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US09484434B2 |
Inducement of strain in a semiconductor layer
Strain is induced in a semiconductor layer. Embodiments include inducing strain by, for example, creation of free surfaces. |
US09484433B2 |
Method of manufacturing a MISFET on an SOI substrate
Occurrence of short-channel characteristics and parasitic capacitance of a MOSFET on a SOI substrate is prevented.A sidewall having a stacked structure obtained by sequentially stacking a silicon oxide film and a nitride film is formed on a side wall of a gate electrode on the SOI substrate. Subsequently, after an epitaxial layer is formed beside the gate electrode, and then, the nitride film is removed. Then, an impurity is implanted into an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate with using the gate electrode and the epitaxial layer as a mask, so that a halo region is formed in only a region of the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate which is right below a vicinity of both ends of the gate electrode. |
US09484432B2 |
Contact resistance reduction employing germanium overlayer pre-contact metalization
Techniques are disclosed for forming transistor devices having reduced parasitic contact resistance relative to conventional devices. The techniques can be implemented, for example, using a standard contact stack such as a series of metals on, for example, silicon or silicon germanium (SiGe) source/drain regions. In accordance with one example such embodiment, an intermediate boron doped germanium layer is provided between the source/drain and contact metals to significantly reduce contact resistance. Numerous transistor configurations and suitable fabrication processes will be apparent in light of this disclosure, including both planar and non-planar transistor structures (e.g., FinFETs), as well as strained and unstrained channel structures. Graded buffering can be used to reduce misfit dislocation. The techniques are particularly well-suited for implementing p-type devices, but can be used for n-type devices if so desired. |
US09484430B2 |
Back-end transistors with highly doped low-temperature contacts
A back end of line device and method for fabricating a transistor device include a substrate having an insulating layer formed thereon and a channel layer formed on the insulating layer. A gate structure is formed on the channel layer. Dopants are implanted into an upper portion of the channel layer on opposite sides of the gate structure to form shallow source and drain regions using a low temperature implantation process. An epitaxial layer is selectively grown on the shallow source and drain regions to form raised regions above the channel layer and against the gate structure using a low temperature plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process, wherein low temperature is less than about 400 degrees Celsius. |
US09484428B2 |
Non-planar exciton transistor (BiSFET) and methods for making
A semiconductor device includes a first gate electrode defined on a base layer. A first plurality of layers is disposed on a first sidewall of the first gate electrode. The first plurality of layers includes a first dielectric layer formed on the first sidewall, a first ballistic conductor layer formed above the first dielectric layer, an intermediate layer formed above the first ballistic conductor layer, a second ballistic conductor layer formed above the intermediate layer, and a second dielectric layer formed above the second ballistic conductor layer. A second gate electrode contacts the second dielectric layer. |
US09484427B2 |
Field effect transistors having multiple effective work functions
Selective deposition of a silicon-germanium surface layer on semiconductor surfaces can be employed to provide two types of channel regions for field effect transistors. Anneal of an adjustment oxide material on a stack of a silicon-based gate dielectric and a high dielectric constant (high-k) gate dielectric can be employed to form an interfacial adjustment oxide layer contacting a subset of channel regions. Oxygen deficiency can be induced in portions of the high-k dielectric layer overlying the interfacial adjustment oxide layer by deposition of a first work function metallic material layer and a capping layer and a subsequent anneal. Oxygen deficiency can be selectively removed by physically exposing portions of the high-k dielectric layer. A second work function metallic material layer and a gate conductor layer can be deposited and planarized to form gate electrodes that provide multiple effective work functions. |
US09484423B2 |
Crystalline multiple-nanosheet III-V channel FETs
A field effect transistor includes a body layer comprising a crystalline semiconductor channel region therein, and a gate stack on the channel region. The gate stack includes a crystalline semiconductor gate layer, and a crystalline semiconductor gate dielectric layer between the gate layer and the channel region. Related devices and fabrication methods are also discussed. |
US09484422B2 |
High-voltage metal-oxide semiconductor transistor
The present invention provides a high-voltage metal-oxide-semiconductor (HVMOS) transistor comprising a substrate, a gate dielectric layer, a gate electrode and a source and drain region. The gate dielectric layer is disposed on the substrate and includes a protruded portion and a recessed portion, wherein the protruded portion is disposed adjacent to two sides of the recessed portion and has a thickness greater than a thickness of the recessed portion. The gate electrode is disposed on the gate dielectric layer. Thus, the protruded portion of the gate dielectric layer can maintain a higher breakdown voltage, thereby keeping the current from leaking through the gate. |
US09484421B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device according to an embodiment includes a nitride semiconductor layer, a plurality of source electrodes provided on the nitride semiconductor layer, a plurality of drain electrodes, a plurality of gate electrodes, a first interconnection having a first distance from the nitride semiconductor layer and electrically connecting the source electrodes, a second interconnection electrically connecting the gate electrodes, and a third interconnection having a third distance from the nitride semiconductor layer and electrically connecting the drain electrodes. Each of the drain electrodes are provided between the source electrodes. Each of the gate electrodes are provided between each of the source electrodes and each of the drain electrodes. The third distance is larger than the first distance. |
US09484420B2 |
Thin film transistor substrate, liquid crystal display having same, and method of manufacturing the same
A display apparatus includes a thin film transistor substrate, a substrate facing the thin film transistor substrate, and a liquid crystal layer. The thin film transistor substrate includes an insulating substrate, a gate electrode disposed on a surface of the insulating substrate, a gate insulating layer covering the gate electrode, a semiconductor layer disposed on the gate insulating layer, a source electrode disposed on the semiconductor layer, and a drain electrode disposed on the semiconductor layer and spaced apart from the source electrode. One of the source electrode and the drain electrode is spaced apart from the gate electrode in a plan view. The gate electrode includes a side surface inclined with respect to the surface of the insulating substrate and is partially overlapped with a portion of the source electrode or the drain electrode in a direction perpendicular to the side surface of the gate electrode. |
US09484419B2 |
Oxide thin film, method for post-treating oxide thin film and electronic apparatus
Provided are an oxide thin film, a method for post-treating an oxide thin film and an electronic apparatus. An oxide thin film is an oxide thin film with a single layer including a metal oxide, and the physical properties of the oxide thin film may change in the thickness direction thereof. |
US09484418B2 |
Semiconductor device
The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first GaN field effect transistor, a second GaN field effect transistor, and a GaN diode. The first GaN field effect transistor is disposed on or above the substrate, and the first GaN field effect transistor is a depletion mode field effect transistor. The second GaN field effect transistor is disposed on or above the substrate, and the second GaN field effect transistor is an enhancement mode field effect transistor. The GaN diode is disposed on or above the substrate. The first GaN field effect transistor, the second GaN field effect transistor, and the GaN diode are disposed on or above a same side of the substrate and electrically connected to each other. |
US09484417B1 |
Methods of forming doped transition regions of transistor structures
Methods of forming doped transition regions of transistor structures are provided herein. The methods include, for instance: providing a first semiconductor material including a dopant over a source/drain region of the transistor structure; providing a second semiconductor material including the dopant over the first semiconductor material, where the second semiconductor material is different from the first semiconductor material; and, where providing the second semiconductor material is performed at a temperature sufficient to diffuse the dopant from the first semiconductor material through the source/drain region into a portion of a channel region of the transistor structure. The portion of the channel region into which the dopant from the first semiconductor material diffuses forms the doped transition region. |
US09484416B2 |
Silicon carbide substrate, semiconductor device and methods for manufacturing them
A silicon carbide substrate capable of reducing on-resistance and improving yield of semiconductor devices is made of single-crystal silicon carbide, and sulfur atoms are present in one main surface at a ratio of not less than 60×1010 atoms/cm2 and not more than 2000×1010 atoms/cm2, and oxygen atoms are present in the one main surface at a ratio of not less than 3 at % and not more than 30 at %. |
US09484415B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor region, a second semiconductor region, and a third semiconductor region. The first semiconductor region includes silicon carbide. A conductivity type of the first semiconductor region is a first conductivity type. The second semiconductor region includes silicon carbide. A conductivity type of the second semiconductor region is a second conductivity type. The third semiconductor region includes silicon carbide. A conductivity type of the third semiconductor is the second conductivity type. The third semiconductor region is provided between the first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region. As viewed in a direction connecting the first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region, an area of an overlapping region of the second semiconductor region and the third semiconductor region is smaller than an area of an overlapping region of the first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region. |
US09484410B2 |
Lateral MOS power transistor having front side drain electrode and back side source electrode
A semiconductor component may include a semiconductor layer which has a front side and a back side, a first terminal electrode on the front side, a second terminal electrode on the back side, a first dopant region of a first conduction type on the front side, which is electrically connected to one of the terminal electrodes, a second dopant region of a second conduction type in the semiconductor layer, which is electrically connected to the other terminal electrode, a pn junction being formed between the first and second dopant regions, a dielectric layer on the back side between the semiconductor layer and the second terminal electrode, and the dielectric layer having an opening through which an electrical connection between the second terminal electrode and the first or second dopant region is passed. |
US09484405B1 |
Stacked nanowire devices formed using lateral aspect ratio trapping
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises depositing alternating layers of a plurality of first dielectric layers and a plurality of second dielectric layers on a substrate in a stacked configuration, forming one or more first openings in the stacked configuration to a depth penetrating below an upper surface of a bottom second dielectric layer of the plurality of second dielectric layers, forming one or more second openings in the stacked configuration to a depth corresponding to an upper surface of the substrate or below an upper surface of the substrate, removing the plurality of second dielectric layers from the stacked configuration to form a plurality of gaps, and epitaxially growing a semiconductor material from a seed layer in the one or more second openings to fill the one or more first and second openings and the plurality of gaps, wherein defects caused by a lattice mismatch between the epitaxially grown semiconductor material and a material of the substrate are contained at a bottom portion of the one or more second openings. |
US09484403B2 |
Boron rich nitride cap for total ionizing dose mitigation in SOI devices
A semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) structure that includes a cap layer composed of a boron-rich compound or doped boron nitride located between a top semiconductor layer and a buried insulator layer is provided. The cap layer forms a conductive path between the top semiconductor layer and the buried insulator layer in the SOI structure to dissipate total ionizing dose (TID) accumulated charges, thus advantageously mitigating TID effects in fully depleted SOI transistors. |
US09484398B2 |
Metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor
There is disclosed a metal-insulator-metal, MIM, capacitor. The MIM capacitor comprises a MIM stack formed within an interconnect metal layer. The interconnect metal layer is utilized as an electrical connection to a metal layer of the MIM stack. |
US09484396B2 |
Array substrate, method for manufacturing the same, display device and electronic product
The present disclosure provides an array substrate, including a plurality of sub-pixel regions arranged in a matrix form. Each sub-pixel region may at least include a first thin film transistor (TFT) and a second thin film transistor. The first thin film transistor may include a first gate electrode, a first source electrode and a first drain electrode. The second thin film transistor may include a second gate electrode, a second source electrode and a second drain electrode. The first gate electrode and at least one of the second source electrode and the second drain electrode may be provided on a same layer. The second gate electrode and at least one of the first source electrode and the first drain electrode may be provided on a same layer. The second gate electrode and the first source electrode may be integrated together. |
US09484395B2 |
Method of manufacturing organic light emitting display panel
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing an organic light emitting display panel. The method includes forming a light shielding layer on a substrate, forming a first oxide semiconductor and a second oxide semiconductor on the light shielding layer, and forming a gate insulating layer and a gate overlapping a portion of the first oxide semiconductor and a whole of the second oxide semiconductor. The method further includes performing an etching so that the portion of the first oxide semiconductor has conductivity, forming a first contact hole in the light shielding layer and forming a second contact hole in the first oxide semiconductor, forming a driving power line connected to the light shielding layer through the first contact hole, and forming source/drain electrodes connected to the first oxide semiconductor through the second contact hole. |
US09484394B2 |
Display device and electronic apparatus
A display device includes a first substrate including an organic layer forming region, and an organic layer non-forming region which is provided on an outer side of the organic layer forming region; and a first partitioning wall which is provided between the organic layer forming region and the organic layer non-forming region on the first substrate. |
US09484393B2 |
Array substrate of a display device, manufacturing method thereof
An array substrate, a manufacturing method thereof and a display device are disclosed. The array substrate comprises a base substrate and a thin-film transistor (TFT) unit, a color filter and a planarization protective layer disposed on the base substrate. The planarization protective layer is electrically connected with a drain electrode of the TFT unit and is conductive. The array substrate has the advantages of simplifying the layer structures of the array substrate, reducing the manufacturing difficulty of the array substrate, and improving the production yield of the array substrate. |
US09484392B2 |
Flat panel display having low reflective black matrix and method for manufacturing the same
A flat panel display having a low reflective black matrix and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The flat panel display includes a substrate having an open area and a non-open area; a hazy layer disposed in the non-open area on the inner surface of the substrate; a black matrix stacked on the hazy layer; a driving element disposed in the non-opening area; and a display element disposed in the open area and driven by the driving element. |
US09484387B2 |
Manufacturing method of semiconductor device and semiconductor device
A method of manufacturing a stacked semiconductor device having two or more wafers may include forming a conductor on an upper wafer, the conductor configured to electrically connect input terminals together that have no input protection circuit against ESD; forming front side micro-bumps on a front side of the upper wafer, the front side micro-bumps configured to electrically connect to back side micro-bumps on the upper wafer; forming a TSV structure, the TSV structure configured to facilitate electrical connections between the front and the back side of the upper wafer; forming back side micro-bumps on the back side of the upper wafer, the back side micro-bumps configured to electrically connect with front side micro-bumps on the lower wafer; stacking the upper wafer on the lower wafer; and separating the conductor such that each of the input terminals are electrically independent from other ones of the input terminals. |
US09484384B2 |
Array substrate of X-ray sensor and method for manufacturing the same
An array substrate of an X-ray sensor and a method for manufacturing the same are provided, the method comprising a step of forming a thin-film transistor element and a photodiode sensor element, wherein the step of forming the thin-film transistor element comprises: forming a gate electrode (1001) on an base substrate (1000) by a mask process; depositing a gate insulating layer (1005) on the base substrate (1000) on which the gate electrode (1001) is formed; the step of forming the photodiode sensor element comprises: forming an ohmic contact layer (1002) on the base substrate (1000) through the same mask process while forming the gate electrode (1001); forming a semiconductor layer (1003) and a transparent electrode (1004) through a mask process on the substrate (1000) on which the ohmic contact layer (1002) is formed; depositing the gate insulating layer on the base substrate on which the semiconductor layer (1003) and the transparent electrode (1004) are formed while depositing the gate insulating layer (1005) on the base substrate (1000) on which the gate electrode (1001) is formed. A gate pattern and an ohmic contact layer are formed through the same mask process, and a passivation layer substitutes a channel blocking layer to reduce the number of the mask processes and simplify the manufacturing process and improve throughput and yield of the product. |
US09484381B2 |
Display device and method for driving display device
A display device includes a pixel which includes a first photosensor portion having a first photodiode for detecting visible light, which is provided together with a display element portion; and a pixel which includes a second photosensor portion having a second photodiode for detecting infrared rays, which is provided together with another display element portion. The second photosensor portion detects infrared rays included in external light, and selects an imaging element and adjusts sensitivity in accordance with the amount of infrared rays detected by the second photosensor portion. |
US09484379B2 |
Rear-face illuminated solid state image sensors
A microelectronic unit includes a semiconductor element having a front surface to which a packaging layer is attached, and a rear surface remote from the front surface. The element includes a light detector including a plurality of light detector element arranged in an array disposed adjacent to the front surface and arranged to receive light through the rear surface. The semiconductor element also includes an electrically conductive contact at the front surface connected to the light detector. The conductive contact includes a thin region and a thicker region which is thicker than the thin region. A conductive interconnect extends through the packaging layer to the thin region of the conductive contact, and a portion of the conductive interconnect is exposed at a surface of the microelectronic unit. |
US09484376B2 |
Semiconductor isolation structure and manufacturing method thereof
The present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a semiconductor isolation structure, including providing a substrate with a top surface; forming a patterned mask over the top surface; forming a trench through the patterned mask in the substrate by a directional etch comprising nitrogen-containing substance, wherein an aspect ratio of the trench is formed to be greater than about 18, and a ratio of a width of a narrowest portion and a width of a widest portion of the isolation region is formed to be greater than about 0.7; and filling the trench with insulating materials. The present disclosure also provides an image sensing device, including a radiation sensing region with a first isolation region separating adjacent radiation detecting units and a peripheral region, wherein an aspect ratio of the first isolation region is greater than about 18. |
US09484373B1 |
Hard mask as contact etch stop layer in image sensors
An image sensor includes a semiconductor material with a photodiode disposed in the semiconductor material, and a transfer gate disposed adjacent to an edge of the photodiode. A dielectric layer is also disposed between the semiconductor material and the transfer gate. A hard mask is disposed in an encapsulation layer and lateral bounds of the hard mask are coextensive with lateral bounds of the transfer gate. A first contact trench extends through the encapsulation layer and through the dielectric layer and contacts the semiconductor material. A second contact trench extends through the encapsulation layer and through the hard mask and contacts the transfer gate. |
US09484371B2 |
Solid-state image pickup device and method of driving the same
An image sensor comprising a semiconductor substrate with a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements and a charge-voltage conversion element. The plurality of photoelectric conversion elements further includes at least a first photoelectric conversion element and a second photoelectric conversion element. The charge-voltage conversion element is shared by the first and second photoelectric conversion elements. The image sensor further includes a first charge accumulation element adjacent to the first photoelectric conversion element and at least a portion of the first charge accumulation element overlaps a charge accumulation region of the first photoelectric conversion element. The image sensor also includes a second charge accumulation element adjacent to the second photoelectric conversion element and at least a portion of the second charge accumulation element overlaps a charge accumulation region of the second photoelectric conversion element. Each of the plurality of photoelectric conversion is configured to receive light entered from a first surface of the semiconductor substrate. The first and second charge accumulation elements are formed on a second surface of the semiconductor substrate and the second surface is opposed to the first surface. |
US09484367B2 |
Germanium photodetector schottky contact for integration with CMOS and Si nanophotonics
A method of forming an integrated photonic semiconductor structure having a photodetector device and a CMOS device may include depositing a dielectric stack over the photodetector device such that the dielectric stack encapsulates the photodetector. An opening is etched into the dielectric stack down to an upper surface of a region of an active area of the photodetector. A first metal layer is deposited directly onto the upper surface of the region of the active area via the opening such that the first metal layer may cover the region of the active area. Within the same mask level, a plurality of contacts including a second metal layer are located on the first metal layer and on the CMOS device. The first metal layer isolates the active area from the occurrence of metal intermixing between the second metal layer and the active area of the photodetector. |
US09484366B2 |
Photodiode array
A photodiode array has a plurality of photodetector channels formed on an n-type substrate having an n-type semiconductor layer, with a light to be detected being incident to the photodetector channels. The array comprises: a p−-type semiconductor layer on the n-type semiconductor layer of the substrate; resistors is provided to each of the photodetector channels and is connected to a signal conductor at one end thereof; and an n-type separating part between the plurality of photodetector channels. The p−-type semiconductor layer forms a pn junction at the interface between the substrate, and comprises a plurality of multiplication regions for avalanche multiplication of carriers produced by the incidence of the light to be detected so that each of the multiplication regions corresponds to each of the photodetector channels. |
US09484365B2 |
Semiconductor device including switch electrically connected to signal line
To suppress variation of a signal in a semiconductor device. By suppressing the variation, formation of a stripe pattern in displaying an image on a semiconductor device can be suppressed, for example. A distance between two adjacent signal lines which go into a floating state in different periods (G1) is longer than a distance between two adjacent signal lines which go into a floating state in the same period (G0, G2). Consequently, variation in potential of a signal line due to capacitive coupling can be suppressed. For example, in the case where the signal line is a source signal line in an active matrix display device, formation of a stripe pattern in a displayed image can be suppressed. |
US09484363B2 |
Liquid crystal display and method of manufacturing the same
A liquid crystal display and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The liquid crystal display includes an insulating substrate, a gate electrode formed on the insulating substrate, an oxide semiconductor layer formed on the gate electrode, an etch stopper formed on the oxide semiconductor layer in a channel area, a common electrode formed on the insulating substrate, source and drain electrodes separated from each other on the etch stopper and extending to an upper portion of the oxide semiconductor layer, a passivation layer formed on the etch stopper, the common electrode, the source and drain electrodes, and a pixel electrode formed on the passivation layer and connected to the drain electrode. |
US09484361B2 |
Array substrate, manufacturing method thereof, display panel and display device
The present disclosure provides an array substrate, a manufacturing method thereof, a display panel and a display device. A base substrate of the array substrate or a buffer layer on the base substrate is provided with a plurality of recessed sections, each recessed section is provided with at least one inclined surface, and a thin film transistor (TFT) is arranged at the inclined surface of each recessed section. The recessed sections are divided into at least two types. In the recessed sections of different types, angles between a horizontal surface of the array substrate and the inclined surfaces on which the TFTs are arranged are different from each other. |
US09484359B2 |
MOSFET with work function adjusted metal backgate
An SOI substrate, a semiconductor device, and a method of backgate work function tuning. The substrate and the device have a plurality of metal backgate regions wherein at least two regions have different work functions. The method includes forming a mask on a substrate and implanting a metal backgate interposed between a buried oxide and bulk regions of the substrate thereby producing at least two metal backgate regions having different doses of impurity and different work functions. The work function regions can be aligned such that each transistor has different threshold voltage. When a top gate electrode serves as the mask, a metal backgate with a first work function under the channel region and a second work function under the source/drain regions is formed. The implant can be tilted to shift the work function regions relative to the mask. |
US09484355B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same
A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a stack structure, peripheral gate structures and residual spacers. The substrate includes a cell array region and a peripheral circuit region. The stack structure is disposed on the cell array region, having electrodes and insulating layers alternately stacked. The peripheral gate structures are disposed on the peripheral circuit region, being spaced apart from each other in one direction and having a peripheral gate pattern disposed on the substrate, and a peripheral gate spacer disposed on a sidewall of the peripheral gate pattern. The residual spacers are disposed on sidewalls of the peripheral gate structures, having a sacrificial pattern and an insulating pattern that are stacked. The insulating pattern includes substantially the same material as the insulating layers of the stack structure. |
US09484353B1 |
Memory device and method for fabricating the same
A memory device includes a first insulating layer, a second insulating layer, an isolation layer, a floating gate electrode, a control gate electrode, a channel layer and a tunneling oxide layer. The second insulating layer is disposed adjacent to and substantially parallel with the first insulating layer to form an interlayer space there between. The isolation layer is disposed in the interlayer space to form a non-straight angle with the first insulating layer, and divides the interlayer space into a first recess and a second recess. The floating gate electrode is disposed in the first recess. The control gate electrode is disposed in the second recess. The channel layer is disposed on an opening surface of the first recess and forms a non-straight angle with the first insulating layer. The tunneling oxide layer is disposed between the channel layer and the floating gate electrode. |
US09484348B2 |
Structure and method to increase contact area in unmerged EPI integration for CMOS FinFETs
Source/drain contact structures with increased contact areas for a multiple fin-based complementary metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (CMOSFET) having unmerged epitaxial source/drain regions and methods for forming such source/drain contact structures are provided by forming wrap-around source/drain contact structures for both n-type FinFETs and p-type FinFETs. Each of first source/drain contact structures for the n-type FinFETs includes at least one first conductive plug encapsulating epitaxial first source/drain regions on one side of a gate structure, while each of second source/drain contact structures for the p-type FinFETs includes at least a contact metal layer portion encapsulating epitaxial second source/drain regions on one side of the gate structure, and a second conductive plug located over a top surface of the contact metal layer portion. |
US09484347B1 |
FinFET CMOS with Si NFET and SiGe PFET
A method for forming a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device includes growing a SiGe layer on a Si semiconductor layer, and etching fins through the SiGe layer and the Si semiconductor layer down to a buried dielectric layer. Spacers are formed on sidewalls of the fins, and a dielectric material is formed on top of the buried dielectric layer between the fins. The SiGe layer is replaced with a dielectric cap for an n-type device to form a Si fin. The Si semiconductor layer is converted to a SiGe fin for a p-type device by oxidizing the SiGe layer to condense Ge. The dielectric material is recessed to below the spacers, and the dielectric cap and the spacers are removed to expose the Si fin and the SiGe fin. |
US09484346B2 |
Semiconductor structure and manufacturing method thereof
The present disclosure provides a semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor layer having a first and a second surface, and an interlayer dielectric (ILD) defining a first metal gate and a second metal gate over the first and second surface, respectively. The first and second metal gate include a first SAC hard mask and a second SAC hard mask, respectively, wherein the first the second SAC hard mask have opposite stress to channel regions underneath the first and second metal gate, respectively. The present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure. The method includes forming metal gate recesses, forming metal gates and SAC hard masks in the metal gate recesses, respectively. |
US09484343B2 |
Insulated gate bipolar transistor with a free wheeling diode
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device suppresses loss of vacuum in a chamber of an ion implanter, sag of a resist mask pattern for ion implantation, and producing a resist residue after ashing. First ion implanting process implants n-type impurity to form n+ impurity layer on the whole back surface of n− semiconductor wafer. A resist mask on the back surface of the wafer covers a part corresponding to where n+ cathode layer will be formed. A second ion implanting process implants p-type impurity using the resist mask to form p+ impurity layer in the interior of the n+ impurity layer. Second ion implanting process is split into two or more times. The dose of p-type impurity in second ion implanting process is greater than that of n-type impurity in first ion implanting process. The resist mask is removed, and p+ the n+ impurity layers activated. |
US09484339B2 |
Smart semiconductor switch
A semiconductor device may comprise a semiconductor substrate, which is doped with dopants of a first doping type and includes a semiconductor layer adjoining a top surface of the semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor layer being doped with dopants of a second doping type; a MOS transistor being integrated in the first semiconductor region; and a protection circuit electrically connected to a portion of the first semiconductor layer and the gate electrode and being configured to charge the gate electrode dependent on a current passing from the first semiconductor layer to a drain electrode of the MOS transistor. |
US09484335B2 |
Semiconductor device with buried bitline and method for fabricating the same
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming active regions which are separated by a plurality of first trenches, forming supports which fill the first trenches; etching the active regions and defining second trenches which are shallower than the first trenches, forming spacers on sidewalls of the second trenches, etching bottoms of the second trenches and defining third trenches, forming punch-through preventing patterns which fill lower portions of the third trenches, etching sidewalls which are not protected by the punch-through preventing patterns and the spacers, and forming recessed sidewalls which face each other, and forming buried bit lines in the recessed sidewalls. |
US09484334B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of forming directional RF coupler with IPD for additional RF signal processing
A semiconductor device has a substrate and RF coupler formed over the substrate. The RF coupler has a first conductive trace with a first end coupled to a first terminal of the semiconductor device, and a second conductive trace with a first end coupled to a second terminal of the semiconductor device. The first conductive trace is placed in proximity to a first portion of the second conductive trace. An integrated passive device is formed over the substrate. A second portion of the second conductive trace operates as a circuit component of the integrated passive device. The integrated passive device can be a balun or low-pass filter. The RF coupler also has a first capacitor coupled to the first terminal of the semiconductor device, and second capacitor coupled to a third terminal of the semiconductor device for higher directivity. The second conductive trace is wound to exhibit an inductive property. |
US09484333B2 |
Multi-chip module with stacked face-down connected dies
A microelectronic assembly can include a substrate having first and second surfaces, at least two logic chips overlying the first surface, and a memory chip having a front surface with contacts thereon, the front surface of the memory chip confronting a rear surface of each logic chip. The substrate can have conductive structure thereon and terminals exposed at the second surface for connection with a component. Signal contacts of each logic chip can be directly electrically connected to signal contacts of the other logic chips through the conductive structure of the substrate for transfer of signals between the logic chips. The logic chips can be adapted to simultaneously execute a set of instructions of a given thread of a process. The contacts of the memory chip can be directly electrically connected to the signal contacts of at least one of the logic chips through the conductive structure of the substrate. |
US09484331B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
A semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof. Various aspects of the disclosure may, for example, comprise forming a back end of line layer on a dummy substrate, completing at least a first portion of an assembly, and removing the dummy substrate. |
US09484327B2 |
Package-on-package structure with reduced height
To achieve a package-on-package having an advantageously reduced height, a first package substrate has a window sized to receive a second package die. The first package substrate interconnects to the second package substrate through a plurality of package-to-package interconnects such that the first and second substrates are separated by a gap. The second package die has a thickness greater than the gap such that the second package die is at least partially disposed within the first package substrate's window. |
US09484326B2 |
Apparatuses having stacked devices and methods of connecting dice stacks
Various embodiments include apparatuses having stacked devices and methods of forming dice stacks on an interface die. In one such apparatus, a dice stack includes at least a first die and a second die, and conductive paths coupling the first die and the second die to the common control die. In some embodiments, the conductive paths may be arranged to connect with circuitry on alternating dice of the stack. In other embodiments, a plurality of dice stacks may be arranged on a single interface die, and some or all of the dice may have interleaving conductive paths. |
US09484324B2 |
Method of manufacturing semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor chip including a first surface, a second surface and a first terminal arranged on the first surface, a second semiconductor chip including a first surface, a second surface and a second terminal arranged on the first surface of the second semiconductor chip, a support substrate including a first surface bonded to the second surfaces of the first semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip, and an isolation groove formed on the first surface of the support substrate. The isolation includes a pair of side surfaces continuously extending from opposing side surfaces of the first semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip, respectively, and the isolation groove is formed into the support substrate to extend from the first surface of the support substrate. The isolation groove has a depth less than a thickness of the support substrate. |
US09484322B1 |
Semiconductor packages with sliding interconnect structure
A semiconductor package includes a first substrate including a plurality of first connecting portions disposed thereon, a second substrate disposed on a portion of the first substrate to be adjacent to the first connecting portions and including a plurality of conductive contact rails disposed thereon, and a plurality of conductive cantilevers respectively placed in contact with surfaces of the conductive contact rails so that one end portion of each conductive cantilever is electrically coupled to one of the first connecting portions and the other end portion slides along one of the conductive contact rails. |
US09484316B2 |
Semiconductor devices and methods of forming thereof
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming a contact layer over a first major surface of a substrate. The substrate includes device regions separated by kerf regions. The contact layer is disposed in the kerf region and the device regions. A structured solder layer is formed over the device regions. The contact layer is exposed at the kerf region after forming the structured solder layer. The contact layer and the substrate in the kerf regions are diced. |
US09484315B2 |
Chip structure having bonding wire
A chip structure includes a chip, a first metal layer, a second metal layer and a bonding wire. The first metal layer is disposed on the chip, and a material of the first metal layer includes nickel or nickel alloy. The second metal layer is disposed on the first metal layer, and a material of the second metal layer includes copper, copper alloy, aluminum, aluminum alloy, palladium or palladium alloy. The bonding wire is connected to the second metal layer, and a material of the bonding wire includes copper or copper alloy. |
US09484314B2 |
Word line hook up with protected air gap
A method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming a plurality of word lines separated by air gaps with contact pad structures connected to the word lines, and forming a dummy structure directly opposite an air gap between neighboring word lines. Subsequently, the contact pad structures are cut into individual contact pads by a contact pad cut that intersects the dummy structure. |
US09484312B2 |
Inductor shielding structure, integrated circuit including the same and method of forming the integrated circuit
An inductor shielding structure includes a first conductive layer including a plurality of first conductive lines having a first width and a plurality of second conductive lines having a second width. The inductor shielding structure further includes a second conductive layer over the first conductive layer. The second conductive layer includes at least one third conductive line having a third width and a plurality of fourth conductive lines having a fourth width. Each conductive line of the at least one third conductive line is parallel to each conductive line of the plurality of first conductive lines. Each conductive line of the plurality of fourth conductive lines is parallel to each conductive line of the plurality of second conductive lines. The first width is different from the second width, or the third width is different from the fourth width. |
US09484308B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a substrate including a pad and an alignment feature disposed over the substrate, a passivation disposed over the substrate and a periphery of the pad, a post passivation interconnect (PPI) including a via portion disposed on the pad and an elongated portion receiving a conductive bump to electrically connect the pad with the conductive bump, a polymer covering the PPI, and a molding material disposed over the polymer and around the conductive bump, wherein the molding material comprises a first portion orthogonally aligned with the alignment feature and adjacent to an edge of the semiconductor device and a second portion distal to the edge of the semiconductor device, a thickness of the first portion is substantially smaller than a thickness of the second portion, thereby the alignment feature is visible through the molding material under a predetermined radiation. |
US09484304B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for producing same
In order to prevent the detachment of a film which is a constituent part of an interlayer-insulating film, and to prevent a decline in the device properties of a semiconductor device, a semiconductor device is provided with an interlayer-insulating film having, in this order, a carbon-containing silicon nitride (SiCN) film, a first silicon nitride film, and a silicon oxide film or a carbon-containing silicon oxide (SiOC) film. |
US09484300B2 |
Device resulting from printing minimum width semiconductor features at non-minimum pitch
Methods for forming a semiconductor layer, such as a metal1 layer, having minimum width features separated by a distance greater than a minimum pitch, and the resulting devices are disclosed. Embodiments may include determining a first shape and a second shape having a minimum width within a semiconductor layer, wherein a distance between the first shape and the second shape is greater than a minimum pitch, determining an intervening shape between the first shape and the second shape, and designating a dummy shape within the intervening shape, wherein the dummy shape is at the minimum pitch from the first shape. |
US09484294B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device of the present invention includes a bonding target and an electrode terminal bonded to the bonding target. The electrode terminal and the bonding target are bonded by ultrasonic bonding at a bonding surface to be subjected to bonding. The electrode terminal includes a penetrating hollow part surrounded on at least two sides by the bonding surface. |
US09484293B2 |
Semiconductor devices with close-packed via structures having in-plane routing and method of making same
The invention relates to a semiconductor structure, comprising a substrate of a semiconductor material having a first side (FS) and an opposite second side (BS). There is at least one conductive wafer-through via (V) comprising metal, and at least one recess (RDL) provided in the first side of the substrate and in the semiconductor material of the substrate. The recess is filled with metal and seamlessly connected with the wafer-through via. The exposed surfaces of the metal filled via and the metal filled recess are essentially flush with the substrate surface on the first side of the substrate. There is also provide an interposer comprising the above structure, further comprising contacts for attaching circuit boards and integrated circuits on opposite sides of the interposer. A method of making the structure is also provided. |
US09484290B2 |
Electronic system with a composite substrate
A composite substrate made of a conductive pattern structure mounted on a lead frame is used for an electronic system package. High heat generated electronic components are adapted to mount on the lead frame and relatively low heat generated electronic components are adapted to mount on the conductive pattern structure. Metal lines are used for electrical coupling between the circuitry of the IC chip and the conductive pattern structure. An electronic system with the composite substrate gains both advantages—good circuitry arrangement capability from the conductive pattern structure and good heat distribution from the lead frame. |
US09484288B2 |
Semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same and a mounting structure of a semiconductor device
The semiconductor device includes a tab including a chip supporting surface, and a back surface opposite to the chip supporting surface; a plurality of suspension leads supporting the tab; a plurality of leads arranged between the suspension leads; a semiconductor chip mounted on the chip supporting surface of the tab, the semiconductor chip including a main surface, a plurality of pads formed on the main surface, and a rear surface opposite to the main surface; a seal portion sealing the semiconductor chip such that a part of each of the leads is exposed from the seal portion; and a Pb-free solder formed on the part of each of the leads. A part of the rear surface of the semiconductor chip is contacted with the seal portion. |
US09484287B2 |
Semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same
A technique which improves the reliability in coupling between a bump electrode of a semiconductor chip and wiring of a mounting substrate, more particularly a technique which guarantees the flatness of a bump electrode even when wiring lies in a top wiring layer under the bump electrode, thereby improving the reliability in coupling between the bump electrode and the wiring formed on a glass substrate. Wiring, comprised of a power line or signal line, and a dummy pattern are formed in a top wiring layer beneath a non-overlap region of a bump electrode. The dummy pattern is located to fill the space between wirings to reduce irregularities caused by the wirings and space in the top wiring layer. A surface protection film formed to cover the top wiring layer is flattened by CMP. |
US09484285B2 |
Interconnect structures for wafer level package and methods of forming same
A method for forming a device package includes forming a molding compound around a die and laminating a polymer layer over the die. A top surface of the die is covered by a film layer while the molding compound is formed, and the polymer layer extends laterally past edge portions of the die. The method further includes forming a conductive via in the polymer layer, wherein the conductive via is electrically connected to a contact pad at a top surface of the die. |
US09484282B2 |
Resin-sealed semiconductor device
There is provided a resin-sealed semiconductor device (BGA type semiconductor device) whose heat dissipating characteristic is improved, so that it is prevented from deteriorating in reliability. This BGA type semiconductor device includes a wiring substrate on a predetermined area on which a semiconductor chip is mounted; a plurality of metal bumps that are formed to be arranged at predetermined intervals in an area of the substrate different from the area on which the semiconductor chip is mounted; and a sealing resin layer that covers at least the semiconductor chip. Each of the plurality of metal bumps is covered with the sealing resin layer described above, with a part thereof exposed at a top face of the sealing resin layer. |
US09484281B2 |
Systems and methods for thermal dissipation
A package on package semiconductor structure includes a first package positioned above a first surface of a substrate, a second package positioned above the first package, and a first thermal element positioned between the first package and the second package, wherein the first thermal element is separated from the second package by an air gap and the thermal element provides a heat path for heat generated by the first package. |
US09484277B2 |
Materials, structures and methods for microelectronic packaging
Highly reliable interconnections for microelectronic packaging. In one embodiment, dielectric layers in a build-up interconnect have a gradation in glass transition temperature; and the later applied dielectric layers are laminated at temperatures lower than the glass transition temperatures of the earlier applied dielectric layers. In one embodiment, the glass transition temperatures of earlier applied dielectric films in a build-up interconnect are increased through a thermosetting process to exceed the temperature for laminating the later applied dielectric films. In one embodiment, a polyimide material is formed with embedded catalysts to promote cross-linking after a film of the polyimide material is laminated (e.g., through photo-chemical or thermal degradation of the encapsulant of the catalysts). In one embodiment, the solder resist opening walls have a wettable layer generated through laser assisted seeding so that there is no gap between the solder resist opening walls and no underfill in the solder resist opening. |
US09484273B2 |
Apparatus for measuring impurities on wafer and method of measuring impurities on wafer
Provided are an apparatus for measuring impurities on a wafer and a method of measuring impurities on a wafer. The apparatus includes: a wafer aligning device for aligning a wafer; a loading robot for moving and loading the aligned wafer; a rotation stage for rotating the loaded wafer; a scan robot for holding a natural oxide layer etching solution for the wafer and a metallic impurity recovery solution; and a container for receiving a predetermined etching solution and a recovery solution, wherein the scan robot removes an oxide layer on an edge region of the wafer. |
US09484272B2 |
Methods for fabricating strained gate-all-around semiconductor devices by fin oxidation using an undercut etch-stop layer
Strained gate-all-around semiconductor devices formed on globally or locally isolated substrates are described. For example, a semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate. An insulating structure is disposed above the semiconductor substrate. A three-dimensional channel region is disposed above the insulating structure. Source and drain regions are disposed on either side of the three-dimensional channel region and on an epitaxial seed layer. The epitaxial seed layer is composed of a semiconductor material different from the three-dimensional channel region and disposed on the insulating structure. A gate electrode stack surrounds the three-dimensional channel region with a portion disposed on the insulating structure and laterally adjacent to the epitaxial seed layer. |
US09484269B2 |
Structure and method to control bottom corner threshold in an SOI device
Semiconductor structures and methods to control bottom corner threshold in a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) device. A method includes doping a corner region of a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) island. The doping includes tailoring a localized doping of the corner region to reduce capacitive coupling of the SOI island with an adjacent structure. |
US09484268B2 |
Semiconductor device and production method
The object to provide a semiconductor device comprising a highly-integrated SGT-based CMOS inverter circuit is achieved by forming an inverter which comprises: a first transistor including; an first island-shaped semiconductor layer; a first gate insulating film; a gate electrode; a first first-conductive-type high-concentration semiconductor layer arranged above the first island-shaped semiconductor layer; and a second first-conductive-type high-concentration semiconductor layer arranged below the first island-shaped semiconductor layer, and a second transistor including; a second gate insulating film surrounding a part of the periphery of the gate electrode; a second semiconductor layer in contact with a part of the periphery of the second gate insulating film; a first second-conductive-type high-concentration semiconductor layer arranged above the second semiconductor layer; and a second second-conductive-type high-concentration semiconductor layer arranged below the second semiconductor layer. |
US09484265B2 |
Structure and method for semiconductor device
A semiconductor device and method of forming the same is disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a substrate having first and second device regions. The first device region includes a first source/drain (S/D) region and the second device region includes a plurality of second S/D regions. The semiconductor device further includes a plurality of first recesses in the first S/D region and a plurality of second recesses, one in each of the second S/D regions. The semiconductor device further includes a first epitaxial feature having bottom portions and a top portion, wherein each of the bottom portions is in one of the first recesses and the top portion is over the first S/D region. The semiconductor device further includes a plurality of second epitaxial features each having a bottom portion in one of the second recesses. The second epitaxial features separate from each other. |
US09484264B1 |
Field effect transistor contacts
A first field effect transistor (FET) device includes a first gate over a first channel region of a first fin arranged on a substrate, a second gate of a second FET device over a second channel region of a second fin arranged on the substrate, the second channel region having a width that is greater than a width of the first channel region, a first cavity that exposes an active region of the first FET device and a second cavity that exposes an active region of the second FET device, and a conductive material in the first cavity to define a first contact and a conductive material in the second cavity to define a second contact, the second contact having a width that is greater than a width of the first contact. |
US09484256B1 |
Pure boron for silicide contact
A semiconductor device includes a gate disposed over a substrate; a source region and a drain region on opposing sides of the gate; and a pair of trench contacts over and abutting an interfacial layer portion of at least one of the source region and the drain region; wherein the interfacial layer includes boron in an amount in a range from about 5×1021 to about 5×1022 atoms/cm2. |
US09484251B1 |
Contact integration for reduced interface and series contact resistance
Methods of lightly implanting platinum, iridium, osmium, erbium, ytterbium, dysprosium, and gadolinium in semiconductor material in shallow depths by plasma-immersion ion implantation (PIII) and/or pulsed PIII are provided herein. Methods include depositing a liner layer prior to masking and implanting features to form n-type and p-type semiconductors and implanting materials through the liner layer. Methods are suitable for integration schemes involving fabrication of fin-type field effect transistors (FinFETs). |
US09484249B1 |
Method of manufacturing semiconductor device
A technique capable of suppressing a variation in a characteristic of a semiconductor device includes: (a) polishing a substrate including: a first insulating film having a first groove; and a first metal film formed in the first groove and on the first insulating film; (b) forming a second insulating film on the substrate after performing (a); (c) polishing the second insulating film; (d) measuring a thickness distribution of the second insulating film on the substrate after performing (c); and (e) forming a third insulating film having a thickness distribution different from that of the second insulating film measured in (d) to compensate for a thickness distribution of a stacked insulating film including the second insulating film and the third insulating film. |
US09484248B2 |
Patternable dielectric film structure with improved lithography and method of fabricating same
A method of fabricating an interconnect structure in which a patternable low-k material replaces the need for utilizing a separate photoresist and a dielectric material. Specifically, a method is provided that includes providing at least one patternable low-k material on a surface of an inorganic antireflective coating. The inorganic antireflective coating is vapor deposited and contains atoms of M, C and H wherein M is at least one of Si, Ge, B, Sn, Fe, Ta, Ti, Ni, Hf and La. At least one interconnect pattern is then formed within the at least one patternable low-k material. Next, the at least one patternable low-k material containing the at least one interconnect pattern is cured. |
US09484243B2 |
Processing chamber with features from side wall
A processing chamber having a chamber housing with a top and sidewalls is provided. The processing chamber has a seal for connecting the sidewalls of the chamber housing to a top of a lower chamber below the processing chamber. A substrate holder is attached to the sidewalls of the chamber housing. Further, a wafer lift ring supported by a side arm extending through the sidewalls has at least three posts each having at least one finger, the top of the fingers defining a first wafer handoff plane. The lower chamber has at least one lowest wafer support that defines a second wafer handoff plane where the height between the first wafer handoff plane and the second wafer handoff plane is not greater than a maximum vertical stroke of a transfer arm that is configured to transfer a wafer from the first wafer handoff plane and the second wafer handoff plane. |
US09484242B2 |
Fluid pressure cylinder
A fluid pressure cylinder includes a displacement member, which is displaceable on an end side of a body, and a connecting body, which is connected to a piston rod of a cylinder unit, is inserted via a spring in a block body of the displacement member. A suction rod is connected substantially in parallel with the connecting body and a buffer rod connected to the connecting body. In addition, in a state where downward displacement of the block body is restricted, when additional loads are applied, the buffer rod is displaced relatively with respect to the block body in opposition to an elastic force of the spring, whereby an interval in a radial direction between a bushing and the buffer rod is enlarged. |
US09484236B2 |
Joining method and joining system
This joining method of joining a target substrate and a support substrate includes: an adhesive coating operation that includes coating the target substrate or the support substrate with an adhesive; an adhesive removing operation that includes supplying a solvent for removing the adhesive onto an outer peripheral portion of the target substrate or the support substrate, which is coated with the adhesive in the adhesive coating operation, to thereby remove the adhesive on the outer peripheral portion; and a joining operation that includes pressing and joining the target substrate and the support substrate together, in which the adhesive on the outer peripheral portion is removed in the adhesive removing operation, and the support substrate coated with no adhesive, or pressing and joining the support substrate, in which the adhesive on the outer peripheral portion is removed in the adhesive removing operation, and the target substrate coated with no adhesive. |
US09484227B1 |
Dicing in wafer level package
A method includes placing a first device die and a second device die over a carrier, with a scribe line between the first device die and the second device die. The first device die and the second device die are encapsulated with an encapsulating material, which has a portion in the scribe line. The method further includes forming a dielectric layer over the encapsulating material, performing a first die-saw to form a first trench in the scribe line, performing a second die-saw to form a second trench in the scribe line, and performing a third die-saw on the scribe line to separate the first device die from the second device die. |
US09484226B2 |
Methods for controlling warpage in packaging
A method includes placing a plurality of dummy dies over a carrier, placing a plurality of device dies over the carrier, molding the plurality of dummy dies and the plurality of device dies in a molding compound, forming redistribution line over and electrically coupled to the device dies, and performing a die-saw to separate the device dies and the molding compound into a plurality of packages. |
US09484223B2 |
Coreless packaging substrate and method of fabricating the same
A coreless packaging substrate includes: a circuit buildup structure having at least a dielectric layer, a wiring layer and a plurality of conductive elements, a plurality of electrical pads embedded in the dielectric layer of the circuit buildup structure, a plurality of metal bumps formed on the wiring layer of the circuit buildup structure, and a dielectric passivation layer formed on the surface of the circuit buildup structure and the metal bumps with the metal bumps exposed from the dielectric passivation layer. The metal bumps each have a metal column portion and a wing portion integrally connected to the metal column portion, such that the bonding force between the metal bumps and a semiconductor chip can be enhanced by the entire top surface of the wing portions of the metal bumps being completely exposed. |
US09484218B2 |
Post ion implant stripper for advanced semiconductor application
The present invention relates to a substantially water-free photoresist stripping composition. Particularly, the present invention relates to a substantially water-free photoresist stripping composition useful in removing the photoresist after ion-implant process, comprising: (a) an amine, (b) an organic solvent A, and (c) a co-solvent, wherein the composition is substantially water-free (<3 wt % H2O). The present invention also provides a process for post-ion implantation stripping by using the composition of the present invention. |
US09484214B2 |
Systems and methods for improving wafer etch non-uniformity when using transformer-coupled plasma
A substrate processing system includes a processing chamber including a dielectric window and a pedestal for supporting a substrate during processing. A gas supply system supplies gas to the processing chamber. A coil is arranged outside of the processing chamber adjacent to the dielectric window. A radio frequency (RF) source supplies RF signals to the coil to create RF plasma in the processing chamber. N flux attenuating portions are arranged in a spaced pattern adjacent the coil, wherein N is an integer greater than one. |
US09484213B2 |
Processing gas diffusing and supplying unit and substrate processing apparatus
A processing gas diffusing and supplying unit is provided in a substrate processing unit including a processing chamber for accommodating a substrate. The processing gas diffusing and supplying unit comprises a main body; a plate supported by the main body and having a plurality of gas supply holes; a partition wall; an internal space having a first and a second space partitioned by the partition wall; a first and a second opening respectively communicating with the first and the second space while facing the plate, first and a second space being connected to a first and a second processing gas introducing pipe of the processing chamber, respectively; and a first and a second shielding portion respectively installed in the first and the second space and having a surface facing the first and the second opening. |
US09484210B2 |
Semiconductor die singulation method
In one embodiment, semiconductor die are singulated from a semiconductor wafer having a backmetal layer by placing the semiconductor wafer onto a carrier tape with the backmetal layer adjacent the carrier tape, forming singulation lines through the semiconductor wafer to expose the backmetal layer within the singulation lines, and separating portions of the backmetal layer using a fluid. |
US09484205B2 |
Semiconductor device having self-aligned gate contacts
A semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the device. The method includes: depositing a first dielectric layer on a semiconductor device; forming a plurality of first trenches through the first dielectric layer; depositing an insulating fill in the plurality of first trenches; planarizing the plurality of first trenches; forming a first gate contact between the plurality of first trenches; depositing a first contact fill in the first gate contact; planarizing the first gate contact; depositing a second dielectric layer on the device; forming a plurality of second trenches through the first and second dielectric layers; depositing a conductive fill in the plurality of second trenches; planarizing the plurality of second trenches; forming a second gate contact where the second gate contact is in contact with the first gate contact; depositing a second contact fill in the second gate contact; and planarizing the second gate contact. |
US09484204B2 |
Transistor and method for forming the same
Various embodiments provide transistors and methods for forming the same. In an exemplary method, a substrate is provided, having a dummy gate structure including a dummy gate dielectric layer on the substrate and a dummy gate layer on the dummy gate dielectric layer. A dielectric layer is formed on the substrate and on sidewall surfaces of the dummy gate structure. A top surface of the dielectric layer is leveled with a top surface of the dummy gate structure. A barrier layer is formed on the dielectric layer for protecting the dielectric layer. The dummy gate layer and the dummy gate dielectric layer are removed, to form an opening in the dielectric layer without reducing a thickness of the dielectric layer. A gate dielectric layer is formed on sidewall surfaces and a bottom surface of the opening. A gate layer is formed on the gate dielectric layer to fill the opening. |
US09484203B2 |
Methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices
In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a gate structure is formed on a substrate. An ion implantation process is performed at an upper portion of the substrate exposed by the gate structure, so that an ion implantation region is formed to have an expanded volume. The ion implantation process uses ions that are identical to a material of the substrate. |
US09484202B1 |
Apparatus and methods for spacer deposition and selective removal in an advanced patterning process
Embodiments herein provide apparatus and methods for performing a deposition and a patterning process on a spacer layer with good profile control in multiple patterning processes. In one embodiment, a method for depositing and patterning a spacer layer during a multiple patterning process includes conformally forming a spacer layer on an outer surface of a patterned structure disposed on a substrate, wherein the patterned structure has a first group of openings defined therebetween, selectively treating a first portion of the spacer layer formed on the substrate without treating a second portion of the spacer layer, and selectively removing the treated first portion of the spacer layer. |
US09484199B2 |
PECVD microcrystalline silicon germanium (SiGe)
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to methods for forming a SiGe layer. In one embodiment, a seed SiGe layer is first formed using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), and a bulk SiGe layer is formed directly on the PECVD seed layer also using PECVD. The processing temperature for both seed and bulk SiGe layers is less than 450 degrees Celsius. |
US09484190B2 |
Showerhead-cooler system of a semiconductor-processing chamber for semiconductor wafers of large area
Proposed is a showerhead-cooler system of a semiconductor-processing chamber with uniform distribution of plasma density. The showerhead has a plurality of through gas holes that are coaxial with respective channels of the gas-feeding cooler plate. On the gas inlet side, the though passages of the showerhead are provided with unequal conical nozzles characterized by a central angle that decreases from the peripheral part of the showerhead to the showerhead center. Such design provides uniformity of plasma density. Furthermore, in order to protect the walls of the nozzle and the walls of the gas holes from erosion that may be caused by the hollow-cathode phenomenon, these areas are coated with a thin protective coating that is resistant to electrical breakdown and chemical corrosion. |
US09484188B2 |
Individual beam pattern placement verification in multiple beam lithography
Methods and systems for verification of a mark written on a target surface during a multiple beam lithography process, and for verifying beam position of individual beams on the target surface based on mark verification are disclosed. A mark can be verified by scanning an optical beam over the mark and measuring the reflected optical beam and the position of the target with respect to the optical beam. By comparing the intensity of the reflected light as a function of distance over the mark with reference mark data representing an intended definition of the mark, and any deviation between the measured representation and the reference mark data are determined. If any deviation deviate more than the predetermined limit, incorrectly positioned beams can be verified from the data. |
US09484186B2 |
Modeling and correcting short-range and long-range effects in E-beam lithography
Processes and apparatuses are described for modeling and correcting electron-beam (e-beam) proximity effects during e-beam lithography. An uncalibrated e-beam model, which includes a long-range component and a short-range component, can be calibrated based on one or more test layouts. During correction, a first resist intensity map can be computed based on the long-range component of the calibrated e-beam model and a mask layout. Next, a target pattern in the mask layout can be corrected by, iteratively: (1) computing a second resist intensity map based on the short-range component of the calibrated e-beam model and the target pattern; (2) obtaining a combined resist intensity map by combining the first resist intensity map and the second resist intensity map; and (3) adjusting the target pattern based on the combined resist intensity map and the design intent. |
US09484181B2 |
Charged particle beam apparatus and trajectory correction method in charged particle beam apparatus
There is provided a charged particle beam apparatus that includes a trajectory monitoring unit which is disposed above an objective lens (14) and which includes an optical element (12) having a lens action and a trajectory correcting deflector (10). An applied voltage and an excitation current of the optical element (12) are set to zero after a trajectory correction of a primary charged particle beam (30). Accordingly, the lens action and an aberration of the optical element (12) have no influence on resolution. |
US09484179B2 |
X-ray tube with adjustable intensity profile
An X-ray tube includes an emitter, and an electrode assembly. The emitter is configured to emit an electron beam toward a target. The electrode assembly includes at least one electrode having a bias voltage with respect to the emitter. At least one electrode of the electrode assembly is a segmented electrode including a plurality of segments. The plurality of segments includes a first member and a second member. The first member is configured to have a first bias voltage and the second member is configured to have a second bias voltage that is different from the first bias voltage. |
US09484176B2 |
Advanced penning ion source
This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus for ion generation. In one aspect, an apparatus includes an anode, a first cathode, a second cathode, and a plurality of cusp magnets. The anode has a first open end and a second open end. The first cathode is associated with the first open end of the anode. The second cathode is associated with the second open end of the anode. The anode, the first cathode, and the second cathode define a chamber. The second cathode has an open region configured for the passage of ions from the chamber. Each cusp magnet of the plurality of cusp magnets is disposed along a length of the anode. |
US09484168B2 |
DC current switching apparatus, electronic device, and method for switching an associated DC circuit
Exemplary embodiments are directed to a direct current switching apparatus including at least a first mechanical switching device which is suitable to be positioned along an operating path of an associated DC circuit and includes a fixed contact and a corresponding movable contact which can be actuated between a closed position and an open position along the operating path, wherein an electric arc can ignite between the contacts under separation. The switching apparatus includes an electronic circuit having a semiconductor device which is suitable to be positioned along a secondary path and connected in parallel with the first mechanical switching device. The electronic circuit can be configured to commute the flow of current from the operating path to the secondary path and extinguish an electric arc ignited when the movable contact separates from the fixed contact when the first mechanical switching device fails to extinguish the same. |
US09484158B2 |
Graphene-ionic liquid composites
Method of making a graphene-ionic liquid composite. The composite can be used to make elec-trodes for energy storage devices, such as batteries and supercapacitors. Dis-closed and claimed herein is method of making a graphene-ionic liquid com-posite, comprising combining a graphene source with at least one ionic liquid and heating the combination at a temperature of at least about 130 ° C. |
US09484157B2 |
Method for preparing solid electrolyte comprising porous thin film and dye-sensitized solar cell using the same
Disclosed is a solid electrolyte for a dye-sensitized solar cell, which includes a three-dimensional porous thin film made of a hydrophilic polymer material, and a dye-sensitized solar cell using the same. More particularly, the present invention provides a high-efficient dye-sensitized solar cell, in which polymer nanofibers having high specific surface area are used in an electrolyte layer to effectively induce an increase in photocurrent, thereby increasing the amount of electrolyte impregnated. When the porous film prepared by the method of the present invention is used as a solid electrolyte for a dye-sensitized solar cell, a process of forming an electrolyte inlet and sealing the inlet is not required, which simplifies the entire process, compared to an existing dye-sensitized solar cell using a liquid electrolyte. |
US09484156B2 |
Stack capacitor having high volumetric efficiency
An improved capacitor and method of making an improved capacitor is set forth. The capacitor has planer anodes with each anode comprising a fusion end and a separated end and the anodes are in parallel arrangement with each anode in direct electrical contact with all adjacent anodes at the fusion end. A dielectric is on the said separated end of each anode wherein the dielectric covers at least an active area of the capacitor. Spacers separate adjacent dielectrics and the interstitial space between the adjacent dielectrics and spacers has a conductive material in therein. |
US09484151B2 |
Method of producing R-T-B sintered magnet
A method for producing a sintered R-T-B based magnet includes providing at least one sintered R-T-B based magnet material (where R is a rare-earth element and T is Fe or Fe and Co); providing RH diffusion sources that include a heavy rare-earth element RH (which is Dy and/or Tb) and 30 to 80 mass % of Fe and that have a particle size between 53 μm and 5600 μm; arranging the magnet material and the RH diffusion sources in a process vessel so that some of the RH diffusion sources are in contact with the magnet material; performing an RH diffusion process by heat treating in an inert ambient at a pressure of 5000 Pa or less and at a temperature of 800° C. to 1000° C.; and separating the RH diffusion sources from the magnet material. |
US09484150B2 |
Multi-mode power amplifying circuit, and multi-mode wireless transmission module and method thereof
A multi-mode power amplifying circuit, and a multi-mode wireless transmission module and method thereof are provided. The multi-mode wireless transmission module includes the multi-mode power amplifying circuit and an antenna. In the multi-mode power amplifying circuit and the antenna, a first power amplifier is electrically connected between a signal input end and a first impedance matching circuit, and an output end of the first impedance matching circuit is electrically connected to the antenna. A second power amplifier is electrically connected to the signal input end, and a second impedance matching circuit is electrically connected between the second power amplifier and the first impedance matching circuit. A switching circuit is electrically connected to an input end of the second impedance matching circuit. The switching circuit switches on-off corresponding to an operation of the first power amplifier and an operation of the second power amplifier. |
US09484148B1 |
Power system for ground-based machines
A method for distributing energy to a group of ground-based machines. The energy is supplied to the group of ground-based machines through a pattern of inductive power transfer lines physically associated with a ground in a work area. Operations are performed with the group of ground-based machines in the work area. The group of ground-based machines moves in the work area without following a path based on the inductive power transfer lines. |
US09484147B2 |
Wired-wireless combined power transmission apparatus and the method using the same
Disclosed are a wired-wireless combined power transmission apparatus and a method using the same. The wired-wireless combined power transmission apparatus includes a rectifying unit converting an AC input signal into a DC signal, a transformer unit transforming a size of the input signal, which has been converted into the DC signal, into a predetermined size, a wireless power transmission unit receiving the signal transformed by the transformer unit to wirelessly transmit power, and a wired power supply unit receiving the signal transformed by the transformer unit to supply power through a cable. The advantages and disadvantages of the wired power transmission apparatus and the wireless power transmission apparatus are supplemented to each other, so that the power conversion efficiency and the versatility are improved. |
US09484145B2 |
Converter
A converter includes a transformer module, a primary side circuit module, and a secondary side circuit module. The transformer module includes a magnetic core group and a winding. The winding includes a primary winding and a secondary winding, and is further installed on the magnetic core group. The primary side circuit module is coupled to the primary winding. The secondary side circuit module is coupled to the secondary winding. The primary side circuit modules or the secondary side circuit module has overlapping vertical projection area on a first plane with the winding, and the first plane is a plane in a horizontal direction of the winding. |
US09484144B2 |
Transformer assembly structure
A transformer assembly structure includes a transformer and a carrying seat. The transformer includes a bobbin, a winding coil assembly and a magnetic core assembly. The winding coil assembly includes a primary winding coil and a secondary winding coil. The carrying seat includes a main body and a first lateral wing. The main body has an edge. The first lateral wing includes a first positioning structure. The edge of the main body of the carrying seat is located at an inner side of an outer edge of the magnetic core assembly. The outlet part of the primary winding coil is managed and positioned by the first positioning structure. |
US09484141B2 |
Compact triangular core transformer
A three-phase stacked triangular transformer core is provided. The transformer has three legs and six yoke parts therebetween, wherein the legs include stacked laminations. In a cross-sectional plane perpendicular to a central transformer core axis, the stacked laminations are oriented in substantially radial direction, and each leg has two leg halves, wherein each leg half has a plurality of outer corners facing a corresponding leg half of a neighboring leg. For each of the leg halves the plurality of outer corners lie on a respective straight line within a lateral tolerance, and for each leg half the straight line defined by this leg half and the straight line defined by the corresponding leg half of the neighboring leg are parallel. |
US09484140B2 |
System and method for treating an amorphous metallic ribbon
A method and a system for continuously in-line annealing a forwarding ferromagnetic amorphous alloy ribbon in a curved shape to improve its magnetic properties without causing the ribbon to become brittle and which operates at significant high ribbon feeding rates. The amorphous alloy ribbon is fed forward, tensioned and guided along a path at a preset feeding rate and is heated at a point along the path at a rate greater than 103° C./sec to a temperature to initiate a thermal treatment. Then the ribbon is initially cooled at a rate greater than 103° C./sec until the thermal treatment ends. During the thermal treatment, a series of mechanical constraints is applied on the ribbon until the amorphous alloy ribbon adopts a specific shape at rest after the thermal treatment is ended. After the initial cooling, the amorphous alloy ribbon is subsequently cooled at a sufficient rate to a temperature that will preserve the specific shape. |
US09484139B2 |
Reactor, converter, and power converter apparatus
The present invention provides a reactor with which a sensor for measuring the physical quantity (temperature or the like) of the reactor and an external apparatus can be connected to each other in a stable manner. The reactor 1A of the present invention includes a coil 2, a magnetic core 3 at which the coil 2 is disposed, and a case 4 storing a combined product 10 made up of the coil 2 and the magnetic core 3. The case 4 includes a bottom plate portion and a side wall portion 41 surrounding the combined product 10. The side wall portion 41 is made of an insulating resin. A connector hooking portion 44 on which a connector portion 72, which is coupled via a line 71 to a sensor such as a temperature sensor for measuring the physical quantity of the reactor 1A is hooked is integrally molded with the side wall portion 41 by the resin structuring the side wall portion 41. Allowing the connector portion 72 to be hooked on the connector hooking portion 44 and fixed thereto, the connector portion 72 is held by the case 4 in a stable manner, and with the reactor 1A, the connector portion 72 and the connector portion of an external apparatus can be connected to each other in a stable manner. |
US09484138B2 |
Nano-patterned system and magnetic-field applying device thereof
A nano-patterned system comprises a vacuum chamber, a sample stage and a magnetic-field applying device. The magnetic-field applying device comprises a power supply, magnetic poles, and a magnetic-field generation device having a magnetic conductive soft iron core and a coil connected to the power supply and wound on the soft iron core to generate a magnetic field. The soft iron core is a semi-closed frame structure and the magnetic poles are respectively disposed at the two ends of the semi-closed frame structure. The sample stage is inside the vacuum chamber. The magnetic poles are opposite one another inside the vacuum chamber with respect to the sample stage. The coil and soft iron core are outside the vacuum chamber. The soft iron core leads the magnetic field generated by the coil into the vacuum chamber. The magnetic poles locate a sample on the sample stage and apply a local magnetic field. |
US09484135B2 |
Chip component and method of producing the same
[Subject] To provide a highly-reliable and small-size chip component, e.g., a chip resistor having an accurate resistance value.[Solution] The chip resistor (10) includes: a substrate (11); a plurality of resistor elements each having a resistive film portion (20) provided on the substrate (11) and an aluminum-containing interconnection film portion (21) provided in contact with the resistive film portion (20); electrodes (12, 13) provided on the substrate (11); and a plurality of fuses (F) each having an aluminum-containing interconnection film portion integral with the aluminum-containing interconnection film portion of the resistor element and disconnectably connecting the resistor element to the electrodes (12, 13).[Effect] The resistance of the chip resistor can be adjusted at a desired resistance value by selectively disconnecting desired ones of the fuses. Since the fuses are formed in a minute layout pattern from an aluminum-containing interconnection film, the processing accuracy is improved in the disconnecting step. |
US09484132B2 |
Coaxial cables with shaped metallic conductors
A coaxial cable that has a cable core is encased in a polymeric layer. The cable core is enclosed with a pair of semi-circular-profile shaped conductors. A layer of polymer is extruded over the shaped conductors. A pair of armor wire layers is cabled about the layer of polymer to form the coaxial cable. |
US09484128B2 |
Noise suppression cable
A noise suppression cable includes an insulated wire, an internal magnetic tape layer including a resin layer and a magnetic material layer formed on one surface of the resin layer, the internal magnetic tape layer being spirally wound on a periphery of the insulated wire in a first direction along a longitudinal direction of the cable so as to allow the magnetic material layer of the internal magnetic tape layer to face outside, and an external magnetic tape layer including a resin layer and a magnetic material layer formed on one surface of the resin layer, the external magnetic tape layer being spirally wound on a periphery of the internal magnetic tape layer in a second direction different from the first direction along the longitudinal direction of the cable so as to allow the magnetic material layer of the external magnetic tape layer to face inside. |
US09484127B2 |
Differential signal transmission cable
A differential signal transmission cable includes a pair of conductors arranged to be distant from each other and parallel to each other, an insulator covering the pair of conductors, the insulator having a transversal cross section including a width in a minor axis direction and a width in a major axis direction greater than the width in the minor axis direction, and an outer periphery shape having curved lines, and a shield conductor wound around the insulator, the shield conductor including a seam or an overlapping region along a longitudinal direction of the insulator. |
US09484124B2 |
Insulated electric wire and coil using same
An insulated electric wire includes a conductor and an insulating coating provided around a perimeter of the conductor. The insulating coating includes a first insulating coating film around the perimeter of the conductor, the first insulating coating film being formed of a resin containing an imide structure in its molecule, and a second insulating coating film around a perimeter of the first insulating coating film, the second insulating coating film being formed of a polyimide resin comprising a repeat unit represented by Formula 1, and having an imide concentration of not less than 15% and not more than 36%, wherein R1 is a tetravalent group derived from decarboxylation of an aromatic tetracarboxylic acid, and R2 is a divalent group derived from deamination of an aromatic diamine. |
US09484121B2 |
System and method for storing energy in a nuclear power plant
A method for storing the energy of a nuclear power plant in which the nuclear core is cooled by gases or liquid heat transfer media. The hot heat transfer liquid is stored directly in storage tanks. When needed, it is used for heating a power plant. The heat of a compressed gas heat transfer medium such as helium is stored by passing the compressed gas through tanks filled with heat-resistant solids and recovered by passing the same type of gas in a second circuit in a reverse direction. Through the hot tanks to the power plant and back. This Abstract is not intended to define the invention disclosed in the specification, nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way. |
US09484118B2 |
BWR nuclear fuel assembly with non-retained partial length fuel rods
A nuclear fuel assembly for a boiling water reactor is provided. The nuclear fuel assembly includes a base, a head and a bundle of full length fuel rods and partial length fuel rods. The bundle extends longitudinally between the base and the head, at least one partial length fuel rod having a lower end received in a housing provided in the base and delimited by a closed bottom larger than the lower end. The housing is further delimited by a peripheral wall surrounding the lower end and the partial length fuel rod rests freely on the bottom. |
US09484116B1 |
Test system
At least one general-purpose server is connected to a PE module via Ethernet (trademark). A control unit of the PE module controls a PE circuit and multiple fail memory in a real-time manner, temporarily stores fail information stored in the multiple fail memory, performs data processing on the fail information, and transfers the fail information thus processed to the general-purpose server. Each general-purpose server is controlled according to a computer program so as to perform redundancy analysis for a DUT based on the data received from the PE module. |
US09484112B2 |
Liquid crystal display and shift register thereof
The present invention provides a liquid crystal display and a shift register thereof. Each shift register unit of the shift register comprises a storage circuit, receiving and temporarily storing a former stage signal, a voltage level control circuit and an inverter circuit, charging and discharging scan lines of a liquid crystal display panel, and a first node exists between the voltage level control circuit and the inverter circuit, and a second node exists between the storage circuit and the voltage level control circuit, and the storage circuit is employed to selectively invert and output received level signals to the second node under control of a first sequence signal, and the voltage level control circuit is employed to provide a low level signal to the first node, and the inverter circuit is employed to selectively invert and output the low level signal provided by the voltage level control circuit under control of a second sequence signal. With the aforementioned arrangement, the present is beneficial to the narrow frame or non frame design of the liquid crystal display panel and promote the process yield. |
US09484107B2 |
Dual non-volatile memory cell comprising an erase transistor
The present disclosure relates to a non-volatile memory cell on a semiconductor substrate, comprising a first transistor comprising a control gate, a floating gate and a drain region, a second transistor comprising a control gate, a floating gate and a drain region, in which the floating gates of the first and second transistors are electrically coupled, and the second transistor comprises a conducting region electrically coupled to its drain region and extending opposite its floating gate through a tunnel dielectric layer. |
US09484106B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory can reduce variations in an amount of current during data writing operation. This allows for the writing of data to memory cells with high precision. The nonvolatile semiconductor memory includes a plurality of memory cells, word lines connected to the memory cells, and bit lines connected to each of the memory cells. At least two of the bit lines are selected, and a current is simultaneously supplied from a power supply line to those memory cells which are connected to the selected bit lines in order to write data thereto. The nonvolatile semiconductor memory also includes charge amount measurement units for measuring respective amounts of charge stored in the memory cells. The nonvolatile semiconductor memory also includes current path switching circuits connected to the respective bit lines. Those current path switching circuits which are connected to the selected bit lines supply a current from the power supply line to the memory cells or a predetermined terminal depending on a measured value of the amount of charge measured by the charge amount measurement section. |
US09484087B2 |
Multi-bit memory elements, memory devices including the same, and methods of manufacturing the same
In one embodiment, the memory element may include a first electrode, a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode, a memory layer between the first electrode and the second electrode, and an auxiliary layer between the memory layer and the second electrode. The auxiliary layer provides a multi-bit memory characteristic to the memory layer. |
US09484082B2 |
Method of operating semiconductor memory device with floating body transistor using silicon controlled rectifier principle
Methods of operating semiconductor memory devices with floating body transistors, using a silicon controlled rectifier principle are provided, as are semiconductor memory devices for performing such operations. A method of maintaining the data state of a semiconductor dynamic random access memory cell is provided, wherein the memory cell comprises a substrate being made of a material having a first conductivity type selected from p-type conductivity type and n-type conductivity type; a first region having a second conductivity type selected from the p-type and n-type conductivity types, the second conductivity type being different from the first conductivity type; a second region having the second conductivity type, the second region being spaced apart from the first region; a buried layer in the substrate below the first and second regions, spaced apart from the first and second regions and having the second conductivity type; a body region formed between the first and second regions and the buried layer, the body region having the first conductivity type; and a gate positioned between the first and second regions and adjacent the body region. The memory cell is configured to store a first data state which corresponds to a first charge in the body region in a first configuration, and a second data state which corresponds to a second charge in the body region in a second configuration. The method includes: providing the memory cell storing one of the first and second data states; and applying a positive voltage to a substrate terminal connected to the substrate beneath the buried layer, wherein when the body region is in the first state, the body region turns on a silicon controlled rectifier device of the cell and current flows through the device to maintain configuration of the memory cell in the first memory state, and wherein when the memory cell is in the second state, the body region does not turn on the silicon controlled rectifier device, current does not flow, and a blocking operation results, causing the body to maintain the second memory state. |
US09484081B2 |
Semiconductor device having transistor and semiconductor memory device using the same
Semiconductor device capable of preventing off-leakage of the transistor may include a pulse voltage generator configured to generate a pulse voltage, and a transistor configured to have a gate provided with the pulse voltage. The transistor is in an off state in response to the pulse voltage. |
US09484080B1 |
High-bandwidth memory application with controlled impedance loading
A microelectronic assembly can include an address bus comprising a plurality of signal conductors each passing sequentially through first, second, third, and fourth connection regions, and first and second microelectronic packages. The first microelectronic package can include first and second microelectronic elements, and the second microelectronic package can include third and fourth microelectronic elements. Each microelectronic element can be electrically coupled to the address bus via the respective connection region. An electrical characteristic between the first and second connection regions can be within a same tolerance of the electrical characteristic between the second and third connection regions. |
US09484071B2 |
Voltage generation circuit, semiconductor memory apparatus having the same, and operating method thereof
A voltage generation circuit may include: a comparison unit configured to compare a reference voltage and a feedback voltage and output a comparison signal to a node; an output unit configured to generate an internal voltage and the feedback voltage according to a voltage level applied to the node; and a control unit configured to discharge the node when a level of the internal voltage drops to less than a preset level. |
US09484070B2 |
Apparatuses supporting multiple interface types and methods of operating the same
Apparatuses supporting multiple interface types and methods operating the same are described. One such method can include providing, to a memory device, a first input/output (I/O) supply voltage corresponding to a first interface type and subsequently determining whether the memory device supports a second interface type having a second I/O supply voltage corresponding thereto. In response to a determination that the memory device supports the second interface type, the method can include adjusting the I/O supply voltage provided to the memory device from the first I/O supply voltage to the second I/O supply voltage. |
US09484069B2 |
Auxiliary power supply devices and nonvolatile memory systems including the same
An auxiliary power supply device can include a first power storage unit, a first charging circuit to receive input power and charge the first power storage unit, a second power storage unit having lower power supply speed than the first power storage unit and longer power supply time than the first power storage unit, a second charge circuit to receive input power and charge the second power storage unit, and a switching unit to supply the stored power of the first power storage unit to external devices for a predetermined time when a sudden power-off occurs and supply stored power of the second power storage unit to the external devices after the predetermined time elapses. |
US09484067B2 |
Circuit having capacitor coupled with memory element
A circuit includes a capacitor and a memory element. The capacitor includes a first conductive layer, a first terminal, and a second terminal. The first conductive layer includes a first plurality of bars extending along a first direction and parallel to one another, where two adjacent bars of the first plurality of bars have a first capacitance therebetween. The first terminal is coupled with a first bar of the two adjacent bars, and the second terminal is coupled with a second bar of the two adjacent bars. The memory element has an input coupled with the first terminal and an output coupled with the second terminal. The capacitor is configured to inhibit changing a logic state at the input of the memory element. |
US09484060B2 |
Encoder
An encoder that detects a position of a movable body from an origin includes a signal generation unit configured to generate an incremental signal and an origin candidate signal by using A-phase and B-phase voltages obtained from an orthogonal signal pattern, a reference position detection unit configured to detect a reference position signal by using a Z-phase voltage obtained from a reference position signal pattern, and a counter configured to reset a counted value of the incremental signal on the basis of the origin candidate signal. |
US09484057B2 |
Hologram recording and reproducing apparatus
A disk conveyance unit 3 conveys the disk medium 2 to a position where recording and reproducing are performed by the pickup 1 with the spindle motor 4 held. The disk conveyance unit 3 includes first movement mechanisms 22 and 24 for moving a first conveyance frame 30 with respect to fixed frames 10 and 20 and second movement mechanisms 34 and 36 for moving a second conveyance frame 40 holding a spindle motor 4 with respect to the first conveyance frame 30. The first and second movement mechanisms move to substantially the same direction and operate independently from each other. This allows the disk of the hologram recording and reproducing apparatus to be moved at a high speed and positioned at a high accuracy. |
US09484055B2 |
Determining estimated position information of a magnetic recording tape using media thickness estimation
In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes acquiring, by the computer, position information from encoding on a magnetic medium, calculating, by the computer, an estimated position information of the magnetic medium using a media thickness value, comparing, by the computer, the estimated the estimated position information with the position information acquired from encoding, determining, by the computer, whether an error between the estimated position information and the acquired position information is within a specified range. In response to the determining that the error is within the specified range, the media thickness value is stored by the computer to a memory. In response to the determining that the error is outside the specified range, the media thickness value is changed by the computer to make the estimated position information fall within the specified range. |
US09484052B1 |
Clearance adjustment for a head disk interface
A method of controlling clearance in a disk drive, including the steps of: mounting a recording head having at least one heating element at a first distance from a top surface of the disk; measuring a first passive fly height between the top surface of the disk and a bottom surface of the head; applying a first quantity of energy to the heating element(s) to permanently deform the head and change the distance between the top surface of the disk and a bottom surface of the head to a second passive fly height that is less than the first passive fly height; and applying a second quantity of energy to the heating element(s) to temporarily deform the head and change the distance between the top surface of the disk and a bottom surface of the head to an operational clearance distance that is less than the second passive fly height. |
US09484037B2 |
Device, system, and method of liveness detection utilizing voice biometrics
Device, system, and method of liveness detection using voice biometrics. For example, a method comprises: generating a first matching score based on a comparison between: (a) a voice-print from a first text-dependent audio sample received at an enrollment stage, and (b) a second text-dependent audio sample received at an authentication stage; generating a second matching score based on a text-independent audio sample; and generating a liveness score by taking into account at least the first matching score and the second matching score. |
US09484035B2 |
System and method for distributed speech recognition
A system and method for distributed speech recognition is provided. A prompt is provided to a caller during a call. One or more audio responses are received from the caller in response to the prompt. Distributed speech recognition is performed on the audio responses by providing a non-overlapping section of a main grammar to each of a plurality of secondary recognizers for each audio response. Speech recognition is performed on the audio responses by each of the secondary recognizers using the non-overlapping section of the main grammar associated with that secondary recognizer. A new grammar is generated based on results of the speech recognition from each of the secondary recognizers. Further speech recognition is performed on the audio responses against the new grammar and a further prompt is selected for providing to the caller based on results of the distributed speech recognition. |
US09484027B2 |
Using pitch during speech recognition post-processing to improve recognition accuracy
A method of automated speech recognition in a vehicle. The method includes receiving audio in the vehicle, pre-processing the received audio to generate acoustic feature vectors, decoding the generated acoustic feature vectors to produce at least one speech hypothesis, and post-processing the at least one speech hypothesis using pitch to improve speech recognition accuracy. The speech hypothesis can be accepted as recognized speech during post-processing if pitch is present in the received audio. Alternatively, a pitch count for the received audio can be determined, N-best speech hypotheses can be post-processed by comparing the pitch count to syllable counts associated with the speech hypotheses, and the speech hypothesis having a syllable count equal to the pitch count can be accepted as recognized speech. |
US09484026B2 |
System and method for analyzing and classifying calls without transcription via keyword spotting
A facility and method for analyzing and classifying calls without transcription via keyword spotting is disclosed. The facility uses a group of calls having known outcomes to generate one or more domain- or entity-specific grammars containing keywords and related information that are indicative of particular outcome. The facility monitors telephone calls by determining the domain or entity associated with the call, loading the appropriate grammar or grammars associated with the determined domain or entity, and tracking keywords contained in the loaded grammar or grammars that are spoken during the monitored call, along with additional information. The facility performs a statistical analysis on the tracked keywords and additional information to determine a classification for the monitored telephone call. |
US09484025B2 |
Configuring dynamic custom vocabulary for personalized speech recognition
The disclosure includes a system and method for configuring custom vocabularies for personalized speech recognition. The system includes a processor and a memory storing instructions that when executed cause the system to: detect a provisioning trigger event; determine a state of a journey associated with a user based on the provisioning trigger event; determine one or more interest places based on the state of the journey; populate a place vocabulary associated with the user using the one or more interest places; filter the place vocabulary based on one or more place filtering parameters; and register the filtered place vocabulary for the user. |
US09484021B1 |
Disambiguation in speech recognition
Automatic speech recognition (ASR) processing including a two-stage configuration. After ASR processing of an incoming utterance where the ASR outputs an N-best list including multiple hypotheses, a first stage determines whether to execute a command associated with one of the hypotheses or whether to output some of the hypotheses of the N-best list for disambiguation. A second stage determines what hypotheses should be included in the disambiguation choices. A first machine learning model is used at the first stage and a second machine learning model is used at the second stage. The multi-stage configuration allows for reduced speech processing errors as well as a reduced number of utterances sent for disambiguation, which thus improves the user experience. |
US09484019B2 |
System and method for discriminative pronunciation modeling for voice search
Disclosed herein is a method for speech recognition. The method includes receiving speech utterances, assigning a pronunciation weight to each unit of speech in the speech utterances, each respective pronunciation weight being normalized at a unit of speech level to sum to 1, for each received speech utterance, optimizing the pronunciation weight by identifying word and phone alignments and corresponding likelihood scores, and discriminatively adapting the pronunciation weight to minimize classification errors, and recognizing additional received speech utterances using the optimized pronunciation weights. A unit of speech can be a sentence, a word, a context-dependent phone, a context-independent phone, or a syllable. The method can further include discriminatively adapting pronunciation weights based on an objective function. The objective function can be maximum mutual information, maximum likelihood training, minimum classification error training, or other functions known to those of skill in the art. |
US09484016B2 |
Hybrid predictive model for enhancing prosodic expressiveness
Systems and methods for prosody prediction include extracting features from runtime data using a parametric model. The features from runtime data are compared with features from training data using an exemplar-based model to predict prosody of the runtime data. The features from the training data are paired with exemplars from the training data and stored on a computer readable storage medium. |
US09484013B1 |
Speech simulation system
A speech simulation system adapted for a user to communicate with others. The system has at least one sensor to sense controlled and coordinated body movement. The system has a computer processor connected to the at least one sensor. The system has a database memory connected to the computer processor. The system has software programming to operate the computer processor. The system has a feedback device connected to the computer processor and directed to the user. The system has an outward audio output device connected to the computer processor to provide sound and a speaker connected to the outward audio output device. |
US09484010B2 |
Active vibration noise control device, active vibration noise control method and active vibration noise control program
An active vibration noise control device obtains error signals corresponding to a cancellation error between vibration noise and control sounds generated by multiple speakers, from microphone(s), and actively controls the vibration noise. A basic signal generating unit generates a basic signal based on a vibration noise frequency. An adaptive notch filter unit generates control signals provided to each of the multiple speakers by applying a filter coefficient to the basic signal. A reference signal generating unit generates a reference signal from the basic signal based on multiple transfer characteristics from the multiple speakers to the one or more microphones. A filter coefficient updating unit updates the filter coefficient used by the adaptive notch filter unit so as to minimize the error signals. A controlling unit changes amplitude of the control signals of the speakers based on a similarity between the transfer characteristics and characteristics of the vibration noise. |
US09484005B2 |
Trimming content for projection onto a target
Systems and methods are provided for trimming content for projection within the bounds of a projection target. The systems and methods trim the content for projection based on one or more characteristics of the projection target, including a shape, outline, and distance to the projection target. Moreover, the systems and methods designate void areas where no content will be projected based on the one or more characteristics, and the void areas will be generated or otherwise projected along with the content so that the content is projected onto the projection target and the void areas are projected outside of the projection target such that the projected content does not significantly spill onto surfaces or objects outside of the projection target. |
US09484004B2 |
Display controller for display panel
A display controller includes first and second arbitrating units, a pixel data calculating unit, a latency measurement unit, and a clock divider. The first and second arbitrating units fetch first and second pixel data corresponding to at least one pixel from an external memory via a system bus. The pixel data calculating unit determines a size of the first and second pixel data. The latency measuring unit generates a first data rate value that is indicative of a latency of the system bus based on the size of the first and second pixel data. The clock divider receives a first clock signal modulation value corresponding to the first data rate value and alters a modulation of a reference clock signal. The graphics blending unit receives the first and second pixel data and provides blended pixel data to a display panel based on a modulated clock signal. |
US09483998B2 |
Content providing system, receiving apparatus and method, storage medium, and program
The present invention relates to a content providing system, a receiving apparatus and method, a storage medium, and a program, which enable to perform a variety of contents provisions. An operational terminal 21 can obtain, from a storage terminal 1, contents corresponding to utilization information sent from an operational terminal 11 that is receiving provision of predetermined contents from a storage terminal 1. That is, if a user 23 is interested in contents that a user 13 is watching and listening to on the operational terminal 11, and desires to watch and listen to it, the user 23 can watch and listen to on the operational terminal 21, the contents that the user 13 is watching and listening to, by holding the operational terminal 21 very close to the operational terminal 11, or holding the operational terminal 11 very close to the operational terminal 21. |
US09483996B2 |
System and method of leveraging GPU resources to increase performance of an interact-able content browsing service
A system and a corresponding method of leveraging GPU resources to enhance performance of the interact-able content browsing (ICB) service are to utilize the computation capacity of the GPU of the graphics card to share the computation load originally taken by the CPU. The raw images depicted by the browser application program executed in the server can be directly retrieved from the VRAM of the graphics card by the encoder inside the GPU to be further encoded and streamed before being forwarded directly to distant clients. Thereby, work load and bus bandwidth occupation on the CPU can be greatly reduced, the number of clients that can be served simultaneously by a single server can be increased, and the related power consumption can be substantially reduced. |
US09483987B2 |
Embedded touch screen
Provided is an embedded touch screen, including: a first substrate; a second substrate including: scanning signal lines extending in a first direction; video signal lines extending in a second direction; a plurality of pixels each including a pixel electrode connected to corresponding one of the video signal lines via a switching element connected to corresponding one of the scanning signal lines; and a common electrode; a liquid crystal layer; an application circuit for applying an alternating signal to a plurality of excitation electrodes; a detection circuit for detecting a signal excited on a plurality of detection electrodes each arranged adjacent to each of the plurality of excitation electrodes; and a scanning circuit for scanning at least one of each of the plurality of excitation electrodes and each of the plurality of detection electrodes at least in the second direction. |
US09483986B2 |
Method and a device for compensating response time of liquid crystal display
The present invention relates to a method for compensating response time of liquid crystal display and a device therefor. The compensating method comprises: receiving gray scale data of a picture in present frame and obtaining a first additional driving value according to the comparison result between gray scale data of the picture in present frame and gray scale data of the picture in previous frame; collecting the temperature value of liquid crystal layer and obtaining a temperature driving value according to said temperature value; and generating a second driving value that is applied to pixels according to the first additional driving value and the temperature driving value. The compensating device comprises: a first additional driving value module for obtaining a first additional driving value; a temperature driving value module for collecting the temperature value of liquid crystal layer and obtaining a temperature driving value according to said temperature value; and a second additional driving value module for generating a second additional driving value. The present invention can effectively reduce the response time of liquid crystal display and mitigate the streaking problem. |
US09483984B2 |
Touch sensing display device
A touch sensing display device includes: a thin film transistor array panel including a thin film transistor; and an opposing display panel facing the thin film transistor array panel. The opposing display panel includes a piezoelectric sensor including a capacitive sensor and a piezoelectric layer. The capacitive sensor includes sensing wires, driving wires, and a bridge connecting the sensing wires together or the driving wires together. The piezoelectric sensor further includes a pair of electrodes, the piezoelectric layer being disposed between the pair of electrodes. The bridge and a first electrode of the pair of electrodes are formed of the same material and in the same layer. |
US09483982B1 |
Apparatus and method for television backlignting
A television backlighting apparatus includes an HDMI splitter for splitting a single input HDMI signal into two like output HDMI signals. A video frame analyzer is communicative with one of the HDMI outputs and has a processor executing an instruction set for analyzing the HDMI signal. The analysis converts boundary video values of the HDMI signal to an LED illumination data signal and an LED light source output. An LED light source is attachable to a television and is communicative with the video frame analyzer via the LED light source output. The light source includes at least one LED light and an LED interface cable interconnected with the video frame analyzer and extending from the LED light source output to the at least one LED light. |
US09483980B2 |
Pixel circuit and display device
A pixel circuit includes a switching transistor whose conduction is controlled by a drive signal supplied to the control terminal, a drive wiring adapted to propagate the drive signal, and a data wiring adapted to propagate a data signal. A multi-layered wiring structure is used so that a second wiring layer is formed on a layer different from that on which a first wiring layer is formed. |
US09483977B2 |
Light emitting display device and driving method thereof
A method of driving an organic light emitting display device includes: receiving an image signal by sub-field with respect to a single frame comprising the N number of sub-fields (N is a natural number greater than 2) from the exterior; dividing a single sub-field into an address period and a display period and selectively calling a data signal of a single sub-field from the M number of sub-field memories (M is a natural number greater than 2); and applying the called data signal of the single sub-field to a sub-pixel. |
US09483976B2 |
Method, apparatus and system for display compensation based on reference luminance values obtained from test pictures
A method, an apparatus and a system for display compensation relate to the field of display technique. The method for display compensation includes: measuring luminance of each of pixels in a full-color test picture outputted from a display apparatus in a uncompensated status when the display apparatus outputs the full-color test picture; obtaining a reference luminance value according to the measured luminance values of the respective pixels; obtaining compensation coefficients for the respective pixels according to the reference luminance value and the luminance values of the respective pixels; performing a compensation and correction on signals inputted to the respective pixels respectively according to the compensation coefficients. By utilizing the method, the issue of the non-uniformity of the display effect in the display apparatus can be addressed effectively. |
US09483973B2 |
Liquid crystal display device, driving method of the liquid crystal display device, and electronic device employing the same device and the same method
To provide a liquid crystal display device which can improve viewing angle characteristics and a driving method of the liquid crystal display device, and an electronic device including the liquid crystal display device. In a liquid crystal display device which performs display by aligning liquid crystal molecules at a tilt or radially at a tilt, one pixel is divided into a plurality of regions (sub-pixels) and a signal applied to each sub-pixel is made different every desired period. Alternatively, a signal applied to each sub-pixel is made different with respect to an adjacent pixel. To improve viewing angle characteristics by changing transmittance of the liquid crystal molecules every desired period in addition to improving the viewing angle characteristics of a viewer by making the liquid crystal molecules slanted to increase directions of alignment. |
US09483971B2 |
Display method of display panel
The present invention provides a display method of a display panel. The display panel in the present invention includes a plurality of repeat units each comprising a first, a second and a third color sub-pixels sequentially arranged in a row. The display method includes steps: determining a first, a second and a third color components of each repeat unit; obtaining a first and a second distribution ratios of one repeat unit respectively according to each ratio of the first color component to the second color component and of the second color component to the third color component in their respective common units; and determining respective display components of the first to the third color sub-pixels of the one repeat unit according to a total value of the first to the third color components of the one repeat unit as well as the first and the second distribution ratios. |
US09483968B1 |
Display device, head-mounted display device, display system, and control method for display device
A transmission-type display device which allows a user to visually recognize a display image screen as a virtual image, including a display control unit which causes a guide image for guiding the user's line of sight to be displayed on the display image screen, and a display unit which displays the guide image. The display control unit causes one of a frame-like image surrounding a vision securing area of the display image screen where the user's line of sight is guided and a ring-shaped image surrounding the vision securing area of the display image screen to be displayed as the guide image on the display image screen. |
US09483967B2 |
Advertisement element, a method of creating an advertisement element and a method of capturing advertisement images on an advertisement element
An advertisement element (2) having an underside adapted for positioning on a flat surface and an upper side comprising an advertisement surface with advertisement information, wherein the advertisement surface comprises a plurality of protrusions (12), wherein each protrusion (12) comprises a first display surface (14) with graphics (18′) applied to the surface, said surface (14) and graphics (18′) being oriented towards a first predefined viewpoint (4) and a second display surface (16) with graphics (18″) applied to the surface, said surface (16) and graphics (18″) being oriented towards a second predefined viewpoint (6), and wherein the advertisement information comprises a first image (8) composed of the combined graphics (18′) on the first display surfaces (14) and a second image (10) composed of the combined graphics (18″) on the second display surfaces (16). A method of creating said advertisement element (2) and a method of capturing advertisement images. |
US09483966B2 |
Three-dimensional billboard displays with reinforced flexible banner and attached inflatable embellishment
A 3D billboard display features a flexible banner having a display side, strips of reinforcement material attached to the flexible banner, and a flexible envelope fastened to the strips of reinforcement material and carried on the display side of the banner. The envelope forms an inflatable space that is fully or substantially enclosed by the flexible envelope, or a by a combination of the flexible envelope and the flexible banner. When inflated, the flexible envelope bulges away from the display side of the flexible sheet to create a three-dimensional display unit carried on the flexible banner. The resulting display is a one-piece shipment that is installation-ready, with no special modification or assembly required at the billboard site, where mere placement of the flexible banner on the billboard support structure and activation of an on-board inflation mechanism is all that's required. |
US09483954B2 |
Educational network based intervention
Methods and systems for educational intervention are disclosed. The methods can include receiving a user response and analyzing the user response and other user data to determine a user typology. The user typology can be compared with risk data that indicates the user's risk of failing to achieve a target outcome based on the identified user typology. If the user's risk of failing to achieve the target outcome exceeds a desired level, a mitigation plan can be generated and provided to the user to thereby facilitate in the attainment of the target outcome. |
US09483952B2 |
Runway surveillance system and method
A surveillance system and method for detecting a foreign object, debris, or damage (FOD) on a runway. The system comprises one or more cameras for capturing images of the runway; and an image processing system for detecting the FOD on the runway based on adaptive image processing of the images captured by the cameras; wherein the surveillance system is adaptively operable for FOD detection under both day and night ambient light conditions without assisted illumination such as infrared or laser illuminators. |
US09483949B2 |
Aircraft avionics management and control system
A system for interfacing a user to a plurality of different avionics devices includes a plurality of communications links. Each link is coupled to a different one of the plurality of different avionics devices and adapted to communicate therewith according to a communications protocol associated with the one of the plurality of different avionics devices to which it is coupled. A front panel includes a display device and a plurality of user input components. A processor that is coupled to each of the plurality of communications links, the processor configured to display data from each of the different avionics devices on the display device so that the data from each of the different avionics devices is shown in a different graphical user interface on the display device and so that each graphical user interface conforms to a common display format, the processor further configured to receive user input for a selected one of the avionics devices through at least one of the plurality of user input components and to transmit the user input to the selected one of the avionics devices through one of the plurality of communication links that is coupled to the selected one of the avionics devices. |
US09483948B1 |
Automated control of interactions between self-driving vehicles and pedestrians
An SDV on-board computer on an SDV receives an SDV recognition signal from a pedestrian signal transceiver worn by a pedestrian. An SDV signal transceiver on the SDV transmits a pedestrian acknowledgement message to the signal transceiver worn by the pedestrian. The SDV on-board computer receives a pedestrian movement signal from a set of pedestrian sensors that monitor movement of the pedestrian. The SDV on-board computer receives an SDV movement signal from a set of SDV sensors on the SDV that track movement of the SDV. The SDV on-board computer, based on the SDV movement signal and the pedestrian movement signal, directs an SDV control processor on the SDV to modify the movement of the SDV in order to provide the pedestrian with time and space required to avoid the pedestrian being struck by the SDV, and notifies the pedestrian that this SDV movement modification will occur. |
US09483939B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing traffic flow signaling
An approach is provided for synchronizing traffic flow and/or traffic signals in alternate travel segments. The approach involves determining traffic congestion information for at least one travel segment that is classified in at least one first functional class. The approach also involves processing and/or facilitating a processing of the traffic congestion information to determine at least one alternate travel segment that is classified in at least one second functional class. The approach further involves determining at least one calculated traffic flow for the at least one alternate travel segment based, at least in part, on traffic flow information associated with the at least one first functional class. The approach also involves causing, at least in part, a configuration of one or more traffic signaling parameters for the at least one alternate travel segment based, at least in part, on the calculated traffic flow. |
US09483933B1 |
Pro-active building protection system
An automated, computerized, method of pro-active building protection from weather condition damage involves: receiving a weather alert indicating a particular weather condition will be occurring within an area encompassing a perimeter about a building established by multiple sensors positioned around the building; in response to the weather alert, automatically executing a specific protocol to cause at least some actuators connected to protective devices of the building to change at least one protective device from a non-protective to a protective position; receiving a signal that is one of: a) a cancellation signal that the weather alert is no longer in effect, or b) an indication from at least some of the sensors that the particular weather condition is no longer endangers the building; and in response to receipt of the signal, automatically signaling the at least some actuators to return the at least one protective device to the non-protective position. |
US09483930B1 |
System, device, and method for measurement of hand hygiene technique
A device, system, and method for evaluating compliance with a hand hygiene standard using acceleration measurements of the hand or wrist. The method is based on the scalar quantities vigor and/or rocking angle. |
US09483925B1 |
Automatic system and method for detecting presence of people or animals in a vehicle
A method of detecting animate presence in a vehicle, including, receiving an electronic signal from a motion sensor measuring vibrational motion of the vehicle, calculating a representation of the signal that differentiates between periodic motions which were combined to form the received signal, calculating a spectral density of the calculated representation, forming a decisive functional from the spectral density, comparing the decisive functional to a pre-determined threshold value to determine if there is animate presence in the vehicle. |
US09483917B2 |
Non-contact alarm volume reduction
A method and apparatus for providing a caregiver the capability of modifying the tone and volume of an audible alarm for a medical device based on non-hand contact methods. |
US09483910B2 |
Bill processing unit and gaming machine including same
In order to make it easy to change the necessary device specifications when adapted to paper currencies in circulation in a plurality of countries and regions, a paper currency processing device (M1) has: a paper currency slot (M5) which is capable of handling the paper currency (T) of multiple currency circulation regions from the outside of the device; a paper currency transfer mechanism for transferring the paper currency (T) between the paper currency slot (M5) and various locations inside the device; and a plurality of paper currency cases linked to the paper currency transfer mechanism. The paper currency transfer mechanism is controlled in such a manner that the paper currency case associated with a currency circulation area is identified, and the paper currency (T) is transferred into the identified paper currency case. |
US09483908B2 |
Methods and systems for conducting a competition within a gaming environment
Methods and systems for conducting a competition within a gaming environment. Two or more players can be enabled to electronically access a gaming environment over a communication network. The players can be registered to allow access to a competition within the gaming environment. Each player can be enabled to compete against one or more other players by selecting from macro events displayed in the gaming environment one or more micro event outcomes to future micro events, the micro event outcomes randomized to prevent cheating. A selection of the micro outcomes utilizes a number of points or credits, wherein each selection of a micro outcome increases a selecting player's points or credit balance if the micro outcome occurs or decreases the points or credit balance if the micro outcome selected does not occur. |
US09483906B2 |
Anonymous player tracking with mobile devices
A monitoring system for monitoring customer activities within a casino enterprise is described. The monitoring system can be used to determine a current utilization of casino activities so that an optimal mixture of activities can be offered by the casino. Further, the system can be used to identify customers, based on their utilization of the activities, whose loyalty that a casino enterprise may wish to cultivate. In particular embodiments, the monitoring system can be configured to passively track portable wireless devices and associate the portable wireless devices with activities within the casino enterprise that are not attributable to customers registered in a loyalty program. The identity of the person controlling a particular portable device can be unknown. A virtual customer account can be created where the first portable device is used to identify a virtual customer associated with the account. Based upon identification of the first portable device, activities can be associated with the virtual customer and store to the virtual customer account. |
US09483905B2 |
Ultra-thick gaming device
Systems, apparatus, and related methods for implementing services over a plurality of gaming devices in a mesh network. A plurality of gaming devices are situated in a mesh network. A gaming device includes a client processing module configured to provide play of one or more games of chance, and a mesh network interface configured to provide communications with a further one or more gaming devices. A gaming device also includes a server processing module configured to receive and transmit service data via the mesh network. The service data is independent of game play data for wagering on a game of chance at one or more of the gaming devices. The service data is capable of being stored at a gaming device and at the further one or more gaming devices to provide a level of redundant storage of the service data. |
US09483904B2 |
Gaming machine
A gaming machine capable of realizing game patterns differing from one another in a bonus game is provided. A main CPU 222 determines symbols to be rearranged by conducting a lottery based on a first symbol determination table in which in free games, probabilities, with each of which predetermined symbols (BONUS symbols) are rearranged on a particular condition (a condition that three or more BONUS symbols are rearranged in a display window 56), are set so as to exceed a predetermined probability and in the next free games subsequent to the game in which the predetermined symbols have been rearranged on the particular condition, determines symbols to be rearranged by conducting a lottery based on a second symbol determination table in which probabilities, with each of which the predetermined symbols are rearranged on the particular condition, are set so as to less than the predetermined probability. |
US09483902B2 |
Systems, methods, and media for immersive roulette gaming
In accordance with some embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, methods, systems, and media for immersive roulette gaming are provided. In accordance with some embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, methods for roulette gaming are provided, the methods comprise: receiving video data from a plurality of image sensors; detecting a ball on a roulette wheel based on the video data using a hardware processor; obtaining motion data about the ball based on the video data using the hardware processor; determining whether the ball is about to fall into a pocket of the roulette wheel based on the video data using the hardware processor; and producing multiple slow-motion images of the ball in response to determining that the ball is about to fall into a pocket on the roulette wheel. |
US09483900B2 |
Wagering game with expanding reels
A method for conducting a wagering game includes receiving a wager to play the wagering game. A base array of symbol positions arranged in a plurality of columns is displayed. A plurality of symbols is randomly distributed such that each of the symbol positions in the base array is associated with one or more of the symbols. An extent by which the base array of symbol positions is to be expanded is indicated by the symbols. The base array of symbol positions is expanded into an expanded array of symbol positions including at least one additional symbol position. |
US09483899B2 |
Gaming systems having expected value indicators
A wagering game system includes an input device, a display device, and one or more memory devices storing instructions that, when executed by a controller, cause the wagering game system to display an expected-value indicator on the display device and receive, via the input device, an input indicative of at least one wager. The instructions further cause the wagering game system to add a portion of the at least one wager to an actual turnover for a progressive jackpot and update the expected-value indicator to indicate the actual turnover for the progressive prize relative to a theoretical average trigger value, thereby indicating a theoretical probability that the progressive jackpot will be awarded and award the progressive jackpot in response to a triggering event. |
US09483890B2 |
Security apparatus
Disclosed is apparatus for use with an RFID proximity card and with a steel door and frame assembly. The door is of the type having a magnet and the frame is of the type having a bore, which, when the door is closed in the frame, presents towards the magnet. The bore is of the type provided to permit the mounting of a magnetic door contact in the frame. The apparatus comprises a sensor assembly which: in use, is received by the bore and grippingly engages said frame; produces a first signal when the card is operatively presented thereto; and produces a second signal when the door is closed to bring the magnet adjacent the sensor assembly and into alignment with the bore. |
US09483887B1 |
Hands-free access control
A method including receiving and storing a first signal strength threshold associated with obtaining access to a first access control device; receiving a first RF advertisement from the first access control device; obtaining a first received signal strength indication (RSSI) for the received first RF advertisement; determining that the first RSSI is greater than or equal to the first signal strength threshold; and transmitting, in response to the determination that the first RSSI is equal to or greater than the first signal strength threshold, a first RF message to indicate that the transmitting device is proximate to the first access control device. |
US09483886B2 |
Method and system for remote access control
A method to learn and then pair with a pre-installed access control system of a vehicle is discussed. Communication is exchanged between the access control system and a backend cloud-based system. Required data of the access control system including its particular authentication code is extracted by a learning device. A vehicle matching data is sent to the backend cloud-based system and the vehicle is registered with the backend cloud-based system. The learning device is registered to the access control system in accordance with learning procedures implemented in the vehicle as remote entry key. The learning device is coupled to a Radio Frequency signal transmitter that has Application-Specific Integrated Circuits to generate stable RF signals at multiple frequency wavelengths. Registration of learning device includes, receiving a first access control telegram message, transmitting the first access control telegram message to the access control system, pairing the learning device with the access control system. |
US09483883B2 |
Vehicle installed mobile device and server for GPS services based adhoc task assignments
Mobile device for communicating a current location and a current destination, to a coordination server, receiving a set of tasks (statically assigned or dynamically assigned) for the user (for example, from the server or from another user or adhoc tasks specified by a customer), displaying the set of tasks to the user, receiving a completion response (successful or unsuccessful) from the user, and proceeding to the next waypoint along a route/trip plan. A coordination server facilitates communication of a list of tasks dynamically and opportunistically assigned to a user to be performed at a specified location. |
US09483880B2 |
Automotive ECU mobile phone interface
A system uses a mobile phone to extract automotive data from an automobile's engine control unit. The system translates the data into human readable form. The translated data is displayable on the mobile phone. The translated data is also transmitted over a network, such as the Internet, in order to call for roadside assistance and to inform repair personnel of the needed repairs. |
US09483879B2 |
Using free-form deformations in surface reconstruction
Volumes of a 3D physical space are used in a surface reconstruction process, where adjacent volumes share vertices so that no gaps or overlaps between the volumes exist. As a result, a continuous surface is obtained in the surface reconstruction process. The vertices are anchored to nodes in a pose graph, such that locations of the vertices are adjusted as the pose graph is updated. As a result, a deformation of the volumes is permitted. Based on the deformation of a volume, a region of a depth map of the physical space is deformed correspondingly. Each vertex can be anchored to a closest node of the pose graph, or to a point which is based on a combination of nodes. In one approach, the point is defined based on the closest node and other nodes within a defined radius of the closest node. |
US09483877B2 |
Method and system for personalizing images rendered in scenes for personalized customer experience
Systems and methods are described for generating and using a flexible scene framework to render dynamically-generated content within contextual scenes to personalize a customer's web experience. |
US09483871B2 |
360-degree core photo image integration and interpretation in a 3D petrophysical modeling environment
The present disclosure describes methods and systems, including computer-implemented methods, computer-program products, and computer systems, for providing 360-degree well core sample photo image integration, calibration, and interpretation for modeling of reservoir formations and lithofacies distribution. One computer-implemented method includes receiving a 360-degree well core sample photo image, geospatially anchoring, by a computer, the received 360-degree well core sample photo image, decomposing, by a computer, the geospatially-anchored 360-degree well core sample photo image into a color numerical array, transforming, by a computer, the color numerical array into a formation image log, calibrating, by a computer, the formation image log for consistency with additionally available data, and generating, by a computer, 3D lithofacies interpretation and prediction data using the formation image log. |
US09483870B2 |
Apparatus for processing, generating, storing and displaying images in picture archiving communication system, and method thereof
Disclosed are an apparatus and method for storing and displaying images in a picture archiving and communication system (PACS). The apparatus, comprising: a processor configured to: generate a two-dimensional (2D) medical image for a three-dimensional (3D) medical image at each of reference points of a predetermined (3D) screen model; and store the generated (2D) medical image along with attribute information related to the generation of the (2D) medical image to a storage device or a memory. |
US09483869B2 |
Layered reconstruction for defocus and motion blur
Real-time light field reconstruction for defocus blur may be used to handle the case of simultaneous defocus and motion blur. By carefully introducing a few approximations, a very efficient sheared reconstruction filter is derived, which produces high quality images even for a very low number of input samples in some embodiments. The algorithm may be temporally robust, and is about two orders of magnitude faster than previous work, making it suitable for both real-time rendering and as a post-processing pass for high quality rendering in some embodiments. |
US09483867B2 |
Orientation invariant object identification using model-based image processing
A system for performing object identification combines pose determination, EO/IR sensor data, and novel computer graphics rendering techniques. A first module extracts the orientation and distance of a target in a truth chip given that the target type is known. A second is a module identifies the vehicle within a truth chip given the known distance and elevation angle from camera to target. Image matching is based on synthetic image and truth chip image comparison, where the synthetic image is rotated and moved through a 3-Dimensional space. To limit the search space, it is assumed that the object is positioned on relatively flat ground and that the camera roll angle stays near zero. This leaves three dimensions of motion (distance, heading, and pitch angle) to define the space in which the synthetic target is moved. A graphical user interface (GUI) front end allows the user to manually adjust the orientation of the target within the synthetic images. The system also includes the generation of shadows and allows the user to manipulate the sun angle to approximate the lighting conditions of the test range in the provided video. |
US09483865B2 |
Ray shooting method utilizing geometrical stencils
Aspects comprise a ray shooting method based on the data structure of a uniform grid of cells, and on local stencils in cells. The high traversal and construction costs of accelerating structures are cut down. The object's visibility from the viewpoint and from light sources, as well as the primary workload and its distribution among cells, are gained in the preprocessing stage and cached in stencils for runtime use. In runtime, the use of stencils allows a complete locality at each cell, for load balanced parallel processing. |
US09483861B2 |
Tile-based rendering
This disclosure describes techniques for using bounding regions to perform tile-based rendering with a graphics processing unit (GPU) that supports an on-chip, tessellation-enabled graphics rendering pipeline. Instead of generating binning data based on rasterized versions of the actual primitives to be rendered, the techniques of this disclosure may generate binning data based on a bounding region that encompasses one or more of the primitives to be rendered. Moreover, the binning data may be generated based on data that is generated by at least one tessellation processing stage of an on-chip, tessellation-enabled graphics rendering pipeline that is implemented by the GPU. The techniques of this disclosure may, in some examples, be used to improve the performance of an on-chip, tessellation-enabled GPU when performing tile-based rendering without sacrificing the quality of the resulting rendered image. |
US09483860B2 |
Apparatus and method to extract three-dimensional (3D) facial expression
Provided is a method and apparatus of extracting a 3D facial expression of a user. When a facial image of the user is received, the 3D facial expression extracting method and apparatus may generate 3D expression information by tracking an expression of the user from the facial image using at least one of shape-based tracking and texture-based tracking, may generate a 3D expression model based on the 3D expression information, and reconstruct the 3D expression model to have a natural facial expression by adding muscle control points to the 3D expression model. |
US09483859B2 |
Reactive avatars
Avatars are used to graphically represent users in a communications session, and the avatars are capable of being animated. An indication of an animation of one of the avatars is received. Another avatar that represents another of the users is animated in response to, and based on, the animation of the avatar in the same communications session. |
US09483858B2 |
Text resizing within an embedded image
A computer receives user preferences. The computer receives a document, wherein the document includes an image. The computer determines that the image contains embedded text. The computer determines that the embedded text does not satisfy the received user preferences. The computer modifies the embedded text to satisfy user preferences. |
US09483855B2 |
Overlaying text in images for display to a user of a digital magazine
A digital magazine server presents content retrieved from various sources to a user. The content may include various images, with images selected by the digital magazine server for presentation to a user along with additional content. Text associated with an image may also be retrieved and presented to the user along with the image. To improve presentation of images with text, the digital magazine server identifies features in an image and identifies regions of the image where text is capable of being presented without obscuring or being obscured by features of the image. The image is modified to present text associated with the image in one or more of the identified images, allowing the text to be presented without detracting from features of the image. |
US09483852B2 |
Method for displaying and manipulating genealogical data using a full family graph
A method for displaying and manipulating genealogical data using a full family graph. The genealogical data is obtained from external sources and is stored in a full family graph database. A unique identifier is assigned to each individual and family grouping. The full family graph is built up based on the direct bloodline of the male member of each family block. In addition, the bloodline of family blocks initiated from the wife's parents and the bloodline of family blocks initiated from the daughter's family block with her husband are also added to achieve a complete full family graph. In each bloodline, the family blocks are organized in a pre-determined order based on the genealogical relationships of the male member of each family block. Moreover, a few functions such as search, zoom and navigator are provided to the full family graph. |
US09483847B2 |
System and method for rendering virtual contaminants
A method and a computer system for performing a computer simulation in which virtual contaminants are rendered on a rendered scene of the computer simulation. A memory module is sued for loading thereinto a model defining a virtual environment of the computer simulation, the virtual environment defining a plurality of zones comprising a first additive zone and a second subtractive zone, the second subtractive zone being at least partially enclosed within the first additive zone. An image generator module is used for adding a virtual contaminant over the first additive zone, removing, at least partially, the virtual contaminant within the second subtractive zone leaving a remaining virtual contaminant in the first additive zone and rendering an image for display comprising the remaining virtual contaminant in the virtual environment using a visual texture of the virtual contaminant. The computer simulation may be a vehicle computer simulation. |
US09483846B2 |
Data interpolation and classification method for map data visualization
A method is provided for applying a visual classification scheme to a map. A target region comprising a plurality of display units is identified within the map. It is then determined whether all of the display units within the target region can be assigned to the same class based on interpolated data values obtained for only a subset of the display units within the target region. If the determination is positive, then all of the display units within the target region are assigned to the same class and a visual indicator is assigned to each display unit in the target region based on the class to which the display unit was assigned. If the determination is negative, then the target region is divided into a plurality of subdivided target regions and the foregoing method is applied to each of the subdivided target regions. |
US09483844B2 |
Interactive image analysis
An interactive image analysis system includes an image visualization subsystem (1) for visualizing an image (8). An indicated position determiner (2) is arranged for determining an indicated position of a pointing device with respect to the image(8). A result determiner (3) is arranged for determining a result of a local image processing of the image (8) at the indicated position. A display subsystem (4) displays either at least part of the result of the local image processing (406) or a visible mark (407), based on the image processing result. The result of the local image processing is indicative of the presence or absence of an object (403) at or near the indicated position (404, 405), and the display subsystem (4) is arranged for displaying the visible mark (407) in the absence of such an object (403) at or near the indicated position (405). |
US09483842B2 |
Navigation based on at least one sensor and a three dimensional map
The invention relates to a method for navigation of an aerial vehicle. The method comprises providing a sensor image from an aerial vehicle sensor. The method also comprises to repeatedly, until at least one predetermined criterion is reached, perform the step of setting input data, where the input data comprises information related to pitch angle, roll angle, yaw angle and three-dimensional position of the aerial vehicle, the step of providing a two-dimensional image from a database based on the input data, where the database comprises three-dimensional geo-referenced information of the environment, and the step of comparing the sensor image and the two dimensional image from the database. The method further comprises using the input data for which the two images correspond best to each other for determining at least one of the following quantities pitch angle, roll angle, yaw angle and three-dimensional position of the aerial vehicle. |
US09483840B1 |
Low power patch matching in self-similarity based single frame super-resolution
A method of generating a super-resolution image from a single frame of image data includes using a processor to retrieve query patches of image data from a memory, determining a search range for each patch, and generating super-resolution image data corresponding to each patch based upon the search range. |
US09483837B2 |
Compensating for motion during real-time batch processing of video for physiological function assessment
What is disclosed is a system and method for compensating for motion during processing of a video of a subject being monitored for physiological function assessment. In one embodiment, image frames are received. Successive batches of N video frames are processed to isolate pixels associated with a body region of the subject where a physiological signal is registered by the camera. The pixels are processed to obtain a time-series signal for each batch. A determination is made whether movement during video acquisition of this batch of image frames exceeds a threshold level. If so then a size N of the next batch of image frames is changed to: N=N+M1, where N+M1≦Nmax. Otherwise, a size N of a next batch is changed to: N=N−M2, where N−M2≧Nmin. Thereafter, processing repeats in a real-time continuous manner as the next batch of the N image frames is received. Various embodiments are disclosed. |
US09483834B1 |
Object boundary detection in an image
Object boundary detection techniques are described. In implementations, edges of an object displayed in an image are detected. The image is used to generate a gradient image and a monochrome image. Directional filters are applied to the monochrome image to generate directionally filtered images, which are then applied the gradient image to identify potential boundary lines of the object displayed in the image. A selection can then be made from the potential boundary lines, based on a score associated with each respective potential boundary line, to select lines to represent the boundaries of the object. The selected lines can be used to segment the image into a plurality of segments, and then, using the average color of each segment, one or more of the selected lines can be invalidated as being a false boundary. |
US09483833B2 |
Real-time, interactive image analysis
Systems and methods for real-time, interactive image analysis are disclosed. An example system includes a computing device configured to: generate a segmentation of the image in real-time based on a position of a movable pointer on the display and update the segmentation based on a change to the position of the pointer on the display; generate a representation of the object based on the segmentation, wherein the representation is simplified from the image of the object and includes an outline of the object based on the generated segmentation including the first center and the first significant axis; calculate measurements for the object based on the segmentation including the first center and the first significant axis; and display the representation and the measurements via the display. |
US09483832B2 |
Surgery assistance apparatus and method, and non-transitory recording medium having stored therein surgery assistance program
A surgery assistance apparatus includes an organ region extraction unit that extracts a tubular organ region from a three-dimensional image obtained by imaging a tubular organ and a blood vessel dominating the tubular organ, a region-of-interest setting unit that sets a region of interest in the tubular organ region, a blood vessel region extraction unit that extracts a blood vessel region dominating the tubular organ from the three-dimensional image, a branching structure extraction unit that extracts a branching structure of the blood vessel from the blood vessel region, and a dominating blood vessel identification unit that identifies a dominating blood vessel region in the blood vessel region that dominates the region of interest by using a positional relationship between a terminal end point of the extracted branching structure and the set region of interest. |
US09483827B2 |
Method of object orientation detection
A method of determining an orientation of an object within an image. The method determines the responses of at least two classifiers in at least one region of the image corresponding to the object. The classifiers have been trained to identify a given object in different specific orientations. The orientation of the object is determined as an average of the specific orientations, weighted by the responses of their respective classifiers. |
US09483826B2 |
Landmark based positioning
Disclosed are devices, methods and storage media for use in determining position information for imaging devices or mobile devices. In some implementations, a landmark is identified in an image which is obtained from an imaging device which in turn is positioned at a location and in a pose. A virtual two-dimensional image that would be visible from the landmark is determined based, at least in part, on the pose. The location or position information is based, at least in part, on the virtual two-dimensional image. |
US09483806B2 |
Aggregating content related to a notable individual
During an analysis technique, a cohort of individuals is identified based on a set of attributes. Significance metrics for the individuals in the cohort are calculated based on profiles of the individuals and behaviors of the group of individuals, which includes the cohort, when interacting with the profiles. For example, a significance metric for a given individual may include a number of views of a profile of the given individual, by a group of individuals, during a time interval and/or a number of connection requests to the profile of the given individual, by the group of individuals, during the time interval. Based on the significance metrics, the subset of the individuals may be identified. This subset may include individuals that have achieved career milestones exceeding those of the other individuals in the cohort (e.g., notable individuals). |
US09483804B2 |
Server system for administration of sequences for agricultural working machines
A server system for the administration of sequences for agricultural working machines made up of parameterized process steps of working devices includes a server and database in which a sequence inventory of sequences is stored. Sequence identifiers are assigned to each of the sequences of the sequence inventory, which describe one or more process steps of the respective sequence. A network interface to a global communication network is included to receive connection requests from a client and establish a connection-oriented, bidirectional data channel between the server and the client. The server receives a selection criterion from the client via the data channel, determines a sequence from the sequence inventory on the basis of a comparison of the criterion with the sequence identifiers and transmits the determined sequence to the client via the data channel. |
US09483802B2 |
System and method for providing a social customer care system
The present invention relates to social customer service and support systems integrated with social media and social networks. More particularly, the invention provides a social customer care platform system to allow customer care functions, and in particular to allow customer service agents to identify, prioritize, match and triage customer support requests that may arise through a social network and may be serviced using a social network. It manages and tracks a high-volume of customer interactions and provides for monitoring of Internet social network posts relevant to a business's products or services along with the ability to capture, monitor, filter, make sense of and respond to, in near real-time, tens of thousands of social interactions. It comprises role specific user-interface and functionality for social customer service and support environments, automated prioritization and matching for increased agent productivity, and an automated enterprise workflow to align social media support with existing business processes. |
US09483801B1 |
Automatic fading of online user content
Automatically fading online user content may include receiving digital content from a first user, the digital content associated with a first user-defined fading time indication; posting the digital content at a first time; associating, using the one or more computing devices, the first user-defined fading time indication with the digital content; receiving, at a second time, from a second user, a request to view the digital content, the second time being after the first time and the second user being distinct from the first user; determining the availability of the digital content based at least in part on the difference between the second time and the first time and the first user-defined fading time indication; and when the determined availability includes availability of one or more aspects of the digital content to the second user, providing for display to the second user the available one or more aspects. |
US09483798B2 |
Sales data processing apparatus and computer-readable storage medium
A sales data processing apparatus which registers and processes sales data on a transaction-by-transaction basis. The apparatus includes: an imaging module; a moving image storage module; a manipulation situation storage module; and a generation module configured (i) to extract an image that satisfies a prescribed criterion among images which were taken with the manipulation timing indicated by the data stored in the manipulation situation storage module from the moving image stored in the moving image storage module and (ii) to generate user identification image data based on the extracted image. |
US09483789B1 |
Automated bundle discovery platform
Disclosed herein is a platform for automating the discovery of product bundles that are promising for sale to customers (i.e., they are relevant, valuable and/or timely). Techniques are disclosed for generating a set of potential product bundles according to criteria, thresholds and/or scores which indicate a propensity for items to be purchased together by customers. The generated set of potential product bundles may be ranked according to opportunity metrics and/or scores which indicate value to a merchant and/or customers. A subset of product bundles is selected from the set of potential product bundles based at least in part on the ranking, and each product bundle in the selected subset is matched to one or more entities, such as merchants. These product bundles may then be presented to the associated (i.e., matched) entity based on some criteria, such as offerings of the merchants. |
US09483787B1 |
Recursive method and system for accessing classification information
A web based menu system that allows the users such as buyers and sellers to locate, purchase, and sell goods, items and services easily without any search queries. At the web site, the user first selects a category followed by a selection of makes, items, or services called a Sub-Category that relate to the category. This process repeats until the user reaches the finite end of the menu series. The user can filter and sort the presentation of ads based on various criteria and place requests for instant notification of subsequent new ad placements. Sellers can also grow the database based on their menu selections and form input. The system can be used for retreiving any orderly classification of information. |
US09483784B2 |
Secure online marketplace
A networked service for providing secure access to an online marketplace by sellers and buyers. A secure member server interacts with an online classified advertisement website to allow for a selling member of the website to interface securely with a prospective buying member. Various methods are taught that allow the members to interact without exchanging personal information that could possibly be used in a fraudulent manner. |
US09483782B2 |
Automating capacity upgrade on demand
A mechanism is provided 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. |
US09483781B2 |
Automatically generating a review rating the performance of a pattern based on pattern deployment, service history and operation of pattern
A method, system and computer program product for generating a review rating the performance of a pattern. The deployment of a pattern, the service history of the pattern and the operation of the pattern are monitored and information pertaining to the monitored pattern deployment, the monitored service history and the monitored pattern operation is collected, where a pattern is an abstract model of a topology and application environment that encapsulates installation, configuration and management of middleware and applications. The collected information is analyzed to automatically generate a review that contains a score and a comment rating the performance, such as the success or lack of success, in deploying, servicing and operating the pattern. In this manner, a review of a pattern, including a score and a suggested comment, may be automatically generated without requiring the user, such as a system administrator, to spend time writing the review. |
US09483780B2 |
Providing content using integrated objects
A real-time bidding system receives a notification of an available impression from an impression notification object integrated with an application executing on a client device. The real-time bidding system auctions the available impression to multiple different bidders and receives a bid response from each of the multiple different bidders. The real-time bidding system identifies a winning bid response, identifies a content requestor object indicated by the winning bid response, and generates instructions for the client device. The instructions cause the client device to use the content requestor object indicated by the winning bid response to request a third-party content item. The real-time bidding system provides the generated instructions to the client device in response to the notification of the available impression. |
US09483779B2 |
Relevant content delivery
Various arrangements for delivery of relevant content to a mobile device of a user are presented. Physiological state data and image data related to the user of the mobile device may be received by a host computer system from a mobile device. The image data may be analyzed to identify a characteristic of the image. The physiological state data may also be analyzed. Content to deliver to the mobile device of the user may be selected at least partially based on the physiological state data of the user and the characteristic of the image. The content may be transmitted to the mobile device. |
US09483775B1 |
Customer-generated deals
A deal manager executing on computer hardware receives a discount offer proposal from a first consumer. The deal manager forwards the discount offer proposal to one or more retail suppliers. The discount offer can include proposed terms such as a conditional modification to an original retail price of a respective retail item offered for sale by the supplier. In response to receiving, from the supplier, acceptance of terms as specified by the discount offer proposal, the deal manager or other suitable resource initiates distribution of terms associated with the approved discount offer to the first consumer and/or a second consumer. The second consumer can be one of multiple consumers to which the approved discount offer is distributed. Accordingly, consumers can propose deals that are, in turn, used by other consumers. |
US09483772B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing content to users
Embodiments of the instant invention are directed to a method and apparatus for presenting unsolicited data to users without interrupting the user's activities, wherein the presentation of the unsolicited data is monitored and is available for review by the user at the user's convenience. Embodiments of the invention comprise a content and display manager, wherein the content and display manager include a display monitor, a content delivery system and a content controller. The display monitor selects the display of content to the users, in part, by reviewing a marker which defines the last time that content was displayed to the user and the type of content displayed. The content delivery system transmits a content window to a user computer via the controller. |
US09483771B2 |
Methods, systems, and products for personalized haptic emulations
Methods, systems, and products personalize haptic emulations of merchandise. An association is defined between merchandise item numbers and anatomical identifiers. A query is received for an anatomical identifier associated with a merchandise item number. The anatomical identifier is sent in response to the query to identify an anatomical part associated with the merchandise item number. |
US09483766B2 |
User authentication based on historical transaction data
Embodiments are directed to systems, methods and computer program products for providing user authentication based on transaction data. Embodiments receive from a user, a request to execute a user action associated with an application, wherein execution of the user action requires validation of authentication credentials; collect a transaction set of data comprising information related to transactions conducted by the user; collect a location set of data comprising information related to a physical location of the user; determine a transaction proximity score associated with the user and the transactions; determine a level of authentication associated with the determined transaction proximity score; determine which authentication types are associated with the level of authentication; request authentication credentials; receive authentication credentials from the user; validate the authentication credentials, thereby resulting in a successful validation of the authentication credentials; and, in response to the successful validation of the authentication credentials, execute the user action. |
US09483765B2 |
Systems and methods for monitoring payment transactions for fraud using social media
A computer-implemented method for detecting fraudulent payment transactions performed over a payment network is provided. The method includes receiving, by a fraud monitoring device, a request to determine whether a payment transaction initiated using a payment card of a cardholder is fraudulent, wherein the request includes at least one of a merchant identifier, a merchant location, a cardholder identifier, and a transaction timestamp, associating the cardholder with a social media account based on the cardholder identifier, and receiving the social media location data from a social media computing device. The social media location data indicates a location of the cardholder at a particular time. The method also includes calculating a distance between the merchant location and the location of the cardholder indicated by the social media location data, and a time between the transaction timestamp and the particular time associated with the social media location data. |
US09483763B2 |
User interface for payments
The present disclosure relates to making payments with a mobile device. In one example process, the mobile device receives and stores information for one or more payment accounts on the mobile device. The mobile device is used to make payments using the payment accounts. In some examples, authorization to proceed with a payment is performed before each purchase made by the user. The authorization process can include receiving a verification of the user, such as a fingerprint scan or passcode. In some examples, a payment account is selected from among available payment accounts. In some examples, an indication is displayed of a digital item associated with a purchased item. In some examples, a payment transaction is initiated with participants of an ongoing communication. In some examples, an application of a retailer is invoked based on the availability of the application. In some examples, a purchase recommendation is provided. |
US09483760B2 |
Background OCR during card data entry
Financial transaction card data can be entered by providing a picture of the card to a server programmed with a text recognition algorithm. The server can perform text recognition on the image at the same time that a consumer enters additional required data, such as a zip code. The server can perform as much text recognition processing as possible in the time the consumer is entering the additional data. Once the additional data is received, a signal can be provided to the server indicating that the user is now waiting for results of the text recognition process, meaning the server should provide them as quickly as possible. Once text recognition results are received, a consumer can make a selection to identify a character which the text recognition algorithm did not sufficiently identify. Based on known account number constraints, the user selection can cause multiple characters to be identified. |
US09483759B2 |
System and method for pairing a bluetooth device with a point-of-sale terminal
A method of completing a transaction at a point-of-sale terminal using payment information contained on a wireless unit of a customer. The method comprises providing a point-of-sale terminal capable of wirelessly connecting with a wireless unit of a customer desiring to complete a transaction. The point-of-sale terminal is used to perform at least one of reading a barcode displayed on the wireless unit containing short range network pairing information, or displaying a barcode containing short range network pairing information for reading by the wireless unit, to thereby establish a short range wireless network between the point-of-sale terminal and the wireless unit of the customer. Via the short range wireless network, transaction data is received from the wireless unit of the customer containing payment information. The transaction data is then used to effect payment for the transaction and thereby complete the transaction. |
US09483758B2 |
Mobile device and control method thereof
A mobile device is provided. The mobile device includes a display unit, a sensor configured to sense user's touch done on a surface of the display unit in a disabled state of the display unit, a storage unit configured to store preset gesture information, a controller configured to enable the display unit when a user's touch operation matched with the gesture information is sensed, execute a wallet application, and display an execution screen, and a communication unit configured to transmit information for a selected payment option to an external apparatus when the payment option is selected on the execution screen and perform a payment. The payment is simply done. |
US09483755B2 |
Portable multifunction device, method, and graphical user interface for an email client
A computer-implemented method is disclosed for use with a portable electronic device having a display. The method enables switching between electronic inboxes that can be accessed from the electronic device. In some configurations, the method includes, while the device is displaying emails in a first inbox, detecting user selection of a first icon. The method further includes, in response to user selection of the first icon, displaying a set of inbox selection icons; and, in response to user selection of one of the inbox selection icons, displaying emails in a second inbox corresponding to the inbox selection icon selected by the user. |
US09483753B2 |
Integrating document related communication with a document
Provided is a method of integrating a document related communication with a document. A communication interface is provided for a user to establish a document related communication with another user. The document related communication with another user is recorded and a link to the recorded document related communication with another user is provided with the document. |
US09483747B2 |
Managing workflows
Systems and methods are disclosed that facilitate the selection of virtual machine instances to implement each action associated with a specified workflow. Workflows are configured and defined as a series of actions or processes that have various requirements. For each action in a specified workflow, a workflow management component can select virtual machine resources that are best suited to implement the specific action in accordance with the requirements of the action. |
US09483744B2 |
Real-time carpooling coordinating systems and methods
Computationally implemented methods and systems that are designed for transmitting a request for one or more identities of a transportation vehicle unit for transporting a first end user; receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit currently en route to or is currently transporting a second end user and having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of the first end user while transporting the second end user; and directing the identified transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the first end user in order to transport the first end user. In addition to the foregoing, other aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text. |
US09483742B1 |
Intelligent traffic analysis to detect malicious activity
Techniques comprise identifying and/or classifying malicious activity in a web services platform using machine learning techniques. Systems, methods, and computer readable mediums may cause one or more computing nodes to monitor first network traffic, generate network information based on the monitored first network traffic, train a machine learning algorithm based on at least a first portion of the generated network information, test the machine learning algorithm based on at least a second portion of the generated network information, generate a predictor using the trained and tested machine learning algorithm, and identify second network traffic as one or more of malicious activity and benign activity using the predictor. |
US09483741B2 |
Rule-based item classification
Systems and methods are disclosed herein for rule-based item classification. The methods include receiving, by a computing device, an item record for analysis. The computing device may determine ranked lists of item types using rule-based classifiers and machine learning-based classifiers. Then, the computing device may aggregate the ranked lists of item types to generate a combined ranked list of item types. |
US09483740B1 |
Automated data classification
A system and method for data classification are presented. A plurality of training tokens are identified by at least one server communicatively coupled to a network. Each training token includes a token retrieved from a content source and a classification of the token. For each training token in the plurality of training tokens, a plurality of n-gram sequences are identified, a plurality of features for the plurality of n-gram sequences are generated, and first training data is generated using the token retrieved from the content source, the plurality of features, and the classification of the token. A first classifier is trained with the first training data, and the first classifier is stored into a storage system in communication with the at least one server. |
US09483738B2 |
Topic model based media program genome generation
In one embodiment, a method defines information for a set of genomes where the set of genomes describe characteristics of media programs. The method also defines which genomes in the set of genomes correspond to which topics in a set of topics. Textual information for a plurality of media programs and the information are input into a model and the model is trained to determine a probability distribution of terms for the set of topics based on analyzing the textual information and the genome information. The method then outputs the trained model. The probability distribution of terms is usable to determine genomes for each of the plurality of media programs where a genome corresponds to a topic and is associated with a media program based on terms found in the textual information for the media program and the probability distribution of terms for the topic correspond to the genome. |
US09483735B2 |
Computer-based extraction of complex building operation rules for products and services
A method for generating an operational rule associated with a building management system includes identifying, with a processing device, a first pattern associated with a series of operational observations corresponding to a property of the building management system, correlating a first contextual attribute with the first pattern, and deriving the operational rule at least in part based on the first pattern and the first contextual attribute. |
US09483732B1 |
High value information alert and reporting system and method
High value information Alert and Reporting System (HARS) and method to integrate the public into the law enforcement process by providing information on specific wanted persons/persons-of-interest to a diverse range of information display devices specifically selected to display the information to the public. Wanted persons/persons-of-interest are profiled by behavior and acquaintances and predictive behavior algorithms are used to predict locations and venues where there is a higher likelihood the person can be found and then information on that person is provided to the public in that specific area. When the public observes the wanted person, it is reported to HARS, which in turn notifies the proper Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) for investigation and apprehension. Invention can be used for providing public service information to the public in the precise area the information is needed and can also provide commercial advertising information to selected target areas. |
US09483721B2 |
Analysis of stimulus by RFID
The present invention is directed to a stimulus monitoring process. The process includes exposing an RFID device to an environment. The RFID has characteristics that alter based on exposure to the environment, which in turn alter a response signal emanating from the RFID device in response to an interrogation signal. |
US09483719B2 |
Security substrate comprising a magnetic layer and opaque and non-opaque regions
The invention relates to improvements in substrates and in particular to new substrates having magnetic and visual security features, which provide security against imitation. A security substrate comprising a transparent polymer carrier layer bearing indicia formed from a plurality of opaque and non-opaque regions and a transparent magnetic layer supported by the carrier layer containing a distribution of particles of a hard magnetic material of a size and distributed in a concentration at which the magnetic layer remains transparent. |
US09483710B1 |
Image processing apparatus and method
A processor configured to execute a process includes receiving image information including biometric information, extracting, from the image information, a first phase component image representing a phase component included in the image information, converting the image information into first frequency information and converts the first phase component image into second frequency information, extracting a first feature vector and a second feature vector respectively on the basis of amplitude information of the first frequency information and the second frequency information determined in advance, and combining the first feature vector and the second feature vector on the basis of a prescribed rule. |
US09483709B2 |
Visual saliency estimation for images and video
Methods and apparatus for deriving a saliency measure for images and video are described. In an embodiment, a process includes decomposing, by a processor, an image into elements, wherein elements cluster the image and each element consists of spatially connected pixels. The processor then calculates a first image measure indicative of each element's uniqueness in the image on a per element basis, and calculates a second image measure indicative of each element's spatial distribution in the image on a per element basis. The processor then provides a per element saliency measure by combining the first image measure and the second image measure. |
US09483708B2 |
Method and apparatus for recognizing object reflections
A method for recognizing an object reflection in at least one image generated by a camera of a motor vehicle includes: recognizing at least one first object candidate in the image; identifying at least one first reflection indicator as a function of the first object candidate; evaluating the first reflection indicator to analyze whether the first object candidate is an object reflection; and outputting an evaluation signal as a function of the evaluation, the evaluation signal characterizing the first object candidate as at least one of an object reflection and an object. |
US09483703B2 |
Online coupled camera pose estimation and dense reconstruction from video
A product may receive each image in a stream of video image of a scene, and before processing the next image, generate information indicative of the position and orientation of an image capture device that captured the image at the time of capturing the image. The product may do so by identifying distinguishable image feature points in the image; determining a coordinate for each identified image feature point; and for each identified image feature point, attempting to identify one or more distinguishable model feature points in a three dimensional (3D) model of at least a portion of the scene that appears likely to correspond to the identified image feature point. Thereafter, the product may find each of the following that, in combination, produce a consistent projection transformation of the 3D model onto the image: a subset of the identified image feature points for which one or more corresponding model feature points were identified; and, for each image feature point that has multiple likely corresponding model feature points, one of the corresponding model feature points.The product may update a 3D model of at least a portion of the scene following the receipt of each video image and before processing the next video image base on the generated information indicative of the position and orientation of the image capture device at the time of capturing the received image. The product may display the updated 3D model after each update to the model. |
US09483698B2 |
Method of operating three-dimensional video surveillance system
A method includes generating a disparity map according to two sets of image data, identifying at least one object in the disparity map, mapping the at least one object onto a plane view, tracking at least one object on the plane view, and providing a robust algorithm about a cross-line time interval and a cross-line degree. The robust algorithm includes detecting whether the at least one object enters a predetermined region when the at least one object crosses a predetermined boundary. |
US09483696B2 |
System and method for generating and employing short length iris codes
A system and method for generating compact iris representations based on a database of iris images includes providing full-length iris codes for iris images in a database, where the full-length iris code includes a plurality of portions corresponding to circumferential rings in an associated iris image. Genuine and imposter score distributions are computed for the full-length iris codes, and code portions are identified that have a contribution that provides separation between imposter and genuine distributions relative to a threshold. A correlation between remaining code portions is measured. A subset of code portions having low correlations within the subset is generated to produce a compact iris representation. |
US09483687B2 |
Ensuring a desired distribution of images in a multimedia document utilizing facial signatures
A method, system and computer program product for ensuring a desired distribution of images in a multimedia document (e.g., yearbook, slideshow). A desired distribution of facial signatures in a multimedia document to be created by the user is received. Upon receiving an image to be added to the multimedia document by the user, a facial signature for a face detected in the image is generated. The current number of instances of the facial signature in the multimedia document is then determined. A determination is then made as to whether the current number of instances of the facial signature meets the desired distribution. An indication is then provided to the user as to whether the current number of instances of the facial signature meets or does not meet the desired distribution. In this manner, the user can ensure a desired distribution of images in the multimedia document. |
US09483683B2 |
Alignment apparatus, alignment method, and alignment computer program
An alignment apparatus includes: a voting unit that generates multiple pairs of a first feature selected from multiple features representing a first target object represented on one image, and a second feature selected from multiple features representing a second target object represented on the other image, obtains, for each of the pairs, a first translation amount for aligning the first feature with the second feature, and votes, in a coordinate system with coordinates each representing a translation amount, a voting value for the coordinate corresponding to the first translation amount; and a translation amount calculating unit that calculates the total of the voting values for each of the coordinates in the coordinate system, and sets the translation amount corresponding to the coordinate with the largest total of the voting values, as a second translation amount for aligning the first target object with the second target object. |
US09483680B2 |
Method of recognizing contactless fingerprint and electronic device for performing the same
A method of recognizing a contactless fingerprint is provided. The method includes displaying a guide screen for recognizing the contactless fingerprint on a display, receiving an input image of a target object positioned according to the guide screen by using a camera, and determining whether the received input image is suitable for fingerprint recognition. |
US09483679B2 |
Fingerprint enrolment algorithm
A method of enrolling a fingerprint using a narrow-width fingerprint scanner is described. The method may include the steps of receiving first, second, and third fingerprint image strips, respectively representing overlapping portion of the fingerprint, extracting minutiae from each of the fingerprint image strips, matching the extracted minutiae to determine relative positions of the fingerprint image strips, combining the extracted minutiae based on their relative positions to produce a combined set of minutiae representing a larger portion of the fingerprint, and determining that the fingerprint has been successfully enrolled if a width of the larger portion is greater than a predetermined minimum width, or, if not, requesting further fingerprint image strips until the width of the larger portion of the fingerprint is greater than the predetermined minimum width. |
US09483674B1 |
RFID torque sensing tag system for fasteners
The present invention provides an RFID-based torque sensor that can be used to quickly monitor off the shelf fasteners including fasteners that are used in expensive satellites or other uses where fastener failure can be very costly. In one embodiment, an antenna, RFID ring and spring comprise a sensor tag that can be interrogated with an interrogation signal produced by an interrogator device. When sufficient torque is applied to the fastener, an RFID circuit is connected, and produces a radio frequency (RF) signal that can be read by the interrogator. In one embodiment, the RFID circuit does not transmit when the spring member is not compressed, thereby indicating insufficient tensioning of the fastener. The present invention offers the ability to remotely, quickly, and inexpensively verify that any number of fasteners are torqued properly upon initial installation. Where applicable, the present invention allows low cost monitoring over the life of the fastener. |
US09483673B2 |
Non-contact communication module and card reader
A non-contact communication module may include a substrate including an antenna including an antenna coil placed annularly in the substrate, and a ground pattern for grounding formed in the substrate; an antenna-side land that is formed on an external surface of the substrate, and is electrically connected to the antenna; and a ground-side land that is formed on the external surface of the substrate, and is electrically connected to the ground pattern. A distance between the antenna-side land and the ground-side land may be such that the antenna-side land and the ground-side land can be connected by use of a solder bridge. |
US09483668B2 |
Method of securing volumes of space in card readers
Capacitive sensing electrodes may be placed in strategic locations inside, outside or inside and outside of a card reader, wherein touch sensor circuitry is then used to take mutual capacitance or self-capacitance measurements that are saved in non-volatile memory as a reference intrusion measurement that is not deleted when power is removed, wherein the reference intrusion measurement may then be used during subsequent intrusion measurements to determine if a skimming device has been disposed adjacent to the card reader, and if a skimming device is detected, appropriate action may be taken such as the automatic disabling of the card reader, the display of a message indicating that the card reader should not be used, or any other action that may prevent a financial card from being compromised. |
US09483666B1 |
Logarithmic and exponential function generator for analog signal processing
The logarithmic and exponential function generator for analog signal processing is implemented with CMOS circuits operating in current mode and includes current mirrors connected to a square root function circuit and two current amplifiers. A third current amplifier utilizes a constant current input. The outputs of the current amplifiers are combined to provide the logarithmic and exponential functions. |
US09483663B2 |
Countermeasure method for protecting stored data
A method of read or write access by an electronic component of data, including generating a first secret key for a first data of an ordered list of data to access, and for each data of the list, following the first data, generating a distinct secret key by means of a deterministic function applied to a secret key generated for a previous data of the list, and the application of a cryptographic operation to each data to be read or to be written of the list, carried out by using the secret key generated for the data. |
US09483661B2 |
Facilitating electronic signatures based on physical proximity of devices
Systems and methods for requesting transmission of a document from a sender device to a signer device, for purposes of obtaining an e-signature from the signer device, are disclosed. In some example embodiments, the systems and methods establish and/or determine a physical proximity between a signer device and a sender device, such as via a handshake between the devices, and a document to be signed is provided to the signer device in response to the established physical proximity. |
US09483658B2 |
Display device
A method of operating a display device, such as a tablet device, comprises displaying a plurality of covers corresponding to respective different data items, such as financial information, and selecting at least one cover and displaying the corresponding data item or data items. |
US09483657B2 |
Secure online distributed data storage services
The data vaporizer provides secure online distributed data storage services that securely store and retrieve data in a public distributed storage substrate such as public cloud. The data vaporizer vaporizes (e.g., fragmented into tiny chunks of configurable sizes) data and distributes the fragments to multiple storage nodes so that the data is not vulnerable to local disk failures, secures data so that even if some of the storage nodes are compromised, the data is undecipherable to the attacker, stores data across multiple cloud storage providers and/or parties using keys (e.g., tokens) provided by multiple parties (including the owners of the data) and maintains data confidentiality and integrity even where one or more data storage provider is compromised. The data vaporizer is configurable for different domain requirements including data privacy and anonymization requirements, encryption mechanisms, regulatory compliance of storage locations, and backup and recovery constraints. |
US09483655B2 |
File backup with selective encryption
A method for automatically encrypting files is disclosed. In some cases, the method may be performed by computer hardware comprising one or more processors. The method can include detecting access to a first file, which may be stored in a primary storage system. Further, the method can include determining whether the access comprises a write access. In response to determining that the access comprises a write access, the method can include accessing file metadata associated with the first file and accessing a set of encryption rules. In addition, the method can include determining whether the file metadata satisfies the set of encryption rules. In response to determining that the file metadata satisfies the set of encryption rules, the method can include encrypting the first file to obtain a first encrypted file and modifying an extension of the first encrypted file to include an encryption extension. |
US09483653B2 |
Secure display element
Techniques for securely displaying sensitive information against attempts to capture such information via screenshots are introduced. Similar to the pieces of a puzzle, a plurality of images that collectively represent a keypad (for example) are generated and each image represents a different part of the characters. The generated images are to be displayed to a human user in a sequential fashion at at least a predetermined minimum frame rate, such that the plurality of images sequentially displayed are perceivable by the human user collectively as the keypad. In each of the plurality of images, at least a part of the characters of the keypad is disguised or concealed, and in some embodiments, to the extent that not a single character of the keypad is recognizable by a human or a machine. Not all of the plurality of images are displayed at any instant in time. |
US09483651B2 |
Methods and apparatus for transfer of content to a self contained wireless media device
Systems and techniques for transferring data to a storage device. A storage device includes storage, a processor, and a wireless transceiver, as well as a connector allowing the storage device to operate according to an appropriate standard when connected to a playback or data device. The storage device can communicate with a data transfer station to wirelessly receive data from the station. A user may select data to be transferred to a removable media device, and the station transfers the data over a wireless connection. The removable media device stores the data in memory as it is received. Once the data has been received, the data can be played or otherwise used in any playback or data device to which the storage device may be connected for use as a memory device. |
US09483648B2 |
Security testing for software applications
A mapping engine may be used to determine an attack model enumerating software attacks, the software attacks being represented by linked attack components, and may be used to determine a software architecture to be tested, the software architecture being represented by linked architectural components in an architecture diagram. The mapping engine may then associate each attack component and each architectural component with at least one attack tag characterizing attack requirements. A global test plan generator may be used to determine an attack test model, including associating attack components with corresponding architectural components, based on associated attack tags, and may thus generate attack test workflows from the attack test model, to thereby test the software architecture. |
US09483647B2 |
Firmware verified boot
Methods and apparatus for verifying a boot process of a computing system are disclosed. An example computer-implemented method includes reading, by a computing system during a boot process, a header section of a read-write portion of firmware of the computing system. The example method further includes generating, using a first cryptographic hash algorithm, a message digest corresponding with the header. The example method also includes decrypting, using a first public-key, an encrypted signature corresponding with the header. The example method still further includes comparing the message digest corresponding with the header and the decrypted signature corresponding with the header. In the event the message digest corresponding with the header and the decrypted signature corresponding with the header match, the example method includes continuing the boot process. In the event the message digest corresponding with the header and the decrypted signature corresponding with the header do not match, the example method includes halting the boot process. |
US09483644B1 |
Methods for detecting file altering malware in VM based analysis
According to one embodiment, a threat detection platform is integrated with at least one virtual machine that automatically performs a dynamic analysis of a received object and monitors the processing during the dynamic analysis for a change to a file system within the virtual machine wherein the change involves a lure file placed in the file system. The file system is configured based on a received configuration file. Upon detection of a change in the file system associated with a lure file, the changes associated with the lure file during processing are compared to known file activity patterns of changes caused by file altering malware to determine whether the object includes file altering malware. |
US09483643B1 |
Systems and methods for creating behavioral signatures used to detect malware
The disclosed computer-implemented method for creating behavioral signatures used to detect malware may include (1) maintaining a database that identifies (A) known malicious files and behaviors exhibited by the known malicious files and (B) known non-malicious files and behaviors exhibited by the known non-malicious files and (2) creating a behavioral signature used to detect malware by (A) determining a combination of behaviors exhibited by at least one of the known malicious files, (B) identifying the number of known malicious files that exhibit each behavior within the combination, (C) identifying the number of known non-malicious files that exhibit each behavior within the combination, and (D) determining that the number of known malicious files that exhibit each behavior within the combination exceeds the number of known non-malicious files that exhibit each behavior within the combination by a certain threshold. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
US09483641B2 |
Method and device for the performance of a function by a microcircuit
A method for the performance of a function by a microcircuit, includes:at least one step of determining (205) whether an anomaly is detected or whether the operation of the microcircuit is normal;when it is determined that an anomaly is detected, a step of performing (210) a protection function;when it is determined that the operation of the microcircuit is normal, a step of performing (215) a decoy function simulating the protection function by being perceptible, from the outside of the microcircuit, in a manner more or less identical to the protection function;the method being characterized in that it includes an interruption (250) of the performance of the decoy function by a timer. |
US09483639B2 |
Service partition virtualization system and method having a secure application
A secure application system and method for a host computing device. The system includes an ultraboot application divides the host computing device into a resource management partition, at least one virtual service partition and at least one virtual guest partition. The virtual service partition provides a virtualization environment for the basic operations of the virtualization system. The virtual service partition is an isolated secure partition having a secure application executing therein. The isolated secure partition includes a security manifest portion for controlling the execution of the secure application within the isolated secure partition, and a secure application operating system (OS) portion that supports only the execution of the secure application within the isolated secure partition. The secure application is executed within the isolated secure partition without the need for any standard operating system (OS). |
US09483634B2 |
Password generator
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for generating a short term password that may be used to access a data warehouse. According to aspects of the disclosure, a user may request a password after inputting a data warehouse environment, an ID name, and a reason for the password reset. A server may receive the request and determine whether the difference in time of the present request and a previous request for the same ID name and data warehouse environment is greater than a time limit. Additionally, the server may determine whether a previous user has logged in using a password for the same ID name and data warehouse environment. Thereafter, the server may generate and output a short term password that expires after the time limit. |
US09483631B2 |
System and method for remotely assigning and revoking access credentials using a near field communication equipped mobile phone
The present invention is generally directed toward a mobile device that can be used in a secure access system. More specifically, the mobile device can have credential data loaded thereon remotely updated, enabled, disabled, revoked, or otherwise altered with a message sent from, for example, a control panel and/or controller in the system. |
US09483630B2 |
Information processing apparatus, method of controlling the same and storage medium
An information processing apparatus, a method of controlling the same, and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. The information processing apparatus comprises management unit configured to manage a login application at least having both a login screen display function and a user authentication function. The apparatus, in a case where a plug-in module, having one function out of the login screen display function and the user authentication function, is added to the information processing apparatus, enables the function of the plug-in module, and enables the function of the login application other than the function of the plug-in module. |
US09483625B2 |
Delayed validation for software licensing and activation
A method for performing a delayed license validation may include receiving a request to execute a software application. In response to receiving the request to execute the software application, the execution of the software application may be permitted. Subsequent to permitting the execution of the software application, compliance with a license associated with the software application may be determined. |
US09483618B2 |
Systems, methods and computer program products for providing disease and/or condition specific adaptive mobile health content, applications and/or solutions
Systems, methods and computer program products for providing condition specific adaptive content include receiving condition specific information into a data repository, defining requirements corresponding to the condition specific information, building a condition specific application based on the requirements, configuring the condition specific application corresponding to user-specific attribute and delivering the condition specific application to a processing device that is operable to execute the condition specific application. |
US09483617B2 |
System and method for evaluating laser treatment
Provided is a system and method for evaluating laser treatment, for converting the attribute of a laser beam and numerically evaluating proficiency of a laser treatment operator by processing data obtained by photographing the converted laser beam so as to use the evaluated data as training data. The laser treatment evaluating system includes an attenuation unit for attenuating intensity of a laser beam transmitted through a transmissive plate, a camera for photographing the laser beam transmitted through the attenuation unit, and an image data processing apparatus connected to the camera, for processing an image captured by the camera, tracking a trajectory of a laser beam on the transmissive plate, and calculating a distribution state of spots on which the laser beam on the transmissive plate is emitted. |
US09483616B2 |
Systems and methods for collecting information at an emergency vehicle
A method for collecting information at a vehicle, such as an emergency vehicle, involves receiving at the vehicle a request regarding a patient. The method further involves collecting information on the patient using a mobile computer at the vehicle. The method also involves transmitting the patient information as an electronic file from the mobile computer to a hospital over a network. As part of this method, billing information concerning the patient may be collected. Additionally, a method for processing billing information concerning a patient involves collecting billing information regarding the patient from a mobile computer at a vehicle over a network. The method further involves classifying a service provided to the patient in at least one billing category based on the billing information. In addition, the method further involves generating a bill for the patient based on the billing information. |
US09483615B2 |
Communication of original and updated pump parameters for a medical infusion pump
Methods and systems of patient treatment are disclosed. The methods and systems include use of medical device informatics to modify and validate therapies and drugs used in those therapies. In certain embodiments, a medical device, such as a medical infusion pump, interfaces with a server to administer the patient treatments. In one aspect, a method of tracking changed parameters in a medical infusion pump is disclosed. The method includes establishing a communication session between a medical infusion pump and a medical device server, and communicating an original parameter value, an updated parameter value, and a final parameter value from the medical infusion pump to the medical device server. The method further includes storing the original parameter value, the updated parameter value, and the final parameter value on the medical device server. Metadata associated with one or more of the parameter values identifies that parameter value to the medical device server and the medical infusion pump. |
US09483609B2 |
Pharmacogenic therapies targeting the metal-ion transcriptional regulation machinery in bacteria
The subject invention pertains to methods of identifying compounds that bind to a binding pocket on metal ion binding proteins of the ArsR/SmtB family and modulate their regulatory activity by increasing the propensity of the proteins to remain in a conformationally trapped form such as the metal ion bound conformation or disulfide-linked conformation, the DNA bound conformation, or the apo-conformation. The invention provides methods of identifying such compounds using computer software programs. The invention also provides bioassays for identifying such compounds. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions containing compounds that modulate metalloregulatory activities of the metal ion binding proteins of the ArsR/SmtB family. |
US09483608B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing data processing and control in a medical communication system
Methods and apparatus for providing data processing and control for use in a medical communication system are provided. |
US09483602B2 |
Method and system for identifying rare-event failure rates
A method and system to estimate failure rates in designs. N Monte Carlo samples are drawn from the random distribution that describes process variation in the design. A subset of these samples is selected, and that subset of Ninit samples are simulated (with a circuit simulator) to measure a performance value for each sample. A model is constructed, using the values of the Ninit process points as training inputs, and the corresponding Ninit performance values as training outputs. The candidate Monte Carlo samples are from the N Monte Carlo samples that have not yet been simulated. Each candidate is simulated on the model to get predicted performance values, and the samples are ordered in ascending (or descending) order of the predicted performance values. Simulation of candidates samples is then begun, in that order. The sampling and simulation will stops once there is sufficient confidence that all failures are found. |
US09483599B1 |
Circuit design-specific failure in time rate for single event upsets
Determining a circuit design-specific, failures in time rate for single event upsets for an integrated circuit (IC) includes determining, using a processor, a number of critical interconnect multiplexer bits for a circuit design for a target IC and determining a number of critical look-up table bits for the circuit design. Using the processor, a device vulnerability factor is estimated for the circuit design for the target IC using the number of critical interconnect multiplexer bits and the number of critical look-up table bits. The estimated device vulnerability factor can be stored, e.g., for subsequent comparison with other circuit designs. |
US09483597B1 |
Opportunistic candidate path selection during physical optimization of a circuit design for an IC
In an example, a method of implementing a circuit design for an integrated circuit (IC) includes: placing and routing a logical description of the circuit design to generate a physical description having a plurality of paths, and executing a timing analysis to determine a timing profile of the physical description. The method further includes optimizing the physical description by performing a plurality of iterations of: comparing the timing profile with a timing constraint to select a candidate set of paths having negative slack from the plurality of paths in the physical description; and modifying the physical description based on at least one optimization of a selected path from the candidate set of paths having a most negative slack. The method further includes generating a physical implementation of the circuit design for the IC based on the physical description. |
US09483596B1 |
Multi power synthesis in digital circuit design
A method, system and computer program product for forming a netlist for an electronic circuit is disclosed. A Very High Speed Integrated Circuit Hardware Description Language (VHDL) file is created for a plurality of voltage domains. The VHDL file includes a voltage domain attribute and a logic voltage attribute for a pin of the electronic circuit. The voltage domain attribute and the logic voltage attribute for the pin are read from the VHDL file. Netlist instructions for the pin are synthesized to form a netlist for the electronic circuit. Synthesizing the netlist instructions begins with synthesizing netlist instructions within a voltage domain indicated by the voltage domain attribute and ends with synthesizing netlist instructions within a voltage domain indicated by the logic voltage attribute. |
US09483595B2 |
Method for scalable liveness verification via abstraction refinement
Liveness verification of a logic design is performed using various shadow abstraction refinement techniques. An initial subset of state elements are included in the shadow abstraction, and verification is performed (liveness-to-safety conversion) using this initial subset. If a liveness counterexample is detected, the shadow abstraction is refined by designating a second subset of the state elements different from the initial subset for inclusion in a refined abstraction. The initial subset can be designated by choosing all registers in a combinational fan-in of a liveness property of the design. High-performance algorithms for abstract liveness-to-safety conversion can be based upon simulation and counterexample refinement, bounded model checking and counterexample refinement, bounded model checking and proof-based refinement, proofs obtained during bounded model checking of a precise liveness checking problem, a hybrid of counterexample-based refinement and proof analysis, and proofs obtained. |
US09483593B2 |
Method for decomposing a hardware model and for accelerating formal verification of the hardware model
Described is a method performed by a computing device, the method comprises: deriving a hierarchal structure of hardware instances of a hardware block, wherein the hardware block is described in a register transfer language (RTL); determining complexity of at least one hardware instance, in the hierarchal structure, with reference to a complexity metric; identifying, in response to the determined complexity of the at least one hardware instance, whether the at least one hardware instance is to be modeled; and modifying the hierarchal structure with information about the to be modeled hardware instance. |
US09483592B1 |
Maintaining stress in a layout design of an integrated circuit having fin-type field-effect transistor devices
A computer-implemented method for maintaining stress in an integrated circuit having fin-type field-effect transistor devices includes selecting, by a processor of a computer system, a representation of an initial layout design for the integrated circuit, the layout design having design shapes including existing fin shapes; adding, by the processor of the computer system, a fin shape to one or more of the existing fin shapes to merge the one or more existing fin shapes with another existing fin shape to form an extended fin shape; adding, by the processor of the computer system, gate contacts to gates which intersect the added fin shape to generate a modified layout design; and saving the modified layout design to a memory communicatively coupled to the processor of the computer system, where device operation of the initial layout design for the integrated circuit is maintained in the modified layout design for the integrated circuit. |
US09483591B1 |
Assuring chip reliability with automatic generation of drivers and assertions
A computer-implemented method may include retrieving a design netlist with a processor, identifying, via the processor, a logic structure in the design netlist, generating, via the processor, a driver based on the logic structure, applying, via the processor, a simulation and a formal model based on the driver, and testing, via the processor, an output of the simulation and the formal model. |
US09483587B2 |
Master bill of materials creation
Master BOM creation may include extracting BOM data from first and second BOMs, and determining which BOM extracted data is greater. If the first or second BOM is a CAD BOM and the other BOM is a non-CAD BOM, the CAD BOM and non-CAD BOMs may be respectively used as a first and a second source BOM data for a master BOM table. If the first and second BOMs are non-CAD BOMs, or both of the first and second BOMs are CAD BOMs, the greater and lesser of the first and second BOM extracted data may be respectively used as the first and as the second source BOM data. A master BOM may be created based on mapping of the master BOM table to the second source BOM data. |
US09483585B2 |
Designing a staggered pattern of objects in a computer-aided design system
It is proposed a computer-implemented method for designing a staggered pattern of objects in a computer-aided design system, the method comprising the steps of: providing a reference object to be multi-instantiated; instantiating objects from the reference object for forming a grid with a number of rows and a number of columns, the grid being formed so that the rows are spaced from each other with a first distance in a first direction and each column being spaced from each other with a second distance in a second direction; shifting, in one of every two rows of the grid, the instantiated objects of all the columns of said one of every two rows of the grid with a third distance in the second direction. |
US09483584B2 |
Collaboration within a visualization application
In a method, system, apparatus, and computer-readable device having instructions for collaboration within a visualization application, a visualization application is used to display a visualization for at least a portion of an object, wherein the object comprises a plurality of parts, a request is received to display collaboration data for a part of the object using the input device, information is received about a part, wherein the information comprises details about the part, an association between collaboration data and visualization data for a part of an object is retrieved and the collaboration data comprises data input by one or more to be associated with the part of the object, and information is displayed about a part and collaboration data associated with the visualization for the part of the object. |
US09483578B2 |
Computer-readable storage medium storing update program, update method, and update device
A computer-readable storage medium storing an update program that causes a computer to execute a process includes: acquiring an automaton performing matching of data in an input stream hierarchized by tags to a keyword in a query, the automaton in which an initial state, a start state indicating a start tag symbol, an end state indicating an end tag symbol, a transition between the initial state and the start state, a transition between the initial state and the end state, and a transition from the initial state to the initial state are defined; generating a path identifying the position of a start tag based on a hierarchy in the input stream when the start tag is read from the input stream; judging whether or not the generated path meets a condition corresponding to the keyword in the query; generating, when the generated path is judged to meet a condition. |
US09483574B2 |
Managing distinct content lists using user interface element and without using modal dialog box
A content application includes one or more content list panels. The content application provides mechanisms that allow the user to easily manage article representations included in the content lists such as adding article representations a content list and editing the items directly in menus associated with the content lists. |
US09483573B2 |
Context awareness in auditory browsing
In a method for generating an audio summary of a portion of an electronic document, a user input selecting a focus position within a rendered electronic document is received. The plurality of document elements included in the rendered electronic document is identified. A plurality of audio objects corresponding to the plurality of document elements is generated. An audio signal is generated. The audio signal includes a subset of the plurality of audio objects corresponding to a subset of the plurality of document elements contained within a predetermined range from the focus position. The audio signal indicates the spatial relation between the elements of the elements subset. The audio signal is rendered to the user. |
US09483571B2 |
Persisting the state of visual control elements in uniform resource locator (URL)-generated web pages
In one embodiment, a system for creating a key for storing a state of a visual control element includes a processor and logic integrated with and/or executable by the processor, the logic being adapted to: retrieve a uniform resource locator (URL) used to create a dynamically-generated web page on which a visual control element is output, parse the URL in order to create a list of key-value pairs for each of a plurality of parameters specified in the URL, concatenate the list of key-value pairs into a key represented by a string of characters, and store the key to a memory. |
US09483562B2 |
System and method for improving access to search results
Aspects of the disclosure provide a system and method for prerendering of search result pages. A search engine may process search queries received from a client. The search engine may determine one or more search results in response to the search query. One or more of the search results may be associated with prerender instructions, such that when the search results are received by the client, the client prerenders the search results associated with the prerender instructions. Prerender instructions may be associated with the search results in various manners, including ranking the search results based on relevance, or ranking the search results based on the likelihood of selection. Metrics and analytical data may be collected from the client to improve the search result prerendering process. |
US09483559B2 |
Reformulating query terms in structured search
Search history data such as browse trails are collected over time. The browse trails, including associated queries and domains, are processed to identify free tokens of the queries that are also modifiers. Attribute value pairs of a structured data source that correspond to the modifiers are determined based on the search history data and a frequency of the attribute value pairs in the structured data source. When a subsequent query is received, modifiers in the query are identified and replaced with the determined combinations of attribute value pairs that correspond to the modifiers in a structured query that is generated from the received query. The structured query is used to identify items and/or services in the structured data source that are responsive to the received query. |
US09483557B2 |
Keyword generation for media content
In various embodiments, a transcript that represents a media file is created. Keyword candidates that may represent topics and/or content associated with the media content are then be extracted from the transcript. Furthermore, a keyword set may be generated for the media content utilizing a mutual information criteria. In other embodiments, one or more queries may be generated based at least in part on the transcript, and a plurality of web documents may be retrieved based at least in part on the one or more queries. Additional keyword candidates may be extracted from each web document and then ranked. A subset of the keyword candidates may then be selected to form a keyword set associated with the media content. |
US09483556B1 |
Aggregating photos captured at an event
Methods and systems for aggregating digital content captured at an event. In one aspect, a connection is established from a computing device to a Near Field Communication (NFC) enabled event check-in point located at the event. The NFC enabled event check-in point is encoded with event identification information for the event. The event identification information includes an event Uniform Resource Locator (URL) for a webpage associated with a computing system. The computing device receives event identification information including the event URL from the NFC enabled event check-in point, and transmits digital images captured at the event to a computing system. |
US09483552B2 |
System and method for processing and distribution of unstructured documents
A computer-implemented system and method for processing and distribution of unstructured documents are disclosed. The apparatus and method in an example embodiment includes receiving an unstructured document; obtaining information from the document; storing portions of the information obtained from the document in a data set corresponding to the document; using a portion of the information obtained from the document to obtain an identifier of an enterprise record corresponding to the document; recording a specified behavior category for the document; and using the data set and the specified behavior category to dispatch the document to a recipient or an enterprise. |
US09483550B1 |
Method and system to enhance e-discovery by custodian ranking
Custodians of ESI are ranked depending upon the involvement of the custodians with the ESI. The term weights of terms are enhanced based upon the custodian ranking. More particularly, terms appearing in items of the ESI having a high calculated weight, i.e., for which important custodians were involved, are given more term weight than terms appearing in items having a low calculated weight, i.e., for which less important custodians were involved. This optimizes the e-discovery by allowing an early decision to be made of whether to settle the matter or to continue with the review process. |
US09483547B1 |
Clustering and display of recipes
Recipes are hierarchically clustered into groups based on features of the recipes. Candidate clusters with a threshold number of clustered recipes having at least one feature in common are found by traversing the hierarchy. A plurality of clusters is selected for display to a user from among the candidates based on an objective function that considers the relevancy of the cluster as well as diversity of the clusters. A plurality of recipes within each selected cluster is selected for display to a user from among the recipes within the cluster based on an objective function that considers the quality of the recipe as well as the diversity of the recipes within the cluster. At least one feature that all of the recipes in a respective cluster have in common is used to generate a name for the cluster. |
US09483545B2 |
Grouping data in a database
According to embodiments of the present invention, two or more attributes that are included in a plurality of attributes are aggregated into a group defined by a first data definition language syntax. The first data definition language syntax defines the group as having a groupID and one or more of an attribute definition defined in a comma-separated list and a group definition. The attribute definition is defined by a second data definition syntax. The first data definition language syntax includes the second data definition language syntax. The first data definition language syntax is structured in a manner to allow a database operation associated with the group to be applied to all attributes and/or groups included therein. |
US09483541B2 |
Initialization protocol for a peer-to-peer replication environment
Techniques for initializing a connection in a peer-to-peer database replication environment. A message is received from an initiator node, indicating that the initiator node will begin replicating changes made to a particular data entity. One or more replicated changes relating to the database entity are received from the initiator node. If an updated instance of the data entity does not currently exist on a target node then one or more load operations are performed to create the updated instance. The stored replicated changes may then be processed against the updated instance of the database entity. |
US09483535B1 |
Systems and methods for expanding search results
A computer-implemented method for expanding search results may include (1) determining that a user is attempting to perform a search, (2) presenting an option to the user to include, within results of the search, a document family associated with a found document, (3) determining that the user has selected to include the document family associated with the document, and (4) including the document family in the search results in response to determining that the user has selected to include the document family associated with the document. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
US09483532B1 |
Text processing system and methods for automated topic discovery, content tagging, categorization, and search
A computer system and methods are disclosed for automatically discovering topics and building a hierarchical topic structure, and for tagging and categorizing contents in a document or other natural language contents. The disclosed methods include steps for obtaining terms that best represent the topics in a text content, and building a hierarchical representation of topics of different levels or topic-comment relationships, and folder-subfolder structures. The methods further include obtaining, identifying, and selecting terms representing different degrees of informational importance based on the grammatical roles, parts of speech, and semantic attributes associated with the terms, using the terms to represent topics in the document, to automatically tag the document, to rank search results, and to build a category structure based on the selected terms. |
US09483524B1 |
Ranking communities based on content
Systems and methods for ranking communities based on content are described. One of the methods includes receiving a search query. The search query is received from a first user of a social network. The method includes examining content within communities to determine whether one or more of the communities satisfy the search query. Each community is associated with the social network and includes one or more posts. The method further includes ranking the communities based on the examination of the content for presentation of the communities in a ranked order on a client device in response to the search query. The ranked order includes an arrangement of one or more of the communities with more content related to the search query in an elevated prominence compared to one or more of the communities having less content related to the search query. |
US09483522B2 |
Form aggregation based on marks in graphic form fields
The disclosure includes a system and method for aggregating form data based on marks in graphic form fields. The system includes a controller, a request customization module, a search module and a presentation module. The controller receives data indicating an initiation of a search request from a user, data describing a form selected by the user, data describing a graphic form field specified by the user in the form and data describing a region of interest specified by the user in the graphic form field. The request customization module customizes the search request using the region of interest. The search module performs a form search on a collection of form data using the search request to determine one or more matching forms that each include at least one mark satisfying the region of interest. The presentation module provides the one or more matching forms to the user. |
US09483520B1 |
Analytic data focus representations for visualization generation in an information processing system
An analytics controller is configured for communication with one or more data sources. The analytics controller comprises an analytic data focus representation module and a visualization generator coupled to the analytic data focus representation module, with the analytic data focus representation module being configured to derive a plurality of analytic data focus representations from the one or more data sources, and the visualization generator being configured to generate visualizations based at least in part on the analytic data focus representations. At least one of the analytic data focus representation module and the visualization generator may be further configured to establish a plurality of linkages with each such linkage associating one or more of the representations with one or more of the visualizations. The analytics controller may be part of a data management system implemented using one or more processing devices of a processing platform. |
US09483519B2 |
Authorship enhanced corpus ingestion for natural language processing
Mechanisms for processing a corpus of information in a natural language processing system are provided. A corpus of information to process is identified and a set of author profiles associated with the corpus of information is retrieved. A content profile is generated for a portion of content of the corpus of information and the content profile is compared to the set of author profiles to generate an association of the content profile with at least one author profile in the set of author profiles. In addition, a processing operation of the natural language processing (NLP) system is controlled based on the association of the content profile with the at least one author profile. |
US09483517B2 |
Multi-version concurrency control on in-memory snapshot store of oracle in-memory database
Techniques are provided for maintaining data persistently in one format, but making that data available to a database server in more than one format. For example, one of the formats in which the data is made available for query processing is based on the on-disk format, while another of the formats in which the data is made available for query processing is independent of the on-disk format. Data that is in the format that is independent of the disk format may be maintained exclusively in volatile memory to reduce the overhead associated with keeping the data in sync with the on-disk format copies of the data. |
US09483516B2 |
Multi-version concurrency control across row store and column store
Techniques and solutions are provided for performing transactions within a database system that stores database data using a row store and a column store. For example, a transaction that performs operations to update data in both the row store and the column store can use the same transaction object. The state of the transaction can be atomically changed. For example, the state of the transaction object can be atomically changed from uncommitted to committed (e.g., set to a commit identifier to represent the committed state). |
US09483514B2 |
Searching a vertex in a path
Methods and systems for searching a path for a vertex include iteratively removing from consideration points in a path, until a number of remaining points is below a path size threshold. The iterative removal includes determining, for each of two endpoints in a path, a lower bound for a shortest path distance from each respective endpoint to a target vertex and removing from consideration points closer to each respective endpoint than the respective lower bound to produce a shortened path. The shortened path is searched with a processor to determine whether the vertex is in the shortened path. |
US09483513B2 |
Storing large objects on disk and not in main memory of an in-memory database system
A method, computer program product and system are provided. The method, computer program product and system execute a process for determining a size of an object, the object having raw data that is operable upon by one or more physical operators. If the object is smaller than a threshold size, the object is stored in main memory of an in-memory database system. If the object is equal to or larger than the threshold size, the object is stored in a persistency of a disk storage, where storing the object in a disk storage further includes generating a global container identifier (ID) for the object, the global container ID referencing raw data of the object stored in the persistency of the disk storage. |
US09483510B2 |
Correlating database and storage performance views
Technology is disclosed for providing access to operation performance of various storage mediums in a distributed storage system, which store and host data associated with a database (“the technology”). The technology can identify the storage mediums storing data associated with a particular database, gather data associated with performance of each of the identified storage mediums storing data associated with the particular database, and generate performance statistics associated with each of the identified storage mediums utilizing the gathered data and provide the generated statistics as a performance overview of storage associated with the particular database. |
US09483508B1 |
Omega names: name generation and derivation
A method of verifying the validity of a fully-qualified resource name within an environment including at least two different resource name spaces. The method includes receiving a fully qualified resource name having two or more tokens; and reading a token from the name. If the token represents the start of a name space, adding the name space onto a stack; and reading another token from the name. If read token doesn't represent the start of a name space, determining if it represents an end of the name space. If it does represent the end of the name space, popping the top of the stack as the subsequent token from the name. If it doesn't represent the start or end of the name space, checking if the token is a valid moniker for the name space. If it is valid, reading another token from the name, and otherwise returning an error. |
US09483505B2 |
Versioning for configurations of reusable artifacts
Arrangements described herein relate to versioning configurations of reusable artifacts. An artifact baseline corresponding to the present version of a first artifact can be created. Responsive to creating that artifact baseline, the present version of the first artifact, and present versions of children artifacts of the present version of the first artifact, are made immutable. Responsive to identifying a change to the present version of the first artifact, a new version of the first artifact can be automatically created, wherein the new version of the first artifact is mutable. |
US09483500B2 |
Automatic discovery of popular landmarks
In one embodiment the present invention is a method for populating and updating a database of images of landmarks including geo-clustering geo-tagged images according to geographic proximity to generate one or more geo-clusters, and visual-clustering the one or more geo-clusters according to image similarity to generate one or more visual clusters. In another embodiment, the present invention is a system for identifying landmarks from digital images, including the following components: a database of geo-tagged images; a landmark database; a geo-clustering module; and a visual clustering module. In other embodiments the present invention may be a method of enhancing user queries to retrieve images of landmarks, or a method of automatically tagging a new digital image with text labels. |
US09483499B2 |
Data access based on content of image recorded by a mobile device
Embodiments of the invention are directed to using image data and contextual data to determine information about a scene, based on one or more previously obtained images. Contextual data, such location of image capture, can be used to determine previously obtained images related to the contextual data and other location-related information, such as billboard locations. With even low resolution devices, such as cell phone, image attributes, such as a histogram or optically recognized characters, can be compared between the previously obtained images and the newly captured image. Attributes matching within a predefined threshold indicate matching images. Information on the content of matching previously obtained images can be provided back to a user who captured the new image. User profile data can refine the content information. The content information can also be used as search terms for additional searching or other processing. |
US09483497B1 |
Management of geographic data layers in a geographic information system
Systems and methods for management of geographic data layers in a geographic information system are provided. A layer control tool can be presented in conjunction with the geographic imagery. The layer control tool can provide a control interface to allow the user to manage the display of various geographic data layers in conjunction with the geographic imagery. The layer control tool can include a dynamic control list of geographic data layers. Geographic data layers can be identified for inclusion in the dynamic control list and/or ordered within the dynamic control list based on frequency of user interaction with the geographic data layers. In a particular implementation, the geographic data layers are identified for inclusion in the dynamic control list and/or ordered within the dynamic control list based on a layer score associated with each geographic data layer. |
US09483496B1 |
Label placement for line features
A computing device can identify, for a placement of a label, a first and second character of the label that have a shortest distance from one another. The placement for the label can define a position at which the label is to be placed in an interactive geographic map and a formatting for that label. The computing device can determine that the first and second identified characters do not overlap. In response to determining that the first and second characters do not overlap, the computing device can select the placement of the label for display in the interactive geographic map. |
US09483495B1 |
Selecting photographs for a destination or point of interest
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for computerized travel services. One of the methods includes identifying photographs using an index of photographs, the photographs being identified from the index as photographs geographically related to a point of interest or destination and having a creation timestamp corresponding to a time of the year; determining for each of the photographs, a relevancy score based at least in part on: selection success data of the photograph for image queries referring to the point of interest or destination, and references to the point of interest or destination in documents associated with the photograph; and selecting a selected photograph from the photographs based at least in part on a respective visual quality score and the respective relevancy scores, the visual quality score representing a degree of visual quality of the respective photographs. |
US09483492B2 |
Terminal and method for providing application-related data
A method for providing application-related data includes connecting a mobile terminal and a device, determining an object displayed on the mobile terminal, determining a data file associated with the object, and controlling the data file associated with the object to be accessible by the connected device and controlling information of the data file to be displayed on a display of the connected device according to the determination of the object. A terminal that provides application-related data includes a connection unit connecting the terminal and another device to each other; and a synchronization unit, when the connection unit is connected to the another device, synchronizing related data of an application that is in the middle of execution in the terminal or an application selected by a user after the connection with the another device. |
US09483491B2 |
Flexible permission management framework for cloud attached file systems
A method of managing file permissions in a remote file storage system includes defining permissions for the remote file storage system and controlling access to objects on the remote file storage system according to the permissions of the remote file storage system. The permissions are transferred to a client file storage system remote from the remote file storage system, and access to objects on the client file storage system is controlled according to the permissions of the remote file storage system. A remote file storage system includes a permissions file generator operative to generate a permissions file, which is transmitted to a client file storage system for enforcement at the client file storage system. |
US09483488B2 |
Verifying separation-of-duties at IAM system implementing IAM data model
Systems and methods of verifying separation-of-duties (SoD) for requested access rights to physical computing resources are provided. An SoD verifier may receive and access request and obtain a set of current permissions associated with a requestee specified in the access request. The SoD verifier may also obtain a set of new permissions to provision for the requestee based on the access request. The SoD verifier may determine whether one of the current permissions is incompatible with one of the new permissions. The SoD verifier may provide an indication of whether the access request represents an SoD violation. |
US09483487B2 |
Eliminating duplicate data by sharing file system extents
A hardware and/or software facility to enable emulated storage devices to share data stored on physical storage resources of a storage system. The facility may be implemented on a virtual tape library (VTL) system configured to back up data sets that have a high level of redundancy on multiple virtual tapes. The facility organizes all or a portion of the physical storage resources according to a common store data layout. By enabling emulated storage devices to share data stored on physical storage resources, the facility enables deduplication across the emulated storage devices irrespective of the emulated storage device to which the data is or was originally written, thereby eliminating duplicate data on the physical storage resources and improving the storage consumption of the emulated storage devices on the physical storage resources. |
US09483484B1 |
Techniques for deduplicated data access statistics management
Techniques for data access statistics management are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for data access statistics management comprising determining that a portion of data has been deduplicated, and modifying access statistics of the portion of data for each reference to the portion of data. |
US09483478B2 |
Lightweight mounting of a secondary copy of file system data
A data storage system allows a user to search a secondary copy such as a back up, archive, or snapshot and receive an abbreviated version of the secondary copy of the file system as a result of the search. The abbreviated version of the secondary copy of the file system may include metadata such as a listing of secondary copy data that correspond with a search term or other filtering criteria provided by the user. An operating system of the user's computing device may mount the abbreviated version so that it can be displayed within a view of the file system of the computing device. Once a user selects one or more desired data objects listed in the abbreviated version, the selected actual one or more data objects are retrieved from secondary storage. |
US09483473B2 |
High availability architecture for a cloud-based concurrent-access collaboration platform
Embodiments in the present disclosure include systems and methods related to a high-availability architecture for a cloud-based concurrent-access collaboration platform. The disclosed technology relates to an active data center which includes multiple document server instances that handle user requests for concurrently accessing documents. Multiple document server instances are implemented on a single physical server. This architecture uses an instance assignment manager to assign documents to the document server instances, a primary repository to store backup snapshots of the documents, and a datastore to store all changes made to the documents. The disclosed technology also involves a backup data center that can be swapped with the active data center automatically. |
US09483472B2 |
System and method for processing formatted text documents in a database
A system and method for automatically determining a plurality of pieces of different information about a textual document from the text of the textual document are provided in which one or more particular characteristics of the text of the textual document are identified to generate a file containing the text of the textual document with the particular characteristics marked up within the text. |
US09483468B2 |
Tagging geographical areas
A method of tagging a geographical area includes obtaining, with a processing device, attribute information and mobile tracking data of a plurality of mobile objects, wherein the mobile tracking data comprises sampling time and corresponding sampling point locations of the mobile objects; converting the mobile tracking data of the plurality of mobile objects into new mobile tracking data according to the correspondence relationship between the sampling time and a time slices, wherein the new mobile tracking data include time slices and corresponding sampling point locations; and obtaining a set of attribute information of at least one geographical area with respect to the time slices based on the new mobile tracking data, wherein the at least one geographical area is obtained by clustering the sampling point locations. |
US09483465B2 |
Language translation for multi-function peripherals
An approach provides context-specific language translation services for electronic documents using templates. As used herein, the term “template” refers to a context-specific set of keywords that includes at least a first set of keywords in a first language and a corresponding second set of keywords in a second language that is different than the first language. As used herein, the term “language” refers to a human language and the term “keyword” refers to one or more words or phrases of any length. The context-specific set of keywords may include additional sets of keywords in other languages that correspond to the first and second sets of keywords. A language translation service uses the templates to translate electronic documents. The language translation service also provides capabilities for managing templates and a translation review capability for reviewing translated documents to identify errors. Templates can then be edited to address the translation errors. |
US09483464B2 |
Method and system for managing semantic and syntactic metadata
A method and system for managing semantic and syntactic metadata. Heterogeneous data is received. After the heterogeneous data is received, the semantic metadata associated with the received heterogeneous data is captured and syntactic metadata associated with the received heterogeneous data is captured. The semantic metadata describes contextually relevant or domain-specific information about data based on an industry-specific or enterprise-specific metadata model or ontology. The syntactic metadata included grammatical rules and structural patterns governing an ordered use of formats and arrangement pertaining to specified data. The received heterogeneous data and said captured semantic metadata and said syntactic metadata are logically linked. The heterogeneous data is stored in a repository. |
US09483463B2 |
Method and system for motif extraction in electronic documents
A method, system, and computer program product for extracting text motifs from the electronic documents is disclosed. A user provides a largest-maximal repeat or a super-maximal repeat as a first text block. The occurrences of the first text block are detected to identify the second text blocks in the vicinity of the occurrences of the first text block on the basis of pre-defined parameters. The text motifs are determined by combining the first text block and the second text block. Finally, the text motifs are extracted from the electronic documents. |
US09483462B2 |
Generating training data for disambiguation
A method for generating training data for disambiguation of an entity comprising a word or word string related to a topic to be analyzed includes acquiring sent messages by a user, each including at least one entity in a set of entities; organizing the messages and acquiring sets, each containing messages sent by each user; identifying a set of messages including different entities, greater than or equal to a first threshold value, and identifying a user corresponding to the identified set as a hot user; receiving an instruction indicating an object entity to be disambiguated; determining a likelihood of co-occurrence of each keyword and the object entity in sets of messages sent by hot users; and determining training data for the object entity on the basis of the likelihood of co-occurrence of each keyword and the object entity in the sets of messages sent by the hot users. |
US09483456B2 |
Grid data management
Systems and methods are provided for managing data in a grid. In one example approach, a method comprises importing data from a data source to a range of cells in a grid, where the range of cells is specified by a notation input associated with the grid, and where the notation input includes a key specifying the data source and security information associated with the data source. |
US09483451B2 |
System and method for handling user editing history based on spawning, merging data structures of directed acyclic graph
Methods for formatting a hierarchical data structure having structural elements (“HDS”) are provided. A branch in a directed acyclic graph is spawned. The graph includes a root node and a plurality of sub-nodes respectively corresponding to master and edited versions of the HDS, respectively. An edited version of the HDS is associated with a secondary instance of the HDS, and a change set corresponding thereto. The change set includes user edits. In the method first and second change sets are obtained and, responsive to a user selection, portions thereof are merged to produce a third change set. An additional secondary instance of the HDS is generated by applying the third change set to structural elements included in the master instance of the HDS. The additional secondary instance of the HDS is associated with an edited version of the HDS which, in turn, is associated with a sub-node in the graph. |
US09483447B2 |
Method, device, and computer storage media for adding hyperlink to text
Methods and devices for adding hyperlink to text are disclosed: generating hyperlink word list and characteristic word list in advance, determining co-occurrence frequency with each hyperlink word; to each text X which to be added the hyperlink, word segmentation processing them respectively, extracting the hyperlink word occurred in the hyperlink word list and the characteristic word occurred in the characteristic word list from results of word segmentation, determining weights of each extracted hyperlink word and extracted characteristic word, getting final weights of each extracted hypertext link word according to the co-occurrence frequency of each extracted characteristic word and each extracted hyperlink word and the weights; descendingly sorting each extracted hyperlink word according to the final weights, adding hyperlink to first k hyperlink words, and K is positive integer. Applying the solution, it can improve the relativity of the added hyperlink and the text, and it is easy to implement. |
US09483445B1 |
Providing fonts for electronic publications
A method and system to provide fonts for electronic publications is described. An example method includes receiving a request for an electronic publication from a user device, retrieving a font identifier of a font from the electronic publication, providing the electronic publication to the user device, determining, based on the font identifier, that at least one font file of the font is not stored on the user device, and providing the at least one font file of the font to the user device. |
US09483444B2 |
Dynamic layout engine for a digital magazine
A digital magazine server creates a section of a digital magazine including content items based on a page template describing the relative positioning and sizing of content items. A page template may include display regions specifying the size of content items as a percentage of a display area. Additionally, a display region in a page template may specify use of a sub-template for presenting content items. The sub-template includes display regions specifying the relative positioning of content items presented in the display region specifying use of the sub-template. To generate the section of the digital magazine, various page templates are scored and a page template is selected based on the scoring. One or more diversity policies may be enforced when selecting the page template to improve user interaction with the digital magazine. |
US09483443B2 |
Tiled display list
A method for scaling including: obtaining an electronic document (ED) identifying a graphical feature; partitioning the ED into multiple tiles including a first tile and a second tile, where the graphical feature spans the first tile and the second tile; partitioning the graphical feature into a first fragment located solely within the first tile and a second fragment located solely within the second tile; adding the first fragment to a first display sub-list corresponding to the first tile; adding the second fragment to a second display sub-list corresponding to the second tile; receiving a first request to scale the ED specifying a resolution and a first region intersecting a subset of the plurality of tiles including the first tile but excluding the second tile; and generating, in response to the first request, a first scaled ED for the display device by rendering only the first display sub-list the resolution. |
US09483442B2 |
Matrix operation apparatus
According to an embodiment, a matrix operation apparatus executing a matrix operation includes multiple nodes, the nodes including: a multiplier configured to perform a first operation for a first input, which is column data and a second input which is row data for the matrix operation and output element components of an operation result of the matrix operation; and an accumulator configured to perform cumulative addition of operation results of the multiplier. |
US09483438B2 |
Apparatus and method for controlling the number of vector elements written to a data store while performing speculative vector write operations
A data processing apparatus and method for performing speculative vector access operations are provided. The data processing apparatus has a reconfigurable buffer accessible to vector data access circuitry and comprising a storage array for storing up to M vectors of N vectors elements. The vector data access circuitry performs speculative data write operations in order to cause vector elements from selected vector operands in a vector register bank to be stored into the reconfigurable buffer. On occurrence of a commit condition, the vector elements currently stored in the reconfigurable buffer are then written to a data store. Speculation control circuitry maintains a speculation width indication indicating the number of vector elements of each selected vector operand stored in the reconfigurable buffer. The speculation width indication is initialized to an initial value, but on detection of an overflow condition within the reconfigurable buffer the speculation width indication is modified to reduce the number of vector elements of each selected vector operand stored in the reconfigurable buffer. The reconfigurable buffer then responds to a change in the speculation width indication by reconfiguring the storage array to increase the number of vectors M and reduce the number of vector elements N per vector. This provides an efficient mechanism for supporting performance of speculative data write operations. |
US09483435B2 |
USB transceiver
A Universal Serial Bus (USB) controller includes a USB transceiver to detect a high-speed (HS) disconnect between the USB controller and a device connected to it. The USB transceiver includes a reference-voltage generation circuit, a HS current driver, first and second comparators, and a multiplexer. The reference-voltage generation circuit generates HS disconnect and transmitter reference-voltage signals that have a constant voltage difference. The first comparator receives DP and DM signals that correspond to a HS Start of Frame (SOF) packet during HS disconnect detection, and generates a control voltage. The multiplexer outputs at least one of the DP and DM signals based on the logic state of the control voltage. The second comparator receives the selected signal and the HS disconnect reference-voltage signal, and outputs a HS disconnect output voltage signal when the selected signal is greater than the HS disconnect reference-voltage signal. |
US09483433B2 |
Processing communication data in a ships passing condition
Articles of manufacture, apparatuses, and methods for processing communication data in a ships passing condition are disclosed. Embodiments include a computer program product for performing a method including: obtaining a Transport Command Control Block (TCCB) from a location in memory specified by a Transport Command Control Block address of a Transport Control Word; opening a first exchange and sending, by a channel subsystem, the TCCB in the first exchange to a control unit; receiving, by the channel subsystem, an unsolicited first message in a second exchange from the control unit, the unsolicited first message opening the second exchange, the second exchange being a different exchange than the first exchange; and sending, by the channel subsystem, a second message to the control unit in a third exchange, the second message comprising a status of the first message, the second message configured to open and close the third exchange. |
US09483432B2 |
Generic and multi-role controller structure for data and communication exchanges
A generic and multi-role controller structure for data and communication exchanges is disclosed. In one aspect, the structure assumes the form of a single component and includes a capability forming a generic data and communication exchange controller, associated with at least: a capability forming a data storage/exchange buffer, a capability forming multiple connection interfaces to several data production/consumption units, one connection interface being associated with one data production/consumption unit, a capability forming multiple connection interfaces with several external data communication buses, and one connection interface being associated with one external data communication bus. |
US09483431B2 |
Method and apparatus for accessing multiple storage devices from multiple hosts without use of remote direct memory access (RDMA)
Various embodiments for implementing a method and apparatus for accessing multiple storage devices from multiple hosts without use of remote direct memory access (RDMA) as disclosed herein include: providing a data store switch fabric enabling data communications between a data storage access system and a plurality of compute nodes, each compute node having integrated compute capabilities, data storage, and a network interface controller (Host NIC); providing a plurality of physical data storage devices; providing a host bus adapter (HBA) in data communication with the plurality of physical data storage devices and the plurality of compute nodes via the data store switch fabric, the HBA including at least one submission queue and a corresponding shadow queue; receiving an input/output (I/O) request from the plurality of compute nodes; including an element of the I/O request to the at least one submission queue; and including additional information related to the element of the at least one submission queue to the corresponding shadow queue. |
US09483430B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and I/O control circuit therefor
An I/O control circuit, includes a mode setting unit configured to generate a first mode signal, a second mode signal, a third mode signal, and a fourth mode signal in accordance with one of a plurality of I/O option modes, a first control signal generation unit configured to generate a first mode determination signal and a first control signal enable signal in response to the first I/O option signal and the first mode signal, and a second control signal generation unit configured to generate a second control signal enable signal, a third control signal enable signal, and a fourth control signal enable signal in response to a second I/O option signal, the first mode determination signal, the second mode signal, the third mode signal, and the fourth mode signal. |
US09483428B2 |
Storage apparatus, and system and method for executing access operations
Embodiments of the present invention provide a storage apparatus, and a system and a method for executing access operations. The apparatus includes an interleaved bus, N memory groups, and K direct-connect bus groups, where K is less than or equal to N; the interleaved bus includes M master interfaces and S slave interfaces, where M is less than or equal to S, and each master interface among the M master interfaces is configured to receive continuous-addresses access operations; each memory group among the N memory groups includes S memories respectively connected to the S slave interfaces, where the interleaved bus is configured to decode and send the continuous-addresses access operations to at least one memory group among the N memory groups in an interleaved manner; and a first direct-connect bus group among the K direct-connect bus groups receives and sends the discrete-addresses access operations to at least one memory group. |
US09483423B2 |
Techniques for assigning priorities to memory copies
One embodiment sets forth a method for guiding the order in which a parallel processing subsystem executes memory copies. A driver creates semaphores for all but the lowest priority included in a plurality of priorities and associates one priority with each copy hardware channel included in the parallel processing subsystem. The driver then aliases prioritized streams to the copy hardware channels based on the priorities. Upon receiving a request to execute a memory copy within one of the streams, the driver inserts commands into the aliased copy hardware channel. These commands use the semaphores to direct the parallel processing subsystem to execute the memory copy based on the priority of the copy hardware channel. Advantageously, by assigning priorities to streams and, subsequently, strategically requesting memory copies within the prioritized streams, an application developer may fine-tune their software application to increase the overall processing efficiency of the software application. |
US09483421B1 |
Method for creation of device drivers and device objects for peripheral devices
All steps required to create and operate a peripheral device of an electronic device can be performed without the need to plug in the peripheral device to the electronic device. Setup information for a peripheral device is extracted, modified and stored to fit to a physical existent peripheral device. The modified setup information is used to create a data structure that is passed to the peripheral bus driver. As the data structure contains a hot plug notification the reception causes the peripheral bus driver to initiate the setup process for the peripheral device. As the data structure is built from setup information that is available at the electronic device no additional user action is required. The invention also allows the creation of a device object for existing signed driver packets that may not be altered. |
US09483419B2 |
Apparatus and method for handling page protection faults in a computing system
Method and apparatus for handling page protection faults in combination particularly with the dynamic conversion of binary code executable by a one computing platform into binary code executed instead by another computing platform. In one exemplary aspect, a page protection fault handling unit is used to detect memory accesses, to check page protection information relevant to the detected access by examining the contents of a page descriptor store, and to selectively allow the access or pass on page protection fault information in accordance with the page protection information. |
US09483418B2 |
Storage system, virtualization control apparatus, information processing apparatus, and method for controlling storage system
An information processing apparatus is configured to make access to a storage device via a first path. A virtualization control apparatus is configured to control access to a virtual storage device via a second path, where the virtual storage device is provided by virtualizing the storage device. The virtualization control apparatus sends an identifier of the storage device in response to a query from the information processing apparatus which requests information about a storage space that is accessible via the second path. The information processing apparatus incorporates the second path as an inactive standby path when the identifier received as a response to the query matches with an identifier of the storage device accessible via the first path. |
US09483412B2 |
Method and apparatus for reformatting page table entries for cache storage
A device for and method of storing page table entries in a first cache. A first page table entry is received having a fragment field that contains address information for a requested first page and at least a second page logically adjacent to the first page. A second page table entry is generated from the first page table entry to be stored with the first page table entry. The second page table entry provides address information for the second page. The second page table entry has a configuration that is compatible with the first cache. |
US09483409B2 |
Store forwarding cache
A load request is received to retrieve a piece of data from a location in memory and the load request follows one or more store requests in a set of instructions to store a piece of data in the location in memory. One or more possible locations in a cache for a piece of data corresponding to the location in memory is determined. Each possible location of the one or more possible locations in the cache is determined. It is then determined if at least one location of the one or more possible locations contains data to be stored in the location in memory. Data in one location of the at least one location is loaded, the data in the one location is from a store request of the one or more store requests and the store request is closest in the set of instructions to the load request. |
US09483407B2 |
Speculative reads
Patterns of access and/or behavior can be analyzed and persisted for use in pre-fetching data from a physical storage device. In at least some embodiments, data can be aggregated across volumes, instances, users, applications, or other such entities, and that data can be analyzed to attempt to determine patterns for any of those entities. The patterns and/or analysis can be persisted such that the information is not lost in the event of a reboot or other such occurrence. Further, aspects such as load and availability across the network can be analyzed to determine where to send and/or store data that is pre-fetched from disk or other such storage in order to reduce latency while preventing bottlenecks or other such issues with resource availability. |
US09483405B2 |
Simplified run-time program translation for emulating complex processor pipelines
Simplification of run-time program translation for emulating complex processor pipelines is disclosed. Dynamic pipeline states are moved into a cache lookup process leaving a code translation process to deal only with static pipeline states. With dynamic pipeline states removed from the translation process, translation becomes more simple and efficient like that of a non-pipelined processor. |
US09483399B2 |
Sub-OS virtual memory management layer
A binary memory image in system is modified. The system may or may not already have virtual memory management enabled. Virtual memory management is enabled and/or modified by inserting a sub-OS virtual memory management layer in the binary memory image. Part of the binary memory image may be compressed to make room for the sub-OS virtual memory management layer. |
US09483396B2 |
Control apparatus, storage device, and storage control method
A control apparatus includes a control unit configured to perform control in such a manner that in a case where data is to be written into a physical area, which is the unit in which an erasing operation is performed, subjected to processing in a first non-volatile memory in response to a write request and in a case where the end of the data does not match a boundary between physical regions, which are the smallest units in which a writing operation is performed, in the first non-volatile memory, first data having a size smaller than the smallest units is stored in a predetermined temporary storage area, and thereafter in a case where second data specified by the same logical address as the first data is requested to be written, the first data and the second data are combined and written into the physical area subjected to processing. |
US09483395B2 |
Asynchronous bad block management in NAND flash memory
Methods for receiving data from a file system and storing it in a flash storage medium, wherein a bad block management process comprises queuing, at a bad block manager, one or more write requests, and receiving data associated with each of the one or more write requests and storing the received data in the bad block manager buffer; and performing cache management of data in the bad block manager buffer and subsequently returning a success status to the file system; and executing the one or more queued write requests in a separate task, wherein the executing comprises programming the received data to the flash storage medium during the bad block management process. Corresponding devices are also provided. |
US09483390B2 |
Three-dimensional GUI object stores in automation test tools
A method for storing graphical user interface (GUI) object properties includes: storing GUI object properties for each GUI object for a starting version of an application in an object map; associating the stored GUI object properties for each GUI object with a starting version identifier; determining that at least one of the GUI objects is changed; in response to determining that the at least one GUI object is changed, storing modifications of the GUI object properties for the at least one GUI object in the object map; and associating the modifications of the GUI object properties for the at least one GUI object with a new version identifier of the application. Over time, the object map contains multiple variants of the GUI objects. An automation test tool may use this object map to intelligently select appropriate GUI object version for recognition at script run time. |
US09483389B2 |
Processing automation scripts of software
Processing automation scripts used for testing pages includes running the automation scripts using a processor, searching for an element on the page according to locating information in an instruction of the automation scripts, collecting element-related information of the element in response to finding of the element on the page according to the locating information, and associating the collected element-related information of the element with the instruction of the automation scripts. The element-related information associated with the instruction is saved. |
US09483388B2 |
Discovery of application states
Some aspects of the disclosure provide a method comprising obtaining machine executable code of an application, the application operable to achieve a set of application states, pre-processing the machine executable code to generate reviewable code, identifying, from the reviewable code, a set of state access instructions configured to invoke or assist in invoking one of the set of application states of the application, the set of state access instructions indicating a first state access instruction configured to invoke a first state of the set of application states and a second state access instruction configured to invoke a second state of the set of application states that is different from the first state, each of the set of state access instructions including an application resource identifier referencing an application and indicating an operation for the application to perform, and storing the set of state access instructions. |
US09483387B1 |
Tree comparison functionality for services
The techniques described herein provide for comparison of tree structures. In some examples, a system according to this disclosure may receive at least a first item including a first tree structure and a second item including a second tree structure. The system may compare the first item and the second item. In particular, in performing the comparison, the system may detect a sub-tree structure type in the first tree structure and in the second tree structure. In some examples, the sub-tree structure type is one of one or more sub-tree structure types that have corresponding matching processes. Once determined, the system described herein may perform the corresponding matching process of the detected sub-tree structure type for the first tree structure and the second tree structure. |
US09483386B2 |
Information interaction test device and method based on automatic generation of associated test cases
The present invention proposes an information interaction testing device and method based on the associated testing case automatic generation. The associated testing case generation module in said device may automatically generate the associated testing case files corresponding to all associated information interactions which can be triggered by said reference information interaction based on the reference information interaction and the predefined rules determined by the application type provided by the system under test. The information interaction testing device and method based on the associated testing case automatic generation disclosed in the present invention have the higher testing speed and the higher testing usability as well as are low-cost. |
US09483384B2 |
Generation of software test code
A method may include detecting a change in a user repository that includes product code and test code. The product code and the test code may correspond to a software program. The change in the user repository may include a change in the product code with a corresponding changed portion of the product code. The method may also include generating, by a test tool, a test code update for the test code. The test code update may be generated based on detecting the change in the user repository and based on the changed portion of the product code. The method may further include communicating a pull request that requests that the user repository add the test code update to the user-managed repository. |
US09483383B2 |
Injecting faults at select execution points of distributed applications
Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for injecting faults at select execution points of distributed applications are provided herein. A method includes monitoring a run-time state of each of multiple components of a distributed application to determine one or more sequence of events that triggers a fault injection point at one of the multiple components; defining a fault injection scenario in a specification based on said monitoring, wherein said fault injection scenario comprises a description of one or more sequence of events during which an intended fault is to be injected to a target component of the multiple components at one selected event; and executing the fault injection defined in the specification to perform injection of the intended fault during run-time of the distributed application. |
US09483381B2 |
Obfuscating debugging filenames
An information handling system, method, and computer-readable media for obfuscating debugging filenames during a software build are described. The system comprises one or more processors, a memory, and one or more program modules stored on the memory and executable by the one or more processors. The one or more program modules compile a source code file of a plurality of source code files into a program, generate a debugging file including debugging information for the program, utilize a one-way deterministic function to generate an obfuscated filename for the debugging file, and include a link to the debugging file in the program, the link including the obfuscated filename. |
US09483376B2 |
System and methods for precise microprocessor event counting
Method for providing precise microprocessor performance counter readings including detecting a swap back to a monitored process executing in a microprocessor. In response to the detected swap back to the monitored process, if the value read from the performance counter does not exceed the defined overflow threshold, the value of the performance counter stored in the first memory location is restored to the performance counter. If the value read from the performance counter exceeds the defined overflow threshold, the performance counter is set to zero and the value of the performance counter stored in the first memory location is used to increment an overflow memory location. If the value read from the performance counter exceeds the defined overflow threshold, at least one performance counter reading instruction is detected and in response to the detected at least one performance counter reading instruction, setting the counter output register to zero. |
US09483374B2 |
PSMI using at-speed scan capture
In accordance with embodiments disclosed herein, there are provided methods, systems, mechanisms, techniques, and apparatuses for implementing and using PSMI using at-speed scan capture. For example, in one embodiment, such a system includes an input signal capture device to capture input signals input to a silicon processor under test; a scan capture device to capture a scan snapshot representing a known state of a plurality of digital elements integrated within the silicon processor under test, each having state data for the silicon processor under test; a scan read-out device to communicate the captured scan snapshot to a storage point physically external from the silicon processor under test; and a model of the silicon processor under test to replay a subset of a test sequence for the silicon processor under test based at least in part on the captured input signals and the captured scan snapshot. |
US09483371B2 |
Storage system, control apparatus, computer product, and control method
A storage system includes a first control apparatus; at least one second control apparatus managed by the first control apparatus; and a storage unit accessed by the second control apparatus. The second control apparatus determines based on detection of an error of an input/output process for storage in the storage unit whether the storage is in a blocking state, executes a resumption process of the input/output process when the storage is in the blocking state, judges whether an error occurrence frequency of the input/output process is at least a predetermined value, when the storage is not in the blocking state, and transmits to the first control apparatus, a blocking process request for the storage, when the error occurrence frequency is at least the predetermined value. The first control apparatus executes a blocking process and an error process of the storage, based on reception of the blocking process request. |
US09483370B2 |
Error detection/correction based memory management
The present disclosure includes methods, devices, and systems for error detection/correction based memory management. One embodiment includes performing a read operation with respect to a particular group of memory cells of a memory device and, if the read operation results in an uncorrectable error, determining whether to retire the particular group of memory cells in response to a status of an indicator corresponding to the particular group of memory cells, wherein the status of the indicator indicates whether the particular group of memory cells has a previous uncorrectable error associated therewith. |
US09483368B2 |
Method, apparatus, and system for handling virtual machine internal fault
A method, an apparatus, and a system for handling a virtual machine internal fault. The method includes: monitoring, by a virtual machine internal fault detecting apparatus, a state of a virtual machine operating system; when detecting that the virtual machine operating system encounters an exception, obtaining, by an exception catching module in the virtual machine internal fault detecting apparatus, exception information corresponding to the exception according to a context of the virtual machine operating system; and reporting, by the exception catching module, the exception information to a virtual machine monitoring apparatus, so that the virtual machine monitoring apparatus determines, according to the exception information, a policy for resolving the exception corresponding to the exception information, and resolves the exception corresponding to the exception information by using the policy. The present invention is applicable to a virtualized environment having a virtual machine. |
US09483367B1 |
Data recovery in distributed storage environments
Various systems and methods for determining whether a distributed storage cluster is operating with a last failure domain are disclosed. The last failure domain is the only node with access to a latest copy of configuration data and an up-to-date copy of application data. In response to a determination that the distributed storage cluster is operating with the last failure domain, the method causes the last failure domain to copy one or more changed blocks of the up-to-date copy of the application data from one or more mirrored volumes to a recovery server for storage. |
US09483365B2 |
Methods and apparatus for multi-source restore
Methods and apparatus that restore a resource from a first source and a second source to a device are described. Availability of the resource from a second source may be dynamically determined after a portion of the resource has been restored to the device from the first source. If the second source is determined to be more efficiently connected with the device than the first source, a remaining portion of the resource may be restored from the second source to the device after the portion of the resource has been restored to the device. |
US09483363B2 |
Use of temporary secondary copies in failover operations
According to certain aspects, an information management cell can include a failover storage manager configured to: instruct a secondary copy application to perform a secondary copy operation in which primary data generated by at least one client computing device is stored as a secondary copy in a second secondary copy file format different than a first secondary copy file format; and subsequent to reestablishment of connectivity to a main storage manager, restore the secondary copy stored in the second secondary copy file format to obtain restored data that is no longer in the second secondary copy file format; and can include at least one secondary storage computing device configured to, subsequent to the restore of the secondary copy, and at the direction of the main storage manager, conduct the restored data to a secondary storage device(s) to create a secondary copy in the first secondary copy file format. |
US09483361B2 |
Information management cell with failover management capability
According to certain aspects, an information management cell with failover management capability can include secondary storage computing devices configured to conduct primary data from a primary storage device(s) to a secondary storage device(s) during secondary copy operations, at the direction of a remote storage manager, wherein a first secondary storage computing device implements a failover storage manager configured to, in the event of a loss of connectivity between the cell and the remote storage manager: access a stored storage policy; initiate a first secondary copy operation according to the storage policy in which the first secondary storage computing device is involved in the creation of a first secondary copy on the secondary storage device(s); and initiate a second secondary copy operation according to the storage policy in which a second secondary storage computing device is involved in the creation of a second secondary copy on the secondary storage device(s). |
US09483358B1 |
Synthetic block based backup
A method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for protecting data. In some embodiments, this includes identifying a parent virtual container, identifying a linked child virtual container, creating a fast copy of the parent virtual container and the linked child virtual container, and consolidating the copy of the parent virtual container and the copy of the linked child virtual container based on the format of the parent virtual container. |
US09483357B2 |
Selective restore from incremental block level backup
A computer implemented method includes creating a child disk for a machine. A configuration of a backed up disk drive is derived from a storage container that includes a block level backup copy of the disk drive. The child disk is populated with selected data from blocks of data corresponding to selected files desired to be used on the machine. Drivers may be injected and registries modified to start with booting of the virtual. |
US09483355B1 |
Tracking copy sessions
Maintaining a set of extents corresponding to a portion of an initial logical volume that is to be copied includes initializing a table having entries corresponding to different portions of the initial logical volume, where each of the entries is initialized with a first value, following initializing the table, providing a second value different from the first value to an entry in the table corresponding to a portion of the initial logical volume to which a write operation is performed and establishing the set of extents, where the first value is provided to entries in the table that correspond to portions of the initial logical device indicated by the extents. Data of the initial logical volume corresponding to the set of extents may be copied to at least one other logical volume. |
US09483352B2 |
Process control systems and methods
Process control system and methods are disclosed. An example method includes operating a first cluster including first virtual machines and first servers and operating a second cluster including second virtual machines and second servers. The example method also includes storing first data from the first virtual machines at a first data store of the first cluster and storing a replica of the first data at a second data store of the second cluster. The example method also includes storing second data from the second virtual machines at the second data store and storing a replica of the second data at the first data store and identifying a failure of the first cluster. The method also includes, in response to the failure, restarting the first virtual machines using the second servers and the replica of the first data at the second data store. |
US09483349B2 |
Clustered raid data organization
In one embodiment, a node of a cluster having a plurality of nodes, executes a storage input/output (I/O) stack having a redundant array of independent disks (RAID) layer. The RAID layer organizes solid state drives (SSDs) within one or more storage arrays as a plurality of RAID groups associated with one or more extent stores. The RAID groups are formed from slices of storage spaces of the SSDs instead of entire storage spaces of the SSDs. This provides for RAID groups to co-exist on a same set of the SSDs. |
US09483346B2 |
Data rebuild on feedback from a queue in a non-volatile solid-state storage
A storage cluster is provided. The storage cluster includes a plurality of storage nodes, each of the plurality of storage nodes having nonvolatile solid-state memory and a plurality of operations queues coupled to the solid-state memory. The plurality of storage nodes is configured to distribute the user data and metadata throughout the plurality of storage nodes such that the plurality of storage nodes can access the user data with a failure of two of the plurality of storage nodes. Each of the plurality of storage nodes is configured to determine whether a read of 1 or more bits in the solid-state memory via a first path is within a latency budget. The plurality of storage nodes is configured to perform a read of user data or metadata via a second path, responsive to a determination that the read of the bit via the first path is not within the latency budget. |
US09483344B2 |
System, method, apparatus, and computer program product for providing mobile device support services
A method is provided for providing mobile device support services. The method may include monitoring a mobile device status. The method may additionally include performing device diagnostics based at least in part on captured deice status data to identify potential faults that may affect mobile device functionality. A corresponding system, apparatus, and computer program product are also provided. |
US09483341B2 |
Applying security label on kernel core crash file
A system for applying security label on a kernel core crash file is disclosed. A method of the disclosure includes accessing, by a processing device, a crash recovery configuration file, parsing the crash recovery configuration file to determine a storage location of a core file, the core file comprising an image of a kernel of an operating system (OS), the image being captured when the OS fails, locating the core file at the determined storage location, and upon determining that a security label is not associated with the core file, sending a command to apply the security label to the core file. |
US09483340B1 |
Estimating bit error rate
A system may obtain a current bit error count that identifies a quantity of bit errors in a bit stream during a time interval. The system may determine that the current bit error count identifies one or more bit errors. The system may determine whether an estimated bit error rate (BER) for the bit stream is likely to satisfy a threshold. The system may select an approach for determining the estimated BER for the bit stream. The estimated BER may be determined based on combining the current bit error count with a quantity of bits received in the time interval when the estimated BER is likely to exceed the threshold, and the estimated BER may be determined based on the current bit error count and one or more past bit error counts when the estimated BER is unlikely to exceed the threshold. The system may determine the estimated BER. |
US09483339B2 |
Systems and methods for fast bit error rate estimation
Changes in the distribution of memory cells across memory states allow calculation of Bit Error Rate (BER). Comparison of test data stored in memory and a known good copy of the test data provides test data BER from which user data BER may be obtained. Data may be handled differently according to its BER. |
US09483338B2 |
Network node failure predictive system
In an example, network node failures may be predicted by extracting performance metrics for the network nodes from a plurality of data sources. A fail condition may be defined for the network nodes and input variables related to the fail condition for the network nodes may then be derived from the extracted performance metrics. A plurality of models may then be trained to predict the fail condition for the network nodes using a training set from the extracted performance metrics with at least one of the identified input variables. Each of the plurality of trained models may be validated using a validation set from the extracted performance metrics and may be rated according to predefined criteria. As a result, a highest rated model of the validated models may be selected to predict the fail condition for the network nodes. |
US09483336B2 |
Method for correcting memory error of application program
A method for correcting a memory error of an application program are provided, which includes: when an error occurs in a memory occupied by an application program, suspending a process of the application program; waking up an error correction program that corresponds to the application program, where the error correction program is created when the application program is started; performing, by the error correction program, correction processing on the memory in which the error occurs; if the correction processing performed on the memory in which the error occurs fails, closing, by the error correction program, the application program after saving key data of the application program; and if the correction processing performed on the memory in which the error occurs succeeds, restoring, by the error correction program, the process of the application program that is suspended. Thus reliability and security can be improved when the application program is applied. |
US09483335B1 |
Processing event messages for user requests to execute program code
A service manages a plurality of virtual machine instances for low latency execution of user codes. The service can provide the capability to execute user code in response to events triggered on an auxiliary service to provide implicit and automatic rate matching and scaling between events being triggered on the auxiliary service and the corresponding execution of user code on various virtual machine instances. An auxiliary service may be configured as an event triggering service to detect events and generate event messages for execution of the user codes. The service can request, receive, or poll for event messages directly from the auxiliary service or via an intermediary message service. Event messages can be rapidly converted to requests to execute user code on the service. The time from processing the event message to initiating a request to begin code execution is less than a predetermined duration, for example, 100 ms. |
US09483332B2 |
Event processing method in stream processing system and stream processing system
An event processing method in a stream processing system includes matching a basic event with basic events stored in engine memories corresponding to each matching mode in a rule engine, to determine an engine memory including the basic event, and when it is determined that the engine memory including the basic event is an engine memory corresponding to a full-loop mode, inputting the basic event into the full-loop mode of the rule engine, adding a full-loop identifier to the basic event. This method implements classification processing on complex events by using different matching modes of the rule engine, improving performance of processing a complex event in an Event Stream Processing (ESP) service processing process. |
US09483331B1 |
Notifying a multipathing driver of fabric events and performing multipathing management operations in response to such fabric events
A technique manages operation of a host computer having access to a storage volume on a storage system via two or more distinct paths. The technique involves operating a multipathing driver within the host computer, the multipathing driver controlling path access from the host computer to the storage volume. The technique further involves operating a host bus adaptor (HBA) driver within the host computer to interface the host computer to a fabric connecting the host computer to the storage system. The technique further involves conveying fabric topology state change event information from the HBA driver to the multipathing driver to enable the multipathing driver to take action in response to fabric topology state change events. In some arrangements, an event monitoring handler receives fabric event information from registered state change notifications (RSCNs) containing fabric event information from the HBA driver, and forwards that information on to the multipathing driver. |
US09483328B2 |
System and method for delivering application content
A system and method for messaging application content that includes providing an application content messaging application programming interface (API); receiving a content delivery request from an account, through the application content messaging API; retrieving device information of a destination endpoint specified in the content delivery request; based on the device information, selecting an application content format from a set of formats and obtaining application content in the application content format; and transmitting the application content. |
US09483323B2 |
Read and write operations on shared data resources in parallel processing systems
Providing unblocked read operations concurrent with write operations with respect to shared data resources in parallel processing systems. In an embodiment, for each data resource, a pair of fields and an index field is maintained. The index field indicates which of the two fields (e.g., first field) stores a current value for the data resource. However, when a new value is to be stored for the data resource, the value is first stored in the second field using a execution entity, while ensuring exclusive access for the execution entity to the second field. The index field is then updated to indicate that the second field stores the current value, such that the new value in the second field is thereafter available as the current value for read operations. All read operations by any corresponding concurrent execution entities, during the write operation, are continued unblocked. |
US09483319B2 |
Job scheduling apparatus and method therefor
A plurality of compute nodes are divided into a plurality of groups. A maximum available resource amount determining unit determines, for each of the plurality of groups, the available resource amount of the compute node having the greatest available resource amount among the compute nodes belonging to the group as the maximum available resource amount of the group. An excluding unit compares the resource consumption of a job with the maximum available resource amount of each of the plurality of groups, and excludes a group whose maximum available resource amount is less than the resource consumption from search objects. A searching unit searches for a compute node whose available resource amount is greater than or equal to the resource consumption, from the compute nodes belonging to a group that is not excluded from the search objects. |
US09483318B2 |
Distributed procedure execution in multi-core processors
Technologies are generally described for methods and systems effective to execute a program in a multi-core processor. In an example, methods to execute a program in a multi-core processor may include executing a first procedure on a first core of a multi-core processor. The methods may further include while executing the first procedure, sending a first and second instruction, from the first core to a second and third core, respectively. The instructions may command the cores to execute second and third procedures. The methods may further include executing the first procedure on the first core while executing the second procedure on the second core and executing the third procedure on the third core. |
US09483317B1 |
Using multiple central processing unit cores for packet forwarding in virtualized networks
Systems and methods for using a plurality of processing cores for packet processing in a virtualized network environment are described herein. An example system can comprise a scheduler operable to initiate a processing core of the plurality of processing cores. The processing core is operable to process a plurality of data packets. Based on the determination that the processing core exceeds a threshold processing capacity associated with the processing core, the scheduler sequentially initiates at least one subsequent processing core. The at least one subsequent processing core has a corresponding threshold processing capacity and is operable to process data packets of the plurality of data packets in excess of threshold processing capacities associated with preceding processing cores. Thus, the threshold processing capacities associated with the preceding processing cores are not exceeded. |
US09483316B2 |
Managing a virtual machine instance
The present invention relates to mechanisms for managing VM instances. More specifically, the mechanisms provide at least one VM instance in a resource pool. A configuration requirement is provided with respect to a virtual machine, the configuration requirement describing a first amount of application resources to be installed on the virtual machine. Based on the configuration requirement, a resource tree is built describing a dependency relation between the first amount of application resources. At least one VM instance corresponding to a sub-path of the resource tree is provided in the resource pool, where on each VM instance in the at least one VM instance there are installed application resources included in the sub-path. |
US09483315B2 |
Autonomous dynamic optimization of platform resources
Systems and program products for dynamically optimizing platform resource allocation of a logically-partitioned data processing system. Processor and memory resources are allocated to logical partitions of the data processing system. After allocating the processor and memory resources to the plurality of logical partitions, local and non-local memory accesses are monitored for the logical partitions. Based at least in part on the local and non-local memory accesses, a determination is made whether to reallocate the processor and memory resources of the logical partitions. Responsive to determining to reallocate the processor and memory resources, the processor and memory resources are dynamically reallocated to the logical partitions of the data processing system. |
US09483314B2 |
Systems and methods for fault tolerant batch processing in a virtual environment
A system for fault tolerant batch processing in a virtual environment is configured to perform batch job execution, the system includes computing devices configured as a virtualized grid cluster by means of a virtualization platform, the cluster includes a centralized storage repository, a grid manager deployed on an instantiated virtual machine and a message bus whereby data and messages are exchanged between the grid manager and one or more grid nodes. The grid manager is configured to manage one or more incoming job requests, queue one or more of the received job requests in a job execution queue and monitor one or more virtual grid nodes. |
US09483313B2 |
Availability management for reference data services
Various aspects for scaling an availability of information are disclosed. In one aspect, a response performance associated with responding to data consumption requests is monitored. A characterization of the response performance is ascertained, and a scaling of resources is facilitated based on the characterization. In another aspect, a data consumption status indicative of data consumed is ascertained. Here, a scalability interface is provided, which displays aspects of the status, and receives an input from a content provider. An allocation of resources is then modified in response to the input. In yet another aspect, a response performance associated with responding to data consumption requests is monitored. An application programming interface (API) call is generated based on a characterization of the response performance, and transmitted to a content provider. An API response is then received from the content provider indicating whether a scaling of resources for hosting the data was performed. |
US09483311B2 |
Logical data shuffling
Embodiments relate to data shuffling by logically rotating processing nodes. The nodes are logically arranged in a two or three dimensional matrix. Every time two of the nodes in adjacent rows of the matrix are positionally aligned, these adjacent nodes exchange data. The positional alignment is a logical alignment of the nodes. The nodes are logically arranged and rotated, and data is exchanged in response to the logical rotation. |
US09483310B2 |
Associating cache memory with a work process
Systems, methods, and software described herein provide accelerated input and output of data in a work process. In one example, a method of operating a support process within a computing system for providing accelerated input and output for a work process includes monitoring for a file mapping attempt initiated by the work process. The method further includes, in response to the file mapping attempt, identifying a first region in memory already allocated to a cache service, and associating the first region in memory with the work process. |
US09483307B2 |
Asynchronous, interactive task workflows
A method of performing an asynchronous, interactive workflow is provided. The method includes generating a workflow comprising one or more tasks and executing at least a portion of the one or more tasks of the workflow automatically, without user interaction, and in response to a trigger. The method further includes detecting that a current task of the one or more tasks of the workflow requires user interaction, adding the current task to a to-do list of tasks requiring user interaction, and determining that one of an at least one user associated with the workflow has logged on, presenting at least one task from the to-do list to the user, receiving the required user interaction, and executing the at least one task from the to-do list based on the received user interaction. |
US09483306B2 |
Predictive sequential calculation device
A calculation device is provided that executes calculations within real-time restrictions. The calculation device implements a step of predicting a processing time of a calculation related to the amount and property of input data based on a prediction model; a step of adjusting the processing time by decreasing the amount of data used for the calculation or decreasing the number of iterative calculations when the processing time exceeds a time slice allocated to the calculation; a step of executes the calculation using the adjusted processing time; a step of updating, as required, the prediction model used for predicting the processing time according to the result of the calculation which is executed in a period where the calculation is not performed while implementing a change of the amount of data or the number of iterative calculations or change to an approximation. |
US09483304B2 |
Interface wires for a measurement system diagram
A system and method for configuring objects in a system diagram to access interfaces of other objects are described. A first node and a second node may be displayed in the system diagram. The second node may implement one or more interfaces, where each interface includes one or more callable functions. An interface wire connecting the first node to the second node may be displayed in response to user input. The system may automatically configure the first node to access at least one of the one or more interfaces of the second node in response to displaying the interface wire. |
US09483301B2 |
Dynamic virtual machine function enabling
A method performed by a physical computing system includes, with a guest, requesting execution of a virtual machine function instruction, determining that virtual machine function ability for the guest is in a disabled state, in response to the requesting execution of a virtual machine function instruction and determining that the virtual machine function ability for the guest is in a disabled state, exiting a context of the guest, after a page table that maps guest virtual addresses to guest physical addresses is validated, determining that the virtual machine function ability is enabled, and in response to determining that the virtual machine function ability for the guest is in an enabled state, executing the virtual machine function instruction. |
US09483300B2 |
Importing a running VM
A virtualization manager executing on a processing device adds a host to a list of hosts associated with the virtualization manager. The virtualization manager identifies a list of external VMs running on the host that are not managed by the virtualization manager. The virtualization manager obtains detailed information for each of the external VMs running on the host from an agent running on the host. The virtualization manager then manages the external VMs running on the host using the detailed information. |
US09483287B2 |
Communication infrastructure for virtual machines
In an example embodiment, a communication is received from a software tool. The communication may be intended for a virtual machine and may contain an identification of a virtual file. A virtual file can then be retrieved using the identification. The virtual file defines a file socket, the file socket providing a communications channel for stream-based communications. Then the file socket can be established as a communications channel between the software tool and the virtual machine based on the virtual file. |
US09483282B1 |
Methods and systems for run-time hardware configuration change management
This disclosure relates to systems and methods for reconfiguring hardware at run-time. In multi-tasking environments, applications may depend on specific hardware configurations for their execution. The run-time hardware configuration change management API can receive hardware configuration requests from applications, accept or deny configuration requests, arbitrate conflicting configuration requests, and apply configuration requests. |
US09483280B2 |
Information processing apparatus, program, and information processing system
An information processing apparatus includes a reading unit that reads, from a memory area of an IC chip, identification information of a service including at least any one of a wire communication service via an external wire communication or a wireless communication service via an external wireless communication, which use the memory area of the IC chip. The information processing apparatus also includes an acquisition unit that acquires service information to allow a user to use a service from an external server by transmitting the identification information of the service which the reading unit has read to the external server, and includes a display unit that displays to allow the user to use the service based on the service information which the acquisition unit has acquired. |
US09483279B2 |
Mechanism for providing unified access to decentralized user assistance repositories
Aspects of the present invention include a method of deploying user assistance information. The method includes providing access to a container storing a plurality of context domain declarations (CDDs), creating a new CDD, wherein the new CDD specifies an associated user assistance repository (UAR), creating pattern information which identifies an application or application state for which the associated UAR is applicable, deploying the new CDD independently from the application and the associated UAR, and distributing the new CDD to one or more users. |
US09483278B2 |
Arrangement for secure independent operating environments in a computer
The present invention protects a memory image of an OS in a sleep state. A CPU executes a first OS or a second OS while switching there between. The first OS is loaded into a main memory, and the second OS is loaded into an auxiliary memory. The auxiliary memory may be connected to a chipset through a PCIe interface. The main memory and the auxiliary memory are configured such that, when one is in an active state where the right of access to the CPU is obtained, the other makes a transition to the sleep state where there is no right of access to the CPU while maintaining the memory image. In order to prevent one OS in the active state from accessing the main memory or the auxiliary memory in which the memory image of the other OS in the sleep state is stored, the BIOS may set a corresponding controller to disabled during a POST. |
US09483277B2 |
Instant messaging communication system and method
A method of providing instant messaging communication between a first user and at least one other user via a communication network. The method comprises: executing an instant messaging client at a user terminal of the first user, the instant messaging client having a user interface comprising a message composition region; the instant messaging client receiving a selection of media for insertion into the instant messaging communication from the first user; the instant messaging client generating a link comprising the address of the selected media at a network element and creating a selectable control with the link embedded therein; inserting the selectable control in the message composition region of the instant messaging client; the instant messaging client receiving user-viewable text entered by the first user into the message composition region in addition to the selectable control; and the instant messaging client transmitting the contents of the message composition region of the instant messaging client to the at least one other user over the communication network responsive to a command from the first user. |
US09483275B2 |
Method and system using exceptions for code specialization in a computer architecture that supports transactions
A method and system uses exceptions for code specialization in a system that supports transactions. The method and system includes inserting one or more branchless instructions into a sequence of computer instructions. The branchless instructions include one or more instructions that are executable if a commonly occurring condition is satisfied and include one or more instructions that are configured to raise an exception if the commonly occurring condition is not satisfied. |
US09483271B2 |
Compressed indirect prediction caches
Provided herein is a compressed cache design to predict indirect branches in a microprocessor based on the characteristics of the addresses of the branch instructions. In one aspect, a method for predicting a branch target T in a microprocessor includes the following steps. A compressed count cache table (CTABLE) of branch targets indexed using a function combining a branch address and a branch history vector for each of the targets is maintained, wherein entries in the CTABLE contain only low-order bits of each of the targets in combination with an index bit(s) I. A given one of the entries is obtained related to a given one of the branch targets and it is determined from the index bits I whether A) high-order bits of the target are equal to the branch address, or B) the high-order bits of the target are contained in an auxiliary cache table (HTABLE). |
US09483266B2 |
Fusible instructions and logic to provide OR-test and AND-test functionality using multiple test sources
Fusible instructions and logic provide OR-test and AND-test functionality on multiple test sources. Some embodiments include a processor decode stage to decode a test instruction for execution, the instruction specifying first, second and third source data operands, and an operation type. Execution units, responsive to the decoded test instruction, perform one logical operation, according to the specified operation type, between data from the first and second source data operands, and perform a second logical operation between the data from the third source data operand and the result of the first logical operation to set a condition flag. Some embodiments generate the test instruction dynamically by fusing one logical instruction with a prior-art test instruction. Other embodiments generate the test instruction through a just-in-time compiler. Some embodiments also fuse the test instruction with a subsequent conditional branch instruction, and perform a branch according to how the condition flag is set. |
US09483265B2 |
Vectorized lookup of floating point values
Systems and techniques disclosed herein include methods for de-quantization of feature vectors used in automatic speech recognition. A SIMD vector processor is used in one embodiment for efficient vectorized lookup of floating point values in conjunction with fMPE processing for increasing the discriminative power of input signals. These techniques exploit parallelism to effectively reduce the latency of speech recognition in a system operating in a high dimensional feature space. In one embodiment, a bytewise integer lookup operation effectively performs a floating point or a multiple byte lookup. |
US09483264B2 |
Trace-based instruction execution processing
A method for executing instructions in a thread processing environment includes determining a multiple requirements that must be satisfied and resources that must be available for executing multiple instructions. The multiple instructions are encapsulated into a schedulable structure. A header is configured for the schedulable structure with information including the determined multiple requirements and resources. The schedulable structure is schedule for executing each of the multiple instructions using the information. |
US09483255B2 |
Application resource updates
Solutions are described that enable a user equipment (UE) for a communication system to modify resource files, e.g., audio files, picture files, video clips, etc., used by Java applications without requiring downloading of entire applications. Error reports are sent to application providers that relate to specific resource files based on modified application descriptor files. |
US09483254B2 |
Method, apparatus and storage medium for dynamically patching a function
A method, apparatus and a storage medium for dynamically patching a function are provided. The method includes that: N long jump instructions at initial instructions of a modified patched function are restored to original instructions of the patched function according to a pre-tag of a currently running task, wherein N is an integer more than or equal to 3; and when the currently running task quits running, the N original instructions at the start of the initial instructions are modified into the long jump instructions in order to dynamically patch the function. By adopting the method, the N long jump instructions at the initial instructions of the modified patched function are restored as needed to the original instructions of the patched function during task running, and then, when the task quits running, the N original instructions at the start of the initial instructions are modified into the long jump instructions, so that replacement for the patched function is completed, dynamical patching for the function is realized, and the problem that a modified system may be unable to run normally after the initial instructions of the patched function are modified into the long jump instructions is solved. |
US09483252B2 |
Role-based modernization of legacy applications
Methods, systems, and techniques for role-based modernization of legacy applications are provided. Example embodiments provide a Role-Based Modernization System (“RBMS”), which enables the reorganization of (menu-based) legacy applications by role as a method of modernization and enables user access to such modernized applications through roles. In addition the RBMS supports the ability to enhance such legacy applications by blending them with non-legacy tasks and functions in a user-transparent fashion. In one embodiment, the RBMS comprises a client-side javascript display and control module and a java applet host interface and a server-side emulation control services module. These components cooperate to uniformly present legacy and non-legacy tasks that have been reorganized according to role modernization techniques. |
US09483251B2 |
Basic input/output system updating method and computer readable storage medium
A BIOS updating method determines whether to allow a current BIOS version to be upgraded or downgraded to a target BIOS version according to a dependency description recorded in a BIOS updating program or a dependency description recorded in an SMBIOS. If all of the BIOS versions recorded in the dependency description are not between the current BIOS version and the target BIOS version, the BIOS updating program allows the current BIOS version to be upgraded or downgraded to the target BIOS version. If at least one of the BIOS versions recorded in the dependency description is between the current BIOS version and the target BIOS version, the BIOS updating program forbids the current BIOS version to be directly upgraded or downgraded to the target BIOS version. |
US09483249B2 |
On-board applet migration
An electronic device (such as a cellular telephone) automatically installs and personalizes updates to an applet on a secure element in the electronic device. In particular, when a digitally signed update package containing the update is received from an updating device (such as a server), the secure element identifies any previous versions of the applet installed on the secure element. If there are any previously installed versions, the secure element verifies the digital signature of the update package using an encryption key associated with a vendor of the secure element. Then, the secure element uninstalls the previous versions of the applet and exports the associated user data. Next, the secure element installs the update to the applet, and personalizes the new version of the applet using the user data. |
US09483243B2 |
Interleaving data accesses issued in response to vector access instructions
A vector data access unit includes data access ordering circuitry, for issuing data access requests indicated by elements of earlier and a later vector instructions, one being a write instruction. An element indicating the next data access for each of the instructions is determined. The next data accesses for the earlier and the later instructions may be reordered. The next data access of the earlier instruction is selected if the position of the earlier instruction's next data element is less than or equal to the position of the later instruction's next data element minus a predetermined value. The next data access of the later instruction may be selected if the position of the earlier instruction's next data element is higher than the position of the later instruction's next data element minus a predetermined value. Thus data accesses from earlier and later instructions are partially interleaved. |
US09483240B1 |
Data binding dependency analysis
A computing device is described that includes a preprocessor module, and a compiler module. The preprocessor module identifies, based on parsing source code of a layout file that defines a user interface, a plurality of data binding expressions that each define a respective data binding between a user interface element of the user interface and a model object, determine, based on the plurality of data binding expressions, dependencies between each of the plurality of data binding expressions, and generate, based on the dependencies, additional source code for updating at least one respective data binding defined by the plurality of data binding expressions in response to a change to a property of the model object. The compiler module generates an application comprising machine-executable code that is based on the source code of the layout file, the model object, and the additional source code. |
US09483239B2 |
User interface design framework
Disclosed herein are technologies for a WYSIWYG user interface (UI) design tool that enables runtime behaviors (e.g., content update and user interaction) with UI controls during design time of such controls. That is, using a UI design tool in accordance with the technology described herein, the human designer can see and experience the runtime behavior of the UI controls while designing those controls. This Abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. |
US09483238B2 |
Declarative software application meta-model and system for self-modification
A solution providing for the dynamic design, use, and modification of models using a declarative software application meta-model that provides for self-modification of a collection of the models is provided. The solution can enable continuous real-time testing, simulation, deployment, and modification of the collection of the models. A model in the collection of the models can represent an entity or a function and can be included in a set of related models. Additionally, a set of related models can include a plurality of sets of related models. The collection of the models can represent, for example, one or more software applications, processes, and/or the like. |
US09483237B2 |
Method and system for providing an image effects interface
A method and system for generating user-accessible effects. The method includes receiving a library of operators, each operator including a set of operations performable on an image. The method includes receiving an effect definition from a designer via a graphical user interface, wherein the effect definition includes a set of operators from the library to be executed on a user-provided image and parameters associated with each operator. The method includes saving the effect definition to an accessible memory. The method includes uploading the effect definition to a servers wherein the effect definition is accessible to a user over a network. |
US09483227B2 |
Display panel attachment mechanism
A light-emitting display system has interlocking tiles. In an implementation, each tile has a portion of a clamp that joins with another portion of the clamp on another tile. A tile is removed from the display by unlocking the clamp portions. The tile is removed without affecting the position of the other tiles in the display. |
US09483223B2 |
Image forming apparatus supporting Wi-Fi direct and method of activating Wi-Fi direct
An image forming apparatus supporting peer to peer (P2P) connection includes a print engine to perform a print operation; a first wireless interface to connect the image forming apparatus to an access point (AP) of an infrastructured network; a second wireless interface to connect the image forming apparatus to an external mobile device by P2P; a soft AP module to allow the image forming apparatus to perform as an AP when the image forming apparatus is P2P connected; a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) server unit to allocate an internet protocol (IP) address to the mobile device that is P2P connected to the image forming apparatus; a soft AP activating unit to activate the soft AP module; and a control unit. If a discovery packet is received from the mobile device via P2P interface, the control unit is operable to control the image forming apparatus to process the discovery packet. |
US09483220B2 |
Image processing system, management system, image processing apparatus and method of proofreading document
There is provided a management system for managing a manuscript of a book in a plurality of steps, works serially performed on the manuscript being divided into the steps, the management system comprising: a print control unit configured to generate data for printing out sheets in response to receiving a print request of manuscript data, respective pages in the manuscript data being incorporated in the sheets, wherein the manuscript data is generated by digitizing the manuscript including the respective pages, and the respective sheets include identification information items which are made unique on a sheet-by-sheet basis and used for determining properness of the respective sheets, the identification information items indicating a step among the steps which includes a work most lately performed. |
US09483219B2 |
Information processing system, information processor, non-transitory computer readable medium, and information processing method
An information processing system has a terminal apparatus, an information processor, and an image processor connected to one another. The information processor includes first and second virtual machines, a first receiving unit receiving a connection request from the image processor, a first forwarding unit forwarding the connection request to the first machine, a second receiving unit receiving another connection request from the terminal apparatus, and a second forwarding unit forwarding the another connection request to the second machine. The second machine includes an acquiring unit receiving identifying information of the image processor selected by a user and acquiring first machine identifying information based on the identifying information, a connection transfer requesting unit requesting the first machine to transfer an authority to connect to the image processor based on the first machine identifying information, and a connecting unit receiving the authority and connecting the second machine and the image processor. |
US09483206B1 |
Implementing synchronization for remote disk mirroring
A method, and system for implementing enhanced fast full synchronization for remote disk mirroring in a computer system. A source backup copy is made locally available to a target for remote disk mirroring. Sectors are identified that are different between the source and target. A hash function is used over a block to be compared, with an adaptive number of tracking sectors per block, starting with a minimum block size. |
US09483205B2 |
Writing to a storage platform including a plurality of storage clusters
An administrator provisions a virtual disk in a remote storage platform and defines policies for that virtual disk. A virtual machine writes to and reads from the storage platform using any storage protocol. Virtual disk data within a failed storage pool is migrated to different storage pools while still respecting the policies of each virtual disk. Snapshot and revert commands are given for a virtual disk at a particular point in time and overhead is minimal. A virtual disk is cloned utilizing snapshot information and no data need be copied. Any number of Zookeeper clusters are executing in a coordinated fashion within the storage platform, thus increasing overall throughput. A timestamp is generated that guarantees a monotonically increasing counter, even upon a crash of a virtual machine. Any virtual disk has a “hybrid cloud aware” policy in which one replica of the virtual disk is stored in a public cloud. |
US09483204B2 |
Method and apparatus for performing volume replication using unified architecture
Method and apparatus for performing volume replication using a unified architecture are provided. Each volume has an exclusive volume log table (VLT) and an exclusive volume block update table (VBUT). The VLT is mainly used for recording the relationship between two volumes of a mirroring pair, and the VBUT is used for tracking the state of each data block of the volume itself. By means of the cross operations and applications between the VLT and the VBUT, various volume replication processes such as volume copying and volume mirroring can be enabled under a unified architecture. For each volume, different replication relationships with other volumes can be handled merely by administering its two exclusive tables. The method and the apparatus provided by the present invention can simplify the architecture for synchronization replication and reduce the burdens of administrating tables, thereby making the operation of a storage system more efficient. |
US09483202B2 |
Rapid cloning of data objects backed by non-contiguous extents
A request is received to clone a source data object. A source block range of the source data object in a source logical storage unit is determined. An empty data object in the destination logical storage unit is created. A destination block range of the empty data object in the destination logical storage unit is determined. The source block range is mapped to the destination block range. The source data object is cloned based on the mapping. |
US09483195B2 |
Response reading method and data transmission system
A response reading method and a data transmission system are provided. The method includes, transmitting a first operation command sequence corresponding to a first temporary file to a memory storage device by a system, where the first operation command sequence instructs a smart card to execute a first operation. The method also includes, executing a first writing operation of a first dummy file to update first data in a cache memory. The method further includes, executing a response reading operation corresponding to a second temporary file by the system to read a response of the smart card corresponding to the first operation command sequence. |
US09483193B1 |
Data storage device
A data storage device includes a first memory device suitable for performing an internal operation in response to a first internal operation command; and a state checking block suitable for performing a state read operation by transmitting a state read command one or more times to the first memory device during one of an initial mode and a repeat mode which is set based on a type of the internal operation. |
US09483192B2 |
Memory system and control method thereof
A memory system includes a nonvolatile memory including a plurality of blocks as data erase units, a measuring unit which measures an erase time at which data of each block is erased, and a block controller which writes data supplied from at least an exterior into a first block which is set in a free state and whose erase time is oldest. |
US09483188B2 |
Multiple I/O request processing in a storage system
A mechanism is provided to optimize performance of a storage system. A plurality of I/O requests is received. A subset of the plurality of I/O requests is selected. The size of each I/O request of the subset of the plurality of I/O requests is less than a predetermined size, but the combined size of the subset of the plurality of I/O requests is greater than the predetermined size. Furthermore, the subset of the plurality of I/O requests is associated with a single logical unit number. A data transfer command which includes the subset of the plurality of I/O requests is generated. The data transfer command is transmitted. |
US09483187B2 |
Quality of service implementation in a networked storage system with hierarchical schedulers
Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for allocating CPU cycles in a storage system. One method includes operations for receiving requests to be processed, and for associating each request to one task. A foreground task is for processing input/output requests, and the foreground task includes one or more flows. Each flow is associated with a queue and a flow counter value, where each queue is configured to hold requests. The method further includes an operation for selecting one task for processing by the CPU based on an examination of the number of cycles processed by the CPU for each task. When the selected task is the foreground task, the flow having the lowest flow counter is selected. The CPU processes a request from the queue of the selected flow, and the flow counter of the selected flow is increased based on the data consumption of the processed task. |
US09483182B2 |
Management of memory pages
In a method for managing memory pages, responsive to determining that a server is experiencing memory pressure, one or more processors identifying a first memory page in a listing of memory pages in the server. The method further includes determining whether the first memory page corresponds to a logical partition (LPAR) of the server that is scheduled to undergo an operation to migrate data stored on memory pages of the LPAR to another server. The method further includes, responsive to determining that the first memory page does correspond to a LPAR of the server that is scheduled to undergo an operation to migrate data, determining whether to evict the first memory page based on a memory page state associated with the first memory page. The method further includes, responsive to determining to evict the first memory page, evicting data stored in the first memory page to a paging space. |
US09483180B2 |
Memory-area property storage including data fetch width indicator
Embodiments relate to memory-area property storage including a data fetch width indicator. An aspect includes allocating a memory page in a main memory to an application that is executed by a processor of a computer. Another aspect includes determining the data fetch width indicator for the allocated memory page. Another aspect includes setting the data fetch width indicator in the at least one memory-area property storage in the allocated memory page. Another aspect includes, based on a cache miss in the cache memory corresponding to an address that is located in the allocated memory page: determining the data fetch width indicator in the memory-area property storage associated with the location of the address; and fetching an amount of data from the memory page based on the data fetch width indicator. |
US09483179B2 |
Memory-area property storage including data fetch width indicator
Embodiments relate to memory-area property storage including a data fetch width indicator. An aspect includes allocating a memory page in a main memory to an application that is executed by a processor of a computer. Another aspect includes determining the data fetch width indicator for the allocated memory page. Another aspect includes setting the data fetch width indicator in the at least one memory-area property storage in the allocated memory page. Another aspect includes, based on a cache miss in the cache memory corresponding to an address that is located in the allocated memory page: determining the data fetch width indicator in the memory-area property storage associated with the location of the address; and fetching an amount of data from the memory page based on the data fetch width indicator. |
US09483178B2 |
Information processing apparatus, method for controlling information processing apparatus, and storage medium
The present invention enables a user to perform an operation of closing a software keyboard displayed on a display unit by an operation to a predetermined input item with use of a hardware keyboard. A method for controlling an information processing apparatus includes receiving an input to a predetermined input item via a software keyboard displayed on a display unit, receiving an input to the predetermined input item via a hardware keyboard connected to the information processing apparatus, inputting a character to the predetermined input item according to the key input received via the software keyboard or the hardware keyboard, and closing a display of the software keyboard displayed on the display unit if the input to the predetermined input item which is received via the hardware keyboard satisfies a predetermined condition during the display of the software keyboard. |
US09483173B2 |
Information processor input button display that prevents selection of undesired button
An information processor includes a means for displaying a plurality of item buttons in a display region, the item buttons each having center coordinates and outlines, a means for determining coordinates of an indicated position in the display area based on an input signal, a means for calibrating the center coordinates of each of the plurality of item buttons to coordinates between the center coordinates and the outlines of each of the item buttons to obtain the calibrated center coordinates, and a means for determining one of the item buttons to be in a selected state such that the calibrated center coordinates of the determined one is closest to the coordinates of the indicated position. |
US09483171B1 |
Low latency touch input rendering
Devices and techniques to decrease latency in rendering a line or other feature on a display device responsive to input on a touch sensor are described. A touch sensor may detect a touch input with the touch sensor. Touch coordinates indicative of the touch input on the touch sensor are determined. The touch coordinates are mapped to display coordinates associated with the display device. Based on the display coordinates, an operating system kernel may generate a feature, such as a line, for presentation on the display. |
US09483170B2 |
Method and apparatus of error correction in resistive touch panels
A method and apparatus of generating display data based on at least one input display value received from a touch screen device is disclosed. According to one example method of operation the method may include receiving an input display value in a predefined enclosed area of an input domain, and calculating a parametric representation of the received input display value based on the boundaries of the predefined enclosed area in the input domain. The predefined enclosed area may be a triangle. The operations may also include mapping the parametric representation of the input display value to a corresponding output display value in an output domain. The operations may also include displaying the at least one output display value via the display device. |
US09483166B2 |
System and method for playback of media content with support for audio touch caching
A system and method for playback of media content, for example music, video, or other media content. A media device having a media playback application and including a touch-sensitive user interface can be adapted to display a visual array of media options, for example as a grid or list of card elements. Each media option can be associated with one or more media content items that can be streamed to and/or played on the device. The system can determine a selected card element, or media options that are proximate to a selected point or region of the visual array, and play or crossfade media content as appropriate. In accordance with various embodiments, additional features can be provided that improve user interaction, for example the use of audible notifications, media caching, or touch menus. |
US09483164B2 |
User-centric widgets and dashboards
User-centric widgets and dashboards are automatically modified to reflect a user's goals and needs. |
US09483162B2 |
Relationship visualizations
Systems and techniques for accelerating relationship visualizations from data objects are described herein. The configuration and/or display of a relationship matrix may be automatically determined from the data objects. The relationship matrix may display relationships through gradient, hue, color, and/or saturation. The relationship matrix may be navigable and/or interactive to accelerate relationship visualizations. |
US09483160B2 |
Mobile terminal and controlling method thereof
A mobile terminal and controlling method thereof are disclosed, by which a selection and/or execution of an application can be designated using a list of applications currently executed in a multitasking environment. The present invention includes a display unit, a user input unit configured to receive an input of a command from a user, and a controller, when a plurality of applications are being executed, if there is a first input via the user input unit, controlling a list of a plurality of the currently executed applications to be displayed on a first region, the controller, if one of at least one or more applications running in the background in the list is selected by a second input via the user input unit, controlling the selected application to be displayed on a second region of the display unit by having a prescribed visual effect applied thereto. |
US09483159B2 |
Fact checking graphical user interface including fact checking icons
A fact checking system is able to verify the correctness of information and/or characterize information by comparing the information with one or more sources. The fact checking system automatically monitors, processes, fact checks information and indicates a status of the information. The fact checking system is able to incorporate a graphical user interface with fact checking icons to indicate fact checking results. |
US09483155B2 |
Pointer unification
Embodiments relate to a computing device having storage, a processor, a display, a first human input device, and a second human input device, where the first human input device is in a first category of human input devices and the second human input device is in a second category of human input devices. The computing device may perform a process involving executing a windowing environment that manages windows of applications executing on the computing device. The windowing environment may receive raw inputs from the first and second human input devices and in turn generate input pointers for the raw inputs, respectively. The input pointers may be or include instances of an input pointer class implemented by the windowing environment, the pointer class used by the windowing environment for arbitrary different types of human input pointer devices including the first human input device and the second human input device. |
US09483151B2 |
Single layer multi-touch capacitive imaging sensor
Embodiments of the invention generally provide an input device having a reduced system complexity and low production cost. As the size of input devices, such as touch pads and other similar devices increase, the need for an input device that is able to maintain or even improve the touch sensing accuracy without greatly increasing the manufacturing cost becomes increasingly important. Embodiments of the invention may provide an input device that includes an array of capacitive sensing pixels that each include a unique pair of sensor electrodes, wherein at least one of the electrodes in a first pixel is also in communication with another sensor electrode in at least one other pixel, which is not in the same row or column with the first pixel. |
US09483150B2 |
Touch sensor mechanism and manufacturing method thereof
A touch sensor mechanism for a touch display device, includes a cover lens made by a transparent material having a dielectric constant greater than 4.5 and a compression strength greater than 700 MPa for generating a finger's touching capacitance (CF) while a user's finger of a user touch thereon; and a sensor device module including a plurality of sensor devices having a sensor parasitic capacitance (CP). The cover lens and the sensor device module are disposed in the touch display device in such a manner that a ratio of a standard deviation value (σU) of the finger's touching capacitance (CF) of the cover lens to the sensor parasitic capacitance (CP) of the sensor device module is a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The SNR is adjusted along with the finger's touching capacitance (CF) by reducing the thickness of the cover lens. |
US09483138B2 |
Natural media painting using a realistic brush and tablet stylus gestures
Systems and methods for providing a natural media painting application may receive user inputs through tablet stylus gestures. A user interface may detect stylus gestures that mimic real-world actions of artists based on information collected during user manipulation of the stylus, and may map the gestures to various digital painting and image editing tasks that may be invoked and/or controlled using the gesture-based inputs. The collected information may include spatial and/or directional information, acceleration data, an initial and/or ending position of the stylus, an initial and/or ending orientation of the stylus, and/or pressure data. The stylus gestures may include translations, rotations, twisting motions, mashing gestures, or jerking motions. The application may perform appropriate painting and image editing actions in response to detecting and recognizing the stylus gestures, and the actions taken may be dependent on the work mode and/or context of the graphics application in which stylus gesture was performed. |
US09483133B2 |
Handle switch device
There is provided a handle switch device provided at a position adjacent to a grip part at an end portion of a handle and provided with a control device for controlling an operation of a predetermined vehicle-mounted device by an operation of a passenger. The control device includes a touch pad having an operation surface that the passenger touches upon the operation, a touch sensor for detecting a touch of the passenger to the operation surface and a computing device for performing an operation determination based on an output of the touch sensor. The operation surface is formed as a continuous surface that can be touched by the passenger through a drag operation. The touch sensor can detect the touch to the operation surface at least by the drag operation. |
US09483132B2 |
Touch window and display including the same
A touch window includes a substrate in which first and second active areas are defined. A first sensing electrode is provided on the first active area to sense a position, and a second sensing electrode is provided in the second active area to sense a position. The first sensing electrode includes a material different from a material constituting the second sensing electrode. |
US09483129B1 |
Active stylus with fractional clock-cycle timing
In one embodiment, a method performed by an active stylus includes wirelessly receiving a synchronization signal from a touch controller. The method also includes determining a synchronization parameter of the synchronization signal, the synchronization parameter including an integer part and a fractional part, the integer part representing a positive integer multiple of an active-stylus clock period and the fractional part representing a fractional portion of the active-stylus clock period. The method further includes wirelessly transmitting information for reception by the touch controller, where the information includes a series of data portions, a successive data portion in the series being separated from a preceding data portion by a time interval. The time interval is based at least in part on the active-stylus clock period, the integer part of the synchronization parameter, and an updated fractional error value. |
US09483128B2 |
Display control device and display control method
A display control device includes a display part, an indication part to indicate a position on the display part and output a value of residual electric energy thereof, a coordinate detection part to detect coordinates of the position on the display part, a rendering data production part to produce rendering data based on the coordinates of the position on the display part, a determination part to determine whether or not the value of residual electric energy is less than a threshold value, a rendering data processing part to process the rendering data to produce data for notification of electric energy reduction in a case where the determination part determines that the value of residual electric energy is less than the threshold value, and a display control part to display the rendering data and the data for notification of electric energy reduction on the display part. |
US09483126B2 |
Smart variable torque display
In one example an electronic device comprises a controller, a chassis comprising a first section and a second section, and a hinge assembly to connect the first section of the chassis to the second section of the chassis comprising a shaft rotatable about a first axis, a brake selectively engageable with a portion of the shaft, and an electroactive polymer (EAP) actuator coupled to the brake, wherein the EAP actuator selectively engages the brake with a portion of the shaft in response to a signal from the controller. Other examples may be described. |
US09483125B2 |
Position information obtaining device and method, and image display system
A position information obtaining device and a position information obtaining method are provided. Each of the position information obtaining device and the position information obtaining method captures images to which a light pointer is directed and on which a light spot is formed, in chronological order, and estimates position information of a specified position on the images specified by the light pointer using a plurality of pieces of image information obtained from the captured image. |
US09483123B2 |
Systems, articles, and methods for gesture identification in wearable electromyography devices
Systems, articles, and methods for performing gesture identification with improved robustness against variations in use parameters and without requiring a user to undergo an extensive training procedure are described. A wearable electromyography (“EMG”) device includes multiple EMG sensors, an on-board processor, and a non-transitory processor-readable storage medium that stores data and/or processor-executable instructions for performing gesture identification. The wearable EMG device detects, determines, and ranks features in the signal data provided by the EMG sensors and generates a digit string based on the ranked features. The permutation of the digit string is indicative of the gesture performed by the user, which is identified by testing the permutation of the digit string against multiple sets of defined permutation conditions. A single reference gesture may be performed by the user to (re-)calibrate the wearable EMG device before and/or during use. |
US09483120B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling haptic feedback of an input tool for a mobile terminal
An apparatus and method are provided for controlling haptic feedback of an input tool for a mobile terminal. The method includes detecting, by the mobile terminal, a hovering of the input tool over an object displayed on a touch screen display of the mobile terminal; identifying a property of the object; and transmitting, to the input tool, a control signal for haptic feedback corresponding to the property of the object. |
US09483117B2 |
Apparatus, method and computer program for controlling a near-eye display
An apparatus, method and computer program where the apparatus comprises: at least one memory configured to store a computer program comprising computer program instructions; and at least one processor configured to execute the computer program instructions to cause the apparatus at least to perform: obtaining, from at least one detector, a detection of at least one bio-signal from at least one user where the user is using a user output device; determining from the at least one obtained bio-signal that movement of the user's head is about to occur; and in response to determining that movement of the user's head is about to occur, enabling the processor to control the output provided by the user output device to coordinate with the movement of the user's head. |
US09483115B2 |
Triggering control of audio for walk-around characters
A control system for selectively operating a sound system provided in a walk-around character costume. e.g., to play audio files in an order defined by a dialog tree that can be navigated by a performer wearing the costume. The control system includes a trigger mechanism provided in the costume operable by a performer wearing the costume to generate and transmit at least one trigger signal to navigate through a dialog tree. A controller receives the trigger signal and transmits a control signal causing the sound system to playback pre-recorded dialog. The system includes a trigger processing module run by the controller for processing the trigger signal and, in response to such processing, for navigating pre-recorded audio for a show to select the set of pre-recorded dialog. The trigger mechanism includes a first and a second pressure sensor in a thumb and index finger of a glove of the costume. |
US09483114B2 |
Medical system
A medical system has peripheral apparatuses, a sight line operation screen in which a command area for instructing operation of the peripheral apparatuses is displayed, a sight line measuring apparatus configured to detect sight line position coordinates of an operator, a sight line recognition level calculation section configured to calculate an extent of sight line recognition by the sight line measuring apparatus, and a sight line recognition level display area configured to display a calculation result of the sight line recognition level calculation section on the sight line operation screen. |
US09483110B2 |
Adaptive media file rewind
An addressable device receives a user-characterized rewind description. The addressable device stores the user-characterized rewind description. The addressable device renders an at least one media file to include a resume point of the at least one media file. The addressable device receives a command to preferentially rewind. The addressable device, responsive to receiving the command to preferentially rewind, re-renders the at least one media file to the user-characterized rewind description such that the display shows the at least one media file at a replay point of the media file at least the user-characterized rewind description prior to the resume point. |
US09483104B2 |
Image forming apparatus and response method to effectively switch between a normal mode and a standby mode for energy savings
The image forming apparatus includes a first response unit and a second response unit. The first response unit transmits a response including information corresponding to a request in response to a request from a management, via a network. The second response unit includes a storage unit and a control unit. The storage unit stores an item name of the information and an item value corresponding to the item name. The control unit controls so as to restrict power supply to the first response unit and transfers to a second mode in which the second response unit transmits the response in place of the first response unit, when a condition for transferring from the preliminarily set first mode to the second mode is satisfied and an item value corresponding to the stored item name is stored in the storage unit. |
US09483102B2 |
Peripheral apparatus, terminal, power saving control system, power saving control method, and power saving control program
A peripheral apparatus comprises: a power saving state shift notification signal transmission unit that transmits a power saving state shift notification signal to the terminal at a time of shifting to a power saving state; a notification response signal reception unit that receives a notification response signal from the terminal that is set as an output target for image forming and responds, only while in an operation state, to the power saving state shift notification signal transmitted from the power saving state shift notification signal transmission unit; and a power saving state shift control unit that stops a shift to the power saving state in a case of receiving the notification response signal by means of the notification response signal reception unit and executes the shift to the power saving state in a case of not-receiving the notification response signal. |
US09483100B2 |
Method and apparatus for power gating hardware components in a chip device
According to at least one example embodiment, a semiconductor device is configured to gate power supply to a hardware component through a transistor coupled to the hardware component. The transistor is operated by a controller in a manner to limit electric current dissipated to the hardware component during a transition period. The controller is configured to gradually turn on, or off, the hardware component during a transition period by controlling at least one input signal to the transistor. Gradual turning on, or off, of the hardware component reduces electric current leakage through the hardware component and diminishes any potential disturbance to a ground reference coupled to the hardware component. |
US09483097B2 |
Power-free wireless operation device of portable electronic device
A power-free wireless operation device of a portable electronic device includes a portable electronic device that includes a device-side matching unit, a radio frequency unit, a device-side wireless communication interface, and a message processing unit and a wireless operation mechanism that includes a matching unit, a current processing unit, a wireless communication interface, and an operation processing unit. As such, a keyboard is operable with power supply from a portable electronic device so that the keyboard does not need to be equipped with an own power supply, whereby the present invention allows for significant reduction of the size of a wireless operation device and, in manufacture and production, a design can be adopted to achieve the features of being light, thin, and compact and being readily foldable for easy carrying and providing an effect of environmental protection through regeneration. |
US09483089B2 |
System and method for integrating multiple servers into single full height bay of a server rack chassis
An information handling system includes a server rack chassis, an adaptor assembly, and second and third servers. The server rack chassis includes a bay adapted to receive a first server that has a height that is substantially equal to a height of the bay. The adaptor assembly is inserted within the bay and includes first, second, third, and fourth slots to receive servers. The adaptor assembly is substantially the same size and dimension as the first server. The second server is inserted within the first slot of the adaptor assembly, and includes a first communication fabric. The height of the second server is substantially equal to a quarter of the height of the bay. The third server is inserted within the second slot of the adaptor assembly, and includes a second communication fabric. The height of the third server is substantially equal to a quarter of the height of the bay. |
US09483088B2 |
Method for assembling a touch control display apparatus and the touch control display apparatus
A method for assembling a touch control display apparatus includes: mounting a frame member to an assembly surface of a touch control panel; fixing a display panel to one of the frame member and the assembly surface of the touch control panel such that a display surface of the display panel faces the touch control panel; mounting at least one electronic component on a section of the frame member that is not covered by the display panel; and coupling a bottom case to the frame member for enclosing the display panel and the at least one electronic component. |
US09483085B2 |
Portable electronic device including touch-sensitive display and method of controlling same
A method of controlling a portable electronic device includes displaying a portion of information on a touch-sensitive display; detecting a touch on the touch-sensitive display at a touch location associated with the information; detecting a tilt of the portable electronic device; and in response to detecting the tilt, scrolling the information. |
US09483078B2 |
Mobile terminal
There is disclosed a mobile terminal including a display unit, a first film having one surface coated with a first adhesive material, the surface coupled to a back surface of the display unit by the first adhesive material, and a front case having a second adhesive material disposed on one surface thereof, the surface coupled to the other surface of the first film by the second adhesive material, wherein an adhesive strength of the first adhesive material is smaller than an adhesive strength of the second adhesive material, such that the back surface of the mobile terminal may be attached to the case to prevent the bezel from increasing. |
US09483073B2 |
Display apparatus including vibration generating section
A light-transmitting panel is disposed in front of a display panel, and an elastic frame surrounding a display screen is disposed between the display panel and the light-transmitting panel. The elastic frame includes a high-density frame region with an increased compression and a low-density frame region with a compression lower than that of the high-density frame region. Most of the portions of the light-transmitting panel are supported by a low-density frame region. |
US09483070B2 |
Pedal guide system device
To provide a pedal guide system device for preventing an erroneous operation of a driver for the brake pedal and the accelerator pedal of a vehicle. A pedal guide system device for preventing an erroneous operation of a driver for a brake pedal and an accelerator pedal of a vehicle is provided with a plate-shaped, bellows-shaped, belt-shaped, or curtain-shaped guide component, which can be attached to the vehicle with a predetermined gap of 0.5-10 cm beside the brake pedal and/or the accelerator pedal and has the similar height as the height from the lower surface of a dashboard to the floor. The pedal guide system device enables a pedal operation in a space enclosed by four surfaces including a floor surface, an inner panel, and the dashboard, thereby enabling simple and easy to understand pedal position confirmation, enabling beginners and elderly people to get easily accustomed thereto, and enabling prevention of the erroneous operation for the pedals. |
US09483069B2 |
Circuit for generating bias current
A circuit for generating a bias current is provided, including: a loop unit, which includes a first current mirror structure constituted by a first PMOS transistor and a second PMOS transistor, and a second current mirror structure constituted by a first NMOS transistor and a second NMOS transistor, where the first and second NMOS transistors operate in a sub-threshold region; an output unit, adapted to output the bias current; and an amplifying unit, which includes a first input terminal and an output terminal, where the first input terminal is connected with a source of the first NMOS transistor or a source of the second NMOS transistor, and the output terminal is connected with gates of both the first and the second PMOS transistors. The bias current output from the circuit may be not sensitive to temperatures. |
US09483068B2 |
Estimating and monitoring the effects of transistor aging
One embodiment of the present invention sets for a method for monitoring the aging of a circuit. The method includes operating an aging unit included in the circuit beginning at a first time. The method also includes in response to a trigger event, operating a non-aging unit also included in the circuit beginning at a second time wherein the second time is subsequent to the first time. The method further includes detecting a frequency difference between a first frequency generated by the aging unit and a second frequency generated by the non-aging unit. The method also includes generating a modified power supply voltage based on the frequency difference. The method also includes applying the modified power supply voltage to the non-aging unit. |
US09483067B2 |
Controlling intelligent powered devices
Intelligent powered device (PD) control system including a switch system, state detector (SD), intelligent control device (ICD), and a PD. The switch system includes one or more conventional electrical switches. Each switch includes an interface to receive selection of a switch system state change between conductive and non-conductive states. The switch system includes a conductor pair(s) indicative of switch system state based on the selection. The SD signals the detected state to the ICD. The switch system output is in electrical connection with the detector such that, in the conductive state a loopback is formed in the switch system and SD, and in the non-conductive state no loopback is formed. The ICD receive the message from the state detector and transmits a fixture control command based on the message. The PD receives the command from the ICD via the data communications network, and controls its state based on the command. |
US09483063B2 |
Transmission-line coupled heat-dissipation device with an assembly of one or more controllable fins
Described embodiments include a device, a system, and a method. A described device includes a closed-cycle heat transfer device. The device includes a thermal management system adapted for dissipating heat generated by transmission lines of a power transmission system in use to transport electric power from one place to another. The system includes a heat-dissipation device and a transmission-line temperature manager. The heat-dissipation device includes a heat-acquisition element configured to absorb heat from a portion of a live transmission line of the power transmission system. The heat-dissipation device includes an assembly of one or more controllable fins thermally coupled to the heat-acquisition element and configured to dissipate at least a portion of the heat absorbed by the heat-acquisition. The transmission-line temperature manager is configured to control an aspect of the assembly of one or more controllable fins. |
US09483062B2 |
Climate control system
The invention relates to an improved climate control system in which a climate controlling equipment (1) has a control line (2) arranged to be connected to climate influenced impedance means (3). According to the invention, relay means (4) are arranged to disconnect the climate influenced impedance means from the control line under influence from an output (5) of a control unit (6) and to instead connect substituting means (7) providing an impedance controlled by a second output (8) of the control unit. The latter is connected to a processor (9) arranged to receive information from a plurality of climate influenced information means (10, 11, 12) and to process the same in a mathematical model for controlling the impedance of the substituting means via the control unit. |
US09483060B2 |
Pressure regulator
A pressure regulator (100) is provided. The pressure regulator (100) includes various features that reduce the risk of internal leaking The pressure regulator (100) includes a regulator body (101) including a fluid inlet (107) with a valve seat (106) and a fluid outlet (108) and a cap (102) coupled to the regulator body (101). The pressure regulator (100) also includes a diaphragm (103) with a first side (103a) exposed to the fluid inlet (107) and the fluid outlet (108) and a second side (103b) exposed to the cap (102). The diaphragm (103) can frictionally engage the regulator body (101) to form a fluid tight seal. Additionally, the diaphragm (103) may include a socket (118) formed in the diaphragm (103) and a valve member (105) including a valve stem (110) with a ball (118) that is adapted to engage the socket (118) formed in the diaphragm (103) in order to couple the valve member (105) to the diaphragm (103). |
US09483058B2 |
Aircraft control method
A computer-implemented method of controlling an aircraft including, determining whether a change in altitude at a predetermined thrust-setting can be performed, the determination including: determining a climb-requirement including initial and final altitudes and a required range of airspeeds at the final altitude; determining aircraft performance data including a thrust at the final altitude at the thrust-setting, an initial airspeed at the initial altitude and an aircraft total mass at the initial altitude; using the aircraft performance data to determine a final airspeed and drag at the final altitude if a change in altitude at the predetermined setting were performed; determining whether thrust at the final altitude at the thrust-settings and airspeed is greater than drag; and providing a signal indicating whether the calculated final airspeed falls within the required range of airspeeds, and whether the thrust at the final altitude and airspeed at the cruise thrust-setting is greater than drag. |
US09483057B2 |
Function-monitored guidance system for adjusting at least one system component and method for monitoring the function of such a guidance system
A function-monitored guidance system for adjusting at least one system component, the guidance system including a guiding mechanism having at least one adjustment component for guiding adjustment movements of the system component to be adjusted, of which at least one adjustment component includes a sensor device for detecting a load state of the adjustment component, and a monitoring device connected functionally to the adjustment component. The monitoring device provides detection time periods for detecting sensor signals of the at least sensor device, provides a threshold value, with which the number of overshoots thereof by the sensor signals within detection time periods is determined, and determines, from the number of overshoots in each case within the detection time periods, a value for the operating state. A method for monitoring the function of a guidance system for adjusting at least one system component is also disclosed. |
US09483054B2 |
Systems and methods for using multiple hypotheses in a visual simultaneous localization and mapping system
The invention is related to methods and apparatus that use a visual sensor and dead reckoning sensors to process Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM). These techniques can be used in robot navigation. Advantageously, such visual techniques can be used to autonomously generate and update a map. Unlike with laser rangefinders, the visual techniques are economically practical in a wide range of applications and can be used in relatively dynamic environments, such as environments in which people move. One embodiment further advantageously uses multiple particles to maintain multiple hypotheses with respect to localization and mapping. Further advantageously, one embodiment maintains the particles in a relatively computationally-efficient manner, thereby permitting the SLAM processes to be performed in software using relatively inexpensive microprocessor-based computer systems. |
US09483053B2 |
Arrangement of area wire for unmanned autonomous operating vehicle and control apparatus of the same
In an arrangement of an area wire for an unmanned autonomous operating vehicle having an electric motor supplied with power from a battery for operating an operating machine, and magnetic sensors for detecting intensity of a magnetic field of the area wire and controlled to run about in an operating area defined by the area wire to perform an operation using the operating machine and to return to a charging device installed on the area wire so as to charge the battery, there are provided with a charging device detecting area set to be used for detecting a position of the charging device, and a turn-back portion formed by bending the area wire at an appropriate position toward the charging device detecting area and again bending the area wire to return in a same direction with a predetermined space, whereby the operating area is divided into a plurality of zones. |
US09483051B2 |
Automated guided vehicle, system having a computer and an automated guided vehicle, and method for operating an automated guided vehicle
The invention relates to an automated guided vehicle, a system having a computer and an automated guided vehicle, and a method for operating an automated guided vehicle. The automated guided vehicle is to travel along track sections automatically from a start point to an end point. |
US09483049B2 |
Anomaly detection and diagnosis/prognosis method, anomaly detection and diagnosis/prognosis system, and anomaly detection and diagnosis/prognosis program
Provided is an anomaly detection method and system capable of constructing determination condition rules of anomaly detection from case-based anomaly detection by way of multivariate analysis of a multi-dimensional sensor signal, applying the rules to design-based anomaly detection of individual sensor signals, and also appropriately executing setting and control of threshold values for highly sensitive, early, and clearly visible detection of anomalies. Anomaly detection on the basis of a case base by way of multivariate analysis controls design-based anomaly detection. That is to say, (1) anomaly detection on the basis of a case base performs selection of sensor signals and anomaly detection according to various types of anomalies. Specifically, anomaly detection (characteristic conversion), evaluation of level of effect of each signal, construction of determination conditions (rules), and display and selection of sensor signals corresponding to the anomaly are performed. (2) Design-based anomaly detection for individual sensor signals performs anomaly detection after the above have been performed. Specifically, setting and control of thresholds, display of thresholds, and anomaly detection and display are performed. |
US09483045B2 |
Numerical controller
In a numerical controller, alarm mask information is preset. The alarm mask information is compared with alarm factor information generated by any of control circuits, and depending on a comparison result, an alarm is masked so as not to be delivered to a central processing unit. Thus, depending on the type of the alarm factor information, delivery of an alarm to the central processing unit is omitted when processing need not be stopped. |
US09483044B2 |
Control device for machine tool with time estimation unit for estimating time until motor reaches overheat temperature
A control device for a machine tool including a motor for driving a spindle includes: a current detection unit that detects a current driving the motor; a storage unit that stores overheat temperature specified for the motor; a temperature detection unit that detects temperature of the motor; a time estimation unit that estimates, by using the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit and the overheat temperature, time from when present estimation takes place until the motor reaches the overheat temperature, under a condition in which the current detected by the current detection unit continuously passes through the motor; and a provision unit that provides the time estimated by the time estimation unit. |
US09483043B2 |
Method and system for programmable numerical control
A method of controlling a machine tool and other controlled devices, as well as a programmable numerical control (PNC) system, are disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the method of controlling includes receiving a first part program at a programmable logic controller (PLC), and storing the first part program in a string array library of a memory portion of the PLC. The method further includes communicating information between the PLC and an operator interface regarding the first part program, and providing a first signal from the PLC to a first port so as to cause the first machine tool to be operated in accordance with the first part program. Also, in at least some embodiments, the PNC system allows for control of multiple machine tools and/or other controlled devices, by way of one or more part programs, and/or for editing of a part program while that program is being executed. |
US09483042B2 |
Load display device for machine tool
A load display device for a machine tool acquires machine coordinate values and load values for axes of the machine tool for each predetermined time from an axis drive control unit for drivingly controlling the machine tool. Three-dimensional coordinate values of a tool center point is calculated to obtain a tool trajectory, based on the machine coordinate values for the axes acquired for each predetermined time and information on a configuration of the machine tool. As the tool trajectory is displayed by a display device, vectors of the load values for the axes stored for each predetermined time are displayed. |
US09483037B2 |
Motor control device, method for operating the same, and image processing apparatus
A motor control device includes: a unit configured to generate a target rotation position information of a first driving motor based on target rotation position signals indicating a target rotation position of a second driving motor being replaced with the first driving motor; a unit configured to generate a speed predicting of the first driving motor; a unit configured to detect a rotation position of the first driving motor; a unit configured to generate an actual position information of the first driving motor; a unit configured to generate an actual speed of the first driving motor; a unit configured to correct an error between the target rotation position and the actual rotation position of the first driving motor; a unit configured to generate a speed error signal; a unit configured to generate a speed control signals of the first driving motor; and a unit configured to output a drive voltage. |
US09483036B2 |
Motor control apparatus having part for phase compensation
This disclosure discloses a motor control apparatus including a current conversion part, a voltage control part, a current detection part, and a phase compensation part. The current conversion part generates a voltage command on the basis of a current deviation between a current command and an estimated current. The voltage control part controls an output voltage to a motor. The current detection part detects a motor current. The phase compensation part inputs the detected motor current and the voltage command and outputs, as the estimated current, the motor current in which a delay in phase of the motor current relative to the current command has been compensated. |
US09483035B2 |
Method for integrating at least one field device into a network of automation technology
A method for integrating at least one field device into a network of automation technology, wherein a plurality of field devices are arranged distributed in an automated plant, wherein accessing of the field devices occurs via a field access unit, which communicates with at least one automation/integration platform and at least one web server of a service provider, wherein the service provider provides for each field device a virtual image of the field device in a database, wherein the service provider transmits to the operator of the automated plant via cloud-computing web services, or Internet based services, automatically or on query, the virtual image of the field device with concrete field device- and application-specific properties at run time (the virtual image is preferably transmitted directly into the field device, and wherein the field device performs its function in the automated plant, as soon as it is integrated into the network. |
US09483034B2 |
Temperature sensor with digital trim and trimming method thereof
A method for calibrating a temperature sensor comprises: receiving first and second reference voltages from respective first and second tap points within a string of sequentially connected resistive devices of the temperature sensor. Each resistive device has a resistance that varies as a function of temperature. The receiving is performed at two or more known temperatures. A respective code is output corresponding to each respective one of the two or more known temperatures, based on the first and second reference voltages. At least one of the tap points is adjusted, based on the two or more known temperatures and the respective output codes. |
US09483031B2 |
Electronic timepiece with internal antenna
An electronic timepiece has a main plate 120 for a movement 110 that drives a time display unit inside an outside case 80; an annular antenna 40 housed inside the case 80 and positioned relative to the main plate 120; and aback cover 85 that engages the case 80. A circuit bridge 130 disposed below the main plate 120 has an upward pressure part 131 that pushes the main plate 120 to the time display unit side when the case 80 and back cover 85 are engaged. The main plate 120 has a movement top positioning part 122 that contacts the vertical positioning surface and positions the main plate 120 vertically to the case 80 when the main plate 120 is lifted toward the time display side by the upward pressure part 131. |
US09483030B2 |
Radio timepiece and receipt control method
A receipt time determination unit of a control unit in a control circuit modifies a receipt time in a case where a gain determined by an AGC circuit in a receiver circuit unit is not less than a reference value, where it is discerned that there is an error in a time code by an error discernment unit of a TCO decoder unit in the control circuit unit, and where it is discerned that data of the time code is impacted by interference waves by an interference wave discernment unit of the TCO decoder unit. |