| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09496168B2 |
Semiconductor package with via-coupled power transistors
In one implementation, a semiconductor package includes a carrier including first and second conductive segments, and first and second transistors attached respectively to the first and second conductive segments. The semiconductor package also includes a dielectric material formed in exposed portions of the first and second conductive segments, a first via extending through the dielectric material to the first conductive segment, and a second via extending through the dielectric material to the second conductive segment. A solder material fills each of the vias, the solder material protruding beyond the dielectric material and configured to electrically, thermally, and mechanically connect the carrier to a mounting surface for the semiconductor package. |
| US09496167B2 |
Integrated bit-line airgap formation and gate stack post clean
Methods of forming flash memory cells are described which incorporate air gaps for improved performance. The methods are useful for so-called “2-d flat cell” flash architectures. 2-d flat cell flash memory involves a reactive ion etch to dig trenches into multi-layers containing high work function and other metal layers. The methods described herein remove the metal oxide debris from the sidewalls of the multi-layer trench and then, without breaking vacuum, selectively remove shallow trench isolation (STI) oxidation which become the air gaps. Both the metal oxide removal and the STI oxidation removal are carried out in the same mainframe with highly selective etch processes using remotely excited fluorine plasma effluents. |
| US09496159B2 |
Wafer position correction with a dual, side-by-side wafer transfer robot
Methods and systems for positioning wafers using a dual side-by-side end effector robot are provided. The methods involve performing place moves using dual side-by-side end effector robots with active wafer position correction. According to various embodiments, the methods may be used for placement into a process module, loadlock or other destination by a dual wafer transfer robot. The methods provide nearly double the throughput of a single wafer transfer schemes by transferring two wafers with the same number of moves. |
| US09496157B2 |
Ultraviolet curing apparatus having top liner and bottom liner made of low-coefficient of thermal expansion material
An ultraviolet curing apparatus includes a chamber, a gas flow generator, and an ultraviolet lamp. The gas flow generator includes a top liner and a bottom liner coupled to each other. The top liner and the bottom liner are disposed in the chamber, and are made of low-coefficient of thermal expansion material. The ultraviolet lamp is disposed on the chamber and is configured for providing ultraviolet light. |
| US09496152B2 |
Carrier system with multi-tier conductive posts and method of manufacture thereof
A method of manufacture of a carrier system includes: providing a carrier base; forming a recess in the carrier base with the recess around a planar surface; forming a first barrier on the planar surface; forming a second barrier on the carrier base in the recess; forming a first post on the first barrier; and forming a second post on the second barrier. |
| US09496151B2 |
Semiconductor device and semiconductor device manufacturing method
In aspects of the invention, an n-type epitaxial layer that forms an n− type drift layer is formed on the upper surface of an n-type semiconductor substrate formed by being doped with a high concentration of antimony. A p-type anode layer is formed on a surface of the n− type drift layer. An n-type contact layer is formed with an impurity concentration in the same region as the impurity concentration of the n-type cathode layer, or higher than the impurity concentration of the n-type cathode layer, on the lower surface of the n-type cathode layer. A cathode electrode is formed so as to be in contact with the n-type contact layer. The n-type contact layer is doped with phosphorus and, without allowing complete recrystallization using a low temperature heat treatment of 500° C. or less, lattice defects are allowed to remain. |
| US09496149B2 |
Semiconductor devices and methods for manufacturing the same
Semiconductor devices and methods for manufacturing the same are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device may include providing a substrate having a recess; epitaxially forming a first layer including a doped semiconductor material within the recess; and epitaxially forming a second layer including an undoped semiconductor material over at least a portion of the recess. |
| US09496148B1 |
Method of charge controlled patterning during reactive ion etching
A method of reactive ion etching a wafer includes providing a plasma processing tool having a wafer chuck within a chamber and an electrode creating a plasma above the wafer chuck. There is provided on the wafer chuck a semiconductor wafer having a p− layer and an n+ layer. Both p− and n+ layers have exposed peripheral edges during plasma etching to electrically form with the plasma processing tool during plasma etching a diode having an anode comprising the plasma, a cathode comprising the wafer chuck and a gate comprising the n+ layer peripheral edge. The method includes controlling charge flow during plasma etching adjacent the peripheral edge of the n+ layer to reduce charge transport into, within and out of the semiconductor wafer adjacent the n+ layer edge, and reactive ion etching the n+ layer while controlling the charge flow along the edge of the n+ layer. |
| US09496147B2 |
Plasma processing apparatus and plasma processing method
In a plasma processing apparatus comprising a processing chamber arranged in a vacuum chamber, a sample stage arranged under the processing chamber and having its top surface on which a wafer to be processed is mounted, a vacuum decompression unit for evacuating the interior of the processing chamber to reduce the pressure therein, and introduction holes arranged above said sample stage to admit process gas into the processing chamber, the wafer having its top surface mounted with a film structure and the film structure being etched by using plasma formed by using the process gas, the film structure is constituted by having a resist film or a mask film, a poly-silicon film and an insulation film laminated in this order from top to bottom on a substrate and before the wafer is mounted on the sample stage and the poly-silicon film underlying the mask film is etched, plasma is formed inside the processing chamber to cover the surface of members inside the processing chamber with a coating film containing a component of Si. |
| US09496142B2 |
Dummy gate placement methodology to enhance integrated circuit performance
A method for increasing the performance of an integrated circuit by reducing the number of dummy gate geometries next to transistors in the speed path of an integrated circuit. |
| US09496132B2 |
Nucleation of III-N on REO templates
A method of fabricating a layer of single crystal III-N material on a silicon substrate includes epitaxially growing a REO template on a silicon substrate. The template includes a REO layer adjacent the substrate with a crystal lattice spacing substantially matching the crystal lattice spacing of the substrate and selected to protect the substrate from nitridation. Either a rare earth oxynitride or a rare earth nitride is formed adjacent the upper surface of the template and a layer of single crystal III-N material is epitaxially grown thereon. |
| US09496130B2 |
Reclaiming processing method for delaminated wafer
The invention provides a reclaiming processing method for a delaminated wafer, by which the delaminated wafer obtained as a by-produce at the time of producing a bonded wafer is subjected to reclaiming polishing and is again available as a bond wafer or a base wafer, wherein, in the reclaiming polishing, the delaminate wafer is polished with use of a double-side polisher in a state that oxide film is not formed on a delaminated surface of the delaminated wafer and oxide film is formed on a back side which is the opposite side of the delaminated surface. As a result, the reclaiming processing method for a delaminated wafer, by which the delaminated wafer obtained as a by-product at the time of manufacturing a bonded wafer based on an ion implantation delamination method is subjected to the reclaiming polishing, which enables sufficiently improving quality. |
| US09496128B1 |
Controlled spalling utilizing vaporizable release layers
Method for a controlled spalling utilizing vaporizable release layers. For example, a method comprises providing a base substrate, depositing a stressor layer and a vaporizable release layer on the base substrate, forming a flexible support layer on at least one of the stressor layer and the vaporizable release layer, spalling an upper portion of the base substrate, securing the spalled upper portion of the base substrate to a handle substrate, and vaporizing the vaporizable release layer. |
| US09496126B2 |
Systems and methods for improved robustness for quadrupole mass spectrometry
A method for analyzing a sample by mass spectrometry includes producing ions from the sample, delivering the ions to an entrance of a multipole, and applying oscillatory and resolving DC voltages to electrodes of the multipole. The oscillatory and resolving DC voltages cause the multipole to selectively transmit to its distal end ions within a range of mass-to-charge ratios (m/z's) determined by the amplitudes of the oscillatory and resolving DC voltages. The method further includes acquiring data representative of the spatial distributions of ions transmitted by the multipole at a plurality of consecutive time points, and deconvolving the acquired data to produce a mass spectrum. Deconvolving the acquired data includes processing the data to compress a dynamic range of intensity values in the data. |
| US09496123B2 |
Ion detection
A mass analyzer in which ions form packets that oscillate with a period has an ion detector comprising: a detection arrangement; and compensation circuitry. The detection arrangement may comprise: a plurality of detection electrodes detecting image current signals from ions in the mass analyzer; and a preamplifier, providing an output based on the image current signals. The compensation circuitry provides a compensation signal to a respective compensatory part of the detection arrangement, based on one or more of the image current signals. A capacitance between each of the compensatory parts of the detection arrangement and a signal-carrying part of the detection arrangement affects the signal-to-noise ratio of the preamplifier output. A generator may provide a trapping field defining an ion trapping volume and a shielding conductor may be positioned between two detection electrodes, with a controller applying a voltage to the shielding conductor based on a detected image current. |
| US09496122B1 |
Electronically variable capacitor and RF matching network incorporating same
An RF impedance matching network includes an RF input coupled to an RF source having a fixed impedance and an RF output coupled to a plasma chamber having a variable impedance. A series electronically variable capacitor (EVC) is coupled in series between the RF input and the RF output. A shunt EVC is coupled in parallel between a ground and one of the RF input and the RF output. A control circuit is operatively coupled to the series and shunt EVCs to control first and second variable capacitances, wherein the control circuit is configured to: determine the variable impedance; determine first and second capacitance values for the first and second variable capacitances; and alter at least one of the first and second variable capacitances, wherein an elapsed time between determining the variable impedance and when RF power reflected back to the RF source decreases is less than about 150 μsec. |
| US09496120B2 |
Adjustable mass resolving aperture
Embodiments of the invention relate to a mass resolving aperture that may be used in an ion implantation system that selectively exclude ion species based on charge to mass ratio (and/or mass to charge ratio) that are not desired for implantation, in an ion beam assembly. Embodiments of the invention relate to a mass resolving aperture that is segmented, adjustable, and/or presents a curved surface to the oncoming ion species that will strike the aperture. Embodiments of the invention also relate to the filtering of a flow of charged particles through a closed plasma channel (CPC) superconductor, or boson energy transmission system. |
| US09496119B1 |
E-beam inspection apparatus and method of using the same on various integrated circuit chips
The present invention discloses an e-beam inspection tool, and an apparatus for detecting defects. In one aspect is described an apparatus for detecting defects that includes a dual-deflection system that moves the e-beam over the integrated circuit to each of the plurality of predetermined locations, the dual deflection system including a magnetic deflection component that provides by magnetic deflection for movement of the e-beam through a plurality of areas on the integrated circuit and an electrostatic deflection component that provides by electrostatic deflection for movement of the e-beam within each of the plurality of areas. |
| US09496113B2 |
Method for cold-cutting a lamp
A method is described for cold-cutting a lamp having an inner pressure that is lower than the atmospheric pressure and containing a pollutant. The method includes keeping the lamp in position; cutting the lamp at at least one cutting point; prior to cutting, submerging the cutting point in a liquid or pasty composition; keeping the cutting point submerged during the cutting; and suctioning part of the composition into each cut-off portion. The composition is a dilatant and has a temperature no lower than the pour point thereof, prior to the cutting step. After the cutting, the temperature of the dilatant composition is reduced to a temperature lower than the pour point thereof, such as to increase the viscosity thereof and create a sealed stopper. |
| US09496109B2 |
Electromagnetic relay
An electromagnetic relay includes a housing; a fixed contact provided within the housing; a movable contact disposed within the housing so as to be contactable to and separable from the fixed contact; a driving unit configured to drive the movable contact, and including a shaft having one end connected to the movable contact and a compression spring for applying an elastic force to the movable contact so as to be in contact with the fixed contact; and an arc protector including an arc shielding portion for shielding an arc, and a compression spring support portion formed to protrude from the arc shielding portion to support the compression spring, the compression spring support portion comprising a shaft accommodating portion for accommodating the shaft therein. Under such configuration, the number of required components can be reduced and generation of a gap can be prevented. |
| US09496107B2 |
Self-blast circuit breaker reusing arc heat
The present disclosure relates to a circuit breaker of a gas-insulated switchgear, and more particularly, to a self-blast circuit breaker of a gas-insulated switchgear, which reuses arc heat. A self-blast circuit breaker having a heat expansion chamber and a puffer chamber includes auxiliary intake valves which introduce a hot gas exhausted through an inside of an actuating rod, into the heat expansion chamber. |
| US09496106B2 |
Electrode assembly and vacuum interrupter including the same
Disclosed are an electrode assembly and a vacuum interrupter including the same. The electrode assembly is provided in an insulating vessel which is in a vacuum state, and switches a main circuit. The electrode assembly includes a first electrode plate, a second electrode, a coil conductor, a first conductor, and a second conductor. The coil conductor induces a flow of a current in a first direction and a second direction between the other side of the first conductor connecting pin and the one side of the second conductor connecting pin, and the first direction and the second direction are mutually opposite circumference directions. Accordingly, an arc gas is effectively spread by using mutually opposite flows of currents in a circumference direction, thereby enhancing break performance. |
| US09496094B2 |
Nanostructured electrodes, methods of making electrodes, and methods of using electrodes
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for electrodes, devices including electrodes, methods of making electrodes, and the like. In an embodiment, the electrode includes MoS2, in particular, MoS2 nanostructures (e.g., MoS2 nano-petals). Embodiments of the present disclosure can be used in lithium ion batteries, quantum dot sensitized solar cells, dye sensitized solar cells, thin film photovoltaics, and the like. |
| US09496093B2 |
Dye-sensitized solar cell
A main object of the present invention is to provide a dye-sensitized solar cell capable of improving photoelectric conversion efficiency, which is obtained at low costs, and a dye-sensitized solar cell module using the solar cell. The present invention solves the problem by providing a dye-sensitized solar cell comprising: an oxide semiconductor electrode substrate having: a first electrode base material provided with a function as an electrode, and a porous layer formed on the first electrode base material and containing a dye-sensitizer-supported fine particle of a metal oxide semiconductor; and a counter substrate having a second electrode base material provided with a function as an electrode; and a polymer electrolyte layer formed between the oxide semiconductor electrode substrate and the counter substrate so as to contact with the porous layer, in which the oxide semiconductor electrode substrate and the counter substrate are disposed such that the porous layer and the second electrode base material are opposed to each other, wherein at least one of the first electrode base material and the second electrode base material is a base material having transparency and wherein the polymer electrolyte layer contains a transparent fine particle, a polymeric compound and a redox pair. |
| US09496091B2 |
Aluminum electrolytic capacitor and rubber seal for same
An aluminum electrolytic capacitor includes a capacitor element having lead terminals; an armor case housing the capacitor element; and a rubber seal having a terminal passage hole for the lead terminals drilled therein and mounted on an opening section of the armor case. A hole diameter of a lead wire passage hole is smaller than an outside diameter of an outside lead wire, a conical guide surface of progressively smaller diameter is formed between a round bar mating hole and the lead wire passage hole within a terminal passage hole. A passage guide part of progressively smaller diameter from a lead wire body is integrally furnished at an end of the outside lead wire so as to have a smaller diameter than the hole diameter of the lead wire passage hole, forming a conical sloped surface having a predetermined angle on a peripheral surface of the passage guide part. |
| US09496090B2 |
Method of making graphene electrolytic capacitors
The disclosure describes an improved electrolytic capacitor, more specifically, a method of making an electrolytic capacitor with a graphene-based energy storage layer and dielectric. The electrode with layered graphene energy storage and dielectric layers may be used in a variety of electrolytic capacitor configurations. |
| US09496080B2 |
Flexible electromagnetic clamp
Embodiments described herein provide a flexible electromagnetic clamp that may be utilized to provide an adjustable clamping force to a wide variety of non-planar surfaces. One embodiment comprises an electromagnetic clamp that includes a pair of electromagnetic members and a current source. The electromagnetic members are disposed on opposing sides of an assembly to be clamped. Each electromagnetic member includes a flexible bladder that includes ferromagnetic filings, an electrical winding wrapped around the bladder, and a flexible sleeve wrapped around the electrical winding and the bladder. The electrical winding generates a magnetic field across the bladder that is based on an applied current. The current source is electrically coupled to each electrical winding and controls a clamping force applied by the electromagnetic members to the assembly based on the applied current. |
| US09496078B2 |
Hot rolled silicon steel producing method
A hot rolled silicon steel producing method comprises: silicon steel slab heating process, rough rolling process and finish rolling process. The heating process comprises a pre-heating stage, a heating stage and a soaking stage. The pre-heating stage satisfies the following formula (1). In the formula, VTp is a temperature increasing rate, in the pre-heating stage, whose unit is ° C./min; t is a total heating time of the slab in the heating furnace, and t=180-240 min; and Tc is an initial temperature when the slab is put into the furnace, whose unit is ° C. By using the foregoing formula, the heating process and the rough rolling process are changed, an occurrence rate of edge defects during the production of the hot rolled silicon steel can be reduced, and the hot rolled silicon steel with good surface quality can be produced. V Tp > 220 min t × 100 ° C . T C + 200 ° C . × 25 ° C . / min ( 1 ) |
| US09496076B2 |
Cable grommet fitting apparatus for cable
A cable processing machine has cable grommet fitting apparatus 1a, 1b fitting cable grommets 2 onto a cable. The grommet fitting apparatus includes a loose material container 3 for receiving a plurality of loose cable grommets 2, a conveyor separating the cable grommets 2 located in the loose material container and conveying the separated cable grommets 2 to a mounting location. The machine includes a grommet mounter 8 mounting the conveyed cable grommets 2 onto cable. The conveyor includes a continuous, annular conveyor 4, 4a, 4b protruding into the loose material container 3 as well as a grommet receiver 6 receiving and raising the cable grommets 2. Grommet receivers 6 may be arranged on the inside of the conveyor ring. |
| US09496075B2 |
Wireline cables not requiring seasoning
A cable includes an electrically conductive cable core for transmitting electrical power and data, an insulative/protective layer circumferentially disposed around the core, an inner armor wire layer including a plurality of armor wires disposed around the cable core and the insulative layer, wherein at least one of the armor wires of the inner armor wire layer is bonded to the insulative layer, and an outer armor wire layer including a plurality of armor wires disposed around the inner armor wire layer. At least one of the armor wires of the outer armor wire layer can be bonded to the at least one of the armor wires of the inner armor wire layer. |
| US09496073B2 |
Method and system for controlling chemical reactions between superconductors and metals in superconducting cables
A method, system, and apparatus for fabricating a high-strength Superconducting cable comprises pre-oxidizing at least one high-strength alloy wire, coating at least one Superconducting wire with a protective layer, and winding the high-strength alloy wire and the Superconducting wire to form a high-strength Superconducting cable. |
| US09496072B2 |
Arrangement having a superconducting cable
An arrangement is specified having a superconducting cable (SK) which comprises a superconducting conductor (1) and a superconducting screen (3) which concentrically surrounds the same with the interposition of a dielectric (2). The cable (SK) is surrounded by a cryostat (KR) enclosing a free space (FR) for a coolant to be passed through, which cryostat (KR) which cryostat comprises two metallic tubes (4, 5) which are arranged concentrically with respect to one another and between which vacuum insulation is arranged. The screen (3) is composed of a superconducting material whose electrical resistance value in the normally conductive state is greater by a factor of at least 50 than the electrical resistance value of the material used for the conductor (1) in the normally conductive state. |
| US09496070B2 |
Multi-layer insulated conductor having improved scrape abrasion resistance
An insulated conductor and method for making it are disclosed. The insulated conductor includes an elongate conductor and a multi-layer insulation system. The multi-layer insulation system has a first insulating layer including an aromatic thermoplastic material overlying the elongate conductor and a second insulating layer including a perfluoropolymer adjacent the first insulating layer. The first and second insulating layers are each applied to a thickness such that the multi-layer insulation system exhibits a scrape abrasion resistance that is significantly greater than sum of the scrape abrasion resistance of the first and second insulating layers individually at that thickness. |
| US09496067B2 |
Nanostructures, their use and process for their production
A lubricating and shock absorbing materials are described, which are based on nanoparticles having the formula A1-x-Bx-chalcogenide. Processes for their manufacture are also described. |
| US09496066B2 |
Boron-doped lithium-rich manganese based materials and preparation methods for Li-ion battery cathode
The present application discloses boron-doped lithium rich manganese based materials for cathodes of lithium ion batteries. The disclosed cathode materials can be prepared by co-precipitation and sol-gel methods. The chemical formula of this cathode material is Li[LiaMnbCocNidBx]O2 (a+b+c+d+x=1, a, b, x>0, c≧0, d≧0, c+d>0). Lithium ion batteries using these cathode materials show impressive improvements in performance and increased tap density at low level of boron doping. The co-precipitation method is particularly suitable for large-scale industrial production. The sol-gel method is simple and can produce fine and uniform particles. |
| US09496064B2 |
Copper alloy for electric and electronic device, copper alloy sheet for electric and electronic device, conductive component for electric and electronic device, and terminal
A copper alloy for electric and electronic devices comprises 23 mass % to 36.5 mass % of Zn; 0.1 mass % to 0.9 mass % of Sn; 0.15 mass % to less than 1.0 mass % of Ni; 0.001 mass % to less than 0.10 mass % of Fe; 0.005 mass % to 0.1 mass % of P; and a balance including Cu and unavoidable impurities, in which 0.002≦Fe/Ni<0.7, 3<(Ni+Fe)/P<15, and 0.3 |
| US09496060B2 |
Graphene-based nanodevices for terahertz electronics
The invention refers to a nanodevice for generating electromagnetic radiation in the terahertz frequency range, the nanodevice comprising a substrate (3) made of a dielectric material, a first graphene layer (1) arranged on the substrate (3), having a first longitudinal end being electrically connected with a source contact (source 1) and having a second longitudinal end being connected with a drain contact (drain 1), an electrically conducting layer (2) having a periodic grating structure with grating stripes (6) extending substantially in transversal direction (y), and a dielectric layer (4) arranged between the first graphene layer (1) and the conducting layer (2). |
| US09496059B2 |
Method for storing radiocontaminated waste matter and container therefor
A method for securely and safely storing radiocontaminated waste matter and a container therefor are provided.Radiocontaminated waste matter and PSC are mixed and then retained and stored in a tetragonal cylindrical container tank 1 made of steel sheet, concrete, or PSC-containing concrete, so that the spatial gamma radiation dosage of the environment around the tank 1 becomes about the same as that of an environment or place which receives no fall-out radioactive substances. When a mixture of radiocontaminated waste matter and PSC is ashed, and the ash thus obtained is again mixed with PSC, and then loaded and stored in said container tank, the spatial gamma radiation dosage around said container tank is to be similar to that of an environment or place which receives no fall-out radioactive substances, and simultaneously both 134Cs and 137Cs are decreased, and as a result radiocontaminated waste matter can be securely and safely loaded and stored for a long-period of time. |
| US09496051B2 |
Efficient raid technique for reliable SSD
Provided is a control device for managing a plurality of memory channels driven through multichannel interleaving. The apparatus includes a stripe configuring unit for configuring a stripe according to a physical number of pages included in the plurality of memory channels, and a parity generating unit for generating parity data on the configured stripe. |
| US09496049B2 |
Compact sample-and-hold device
The sample-and-hold device comprises a holding capacitor and operates according to a track phase during which the voltage on the terminals of the capacitor tracks the input signal and according to a hold phase during which the capacitor is isolated from the input signal, it comprises: a differential pair comprising a first transistor Q1 and a second transistor Q2 connected as common emitters, the collector of the transistor Q2 being connected to the holding capacitor, the input signal being applied to the base of the transistor Q1; a third transistor Q3, of which the base is connected to the collector of the transistor Q2 and the emitter is connected to the base of the transistor Q2, the signal present on the emitter of the transistor Q3 forming the output signal of the sample-and-hold device; a current source I connected to the collector of the transistor Q2; during the track phase, the differential pair Q1, Q2 being supplied by a current 2I, the transistor Q2 being charged by the current source and by the holding capacitor, during the hold phase, the current 2I supplying the differential pair Q1, Q2 being disconnected and the holding capacitor being charged by two opposite currents having the same value, equal to the current I of the source. |
| US09496047B2 |
Memory cell and memory
In various embodiments, a memory cell and a memory are provided. The memory cell comprises a Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) cell including a reset-set (RS) flip-flop and a Read Only Memory (ROM) cell being connected (or coupled) to the SRAM cell to set logic states of internal latch nodes of the RS flip-flop when the ROM cell is triggered. The size of the memory cells proposed in an embodiment of the invention is much smaller than the sum of the size of ROM cells and the size of SRAM cells with the capacity of the memory cells same as the sum of the capacity of the ROM cells and the capacity of the SRAM cells. |
| US09496045B2 |
Sensing of non-volatile memory cell having two complementary memory transistors
Voltage is increased on a wordline signal. The wordline signal is applied to a programmed FET and an unprogrammed FET of a memory cell. The programmed FET has a higher threshold voltage than the unprogrammed FET. The programmed FET is connected to a first bitline and the unprogrammed FET is connected to a second bitline. It is determined that the second bitline has reached a threshold voltage. In response to determining the second bitline has reached the threshold voltage, the first bitline is pulled towards ground. A signal is output based on a low voltage of the first bitline and a high voltage of the second bitline. |
| US09496042B1 |
Semiconductor device with control of maximum value of current capable of being supplied
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes: a first semiconductor chip including a first via and a second via; and a second semiconductor chip including a third via and a fourth via and being located above the first semiconductor chip. The first semiconductor chip includes: a first detector capable of coupling to the third via through the second and fourth vias; and a first current source configured to control an output current in accordance with a voltage of the third via detected by the first detector. |
| US09496041B2 |
Memory programming method, memory control circuit unit and memory storage device
A memory programming method for a rewritable non-volatile memory module having memory cells is provided. The memory programming method includes: performing a first programming process on the memory cells according to write data and obtaining a first programming result of the first programming process; grouping the memory cells into programming groups according to the first programming result; and performing a second programming process on the memory cells according to the write data. The second programming process includes: programming a first programming group among the programming groups by using a first program voltage; and programming a second programming group among the programming groups by using a second program voltage. The first program voltage and the second program voltage are different. Moreover, a memory control circuit unit and a memory storage device are provided. |
| US09496036B1 |
Writing method for resistive memory cell and resistive memory
A writing method for a resistive memory cell and a resistive memory are provided. The writing method includes following steps. A reference voltage is provided to a bit line of the resistive memory cell. A first voltage is provided to a word line of the resistive memory cell, and a second voltage is provided to a source line of the resistive memory cell, wherein the first voltage is not increased while the second voltage is progressively increased. Thus, when the writing method for the resistive memory cell is performed, the voltage of the word line is not increased while the voltage of the source line is progressively increased, so as to expand voltage window for reset operation. And, the chance for occurring the complementary switching manifestation of the resistive memory cell due to excessive input voltages is reduced. |
| US09496034B2 |
Memory device with a common source line masking circuit
A memory device comprising a plurality of memory tiles, each tile comprising a local common source line (CSL) plate, a plurality of bitlines and a plurality of wordlines, each coupled to a plurality of memory cells and a masking circuit, coupled to each of the memory tiles, for controlling whether to raise the local CSL plate and the plurality of bitlines based on the a global common source line. |
| US09496033B2 |
Method and system of programmable resistive devices with read capability using a low supply voltage
A Programmable Resistive Device (PRD) memory that can be read under low voltage is disclosed. The PRD includes at least one Programmable Resistive Element (PRE) having one end coupled to a first supply voltage line and the other end coupled to at least one selector and at least one read selector. The read selector includes at least one read source line (SLR) and/or one read enable (ENR) coupled to a second and/or a third supply voltage lines, respectively. The read selector includes at least one MOS device built by core logic device. The PRE in the at least one PRD cells can be configured to be readable by applying voltages to the first, second, and/or the third voltage supply lines to thereby sense the PRE resistance to a logic state. The programmable resistive element can have at least one element in an OTP, MTP, floating gate device, anti-fuse, or emerging memory such as PCRAM, RRAM, or MRAM, etc. |
| US09496032B2 |
Variable resistive memory device including controller for driving bitline, word line, and method of operating the same
A variable resistive memory device may include a memory region and controller. The memory region may include a plurality of unit memory cells each electrically connected between a word line and a bit line. The controller may perform a driving operation of the word line in response to a read command. The controller may perform a driving operation of a bit line to output cell data through the bit line substantially simultaneously with the driving operation of the word line. Each of the unit memory cell may include a variable resistive material. |
| US09496029B1 |
6T bitcell for dual port SRAM memories with single-ended read and single-ended write and optimized bitcells for multiport memories
Described herein is a 6T bitcell for dual port SRAM that performs single ended read and single ended write. The bitcell and architecture does not have either a write bitline pair or a read bitline for each bitcell. It has only one read bitline per port per mux. Also presented herein is an 8T bitcell for dual port with single ended read and single ended write. The conventional dual port bitcell is an 8T bitcell which neither has single ended read nor has single ended write. Our bitcell which gives single ended read as well as single ended write has just 6 transistors. This gives area advantage. This bitcell also provides huge advantage in terms of leakage power, dynamic power, and speed. Also presented bitcells and architectures for multiport memories where each additional port, only requires half or one additional transistor based on the chosen architecture as against two transistors in the conventional architectures. |
| US09496026B1 |
Memory device with stable writing and/or reading operation
A memory device includes a first inverter, a second inverter cross-coupled with the first inverter, an accessing unit, and a switching unit. The accessing unit is configured to discharge an output of the first inverter and charge an output of the second inverter according to signals provided by a first word line and a second word line. The switching unit is configured to disconnect a power from the first inverter and the second inverter according to a signal provided by the first word line. |
| US09496019B2 |
CMOS analog memories utilizing ferroelectric capacitors
A memory cell and memories constructed from that memory cell are disclosed. A memory according to the present invention includes a ferroelectric capacitor, a charge source and a read circuit. The charge source receives a data value to be stored in the ferroelectric capacitor. The charge source converts the data value to a remanent charge to be stored in the ferroelectric capacitor and causes that remanent charge to be stored in the ferroelectric capacitor. The read circuit determines a charge stored in the ferroelectric capacitor. The data value has more than three distinct possible states, and the determined charge has more than three determined values. The memory also includes a reset circuit that causes the ferroelectric capacitor to enter a predetermined known reference state of polarization. |
| US09496016B2 |
Memory cell and memory device having the same
A memory cell includes a metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) capacitor including a gate coupled to a storage node and an electrode coupled to a synchronization control line. The MOS capacitor adds a coupling voltage to the gate based on a change in voltage on the synchronization control line. The coupling voltage may maintain the storage node within a predetermined range. |
| US09496015B1 |
Array structure having local decoders in an electronic device
An array structure includes: a plurality of first signal lines and a plurality of sub-arrays. Each of the sub-array includes: a second signal line, a plurality of third signal lines, a plurality of fourth signal lines, a plurality of local decoders at each intersection of the first signal lines, the second signal line and the third signal lines; and a plurality of array cells at each intersection of the first signal lines, the third signal lines and the fourth signal lines. Respective control terminals of the local decoders are implemented by the first signal lines. In response to a selection status of the first signal lines and the second signal line, one of the local decoders selects one of the third signal lines. |
| US09496009B2 |
Memory with bank-conflict-resolution (BCR) module including cache
A memory device includes a block of memory cells and a cache. The block of memory cells is a random access memory with multiple ports. The block of memory cells is partitioned into subunits that have only a single port. The cache is coupled to the block of memory cells adapted to handle a plurality of accesses to a same subunit of memory cells without a conflict such that the memory appears to be a random access memory to said plurality of accesses. A method of operating the memory, and a memory with bank-conflict-resolution (BCR) module including cache are also provided. |
| US09496007B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating piece-wise linear regulated supply
The disclosure provides a voltage regulator for generating piece-wise linear regulated supply voltage. The voltage regulator includes a first clamp circuit that receives a reference voltage and an analog supply voltage. A second clamp circuit receives the reference voltage. A voltage divider circuit is coupled to the first clamp circuit and the second clamp circuit. The voltage divider circuit receives a peripheral supply voltage and generates a regulated supply voltage. |
| US09496004B2 |
Method and apparatus for dividing and displaying contents
A method for dividing and displaying a content unit includes: extracting a sub-content unit which is generated by dividing an original content unit by a preset time interval; displaying the entire sub-content unit when receiving a sub-content unit display command; receiving a jump command that selects a replay time point for an arbitrary sub-content unit among the above sub-content units; and replaying and displaying the original content unit from the replay time point. |
| US09496003B2 |
System and method for playlist generation based on similarity data
Methods and arrangements for facilitating media playlist generation for a program participant based at least in part on media library inventory information provided by a number of program participants. The system or program in which the individuals are participating is an on-line media store. Those individuals that decide to be program participants are interested in organizing, maintaining and playing their music, based at least in part, on data derived from a population of other participants in the program that have similar or the same music in their libraries. To be a program participant, the individual music holder must send, and the on-line music store receive, data representative of that program participant's media inventory. This data typically contains identification data of the individual media items presently contained in that participant's media library regardless of the individual media item's source. The system or program determines an incidence of co-occurrence of pairs of individual media items in different program participants' media libraries. Based on this determination, a similarity rating is assigned between the pairs of individual media items based on the determined incidence of co-occurrence in the different program participants' media libraries. |
| US09496000B2 |
Audio modification for adjustable playback rate
Features described herein relate to providing the capability to playback audiovisual content in a comprehensible manner at a rate adjustable by the viewer. For example, if a viewer wishes to watch a one hour news program, but the viewer only has thirty minutes to view the program, playback of the program at twice the rate, but in a comprehensible manner is provided. To provide the playback of the video at the adjustable rate, substitute audio is generated by adding or removing audio content without changing the playback rate of the audio. The video at the adjusted playback rate and the substitute audio at the normal playback rate may have the same duration and in some embodiments, may be presented synchronously. |
| US09495998B2 |
Information recording and/or reproducing apparatus
Contents data that have been enciphered and transmitted are recorded as they are on a recording medium, and the contents key used to encipher these data is enciphered in a way used in this recording system and is recorded on the medium. Moreover, a step is taken to ensure that fine trick plays can be performed. In recording contents data that have been enciphered and transmitted, the contents data themselves are recorded in the enciphered state on the recording medium. However, the contents data are decoded by a contents data decoding circuit 46, and a map file containing necessary management information for reproduction is created by a map file creating circuit 47 and this file is recorded together with the contents data. |
| US09495996B2 |
Writer with increased write field
A writer includes a magnetic write pole having a leading surface and a trailing surface and a near field transducer peg spaced from the leading surface of the write pole to provide energy assisted recording. A magnetic recording system for writing to and reading from a continuous magnetic medium includes a write element having a write element tip having a leading edge and a trailing edge, and wherein at least one surface of the write element that extends in a cross-track direction on the continuous magnetic medium has no line of symmetry. |
| US09495995B1 |
Adjusting laser power to achieve equivalent track spacing for paired heads that simultaneously write to a heat-assisted recording medium
A relatively larger nominal track spacing associated with a first write head is determined and a relatively smaller nominal track spacing associated with a second write head is determined. The first and second write heads simultaneously write to respective different first and second surfaces of a heat-assisted recording medium. A laser write power for a selected one of the first write head and the second write head is changed to enable the first write head and the second write head to operate at an equivalent nominal track spacing. |
| US09495989B2 |
Laminating magnetic cores for on-chip magnetic devices
A laminating structure includes a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, a first spacer disposed between the first and second magnetic layers and a second spacer disposed on the second magnetic layer. |
| US09495985B2 |
Magnetic tape media having servo patterns
Magnetic tape media according to one embodiment includes a servo track having a plurality of servo marks therealong. A distance of the servo marks, as originally written, from an edge of the tape media varies along the length of the magnetic tape media. Magnetic tape media according to another embodiment includes a plurality of servo tracks having physical characteristics of being written by an apparatus that monitors a lateral position of the magnetic tape media passing over a servo writing head during a servo track writing operation and writes servo marks to the magnetic tape media. A timing of the writing of each servo mark is based on the monitored position of the magnetic tape media. |
| US09495981B1 |
Magnetic tape head cleaning apparatus and method
Preventing accumulations on read/write (R/W) elements of a tape appliance tape head. Power and current to the R/W elements of the tape head are turned off. A tape head cycle using a tape cartridge is then performed. In another aspect of the invention, the tape cartridge is a standard tape cartridge. Tape processing of the standard tape cartridge is suspended. The tape head cycle is performed using the standard tape cartridge. Tape processing of the standard tape cartridge is then resumed. |
| US09495979B1 |
Magnetic recording head front shield formation
Implementations disclosed herein provide a method of forming a first layer of a front shield in a magnetic recording head, depositing an active shield control (ASC) device on the first layer, and forming a second layer of the front shield on top of the ASC device and the first layer of the front shield. In another implementation, an apparatus includes a write pole, and a two layer front shield formed on the write pole, including an ASC device between the two layers of the front shield. |
| US09495978B2 |
Method and device for processing a sound signal
A method of processing a sound signal is disclosed. The method of processing a sound signal includes receiving a sound signal from the outside of a device, converting the sound signal into a first frequency domain signal, determining whether or not the sound signal is a voice signal using the first frequency domain signal acquired through the conversion, converting the first frequency domain signal into a second frequency domain signal based on the determination, and recognizing the sound signal using the second frequency domain signal acquired through the conversion. |
| US09495977B2 |
System and method for targeted advertising
Disclosed is a method of receiving an audio stream containing user speech from a first device, generating text based on the user speech, identifying a key phrase in the text, receiving from an advertiser an advertisement related to the identified key phrase, and displaying the advertisement. The method can include receiving from an advertiser a set of rules associated with the advertisement and displaying the advertisement in accordance with the associated set of rules. The method can display the advertisement on one or both of a first device and a second device. A central server can generate text based on the speech. A key phrase in the text can be identified based on a confidence score threshold. The advertisement can be displayed after the audio stream terminates. |
| US09495975B2 |
Systems and methods for source signal separation
A method includes receiving an input signal comprising an original domain signal and creating a first window data set and a second window data set from the signal, wherein an initiation of the second window data set is offset from an initiation of the first window data set, converting the first window data set and the second window data set to a frequency domain and storing the resulting data as data in a second domain different from the original domain, performing complex spectral phase evolution (CSPE) on the second domain data to estimate component frequencies of the first and second window data sets, using the component frequencies estimated in the CSPE, sampling a set of second-domain high resolution windows to select a mathematical representation comprising a second-domain high resolution window that fits at least one of the amplitude, phase, amplitude modulation and frequency modulation of a component of an underlying signal wherein the component comprises at least one oscillator peak, generating an output signal from the mathematical representation of the original signal as at least one of: an audio file; one or more audio signal components; and one or more speech vectors and outputting the output signal to an external system. |
| US09495974B1 |
Method of processing sound track
A method of processing a sound track includes providing a low frequency threshold and a high frequency threshold of an audible frequency range; selecting a low-pitch sound band from a lowest frequency of an original sound track to the low frequency threshold and raising the low-pitch sound band by a predetermined frequency shift to a modified low-pitch sound band, or selecting a high-pitch sound band from the high frequency threshold to the highest frequency of the original sound track and lowering the high-pitch sound band by a predetermined frequency shift to a modified high-pitch sound band; and combining original sound track and modified low-pitch sound band or combining original sound track and modified high-pitch sound band. The low and high frequency thresholds are not correlated. The predetermined frequency shift is one octave or multiple octaves or equals 2n, where n is a positive integer or a negative integer. |
| US09495973B2 |
Speech recognition apparatus and speech recognition method
A speech recognition apparatus and a speech recognition method are provided. In the invention, whether an original voice sampling signal corresponding to a target voice frame is a noise signal is determined according to a ratio of an energy of a first consonant frequency band signal to an energy of a second consonant frequency band signal, a ratio of an energy of the first consonant frequency band signal to an energy of the original voice sampling signal and a ratio of an energy of the second consonant frequency band signal to an energy of the original voice sampling signal. |
| US09495970B2 |
Audio coding with gain profile extraction and transmission for speech enhancement at the decoder
The invention provides a layered audio coding format with a monophonic layer and at least one sound field layer. A plurality of audio signals is decomposed, in accordance with decomposition parameters controlling the quantitative properties of an orthogonal energy-compacting transform, into rotated audio signals. Further, a time-variable gain profile specifying constructively how the rotated audio signals may be processed to attenuate undesired audio content is derived. The monophonic layer may comprise one of the rotated signals and the gain profile. The sound field layer may comprise the rotated signals and the decomposition parameters. In one embodiment, the gain profile comprises a cleaning gain profile with the main purpose of eliminating non-speech components and/or noise. The gain profile may also comprise mutually independent broadband gains. Because signals in the audio coding format can be mixed with a limited computational effort, the invention may advantageously be applied in a tele-conferencing application. |
| US09495966B2 |
Speech recognition adaptation systems based on adaptation data
The instant application includes computationally-implemented systems and methods that include acquiring indication of a speech-facilitated transaction between a particular party and a target device, receiving adaptation data correlated to the particular party, the receiving facilitated by a particular device associated with the particular party, processing audio data from the particular party at least partly using the received adaptation data correlated to the particular party, and updating the adaptation data based at least in part on a result of the processed audio data, such that the updated adaptation data is configured to be transmitted to the particular device. In addition to the foregoing, other aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text. |
| US09495965B2 |
Synthesis and display of speech commands method and system
A construction and display of speech commands system that allows a user to simply read what is on an application that involves visual elements with which the user interacts, and in doing so, gives the appropriate commands to the speech recognition system for the task at hand. The construction and display of speech commands system may include a speech recognition system, a grammar builder module, and a speech enablement module. The construction and display of speech commands system may automatically generate a speech enabled application from generated speech grammar. |
| US09495961B2 |
Method and system for controlling network-enabled devices with voice commands
Apparatus and methods to implement a technique for using voice input to control a network-enabled device. In one implementation, this feature allows the user to conveniently register and manage an IPTV device using voice input rather than employing a bulky remote control or a separate registration website. |
| US09495959B2 |
Disambiguation of dynamic commands
A first computing device registers a first grammar that is stored in a persistent memory of the first computing device and that is a system grammar of the first computing device. The first computing device further registers at least one second grammar associated with an application stored in at least one second computing device. Input including may be received. The first grammar is selected for the command upon a determination that the input is specified as a command in each of the first grammar and the second grammar. |
| US09495956B2 |
Dealing with switch latency in speech recognition
In embodiments of the present disclosure, capabilities are described for interacting with a mobile communication facility, which may include receiving a switch activation from a user to initiate a speech recognition recording session, recording the speech recognition recording session using a mobile communication facility resident capture facility, recognizing a portion of the voice command as an indication that user speech for recognition will begin following the end of the portion of the voice command, recognizing the recorded speech using a speech recognition facility to produce an external output, and using the selected output to perform a function on the mobile communication facility. The speech recognition recording session may include a voice command from the user followed by the speech to be recognized from the user. |
| US09495955B1 |
Acoustic model training
Features are disclosed for generating acoustic models from an existing corpus of data. Methods for generating the acoustic models can include receiving at least one characteristic of a desired acoustic model, selecting training utterances corresponding to the characteristic from a corpus comprising audio data and corresponding transcription data, and generating an acoustic model based on the selected training utterances. |
| US09495948B2 |
Piezoelectric pickup and cell for stringed instruments
In a first aspect hereof the present invention provides an improved piezoelectric pickup which, generally, comprises a folded planar plastic piezoelectric sandwich electrically connected to a coaxial cable which, in turn, is in electrical communication with a jack or the like for connection to a pre-amp, an amplifier or the like. In a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a “cell” which is particularly adapted for use with an electric violin. The “cell” comprises a table which is disposed substantially parallel to the top of the instrument and substantially normal or perpendicular to and in contact with the bridge of the instrument. When used in conjunction with a pickup the cell facilitates simulation of the sound of an acoustic violin. |
| US09495945B1 |
Guitar pad for seated player
A guitar pad is designed to support a guitar or similar stringed instrument on the lap of a seated player, and the body portion rests on the pad when it is draped over on one of the player's legs. This facilitates the player maintaining proper posture and positioning when playing the instrument. The guitar pad is formed of a single-thickness piece of a flexible non-adhesive grip material formed of a woven scrim on which beads of a low-slip resin are positioned to alternate with open spaces; and a frame or border affixed onto the edge of the grip material. The frame or border may be formed of a narrow strip or strips of a low-stretch flexible material, e.g., leather or synthetic leather. |
| US09495943B2 |
Musical instrument
A musical instrument is disclosed which comprises a tubular member having an inlet end, an outlet end having a circumferential lip, an exterior surface; and an interior surface having a rib, a movable stopper member having an indentation and a rod connected to the movable stopper member, the movable stopper member and the rod for insertion within the tubular member and the movable stopper member movable between the inlet end and the circumferential lip of the tubular member along the rib. |
| US09495934B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and method for driving the same
A liquid crystal display device and a method for driving the same are disclosed. The device includes a gamma voltage generation circuit for generating first to ith positive gamma reference voltages having different levels, and first to ith negative gamma reference voltages having different levels, and a plurality of data drive chips, each of the data drive chips converting digital data input thereto into a positive data voltage and a negative data voltage and supplying the positive data voltage and negative data voltage to a liquid crystal display panel, and adjusting a level of the positive data voltage based on a positive gamma reference voltage supplied thereto, among the first to ith positive gamma reference voltages, and adjusting a level of the negative data voltage based on a negative gamma reference voltage supplied thereto, among the first to ith negative gamma reference voltages. |
| US09495933B2 |
Analog data transmitter applied in LCD apparatus and operating method thereof
An analog data transmitter applied in a LCD apparatus includes an output pad, a channel operational amplifier, an initial switch, an auxiliary switch module, and a detection unit. The detection unit selectively starts a first switch unit or a second switch unit of the auxiliary switch module according to a pulse width modulation corresponding to a data conversion amplitude of an output data signal outputted from the output pad. During a period of the first switch unit or the second switch unit operating from a first time to a second time, transistors in an output stage of the channel operational amplifier operate in a linear region of smaller resistance instead of a saturation region of larger resistance, and the initial switch is turned-off during the period and not started until the second time. The length of the period corresponds to the pulse width modulation. |
| US09495930B2 |
Shift register, method for driving the same, and display device
A shift register according to the present disclosure may specifically include multi-level shift register units, a first connecting TFT set and a second connecting TFT set. In the multi-level shift register units, control signal input ends of odd-number-level shift register units are inputted with a first control signal and control signal input ends of even-number-level shift register units are inputted with a second control signal. Connecting TFTs in the first connecting TFT set and the second connecting TFT set are configured to achieve an electrical connection between gate electrode signal output ends of odd-number-level shift register units and even-number-level shift register units in the shift register under a control of a control signal transmitted by a timing controller. |
| US09495919B2 |
Electrowetting device
A method of manufacturing a support plate for an electrowetting device includes providing a first hydrophobic layer on a substrate, reducing the hydrophobicity of a surface of the first hydrophobic layer and providing a second hydrophobic layer on at least part of the surface with reduced hydrophobicity. |
| US09495914B2 |
Electro-optical device and electronic apparatus
An electro-optical device includes a first pixel circuit provided so as to correspond to a first data line, a second pixel circuit provided so as to correspond to a second data line, a first storage capacitor of which one end is connected to the first data line and the other end is potential-shifted according to a current to be supplied to a light emitting element of the first pixel circuit, a second storage capacitor of which one end is connected to the second data line and the other end is potential-shifted according to a current to be supplied to a light emitting element of the second pixel circuit, and a constant potential line provided between the first storage capacitor and the second storage capacitor in plan view. |
| US09495912B2 |
Organic light emitting display device
An organic light emitting display device includes a plurality of pixels and a data driver. The plurality of pixels are configured to form n pixel columns, the plurality of pixels each including at least three sub-pixels. The data driver is configured to supply a data signal to the sub-pixels through data lines. A defective pixel of the plurality of pixels includes a dark sub-pixel and three sub-pixels. Normal pixels of the plurality of pixels include sub-pixels positioned on a same sub-pixel column as the sub-pixels of the defective pixel. And the defective pixel and the normal pixels are positioned on an i-th pixel column of the n pixel columns. |
| US09495909B2 |
Organic light emitting display
An organic light emitting display includes a display panel including display lines, on which a plurality of pixels each including an organic light emitting diode and a driving thin film transistor (TFT) are formed. The display lines are sequentially charged to an image display data voltage in response to an image display gate pulse in an image display period of one frame. A sensing target display line among the display lines outputs a sensing voltage corresponding to changes in electrical characteristic of the driving TFT included in each pixel in response to a sensing gate pulse during a vertical blank period excluding the image display period from the one frame and then is charged to a luminance recovery data voltage. The sensing gate pulse is supplied in the same pulse shape as the image display gate pulse in a predetermined period for charging the luminance recovery data voltage. |
| US09495907B2 |
Pixel driving circuit and pixel driving method of organic light-emitting diode
The present invention provides a pixel driving circuit and a pixel driving method of an organic light emitting diode, the pixel driving circuit comprises: a first transistor (T1), a second transistor (T2), a third transistor (T3), a fourth transistor (T4), a fifth transistor (T5), a sixth transistor (T6), a storage capacitor (C1) and an organic light-emitting diode (OLED); which also comprises a scanning control terminal (Scan), a data signal terminal (Data), a constant current source (Iref), a control light emitting signal terminal (Em), a power supply voltage (VDD) and a power supply negative electrode (VSS); the first transistor (T1) is a driving transistor. The present invention uses 6T1C compensation circuit to compensate the threshold voltage of the driving transistor of each pixel, grabbing the threshold voltage through the constant current source, and the data writing and the threshold voltage (Vth) grabbing are simultaneous, which effectively compensate the threshold voltage (Vth) variation of the driving transistor, improving the display quality. |
| US09495901B2 |
Display unit, drive circuit, driving method, and electronic apparatus
A display unit includes: a pixel circuit including a display element, a first transistor having a gate and a source, and a capacitor inserted between the gate and the source, the first transistor supplying a current to the display element; and a drive section driving the pixel circuit, through sequentially performing first and second driving operations, the first driving operation allowing the drive section to apply a pixel voltage to a first terminal and allowing a second terminal to be at a first voltage, the pixel voltage determining luminance of the display element, the first and second terminals being one and the other of the gate and the source of the first transistor, respectively, and the second driving operation allowing the second terminal to be at a second voltage, through applying the pixel voltage to the first terminal and allowing a current to flow through the first transistor. |
| US09495894B2 |
Display device, and data processing method in display device
An embodiment of the present invention is directed to reducing a memory capacity required for saving compensating data (data used for compensating variations and the like in characteristic of a drive transistor) compared to conventional examples, in a display device. An organic EL display device using an oxide TFT for a drive transistor is provided with: a low pass filter for extracting low frequency component data from pixel current data as data of a drive current of the drive transistor; a first computing portion for obtaining high frequency component data by obtaining a difference between the pixel current data and the low frequency component data; a down-sampling portion for extracting data from the low frequency component data at predetermined sampling intervals; and a high frequency signal compression processing portion for extracting only high amplitude data out of the high frequency component data. |
| US09495887B2 |
Targets and methods of manufacturing same
A target of unitary construction comprises a self-supporting sign having a middle portion that has a first side, a second side, an upper side, and a lower side. A first foldable flap extends from the first side and is configured to be folded along the first side in a use configuration. A second foldable flap extends from the second side and is configured to be folded along the second side in the use configuration. A front foldable portion of the sign extends from the lower side and is configured to be folded along the lower side in the use configuration. The front foldable portion is configured to be secured to a surface when the self-supporting sign is being used as a target. In the use configuration, each of the first foldable flap directly and the second foldable flap directly touch only the middle portion and the surface. |
| US09495883B2 |
System and method for displaying a procedure to an aircrew member
A system and method is disclosed for displaying a procedure to an aircrew member of an aircraft. The system includes, but is not limited to, a moving map display, a position detecting unit, a flight management system, an electronic storage unit for storing navigation procedures associated with geographic locations, and a processor coupled with the moving map display, the position detecting unit, the flight management system, and the electronic storage unit. The processor is configured to receive a current location of the aircraft from the position determining unit and a flight path from the flight management system, to retrieve a navigation procedure from the electronic storage unit corresponding to the current location and the flight path of the aircraft, and to command the moving map display to display a graphic depiction of the flight path. |
| US09495879B2 |
Systems and methods for providing optimized taxiing path operation for an aircraft
A taxiing path optimization system is provided for computing a taxi path of an aircraft using available taxi routes of a corresponding airport. An interaction means management unit manages interactions between a user and the taxiing path optimization system using an interactive device for inputting a taxi clearance. An aircraft positioning management unit manages positional information of the corresponding airport and aircraft received from a plurality of sources for augmenting an aircraft position by consolidating the aircraft position with the positional information in a complementary fashion. A taxi path display unit displays the taxi path based on the inputted taxi clearance and the augmented aircraft position, wherein the taxi path is automatically computed based on aircraft characteristics or airport capabilities. |
| US09495863B2 |
Dynamic prediction of risk levels for manufacturing operations through leading risk indicators: alarm-based intelligence and insights
Provided are methodologies to properly assess and manage operational risks at operations sites, e.g., a manufacturing, production or processing facility, such as a refinery, chemical plant, fluid-catalytic-cracking units, or nuclear energy plant, or a biological or waste management facility, airport or even financial institutions, or at any facility in which operations are often accompanied by risk associated with many high-probability, low-consequence events, often resulting in near-misses. In some operations, processes are monitored by alarms, but the invention operates on either process data or alarm data. The methods are based upon measurement of one or more variables, and/or utilization and management of the concept of “hidden process near-miss(es)” to identify a change or escalation, if any, in probability of occurrence of an adverse incident. The methodologies combine a plurality of subsets (also useful independently) of dynamically calculated leading risk indicators for dynamic risk management. |
| US09495862B2 |
Emergency response system and method
An improved emergency response system and method includes at least one zone display structured to present a plurality of zones that convey certain information to bystanders, dispatchers, and/or emergency responders. Each zone corresponds to a different portion of the local premises, such that the zones are collectively configured to convey at least directional information pertaining to the local premises. The zone display is further configured to present at least one universal directional indicator associated with each zone. Accordingly, the information associated with the zones and directional indicators is utilized to facilitate an emergency response. The presenting of the zones can include depicting at least a portion of the premises via mapping overlay display. Further, the zone displays can depict threat level indicators corresponding to perceived circumstances of one or more zones. |
| US09495855B2 |
Fall detection and reporting technology
Fall detection and reporting technology, in which output from at least one sensor configured to sense, in a room of a building, activity associated with a patient falling is monitored and a determination is made to capture one or more images of the room based on the monitoring. An image of the room is captured with a camera positioned to include the patient within a field of view of the camera and the captured image of the room is analyzed to detect a state of the patient at a time of capturing the image. A potential fall event for the patient is determined based on the detected state of the patient and a message indicating the potential fall event for the patient is sent based on the determination of the potential fall event for the patient. Techniques are also described for fall detection and reporting using an on-body sensing device. |
| US09495849B2 |
Security monitoring system
In one embodiment, a monitoring system is provided. The system includes one or more monitoring devices configured to generate respective video signals, and a control circuit. The control circuit is configured to allow a user remote access to the video signals in response to a request for remote access by the user via the WAN interface and the control circuit operating in an alarm state. The control circuit is configured to deny the user access to the video signals in response to a request for remote access by the user via the WAN interface and the control circuit operating in a non-alarm state. |
| US09495848B2 |
Interface between an alarm or monitoring system and an object such as a firearm
An alarm/monitoring system includes an interface body, a first electrical contactor electrically connected to a first lead, and a second electrical contactor electrically connected to a second lead. The first electrical contactor has a magnetic field associated therewith to provide a magnetic attractive force to a ferromagnetic component of the object to be monitored. The first electrical contactor and the second electrical contactor are located on the interface body so that when the interface body is placed in an operating position with respect to the ferromagnetic component, the first electrical contactor and the second electrical contactor each contact a respective surface of the ferromagnetic component to provide a closed electrical circuit between the first lead and the second lead, the closed electrical circuit providing a monitoring input to an alarm system. |
| US09495847B2 |
Method, system and wireless device for monitoring protective headgear based on power data
A wireless device includes a sensor module that generates sensor data in response to motion of protective headgear, wherein the sensor data includes acceleration data. A device processing module includes an event processing module that analyzes the sensor data to generate power data that represents power of impact imparted to the protective headgear and that generates event data that includes the power data. A short-range wireless transmitter transmits a wireless signal that includes the event data. |
| US09495844B2 |
Money handling machine, money handling system and money handling method
The money handling machine (banknote depositing and dispensing machine 1) includes a unique-code generating unit 80 configured to generate a unique code that is used for a receiver of a journal in judging whether the journal is authentic or counterfeit based on at least a part or all of the deposit information printed on the journal by a printing unit (printer 6). The printing unit is configured to print on the journal the unique code generated by the unique-code generating unit 80 as well as the deposit information that is information regarding money deposited into the money handling machine. |
| US09495840B2 |
System and method of awarding a community award
A system providing a community award to player is disclosed. The system comprises a plurality of gaming machines and a system controller. Each gaming machine is configured receive a wager from a respective player and responsively initiate a game. The system controller is coupled to each of the gaming machines and includes a database with a community awards list including a plurality of total award amounts, each total award amount associated with a corresponding number of players. The system controller is then configured to detect a triggering condition; responsively determine a number of players playing the plurality of gaming machines; determine a total award as a function of the determined number of players and the community award list; and provide a community award to at least one of the plurality of players as a function of the determined total award. |
| US09495839B2 |
Wagering game with reel array having extended symbol visually overlaying adjacent reel
A gaming system includes an input device, a display device, a processor, and a memory device. The memory device stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the gaming system to receive a wager and to display an array having a plurality of symbol positions, each of the symbol positions being populated by symbols located on a plurality of symbol-bearing reels. The reels spin and stop to place symbols on the symbol-bearing reels in visual association with symbol positions of the array. At least one extended symbol indexed on a first reel visually overlaps one or more symbols on an adjacent second reel (a) as the first reel spins the extended symbol through the array and (b) without affecting a stopping position of the adjacent second reel. An award is awarded for any winning combinations defined by the symbols in the display area. |
| US09495836B2 |
Seamless initiation of primary and secondary games at modified gaming machines
Secondary gaming functionality is provided for a casino gaming machine (26) by a secondary controller (200) of the casino gaming machine. The secondary gaming functionality may function to provide a multi-game experience at the gaming machine or remotely at another gaming machine or other device, e.g., a smart phone (28), tablet, personal computer (32), and the like, via the casino gaming machine. The multi-game experience may comprise one or more secondary wager-based games in addition to the one or more primary wager-based game(s) provided by the primary gaming functionality of the gaming machine. The secondary controller functionality may cause the secondary wager-based game to be presented upon a single input player to the gaming machine which also initiates the primary game, whereby primary and secondary games are initiated seamlessly to the player via a single input. |
| US09495833B2 |
Electronic gaming system with single action, multiple-play using residual value amounts
A gaming method is played on a gaming system having a processor. The processor executes code to: a) receive a ticket-in-ticket-out wager from the player input system, the ticket having a wagering value; b) dedicate the entire wagering value to a single gaming event on the electronic gaming system; c) the gaming system providing a random gaming event outcome identified by the processor; d) compare the random gaming event outcome and resolving the wager according to a high volatility paytable; and e) awarding any winning outcome from the resolution of the wager as a ticket without providing a credit on the gaming machine that is available for future wagering on the gaming machine. |
| US09495829B2 |
Game at cash register
In various embodiments, a method may include receiving an indication of a price of an item to be purchased by a person from a merchant, receiving an indication of an amount tendered by the person, determining an amount of change due to the person based on the price and based on the amount tendered, determining the rules of a game, generating a first outcome of the game using a random number generator, determining based on the rules whether the first outcome is winning or losing, authorizing, if the first outcome is winning, that the amount tendered be returned to the person and that the person be allowed to keep the item, and authorizing, if the first outcome is losing, that the amount tendered be kept by the merchant. |
| US09495823B2 |
Vending apparatus and method
A vending apparatus and method of vending a product. Embodiments of a vending apparatus include a dispense mechanism configured to dispense a product, the dispense mechanism including a chamber that is rotatable relative to an opening of the dispense mechanism for aligning the product with the opening and dispensing the product therethrough. Further embodiments of a vending apparatus include a coin mechanism for receiving at least one coin before the vending apparatus dispenses a product, the coin mechanism including a delay mechanism configured to slow movement of an actuating device for avoiding jamming of the at least one coin in the coin mechanism. |
| US09495818B2 |
Information processing system, control information processing device, and program
There is provided an information processing system that includes an information processing terminal equipped with an IC chip capable of non-contact communication with a reader/writer, a data provider device that stores a first data record for creating service data, and a control information processing device that creates the service data and transmits the service data to the information processing terminal. The information processing terminal includes a terminal communication portion that acquires the first data record from the data provider device and transmits the first data record to the control information processing device. The control information processing device includes a control communication portion that receives the first data record, a control storage portion that stores a second data record for creating the service data, and a data creation portion that creates the service data based on the first data record and the second data record. |
| US09495814B2 |
Vehicle fault early warning system
A vehicle fault early warning system is provided in which a central processing system (e.g., vehicle manufacturer, service center, third party) transmits a warning once a set of conditions is identified that routinely leads to a particular vehicle malfunction, where the malfunction may either cause the failure of a component/subsystem or cause a component/subsystem to perform out-of-spec. The warning, which may be accompanied by instructions as to how to avoid, or at least mitigate, the effects of the vehicle malfunction, may either be sent to all users or only those that are likely to be affected by the malfunction. |
| US09495810B2 |
Determination of whether a driver parks their vehicle in an enclosed structure
In a method for identifying the parking status of a vehicle, navigation data for a vehicle is recorded that includes at least some GPS navigation data originating from communication with GPS satellites. The vehicle is identified as being parked in an enclosed structure for a parking event if the navigation data does not include GPS navigation data associated with the parking event. |
| US09495808B2 |
System and method for processing casino tickets
A method of processing documents includes receiving a stack of documents including currency bills and substitute currency media. Each substitute currency medium has at least one barcode. The method further includes transporting the stack of documents via a transport mechanism, one document at a time, along a transport path and denominating with a currency detector each of the currency bills in the stack of documents. The currency detector is positioned adjacent to the transport path. The method further includes scanning with a barcode scanner a barcode on each substitute currency medium in the stack of documents. The barcode scanner is positioned adjacent to the transport path. The method further includes imaging with an image scanner each substitute currency medium in the stack of documents to generate a raw image file of the substitute currency medium. The image scanner is positioned adjacent to the transport path. |
| US09495807B2 |
Identifying and extracting stratigraphic layers in one or more bodies representing a geological structure
Systems and methods for identifying and extracting stratigraphic layers in one or more bodies representing a geological structure by performing a stratigraphic analysis on the bodies to extract the stratigraphic layers without seams or intrusions for simple identification. |
| US09495806B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
An image processing apparatus is provided which includes: a feature calculation unit which calculates feature quantities of respective pixels included in an input image; a reliability level obtaining unit which obtains reliability level information indicating reliability levels of respective depth values indicating depths of the respective pixels; and a depth correction unit which corrects the depth values included in input depth information, using the reliability levels and the feature quantities, to generate output depth information. |
| US09495803B2 |
Haptic information presentation system and method
A system and method are disclosed in which in a conventional non-grounding man-machine interface having no reaction base on the human body and for giving the existence of a virtual object and the impact force of a collision to a person, a haptic sensation of a torque, a force and the like can be continuously presented in the same direction, which cannot be presented by only the physical characteristic of a haptic sensation presentation device. In a haptic presentation device, the rotation velocity of at least one rotator in the haptic presentation device is controlled by a control device, and a vibration, a force or a torque as the physical characteristic is controlled, so that the user is made to conceive various haptic information of the vibration, force, torque or the like. |
| US09495799B2 |
Image distortion correction system
An image generation system includes a vertex split count setting section that performs a vertex split count setting process that sets a vertex split count m, a vertex split processing section that performs a vertex split process on a three-dimensional object OB in an object space using the vertex split count m, a vertex position calculation section that calculates an intersection position of a projection screen SC and a straight line that connects a vertex position of the three-dimensional object OB after the vertex split process and a position of a virtual camera VC, and calculates a vertex position of a drawing object corresponding to the three-dimensional object OB on a drawing buffer based on the calculated intersection position, and a drawing section that draws the drawing object on the drawing buffer based on the vertex position of the drawing object to generate a projection image. |
| US09495797B2 |
Hardware accelerated simulation of atmospheric scattering
A method and system may include a hardware texture unit having logic to receive parameters of a view ray for a pixel of a graphical scene, and determine an illumination of the view ray. The illumination, which could indicate an in-scatter illumination percentage for the view ray, may be passed to a software module such as a pixel shader for rendering of the pixel. |
| US09495794B2 |
Three-dimensional image display apparatus, method, and program
A label adding unit adds labels to structures such as a body surface region, a lung region, bronchi, and pulmonary nodules of a human extracted by a structure extraction unit from a three-dimensional image of a chest. An image display control unit displays the three-dimensional image by volume rendering on a display unit. At this time, a label display determination unit determines at least one label to be displayed with the volume rendering image to be displayed based on the opacity during the volume rendering display. A label display control unit displays the determined label with the volume rendering image on the display unit. |
| US09495789B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method and computer program
There is provided an information processing apparatus including a display controlling unit configured to, at a time of displaying content on a screen, set one axis in a three-dimensional space as a time axis, arrange pieces of content along one or more of the time axes, cause the time axis to be rotatable in a foreground direction and a background direction of the screen with one axis substantially orthogonal to the time axis regarded as a center, and, in a case where the time axis is inclined by a predetermined angle or more toward a foreground, change a display state of content after a predetermined reference time among the pieces of content arranged along the time axis. |
| US09495784B2 |
Method for generating digital content by combining photographs and text messages
Methods and apparatus are provided for generating a content of a display apparatus. A user touch is received. An area corresponding to the received user touch is detected. A object is inserted and displayed into the detected area. |
| US09495783B1 |
Augmented reality vision system for tracking and geolocating objects of interest
Methods and apparatuses for tracking objects comprise one or more optical sensors for capturing one or more images of a scene, wherein the one or more optical sensors capture a wide field of view and corresponding narrow field of view for the one or more images of a scene, a localization module, coupled to the one or more optical sensors for determining the location of the apparatus, and determining the location of one more objects in the one or more images based on the location of the apparatus and an augmented reality module, coupled to the localization module, for enhancing a view of the scene on a display based on the determined location of the one or more objects. |
| US09495782B2 |
Integrated media browse and insertion
An application can receive a request to insert one file into another file opened for editing within the application. The request can be either in-line or through a menu system of the application. The request can include a context for the file to be inserted. The system can then identify a set of files that can satisfy the context, from which a user can choose what file is to be inserted. The chosen file can then be inserted into the file opened for editing, all without leaving the application. |
| US09495777B2 |
Visual data analysis for large data sets
A system and method for illustrating enterprise data. An example method includes accessing data from an enterprise application, wherein the data is organized into one or more objects; categorizing the one or more objects based on a grouping criterion, resulting in one or more groups of one or more categorized objects in response thereto; displaying representations of the one or more categorized objects as nodes of a visualization such that each node is positioned in a section of the visualization according to a group associated with the node, resulting in one or more sections of nodes corresponding to the one or more groups; and adjusting a luminance of each node based on a node-appearance criterion. The visualization may be automatically sectioned based on a select combination of user-specified data attributes or criteria, where the selected combination yields a visualization with the most dark nodes in a given section. |
| US09495776B2 |
Computing method and computing apparatus
In a computing apparatus, a computing unit performs statistical analysis on data including the values of a plurality of input variables and the values of a plurality of output variables optimized by adjusting the values of the plurality of input variables, thereby generating the values of intermediate variables that indicate relative positional relationship among the values of each of the plurality of input variables and the plurality of output variables. The creation unit creates scatter diagrams representing the tendency of magnitude relationship among values of a variable, by using the generated values of the intermediate variables, for the respective input variables and output variables. The display unit displays the created scatter diagrams. |
| US09495767B2 |
Indexed uniform styles for stroke rendering
Style parameters, which specify respective visual parameters for rendering a map feature at multiple zoom levels, are stored as an indexed data structure in one or more uniform variables that are (i) accessible in multiple stages of a rendering pipeline, (ii) unchanged during execution of the multiple stages of the rendering pipeline. A selection of a zoom level at which the map feature is to be displayed is received via a user interface. One or more indices (exactly one in a typical case) are paired with every stylized vertex drawn. The vertex shader is configured to retrieve corresponding style parameters from the indexed data structure using the one or more indices and render the map feature at the selected zoom level using the retrieved style parameters. |
| US09495765B2 |
Image processing apparatus and method
This technique relates to an image processing apparatus and a method for improving the coding efficiency for a quantization parameter.Provided are a predicted quantization parameter setting unit for setting a predicted quantization parameter for a current coding unit by using multiple quantization parameters which are set for multiple surrounding coding units located around the current coding unit which is target of coding processing, and a difference quantization parameter setting unit for setting a difference quantization parameter indicating a difference value between the quantization parameter which is set for the current coding unit and the predicted quantization parameter which is set by the predicted quantization parameter setting unit. The present disclosure can be applied to, for example, an image processing apparatus. |
| US09495764B1 |
Verifying object measurements determined from mobile device images
Techniques are described for analyzing images acquired via mobile devices in various ways, including to estimate measurements for one or more attributes of one or more objects in the images and/or to perform automated verification of such attribute measurements. For example, the described techniques may be used to measure the volume of a stockpile of material or other large object, based on images acquired via a mobile device that is moved around some or all of the object. The calculation of object volume and/or other determined object information may include generating and manipulating one or more computer models of the object from selected images. In addition, further automated verification activities may be performed for such computer model(s) and resulting object attribute measurements, such as based on analyzing one or more types of information that reflect accuracy and/or completeness of the computer model(s). |
| US09495763B1 |
Discovering object pathways in a camera network
In an approach to tracking at least one target subject in a camera network, a search is started to find a target subject on a camera within a camera network. Features are extracted from the target subject and search queries are initiated in other nearby cameras within the camera network. Search queries attempt to detect target subjects and present the finds in a ranked order. Application of aggregate searches in multiple cameras and prior search results are used to improve matching results in the camera network; propagate a search of the target subject to discover the full pathway in the camera network; and project future occurrences of the target subject in subsequent cameras in the camera network. |
| US09495761B2 |
Environment mapping with automatic motion model selection
Various embodiments each include at least one of systems, methods, devices, and software for environment mapping with automatic motion model selection. One embodiment in the form of a method includes receiving a video frame captured by a camera device into memory and estimating a type of motion from a previously received video frame held in memory to the received video frame. When the type of motion is the same as motion type of a current keyframe group held in memory, the method includes adding the received video frame to the current keyframe group. Conversely, when the type of motion is not the same motion type of the current keyframe group held in memory, the method includes creating a new keyframe group in memory and adding the received video frame to the new keyframe group. |
| US09495759B2 |
Mobile, wearable, automated target tracking system
The mobile, wearable, automated target tracking system is designed to enable an image and/or sound recording device, such as a video camera or directional microphone, to automatically follow a subject (or target) in order to keep that subject within the image frame or sound range that is being recorded. The automated target tracking system makes it possible to capture both the action and subject simultaneously without requiring a cameraman to manually operate the equipment. The indoor/outdoor, automated tracking system is designed to be independent of the video/sound recording device and may utilize a smartphone for location sensing and control. Both the target (or subject) and the tracking device may be moving, so the tracking device is designed to adjust position on 3 axes, azimuth (pan), elevation (tilt) and horizon (roll). Since the compact, battery-operated tracking device is mobile and wearable, it enables the user to capture the subject and all the action while also participating in the activity at the same time. |
| US09495756B2 |
Multi-scale active contour segmentation
A system and method for active contour segmentation where an image for a structure and an initial position on the image are received, a multi-scale image representation comprising successive image levels each having associated therewith a representation of the image is computed, a representation of the image at a given level having a different image resolution than that of a representation of the image at a subsequent level, a given one of the levels at which noise in the image is removed is identified, the initial position is set as a current contour and the given level as a current level, the current contour is deformed at the current level to expand into an expanded contour matching a shape of the structure, the expanded contour is set as the current contour and the subsequent level as the current level, and the steps are repeated until the last level is reached. |
| US09495753B2 |
Spectral image data processing apparatus and two-dimensional spectral apparatus
A spectral image data processing apparatus which conducts multivariate analysis on spectral image data of a sample, including: a region setting unit configured to set a region of interest for performing multivariate analysis in a sample in which a difference needs to be distinguished, the region of interest being set in accordance with spectral image data of the sample; and an analysis unit configured to perform the multivariate analysis with spectral image data inside the region of interest and spectral image data of region of non-interest which is a region other than the region of interest being distinguished from each other. |
| US09495752B2 |
Multi-bone segmentation for 3D computed tomography
Multiple object segmentation is performed for three-dimensional computed tomography. The adjacent objects are individually segmented. Overlapping regions or locations designated as belonging to both objects may be identified. Confidence maps for the individual segmentations are used to label the locations of the overlap as belonging to one or the other object, not both. This re-segmentation is applied for the overlapping local, and not other locations. Confidence maps in re-segmentation and application just to overlap locations may be used independently of each other or in combination. |
| US09495751B2 |
Processing multi-aperture image data
A method and a system for processing multi-aperture image data are described, wherein the method comprises: capturing image data associated with one or more objects by simultaneously exposing an image sensor in an imaging system to spectral energy associated with at least a first part of the electromagnetic spectrum using at least a first aperture and to spectral energy associated with at least a second part of the electromagnetic spectrum using at least a second and third aperture; generating first image data associated with said first part of the electromagnetic spectrum and second image data associated with said second part of the electromagnetic spectrum; and, generating depth information associated with said captured image on the basis displacement information in said second image data, preferably on the basis of displacement information in an auto-correlation function of the high-frequency image data associated with said second image data. |
| US09495750B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and storage medium for position and orientation measurement of a measurement target object
To perform robust position and orientation measurement even in a situation where noise exist, an image including a target object is obtained, an approximate position and orientation of the target object included in the obtained image are obtained, information related to a shadow region of the target object in the obtained image is estimated, the approximate position and orientation are corrected on the basis of the estimated information related to the shadow region, and a position and orientation of the target object in the image are derived on the basis of the corrected approximate position and orientation and held model information. |
| US09495748B2 |
Segmentation of content delivery
A system and method for segmentation of content delivery is described. A virtual object model is divided into a plurality of segments. An order of the plurality of segments is arranged in a delivery queue. Each segment of the virtual object model is delivered in the order of the delivery queue to a device that is configured to recognize a physical object that is associated with the virtual object model. |
| US09495747B2 |
Registration of SAR images by mutual information
A method for registering an image using a similarity criterion based on mutual information. The image to be registered is compared with a plurality of reference representations of an object, each reference representation being of a plurality of homogeneous zones. The mutual information between the image to be registered and each reference representation is calculated, on the set of homogeneous zones. The registration is given by the reference representation corresponding to the highest mutual information. The method can be advantageously applied to an aircraft aided navigation by registering images obtained by a synthetic aperture radar. |
| US09495746B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for real-time 2D/3D deformable registration using metric learning
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for real-time 2D/3D deformable registration using metric learning are disclosed. According to one aspect, a method for real-time 2D/3D deformable registration using metric learning includes creating a catalog of simulated 2D projection images based on a reference 3D image and a shape space of 3D deformations, where each entry in the catalog is created by: applying to the reference 3D image a set of deformation parameters from the shape space of deformations; simulating a 2D projection of the result; associating the simulated 2D projection image with the deformation parameters used to create the simulated 2D projection image; and storing the simulated 2D projection image and associated deformation parameters in the catalog. The method also includes receiving a 2D image, and, in response to receiving the 2D image: calculating a value of distance between the received 2D image and a simulated 2D projection image for each of the simulated 2D projection images in the catalog; using the calculated distances to calculate weighting factors to be applied to the deformation parameters of each of the simulated 2D projection images in the catalog; and calculating deformation parameters for the received 2D image based on the weighted deformation parameters in the catalog. The calculated deformation parameters are then used to deform a 3D volume of interest to produce a 3D volume that represents the 3D layout of the tissue at the time that the received 2D image was acquired. |
| US09495745B2 |
Method for analyzing biological specimens by spectral imaging
A method for registering a visual image and a spectral image of a biological sample includes aligning a first set of coordinate positions of a plurality of reticles on a slide holder and a second set of coordinate positions of the plurality of reticles on the slide holder. The method further includes generating a registered image of a visual image of a biological sample and a spectral image of the biological sample based upon the alignment of the first and second set of coordinate positions. |
| US09495744B2 |
Non-touch optical detection of vital signs from amplified visual variations of reduced images
An apparatus includes a cropper operable to receive images and crop the images to exclude a border area, thus generating cropped images, a skin-pixel-identifier coupled to the cropper and that identifies pixel values that are representative of the skin in the cropped images, a first frequency filter coupled to the skin-pixel-identifier and that applies a frequency filter to output of the skin-pixel-identifier, a regional facial clusterial module coupled to the first filter and that applies spatial clustering to the output of the first filter, a second frequency filter operably coupled to the regional facial clusterial module and applied to the output of the regional facial clusterial module, a temporal-variation identifier coupled to the first filter and that identifies temporal variation of the output of the first filter, and a vital-sign generator coupled to the temporal-variation identifier that generates at least one vital sign from the temporal variation. |
| US09495739B2 |
Method and system for validating image data
A system and method for validating GPU rendered display data by comparing, across substantially all of the pixel locations in a frame, the GPU rendered display data to display data rendered by another processor. In this way, by checking substantially all of the pixel locations in a frame, errors in the display image data can be detected without prior knowledge of the format, layout, etc. of the display data. The system and method are capable of operating without receiving input from a user or producing output to a user, and without receiving input from other applications or producing output to other applications. |
| US09495736B2 |
Image inspecting apparatus and image inspecting program
Image inspecting apparatus compares first image data created as data representing a reference-image acting as an inspecting reference with second image data created as data representing an inspection-image acting as a target to automatically extract a difference point between first and second image data, and includes a storage means for the reference-and inspection-image, an image processing means for establishing correspondences between part of stored reference-image as first image data with part of stored target image as second image data at a pixel level to perform an image matching processing of them, a difference detecting means for comparing image-matched first and second image data to detect a difference between first and second image data, image producing means for comparing difference with a plurality of threshold values to produce error representing image data at each threshold value, and inspecting process using produced error representing image data at each threshold value. |
| US09495734B2 |
Information processing apparatus, system, method, and medium storing program
An information processing apparatus may include a memory storing instructions and at least one processor configured to process the instructions to receive an input image. The input image includes either a first image or a provisional image created by iteratively image processing the first image. The instructions further provide for the processor to calculate a local variation of a focused pixel in the input image based on a difference in pixel value between the focused pixel and a surrounding pixel of the focused pixel, to calculate a filter coefficient for suppressing a variation between neighboring pixels in the input image based on the local variation, to create a degraded image by degrading the input image, to calculate a reconfiguration error between the input image and the degraded image, and to create the provisional image based on the filter coefficient and the reconfiguration error. |
| US09495733B2 |
Image processing device, image processing method, image processing program, and image display device
A contour direction estimating unit estimates a contour direction in which signal values of pixels are constant values for each pixel, a low pass filter unit smooths a signal value of the pixel based on a signal value of each reference pixel that is a pixel of a reference region corresponding to the pixel and arranged in the contour direction of the pixel estimated by the contour direction estimating unit for each pixel, and a high frequency expanding unit generates a high frequency component of the signal value of the pixel and expands a frequency band for the signal value of the pixel. |
| US09495732B2 |
Image enhancing device and image enhancement method
An image is sharpened by using a frequency component higher than Nyquist frequency.An image enhancing device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention for generating an output image by sharpening an input image, includes: a filter unit 10 configured to generate a first signal by eliminating at least a direct current component of a frequency component included in an input image signal representing the input image; a nonlinear processing unit 20 configured to generate a second signal by carrying out, to the first signal, nonlinear processing asymmetric between a positive area and a negative area of the first signal; a limiter 30 configured to generate a third signal by adjusting the second signal; and an adder 50 configured to generate an output image signal representing the output image by adding the third signal to the input image signal. |
| US09495730B2 |
Flexible display device and method for changing display area
A display device to change an image displayed in a display area when the display area is changed includes a memory, a location output unit and a screen display unit. The memory stores size information of a display area displayed on a screen and the image data of the displayed image. The location computing unit computes a start point of the changed display area when the display area is changed. The display unit decodes data corresponding to the size of the display area based on the computed new start point from the image data to display the decoded data in the display area. Since the start point is obtained with center point of the changed display area and its size information and then a display area to be displayed is determined based on the start point, a current search location is maintained even when the screen is swung. |
| US09495722B2 |
Developer controlled layout
A method for processing graphics for a GPU program, translating instructions from a shading language into an intermediate language with a front end of a GPU compiler; translating the instructions from the intermediate language into a GPU object language with a back end of the GPU compiler; wherein the instructions in the shading language include instructions defining a layout of resources for the GPU program. |
| US09495721B2 |
Efficient super-sampling with per-pixel shader threads
Techniques for dispatching pixel information in a graphics processing pipeline. A fragment processing unit generates a pixel that includes multiple samples based on a first portion of a graphics primitive received by a first thread. The fragment processing unit calculates a first value for the first pixel, where the first value is calculated only once for the pixel. The fragment processing unit calculates a first set of values for the samples, where each value in the first set of values corresponds to a different sample and is calculated only once for the corresponding sample. The fragment processing unit combines the first value with each value in the first set of values to create a second set of values. The fragment processing unit creates one or more dispatch messages to store the second set of values in a set of output registers. |
| US09495716B2 |
Expanding a social network by the action of a single user
Techniques for creating a social network are provided. Private relationships that are established (e.g., in the context of instant messaging) may become public by the action of a single user. Each user determines whether they want to be “social” to (or discoverable by) friends of the user's friends. For example, user A is a friend of (i.e., has established a relationship with) user B and user B is a friend of user C, but user A and user C are not friends of each other (i.e., user A and user C have not established a relationship with each other). If user C unilaterally takes an action, then user A is able to see that user C is a friend of user B. User A may then take further actions to attempt to establish a relationship with user C or otherwise contact user C. |
| US09495715B2 |
System, method, and medium for social network information feed in-line purchasing by text recognition
Embodiments described herein disclose a system and method for providing an improved user experience for purchasing a product within an information feed. An information feed is displayed which includes an information post having a product link or otherwise referencing a product. A selection of the product link or the referenced product is received, and product information for a product associated with the product link or referenced product is retrieved. The product information and a purchase selector are displayed within the information feed, in association with the information post. A selection of the purchase selector is received. User payment information is retrieved and displayed in association with the information post in the information feed. User payment information is transmitted, based on a received confirmation from a user. The purchase is then executed, and a confirmation message may be displayed. |
| US09495711B2 |
Invite abuse prevention
Techniques for invite abuse prevention are described. In an implementation, data that describes mutual activities of the clients with one or more resources available via a service provider is obtained from multiple clients. The service provider may use this data regarding mutual activities to ascertain activity scores between clients that interact directly. The ascertained activity scores may then be used to compute a score between two subject clients to control invites and/or other interactions between the clients. Computing the score may include determining one or more connections between the two clients through clients that interact directly, calculating candidate values for the one or more connections, and selecting one of the candidate values as the computed score using various techniques. The computed score may be used in various ways to control invites and/or other interactions between the clients using the one or more resources. |
| US09495710B2 |
Social networking management server
A social media management server (MS) provides a single authentication point for a client device to log in to multiple social networking accounts. Through the MS, the client device can pull social networking updates to it or have them pushed to the client device. Also, the MS provides a set of APIs for all enabled client devices to interact with social networking sites/services. The MS updates APIs between itself and the social networking sites/services without changing the APIs between itself and client devices in that only mandatory changes in the MS-to-social networking servers APIs are propagated to the APIs between the MS and client devices to reduce the API update requirements on the client side. |
| US09495709B2 |
Insurance processing systems and methods using mobile devices for proof of insurance
Systems, methods, apparatus, means and computer program code for operating a mobile device and an insurance processing system are provide which include receiving, from a mobile device, sensor data collected from at least a first sensor of the mobile device, determining, based at least in part on the sensor data, that an activity associated with an insured is not covered by a plurality of insurance coverage rules, and transmitting, to the mobile device, information indicating that an activity is not covered by a plurality of insurance coverage rules. |
| US09495707B2 |
Systems and methods to facilitate generation of pricing information via a pricing graph
Systems and methods are provided to generate and exchange pricing information by a pricing engine. According to one embodiment, a pricing graph having a plurality of inter-dependent nodes is constructed. The pricing graph includes at least one input pricing information node and output pricing information node. In addition, at least one node provides information that effects information received by that node. A frame is established with at least one input pricing information slot and output pricing information slot. The pricing graph is then executed via a pricing engine in substantially real time. As a result, a value in the input pricing information slot is provided to the input pricing information node and a value for the output pricing information slot is received from the output pricing information node. |
| US09495706B2 |
Sy based integrated policy and charging control
Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method for managing subscriber usage in a mobile network by a policy and charging rules function (PCRF) including: receiving a credit control request (CCR) message from a policy and enforcement rules function (PCEF) for an application; determining if a Sy connection to an online charging system (OCS) is necessary to implement the CCR; determining if a Sy session is present; sending an application authorization request (AAR) message to the OCS; binding a counter to the application; determining a policy to apply based upon the application; and sending a credit control answer (CCA) message to the PCEF to effect the policy. |
| US09495703B1 |
Automatic budgeting system
Provided is a software application containing instructions to receive an identifier associated with an item to be purchased by a user. The software application provides the identifier associated with the item to an associated database. The item is then assigned a classification which, along with the price of the item, is provided to an authorization entity associated with at least one account of the user. A notice is then received as to whether a purchase of the item using the account will be authorized at the time of purchase. The authorization is determined as a function of the price of the item and the classification of the item. |
| US09495700B2 |
Portfolio-level decision support
The present invention employs branded virtual characters to engage and educate users regarding an array of health-related insurance, financial, and other benefits, enabling informed decision-making during this complex process. Information is collected gradually on an “as-needed” basis to avoid overwhelming users with lengthy and redundant requests for information, while still providing a safe environment for users to freely discuss personal, health, financial and related sensitive issues. Throughout the process, the system employs a portfolio-driven approach to identify inter-dependencies among different benefit products and plans, and prioritize and recommend “portfolio-level” benefit solutions. Back-end components enable users to complete transactions (e.g., via third-party quoting and enrollment systems and employer HRIS systems, as well as via access to external medical and claims data), and provide third parties with access to the educational, decision-making and transactional aspects of this process, including various authoring and other tools to generate and modify system content over time. |
| US09495697B2 |
Systems and methods for facilitating electronic commerce over a network
In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, systems and methods for facilitating electronic commerce over a network include communicating with a plurality of users via a plurality of user devices over the network, receiving a login request from a first user via a first user device over the network, accessing an account related to the user based on information passed with the login request, receiving a snaplist file related to a multiple image listing provided by the first user via the first user device, processing the snaplist file by extracting the multiple image listing from the snaplist file, and displaying the multiple image listing to one or more other users via one or more other user devices. |
| US09495690B2 |
Systems and methods to process transactions and offers via a gateway
A system, configured to integrate the processing of transactions and offers applicable to the transactions, includes: a data warehouse storing an offer in association with a financial payment account; a gateway configured to receive an authorization request that is transmitted from a transaction terminal without going through an acquirer processor, the gateway coupled with the data warehouse to determine whether the offer is applicable to the authorization request and if so, apply a benefit of the offer to the authorization request; and a transaction handler coupled with the gateway to process the authorization request submitted from the gateway, provide an authorization response corresponding to the authorization request, and communicate with the acquirer processor to credit funds according to the authorization request to a merchant account associated with the transaction terminal. |
| US09495688B2 |
System and method for preference generation
The system provides a method and apparatus for preference generation that allows, for example, geographic boundaries to be easily implemented by a user. The system permits a user and other participants to manually and/or automatically constrain options to specific user and participant defined criteria, including geographic, categorical, economical, temporal, and other preference metrics. |
| US09495685B2 |
Generating and implementing A-lists to manage user relationships
Methods and systems are provided for dynamically generating and displaying a list of contacts. In accordance with one implementation, a method is provided that includes identifying one or more contacts having associated contact information. The one or more contacts may be associated with a user and identified across a plurality of information services or sources. The method further includes determining a subset of the one or more contacts and associated contact information based on a set of predefined criteria, generating a list of the subset of contacts and associated contact information, and displaying the generated list of contacts and associated contact information on the user interface. |
| US09495684B2 |
Methods and systems for indicating behavior in a population cohort
Avatars, methods, apparatuses, computer program products, devices and systems are described that carry out identifying a member of a population cohort; and indicating at least one behavior in the member of the population cohort based on an association between the population cohort and at least one cohort-linked avatar. |
| US09495681B2 |
Systems and methods for web page optimization
Systems and methods are provided for web page optimization. In accordance with one implementation, a system for web page optimization is provided, wherein the system comprises a computing device configured to provide at least one of user data, content categories, and page performance metrics, and receive, from the module server, a bid to include at least one proposed module on a page, the bid including an impact score of the at least one proposed module based on the page performance metrics. The system also includes a feedback component configured to provide performance feedback indicative of how the page performed based in part on the page performance metrics, and a page assembler coupled configured to select for display on the page a module combination comprising the at least one proposed module, wherein the module combination is selected based in part on the impact score and the performance feedback. |
| US09495680B2 |
Secure payment card transactions
Identification cards at a processing server may be secured in certain embodiments by intercepting data associated with the identification card. The data may be prevented from being accessed by an application that is of a particular priority level. The data may be encrypted and provided to a server, which may provide replacement data that is formatted to be processed as a substitute for the data. This substitute data may then be provided to the application that was prevented from accessing the data. |
| US09495679B2 |
Automated application programming interface (API) system and method
A method for leveraging email to complete an online transaction from a third party vendor, the method comprising: storing customer information, the customer information including a customer name, customer email address, customer shipping address, and customer billing information. The method further comprises receiving an authorization request from an application programming interface associated with a third party vendor requesting access to a portion of the customer information and receiving confirmation from a customer to allow the third party vendor to access the portion of the customer information. The method further comprising transmitting an access code to the third party vendor and receiving a request message from the third party vendor, wherein the request message comprises the access code, and wherein the request message requests an authorization token. The method may further comprise confirming the received access code and transmitting an authorization token to the third party vendor. |
| US09495678B2 |
Content providing/obtaining system
A content providing apparatus previously receives customer identification information and content identification information as customer reservation information via a terminal device, and sends customer desired content data corresponding to the content identification information to a content obtaining apparatus, to provide a customer with the customer desired content data via the content obtaining apparatus more easily, thus making it possible to significantly improve the usability of a content obtaining/providing system. In addition, a content providing server sends three-dimensional images to a portable dedicated terminal in response to a preview request sent from the portable dedicated terminal, and then sends commercial data corresponding to a preview request sent according to the display state of the three-dimensional images to reproduce it, to make the customer view and preview the content to allow the customer to accurately judge whether the content meets his/her taste, thus making it possible to select content data lightheartedly. |
| US09495677B2 |
Decoding systems with a decoding engine running on a mobile device and coupled to a payment system that includes identifying information of second parties qualified to conduct business with the payment system
A decoding system with a decoding engine running on a mobile device. The decoding engine decodes signals produced from a read of a buyer's financial transaction card, accepts and initializes incoming signals from a read of a buyer's financial transaction card until the signals reach a steady state, detects the read of the buyer's financial transaction card once the incoming signals are in a steady state, identifies peaks in the incoming signals and digitizes the identified peaks in the incoming signals into bits. A transaction engine runs on the mobile device and is coupled to the decoding engine. A payment system is in communication with the transaction engine. |
| US09495674B2 |
Enabling secure transactions with an underpowered device
In a system and method for enabling secure monetary transactions with an unpowered and/or underpowered user device, embodiments include a payment device including a battery, a display, and a processor. The processor is configured to generate an optical machine-readable representation of data, the data including an identifier for a payment account, and display the optical machine-readable representation of data on the display in response to a charge level of the battery. |
| US09495672B2 |
Mobile device containing contactless payment card used in transit fare collection
An apparatus such as a mobile phone includes a contactless smart card or payment device, where the smart card is intended for use in both commerce transaction payment and transit fare payment (or other venue access) environments. The payment device may function as both an electronic wallet for commerce transactions and as a transit system card, for access to and fare payment of transit services. Implementation of both functions may be achieved by use of a dynamic memory management system that permits data for both the payment and transit applications to be stored on the card, with the transit data and storage locations isolated from those used to store data intended for use in paying for commerce transactions. The transit application specific data may include access control data (keys, passwords, identification data) or data required for fare calculations (rates, historical data on system use), for example. |
| US09495671B2 |
Printing dynamic image content on receipts
A method, apparatus, and computer readable storage medium for printing a receipt. Receipt data may be generated at a point-of-sale terminal. At least one value adding message including a graphical image may be automatically selected and dynamic content for the value adding message may be automatically generated. A receipt may be printed by a point-of-sale printer, the receipt including the receipt data, the graphical image, and the dynamic content, wherein the dynamic content is printed in a window embedded within the graphic image. |
| US09495670B2 |
Quick legend receipt system
Techniques are disclosed for enabling more efficient tipping by providing a merchant the ability to reduce the time used on manually entering tip amounts. In one embodiment, a method includes automatically generating, by a point-of-sale (POS) system, a transaction receipt that indicates a plurality of selectable tip options, wherein said automatically generating the transaction receipt is based on one or more rules specified by a user of the POS system. The method further includes causing the transaction receipt to be printed as a printed receipt. The method further includes identifying, by the POS system, a one of the plurality of selectable tip options specified by a customer on the printed receipt. Among other benefits, the disclosed techniques reduce the time and effort the merchant needs to spend on collating the tipping at end of the business day. |
| US09495665B2 |
Delivering electronic meeting content
A method, computer program product, and system for delivering content in an electronic meeting. An electronic meeting is associated with a calendar appointment. Content associated with the electronic meeting is identified. A portion of the content is provided to a computing device associated with a user based upon, at least in part, receiving an indication that the user intends to participate in the electronic meeting, wherein the indication is associated with the calendar appointment. |
| US09495662B2 |
Method and apparatus for storing telephone numbers in a portable terminal
A method and apparatus for storing a telephone number in a portable terminal. The method includes the steps of providing a user with a name input request message; determining whether or not the inputted name exists in a phone book list of the portable terminal; and generating a new entry including the inputted name and its associated telephone number and adding the new entry to the phone book list when the inputted name does not exist in the phone book list. |
| US09495654B2 |
Stack handling operation method, system, and computer program
A method for searching transition routes from an initial state of a plurality of stackable items to a target state by a computer at predetermined conditions includes connecting between transitionable states at an edge by a single handling operation transitioning from the initial state to the target state, to generate a state space graph; evaluating a lower bound of handling operation cost from a certain state to the target state, based on both the stacking sequence of the plurality of items in the certain state and the stacking sequence of the plurality of items in the target state; and searching a route from the initial state to the target state where the handling operation cost is minimal on the state space graph using a heuristic search algorithm based on the lower bound. |
| US09495650B2 |
Information display system, information processing device, and information display method
An information display system for displaying information according to an operation by a user, includes a progress management unit configured to compare a scheduled time of displaying the information with a time that the information is actually displayed, and determine a display progress of the information displayed by the operation of the user; and a display unit configured to display the display progress of the information, based on the display progress of the information determined by the progress management unit. |
| US09495649B2 |
Workload-to-cloud migration analysis based on cloud aspects
Methods and systems for evaluating compatibility of a cloud of computers to perform one or more workload tasks. One or more computing solution aspects are determined that corresponding to one or more sets of workload factors, where the workload factors characterize one or more workloads, to characterize one or more computing solutions. The workload factors are compared to the computing solution aspects in a rule-based system to exclude computing solutions that cannot satisfy the workload factors. A computing solution is selected that has aspects that accommodate all of the workload factors to find a solution that accommodates the one or more individual workloads. |
| US09495647B2 |
Acceleration of sparse support vector machine training through safe feature screening
A system for machine training can comprise one or more data processors and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions which, when executed on the one or more data processors, cause the one or more data processors to perform operations including: accessing a dataset comprising data tracking a plurality of features; determining a series of values for a regularization parameter of a sparse support vector machine model, the series including an initial regularization value and a next regularization value; computing an initial solution to the sparse support vector machine model for the initial regularization value; identifying, using the initial solution, inactive features of the sparse support vector machine model for the next regularization value; and computing a next solution to the sparse support vector machine model for the next regularization value, wherein computing the next solution includes excluding the inactive features. |
| US09495644B2 |
Systems and methods for improving the performance of a quantum processor by reducing errors
Techniques for improving the performance of a quantum processor are described. Some techniques employ improving the processor topology through design and fabrication, reducing intrinsic/control errors, reducing thermally-assisted errors and methods of encoding problems in the quantum processor for error correction. |
| US09495643B2 |
Semiconductor device capable of testing bonding of pad
A test circuit includes a phase difference detection unit and a determination unit. The phase difference detection unit detects a phase difference between a first signal received through a first pad and a second signal received through a second pad. The determination unit compares the detected phase difference with a preset amount of delay and outputs a result signal. |
| US09495641B2 |
Systems and method for data set submission, searching, and retrieval
Systems and methods of searching for related data sets are provided. Multivariate data sets can be input as queries into a data set search engine. According to one embodiment, the input data set is automatically reduced to a set of best fit data models of minimum complexity that represent the data set. The data model is then compared to other data models to not only identify similarity between the models, but also to identify the particulars of why the data models are related. The search engine can be configured to return sets of data models as results from the search on the input data set. Results can be organized on data model type and/or information scores. Results can also be displayed graphically as a topographical map of nodes and edge. Each node can represent a data model and each edge can reflect the similarity between the nodes. |
| US09495635B2 |
Association significance
Systems and techniques for determining significance between entities are disclosed. The systems and techniques identify a first entity having an association with a second entity, apply a plurality of association criteria to the association, weight each of the criteria based on defined weight values, and compute a significance score for the first entity with respect to the second entity based on a sum of a plurality of weighted criteria values. The systems and techniques utilize information from disparate sources to create a uniquely powerful signal. The systems and techniques can be used to identify the significance of relationships (e.g., associations) among various entities including, but not limited to, organizations, people, products, industries, geographies, commodities, financial indicators, economic indicators, events, topics, subject codes, unique identifiers, social tags, industry terms, general term/s, metadata elements, classification codes, and combinations thereof. |
| US09495634B2 |
Scalable neuromorphic synaptronic system with overlaid cores for shared neuronal activation and opposite direction firing event propagation
In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method comprising propagating a first set and a second set of axonal firing events through a symmetric core circuit in a first direction and a second direction, respectively. The symmetric core circuit comprises a first core module and a second core module, and each core module comprises an interconnection network for interconnecting multiple electronic neurons with multiple electronic axons. The method further comprises, for at least one neuron, receiving an axonal firing event via an interconnected axon, and, for at least one neuron, generating a neuronal firing event according to a neuronal activation function. Each core module of the symmetric core circuit has a corresponding adaptive lookup table, the corresponding adaptive lookup table used to determine target axons for neuronal firing events generated by neurons in the core module. |
| US09495629B2 |
Memory card and communication method between a memory card and a host unit
A memory card and a communication method between a memory card and a host unit are disclosed. High throughput of data between the memory card and the host unit is guaranteed by providing a communication interface between the memory card and the host unit including a first communication interface between a memory unit of the memory card and a control unit of the memory card and a second communication interface between the control unit of the memory card and the host unit. |
| US09495628B2 |
Passive RF tag with adiabatic circuits
A passive tag embedded in a package includes multiple conductive coils. A first coil receives radio frequency (RF) energy used to power the tag. Additional coils receive and/or transmit data signals, clock signals, and carrier signals. The RF energy and other signals may be at different frequencies. An RF probe includes a first coil to emit the RF energy to power the tag. The RF probe includes additional coils corresponding to the additional coils in the tag. The RF probe may turn off the RF signal used for power during communication. The RF energy may be rectified to provide DC power to circuits in the tag, or may be used directly for adiabatic circuits. The RF probe and the package may have complementary shapes to facilitate alignment of the coils. |
| US09495627B1 |
Magnetic tunnel junction based chip identification
The present invention provides integrated circuit chips having chip identification aspects. The chips include magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structures, and more specifically, include permanent bit strings used for chip identification and/or authentication. Systems and processes for chip identification are also disclosed herein. The MTJ element structures provided herein can have a defined resistance profile such that the intrinsic variability of the MTJ element structure is used to encode and generate a bit string that becomes a fingerprint for the chip. In some embodiments, an oxygen treatment covering all or a selected portion of an array of MTJ elements can be used to create a mask or secret key that can be used and implemented to enhance chip identification. |
| US09495625B2 |
Method and device for personalizing at least two cards, and card obtained via said method
A method of personalization for at least two cards (10), each card including a first side, a second side, and a peripheral surface, includes the following steps: forming a pile (20) of at least two cards by stacking the first side or the second side of an article (n) such that the first surface or the second surface of the following card (n+1) is in contact with the first side or the second side of the card (n); aligning, via an alignment device (32, 34) at least one element of the peripheral surface of the card (n) with at least one element of the peripheral surface of the following card (n+1) such that at least one element of the set of peripheral surfaces of each card forms at least one uniform surface; applying, via an application device, at least one product on at least one element of the uniform surface. |
| US09495624B2 |
Estimation apparatus
Provided is an estimation apparatus including a storage unit that stores an estimation model for estimating transport failure information pertaining to a transport failure based on information pertaining to a transit time in which each of plural papers with different characteristics passes through a certain transport section in a transport path and information pertaining to a utilization of each of the plural papers for each of plural image processing apparatuses, an acquisition unit that acquires the characteristics of the paper, information pertaining to the transit time of the paper, and information pertaining to the utilization of the paper for the image processing apparatus that is the estimation target, and an estimation unit that estimates the transport failure information using the estimation model based on the acquisition results of the acquisition unit. |
| US09495621B1 |
Color calibration mechanism
A method for calibrating a printer is disclosed. The method includes receiving data corresponding to a Reference curve for the printer, receiving data corresponding to a Measurement curve representing a current response for the printer and generating a Target curve that follows the Reference curve and transitions to the Measured curve. |
| US09495620B2 |
Multi-script handwriting recognition using a universal recognizer
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media related to a technique for providing handwriting input functionality on a user device. A handwriting recognition module is trained to have a repertoire comprising multiple non-overlapping scripts and capable of recognizing tens of thousands of characters using a single handwriting recognition model. The handwriting input module provides real-time, stroke-order and stroke-direction independent handwriting recognition. User interfaces for providing the handwriting input functionality are also disclosed. |
| US09495617B2 |
Image product creation based on face images grouped using image product statistics
A computer-implemented method for creating an image product by accurately grouping faces includes receiving an initial set of face groups for a plurality of face images, training classifiers between pairs of face groups in the initial set of face groups using image-product statistics by a computer processor, classifying the plurality of face images by classifiers to output binary vectors for the plurality of face images by the computer processor, calculating a value for an improved similarity function using the binary vectors for each pair of the plurality of face images, grouping the plurality of face images into modified face groups based on values of the binary similarity functions by the computer processor, and creating an image product based at least in part on the modified face groups. |
| US09495616B2 |
System for monitoring coffee machines and corresponding monitoring method
A system for monitoring coffee machines, comprising: a coffee machine (10) having an electronic circuitry (14, 40, 41) configured for collecting and storing usage parameters of the machine; and a display (12) connected to the electronic circuitry and configured for displaying information processed by the electronic circuitry (14, 40, 41) in the form bar codes of QR code type. The system includes a device (50) external to the machine (10) and configured for acquiring through photographs the processed information, in order to decode it and transmit it to a remote server (15). A method of for monitoring coffee machines is also described. |
| US09495611B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and image processing program
An image processing apparatus for searching for corresponding points between a first image and a second image is provided. The image processing apparatus includes a window setting portion, a phase information extraction portion that extracts phase information by subjecting a representation included in each set window to frequency decomposition, a corresponding points determination portion that determines the corresponding points based on comparison of the phase information extracted from each window, and a window size control portion that causes the window setting portion to set a window different in size in accordance with a frequency used for calculation of the frequency decomposition. The window size control portion causes the window setting portion to set a window having a first size in response to a first frequency and to set a window having a second size smaller than the first size in response to a second frequency higher than the first frequency. |
| US09495607B2 |
Describing objects using edge-pixel-feature descriptors
During a description technique (100), a local descriptor for an object (300) is generated (122) by computing a 2-dimensional histogram (600) of pairs of angles (514, 516) between pairs of line segments (510, 512) that are aligned with edge pixels associated with the object (300). The pairs of line segments (510, 512) belong to a subset of k neighboring or proximate line segments (310). Moreover, this 2D histogram (600) may represent the relative displacement and the relative orientations of the pairs of line segments (510, 512) in the subset as weights in bins or cells defined by angular quantization values, and the 2D histogram (600 may exclude lengths of the line segments. Subsequently, the generated 2D histogram (600) may be compared (210) to predefined sets of descriptors in a model library that are associated with a set of objects, and the object may be identified (212) as one of the set of objects based on a group of match scores determined in the comparisons. |
| US09495606B2 |
Method for product recognition from multiple images
A method for product recognition from multiple images includes producing a plurality of recognition results for a plurality of input images, stitching the plurality of input images into a single stitched image; merging the plurality of recognition results using information from stitching the plurality of input images to generate a merged recognition result; and outputting the merged recognition result. The disclosure also includes systems for implementing the method. |
| US09495605B2 |
Method and apparatus for the detection of digital watermarks for instant credential authentication
A portable hand-held device for use in authenticating documents includes a camera for capturing images from the document to be authenticated as well as on-board computer-implemented instructions to capture and analyze Digitally Watermarked images and output an indication as to whether the document is authentic or not authentic. |
| US09495597B2 |
Plant stand counter
A method for recognizing individual plants of a selected type growing in a field, wherein the method comprises capturing color NIR image data of an entire field having plants of a selected type growing therein utilizing an automated plant counting system and calculating a ratio value between each pixel of the color image data and the corresponding pixel of the NIR image data utilizing a plant recognition algorithm executed via a data processing system of the plant counting system. The method additionally comprises generating, via execution of the plant recognition algorithm, a false color image of the field based on the calculated ratios for each pixel, and identifying, via execution of the plant recognition algorithm, all plants of the selected type in the false color image based on a plant distinguishing characteristic uniquely rendered for each individual plant of the selected type in the false color image. |
| US09495596B2 |
Systems and method for identifying locations of infrastructure assets using aerial imagery
Embodiments include a computer-implemented method for identifying locations of infrastructure assets. The method including identifying a location of a first infrastructure asset and a location of a second infrastructure asset, identifying a region of interest extending at least partially between the locations of the first and second infrastructure assets, obtaining an aerial image of the region of interest, determining that the aerial image of the region of interest comprises a third infrastructure asset, determining a location of the third infrastructure asset based at least in part on the aerial image, and storing the location of the secondary infrastructure asset in an infrastructure asset datastore. |
| US09495593B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling content capture of prohibited content
Embodiments of methods, apparatuses, and storage mediums associated with controlling content capture of prohibited content on remote devices, are disclosed. In embodiments, components of a remote device may receive image data of an image captured by the remote device and analyze the image data to determine whether the image includes prohibited content. In embodiments, the remote device may conditionally display or persistently store the image data, based at least in part on a result of the analysis. |
| US09495592B2 |
Image-based information providing device and method using object recognition
An information providing device according to the exemplary embodiment includes an object recognizing unit, a retrieving unit, an obtaining unit, and a transmitting unit. The object recognizing unit extracts an image of a specific object which appears in an image of a moving image content to be distributed to a terminal device. The retrieving unit requests a retrieval device to retrieve a similar image with the image of the specific object as a retrieval key and obtains a retrieval result from the retrieval device. The obtaining unit obtains recommend information related with an image of the specific object which appears in an image of a moving image content based on the retrieval result. The transmitting unit transmits the recommend information to the terminal device. |
| US09495591B2 |
Object recognition using multi-modal matching scheme
Methods, systems and articles of manufacture for recognizing and locating one or more objects in a scene are disclosed. An image and/or video of the scene are captured. Using audio recorded at the scene, an object search of the captured scene is narrowed down. For example, the direction of arrival (DOA) of a sound can be determined and used to limit the search area in a captured image/video. In another example, keypoint signatures may be selected based on types of sounds identified in the recorded audio. A keypoint signature corresponds to a particular object that the system is configured to recognize. Objects in the scene may then be recognized using a shift invariant feature transform (SIFT) analysis comparing keypoints identified in the captured scene to the selected keypoint signatures. |
| US09495590B1 |
Extended depth-of-field biometric system
An iris recognition system may include an optical system having an intentional amount of spherical aberration that results in an extended depth of field. A raw image of an iris captured by the optical system may be normalized. In some embodiments, the normalized raw image may be processed to enhance the MTF of the normalized iris image. An iris code may be generated from the normalized raw image or the enhanced normalized raw image. The iris code may be compared to known iris codes to determine if there is a match. In some embodiments, the iris code generated by the normalized iris image may be processed with equalization function before comparison with the known iris codes. |
| US09495589B2 |
Detection of gaze point assisted by optical reference signal
A gaze-point detection system includes at least one infrared (IR) signal source to be placed in a test scene as a reference point, a pair of eye glasses to be worn by a person, and a data processing and storage unit for calculating a gaze point of the person wearing the pair of eye glasses. The pair of eye glasses includes an image sensor, an eye-tracking unit and a camera. The image sensor detects IR signals from the at least one IR signal source and generates an IR signal source tracking signal. The eye-tracking unit determines adapted to determine the gaze direction of the person and generates an eye-tracking signal, and the camera acquires a test scene picture. The data processing and storage unit communicates with the pair of eye glasses and calculates the gaze point relative to the test scene picture. |
| US09495588B2 |
Biometric template security and key generation
Methods and systems for securing biometric templates and generating secret keys are provided. One or more images are received. Interest points are identified based on the received images, and a plurality of obfuscating data points are generated based on the interest points. An obfuscated template based on the interest points and the obfuscating data points is created and stored. A secret key can be encoded using a subset of at least one of the obfuscating data points and the interest points in the template. |
| US09495585B2 |
Pose determination from a pattern of four LEDs
The present invention relates to the field of computation and covers methods to find one to one mapping between fiducial markers on a tracked object and fiducial marker projections on the image plane captured by a camera in optical object tracking systems. A method for solving correspondence problem is realized to find correspondences between 3D points of an object and 2D projection of that object onto the image plane so that this can be used to find the object's 3D location and orientation. It is designed to work without current pose of the tracked object thus it is equally efficient on initial correspondence problem as correspondence problem. Furthermore, a method for selecting LED groups to be used for solving correspondence problem is also presented, which uses pose data representing possible poses of tracked object under working conditions thus LEDS groups are selected to satisfy use case requirements. |
| US09495583B2 |
Organizing images by correlating faces
A computer-implemented method for organizing images including receiving an image that includes a representation of a human face; generating a correlation value indicating a likelihood that the human face corresponds to a stored facial profile associated with one or more profile images including a human face; evaluating the received image and the generated correlation value to determine, depending on a result of the evaluating, whether the image corresponds to the stored facial profile; associating the received image with the stored facial profile; and storing an indication of the associating. |
| US09495579B2 |
Face detection apparatus, face detection method, and program
A face detection apparatus detecting a face from an image including the face of a target person in a region imaged by an imaging unit, includes: a model fitting unit generating a first model of the face based on a first image from the imaging unit; a tracking unit fitting the first model to a second image from the imaging unit; a position detection unit detecting positions of face parts based on the second image; and a comparison unit determining whether or not a deviation occurs between the positions of the face parts in the first model fitted by the tracking unit and the positions of the face parts detected by the position detection unit. When the comparison unit determines that the deviation occurs, the model fitting unit generates a second model of the face based on the second image. |
| US09495577B2 |
Network-based pathology system with desktop slide scanner
A method for processing, saving and viewing a digital image of a microscope slide includes inserting a microscope slide into a digital slide scanner connected to an acquisition computer. A pre-scan formed from a plurality of image tiles uploaded to a network server while the pre-scan is being generated. The network server analyzes the image tiles in realtime to identify an area of interest. The acquisition computer generates a high magnification local scan of the area of interest. The local scan is formed from a plurality of local image tiles that are uploaded to the network server while the local scan is being generated. Each local image tile is viewable by a client computer in communication with the computer network while the plurality of local image tiles is being uploaded. A raw final image is then saved on the network server independent of the acquisition computer. |
| US09495576B2 |
Image processing apparatus, biometric authentication apparatus, and image processing apparatus
An image processing apparatus includes a light source to irradiate light on an object, an imaging device to capture the object, a luminance computing unit to compute a luminance at a plurality of positions on the object, and a coefficient computing unit. The coefficient computing unit computes a correction coefficient for each of the plurality of positions, according to a distance from the light source to each of the plurality of positions and the luminance at each of the plurality of positions. |
| US09495573B2 |
Low profile illumination for direct part mark readers
An industrial reader is provided with an image formation system that is particularly adapted to read bar codes and two-dimensional symbols marked directly on objects. The image formation system includes illumination sources and illumination transmissive components that produce a combination of bright field and dark field illumination. |
| US09495572B2 |
Identifying one- or two-dimensional bar codes via weighted image data combination
A method for identifying a one- or two-dimensional barcode in input image data, the method comprising the steps of: obtaining first image data of a first image of the object, said first image being acquired using a first illumination wavelength; obtaining second image data of a second image of the object, said second image being acquired using a second illumination wavelength being different from said first illumination wavelength; calculating a weighting factor based on a statistical processing of pixel values of the first image data and pixel values of the second image data; and generating third image data by calculating a weighted combination using the pixel values of said first image data, the pixel values of said second image data, and said weighting factor. |
| US09495571B1 |
Two-dimensional representation of linear barcode derived from laser barcode scanner scanline data
Disclosed is a linear barcode scanning system and associated methods for reading a linear barcode borne by an item during transport of the item along a direction of transport by a transport system. A displacement between consecutive scanline samples is determined based on movement imparted to the item from an item-transport system. Image data representing an area of the linear barcode located between positions of the linear barcode corresponding to the consecutive scanline samples is synthesized by quantizing a portion of a first one of the consecutive scanline samples and extending the quantized portion along a direction of the displacement to provide for a depiction of the area of the linear barcode. |
| US09495570B2 |
Method for authenticating an RFID tag
A method for authenticating an RFID tag with the aid of an RFID reader via a radio interface, wherein a user-specific key is stored in the RFID reader and a tag-specific identifier and a password generated from the identifier and the key in accordance with a known derivative function are stored in the RFID tag, comprising the following steps performed in the RFID reader: receiving via the radio interface the identifier of an RFID tag to be authenticated, generating the correct password from the received identifier and the stored key according to the known derivative function, and generating at least one incorrect password differing from the correct password, sending a series of at least two passwords, at least one being correct and at least one being incorrect, via the radio interface to the RFID tag, and authenticating the RFID tag if no confirmation response is received to any incorrect password. |
| US09495565B2 |
Information bearing medium and information processing system
An information processing system includes an information bearing medium and an information reading unit. The information bearing medium has a two-dimensional array of unit data zones. Marks are provided on some of the unit data zones so as to form a digital code. Mark patterns of any two Y-directional adjacent unit data zone strings based on the arrangement of marks in an X-direction differ from each other. The information reading unit generates a data string on the basis of a unit signal formed from a plurality of signals output from a group of detection units that detect the marks in synchronization and recognizes the digital code of the information bearing medium on the basis of a group of the data strings sequentially obtained from the array of the unit data zones. |
| US09495564B2 |
Arrangement for and method of assessing a cause of poor electro-optical reading performance by displaying an image of a symbol that was poorly read
A reader electro-optically reads symbols by image capture to obtain read data, and a controller processes symbol images of the symbols captured by the reader, and decodes the read data to obtain symbol data indicative of the associated products. The controller also collects time-to-decode metadata by determining the decode time periods that are taken for the symbol data to be successfully decoded, associates the decode time periods with the symbol images, stores the longest decode time period and its associated symbol image, and displays the stored symbol image associated with the stored longest decode time period to determine a cause of the reading performance of the reader. |
| US09495561B2 |
Target of opportunity recognition during an encryption related process
A method, system, and computer program product are provided for utilizing target of opportunity to perform at least one special operation while a key session is opened with a key manager for another purpose. The method of recognizing a target of opportunity includes receiving a command to be performed on a removable storage medium and determining if the command requires interaction with the encryption key manager. If it is determined that the command requires interaction with the key manager the command is held off. A request is sent to the encryption key manager. A target of opportunity is recognized by determining if at least one special operation may be performed. If it is determined that at least one special operation may be performed then the at least one special operation and the request are performed. |
| US09495560B2 |
Polymorphic virtual appliance rule set
A domain manager system as disclosed herein can control the selective activation of multiple independently-operable execution environments or domains on a computing device in accordance with one or more policies. In some embodiments, activation of a domain may at least temporarily transform a general purpose computing device into a specific purpose computing device or “appliance” by disabling use of one or more shared system resources by other domains. |
| US09495559B2 |
Sharing user-generated notes
A method for sharing notes created in a multilayered document among users of a social network within a digital education platform is provided. In one embodiment, the digital education platform allows a user to create notes linked to a particular location in the document using a notepad application. Notes are aggregated and stored in the user's personal library on the digital education platform. When a user requests to share another user's notes and is granted access, the digital education platform retrieves the other user's notes and inserts the shared notes into the requesting user's existing notes associated with the document, based on their individual sharing attributes and metadata. |
| US09495558B2 |
Systems, methods, and computer program products for managing access control
Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for managing access control. A first set of access control rules is stored in a memory of mobile communication device. The mobile communication device receives from a trusted server over a communication network a notification message indicating that an access control rule has been updated in a secure element. In response to receiving the notification message, the mobile communication device retrieves from the secure element a second set of access control rules including at least the access control rule that has been updated. The first set of access control rules is updated based on the second set of access control rules retrieved from the secure element. An applet stored on the secure element is accessed via an application running on the mobile communication device, in accordance with the updated first set of access control rules. |
| US09495557B2 |
Methods and systems for managing access to data in an on-demand system
Data category visibility are defined at the permission set and profile levels so that users who may not be assigned a role can have the data filtered by data category access rules. In an embodiment, data is filtered based on products or projects so that the products or project can be used as a data category group, once the product or project as been assigned to the user, the user may be granted access, via a data category visibility in a permission set, regardless of the user's role or position in the user hierarchy. |
| US09495556B2 |
Secure cloud storage distribution and aggregation
Methods and systems for secure cloud storage are provided. According to one embodiment, a trusted gateway device establishes and maintains multiple cryptographic keys. A request is received by the gateway from a user of an enterprise network to store a file. The file is partitioned into chunks. A directory is created within a cloud storage service having a name attribute based on an encrypted version of a name of the file. For each chunk: (i) a cryptographic key is selected; (ii) existence of data is identified within the chunk associated with one or more predefined search indices; (iii) searchable encrypted metadata is generated based on the identified data and the selected cryptographic key; (iv) an encrypted version of the chunk is generated; and (v) a file is created within the directory in which a name attribute includes the searchable encrypted metadata and the file content includes the encrypted chunk. |
| US09495547B1 |
Systems and methods for applying parental-control approval decisions to user-generated content
A computer-implemented method for applying parental-approval decisions to user-generated content. The method may include receiving, from a child, a request to upload user-generated content to the Internet. The method may also include providing the user-generated content to a guardian of the child and receiving, from the guardian of the child, a decision indicating whether the user-generated content is allowed to be uploaded to the Internet. The method may further include applying the decision of the guardian to the user-generated content. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US09495545B2 |
Automatically generate attributes and access policies for securely processing outsourced audit data using attribute-based encryption
Methods, systems, and computer-readable storage media for secure storage of and selective access to encrypted audit data. Implementations include actions of receiving a set of audit data in response to occurrence of an incident, determining a set of static audit data and a set of dynamic audit data based on the set of audit data, encrypting items in the set of static audit data using a first attribute-based encryption scheme to provide a set of encrypted static audit data, and items in the set of dynamic audit data using a second attribute-based encryption scheme to provide a set of encrypted dynamic audit data, and transmitting the set of encrypted static audit data and the set of encrypted dynamic audit data to an off-premise database for storage and selective access. |
| US09495540B2 |
Method and system for monitoring calls to an application program interface (API) function
A method and device for monitoring calls to an application program interface (API) function includes monitoring for a memory permission violation of a computing device caused by the API function call. If a memory permission violation occurs, control of the computing device is transferred to a virtual machine monitor to intervene prior to execution of the API function. The virtual machine monitor may perform one or more actions in response to the API function call. |
| US09495539B2 |
Method and system for protection against information stealing software
A system and method for identifying infection of unwanted software on an electronic device is disclosed. A software agent configured to generate a bait and is installed on the electronic device. The bait can simulate a situation in which the user performs a login session and submits personal information or it may just contain artificial sensitive information. Parameters may be inserted into the bait such as the identity of the electronic device that the bait is installed upon. The output of the electronic device is monitored and analyzed for attempts of transmitting the bait. The output is analyzed by correlating the output with the bait and can be done by comparing information about the bait with the traffic over a computer network in order to decide about the existence and the location of unwanted software. Furthermore, it is possible to store information about the bait in a database and then compare information about a user with the information in the database in order to determine if the electronic device that transmitted the bait contains unwanted software. |
| US09495537B2 |
Adaptive observation of behavioral features on a mobile device
Methods, devices and systems for detecting suspicious or performance-degrading mobile device behaviors intelligently, dynamically, and/or adaptively determine computing device behaviors that are to be observed, the number of behaviors that are to be observed, and the level of detail or granularity at which the mobile device behaviors are to be observed. The various aspects efficiently identify suspicious or performance-degrading mobile device behaviors without requiring an excessive amount of processing, memory, or energy resources. |
| US09495529B2 |
Method and apparatus for measuring body balance of wearable device
A wearable device includes a communication unit that wirelessly communicates with a first external device; a motion sensor that senses the user's motion; and a control unit. The wearable device collects a first motion data generated by the user's motion and transmits the first motion data to the first external device, receives a first security level data and a second security level data from the first external device, and receives only the first security level data from the first external device when the wearable device is converted into a non-wearing state from a wearing state. |
| US09495528B2 |
Method and apparatus for measuring body balance of wearable device
A wearable device includes a communication unit that wirelessly communicates with a first external device; a motion sensor that senses the user's motion; and a control unit. The wearable device collects a first motion data generated by the user's motion and transmits the first motion data to the first external device, receives a first security level data and a second security level data from the first external device, and receives only the first security level data from the first external device when the wearable device is converted into a non-wearing state from a wearing state. |
| US09495526B2 |
Efficient prevention of fraud
This disclosure is directed to methods and systems for managing difficulty of use and security for a transaction. A transaction manager operating on a computing device may determining a range of possible steps for a transaction comprising security measures available for the transaction. The transaction manager may identify a threshold for a security metric to be exceeded for authorizing the transaction, the security metric to be determined based on performance of steps selected for the transaction. The transaction manager may select for the transaction at least one step from the range of possible steps, based on optimizing between (i) a difficulty of use quotient of the transaction from subjecting a user to the at least one step, and (ii) the security metric relative to the determined threshold. |
| US09495524B2 |
Secure user authentication using a master secure element
The master secure element comprises a processor, a memory and a logic unit and at least controls the user input of the handset in order to secure the user authentication based on PIN entry. The PIN code is entered directly into the secure element with no possibility for the host processor to intercept the code or for a malware program to inject the code into the master secure element. |
| US09495522B2 |
Shared session techniques
Data sharing session techniques are described. In one or more implementations, a first user login session is initiated as running in a context of a first user profile of a first user with an operating system of a computing device. A request is received by the operating system to run the first user login session in a context of a second user profile of a second user. The second user profile is associated by the operating system with a shadow login session created within the first user login session of the operating system of the computing device such that interaction of the second user with the operating system is associated with the second user profile and interaction of the first user with the operating system is associated with the first user profile. |
| US09495516B2 |
Systems, methods, and devices for image reconstruction using combined PDE-constrained and simplified spherical harmonics algorithm
Systems, methods, and devices for image reconstruction using combined PDE-constrained and simplified spherical harmonics (SPN) algorithm are presented herein. SPN equations can be used as the forward model in diffuse optical tomography (DOT) and employed in a PDE-constrained reduced space sequential quadratic programming (rSQP) optimization method to reconstruct spatially distributed optical properties, such as absorption, scattering, fat, oxygenated hemoglobin, de-oxygenated hemoglobin, fluorescent concentration, quantum yield, etc. The SPN algorithm with the PDE-constrained rSQP optimization method allows for DOT imaging that uses significantly less computational resources (e.g., time and random-access memory (RAM)) than methods employing the equation of radiative transfer (ERT). The techniques disclosed herein allow for more expeditious image processing as well as the potential for clinical diagnosis using DOT imaging. Diagnosis can be performed by a computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) system, which can provide clinically relevant analysis and interaction shortly after patient imaging. |
| US09495515B1 |
Algorithms for disease diagnostics
The present invention relates to compositions and methods for molecular profiling and diagnostics for genetic disorders and cancer, including but not limited to gene expression product markers associated with cancer or genetic disorders. In particular, the present invention provides algorithms and methods of classifying cancer, for example, thyroid cancer, methods of determining molecular profiles, and methods of analyzing results to provide a diagnosis. |
| US09495513B2 |
GPU-based fast dose calculator for cancer therapy
The invention relates to a computer readable medium including software instructions, which when executed by a scaling parameters for processor perform a method. The method includes obtaining a first and a second pre-calculated history, wherein the first and the second pre-calculated history corresponds to a first and a second path of particles through a reference material. The method further includes obtaining a first and a second plurality of phase space points and performing a first and a second set of simulations in parallel on a first and a second GPU. Each simulation uses a distinct one of the first and second plurality of phase space points, the geometry information, and the first and second pre-calculated history. The sets of simulations are performed on the GPU's to obtain a set of simulated histories. The method further includes calculating an absorbed dose of energy in the target using the set of simulated histories. |
| US09495509B2 |
Method and system for planning/guiding alterations to a bone
A computer-assisted surgery system for guiding alterations to a bone, comprises a trackable member secured to the bone. The trackable member has a first inertial sensor unit producing orientation-based data. A positioning block is secured to the bone, and is adjustable once the positioning block is secured to the bone to be used to guide tools in altering the bone. The positioning block has a second inertial sensor unit producing orientation-based data. A processing system providing an orientation reference associating the bone to the trackable member comprises a signal interpreter for determining an orientation of the trackable member and of the positioning block. A parameter calculator calculates alteration parameters related to an actual orientation of the positioning block with respect to the bone. |
| US09495506B2 |
Methods for layout verification for polysilicon cell edge structures in FinFET standard cells using filters
Methods for verifying the layout for standard cells using finFET standard cell structures with polysilicon on cell edges. Standard cells are defined using finFET transistors. Polysilicon dummy structures are formed on the edges of the active areas of the standard cells. Where two standard cells abut a single polysilicon dummy structure is formed. In a design flow, a pre-layout netlist schematic for the standard cells is formed that does not include devices corresponding to the polysilicon dummy structures. After an automated place and route process forms a device layout using the standard cells, a post layout netlist schematic is extracted including MOS devices corresponding to the polysilicon dummy structures. A layout versus schematic comparison is then performed, but during the comparison MOS devices corresponding to the polysilicon dummy structures are filtered from the post-layout netlist and are not compared. Additional methods are disclosed. |
| US09495505B2 |
Adjusting fabrication of integrated computational elements
Techniques include receiving a design of an integrated computational element (ICE) including (1) specification of a substrate and multiple layers, their respective target thicknesses and refractive indices, adjacent layer refractive indices being different from each other, and a notional ICE fabricated based on the ICE design being related to a characteristic of a sample, and (2) indication of target ICE performance; forming one or more of the layers of an ICE based on the ICE design; in response to determining that an ICE performance would not meet the target performance if the ICE having the formed layers were completed based on the received ICE design, updating the ICE design to a new total number of layers and new target layer thicknesses, such that performance of the ICE completed based on the updated ICE design meets the target performance; and forming some of subsequent layers based on the updated ICE design. |
| US09495503B2 |
Method and apparatus to enable a selective push process during manufacturing to improve performance of a selected circuit of an integrated circuit
Provided are methods and apparatus for enabling selective push processing during design and fabrication of an integrated circuit to improve performance of selected circuits of the integrated circuit. An exemplary method includes identifying a critical portion of an integrated circuit layout that defines a functional element having a critical operating frequency requirement and designing a subcircuit in the critical portion to enable performing a speed push process to increase performance of the subcircuit. The method can also include identifying at least one of a power supply node, a clock supply node, and an interface node at a boundary between the critical portion and a portion of the integrated circuit that is outside of the critical portion. The critical portion can be designed with a power domain that is independent of the portion of the integrated circuit that is outside of the critical portion. |
| US09495502B2 |
Congestion aware layer promotion
Embodiments relate to managing layer promotion of interconnects in the routing phase of integrated circuit design. An aspect includes reducing the set of candidate interconnects for layer promotion based on resource availability. A method of managing includes identifying a set of candidate interconnects for the layer promotion, scoring and sorting the set of candidate interconnects according to a respective score, thereby establishing a respective rank, and assessing routing demand and resource availability based on promoting the set of candidate interconnects. The method also includes managing the set of candidate interconnects based on the respective rank and the assessing, the assessing and the managing being done iteratively and the managing including, in at least one iteration, generating a second set of candidate interconnects based on reducing the set of candidate interconnects. |
| US09495495B2 |
Scan cell assignment
One or more systems and methods for scan cell assignment for a design layout of a semiconductor arrangement are provided. The design layout is evaluated to identify a set of sequential cells, such as flip flops connected to circuitry by data paths. Sequential cells within the set of sequential cells are assigned to either a scan cell assignment or a non-scan cell assignment based upon a control path criterion, a register bank criterion, a pipeline depth criterion, a sequential loop criterion, or other criteria to create a cell assignment list. Scan paths are connected to sequential cells assigned to the scan cell assignment so that test patterns can be sent to and received from such sequential cells during testing of the semiconductor arrangement for defects. Power, performance, and area utilization are improved because at least some sequential cells are assigned to the non-scan cell assignment. |
| US09495494B2 |
Circuit simulating method, circuit simulating apparatus, and method of manufacturing semiconductor device
The circuit simulating method according to an embodiment includes obtaining a first electrical characteristic value of a circuit element that operates under a predetermined operational condition. The circuit simulating method includes correcting the first electrical characteristic value based on a period in which application of an electrical stress equal to or higher than a reference value is stopped during operation of the circuit element. |
| US09495493B2 |
Overcurrent simulation method when nail penetrates secondary battery and recording medium storing the program
Disclosed is an overcurrent simulation method when a nail penetrates a secondary battery and a recording medium storing the program. The overcurrent simulation method according to the present disclosure constructs a safety device and a secondary battery equivalent circuit, and produces a nail penetration effect by changing a resistance value. In this instance, various current simulations may be obtained by changing a first metal sheet and a second metal sheet included in the safety device, and a resistance value limiting an overcurrent may be calculated. |
| US09495492B1 |
Implementing synchronous triggers for waveform capture in an FPGA prototyping system
An apparatus and method for implementing synchronous triggers for waveform capture in a multiple FPGA system is described. The apparatus includes trigger net circuitry that has one or more trigger nets and an output. Furthermore, a plurality of programmable logic devices are provided with each logic device including logic circuitry that is programmable to correspond to a circuit design, a logic analyzer circuit that includes logic connections coupled to the logic circuitry to monitor operating signals of the circuit design, and a register with a data input that is coupled to the output of the trigger net circuitry and an output that is coupled to a control input of the logic analyzer circuit. The trigger net circuitry outputs a control signal that is applied to all registers such that each logic analyzer circuit is controlled to concurrently capture data waveforms. |
| US09495491B2 |
Reliability aware thermal design
Embodiments are disclosed that relate to implementing semiconductor device cooling systems that leverage awareness of regional voltage and temperature reliability risk considerations. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a method of implementing a cooling system configured to cool an integrated circuit. The method involves first determining a heat dissipation factor that would reduce each region of the integrated circuit to a reduced temperature in order to maintain an overall failure rate. An analysis is then performed, using an insight about the relative reliability risk of elevated voltage and temperatures, to identify a region of the integrated circuit whose temperature can be permitted to rise without exceeding the overall failure rate, thereby permitting implementation of a cooling system with a reduced heat dissipation factor. |
| US09495490B2 |
Active power dissipation detection based on erroneus clock gating equations
A method detects active power dissipation in an integrated circuit. The method includes receiving a hardware design for the integrated circuit having one or more clock domains, wherein the hardware design comprises a local clock buffer for a clock domain, wherein the local clock buffer is configured to receive a clock signal and an actuation signal. The method includes adding instrumentation logic to the design for the clock domain, wherein the instrumentation logic is configured to compare a first value of the actuation signal determined at a beginning point of a test period to a second value of the actuation signal determined at a time when the clock domain is in an idle condition. The method includes detecting the clock domain includes unintended active power dissipation, in response to the first value of the actuation signal not being equal to the second value of the actuation signal. |
| US09495488B2 |
Method for reconstructing the total organic carbon content from compositional modeling analysis
Methods are provided for utilizing the results of compositional modeling analysis to obtain accurate total organic carbon values without the need for an oxidation step or lengthy sample preparation, and also to calculate the organic carbon value attributable to contaminants, such as drilling additives. |
| US09495482B2 |
Computer method and apparatus for creating sketch geometry
A sketch tool for CAD systems extends geometric templates. A markup type language file (e.g., XML file) is used to define an additional basic geometric shape. The file schema also enables definition of constraints and drag points of the subject shape. |
| US09495479B2 |
Traversal with arc configuration information
An apparatus, and corresponding method, for generating a graph used in performing a search for a match of at least one expression in an input stream is presented. The graph includes a number of interconnected nodes connected solely by valid arcs. A valid arc may also include a nodal bit map including structural information of a node to which the valid arc points to. A walker process may utilize the nodal bit map to determine if a memory access is necessary. The nodal bit map reduces the number of external memory access and therefore reduces system run time. |
| US09495478B2 |
Namespace management in distributed storage systems
A directed acyclic graph (DAG) is generated to represent a namespace of a directory. In response to a request to create a new object with a specified name, a hash value bit sequence is computed for the name. A plurality of levels of the DAG are navigated using successive subsequences of the bit sequence to identify a candidate node for storing a new entry corresponding to the specified name. If the candidate node meets a split criterion, the new entry and at least a selected subset of entries of the candidate node's list of entries are distributed among a plurality of DAG nodes, including at least one new DAG node, using respective bit sequences obtained by applying the hash function for each distributed entry. |
| US09495475B2 |
Method of representing an XML schema definition and data within a relational database management system using a reusable custom-defined nestable compound data type
Representing an XML Schema Definition and Data within a Relational Database Management System using a Reusable Custom-Defined Nestable Compound Data Type. These Data Types provide a natural representation and storage of an XML schema definition and the corresponding XML data. Data Types are created in a RDBMS to store the hierarchical data of a XML data file. Hierarchical data may be imported into a RDBMS by populating the Data Type Fields with the values of data held in the XML data file. The data contained in the RDBMS may also be published to an XML data file. |
| US09495473B2 |
Analytic dashboard with user interface for producing a single chart statistical correlation from source and target charts during a load test
A processor-implemented method includes providing an analytic dashboard with a graphical user interface (GUI) that outputs aggregated results streaming in real-time of a load test performed on a target website. Responsive to input of a user on the GUI, the input comprising selection of a source chart and a target chart, a single chart is automatically generated that represents either a combination or a statistical correlation of the source and target charts. The single chart has a left y-axis and an x-axis. The combination or the statistical correlation of the single chart changing in real-time as the load test progresses. A visual representation of the single chart is then produced on the analytic dashboard. |
| US09495471B2 |
Optimize view elements sizes to maximize most data viewed in a multiple view elements GUI
Embodiments of the invention provide a computer implemented method, apparatus and computer readable storage medium to automatically resize view elements in a graphical user interface. The method includes monitoring the graphical user interface. The method also includes responsive to a triggering event, invoking a view optimization program. The method further includes responsive to an invocation of the view optimization program, invoking a window preference program for checking window preferences, a portlet preference program for checking portlet preferences for each portlet, and a portlet priority program for checking portlet priority settings. The method additionally includes invoking an apply program for resizing view elements in the graphical user interface based on the window preferences, the portlet preferences, and the portlet priority settings. |
| US09495461B2 |
Search assistant system and method
A system and method for presenting content in response to receiving a portion of a search query. A computing device receives, over a network from a user computer, a portion of a search query submitted by a user in a search query entry area. The computing device receives, from a search suggestion module, one or more search suggestions related to the portion of the query. The computing device transmits, to the user computer, the one or more search suggestions for display in a search suggestion region, the search suggestion region displayed differently than a search results area. The computing device transmits a search suggestion of the one or more search suggestions to a rich content module. The rich content module generates rich content related to the transmitted search suggestion. The computing device transmits, to the user computer, the rich content for display in the search suggestion region. |
| US09495459B2 |
Optimizing web crawling through web page pruning
Crawling computer-based documents by performing static analysis on a computer-based document to identify within the computer-based document one or more execution vectors, where each execution vector includes a computer program segment including a call to an entity that is external to the computer-based document, and one or more additional computer program segments whose execution precedes and leads ultimately to execution of the computer program segment that includes the call to the entity, and causing any of the computer program segments in any of the execution vectors to be executed during a crawling of the computer-based document, and any computer program segment within the computer-based document that is excluded from the execution vectors to be excluded from execution during the crawling of the computer-based document. |
| US09495456B2 |
Selecting, ranking, and/or presenting microsite content
A server device is configured to receive criteria that indicate when a microsite is to be provided to a user device. The user device is configured to obtain sensor data and user profile data and send the sensor data and the user profile data to the server device. The server device is configured to receive the sensor data and the user profile data, identify a relevant microsite, and provide information regarding the relevant microsite to the user device. In some cases, the service device is configured to identify that a particular microsite has been purchased by a user of the user device and provide information, to the user device, identifying that the particular microsite has been purchased. |
| US09495455B2 |
Programming a dynamic digital media queue
A method and/or system for programming a dynamic digital media queue may include receiving, from an electronic device, a request for a digital media queue. The request may comprise request data. In response to the request, a search of one or more events may be performed. The search of the one or more events may be based on a current date, a current location of the electronic device and/or the request data. One or more digital media items may be determined based on the search. A recommended digital media queue may be determined. The recommended digital media queue may comprise one or more recommended digital media items. Recommendation data may be sent to the electronic device. The recommendation data may comprise the recommended digital media queue and one or more reasons explaining why the recommended digital media queue comprises the one or more recommended digital media items. |
| US09495453B2 |
Resource download policies based on user browsing statistics
Web crawling polices are generated based on user web browsing statistics. User browsing statistics are aggregated at the granularity of resource identifier patterns (such as URL patterns) that denote groups of resources within a particular domain or website that share syntax at a certain level of granularity. The web crawl policies rank the resource identifier patterns according to their associated aggregated user browsing statistics. A crawl ordering defined by the web crawl polices is used to download and discover new resources within a domain or website. |
| US09495452B2 |
User-sensitive PageRank
Techniques are described for generating an authority value of a first one of a plurality of documents. A first component of the authority value is generated with reference to outbound links associated with the first document. The outbound links enable access to a first subset of the plurality of documents. A second component of the authority value is generated with reference to a second subset of the plurality of documents. Each of the second subset of documents represents a potential starting point for a user session. A third component of the authority value is generated representing a likelihood that a user session initiated by any of a population of users will end with the first document. The first, second, and third components of the authority value are combined to generate the authority value. At least one of the first, second, and third components of the authority value is computed with reference to user data relating to at least some of the outbound links and the second subset of documents. |
| US09495451B2 |
Identifying video content via fingerprint matching
Methods and systems to identify video content based on video fingerprint matching are described. In some example embodiments, the methods and systems generate a query fingerprint of a frame of video content captured at a client device, query a database of reference fingerprints, determine the query fingerprint of the frame of captured video content matches a reference fingerprint, and identify the video content based on the match of fingerprints. |
| US09495447B1 |
Music playlists for geographical regions
Technology is described for generating music playlists tailored to a geographical region. Collective music listening habits may be identified for a geographical region. The collective music listening habits for the geographical region may be categorized into one or more categories of music. Geographical station programming may be generated according to at least one of the categories of music. The geographical station programming may include a music playlist that corresponds to the collective music listening habits for the geographical region. |
| US09495444B2 |
Rules-based generation of search results
A method including receiving a search query containing one or more query terms from a remote device and determining one or more query parses based on the search query and a knowledge base. Each query parse indicates one or more entity types, wherein each entity type corresponds to a query term or a combination of query terms contained in the search query. The method further includes obtaining a set of app-specific rules, each app-specific rule respectively corresponding to a respective software application. The method further includes generating a set of unparameterized function identifiers based on the plurality of app-specific rules and the one or more query parses. For each of the set of unparameterized function identifiers, the method includes parameterizing the function identifier based on the query terms. The method further includes generating search results based on the parameterized function identifiers and transmitting the search results to the remote device. |
| US09495443B1 |
Systems and methods for providing search query refinements
A system and method for generating query refinement suggestions may include collecting refinement data for at least one received source query. The collected refinement data is then clustered to form at least one cluster. At least one potential refinement query suggestion is identified from the refinement data within the at least one cluster. |
| US09495442B2 |
System and method for automatically publishing data items associated with an event
Systems and methods are disclosed to automatically publish data items associated with a news event. In one embodiment, a method comprises determining, using one or more processors, an event of a plurality of events as associated with a heightened user interest, identifying one or more listings from a plurality of listings as matching the event associated with the heightened user interest, and presenting a visual representation of a relationship between the event and the one or more listings such that the one or more listings are displayed as visually related to the event. |
| US09495441B2 |
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. |
| US09495440B2 |
Method, apparatus, and computer program product for routing files within a document management system
A method, apparatus, and computer program product are provided for routing files within a document management system. The document management system may comprise or may otherwise communicate with an Optical Character Recognition (OCR) system and Full Text Search (FTS) indexing system. Files may be fed to a file routing apparatus with different priorities based on an originating source. The files may be routed for OCR processing and/or FTS indexing based on file and/or document types, licensing, and/or the like. Images and corresponding machine-readable text may be archived. Text may be FTS indexed so that the associated files may be identified and accessed by various client systems. |
| US09495439B2 |
Organizing multimedia content
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving digital media content files. The digital media content has at least one property associated with it. Topically related segments are determined from received content in accordance with one or more property. Topic clusters are generated based on similarities between segments. Topic clusters are compared and clustered from multiple files of the plurality into cluster groups in accordance with a comparison. Cluster groups are associatively stored in a data storage. A search for topic clusters relevant to a particular need is made, and a series of related segments associated with the search are generated for serial display. |
| US09495438B2 |
Information processing apparatus and method, program, and recording medium
Disclosed herein are an information processing apparatus and method, a program, and a recording medium, in which a content is recommended to each user on the basis of even the metadata that is assigned with no classification. A metadata analysis block resolves metadata acquired by a metadata acquisition block into components. A dictionary data generation block generates dictionary data in which genre is correlated with keyword and each component. An associated-information database generation block references the dictionary data to assign genre to the metadata which are assigned with no genre, thereby generating an associated-information database of content. An associated-information search block references the dictionary data to identify a genre from a keyword of interest data to search for associated information, thereby recommending content to the user. The present invention is applicable to personal computers or HDD recorders. |
| US09495436B2 |
Apparatus and method for ingesting and augmenting data
A server includes a data ingestion module with executable instructions executed by a processor to produce inferred data types from received data and utilize the inferred data types to augment the received data with computed values that aggregate the received data along a hierarchical dimension. |
| US09495432B2 |
Distributed data storage
The present invention relates to a distributed data storage system comprising a plurality of storage nodes. Using unicast and multicast transmission, a server application may read and write data in the storage system. Each storage node may monitor reading and writing operations on the system as well as the status of other storage nodes. In this way, the storage nodes may detect a need for replication of files on the system, and may carry out a replication process that serves to maintain a storage of a sufficient number of copies of files with correct versions at geographically diverse locations. |
| US09495430B2 |
Systems and methods for batch processing of data records in an on-demand system
Systems and methods are provided for batch processing of data records in an on-demand system. A marker is stored that identifies a node in an on-demand system and identifies a most recent data record processed in a relational database management system by the node. The marker is used to query the database management system to identify a batch of records for the node to process. The batch of records is processed by the node to update a client of data changes reflected by the batch of records. |
| US09495428B1 |
Filtering output from operational commands executed on a network device
In general, techniques are described to enable selective viewing of data output in response to a command. The techniques provide generic mechanisms to filter output solicited by commands supported by current and future implementations of an interface. An example device receives from a client device an input comprising an operational command a selection request that specifies a field identifier. A schema enumeration module of the device assigns a unique element number to each element of a class of elements defined by a schema, forming an enumerated schema. An interface of the device receives data conforming to a data description language, and a filtering module filters the textual output by mapping the field identifier specified in the selection request to a unique element number of the enumerated schema. A rendering module renders the filtered data into filtered textual output. The device transmits the filtered textual output to the client device. |
| US09495427B2 |
Processing of data using a database system in communication with a data processing framework
A system, method, and computer program product for processing data are disclosed. The system includes a data processing framework configured to receive a data processing task for processing, a plurality of database systems coupled to the data processing framework, and a storage component in communication with the data processing framework and the plurality database systems. The database systems perform a data processing task. The data processing task is partitioned into a plurality of partitions and each database system processes a partition of the data processing task assigned for processing to that database system. Each database system performs processing of its assigned partition of the data processing task in parallel with another database system processing another partition of the data processing task assigned to the another database system. The data processing framework performs at least one partition of the data processing task. |
| US09495424B1 |
Recognition of characters and their significance within written works
Character identity recognition is applied to identify text strings corresponding to character identities in a written work. The textual strings are grouped according to character identity and, from each group, a primary name is selected. A significance value may be calculated for each of the character identities. The character identities including the primary names are presented in a catalog based on the calculated significance values. |
| US09495422B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing a media object
In accordance with an example embodiment of the invention, an apparatus comprising a processor configured to receive information related to a media object, and automatically select at least one supplemental media object based at least in part on a competency of a user related to the media object is disclosed. |
| US09495418B2 |
Scalable acceleration of database query operations
Embodiments include methods, systems and computer program products for offloading multiple processing operations to an accelerator. Aspects include receiving a database query from an application, performing an analysis on the query, and identifying a plurality of available accelerators. Aspects further include retrieving cost information for one or more templates available on each of the plurality of available accelerators, determining a query execution plan based on the cost information and the analysis on the query, and offloading one or more query operations to at least one of the plurality of accelerators based on the query execution plan. |
| US09495401B2 |
Database-driven entity framework for internet of things
Unified and normalized management of an object within a structured data store on any machine and/or across difference machines. In an embodiment, a first agent accesses a first request dataset representing a two-dimensional structure. Each row in the request dataset comprises an identification of an agent, a statement, an identification of a resource to execute the statement, and one of a plurality of request types. Each row in the request dataset is processed according to the identification of the agent in the row. When the identified agent is the first agent, the request type of the row is accessed, and one or more elements in the row are processed based on the request type. When the identified agent is not the first agent, the row is sent within a second request dataset to the identified agent (which may be on a different machine than the first agent) for processing. |
| US09495397B2 |
Sensor associated data of multiple devices based computing
Computer-readable storage media, apparatus and method associated with storing a copy of local data in a historical data store, among other embodiments, are disclosed herein. In embodiments, one or more computer-readable storage media may contain instructions which when executed by a computing device may provide access of local data to one or more applications on the computing device for contemporaneous processing by the one or more applications. The local data may be associated, at least in part, with one or more sensors of the computing device. In some embodiments, a copy of the local data may be transmitted to a remote historical data store where it may be categorized and correlated with data from computing devices associated with one or more other users for further processing. |
| US09495393B2 |
System and method for reviewing role definitions
A system for reviewing role definitions includes a database that stores a plurality of roles. Each of the plurality of roles associates an identifier with at least one entitlement. The system also includes a second database that stores role review definitions. The review definitions define role review processes for the plurality of roles. The system further includes a processor that is in communication with the role database and the review definition database. The processor executes the role review processes defined by the review definitions at the appropriate times. |
| US09495392B2 |
System and method for parallel multiplexing between servers in a cluster
Systems and methods are provided for providing parallel muxing between servers in a cluster. One such system can include a cluster of one or more high performance computing systems, each including one or more processors and a high performance memory. The cluster communicates over an InfiniBand network. The system can also include a middleware environment, executing on the cluster, that includes one or more application server instances. The system can further include a plurality of muxers, wherein each application server instance includes at least one muxer. Each muxer can receive information from a plurality of threads to transmit to a different muxer on a different application server instance over the Infiniband network using a plurality of parallel channels. |
| US09495388B2 |
Visualization of relevance for content-based image retrieval
A system (100) includes a retrieval unit (110) for retrieving an image from the storage of images, on the basis of the similarity of images from the storage of images to a query image. The similarity is defined by means of a similarity function. A relevance unit (120) computes the relevance of a first portion of the retrieved image to a respective first portion of the query image and of a second portion of the retrieved image to the respective second portion of the query image. A visualization unit (130) visualizes the relevance of the first and second portion of the retrieved image to the respective first and second portion of the query image. The relevance of the first and second portion of the retrieved image to the respective first and second portion of the query image is computed using a first and second relevance function. The computed values of the relevance are visualized, e.g. using a color coding and coloring the first and second portion of each retrieved image. The colored portions are easy to see and analyze. Thus, the system facilitates visualizing and comparing retrieved images with respect to each other as well as with the query image. |
| US09495378B2 |
Tracing message transmissions between communications network devices
A packet of data and a packet-identification value are transmitted to a network device having an identifier. The stored packet-identification value and the identifier are recorded. The stored packet-identification value is then increased and the process repeats. To receive data, an expected identification value is stored in association with the identifier. A packet and a packet-identification value are received from the network device. The identifier and an indication of receipt are stored. If the received value does not match the expected value for the identifier, the received value is stored. If the values match, the stored packet-identification value and identifier are recorded. If the received value exceeds the expected value, the stored packet-identification value, the identifier and the received identifier are recorded. Subsequently, the stored expected value is increased. The process repeats. Network devices and systems are described. |
| US09495374B2 |
Recording medium, information management method, and information management device associating objects with each other based upon whether folders match
The file management server refers, when file information on at least two files targeted for association is acquired, to a storing unit that stores therein condition information, in which conditions for determining whether association between files is permitted are set, and determines whether the two files in the file information satisfy a condition that is set in the condition information and associates, when the condition is satisfied, the two files. |
| US09495371B2 |
Unified access to resources
Architecture that provides a unified interface to access resources in different formats and in disparate resource locations for a process (e.g., consuming application). The unified interface is extensible such that users can add additional components to the unified interface to provide access to new resources and new resource references. The interface provides the capability to create a single comprehensive index of all available resources regardless of the resource format. Format-specific indexers are provided for the resources to find, enumerate, and process the resources into a structure suitable for processing by an indexing component into the index. A user can introduce new format-specific indexers for new resources and new resource references for processing by the indexing component into the index. The unified interface now provides access to the new resources and new resources references as well. |
| US09495368B2 |
Method for consistent storage of data in an industrial controller
A system and method for employing a file system and file system services on the industrial controller. The file system allows industrial control programs to implement many functions previously performed within the industrial control program and stored in the same memory as the industrial control program. An execution engine is provided that interprets instructions included in an industrial control program. The instructions utilize services in the file system for including user defined routine files loaded from local or remote locations, to load and unload recipe files from local and remote locations, to log and retrieve measured data and trend data to files at local or remote locations, to select different operating systems and to select a running program from a plurality of running programs utilizing the file system. |
| US09495363B1 |
System and method for search with the aid of images associated with product categories
The present application describes performing a user initiated search query comprising receiving user input comprising description details of at least one desired object, retrieving a plurality of objects from a database sharing one or more of the description details of the user input, retrieving an image of the at least one desired object based on one or more of the plurality of objects, generating a contour of the image and comparing the generated contour with other related contours of other images stored in the database, displaying all of the available contours of all of the images that match the generated contour, receiving a selection of one of the available contours from the user and performing the search query based on the user selected contour. |
| US09495362B2 |
Fragmented video systems
According to embodiments of the invention, systems, methods and devices are provided for a plurality of participants speaking different languages to participate in a singing event by using pre-determined song samples of different languages. In one embodiment, a system is provided that includes a storage that identifies songs by using samples from the song. The storage contains a song including both text and melody, wherein the song contains a plurality of versions of different languages. The system also includes devices allowing superiors and subordinates speaking different languages to sing at the same time. The collaboration may then be recorded and stored remotely via a cloud-based server. |
| US09495360B2 |
Recipe creation using text analytics
Embodiments presented herein provide techniques for generating a recipe using text analytics methods. A server application receives a search query for a specified dish (e.g., from a client computer). The application retrieves recipes relevant to the specified dish (e.g., by crawling websites on the Internet) and extracts text from each recipe. The application performs a variety of text analytics methods on the text to identify different ingredients and preparation methods in creating the dish. Additional analytics are performed to loosely predict a recipe that conforms to the search query as well as dietary restrictions of a user. |
| US09495358B2 |
Cross-language text clustering
Methods are described for performing clustering or classification of texts of different languages. Language-independent semantic structures (LISS) are constructed before clustering is performed. These structures reflect lexical, morphological, syntactic, and semantic properties of texts. The methods suggested are able to perform cross-language text clustering which is based on the meaning derived from texts. The methods are applicable to genre classification, topic detection, news analysis, authorship analysis, internet searches, and creating corpora for other tasks, etc. |
| US09495353B2 |
Method and system for generating a parser and parsing complex data
Computer-implemented systems and methods are disclosed for constructing a parser that parses complex data. In some embodiments, a method is provided for receiving a parser definition as an input to a parser generator and generating a parser at least in part from the parser definition. In some embodiments, the generated parser comprises two or more handlers forming a processing pipeline. In some embodiments, the parser receives as input a first string into the processing pipeline. In some embodiments, the parser generates a second string by a first handler and inputs the second string regeneratively into the parsing pipeline, if the first string matches an expression specified for the first handler in the parser definition. |
| US09495349B2 |
System and method for using text analytics to identify a set of related documents from a source document
A system and method for processing a document to generate a set of related documents. A system is provided that includes a textual analytics system that analyzes unstructured data contained in a source document and extracts a set of structured information about the source document; and a compare system that identifies a set of related documents by comparing the set of structured information with metadata indexed from a set of publications. |
| US09495348B2 |
Template application error detection
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for template application error detection when applying a new template to an existing presentation. In an embodiment of the invention, a template application error detection process is provided. The process includes selecting an existing presentation in a presentation authoring application executing in memory of a computer. The process further includes applying a template to the existing presentation to form a modified presentation. Text in a slide of the existing presentation can be compared to text in a slide of the modified presentation to detect discrepancies in the text of both slides. Finally, an indicia of a suspected error can be displayed in the slide of the modified presentation in response to detecting a discrepancy. |
| US09495345B2 |
Methods and systems for modeling complex taxonomies with natural language understanding
Systems and methods are presented for the automatic placement of rules applied to topics in a logical hierarchy when conducting natural language processing. In some embodiments, a method includes: accessing, at a child node in a logical hierarchy, at least one rule associated with the child node; identifying a percolation criterion associated with a parent node to the child node, said percolation criterion indicating that the at least one rule associated with the child node is to be associated also with the parent node; associating the at least one rule with the parent node such that the at least one rule defines a second factor for determining whether the document is to also be classified into the parent node; accessing the document for natural language processing; and determining whether the document is to be classified into the parent node or the child node based on the at least one rule. |
| US09495339B2 |
Method and apparatus for displaying information in a browser
When a terminal receives a request for starting a browser, the terminal obtains quick links and web applications that are cached in local database of the terminal and displays the obtained quick links by combinations of webpage icons and webpage titles in a middle screen display interface of a start page of the browser for the requester. When receiving a request for switching display interfaces of the start page of the browser, the terminal displays a search box in the start page of the browser or the obtained web applications by combinations of application icons and application titles in the start page of the browser. |
| US09495338B1 |
Content distribution network
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media provide content items to clients. In one implementation, a system stores data identifying a plurality of cache servers, the cache servers storing the content items for download by a plurality of clients. The system receives a request from a first one of the clients to download one of the content items. The system selects one or more of the cache servers for providing the requested content item to the first client. The system transmits identifiers of the selected one or more cache servers to the first client, and transmits instructions to the first client. The instructions are operable, when executed by the first client, to determine whether the selected one or more cache servers have a local copy of the requested content item. When the first client determines that a first one of the selected one or more cache servers has a local copy of the requested content item, the first client downloads the requested content item from the first selected cache server. |
| US09495331B2 |
Advanced system and method for automated-context-aware-dialog with human users
Apparatus for conducting a dialog with a user of at least one computerized enterprise system, the apparatus comprising an ontological topic definer using at least one ontological entity to define user dialog topics, each topic including an item, a block identifying executable computer code operative to resolve the item; and at least one input parameter passed to the block; and a dialog server operative for conducting a dialog with a user of at least one computerized enterprise system about an individual topic from among said user dialog topics. |
| US09495330B2 |
Anomaly detection method, program, and system
A method providing an analytical technique introducing label information into an anomaly detection model. Effective utilization of label information is based on introducing the degree of similarity between samples. Assuming, for example, there is a degree of similarity between normally labeled samples and no similarity between normally labeled and abnormally labeled samples. Also each sensor value is generated by the linear sum of a latent variable and a coefficient vector specific to each sensor. However, the magnitude of observation noise is formulated to vary according to the label information for the sensor values, and set so that normal label≦unlabeled≦anomalously labeled. A graph Laplacian is created based on the degree of similarity between samples, and determines the optimal linear transformation matrix according to a gradient method. A optimal linear transformation matrix is used to calculate an anomaly score for each sensor in the test samples. |
| US09495329B2 |
Calculating node centralities in large networks and graphs
Embodiments related to calculating node centralities in large and complex networks and graphs. An aspect includes approximating a product of a matrix exponential and a random probe vector of an adjacency matrix, wherein the adjacency matrix represents a graph. A diagonal of the adjacency matrix is computed based on the product of the matrix exponential and the random probe vector. The node centralities are then calculated based on the computed diagonal until a designated number of central nodes has been detected according to embodiments. |
| US09495328B2 |
Method for changing a receiving mode in a mobile terminal to a non-vibration mode when wirelessly charging
Disclosed herein are a method of changing a receiving mode in a mobile terminal, and a mobile terminal thereof. The method includes entering a charging ready mode when the mobile terminal is positioned adjacent to an external wireless power transmitting module; determining whether the receiving mode of the mobile terminal is a vibration mode; and, when the receiving mode of the mobile terminal is the vibration mode, changing the receiving mode of the mobile terminal to a non-vibration mode. |
| US09495326B2 |
Providing communication path information in a hybrid communication network
Providing communication path information in a mixed communication network. A first message may be provided from a first device to a second device. The first message may request notification of characteristics of at least one communication path between the second device and a third device. The first device, the second device, and the third device may be coupled together in a mixed communication network. Accordingly, the first device may receive at least one message from the second device regarding the characteristics of the at least one communication path between the second device and the third device. |
| US09495317B2 |
Bus driver circuit with improved transition speed
A bus driver circuit may include a first and a second circuit node, wherein the first circuit node is operably coupled to a bus line, which causes a bus capacitance between the first and the second circuit node. A switching circuit is coupled to the first circuit node and configured to apply an output voltage between the first and the second circuit node. Thereby the bus capacitance is charged when a control signal indicates a dominant state. A discharge circuit comprises at least one resistor. The discharge circuit is coupled between the first and the second circuit node and configured to allow the bus capacitance to discharge via the resistor when the control signal indicates a recessive state. The switching circuit is further configured to provide a temporary current path for discharging the bus capacitance during a transition period from a dominant to a recessive state. |
| US09495311B1 |
Red zone avoidance for user mode interrupts
A method includes for each processed interrupt: determining whether the interrupt is a user mode interrupt; upon determining that the interrupt is a user mode interrupt, determining a stack location to insert an entry corresponding to the user mode interrupt, the stack location being calculated by adjusting a current stack pointer by a red zone offset; and inserting the entry corresponding to the user mode interrupt into the stack at the stack location. |
| US09495304B2 |
Address compression method, address decompression method, compressor, and decompressor
An address compression method, an address decompression method, a compressor, and a decompressor are disclosed, wherein the address compression method includes after a compressor receives multiple operation request messages that are sent by a first processor, determining, according to an address feature formed by address information carried in all operation request messages that have a same stream number, a compression algorithm corresponding to the operation request messages that have a same stream number; and then compressing, according to the determined compression algorithm, addresses carried in the operation request messages that have a same stream number. The present invention is applicable to the computer field. |
| US09495303B2 |
Fine grained address remapping for virtualization
Address remapping technologies are described. A method can include receiving, at a paging device of a system memory, a first physical address of an input/output (IO) device from a sub-page translator, where a sub-page location indicator may be associated with the first physical address. The method can further include identifying a virtual address in a sub-page translation table based on the physical address when the sub-page location indicator may be set to a sub-page lookup mode. The method can further include determining when to look-up the physical address in a sub-page translation table based on the sub-page location indicator. The method can further include communicating, to a virtual machine, the virtual address. |
| US09495300B2 |
Set selection of a set-associative storage container
A computer-implemented method includes generating a vector that is a random number. Two or more residue functions are applied to the vector to produce a state signal including a different number of states. A set status of a set-associative storage container in a computer system is determined. The set status identifies whether each set of the set-associative storage container is enabled or disabled. One of the state signals is selected that has a same number of states as a number of the sets that are enabled. The selected state signal is mapped to the sets that are enabled to assign each of the states of the selected state signal to a corresponding one of the sets that are enabled. A set selection of the set-associative storage container is output based on the mapping to randomly select one of the sets that are enabled from the set-associative storage container. |
| US09495298B2 |
Cache line crossing load techniques
A technique for handling an unaligned load operation includes detecting a cache line crossing load operation that is associated with a first cache line and a second cache line. In response to an cache including the first cache line but not including the second cache line, the second cache line is reloaded into the cache in a same set as the first cache line. In response to reloading the second cache line in the cache, a cache line crossing link indicator associated with the first cache line is asserted to indicate that both the first and second cache lines include portions of a desired data element. |
| US09495297B2 |
Cache line crossing load techniques for a caching system
A technique for handling an unaligned load operation includes detecting a cache line crossing load operation that is associated with a first cache line and a second cache line. In response to an cache including the first cache line but not including the second cache line, the second cache line is reloaded into the cache in a same set as the first cache line. In response to reloading the second cache line in the cache, a cache line crossing link indicator associated with the first cache line is asserted to indicate that both the first and second cache lines include portions of a desired data element. |
| US09495295B1 |
Photonics-optimized processor system
A photonics-optimized multi-processor system may include a plurality of processor chips, each of the processor chips comprising at least one input/output (I/O) component. The multi-processor system may also include first and second photonic components. The at least one I/O component of at least one of the processor chips may be configured to directly drive the first photonic component and receive a signal from the second photonic component. A total latency from any one of the processor chips to data at any global memory location may not be dominated by a round trip speed-of-light propagation delay. A number of the processor chips may be at least 10,000, and the processor chips may be packaged into a total volume of no more than 8 m3. A density of the processor chips may be greater than 1,000 chips per cubic meter. |
| US09495290B2 |
Various methods and apparatus to support outstanding requests to multiple targets while maintaining transaction ordering
A method, apparatus, and system are described, which generally relate to an integrated circuit having an interconnect that implements internal controls. The interconnect in an integrated circuit communicates transactions between initiator Intellectual Property (IP) cores and target IP cores coupled to the interconnect. The interconnect implements logic configured to support multiple transactions issued from a first initiator IP core to the multiple target IP cores while maintaining an expected execution order within the transactions. The logic supports a second transaction to be issued from the first initiator IP core to a second target IP core before a first transaction issued from the same first initiator IP core to a first target IP core has completed while ensuring that the first transaction completes before the second transaction and while ensuring an expected execution order within the first transaction and second transaction are maintained. The logic does not include any reorder buffering. |
| US09495286B2 |
Method and arrangement for completion or recovery of data transactions in a flash type memory device using a commit process
The invention relates to a method and arrangement for processing transactions in a flash type memory device, wherein the transaction is a data update and/or changing operation consisting of one or more suboperations, all of which must be successfully executed in order to regard the discussed transaction as having been successfully completed in its entirety. In the solution according to the invention, memory-block specific status information (131) of a memory block present in a flash type memory device is utilized not only for managing payload data (141) present in the memory block but also for the management of an entire transaction. Consequently, there is no need for a separate status bookkeeping of transactions, thus reducing the number of reading and writing operations required in transactions. |
| US09495282B2 |
Method and systems for a dashboard testing framework in an online demand service environment
Testing a dashboard framework includes creating a model that captures the states of a GUI application and validates the states of the application by comparing it with benchmarks. The testing can include user interaction between the captured states of the GUI application. The ability to provide testing based upon recorded states of a web application can enable the test system to adapt to changes to the GUI software during product development or modification. Testing a dashboard framework is more efficient and flexible testing methods for GUI software. |
| US09495277B1 |
Dynamic test topology visualization
An approach for dynamic test topology visualization is provided. The approach retrieves test data from one or more databases. The approach retrieves test data from an application under test. The approach creates a visual diagram, wherein the visual diagram includes one or more topological elements, one or more topological relationships between the one or more topological elements, the test data, and a screen snapshot of an application under test. The approach overlays the visual diagram with user interaction information. The approach associates the visual diagram to the test execution performed on the application under test. |
| US09495273B2 |
Systems and methods for displaying blade chassis data
Systems and methods for displaying blade chassis data are provided. One system includes a memory for storing computer code comprising a blade chassis information module and a processor capable of being in communication with a blade chassis. The processor, when executing the computer code comprising the blade chassis information module, is configured to receive the blade chassis data, create a user interface for the blade chassis data, and display the blade chassis data on the user interface. One method includes receiving blade chassis data, creating a user interface for the blade chassis data, and displaying the blade chassis data on the user interface. Also provided are physical computer storage mediums including a computer program product for performing the above method. |
| US09495272B2 |
Method and system for generating a power consumption model of at least one server
A system for generating a power consumption model of at least one server includes one or more computers configured to obtain n time series telemetry signals indicative of operating parameters of the at least one server, obtain a time series power signal indicative of power consumed by the at least one server, and correlate each of the n time series telemetry signals with the time series power signal. The one or more computers are further configured to select a set of the n time series telemetry signals having an overall correlation with the time series power signal greater than a predetermined threshold, and generate a power consumption model of the at least one server based on at least the set of the n time series telemetry signals. |
| US09495271B2 |
Statistical power indication monitor for purpose of measuring power consumption
A statistical power indication monitor including a random pattern generator that generates random sample assertions of a sample signal, a total counter that counts a total number of the random sample assertions within a sample time interval, detect logic that provides a detection signal for each power indication signal that is asserted coincident with the sample signal, and counter logic that counts a number of assertions of each detection signal during the sample time interval. The assertion count of each power indication signal divided by the total count provides a statistical indication of power consumption of a corresponding system. A user may use the statistical monitoring information to adjust system or application operation. The random pattern generator may be a pseudo-random pattern generator including a linear feedback shift register and may have programmable seed and sample rate. |
| US09495267B2 |
Method and device for quasi-proxy assisted manual device testing
A system and method for providing assisted manual testing of computer related devices. Test commands are routed from a user system through a proxy module to a device under test. The responses of the device are routed through the proxy module to a user system. A user interface is run on the user system that allows the user to view the responses of the device in a log with the issued test commands. The user interface includes annotation dialog boxes and fields, highlighting elements and flagging elements through which a user can annotate and create notes for the test log as the test is being run on the device. Through the proxy module, a third party can act as a user and view the test log and user created annotations and notes as the test is being run on the device. The test log, annotation and notes can also be stored by the proxy module so that a third party can view them at a later time. The third party can act as a user in issuing commands through the proxy module to be run on the device, thereby assisting in the testing. Additionally, the third party can provide additional notes and annotation to the test log. |
| US09495266B2 |
Voice recognition virtual test engineering assistant
System and method of systems and methods of controlling an IC test equipment in response to verbal commands issued by test equipment users. A control apparatus according to the present disclosure includes a speech detection device operable to detect verbal commands and test control software configured to control operations of the test equipment. The control software is added with verbal command recognition capabilities. Program action commands defined in the test control software are associated with respective recognizable verbal commands. Upon a recognizable verbal command is detected, it is interpreted into the corresponding program action command which triggers the intended test program actions. The control apparatus may also have a gesture detection device, through which user gesture commands can be detected and interpreted into corresponding program actions commands. |
| US09495264B2 |
Data replication techniques using incremental checkpoints
Incremental checkpoint, for use in data replication, track the changes made to a file system after a point in time at which the incremental checkpoint is created. Data replication techniques using the incremental checkpoints may include taking a regular checkpoint of the file system and creating the first time full copy on remote node using the regular checkpoint. Changes made to the file system are then tracked in an incremental checkpoint that are stored on the remote node. The processes of taking the incremental checkpoint and storing the incremental checkpoint are iteratively performed. The first time fully copy and the incremental checkpoints may then be used for data replication, backup, continuous data protection (CDP), or the like. |
| US09495261B2 |
Systems and methods for reducing memory failures
Methods and systems for an in-system repair process that repairs or attempts to repair random bit failures in a memory device are provided. In some examples, an in-system repair process may select alternative steps depending on whether the failure is correctable or uncorrectable. In these examples, the process uses communications between a system on chip and the memory to fix the failures during normal operation. |
| US09495260B2 |
Fault tolerant communications
Apparatuses, systems and methods are disclosed for tolerating fault in a communications grid. Specifically, various techniques and systems are provided for detecting a fault or failure by a node in a network of computer nodes in a communications grid, adjusting the grid to avoid grid failure, and taking action based on the failure. In an example, a system may include receiving grid status information at a backup control node, the grid status information including a project status, storing the grid status information within the backup control node, receiving a failure communication including an indication that a primary control node has failed, designating the backup control node as a new primary control node, receiving updated grid status information based on the indication that the primary control node has failed, and transmitting a set of instructions based on the updated grid status information. |
| US09495259B2 |
Orchestrating high availability failover for virtual machines stored on distributed object-based storage
Techniques are disclosed for orchestrating high availability (HA) failover for virtual machines (VMs) running on host systems of a host cluster, where the host cluster aggregates locally-attached storage resources of the host systems to provide an object store, and where persistent data for one or more of the VMs is stored as per-VM storage objects across the locally-attached storage resources comprising the object store. In one embodiment, a host system in the host cluster executing a HA module determines a VM to be restarted on an active host system in the host cluster. The host system further determines if the VM's persistent data is stored in the object store. If so, the host system adds the VM to a list of VMs to be immediately restarted. Otherwise, the host system checks whether the VM is accessible to the host system by querying a storage layer of the host system configured to manage the object store. |
| US09495256B2 |
Apparatus and method for switching a packet
An apparatus includes a first switch circuit in an active mode and a second switch circuit in a standby mode. The apparatus receives high-priority packets and low-priority packets. Each switch circuit stores the high-priority packets and the low-priority packets into first and second buffers, respectively. The each switch circuit performs packet-readout processing reading out a packet from the first and second buffers where the packet-readout processing is performed on the first buffer on a priority basis. The apparatus controls the first switch circuit so that a back-pressure time for the high-priority packets becomes longer with increasing amount of data transmitted by the high-priority packets, when a low-priority packet outputted from the first switch circuit is determined to be a packet that has been received at a first time that is later than a second time at which another low-priority packet outputted from the second switch circuit has been received. |
| US09495254B2 |
Synchronization and order detection in a memory system
Embodiments relate to out-of-synchronization detection and out-of-order detection in a memory system. One aspect is a system that includes a plurality of channels, each providing communication with a memory buffer chip and a plurality of memory devices. A memory control unit is coupled to the plurality of channels. The memory control unit is configured to perform a method that includes receiving frames on two or more of the channels. The memory control unit identifies alignment logic input in each of the received frames and generates a summarized input to alignment logic for each of the channels of the received frames based on the alignment logic input. The memory control unit adjusts a timing alignment based on a skew value per channel. Each of the timing adjusted summarized inputs is compared. Based on a mismatch between at least two of the timing adjusted summarized inputs, a miscompare signal is asserted. |
| US09495253B2 |
Virtual snapshot system and method
The present disclosure relates generally to a method and system for creating, replicating, and providing access to virtual snapshots of a disk storage block of a disk storage system or subsystem. In one embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a virtual snapshot accessible to local users of a local data storage device. The virtual snapshot may direct local users to a snapshot stored on computer-readable storage medium at a remote data storage site, but give the appearance as if data of the corresponding snapshot is stored locally. The virtual snapshot is replaced by replication of the snapshot from the remote data storage site to the local data storage device. Each snapshot may relate to data of a logical data volume, the logical data volume being an abstraction of data blocks from one or more physical storage devices. |
| US09495252B2 |
Continuous data backup using real time delta storage
A continuous data backup using real time delta storage has been presented. A backup appliance receives a backup request from a backup agent running on a computing machine to backup data on the computing machine. The computing machine is communicatively coupled to the backup appliance. Then the backup appliance performs block-based real-time backup of the data on the computing machine. The backup appliance stores backup data of the computing machine in a computer-readable storage device in the backup appliance. |
| US09495248B2 |
Using spare capacity in solid state drives
An SSD has a plurality of dies, with each die having a storage capacity. The storage capacity of each die is divided into a primary capacity and a spare capacity. A primary die has a maximum primary capacity, and a sum of the spare capacities of the remaining dies is greater than the maximum primary capacity. Data stored on the SSD is distributed among the primary capacities of the dies. When a failure of a first die is detected, data stored on the failed first die is migrated to the spare capacity of at least one of the remaining dies. |
| US09495247B2 |
Time multiplexed redundant array of independent tapes
Embodiments relate to a computer system for storing data on a time multiplexed redundant array of independent tapes. An aspect includes a memory device that buffers data received by the computer system to be written to a set of tape data storage devices. The data is written to the set of tape data storage devices in blocks that form parity stripes across the set of tape data storage device. Aspects further includes a tape drive that writes data to one of the set of tape data storage devices at a time in a tape-sequential manner and a processor that computes a parity value for each of the parity stripes. The tape drive writes the parity values for each of the parity stripes to a last subset of tapes of the set of tape data storage devices. |
| US09495244B2 |
Dynamic per-decoder control of log likelihood ratio and decoding parameters
An apparatus includes one or more error-correction decoders, a buffer, and at least one processor. The buffer may be configured to store data to be decoded by the one or more error-correction decoders. The at least one processor is generally enabled to send messages to the one or more error-correction decoders. The messages may contain datapath control information corresponding to data in the buffer to be decoded by the one or more error-correction decoders. The one or more error-correction decoders are generally enabled to decode the data read from the buffer according to the corresponding datapath control information. |
| US09495238B2 |
Fractional reserve high availability using cloud command interception
An approach is provided to provide a high availability (HA) cloud environment. In the approach, an active cloud environment is established in one cloud computing environment using a primary set of resources and a passive cloud environment is established in another cloud computing environment, with the passive cloud environment using fewer resources than are used by the active cloud environment. A workload is serviced by the active cloud environment. While servicing the workload, cloud commands are processed that alter the primary set of resources and the commands are stored in a queue. When a failure of the active cloud environment occurs, the workload is serviced by the passive cloud environment in the second cloud computing environment and the cloud commands stored in the queue are used to alter the resources used by the passive cloud environment. |
| US09495236B2 |
Intuitive visual assessment of device operational health
Among other things, an augmented reality device that is configured and/or arranged to present particular device operational health information as a function of the distance between the augmented reality device and the particular device. |
| US09495234B1 |
Detecting anomalous behavior by determining correlations
Systems and methods for detecting anomalies within a multi-tenant environment are described. Diagnostic tests are performed on one or more components, such as host computing devices. The one or more components send resulting diagnostic information to an electronic device such as a monitoring component that processes the diagnostic information. The electronic device determines whether one or more properties, such as errors, are comprised within the one or more components. Based at least in part on properties that may be found, a correlation may be made between at least two properties. |
| US09495233B2 |
Error framework for a microprocesor and system
In accordance with embodiments disclosed herein, there are provided methods, systems, mechanisms, techniques, and apparatuses for implementing an error framework for a microprocessor and for a system having such a microprocessor. The error framework may alternatively be implemented by a hardware component, such as a peripheral device for integration into a system. In one embodiment, an error framework of a microprocessor or a hardware component includes an error detection unit to capture an error within the hardware component; a state detection unit to capture error context information when the error is detected within the hardware component; an error event definition unit to define a unique error event representing a combination of the error and the error context information; and a configuration unit to define an error event response based on the unique error event. The error context information may include, for example, a known state of a system at the time the error occurs or a known state of the hardware component or microprocessor within which the error is detected at the time the error occurs. |
| US09495232B2 |
Error correcting (ECC) memory compatibility
Host device platforms developed based on older ECC (Error Correcting Code) designs may not be equipped to handle the enhanced error correction capabilities in the newer NAND memories. Error correcting memory employing an error threshold representative of the additional capability of the ECC memory allows determining when a fetch has exceeded a safe level of errors to correct. ECC processing compares an error count to the threshold, and if the error count exceeds the threshold of maximum allowable errors, the ECC status module induces an error in the fetched data to alert the host. |
| US09495228B2 |
Multi-process interactive systems and methods
A multi-process interactive system is described. The system includes numerous processes running on a processing device. The processes include separable program execution contexts of application programs, such that each application program comprises at least one process. The system translates events of each process into data capsules. A data capsule includes an application-independent representation of event data of an event and state information of the process originating the content of the data capsule. The system transfers the data messages into pools or repositories. Each process operates as a recognizing process, where the recognizing process recognizes in the pools data capsules comprising content that corresponds to an interactive function of the recognizing process and/or an identification of the recognizing process. The recognizing process retrieves recognized data capsules from the pools and executes processing appropriate to contents of the recognized data capsules. |
| US09495225B2 |
Parallel execution mechanism and operating method thereof
A thread priority control mechanism is provided which uses the completion event of the preceding transaction to raise the priority of the next transaction in the order of execution when the transaction status has been changed from speculative to non-speculative. In one aspect of the present invention, a thread-level speculation mechanism is provided which has content-addressable memory, an address register and a comparator for recording transaction footprints, and a control logic circuit for supporting memory synchronization instructions. This supports hardware transaction memory in detecting transaction conflicts. This thread-level speculation mechanism includes a priority up bit for recording an attribute operand in a memory synchronization instruction, a means for generating a priority up event when a thread wake-up event has occurred and the priority up bit is 1, and a means for preventing the CAM from storing the load/store address when the instruction is a non-transaction instruction. |
| US09495221B2 |
Automatic configuration information generation for distributed computing environment
A method and system for configuring information for a distributed computing environment is provided. The method and system comprises providing a job containing a list of tasks to a controller, the tasks including a bootstrap tool and configuration information related to the computer network. The method and system also comprises providing a task to each of a plurality of agents on the distributed computer network, each task being based on one of the tasks of the job. The method and system further comprises executing code by each of the plurality of agents based upon the tasks process, wherein the code provides configuration information for a master process and a plurality of slave processes within the distributed computer network.The present invention allows processes run on a distributed set of computers to be provided with appropriate configuration files without requiring the master node to pre-generate those files ahead of time. Specifically, the invention generates the configuration files on the computers that will host the processes. A special bootstrap tool is run on each machine. This tool provides a unique identifier to each process. Each machine running a slave process sends the master process its address, and the master returns a port number. |
| US09495219B2 |
Dynamically migrating computer networks
Techniques are described for providing capabilities to dynamically migrate computing nodes between two or more computer networks while the computer networks are in use, such as to dynamically and incrementally migrate an entire originating first computer network to a destination second computer network at a remote location. For example, the first computer network may include one or more physically connected computer networks, while the second computer network may be a virtual computer network at a remote geographical location (e.g., under control of a network-accessible service available to remote users). The provided capabilities may further include facilitating the ongoing operations of the originating first computer network while a subset of the first computer network computing nodes have been migrated to the remote destination second computer network, such as by forwarding communications between the first and second computer networks in a manner that is transparent to the various computing nodes. |
| US09495218B2 |
Efficient parallel processing of a network with conflict constraints between nodes
According to one exemplary embodiment, a method for parallel processing a network of nodes having at least one ordering constraint and at least one conflict constraint is provided. The method may include breaking a plurality of loops caused by the at least one ordering constraint. The method may also include determining a node order based on the at least one ordering constraint. The method may then include determining a conflict order based on the at least one conflict constraint, whereby no new loops are created in the network. The method may further include performing parallel processing of the network of nodes based on the node order and the conflict order. |
| US09495216B2 |
Optimization of job scheduling in a computing environment
Optimizing job scheduling in a data processing system includes determining a time factor associated with a report, determining one or more jobs that contribute to the report, and narrowing execution frequency of the one or more jobs based on the time factor of the report. The time factor provides information about timing details for data included in the report. The jobs are executed in a computing environment according to a time schedule. |
| US09495211B1 |
Allocating computing resources based on user intent
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for allocating computing resources. In one aspect, a method includes receiving intent data specifying one or more computing services to be hosted by a computing network, requested characteristics of computing resources for use in hosting the computing service, and a priority value for each requested characteristic. A budget constraint is identified for each computing service. Available resources data is identified that specifies a set of available computing resources. A resource allocation problem for allocating computing resources for the one or more computing resources is generated based on the intent data, each budget constraint, and the available resources data. At least a portion of the set of computing resources is allocated for the one or more computing services based on results of evaluating the resource allocation problem to meet a particular resource allocation objective. |
| US09495210B1 |
Logical device model
Described are techniques for providing a logical device model. In one embodiment, a a method for providing a logical device model includes providing a plurality of logical devices, at least one of said plurality of logical devices being provided by a first provider executing in kernel space and at least one of said plurality of logical devices being provided by a second provider executing in user space, and establishing a relationship between the first provider and the second provider wherein the first provider is a consumer of a logical device provided by the second provider, said logical device model including said relationship. |
| US09495209B2 |
Method and system for dynamic pool reallocation
Dynamic pool reallocation performed by the following steps: (i) defining a plurality of resource pools including a first pool and a second pool, where each resource pool has a plurality of assigned resources; (ii) receiving a plurality of jobs to be executed; (iii) for each job of the plurality of jobs, assigning a respective resource pool, of the plurality of resource pools, to be used in completing the job; (iv) determining a preliminary schedule for executing the jobs on their respective resource pools; (v) determining whether the preliminary schedule will cause any jobs to miss service level agreement (SLA) deadlines corresponding to the job; (vi) executing the plurality of jobs on their respectively assigned resource pools; and (vii) re-assigning first resource from the second pool to the first pool during at least some of the time of the execution of the first job by the first resource pool. |
| US09495208B2 |
Proactive presentation of multitask workflow components to increase user efficiency and interaction performance
A multitask workflow is proactively identified based upon user context information. For discrete tasks of the multitask workflow, modules directed to such tasks are identified from among other modules also directed to the same task, and are proactively presented to the user. Modules are selected based upon predetermined values associated with such modules, which can be indicative of capabilities, relationships, incentives associated with presentation of the modules to the user, and other like valuations. The modules offer visually enticing experiences to aid the user in performing a task, of the multitask workflow, and thereby increasing the user's interaction performance. Additionally, the modules exchange information to increase user efficiency in performing the multitask workflow. Multiple computing devices associated with a user can execute different modules of the multitask workflow, enabling two or more users to collaborate on the multitask workflow or otherwise research and perform tasks associated with the multitask workflow. |
| US09495206B2 |
Scheduling and execution of tasks based on resource availability
An apparatus for scheduling includes a receiving unit, configured to receive a task of a job; a configuration unit, configured to configure resource amounts for the task in at least two resource dimensions respectively, wherein each of the resource dimensions represents a resource available for configuring; and an interface unit, configured to distribute the task along with information about the resource amounts configured for the task in the resource dimensions. |
| US09495194B1 |
Dispersive storage area networks
A method for storing data from an electronic device at a plurality of storage devices of a dispersive storage area network includes communicating, from the electronic device via a virtual network connection, one or more packets to a splitting server. The method further includes splitting, at the splitting server, the data for storage on the dispersive storage area network, and communicating, from the splitting server to each of a plurality of storage servers over each of a plurality of virtual network connections, portions of the split data. The method further includes storing, at each of the storage servers, the received portions of the split data for later retrieval. |
| US09495193B2 |
Monitoring hypervisor and provisioned instances of hosted virtual machines using monitoring templates
A method for configuring and maintaining external monitoring of one or more instances of a virtual machine within a virtualized computing environment. The method includes a computer processor monitoring a hypervisor. The method further includes a computer processor identifying a first list, wherein the first list is comprised of one or more monitoring templates respectively associated with one or more virtual machine types, and maintaining a second list comprised plurality of provisioned instances of virtual machines, wherein the second list also includes a first information respectively associated with the plurality of provisioned instances of virtual machines. The method further includes a computer processor compiling a third list and transmitting the third list to the monitoring system. The method further includes a computer processor receiving the third list and in response, a computer processor executing one or more monitoring functions based, at least in part, on the third list. |
| US09495191B2 |
Using virtual disk in virtual machine live migration
Systems and methods for implementing lazy disk I/O in virtual machine live migration. An example method may comprise: determining, by a first computer system, that contents of a memory page mapped into an address space of a virtual machine undergoing live migration from a second computer system to the first computer system is stored on a network-accessible virtual disk; storing, in a memory data structure, a mapping of an address of the memory page to an identifier of a location of the memory page on the virtual disk; and responsive to detecting an access to the memory page by the virtual machine, storing in a memory mapped into the address space of the virtual machine the memory page retrieved from the location of the memory page on the virtual disk. |
| US09495187B2 |
Interactive, top-down presentation of the architecture and performance of a hypervisor environment
Techniques promote monitoring of hypervisor systems by presenting dynamic representations of hypervisor architectures that include performance indicators. A reviewer can interact with the representation to progressively view select lower-level performance indicators. Higher level performance indicators can be determined based on tower level state assessments. A reviewer can also view historical performance metrics and indicators, which can aid in understanding which configuration changes or system usages may have led to sub-optimal performance. |
| US09495185B2 |
Per tenant initialization check removal
In an approach for removing tenant initialization check per tenant for compiled code, a processor receives a request to create a tenant. A processor creates the tenant. A processor marks a current thread of the tenant as not eligible to run just-in-time (JIT) code, wherein the marking indicates that when a method is invoked, a non-JIT version of the method is executed. A processor executes initialization of a first class from an optimization list, wherein the optimization list is a configurable list of classes to be initialized prior to running JIT code. A processor determines that class initialization has been executed for all classes on the optimization list. A processor adjusts the marking to indicate that the current thread is eligible to run JIT code and that the tenant may run JIT code that assumes, without checking, that classes on the optimization list are initialized. |
| US09495184B2 |
Per tenant initialization check removal
In an approach for removing tenant initialization check per tenant for compiled code, a processor receives a request to create a tenant. A processor creates the tenant. A processor marks a current thread of the tenant as not eligible to run just-in-time (JIT) code, wherein the marking indicates that when a method is invoked, a non-JIT version of the method is executed. A processor executes initialization of a first class from an optimization list, wherein the optimization list is a configurable list of classes to be initialized prior to running JIT code. A processor determines that class initialization has been executed for all classes on the optimization list. A processor adjusts the marking to indicate that the current thread is eligible to run JIT code and that the tenant may run JIT code that assumes, without checking, that classes on the optimization list are initialized. |
| US09495183B2 |
Instruction set emulation for guest operating systems
The described implementations relate to virtual computing techniques. One implementation provides a technique that can include receiving a request to execute an application. The application can include first application instructions from a guest instruction set architecture. The technique can also include loading an emulator and a guest operating system into an execution context with the application. The emulator can translate the first application instructions into second application instructions from a host instruction set architecture. The technique can also include running the application by executing the second application instructions. |
| US09495182B2 |
Apparatus of reconfigurable software mode management using runtime execution engine
A method and architecture of reconfiguring software mode management for a system. A prior status mode of a subsystem is identified. The primary controller includes a primary software algorithm for maintaining operations of the subsystem. A mode determination logic function is retrieved in a table for determining whether a mode change occurred. The mode determination logic function associated with the prior mode is executed. A current mode is determined from the table based on results from the execution of the mode determination logic function. An action list associated with the identified current mode in the table is identified. The action list identifies functions for transitioning the nodes from the prior mode to the current node. An action list associated with the current mode including a list of action functions for transitioning the previous mode to the current mode is executed. The table is independently modifiable from the primary software mode management algorithm. |
| US09495181B2 |
Creating a virtual appliance
A mechanism is provided for creating a virtual appliance. The mechanism receives input of an unmodified virtual appliance and a list of target models. The mechanism creates a modified virtual appliance with an ISO file, a conversion tool, and a list of validated target models based on the input. The modified virtual appliance is configured to boot on the ISO file containing a mini operating system working on all validated target models. Responsive to a deployment of the modified virtual appliance being triggered on a target model, the mini operating system is booted on the corresponding target model. The mini operating system determines the model of the current target model on which the mini operating system is running, and responsive to determining the current target model is a validated target model, applies modifications to an operating system of the virtual appliance in accordance with current target model to form a portable virtual appliance running on target model. |
| US09495180B2 |
Optimized resource allocation for virtual machines within a malware content detection system
According to one embodiment, a computerized method comprises operations of instantiating a first virtual machine instance and a second virtual machine instance to run concurrently with the first virtual machine instance. The first virtual machine instance provides a first virtual operating environment while the second virtual machine instance is adapted to share the resources allocated to the first virtual machine instance. The second virtual machine instance is further adapted to allocate additional resources upon conducting a Copy-On Write operation. |
| US09495179B1 |
Mobile user objective system ground base station emulation system and related method
A method and related system is disclosed for emulation of a Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) ground base station. A Software Defined Radio (SDR) based architecture with interpreted scripting languages interfaces with open source software running in an embedded environment to emulate entire MUOS ground transportation segment. The ground base station emulation resides on a server remote from the MUOS enabled terminals or embedded within MUOS enabled terminals. It is transparent to the MUOS enabled terminal whether the terminal is in communication with the emulation of or the actual MUOS ground base station. |
| US09495177B2 |
Techniques for pre-OS image rewriting to provide cross-architecture support, security introspection, and performance optimization
Methods and apparatus relating to pre-OS (pre Operating System) image rewriting to provide cross-architecture support, security introspection, and/or performance optimization are described. In an embodiment, logic rewrites a non-native firmware interface driver into a native firmware interface driver in response to a determination that sufficient space is available in an integrity cache storage device to store the native firmware interface driver. The logic rewrites the non-native firmware interface driver into the native firmware interface driver by performing one or more of its operations during operating system runtime. Other embodiments are also claimed and described. |
| US09495175B2 |
Deploying multi-channel or device agnostic applications
Various user interface components and features can be tested and simulated with the unified framework module, and the full application user experience can be tested, experienced and evaluated. This can assist the design process of an application in providing the ability to test and explore different user interface components. During this process the user components can be simulated to provide the user experience so it can be determined whether the user components are organized properly and the prototype can be validated before the full blown application is launched. Also user interface features can be further modified or added based on the user feedback. The unified framework module can be configured to package a program in a form that is suitable for any targeted device and/or channel to make deployment across various devices and channels more efficient and cost effective. |
| US09495169B2 |
Predicate trace compression
A program trace data compression mechanism in which execution of a variable length execution set (VLES) including multiple non-branch conditional instructions are traced in real-time in a manner that allows the instruction execution to be reconstructed completely by correlating the trace data with the traced binary code. |
| US09495168B2 |
Allocation of alias registers in a pipelined schedule
In an embodiment, a system includes a processor including one or more cores and a plurality of alias registers to store memory range information associated with a plurality of operations of a loop. The memory range information references one or more memory locations within a memory. The system also includes register assignment means for assigning each of the alias registers to a corresponding operation of the loop, where the assignments are made according to a rotation schedule, and one of the alias registers is assigned to a first operation in a first iteration of the loop and to a second operation in a subsequent iteration of the loop. The system also includes the memory coupled to the processor. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09495167B2 |
Load queue entry reuse for operand store compare history table update
Embodiments relate to load queue entry reuse for operand store compare (OSC) history table update. An aspect includes allocating a load queue entry in a load queue to a load instruction that is issued into an instruction pipeline, the load queue entry comprising a valid tag that is set and a keep tag that is unset. Another aspect includes based on the flushing of the load instruction, unsetting the valid tag and setting the keep tag. Another aspect includes reissuing the load instruction into the instruction pipeline. Another aspect includes based on determining that the allocated load queue entry corresponds to the reissued load instruction, setting the valid tag and leaving the keep tag set. Another aspect includes based on completing the reissued load instruction, and based on the valid tag and the keep tag being set, updating the OSC history table corresponding to the load instruction. |
| US09495159B2 |
Two level re-order buffer
In response to detecting one or more conditions are met, a checkpoint of a current state of a thread may be created. One or more incomplete instructions may be moved from a first level of a re-order buffer to a second level of the re-order buffer. Each incomplete instruction may be currently executing or awaiting execution. |
| US09495147B2 |
Method and apparatus for obtaining context information for a software development task
Aspects are directed to obtaining context information for a software development task. A method includes finding, in response to designating any one tool component associated with the software development task as a root component, at least one other tool component having an at least one-level link with the root component. Context information is extracted n from the root component and the at least one other tool component. A context set is generated based on the extracted context information. |
| US09495142B2 |
Dynamic reconstruction of application state upon application re-launch
A service provider system may include an application fulfillment platform that delivers desktop applications on demand to desktops on physical computing devices or virtual desktop instances of end users. An application delivery agent installed on an end user's computing resource instance may store application state data (e.g., configuration data, runtime settings, or application templates) or scratch data that is generated by an application executing on the computing resource instance to a secure location on service provider storage resources. After a machine failure or change, or a rebuilding of a virtualized computing resource instance or virtual desktop instance, an application delivery agent installed on the new machine or instance may reinstall the application, retrieve the stored application state or scratch data from service provider resources, and restore the application to the last known persisted state. Upon request, the application delivery agent may restore the application to any earlier persisted state. |
| US09495141B1 |
Expanding inline function calls in nested inlining scenarios
A method for expanding inline function calls in inlining scenarios includes receiving an ordered list of inlining options for a computer program and a relational data structure representing dependencies between the inlining options, wherein each inlining option includes an associated cost value and an associated benefit value. A maximum-benefit inlining plan for a selected inlining option of the ordered list is then determined, wherein the maximum-benefit inlining plan includes a set of inlining options from the ordered list that provide a maximum combined benefit value for a combined cost value that is equal to or less than a maximum cost budget, subject to the following conditions: each inlining option of the set precedes, or is, the selected inlining option in the ordered list, and for each inlining option of the set, the set also includes each inlining option that the respective inlining option is dependent on. |
| US09495138B1 |
Scheme for verifying the effects of program optimizations
Techniques relate for verifying an effect of software program optimization. A determination is made whether a fingerprint is present in a software application that is currently executing on a processor of a computer system, where the fingerprint includes a representation of a sequence of behavior that occurs on the processor while the software application is executing. The fingerprint corresponds to an optimization made to the software application. In response to determining that the fingerprint is not present in the software application currently executing on the processor, it is determined that the optimization to the software application did not have an intended effect. In response to determining that the fingerprint is present in the software application executing on the processor, it is recognized that the optimization to the software application has the intended effect. |
| US09495135B2 |
Developing collective operations for a parallel computer
Developing collective operations for a parallel computer that includes compute nodes includes: presenting, by a collective development tool, a graphical user interface (‘GUI’) to a collective developer; receiving, by the collective development tool from the collective developer through the GUI, a selection of one or more collective primitives; receiving, by the collective development tool from the collective developer through the GUI, a specification of a serial order of the collective primitives and a specification of input and output buffers for each collective primitive; and generating, by the collective development tool in dependence upon the selection of collective primitives, the serial order of the collective primitives, and the input and output buffers for each collective primitive, executable code that carries out the collective operation specified by the collective primitives. |
| US09495130B2 |
Data transmitter apparatus and method for data communication using the same
Disclosed are a data transmission apparatus and a data communication method using the same. The data transmission apparatus includes a buffer manager configured to generate a transmission buffer pool including a plurality of buffers each having a size corresponding to a size of a transmission packet and manage buffer position information and buffer use status information of the plurality of buffers; a data processor configured to divide data into data blocks each having a predetermined size, and a data transmitter configured to convert each of the data blocks received from the data processor into a plurality of transmission packets and request the buffer manager to allocate a number of buffers corresponding to the number of transmission packets. |
| US09495129B2 |
Device, method, and user interface for voice-activated navigation and browsing of a document
The electronic device with one or more processors and memory receives a first document including a plurality of links. The electronic device outputs a voice reading of at least a portion of the first document, and outputs audible information identifying a link of the plurality of links. In response to outputting the audible information identifying the link, the electronic device receives from the user a voice command regarding the link, and, in response to receiving from the user the voice command, outputs a voice reading of at least a portion of a second document associated with the link. |
| US09495127B2 |
Language model selection for speech-to-text conversion
Methods, computer program products and systems are described for converting speech to text. Sound information is received at a computer server system from an electronic device, where the sound information is from a user of the electronic device. A context identifier indicates a context within which the user provided the sound information. The context identifier is used to select, from among multiple language models, a language model appropriate for the context. Speech in the sound information is converted to text using the selected language model. The text is provided for use by the electronic device. |
| US09495126B2 |
Self sedation and suggestion system
A computerized system and method for automatic assembly of a customized hypnotic or therapeutic media file is disclosed. An application collects information from a user, such as a goal to be met or a challenge to be overcome. The application may collect an audio snippet from the user and/or allow the user to record an audio snippet for insertion into the media file. The application may select components of the media file based on user inputs to indirect or direct questions. The application will generate the media file from pre-recorded and user-supplied components into a media file based, at least in part, on a time length supplied by the user. The application may be able to further adjust playback of the media file in real time so as to shorten or lengthen the file from a previously recorded playback length, while still maintaining internal cohesion and certain key message components. |
| US09495122B2 |
Information processing apparatus capable of creating communication application, computer-readable non-transitory recording medium with application creating program for creating communication application stored thereon, and programming tool
An information processing apparatus includes a tool storage section, an acquisition method acceptance section, a template specification acceptance section, and an application creating section. The tool storage section stores a programming tool having a function of acquiring print data from an advertisement delivery server and a function of managing the print data. The acquisition method acceptance section is configured to accept setting of a data acquisition method for acquiring the print data. The template specification acceptance section is configured to accept specification of a template for use in printing the print data. The application creating section is configured to use the programming tool to create a communication application allowing acquisition of the print data according to the accepted data acquisition method and generation of an image according to the accepted template. |
| US09495121B2 |
Client device using a markup language to control a periphery device via a point-of-sale printer
A device control system has a terminal 3 with an application 31, and a printer 5 that controls a device. The terminal 3 sends a request written in XML generated by the application 31. The printer 5 receives the XML request, the terminal 3 sends an XML response, and if the terminal 3 requested control of the device in the XML request, controls the device. |
| US09495113B2 |
Systems, devices, apparatus, and methods for identifying stored data by a device located in a path between virtual Fibre channel switches and performing a data management service
A first port of a device is connected to a first switch port of a first virtual switch defined within a switch device and a second port of the device is connected to a second switch port of a second virtual switch defined within the switch device. A target world wide port name of a target port of a storage system connected to the second virtual switch is identified by the device. The first port of the device is registered, in a first registration procedure, with the first virtual switch based on the target world wide port name. Registration information relating to an initiator port of a server that is associated with the target port is received in a second registration procedure. An initiator world wide port name of the initiator port of the server is determined based on the registration information. A storage volume in the storage system that is associated with the initiator port is identified based on the initiator world wide port name of the initiator port. |
| US09495108B2 |
Transactional memory operations with write-only atomicity
Execution of a transaction mode setting instruction causes a computer processor to be in an atomic write-only mode ignoring conflicts to certain read-sets of a transaction during transactional execution. Write-set conflicts may still cause a transactional abort. Absent any aborting, the transaction's execution may complete, by committing transactional stores to memory and updating architecture states. |
| US09495106B2 |
Deduplication tracking for accurate lifespan prediction
Various embodiments for predicting hardware lifespan by a processor device are provided. For a solid state drive (SSD) device configured with data deduplication mechanisms, trend information is obtained by comparing a write tracking table to a de-duplicated cell tracking table to determine how many new cells were allocated on the SSD device over a particular time period. The trend information is applied to at least one drive constant data to predict the useful remaining lifespan of the SSD drive device. |
| US09495101B2 |
Methods for balancing write operations of SLC blocks in different memory areas and apparatus implementing the same
Data is received at a computer memory to be programmed in single-level-cell mode. A stress level of a first section of the computer memory is determined. A stress level of a second section of the computer memory is determined. The stress levels of the first and second sections of the computer memory are compared to determine which one of the first and second sections is a less stressed single-level-cell mode section of the computer memory. The data received at the computer memory is programmed in the less stressed single-level-cell mode section of the computer memory. |
| US09495100B1 |
Shifting a defrag operation in a mirrored system
A method for defragmenting volumes in a mirrored system. The method includes suspending one or more updates from being mirrored from a first set of tracks on a first server to a second set of tracks on a second server. A defragmenting process is performed on the second server. The defragmentation process stores a before and after mapping of the second set of tracks, wherein the before and after mapping includes information identifying at least one track of the second set of tracks and a corresponding first location of the respective track before the defragmenting and a second location of the respective track after the defragmenting. The method further includes, upon the defragment process completion, relocating at least one track of the first set of tracks on the first server according to the stored before and after mapping of the corresponding second set of tracks on the second server. |
| US09495098B2 |
Detecting input based on multiple gestures
Detecting user input based on multiple gestures is provided. One or more interactions are received from a user via a user interface. An inferred interaction is determined based, at least in part, on a geometric operation, wherein the geometric operation is based on the one or more interactions. The inferred interaction is presented via the user interface. Whether a confirmation has been received for the inferred interaction is determined. |
| US09495096B2 |
Mobile terminal and controlling method thereof
A mobile terminal and controlling method thereof are disclosed, by which a handwriting input is enabled and by which a handwritten character saved as an image can be further utilized. According to the present invention, when a user directly inputs a character by handwriting, a text corresponding to each handwritten character is saved by being linked to the handwritten character. The user is facilitated to correctly search handwritten characters saved as image for a specific word or the like using the saved confirmed text. By mapping the handwritten character saved as the image correctly using the saved confirmed text, the handwritten character is modifiable or utilizable in various ways. Therefore, a handwritten character saved as an image in a mobile terminal can be further utilized. |
| US09495092B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling detailed information display for selected area using dynamic touch interaction
A method and apparatus configured to control the level of detailed information displayed for a selected area using a dynamic touch interaction in a mobile terminal including a touch screen, are provided. The apparatus include a memory that stores contents to be output through the touch screen as data, a touch interaction module that analyzes a user's touch input through the touch screen and recognizes a stipulated touch interaction, and a control unit that controls an overall operation of the apparatus according to the user's input through the touch screen. The control unit also controls the level of subordinate detailed information displayed in an area, which is designated by the user through a stipulated touch input, to be displayed when the stipulated touch input is recognized through the touch interaction module, based on the data stored in the memory. |
| US09495090B2 |
Input control device, electronic instrument, input control method, program, and recording medium
A touch control section (5) includes: an operation accepting section (51) which accepts a touch operation conducted with respect to an icon or the like; and an accepting operation control section (52) which controls the operation accepting section (51) to forbid an accepting operation in a case where screen scroll is started. In a case where screen scroll is started, the accepting operation control section (52) controls the accepting operation control section (52) to lift the forbiddance of an accepting operation before the screen scroll automatically stops. |
| US09495085B2 |
Device connectivity
A method of operating a device comprising connecting to an external data source via a network, determining that the network connection has been broken, determining that the network connection has been restored, detecting that a user is accessing an application that requires access to the network connection, and prioritizing the accessed application with respect to the required access to the network connection. |
| US09495083B2 |
Symbolic referential third-party notification
User input including a social network notification symbol followed by a social network tag is detected in association with a social network user interface. The social network tag includes a text keyword that identifies a social network topic within the social network. A subset of social network users within the social network that follow the social network topic identified by the text keyword of the social network tag is determined. A referential third-party social network user notification subset within the social network is defined as the determined subset of social network users within the social network that follow the social network topic. A referential third-party social network notification is published to the defined referential third-party social network user notification subset within the social network. The referential third-party social network notification includes the detected user input that includes the social network notification symbol followed by the social network tag. |
| US09495081B2 |
Co-browsing between one or more operators and one or more visitors
Apparatuses, computer readable mediums, and methods of co-browsing between a visitor and an operator are disclosed. The method may include sending the first UI event to the visitor, receiving from the visitor a first webpage data update indicating a first update to the active tab based on the first UI event, and sending the first webpage data update to the operator, on a condition of receiving a first user interface (UI) event regarding an active tab from the operator. The method may include sending the second webpage data update to the operator indicating the update to the active tab, on a condition of receiving a second webpage data update from the visitor indicating a second update to the active tab. If updates are received from both the visitor and operator a precedence may be used to determine which to process. Updates may be used to determine an active tab. |
| US09495076B2 |
Playlist modification
Embodiments provided herein involve connected states between a mobile device and one or more zones in a network media system and different interactions between the mobile device and the network media system involving the connected states. The connected states may be established between the mobile device and the one or more zones such that further actions taken on media items identified in the playlist on the mobile device may also be taken on corresponding media items in a playback queue associated with the one or more zones. The interface on the mobile device may display various graphical representations to indicate the different interactions involving the connected states, including when a connected state is established, when a connected state is lost, and when a reconnected state is reestablished. The interface may further provide selectable icons to allow a user to navigate among the different media playback options involving the connected states. |
| US09495073B2 |
Parameter input apparatus and image forming apparatus
A parameter input apparatus for inputting a parameter, including: a control portion configured to display, in a display portion, an operational screen for inputting the parameter; and an operating portion for operating the operational screen, wherein the control portion is configured to display, in the display portion, the operational screen that includes a target area which is a target of an operation by the operating portion and is configured such that a view of the target area and a view of the operating portion are made uniform when the operational screen is displayed. |
| US09495071B2 |
Wireless communication apparatus and method of adding a widget therefor
A method of adding a widget in a wireless communication apparatus is provided. The method comprises: listing an application icon comprising the widget to be an editable mode according to a preset operation of a user; zooming in or out the application icon according to an editing operation of the user on the application icon; adding a corresponding widget type to a desktop when monitoring that the application icon comprising the widget is zoomed in or out to the corresponding widget type. A wireless communication apparatus is further provided. In this way, the present disclosure can improve the efficiency of adding the widget and the user's experiences. |
| US09495069B2 |
Expanded icon functionality
A method for providing expanded icon functionality includes displaying a primary icon using a display device. The primary icon is associated with a primary icon function in a storage device and the primary icon function is performed in response to a first user action directed to the primary icon. A second user action that is different from the first user action is received that is directed to the primary icon and, in response, at least one secondary icon that is associated with the primary icon and the second user action in the storage device is retrieved. The at least one secondary icon is displayed using the display device. Each at least one secondary icon is associated with a respective secondary icon function in the storage device, and in response to a selection of a secondary icon, the respective secondary icon function is performed. |
| US09495068B2 |
Three-dimensional user interface apparatus and three-dimensional operation method
A three-dimensional user interface apparatus includes a three-dimensional information acquisition unit acquiring three-dimensional information from a three-dimensional sensor; a position calculation unit calculating three-dimensional position information on a three-dimensional coordinate space regarding a specific part of a target person by using the three-dimensional information; a virtual data generation unit generating virtual three-dimensional space data indicating a virtual three-dimensional space which is disposed in the three-dimensional coordinate space and at least part of which is set in a display region; a space processing unit performing a predetermined process corresponding to a change in the three-dimensional position information regarding the specific part of the target person, on the three-dimensional coordinate space or the virtual three-dimensional space data; and a display processing unit displaying the virtual three-dimensional space within the display region on a display unit on the basis of virtual three-dimensional space data obtained through the predetermined process. |
| US09495066B2 |
Method for providing GUI using motion and display apparatus applying the same
A method for providing a Graphic User Interface (GUI) and a display apparatus applying the same are provided. According to the method, a screen on a specific face is displayed on a Three Dimensional (3D) GUI, and if a user's manipulation is inputted when the screen of the specific face is displayed, a screen of at least one of adjoining face that corresponds to a direction of the user's manipulation, is displayed. As a result, a user is able to select a desired menu with increased ease and convenience. |
| US09495063B2 |
Displaying tooltips to users of touch screens
An aspect of the present disclosure facilitates display of tooltips to users of touch screens. In an embodiment, a user selects an element to cause a message to be displayed as a tooltip associated with the selected element. The display of the tooltip message is persisted (continued) without requiring the user to continue to touch the selected element. According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a user drags (i.e., does not lift finger) a tool-tip element displaying the message. The tool-tip element is updated with message associated with a next display element selected based on the drag operation. The next element can be selected based on any of characteristics of the drag operation (e.g., direction, distance, speed of drag) according to any suitable heuristics suitable in the corresponding environment. |
| US09495058B2 |
Mobile terminal for displaying functions and display controlling method thereof
A mobile terminal and display controlling method thereof are disclosed, by which a different function may be executed in accordance with whether a means for touching a touchscreen is a user finger or a touch pen. |
| US09495057B1 |
Systems and methods for accessing multiple data-protection applications from a single interface
A computer-implemented method for accessing multiple data-protection applications from a single interface. The method may include providing, in a portion of a web browser, a graphical toolbar interface for interfacing with a plurality of data-protection applications. The graphical toolbar interface may comprise at least one user input region for receiving input from a user and at least one data-display region for displaying representations of data received from the plurality of data-protection applications. The method may also include receiving, at the user input region, a request directed to at least one data-protection application of the plurality of data-protection applications and sending the request to the at least one data-protection application. |
| US09495050B1 |
Sensor pattern with signal-spreading electrodes
A capacitive sensor array may include a plurality of row sensor electrodes and a column sensor electrode capacitively coupled with each of the plurality of row sensor electrodes to form a plurality of unit cells. For each row sensor electrode, a unit cell that is associated with the column sensor electrode and the row sensor electrode comprises an area where a capacitance between the column sensor electrode and the row sensor electrode is greater than any other capacitance between the column sensor electrode and a different row sensor electrode. The capacitive sensor array further includes a first plurality of dummy electrodes, where each of the first plurality of dummy electrodes is capacitively coupled with the column sensor electrode and two adjacent row sensor electrodes of the plurality of row sensor electrodes. |
| US09495047B2 |
Liquid crystal display device comprising first and second touch electrodes and method of manufacturing the same
A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, a second substrate facing the first substrate, a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first and second substrates, a pixel electrode, a common electrode facing the pixel electrode, a plurality of first touch electrodes, and a plurality of second touch electrodes. Each first touch electrode includes a main body portion extending in a first direction and a plurality of branching portions extending from the main body portion in a second direction. The plurality of second touch electrodes cross the main body portion of each first touch electrode. |
| US09495045B2 |
Coordinate indicating apparatus and coordinate measurement apparatus for measuring input position of coordinate indicating apparatus
A coordinate measurement system including a coordinate indicating apparatus and a coordinate measurement apparatus for determining a position of a contact object including the coordinate indicating apparatus. The coordinate measurement apparatus includes a channel electrode unit including one or more electrodes, wherein capacitance of each of the one or more electrodes or capacitance between the one or more electrodes is changed based on a change in the position of the contact object, and a controller for applying an electrical signal to the channel electrode unit or measuring a reception signal input to the channel electrode unit. The coordinate indicating apparatus includes a conductive tip for forming capacitance with the one or more electrodes of the channel electrode unit, and a resonant circuit unit for generating identification information of the coordinate indicating apparatus, wherein the resonant circuit unit is connected to the conductive tip. |
| US09495043B2 |
Touch panel and operation method thereof
The present invention relates to a touch panel. The touch panel includes a substrate, a plurality of first traces, a plurality of second traces, and a plurality of sensing pads. The first traces are disposed on the substrate and are parallel to each other along a first direction. The second traces are disposed on the substrate and are parallel to each other along a second direction. The first traces and the second traces interlace with each other to form a plurality of sensing pad areas. Each sensing pad is disposed in each sensing pad area, and is electrically connected to each first trace and each second trace. The present invention further provides a method of operating the same. In the present invention, the thickness of the touch panel is decreased, and the material for the electrodes is economized. Consequently, the costs of the touch panel can be reduced. |
| US09495037B2 |
Combination touch and transducer input system and method
A combination touch and transducer input system is provided, which facilitates user input into an electronic system with a finger and/or a transducer (e.g., a stylus). The system includes a transducer configured to generate an electric field, and a sensor including an array of electrodes and a controller. The transducer is configured to transmit digital data, such as pen pressure data and switch status data, to the sensor. For example, the transducer comprises electronic circuitry configured to encode the digital data in a signal for transmission to the sensor. The sensor controller is configured to operate both in a touch sensing mode and in a transducer sensing mode. During the touch sensing mode, the controller determines a position of a proximate object (e.g., a finger) by capacitively sensing the object with the array of electrodes. During the transducer sensing mode, the controller determines a position of the transducer based on a signal received by the array of electrodes from the transducer, and also receives and decodes the digital data encoded in the received signal. Digital data can be encoded in a signal using any suitable digital modulation techniques, such as a Frequency-Shift Keying (FSK) technique. |
| US09495034B2 |
Touch panel and method for fabricating the same and display device comprising the same
A touch panel is provided. The touch panel includes: a substrate, wherein the substrate includes a viewing region and a border region at an edge of the viewing region; a patterned transparent conductive layer formed on the substrate, wherein the patterned transparent conductive layer is formed on the viewing region and the border region, and the patterned transparent conductive layer has a touch sensitive function; and a patterned metal layer formed on the border region, wherein the patterned metal layer includes a contact region and a trace region connecting to the contact region, and at least a portion of the contact region overlaps with the patterned transparent conductive layer, wherein a shift range between the contact region and the patterned transparent conductive layer disposed on the border region adjacent to the contact region is smaller than about 150 μm. |
| US09495033B2 |
Display device with touch panel
A touch panel (20) is attached, via a reflection-prevention layer (31) or an adhesive layer, to the polarizing plate (2) side of a display device (10) having the polarizing plate (2) laminated upon a display panel (1). The polarizing plate (2) has: a polarizer (3); and a film (4) having a film thickness of no more than 35 μm and laminated on the touch panel (20) side of the polarizer (3). The contact angle for the surface of the touch panel (20) side in the film is less than 60°. |
| US09495032B2 |
Optical touch screen
The embodiments of the present invention relate to an optical touch screen, comprising: a substrate; and a transparent first electrode layer, a photosensitive material layer, and a second electrode layer formed on the substrate. The photosensitive material layer is formed in a grid-like structure to isolate the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer and sense light irradiated on the optical touch screen. The embodiments of the present invention also provide a method for manufacturing an optical touch screen. According to the embodiments of the present invention, the position of the light emitted from the light source on the display screen can be determined by sensing the light emitted from the outside light source, so that human-computer interaction for a large-size screen display device can be achieved. |
| US09495031B2 |
Display panel, display device and electronic apparatus
A display panel includes: plural display pixels arranged in a matrix state, wherein each display pixel includes an organic EL device and a pixel circuit driving the organic EL device, the organic EL device is formed by stacking a first electrode connected to the pixel circuit, a light emitting layer and a second electrode, and the second electrode is a strip electrode shared by plural organic EL devices arranged in a row direction or in a column direction. |
| US09495019B2 |
Display method of mobile device selection and terminal device
The present invention provides a display method of a mobile device selection and a terminal device. The method includes: receiving a location movement signal sent by a mobile device; determining a location, of a cursor focus of the mobile device, on a screen according to the location movement signal; and determining that the cursor focus moves toward a target icon, and if a distance between the cursor focus and the target icon is greater than zero and is less than or equal to a first threshold, determining that the cursor focus selects the target icon, thereby improving user operation efficiency, reducing operation complexity, and ensuring desirable interaction experience of a user. |
| US09495017B2 |
Computing systems for peripheral control
Embodiments of computing systems, and related methods, are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a computing system may include a peripheral device (e.g., an image capture device and/or an audio output device) and control logic. The control logic may be coupled with a sensor system and the peripheral device to receive a trigger signal; receive, from the sensor system, one or more interaction signals indicative of a user interaction with the computing system; and, in response to receipt of the trigger signal and the one or more interaction signals, generate a control signal for output to the peripheral device to control operation of the peripheral device. Other embodiments may be disclosed and/or claimed. |
| US09495015B1 |
Method and apparatus for utilizing motion user interface to determine command availability
A method and apparatus for utilizing gestures to interact with a mobile device is described. In one embodiment, the system includes a mobile device including motion controls comprising a motion sensor and a processor including a motion navigation system. The motion navigation system comprises, in one embodiment a gesture library including a plurality of gesture commands available to the motion navigation system, and an intelligent signal interpretation engine (ISIE) to receive data from the motion sensor and identify a gesture based in data in the gesture library. The motion navigation system further comprises in one embodiment, an adjustment logic to determine whether the gesture is usable as a gesture command, based on current circumstances, and a translator to generate one or more commands to execute the action associated with the gesture. |
| US09495014B2 |
Portable playback device, and control method for portable playback device, program, and information storage medium capable of facilitating an operation for changing a reproduction of content data
In a case where an inclination state of the portable reproduction device is changed from a reference state to another state in which a difference from the reference state in inclination is equal to or larger than a reference value and thereafter returns from the other state to the reference state, a determination unit determines whether or not the period of time elapsed after the inclination state starts changing from the reference state to the other state until the inclination state returns to the reference state is within a reference period of time. In a case where the determination unit determines that the period of time elapsed is within the reference period of time, a production control unit changes the reproduction position of the content data, based on a direction of inclination of the portable reproduction device in the other state relative to the reference state. |
| US09495012B2 |
Secondary single screen mode activation through user interface activation
Methods and devices for selectively presenting a user interface on a second screen. More particularly, the method includes a change in the display mode of a multiple screen device from a first screen to a second screen while the device is closed. The change in the display mode may be made in response to one or more actions conducted by a user in a user interface or on the device. The actions can include changing the orientation of the device, for example, by flipping the device over to look at the second screen. The actions can also include the user touching a touch sensitive display. Further, a series of two or more actions may trigger the device to switch to the second screen. |
| US09495010B2 |
Apparatus and associated methods
An apparatus including a processor and a memory including computer program code. The memory and the computer program code are configured to cause the apparatus to, for an array of capacitive touch sensors with a proximally positioned electrotactile layer, compare the capacitance associated with a capacitive touch sensor of the array against a respective detection threshold to determine whether or not a touch input has occurred at the capacitive touch sensor by a stylus in capacitive coupling proximity to the capacitive touch sensor. The detection threshold of one or more capacitive touch sensors of the array is set to be sufficient to inhibit the erroneous generation of a touch input signal at the one or more respective capacitive touch sensors caused by capacitive cross-coupling, via the electrotactile layer, to the capacitive touch sensor which is in capacitive coupling proximity to the stylus. |
| US09495009B2 |
Systems and methods for providing haptic effects
Systems and methods for providing haptic effects are disclosed. One disclosed system comprises an actuator, a non-volatile memory configured to store a haptic effect profile, and a processor in communication with the actuator and the non-volatile memory. The processor may be configured to receive a sensor signal indicating a movement of a manipulandum, to identify an effect parameter associated with the sensor signal in the haptic effect profile, and to generate an output signal based, at least in part, on the effect parameter. The generated output signal may be configured to cause the actuator to output a haptic effect associated with the effect parameter. |
| US09495008B2 |
Detecting a primary user of a device
A device may identify a user among multiple individuals detected by comparing a physiological condition, such as a heart rate, of the multiple detected individuals as detected by a camera of the device with a physiological condition of a user of the device using different sensors. A heart rate may be detected by a camera by monitoring blood flow to an individual's face. A heart rate may be detected by a motion sensor by monitoring vibrations of the device that are in an expected frequency range. If a heart rate of a user matches a heart rate of an individual seen by a camera, that individual may be determined to be the user of the device. The position of the individual may be used to then render a user interface. |
| US09495006B2 |
Display device and method of controlling the same
The present disclosure is directed to a display device and a method of controlling the display device. The display device includes a memory that stores at least one first gesture image corresponding to at least one function, a camera that obtains a basic image including user's second gesture image, and a controller that extracts the second gesture image from the basic image and displays at least one third gesture image similar to the extracted second gesture image, wherein the third gesture image is included in the first gesture image stored in the memory. The display device and method of controlling the display device may guide a user to make a correct gesture by displaying a gesture image similar to a gesture made by the user among gesture images stored in a memory. |
| US09495001B2 |
Forcing core low power states in a processor
In an embodiment, a processor includes a plurality of cores each to independently execute instructions, a power delivery logic coupled to the plurality of cores, and a power controller including a first logic to cause a first core to enter into a first low power state of an operating system power management scheme independently of the OS, during execution of at least one thread on the first core. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09494994B1 |
Power management for a graphics processing unit or other circuit
In one embodiment, a system includes power management control that controls a duty cycle of a processor to manage power. The duty cycle may be the amount of time that the processor is powered on as a percentage of the total time. By frequently powering up and powering down the processor during a period of time, the power consumption of the processor may be controlled while providing the perception that the processor is continuously available. For example, the processor may be a graphics processing unit (GPU), and the period of time over which the duty cycle is managed may be a frame to be displayed on the display screen viewed by a user of the system. |
| US09494990B2 |
Device, method, and computer program product for computing electric power consumption
A disclosed electric power consumption computation device includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire apparatus information from an apparatus connected to the electric power consumption computation device via a predetermined data communication path, and a computation unit configured to compute electric power consumption of the apparatus based on information on a number of output sheets output by the apparatus contained in the apparatus information acquired by the acquisition unit and a TEC value of the apparatus. |
| US09494989B2 |
Power distribution inside cable
Circuits, methods, and apparatus that provide for the powering of active components in connector inserts at each end of a cable may in various ways. For example, where a host is coupled to a device that is not self-powered, the host may provide power for circuitry at each end of the cable. In various embodiments of the present invention, the device may request higher voltage from the host, such that more power can be delivered. In these cases, the device may regulate the voltage received from the host to a lower voltage, and then provide the lower voltage to circuitry at one or both ends of the cable. Where the host is connected to a device that is self-powered, the host and the self-powered device may power their respective connector insert circuits. |
| US09494988B2 |
Remotely awakening an electronic device
Remotely awakening an electronic device, in which an apparatus includes a power supply to supply external power; a receiver for an electromagnetic signal; a capacitor connected to the receiver; a switching circuit connected to the capacitor; a controller, being part of the electronic device, connected to receive power from the switching circuit and to provide a keep awake signal to the switching circuit. The switching circuit to connect the controller with the capacitor when the capacitor is loaded with a predefined amount of power via the receiver, and responsive to the keep awake signal to disconnect the controller from the capacitor and to connect the controller with the power supply afterwards. The controller performs an initialization phase in response to receiving power and enables the keep awake signal after completing the initialization phase. |
| US09494985B2 |
System and method for assessing and managing data center airflow and energy usage
A system and method for providing energy assessment and optimization in a data center that includes at least one cooling provider, and at least one cooling consumer, the at least one cooling consumer having cooling requirements. The method according to one aspect includes receiving data regarding cooling availability and power consumption for the at least one cooling consumer, cooling capacity of the at least one cooling provider, and a physical relationship between the at least one cooling consumer and the at least one cooling provider in the data center, storing the received data, determining airflow distribution effectiveness between the at least one cooling consumer and the at least one cooling provider, and displaying at least one value representative of the effectiveness of the distribution of airflow in the data center between the at least one cooling consumer and the at least one cooling provider. |
| US09494979B2 |
Operation detection apparatus
There is provided an operation detection apparatus including an operation detection layer, and a photocatalystic layer laminated on the operation detection layer. The photocatalystic layer has an ununiform amount of photocatalysts formed therein. |
| US09494976B2 |
Protective cover for a tablet computer
Aspects of the invention relate to an apparatus including a housing and a slot disposed in the housing, the slot configured to hold an input device in a plurality of upright configurations including at least a forward-facing upright configuration such that the input device faces the front portion of the housing, and at least a backward-facing upright configuration such that the input device faces the back portion of the housing. The slot can be overmolded with a rubber compound (e.g. silicon-based) and configured to provide an improved coefficient of friction to reduce slippage of the input device when held in the slot. In some aspects, the housing includes a surface, and the overmolded portion of the slot can protrude above the surface of the housing. |
| US09494974B2 |
Touch display device
A touch display device includes a touch display panel, a first processor, an auxiliary display panel, and a second processor. The touch display panel is a liquid crystal display. The first processor connects to the touch display panel. The first processor generates image signals according to touch signals sensed by the touch display panel and outputs the image signals to the touch display panel. The touch display panel displays images according to the image signals. The auxiliary display panel is an Electro-Phoretic Display. The second processor connects to the auxiliary display panel and the first processor. The second processor receives the image signals from the first processor, and controls the auxiliary display panel to display the images displaying on the touch display panel. |
| US09494973B2 |
Display system with image sensor based display orientation
A display system with image sensor based display orientation is provided. The display system comprises: a display device; a sensor for acquiring at least one electronic image from a field of view proximal the display device; and a processor enabled to: control at least a subset of the display device to a display orientation associated with a given edge of the display device when a portion of the at least one electronic image associated with the given edge comprises a given reference image. |
| US09494972B2 |
Displays and information input devices
An integrated display and input device including a first pixel array operative to provide a visually sensible output, a second pixel array operative to sense at least a position of an object with respect to the first pixel array and circuitry receiving an output from the second pixel array and providing a non-imagewise input to utilization circuitry. |
| US09494970B2 |
Direction based user interface and digital sign display
Examples disclosed herein relate to a direction based user interface and digital sign display. A processor may detect a facing direction of a display device. The processor may cause a user interface to be displayed on the display device if the display device is detected to be facing a first direction. The processor may cause a digital sign image to be displayed on the display device if the display device is detected to be facing a second direction. |
| US09494969B2 |
Reset circuitry for integrated circuit
An on-board reset circuit for a system-on-chip (SOC) addresses the problem of meta-stability in flip-flops on asynchronous reset that arises when different power domains or reset domains receive resets from different sources. To ameliorate the problem, a reset signal is asserted and de-asserted while the clocks are gated. The clocks are re-instated for a minimum period of time following assertion (or de-assertion) so that logic having synchronous reset can also receive the reset. |
| US09494966B2 |
Multidirectional input device
A multidirectional input device includes a mount, an operation lever, first and second interlocking members, and first and second detectors. The mount includes a support face of generally spherical convex shape. The operation lever is slidably supported on the support face. The first interlocking member receives the operation lever therethrough and is movable in a first direction in an arc-like manner in accordance with movement in the first direction of the operation lever. The second interlocking member crosses the first interlocking member, receives the operation lever therethrough, and is movable in a second direction in an arc-like manner in accordance with movement in the second direction of the operation lever, the second direction crossing the first direction. The first detector can detect a direction and an amount of movement of the first interlocking member. The second detector can detect a direction and an amount of movement of the second interlocking member. |
| US09494964B2 |
Gate drive circuit
A gate drive circuit includes: a modulation circuit that generates a first modulated signal and a second modulated signal; an isolator including a first electromagnetic resonance coupler that isolatedly transmits the first modulated signal, and a second electromagnetic resonance coupler that isolatedly transmits the second modulated signal; a first rectifier circuit that generates a first signal by rectifying the first modulated signal; a second rectifier circuit that generates a second signal by rectifying at least a part of the second modulated signal; a third rectifier circuit that generates charging voltage by rectifying a second radio-frequency wave; a capacitor that charges a charge in accordance with the charging voltage; and an output circuit which selects whether or not to supply the charge charged in the capacitor to a gate terminal of the semiconductor switch, in accordance with at least one of the first signal and the second signal. |
| US09494963B2 |
Multi-stage voltage division circuit
A multi-stage voltage division circuit is provided and includes a main-stage voltage division element and a sub-stage voltage division element. The main-stage voltage division element is connected between a high-voltage end and a low-voltage end to average a high voltage and a low voltage and accordingly generates a main output voltage. The sub-stage voltage division element is connected between the high-voltage end and the low-voltage end and connected in parallel with the main-stage voltage division element. The sub-stage voltage division element averages the main output voltage and the low voltage to generate a lower output voltage. The sub-stage voltage division element averages the high voltage and the main output voltage to generate an upper output voltage. Therefore, in the situation of generating the same amount of divided voltages, the multi-stage voltage division circuit has higher driving efficiency and generates stable divided voltages to loads. |
| US09494961B2 |
Feedback device and method for constant current driver
A feedback device for a constant current driver controls a power supply module in the constant current driver to generate an output voltage. The constant current driver drives an electrical load with an output current. The feedback device includes a feedback control module and a feedback output unit. The feedback control module is utilized for receiving a load driven voltage related to the electrical load and generating a control voltage accordingly. The feedback output unit is utilized for generating a feedback current via an equivalent resistor of the feedback output unit according to a voltage difference between the control voltage and a feedback voltage of the power supply module. The power supply module controls the magnitude of the output voltage according to the feedback current, allowing the constant current driver to drive the electrical load with the output current. |
| US09494956B2 |
Power supply device and method of controlling the power supply device
A voltage control unit is configured to: control, in accordance with an output voltage signal and an output current signal, output power of a rectifying unit to a voltage lower than a voltage by which an amount of generated power of a magneto AC generator becomes maximum; control a transformation ratio in accordance with the output voltage signal and the output current signal so as to improve power generation efficiency of the magneto AC generator one of when an rpm variation signal indicates an decelerating state and when the rpm variation signal indicates that a variation in rpm indicates a value smaller than a predetermined constant; and control the transformation ratio so as to decrease the output power of the rectifying unit when the rpm variation signal indicates an accelerating state. |
| US09494954B2 |
Thermal control systems and methods for information handling systems
Systems and methods are provided for information handling system thermal control that employ configuration-based temperature feedback, e.g., by using configuration-based fan speed control based on real time individual measured component temperatures. In one example, the disclosed systems and methods may be implemented to allow inputs from one or more hardware temperature sensors to set cooling fan speeds and/or power capping levels in a closed loop fashion, rather than relying solely (or at all) on system inlet ambient temperature. |
| US09494950B2 |
Pressure regulator
A device (1; 101) for controlling the flow of a fluid through a conduit (2; 102; 402; 602; 702) from an upstream side (3; 103; 703) to a downstream side (5; 105; 405; 605; 705), the device (1; 101) comprising: a valve having a valve member (14; 114; 414; 514; 614) arranged to move reciprocally selectively to open and close one or more valve apertures (10; 110; 412; 512; 611, 612), thereby controlling flow of the fluid from the upstream side (3; 103; 703) to the downstream side (5; 105; 405; 605; 705); and means for introducing a reference pressure (24; 124; 324; 424; 524; 624); wherein said valve member (14; 114; 414; 514; 614) is acted on by the pressure of the downstream side (5; 105; 405; 605; 705) and the reference pressure so as to be moved by the difference between said pressures. |
| US09494948B2 |
Versatile systems for continuous in-line blending of butane and petroleum
A system and method are provided for in-line processes of blending butane into gasoline streams, and for blending butane into a gasoline stream at any point along a petroleum pipeline. The invention additionally provides a method for measuring the vapor pressure and vapor to liquid ratio of the gasoline, both upstream and downstream of the blending operation, as well as the sulfur content of the butane entering the blending operation. The blending operation can be controlled to ensure that the blended gasoline meets EPA requirements for vapor pressure and sulfur content of gasoline. The invention further provides a method for accessing and monitoring the operation off-site. |
| US09494947B2 |
Pressure type flow control system with flow monitoring
A pressure type flow control system with flow monitoring includes an inlet side passage, a control valve comprising a pressure-type flow control unit connected downstream of the inlet side passage, a thermal-type flow sensor connected downstream of the control valve, an orifice installed on a fluid passage connected downstream of the thermal-type flow sensor, a temperature sensor provided near the fluid passage between the control valve and orifice, a pressure sensor provided for the fluid passage between the control valve and orifice, an outlet side passage connected to the orifice, and a control unit comprising a pressure-type flow rate arithmetic and control unit to which a pressure signal from the pressure sensor and a temperature signal from the temperature sensor are input, and which computes a flow rate value of fluid flowing through the orifice, and outputs a control signal to a valve drive unit of the control valve. |
| US09494943B2 |
Methods to operate autonomous vehicles to pilot vehicles in groups or convoys
A method of controlling autonomous or driverless vehicles in a specific control zone or in a convoy is disclosed. The vehicles enter the zone or form a convoy and come under the control of a zone authority or escort vehicle that coordinates the movements of the vehicles until they leave the zone or convoy. Escort vehicle communicate with central control facilities, each other or escorted vehicles. The behavior of the escorted or controlled vehicles is modified to insure that it matches a set of rules established by the zone authority. Possible zones include parking areas, indoor passages and areas with security concerns. The zone authority or escort vehicle may simultaneously control multiple autonomous vehicles and possible additional driver operated vehicles. Messages establishing control or providing continuing administration of rules or movements of escorted or controlled vehicles may be delivered by any type of communications link. |
| US09494941B2 |
Method of guidance of unmanned aerial vehicles
A method of guiding aerial vehicles to a target site in adverse weather conditions wherein the method regulates the range indirectly by regulating heading error to an offset target that revolves around the true target site. The improved guidance architecture is effective in adverse weather conditions, such as high winds. |
| US09494939B2 |
Velocity control for an unmanned aerial vehicle
Systems and methods for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle within an environment are provided. In one aspect, a system comprises one or more sensors carried on the unmanned aerial vehicle and configured to receive sensor data of the environment and one or more processors. The one or more processors may be individually or collectively configured to: determine, based on the sensor data, an environmental complexity factor representative of an obstacle density for the environment; determine, based on the environmental complexity factor, one or more operating rules for the unmanned aerial vehicle; receive a signal indicating a desired movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle; and cause the unmanned aerial vehicle to move in accordance with the signal while complying with the one or more operating rules. |
| US09494936B2 |
Robotic assistance in security monitoring
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on storage devices, for monitoring, security, and surveillance of a property. In one aspect, a system includes multiple robotic devices, multiple sensors, wherein the multiple sensors includes a first sensor, multiple charging stations, and a monitor control unit. The monitor control unit may include a network interface, one or more processors, and one or more storage devices that include instructions to cause the one or more processors to perform operations. The operations may include receiving data from the first sensor that is indicative of an alarm event, accessing information describing the capabilities of the each of the robotic devices, selecting a subset of robotic devices from the multiple robotic devices, and transmitting a command to each robotic device in the subset of robotic devices that instructs each respective robotic device to deploy to the location of the first sensor. |
| US09494935B2 |
Remote operation of autonomous vehicle in unexpected environment
Disclosed herein are computer devices, systems, and methods for remotely operating an autonomous passenger vehicle. When an autonomous vehicle encounters an unexpected driving environment unsuitable for autonomous operation, such as road construction or an obstruction, vehicle sensors can capture data about the vehicle and the unexpected driving environment, including images, radar and lidar data, etc. The captured data can be sent to a remote operator. The remote operator can manually operate the vehicle remotely or issue commands to the autonomous vehicle to be executed by on various vehicle systems. The captured data sent to the remote operator can be optimized to conserve bandwidth, such as by sending a limited subset of the captured data. |
| US09494934B2 |
Robotic communication with fiber-optics
A system for managing inventory items includes a portable inventory holder and an unmanned drive unit configured to move the inventory holder between locations in an inventory facility. The inventory facility includes a plurality of light emitting elements. The drive unit captures an image of a subset of the light emitting elements. The captured image is processed to determine the location of the drive unit within the facility. A path is determined along which the drive unit moves to an inventory holder and moves the inventory holder to another location. The light emitting elements can be provided by optical fibers embedded in the floor of the inventory facility. |
| US09494930B2 |
Automatic programming apparatus and automatic programming method
To obtain an automatic programming apparatus, capable of generating a tool path for the chamfering process with a simple operation and capable of shortening the operation period and improving machining efficiency, the automatic programming apparatus includes a chamfering tool path generating unit and machining condition data. The chamfering tool path generating unit includes: a chamfered plane defining unit that generates shape data defining a chamfered plane obtained after the chamfering process is performed with respect to a shape of the chamfering target part; a reference point sequence generating unit that generates a reference point sequence used as a reference for generating the tool path data used for performing the chamfering process; and a tool reference position generating unit that, generates a reference position of a machining tool used when the machining tool passes while performing the chamfering process. |
| US09494926B2 |
Methods and apparatus employing an action engine for monitoring and/or controlling dynamic environments
A dynamic environment (e.g., an automated industrial process) has multiple conditions in response to which corresponding actions are required, and comprises various equipment, control device(s) to control the equipment, and one or more sensors to generate input signal(s) representing a monitored condition of the environment. A control system for the environment comprises a master processor and one or more co-processors, wherein the master processor configures a given co-processor to evaluate only a first subset of conditions expected to occur in the environment within a specified time period (e.g., less than a response time of the master processor), and to provide first control information representing an action to be taken if a particular condition of the first subset is satisfied. The co-processor receives the input signal(s) representing the monitored condition, processes the input signal(s) so as to determine if the particular condition of the first subset is satisfied, and provides the first control information to the control devices so as to control the equipment. Exemplary applications include dynamic environments in which machine vision techniques and/or equipment are employed. |
| US09494925B2 |
Hybrid control system
A hybrid control system and a method for predicting a behavior of a physical system using the hybrid control system is disclosed. The hybrid control system may include a model inverting control system capable of implementing a model inverting control law and determining an active set of goals and limits and a model predictive control system capable of implementing a model predictive control law and utilizing the active set of goals and limits to determine current effector requests, the current effector requests being used to control behavior of the physical system. |
| US09494924B2 |
Social infrastructure control system, control method, control apparatus, and server
According to one embodiment, a system includes control apparatus and server. Control apparatus includes collector, transmitter, receiver and main controller. Collector collects sensing data concerning control targets in social infrastructure. Transmitter transmits collected sensing data to server. Receiver receives control instruction from server. Main controller controls control targets based on control instruction. Server includes acquisition unit, database, generator and instructor. Acquisition unit acquires sensing data from control apparatus. Database stores sensing data. Generator generates control instruction by processing sensing data. Instructor transmits generated control instruction to control apparatus. |
| US09494923B2 |
Electro-mechanical interface
An embodiment of the invention extends to an interface for converting rotational motion to electrical signals comprising a mechanical actuator which is rotationally moveable in a first direction and in a second direction, and a first and a second electrical component connected to the actuator and arranged so that rotation of the actuator in the first direction causes changes in electrical properties of the first electrical component and rotation of the actuator in the second direction causes changes in electrical properties of the second electrical component. The first and the second electrical components are connected to one or more electrical circuits so that rotation of the actuator in the first and the second directions causes changes in the one or more electrical circuits. |
| US09494920B2 |
Fluid indicator
An indicator including a housing, a movement lodged in the housing, a watch glass above the housing, a fluid pump driven by the movement for pumping a fluid, and a channel. The channel is arranged so that the fluid circulated by the pump reaches the channel in order to fill the channel for displaying indications. |
| US09494917B2 |
Process cartridge for image forming apparatus and method of separating process cartridge from image forming apparatus
Provided is an end member which allows appropriate transmission of rotary power, and smooth attachment and detachment with respect to an apparatus body. The end member includes a tubular bearing member and a shaft member that is held by the bearing member. The shaft member includes a turning shaft which moves in an axial line direction in accordance with turning about an axial line, a rotary power reception member which is arranged at one end of the turning shaft and includes an engagement member engaging with a drive shaft of an image forming apparatus body, and a regulation member which is pressed to engage with or be detached from the turning shaft or the rotary power reception member, whereby the engagement member switches between an engagement posture and a non-engagement posture with respect to the drive shaft. |
| US09494915B2 |
Image forming apparatus and cartridge
An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly and a supporting member that detachably supports a cartridge between a first position at an image formable position and a second position retracted from the first position. A first engaging portion in the main assembly supports the cartridge by engaging with a first engaged portion on the cartridge when the supporting member is in the first position, and a second engaging portion in the main assembly suppresses rotation of the cartridge about the first engaging portion by engaging with a second engaged portion provided on the cartridge when the supporting member is in the first position. When the supporting member moves from the first position to the second position, the second engaged portion moves to a side downstream of the second engaging portion with respect to a movement direction of the supporting member to disengage from the second engaging portion. |
| US09494911B2 |
Cabinet structure, electronic equipment, and image forming apparatus
A cabinet structure includes multiple cover members configured to spatially partition an inside from an outside of a cabinet, and a clearance communicating between the inside and the outside of the cabinet is left between two cover members, the two cover members being adjacent to each other, of the cover members, and a passage defined by the clearance and leading from the inside to the outside of the cabinet through the clearance has a shape with multiple bends. |
| US09494905B2 |
Bearing member, end section member, photoreceptor drum unit, and method for manufacturing bearing member
A bearing member includes a concave section receiving a spherical body therein, and swing grooves into which end sections of a rotating force transmission pin are inserted. The swing groove at least includes a parallel part an axis and a curved part, an undercut section is not provided in the concave section when the concave section is viewed from an opened side of the concave section in a direction of the axis of the bearing member, and a clearance between the two swing grooves in a direction which is orthogonal to the direction of the axis on the opened side of the concave section is shorter than a distance between both ends of the rotating force transmission pin in the direction which is orthogonal to the axis of the bearing member even when the shaft member is mounted on the bearing member in a posture inclined at the most. |
| US09494903B2 |
Image forming apparatus with cleaning mode
An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming device configured to form a toner image on a sheet; a fixing device configured to fix the toner image formed on the sheet by the image forming device at a nip; an executing portion configured to execute an operation in a cleaning mode for cleaning the fixing device by forming a predetermined toner image on a sheet using the image forming device and then by introducing the sheet into the nip; and a notifying device for notifying an operator that a maximum-width sheet usable in the image forming device is to be used in the operation in the cleaning mode. |
| US09494900B2 |
Fixing device and image forming apparatus including a nip-forming-member supported by at least two plates joined together
A device includes a fixing belt, a holder that holds the fixing belt, a pressing member that comes in contact with the fixing belt, a nip-forming-member arranged inside the fixing belt, that forms a nip by coming in contact with the pressing member, a supporting member that supports the nip-forming-member, a side plate to which the nip-forming-member and the supporting member are fixed, and a pressing mechanism that presses a pressing roller to the nip-forming-member via the fixing belt. The supporting member includes at least two plates. The two plates are separated from each other near a contact portion where the plates come in contact with the nip-forming-member. At least a part of each of the plates is a flat surface parallel to a direction of a load applied by the pressing mechanism. Portions of the two plates on a side distant from the contact portion are joined together. |
| US09494899B2 |
Fixing device and heater used in fixing device
A heater used for a fixing device includes a substrate, first and second conductor patterns formed at either end of the substrate in the short direction of the substrate, a third conductor pattern formed between the first and second conductor patterns and separated from the two conductor patterns, a first heating member disposed between the first and third conductor patterns and electrically connected to the two conductor patterns, and a second heating member disposed between the second and third conductor patterns and electrically connected to the conductor patterns. The heater has both end regions in which the widths of the third conductor pattern in the short direction is smaller than that of a middle portion of the third conductor pattern. The widths of the first and second heating members in the end regions are smaller than the widths of the first and second heating members in the other region, respectively. |
| US09494898B2 |
Image formation method and image formation apparatus
An image formation method includes a step of preparing an electrostatic latent image developer, a transferring step, and a fixation step. The step of preparing an electrostatic latent image developer includes a step of preparing an electrostatic latent image developer containing toner particles having prescribed viscoelasticity characteristics. The fixation step includes steps of heating a recording medium and fixing the toner particles to the recording medium at a pressure not lower than 200 kPa and not higher than 800 kPa. |
| US09494897B2 |
Fixing device having a cooling device for a pressure member
A fixing device includes a heating roller, a fixing roller, an endless fixing belt, a pressure roller, a temperature gauge, and a cooling device. The fixing belt is stretched between the heating roller and the fixing roller. The pressure roller includes a core rod and an elastic layer formed on an outer circumferential surface of the core rod, and is pressed against the fixing roller via the fixing belt to form a nip portion to thermally fix an image on a recording medium passed through the nip portion. The temperature gauge measures the surface temperature of the pressure roller. The cooling device includes plural cooling units arranged parallel to a rotation axis of the pressure roller, and cools the pressure roller while adjusting the amount of cooling for each of the cooling units in accordance with the surface temperature of the pressure roller measured by the temperature gauge. |
| US09494888B2 |
Imaging device components comprised of hydrophobic carbon nanotubes
An electrophotographic imaging device includes a charging device, a cleaning device, and a fuser member that each include hydrophobic carbon nanotubes. The use of hydrophobic carbon nanotubes can increases the charging device's, the cleaning device's, and the fuser member's durability, conductivity, and contaminants deposition. |
| US09494886B2 |
Toner, image forming apparatus, image forming method, process cartridge, and two-component developer
To provide a toner, which contains: a colorant; a resin; and a releasing agent, wherein a spin-spin relaxation time (T2s) originated from a soft component is 0.10 msec to 0.50 msec, where the soft component is obtained with a hard component from an echo signal of the toner by a solid-echo technique of pulsed NMR, and a proportion of a proton intensity of the soft component is 50.0% or lower. |
| US09494883B2 |
Electrophotographic photoreceptor and resin composition
An electrophotographic photoreceptor that satisfies excellent transparency, abrasion resistance, and electrophotographic properties (including sensitivity and residual potential after light irradiation) all together is provided. Specifically, an electrophotographic photoreceptor and a resin composition that include therein (1) a polycarbonate resin (A) having a structural unit represented by the following formula (I) and (2) at least one selected from a polycarbonate resin (B) synthesized from a source material that includes therein a bisphenol represented by the following formula (II) and a polyester resin (B′) synthesized from a source material that includes therein a bisphenol represented by the following formula (II). In formulas (I) and (II), each of Ra, Rb, Rc, Rd, Re, and Rf represents, independently from one another, a substituted or non-substituted alkyl group, a substituted or non-substituted cycloalkyl group, or a substituted or non-substituted phenyl group. Each of p, q, r, s, t, and u represents, independently from one another, an integer of 0 to 4. Rg represents an alkyl group. X represents an alkylene group, an isopropylidene group, a sec-butylidene group, a cycloalkylene group, a cycloalkylidene group, or the like. Y represents a single bond or —O—. Each of mA and nA represents a composition ratio (mole ratio) of the structural unit in the round brackets. |
| US09494881B2 |
Triarylamine derivative and electrophotographic photosensitive member
A triarylamine derivative is represented by general formula (1) shown below. In general formula (1), each R1 independently represents a halogen atom, an optionally substituted alkyl group having a carbon number of 1-6, an optionally substituted alkoxy group having a carbon number of 1-6, or an optionally substituted aryl group having a carbon number of 6-12. Each k independently represents an integer of 0-4, and each m independently represents an integer of 1-3. Each R2 independently represents a halogen atom, an optionally substituted alkyl group having a carbon number of 1-6, an optionally substituted alkoxy group having a carbon number of 1-6, or an optionally substituted aryl group having a carbon number of 6-12. Each p independently represents an integer of 0-4. |
| US09494878B2 |
Actuation mechanism, optical apparatus, lithography apparatus and method of manufacturing devices
An EUV optical apparatus includes a number of adjustable mirrors (22x) on mirror bodies (120). Each mirror body is supported on an actuator (100x) comprising a moving part (132, 134, 136) and a fixed casing part (128, 130). The actuator provides a resilient support (140, 142) for the mirror body so that it is tiltable with two degrees relative to the casing. An electromagnetic motor (166, 170-178) applies first part, under the influence of an applied motive force, the resilient mounting being arranged to provide a biasing force that resists said motive force. A magnetic coupling (102, 104a, 104b) is arranged between the moving and fixed parts so as to provide a counter-biasing force. The counter-biasing force partly opposes said biasing force and thereby reduces the motive force required to effect a given displacement. The actuator can thus be made with reduced size, weight and heat dissipation. |
| US09494877B2 |
Substrate processing apparatus
A substrate processing apparatus includes an indexer block, a first processing block, a second processing block, and an interface block. The indexer block includes a pair of carrier platforms and a transport section. A carrier storing a plurality of substrates in multiple stages is placed in each of the carrier platforms. The transport section includes transport mechanisms. The transport mechanisms concurrently transport the substrates. |
| US09494876B2 |
Exposure apparatus, exposure method, method of manufacturing device, program, and storage medium
An exposure apparatus exposes an upper surface of a substrate with exposure light through liquid, and includes an optical member that has an emitting surface from which the exposure light is emitted; and a substrate holding apparatus having a holding portion that releasably holds a lower surface of the substrate, and an upper surface provided around the holding portion. The upper surface of the substrate holding apparatus is configured such that the upper surface of the substrate holding apparatus and the upper surface of the substrate held by the holding portion are substantially in a plane. The upper surface of the substrate holding apparatus has a jagged edge portion. The substrate is held by the holding portion such that an edge portion of the substrate held by the holding portion is located along the jagged edge portion of the upper surface of the substrate holding apparatus. |
| US09494871B2 |
Exposure apparatus, method for producing device, and method for controlling exposure apparatus
A liquid immersion exposure apparatus includes a projection system, a liquid supply inlet, a liquid collection outlet, a separator fluidically connected to the liquid collection outlet, the separator separating one of liquid and gas, which have been collected via the liquid collection outlet from the other, and a flow-meter configured to measure an amount of the liquid collected via the liquid collection outlet. |
| US09494870B2 |
Exposure apparatus, exposing method, device manufacturing method, program, and recording medium
An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate by exposure light via liquid between an emitting surface of an optical member and the substrate. The exposure apparatus includes: a liquid immersion member configured to form an immersion liquid space on an object and including a first and second member, the first being disposed at at least a portion of surrounding of the optical member, the second being disposed at at least a portion of surrounding of an optical path of the exposure light below the first member, being movable with respect to the first member and including a second upper and lower surface, the second upper surface being opposite a first lower surface of the first member via a gap, the second lower surface being capable of being opposite to the object, which is movable below the optical member; and a vibration isolator configured to suppress a vibration of the first member. |
| US09494869B2 |
Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method
An exposure apparatus including a projection system configured to project a plurality of radiation beams onto a target; a movable frame that is at least rotatable around an axis; and an actuator system configured to displace the movable frame to an axis away from an axis corresponding to the geometric center of the movable frame and to cause the frame to rotate around an axis through the center of mass of the frame. |
| US09494867B2 |
Rinsing liquid for lithography and pattern forming method using same
Disclosed are a rinse solution for lithography comprising water and a nonionic surfactant represented by the formula (I) (R1 and R2 may be the same as or different from each other and represent a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R3 and R4 may be the same as or different from each other and represent a hydrogen atom, a methyl group or an ethyl group, R5 represents a hydrocarbon group having 2 to 5 carbon atoms, in which one or more of a double bond or triple bond are contained, or a phenylene group, and R6 and R7 may be the same as or different from each other and represent a hydrogen atom or a methyl group) and a method for forming a resist pattern by rinsing the resist pattern obtained by exposing and developing a photosensitive resist with the rinse solution for lithography described above. |
| US09494862B2 |
Resist underlayer film forming composition containing silicon having sulfone structure and amine structure
A resist underlayer film forming composition for lithography, including: as a silane, at least one among a hydrolyzable organosilane, a hydrolysis product thereof, and a hydrolysis-condensation product thereof, wherein the silane includes the silane compound of Formula (1-a) or Formula (1-b): A method for producing a semiconductor device, including: applying the resist underlayer film forming composition onto a semiconductor substrate and baking the composition to form a resist underlayer film; applying a composition for a resist onto the film to form a resist film; exposing the resist film to light; developing the resist film after exposure to obtain a patterned resist film; etching the resist underlayer film according to a pattern of the patterned resist film; and processing the semiconductor substrate according to a pattern of the resist film and the resist underlayer film. |
| US09494859B1 |
Photosensitive resin composition and color filter using the same
A photosensitive resin composition includes (A) a binder resin; (B) a photopolymerizable monomer; (C) a photopolymerization initiator; (D) a colorant; and (E) a solvent. The binder resin includes a first binder resin including structural units represented by Chemical Formulae 1 to 4, wherein the substituents are as defined in the specification, and the first binder resin is present in an amount of about 20 wt % to about 90 wt % based on the total amount of the binder resin. A color filter using the photosensitive resin composition is provided. |
| US09494852B2 |
Mask blank and method of manufacturing phase shift mask
A mask blank suitable for fabricating a phase shift mask having a thin film pattern composed of a material enabling dry etching with a fluorine-based gas and a substrate-engraved pattern. The mask blank 100 is used to fabricate a phase shift mask having a thin film pattern and a substrate-engraved pattern. The mask blank 100 has a structure in which an etching stopper film 2, a thin film for pattern formation 3 and an etching mask film 4 are laminated in this order on a transparent substrate 1. The etching stopper film 2 is made of a material that contains chromium and oxygen and the oxygen content thereof is more than 50 at %. The thin film 3 is made of a material that can be dry-etched by a fluorine-based gas. The etching mask film 4 is made of a material that contains chromium, the chromium content thereof is not less than 45 at %, and the oxygen content thereof is not more than 30 at %. |
| US09494850B2 |
Projection system with a plurality of light-emitting elements
A projection system for illuminating a projection surface may include at least one light source formed from a plurality of light-emitting elements and an optical integrator having an entrance opening and an exit opening, into the entrance opening of which the light of each light-emitting element is coupled such that the mixed light of all the light-emitting elements emerges from its exit opening, and an imaging optical unit, which projects the light emerging from the exit opening of each integrator onto the projection surface, wherein an optical element is in each case arranged between the exit opening of each integrator and the imaging optical unit, said optical element shifting the virtual image of the entrance opening along an optical axis of the projection system such that its image generated by the imaging optical unit is not visible on the projection surface. |
| US09494847B2 |
Image display device and image adjustment method
An image display device includes: an external light measurement unit measuring the illuminance of an external light a plurality of times, and generating a measurement value indicating the illuminance; a storage unit storing history data which shows the measurement values, and color mode data which shows a correspondence between the illuminance and a color mode; a determination unit, based on the history data, determining whether or not it is a changed condition wherein the illuminance changes upward or downward, or the illuminance fluctuates; and an adjustment unit, in the event that it is not the changed condition, determining the color mode to be applied based on the measurement values and the color mode data, and adjusting the color or brightness of an image in accordance with the color mode, and in the event that it is the changed condition, continuing the adjustment currently being applied as the image adjustment. |
| US09494844B2 |
Light source for video communication device
A light source and lighting system for video communication are provided. A base capable of being removably attached to a video communication device is provided. A fill light attached to the base and a key light connected to the base are also provided. |
| US09494842B2 |
Electrophoretic material, electrophoresis display device, and electronic apparatus
In an electrophoretic material, first particles which are charged with a first polarity and second particles which are charged with a second polarity are dispersed in a solvent. A volume, which is obtained by dividing a volume of the solvent by a total number of particles, is called free volume, and a radius of a spherical space, which is occupied by sum of an average volume of the particles and the free volume, is called a free volume radius. A first particle average radius is greater than a second particle average radius. A difference between the free volume radius and the first particle average radius is greater than the second particle average radius. |
| US09494836B2 |
Liquid crystal display with irregular molecule arrangement that provide for a greater viewing angle without display deterioration
A liquid crystal display includes: a first substrate; a gate line and a data line disposed on the first substrate; a passivation layer disposed on the gate line and the data line; a first electrode and a second electrode disposed on the passivation layer; and a first insulating layer interposed between the first and second electrodes, where the first and second electrodes overlap each other via the first insulating layer, the second electrode includes a plurality of branch electrodes, and an end portion of the plurality of branch electrodes includes a first side portion and a second side portion extending parallel to the data line, and an oblique portion which connects the first side portion and the second side portion to each other and forms a first angle of less than 90 degrees with an extending line of the first side portion. |
| US09494833B2 |
Display device
To provide a display device with little signal delay and a display device that can operate with low power consumption, parasitic capacitance between a common wiring that applies a common potential to a plurality of pixels and signal lines that input signals for driving the pixels is avoided. Specifically, the common wiring is routed outwardly with respect to an external input terminal to which a signal is input from the, outside, to avoid intersections of the signal lines and the common wiring. Thus, parasitic capacitance between the common wiring and the signal lines is avoided, so that the display device can operate at high speed with low power consumption. |
| US09494832B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
Provided is a liquid crystal display device having excellent viewing angle characteristics and high contrast in a display mode using both a vertical electric field and a horizontal electric field. This liquid crystal display device is provided with a first substrate and a second substrate disposed facing each other, and a liquid crystal layer held between said first and second substrates. The liquid crystal layer contains liquid crystal molecules having a negative dielectric anisotropy. The first substrate is provided with a flat plate first electrode, a first insulating layer, and a second electrode provided in a layer other than that of the first electrode and provided separated from the first electrode by the first insulating layer. The second electrode has multiple comb-tooth sections and multiple slits, and the second substrate has a flat plate third electrode. Defining V1 as the potential difference between the first electrode and the third electrode, V2 as the potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode, and V2_B as the potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode when the lowest gradation is showed, V1, V2 and V2_B satisfy 0<|V2_B|≦|V2|<|V1|. |
| US09494830B2 |
Sequential circuit and semiconductor device
The following semiconductor device provides high reliability and a narrower frame width. The semiconductor device includes a driver circuit and a pixel portion. The driver circuit has a first transistor including a first gate and a second gate electrically connected to each other with a semiconductor film sandwiched therebetween, and a second transistor electrically connected to the first transistor. The pixel portion includes a third transistor, a liquid crystal element, and a capacitor. The liquid crystal element includes a first transparent conductive film electrically connected to the third transistor, a second conductive film, and a liquid crystal layer. The capacitor includes the first conductive film, a third transparent conductive film, and a nitride insulating film. The nitride insulating film is positioned between the first transparent conductive film and the third transparent conductive film, and positioned between the semiconductor film and the second gate of the first transistor. |
| US09494828B2 |
Liquid crystal display and manufacturing method thereof
Embodiments relate to a liquid crystal display and a manufacturing method thereof, and more particularly, to a liquid crystal display including an alignment layer pattern and a manufacturing method thereof. The liquid crystal display includes a lower panel including a first alignment layer and a signal line. An upper panel faces the lower panel and uncovers an end portion of the signal line of the lower panel. A sealant is positioned between the lower panel and the upper panel and couples the lower panel and the upper panel with each other. The first alignment layer includes a coated region positioned between a first removed region overlapping the end portion of the signal line and a second removed region overlapping the sealant. The first alignment layer does not exist in the first removed region and the second removed region. |
| US09494825B2 |
Condensing sheet and method for preparing thereof
A condensing sheet includes a light output unit that has a plurality of lenses, and a light input unit that faces the light output unit and includes a light penetration unit and a light reflection unit. The light reflect ion unit has a structure including a recess sinking toward the light output unit and a reflector received in the recess. |
| US09494822B2 |
Thin backlight for LCD displays through use of field-induced polymer electro luminescence panels
A FIPEL device used as an illuminating part for a display. |
| US09494819B2 |
Liquid crystal display panel, liquid crystal display device, and related manufacturing method
A liquid crystal display panel includes two base substrates disposed spaced apart from each other, a pixel, and at least one polarizer. The liquid crystal display panel includes a transmitting area and a light blocking area disposed adjacent to the transmitting area. The polarizer includes a reflection part overlapped with the light blocking area and a polarization part overlapped with the transmitting area. The polarization part includes lyotropic chromonic liquid crystal dye molecules aligned in a predetermined direction. |
| US09494816B2 |
Liquid crystal display panel with multi-domain unit pixels and an optical mask for manufacturing the same
A liquid crystal display panel, including a unit pixel including a first substrate having a first alignment film, a second substrate having a second alignment film spaced apart from and facing the first alignment film, and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first alignment film and the second alignment film; and first and second adjacent domains, each of which includes a domain boundary region defining part of an area between the adjacent domains, and a normal-luminance region adjacent to the domain boundary region, wherein pretilt angles of liquid crystal molecules near the first alignment film in the domain boundary regions are greater than pretilt angles of liquid crystal molecules near the first alignment film in the normal-luminance regions. |
| US09494813B2 |
Multi-purpose display system
An electronic packaging box includes a receiving structure, a transmissive/reflective component, and a support structure. The receiving structure is configured to receive an electronic display device having a display screen for displaying an image by the electronic display device. The transmissive/reflective component is spatially coupled to the receiving structure such that, when the electronic display device is placed into the receiving structure, the display screen of the electronic display device faces the transmissive/reflective component. The support structure is configured to support the receiving structure and the transmissive/reflective component. Further, the transmissive/reflective component is configured to form a virtual image of the image displayed by the electronic display device placed in the receiving structure when viewed by a viewer at a viewing angle. |
| US09494809B2 |
Ultrasensitive magnetic sensor with magneto-optically active material with high verdet constant
A high-resolution sensor of magnetic field sensor system and materials for use in such a system are described. The sensor systems measure a magnetic field using inorganic and/or organic magneto-optically active materials, e.g. polymer material and have an interferometer based on Faraday rotation. The polymer material is preferably in the form of a film. The polymer material has an optical property that is sensitive to the magnetic field, e g the Faraday rotation effect. The present invention also provides a sensor head structure comprising the above polymer material. The sensor head may be designed for use with an optical fiber or with mirrors In particular the present invention provides a fiber Sagnac interferometer to measure the rotation of polarized plane of light. The present invention provides a fiber or mirror based Sagnac interferometer with passive phase bias applied to magnetic field sensing. |
| US09494804B2 |
Active-shutter 3D glasses and operating method thereof
An active-shutter 3D glasses and an operating method thereof, the active-shutter 3D glasses comprises: a frame comprising temples; left and right magneto-optical eyeglasses, supported by the frame, and comprising left and right transparent mediums and left and right rear polarizers, respectively; a magnetic field apparatus, located outside the left and right magneto-optical eyeglasses, and providing the left and right magneto-optical eyeglasses with a magnetic field which causes polarization planes of polarized light entering the left and right magneto-optical eyeglasses to rotate; and a signal module, connected with the magnetic field apparatus, and providing a electric-current signal to the magnetic field apparatus so that the magnetic field corresponds to the electric-current signal. |
| US09494802B2 |
Stereoscopic optics
An adapter system for displaying and recording stereoscopic images from a single lens optic device and methods of producing stereoscopic images using such an adapter are provided herein. The adapter system utilizes an active stereoscopic shutter mounted along the optical path of the single lens optic device, such as, for example, a microscope or an endoscope, to provide a stereoscopic image to a video or still camera mounted along the same optical path. |
| US09494800B2 |
See-through computer display systems
Aspects of the present invention relate to methods and systems for the see-through computer display systems with a wide field of view. |
| US09494797B2 |
Near-eye parallax barrier displays
In embodiments of the invention, an apparatus may include a display comprising a plurality of pixels and a computer system coupled with the display and operable to instruct the display to display images. The apparatus may further include an SLM array located adjacent to the display and comprising a plurality of SLMs, wherein the SLM array is operable to produce a light field by altering light emitted by the display to simulate an object that is in focus to an observer while the display and the SLM array are located within a near-eye range of the observer. |
| US09494796B2 |
Vehicle display device
There is provided a vehicle display device, which comprises a base to be connected to a vehicle, a reflective panel being extendable from the base and retractable into the base, a projecting means for projecting an image to be displayed to the reflective panel, a cover for covering a front side of the reflective panel in its extending direction when the reflective panel is in the retracted position, and having an arm portion extending to the base and pivotally supported by the base, and a first biasing means for biasing the cover, and a driving means disposed in the base and configured to drive the reflective panel in an extendable-and-retractable manner. The base has an interlocking member capable of being associated with movement of the reflective panel in the extendable-and-retractable manner and configured to press the arm portion. |
| US09494795B2 |
Method of manufacturing an optical element, optical element and display device
An optical element, notably an optical element for creating a retractable sheet for use in a motor vehicle, has in the final state a three-dimensional shape resulting from forming of the optical element, the optical element being designed to have an extended shape comprising: a first main surface, a second main surface, and an edge surface. A method of manufacturing involves during a first step of the method, forming the optical element to give its final three-dimensional shape in terms of the first main surface, the second main surface and the edge surface. During a second step at least one of the surfaces of the optical element is cleaned. During a third step, a functional coating is applied to the first main surface and/or the second main surface. |
| US09494794B2 |
Split exit pupil heads-up display systems and methods
Split exit pupil (or split eye-box) heads-up display (HUD) systems and methods are described. The described HUD system methods make use of a split exit pupil design method that enables a modular HUD system and allows the HUD system viewing eye-box size to be tailored while reducing the overall HUD volumetric aspects. A HUD module utilizes a high brightness small size micro-pixel imager to generate a HUD virtual image with a given viewing eye-box segment size. When integrated together into a HUD system, a multiplicity of such HUD modules displaying the same image would enable such an integrated HUD system to have an eye-box size that is substantially larger than the eye-box size of a HUD module. The resultant integrated HUD system volume is substantially volumetrically smaller than a HUD system that uses a single larger imager. Furthermore, the integrated HUD system can be comprised of a multiplicity of HUD modules to scale the eye-box size to match the intended application while maintaining a given desired overall HUD system brightness. |
| US09494787B1 |
Direct view zoom scope with single focal plane and adaptable reticle
A direct view telescopic sight includes objective lens, eyepiece, and prism erector assemblies. The objective lens assembly is mounted to receive light of an image from an object direction and direct the light along an optical path. The eyepiece assembly is mounted to receive the light along the optical path and to emit the light of the image along an eye-ward direction. The prism erector assembly is positioned between the objective lens and eyepiece assemblies and includes first and second prism elements through which the optical path passes. The first and second prism elements invert the image. A reticle element is disposed on or adjacent to a surface of one of the first or second prism elements to combine a reticle on the image. The image is brought into focus at only a single focal plane between the objective lens and eyepiece assemblies at a given time. |
| US09494785B2 |
Single image super-resolution microscopy and telescope systems
Image resolution enhancement techniques are implemented using a single image an unstructured broadband illumination. By placing an axicon and a convex lens pair in an optical path of a microscope, telescope, or the object system, between the system and an image capture pickup device (e.g., a camera) the maximum resolution of the system may be increased through the formation of an interference pattern at the image capture device. |
| US09494784B2 |
Three-dimensional drift control apparatus and microscope apparatus
A three-dimensional direction drift control apparatus and a microscope apparatus that correct misalignment of a relative position between an object lens and a sample. A near-infrared light emitted from a light source is irradiated onto a surface of a glass cover holding a sample on a stage. When the near-infrared light is irradiated onto the glass cover, a regular reflection light and scattered light of the near-infrared light are generated, and the regular reflection light and the scattered light enter a half-mirror via lenses from an objective lens to an offset lens group. A clamp processing unit detects misalignment in the lateral direction of the object lens with respect to the sample based on the image of the scattered light, which has been reflected by the half-mirror and entered a two-dimensional photoelectric converter, and controls a drive unit according to this detection result, whereby the stage is moved. |
| US09494780B2 |
Inverted microscope
An inverted microscope includes an imaging lens configured to form an image of light which passes through an objective lens from a specimen, and a microscope main body in which a plurality of optical devices are configured to be arranged between the objective lens and the imaging lens in a direction of an optical axis of the objective lens and which includes therein a plurality of installation units that allow the plurality of optical devices to be fixed independently of one another. Each of the plurality of installation units includes an abutting reference surface on which any one of the plurality of optical devices is configured to be abutted. A plurality of abutting reference surfaces of the plurality of the installation units are shifted from one another in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the objective lens. |
| US09494779B2 |
Optical analysis device, optical analysis method and computer program for optical analysis using single particle detection
In the optical analysis technique of detecting an existence of a single particle in a sample solution with a confocal microscope or a multiphoton microscope according to the scanning molecule counting method of the present invention, the position of a light detection region is moved in the sample solution; the light intensity from the light detection region is measured so that light intensity data will be generated; a first occurrence probability in assuming a first condition that no single particles exist in the light detection region and a second occurrence probability in assuming a second condition that a single particle exists in the light detection region for a time variation of light intensity value on the light intensity data are computed; and a signal indicating each single particle is detected based on those occurrence probabilities, and thereby enabling improvements in the sensitivity and/or S/N ratio. |
| US09494775B2 |
Zoom lens and image pickup apparatus including the same
A zoom lens includes, from an object side to an image side, a first lens unit having positive refractive power, a second lens unit having negative refractive power, a third lens unit having positive refractive power, an aperture stop, a fourth lens unit having positive refractive power, and a fifth lens unit having negative refractive power. The distance between adjacent lens units changes during zooming. The third lens unit includes at least one positive lens and further includes at least one negative lens at the image side of the positive lens. A focal length of the second lens unit, a focal length of the fifth lens unit, a combined focal length of lenses disposed at the object side of the aperture stop at a wide-angle end, and a combined focal length of lenses disposed at the image side of the aperture stop at the wide-angle end are suitably set. |
| US09494768B2 |
Image capturing module and image capturing apparatus
Provided is an image capturing module including a microlens array that collects light from a subject, which is imaged at an image plane; a filter that allows light in specific wavelength bands in the collected light to pass therethrough; and an image capturing device that acquires images of the light passing through the filter, wherein the filter is formed by arraying a plurality of RGB filter portions and a plurality of narrow-band filter portions, the image capturing device includes a plurality of color-wavelength obtaining regions and a plurality of narrow-band-wavelength obtaining regions, and the microlens array includes a plurality of first microlenses corresponding to the respective color-wavelength obtaining regions and a plurality of second microlenses corresponding to the respective narrow-band-wavelength obtaining regions, and the first microlenses are each disposed so that the light from the subject imaged at the image plane reaches at least one of the color-wavelength obtaining regions. |
| US09494767B2 |
Optical system
Disclosed is an optical system. The optical system includes first to fourth lenses sequentially arranged from an object side to an image surface, and satisfies Equation 1, 1.5 |
| US09494766B2 |
Image-capturing device
An image-capturing device includes: a plurality of micro-lenses disposed in a two-dimensional pattern near a focal plane of an image forming optical system; an image sensor that includes a two-dimensional array of element groups each corresponding to one of the micro-lenses and made up with a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements which receive, via the micro-lenses light fluxes from a subject having passed through the photographic optical system and output image signals; and a synthesizing unit that combines the image signals output from the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements based upon information so as to generate synthetic image data in correspondence to a plurality of image forming areas present on a given image forming plane of the image forming optical system, the information specifying positions of the photoelectric conversion elements output image signals that are to be used for generating synthetic image data for each image forming area. |
| US09494763B2 |
Optical fiber routing mat
Aspects of the present invention include an optical fiber routing mat for routing optical fibers. The optical fiber routing mat includes a first layer of material and a second layer of material. A surface of the first layer of material is adhesively coupled to a surface of the second layer of material. The optical fiber routing mat includes one or more optical fibers disposed between the first layer of material and the second layer of material. The one or more optical fibers are bent to a radius at least large enough to prevent damage to the one or more optical fibers. |
| US09494761B2 |
Bracket for securing multiple fiber optic cables to a termination box
A bracket for mounting multiple fiber optic cables to a termination box includes a first substantially planar portion having one or more fastener perforations, a second substantially planar portion forming a first corner with the first substantially planar portion, and a third substantially planar portion forming a second corner with the second substantially planar portion, a protrusion of the first and second planar portions at the first corner, and a notch in the second planar portion between the first and second corners. The bracket includes a first tether attachment point having first and second recessed edges of the first and second planar portions and a second tether attachment point having a third recessed edge in the notch and a fourth recessed edge of the third planar portion. The first and second tether attachment points are configured to receive first and second tethers wrapped around the first and second corners, respectively. |
| US09494760B2 |
Highly configurable fiber-optic interconnection tray
The present description relates to an optical fiber interconnection tray. The interconnection tray has a base extending longitudinally from a first end to a second end, with a cable entrance at the first end of the tray. A first interconnection layer is disposed on the base, and a second interconnection layer is positioned over at least a portion of the first interconnection layer, wherein the second interconnection layer is disposed on a first repositionable mezzanine attached to the base at a plurality of locations. |
| US09494751B2 |
Non-destructive dissipation of excess optical energy
Optical energy in excess of that which is properly coupled into the core of an optical fiber is non-destructively redirected and benignly dissipated so as to minimize damage in a fiber coupled system. |
| US09494748B2 |
Through transmission path on photonic circuits for optical alignment
A photonic integrated circuit (PIC) may be optically aligned to a plurality of optical components (e.g., an optical fiber array). Optical alignment may be facilitated by the use of an optical impedance element coupled between a first input/output (I/O) optical waveguide and a second I/O optical waveguide of the PIC. The optical impedance element me be configured to be transmissive during optical alignment and to be non-transmissive during the regular operation of the PIC. |