| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09455623B2 |
Power factor correction circuit and method
A power factor correction (PFC) circuit includes a first inductor, which is operably supplied with an input voltage and an input current. The input voltage is a rectified AC line voltage. A semiconductor switch has a load current path coupled in series with the first inductor. An output terminal is coupled to the inductor and operably providing an output voltage and an output current. A controller circuit controls the cyclic switching operation of the semiconductor switch. The controller circuit is configured to monitor a feedback signal representing the voltage drop across the load current path of the semiconductor switch, to detect at least one local minimum in the feedback signal while the semiconductor switch is off, and to switch on the semiconductor switch in response to detecting the N-th local minimum in the feedback signal. |
| US09455617B2 |
Multifunctional voice coil motor having a rotor including a bobbin and a plurality of magnets
A multifunctional voice coil motor is disclosed, the motor including a rotor including a bobbin and a plurality of magnets arranged at a periphery of the bobbin, a stator including a housing wrapping each magnet and a plurality of coil blocks each arranged at a position corresponding to that of each magnet, a base coupled to the housing, and an elastic member elastically supporting the rotor. |
| US09455616B2 |
Brushless motor control method and brushless motor control device and electric power steering device
A control device 50 that drives and controls a brushless motor 3 of a four-pole 24-slot configuration includes: a base current calculation section 52 that calculates fundamental-wave current indicating a winding current value associated with maximum torque control; a correction component calculation section 59 that calculates 12th-order first higher harmonic wave component B sin 12(θ+β) to cancel a torque ripple of magnet torque, and 12th-order second higher harmonic wave component A sin 12(θ+α) to cancel a torque ripple of reluctance torque, based on a phase current value detected by a current sensor 64; a correction map 58 in which relation between phase current and parameters A, B, α, and β of the both higher harmonic wave components is stored; and a current correction section 60 that corrects supply current by superimposing each 12th-order higher harmonic wave component on the fundamental-wave current in order to create current command values Id′ and Iq′. |
| US09455613B2 |
Rotor winding having a braze joint spaced apart from stress concentration
A winding for a rotor for use in an electrical generator utilized in the power generation industry. The winding includes a plurality of axial sections and a plurality of transversely oriented end arc sections. An integrated leg section extends from each end arc section to form an associated corner section at an intersection of each leg section and associated end arc section. Each leg section is affixed to an associated axial section at a joint that is spaced apart from an associated corner section such that the joint is not subjected to stress concentration which occurs at the associated corner section. |
| US09455610B2 |
Motor drive apparatus
A motor drive apparatus includes a rear end frame between a motor case and a control unit case. A shaft of a motor unit is supported rotatably by a bearing fixed to the rear end frame. A first socket-spigot fitting surface formed on the rear end frame is fitted with a second socket-spigot fitting surface formed on a heat sink. A rotation angle sensor mounted on a control unit substrate attached to the heat sink is provided on the rotation axis of the shaft. The rotation angle sensor can thus accurately detect the magnetic field of a magnet provided at the end of the shaft. |
| US09455609B2 |
Electric motor with a power output stage and with efficient heat transport and method
The invention relates to an electric motor, in particular an electronically commutated electric motor. The electric motor has a stator, a rotor and a housing, which accommodates at least the stator and the rotor in a cavity. The electric motor also has a power output stage, which is connected to the stator and is designed to energize the stator in order to induce a rotating magnetic field. The power output stage has at least one power semiconductor with a thermal contact area, wherein the thermal contact area is thermally conductively connected to the housing, with the result that heat generated in the power semiconductor can be dissipated to the housing. According to the invention, the housing has a housing cup, which at least partially surrounds the cavity and is preferably thermally conductive and which has a cup wall, wherein the cup wall has a mating contact area corresponding to the thermal contact area. |
| US09455597B2 |
Electronic device protective case
The present disclosure provides an electronic device protective case which is able to, by means of photovoltaic power generation, alleviate the insufficient capacity of a cell for an electronic device when it is used in the open air, and while an accumulator may be used as a power tank. A charging/discharging controller is used to control a photovoltaic cell panel in the protective case to store electric energy after the photovoltaic conversion in an accumulator, with the electric energy in the accumulator used to charge the electronic device. In addition, electrical connection states between an external data line port and the electronic device protective case as well as a port of an electronic device is controlled by means of a switch assembly, and when the switch assembly is in an ON state, the charging/discharging controller is used to control the accumulator or an external data line port to charge the electronic device. |
| US09455593B2 |
Electronic unit and feed system
An electronic unit includes: a power receiving section configured to receive electric power fed from a feed unit by using a magnetic field; and a control section configured to perform, when a receiving current supplied from the power receiving section is less than a predetermined threshold current at a time of a light load, current increasing control to increase the receiving current to the threshold current or more. |
| US09455591B2 |
Power supply
Embodiments of the invention provide a power supply including a transformer comprising a single output terminal on a secondary side, a first output unit comprising a first capacitor and connected to the single output terminal to output a first output voltage, a second output unit comprising a second capacitor having a larger capacity than the first capacitor and connected to the single output terminal to output a second output voltage, and a controller configured to control the first output voltage to be output until power is applied and charging of the second capacitor is started. |
| US09455589B2 |
Power supply apparatus and power supply degradation diagnosis method
A power supply apparatus includes a first electric accumulator, a second electric accumulator, and a control section which controls charge and discharge of the first electric accumulator and the second electric accumulator. When the control section does not carry out a degradation diagnosis of the first electric accumulator, the control section charges the first electric accumulator and makes the second electric accumulator discharge. When the control section carries out the degradation diagnosis of the first electric accumulator, the control section charges the second electric accumulator and then makes the first electric accumulator begin to discharge for the degradation diagnosis. |
| US09455586B2 |
Method for controlling an EUV source
A method for triggering a resonant charging circuit for a device for generating short-wavelength radiation based on discharge plasma is described. Switching times of the resonant charging circuit are determined in a non-time-critical method segment by simulation and are stored to be repeatedly retrievable. Measurement values of the resonant charging circuit are determined in real time in a time-critical method segment. At least one second switching time (t2) at which a discharging switch of the resonant charging circuit is triggered in order to supply at a firing time (t3) a discharge voltage (Uwanted), and the firing time (t3) are calculated. The device has a first input unit, a first simulation unit, a first regression unit, a first measurement value unit, a first evaluation unit and a control unit for triggering a discharging switch of the resonant charging circuit. |
| US09455584B2 |
Terminal device and charging control method
A terminal device including a solar battery panel; a panel temperature-detection unit configured to detect a temperature measured near the solar battery panel; a power generation-state determination unit configured to detect an illuminance measured near the solar battery panel; a battery temperature-detection unit configured to detect a temperature measured near a secondary battery charged through power generated through the solar battery panel; a control unit configured to estimate a change in the temperature detected through the battery temperature-detection unit based on the temperature detected through the panel temperature-detection unit and the illuminance obtained through the power generation-state determination unit, and determine a remaining time when the estimated temperature measured near the secondary battery reaches a temperature at which the charging of the secondary battery is stopped; and a notification unit configured to provide notification about the remaining time determined through the control unit. |
| US09455583B2 |
Battery pack, electronic apparatus including the same, and method of controlling charge
A battery pack, which supplies power to an electronic apparatus, includes a battery cell, a charger configured to receive power from an external source, and charge the battery cell by using the supplied power, and a charge controller configured to, when a voltage of the battery cell is lower than a predetermined first voltage even though the battery cell has a problem, control the charger to charge the battery cell. |
| US09455582B2 |
Electronic device and charging device for electronic device
An electronic device. The electronic device may include a battery, and a charging system in electronic communication with the battery. The charging system may be configured to charge at least a partially-depleted battery to a threshold charge value, discontinue the charging in response to the battery being charged to the threshold charge value, and monitor the function of the electronic device to detect at least one of an anticipated event, and an unanticipated event of the electronic device. Additionally the charging system may be configured to recharge the battery in response to detecting one of: the anticipated event occurring a predetermined time subsequent to the recharging of the battery, or the unanticipated event occurring immediately before the recharging of the battery. |
| US09455579B2 |
USB charger for an electronic cigarette
A USB charger for an electronic cigarette includes a first interface, a control module and a second interface and a built-in battery. The control module is connected to the first interface, the second interface and the built-in battery respectively. The first interface is configured to connect an external power source so as to provide a power supply. The second interface is configured to connect a battery rod of an external electronic cigarette. The control module is configured to charge the battery rod of the electronic cigarette and the built-in battery simultaneously by using the external power source, or control the built-in battery to charge the battery rod of the electronic cigarette, based on the access state of the external power source at the first interface. The electronic cigarette can be charged by the USB charger even if there is no external power source. |
| US09455577B2 |
Managing devices within micro-grids
An approach to provide power from power supply devices to power consuming devices based on characteristics of the power consuming devices and/or the power supply devices. The approach includes a method that includes receiving information of a power consuming device from an energy management system that determines criticality of the power consuming device. The method further includes receiving power supply information of one or more power supply devices associated with an electric grid. The method further includes receiving a power request from the power consuming device. The method further includes determining that the power consuming device receives power from the power supply device, based on the information and the power supply information. |
| US09455572B2 |
Voltage prioritization of solar loads
Solar electric energy is optimally used by varying one or more connected loads to achieve a maximum output power voltage. Entire appliances may be switched on or off, or modulated, as in the case for example of a heat pump compressor circuit or electric water heater. Variations of this theme are used to prioritize appliance usage for overall improved convenience and efficiency. Solar electric appliances such as refrigerators, freezers, air dryers and water pumps are described. This and other electric sources may be used to power electric garden tools. Electric distribution tools and methods are described as well as electric garden tillers with features such as semi-control and smooth operation. |
| US09455567B2 |
Surge protector
A surge protection circuit having an open circuit voltage surge protector, such as a gas discharge tube (GDT), a closed circuit current surge protector, such as a thermistor, and a thyristor. The GDT has a breakdown voltage that is at least a first defined amount higher than an anticipated highest peak voltage. The thermistor has a series resistance associated with a series resistance of electrical equipment being protected and a breakdown voltage that is at least a second defined amount higher than an impulse voltage (voltage required to excite the GDT based on the breakdown voltage) for the GDT. The thyristor has a rated peak current at least a third defined amount greater than a peak current for the thermistor. |
| US09455563B2 |
Dip switch change detection in a self powered relay
An interface is disclosed for a self powered protection relay that uses mechanical switches for its configuration. The protection relay can include a base relay for measurement of line current and for generation of a trip signal, and a Human Machine Interface (HMI) unit for specifying, by a user, a base setting of an operating parameter of the protection relay. The base relay can be self-powered from the line and the HMI unit can include an auxiliary power supply. The protection relay is configured with mechanical switches provided in the protection relay. The HMI unit in the protection relay is designed to detect and alert the user of the relay of any change in the base setting carried out with one or more mechanical switches provided in the relay in powered and unpowered conditions of the base relay. |
| US09455558B2 |
Electrical power transmission line comprising a corrosion-protected raceway and method of protecting a raceway from corrosion
An electrical power transmission line includes: at least one electrical cable; a raceway made of ferromagnetic material including a base and a cover defining an inner housing space for housing the electrical cable; a wet basic filling material having a pH between 11 and 13 housed in the inner housing space and embedding the at least one electrical cable. In order to achieve corrosion protection of the raceway, the inner surface of the cover is in contact with a basic passivating material having a pH between 11 and 13. |
| US09455555B2 |
Wire stringing angle clamp
A stringing angle clamp device and methods associated therewith are provided. The stringing angle clamp device has a pulley wheel rotatable about an axle. A connecting structure has at least a first end and a second end, the first end rotatably affixed to the axle and the second end sized to connect to a utility pole. A first guide arm is rotatably affixed to the axle, wherein the first guide arm further comprises a first arm half and a second arm half, wherein the first arm half is mechanically fastened to the second arm half with at least one removable mechanical fastener positioned through each of the first and second arm halves. A first wire clamping structure is affixed to the first guide arm. |
| US09455552B1 |
Laser diode apparatus utilizing out of plane combination
A diode laser apparatus includes a plurality of spaced apart diode lasers, each of the diode lasers situated and configured to emit a diode laser beam substantially parallel to each other diode laser beam in an emission plane in a first direction, and a plurality of reflectors situated with respect to the diode lasers and configured to receive respective diode laser beams and to reflect the respective diode laser beams substantially parallel and out of the emission plane at a small angle therewith in a second direction such that the reflected diode laser beams are in a stacked configuration. |
| US09455550B2 |
Distributed feedback laser diode
A distributed feedback laser diode includes a substrate, an active layer located above and supported by the substrate, and a diffraction grating diffracting light generated in the active layer. The diffraction grating includes features and each feature includes dots. Each of the dots has a length less than 2.5 μm. |
| US09455548B2 |
Methods and apparatus for generating terahertz radiation
Methods and apparatus for generating terahertz radiation are disclosed herein. In addition, methods for forming orientation-patterned nonlinear semiconductor crystals are disclosed herein. For example, according to an example implementation, a method for generating terahertz radiation may include: providing an optical pulse having a wavelength less than approximately 1.0 μm; and illuminating an orientation-patterned nonlinear semiconductor crystal with the optical pulse. |
| US09455544B2 |
Wire loops, methods of forming wire loops, and related processes
A method of forming a wire loop is provided. The method includes the steps of: (1) forming a conductive bump on a bonding location using a wire bonding tool; (2) bonding a portion of wire to another bonding location using the wire bonding tool; (3) extending a length of wire from the bonded portion of wire toward the bonding location; (4) lowering the bonding tool toward the bonding location while detecting a height of a tip of the wire bonding tool; and (5) interrupting the lowering of the wire bonding tool during step (4) if the wire bonding tool reaches a predetermined height. |
| US09455540B2 |
High-speed signal transmission device
This invention relates to a high-speed signal transmission device, which includes a first transmission device and a second transmission device. Said first transmission device has a first signal cable with a first plug connector and second plug connector on it both ends, said second transmission device has a second signal cable with a third plug connector and fourth plug connector on it both ends. Using a first socket connector and a third socket connector to connect said first plug connector and third plug connector, and using a second socket connector and a fourth socket connector to connect said second plug connector and fourth plug connector to connect first transmission device and a second transmission device electrically to get the signal transmission speed of USB 3.0 and to enhance the rate of signal transmission. |
| US09455536B2 |
Electrical connector capable of suppressing crosstalk
An electrical connector includes insulating portions arranged side by side, terminal sets, shield sets, and a casing. Each terminal set includes signal terminals and ground terminals. Each signal/ground terminal includes a fixing section disposed in the insulating portion, an assembling section downwardly stretching from the fixing section to protrude from the insulating portion, and a contacting section forwardly stretching from the fixing section to protrude from the insulating portion. Each shield set including shields is disposed on a lateral surface of the insulating portion. Each shield is spacedly arranged and connected to the ground terminal. Each shield includes a body section having at least one bending section, and a protrusion section protruding from the body section. The body section and the protrusion section shield the assembling section and the contacting section of the signal terminal respectively. It can effectively suppress crosstalk between the signal terminals by the shield sets. |
| US09455529B2 |
Proximity capacitive coupling for board-to-board wide bandwidth transmissions
Techniques for forming high-bandwidth proximity connection between capacitively coupled plug and receptacle are described herein. A system for achieving capacitive coupling between contactless pads is described. The techniques include aligning and retaining the plug and receptacle in close proximity to one another. The techniques include cancelling crosstalk in the system based on the symmetry and orientation of differential pairs comprising signal pads. The techniques include enabling a high-bandwidth proximity transmission by filtering the transmission using a silicon buffer component. |
| US09455526B2 |
Conductor connectors for power cables
A connector for a conductor of a power cable includes a hollow outer member configured to at least partially surround an exposed section of the conductor and configured to exert a force in an axial direction onto at least one electrically conductive inner member, and at least one electrically conductive inner member configured to be interposed between the outer member and the conductor, and configured to exert a force in a radial direction onto the conductor in response to the force in an axial direction. |
| US09455524B2 |
Self-supported jacket seal for high voltage cable accessories
A self-supported jacket seal designed for a cable connector so that after a cable is inserted into the cable connector, the integrated jacket seal protects any exposed portion of the cable without requiring any additional installation steps. The self-supported feature is provided by a plurality of rigid ridges positioned on the outer surface of the jacket seal. The ridges strengthen the construction of the component so that the jacket seal substantially maintains its shape when a cable is slidably inserted therewithin. Because the seal does not buckle when installed, it does not require any additional installation steps as found in other similar inventions known in the art. |
| US09455516B2 |
Contact socket for an electrical plug connector
An electrical connector having a female part with a socket portion configured for receiving a male part in the socket portion. The male part comprises openings in the area of the base and the socket portion comprises projections protruding into the openings. The projections in the openings are form-fittingly connected to the male part. |
| US09455515B2 |
Contact, connector, and connecting device
A distance between first contact portions is set smaller than a thickness of a first connection object in the state where neither of the first connection object and a second connection object is inserted into a contact. A distance between second contact portions is set greater than a thickness of the second connection object in the state where neither of the first connection object and the second connection object is inserted into the contact. When the first connection object is inserted between the first contact portions, a pair of conductive portions are relatively moved to shorten the distance between the second contact portions so that the second connection object is held between the second contact portions. |
| US09455507B2 |
Coaxial cable connector having a continuity element
A coaxial cable connector having, in one embodiment, a connector body or body member, a coupling element and a continuity element. The connector body is configured to be attached to a post. The continuity element is configured to maintain an electrical connection between the coupling element and the connector body. |
| US09455499B2 |
Communication device and antenna element therein
A communication device including a ground element and an antenna element is provided. The antenna element includes a metal element. The metal element is disposed at or adjacent to an edge of the ground element. The metal element is substantially perpendicular to the ground element. The metal element has a projection on the ground element, and the whole projection is in the internal of the ground element. The antenna element has a first feeding point and a second feeding point. The first and second feeding points are away from each other. The first and second feeding points are substantially positioned at two ends of the metal element, respectively. The first feeding point is coupled through a first switch and a first matching circuit to a communication module. The second feeding point is coupled through a second switch and a second matching circuit to the communication module. |
| US09455497B2 |
Multi-band antenna
A multi-band antenna includes a radiating antenna member, a first parasitic antenna member, and a second parasitic antenna member. The radiating antenna member includes a feeding unit, a high frequency (HF) radiating unit and a low frequency (LF) radiating unit, the HF radiating unit and the LF radiating unit extend from the feeding unit. The first parasitic antenna member includes an HF grounding part, and an HF parasitic unit extending from the HF grounding part and adjacent to the HF radiating unit. The second parasitic antenna member includes an LF grounding part, and an LF parasitic unit extending from the LF grounding part and electromagnetically coupled to the LF radiating unit. The feeding unit is arranged between the HF grounding part and the LF grounding part; the feeding unit and the HF radiating unit define a receiving slot, and the HF parasitic unit is arranged in the receiving slot. |
| US09455492B2 |
Multiband antenna arrangement
A multiband antenna arrangement is disclosed. The multiband antenna arrangement includes a metallic shell forming an rectangular outer appearance and including a metallic top shell acting as a radiating element of antenna, a printed circuit board, a WIFI antenna, a diversity antenna having a grounded point and a feeding point electrically connecting the radiating element of the metallic top shell, a GPS antenna far away from the diversity antenna and having a grounded point and a feeding point electrically connecting the radiating element of the metallic top shell, the grounded point of the diversity antenna and the grounded point of the GPS antenna both positioned between the feeding point of the diversity antenna and the feeding point of the GPS antenna. |
| US09455491B2 |
Wireless device
A wireless device includes: a casing having a first face; a display configured to be visible from the first face; a touch sensor formed by a transparent material and mounted in the casing with respect to the display as a part of the first face; a substrate mounted to a side opposite to the first face with respect to the display; and an antenna element including: a first portion built in the casing, connected to a feeding point included in the substrate, and located within a first range occupied by the touch sensor when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the first face; and a second portion located within a second range other than the first range. |
| US09455489B2 |
Cavity antennas
Cavity antennas may be provided for electronic devices. A cavity antenna may have a conductive antenna cavity with an opening. An antenna resonating element may be soldered within the cavity opening. An electronic device may have a display that is covered by a display cover layer. A cavity antenna may be mounted so that the cavity opening is located under a portion of the display cover layer outside of the active display region. An antenna cavity for a cavity antenna may have one or more bends. A curved antenna cavity or a cavity antenna with one or more angled branches may have a portion that extends between a conductive housing wall and internal device components such as a display. A speaker may be formed using the interior volume within a cavity antenna. |
| US09455488B2 |
Antenna having an embedded radio device
An antenna for radio frequency (RF) applications comprising: a dielectric element including a dielectric material; an active element attached to a first external surface of the dielectric element; a cavity in the dielectric element; a radio device deposited in the cavity and adapted for coupling to the active element; and an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield positioned in the cavity and between the radio device and the dielectric element, the EMI shield configured for inhibiting EMI between the radio device and the active element. |
| US09455480B2 |
Assembled battery
An assembled battery includes a plurality of secondary cells, a first arithmetic operator, a second arithmetic operator, and a discharger. The first arithmetic operator calculates a voltage change rate of each of the secondary cells during charging/discharging thereof. The second arithmetic operator determines a discharge condition for each of the secondary cells from the voltage change rate calculated in the first arithmetic operator and a state of charge of each of the secondary cells. The discharger performs discharging of each of the secondary cells on the basis of the discharge condition when the assembled battery is neither being charged nor being discharged. The second arithmetic operator determines the discharge condition of each of the secondary cells such that each of the secondary cells after the discharging has the same state of charge. |
| US09455477B2 |
Non-aqueous electrolyte battery having polymer layers including graphite
A non-aqueous electrolyte battery is disclosed. The non-aqueous electrolyte battery include a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. The negative electrode includes an anode mixture layer having a volume density of 1.70 to 1.90 g/cm3 prior to being subjected to charge and discharge processes. The anode mixture layer includes mixed particles composed of spherical graphite having an average particle size of 25 to 35 μm and non-spherical graphite having an average particle size of 8 to 22 μm. |
| US09455476B2 |
Electrolyte and secondary battery
A secondary battery capable of achieving superior cycle characteristics, superior storage characteristics, and superior swollenness characteristics is provided. The secondary battery includes a cathode, an anode, and an electrolyte containing a solvent and an electrolyte salt. The solvent contains halogenated cyclic ester carbonate. The halogenated cyclic ester carbonate is a cyclic compound that has one or more fluorine groups, one or more fluorinated alkyl groups, and a carbonyl group. |
| US09455472B2 |
Lithium-ion electrochemical cells including fluorocarbon electrolyte additives
Lithium-ion electrochemical cells are provided that include a positive electrode that includes a lithium metal oxide or a lithium metal phosphate, a negative electrode capable of intercalating or alloying with lithium, and an electrolyte that includes an additive. The additive includes a multifunctional anion that has the formula, X—SO2—Rf—SO2—Y, wherein X and Y are, independently, either O— or RfSO2N—, Rf is a straight or branched fluoroalkyl moiety having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and can, optionally, contain one or more in-chain heteroatoms, wherein Rf is a straight or branched chain or cyclic fluoroalkylene having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms and can, optionally, contain one or more in-chain heteroatoms, and wherein both Rf and Rf have a maximum of 20% non-fluorine substituents. The provided additives can improve the performance, hydrolytic stability, and thermal stability of the provided electrochemical cells. |
| US09455471B2 |
Electrode for all solid-state secondary battery and method for producing same
An electrode for all-solid-state secondary batteries, which is capable of improving the high-temperature cycle characteristics of an all-solid-state secondary battery, includes a collector, a conductive adhesive layer and an electrode mixture layer. The electrode mixture layer contains a binder, an inorganic solid electrolyte that contains sulfur atoms, and an electrode active material. The conductive adhesive layer contains conductive particles and a binder for adhesive layers, the binder being composed of a diene polymer. The diene polymer contains 10-75% by mass of a diene monomer unit, and has an iodine number of 5-350 mg/100 mg. The sulfur atoms contained in the inorganic solid electrolyte and carbon-carbon double bonds of the diene polymer are crosslinked with each other. |
| US09455468B2 |
Electrochemical device and nonaqueous electrolyte solution for electrochemical device
The present invention aims to provide an electrochemical device excellent in high temperature storage characteristics and cycling characteristics at high voltages, and a nonaqueous electrolyte for the electrochemical device. The present invention relates to an electrochemical device including: a positive electrode; a negative electrode; and a nonaqueous electrolyte containing a nonaqueous solvent and an electrolyte salt, wherein the nonaqueous solvent contains a fluorinated linear carbonate represented by the formula (1): RfOCOOR (1) (wherein Rf represents a C1-4 fluorinated alkyl group and R represents a C1-4 alkyl group), and further contains following compounds of (I) to (III) in a total amount of not more than 5000 ppm relative to the fluorinated linear carbonate: (I) a compound represented by the formula (2) RfOH (2) (wherein Rf is defined as above); (II) a compound represented by the formula (3) ROH (3) (wherein R is defined as above); and (III) a compound represented by the formula (4) ROCOCl (4) (wherein R is defined as above). |
| US09455467B2 |
Device for folding electrode assembly
Disclosed herein is a folding device to manufacture a stacked/folded type electrode assembly having unit cells sequentially stacked in a state in which a separation film is disposed between the respective unit cells, the folding device including a web supply unit to supply a web having plate-shaped unit cells arranged at a top of a separation film at predetermined intervals, a winding jig to rotate the unit cells while holding a first one of the unit cells of the web so that the unit cells are sequentially stacked in a state in which the separation film is disposed between the respective unit cells, and a rotary shaft compensation unit to compensate for the position of a rotary shaft of the winding jig in an advancing direction of the web (X-axis direction). |
| US09455466B2 |
Method and arrangement for improved controllability of fuel cell stacks
Exemplary systems and methods for adjusting current values in a fuel cell system for producing electricity with fuel cells, include drawing major part of the current from at least one serial connection. An adjusting circuit adjusts current values by drawing or supplying current of at least one stack of individual fuel cell stacks or current of at least one group of the groups of stacks within the serial connection. The adjusting circuit is integrated with the at least one stack of individual fuel cell stacks or with the at least one group of the groups of stacks. Compensation current of the at least one stack or group is a small percentage of a major part of the current in the serial connection of stacks. |
| US09455463B2 |
Integrated electrical power and chemical production using fuel cells
In various aspects, systems and methods are provided for operating a molten carbonate fuel cell, such as a fuel cell assembly, with increased production of syngas while also reducing or minimizing the amount of CO2 exiting the fuel cell in the cathode exhaust stream. This can allow for improved efficiency of syngas production while also generating electrical power. |
| US09455459B2 |
Fuel supply systems having operational resistance
Fuel supplies including multiple valve components and fuel cell systems having increased operational resistance to the insertion and/or removal of fuel supplies are disclosed. The increased operational resistance is provided by increased insertion or removal forces, multiple relative motions for insertion and/or removal, latches, actuators, ON/OFF switches, cognitive ability of the user, visual alignment, audio feedback, size of the user's hand, inter alia. |
| US09455456B2 |
Solid oxide fuel cell power plant with an anode recycle loop turbocharger
An anode exhaust recycle turbocharger (100) has a turbocharger turbine (102) secured in fluid communication with a compressed oxidant stream within an oxidant inlet line (218) downstream from a compressed oxidant supply (104), and the anode exhaust recycle turbocharger (100) also includes a turbocharger compressor (106) mechanically linked to the turbocharger turbine (102) and secured in fluid communication with a flow of anode exhaust passing through an anode exhaust recycle loop (238) of the solid oxide fuel cell power plant (200). All or a portion of compressed oxidant within an oxidant inlet line (218) drives the turbocharger turbine (102) to thereby compress the anode exhaust stream in the recycle loop (238). A high-temperature, automotive-type turbocharger (100) replaces a recycle loop blower-compressor (52). |
| US09455455B2 |
Evaporatively cooled fuel cells with water passageways enhanced by wicks
Fuel cells (38) have passageways (83, 84) that provide water through one or both reactant gas flow field plates (75, 81) of each fuel cell, whereby the fuel cell is cooled evaporatively. The water passageways may be vented by a porous plug (not shown), or by a microvacuum pump (89). A condenser (59) may have a reservoir (64); the condenser (59) may be a vehicle radiator. A highly water permeable wicking layer (90) is disposed adjacent to one or both water passageways (83, 84) which exist between individual fuel cells (38). The passageways may be flow-through passageways (83) (FIG. 5) or they may be interdigitated passageways (83a, 83b) (FIG. 6) in order to increase the flow of water-purging air through the wicking layer (90) utilized to clear the stack of water during shutdown in cold environments. The inlet interdigitated channels (83c, 83d) may be only partially blocked at their outlet ends such as by a protrusion (104) or a hole (106) in order to ensure that any gas entering the inlet coolant passageways (83c, 83d) will not accumulate at the outlet end (101) of the inlet coolant passageways. |
| US09455452B2 |
Fuel cell and method of manufacture thereof
Provided are a fuel cell making it possible to make contact pressures high between its electrode layers and its metallic layers and others, thereby improving the power of the cell, and a method for manufacturing the cell. A fuel cell of the invention comprises a solid polymer electrolyte layer (1), first and second electrode layers (2, 3) located on each of both sides of the solid polymer electrolyte layer (1), and first and second electroconductive layers (4, 5) arranged outside the first and second electrode layers (2, 3), respectively, the individual layers (1 to 5) being integrated with each other through a resin molded body (6) which is an insert-molded body. |
| US09455451B2 |
Membrane-electrode structures for molecular catalysts for use in fuel cells and other electrochemical devices
Water soluble catalysts, (M)meso-tetra(N-Methyl-4-Pyridyl)Porphinepentachloride (M=Fe, Co, Mn & Cu), have been incorporated into the polymer binder of oxygen reduction cathodes in membrane electrode assemblies used in PEM fuel cells and found to support encouragingly high current densities. The voltages achieved are low compared to commercial platinum catalysts but entirely consistent with the behavior observed in electroanalytical measurements of the homogeneous catalysts. A model of the dynamics of the electrode action has been developed and validated and this allows the MEA electrodes to be optimized for any chemistry that has been demonstrated in solution. It has been shown that improvements to the performance will come from modifications to the structure of the catalyst combined with optimization of the electrode structure and a well-founded pathway to practical non-platinum group metal catalysts exists. |
| US09455449B2 |
Electrode for fuel cell, and membrane-electrode assembly and fuel cell system including same
An electrode for a fuel cell is disclosed. The electrode may include an electrode substrate with a conductive substrate, carbon particles, and a catalyst layer disposed on the electrode substrate. The electrode substrate may include a pore having an average diameter of about 20 μm to about 40 μm and porosity of about 30 volume % to about 80 volume % based on the total volume of the electrode substrate. A membrane-electrode assembly including the electrode and a fuel cell system including the membrane electrode assembly are also disclosed. |
| US09455448B1 |
Multi-thickness current collector
A current collector in the form of a conductive substrate subjected to a special chemical etch to provide the current collector having a multi-thickness structure, is described. The multiple-thickness current collector structure provides an electrochemical cell with increased charge capacity per volume while enabling a robust weld connection thereto. The current collector has a frame and comprises within an inner perimeter of the frame, first strand structures that intersect second strand structures to provide a plurality of openings or interstices bordered by the strands. At least one tab portion having a thicker distal portion spaced from a thinner proximal tab portion that extends from an outer perimeter of the frame. |
| US09455444B2 |
Lithium composite compound particles and process for producing the same, and non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery
The present invention relates to lithium composite compound particles having a composition represented by the formula: Li1+xNi1−y−zCoyMzO2 (M=B or Al), wherein the lithium composite compound particles have an ionic strength ratio A (LiO−/NiO2−) of not more than 0.3 and an ionic strength ratio B (Li3CO3+/Ni+) of not more than 20 as measured on a surface of the respective lithium composite compound particles using a time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometer. The lithium composite compound particles of the present invention can be used as a positive electrode active substance of a secondary battery which has good cycle characteristics and an excellent high-temperature storage property. |
| US09455437B2 |
Solid-state batteries utilizing template layers for electrode formation and methods for forming the same
Embodiments provided herein describe solid-state lithium batteries and methods for forming such batteries. A first current collector is provided. A first layer is formed above the first current collector. The first layer includes lithium and cobalt. The first layer is annealed. A second layer is formed above the annealed first layer. The second layer includes lithium and cobalt, and the annealed first layer and the second layer jointly form a first electrode. An electrolyte is formed above the first electrode. A second electrode is formed above the electrolyte. A second current collector is formed above the second electrode. |
| US09455436B2 |
Battery pack of improved safety
Disclosed herein is a battery pack configured such that battery modules, each of which includes a plurality of battery cells or unit modules connected to each other in series, are connected to each other in series in a state in which the battery modules are in tight contact with each other or stacked adjacent to each other, the battery pack including a fuse connected in series in an electrical connection circuit between the battery modules and a circuit breaker mounted at an outside of at least one of the battery modules to perform electric conduction when the battery cells swell, the circuit breaker being electrically connected to the electrical connection circuit to break the fuse when electric conduction is performed due to swelling of the battery cells. |
| US09455434B2 |
Device for detecting electrical voltage
A battery system having at least one contact element configured to provide a high level of mechanical stability. The battery system has a plurality of cells with cell poles, the electrical voltage of the cells configured to be tapped by the at least one contact element at the cell poles or at cell connectors that are connected to the cell poles in an electrically conductive manner. The contact element has a first contact element section and a second contact element section. |
| US09455433B2 |
Electrode assembly
The present disclosure provides an electrode assembly comprising a plurality of unit cells, each unit cell having a full-cell or a bi-cell structure comprising a cathode, an anode, and a first separator interposed between the cathode and the anode, and the plurality of unit cells being stacked by surrounding each unit cell with a second separator, wherein the second separator has an average pore diameter (d2) larger than the average pore diameter (d1) of the first separator in the unit cells. |
| US09455430B2 |
Integral bi-layer separator-electrode construction for lithium-ion batteries
A porous bi-layer separator is composed of a first separator layer with a contacting array of non-conducting particles overlaid with a second separator layer of a microporous polymer layer, fabricated on the electrode surface of the anode of a lithium-ion battery to form an integral electrode-separator construction. Exemplary bi-layer separators may be fabricated by deposition of solvent-containing slurries of separator particles followed by solvent evaporation to produce the particle layer with subsequent application of polymer solutions followed by controlled evaporation of solvent to produce the microporous polymer layer. The elevated temperature performance of lithium-ion battery cells incorporating such integral electrode-bi-layer separators was demonstrated to exceed the performance of similar cells using commercial and experimental single layer polymer separators. |
| US09455422B2 |
Rectangular battery
Disclosed is a rectangular battery in which an electrode group formed by winding a first electrode and a second electrode with a separator interposed therebetween is housed in a battery case having an opening sealed by a sealing plate. The first electrode is electrically connected to the sealing plate, and the second electrode is electrically connected to a current collector plate provided between the sealing plate and the electrode group and extending along a longer side direction of the sealing plate. The sealing plate has a lower-strength portion configured to be deformed prior to the other portions of the sealing plate to provide a contact between the sealing plate and the current collector plate when the sealing plate receives an external pressure along the longer side direction of the sealing plate. |
| US09455417B2 |
Split electrode for organic devices
A device includes a first electrode, an organic layer disposed over the first electrode and a second electrode disposed over the organic layer. The second electrode includes a first conductive layer, a first separation layer disposed over the first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer disposed over the first separation layer, wherein the first separation layer is not a continuous layer and the first and second conductive layers are bridged where the first separation layer is not continuous. The first separation layer has an extinction coefficient that is at least 10% different from the extinction coefficient of the first conductive layer at wavelength 500 nm, or an index of refraction that is at least 10% different from the index of refraction of the first conductive layer at wavelength 500 nm. |
| US09455411B2 |
Organic electroluminescent materials and devices
The present invention provides organoselenium compounds comprising dibenzoselenophene, benzo[b]selenophene or benzo[c]selenophene and their uses in organic light emitting devices. |
| US09455410B2 |
Micromolecular electron transport material based on pyridine and triazole, preparation method and organic light-emitting diode thereof
The present invention provides a micromolecular electron transport material based on pyridine and triazole, which is represented by the formula I, and an organic light-emitting diode using the micromolecular electron transport material. The micromolecular electron transport material of the present invention can improve the capacity of electron injection, transmitting and hole-blocking, thus can gain high ET and reduce the driving voltage of device. |
| US09455402B2 |
Resistive memory device with ring-shaped metal oxide on top surfaces of ring-shaped metal layer and barrier layer
A resistive memory device is provided, comprising a bottom electrode, a patterned dielectric layer with a via formed on the bottom electrode, a barrier layer formed at sidewalls and a bottom surface of the via as a liner, a ring-shaped metal layer formed at sidewalls and a bottom surface of the barrier layer, and a ring-shaped metal oxide formed on a top surface of the ring-shaped metal layer. |
| US09455398B2 |
Piezoelectric actuator and mass flow controller provided with same
A piezoelectric actuator of the invention includes: a piezoelectric element; a base body having an upper surface which is in contact with a lower end portion of the piezoelectric element; and a case having an inner surface which is in contact with an upper end portion of the piezoelectric element, the case storing the piezoelectric element therein, the upper surface of the base body and the case being joined to each other. The case includes a cylindrical portion including a cylindrical main body and a plurality of grooves formed all around a perimeter thereof, and a collar portion disposed at a lower end side of the cylindrical portion. At least one of the plurality of grooves has a sectional profile taken along a plane perpendicular to a vertical direction whose oblateness differs from that of a sectional profile of the cylindrical main body. |
| US09455396B2 |
Piezoelectric/electrostrictive element and wiring substrate
A piezoelectric/electrostrictive element includes a substrate, an adhesive layer, a first conductive layer, an anchor portion and a second conductive layer. The substrate contains a ceramic as a main component. The substrate has a main surface. The adhesive layer is formed on the main surface of the substrate. The adhesive layer contains a metal oxide as a main component. The first conductive layer is formed on the adhesive layer. The anchor portion is formed on the adhesive layer. The anchor portion is embedded in the conductive layer. The anchor portion contains glass as a main component. The second conductive layer is disposed opposite to the first conductive layer with the substrate located in-between. |
| US09455395B2 |
Piezoelectric actuator control for high rate of operation
Described herein are methods for controlling a piezoelectric element, for example, for use in a fuel injector, safely and efficiently at higher frequencies without causing damage to the fuel injector due to excessive heating. Methods incorporating features of the present invention can utilize waveform generation, waveform scaling and power amplification to drive a piezoelectric element. In some embodiments, various operating conditions are utilized to determine a scaling value which is compared to a target value to determine the level of scaling to be utilized with a generated waveform. |
| US09455392B2 |
Method of fabricating a coplanar waveguide device including removal of spurious microwave modes via flip-chip crossover
A coplanar waveguide device includes a coplanar waveguide structure disposed on a substrate, at least one qubit coupled to the coplanar waveguide structure and an add-on chip having a metallized trench, and disposed over the substrate. |
| US09455390B2 |
Semiconductor device, method for manufacturing semiconductor device and electronic thermoelectric power generation device
The invention relates to a semiconductor device, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device and an electronic thermoelectric power generation device, a semiconductor device having a thermoelectric conversion element that is embedded in a semiconductor chip so as to be integrated with a semiconductor circuit can be implemented. A semiconductor substrate is provided with a through opening for a region in which a thermoelectric conversion element is to be formed, and a thermoelectric conversion element is embedded in the through opening, where the thermoelectric conversion element includes: a number of penetrating rods made of a thermoelectric conversion material; and an insulating reinforcement layer in which the penetrating rods are embedded and of which the thermal conductivity is lower than that of the thermoelectric conversion material. |
| US09455387B1 |
LED package structure and manufacturing method thereof
A manufacturing method of an LED package structure includes the steps of providing a base; disposing an LED chip on the base; electrically connecting the base and the LED chip by at least one metal wire, wherein the metal wire has an apex, and a height between the apex and a top surface of the LED chip is defined as a loop height; adhering a first phosphor sheet to the LED chip by a B-stage resin of the first phosphor sheet, wherein the first phosphor sheet covers the top surface, the side surface, and the electrode of the LED chip, the thickness of the first phosphor sheet is smaller than the loop height, and the apex of the metal wire is exposed from the first phosphor sheet; and disposing an encapsulation resin in the base to encapsulate the LED chip, the metal wire, and the first phosphor sheet. |
| US09455372B2 |
Method and apparatus for optical modulation
The present invention is a method and an apparatus for optical modulation, for example for use in optical communications links. In one embodiment, an apparatus for optical modulation includes a first silicon layer having one or more trenches formed therein, a dielectric layer lining the first silicon layer, and a second silicon layer disposed on the dielectric layer and filling the trenches. |
| US09455367B2 |
Disassembling photovoltaic module
Provided is a method of disassembling a photovoltaic module. The method includes: applying heat to the photovoltaic module in an oxidizing atmosphere; removing an insulating protective layer wrapping a photovoltaic cell of the photovoltaic module; and obtaining the photovoltaic cell of the photovoltaic module. |
| US09455360B2 |
Method of fabricating a metal wrap through solar cell
Methods of fabricating metal wrap through solar cells and modules for thin silicon solar cells, including epitaxial silicon solar cells, are described. These metal wrap through solar cells have a planar back contact geometry for the base and emitter contacts. Fabrication of a metal wrap through solar cell may comprise: providing a photovoltaic device attached at the emitter side of the device to a solar glass by an encapsulant, the device including busbars on the device emitter; forming vias through the device base and emitter, the vias terminating in the busbars; depositing a conformal dielectric film over the surface of the vias and the back surface of the base; removing portions of the conformal dielectric film from the ends of the vias for exposing the busbars and from field areas of the base; and forming separate electrical contacts to the busbars and the field areas on the back surface of the solar cell. The solar cells may comprise epitaxially deposited silicon and may include an epitaxially deposited back surface field. |
| US09455352B2 |
HTO offset for long leffective, better device performance
Memory devices having an increased effective channel length and/or improved TPD characteristics, and methods of making the memory devices are provided. The memory devices contain two or more memory cells on a semiconductor substrate and bit line dielectrics between the memory cells. The memory cell contains a charge trapping dielectric stack, a poly gate, a pair of pocket implant regions, and a pair of bit lines. The bit line can be formed by an implant process at a higher energy level and/or a higher concentration of dopants without suffering device short channel roll off issues because spacers at bit line sidewalls constrain the implant in narrower implant regions. |
| US09455349B2 |
Oxide semiconductor thin film transistor with reduced impurity diffusion
A transistor having high field-effect mobility is provided. A transistor having stable electrical characteristics is provided. A transistor having small current in an off state (in a non-conductive state) is provided. A semiconductor device including such a transistor is provided. A first electrode is formed over a substrate, a first insulating layer is formed adjacent to a side surface of the first electrode, and a second insulating layer is formed to cover the first insulating layer and be in contact with at least part of a surface of the first electrode. The surface of the first electrode is formed of a conductive material that does not easily transmit an impurity element. The second insulating layer is formed of an insulating material that does not easily transmit an impurity element. An oxide semiconductor layer is formed over the first electrode with a third insulating layer provided therebetween. |
| US09455346B2 |
Channel strain inducing architecture and doping technique at replacement poly gate (RPG) stage
The demand for increased performance and shrinking geometry from ICs has brought the introduction of multi-gate devices including finFET devices. Inducing a higher tensile strain/stress in a region provides for enhanced electron mobility, which may improve performance. High temperature processes during device fabrication tend to relax the stress on these strain inducing layers. The present disclosure relates to a method of forming a strain inducing layer or cap layer at the RPG (replacement poly silicon gate) stage of a finFET device formation process. In some embodiments, the strain inducing layer is doped to reduce the external resistance. |
| US09455344B2 |
Integrated circuit metal gate structure having tapered profile
A device having a gate where the profile of the gate provides a first width at a top region and a second width at a bottom region is described. The gate may include tapered sidewalls. The gate may be a metal gate structure. |
| US09455343B2 |
Hybrid phase field effect transistor
An insulating layer is deposited over a transistor structure. The transistor structure comprises a gate electrode over a device layer on a substrate. The transistor structure comprises a first contact region and a second contact region on the device layer at opposite sides of the gate electrode. A trench is formed in the first insulating layer over the first contact region. A metal-insulator phase transition material layer with a S-shaped IV characteristic is deposited in the trench or in the via of the metallization layer above on the source side. |
| US09455342B2 |
Electric field management for a group III-nitride semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first active layer, a second active layer, at least first and second electrodes, an E-field management layer, and at least one injection electrode. The first active layer is disposed over the substrate. The second active layer is disposed on the first active layer such that a laterally extending conductive channel arises which extends in a lateral direction. The laterally extending conductive channel is located between the first active layer and the second active layer. The first and second electrodes are electrically connected to the first active layer. The E-field management layer, which reduces the electric-field gradients arising in the first and second active layers, is disposed over the second active layer. The injection electrode is electrically connected to the E-field management layer. |
| US09455338B1 |
Methods for fabricating PNP bipolar junction transistors
Integrated circuits with bipolar transistors are provided. In one embodiment, a bipolar transistor may include an emitter region, a first base region that surrounds the emitter region, a collector region that surrounds the first base region, and a second base region that surrounds the collector region. Respective well taps may be formed within the emitter, collector, and the second base regions. A deep doped well having the same doping type as the base regions may extend beneath the emitter, collector, and base regions. In another embodiment, the bipolar transistor may include an emitter region, a base region that surrounds the emitter region, and a collector region that surrounds the base region. Respective well taps may be formed within the emitter, base, and collector regions. A deep doped well having the same doping type as the base region may extend beneath the emitter and only a portion of the base region. |
| US09455336B2 |
SiGe and Si FinFET structures and methods for making the same
FinFET structures and methods for making the same. A method includes: creating a plurality of Silicon fins on a first region of a substrate, creating a plurality of Silicon-Germanium fins on a second region of the substrate, adjusting a Silicon fin pitch of the plurality of Silicon fins to a predetermined value, and adjusting a Silicon-Germanium fin pitch of the plurality of Silicon-Germanium fins to a predetermined value, where the creating steps are performed in a manner that Silicon material and Silicon-Germanium material used in making the plurality of fins will be on the semiconductor structure at a same time. |
| US09455333B2 |
Thin film transistor array panel
A thin film transistor array panel includes a substrate, a light blocking film disposed on the substrate, a buffer layer covering the light blocking film, and a channel region disposed on the buffer layer. A source region and a drain region are disposed in the same layer as the channel region. A gate insulating layer is disposed on the channel region, and a gate electrode overlaps the channel region, with the gate insulating layer interposed between the gate electrode and the channel region. A passivation layer is disposed on the gate electrode, the source region, the drain region, and the buffer layer. A source electrode and a drain electrode are disposed on the passivation layer, wherein the channel region, the source region, and the drain region comprise an oxide semiconductor, and wherein a carrier concentration of the source region and the drain region is larger than in the channel region. |
| US09455332B2 |
LDMOS transistor and method of forming the LDMOS transistor with improved Rds*Cgd
The Rds*Cgd figure of merit (FOM) of a laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) transistor is improved by forming the drain drift region with a number of dopant implants at a number of depths, and forming a step-shaped back gate region with a number of dopant implants at a number of depths to adjoin the drain drift region. |
| US09455331B1 |
Method and structure of forming controllable unmerged epitaxial material
A method of forming a semiconductor device that includes forming a plurality of semiconductor pillars. A dielectric spacer is formed between at least one set of adjacent semiconductor pillars. Semiconductor material is epitaxially formed on sidewalls of the adjacent semiconductor pillars, wherein the dielectric spacer obstructs a first portion of epitaxial semiconductor material formed on a first semiconductor pillar from merging with a second portion of epitaxial semiconductor material formed on a second semiconductor pillar. |
| US09455329B2 |
Junctionless semiconductor device having buried gate, apparatus including the same, and method for manufacturing the semiconductor device
A junctionless semiconductor device having a buried gate, a module and system each having the same, and a method for forming the semiconductor device are disclosed. A source, a drain, and a body of a semiconductor device having a buried gate are doped with the same type of impurities, so that the junctionless semiconductor device does not include a PN junction between the source and the body or between the body and the drain. As a result, a leakage current caused by GIDL is reduced so that operation characteristics of the semiconductor device are improved and the size of a current-flowing region is increased, resulting in an increased operation current. |
| US09455325B2 |
Fin field-effect transistors having controlled fin height
An apparatus includes a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of fins, wherein the plurality of fins includes a first group of fins and a second group of fins. The apparatus further includes a high fin density area on the semiconductor substrate including a first dielectric between the first group of fins in the high fin density area, said first dielectric having a first dopant concentration. The apparatus further includes a low fin density area on the semiconductor substrate including a second dielectric between the second group of fins in the low fin density area, said second dielectric having a second dopant concentration. The first dielectric and the second dielectric are a same material as deposited and the first dopant concentration and the second dopant concentration are different. |
| US09455323B2 |
Under-spacer doping in fin-based semiconductor devices
A fin field effect transistor (FinFET) device and a method of fabricating the FinFET are described. The device includes a fin formed on a substrate, the fin including a channel region of the device and a spacer and a cap formed over a dummy gate line separating a source and drain of the device. The device also includes an epitaxial layer formed over portions of the fin, the epitaxial layer being included between the fin and the spacer. |
| US09455322B1 |
Flash cell and forming process thereof
A flash cell forming process includes the following steps. A first gate is formed on a substrate. A first spacer is formed at a side of the first gate, where the first spacer includes a bottom part and a top part. The bottom part is removed, thereby an undercut being formed. A first selective gate is formed beside the first spacer and fills into the undercut. The present invention also provides a flash cell formed by said flash cell forming process. The flash cell includes a first gate, a first spacer and a first selective gate. The first gate is disposed on a substrate. The first spacer is disposed at a side of the first gate, where the first spacer has an undercut at a bottom part, and therefore exposes the substrate. The first selective gate is disposed beside the first spacer and extends into the undercut. |
| US09455319B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device and an operating method of the same are disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a source region, a drain region, a gate structure, a first lightly-doped region, and a first isolation region. The source region and the drain region are formed in the substrate. The gate structure is formed on the substrate and between the source region and the drain region. The first lightly-doped region is formed below the source region. The first isolation region is formed in the substrate and surrounding the source region, the drain region, and the first lightly-doped region. The source region and the drain region have a first-polarity, and the first lightly-doped region and the first isolation region have a second-polarity. |
| US09455317B1 |
Nanowire semiconductor device including lateral-etch barrier region
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor-on-insulator wafer having a buried oxide layer. The buried oxide layer includes therein opposing etch barrier regions and a gate region between the etch barrier regions. The semiconductor device further includes at least one nanowire having a channel portion interposed between opposing source/drain portions. The channel portion is suspended in the gate region. A gate electrode is formed in the gate region, and completely surrounds all surfaces of the suspended nanowire. The buried oxide layer comprises a first electrical insulating material, and the etch barrier regions comprising a second electrical insulating material different from the first electrical insulating material. |
| US09455313B1 |
High-density integrated circuit via capacitor
A capacitor can be fabricated within an integrated circuit (IC) by creating, in a top surface of a dielectric layer of the IC, a recess having at least one side and a bottom, the bottom adjacent to a first conductive structure. A first plate of the capacitor may be formed by depositing a conductive liner onto the at least one side and the bottom of the recess. A conformal dielectric film may be deposited onto the first plate within the recess, and a second plate of the capacitor may be formed by filling a portion of the recess that is not filled by the conformal dielectric film with an electrically conductive material that is electrically insulated, by the conformal dielectric film, from the first plate. |
| US09455311B2 |
Display device and driving method thereof
To provide a display device and a driving method thereof, where variations in the threshold voltage of transistors can be compensated and thus variations in luminance of light-emitting elements can be suppressed. In a first period, initialization is performed; in a second period, a voltage based on the threshold voltage of a first transistor is held in first and second storage capacitors; in a third period, a voltage based on a video signal voltage and the threshold voltage of the first transistor is held in the first and second storage capacitors; and in a fourth period, voltages held in the first and second storage capacitors are applied to a gate terminal of the first transistor to supply a current to a light-emitting element, so that the light-emitting element emits light. Through the operation process, a current obtained by compensating variations in the threshold voltage of the first transistor can be supplied to the light-emitting element, thereby variations in luminance can be suppressed. |
| US09455310B2 |
Organic light emitting display device
An organic light emitting display device includes a first substrate, a plurality of common lines, an optical member, and a second substrate. The first substrate includes a pixel region and a transparent region. The light emitting structure is disposed on the first substrate of the pixel region. The common lines are disposed adjacent to a boundary of the pixel region and the transparent region. The optical member prevents a light diffraction generated adjacent to the common lines. The second substrate is disposed on the light emitting structure and the optical member. |
| US09455307B2 |
Active matrix electro-optical device and method of making thereof
There is provided a method of forming an active matrix electro-optical device, the method comprising providing a backplane comprising: a backplane substrate; a semiconductor particle formed separately from the backplane substrate and then fixed upon the backplane substrate at a predetermined position; the semiconductor particle planarized to remove portions of the semiconductor particle and to expose at a cross-section of the semiconductor particle a planar surface; and a controllable gated electronic component on or directly beneath the planar surface, the controllable gated electronic component configured to control one or more pixels of the electro-optical device. The method also comprises providing an optical portion comprising one or more pixel regions, the optical portion electrically connected to the backplane such that at least one of the pixel regions of the optical portion is electrically connected to the controllable gated electronic component. |
| US09455304B2 |
Organic light-emitting diode display with white and blue diodes
An organic light-emitting diode display may have an array of pixels with sets of pixels arranged in rows and columns. Each set of pixels includes a red pixel, a green pixel, a blue pixel, and a white pixel. The red pixels each have a white diode and a red color filter element to impart a red color to white light from that white diode. The green pixels each have a white diode and a green color filter element to impart a green color to white light from that white diode. The white pixels each have an unfiltered white diode. The blue pixels each have an unfiltered blue diode. The unfiltered white and blue diodes do not have color filters and emit white and blue light for the white and blue pixels, respectively. The white and blue diodes may be tandem diodes having two or more emissive layers. |
| US09455302B2 |
Image sensor and electronic device including the same
Example embodiments relate to an image sensor that includes a semiconductor substrate integrated with at least one photo-sensing device, an impurity-doped first light-transmitting electrode present in the semiconductor substrate, an organic photoelectric conversion layer positioned on one side of the semiconductor substrate and absorbing light in a different wavelength from the wavelength sensed by the photo-sensing device, and a second light-transmitting electrode positioned on one side of the organic photoelectric conversion layer, and an electronic device including the same. |
| US09455300B1 |
Pixel array of ultraviolet light emitting devices
Embodiments of the invention include a first semiconductor layer grown over a growth substrate and a plurality of pixels grown on the first semiconductor layer, each pixel including an active layer disposed between an n-type region and a p-type region. Trenches isolate individual pixels and form at least one sidewall for each pixel. A first metal layer in direct contact with the p-type region is disposed on a top surface of each pixel. A second metal layer in direct contact with the n-type region is disposed on a bottom surface of a trench adjacent to each pixel. An insulating layer electrically isolating the first and second metal layers is disposed on the sidewall of each pixel and is substantially conformal to the sidewall. |
| US09455291B2 |
Blue enhanced image sensor
A back side illuminated image sensor includes a semiconductor material having a front side and a back side. The semiconductor material is disposed between image sensor circuitry and a light filter array. The image sensor circuitry is disposed on the front side, and the light filter array is disposed proximate to the back side. The image sensor includes a first pixel with a first doped region that extends from the image sensor circuitry into the semiconductor material a first depth. The first pixel also includes a second doped region that is disposed between the back side of the semiconductor material and the first doped region. The second doped region is electrically isolated from the first doped region. A second pixel with a third doped region is also included in the image sensor. The third doped region extends from the image sensor circuitry into the semiconductor material a second depth. |
| US09455288B2 |
Image sensor structure to reduce cross-talk and improve quantum efficiency
A semiconductor device includes a substrate including a pixel region incorporating a photodiode, a grid disposed over the substrate and having walls defining a cavity vertically aligned with the pixel region, and a color filter material disposed in the cavity between the walls of the grid. |
| US09455287B2 |
Imaging device, monitoring device, and electronic appliance
A highly accurate imaging device or a highly accurate imaging device capable of detecting differences is provided. A configuration including a circuit in which variation in threshold voltage among amplifier transistors of pixels is corrected is employed. The configuration reduces variation in difference data due to variation in the threshold voltage among the amplifier transistors of the pixels to obtain highly accurate imaging data. Furthermore, charge corresponding to difference data between imaging data in an initial frame and imaging data in a current frame is accumulated in pixels and the difference data is read from each pixel, whereby highly accurate difference data is obtained when whether there is a difference between the initial frame and the current frame is determined. |
| US09455284B2 |
Stack type image sensor
A stack type image sensor may include: a first chip including a via isolation trench penetrating a first substrate, a via isolation layer including an insulation material in the via isolation trench, a first conductive layer on the first substrate, and a first insulation layer; a second chip including a second conductive layer on a second substrate, and a second insulation layer contacting the first insulation layer; a first via trench penetrating the first substrate to expose the second conductive layer with respect to the trench; and a first through via formed in the first via trench, and including a third conductive layer insulated from the first substrate by the via isolation layer, the third conductive layer electrically connecting the first conductive layer to the second conductive layer. The third conductive layer may be formed in the via isolation trench. |
| US09455281B2 |
Touch sensor, touch panel, touch panel module, and display device
Objects are to simplify a process for manufacturing a touch panel, reduce manufacturing costs of a touch panel, provide a thin touch panel, increase the visibility of a touch panel, increase the detection sensitivity of a touch panel, provide a lightweight touch panel, and provide a highly reliable touch panel. A touch sensor includes a first substrate, a transistor, a first conductive film, a second conductive film, an insulating film, a third conductive film, and a second substrate. The first conductive film has a region placed between the first substrate and the second conductive film. The insulating film has a region placed between the first conductive film and the second conductive film. The first conductive film, the second conductive film, and the insulating film form a capacitor. The transistor is electrically connected to the second conductive film. The second conductive film is electrically connected to the third conductive film. |
| US09455279B2 |
Thin film transistor substrate and display using the same
Provided are a thin film transistor (TFT) substrate and a display using the same. A TFT substrate includes: a substrate, a first TFT on the substrate, including: a polycrystalline semiconductor layer, a first gate electrode thereover, a first source electrode, and a first drain electrode, a second TFT on the substrate, including: a second gate electrode, an oxide semiconductor layer on the second gate electrode, a second source electrode, and a second drain electrode, an intermediate insulating layer including a nitride layer, on the first gate electrode, and an oxide layer covering the second gate electrode, on the intermediate insulating layer, on the oxide layer, and overlapping the second gate electrode, wherein the first source, first drain, and second gate electrodes are between the intermediate insulating layer and the oxide layer, and wherein the second source and the second drain electrodes are on the oxide semiconductor layer. |
| US09455275B2 |
High voltage semiconductor devices
In one embodiment, the semiconductor device includes a first source of a first doping type disposed in a substrate. A first drain of the first doping type is disposed in the substrate. A first gate region is disposed between the first source and the first drain. A first channel region of a second doping type is disposed under the first gate region. The second doping type is opposite to the first doping type. A first extension region of the first doping type is disposed between the first gate and the first drain. The first extension region is part of a first fin disposed in or over the substrate. A first isolation region is disposed between the first extension region and the first drain. A first well region of the first doping type is disposed under the first isolation region. The first well region electrically couples the first extension region with the first drain. |
| US09455274B2 |
Replacement fin process in SSOI wafer
A method of forming replacement fins in a complimentary-metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) device that includes a p-type field effect transistor device (pFET) and an n-type field effect transistor device (nFET) and a CMOS device are described. The method includes forming strained silicon (Si) fins from a strained silicon-on-insulator (SSOI) layer in both an nFET region and a pFET region, forming insulating layers over the strained Si fins, and forming trenches within the insulating layers to expose the strained Si fins in the pFET region only. The method also includes etching the strained Si fins in the pFET region to expose a buried oxide (BOX) layer of the SSOI layer, etching the exposed portions of the BOX layer to expose a bulk substrate, epitaxially growing a Si portion of pFET replacement fins from the bulk substrate, and epitaxially growing silicon germanium (SiGe) portions of the pFET replacement fins on the Si portion of the pFET replacement fins. |
| US09455269B1 |
Semiconductor memory device
A semiconductor memory device according to an embodiment comprises: a memory cell array, the memory cell array including: a conductive layer, an inter-layer insulating layer, and a conductive line stacked on a semiconductor substrate in a stacking direction; first and second connecting lines that contact the semiconductor substrate and are electrically connected to the conductive line and that extend in the stacking direction; and a columnar body that penetrates the conductive layer and the inter-layer insulating layer in the stacking direction between the first and second connecting lines and that includes a first semiconductor layer, the semiconductor substrate having: a first impurity region to which a first impurity is added at a place of contact with the first connecting line; and a second impurity region to which a second impurity different from the first impurity is added at a place of contact with the second connecting line. |
| US09455268B2 |
Staircase-shaped connection structures of three-dimensional semiconductor devices
Provided is a staircase-shaped connection structure of a three-dimensional semiconductor device. The device includes an electrode structure on a substrate, the electrode structure including an upper staircase region, a lower staircase region, and a buffer region therebetween. The electrode structure includes horizontal electrodes sequentially stacked on the substrate, the horizontal electrodes include a plurality of pad regions constituting a staircase structure of each of the upper and lower staircase regions, and the buffer region has a width that is larger than that of each of the pad regions. |
| US09455267B2 |
Three dimensional NAND device having nonlinear control gate electrodes and method of making thereof
A monolithic three dimensional NAND string includes a plurality of control gate electrodes extending substantially parallel to a major surface of a substrate in at least one active region, a plurality of semiconductor channels having at least one end portion of each of the plurality of semiconductor channels extending substantially perpendicular to the major surface of the substrate, at least one memory film located between each of the plurality of control gate electrodes and each respective semiconductor channel of the plurality of semiconductor channels, and at least one first slit trench extending substantially perpendicular to the major surface of the substrate. Each of the plurality of control gate electrodes has a nonlinear side wall adjacent to the at least one first slit trench in the at least one active region. |
| US09455262B2 |
Semiconductor device having electrically floating body transistor, semiconductor device having both volatile and non-volatile functionality and method of operating
A semiconductor memory cell includes a floating body region configured to be charged to a level indicative of a state of the memory cell; a first region in electrical contact with said floating body region; a second region in electrical contact with said floating body region and spaced apart from said first region; and a gate positioned between said first and second regions. The cell may be a multi-level cell. Arrays of memory cells are disclosed for making a memory device. Methods of operating memory cells are also provided. |
| US09455261B1 |
Integrated structures
Some embodiments include an integrated structure having a stack of alternating dielectric levels and conductive levels, vertically-stacked memory cells within the conductive levels, an insulative material over the stack and a select gate material over the insulative material. An opening extends through the select gate material, through the insulative material, and through the stack of alternating dielectric and conductive levels. A first region of the opening within the insulative material is wider along a cross-section than a second region of the opening within the select gate material, and is wider along the cross-section than a third region of the opening within the stack of alternating dielectric levels and conductive levels. Channel material is within the opening and adjacent the insulative material, the select gate material and the memory cells. Some embodiments include methods of forming vertically-stacked memory cells. |
| US09455260B2 |
Methods and structures for multiport memory devices
A memory device includes a storage unit formed using a substrate, a true bit line BL0 for carrying a bit of data, and a complementary bit line for carrying the bit of data carried by the first true bit line in complementary form. The true bit line is coupled to the storage unit and runs laterally over the substrate. The true bit line and the complementary bit line are adjacent to each other and are vertically stacked above the substrate. |
| US09455256B2 |
Inverter including two-dimensional material, method of manufacturing the same and logic device including inverter
Inverters including two-dimensional (2D) material, methods of manufacturing the same, and logic devices including the inverters. An inverter may include a first transistor and a second transistor that are connected to each other, and the first and second transistor layers may include 2D materials. The first transistor may include a first graphene layer and a first 2D semiconductor layer contacting the first graphene layer, and the second transistor may include a second graphene layer and a second 2D semiconductor layer contacting the second graphene layer. The first 2D semiconductor layer may be a p-type semiconductor, and the second 2D semiconductor layer may be an n-type semiconductor. The first 2D semiconductor layer may be arranged at a lateral side of the second 2D semiconductor layer. |
| US09455253B2 |
Bidirectional switch
A bidirectional switch formed in a substrate includes first and second main vertical thyristors in antiparallel connection. A third auxiliary vertical thyristor has a rear surface layer in common with the rear surface layer of the first thyristor. A peripheral region surrounds the thyristors and connects the rear surface layer to a layer of the same conductivity type of the third thyristor located on the other side of the substrate. A metallization connects the rear surfaces of the first and second thyristors. An insulating structure is located between the rear surface layer of the third thyristor and the metallization. The insulating structure extends under the periphery of the first thyristor. The insulating structure includes a region made of an insulating material and a complementary region made of a semiconductor material. |
| US09455252B2 |
Combining ZTCR resistor with laser anneal for high performance PMOS transistor
An integrated circuit containing a PMOS transistor may be formed by implanting boron in the p-channel source drain (PSD) implant step at a dose consistent with effective channel length control, annealing the PSD implant, and subsequently concurrently implanting boron into a polysilicon resistor with a zero temperature coefficient of resistance using an implant mask which also exposes the PMOS transistor, followed by a millisecond anneal. |
| US09455243B1 |
Silicon interposer and fabrication method thereof
A silicon interposer includes a silicon substrate having a front side and a rear side opposite to the front side; a first integrated circuit chip disposed in the front side of the silicon substrate; a second integrated circuit chip disposed in the front side of the silicon substrate and being in close proximity to the first integrated circuit chip; a dummy kerf region between the first integrated circuit chip and the second integrated circuit chip; and at least a circuit device disposed in the front side of the silicon substrate within the kerf region. |
| US09455237B2 |
Bowl-shaped solder structure
An apparatus relating generally to a substrate is disclosed. In this apparatus, a first metal layer is on the substrate. The first metal layer has an opening. The opening of the first metal layer has a bottom and one or more sides extending from the bottom. A second metal layer is on the first metal layer. The first metal layer and the second metal layer provide a bowl-shaped structure. An inner surface of the bowl-shaped structure is defined responsive to the opening of the first metal layer and the second metal layer thereon. The opening of the bowl-shaped structure is configured to receive and at least partially retain a bonding material during a reflow process. |
| US09455236B2 |
Integrated circuit packages and methods of forming same
Integrated circuit (IC) packages and methods of forming the IC packages are provided. In an embodiment, IC dies are formed and are placed on a carrier to form a packaged semiconductor device. An encapsulant is formed over the IC dies and between the neighboring IC dies. The encapsulant and the IC dies are planarized to expose contacts on top surfaces of the IC dies, and redistribution layers (RDLs) are formed over the planarized encapsulant and the planarized IC dies. Openings are formed in a topmost dielectric layer of the RDLs to expose interconnects in the RDL, and a conductive seed layer is formed over the RDL and in the openings. Connectors of a first type and connectors of a second type are formed over the seed layer in the openings. The packaged semiconductor device is diced into individual IC packages. |
| US09455235B2 |
Thin embedded packages, methods of fabricating the same, electronic systems including the same, and memory cards including the same
An embedded package includes a core layer having a cavity, a first semiconductor chip disposed in the cavity, and bumps disposed on a top surface of the first semiconductor chip, a second semiconductor chip disposed on the first semiconductor chip and the core layer, pads disposed on a top surface of the second semiconductor chip, and a first insulation layer disposed on the core layer and the first and second semiconductor chips. The first insulation layer has first openings that expose the bumps and second openings that expose the pads, and the first and second openings have a similar depth. |
| US09455231B2 |
Resin-sealed semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A resin-sealed semiconductor device includes a mesa-type semiconductor element which includes a mesa-type semiconductor base body having a pn junction exposure portion in an outer peripheral tapered region surrounding a mesa region, and a glass layer which covers at least the outer peripheral tapered region; and a molding resin which seals the mesa-type semiconductor element, wherein the glass layer is formed by forming a layer made of a predetermined glass composition for protecting a semiconductor junction which substantially contains no Pb such that the layer covers the outer peripheral tapered region and, subsequently, by baking the layer made of the glass composition for protecting a semiconductor junction. |
| US09455230B1 |
Semiconductor packages and methods of fabricating the same
A semiconductor package includes a semiconductor chip electrically connected to a substrate, and a molding part including first molding members and second molding members arranged in an alternating pattern. The first molding members have a first physical flexibility which is different from a second physical flexibility of the second molding members. |
| US09455222B1 |
IC having failsafe fuse on field dielectric
A fuse circuit includes a substrate, a top semiconductor layer doped a first conductivity type having a well doped a second conductivity type formed therein including a well contact. A field dielectric layer (FOX) is on the semiconductor layer. A fuse is on the FOX within the well including a fuse body including electrically conductive material having a first and second fuse contact. A transistor is formed in the semiconductor layer including a control terminal (CT) with CT contact, a first terminal (FT) with FT contact, and a second terminal (ST) with a ST contact. A coupling path is between the CT contact and well contact, a first resistor is coupled between the FT contact and CT contact, and a coupling path is between the ST contact and the first fuse contact. |
| US09455221B2 |
Preparation method of three-dimensional integrated inductor-capacitor structure
The invention relates to a field of semiconductor manufacturing technology, more particularly, to a method for preparing three-dimensional integrated inductor-capacitor structure, which can realize the inductor-capacitor of three-dimensional structure, and form three-dimensional spiral inductor centering on the magnetic cores of single direction around through the preparation of the interconnected top metal conducting wires and bottom metal conducting wires, which can gain capacitance and inductance at the same time in a relatively small space, and reduce the production costs, and also greatly improves the inductance magnetic flux in order to increase the inductance value and reduce eddy current, and improve the quality factor Q value and the performance of inductance coil. |
| US09455219B2 |
Wiring substrate and method of manufacturing the same
A wiring substrate includes, a base wiring substrate including a first wiring layer, a first insulating layer in which the first wiring layer is buried and a first via hole is formed under the first wiring layer, and a second wiring layer formed under the first insulating layer and connected to the first wiring layer through the first via hole, and a re-wiring portion including a second insulating layer formed on the base wiring substrate and having a second via hole formed on the first wiring layer, and a re-wiring layer formed on the second insulating layer and connected to the first wiring layer through the second via hole. The re-wiring layer is formed of a seed layer and a metal plating layer provided on the seed layer, and the seed layer is equal to or wider in width than the metal plating layer. |
| US09455215B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device includes a conductive portion having semiconductor elements provided on a substrate, a case housing the conductive portion, and a lead terminal integrated into the case to be directly connected to the semiconductor elements or an interconnection of the substrate. The lead terminal has a stress relief shape for reliving stress generated in the lead terminal. |
| US09455213B2 |
Architecture for gas cooled parallel microchannel array cooler
Effective utilization of a parallel flow air-cooled microchannel array at the micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) scale is prohibited by unfavorable flow patterns in simple rectangular arrays. The primary problem encountered is the inability of the flow stream to penetrate a sufficient depth into the fin core to achieve the desired fin efficiency. Embodiments of the present invention overcome this problem using a manifold with open nozzle discharge and integrated lateral exhaust along with a microchannel array cooler with micro spreading cavities for internal air distribution. |
| US09455210B2 |
Curable composition
Provided are a curable composition and its use. The curable composition can exhibit excellent processibility and workability. The curable composition exhibits excellent light extraction efficiency, hardness, thermal and shock resistance, moisture resistance, gas permeability and adhesiveness, after curing. In addition, the curable composition can provide a cured product that exhibits long-lasting durability and reliability, and that does not cause whitening and surface stickiness even under harsh conditions. |
| US09455207B2 |
All-in-one power semiconductor module
Disclosed herein is an all-in-one power semiconductor module including a plurality of first semiconductor devices formed on a substrate; a housing molded and formed to include bridges formed across upper portions of the plurality of first semiconductor devices; and a plurality of lead members integrally formed with the housing and electrically connecting the plurality of first semiconductor devices and the substrate.According to the present invention, reliability can be improved by increasing bonding areas and bonding strength of semiconductor devices as well as processibilty can be enhanced and failure is reduced by adjusting a step difference with respect to an arrangement and height of the semiconductor devices. Further, a processing time resulting from an omission of a wire bonding process is reduced. |
| US09455205B2 |
Semiconductor devices and processing methods
A method for processing a semiconductor device in accordance with various embodiments may include: providing a semiconductor device having a first pad and a second pad electrically disconnected from the first pad; applying at least one electrical test potential to at least one of the first pad and the second pad; and electrically connecting the first pad and the second pad to one another after applying the at least one electrical test potential. |
| US09455202B2 |
Mask set and method for fabricating semiconductor device by using the same
A mask set includes a first mask and a second mask. The first mask includes geometric patterns. The second mask includes at least a strip-shaped pattern with a first edge and a second edge opposite to the first edge. The strip-shaped pattern has a centerline along a long axis of the strip-shaped pattern. The first edge includes inwardly displaced segments shifting towards the centerline and each of the inwardly displaced segments overlaps each of the geometric patterns. |
| US09455197B2 |
Method for manufacturing silicon carbide semiconductor device
When a gate insulating film is formed on a silicon carbide substrate, the silicon carbide substrate is first oxidized with an oxidation reactant gas to form the gate insulating film on the surface of the silicon carbide substrate. The silicon carbide substrate on which the gate insulating film has been formed is nitrided with a nitriding reactant gas. The oxidation and the nitriding are performed continuously in the same diffusion furnace while a temperature of 1200° C. to 1300° C. inclusive is maintained. |
| US09455190B2 |
Semiconductor apparatus having TSV and testing method thereof
A test method of a semiconductor apparatus before a wafer is ground may include applying voltages to a bump electrically coupled to a through-silicon via (TSV) which is buried in the wafer and a first conductive layer formed to be electrically connected to a rear surface of the TSV, wherein the first conductive layer is withdrawn into an upper surface of the wafer. The method may include measuring a voltage between the bump and the first conductive layer. The method may include comparing the measured voltage to a preset reference voltage. The method may include determining the TSV as a normal TSV in which no fail occurs, according a comparing result, and grinding the wafer to expose the rear surface of the TSV. |
| US09455189B1 |
Package including a plurality of stacked semiconductor devices including a capacitance enhanced through via and method of manufacture
A plurality of semiconductor memory devices on a multi-chip package is disclosed. Each semiconductor device may include a plurality of through vias and a plurality of capacitance enhanced through vias. The through vias may provide an electrical connection for signals that may transition between logic states. The capacitance enhanced through vias may provide an electrical connection from a first side to a second side of the respective semiconductor device for transmission signals that remain substantially stable such as reference voltages, power supply voltages or the like. In this way, noise may be reduced and a reservoir of charge for circuits that provide a load for reference voltages and/or power supply voltages may be provided. |
| US09455186B2 |
Selective local metal cap layer formation for improved electromigration behavior
A method of forming a wiring structure for an integrated circuit device includes forming one or more copper lines within an interlevel dielectric layer (ILD); masking selected regions of the one or more copper lines; selectively plating metal cap regions over exposed regions of the one or more copper lines; and forming a conformal insulator layer over the metal cap regions and uncapped regions of the one or more copper lines. |
| US09455185B1 |
Laser anneal of buried metallic interconnects including through silicon vias
Disclosed is a process of annealing through silicon vias (TSVs) or other deeply buried metallic interconnects using a back side laser annealing process. The process provides several advantages including sufficient grain growth and strain relief of the metal such that subsequent thermal processes do not cause further grain growth; shorter anneal times thereby reducing cycle time of 3D device fabrication; and reduced pattern sensitivity of laser absorption. |
| US09455183B2 |
Semiconductor device and bump formation process
A semiconductor device includes a solder bump overlying and electrically connected to a pad region, and a metal cap layer formed on at least a portion of the solder bump. The metal cap layer has a melting temperature greater than the melting temperature of the solder bump. |
| US09455182B2 |
Interconnect structure with capping layer and barrier layer
Low capacitance and high reliability interconnect structures and methods of manufacture are disclosed. The method includes forming a copper based interconnect structure in an opening of a dielectric material. The method further includes forming a capping layer on the copper based interconnect structure. The method further includes oxidizing the capping layer and any residual material formed on a surface of the dielectric material. The method further includes forming a barrier layer on the capping layer by outdiffusing a material from the copper based interconnect structure to a surface of the capping layer. The method further includes removing the residual material, while the barrier layer on the surface of the capping layer protects the capping layer. |
| US09455179B1 |
Methods to reduce debonding forces on flexible semiconductor films disposed on vapor-releasing adhesives
A method comprises providing a handle substrate having a front surface and a back surface; providing a layer of flexible semiconductor material having a front surface and a back surface and an at least partially sacrificial backing layer stack on the back surface of the layer of flexible semiconductor material; bonding the front surface of the layer of flexible semiconductor material to the front surface of the handle substrate; removing at least a portion of the at least partially sacrificial backing layer stack from the back surface of the layer of flexible semiconductor material; opening outgassing paths through the layer of flexible semiconductor material; and processing the layer of flexible semiconductor material. |
| US09455178B2 |
Method of semiconductor integrated circuit fabrication
A method of fabricating a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) is disclosed. A conductive feature over a substrate is provided. A first dielectric layer is deposited over the conductive feature and the substrate. A via-forming-trench (VFT) is formed in the first dielectric layer to expose the conductive feature and the substrate around the conductive feature. The VFT is filled in by a sacrificial layer. A via-opening is formed in the sacrificial layer to expose the conductive feature. A metal plug is formed in the via-opening to connect to the conductive feature. The sacrificial layer is removed to form a surrounding-vacancy around metal plug and the conductive feature. A second dielectric layer is deposited over the substrate to seal a portion of the surrounding-vacancy to form an enclosure-air-gap all around the metal plug and the conductive feature. |
| US09455173B2 |
Semiconductor piece manufacturing method
A semiconductor piece manufacturing method includes: a process of forming a fine groove on a front surface side including a first groove portion having a width that is gradually narrowed from a front surface of a semiconductor substrate W toward a rear surface thereof; a process of attaching a dicing tape having an adhesive layer on the front surface after the fine groove on the front surface side is formed; a process of forming a groove on a rear surface side having a width greater than the width of the fine groove on the front surface side along the fine groove on the front surface side from a rear surface side of the substrate by a rotating dicing blade; and a process of separating the dicing tape from the front surface after the groove on the rear surface side is formed. |
| US09455170B2 |
Deposition apparatus, organic light emitting display apparatus, and method of manufacturing organic light emitting display apparatus using the deposition apparatus
A deposition apparatus includes a deposition unit including a plurality of deposition assemblies, which are separated from a substrate at a predetermined distance and deposit a material onto the substrate while a first transfer unit transfers the substrate. Each of the plurality of deposition assemblies includes a patterning slit sheet facing a deposition source nozzle unit, a positional information obtaining unit obtaining positional information regarding a position of the substrate transferred by the first transfer unit, and a sheet stage adjusting a position of the patterning slit sheet with respect to the substrate transferred by the first transfer unit according to the positional information. |
| US09455167B2 |
Accommodation cassette
An accommodation cassette including: a plurality of rear accommodating grooves that are formed at least in the laterally central area of the inner surface of a rear wall connecting the rear edges of right and left side walls and extend laterally and parallel to each other at vertical spacings in such a manner as to be associated with right and left accommodating grooves. |
| US09455165B2 |
Die bonding device
A die bonding device includes: a wafer holder supporting a wafer where a die is formed; an ejector holder disposed at the wafer holder below the wafer and supporting a die ejector that assists separating the die from the wafer; a support unit supporting a substrate where the die is to be attached; a bonding unit that picks up the die from the wafer and attaches the picked-up die to the substrate; an ejector buffer unit that receives the die ejector; and a replacing unit that transfers the die ejector between the ejector holder and the ejector buffer unit. |
| US09455154B2 |
Methods for fabricating guide patterns and methods for fabricating integrated circuits using such guide patterns
Methods for fabricating guide patterns and methods for fabricating integrated circuits using guide patterns are provided. In an embodiment, a method for fabricating a guide pattern includes forming a coating of a material with latent grafting sites and a photosensitive component configured to activate the latent grafting sites upon exposure over a substrate. The method exposes selected latent grafting sites in the coating to convert the selected latent grafting sites to active grafting sites. A grafting agent is bonded to the active grafting sites to form the guide pattern. |
| US09455152B2 |
Hydrogenation method and hydrogenation apparatus
A hydrogenation method according to the present invention includes preparing a plasma generation section (20), preparing a hermetic member (30), disposing an amorphous silicon film (S) inside the hermetic member (30), and performing plasma treatment on the amorphous silicon film (S) in a manner that the plasma generation section (20) allows a gas at a pressure around an atmospheric pressure containing a hydrogen gas to generate plasma in at least a partial region inside the hermetic member (30). Suitably, the disposing an amorphous silicon film (S) includes forming the amorphous silicon film (S) inside the hermetic member (30) with the use of a solution in which a silane compound is dissolved. |
| US09455148B2 |
Method for manufacturing semiconductor device
An insulating film (2) is formed on a main surface of a semiconductor substrate (1) that includes an active region and a termination region. The insulating film (2) in the active region is etched to form an opening (3). The insulating film (2) is used as a mask and an impurity is implanted into the semiconductor substrate (1) in a direction tilted by 20° or more from a direction normal to the main surface of the semiconductor substrate (1) while rotating the semiconductor substrate (1) to form a diffusion layer (7) in the active region. The diffusion layer (7) extends wider than the opening (3) up to below the insulating film (2) on the termination region side. |
| US09455145B2 |
Crystallization processing for semiconductor applications
A method and apparatus for forming a crystalline semiconductor layer on a substrate are provided. A semiconductor layer is formed by vapor deposition. A pulsed laser melt/recrystallization process is performed to convert the semiconductor layer to a crystalline layer. Laser, or other electromagnetic radiation, pulses are formed into a pulse train and uniformly distributed over a treatment zone, and successive neighboring treatment zones are exposed to the pulse train to progressively convert the deposited material to crystalline material. |
| US09455142B2 |
Molecular precursor compounds for ABIGZO zinc-group 13 mixed oxide materials
Molecular precursor compounds, processes and compositions for making Zn-Group 13 mixed oxide materials including ABIGZO, AIGZO and BAIZO, by providing inks comprising a molecular precursor compound having the empirical formula AlaInbGacBdZn(OROR)3(a+b+c+d)+2, and printing or depositing an ink on a substrate. The printed or deposited film can be treated to convert the molecular precursor compounds to a material. |
| US09455140B2 |
Methods of forming doped epitaxial SiGe material on semiconductor devices
One illustrative method disclosed herein includes, among other things, performing first and second in situ doping, epitaxial deposition processes to form first and second layers of in situ doped epi semiconductor material, respectively, above a semiconductor substrate, wherein one of the first and second layers has a high level of germanium and a low level of P-type dopant material and the other of the first and second layers has a low level of germanium and a high level of P-type dopant material, and performing a mixing thermal anneal process on the first and second layers so as to form the final silicon germanium material having a high level of germanium and a high level of P-type dopant material. |
| US09455139B2 |
Methods and apparatus for wetting pretreatment for through resist metal plating
Disclosed are pre-wetting apparatus designs and methods. In some embodiments, a pre-wetting apparatus includes a degasser, a process chamber, and a controller. The process chamber includes a wafer holder configured to hold a wafer substrate, a vacuum port configured to allow formation of a subatmospheric pressure in the process chamber, and a fluid inlet coupled to the degasser and configured to deliver a degassed pre-wetting fluid onto the wafer substrate at a velocity of at least about 7 meters per second whereby particles on the wafer substrate are dislodged and at a flow rate whereby dislodged particles are removed from the wafer substrate. The controller includes program instructions for forming a wetting layer on the wafer substrate in the process chamber by contacting the wafer substrate with the degassed pre-wetting fluid admitted through the fluid inlet at a flow rate of at least about 0.4 liters per minute. |
| US09455136B2 |
Controlling the reflow behaviour of BPSG films and devices made thereof
A method for depositing an insulating layer includes performing a primary deposition over a sidewall of a feature by depositing a layer of silicate glass using a silicon source at a first flow rate and a dopant source at a second flow rate. A ratio of the flow of the dopant source to the flow of the silicon source is a first ratio. The method further includes performing a secondary deposition over the sidewall of a feature by increasing the flow of the silicon source relative to the flow of the dopant source. The ratio of the flow of the dopant source to the flow of the silicon source is a second ratio lower than the first ratio, and stopping the flow of the silicon source after performing the secondary deposition. A reflow process is performed after stopping the flow. A variation in thickness of the layer of silicate glass over the sidewall of a feature after the reflow process is between 1% to 20%. |
| US09455133B2 |
Hollow cathode device and method for using the device to control the uniformity of a plasma process
A chamber component configured to be coupled to a processing chamber is described. The chamber component comprises one or more adjustable gas passages through which a process gas is introduced to the process chamber. The adjustable gas passage may be configured to form a hollow cathode that creates a hollow cathode plasma in a hollow cathode region having one or more plasma surfaces in contact with the hollow cathode plasma. Therein, at least one of the one or more plasma surfaces is movable in order to vary the size of the hollow cathode region and adjust the properties of the hollow cathode plasma. Furthermore, one or more adjustable hollow cathodes may be utilized to adjust a plasma process for treating a substrate. |
| US09455132B2 |
Ion mobility spectrometry-mass spectrometry (IMS-MS) with improved ion transmission and IMS resolution
An interface for an ion mobility spectrometry-mass spectrometry (IMS-MS) system includes a first ion guide for receiving ions from an IMS drift cell, and a second ion guide for receiving ions from the first ion guide, and positioned in a chamber separate from the first ion guide. Electrodes of the second ion guide subject the ions to an axial DC electric field while the second ion guide is held at a lower pressure than the first ion guide. In some embodiments, the first ion guide may be an ion funnel and the second ion guide may be a linear multipole device. |
| US09455126B2 |
Arrangement for plasma processing system control based on RF voltage
An arrangement for controlling a plasma processing system is provided. The arrangement includes an RF sensing mechanism for obtaining an RF voltage signal. The arrangement also includes a voltage probe coupled to the RF sensing mechanism to facilitate acquisition of the signal while reducing perturbation of RF power driving a plasma in the plasma processing system. The arrangement further includes a signal processing arrangement configured for receiving the signal, split the voltage signals into a plurality of channels, convert the signals into a plurality of direct current (DC) signals, convert the DC signals into digital signals and process the digital signal in a digital domain to generate a transfer function output. The arrangement moreover includes an ESC power supply subsystem configured to receive the transfer function output as a feedback signal to control the plasma processing system. |
| US09455121B2 |
Semiconductor inspection system and methods of inspecting a semiconductor device using the same
A semiconductor inspection system including an ion beam milling unit configured to irradiate at least one cluster-ion beam onto a surface of a sample wafer and etch the surface of the sample wafer and an image acquisition unit configured to irradiate an electron beam onto the etched surface of the sample wafer and acquire an image of the etched surface may be provided. |
| US09455119B2 |
Charged particle beam apparatus
A charged particle beam apparatus is provided with a controller configured to control other components and perform operations including: an irradiating operation to irradiate a first position of a sample with a charged particle beam while gradually changing a scan range of the charged particle beam to move from a first position; a first image acquiring operation to acquire an image of each portion where the charged particle beam moves; an indicator forming operation to form an indicator at a second position by the charged particle beam when the scan range of the charged particle beam reaches the second position; a second image acquiring operation to acquire an image of the second position in a state where the indicator is formed; and an adjusting operation to adjust relative position between the stage and the scan range of the charged particle beam. |
| US09455109B2 |
Overload release, in particular for a circuit breaker
An overload release is disclosed, in particular for a circuit breaker, including a metal strip which is made of at least two different types of metal and around which a heat conductor is wound. In an embodiment, the mechanical and electrical connection of the metal strip can be completely or partly disconnected, such that no current flows over the mechanical connection of the metal strip in the completely disconnected case and a portion of the current flows over the mechanical connection in the partly disconnected case. |
| US09455108B2 |
Short circuit indicating devices and methods for circuit breakers
A device is provided for use with a circuit breaker that includes a magnetic trip bar adapted to move from a non-tripped position to a tripped position in response to a short-circuit condition, and move from the tripped position to the non-tripped position to reset the circuit breaker. The device includes a slider that has a first position and a second position, and a latch coupled to the magnetic trip bar and the slider. As the magnetic trip bar moves from the non-tripped position to the tripped position, the latch is adapted to move the slider from the first position to the second position to indicate that a short circuit trip has occurred. Numerous other aspects are provided. |
| US09455107B2 |
Electrical switching apparatus including a remotely controllable actuator structured to move a push/pull operating handle
An electrical switching apparatus includes a housing, separable contacts within the housing, and an operating mechanism structured to open and close the separable contacts. The operating mechanism includes a push/pull operating handle and a remotely controllable actuator. The electrical switching apparatus also includes a trip mechanism cooperating with the operating mechanism to trip open the separable contacts in response to a trip condition or remotely open the separable contacts when closed. The remotely controllable actuator is structured to move the push/pull operating handle in order to remotely close the separable contacts when opened or remotely reset the separable contacts when tripped open. |
| US09455099B2 |
Power-switch with internal voltage measurement
A power-switch having a switch housing and an electronic module, at least one contact being provided to tap a voltage at a primary conductor, and an adapter being provided to reduce the tapped voltage of said primary conductor. |
| US09455098B2 |
Electrical circuit switch with variable gear ratio
An electrical circuit switch including: a first movable element configured for being movable by a force applied to the first movable element, the force having a direction parallel to a first axis; and a second movable element including a movable contact and being configured for, by means of the force, moving the movable contact in parallel to a second axis between an open and a closed position, corresponding to the switch opening or closing an electrical circuit. The first axis forms an angle to the second axis and the first movable element and the second movable element are pivotally arranged to each other in a first joint. |
| US09455096B2 |
Key module and keyboard having the same
A key module and a keyboard having the key module are provided. The key module includes a base, a scissor-type unit and a keycap. The scissor-type unit has a first frame and a second frame. The first frame has a connection shaft rotatably pivotally connected to a shaft hole of the second frame. The shaft hole has a travel distance therein for the shaft to move within the shaft hole along a predetermined direction. The first and second frames respectively have a first side pivotally connected to a pivot connection unit of the key cap, and a second side slidably connected to a restricting unit of the base. Through the above-mentioned design, the first frame can rotate with respect to the second frame, so that the keycap can move up and down with respect to the base. |
| US09455090B2 |
Capacitor and method of fabricating the same
Disclosed are a capacitor and a method of fabricating the same. The capacitor includes a first electrode; a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode while facing the first electrode; a driving member connected to the second electrode to move the second electrode relative to the first electrode; and an insulating connection member between the driving member and the second electrode. |
| US09455084B2 |
Variable core electromagnetic device
An electromagnetic device includes a variable magnetic flux core having a plurality of core sections stacked on one another. At least one core section of the plurality of core sections may include a different selected geometry and/or a different chosen material. The at least one core section is configured to provide a predetermined inductance performance. An opening is provided through the stacked plurality of core sections for receiving a conductor winding. An electrical current flowing through the conductor winding generates a magnetic field about the conductor winding and a magnetic flux flow in each of the plurality of core sections. The magnetic flux flow in the at least one core section is different from the other core sections in response to the different selected geometry and/or the different chosen material of the at least one core section to provide the predetermined inductance performance. |
| US09455079B2 |
Multilayered power inductor and method for preparing the same
Disclosed herein are a multilayered power inductor including a magnetic layer, an inner electrode layer, and an outer electrode layer, wherein a pore ratio at a section of the inner electrode layer is 7% or less and a method for preparing the same. According to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the number of pores in the inner electrode layer of the multilayered power inductor can be minimized and the residual carbon can be removed by the sintering delay of the inner electrode to increase the densification of the inner electrode layer after being sintered, thereby improving the RDC characteristics of the multilayered power inductor. Therefore, the multilayered power inductor including the inner electrode layer according to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention can implement the high capacity and the low RDC, thereby providing the small, thin, and multi-functional chip components. |
| US09455077B2 |
Noise reduction type solenoid valve
A noise reduction type solenoid valve may include: a plunger moved in a linear direction; a bobbin installed so as to surround the plunger; a partition part protruding to the outside of the bobbin, and forming a plurality of divided spaces along a longitudinal direction of the bobbin; and a coil part wound in each of the divided spaces with the partition part interposed therebetween. |
| US09455072B2 |
Elastic signal transmission cable
An object of the present invention is to provide an elastic signal transmission cable having a length of several centimeters to several meters that has a shape deformation tracking ability and enables high-speed signal transmission. The inventive elastic signal transmission cable has an elasticity of 10% or more and transmission loss of 10 dB/m or less in a relaxed state at 250 MHz, and comprises an elastic cylindrical body having an elasticity of 10% or more and a conductor portion containing at least two conductor wires wound in the same direction around the elastic cylindrical body. |
| US09455067B2 |
Low dielectric materials
The invention provides a low dielectric material. The low dielectric material comprises: (i) 5-50 parts by weight of polyphenylene ether (PPE) resin having a Mw of 1000˜7000, a Mn of 1000-4000 and Mw/Mn=1.0-1.8; and (ii) 10-90 parts by weight of liquid crystal polymer with allyl group having a Mw of 1000˜5000, a Mn of 1000-4000 and Mw/Mn=1.0-1.8, wherein the dielectric material has Dk of 3.4-4.0 and Df of 0.0025-0.0050. The dielectric material is suitably used in prepregs and insulation layers of a circuit board, because it has high Tg, low thermal expansion coefficient, low moisture absorption and excellent dielectric properties such as Dk and Df. |
| US09455066B2 |
Dielectric heat-transfer fluid
Provided is a use of a vegetable oil high in monounsaturates as dielectric and heat-transfer fluid in a device for the generation, storage, conversion and/or distribution of electrical energy. |
| US09455061B2 |
Carbon nanofiber dispersion liquid, coating composition, and paste composition
A carbon nanofiber dispersion liquid having an excellent dispersibility and dispersion stability. Also, coating paste compositions including the carbon nanofibers produced by using the dispersion liquid are provided. The carbon nanofiber dispersion liquid includes: a solvent; a carbon nanofiber; an alkanolamine; and a chelating agent. Preferably, in the carbon nanofiber dispersion liquid, the alkanolamine is at least one selected from a group consisting of monoisopropanolamine, diisopropanolamine, and triisopropanolamine. Also, in the carbon nanofiber dispersion liquid, the chelating agent is at least one selected from a group consisting of an aminocarboxylic acid chelating agent, a phosphonic acid chelating agent, a gluconic acid chelating agent, and an organic acid. |
| US09455056B2 |
System and method for collecting 3He gas from heavy water nuclear reactors
A method of collecting 3He from a nuclear reactor may include the steps of a) providing heavy water at least part of which is exposed to a neutron flux of the reactor, b) providing a cover gas in fluid communication with the heavy water, c) operating the nuclear reactor whereby thermal neutron activation of deuterium in the heavy water produces tritium (3H) and at least some of the tritium produces 3He gas by β− decay and at least a portion of the 3He gas escapes from the heavy water and mixes with the cover gas, d) extracting an outlet gas stream, the outlet gas stream comprising a mixture of the cover gas and the 3He gas and e) separating the 3He gas from the outlet gas stream. |
| US09455054B2 |
Radioactive cesium adsorbent, method for producing the same, and method for removing radioactive cesium in environment with said adsorbent
The present invention relates to a radioactive cesium adsorbent, a method for producing the same, and a method for decontaminating the environment from radioactive cesium with the adsorbent. The radioactive cesium adsorbent of the present invention includes a hydrophilic fiber substrate supporting a Prussian blue analog, in particular, Prussian blue, and the Prussian blue analog is immobilized in the inside of the fibers. |
| US09455051B1 |
Compensation circuit and compensation method
Provided is a compensation circuit including a memory cell array including a normal area and a redundancy area for repairing defects occurred in the normal area, a compensation time control circuit that activates a compensation start signal for a sense amplifier coupled to the normal area and the redundancy area in response to an active command, and a compensation control signal generation circuit that starts a compensation operation in response to the compensation start signal, and stops a compensation start signal for a sense amplifier coupled to an unselected word line in response to a fuse compare completion pulse and a compare address. |
| US09455050B2 |
Failure diagnosis circuit
A failure diagnosis circuit includes a multiplexer and a controller. The multiplexer receives address signals, and selectively outputs one of the address signals to an addressable module in response to a selecting signal. The controller generates a first one of address signals and the selecting signal. A built-in self-test circuit generates the second address signal. The addressable module includes addressable components responsive to the address signal. The controller processes the output of the addressable module responsive to the address signal to make a failure diagnosis. The built-in self-test circuit performs signature analysis on the read out output of the addressable module. |
| US09455049B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and method of testing the same
A semiconductor memory device may include: a memory cell array including first and second word lines coupled to first and second memory cells, respectively; a word line driving unit suitable for selectively driving the first and second word lines; and a test control unit suitable for enabling the first word line to write test data to the first memory cell, and enabling the second word line to write the test data to the second memory cell, during a test operation. |
| US09455046B2 |
Adaptive analog-to-digital conversion based on signal prediction
Methods and apparatuses are described for performing adaptive analog-to-digital conversion and time-to-delay conversion by using signal prediction to adjust reference voltages of adjustable comparators. |
| US09455045B1 |
Controlling operation of a timing device using an OTP NVM to store timing device configurations in a RAM
The present invention provides a method and apparatus that includes a timing device circuit for generating a timing signal, a RAM coupled to the timing device circuit, an OTP NVM and selection logic. The RAM is operable upon receiving a burn address to read configuration data in the RAM beginning at the burn address and the OTP NVM is operable to burn the configuration data read from RAM into the OTP NVM. The OTP NVM is configured to read configuration data in the OTP NVM and the RAM is configured to store the configuration data from the OTP NVM beginning at an address in the RAM corresponding to a read start address to define a timing device configuration in the RAM. |
| US09455044B2 |
Semiconductor memory device performing program and program verify operation on the memory cell array including pass/fail check on the program operation
A semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells, a peripheral circuit performing a program pulse applying operation and a verify operation on the memory cell array, a pass/fail check circuit performing a pass/fail check operation on a program operation including the program pulse applying operation and the verify operation, and a control logic controlling the peripheral circuit and the pass/fall check circuit to perform the pass/fail check operation during the program pulse applying operation. |
| US09455039B2 |
Charge pump system for reducing output ripple and peak current
A charge pump system includes a plurality of pump units, a control circuit, and a detection circuit. The plurality of pump units are used for generating a pump output voltage. The control circuit is coupled to the plurality of pump units and is used for controlling each pump unit of the plurality of pump units. The detection circuit is coupled to the control circuit and the plurality of pump units and is used for detecting the pump output voltage. When the pump output voltage is greater than a predetermined value, the detection circuit generates and latches a control signal to enable the control circuit. After the control circuit is enabled, when the pump output voltage is detected to be smaller than the predetermined value, the detection circuit generates a first pump enable signal to the control circuit for enabling a first pump unit of the plurality of pump units. |
| US09455038B2 |
Storage module and method for using healing effects of a quarantine process
A storage module and method are provided for using healing effects of a quarantine process. In one embodiment, a storage module is provided comprising a controller and a memory. The controller is configured to identify a set of memory cells in the memory that contains a bit error rate above a threshold, wherein the bit error rate is above the threshold due to trapped charge in dielectrics of the memory cells. The controller is also configured to quarantine the set of memory cells for a period of time, wherein while the set of memory cells is quarantined, heat generated by the storage module anneals the set of memory cells to at least partially remove the trapped charge. |
| US09455035B2 |
Management of memory refresh power consumption
Embodiments include a system, an apparatus, a device, and a method. The apparatus includes a processor, a dynamic memory, and a hardware-implemented memory control circuit. The hardware-implemented control circuit includes a control circuit for establishing an extended refresh period of the dynamic memory based at least in part on a monitored result that indicates an occurrence of a memory loss in the dynamic memory. The hardware-implemented control circuit also includes a control circuit for causing a refresh of the dynamic memory during each of at least two extended refresh periods. |
| US09455032B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit device including a leakage current sensing unit and method of operating the same
A semiconductor integrated circuit device and a system including the same, configured for sensing a pure leakage current of a cell array and improving a read error is disclosed. The system a controller and a memory configured to interface with the controller. The memory includes a semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a leakage current sensing unit configured to sense a pure leakage current of a cell array according to a command of the controller; and a determination circuit unit configured to compare a voltage level of an input node with a reference voltage and determine a state of read data while in a read mode. The voltage level of the input node is decided by comparing an output current and a read current and the output current is decided by summing the pure leakage current and a reference current. |
| US09455030B1 |
Method and apparatus for performing signal processing on a crossbar array of resistive memory devices
Invention provides an apparatus and method for performing signal processing on a crossbar array of resistive memory devices. The invention is implemented using one or multiple crossbar arrays of resistive memory devices in conjunction with devices for converting input real number representations to voltage waveforms, devices for converting current waveforms into voltage waveforms, and devices for converting voltage waveforms to real numbers outputs. |
| US09455029B2 |
Threshold voltage analysis
Apparatuses and methods for threshold voltage analysis are described. One or more methods for threshold voltage analysis include storing expected state indicators corresponding to a group of memory cells, applying a first sensing voltage to a selected access line to which the group of memory cells is coupled, sensing whether at least one of the memory cells of the group conducts responsive to the first sensing voltage, determining whether a discharge indicator for the at least one of the memory cells has changed responsive to application of the first sensing voltage, and determining that the first sensing voltage is the threshold voltage for a particular program state of the at least one of the memory cells. |
| US09455026B2 |
Shared global read and write word lines
An apparatus includes an array of bit cells that include a first row of bit cells and a second row of bit cells. The apparatus also includes a first global read word line configured to be selectively coupled to the first row of bit cells and to the second row of bit cells. The apparatus further includes a second global read word line configured to be selectively coupled to the first row of bit cells and to the second row of bit cells. The apparatus also includes a global write word line configured to be selectively coupled to the first row of bit cells and to the second row of bit cells. The first global read word line, the second global read word line, and the global write word line are located in a common metal layer. |
| US09455022B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit device
There is provided a semiconductor integrated circuit device that can generate a unique ID with the suppression of overhead. When a unique ID is generated, the potential of a word line of a memory cell in an SRAM is raised above the power supply voltage of the SRAM, and then lowered below the power supply voltage of the SRAM. When the potential of the word line is above the power supply voltage of the SRAM, the same data is supplied to both the bit lines of the memory cell. Thereby, the memory cell in the SRAM is put into an undefined state and then changed so as to hold data according to characteristics of elements or the like configuring the memory cell. In the manufacture of the SRAM, there occur variations in characteristics of elements or the like configuring the memory cell. Accordingly, the memory cell in the SRAM holds data according to variations occurring in the manufacture. |
| US09455017B2 |
Storage control device, storage device, information processing system, and storage control method
A storage control device includes: a partial unit buffer configured to hold at least one data assigned to a partial unit, in which the partial unit is one of a plurality of partial units that are each a division of a write unit for a memory; and a request generation section configured to generate, upon indication of a busy state in the memory for any of the partial units, a write request for the write unit of the memory when the holding of the data assigned to that partial unit is possible in the partial unit buffer. |
| US09455015B2 |
High temperature data retention in magnetoresistive random access memory
Techniques and circuits for storing and retrieving data using spin-torque magnetic memory cells as anti-fuses are presented. Circuits are included to allow higher-magnitude voltages and currents to be applied to magnetic memory cells to intentionally break down the dielectric layer included the magnetic tunnel junction. Magnetic memory cells having a normal-resistance magnetic tunnel junction with an intact dielectric layer are used to store a first data state, and magnetic memory cells having a magnetic tunnel junction with a broken-down dielectric layer are used to store a second data state. Data can be stored in such a manner during wafer probe and then later read out directly or copied into other magnetic or non-magnetic memory on the device for use in operations after the device is included in a system. |
| US09455010B1 |
Video storage and video playing
In an approach for storing frames of a video, a computer divides a video into one or more frames. The computer identifies a frame type associated with an individual frame within the divided one or more frames, wherein the identified frame type includes one of the following: an I-frame, a B-frame, and a P-frame. The computer stores the individual frame within a corresponding storage location based on the associated identified frame type. |
| US09455009B2 |
Operating characteristics of a semiconductor device
Provided is a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes memory blocks including select transistors electrically coupled to local select lines and memory cells electrically coupled to local word lines, a first connection circuit configured to electrically couple the local select lines of a selected memory block and global select lines according to a block select signal, and formed in a first well region of a substrate, and a second connection circuit configured to electrically couple the local word lines of the selected memory block and global word lines according to the block selection signal, and formed in a second well region of the substrate. |
| US09455004B2 |
Multiple retry reads in a read channel of a memory
An apparatus having a circuit and a decoder is disclosed. The circuit is configured to adjust an initial one of a plurality of reference voltages in a read channel of a memory by shifting the initial reference voltage an amount toward a center of a window and read a codeword from the memory a number of times. The window bounds a sweep of the reference voltages. Each retry of the reads uses a respective reference voltage from a pattern of the reference voltages. The pattern is symmetrically spaced about the initial reference voltage. The pattern fits in the window. The decoder is configured to generate read data by performing an iterative decoding procedure on the codeword based on the reads. |
| US09454993B1 |
System capable of integrating user-entered game event data with corresponding video data
A mobile application is disclosed enabling a first sporting event spectator to efficiently record game actions and a second sporting event spectator to simultaneously record real-time video of the game actions. Using a mobile device having a touch screen, the first user can efficiently, and with limited user interaction, indicate fast paced game actions of players engaged in a sport. Using a separate mobile device, or a video system in communication with a network, the second user can record video of a presently occurring game in which the game actions occur. A system in communication with the first and second users' devices can receive indications of game actions, and receive video of the game, and associate each indicated game action with a portion of the video of the game action. The system may, for example, use these associations to generate an index that enables users to view descriptions of the game actions and jump to corresponding video clips. |
| US09454992B2 |
Method and system to play linear video in variable time frames
According to some embodiments, a method and apparatus are provided to receive a video media file comprising a first time-based portion divided into a plurality of sub-portions and receive information comprising a start time associated with each of the plurality of sub-portions, a duration associated with each of the plurality of sub portions, and a level of detail associated with each of the plurality of sub portions. A portion of the video media file is output based on the received information. |
| US09454990B1 |
System and method of conducting in-place write operations in a shingled magnetic recording (SMR) drive
A system and method is described that allows random write operations regions utilizing shingled magnetic recording. The method includes receiving a request to re-write a logical block address (LBA) with new data, wherein the LBA is mapped to a physical block address (PBA) on a storage medium. The method further includes determining whether the data is eligible for a write-in place update wherein the data is written to an area of the I-region that has previously been written with shingled data tracks, wherein the eligibility determination is based on a mapping list of LBAs to PBAs. The method also includes writing the new data to the area of the I-region determined to be eligible for a write-in place update, wherein writing the new data further includes writing management information to the I-region that identifies a starting LBA of the write-in place update, and a length of the write-in place update. |
| US09454986B2 |
Laser optical power monitoring using thermal sensor of a head transducer
A light source is configured to produce light, a waveguide is optically coupled to the light source and configured to direct the light to an intended focus location, and a slider is configured to use the light as an energy source for heating a region of a magnetic recording medium. A thermal sensor is situated on the slider at a location outside of a light path that includes the intended focus location. The thermal sensor is configured for sensing a short time constant change in temperature resulting from light source heating of the thermal sensor, wherein the sensed change in thermal sensor temperature is representative of optical intensity of the light delivered to the intended focus location. |
| US09454976B2 |
Efficient discrimination of voiced and unvoiced sounds
A method is disclosed for discriminating voiced and unvoiced sounds in speech. The method detects characteristic waveform features of voiced and unvoiced sounds, by applying integral and differential functions to the digitized sound signal in the time domain. Laboratory tests demonstrate extremely high reliability in separating voiced and unvoiced sounds. The method is very fast and computationally efficient. The method enables voice activation in resource-limited and battery-limited devices, including mobile devices, wearable devices, and embedded controllers. The method also enables reliable command identification in applications that recognize only predetermined commands. The method is suitable as a pre-processor for natural language speech interpretation, improving recognition and responsiveness. The method enables realtime coding or compression of speech according to the sound type, improving transmission efficiency. |
| US09454974B2 |
Systems, methods, and apparatus for gain factor limiting
The range of disclosed configurations includes methods in which subbands of a speech signal are separately encoded, with the excitation of a first subband being derived from a second subband. Gain factors are calculated to indicate a time-varying relation between envelopes of the original first subband and of the synthesized first subband. The gain factors are quantized, and quantized values that exceed the pre-quantized values are re-coded. |
| US09454971B2 |
Method and apparatus for compressing and decompressing a higher order ambisonics signal representation
Higher Order Ambisonics (HOA) represents a complete sound field in the vicinity of a sweet spot, independent of loudspeaker set-up. The high spatial resolution requires a high number of HOA coefficients. In the invention, dominant sound directions are estimated and the HOA signal representation is decomposed into dominant directional signals in time domain and related direction information, and an ambient component in HOA domain, followed by compression of the ambient component by reducing its order. The reduced-order ambient component is transformed to the spatial domain, and is perceptually coded together with the directional signals. At receiver side, the encoded directional signals and the order-reduced encoded ambient component are perceptually decompressed, the perceptually decompressed ambient signals are transformed to an HOA domain representation of reduced order, followed by order extension. The total HOA representation is recomposed from the directional signals, the corresponding direction information, and the original-order ambient HOA component. |
| US09454970B2 |
Processing multichannel audio signals
In order to enable audio applications for a mobile device that utilize more than one audio input, a peripheral audio device is provided for encoding multichannel audio signals into a reduced number of channels. The peripheral audio device receives audio signals from an audio input/output device, generates at least one output audio signal by combining the received audio signals, and transmits the at least one generated output audio signal to the mobile device. The number of received audio signals is greater than the number of generated output audio signals. |
| US09454969B2 |
Multichannel audio coding
Multiple channels of audio are combined either to a monophonic composite signal or to multiple channels of audio along with related auxiliary information from which multiple channels of audio are reconstructed, including improved downmixing of multiple audio channels to a monophonic audio signal or to multiple audio channels and improved decorrelation of multiple audio channels derived from a monophonic audio channel or from multiple audio channels. Aspects of the disclosed invention are usable in audio encoders, decoders, encode/decode systems, downmixers, upmixers, and decorrelators. |
| US09454968B2 |
Digital audio transmitter and receiver
A method is shown for increasing the fidelity of digitally encoded audio, by an interleaving the signal step, frequency conversion step, and polynomial interpolation step along with comparison to a second, redundant signal. |
| US09454967B2 |
Apparatus and method for generating wave field synthesis signals
An apparatus and method for generating a wave field synthesis (WFS) signal in consideration of a height of a speaker are disclosed. The WFS signal generation apparatus may include a waveform propagation distance determination unit to determine a propagation distance of a waveform propagate from a sound source based on a height of a speaker, and a WFS signal generation unit to generate a WFS signal corresponding to the speaker using the propagation distance of the waveform. |
| US09454965B2 |
Content-based audio playback emphasis
Techniques are disclosed for facilitating the process of proofreading draft transcripts of spoken audio streams. In general, proofreading of a draft transcript is facilitated by playing back the corresponding spoken audio stream with an emphasis on those regions in the audio stream that are highly relevant or likely to have been transcribed incorrectly. Regions may be emphasized by, for example, playing them back more slowly than regions that are of low relevance and likely to have been transcribed correctly. Emphasizing those regions of the audio stream that are most important to transcribe correctly and those regions that are most likely to have been transcribed incorrectly increases the likelihood that the proofreader will accurately correct any errors in those regions, thereby improving the overall accuracy of the transcript. |
| US09454962B2 |
Sentence simplification for spoken language understanding
Sentence simplification may be provided. A spoken phrase may be received and converted to a text phrase. An intent associated with the text phrase may be identified. The text phrase may then be reformatted according to the identified intent and a task may be performed according to the reformatted text phrase. |
| US09454959B2 |
Method and apparatus for passive data acquisition in speech recognition and natural language understanding
Speech recognition systems often process speech by employing models and analyzing audio data. An embodiment of the method and corresponding system described herein allow for passive monitoring of, for example, conversation between user(s) to determine context to use to prime model(s) for later speech recognition requests submitted to the speech recognition system. The embodiment improves the results of the speech recognition system by updating speech recognition model(s) with contextual information of the conversation. This increases the probability that the speech recognition system interprets the conversation to contextually relevant information. |
| US09454956B2 |
Sound processing device
In a sound processing device, an index value calculation unit calculates a first index value that follows change of a sound signal at a first following degree and a second index value that follows the change of the sound signal at a second following degree which is lower than the first following degree. An adjustment value calculation unit calculates an adjustment value effective to adjust a reverberation component of the sound signal based on difference between the first index value and the second index value. A reverberation adjustment unit applies the adjustment value to the sound signal. |
| US09454955B1 |
Thermo-acoustic reactor with non-thermal energy absorption in inert medium
An air, fuel, and inert fluid or liquid water mixture is injected into a resonance chamber forming micro-packets. The air and fuel mixture in the micro-packets form micro-explosions in a combustion chamber where acoustic and electromagnetic energy are absorbed by the inert fluid instead of thermal energy. A standing wave is created in the central resonance chamber by the micro-explosions. Interfering waves are in phase increasing energy in the air, fuel and water mixture. Acoustic energy is transferred from the hot combustion gases to the colder inert fluid or water. A thermal equilibrium is reached without substantial energy transfer from the hot body to the cold body. Efficient combustion is achieved with reduced carbon emissions. The heat generated from the combustion may be used to produce work by any conventional device, such as a steam engine or turbine or generate heat for a building. |
| US09454944B2 |
Display apparatus and backlight driving module
A display apparatus includes a display panel, a display driving module, a backlight module, and a backlight driving module. The backlight module includes a plurality of illumination units. The backlight driving module includes a driving circuit, a plurality of switch units, and a plurality of detecting units. Each of the switch units connects to exactly one of the illumination units, and each of the detecting units connects to exactly one of the illumination units and two of the illumination units simultaneously. When the illumination unit connected to the switch unit corresponding to the detecting unit is damaged, the detecting unit controls the connected switch unit to be turned off for cutting off an electrical connection between the driving circuit and the illumination unit corresponding to the connected switch unit, and the remaining illumination units continue to emit light. |
| US09454937B2 |
Timing controller, liquid crystal display device having the same, and driving method thereof
A timing controller capable of adjusting luminance of a maximum gradation according to an amount of white of image data to thus enhance picture quality and reduce power consumption of a liquid crystal display device, a liquid crystal display device having the same, and a driving method thereof are provided. The timing controller includes: a gamma adjusting unit for receiving image data and a plurality of driving signals input from the outside, generating a gate control signal and a data control signal according to the plurality of driving signals, adjusting luminance according to an amount of white in the image data, and generating a corresponding gamma control signal. |
| US09454934B2 |
Stage circuit and organic light emitting display device using the same
A stage circuit includes first and second supply units. The first supply unit outputs a scan signal to a first output terminal. The second supply unit outputs an emission control signal to a second output terminal. The second supply unit includes a first transistor and a second transistor. The first transistor is between a first power source and the second output terminal, and has a gate electrode coupled to a first node. The second transistor is between the second output terminal and a second power source, and has a gate electrode coupled to a second node. Third and fourth transistors are coupled in series between the first power source and first node. A gate electrode of the third transistor is coupled to the third input terminal, and a gate electrode of the fourth transistor is coupled to the sixth input terminal. |
| US09454932B2 |
Display device and method of controlling the same
Pixel circuits of a display device each include: a drive transistor including one of a source and drain connected to a power source line; a capacitive element including a first terminal connected to a gate of the drive transistor; a switching element which switches conduction/non-conduction between a second terminal of the capacitive element and a data line; a switching element which switches conduction/non-conduction between the second terminal of the capacitive element and the source of the drive transistor; a switching element which switches conduction/non-conduction between the first terminal of the capacitive element and a reference voltage line; a light-emitting element including a first terminal connected to the other of the source and drain of the drive transistor and a second terminal connected to another power source line. The reference voltage line provides a forward bias voltage larger than a threshold voltage across the gate and source of the drive transistor. |
| US09454930B2 |
Display panel
A display panel includes a flat area and a bent area bent relative to the flat area. The flat area includes a plurality of first pixels, and the bent area includes a plurality of second pixels. Each of the second pixels has an area greater than an area of each of the first pixels. |
| US09454928B2 |
Pixel circuit, active matrix apparatus and display apparatus with first and second reference potentials applied to source, and gate of drive transistor
A pixel circuit having a function of compensating for characteristic variation of an electro-optical element and threshold voltage variation of a transistor is formed from a reduced number of component elements. An input signal is sampled from a signal line so as to be held in a holding capacitor. The threshold voltage of the drive transistor is imparted to the holding capacitor in order to cancel an influence of the threshold voltage. |
| US09454927B2 |
Electro-optical device having pixel circuit and driving circuit, driving method of electro-optical device and electronic apparatus
An electro-optical device includes a first storage capacitor that has a first electrode and a second electrode, and a second storage capacitor that has a third electrode and a fourth electrode, and a first pixel circuit. The first pixel circuit includes a first transistor having a first gate, a first drain, and a first source, an electro-optical element, a second transistor through which a first data line is electrically connected to the first gate during the second transistor is in an on-state, and a third transistor through which the first gate is electrically connected to the first drain or the first source. The second electrode and the third electrode are electrically connected to the first data line. |
| US09454924B2 |
Driving method of liquid crystal display device
It is an object to provide a specific driving method for reduction in power consumption in displaying a 3D image with field sequential driving. A driving method of a liquid crystal display device is a method in which a stereoscopic image can be perceived with a liquid crystal display device switching an image for a left eye and an image for a right eye to display the image for the left eye or the image for the right eye, and a pair of glasses having a switching means with which the image for the right eye and the image for the left eye are switched in synchronization with display of the image for the left eye or the image for the right eye in order that the left or right eye of a viewer may selectively perceive the image for the left eye or the image for the right eye; the image for the left eye and the image for the right eye are perceived by the left eye or right eye in a mixed color by switching light which is emitted from a backlight portion and which corresponds to a plurality of colors, within a predetermined period, and the light which is emitted from the backlight portion are continuously emitted in accordance with an image signal of each of a plurality of colors which forms the image for the left eye and the image for the right eye. |
| US09454923B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device with short overhead time. The semiconductor device includes a first wiring supplied with a power supply potential, a second wiring, a switch for controlling electrical connection between the first wiring and the second wiring, a load electrically connected to the second wiring, a transistor whose source and drain are electrically connected to the second wiring, and a power management unit having functions of controlling the conduction state of the switch and controlling a gate potential of the transistor. A channel formation region of the transistor is included in an oxide semiconductor film. |
| US09454922B1 |
Car window visor flag stick
A car flag support which attaches to the upper edge of a car window is provided. The flag support defining an angle of about 22.5 degrees before the flag support post and the window brace portion of the support. The angle, dimensions and reinforcement regions allow the flag support to be used with window visors which extend along the upper window edge of a vehicle window. |
| US09454919B2 |
Electronic shelf label tag, electronic shelf label system for time-division transmission of display data and change command data, and operating method thereof
An electronic shelf label tag includes a communications unit configured to wirelessly communicate with an electronic shelf label repeater; a control unit configured to control operations including receiving display data including display information mapped to a display information index from the communications unit prior to a preset time, storing the display data, receiving change command data including the display information index from the communications unit after the preset time, retrieving the display information mapped to the display information index included in the change command data from the stored display data, and displaying the retrieved display information on a screen; a memory unit configured to store the display data including the display information mapped to the display information index under the control of the control unit; and a display unit configured to display the retrieved display information on the screen under the control of the control unit. |
| US09454916B2 |
Device for early teaching of mathematics
A device for visual and tactile learning in mathematics. A set is comprised of twenty-two individual clear, square counters; eleven male (11) and eleven female (12), each set numbered respectively zero through ten. Raised numbers, and dots provide a learning platform for number recognition and counting. Raised addition and equals symbols provide a platform for learning addition and subtraction. Addition can be achieved by drawing the two counters together in a locking process. Subtraction can be achieved by stacking and locking the female counter (12) over the male counter (11). |
| US09454912B2 |
Stringed instrument practice device and system
The present invention extends to practice devices and systems for practicing to play stringed instruments. An electronic stringed instrument practice device can be configured to perform one or more of the following: detect when finger positions and/or string to fret contact on a finger or fret board forms an appropriate musical note or musical chord, visually indicate appropriate positions on a finger or fret board for forming a musical note or musical chord, and detect when strings have been selected (e.g., strummed). The electronic stringed instrument practice device can emit sound in the form of musical notes and chords. The electronic stringed instrument practice device can include communication modules for communicating with other computing devices, including mobile phones and tablets. The electronic stringed instrument practice device can interact with applications on other computing devices to further assist users in learning how to play a stringed musical instrument. |
| US09454911B2 |
Flight control test simulator system and method
There is provided a flight control test simulator system and method. The system has a flight control assembly with at least one actuator and with a flight controller configured to actuate the at least one actuator. The system further has an aerodynamic load simulator coupled to the flight control assembly and configured to adjustably induce a simulated continuous aerodynamic load on the flight control assembly. The aerodynamic load simulator has a continuously adjustable spring rate constant assembly configured to adjust the spring rate constant of the induced simulated continuous aerodynamic load over a range of predetermined flight profiles. |
| US09454907B2 |
System and method for placement of sensors through use of unmanned aerial vehicles
The invention is directed toward a system and method for placing, activating, and testing sensors. The system comprises one or more server computers, one or more communication hubs, one or more unmanned aerial vehicles, and one or more sensors. The method comprises the steps of receiving geographic sensor placement locations, receiving sensor parameters, determining the geographic location of sensors, respectively sending location query signals to the unmanned aerial vehicles, respectively receiving location reply signals from the unmanned aerial vehicles, and calculating a geographic flight path for the unmanned aerial vehicles. The method also comprises calculating mission objectives and the energy needs of the unmanned aerial vehicles to complete the mission objectives. The method then determines the most efficient combination of unmanned aerial vehicles to complete the mission objectives and assigns the tasks to the unmanned aerial vehicles. The unmanned aerial vehicles place, activate, and test the sensors. |
| US09454902B2 |
Performing-time-series based predictions with projection thresholds using secondary time-series-based information stream
A prediction modeling system and computer program product for implementing forecasting models that involve numerous measurement locations, e.g., urban occupancy traffic data. The system a data volatility reduction technique based on computing a congestion threshold for each prediction location, and using that threshold in a filtering scheme. Through the use of calibration, and by obtaining an extremal or other specified solution (e.g., maximization) of empirical volume-occupancy curves as a function of the occupancy level, significant accuracy gains are achieved and at virtually no loss of important information to the end user. The calibration use quantile regression to deal with the asymmetry and scatter of the empirical data. The argmax of each empirical function is used in a unidimensional projection to essentially filter all fully congested occupancy level and treat them as a single state. |
| US09454897B2 |
RV wireless remote control
An RV wireless remote control system comprising an HMI including a GUI coupled to an HMI RF transceiver and an HMI dock connector. The HMI RF transceiver receives RV device status signals over an RF fieldbus and the HMI dock connector receives RV device status signals over an RV localbus. The HMI generates control signals in response to the status signals and/or operator input signals. The HMI transmits the control signals to the RV devices over the RF fieldbus via the HMI RF transceiver or over the RV localbus via the HMI dock connector when the HMI dock connector is connected to the RV localbus. The HMI is configured for real time distributive control of the RV devices such that the RV localbus and the RF fieldbus operate in both directions enabling closed-loop control between the HMI and the RV devices. |
| US09454894B2 |
Method for collecting information pertaining to an audio notification system
The present invention is directed towards a method for collecting information pertaining to an audio notification system comprising a plurality of audio devices and a database, wherein each of the plurality of audio devices comprises a loudspeaker and a microphone, the method comprising: sequentially for each of the plurality of audio devices: emitting, by means of the loudspeaker of a currently emitting audio device, an audible test sound; monitoring, by means of microphones of the audio devices in the system, for the audible test sound; and for each monitoring audio device, if the audible test sound is detected by the monitoring audio device, storing, in the database, information pertaining to the currently emitting audio device and information pertaining to the monitoring audio device detecting the audible test sound. |
| US09454893B1 |
Systems and methods for coordinating and administering self tests of smart home devices having audible outputs
Systems and methods for self-administering a sound test to verify operation of a speaker and/or alarm within a hazard detection system are described herein. The sound test can verify that the audible sources such as the alarm and speaker operate at the requisite loudness and frequencies. In addition, the sound test can be self-administered in that it does not require the presence of a person to initiate or verify that the audible sources are functioning properly. |
| US09454891B2 |
Lockdown apparatus for initiation of lockdown procedures at a facility during an emergency
Some embodiments are directed to a lockdown apparatus for facilitating initiation of lockdown procedures at a facility. The lockdown apparatus can include a manually operated actuator disposed at the facility and configured to transmit a lockdown initiation signal upon being manually actuated. The actuator can be configured to be recognizably distinguishable from a fire alarm actuator. The lockdown apparatus can also include a lockdown communicator configured to produce a lockdown communication for communicating initiation of lockdown procedures to the facility occupants and individuals not disposed proximate the facility upon transmission of the lockdown initiation signal, the lockdown communication being recognizably distinguishable from the fire alarm communication. The lockdown communicator can include an annunciator that communicates an audible annunciation to facility occupants upon transmission of the lockdown initiation signal, and that ceases to communicate the audible annunciation subsequent to a predetermined number of alarm cycles. |
| US09454886B2 |
Integrated circuits with radioactive source material and radiation detection
Radioactive integrated circuit (IC) devices with radioactive material embedded in the substrate of the IC itself, and including logic for “fingerprinting” (that is, determining characteristics that identify the source of the radioactive source material). Radioactive IC devices with embedded detector hardware that determine aspects of radioactivity such as total dose and/or ambient radiation. Radioactive IC devices that can determine an elapsed time based on radioactive decay rates. Radioactive smoke detector using man-made, relatively short half-life radioactive source material. |
| US09454884B1 |
Discovering object pathways in a camera network
In an approach to tracking at least one target subject in a camera network, a search is started to find a target subject on a camera within a camera network. Features are extracted from the target subject and search queries are initiated in other nearby cameras within the camera network. Search queries attempt to detect target subjects and present the finds in a ranked order. Application of aggregate searches in multiple cameras and prior search results are used to improve matching results in the camera network; propagate a search of the target subject to discover the full pathway in the camera network; and project future occurrences of the target subject in subsequent cameras in the camera network. |
| US09454883B2 |
Detection device
A device for the detection of an open and unattended closure of an enclosure to prevent theft comprises a detector adapted to detect if the closure is open and a detector adapted to detect if the closure is unattended, the detectors being operably connected to an effector adapted to alert a user to the open and unattended condition of the closure. |
| US09454878B2 |
Gaming systems with configurable jackpot award strategies
A gaming machine includes an input device and a processor coupled to the input device. The input device is configured to receive a game play event from a player. The processor is programmed to determine whether a jackpot trigger condition is satisfied based at least in part on the game play event. The jackpot trigger condition includes a target quantity of games played, a target set of game tokens, a target pattern of game symbols, and/or a target pattern of game play outcomes. The processor is further programmed to award a jackpot credit to one or more players when the jackpot trigger condition is satisfied. |
| US09454877B2 |
Game and gaming machine having bingo-type bonus event
A main or base game has an associated bingo-type matching bonus game or event. The main or base game may have a winning outcome with an associated base award. Upon the occurrence of certain events, such as matches of symbols used in the main game, one or more bonus indicia, such as bingo balls, are generated. These bonus indicia are compared to a player's bonus indicia, such as bingo numbers on a player's bingo card, for matching. If one or more designated matches, such as matching patterns, are achieved, the player may be awarded a bonus event award. |
| US09454874B2 |
System for validating wagering game data
Systems for validating wagering game data are described herein. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes an application program configured to transmit a request for wagering game data. The apparatus can also include a wagering game data security controller configured to detect the request. The wagering game data security controller can include a wagering game data processor configured to fetch the wagering game data and a reference value from a data store. The wagering game data security controller can also include a wagering game data validator configured to compute a comparison value based on the wagering game data, and to determine whether the comparison value is equal to the reference value. The wagering game data security controller can also include a notifier unit configured to present a notification if the comparison value is not equal to the reference value. |
| US09454871B2 |
Controlling application data in wagering game systems
A wagering game system configured to perform operations including receiving application data provided from multiple applications on a wagering game machine. The application data can indicate needs by the multiple applications to present content on the wagering game machine. The operations can also include prioritizing the presentation of the content based on control rules that govern interoperability between the multiple applications. The operations can also include determining access rights, subscription levels, or other limitations on the multiple applications to present the content and access to each other's application data. The operations can further include presenting controls so that player accounts can modify the manner or priority of presenting the content. |
| US09454868B2 |
System and method for vending products
A vending machine comprising two or more compartmentalized storage units (CSUs), each comprising a compartment array configured for accommodating items in different compartments of the grid. The items are independently accessible; a retrieval system configured for accessing the compartments to retrieve an item and providing it to a desired location within the vending machine, other than its respective compartment; a controller associated with an items map indicative of the content and location of the items within the compartment array of the CSU. The controller is configured for operating the retrieval system to access an item based on the items map; The controller is further configured for receive an indication of the location of an first empty compartment, which contains no item therein, in a first CSU, to transfer a first item from a second compartment of a second CSU to the first empty compartment; and to update the items map to indicate that the second compartment is empty and that the first item is located at the first compartment. |
| US09454862B2 |
Cash box having a movable base tray
A cash box (10) has a housing (12) and a base tray (16) arranged within the housing. The base tray (16) delimits a receiving area (28) for receiving a value note stack (22). The base tray (16) is movable relative to the housing (12) between a removal position and a retracted position. |
| US09454858B2 |
Authenticating a user on behalf of another user based upon a unique body signature determined through bone conduction signals
Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for spoofing bone conduction signals. According to one aspect, a device can compare a first unique body signature associated with a first user to a second unique body signature associated with a second user to determine a first unique effect of a first body of the first user on a signal and a second unique effect of a second body of the second user on the signal. The device can generate an authentication signal based upon the first unique effect and the second unique effect to include signal characteristics that, after propagating through the first body of the first user, are representative of the second unique body signature. The device can transmit the authentication signal through the first body of the first user to an authentication device that authenticates the first user on behalf of the second user. |
| US09454856B2 |
Liquefied petroleum gas tank leak detection systems and methods
A leak detection system of a vehicle includes a first minimum module, a first maximum module, a difference module, and a diagnostic module. The first minimum module, at a first time, determines a first minimum amount of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in an LPG tank based on a first level of LPG in the LPG tank. The first maximum module, at a second time after the first time, determines a first maximum amount of LPG in the LPG tank based on a second level of LPG in the LPG tank. The difference module determines a difference between the first minimum amount, the first maximum amount, and an amount of LPG consumed by an engine between the first and second times. The diagnostic module selectively indicates that a leak is present in the LPG tank based on the difference. |
| US09454853B2 |
Electronic security patrol compliance systems and methods for institutional facility
Electronic systems for verifying completion of security patrols include primary and secondary identifier elements distributed along a predetermined route of the security patrol. A portable electronic device is configured to confirm an officer's presence at each of the primary and secondary identifier element locations. The primary identifier element is machine readable while the secondary identifier element requires operator input to confirm the location. |
| US09454852B2 |
Electronic access authorization and method for its use
An electronic access authorization system maintains location-dependent and/or time-dependent validity data which can be read out wirelessly by an access control device (4), which data can be acquired online or, in the case of an accreditation, can be requested online as a special form of access authorization, and which can be transferred following successful issuance in electronic form to an electronic terminal (1) of a user. Changes, on the part of the issuer of the access authorization, to the validity data of the access authorization can be transferred via a data communication connection between a server (2) of the issuer of the access authorization and the electronic terminal (1) to the electronic access authorization stored in the electronic terminal (1) and displayed on a display device (5) of the electronic terminal. |
| US09454849B2 |
Augmented reality playspaces with adaptive game rules
A system for generating a virtual gaming environment based on features identified within a real-world environment, and adapting the virtual gaming environment over time as the features identified within the real-world environment change is described. Utilizing the technology described, a person wearing a head-mounted display device (HMD) may walk around a real-world environment and play a virtual game that is adapted to that real-world environment. For example, the HMD may identify environmental features within a real-world environment such as five grassy areas and two cars, and then spawn virtual monsters based on the location and type of the environmental features identified. The location and type of the environmental features identified may vary depending on the particular real-world environment in which the HMD exists and therefore each virtual game may look different depending on the particular real-world environment. |
| US09454845B2 |
Shadow contouring process for integrating 2D shadow characters into 3D scenes
Systems and processes for contouring 2D shadow characters in 3D CGI scenes are provided. A simplified drawing surface may be added to a CGI scene and displayed from a first perspective to approximate a major surface where a shadow character may be located. A drawn shadow character may be received on the simplified drawing surface. A naturally-cast reference shadow of a corresponding 3D modeled character may be provided on the drawing surface to aid artists in developing the shadow character. An image of the drawn shadow character may be captured from a second perspective at the primary light source. The simplified drawing surface and drawn shadow character may be removed from the scene. The captured shadow character image may be projected into the scene from the second perspective, contouring naturally to object surfaces. The scene, including the shadow character, may be captured from a third perspective. |
| US09454842B2 |
Partition of a 3D scene into a plurality of zones processed by a computing resource
The invention is directed to a computer-implemented method for partitioning a three-dimensional scene into a plurality of zones, each zone being processed by a computing resource. The method comprises providing a three-dimensional scene comprising one or more objects, each object generating a computing resource cost; determining a set of locations in the three-dimensional scene; filling each location with its maximum occupancy of objects that reaches the most expensive computing cost; computing, for each location of the three-dimensional scene, the maximum computing cost density; and grouping adjacent locations into one or more zones, each zone having a resulting computing cost density guarantying a real-time performance of the zone. |
| US09454839B2 |
Method and apparatus for expressing rigid area based on expression control points
A method and apparatus for expressing a rigid area based on expression control points that express a motion change of the rigid area with respect to an input expression. The method and apparatus express the rigid area by interpolating a change of expression of an avatar using a weight applied to an expression vector related to a plurality of expression samples to express the input expression and also using a transformation matrix set corresponding to the rigid area of each of the plurality of expression samples. |
| US09454838B2 |
Multi-character authoring interface for large scale animations
Various of the disclosed embodiments relate to systems and methods for providing animated multimedia, e.g. animated shows, to an audience over a network. Particularly, some embodiments provide systems and methods for generating and providing audio, animation, and other experience-related information so that user's may readily experience the content in a seamless manner (e.g., as an audience member watching a show, playing a video game, etc.). Various embodiments animate “to the audience” based, e.g., on what content the audience is consuming. The animations may be generated in real-time from constituent components and assets in response to user behavior. |
| US09454837B2 |
Image processing apparatus, method, and computer-readable storage medium calculating size and position of one of an entire person and a part of a person in an image
There is provided an image processing apparatus including: a detecting unit detecting one of an entire person and a part of a person in an image produced by image data acquired by image pickup by an imaging unit; a position/size calculating unit calculating a size and a position of the detected one of the entire person and the part of the person in the image; and a GUI disposing unit disposing graphical user interface (GUI) elements, which are to be displayed by being superimposed on the image produced by the image data, on the image based on the calculated size and position. |
| US09454833B2 |
Data visualization methods
A method for creating a graphical representation of data is performed at an electronic device having one or more processors and memory. The device receives a finite set of data points and calculates a respective conical distribution for each respective data point centered on the respective data point and based on a respective data value. Each conical distribution comprises a set of locations and a unique distribution value corresponding to each location. The device determines that a first data value of a first data point is less than a distribution value for a second data point. The distribution value has a location that corresponds to the first data point. Based on that determination, the device calculates an inverse conical distribution in a region around the first data point. The device combines the conical distributions and inverse conical distributions to display a data visualization that includes each of the data points. |
| US09454810B2 |
Correcting chrominance values based onTone-mapped luminance values
A tone mapping unit applies tone mapping to a block of pixel values. In each of a plurality of iterations, one or more lines of pixel values are processed based on information relating to pixel values of at least one previous line of the block which have been processed in at least one previous iteration. The information is used to determine one or more tone mapping relationships which is/are used to map the pixel values of the current line to tone-mapped pixel values. Furthermore, the information is updated based on the pixel values of the current line and stored for use in processing pixel values of a subsequent line of pixel values of the block in a subsequent iteration. |
| US09454808B2 |
Pattern processing apparatus, pattern processing method, and pattern processing program
A pattern processing apparatus includes an acquisition unit, an adjacent element identification unit, a connection unit, and an assigning unit. The acquisition unit acquires a pattern image in which pattern elements are arrayed in a grid, together with coordinate information of the pattern elements. The adjacent element identification unit identifies, for each of the pattern elements thus acquired, adjacent elements, in at least two directions, each having the shortest distance to the each of the pattern elements. The distances between the each of the pattern elements and other pattern elements are calculated using the coordinate information. The connection unit connects and groups, as a connected component, the pattern elements that are adjacent to one another. The assigning unit assigns position information in the array in order from the pattern element which is a starting point, among the pattern elements included in the connected component, according to a predetermined regularity. |
| US09454806B2 |
Efficient approximate-nearest-neighbor (ANN) search for high-quality collaborative filtering
A computer implemented method of performing an approximate-nearest-neighbor search is disclosed. The method comprises dividing an image into a plurality of tiles. Further, for each of the plurality of tiles, perform the following in parallel on a processor: (a) dividing image patches into a plurality of clusters, wherein each cluster comprises similar images patches, and wherein the dividing continues recursively until a size of a cluster is below a threshold value; (b) performing a nearest-neighbor query within each of the plurality of clusters; and (c) performing collaborative filtering in parallel for each image patch, wherein the collaborative filtering aggregates and processes nearest neighbor image patches from a same cluster containing a respective image patch to form an output image. |
| US09454805B2 |
Method and apparatus for reducing noise of image
An apparatus and method for reducing noise of an image are provided. The apparatus includes: a temporal noise reduction unit configured to remove temporal noise from an input frame by adjusting a temporal noise reduction intensity of the input frame based on a pixel-based motion degree and a block-based motion degree that are detected from the input frame and a reference frame and generate a first output frame; and a spatial noise reduction unit configured to remove spatial noise from the first output frame by adjusting a spatial noise reduction intensity of the first output frame based on similarity between peripheral pixels of the first output frame and the pixel-based motion degree and the block-based motion degree, thereby to generate a final output frame. |
| US09454799B2 |
Device and control method for the device
An electronic device including a display unit configured to display a letterbox in a letterbox region and an image in an image display region; and a controller configured to display a guide image at a boundary portion between the letterbox region and the image display region, and change display sizes of the letterbox region and the image display region based on a movement of the guide image. |
| US09454795B2 |
Image optimized rolling cache system
An image optimized rolling cache system extracts pixel information and address information of a corresponding pixel from an input image to store the extracted pixel information and the extracted address information, and processes the image by applying a vertical rolling mechanism or a horizontal rolling mechanism using the stored information. |
| US09454794B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and program
Provided is an image processing apparatus, including, a memory unit that stores an input image and read the input image as first image second images, an acquiring unit that acquires an up-conversion line that is a line of pixels used for up conversion from the first and second images, an up-converting unit that performs up conversion using pixels of the up-conversion line, and generate first and second up-converted images obtained by up converting the first and second images, and a generating unit that writes the first and second up-converted images in first and second memory blocks, reads pixels of the first and second up-converted images written in the first and second memory blocks in a certain order decided according to a scan method of a display device configured to display an output image obtained by up converting the input image, and generates the output image according to the scan method. |
| US09454791B2 |
Apparatus and method for generating a fingerprint and identifying a three-dimensional model
A method for matching a first three-dimensional (3D) model includes obtaining 3D source information of a second 3D model, the 3D source information including a plurality of physical characteristics of the second 3D model, determining a plurality of factors of the second 3D model based on the obtained 3D source information, obtaining a first 3D fingerprint of the first 3D model from a memory, the first 3D fingerprint comprising a plurality of factors associated with the first 3D model, comparing the plurality of factors of the second 3D model to the plurality of factors of the first 3D fingerprint, providing information of a match confidence level between the first 3D model and the second 3D model based on the comparison, and storing a second 3D fingerprint of the second 3D model in the memory, the second 3D fingerprint including the determined plurality of factors of the second 3D model. |
| US09454787B1 |
Secure membership data sharing system and associated methods
A system for managing the utilization of personal proprietary information in social media is disclosed. In various embodiments, the system provides an interface between databases that facilitates the processing and sharing of private information that allows access to personal proprietary information used to confirm or disaffirm the personal vitals in multiple social media contexts. This system allows a user to access databases to access personal information for the user's individual use and individual purposes in social media. This system sets forth the ease and effectiveness of the interface allocable between multiple users, business as well as private individuals, within the parameters of the goal of the system to provide users with options for their specific and intended use. The system integrates databases to allow easy access and centralized storage of requested information for dissemination of user information in social media by every user in a membership capacity with other members. |
| US09454786B1 |
Encouraging safe driving using a remote vehicle starter and personalized insurance rates
A method of encouraging safe driving of a vehicle using a remote starter device installed at a vehicle is provided. The remote starter device may determine whether it is in signal communication with a remote starter application operating at a mobile computing device separate from the remote starter device. When the remote starter device is in signal communication with the remote starter application, the remote starter device may permit ignition of the vehicle. When the remote starter device is not in signal communication with the remote starter application, the remote starter device may prevent ignition of the vehicle. The driver of the vehicle may be identified and a vehicle telematics device installed at the vehicle may provide vehicle telematics data to an insurance underwriting system. A personalized insurance rate for the driver may be determined based, at least in part, on the vehicle telematics data. |
| US09454778B2 |
Automating capacity upgrade on demand
A mechanism is provide for automating capacity upgrade on demand. Responsive to a usage of an originally allocated resource exceeding an upper predetermined threshold, access to an additional resource is temporarily allocated. A trial time counter is initiated to track a time of access to the additional resource. A user of the logical partition is alerted that the additional resource is being accessed. Responsive to the user failing to license the additional resource, a determination is made as to whether a value of the trial time counter has exceeded a predetermined trial time period value. Responsive to the value of the trial time counter exceeding the predetermined trial time period value, access to the additional resource is deactivated. |
| US09454770B2 |
Method and system of publishing campaign data
One embodiment of the invention provides a method of publishing campaign metadata from a database to a plurality of channel systems, the method includes: querying the database to select campaign metadata ready for publishing to a target channel system; selecting the target channel system from a plurality of channel systems based on an target indicating attribute of the campaign metadata; determining whether the target channel system has a SOAP enabled webservice API or whether the target channel system only accepts HTTP posts; if the target channel system has a SOAP enabled webservice API, packaging the campaign metadata as an XML message object; if the target channel system only accepts HTTP posts, packaging the campaign metadata as an HTML request; and transferring the packaged campaign metadata to the target channel system. |
| US09454768B2 |
Method and system for estimating a price of a trip based on transaction data
A computer-implemented method for estimating a price of a candidate trip based on transaction data is provided. The method includes generating a profile associated with a first cardholder, based at least in part on stored first transaction data associated with one or more purchases made by the first cardholder through a payment network. The profile indicates a spending trend of the first cardholder. The method additionally includes determining a price paid by at least a second cardholder for a reference trip, based at least in part on second transaction data stored in one or more memory devices. The second transaction data is associated with purchases made by the second cardholder through the payment network during the reference trip. Additionally, the method includes determining an estimated price for the candidate trip for the first cardholder by adjusting the price paid based at least in part on the spending trend of the first cardholder. |
| US09454760B2 |
Natural language processing (NLP) and natural language generation (NLG) based on user context for enhanced contact center communication
Contact centers may incorporate automated agents to respond to inquiries. The inquiries may solicit a substantive response, for example, by providing a time when the inquiry asks for the departure time for a flight. Such responses omit the normal conversational subject matter used to embellish person-to-person conversations and appear are very machine-like. Herein, a source of user context, such as a social media website, customer database, or other data, is accessed. Certain aspects of the customer may then be identified and used to embellish the reply with additional and/or alternative content. As a result, the reply may be more conversational. |
| US09454753B2 |
Friendly funding source
A user can select one or more friendly funding sources to make a payment. The friendly funding sources are pre-approved by a “friend” of the user and have restrictions for use. When the user desires to make a payment, the user sees one or more friendly funding sources and can choose any combination of friendly funding sources and conventional funding sources for making the payment. |
| US09454752B2 |
Reload protocol at a transaction processing entity
A transponder-reader payment system includes a fob including a transponder, and a RFID reader for interrogating the transponder. In exemplary operation, the fob identifying information may be presented to the RFID reader for completion of a transaction request. The transaction request may be provided to a fob issuer system which retrieves a value for satisfying the transaction request from a fob associated transaction data file. The issuer system may deplete the transaction data file in accordance with the transaction request and replenish the data file in accordance with fob user or fob issuer defined reload protocol. |
| US09454748B2 |
System and method for data management
A method for the management of data collected from a remote computing device including the steps of: creating a questionnaire; transmitting the questionnaire to a remote computer; executing the questionnaire in the remote computer to prompt a user for responses to questions of the questionnaire; transmitting the responses to a sever via a network; making the responses available on the Web. Preferably, computers used in connection with the inventive method are loosely networked in that network connections between computers are not always available and, when a connection is not available, data is stored at a node of the network and transmitted at the earliest time when a connection is available. In one preferred embodiment, the inventive method is used to collect survey data and to make the responses to the survey available to a client in virtually real time over the Internet. |
| US09454745B2 |
System and method of tracking vehicles within a parking lot using RFID tags
A system and method of tracking vehicles stored within a parking lot using RFID tags is disclosed. The method includes creating a record of a vehicle, where the record includes information associated with the vehicle. The method further includes assigning an RFID tag to the record associated with the vehicle, attaching the RFID tag to the vehicle, detecting the RFID tag using a first interrogator, and determining a new geographic location of the first interrogator contemporaneously with detecting the RFID tag. In addition, the method may include recording video of the vehicle, where the video includes a video record of each time when the vehicle is moved. The method includes assigning the new geographic location of the RFID tag when the RFID tag is no longer detected by the first interrogator and updating the record with the new geographic location of the RFID tag and the vehicle. |
| US09454744B2 |
Asset tracking in process control environments
An asset tracking system for use in a process control environment may include one or more asset tracking devices and an asset tracking host. The asset tracking device may receive signals corresponding to a position or location of an asset to be tracked, and may communicate, using an industrial automation protocol such as wireless HART, an indication of the position to the asset tracking host. The signals may be GPS signals that are re-radiated into the process control environment. Other information, such as environmental data, may be communicated in conjunction with the position of the asset. The asset tracking host may store and/or display the data or information included in the message, and may send a different message to the asset tracking device. An asset tracking device may be included in a field device, a network device, or a portable communications device used in the process control environment. |
| US09454743B2 |
Methods and apparatus for simulating risk tolerance and associated adversary costs in a distributed business process
Methods and apparatus for simulating risk tolerance and associated adversary costs in a distributed business process are disclosed. The methods and apparatus simulate an interdependent business process, such as a financial transaction system, in a secure distributed manner. Each business entity that is part of the interdependent business process models itself on a local client device at any chosen level of detail. A simulation server connects the separate client based simulations into one large simulation. Details of each local simulation may be hidden from other simulation participants. However, interruptions in business flow caused by simulated disruptions introduced at the simulation server and/or a client device are propagated to all of the effected simulation participants via the simulation server. In addition, the simulation server receives inputs from users indicative of risk tolerance levels and associated response actions. If the operational costs imposed by a selected response action are greater than a deterrence threshold associated with a particular adversary, the adversary is not deterred from causing a certain disruption to the simulated competitive market environment. If the operational costs imposed by a selected response action are greater than the deterrence threshold the adversary is deterred. |
| US09454742B2 |
Schedule impact map
Methods, systems, and apparatus are disclosed which include receiving an indication of a floor plan of a building project; receiving an indication of an inspection report, the inspection report associated with an inspection type; identifying a forecast date associated with each room in the floor plan, the forecast date indicating when an inspection type associated with the respective room is to be completed; for each room, determining how close each room's forecast date is to a present date, and if the room's forecast date is past the present date; generating a visual map of the floor plan; associating a color of each room in the floor plan based on the determining; and providing the visual map with the associated color of each room for display. |
| US09454741B2 |
System and method for tracking information in a business environment
A system and method for tracking information in a business environment. The system uses a tree-view hierarchy whereby alerts and time triggers are set by the user and upon the triggering of an event, the visual attributes of the tree-view folders change to reflect the triggering event. |
| US09454739B2 |
Multi-period financial simulator of a process
A system configured for predicting a financial impact of a process is provided that includes a financial forecasting system (FFS) having at least one operational parameter and at least one financial data. The system further includes a discrete event simulator (DES) in communication with the FFS, wherein the DES is configured simulate a process based upon the at least one operational parameter and the at least one financial data for a first period of time, communicate resultant data from the simulation to the FFS, such that the FFS is configured to update the at least one operational parameter and the at least one financial data, which are based upon the communicated resultant data, and the DES is further configured to simulate the process based upon the updated at least one operational parameter and the at least one financial data for a sequential second period of time. The FFS and the DES are further configured to replicate the simulations of the sequential first and second periods of time with the operational parameter and the financial data having different statistical variations, and determine a confidence interval associated with the communicated resultant data. |
| US09454733B1 |
Training a machine learning model
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for training a machine learning model. One of the methods includes receiving a complete set of training data; receiving instructions to train a predictive model having a plurality of parameters on an initial subset of the complete set of training data; training the predictive model on the initial subset; storing data representing a first state of the predictive model after training the predictive model on the initial subset; receiving updated parameter values and instructions to train the predictive model on a new subset of the complete set of training data; and training the predictive model on the new subset. |
| US09454723B1 |
Radio frequency identity (RFID) chip electrically and communicatively coupled to motherboard of mobile communication device
A radio frequency identity (RFID) chip. The RFID chip comprises an antenna to receive and transmit information signals and to receive power radiated by a radio frequency power source, an electrical power induction component coupled to the antenna, a radio transceiver coupled to the antenna, a memory, a connector that is configured for connecting the RFID chip into a communication bus of a circuit board and to a battery derived source of power provided by the circuit board, and a processor coupled to the connector, the memory, and the radio transceiver, wherein the processor is configured to read from the memory and to provide the information read from the memory to the radio transceiver for transmitting and to read from the connector and write the information read from the connector to the memory. |
| US09454722B2 |
Manufacturing a physical medium configured to store data
A method and system. A layout design of invisible information to be printed with invisible ink in a book is generated. The invisible information includes a Universal Resource Locator (URL) of an address of a web server at which additional information is located. The URL is encoded in a code within the invisible information. The additional information is associated with an article. |
| US09454718B2 |
Printer, print control device, print system, printing method, and computer-readable medium for providing specific print setting information
A printer includes a first receiver, a second receiver, a specifying unit, and a printing unit. The first receiver receives, from any of at least one print instruction information holding device that holds print instruction information giving instructions to print, specific print instruction information associated with a first identifier and instructing the printer to print. The second receiver receives, from a print settings information holding device that holds print settings information indicating settings for printing, specific print settings information associated with a second identifier and indicating settings for printing by the printer. The specifying unit, on the basis of the first identifier and the second identifier, specifies the specific print settings information as print settings information corresponding to the specific print instruction information. The printing unit uses the specific print settings information to conduct printing based on the specific print instruction information. |
| US09454716B2 |
Image transmission apparatus and recording medium
An image transmission apparatus which transmits image data comprises an operation part displaying an operation screen and receiving a user operation on the operation screen and a processor for controlling a display content in the operation screen. The operation screen has a destination specifying area used for displaying a plurality of options which are candidates of destinations of the image data and receiving a specifying operation for specifying the destinations by using the plurality of options and a number display area used for displaying the number of the destinations specified by the specifying operation. The processor displays a destination list area used for listing the destinations specified by the specifying operation, together with the destination specifying area and the number display area, in the operation screen under the condition that a specific operation which is an operation on the number display area is received. |
| US09454715B2 |
Methods and systems for transparently extending a multifunction device to a mobile communications device
Methods and systems for transparently extending a multi-function device onto a mobile communications device. The mobile communications device and the multi-function device can be securely connected utilizing a random code displayed on a user interface of the MFD. An extensibility application associated with the MFD can be transparently combined with an execution environment of the mobile communications device to offer a number of services. A hardware and software resource of the MFD and the mobile communications device can be combined to perform composite operations involving data from both devices. The connection can expire after a period of inactivity and require physical proximity to be established to prevent unwanted access to the MFD. Such an approach establishes a shared extensibility framework for the multifunction device and the mobile communications device as a single execution environment. |
| US09454711B2 |
Detection device, learning device, detection method, learning method, and information storage device
A detection device includes an image acquisition section that acquires an image that has been captured by an imaging section, and includes an image of an object, a distance information acquisition section that acquires distance information based on a distance from the imaging section to the object when the imaging section has captured the image, a feature quantity calculation section that calculates a feature quantity from the acquired image, the feature quantity relating to at least one of a color, a brightness, a color difference, and a spectrum of the object, a learning feature quantity storage section that stores a learning feature quantity calculated by a learning process based on the distance from the imaging section to the object, and a detection section that detects a target area from the image based on the learning feature quantity, the distance information, and the feature quantity. |
| US09454708B2 |
Recognition dictionary creation apparatus and method for creating recognition dictionary by the same
A recognition dictionary creation apparatus photographs a commodity by an image capturing section to capture the image of the commodity; measures a distance from the image capturing section to the commodity photographed by the image capturing section; generates a quasi-commodity-image in a state in which the commodity is imaginarily moved away from the image capturing section to a given registration distance longer than the measurement distance based on the image of the commodity photographed by the image capturing section; extracts an appearance feature amount of the commodity from the generated quasi-commodity-image; and registers, in a recognition dictionary in association with the registration distance data, the extracted appearance feature amount as the feature amount data of the photographed commodity at the registration distance to create the recognition dictionary. |
| US09454707B1 |
System and method for reading a tire code and obtaining tire-related information
A tire code reader scans an automobile tire to capture an image of the tire code molded on the tire sidewall and associates it with the vehicle identification number (VIN) read by a bar code scanner also on the reader. Both tire code and VIN are uploaded to a control server and then to a cloud-based server that is programmed with optical character recognition software for reading the tire code and for accessing databases for information about that tire, such as re-call information, and the make, model and year of the automobile. The cloud-based server transmits a report back to the control server for printing a full report by a printer and to the tire code reader for display of the tire code. |
| US09454705B2 |
Method and system for inspecting variable-data printing
Performing automatic inspection on the results of a print job that prints variable data, including multiple printed instances of a page containing variable graphics. The inspection is to detect printing defects on a printed instance. In one embodiment, the method includes dividing the page into multiple non-overlapping areas using a page division map. The non-overlapping areas include one or more static areas that include only static graphics and one or more areas that include variable graphics. The method includes capturing an image of the printed instance and, for each of the non-overlapping areas, retrieving an indication indicating whether or not the area includes any variable graphics, retrieving a rasterized image of an instant of the area from a memory location according to the indication, and comparing the rasterized image with the captured image of the area to detect any printing defects in the area of the printed instance. |
| US09454702B2 |
Reflection based tracking system
In one embodiment, a processor can receive data representing a view reflected by a mirror of a plurality of mirrors. The plurality of mirrors may be configured in a space to reflect a plurality of views of structures in the space. The mirror of the plurality of mirrors may include a uniquely identifiable feature distinguishable from other objects in the space. The processor can identify the mirror of the plurality of mirrors according to the uniquely identifiable feature. The processor can also determine an attribute of the structures according to the identified mirror and the data representing the view reflected by the mirror. |
| US09454701B2 |
Video synopsis method and apparatus
Embodiments of the present invention provide a video synopsis method and apparatus, and relate to the field of video synopsis. The method includes: extracting moving objects and moving tracks of the moving objects from an original video; calculating a spatio-temporal redundancy between the extracted moving tracks, and determining a synopsis ratio of the moving tracks according to the spatio-temporal redundancy; and changing rates of the moving tracks according to the synopsis ratio of the moving tracks. In the present invention, the spatio-temporal redundancy between the moving tracks is analyzed, and synopsis and rate changing are performed on corresponding tracks according to the spatio-temporal redundancy obtained by means of analysis to obtain different representations of different tracks, thereby improving user experience. |
| US09454699B2 |
Handling glare in eye tracking
Embodiments are disclosed for eye tracking systems and methods. An example eye tracking system comprises a plurality of light sources and a camera configured to capture an image of light from the light sources as reflected from an eye. The eye tracking system further comprises a logic device and a storage device storing instructions executable by the logic device to acquire frames of eye tracking data by iteratively projecting light from different combinations of light sources of the plurality of light sources and capturing an image of the eye during projection of each combination. The instructions may be further executable to select a selected combination of light sources for eye tracking based on a determination of occlusion detected in the image arising from a transparent or semi-transparent optical structure positioned between the eye and the camera and project light via the selected combination of light sources for eye tracking. |
| US09454697B2 |
Computationally efficient feature extraction and matching iris recognition
A method and system for uniquely identifying a subject based on an iris image. After obtaining the iris image, the method produces a filtered iris image by applying filters to the iris image to enhance discriminative features of the iris image. The method analyzes an intensity value for pixels in the filtered iris image to produce an iris code that uniquely identifies the subject. The method also creates a segmented iris image by detecting an inner and outer boundary for an iris region in the iris image, and remapping pixels in the iris region, represented in a Cartesian coordinate system, to pixels in the segmented iris image, represented in a log-polar coordinate system, by employing a logarithm representation process. The method also creates a one-dimensional iris string from the iris image by unfolding the iris region by employing a spiral sampling method to obtain sample pixels in the iris region, wherein the sample pixels are the one-dimensional iris string. |
| US09454692B2 |
Method for identifying and positioning building using outline region restraint of mountain
A method for identifying and positioning a building using mountain-based outline region restraint, including steps of: (1) obtaining a real-time image, detecting a mountain-based outline of the real-time image, and extending the mountain-based outline thereby obtaining a mountain-based outline restraint region, (2) conducting morphological enhancement and background suppression on the image in the mountain-based outline restraint region, (3) conducting recursive segmentation in the mountain-based outline restraint region thereby transforming an image obtained in step (2) into a binary image, (4) extracting local regions of interest of a target building in the mountain-based outline restraint region according to the binary image, and (5) directly identifying and positioning the target building in the local regions of interest. |
| US09454688B1 |
High capacity 2D color barcode design and decoding method
A 2D color barcode decoding method is disclosed. The barcode includes a 2D array of data cells, corner locators, and border reference cells. Each data cell and reference cell has one of four primary colors (e.g. CMYK or CMWK). The reference cells, which have known colors, are used to calculate the channel offset (a spatial offset) of each primary color and the reference color values of each primary color. The reference cells are also used to calculate a color conversion matrix between color intensity (RGB) values and the primary color. Pixel-color probabilities are calculated from the pixel color intensity values using the color conversion matrix. The color of each data cell is determined using the pixel-color probabilities, the pixel color intensity values, the reference color intensity values, and the channel offset. |
| US09454687B2 |
Barcode imaging
Methods, devices, and systems for barcode imaging are described herein. One method includes capturing image data that is used to form an image with a light field imager, wherein the image includes a barcode, locating the barcode within the image, measuring a variance of at least a portion of the barcode region of the image, and refocusing at least a portion of the image based on the measured variance. |
| US09454684B2 |
Edge crack detection system
According to an exemplary embodiment, a method of detecting edge cracks in a die under test is provided. The method includes the following operations: receiving a command signal; providing power from the command signal; providing a response signal based on the command signal; and self-destructing based on the command signal. |
| US09454678B2 |
Always-available embedded theft reaction subsystem
A platform protected by a system, the platform including a power source, is described. The system in one embodiment comprises a risk behavior logic to detect a potential problem, a core logic component to provide logic to analyze the potential problem and to trigger a security action logic to perform a security action, when the potential problem indicates a theft suspicion, and the security action logic to utilize a kill pill to disable the platform, when the platform has set a high security status authorizing use of a self-kill pill or the platform sends an alert and receives a remote instruction to utilize a remote kill pill. |
| US09454675B2 |
Apparatus and method for protecting personal information of recorded image, and computer-readable recording medium having computer program recorded therein
Disclosed are an apparatus which is capable of easily performing the personal information protection processing without changing the original image recorded in the image recorder, a method thereof, and a computer-readable recording medium having computer program recorded therein. The method for protecting personal information of a recorded image includes: performing personal information protection processing by masking a personal information protection region that needs personal information protection based on a user input signal for an original image in a predetermined section of the recorded image designated by a user; generating metadata which represents a personal information protection processing result; and generating a personal information protection processed image file including a playing program which plays the original image, the original image file, and the metadata which represents the personal information protection processing result for the original image. |
| US09454672B2 |
Message distribution control
A method of controlling distribution of content in a message sent by a message sender comprises receiving an indication from the message sender that the message is to be protected, identifying content in the message to be protected, adding the identified content to a database of protected content, and determining whether subsequently received content in a subsequently received message is associated with the identified content. A system for controlling distribution of content in a message sent by a message sender comprises a processor configured to receive an indication from the message sender that the message is to be protected, identify content in the message to be protected, add the identified content to a database of protected content, and determine whether subsequently received content in a subsequently received message is associated with the identified content. |
| US09454666B2 |
Method for protecting data
In the present disclosure, a hash function is computed over a known image, for example, an address range in a program. The result of the hash function is known to be the same at two distinct points in time, before the program is run, i.e. signing at build-time, and during the running of the program, i.e. run time. The value that the programmer wishes to hide, i.e. the secret value, is also known at build-time. At build-time, the secret value is combined with the hash in such a way that the combining operation can be reversed at run time. This combined value, i.e. the salt, is stored along with the program. Later, at runtime, the program computes the same hash value as was computed at signing time, and does the reverse combining operation in order to reveal the secret value. |
| US09454665B1 |
Retrieving contact information based on image recognition searches
A system and method for retrieving contact information based on image recognition searches is disclosed. A requestor takes a picture of a user or retrieves a storage image of a user and transmits the image to an image recognition module. The image recognition module identifies the user and determines whether the requestor can receive access to the user's contact information based on permission rules. For example, the permission rule includes a requirement that the user and the requestor be sufficiently related on a social graph generated by a social network application. The permission rules can also include a requirement that the requestor have a predetermined proximity to the image. Once the permission rules are satisfied, the image recognition module transmits the user's contact information to the requestor. |
| US09454663B2 |
Data processing method and device
A data processing method pertains to a step (E308) including in verifying a criterion indicative of the normal running of the method and a step (E320) including in processing performed in case of negative verification. The processing step (E230) is separated from the verifying step (E308) by an intermediate step (E312, E314) of non-null duration. The intermediate step (E312, E314) and/or the processing step (E320) includes at least one action (E314) performed in case of positive verification. The invention also concerns a corresponding device. |
| US09454662B1 |
Method for booting and dumping a confidential image on a trusted computer system
A method for booting a confidential image on a trusted computer system. A trusted computer system loads an encrypted client image key onto a protected area on the trusted computer system. The trusted computer system loads an encrypted boot image onto a secure logical partition on the trusted computer system. The trusted computer system decrypts the encrypted client image key to obtain a client image key in the protected area. The trusted computer system decrypts, with the client image key, the encrypted boot image to obtain a boot image and a client data key. The trusted computer system starts the boot image, and the boot image mounts the encrypted client data onto the secure logical partition. The client data key is used by the boot image to decrypt data read from the encrypted client data and to encrypt data written to the encrypted client data. |
| US09454660B2 |
Security verification device and a security verification method
The present invention provides a security verification device and a security verification method which are capable of verifying that elements for implementing security measures necessary for a system can be prepared without omission. The security verification device and the security verification method select a verification item on the basis of security requirement information, generate security requirement information of parts specified by the verification item on the basis of a security target model, generate information which indicates a possessed function of security of the parts included in the security target model on the basis of a function item which is extracted on the basis of an implementation method included in the verification item and output a comparison and verification result of the security requirement information of the parts and the information which indicates the possessed function. |
| US09454655B2 |
Creation of rhythmic password and authentication based on rhythmic password
A method and system for utilizing the biometric factors reflected in the typing as a kind of physiological password, to create a rhythmic password specific to the user, and to authenticate based on the rhythmic password. The method includes providing an original training text to a user, receiving an input training text provided by the user according to the original training text, extracting rhythmic characteristic values between adjacent text units of the input training text, and generating a rhythmic password of the user based on the extracted rhythmic characteristic values between adjacent text units. The invention utilizes the rhythm of a user inputting text can bring multiple advantages, including enhanced security of the password, and saving the user's cost of memorizing the password. |
| US09454654B1 |
Multi-server one-time passcode verification on respective high order and low order passcode portions
Multi-server one-time passcode verification is provided for respective high order and low order passcode portions. A user is authenticated by receiving an authentication passcode generated by a token associated with the user; and authenticating the user based on the received authentication passcode using at least a first authentication server and a second authentication server, wherein the first authentication server verifies a high-order portion of the received authentication passcode and wherein the second authentication server verifies a low-order portion of the received authentication passcode. The received authentication passcode is based on, for example, at least two protocodes PR,t and PB,t generated by the token and/or pseudorandom information RA,t. A codebook Ct, based on the pseudorandom information RA,t, can be used to embed additional auxiliary information into the authentication passcode. |
| US09454653B1 |
Technologies for enhancing computer security
A method includes providing a plurality of variables and a variable. The variables differ from each other. The variables differ from the variable. The further method includes providing a lookup table indexing a plurality of characters via a plurality of values based on a first numeral system, converting a message into a first sequence of values based on the table, converting the first sequence into a second sequence of values based on a second numeral system different from the first system and according to a preset format, combining the second sequence into a single sequence via removing the format, generating a first plurality of subsequences from the single sequence based on segmentation of the sequence via alternating the variables, converting the first subsequences into a second plurality of subsequences such that each of the second subsequences is sized according to the variable, and transmitting the second subsequences. |
| US09454646B2 |
Short imagery task (SIT) research method
The present invention relates to biologically and behaviorally based methods of measuring audience response to a short stimulus. |
| US09454642B2 |
Prediction device, prediction method, program, and recording medium
The present invention provides a prediction device, a prediction method, a program, and a recording medium, with which whether or not desired aptamer sequences are enriched can be predicted easily. The prediction device of the present invention 10 includes an input unit 11, a calculation unit 12, and a prediction unit 13. The input unit 11 is a unit through which sequence information on a target aptamer sequence group including selected aptamers in a target pool and a reference aptamer sequence group including reference aptamer sequences are inputted. The calculation unit 12 calculates the free energy of the target aptamer sequence group and the free energy of the reference aptamer sequence group. The prediction unit 13 compares the free energy of these sequence groups, and predicts that the target pool is an enriched pool when the free energy of the target aptamer sequence group is lower than the free energy of the reference aptamer sequence group. The reference aptamer sequence group is a candidate aptamer sequence group including a plurality of candidate aptamer sequences or a virtual aptamer sequence group that is derived from the target aptamer sequence group and includes virtual aptamer sequences having the same base composition as the target aptamer sequence group. |
| US09454641B2 |
Systems and methods for modeling and processing functional magnetic resonance image data using full-brain vector auto-regressive model
Systems and methods for modeling functional magnetic resonance image datasets using a multivariate auto-regressive model which captures temporal dynamics in the data, and creates a reduced representation of the dataset representative of functional connectivity of voxels with respect to brain activity. Raw spatio-temporal data is processed using a multivariate auto-regressive model, wherein coefficients in the model with high weights are retained as indices that best describe the full spatio-temporal data. When there are a relatively small number of temporal samples of the data, sparse regression techniques are used to build the model. The model coefficients are used to perform data processing functions such as indexing, prediction, and classification. |
| US09454633B2 |
Via placement within an integrated circuit
An integrated circuit layout is formed by performing a routing step forming a routing layout of routing conductors and routing connection vias prior to performing a power grid connection step which forms power connection vias between power grid conductors and standard-power cell conductors within the standard cells. This enables a minimum via spacing requirement to be met while permitting an increased flexibility in the positioning of the routing connection vias. |
| US09454629B2 |
Fet-bounding for fast TCAD-based variation modeling
A method for analyzing circuits includes identifying one or more device zones in a full device structure. The device zones provide areas of interest to be analyzed. A partial device is generated that representatively includes the one or more device zones. Analytical meshes of the partial device are reduced by employing physical characteristics of the full device structure. The partial device is simulated, using a processor, to obtain device output information in the areas of interest that is representative of the full device structure. Systems are also disclosed. |
| US09454628B1 |
Scaling memory components of integrated circuit design
In one aspect, a method for providing design point recommendations for an integrated circuit (IC) design is disclosed. The method comprises receiving an IC design along with a reference PPA (power, performance, area) metric at a reference design point, and a target PPA metric. The method also comprises estimating trial PPA metrics for the IC design at multiple design points, wherein estimating trial PPA metric at each design point includes accessing a PPA database containing PPA metrics for multiple test components, determining scale factors from the reference design point to the trial design point for test components equivalent to components of the IC design, and applying the scale factors to the reference PPA metric to determine the trial PPA metric for the trial design point. The method further comprises recommending a trial design point based on the estimated trial PPA metric and the received target PPA metric. |
| US09454627B1 |
Systems and methods for optimizing executable models for hardware synthesis
Systems and methods optimize hardware description generated from a graphical model automatically. The system may include an optimizer. The optimizer may add a serializer component and a deserializer component to the model. The serializer component may receive parallel data and may produce serial data. The serializer may introduce one or more idle cycles into the serial data being produced. The deserializer component may receive serial data and may produce parallel data. The serializer and deserializer components may receive and generate control signals. The control signals may include a valid signal for indicating valid data elements of the serial and parallel data, and a start the start signal for indicating the beginning of a new frame or cycle when constructing parallel data from serial data. |
| US09454621B2 |
Surfacing navigational search results
Methods and apparatus for determining navigational search results based on one or more signals are presented. A partial search query of a user may be received. A superset of candidate navigational search results may be determined based on the partial query. A subset of navigational search results may be selected from the superset based at least in part on one or more signals. The subset of navigational search results may then be provided for presentation to the user independently from presentation to the user of other search results that are responsive to the partial query. |
| US09454618B1 |
Intelligent rendering of webpages
An indication to render a webpage is received. The webpage includes two or more frames and the two or more frames are rendered in a first order. A second order from a user is received. The webpage is rendered. The two or more frames of the webpage are rendered in the second order. |
| US09454615B2 |
System and methods for predicting user behaviors based on phrase connections
A method and system for predicting user behaviors based on term taxonomies are provided. The system comprises generating phrases respective of user generated content, wherein each phrase is a sentiment phrase or a non-sentiment phrase, each sentiment phrase including at least one word describing a sentiment; identifying at least one connection between at least two of the generated phrases, wherein each connection is a direct connection or a hidden connection; generating at least one term taxonomy based on the identified at least one connection, wherein each term taxonomy is an association between a non-sentiment phrase and at least one of a plurality of sentiment phrases; periodically analyzing the at least one term taxonomy to determine at least one trend of each non-sentiment phrase respective of the associated plurality of sentiment phrases; and generating a prediction of future behavior of the at least one trend with respect to the at least one term taxonomy. |
| US09454613B2 |
Method and server for searching information
The present application provides method of searching information. The method comprises: performing a searching request based on a searching request including one or more query words from a user terminal and initially ranking all the searched items; evaluating the position click ratio of each ranking position with respect to the query words; calculating a compensation factor of respective ranking position by dividing the evaluated position clicks ratio of each ranking position by the evaluated position clicks ratio of the first ranking positions; obtaining a ranking score of each initially ranked item by dividing the item clicks ratio of each initially ranked item by the compensation factor corresponding to the ranking positions of the initially ranked item; and re-ranking all the initially ranked items in descending order based on the ranking scores and then returning the re-ranked items to the user terminal. |
| US09454609B2 |
Data source-independent search system architecture
A search system architecture is disclosed. The search system architecture includes a search server, which in turn includes a search services module and a search engine adapter. The search services module and the search engine adapter are communicatively coupled to one another. The search services module is configured to communicate with a user interface. The search engine adapter is configured to communicate with a search engine. |
| US09454607B1 |
Image as database
A server generates an image with searchable information from a website and transmits that image to a client device. Since the image may be large, the image is generated and transmitted in the background as the client device browses the website. When the client device requests information from the website, the client device first checks if that information has already been transmitted to it in the image as encoded format. If the client device has this information, which is locally stored, then the client device decodes that portion of the image and retrieves the requested information without ever having to contact the server. If the client device does not have this information stored locally, then the client device contacts the server and retrieves the information. Since the image can contain all of the searchable information of a website, the searching process will become faster as time passes. |
| US09454606B2 |
Technique for providing supplemental internet search criteria
Disclosed is a system for, and method of, supplementing an internet search. The disclosed techniques may be used to receive an initial internet search criteria entered by a user at an interface (such as a web site) to the internet search engine, identify an entity representation in a database that corresponds to the internet search criteria, and produce an enhanced internet search criteria that may incorporate both the initial internet search criteria and field values from the identified entity representation. The enhanced internet search criteria may be passed to the internet search engine in a manner that is transparent to a user. |
| US09454605B1 |
Transferring data between devices using bar codes
Improved techniques involve transferring data into a target device using bar codes. Along these lines, suppose that someone wants to send a message to the target device via a source device. For some messages, the source device may encode the message into a single bar code that the target computer may decode back into the message. However, for a sufficiently large message, the source device breaks the message into a series of message portions, encodes each of the portions into a distinct bar code, and outputs the bar codes, e.g., on sheets of paper using a laser printer. From these sheets, an operator scans each bar code into the target device. The target computer then decodes the scanned bar codes back into message portions and reassembles them into the message. |
| US09454602B2 |
Grouping semantically related natural language specifications of system requirements into clusters
A device may analyze text to identify a set of text portions of interest, and may analyze the text to identify a set of terms included in the set of text portions. The device may perform a similarity analysis to determine a similarity score. The similarity score may be determined between each term, included in the set of terms, and each text portion, included in the set of text portions, or the similarity score may be determined between each term and each other term included in the set of terms. The device may determine a set of dominant terms based on performing the similarity analysis. The set of dominant terms may include at least one term with a higher average degree of similarity than at least one other term. The device may provide information that identifies the set of dominant terms. |
| US09454600B2 |
Refining image relevance models
Methods, systems and apparatus for refining image relevance models. In general, one aspect includes receiving a trained image relevance model that generates relevance measures of content feature values of images to a query, identifying a first threshold number of common content feature values for the set of training images, the common content feature values being identified as a set of content feature values that are each shared by at least a portion of the training images, identifying a subset of the set of training images having a quantity of the common content feature values greater than a second threshold number of content features values, and generating a re-trained image relevance model based on content feature values of the set of training images, wherein content feature values of the subset of training images are weighted higher than content feature values of the training images not in the subset. |
| US09454599B2 |
Automatic definition of entity collections
A system for automatically generating entity collections comprises a data graph including entities connected by edges and instructions that cause the computer system to determine a set of entities from the data graph and to determine a set of constraints that has a quantity of constraints. A constraint in the set represents a path in the data graph shared by at least two of the entities in the set of entities. The instructions also cause the computer system to generate candidate collection definitions from combinations of the constraints, where each candidate collection definition identifies at least one constraint and no more than the quantity of constraints. The instructions also cause the computer system to determine an information gain for at least some of the candidate collection definitions, and store at least one candidate collection definition that has an information gain that meets a threshold as a candidate collection. |
| US09454595B2 |
Data analysis apparatus and method
The present invention relates to a heterogeneous data cluster generation apparatus and method and a data clustering method and apparatus, and more particularly, to a data clustering method and apparatus which cluster data measured by different sensors into a number of groups. Aspects of the present invention provide an apparatus and method for generating clusters by putting together heterogeneous data which are values measured by different types of sensors. Aspects of the present invention also provide an apparatus and method for generating clusters by setting indices in order to effectively cluster multi-dimensional data, massive data, or scattered data. |
| US09454593B2 |
Method and system for accessing a virtual seismic cube
A method for processing requests includes receiving, from a requestor, a first read request to read a portion of a seismic cube. The first read request includes a virtual location of the portion. The method further includes querying a seismic cube index to obtain a mapping parameter and a storage location of a section including the portion of the seismic cube. The mapping parameter maps virtual locations in the seismic cube with data locations in the section. The section is identified using the virtual location of the portion. The method further includes calculating, on a computer processor and using the mapping parameter, a data location in the section corresponding to the virtual location of the portion, and transmitting a second read request to the storage location of the section. The second read request includes the data location. The requestor receives the portion from the storage location. |
| US09454590B2 |
Predicting validity of data replication prior to actual replication in a transaction processing system
A method, computer program product and computer system to validate a write of a replica record to a replica data store in a transaction processing system, the replica record duplicating a source record in a source data store. The transaction processing system obtains a value associated with a record location of the source record in the source data store. The transaction processing system predicts a value associated with a record location of the replica record in the replica data store and responsive to the obtained value associated with the source record location not corresponding to the predicted value associated with the replica record location, not writing the replica record. |
| US09454588B2 |
Custom object-in-memory format in data grid network appliance
Techniques are disclosed for implementing custom object-in-memory formats in a data grid network appliance. The techniques include maintaining a record of format definitions on a client device of the data grid and a corresponding record of format definitions on a server device of the data grid. Each format definition may indicate one or more attributes of an object class and data types and byte ranges of the attributes. The client device may serialize one or more objects for storage in the data grid based on respective format definitions associated with the one or more objects and retrieved from the record of format definitions maintained on the client device. Further, the server device may perform one or more data grid operations using format definitions retrieved from the record of format definitions maintained on the server device. |
| US09454582B1 |
Ranking search results
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for ranking search results. One method includes ranking web objects in response to a search query to generate a global ranking based on a relevance of each web object to the search query and a relative authority of each web object compared to other web objects in the plurality of web objects, each web object including a web page in a corresponding website that includes a plurality of web pages; ranking the plurality of web pages corresponding to each website based on onsite ranking criteria to generate an onsite ranking; generating a combined ranking for each web page based on a combination of the global ranking of the web object that includes the web page and the onsite ranking of the web page; and presenting web pages responsive to the search query based on the combined rankings. |
| US09454579B2 |
Method, system and apparatus for managing contact data
According to embodiments described in the specification, a method, system and apparatus for managing contact data are provided. The method comprises storing a plurality of contact attributes distilled from at least one data source in a memory, the contact attributes defining a plurality of contacts; receiving input data at a communications interface; identifying at least one search attribute from the received input data; selecting at least one of the plurality of contacts based on matches between the plurality of contact attributes and the at least one search attribute; and transmitting notification data based on the selected contact. |
| US09454576B1 |
Apparatuses, methods and systems for an employee onboarding automator
The APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR AN EMPLOYEE ONBOARDING AUTOMATOR (hereinafter “EOA”) implement efficient and scalable monitoring, regulation, and allocation of computational processing, data, labor, and/or the like resources within an enterprise. The EOA may facilitate the dissemination and integration of information associated with employee status updates, including the hiring of job candidates, promotions, demotions, and/or the like. The EOA may be configured to automatically update enterprise database systems as needed or desired to reflect employee status changes and/or to transfer employee data from one place to another, such as from a human resources application database where the employee status change may be first entered to a wide variety of other enterprise systems, such as those associated with information technology, facilities, payroll, benefits, legal, marketing, and/or other enterprise departments. The EOA may further be configured to automatically generate a variety of reports based on employee status updates. |
| US09454571B2 |
Optimization of parallelization of user-defined functions with flexible partitioning
Technologies are disclosed for generating query execution plans optimized for parallel execution for programs having both core database relational functions and user-defined functions. A variety of optimization strategies can be employed to improve performance in a parallel execution scenarios. A flexible range of permitted partition arrangements can be specified as acceptable to parallelized instances of the user-defined function. The optimizer can leverage such information when constructing an optimized query execution plan. Partitioning arrangements or other properties can be leveraged to avoid additional or unnecessary processing. |
| US09454567B2 |
Graph database query handling method and apparatus
A querying method for a database of graph data encoded as triples being stored on storage servers. The method including dividing a query into a plurality of result criteria triple patterns which query results match, each triple pattern element being either: a single value triple pattern element; or a variable value triple pattern element specifying an ID of a variable. The method includes forming one or more sub-queries each having triple patterns having the same single value triple pattern element or specifying the same ID of a variable as a variable value triple pattern element, issuing each formed sub-query to each of the servers, and receiving triples satisfying a sub-query as results from the servers and using the sub-query results in as a response to the query. |
| US09454566B2 |
Device for data management
A device for data management, the device is in communication with a memory and includes: a verification module configured to receive a first identity information and a first request and verify the first identity information; a search module configured to search for at least one first data stored in the memory in response to the first request if the first identity information is verified, the at least one first data being assigned a first rating point; and an evaluation module configured to receive a second rating point associated with the first identification information, retrieve the first rating point from the at least one first data and generate a third rating point in accordance with the verified first identity information, the first rating point and the second rating point and store the third rating point in the memory. |
| US09454565B1 |
Identifying relationships between applications
In various embodiments, static, dynamic, and behavioral analysis may be performed on an application. A set of software libraries or code fragments employed by the application may be determined. A set of device resources employed by the application may be determined. An application fingerprint is generated for the application. The application fingerprint encodes identifiers for the set of software libraries or code fragments and identifiers for the set of device resources. |
| US09454557B2 |
Unit of work based incremental data processing
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with a unit of work for incremental data processing are described. In one embodiment, a method includes selecting a unit of work key for a program that processes records in a source table. The unit of work key is selected such that modifications to a record having a certain unit of work key value will not affect the program's processing of records having a different unit of work key value. The selected unit of work key is associated with the program. When a record in the source table is created, modified, or deleted, a unit of work key value is identified for the record and a selected set of records having the identified unit of work key value is provided to the program. Thus, records in the data source that do not have the identified unit of work key values are not provided to the program. |
| US09454555B2 |
Management and storage of distributed bookmarks
Managing user bookmark information includes receiving a bookmark-related action request and determining a type of action associated with the bookmark-related action request and user information associated with the bookmark-related action request. In the event that the type of action corresponds to an add bookmark action, managing user bookmark information further includes generating a bookmark data record, the bookmark data record comprising the user information and information to be bookmarked; determining, using the user information, bookmark database information associated with a bookmark database to which the bookmark data record is to be stored, the bookmark database being one of a plurality of bookmark databases; generating index information based on the user information and the bookmark database information; storing the index information in an index database that is separate from the plurality of bookmark databases; and storing the bookmark data record in the bookmark database. |
| US09454552B2 |
Entropy coding and decoding using polar codes
Technologies are described herein for compressing or decompressing data using polar codes. Some example technologies may receive a data string comprising a first set of symbols. The technologies may transform the data string into a generalized message comprising a second set of symbols by mapping the data string to the generalized message via an inverse of a transformation function. The technologies may identify, based on a polar code, fixed symbols of the generalized message. The technologies may generate a compressed data string by extracting the fixed symbols from the generalized message and concatenating the fixed symbols into the compressed data string. As a result, the generalized message may be transformed into the compressed data string. |
| US09454540B2 |
Systems and methods for sharing files among multiple terminals
Embodiments of the disclosure provide a method and apparatus for sharing data. The method includes: initiating the data sharing application on a first terminal; inserting the file to be shared in a webpage of the data sharing application on the first terminal, and generating an URL for the file in the data sharing application; the data-sharing application of the first terminal broadcasts the URL to other terminal, so that other terminals can share the file via the URL. The present disclosure can reduce the cost of data sharing while improve on the real-timeliness. |
| US09454539B1 |
System and method for protecting operating system zones
A system, method, and computer-readable storage medium having a computer-readable instruction thereon to replicate transactions in a Zettabyte File System (ZFS). The method includes operations including determining, using a tracing module, a commitment of a current file transaction to a disk, obtaining when a probe function associated with the current file transaction is triggered, the current file transaction, recording a data change contained in the current file transaction, registering a callback function and a reference to the data change contained in the current file transaction after the commitment of the current file transaction, and sending the data change to a remote server. |
| US09454531B1 |
Media content presentation by categorizing and formatting media types
A method for presenting media content of a website having a plurality of media content types on a media device includes receiving media content from a website at one or more computing devices over a network interface; categorizing media content from the website into a plurality of media content types comprising a text type content and a non-text type content; receiving a selection of a media content type for displaying media content items of the selected media content type by the media device; retrieving, from a memory device, display parameters for a user interface for the selected media content type; reformatting the media content items of the selected media content type for display based on the retrieved display parameters for the user interface; and providing display data, to a display device associated with the media device, representing the user interface and the reformatted media content items. |
| US09454525B2 |
Information extraction in a natural language understanding system
A method of extracting information from text within a natural language understanding system can include processing a text input through at least one statistical model for each of a plurality of features to be extracted from the text input. For each feature, at least one value can be determined, at least in part, using the statistical model associated with the feature. One value for each feature can be combined to create a complex information target. The complex information target can be output. |
| US09454522B2 |
Detection of data in a sequence of characters
A method of processing a sequence of characters, the method comprising converting the sequence of characters into a sequence of tokens so that each token comprises a lexeme and one of a plurality of token types. Each of the plurality of token types relates to at least one of a plurality of predetermined functions, wherein at least one said token type relates to multiple functions of the plurality of predetermined functions. |
| US09454520B2 |
Generating a representation of a layout having partitions for exclusion zones
A system generates a representation of a layout of a page, where the layout has plural partitions that divide the page, and where the layout specifies one or plural cuts in the page that define the partitions. Exclusion zones are provided in respective partitions, where the exclusion zones define corresponding areas that are free of content that are to be inserted in the page. |
| US09454514B2 |
Local language numeral conversion in numeric computing
A mechanism for local language numeral conversion in dynamic numeric computing is disclosed. A method of embodiments of the invention includes receiving a string array of numeric data in a local language, wherein the numeric data used in dynamic calculations performed by the application, converting characters of the string array of numeric data from local language characters to corresponding English digits in an American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) format by utilizing a number conversion matrix, and providing the English digits in the ASCII format to a processing function of the application for use with the dynamic calculations of the application. |
| US09454512B2 |
Method of generating correlation function, method of tracking signal and signal tracking system
A method of generating a correlation function, a method of tracking a signal, and a signal tracking apparatus are provided. The method of generating a correlation function involves receiving a CBOC(6,1,1/11) signal, interpreting a subcarrier pulse period of the CBOC(6,1,1/11) signal as a subcarrier pulse period of BOCsin(6,1), combining partial correlation functions constituting an autocorrelation function of CBOC(6,1,1/11) to generate a correlation function, and weighted-combining the correlation function to generate an unambiguous correlation function. |
| US09454511B2 |
Windowing methods and systems for use in time-frequency analysis
The present embodiments include methods of time-frequency analyzing signals. Some embodiments provide methods of processing signals comprising: receiving a communication signal; adaptively partitioning the signal in a time domain into a plurality of windows of the signal; transforming each of the windows of the signal producing respective expansions in a frequency domain and obtaining respective samples of the windows of signal in the frequency domain; and mapping the samples in the frequency domain back into the time domain. |
| US09454510B2 |
Measuring device, a calibration device, a measuring system and a method with a dynamic data sheet
A measuring device including a signal-processing device, a processor for controlling the measuring device and a communications device. The signal-processing device and the communications device are each connected to the processor. The measuring device further includes a calibration-parameter store connected to the processor for the storage of calibration parameters. The processor is configured to communicate calibration parameters, which are stored in the calibration-parameter store, to a calibration device using the communications device and to implement calibration measurements using the signal-processing device. |
| US09454509B2 |
Active stability devices and systems for mobile devices
A system for use with a mobile device includes at least one sensor to sense a variable related to tilting of the mobile device and at least one activatable system in operative connection with the sensor. The at least one activatable system increases stability of the mobile device upon actuation/change in state thereof on the basis of data measured by the at least one sensor. A variable related to tilting includes variables that indicate concurrent, actual tilting as described herein as well as variables predictive of imminent tilting. Activatable systems hereof change state upon actuation or activation to increase stability of the mobile device by reducing, eliminating or preventing tilting. |
| US09454507B2 |
Systems, apparatuses, and methods for performing a conversion of a writemask register to a list of index values in a vector register
Embodiments of systems, apparatuses, and methods for performing in a computer processor conversion of a mask register into a list of index values in response to a single vector packed convert a mask register into a list of index values instruction that includes a destination vector register operand, a source writemask register operand, and an opcode are described. |
| US09454501B2 |
Intelligent patch panel port monitoring system
A universal serial bus (USB) sensor bar and a device manager are configured to intelligently monitor one or more patch panels. The USB sensor bar comprises an array of sensors configured to read identification data from memory devices affixed to respective cables plugged into ports of a patch panel. The USB sensor bar converts the identification data to a USB protocol and sends the data to a device manager over a USB bus. The device manager uses the received information to document a network architecture, generate web-based interfaces that render configuration and status information for the network, and generate alarms or notifications in response to detection of defined network conditions. |
| US09454499B2 |
Asynchronous communication between devices
Techniques and configurations are disclosed herein for communication between devices. In some embodiments, a bus for communication between first and second devices may include a transmit buffer and one or more processing devices. The one or more processing devices may be configured to receive first asynchronous data from an operating system, running on a central processing unit of the first device, on an operating system signal path; transmit the first asynchronous data from the first device to the second device on a command signal path; transmit first data from the transmit buffer to the second device at a first fixed packet frequency on a transmit signal path; and receive data from the second device at a second fixed packet frequency on a receive signal path different from the transmit signal path. Other embodiments may be disclosed and/or claimed. |
| US09454498B1 |
Integrated circuit with programmable circuitry and an embedded processor system
An integrated circuit can include a processor system configured to execute program code. The processor system can be hard-wired and include a processor hardware resource. The IC also can include a programmable circuitry configurable to implement different physical circuits. The programmable circuitry can be coupled to the processor system. The programmable circuitry can be configurable to share usage of the processor hardware resource of the processor system. The processor system further can control aspects of the programmable circuitry such as power on and/or off and also configuration of the programmable circuitry to implement one or more different physical circuits therein. |
| US09454496B2 |
Memory system
A memory system is provided, which includes a real memory space and a virtual memory space. The memory system includes a memory device having a first memory space which is accessed using a first memory address and a second memory space which is accessed using a second memory address, and a memory controller configured to control access to the memory device; wherein the memory controller is configured to translate the first memory address into the second memory address mapped thereto in response to a request for access to the first memory space, access the second memory space using the translated second memory address, and access the second memory space using the non-translated second memory address, in response to a request for access to the second memory space. |
| US09454495B2 |
Memory system capable of prohibiting access to application software and system software
According to one embodiment, a memory system includes an application module, a storage module, and a control module. The storage module stores user data, application software configured to control operation of the application module, and management information used to manage the user data and the application software. The control module controls writing and erasing of the storage module. The control module masks information indicating an access-prohibited area included in the management information read from the storage module, the access-prohibited area includes the application software. |
| US09454494B2 |
Encrypting a communication from a device
Methods, devices, and systems for encrypting a communication from a device are described herein. One device includes a memory, and a processor configured to execute executable instructions stored in the memory to generate a subset-sum problem and a Goldreich-Levin hash function and encrypt a communication from the device using the subset-sum problem and the Goldreich-Levin hash function. |
| US09454491B2 |
Systems and methods for accessing a unified translation lookaside buffer
Systems and methods for accessing a unified translation lookaside buffer (TLB) are disclosed. A method includes receiving an indicator of a level one translation lookaside buffer (L1TLB) miss corresponding to a request for a virtual address to physical address translation, searching a cache that includes virtual addresses and page sizes that correspond to translation table entries (TTEs) that have been evicted from the L1TLB, where a page size is identified, and searching a second level TLB and identifying a physical address that is contained in the second level TLB. Access is provided to the identified physical address. |
| US09454490B2 |
Invalidating a range of two or more translation table entries and instruction therefore
An instruction is provided to perform invalidation of an instruction specified range of segment table entries or region table entries. The instruction can be implemented by software emulation, hardware, firmware or some combination thereof. |
| US09454489B2 |
Exporting guest spatial locality to hypervisors
When a request is made to retrieve a guest physical page from memory and a page fault occurs, a guest virtual page address that corresponds to the guest physical page is identified along with addresses for guest virtual pages that are near the guest virtual page in the virtual address space. Each identified guest virtual page address is translated into a corresponding guest physical page address and the corresponding guest physical pages are loaded into memory. |
| US09454488B2 |
Systems and methods to manage cache data storage
Systems and methods for managing records stored in a storage cache are provided. A cache index is created and maintained to track where records are stored in buckets in the storage cache. The cache index maps the memory locations of the cached records to the buckets in the cache storage and can be quickly traversed by a metadata manager to determine whether a requested record can be retrieved from the cache storage. Bucket addresses stored in the cache index include a generation number of the bucket that is used to determine whether the cached record is stale. The generation number allows a bucket manager to evict buckets in the cache without having to update the bucket addresses stored in the cache index. Further, the cache index can be expanded to accommodate very small records, such as those generated by legacy systems. |
| US09454487B2 |
Transparent host-side caching of virtual disks located on shared storage
Techniques for using a host-side cache to accelerate virtual machine (VM) I/O are provided. In one embodiment, the hypervisor of a host system can intercept an I/O request from a VM running on the host system, where the I/O request is directed to a virtual disk residing on a shared storage device. The hypervisor can then process the I/O request by accessing a host-side cache that resides one or more cache devices distinct from the shared storage device, where the accessing of the host-side cache is transparent to the VM. |
| US09454486B2 |
Cache pre-fetch merge in pending request buffer
An apparatus for processing cache requests in a computing system is disclosed. The apparatus may include a pending request buffer and a control circuit. The pending request buffer may include a plurality of buffer entries. The control circuit may be coupled to the pending request buffer and may be configured to receive a request for a first cache line from a pre-fetch engine, and store the received request in an entry of the pending request buffer. The control circuit may be further configured to receive a request for a second cache line from a processor, and store the request received from the processor in the entry of the pending request buffer in response to a determination that the second cache line is the same as the first cache line. |
| US09454480B2 |
Interconnected ring network in a multi-processor system
In various embodiments, the present disclosure provides a system comprising a first plurality of processing cores, ones of the first plurality of processing cores coupled to a respective core interface module among a first plurality of core interface modules, the first plurality of core interface modules configured to be coupled to form in a first ring network of processing cores; a second plurality of processing cores, ones of the second plurality of processing cores coupled to a respective core interface module among a second plurality of core interface modules, the second plurality of core interface modules configured to be coupled to form a second ring network of processing cores; a first global interface module to form an interface between the first ring network and a third ring network; and a second global interface module to form an interface between the second ring network and the third ring network. |
| US09454479B2 |
Processing read and write requests in a storage controller
Provided are a method, system, and computer program product for processing read and write requests in a storage controller. A host adaptor in the storage controller receives a write request from a host system for a storage address in a storage device. The host adaptor sends write information indicating the storage address updated by the write request to a device adaptor in the storage controller. The host adaptor writes the write data to a cache in the storage controller. The device adaptor indicates the storage address indicated in the write information to a modified storage address list stored in the device adaptor, wherein the modified storage address list indicates modified data in the cache for storage addresses in the storage device. |
| US09454478B2 |
System and method for controlling resource revocation in a multi-guest computer system
At least one guest system, for example, a virtual machine, is connected to a host system, which includes a system resource such as system machine memory. Each guest system includes a guest operating system (OS). A resource requesting mechanism, preferably a driver, is installed within each guest OS and communicates with a resource scheduler included within the host system. If the host system needs any one the guest systems to relinquish some of the system resource it currently is allocated, then the resource scheduler instructs the driver within that guest system's OS to reserve more of the resource, using the guest OS's own, native resource allocation mechanisms. The driver thus frees this resource for use by the host, since the driver does not itself actually need the requested amount of the resource. |
| US09454477B2 |
Logical sector mapping in a flash storage array
A system and method for efficiently performing user storage virtualization for data stored in a storage system including a plurality of solid-state storage devices. A data storage subsystem supports multiple mapping tables. Records within a mapping table are arranged in multiple levels. Each level stores pairs of a key value and a pointer value. The levels are sorted by time. New records are inserted in a created newest (youngest) level. No edits are performed in-place. All levels other than the youngest may be read only. The system may further include an overlay table which identifies those keys within the mapping table that are invalid. |
| US09454475B2 |
Control device, storage device, and data writing method
A control device includes a control unit that performs a writing control of supplied host data, according to a data writing request from a host apparatus, with respect to a non-volatile memory where multi-value storage with 2 bits or more is performed in one memory cell, having a lower level page and an upper level page for at least the multi-value storage as a physical page in which a physical address is set, and where data writing is performed using each physical page in an order of physical addresses, and that causes the data writing to be performed until the physical page immediately before the lower level page, such that the data writing according to a next data writing request is started from the lower level page. |
| US09454474B2 |
Methods, devices and systems for two stage power-on map rebuild with free space accounting in a solid state drive
A data storage device comprises a non-volatile memory comprising a plurality of blocks, each configured to store a plurality of physical pages at predetermined physical locations. A controller programs and reads data stored in a plurality of logical pages. A volatile memory comprises a logical-to-physical address translation map configured to enabling determination of the physical location, within one or more physical pages, of the data stored in each logical page. A plurality of journals may be stored, each comprising a plurality of entries associating one or more physical pages to each logical page. At startup, the controller may read at least some of the plurality of journals in an order and rebuild the map; indicate a readiness to service data access commands after the map is rebuilt; rebuild a table from the map and, based thereon, select block(s) for garbage collection after having indicated the readiness to process the commands. |
| US09454468B2 |
Method and system for testing software
In one embodiment, a method of testing a software is disclosed. The method comprises: providing an input event to the software under test, wherein the software under test is associated with a time delay between an input event and an output event; identifying one or more discrete time instances based on the time delay between the input event and the output event; and testing the software under test by synthetically setting a clock to the one or more discrete time instances. |
| US09454466B2 |
Explaining partially illegal combinations in combinatorial models
A methods, apparatus and product for explaining partially illegal combinations in combinatorial models. The method comprising: obtaining a combinatorial model defining a legal test space, the combinatorial model comprising a set of attributes, a respective domain for each attribute defining possible values for the attribute, and a set of restrictions, wherein the restrictions define a combination of values of the attributes that are illegal and are excluded from the legal test case; obtaining a partially illegal combination defining value assignments to a portion of the attributes; automatically identifying an extension of the partially illegal combination, wherein the extension is excluded from the legal test space, wherein the extension can be modified to become legal by changing a portion of the value assignments defined by the partially illegal combination; and outputting the extension. |
| US09454465B1 |
Risk based profiles for development operations
A method, computer program product, and system for risk monitoring of continuous software delivery include a first plurality of test data. The first plurality of test data is associated with one or more software components. In response to receiving a changelog, a change in the received plurality of test data is determined. A risk profile for the one or more software components is generated, in response to receiving the first plurality of test data and the received changelog. A component code graph is generated, based on the risk profile associated with the one or more software components and a risk value associated with the generated risk profile is calculated, based on the component code graph. |
| US09454463B2 |
Rapid automation front-end framework library and executable graphic user interface testing system and method
A computer system comprising a display, one or more computer readable medium storing a computer application comprising computer executable code for creating a graphical user interface, one or more processors receiving and executing the computer executable code to provide the graphical user interface on the display, the computer readable medium also storing a testing application comprising computer executable code for activating the graphical user interface, the testing application defining a command execution server embedded into the computer application, and a command client external to the computer application. Upon execution by the one or more processors, the command execution server receives a command for the graphical user interface, enables the execution of the command by the computer application by generating a graphical user interface event in the graphical user interface of the computer application, and sends an acknowledgement to the command client responsive to the completed execution of the command. |
| US09454462B2 |
Run-time instrumentation monitoring for processor characteristic changes
The invention relates to monitoring processor characteristic information of a processor using run-time-instrumentation. An aspect of the invention includes executing an instruction stream on the processor and detecting a run-time instrumentation sample point of the executing instruction stream on the processor. A reporting group is stored in a run-time instrumentation program buffer based on the run-time instrumentation sample point. The reporting group includes processor characteristic information associated with the processor. |
| US09454458B2 |
Path-specific break points for stream computing
A plurality of processing elements having stream operators and operating on one or more computer processors receive a stream of tuples. A first stream operator adds a first attribute to a tuple received on a first port of the first stream operator. The first attribute indicates the first port and the first stream operator. A second stream operator adds a second attribute to a tuple received on a first port of the second stream operator. The second attribute indicates the first port of the second stream operator and the second stream operator. It is determined whether a debug tuple has been received by a third stream operator. A debug tuple is a tuple that includes the first and second attributes. An operation, such as halting execution or incrementing a count of debug tuples, is performed when it is determined that a debug tuple has been received. |
| US09454456B2 |
Method for separately executing software, apparatus, and computer-readable recording medium
The present disclosure provides method, system, and computer readable medium for shared execution of software. The present disclosure relates to method, system, and computer readable recording medium for shared execution of software involving identifying the main modules of a specific software by analyzing its control flow, data flow, and modular structure through a static binary analysis and a runtime profiling, i.e. dynamic analysis, separating the modules from the main software body to store them in a secure environment of a smart card, and storing the main body in a user terminal with the identified modules removed and replaced by an interface code, whereby a co-processing the software at the user's end by the smart card in engagement with the user terminal exclusively enables an execution of the software. |
| US09454454B2 |
Memory leak analysis by usage trends correlation
Tools and techniques assist developers with the detection of memory leaks by using correlation of data type memory usage trends. In particular, investigations of memory leaks can be prioritized without always resorting to the use of bulky and performance-degrading memory dumps, by using these tools and techniques to identify leaky correlated data types. Data about a program's memory usage is processed to identify memory usage trends over time for respective data types, and the trends are searched for significant correlations. Correlated trends (and hence their corresponding data types) are grouped. Memory usage analysis information is displayed for grouped data types, such as the names of the most rapidly leaking data types, the names of correlated data types, leak rates, and leak amounts in terms of memory size and/or data object counts. Memory usage data may also be correlated with processing load requests to indicate which requests have associated memory leaks. |
| US09454453B2 |
Report production apparatus, report production system, and report production method
A report production apparatus includes a first collection unit configured to make requests depending on multiple types of device management systems respectively to collect pieces of device management information and convert the collected pieces into a common format, each piece of device management information being about usage of devices disposed at a base of the device management system; a second collection unit configured to make a request to collect contract information about quality assurance for the devices from a contract system; a third collection unit configure to make requests depending on multiple types of service desk systems respectively to collect pieces of service information and convert the collected pieces into another common format, each piece of service information being about device abnormality of the devices disposed at the base of the service desk system; and a production unit configured to produce a report using the above information. |
| US09454450B2 |
Modeling and testing of interactions between components of a software system
A first network connection is identified between a first software component and a second software component. First data is received from the first software component identifying an amount of data sent over the first network connection. Second data is also received, from the second software component, that identifies the amount of data sent over the first network connection. Further, a particular transaction fragment involving the first and second software components over the first network connection is determined from the received first and second data. In some aspects, the particular transaction fragment can be used in the analysis of a transaction including the particular transaction fragment. |
| US09454445B2 |
Fault tolerant server
The virtual computer of the active system includes a memory configured of small regions grouped in a first group and small regions grouped in a second group. When a checkpoint is detected by the checkpoint detection unit, the transfer control unit suspends the virtual computer, copies, to a transfer buffer (not shown), data of the small regions in the first group among the small regions of the memory having been updated after a previous checkpoint, and after inhibiting writing to the small regions in the second group, restarts the virtual computer. Further, the transfer control unit copies data of the small regions, in which writing is inhibited, to the transfer buffer and releases write inhibit, and transfers the data of the small regions, having been copied to the transfer buffer, to the physical computer. |
| US09454439B2 |
Disaster recovery validation
A method and system for the backup and recovery of a converged infrastructure computer system are provided with the ability to determine if the backup meets requirements of a disaster recovery plan. The method and system provide backup and recovery of the data and applications including backup and recovery of the configuration and mapping information of the converged infrastructure computer system. The backups are periodically tested to determine if they meet predetermined metrics that are specified in the disaster recovery plan. |
| US09454436B2 |
Electronic device and firmware upgrading method thereof
A firmware upgrading method for an electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a storage section which stores a firmware image and a controller which executes a boot loader of the electronic device to determine whether the firmware image is damaged, performs a restoration function for the firmware image if the firmware image is damaged, and executes an operating system (OS) to perform normal operations if the firmware image is not damaged. |
| US09454429B2 |
Protection against word line failure in memory devices
A method for data storage includes providing a mapping of data pages to physical pages, in which each physical page holds a non-integer number of the data pages, for storage of data in at least one memory block, including a plurality of the physical pages, in a memory device. The data pages that are mapped to the memory block are partitioned into groups, such that failure of any memory unit, which consists of a predefined number of the physical pages in the memory device, will produce errors in no more than one data page in each group. The data pages is stored in the physical pages of the memory block in accordance with the mapping, while a redundant storage scheme is applied among the data pages of each group. |
| US09454423B2 |
SAN performance analysis tool
The present invention is directed to a method and information handling system (IHS) for improving system performance in a storage area network. An embodiment of the present invention begins by obtaining diagnostic data for the storage area network by asking a user one or more questions and storing results to the one or more questions. Next, test data is obtained by running one or more testing modules on at least one component of the storage area network. A performance analysis of the storage area network is executed, including the obtained diagnostic data and the obtained test data. Then, one or more performance issues and one or more action plans for resolution are identified based upon the analysis. Finally, a report to one or more users is provided including the one or more identified performance issues and the one or more action plans. |
| US09454422B2 |
Error feedback and logging with memory on-chip error checking and correcting (ECC)
Error checking and correcting (ECC) may be performed in an on-chip memory where an error is corrected by a controller and not the on-chip memory. The controller may be flagged to show that an error has occurred and where it has occurred in the memory. The controller may access ECC bits associated with the error and may fix incorrect data. The error checking may be done in parallel with read operations of the memory so as to lower latency. |
| US09454420B1 |
Method and system of reading threshold voltage equalization
The various implementations described herein include systems, methods and/or devices that may enhance the reliability with which data can be stored in and read from a memory. The method includes, in response to one or more host read commands, reading data from a set of memory cells in a flash memory array in accordance with a first reading threshold voltage and performing an error correction process on the read data to produce error correction information. The method further includes determining, based on the error correction information, whether to adjust the first reading threshold voltage, and upon determining to adjust the first reading threshold voltage, setting the value of the first reading threshold voltage to a value greater or less than a current value of the first reading threshold voltage. In some implementations, the method further includes initiating a recalibration of the first reading threshold voltage when a predefined condition occurs. |
| US09454416B2 |
Detecting high availability readiness of a distributed computing system
Technology is disclosed for determining high availability readiness of a distributed computing system (“system”). A confidence measure (CM) can be computed for a particular controller in the system to determine whether a takeover by the particular controller from a first controller would be successful. The CM can be a percentage value. A CM of 0% indicates that a takeover would be a failure, which results in loss of access to data managed by the first controller. A CM of 100% indicates a successful takeover with no performance impact on the system. A CM between 0% and 100% indicates a successful takeover but with a performance impact. The CM can be computed based on events occurring in the system, e.g., veto and non-veto events. The CM is computed as a function of various weights and/or indices associated with the veto events and/or non-veto events. |
| US09454413B1 |
Systems and methods for handling communications between network applications
Systems and methods for improving the handing of communications between network applications in a computer system with connectivity services interfaces that seamlessly handle the communications in an easy-to-use, secure, message-oriented environment are disclosed. Embodiments of systems and methods for maintaining ownership of sessions by applications, and for avoiding the orphaning of communication sessions when activities are terminated are also disclosed. Also disclosed are embodiments of systems and methods for accessing data using authentication credentials different than the authentication credentials associated with a user that is requesting access to the data. Embodiments of systems and methods for authenticating credentials for establishing a secure communication connection between applications executing on different platforms are also disclosed. |
| US09454410B2 |
Transparent integration of application components
Differing implementations associated with components of dissimilar execution environments are mediated to facilitate component integration. A host is provided to facilitate native interaction with foreign components by translating between native and foreign communications. Policies can be specified by either or both of a native and foreign component that control interaction. |
| US09454409B2 |
API matchmaking using feature models
Software that uses machine logic based algorithms to help determine and/or prioritize an application programming interface's (API) desirability to a user based on how closely the API's terms of service (ToS) meet the users' ToS preferences. The software performs the following steps: (i) receiving a set of API ToS feature information that includes identifying information for at least one API and respectively associated ToS features for each identified API; (ii) receiving ToS preference information that relates to ToS related preferences for a user; and (iii) evaluating a strength of a match between each respective API identified in the API ToS feature information set and the ToS preference information to yield a match value for each API identified in the API ToS feature information set. The ToS features include at least a first ToS field. At least one API includes multiple, alternative values in its first ToS field. |
| US09454408B2 |
Managing network utility of applications on cloud data centers
Techniques, systems, and articles of manufacture for managing network utility of applications on cloud data centers. A method includes computing a network utility value for each of multiple applications in a data center network, determining a virtual machine placement and an application flow routing within the data center network for each of the multiple applications which have a computed network utility value below a pre-determined network utility threshold, and based on said determining, re-routing one or more of the multiple application flow routings and performing a virtual machine migration of one or more virtual machines associated with at least one of the multiple applications which have a computed network utility value below a pre-determined network utility threshold. |
| US09454402B2 |
Information display for displaying different types of performance data using a single integrated visual indicator
Exemplary embodiments display different types of performance-related data on an information display having a range of units for one type of measured data. Aspects of exemplary embodiment include presenting, by at least one software component executed by a processor, a rate of resource consumption in a visual indicator; and using the visual indicator as a pointer on the information display to a current unit of the measured data. |
| US09454401B2 |
Resource allocation method and apparatus of GPU
A resource allocation method and apparatus utilize the GPU resource efficiently by sorting the tasks using General Purpose GPU (GPGPU) into operations and combining the same operations into a request. The resource allocation method of a Graphic Processing Unit (GPU) according to the present disclosure includes receiving a task including at least one operation; storing the at least one operation in unit of request; merging data of same operations per request; and allocating GPU resource according to an execution order the request. |
| US09454399B2 |
Parallel computer system, method of controlling parallel computer system, and recording medium
A management device includes: a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor executes a process including: storing therein an assignment table including first assignment information indicating whether a job is assigned to the information processing devices and second assignment information indicating that a job is constantly assigned to virtual information processing devices arranged at ends of a connection relation of the information processing devices; searching regions in which idle information processing devices assigned with no job are arranged continuously, using the assignment table stored at the storing; specifying a region appropriate for assignment of a job as an assignment target among the regions searched by the searching; and assigning the job as the assignment target to the region specified by the specifying. |
| US09454398B2 |
Enhanced data container with extensible characteristics and a system and method of processing and communication of same
A variety of tools and techniques are disclosed for creating and managing an enhanced data container. The enhanced data container is comprised of extensible characteristics that when processed interact with a variety of computing devices and computing device components. The enhanced data container is communicated to a variety of computing devices in varying ways and processing of the enhanced data container is coupled with additional systems to manage the enhanced data container by as controlling the number of instances in a system, assigning virtual or real monetary value to instances, assign unique identifiers to instances, and allowing the enhanced data container to be modified by inputs and rendered or transmitted to outputs of computing devices. These technologies bring additional functionality and levels of interaction to data in consumer and business applications. |
| US09454395B2 |
Traffic-aware data center VM placement considering job dynamic and server heterogeneity
A method is implemented by a computing device to provide traffic-aware virtual machine (VM) placement onto physical servers of a data center where the placement takes incremental VM job arrival and physical server heterogeneity into consideration. The method forms a graph including a new VM node, an existing VM node, and an edge between the nodes, where the edge is assigned a weight that represents a traffic demand. The method marks the existing VM node as belonging to one of the physical servers, adds dummy VM nodes to the graph, adds pseudo VM nodes to the graph, connects nodes belonging to a same physical server using an infinite weight pseudo edge, runs a balanced minimum k-cut problem algorithm on the graph to thereby divide the graph into sub-graphs, and maps the new VM to one of the physical servers based on the division of sub-graphs. |
| US09454393B2 |
Planned virtual machines
A planned virtual machine, for use in staging the construction of a virtual machine. Such a planned virtual machine may be used as part of a method for migrating virtual machines. The method may include creating a planned virtual machine based on a first realized virtual machine or a template, performing a configuration operation on the planned virtual machine, and converting the planned virtual machine to a second realized virtual machine. The configuration operation may comprise interaction with a virtualization platform managing the planned virtual machine and may be based on input provided by a user. |
| US09454390B2 |
Executable code generated from common source code
A computer system generates first executable code in a first programming language based on common source code, where the first executable code is configured to execute at a server in the client-server environment. Then, the computer system executes the first executable to produce relational objects that constitute a tree hierarchy, where a given relational object defines a relationship between nodes and end points in the common source code. Next, the computer system generates second executable code in a second programming language based on the tree hierarchy, where the second executable code is configured to execute at a client in the client-server environment, and where the second executable code implements a subset of the common source code associated with the relational objects which is based on a user context. |
| US09454387B2 |
Method and system for installing portable executable applications
According to the invention, a first executable environment is provided. The first executable environment is for execution within an operating system environment of a host computer system. The first executable environment is not an emulator for emulating any of another processor and another operating system. A software application is provided for installation and execution within the operating system environment. The software application is for fixed installation and not for installation in a portable fashion for being ported from one host computer system to another. The software application is then installed within the first executable environment, the installed software application installed within a removable peripheral memory storage device for execution within the first executable environment. |
| US09454384B2 |
Custom operating system via a web-service
Operating systems can be constructed through working “in the clouds” without dependence on a specific piece of hardware. Over the Internet, an operating system is constructed based on received requests. Received requests disclose modules that are to be added to the operating system and these modules are added. A constructed operating system can be tested in context of a web server and then downloaded to an electronic device. The electronic device boots the operating system from virtual hard disk by utilization of bare metal deployment and/or non-metal deployment. |
| US09454383B2 |
Autowiring location agnostic services into application software
A system and method that performs retrofitting and autowiring of service bindings by generating a plurality of retrofitted references from a plurality of resource references and autowiring the plurality of retrofitted references into an application. The system and method deploys the application to an environment in response to the autowiring of the plurality of retrofitted references. |
| US09454380B2 |
Computing platform performance management with RAS services
In some embodiments, a PPM interface may be provided with functionality to facilitate to an OS RAS services for one or more hardware components, regardless of a particular platform hardware configuration, as long as the platform hardware and OS are in conformance with the PPM interface. |
| US09454379B2 |
Collaborative processor and system performance and power management
The present invention relates to a platform power management scheme. In some embodiments, a platform provides a relative performance scale using one or more parameters to be requested by an OSPM system. |
| US09454377B2 |
Speculative branch handling for transaction abort
Embodiments relate to speculative branch handling for transaction abort. An aspect includes detecting a beginning of a current execution of a transaction. Another aspect includes, based on detecting the beginning of the transaction, disabling speculative execution based on branch prediction of an initial branch instruction of the transaction, wherein the initial branch instruction branches to two possible paths, and wherein a first path of the two possible paths comprises an abort handler. Another aspect includes disabling updating of a history table for the initial branch instruction. |
| US09454374B2 |
Transforming non-contiguous instruction specifiers to contiguous instruction specifiers
Emulation of instructions that include non-contiguous specifiers is facilitated. A non-contiguous specifier specifies a resource of an instruction, such as a register, using multiple fields of the instruction. For example, multiple fields of the instruction (e.g., two fields) include bits that together designate a particular register to be used by the instruction. Non-contiguous specifiers of instructions defined in one computer system architecture are transformed to contiguous specifiers usable by instructions defined in another computer system architecture. The instructions defined in the another computer system architecture emulate the instructions defined for the one computer system architecture. |
| US09454371B2 |
Micro-architecture for eliminating MOV operations
A computer system and processor for elimination of move operations include circuits that obtain a computer instruction and bypass execution units in response to determining that the instruction includes a move operation that involves a transfer of data from a logical source register to a logical destination register. Instead of executing the move operation, the transfer of the data is performed by tracking changes in data dependencies of the source and the destination registers, and assigning a physical register associated with the source register to the destination register based on the dependencies. |
| US09454367B2 |
Finding the length of a set of character data having a termination character
The length of character data having a termination character is determined. The character data for which the length is to be determined is loaded, in parallel, within one or more vector registers. An instruction is used that loads data in a vector register to a specified boundary, and provides a way to determine the number of characters loaded, using, for instance, another instruction. Further, an instruction is used to find the index of the first termination character, e.g., the first zero or null character. This instruction searches the data in parallel for the termination character. By using these instructions, the length of the character data is determined using only one branch instruction. |
| US09454366B2 |
Copying character data having a termination character from one memory location to another
Copying characters of a set of terminated character data from one memory location to another memory location using parallel processing and without causing unwarranted exceptions. The character data to be copied is loaded within one or more vector registers. In particular, in one embodiment, an instruction (e.g., a Vector Load to block Boundary instruction) is used that loads data in parallel in a vector register to a specified boundary, and provides a way to determine the number of characters loaded. To determine the number of characters loaded (a count), another instruction (e.g., a Load Count to Block Boundary instruction) is used. Further, an instruction (e.g., a Vector Find Element Not Equal instruction) is used to find the index of the first delimiter character, i.e., the first termination character, such as a zero or null character within the character data. This instruction checks a plurality of bytes of data in parallel. |
| US09454363B1 |
Mobile application development system and method
A system includes one or more processors to receive a first commitId and a first version number of a first version of an app from a mobile computing device downloaded from an app repository computer system, retrieve a second commitId and a second version number of a second version of the app from a production repository, compare the first commitId and the first version number with the second commitId and the second version number and determine that the first commitID is different from the second commitId, determine at least one difference between the first version of the app and the second version of the app, create a file comprising the at least one difference between the first version of the app and the second version of the app, and transmit the file comprising the at least one difference to the mobile computing device. |
| US09454361B2 |
System and method of merging of objects from different replicas
A first object, typically a software source code object, is checked-in at a first replica of a base object. The replica typically comprises a plurality of objects (e.g., a source code base for a software project). The first object is a version of a base object. The first object is then delivered to a second replica of the base object. If it is determined at the second replica that a trivial merge cannot be performed between the first object and the current base object, the current base object is delivered to the first replica. The first object is rebased with the current base object. The rebased first object is sent to the second replica and a trivial merge is performed between the rebased first object and the current base object. |
| US09454360B2 |
Characterizing interface evolution and consumer roles in module systems
The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates the development and maintenance of a software program. This system includes a software development kit (SDK) and a runtime system for the software program. During operation, the system obtains a role associated with a dependency of a consumer in the software program on an interface. Next, the system obtains a compatibility policy for the interface. Finally, the system uses the role and the compatibility policy to manage use of the interface by the consumer in the software program. |
| US09454356B2 |
Method of and terminal for updating library file in system application
The invention discloses a method of upgrading a library the of a system application and a terminal, where when it is determined that the package name of an upgrade installation package is recorded in system properties, a user partition is searched by the package name of the upgrade installation package for an upgraded library file corresponding to the upgrade installation package, where the package name of the upgrade installation package is recorded in the system properties when it is determined that an application corresponding to the upgrade installation package is a system application; an original library file stored in a system partition is replaced with the found upgraded library file; and the package name of the upgrade installation package recorded in the system properties is deleted. |
| US09454353B2 |
Initiating use of software as part of a messaging window
Disclosed is a novel system and method for initiating trial use of a software application. One or more trial software icons are displayed on a messaging window of a graphical users interface on a display coupled to a computing device. Each trial software icon represents a trial software application, such as a separate and distinct trial software application, that is not currently installed on the computing device. Moving an object representing a file attachment, such as through drag-and-drop action, to one of the trial software icons automatically installs the trial software application on the computing device. Also the trial software application is launched automatically to open the file attachment. |
| US09454350B2 |
Extracting stream graph structure in a computer language by pre-executing a deterministic subset
Compile-time recognition of graph structure where graph has arbitrary connectivity and is constructed using recursive computations is provided. In one aspect, the graph structure recognized at compile time may be duplicated at runtime and can then operate on runtime values not known at compile time. |
| US09454347B2 |
Analyzing incomplete software
A method of analyzing an incomplete software program may include receiving high-level software code of a software program that includes multiple functions. The multiple functions may include at least one incomplete function and at least one complete function. The method may further include compiling at least a portion of the high-level software code to generate low-level software code by compiling the complete function and passing over the incomplete function. The method may further include modifying the low-level software code to account for a call to the incomplete function in the low-level software code and symbolically executing the low-level software code. |
| US09454346B2 |
Extracting entropy from the vibration of multiple machines
Generating a pool of random numbers for use by computer applications. Vibration sensors are placed throughout a machine and collect entropy data from the measurements of the vibration sensors. The data is then filtered and sent via secure connection to a second machine to be added to the second machine's entropy pool. Applications needing a random number may acquire a number from the pool. A method, computer program product and system to generate the pool are provided. |
| US09454344B1 |
Temporal user-defined functions
A database system may include a memory device configured to store a database dictionary and a processor in communication with the storage device. The processor may be configured to receive a temporal user-defined function (UDF) and to store, in the database dictionary, the temporal UDF and a period of time over which to apply the temporal UDF. A method may include receiving a temporal UDF and include determining a period of time over which to apply the temporal UDF. The method may further include storing the temporal UDF and the period of time over which to apply the temporal UDF. A computer-readable medium may include instructions to receive a temporal UDF and instructions to store the temporal UDF. The computer-readable medium may further include instructions to determine a period of applicability of the temporal UDF and instructions to store the period of applicability in a storage device. |
| US09454343B1 |
Creating spectral wells for inserting watermarks in audio signals
A method for a machine or group of machines to watermark an audio signal may include receiving the audio signal, receiving a watermark signal, creating a spectral well on the audio signal by removing a portion of the audio signal corresponding to a frequency range, and inserting the watermark signal in the spectral well. |
| US09454336B1 |
System and method for improving user experience with proximity estimation
A mobile electronic device is provided. The mobile electronic device includes a transceiver configured to receive at least a first signal from a first end point and a second signal from a second end point. The mobile electronic device also includes a controller comprising processing circuitry. The controller is configured to measure a signal strength of the first signal and a signal strength of the second signal. The controller is also configured to generate for a display an interface that arranges a first command button associated with the first end point and a second command button associated with a second end point into different display priority slots as a function of the measured signal strength of the first signal and the measured signal strength of the second signal. |
| US09454335B2 |
Printer for printing labels, tags or the like
A printer which is configured to automatically transmit data, such as critical and non-critical printer data, and route that data through at least one of a plurality of communication channels and services, such as via e-mail or mobile wireless equipment (e.g. an Internet-ready pager, a Personal Communications Service (PCS) phone or a wireless Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)). Preferably, the printer is configured such that it can be programmed and controlled from a remote location. Preferably, the printer is configured such that new label formats can be added from a remote location, and label formats stored in the printer can be viewed and modified from a remote location. Preferably, the printer is also configured such that barcode rendering algorithms can be downloaded to the printer from a remote location, and such that printer settings can be viewed and modified from a remote location, and thereafter can be downloaded to the printer and/or to other printers in a network to facilitate cloning. |
| US09454330B1 |
Method and apparatus for operating commands on a storage device controller without direct connection when transmitting data over a bus to a processing circuitry
Systems and methods for operating on a storage device are provided. A storage device command for operating on data stored in a plurality of locations in a storage device is received, with a storage device controller from processing circuitry over a bus. The storage device command is decoded with the storage device controller to identify a plurality of storage device operations associated with the storage device command. The plurality of storage device operations are executed on the data stored in the storage device without transmitting the data over the bus to the processing circuitry. |
| US09454328B2 |
Controlling hierarchical storage
Provided is a method of distributedly storing an individual content in a hierarchical storage system including a solid state storage having a plurality of solid state disks, a hard disk storage having a plurality of hard disks, and a tape storage. The method may include determining a target content to store and an inquiry frequency and a required minimum transmission rate of the target content upon receipt of a request message from a client device, classifying the target content as at least one of a low demanded content, a normal demanded content, a high demanded content, a low transmission rate content, a normal transmission rate content, and a high transmission rate content based on the inquiry frequency and the required minimum transmission rate of the target content, and distributedly storing the target content through at least one of the solid state storage, the hard disk storage, and the tape storage based on the classification result and a distribution and buffering policy. |
| US09454319B2 |
Storage system data hardening
The present disclosure relates to examples of data hardening. In one example according to aspects of the present disclosure, a method comprises receiving, at a storage device, power loss information in a first format associated with a first protocol. The method further comprises converting, at the storage device, the power loss information in the first format to a second format associated with a second protocol, wherein converting the power loss information in the first format to the second format comprises converting one of a power loss primitive or a power loss command to one of a primitive or command for hardening data. |
| US09454318B2 |
Efficient data storage system
A system and method are disclosed for providing efficient data storage. A plurality of data segments is received in a data stream. The system determines whether a data segment has been stored previously in a low latency memory. In the event that the data segment is determined to have been stored previously, an identifier for the previously stored data segment is returned. |
| US09454317B2 |
Tiered storage system, storage controller and method of substituting data transfer between tiers
According to one embodiment, there is provided a storage controller for use in a tiered storage system. The tiered storage system includes a first storage device having the first physical volume of a first tier, and a second storage device having the second physical volume of a second tier lower than the first tier. The cache controller of the storage controller divides the storage area of the first physical volume into a set of data areas and a set of cache areas. The cache controller changes the first cache area of the first physical volume to a first data area, when first data to be transferred from the second physical volume to the first physical volume is also stored in the first cache area. |
| US09454316B2 |
Cluster consistent logical storage object naming
A clustered storage environment can distribute responsibility for naming virtual disks to nodes of the clustered storage environment. The clustered storage environment maintains a list of names in a structure that is visible to cluster member nodes responsible for naming the virtual disks. As the cluster member nodes discover mass storage devices (e.g., storage arrays) in the clustered storage environment, the nodes determine identifiers of the mass storage devices. For each mass storage device, the nodes use the mass storage device identifier to establish a namespace for virtual disks of the corresponding mass storage device. The nodes can then provide consistent, exclusive names for the virtual disks throughout the cluster that are manageable names. |
| US09454312B2 |
Method and system for storing and reading data in or from a key value storage
A method and system for storing data in a key value storage having a plurality of n servers, wherein t |
| US09454311B2 |
System and method for unbalanced RAID management
A method for dynamically balancing the allocation of data among a plurality of physical data storage devices having a plurality of RAID devices defined thereon, wherein at least one of the plurality of RAID devices is comprised of at least one of a different type of physical storage device or a different number of physical data storage devices than at least one other of the plurality of RAID devices, includes determining a usage factor unique to each RAID device and balancing data I/O based at least in part on the usage factor. |
| US09454310B2 |
Command queuing
The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods for command queuing. A number of embodiments include receiving a queued command request at a memory system from a host, sending a command response from the memory system to the host that indicates the memory system is ready to receive a command in a command queue of the memory system, and receiving, in response to sending the command response, a command descriptor block for the command at the memory system from the host. |
| US09454308B2 |
Page compression strategy for improved page out process
A page compression strategy classifies uncompressed pages selected for compression. Similarly classified pages are compressed and bound into a single logical page. For logical pages having pages with more than one classification, a weighting factor is determined for the logical page. |
| US09454306B2 |
Capturing demand on storage capacity and performance capability
Workload on an aggregation of storage devices can be quantified in terms of demand on the aggregation of storage devices and demand on logical storage containers configured on the aggregation of storage devices. The demand on the aggregation of storage devices and the demand on logical storage containers thereon are calculated in a manner that captures demand on both storage capacity and performance capability. Capturing demand on both storage capacity and performance capability facilitates intelligent management that accounts for the relationship between storage capacity and performance capability. This allows the owner/operator of the storage equipment to use storage capacity at a desired (or requested) performance. |
| US09454305B1 |
Method and system for managing storage reservation
Methods and systems for managing logical storage object reservation requests are provided. A controller of a storage array having a storage device for storing information on behalf of the logical storage object communicates with a first adapter via a network connection. The controller grants ownership of the logical storage object to the first adapter by the controller. A second adapter that interfaces with the first adapter is notified by the first adapter regarding the granted ownership. The second adapter is configured to send a request for reserving the logical storage object to the first adapter, where the second adapter sends the request on behalf of an application for reading, writing or both reading and writing at the storage space using the logical storage object. The first adapter receives and processes the request. |
| US09454303B2 |
Gesture touch inputs for controlling video on a touchscreen
In general, this disclosure describes novel techniques for controlling video content on a computing device, such as a mobile computing device. For example, a computing device may execute a media application that provides a video output to a presence-sensitive screen of the computing device. During execution of the media application, the presence-sensitive screen may receive a gesture touch input that has motion with respect to the presence-sensitive screen. The computing device may then rewind or fast forward the video output based at least in part on the gesture touch input. The computing device may display, during the rewinding or fast forwarding of the video output, a plurality of frames of the video output concurrently on the presence-sensitive screen in lateral motion corresponding to the rewinding or fast forwarding. |
| US09454300B2 |
Device, control method, and storage medium storing program
According to an aspect, a device includes a photographing unit, a display unit, and a control unit. The photographing unit captures an image. The display unit displays the image captured by the photographing unit. The control unit causes the display unit to display an object related to the image captured by the photographing unit so as to be superimposed on the image, and performs a selection process of the object when a body overlaps the object. |
| US09454299B2 |
Methods, apparatus, computer-readable storage mediums and computer programs for selecting functions in a graphical user interface
A method including controlling display of a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface including a portion configured to present content associated with a program; controlling display of a plurality of functions in response to a user input, the plurality of functions being associated with the program and being displayed in the graphical user interface with the portion; and determining if the user input selects a function of the plurality of functions for execution. |
| US09454296B2 |
Methods and apparatus for providing graphical view of digital content
A non-transitory processor-readable medium storing code representing instructions to be executed by a processor to define a set of indicators encoding a set of content segments from the set of content segments. The processor further defines, for each content segment, a first link between that content segment and an indicator from the set of indicators, such that the first link associates a center component of the content segment to that indicator. The processor also defines, for each content segment, a second link between that content segment and an adjacent content segment within the sequence of content segments, such that the second link associates an edge component of that content segment to an edge component of the adjacent content segment. The processor also defines a presentation of the set of content segments based on the first link and the second link, for each content segment. |
| US09454294B2 |
Creating, provisioning and managing virtual data centers
A cloud services brokerage platform system includes a virtual data center (VDC) and an architecture management interface. The virtual data center (VDC) includes a plurality of resource groups. Each one of the resource groups includes one or more VDC resources. Each one of the VDC resources is associated with a respective set of resource group specification parameters. The architecture management interface enables an architectural layout of the one or more VDC resources to be displayed. The architectural layout includes a visual depiction of the one or more VDC resources of each one of the resource groups. An arrangement of the visual depiction is dependent upon the respective set of resource group specification parameters. |
| US09454293B2 |
Auto draw flow
A computing device can automatically generate a flow diagram showing statuses that objects in a system can possess, and the possible transitions between these statuses. Using snapshots of database data, the device can determine how the statuses of these objects have changed over time. The device can analyze the data to suggest which database fields likely represent object status. The device can render the flow diagram to illustrate system states at different selected times. Each rendered flow diagram can indicate, for the selected time point, the quantity of objects that possessed each status at that time, and, for a selected time interval, the quantity of objects that changed from each status to each other status during that time interval. The statuses can be represented in the flow diagram as status bubbles having sizes that are based on the quantities of objects have those bubble's statuses at the selected time point. |
| US09454292B2 |
Method and system for interface data utilization
Methods and system for interface data utilization are described. In one embodiment, source interface data may be provided from a provider. The source interface data may be capable of being used to provide a source user interface for a networked resource associated with the provider. A user request may be received through the source user interface. A service call may be provided over a network to an application based on the receiving of the user request. The application may be associated with an application manager. Response data may be received over the network from the application based on the service call. Target interface data may be rendered based on the response data. The target interface data may be provided from the provider. |
| US09454291B2 |
Data visualization techniques
Systems and methods in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention provide for representing a plurality of data values of a hierarchical dataset as graphical elements in a configurable data visualization. A first data visualization may be displayed in a data visualization display page, along with a user interface. A selection of a rendered root node and rendered leaf nodes to be displayed in a second data visualization is received from the user interface. Based on the selection of the rendered root node and rendered leaf nodes, a number of depth levels to display is determined. Also, which of the depth levels to display are identified based on the selection of the rendered root node and rendered leaf nodes. The second data visualization is rendered based on the determined number of depth levels and the identified depth levels. |
| US09454286B1 |
Representing purchasable item sizes using annulus sectors
A user interface comprises regions to visually represent sizes of purchasable items. A first region approximately shaped as an annulus sector is to visually represent a size of a first purchasable item. A second region approximately shaped as an annulus sector radially adjacent an outer arc of the first region is to visually represent a size of a second purchasable item. A third region approximately shaped as an annulus sector angularly adjacent the first region and the second region is to visually represent a size of a third purchasable item. |
| US09454284B2 |
Web server for supporting collaborative animation production service and method thereof
A web server for supporting a collaborative animation production service. The web server includes a user interface (UI) unit to provide a UI to receive direction data for each scene required for animation production in parallel to users connected to the web server, and a generating unit to combine the direction data input to the UI for each scene and generate an animation corresponding to the combined direction data. A plurality of users thereby collaborate to produce an animation in real time, making it possible to shorten the production time of the animation and produce a high quality animation. |
| US09454283B1 |
Three-dimensional visualization
In an embodiment, a mechanism for visualizing a graphical model in three dimensions is discussed. An executable graphical model is obtained that includes a hierarchy of model levels that include a top level. The hierarchy includes multiple components. A three-dimensional (3D) view of the graphical model is displayed that provides views of a first and second component at a first and second depth. A graphical indicator is generated in the view of the top level of the graphical model that is associated with the first component and also generated in the view of the second component. A control alters a user perspective of a view that includes at least one of the components in the graphical model. |
| US09454282B2 |
Sending application input commands over a network
Disclosed are various embodiments that facilitate sending input commands to an application over a network that may have variable latency characteristics. An input command may be obtained from a client over a network. The obtained input command is then provided to the application that is executed in a hosted environment. When a delay is determined to be necessary based at least in part on latency characteristic, the input command is provided to the application after the delay. |
| US09454272B2 |
Touch screen for stylus emitting wireless signals
A touch screen device is configured with rows of conductors capable of receiving wireless signals from a stylus. When the stylus touches the touch screen, the stylus emits multiple wireless signals in different directions. The conductors receiving the emitted wireless signals provide the signals to circuitry that filters, amplifies, and digitizes the wireless signals, as received at each conductor. The magnitude of each conductor's received wireless signal is computed, and the computed magnitudes are used to determine the location of the stylus on the touch screen surface. The stylus is assumed to be closer to conductors receiving stronger signals than those receiving weaker signals. |
| US09454270B2 |
Systems and methods for detecting a press on a touch-sensitive surface
Systems and methods that allow the user to rest their fingers on a touch-sensitive surface and make selections on that surface with a pressing action. Touch capacitance sensors that typically provide X and Y location data associated with a user's touch are also used to discern finger pressure in the Z direction. This allows the user to make an actuation on the touch screen by simply pressing harder at a location where they may already be resting their finger(s). |
| US09454269B2 |
Keyboard fills bottom screen on rotation of a multiple screen device
Methods and devices for presenting a virtual keyboard are provided. More particularly, in connection with a multiple screen device, a virtual keyboard can be presented in a first mode using portions of both of the screens. In a second mode, the virtual keyboard can be presented using all of one of the screens. Movement between the different modes can be effected by rotating the device between a dual portrait orientation, corresponding to the first mode, and a dual landscape orientation, corresponding to the second mode. More particularly, with the screens of the device in a landscape orientation, one screen can be devoted to present the virtual keyboard while the other screen remains available to present other information. |
| US09454267B2 |
Touch sensing circuit and method for making the same
The present invention discloses a touch sensing circuit for capacitive touch panel formed on a substrate comprises a transparent conductive layer having a thickness of 100 Å-500 Å; a conductive layer having a thickness of 1000 Å-5000 Å; and an insulating layer having a thickness of 1 μm-5 μm disposed between the transparent conductive layer and the conductive layer. |
| US09454264B2 |
Manipulation input device, manipulation input system, and manipulation input method
A manipulation input device includes a projection component, a photodetector and an inclination determination component. The projection component projects an image on a projection surface by scanning light from a light source. The photodetector detects as scattered light the light reflected by a manipulation object. The inclination determination component acquires, for a plurality of scan lines of the light, position information of the manipulation object that is specified based on scanning angle information when the photodetector has detected the scattered light, and width information of the manipulation object that corresponds to a continuous detection duration during which the photodetector continuously detects the scattered light. The inclination determination component determines inclination of the manipulation object based on at least one of a temporal change in a plurality of sets of the width information and a temporal change in a plurality of sets of the position information. |
| US09454263B2 |
Correction of touch screen camera geometry
A touch display has a touch screen to display images and one or more infrared cameras to take images of objects contacting the touch screen. One or more calibration patterns are formed on the touch screen. In response, an automatic process takes place, with: producing an image of the touch screen by taking with each one of the group of infrared cameras a set of one or more images of the calibration patterns; determining geometric distortions of the images with relation to the formed one or more calibration patterns; and calculating calibration parameters configured to enable computational compensation of the determined geometric distortions. The calibration parameters are then stored. |
| US09454262B2 |
Information output device
Recognition of a player's touch on a surface of a medium is made possible, as well as recognition of the medium such as a card by a dot pattern printed on a back surface of the medium placed on a stage. Input instructions according to each feature of a game or information processing device are made possible just by preparing a card on which a region for a touch operation is printed, by making possible recognition of a player's touch on a surface of a medium, as well as recognition of the medium such as a card by a dot pattern printed on a back surface of the medium placed on a stage, calculating where on a card placed on the stage is touched, and causing to perform a process according to a feature of the card. |
| US09454258B2 |
Book-like physical control and feedback apparatus
An electronic device is disclosed that includes a pleated user interface having a plurality of ridges and a plurality of valleys; a first sensor coupled with a first ridge of the plurality of ridges; a memory storing a plurality of pages; a display; and a controller coupled with the display, the memory, the sensor, and the pleated user interface. The controller may be configured to provide a first page of the plurality of pages to a user through the display; receive a first signal from the first sensor indicating an interaction with at least the first ridge of the pleated user interface; and provide a second page of the plurality of pages to the display in response to receiving the first signal, wherein the second page is adjacent to the first page. |
| US09454255B2 |
Device and method for localized force sensing
A device and method for operating a capacitive touch screen input device configured to sense input objects and their applied force in a sensing region, the device including a pliable component having an input surface and characterized by a bending stiffness, and first and second arrays of sensor electrodes. The input device further includes a third array of sensor electrodes and a spacing layer disposed between the third array. The pliable component is characterized by a compressive stiffness and configured to deform in response to a force applied to the input surface and to deflect the second array of sensor electrodes towards the third array of sensor electrodes, wherein the deformation of the input surface and the deflection of the second array of sensor electrodes is a function of the ratio of the bending stiffness of the pliable component and the compressive stiffness of the spacing layer. |
| US09454254B2 |
Wet ink texture engine for reduced lag digital inking
A wet ink texture engine and associated method. The wet ink texture engine may run in the context of any application on any device, service, or general endpoint capable of receiving ink input. For example, the wet ink texture engine may be used in the context of a note application that receives input in the form of writing or drawing. The wet ink texture engine reduces, minimizes, or eliminates lag between receiving the input and displaying the input to improve inking experience for the user. |
| US09454250B2 |
Touch panel having scan electrodes with different widths
A technique capable of reducing the number of leading lines and making the area of a frame region smaller is provided. A display device includes an in-cell touch panel in which a pair of transparent substrates is arranged so as to oppose each other, a plurality of scanning electrodes are disposed on an opposing surface of one of the transparent substrates, and detection electrodes that intersect with the scanning electrodes are arranged on an opposing surface of the other transparent substrate. The display device further includes at least one first leading lines electrically connected the scanning electrodes and configured to supply a scanning signal to the scanning electrodes, and at least one second leading lines electrically connected to the detection electrodes and configured to output a signal detected by the detection electrodes. In the display device, each of the first leading lines is connected to at least two of the scanning electrodes having different widths. |
| US09454248B2 |
Touch input method and electronic apparatus thereof
A touch input method and an electronic apparatus thereof are provided. The touch input method is adapted to a touch module for controlling a pointer on a virtual display screen. The touch input method includes the following steps. Detecting the touch module, and a first input position and a second input position are detected during a detecting period, wherein the first input position is corresponding to a first input signal, and the second input position is corresponding to a second input signal. A command is formed by the first input signal and the second input signal jointly, and the pointer executes a specific function following the command. |
| US09454244B2 |
Recognizing a movement of a pointing device
The present invention is directed toward a system and process that controls a group of networked electronic components using a multimodal integration scheme in which inputs from a speech recognition subsystem, gesture recognition subsystem employing a wireless pointing device and pointing analysis subsystem also employing the pointing device, are combined to determine what component a user wants to control and what control action is desired. In this multimodal integration scheme, the desired action concerning an electronic component is decomposed into a command and a referent pair. The referent can be identified using the pointing device to identify the component by pointing at the component or an object associated with it, by using speech recognition, or both. The command may be specified by pressing a button on the pointing device, by a gesture performed with the pointing device, by a speech recognition event, or by any combination of these inputs. |
| US09454243B2 |
Virtual optical touch screen detecting touch distance
Apparatus and methods are provided for converting a display into a touch display. One or more optical sensors are arranged proximate the display. A processor receives a signal from the optical sensor(s) and, based on the signal, executes instructions for: (i) determining a distance between a pointer device and a surface of the display signal; (ii) determining a position of the pointer device on the surface of the display; (iii) when the distance is less than a threshold detection distance and greater than a threshold touch distance, providing an indication on the display that the position of the pointer device has been determined; and (iv) when the distance is less than the threshold touch distance, taking an action indicative of contact between the pointer device and the surface of the display. |
| US09454242B2 |
Optical displacement detection apparatus and optical displacement detection method thereof
The present invention discloses an optical displacement detection apparatus and an optical displacement detection method. The optical displacement detection apparatus includes: a light source for projecting light on a surface; an image capturing unit for generating an image signal according to light reflected from the surface; and a processing unit for generating an auto-exposure (AE) state value and an image quality (IQ) value according to the image signal, and determining an AE range according to an initial AE range, the AE state value and the IQ value. |
| US09454239B2 |
Enabling touch events on a touch sensitive mechanical keyboard
Touch sensitive mechanical keyboards and processes for detecting touch events and key depressions on the touch sensitive mechanical keyboard are provided. The touch sensitive mechanical keyboard can include a set of individually depressible mechanical keys having a touch sensitive area located on their surface. A touch sensor can be included to detect touch events on the surface of the mechanical keys. A keypad can also be included to detect a depression of the mechanical keys. The touch sensitive mechanical keyboard can further include a processor for distinguishing detected touch events from detected key depressions. The processor can generate either a key depression command or a touch event command. |
| US09454237B2 |
Key assembly for electronic device
A key assembly for an electronic device that includes a keycap defining a key that has a non-opaque portion to identify the key that is backlit. The assembly includes a light guide positioned in spaced relation to the keycap. An optical radiation source, such as top-fire light emitting diode, is mounted below the lower surface of the light guide. A mask is disposed on the top surface of the optical radiation source. The mask includes an aperture to allow light from the optical radiation source to pass into the light guide, and the mask blocks at least a portion of the light from the optical radiation source. The mask blocks a portion of the top surface of the optical radiation source that emits tinted light. The light guide is affixed atop the opaque mask such that it is nearly directly affixed to the optical radiation source. |
| US09454236B2 |
Three-dimensional mouse device and marionette control system using the same
Provided are a three-dimensional mouse device using several body parts, and a marionette control system using the same. The three-dimensional mouse device includes: a support member that is worn on at least one of a head, a face, an arm, and a foot among body parts; an action recognition module that is mounted on the support member; and an action recognition module that is attached to the support member to sense a motion of the body parts and output a sensing signal to the action recognition module. |
| US09454234B2 |
Instruction triggering method and device, user information acquisition method and system, terminal, and server
The present disclosure provides a method and apparatus for triggering an instruction, methods and systems for obtaining user information, a terminal, and a server. The instruction triggering method includes: detecting a shaking operation of a mobile terminal; and triggering a preset input instruction according to the detected shaking operation. The user information obtaining method includes: when a mobile terminal detects a shaking operation, the mobile terminal sending a user information obtaining request to a server; and the mobile terminal receiving user information of a matching user returned according to the user information by the server. Another user information obtaining method includes: after a server receives a user information obtaining request triggered by a shaking operation of a mobile terminal, obtaining a user who matches the user information obtaining request and sending user information of the matching user to the mobile terminal. The present disclosure improves the convenience of operations and provides a widely used experience of randomly making friends. |
| US09454233B2 |
Non-transitory computer readable medium
A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program causing a computer to execute a process is provided. The process includes switching, in a case where at least one of an attitude sensing result and an acceleration sensing result relating to a portable information terminal, the portable information terminal including a touch panel, satisfies a predetermined switching condition, data of interest to a corresponding piece of data among plural pieces of data; and performing, on the data of interest, in a case where at least one of the attitude sensing result and the acceleration sensing result relating to the portable information terminal satisfies a predetermined performing condition, processing corresponding to the performing condition. |
| US09454230B2 |
Imaging apparatus for taking image in response to screen pressing operation, imaging method, and program
A method of operating an image-capturing device for displaying an image of a subject on a screen, and performing image-capturing operation for the subject in response to a user's input to the screen. The method includes: a first step of detecting a pressing force of the user's finger press on the screen; a second step of displaying an image capture icon on the screen, the icon being actuated by the user for commanding the device for the capturing operation; a third step of, in response to a determination that the touch position overlaps with a region of the icon displayed, and that the force is above a first threshold, initiating focusing operation to focus on the subject; and a fourth step of, after the focusing operation is initiated, in response to a determination that the force is above a second threshold larger than the first threshold, initiating the capturing operation. |
| US09454215B2 |
Power management architecture based on microprocessor architecture with embedded and external non-volatile memory
A control unit for power supply circuits of points of load (POL) of an electronic system includes a means for autonomous customization by the customer-user of the original control program residing in the ROM of the device, as well as configuration of control parameters of the POL. Microprocessor architecture of the device includes a dedicated logic block and a rewritable non-volatile memory coupled to the data bus of the device or to an auxiliary bus thereof, thus providing a means for software extension of the power supply circuits. RAM is loaded at start-up with data of modified or added routines for implementing new commands and values of configuration and control data of the POL. The RAM may optionally be subjected to encryption/decryption for protection. During operation, program execution jumps from ROM address space to RAM address space and vice versa when certain values of a program counter are reached. |
| US09454210B2 |
Controlling power management in micro-server cores and peripherals
Systems and methods of enabling power management in a micro server include providing multiple cores, a power management module coupled to the cores, and one or more peripherals coupled to the power management module. The power management module may be configured to cause the one or more peripherals to delay operations based on determining that the cores are in a first power consumption state, and place the cores in a second power consumption state for a predetermined time period. The second power consumption state may consume less power than the first power consumption state. The power management module may cause the one or more peripherals to resume their operations based on expiration of the predetermined time period and may place the cores in a third power consumption state based on the expiration of the time period. |
| US09454207B2 |
Delayed shut down of computer
A computer-implemented computer shut-down method includes identifying that a computing device has been moved from an open configuration in which input and output mechanisms on the computing device are accessible to a user, to a closed configuration in which at least some of the input and output mechanisms are inaccessible to a user; starting a shut-down timer in response to identifying that the computing device has been moved from the open configuration to the closed configuration; waiting a predefined time period, as established by the shut-down timer, and determining from the shut-down timer that the computing device can be transitioned from an active state into a sleep state in which power consuming components of the computing device are powered down; and transitioning the computing device from the active state to the sleep state upon determining that the computing device can be transitioned. |
| US09454206B2 |
Power management techniques for computer-readable storage devices
Improved power management techniques for computer-readable storage devices are described. In one embodiment, for example, an apparatus may comprise a plurality of logical storage devices and a controller to manage operations of the plurality of logical storage devices, the controller comprising a configuration component to configure a global power consumption threshold defining an overall power consumption budget for the plurality of logical storage devices, a tracking component to maintain a global power consumption tally comprising an estimated total power consumption level for the plurality of logical storage devices, and an arbitration component to resolve an operation request based on the global power consumption threshold and the global power consumption tally. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09454203B2 |
Method, system and computer program product for reducing consumption of battery power
An information handling system is powered by a battery. In response to determining that a remaining amount of power within the battery has fallen below a first threshold, power consumption of the information handling system is reduced by reducing at least one non-critical operation of the information handling system, while maintaining at least one critical operation of the information handling system. After reducing the at least one non-critical operation, it is increased in response to determining that the remaining amount of power within the battery has risen above a second threshold. |
| US09454202B2 |
Power management method for server system
A power management method for a server system is provided. At least any one of a power status indication signal and an alert signal from a power supply is detected to judge whether an input voltage is normal. If it is judged that the input voltage is abnormal, a motherboard sends the power status indication signal to a battery backup unit (BBU) to inform the BBU to supply power to the motherboard. If it is judged that the input voltage is abnormal, the motherboard lowers its loading. |
| US09454199B2 |
Power management control of remote servers
Servers, storage medium and methods associated with control of power management services of remote servers of a remote computing service are disclosed herein. In embodiments, a storage medium may have instructions to enable a local server to query a remote computing service having one or more remote servers. The instructions may enable the local server to receive a record from the remote computing service in response to the query. The record may include information related to power management services available from the one or more remote servers. The instructions may enable the local server to transmit power management commands, based on the information, to the remote computing service to at least partially control power consumption by the one or more remote servers. Other embodiments may be disclosed or claimed. |
| US09454195B2 |
Active cooling debris bypass fin pack
Aspects of the disclosure relate generally to active cooling or removing heat generated by a processor in a computing device. More specifically, a cooling system in a computing device may include a heatpipe which moves heat along a fin pack. The fin pack may include top and bottom ends as well as a plurality of fins. The fins may extend only a portion of the way between the ends thus creating an air duct. The air duct may allow debris to move along an edge of the fin and out of the computing device. The fins may also be curved to promote the forcing of debris through the fin pack while still allowing the heat to be expelled through the fins. |
| US09454194B2 |
Heat dissipating module capable of enhancing heat dissipating efficiency
A heat dissipating module includes a heat dissipating member and an air flow guiding mechanism. The air flow guiding mechanism includes a base, an air guiding plate and a stopping structure. The base is disposed on a side of the heat dissipating member, and the air guiding plate is pivoted to the base. The stopping structure is disposed on the base. A side of the stopping structure abuts against the air guiding plate, so as to allow the air guiding plate to rotate in a first direction and to stop the air guiding plate from rotating in a second direction opposite to the first direction. |
| US09454190B2 |
Fixing mechanism and electronic device capable of assembling and disassembling an expansion card module
A fixing mechanism which is capable of assembling an expansion card module includes a base, a latch and a resilient component. The expansion card module slidably inserts into the base. The latch pivots to an accommodating portion of the base to switch between a first position and a second position. The latch includes a pressing portion and a pushing portion connected with each other. The pressing portion presses a side of the expansion card module since the latch is switched to the first position. The pushing portion pushes an opposite side of the expansion card module since the latch is switched to the second position, so as to upwardly move the expansion card module relative to the base. The resilient component is located inside the accommodating portion to actuate the latch and drives the latch to stay at the second position. |
| US09454189B1 |
Systems and methods for distributing power in a server system
Systems and methods for distributing power within a rack system, including a power distribution unit (“PDU”) and multiple servers, are provided. The internal power cable contains a first or a second power socket at one of its ends. The first power socket can be located on the same side as t the PDU while the second power socket can be located close to a PSU of the PSUs that are located on a different side of the PDU. The first power socket of the internal power cable can be connected to the PDU via a first short power cable. The PSU located on the different side of the PDU can be connected to the PDU via a second short power cable between the second power socket of the internal power cable and a power socket of the PSU, the internal power cable, and the first short power cable. |
| US09454188B2 |
Electronic device structures joined using shrinking and expanding attachment structures
An electronic device has structures that are assembled using attachment structures. The attachment structures change shape to help join the electronic device structures together. Structures that may be joined together can include electronic device housing structures, display structures, internal device components, electrical components, and other portions of an electronic device. The attachment structures can include heat-activated attachment structures, structures that are activated using other types of applied energy, and structures that change shape due the application of chemicals or other treatments. |
| US09454176B2 |
Pedal operating apparatus of vehicle
A pedal operating apparatus for a vehicle includes a pedal member fixed to a vehicle body panel, having a hinge shaft provided at a back end thereof, and having a height controller above the hinge shaft. A pedal arm has an upper end rotatably installed at the hinge shaft of the pedal member, the upper end being provided with a protrusion protruding forward. A pedal effort controller is configured to include an elastic member rotatably installed at a front portion of the pedal arm. A switching member extends and is bent downwardly from the elastic member. The switching member has the bent portion contacted to the height controller. The pedal effort controller presses the protrusion downwardly through the switching member with an elastic force at an initial position of the pedal arm, and pushes the protrusion upward. |
| US09454175B2 |
Control lever comprising switch and remote-control device comprising the control lever
According to one embodiment, a control lever comprises a lever body and a grip. The lever body comprises a base and an arm. The grip is attached to the arm so as to be extractable, and comprises a handle positioned on the opposite side of the base. A switch is provided at the end of the handle. The arm is configured to allow the grip to be attached from a right side or a left side of the arm so as to be selectively extractable. A cable of the switch has a length enough to extract the grip from the arm, and is guided from between the arm and the grip to the control box through the base. The base comprises a storage portion in which a middle portion of the cable is stored. |
| US09454172B2 |
Voltage control circuit with temperature compensation function
There is provided a voltage control circuit that is applicable to a LED device, a power supply or the like. The voltage control circuit includes: a voltage dividing unit dividing a supply voltage into a first voltage and a second voltage different from each other; a shunt regulator adjusting the first voltage according to the second voltage; and an output circuit unit outputting the voltage regulated by the shunt regulator. |
| US09454169B2 |
Apparatus and method for controlling a power supply
Apparatuses and methods for controlling a power supply are provided. First power supply selecting circuit selects a higher voltage from USBIN and ACIN to be first output voltage; first LDO decreases the first output voltage to second output voltage, and closes self-start circuit after receiving reference voltage; second power supply selecting circuit selects a higher voltage from second output voltage and VBAT to be third output voltage; second LDO supplies the third output voltage as the first input voltage to reference circuit; reference circuit outputs the reference voltage according to first input voltage; second LDO closes self-start circuit after receiving the reference voltage; voltage detecting circuit supplies an enable signal to second LDO when determining that USBIN or ACIN reaches a threshold voltage according to the reference voltage; and second LDO provides the first input voltage to reference circuit after receiving the enable signal. |
| US09454168B2 |
LDO regulator powered by its regulated output voltage for high PSRR
In an LDO regulator, two feedback loops are created. The first feedback loop includes a high power PNP bipolar power transistor connected in series between the input voltage Vin terminal and the output voltage Vout terminal. The first feedback loop includes a first error amplifier that controls a drive transistor to drive the base of the power transistor such that Vout matches a set voltage Vset. This first feedback loop circuitry uses an operating voltage (the upper rail voltage) that is regulated by a second feedback loop and is approximately 300 mV greater than Vout. As a result, the control circuitry will be powered by a low ripple supply to improve output PSRR. Further, the power transistor is connected such that any noise in the input voltage is a common mode voltage across the base-emitter of the transistor. |
| US09454165B2 |
Semiconductor device and current control method that controls amount of current used for voltage generation based on connection state of external capacitor
There is provided a semiconductor device including: a current generation circuit that generates a current; a voltage generation circuit that, using the current generated by the current generation circuit, generates and outputs a predetermined voltage from a reference voltage, with an internal capacitor element that is connected to output of the voltage generation circuit, the internal capacitor element being provided within an integrated circuit on which the device itself is mounted; a storage section that stores a flag indicating a connection state between the output of the voltage generation circuit and an external capacitor element provided externally to the integrated circuit; and a controller that, based on the flag, controls a current amount of the current used by the voltage generation circuit to generate the predetermined voltage. |
| US09454162B2 |
Calibration circuit and semiconductor device including the same
A calibration circuit includes a pad suitable for receiving calibration data that toggles, a calibration reference voltage generation unit suitable for generating a calibration reference voltage from a median value of the calibration data, a comparison unit suitable for outputting a comparison signal by comparing the calibration reference voltage and a reference voltage with each other, and a reference voltage generation unit suitable for generating the reference voltage which is calibrated based on the comparison signal. |
| US09454160B2 |
Thermal recycling plant system, apparatus for controlling a thermal recycling plant and method of controlling a thermal recycling plant
According to one embodiment, a thermal recycling plant system includes a cooler cools coolant recycling thermal from coolant circulating in a load apparatus and which consumes energy while operating and a controller controls the cooler. The controller includes a calculator and a monitor. The calculator calculates an optimal temperature optimal for the coolant by optimization calculation for minimizing energy consumption under given conditions. The monitor monitors an operating state of the load apparatus to determine whether an abnormality exists in the load apparatus. The monitor controls the cooler to cool the coolant to a temperature lower than the optimal temperature calculated, on determining that an abnormality exists in the load apparatus. |
| US09454158B2 |
Real time diagnostics for flow controller systems and methods
A device that includes a flow controller system that comprises one or more sensors, a flow measurement sensor that comprises one or more sensors. The flow measurement sensor is configured to generate a signal based on determine the difference between the flow as measured by the flow controller system and the flow measurement system in real time. |
| US09454157B1 |
System and method for controlling flight operations of an unmanned aerial vehicle
The invention is directed toward a system and method for assigning mission directives to one or more unmanned vehicles and transferring mission directives from one unmanned aerial vehicle to a second unmanned aerial vehicle. The method comprises providing a set of instructions to a first unmanned aerial vehicle, storing the set of instructions on a nonvolatile memory component of the first unmanned aerial vehicle, executing one or more tasks of the set of instructions by the first unmanned aerial vehicle, transferring a set of instructions comprising unexecuted tasks from the first unmanned aerial vehicle to a second unmanned aerial vehicle, and storing the set of instructions on a nonvolatile memory component of the second unmanned aerial vehicle. The invention is further directed toward a method of determining a flight path for one or more unmanned aerial vehicles stationed at charging stations. |
| US09454156B2 |
Method for extracting curb of road using laser range finder and method for localizing of mobile robot using curb information of road
The invention relates to a method for extracting a curb of a road using a laser range finder and a method for localizing of a mobile robot using curb information of a road. The method for extracting the curb of the road using the laser range finder includes extracting a road surface and line segments from scan data of the laser range finder, extracting a plurality of curb candidate line segments among the line segments on the basis of an angle between the road surface and the line segment, extracting a plurality of curb candidates having a plurality of curb properties, wherein each of the plurality of curb candidates is generated by combining the couple of the curb candidate line segments, and applying the plurality of the curb candidates to a Kernel Fisher Discriminant Analysis to extract a final curb. |
| US09454154B1 |
Incident light sensor on autonomous vehicle
An incident light meter on an autonomous vehicle receives ambient light and outputs an incident light measurement in response the ambient light. One or more image sensors of the autonomous vehicle image the environment of the autonomous vehicle. An exposure setting is generated at least in part on the incident light measurement. The one or more image sensors capture a digital image at the exposure setting. |
| US09454152B2 |
Method for allocating control in a system of systems
The invention relates to a method for allocating control in a system-of-systems, in particular a dynamic system-of-systems consisting of a physical system PS, an autonomous control system CS, a human operator HO, a monitor component MK and an actuator controller AST, or comprising a physical system PS, an autonomous control system CS, a human operator HO, a monitor component MK and an actuator controller AST, wherein the CS uses a sensor system assigned thereto to cyclically monitor surroundings and/or the physical system itself and creates an internal model of the surroundings and/or the PS on the basis of this monitoring and performs an analysis of this model in order to determine control values for the AST and a criticality index KI of the scenario in a cycle, in particular in the current cycle, and wherein the MK cyclically monitors the HO and/or the actions thereof, in particular the current actions thereof, in order to determine an engagement index EI of the HO in a cycle, in particular in the current cycle, on the basis of this monitoring, and wherein the control over the PS is allocated to the HO when EI>KI. |
| US09454150B2 |
Interactive automated driving system
A system, device, and methods of interactive automated driving are disclosed. One example method includes receiving a current value from one or more sensors disposed on a vehicle and determining a current vehicle state based on the current value. The method also includes generating a target vehicle state based on the current vehicle state and including a range of target values and generating a desired vehicle state. The desired vehicle state includes a desired value based on one or more driver inputs received at one or more vehicle interfaces. If the desired value falls inside the range of target values, the method also includes sending a command to one or more vehicle systems to change the vehicle state from the target vehicle state to the desired vehicle state. |
| US09454149B2 |
Extracting attribute fail rates from convoluted systems
A method, system or computer usable program product for extracting attribute fail rates for manufactured devices including testing manufactured devices having a set of attributes to provide a set of test results stored in memory; generating a yield model of the manufactured devices parsed by the set of attributes; populating the yield model based on the set of test results; and utilizing a processor to perform statistical analysis of the populated yield model to extract fail rates of the selected subset of attributes. |
| US09454145B2 |
Analogue measurement probe for a machine tool apparatus and method of operation
An analogue probe for a machine tool apparatus, which includes a probe body, a stylus member movably secured to the probe body and a sensor that measures the extent of displacement of the stylus member relative to the probe body, in which the sensor is contained within a chamber in the probe body. The analogue probe further includes a vent between the chamber and the outside of the probe body, configured such that, when the vent is open, the pressure within the chamber can equalize with the analogue probe's operating environment's pressure, and is further configured such that the vent's opening to the outside of the probe body can be closed so as to seal the chamber and the sensor from external contaminants during operation of the analogue probe. |
| US09454142B2 |
Method for operation of an automation device
A method for operation of an automation device for obtaining information about a control program provided as an automation solution for control and/or monitoring of a technical process is specified in which, especially from a database in conjunction with the control program, a list of entry point questions is loaded and presented to the user for selection and, when an entry point question is selected in the list of entry point questions in conjunction with the entry point question at least one item of dynamic information relating to the control program is loaded. |
| US09454136B2 |
Method and system for controlling an industrial system
A method of controlling an industrial system by a control system including a user interface having a main display arranged to provide a status view of at least a portion of the industrial system and a secondary display enabling user interaction with the industrial system and the main display. The method includes: receiving an alert concerning a status change in a part of the industrial system; displaying, on the secondary display, an alert object associated with the part of the industrial system generating the alert; detecting a selection of the alert object based on gesture-based user input; displaying the alert object on the main display; receiving an adjustment command of a parameter via gesture-based user input, the parameter being associated with the part of the industrial system generating the alert; adjusting the parameter based on the adjustment command; and controlling the part generating the alert based on the adjusted parameter. |
| US09454130B2 |
Photopolymer formulations having the adjustable mechanical modulus GUV
The subject matter of the invention is a method for producing illuminated, holographic media comprising a photopolymer formulation having the adjustable mechanical modulus GUV. A further subject matter of the invention is an illuminated, holographic medium that can be obtained by means of the method according to the invention. |
| US09454125B1 |
Systems and methods for reincorporating waste toner with fresh toner within a toner cartridge
A toner cartridge according to one example includes a housing having a toner reservoir, an exit for exiting toner and an entry port for receiving waste toner. A partition divides the reservoir into a first compartment for storing fresh toner and a second compartment for storing waste toner. The first compartment is in fluid communication with the exit. The partition is movable within the reservoir between a first position and a second position. The entry port is in fluid communication with the first compartment when the partition is in the first position such that waste toner received through the entry port is deposited into the first compartment. The entry port is in fluid communication with the second compartment but closed off from the first compartment when the partition is in the second position such that waste toner received through the entry port is deposited into the second compartment. |
| US09454122B1 |
Sheet post-processing apparatus and image forming system
According to one embodiment, a sheet post-processing apparatus includes a standby unit, a processing unit, and a discharge unit. The standby unit puts a sheet on standby. The processing unit is disposed below the standby unit. The processing unit includes a conveyance reference plane, a distance between which and a conveyance reference plane for the sheet in the standby unit changes to decrease from an upstream side toward a downstream side in a conveying direction of the sheet. The processing unit processes the sheet supplied from the standby unit. The discharge unit is disposed on the downstream side in the conveying direction of each of the standby unit and the processing unit. The discharge unit is provided with an opening section for causing the sheet discharged from the standby unit or the processing unit to pass. |
| US09454119B2 |
Method for printing colored and white toner using a look-up table
A method for printing on a receiver with a plurality of colored dry inks and a dry white ink, the method includes providing a look-up table having a set of one dimensional look-up tables for each of the colored inks and black inks; inputting a value to each of the one dimensional look-up tables, which value corresponds to a laydown at each pixel location of the receiver; wherein the look-up table determines a laydown of white ink at each pixel location depending on the laydown of the colored inks and black ink; and determining an amount of white ink to laydown by computing a value from the determined white laydowns of each look-up table. |
| US09454117B2 |
Fixing device
A metal plate, which reinforces a backup member in contact with an inner surface of a fixing film, has a flat portion pressed against the backup member. The fixing film includes an electrically conductive layer. A current flows through the electrically conductive layer entirely in a circumferential direction of the fixing film, thereby causing the fixing film to generate heat. |
| US09454115B2 |
Fixing device and image forming apparatus
A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressuring member, a heat source and a reflecting member. The fixing belt is arranged rotatably around a rotation axis. The reflecting member reflects the radiant heat radiated from the heat source. The fixing belt has a passing region and a non-passing region. Through the passing region, a recording medium passes. The non-passing region is arranged outside the passing region in a direction of the rotation axis. The reflecting member has a first reflecting part and a second reflecting part. The first reflecting part is arranged at an inner circumferential side of the passing region. The second reflecting part is arranged at an inner circumferential side of the non-passing region. Roughness of a face at the heat source side of the second reflecting part is larger than roughness of a face at the heat source side of the first reflecting part. |
| US09454111B2 |
Image heating apparatus with cleaning web configured to clean collecting roller
An image hearing apparatus includes: a rotatable heating member; a rotatable collecting member; a cleaning unit including a cleaning web; a moving mechanism configured to move the cleaning unit between a first position where the cleaning web contacts the rotatable collecting member and a second position where the cleaning web contacts the rotatable collecting member at a contact pressure lower than a contact pressure at the first position; and an urging portion. The cleaning unit also includes a first pressing potion configured to press the rotatable collecting member toward the rotatable heating member in contact with the rotatable collecting member when the cleaning unit is in the first position, and includes a second pressing portion configured to press the rotatable collecting member toward the rotatable heating member in contact with the urging portion without contacting the rotatable collecting member when the cleaning unit is in the second position. |
| US09454107B2 |
Image forming apparatus
A novel image forming apparatus includes a photoreceptor to bear an electrostatic latent image on a surface thereof, a developing device to develop the electrostatic latent image into a toner image, an intermediate transfer member onto which the electrostatic latent image is transferred, a primary transfer member to apply a primary transfer bias to the intermediate transfer member to transfer the toner image thereto, a secondary transfer member supplied with a secondary transfer bias to transfer the toner image from the intermediate transfer member onto a recording medium, and a transfer bias power source to selectively apply to the secondary transfer member one of a secondary transfer bias consisting of a direct current (DC) voltage in a DC transfer mode and a secondary transfer bias consisting of a superimposed bias in which an alternating voltage is superimposed on a DC voltage. |
| US09454106B2 |
Image forming apparatus with drive control of a driven member based on a between-sheets time
An image forming apparatus is provided in which, during a continuous sheet passing, in the case where a between-sheets time is short, none of a cleaning mode and a drive OFF mode is performed; in the case where the between-sheets time is of a medium length of time, the cleaning mode is performed but the drive OFF mode is not performed; and in the case where the between-sheets time is long, both the cleaning mode and the drive OFF mode are performed. As a result, degradation of an image bearer due to the cleaning bias is alleviated, decreased productivity due to the cleaning mode is alleviated, a problem is alleviated in which a back surface of a recording medium gets dirty due to toner adhered to a transfer rotation body, and another problem is alleviated in which the service life of a driven member is shortened. |
| US09454099B2 |
Toner container including a lid member pulled out in an inclined direction
An image forming apparatus includes a lid pulling mechanism that includes a hook to open a toner discharge opening by pulling, from the bottle head section, a lid member that is in contact with a bottle head section of a toner bottle to close the toner discharge opening, and the lid pulling mechanism pulls the lid member in a direction inclined upward with respect to a virtual line that extends in a horizontal direction. Therefore, the distance is decreased between the lid member and the bottle head section and above the toner discharge opening through which air easily passes; thus, intake of air from the outside to the inside of the bottle head section is prevented. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of spread of toner from the inside of the bottle head section to the outside of the container. |
| US09454098B2 |
Toner supply regulation
An electro-photographic print system or method for regulating a supply of toner based on a required toner amount. |
| US09454096B2 |
Magnetic toner
A magnetic toner contains magnetic toner particles containing a binder resin and a magnetic body, and inorganic fine particles present on the surface of the magnetic toner particles, wherein the inorganic fine particles present on the surface of the magnetic toner particles contain metal oxide fine particles, the metal oxide fine particles containing silica fine particles, and optionally containing titania fine particles and alumina fine particles, and a content of the silica fine particles being at least 85 mass % with respect to a total mass of the silica fine particles, the titania fine particles and the alumina fine particles, when a coverage ratio A (%) is a coverage ratio of the magnetic toner particles' surface by the inorganic fine particles and a coverage ratio B (%) is a coverage ratio of the magnetic toner particles' surface by the inorganic fine particles that are fixed to the magnetic toner particles' surface, the magnetic toner has a coverage ratio A and a coverage ratio B/coverage ratio A in prescribed ranges, wherein the magnetic toner has a dielectric constant ∈′ and a dielectric loss tangent in prescribed ranges. |