| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09425693B2 |
Systems and methods for high power DC/DC conversion using voltage converter cells
A voltage conversion system and methods are disclosed. Voltage converter cells are controlled using interleaved phase-shift modulation signals, and convert an input electrical current at an input voltage to an output electrical current at an output voltage. Each of the voltage converter cells comprises: a transformer comprising a primary side and a secondary side, a full-bridge voltage converter connected in parallel to the primary side, and center-tapped rectifiers connected in series to the secondary side. One or more group of outputs of the voltage converters are coupled in series via the center-tapped rectifiers. |
| US09425685B2 |
DC-DC voltage converter and conversion method
A DC-DC converter uses a switched capacitor arrangement. A filter capacitor is connected between one terminal of the capacitor arrangement and a fixed voltage line and a calibration arrangement is used for setting or enabling selection of the capacitance of the filter capacitor.In this way, a capacitance is added to a terminal of the switched capacitor arrangement. The capacitance value can be chosen or adjusted to keep the DC-DC converter current capability within specification limits. |
| US09425682B2 |
Start-up circuit and method for AC-DC converters using a depletion mode transistor
An AC-DC power converter includes a rectifying unit for generating a rectified voltage, an output stage for converting the rectified voltage into a DC voltage for a load, a controller for controlling the output stage, and a start-up circuit. The start-up circuit includes a first power section coupled to the rectifying unit and configured to generate a first voltage from the rectified voltage and to output the first voltage to the controller to enable the controller before the output stage starts outputting power. The first power section includes a depletion mode transistor having a first terminal configured to receive the rectified voltage and a second terminal configured to output the first voltage. |
| US09425681B2 |
Battery energy storage and power system
Battery energy storage arranged to be connected to a direct current capacitor, which is connected in parallel to a power converter. The battery energy storage includes a battery module and a controllable voltage source adapted to inject a voltage opposite to a voltage ripple of the direct current capacitor. A power system including such battery energy storage and a direct current capacitor is also disclosed. |
| US09425679B2 |
Inverter apparatus and solar power generation system
An inverter apparatus comprising a first switch group that is connected to a DC power source and includes a first switch and a second switch connected in series; a capacitor that has one end thereof connected to a first connection point between the first switch and the second switch; a second switch group that is connected in parallel with the capacitor and includes a third switch and a fourth switch that are connected in series; a switch control section that controls an ON/OFF state of the first switch, the second switch, the third switch, and the fourth switch to convert DC voltage from the DC power source into AC voltage and output the AC voltage from a second connection point between the third switch and the fourth switch; and a smoothing circuit that is connected to the second connection point and normalizes a pulse waveform of the AC voltage. |
| US09425677B2 |
Grid-interconnected power converter
A power converter that includes: a power conversion unit; and a control unit configured to control the power conversion unit such that the power conversion unit operates as a virtual synchronous generator. The control unit includes: an AVR model unit; a governor and driving source model unit; a power generation torque arithmetic operation unit; a rotation angle arithmetic operation unit; a voltage d-q conversion unit; and a generator model unit configured to perform arithmetic operation. |
| US09425676B2 |
Control method for series resonant converter
Disclosed is a control method for a series resonant converter is provided, which includes: a feedback signal is acquired by collecting an analog output signal of a series resonant converter, and an operating frequency of the series resonant converter is changed according to the feedback signal; the series resonant converter adopts a hybrid control mode combing frequency and width modulation with width-fixed frequency modulation when lightly loaded or unloaded and a frequency modulation control mode when heavily loaded, wherein a switching can be conducted between the hybrid control mode and the frequency modulation control mode through hysteresis control. By adopting a hybrid control mode when a series resonant converter is lightly loaded or unloaded and switching between the hybrid control mode and a frequency modulation control mode through hysteresis control, the disclosure effectively addresses the problem that the voltage of a series resonant converter is unstable when the series resonant converter is lightly loaded or unloaded at a low voltage, effectively expands the output range of the series resonant converter, and also addresses the problems that it is difficult to control a loop due to the monotony of the gain of an output voltage during a duty cycle adjustment process. |
| US09425669B2 |
Ball joint universal rotary motor, a manufacturing method and a working mechanism thereof
Described herein is a ball joints universal rotary motor, a manufacturing method and a working mechanism thereof. The ball joints universal rotary motor comprises a housing, a spherical-cap shaped stator body, and a rotor body configured to be secured within the stator body. The stator body is made from a permanent magnet. The rotor body comprises multiple layers of armatures and multiple spacer layers. The multiple layers of armatures are symmetrically distributed along the axis of the rotor body. A spacer layer is provided between two adjacent layers of armatures. The multiple layers of armatures and multiple spacer layers are securely connected by a bolt. The bolt and the rotor body are axially connected. The rotor body is of a spherical shape. Each layer of the armatures is wound with two layers of coils: a first layer and a second layer. The motor as provided is configured to realize movement in multiple directions. The present disclosure provides an embodiment of a motor with a pump assembly, and another embodiment of a motor without a pump assembly. Examples of applications of the present disclosure include joints and areas of an intelligent bionic robot, various industrial devices, and household appliances. |
| US09425668B2 |
Control apparatus-integrated dynamoelectric machine
Provided is a control apparatus-integrated dynamoelectric machine in which, when an abnormality is found in a control apparatus in a final fabrication step, the control apparatus with the abnormality can be easily replaced by a normal one. The control apparatus-integrated dynamoelectric machine includes: a generator-motor portion including: a rotary shaft rotatably supported by a bracket; a rotor; a stator; and a rotation sensor; a control apparatus including: a DC-AC power interconverting circuit portion including: a power module for supplying AC power to a stator winding; and a field module for allowing a DC current to flow through a field winding; and a control circuit portion for controlling the DC-AC power interconverting circuit portion; and a connecting board provided outside of the bracket, for electrically connecting the control apparatus provided outside of the bracket and the generator-motor portion through a board terminal formed by insert molding. |
| US09425664B2 |
Composite stator for electromechanical power conversion
A rotating electromechanical apparatus includes a cylindrical ironless stator coil comprising a plurality of wires, a magnetic rotor arranged with the stator coil, wherein the magnetic field flux associated with the rotor interacts with the stator coil wires by electromagnetic induction, a cylindrical bobbin arranged to support the wires, a strand woven on at least the outer circumference of the wire-wrapped cylindrical bobbin, and a curable potting material potting the wires, bobbin and strand to provide an ironless composite stator coil when cured. |
| US09425660B2 |
Orbital motor and generator
Described herein is a technology for an electric motor system that reduces stress in motor shaft bearings. Furthermore, the electric motor system that provides an adequate heat ventilation is described herein. |
| US09425657B2 |
Reluctance motor system, driving circuit, and reluctance motor
A reluctance motor system includes a reluctance motor having a stator and a rotor, and a driving circuit. The stator includes phase winding sets each of which includes two windings that are connected in series at a corresponding node. The driving circuit includes switching members each of which is coupled electrically to a respective phase winding set, and each of which includes a first switch, a second switch, a first flyback diode, and a second flyback diode. The driving circuit further includes damping capacitor sets each of which includes a first capacitor coupled between the node and a positive terminal of a DC power source, and a second capacitor coupled between the node and a negative terminal of the DC power source. |
| US09425646B2 |
Fast charging apparatus
A fast charging apparatus includes a power conversion unit, a feedback module, a feedback adjustment module and a voltage mode fast charging signal processing module. The power conversion unit includes a pulse width modulation controller. The pulse width modulation controller includes an electronic apparatus current fast charging signal detection unit. The feedback module informs the power conversion unit to increase a charging power for an electronic apparatus if the electronic apparatus sends a voltage mode fast charging signal to the voltage mode fast charging signal processing module. The electronic apparatus current fast charging signal detection unit informs the power conversion unit to increase the charging power for the electronic apparatus if the electronic apparatus current fast charging signal detection unit detects a current mode fast charging signal sent from the electronic apparatus. |
| US09425636B2 |
Operation plan preparation method, operation plan preparation device, and recording medium
An operation plan preparation device includes a memory and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor executes a process including: generating a plurality of scenarios representing the possible set of supply and demand power curves that could occur under a given condition; first calculating an optimal operation plan by which the best evaluation value for a scenario in operation of a storage battery is obtained, and recording the evaluation value of that plan as a first evaluation value of that scenario; second calculating a second evaluation value for an operation plan candidate in the case when a scenario occurs in the operation of the storage battery; third calculating a difference between the first evaluation value and the second evaluation value relative to each scenario; and selecting the operation plan of the storage battery from among the plural operation plan candidates based on the difference. |
| US09425634B2 |
Charging apparatus for secondary battery
A charging apparatus for a secondary battery comprises: a power supply circuit connected to a primary winding 11a of a transformer T1; a main winding 11b and a sub winding 11c connected to a secondary side of the transformer T1; a charging circuit 110 connected to the main winding 11b, the charging circuit 110 supplying power to a battery pack 130 to be charged; and a control circuit 120 connected to the sub winding 11c, the control circuit 120 controlling the charging circuit 110, wherein the charging circuit 110 comprises a LED 140 indicating a standby state or a charge completion state, the LED 140 being lighted at light-load time of the charging circuit 110 based on a command of the control circuit 120. |
| US09425632B2 |
Utility bags with battery pack-to-universal serial bus power devices
One embodiment includes a battery pack receptacle that removably connects to a battery pack used for a cordless device. A universal serial bus (USB) receptacle is connected to the battery pack receptacle. The battery pack is used as a power source for the USB receptacle. |
| US09425630B2 |
Extending battery life for a rechargeable battery
Technology is described for extending battery life for a rechargeable battery. The method can include estimating a desired energy storage for the rechargeable battery in an electronic device during an operating time period. Expected active periods for the rechargeable battery can be determined. A defined charge voltage can be computed based on the desired energy storage and expected active periods of the rechargeable battery in the electronic device. In addition, the rechargeable battery can be charged to the defined charge voltage. |
| US09425628B2 |
Vehicle battery pack cooling system
The present disclosure relates to a vehicle battery pack cooling system, including: a housing; a fan attached to the housing; a first section of the housing including a battery module selectively in fluid communication with the fan; a second section of the housing including a battery support device selectively in fluid communication with the fan; and a baffler assembly configured to control fluid communication between the fan and the first and second sections. |
| US09425619B2 |
Advanced inground device power control and associated methods
A transmitter is powered by a regulated battery voltage and is installable in one of a plurality of different housings, each housing is characterized by a different design and each can form part of an inground tool for performing an inground operation in which a drill string extends from a drill rig to the inground tool. An antenna driver drives an antenna based on the regulated voltage to emanate an electromagnetic signal for remote reception. A controller limits power consumption from the regulated voltage so as not to exceed a power consumption threshold, irrespective of installation of the transmitter in any one of the housings when the transmitter would otherwise exhibit a different power consumption for each housing design. A corresponding method is described. Features relating to power consumption threshold modification based on temperature as well as mechanical shock and vibration are described. |
| US09425616B2 |
RC triggered ESD protection device
An RC triggered ESD protection device comprises a discharge transistor, a driver circuit and a trigger circuit. The trigger circuit comprises a plurality of native NMOS transistors connected in parallel with a plurality of PMOS transistors operating as resistors. The relatively small resistance of the plurality of native NMOS transistors helps to keep a stable RC time constant value so that the ESD protection device can avoid a leakage current during a power up operation. |
| US09425615B2 |
Inrush current suppression apparatus
According to one embodiment, there is provided an inrush current suppression apparatus that suppresses an inrush current generated when shunt capacitors are connected to a power system. The apparatus includes a power supply voltage measurement unit measuring a power supply voltage, a circuit breaker current measurement unit measuring a circuit breaker current, a residual voltage polarity determination unit determining the polarities of three phases of a residual voltage, a specific phase determination unit determining a specific phase, a closing phase detector detecting a closing phase, and a circuit breaker closing unit closing the circuit breaker in the closing phase. |
| US09425613B2 |
Current limiting circuit
A current limiting circuit is electronically connected between a power source and a load, and comprises a MOSFET having a drain, a gate, and a source, a first operational amplifier, a voltage-limiting circuit, and a first transistor having an emitter, a base, and a collector. The drain is connected to the power source, the source is connected to the load and is grounded, and the gate is connected to the voltage-limiting circuit. The emitter is connected to the voltage-limiting circuit, the base is connected to the first operational amplifier, and the collector is grounded. The first operational amplifier detects an output voltage of the load to control a drain current of the MOSFET for protecting the MOSFET from being overloaded, and the current limiting circuit has no current limiting resistor, such that power consumption is reduced. |
| US09425609B2 |
Method and apparatus for differential protection of an electric connection
A method and apparatus are provided for differential protection of a three phase electric connection of an electric system. The apparatus includes means for determining a value of an operate quantity, which operate quantity is based on a difference between current quantities at a first point and a second point of the electric connection, and means for detecting a fault in the electric connection between the first point and the second point if the value of the operate quantity exceeds a value of a predetermined threshold quantity. The operate quantity is based on a difference of residual currents at the first point and the second point, or a quantity indicative thereof, and a coefficient indicative of an angle between a residual voltage of the electric connection and the difference of residual currents at the first point and the second point. |
| US09425606B2 |
Electric distribution network with ad hoc communication function
An information communication device is provided with a monitoring unit, a communication unit, a storage unit, a switching unit, an acquisition unit, a creation unit, and a transmission unit. In the event that the monitoring unit detects trouble in the basic network, the switching unit switches the communication function of the communication unit from a first communication function to a second communication function. In the event that the monitoring unit detects trouble in the basic network, the creation unit creates notification information about the trouble in the basic network. The transmission unit transmits the created notification information via the switched-to communication function to a contact retrieved from the storage unit. |
| US09425604B1 |
Adjustable electrical cord connector protection device
An enclosure for connected electrical connectors provides protection for a multiplicity of sizes of connector and electrical cords to protect the connectors and adjacent cord from stress on the cord, mechanical shocks, and adverse environments. |
| US09425601B2 |
Current sensor mounting adaptor
Apparatus and associated methods relate to a mounting adapter which connects to a current sensor and provides an alignment of a bus bar to the current sensor while securely mounting the current sensor to the bus bar. In some embodiments, a mounting adapter may be inserted into an aperture of the current sensor. A bus bar may then be inserted into an aperture in the mounting adapter sized to receive the bus bar and to align it within the current sensor. The bus bar may substantially fill the entire aperture space which may lock the mounting adapter to the current sensor. In some embodiments the bus bar may be secured to the mounting adapter. The secure alignment and coupling of the bus bar to the current sensor via an exemplary mounting adapter may eliminate the need for separate mounting and alignment of the bus bar and current sensor. |
| US09425600B2 |
Aircraft electrical cable raceway
An electrical cable raceway for an aircraft, the electrical cable raceway being formed at least in part from a ceramic material. |
| US09425598B2 |
Sliding type clamp and clamp unit
A sliding type clamp includes a clamp fixing part adapted to be fixed to a stud bolt, and a clamp body adapted to clamp an objected member. The clamp fixing part and the clamp body are integrally formed. The clamp fixing part has a first sliding structure which slides along a direction perpendicular to an axis of the stud bolt. The clamp body has a second sliding structure which slides with respect to the objected member along a longitudinal direction of the objected member. |
| US09425594B2 |
Wiring harness and relay harness
A relay harness (30) connects a first harness (10) and a second harness (20). The relay harness (30) includes relay wires (31) and first and second housings (36, 37) connected to ends of the relay wires (31). Each relay wire (31) has a third conductor (32) surrounded by a third coating (33). The first housing (36) is configured to connect to a first connector (16) of the first harness (10). The second housing (37) is configured to connect to a second connector (26) of the second harness (20). A coating resin for the third insulation coatings (33) and a housing resin for the first and second housings (36, 37) are synthetic resins having a higher flame retardancy than a resin material for the first harness (10). |
| US09425589B2 |
Gas-insulated switchgear
A circuit breaker (33) formed with a sealed tank (4) having a breaker section and an operating mechanism (2) is laterally arranged in a lengthwise direction and is fixed to a frame (1), and above the circuit breaker, main bus containers (11, 12) are provided, substantially orthogonally to an axial direction of the circuit breaker (33). Operating mechanism-side working space (B) and breaker section-side working space (C) are provided respectively above the operating mechanism (2) and the sealed tank (4), and a hand hole (5) is provided on an upper surface of the sealed tank (4). A connecting pin (24) is provided in a link mechanism connecting the operating mechanism (2) and the movable contact (7), and an operating mechanism-side working hole for accessibility to the connecting pin (24) from the operating mechanism-side working space (B) is provided. |
| US09425586B2 |
Method for producing a corona ignition device
The invention relates to a method for producing a corona ignition device, in which a center electrode is plugged into an insulator and is connected to a coil, the coil is arranged in a housing tube, a mount for the insulator is fastened to a front end of the housing tube, and a plug connector is fastened to a rear end of the housing tube, and the housing tube is filled with insulating gas. In accordance with this disclosure, the insulating gas is introduced into the housing tube through a bore which is later sealed by welding. In one embodiment, a peg is plugged into the bore to facilitate sealing. In another embodiment, the bore is drilled into the plug connector. |
| US09425583B2 |
AlGaInP-based semiconductor laser
An aluminium gallium indium phosphide (AlGaInP)-based semiconductor laser device is provided. On a main surface of a semiconductor substrate formed of n-type GaAs (gallium arsenide), from the bottom layer, an n-type buffer layer, an n-type cladding layer formed of an AlGaInP-based semiconductor containing silicon (Si) as a dopant, an active layer, a p-type cladding layer formed of an AlGaInP-based semiconductor containing magnesium (Mg) or zinc (Zn) as a dopant, an etching stopper layer, and a p-type contact layer are formed. Here, when an Al composition ratio x of the AlGaInP-based semiconductor is taken as a composition ratio of Al and Ga defined as (AlxGa1−x)0.5In0.5P, a composition of the n-type cladding layer is expressed as (AlxnGa1−xn)0.5In0.5P (0.9 |
| US09425576B2 |
Excimer laser apparatus and excimer laser system
An excimer laser apparatus includes a gas supply unit, connected to a first receptacle that holds a first laser gas containing halogen gas and a second receptacle that holds a second laser gas having a lower halogen gas concentration than the first laser gas, that supplies the first laser gas and the second laser gas to the interior of the laser chamber. Gas pressure control in which the gas supply unit supplies the second laser gas to the interior of the laser chamber or a gas exhaust unit partially exhausts gas from within the laser chamber, and partial gas replacement control in which the gas supply unit supplies the first laser gas and the second laser gas to the interior of the laser chamber and the gas exhaust unit partially exhausts gas from within the laser chamber sequentially, may be selectively performed. |
| US09425575B2 |
Generating broadband light downhole for wellbore application
Generating broadband light downhole for wellbore application. A laser source is configured to reside outside a wellbore and produce a seed light pulse at a first wavelength spectrum. A converter is configured to be received inside the wellbore, remote from the laser source. The converter receives the seed light pulse at the first wavelength spectrum through one or more fiber optic cables, and generates light at a second wavelength spectrum that has a broader range than the first wavelength spectrum. |
| US09425573B2 |
Crimping clamp
A crimping clamp includes a pair of clamp bodies, a pair of jaws and a pair of fixed bars. Each clamp body includes a holder end and a head end. The head end is connected to the holder end, and each head end of the pair of clamp bodies includes a pair of holes. The pair of holes of the head end of the same clamp body correspond to each other. Each of the jaws is removably combined with the head end of each clamp body. One side of each jaw includes a notch, and the notch includes a containing end and a gap end. A width of the gap end is less than a width of the containing end. Each fixed bar is respectively movably located in each pair of holes, and each fixed bar includes a free part and a fastening part. |
| US09425570B2 |
Power receptacle assembly
A power receptacle assembly includes a first housing, a second housing, one or more receptacle units, one or more functional receptacles, and a decorative bordered frame. Two or more through holes are disposed at lower portions of two opposing sides of the first housing to admit a hook portion formed by extending downward two outer sides of the second housing engaged with the one or more receptacle units and admit a hook portion formed by extending downward two outer sides of the one or more functional receptacle. Not only does the power receptacle feature a flexible combination of a conventional receptacle unit and a functional receptacle in operation to meet user needs and application needs, but the assembly process also features simple engagement and precise positioning. |
| US09425567B2 |
Assembly for conducting electrical power to or from electrically active ceiling grid
An assembly distributes electrical power between an electrically active grid element of a grid framework and an electrical device. The assembly includes a grid connector for making electrical contact with a pair of electrical conductors on the grid element, and an adapter mounted on the grid connector. The adapter includes an industry standard interface electrically connected to the grid connector. The interface is adapted to receive a power connector at one end of a power cable whose opposite end is connected to the electrical device. |
| US09425566B2 |
Power strip and cord thereof
A power strip adapted for receiving an alternating-current power includes a plug, a main body, and a cord connected there between. The plug includes at least two conductive pins and an output device. The main body includes at least one socket and a converting circuit. The cord includes an electrically insulating cover, and an alternating-current transferring wire and a direct-current transferring wire, which are wrapped in the electrically insulating cover. The alternating-current transferring wire is electrically connected between the conductive pins and the socket. The direct-current transferring wire is electrically connected between the output device and the converting circuit. The plug is for transferring the alternating-current power to the main body through the alternating-current transferring wire. The converting circuit is for converting the alternating-current power to a direct-current power and transferring the direct-current power to the output device through the direct-current transferring wire. |
| US09425563B2 |
Retractable cable and cable rewind spool configuration
A spool apparatus is described to include in one particular example a cable spool with a first cylindrical lip and a second cylindrical lip on an opposite side of the cable spool. A center of the spool includes a clutch bearing in the center of both the first cylindrical lip and the second cylindrical lip that provides a rotational axis for the cable spool to rotate around. The apparatus may also include a feed slot near the first cylindrical lip that provides a passage for cable to pass from the second cylindrical lip to the first cylindrical lip. |
| US09425562B2 |
Cable connector having a shielding insert
In one embodiment, an electrical connector is disclosed. The electrical connector comprises a shell having a mating end and a cable end. The shell has a cavity with at least one conductor therein. The at least one conductor is arranged at the mating end for termination to a mating connector. The shell has a cable extending from the cavity through the cable end being electrically connected to the at least one conductor. The electrical connector also includes a shielding insert received proximate to the cable end. The shielding insert circumferentially surrounds the cable and is configured to block transmission of electromagnetic radiation through the cable end. |
| US09425561B2 |
High voltage electrical connector
A high voltage electrical connector is provided that includes a plug assembly and a header that is coupled to the plug assembly. The plug assembly includes a housing that forms an appearance of the plug assembly and a plug that is inserted into the housing to be inserted into the header. In addition, the plug assembly includes a shielding cover that shields electromagnetic waves emitted from the plug, covers the plug, and is inserted into the housing. |
| US09425560B1 |
Electrical connector
An electrical connector includes a docking module, a shielding shell and a metal cover. The shielding shell has a top plate, two lateral plates, a bottom plate and a receiving space. Front ends of the two lateral plates are punched outward to form two barbs. Middles of the two lateral plates bulge outward to form two convex portions. The metal cover is covered downward on the shielding shell. The metal cover has a base plate and two side plates. The two side plates define a plurality of openings. Bottom edges of the two side plates are recessed upward to form a plurality of guiding notches. Each of the guiding notches is located below one of the openings. The barbs and the convex portions are guided along the guiding notches to be fastened in the openings. |
| US09425558B1 |
Electrical connector having an outer shielding covered by a cover with a resilient plate extending upward and rearward
An electrical connector includes a main body, a plurality of terminals fastened to the main body, an outer shielding shell surrounding the main body together with the terminals, and a cover covered outside the outer shielding shell. The main body is mounted to a circuit board. Rear ends of the terminals are mounted to the circuit board. Front ends of the terminals are exposed out of the main body. A rear end of the cover defines a resilient plate. A rear edge of the resilient plate is bent perpendicular to the resilient plate to form a rear plate. The resilient plate is separably mounted to an outside of the outer shielding shell to make the rear plate disposed behind or above the main body and the outer shielding shell. |
| US09425555B1 |
Plug connector
A plug connector includes a lower terminal module, an upper terminal module and an insulating housing. The lower terminal module includes a lower insulator and a plurality of lower terminals integratedly molded in the lower insulator, each of the lower terminals has a lower contact portion beyond a bottom face of the lower insulator. The upper terminal module is engaged with the lower terminal module, includes an upper insulator and a plurality of upper terminals integratedly molded in the upper insulator, each of the upper terminals has an upper contact portion beyond a top face of the upper insulator. The insulating housing is integratedly molded outside the lower terminal module and the upper terminal module, each lower contact portion is exposed from a bottom face of the insulating housing, each upper contact portion is exposed from a top face of the insulating housing. |
| US09425553B2 |
Cord coupling securement device
A cord connection securement device prevents electrical cords from being unintentionally uncoupled. The device includes a planar, flexible, L-shaped cable tie. Apertures extend through a first arm and openings extend through a second arm of the cable tie. A first hook extends from the second arm for being engaged to a selectable one of the apertures of an adjacently positioned second cable tie. A second hook extends from the second arm proximate a junction between the first arm and the second arm such that the second hook is engageable to one of the openings to form a loop configured for extending around an electrical cord adjacent to a plug of the electrical cord such that the plug is prevented from passing through the loop. |
| US09425549B2 |
Connector
A connector includes a housing capable of fitting with a mating housing, a locking arm swingably disposed on the housing and having a locking portion capable of locking with a locked portion of the mating housing, and locking arm protective walls disposed on the housing and arranged on both sides in a width direction of the locking arm. An engaging protrusion is disposed on each of the locking arm protective walls so as to protrude toward a side of the locking arm. An engaging recess portion is disposed on the locking arm. The engaging recess portion is positioned on a surface facing each of the locking arm protective walls, engages with the engaging protrusion, and regulates displacement toward one side of a swinging direction of the locking arm. |
| US09425545B2 |
Electrical wire connector
An electrical wire connector is configured to secure at least two electrical wires partially covered in sheaths. The electrical wire connector includes a body further comprising a cavity with a port configured to receive the at least two electrical wires twisted to form an electrical wire connection. Teeth are on a bottom surface of the electrical wire connection; wherein the teeth obstruct movement of the sheaths. A bolt, is detachably coupled to the body. Silicone fills the cavity with the at least two electrical wires. Tightening the bolt onto the sheaths into the teeth displaces some of the silicone from the cavity and creates a watertight compartment for the at least two electrical wires. |
| US09425543B2 |
Protective cover for a connector
A protective cover for a connector is described herein. In one example, the protective cover can include an angled outer shell to envelop a connector, and a locking mechanism to prevent the angled outer shell from retracting to expose the connector. The protective cover can also include a plunger assembly coupled to a magnet, the magnet to disengage the locking mechanism to expose the connector, and a set of springs to return the angled outer shell to a locked position. |
| US09425542B1 |
Water-proof connector
A water-proof connector includes a housing, a plurality of terminals and a waterproof component. The housing has a base portion, a center of a top face of the base portion defines a cavity, a bottom of the cavity defines a plurality of terminal grooves extending frontward and rearward and penetrating a rear face of the base portion. The plurality of terminals are assembled in the terminal grooves of the housing. The waterproof component includes an insulation cover board, a sealing element. The insulation cover board is assembled in the cavity, the sealing element is secondary molded in a rear end of the cavity of the housing and on a rear end of the insulation cover board. |
| US09425541B2 |
High power electrical connector
A high power electrical connector is provided for transmitting electrical signals from a pair of cables, such as high current capable cables, to an associated member, such as a dash panel. The high power electrical connector includes an insulative housing and a pair of contact path assemblies therethrough for transmission of the electrical signals. The cables can be rotated relative to the housing and rotated relative to each other via the contact path assemblies. Ground path assemblies are also provided for grounding the cables. The cables can each be rotatable relative to a portion of the respective ground path assembly. |
| US09425536B2 |
Wall outlet lighting power supply system
A wall outlet lighting power supply system for efficiently providing electrical power to low voltage lighting utilizing a conventional AC wall outlet. The wall outlet lighting power supply system generally includes a housing, a power plug attached to the housing for electrically connecting to a power socket of a conventional wall outlet, a low voltage power supply positioned within the housing and electrically connected to the power plug, and a plurality of low voltage wires extending from housing and electrically connected to the low voltage power supply. The housing includes at least one spacer to maintain a rear wall of the housing in a parallel relationship with respect to a building wall when connected to the wall outlet. The housing includes a door to provide access to a wiring area. The housing also includes at least one opening to allow for the low voltage wires to extend through. |
| US09425535B2 |
Connector cover for part in eco-friendly vehicle and method of fastening the same
A connector cover in an eco-friendly vehicle covers the outside of a connector for an electronic part mounted to the eco-friendly vehicle. The cover covers the outside of the connector, and a width thereof is adjusted. The cover grasps both sides of the connector, is coupled to the outside of the connector as the width of the cover becomes narrower, and maintains a state in which the width is narrowed. |
| US09425530B2 |
Contact having a spring portion joined to a second spring portion having a convex shaped bent fulcrum portion
A contact includes a to-be-fixed portion to be fixed to a connector board; a first spring portion including a first rear end portion joined to the to-be-fixed portion, the first spring portion extending forward from the to-be-fixed portion and elastically deformable; a joining portion joined to a first front end portion of the first spring portion; a second spring portion including a second front end portion joined to the joining portion, the second spring portion disposed adjacent to the first spring portion in a width direction, extending rearward from the joining portion, and elastically deformable; a contact portion provided to the second spring portion and adapted to be in contact with a terminal; and a fulcrum bend portion that is convex downward provided between its second front end portion and its second rear end portion, and is adapted to be constantly in contact with the connector board. |
| US09425522B2 |
Circuit board connector
The present invention is a circuit board connector, and the circuit board connector comprises an insulative block and at least one electric connecting bar. The insulative block has a supporting surface. The at least one electric connecting bar is mounted through the insulative block, and each electrical connecting bar has two terminals bent to the supporting surface. Each of the terminals has a bending part and a welding part, and the welding part is close to the supporting surface. When two circuit boards are connected, the welding parts of the terminals of the electric connecting bar are welded with bond pads of each of the circuit boards to electronically connect the circuit boards, and the insulative block is connected to the circuit boards to fix the circuit boards. Therefore, the circuit boards can be fixed and electronically connected for forming a large circuit board. |
| US09425520B2 |
Battery wiring module
A battery wiring module may include a connecting member and a resin protector. The connecting member may be connected to an electrode terminal, and the connecting member may include a beveled corner. The resin protector may be made of insulating resin and include a holding portion and a coming-off preventing projection. The holding portion may hold the connecting member and may be provided with a surrounding wall that surrounds a peripheral edge of the connecting member. The coming-off preventing projection may include an elastic piece disposed cover the beveled corner of the connecting member and thereby limit movement of the connecting member. |
| US09425519B2 |
Electrical connection terminal
An electrical connection terminal having a holder and a clamping lever pivotably arranged on the holder and having a clamping unit for clamping a conductor between the clamping unit and a current bar. A manual lever is provided which is pivotably accommodated on the clamping lever in order to enable a dynamic transformation ratio in the closing operation. |
| US09425510B2 |
Coupled dual-band dipole antenna with interference cancellation gap, method of manufacture and kits therefor
A planar dipole antenna for dual-band Wi-Fi application is disclosed. The antenna has a ground copper and a radiation copper. The ground copper is adhered to a substrate and has an upper, shorter and generally horizontal segment and a lower, longer and also generally horizontal segment that are connected at one end thereof by a vertical segment. The radiation copper is adhered to the substrate and has a copper shaped substantially as a mirror symmetry of the ground copper and spaced apart from the ground copper by a gap at the end of the ground and radiation coppers where the shorter and longer horizontal segments thereof are connected. The antenna has a gross span of approximately 42 mm and a height of approximately 7 mm. The gap is approximately 0.6 mm. |
| US09425509B2 |
Antenna structure and wireless communication device using the same
An antenna structure includes a feed portion, a first ground portion, a second ground portion, a first antenna, and a second antenna. The first antenna includes a first radiator and a second radiator. The second antenna includes a first radiation portion, a second radiation portion, a third radiation portion, and a fourth radiation portion, the first radiation portion, the second radiation portion, the third radiation portion, and the fourth radiation portion are connected in turn to substantially form a loop structure. Both of the first radiator and the second radiator are connected to the feed portion, the first radiator is parallel to the first radiation portion, the second radiator is parallel to the second radiation portion, the first radiation portion is connected to the first ground portion, and the fourth radiation portion is connected to the second ground portion. |
| US09425508B2 |
Antenna structure and wireless communication device using same
An antenna structure includes a feed terminal, a first antenna, and a second antenna. The first antenna includes a first antenna portion connected to the feed terminal, and a second antenna portion connected to the first antenna portion. The second antenna is substantially parallel to the second antenna portion and cooperatively defines a space with the second antenna portion. |
| US09425507B1 |
Structure of expandable multi-mode phased-array antenna
Disclosed is a phased-array antenna. The phased-array antenna includes a plurality of element antennas having feed lines formed thereon, antenna modules configured to extend and be disposed in longitudinal directions of the element antennas and independently connected to one ends of the plurality of element antennas, respectively, and a signal distribution module disposed in a direction perpendicular to the antenna modules, having one side surfaces being perpendicularly connected to each of the antenna modules, and configured to distribute an input signal to the corresponding antenna modules through connection pins whose one sides are respectively connected to the antenna modules. |
| US09425506B2 |
Multi-beam shape supplementary device
A multi-beam shape supplementary device for an antenna system for mobile communications includes a site-sharing adapter in the form of a primary adapter. The site-sharing adapter comprises at least two primary terminals for connecting at least two primary control apparatuses. The plug and/or terminal configuration or terminal occupation at the primary terminals are terminal-compatible with the terminals on the coupling terminal side of the site-sharing adapter. The pin or socket terminals provided for the bidirectional signal transmission in the site-sharing adapter are connected to a terminal pin or a terminal socket, provided for the bidirectional signal transmission, of the coupling terminal so as to form a bidirectional signal transmission path. The bidirectional transmission path is configured in such a way that the differentiated communications signals at the at least two primary terminals are converted into frequency-modulated signals. |
| US09425503B2 |
Antenna pattern frame, method and mold for manufacturing the same, and electronic device
An antenna pattern frame according to an aspect of the invention may include: a radiator having an antenna pattern portion transmitting and receiving a signal; a ground portion extending from the antenna pattern portion; a connection portion connecting the antenna pattern portion and the ground portion to be arranged in different planes; and a radiator frame manufactured by injection molding on the radiator so that the antenna pattern portion may be provided on one side of the radiator frame and the connection terminal portion may be provided on the other side thereof, the radiator frame allowing the antenna pattern portion to be embedded in the electronic device case. |
| US09425502B2 |
Wireless module with integrated antenna by using rigid-flex board
A wireless module includes a flex substrate, an antenna integrated in the flex substrate and electrically connected to a signal layer and a ground layer of the flex substrate, a first rigid substrate stacked on one side of the flex substrate remote from the antenna, and a communication unit mounted on the first rigid substrate and electrically connected to the signal layer. Thus, the flex substrate and the first rigid substrate are laminated into a Rigid-Flex board. Further, the signal layer and the ground layer are continuously arranged in the same flex substrate. It will be helpful in decreasing the uncertainty and loss of RF signal transmission path, reducing component costs, facilitating optimization of the antenna and reducing the module size. |
| US09425500B2 |
Antenna or a strap for accommodating an integrated circuit, an antenna on a substrate, a strap for an integrated circuit and a transponder
In a method of manufacturing an antenna (11) formed on a substrate (1) an antenna structure (2) is formed on the substrate (1). The antenna structure (2) comprises an area (3) which initially is electrically short-circuited and is designed to be turned into an antenna contact (4a,4b) to be contacted with contacts (12,13) of an integrated circuit (IC). The antenna contact (4a,4b) is formed by mechanically separating the electrically short-circuited 5 area (3) particularly utilizing cutting or stamping means (5). |
| US09425499B2 |
Hydraulic excavator
A GNSS antenna device includes an antenna supporting part supported by a handrail disposed on an upper surface of a body of a work vehicle. A GNSS antenna is disposed on a top portion of the antenna supporting part. |
| US09425496B2 |
Distributed loop speaker enclosure antenna
An electronic device may be provided with antenna structures. The antenna structures may be formed using a dielectric carrier structure such as a speaker enclosure, so that interior space within the electronic device that is occupied by a speaker can be used in forming an antenna. A speaker driver may be mounted in the speaker enclosure. Openings in the speaker enclosure may allow sound from the speaker driver to be emitted from the speaker enclosure. The antenna structures may have first and second loop antenna resonating elements. The first loop antenna resonating element may indirectly feed the second loop antenna resonating element. The second loop antenna resonating element may be a distributed loop element formed from a strip of metal with a width that loops around the speaker enclosure. Openings in the second loop antenna resonating element may be aligned with the speaker enclosure openings. |
| US09425493B2 |
Cavity resonator filters with pedestal-based dielectric resonators
In one embodiment, a filter includes two sets of dielectric resonators mounted in corresponding sets of metallic resonant cavities. Adjoining resonant cavities are separated by a wall that have an opening. Each dielectric resonator of the first and second sets has a post and a single connected pedestal and is mounted within its corresponding cavity so that the post contacts a first cavity wall and the pedestal is separated from the opposing wall by an air gap. Each dielectric resonator of the first set is oriented in a first direction, with its pedestal on the bottom. Each dielectric resonator of the second set is oriented in a second direction, opposite to the first, with its pedestal on the top. The filter's (i) source port couples with a resonator of the first set and (ii) load port couples with a resonator of the second set. |
| US09425492B2 |
Energy source systems having devices with differential states of charge
A system includes housing having a positive terminal and a negative terminal and one or more energy storage devices disposed therein. One system includes a first energy storage device that operates at a first state of charge level and a second energy storage device that operates at a second state of charge level. The second state of charge level is greater than the first state of charge level. |
| US09425489B2 |
Charging and discharging system for electronic device
A charging and discharging system is disclosed. The charging and discharging system includes a first cell assembly and a second cell assembly. The first battery cell assembly includes a first cell, a first connecting piece, and a second connecting piece. The second cell assembly includes a second cell, a third connecting piece, and a fourth connecting piece. The first connecting piece and the second connecting piece connect the first cell to a circuit board. The third connecting piece and the fourth connecting piece connect the second cell to the circuit board. A length of the third connecting piece and the fourth connecting piece is greater than a total length of the first connecting piece and the second connecting piece. A resistivity of the third connecting piece and the fourth connecting piece is smaller than a length of the first connecting piece and the second connecting piece. |
| US09425486B2 |
Composition for extending life of lead acid batteries
An additive is for extending the useful life-span of the lead acid batteries. The additive is a safe and environmentally harmless material in the form of an aqueous liquid or an easy-to-use capsule. A method refurbishes lead acid batteries and extends their life-span. |
| US09425482B2 |
Sulfide solid electrolyte material and electrochemical device
A sulfide solid electrolyte material according to an embodiment of the present disclosure contains Li, P, and Bi. An electrochemical device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a sulfide solid electrolyte material containing Li, P, and Bi. |
| US09425481B2 |
Electrode, secondary battery, battery pack, electric vehicle, electric power storage system, electric power tool, and electronic apparatus
A secondary battery includes: a cathode; an anode; and a non-aqueous electrolytic solution, wherein the cathode includes a second lithium-containing compound having an olivine-type crystal structure, a photoelectron spectrum of oxygen 1s obtained by surface analysis of the cathode with the use of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy includes a third peak and a fourth peak, the third peak having an apex in a range in which binding energy is equal to or larger than 530 electron volts and less than 533 electron volts, and the fourth peak having an apex in a range in which binding energy is from 533 electron volts to 536 electron volts both inclusive and having spectrum intensity smaller than spectrum intensity of the third peak, and a ratio IE/ID between a spectrum intensity ID of the third peak and a spectrum intensity IE of the fourth peak is larger than ¼. |
| US09425480B2 |
Secondary battery
The object is to provide a secondary battery with higher performance, and especially to provide a secondary battery having low impedance. An exemplary embodiment of the invention is a secondary battery, comprising an electrode assembly in which a positive electrode and a negative electrode are oppositely disposed, an electrolyte liquid, and a package which encloses the electrode assembly and the electrolyte liquid inside; wherein the negative electrode is formed by binding a negative electrode active substance to a negative electrode collector with a negative electrode binder; and wherein the electrolyte liquid comprises a fluorine-containing cyclic ether compound. |
| US09425479B2 |
Battery module having improved structure for fixing end plate and method of fixing the same
A battery module includes a battery unit having a plurality of batteries; a pair of end plates, one of the end plates installed at either end of the battery unit; and a fixing band that encircles the end plates and the battery unit, wherein the fixing band is made from a material that expands when heated and contracts when cooled. |
| US09425478B2 |
Stacking apparatus and stacking method
The stacking apparatus of the present invention includes a separator conveyance unit to convey a separator of predetermined shape in a held state, an electrode conveyance unit to convey a positive electrode of predetermined shape, and a control unit to synchronize the conveying position and conveyance speed of the separator conveyance unit with those of the electrode conveyance unit so that the separator and positive electrode overlap each other at a predetermined position. The stacking apparatus conveys the separator and positive electrode and transfers the separator onto the electrode from a downstream side of the conveying direction while gradually removing the separator from the separator conveyance unit, thereby stacking the separator on the electrode. |
| US09425477B2 |
Fuel cell stack
A fuel cell stack is provided that includes a fuel cell stack module and an enclosure. The fuel cell stack module includes end plates and coupling bars coupled to the end plates. The enclosure includes an upper enclosure covering a front surface, an upper surface, and a back surface of the fuel cell stack module, a lower enclosure covering the front surface, a lower surface, and the back surface of the fuel stack module, a left enclosure fixed to one of the end plates, and a right enclosure fixed to the other of the end plates. The upper enclosure and the lower enclosure are coupled to protruding portions of the left enclosure and the right enclosure and bent toward the surfaces of the fuel cell stack module so as to be in surface contact with the surfaces of the fuel cell stack module. |
| US09425469B2 |
Integrated gas diffusion layer with sealing function and method of making the same
The present invention relates to the field of fuel cell technology and, more particularly, relates to an integrated gas diffusion layer with a sealing function and a method of making the same. The integrated gas diffusion layer includes a gas diffusion member and a sealing member having fuel inlet and outlet openings, oxidant inlet and outlet openings, and coolant inlet and outlet openings. The sealing member is sized to substantially cover the peripheral portion of the gas diffusion member. The sealing member and the gas diffusion member are integrally injection molded or adhered together by adhesive bonding. |
| US09425463B2 |
Method of fabricating electrodes of high power-density flow cell
A method is provided for producing electrodes of flow cell having high power density. A plurality of seeds are distributed on a surface of a conductive carbon material. The seeds are etched into nanoparticles to form carbon nanotube (CNT) electrodes. The present invention can be applied to vanadium redox flow cell with advantages of the CNT electrodes, such as conductivity, corrosion resistance, mechanical strength and specific and electrochemical surface area. Electrons are directly passed to the material through CNTs and then to an external electronic load for improving power density of flow cell, making a cell pack more compact and reducing energy consumption on charging and discharging without using noble metal material. |
| US09425461B2 |
Rejuvenation of automotive fuel cells
A process for rejuvenating fuel cells has been demonstrated to improve the performance of polymer exchange membrane fuel cells with platinum/ionomer electrodes. The process involves dehydrating a fuel cell and exposing at least the cathode of the fuel cell to dry gas (nitrogen, for example) at a temperature higher than the operating temperature of the fuel cell. The process may be used to prolong the operating lifetime of an automotive fuel cell. |
| US09425459B2 |
Electrode for solid-state batteries and method of preparing the electrode, solid-state battery containing the electrode, and bonding film used for preparing the electrode
Provided are an electrode for solid-state batteries, a method of preparing the electrode, a solid-state battery including the electrode, and a bonding film used for the method of preparing the electrode. The electrode for solid-state batteries include a bonding layer interposed between an electrode layer and a current collecting member and bound to the electrode layer, where the bonding layer includes a first binder which is inactive to the solid electrolyte, a second binder which has a stronger binding ability to the current collecting member than a bonding strength of the first binder to the current collecting member; and a bonding layer conductive material. |
| US09425456B2 |
Rechargeable battery cell with improved high temperature performance
An alkaline, rechargeable electrochemical cell includes a pasted electrode structure in which a composition comprising a paste matrix component includes cobalt in an amount greater than 6 weight percent ranging up to 14 weight percent. The matrix may also include a rare earth such as yttrium. The composition further includes particles of nickel hydroxide dispersed in the matrix, and these particles include cobalt levels ranging from greater than 8 atomic percent up to 15 atomic percent. Cells incorporating these materials have good charging efficiency at elevated temperatures. |
| US09425455B1 |
Cathode precursors for aluminum batteries and methods of making cathodes for aluminum batteries
Variations of the invention provide an improved aluminum battery consisting of an aluminum anode, a non-aqueous electrolyte, and a cathode comprising a metal oxide, a metal fluoride, a metal sulfide, or sulfur. The cathode can be fully reduced upon battery discharge via a multiple-electron reduction reaction. In some embodiments, the cathode materials are contained within the pore volume of a porous conductive carbon scaffold. Batteries provided by the invention have high active material specific energy densities and good cycling stabilities at a variety of operating temperatures. |
| US09425454B2 |
Lithium secondary battery and cathode of the lithium secondary battery with conductive bonding layer
To provide a lithium secondary battery which has high capacity while maintaining excellent cycle characteristic. The lithium secondary battery cathode of the present invention includes a cathode collector formed of a conductive substance, and a cathode active material layer formed of a sintered lithium composite oxide sheet. The cathode active material layer is bonded to the cathode collector by the mediation of a conductive bonding layer. A characteristic feature of the present invention resides in that the cathode active material layer has a thickness of 30 μm or more, a mean pore size of 0.1 to 5 μm, and a voidage of 3% or more and less than 15%. |
| US09425453B2 |
Battery module
A battery module including a plurality of battery cells arranged in a row; a plurality of bus bars connecting the plurality of battery cells in series; and a short circuit member that is mechanically connected to a first battery cell among the plurality of battery cells and that is electrically connected to a second battery cell among the plurality of battery cells. |
| US09425450B2 |
Stainless separator for fuel cell and method of manufacturing the same
A stainless steel separator for fuel cells and a method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. The method includes preparing a stainless steel sheet as a matrix, performing surface modification on a surface of the stainless steel sheet to form a Cr-rich passive film having a comparatively increased amount of Cr in a superficial layer of the stainless steel sheet by decreasing an amount of Fe in the superficial layer of the stainless steel sheet, and forming a coating layer on the surface of the surface-modified stainless steel sheet. The coating layer is one selected from a metal nitride layer (MNx), a metal/metal nitride layer (M/MNx), a metal carbide layer (MCy), and a metal boride layer (MBz) (where 0.5≦x≦1, 0.42≦y≦1, 0.5≦z≦2). |
| US09425445B2 |
Battery having a plurality of battery cells
The invention relates to a battery (10) having a plurality of battery cells (12) which form a cell stack (14) which stands on a bottom plate (18) of the battery (10). At least one wedge (20, 22) is provided to brace the battery cells (12) against one another. The at least one wedge (20, 22) and the cell stack (14) are secured in their position relative to the bottom plate (18) by at least one bracket (24) which is mounted to the bottom plate (18). Manufacturing tolerances of the battery cells (12) can be compensated by the at least one wedge (20, 22), and the bracket (24) secures both the wedge (20, 22) and the cell stack (14). |
| US09425443B2 |
Battery device and electronic apparatus
A battery charger includes a battery attachment section configured to have a rechargeable battery releasably attached thereto. The battery attachment section includes a flat attachment surface having a width corresponding to a width of a bottom surface of a case of the battery to be charged and a length greater than a length of the bottom surface of the case of the battery to be charged; a plurality of locking hooks provided on the attachment surface; a charger terminal configured to contact a terminal of the battery to be charged, the charger terminal including a plurality of plate-shaped contact pieces configured to be inserted into engaging grooves of the battery to be charged; and an attachment projection adjacent to the attachment surface and configured to secure the battery to the charger. |
| US09425438B2 |
Organic light emitting diode display device and method of fabricating the same
In an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display device and a method for fabricating the same, OLED pixels are patterned through a photolithography process, so a large area patterning can be performed and a fine pitch can be obtained, and an organic compound layer can be protected by forming a buffer layer of a metal oxide on an upper portion of the organic compound layer or patterning the organic compound layer by using a cathode as a mask, improving device efficiency. In addition, among red, green, and blue pixels, two pixels are patterned through a lift-off process and the other remaining one is deposited to be formed without patterning, the process can be simplified and efficiency can be increased. |
| US09425429B2 |
Organic EL display device
A bank layer includes projecting portions swollen toward in a thickness direction of a first substrate in an adhesion area. A multi-barrier includes a portion, in which a organic barrier is not disposed, on an upper side of the projecting portions. Therefore, it is possible to obtain, in the adhesion area, a portion in which a first inorganic barrier layer and a second inorganic barrier layer directly come in contact with each other. In an organic EL display device including the multi-barrier formed of an organic material and an inorganic material, it is possible to prevent two facing substrates from being separated from each other. |
| US09425423B2 |
Screen for displaying information for an optical device
Disclosed is a screen for displaying information for an optical device which is arranged within an optical path of an optical device. The screen for displaying information includes a transparent organic light-emitting diode (TOLED) which emits light in accordance with power and an input control signal. |
| US09425421B2 |
Gap controllable display device
A display device including a first substrate; a display element layer on the first substrate; a second substrate on the display element layer; and a spacer layer between the first substrate and the second substrate. |
| US09425420B2 |
Active materials for electro-optic devices and electro-optic devices
Tandem electro-optic devices and active materials for electro-optic devices are disclosed. Tandem devices include p-type and n-type layers between the active layers, which are doped to achieve carrier tunneling. Low bandgap conjugated polymers are also disclosed. |
| US09425417B2 |
Polycycloolefinic polymer formulation for an organic semiconductor
Embodiments in accordance with the present invention relate generally to formulations for use in organic semiconductor layers of organic electronic devices, and more specifically in organic field effect transistors, to organic semiconductor layers prepared from such formulations, and to organic electronic devices and organic field effect transistors encompassing such organic semiconductor layers. |
| US09425415B2 |
Four coordinated platinum and palladium complexes with geometrically distorted charge transfer state and their applications in light emitting devices
Described herein are platinum and palladium compounds with geometrically distorted charge transfer state, applications and methods for the preparation thereof. The platinum and/or palladium compounds described herein are capable of emitting light and can be used in light emitting devices. |
| US09425410B2 |
Organic light-emitting diode
An organic light-emitting diode includes a substrate, a first electrode on the substrate, a second electrode facing the first electrode, an emission layer between the first electrode and the second electrode, a hole transfer region between the first electrode and the emission layer, and an electron transfer region between the emission layer and the second electrode. The hole transfer region includes a first compound represented by Formula 1, and the emission layer includes a second compound represented by Formula 100. |
| US09425407B2 |
Heterocyclic compound and organic light-emitting device including the same
A compound represented by Formula 1 or Formula 2 and an organic light-emitting device including the same: |
| US09425399B2 |
Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display panel, manufacturing method thereof and display device
An organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display panel, a manufacturing method thereof and a display device are provided. In the manufacturing method, pixel electrodes, required to be deposited with a material, on a base substrate are charged, and electrodes at an evaporation source are charged to form an electric field; evaporation material corresponding to the material required to be deposited are placed into the evaporation source and ionized, and the ionized evaporation material are deposited on the base substrate under the action of the electric field; deposited material in other pixel units are etched off and removed, so that the evaporation material only on the previously charged pixel electrodes on the base substrate are retained; and patterns of the required material are formed by the processes of deposition and etching in turn. The manufacturing method improves the resolution of finished products and can help to improve the resolution of the OLED. |
| US09425394B2 |
Doped oxide dielectrics for resistive random access memory cells
Provided are methods of fabricating memory cells such as resistive random access memory (ReRAM) cells. A method involves forming a first layer including two high-k dielectric materials such that one material has a higher dielectric constant than the other material. In some embodiments, hafnium oxide and titanium oxide form the first layer. The higher-k material may be present at a lower concentration. In some embodiments, a concentration ratio of these two high-k materials is between about 3 and 7. The first layer may be formed using atomic layer deposition. The first layer is then annealed in an oxygen-containing environment. The method may proceed with forming a second layer including a low-k dielectric material, such as silicon oxide, and forming an electrode. After forming the electrode, the memory cell is annealed in a nitrogen containing environment. The nitrogen anneal may be performed at a higher temperature than the oxygen anneal. |
| US09425390B2 |
Select device for memory cell applications
The present disclosure includes select devices and methods of using select device for memory cell applications. An example select device includes a first electrode having a particular geometry, a semiconductor material formed on the first electrode and a second electrode having the particular geometry with formed on the semiconductor material, wherein the select device is configured to snap between resistive states in response to signals that are applied to the select device. |
| US09425389B2 |
Doped ternary nitride embedded resistors for resistive random access memory cells
Provided are resistive random access memory (ReRAM) cells with embedded resistors and methods of fabricating these cells. An embedded resistor may include a metal silicon nitride of a first metal and may be doped with a second metal, which is different from the first metal. The second metal may have less affinity to form covalent bonds with nitrogen than the first metal. As such, the second metal may be unbound and more mobile in the embedded resistor that the first metal. The second metal may help establishing conductive paths in the embedded resistor in addition to the metal nitride resulting in more a stable resistivity despite changing potential applies to the ReRAM cell. In other words, the embedded resistor having such composition will have more linear I-V performance. The concentration of the second metal in the embedded resistor may be substantially less than the concentration of the first metal. |
| US09425385B2 |
Vertical hall effect device
A vertical Hall effect device includes at least four Hall effect regions which are partly decoupled from each other, and each of the at least four Hall effect regions has first and second opposite faces. Each of the Hall effect regions has on the first face a first contact and a second contact that are placed symmetrically with respect to a plane of symmetry at the respective Hall effect region, wherein the plane of symmetry is orientated perpendicular to a straight line between the first contact and the second contact of the respective Hall effect region. Each of the Hall effect regions has at least one contact area placed in an area around the respective plane of symmetry, wherein low ohmic connection means include at least one low ohmic connecting path connecting the contact areas of the Hall effect regions. |
| US09425384B2 |
Method for manufacturing a high-temperature ultrasonic transducer using a lithium niobate crystal brazed with gold and indium
A process for manufacturing a high-temperature ultrasonic transducer, said transducer comprising a steel or metal top electrode, a piezoelectric converter, a steel or metal support ensuring the interface between the converter and the propagation medium of the acoustic waves, a first joint between the support and the piezoelectric crystal, and a second joint between the converter and the top electrode, comprises, to produce said gold-and-indium-based joints, a brazing and diffusing operation comprising the following steps: a first step of increasing temperature to a first temperature comprised between about 150° C. and about 400° C. and of maintaining this first temperature for a first length of time corresponding to a first plateau; and a second step of increasing temperature to a second temperature comprised between about 400° C. and about 1000° C. and of maintaining this second temperature for a second length of time corresponding to a second plateau. |
| US09425382B2 |
Sensor protective coating
A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) sensor device includes a substrate, a support structure supported by the substrate, a membrane supported by the support structure and spaced from the substrate, and a polymer layer covering the membrane. |
| US09425380B2 |
Piezoelectric element, multilayered piezoelectric element, liquid discharge head, liquid discharge apparatus, ultrasonic motor, optical apparatus, and electronic apparatus
A lead-free piezoelectric element that stably operates in a wide operating temperature range contains a lead-free piezoelectric material. The piezoelectric element includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a piezoelectric material that includes a perovskite-type metal oxide represented by (Ba1-xCax)a(Ti1-yZry)O3 (1.00≦a≦1.01, 0.02≦x≦0.30, 0.020≦y≦0.095, and y≦x) as a main component and manganese incorporated in the perovskite-type metal oxide. The manganese content relative to 100 parts by weight of the perovskite-type metal oxide is 0.02 parts by weight or more and 0.40 parts by weight or less on a metal basis. |
| US09425379B2 |
Piezoelectric element and piezoelectric element application device
A piezoelectric element including a first electrode 60, a piezoelectric body layer 70, and a second electrode 80, in which a seed layer 65, which performs control such that the piezoelectric body layer 70 is preferentially oriented with respect to a specific crystal plane, is formed between the first electrode 60 and the piezoelectric body layer 70, and the seed layer 65 is formed from a composite oxide with a perovskite structure that includes at least Bi, Sr, Fe and Ti and an element ratio of Bi, Sr, Fe, and Ti in the seed layer satisfies the Formula (1) below. Bi:Sr:Fe:Ti=x·(1−y):y:1−z:z (1) (1.0≦x<1.3, 0 |
| US09425377B2 |
Tunnel junction fabrication
A method for fabricating a tunnel junction includes depositing a first electrode on a substrate, depositing a wetting layer having a thickness of less than 2 nm on the first electrode, using atomic layer deposition (ALD) to deposit an oxide layer on the wetting layer, and depositing a second electrode on the oxide layer. The wetting layer and the oxide layer form a tunnel barrier, and the second electrode includes a superconductor. |
| US09425376B2 |
Plasma cleaning of superconducting layers
In a “window-junction” formation process for Josephson junction fabrication, a spacer dielectric is formed over the first superconducting electrode layer, then an opening (the “window” is formed to expose the part of the electrode layer to be used for the junction. In an atomic layer deposition (ALD) chamber (or multi-chamber sealed system) equipped with direct or remote plasma capability, the exposed part of the electrode is sputter-etched with Ar, H2, or a combination to remove native oxides, etch residues, and other contaminants. Optionally, an O2 or O3 pre-clean may precede the sputter etch. When the electrode is clean, the tunnel barrier layer is deposited by ALD in-situ without further oxidant exposure. |
| US09425369B2 |
Array substrate, display panel and preparing method thereof
An array substrate, a display panel and a preparing method thereof are disclosed. The array substrate comprises: a substrate, a gate line and a data line disposed on the substrate, a protective layer covering the gate line and/or data line; a light converging structure is disposed on the protective layer over the gate line and/or the data line. |
| US09425361B2 |
Light-emitting device
A light-emitting device comprises a light-emitting stack comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface; a first electrode formed on the second surface of the light-emitting stack; a current blocking layer formed on the first surface of the light-emitting stack and corresponding to a location of the first electrode; and a second electrode covering the current blocking layer and comprising a plurality of first metal layers and a plurality of second metal layers alternating with the plurality of first metal layers, wherein the plurality of first metal layers is discontinuous. |
| US09425353B2 |
Heterostructure including anodic aluminum oxide layer
A semiconductor structure including an anodic aluminum oxide layer is described. The anodic aluminum oxide layer can be located between a semiconductor layer and another layer of material. The anodic aluminum oxide layer can include a plurality of pores extending to an adjacent surface of the semiconductor layer. The layer of material can penetrate at least some of the plurality of pores and directly contact the semiconductor layer. In an illustrative embodiment, the layer of material is a conductive material and the anodic aluminum oxide is located at a p-type contact. |
| US09425352B2 |
Semiconductor device, light emitting device and method of manufacturing same
Disclosed are a semiconductor device, a light emitting device, and a method of manufacturing the same. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a plurality of rods aligned on the substrate, a metal layer disposed on the substrate between the rods, and a semiconductor layer disposed on and between the rods. Electrical and optical characteristics of the semiconductor device are improved due to the metal layer. |
| US09425349B2 |
Lift-off method
A lift-off method transfers an optical device layer of an optical device wafer onto a transfer substrate. The optical device layer is stacked on a front face of an epitaxy substrate with a buffer layer provided therebetween. A complex substrate formation step forms a complex substrate by joining the transfer substrate to a front face of the optical device layer of the optical device wafer with an adhesive. A buffer layer destruction step irradiates a laser beam at a wavelength that penetrates the epitaxy substrate and is absorbed by the buffer layer from a rear side of the epitaxy substrate of the complex substrate so as to destroy the buffer layer. An optical device layer transfer step peels off the epitaxy substrate and transfers the optical device layer onto the transfer substrate. |
| US09425348B2 |
Group III nitride semiconductor device, and method for fabricating group III nitride semiconductor device
In a group III nitride semiconductor device according to one aspect of the present invention, in a p-type group III nitride semiconductor region formed on a semi-polar plane substrate, the concentration of hydrogen (H) contained in the p-type group III nitride semiconductor region is 25% or less of the concentration of a p-type dopant therein, and the concentration of oxygen contained in the p-type group III nitride semiconductor region is 5×1017 atoms/cm3 or lower, and an angle between a normal axis of a primary surface of the semi-polar plane substrate and a c-axis of the semi-polar plane substrate is not lower than 45 degrees and not higher than 80 degrees or not lower than 100 degrees and not higher than 135 degrees in a waveguide axis direction of the group III nitride semiconductor device. |
| US09425346B2 |
Methods of imprint patterning of irregular surface
Patterned substrates for photovoltaic and other uses are made by pressing a flexible stamp upon a thin layer of resist material, which covers a substrate, such as a wafer. The resist changes phase or becomes flowable, flowing away from locations of impression, revealing the substrate, which is subjected to some shaping process. A typical substrate is silicon, and a typical resist is a wax. Workpiece textures include extended grooves, discrete, spaced apart pits, and combinations and intermediates thereof. Platen or rotary patterning apparatus may be used. Rough and irregular workpiece substrates may be accommodated by extended stamp elements. Resist may be applied first to the workpiece, the stamp, or substantially simultaneously, in discrete locations, or over the entire surface of either. The resist dewets the substrate completely where desired. |
| US09425342B2 |
Method and system for optoelectronic receivers utilizing waveguide heterojunction phototransistors integrated in a CMOS SOI wafer
A method and system for optoelectronic receivers utilizing waveguide heterojunction phototransistors (HPTs) integrated in a CMOS SOI wafer are disclosed and may include receiving optical signals via a top surface of a photonically-enabled CMOS chip; and generating electrical signals in the chip utilizing one or more HPTs that detect optical signals. The HPTs may comprise a base and a split collector, with the split collector comprising a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) layer and a germanium layer. The thickness of the germanium layer may be such that carriers in the base do not interact with defects from an interface between the SOI layer and the germanium layer. The electrical signals may be amplified by amplifiers, the outputs of which may be utilized to bias the HPTs by a feedback network. An electrode formed longitudinally in the direction of light travel through the HPTs may bias the base of the HPTs. |
| US09425339B2 |
Thin film solar module and method for production of the same
A thin film solar module including at least one first sub module including a plurality of first thin film solar cells connected with one another in series; and a second sub module connected with the first sub module in parallel, the second sub module including a plurality of second thin film solar cells connected with one another in series. The sub modules are formed on a shared substrate in a monolithic manner, wherein a first connecting cell including the first thin film solar cells and a second connecting cell including the second thin film solar cells are arranged adjacent to one another, spaced apart from each other through an insulation trench and electrically connected with one another through a shared contact. The invention further relates to a method for producing a thin film solar module. |
| US09425338B2 |
Solar system for generating electric power
A solar power generation system for providing operating power for a desired application, the system includes one or more solar-array modules, wherein each of the one or more solar-array modules includes a multiplicity of solar cells and a high efficiency DC to DC power converter. The multiplicity of solar cells is arranged in strings of serial-units electrically connected in parallel to form a crisscross matrix array of solar cells, which matrix allows currents to bypass malfunctioning cells, thereby improving the performance of the system. The power converter includes fast MOSFET transistors having duty cycle that is operationally constant and is almost 50%. Optionally, the power converter includes a plus conductive pad and a minus conductive pad, wherein each of the strings of serial-units is individually wired to the plus conductive pad and the minus conductive pad. |
| US09425337B2 |
In-cell bypass diode
A solar cell can include a built-in bypass diode. In one embodiment, the solar cell can include an active region disposed in or above a first portion of a substrate and a bypass diode disposed in or above a second portion of the substrate. The first and second portions of the substrate can be physically separated with a groove. A metallization structure can couple the active region to the bypass diode. |
| US09425334B2 |
Methods and apparatus for patterning photovoltaic devices and materials for use with such devices
A picosecond laser beam shaping assembly is disclosed for shaping a picosecond laser beam for use in patterning (e.g., scribing) semiconductor devices. The assembly comprises a pulsed fibre laser source of picosecond laser pulses, a harmonic conversion element for converting laser pulses at a first laser wavelength having a first spectral bandwidth to laser pulses at a second laser wavelength having a second spectral bandwidth, and a beam shaping apparatus for shaping the laser beam at the second laser wavelength, the beam shaping apparatus having a spectral bandwidth that substantially corresponds to the second spectral bandwidth so as to produce a laser beam having a substantially rectangular cross-sectional profile. |
| US09425322B2 |
Method for manufacturing semiconductor device including exposure of oxide semiconductor to reducing atmosphere
A highly reliable semiconductor device having stable electric characteristics is provided by suppressing, in a transistor including an oxide semiconductor film, diffusion of indium into an insulating film in contact with the oxide semiconductor film and improving the characteristics of the interface between the oxide semiconductor film and the insulating film. In an oxide semiconductor film containing indium, the indium concentration at a surface is decreased, thereby preventing diffusion of indium into an insulating film on and in contact with the oxide semiconductor film. By decreasing the indium concentration at the surface of the oxide semiconductor film, a layer which does not substantially contain indium can be formed at the surface. By using this layer as part of the insulating film, the characteristics of the interface between the oxide semiconductor film and the insulating film in contact with the oxide semiconductor film are improved. |
| US09425320B2 |
Thin film transistor on fiber and manufacturing method of the same
Provided is a thin film transistor on fiber and a method of manufacturing the same. The thin film transistor includes a fiber; a first electrode, a second electrode and a gate electrode formed on fiber; a channel formed between the first and second electrodes; an encapsulant encapsulating the fiber, the first, second, and gate electrodes, and an upper surface of the channel; and a gate insulating layer formed in a portion of the inner area of the encapsulant. |
| US09425319B2 |
Integrated circuits including FINFET devices with lower contact resistance and reduced parasitic capacitance and methods for fabricating the same
Integrated circuits and methods for fabricating integrated circuits are provided. In one example, an integrated circuit includes a semiconductor substrate. A first fin and a second fin are adjacent to each other extending from the semiconductor substrate. The first fin has a first upper section and the second fin has a second upper section. A first epi-portion overlies the first upper section and a second epi-portion overlies the second upper section. A first silicide layer overlies the first epi-portion and a second silicide layer overlies the second epi-portion. The first and second silicide layers are spaced apart from each other to define a lateral gap. A dielectric spacer is formed of a dielectric material and spans the lateral gap. A contact-forming material overlies the dielectric spacer and portions of the first and second silicide layers that are laterally above the dielectric spacer. |
| US09425312B2 |
Silicon-containing, tunneling field-effect transistor including III-N source
Tunneling field-effect transistors including silicon, germanium or silicon germanium channels and III-N source regions are provided for low power operations. A broken-band heterojunction is formed by the source and channel regions of the transistors. Fabrication methods include selective anisotropic wet-etching of a silicon substrate followed by epitaxial deposition of III-N material and/or germanium implantation of the substrate followed by the epitaxial deposition of the III-N material. |
| US09425311B2 |
MOS transistors and fabrication methods thereof
A method is provided for fabricating MOS transistors. The method includes providing a semiconductor substrate having at least a first region and a second region; and forming first transistors on the semiconductor substrate. Wherein source/drain regions of the first transistors are configured as SiGe growth regions; and a first density of SiGe growth regions in the first region is smaller than a second density of SiGe growth regions in the second region. The method also includes forming dummy SiGe growth regions in the first region to increase the first density such that the total density of SiGe growth regions in the first region is in a range similar to the second density; and forming trenches in the first region and the second region and the dummy SiGe growth region. Further, the method includes forming embedded source/drain regions of the first transistors and dummy SiGe regions. |
| US09425310B2 |
Methods for forming wrap around contact
Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a contact formed to a source or drain region of a “finned” field-effect transistor (FinFET). An epitaxial material is formed over the source or drain region, which includes a diamond-shaped cross-section with top and bottom surfaces. A capping layer is formed over the top and bottom surfaces. The source or drain region is subjected to a first etch to remove the capping layer surrounding the top surfaces of the diamond-shaped cross-section. A protective layer is formed within the top surfaces. A second etch of the capping layer is performed to remove the capping layer surrounding the bottom surfaces of the diamond-shaped cross-section, while using the protective layer to prevent etching of the top surfaces by the second etch. A contact is formed to the source or drain region, which surrounds the source or drain region on the top and bottom surfaces. |
| US09425309B2 |
Method for forming metal semiconductor alloys in contact holes and trenches
A semiconductor device is provided that includes a gate structure on a channel region of a substrate. A source region and a drain region are present on opposing sides of the channel region. A first metal semiconductor alloy is present on an upper surface of at least one of the source and drain regions. The first metal semiconductor alloy extends to a sidewall of the gate structure. A dielectric layer is present over the gate structure and the first metal semiconductor alloy. An opening is present through the dielectric layer to a portion of the first metal semiconductor alloy that is separated from the gate structure. A second metal semiconductor alloy is present in the opening, is in direct contact with the first metal semiconductor alloy, and has an upper surface that is vertically offset and is located above the upper surface of the first metal semiconductor alloy. |
| US09425308B2 |
Power semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same
A power semiconductor device and a method for fabricating the same are provided. The power semiconductor device includes a substrate and an active layer on the substrate. A gate electrode is disposed on the active layer. A first electrode and a second electrode are disposed on the active layer, on opposite sides of the gate electrode. A first metal pattern is coupled to the first electrode. A second metal pattern is coupled to the second electrode. A first insulating layer is disposed on the first and second metal patterns. A third metal pattern covers the first insulating layer, coupled to the second metal pattern. An interface between the third metal pattern and the first insulating layer is a substantially planar surface. |
| US09425303B1 |
Controlling current or mitigating electromagnetic or radiation interference effects using multiple and different semi-conductive channel regions generating structures
Systems and methods for controlling current or mitigating electromagnetic or radiation interference effects using multiple different semi-conductive channel regions generating structures formed by multiple different semi-conductive electrical current or voltage control structures. One embodiment includes providing a first and second metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) sections formed on opposite sides of a junction field effect transistor (JFET) such that operation of the JFET modulates or controls current otherwise controlled by an electrical path of the MOSFET sections. A control system for determining when an embodiment of the invention is to be operated is also provided to include automated systems including sensors as well as manually operated systems. Automated systems can include radiation sensors as well as other control systems such as highvoltage radio frequency transmitter or receiver systems. Methods of operation for a variety of modes are also provided. |
| US09425296B2 |
Vertical tunnel field effect transistor
A tunnel field transistor (TFET) device includes a fin structure that protrudes from a substrate surface. The fin structure includes a base portion proximate to the substrate surface, a top portion, and a first pair of sidewalls extending from the base portion to the top portion. The first pair of sidewalls has a length corresponding to a length of the fin structure. The fin structure also includes a first doped region having a first dopant concentration at the base portion of the fin structure. The fin structure also includes a second doped region having a second dopant concentration at the top portion of the fin structure. The TFET device further includes a gate including a first conductive structure neighboring a first sidewall of the first pair of sidewalls. A dielectric layer electrically isolates the first conductive structure from the first sidewall. |
| US09425295B2 |
Method for manufacturing semiconductor device
In a transistor including an oxide semiconductor film, a metal oxide film which has a function of preventing electrification and covers a source electrode and a drain electrode is formed in contact with the oxide semiconductor film, and then, heat treatment is performed. Through the heat treatment, impurities such as hydrogen, moisture, a hydroxyl group, or hydride are intentionally removed from the oxide semiconductor film, whereby the oxide semiconductor film is highly purified. By providing the metal oxide film, generation of a parasitic channel on the back channel side of the oxide semiconductor film in the transistor is prevented. |
| US09425294B2 |
Display array substrate and manufacturing method thereof
A manufacturing method of display array substrate is provided. The method includes depositing a first metal layer on a substrate and defining a peripheral area and a display area, coating a photo-resist layer on the first metal layer located in the peripheral area, anodizing the first metal layer to a first metal oxide layer with the photo-resist layer as a mask, patterning the first metal oxide layer located in the display area to a gate insulator, removing the photo-resist layer to expose the first metal layer in the peripheral area, forming a channel layer on the gate insulator, and depositing a second metal layer and patterning the second metal layer located in the display area to form a source electrode and a drain electrode. |
| US09425287B2 |
Reducing variation by using combination epitaxy growth
A method for forming a semiconductor structure includes forming a gate stack over a semiconductor substrate in a wafer; forming a recess in the semiconductor substrate and adjacent the gate stack; and performing a selective epitaxial growth to grow a semiconductor material in the recess to form an epitaxy region. The step of performing the selective epitaxial growth includes performing a first growth stage with a first growth-to-etching (E/G) ratio of process gases used in the first growth stage; and performing a second growth stage with a second E/G ratio of process gases used in the second growth stage different from the first E/G ratio. |
| US09425286B2 |
Source/drain stressor having enhanced carrier mobility and method for manufacturing same
Various source/drain stressors that can enhance carrier mobility, and methods for manufacturing the same, are disclosed. An exemplary source/drain stressor includes a seed layer of a first material disposed over a substrate of a second material, the first material being different than the second material; a relaxed epitaxial layer disposed over the seed layer; and an epitaxial layer disposed over the relaxed epitaxial layer. |
| US09425285B2 |
Fabricating method of semiconductor device
A semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the semiconductor device are provided. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a gate structure over the substrate, a source/drain regions adjacent to the pair of spacers in the substrate, an etch stop layer next to the gate structure and overlying the substrate, a contact plug extending into the source/drain region and partially overlapping the gate structure, a protective layer over the etch stop layer overlying the substrate and covering the etch stop layer next to the gate structure without the contact plug, and an interlayer dielectric layer over the protective layer. The contact plug has no contact-to-gate short issue to the gate structure. |
| US09425281B2 |
Enhancement mode III-nitride device and method for manufacturing thereof
Enhancement mode III-nitride HEMT and method for manufacturing an enhancement mode III-nitride HEMT are disclosed. In one aspect, the method includes providing a substrate having a stack of layers on the substrate, each layer including a III-nitride material, and a passivation layer having high temperature silicon nitride overlying and in contact with an upper layer of the stack of III-nitride layers, wherein the HT silicon nitride is formed by MOCVD or LPCVD or any equivalent technique at a temperature higher than about 450° C. The method also includes forming a recessed gate region by removing the passivation layer only in the gate region, thereby exposing the underlying upper layer. The method also includes forming a p-doped GaN layer at least in the recessed gate region, thereby filling at least partially the recessed gate region, and forming a gate contact and source/drain contacts. |
| US09425280B2 |
Semiconductor device with low-K spacers
One method disclosed herein includes forming at least one sacrificial sidewall spacer adjacent a sacrificial gate structure that is formed above a semiconducting substrate, removing at least a portion of the sacrificial gate structure to thereby define a gate cavity that is laterally defined by the sacrificial spacer, forming a replacement gate structure in the gate cavity, removing the sacrificial spacer to thereby define a spacer cavity adjacent the replacement gate structure, and forming a low-k spacer in the spacer cavity. A novel device disclosed herein includes a gate structure positioned above a semiconducting substrate, wherein the gate insulation layer has two upstanding portions that are substantially vertically oriented relative to an upper surface of the substrate. The device further includes a low-k sidewall spacer positioned adjacent each of the vertically oriented upstanding portions of the gate insulation layer. |
| US09425276B2 |
High electron mobility transistors
The present disclosure relates to a donor layer of bi-layer AlGaN and associated method of fabrication within a high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) configured to provide low-resistance ohmic source and drain contacts to reduce power consumption, while maintaining a high-mobility of a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) within a channel of the HEMT. The donor layer of bi-layer AlGaN comprises a mobility-enhancing layer of AlzGa(1-z)N, a resistance-reducing layer of AlxGa(1-x)N disposed over the mobility-enhancing layer, wherein the ohmic source and drain contacts connect to the HEMT. A channel layer of GaN is disposed beneath the mobility-enhancing layer, wherein a 2DEG resides, forming the channel of the HEMT. |
| US09425275B2 |
Integrated circuit chips having field effect transistors with different gate designs
An integrated circuit chip includes a semiconductor substrate, a first back-end-of-line unit circuit that includes a first group of field effect transistors, a second gate-loaded unit circuit that includes a second group of field effect transistors. The first group of field effect transistors includes a first transistor and the second group of field effect transistors includes a second transistor. A bottom surface of a gate electrode of the first transistor extends closer to a bottom surface of the semiconductor substrate than does a bottom surface of a gate electrode of the second transistor. |
| US09425273B2 |
Semiconductor chip including integrated circuit including at least five gate level conductive structures having particular spatial and electrical relationship and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor chip region includes a first conductive structure (CS) that forms a gate electrode (GE) of a first transistor of a first transistor type (TT) and a GE of a first transistor of a second TT, a second CS that forms a GE of a second transistor of the first TT, a third CS that forms a GE of a second transistor of the second TT, a fourth CS that forms a GE of a third transistor of the first TT, and a fifth CS that forms a GE of a third transistor of the second TT. Diffusion terminals of the first and second transistors of the first TT are electrically connected. Diffusion terminals of the first and second transistors of the second TT are electrically connected. Diffusion terminals of the second and third transistors of both the first TT and second TT are electrically connected. |
| US09425272B2 |
Semiconductor chip including integrated circuit including four transistors of first transistor type and four transistors of second transistor type with electrical connections between various transistors and methods for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor chip region includes a first conductive structure (CS) that forms a gate electrode (GE) of a first transistor of a first transistor type (TT) and a GE of a first transistor of a second TT, a second CS that forms a GE of a second transistor of the first TT, a third CS that forms a GE of a second transistor of the second TT, a fourth CS that forms a GE of a third transistor of the first TT, a fifth CS that forms a GE of a third transistor of the second TT, another CS that forms a GE of a fourth transistor of the first TT, and another CS that forms a GE of a fourth transistor of the second TT. The second and third transistors of the first and second TT's have a common diffusion terminal electrical connection and specified gate electrode electrical connections. |
| US09425271B2 |
Insulated-gate bipolar transistor
In an IGBT, a trench extending in a bent shape to have a corner is formed in an upper surface of a semiconductor substrate. The inside of the trench is covered with an insulating film. A gate is placed inside the trench. An emitter and a collector are formed on an upper surface and a lower surface of the semiconductor substrate, respectively. An emitter region, a body region, a drift region, and a collector region are formed in the semiconductor substrate. The emitter region is formed of an n-type semiconductor, is in contact with the insulating film, and is in ohmic contact with the emitter electrode. The body region is formed of a p-type semiconductor, is in contact with the insulating film below the emitter region, is in contact with the insulating film of an inner corner portion of the trench, and is in ohmic contact with the emitter electrode. |
| US09425266B2 |
Integrated floating diode structure and method therefor
In one embodiment, a floating diode structure includes a p-type semiconductor substrate. An n-type doped region is disposed between the semiconductor substrate and a p-type doped region of the first conductivity type adjacent the first doped region. An n-type cathode region is disposed within the p-type doped region and a p-type anode region is disposed within the cathode region. An anode electrode is connected to the anode region and a cathode electrode is connected to the cathode region. In one embodiment, the cathode electrode is further connected to the p-type doped region. The n-type doped region is configured as a floating region that facilitates the diode operating in both a forward and reverse bias mode and both below ground and above ground with respect to the p-type semiconductor substrate. |
| US09425265B2 |
Edge termination technique for high voltage power devices having a negative feature for an improved edge termination structure
Embodiments of a semiconductor die having a semiconductor device implemented on the semiconductor die and an edge termination structure around a periphery of the semiconductor device and methods of fabricating the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, a semiconductor die includes a semiconductor device and an edge termination structure around a periphery of the semiconductor device, where the edge termination structure includes negative features (e.g., trenches and/or divots) that vary dose in a corresponding edge termination region to approximate a desired dose profile. In one embodiment, the desired dose profile is a substantially decreasing or substantially linearly decreasing dose from an edge of a main junction of the semiconductor device to an edge of the edge termination region. In this manner, electric field crowding at the edge of the main junction of the semiconductor device is substantially reduced, which in turn substantially improves a break-down voltage of the semiconductor device. |
| US09425264B2 |
Method for growing an epitaxial film on a phosphorous-doped silicon wafer
A method includes: a backside-oxidation-film-formation step in which an oxidation film is formed on a backside of a silicon wafer; a backside-oxidation-film-removal step in which the oxidation film provided at an outer periphery of the silicon wafer is removed; an argon-annealing step in which the silicon wafer after the backside-oxidation-film-removal step is subjected to a heat treatment in an argon gas atmosphere at a temperature in a range from 1200 to 1220 degrees C. for 60 minutes or more and 120 minutes or less; and an epitaxial-film-formation step in which an epitaxial film is formed on a surface of the silicon wafer after the argon-annealing step. |
| US09425258B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device and a method of making the same. The device includes a semiconductor substrate having an AlGaN layer on a GaN layer. The device also includes first contact and a second contact. The average thickness of the AlGaN layer varies between the first contact and the second contact, for modulating the density of an electron gas in the GaN layer between the first contact and the second contact. |
| US09425257B2 |
Non-planar SiGe channel PFET
Systems and methods are provided for fabricating a semiconductor device structure. An example semiconductor device structure includes a channel layer formed of a Germanium compound having a Germanium concentration B formed on a semiconductor substrate having a Germanium concentration of A, the Germanium concentration of the substrate A being less than the Germanium concentration of the channel layer B. The structure further includes a capping layer formed to separate the channel layer from a metal gate, the capping layer having a Germanium concentration of C, the Germanium concentration of the channel layer B being greater than the Germanium concentration of the capping layer C. |
| US09425255B2 |
Nanowire and planar transistors co-integrated on utbox SOI substrate
Fabrication of a microelectronic device on a semiconductor on insulator type substrate, the device being provided with a transistor of a given type, the channel structure of which is formed from semiconducting bar(s), a dielectric area different from the insulating layer of the substrate being provided to replace the insulating layer, facing the transistor channel structure, specifically for this given type of transistor. |
| US09425254B1 |
Hybrid integrated nanotube and nanostructure substrate systems and methods
Systems and methods for providing a hybrid integrated nanostructure and nanotube substrate system are disclosed. The system includes a substrate having a plurality of nanostructures formed thereon. Interconnected to the substrate, directly or through nanostructures, are nanotubes. The nanostructures can extend for a greater distance from the surface of the substrate than the nanotubes, providing a robust structure. In addition, the structure can be highly emissive and absorptive hybrid surface. |
| US09425252B1 |
Process for single diffusion break with simplified process
A method of forming a SDB including a protective layer or bilayer and the resulting device are provided. Embodiments include forming a SDB of oxide in a Si substrate; forming a nitride layer over the Si substrate; forming a photoresist over the SDB and a portion of the nitride layer; removing the nitride layer on opposite sides of the photoresist down to the Si substrate, leaving a portion of the nitride layer only under the photoresist; forming a gate above the SBD and the portion of the nitride layer. |
| US09425248B2 |
Composite substrate
Disclosed is a composite substrate, which is provided with an inorganic insulating sintered substrate, which has a heat conductivity of 5 W/m·K or more, and a volume resistivity of 1×108 Ω·cm or more, and a single crystal semiconductor film, or a composite substrate, which is provided with the inorganic insulating sintered substrate, a single crystal semiconductor film, and a thin layer configured of at least one kind of material selected from among an oxide, a nitride, and an oxynitride, said thin layer being provided between the inorganic insulating sintered substrate and the single crystal semiconductor film. According to the present invention, a low-cost composite substrate with suppressed metal impurity contamination can be provided using an inorganic insulating sintered body, which is opaque to visible light, and which has excellent heat conductivity, and furthermore, a small loss in a high frequency region. |
| US09425247B2 |
Metal-insulator-metal capacitor with current leakage protection
A metal insulator metal (MIM) capacitor includes a top electrode, a first via contacting a first surface of the top electrode, a bottom electrode, a second via contacting a second surface of the bottom electrode, and an insulator between the top electrode and the bottom electrode. One of the top and the bottom electrodes includes a first part and a second part. The first part has a first edge and a second edge opposing the first edge. The second part shares the second edge with the first part. At least a portion of the first edge contacts the respective via, and a first one of the first and the second edges is longer than a second one of the first and the second edges. |
| US09425239B2 |
Vertical transistor for resistive memory
The present disclosure relates to a memory on semiconductor substrate, comprising: at least one data line, at least one selection line, at least one reference line, at least one memory cell comprising a select transistor having a control gate connected to the selection line, a first conduction terminal connected to a variable impedance element, the select transistor and the variable impedance element coupling the reference line to the data line, the select transistor comprising an embedded vertical gate produced in a trench formed in the substrate, and a channel region opposite a first face of the trench, between a first deep doped region and a second doped region on the surface of the substrate coupled to the variable impedance element. |
| US09425237B2 |
Selector device for two-terminal memory
Solid-state memory having a non-linear current-voltage (I-V) response is provided. By way of example, the solid-state memory can be a selector device. The selector device can be formed in series with a non-volatile memory device via a monolithic fabrication process. Further, the selector device can provide a substantially non-linear I-V response suitable to mitigate leakage current for the non-volatile memory device. In various disclosed embodiments, the series combination of the selector device and the non-volatile memory device can serve as one of a set of memory cells in a 1-transistor, many-resistor resistive memory cell array. |
| US09425236B2 |
Light emitting device
A light emitting device includes: a ceramic substrate; a plurality of LED chips; a printed resistor(s) connected in parallel with the plurality of LED chips; a dam resin made of a resin having a low optical transmittance; a fluorescent-material-containing resin layer; and an anode-side electrode and a cathode-side electrode, (a) which are provided on a primary surface of the ceramic substrate so as to face each other along a first direction on the primary surface and (b) which are disposed below at least one of the dam resin and the fluorescent-material-containing resin layer. With the configuration in which a plurality of LEDs, which are connected in a series-parallel connection, are provided on a substrate, it is possible to provide a light emitting device which can achieve restraining of luminance unevenness and an improvement in luminous efficiency. |
| US09425232B2 |
Very small pixel pitch focal plane array and method for manufacturing thereof
An imaging device includes a first semiconductor layer having a first surface and a second surface and a first photodetector having a first implanted region formed in the first semiconductor layer and a pad formed over the first implanted region. The imaging device also includes a readout circuit disposed over the first surface of the first semiconductor layer. The readout circuit has a plurality of contact plugs facing the first surface of the first semiconductor layer. The imaging device further includes a second semiconductor layer disposed below the second surface of the first semiconductor, a second photodetector having a second implanted region formed in the second semiconductor layer, and a metalized via extending through the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer and electrically connecting the second implanted region to a second of the contact plugs of the readout circuit. |
| US09425231B2 |
Image sensor and method for fabricating the same
An image sensor includes: a first inter-layer dielectric layer formed over a front side of a substrate including photoelectric conversion regions; isolation structures each of which penetrates through the first inter-layer dielectric layer and has a portion buried in the substrate; first metal lines formed over the first inter-layer dielectric layer to correspond to the photoelectric conversion regions; and an optical filter and a light condenser formed over a back side of the substrate. |
| US09425229B2 |
Solid-state imaging element, imaging device, and signal processing method including a dispersing element array and microlens array
This solid-state image sensor includes a photosensitive cell array including first through fourth photosensitive cells 2a to 2d, a dispersing element array including first and second dispersing elements 1a and 1b arranged to face the first and third photosensitive cells 2a and 2c, respectively, and a microlens array including first and second microlenses 4a and 4b. The first dispersing element 1a makes parts of incoming light that have come through the first microlens 4a and that have first and second color components incident on the first and second photosensitive cells 2a and 2b, respectively. The second dispersing element 1b makes parts of incoming light that have come through the second microlens 4b and that have third and fourth color components incident on the third and fourth photosensitive cells 2c and 2d, respectively. In addition, light that has not passed through the first and second microlenses 4a and 4b is also incident on the second and fourth photosensitive cells 2b and 2d. |
| US09425227B1 |
Imaging sensor using infrared-pass filter for green deduction
An imaging sensor is provided. The imaging sensor includes: a filter array used for extracting a specified color component of an incident light; and photoelectric elements for receiving the incident light via the filter array. The filter array includes: a green filter for extracting a green component; a red filter for extracting a red component; a blue filter for extracting a blue component; and a first infrared filter for extracting a first infrared component for the green component. The first infrared filter is implemented by the green filter and an infrared high-pass filter of a specific wavelength. |
| US09425218B2 |
Pixel structure and display panel
A pixel structure disposed on a first substrate is provided. The pixel structure includes a scan line, a data line, an active component, a pixel electrode, a first dielectric layer, a common electrode, and a protrusion. The scan line and the data line are disposed on the first substrate. The pixel electrode is disposed on the first substrate. The first dielectric layer is disposed on the first substrate and covers the pixel electrode. The common electrode is disposed on the first dielectric layer, and the common electrode has at least two first branched electrodes and a first opening between the first branched electrodes. The first branched electrodes and the first opening on the first substrate overlap with the pixel electrode in a projection direction. The protrusion is disposed on the first dielectric layer, and the protrusion is disposed in the first opening between the first branched electrodes. |
| US09425216B2 |
Thin film transistor substrate having metal oxide semiconductor and manufacturing the same
The present disclosure relates to a thin film transistor substrate having a metal oxide semiconductor for the fringe field type flat panel displays and a method for manufacturing the same. The thin film transistor substrate having an oxide semiconductor layer can include a substrate including pixel region; a gate element formed on the substrate; a gate insulating layer covering the gate element; a channel layer on the gate insulating layer, a source area expanded form a first side of the channel layer, a drain area expanded from a second side of the channel layer, and a pixel electrode expanded from the drain area to the pixel region; an etch stopper formed on the channel layer; a data element formed on the etch stopper; and a common electrode formed on the passivation layer and within the pixel region. |
| US09425215B2 |
Wireless processor, wireless memory, information system, and semiconductor device
The invention provides a processor obtained by forming a high functional integrated circuit using a polycrystalline semiconductor over a substrate which is sensitive to heat, such as a plastic substrate or a plastic film substrate. Moreover, the invention provides a wireless processor, a wireless memory, and an information processing system thereof which transmit and receive power or signals wirelessly. According to the invention, an information processing system includes an element forming region including a transistor which has at least a channel forming region formed of a semiconductor film separated into islands with a thickness of 10 to 200 nm, and an antenna. The transistor is fixed on a flexible substrate. The wireless processor in which a high functional integrated circuit including the element forming region is formed and the semiconductor device transmit and receive data through the antenna. |
| US09425213B1 |
Stacked short and long channel FinFETs
An analog integrated circuit is disclosed in which short channel transistors are stacked on top of long channel transistors, vertically separated by an insulating layer. With such a design, it is possible to produce a high density, high power, and high performance analog integrated circuit chip including both short and long channel devices that are spaced far enough apart from one another to avoid crosstalk. In one embodiment, the transistors are FinFETs and the long channel devices are multi-gate FinFETs. In one embodiment, single and dual damascene devices are combined in a multi-layer integrated circuit cell. The cell may contain various combinations and configurations of the short and long-channel devices. A high density cell can be made by simply shrinking the dimensions of the cells and replicating two or more cells in the same size footprint as the original cell. |
| US09425212B2 |
Isolated and bulk semiconductor devices formed on a same bulk substrate
Isolated and bulk semiconductor devices formed on a same bulk substrate and methods to form such devices are described. For example, a semiconductor structure includes a first semiconductor device having a first semiconductor body disposed on a bulk substrate. The first semiconductor body has an uppermost surface with a first horizontal plane. The semiconductor structure also includes a second semiconductor device having a second semiconductor body disposed on an isolation pedestal. The isolation pedestal is disposed on the bulk substrate. The second semiconductor body has an uppermost surface with a second horizontal plane. The first and second horizontal planes are co-planar. |
| US09425204B2 |
Non-volatile memory for high rewrite cycles application
A non-volatile memory has an array of non-volatile memory cells. Each of the non-volatile memory cells includes a coupling device formed on a first well, a read device, a floating gate device formed on a second well and coupled to the coupling device, a program device formed on the second well, and an erase device formed on a third well and coupled to the first floating gate device. The read device, the program device, and the erase device are formed on separate wells so as to separate the cycling counts of a read operation, a program operation and an erase operation of the non-volatile memory cell. |
| US09425201B2 |
Cell layout for SRAM FinFET transistors
An SRAM array and method of making is disclosed. Each SRAM cell comprises two pull-up (PU), two pass-gate (PG), and two pull-down (PD) FinFETs. The PU transistors are adjacent to each other and include one active fin having a first fin width. Each PG transistor shares at least one active fin with a PD transistor. The active fin shared by a PG and a PD transistor has a second fin width smaller than the first fin width. The method includes patterning a plurality of fins including active fins and dummy fins and patterning and removing at least a portion of the dummy fins. No dummy fin is disposed between PU FinFETs in a memory cell. One dummy fin is disposed between a PU FinFET and the at least one active fin shared by a PG and a PD transistor. At least one dummy fin is disposed between adjacent memory cells. |
| US09425197B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method for the same
A semiconductor device includes a P-channel DMOS transistor provided with an N-type gate electrode, a P-channel MOS transistor provided with a P-type gate electrode, and an N-channel MOS transistor provided with an N-type gate electrode. The N-type gate electrode of the P-channel DMOS transistor desirably has a first end portion that is located on a source side of the P-channel DMOS transistor, a second end portion that is located on a drain side of the P-channel DMOS transistor, and a P-type diffusion layer at the first end portion. |
| US09425196B1 |
Multiple threshold voltage FinFETs
A method of forming a plurality of fins having different threshold voltages from a single semiconductor layer without channel doping. The method may include; forming a first semiconductor having a uniform thickness in an unmerged region, a first merged region, and a second merged region; recessing the first semiconductor in the first and second merged regions, the first semiconductor has a different thickness in each of the unmerged region, the first merged region, and the second merged region; forming a second semiconductor on the first semiconductor in the first and second merged regions; merging the first and second semiconductors to form a first merged semiconductor in the first merged region and a second merged semiconductor in the second merged region; and forming fins in unmerged region, the first merged region, and the second merged region. |
| US09425188B2 |
Active ESD protection circuit with blocking diode
An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection integrated circuit (IC) includes a substrate having a semiconductor surface, a high power supply rail (VDD) and a low power supply rail (VSS) on the semiconductor surface. A trigger circuit including at least one trigger input and at least one trigger output is coupled between VDD and VSS. An active shunt including at least a large MOSFET is coupled between VDD and VSS. The trigger output is coupled to a gate electrode of the large MOSFET, and at least one diode or diode connected transistor (blocking diode) is coupled between VDD and the trigger circuit, within the trigger circuit or between the trigger output and gate electrode. |
| US09425178B2 |
RDL-first packaging process
A method includes forming a first plurality of Redistribution Lines (RDLs) over a carrier, and bonding a device die to the first plurality of RDLs through flip-chip bonding. The device die and the first plurality of RDLs are over the carrier. The device die is molded in a molding material. After the molding, the carrier is detached from the first plurality of RDLs. The method further includes forming solder balls to electrically couple to the first plurality of RDLs, wherein the solder balls and the device die are on opposite sides of the first plurality of RDLs. |
| US09425175B2 |
Methods for performing extended wafer-level packaging (eWLP) and eWLP devices made by the methods
Embedded Wafer-Level Packaging (eWLP) devices, packages and assemblies and methods of making them are provided. The eWLP methods allow back side electrical and/or thermal connections to be easily and economically made at the eWLP wafer level without having to use thru-mold vias (TMVs) or thru-silicon vias (TSVs) to make such connections. In order to create TMVs, processes such as reactive ion etching or laser drilling followed metallization are needed, which present difficulties and increase costs. In addition, the eWLP methods allow electrical and optical interfaces to be easily and economically formed on the front side and/or on the back side of the eWLP wafer, which allows the eWLP methods to be used to form optoelectronic devices having a variety of useful configurations. |
| US09425173B2 |
Display device using semiconductor light emitting device
A display device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a lower substrate disposed with a line electrode at an upper portion thereof, a plurality of semiconductor light emitting devices electrically connected to the line electrode to generate light and disposed to be separated from one another, and an adhesive portion including a body configured to fix the location of the lower substrate to that of the semiconductor light emitting device, and a conductor dispersed within the body to electrically connect the lower substrate to the semiconductor light emitting device, wherein the plurality of semiconductor light emitting devices form one pixel region (P) having red, green and blue semiconductor light emitting devices that emit red, green and blue light, and contain a material selected from inorganic semiconductor materials, and the adhesive portion blocks light generated from the plurality of semiconductor light emitting devices. |
| US09425167B2 |
Stackable microelectronic package structures
A microelectronic assembly includes a first microelectronic package having a substrate with first and second opposed surfaces and substrate contacts thereon. The first package further includes first and second microelectronic elements, each having element contacts electrically connected with the substrate contacts and being spaced apart from one another on the first surface so as to provide an interconnect area of the first surface between the first and second microelectronic elements. A plurality of package terminals at the second surface are electrically interconnected with the substrate contacts for connecting the package with a component external thereto. A plurality of stack terminals are exposed at the first surface in the interconnect area for connecting the package with a component overlying the first surface of the substrate. The assembly further includes a second microelectronic package overlying the first microelectronic package and having terminals joined to the stack terminals of the first microelectronic package. |
| US09425165B2 |
Method of manufacturing semiconductor device
A non-leaded semiconductor device comprises a sealing body for sealing a semiconductor chip, a tab in the interior of the sealing body, suspension leads for supporting the tab, leads having respective surfaces exposed to outer edge portions of a back surface of the sealing body, and wires connecting pads formed on the semiconductor chip and the leads. End portions of the suspension leads positioned in an outer periphery portion of the sealing body are unexposed to the back surface of the sealing body, but are covered with the sealing body. Stand-off portions of the suspending leads are not formed in resin molding. When cutting the suspending leads, corner portions of the back surface of the sealing body are supported by a flat portion of a holder portion in a cutting die having an area wider than a cutting allowance of the suspending leads, whereby chipping of the resin is prevented. |
| US09425162B2 |
Bond heads for thermocompression bonders, thermocompression bonders, and methods of operating the same
A bond head for a thermocompression bonder is provided. The bond head includes a tool configured to hold a workpiece to be bonded, a heater configured to heat the workpiece to be bonded, and a chamber proximate the heater. The chamber is configured to receive a cooling fluid for cooling the heater. |
| US09425160B1 |
Wafer-level package device with solder bump reinforcement
Wafer-level package (semiconductor) devices are described that have a reinforcement layer formed on an adhesion layer and/or a semiconductor substrate and covering at least a portion of at least one solder bump. Additionally, the reinforcement layer may cover at least a portion of a semiconductor device (e.g., a die) mounted on the semiconductor substrate. In an implementation, the wafer-level package (semiconductor) device may include an integrated circuit chip with an attached die, where the integrated circuit chip has at least one solder bump formed thereon with a reinforcement layer formed on a surface of the integrated circuit chip, where the reinforcement layer embeds the die and covers a portion of the at least one solder bump. |
| US09425154B2 |
Noise decoupling structure with through-substrate vias
A device includes a substrate having a front surface and a back surface; an integrated circuit device at the front surface of the substrate; and a metal plate on the back surface of the substrate, wherein the metal plate overlaps substantially an entirety of the integrated circuit device. A guard ring extends into the substrate and encircles the integrated circuit device. The guard ring is formed of a conductive material. A through substrate via (TSV) penetrates through the substrate and electrically couples to the metal plate. |
| US09425152B2 |
Method for fabricating EMI shielding package structure
An EMI shielding package structure includes a substrate unit having a first surface with a die mounting area and a second surfaces opposite to the first surface, metallic pillars formed on the first surface, a chip mounted on and electrically connected to the die-mounting area, an encapsulant covering the chip and the first surface while exposing a portion of each of the metallic pillars from the encapsulant, and a shielding film enclosing the encapsulant and electrically connecting to the metallic pillars. A fabrication method of the above structure by two cutting processes is further provided. The first cutting process forms grooves by cutting the encapsulant. After a shielding film is formed in the grooves and electrically connected to the metallic pillars, the complete package structure is formed by the second cutting process, thereby simplifying the fabrication process while overcoming inferior grounding of the shielding film as encountered in prior techniques. |
| US09425151B2 |
Compliant electrostatic transfer head with spring support layer
A compliant electrostatic transfer head and method of forming a compliant electrostatic transfer head are described. In an embodiment, a compliant electrostatic transfer head includes a cavity in a base substrate, a spring support layer on the base substrate, and a patterned device layer on the spring support layer. The spring support layer includes a spring support layer beam profile that extends over and is deflectable toward the cavity, and the patterned device layer includes an electrode beam profile that is supported by the spring support layer beam profile and extends over and is deflectable toward the cavity. |
| US09425150B2 |
Multi-via interconnect structure and method of manufacture
An interconnect structure and a method of forming the interconnect structure are provided. Two wafers (and/or dies) are bonded together. A multi-via interconnect structure is formed extending from a backside of a first substrate to interconnect structures in the metallization layers on the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit. The multi-via interconnect structure may be formed by thinning a first substrate of a first wafer and forming a first opening through the first substrate. A second opening extends from the first opening to a first interconnect structure on the first wafer, and a third opening extends from the first interconnect structure on the first wafer to a second interconnect structure on the second wafer. The first, second, and third openings are filled with a conductive material, thereby forming a multi-via interconnect structure. |
| US09425149B1 |
Integrated circuit package routing with reduced crosstalk
An integrated circuit package substrate may include a core layer and dielectric layers formed on top and bottom surfaces of the core layer. Routing traces such as stripline structures may be formed in some of the dielectric layers, whereas plated through hole (PTH) structures may be formed through the core layer. A first pair of PTHs that carry a first differential signal may be orthogonally intertwined with a second pair of PTHs that carry a second differential signal. Solder balls formed at the surface of the package substrate may include a first pair of solder balls that convey a first differential signal that is orthogonally intertwined with respect to a second pair of solder balls that convey a second differential signal. The package substrate may be mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB). Differential PCB vias could use the same BGA orthogonal pattern described above. |
| US09425143B2 |
Integrated device package comprising an electromagnetic (EM) passive device in an encapsulation layer, and an EM shield
Some novel features pertain to an integrated device package that includes a die, an electromagnetic (EM) passive device, an encapsulation layer covering the die and the EM passive device, and a redistribution portion coupling the die and the EM passive device. In some implementations, the EM passive device includes an electromagnetic (EM) passive device. The EM passive device includes a base layer, a via traversing the base layer, a pad coupled to the via, and at least redistribution layer configured to operate as electromagnetic (EM) passive component, where the redistribution layer is coupled to the pad. The redistribution portion of the EM passive device includes at least one redistribution layer that is configured to electrically couple the die to the EM passive device. The redistribution portion includes at least one redistribution layer that is configured as an electromagnetic (EM) shield. |
| US09425141B2 |
Integrated circuit with elongated coupling
An integrated circuit comprises a first layer on a first level. The first layer comprises a set of first lines. The first lines each have a length and a width. The length of each of the first lines is greater than the width. The integrated circuit also comprises a second layer on a second level different from the first level. The second layer comprises a set of second lines. The second lines each have a length and a width. The length of each of the second lines is greater than the width. The integrated circuit further comprises a coupling configured to connect at least one first line of the set of first lines with at least one second line of the set of second lines. The coupling has a length and a width. The set of second lines has a pitch measured between the lines of the set of second lines in the first direction. The length of the first coupling is greater than or equal to the pitch. |
| US09425136B2 |
Conical-shaped or tier-shaped pillar connections
A pillar structure for a substrate is provided. The pillar structure may have one or more tiers, where each tier may have a conical shape or a spherical shape. In an embodiment, the pillar structure is used in a bump-on-trace (BOT) configuration. The pillar structures may have circular shape or an elongated shape in a plan view. The substrate may be coupled to another substrate. In an embodiment, the another substrate may have raised conductive traces onto which the pillar structure may be coupled. |
| US09425134B2 |
Chip package
A chip package is provided. The chip package includes a chip having an upper surface, a lower surface and a sidewall. The chip includes a sensing region or device region and a signal pad region adjacent to the upper surface. A shallow recess structure is located outside of the signal pad region and extends from the upper surface toward the lower surface along the sidewall. The shallow recess structure has at least a first recess and a second recess under the first recess. A redistribution layer is electrically connected to the signal pad region and extends into the shallow recess structure. A first end of a wire is located in the shallow recess structure and is electrically connected to the redistribution layer. A second end of the wire is used for external electrical connection. A method for forming the chip package is also provided. |
| US09425130B2 |
Package with multiple I/O side-solderable terminals
Consistent with an example embodiment, there is leadless packaged semiconductor device having top and bottom opposing major surfaces and sidewalls extending there between. The leadless packaged semiconductor device comprises a lead frame sub-assembly having an array of two or more lead frame portions each having a semiconductor die arranged thereon. There are at least five I/O terminals wherein each of said terminals comprise a respective metal side pad wherein the respective metal side pad is disposed in a recess. A feature of this embodiment is that the each of the side pads is electroplated. The electroplated side pads accept solder and the solder menisci are contained by the recesses. |
| US09425128B2 |
3-D package having plurality of substrates
A package includes an interposer, which includes a first substrate free from through-vias therein, redistribution lines over the first substrate, and a first plurality of connectors over and electrically coupled to the redistribution lines. A first die is over and bonded to the first plurality of connectors. The first die includes a second substrate, and through-vias in the second substrate. A second die is over and bonded to the plurality of connectors. The first die and the second die are electrically coupled to each other through the redistribution lines. A second plurality of connectors is over the first die and the second die. The second plurality of connectors is electrically coupled to the first plurality of connectors through the through-vias in the second substrate. |
| US09425126B2 |
Dummy structure for chip-on-wafer-on-substrate
Apparatus, and methods of manufacture thereof, in which metal is deposited into openings, thus forming a plurality of metal pads, a plurality of through-silicon-vias (TSVs), a plurality of metal lines, a plurality of first dummy structures, and a plurality of second dummy structures. Ones of the plurality of first dummy structures each have a first width that is at least about three times greater than a second width of each of the plurality of metal lines, and ones of the plurality of second dummy structures each have a third width that is at least about five times greater than the second width of each of the plurality of metal lines. |
| US09425125B2 |
Silicon-glass hybrid interposer circuitry
An interposer is provided. The interposer includes a silicon substrate layer, a glass substrate layer, and at least one through interposer via. The silicon substrate layer is formed on top of the glass substrate layer. The interposer may also be known as a hybrid interposer because it includes two different types of substrate layers forming one interposer. The through interposer via is formed to go through the silicon substrate layer and the glass substrate layer. The interposer may be used for forming an integrated circuit package. The integrated circuit package includes multiple integrated circuits that are mounted on the interposer. |
| US09425124B2 |
Compliant pin fin heat sink and methods
A heat sink includes a plurality of layers being disposed substantially parallel with a surface of a heat source. The layers include a plurality of pin portions spaced apart from each other in a planar arrangement wherein the pin portions of the layers are stacked and bonded to form pin fins extending in a transverse direction relative to the heat source to sink heat. A compliant layer is disposed between the pin fins and a mechanical load. The compliant layer provides compliance such that the pin fins accommodate dimensional differences when interfacing with the heat source. |
| US09425118B2 |
Electronic component having a corrosion-protected bonding connection and method for producing the component
The invention relates to an electronic component (1) having a corrosion-protected bonding connection and a method for producing said component. For this purpose the electronic component (1) has at least one semiconductor chip (3) on a substrate (4). Moreover, a bonding connection at risk of corrosion is provided on the semiconductor chip (3). For encapsulation of the at least one semiconductor chip (3) and the at least one bonding connection at risk of corrosion, said semiconductor chip and bonding connection are surrounded by a hermetically sealing housing (5). The hermetically sealed bonding connection is a bonding wire connection (2) which is fully enclosed in the housing (5), in which the substrate (4) is at least partially enclosed. The substrate (4) has at least one surface-mounted hydrolysis-sensitive component (6) in the housing (5). |
| US09425115B2 |
Glass frit wafer bond protective structure
A bonded semiconductor device comprising a support substrate, a semiconductor device located with respect to one side of the support substrate, a cap substrate overlying the support substrate and the device, a glass frit bond ring between the support substrate and the cap substrate, an electrically conductive ring between the support substrate and the cap substrate. The electrically conductive ring forms an inner ring around the semiconductor device and the glass frit bond ring forms an outer bond ring around the semiconductor device. |
| US09425114B2 |
Flip chip packages
A flip chip package includes a substrate, a silicon die supported on and electrically connected with the substrate, and a lid attached with the substrate and covering the silicon die. The silicon die has a die surface including a first set of tracks formed therein, and the lid may have a lid surface including a second set of tracks formed therein. A thermal interface material may be disposed between the die surface and lid surface and at least partially fill the first and second sets of tracks. |
| US09425111B2 |
Semiconductor package
A semiconductor package includes a package substrate; a semiconductor chip mounted on a top surface of the package substrate; a chip pad disposed on a bottom surface of the semiconductor chip to face the top surface of the package substrate, the chip pad including a connection pad and a measurement pad; and a chip bump including a first bump provided between the package substrate and the connection pad and a second bump provided between the package substrate and the measurement pad. An interconnection disposed within the package substrate is not connected to the second bump to be electrically isolated from the second bump. |
| US09425107B2 |
Memory device and method for manufacturing the same
A memory device that is as small in area as possible and has an extremely long data retention period. A transistor with extremely low leakage current is used as a cell transistor of a memory element in a memory device. Moreover, in order to reduce the area of a memory cell, the transistor is formed so that its source and drain are stacked in the vertical direction in a region where a bit line and a word line intersect each other. Further, a capacitor is stacked above the transistor. |
| US09425105B1 |
Semiconductor device including self-aligned gate structure and improved gate spacer topography
A semiconductor device includes at least one semiconductor fin on an upper surface of a semiconductor substrate, and at least one metal gate stack formed on the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate. One or more pairs of source/drain contact structures are formed on the upper surface of the semiconductor fin. Each source/drain contact structure includes a metal contact stack, a spacer, and a cap spacer. The metal contact stack is formed on the upper surface of the fin. The spacer is interposed between a contact sidewall of the metal contact stack and a gate sidewall of the at least one metal gate stack. The cap spacer is formed on an upper surface of the metal contact stack and has a cap portion disposed against the spacer such that the metal gate stack is interposed between the opposing source/drain contact structures. |
| US09425104B2 |
Complementary metal oxide semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
Provided are a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device and a method of manufacturing the same. In the CMOS device, a buffer layer is disposed on a silicon substrate, and a first layer including a group III-V material is disposed on the buffer layer. A second layer including a group IV material is disposed on the buffer layer or the silicon substrate while being spaced apart from the first layer. |
| US09425099B2 |
Epitaxial channel with a counter-halo implant to improve analog gain
Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an implant that improves long-channel transistor performance with little to no impact on short-channel transistor performance. To mitigate DIBL, both long-channel and short-channel transistors on a substrate are subjected to a halo implant. While the halo implant improves short-channel transistor performance, it degrades long-channel transistor performance. Therefore, a counter-halo implant is performed on the long-channel transistors only to restore their performance. To achieve this, the counter-halo implant is performed at an angle that introduces dopant impurities near the source/drain regions of the long-channel transistors to counteract the effects of the halo implant, while the counter-halo implant is simultaneously shadowed from reaching the channel of the short-channel transistors. |
| US09425091B2 |
Method for forming semiconductor structure
One or more techniques or systems for forming a semiconductor structure having a gap are provided herein. In some embodiments, a gap is formed between a first etch stop layer (ESL) and an ESL seal region. For example, the gap is formed by removing a portion of a low-k (LK) dielectric region above an oxide region and removing the oxide region. In some embodiments, the oxide region below the LK dielectric region facilitates removal of the LK dielectric region, at least because the oxide region enhances a bottom etch rate of a bottom of the LK dielectric region such that the bottom etch rate is similar to a wall etch rate of a wall of the LK dielectric region. |
| US09425089B2 |
Conductive element structure and method
Conductive element structures and methods of manufacture thereof are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method of forming a conductive element in an insulating layer includes: forming a recess in a metal layer disposed over the insulating layer; selectively forming a metal liner on a sidewall of the recess; and etching a via in the insulating layer using the metal layer and the metal liner as a mask. |
| US09425088B2 |
Manufacturing method of semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes: a substrate; a semiconductor element installed on the substrate so that a surface formed with an electrode is directed to the substrate; a chip capacitor installed on the substrate; and a conductive material covering a rear surface opposite to the surface of the semiconductor element and joining to one terminal electrode of the chip capacitor. |
| US09425087B1 |
Method for forming semiconductor device structure
A method for forming a semiconductor device structure is provided. The method includes forming a dielectric layer over a semiconductor substrate. The method includes forming a mask layer over the dielectric layer. The mask layer has an opening exposing a portion of the dielectric layer. The method includes removing the portion of the dielectric layer through the opening to form a recess in the dielectric layer. The method includes removing the mask layer. The method includes performing a plasma cleaning process over the dielectric layer. The plasma cleaning process uses a carbon dioxide-containing gas. |
| US09425085B2 |
Structures, devices and methods for memory devices
Structures, devices and methods are provided for fabricating memory devices. A structure includes: a first conductive line disposed in a first conductive layer; a first landing pad disposed in the first conductive layer and associated with a second conductive line disposed in a second conductive layer; and a second landing pad disposed in the first conductive layer and associated with a third conductive line disposed in a third conductive layer. The second conductive layer and the third conductive layer are different from the first conductive layer. |
| US09425080B2 |
Non-volatile memory device employing semiconductor nanoparticles
Semiconductor nanoparticles are deposited on a top surface of a first insulator layer of a substrate. A second insulator layer is deposited over the semiconductor nanoparticles and the first insulator layer. A semiconductor layer is then bonded to the second insulator layer to provide a semiconductor-on-insulator substrate, which includes a buried insulator layer including the first and second insulator layers and embedded semiconductor nanoparticles therein. Back gate electrodes are formed underneath the buried insulator layer, and shallow trench isolation structures are formed to isolate the back gate electrodes. Field effect transistors are formed in a memory device region and a logic device region employing same processing steps. The embedded nanoparticles can be employed as a charge storage element of non-volatile memory devices, in which charge carriers tunnel through the second insulator layer into or out of the semiconductor nanoparticles during writing and erasing. |
| US09425078B2 |
Inhibitor plasma mediated atomic layer deposition for seamless feature fill
Systems and methods for depositing film in a substrate processing system includes performing a first atomic layer deposition (ALD) cycle in a processing chamber to deposit film on a substrate including a feature; after the first ALD cycle, exposing the substrate to an inhibitor plasma in the processing chamber for a predetermined period to create a varying passivated surface in the feature; and after the predetermined period, performing a second ALD cycle in the processing chamber to deposit film on the substrate. |
| US09425076B2 |
Substrate transfer robot end effector
Embodiments of apparatus for supporting a substrate are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus for supporting a substrate includes a support member; and a plurality of substrate contact elements protruding from the support member, wherein each of the plurality of substrate contact elements includes: a first contact surface to support a substrate when placed thereon; and a second contact surface extending from the first contact surface, wherein the second contact surface is adjacent a periphery of the substrate to prevent radial movement of the substrate, wherein the first contact surface is at a first angle with respect to the support member and the second contact surface is at a second angle with respect to the support member, and wherein the first angle is between about 3 degrees and 5 degrees. |
| US09425072B2 |
Mask pattern for hole patterning and method for fabricating semiconductor device using the same
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming an etching target layer over a substrate including a first region and a second region; forming a hard mask layer over the etching target layer; forming a first etch mask over the hard mask layer, wherein the first etch mask includes a plurality of line patterns and a sacrificial spacer layer formed over the line patterns; forming a second etch mask over the first etch mask, wherein the second etch mask includes a mesh type pattern and a blocking pattern covering the second region; removing the sacrificial spacer layer; forming hard mask layer patterns having a plurality of holes by etching the hard mask layer using the second etch mask and the first etch mask; and forming a plurality of hole patterns in the first region by etching the etching target layer using the hard mask layer patterns. |
| US09425070B2 |
Semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same
Disclosed herein is a semiconductor device, including: a mount body having a first principal surface on which a wiring pattern is formed; a semiconductor chip mounted above the principal surface of the mount body on which the wiring pattern is formed; an underfill material filled between the mount body and the semiconductor chip, thereby forming a fillet in an outer peripheral portion of the semiconductor chip; and an introduction portion formed outside a side portion, along which the fillet is formed so as to be longest, of four side portions which measure a chip mounting area, on the mount body, onto which the semiconductor chip is mounted, the introduction portion serving to introduce the underfill material between the mount body and the semiconductor chip. |
| US09425068B2 |
Semiconductor device, related manufacturing method, and related electronic device
A method for manufacturing semiconductor device may include the following steps: performing an etching process to remove a sacrificial layer from a first composite structure, wherein the first composite structure includes a first substrate structure; performing a heat treatment to release a gas from the first composite structure; performing a cleaning process to remove an oxide layer from the first composite structure; and combining the first composite structure with a second composite structure that includes a second substrate structure and an electronic component positioned on the second substrate substructure, such that the first substrate structure is combined with the second substrate structure to form an enclosure structure that encloses the electronic component. |
| US09425062B2 |
Method for improving CD micro-loading in photomask plasma etching
Embodiments of the present invention provides methods to etching a mask layer, e.g., an absorber layer, disposed in a film stack for manufacturing a photomask in EUV applications and phase shift and binary photomask applications. In one embodiment, a method of etching an absorber layer disposed on a photomask includes transferring a film stack into an etching chamber, the film stack having a chromium containing layer partially exposed through a patterned photoresist layer, providing an etching gas mixture including Cl2, O2 and at least one hydrocarbon gas in to a processing chamber, wherein the Cl2 and O2 is supplied at a Cl2:O2 ratio greater than about 9, supplying a RF source power to form a plasma from the etching gas mixture, and etching the chromium containing layer through the patterned photoresist layer in the presence of the plasma. |
| US09425061B2 |
Buffer cap layer to improve MIM structure performance
The present disclosure relates to method of forming a MIM (metal-insulator-metal) structure having a buffer cap layer that reduces stress induced by an overlying stress-inducing protective layer, and an associated apparatus. The method is performed by forming a lower conductive layer over a semiconductor substrate, forming a dielectric layer over the lower conductive layer, and forming an upper conductive layer over the dielectric layer. A buffer cap layer is formed over the upper conductive layer and a stress-inducing protective layer is formed onto the buffer cap layer. The buffer cap layer reduces a stress induced onto the upper conductive layer by the stress-inducing protective layer, thereby reducing leakage current between the lower and upper conductive layers. |
| US09425059B2 |
Methods of forming a pattern and methods of manufacturing a semiconductor device using the same
A method of forming a pattern includes forming an underlayer on an etching target layer by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process, the underlayer including a silicon compound combined with a photoacid generator (PAG), forming a photoresist layer on the underlayer, irradiating extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light on the photoresist layer to form a photoresist pattern, and etching the etching target layer using the photoresist pattern as an etching mask. |
| US09425058B2 |
Simplified litho-etch-litho-etch process
Methods of patterning a blanket layer (a target etch layer) on a substrate are described. The methods involve multiple patterning steps of a mask layer several layers above the target etch layer. The compound pattern, made from multiple patterning steps, is later transferred in one set of operations through the stack to save process steps. |
| US09425054B2 |
Method for fabricating semiconductor device
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes: preparing a substrate; performing a pre-treatment including a first hydrogen annealing on a surface of the substrate; forming a gate dielectric layer over the substrate; performing a post-treatment including a second hydrogen annealing on the substrate including the gate dielectric layer; and forming a gate electrode over the gate dielectric layer. |
| US09425053B2 |
Block mask litho on high aspect ratio topography with minimal semiconductor material damage
A trilayer stack that can be used as a block mask for forming patterning features in semiconductor structures with high aspect ratio topography is provided. The trilayer stack includes an organic planarization (OPL) layer, a titanium-containing antireflective coating (TiARC) layer on the OPL layer and a photoresist layer on the TiARC layer. Employing a combination of an OPL having a high etch rate and a TiARC layer that can be easily removed by a mild chemical etchant solution in the trilayer stack can significantly minimize substrate damage during lithographic patterning processes. |
| US09425050B2 |
System and method for providing an electron blocking layer with doping control
Aspects of the disclosure pertain to a system and method for providing an electron blocking layer with doping control. The electron blocking layer is included in a semiconductor assembly. The electron blocking layer includes a lithium aluminate layer. The lithium aluminate layer promotes reduced diffusion of magnesium into a layer stack of the semiconductor assembly. |
| US09425048B2 |
Mechanisms for semiconductor device structure
Embodiments of mechanisms of a semiconductor device structure are provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a substrate and a metal gate structure formed over the substrate. The semiconductor device structure further includes a funnel shaped hard mask structure formed over the metal gate structure. Formation of voids, which tend to be formed in a rectangular hard mask structure, is prevented. In addition, formation of a self-aligned contact in the semiconductor device becomes easier, and risks of shortage between the contact and a metal gate structure in the semiconductor device decreased. In addition, a method for forming the semiconductor device structure is also provided. The method may include a gate last process. |
| US09425043B2 |
High mobility power metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors
High mobility P-channel power metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a power MOSFET is fabricated such that the holes flow in an inversion/accumulation channel, which is along the (110) crystalline plane, or equivalents, and the current flow is in the [110] direction, or equivalents, when a negative potential is applied to the gate with respect to the source. The enhanced channel mobility of holes leads to a reduction of the channel portion of the on-state resistance, thereby advantageously reducing total “on” resistance of the device. |
| US09425042B2 |
Hybrid silicon germanium substrate for device fabrication
Systems and methods are provided for fabricating a semiconductor device structure. An example semiconductor device structure includes a first buffer layer, a second buffer layer, a n-type transistor structure, and a p-type transistor structure. The first buffer layer having a first germanium concentration is formed on a substrate. The second buffer layer having a second germanium concentration is formed on the substrate, the second germanium concentration being larger than the first germanium concentration. The n-type transistor structure is formed on the first buffer layer, and the p-type transistor structure is formed on the second buffer layer. |
| US09425039B2 |
Method of manufacturing semiconductor device, substrate processing apparatus and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium
Provided is a technique of controlling a work function of a metal film. A composite metal nitride film is formed on a substrate present in a process chamber by alternately supplying a first source and a second source to the substrate, wherein the first source contains a first metal element, the second source contains an ethyl ligand and a second metal element that is different from the first metal element, and a bond between the second metal element and a nitrogen element in the composite metal nitride film has crystallinity. |
| US09425037B2 |
Silicon polishing compositions with improved PSD performance
The invention relates to a chemical-mechanical polishing composition comprising silica, one or more tetraalkylammonium salts, one or more bicarbonate salts, one or more alkali metal hydroxides, one or more aminophosphonic acids, one or more rate accelerator compounds, one or more polysaccharides, and water. The polishing composition reduces surface roughness and PSD of polished substrates. The invention further relates to a method of chemically-mechanically polishing a substrate, especially a silicon substrate, using the polishing composition described herein. |
| US09425036B2 |
Light source device and semiconductor manufacturing apparatus including the same
Provided are a light source device and a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus including the same. The light source device includes a light-emitting lamp. The light source device includes a laser generator configured to generate and direct a laser beam to the light-emitting lamp. The light source device includes a recycling optical element configured to redirect the laser beam to the light-emitting lamp. The recycling optical element includes a first recycling optical modulator configured to change the phase of the laser beam. |
| US09425034B2 |
Quasi-planar multi-reflecting time-of-flight mass spectrometer
A multi-reflecting time-of-flight (MR-TOF) mass spectrometer, which includes two quasi-planar electrostatic ion mirrors extended along drift direction (Z) and is formed of parallel electrodes, separated by a field-free region. The MR-TOF includes a pulsed ion source to release ion packets at a small angle to X-direction which is orthogonal to the drift direction Z. Ion packets are reflected between ion mirrors and drift along the drift direction. The mirrors are arranged to provide time-of-flight focusing ion packets on the receiver. The MR-TOF mirrors provide spatial focusing in the Y-direction orthogonal to both drift direction Z and ion injection direction X. In a preferred embodiment, at least one mirror has a feature providing periodic spatial focusing of ion packets in the drift Z-direction. |
| US09425032B2 |
Optimizing drag field voltages in a collision cell for multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) tandem mass spectrometry
A collision cell has a plurality of rod electrodes arranged in opposed pairs around an axial centerline and a plurality of drag vanes arranged in the interstitial spaces between the rod electrodes. Operating the collision cell includes, applying a rod offset voltage to the rod electrodes, and varying an offset voltage applied to the drag vanes to identify a vane offset voltage with a maximum intensity for the transition. The method further includes varying a drag field by adjusting the voltages applied to drag vane terminals in opposite directions to identify a drag field value with a cross talk below a cross talk threshold, varying the vane offset voltage by adjusting the voltages applied to the drag vane terminals to maximize the intensity of the transition while preserving the drag field, and operating the collision cell at the vane offset voltage and drag field to monitor the transition. |
| US09425031B2 |
Method and system for providing a modifier to a curtain gas for a differential mobility spectrometer
A system including a differential mobility spectrometer is described as is a method of operating the system including the differential mobility spectrometer. The method and system involve a) providing ions to the differential mobility spectrometer; b) providing a drift gas to an inlet of the differential mobility spectrometer; c) adjusting a meter to define a selected volumetric flow rate for supplying a modifier liquid to the drift gas; and, d) supplying an actual volumetric flow rate of the modifier liquid to the drift gas, wherein the actual volumetric flow rate is within a percentage deviation from the selected volumetric flow rate. |
| US09425027B2 |
Methods of affecting material properties and applications therefor
Methods of affecting a material's properties through the implantation of ions, such as by using a plasma processing apparatus with a plasma sheath modifier. In this way, properties such as resistance to chemicals, adhesiveness, hydrophobicity, and hydrophilicity, may be affected. These methods can be applied to a variety of technologies. In some cases, ion implantation is used in the manufacture of printer heads to reduce clogging by increasing the materials hydrophobicity. In other embodiments, MEMS and NEMS devices are produced using ion implantation to change the properties of fluid channels and other structures. In addition, ion implantation can be used to affect a material's resistance to chemicals, such as acids. |
| US09425018B2 |
Fuse unit
A fuse unit includes a unit body and an auxiliary fuse unit. The unit body includes a bus bar provided with a power supply connector, first output connectors and second output connectors and fusible members, and an insulation protector provided on the periphery of the bus bar. The auxiliary fuse unit includes an auxiliary bus bar provided with an auxiliary power supply connector and an auxiliary output connector and is detachably installed to the unit body. |
| US09425015B2 |
Magnetic trip device of a thermal magnetic circuit breaker having a stabilizer element
A magnetic trip device of a thermal magnetic circuit breaker, a thermal magnetic circuit breaker that includes such a magnetic trip device, and a method for adjusting a magnetic field area of a magnetic trip device of a thermal magnetic circuit breaker, are disclosed. In an embodiment, the magnetic trip device includes at least an armature locator moveable arranged on a pin in order to adjust a magnetic field area, and an armature element fixed on a lower surface of the armature locator in order to interact with a yoke. The armature locator includes a stabilizer element in order to increase a contact area between the pin and the armature locator and/or a recess in order to receive at least an upper end of a spring element in order to space the armature element and the yoke from each other at least partially. |
| US09425012B2 |
Electromagnetic operation device for vacuum circuit breaker
There is provided an electromagnetic operation device for a vacuum circuit breaker, which controls by its electromagnetic operation, a speed of contact switching operation of a vacuum switch tube used in the vacuum circuit breaker, the electromagnetic operation device including a closing drive coil for the vacuum switch tube; and a first temperature sensor that measures a temperature surrounding the closing drive coil, wherein a current caused to flow through the closing drive coil is controlled based on the temperature measured by the first temperature sensor. |
| US09425010B2 |
Fuse for a motor vehicle power line
Circuit breaker for motor vehicle power lines, having a first planar connection flap, a second connection flap and a connection portion which electrically connects the connection flaps and which forms a desired breaking location. A particularly simple production with low material use can be achieved by the connection flaps and the electrical connection portion closing an explosion chamber of a pyrotechnical igniter in such a manner that the desired breaking location bursts owing to the gas pressure of the pyrotechnical igniter brought about in the event of actuation. |
| US09425009B2 |
Electronic control device including interrupt wire
An electronic control device includes a substrate, a plurality of component-mounted wires disposed on the substrate, a plurality of electronic components mounted on the respective component-mounted wires, a common wire disposed on the substrate and coupled with each of the electronic components, an interrupt wire coupled between one of the component-mounted wires and the common wire, a connection wire via which the interrupt wire is coupled with one of the common wire and the one of the component-mounted wires, and a solder disposed between each of the electronic components and a corresponding one of the component-mounted wires and having a lower melting point than the interrupt wire. The interrupt wire is configured to melt in accordance with heat generated by an overcurrent so as to interrupt a coupling between the one of the component-mounted wires and the common wire. |
| US09425007B2 |
Pressure-type contact switch for use in operation of pressure pump
A pressure-type contact switch includes a bourdon tube which expands and contracts depending on water pressure in a discharge conduit applied by a pressure pump; a link having an end connected to a free end of the bourdon tube; a first actuating lever having an end connected to the other end of the link and rotatably installed about a first rotation axis; a first semi-circle gear formed at the other end of the first actuating lever; a first link gear engaged with the first semi-circle gear and fitted to a central rotation axis to thereby cause the central rotation axis to rotate in normal and reverse directions; a rotation member fitted to the central rotation axis; a second actuating lever which is installed to the rotation member to be rotatable about a second rotation axis; and an extension lever fitted to an end of the second actuating lever. |
| US09425005B2 |
Vacuum interrupter with transition areas between metal housing parts and ceramic housing parts covered by insulating material
A vacuum interrupter is disclosed with transition areas between metal housing parts and ceramic housing parts covered by insulating material. To enhance dielectric performance and field grading behavior, the insulating material can extend as a tube or a multilayer tube design over at least nearly a complete length of the vacuum interrupter or vacuum device arrangement. The insulating material can be filled or at least covered at an inner surface which comes into close contact with the vacuum interrupter or vacuum device surface, with metal and/or conductive metal oxides. |
| US09425004B2 |
Reinforced pin which hinge couples a rotatable shaft to the transfer link in a circuit breaker
A circuit breaker according to the present disclosure may include a movable contact configured to be brought into contact with or separated from the stationary contact; and a switching mechanism configured to switch the movable contact, wherein the switching mechanism includes a shaft rotatably installed therein; a transfer link configured to transfer a driving force from the shaft to the movable contact; and a pin configured to hinge-couple the shaft to the transfer link and insulate them from each other, and the pin is installed with a wear resistant member at a portion brought into contact with the shaft. |
| US09425003B2 |
Electric current switching apparatus
An arc quenching plate for an electric switch includes a first mounting portion and a second mounting portion for mounting the quenching plate to respective recesses of the switch. The first mounting portion and the second mounting portion have a different form when compared to each other. |
| US09425002B2 |
Circuit breaker
A circuit breaker includes: a housing; a stator accommodated in the housing and connected to a terminal unit; a mover selectively brought into contact with the stator; an opening and closing unit manipulating the mover such that the mover is selectively brought into contact with the stator; and an insulating cover provided in the housing and shielding the mover and the stator from the exterior of the housing, wherein the housing or the insulating cover is made by molding an electrical insulating material. |
| US09425001B2 |
Method of making super capacitor with fibers
An electrical cell apparatus includes a first current collector made of a multiplicity of fibers, a second current collector spaced from the first current collector; and a separator disposed between the first current collector and the second current collector. The fibers are contained in a foam. |
| US09425000B2 |
Porous carbon material and manufacturing method thereof and supercapacitor
An embodiment provides a manufacturing method for a porous carbon material including: preparing a first solution including a surfactant, a carbon source material and a solvent; pouring the first solution into a silica sol aqueous solution to form a second solution; preparing a silicate aqueous solution; pouring the silicate aqueous solution into the second solution to form a third solution and to precipitate out an intermediate, wherein the intermediate includes the surfactant, the carbon source material and a silica template; performing a heating process on the intermediate to carbonize the intermediate; and removing the silica template of the carbonized intermediate to form a porous carbon material. Another embodiment of the disclosure provides a porous carbon material. The other embodiment provides a supercapacitor. |
| US09424997B2 |
Systems and methods to connect sintered aluminum electrodes of an energy storage device
This document provides an apparatus including a sintered electrode, a second electrode and a separator material arranged in a capacitive stack. A conductive interconnect couples the sintered electrode and the second electrode. Embodiments include a clip interconnect. In some embodiments, the interconnect includes a comb-shaped connector. In some embodiments, the interconnect includes a wire snaked between adjacent sintered substrates. |
| US09424995B2 |
Electrolytic capacitor
An apparatus is disclosed which includes an electrolytic capacitive element with multiple capacitor sections. |
| US09424994B2 |
Tunable interdigitated capacitor
A tunable capacitor implemented as interdigitated arrays of finger elements arranged so that the spacing between finger arrays may be adjusted. The design has a number of advantages including high capacitance for a given circuit area, small area for a given desired capacitance, mechanical stability, high self resonance frequency, and high quality factor. |
| US09424990B2 |
Multilayered ceramic capacitor and board for mounting the same
A multilayered ceramic capacitor including a ceramic body including a dielectric layer and having first and second main surfaces, first and second end surfaces, and first and second side surfaces; a first internal electrode having a first lead part; a second internal electrode having a second lead part; a first external electrode electrically connected to the first lead part and extending from the side surface having the first lead part exposed thereto, to at least one of the first and second main surfaces; a second external electrode electrically connected to the second lead part and extending from the side surface having the second lead part exposed thereto, to at least one of the first and second main surfaces; and an insulating layer covering the first and second external electrodes disposed on the first and second side surfaces. |
| US09424985B2 |
Feed unit and feed system
A feed unit includes: a power transmission coil provided to perform power transmission with use of a magnetic field; a parallel LC resonance circuit including the power transmission coil; a series LC resonance circuit; an alternating-current signal generating section supplying the parallel LC resonance circuit and the series LC resonance circuit with an alternating-current signal used to perform the power transmission; and a control section controlling the alternating-current signal generating section with use of a predetermined control signal, the control section performing frequency control of the control signal to allow a circuit current that flows upon the power transmission to become smaller. |
| US09424984B2 |
Integrated capacitor and inductor having co-located magnetic and electrical energy storage volumes
A combination capacitor and inductor employ a common volume for energy-storing electrical and magnetic fields thereby reducing the bulk of these components with respect to separate components of comparable value. |
| US09424983B2 |
Thin film coil, shield part including the same, and contactless power transmission device having the shield part
There is provided a thin film coil, including a thin type coil pattern, and a coil lead-out portion including a lead-out line traversing the coil pattern from a central portion thereof and electrically connecting the central portion of the coil pattern to the outside thereof and a conductive adhesive layer electrically connecting the central portion of the coil pattern to the lead-out line. |
| US09424982B2 |
Transformer
A transformer 10 comprises a bobbin 20. A cylinder portion 28 of the bobbin 20 is provided with a first winding part 35 where a first wire 37 is wound and a second winding part 36 where a second wire 38 is wound at a position different from the first winding part 35 in an axial direction. At an outer circumference of the cylinder portion 28 located between the first winding part 35 and the second winding part 36, an insulating partition collar 30 is formed. On the first winding part 35, a winding partition collar 33, separating in respective sections S1, S2, is formed. On the winding partition collar 33, at least one communication groove 33a, communicating the sections S1, S2 adjacent to each other is formed. The first wire 37 is α-wound around the first winding part 35. |
| US09424979B2 |
Magnetic element with multiple air gaps
A magnetic element includes a first magnetic core, a second magnetic core, an intermediate magnetic core, a first winding coil, and a second winding coil. The intermediate magnetic core is arranged between the first magnetic core and the second magnetic core. After the first magnetic core and the intermediate magnetic core are coupled with each other, a first winding space and a first air gap are defined. After the second magnetic core and the intermediate magnetic core are coupled with each other, a second winding space and a second air gap are defined. The first winding coil is disposed within the first winding space and arranged around the first air gap. The second winding coil is disposed within the second winding space and arranged around the second air gap. The first winding coil and the second winding coil are connected with each other in series. |
| US09424978B2 |
Magnetically shielded three phase rotary transformer having three magnetic cores
A three-phase transformer including a primary portion and a secondary portion, the primary portion including a first body made of ferromagnetic material and primary coils, the secondary portion including a second body made of ferromagnetic material and secondary coils, the first body defining a first annular slot of axis A and a second annular slot of axis A, the primary coils including a first toroidal coil of axis A in the first slot, a second toroidal coil of axis A in the second slot, and one or more third toroidal coils connected in series, the third coils being wound around one of the legs, and passing via slots in the leg. |
| US09424977B2 |
Thermally conductive silicone adhesive composition for reactor and reactor
A thermally conductive silicone adhesive composition for a reactor, having good fluidity even when containing a large amount of thermally conductive filler to obtain a thermally conductive silicone adhesive composition, permitting potting of fine substrates, having good properties after curing, having little change in properties even with heat or moist-heat aging, and giving good adhesiveness to metals and organic resins, and a reactor potted by this composition, can be provided by making a thermally conductive silicone adhesive composition having a viscosity of 100 mPa·s at 25° C. and containing a liquid organohydrogenpolysiloxane having 2-10 hydrogen atoms bonded with silicon atoms in the molecule, containing no alkoxy groups, having at least one epoxy group bonded with a silicon atom via an alkylene group, having a polysiloxane degree of polymerization of 15 or lower, and containing a polysiloxane skeleton having a cyclic structure. |
| US09424975B2 |
Split core transformer with self-aligning cores
A first housing portion of a split core sensing transformer includes a guide element arranged to engage a guide surface of a separable second housing portion and to control rotation and translation of the housing portions to align the housing portions during joining. |
| US09424973B2 |
Coil and method for producing a coil
A coil is specified which has at least four electrical conductors, wherein the electrical conductors are wound around a common winding center. Each of the at least four electrical conductors is at a constant distance from the winding center of the coil over the entire length of the coil. |
| US09424971B2 |
Magnetic trap for cylindrical diamagnetic materials
A method for self-aligning diamagnetic materials includes contacting first and second magnets together other along a contact line so as to generate a diametric magnetization that is perpendicular to the contact line. A diamagnetic rod is positioned with respect to the first and second magnets to levitate above the contact line of the first and second magnets. |
| US09424969B2 |
Magneto-rheological fluid and clutch using the same
A magneto-rheological fluid includes a magnetic particle mixture, and a dispersion medium for dispersing the magnetic particle mixture. The magnetic particle mixture contains the first magnetic particles and the second magnetic particles. The first magnetic particles have an average particle diameter of 1 μm or more and 30 μm or less. The second magnetic particles are particles of a soft magnetic material, and have an average particle diameter of 50 nm or more and 200 nm or less. A ratio of the second magnetic particles in the magnetic particle mixture is 10% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less. |
| US09424968B2 |
Magnetic material for antennas, antenna, and wireless communication device
A magnetic material for antennas including: an M-type hexagonal ferrite represented by the following general formula (1) as a main phase, MA.Fe12-x.MBx.O19 (wherein MA is at least one kind selected from the group consisting of Sr and Ba, MB is MC or MD, MC is at least one kind selected from the group consisting of Al, Cr, Sc and In, MD is an equivalent mixture of at least one kind selected from the group consisting of Ti, Sn and Zr and at least one kind selected from the group consisting of Ni, Zn, Mn, Mg, Cu and Co, X is a number from 1 to 5), and an average crystal particle diameter is equal to or greater than 5 μm. |
| US09424967B2 |
Voltage-limiting composition
A varistor, or voltage-limiting composition has a polymer matrix and a particulate filler containing a partially conductive material applied to an electrically non-conductive carrier material. The carrier material has a lower density than the partially conductive material, so that the settling rate of the filler in the polymer matrix is reduced. The voltage-limiting composition can therefore also be used as a lacquer or for prepreg materials. A body which acts as a varistor may be produced using a composition of this kind by a method that includes annealing. The varistor may be used for surge arresters, in particular in medium-voltage systems, low-voltage systems, cable connections and cable fasteners. |
| US09424964B1 |
Shields containing microcuts for use in communications cables
Shielding elements for use in communication cables are described. A shielding element may include a dielectric material, and electrically conductive material may be formed on the dielectric material. Additionally, a plurality of microcuts may be formed in the electrically conductive material, for example, with one or more lasers. The plurality of microcuts may be spaced apart from one another such that electrically conductive material between the plurality of microcuts will fuse together if an electrical current is applied to the shielding element. |
| US09424963B1 |
Moisture mitigation in premise cables
Premise cables for installation in indoor environments, such as risers and plenums, are described. A premise cable may include an outer jacket and at least one twisted pair of individually insulated conductors positioned within a cable core defined by the jacket. Moisture mitigation material is positioned between an outer surface of the jacket and the twisted pair(s), for example, within the cable core. The moisture mitigation material is configured to absorb water vapor that penetrates the jacket, thereby improving electrical performance of the cable. However, the moisture mitigation material does not provide water blocking for the cable. |
| US09424957B1 |
Subdermal lighting apparatus with enhanced biological compatibility and safety
A subdermal lighting apparatus with enhanced operational longevity, safety and biological compatibility with a user is provided. The subdermal lighting apparatus includes a housing unit to store a radioactive isotope, a phosphor layer affixed to an interior surface of the housing unit to interact with radiation emitted by the radioactive isotope to generate visible light, a radiation shielding layer disposed around the housing unit and able to permit the generated visible light to pass through, and a biologically safe layer disposed around the radiation shielding layer able to permit the generated visible light to pass through. The biologically safe layer serves as a barrier between the radiation shielding layer and biological tissue of the user, thereby enhancing user safety of the apparatus. |
| US09424951B2 |
Dynamic static random access memory (SRAM) array characterization using an isolated bit-line
A sensor circuit is used to provide bit-cell read strength distribution of an SRAM array. A current-mirror circuit mirroring the bit-line current of an SRAM array is used to power the sensor circuit. A reference current representing nominal bit-cell read current is used as a reference. The current-mirror circuit senses the bit-line current. The current-mirror and the ring oscillator are not part of the bit-line read path. |
| US09424949B2 |
Shift register circuit
A shift register circuit includes a first transistor, a capacitor, a pull-up control circuit, a first pull-down circuit, a pull-down control circuit, a second pull-down circuit and a compensation circuit. The compensation circuit further includes a second transistor, a third transistor, a fourth transistor, a fifth transistor and a sixth transistor. The second transistor, the third transistor, the fourth transistor, and the fifth transistor are corporately used to output a compensation pulse; and the sixth transistor is used to output the compensation pulse to a gate terminal of the first transistor thereby compensating a control signal. |
| US09424947B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device and method of program verifying the same
A program method of a three-dimensional nonvolatile memory device is provided which includes executing at least one program loop including an operation of programming selected memory cells of a selected string turned on by a selected string selection transistor and an operation of verifying whether programming of the memory cells is passed; and applying a negative counter voltage to a selected word line connected to the selected memory cells of the selected string at least once during an interval of the verify operation where there are turned on string selection transistors of unselected strings connected through the same bit line as that of the selected string. |
| US09424946B2 |
Non-volatile buffering to enable sloppy writes and fast write verification
Method and apparatus for managing data in a memory. In accordance with some embodiments, input write data having a selected logical address are stored in a rewriteable non-volatile (NV) buffer. A copy of the input write data is transferred to an NV main memory using a sloppy write process. A verify operation is subsequently performed to verify successful transfer of the copy of the input write data to the NV main memory using a hash value generated responsive to the input write data in the NV buffer. |
| US09424945B2 |
Linear programming based decoding for memory devices
Technologies are generally described herein for linear programming based decoding for memory devices. In some examples, a cell threshold voltage level of a memory cell is detected. An interference voltage level of an interference cell that interferes with the memory cell can be determined. The cell threshold voltage level can be decoded in accordance with a set of beliefs to determine the value of the memory cell. The set of beliefs can include a minimization of an objective function of a linear program representing inter-cell interference between the memory cell and the interference cell. |
| US09424944B2 |
Detecting voltage threshold drift
Apparatuses, systems, methods, and computer program products are disclosed for detecting voltage threshold drift. A method includes programming a predetermined pattern to one page of at least three pages of a set of memory cells. A pattern may have a configuration to reduce a number of bit transitions between abodes of a set of memory cells based on a coding scheme for the set of memory cells. A method includes reading data from a different page of at least three pages. A method includes determining a direction for adjusting a read voltage threshold for a set of memory cells based on read data. |
| US09424942B2 |
Reduced timing and read verifying operation for non-volatile memory device
A non-volatile memory device includes a memory cell array having a plurality of memory cells programmable into one of multiple logic states, the plurality of memory cells disposed at intersections of a plurality of wordlines and a plurality of bitlines, and a plurality of page buffers respectively connected to the plurality of bitlines and performing verifying read operations on the plurality of memory cells. The verifying read operations are performed on a first memory cell having a target state and a second memory cell having a lower state than the target state. |
| US09424939B2 |
Non-volatile memory apparatus and erasing method thereof
The invention provides a non-volatile memory apparatus and an erasing method thereof. The non-volatile memory apparatus includes a plurality of memory sectors and a control voltage provider. The memory sectors disposed in a same well, wherein, each of the memory sectors includes a plurality of memory cells for respectively receiving a plurality of control line signals. The control voltage provider provides the control line signals to the memory cells of each of the first memory sectors. When an erasing operation is operated, one of the memory sectors is selected for erasing and the control voltage provider provides the control line signals of the selected memory sector with an erase control voltage and provides the control line signals of the un-selected memory sectors with a un-erase control voltage, voltage levels of the erase control voltage and the un-erase control voltage are different. |
| US09424938B2 |
Reduced voltage nonvolatile flash memory
Subject matter disclosed herein relates to a memory device, and more particularly to nonvolatile memory. The nonvolatile memory may include a memory cell array having memory cell units that have at least one memory cell and select transistors sandwiching the at least one memory cell. At least one programmed threshold voltage of the memory cell units is less than an operating voltage of the memory cell array. |
| US09424934B2 |
Non-volatile semiconductor memory device and writing method thereof
A non-volatile semiconductor memory device utilized to implement the writing of data by adding a predetermined voltage for assigning a word line to a non-volatile memory cell includes a control process or generating and outputting control data implementing a program code for writing data including a word line assignment command and voltage source assignment data, a writing controller decoding the control data and generating a control signal of the word line assignment command and a control signal of the voltage source assignment data, a voltage generation circuit generating several voltages for writing data, and a switch circuit selecting a voltage, corresponding to voltage source assignment data, among several voltages, according to the control signal of the word line assignment command and the control signal of voltage source assignment data and outputting the selected voltage to the word line corresponding to the word line assignment command. |
| US09424933B2 |
Nonvolatile memory system, method of operating the same and method of manufacturing the same
An operating method of a nonvolatile memory system including first and second areas is provided. Data stored in the first area is migrated to the second area when a first booting operation is performed. The data stored in the second area is reprogrammed. The first booting operation is a booting operation performed when the nonvolatile memory system is first powered on after mounted on a printed circuit board. The reprogramming is a program operation performed on the data stored in the second area without performing an erasing operation on the data stored in the second area. |
| US09424929B1 |
Memory system and memory control method
According to an embodiment, a memory system includes: a nonvolatile memory to which data in the unit of I/O data of the first number of bits are capable of being input in parallel, and from which data in the unit of I/O data are capable of being output in parallel; a memory interface; an encoding unit configured to generate the second number of codewords; a decoding unit configured to decode a received word read from the nonvolatile memory; and a control unit configured to link an I/O number to the number of the codeword, inputs, to the encoder, each of the codewords of the data to be input to the nonvolatile memory as the data about the position of the bit having the I/O number corresponding to the codeword, reads the second number of received words from the nonvolatile memory to decode the received words, and, when there is a received word that fails to be decoded, reads the received words again after changing the reading voltage, and decodes the received word. |
| US09424927B2 |
Memory system, control system and method of predicting lifetime
A memory system according to an embodiment may have an integration unit and a prediction unit. The integration unit may detect substrate current flowing through a substrate of a non-volatile memory when the non-volatile memory with a memory cell which has binary or multivalued being the binary or more is written/erased. The integration unit may records an integration value of the detected substrate current into a storage. The prediction unit may predict a lifetime of the non-volatile memory based on the integration value which is recorded on the storage. |
| US09424920B2 |
Memory cells, methods of forming memory cells, and methods of programming memory cells
Some embodiments include methods in which a memory cell is formed to have programmable material between first and second access lines, with the programmable material having two compositionally different regions. A concentration of ions and/or ion-vacancies may be altered in at least one of the regions to change a memory state of the memory cell and to simultaneously form a pn diode. Some embodiments include memory cells having programmable material with two compositionally different regions, and having ions and/or ion-vacancies diffusible into at least one of the regions. The memory cell has a memory state in which the first and second regions are of opposite conductivity type relative to one another. |
| US09424913B2 |
High-speed readable semiconductor storage device
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor storage device includes a memory cell array and a controller. The memory cell array includes a first memory cell, a second memory cell, a third memory cell, and a fourth memory cell. The controller writes data having n values (n is natural numbers of 2 or more to k or less) in the second memory cell and simultaneously writes the fourth memory cell, after writing the data having the n values in the first memory cell. When reading the data from the first memory cell, the controller reads data of the first memory cell and the third memory cell which is selected simultaneously with the first memory cell and, changes a read voltage of the first memory cell based on the data read from the third memory cell. |
| US09424907B2 |
Semiconductor device suppressing BTI deterioration
Disclosed herein is a device includes a command generation circuit that activates first and second command signals, an internal circuit that includes a plurality of transistors that are brought into a first operation state when at least one of the first and second command signals is activated, and an output gate circuit that receives a first signal output from the internal circuit, the output gate circuit being configured to pass the first signal when the second command signal is deactivated and to block the first signal when the second command signal is activated. |
| US09424903B2 |
Memory apparatus and memory device
To provide a memory apparatus capable of operating at high speed with less current and inhibiting a decrease in an amplitude of a readout signal.A memory apparatus includes a memory device at least including a memory layer, a magnetic fixed layer, and an intermediate layer made of a non-magnetic body disposed between the memory layer and the magnetic fixed layer; current being capable of flowing in a lamination direction; a wiring for supplying current flowing to the lamination direction; and a memory control unit for storing information by flowing standby current at a predetermined level to the memory device via the wiring to incline the magnetization direction of the memory layer from the direction perpendicular to a film surface and flowing recording current that is higher than the standby current via the wiring to change the magnetization direction of the memory layer. |
| US09424899B2 |
Apparatuses and methods for providing active and inactive clock signals to a command path circuit
Apparatuses and methods for providing active and inactive clock signals to a command path circuit are described. An example method includes providing an active clock signal to a command path for a first portion of a command cycle for a command of back-to-back commands. The command path decodes the command and provides an output command signal responsive to the clock signal. The method further includes providing an inactive clock signal to the command path for a second portion of the command cycle for the command of the back-to-back commands. |
| US09424896B2 |
Method and system for fast initialization of a memory unit
Embodiments of a method for operating a computer system are disclosed. In one embodiment, the memory unit has a non-volatile memory array and processing logic and the non-volatile memory array stores initialization data that is used by the processing logic to perform input/output operations of the memory unit. The method involves storing the initialization data in retention registers within the memory unit, wherein the retention registers are separate from the non-volatile memory array and retain data while the memory unit is power gated, using the stored initialization data in the retention registers to initialize the memory unit upon exiting the power gating. |
| US09424895B2 |
Semiconductor memory apparatus and data storage and power consumption
A semiconductor memory apparatus includes a write driver configured to transfer input data to a data storage region. The semiconductor memory apparatus may also include a sense amplifier configured to sense and amplify the data stored in the data storage region and output output data. Further, the semiconductor memory apparatus may also include an enable signal generation block configured to generate a write driver enable signal and a sense amplifier enable signal according to a comparison result of the input data and the output data. |
| US09424894B2 |
Signal transfer circuit and operating method thereof
A signal transfer circuit includes a signal input unit suitable for generating an input signal corresponding to a first voltage level and a second voltage level, a transfer control unit suitable for controlling a driving path of a transfer node in response to a control signal and selectively driving the transfer node to the second voltage level or a third voltage level, which is higher than the first voltage level, based on the driving path in response to the input signal, and an output control unit suitable for outputting an output signal by driving an output node based on a voltage level of the transfer node or maintaining a previous voltage level of the output node in response to the control signal. |
| US09424893B2 |
Systems and methods for acoustic wave enabled data storage
The present disclosure provides systems and methods for storing, reading, and writing data using particle-based acoustic wave driven shift registers. The shift registers may physically shift particles along rows and/or columns of wells through the interactions of two parallel surfaces. A transducer may generate an acoustic wave to displace one or more of the two parallel surfaces. The particles may be transferred to and/or otherwise constrained by a buffer surface during at least a portion of the acoustic wave, such that the particles may be shifted during one or more cycles of the acoustic wave. In various embodiments, the amplitude of the acoustic wave may correspond to the spacing distance between each of the wells. The wells may be physical and/or potential wells. |
| US09424885B2 |
Pre-processing method for video data playback and playback interface apparatus
A pre-processing method for video data playback and a playback interface apparatus are provided, wherein a video receiver module receives a video data with clips, the clips corresponding to numbers in first and second time-sequences, and wherein a display module creates a corresponding GUI component for each clip and arranges the GUI components in the playback interface. When two clips consecutive in the first time-sequence are not consecutive in the second, the display module places their corresponding GUI components separately or distinguishably. By discerning the several time-sequences of the video data, this invention ensures random access of data while being visually intuitive and uniform design-wise. |
| US09424884B2 |
Content shuffling system and method
A video system (10) includes a digital viewing device (22) having a display (32), a plurality of discrete video clips that are each associated with a first stack, and a video clip display sequencer defining an order for sequential display of the video clips in the first stack on the display (32) of the digital viewing device (22). The video clips in the first stack are unrelated to each other in terms of plot, and associations of each of the video clips with the first stack are selectively defined using the digital viewing device (22). At least a portion of the order for sequential display is determined substantially randomly by the digital viewing device (22). |
| US09424877B2 |
Variable stopwrite threshold
A method according to one embodiment includes determining whether a current position error signal sample exceeds a stopwrite threshold, disabling writing in response to determining that the current position error signal sample exceeds the stopwrite threshold, and enabling writing in response to determining that the current position error signal sample does not exceed the stopwrite threshold. |
| US09424876B2 |
Systems and methods for sync mark mis-detection protection
The present inventions are related to systems and methods for data processing, and more particularly to systems and methods for detecting patterns in a data stream. As an example, a data processing system is discussed that includes a sync mark detection circuit and a sync quality output circuit. The sync mark detection circuit is operable to identify a predefined pattern in a received data set, where identification of the predefined pattern results is asserting a sync found output, and where a preamble pattern precedes the predefined pattern in the received data set. The sync quality output circuit is operable to provide a sync mark quality metric indicating a similarity between the preamble pattern and the received data set within a region preceding the predefined pattern. |
| US09424874B2 |
Information recording medium and method for reproducing the same
An information recording medium (10) including a first region (11) in which medium identification information has been recorded, a data region (13), and a second region (12) which is positioned between the first region (11) and the data region (13) and in which control information has been recorded, in which an area of the first region (11) is greater than an area of the second region (12) in size. |
| US09424873B2 |
Method of manufacturing magnetic recording medium, and magnetic recording medium
A method of manufacturing a perpendicular magnetic recording medium 100 that includes forming a magnetic recording layer 122 on a disk base 110, then forming a resist layer 130 on the magnetic recording layer, and a patterning step of processing the resist layer so as to vary the thickness of the resist layer partially, thereby forming a predetermined pattern having a recessed part and a projected part. Finally, the method includes implanting ions into a plurality of layers including the magnetic recording layer with the resist layer interposed. At the ion implanting step, (1) one or more of said plurality of layers to be implanted with ions is determined by selectively applying an energy amount to implant ions, and (2) a total amount of ions to be implanted into each of said one or more of said plurality of layers is determined by selectively applying said energy amount for a respective time period for said one or more of said plurality of layers. |
| US09424871B1 |
Disk drive correcting an error in a detected gray code
A disk drive is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk comprising a plurality of tracks defined by a plurality of servo sectors. An estimated track ID is generated and a plurality of proximate track IDs is generated having values proximate the estimated track ID. A set of Gray codes is generated each corresponding to the estimated track ID and the proximate track IDs, wherein each Gray code in the set of Gray codes comprises N bits, and M bits out of a high order of the N bits comprise the same value. A recorded Gray code is detected in a first servo sector to generate a detected Gray code, and an error in the detected Gray code is corrected by inverting at least one bit in the detected Gray code comprising a value that is different from the value of the corresponding bit in the M bits. |
| US09424870B2 |
Position error signal compensation to prevent adjacent track erasure
Technologies are described herein for preventing adjacent track erasure in a storage device using position error signal compensation from a previously written track in a storage device. A first data track is written to a recording medium in the storage device while position error signal information regarding deviations of a read/write head from an ideal center of the first data track are recorded. The recorded position error signal information is then utilized during the writing of a second, adjacent data track to the recording medium to position the read/write head in order to compensate for non-uniformities in the writing of the first data track. |
| US09424866B1 |
Heat assisted magnetic recording write apparatus having a dielectric gap
A heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) write apparatus coupled with a laser is described. The HAMR write apparatus includes a pole, coil(s), a near-field transducer (NFT), and a dielectric gap. The pole writes to the media. The coil(s) energize the pole. The waveguide is optically coupled with the laser and directs energy toward the ABS. The NFT is optically coupled with the waveguide and includes a metal nose and a metal cap. Part of the metal cap adjoins part of the main pole. The dielectric gap is between a first portion of the NFT and the main pole. The dielectric gap has a media-facing surface and back, top, bottom and side surfaces. The top surface adjoins the main pole. The bottom surface adjoins the first portion of the NFT. The side surfaces adjoin a second portion of the NFT. The back surface adjoins a portion of the metal cap. |
| US09424865B2 |
Near field transducer anneal for heat assisted magnetic recording
A method for annealing a metal antenna of a near field optical transducer of a magnetic write element without inadvertently heat damaging the read element. A heating element is placed within a write head build in a cerf region outside of the active area of the read and write heads. A layer of thermally conductive, electrically insulating material is formed over the heating element to separate the heating element from the antenna. The thermally conductive, electrically insulating layer is preferably in contact with the antenna. A current can be applied to the heating element to heat the antenna to a temperature that is at or above the operating temperature of the optical transducer. After annealing, the heater element can be removed by the lapping process that is used to define the media facing surface of the head. |
| US09424860B2 |
Mixer with adaptive post-filtering
A noise reduction system includes multiple transducers that generate time domain signals. A transforming device transforms the time domain signals into frequency domain signals. A signal mixing device mixes the frequency domain signals according to a mixing ratio. Frequency domain signals are rotated in phase to generate phase rotated signals. A post-processing device attenuates portions of the output based on coherence levels of the signals. |
| US09424850B2 |
Method and apparatus for allocating bit in audio signal
A method and an apparatus for allocating bits in an audio signal. The method includes dividing a frequency band of an audio signal into a plurality of subbands, quantizing a subband normalization factor of each subband; and an energy attribute of an audio signal of the corresponding group; allocating coding bits to at least one group, where a sum of coding bits allocated to the at least one group is the number of coding bits of the audio signal; and allocating the coding bits allocated to the at least one group to each subband in each group of the at least one group. In a case of a low or medium bit rate, the embodiments of the present invention can, by means of grouping, ensure relatively stable allocation of previous and subsequent frames and reduce impact of global allocation on partial discontinuity. |
| US09424847B2 |
Bandwidth extension parameter generation device, encoding apparatus, decoding apparatus, bandwidth extension parameter generation method, encoding method, and decoding method
A bandwidth extension parameter generation device includes: a derivation unit which derives a high-band signal representing a high-band portion of an input sound signal; and a calculation unit which calculates a tone parameter and a floor parameter, the tone parameter indicating a magnitude of energy of a tone component of the high-band signal, the floor parameter indicating a magnitude of energy of a floor component obtained by subtracting the tone component from the high-band signal. |
| US09424845B2 |
Speaker verification in a health monitoring system
A method for verifying that a person is registered to use a telemedical device includes identifying an unprompted trigger phrase in words spoken by a person and received by the telemedical device. The telemedical device prompts the person to state a name of a registered user and optionally prompts the person to state health tips for the person. The telemedical device verifies that the person is the registered user using utterance data generated from the unprompted trigger phrase, name of the registered user, and health tips. |
| US09424841B2 |
Hotword detection on multiple devices
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for hotword detection on multiple devices are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes the actions of receiving, by a computing device, audio data that corresponds to an utterance. The actions further include determining a likelihood that the utterance includes a hotword. The actions further include determining a loudness score for the audio data. The actions further include based on the loudness score, determining an amount of delay time. The actions further include, after the amount of delay time has elapsed, transmitting a signal that indicates that the computing device will initiate speech recognition processing on the audio data. |
| US09424839B2 |
Speech recognition system that selects a probable recognition resulting candidate
A system has a speech recognition unit 2 including a first recognition engine capable of recognizing predetermined word strings and a second recognition engine capable of recognizing parts of the word strings; and a deciding unit 4 that selects, in accordance with a difference between the durations of first and second recognition resulting candidates, which are recognition results of the speech recognition by the first and second recognition engines 2a and 2b, one or more probable recognition resulting candidates from the first and second recognition resulting candidates. |
| US09424836B2 |
Privacy-sensitive speech model creation via aggregation of multiple user models
Techniques disclosed herein include systems and methods for privacy-sensitive training data collection for updating acoustic models of speech recognition systems. In one embodiment, the system locally creates adaptation data from raw audio data. Such adaptation can include derived statistics and/or acoustic model update parameters. The derived statistics and/or updated acoustic model data can then be sent to a speech recognition server or third-party entity. Since the audio data and transcriptions are already processed, the statistics or acoustic model data is devoid of any information that could be human-readable or machine readable such as to enable reconstruction of audio data. Thus, such converted data sent to a server does not include personal or confidential information. Third-party servers can then continually update speech models without storing personal and confidential utterances of users. |
| US09424830B2 |
Apparatus and method for encoding audio signal, system and method for transmitting audio signal, and apparatus for decoding audio signal
An audio signal encoding apparatus includes a processor to quantize an audio signal, to obtain a characteristic of reverberation masking that is exerted on a sound represented by the audio signal by reverberation of the sound generated in a reproduction environment by reproducing the sound, and to control a quantization step size of the audio signal that quantized based on the characteristic of the reverberation masking. |
| US09424824B2 |
System and method for sound augmentation of acoustic musical instruments
A sound capture device is affixed to an acoustic instrument to capture the natural sound output of the instrument. The captured sound signal is routed to an electronic sound augmentation system that is configured to augment the captured sound with spatial sound effects such as reverb, echo, delay, etc. The processed and augmented sound is then reproduced via a vibrating driver that has been affixed to the body of the acoustic instrument. This creates a situation where the body of the musical instrument, responding to a series of vibrations produced by the vibrating driver, acts as a speaker component, reproducing a rich augmented sound output that comprises the sum of the sound produced by the original sound production capabilities of the acoustical instrument plus the added augmented or enhanced sound effects. |
| US09424821B2 |
Piccolo
A piccolo comprising a conical-bore headjoint, and a cylindrical-bore main body having toneholes of particular size disposed at particular intervals along the length of the body. |
| US09424819B1 |
Corrosion-resistant wound musical string
A method of making a corrosion-resistant string for a musical instrument. The method improves the core wire-to-wrap wire bond by using a bond coating between the core and wrap wires that preferably also minimizes the galvanic activity between them. The bondable coating is applied to the core or wrap wires, or both. In one embodiment the method entails creating a coated core wire by annealing bare core wire, bathing the bare core wire in a bondable coating material and removing any excess, drying the bondable coating, making the string using the bondable-coated core wire, and reflowing the bondable coating. In another embodiment the method entails additionally coating the wrap wire with a coating that does not reflow under the same conditions as the bondable coating on the core wire, and winding the coated wrap wire around the bondable-coated core wire before reflowing the bondable coating. |
| US09424818B1 |
Travel guitar
A travel guitar having a neck and/or body that may assume a reduced profile configured to house or otherwise receive or coupled to a tablet computer (e.g. iPad by Apple, Inc.) and/or a smart phone (e.g. iPhone by Apple, Inc.) having one or more applications (apps) for driving the operation, functionality and/or effects associated with the travel guitar, and a string assembly capable of retracting or otherwise housing the strings to enable or facilitate configuring the travel guitar into a reduced profile. |
| US09424815B2 |
Method for visual differencing with attribution
Art stream commands comprising gestures, drawing state, and attribution information are received from one or more clients participating in a collaboration session. The art stream commands enable the rendering of and provide source control for a visual document. Attribution for visual differences may be provided. Each of the one or more clients may rewind and play back the art stream commands to provide a detailed understanding of what was contributed by whom. All changes and image variations are non-destructive. |
| US09424814B2 |
Buffer display techniques
Buffer display techniques are described. In one or more implementations, at least part of an off-screen buffer is rasterized by an application to generate an item for display by the computing device. One or more communications are formed that describe the part of the off-screen buffer which contains the item that is to be copied to update an onscreen buffer. |
| US09424813B2 |
Interactive flyer system
An interactive flyer system is disclosed. The system includes a flyer image tiler for creating a flyer image tile set, the set including multiple copies of a flyer image segmented into a plurality of flyer image tiles with each copy representing the flyer image at one of a plurality of zoom levels, wherein a copy of the multiple copies is configured to fit within a viewport having a resolution, and a flyer image tile store for storing the flyer image tile set. There is also disclosed a method for displaying the interactive digital flyer. |
| US09424810B2 |
View navigation guidance system for hand held devices with display
System and method for view navigation guidance system for a physical display that is smaller than the virtual display it needs to display. Guidance map placed in a heads-up display layer within a small user defined area of the physical display provides an instantaneous indication of the current position of the screen view with minimal obstruction of the contents information. Color selection for the guidance map is automatically determined based on the background color in the main display layer beneath the map. The guidance map area on a touch screen display may include tapping controls, and the position of the guidance map can be dynamically altered by the user during the view navigation to control the navigation parameters. |
| US09424808B2 |
Image cropping manipulation method and portable electronic device
The invention discloses an image cropping manipulation method for use in a portable electronic device. The portable electronic device comprises a touch screen and an image processing unit. The method comprises: displaying a sub-image on the touch screen, the sub-image is cropped from a digital image; receiving a user input from the touch screen; in response to the user input, map the user input to an operation on the digital image; and performing the operation to update the sub-image. |
| US09424807B2 |
Multimedia system and operating method of the same
A multimedia system includes a main special function register (SFR) configured to store SFR information; a plurality of processing modules each configured to process frames of data, based on the SFR information; and a system control logic configured to control operations of the main SFR and the plurality of processing modules. The plurality of processing modules may process data of different frames at the same time period. |
| US09424806B2 |
Presenting data in a graphical overlay
A method for displaying data in a graphical overlay includes overlaying a first lens, including a first dataset, on a first region of the graphical overlay while a second lens, including a second dataset, overlaps the first lens. The first and second datasets are simultaneously displayed, and a correlation between the datasets is determined. Separation of the first and second lenses preserves a circumscribed region within each lens. The first dataset corresponds to first orientation position of the first lens. Rotation of the first lens to a second orientation position reconfigures the first dataset to provide a modified first dataset which corresponds to the second position. A rotational position may also be associated with points in time, a first position corresponding to a first point in time and the first dataset representing the first dataset at the first point in time. |
| US09424805B2 |
Display drive integrated circuit and image display system capable of controlling a self-refresh display
A display drive integrated circuit includes a frame buffer, an output selector and a timing controller. The output selector selectively outputs one of image data read from the frame buffer and image data transmitted from a source external to the display drive integrated circuit. The timing controller controls output of the image data read from the frame buffer to the display panel in a self-refresh mode, and controls internal display timing to track external display timing when the display drive integrated circuit exits from the self-refresh mode to control the output selector to output the image data transmitted from the source to the display panel when the internal display timing is synchronized to the external display timing. |
| US09424799B2 |
On-screen image adjustments
Methods and systems are described to adjust colors of digital images by using color control tools overlaid on the digital images to be adjusted. In one aspect, a method includes displaying, within a graphical user interface (GUI) and superimposed on a digital image being manipulated, a color control tool configured to cause change of a selected color within the digital image in accordance with user input specifying movement within the GUI. The color control tool includes a plurality of new color indicators, each indicating a new color to which the selected color will change in response to an associated predetermined movement within the GUI. The method also includes receiving via the color control tool user input specifying a direction of movement within the GUI relative to the plurality of new color indicators, and changing the selected color to match the new color indicator associated with the specified direction of movement. |
| US09424797B1 |
Driving electro-optic displays
The technology described in this document may be embodied in a method for controlling a display element. The method includes setting a first drive voltage configured to drive a first terminal of the display element such that the first drive voltage is set to a higher value than a second drive voltage configured to drive a second terminal of the display element. The first and second drive voltages can be configured to cause the display element to present a first display state. The method also includes performing adjustments to the first drive voltage and the second drive voltage such that the first drive voltage is less than the second drive voltage. The adjustments are configured in accordance with whether the display element is to present a second display state different from the first display state. |
| US09424790B2 |
Portable device and control method for the same
Disclosed are a portable device and a control method thereof for convenient and accurate dimming control. The portable device includes a foldable display unit, a state sensor unit to detect folded and unfolded states of the foldable display unit, an input sensor unit to sense user input and a processor to control the respective units. The processor converts the portable device from a first dimming mode to a second dimming mode upon detection of change of the foldable display unit from the unfolded state to the folded state, perform dimming of the foldable display unit based on a dimming time different with the second dimming time when the user input is sensed in the second dimming mode within a second dimming time, and performs dimming of the foldable display unit after the second dimming time has passed when the user input is not sensed in the second dimming mode within the second dimming time. |
| US09424789B2 |
Electronic imaging device and driving method therefor
An electronic imaging device includes a display unit and a barrier layer. The display unit includes scan lines for transferring select signals, data lines for transferring data signals corresponding to first and second images formed according to one or more input signals, and pixels connected with the scan and data lines. The barrier layer includes first barriers and second barriers corresponding to the first barriers. The first image is displayed during a first period of a unit period during which an image of a single frame is displayed. The second image is displayed during a second period different from the first period. The first barriers are driven according to the first image, the second barriers are driven according to the second image, and a region of the barrier layer corresponding to a mixed region in which the first and second images coexist is a non-transmission region. |
| US09424788B2 |
Image display device and image display method
Provided are an image display device and an image display method, which is capable of increasing charging period and reducing switching frequency of driving data while performing display device driving. The image display device comprises combined pixels of m columns and n rows, wherein each of the combined pixels comprises a first row of sub-pixels and a second row of sub-pixels beneath the first row of sub-pixels, wherein in a 2D image display mode, both the first rows of sub-pixels and the second rows of sub-pixels in the respective rows of combined pixels are driven and receive 2D display data; and in a 3D image display mode, one row of sub-pixels in the respective rows of combined pixels receives data and the other row of sub-pixels in the respective rows of combined pixels do not receive data. |
| US09424775B2 |
LEDoS projection system
Image projection utilizing light-emitting diodes on a silicon (LEDoS) substrate is described herein. LEDoS devices selectively activate LED pixels to produce light. Light can excite color conversion materials of the LEDoS devices to form color images. Images can be projected onto a projection surface. |
| US09424774B2 |
Organic light emitting display and driving method thereof
An organic light emitting display includes a plurality of pixels coupled to scan and data lines; a scan driver configured to supply a scan signal to the pixels through the scan lines; a data driver configured to supply a data signal to the pixels through the data lines; and a power supplier configured to supply first and second voltages to the pixels and a third voltage to at least one of the scan and the data driver, wherein the power supplier includes a first converter configured to convert an input voltage into the first voltage, a second converter configured to convert the input voltage into the second voltage, a third converter configured to receive the first voltage and convert the received first voltage into the third voltage, and a shutdown switch configured to control whether or not the first voltage generated by the first converter is supplied to the pixels. |
| US09424772B2 |
High resolution low power consumption OLED display with extended lifetime
Arrangements of pixel components that allow driving three or less of four or more sub-pixels to emit an original color signal are disclosed. A first projection of the original color signal may be projected onto the two sub-pixel's color space. The first projection may then be projected onto a second projection corresponding to the color space of a third pixel. The third pixel may be driven based on the second projection only two of the remaining at least three sub-pixels may be driven based on the third pixel being driven. |
| US09424771B2 |
Unit pixel including sub-pixels arranged in a rhombus shape and organic light emitting display device having the same
A unit pixel includes a first sub-pixel that emits a first color light, a second sub-pixel that emits a second color light, a third sub-pixel that emits a third color light, and a fourth sub-pixel that emits a fourth color light. Here, the first sub-pixel, the second sub-pixel, the third sub-pixel, and the fourth sub-pixel are arranged in a rhombus structure. |
| US09424770B2 |
Error compensator and organic light emitting display device using the same
An error compensator and an organic light emitting display device using the same. The organic light emitting display device includes pixels each having a driving transistor and an organic light emitting diode; and a sensing unit extracting at least one of a first information including the threshold voltage of the driving transistor or a second information including the degradation of the organic light emitting diode from a pixel of the pixels. In the organic light emitting display device, the sensing unit includes an amplifier amplifying a voltage corresponding to the at least one of the first information or the second information; and an error compensator compensating for error components of elements included in the amplifier and the error compensator. |
| US09424769B2 |
Display and brightness adjusting method thereof
A display and a brightness adjusting method thereof are provided. In the method, an object located in front of a touch screen of the display is detected and a distance between the object and the touch screen is estimated and determined whether to be less than a first preset value. When the distance is less than the first preset value, the brightness of the touch screen is adjusted according to a light adjusting ratio in a brightness distribution curve. Then, time is accumulated after the brightness adjustment and when the accumulated time is over a second preset value, the brightness of the touch screen is resumed to original brightness. |
| US09424766B2 |
Method of displaying stereoscopic images, and stereoscopic image display device
A method of displaying stereoscopic images includes synchronizing a first image frame with a first shutter in accordance with a first shutter control signal and synchronizing a second image frame with a second shutter in accordance with a second shutter control signal, adding a first modification voltage to the first and second shutter control signals for a first time period after a start point of a shutter open period, adding a second modification voltage to the first and second shutter control signals for a second time period before an end point of the shutter open period, and alternately opening the first shutter and the second shutter based on the first shutter control signal and the second shutter control signal. |
| US09424764B2 |
Sign holder assembly with mounting member
A sign holder assembly comprises a support member and a mounting member. The support member includes a substantially planar panel and a plurality of rails. The plurality of rails rearwardly extend from a surface of the substantially planar panel and define at least one reception track extending between two adjacent ones of the plurality of rails. The mounting member includes a main body, a coupling rail, and a magnet. The main body includes a bottom end and two opposing side surfaces. The magnet is secured to the bottom end and is configured to selectively and magnetically couple with a top spine of a separate display fixture. The coupling rail is coupled to one of the two opposing side surfaces of the main body. The coupling rail is slidably secured within the at least one reception track such that the support member is supported relative to the separate display fixture. |
| US09424758B2 |
Pivotable vertical ventilation training systems and apparatuses
The present disclosure is directed to a simulated roof vertical ventilation training apparatus configured to be pivotably attached to a simulated roof. In some examples, the vertical ventilation training apparatus includes a frame pivotably mounted to an exposed rafter of the simulated roof. The frame is moveable between an open position and a closed position. The edges of the frame are configured to engage with at least one disposable support member to maintain the frame in a closed position. The disposable support member is configured to be cut by a user with a hand tool to allow pivot of the frame into the open position. |
| US09424756B2 |
Visual flight rules approach to airports
A method includes receiving visual flight rules (VFR) data and determining a suggested path of approach for an aircraft based on the VFR data. The suggested path of approach may correspond to a flight path of the aircraft to a runway of an airport. The method includes highlighting a representation of the suggested path of approach at a display device. |
| US09424753B2 |
Simplified user interface for an aircraft
A user interface for an integrated autopilot and flight management system for an aircraft includes a plurality of tactical parameter controls for operation of the autopilot and a plurality of strategic parameter controls for operation of the flight management system. |
| US09424749B1 |
Traffic signal system for congested trafficways
A traffic signal system for congested trafficways has a plurality of stationary alarm light/sensor-reader combinations and mobile alarm light/sensor-reader combinations monitoring each other and monitory tags placed on individuals, machines, and hazards to provide real time alarms to not only pedestrians but also machine operators, who are potentially approaching harm's way, or have the better ability to avert potential harm. Different forms of alarms are provided to indicate different kinds of alarm conditions and to reduce complacency to alarms, and thus improve effectiveness. |
| US09424748B2 |
Reporting traffic conditions on road segments containing a bottleneck
Methods for reporting traffic conditions on road segments containing a bottleneck include: (a) calculating an amount of traffic congestion on a segment of a roadway, the segment containing a bottleneck, based on a free-flow speed specific to a subsection of the segment from which a report of an observed speed is received; and (b) communicating, by the computer processor, information indicative of the amount of traffic congestion on the segment to a client. Apparatuses for reporting traffic conditions on road segments containing a bottleneck are described. |
| US09424742B1 |
Notification system, method, and computer application based on decision rules for evaluating a plurality of utility meter conditions
Various methods and systems are directed to a meter alert system that provides surveillance of meters and other components of a utility system. The meter alert system obtains, via a user interface, specification of one or more meter conditions among a list of meter conditions. The meter alert system generates a rule for a utility metering device according to the meter conditions, wherein the rule is associated with a utility metering device identifier of the utility metering device. The meter system executes the rule, wherein an execution of the rule generates an alert in response to at least one of the first meter condition being satisfied or the second meter condition being satisfied. The meter alert system transmits a notification message in response to the alert being generated. |
| US09424740B2 |
Monitoring system and method
A system for monitoring an area is provided. The system comprises a plurality of stationary sensors that can sense events and comprise a wireless output signal broadcast capability for transmitting output signals from the stationary sensors by a wireless communication protocol. The system further comprises gateway units connected to a wired backbone network and configured to transmit information relating to the output signals of the stationary sensors by a wired communication protocol, and a base station connected to the wired backbone network configured to receive the information transmitted by the gateway units on the wired communication protocol and to time-stamp the events signaled by the stationary sensors. The monitored area comprises sub-areas, and a group of stationary sensors are assigned to each of the sub-areas and to a gateway unit for directly receiving the output signals from the group of stationary sensors. |
| US09424732B2 |
Detached accessory notification
One embodiment provides a method comprising: associating, using a processor, an accessory with an information handling device; detecting, using a processor, a trigger event associated with the information handling device; determining, using a processor, the accessory is no longer within a predetermined proximity to the information handling device; and providing, using a processor, a notification to a user. Other aspects are described and claimed. |
| US09424728B2 |
Child safety seat mobile alarm and method therefor
The instant disclosure provides a child safety seat alarm to notify the driver of a vehicle that an infant is in its carrier inside of the vehicle when a personal electronic device carried by the driver is moved a great distance from the carrier. The instant disclosure provides a computer application for notification of user selected contacts via SMS messaging, e-mail messaging, or social media alerts. |
| US09424723B2 |
Luggage bag comprising a geolocation module associated with a communication module
A luggage bag is disclosed which comprises electronic circuits comprising a geolocation module and a communication module that are designed such that an information item relating to the position of the luggage bag may be remotely accessible to a user, the communication module exhibiting a switch-off device allowing its deactivation by the user independently of the remainder of the electronic circuits. The electronic circuits comprise a detection module, designed to take measurements of at least one physical quantity and to identify conditions corresponding to the landing of an aircraft. They can also be programmed to operate in an aircraft mode in which, after deactivation of the communication module in response to an action of the user, the detection module performs measurements staggered over time, the electronic circuits being designed to automatically reactivate the communication module subsequent to the identification of conditions corresponding to the landing of an aircraft. |
| US09424717B2 |
Methods and systems for providing a parlay card sweepstakes opportunity
A parlay card sweepstakes opportunity is presented to a player via a web site hosted by a computer system. The parlay card sweepstakes opportunity may include one or more player-selectable parameters for the selection of previously generated pre-populated parlay cards associated with the sweepstakes opportunity. The pre-populated parlay cards may be stored in a data store that is accessed upon receiving a parameter selection from the player. The pre-populated parlay cards include a plurality of events as well as predicted outcomes for these events. A particular pre-populated parlay card may be selected from the plurality of previously generated pre-populated parlay cards and presented to the player via the web site. Actual outcome information regarding events included in the pre-populated parlay card may then be received and a prize may be presented to the player based a combined actual outcome of the plurality of events included on the pre-populated parlay card. |
| US09424716B2 |
Wagering apparatus, methods and systems
A system, method and apparatus provides a unique betting product where players make selections in one or more different events. Players who are in contention to win may be offered an opportunity to sell their tickets, in whole or in part, in response to a full or partial buy-out offer made at any time prior to completion of a wagering event. |
| US09424715B2 |
Systems and methods for determining a level of reward
A gaming system and method which includes enabling a player to initiate a play of a game, for the initiated play of the game: (i) randomly generating a game outcome, (ii) displaying to the player the randomly generated game outcome, (iii) determining any award associated with the displayed game outcome, and (iv) displaying to the player any determined award, enabling the player to invite a quantity of other players to each initiate a play of at least one game, the quantity of other players being greater than zero, and if the player invited the quantity of other players, providing the player a benefit, an amount of the benefit being based on the quantity of other players invited. |
| US09424714B2 |
Casino game with next round multipliers
A player plays a first round of a casino slot machine game. If the player achieves a winning outcome on the first round of play, the payouts for the next round of play of the casino game will be increased. The amount of the increase is based on the category of the winning outcome on the first round of play. Each subsequent round of play continues to have increased payouts if the player continues to achieve winning outcomes. When the player has a losing outcome, the payouts revert to the base level. An extra wager may be required from the player to activate this feature during the play of the casino game. |
| US09424710B2 |
Electronic system for playing of reel-type games
There is disclosed an electronic gaming system (100) comprising one or more player interfaces (6, 7, 17), and a main video display screen (1). The system enables players to simultaneously play a plurality of reel-type games and to place bets on lines of the games. The system displays a plurality of display windows on the main display screen, each window being associated with a respective one of the simultaneously played games and displaying the reels of that game, each reel displaying reel indicia. The system is configured for any one of the games to enter a feature phase when a feature-triggering event occurs. At the start of the feature phase, all the display windows on the main screen, except the particular display window associated with the feature phase, reduce in size or disappear, while the size of the feature game's display window increases, and the other games are also suspended, until the feature phase is completed. |
| US09424709B2 |
Gaming machine
A gaming machine with more gaming excitement is provided. The gaming machine includes: a lamp body provided with LEDs so that the lighting state thereof is viewable from the outside; a sensor configured to detect a player's gesture with respect to the lamp body 132; and a controller used to start a game, the controller starting the detection of the player's gesture by the sensor at a timing corresponding to the state of the game, and causing the LEDs to emit light in a light emission mode in sync with the detected player's gesture while the player's gesture is being detected. |
| US09424708B2 |
Parking meter
A parking meter comprises a meter base (50), a meter cover (60), and a meter mechanism (10). A coin path (20) is provided at a lower section of a front panel (11) of a shell of the meter mechanism (10), the lower section of the front panel (11) comprising a first panel (111) and a second panel (112) in a step form, the first panel (111) protruding relative to the second (112). The parking meter further comprises a slider (30) comprising an slider upper section (31) and a slider lower section (32) in a step form. A through hole (114) facilitating passing through of the slider (30) is provided on a joint wall (113) of the first panel (111) and the second panel (112) and below the coin path (20); a sliding groove (40) facilitating upward and downward sliding of the slider (30) is provided on the second panel (112). |
| US09424702B2 |
Parking lockers
Methods and systems for retrieving or depositing a package using a beacon are described. A locker and parking space are assigned to a user or selected by the user, and the user is able to access the locker using a mobile device. The mobile device transmits identification information to a beacon associated with the locker. This information is passed to a service provider, who identifies the user or the locker and causes the locker to open. |
| US09424688B2 |
Method for displaying a virtual world in which the avatar of a user of a virtual-reality service evolves
The invention pertains to a method for displaying a virtual world in which the avatar of a user of a virtual reality service evolves, said method being operative to use a standard mode for displaying said virtual world, to identify objects visible to the avatar within the displayed virtual world, and, for at least one of said identified objects, to determine whether a relationship exists within the virtual reality service's social network between said object and the user, and if so, to determine a display mode to apply to said object depending on said relationship, the display of said object being altered by applying said determined mood. |
| US09424684B2 |
System, method, and computer program product for simulating light transport
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for simulating light transport. In operation, a distribution function is decomposed utilizing a technique for sampling from a probability distribution (e.g. the Alias Method, etc.). Additionally, light transport associated with at least one scene is simulated utilizing information associated with the decomposed distribution function. |
| US09424681B2 |
Information processing device, information processing method, and program
The present invention relates to an information processing device, an information processing method, and a program for realizing an intuitive operation to issue an instruction to move an object in a virtual three-dimensional space or the like, to an operator who performs operations while looking at an image of the virtual three-dimensional space.The information processing device in this disclosure includes a control unit that controls a CG image generating unit in response to an input of parameters of three axial directions through a three-dimensional operating unit. The control unit changes the amount of control of the CG image generating unit in accordance with the input parameters, to cause an image of the virtual three-dimensional space to vary between where a virtual camera is associated with the three-dimensional operating unit and where an object is associated with the three-dimensional operating unit. This disclosure can be applied to a video editing device for editing broadcast video images. |
| US09424677B2 |
Efficient method of producing an animated sequence of images
A computer-based method of generating an animated sequence of images eliminates inefficiencies associated with a lighting process. The method begins with the provision of a frame for the animation sequence. The frame includes at least one asset, which may be a character, background, or other object. The frame is rendered to thereby produce a set of images each based upon a different lighting condition. The frame is then composited during which a subset of the images are selected from the set and then adjusted. Settings such as intensity and color balance are adjusted for each of the subset of images. |
| US09424675B2 |
Framework for graphics animation and compositing operations
A graphics animation and compositing operations framework has a layer tree for interfacing with the application and a render tree for interfacing with a render engine. Layers in the layer tree can be content, windows, views, video, images, text, media or other type of objects for an application's user interface. The application commits state changes of the layers of the layer tree. The application does not need to include explicit code for animating the changes to the layers. Instead, an animation is determined for animating the change in state by the framework which can define a set of predetermined animations based on motion, visibility and transition. The determined animation is explicitly applied to the affected layers in the render tree. A render engine renders from the render tree into a frame buffer. Portions of the render tree changing relative to prior versions can be tracked to improve resource management. |
| US09424674B2 |
Tomographic imaging of multiphase flows
Tomographic reconstruction is performed of cross-sectional images of downhole or surface multiphase flows containing water (brine), oil, and gas phases. Measures are obtained of digital transmission (or analog attenuation) and also of analog transit time to form two views of the same cross sectional flow in a location of interest in a flow conduit. The measures are then merged by synthesizing a composite image of the multiphase flows. Rather than performing a complex tomographic reconstruction requiring a large number of calculations, measures are also obtained directly from the tomographic pattern which can be used to reconstruct an approximation of the cross sectional flow by the superposition of circles of variable position, radius and density representing flow patterns. |
| US09424673B2 |
Efficient composition and rendering of graphical elements
A map server generates a set of base map tiles having vector descriptors, each indicating a geometry of a respective map element, in accordance with a non-raster format for rendering a first map image. The map server provides the base map tiles to the client device. Upon receiving an indication that a specific map image for the selected geographic region is to be rendered at the client device, the map server generates a set of difference map tiles that indicate changes to be made to the set of base map tiles and sends the difference map tiles to the client device for use, along with the set of base map tiles, in rendering the requested specific map image. The client device renders the new map view defined by the difference map tiles without needing to again pre-process all of the features or elements defined in the base map tiles. |
| US09424670B1 |
Interactive threshold setting for pie charts
In an approach to threshold setting for pie charts, a computing device displays one or more pie charts. The computing device receives an instruction to enter Threshold-Setting Mode. The computing device displays one or more threshold-setting flags associated with one or more pie chart slices and one or more indicators associated with the one or more pie chart slices. The computing device receives an instruction to set a threshold associated with a slice. The computing device updates a percentage displayed on an indicator associated with the threshold. The computing device displays the threshold as a virtual slice. |
| US09424669B1 |
Generating graphical representations of event participation flow
A system comprising a computer-readable storage medium storing at least one program and a method for generating graphical representations of event participation flows are presented. In example embodiments, the method includes receiving a subject event identifier entered as user input via a user interface. The method further includes accessing event data including a plurality of event data records that include an event record corresponding to the subject event identifier. The event record includes a set of participant identifiers corresponding to participants of a subject event identified by the subject event identifier. The method further includes determining an event participation flow for the participants of the subject event using the event data, and causing presentation of a graphical representation of the event participation flow in the user interface. |
| US09424666B2 |
Medical imaging apparatus and method of reconstructing medical image
A method of reconstructing a tomographic image in a medical imaging apparatus includes: acquiring a first image of an object and a second image of the object corresponding to an image to be reconstructed; determining, in the first image, a reference region corresponding to a unit region in the second image; and updating data in the unit region based on data contained in the reference region. Thus, a medical image having both high spatial resolution and high temporal resolution is reconstructed to have substantially reduced artifacts. |
| US09424665B1 |
System and method for signals transmission in complex scattering environments using interaction of the waves with a nonlinear object
A system and method for safe communication in a complex scattering environment is achieved by means of providing a passive nonlinear object in the wave propagation environment which nonlinearly interacts with the waves to create an exclusive communication channel between the nonlinear object and any point where the waves can be collected. Excitations generated by the nonlinearity in the time-reversal mirror are gathered, time-reversed, and retransmitted into the environment. The retransmitted signals arrive and are reconstructed exclusively at the location of the nonlinear object or linear object depending on the linearity or nonlinearity of the retransmitted sonas. The principles of the system and method are useful in numerous applications where signal communication or power delivery is desired to an object whose location is not known or dynamically changed in an exclusive, highly localized, precise, and secure fashion. |
| US09424664B2 |
Image processing apparatus
An image processing apparatus that generates contour information of an image object included in input image data and compresses image data using the contour information includes a smoothing processing part that performs a smoothing process on the input image data; a contour extraction part that extracts the contour information of the image object included in the image data on which the smoothing process is performed; and a contour correction part that corrects the contour information extracted by the contour extraction part. |
| US09424662B2 |
Triangle mesh compression
A computer implemented method of processing elevation mesh data defining a polygon mesh surface to determine an alternative representation of the surface using fewer polygons than in the original representation is disclosed. Initially original elevation mesh data is sub-sampled to generate a low resolution representation of the polygon mesh surface where vertices of polygons correspond to points on a coarser X-Y grid than the original elevation mesh data. Error values indicative of the extent that portions of the surface defined by the low resolution elevation mesh data differ from corresponding portions of the surface defined by the original elevation mesh data are then determined. An alternative representation of the polygon mesh surface is then generated which comprises: low resolution elevation mesh data for the portions of the polygon mesh surface associated with error values less than a threshold value; transition mesh data defining a polygon mesh surface immediately adjacent the perimeter of portions of the surface represented by the low resolution elevation mesh data; and higher resolution elevation mesh data for the remaining portions of the polygon mesh surface. |
| US09424660B2 |
Media encoding using changed regions
A method and system for media encoding using changed regions. The method includes detecting the changed regions and a static portion of a desktop of a computing device. The amount of changed regions may be determined. The changed regions may be encoded in response to the amount of changed regions. |
| US09424658B2 |
Moving object detection method
A moving object detection method according to an embodiment includes evaluating an average value, instead of a median value, of pixel values at the same pixel positions across multiple superposed images. A threshold value obtained by multiplying the average value by a predetermined number is employed to distinguish space debris from an object which emits light at a higher luminance than the space debris. In order to detect the space debris accurately, an average value of the pixel values that are equal to or less than the threshold is employed as an evaluation value for the space debris detection. |
| US09424654B1 |
High speed edge detection
Analog circuits for detecting edges in pixel arrays are disclosed. A comparator may be configured to receive an all pass signal and a low pass signal for a pixel intensity in an array of pixels. A latch may be configured to receive a counter signal and a latching signal from the comparator. The comparator may be configured to send the latching signal to the latch when the all pass signal is below the low pass signal minus an offset. The latch may be configured to hold a last negative edge location when the latching signal is received from the comparator. |
| US09424653B2 |
Method and apparatus for identifying a representative area of an image
A computer implemented method for generating a representative thumbnail for an image. The method comprises determining a representative area of an image, the determining comprising determining an absence of faces in the image; dividing the image into one or more zones; and selecting a zone with maximum edge strength as the representative area; and generating a thumbnail by cropping the image to the representative area. |
| US09424652B2 |
Adaptive background estimation
Various methods and systems are provided for adaptive background estimation. In one embodiment, among others, a signal processing device includes at least one processing unit and a memory storing a background estimation system executable in the at least one processing unit. The background estimation system, when executed, causes the signal processing device to separate foreground objects from at least one image frame in a sequence of image frames based at least in part upon a correntropy cost function. In another embodiment, a method includes obtaining an image frame from a sequence of image frames; performing correntropy filtering on the image frame to separate foreground objects from the image frame; and providing the foreground objects for rendering. The correntropy filtering may adapt to compensate for diffusion effects in the image frame. |
| US09424646B2 |
Control system and control method
A control system executes a first control operation, and then executes a second control operation. In the first control operation, the image processing section obtains the image data and specifies a position of a characteristic part. The control section determines a control instruction for accelerating an object to a predetermined first speed based on the specified position of the characteristic part and then decelerating the object to a predetermined second speed lower than the first speed, to move the object to an intermediate target position away from the final target position by a predetermined margin distance. In the second control operation, the image processing section obtains the image data during movement of the moving mechanism and specifies the position of the characteristic part, and the control section determines a control instruction for positioning the object to the final target position based on the specified position of the characteristic part. |
| US09424645B2 |
Calibration device and calibration method for a stereo camera without placing physical markers
Provided is a calibration device that can calculate the mounting state of a stereo camera without the placing of a physical marker. In this device, an area setting processor (113) preliminarily sets, for an integrated image in which a road surface image region and a setting-prohibited region are integrated, an arrangement pattern having a plurality of area setting frames, and adjusts the arrangement pattern so that the plurality of area setting frames recede from each other. An extraction processor (114) extracts from distance images a plurality of partial images corresponding to the plurality of area setting frames. A mounting-state calculation unit (104) calculates a mounting-state parameter on the basis of a plurality of partial images, such parameter relating to the mounting state of a stereo camera used to pick up stereo images. |
| US09424643B2 |
Image display device, image display method, and computer-readable recording medium
An image display device includes: a display unit; an image extraction unit that extracts a main image group from an image group; an image association unit that associates sub images included in a sub image group not extracted from the image group with main images included in the main image group; and a display control unit that generates a display screen in which the main image group is arranged in a first area along a first direction and the sub images are aligned with each of the main images in a second area along a second direction, and causes the display unit to display the display screen. The display control unit changes the display screen in a mode in which the main image group is moved along the first direction and in a mode in which the main image group and the sub image group are moved along the second direction. |
| US09424636B2 |
Method for measuring positions of structures on a mask and thereby determining mask manufacturing errors
The invention discloses a method for measuring positions of structures on a mask and thereby determining mask manufacturing errors. It is shown, that from a plurality measurement sites an influence of an optical proximity effect on a position measurement of structures on the mask, is determined with a metrology tool. A rendered image of the data representation of the structures is obtained. Additionally, at least one optical image of the pattern within the area on the mask is captured with the imaging system of the metrology tool. The field of view of the metrology tool is approximately identical to the size of the selected area of the mask design data. Finally, a residual is determined, which shows the manufacturing based proximity effect. |
| US09424635B2 |
Method and device for individual grain sorting of objects from bulk materials
Individual grain sorting of objects from bulk materials (3) on a conveying device (1) and an actuable discharge unit (2) which separates into fractions, the height distribution of the object (3.1) and the propagation of a light source (4) are advantageously used as sorting criterion, wherein a light-band (4.1) is projected transversely with respect to a conveying direction of the bulk material (3) on a plane of the conveying device (1), the objects (3.1) are moved through under the light-band (4.1), a first part (4.1.1) of the light is reflected, a second part (4.1.2) enters again at an entry point (11.1), is scattered and exits again at an exit point (3.1.2), a scattered propagation (B) is detected by a camera (9), and contiguous regions are identified in buffered rows (13), and the measured values are subjected to an evaluation and are combined to form characteristic values, and the discharge unit (2) is actuated in dependence on preset sorting parameters. |
| US09424632B2 |
System and method for generating high dynamic range images
A method for generating a high dynamic range (HDR) image from images of a scene obtained at one or more exposure values is disclosed. In this embodiment, one of the obtained images is selected as a reference image. Further, mapped images are obtained by mapping pixel intensity values to corresponding irradiance values in each image. Furthermore, a pixel intensity value dependent weighting factor is determined. Moreover, a set of images is identified from the mapped images for pixels in the reference image. Also, a set of corresponding mapped pixels is established for the mapped pixels in reference image in the set of images. Further, a similarity measure is computed for the mapped pixels of reference image and corresponding mapped pixels in the set of images. Furthermore, each mapped pixel of the reference image is combined with a subset of its established corresponding mapped pixels in the set of images. |
| US09424629B2 |
Image pickup apparatus, image processing apparatus, image processing method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium
An image pickup apparatus includes an image pickup element which obtains an original image, a storage unit which stores a first optical transfer function different depending on an image pickup condition and on a position in the original image and an image restoration filter or a function designed to generate a second optical transfer function, a data obtaining unit which obtains the first optical transfer function when the aperture value is less than a predetermined value, and the image restoration filter or the second optical transfer function generated based on the function designed to generate the second optical transfer function when the aperture value is not less than the predetermined value, a filter generating unit which generates an image restoration filter based on the first or second optical transfer function, and an image processing unit which generates the restored image by using the image restoration filter. |
| US09424628B2 |
Identifying gray regions for auto white balancing
Examples of the disclosure accurately define a gray region for automatic white balancing. Ratios corresponding to possible gray areas are white balanced before color distance metrics are calculated with respect to white points under different light sources. The color distance metrics of each point in the image data are compared with a predetermined threshold value to identify a gray region. Gray points within a captured image are identified using the gray region and input to any AWB method to accurately white balance the captured image. |
| US09424626B2 |
Sigma-delta ADC with integrated raw image scaling filter
A system and method of processing raw image pixel information includes an integrated decimation filter and raw image scaling filter. The decimation filter operates in the time domain; for example, to calculate a weighted average of time samples. The raw image scaling filter operates in the spatial domain; for example, to calculate a weighted average of spatial samples. The raw image pixel information is modulated by a sigma-delta analog-to-digital modulator. |
| US09424625B2 |
Method and apparatus for performing interpolation based on transform and inverse transform
Provided are a method and apparatus for interpolating an image. The method includes: selecting a first filter, from among a plurality of different filters, for interpolating between pixel values of integer pixel units, according to an interpolation location; and generating at least one pixel value of at least one fractional pixel unit by interpolating between the pixel values of the integer pixel units by using the selected first filter. |
| US09424623B2 |
Image processor
An image processor includes: a first division control information acquiring circuit configured to acquire division control information of a first chip; a second division control information acquiring circuit configured to acquire division control information of a second chip; a division process control circuit configured to determine a ratio at which a process is performed by the first image processing circuit and a ratio at which a process is performed by the second image processing circuit, based on the division control information of the first chip and the division control information of the second chip; a division circuit configured to divide data to be subjected to image processing into first-chip data and second-chip data at the determined ratios; the first image processing circuit configured to perform image processing on the first-chip data; and the second image processing circuit configured to perform image processing on the second-chip data. |
| US09424620B2 |
Identification of GPU phase to determine GPU scalability during runtime
A method performed by a processor is described. The method may include identifying a graphics processing unit (GPU) phase of a frame, using said identified GPU phase to obtain frequency scalability information for said identified GPU phase, and determining whether to change a frequency at which a GPU is to draw said frame within said phase based on said frequency scalability information. |
| US09424618B2 |
Smartphone-based methods and systems
Arrangements involving portable devices (e.g., smartphones and tablet computers) are disclosed. One arrangement enables a content creator to select software with which that creator's content should be rendered—assuring continuity between artistic intention and delivery. Another utilizes a device camera to identify nearby subjects, and take actions based thereon. Others rely on near field chip (RFID) identification of objects, or on identification of audio streams (e.g., music, voice). Some technologies concern improvements to the user interfaces associated with such devices. Others involve use of these devices in connection with shopping, text entry, sign language interpretation, and vision-based discovery. Still other improvements are architectural in nature, e.g., relating to evidence-based state machines, and blackboard systems. Yet other technologies concern use of linked data in portable devices—some of which exploit GPU capabilities. Still other technologies concern computational photography. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. |
| US09424617B2 |
Graphics command generation device and graphics command generation method
An intermediate command generation unit generates intermediate commands, which are intermediate rendering commands having model data for rendering an object. A graphics command conversion unit converts the generated intermediate commands into a graphic command sequence for execution by a graphics processor. An identity determination unit determines whether a state of a graphics command to be generated from an intermediate command is the same as a state of the graphics command generated previously. A graphics command generation unit generates a graphics command determined by the identity determination unit as not having the same state, and does not generate a graphics command determined as having the same state, defining the command as a redundant command. |
| US09424614B2 |
Updating distribution management system model responsive to real-time asset identification and location inputs
Models of a distribution network grid are automatically updated in response to real-time location data of uniquely identified temporary devices. Current geographical coordinates are determined within a distance tolerance that is selected as a function of a type of device indicated by the identity indicia. The geographical information system model is updated with a location of a unique identity of the device at the determined current geographical coordinates within the distance tolerance if unique identity of the device not already present within the geographical information system model, or if it is present and a displacement distance from the determined current geographical coordinates of the temporary device to existing geographic coordinates that are stored in the geographical information system model in association with the unique device identity exceeds a specified distance margin. |
| US09424612B1 |
Systems and methods for managing user reputations in social networking systems
To determine and quantify the reputations of users within a social network. In an embodiment, a social networking system determines at least one category associated with a first account of a social networking system. The social networking system determines a first reputation score for the first account in the at least one category. The category may represent subject matter in which a user of the first account has an interest. The first reputation score may be based on content posted by the first account. The first reputation score may be adjusted based on an activity and the scores of others. |
| US09424611B2 |
User interface for managing questions and answers across multiple social media data sources
A method for managing user-generated questions and answers across multiple social media data sources can begin with the receiving of query parameters, including a user-entered question, via the user interface of a social media Q&A manage. Social media data sources can be queried for knowledge related to the user-entered question. When knowledge related to the user-entered question exists, the existing related knowledge can be organized and presented in the user interface according to a determined answer quality. When knowledge related to the user-entered question does not exist or is deemed unsatisfactory by a user, the user-entered question can be automatically submitted to applicable social media data sources by the social media Q&A manager on behalf of the user. A status of the submitted user-entered question can be monitored. When the status of the submitted user-entered question changes, the method can be re-executed at the querying step. |
| US09424607B2 |
Systems and methods for insurance based upon status of vehicle software
A vehicle may be configured to determine a characteristic of a software program operating on the vehicle. The characteristic may be provided to an insurer, and the insurer may determine a property of an insurance policy based on the characteristic. The characteristic may be, for example, a feature, a setting, and/or a version of the software program. The insurer may indicate to a vehicle operator and/or owner how changing the characteristic may affect the property of the insurance policy. The insurance policy may be formalized and agreed to by the insurer and/or the insured. The vehicle may also or instead save pre-collision status data, such adjustable parameters, internal variables, dynamic decisions, and/or identification of a software program, when a collision is detected. The pre-collision status data may be used to diagnose problems with the software program, determine fault, and/or determine future properties of insurance policies. |
| US09424605B2 |
Creation of customized transactional cards
Methods, systems, and products create credit cards, debit cards, and other transactional cards. An image is received and provided on a transactional card. Account information is retrieved and associated with the transactional card. A machine-readable element is also provided on the transactional card and includes the account information. |
| US09424603B2 |
Mobile location notifications system and method
Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, apparatuses, and methods for determining the location of a mobile merchant, and performing further processing based on the determined location. Transaction data for a transaction conducted by a mobile merchant is electronically received at a server computer. The server computer determines a location of the mobile merchant based on the transaction data, and performs further processing based on the location of the mobile merchant. |
| US09424600B2 |
System and method for providing a portable and interactive storefront
In an example embodiment, a method for providing a portable and interactive storefront is provided. The method may comprise receiving information associated with a product to be placed in electronic commerce. Content is therefore generated based on the received information, in which the content may provide an interactive storefront. A link to the content is generated and then provided. |
| US09424599B2 |
Proximity device and method for bundling of products and/or services
A process stores, at a data storage device within a product and/or a product package, data associated with a bundle of products and/or services. Further, the process sends, from a proximity-based device within the product and/or the product package, the data to a mobile device when the mobile device is within a proximity to the proximity-based device. |
| US09424598B1 |
Visual search in a controlled shopping environment
Various embodiments enable a customer to quickly search additional information (e.g., product variations, sizes, price and availability) related to a specific product. For example, the customer can request additional information of a specific product by submitting an image of the specific product from a computing device. In one embodiment, location of the customer can be determined based on the image submitted by the customer. Product features can be extracted from the image according to various imaging processing and text recognition algorithms and then used to match products that are within view of the customer. A search results with additional information of the specific product can be provided to the computing device for presentation to the customer. |
| US09424597B2 |
Text translation using contextual information related to text objects in translated language
In an example embodiment, text is received at an ecommerce service from a first user, the text in a first language and pertaining to a first listing on the ecommerce service. Contextual information about the first listing may be retrieved. The text may be translated to a second language. Then, a plurality of text objects, in the second language, similar to the translated text may be located in a database, each of the text objects corresponding to a listing. Then, the plurality of text objects similar to the translated text may be ranked based on a comparison of the contextual information about the first listing and contextual information stored in the database for the listings corresponding to the plurality of text objects similar to the translated text. At least one of the ranked plurality of text objects may then be translated to the first language. |
| US09424588B2 |
Systems and methods for data collection and providing coupons at a point of return
Systems and methods are described for collecting data at a merchant's point of return for use in processing a merchandise return transaction that is being requested by a customer. In various embodiments, the data may be collected using a wide variety of data collection technologies and may be used in conjunction with stored data, including data collected from other merchants, by a return authorization system to make a determination whether to accept or deny the requested merchandise return and whether to provide a coupon to the customer. The data may additionally or alternatively be used to determine whether to issue a warning to the customer about limitations on future return transactions presented by the customer. Examples of data categories that may be collected include, but are not limited to, information about: the merchant, the customer, the requested transaction, the merchandise being returned, one or more receipts, a clerk processing the transaction, and other general applicable information. |
| US09424584B2 |
Systems and methods for generating and displaying user preference tag clouds
Systems and methods for generating and displaying user preferences in a tag cloud are provided in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention. A user preference tag cloud may be of any shape and size and may be generated using a stencil selected by a user. A user preference tag cloud may thus present a user's media preferences in an attractive and compelling visual arrangement that, in some embodiments, also functions as an intuitive interface which allows users to indicate and/or modify their preferences. |
| US09424581B2 |
Systems and methods to facilitate real time communications and commerce via answers to questions
Methods and systems to facilitate real time communications and commerce via answers presented to questions. One embodiment includes one or more web servers to receive from a second user an answer to a question of a first user, and to present the answer with a communication reference of a connection provider to a third user; a session border controller of the connection provider to interface with a packet switched network; and one or more telecommunication servers of the connection provider coupled with the session border controller to connect the third user to the second user for real time communications in response to a request made via the communication referenced. One embodiment includes: receiving from a second user an answer to a question of a first user; and presenting to a third user the answer with a reference for requesting fee-based content from or real time communications with the second user. |
| US09424578B2 |
System and method to provide gesture functions at a device
Systems and methods for providing gesture functionality are provided. In example embodiments, a gesture input is received. The gesture input represents a commerce-related action, whereby the commerce-related action relates to an action to be performed within a networked environment. A determination is performed to determine that the commerce-related action is executable. The commerce-related action is then performed based on the determination that the commerce-related action is executable. |
| US09424573B2 |
Batch settlement transactions system and method
Systems and methods for performing settlement of token access transactions are provided. In one embodiment, the invention provides for batch processing bank card transactions, including receiving transaction records for a plurality of bank card transactions, wherein at least some of the transaction records include encrypted token information; determining whether the transaction records contain encrypted token information; decrypting the encrypted token information for a transaction record that is determined to have encrypted token information; and providing clear text token information obtained by decrypting the encrypted token information for a transaction record for transaction settlement. |
| US09424571B1 |
System and method for a mobile wallet
A computer-implemented system and method for providing offers to a mobile device includes receiving at least one offer from at least one merchant at an offer computer system and determining, by the offer computer system, an offer to present on the mobile device based on at least one characteristic of a user of the mobile device, the offer providing the user a discount from a price of a product or service. The method includes receiving a request for a code to provide to a merchant, the code being generated for the mobile device that belongs to the user. The method includes receiving, from a mobile device, an indication from the user to use the offer and sending, by the offer computer system, to the mobile device an offer code to be displayed on the mobile device to be received by a merchant. |
| US09424570B2 |
On-screen code stabilization
Methods and systems for stabilizing an on-screen code on a display of a mobile device are described. A code is displayed on a mobile device as an on-screen code. The user holds the mobile device in front of a code scanner so that the on-screen code can be scanned. A code stabilization application on the mobile device assists in stabilizing and/or centering the on-screen code through changing its position, shape, and/or size based on data and/or measurements from sensors. The code stabilization application stabilizes the on-screen code for easy scan-ability to speed up the scanning process. |
| US09424569B1 |
System and method for mobile check deposit
Machine-readable storage media having instructions stored therein that, when executed by a processor of a mobile device, configure the mobile device to capture a check image for funds to be deposited into a recipient account. The mobile device configured to display a request to a user of the mobile device to provide one or more portions of a MICR line for the received check image and receive user inputs from the user specifying the one or more portions of the MICR line. The mobile device configured to transmit a message to a bank account computer system associated with the recipient account, the message including data specifying the one or more portions of the MICR line. |
| US09424566B2 |
Payment processing system for use in a retail environment having segmented architecture
A payment processing system and method comprising a POS module providing an interface to effect sales of FGS in a retail environment, a device module operatively connected to at least one retail device configured to supply FGS and comprising a card reader adapted to receive a first payment card data for payment for the FGS, wherein the device module is adapted to control operation of the at least one retail device, and a payment system module operatively connected to the POS module and the device module, the payment system module adapted to validate payment for the FGS. The payment system module and the device module are separated from the POS module in order to segment a portion of the payment processing system configured to handle payment card data from a portion of the system that does not handle payment card data. |
| US09424565B2 |
System and method for preparing and delivering informational content
At least one content publishing server having a memory storing a map data structure configured by a content author which defines relationships among plural resources and thereby define an informational item of higher granularity content. Each of the plural resources are associated with a first electronic file linked to said map data structure and configured to store information about the usage of the associated resource. Higher granularity content is associated with a second electronic file linked to said map data structure configured to store information about the usage of the higher granularity content. The server which delivers the informational item to a computer gathers feedback usage information reflecting how the higher granularity content and individual ones of the plural resources are used by users. The server updates the electronic files in accordance with the feedback usage information. |
| US09424564B2 |
Interoperable systems and methods for peer-to-peer service orchestration
Systems and methods are described for performing policy-managed, peer-to-peer service orchestration in a manner that supports the formation of self-organizing service networks that enable rich media experiences. In one embodiment, services are distributed across peer-to-peer communicating nodes, and each node provides message routing and orchestration using a message pump and workflow collator. Distributed policy management of service interfaces helps to provide trust and security, supporting commercial exchange of value. Peer-to-peer messaging and workflow collation allow services to be dynamically created from a heterogeneous set of primitive services. The shared resources are services of many different types, using different service interface bindings beyond those typically supported in a web service deployments built on UDDI, SOAP, and WSDL. In a preferred embodiment, a media services framework is provided that enables nodes to find one another, interact, exchange value, and cooperate across tiers of networks from WANs to PANs. |
| US09424563B2 |
Accessing medial context information using contextual links
The systems and methods described herein are directed toward launching a third party application in a media center module using a contextual link. The media center module is configured to enable the third party application to register with the module and to associate a contextual link corresponding to the third party application with a context provided by the media center module. In response to a request for information related to the context, the media center module is configured to direct to a location associated with the contextual link. The media center module is further configured to provide to the location data that identifies the context. In response to the provided data, the location is populated with the requested information. Thus, the use of conditional link enables a third party application to register to be a context handler for a media center module. |
| US09424558B2 |
Positioning of components in a user interface
In particular embodiments, a client computing device of a user provides for presentation a user interface that includes one or more components. The client computing device may receive an indication of a message to the user. The client computing device may automatically modify the user interface to accommodate presentation of an interactive element associated with the message. The client computing device may modify the user interface at least in part by automatically modifying one or more of the components. The client computing device may automatically provide for presentation the user interface as modified and the interactive element associated with the message. |
| US09424557B2 |
Electronic mail data processing device and method for processing electronic mail data
A communication unit connects an e-mail data transfer protocol to transfer e-mail data item via near-field wireless communications with an external device. A retrieval unit retrieves the e-mail data item transferred from the external device when the protocol is connected. A storage unit stores the retrieved e-mail data item. A control unit causes the external device to transfer the e-mail data item in each indication unit of the indication device thereby to cause the storage unit to store the retrieved e-mail data item, when the protocol is connected, and even when a user does not implement a browsing operation of an e-mail list. The control unit further causes an indication device to indicate the e-mail list of the stored e-mail data item when the user implements the browsing operation. |
| US09424554B2 |
Enterprise managed systems with collaborative application support
Described herein is an enterprise system including an enterprise social platform associated with an application store platform, which is accessible by a computing device in a secure manner. The enterprise social platform stores information indicating user roles within the enterprise and provides at least one social networking feature to a group of users that are associated based on the roles, where the social networking feature is associated with an enterprise application store. An application catalog system of the enterprise application store platform includes sets of enterprise applications that are available for selection by enterprise users, and the application catalog system provides access to selected enterprise applications. An application store storage system includes a plurality of files associated with each one of the plurality of applications, wherein the plurality of files includes enterprise customized application templates, enterprise application usage information, application evaluation information, application recommendations, or an application support forum. An application store management system presents selected ones of the files to a user within the enterprise social platform based on the user's membership in the group of users. |
| US09424551B2 |
Secure inter-module communication mechanism
Methods, apparatuses, and systems directed to facilitating secure, structured interactions between code modules executing within the context of a document processed by a user agent, such as a browser client, that implements a domain security model. In a particular implementation, a module connector script or object loaded into a base document discovers listener modules and sender modules corresponding to different origins or domains, and passes information between them. In this manner, a listener module may consume and use information from a sender module located on the same page simply by having an end-user add both modules to a web page without having to explicitly define any form of interconnection. For example, a photo module may access a user account at a remote photo sharing site, and provide one or more photos to a module that renders the photographs in a slide show. |
| US09424547B2 |
Methods of transport of one or more items between locations
Methods of causing transport of one or more items between two or more locations using computerized apparatus. In one embodiment, the one or more items comprise one or more pieces of luggage of a user which are shipped from a transportation facility such as an airport via user-instigated actions at a kiosk located within the facility. In one variant, user information is provided to the kiosk via a personal electronic device of the user (e.g., provided wirelessly via a smartphone), and the kiosk accesses a travel reservation system to obtain information about the routing of the luggage. |
| US09424544B2 |
Archival management of business processes in a cloud environment
A method for archival management of business processes in a cloud environment is provided. In one aspect, the method comprises archiving managed pool including one or more versions of a business process instance or business process execution in a cloud computing environment. The method further comprises a provisioning manager of the cloud computing environment that requests or tasks provisioning, deprovisioning, decommissioning or deleting the one or more versions of a business process instance or business process execution. For each of the requests or tasks, a restore manager of the cloud environment determines, if the managed pools of virtual instances contain a business process management environment or a business process archive manager environment. The restore manager further recreates a previous version of the one or more versions of the business process instance or business process execution based on the determination. |
| US09424543B2 |
Authenticating a response to a change request
A method to authenticate an identity of a responder. The method includes receiving a request and determining, by one or more computer processors, a reviewer for the request. A custom key is generated for the reviewer and the request, and at least one URL is generated that contains the custom key. At least one URL is sent, along with the request, to the reviewer. Upon receiving a response to the request that includes a selection of one URL, it is determined whether the response was received from the determined reviewer for the request. |
| US09424542B2 |
Device for communicating between aircraft flight personnel and the ground, and method implementing said device
A system for communicating between a commercial aircraft and the base of the airline that chartered the same when the aircraft is itself located on the ground during the flight preparation phases and before unloading the commercial freight or passengers. A method implements such a communication system by the commercial flight staff and/or the aircraft captain to prepare a flight and the commercial freight unloading phase. |
| US09424541B2 |
Policy based user contacts list management
Embodiments of the present invention enable policy-based management of a user contacts list. Applications of the present invention are its use in embodiments of Instant Messaging (IM) systems. During an IM session, a session owner may temporarily add a contact to an active contacts list for a duration determined by evaluating constraints from one or more policies associated with the contact. At IM session initialization, a session owner's persistently stored contacts and their associated policies are retrieved, and the policies are evaluated. An active contacts list for use during the IM session is generated from a subset of stored contacts for which all associated policy constraints are satisfied. In embodiments, the active contacts list may be updated during a session by re-evaluating the stored contacts and associated policies. In embodiments, an active contacts list is updated after addition of a new contact determined to have an associated enabled policy satisfied. |
| US09424539B2 |
Systems and methods for defining best practices, managing best practices, and validating service models
Methods, systems, and computer program products are provided for managing best practices in modeling information technology (IT) services. An architecture for validating a service model using a plurality of best practices (PBPs) provides separation of concern between the service model and selection of best practices by enabling an independent selection of the service model and the PBPs. A best practice precedence (BPP) is configured to disambiguate conflicts between the PBPs and select a selected best practice (SBP) from the PBPs. A validation engine validates a compliance or non-compliance of the service model with the SBP. A refined service model is generated by combining selective portions of the SBP with the service model. |
| US09424538B1 |
Security aware email server
A security aware email server and a method of managing incoming email are described. The server includes a memory device configured to store rules, instructions, and user preferences. The processor makes a determination of whether a sender of an incoming email used a secure or unsecure sending network to send the email and determines an action to take with the email based on the determination and the user preferences. |
| US09424537B2 |
System and method for item-based economy in a virtual world
There is provided a system and method for an item-based economy in a virtual world. There is provided a server for providing an item exchange for a virtual world lacking a common currency for item valuation, comprising a processor configured to receive a request from a client having an inventory to initiate the item exchange, present a user interface on a display of the client for the item exchange, receive a selection of either a second quantity of second items or a third quantity of third items for the item exchange from the client, remove from the inventory of the client a first quantity of tradable items defined by a first exchange value or a second exchange value based on the selection, and add the second quantity of second items or the third quantity of the third items to the inventory of the client based on the selection. |
| US09424535B2 |
Systems and methods for managing staging and choreography
Systems and methods for managing choreography in a simple and efficient manner are disclosed. The disclosed systems and methods allow a user, such as a choreographer, director, or producer, to document the movement of each performer in a performance or other choreography. Choreography of each performer can be documented in as much detail as desired and coordinated with a beat of music, a timeline of a dialog, and/or the movements of other performers. The disclosed systems and methods provide for creation of precise spacing charts. The documentation and charts can be linked or otherwise associated together and/or linked or otherwise associated with a section of a script of the performance. |
| US09424534B2 |
Voting system with content
An apparatus includes a database of content and a content system. The database stores content related to a set of entities to be voted upon in a voting system, wherein there is at least one piece of content for each selection. The content system receives a vote of a user from the voting system and at least an identifier of a cellphone of the user and provides content related to the vote from the database to the cellphone. At least a portion of the content is playable on the cellphone. |
| US09424530B2 |
Dataset classification quantification
Methods, computing systems and computer program products implement embodiments of the present invention that include selecting a training dataset including training instances having respective training features, and applying a classifier to the training dataset, thereby generating a training classification that assigns, to each of the training instances, one of a plurality of categories, the classifier having an expected classification. A classification bias is detected in the training classification relative to the expected classification, and in response to the classification bias, a calibration matrix is defined based on the training features, and the classification bias. A production dataset including production instances is selected, and the classifier and the calibration matrix are applied to the production dataset, thereby generating a production classification quantification that assigns, to each of the production instances, one of the plurality of categories. |
| US09424529B2 |
Systems and methods to facilitate local searches via location disambiguation
Systems and methods use machine learning techniques to resolve location ambiguity in search queries. In one aspect, a dataset generator generates a training dataset using query logs of a search engine. A training engine applies a machine learning technique to the training dataset to generate a location disambiguation model. A location disambiguation engine uses the location disambiguation model to resolve location ambiguity in subsequent search queries. |
| US09424528B2 |
Method and apparatus for self-learning and self-improving a semiconductor manufacturing tool
Performance of a manufacturing tool is optimized. Optimization relies on recipe drifting and generation of knowledge that capture relationships among product output metrics and input material measurement(s) and recipe parameters. Optimized recipe parameters are extracted from a basis of learned functions that predict output metrics for a current state of the manufacturing tool and measurements of input material(s). Drifting and learning are related and lead to dynamic optimization of tool performance, which enables optimized output from the manufacturing tool as the operation conditions of the tool changes. Features of recipe drifting and associated learning can be autonomously or externally configured through suitable user interfaces, which also can be drifted to optimize end-user interaction. |
| US09424515B2 |
Predicting taxi utilization information
Techniques are described for automatically analyzing contingencies in information predicting taxi demand. This is to generate representative information regarding current or future taxi demand, and for using such generated representative taxi demand. Contingent demand information may be generated for a variety of types of useful measures of taxi demand rates, such as for projecting expected likelihood of finding a passenger at each of several road locations. Generated representative contingent taxi demand information may be used in various ways to assist taxi and livery service drivers plan optimal routes and schedules. The historical and/or recent contingent demand data may be used to generate the representative traffic flow information. This may include data readings from mobile data sensors in the one or more vehicles, data sensors in or near the roads, or aggregate data sources collected from one or more sensors or through publicly available data sets. |
| US09424510B2 |
Adaptive fuzzy rule controlling system for software defined storage system for controlling performance parameter
An adaptive fuzzy rule controlling system for a software defined storage (SDS) system to control performance parameters in a storage node is disclosed. The system includes: a traffic monitoring module, for acquiring observed values of performance parameters in the storage node; an adaptive neural fuzzy inference module, for learning a dynamic relationship between configurations of a plurality of storage devices in the storage node and the performance parameters during a period of time, and outputting fuzzy rules which is built according to the dynamic relationship; a traffic forecasting module, for providing forecasted values of the performance parameters in a particular point in time in the future; and a fuzzy rule control module, for arranging the configuration of the storage devices in the storage node in the particular point in time in the future according to the fuzzy rules and the forecasted values. |
| US09424506B2 |
E-document comprising an electromagnetic interference element
A laminated structure for an E-document, comprising a first support layer defining at least two flat flaps connected by at least one fold line, the first flap supporting an antenna and a microcircuit device enabling contactless data exchange, the second flap supporting an electromagnetic interference element arranged in relation to the microcircuit device so as to be able to oppose contactless reading and/or writing of the microcircuit device in at least one folded configuration of the structure, the structure having at least one heat-activated or pressure-sensitive adhesive layer making it possible to receive the microcircuit device and/or the antenna and/or the electromagnetic interference element at least in part in its thickness, and/or the flaps having at least one layer of an adhesive and/or a fibrous layer and/or a polymer layer having a different thickness for each of the flaps. |
| US09424505B2 |
Luminescent graphene patterns
A luminescent nanocomposite comprising functionalized graphene and a luminescent moiety, its fabrication, and uses are described. The luminescent moiety is anchored non-covalently to the functionalized graphene. Luminescence properties of the nanocomposite may be modulated by choosing appropriate luminescent moieties such as native lactoferrin, native lactoferrin protected gold clusters, and so forth. Mechanical properties of the nanocomposite may be modulated by adding a biopolymer such as Chitosan. The nanocomposite may be used as a luminescent ink for encoding information, or a luminescent film for tagging articles of manufacture such as electronic waste components. |
| US09424504B2 |
Combining a QR code and an image
A QR code is combined with a base image, preserving useful functionalities of both the base image and the QR code. For example, the base image remains clearly visible and recognizable by humans; the transparent QR code remains readable by scanners; machine image search can distinguish the base image from the combined image; and faces of the combined image are usable by machine face recognition programs. A QR code is generated with transparencies for different regions. An inner portion and outer shell portion for each module each may have different transparencies. Inner portion size relative to outer shell size is selectively adjustable. The generated QR code image may be combined with a given base image such as a face or company logo using the transparency values of the QR code image to make the two images appear as overlaid on one another with varying degrees of transparency. |
| US09424499B2 |
Method for printing a grayscale raster image by grayscale value dispersion
A method is provided for enhancing a grayscale raster image comprising pixels. The method comprises the steps of composing a second raster image of equal dimensions to said raster image, selecting a target pixel in the second raster image, having a target position, and deriving a grayscale value for the target pixel from a grayscale value of a pixel in said raster image that is in a neighborhood of a pixel on a position corresponding to the target position, thereby dispersing the gray value of a pixel in a predetermined range around its original position and working the second raster image up for a halftoning process without using pixel segmentation. |
| US09424497B2 |
Printer system
There is provided a printer system including a printer apparatus configured to be controlled by a controller having a configuration of which at least a part is different for each client. A printing processor is configured to execute printing processing on a medium. A tray state detector is configured to detect a tray state indicating whether or not there is the medium on a destination tray to which the medium on which the printing processing has been executed is discharged. A printing processing control unit is configured to control whether or not to execute the printing processing in the printer apparatus on the basis of the tray state, when the controller is changed. |
| US09424492B2 |
Weighting scheme for pooling image descriptors
A method for generating an image representation includes generating a set of embedded descriptors, comprising, for each of a set of patches of an image, extracting a patch descriptor which is representative of the pixels in the patch and embedding the patch descriptor in a multidimensional space to form an embedded descriptor. An image representation is generated by aggregating the set of embedded descriptors. In the aggregation, each descriptor is weighted with a respective weight in a set of weights, the set of weights being computed based on the patch descriptors for the image. Information based on the image representation is output. At least one of the extracting of the patch descriptors, embedding the patch descriptors, and generating the image representation is performed with a computer processor. |
| US09424491B1 |
Suggesting profile images for a social network
A system and method for generating an ordered set of suggested profile images. The profile image application includes a scorer, a recognition engine, a trend analyzer, a suggestion module and a user interface engine. The scorer scores user images based on metadata, such as the number of people tagged in the image and the recency of the image. The recognition engine identifies people and objects in the image. The trend analyzer identifies trends. The suggestion module generates the ordered set of suggested profile images based at least in part on the score. The user interface engine generates a user interface that includes the ordered set of suggested profile images. |
| US09424486B2 |
Method of image processing
Disclosed embodiments relate to a systems and methods of identifying a target object in an image using image processing. Template data is stored which represents a template orientation field indicative of an orientation of each of a plurality of features of a template object. Image data may be received and processed to generate an image orientation field indicating an orientation corresponding to the plurality of image features. The image data may be further processed to generate image confidence data based on at least one characteristic for use in identifying the target object in a given image, and the characteristic may be indicative of an increased likelihood that at least one part of the given image represents at least part of the target object, relative to other parts of the given image. The image orientation field is processed using the template orientation field and the image confidence data to generate a match metric indicative of an extent of matching between at least part of the template orientation field and at least part of the image orientation field. The match metric may then be used to determine whether or not the target object has been identified in the image. |
| US09424485B2 |
Grid data processing method and apparatus
The present invention discloses a grid data record processing method and apparatus. The method comprising: acquiring influence parameters of lag time of an insulator on which flashover is occurred, the lag time being a time interval from the insulator flashover to tripping of a corresponding breaker in a substation is caused; determining the lag time according to the acquired influence parameters of the lag time and a lag time evaluation model; and determining trip-up records caused by the insulator flashover from grid data records according to the lag time. With the method and apparatus according to embodiments of the present invention, trip-up records caused by insulator flashover can be efficiently determined from grid data records. |
| US09424482B2 |
Method and apparatus for image processing to avoid counting shelf edge promotional labels when counting product labels
A method and apparatus for image processing to avoid counting shelf edge promotional labels when counting product labels. Shelf edges are identified by detecting shelf edge content in a captured image by comparing the image to reference images of shelf edge content. Detected occurrences of shelf edge content are demarcated using a geometric pattern having corners at coordinates corresponding to positions around the identified shelf edge content. Corresponding corners are grouped into clusters, and the clusters are analyzed to define the upper and lower bounds of a shelf region in the image. |
| US09424480B2 |
Object identification using optical code reading and object recognition
An object identification system comprises an optical code reader that scans an optical code of an object and decodes a portion of the optical code. Using the decoded portion of the optical code, a database filter unit generates a filtered subset of feature models from a set of feature models of known objects stored in a database. An image capture device captures an image of the object, and a feature detector unit detects visual features in the image. A comparison unit compares the detected visual features to the filtered subset of feature models to identify a match between the object and a known object. |
| US09424479B2 |
Systems and methods for resizing an image
In some instances, an image may have dimensions that do not correspond to a slot to display the image. For example, an image content item may have dimensions that do not correspond to a content item slot. The image may be resized using seam carving to add or remove pixels of the image. A saliency map for the image may be used having saliency scores for each pixel of the image. Evaluation metrics may be used before, during, and after, seam carving to determine whether salient content is affected by the seam carving. In some instances, a seam cost threshold value may be used for adaptive step size during the seam carving. The resized image may then be outputted, such as for an image content item to be served with a resource. |
| US09424478B2 |
Multimodal biometric profiling
Multimodal biometric profiling may include receiving a cover image and a biometric template for a person. An indication of a security requirement related to biometric profiling for the person may be received. A threshold value may be determined based on the indicated security requirement. The threshold value may be used to limit a number of biometric template bits of the biometric template that are embedded in a predetermined bit position of a cover image pixel of the cover image based on cover image intensity associated with the predetermined bit position. |
| US09424475B1 |
Construction object detection
Aspects of the disclosure relate to identifying construction objects. As an example, an image captured by a camera associated with a vehicle as the vehicle is driven along a roadway may be received. This image may be converted into a first channel corresponding to an average brightness contribution from red, blue and green channels of the image. The image may also be converted into a second channel corresponding to a contribution of a color from the red and the green channels of the image. A template may then be used to identify a region of the image corresponding to a potential construction object from the first channel and the second channel. |
| US09424467B2 |
Gaze tracking and recognition with image location
An image of a person is captured. A left eye image is located in the image. A right eye image is located in the image. A first quantity of left eye white pixels and a second quantity of left eye white pixels in the left eye image locate are determined. A left eye image ratio of the first quantity of left eye white pixels to the second quantity of left eye white pixels is calculated. A first quantity of right eye white pixels and a second quantity of right eye white pixels in the right eye image is calculated. A right eye image ratio of the first quantity of right eye white pixels to the second quantity of right eye white pixels is calculated. A gaze direction of the person is determined based upon an average ratio. |
| US09424462B2 |
Object detection device and object detection method
To provide an object detection device and an object detection method in which incorrect grouping based on a range image can be prevented, processing is implemented including: generating a range image based on a pair of gray-scaled images (S603); grouping adjacent regions having range data representing close distances in the range image (S604); calculating differences between the luminance values of pixels in a vertical line below a ground plane above which objects are imaged and the luminance values of pixels in a vertical line above the ground plane in the gray-scaled images and dividing the group region into laterally separated sub-regions (S605); and determining whether or not there is a section without vertical edge in either of the left and right areas of each of sub-regions made based on the gray-scaled images and merging sub-regions whose areas including a section without vertical edge are next to each other (S607). |
| US09424457B1 |
Optical prism module
The present invention relates to an optical prism module, comprising a collection surface arranged on the top of the optical prism module; a basal plane corresponding to the collection surface and situated on the bottom of the optical prism module; a mirror surface arranged on one end of the optical prism module, a first included angle being provided between the mirror surface and the collection surface, and a second included angle being provided between the mirror surface and the basal plane; and an output surface arranged on another end of the optical prism module, a third included angle being provided between the output surface and the collection surface, and a fourth included angle being provided between the output surface and the basal plane. Thereby, an operator is allowed to place fingerprint onto the collection surface for light source to be input from the basal plane and irradiated onto the fingerprint, and for light to undergo a first reflection and a second reflection with the basal plane and the mirror surface, respectively, after that, the output surface acts as a background surface for light output in the second reflection of the light, such that an external image sensor receives the light and forms a fingerprint image, in order to maintaining an optical path distance effectively and reducing the volume of the optical prism module. |
| US09424454B2 |
Chip on board based highly integrated imager
An apparatus for use in decoding a bar code symbol may include an image sensor integrated circuit having a plurality of pixels, timing and control circuitry for controlling an image sensor, gain circuitry for controlling gain, and analog to digital conversion circuitry for conversion of an analog signal to a digital signal. The apparatus may also include a PCB for mounting the image sensor integrated circuit and light source bank. The connection between the image sensor integrated circuit and/or light source bank and the PCB characterized by a plurality of wires connecting a plurality of bond pads and a plurality of contact pads, where the wires, bond pads, and contact pads provide electrical input/output and mechanical connections between the image sensor integrated circuit and the PCB. The apparatus may be operative for processing image signals generated by the image sensor integrated circuit for attempting to decode the bar code symbol. |
| US09424453B2 |
Indicia reading terminal with color frame processing
An indicia reading terminal can comprise an image sensor integrated circuit having a two-dimensional image sensor, a hand held housing encapsulating the two-dimensional image sensor, and an imaging lens configured to focus an image of a target decodable indicia onto the two-dimensional image sensor. The two-dimensional image sensor can include a plurality of pixels arranged in repetitive patterns. Each pattern can include at least one pixel sensitive in a first spectrum region, at least one pixel sensitive in a second spectrum region, and at least one pixel sensitive in a third spectrum region. The image sensor integrated circuit can be configured to capture a frame of image data by reading out a plurality of analog signals. Each read out analog signal can be representative of light incident on a group of two or more pixels of the plurality of pixels. The image sensor integrated circuit can be further configured to convert the plurality of analog signals to a plurality of digital signals and to store the plurality of digital signals in a memory. The indicia reading terminal can be operative to process the frame of image data for attempting to decode for decodable indicia. |
| US09424450B2 |
Apparatus and method for identifying and localizing objects
An apparatus (10) for identifying and localizing objects (22) is provided having a position determination device (14) for determining object positions and having an RFID reading device (12) for receiving an RFID signal from an RFID transponder (24) and for reading RFID information from the RFID signal. The apparatus (10) has an RFID localization device (18) for determining transponder positions with the aid of the RFID signal and has an association device (20) which is configured to associate objects (22) and RFID transponders (24) with one another with reference to the object positions and the transponder positions. |
| US09424448B2 |
Locating device for evaluating the distance between an RFID label and an interface
A locating device for determining a distance of an RFID tag with respect to an interface between two media comprising an inductive coupling antenna and a sensor for determining a distance between the antenna and the interface. There is an energizing circuit configured to energize the antenna to generate an electromagnetic field with various successive amplitude values and a detection device for detecting an electromagnetic field response from the RFID tag. There is a processing circuit configured to determine several pairs of information, each pair including: a distance between the antenna and the interface and a minimum electromagnetic field value detected by the detection device from the RFID tag at the determined distance between the antenna and the interface. The processing circuit also evaluates the distance between the RFID tag and the interface as a function of the several pairs. |
| US09424445B2 |
Card reader having discriminator contact
A card reader for a point-of-sale system that is configured to accept both magnetic strip-type and integrated circuit (IC) chip-type payment cards. The card reader is a component of a point-of-sale system including a portable computing device in communication with the card reader that is configured to present a first graphical user interface (GUI) when a magnetic stripe-type card is detected and a second GUI when an IC chip-type card is detected in the card reader. The card reader comprises a slot configured to receive the payment card, a magnetic reading device and an IC chip reading device. The card reader also includes a discriminator contact disposed within the slot that is configured to conduct across a surface of a metal pad of the IC chip-type card prior to the CI chip reading device making contact with the IC chip. |
| US09424444B2 |
Systems, apparatus, methods and computer-readable storage media for facilitating integrated messaging, contacts and social media for a selected entity
Systems, apparatus and methods are provided. In some embodiments, a computer-implemented method is provided. The computer-implemented method can include executing, using at least one processor, computer-readable instructions for performing various acts. The acts can include executing at least two applications, wherein at least one of the two applications is for providing social media information. The acts can also include receiving a signal in response to a detected input gesture indicative of a selection of an entity. The selection of the entity can be performed via another one of the two applications. The acts can also include integrating the two applications such that social media information is generated about the entity. The integration can be in response to receiving the signal, and the social media information can include information from one or more social networking websites. The acts can also include displaying the social media information about the entity. |
| US09424443B2 |
Method and apparatus for securing computer mass storage data
In general, embodiments of the invention include methods and apparatuses for securely storing computer system data. Embodiments of the invention encrypt and decrypt SATA data transparently to software layers. That makes it unnecessary to make any software modifications to the file system, device drivers, operating system, or application. Encryption key management is performed either remotely on a centralized Remote Management System or locally. Embodiments of the invention implement background disk backups using snapshots. Additional security features that are included in embodiments of the invention include virus scanning, a virtual/network drive, a RAM drive and a port selector that provides prioritized and/or background access to SATA mass storage to a secure subsystem. |
| US09424440B2 |
Page substitution verification preparation
A system and method are disclosed for rendering published documents tamper evident. Embodiments render classes of documents tamper evident with cryptographic level security or detect tampering, where such security was previously unavailable, for example, documents printed using common printers without special paper or ink. Embodiments enable proving the date of document content without the need for expensive third party archival, including documents held, since their creation, entirely in secrecy or in untrustworthy environments, such as on easily-altered, publicly-accessible internet sites. Embodiments can extend, by many years, the useful life of currently-trusted integrity verification algorithms, such as hash functions, even when applied to binary executable files. Embodiments can efficiently identify whether multiple document versions are substantially similar, even if they are not identical, thus potentially reducing storage space requirements. |
| US09424438B2 |
Privacy leakage protection
A client device securely transfers personal information to a third-party website. The client device stores personal information of a user and encrypts personal information requested by the third-party website, so that the third-party website can decrypt and retrieve the personal information, and so that a remote proxy server facilitating the transfer of personal information from the client device to the third-party website cannot read the encrypted personal information and has no access to unencrypted personal information. |
| US09424436B2 |
Over network operation restriction enforcement
The enforcement of operation restriction on a file system entity over a network. The file system entity exists on a server (which could be a single machine, a cluster of servers, or a cloud computing environment). The server facilitates setting up of a session over a network with a client. As part of this facilitation, the server receives from the client a locale of the client. Upon subsequent receipt from the client of a request to perform an operation on the file system entity, the client consults supplemental data to determine whether the requested operation is permitted on the file system entity. The supplemental data may comprise at least one of the locality information or operation expiry data. |
| US09424433B2 |
Data storage management
A method of data storage management. A server receives a data upload request from a remote client, the upload request including information identifying the data to be uploaded. The server determines that a duplicate of the data is stored at a data storage device. The server receives proof of possession information derived by the client from the data using additional information known to the server. On the basis of the received information, the server determines whether to allow the client or a user associated with the client to subsequently access the duplicate data stored at the data storage device. |
| US09424430B2 |
Method and system for defending security application in a user's computer
Protecting the integrity and the effectiveness of a security agent that is installed in a user's device while the user's device operates online or offline. The security agent may be used for enforcing a security policy required by an organization or network to which the user's computer belongs. One aspect of exemplary embodiments of the present invention is to associate the content of one or more storage devices of the user's computer with the security agent and with a boot-loader program used by the user's computer. |
| US09424428B2 |
Method and system for real time classification of events in computer integrity system
Method and system using a designated known secure computer for real time classification of change events in a computer integrity system are disclosed. In the embodiment of the invention, the known secure computer, having only inbound connection, is dedicated for providing permissible change events, which are compared with change events generated on client operational computers. An alert is generated when the change event at the client operational computer and the respective permissible change event provided by the known secure computer mismatch. |
| US09424422B2 |
Detection of rogue software applications
Software applications are analyzed to determine if they are legitimate applications and warnings are provided to users to avoid installation and/or purchases of unnecessary and/or potentially harmful software based on comparisons of user-interface characteristics of the software applications to visual characteristics of authentic applications to determine to what extent they match (or do not match) or are attempting to mirror the legitimate application. |
| US09424417B2 |
Secure current movement indicator
Methods, devices, systems, and non-transitory processor-readable storage media for authenticating a computing device to access functionalities. An embodiment method may include operations for receiving in the computing device a signal from a proximity beacon device, obtaining from the received signal information that indicates whether the proximity beacon device has detected movement, determining whether the obtained information matches stored data corresponding to the proximity beacon device, performing an abbreviated authentication operations for the computing device to access the functionalities when it is determined that the obtained information from the received signal matches the stored data, and performing a normal authentication operations for the computing device to access the functionalities when it is determined that the obtained information from the received signal does not match the stored data. |
| US09424415B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and non-transitory computer readable medium for determining whether authenticated state is maintained
An information processing apparatus is provided. The processing apparatus includes a first acquiring unit that acquires information for specifying an operator, an operator authenticating unit that authenticates the operator, a first determining unit that determines whether information on the operator is continuously acquired, a second acquiring unit that acquires information for specifying a checker, a checker authenticating unit that authenticates a checker corresponding to the operator, a second determining unit that determines whether information on the checker is continuously acquired, and a controller that controls a processing apparatus to execute processing, on the condition that the operator is authenticated and the checker is authenticated. The controller controls the processing apparatus to continue the processing, on a condition that, after execution of the processing by the processing apparatus, the information on the operator is determined to be continuously acquired, or the information on the checker is determined to be continuously acquired. |
| US09424413B2 |
Integration of payment capability into secure elements of computers
Methods, secure elements, validation entities, and computer program products for effecting secure communication of payment information to merchants for Internet-based purchases. Payment information for a user's real payment information is installed in a secure element of a computer, the payment information may comprise a pseudo PAN number for the portable consumer device provided by a validation entity. The secure element is shielded from the computer's operating system to thwart hacker attacks. The user accesses the secure element to make a purchase. In response, the secure element contacts the validation entity with the pseudo account number, and in response obtains dynamic payment information that the secure element can used to effect the payment. The dynamic payment information comprises an account number that is different from the pseudo PAN, and which has at least one difference which respect to the user's real payment information. |
| US09424409B2 |
Method and system for protecting privacy and enhancing security on an electronic device
A method for protecting privacy and enhancing security on an electronic device is provided. When sensor information associated with at least one user input action is collected by a sensor in an electronic device hosting a plurality of applications, the method includes intercepting a request to access the sensor information from a requesting application of the plurality of applications, and controlling access to the sensor information associated with the at least one user input action based on the requesting application. By controlling access to the sensor information, leakage of sensitive or secure information to a malicious background application is minimized and privacy and security are enhanced. |
| US09424407B2 |
Weak password support in a multi-user environment
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for supporting weak password authentication in a multi-user application environment. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for supporting weak password authentication in a multi-user application environment can be provided. The method can include acquiring log in data for a log in attempt by an end user amongst end users in a multi-user application. The method also can include messaging the log in data to others of the end users for subjective analysis by the others of the end users in detecting an unauthorized log in attempt. |
| US09424404B2 |
Software revalidation
Software revalidation. In one example embodiment, a method for software revalidation may include various steps. For example, the method may include receiving, at a machine on which a software application has been installed and activated, activation rules, from an activation server, that have been updated since the release of the software application to account for new or updated software or hardware with which the software application is configured to be employed. The method may also include periodically applying, at the machine, the updated activation rules to newly-collected machine configuration information from the machine to determine whether a product key remains valid for the newly-collected machine configuration information and, if the product key remains valid for the newly-collected machine configuration information, revalidating, at the machine, the software application to authorize continued access to the software application. |
| US09424402B2 |
Blocking of unlicensed audio content in video files on a video hosting website
A system, method and various software tools enable a video hosting website to automatically identified unlicensed audio content in video files uploaded by users, and initiate a process by which the user can replace the unlicensed content with licensed audio content. An audio replacement tool is provided that enables the user to permanently mute the original, unlicensed audio content of a video file, or select a licensed audio file from a collection of licensed audio, and insert the selected in place of the original audio. Where a video file includes unlicensed audio, the video hosting website provides access to video files to a client device, along with an indication to the client device to mute the audio during playback of the video. |
| US09424401B2 |
Automated license management
Licenses to software services are assigned automatically to users as a function of one or more user attributes. An attribute can include membership in a group such as a license group or a security group, among other things such as location. License assignments can also be retracted automatically upon changes in one or more user attributes. |
| US09424400B1 |
Digital rights management system transfer of content and distribution
The present invention relates to digital rights management (DRM) for content that may be downloaded and securely transferred from one storage to another storage. The storage may be a disk drive, or network attached storage. The storage performs cryptographic operations and provides a root of trust. The DRM system enables secure copying or transfer of content from one storage device to another storage device. In this embodiment, a trusted server that is authenticated and trusted by both storage devices brokers the transfer of content. The trusted server may be a separate entity of the DRM system or may be a component or function of an existing server of the DRM system. In another embodiment, the storage devices may transfer content in a peer-to-peer fashion. The transfer of content may be authorized and controlled based on a digital certificate associated with the content. |
| US09424395B2 |
Method and system for sensitivity analysis in modeling blood flow characteristics
Methods for determining cardiovascular information for a patient include receiving patient-specific data regarding a geometry of the patient's vasculature; creating an anatomic model representing at least a portion of the patient's vasculature based on the patient-specific data; and creating a computational model of a blood flow characteristic based on the anatomic model. The method also includes identifying one or more of an uncertain parameter, an uncertain clinical variable, and an uncertain geometry; modifying a probability model based on one or more of the identified uncertain parameter, uncertain clinical variable, or uncertain geometry; determining a blood flow characteristic within the patient's vasculature based on the anatomic model and the computational model; and calculating, based on the probability model and the determined blood flow characteristic, a sensitivity of the determined fractional flow reserve to one or more of the identified uncertain parameter, uncertain clinical variable, or uncertain geometry. |
| US09424390B2 |
Computer aided modeling
A simplified mechanism to generate, using data of a model, one or more pour units, a pour unit indicating one or more objects and/or one or more object parts that are intended to be manufacture by a pour, is provided. In the mechanism, a connectivity graph is created for one or more objects modeling a continuous cast product. Then it is checked whether or not the pour break splits the graph into two or more separate graphs. If it splits, two pour units are created on the basis of the two or more separate graphs. |
| US09424389B2 |
Implementing enhanced performance dynamic evaluation circuit by combining precharge and delayed keeper
A method and circuit for implementing enhanced performance dynamic evaluation, and a design structure on which the subject circuit resides are provided. The dynamic evaluation circuit includes a combined precharge and keeper device connected to a precharge node. The dynamic evaluation circuit includes control logic providing a control input to the combined precharge and keeper device. The combined precharge and keeper device responsive to the control input holds the precharge node precharged when the precharge node is not discharged early in an evaluate cycle. |
| US09424387B2 |
Methods for cell phasing and placement in dynamic array architecture and implementation of the same
A semiconductor chip is defined to include a logic block area having a first chip level in which layout features are placed according to a first virtual grate, and a second chip level in which layout features are placed according to a second virtual grate. A rational spatial relationship exists between the first and second virtual grates. A number of cells are placed within the logic block area. Each of the number of cells is defined according to an appropriate one of a number of cell phases. The appropriate one of the number of cell phases causes layout features in the first and second chip levels of a given placed cell to be aligned with the first and second virtual grates as positioned within the given placed cell. |
| US09424381B2 |
Contributor-based power modeling of microprocessor components
A method for generating a power model for a device includes identifying a device-level set of power contributors for a given state of the device, wherein each power contributor in the device-level set of power contributors contributes to power dissipation when the device is in the given state, and generating the power model for the device based on the device-level set of power contributors, wherein the power model is independent of process, voltage, and temperature. |
| US09424363B2 |
Dynamic tag management for optimizing content delivery
Some embodiments provide a content delivery network (CDN) solution that affords the CDN control over those elements of customer content that are delivered by third parties. The CDN integrates a distributed set of monitoring agents. Each monitoring agent monitors the delivery performance of third parties to the region in which the agent operates. The CDN uses the performance monitoring information to dynamically manage the content tags to the third-party delivered elements of CDN-customer content. Specifically, a CDN server retrieves the parent page for requested CDN-customer content. The CDN server identifies the region from where the request originates and retrieves the logs from the monitoring agents monitoring from that region. The CDN server then modifies the base page by dynamically removing the tags to the third-party delivered elements that are reported in the monitoring agent logs as being unavailable, inaccessible, or underperforming in the identified region. |
| US09424362B2 |
Storing and publishing contents of a content store
Aspects are disclosed for publishing contents of a content store. A storage operation is performed, and a completion of the storage operation is detected. Here, the storage operation redundantly stores contents of a content set onto instances associated with a content store. The contents stored in the instances are then published in response to the completion of the storage operation. In another aspect, a dataset table is generated to facilitate storing contents of a content set, which include payload and metadata. The payload is stored onto a payload table, and the metadata is stored onto a metadata table. For this embodiment, the dataset table includes a first foreign key to the payload table, whereas the metadata table includes a second foreign key to the dataset table. The dataset table is monitored to determine a storage status of the contents, and the contents are subsequently published based on the storage status. |
| US09424350B2 |
Video processing device for embedding authored metadata and methods for use therewith
A video processing device includes a metadata authoring device, that generates time-coded metadata in response to content recognition data and in accordance with at least one time stamp of a video signal. A metadata association device generates a processed video signal from the video signal, wherein the processed video signal includes the time-coded metadata. |
| US09424347B2 |
Techniques pertaining to document creation
Disclosed are techniques pertaining to the creation of a social document through a collaboration. A server executing a social document management application may create a document comprised of content. The social document management application may also create an adhoc workflow process associated with the document in which the workflow process includes steps to create the content of the document. Collaborators may be assigned to work on the steps of the workflow process. In addition, tasks associated with the steps of the workflow process may be assigned to the collaborators and tracked. The tasks may be assigned by selecting content directly within the document and assigning a task pertaining to the selected content. The steps of the workflow process may then be approved. |
| US09424344B2 |
Method and apparatus for natural language search for variables
A method for natural language search for variables is provided. The method may include searching an index using key words from a user's natural language question and the context of the user's question. The index may reference variables and/or web service calls in a domain model. The method may also include saving documents obtained in response to the search. The method may also include mapping each of the documents as a node into an object graph. Each node may be associated with a parent node, except when the node is a root node. The method may also include identifying the root node of each document. The method may also include identifying the path of each node from the node to the node's root node. The method may also include identifying matching paths. Each matching path may provide an answer to the user's question. |
| US09424334B2 |
Keyword based identity of multi-media content for message
A text messaging computer-implemented system is disclosed for providing embedded multi-element (text message and the inclusion of any audio recorded or video recorded) content by authenticating a mobile device compatible with multiple transport technologies (such as 4G and 5G networks) and operable to render a text message with an integrated audio and/or video embedded message within a text message originating from a first mobile device. |
| US09424331B2 |
Partitioning sorted data sets
Techniques described herein generally relate to processing data sets. The data sets can each include multiple indexed data values that can be partitioned into first and second portions. Each data value in each of the first portions of the data sets may have a greater magnitude than each data value in each of the second portions of the data sets. The first portions and second portions of the data values can be further processed by either different processors, or different processor cores as may be desirable. |
| US09424329B2 |
Optimizing data synchronization between mobile clients and database systems
Mechanisms and methods are provided for optimizing data synchronization between clients and database systems. These mechanisms and methods provide optimizations for synchronization requests, by either breaking a synchronization request into multiple smaller requests, or by executing different code routines for differing client types, or by pre-caching data that a user is anticipated to want at a future point. Such optimization techniques can enable clients with varying capacities (e.g., mobile client vs. full desktop client) to optimally utilize their respective device capabilities. |
| US09424321B1 |
Conceptual document analysis and characterization
Data files are received from data sources that include textual content. The data files are categorized using a taxonomy of categories, where each category has sample textual content that defines a concept for the category. The categorizing includes comparing the textual content of the data file with the sample textual content for the category. A file score is calculated for each data file to compare the degree of similarity between the defined concept of the category and a determined concept for the data file. Each data file is associated with the category if the file score is equal to or greater than a pre-determined minimum score for the category. A portion of the data file and/or file score is be provided. |
| US09424320B2 |
Methods, systems, and media for recommending media content
Mechanisms are provided that: identify topics associated with a plurality of pieces of media content presented in a session; calculate a distance metric for pairs of topics, wherein each of the pairs of topics includes a first topic associated with a first piece of media content and a second topic associated with a second piece of media content, and wherein the second piece of media content was presented within a given span of the presentation of the first piece of media content; for each first topic of the pairs of topics, generate a rank-ordered list for all corresponding second topics; for each of the plurality of pieces of media content, generate a single rank-ordered list of all second topics; and for each of the plurality of pieces of media content, identify one or more other pieces of media content as recommended media content based on the single rank-ordered list. |
| US09424319B2 |
Social media based content selection system
A method for selecting a social media network user. The method comprises obtaining one or more parameters indicative of quality of social media network content from the social media network user, ranking the social media network user based on the one or more parameters, and determining whether the social media network user is selected based on the ranking. |
| US09424316B2 |
Controlling mirroring of tables based on access prediction
A system for managing a plurality of storage devices that are configured to store a database. The system includes an access instruction acquiring unit configured for acquiring an access instruction to access the database. The system also includes a predicting unit configured for predicting a table to be accessed in response to the acquired access instruction. The system further includes a relocation unit configured for mirroring the table predicted by the predicting unit, the mirroring between the plurality of storage devices. |
| US09424315B2 |
Methods and systems for run-time scheduling database operations that are executed in hardware
Embodiments of the present invention provide a run-time scheduler that schedules tasks for database queries on one or more execution resources in a dataflow fashion. In some embodiments, the run-time scheduler may comprise a task manager, a memory manager, and hardware resource manager. When a query is received by a host database management system, a query plan is created for that query. The query plan splits a query into various fragments. These fragments are further compiled into a directed acyclic graph of tasks. Unlike conventional scheduling, the dependency arc in the directed acyclic graph is based on page resources. Tasks may comprise machine code that may be executed by hardware to perform portions of the query. These tasks may also be performed in software or relate to I/O. |
| US09424313B2 |
Many-core algorithms for in-memory column store databases
A pattern can be identified in at least part of a query whose definition is received in a query request. The identified pattern can be matched with a set of pre-defined patterns, each of which has associated therewith at least one pre-compiled query execution sub-component of a plurality of pre-compiled query execution sub-components retained in a library. A plan for executing the query can be generated, for example by incorporating the pre-compiled query execution sub-component associated with the matched pattern into the plan based on a pseudo code representation of the plan derived from the definition. |
| US09424312B2 |
Method for processing stream data and system thereof
A network interface receives stream data and a processor processes the stream data. The processor: constructs an operator graph comprising information regarding a plurality of operators for processing the stream data based on a query; assigns an operator execution order to the plurality of operators based on an inter-operator input and output relation, with respect to all of the operators on the operator graph; extracts a set of the operators that maintains the stream data assigned with a time stamp, a time of which is earlier than or equal to a reference time, in an input queue; and executes processing of the stream data assigned with the time stamp, having the earliest time, in the operator assigned a minimum operator graph execution order among the operators and maintaining the stream data assigned with the time stamp having the earliest time, among the extracted set of the operators. |
| US09424306B2 |
Incident tracking systems and methods
Various embodiments of the present invention are related to incident tracking systems and methods. A method allows for receiving input that specifies an incident at a facility, defining a search area adjacent to a position of the incident, and displaying one or more other incidents that occurred at the facility within the search area. A further method allows for dynamically plotting, each time a search area is changed on a map of a facility and an associated date range is indicated, positions on the map within the search area so as to indicate where incidents have occurred at the facility within the date range. Another method allows for receiving input that specifies a name of a person associated with an incident at a facility, and automatically flagging the person as being of interest if the person has been involved in one or more other incidents at the facility. |
| US09424303B2 |
Systems and methods for synchronizing nodes of a robotic system
A robotic system is provided. The robotic system includes a publishing node including at least one first synchronization database that includes a plurality of attributes, each of the attributes including a tag identifying the attribute and data, a flag associated with each of the attributes, and a subscriber list. The system also includes a subscriber node including at least one second synchronization database. The publishing node is configured to set the flag associated with the attributes when the attributes are written in the at least one first synchronization database or when the data included in the attributes are modified and publish the flagged attributes to the subscriber node. |
| US09424293B2 |
Row, table, and index compression
Methods, systems, and computer program products for compressing a row are described. A common prefix may be obtained and data in the row matching the common prefix may be identified. A column number of a column corresponding to a breakpoint of the common prefix may be determined and data matching the common prefix may be deleted from the row. An identifier of the common prefix may be inserted into the row and a breakpoint field in the row may be set to the determined column number. |
| US09424291B2 |
Efficient multi-tenant spatial and relational indexing
Methods, computer systems, and computer-storage media are provided for increasing the efficiency of a multi-tenant geospatial data index. Efficiency is increased by using a multi-tenant model for storing and serving the data, processing raw geospatial data received from tenants into a runtime-optimized format, and by partitioning tenant geospatial data into a processor memory portion and a file system memory portion. Efficiency is also increased by executing a staged upload of the processor memory portion and the file system memory portion to a subset of host machines in order to check for invalid data before uploading the data to the remaining host machines. Additionally, efficiency is increased by optimizing geospatial search queries using query filters stored in a query filter cache, and executing the query filters initially against the processor memory. |
| US09424287B2 |
Continuous, automated database-table partitioning and database-schema evolution
Methods and apparatus are disclosed to provide continuous, automated database-table partitioning and database-schema evolution. In one example, the disclosed methods and apparatus for automatically partitioning a logical table include monitoring a database operation to detect a partition-invoking event associated with the logical table, wherein the monitoring of the database operation is initiated in response to a table creation command that includes a partition-by constraint specifying a column of the logical table or of a different table, and, when a partition-invoking event occurs and is detected by the monitoring of the database operation, creating the next partition for the logical table and storing the next partition in a computer-readable medium. |
| US09424277B2 |
Methods and apparatus for automated true object-based image analysis and retrieval
An automated and extensible system for analysis and retrieval of images based on region-of-interest (ROI) analysis of one or more true objects depicted by an image is provided. The system uses a database that is a relational or analytical database containing searchable vectors that represent the images stored in a repository. Entries in the database are created by an image locator and ROI classifier working together to locate images within the repository and extract relevant information to be stored in the ROI database. The ROI classifier analyzes objects in an image to arrive at actual features of the true object. Graphical searches are performed by the collaborative workings of an image retrieval module, an image search requestor and an ROI query module. The image search requestor is an abstraction layer that translates user or agent search requests into the language understood by the ROI query. |
| US09424275B2 |
Methods and systems for cloning a cloud node
Systems and methods for cloning a cloud node are disclosed. For example, one disclosed method for cloning a cloud node comprises identifying changes during editing of content over a predetermined interval in an author node, compiling, via a replication agent of the author node, all changes of the content identified during the predetermined interval, all of the changes compiled in a replication queue maintained by the replication agent, and at the end of the predetermined interval, providing all of the changes of the content identified during the predetermined interval from the replication queue to both the publisher node and a clone of the published node. |
| US09424273B2 |
System and method for asynchronous use of a network-based file system
A system and method for utilizing a network-based file system from a client terminal. In examples described herein, an input command is processed on a client terminal for use of the network-based file system. A task is initiated in response to the input command. The performance of the task includes concatenating multiple file system operations associated with the input command and communicating the multiple file system operations to the network-based file system as a single communication. One or more replies to the one or more file system operations are asynchronously processed. |
| US09424271B2 |
Atomic incremental load for map-reduce systems on append-only file systems
Augmenting data files in a repository of an append-only file system comprises maintaining metadata corresponding to each data file for tracking a logical end-of-file (EOF) for each data file for appending. A global versioning mechanism for the metadata allows selecting the current version of the metadata to read for performing an append job for a set of data files. Each append job comprises multiple append tasks. For each successful append job, the global versioning mechanism increments a valid metadata version to use for each data file appended. Said valid metadata version indicates the logical EOF corresponding to a new physical EOF for each of the data files appended. |
| US09424268B2 |
System and method for aligning data frames in time
A method and apparatus for merging data acquired by two or more capture devices from two or more points in a computer system, duplicate frames are analyzed to determine the time difference between the timestamp of a first capture device and a second capture device. The disclosure compares the frames for duplicates. If the duplicate frames are the first set of duplicate frames discovered, then all previous timestamps and all subsequent timestamps from the second capture device are adjusted by the calculated time difference. If duplicate frames are again discovered, the time difference is recalculated and all subsequent frames from the second capture device are adjusted by the calculated time difference. After all the frames have been analyzed and the timestamps adjusted, the frames are merged together and put into chronological order to simulate a single capture of data encompassing all of the points where the data was collected. |
| US09424267B2 |
Compression and deduplication layered driver
A method, apparatus, and system for interposed file system driver is provided, which provides a logical file system on top of an existing base file system. One such interposed file system driver is a compression and deduplication layered driver (“COLD driver”). File system operations are intercepted from the operating system through the COLD driver, which is provided as an upper-level operating system driver that operates on top of an existing base file system. By processing file data through various modules, the existing base file system can be extended as a logical file system with compression, deduplication, indexing, and other functionality. The COLD driver can be implemented without requiring modifications to existing base file system structures or base file system drivers. Server deployments may thus leverage the additional file system functionality provided by the COLD driver without having to migrate to another file system. |
| US09424265B1 |
Method and system for backing up and restoring a multi-user relational database management system
Backing up and restoring a multi-user relational database management system is described. A first unique backup file name is created, based on a user-specified name, for a first backup file associated with a relational database management system that provides multi-user access to at least one database. A second unique backup file name is created, based on the user-specified name, for a second backup file associated with the relational database management system. A request is received to restore a database to a state associated with a point in time. The first backup file and the second backup file are recovered based on the point in time and the user-specified name. The first backup file and the second backup file are restored to the database. |
| US09424260B2 |
Techniques for data assignment from an external distributed file system to a database management system
Techniques for data assignment from an external distributed file system (DFS) to a database management system (DBMS) are provided. Data blocks from the DFS are represented as first nodes and access module processors of the DBMS are represented as second nodes. A graph is produced with the first and second nodes. Assignments are made for the first nodes to the second nodes based on evaluation of the graph to integrate the DFS with the DBMS. |
| US09424256B2 |
Method and apparatus for performing type-aware change tracking in a document
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates performing type-aware change tracking in a document. During operation, the system receives from a user a command which changes a content of an object in the document. In response to the command, the system determines a type of the object. Next, the system modifies the content of the object according to the type of the object. The system then creates a history of the modification. Finally, the system displays the history of the modification to the user. |
| US09424254B2 |
Systems and methods for natural language generation
A method includes receiving a corpus comprising a set of pre-segmented texts. The method further includes creating a plurality of modified pre-segmented texts for the set of pre-segmented texts by extracting a set of semantic terms for each pre-segmented text within the set of pre-segmented texts and applying at least one domain tag for each pre-segmented text within the set of pre-segmented texts. The method further includes clustering the plurality of modified pre-segmented texts into one or more conceptual units, wherein each of the one or more conceptual units is associated with one or more templates, wherein each of the one or more templates corresponds to one of the plurality of modified pre-segmented texts. |
| US09424253B2 |
Domain specific natural language normalization
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for the domain specific normalization of a corpus of text. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for domain specific normalization of a corpus of text is provided, including an industrial, organization, demographic or geographic domain. The method includes loading a corpus of text in memory of a computer and determining a domain for the corpus of text. The method also includes retrieving a lexicon of replacement words for the determined domain. Finally, the method includes text simplifying the corpus of text using the retrieved lexicon. In one aspect of the embodiment, the domain is determined through inference based upon words already presence in the corpus of text. In another aspect of the embodiment, the domain is determined based upon meta-data provided with the corpus of text. |
| US09424252B2 |
Information providing device, information providing method, and computer program
An information providing device: saves a posted document and respective electronic files of a translation thereof in one or more other languages, in association with one another; issues a code image including a two-dimensional code created by encoding a two-dimensional code character string for identifying the electronic file associated with the same identification information; receives, from a user terminal device that accesses the electronic file by decoding the two-dimensional code from the document on which the code image is printed, character code data indicating the language set in the user terminal device, and transmits the electronic file of the translation translated into the language indicated by the character code data to the user terminal device together with information that indicates the posting place of the document, thereby providing the translation and the information that indicates the posting place of the document. |
| US09424247B1 |
Associating one or more terms in a message trail with a task entry
Methods and apparatus related to determining an association between a message trail and a task entry of a user and associating an n-gram with the task entry, wherein the n-gram is based on one or more messages of the message trail. A similarity score between the n-gram and one or more aspects of the associated task entry may be determined. The similarity score may be utilized, for example, to determine when to associate the n-gram with the task entry and/or how to utilize the associated n-gram with the task entry. |
| US09424244B2 |
Data filtering based on a cell entry
A method for data filtering includes displaying a cell set comprising data of a common data type on a display device. At least one cell contains a cell entry, displaying a filter icon within at least one cell of the cell set, and applying a filter to the cell set in response to selection of the filter icon by a user. |
| US09424243B1 |
Mechanism to support composite data models in HTML form
Techniques to process a form are disclosed. An attribute associated with a child data model is recognized in a first set of form data associated with a form an attribute associated with a child data model. A data value associated with the attribute is used to obtain a second set of form data associated with the child data model. The second set of form data is associated with the form. |
| US09424241B2 |
Annotation mode including multiple note types for paginated digital content
Features and techniques are disclosed for interacting with paginated digital content, including a multi-purpose tool and an annotation mode. The multi-purpose tool, which may be represented by a graphic (e.g., a movable interactive graphic), can provide access to multiple modes (e.g., copy, define, note, and/or highlight modes) that a user can invoke. The mode invoked determines the functions performed by the tool when interacting with the paginated digital content. The annotation mode, which may be invoked using the multi-purpose tool or independently thereof, can allow a user to create and edit annotations, such as highlights and notes (e.g., sticky notes, margin notes, and/or highlight notes), for paginated digital content. Editing the annotations may include selecting a desired color for the annotation, for example. The annotation mode may also allow a user to intuitively merge and delete annotations previously added to paginated digital content. |
| US09424240B2 |
Annotations for electronic content
Embodiments are described for capturing, displaying, and navigating annotations in an electronic document. In some embodiments, a selection of an object in the electronic document is received, and an annotation associated with the selected object is received. The annotation is maintained in a list of annotations. The annotation can also be displayed. In some embodiments, a selection of the annotation is received and in response to the selection of the annotation being received, a user may be navigated to a location of the selected object in the electronic document. |
| US09424239B2 |
Managing shared state information produced by applications
A shared renderer maintains shared state information to which two or more augmented reality application contribute. The shared renderer then provides a single output presentation based on the shared state information. Among other aspects, the shared renderer includes a permission mechanism by which applications can share information regarding object properties. The shared renderer may also include: a physics engine for simulating movement of at least one object that is represented by the shared state information; an annotation engine for managing a presentation of annotations produced by plural applications; and/or an occlusion engine for managing the behavior of the output presentation when two or more objects, produced by two or more applications, overlap within the output presentation. |
| US09424224B2 |
PCIe tunneling through SAS
Systems and methods presented herein provide for tunneling PCIe data through a SAS domain. a data system includes a SAS expander, a PCIe target device coupled to the expander, and a SAS controller communicatively coupled to a host system and the expander. The controller is operable to open a connection with the expander via the SAS protocol, and to transport packet data between the target device and the host system through the connection via the PCIe protocol. For example, the controller and the expander may be operable to buffer packets of data in the connection. The controller may issue a number of the data packets to be transferred in the connection. Then, the issued number of data packets are transported between the target device and the host system through the connection via the PCIe protocol. |
| US09424222B1 |
Apparatuses and methods for charge sharing across data buses based on respective levels of a data buses
Apparatuses and methods for charge sharing across data buses based on respective levels of the data buses are disclosed herein. An example apparatus may include a first bus, a second bus, and a charge sharing circuit coupled to each of the first bus and the second bus. The charge sharing circuit may be configured to couple the first bus to the second bus based on logic levels of the first bus and the second bus. For example, the charge sharing circuit may couple the first bus to the second bus responsive to the first bus and the second bus having inverted logic levels. |
| US09424221B2 |
Automated cabling process for a complex environment
A method is provided for cabling a plurality of hardware components. A chassis controller establishes a wireless connection to a wireless device. The chassis controller, via a wireless interface, transmits a chassis map to the wireless device over the wireless connection. The chassis controller, via the wireless interface, transmits to the wireless device, an indication of a first port to be cabled over the wireless connection, the first port. The first port is of a first hardware component of the plurality of hardware components. The chassis controller tests the first port to determine whether cabling of the first port has been performed correctly. |
| US09424219B2 |
Direct routing between address spaces through a nontransparent peripheral component interconnect express bridge
A system includes a PCIe controller coupled to a device through a nontransparent PCIe bridge. The controller is operable to direct I/O operations to the device on behalf of a host system. The system also includes a PCIe driver operable within the host system to generate I/O request descriptors that specify movement of data from the PCIe controller to the host system as well as from the host system to the PCIe controller. The PCIe controller processes the I/O request descriptors and determines which device is involved in the specified movement of data. The PCIe controller generates I/O commands that contain routing information for the device (e.g., memory addresses and steering information) to route the data between the memory address of the host system and the memory address of the device, bypassing a memory of the PCIe controller. |