| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09356541B2 |
Gradient coil assemblies having conductive coil portions and screening material
An MRIS gradient coil assembly 2A comprising a first coil layer comprising a first conductive coil portion 3X and a second coil layer comprising a second conductive coil portion 3Y. A first screening layer 6X is disposed between the first 3X and second 3Y coil layers and comprises at least one sheet of screening material. At least one insulating layer 4X comprising insulating material is provided between the first 3X conductive coil portion and the first screening layer 6X. Further the assembly comprises at least one discrete contact means 7 electrically connecting the first conductive coil portion 3X to the sheet of screening material 6X while the sheet of screening material 6X is kept from electrically contacting with the first conductive coil portion 3X, except via the at least one discrete contact means, by the at least one layer of insulating material 4X. The screening material might typically comprise a semi-conductive sheet. |
| US09356535B2 |
Control method for rectifier of switching converters
A control device for a transistor of a switching converter rectifier generates a control signal of the transistor and includes a circuit to measure the conduction time of the body diode of the transistor cycle by cycle. When the conduction time is greater than a first threshold, the off time instant of the transistor is delayed by a first quantity in the next cycles, until the conduction time is less than the first threshold and greater than a second threshold. When the conduction time is between the first and second thresholds, the off time instant is delayed by a fixed second quantity in the next cycles until the conduction time is lower than the second threshold, with the second quantity less than the first quantity. When the conduction time is lower than the second threshold, the off time instant is advanced by the second quantity in the next cycle. |
| US09356533B2 |
Drive train comprising a doubly-fed electric machine and an inverter controlled according to a law limiting the delivered active power
A drive train comprising an electric machine including a rotor and a stator, the stator being connected to an alternating grid and having a stator frequency, and a bidirectional system for converting an alternating current into another alternating current. The conversion system is connected between the grid and the rotor, and comprises an AC-DC converter connected to the grid, an inverter connected between the AC-DC converter and the rotor, and a device for controlling switches of the inverter according to a control law. The control law is such that the active power exchanged by the inverter with the rotor is essentially always lower than 0.3 times the nominal power of the direct current specifically circulating between the AC-DC converter and the inverter, for the frequencies of a target interval of between 0.6 times the stator frequency and 1.4 times the stator frequency. |
| US09356530B2 |
DC-DC converter and semiconductor integrated circuit
In a mode comparator of the DC-DC converter, a threshold input to the mode comparator is switched to a first threshold, if a mode signal prescribes an active mode, on the other hand, the threshold input to the mode comparator is switched to a second threshold, which is higher than the first threshold, if the mode signal prescribes an inactive mode. A lower limit value to a lower limit value setting circuit of the DC-DC converter is switched to a first lower limit value, if the mode signal prescribes the active mode, on the other hand, the lower limit is switched to a second lower limit value, which is higher than the first lower limit value, if the mode signal prescribes an inactive mode. |
| US09356528B2 |
Switching converter and AC adapter using the same
Disclosed herein is a switching converter capable of preventing a period in which a switch SW of a primary side is turned on and a period in which a synchronous rectifying switch SR SW of a secondary side is turned on from being overlapped with each other. The switching converter includes: a transformer T inducing primary energy to secondary side; a switch SW connected to a primary coil of the transformer T to switch a primary voltage; a synchronous rectifier SR connected to a secondary coil of the transformer T to rectify a secondary voltage; and a delay locked loop connected between the secondary coil and the synchronous rectifier SR, wherein the delay locked loop generates a signal synchronized with a turn-on control signal of the switch SW and outputs the generated signal to the synchronous rectifier SR to control a turn-off operation of the synchronous rectifier SR. |
| US09356526B2 |
DC-DC power conversion apparatus and method
A DC-DC power conversion apparatus and a DC-DC power conversion method are provided. The DC-DC power conversion apparatus includes a switching circuit, a main transformer circuit, a main rectifier circuit, an auxiliary transformer circuit and an auxiliary rectifier circuit. The switching circuit provides an input power to a primary winding of the main transformer circuit or a primary winding of the auxiliary transformer circuit by time-division. An AC input terminal of the main rectifier circuit is coupled to a secondary winding of the main transformer circuit. An AC input terminal of the auxiliary rectifier circuit is coupled to a secondary winding of the auxiliary transformer circuit. A power output terminal of the auxiliary rectifier circuit is coupled to a reference voltage terminal of the main rectifier circuit for lifting a voltage of the power output terminal of the main rectifier circuit. |
| US09356525B2 |
Power supply device and image forming apparatus
The power supply device includes a transformer that includes primary, secondary and auxiliary windings; a switching unit that switches current flowing to the primary winding of the transformer; a current detection unit that detects current flowing through the primary winding, and outputs a voltage according to the current; a control unit that controls switching operation of the switching unit, according to the voltage output from the current detection unit; a first voltage detection unit that detects a voltage induced in the auxiliary winding; and a correction unit that corrects the voltage output by the current detection unit to the control unit when the voltage induced in the auxiliary winding and detected by the first voltage detection unit is higher than a first predetermined value. This configuration can reduce start-up power consumption while suppressing the vibration noise of the transformer. |
| US09356524B2 |
Power conversion apparatus
A power conversion apparatus, including a transformer, a switch, an analog controller, a digital controller, and a voltage converter-based feedback circuit, is provided. The primary side of the transformer is coupled to an input voltage, and the secondary side of the transformer is coupled to an output voltage provided to a load. The switch intermittently transmits the input voltage to the primary side of the transformer. The analog controller is disposed at one of the primary side and the secondary side of the transformer and configured to control the operation of the switch in response to an analog feedback signal. The digital controller is disposed at the other one of the primary side and the secondary side and configured to generate a digital feedback signal. The voltage converter-based feedback circuit is configured to convert the digital feedback signal to the analog feedback signal based on a voltage conversion characteristic thereof. |
| US09356523B2 |
DC-to-DC converter
A DC to DC converter includes: first and second switching elements connected at a first connection point between a first input/output terminal and a first ground terminal; third and fourth switching elements connected at a second connection point between the first input/output terminal and the first ground terminal; a resonant capacitor and a resonant inductor connected in series between the first and second connection points; fifth and sixth switching elements connected at a third connection point between a second input/output terminal and a second ground terminal; seventh and eighth switching elements connected at a fourth connection point between the second input/output terminal and the second ground terminal; a transformer; and a control circuit. The control circuit is operable to adjust the pulse waveforms for switching the fifth to eighth switching elements when voltage at the second input/output terminal is stepped down and output from the first input/output terminal. |
| US09356519B2 |
Current balance circuit of resonant type switching power-supply circuit
Provided is a switching power-supply device capable of balancing a plurality of converter blocks operated in parallel. The switching power-supply device includes a first series circuit of first and second switching elements, a second series circuit of third and fourth switching elements, which circuits are connected in parallel with a power supply, and a control circuit that turns on-and-off the first and second switching elements, alternately, with an arbitrary frequency and turns on-and-off the third and fourth switching elements, alternately, with the same frequency as the arbitrary frequency. The control circuit controls a phase difference of switching signals of the first and second series circuits. |
| US09356517B1 |
DC-DC converter with digital current sensing
A regulated DC-DC switching converter includes a bypass mode in which ends of an output inductor are coupled together. Circuitry determines output capacitor current and load current components of output inductor current during operation of the switching converter, for use in controlling switching operations. |
| US09356515B2 |
Power switching device, three phase bridge inverter, and method of operating a power switching device
A power switching device includes a power terminal connected to a power supply; a load terminal connected to a load; a power switch connected between said power terminal and said load terminal and arranged to be conductive in a first operating state; a power conductor connected between said power terminal and said load terminal in at least one state, wherein an electrical current through said power conductor changes in response to said power switch being turned off, thereby causing self-induction in said power conductor; and a control unit arranged to control said power switch in real-time on the basis of a real-time level of said voltage across said power conductor so as to turn off said power switch in a continuous or stepwise or pulsed manner to prevent a voltage across said power conductor from exceeding a maximum allowed level. |
| US09356514B2 |
Power supply conversion apparatus with bootstrap unit
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a power supply conversion apparatus, where a control unit generates a corresponding control signal according to a received high level pulse width modulation signal, to control a first PMOS transistor Q3, a second PMOS transistor Q4, and a second NMOS transistor Q2 to be turned off successively, and then to make a first NMOS transistor Q1 conducted, which makes a voltage at a second end of a bootstrap capacitor to rise from ground potential to a PVDD, so that a voltage at a first end of the bootstrap capacitor rises to a PVDD+AVDD as the voltage at the second end rises, and a gate turn-on voltage of the first NMOS transistor Q1 reaches the PVDD+AVDD. |
| US09356513B2 |
Sequence circuit
A sequence circuit includes a power output terminal, first to third power input terminals, first to sixth resistors, first to tenth filed effect transistors (FETs), first to third inductors, a first capacitor, a second capacitor, and first to third drivers. The sequence circuit ensures that different voltages work in a correct sequence. |
| US09356510B2 |
Constant on-time switching converter and control method thereof
A switching converter providing an output voltage has at least one switch and a control circuit. The control circuit has a slope compensation module, an output correction module and a control module, wherein the slope compensation module provides a slope compensation signal, the output correction module provides a voltage trim signal based on the slope compensation signal, and the control module provides a control signal to control the at least one switch based on the slope compensation signal, the voltage trim signal, a reference signal, the output voltage and an error compensation signal provided based on a difference between the output voltage and a set target of the output voltage. |
| US09356509B2 |
Reference current generator with switch capacitor
Exemplary embodiments are related to current generators. A device may include a first integration path for charging a first integration capacitor during a first phase and a second integration path for charging a second integration capacitor during a second phase. The first integration capacitor may be configured for charging a capacitor coupled to an amplifier during the second phase and the second integration capacitor may be configured for charging the capacitor during the first phase. |
| US09356494B2 |
Electronic control device
An electronic control device including two housings coupled to each other, a first circuit board disposed in one of the two housings, a first terminal disposed on a side of the other of the two housings, and a second terminal disposed on the first circuit board in an opposed relation to the first terminal, wherein the first terminal and the second terminal are brought into direct connection with each other at a time at which the two housings are coupled to each other. |
| US09356491B2 |
Magnetic cap element for a stator of a generator
A stator system for a generator, in particular a generator of a wind turbine is disclosed. The stator system includes a housing element including a groove and a cap element for closing the groove such that a channel for guiding a cooling fluid within the groove is formed. The cap element includes a magnetic material. |
| US09356484B2 |
Low profile pump motor lead protector
A low profile pump motor lead protector with a head guard and a trailing guard, the head guard including a front section with a front end and a rear section with a rear end, the trailing guard having a pin end for insertion in a head guard socket, the lead protector for protecting a motor lead of a pump and motor assembly of a downhole production string for surfacing fluid from a reservoir such as a subterranean oil well. |
| US09356483B2 |
Stator segment unit adapted to build a ring-shaped stator when assembled
A stator segment unit adapted to build a ring-shaped stator when assembled is provided. The stator segment unit includes a stator yoke with at least one stator tooth protruding from the yoke, at least one stator winding having a first winding section fixed close to the tooth, and a second winding section extending freely from the stator segment unit. |
| US09356480B2 |
Electric motor having rotor structure for avoiding defect due to strain generated by temperature change, and production method thereof
An electric motor having a rotor structure and a production method thereof, wherein a strain due to temperature change does not occur and a manufacturing problem does not occur. Each permanent magnet does not contact each other, and a deformable intervening member is positioned between the end surfaces of the magnets. Intervening member is an elastically or plastically deformable member, and the thickness of the intervening member in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotor is determined so that the neighboring permanent magnets, which are bonded to a rotor core within a manufacturing temperature range of the rotor, do not contact each other at a lower limit of an operating temperature of the electric motor. |
| US09356478B2 |
Stator of motor and motor
A stator of a motor comprises a stator core including a plurality of plate members stacked together; the stator core including: a yoke of a tubular shape; and teeth each of which includes an extending portion extending inward in a radial direction of the yoke from the yoke and an increased-width portion formed at a tip end of the extending portion so as to have a greater width than the extending portion in a circumferential direction of the yoke; wherein the extending portion has a constant-width portion extending radially in a straight-line shape so as to have a constant circumferential width, a narrower portion having a circumferential width smaller than a circumferential width of the constant-width portion, and a clamp portion for securing the plurality of plate members to each other; and wherein at least a portion of the clamp portion is located in the narrower portion. |
| US09356473B2 |
Systems and methods for providing wireless power to a portable unit
A wireless charging system for inductively charging and/or powering a device. The system includes a stationary base system and a moving subject. The stationary base system includes an array of primary coils that are adapted to generate a magnetic field, and a sensor system. The moving subject carries a device that includes a secondary coil that can be inductively charged and/or powered by the magnetic field emitted from the primary coil, and a magnet to be tracked by the sensor system. The moving subject can move in proximity to a surface of the stationary base system. The sensor system is adapted to communicate the location of the moving subject along the surface, wherein those coils closest to the moving subject may be activated. |
| US09356464B2 |
Battery pack and battery charger that charges based on temperature
A battery pack includes: a connecting portion connected to a battery charger; a battery chargeable by the battery charger connected to the connecting portion; an environment temperature detecting element detecting an environment temperature around the battery; and a control circuit. The control circuit periodically detects the environment temperature via the environment temperature detecting element and controls the battery charger to suspend starting of charging the battery or to temporarily discontinue charging the battery when a variation of the environment temperature detected exceeds a predetermined range, when the battery charger is connected to the connecting portion. |
| US09356463B2 |
Power charging system
Power charging system using sun energy or AC source suitable for wide range of applications such as charging electric vehicle battery or battery pack and/or supplying electricity for commercial, industrial and/or residential customers; the system comprises wide variety of relay and other components to manipulate the charging states. The system's circuits include a battery charging circuit, a control circuit and a reset control circuit for a relay requires redirected polarity of the control element(s) to change the closed state/position to open state/position to charge the power storage. The power charging system also including a battery charging circuit and a control circuit to which a relay is required unidirectional pulse input; there is no need to redirect polarities of the positive terminal of the control element to change the closed state/position to open state/position to charge the power storage. |
| US09356460B2 |
Method and apparatus of fast battery charging with universal high power input source
Methods, electronic devices and USB charger apparatus are presented for fast USB charging, in which a high voltage master of the device detects a connected high voltage charger and selectively connects a current circuit to source or sink a current to or from one USB cable data signal conductor while providing a non-zero voltage to the other USB cable data signal conductor to configure the charger apparatus to provide charging power at a particular high voltage level above a nominal voltage level. |
| US09356459B2 |
Method for charging battery and electronic device thereof
An apparatus and method for charging a battery of an electronic device are provided. In the method, when the battery is fully charged, charging of the battery is suspended. When a predetermined time elapses from a point at which the battery has been fully charged, the charging of the battery is resumed. |
| US09356457B2 |
Wireless charging using passive NFC tag and multiple antenna of differing shapes
A charging pad capable of charging a receiver according to a predetermined procedure is disclosed. The charging pad may have a plurality of charging coils and a controller for selecting an appropriate coil for charging the receiver. The receiver communicates with the charging pad via NFC, thereby indicating to the charging pad the appropriate procedure for charging the receiver. The controller then selects the appropriate coil and directs charging according to the appropriate procedure. |
| US09356456B2 |
Charging device
Disclosed is a charging device capable of appropriately charging of a battery while preventing battery depletion. In a charging system including a charging device, when the output power from a solar battery is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, power is supplied to a charging control system which controls charging of batteries. Accordingly, when the output power from the solar battery is small, since the charging control system will not start, no power is consumed in the charging control system. As a result, battery depletion can be prevented. When the output power from the solar battery is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, charging of the battery is performed by the charging control system, thereby appropriately performing charging of the batteries. |
| US09356454B2 |
Apparatus for charging batteries of devices at a selected DC voltage
A battery charging apparatus for charging batteries of fixed voltage charge receiving batteries and flexible voltage charge receiving batteries. A wall receptacle charger outlet, an “all-in-one” vehicle or home charger, a hands-free docking station charger, a wall mountable USB charging strip and a holder for multiple charger receiving devices that includes a charger are disclosed. |
| US09356443B2 |
ESD clamp for multiple power rails
An Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) clamp includes first power rail, a second power rail separate from the first power rail, and an ESD discharging circuit including a plurality of cascaded MOS transistors coupled between the second power rail and an electrical ground. A bias circuit is configured to turn on the ESD discharging circuit in response to an ESD event on the second power rail, and to turn off the ESD discharging circuit during a normal operation of the ESD clamp. |
| US09356439B2 |
Patch cords for reduced-pair ethernet applications having strain relief units that resist rotational loads and related strain relief units and connectors
Reduced-pair Ethernet patch cords include a twisted pair cable that has a pair of insulated conductors that are contained within a cable jacket. A connector is mounted on a first end of the cable. The connector includes a connector housing and a strain relief unit that is mounted on the cable at the interface between the cable and the connector housing. The strain relief unit includes a plurality of internal protrusions that contact the cable jacket. |
| US09356435B2 |
Switchgear enclosure housing assembly including an extendable conductor assembly
An enclosure housing assembly for an electrical switching apparatus is provided. The enclosure housing assembly includes a sidewall assembly, a movable carriage assembly, a ground bus bar assembly and a movable terminal assembly with an extendable conductor assembly. The sidewall assembly includes a number of sidewalls defining an enclosed space. The movable carriage assembly is movable between a withdrawn, first position. Wherein the movable carriage assembly is disposed partially outside the enclosure sidewall assembly enclosed space, and an inserted, second position, wherein the movable carriage assembly is disposed substantially inside the enclosure sidewall assembly enclosed space. The ground bus bar assembly is coupled to the first sidewall. The movable terminal assembly is coupled to the movable carriage assembly whereby the movable terminal assembly moves with the movable carriage assembly. The extendable conductor assembly is coupled to, and in electrical communication with, the ground bus bar assembly. |
| US09356432B2 |
Semiconductor laser device
A semiconductor laser device capable of high output is provided. A semiconductor laser diode includes: a substrate; and a semiconductor stacked structure, which is formed on the substrate through crystal growth. The semiconductor stacked structure includes: an n-type (Alx1Ga1-x1))0.51In0.49P cladding layer and a p-type (Alx1Ga(1-x1))0.51In0.49P cladding layer; an n-side Alx2Ga(1-x2)As guiding layer and a p-side Alx2Ga(1-x2)As guiding layer, which are sandwiched between the cladding layers; and an active layer, which is sandwiched between the guiding layers. The active layer is formed of a quantum well layer including an AlyGa(1-y)As(1-x3)Px3 layer and a barrier layer including an Alx4Ga(1-x4)As layer that are alternatively repetitively stacked for a plurality of periods. |
| US09356431B2 |
High power blue-violet III-nitride semipolar laser diodes
A high power blue-violet Ill-nitride semipolar laser diode (LD) with an output power in excess of 1 W, a slope efficiency of more than 1 W/A, and an external quantum efficiency (EQE) in excess of 25% and more preferably, in excess of 35%. These operating characteristics make these laser diodes suitable for use in solid state lighting systems. |
| US09356429B2 |
Quantum cascade laser
A quantum cascade laser includes a substrate having first, second, third, and fourth regions; a stacked semiconductor layer including n-type lower and upper conductive layers, a core layer having a mesa structure, and a cladding layer; first and second buried layers disposed on side surfaces of the core layer and above the substrate; a first electrode disposed on the upper conductive layer above the first region; and a second electrode disposed on the lower conductive layer above the fourth region. The core layer is disposed on the lower conductive layer above the second region. The upper conductive layer is disposed on the first buried layer and the core layer. The cladding layer is disposed on the upper conductive layer above the second region. The substrate and the cladding layer are formed of an undoped or semi-insulating semiconductor. The first and second buried layers are formed of a semi-insulating semiconductor. |
| US09356428B2 |
Nitride semiconductor surface emitting laser and method of manufacturing the same
A surface emitting laser in which a plurality of nitride semiconductor layers including a lower reflector, a plurality of active layers causing a gain by current injection, and an upper reflector are provided on a substrate, includes an n-type spacer layer formed between the lower reflector and an active layer closest to the lower reflector in the plurality of active layers, a p-type spacer layer formed between the upper reflector and an active layer closest to the upper reflector in the plurality of active layers, and an intermediate layer arranged between the plurality of active layers. The intermediate layer is configured from an Mg-doped layer including at least Mg, and a nitride semiconductor layer including In, and the Mg-doped layer and the nitride semiconductor layer including In are provided in that order from a side of the substrate. |
| US09356427B2 |
Multi-wavelength surface plasmon laser and optoelectronic integrated circuit including the same
A multi-wavelength surface plasmon laser that simultaneously emits surface plasmons having a large number of wavelengths and includes an active layer whose thickness changes with position, and a metal cavity whose length changes with position so that light of different wavelengths is emitted according to position. Surface plasmons are generated at the interface between a metal layer and a semiconductor layer in response to the light of different wavelengths. The surface plasmons having different wavelengths may be resonated in the metal cavity whose length changes with position and may be emitted to the outside. |
| US09356424B2 |
Semiconductor light emitting element and semiconductor light emitting device
There is provided a semiconductor light emitting element that is excellent in reliability and is capable of being driven by a lower voltage and a semiconductor light emitting device that includes the semiconductor light emitting element. The semiconductor light emitting element includes: a semiconductor layer; an electrode layer; a metal layer that contains a hydrogen storage metal; and a plated layer in order. |
| US09356421B2 |
Narrow line-width laser characterization based on bi-directional pumped Brillouin random fiber laser
A method and apparatus for launching optical pump signals into a disordered gain medium at two points thereby producing a narrow line-width random fiber laser within the disordered gain medium. The optical pump signals are propagated in a direction through the disordered gain medium towards one another. The apparatus may comprise an optical gain fiber having a first end configured to receive a first fiber pump signal and a second end configured to receive a second fiber pump signal such that the first fiber pump signal and the second fiber pump signal propagate within the optical gain fiber in a direction towards one another. An optical loss device is coupled to the optical gain fiber, wherein the optical loss device isolates a narrow line-width random fiber laser signal from a signal generated within the optical gain fiber. |
| US09356416B2 |
Suppression of stimulated brillouin scattering in higher-order-mode optical fiber amplifiers
An HOM-based optical fiber amplifier is selectively doped within its core region to minimize the presence of dopants in those portions of the core where the unwanted lower-order modes (particularly, the fundamental mode) of the signal reside. The reduction (elimination) of the gain medium from these portions of the core minimizes (perhaps to the point of elimination) limits the amount of amplification impressed upon the backward-propagating Stokes wave. This minimization of amplification will, in turn, lead to a reduction in the growth of the Stokes power that is generated by the Brillouin gain, which results in increasing the amount of power present in the desired, forward-propagating HOM amplified optical signal output. |
| US09356415B2 |
High power fiber laser safety control system
A laser safety control system is configured with a power source module directly coupled to an AC source and including a galvanically isolated DC/DC converter with at least one output capacitor, and a safety mechanism. The safety mechanism has first and second safety channels which operate independently from one another so as to switch the normal operating regime of the power source module to the safe regime. In the normal operating regime, its DC output has a high voltage, whereas in the safe regime the DC output has a low voltage lower than the high voltage.The safety channels each include a shutdown circuit operative to switch the DC/DC converter off and a discharging circuit operative to discharge the output capacitor. The switching off DC/DC converter and discharging of the output capacitor define the safe regime of the power source module. |
| US09356405B1 |
Connector tongue element for an electrical connector plug receptacle and a method for producing the same
A connector tongue element for a plug receptacle includes a flexible printed circuit. Connector pins are electrically connected to the flexible printed circuit at an attachment portion. A first body of polymeric material is molded around to mechanically secure at least a part of the attachment portion to form a connector base portion. The connector pins extend from the connector base portion in a withdrawal direction along which an electrical connector plug can be withdrawn from the plug receptacle. The connector pins form a connector tongue portion extending from the connector base portion in the withdrawal direction. The first body allows the connector pins to present connecting surfaces for connecting the plug receptacle to the electrical connector plug. The connector base portion includes electronic circuitry to monitor status of electric connections within the plug receptacle, and the first body is molded around the electronic circuitry. |
| US09356404B2 |
Electrical connector
An electrical connector includes an insulative housing, a metal shell covering the insulative housing, electrical terminals and auxiliary terminals received in the insulative housing. The electrical terminals includes a number of first contacts. The first contacts include a grounding contact in the middle and some signal contacts on both sides of the grounding contact. The auxiliary terminals includes the retaining portion received in insulative housing and the connecting portion downwardly bent from an end of the retaining portion. The retaining portion has a first spring tab and the connecting has a second spring tab. The first spring tab contacts with the metal shell and the second spring tab contacts with the grounding contact. Such arrangment can improve the anti EMI effect of the electrical connector and reduce the signal interference between the signal terminals. |
| US09356403B1 |
SATA hard disk drive connector
A SATA hard disk drive connector includes a body connected to a SATA hard disk drive; a signal pin unit disposed at the body and having signal transmitting/receiving pins and first grounding pins; a power pin unit disposed at the body and having power pins and second grounding pins; four micro coaxial cables each having a conducting wire, insulating layer, shielding layer and insulating coating, with the conducting wires connected to the signal transmitting/receiving pins at one end and to an external cable at another end; a first grounding unit disposed at the body and connected to an end of each shielding layer and the first grounding pins; a second grounding unit disposed at the body and connected to the second grounding pins, another end of each shielding layer, and external cable; and an electrical connection unit disposed at the body and connected to power pins and external cable. |
| US09356397B2 |
Connector and electronic system using the same
A connector and an electronic system using the same. The electronic system (100) comprises a first electronic device (102), a second electronic device (200), and a connector (104), the connector being used for connecting the first electronic device and the second electronic device. The first electronic device has a first plane (P10). The second electronic device has a second plane (P20). The first plane and the second plane are not coplanar. The connector comprises multiple terminals (110, 120, 130), electrically connected to the first plane and the second plane respectively. In the connector, a signal terminal is located between a first ground terminal and a second ground terminal, which is beneficial to transmission of a low-noise high-frequency signal in a shielded environment. The connector and the electronic system using the same may transmit a signal between different planes by connecting junctions in different planes. |
| US09356390B2 |
Latch assemblies for connector systems
A connector system includes a cartridge having at least one cavity configured to hold connector modules therein. The connector system also includes at least one slider latch housed in the cartridge. The at least one slider latch is movable in a longitudinal direction and has at least one groove configured to receive a cam of a corresponding connector module to secure the connector modules to the cartridge. The at least one slider latch has a biasing member operably coupled thereto. The biasing member biases the slider latch in a biasing direction. The biasing member forces the at least one slider latch to return to a latched position after the cam is received in the profiled groove. The connector system also includes a discharge mechanism configured to move a discharge slider. |
| US09356388B2 |
Terminal-attached wire and terminal
A terminal (15) of a terminal-attached wire (10), in which the terminal (15) is connected to an end portion of a wire (11) and the end portion is sealed by a heat shrinkable tube (33), includes a terminal connecting portion (16) to be connected to a mating terminal, a wire connecting portion (18) to be connected to the end portion of the wire (11) and a coupling portion (22) coupling the terminal connecting portion (16) and the wire connecting portion (18) An opening end (33A) of the heat shrinkable tube (33) is mounted on the coupling portion (22), and a draining portion (32) for preventing adhering water from running down to the opening end (33A) is provided on a side closer to the terminal connecting portion (16) than the opening end (33A). |
| US09356386B2 |
Connector
A connector includes a rib provided in a male terminal housing chamber of a male connector and configured to suppress a relative displacement of a male terminal to the male terminal housing chamber by being brought into contact with the male terminal and a rib provided in a female terminal housing chamber of a female connector and configured to suppress a relative displacement of a female terminal to the female terminal housing chamber by being brought into contact with the female terminal. The rib is formed so as to start to come into contact with the male terminal at a tab exit port side position than a position where a required insertion force becomes maximum. The rib is formed so as to start to come into contact with the female terminal at a tab insertion port side position than a position where the required insertion force becomes maximum. |
| US09356385B2 |
Connector with drainage grooves
A connector C is configured so that terminal fittings (10) extending from a rear surface of a housing (20) are connected to a board (50) and a casing (60) for covering the board (50) is mounted on the side of an upper surface (20U) of the housing (20), and drainage grooves (37) which extend in a width direction of the housing (20) and opposite ends of which reach opposite side surfaces (20S) of the housing (20) are provided on the upper surface of the housing (20). |
| US09356381B2 |
Protective cover configured to cover a mating interface of an electrical connector
Protective cover including a mating cap having a cap body. The cap body includes a connector cavity that opens in a loading direction. The connector cavity is configured to receive an electrical connector of a communication system when the mating cap is moved in a loading direction onto the electrical connector. The cap body is configured to surround a mating interface of the electrical connector. The protective cover also includes a movable latch that is coupled to the mating cap and extends in a rearward direction that is generally opposite the loading direction. The movable latch has a side surface and a latch projection that extends laterally from the side surface. The movable latch is configured to flex relative to the mating cap to move the latch projection. The latch projection is configured to engage the communication system to block the protective cover from being inadvertently removed. |
| US09356376B2 |
Miniaturized connector
A miniaturized connector is provided. The connector comprises a plug and a receptacle, where the receptacle is adapted for being assembled into a device, e.g. ear piece, ear monitor or other parts, and the plug is via a cable connected to a source for electrical power. Contact springs may be formed to protrude through the receptacle housing opening in straight lines to engage a plug recess to secure the plug. |
| US09356375B2 |
Male terminal fitting
A male terminal fitting includes a tubular main body (10) and a plate-like tab (40) projecting forward from the main body (10). A first support (51) and a second support (52) are provided respectively on a surface side facing in a direction of action of the external force (P1, P2) and a surface side opposite to the former surface side at a front end part of the main body (10) connected to the tab (40). The first and second supports (51, 52) serve as starting points of bending when an excessive external force (P1, P2) acts on the tab (40) in a direction intersecting with a projecting direction of the tab (40) and are displaced from each other in a front-back direction. |
| US09356374B2 |
Float adapter for electrical connector
A float adapter for an electrical connector that includes a conductive shell and an insulator received in the conductive shell. The insulator includes an engagement end, an interface end that is opposite the engagement end, and a reduced diameter middle portion therebetween. The insulator includes an inner bore that extends through the engagement end, the interface end, and the reduced diameter middle portion. The interface end has a lead-in tip portion that extends outside of the first end of the conductive shell. The lead-in tip portion has a tapered outer surface that terminates in an end face surface and a shoulder remote from the end face surface that defines an outer diameter that is larger than the inner diameter of the conductive shell. An inner contact is received in the inner bore of the insulator. The inner contact has socket openings at either end. |
| US09356369B2 |
Intermediate electrical connector and electrical connector assembled component
An intermediate electrical connector to be connected to a mating connecting member includes an intermediate connecting member; and a blade disposed in the intermediate connecting member. The blade includes a first ground plate, a second ground plate, a base member, a signal terminal, and a ground terminal. The signal terminal includes a first contact portion and a first connecting portion connected to the first contact portion. The ground terminal includes a second contact portion and a second connecting portion connected to the second contact portion. The first ground plate is situated on one side of the blade over the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion. The second ground plate is situated on an opposite side of the blade over the first connecting portion, the second connecting portion, the first contact portion, and the second contact portion. |
| US09356367B2 |
Electrical connector having compliant contacts and a circuit board assembly including the same
Electrical connector having a plurality of compliant contacts coupled to a connector body. Each of the compliant contacts includes a base portion and first and second legs extending from the base portion to respective distal ends in a mounting direction. Each of the first and second legs includes an inner edge and an outer edge. Each of the inner edges extends from the base portion to a corresponding inflection area. A gap between the first and second legs decreases as the inner edges approach the corresponding inflection areas in the mounting direction. The inflection areas of the inner edges directly interface with each other at a contact zone. |
| US09356366B2 |
Cable connector assembly for a communication system
A cable connector assembly includes a carrier having an insulative sheet with a substrate side fixedly mounted to a substrate and a contact side opposite the substrate side. A first conductive contact is secured to the contact side of the carrier. The first conductive contact has a pad coupled to a center conductor of a cable and a spring beam extending from the pad of the first conductive contact. The spring beam of the first conductive contact is resiliently deformed against a corresponding printed electronic on the substrate. A second conductive contact is secured to the contact side of the carrier. The second conductive contact has a pad coupled to an outer conductor of the cable and a spring beam extending from the pad of the second conductive contact. The spring beam of the second conductive contact is resiliently deformed against a corresponding printed electronic on the substrate. |
| US09356363B1 |
Push-on coaxial connector
A push-on coaxial cable connector includes a port grip, a joint, and a cable clamp. |
| US09356361B2 |
Electrical connector for strip cable
An electrical connector is disclosed having a body with a cable receiving space, and at least two rows of first through holes. At least two conductive plates are positioned on the upper surface of the body, each conductive plate having at least two second through holes positioned over the corresponding first through holes. A first and second strip cable is positioned in the cable receiving space, each cable having an insulation layer, and at least two conductors embedded in the insulation layer. At least four conductive bolts are provided, each bolt positioned through the first and second through holes, through the insulation layer, and in contact with the conductor. |
| US09356357B2 |
Methods and compositions for destructive interference
A composition for destructive interference in at least a portion of the frequency range from about 1 GHz to about 20 GHz can comprise a dielectric and a conductive filler mixed with at least a portion of the dielectric, wherein the percentage volume of the conductive filler relative to the total volume of the composition is configured such that the wavelength of sensitivity for the composition is on the order of a wavelength of an incident electromagnetic radiation in at least a portion of the frequency range from about 1 GHz to about 20 GHz. |
| US09356354B2 |
Compact, broadband, omni antenna for indoor/outdoor applications
An antenna, including a broadband bi-conical antenna including a lower antenna element and an upper conical antenna element, the lower antenna element including a lower conical antenna element and a meandered counterpoise element, which meandered counterpoise element is disposed at a base end of the lower conical antenna element and is integrally formed therewith, a reflector having a projection in a plane generally perpendicular to a vertical axis of the bi-conical radiating element, and a feed arrangement for feeding the bi-conical radiating element. |
| US09356351B2 |
Antenna apparatus, communication apparatus, and antenna apparatus manufacturing method
An antenna apparatus, which is assembled into an electronic apparatus and made communicatable upon receipt of a magnetic field transmitted from a transmitter, includes a laminated member made by mutually superimposing an antenna coil inductively coupled to the transmitter and formed on an antenna substrate with a magnetic sheet for drawing a magnetic field transmitted from the transmitter to the antenna coil, a film-shaped protective member that covers the laminated member at least up to an end portion of the magnetic sheet, and a communication processing unit that carries out communication to and from the transmitter and is driven by an electric current flowing through the antenna coil. |
| US09356343B2 |
Utilization of antenna loading for impedance matching
Techniques for utilization of antenna loading for impedance matching are described. In at least some embodiments, a device (e.g., a smart phone) includes multiple antennas that are employed to send and receive wireless signals for the device. The device further includes impedance matching functionality communicatively connected to the antennas, and configured to perform impedance matching for one of the antennas based on loading (e.g., dielectric loading) of another of the antennas. |
| US09356342B1 |
Method for determining an antenna pattern in a reverberant environment
A method for determining a direct antenna coupling in a reverberant environment is disclosed. Radiowave energy is emitted in the reverberant environment from a transmitting antenna to a receiving antenna at a plurality of frequencies, and discrete frequency stirring data is collected at a plurality of frequencies. The discrete frequency stirring data is amplitude corrected and phase corrected using an expected amplitude shift and an expected phase shift at each of the frequencies to provide corrected discrete frequency stirring data. The direct antenna coupling is determined based on the corrected discrete frequency stirring data. |
| US09356337B2 |
Portable terminal
A portable terminal which can be made light, slim, short, and small is provided. The portable terminal includes an antenna mounted to an inner side surface of a body of the portable terminal, and a rear case covering at least a portion of an inner side of the body and having a battery mounting space. The antenna and the rear case are separably coupled to a rear surface of the body to be exposed to outside the rear surface of the body. The portable terminal may include a speaker module provided at an upper end of a body of the portable terminal within the body, a mounting plate mounted to one side of the speaker module within the body, and a microphone holder fixed to one surface of the mounting plate. The portable terminal can be miniaturized by reducing installation widths of parts disposed parallel to a speaker module. |
| US09356331B2 |
Optically transparent, radio frequency, planar transmission lines
A high radio frequency transmission line having a dielectric substrate with two sides and constructed of a transparent material. An electrically conductive strip extends along at least a portion of one side of the substrate. An electrically conductive film is deposited on one of the sides of the substrate at a position spaced from the conductive strip. This conductive film has a thickness sufficiently small so that the film is substantially transparent. |
| US09356329B2 |
Battery system with absorption device
A battery system having a plurality of cells in a battery housing, and an absorption device arranged in the battery housing to absorbs fluid that has escaped in the battery housing. |
| US09356327B2 |
Unitary energy storage and sensing batteries
A battery apparatus having an electrochemical cell that includes an electrically insulating hollow mandrel, a pair of active materials wound on the mandrel, and a sensing unit located within the mandrel and coupled to the pair of active materials through a pair of contacts. The active materials are connected and separated by an electrolyte. The sensing unit is configured to monitor conditions of the cell and to generate a signal indicative of a sensed condition for communication to a battery management unit. |
| US09356326B2 |
Top cover and battery pack having the same
A top cover includes a cover plate covering a plurality of battery cells and having an opening in at least one portion thereof, and at least one temperature measuring member mounted in the opening so as to measure a temperature of one the battery cells, the temperature measuring member having a temperature measuring portion coming in contact with the battery cell. |
| US09356323B2 |
Temperature controlling system and method for battery
The present invention provides a temperature controlling system for a battery in an energy storage system, the temperature controlling system including: a converter comprising a plurality of switches and a converter inductor, the converter being configured to increase or decrease a voltage of the battery; a DC linker comprising first and second capacitors that are coupled in series and configured to stabilize an output voltage of the converter; and an inverter comprising a plurality of switches and an inductor, the inverter being configured to invert an input voltage, wherein the inverter further comprises a switch coupled between a terminal of the inductor and a first node between the first and second capacitors of the DC linker to provide a current from the inductor to the battery. |
| US09356321B2 |
Lead-acid battery
In a lead-acid battery including an electrode plate group housed in a cell chamber 6 with an electrolyte, each positive electrode plate includes a positive electrode grid made of lead or a lead alloy containing no antimony, and a positive electrode active material with which the positive electrode grid is filled. Each negative electrode plate includes a negative electrode grid made of lead or a lead alloy containing no antimony, a surface layer formed on a surface of the negative electrode grid and made of a lead alloy containing antimony, and a negative electrode active material with which the negative electrode grid is filled. A mass ratio MN/MP falls within a range of 0.70 to 1.10, where MP represents the mass of the positive electrode active material per cell chamber, and MN represents the mass of the negative electrode active material per cell chamber. |
| US09356318B2 |
Gel polymer electrolyte composition
An objective of the present invention is to provide a gel polymer electrolyte composition which exhibits excellent electrolyte retaining ability, excellent ion conductivity, higher mechanical strength and excellent shape preservation, which does not require an extra step for crosslinking, and which can provide a secondary battery with excellent cycle properties and a vinyl acetal polymer used for a gel polymer electrolyte composition. There are provided a vinyl acetal polymer for a gel polymer electrolyte composition, wherein the vinyl acetal polymer has a cationic functional group, as well as a gel polymer electrolyte composition comprising the vinyl acetal polymer and an electrolyte solution, wherein a weight ratio of the vinyl acetal polymer to the electrolyte solution is 0.5:99.5 to 9:91. |
| US09356315B2 |
Sulfide solid electrolyte material and lithium solid state battery
The main object of the present invention is to provide a sulfide solid electrolyte material with high Li ion conductivity. The present invention solves the problem by providing a sulfide solid electrolyte material comprising an ion conductor with an ortho-composition, and LiI, characterized in that the sulfide solid electrolyte material is glass with a glass transition point. |
| US09356312B2 |
Method for preparing secondary battery and the secondary battery prepared by using the same
Disclosed is a method for producing a secondary battery in which an electrode assembly comprising a cathode, an anode and a separator interposed between the cathode and the anode is accommodated in a battery case, the method comprising inserting the electrode assembly into the battery case, injecting an electrolyte into the battery case accommodating the electrode assembly to obtain a secondary battery, storing the secondary battery at a SOC of 1 to 20 for 3 hours to 10 days, removing gas present in the secondary battery, and sealing the battery case, wherein the anode comprises lithium titanium oxide (LTO) represented by the following Formula 1 as an anode active material: LiaTibO4−cAc (1) wherein a, b and c are determined according to an oxidation number of M′ within ranges of 0.5≦a≦3, 1≦b≦2.5, and 0≦c<0.2; and A is at least one monovalent or bivalent anion. Disclosed is also a secondary battery produced by the method. |
| US09356302B2 |
Fuel cell system and method for controlling fuel cell system
A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, a fuel-gas supply path, a fuel-gas circulation path, a first flow adjuster, an ejector, a bypass flow path, and a second flow adjuster. The fuel cell has a fuel-gas flow path and an oxidant-gas flow path. The bypass flow path connects an upstream section of the fuel-gas supply path located upstream of the first flow adjuster to a downstream section of the fuel-gas supply path located downstream of the ejector so as to cause fuel gas to bypass the first flow adjuster and the ejector. The second flow adjuster is provided in the bypass flow path to adjust a flow rate of the fuel gas by intermittently ejecting the fuel gas at a larger flow rate than the first flow adjuster. |
| US09356299B2 |
Fuel cell electrode and method for manufacturing membrane-electrode assembly using the same
The present invention provides a fuel cell electrode, and a method for manufacturing a membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) using the same. The fuel cell electrode is formed by adding carbon nanotubes to reinforce the mechanical strength of the electrode, cerium-zirconium oxide particles to prevent corrosion of a polymer electrolyte membrane, and an alloy catalyst prepared by alloying a second metal (such as Ir, Pd, Cu, Co, Cr, Ni, Mn, Mo, Au, Ag, V, etc.) with platinum to prevent the dissolution, migration, and agglomeration of platinum. |
| US09356294B2 |
Secondary battery including collectors with pores and manufacturing method thereof
A secondary battery and a manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. In one embodiment, the battery includes an electrode assembly and a case accommodating the electrode assembly. The electrode assembly may include i) a first electrode plate comprising a first collector and a first active material layer formed on at least one side of the first collector, ii) a second electrode plate comprising a second collector and a second active material layer formed on at least one side of the second collector and iii) a separator interposed between the first and second electrode plates. In one embodiment, a plurality of pores are formed only in part of the first and second collectors. |
| US09356293B2 |
Composite carbon fibers
An object of the present invention is to provide composite carbon fibers in which multiwalled carbon nanotubes are homogeneously dispersed between graphitized carbon nanofibers and near the surface of the graphitized carbon nanofibers, the composite carbon fibers being capable of easily being dispersed in a matrix such as resin without leaving aggregates, and also imparting low resistance. Disclosed are composite carbon fibers comprising multiwalled carbon nanotubes having a fiber diameter of 5 nm or more and 30 nm or less and graphitized carbon nanofibers having a fiber diameter of 50 nm or more and 300 nm or less, wherein the multiwalled carbon nanotubes are homogeneously dispersed between the graphitized carbon nanofibers and near the surface of the graphitized carbon nanofibers. |
| US09356292B2 |
Radical composition and battery using same
The present invention provides a radical composition capable of suppressing elution of electrode components in an electrolyte solution when used in an electrode for a secondary battery, and a battery using the radical composition. The present invention relates to a radical composition including a pyrroline nitroxide polymer and polyethylene glycols. |
| US09356291B2 |
High voltage lithium ion positive electrode material
A positive electrode material having a nominal stoichiometry Li1+y/2Co1−x−y−z−dSizFexMyM′d(PO4)1+y/2 where M is a trivalent cation selected from at least one of Cr, Ti, Al, Mn, Ni, V, Sc, La and/or Ga, M′ is a divalent cation selected from at least one of Mn, Ni, Zn, Sr, Cu, Ca and/or Mg, y is within a range of 0 |
| US09356285B2 |
Positive electrode material and positive electrode for nickel—zinc secondary battery and method for manufacturing positive electrode
The present invention provides a positive electrode material for a nickel-zinc secondary battery, a positive electrode for a nickel-zinc secondary battery and a method for preparing the positive electrode. The positive electrode material for a nickel-zinc secondary battery provided by the present invention includes: 68 wt %˜69 wt % positive electrode active material, 0.6 wt %˜1 wt % yttrium oxide, 0.2 wt %˜0.6 wt % calcium hydroxide, 3.5 wt %˜4 wt % nickel powder, and a binder in balance; the positive electrode active material being a spherical nickel hydroxide coated with Co (III). The positive electrode material for a nickel-zinc secondary battery provided by the present invention contains no Co(II) ion and cadmium ion. The positive electrode prepared by the positive electrode material provided by the present invention can reduce the amount of hydrogen evolved in the battery while ensuring relatively high electrode charging/discharging capacity. |
| US09356284B2 |
Active material for secondary battery
An active material for a secondary battery whose lifetime characteristics are improved is provided. The active material for a secondary battery includes a first active material represented by Lip[M1mM22-m-nM3n]O4, wherein M1 is at least one selected from Ni, Cr, Fe, Co, and Cu; M2 is at least one selected from Mn, Ti, and Si, and contains Mn; M3 is at least one selected from Li, B, Mg, Al, Na, and Ca; and 0≦p, 0 |
| US09356281B2 |
Intercalation electrode based on ordered graphene planes
An intercalation electrode includes an electron current collector and graphene planes deposited normal to the surface of the current collector substrate. The graphene planes are deposited on the current collector substrate from a carbon-precursor gas using, for example, chemical vapor deposition. In an embodiment of an anode for a lithium-ion battery, the graphene planes are intercalated with lithium atoms. A lithium-ion battery may include this anode, a cathode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte. In repeated charging and discharging of the anode, lithium atoms and ions are readily transported between the graphene planes of the anode and the electrolyte. |
| US09356277B2 |
Battery pack including spacer receiving conductive member
A battery pack that has one or more batteries and a protection circuit module. The battery pack includes protection tab members that connect to the batteries and the tab members include a tab that has a coupling component that extends towards the batteries. The battery pack also includes a conductive member that connects the connection tab member to the protection circuit module. The battery pack also includes spacers that receive the connection tabs and that couple to the coupling component of the connection tabs and are interconnected to the conductive member and the spacers. |
| US09356274B2 |
Electrode assembly and rechargeable battery using the same
An electrode assembly includes a positive electrode including a positive electrode current collector and a positive electrode active material layer on the positive electrode current collector, a negative electrode including a negative electrode current collector and a negative electrode active material layer on the negative electrode current collector, and a separator between the positive and negative electrodes, the separator including a heat-resistive unit and a lubrication unit, the heat-resistive unit having a heat-resistive material, and the lubrication unit being at an inner front end of the spirally winding separator and having a friction coefficient that is lower than that of the heat-resistive unit. |
| US09356272B2 |
Polyolefin-based split-type conjugate fiber, fiber assembly and battery separator using the same and method for producing the same
A polyolefin-based split-type conjugate fiber according to the present invention is a polyolefin-based split-type conjugate fiber obtained by composite spinning including a first component containing a polypropylene-based resin and a second component containing a polyolefin-based resin, wherein the first component contains, as a primary component, a polypropylene resin having a Q value (the ratio between the weight average molecular weight Mw and the number average molecular weight Mn) of 6 or greater and a melt flow rate according to JIS K 7210 (MFR at a measurement temperature of 230° C. under a load of 2.16 kgf (21.18 N)) of 5 g/10 min or greater and less than 23 g/10 min, and the first component and the second component are adjacent to each other in a cross section of the polyolefin-based split-type conjugate fiber. Also, the polyolefin-based split-type conjugate fiber of the present invention can be obtained by melt spinning the first component and the second component by using a split type conjugate nozzle and drawing the resulting fiber. |
| US09356268B2 |
Battery module
Disclosed is a battery module including a plurality of battery cells arranged in one direction, a barrier disposed between the plurality of battery cells; and a housing accommodating the battery cells and the barrier, wherein the barrier includes at least one linear member having a plurality of protrusions, and first and second lateral members respectively connected to one end portion and another end portion of the linear member, and the first and second lateral members include at least one opening. |
| US09356267B1 |
Protective battery case to partially enclose a mobile electronic device
A protective battery case for use with a mobile electronic device can include a back wall, a right side wall, a left side wall, a bottom wall, and a top wall. The protective battery case can include a battery, which can be disposed in the back wall. A device interface can be configured to engage a corresponding interface on the mobile electronic device to deliver electrical power from the battery to the mobile electronic device. A charging interface can be configured to receive electrical power for charging the battery. The protective battery case can include one or more bumpers disposed on the inside of the protective battery case such that the one or more bumpers abut against sides of the mobile electronic device to provide cushioning and/or shock absorption to protect the mobile electronic device. |
| US09356266B2 |
Battery pack
A battery pack includes a battery cell; a case comprising a first case and a second case coupled together and accommodating the battery cell, wherein the first case includes a first rib extending circumferentially around the first case and generally defining a battery cell accommodation space for the battery cell around an interior of the first rib, the first rib having a ridged section comprising alternating thick portions and thin portions. |
| US09356259B2 |
Organic light-emitting display apparatus and method of manufacturing the same
Provided is an organic light-emitting display apparatus. The organic light-emitting display apparatus includes: a substrate; an organic light-emitting device provided on the substrate and comprising a first electrode, a second electrode, and an intermediate layer provided between the first electrode and the second electrode; an encapsulation layer covering the organic light-emitting device; a base layer disposed under the substrate and having a pin hole formed therein; and a thermal conductive layer filling the pin hole. |
| US09356256B2 |
Flexible display device and manufacturing method thereof
A flexible display device includes: a display substrate which is divided into a first region corresponding to a within-cell region of an integrated devices sheet from which the flexible display device is cut and into a second region corresponding to an outside-the-cell region of the integrated devices sheet, where within the first region there is provided a display unit including a light emitting element layer; a patterned inorganic film layer formed to be substantially continuously present within the first region of the display substrate and to be not present or not substantially continuously present within the second region of the display substrate; and a thin film encapsulation layer formed on the inorganic film layer to encapsulate the substantially continuously present portion of the inorganic film layer that is within the first region and the display unit, wherein an outer boundary of the thin film encapsulation layer is located more inwardly and toward an outer boundary of the display unit than is an outer boundary of the substantially continuously present portion of the inorganic film layer. |
| US09356253B2 |
Organic electroluminescent element and method for manufacturing organic electroluminescent element
An organic electroluminescent element including: a lower electrode; an organic functional layer on the lower electrode; and an upper electrode on the organic functional layer, wherein profile of an upper surface of the upper electrode has a skewness of between −0.5 and 0.7 inclusive. |
| US09356252B2 |
Electronic device and manufacturing method therefor
An electronic device includes a substrate, a first conductive layer disposed over the substrate, an organic insulating layer, including an organic material, disposed over the first conductive layer and having an aperture exposing a portion of the first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, which is metallic, covering a top face of the organic insulating layer, an inner circumferential face that faces the aperture in the organic insulating layer, and the exposed portion of the first conductive layer, and an intermediate layer that includes an oxide or a nitride, disposed only between the second conductive layer and the inner circumferential face that faces the aperture in the organic insulating layer. The first conductive layer and the second conductive layer are in contact at the bottom face of the aperture in the organic insulating layer. |
| US09356251B2 |
Light-emitting device including a first resistance layer with a creeping-up portion
Light-emitting device including a supporting substrate, a partition wall dividing a plurality of EL elements on the supporting substrate, and the EL elements provided in a concave portion that is a space between the partition walls. Each EL element is constituted by a first electrode, a first resistance layer formed by an applying method, a second resistance layer having an electric resistance higher than that of the first resistance layer, a light-emitting layer, and a second electrode in this order so that the first electrode is located near the supporting substrate. The first resistance layer includes a creeping-up portion creeping up to a direction that is away from the supporting substrate and along the surface of the corresponding partition wall; and the second resistance layer is provided by ranging continuously over one EL element to another EL element that are adjacent to each other with the partition wall interposed therebetween. |
| US09356250B2 |
Light-emitting element, comprising an organometallic complex light-emitting material, a light-emitting device and an electronic device comprising the light-emitting element
To provide a light-emitting element with high light emission efficiency, a long lifetime, and reduced driving voltage. To provide a light-emitting element including an anode, a cathode, and a plurality of light-emitting layers which are in contact with each other so that a stacked structure is formed, between the anode and the cathode, in which the plurality of light-emitting layers are formed with a first light-emitting layer which is close to the anode and a second light-emitting layer which is close to the cathode, the first light-emitting layer and the second light-emitting layer each include a host material, a hole-transporting material, and a light-emitting material, and the concentration of the hole-transporting material in the first light-emitting layer is higher than the concentration of the hole-transporting material in the second light-emitting layer. |
| US09356246B2 |
Display device and electronic device
A bendable display device, lighting device, or electronic device which is unlikely to be broken when handled. The display device, lighting device, or electronic device includes two flexible substrates, and at least one of the two flexible substrates contains a plurality of glass fibers extending in one direction. Accordingly, the display device, lighting device, or electronic device has low flexibility in the one direction and is unlikely to be broken when handled. |
| US09356244B1 |
Aminoferrocene derivative and tandem organic light-emitting diode containing the same
An aminoferrocene derivative is represented by the formula (I): wherein Ar1 and Ar2 independently represent a substituted or unsubstituted C6-C10 aryl group. The aminoferrocene derivative is useful for forming a p-type carrier generation layer of a tandem OLED so that the tandem OLED has superior luminous efficiencies in terms of maximum luminance, maximum external quantum efficiency, maximum current efficiency, etc. |
| US09356242B2 |
Organic electroluminescent device
An organic electroluminescent device that includes at least two phosphorescent emitting layers, where phosphorescent emitter layer 1 comprises a hole-conducting matrix material and two different phosphorescent emitters, and phosphorescent emitter layer 2 comprises an electron-conducting matrix material and a phosphorescent emitter. |
| US09356238B2 |
Replication of patterned thin-film structures for use in plasmonics and metamaterials
The present invention provides templating methods for replicating patterned metal films from a template substrate such as for use in plasmonic devices and metamaterials. Advantageously, the template substrate is reusable and can provide plural copies of the structure of the template substrate. Because high-quality substrates that are inherently smooth and flat are available, patterned metal films in accordance with the present invention can advantageously provide surfaces that replicate the surface characteristics of the template substrate both in the patterned regions and in the unpatterned regions. |
| US09356236B2 |
Variable resistive memory device and method of fabricating the same and method of driving the same
Provided are a variable resistive memory device, and methods of fabricating and driving the same. The variable resistive memory device includes a plurality of memory cells arranged in a first direction and in a second direction different from the first direction, each of the plurality of memory cells comprising a variable resistor and a selection device serially connected to the variable resistor. A common wiring is electrically connected to first ends of the plurality of memory cells to apply a common reference voltage. Each wiring line of a plurality of wiring lines is electrically connected to second ends of the plurality of memory cells arranged in the plurality of rows oriented in the first direction. A plurality of selection lines are respectively connected to the selection devices of the plurality of memory cells to select any one of the plurality of memory cells via the plurality of wiring lines. |
| US09356234B2 |
Electronic device and method for fabricating the same
An electronic device including a semiconductor memory unit that includes a cell structure having two memory cells, which share one selector, wherein the cell structure includes first electrodes, variable resistance patterns and second electrodes which are symmetrically disposed on both sides of the selector. |
| US09356231B2 |
MRAM device and fabrication method thereof
According to an embodiment, a magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) device comprises a bottom electrode, a stack, a dielectric material, a dielectric layer, and a conductive material. The bottom electrode is over a substrate, and the stack is over the bottom electrode. The stack comprises a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) and a top electrode. The dielectric material is along a sidewall of the stack, and the dielectric material has a height greater than a thickness of the MTJ and less than a stack height. The dielectric layer is over the stack and the dielectric material. The conductive material extends through the dielectric layer to the top electrode of the stack. |
| US09356230B2 |
Perpendicular magnetization storage element and storage device
A storage element includes a storage layer which has magnetization perpendicular to its film surface and which retains information by a magnetization state of a magnetic substance, a magnetization pinned layer having magnetization perpendicular to its film surface which is used as the basis of the information stored in the storage layer, an interlayer of a non-magnetic substance provided between the storage layer and the magnetization pinned layer, and a cap layer which is provided adjacent to the storage layer at a side opposite to the interlayer and which includes at least two oxide layers. The storage element is configured to store information by reversing the magnetization of the storage layer using spin torque magnetization reversal generated by a current passing in a laminate direction of a layer structure including the storage layer, the interlayer, and the magnetization pinned layer. |
| US09356229B2 |
Memory cells and methods of fabrication
Memory cells are disclosed. Magnetic regions within the memory cells include an alternating structure of magnetic sub-regions and coupler sub-regions. The coupler material of the coupler sub-regions antiferromagnetically couples neighboring magnetic sub-regions and effects or encourages a vertical magnetic orientation exhibited by the neighboring magnetic sub-regions. Neighboring magnetic sub-regions, spaced from one another by a coupler sub-region, exhibit oppositely-directed magnetic orientations. The magnetic and coupler sub-regions may each be of a thickness tailored to form the magnetic region in a compact structure. Interference between magnetic dipole fields emitted from the magnetic region on switching of a free region in the memory cell may be reduced or eliminated. Also disclosed are semiconductor device structures, spin torque transfer magnetic random access memory (STT-MRAM) systems, and methods of fabrication. |
| US09356219B2 |
High temperature superconducting materials and methods for modifying and creating same
In some implementations of the invention, existing high temperature superconducting materials (“HTS materials”) may be modified and/or new HTS materials may be created by enhancing (in the case of existing HTS materials) and/or creating (in the case of new HTS materials) an aperture within the HTS material such that the aperture is maintained at increased temperatures so as not to impede propagation of electrical charge there through. In some implementations of the invention, as long as the propagation of electrical charge through the aperture remains unimpeded, the material should remain in a superconducting state; otherwise, as the propagation of electrical charge through the aperture becomes impeded, the HTS material begins to transition into a non-superconducting state. |
| US09356218B1 |
Internally heated concentrated solar power (CSP) thermal absorber
A system and method are disclosed for internally heated concentrated solar power (CSP) thermal absorbers. The system and method involve an energy-generating device having at least one heating unit. At least one heating unit preheats the energy-generating device in order to expedite the startup time of the energy-generating device, thereby allowing for an increase in efficiency for the production of energy. In some embodiments, the energy-generating device is a CSP thermal absorber. The CSP thermal absorber comprises a housing, a thermal barrier, a light-transparent reservoir containing a liquid alkali metal, at least one alkali metal thermal-to-electric converter (AMTEC) cell, an artery return channel, and at least one heating unit. Each heating unit comprises a heating device and a metal fin. The metal fin is submerged into the liquid alkali metal, thereby allowing the heating device to heat the liquid alkali metal via the fin. |
| US09356216B2 |
Semiconductor element for a thermoelectric module, method for producing the semiconductor element and thermoelectric module
A semiconductor element includes at least a thermoelectric material and a first frame part which are force-lockingly connected to one another, with the frame part forming a diffusion barrier for the thermoelectric material and an electrical conductor. A method for producing the semiconductor element as well as a thermoelectric module having at least two semiconductor elements, are also provided. |
| US09356210B2 |
Optoelectronic module comprising an optical waveguide and method for producing same
An optoelectronic module (202, 204, 206, 208, 210, 212, 214, 216, 218, 220, 222, 224, 226, 228, 230, 232, 234) comprises a carrier (102), at which and/or in which are arranged at least two semiconductor chips (104, 104a1, 104a2, 104b; 106, 106a1, 106a2, 106b, 106c) for emitting electromagnetic radiation (108a, 108b). An emission unit (110) for emitting electromagnetic radiation (109) from the optoelectronic module (202, 204, 206, 208, 210, 212, 214, 216, 218, 220, 222, 224, 226, 228, 230, 232, 234) is arranged on or in the carrier (102). At least one of the semiconductor chips (106, 106a1, 106a2, 106b, 106c) is spaced apart from the emission unit (110). A waveguide (112) guides the electromagnetic radiation (108a) of the at least one spaced-apart semiconductor chip (106, 106a1, 106a2, 106b, 106c) to the emission unit (110). The emission unit (110) has a coupling-out structure (114, 114a, 114b, 114c) for coupling out the electromagnetic radiation (108a) from the waveguide (112). |
| US09356203B2 |
Phosphor particle group and light emitting apparatus using the same
Provided is a phosphor particle group of divalent europium-activated oxynitride green light emitting phosphor particles each of which is a β-type SiAlON substantially represented by a general formula: EuaSibAlcOdNe, where 0.005≦a≦0.4, b+c=12, d+e=16, wherein 60% or more of the phosphor particle group is composed of the phosphor particles in which a value obtained by dividing a longer particle diameter by a shorter particle diameter is greater than 1.0 and not greater than 3.0. A high-efficiency and stable light emitting apparatus using a β-type SiAlON, which includes a light converter using the phosphor particle group, and a phosphor particle group therefor are also provided. |
| US09356195B2 |
Light emitting device, light emitting device package comprising the same and lighting system
A light emitting device including a support substrate, an adhesive layer on the support substrate, a conductive layer on the adhesive layer, a light emitting structure on the conductive layer, the light emitting structure including a first semiconductor layer containing AlGaN, an active layer, and a second semiconductor layer containing AlGaN, a first electrode on the light emitting structure, a metal layer disposed under the conductive layer and at an adjacent region of the conductive layer, and a passivation layer disposed on a side surface of the light emitting structure, wherein the first electrode is vertically non-overlapped with the conductive layer, wherein the conductive layer includes a first layer and a second layer on the first layer, wherein the second layer directly contacts with the light emitting structure, wherein the metal layer directly contacts with the light emitting structure, wherein the metal layer is expanded to an outer area of the light emitting structure, and wherein the passivation layer is disposed on the metal layer at the outer surface of the light emitting structure. |
| US09356192B2 |
Nitride semiconductor ultraviolet light-emitting element
A nitride semiconductor ultraviolet light-emitting element is provided with: an underlying structure portion including a sapphire (0001) substrate and an AlN layer formed on the substrate; and a light-emitting element structure portion including an n-type cladding layer of an n-type AlGaN based semiconductor layer, an active layer having an AlGaN based semiconductor layer, and a p-type cladding layer of a p-type AlGaN based semiconductor layer, formed on the underlying structure portion. The (0001) surface of the substrate is inclined at an off angle which is equal to or greater than 0.6° and is equal to or smaller than 3.0°, and an AlN molar fraction of the n-type cladding layer is equal to or higher than 50%. |
| US09356187B2 |
Method for separating semiconductor devices using nanoporous structure
The present invention relates to a method for separating semiconductor devices from a substrate using a nanoporous structure, wherein electrochemical etching is carried out in the absence of a surface metal layer, then the surface metal layer is deposited, and then a GaN thin film is transferred onto a metal wafer by means of wafer bonding and lift-off. The method for separating the semiconductor devices using a nanoporous structure includes the steps of: growing a first n-type nitride layer on the substrate; growing a dielectric layer on the first n-type nitride layer; forming a nanoporous structure in the first n-type nitride layer by means of electrochemical etching; re-growing a second n-type nitride layer on the first n-type nitride layer so as to form a second n-type nitride layer containing the dielectric layer; growing a multi-quantum well structure and a p-type nitride layer on the second n-type nitride layer for bonding with a conductive substrate; and separating the semiconductor devices from the substrate through selective HF etching of the dielectric layer. |
| US09356185B2 |
Compact light sensing modules including reflective surfaces to enhance light collection and/or emission, and methods of fabricating such modules
The disclosure describes light sensing optoelectronic modules that include reflective surfaces to enhance light collection and/or light emission. For example, an optoelectronic module can include a light sensing element mounted on a substrate. A spacer over the substrate has a through-hole over the light sensing element. The through-hole is defined by a surface that is at least partially sloped or curved with respect to a plane of the substrate. The surface is highly reflective for light detectable by the light sensing element. Various methods for fabricating the modules are described as well. |
| US09356182B2 |
Solar cell and method of manufacturing the same
A solar cell is discussed. The solar cell according to an embodiment includes a semiconductor substrate, a first conductive type region and a second conductive type region disposed on the same side of the semiconductor substrate, wherein at least one of the first and second conductive type regions includes a main region and a boundary region disposed at a peripheral portion of the main region, and the boundary region has at least one of a varying doping concentration and a varying doping depth. |
| US09356178B2 |
Plasmonic phototransistor
A plasmonic phototransistor includes a photon to surface-plasmon-polariton (SPP) transducer including and an optical coupling structure configured to receive incident light and an electrically conducting layer having a first and a second surface. The second surface is on the optical coupling structure and the first surface generates SPPs responsive to the incident light. A gate dielectric layer is on the first surface. A two dimensional (2D) electrically conductive material is on the gate dielectric layer having electrical properties sensitive to electromagnetic fields of the SPP. Source and drain contacts are on the 2D electrically conductive material. Dynamic electric fields of the SPPs reach the 2D electrically conductive material that are operable to electric field-induce modulation of an electrical conductance of the 2D electrically conductive material which is sensed from the source and drain contacts. |
| US09356177B2 |
Method of manufacture of chalcogenide-based photovoltaic cells
The invention is a method of forming a cadmium sulfide based buffer on a copper chalcogenide based absorber in making a photovoltaic cell. The buffer is sputtered at relatively high pressures. The resulting cell has good efficiency and according to one embodiment is characterized by a narrow interface between the absorber and buffer layers. The buffer is further characterized according to a second embodiment by a relatively high oxygen content. |
| US09356172B2 |
Solar cell and method for manufacturing same
Disclosed is a solar cell including a support substrate, a barrier layer on the support substrate, and a photo-electro conversion part on the barrier layer. The barrier layer comprises first and second barrier layers having porosities different from each other. |
| US09356168B2 |
Method of manufacturing CI(G)S nano particles for manufacturing light absorption layer and CI(G)S nano particles manufactured using the same
Disclosed are a method of preparing CI(G)S nano particles forming a light absorption layer of solar cells, including dissolving at least one Group VI source selected from the group consisting of compounds comprising sulfur (S), selenium (Se), or a combination thereof, and an indium (In) salt in a solvent to prepare a first solution, reacting the first solution to form first precursor particles, dissolving a copper (Cu) salt in a solvent to prepare a second solution, mixing the second solution with the first solution in which the first precursor is formed to manufacture a mixture and purifying the synthesized CI(G)S nano particles after synthesizing the CI(G)S nano particles by reacting the mixture, and CI(G)S nano particles manufactured using the same. |
| US09356165B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device includes a substrate and a first insulating layer. The first insulating layer includes a first lower layer and a first upper layer on the first lower layer. The first insulating layer has a first opening through the first lower layer and the first upper layer. A maximum width of the first opening at the first lower layer is different from a maximum width of the first opening at the first upper layer. |
| US09356162B2 |
High efficiency group III-V compound semiconductor solar cell with oxidized window layer
The present application utilizes an oxidation process to fabricating a Group III-V compound semiconductor solar cell device. By the oxidation process, a window layer disposed on a cell unit is oxidized to enhance the efficiency of the solar cell device. The oxidized window has an increased band gap to minimize the surface recombination of electrons and holes. The oxidized window also improves transparency at the wavelengths that were absorbed in the conventional window layer. |
| US09356161B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes: a photoelectric conversion section made of semiconductor; a color filter made of an inorganic material to which a metal ion is added; and a getter film formed between the photoelectric conversion section and the color filter and configured to trap the metal ion. |
| US09356160B2 |
Flat panel sensor and flat panel detector
A flat panel sensor and a flat panel detector are provided on the basis of a top-gate TFT structure. The flat panel sensor comprises a base substrate, and a top-gate TFT and a storage capacitor that are formed on the base substrate; the storage capacitor includes a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer disposed in opposition to the first conductive layer, a third conductive layer for output of an electric signal, and a ground line; the first conductive layer is directly connected to a drain electrode and an active layer of the top-gate TFT, the second conductive layer is directly connected to the ground line, and the third conductive layer is connected to the first conductive layer through a via hole. |
| US09356153B2 |
Thin film transistor, display panel having the same and method of manufacturing the same
A thin film transistor includes a bottom gate electrode, a top gate electrode and an active pattern. The top gate electrode includes a transparent conductive material and overlaps with the bottom gate electrode. A boundary of the bottom gate electrode and a boundary of the top gate electrode are coincident with each other in a cross-sectional view. The active pattern includes a source portion, a drain portion and a channel portion disposed between the source portion and the drain portion. The channel portion overlaps with the bottom gate electrode and the top gate electrode. |
| US09356149B2 |
Silicide protection during contact metallization and resulting semiconductor structures
A semiconductor transistor has a structure including a semiconductor substrate, a source region, a drain region and a channel region in between the source region and the drain region. A metal gate, having a top conductive portion of tungsten is provided above the channel region. A first silicon nitride protective layer over the source region and the drain region and a second silicon nitride protective layer over the gate region are provided. The first silicon nitride protective layer and the second silicon nitride protective layer are configured to allow punch-through of the first silicon nitride protective layer while preventing etching through the second silicon nitride protective layer. Source and drain silicide is protected by avoiding fully etching a gate opening unless either the etching used would not harm the silicide, or the silicide and source and drain contacts are created prior to fully etching an opening to the gate for a gate contact. |
| US09356141B2 |
Semiconductor device having peripheral trench structures
The disclosure relates to a semiconductor device including a semiconductor body, having a first surface, a gate electrode structure, which includes polycrystalline silicon, of an IGFET in a first trench extending from the first surface into the semiconductor body. The device also includes a semiconductor element, which is different from the gate electrode structure of the IGFET and includes polycrystalline silicon, in a second trench extending from the first surface into the semiconductor body, wherein the polycrystalline silicon of the IGFET and of the semiconductor element different therefrom ends below a top side of an insulation layer adjoining the first surface of the semiconductor body. |
| US09356133B2 |
Medium voltage MOSFET device
A semiconductor device includes a medium voltage MOSFET having a vertical drain drift region between RESURF trenches containing field plates which are electrically coupled to a source electrode of the MOSFET. A split gate with a central opening is disposed above the drain drift region between the RESURF trenches. A two-level LDD region is disposed below the central opening in the split gate. A contact metal stack makes contact with a source region at lateral sides of the triple contact structure, and with a body contact region and the field plates in the RESURF trenches at a bottom surface of the triple contact structure. A perimeter RESURF trench surrounds the MOSFET. A field plate in the perimeter RESURF trench is electrically coupled to the source electrode of the MOSFET. An integrated snubber may be formed in trenches formed concurrently with the RESURF trenches. |
| US09356130B2 |
HEMT with compensation structure
A high electron mobility transistor includes a source, a gate and a drain, a first III-V semiconductor region, and a second III-V semiconductor region below the first III-V semiconductor region. The high electron mobility transistor further includes a compensation structure interposed between the first and second III-V semiconductor regions so that the first and second III-V semiconductor regions are spaced apart from one another by the compensation structure. The compensation structure has a different band gap than the first and second III-V semiconductor regions. |
| US09356125B1 |
Manufacturing method of semiconductor structure
A manufacturing method of a semiconductor structure includes the following steps. A high-k dielectric layer is formed on a semiconductor substrate, and a barrier layer is formed on the high-k dielectric layer. An oxygen annealing treatment is performed after the step of forming the barrier layer; and a capping layer is formed on the barrier layer after the oxygen annealing treatment. |
| US09356119B2 |
MOSFETs with reduced contact resistance
A method and structure for forming a field effect transistor with reduced contact resistance are provided. The reduced contact resistance is manifested by a reduced metal semiconductor alloy contact resistance and a reduced conductively filled via contact-to-metal semiconductor alloy contact resistance. The reduced contact resistance is achieved in this disclosure by texturing the surface of the transistor's source region and/or the transistor's drain region. Typically, both the source region and the drain region are textured in the present disclosure. The textured source region and/or the textured drain region have an increased area as compared to a conventional transistor that includes a flat source region and/or a flat drain region. A metal semiconductor alloy, e.g., a silicide, is formed on the textured surface of the source region and/or the textured surface of the drain region. A conductively filled via contact is formed atop the metal semiconductor alloy. |
| US09356111B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device and method of manufacturing the same
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device of an embodiment includes: a semiconductor layer; a tunnel insulating film that is formed on the semiconductor layer and includes a first organic molecular film including first organic molecules each having an alkyl molecular chain as the main chain; a charge storage layer formed on the tunnel insulating film, the charge storage layer being made of an inorganic material; a block insulating film formed on the charge storage layer; and a control gate electrode formed on the block insulating film. |
| US09356110B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
To control a grain growth on laminated polysilicon films, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes: forming a first polysilicon film (21) on a substrate (10); forming an interlayer oxide layer (22) on a surface of the first polysilicon film (21); forming a second polysilicon film (23) in contact with the interlayer oxide layer (22) above the first polysilicon film (21); and performing annealing at a temperature higher than a film formation temperature of the first and second polysilicon films in a gas atmosphere containing nitrogen, after formation of the second polysilicon film (23). |
| US09356109B2 |
Metal gate transistor and integrated circuits
A transistor includes a gate dielectric structure over a substrate and a work function metallic layer over the gate dielectric structure. The work function metallic layer is configured to adjust a work function value of a gate electrode of the transistor. The transistor also includes a silicide structure over the work function metallic layer. The silicide structure is configured to be independent of the work function value of the gate electrode of the transistor. |
| US09356106B2 |
Method to form self-aligned high density nanocrystals
Methods for fabricating dense arrays of electrically conductive nanocrystals that are self-aligned in depressions at target locations on a substrate, and semiconductor devices configured with nanocrystals situated within a gate stack as a charge storage area for a nonvolatile memory (NVM) device, are provided. |
| US09356105B1 |
Ring gate transistor design for flash memory
A memory device includes a semiconductor body having a first conductivity type, a first terminal in the semiconductor body having a second conductivity type, a channel region having the first conductivity type surrounding the first terminal, and a second terminal having the second conductivity type surrounding the channel region. A connector is in contact with the first terminal, and can be connected to a bit line in an overlying patterned conductor layer. Memory material is disposed over the channel region, and can include a dielectric charge storage structure. A control gate surrounds the first terminal and is disposed over the memory material. A conductive line surrounds the control gate and is in contact with the second terminal. The control gate and the conductive line can be ring shaped. |
| US09356097B2 |
Method of forming a bipolar transistor with maskless self-aligned emitter
Embodiments of the present invention include a method for forming a semiconductor emitter and the resulting structure. The invention comprises forming an epitaxial base layer on a semiconductor substrate. A dielectric layer is deposited over the epitaxial base layer. An opening is etched in a portion of the dielectric layer exposing a portion of the epitaxial base layer and a spacer is deposited along the sidewall of the opening. The emitter is grown from the epitaxial base layer to overlap the top surface of the spacer and a portion of the dielectric layer. The single crystal emitter is formed without a mask and without the requirement of subsequent patterning processes. |
| US09356089B1 |
Low temperature fabrication of lateral thin film varistor
A structure and method for fabricating a laterally configured thin film varistor surge protection device using low temperature sputtering techniques which do not damage IC device components contiguous to the varistor being fabricated. The lateral thin film varistor may consist of a continuous layer of alternating regions of a first metal oxide layer and a second metal oxide layer formed between two laterally spaced electrodes using a low temperature sputtering process followed by a low temperature annealing process. |
| US09356088B2 |
Active matrix organic light-emitting diode display substrate and display device
The present invention provides an active matrix organic light-emitting diode display substrate and a display device. The active matrix organic light-emitting diode display substrate comprises a substrate and a plurality of pixel structures arranged in a matrix on the substrate, and further comprises a power signal structure for providing a power signal to each pixel structure, wherein the power signal structure comprises one layer of power signal electrode having a planar structure. By designing the power signal structure to include a power signal electrode having a planar structure, resistance of the power signal structure is reduced, and accordingly voltage drop of VDD decreases, thus the difference in driving voltage among organic light-emitting diodes is relatively small, and uniformity of display brightness of a display panel is ensured. |
| US09356086B2 |
Method for manufacturing organic light emitting display device
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display includes a substrate where a plurality of pixels are formed, a first pixel defining layer on the substrate, the first pixel defining layer dividing the plurality of pixels, a connection wire on the first pixel defining layer, the connection wire electrically connecting two adjacent pixels, and a second pixel defining layer on the first pixel defining layer, the second pixel defining layer covering the connection wire. |
| US09356081B2 |
Organic light emitting display device
An organic light emitting display device comprises a driving transistor for driving an organic light emitting diode; a first transistor controlled by a scan signal and connected between a reference voltage line and a first node of the driving transistor; a second transistor controlled by the scan signal and connected between a data line and a second node of the driving transistor; a first plate with an improved conductive characteristic and connected to the semiconductor layer of the driving transistor and the semiconductor layer of the first transistor; a second plate positioned on the first plate, and connected to the semiconductor layer of the second transistor and a gate electrode of the driving transistor; and a pixel electrode of the organic light emitting diode, positioned on the second plate and connected to the first plate through a contact hole. |
| US09356080B2 |
Organic EL display device and electronic apparatus
An organic EL display device includes a display region where a plurality of pixels having a light-emitting device stacked in order of an organic layer including a first electrode and a light-emitting layer, and a second electrode from a substrate, are arranged, a peripheral region having a peripheral circuit that is arranged on an outer edge side of the display region, a lower layer-sided first insulating layer and an upper layer-sided second insulating layer that are arranged to be extended to the peripheral region from the display region, a first separation groove that is arranged in the first insulating layer between the display region and the peripheral region, a first conductive layer that is arranged on the first insulating layer of the peripheral region, a first covering portion, a sealing portion that is arranged on an outer edge side of the first covering portion, and a second covering portion. |
| US09356079B2 |
Organic light-emitting display apparatus and method of manufacturing the same
An organic light-emitting display apparatus includes a substrate, an optical layer formed over the substrate and a light emitting pixel formed over the optical layer. The optical layer includes a first refractive index layer portion having a first refractive index, a second refractive index layer portion having a second refractive index greater than the first refractive index. The second portion is disposed next to the first portion and contacts the first portion. The light emitting pixel includes a pixel electrode overlapping the first portion and comprising a first reflective layer, a pixel-defining film overlapping the second portion, an intermediate layer formed over the pixel electrode and comprising an organic light emission layer, and an opposite electrode formed over and overlapping the intermediate layer and the pixel-defining film and comprising a second reflective layer. |
| US09356074B1 |
Memory array having divided apart bit lines and partially divided bit line selector switches
A non-volatile data storage device comprises pairs of immediately adjacent and isolated-from-one-another local bit lines that are independently driven by respective and vertically oriented bit line selector devices. The isolation between the immediately adjacent and isolated-from-one-another local bit lines also isolates from one another respective memory cells of the non-volatile data storage device such that leakage currents cannot flow from memory cells connected to a first of the immediately adjacent and isolated-from-one-another local bit lines to memory cells connected to the second of the pair of immediately adjacent and isolated-from-one-another local bit lines. A method programming a desire one of the memory cells includes applying boosting voltages to word lines adjacent to the bit line of the desired memory cell while not applying boosting voltages to word lines adjacent to the other bit line of the pair. |
| US09356069B2 |
Photo diode and method of forming the same
A method for forming a photo diode is provided. The method includes: forming a first pair of electrodes and a second pair of electrodes over a substrate by using a conductive layer; forming a dielectric layer over the substrate; patterning the dielectric layer over the substrate; forming a photo conversion layer over the substrate; and forming a color filter layer over the photo conversion layer, wherein at least a portion of the dielectric layer separates a first portion of the color filter layer corresponding to a first pixel from a second portion of the color filter layer corresponding to a second pixel, and a refractive index of the dielectric layer is lower than a refractive index of the color filter layer, wherein the first pair of electrodes corresponds to the first pixel and the second pair of electrodes corresponds to the second pixel. |
| US09356067B2 |
Image sensors including a gate electrode surrounding a floating diffusion region
Image sensors are provided. The image sensors may include first and second stacked impurity regions having different conductivity types. The image sensors may also include a floating diffusion region in the first impurity region. The image sensors may further include a transfer gate electrode surrounding the floating diffusion region in the first impurity region. Also, the transfer gate electrode and the floating diffusion region may overlap the second impurity region. |
| US09356065B2 |
Image sensor having improved light utilization efficiency
An image sensor includes a first pixel row including a plurality of first pixels configured to sense first wavelength light, the first wavelength light having a first wavelength, a second pixel row adjacent to the first pixel row, the second pixel row including a plurality of second pixels configured to sense second wavelength light and a plurality of third pixels configured to sense third wavelength light, the plurality of second pixels and the plurality of third pixels being alternately arranged, the second wavelength light having a second wavelength and the third wavelength light having a third wavelength and a plurality of first color separation elements in the plurality of second pixels, respectively, the plurality of separation elements configured to change a spectrum distribution of incident light. |
| US09356059B2 |
BSI image sensor chips and methods for forming the same
A device includes semiconductor substrate having a front side and a backside. A polysilicon layer is disposed on the backside of the semiconductor substrate. The polysilicon layer includes a portion doped with a p-type impurity. A dielectric layer is disposed on the backside of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the polysilicon layer is between the semiconductor substrate and the polysilicon layer. |
| US09356053B2 |
Thin film transistor array substrate and driving method therefor as well as liquid crystal display
A thin film transistor array substrate, a driving method therefore, and a liquid crystal display are disclosed. The thin film transistor array substrate includes at least a sub-pixel region formed by a gate line and a data line intersected with each other, wherein, each sub-pixel comprises a first transistor (21) of which the gate is connected with a gate line and the drain is connected with a data line and a first storage capacitor (23) of which one end is connected with the source of the first transistor (21) and the other end is connected with an output of a reference voltage, the sub-pixel further comprises a second storage capacitor (24) and a second transistor (25), wherein one end of the second storage capacitor (24) is connected with the source of the first transistor (21), and the other end of the second storage capacitor (24) is connected with the drain of the second transistor (25); the source of the second transistor (25) is connected with the output of the reference voltage, and the gate of the second transistor (25) is connected with an output of an Enable signal. Since a second storage capacitor (24) is additionally added to each sub-pixel in the thin film transistor array substrate, the capacitance of the storage capacitors during static display is increased, the voltage conversion frequency during static display is deceased, and the system power consumption is decreased. |
| US09356052B2 |
Thin film transistor with integrated connecting portion
A semiconductor device (100) according to the present invention includes a thin film transistor (10) having a gate electrode (62a), a first insulating layer (64), an oxide semiconductor layer (66a), a protection layer (68), a source electrode (72as), and a second insulating layer (74). A first connecting portion (30) includes a lower metal layer (72c), an upper metal layer (72c), and an insulating layer (74). A second connecting portion (40) includes a lower metal layer (72d) and an upper conductive layer (17d). A region in which the lower metal layer (72d) is in contact with the upper conductive layer (17d), and a region in which an insulating layer (74) made of a same material as the first insulating layer and a semiconductor layer (66d) made of a same material as the oxide semiconductor layer (66a) are stacked in between the lower metal layer (72d) and the upper conductive layer (17d), are formed in the second connecting portion (40). As a result, a semiconductor device with a higher performance can be provided with a high production efficiency. |
| US09356051B2 |
Pixel array
A pixel array includes a plurality of first and second signal lines, a plurality of active devices, a plurality of pixel electrodes, a plurality of selection lines, and a plurality of protrusions. The second signal lines are electrically insulated to and intersected with the first signal lines. Each active device is electrically connected to one of the first signal lines and one of the second signal lines, respectively. The pixel electrodes are electrically connected to the active devices. The selection lines are electrically insulated to the second signal lines and intersected with the first signal lines so as to form a plurality of intersections including a plurality of first and second intersections. The selection lines are electrically connected to the first signal lines at the first intersections. The protrusions are disposed between the selection lines and the first signal lines, and located at the second intersections. |
| US09356050B2 |
Display apparatus and method of manufacturing the same
A display apparatus includes a substrate; a cavity layer; a display material layer; and a capping layer. The cavity layer includes a plurality of barriers arranged to be spaced apart from one another on the substrate and partitioning pixel regions, and a roof layer connecting upper parts of the plurality of barriers. The cavity layer forms a plurality of cavities including a cavity. The display material layer is formed in the cavity. The capping layer is formed on the cavity layer, the capping layer including a sealant and a plurality of fillers dispersed in the sealant. |
| US09356047B2 |
Integrated circuits with self aligned contact structures for improved windows and fabrication methods
Devices and methods for forming semiconductor devices with self aligned contacts for improved process windows are provided. One method includes, for instance: obtaining a wafer with at least two gates, forming partial spacers adjacent to the at least two gates, and forming at least one contact on the wafer. One intermediate semiconductor device includes, for instance: a wafer with an isolation region, at least two gates disposed on the isolation region, at least one source region disposed on the isolation region, at least one drain region disposed on the isolation region, and at least one contact positioned between the at least two gates, wherein a first portion of the at least one contact engages the at least one source region or the at least one drain region and a second portion of the at least one contact extends above a top surface of the at least two gates. |
| US09356045B2 |
Semiconductor structure having column III-V isolation regions
A semiconductor structure provided having: a dielectric; a non-column III-V doped semiconductor layer disposed over the dielectric; and an isolation barrier comprising column III-V material disposed vertically through the semiconductor layer to the dielectric. In one embodiment, the semiconductor layer is silicon and has CMOS transistors disposed in the semiconductor layer above a first region of the dielectric and a III-V transistor disposed above a different region of the dielectric. The barrier electrically isolates the column III-V transistor from the CMOS transistors. In one embodiment, the structure includes a passive device disposed over the semiconductor layer and a plurality of laterally spaced III-V structures, the III-V structures being disposed under the passive device, the III-V structures passing vertically through the semiconductor layer to the insulating layer. |
| US09356043B1 |
Three-dimensional memory devices containing memory stack structures with position-independent threshold voltage
The threshold voltage for vertical transistors in three-dimensional memory stack structures can be made independent of a lateral distance from a source region by forming a doped pocket region. The doped pocket region has the same conductivity type as a doped well that constitutes horizontal portions of the semiconductor channels that extend into the memory stack structures, and has a higher dopant concentration level than the doped well. The doped pocket region and a source region can be simultaneously formed by implanting p-type dopants and n-type dopants into a surface portion of the substrate underlying a backside contact trench. By selecting dopant species having different diffusion rates, the doped pocket region can surround the source region. The process parameters of the anneal process can be selected such that the interface between the dopant pocket region and the doped well underlies outermost memory stack structures. |
| US09356042B2 |
Non-volatile semiconductor storage device and method of manufacturing the same
A non-volatile semiconductor storage device has a plurality of memory strings to each of which a plurality of electrically rewritable memory cells are connected in series. Each of the memory strings includes first semiconductor layers each having a pair of columnar portions extending in a vertical direction with respect to a substrate and a coupling portion formed to couple the lower ends of the pair of columnar portions; a charge storage layer formed to surround the side surfaces of the columnar portions; and first conductive layers formed to surround the side surfaces of the columnar portions and the charge storage layer. The first conductive layers function as gate electrodes of the memory cells. |
| US09356041B2 |
3-D nonvolatile memory device and method of manufacturing the same
A three-dimensional (3-D) nonvolatile memory device includes channel layers protruding perpendicular to a surface of a substrate, interlayer insulating layers and conductive layer patterns alternately formed to surround each of the channel layers, a slit formed between the channel layers, the slit penetrating the interlayer insulating layers and the conductive layer patterns, and an etch-stop layer formed on the surface of the substrate at the bottom of the slit. |
| US09356036B2 |
Semiconductor apparatus and manufacturing method of the same
A semiconductor apparatus according to an embodiment may include a first pipe gate divided by an isolation layer, a first pipe channel layer buried in the first pipe gate, a second pipe gate covering the first pipe channel layer, the first pipe gate and the isolation layer and a second pipe channel layer buried in the second pipe gate. |
| US09356034B1 |
Multilevel interconnect structure and methods of manufacturing the same
A three-dimensional NAND device includes a first set of word line contacts in contact with a contact portion of respective odd numbered word lines in a first stepped word line contact region, and a second set of word line contacts in contact with a contact portion of respective even numbered word lines in a second stepped word line contact region. The even numbered word lines in the first word line contact region do not contact a word line contact while the odd numbered word lines in the second word line contact region do not contact a word line contact. |
| US09356032B2 |
Semiconductor device with improved electrode isolation
A floating gate insulating film is formed in a first element formation region of a substrate. A first insulating film and a control gate electrode are continuously formed from the first element formation region to a first element isolation film. A selection gate insulating film and a selection gate electrode are formed in the substrate located in the first element formation region. The selection gate electrode is continuously formed over the first element isolation film. A side surface of the selection gate electrode is in contact with a first side surface of a floating gate electrode through a second insulating film. An upper surface of a region overlapping with the selection gate electrode in the first element isolation film is located lower than an upper surface of the substrate. |
| US09356029B2 |
Semiconductor device having buried gate, method of fabricating the same, and module and system having the same
A semiconductor device includes junction regions formed in upper portions of both sidewalls of a trench formed in a semiconductor substrate, a first gate electrode buried in the trench and having a stepped upper surface, and a second gate electrode formed on the first gate electrode to overlap a junction region. |
| US09356028B2 |
Disposable pillars for contact formation
Sacrificial plugs for forming contacts in integrated circuits, as well as methods of forming connections in integrated circuit arrays are disclosed. Various pattern transfer and etching steps can be used to create densely-packed features and the connections between features. A sacrificial material can be patterned in a continuous zig-zag line pattern that crosses word lines. Planarization can create parallelogram-shaped blocks of material that can overlie active areas to form sacrificial plugs, which can be replaced with conductive material to form contacts. |
| US09356027B1 |
Dual work function integration for stacked FinFET
A three-dimensional stacked fin complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device having dual work function metal gate structures is provided. The stacked fin CMOS device includes a fin stack having a first semiconductor fin over a substrate, a dielectric fin atop the first semiconductor fin and a second semiconductor fin atop the dielectric fin, and a gate sack straddling the fin stack. The gate stack includes a first metal gate portion surrounding a channel portion of the first semiconductor fin and a second metal gate portion surrounding a channel portion of the second semiconductor fin. The first metal gate portion has a first work function suitable to reduce a threshold voltage of a field effect transistor (FET) of a first conductivity type, while the second gate portion has a second work function suitable to reduce a threshold voltage of a FET of a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type. |
| US09356026B2 |
Semiconductor device and semiconductor device manufacturing method
A semiconductor device has a p-type metal oxide semiconductor layer; a source electrode connected with the p-type metal oxide semiconductor layer; a drain electrode connected with the p-type metal oxide semiconductor layer; and a gate electrode arranged to oppose to a part of the p-type metal oxide semiconductor layer. The gate electrode and the drain electrode are separated from each other in a top view. |
| US09356025B2 |
Enhancing MOSFET performance with corner stresses of STI
The present invention relates to enhancing MOSFET performance with the corner stresses of STI. A method of manufacturing a MOS device comprises the steps of: providing a semiconductor substrate; forming trenches on the semiconductor substrate and at least a pMOS region and at least an nMOS region surrounded by the trenches; filling the trenches with a dielectric material having a stress; removing at least the dielectric material having a stress in the trenches which is adjacent to a position where a channel is to be formed on each of the pMOS and nMOS regions so as to form exposed regions; filling the exposed regions with a insulating material; and forming pMOS and nMOS devices on the pMOS region and the nMOS region, respectively, wherein each of the pMOS and nMOS devices comprises a channel, a gate formed above the channel, and a source and a drain formed at both sides of the channel; wherein in a channel length direction, the boundary of each exposed region is substantially aligned with the boundary of the position of the channel, or the boundary of each exposed region extends along the channel length direction to be aligned with the boundary of corresponding pMOS or nMOS region. |
| US09356024B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having an active layer in which an element region and a contact region are formed, a support substrate supporting the active layer, and a buried insulation layer interposed between the active layer and the support substrate. A transistor element is formed in the element region, the transistor element having a transistor buried impurity layer formed within the active layer. The semiconductor device further includes a substrate contact having a contact buried impurity layer formed within the contact region and a through contact extending from the surface of the active layer to the support substrate through the contact buried impurity and the buried insulation layer, the contact buried impurity layer being in the same layer as the transistor buried impurity layer. |
| US09356017B1 |
Switch circuit and semiconductor device
In an embodiment, a switch circuit includes an input drain node, an input source node and an input gate node, and a high voltage transistor having a current path coupled in parallel with a hybrid diode. The hybrid diode includes a depletion mode transistor serially coupled with a diode and operatively coupled in a cascode arrangement with the input source node. |
| US09356016B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a transistor, a conductive contact and a capacitor. The transistor is formed on the semiconductor substrate, and the transistor includes a gate, a source and a drain. The conductive contact is formed on and in contact with at least one of the source and the drain. The capacitor includes a first electrode and a second electrode spaced apart from first electrode. At least one of the first and second electrodes extends on substantially the same level as the conductive contact or the gate. A method of forming the semiconductor device is provided as well. |
| US09356013B2 |
Semiconductor devices and arrangements for electrostatic (ESD) protection
A semiconductor device including: a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type; a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type adjacent to the first region; third and fourth semiconductor regions of the second conductivity type over or at least partially within the first semiconductor region; a fifth semiconductor region of the first conductivity type between the third and fourth semiconductor regions; a first gate over the fifth semiconductor region; sixth and seventh semiconductor regions of the first conductivity type over or at least partially within the second semiconductor region; an eighth semiconductor region of the second conductivity type between the sixth and seventh semiconductor regions; a second gate over the eighth semiconductor region; the third and seventh semiconductor regions coupled to first and second regions of the first gate, respectively, and the fourth and sixth semiconductor regions coupled to first and second regions of the second gate, respectively. |
| US09356012B2 |
High voltage ESD protection apparatus
An ESD protection apparatus comprises a metal contact formed on the emitter of a transistor. The metal contact has a different conductivity type from the emitter. In addition, the metal contact and the emitter of the transistor form a diode connected in series with the transistor. The diode connected in series with the transistor provides extra headroom for the breakdown voltage of the ESD protection apparatus. |
| US09356009B2 |
Interconnect structure with redundant electrical connectors and associated systems and methods
Semiconductor die assemblies having interconnect structures with redundant electrical connectors are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a semiconductor die assembly includes a first semiconductor die, a second semiconductor die, and an interconnect structure between the first and the second semiconductor dies. The interconnect structure includes a first conductive film coupled to the first semiconductor die and a second conductive film coupled to the second semiconductor die. The interconnect structure further includes a plurality of redundant electrical connectors extending between the first and second conductive films and electrically coupled to one another via the first conductive film. |
| US09356008B2 |
Semiconductor package and fabrication method thereof
A semiconductor package is provided, which includes: a first semiconductor device having a first top surface and a first bottom surface opposite to the first top surface; a plurality of conductive balls formed on the first top surface of the first semiconductor device; a second semiconductor device having a second top surface and a second bottom surface opposite to the second top surface; and a plurality of conductive posts formed on the second bottom surface of the second semiconductor device and correspondingly bonded to the conductive balls for electrically connecting the first semiconductor device and the second semiconductor device, wherein the conductive posts have a height less than 300 um. Therefore, the present invention can easily control the height of the semiconductor package and is applicable to semiconductor packages having fine-pitch conductive balls. |
| US09356003B1 |
Highly integrated flex sensor package
Packaging techniques are described for fabricating a flex sensor package that includes a flex printed circuit with a flex window, an adhesive layer with an adhesive layer window, and a stiffener assembly with a stiffener window on a first side of the flex printed circuit and a semiconductor die on a second side of the flex printed circuit. In implementations, fabricating the flex sensor package includes receiving a flex printed circuit including at least one flex window, placing an adhesive layer on at least a portion of a first side of the flex printed circuit, placing a stiffener assembly on the adhesive layer, and placing at least one semiconductor die on a second side of the flex printed circuit, where an active portion of the at least one semiconductor die is aligned with the at least one flex window and the adhesive layer window. |
| US09356002B2 |
Semiconductor package and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor package includes a lower package including a lower substrate, a lower semiconductor chip, and a lower molding layer exposing an upper surface of the lower semiconductor chip, bumps on the lower substrate, the bumps being spaced apart from the lower semiconductor chip, a lead frame on the lower semiconductor chip and on the bumps, the lead frame being electrically connected to the bumps and having a thermal conductivity of about 100 W/mk to about 10,000 W/mk, and an upper package on the lead frame and electrically connected to the lead frame. |
| US09356001B2 |
Semiconductor device with at least one voltage-guided conductive filament
A semiconductor device includes at least a first semiconductor die and a second semiconductor die. The first semiconductor dies comprises a first and second side, and includes at least a first contact pad located on the first side of the first semiconductor die. The second semiconductor die comprises a first and second side, and includes at least a second contact pad located on the first side of the second semiconductor die, wherein the first semiconductor die is stacked on the second semiconductor die and wherein the first side of the first semiconductor die faces the first side of the second semiconductor die. At least one voltage-guided conductive filament is created between the first contact pad and the second contact pad. |
| US09356000B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit and semiconductor system with the same
A semiconductor integrated circuit may include a plurality of semiconductor chips configured to be stacked in three dimensions, a first group of through-chip vias configured to go through the plurality of semiconductor chips, respectively, and to be used for density extension of the semiconductor integrated circuit, and a second group of through-chip vias configured to go through the plurality of semiconductor chips, respectively, and to be used for a bandwidth extension of the semiconductor integrated circuit. Each of the plurality of semiconductor chips includes a path selection unit configured to select one of the first group of through-chip vias arranged in the semiconductor chip or one of the second group of through-chip vias arranged in the semiconductor chip in response to a mode switching signal, and an internal circuit configured to be selectively coupled to a through-chip via selected by the path selection unit. |
| US09355997B2 |
Integrated circuit assemblies with reinforcement frames, and methods of manufacture
An assembly with modules (110, 1310) containing integrated circuits and attached to a wiring substrate (120) is reinforced by one or more reinforcement frames (410) attached to the wiring substrate. The modules are located in openings (e.g. cavities and/or through-holes 414) in the reinforcement frame. Other features are also provided. |
| US09355992B2 |
Land grid array semiconductor device packages
A semiconductor device package includes a land grid array package. At least one semiconductor die is mounted to an interposer substrate, with bond pads of the semiconductor die connected to terminal pads on the same side of the interposer substrate as the at least one semiconductor die. Terminal pads of the interposer substrate may be electrically connected to either or both of a peripheral array pattern of lands and to a central, two-dimensional array pattern of pads, both array patterns located on the opposing side of the interposer substrate from the at least one semiconductor die. Additional components, active, passive or both, may be connected to pads of the two-dimensional array to provide a system-in-a-package. Lead fingers of a lead frame may be superimposed on the opposing side of the interposer substrate, bonded directly to the land grid array land and wire bonded to pads as desired for repair or to ease routing problems on the interposer. The land grid array package may be mounted to a carrier substrate, and the lands wire bonded to conductive pads on the carrier substrate. Methods of fabrication are also disclosed. |
| US09355991B2 |
Integrating multi-output devices having vertically stacked semiconductor chips
A method for fabricating an electronic multi-output device. A substrate having a pad and pins is provided. A first chip is provided having a first and a second transistor integrated so that the first terminals of the transistors are merged into a common terminal on one chip surface and the patterned second and third terminals are on the opposite chip surface. The common first terminal is attached to the substrate pad. A driver and control chip is attached to the substrate pad adjacent to the first chip. The second terminals of the first and second transistors are connected by discrete first and second gang clips to respective substrate pins. A second chip is provided having a third and a fourth transistor integrated so that the second terminals of the transistors are merged into a common terminal on one chip surface. Patterned first and third terminals are on the opposite chip surface. The second chip is flipped to attach the first terminals vertically to the first and second gang clips. The third terminals are concurrently attached by discrete gang clips to respective pins. A common clip is attached to the common second terminal and connecting the common clip to a pin. |
| US09355988B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device has a semiconductor element provided with a functional surface on which a functional circuit is formed and with a back surface facing in the opposite direction to the functional surface, while also having a lead supporting the semiconductor element and electrically connected to the semiconductor element, and a resin package covering at least a portion of the semiconductor element and the lead. The semiconductor element has a functional surface side electrode formed on the functional surface and equipped with a functional surface side raised part that projects in the direction in which the functional surface faces. The functional surface side raised part of the functional surface side electrode is joined to the lead by solid state bonding. |
| US09355987B2 |
Electronic component and manufacturing method for electronic component
A first metal film, of which major component is copper, is formed on a surface of a conductive portion which becomes a front surface electrode of a semiconductor element. A second metal film of which major component is silver is formed on a surface of the first metal film. A metal plate, which electrically connects the conductive portion and the other members (e.g. a circuit pattern of an insulated substrate) is bonded with a surface of the second metal film via a bonding layer containing silver particles. The second metal film does not contain nickel which decreases the bonding strength between the second metal film and the bonding layer containing silver particles. With the above configuration, an electronic component having a high bonding strength, excellent heat resistance and radiation performance, and a manufacturing method for the electronic component can be provided. |
| US09355985B2 |
Microelectronic packages having sidewall-deposited heat spreader structures and methods for the fabrication thereof
Microelectronic packages and methods for producing microelectronic packages having sidewall-deposited heat spreader structures are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a package body containing a microelectronic device. A heat spreader structure is printed or otherwise formed over at least one sidewall of the package body. The heat spreader structure is thermally coupled to the microelectronic device and is configured to dissipate heat generated thereby during operation of the microelectronic package. |
| US09355983B1 |
Integrated circuit packaging system with interposer structure and method of manufacture thereof
A system and a method of manufacture thereof of integrated circuit packaging system, including: a pillar; a conductive buildup attached to the pillar; and a molded body encapsulating the conductive buildup, the pillar extending out of the molded body. |
| US09355981B2 |
Semiconductor device
Provided is a semiconductor device in which misalignment between a semiconductor die and a substrate (e.g., a circuit board) can be prevented or substantially reduced when the semiconductor die is attached to the circuit board. In a non-limiting example, the semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor die comprising at least one bump; and a circuit board comprising at least one circuit pattern to which the bump is electrically connected. In a non-limiting example, the circuit board comprises: an insulation layer comprising a center region and peripheral regions around the center region; a plurality of center circuit patterns formed in the center region of the insulation layer; and a plurality of peripheral circuit patterns formed in the peripheral regions of the insulation layer. The center circuit patterns may be formed wider than the peripheral circuit patterns, formed in a zigzag pattern, and/or may be formed in a crossed shape. |
| US09355978B2 |
Packaging devices and methods of manufacture thereof
Packaging devices and methods of manufacture thereof for semiconductor devices are disclosed. In some embodiments, a packaging device includes a contact pad disposed over a substrate, and a passivation layer disposed over the substrate and a first portion of the contact pad. A second portion of the contact pad is exposed. A post passivation interconnect (PPI) line is disposed over the passivation layer and is coupled to the second portion of the contact pad. A PPI pad is disposed over the passivation layer. A transition element is disposed over the passivation layer and is coupled between the PPI line and the PPI pad. The transition element includes a hollow region. |
| US09355975B2 |
Chip package and method for forming the same
A chip package including a chip having an upper surface, a lower surface and a sidewall is provided. The chip includes a signal pad region adjacent to the upper surface. A first recess extends from the upper surface toward the lower surface along the sidewall. At least one second recess extends from a first bottom of the first recess toward the lower surface. The first and second recesses further laterally extend along a side of the upper surface, and a length of the first recess extending along the side is greater than that of the second recess extending along the side. A redistribution layer is electrically connected to the signal pad region and extends into the second recess. A method for forming the chip package is also provided. |
| US09355973B2 |
Packaged semiconductor devices, methods of packaging semiconductor devices, and PoP devices
Packaged semiconductor devices, methods of packaging semiconductor devices, and package-on-package (PoP) devices are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method of packaging a semiconductor device includes forming through-package vias (TPVs) over a carrier, and coupling a semiconductor device to the carrier. The semiconductor device includes contact pads disposed on a surface thereof and an insulating material disposed over the contact pads. A molding material is formed over the carrier between the TPVs and the semiconductor device. Openings are formed in the insulating material using a laser drilling process over the contact pads, and a redistribution layer (RDL) is formed over the insulating material and the openings in the insulating material. A portion of the RDL is coupled to a top surface of each of the contact pads. |
| US09355971B1 |
EOS protection for integrated circuits
In some embodiment, a fuse structure in a semiconductor device uses a metal fuse element connected to a stacked via fuse link connected to a thin film resistive element. The fuse structure can be incorporated in an integrated circuit for EOS protection. In other embodiments, an integrated EOS/ESD protection circuit includes a current limiting resistor integrated with an ESD protection circuit. In some embodiments, the current limiting resistor is formed in an N-well forming the collector of the ESD protection circuit. |
| US09355970B2 |
Chip package and method for forming the same
An embodiment of the invention provides a chip package including a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite thereto. A conducting pad is located on the first surface. A side recess is on at least a first side of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the side recess extends from the first surface toward the second surface and across the entire length of the first side. A conducting layer is located on the first surface and electrically connected to the conducting pad, wherein the conducting layer extends to the side recess. |
| US09355968B2 |
Silicon shield for package stress sensitive devices
A surface mount semiconductor package, semiconductor device, and method for fabrication of the surface mount semiconductor package and electrical device are described that include a leadframe assembly, an integrated circuit device disposed on the leadframe assembly, a silicon shield disposed on the integrated circuit device, where the silicon shield is configured to mitigate packaging stress to the integrated circuit device, and a molding layer that encapsulates the integrated circuit device, the silicon shield, and at least a portion of the leadframe assembly. |
| US09355967B2 |
Stress compensation patterning
An apparatus includes a device that includes at least one layer. The at least one layer includes an inter-device stress compensation pattern configured to reduce an amount of inter-device warpage prior to the device being detached from another device. |
| US09355965B2 |
Semiconductor devices and methods of making the same
In one embodiment, methods for making semiconductor devices are disclosed. |
| US09355963B2 |
Semiconductor package interconnections and method of making the same
A semiconductor package according to some examples of the disclosure may include a base with a first redistribution layer on one side, first and second side by side die attached to the base on an opposite side from the first redistribution layer, an interposer attached to active sides of the first and second die to provide an interconnection between the first and second die, a plurality of die vias extending from the first and second die to a second redistribution layer on a surface of the package opposite the first redistribution layer, and a plurality of package vias extending through the package between the first and second redistribution layers. |
| US09355961B2 |
Semiconductor devices having through-electrodes and methods for fabricating the same
A semiconductor device having through-electrodes and methods for fabricating the same are provided. The semiconductor device may include a first semiconductor chip including a first active surface on which a first top pad is provided; a second semiconductor chip including a second active surface on which a second top pad is provided and a second inactive surface on which a second bottom pad is provided, the second semiconductor chip being stacked on the first semiconductor chip with the second active surface facing the first active surface; and a conductive interconnection configured to electrically connect the chips. The conductive interconnection includes a first through-electrode that penetrates the second semiconductor chip and electrically connects the second bottom pad to the second top pad; and a second through-electrode that passes through the second top pad without contacting the second top pad, and electrically connects the second bottom pad to the first top pad. |
| US09355957B2 |
Semiconductor device with self-aligned contact plugs
A semiconductor device includes subsurface structures extending from a main surface into a semiconductor portion, each subsurface structure including a gate electrode dielectrically insulated from the semiconductor portion. The semiconductor device further includes alignment plugs in a vertical projection of the subsurface structures, contact spacers extending along sidewalls of the alignment plugs tilted to the main surface, and contact plugs directly adjoining semiconductor mesas between the subsurface structures. The contact plugs are provided between opposing ones of the contact spacers. |
| US09355950B1 |
Power semiconductor module having low gate drive inductance flexible board connection
A power semiconductor module includes a metallization layer and a power semiconductor die attached to the metallization layer. The die has a first terminal and a second terminal disposed at a side of the die facing away from the metallization layer. The power semiconductor module further includes a first interconnect attached to the first terminal, a second interconnect attached to the second terminal and a flexible board including a first metal layer, a second metal layer and an insulator between the first and the second metal layers so that the first and the second metal layers are electrically insulated from one another. The first metal layer is attached to the first interconnect and the second metal layer is attached to the second interconnect such that the flexible board is spaced apart from the power semiconductor die by the first and the second interconnects. |
| US09355948B2 |
Multi-function and shielded 3D interconnects
A microelectronic unit includes a semiconductor element consisting essentially of semiconductor material and having a front surface, a rear surface, a plurality of active semiconductor devices adjacent the front surface, a plurality of conductive pads exposed at the front surface, and an opening extending through the semiconductor element. At least one of the conductive pads can at least partially overlie the opening and can be electrically connected with at least one of the active semiconductor devices. The microelectronic unit can also include a first conductive element exposed at the rear surface for connection with an external component, the first conductive element extending through the opening and electrically connected with the at least one conductive pad, and a second conductive element extending through the opening and insulated from the first conductive element. The at least one conductive pad can overlie a peripheral edge of the second conductive element. |
| US09355945B1 |
Semiconductor device with heat-dissipating lead frame
A packaged semiconductor device has a top and a bottom and includes a lead frame, a die, and an encapsulant that encapsulates the die and most of the lead frame. The lead frame includes a die pad on which the die is mounted, leads electrically connected to the die such as with bond wires, and die pad extensions that fan out from the die pad. Each die-pad extension has a proximal segment and a distal segment. The distal segments are interleaved with the leads. The bottoms of the die pad and the proximal segments of the extensions may be exposed at the bottom of the device. The top of the device may have notches corresponding to the extensions and portions of the distal segments may be exposed and bent into corresponding ones of the notches at the top of the device. |
| US09355944B1 |
Semiconductor device and lead frame having vertical connection bars
A semiconductor device includes a lead frame having a die support area and a plurality of inner and outer row leads surrounding the die support area, and a semiconductor die mounted on the die support area and electrically connected to the leads with bond wires. A molding material encapsulates the semiconductor die, the bond wires, and the leads, and defines a package body. The semiconductor device further includes connection bars extending vertically from the leads to a top surface of the package body. The connection bars connect the inner row leads to respective ones of the outer row leads before the molding process is performed. |
| US09355943B2 |
Manufacturing and evaluation method of a semiconductor device
Provided is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device which includes a semiconductor chip, an insulating board mounted with the semiconductor chip and having a wiring pattern, and a leadframe connected to the wiring pattern, the semiconductor chip, the wiring pattern and the leadframe being partially sealed with a sealing resin, wherein: an epoxy resin composition formed by adding 0.3 to 0.7 mass % of epoxysilane as a silane coupling agent to an epoxy resin is used as the sealing resin; and a copper member made of copper or a copper alloy and having an oxide film formed in the surface with a film thickness in a color indicated by an L* value in the range of 48 to 51, an a* value in the range of 40 to 49 and a b* value in the range of 24 to 40 is used as the leadframe and the wiring pattern. |
| US09355934B2 |
Method and apparatus providing integrated circuit having redistribution layer with recessed connectors
A method of making a semiconductor die includes forming a trench around a conductive stud extending from the first side to a second side of a substrate to expose a portion of the stud and then forming a conductive layer inside the trench and in electrical contact with the stud. |
| US09355931B2 |
Package-on-package devices and methods of manufacturing the same
Package-on-package (POP) devices and methods of manufacturing the POP devices are provided. In the POP devices, a thermal interface material layer disposed between lower and upper semiconductor packages may contact about 70% or greater of an area of a top surface of a lower semiconductor chip. According to methods, the upper semiconductor package may be mounted on the lower semiconductor chip using a weight. |
| US09355929B2 |
Data storage based upon temperature considerations
A method includes, in a nonvolatile memory device that includes a plurality of dies, detecting that a first temperature associated with a first die is equal to or exceeds a temperature threshold. A metablock is defined to include a first plurality of storage blocks that includes a first storage block of the first die. Each storage block of the metablock resides in a distinct die of the plurality of dies. The method also includes, in response to detecting that the first temperature is equal to or exceeds the temperature threshold, redefining the metablock to exclude from the redefined metablock any storage block associated with the first die. |
| US09355928B2 |
Package-on-package structure
A device comprises a bottom package mounted on a printed circuit board, wherein the bottom package comprises a plurality of first bumps formed between the bottom package and the printed circuit board, a first underfill layer formed between the printed circuit board and the bottom package, a semiconductor die mounted on the bottom package and a top package bonded on the bottom package, wherein the top package comprises a plurality of second bumps and the top package and the bottom package form a ladder shaped structure. The device further comprises a second underfill layer formed between the bottom package and the top package, wherein the second underfill layer is formed of a same material as the first underfill layer. |
| US09355927B2 |
Semiconductor packaging and manufacturing method thereof
The present disclosure provides a semiconductor package includes a contact pad, a device external to the contact pad and a solder bump on the contact pad. The device has a conductive contact pad corresponding to the contact pad. The solder bump connects the contact pad with the conductive contact pad. The solder bump comprises a height from a top of the solder bump to the contact pad; and a width which is a widest dimension of the solder bump in a direction perpendicular to the height. A junction portion of the solder bump in proximity to the contact pad comprises an hourglass shape. |
| US09355924B2 |
Integrated circuit underfill scheme
An integrated circuit includes a substrate having at least one depression on a top surface. At least one solder bump is disposed over the substrate. A die is disposed over the at least one solder bump and electrically connected with the substrate through the at least one solder bump. An underfill surrounds the at least one solder bump and is formed between the substrate and the die. The at least one depression is disposed around the underfill to keep any spillover from the underfill in the at least one depression. |
| US09355905B2 |
Methods and structure for carrier-less thin wafer handling
Methods of forming a microelectronic assembly and the resulting structures and devices are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method of forming a microelectronic assembly includes removing material exposed at portions of a surface of a substrate to form a processed substrate having a plurality of thinned portions separated by integral supporting portions of the processed substrate having a thickness greater than a thickness of the thinned portions, at least some of the thinned portions including a plurality of electrically conductive interconnects extending in a direction of the thicknesses of the thinned portions and exposed at the surface; and removing the supporting portions of the substrate to sever the substrate into a plurality of individual thinned portions, at least some individual thinned portions including the interconnects. |
| US09355903B2 |
Semiconductor device with air gap and method for fabricating the same
A semiconductor device includes a dielectric structure which has an opening exposing a surface of a substrate; and a conductive structure which is formed in the opening, wherein the conductive structure comprises: a first conductive pattern recessed in the opening; a second conductive pattern covering a top surface and sidewalls of the first conductive pattern; an air gap defined between sidewalls of the opening and the second conductive pattern; and a third conductive pattern capping the second conductive pattern and the air gap. |
| US09355895B2 |
Method of providing a via hole and routing structure
A method of providing a via hole and routing structure includes: providing a substrate wafer having recesses and blind holes provided in the surface of the wafer; providing an insulating layer in the recesses and holes; metallizing the holes and recesses; and removing the oxide layer in the bottom of the holes to provide contact between the back side and the front side of the wafer. A semiconductor device, including a substrate having at least one metallized via extending through the substrate and at least one metallized recess forming a routing together with the via. There is an oxide layer on the front side field and on the back side field. The metal in the recess and the via is flush with the oxide on the field on at least the front side, whereby a flat front side is provided. The thickness of the semiconductor device is <300 μm. |
| US09355892B2 |
Integrated circuit structure with active and passive devices in different tiers
An integrated circuit structure includes a two-tier die including a first tier and a second tier over and bonded to the first tier. The first tier includes a first substrate including a semiconductor material, an active device at a surface of the first substrate, and a first interconnect structure over the first substrate, wherein the first tier is free from passive devices therein. The second tier includes a second substrate bonded to and in contact with the first interconnect structure, and a second interconnect structure over the second substrate, wherein metal lines in the second interconnect structure are electrically coupled to the first interconnect structure. The second tier further includes a plurality of through-vias penetrating through the second substrate, wherein the plurality of through-vias lands on metal pads in a top metal layer of the first interconnect structure, and a passive device in the second interconnect structure. |
| US09355891B2 |
Method for exposing a layer
A method for exposing a layer buried in a substrate via a trench having an insulated lateral wall and an insulated floor includes the steps of applying an oxide onto the substrate and anisotropic etching. Applying the oxide onto the substrate takes place at least in a region of the trench such that the oxide protrudes from an edge of the trench into the trench. The protruding oxide shields the insulated lateral wall of the trench when anisotropically etching at least the insulated floor of the trench. |
| US09355888B2 |
Implant isolated devices and method for forming the same
A device includes a semiconductor substrate and implant isolation region extending from a top surface of the semiconductor substrate into the semiconductor substrate surrounding an active region. A gate dielectric is disposed over an active region of the semiconductor substrate and extends over the implant isolation region. A gate electrode is disposed over the gate dielectric and two end cap hardmasks are between the gate dielectric and the gate electrode over the implant isolation region. The two end cap hardmasks include same dopants as those implanted into the active region. |
| US09355887B2 |
Dual trench isolation for CMOS with hybrid orientations
The present invention provides a semiconductor structure in which different types of devices are located upon a specific crystal orientation of a hybrid substrate that enhances the performance of each type of device. In the semiconductor structure of the present invention, a dual trench isolation scheme is employed whereby a first trench isolation region of a first depth isolates devices of different polarity from each other, while second trench isolation regions of a second depth, which is shallower than the first depth, are used to isolate devices of the same polarity from each other. The present invention further provides a dual trench semiconductor structure in which pFETs are located on a (110) crystallographic plane, while nFETs are located on a (100) crystallographic plane. In accordance with the present invention, the devices of different polarity, i.e., nFETs and pFETs, are bulk-like devices. |
| US09355886B2 |
Conformal film deposition for gapfill
A method and apparatus for conformally depositing a dielectric oxide in high aspect ratio gaps in a substrate is disclosed. A substrate is provided with one or more gaps into a reaction chamber where each gap has a depth to width aspect ratio of greater than about 5:1. A first dielectric oxide layer is deposited in the one or more gaps by CFD. A portion of the first dielectric oxide layer is etched using a plasma etch, where etching the portion of the first dielectric oxide layer occurs at a faster rate near a top surface than near a bottom surface of each gap so that the first dielectric oxide layer has a tapered profile from the top surface to the bottom surface of each gap. A second dielectric oxide layer is deposited in the one or more gaps over the first dielectric oxide layer via CFD. |
| US09355884B2 |
Installation fixture for elastomer bands and methods of using the same
A kit comprising an installation fixture, a plurality of mechanical fasteners and an embedding tool is provided which allows for an elastomer band to be disposed in a mounting groove around a semiconductor substrate support in a manner that relieves the internal stresses of the elastomer band, leading to an elastomer band with a longer operational lifetime. The installation fixture is secured to a substrate support with mechanical fasteners. An elastomer band is placed around an outer circumference of the installation fixture and rotated back and forth to relieve internal stresses of the elastomer band. The fixture is inverted and the elastomer band is slid vertically off the fixture and into the mounting groove. An embedding tool can be used to completely insert the elastomer band into the mounting groove. |
| US09355883B2 |
Method and apparatus for liquid treatment of wafer shaped articles
In an apparatus and method for treating a wafer-shaped article, a spin chuck is provided for holding a wafer-shaped article in a predetermined orientation wherein a lower surface of the wafer-shaped article is spaced a predetermined distance from an upper surface of the spin chuck. A heating assembly comprising at least one infrared heater is mounted above the upper surface of the spin chuck and below a wafer-shaped article when mounted on the spin chuck. The heating assembly is stationary in relation to rotation of the spin chuck. |
| US09355879B2 |
Substrate transfer robot, substrate transfer system, and method for detecting arrangement state of substrate
A substrate transfer robot includes a hand and a controller. The hand includes at least one detector configured to detect an arrangement state of a substrate in a substrate storage. The controller is configured to control the at least one detector to detect the arrangement state of the substrate in the substrate storage with the hand inclined in plan view toward a rotation center of the substrate transfer robot relative to a substrate storage center line. The substrate storage center line is in a direction perpendicular to a front surface of the substrate storage. |
| US09355875B2 |
Liquid processing apparatus
Liquid processing units 2 each for performing a liquid process on a substrate are arranged horizontally side by side, a gas exhaust pipe 3 for exhausting an atmosphere within the liquid processing units is provided under the liquid processing units 2 to be extended along an arrangement of the liquid processing units 2, and a flow control member group 402 is disposed under the gas exhaust pipe 3. Liquid supply main pipe 5 and liquid drain main pipe 6 are provided under the flow control member group 402 to be extended along the arrangement of the liquid processing units 2. Liquid supply branch pipes are branched from the liquid supply main pipe 5 and connected with the liquid processing unit 2 via the flow control member group 402, and liquid drain branch pipes are branched from the liquid drain main pipe 6 and connected with the liquid processing unit 2. |
| US09355874B2 |
Silicon nitride etching in a single wafer apparatus
A single wafer etching apparatus and various methods implemented in the single wafer etching apparatus are disclosed. In an example, etching a silicon nitride layer in a single wafer etching apparatus includes: heating a phosphoric acid to a first temperature; heating a sulfuric acid to a second temperature; mixing the heated phosphoric acid and the heated sulfuric acid; heating the phosphoric acid/sulfuric acid mixture to a third temperature; and etching the silicon nitride layer with the heated phosphoric acid/sulfuric acid mixture. |
| US09355871B2 |
Substrate liquid processing apparatus for separating processing solution and atmosphere from each other within collection cup
A substrate liquid processing apparatus is provided, in which a processing solution and an atmosphere can be separated from each other within a collection cup. The substrate liquid processing apparatus includes: a substrate rotation unit; a processing solution supply unit; a collection cup configured to collect the processing solutions; liquid collection regions formed at the collection cup; a liquid drain opening formed at a bottom portion of the collection cup; an exhaust opening formed above the liquid drain opening; a fixed cover configured to cover an upper portion of the exhaust opening with a space therebetween; an elevating cup provided above the fixed cover and configured to guide the processing solutions into the liquid collection regions; and a cup elevating unit configured to move up and down the elevating cup depending on the kinds of the processing solutions. |
| US09355870B1 |
Integrated circuit with sensor area and resin dam
A technique for forming an integrated circuit die that contains an integrated sensor is provided. The integrated circuit die may be configured such that the sensor is exposed to ambient environmental conditions such that the sensor may detect ambient conditions. The integrated circuit die may be generally protected from environmental exposure by a mold resin. The mold resin may be formed in areas outside of a sensor region. Resin bleed from the mold resin into the sensor region may be prevented by the use of a resin dam that extends from the surface of the integrated circuit die. The resin dam may surround the sensor region. |
| US09355869B2 |
Method of manufacturing semiconductor device
In a semiconductor device formed by mounting a chip laminate including a semiconductor chip having a small diameter and a semiconductor chip having a large diameter over the top surface of a substrate, an excessive stress is prevented from being added to a joint of the two semiconductor chips. By mounting a first semiconductor chip having a large diameter over a support substrate and thereafter mounting a second semiconductor chip having a small diameter over the first semiconductor chip, it is possible to: suppress the inclination and unsteadiness of the second semiconductor chip mounted over the first semiconductor chip; and hence inhibit an excessive stress from being added to a joint of the first semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip. |
| US09355868B2 |
Method of manufacturing semiconductor device
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes the steps of placing, on a heat sink made of a metal, a semiconductor element and a frame surrounding the semiconductor element, placing solder on an upper surface of the frame, placing a cap on the solder, and heating the solder while exerting on the cap a force to be applied toward the frame without scrubbing the cap on the frame. In the heating step a heat source is brought into contact with the heat sink and the solder is heated with the heat source. |
| US09355866B2 |
Substrate processing apparatus, method of manufacturing semiconductor device and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium
Provided is a configuration capable of suppressing a variation in characteristics of transistor. The configuration includes: a process chamber; a gas supply unit configured to supply a hard mask forming gas into the process chamber; a substrate support table configured to support a substrate Wn of an nth lot having a film to be etched formed thereon; a heater embedded in the substrate support table; and a controller configured to control a temperature distribution of the heater based on an etching information of a substrate Wm of an mth lot processed prior to the nth lot. |
| US09355865B2 |
Semiconductor patterning
One or more techniques or systems for forming a pattern during semiconductor fabrication are provided herein. In some embodiments, a photo resist (PR) region is patterned and a spacer region is formed above or surrounding at least a portion of the patterned PR region. Additionally, at least some of the spacer region and the patterned PR region are removed to form one or more spacers. Additionally, a block co-polymer (BCP) is filled between the spacers. In some embodiments, the BCP comprises a first polymer and a second polymer. In some embodiments, the second polymer is removed, thus forming a pattern comprising the first polymer and the spacers. In this manner, a method for forming a pattern during semiconductor fabrication is provided, such that a width of the spacer or the first polymer is controlled. |
| US09355863B2 |
Non-local plasma oxide etch
A method of etching exposed titanium oxide on heterogeneous structures is described and includes a remote plasma etch formed from a fluorine-containing precursor. Plasma effluents from the remote plasma are flowed into a substrate processing region where the plasma effluents may combine with a nitrogen-containing precursor such as an amine (N:) containing precursor. Reactants thereby produced etch the patterned heterogeneous structures with high titanium oxide selectivity while the substrate is at elevated temperature. Titanium oxide etch may alternatively involve supplying a fluorine-containing precursor and a source of nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing precursor to the remote plasma. The methods may be used to remove titanium oxide while removing little or no low-K dielectric, polysilicon, silicon nitride or titanium nitride. |
| US09355861B2 |
Semiconductor device manufacturing method and computer-readable storage medium
A semiconductor device manufacturing method for etching a substrate having a multilayer film formed by alternately stacking a first film and a second film, and a photoresist layer to form a step-shaped structure is provided. The step-shaped structure is formed by repeatedly performing a first step of plasma-etching the first film by using the photoresist layer as a mask, a second step of exposing the photoresist layer formed on the substrate to a plasma generated from a processing gas containing argon gas and hydrogen gas by applying a high frequency power to a lower electrode while applying a negative DC voltage to an upper electrode, a third step of trimming the photoresist layer, and a fourth step of plasma-etching the second film. |
| US09355859B2 |
Stacked chips with through electrodes
A semiconductor device according to the present invention includes: a combination object; and a chip having a front surface opposed to a front surface of the combination object. The chip includes: a multi-level wiring structure provided in the front surface of the chip; a connection electrode provided in the multi-level wiring structure and electrically connected to the combination object; an alignment mark set provided in the multi-level wiring structure and electrically isolated from the connection electrode; and an electrically conductive film provided at a higher level than the alignment mark set in association with the multi-level wiring structure to cover the alignment mark set and electrically isolated from the connection electrode. |
| US09355858B2 |
Method of manufacturing semiconductor device
Some embodiments of the present invention relate to a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device capable of preventing the deterioration of electrical characteristics. A p-type collector region is provided on a surface layer of a backside surface of an n-type drift region. A p+-type isolation layer for obtaining reverse blocking capability is provided at the end of an element. In addition, a concave portion is provided so as to extend from the backside surface of the n-type drift region to the p+-type isolation layer. A p-type region is provided and is electrically connected to the p+-type isolation layer. The p+-type isolation layer is provided so as to include a cleavage plane having the boundary between the bottom and the side wall of the concave portion as one side. |
| US09355857B2 |
Substrate manufacturing method and substrate manufacturing apparatus
Provided are a substrate manufacturing method and a substrate manufacturing apparatus used therefor. The substrate manufacturing method includes providing a substrate having a mask film into a chamber. A plasma reaction is induced in the chamber. A first gas and a second gas are alternately provided into the chamber to etch the substrate. Each of the first and second gases is provided into the chamber at a stabilized feed pressure including a pressure fluctuation profile comprising a square wave shape. |
| US09355855B2 |
Plasma etching apparatus component and manufacturing method for the same
The present invention provides a plasma etching apparatus component 1 includes a base material 10 and an yttrium oxide coating 20 formed by an impact sintering process and configured to cover a surface of the base material. The yttrium oxide coating 20 contains at least one of particulate portions and non-particulate portions. The yttrium oxide coating 20 has a film thickness of 10 μm or above and a film density of 90% or above. The particulate portions have an area coverage ratio of 0 to 80% and the non-particulate portions have an area coverage ratio of 20 to 100%. |
| US09355854B2 |
Methods of fabricating printable compound semiconductor devices on release layers
A method of fabricating transferable semiconductor devices includes providing a release layer including indium aluminum phosphide on a substrate, and providing a support layer on the release layer. The support layer and the substrate include respective materials, such as arsenide-based materials, such that the release layer has an etching selectivity relative to the support layer and the substrate. At least one device layer is provided on the support layer. The release layer is selectively etched without substantially etching the support layer and the substrate. Related structures and methods are also discussed. |
| US09355851B2 |
Semiconductor devices and methods of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device includes a metal pattern filling a trench formed through at least a portion of an insulating interlayer on a substrate and including copper, and a wetting improvement layer pattern in the metal pattern including at least one of tantalum, tantalum nitride, titanium, titanium nitride, ruthenium, cobalt and manganese. |
| US09355847B2 |
High-energy ion implanter
A high-energy ion implanter includes: a beam generation unit that includes an ion source and a mass spectrometer; a radio frequency multi-stage linear acceleration unit; a deflection unit that includes a magnetic field type energy analysis device for filtering ions by a momentum; a beam transportation line unit; and a substrate processing/supplying unit. In this apparatus, an electric field type final energy filter that deflects a high-energy scan beam in the vertical direction by an electric field is inserted between the electric field type beam collimator and the wafer in addition to the magnetic field type mass spectrometer and the magnetic field type energy analysis device as momentum filters and the radio frequency multi-stage linear acceleration unit as a velocity filter. |
| US09355841B2 |
Manufacturing method of high electron mobility transistor
A manufacturing method of a high electron mobility transistor includes: forming a GaN channel layer on a semi-insulating substrate in a first growth condition; forming a transition layer on the GaN channel layer while the first growth condition is changed to a second growth condition; and forming an AlGaN electron supply layer on the transition layer in the second growth condition, wherein the GaN channel layer, the transition layer, and the AlGaN electron supply layer are continuously formed without interrupting growth. |
| US09355839B2 |
Sub-saturated atomic layer deposition and conformal film deposition
Methods and apparatus for depositing continuous thin films using plasma-activated sub-saturated atomic layer deposition are provided herein. According to various embodiments, pin-hole free continuous films may be deposited at thicknesses thinner than achievable with conventional methods. The methods and apparatus also provide high degree of thickness control, with films a per-cycle thickness tunable to as low as 0.1 Å in some embodiments. Further, the methods and apparatus may be used to provide films having improved properties, such as lower wet etch rate, in some embodiments. |
| US09355833B2 |
Excimer lamp
Provided is an excimer lamp having a simple and small structure, which can be used in, for example, a refrigerator, and can emit ultraviolet light at a wavelength effective in disinfection processing without generating ozone in a surrounding atmosphere, without leaving gas impurities and moisture in an electrical discharge vessel, and without causing a steep illuminance decrease. A fluorescent substance is disposed on an inner face of the electrical discharge vessel for converting ultraviolet light emitted upon excimer electrical discharge of a light emitting gas to ultraviolet light having a longer wavelength. An inner electrode has a coil shape. A tight winding portion is formed at a certain area of the interior electrode which extends in the center axial direction of the interior electrode such that the coil is tightly wound in the tight winding portion. A getter is attached to the tight winding portion. |
| US09355830B2 |
Introduction of ions into ion cyclotron resonance cells
The invention relates to a method and a device for introducing ions into an ICR cell of Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometers, in particular with a reduced the magnetron orbit. The invention is based on applying at least one gated DC voltage to a mantle electrode of the ICR cell prior to the excitation of the cyclotron motion such that injected ions are deflected inside the ICR cell in at least one radial direction. |
| US09355823B2 |
Methods for removing particles from etching chamber
A method includes forming a coating layer in a dry etching chamber, placing a wafer into the dry etching chamber, etching a metal-containing layer of the wafer, and moving the wafer out of the dry etching chamber. After the wafer is moved out of the dry etching chamber, the coating layer is removed. |
| US09355818B2 |
Reflection electron beam projection lithography using an ExB separator
One embodiment disclosed relates to an apparatus for reflection electron beam lithography. The apparatus includes an electron source, a patterned electron reflector generator structure, a stage, a demagnifying electron lens, and an ExB separator. The ExB separator configured to bend a trajectory of the electron beam towards the dynamic pattern generator structure. The patterned electron reflector structure is configured to reflect select portions of the electron beam so as to form a patterned electron beam. The ExB separator is further configured to allow the patterned electron beam to pass straight through towards the demagnifying electron lens. The demagnifying electron lens is configured to demagnify the patterned electron beam and project the demagnified patterned electron beam onto the target substrate. The apparatus disclosed herein has a straight projection axis and substantially reduces the electron beam path by a factor of three-to-one (compared to a prior apparatus which uses a magnetic prism). |
| US09355817B2 |
Ion milling device and ion milling processing method
The sample 3 is tilted/oscillated with respect to the optical axis (Z-axis) of the ion beam 2 to repeat tilt and tilt/restoration of a processing target surface 3a of the sample 3 between a surface state in which the processing target surface 3a of the sample 3 faces a tilt axis direction (Y-axis direction) and a tilted surface state in which a portion of the processing target surface 3a on the sample stage side protrudes in the tilt axis direction (Y-axis direction) than does a portion of the processing target surface 3 on the mask side, so that the processing target surface 3a is irradiated with the ion beam 2 at a low angle, and projections/recesses 63 derived from a void 61 or a dissimilar material 62 are suppressed. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress generation of projections/recesses derived from a void or dissimilar material in fabrication of a cross section sample, and thus fabricate a sample cross section suitable for observation/analysis. |
| US09355816B2 |
Program for correcting charged particle radiation location, device for calculating degree of correction of charged particle radiation location, charged particle radiation system, and method for correcting charged particle radiation location
The present invention provides a non-transitory medium storing a program for correcting an irradiation position of a charged particle beam, a correction amount calculation device, a charged particle beam irradiation system, and a method for correcting an irradiation position of a charged particle beam. The medium includes instructions for causing a control unit to perform actions including replacing charging of a resist with surface charges at an interface between the resist and a work piece, and calculating a charge density distribution of the surface charges; calculating a trajectory of a charged particle based on the charge density distribution; calculating an amount of error of the irradiation position of the charged particle beam based on the trajectory and calculating an amount of correction of the irradiation position of the charged particle beam based on the error amount. |
| US09355813B2 |
Microfluidic blotless cryo TEM device and method
A method and system is provided for automatically preparing transmission electron microscopy (TEM) samples for examination by depositing extremely small samples onto a grid without need for a blotting step. A sample liquid droplet is formed at the end of a capillary, wherein a portion of the liquid is transferred to the TEM sample grid by contact. The excess volume in the liquid droplet is then retracted by an adjacent capillary. After a predetermined time interval, the retraction capillary is moved toward the drop of the sample to remove the excess volume. As compared to a conventional machine, where the blotting procedure can deform the structure of the molecule of interest, the present invention utilizes a very low shear rate for removal of the excess sample fluid. |
| US09355807B2 |
Touch-sensing liquid crystal panel and fabrication method thereof
A touch-sensing liquid crystal panel and a fabrication method thereof are provided. The touch-sensing liquid crystal panel includes a color filter substrate and a transistor substrate. In the fabrication method, at first, a first glass substrate is provided. Thereafter, a sensing matrix is formed on a first surface of the first glass substrate at a baking temperature. The sensing matrix is formed from indium tin oxide (ITO), and a sheet resistance of the sensing matrix is equal to or less than 30 ohm/square. Then, color filters and a common electrode are disposed on a second surface of the first glass substrate to form a color filter substrate, wherein the second surface is opposite to the first surface. Thereafter, the transistor substrate is provided and combined with the color filter substrate. Thereafter, a slimming process is performed to slim a second glass substrate of the transistor substrate. |
| US09355804B2 |
Fuse holder, method for connecting fuse by using the same, and fuse-connecting structure equipped with the same
The invention provides a fuse holder attachable to a frame and retainable a fuse, having a pair of flexible arms extending in the same direction as the fuse holder is attached to the frame and moveably attached or coupled to the frame while retaining the fuse therein. |
| US09355802B2 |
Electrically controllable integrated switch
An integrated circuit includes an interconnection part with several metallization levels. An electrically activatable switching device within the interconnection part has an assembly that includes a beam held by a structure. The beam and structure are located within the same metallization level. Locations of fixing of the structure on the beam are arranged so as to define for the beam a pivot point situated between these fixing locations. The structure is substantially symmetric with respect to the beam and to a plane perpendicular to the beam in the absence of a potential difference. The beam is able to pivot in a first direction in the presence of a first potential difference applied between a first part of the structure and to pivot in a second direction in the presence of a second potential difference applied between a second part of the structure. |
| US09355800B2 |
Magnetic control devices for enclosures
A control device for an enclosure is disclosed, where the control device includes a first portion positioned proximate to a back side of an enclosure surface of the enclosure, and a second portion positioned proximate to a front side of the enclosure surface. The first portion can include a plunger having a proximal end and a distal end, where the proximal end is adjacent to the enclosure surface. The first portion can also include a first magnet having a first polarity and disposed at the proximal end of the plunger. The first portion can further include at least one contact in communication with the distal end of the plunger, where the at least one contact has a first state and a second state. The second portion can include a second magnet having a second polarity, where the second magnet has an engaged position and a disengaged position. |
| US09355797B1 |
Unitized phase over phase two-way or three-way high voltage switch assembly with one vacuum interrupter per phase
Switch gear for interconnecting a plurality of power transmission lines including a number of high voltage switches arranged in three phases for routing power in multiple directions. The switches are pre-mounted on a beam to form a three phase unit as a unitized assembly which is attached in the field to a vertical support structure. Each phase includes a vertical break switch and two side break switches for a three-way switch. For a two-way, each phase includes two side break switches. The vertical break switch and the two side break switches for each phase are operatively and electrically connected to a common electric power interrupter. The unitized assembly for each phase has the insulators and power interrupter arranged in cantilevered horizontal relationship with the beam which is attached to the vertical support structure. Operating links between phases are operatively connected in a push-pull relationship with the high voltage outdoor electric switches. |
| US09355792B2 |
Gas insulated switchgear
A gas insulated switchgear includes: gas tanks filled with insulating gas; a circuit breaker which is arranged such that the shaft center direction of a driving shaft thereof is parallel to a front portion of the gas tank and horizontal; a first disconnecting switch which is arranged on the lower side of the circuit breaker and is electrically connected to the circuit breaker; a busbar whose one end is connected to the circuit breaker and the other end is extended in the shaft center direction of the driving shaft of the circuit breaker; a second disconnecting switch electrically connected to the busbar; a cable terminal led out outside the gas tank from the first disconnecting switch; and a cable terminal led out outside the gas tank from the second disconnecting switch. |
| US09355790B2 |
Energy storage devices having enhanced specific energy and associated methods
Ultracapacitor electrodes having an enhanced electrolyte-accessible surface area are provided. Such electrodes can include a porous substrate having a solution side and a collector side, the collector side operable to couple to a current collector and the solution side positioned to interact with an electrolytic solution when in use. The electrode can also include a conductive coating formed on the solution side of the porous substrate. The coating can have a first side positioned to interact with an electrolytic solution when in use and a second side opposite the first side. The coating can have discontinuous regions that allow access of an electrolyte solution to the second side during use to enhance electrolyte-accessible surface area of the conductive coating. |
| US09355789B2 |
Internal insulation design using porous material for an electrochemical cell
The prevention of lithium clusters from bridging between the negative and positive portions of a cell during discharge is described. This is done by providing a glass wool material at an intermediate location between the casing and anode current collector of a negative polarity and the cathode current collector and the terminal pin being of a positive polarity. Typically, a lithium ion concentration gradient sufficient to cause lithium cluster formation is induced by the high rate, intermittent discharge of a lithium/silver vanadium oxide (Li/SVO) cell. However, sufficient free electrolyte necessary for normal cell function is held in the relatively large pore volume throughout the extent of the glass wool material. Moreover, permeability within the glass wool material is tortuous, which effectively increases the distance between the negative and positive surfaces of the anode and cathode. This tortuosity effectively stops “straight line” dendrite growth of lithium clusters between opposite polarity structures inside the casing. |
| US09355779B2 |
Ceramic electronic component and electronic device
In an electronic component, a first outer electrode is provided on a first side surface and a second outer electrode is provided on a second side surface. Each of the first and second outer electrodes includes first and second electrode portions that are arranged at positions other than end portions and a center of the first or second side surface in a first direction. |
| US09355777B2 |
Slurry composition, ceramic green sheet, and multi layer ceramic capacitor
A slurry composition including a polyvinyl acetal resin and an organic solvent. The polyvinyl acetal resin has a degree of polymerization of 500 or more and 6000 or less, has a vinyl ester unit content of 0.01 to 30 mol %, has a degree of acetalization of 50 to 83 mol %, includes the structural unit represented by chemical formula (1): in an amount of no less than 30 mol % relative to the total molar amount of all acetalized structural units in a molecule, and includes 10 to 1000 ppm of 2-methyl propanoic acid relative to the polyvinyl acetal resin. |
| US09355775B2 |
Ceramic electronic component
A ceramic electronic component includes an electronic component body and a pair of metal terminals. The electronic component body includes a ceramic element assembly and outer electrodes. The pair of metal terminals are connected to the outer electrodes by a bonding member. Each of the pair of metal terminals includes a terminal body and a plated film that is located on a surface of the terminal body. In addition, each of the pair of metal terminals includes a terminal bonding portion, a mounting portion, and an extension portion that is provided between the terminal bonding portions and the mounting portion. A plating-removal portion from which the plated film is removed is provided at least at a peripheral surface of the mounting portion, and thus a surface of the terminal body is exposed. |
| US09355774B2 |
System and method for manufacturing magnetic resonance imaging coils using ultrasonic consolidation
The embodiments disclosed herein relate generally to magnetic resonance imaging systems and, more specifically, to the manufacturing of a gradient coil assembly for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems. For example, in one embodiment, a method includes ultrasonically consolidating a plurality of sheets of a conductive material to form a consolidated structure and machining one or more conductive channels into the consolidated structure to form an inductor. |
| US09355772B2 |
Transformer provided with a taps panel, an electric-insulation method for a taps panel of a dry distribution transformer, and a taps panel for a dry distribution transformer
The present invention relates to a dry distribution transformer comprising a housing (1′), a coil (200), a sealed compartment (100) and a taps panel (110) associated to the coil (200). The taps panel (110) has an electrostatic shield (107) and is positioned inside the sealed compartment (100), the sealed compartment (100) being filled with a solid dielectric material and protected by a cover (120). One also describes an electric insulation method for a taps panel of a dry distribution transformer and taps panel for a dry distribution transformer filled with removable insulating resin. The coil (200) has a grounded (115) electrostatic shield (107). |
| US09355769B2 |
Methods for manufacturing magnetic components
A method in accordance with an embodiment comprises forming a feature on a substrate, disposing a first conductive pattern on the substrate and the feature, disposing a permeability material within the feature, disposing a substrate material on the substrate and the feature to facilitate substantial enclosure of the permeability material between the substrate and the substrate material, and disposing a second conductive pattern on the substrate material. The first conductive pattern and the second conductive pattern define at least one electrical circuit operable for coupling to a current source so as to cooperate to be capable of facilitating a magnetic field about the permeability material. |
| US09355766B2 |
Coil for cordless charging and cordless charging apparatus using the same
There are provided a coil for cordless charging, which may be formed as a thin coil in spite of the presence of a plurality of coils included therein, and a cordless charging apparatus using the same. The cordless charging apparatus includes: a coil unit including coil substrates having a coil pattern and a connection substrate having one end interposed between the coil substrates and electrically connected to the coil pattern and the other end electrically connected to the outside; and a case accommodating the coil unit therein. |
| US09355762B2 |
Ceramic electronic component and method for manufacturing ceramic electronic component
A ceramic electronic component includes a ceramic body and first and second outer electrodes. The first and second outer electrodes respectively include first and second resin-containing electrode layers and first and second Ni plating layers. The first and second Ni plating layers are respectively provided on the first and second resin-containing electrode layers. When a thickness of the first or second Ni plating layer is t1 and a distance by which a portion of the first or second Ni plating layer that is in contact with the second principal surface extends in the length direction is t2, t2/t1 is less than about 1. |
| US09355759B2 |
Category 8 cable
A high speed Ethernet cable constructed of two groups of two twisted wire pairs each. The two groups radiationally isolated from each other by one or more foil radiation shields. |
| US09355758B2 |
Helical tensioner for tension members
A tensioner structured to shorten the effective length of a tension member is provided. The tensioner has a body with an outer surface and a generally helical path on the outer surface. The tension member is wrapped around the tensioner body and retained in the path. In this configuration, the tensioner acts to retain a first length of the tension member within a second, shorter length corresponding to the length of the tensioner body. When the effective length of a tension member is reduced, the amount of sag in the tension member is reduced. |
| US09355756B2 |
Nested shielded ribbon cables
The disclosure generally relates to nested shielded ribbon cables that form an electrical cable assembly (200). The electrical cable assembly (200) includes features that can facilitate bending and movement of the cable. |
| US09355755B2 |
High speed transmission cable
The present invention relates to a high speed transmission cable (100A) that includes a first conductor set (110), a dielectric film (120A) at least partially concentrically disposed around the first conductor set (110) and a pinched portion (150A) forming an insulating envelope (140A) around the first conductor set (110). The dielectric film (120A) includes a base layer (122) having a plurality of first protrusions (124) formed on a first major surface of the base layer (122), wherein the dielectric film (120A) is disposed such that the base layer (122) is partially concentric with the conductor set (110) and wherein a portion of the first protrusions (124) is disposed between the first conductor set (110) and the base layer (122) in a region where the base layer (122) is concentric with the first conductor set (110). |
| US09355754B2 |
Electroconductive polyamide/polyphenylene ether resin composition and molded product for vehicle using the same
An electroconductive polyamide/polyphenylene ether resin composition and a molded product for vehicle manufactured using the same includes a base resin (a) including polyphenylene ether (a-1) and polyamide (a-2); an impact modifier (b); a compatibilizer (c); and an electroconductive filler (d). The electroconductive filler (d) includes aromatic compounds having molecular weights of about 120 to about 1,000 g/mol, wherein the aromatic compounds are byproducts generated when preparing the electroconductive filler (d). |
| US09355753B2 |
Conductive liquid crystalline polymer composition
A liquid crystalline polymer composition that is thermally and/or electrically conductive and has a reduced tendency to create a static electric charge during a molding operation is provided. More particularly, the composition contains carbon fibers distributed within a liquid crystalline polymer matrix. Through the use of carbon fibers having relatively high purity, high temperature sizing agent, and/or various process parameters, molded parts can be produced having excellent characteristics while minimizing the amount of carbon fibers contained within the polymer matrix. |
| US09355742B2 |
Sampling device with time-interleaved optical clocking
A sampling device comprising a first input port and a second input port, wherein an input-signal is fed to the first input port and wherein an optical clock signal is fed to the second input port. The sampling device comprises a plurality of track and hold units, wherein each of the plurality of track and hold units is connected to the first input port. The plurality of the track and hold units is further connected to the second input port through an optical waveguide in such a manner that the plurality of tack and hold units operate in a time-interleaved mode. |
| US09355739B2 |
Bitline circuits for embedded charge trap multi-time-programmable-read-only-memory
A bitline circuit for embedded Multi-Time-Read-Only-Memory including a plurality of NMOS memory cells coupled to a plurality of wordlines in each row, bitlines in each column, and a source-line. More specifically, the bitline circuit controls a charge trap behavior of the target NMOS memory array by mode-dependent bitline pull-down circuit, thereby discharging the bitline strongly to GND to trap the charge effectively in a Programming mode, and discharge the bitline weakly to GND to develop a bitline voltage to detect the charge trap state. The mode dependent circuit is realized by using at least two NMOS to switch the device strength, using a pulsed gate control in a Read mode, or using analog voltage to limit the bitline current. The proposed method further includes a protection device, allowing all bitline control circuit using thin oxide devices. The bitline circuits having mode and bank access dependent bitline circuit further enables a single device memory array, by using two arrays, wherein said one of the array is used for reference to the other array using an open bitline architecture. |
| US09355738B2 |
Nonvolatile memory system and operating method of memory controller
An operating method of a memory controller configured to control a nonvolatile memory device including a plurality of memory cells is provided. The operating method includes: programming evaluation data into desired memory cells among the plurality of memory cells; performing initial verify shift (IVS) charge loss evaluation on the desired memory cells after a time elapses from a time point when the evaluation data is programmed, the IVScharge loss evaluation including an operation of detecting threshold voltage variation of the desired memory cells over a period based on the time elapsed from the time point when the evaluation data is programmed; and storing a result of the IVScharge loss evaluation; and adjusting levels of a plurality of read voltages used in the nonvolatile memory device based on the stored result of the charge loss evaluation. |
| US09355735B1 |
Data recovery in a 3D memory device with a short circuit between word lines
Techniques for detecting word line layers which are shorted together due to a defect in a three-dimensional stack memory device, and for recovering data. The memory device comprises blocks of memory cells in which each block has a separate stack of word line layers but the word line layers at a common height in the different stacks are connected. A process to detect a short circuit occurs when an nth word line layer (WLn) in an ith block fails to successfully complete programming. A determination is made as to whether WLn is shorted to WLn−1 and/or WLn+1. If WLn is shorted to WLn+1 but not WLn−1 in the ith block, a recovery read process is performed to read the data which has been programmed into the memory cells of WLn of the previously-programmed blocks. The recovery read process uses upshifted control gate read voltages due to the short circuit. |
| US09355731B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and data erasing method
A semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array including a plurality of groups of memory cells above a substrate, the groups including a first group and a second group, each of the first and second groups including a first memory string and a second memory string, the first memory string including first memory cells that are disposed in a first layer, the second memory string including second memory cell that are disposed in a second layer above the first layer, and a controller configured to perform an erasing operation on the memory cells, the erasing operation including a verifying operation on the memory cells to determine on a layer by layer basis whether the memory cells failed to erase data stored therein. |
| US09355730B2 |
Mapping between program states and data patterns
The present disclosure includes methods and apparatuses for mapping between program states and data patterns. One method includes: programming a group of G memory cells such that a combination of respective program states of the group maps to a constellation point corresponding to a received N unit data pattern, the group used to store N/G units of data per memory cell; wherein the constellation point is one of a number of constellation points of a constellation associated with mapping respective program state combinations of the group of memory cells to N unit data patterns; and wherein the constellation comprises a first mapping shell and a second mapping shell, the constellation points corresponding to the respective first and second mapping shells determined, at least partially, based on a polynomial expression of order equal to G. |
| US09355721B2 |
Resistive memory device and operating method
A method of operating a memory device includes; applying a pre-write voltage to a selected memory cell by applying a first voltage to a first signal line connected to the selected memory cell and a second voltage to a second signal line connected to the selected memory cell during a first set writing interval, wherein a level of the first voltage is higher than a level of the second voltage, and thereafter, applying a write voltage to the selected memory cell by applying a third voltage having a level lower than the level of the first voltage and higher than the level of the second voltage to the first signal line during a second set writing interval. |
| US09355719B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device including a nonvolatile memory cell realizes enhancement of reliability and convenience. The semiconductor device includes a nonvolatile memory unit that includes plural overwritable memory cells (CL), and a control circuit that controls access to the nonvolatile memory unit. The control circuit allocates one physical address to a chain memory array CY in the nonvolatile memory unit, for example. The control circuit performs writing to a memory cell (for example, CL0) that is apart of the chain memory array CY according to a first write command with respect to the physical address, and performs writing to a memory cell (for example, CL1) that is another part thereof according to a second write command with respect to the physical address. |
| US09355711B2 |
Data circuit
A circuit includes a first data line, a first plurality of memory cells coupled with the first data line, and a data transfer circuit coupled with the first data line. The data transfer circuit includes an output logic gate. The data transfer circuit is configured to, in a first operation mode in which the first plurality of memory cells is in a standby mode, set an output node of the output logic gate to be free from electrically coupled with a reference voltage and a supply voltage through the output logic gate. The data transfer circuit is configured to, in a second operation mode in which a memory cell of the first plurality of memory cells is selected to be read, set the output node of the output logic gate to be either electrically coupled with the reference voltage or with the supply voltage through the output logic gate. |
| US09355707B2 |
Gapless pattern detection circuit and semiconductor device including the same
A semiconductor device that includes: a detection circuit suitable for detecting a gapless pattern section of a detection target signal; and an internal circuit suitable for performing a normal operation during a normal section and additionally performing the normal operation during a compensating section corresponding to the gapless pattern section in response to a detection result signal outputted from the detection circuit. |
| US09355706B2 |
Output circuit for implementing high speed data transmition
An output circuit includes first and second output drivers. The first output driver is configured to transfer a first data signal directly to an output pad in synchronization with a clock signal. The second output driver is configured to transfer a second data signal directly to the output pad in synchronization with an inversion clock signal. The clock signal and the inversion clock enable multiplexing of the first data signal and the second data signal to provide a multiplexed output data signal. |
| US09355701B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device and data write method
A data write method of a nonvolatile memory device is provided which includes receiving write data to be stored in selected memory cells; reading data stored in the selected memory cells; processing the write data according to a plurality of data modulation manners to generate a plurality of modulated data values; calculating the number of flip bits and the number of switching bits when the write data and the plurality of modulated data values are overwritten on the selected memory cells, each flip bit indicating that a logical value of a selected memory cell is reversed and each switching bit indicating that a logical value of a selected memory cell is switched from a first logical value to a second logical value; and selecting one of the write data and the plurality of modulated data values according to calculating the number of flip bits and the number of switching bits. |
| US09355697B2 |
Wordline driver
A circuit includes a first transistor and a second transistor of a first type. The circuit further includes a first transistor of a second type. A first first-type drain is coupled to a second first-type source. A first first-type source is configured to have a first voltage value. A first first-type gate is configured to have a first control signal. A second first-type drain is configured to serve as a wordline. A second first-type gate is configured to have a second voltage value. A first second-type source is configured to have a third voltage value. A first second-type gate is configured to have a second control signal. The first transistor and the second transistor of the first type are configured to provide the first voltage value for the wordline. The first transistor of the second-type is configured to provide the third voltage value the wordline. |
| US09355696B1 |
Calibration in a control device receiving from a source synchronous interface
In an example, a control device includes a data path, a clock path, a multiplexing circuit, and a calibration unit. The data path comprises a data delay unit coupled to a data input of a sampling circuit. The clock path comprises a clock delay unit coupled to a clock input of the sampling circuit. The multiplexing circuit selectively couples a reference clock or a data bus to an input of the data delay unit, and selectively couples the reference clock or a source clock to an input of the clock delay unit. The calibration unit is coupled to a data output of the sampling circuit. The calibration unit is operable to adjust delay values of the data delay unit and the clock delay unit based on the data output of the sampling circuit to establish and maintain a relative delay between the data path and the clock path. |
| US09355690B1 |
Time-multiplexed, asynchronous device
A method for asynchronous time multiplexing of information with synchronous interfacing includes, responsive to a first edge of a clock signal, asynchronously loading first data, including first multiple sets of data for multiple operations, into a first asynchronous shift register. The first data is asynchronously unloaded from the first asynchronous shift register to a function block for processing to provide second data, including second multiple sets of data as results of the multiple operations. The second data is asynchronously loaded into a second asynchronous shift register. Responsive to a second edge of the clock signal, the second data is asynchronously unloaded from the second asynchronous shift register as the results of the multiple operations. The first edge and the second edge of the clock signal are associated with a same period of the clock signal. |
| US09355689B2 |
Detection of multiple accesses to a row address of a dynamic memory within a refresh period
Embodiments of a row address cache circuit are disclosed that may allow the determination the number of times a row address is used to access a dynamic memory. The row address cache circuit may include a memory, first and second pluralities of counters, and a control circuit. The control circuit may be configured to receive a row address and store the row address in an entry of the memory when the row address has not been previously stored. When the row address has been previously stored in an entry of the memory, the control circuit may be configured to change a value of a counter of the first plurality of counters corresponding the entry. The control circuit may be further configured to change a value of each counter of the second plurality of counters after a pre-determined time interval has elapsed, and initiate a refresh of the dynamic memory. |
| US09355688B2 |
Adaptive voltage input to a charge pump
A memory subsystem includes an adaptive output voltage to provide a voltage based on a power profile of a memory device of the memory subsystem. A charge pump increases the voltage to a level needed to write data to the memory device. The voltage provided is based on the power profile of the memory device, which indicates a voltage level that provides good efficiency for the charge pump, and is within maximum levels for the memory device. The voltage can be higher than a nominal voltage indicated for the memory device in a specification. |
| US09355682B2 |
Apparatus and method for separately viewing multimedia content desired by a user
An apparatus and method for reproducing multimedia content are provided. Content selected through user input unit is reproduced, and if it is requested that part of the reproduced content be registered as content of interest, metadata about the part of the reproduced content is generated and stored using metadata about the reproduced content. The generated metadata is generated and stored as metadata of interest about the content of interest according to input of a user input unit. |
| US09355675B2 |
Variable scoping capability for physical tape layout diagnostic structure of tape storage device
According to one embodiment, a method includes collecting data relating to operation of a tape drive, storing the collected data in a tape map, and storing a subset of the collected data in a slice region upon at least one of experiencing a first trigger condition and reaching a predefined location on a tape. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are described in additional embodiments. |
| US09355671B2 |
Controlling laser output in a HAMR device
A method of controlling laser output in a heat assisted magnetic recording device can be performed by control circuitry in a data storage device. The method includes measuring a temperature, measuring laser output power of a laser, determining a power error by subtracting an optimal laser output power from the measured laser output power and comparing the power error to at least one threshold to determine whether an applied current to the laser needs to be adjusted. The at least one threshold is related to how great the power error can be while maintaining the integrity of data on a recording medium. |
| US09355666B1 |
Disk drive measuring stroke difference between heads by detecting a difference between ramp contact
A data storage device is disclosed comprising a plurality of disk surfaces including a first disk surface and a second disk surface. A first head is actuated over the first disk surface, and a second head is actuated over the second disk surface. A ramp is located proximate an outer diameter of the disk surfaces. A stroke difference between the first and second heads is measured by moving the first and second heads toward the ramp and detecting when the heads contact the ramp. |
| US09355663B1 |
Multiple degree of freedom actuator assemblies having flexure based pivot functionality
An apparatus, according to one embodiment, includes: a head carriage assembly, a flexure coupling the head carriage assembly to a linear assembly, the linear assembly being configured to move along a fine motion direction, and a motor coupled to the head carriage assembly for rotatably positioning the head carriage assembly about an axis of skew which extends perpendicular to a plane defined by an intended direction of media movement across the head carriage assembly and the fine motion direction, the fine motion direction being oriented perpendicular to the intended direction of media movement. The flexure permits the rotatable positioning of the head carriage assembly about the axis of skew. Moreover, the flexure resists pitching movement of the head carriage assembly relative to the linear assembly. |
| US09355661B2 |
Integrated head for heat assisted magnetic recording
A magnetic recording apparatus includes a write element and an optical device for heating a portion of a magnetic medium. The optical device and the write element are arranged to generally prevent the write element from affecting the optical fields generated by the optical device. |
| US09355653B2 |
Magnetic data eraser
The magnetic data eraser includes: a mounting and immobilizing tray on which a magnetic recording medium is mounted, the mounting tray being inclined at an angle of 60±10 degrees to the horizontal; a magnetizer that is encircled by a magnetizing coil, the magnetizer having a hollow portion into which the mounting and immobilizing tray is inserted; and a controller that causes an electric current to flow as an excitation current through the magnetizing coil, the excitation current generating a magnetic field that erases data stored in the magnetic recording medium. |
| US09355652B2 |
Reduced friction retention of a data storage cartridge within a storage cell
Described are embodiments of an invention for a textured interface between a notch of a data storage cartridge and a retention tab of a storage cell. The textured surface reduces the contact surface between the retention tab and the notch of the data storage cartridge. The reduced contact surface between the retention tab and notch of the data storage cartridge reduces the amount of friction between the retention tab and the notch of the data storage cartridge. The data storage cartridge can thus be removed from the storage cell with less force than that required by the prior art having a generally smooth interface between the notch of the data storage cartridge and the retention tab of the storage cell. |
| US09355651B2 |
System and method for expressive language, developmental disorder, and emotion assessment
In one embodiment, a method for detecting autism in a natural language environment using a microphone, sound recorder, and a computer programmed with software for the specialized purpose of processing recordings captured by the microphone and sound recorder combination, the computer programmed to execute the method, includes segmenting an audio signal captured by the microphone and sound recorder combination using the computer programmed for the specialized purpose into a plurality recording segments. The method further includes determining which of the plurality of recording segments correspond to a key child. The method further includes determining which of the plurality of recording segments that correspond to the key child are classified as key child recordings. Additionally, the method includes extracting phone-based features of the key child recordings; comparing the phone-based features of the key child recordings to known phone-based features for children; and determining a likelihood of autism based on the comparing. |
| US09355648B2 |
Voice input/output device, method and programme for preventing howling
A voice separation means 82 separates an input voice of a volume adjusted by an input volume adjustment means 81, into a voice recognition voice and a monitoring voice. A monitoring volume adjustment means 83 adjusts a volume of the monitoring voice. An output volume adjustment means 84 adjusts a volume of an output voice and causes an output device to output the output voice of the adjusted volume, the output voice being a voice obtained by synthesizing a synthetic voice and the monitoring voice of the volume adjusted by the monitoring volume adjustment means 83, the synthetic voice being a voice synthesized from information generated as a result of voice recognition of the voice recognition voice. A control means 85 instructs the monitoring volume adjustment means 83 to adjust the volume of the monitoring voice so that an amplification factor of the volume of the output voice with respect to the volume of the input voice does not exceed 1. |
| US09355646B2 |
Method and apparatus to encode and decode an audio/speech signal
A method and apparatus to encode and decode an audio/speech signal is provided. An inputted audio signal or speech signal may be transformed into at least one of a high frequency resolution signal and a high temporal resolution signal. The signal may be encoded by determining an appropriate resolution, the encoded signal may be decoded, and thus the audio signal, the speech signal, and a mixed signal of the audio signal and the speech signal may be processed. |
| US09355645B2 |
Method and apparatus for encoding/decoding stereo audio
Provided are a method and apparatus for encoding/decoding stereo audio. In the method for encoding stereo audio, stereo audio is encoded based on at least one of the phase difference between first and second channel audios and information on an angle made by a vector on the intensity of mono-audio and a vector on the intensity of the first channel audio or a vector on the intensity of the second channel audio. Thus, the number of encoded parameters is minimized so that a compression ratio in the encoding of the stereo audio is improved. |
| US09355642B2 |
Speaker recognition method through emotional model synthesis based on neighbors preserving principle
A speaker recognition method through emotional model synthesis based on Neighbors Preserving Principle is enclosed. The methods includes the following steps: (1) training the reference speaker's and user's speech models; (2) extracting the neutral-to-emotion transformation/mapping sets of GMM reference models; (3) extracting the emotion reference Gaussian components mapped by or corresponding to several Gaussian neutral reference Gaussian components close to the user's neutral training Gaussian component; (4) synthesizing the user's emotion training Gaussian component and then synthesizing the user's emotion training model; (5) synthesizing all user's GMM training models; (6) inputting test speech and conducting the identification. This invention extracts several reference speeches similar to the neutral training speech of a user from a speech library by employing neighbor preserving principles based on KL divergence and combines an emotion training speech of the user using the emotion reference speech in the reference speech, improving the performance of the speaker recognition system in the situation where the training speech and the test speech are mismatched, and the robustness of the speaker recognition system is increased. |
| US09355640B2 |
Invoking action responsive to co-presence determination
Methods, apparatus and computer-readable media (transitory and non-transitory) are disclosed for receiving audio information based on sensing of one or more audible sounds; identifying one or more voice profiles, wherein each of the voice profiles is associated with an individual and indicates one or more voice characteristics of the associated individual; determining at least a given voice profile of the one or more voice profiles matches the audio information; determining co-presence of the user with at least the individual associated with the given voice profile based on determining the given voice profile matches the audio information; identifying an action that includes a trigger based on co-presence of the user and the individual associated with the given voice profile; and invoking the action based on the determined co-presence of the user with at least the individual associated with the given voice profile. |
| US09355638B2 |
System and method for improving speech recognition accuracy using textual context
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for improving speech recognition accuracy using textual context. The method includes retrieving a recorded utterance, capturing text from a device display associated with the spoken dialog and viewed by one party to the recorded utterance, and identifying words in the captured text that are relevant to the recorded utterance. The method further includes adding the identified words to a dynamic language model, and recognizing the recorded utterance using the dynamic language model. The recorded utterance can be a spoken dialog. A time stamp can be assigned to each identified word. The method can include adding identified words to and/or removing identified words from the dynamic language model based on their respective time stamps. A screen scraper can capture text from the device display associated with the recorded utterance. The device display can contain customer service data. |
| US09355637B2 |
Method and apparatus for performing speech keyword retrieval
A method and an apparatus are provided for retrieving keyword. The apparatus configures at least two types of language models in a model file, where each type of language model includes a recognition model and a corresponding decoding model; the apparatus extracts a speech feature from the to-be-processed speech data; performs language matching on the extracted speech feature by using recognition models in the model file one by one, and determines a recognition model based on a language matching rate; and determines a decoding model corresponding to the recognition model; decoding the extracted speech feature by using the determined decoding model, and obtains a word recognition result after the decoding; and matches a keyword in a keyword dictionary and the word recognition result, and outputs a matched keyword. |
| US09355636B1 |
Selective speech recognition scoring using articulatory features
Features are provided for selectively scoring portions of user utterances based at least on articulatory features of the portions. One or more articulatory features of a portion of a user utterance can be determined. Acoustic models or subsets of individual acoustic model components (e.g., Gaussians or Gaussian mixture models) can be selected based on the articulatory features of the portion. The portion can then be scored using a selected acoustic model or subset of acoustic model components. The process may be repeated for the multiple portions of the utterance, and speech recognition results can be generated from the scored portions. |
| US09355634B2 |
Voice synthesis device, voice synthesis method, and recording medium having a voice synthesis program stored thereon
A voice synthesis device includes a sequence data generation unit configured to generate sequence data including a plurality of kinds of parameters for controlling vocalization of a voice to be synthesized based on music information and lyrics information, an output unit configured to output a singing voice based on the sequence data, and a processing content information acquisition unit configured to acquire a plurality of processing content information, associated with each of pieces of preset singing manner information. Each of the content information indicates contents of edit processing for all or part of the parameters. The sequence data generation unit generates a plurality of pieces of sequence data, and the sequence data are obtained by editing the all or part of the parameters included in the sequence data, based on the content information associated with one of the pieces of singing manner information specified by a user. |
| US09355632B2 |
Apparatus, method and electroacoustic system for reverberation time extension
An apparatus for reverberation time extension is provided. The apparatus includes a module for calculating wave field synthesis information, and a signal processor for generating a plurality of audio output signals for a plurality of loudspeakers based on the audio input signals that have been recorded by a plurality of microphones, and based on the wave field synthesis information. Further, the apparatus includes an operating unit for determining a virtual position of one or several virtual walls. The module for calculating wave field synthesis information is implemented to calculate the wave field synthesis information based on the virtual position of the one or several virtual walls. Further, the virtual position is adjustable by the operating unit for at least one of the virtual walls. |
| US09355630B2 |
Method and device using low inductance coil in an electrical pickup
A pickup device for an electric instrument may include at least one permanent magnet to detect vibrations from the electric instrument's strings. The pickup device may further include at least one coil within a magnetic field of the permanent magnet. The coil may be coupled to one or more of a plurality of selectable filters. The pickup device may be an integrated assembly and fittable within a standard-sized pickup cavity on the electric instrument. |
| US09355622B2 |
Anchoring system for a string in a musical instrument
A system for anchoring a guitar string comprising a guitar top, a bridge fixed to the guitar top, and at least one aperture extending through the bridge and top for receiving an end of a string with a ball attached thereto. A bridge pin has a body that is insertable into the aperture. The body has two spaced-apart legs forming a space therebetween wide enough to accommodate the string but not the ball. A rear side of the legs has matching anchoring surfaces that are constructed and arranged to receive and retain the ball when the string is in tension. |
| US09355619B2 |
Adjustable neck stiffener for stringed musical instruments
An adjustable musical instrument neck stiffener includes a beam fabricated by embedding uni-directional material only at the upper portion of the beam, and constrained by braid or bias weave material. In a preferred embodiment, the uni-directional layers are preferably made from carbon fiber tow, cloth, or pultruded carbon fiber and the braid or bias weave material is made of carbon fibers. To reduce weight, the middle section of the beam is preferably hollow. A threaded rod and threaded sleeve provide a way to adjust the neck stiffener beam curvature so that it is straight while under string tension. |
| US09355611B1 |
Methods, systems and apparatus for displaying the multimedia information from wireless communication networks
Video signals for a mobile terminal are converted to accommodate reproduction by an alternative display terminal. The video signal is processed to provide a converted video signal appropriate for an alternative display terminal that is separate from the mobile terminal. This converted video signal is then provided for the alternative display terminal to accommodate the corresponding video display on a screen provided by the alternative (e.g., external) display terminal. |
| US09355604B2 |
Overdriving control method with image compression control and related circuit
An overdriving control method includes: receiving an input image; determining whether the input image is a moving image or a still image, and generating a determining signal; dynamically using image compression process according to the determining signal; and dynamically using overdriving process according to the determining signal. An overdriving control circuit includes a receiving unit, arranged for outputting an input image; a determining unit, arranged for generating a determining signal by determining whether the input image is a moving image or a still image; an image compression processing unit, arranged for dynamically performing image compression process upon the input image according to the determining signal, and generating an image compression processing unit output; and an overdriving processing unit, arranged for dynamically performing an overdriving process upon the image compression processing unit output according to the determining signal, and generating an overdriving processing unit output. |
| US09355603B2 |
Method for adjusting saturation degree and color adjusting system
A method for adjusting saturation degree and a color adjusting system are provided. The method for adjusting saturation degree includes the following steps. A hue circle is divided into a plurality of hue regions, and each of the hue regions is divided into a plurality of saturation regions according to at least one saturation threshold. A plurality of first input saturation degrees of a first saturation region of a first hue region of the hue regions are weighted by a first weighting formula for obtaining a plurality of first output saturation degrees. A plurality of second input saturation degrees of a second saturation region of the first hue region of the hue regions are weighted by a second weighting formula for obtaining a plurality of second output saturation degrees. The first weighting formula is different from the second weighting formula. |
| US09355597B2 |
Pixel circuit having threshold voltage compensation and method for driving the same
The present disclosure relates to a field of display technology, and particularly to a pixel circuit and a method for driving the same. The pixel circuit includes a driving sub-circuit, a resetting sub-circuit, and a charging sub-circuit, wherein the driving sub-circuit includes a driving transistor, a first transistor, a third transistor, a first storage capacitor and a second storage capacitor; the resetting sub-circuit discharges the first storage capacitor and the second storage capacitor under the control of a first scan signal outputted from the first scan signal line; and the charging sub-circuit includes a fifth transistor and a sixth transistor. With the pixel circuit of the present disclosure, non-uniformity of driving transistors caused by threshold voltages of the driving transistors and an image sticking phenomenon caused by drifts of the threshold voltages of the driving transistors may be eliminated through the compensation; and the problem of non-uniform luminance among the light emitting devices in different pixel units of an Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode Display caused by different threshold voltages of the driving transistors in the different pixel units may be avoided. |
| US09355594B2 |
Pixel and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display
A pixel and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display are disclosed. In one aspect, the pixel includes an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) configured to emit light based on a driving current. The OLED includes first and second electrodes. The pixel also includes a first transistor configured to generate the driving current. The first transistor includes a gate electrode, a first electrode, and a second electrode. The pixel further includes a capacitor transistor including a gate electrode configured to receive a gate turn-on voltage, a first electrode, a second electrode electrically connected to the first electrode of the first transistor. The capacitor transistor further includes a channel located between the first and second electrodes of the capacitor transistor. The channel of the capacitor transistor is configured to be activated by the gate turn-on voltage. |
| US09355592B2 |
Source driver and bias current adjusting method thereof
Disclosed are a source driver provided in a display device that displays an image and a bias current adjusting method thereof, and a bias current deviating from a prescribed range is adjusted so that a source driver is driven by a bias current within the prescribed range. |
| US09355590B2 |
Sparkle display
A hybrid display system for a device includes a high resolution display and a low resolution display that are positioned relative to each other to display an image having mixed resolution. A single high resolution display having a size of 1.5 cm by 10 cm and a first cost may be replaced by a hybrid display having the same overall size but using a smaller size (e.g., 1.5 cm by 4 cm) and lower cost for the high resolution display. To achieve the remaining 6 cm in display size, the low resolution display may have a size of approximately 1.5 cm by 6 cm and a lower cost than either of the high resolution displays, such that a combined cost of the high and low resolution displays in the hybrid display makes the second cost lower than the first cost. The high and low resolution displays may use different display technologies to achieve cost and size tradeoffs. |
| US09355588B2 |
Ambient light sensing technique
A method for controlling characteristics of an electronic device based on ambient light levels is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving light at an ambient light sensor of a device and measuring components, such as color components, of the visible light. The component levels may be weighted differently by factors that vary based on the intensity of the light received by the ambient light sensor. Also, the brightness level of a light source in the device or color output of the device may be controlled based on the weighted component levels. Additional methods, systems, and devices relating to control of an electronic device based on sensed ambient light are also disclosed. |
| US09355582B2 |
Solid-state image sensor and driving method
There is provided a solid-state image sensor including a pixel circuit including a plurality of pixels and imaging a subject, a peripheral circuit provided in a vicinity of the pixel circuit and performing operation in regard to imaging, and a connection element electrically connecting, in initialization of the pixels, elements in the pixels to which a predetermined voltage is applied for initializing the pixels to the peripheral circuit with the predetermined voltage. |
| US09355581B2 |
Airframe display systems and methods
An airframe display system and method. The airframe display system has an airtight airframe having at least one airbeam. The airbeam has a sleeve of dimensionally stable material. A stretch fabric cover is received over the airframe whereby, upon inflation, the airframe is substantially rigid and the stretch fabric cover is taut over the airframe defining a display surface area. |
| US09355576B2 |
Dummy object, in particular for functionally testing driver assistance systems in motor vehicles
Embodiments of the invention relate to a three-dimensional dummy object, in particular for functionally testing driver assistance systems in motor vehicles, comprising a head, a skeleton, a trunk, movable pelvis and movable legs. The skeleton comprises a trunk skeleton having cavities, to which the arms and legs are articulated, wherein the legs each have a thigh and a lower leg articulated to the thigh, wherein a drive unit and a receiver/control unit are installed in the trunk skeleton, which receiver/control unit receives signals correlating to the relative velocity of the moving dummy object as an input quantity, such that the movement pattern of the thighs and lower legs can be varied according to the relative velocity of the dummy object by means of an installed movement mechanism. |
| US09355574B2 |
3D virtual training system and method
A method is provided for a 3D virtual training system. The 3D virtual training system includes a 3D display screen and an operating device, and the method includes initializing a virtual medical training session to be displayed on the 3D display screen, where 3D display contents include at least a 3D virtual image of a surgery site. The method also includes obtaining user interaction inputs via the operating device and the 3D display screen, and displaying on the 3D display screen a virtual surgery device and a virtual surgery operation on the surgery site by the virtual surgery device. Further, the method includes determining an operation consequence based on the user interaction inputs and the surgery site, rendering the operation consequence based on the surgery site and effects of the virtual surgery operation, and displaying 3D virtual images of the rendered operation consequence on the 3D display screen. |
| US09355562B1 |
Using other vehicle trajectories to aid autonomous vehicles driving through partially known areas
Methods and devices for controlling a vehicle in an autonomous mode are disclosed. In one aspect, an example method is disclosed that includes obtaining, by a computer system, lane information that provides an estimated location of a lane of a road on which a vehicle is travelling, where the computer system is configured to control the vehicle in an autonomous mode. The example method further includes determining, by the computer system, that the lane information has become unavailable or unreliable and, in response to determining that the lane information has become unavailable or unreliable, the computer system selecting a predetermined trajectory from a plurality of predetermined trajectories and controlling the vehicle to travel along the selected predetermined trajectory. |
| US09355561B2 |
V2V safety system using consensus
A vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication system, method and transponder for use in V2V communication, safety and anti-collision systems uses a continual, iterative consensus algorithm involving a consensus subset of vehicles within a communication range. The consensus set of vehicles participating in the consensus algorithm may not be the same. The algorithm comprises determining a parameter value used by the vehicles in the consensus set, then averaging, with modifications and rate of change limitations, the values from the consensus set for next use by each transponder. Parameters include two axis of location, elevation, transmit power and time base. Transmit power is responsive to demand and range. Methods of obtaining the as-used values include using equations and ranges. Embodiments include a hybrid protocol using both TDMA and CSMA. The invention is free of both central authority and road-side equipment (RSU). |
| US09355560B2 |
Differentiation of probe reports based on quality
Methods for differentiating high quality probe reports in a plurality of probe reports include: (a) receiving, by a processor, a probe report from a probe source, wherein the probe report includes data indicative of a travel condition; (b) determining, by the processor, whether the probe report satisfies a criterion indicative of high quality data; and (c) identifying, by the processor, the probe report as being (i) suitable for use in modeling the travel condition if the probe report satisfies the criterion, or (ii) unsuitable for use in modeling the travel condition if the probe report does not satisfy the criterion. Systems for differentiating high quality probe reports in a plurality of probe reports are described. |
| US09355559B1 |
Media device control profile selection
A remote control is used to control one or more media devices which may be in various media device states during operation. Based on media device state data, different media device control profiles may be applied. The media device control profiles may specify mapping of particular buttons on the remote control to particular functions on the media device, designate a communication path to use, and so forth. |
| US09355557B2 |
Universal remote controller and remote control method thereof
A universal remote controller and a remote control method thereof are provided. The remote controller includes a display screen, a communication module configured to communicate with a plurality of devices, an input unit configured to receive a user command, a controlling unit configured to receive identification information from a device of the plurality of devices which is pointed at by the remote controller through the communication module, control the display screen to display a user interface customized for the device corresponding to the identification information, and receive information input through the user interface for communication with the device so that the remote controller can operate with the device. |
| US09355552B2 |
Electronic building information (EBIC) system
The electronic Building Information Card (eBIC) system provides a systematic and comprehensive approach for building information maintenance to assist first responders and building owners in an emergency response. The eBIC solution is built to the essential elements for each building along with a cross vertical view of the building. This provides the first responder a quick size-up assessment, an easy to read graphic view format and further support emergency operations for each building. |
| US09355551B2 |
Smart key locator
The present disclosure is directed to a vehicle smart key adapted to pair with a vehicle, a system for locating a lost vehicle key, and a method of locating a lost key. The smart key, system, and method of the present disclosure enable a user of a vehicle to locate a missing or lost key for the vehicle. The smart key adapted to pair with a vehicle includes a transmitter, a receiver and an electronic control unit. The transmitter is adapted to send a locating beacon signal. The electronic control unit is programmed to execute transmission of the locating beacon signal by the transmitter when the smart key is not paired to the vehicle. |
| US09355541B1 |
Dual-loop smoke and fire detector system and method
A hazardous condition detection system for an enclosure includes at least three detectors and a controller. Each detector is mounted within the enclosure. Each detector is configured to output a signal representing a first lower level of severity (a pre-alarm threshold) and a signal representing a second higher level of severity (an alarm threshold). The controller monitors the operational status of each of the detectors. In a first mode when all the detectors are operational, the controller generates an alarm signal when at least two detectors output a signal at the alarm threshold level. In a second mode when at least one of the at least three detectors are inoperative and at least two of the at least three detectors are operational, the controller generates an alarm signal when one detector outputs a signal at the alarm threshold level and another detector outputs a signal at the pre-alarm threshold level. |
| US09355538B2 |
System and method for home automation and security
Systems and methods for home automation and security are disclosed. Example methods disclosed herein include detecting an entrant at a first location at a first time. Disclosed example methods also include determining, according to an occupancy schedule, that a person is expected to be at the first location at the first time. Disclosed example methods further include, in response to an indication from a device at a second location different than the first location that the person is located at the second location at the first time, activating an alarm without initiating a prompt for the entrant to enter a security pass code. |
| US09355537B2 |
Optical security tag
A security tag or device for use with a product package. The security tag has an optical sensor that detects ambient radiation (or light, if any) within the package interior (e.g., from a source outside the package). The optical sensor is temporarily limited from detecting the ambient radiation within the package by a lock section. A device may be provided to activate the lock section so that the optical sensor can detect light in the package. The optical sensor can be aligned with an opening in the package after the lock section is activated. After calibration, the optical sensor is used to determine changes in detected ambient radiation within the package. The security tag has an alarm adapted to provide an alert when a change (e.g., above a threshold) in intensity of ambient radiation within a package is detected by the optical sensor. |
| US09355535B2 |
Dual mode LED strobe
A strobe device that operates in multiple modes is disclosed. The strobe device may include an LED-based strobe element and a controller. In response to receiving a command to generate an output, the controller determines in which of at least a first mode and second mode to operate, and sends one or more signals to the LED-based strobe element based on the determination. The first mode and the second mode may differ from one another in at least one aspect, such as duration, luminosity, current supplied to LED, or wavelength range. The controller may select both of the first mode and the second mode (such as alternating between the first mode and the second mode). Or, the controller may select one of the first mode and the second mode. For example, depending on the ambient light at or near the strobe device, the controller may select either the first mode or the second mode. |
| US09355533B2 |
Point-of-sale systems
A point-of-sale (POS) system is provided. The POS system may include an adjustable housing configured to receive a computing device. The POS system housing may be adjustable so that a screen of the computing device can be viewed by a merchant and a customer. The computing device may be removable from the housing for use as a mobile POS system. The POS system may also include electronics for accepting various forms of payment and for connecting the computing device to a network. |
| US09355531B2 |
Deposit management system that employs preregistered deposits
A deposit management system is operable responsive to data included on data bearing records. The system is associated with a plurality of financial funds depositories. Each depository can accept deposit items, such as deposit bags. Each depository includes a bar code reader that can read data from a bar code label that is located on a deposit bag. The system allows merchants to preregister a deposit before performing the deposit. A preregistered deposit is linked with a deposit identifier in a data store. The deposit identifier can be represented in a bar code. If the system determines that a bar code reader of a respective depository read a deposit identifier which corresponds in the data store to a preregistered deposit, then the respective depository is operated to automatically unlock its deposit entry door. The system also allows merchants to review their deposit history. |
| US09355528B2 |
Gaming system and method for providing a cascading symbol game with shifting symbols between multiple symbol display position matrices
A gaming system including a cascading symbol or tumbling reel game which utilizes a plurality of symbol display position matrices or grids. Each symbol display position matrix includes a plurality of symbol display positions, wherein at least one of the symbol display position matrices includes one or more symbol display positions associated with a plurality of different symbol display positions of a plurality of the symbol display position matrices. |
| US09355526B2 |
Gaming machine with award based on sub-game outcomes
Disclosed are games, gaming machines, gaming systems and methods including a primary game award at least partially based on the outcomes of one or more sub-games. The outcomes are related according to a pay table associated with the primary game. |
| US09355523B2 |
Computing wagering game luck
A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In some embodiments, the operations can include causing at least one event to occur during play of a wagering game. In some embodiments, the operations can further include determining a difference between occurrence of the at least one event and a theoretical expectation of occurrence associated with the at least one event. In some embodiments, the operations can further include computing a luck factor based on the difference. The luck factor represents luck for occurrence of the at least one event. |
| US09355521B2 |
System and method for providing supplemental funds to progressive jackpots
Disclosed is a gaming system for playing a progressive game, wherein the progressive game has an initial increment rate and threshold limit, and each time the progressive game is played a contribution is made to a progressive jackpot's current value. The system includes: a display screen for displaying a gaming presentation, one or more player-activated buttons for receiving player input, and a processor that executes game software and processes input from the player-activated buttons. In this gaming system, each contribution increases the current value until the jackpot reaches the threshold limit, wherein once the threshold limit has been reached, the progressive jackpot uses a secondary increment, to speed up, slow down, or stop the amount contributed to the progressive jackpot. The progressive jackpot's current value is reset to a lower reset value, when a jackpot is won by a player. Further, the progressive game implements a hidden increment that channels contributions to an overflow amount. The progressive game is configured to increase a starting jackpot amount to more than the reset value after a jackpot win by adding the overflow amount to the reset value, thereby encouraging more game play. |
| US09355518B2 |
Gaming system with location determination
A gaming system is provided. The gaming system allows users to access applications via gaming communication devices coupled to a communication network. At least a portion of the network may be wireless. The gaming applications include gambling, financial, entertainment service, and other types of transactions. The system may include a user location determination feature to prevent users from conducting transactions from unauthorized areas. The gaming system may incorporate a user profile feature according to which certain information regarding users of the system may be maintained. Such information can include, without limitation, information relating to preferences, finances, activities participated in by the users, and trends and habits of the users. |
| US09355510B2 |
Biometric access control system
A biometric access control system includes an equipment structure in communication with an identification station, which includes a processor, a user biometric reader, an equipment identification reader, a user interface to display categories of equipment authorized for use by a user and to receive input from the user including an indication to acquire or return the piece of equipment and a selection of an equipment category and a selection of a specific piece of equipment of the selected equipment category. The equipment structure includes storage locations for storing pieces of equipment assigned to the storage locations, and locks corresponding to the storage locations for individually securing the pieces of equipment to the structure, wherein an authorization signal from the identification station is receivable to release a lock containing the selected specific piece of equipment to permit removal of the selected specific piece of equipment. |
| US09355506B2 |
Method for managing fault messages of a motor vehicle
A method for managing fault messages (m) of a motor vehicle by a monitoring computer of a motor vehicle, the monitoring computer including a step (E1) of receiving a fault message (m), a filtering step (E3) in which the method executes a step (E4) of storing the fault message (m) in a temporary storage memory (TMP) in case of positive filtering and a step (E5) of storing the fault messages (m) in a dynamic storage memory (DYN). |
| US09355504B2 |
Data processing apparatus
A data processing apparatus (30) comprising: a local source of data (4); a first controller (31); and a tamper-resistant second controller (32) configured to communicate with the first controller, the first controller being configured to control and receive data from the local source of data and from a sensing unit connected to the first controller via a communication interface and to perform a series of calculation operations on the data, wherein the second controller is configured to verify the integrity of a selected subset of the operations performed by the first controller. |
| US09355500B2 |
System and method for animating collision-free sequences of motions for objects placed across a surface
Embodiments of the invention set forth a technique for animating objects placed across a surface of a graphics object. A CAD application receives a set of motions and initially applies a different motion in the set of motions to each object placed across the surface of the graphics object. The CAD application calculates bounding areas of each object according to the current motion applied thereto, which are subsequently used by the CAD application to identify collisions that are occurring or will occur between the objects. Identified collisions are cured by identifying valid motions in the set of motions that can be applied to a colliding object and then calculating bounding areas for the valid motions to select a valid motion that, when applied to the object, does not cause the object to collide with any other objects. |
| US09355497B2 |
Image processing system, image processing apparatus, and image processing method for combining CG image with captured image
An image processing system includes an imaging unit for imaging an outside world to generate a captured image, a position and orientation estimation unit for estimating a position and orientation of the imaging unit, a feature point estimation unit for estimating a position of a feature point in the captured image, a clipping unit for clipping an image for combining, and clipping an image for feature detection, a measurement unit for detecting a feature point from the image for feature detection, and measuring a position and orientation of the imaging unit, a generation unit for generating a CG image based on the position and orientation measured by the measurement unit, a combining unit for combining the image clipped by the clipping unit with the CG image, and a display control unit for displaying the image combined by the combining unit on a display unit. |
| US09355495B2 |
Method and system for 3D modeling using feature detection
A method includes providing a processor, obtaining an image of a scene including one or more objects, and presenting, using the processor, the image of the scene to a user. The method also includes receiving a geometry type associated with one of the one or more objects, receiving a set of inputs from the user related to the one of the one or more objects, and determining, using the processor, a centerline of the one of the one or more objects. The method further includes measuring, using the processor and inputs from the user, two or more coordinate positions along the centerline, receiving a dimension associated with the one of the one or more objects, and creating, using the processor, a 3D solid model using the geometry type, the dimension, the set of inputs, and the two or more coordinate positions. |
| US09355493B2 |
Device and method for compositing video planes
A device and method of forming a video frame from a video stream made up of a multiplexed plurality of sub-streams is disclosed. The method includes forming a foreground plane, forming a mask that represents opaque pixels in the foreground plane, and forming an underlying plane from at least one of the sub-streams and extracting a transparency value associated with each pixel in the foreground and underlying planes. Only those pixels in the underlying and foreground planes not covered by the mask, are blended in accordance with their associated transparency value in a buffer. The buffer is populated with opaque pixels from the foreground plane, at pixel locations corresponding to the mask. |
| US09355489B2 |
Land grid array socket for electro-optical modules
For a given texture address, a texture sampler fetches and reduces texture data with a filter accumulator suitable for providing a weighted average over a variety of filter footprints. A multi-mode texture sampler is configurable to provide both a wide variety of footprints in either a separable or non-separable filter modes and allow for a filter footprint significantly wider than the bi-linear (2×2 texel) footprint. In embodiments, sub-sample addresses are generated by the texture sampler logic to accommodate a desired footprint. The sub-sample addresses may be generated and sequenced by multi-texel units, such as 2×2 texel quads, for efficient filtering. In embodiments, filter coefficients are cached from coefficient tables stored in memory. |
| US09355481B2 |
Dynamic visualization for optimization processes
Embodiments of the present invention include a method, computer program product, and system for generating a visualization of an optimized project. The computer receives a project and a period of interest associated with the project. The computer determines a constraint status for each constraint associated with the project. The computer generates a graphical element that illustrates the constraint status. The computer generates a visualization of the project during the period of interest, wherein the visualization includes concentric geometric structures and the graphical element. |
| US09355480B1 |
Uniform distribution of visual component widths
Improved techniques involve uniformly distributing remainder pixels to the visual components when distributing the visual components in a display of a fixed pixel width. When displaying a number of visual components on the display, an electronic device connected to the display generates remainder pixels that are the result of the quotient of the number of display pixels and the number of visual components not being a whole number. The electronic device then distributes the remainder pixels to the visual components in a uniform manner so that each visual component is aligned with a respective visual target in the display. |
| US09355476B2 |
Smoothing road geometry
Some embodiments provide a method for a mapping service. For a set of road segments that intersect at a junction in a map region, the method generates an initial set of geometries for use in generating downloadable map information for the map region. For each corner formed by the geometries at the junction, the method determines whether to perform a smoothing operation. When a particular corner meets a set of criteria, the method modifies the geometries of at least one road segment to smooth the corner. |
| US09355475B1 |
Systems and methods for temporally reprojecting reflection data
An example method includes, responsive to identifying an object and a reflection surface: identifying a reflection incidence point on a current position of the reflection surface; reprojecting the reflection incidence point using a surface motion vector of the reflection incidence point to determine a previous reflection incidence point. The previous reflection incidence point is a reflection incidence point on a previous position of the reflection surface. The method further includes, reprojecting a reflected point (a reflection of the object in accordance with the reflection surface's current position) using a motion vector to determine a previous location of the reflected point on the previous position of the reflection surface; projecting a current view point onto the previous position of the reflection surface to produce a previous view point; and presenting to a user a presentation of the previous location of the reflected point on the previous position of the reflection surface. |
| US09355474B2 |
Method of processing optical coherence tomography images
An automatic or semiautomatic method of processing intravascular Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) images, comprising: pre-processing the primary image by segmenting the guidewire in the lumen to exclude it from the image, determining whether the lumen is open or closed; if the lumen is determined to be closed, performing a first automatic lumen segmentation procedure on the pre-processed image to define a perimeter line of the lumen, corresponding to the inner edge of the vessel wall, and determine a centroid CL of the lumen area; if the lumen is determined not to be closed, sequentially performing an automatic lumen closing procedure on the pre-processed image, and a second automatic lumen segmentation procedure, to define a perimeter line of the lumen, corresponding to the inner edge of the vessel wall, and determine a centroid CL of the lumen area; automatically finding an outer edge of the vessel wall and defining a first region of interest ROI1 between the inner edge and the outer edge of the lumen; automatically segmenting a fibrous plaque in the first region of interest ROI1 thereby defining a second region of interest ROI2 that contains the fibrous plaque, and segmenting a hyporeflective plaque, contained in a radial region that falls within ROI1 and is external to ROI2. |
| US09355473B2 |
Image forming apparatus having color conversion capability
An image processing apparatus includes a processor and a memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the image processing apparatus to perform: receiving target image data representing a target image; determining, from a plurality of pixels in the target image, a plurality of first-type pixels having a color value within a specific range having a color value indicating a color of a conversion target; calculating, for each of the plurality of first-type pixels, non-uniformity of color values of a plurality of pixels in a specific surrounding area including the first-type pixels; determining, from the plurality of first-type pixels, a second-type pixel which non-uniformity is a reference value or less, and converting a color value of the second-type pixel into a specific color value. |
| US09355469B2 |
Mode-based graphical editing
Among other disclosures, a method includes associating an initial work area corresponding to a portion of graphical data with a graphical editing tool, receiving a request indicating a change in editing mode to use of the graphical editing tool, determining an active work area based on the initial work area associated with the graphical editing tool, and selecting the active work area, at least initially, for editing using the graphical editing tool. |
| US09355462B2 |
Motion estimation system utilizing point cloud registration
A system and method of estimation motion of a machine is disclosed. The method may include determining a first point cloud and a second point cloud corresponding to an environment in a vicinity of the machine. The method may further include generating a first extended gaussian image (EGI) for the first point cloud and a second EGI for the second point cloud. The method may further include determining a first EGI segment based on the first EGI and a second EGI segment based on the second EGI. The method may further include determining a first two dimensional distribution for points in the first EGI segment and a second two dimensional distribution for points in the second EGI segment. The method may further include estimating motion of the machine based on the first and second two dimensional distributions. |
| US09355461B2 |
Multicast-based content transmitting system and method, and device and method for estimating high-speed movement
The present invention relates to a multicast-based content transmitting system and method, and a device and method for estimating high-speed movement. Included are: a content providing device for generating N×M multicast stream channels having different transmission start times and transmission rates, providing N×M multicast stream channel lists, and transmitting content through one channel of N×M multicast stream channels; and a user terminal for selecting one channel of the N×M multicast stream channel lists provided from the content providing device and receiving content through the selected multicast stream channel. |
| US09355457B1 |
Edge detection using multiple color channels
Techniques are provided for detecting edges in a color image by analyzing variations in multiple color channels. No greyscale conversion is performed, thereby preserving color differences which might be lost in greyscale conversion. Gradients in multiple color channels are merged to compute a single edge snapping vector field from which edge locations are derived. By retaining the multidimensional characterization of the colors that comprise the processed image, a maximum color difference can be calculated using parameters which closely correspond to human perceptions of color. Maximum color difference is formulated using an LUV color model. The Euclidian distance between two pixels characterized using a multidimensional color model more closely approximates a perceived color difference between as compared to the Euclidian distance between the same pixels characterized using a greyscale color model. An edge snapping vector field is derived from these Euclidian distances, thereby providing a more accurate basis for edge detection. |
| US09355455B2 |
Image data processing method and stereoscopic image display using the same
An image data processing method comprises: extracting a depth map from an input image; separating the input image into a foreground area and a background area based on grayscales of the depth map; and modulating the maximum depth value of the input image to become smaller and the difference between depth values of a gray grayscale segment of the depth map to be greater than the difference between depth values of the foreground area and background area of the input image. |
| US09355453B2 |
Three-dimensional measurement apparatus, model generation apparatus, processing method thereof, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium
A three-dimensional measurement apparatus generates a plurality of view-point images obtained by observing a measurement object from a plurality of different view-points using a three-dimensional geometric model, detects edges of the measurement object from the plurality of view-point images as second edges, calculates respective reliabilities of first edges of the three-dimensional geometric model based on a result obtained when the second edges are associated with the first edges, weights each of the first edges based on the respective reliabilities, associates third edges detected from a captured image with the weighted first edges, and calculates a position and an orientation of the measurement object based on the association result. |
| US09355451B2 |
Information processing device, information processing method, and program for recognizing attitude of a plane
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided an information processing device including a data acquisition unit configured to acquire sensor data indicating the direction of gravity exerted on an imaging device configured to image an image in which a physical space is projected, a decision unit configured to decide a relative attitude of a plane in the physical space with respect to the image based on the sensor data, and a conversion unit configured to perform conversion between a three-dimensional position of a given point on the plane and a two-dimensional position in the corresponding image using the attitude decided by the decision unit. |
| US09355450B2 |
Apparatus and method for utilizing mammogram images for verification
A method and apparatus for utilizing mammogram images for verification, including obtaining one or more mammogram image of a patient; determining a first set of breast characteristics from the one or more mammogram image, wherein the first set of breast characteristics include breast landmark, breast tissue density, tissue pattern and breast finding; comparing the first set of breast characteristics with a second set of breast characteristics to yield a comparison, wherein the second set of breast characteristics is from one or more previous mammogram image identified as potentially belonging to the patient using an identification not related to content of a mammogram image; and determining based on the comparison whether the one or more previous mammogram image belongs to the patient. |
| US09355448B2 |
Method and apparatus for image registration
An image registering method includes extracting a first cross-section image from first volume data about a target object, which is acquired via a first image acquisition modality; displaying the first cross-section image; acquiring second volume data about the target object, the second volume data including a second cross-section image corresponding to the first cross-section image and position information of a probe, via a second image acquisition modality using the probe; and registering the first volume data with the second volume data, based on the first cross-section image, the second cross-section image, and the position information of the probe. |
| US09355447B2 |
System and method for gradient assisted non-connected automatic region (GANAR) analysis
A system and method for analyzing medical images of a subject includes acquiring the medical images of the subject and texture images. A computer system determines, using the medical images and the texture feature images, a plurality of segmentation surfaces by iteratively adjusting a relationship between a region growing algorithm that selects a region of interest (ROI) to determine a given segmentation surface and cost function for evaluating the given segmentation surface. The computer system generates a report using the plurality of segmentation surfaces indicating at least boundaries between anatomical structures with functional differences in the medical images. |
| US09355444B2 |
Systems and methods for processing packaged radio-frequency modules identified as being potentially defective
Systems and methods for processing potentially defective individual packaged modules are presented. A Printed Circuit Board (PCB) that includes a set of individual module substrates can be received and an image of a first side of the PCB can be captured by an image capture module which can include one or more cameras. Based on the captured image, it can be determined whether the set of individual module substrates includes previously identified (e.g., inked) individual module substrates that correspond to potentially defective individual module substrates. In response to determining that the set of individual module substrates includes inked individual module substrates, a map of the inked individual module substrates can be created. Based on the map, locations corresponding to the inked individual module substrates can be marked with a laser on a second side of the PCB. |
| US09355441B2 |
Method for closed-loop controlling a laser processing operation and laser material processing head using the same
The present invention relates to a method for closed-loop controlling a processing operation of a workpiece, comprising the steps of: (a) recording a pixel image at an initial time point of an interaction zone by means of a camera, wherein the workpiece is processed using an actuator having an initial actuator value; (b) converting the pixel image into a pixel vector; (c) representing the pixel vector by a sum of predetermined pixel mappings each multiplied by a corresponding feature value; (d) classifying the set of feature values on the basis of learned feature values into at least two classes of a group of classes comprising a first class of a too high actuator value, a second class of a sufficient actuator value and a third class of a too low actuator value at the initial time point; (e) performing a control step for adapting the actuator value by minimizing the error et between a quality indicator ye and a desired value; and (f) repeating the steps (a) to (e) for further time points to perform a closed-loop controlled processing operation. |
| US09355440B1 |
Detection of selected defects in relatively noisy inspection data
Methods and systems for detection of selected defects in relatively noisy inspection data are provided. One method includes applying a spatial filter algorithm to inspection data acquired across an area on a substrate to determine a first portion of the inspection data that has a higher probability of being a selected type of defect than a second portion of the inspection data. The selected type of defect includes a non-point defect. The inspection data is generated by combining two or more raw inspection data corresponding to substantially the same locations on the substrate. The method also includes generating a two-dimensional map illustrating the first portion of the inspection data. The method further includes searching the two-dimensional map for an event that has spatial characteristics that approximately match spatial characteristics of the selected type of defect and determining if the event corresponds to a defect having the selected type. |
| US09355437B2 |
Image position compensation method and apparatus
A method and apparatus of image position compensation are provided. The method may include: measuring an actual height at Z position and a corresponding drop offset of a scanning table; adjusting, according to the drop offset of the scanning table, a vertical coordinate of an image center in the process of post-reconstruction, so as to obtain an adjusted image; and performing an interpolation process on coordinate information and pixel values of a row in the adjusted image, to obtain pixel values of a row in a target image. The target image is an image which has been processed by position compensation. According to the present disclosure, an image generated by a CT apparatus can be compensated to obtain a correct tomographic image and provide accurate image information for medical diagnosis. |
| US09355435B2 |
Method and system for adaptive pixel replacement
A system and method of image processing is provided, including implementing adaptive pixel replacement techniques or reducing noise. The method includes obtaining a data map of an image frame, wherein the data map comprises good pixels and bad pixels at locations associated with the data map. The method also includes assigning different techniques to the bad pixels, wherein a first technique is assigned to a first bad pixel and a second technique is assigned to a second bad pixel. The method further includes adjusting information associated with the bad pixels for a chosen technique for each of the bad pixels. |
| US09355433B1 |
Image stitching in a multi-camera array
Images captured by multi-camera arrays with overlap regions can be stitched together using image stitching operations. An image stitching operation can be selected for use in stitching images based on a number of factors. An image stitching operation can be selected based on a view window location of a user viewing the images to be stitched together. An image stitching operation can also be selected based on a type, priority, or depth of image features located within an overlap region. Finally, an image stitching operation can be selected based on a likelihood that a particular image stitching operation will produce visible artifacts. Once a stitching operation is selected, the images corresponding to the overlap region can be stitched using the stitching operation, and the stitched image can be stored for subsequent access. |
| US09355431B1 |
Image correction for physical projection-surface irregularities
A source image to be projected onto a projection surface is transformed based on a three-dimensional representation of the projection surface to create a modified source image. When the modified source image is projected onto the projection surface, a resulting display image is less distorted as compared to the original source image than a resulting display image would be if the original source image were projected onto the projection surface. |
| US09355426B2 |
Hardware-enforced, always-on insertion of a watermark in a video processing path
A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for inserting a watermark in a media program is described. In an exemplary embodiment, the method comprises the steps of receiving data comprising the media program in the receiver disposed at a subscriber station, generating a watermark, the watermark generated at least in part according to a secure data processor-unique identifier irreversibly stored in the secure data processor, processing the received data to reproduce the media program, and inserting portions of the generated watermark in the reproduced media program at locations determined at least in part according to the secure data processor-unique identifier to produce a watermarked media program provided for display. |
| US09355423B1 |
Reward system related to a vehicle-to-vehicle communication system
System and methods are disclosed for determining, through vehicle-to-vehicle communication, whether vehicles are involved in autonomous droning. Vehicle driving data and other information may be used to calculate a autonomous droning reward amount. In addition, vehicle involved in a drafting relationship in addition to, or apart from, an autonomous droning relationship may be financially rewarded. Moreover, aspects of the disclosure related to determining ruminative rewards and/or aspects of vehicle insurance procurement/underwriting. |
| US09355418B2 |
Alerting servers using vibrational signals
Customer-used objects, such as tabletops, dinnerware, and retail racks, are impregnated with an accelerometer, a processor, and a Bluetooth chip. Taping or knocking such an entity by alerts a worker of a requested service. The accelerometer captures vibration data associated with the tapping or knocking and sends that data to the processor. The processor recognizes the gesture's vibrations. Finally, a recognized gesture will command the Bluetooth chip to send an alert to the server. The invention prevents a customer from second-guessing possible orders or purchases and allows an employee to become more efficient, thus saving time money. |
| US09355414B2 |
Collaborative filtering model having improved predictive performance
For each first entity of a subset of a number of first entities, an expected improvement of a predictive performance of a collaborative filtering model if additional ratings of the first entity in relation to a plurality of second entities were obtained is estimated. Particular first entities from the subset of the first entities of which to obtain the additional ratings in relation to the second entities are selected based at least on the expected improvements that have been determined. The additional ratings of the particular first entities in relation to the second entities are obtained. |
| US09355412B2 |
Dynamic promotional layout management and distribution rules
Systems, methods and computer readable products are provided for enabling dynamic loading of one or more digital image branding functions associated with one or more distribution rules. A distribution rule is used to target a group of end users that are selected from a dataset mapping a plurality of end-users according to one or more distribution rules. Instructions are forwarded to present an indication the digital image branding function to each member of the end users group. |
| US09355411B2 |
Systems and methods for identifying and delivering tailored content based upon a service dialog
The present disclosure identifies and/or delivers tailored content based upon a service dialog. For example, the systems may receive a request for tailored content, facilitate a service dialog to obtain information related to the request, and communicate a plurality of tailored content based upon the information related to the request. Further, the systems may identify tailored content based upon a consumer profile, communicate the tailored content to a web client, and/or receive a selection of the tailored content. Further still, the systems may modify a magazine (e.g., content that is presented electronically) based upon tailored content. |
| US09355406B2 |
Systems and methods for determining image safety
Systems and methods are provided for determining the safety of an image, which may be used to determine whether an image is appropriate for a given purpose or for use in a given context. Determining the safety of the image may include analyzing the image to determine the amount of skin exposed in various key body areas of each human represented in the image, such as a photograph. |
| US09355403B2 |
Adaptable retail pricing environment and electronic exchange, delivering customized mobile shopper rewards and discounts
A mobile device including one or more linked memories to store a mobile application and customer data, the mobile application downloaded from a rewards server associated with a retailer, the customer data associated with a loyalty program of the retailer. The mobile device further includes a processor to display the mobile application via the user interface. The processor displays a log-in page permitting a customer to access at least one retailer account associated with the customer and displays a purchase price, via the mobile application, for at least one product associated with the retailer. The processor updates, upon reception of the customer input indicating selection of a payment option, the at least one retailer account to indicate a deduction of the displayed purchase price from at least one payment account. |
| US09355401B2 |
Remote screen and touch sharing
A method for retrofitting a vending machine with a video communications device includes securing a video communications device with a mounting feature of the video communications device removably coupled with a mounting location on a vending machine. The video communications device includes a video communications module for real-time interactions with a ticket office. The video communications module includes a display, a camera, a speaker, and a microphone. The video communications device includes a video communication device communications interface. The method includes electronically coupling the video communications device with a power supply of the vending machine and communicatively coupling the video communications device with the vending machine such that functions of the vending machine are controllable using the video communications device. The method includes communicatively coupling the video communications device with the ticket office for real-time video communications with the ticket office. |
| US09355397B2 |
Electronic money system, amount-of-money change information transmitter, server, and amount-of-money change information transmitting method
An electronic money terminal is provided to confirm whether a currency terminal has executed money amount change processing when there is no response after transmission of money amount change information to the currency terminal. The electronic money terminal reads and stores a value balance before transmission of money amount change information from an electronic money card. Then, the electronic money terminal transmits the money amount change information to the electronic money card. The electronic money terminal waits for a response from the electronic money card for a predetermined time and, if no response is transmitted, the electronic money terminal forcibly reads a current value balance in the electronic money card. The electronic money terminal compares this value balance with the value balance read before transmission of the money amount change information, determines that the money amount change information has not been carried out in the electronic money card if both the value balances are equal to each other, and determines that the money amount change information has been carried out in the electronic money card if they are different from each other. |
| US09355396B1 |
System and method for providing goods and services during vehicular travel by correlating first and second identifications of a seat on a vehicle using a computer server positioned on the vehicle and a near field communication (NFC) tag positioned on the vehicle and associated with the seat
A system and method according to which goods and services are provided during vehicular travel. In an exemplary embodiment, the vehicle is an airplane operated by a commercial airline. |
| US09355394B2 |
Systems and methods of aggregating split payments using a settlement ecosystem
Systems, apparatuses and methods for enabling a group of people to share the cost of an event, such as a meal, the purchase of a gift, or the rental of a car. Embodiments of the invention provide the tools needed to enable a group to participate in a shared event or activity, where one of the participants pays for the event or activity using their payment device and the other members of the group pay their portion of the cost to the participant who made the payment. Embodiments of the invention provide an ecosystem where a person can pay for an event, goods, or services using a single payment device (such as a credit or debit card) and then settle the amounts owed to them by other members of a group using the tools provided by the invention. |
| US09355387B1 |
System and method for event management and information sharing
Systems and methods are provided for real-time information sharing. A server receives, from a first user device, a request to create an event, a start time and an end time for the event, and a request to share information among a group of user devices only during a sharing duration associated with the start time and the end time. The server receives information from the respective user devices in the group during the sharing duration, and distributes the received information to the group of user devices only during the sharing duration. The distributed information comprises at least one of geographic locations of the group of user devices and imagery taken by one or more respective devices in the group during the event. After the end time, contact information related to one or more user devices in the group is distributed to other user devices in the group. |
| US09355385B2 |
Location services in email and calendaring web services
An application programming interface (API) method for providing location related search capability to clients of an email and calendaring service is disclosed. In response to a request message from a client, a find place method defined in an API provided by an API service is invoked. The find place method parses the request message for parameters such as a query string or source-related identifier indicating a place name or address of a location to be searched, the culture/format for the search and results, a maximum number of results to be provided, the source of the location to search, and geo-coordinates of the place and/or the user. The parameters are used to query specified source(s). The results of the search are filtered and formatted to provide location information to the client. |
| US09355383B2 |
Tracking differential changes in conformal data input sets
Embodiments relate to systems and methods for tracking differential changes in conformal data input sets. A database can store sets of operational data, such as financial, medical, climate or other information. For given data, a portion of the input data can be known or predetermined, while for a second portion can be unknown and subject to interpolation. The interpolation engine can generate a conformal interpolation function and interpolated input sets that map to a set of target output data. The operator can access a view of known (or interpolated) input data to view one or more series of interpolated input data, and analyze the differential between those interpolated values. The operator can for instance apply a constraint or filter to view only those interpolated series whose maximum marginal difference for any variable is less that a given threshold, such as ten percent, and graphically navigate between different series. |
| US09355381B2 |
Asset tracking system with adjusted ping rate and ping period
Asset tracking system that utilizes a time-based ping in which the ping rate and the ping period are based on a predetermined event. Over the period of use of the system and device, the ping rate and ping period are adjusted based on the expected occurrence of an event. The system has lower operational cost, particularly battery maintenance cost, than conventional active ping systems that have a set ping rate or a random ping rate. |
| US09355378B2 |
Systems and methods for identifying and delivering tailored content based upon a service dialog
The present disclosure identifies and/or delivers tailored content based upon a service dialog. For example, the systems may receive a request for tailored content, facilitate a service dialog to obtain information related to the request, and communicate a plurality of tailored content based upon the information related to the request. Further, the systems may identify tailored content based upon a consumer profile, communicate the tailored content to a web client, and/or receive a selection of the tailored content. Further still, the systems may modify a magazine (e.g., content that is presented electronically) based upon tailored content. |
| US09355377B2 |
Carbon dioxide emissions optimized secure cloud computing
Systems and method for deploying CO2 emission and financial cost optimized secured algorithms to cloud computing environments are disclosed. Algorithms are converted into a single state assignment representation that includes a combination of statements that represent sub operations of the algorithm. Runtime and power consumption cost values associated with executing the statements in the cloud are calibrated by executing the statements in a particular configuration of a cloud some number of time with multiple security protocols and then analyzing the results. CO2 emission and financial cost values are mapped to the calibrated runtime and power consumption cost values. The mapped CO2 emission and financial cost values and the calibrated runtime and power consumption cost values are used by a linear program to optimize a partitioning vector of indicators that define which security protocol will be used to execute each statement in the cloud when the algorithm is deployed. |
| US09355376B2 |
Rules library for sales playbooks
Rules created in a computerized sales playbook system are stored in a rules library. Rules can be shared among playbooks, stages, plays, content and other playbook elements. Any playbook element can be associated with one or more rules. Such rules include one or more conditions that trigger the rule. If the conditions are met, then a playbook element is enabled for use by the user. Rules can be selected from the rules library as the playbook is being created. For example, when adding a play or a content item to a play, a user is prompted to add a rule to be associated with the playbook element. If the user adds a rule, an interface is presented allowing the user to select an existing rule from the rules library or create a new rule. If a new rule is created, it is added to the rules library. |
| US09355373B2 |
Outlier detection tool
A test results screening tool allows capture of test item and test results data and provides a reviewer with a robust set of tools for entering screening criteria and display of test results by both test subject and test center. The tool includes parametrically sets flags for unwanted testing behaviors including test item harvesting, test subjects with pre-knowledge of the test subject matter, and proxy test takers for some a portion of a test. |
| US09355372B2 |
Method and system for simplifying implicit rhetorical relation prediction in large scale annotated corpus
The present invention provides a method and system directed to predicting implicit rhetorical relations between two spans of text, e.g., in a large annotated corpus, such as the Penn Discourse Treebank (“PDTB”), Rhetorical Structure Theory corpus, and the Discourse Graph Bank, and particularly directed to determining a rhetorical relation in the absence of an explicit discourse marker. Surface level features may be used to capture pragmatic information encoded in the absent marker. In one manner a simplified feature set based only on raw text and semantic dependencies is used to improve performance for all relations. By using surface level features to predict implicit rhetorical relations for the large annotated corpus the invention approaches a theoretical maximum performance, suggesting that more data will not necessarily improve performance based on these and similarly situated features. |
| US09355367B2 |
System and method for using graph transduction techniques to make relational classifications on a single connected network
A system and method for extending partially labeled data graphs to unlabeled nodes in a single network classification by weighting the data with a weight matrix that uses a modified graph Laplacian based regularization framework and applying graph transduction methods to the weighted data. The technique may be applied to data graphs that are directed or undirected, that may or may not have attributes and that may be homogeneous or heterogeneous. |
| US09355365B2 |
Systems and methods for superconducting integrated circuits
A superconducting integrated circuit may include a magnetic flux transformer having an inner inductive coupling element and an outer inductive coupling element that surrounds the inner inductive coupling element along at least a portion of a length thereof. The magnetic flux transformer may have a coaxial-like geometry such that a mutual inductance between the first inductive coupling element and the second inductive coupling element is sub-linearly proportional to a distance that separates the first inner inductive coupling element from the first outer inductive coupling element. At least one of the first inductive coupling element and the second inductive coupling element may be coupled to a superconducting programmable device, such as a superconducting qubit. |
| US09355362B2 |
Quantum bits and method of forming the same
Methods are provided of forming a Josephson junction (JJ) quantum bit (qubit). In one embodiment, the method comprises forming a JJ trilayer on a substrate. The JJ trilayer is comprised of a dielectric layer sandwiched between a bottom superconductor material layer and a top superconductor material layer. The method further comprises performing a thermal hardening process on the JJ trilayer to control diffusion of the dielectric layer into the bottom superconductor material layer and the top superconductor material layer, and etching openings in the JJ trilayer to form one or more JJ qubits. |
| US09355361B2 |
Inferring user preferences from an internet based social interactive construct
In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for a computer program product embodied in a computer readable medium that, when executing on one or more computers, helps determine an unknown user's preferences through the use of internet based social interactive graphical representations on a computer facility by performing the steps of (1) ascertaining preferences of a plurality of users who are part of an internet based social interactive construct, wherein the plurality of users become a plurality of known users; (2) determining the internet based social interactive graphical representation for the plurality of known users; and (3) inferring the preferences of an unknown user present in the internet based social interactive graphical representation of the plurality of known users based on the interrelationships between the unknown user and the plurality of known users within the graphical representation. |
| US09355360B2 |
Systems and methods for the determining annotator performance in the distributed annotation of source data
Systems and methods for determining annotator performance in the distributed annotation of source data in accordance embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In one embodiment of the invention, a method for clustering annotators includes obtaining a set of source data, determining a training data set representative of the set of source data, obtaining sets of annotations from a set of annotators for a portion of the training data set, for each annotator determining annotator recall metadata based on the set of annotations provided by the annotator for the training data set and determining annotator precision metadata based on the set of annotations provided by the annotator for the training data set, and grouping the annotators into annotator groups based on the annotator recall metadata and the annotator precision metadata. |
| US09355356B2 |
Apparatus and methods for capturing and generating user experiences
Embodiments of apparatus and methods for capturing and generating user experiences are described. In embodiments, an apparatus may include a processor. The apparatus may also include a data storage module, coupled with the processor, to store sensor data collected by a plurality of sensors attached to one or more devices. The apparatus may further include an experience correlation module, coupled with the data storage module, to associate at least a portion of the sensor data with a user experience based at least in part on one or more rules identifying the user experience, to enable regenerating at least a part of the user experience for a user based at least in part on the portion of the sensor data. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed. |
| US09355355B2 |
Rule based automation
Techniques for rule-based automation of an application are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a system includes an event processor, a rule engine, and a plurality of rules. The event processor is configured to detect events affecting execution of an application being monitored by the automation system. Each rule is configured to analyze at least one of the detected events and to provide a result of the analysis that is further analyzed by a different one of the rules. The rule engine is coupled to the event processor and the plurality of rules. The rule engine is configured to apply each rule to at least one of the detected events based on a value of the rule that determines an event type that the rule is configured to analyze. |
| US09355354B2 |
Embedded multi-channel knowledgebase
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for an embedded multi-channel knowledgebase for embedded product support. In one embodiment of the invention, an embedded multi-channel knowledgebase data processing system can be configured for embedded product support. The system can include a consumer appliance, a knowledgebase embedded in the consumer appliance, a help module disposed in the consumer appliance and programmed to provide access to the knowledgebase through the consumer appliance, and multi-channel escalation and reporting logic coupled to the help module. The logic can include program code enabled to escalate support requests in the help module from the embedded knowledgebase to a remote, communicatively coupled response manager over a computer communications network. |
| US09355353B2 |
Method and system for supporting the diagnosis of an object having at least one disturbance
A method and apparatus are provided for aiding diagnosis of an object showing a disorder and for selecting a finding characterizing the state of the object. Each finding is described as a visual pathology by a severity, a symptom constellation of multiple symptoms and by a graphic representation of the symptom constellation. A dialog-based, visual modelling of the state of the object is provided wherein the state of the object is modelled by a current symptom constellation represented by a symbol. The resulting, current object image is immediately graphically output on the display device. Following each case of modification a comparator immediately compares the current symptom constellation against the symptom constellations of stored findings and updates the list of findings of potentially applicable findings. A list of suggestions for examining further symptoms is output, sorted by their differentiation so as to interactively facilitate diagnosis. |
| US09355350B2 |
Co-located antenna and electronic component
An apparatus includes a non-conductive sheet, an electrically conductive coil disposed on the non-conductive sheet, and an electronic component. The non-conductive sheet has a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a third surface extending from the first surface to the second surface, the third surface defining an opening. The electrically conductive coil surrounds the third surface and the third surface surrounds the electronic component, the electronic component being disposed within the opening. |
| US09355346B2 |
Wearing part with a wear indicator and system for wear testing
A wearing part, preferably for a vehicle, contains a wear indicator whose appearance changes depending on a wear condition of the wearing part. The wear indicator contains a multidimensional pattern that is disposed on the wearing part such that different levels of the pattern are exposed depending on the wear condition. |
| US09355344B2 |
Customizing barcode images for particular displays
Techniques for ensuring maximum readability of barcodes displayed in pixel displays. The techniques use the characteristics of the pixel display to determine the form of the barcode in the pixel display. Determination of the form includes determining a size of the barcode winch renders the barcode's elements easily readable by a barcode reader and a shape, and or orientation of the barcode in the display which permits the entire barcode to be displayed in the display. Additionally, in a barcode with redundant information, the amount of redundant information may be reduced in the displayed barcode. The techniques may be applied to both one-dimensional and two-dimensional barcodes. |
| US09355340B2 |
Image capturing device, color measuring device, color measuring system, and image forming apparatus
An image capturing device includes an image capturing unit, a moving unit, a detector, and a determiner. The image capturing unit includes an optical transmission member; and a sensor capturing an image of the subject via the optical transmission member. The moving unit moves the image capturing unit in an optical axis direction of the sensor. The detector detects a contamination from first and second images. The first and second images are captured by the sensor when the image capturing unit is located at first and second positions in the optical axis direction, respectively. The second position is spaced away from the subject than the first position in the optical axis direction. The determiner determines that a contamination is deposited on the optical transmission member when a difference in the number of pixels in which a contamination is detected between the first and second images is less than a threshold. |
| US09355339B2 |
System and method for color reproduction tolerances
Systems and methods for color reproduction tolerances are provided. One method according to the present disclosure may involve selecting a printing configuration, printing a color scale sample using the printing configuration, and scoring the printed color scale sample based at least in part on an extent to which transpositions of the color swatches occur over a color range. When the score of the printed color scale sample indicates a print quality is or will be above a threshold level of quality, a print job using colors of the color range may be printed using the printing configuration. |
| US09355338B2 |
Image recognition device, image recognition method, and recording medium
A delivery device according to the present invention includes a learning image storage unit, a first recognition unit, a second recognition unit, and a registration unit. The learning image storage unit stores at least one piece of learning image. The first recognition unit recognizes a recognition target image using the learning image stored in the learning image storage unit. The second recognition unit recognizes the recognition target image with finer precision than that of the first recognition unit, when the first recognition unit fails to recognize the recognition target image. When the second recognition unit succeeds in recognizing the recognition target image, the registration unit registers information on the successfully recognized recognition target image in a storage unit. |
| US09355334B1 |
Efficient layer-based object recognition
In an example embodiment, a computer-implemented method is disclosed that determines a depth image; detects an object blob in the depth image; segments the object blob into a set of layers; and compares the set of layers associated with the object blob with a set of object models to determine a match. Comparing the set of layers with the set of object models can include determining a likelihood of the object blob as belonging to each of the object models and determining the object blob to match a particular object model based on the likelihood. Further, determining the likelihood of the object blob as belonging to the one of the object models can include computing a recognition score for each layer of the set of layers; and aggregating the recognition score of each layer of the set of layers. |
| US09355332B2 |
Pattern recognition based on information integration
A method for recognizing a primitive in an image includes recognizing at least one primitive in the image to obtain at least one candidate shape of the at least one primitive, which at least one candidate shape has a respective confidence; determining whether the recognizing of the at least one primitive has a potential error based on the confidence; obtaining auxiliary information about the at least one primitive from a user in response to determining that the recognizing has the potential error; and re-recognizing the at least one primitive at least in part based on the auxiliary information. |
| US09355331B2 |
Extracting salient features from video using a neurosynaptic system
Embodiments of the invention provide a method of visual saliency estimation comprising receiving an input sequence of image frames. Each image frame has one or more channels, and each channel has one or more pixels. The method further comprises, for each channel of each image frame, generating corresponding neural spiking data based on a pixel intensity of each pixel of the channel, generating a corresponding multi-scale data structure based on the corresponding neural spiking data, and extracting a corresponding map of features from the corresponding multi-scale data structure. The multi-scale data structure comprises one or more data layers, wherein each data layer represents a spike representation of pixel intensities of a channel at a corresponding scale. The method further comprises encoding each map of features extracted as neural spikes. |
| US09355330B2 |
In-video product annotation with web information mining
A system provides product annotation in a video to one or more users. The system receives a video from a user, where the video includes multiple video frames. The system extracts multiple key frames from the video and generates a visual representation of the key frame. The system compares the visual representation of the key frame with a plurality of product visual signatures, where each visual signature identifies a product. Based on the comparison of the visual representation of the key frame and a product visual signature, the system determines whether the key frame contains the product identified by the visual signature of the product. To generate the plurality of product visual signatures, the system collects multiple training images comprising multiple of expert product images obtained from an expert product repository, each of which is associated with multiple product images obtained from multiple web resources. |
| US09355328B2 |
Image foreground matting method based on neighborhood and non-neighborhood smoothness priors
The present invention discloses an image foreground matting method based on neighborhood and non-neighborhood smoothness priors. The method primarily comprises the steps of: interactively marking foreground points and background points; initializing α values of each unmarked pixel of the input image by a color sampling method, calculating confidence degree of the pixel, and admitting α values of pixels of which confidence degree is larger than a given threshold as known pixels; calculating data term weights, neighborhood smoothness constraint term weights and non-neighborhood smoothness constraint term weights of each pixel in the input image to construct graph patterns of all pixels of the input image; and according to α values of the known pixels, under the constraint of the graph patterns, solving probabilities that each pixel belongs to the foreground by minimizing the energy equation so as to obtain alpha mattes. |
| US09355323B2 |
Image correction method and apparatus for visually impaired person
Disclosed are an image correction method and apparatus for a visually impaired person, which are capable of dividing, enlarging, and photographing a subject to be photographed, correcting images photographed in a divided state, and providing one image. The image correction method includes: a dividing process of dividing a subject to be photographed into at least two zones; an individual photographing process of, by an image photographing unit, photographing each of the divided zones along an arbitrarily set course; an image correcting process of correcting skewness of an image of each of the photographed zones; and an image synthesizing process of synthesizing the corrected images into one image. Thus, the image is divided, enlarged, and photographed, and the photographed images are generated into one image. Thereby, a high-resolution image is provided along with a high character recognition rate and a still image is provided with a high resolution. |
| US09355320B2 |
Blur object tracker using group lasso method and apparatus
A method and apparatus for tracking an object across a plurality of sequential images, where certain of the images contain motion blur. A plurality of normal templates of a clear target object image and a plurality of blur templates of the target object are generated. In the next subsequent image frame, a plurality of bounding boxes are generated of potential object tracking positions about the target object location in the preceding image frame. For each bounding box image frame, a reconstruction error is generated that one bounding box has a maximum probability that it is the object tracking result in the subsequent image frame. |
| US09355317B2 |
Video processing system, video processing method, video processing device for mobile terminal or server and control method and control program thereof
The present invention is to notify a recognition result with respect to a recognition object in a video in real time while maintaining recognition accuracy. A recognition object and m-number of first local characteristic quantities which are respectively 1-dimensional to i-dimensional characteristic vectors are stored in association with each other, and n-number of second local characteristic quantities which are respectively 1-dimensional to j-dimensional characteristic vectors are generated for n-number of local areas respectively including n-number of characteristic points from an image in a video. In addition, a smaller dimension is selected from the dimension i and the dimension j, a recognition that the recognition object exists in an image in the video is made when it is determined that a prescribed proportion or more of the m-number of first local characteristic quantities which are characteristic vectors up to the selected number of dimensions correspond to the n-number of second local characteristic quantities which are characteristic vectors up to the selected number of dimensions, and information representing the recognition object is displayed in superposition on an image in which the recognition object exists in the video. |
| US09355316B2 |
Identifying an obstacle in a route
A system and computer implemented method for identifying an object in a route is disclosed. The method may include capturing a first set of images during a first traversal of a first route. The method may also include capturing a second set of images during a second traversal of the first route. The method may also include identifying, by comparing the first set of images with the second set of images, an object in the second set of images meeting an obstruction criteria. The method may also include providing a notification of the object which was identified as meeting the obstruction criteria. |
| US09355314B2 |
Head-mounted display apparatus and login method thereof
Head-mounted display apparatus and login method thereof are provided. The head-mounted display apparatus includes an image capturing device, a pico-projector, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and an application processor. The image capturing device captures a first eye image and a plurality of second eye images corresponding to a locus image. The ASIC determines whether the first eye image passes an iris recognition test. The application processor controls a pico-projector to project the locus image when the first eye image passes an iris recognition test, and generates a pupil locus based on the plurality of second eye images. The application processor determines whether the pupil locus is compliant with the locus image, and allows a login request if the pupil locus is compliant with the locus image. |
| US09355313B2 |
Detecting and extracting image document components to create flow document
One or more components of an image document may be detected and extracted in order to create a flow document from the image document. Components of an image document may include text, one or more paths, and one or more images. The text may be detected using optical character recognition (OCR) and the image document may be binarized. The detected text may be extracted from the binarized image document to enable detection of the paths, which may then be extracted from the binarized image document to enable detection of the images. In some examples, the images, similar to the text and paths, may be extracted from the binarized image document. The extracted text, paths, and/or images may be stored in a data store, and may be retrieved in order to create a flow document that may provide better adaption to a variety of reading experiences and provide editable documents. |
| US09355309B2 |
Generation of medical image series including a patient photograph
Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media relate to generate an image series that includes a patient image and a medical image. The patient image and the medical image may be associated based on identification information. |
| US09355307B2 |
Method and apparatus for real time performance assessment
An apparatus for monitoring performance comprises two elements: a first element (4) for attaching to a human or animal, containing two or more of physiological, biochemical, kinematic, and/or environmental sensors and a processing means which records in memory signals or derivates of signals from said sensors and contains a means of re-transmitting this data to a second element, and a second element (13, 16) containing a display (12, 17) or audio output to present the processed live or previous recorded data to the user. |
| US09355301B2 |
Enhanced face recognition in video
The computational resources needed to perform processes such as image recognition can be reduced by determining appropriate frames of image information to use for the processing. In some embodiments, infrared imaging can be used to determine when a person is looking substantially towards a device, such that an image frame captured at that time will likely be adequate for facial recognition. In other embodiments, sound triangulation or motion sensing can be used to assist in determining which captured image frames to discard and which to select for processing based on any of a number of factors indicative of a proper frame for processing. |
| US09355300B1 |
Inferring the gender of a face in an image
The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a computer-implemented method that includes receiving a plurality of images having human faces. The method further includes generating a data structure having representations of the faces and associations that link the representations based on similarities in appearance between the faces. The method further includes outputting a first gender value for a first representation of a first face that indicates a gender of the first face based on one or more other gender values of one or more other representations of one or more other faces that are linked to the first representation. |
| US09355298B2 |
Fingerprint authentication apparatus, method, and recording medium
A fingerprint authentication apparatus stores fingerprint data of plural fingers. The fingerprint authentication apparatus stores a history of a result of an authentication process executed using the fingerprint data. The fingerprint authentication apparatus determines the number of accepted fingers, which is the number of fingers from which the fingerprint data is accepted from a user during the authentication process, and a false acceptance rate based upon the history. The fingerprint authentication apparatus accepts the fingerprint data from the fingers in the determined number of accepted fingers. The fingerprint authentication apparatus collates whether each of the accepted fingerprint data coincides or not using the determined false acceptance rate. The fingerprint authentication apparatus authenticates a user based upon a collation result. |
| US09355293B2 |
Code detection and decoding system
A method (2304) of decoding a QR code having two initially detected finder patterns (2901, 2902; 2911, 2912) is provided. The method forms (2402) a pattern matching template (2700, 2800) based on characteristics of the detected finder patterns and determines (2403) at least one candidate region (2904, 2905; 2913, 2914) about the detected finder patterns. The candidate region is typically based at least on the relative positions of the detected finder patterns. The method detects (2404) a previously undetected third finder pattern of the QR code in the at least one candidate region by correlating content of the candidate region with the pattern matching template. With the identified third finder pattern and each of the two initially detected finder patterns, decoding (2305) the QR code can then be performed. Also disclosed is a method of detecting a two-dimensional code comprising known target features and coded data in an image. The target features comprise a continuous black region, enclosed entirely by a continuous white region, enclosed entirely by a continuous black region. The method performs line-by-line connected component analysis (403) of the image to determine candidate features of interest. The line-by-line connected component analysis aggregates metrics corresponding to candidate features of interest. The method evaluates (404) the aggregated metrics to determine how similar each candidate feature of interest is to the target feature and forms (405) a candidate region of interest from multiple candidate features of interest. Typically the target features include the copyright symbol © and the registered trade mark symbol ®. |
| US09355291B1 |
Barcode reader and accessory for the barcode reader
A barcode reader and an accessory are disclosed. The accessory may include an interface system and a wireless and/or wired interface for communication with a host computer such that the barcode reader may communicate with the host computer via the accessory. The interface system includes an authentication coprocessor such that the barcode reader may establish mutual authentication with the host computer using the authentication coprocessor of the interface system. The barcode reader may send a request for an accessory identifier, and the accessory may then query the authentication coprocessor for the accessory identifier and provide the accessory identifier to the barcode reader. The barcode reader may send an authentication challenge to the accessory, and the accessory may then present the authentication challenge to the authentication coprocessor to obtain an authentication response, and provide the authentication response to the barcode reader. |
| US09355290B2 |
Ergonomic machine-readable symbol reader system
Systems and methods that provide a machine-readable symbol reader positioned over a “flip-lid” type cash box. The reader may be affixed directly to the lid of the cash box or affixed to a thin cover pivotally attached to a checkout stand that opens with the lid of the cash box. The lid of the cash box or the thin cover may be level with a surrounding surface of the checkout stand. The reader may have a field of view directed away from the operator (e.g., a cashier) so that the operator may scan objects close to his or her body without requiring extended reaching, which provides an ergonomically desirable work environment. |
| US09355289B2 |
Sterile implant tracking device and method
An assembly and method for tracking implant devices within a sterile field, the assembly comprising a reader that includes a housing structure with a base and a cover, a scanner having a scanner housing, where the scanner housing is at least partially positioned in a cavity provided in the base; and an aperture provided in the cover, where the cover is configured to receive a transparent sterile sheath to at least partially encase the cover. |
| US09355283B2 |
Integration circuit
An integration circuit according to one embodiment includes a first capacitance element, a capacitance circuit, a comparison circuit, a memory circuit and an operation circuit. The first capacitance element receives a current signal. The capacitance circuit includes a first switch and a second capacitance element, and is connected in parallel to the first capacitance element. The second capacitance element receives a current signal via the first switch. The comparison circuit compares a voltage of the first capacitance element with a reference voltage to obtain a comparison result. The memory circuit stores the comparison result, and opens or closes the first switch based on the comparison result. The operation circuit outputs a residual signal based on a difference between the integrated value obtained by the first capacitance element and the second capacitance element and a value based on the comparison result. |
| US09355281B2 |
Apparatus, systems and methods for securely storing media content events on a flash memory device
Systems and methods are operable to securely store media content events on a flash memory device. An exemplary embodiment receives user-provided authorization information, compares the received user-provided authorization information with authorization information associated with the flash memory device, and permits access to a flash memory of the flash memory device when the received user-provided authorization information corresponds to the authorization information. |
| US09355272B2 |
Computing system with privacy mechanism and method of operation thereof
A computing system includes a context module configured to determine a sharing context; an option module, coupled to the context module, configured to generate a sharing option for the sharing context based on a default set for the sharing context, a user's past sharing selection for the sharing context, and a personalization degree for the sharing context; and a privacy preference module, coupled to the option module, configured to estimate a user's privacy preference based on the sharing option. |
| US09355271B2 |
System and method for dynamic, non-interactive, and parallelizable searchable symmetric encryption
A method of searching encrypted data includes generating with a client computing device a search index identifier corresponding to a search term in an encrypted search table and transmitting the search index identifier, a first single use key and a second single use key to a server. The method includes generating a set of decrypted data with the server for a set of data in an encrypted search table corresponding to the search index identifier using the first single use key to decrypt a first portion of the data and the second single use key to decrypt a second portion of the data. The method further includes identifying one or more encrypted files stored on the server that include the encrypted search term based on the decrypted data from the search table, and transmitting the encrypted files or encrypted file identifiers to the client computing device. |
| US09355267B2 |
Integrated file level cryptographical access control
Provided herein are systems and methods for an Integrated File Level Cryptographical Access Control (IFLCAC). The system comprises, on a local computer, an encryption database to store information relating to encrypted files and encryption algorithms, a user interface communicatively linked to the encryption database, an administrator interface communicatively linked to the encryption database independently of the user interface, and a file system gateway communicatively linked to the encryption database that resides above and operates independently of the file system and transparently to any calling application on the local computer. Also provided are methods of using the IFLCAC system and a computer program product comprising a memory tangibly storing computer executable instructions for the IFLCAC system and method and one or more computer readable media tangibly storing computer executable instructions for the IFLCAC system and method. |
| US09355266B2 |
Input by tracking gestures
A computing device arranged for tracking an object in an image stream provided by a camera, said computing device comprising a memory and a controller, wherein said controller is configured to: track at least one object, identify a gesture, wherein said gesture is defined by said tracked at least one object in free space in front of said camera, retrieve an associated command, and execute said associated command, wherein said associated command is a command for controlling access to the computation device. |
| US09355265B2 |
Computer data protection lock
An information handling system includes a lock, a switch, and a south bridge. The lock is configured to receive a key and to alternate between a locked position and an unlocked position. The switch is in communication with the lock. The switch is configured to receive a signal from the lock, to close if the lock is in the locked position, and to open if the lock is in the unlocked position. The south bridge is in communication with the switch. The south bridge is configured to disable a plurality of communication ports of the information handling system when the switch is closed, and configured to enable the communication ports when the switch is opened. |
| US09355261B2 |
Secure data management
The disclosed subject matter includes a method. The method includes determining, by a module running on a computer platform in communication with non-transitory computer readable medium having a plurality of security zones, whether an application instance is in a foreground of a user interface for the computer platform. The method further includes determining, by the module, an alert level associated with the application instance in the foreground of the user interface, wherein the alert level includes at least one of a restriction level and an access level. The method also includes providing the alert level to a user of the computer platform using a visual cue displayed on the user interface. |
| US09355260B2 |
Method and system for securing access to configuration information stored in universal plug and play data models
A method and system for securing access to configuration information stored in universal plug and play data models are provided. The method includes receiving a request to operate on at least one node of a data model from a Control Point (CP), where the data model includes a plurality of nodes and each of the plurality of nodes represents configuration information, determining a role associated with the CP, determining whether the role of CP is in a recommended role list, allowing, if the role is present, the CP to operate on the at least one node, and determining, if the role is not present, whether the CP has a role appropriate for operating on the at least one node based on ACL data associated with the at least one node. Accordingly, the CP is allowed to operate on the at least one node or an error message is returned on a display of the CP. |
| US09355258B2 |
System and method for database privacy protection
The invention relates to a system and a method for privacy preservation of sensitive attributes stored in a database. The invention reduces the complexity and enhances privacy preservation of the database by determining the distribution of sensitive data based on Kurtosis measurement. The invention further determines and compares the optimal value of k-sensitive attributes in k-anonymity data sanitization model with the optimal value of l sensitive attributes in l diversity data sanitization model using adversary information gain. The invention reduces the complexity of the method for preserving privacy by applying k anonymity only, when the distribution of the sensitive data is leptokurtic and optimal value of k is greater than the optimal value of l. |
| US09355257B2 |
Sanitization of virtual machine images
Sanitizing a virtual machine image of sensitive data is provided. A label for a sensitivity level is attached to identified sensitive data contained within each software component in a plurality of software components of a software stack in a virtual machine image based on labeling policies. In response to receiving an input to perform a sanitization of the identified sensitive data having attached sensitivity level labels contained within software components of the software stack in the virtual machine image, the sanitization of the identified sensitive data having the attached sensitivity level labels contained within the software components of the software stack in the virtual machine image is performed based on sanitization policies. |
| US09355254B2 |
Apparatus, system and method for preventing data loss
A device and method are provided for a device that communicates security information to a user entering content into the device. In an aspect, the device may access content from a server over a connection through the network. The device displays the content on a user interface of the device. The device detects information entered into a field of the displayed content and evaluates a security state of the device. If the security state is below a security threshold and, if the entered information is identified as protected information based on stored criteria, the device displaying a visual indication on the user interface. |
| US09355251B2 |
Efficient data transfer in a virus co-processing system
Circuits and methods are provided for detecting, identifying and/or removing undesired content. According to one embodiment, a method for virus co-processing is provided. A general purpose processor stores a data segment to its system memory using a virtual address. The system memory has stored therein a page directory and a page table containing information for translating virtual addresses to physical addresses within a physical address space of the system memory. A virus processing hardware accelerator translates the virtual address of the data segment to a physical address of the data segment based on the page directory and the page table. The hardware accelerator accesses the data segment based on the physical address. The hardware accelerator scans the data segment for viruses by executing multiple pattern comparisons against the data segment. The hardware accelerator returns a result of the scanning to the general purpose processor via the system memory. |
| US09355247B1 |
File extraction from memory dump for malicious content analysis
Techniques for malicious content detection using memory dump are described herein. According to one embodiment, a monitoring module is configured to monitor activities of a malicious content suspect executed within a sandboxed operating environment. In response to detection of one or more predetermined events triggered by the malicious content suspect, a memory dump module is configured to generate a memory dump of the malicious content suspect. An analysis module is configured to analyze the memory dump to determine whether the malicious content suspect should be declared as malicious based on a set of one or more rules. |
| US09355237B2 |
User verification using touch and eye tracking
A method includes receiving at a processor, an indication of a user touching a point on a data entry device, receiving at the processor, an indication of a user gazing in a direction, and comparing via the processor the touched point and the gazing direction to a known touch point and gaze direction to verify the user is an authorized user. |
| US09355234B1 |
Authentication involving selection among different biometric methods dynamically
An authentication technique involves obtaining, by processing circuitry, a set of suitability factors from a user device of a user. The authentication technique further involves performing, based on the set of suitability factors and by the processing circuitry, a selection operation which selects a set of suitable biometric methods to apply during authentication from available biometric methods which are available to the processing circuitry for use in authentication. The authentication technique further involves applying, after the set of suitable biometric methods is selected and by the processing circuitry, the set of suitable biometric methods during an authentication operation to determine whether the user is authentic. Accordingly, poorly suited biometric methods can be ruled out (i.e., made unavailable for use by authentication). |
| US09355230B2 |
Method and system for controlling access to applications on mobile terminal
Various embodiments provide methods and systems for controlling an access to applications on a mobile terminal. In an exemplary method, an opened application can be scanned and an application identification can be obtained. The application identification can be compared with a pre-stored target application identification. When the application identification is compared to be consistent with the pre-stored target application identification, an unlock interface can be displayed. An unlock command can be obtained to run the application on the mobile terminal. An exemplary system for controlling an access to an application on a mobile terminal can include a scanning module, a comparing module, a displaying module, and an executing module. |
| US09355228B2 |
System and method for policy driven protection of remote computing environments
A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, receiving multiple software agents and configuring a network of the multiple software agents according to a predetermined policy. The process can further include facilitating secure communications among software agents of the network of the multiple software agents according to the predetermined policy. A state of one of the system, a system environment within which the system operates, or a combination thereof can be determined, based on the secure communications among the software agents of the network of the multiple software agents. A computing environment can be facilitated conditionally on the state of the one of the system, the system environment, or the combination thereof, according to the predetermined policy to support a mission application. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US09355225B2 |
Smart super-distribution of rights-protected digital content
Disclosed is a system and method for super-distribution of rights-protected digital content. A first terminal offers digital content to a second terminal, using a unique content identifier to identify the content in the request. The second terminal requests information regarding the content from a service provider platform. The content information request includes a terminal type identifier for the second terminal. The service provider platform obtains format capabilities information for the second terminal from a terminal capabilities database, and selects a format type for the content using the format capabilities information. The service provider platform obtains a content object in the selected format type from a content storage database. The service provider platform then delivers the content object in the selected format to the second terminal. |
| US09355224B1 |
System and method for dynamic adjustment of expiration date for authorization key for antivirus products
A system for a dynamic adjustment of expiration date of an authorization key, the system comprising: a security product that will be installed on a predetermined number of computers. The administration key allows a use of the software product on the predetermined number of computers during a predetermined period of time. The plurality of authorization units purchased from a vendor that are the smallest increments of time that a duration period of the authorization key is measured in. The expiration date for all the computers can be updated at any time, depending on the number of computers on which the software is installed at any given time. The administration server determines a beginning and an ending date of a functionality of the authorization key for the security product. The data base receives and stores the beginning and the ending date of the functionality of the authorization key for the security product. The communication means that send the beginning and the ending date of the functionality of the authorization key to the software product. The expiration date of the authorization date dynamically changes when the number of computer on which the product is installed increases or decreases. |
| US09355222B2 |
System and apparatus for item management
Item-management systems, apparatus, and methods are described, preferably for management of items such as medicaments. In embodiments, an item-management system comprises a holder defining plural cells, a docking station configured to receive the holder, at least one indicator selectively-operable to indicate the holder cell into which an item is to be loaded, and at least one controller operable to selectively operate each at least one indicator to indicate the cell into which the item is to be received. In embodiments, indicators are provided on the holder. In other embodiments, the indicators may by on a guide associated with the docking station to assist the user in loading the holder. The contents of the loaded holder may be easily loaded, for example, into an automated dispensing machine for packaging and subsequent administration to a patient or for another use. |
| US09355218B2 |
Secure medication transport and administration system
A portable medication dispensing system is described. In some embodiments, the system includes a portable medication tote comprising a securable compartment configured to hold medication, and a controller, responsive to access information, configured to assign a patient to the securable compartment such that medications for the patient are authorized for placement into the securable compartment. The controller is also configured to selectively permit a user access to the medications for the patient in the securable compartment when the access information indicates the user has access to the securable compartment, and restrict access to retrieval of the medications for the patient in the securable compartment when the access information indicates the user does not have access to the securable compartment. The system also includes an information output module configured to output usage information regarding access to the securable compartment. |
| US09355216B2 |
Using IPTV as health monitor
An IPTV can receive a user name and present a screen enabling a user by means of a remote control to select health information categories, inputting numeric parameters into the selected categories which can be uploaded to an Internet server for analysis and viewed by the user for subsequent monitoring/charting. |
| US09355215B2 |
Connector interface system for data acquisition
A data acquisition system includes a receptacle and a data acquisition device. The receptacle has a housing, sensor inputs to receive data signals from sensors coupled to an object, and a rib to block insertion of a standard Universal Serial Bus (USB) plug and facilitate insertion of a modified USB plug having a slot that mates with the rib. The data acquisition device includes circuitry to receive, store and process data, a USB plug having pins operatively coupled to the circuitry, a first subset of pins configured to receive data signals from the receptacle and a second subset of pins configured to support standard USB communication with USB-compliant devices, and a slot formed in the USB plug such that the slot facilitates interconnection of the USB plug both with standard USB-compliant devices and with the receptacle, the slot mating with the rib to facilitate interconnection. |
| US09355208B2 |
Detecting defects on a wafer
Systems and methods for detecting defects on a wafer are provided. One method includes determining locations of all instances of a weak geometry in a design for a wafer. The locations include random, aperiodic locations. The weak geometry includes one or more features that are more prone to defects than other features in the design. The method also includes scanning the wafer with a wafer inspection system to thereby generate output for the wafer with one or more detectors of the wafer inspection system. In addition, the method includes detecting defects in at least one instance of the weak geometry based on the output generated at two or more instances of the weak geometry in a single die on the wafer. |
| US09355202B2 |
Promoting efficient cell usage to boost QoR in automated design
A method of designing integrated circuits includes forming a restricted cell library from a first cell library by selecting only those cells in the first cell library that are most efficient according to predetermined efficiency criteria and executing an integrated circuit design operation in an electronic design automation program while directing the electronic design automation program to make cell selections exclusively from the restricted cell library. The integrated circuit design operation is one that can be directed to make cell selections from any of the cells in the first cell library without changing its essential purpose. The method improves QoR for the resulting circuit design. |
| US09355193B2 |
Object design data model
Content management includes populating a library with modular objects and metadata associated with the modular objects. In response to a query, the library can be searched based in part on the metadata. The query can relate to implementation of an industrial process. One or more modular objects in the library can be identified as satisfying the query. A result of the query can be output and the output can include the identified modular objects and the respective metadata associated with the identified modular objects. The metadata can be anything known about the object that might not be accessible at runtime control. |
| US09355190B1 |
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. |
| US09355187B2 |
Image forming apparatus to provide data information and an image forming method thereof
An image forming apparatus to provide data information and an image forming method using the same. The image forming apparatus includes a control unit to confirm whether data exists from a server that corresponds to a uniform resource location (URL) of the data if the URL of the data is received, and a user interface unit to provide a user interface to display whether the data exists. Accordingly, malfunction of the image forming apparatus and unnecessary printing can be prevented. |
| US09355186B2 |
Launching applications from webpages
This specification describes technologies relating to launching applications from content items in webpages. In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods that include receiving a content item including a first data element that identifies an application and a second data element that identifies a product. The methods may further include displaying the content item, receiving a user selection of the content item, and, in response, automatically checking if the application is installed on a user device. The methods may further include transmitting a request, including the first data element, to a server and installing the application identified by the first data element on the user device. The methods may further include launching the application with the second data element as an input so that the first content displayed by the application relates to the product. |
| US09355185B2 |
Infinite browse
An online article is enhanced by displaying, in association with the article, supplemental content that includes entities that are extracted from the article and/or entities that are related to entities that are extracted from the article. The supplemental content further includes information about each of the entities. The information about an entity may be obtained by searching for the entity in one or more searchable repositories of data. For example, the supplemental content may include, for each entity, video, image, web, and/or news search results. The supplemental content may further include information such as stock quotes, abstracts, maps, scores, and so on. The entities are selected using a variety of analysis and ranking techniques based on contextual factors such as user-specific information, time-sensitive popularity trends, grammatical features, search result quality, and so on. The entities may further be selected for purposes such as generating ad-based revenue. |
| US09355183B2 |
System and method for contact information integration with search results
A system for contact information integration with search results, comprising a queue manager; an enterprise communications system; and a search engine. Upon receipt of search query from a user, the search engine submits a request to the queue manager. The queue manager: obtains from the enterprise communications system a communications status comprising an estimated wait time; sends a notification to the search engine advising the search engine of the estimated wait time for service; and upon receiving from the search engine a request to generate a callback to the user from the enterprise of a specific communications type, directing an enterprise communications system of the enterprise that is associated with the specific communications type to initiate a callback to the user from whom the search engine query was received in response to the callback request received from the search engine. |
| US09355182B2 |
System and method for text disambiguation and context designation in incremental search
Methods and systems for text disambiguation and context designation in incremental search are provided. A method for selecting items in response to ambiguous keystrokes entered by a user and unambiguous metadata associated with a previously selected search result includes receiving ambiguous keystrokes, selecting and presenting a first subset of items and metadata associated with the items presented based on the ambiguous keystrokes. The method also includes receiving a selection of one of the items from the user, and, in response to a locking operation received from the user, locking in fixed relation at least one of the ambiguous keystrokes to at least one metadata term associated with the selected item. The method further includes, subsequent to receiving the locking operation, selecting and presenting a second subset of items based at least in part on the locked metadata term, and presenting the second subset of items. |
| US09355175B2 |
Triggering answer boxes
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for enhancing search results. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a query. A plurality of search results responsive to the query are identified. The search results are analyzed to determine that at least a first search result is associated with a first answer box topic. The search results are provided along with an answer box precursor for the first answer box topic. |
| US09355173B1 |
User keywords as list labels
Disclosed are various embodiments for forming relationships among items to enhance user experiences in navigating a content database. A user may initiate a request to associate a keyword or label with an item. The keyword may be associated with the user to form a user-keyword association and may be associated with the item to form an item-keyword association. If the item-keyword association meets a predefined threshold, the keyword may be surfaced as a community keyword corresponding to the item. |
| US09355172B2 |
Data trend analysis
According to an example, a method for data trend analysis may include retrieving data from data sources, associating the data with a time, and identifying co-occurrences of terms and concepts within the data. In response to determining that co-occurrences of term and concept pairs reach a predefined threshold, the method may include adding the term and concept pairs to an ontology. The method may include logging occurrences of terms in the ontology within the data with respect to associated data times, identifying a plurality of time periods, and for one of the plurality of time periods and for the logged terms, determining a first score indicative of a weighted term frequency metric for a logged term within the data during the one time period, and determining a second score indicative of a commonality of a presence of the logged term within the data among the plurality of time periods. |
| US09355168B1 |
Topic based user profiles
A system and method for developing a user's profile based on the user's interaction with content items. A module on the client rendering the content items or the service including the content items tracks the user's interactions with the content items and transmits the tracked data to a user analysis module. The user analysis module determines the topics associated with the interacted upon content items. The user analysis module then selects the topics for the user's profiles based on the received tracked data and the associated topics. The selected topics are stored in association with the user profile. |
| US09355167B2 |
Systems and methods for the distributed categorization of source data
Systems and methods for the crowdsourced clustering of data items in accordance embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In one embodiment of the invention, a method for determining categories for a set of source data includes obtaining a set of source data, determining a plurality of subsets of the source data, where a subset of the source data includes a plurality of pieces of source data in the set of source data, generating a set of pairwise annotations for the pieces of source data in each subset of source data, clustering the set of source data into related subsets of source data based on the sets of pairwise labels for each subset of source data, and identifying a category for each related subset of source data based on the clusterings of source data and the source data metadata for the pieces of source data in the group of source data. |
| US09355161B1 |
System and method for event-driven live migration of multi-process applications
A system and method for event-driven live migration of applications between two or more servers. Primary applications runs on primary hosts and one or more replicated instances of each primary application run on one or more backup hosts. Event driven live migration is provided through a combination of process replication, logging, barrier synchronization, reliable messaging and message playback. The event driven live migration is transparent to the application and requires no modification to the application, operating system, networking stack or libraries. |
| US09355155B1 |
Method for using supervised model to identify user
A system and method comprising receiving information consequent to communication between a user and the computer system, performing one or more queries based at least in part on the information, and computing a set of frequency values for results of the one or more queries. The system and method further comprises determining at least one confidence score for the one or more queries based at least in part on an outcome of evaluating the set of frequency values against one or more sets of decision rules, and, based at least in part on the at least one confidence score, outputting at least one user identity associated with the at least one confidence score. |
| US09355154B2 |
Media sequencing method to provide location-relevant entertainment
Systems, methods, and computer-program products are described for determining current location information which includes determining whether an object is moving by comparing the current location information with previous location information. Future location information is calculated and a point of interest is filtered using the future location information. A media asset is then matched to the filtered point of interest and a current score is determined for the matched media asset. Determining a current score includes determining a window in which the matched media asset is geographically relevant to the future location information, and updating the matched media asset score when the future location information changes. An ordered playlist is dynamically generated according to the future location information by repeatedly prioritizing and sequencing matched media assets according to the current score for each matched media asset, and matched media assets are played or displayed in the ordered playlist. |
| US09355149B2 |
Apparatus and method for efficiently processing multiple continuous aggregate queries in data streams
An apparatus and a method for efficiently processing multiple continuous aggregate queries in data streams are provided. The apparatus includes a first operation result sharing unit configured to generate a common window including first aggregate areas, and store a first operation result of each of the multiple continuous aggregate queries for each of the first aggregate areas. The apparatus further includes a second operation result sharing unit configured to determine a second aggregate area including at least one of the first aggregate areas, and store a second operation result of each of the multiple continuous aggregate queries for the second aggregate area. The apparatus further includes a query processing unit configured to process the multiple continuous aggregate queries based on the first operation result and the second operation result. |
| US09355148B2 |
Systems and methods for in-memory processing of events
Systems and methods for in-memory processing of events are provided. A set of unique elements of a plurality of queries is determined. Each query is executed on a defined schedule and time duration. A plurality of events in an event stream are received. The events are filtered using the set of unique elements. For each query, a query result for each filtered event is determined. For each query, in-memory aggregation of the query result of each filtered event is provided. |
| US09355146B2 |
Efficient partitioned joins in a database with column-major layout
Embodiments of the present invention provide a database processing system for efficient partitioning of a database table with column-major layout for executing one or more join operations. One embodiment comprises a method for partitioning a database table with column-major layout, partitioning only the join-columns by limiting the partitions by size and number, executing one or more join operations for joining the partitioned columns, and optionally de-partitioning the join result to the original order by sequentially writing and randomly reading table values using P cursors. |
| US09355134B1 |
Facilitating data redistribution in database sharding
Disclosed are various embodiments for facilitating data redistribution in database sharding. A database is maintained that is horizontally partitioned into a set of first buckets using modulo-based assignments. A fixed number of the first buckets are stored in each of multiple physical data stores. The database is repartitioned into a set of second buckets using modulo-based assignments. The number of second buckets in the set is a multiple of the sum of a positive integer and the quantity of the physical data stores. The data in the database is unmoved between the physical data stores by repartitioning. |
| US09355132B1 |
Tiered arrays
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for using tiered arrays to represent aggregated software dependencies. One of the methods includes receiving a request to generate a range of contiguous indexes having non-default values represented by a tiered array having a plurality of tiers, wherein each non-default element of each tier is a reference to a catalog at a lower tier except for a bottom-most tier of the tiered array that stores non-default values, wherein the request specifies a start index. After descending one or more tiers in the tiered array to identify a first index that (i) is greater than or equal to the start index and (ii) has a non-default value, a system ascends one or more tiers in the tiered array and subsequently descends again to identify a second index that is a last index in a contiguous sequence of indexes having non-default values from the first index up to and including the second index. |
| US09355130B1 |
Method and system for component parameter management
Electronic Design Automation software displays parameters of a component in a graphical user interface. According to an embodiment, parameters of a component may be filtered through the use of a query. A Component Parameter Manager may search through parameter fields in a CDF file for components that match the query and emphasize the matching parameters in a graphical user interface. The parameter fields in a CDF file may also be augmented by a separate file to add search instructions or additional parameter fields. The augmentation helps facilitate a search by the Component Parameter Manager. The augmentations to a CDF file may be provided in a editable file separate from the CDF file. |
| US09355129B2 |
Scheduling queries using a stretch metric
A query scheduler orders queries in a queue. Each query is executed based on its position in the queue. When a new query is received, the new query is inserted in the queue. A position in the queue for inserting the new query is determined based on a stretch metric for each query in the queue. |
| US09355128B2 |
Using a sequence object of a database
A method and system of managing a database is disclosed. The database may be structured to include a sequence object. The sequence object can have a set of sequential values. The set of sequential values may be used as a set of key values for a set of jobs. A count of jobs accessing the sequence object may be monitored. Based on the count of jobs accessing the sequence object, a quantity of sequential values of the set of sequential values may be allocated. |
| US09355125B2 |
Operation management support device, operation management support method, and recording medium
A method includes when an management flow made of a combination of management components for performing given management actions on an apparatus targeted for management is created, and a parameter specifying a search condition for searching for a specific piece of configuration information of the apparatus from a configuration management database having the configuration information registered therein is set for the management component included in the created management flow, acquiring an arrangement of element information leading to element information in which the parameter is settable as attribute information from the configuration management database, based on the set parameter, generating search condition information for searching for the configuration information in which the parameter is set as attribute information, from the acquired arrangement of element information; and, adding the generated search condition information to the management component included in the created management flow. |
| US09355122B1 |
Filtering applications using runtime inspection
Functionality is disclosed herein for determining whether an application is a resolution-compatible application or a resolution-incompatible application. An application is launched. One or more screenshots are taken while the application is launching or running. The one or more screenshots are broken into different regions that are then classified as blurry regions or non-blurry regions. The screenshot is determined to be blurry or non-blurry based on the classifications of the different regions as blurry regions or non-blurry regions. The application may then be classified as being a resolution-compatible application or a resolution-incompatible application based upon whether the screenshot is determined to be blurry or non-blurry. |
| US09355120B1 |
Systems and methods for managing files in a content storage system
Systems and methods that allow operators to configure how files and directories are placed within file system views into a storage system, and how these configured file placements are performed by the distributed system. Possible features include a mechanism by which the desired placement of files and directories can be specified, a mechanism by which the placement goals can be realized in a given topology of a distributed system, and a mechanism by which changes to the placement of objects can applied retroactively. The disclosed embodiments may be able to scale to managing hundreds of billions of files spanning thousands of file system views, especially in the presence of disconnected operation. |
| US09355117B1 |
Techniques for backing up replicated data
Techniques for backing up replicated data are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for backing up replicated data comprising identifying replicated data on a primary node and a secondary node, and determining whether a backup is capable of being performed on the secondary node. In the event a backup is capable of being performed on the secondary node, the method may create a backup copy of the identified replicated data on the secondary node, and in the event a backup is not capable of being performed on the secondary node, the method may create a backup copy of the identified replicated data on the primary node. |
| US09355116B2 |
Cross-file differential content synchronization using cached patches
Methods, systems and techniques for synchronizing content, such as a file, between one or more clients and one or more servers are provided. Example embodiments provide a Cross-File Differential Content Synchronization System (CDCSS) to synchronize files between remote systems in a nearly instantaneous manner without necessitating the transfer of the entire contents of a file. These components cooperate to transfer only the differences in data content wherever possible to a recipient system by providing a patch mechanism that instructs the recipient to build the modified or new data content based upon content it already has access to. In addition, in one embodiment the CDCSS synchronization solution provides a client-based index, rather than a server-based index, for tracking patches and files, which reduces the amount of computational and I/O overhead on the server and which does not require a negotiation between a client and a server to provide an update. |
| US09355115B2 |
Client application file access
One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for providing a client application with access to a file based upon a local offline version of the file and/or web online version of the file. That is, a file may be shared/synchronized from a remote source, such as a web storage service. A web online version of the file may be maintained by the web storage service, while local offline versions of the file may be stored at client devices. A sync module comprising knowledge of the local and/or web versions of the file may provide a client application with access to the file based upon the local and/or web version of the file. The sync module may also delegate synchronization authorization to the client application given that the client application may comprise sophisticated file handling functionality. |
| US09355107B2 |
Crime investigation system
A computer-implemented crime investigation system having a computer including a processor is operable to: receive and store one or more image data items, each of which shows one or more offenders in the process of committing an offence; authenticate a user belonging to a first access group; receive, via an application interface, case information from said user; attach portions of said case information, as indicated by said user using said application interface, to one or more of said image data items, as also indicated by said user using said application interface; search at least one of: said image data items or said case information based on search parameters; and return one or more search result image data items, having at least one of image data or attached case information which matches said search parameters, together with any of said case information attached to said search result image data items. |
| US09355105B2 |
Indexing of large scale patient set
Systems and methods for indexing data include formulating an objective function to index a dataset, a portion of the dataset including supervision information. A data property component of the objective function is determined, which utilizes a property of the dataset to group data of the dataset. A supervised component of the objective function is determined, which utilizes the supervision information to group data of the dataset. The objective function is optimized using a processor based upon the data property component and the supervised component to partition a node into a plurality of child nodes. |
| US09355104B1 |
Intelligent pairing using a lookup database for snapshot based backups
This disclosure relates to a method, article of manufacture, and apparatus of intelligent pairing using a lookup database for snapshot based backups. In some embodiments, this includes obtaining a snapshot method, locating a source to be backed up, searching a database using the source and the snapshot method, if the searching did not find at least one matching record, locating a target device in a storage group and pairing the target device with the source, if the searching found at least one matching record, obtaining a corresponding target device from the at least one matching record and pairing the corresponding target device with the source, and performing a backup of the source using the snapshot method. |
| US09355103B2 |
System and method for bandwidth optimization in a network storage environment
According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, a network cache intercepts data requested by a client from a remote server interconnected with the cache through one or more wide area network (WAN) links (e.g., for Wide Area File Services, or “WAFS”). The network cache stores the data and sends the data to the client. The cache may then intercept a first write request for the data from the client to the remote server, and determine one or more portions of the data in the write request that changed from the data stored at the cache (e.g., according to one or more hashes created based on the data). The network cache then sends a second write request for only the changed portions of the data to the remote server. |
| US09355096B1 |
Food storage container tag system and method
This disclosure relates to a system configured to electronically store dish information on tags coupled with storage containers. The system may include near field communication components that facilitate an improved meal preparation and/or meal storage experience for users. Containers (e.g., cups, bowls, plates, etc.) may be coupled with an individual tag that is configured to electronically store information about the container, the contents of the container, and/or other information. By including such components in the system a given container coupled with a corresponding tag may become “smart.” For example, a sensor included in a scale may recognize a tag and/or determine information related to the contents of the container when the container is placed on and/or near the scale. |
| US09355094B2 |
Motion responsive user interface for realtime language translation
A data processing apparatus receives data indicating a movement of a client device by a first user. The apparatus determines that the movement of the client device is a delimiter motion for switching between a first mode, in which the client device is configured to (i) provide a first interface for a first user speaking in a first language and (ii) perform speech recognition of the first language, and a second mode, in which the client device is configured to (i) provide a second interface for a second user speaking in a second language and (ii) perform speech recognition of the second language, the second interface being different from the first interface. Based on determining that the movement is a delimiter motion, the apparatus switches between the first mode and the second mode without the second user physically interacting with the client device. |
| US09355093B2 |
Method and apparatus for referring expression generation
Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products are described herein that are configured to perform referring expression generation. In some example embodiments, a method is provided that comprises identifying an intended referent to be referred to in a textual output. The method of this embodiment may also include determining that a salient ancestor of the intended referent is lower in a part-of hierarchy than a lowest common ancestor. The method of this embodiment may also include causing the salient ancestor to be set as a current target referent and a new salient ancestor to be determined for the current target referent. In some example embodiments, the default descriptor of each current target referent is added to the referring noun phrase and the part-of hierarchy is traversed via salient ancestor links until the new salient ancestor of the current target referent is higher than or equal to the lowest common ancestor. |
| US09355088B2 |
Feature completion in computer-human interactive learning
A collection of data that is extremely large can be difficult to search and/or analyze. Relevance may be dramatically improved by automatically classifying queries and web pages in useful categories, and using these classification scores as relevance features. A thorough approach may require building a large number of classifiers, corresponding to the various types of information, activities, and products. Creation of classifiers and schematizers is provided on large data sets. Exercising the classifiers and schematizers on hundreds of millions of items may expose value that is inherent to the data by adding usable meta-data. Some aspects include active labeling exploration, automatic regularization and cold start, scaling with the number of items and the number of classifiers, active featuring, and segmentation and schematization. |
| US09355087B2 |
Identification of content in an electronic document
In some embodiments, a method includes receiving an electronic document that comprises a plurality of sections. The method includes marking the plurality of sections as a content section or a non-content section using a visual attribute of the sections that includes at least one of a width of the section, a density of the plurality of hyperlinks in the section, a size of a font of text in the section and whether a title of the electronic document overlaps with text in the section. The method also includes storing the marking other plurality of sections of the electronic document in a machine-readable medium. |
| US09355085B2 |
System and method for formatting a cell in response to data stored in a separate location
A data cell included in a document supporting cell structured data is conditionally formatted according to data that is stored in a separate location from the document. A user is allowed to select from a drop-down menu of related data sets a particular data set for conditionally formatting the data cell. The data cell is formatted according to the data set and the condition without requiring that the data set be stored locally in the document. |
| US09355084B2 |
Systems, computer-program products and methods for annotating documents by expanding abbreviated text
Systems, computer-program products and methods for annotating electronic text documents by resolving abbreviated text of concepts defined in a controlled vocabulary. In one embodiment, a method of annotating an electronic text document includes evaluating, by a computer, the electronic text document for one or more multi-word expressions having a first word and a second word. The method further includes, if a multi-word expression is found in the electronic text document, storing an abbreviation of the multi-word expression and evaluating the electronic text document for occurrences of the abbreviation after a location of the multi-word expression. The method further includes, if an occurrence of the abbreviation is found following the multi-word expression, annotating the occurrence of the abbreviation with the multi-word expression. |
| US09355083B1 |
Systems and methods for generating an edit script
Described herein is a computer implemented method for generating a hierarchical edit script describing operations which can be applied to a first dataset to generate a second dataset. The method comprises: generating a first linear sequence representing the first dataset and a second linear sequence representing the second dataset; processing the first linear sequence and the second linear sequence using a difference algorithm to generate a linear edit script; processing the linear edit script with reference to the first dataset to generate a first delta; processing the second linear edit script with reference to the second dataset to generate a second delta; and processing the first and second deltas to generate a hierarchical edit script. |
| US09355078B2 |
Display time of a web page
A method for determining a display time of a page is provided, including the following method operations: receiving a request for page data from a client; in response to the request, sending the page data to the client, the page data defining a page when rendered by the client, the rendered page including a page event module configured to detect and log events in a beacon for transmission, the events being selected from a group comprising a page unhide event, a page hide event, and a page unload event; receiving the beacon from the client; reading events logged in the beacon; and determining a display time of the page based on the events logged in the beacon. |
| US09355074B1 |
Display-content alteration for user interface devices
Systems and processes for data presentation may be implemented with a variety of operations and techniques. In particular aspects, a system and process for data presentation may include the ability to receive a data request at a data distribution device and determine data responsive to the data request, the responsive data including textual data. The system and process may also include the ability to modify the textual responsive data based on a user interface for visually presenting the textual responsive data and generate a data response including the modified textual responsive data. |
| US09355073B2 |
Content attribute control interface including incremental, direct entry, and scrollable controls
Embodiments provide content attribute adjustment controls that enable the use of a variety of input types when adjusting content attributes such as font sizes, but the embodiments are not so limited. In an embodiment, a computer-based method uses a font size control interface that is configured to accept a variety of input types to adjust font sizes. A handheld device of an embodiment includes at least one application that uses a font size control interface configured with first and second incremental controls, a direct entry control, and/or a scrollable control. Computer storage of an embodiment includes executable instructions that operate to display a font size control interface that accepts inputs via one or more of first and second incremental controls, a direct entry control, and/or a scrollable control. Other embodiments are included. |
| US09355070B2 |
System and method of using spatially independent subsets of data to determine the uncertainty of soft-data debiasing of property distributions for spatially correlated reservoir data
A system and method, implemented on a computer, for determining the uncertainty of soft-data debiasing of property distributions of spatially correlated reservoir data are provided. The method includes inputting, into the computer, soft-data at a plurality of spatial locations on a grid and hard-data at a plurality of location along well paths that intersect the grid. Each location of the hard-data is collocated with soft-data values of one or more types. The method further includes calculating, using the computer, a variogram of the hard-data and creating subsets of independent hard-data using the variogram and the soft-data values that are collocated with each of the hard-data location; applying, using the computer, a bootstrap process on each of the plurality of subsets of independent hard-data to obtain a plurality of bootstrap data sets from each of the plurality of subsets of independent hard-data; calculating soft-data debiased histograms for each of the obtained plurality of bootstrap data sets using a binary decision tree and the collocated soft-data; and characterizing the uncertainty of the soft-data debiased histograms. |
| US09355067B1 |
Distribution of parameter calculation for iterative optimization methods
Systems and methods are disclosed for distributed first- or higher-order model fitting algorithms. Determination of the parameter set for the objective function is divided into a plurality of sub-processes, each performed by one of a plurality of worker computers. A master computer coordinates the operation of the plurality of worker computers, each operating on a portion of the parameter set such that no two worker computers contain exactly the same parameter subset nor the complete parameter set. Each worker computer performs its sub-processes on its parameter subset, together with training data. For maximum efficiency, the sub-processes are performed using a compact set of instruction primitives. The results are evaluated by the master computer, which may coordinate additional sub-process operations to perform higher-order optimization or terminate the optimization method and proceed to formulation of a model function. |
| US09355066B1 |
Accelerated calculation of array statistics
The present disclosure describes systems and techniques relating to calculation of array statistics. According to an aspect of the described systems and techniques, a device includes: a memory configured to store a data array and a counter array, wherein the data array includes multiple values, and each of the multiple values is encoded in a respective row of the data array, and wherein the counter array includes multiple counters, respective columns of the counter array correspond to respective ones of the counters, and rows of the counter array correspond with bit significance positions spanning the multiple counters; and processor electronics configured to add up a number bits found in respective columns of the data array using respective ones of the multiple counters. |
| US09355059B2 |
Automating user's operations
To select a communication sequence for automating user's operations, a system performing a user's operation is provided, which acquires and stores a communication history of a client with a server in receipt of a user's operation; accesses the storage to detect from the history a plurality of communication sequences that cause the same screen transition on the client; accesses the storage to select an input parameter that is included in all of the plurality of communication sequences and that has a parameter value changed for each communication sequence; accepts an input of a new parameter value to be set as a value of the selected input parameter; and sets the new parameter value to the selected input parameter in response to the input of the new parameter value, to execute a communication sequence that causes the same screen transition as that caused by the detected communication sequences. |
| US09355058B2 |
High performance interconnect physical layer
A periodic control window is embedded in a link layer data stream to be sent over a serial data link, where the control window is configured to provide physical layer information including information for use in initiating state transitions on the data link. The link layer data can be sent during a link transmitting state of the data link and the control window can interrupt the sending of flits. In one aspect, the information includes link width transition data indicating an attempt to change the number of active lanes on the link. |
| US09355057B2 |
Universal serial bus repeater
A method and system for communicating data between two devices are described herein. The method detects an electrical signal of a first protocol from a first device in a repeater, wherein the first protocol comprises single-ended signaling. The method also determines the speed of the electrical signal. Additionally, the method converts the electrical signal of the first protocol into an electrical signal of a second protocol based on the speed of the electrical signal. The second protocol comprises differential signaling. Furthermore, the method sends the electrical signal of the second protocol to a second device. In addition, the method stops the electrical signal of the second protocol to the second device when the electrical signal of the second protocol indicates an end of data flow. |
| US09355056B2 |
Communication apparatus with slew rate feedback
In accordance with one or more example aspects of the disclosure, communications are effected on a bus using bit time and slew rate feedback. As consistent with one or more embodiments, communications are effected in a network including a master circuit and a plurality of slave circuits, on bus that is controlled by the master circuit corresponding to master and slave data communication. A feedback signal is provided, which is indicative of a slew rate and bit time of signals communicated between the master and slave circuits on the bus. Data is transmitted on the bus by generating output signals via a waveform corresponding to an input signal, and controlling the waveform based upon the slew rate and bit time indicated via the feedback signal. |
| US09355048B2 |
Method for implementing secure data channel between processor and devices
Apparatuses, systems, and methods are directed to securely store, transfer, and/or process data especially sensitive data sent from input devices to processors. In one embodiment, sensitive data may be packaged with at least one interrupt vector to provide a single posted write transaction initiated by an input device. The single posted write transaction may then be directly sent to a predetermined memory block allocated from a processor. In response to the single posted write transaction, a memory decoder associated with the processor may generate an emulated message signaled interrupt (MSI) signal to invoke an interrupt handler or an interrupt service routine (ISR) to service the emulated MSI using interrupt data, including the sensitive data, retrieved from the predetermined memory block. Once the sensitive data are processed by the processor, they may be removed from the processor before the processor exits the interrupt handler. |
| US09355040B2 |
Adjunct component to provide full virtualization using paravirtualized hypervisors
A system configuration is provided with a paravirtualizing hypervisor that supports different types of guests, including those that use a single level of translation and those that use a nested level of translation. When an address translation fault occurs during a nested level of translation, an indication of the fault is received by an adjunct component. The adjunct component addresses the address translation fault, at least in part, on behalf of the guest. |
| US09355036B2 |
System and method for operating a system to cache a networked file system utilizing tiered storage and customizable eviction policies based on priority and tiers
A network attached storage (NAS) caching appliance, system, and associated method of operation for caching a networked file system. Still further, some embodiments provide for a cache system that implements a mufti-tiered, policy-influenced block replacement algorithm. |
| US09355035B2 |
Dynamic write priority based on virtual write queue high water mark for set associative cache using cache cleaner when modified sets exceed threshold
A set associative cache is managed by a memory controller which places writeback instructions for modified (dirty) cache lines into a virtual write queue, determines when the number of the sets containing a modified cache line is greater than a high water mark, and elevates a priority of the writeback instructions over read operations. The controller can return the priority to normal when the number of modified sets is less than a low water mark. In an embodiment wherein the system memory device includes rank groups, the congruence classes can be mapped based on the rank groups. The number of writes pending in a rank group exceeding a different threshold can additionally be a requirement to trigger elevation of writeback priority. A dirty vector can be used to provide an indication that corresponding sets contain a modified cache line, particularly in least-recently used segments of the corresponding sets. |