beyond the high surface area normally associated with vertically aligned nanotube arrays. Fabrication can be performed via several complementary methods including catalyst deposition, hydrocarbon chemical vapor deposition, and surface functionalization. The fabrication of the NTC is based on its sub-composites: graphene-nanotubes and nanotubes-fullerenes and their respective fabrication processes. |
| US09349541B2 |
Method for producing three-dimensional mesoporous titanium dioxide electrode using organic/inorganic hybrid support and dye-sensitized solar cell using the same
Disclosed is a method for producing a mesoporous titanium dioxide thin film from a titanium precursor by using a polymer-grafted alumina composite as a support. The porous titanium dioxide thin film is obtained by using the polymer-grafted hybrid alumina composite as a support for sol-gel reaction, and thus it has a mesoporous structure and high surface area, thereby providing a high dye adsorption ratio. Therefore, a dye-sensitized solar cell using the mesoporous titanium dioxide thin film as a photoelectrode material has high energy conversion efficiency. In addition, it is possible to improve the long-term stability of a dye-sensitized solar cell through efficient infiltration of high-viscosity polymer and solid electrolyte as well as liquid electrolyte. |
| US09349540B2 |
Method for manufacturing platinum nanoparticle solution and self-assembled platinum counter electrode thereof
The present invention provides a method for manufacturing platinum nanoparticle solution and a self-assembled platinum counter electrode thereof. The present invention adopts a polyol reduction method and controls the reduction reaction periods under various pH conditions. After the platinum nanoparticle dispersion solution of uniformly distributed platinum nanoparticles having small sizes is produced, the self-assembled platinum nanoparticles are adsorbed on a functionalized surface of a conductive substrate by dip coating at the normal temperature. Therefore, the structure of a platinum nanoparticle monolayer is formed, to obtain the self-assembled platinum counter electrode with a homogeneous single layer on the surface. This process is much simpler without adding any stabilizers or surfactants, without involving any subsequent heat treatments, and it consumes less amount of the platinum material. By employing the present invention for commercialization, the cost of mass production for the dye-sensitized solar cell application is thus reduced. |
| US09349532B2 |
Turning joint for electric excavator
The present invention relates to a turning joint for an electric excavator, which includes a direct current/alternating current convertor, an upper coil, a lower coil, and an inverter. A turning joint for an electric excavator (or a hybrid excavator) uses the principle of a transformer to transmit electric energy from the upper portion of the excavator to a travelling body in the lower portion thereof. Thus, even while an upper rotator body of an electric excavator performs a rotating operation, electric power can be supplied to a travelling electric motor in the lower portion of the electric excavator, to thereby perform a travelling operation. |
| US09349531B2 |
Device for transmitting electric power from a wall to a wing fastened to said wall in a hinged manner
A device for transmitting electrical power from a wall to a wing attached thereto about a hinge axis includes a wall part fastened to the wall. A wing part is fastened to the wing. A primary coil arranged on the wall part comprises an end side, a primary coil winding and a primary coil housing with ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic properties. The primary coil housing is open on an end side facing the wing part and substantially covers the primary coil winding on an opposite end side. A secondary coil arranged on the wing part comprises a secondary coil winding and a secondary coil housing with ferrimagnetic or ferromagnetic properties. The secondary coil housing is open on an end side facing the wall part and substantially covers the secondary coil winding on an opposite end side. The end sides of the primary coil and the secondary coil face each other. |
| US09349530B2 |
Wireless power transmission system, power transmitting device, and power receiving device
A wireless power transmission system as an embodiment of the present disclosure transmits electric power by a non-contact method from a first inductor to a second inductor, or vice versa, via resonant magnetic coupling. The wireless power transmission system includes: the first inductor that has a center hole; the second inductor that is spaced apart from the first inductor and that is smaller in size than the hole of the first inductor; and a magnetic body member that is arranged on one side of the first inductor so as to face the second inductor and that covers at least a part of the first inductor. That at least a part of the first inductor reaches an outer edge of the first inductor from an inner edge thereof. |
| US09349529B2 |
Tap changer
In an end-side tap changing mechanism group of a plurality of tap changing mechanism groups that is located at an end of a rotation shaft, input connection points between a plurality of fixed contact connection members and a plurality of input conductors, respectively, are located closer in a shaft direction of the rotation shaft to a center line of entire the plurality of tap changing mechanism groups than a center line of the end-side tap changing mechanism group, and an output connection point between a stator connection member and an output conductor is located closer in the shaft direction of the rotation shaft to the center line of entire the plurality of tap changing mechanism groups than the center line of the end-side tap changing mechanism group. |
| US09349528B2 |
Power supply arrangement having a boost circuit for an electricity meter
A power supply arrangement for an electricity meter includes an input, a full wave rectifier, and a voltage doubler circuit. The input is configured to receive a periodical input signal. The full wave rectifier is coupled to the input and has a first output. The first output is coupled to a first load of the electricity meter. The voltage doubler circuit is coupled to the input and has a second output coupled to a second load of the electricity meter. The voltage doubler is configured to prevent the flow of current from the second output to the input. |
| US09349527B2 |
Current transformer having an automatic short-circuit device
The invention relates to a current transformer 1, comprising connection contacts 3 for contacting a secondary winding of the current transformer and a short-circuit device 105, 205, 305 for shorting the connection contacts 3, wherein the connection contacts 3 can be reached through a housing opening 4 of a housing 2 surrounding the current transformer 1, the current transformer also having a safety device 107, 207, 307 for blocking the access to the connection contacts 3 lying inside the housing, wherein the safety device 107, 207, 307 can be in a securing status or release status, and wherein the access to the connection contacts 3 is blocked by the safety device 107, 207, 307 in the securing status, such that the connection of a conductor to a connection contact 3 or the disconnection of a conductor from a connection contact 3 is not possible, and wherein the access to the connection contacts 3 is released by the safety device in the release status and the short-circuit device 105, 205, 305 shorts the connection contacts 3 in the release status, such that the connection of a conductor to a connection contact 3 or a disconnection of a conductor from a connection contact 3 is possible. |
| US09349526B2 |
Pulse transformer
A pulse transformer is provided with a drum core 2 including a winding core 3 and first and second flanges 4A and 4B, and wires S1 to S4 wound around a winding core 3 of the drum core 2. Terminal electrodes 6a and 6b and a center tap 6c are provided on the flange 4A, and terminal electrodes 6d and 6e and a center tap 6f are provided on the flange 4B. Each end of the wires S1 to S4 is connected to a corresponding one of the terminal electrodes P1 and N1, the center tap CT2, the terminal electrodes P2 and N2, and the center tap CT1. A front end of the terminal electrode 6b is setback toward an outer side surface of the flange 4A, and a front end of the terminal electrode 6e is setback toward an outer side surface of the first flange 4B. |
| US09349525B2 |
Multilayer inductor
Disclosed herein is a multilayer inductor. The multilayer inductor according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a laminate on which a plurality of body sheets are multilayered; a coil part configured to have internal electrode patterns formed on the body sheet; a first gap made of a non-magnetic material located between the multilayered body sheets; a second gap made of a dielectric material located between the multilayered body sheets and located on a layer different from the first gap; and external electrodes formed on both surfaces of the laminate and electrically connected with both ends of the coil part. By this configuration, the exemplary embodiment of the present invention can remarkably improve DC biased characteristics without reducing breaking strength of the inductor. |
| US09349523B2 |
Compact magnetics assembly
A magnetic assembly to receive current having a high current and high frequency includes a transformer, at least one resonant inductor, and at least one auxiliary inductor. The resonant inductor is in electrical communication with the transformer, and the auxiliary inductor is in electrical communication with the resonant inductor. The magnetic assembly further includes at least one conductor having a first end coupled to the auxiliary inductor and a second end coupled to the transformer. The conductor extends continuously between the first and second ends without terminating to form an auxiliary winding of the auxiliary inductor, a resonant winding of the resonant inductor, and at least one primary winding of the transformer. |
| US09349522B2 |
Coil component
A coil component includes a substrate, a planar spiral conductor formed on a top surface of the substrate, a lead conductor connected to an outer peripheral end of the planar spiral conductor, a dummy lead conductor formed on the top surface of the substrate between an outermost turn of the planar spiral conductor and an end of the substrate and free from an electrical connection with another conductor within the same plane, external electrodes and arranged in parallel with the top surface of the substrate, and a bump electrode formed on a surface of the lead conductor and connects the lead conductor with the external electrode. The external terminals have a larger area than the bump electrodes for securing a bonding strength. |
| US09349517B2 |
Coil component
A coil component is of the type where a helical coil is directly contacting a magnetic body where such coil component still meets the demand for electrical current amplification. The coil component is structured in such a way that a helical coil is covered with a magnetic body. The magnetic body is mainly constituted by magnetic alloy grains and does not contain glass component, and each of the magnetic alloy grains has an oxide film of the grain on its surface. |
| US09349516B2 |
Multidirectional magnetic particle inspection system
A magnetic particle inspection system for inspecting a plurality of articles. The system includes a first magnetizing coil for generating a first magnetic field oriented in a first direction. The system also includes a second magnetizing coil for generating a second magnetic field oriented in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the first and second magnetizing coils are located in a common plane. In addition, the system may include a mat having a plurality of drainage holes, wherein the first and second magnetizing coils are located in the mat and the first and second magnetizing coils are sized to inspect a plurality of articles. Further, the system includes a power supply for supplying power for energizing the first and second magnetizing coils and a switching unit for switching current flow between the first and second magnetizing coils. |
| US09349515B2 |
Linear solenoid
A linear solenoid includes a movable element, a first stator element, a second stator element, a third stator element, a cover and a through hole. The third stator element has an opening formed on a thrust direction side of the third stator element. The cover covers the opening of the third stator element from the thrust direction side of an axial direction. The through hole passes through the third stator element. An inside of the third stator element is in fluid communication with an outside of the third stator element through the through hole. |
| US09349512B2 |
Multi-layered chip electronic component
There is provided a multi-layered chip electronic component including: a multi-layered body including a 2016-sized or less and a plurality of magnetic layers; conductive patterns electrically connected in a stacking direction to form coil patterns, within the multi-layered body; and non-magnetic gap layers formed over a laminated surface of the multi-layered body between the multi-layered magnetic layers and having a thickness Tg in a range of 1 μm≦Tg≦7 μm, wherein the number of non-magnetic gap layers may have the number of gap layers in a range between at least four layers among the magnetic layers and a turns amount of the coil pattern. |
| US09349511B2 |
Composite material, reactor-use core, reactor, converter, and power converter apparatus
A reactor 1 of the present invention includes a coil 2 and a magnetic core 3 disposed inside and outside the coil 2 to form a closed magnetic path. At least part of the magnetic core 3 is made of a composite material containing a magnetic substance powder and a resin containing the powder being dispersed therein. The magnetic substance powder contains powders respectively made of a plurality of materials differing in the relative permeability, representatively, a pure iron powder and an iron alloy powder. Thanks to provision of the magnetic core 3 made of the composite material containing magnetic substance powders made of different types of materials, the reactor 1 achieves both a high saturation magnetic flux density and a low-loss characteristic. |
| US09349509B2 |
Wire harness and manufacturing method for wire harness
A wire harness includes a wire bundle, an elongated object, and a covering member. The covering member is made of a single sheet-shaped nonwoven member and covers the wire bundle and the elongated object. The covering member includes a first portion that is wound around the wire bundle and is hot-pressed, and a second portion that is continuous with the first portion and that covers the elongated object on the first portion. |
| US09349504B2 |
Water stopping structure for insulation-coated wire and wire harness
A water blocking structure for an insulation-coated wire includes a heat-shrinkable tubular protective member that is closed at one end by a stopper and that accommodates an intermediate portion of an insulation-coated wire, and a resin material that is accommodated in the tubular member and that penetrates the intermediate portion of the insulation-coated wire, the resin material serving as a water blocking agent. Slit portions are formed in a coating of the insulation-coated wire, and the resin material penetrates the intermediate portion via these slit portions. A coating stripping member with a blade whose cutting edges are directed to the inside of the respective slit portions is contained within the protective member. |
| US09349500B2 |
Reactive resins for cable sealing compounds
The invention describes a composition, especially in the form of a 2-component system comprising (meth)acrylated polyether polyols and/or polyester polyols and/or (meth)acrylated hydroxy-functionalized triglycerides with an adjustable pot life, especially for cable potting compounds. |
| US09349499B2 |
Insulated wire, and coil and motor formed using the insulated wire
An insulated wire used under a condition where the insulated wire is brought into contact with ester-based synthetic oil includes a conductor and an insulating film on a periphery of the conductor. The insulating film is composed of an insulating paint including at least one resin component selected from polyamide imide, polyester imide, and polyimide and inorganic fine particles including alkali metal ion or alkaline-earth metal ion. |
| US09349498B2 |
Dielectric material with non-linear dielectric constant
Provided is a composition comprising a polymeric material, a filler material dispersed in the polymeric material, the filler material comprising inorganic particles and a discontinuous arrangement of conductive material wherein at least a portion of the conductive material is in durable electrical contact with the inorganic particles, and conductive material dispersed in the polymeric material. |
| US09349488B2 |
Semiconductor memory apparatus
A semiconductor memory apparatus includes a plurality of data storage regions; a first internal circuit configured to input a plurality of control signals to the plurality of data storage regions; and a second internal circuit configured to control input timing of a test control signal, and input the test control signal to the plurality of data storage regions according to the controlled input timing in response to a test mode signal. |
| US09349486B2 |
Semiconductor memory apparatus including an internal generation circuit configured to generate test data
A semiconductor memory apparatus includes an internal data generation block configured to generate test data in response to test signals, and output ones of normal data inputted from data input/output pads and the test data as internal data according to a test flag signal; a data storage region configured to receive and store the internal data, and output stored data as cell storage data; a latch block configured to receive and store the cell storage data in response to a data output enable signal, and output stored data as latch data; and a data comparison block configured to compare the test data and the latch data, and generate a test result signal. |
| US09349484B2 |
Sample-and-hold circuit for an interleaved analog-to-digital converter
The present disclosure relates to a sample-and-hold circuit includes a transistor arranged for switching between a sample mode and a hold mode and a bootstrap circuit arranged for maintaining in the sample mode a voltage level between a source terminal and a gate terminal of the transistor independent of the voltage at the source terminal and arranged for switching off the transistor in the hold mode. The bootstrap circuit includes a bootstrap capacitance arranged for being precharged to a given voltage during the hold mode, the bootstrap capacitance being connected between the source terminal and the gate terminal during the sample mode. In one example, the bootstrap circuit comprises a switched capacitor charge pump for generating the given voltage. |
| US09349482B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device and operating method thereof
A method of programming a nonvolatile memory device is provided which includes applying a program voltage to selected ones of a plurality of memory cells; applying a selected one of a plurality of verification voltages after pre-charging bit lines connected to memory cells to which the program voltage is applied; sensing the memory cells to which the selected verification voltage is applied; selecting memory cells programmed to a target state referring to the sensing result and target state data; and determining whether programming of the selected memory cells is passed or failed. |
| US09349477B2 |
Inter-cell interference estimation based on a pattern dependent histogram
An apparatus comprising a memory and a controller. The memory may be configured to process a plurality of read/program operations. The memory may comprise a plurality of memory units each having a size less than a total size of the memory. The controller may be configured to perform a plurality of reads on a victim cell. The controller may be configured to store measured victim information from the plurality of reads on the victim cell. The controller may be configured to perform one or more reads on a plurality of aggressor cells. The controller may be configured to store measured aggressor information from the one or more reads on the plurality of aggressor cells. The controller may be configured to generate inter-cell interference parameters based on the measured victim information and the measured aggressor information. The controller may be configured to mitigate inter-cell interference based on the inter-cell interference parameters. |
| US09349475B2 |
Time estimating method, memory storage device, and memory controlling circuit unit
A time estimating method, a memory storage device, and a memory controlling circuit unit are provided for a rewritable non-volatile memory module having memory cells. The method includes: writing first data into first memory cells of the memory cells; reading the first memory cells according to a reading voltage, so as to determine whether each of the first memory cells belongs to a first state or a second state; and calculating a quantity of the first memory cells belonging to the first state, and obtaining a time information of the rewritable non-volatile memory module according to the quantity. |
| US09349460B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and data write method thereof
A semiconductor memory device includes a control circuit. The control circuit executes control to perform a verify operation with respect to only a lowest threshold voltage level of a memory cell at a time of a data write operation, and to skip the verify operation with respect to the other threshold voltage levels. The control circuit determines whether a verify pass bit number of the lowest threshold voltage level, which is counted by a bit scan circuit, is a prescribed bit number or more, and the control circuit further executes control, if the verify pass bit number is the prescribed bit number or more, to perform the verify operation with respect to only the lowest threshold voltage level and a threshold voltage level that is higher than the lowest threshold voltage level, and to skip the verify operation with respect to the other threshold voltage levels. |
| US09349458B2 |
Biasing of unselected blocks of non-volatile memory to reduce loading
Techniques are presented for reducing the loading on the source lines for NAND type memories that decode memory blocks in multi-block groups, an example 3D NAND memory of the BiCS type. When multiple blocks are commonly decoded, a decoded group may include both selected and unselected blocks. The word lines of a selected block are biased according the operation, while the word lines of the non-selected blocks of the group are set at the level of the source line. This reduces the amount of loading on the source line due to less capacitance between the source line and word lines. |
| US09349456B2 |
Method of operating non-volatile memory device
A method of operating a non-volatile memory device includes erasing a memory cell block, supplying a first drain turn-on voltage higher than a target level to the drain select line of the memory cell block, and performing a soft program operation by supplying a soft program voltage to the word lines of the memory cell block. |
| US09349455B2 |
Nonvolatile memory devices and driving methods thereof
Nonvolatile memory devices including memory cell arrays with a plurality of cell strings connected between a substrate and a plurality of bit lines and selected by selection lines, and a gating circuit configured to drive the selection lines in at least two directions. |
| US09349454B2 |
Semiconductor device and electronic device
A semiconductor device capable of generating a signal (e.g., a potential signal or a current signal) suitable for usage environment or a purpose. The semiconductor device includes a first memory circuit, a first circuit, and a second memory circuit. The first circuit converts a digital signal input from the first memory circuit into an analog signal. The first memory circuit includes an input node, an output node, a transistor, and a capacitor. The capacitor is electrically connected to the output node. The transistor can control a conduction state between the input node and the output node. An analog signal is input to the input node from the first circuit. The transistor includes an oxide semiconductor layer where a channel formation region is formed. |
| US09349451B1 |
Resistive memory and repairing method thereof
A resistive memory and a repairing method of the resistive memory are provided. Steps of the repairing method includes: operating a plurality of set-reset cycles on the resistive memory; detecting whether the resistive memory encounters an over-set issue after the set-reset cycles are operated; if the resistive memory encounters the over-set issue, executing an enhanced reset programming on the resistive memory. Here, the enhanced reset programming is executed by applying an enhanced reset voltage on the resistive memory during an enhanced reset time period. A product of the enhanced reset voltage and the enhanced reset time period is larger than a product of a reset voltage and a reset time period. |
| US09349447B1 |
Controlling coupling in large cross-point memory arrays
In various embodiments, quench switches are utilized within a cross-point memory array to minimize parasitic coupling in lines proximate selected lines. |
| US09349442B2 |
Semiconductor memory device
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array, a data storage circuit and a control circuit. The data storage circuit holds first data to be written into the memory cell and holds 1 bit data calculated from the first data. The control circuit writes the data of n bits into the memory cell in a first write operation and then executes a second write operation. The control circuit carries out the following control in the second write operation. It reads data stored in the memory cell in the first write operation. It restores the first data based on the data read from the memory cell and the 1 bit data held in the data storage circuit. It writes the restored first data into the memory cell. |
| US09349439B2 |
Semiconductor device
An intermediate mode is set between the active mode in which a threshold voltage is low and a standby mode in which a threshold voltage is high. When a mode is shifted from the active mode to the standby mode, the threshold voltage for the active mode is raised temporarily to a threshold voltage for the intermediate mode and then the threshold voltage for the intermediate mode is raised to the threshold voltage for the standby mode. When a mode is shifted from the standby mode to the active mode, the threshold voltage for the standby mode is lowered temporarily to the threshold voltage for the intermediate mode and then the threshold voltage for the intermediate mode is lowered to the threshold voltage for the active mode. |
| US09349438B2 |
Semiconductor storage device
A semiconductor storage device provided can increase a write margin and suppress increase of a chip area. The semiconductor storage device includes plural memory cells arranged in a matrix; plural bit-line pairs arranged corresponding to each column of the memory cells; a write driver circuit which transmits data to a bit-line pair of a selected column according to write data; and a write assist circuit which drives a bit line on a low potential side of the bit-line pair of a selected column to a negative voltage level. The write assist circuit includes first signal wiring; a first driver circuit which drives the first signal wiring according to a control signal; and second signal wiring which is coupled to the bit line on the low-potential side and generates a negative voltage by the driving of the first driver circuit, based on inter-wire coupling capacitance with the first signal wiring. |
| US09349435B2 |
Memory device and semiconductor device
Provided is a memory device with a reduced layout area. The memory device includes a sense amplifier electrically connected to first and second wirings and positioned in a first layer, and first and second circuits positioned in a second layer over the first layer. The first circuit includes a first switch being turned on and off in accordance with a potential of a third wiring, and a first capacitor electrically connected to the first wiring via the first switch. The second circuit includes a second switch being turned on and off in accordance with a potential of a fourth wiring, and a second capacitor electrically connected to the second wiring via the second switch. The first wiring intersects the third wiring and does not intersect the fourth wiring in the second layer. The second wiring intersects the fourth wiring and does not intersect the third wiring in the second layer. |
| US09349429B2 |
Field programming method for magnetic memory devices
There is provided a method for operating a magnetic memory device. The method comprises selecting a subset of magnetic memory cells of the magnetic memory device; applying a first programming voltage to the selected subset of cells for a predetermined amount of time, wherein the programming voltage is selected to exceed a threshold operating voltage thereby to cause irreversible breakdown of the subset of cells; and reading selected cells of the magnetic memory device by passing a read current through a diode connected in series with each magnetic memory cell. |
| US09349426B1 |
Non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM)
A non-volatile memory device includes an array of non-volatile (NV) memory cells organized in pairs. Each pair is included with a transistor to form a memory unit. Each unit is coupled to a bit line, a word line, and a pair of source lines. The NV elements are programmable to either a relatively high resistance or relatively low resistance and the particularly resistance is established, by converting one resistance type to the other or maintaining the existing resistance type the direction of current through the NV element. A bit is formed from two NV cells in different memory units which are programmed to different resistance types and thereby provide a differential pair from which the logic state of the bit can be determined. |
| US09349422B2 |
Supporting calibration for sub-rate operation in clocked memory systems
The disclosed embodiments related to a clocked memory system which performs a calibration operation at a full-rate frequency to determine a full-rate calibration state that specifies a delay between a clock signal and a corresponding data signal in the clocked memory system. Next, the clocked memory system uses the full-rate calibration state to calculate a sub-rate calibration state, which is associated with a sub-rate frequency (e.g., ½, ¼ or ⅛ of the full-rate frequency). The system then uses this sub-rate calibration state when the clocked memory system is operating at the sub-rate frequency. This calculation of the sub-rate state calibration states eliminates the need to perform an additional time-consuming calibration operation for each sub-rate. |
| US09349421B2 |
Memory interface
A data path interface for transferring data to a memory device, comprising: programmable delay units (“PDUs”), wherein data is received by the interface according to a first clock signal and wherein the PDUs apply delays to the received data; and align blocks, wherein the align blocks select certain ones of the delayed data as a function of the first clock signal and a second clock signal, and wherein the selected certain ones of the delayed data are processed for transmission to the memory device according to the second clock signal. |
| US09349419B1 |
Method for controlling an internal supply voltage based on a clock frequency of an external clock signal and a look-up table
A control circuit, a memory device and a voltage control method thereof are provided. The memory device includes a memory cell, a voltage regulator circuit and the control circuit. The control circuit receives a clock signal, and determines a clock frequency of the clock signal so as to generate a control signal. An operation voltage is converted into an internal supply voltage for supplying the control circuit by the voltage regulator circuit according to the control signal. |
| US09349416B2 |
Optical disk apparatus and disk magazine
An optical disk apparatus and a disk magazine. Optical disks are stacked and contained in the disk magazine without a gap between adjacent disks. A disk holding member for preventing the optical disks from being rubbed and damaged in the disk magazine is provided in the disk magazine. The optical disk apparatus using the disk magazine has a disk holding portion for holding a plurality of optical disks in a lump. When the Nth optical disk from the top disk in the disk magazine is conveyed to a disk drive, the stacked N optical disks are held by the disk holding portion, the holding of only the Nth optical disk by the disk holding portion is cancelled and the target optical disk is conveyed by a disk drive portion. |
| US09349410B2 |
Automated data storage library with target of opportunity recognition
A system and computer program product are provided for utilizing target of opportunity to perform at least one special operation while a removable storage medium is mounted within a data storage drive for another purpose. The system comprises a tape library and a tape drive coupled to the tape library. The tape library receives a command to mount a tape cartridge in the tape drive. If it is determined by the tape library that at least one special operation may be performed, then tape library has recognized that a target of opportunity exists. In response to determining that at least one special operation may be performed, the tape library sends a first notification that the tape drive is to remain in a not ready state. The tape library mounts the tape cartridge in the tape drive after determining that at least one special operation may be performed. In response to the tape drive performing the at least one special operation, the tape library sends a second notification that the tape drive is in a ready state or an error state. |
| US09349408B2 |
Hard disk duplication device capable of expanding duplication capacity by chain connection
A hard disk duplication device capable of expanding duplication capacity by chain connection, including one or more duplicators, the duplicator including: an expansion input connection port; an expansion output connection port; an information display screen; multiple buttons including a start button and multiple selection buttons; and at least one hard disk connection port; wherein, the chain connection is achieved by connecting the expansion output connection port of one of a plurality of the duplicators with the expansion input connection port of another of the plurality of the duplicators. |
| US09349405B1 |
Methods, devices and systems for dispensing material on an electronic device
A device configured to dispense material at two locations on an electronic device separated by a distance may comprise a controller and first and second material dispensing units comprising, respectively, a first body portion terminated by a first needle portion that defines a first longitudinal axis and a second body portion terminated by a second needle portion that defines a second longitudinal axis. The first and second needle portions may be configured to dispense material onto the electronic device. A positioning assembly may be configured to position the first and second material dispensing units, under control of the controller, such that the first and second longitudinal axes intersect (or appear to intersect from one or more points of view) and such that the material dispensing free ends of the first and second needle portions are spaced away from one another by the distance separating the two predetermined locations. |
| US09349404B2 |
Perpendicular magnetic recording disc
[Problem] A perpendicular magnetic disk with an improved SNR and an increased recording density by further improving crystal orientation of a preliminary ground layer formed of an Ni-base alloy is provided.[Solution] A typical structure of the perpendicular magnetic disk according to the present invention includes, on a base 110, a soft magnetic layer 130, a Ta alloy layer 140 provided on the soft magnetic layer 130, an Ni alloy layer 142 provided on the Ta alloy layer 140, a ground layer 150 provided on the Ni alloy layer 142 and having Ru as a main component, and a granular magnetic layer 160 provided on the ground layer 150. The Ta alloy layer 140 is a layer containing 10 atomic percent or more and 45 atomic percent or less Ta and having amorphous and soft magnetic properties. |
| US09349394B1 |
Method for fabricating a magnetic writer having a gradient side gap
A method provides a magnetic transducer having an air-bearing surface (ABS) location. The method provides a main pole using a plurality of masks including a plurality of apertures therein. The plurality of apertures overlap in an overlap region. At least a portion of the main pole resides in the overlap region. A side gap adjacent to a portion of the main pole is provided. The side gap has a conformal portion and a nonconformal portion. The conformal portion is adjacent to the ABS location and the overlap region. The conformal portion is between the ABS location and the nonconformal portion. A side shield is provided. The side gap residing between the side shield and the main pole. |
| US09349391B2 |
Controlling magnetic layer anisotropy field by oblique angle static deposition
In one general embodiment, a system includes a magnetic layer having first and second magnetic sublayers. An anisotropy of the first magnetic sublayer is oriented in a different direction than an anisotropy of the second magnetic sublayer. In another general embodiment, a magnetic head includes a magnetic layer having first and second magnetic sublayers directly adjacent one another. A deposition thickness of the magnetic layer is less than 60 angstroms. An interface between the magnetic sublayers is oriented at an angle of greater than 2 degrees and less than 88 degrees relative to a plane of deposition thereof. The magnetic layer includes at least one material selected from a group consisting of Co, Fe, Ni, CoFe, CoFeB, CoHf and NiFe. |
| US09349390B1 |
Ultra-short yoke length writer
A method and system provide a magnetic transducer having an air-bearing surface (ABS). The magnetic transducer includes a main pole having a pole tip, at least one auxiliary pole and at least one coil for energizing the main pole. The auxiliary pole(s) are adjacent to the main pole in a down track direction and recessed from the ABS. The coil(s) have a plurality of turns. At least one of the turns is between the auxiliary pole(s) and the ABS. |
| US09349387B1 |
Detection of open write heads and/or cables in tape drives
An apparatus, according to one embodiment, includes a controller having a write driver, and a comparator circuit configured to detect a high resistance condition by comparing a first output voltage of the write driver with a second output voltage of the comparator circuit. A high resistance condition is detected in response to determining that the second output voltage of the comparator circuit is greater than the first output voltage of the write driver. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are described in additional embodiments. |
| US09349385B2 |
Electronic device and gain controlling method
An electronic device and a corresponding gain controlling method are provided. The gain controlling method includes the steps of receiving a sound signal, calculating a sound level according to each value of the sound signal in a past period, determining a gain value according to the sound level, using the gain value to amplify the sound signal, and then storing the sound signal. |
| US09349384B2 |
Method and system for object-dependent adjustment of levels of audio objects
In some embodiments, a method for adaptive control of gain applied to an audio signal, including steps of analyzing segments of the signal to identify audio objects (e.g., voices of participants in a voice conference); storing information regarding each distinct identified object; using at least some of the information to determine at least one of a target gain, or a gain change rate for reaching a target gain, for each identified object; and applying gain to segments of the signal indicative of an identified object such that the gain changes (typically, at the gain change rate for the object) from an initial gain to the target gain for the object. The information stored may include a scene description. Aspects of the invention include a system configured (e.g., programmed) to perform any embodiment of the inventive method. |
| US09349383B2 |
Audio bandwidth dependent noise suppression
A system and method for audio bandwidth dependent noise suppression may detect the audio bandwidth of an audio signal responsive to one or more audio indicators. The audio indicators may include the audio sampling rate and characteristics of an associated compression format. Noise suppression gains may be calculated responsive to the audio signal. Noise suppression gains may mitigate undesirable noise in the reproduced output signal. The noise suppression gains may be modified responsive to the detected audio bandwidth. Less noise reduction may be desirable when more audio bandwidth is available. The modified noise suppression gains may be applied to the audio signal. |
| US09349381B2 |
Method and device for pulse encoding, method and device for pulse decoding
The present invention discloses a method and a device for pulse encoding, and a method and a device for pulse decoding. The method for pulse encoding includes: calculating an index value of an input pulse; selecting an adjustment threshold value according to the number of pulses, and comparing the index value of the pulse with the adjustment threshold value; if the index value is smaller than the adjustment threshold value, adopting the first number of encoding bits to encode the index value, if the index value is not smaller than the adjustment threshold value, adopting the second number of encoding bits to encode the index value plus an offset value, where the first number is smaller than the second number, the first number and the second number are both positive integers, and the offset value is greater than or equal to the adjustment threshold value. |
| US09349376B2 |
Bitstream syntax for multi-process audio decoding
An audio decoder provides a combination of decoding components including components implementing base band decoding, spectral peak decoding, frequency extension decoding and channel extension decoding techniques. The audio decoder decodes a compressed bitstream structured by a bitstream syntax scheme to permit the various decoding components to extract the appropriate parameters for their respective decoding technique. |
| US09349372B2 |
Speaker identification method, and speaker identification system
A speaker identification system (100) includes a microphone (2) which acquires speech information of a speaker; a sex/age range information acquisition unit (7) which acquires age range information relating to a range of the age of the speaker, based on the speech information; a specific age information acquisition unit (8) which acquires specific age information relating to the specific age of the speaker, based on the speech information; a date and time information acquisition unit (9) which acquires date and time information representing the date and time when the speech information has been acquired; and a speaker database (4) which accumulates the specific age information, and the date and time information in association with each other. |
| US09349368B1 |
Generating an audio notification based on detection of a triggering event
A computer-implemented method of determining when an audio notification should be generated includes detecting receipt of a triggering event that occurs on a user device; generating, based on detecting, the audio notification for the triggering event; receiving, from the user device, a user voice command responding to the audio notification; and generating a response to the user voice command based on one or more of (i) information associated with the audio notification, and (ii) information associated with the user voice command. |
| US09349366B2 |
Systems and methods for managing an emergency situation
Systems and methods for managing an emergency situation are provided herein. According to some embodiments, the present technology may related to a security system and method for monitoring, detecting, and providing notification and/or response measures in response to an emergency situation regarding a user. |
| US09349359B2 |
Electronic keyboard instrument
The present invention provides an electronic keyboard instrument capable of strongly supporting an upper panel covering the rear of a key while suppressing shaking of the key and an increase in device size. An electronic keyboard instrument (1) of the present invention includes: a key (3), rotating about a rotating shaft (24); an upper panel (4), covering the rear of the key (3) from above; a chassis (2), disposed in a position to interpose the rear of the key (3) between the chassis (2) and the upper panel (4); a through hole (32a), passing through the rear of the key (3) to communicate a side toward the chassis (2) with a side toward the upper panel (4); and a rear guide (25), passing from the chassis (2) through the through hole (32a) to extend toward the upper panel (4) and supporting the upper panel (4). |
| US09349356B2 |
Drum heads and drums
A drum head having a striking feeling similar to an acoustic drum includes an inner head layer and a pair of outer head layers. The outside diameter of the inner head layer is smaller than the outside diameter of a flat part of the outer head layers and the inside diameter of the edge of the shell. The inner head layer is inside the connection part between the flat part and a cylindrical part of the outer head layers and the shell edge part. When tension is applied to the outer head layers, tension is prevented from being applied to the inner head layer. |
| US09349355B2 |
Device and method for tuning an acoustic percussion instrument
A system and method for reliably tuning an acoustic percussion instrument with a single adjustment. The system includes a cord attached to a tensioning device, the cord being arranged in connection with a plurality of brackets and tensioning elements. By increasing the tension on the cord, the tensioning elements are pulled in a downward direction with respect to the drum head, thereby increasing the tension thereon. The tuning system disclosed herein provides a substantially equal distribution of tensioning force through the arrangement of the cord and other elements of the system. |
| US09349349B2 |
Computer readable medium having program recorded therein, information processing apparatus, information processing method, and information processing system
An example apparatus, which includes a predetermined input device for outputting operational data indicating operational inputs entered by a player and a display unit that displays predetermined characters in a virtual space, moves a first character in the virtual space based on the operational data, moves a second character in the virtual space based on automatic operating data which is a set of operational data for continuously moving a character, determines whether the first character satisfies a predetermined condition or not, and moves the second character from a state in which the second character satisfies the predetermined condition based on the automatic operating data in response to the first character satisfying the predetermined condition. |
| US09349348B2 |
System and methods for laser beam display
A laser beam display device includes: a dimming setting input unit into which any one of the dimming values of plural dimming steps are input; a first dimming processing unit having plural dimming LUTs that store dimming amounts regarding the respective dimming steps with the corresponding gradation levels as indexes; a second dimming processing unit having one gain LUT that holds gains regarding the respective dimming steps and a multiplier that creates the indexes for the respective dimming LUTs by multiplying a video signal by the gains; and a light source drive unit that drives a laser diode on the basis of reference results obtained by referring to the dimming LUTs of the first dimming processing unit. The luminance of the emission beam of the laser diode, which corresponds to the video signal, is dimmed in accordance with a dimming setting input from the dimming setting input unit. |
| US09349342B2 |
Display method and electronic device
A display method and an electronic device are provided. The display method is applied to the electronic device, and includes: displaying each display object of the display unit according to a first display parameter, monitoring the operation state of the electronic device to obtain a monitored result; acquiring a display adjusting command if the monitored result indicates that a fold or unfold operation is performed on the electronic device; adjusting the first display parameter of at least one display object of the display unit according to the display adjusting command to generate a second display parameter, and displaying the at least one display object according to the second display parameter. |
| US09349340B2 |
Thin-film transistor substrate, display device provided with same, and method for producing thin-film transistor substrate
In at least one operation control TFT (27N, 27P) in a control circuit (27), an impurity of a type that generates an impurity level of a channel region (33c) is included in the channel region (33c) as a threshold adjustment impurity, and the concentration of the threshold adjustment impurity is made higher than the concentration of the threshold adjustment impurity in channel regions (33c) of other TFTs (21, 25, 28) of the same type, thus causing the absolute value of the threshold voltage to be greater than that of the other TFTs (21, 25, 28) of the same type. |
| US09349339B2 |
Pre-charging apparatus of source driving circuit and operating method thereof
A source driver pre-charging apparatus including a data detection module, a determining module, and a pre-charging module is disclosed. The data detection module captures a first most significant bit having N bits in a current data and a second most significant bit having N bits in a former data and compares them to generate a compared result. N is a positive integer larger than or equal to 2. The determining module judges whether any data is transited from a first grey-level region to a second grey-level region between the former data and the current data and at least one other grey-level region is existed between the first grey-level region and the second grey-level region. If the judgment result of the determining module is yes, the pre-charging module performs a pre-charging action on an output voltage of a source driver. |
| US09349334B2 |
Polarity inversion signal converting method, apparatus and display
The present disclosure provides a polarity inversion signal converting method, a polarity inversion signal converting apparatus and a display, the polarity inversion signal converting method comprises: judging whether a polarity inversion signal is required to be converted currently and generating a judgment result; changing the polarity inversion signal currently output to a data driver, if the judgment result indicates that the polarity inversion signal is required to be converted currently. With the present disclosure, the polarity inversion signal output to the data driver may be changed according to different situations, so that the driving manners of the data driver may vary flexibly. |
| US09349333B2 |
Control circuit and display device equipped with the same
A control circuit conducts a drive control of a RGBW display panel to operate white pixels to light up together with red, green and blue pixels, where the drive control includes a luminance control of a backlight to reduce luminance of the backlight according to an amount of an increase in luminance of the display panel due to a lighting operation of the white pixels. The control circuit includes: a first circuit section configured to generate control signals for controlling the display panel; and a second circuit section configured to generate control signals for controlling the backlight. The first circuit section includes a redistributing circuit section configured to distribute a luminance component of each white pixel to corresponding the red, green and blue pixels and reduce luminance of the each white pixel when the display panel has a white chromaticity dependence on gradation values. |
| US09349332B2 |
Non-overlap data transmission method for liquid crystal display and related transmission circuit
The present disclosure provides a non-overlap data transmission method for a liquid crystal display (LCD). The non-overlap data transmission method includes obtaining an entire fame image data; dividing the entire frame image data into a plurality of image data segments and individually sending the image data segments to a plurality of display processing units at the same time, wherein each of the image data segments is sent to one of the display processing units and image data of each image data segment does not overlap with image data of the other image data segments; and mutually sending image data of the image data segments through the display processing units. |
| US09349330B2 |
Pixel structure, liquid crystal display panel and driving method thereof
The invention provides a pixel structure, including a plurality of pixel units; each pixel unit including: a first, second and third pixel areas, adjacently disposed. First pixel area includes first pixel electrode and first control switch. Second pixel area includes second pixel electrode and second control switch. Third pixel area includes third pixel electrode and third control switch. Third pixel electrode is connected to data signal sequentially through third and the second control switches. Third pixel electrode is connected to second pixel electrode through third control switch so as to make the voltage level at first pixel electrode different from voltage level at second pixel electrode when first control switch, second control switch and third control switch are all conductive. |
| US09349325B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and electronic device
It is an object to provide a transmissive liquid crystal display device in which power consumption is reduced and deterioration in display quality is suppressed. As a backlight, a surface-emission light source is employed. The light source is a light source which performs surface light emission, so that the light emission area is large. Accordingly, the backlight can effectively radiate heat. Thus, even in the case where an image signal is not input to a pixel for a long period, the pixel can hold the image signal. In other words, both a reduction in power consumption and a suppression of deterioration in display quality can be realized. |
| US09349322B2 |
Power sharing lines for powering a small form factor OLED display device
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display device includes a substrate including a circular arc portion and a driving circuit connecting portion connected to the top of the circular arc portion. A circular display area is formed in the circular arc portion. The display area includes a number of OLED pixels, where each OLED pixel connected to one of a number of power lines. A driving power supply line provides a driving voltage for the OLED pixels. The driving power supply line includes a circular shape and is formed around the display area. A number of power sharing lines extend from a lower area of the driving power supply line, where each of the power sharing lines is connected to a different subset of the power lines. |
| US09349320B2 |
Display device and output buffer circuit for driving the same
Disclosed herein is a display device including: a plurality of pixel circuits; a power source line connected to corresponding ones of the plurality of pixel circuits; and an output buffer circuit for supplying currents to corresponding ones of the plurality of pixel circuits by alternately applying a first potential applied to a first power source supply terminal, and a second potential applied to a second power source supply terminal to the power source line. The output buffer includes a variable resistance circuit connected to a path between the first power source supply terminal and the power source line, the variable resistance circuit serving to change a resistance value thereof in accordance with a magnitude of a total sum of the currents. |
| US09349317B2 |
Organic light emitting display device and method of driving the same
Disclosed is an organic light emitting display device and a method of driving the same that can improve compensation performance of degradation of a driving TFT. A method of driving an organic light emitting display device comprises generating an estimated degradation value of a driving TFT by using accumulated data through input data counting; compensating all the pixels of a display panel by using a first gain value, which is initially set, and the estimated degradation value; generating a sensing value by sensing all or some of the pixels of the display panel after driving is performed for a certain time; generating a second gain value by compensating the first gain value if an error between the estimated degradation value and the sensing value is more than a reference value; generating compensation data by compensating the estimated degradation value by using the second gain value; and compensating all the pixels of the display panel by using the compensation data. |
| US09349309B1 |
Vehicle external warning apparatus
Apparatus to communicate a message to a vehicle exterior, comprising sheet metal box having vertical sides, cut-outs in one of the sides configured to communicate a message, colored translucent plastic material closely covering the cut-outs at the box interior, light means for substantially uniformly illuminating the plastic material, within the box, means to connect the box to the vehicle whereby the cut-outs face rearwardly of the vehicle. |
| US09349308B2 |
Dynamic application of a design across multiple product packages
Systems and methods are described for dynamically applying a single design across a display field composed of visual surfaces of a number of non-adjoined product packages to create an impression of a single, unified aesthetic. Geometries and layouts of product packages are used to calculate a display field. A source image can be mapped to some or all of the display field to generate one or more field maps. Individual package images can be generated from the field maps, according to various factors, including the individual product package geometries and layouts. Some embodiments allow the generated package images to be previewed, the entire display field to be virtually previewed, and/or the package images to be output. |
| US09349306B2 |
Modular display panel
Embodiments of the present invention relate to integrated modular display panels. In one embodiment, modular display panel includes a casing having a recess. The casing includes locking points for use in attachment to an adjacent casing of another modular display panel. A printed circuit board is disposed in the recess and a plurality of LEDs attached to the printed circuit board. A driver circuit is attached to the printed circuit board. A heat sink is disposed between a back side of the casing and the printed circuit board. The heat sink thermally contacts the back side of the casing and the printed circuit board. A framework of louvers is disposed over the printed circuit board. The framework of louvers is disposed between rows of the LEDs. The framework of louvers is attached to the printed circuit board using an adhesive. |
| US09349305B2 |
Textured heat transfer label
A textured heat transfer label includes a textured portion formed from a highly cross-linked UV ink and a thermoplastic background ink. The textured heat transferable label can also include metalized portions. |
| US09349303B2 |
Automated caregiving device with prompting based on caregiver progress
A device for assisting a caregiver in delivering therapy to a patient, the device comprising a user interface configured to deliver prompts to a caregiver to assist the caregiver in delivering therapy to a patient; at least one sensor configured to detect the caregiver's progress in delivering the therapy, wherein the sensor is other than an electrode in an electrical contact with the body; a memory in which a plurality of different prompts are stored; a processor configured to determine which of the different prompts should be selected for delivery based on the progress detected by the sensor. |
| US09349301B2 |
Sensor-based movement guidance
Technologies are generally described for methods, instructions, and applications for a user-guidance system. In some examples, the system may include sensors to measure current weight distribution of a user of the user-guidance system and to transmit resulting measured weight distribution data, a guidance apparatus to calculate a subsequent user movement based on at least the measured weight distribution data and to transmit resulting user movement instructions, and an actuator to produce actuating signals, based on at least the user movement instructions, that provide instructions for the subsequent user movement. |
| US09349295B2 |
Mixed-intiative transfer of datalink-based information
A system and method are provided for transferring datalink-based information into an aircraft flight management system. When a datalink message is received in an aircraft, it is parsed into individual information elements. The operational impact of the received datalink message on the aircraft is determined from the individual information elements. A method of supplying pilot feedback regarding the received datalink message is determined from the determined operational impact. The pilot feedback regarding the received datalink message is supplied using the determined method. At least selected portions of the individual information elements are selectively transferred into the aircraft flight management system (FMS). |
| US09349294B2 |
Vehicle safety arrangement and method
Embodiments herein relate to a vehicle safety arrangement and method for preventing or mitigating accidents when turning across lanes with oncoming traffic in a vehicle including an Electrical Power Assisted Steering (EPAS). Oncoming traffic in one or more adjacent lanes and other vehicles approaching from behind are detected by forward and rearward looking detection systems respectively. An intention to turn across an adjacent lane is determined. Standstill of the host vehicle is determined. A control unit is arranged to, during determined standstill and a determined intention to turn across a lane containing oncoming traffic, determine if a risk of the host vehicle being hit from behind is high, and if so determined, generate and send a control signal to an EPAS control unit, which, in response to receiving such a control signal, is arranged to cause the EPAS to align the steerable wheels of the host vehicle. |
| US09349285B1 |
Traffic classification based on spatial neighbor model
Systems, methods, and apparatuses are described for estimating traffic conditions on road segments when no real time traffic data is available. A computing device may access a road topology comprising links from a geographic database. One of the links is selected from road topology. The computing device identifies a subset of the road topology having neighboring links that have an influentual conditional probability on the selected link. In one example, the subset of the neighboring links includes parent links for the selected link, child links for the selected link, and parents of child links of the selected link. The computing device generates a traffic estimation model for the selected link using the subset of road topology and historical traffic data for the neighboring links. |
| US09349282B2 |
Proximity sensing device control architecture and data communication protocol
Mobile device speaker control may include: monitoring one or more devices wirelessly coupled with a data network, receiving one or more data packets from each of the one or more devices, filtering received data packets by evaluating a received signal strength (e.g., RSSI) of the received packets, comparing the received signal strength of each of the received packets to a threshold to determine whether the one or more devices are to perform an action, and performing the action only if one or more indicia other than the received signal strength indicate a near field proximity within the threshold or a direct physical contact between a wireless device receiving the data packets and one of the one or more devices that is wirelessly transmitting the data packets. |
| US09349280B2 |
Disrupting bone conduction signals
Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for disrupting bone conduction signals. According to one aspect, a device can receive a signal via a communication path that is external to a body of a user associated with the device. The device can generate a disruption signal to disrupt the signal. The device can send the disruption signal through the body of the user to disrupt the signal. |
| US09349279B2 |
Systems and methods for compensating for sensor drift in a hazard detection system
Systems and methods for compensating for sensor drift of a smoke sensor are described herein. Sensor drift may be caused by accumulated buildup of dust or other particulates within an enclosure of the smoke sensor. Embodiments described herein can account for sensor drift by adjusting a clear air offset value. |
| US09349274B2 |
Hygiene compliance module
A hygiene compliance module is configured to be retrofit with a compatible dispenser to enable hygiene compliance monitoring functions. The hygiene compliance module is configured to be coupled to the dispenser via a communication interface to receive power, ground, and dispenser actuation signals therefrom. In addition, the hygiene compliance module is enabled to communicate with a wireless data tag that is worn by a user of the dispenser and with a remote hygiene compliance monitoring station. |
| US09349270B1 |
Method and apparatus for confirming an asset is associated with a given transportation structure
A method and apparatus is provided for establishing the whereabouts of an asset being tracked while in the process of being transported to a given destination. This may optionally be accomplished by utilizing identification beacons in the form of RF or other wireless transmitters to establish to a tracking system that a given asset is being transported via the appropriate structure in a pre-established schedule. Further, by knowing in advance that a given structure will be used for transportation or temporary storage, sensing parameters of smart tracking devices may be adjusted to better accommodate customer alert situations. |
| US09349268B2 |
TNT-medical alert system
The inventive device object of the present application is a comprehensive medical alert system that will save the lives of many people. When immediate medical attention is needed to save a life or to reduce complications, first responders need prompt access to the patient when they arrive at the patient's home. When the door is unlocked automatically using this system, medical personnel will be able to attend to the patient more quickly. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. |
| US09349265B2 |
High holding force security device
A merchandise display security device for displaying and protecting an article of merchandise from theft is provided. The security device includes a mounting base and at least one movable member coupled to the mounting base and configured to releasably attach the mounting base to the article of merchandise. The security device may also include a housing configured to be secured to the mounting base. |
| US09349261B1 |
Table light
A light device comprising a hollow, cylindrical and threaded bolt element, for housing at least a battery, and a head element, housing light elements and an actuating member of a switch, wherein the head element comprises a domed upper surface and an annular flat bottom surface, wherein, the domed upper surface comprises at least a transparent portion such that to allow light from the light elements to pass through when turned on, wherein the actuating member of a switch can be actuated by a user from the domed upper surface, wherein the exterior diameter of the head element is greater than the diameter of the hollow cylindrical bolt element, and wherein the head element comprises a threaded recess beginning at the inner edge of the annular flat bottom surface and extending towards the domed upper surface, for receiving the open end of the hollow cylindrical bolt element. |
| US09349259B1 |
Self-locking shutter assembly
A device includes a shutter blade supported by an end plate and a cam driver having a cam pin positioned to traverse a slot in the end plate of the shutter blade, the cam pin and slot acting to lock the shutter blade in a closed position, and operating to open the shutter blade as the cam pin traverses the slot. |
| US09349258B2 |
Method of gaming, a gaming system and a game controller
A gaming system, game controller and method of gaming implementing a game wherein one or more symbols are selected to be retained from a previous game outcome based on symbols which contribute to a winning symbol combination in the game outcome. One or more subsequent game outcomes can be generated including the retained symbols. The retained symbols from a previous game outcome can be selected from symbols which contribute to a winning symbols combination in the previous game outcome. In the subsequent game outcome, the retained symbols can contribute to further winning symbol combinations. |
| US09349257B2 |
Gaming system, gaming device and method for draw poker game (dream card)
A gaming system, a gaming machine and a method is provided having a Five Card Video Draw poker game with a single hand or multiple hands. The gaming system or gaming machine first determines whether a dream card is going to be used in a particular round of play or a dream card is used on every hand. If the dream card is going to be used, then the last card of the initial hand is chosen so that, when the last card is combined with the other randomly selected cards of the initial hand, the initial starting hand will have the highest possible expected value. |
| US09349255B2 |
Gaming devices having game modifiers usable between games and stages within games
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to the use of game modifiers that are triggered in a first game and are used in game stages in a subsequent second game. According to some embodiments, a gaming device is configured to play a multi-stage game of chance. After each stage is completed in a first game, it is determined whether any of the game stages have triggered modifications of one or more game modifiers that are used in one or more corresponding game stages in a subsequently played game. The altered game modifiers may modify prizes associated with an incremented one of the game stages in the subsequent game so that the altered modifiers move between game stages in multiple games. |
| US09349254B1 |
No dealer hand 21 / propositions and jackpots
The Applicants provide a process for playing “NDH/21.” Their inventive processes utilize both Standard decks of Fifty-two cards or any of several types of acceptably configured decks, such as; over Fifty-two cards (Jokers included) as well as under Fifty-two cards (a.k.a., Carnival or Spanish decks, etc., with or without Joker-cards) and/or the electronic simulation of all the like. This process is inclusive to an encompassing video gaming apparatus or a live action table gaming environment, as accommodated for. In play action, the Dealer's Hand is replaced, with the application of a triggering thread of numbers, ranging from Twelve up to Twenty-One. Through such a design, the Applicants present Housemasters with uniquely exploitable degrees of volatility; meaning a tolerable Player vigorish is in store, one that Players won't quickly shy away from. In so doing, the Applicants' triggering means solution replacing the Dealer's Hand in play action proffers a whole new frontier for their “Blackjack/21” gaming procedure. Indeed, this procedure directly features significantly fatter core margin payoffs for winning hands while still providing for all the necessary elements of a sustainable alternative to the classic Blackjack workhorse for which both Housemasters, and the public, can enthusiastically embrace. |
| US09349253B2 |
Gaming system, gaming controller, and a prize triggering method
A triggering method for a win outcome on a gaming device includes determining an amount of credit on commencement of game play. A number of symbols displayed in the game is adjusted as a function of the amount bet, to thereby affect the probability of a win outcome being generated. |
| US09349249B2 |
Anti-sandbagging in head-to-head gaming for enriched game play environment
Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention operate an anti-sandbagging hybrid game. One embodiment includes an anti-sandbagging hybrid game, including: a gambling game; an entertainment game; a game world engine constructed to manage the entertainment game and communicate gameplay gambling event occurrences based upon a player's skillful execution of the entertainment game that trigger randomly generated payouts for the gambling game to the gambling game; and an anti-sandbagging module constructed to: receive player performance measurements for at least one player from the game world engine; assign an anti-sandbagging provision to the at least one player based at least in part upon the performance measurements for the at least one player from the game world engine; and send information concerning the anti-sandbagging provision to the game world engine that configures the game world engine to implement the assigned anti-sandbagging provision within the anti-sandbagging hybrid game. |
| US09349248B2 |
License management in a gaming system
There is disclosed a gaming system comprising, a gaming machine terminal configured to seek to initiate a game session, a license management client configured to control initiation of the game session based on a license control parameter, and a license management server in data communication with the license management client and configured to generate the license control parameter and serve the license control parameter to the license management client. |
| US09349246B1 |
Integrations portal for a peer-to-peer game platform
An integrations portal can communicate with a developer client and can include an interface to prompt the developer client for and to receive peer-to-peer competition settings and third-party game mechanics. A peer-to-peer wagering platform can be in communication with the integrations portal and a plurality of player clients and can receive data from the integrations portal that includes the peer-to-peer competition settings and the third-party game mechanics. A peer-to-peer competition can be caused to be provided to the plurality of player clients according to the peer-to-peer competition settings in which at least one of the plurality of player clients wagers on an outcome of the peer-to-peer competition. At least a part of the wager can form a reward for a winner. The outcome of the peer-to-peer competition can be determined based on a received performance and the third-party game mechanics. Related apparatus, systems, techniques, and articles are also described. |
| US09349245B2 |
System with player centric rewards
A system and method is provided which establishes for a number of player-rated tiers, reward criteria which can be satisfied by play of the player of a gaming device. Play data is provided to a host server and upon satisfaction of the reward criteria a player-centric game for the player's rating is provided to the player for play to render a winning or losing outcome. For a winning outcome the player receives a reward based upon the player's tier rating. The rewards may be provided across multiple games including slots, tables, keno, and any other casino game. The rewards may be directly credited to the gaming devices using either cashable or non-cashable credits. The system facilitates patrons continuing to accrue rights toward a reward even when playing different gaming machines, or when playing machines having different denominations. |
| US09349241B2 |
Gaming device having positional symbol awards
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a slot machine having awards for the occurrence of certain symbols in certain designated positions of the play matrix. In one embodiment, a game device comprises: a display device; an input device; and a processor for accessing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to operate with the display device and the input device to: provide a game comprising: a plurality of reels, each of the reels including a plurality of symbol positions, wherein at least one of the symbol positions comprises a capture position; a plurality of symbols at the plurality of symbol positions on the reels; at least one predetermined winning symbol combination of a plurality of winning symbol combinations; and an award associated with the predetermined winning symbol combination; wherein the winning symbol combination comprises a predetermined symbol from the plurality of symbols being positioned in the capture position. |
| US09349238B2 |
Vending kit and method
One variation of a method for controlling access to products from a vending machine includes: locking a door of the vending machine; recording an initial inventory of products arranged within the vending machine based on signals received by a radio antenna arranged within the vending machine and read by a radio frequency identification reader; initiating a transaction in response to receiving a cashless payment mechanism from a patron; unlocking the door in response to authentication of the cashless payment mechanism; in response to closure of the door, recording a final inventory of products within the vending machine based on signals received by the radio antenna and read by the radio frequency identification reader; and initiating a payment with the cashless payment mechanism for a difference between the initial inventory and the final inventory to complete the transaction. |
| US09349235B2 |
Preauthorized wearable biometric device, system and method for use thereof
Embodiments are directed towards authenticating users using biometric devices. The biometric device may be arranged to capture one or more biometric feature of a user that may be wearing the biometric device such as biometric features that correspond to an electrocardiogram of the user. The user of the biometric device may be authenticated based on one or more biometric features, or a combination thereof. Authenticating the user of the biometric device, may include communicating information that includes biometric features to an authorized authentication device (AAD). When the user is authenticated, the biometric device may be preauthorized for the user. When the preauthorized biometric device senses at least one access point, an authorization signal may be provided to the access point. If the preauthorized biometric device is removed from the user, the biometric device is deauthorized, disabling access to access points by the user. |
| US09349234B2 |
Vehicle to vehicle social and business communications
A system for vehicle to another party communications that includes a vehicle personality module adapted to create a vehicle personality and a communications system that utilizes the created vehicle personality for one or more communications instead of a user's profile. The one or more communications are associated with one or more of an identifier and an icon representing the vehicle personality, with this identifier and/or icon sent with at least one communication and displayable to the recipient of the communication. |
| US09349232B2 |
Biometric identification device with smartcard capabilities
A smartcard-enabled BPID Security Device integrates a smartcard reader with a biometric authentication component to provide secured access to electronic systems. The device allows for an individual to insert a smartcard into an aperture in the physical enclosure of the BPID Security Device, allowing the smartcard and the BPID Security Device to electronically communicate with each other. The BPID Security Device is based on a custom application specific integrated circuit that incorporates smartcard terminals, such that the BPID Security Device can communicate directly with an inserted smartcard. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the BPID Security Device is based on a commercial off-the-shelf microprocessor, and may communicate with a commercial off-the-shelf microprocessor smartcard receiver using a serial, USB, or other type of communication protocol. The device allows for enrolling a user's credentials onto the BPID Security Device and for authenticating an individual using the BPID Security Device. |
| US09349224B2 |
Systems and methods for vehicle status notification
Methods and apparatus are provided for notifying a user of a condition of a vehicle. The method includes receiving sensor data from one or more sensors associated with one or more systems of the vehicle. The one or more sensors observe conditions associated with the one or more systems of the vehicle. The method includes receiving a preference for notifications from a user of the vehicle. The method further includes generating at least one notification based on the preference and the sensor data, and communicating the at least one notification to a device of the user. |
| US09349217B1 |
Integrated community of augmented reality environments
An architecture is provided to integrate multiple augmented reality environments to expand user experiences that might otherwise be limited in a single augmented reality environment. The architecture includes multiple augmented reality functional nodes located in separate locations to generate augmented reality environments within respective locations. The nodes are communicatively coupled together through a peer network, via cloud services, or other arrangements. The community of environments allows data, such as captured images, to be ported from one location to another, thereby allowing users to share in common experiences. Examples of such experiences might include team software coding, playing software games, virtually extending line-of-sight beyond physical boundaries, and controlling remote locations by virtually placing oneself in those locations. |
| US09349216B2 |
Sketch-based generation and editing of quad meshes
System, method, and computer program product to perform an operation, comprising sampling a plurality of points and a plurality of segments of a curve on a surface of a three-dimensional model, storing each sampled point as a respective vertex of a plurality of vertices and each sampled segment as a respective half-edge in a curve network of the model surface, upon determining that a first half-edge and a second half-edge connect two of the plurality of vertices, generating a first halfchain connecting the first half-edge and the second half-edge, wherein each connected vertex comprises either a corner or an open endpoint, and upon determining that three consecutive halfchains form a loop comprising at least three corners, generating a first patch for a space enclosed by the loop, wherein the first patch is represented as a quad mesh with a respective set of vertices, faces, and half-edges. |
| US09349214B2 |
Systems and methods for reproduction of shadows from multiple incident light sources
Systems and methods are provided for simulating shadows in a scene. In an embodiment, two or more light sources that cast shadows from objects are identified. Each of those light sources is then assigned to a channel in a shadow mask buffer. The shadows are then accumulated into the shadow mask buffer and may be combined with corresponding lights to render the scene. |
| US09349211B1 |
Texturing models of structures
A method and apparatus is provided for forming a model of a structure. Input data comprising a set of values for a set of attributes is received. The set of values for the set of attributes is matched to a number of texture decks in a plurality of texture decks. A texture deck in the plurality of texture decks is associated with a set of assigned attributes. Each assigned attribute in the set of assigned attributes is assigned at least one assigned value. A texture deck from the number of texture decks is selected as a final texture deck for use in forming the model of the structure. |
| US09349203B2 |
Operation sequence display method and operation sequence display system
Disclosed are an operation sequence display method and an operation sequence display system, wherein operation scenes to attach or remove one or a plurality of components are displayed by switching the scenes. And in at least one operation scene, the attachment or removal target components are displayed in a different manner from other components by changing gray scales using a single color, marking displays for emphasizing operation portions of the target components or the moving directions of the target components in the screen are blinked at a constant interval, and after the marking displays are blinked, the operations to the operation portions or the movements of the target components are displayed by animation, and displays regarding the operations to the operation portions or the movements of the target components are performed at a constant rhythm. |
| US09349199B2 |
System and method for generating image window view settings
A method for generating an image of an obtaining a three-dimensional (3D) volume dataset of an object of interest, automatically analyzing the 3D volume dataset to generate a window level setting, automatically generating a window width setting based on the window level setting, and automatically displaying an image of the object of interest using the window width setting. An imaging system and a non-transitory computer readable medium are also described. |
| US09349198B2 |
Robust artifact reduction in image reconstruction
Approaches are disclosed for removing or reducing metal artifacts in reconstructed images. The approaches include creating a metal mask in the projection domain, interpolating data within the metal mask, and perform a reconstruction using the interpolated data. In certain embodiments the metal structure is separately reconstructed and combined with the reconstructed volume. |
| US09349188B2 |
Creating details in an image with adaptive frequency strength controlled transform
Input image information is received. A processor device is used for determining enhancement information based on frequency characteristics and edge information of the input image information. The enhancement information is mixed with the input image information to generate an enhanced image. |
| US09349186B2 |
Systems and methods for image segmentation using target image intensity
The system and method of the invention combines target image intensity into a maximum likelihood estimate (MLE) framework as in STAPLE to take advantage of both intensity-based segmentation and statistical label fusion based on atlas consensus and performance level, abbreviated iSTAPLE. The MLE framework is then solved using a modified expectation-maximization algorithm to simultaneously estimate the intensity profiles of structures of interest as well as the true segmentation and atlas performance level. The iSTAPLE greatly extends the use of atlases such that the target image need not have the same image contrast and intensity range as the atlas images. |
| US09349183B1 |
Method and apparatus for three dimensional viewing of images
A method, apparatus and computer program product for three-dimensional viewing of images is presented. Embodiments of the invention provide a process for combining slices generated by medical imaging devices to create a volume of interest and then present this volume in a three-dimensional representation to a head display unit so that the user can obtain a holistic view of the patient. Key image processing techniques are applied which enable the user to rotate and view the volume of interest from alternative viewpoints; to enable tissue subtraction to facilitate unobstructed viewing of a region of interest; to identify differing tissues with color schematics; to zoom in for optimal viewing; and to view a moving image of a volume of interest. |
| US09349182B2 |
3D intraoral measurements using optical multiline method
A method for mapping a sensor pixel array to an illumination pixel array according to a surface forms a group mapping by assigning each pixel to a corresponding group, each group with p adjacent pixels on the illumination array and each ordered set having k groups, by projecting and recording a sequence of group index images. Each group index image has, in at least two of the groups, no illuminated pixels and in fewer than (k−1) groups, from 2 to (p−1) adjacent illuminated pixels. The sequence of group index images uses pixels from each of the k groups. At least p multiline images are projected and recorded, wherein each multiline image projects a line within each group. Lines in the multiline images are correlated according to the group mapping and the correlation stored in memory. Integers k and p are greater than or equal to 3. |
| US09349180B1 |
Viewpoint invariant object recognition
Utilizing viewpoint and scale invariant feature descriptors for object recognition and/or tracking. For example, a user can capture three-dimensional (“3D”) image data including a representation of an object. The 3D image data can be analyzed to detect one or more feature points of the object represented in the image data, where the detected feature points can include position and distance information. The feature points in each image can be correlated and a feature descriptor, or unique fingerprint, can be determined for each detected feature point. The feature descriptors can provide for a multi-dimension vector that includes a unique fingerprint for that feature point that incorporates position information as well as depth information. The feature descriptors corresponding to the correlated feature points can be combined (e.g., added, averaged, etc.) and the combined feature descriptors can be used for performing view point invariant object recognition, image matching, or other such purposes. |
| US09349179B2 |
Location information determined from depth camera data
The subject disclosure is directed towards obtaining relatively precise location data with respect to a mapped space, based upon depth camera coordinates, for tracking a user or other object within the space. Also described are usage scenarios and user experiences that are based upon the current location data. |
| US09349173B2 |
Image processor and image processing method
Disclosed herein is an image processor including: a random number sequence generation section adapted to generate a random number sequence; a random number-superimposed luminance variable generation section adapted to generate a random number-superimposed luminance variable by superimposing the random number sequence on a luminance variable; and a random number-superimposed image signal generation section adapted to generate a random number-superimposed image signal by superimposing the random number-superimposed luminance variable on an image signal. |
| US09349170B1 |
Single image contrast enhancement method using the adaptive wiener filter
A method involves using an adaptive wiener filter to generate a veiling estimate for a dark channel prior of each pixel in a single image having a contrast reducing scattering medium therein, where a global noise variance for the image is used to generate the veiling estimate and the global noise variance is naively estimated using all of the pixels in the image. A first contrast enhanced image is generated using a transmission calculated from the veiling estimate. The global noise variance is updated using statistics determined from the first contrast enhanced image, along with a second veiling estimate. A second contrast enhanced image is generated using the updated global noise variance, the second veiling estimate, and the local statistics from the original image. |
| US09349166B2 |
Method, apparatus and computer program product for generating images of scenes having high dynamic range
In an example embodiment a method, apparatus and computer program product are provided. The method includes facilitating receipt of two or more images of a scene, where the two or more images are associated with different capture parameters. The method includes determining intensity gains at corresponding pixel locations of at least one image pair of the two or more images. The method further includes generating a blended image by blending pixels of images of the at least one image pair based at least on the intensity gains. A pixel associated with a pixel location of the blended image is generated by blending pixels associated with the pixel location of the images of the at least one image pair. |
| US09349165B2 |
Automatically suggesting regions for blur kernel estimation
A computer-implemented method and apparatus are described for automatically selecting a region in a blurred image for blur kernel estimation. The method may include accessing a blurred image and defining a size for each of a plurality of regions in the image. Thereafter, metrics for at least two of the plurality of regions are determined, wherein the metrics are based on a number of edge orientations within each region. A region is selected from the plurality of regions based on the determined metrics, and a blur kernel for deblurring the blurred image is then estimated for the selected region. The blurred image is then deblurred using the blur kernel. |
| US09349164B2 |
De-noising image content using directional filters for image deblurring
Systems and methods are provided for providing improved de-noising image content by using directional noise filters to accurately estimate a blur kernel from a noisy blurry image. In one embodiment, an image manipulation application applies multiple directional noise filters to an input image to generate multiple filtered images. Each of the directional noise filters has a different orientation with respect to the input image. The image manipulation application determines multiple two-dimensional blur kernels from the respective filtered images. The image manipulation application generates a two- two-dimensional blur kernel for the input image from the two-dimensional blur kernels for the filtered images. The image manipulation application generates a de-blurred version of the input image by executing a de-blurring algorithm based on the two-dimensional blur kernel for the input image. |
| US09349159B2 |
Image processing device, image processing method, and information storage device
An image processing device includes an image sequence acquisition section that acquires an input image sequence that includes first to N-th images, and a processing section that performs an image summarization process that deletes some of the first to Nth images to generate a summary image sequence, the processing section selecting an s-th (s is an integer that satisfies 0≦s≦N+1) image to be a provisional summary image, selecting a t-th (t is an integer that satisfies 0≦t≦s−1) image to be a provisional preceding summary image, selecting a u-th (u is an integer that satisfies t |
| US09349158B2 |
Image interpolation method and image interpolation system
An image interpolation method is utilized for performing an interpolation on a source image to obtain a destination image. The image interpolation method includes performing a domain transformation on a plurality of pixels of the source image to generate a plurality of first coefficients and a plurality of second coefficients; respectively determining an data interrelationship degree in at least one direction of each first coefficient to generate a plurality of direction results; performing a first interpolation process on the plurality of first coefficients according to the plurality of direction results to generate a plurality of first destination coefficients; performing a second interpolation process on the plurality of second coefficients to generate a plurality of second destination coefficients; performing a reverse domain transformation on the plurality of first destination coefficients and the plurality of second destination coefficients to obtain the destination image. |
| US09349156B2 |
Adaptive frame buffer compression
Image data is subject to compression and decompression when it is respectively written to and read from a frame buffer. If a portion of the image data is identified as static (subject to less than a threshold amount of change for greater than a threshold time), then compression control parameters used for compression of that portion of the image are adjusted so as to increase the compression ratio achieved, hold the degree of lossiness substantially constant and increase the energy consumed while compressing that portion. The increased energy consumption during this high compression ratio compression is likely compensated for by a reduction in energy subsequently consumed when writing that frame-buffer image data to the frame buffer and reading that frame-buffer image data multiple times from the frame buffer. The compression characteristics varied may be to increase the block size used in the compression. Other variations in compression applied may be to change from single-pass compression to multi-pass compression, switch compression on and off altogether, or reorder the data when it has been compressed so as to match the order it will be read and so achieve support for longer read burst. |
| US09349155B2 |
Computing apparatus and method using X-Y stack memory
A computing apparatus is provided. The computing apparatus includes a memory unit configured to have an address space defined as a multidimensional space having at least two axes, and a memory access unit configured to include a first pointer register storing a first pointer pointing to a row corresponding to the first axis and a second pointer register storing a second pointer pointing to a column corresponding to the second axis. |
| US09349154B2 |
Bindless texture and image API
One embodiment of the present invention sets for a method for accessing data objects stored in a memory that is accessible by a graphics processing unit (GPU). The method comprises the steps of creating a data object in the memory based on a command received from an application program, wherein the data object is organized non-linearly in the memory, transmitting a first handle associated with the data object to the application program such that data associated with different draw commands can be accessed by the GPU, wherein the first handle includes an address related to the location of the data object in the memory, receiving a first draw command as well as the first handle from the application program, and transmitting the first draw command and the first handle to the GPU for processing. |
| US09349152B2 |
Image identifiers and methods and systems of presenting image identifiers
A method of creating an image identifier of a target image. The method comprises providing a target image, identifying a plurality of connected component clusters in the target image, each the connected component cluster comprises a plurality of neighboring pixels having at least one common property, calculating a center of gravity for each the connected component cluster, generating an image identifier of the target image by using a plurality of elements to map the connected component clusters in a space, each the element represents a respective the at least one common property, a respective the center of gravity, and a size which corresponds with a number of the plurality of neighboring pixels of the respective the connected component cluster, and outputting the image identifier. |
| US09349147B2 |
Displaying content items related to a social network group on a map
Systems and methods for presenting social content on a map are provided. In some aspects, a method includes receiving a new content item. The new content item is not associated with a social network group comprising a set of subject members and a set of viewing members. The method also includes determining that the new content item is related to the social network group. The method also includes storing the new content item in association with the social network group. The method also includes associating the new content item with a geographic location. The method also includes providing for display a map and an indication of the social network group. The map includes a representation of the new content item. The representation of the new content item is positioned on the map proximate to the geographic location on the map. |
| US09349146B2 |
Systems and methods to intelligently determine insurance information based on identified businesses
According to some embodiments, historic transaction data and loss data may be received from a data storage device. Information about a potential business insurance customer may also be received and automatically analyzed to identify a set of related businesses. A coverage comparison engine may then determine insurance information for the potential business insurance customer based at least in part on historic transaction data and loss data associated with the set of related businesses. |
| US09349140B2 |
License plate and VIN scan/code catalog and information lookup
A portable electronic device is disclosed that includes a housing with a display; a memory in the housing that stores machine instructions and data, which can include an access code to a restricted database of vehicle components of an identified component manufacturer; a user interface enabling a user to select options; a device for importing a VIN or code containing the VIN; and communications circuitry. The communications circuitry includes signal transmitting and signal receiving capability. The signal receiving capability receives a VIN or code containing the VIN from the device for importing a VIN, and the signal transmitting capability sends the VIN and an access code to a restricted access database to lookup vehicle component information. The signal receiving capability receives the vehicle component information from the restricted access database, and an information processor processes the vehicle component information for presentation on the display. |
| US09349139B1 |
Fine art samples
Methods and systems for selecting and shipping an art sample that will degrade after a pre-defined period of time are provided. A user can request an art sample while browsing for items associated with an electronic marketplace. The art sample, which can be a lower quality replica of an original art piece, may be printed utilizing a printing technique which results in the art sample degrading after a pre-defined period of time. The art sample may then be shipped to the user to aid in determining whether to purchase the original art piece by utilizing the art sample to visualize the potential purchase in the user's own viewing space. |
| US09349138B2 |
System and method for streaming media
The system and method for streaming media to a viewer and managing the media comprises and an enhanced service routing processor (ESRP), a real time switch management system (RTSMS), a name routing processor (NRP), and a managed media switch (MMS). The system and method operate with a reservation server. The ESRP receives media from an owner, manages the media according to media rules and order rules defined by the owner, and distributes the media to one or more switches, such as the MMS, according to the media rules and the order rules. The RTSMS is configured to receive the media rules and to receive a viewer's media request via the reservation server. The RTSMS processes the media request according to the media rules and builds a reservation for the requested media. The RTSMS generates the reservation to the viewer and to the NRP. The NRP receives the reservation data from the viewer and from the RTSMS. The NRP processes the reservation data and locates an MMS that can stream the media to the viewer. The NRP transmits the IP address of the MMS to the viewer and transmits the reservation data to the MMS. The viewer initiates a session or connection with the MMS using the reservation number. If the reservation data from the viewer matches the reservation data from the NRP, the MMS streams the media to the viewer. |
| US09349119B2 |
Master view controller for a web-based conference companion tool
A conference collaboration system has a server connected to a network and configured to generate a page view requested by a client device over the network and provide dynamic content associated with the requested page view for display on the device; and a database configured to store the dynamic content, update the dynamic content in response to commands from the server, and provide the dynamic content to the server in response to requests from the server, wherein the dynamic content is associated with a plurality of services, each shown in a page view, and the dynamic content and the services are associated with a conference. The server can determine an authorization level of a user interacting with the client device and provide a page view and dynamic content in response to the authorization level, and the dynamic content is updated or created in response to or for actions during the conference. |
| US09349118B2 |
Input, display and monitoring of contact center operation in a virtual reality environment
A system and method are provided. A virtual reality environment rendering module provides a virtual reality environment representative of one or more of a contact center, a predictive dialer, and a media collaboration session. The virtual reality environment includes monitored virtual objects associated with a plurality of monitored entities and a monitor virtual object associated with a human monitor. The monitored object moves relative to a coordinate system defining the virtual reality environment. In response to detection of a trigger event, an information manager provides, to the human monitor, information associated with a selected monitored entity corresponding to a selected monitored virtual object. |
| US09349116B2 |
Establishment of message context in a collaboration system
A processing device used to support communications between users of the collaboration system is provided with a graphical user interface. A graphical context activation mechanism associated with a discussion between users of the collaboration system may be displayed. Responsive to a selection input, a graphical illustration of information regarding the users participating in the discussion is displayed. The graphical illustration may comprise indicia of location of at least one of the users that may be displayed, for example, within the context of a geographical map. The graphical illustration may further comprise indicia of identity of at least one of the users. Additionally, a textual context activation mechanism may be provided and utilized in the same manner, thereby allowing text-based context regarding the message to be displayed. In this manner, team-wide context may be more readily established. |
| US09349114B2 |
Systems and methods for managing event messages
In one embodiment a method for managing event messages includes predicting an event message arrival rate, determining a current capacity of an event message repository in which received event messages are stored, and calculating a time at which to perform event message deletion relative to the predicted event message arrival rate and the determined current capacity of the event message repository. |
| US09349113B2 |
Storage container with inventory control
Systems and methods of the invention relate to managing an inventory of items within a storage container. A storage container can house one or more items for distribution among one or more users such as, for instance, employees. The storage container discussed herein provides authentication of a user, tracking of the inventory each user removes or returns, video/image capture of user during access of the storage container, wireless tracking of items housed within the storage container, among others. |
| US09349111B1 |
System, method, and computer program for calculating risk associated with a software testing project
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for calculating risk associated with a software testing project. In use, a plurality of inputs associated with at least one software testing project are received. Additionally, risk elements are identified utilizing the plurality of inputs. Further, a weight is assigned to each of the identified risk elements, the weight capable of being adjusted based on user feedback. Moreover, an overall risk is calculated for the at least one software testing project based on the identified risk elements and assigned weights. |
| US09349109B2 |
Media generation and management
Techniques for media generation and management are described, including retrieving data associated with an asset, processing the data to identify an asset type, the asset type and the data being used to configure an application framework, wherein one or more panels are dynamically determined by evaluating the asset type, the one or more panels being presented in the application framework and at least one of the one or more panels are configured to receive an input initiating an action performed on the asset, and presenting the asset and the one or more panels in an interface coupled to the application framework. |
| US09349103B2 |
Application of machine learned Bayesian networks to detection of anomalies in complex systems
According to one embodiment, in response to a set of data for anomaly detection, a Bayesian belief network (BBN) model is applied to the data set, including for each of a plurality of features of the BBN model, performing an estimate using known observed values associated with remaining features to generate a posterior probability for the corresponding feature. A scoring operation is performed using a predetermined scoring algorithm on posterior probabilities of all of the features to generate a similarity score, wherein the similarity score represents a degree to which a given event represented by the data set is novel relative to historical events represented by the BBN model. |
| US09349097B2 |
Processor for situational analysis
The present invention relates to a data-processing device, characterized in that it includes, in combination: a memory (10) which is organized into two spaces, one containing attributes describing the stored data, and the other containing connectivity links among the stored data, and which is organized according to one or more dimensions respectively associated with attributes and divided into one or more hierarchized segments, the data being informed by creating, deleting, or modifying attribute values characterizing said segments; a means (11) for integrating one or more incoming information streams, which analyzes said streams in order to determine the data constituting same and to structure said data and the attributes thereof according to the organization of said memory (10); an inference engine (14) implementing, in parallel or in series, inference rules (141) grouped together in libraries (15), said rules (141) being programmed to regenerate a sequence including at least one segment of the memory, by creating, deleting, or modifying at least one datum and/or at least one attribute value and/or at least one connectivity link during the implementation thereof in the at least one space of the memory; a means (13) for allocating resources activating or deactivating the inference rules (141) on the basis of a priority rule; a means (12) for extracting data, which are identified by programming and/or by at least one selected attribute value and/or at least one selected connectivity link, and/or which are located in one or more selected segments of the memory (10), and providing same in one or more outgoing information streams. The present invention also relates to an information-processing system and to an associated computer program product. |
| US09349096B2 |
Context-awareness system and method of forming event data
A context-awareness system has an event data producer for forming event data from node data including a node value and node information, a context producer, and an event data manager for storing event data formation suppression information and event data conversion rules. The context producer sends the number of entries of event data (the number of inputs) to the event data manager per unit time. The manager sends to the event data producer the event data formation suppression information and event data conversion rules corresponding to the number of inputs. The event data producer forms event data depending on the event data formation suppression information and event data conversion rules corresponding to the number of inputs. Appropriate context information is formed without increasing the amount of resources when data including values related to events are entered in large amount and frequently. |
| US09349092B2 |
Neural network for reinforcement learning
A neural model for reinforcement-learning and for action-selection includes a plurality of channels, a population of input neurons in each of the channels, a population of output neurons in each of the channels, each population of input neurons in each of the channels coupled to each population of output neurons in each of the channels, and a population of reward neurons in each of the channels. Each channel of a population of reward neurons receives input from an environmental input, and is coupled only to output neurons in a channel that the reward neuron is part of. If the environmental input for a channel is positive, the corresponding channel of a population of output neurons are rewarded and have their responses reinforced, otherwise the corresponding channel of a population of output neurons are punished and have their responses attenuated. |
| US09349087B2 |
Method of generating a random marker
There is disclosed by the present invention a method of generating a marker to distinguish between genuine and counterfeit goods by applying to surfaces of items, articles, goods, vehicles, fabrics and/or premises, the method includes: applying at least one coding to the surface, where the coding is applied randomly such that the coding provides a unique pattern when subjected to a particular type of stimulus. |
| US09349086B2 |
System and method for improved quality management in a product logistic chain
A quality management system for products including a multiplicity of product unit specific indicators, each operative to provide a machine-readable indication of exceedence of at least one threshold by at least one product quality determining parameter, an indicator reader operative to read the product unit specific indicators and to provide output indications and a product type specific indication interpreter operative to receive the output indications and to provide human sensible, product unit specific, product quality status outputs. |
| US09349083B2 |
Image halftone processing by dithering or error diffusion based on pixel value or times of printing
An image processing apparatus that generates image data for forming an image by performing printing a plurality of times on the same area of a printing medium. The image processing apparatus includes: a division unit configured to divide the image data into first image data and second image data by comparing a pixel value indicating a density of a pixel with a predetermined threshold value for each pixel constituting the image data so that the first image data includes pixels whose pixel value is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold value and the second image data includes pixels whose pixel value is less than the threshold value; a first halftone processing unit configured to perform dither processing on the first image data; and a second halftone processing unit configured to perform error diffusion processing on the second image data. |
| US09349077B2 |
Computer-implemented method, a computer program product and a computer system for image processing
The present description refers in particular to a computer-implemented method, a computer program product and a computer system for image processing, the method comprising: receiving at least one user image; identifying a plurality of image classification elements of the user image by: assigning an initial classification to the user image, wherein the initial classification is based on temporal data associated with the user image; determining at least one image label that globally describes content of the user image; calculating a label correctness value for each image label; recognizing at least one image component of the user image; calculating a component correctness value for each image component; correlating the image label and the image component using the label correctness value and the component correctness value, whereby a correlated image label and a correlated image component are identified; applying a rule to determine a category of the user image, wherein the rule is based on at least one of the following: the temporal data, the correlated image label and the correlated image component; and producing a final classification of the user image including the following image classification elements: the initial classification, the correlated image label, the correlated image component, and the category. |
| US09349076B1 |
Template-based target object detection in an image
Systems and methods are provided for detecting target object(s) within image(s) based on selective template matching. More specifically, the systems and methods relate to template generation, selection and matching based on the identification of regions of interest within image(s). Training images showing target object(s) can be obtained and regions of interest that are deemed more likely to contain part(s) of the target object can be identified based on the training images. Subsequent to the identification of regions of interest, templates for target object detection can be generated based thereon. Templates can be applied on testing images. Based on the test application of templates, a subgroup of templates can be selected to serve as a basis for target object detection in subsequent images. |
| US09349075B2 |
Image processing apparatus and method for detecting transparent object in image
Provided is an image processing apparatus and method for detecting a transparent image from an input image. The image processing apparatus may include an image segmenting unit to segment an input image into a plurality of segments, a likelihood determining unit to determine a likelihood that a transparent object is present between adjacent segments among the plurality of segments, and an object detecting unit to detect the transparent object from the input image based on the likelihood. |
| US09349074B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating 3D knee joint image
Disclosed herein are a method and an apparatus for generating a 3D knee joint image. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a method for generating a 3D knee joint image includes: generating a statistical shape model by using previously generated sample knee bone images; generating a knee joint bone image by segmenting a bone region from an input knee image using the statistical shape model; generating a keen joint cartilage image by segmenting a cartilage region from the knee joint bone image; and generating a 3D knee joint image for the input knee image by composing the knee joint bone image with the knee joint cartilage image. According to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to more rapidly and accurately generate the 3D knee joint image. |
| US09349068B2 |
Detecting camera conditions to initiate camera maintenance
Generally discussed herein are techniques, software, apparatuses, and systems configured for detecting an anomaly in a camera. In one or more embodiments a method can include: (1) determining a first property of a reference image, (2) determining a second property of a second image captured after the first image, wherein the second property is the same property as the first property, (3) comparing the first property to the second property, (4) determining a lens condition, a protective cover condition, an image sensor condition, a focus, or a field of view of the camera has changed since the first time in response to determining the first property is substantially different from the second property, or (5) sending an alert indicating that the lens condition, the protective cover condition, the image sensor condition, the focus, or the field of view of the camera has changed. |
| US09349067B2 |
Method and apparatus for correcting medical imaging data
In a method and apparatus for correcting image data from a medical imaging scan of a subject, into which subject a specified amount of an imaging substance has been introduced, a region of the image data, containing an anomalous proportion of the imaging substance introduced, is identified. For the identified region a regional value of a variable in the image data associated with the imaging substance is determined. The regional value is used to determine the proportion of the substance in the region, and the proportion is subtracted from the specified amount of the imaging substance. |
| US09349066B2 |
Object tracking and processing
A method includes tracking an object in each of a plurality of frames of video data to generate a tracking result. The method also includes performing object processing of a subset of frames of the plurality of frames selected according to a multi-frame latency of an object detector or an object recognizer. The method includes combining the tracking result with an output of the object processing to produce a combined output. |
| US09349065B2 |
Method for tracking multiple image objects based on a penalty graph for avoiding hijacking of a tracker
A method for tracking multiple image objects, includes resampling particles from each of the image objects tracked in a previous image, calculating respective weights of the resampled particles, and predicting and tracking locations of the image objects in a current image based on values obtained by multiplying the locations of the particles by corresponding weights, wherein when an image object of the previous image has a neighboring image object located within a threshold distance, weights of the particles sampled from the image object are calculated by multiplying image values of the current image by penalties, which are values of distances between the corresponding particles and the neighboring image object. The method is capable of avoiding a hijacking problem in which identifiers of nearby objects are confused with each other or disappear during the tracking of multiple objects. |
| US09349064B2 |
Machine-readable form configuration and system and method for interpreting at least one user mark
One embodiment of the present invention relates to a machine-readable form configuration (and associated method). Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a system for interpreting at least one user mark (and associated methods). In one example, a plurality of user marks may be interpreted. In another example, the machine-readable form may be a lottery play slip, survey, test, or the like. In another example, the system may interpret user mark(s) made on a lottery play slip, survey, test or the like. In another example, the system may interpret user mark(s) made on a paper or the like having non-planar distortion(s). |
| US09349063B2 |
System and method for capturing token data with a portable computing device
A system and method for collecting and managing information taken from tokens, like credit cards and gift cards, includes a portable computing device (PCD). The PCD may support a token recognizer that may comprise hardware and/or software that may reside in memory of the PCD. The token recognizer may work in combination with a camera. The token recognizer may comprise a broad recognizer module and an optical character recognition (“OCR”) module. The camera of the PCD may capture images of one or more physical tokens. These captured images of the physical tokens may be processed by the token recognizer so that digital images as well as data provided by the physical tokens may be maintained in memory of the PCD for later presentation to the user. These later presentations on the PCD may be used for account management and for conducting transactions, such as making payment at a point-of-sale (POS) terminal. |
| US09349060B2 |
Biometric authentication apparatus and biometric authentication method
The present invention is a biometric authentication apparatus comprising, a fingertip sensor mounted on a tip placement surface of a tip placement section for placing a tip of a finger cushion said fingertip sensor detecting displacement of an arrangement position of a finger on the tip placement surface of the tip placement section, wherein the biometric authentication apparatus detects the displacement of a position of the tip of the finger cushion. |
| US09349052B2 |
Automatic photo album creation based on social information
A social photo curation system is used to automatically identify a subset of photos for an album to provide to a viewing user. The album and its photos are associated with metadata indicating information about the photos, such as individuals tagged in the photos, locations where the photos were taken, keywords or concepts associated with the photos, and the quality and variety of the photos. The social photo curation system uses this metadata to score and select the photos for a particular viewing user. The scoring and selection of photos for the album may be independent of the viewing user, or it may be customized based on the viewing user's interests and connections to other users in a social networking system. |
| US09349043B2 |
Apparatus and method for detecting pedestrians
Provided is an image processing apparatus for detecting pedestrians. The image processing apparatus includes a lane detecting module configured to extract a lane coordinate value from an input image and a pedestrian detecting module configured to set, as a pedestrian region of interest (ROI), a region between a first line passing through ends of first left and right lanes and a second line passing through ends of second left and right lanes which are respectively disposed above the left and right lanes, and search for the pedestrian ROI by using a predetermined window to detect a pedestrian region having a pedestrian feature. |
| US09349042B2 |
Human detection and tracking apparatus, human detection and tracking method, and human detection and tracking program
A human detection and tracking apparatus prevents errors in a size of a person and a location of body parts between actual image data and a tracking result. Human frame detecting section detects, from first image data, a human frame as a region having high possibility of presence of a human, based on human feature data representing a feature of an entire human body. Body part frame location determining section determines a body part frame in the first image data, based on part feature data illustrating a feature of a body part of the human and a part frame determined as a region having high possibility of presence of a body part of the human in second image data previous to the first image data. Body part frame location correcting section corrects, based on the human frame, a location of the part frame determined in the first image data. |
| US09349038B2 |
Method and apparatus for estimating position of head, computer readable storage medium thereof
A computer implemented method and an apparatus for estimating head position of an individual are described. The method includes cropping an image object in an image. The image object may include a visual representation of a head of at least one individual. The method further includes abstracting one or more features from the image object. Subsequently, position of the head of the at least one individual in the image object is determined using the one or more features and a predefined statistical model. The predefined statistical model may include a value of each of the pixels of one or more stored images representing variety of head poses and ranges of head poses of the at least one individual. |
| US09349034B2 |
Methods and systems for invoking functions based on whether a partial print or an entire print is detected
Systems and methods are described herein for expanding the functionality of a print scanner. The scanner may be programmed to invoke a different function if only a portion of a print is detected rather than a full print. In this manner, it would be possible for a user to share a user equipment device such as a smartphone with a friend. The user may wish to share his or her smartphone, and may activate access to the browser that does not include any of the cookies, private passwords, or other login information during a session by using just the tip of the user's finger on a fingerprint scanner, as opposed to the user's full fingerprint. When the user wishes to again have his or her personal information accessible in the browser, the user may activate the browser using the user's full fingerprint. |
| US09349030B2 |
System and method of optimizing the process of identifying items tagged with RFID tags in an enclosed shielded space
A system and method comprises a plurality of RF antennas having beams directed to a storage space in which medical items having RFID tags are stored. Each antenna is controlled to inject energy at a different frequency in a frequency-hopping set of frequencies to activate the tags. The return signal strength is monitored and for each tag that responds, the antenna location, frequency of the injected energy, identification response, and signal strength are stored as identification data. If a tag fails to respond in new scans, the antenna at which the tag last responded receives all the frequency-hopping frequencies in an attempt to locate the tag. If new tags are found, they are compared to a list of expected new medical items. |
| US09349027B2 |
Smart hybrid card system providing authenticity, privacy, and security (APS)
An RFID/MFID system includes a tag and a reader. The tag is adapted to provide an RF identification signature when interrogated with an electric travelling wave and to provide an MF identification signature when interrogated with a magnetic travelling wave. The tag includes a target data object. The reader is adapted to read electrical and magnetic signatures of the target data object from the tag. A method of providing an identification function includes reading electrical and magnetic signatures of a target data object from tag. The tag provides an RF identification signature when interrogated with an electric travelling wave and provides an MF identification signature when interrogated with a magnetic travelling wave. |
| US09349026B2 |
Anonymization and filtering data
System and method of anonymising data comprising the steps of reading parameters of an anonymisation procedure from a configurable anonymisation procedure resource. Receiving data to be anonymised from a data source, wherein the data source is identified by one or more of the read parameters. Applying one or more transformations to the received data according to the anonymisation procedure, wherein the one or more transformations include transforming at least an original portion of the received data into a transformed portion. |
| US09349021B1 |
Restricting use of a digital item stored in a client computer by sending an instruction from a server computer via a network
Disclosed are method, system and article of manufacture for restricting use of a digital item stored in a client computer by sending an instruction from a server computer via a network. The server computer is configured to hold accounts for a plurality of users, each of which of the plurality of users may access the server computer via respective client computers. The server computer receives an instruction from a second client computer, and the server computer sends a message to the first client computer that the digital item should be restricted based on an identification parameter—such as type of the first client computer, user identifier, authorization key, an internet address, time of day, day of week, or an expiration date—received from the first client computer, whereupon the first client computer disables, deletes or locks a file on the first client computer. |
| US09349020B2 |
Aggregated actions
Exemplary methods, apparatuses, and systems receive a first plurality of actions from a first entity with respect to a first plurality of objects. A global object related to each of the first plurality of objects is determined and a representation of the global object is displayed in association with a representation of the first entity. Additionally, in response to receiving user feedback on the representation of the global object displayed in association with the representation of the first entity, an instance of the global object that is unique to the first entity is created. The displayed representation of the global object is converted into a representation of the instance of the global object that is unique to the first entity. |
| US09349019B2 |
System and method for associating tags with online content
In one aspect, a computer-implemented method of associating tags with online content may generally include receiving, by one or more computing devices, a tag request from a user to associate a tag with a content object, classifying the tag as a controlled tag, accessing an access control list associated with the controlled tag, determining whether the user is permitted access to the controlled tag based on the access control list, associating the tag with the content object when the access control list permits access to the controlled tag, identifying a moderator for a tag group associated with the controlled tag and providing a moderator feed to the moderator of the content object associated with the controlled tag for approval or rejection of the controlled tag. |
| US09349016B1 |
System and method for user-context-based data loss prevention
In one embodiment, a method includes determining a user context of at least one user device currently accessing an enterprise communication platform. The method further includes selecting a dynamic data loss prevention (DLP) policy applicable to the at least one user device based, at least in part, on the user context. The dynamic DLP policy specifies one or more communication events of interest. In addition, the method includes monitoring communication events initiated by the at least one user device for the one or more communication events of interest. Moreover, the method includes, responsive to each communication event of interest: assessing the communication event of interest based, at least in part, on a content-based classification of a communication associated with the communication event of interest; and responsive to a risk assessment meeting certain criteria, taking at least one action specified by the dynamic DLP policy. |
| US09349014B1 |
Determining an indicator of aggregate, online security fitness
A computer-implemented method comprising: accessing, by one or more computer systems, internal security information indicative of customer account activity of a customer of an online resource; receiving, by one or more computer systems, external security information; calculating an online security fitness attribute that is indicative of an overall security level of the customer for accessing the online resource; generating, by the one or more computers systems, information indicative of one or more suggested actions to increase the online security fitness attribute, with a suggested action comprising information specifying an amount by which the online security fitness attribute increases following performance of the suggested action; receiving, from the client device, information indicative of performance of one of the one or more suggested actions; and re-calculating by the one or more computer systems the online security fitness attribute by increasing the online security fitness attribute in accordance with the performed, suggested action. |
| US09349013B2 |
Vulnerability-based remediation selection
A machine-actionable memory comprises one or more machine-actionable records arranged according to a data structure. Such a data structure may include links that respectively map between a remediation, at least one action, and at least two vulnerabilities. A method of selecting a remediation, that is appropriate to a vulnerability which is present on a machine to be remediated, may include: providing a machine-actionable memory as mentioned above; and indexing into the memory using: a given vulnerability identifier to determine (A) at least one of a remediation mapped thereto and (B) at least one action mapped to the given vulnerability identifier; and/or a given remediation to determine at least two vulnerabilities mapped thereto. |
| US09349005B2 |
Preventing re-patching by malware on a computer
Preventing re-patching by malware on a computer by detecting a request to modify a write-protection attribute of a memory location within a memory of a computer to allow the memory location to be written to, where the detecting is performed subsequent to the detection of activity identified as malware-related activity involving the memory location, and preventing modification of the write-protection attribute of the memory location. |
| US09349003B2 |
Detecting application behavior
There is provided a method including generating, by a security application executed in a processing device, an application list including one or more applications which are currently running in the processing device; identifying at least one network address fulfilling predetermined criteria; determining which of the at least one network address fulfilling the predetermined criteria has been connected to by the processing device within a predefined time period; and providing a post-processing entity with the application list and an indication on which of the at least one network address fulfilling the predetermined criteria has been connected to by the processing device within the predefined time period. |
| US09349001B2 |
Methods and systems for minimizing latency of behavioral analysis
The various aspects include methods, systems, and devices configured to make use of caching techniques and behavior signature caches to improve processor performance and/or reduce the amount of power consumed by the computing device by reducing analyzer latency. The signature caching system may be configured to adapt to rapid and frequent changes in behavioral specifications and models and provide a multi-fold improvement in the scalability of behavioral analysis operations performed on the mobile device. |
| US09348994B2 |
Information processor and system that associate job and user information based on job identifier
An information processor is connected via a network to an output apparatus and configured to control a job outputting process of the output apparatus. The information processor includes a job identifier generation part configured to generate a job identifier for uniquely identifying a job input from a terminal apparatus connected via the network to the information processor, an information storage part configured to store information that correlates the job identifier and the input job, a job identifier transmission part configured to transmit the job identifier correlated with the input job to the terminal apparatus, and a job association part configured to associate user information for uniquely identifying an authenticated user received from the output apparatus with the input job based on a job association request including the user information and the job identifier and on the information stored in the information storage part. |
| US09348991B2 |
User management of authentication tokens
A computer implemented method, a computer program product, and a data processing system manage a set of federated log-in authentications at secure web sites. A client logs into a security context using a first alias from a list of existing federated single sign-on authentication aliases associated with an account. Responsive to logging into the security context, the client can receive the list of existing federated single sign-on authentication aliases. The client can then manage the list of authentication aliases. |
| US09348984B2 |
Method and system for protecting confidential information
A method for computer workstation based information protection is presented, the method comprises: a) monitoring user's actions on the computer workstation, b) analysis of the actions in respect to a pre-defined policy to determine whether the actions prejudice information to which the policy applies, and c) executing the policy in accordance with the results of the analysis to prevent or modify or restrict or monitor or log the actions. |
| US09348983B2 |
Method for controlling the access to a specific type of services and authentication device for controlling the access to such type of services
A method and device for controlling access to a specific type of services among a plurality of type of services proposed by a service supplier. The method includes entering, into an authentication device of the user, a personal identification code specific to the user, the personal identification code being identical for at least two different types of services proposed by the service supplier; and indicating, by said user, said specific type of services for which the access is required, the indication being made in the authentication device. The method further comprises transforming said personal identification code, in a way depending on a cryptographic function specific to said user and to said required specific type of services, the cryptographic function being memorized in the authentication device; transmitting the result of the transformation of said personal identification code to the service supplier; authenticating the user by the service supplier by means of the transmitted result of said transformation, and assigning an access right according to the result of the authentication. The device implements the record. |
| US09348978B2 |
Universal content traceability
Techniques for universal content traceability are presented. A piece of content is tagged with one or more content identifiers and with a unique instance identifier. The content also is tagged with content and instance-level metadata. The tagged information is maintained with the document and separately from the document in a centralized or distributed database system or table. As operations are performed on the content, the tagged information may be updated as necessary. The content can then use the tagged information in connection with the database to trace its origins and history during its lifecycle. |
| US09348977B1 |
Detecting malware in content items
Disclosed are various systems, methods, and other embodiments directed to detection of malware in content items. To detect the malware, for example, one or more content items are identified in association with the rendering of a network page in a simulated environment. A plurality of tests are applied to the one or more content items to detect an existence of malware associated with the content items. |
| US09348976B2 |
Information processing method and electronic device
An information processing method and an electronic device are provided. The method is applied to the electronic device. The electronic device includes a frame structure, a display module, a processor and a first type of sensor. The method includes: obtaining a first type of data which reflects a physical performance of the first user and is captured by the first type of sensor, in the case that the electronic device is fixed on an operation portion of the first user through the frame structure and the electronic device is functioning; obtaining configuration information at least based on the first type of data; and automatically setting a second type of sensor different from the first type of sensor, and/or a display screen, and/or at least one piece of application data which may be fed back by the electronic device, to suit the physical performance of the first user. |
| US09348975B2 |
Optimizing therapy outcomes for peritoneal dialysis
Peritoneal dialysis therapy outcomes have been calculated for a variety of dwell times of peritoneal dialysis fluids in the peritoneal cavities of dialysis patients using kinetic modeling. The length of dwell time should not be the same for every patient, but should vary according to the patient condition and needs. Some patients have a potential for expressing greater ultrafiltrate into the dialysis fluid, and these patients can benefit from a longer dwell time, whereas other patients with less potential will not benefit from a longer dwell time. An optimal or peak time is observed for each peritoneal dialysis therapy outcome, such as ultrafiltrate volume rate, urea clearance (Kt/V), and creatinine clearance, while minimizing hydrocarbon absorption. These values and input parameters can be used to tailor the peritoneal dialysis dwell time for each patient, estimating the peak dwell time that will yield the best therapy outcome for each patient. |
| US09348970B2 |
System and method for providing access to electronically stored medical information
A method and system for storing medical information of an individual with a service provider and providing access to that medical information to first responders and medical personnel remotely. An individual's medical information may be accessed by first responders after being authenticated by the service provider. Access to the medical information is monitored to prevent unauthorized access and to store time and location when medical information is accessed by a first responder. The medical information may be accessed by a mobile software application that allows the first responder to scan a machine-readable medium linked to the individual's medical information stored by the service provider. |
| US09348969B2 |
System and method for personalized biomedical information research analytics and knowledge discovery
A Health Information Virtual Exchange (HIVE) BIOMED SYSTEM includes an originating exchange unit including circuitry configured to transmit, to a receiving exchange unit, a query request including predetermined query criteria, and receive, from the receiving exchange unit, patient metadata corresponding to a patient. The system also includes a receiving exchange unit including circuitry configured to aggregate protein-protein interaction data from a first service unit, wherein the aggregation includes determining corresponding data standards managed by the first service unit and receiving the protein-protein interaction data from the first service unit in the determined corresponding data standards. The receiving exchange unit can generate, in response to receiving the query request, the patient metadata corresponding to the patient, and transmit the patient metadata to the originating exchange unit. |
| US09348968B2 |
System and method for processing genome sequence in consideration of seed length
Provided are systems and methods for processing a genome sequence by adjusting seed length. Exemplary systems for processing a genome sequence may include a seed extractor configured to extract a seed from a target sequence; and an index generator configured to index the seed extracted from the seed extractor. In some embodiments, the length of the seed extracted is adjusted based on the number of seeds extracted from the target sequence that have the same nucleotide sequence. |
| US09348966B2 |
Blend behavior in a variational system
Methods for product data management and corresponding systems and computer-readable mediums. A method includes receiving a CAD model in the data processing system, the CAD model including at least a first blend that has an axis, a radius measured from the axis, and a plurality of unders. The method includes receiving a change to the radius of the first blend and selectively designating either the axis as fixed or the unders as fixed according to a property of the blend. The method includes modifying the CAD model by changing the radius according to the received change and the designated fixed axis or designated fixed unders, and storing the modified CAD model. |
| US09348964B2 |
MASK3D model accuracy enhancement for small feature coupling effect
A method and apparatus of a novel full chip edge-based mask three-dimensional (3D) model for performing photolithography simulation with consideration for edge coupling effect is described. The method receives a mask design layout in order to perform mask topography effect modeling. The method generates scaling parameters for edge coupling effects. Each scaling parameter has an associated combination of feature width and space. The sum of feature width and space associated with at least one scaling parameter is less than a minimum pitch. The method applies a thick mask model that includes several edge-based kernels to the mask design layout to create a mask 3D residual. To apply the thick mask model to the mask design layout, the method updates the edge-based kernels with the scaling parameters. |
| US09348963B1 |
Automatic abutment for devices with horizontal pins
A system and method for optimizing a design layout by identifying features for abutment where shapes of the features that trigger the abutment are overlapping or within a predefined proximity of each other. The abutment process is implemented for features that have overlapping pins or that will have overlapping pins when abutted. Connectivity of abutted features is analyzed for the overlapped pins; pins of one of the abutted features are swapped so that at least one overlapping set of horizontal pins is connected to a same net; and a pin of the abutted features can be shortened as necessary to prevent short-circuit between pins connected to different nets. The overlapping pins are then merged. Pins can be shortened by cutting the pin or by adjusting pin style or pin size. |
| US09348960B1 |
Method, system, and computer program product for probing or netlisting a multi-fabric electronic design spanning across multiple design fabrics
Described are methods and systems for netlisting or probing multi-fabric designs that identify a request for process at least a portion of a multi-fabric electronic design and determine a first partial listing of one or more first circuit components in response to the request by at least identifying first design data in a first design fabric of the one or more first circuit components using a first session of a first electronic design automation (EDA) tool. The methods and systems further automatically transmit a request for action related to the one or more first circuit components from the first session to a second session of a second EDA tool and determine a second partial listing of one or more second circuit components by at least identifying second design data in a second design fabric of the one or more second circuit components using the second session. |
| US09348958B2 |
Method and apparatus for calculating yield
A disclosed method includes: converting, for each sample point, a set of performance item values for a sample point into coordinate values of a mesh element containing the set among plural mesh elements obtained by dividing a space mapped by the performance items; generating a binary decision graph representing a group of the coordinate values of the sample points; calculating the number of sample points including second sample points that dominates a first sample point and the first sample point, by counting the number of paths in the binary decision graph from a root node to a leaf node representing “1” through at least one of certain nodes corresponding to coordinate values that are equal to or less than coordinate values of the first sample point; and calculating a yield of the first sample point by dividing the calculated number by the number of the plural sample points. |
| US09348955B2 |
Method for simulating deformation of rubber compound with filler particles
A computerized method for simulating deformation of a rubber compound with filler particles comprises: a step in which a pseudo-two-dimensional rubber compound model of the rubber compound is generated; a step in which a deformation calculation is performed by the use of the pseudo-two-dimensional rubber compound model; and a step in which a necessary physical quantity is acquired from the deformation calculation. The pseudo-two-dimensional rubber compound model comprises a model of a rubber matrix and a plurality of models of filler particles. The pseudo-two-dimensional rubber compound model has a small thickness and has the same cross section in succession in the thickness direction. |
| US09348953B2 |
Swing simulation system, swing simulation apparatus, and swing simulation method
Provided is a swing simulation system capable of simulating a swing without amplifying errors contained in measured values on three-dimensional coordinates of a grip during the swing. The simulation system according to the present invention includes: at least two imaging devices for imaging identification features capable of identifying a closed virtual plane that follows a grip of a golf club during a swing; and a simulation apparatus for simulating a behavior of the golf club during the swing, based on position information on the virtual plane. |
| US09348946B2 |
Interface and method for exploring a collection of data
An interface is provided for permitting a user to explore a collection of data. The data collection, in embodiments, provides nodes as structural elements, and references which are assigned to nodes and hold identifiers of other nodes. Multiple references can be assigned to each node, thus guiding a user of the system to multiple other nodes, and multiple references can hold the same address, so that multiple nodes can have references pointing to the same node. The interface allows visualizing the network created by the interconnection of the nodes on a display region. The interface also allows the user to intuitively navigate along the references in both directions of the references, so that the user can explore which nodes are referenced by a certain node, and also by which nodes a certain node is referenced. Electronic documents can be assigned to each node, and the interface allows these documents to be displayed either directly in a reserved display region of the interface, or by launching a matching application on the user's computer. |
| US09348945B2 |
Modifying search results based on dismissal action associated with one or more of the search results
Methods and apparatus for modifying search results based a dismissal action associated with one or more of the search results by a user to whom the search results are presented. Initially provided search results may include at least a first set of search results that are associated with a first entity and a second set of search results that are associated with a second entity. In response to a dismissal action associated with one or more of the search results of the first set, the initial search results may be modified to demote and/or omit one or more search results of the first set. The user may be provided with the modified search results. |
| US09348943B2 |
Method for analyzing time series activity streams and devices thereof
A method, non-transitory computer readable medium, and data manager computing device comprises retrieving a time series data of a monitored asset based on one or more tags in response to a request. Further, a heterogeneous data based on the one or more tags is retrieved. Furthermore, a cause of an anomaly period in retrieved time series data of the monitored asset is determined based on the retrieved heterogeneous data. Finally, the determined cause of the anomaly period in the time series data in the monitored asset is provided. |
| US09348941B2 |
Specification of database table relationships for calculation
A relationship amongst multiple relationships between database tables can be specified independent of a query. More specifically, a function (USERELATIONSHIP) can be introduced to the DAX language (Data Analysis Expressions), which provides a way to author formulas that are not evaluated immediately, but that can be evaluated dynamically and concurrently in many different contexts. The function enables a single relationship to be specified in the calculation formula away from the query. This provides a mechanism within the formula that specifies specific relationship(s) that are to be followed when the dynamic expression is evaluated. |
| US09348939B2 |
Web site sectioning for mobile web browser usability
A method of displaying web page information. The method includes dividing a web page into sections, displaying on a mobile device having a web browser the web page having the sections, panning to a web page section of interest, and zooming-in to the web page section of interest to enlarge text or images on the web page section of interest while the mobile device browser loads only content for the web page section of interest. The method is performed by one or more computing devices. Also disclosed is a computer program product for displaying web page information. |
| US09348934B2 |
Systems and methods for facilitating open source intelligence gathering
Systems and methods (e.g., utilities) for use in providing automated, lightweight collection of online, open source data which may be content-based to reduce website source bias. In one aspect, a utility is disclosed for use in extracting content of interest from at least one website or other online data source (e.g., where the extracted content can be used in a subsequent search query). In other aspects, utilities are disclosed that are operable to perform various types of analyzes on such extracted content and present graphical representations of such analyzes on a display of a client device. |
| US09348931B2 |
Integration of web information architecture taxonomy and web metrics taxonomy
Mechanisms are provided for integration of Web information architecture taxonomy and Web metrics taxonomy. When the author creates source content, the mechanism classifies the content using a rich taxonomy. The mechanism also adds unique identifiers into the source content pages as tags. The mechanism may then transform the source content into Web content that contains the identifiers in the tags. When users view the Web content, the tags generate usage data, which contain the identifiers. A Web metrics mechanism generates a Web metrics report from the usage data. The page tags are the identifiers from the source content. The Web metrics report associates each page of Web content with the rich taxonomy available in the source content. |
| US09348929B2 |
Mobile mapping of quick response (QR) codes to web resources
A method includes receiving a target Uniform Resource Locator (URL), receiving a scan of a Quick Response (QR) code, where the QR code includes an alias URL, and mapping the alias URL encoded on the QR code to the target URL. |
| US09348925B2 |
Locally significant search queries
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for servicing search queries. In one aspect, a method includes determining that a general search query is a locally significant query for a user location that is associated with the user general search query. In turn, a local search query is generated using the general search query and a location phrase representing the user location. A set of set of general search results responsive to the general search query and a set of local search results responsive to the local search query are requested. A final set of search results responsive to the search query are selected. The final set of search results include at least one search result that is included in the set of local search results, and is not included in a pre-specified quantity of highest ranking search results from the set of general search results. Data that cause presentation of the final set of search results are provided. |
| US09348922B2 |
Ranking channels in search
A search result is modified to include a predetermined number of channels within a predetermined number of a plurality of entries in the search result. The search result is generated in response to a search query. The search result is modified to comprise a predetermined number of channels within a predetermined number of the plurality of entries. The modified search result is updated based on the plurality of entries and a subset of the updated modified search result is selected to be presented in response to the search query. The subset of the updated modified search result comprises the channel and at least one selection of data content. |
| US09348921B2 |
Determining access to comments
The subject technology discloses configurations for providing comments restricted to a set of users for web content on a web page. In one implementation, a widget is provided that enables a content provider or a user to provide comments restricted to the set of users in a manner that does not disrupt an existing implementation or presentation of publicly viewable web content that already provides public comments from visitors of the web site. In particular, the widget may be provided as a plugin or extension in the user's web browser, or be integrated in the web page by the content provider. The scope of the comments restricted to the set of users are defined by one or more access control lists, which allow the comments restricted to the set of users to be only viewable by a specified set of users (and not viewable by other users). |
| US09348920B1 |
Concept indexing among database of documents using machine learning techniques
Systems and techniques for indexing and/or querying a database are described herein. Discrete sections and/or segments from documents may be determined by a concept indexing system. The segments may be indexed by concept and/or higher-level category of interest to a user. A user may query the segments by one or more concepts. The segments may be analyzed to rank the segments by statistical accuracy and/or relatedness to one or more particular concepts. The rankings may be used for presentation of search results in a user interface. Furthermore, segments and/or documents may be ranked based on recency decay functions that distinguish between segments that maintain their relevance over time in contrast with temporal segments whose relevance decays quicker over time, for example. |
| US09348919B2 |
System and method for indexing and displaying document text that has been subsequently quoted
A computerized system and method is presented for analyzing quotations made in a quoting document of text originally found in a source document. The quoting document and source document can be web pages publicly available on the World Wide Web. The present invention analyzes the quoting document for quoted text, searches the source document for that text, and stores the existence of the quotation in association with the source document. When displaying the source document, quoted text is highlighted. A link is provided between items of quoted text and a list of documents that have quoted that text. From this list the full text of a quoting document may be displayed. |
| US09348916B2 |
Method and system for providing search services for a social media ecosystem
A method and system for providing social media ecosystem searching services. Cascading searching is used to locate a desired person in a social media ecosystem. Plural related micro-levels are created in cascading searching lists. The plural related micro-levels include one or more cross-connections between the plural cascading merged lists including cross-connections between the search categories, search subcategories or search keywords in the search categories and search subcategories. The cascading searching provides micro-level searching for a desired person in the social media ecosystem at a level not available with other searching techniques. The system includes voice search requests and automatic translation of search requests and communication requests once a desired person is located into plural different languages. The social media search ecosystem cascading searching services are provided on a cloud communications network for mobile and non-mobile devices. |
| US09348912B2 |
Document length as a static relevance feature for ranking search results
Embodiments are configured to provide information based on a user query. In an embodiment, a system includes a search component having a ranking component that can be used to rank search results as part of a query response. In one embodiment, the ranking component includes a ranking algorithm that can use the length of documents returned in response to a search query to rank search results. |
| US09348911B2 |
Method for searching from a plurality of data sources
A method of searching for information on a computer information network comprises providing a searchbase comprising a plurality of descriptive packets, wherein each packet is associated with one of a plurality of information sources published on a computer information network and includes a query language and template usable therewith, a sending protocol usable therewith and a receiving protocol usable therewith. A search request is received over the computer information network from a user for retrieving information from the plurality of information sources in accordance with given search criteria. The search request is transformed into an inquiry capable of searching the searchbase and the searchbase is searched with the inquiry to identify any of the plurality of information sources which potentially meet the given search criteria. The search request is transformed into queries for the identified information sources, wherein each query is in accordance with the query language and query template in the descriptive packet for the corresponding information source and the queries are sent over the computer information network to the identified information sources in accordance with the sending protocol in the descriptive packet for the corresponding information source. Information is received over the computer information network from the identified information sources in response to the queries in accordance with the receiving protocol in the descriptive packet for the corresponding information source. |
| US09348909B1 |
Video indexing, search and delivery platforms, methods, systems and apparatuses
A video ingest, search and delivery solution is provided in which videos and their associated metadata are ingested based on ingest criteria. Moments in the metadata are identified by parsing comments in the metadata for comments that reference a time in the video. Moments are recorded with the referenced time and the text of the comment. Videos are rated and may be delivered to users based at least in part on the rating. Moments may be displayed together with the video by displaying the text of moments at the associated time in the video as the video is being delivered. The text of moment records may be searched based on search parameters received from a user to identify videos to deliver to the user. |
| US09348907B1 |
Personalized audio system and method
A personalized audio system and method that overcomes many of the broadcast-type disadvantages associated with conventional radio stations. |
| US09348903B2 |
Methods, devices and computer readable mediums for a music recognition game
Devices and methods are disclosed for providing references to client devices. In one aspect a method includes storing, on a storage device, a plurality of references, each of the plurality references identifying a location of a media track file containing a media track. The plurality of references include a first reference identifying a first location of a first media track file. The method further includes storing, on the storage device, a playability rating for each of the plurality of references, updating the playability rating for the first reference based on an elapsed time for a first client device to receive a predetermined portion of the first media track file, and excluding the first reference from a selection of the plurality of references, in response to determining the playability rating for the first reference is below a threshold playability rating. Other devices, methods and computer program products are also disclosed. |
| US09348897B2 |
Method and system for providing scheduling suggestions
A system, computer-readable storage medium storing at least one program, and computer-implemented method for providing scheduling suggestions to a user. A collection of intention objects is accessed. Each of the intention objects is a data structure comprising a plurality of activity attributes of an intention of a user to undertake an activity. Calendar data from a calendar of the user is accessed and an available time slot on the calendar is determined. In response to determining the available time slot, a suggested intention object is selected from the collection of intention objects based on a plurality of activity attributes of the suggested intention object. A scheduling suggestion is then presented to the user. The scheduling suggestion may include a suggestion to schedule an activity associated with the suggested intention object in the available time slot. |
| US09348887B2 |
Decision tree insight discovery
Techniques for presenting insight into classification trees may include performing a grouping analysis to group leaf nodes of a classification tree into a significant group and an insignificant group, performing influential target category analysis to identify one or more influential target categories for the leaf nodes of the classification tree in the significant group, and presenting one or more insights into the classification tree based on the grouping analysis and the influential target category analysis. Techniques for presenting insight into regression trees may include performing a grouping analysis to group leaf nodes of a regression tree into a high group and a low group, performing unusual node detection analysis to detect one or more outlier nodes in the high group and in the low group, and presenting one or more insights into the regression tree based on the grouping analysis and the unusual node detection analysis. |
| US09348882B2 |
Method, system, and computer readable medium for long term archiving of data in a MES system
A method transfers data to be archived from a runtime database into an archive database. A temporary database acts as a buffer database for a selected data record set for archiving. For each table of the runtime table subset, the selected record subset to be archived is copied into its corresponding table of the temporary table set. For each table of the temporary table set, the selected record subset to be archived is copied into its corresponding table of the archive table subset. For each table of the temporary table set, a temporary deletion table containing a set of primary keys of the records to be deleted from the runtime database is created. In the runtime database, for each runtime table having a corresponding temporary deletion table of the set of temporary deletion tables, deleting records having a primary key matching the primary key set of its corresponding temporary table. |
| US09348881B1 |
Visual content query for multi-dimensional datasets
A method, apparatus, and system are disclosed for providing content queries for multi-dimensional datasets. One embodiment is a method for software execution that displays, on an interactive graph, categories and values of a multi-dimensional dataset. A content query is issued from a user for a value from at least one of the categories. Interactive graphs are generated that are responsive to the content query. |
| US09348877B2 |
Methods, systems, and data structures for performing searches on three dimensional objects
Techniques are provided for searching on three dimensional (3D) objects across large, distributed repositories of 3D models. 3D shapes are created for input to a search system; optionally user-defined similarity criterion is used, and search results are interactively navigated and feedback received for modifying the accuracy of the search results. Search input can also be given by picking 3D models from a cluster map or by providing the orthographic views for the 3D model. Feedback can be given by a searcher as to which models are similar and which are not. Various techniques adjust the search results according to the feedback given by the searcher and present the new search results to the searcher. |
| US09348876B1 |
Organizing analytically relevant information contextually for efficient presentation
Processing information relevant analytically to a user's endeavor is described. Data, gathered in relation to the analytically relevant information, is organized into a first result that is sensitive to an endeavor-related context. A synoptic representation of the contextually sensitive first result is presented, with which the user may interact. The first synoptic representation is expanded into a second result, which has a graphical or numerical data attribute. The expansion includes determining a format that best, or most efficiently, represents the second result in relation to the context sensitivity and the graphical or numerical data attribute. A representation of the second result is presented according to the determined best or more efficient format. The first results second results presentations are linkable to underlying data sets that correspond to the organized data for access and presentation upon the user's request. |
| US09348872B2 |
Method and system for assessing relevant properties of work contexts for use by information services
An information retrieval system for automatically retrieving information related to the context of an active task being manipulated by a user. The system observes the operation of the active task and user interactions, and utilizes predetermined criteria to generate context representation of the active task that are relevant to the context of the active task. The information retrieval system then processes the context representation to generate queries or search terms for conducting an information search. The information retrieval system determines the relevance of a word to the context by utilizing an adaptive weighting system. The information retrieval system assigns varying weights to different attributes of a word and calculates an accumulated weight of the word by accumulating all weights assigned to the word. The attributes may include word size, style, location of the word, etc. The system then ranks the importance of words based on their respective accumulated weight, and chooses words that rank within a predetermined number from the top to form search terms to conduct an information search using various data sources. |
| US09348871B2 |
Method and system for assessing relevant properties of work contexts for use by information services
An information retrieval system for automatically retrieving information related to the context of an active task being manipulated by a user. The system observes the operation of the active task and user interactions, and utilizes predetermined criteria to generate context representation of the active task that are relevant to the context of the active task. The information retrieval system then processes the context representation to generate queries or search terms for conducting an information search. The information retrieval system determines the relevance of a word to the context by utilizing an adaptive weighting system. The information retrieval system assigns varying weights to different attributes of a word and calculates an accumulated weight of the word by accumulating all weights assigned to the word. The attributes may include word size, style, location of the word, etc. The system then ranks the importance of words based on their respective accumulated weight, and chooses words that rank within a predetermined number from the top to form search terms to conduct an information search using various data sources. |
| US09348869B2 |
Data skew insensitive parallel join scheme
A method for creating a joined data set from a join input data set is disclosed. The method starts by categorizing the join input data set into a high-skew data set and a low-skew data set. The low-skew data set is distributed to the plurality of CPUs using a first distribution method. The high-skew data set is distributed to the plurality of CPUs using a second distribution method. The plurality of CPUs process the high-skew data set and the low-skew data set to create the joined data set. |
| US09348866B2 |
Database processing method, database processing system and database server
It is provided a database processing method including: a first step of receiving a query request instructing to output the requested data as query results in a designated order; a second step of generating a query execution plan including an order of accessing tables for storing the data based on the received query request; a third step of acquiring the data requested based on the query request from the database based on the generated query execution plan; a fourth step of generating intermediate results including the acquired data; a fifth step of sorting the generated intermediate results in the designated order; a sixth step of judging, for each of the intermediate results, whether an order of the sorted intermediate results has been determined; and a seventh step of outputting the intermediate results whose order has been determined as the query results in order from a head thereof. |
| US09348865B2 |
System and method for massively parallel processing database
In one embodiment, a method for managing database resources includes selecting a first query from a queue of queries and transmitting, by a global resource manager to a portion of a plurality of data nodes, a plurality of reserve resource messages. The method also includes receiving, by the global resource manager from the portion of the plurality of data nodes, a plurality of acknowledgement messages and transmitting, by the global resource manager to a coordinator node, an execute query message when the plurality of acknowledgement messages are positive acknowledgements. |
| US09348864B1 |
Managed peer-to-peer applications, systems and methods for distributed data access and storage
Secure and remote operation of a remote computer from a local computer over a network includes authenticating at least one remote computer for connection to at least one computer over the network and/or at least one local computer for connection to at least one remote computer over the network; establishing a secure connection therebetween; and integrating a desktop of at least one remote computer on a display of at least one local computer. Functions that are performed may include one or more of: integrating a file structure of accessible files accessed at the second or first computer, into a file structure contained at the first or second computer, respectively; at least one of integrating a desktop of the second computer on a display of the first computer and integrating a desktop of the first computer on a display of the second computer; and directly operating the second computer from the first computer or the first computer from the second computer. |
| US09348863B1 |
Attribute category enhanced search
Performing a user initiated search query is disclosed and comprises receiving user input comprising description details of at least one desired object, retrieving a plurality of objects from a database sharing one or more of the description details of the user input, constructing a tree data structure based on the description details of the plurality of objects, the tree data structure comprising one or more attributes related to each of the plurality of objects retrieved, displaying visual images associated with the retrieved plurality of objects, the visual images matching at least one of the attributes related to the plurality of objects, and receiving a user selection of one or more of the visual images. |
| US09348861B2 |
Capturing change data of deferred updates
The capturing of change data of deferred updates begins with the receipt of an update request call for one or more changes to a database. A processing of the update request call is deferred until a commit point is issued, where call information associated with the update request call is determined, and the call information is stored and associated with the update request call. During a processing of the commit point, data information for the one or more changes to the database is determined. The data information for the one or more changes is combined with the stored call information associated with the update request call. |
| US09348860B2 |
Method for encoding a mesh model, encoded mesh model and method for decoding a mesh model
Many 3D mesh models have a large number of small connected components that are repeated in various positions, scales and orientations. The respective positions are defined by the position of at least one reference point per component. For an enhanced encoding of the positions of the respective reference points, a given space is divided into segments and the number of points lying in each particular segment is determined. When a cell with at least n points is subdivided into child cells, an indication is added indicating if all points of a parent are in only one child cell. If so, the index of the only non-empty child node is encoded, while otherwise the number of points in one of the two child cells is decremented and encoded. The invention avoids non-effective subdivisions of a cell, and therefore improves the compression efficiency. |
| US09348859B2 |
Providing record-level sharing (RLS) to local data sets
Systems, methods, and computer program products are described for providing record-level sharing (RLS) for data sets to local users of a system. In one embodiment, a process includes requesting access to a data set from a record-oriented file system in which the file system manages records on behalf of one or more users, and the access is requested for a first local user. The process proceeds by locking the data set in the file system such that no direct access of the data set is allowed. Read and/or write requests for the data set are processed using the representation of the data set in the designated server address space. The data set in the file system is updated with any changes made to the representation of the data set in the designated server address space. |
| US09348858B2 |
Methods and systems for dynamically changing contact information
A system and method for dynamically changing contact information is presented. The system and method includes receiving a contact information change associated with a contact in a first contact list, determining that the contact is also in a second contact list and modifying the second contact list based on the contact information change. |
| US09348855B2 |
Supporting big data in enterprise content management systems
Provided are a method, computer program product, and system for storing a data stream. A distributed library server is configured with a plurality of data servers. A data type is mapped to at least one of the plurality of data servers. A portion of a data stream containing data of the data type is selected. An object part including the portion of the data stream is generated, and the object part is stored at one of the data servers mapped to the data. |
| US09348851B2 |
Data quality monitors
Systems and methods are presented for data quality monitoring. Data quality monitors may be created and configured to identify objects with specified data quality issues and/or property values. Objects identified by a data quality monitor can be presented to users for confirmation and resolution. Properties used by the data quality monitor to match objects may also be displayed to users. |
| US09348850B1 |
Method for large-scale data schema analysis and quality assurance
A system and method for large-scale data schema analysis and quality assurance is disclosed. A data schema may be received and compiled into an internal representation for analysis. The schema's information may also be exposed via an application programming interface. Using the schema's application programming interface along with a provided requirement, the schema may be analyzed and/or corrected for quality, consistency and interoperability. |
| US09348845B2 |
Method and system for verifying geographical descriptiveness of media file
The invention relates to a system for verifying geographical descriptiveness of a media file, such as a picture. The system comprises storage means adapted to store a media file, communication means adapted to send said media file to a plurality of user terminals, and to receive, from the user terminals, data indicating a guessed geographical position with which the user of each user terminal associates the media file. The system also comprises calculation means adapted to determine whether the media file is indicative of a geographical position based on the guessed geographical positions received from the plurality of user terminal. |
| US09348842B2 |
Virtualized data storage system optimizations
Virtual storage arrays consolidate branch data storage at data centers connected via wide area networks. Virtual storage arrays appear to storage clients as local data storage; however, virtual storage arrays actually store data at the data center. Virtual storage arrays overcome bandwidth and latency limitations of the wide area network by predicting and prefetching storage blocks, which are then cached at the branch location. Virtual storage arrays leverage an understanding of the semantics and structure of high-level data structures associated with storage blocks to predict which storage blocks are likely to be requested by a storage client. Virtual storage arrays may use proximity-based, heuristic-based, and access time-based prefetching to predict high-level data structure entities that are likely to be accessed by the storage client. Virtual storage arrays then identify and prefetch storage blocks corresponding with the predicted high-level data structure entities. |
| US09348840B2 |
Adaptive data striping and replication across multiple storage clouds for high availability and performance
Technologies for adaptively striping data across multiple storage clouds include receiving user constraints corresponding one or more cloud storage providers, receiving a file to be striped across the cloud storage providers, splitting the received file into file blocks, allocating each of the file blocks to a different one of the cloud storage providers as a function of the user constraints and operating conditions of each of the cloud storage providers, and sending each of the file blocks to the cloud storage provider to which each file block is allocated. In some embodiments, file blocks may be re-allocated from one cloud storage provider to another cloud storage provider as a function of changing user constraints or operating conditions. In addition, each of the file blocks may be retrieved from the cloud storage providers to re-assemble the file. |
| US09348835B2 |
Stopping functions for grouping and differentiating files based on content
Methods and apparatus teach a digital spectrum of a data file. The digital spectrum is used to map a file's position in multi-dimensional space. This position relative to another file's position reveals closest neighbors. Certain of the closest neighbors are grouped together, while others are differentiated. Grouping ceases upon application of a stopping function so that rightly sized, optimum numbers of file groups are obtained. Embodiments of stopping functions relate to curve types in a mapping of numbers of groups per sequential rounds of grouping, recognizing whether groups have overlapping file members or not, and/or determining whether groups meet predetermined numbers of members, to name a few. Properly grouped files can then be further acted upon. |
| US09348833B2 |
Consolidation for updated/deleted records in old fragments
A plurality of data records of a data set can be stored in a plurality of main part fragments, at least one of which is an old fragment stored on-disk. A number of one or more data records in the old fragment that have been marked for deletion can be determined to be greater than a threshold number, and the old fragment can be loaded into main system memory. A merge of the old fragment can be performed to remove the one or more data records marked for deletion. |
| US09348825B2 |
Server and method for causing terminal to display screen
One object is to shorten the time required for a terminal to display a screen including images. A server according to an embodiment includes: a storage unit for storing information; and a display control unit for causing, in response to a display request for displaying the screen from the terminal, the terminal to display the screen including the images corresponding to the image files by using the image files stored on the storage of the terminal or the image files stored on the storage of the server selected in accordance with a predetermined selection condition based at least on the throughput of the terminal and the communication capacity between the server and the terminal. |
| US09348824B2 |
Device group identification
Method and systems are provided for identification of device groups in a network. A playback device in a media playback system may send to a controller device, a transmission indicating a group identification associated with the playback device. The transmission may be sent in response to a request from the controller device for group identification information or a change in a group configuration of the playback device. The controller device may maintain a table of playback devices in the media playback system. The controller device may modify the table based on the transmission received from the playback device. |
| US09348823B2 |
Methods and system for distributing information via multiple forms of delivery services
Systems and methods of managing content and content requests are described. A data store of profiles of potential content contributors is provided. A request from a first source for content comprising content criteria is received, the content criteria comprising content contributor characteristics and content subject matter. Based on the content contributor characteristics and the profiles, at least a first potential content contributor is identified. At least a portion of the content request content criteria is transmitted to the first potential content contributor. If recorded content is received from the first content contributor, the first source is provided with access to the received recorded content. At least partly in response to acceptance by the first source of the received recorded content, the first source is enabled to publish the accepted received recorded content. |
| US09348820B1 |
System and method for taking action with respect to an electronic media work and logging event information related thereto
A method comprising receiving, at a computer system from a user electronic device, a media work captured by the user electronic device; extracting, using the computer system, one or more features of the captured media work; recognizing, at the computer system, at least a portion of the subject matter of the media work captured by the user electronic device based on the extracted one or more features; obtaining, at the user electronic device, instructions for an action to be performed associated with the recognized media work; and performing, at the user electronic device, the associated action. |
| US09348819B1 |
Method and system for file data management in virtual environment
A method and system for archiving file data used by a virtual container. The container uses “real files” and “balloon” files. The “real files” are the container file system files that are mapped to corresponding blocks of the host file system. The “real files” are mapped upon creation. The “balloon” files are also created in the container file system, but any links to the blocks of the host file system are invalidated (mapping is removed) and the blocks of the host file system corresponding to a balloon file are marked as free. A hypervisor, a host OS or a Virtual Machine Monitor frees up real physical blocks completely, so these blocks become available for writes in the host file system. Thus, all references indicating that these blocks are occupied are removed. |
| US09348817B2 |
Automatic generation of question-answer pairs from conversational text
A method, system and computer-usable medium are disclosed for identifying question-answer pair associations within a dialog. Natural language processing (NLP) is used to process a target dialog to identify questions and answers within the dialog. The relative positions of the identified questions and answers in the dialog are determined and then correlated to one another to generate question-answer pair associations. Sub-questions and their associated main questions are identified within the dialog, followed by the elimination of redundant question-answer pairs. Local cues contained in the dialog are then used in scoring and filtering processes to differentiate fact-based questions and answers from those that are opinionated. |
| US09348816B2 |
Dialog coherence using semantic features
The present invention provides a method for identifying a turn, such as a sentence or phrase, for addition to a platform dialog comprising a plurality of turns. Lexical features of each of a set of candidate turns relative to one or more turns in the platform dialog are determined. Semantic features associated with each candidate turn and associated with the platform dialog are determined to identify one or more topics associated with each candidate turn and with the platform dialog. Lexical features of each candidate turn are compared to lexical features of the platform dialog and semantic features associated with each candidate turn are compared to semantic features of the platform dialog to rank the candidate turns based on similarity of lexical features and semantic features of each candidate turn to lexical features and semantic features of the platform dialog. |
| US09348815B1 |
Systems and methods for construction, maintenance, and improvement of knowledge representations
In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method which, in one example embodiment, can include reading text data corresponding to messages, creating semantic annotations to the text data to generate one or more annotated messages, and aggregating the annotated messages and storing information associated with the aggregated annotated messages in a message store. The method can further include performing, based on information from the message store and associated with the one or more messages, one or more global analytics functions that include: identifying an annotation error in the semantic annotations created using the trained statistical language model, updating the respective semantic annotation to correct the annotation error, and back-propagating corrected data corresponding to the updated semantic annotation into training data for further language model training. |
| US09348814B2 |
System and method for meaning driven process and information management to improve efficiency, quality of work and overall customer satisfaction
A customer service system for providing enhanced guidance and resources to service agents and providing an enhance ability to select service agents that are best suited to address specific customers and specific customer needs, and methods for manufacturing and using same. The customer service system includes a system server with a semantic engine configured to analyze customer contact events and customize service agent interfaces based on determined customer needs. |
| US09348812B2 |
Method, system and apparatus for assembling a recording plan and data driven dialogs for automated communications
Method, system and apparatus for assembling a recording plan and data driven dialogs for automated communications are provided. At a computing device comprising a memory, a communication interface and a processor, the memory storing a database of statements comprising one or more of first names, last names, greeting statements, sentiment statements, influence statements, call to action statements, and legal statements: one or more statements from the database are automatically assembled, via the processor, into one or more phrases to be recorded; instructions for applying linguistic rules are associated with the one or more phrases, via the processor, including where to insert pauses in the one or more phrases; and, the recording plan, comprising the one or more phrases in association with the instructions, is stored at the memory. |
| US09348806B2 |
High speed dictionary expansion
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a pattern-based system for building dictionaries of terms related to a seed set of terms. In one embodiment, a text is read. The text comprises a plurality of tokens. A first plurality of patterns is read. The first plurality of tokens is searched using the first plurality of patterns to generate a plurality of candidate terms. Each of the plurality of candidate term comprises one or more of the plurality of tokens. A plurality of seed terms is read. Each of the first plurality of patterns is scored based on the plurality of candidate terms and the plurality of seed terms. |
| US09348804B2 |
Methods and apparatus to provide a choice selection with data presentation
Methods and apparatus to provide a choice selection with data presentation are disclosed. An example method includes receiving a user selection of one or more parameters, receiving an identification of a destination for the one or more parameters, determining a number of the one or more parameters, determining a source of the one or more parameters, and based on the destination, the number, and the source, presenting a choice matrix for user selection. |
| US09348795B1 |
Programmable device using fixed and configurable logic to implement floating-point rounding
A configurable specialized processing block includes a first floating-point arithmetic operator stage, a second floating-point arithmetic operator stage, and configurable interconnect within the configurable specialized processing block for routing signals into and out of each of the first and second floating-point arithmetic operator stages. In some embodiments, the configurable interconnect may be configurable to route a plurality of block inputs to inputs of the first floating-point arithmetic operator stage, at least one of the block inputs to an input of the second floating-point arithmetic operator stage, output of the first floating-point arithmetic operator stage to an input of the second floating-point arithmetic operator stage, at least one of the block inputs to a direct-connect output to another such block, output of the first floating-point arithmetic operator stage to the direct-connect output, and a direct-connect input from another such block to an input of the second floating-point arithmetic operator stage. |