最新美国发明专利第2017-01-24期 - 专利汇|PatentHub专利检索|专利查询网|发明专利查询分析

Document	Document Title
US09553362B2	Array antenna device [Object] To provide an antenna device which has a radiation pattern of wide angle, does not generate nulls in the vicinity of a front of an antenna, and has a high radiation efficiency.[Organization] An array antenna device 1 having a plurality of radiation elements has: a dielectric substrate 2; two or more series array antennas 10, 20 which are formed on the dielectric substrate and to which the plurality of radiation elements 11 to 13, 21 to 23 are connected in series by conductor lines 15, 25; a distributor 30 formed in a layer different from a layer of the dielectric substrate where the series array antennas are formed, the distributor distributing power via capacitive coupling to the two or more series array antennas; and a phase adjuster (conductor lines 34 to 37) adjusting a phase of power distributed by the distributor.
US09553358B2	Directive array for drive-by meter reading Antenna assemblies, which may be used in meter reading systems, are provided. One example of antenna assembly includes a first antenna vertically configured to be mounted on a top surface of a vehicle and a second antenna vertically configured to be mounted on the top surface of the vehicle. The antenna assembly also includes a receiver configured to communicate with a plurality of wireless utility meters via the first and second antennas. The first and second antennas are aligned with a direction of travel of the vehicle.
US09553352B2	Communication device and display incorporating antennas between display pixels A display, such as for a touch-sensitive communication device, can include a transparent cover glass, pixels that emit light through the cover glass, and multiple antennas positioned along respective paths in an inactive area between the pixels. The antennas do not obstruct the light produced by the pixels, and can therefore be composed of opaque materials, such as metallic thin films, without affecting the optical properties of the display. In some examples, several antennas can have the same size and shape but different orientations, so that a radio can switch between or among the antennas to optimize reception. In some examples, the antennas can have different sizes and/or shapes, so that the antennas can send and/or receive radio signals in different frequency ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum. In some examples, locating the antennas in the display can allow the device to include a metallic housing.
US09553348B2	On-chip vertical three dimensional microstrip line with characteristic impedance tuning technique and design structures A vertical three dimensional (3D) microstrip line structure for improved tunable characteristic impedance, methods of manufacturing the same and design structures are provided. More specifically, a method is provided that includes forming a first microstrip line structure within a back end of the line (BEOL) stack. The method further includes forming a second microstrip line structure separated from the BEOL stack by a predetermined horizontal distance.
US09553345B2	Heat exchanger The invention relates to a heat exchanger, in particular for controlling the temperature of batteries or electronics, having at least one header with a bottom and a top, with openings which are provided in the bottom for receiving tube ends of tubes which are in fluidic communication with the headers, the headers being formed from a U-shaped element with two parallel limbs and a bottom region which connects the limbs, the openings being provided in the bottom region and a wall region which is introduced between the limbs being provided as top.
US09553334B2	Nonaqueous electrolyte for secondary battery and nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary battery employing the same An object is to provide a nonaqueous electrolyte and a nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary battery which have excellent discharge load characteristics and are excellent in high-temperature storability, cycle characteristics, high capacity, continuous-charge characteristics, storability, gas evolution inhibition during continuous charge, high-current-density charge/discharge characteristics, discharge load characteristics, etc. The object has been accomplished with a nonaqueous electrolyte which comprises: a monofluorophosphate and/or a difluorophosphate; and further a compound having a specific chemical structure or specific properties.
US09553332B2	Solid state catholytes and electrolytes for energy storage devices The present invention provides an energy storage device comprising a cathode region having an active region which expands or contracts from a first volume to a second volume during a period of a charge and discharge. The device has a a solid state catholyte material which includes lithium, phosphorus, sulfur, and silicon elements. The device has a protective material formed overlying exposed regions of the cathode material to substantially maintain the sulfur species within the catholyte material. Also included is a novel oxygen doped configuration of LiaSiPbSc containing material.
US09553331B2	Solid electrolyte material, solid electrolyte, and battery According to one embodiment, a solid electrolyte material is an oxide represented by ABO3, wherein an A-site includes Li and vacancies. A cubic root V1/3 of a unit cell volume is within a range of 386 pm≦V1/3≦397 pm. A peak top νtop of an absorption peak in an infrared absorption spectrum satisfies Expression (1) νtop (cm−1)=4.7×V1/3 (pm)−b (1), provided that 1220≦b≦1240.
US09553330B2	Separatorless storage battery There is herein described energy storage batteries and methods of manufacturing said energy storage batteries. More particularly, there is described energy storage batteries comprising a laminar configuration and co-planar and co-parallel anodes and cathodes and methods of manufacturing said energy storage batteries.
US09553323B2	Fluidized bed contaminant separator and water-control loop for a fuel reactant stream of a fuel cell A fluidized contaminant separator and water-control loop (10) decontaminates a fuel reactant stream of a fuel cell (12). Water passes over surfaces of an ammonia dissolving media (61) within a fluidized bed (62) while the fuel reactant stream simultaneously passes over the surfaces to dissolve contaminants from the fuel reactant stream into a separated contaminant and water stream. A fuel-control heat exchanger (57) upstream from the scrubber (58) removes heat from the fuel stream. A water-control loop (78) directs flow of the separated contaminants and water stream from an accumulator (68) through an ion exchange bed (88) which removes contaminants from the stream. Decontaminated water is directed back into the scrubber (58) to flow through the fluidized bed (62). Separating contaminants from the fuel reactant stream and then isolating and concentrating the separated contaminants within the ion exchange material (88) minimizes costs and maintenance requirements.
US09553317B2	Ceramic cathode material of solid oxide fuel cell and manufacturing method thereof A ceramic cathode material of a solid oxide fuel cell and a manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. The method includes mixing a lanthanum-containing compound, a cobalt-containing compound, a nickel-containing compound, and a copper-containing compound, for preparing the ceramic cathode material of the solid oxide fuel cell of intermediate/low type. The ceramic cathode material of the solid oxide fuel cell is LaCozNiyCuxO3−δ, in which x ranges from 0.01 to 0.3, y ranges from 0 to 0.89, and z ranges from 0.1 to 0.99. The ceramic cathode material manufactured by mixing the lanthanum-containing compound, the cobalt-containing compound, the nickel-containing compound, and the copper-containing compound when operating within the temperature range from 500 to 800 degrees Celsius is of high electrical conductivity and reduced thermal expansion coefficient.
US09553313B2	3V class spinel complex oxides as cathode active materials for lithium secondary batteries, method for preparing the same by carbonate coprecipitation, and lithium secondary batteries using the same Disclosed herein is a 3V class spinel oxide with improved high-rate characteristics which has the composition Li1+x[MyMn(2−y)]O4−zSz (0≦x≦0.1, 0.01≦y≦0.5, 0.01≦z≦0.5, and M is Mn, Ni or Mg). Further disclosed is a method for preparing the 3V class spinel oxide by carbonate coprecipitation of starting materials, addition of sulfur, followed by calcining. The 3V class spinel oxide is spherical and has a uniform size distribution. A lithium secondary battery including the 3V class spinel oxide has a constant plateau at a potential of 3V and shows superior cycle characteristics.
US09553311B2	Positive electrode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery and production method for same, precursor for positive electrode active material, and non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery using positive electrode active material Provided is a cathode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery capable of obtaining high initial discharge capacity and good output characteristics at low temperature. In order to achieve this, a cathode active material that is a lithium nickel composite oxide composed of secondary particles that are an aggregate of primary particles is expressed by the general expression: Liw(Ni1-x-yCoxAly)1-zMzO2 (where 0.98≦w≦1.10, 0.05≦x≦0.3, 0.01≦y≦0.1, 0≦z≦0.05, and M is at least one metal element selected from a group consisting of Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn and Ga), and where the crystallite diameter at (003) plane of that lithium nickel composite oxide that is found by X-ray diffraction and the Scherrer equation is within the range of 1200 Å to 1600 Å is used as the cathode material.
US09553306B2	Lithium secondary battery The present invention provides a lithium secondary battery having reduced internal resistance. The lithium secondary battery comprises a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte. The positive electrode comprises, as a positive electrode active material 30, a lithium transition metal composite oxide having a layered structure. In a surface region 82A of a positive electrode active material particle 82, at least one species among elements belonging to groups 3 to 7 of the periodic table is supplemented by ion implantation.
US09553304B2	Method of making silicon anode material for rechargeable cells There is provided a method of forming silicon anode material for rechargeable cells. The method includes providing a metal matrix, comprising no more than 30 wt % silicon, including silicon structures dispersed therein. The method further includes at least partially etching the metal matrix to at least partially isolate the silicon structures.
US09553303B2	Silicon particles for battery electrodes Silicon particles for active materials and electro-chemical cells are provided. The active materials comprising silicon particles described herein can be utilized as an electrode material for a battery. In certain embodiments, the composite material includes greater than 0% and less than about 90% by weight of silicon particles. The silicon particles have an average particle size between about 0.1 μm and about 30 μm and a surface including nanometer-sized features. The composite material also includes greater than 0% and less than about 90% by weight of one or more types of carbon phases. At least one of the one or more types of carbon phases is a substantially continuous phase.
US09553296B1	Magnetic pulse welding in medical power manufacturing A magnetic pulse welding process for joining a current collector to a terminal pin in the construction of electrochemical cells is described. The magnetic pulse welding process utilizes a pulsed direct current and an electrically conductive coil to generate an electro-magnetic force that causes two work pieces to collide with each other and form a bond therebetween. Preferably, the method is used to bond the terminal pin to the cathode current collector. This method of attachment is suitable for either primary or secondary cells, particularly those powering implantable biomedical devices.
US09553290B2	Gas discharge structure for battery cover A gas discharge structure for a battery cover has a battery cover that covers part or all of a battery, a first hose that is connected with the battery cover at a position of a through-hole provided on the battery cover. and an electric wire that is electrically connected to the battery, is inserted into the first hose, and is drawn out to an outside of a vehicle compartment through an electric-wire lead-out hole provided on a vehicle body panel. A space formed between the electric wire and the first hose communicates with a space inside the battery cover. An end portion of the first hose is located at a position corresponding to the electric-wire lead-out hole, so that an opening of the space formed between the electric wire and the first hose faces the outside of the vehicle compartment.
US09553286B2	Battery pack for reducing damage from external static electricity A battery pack includes: a core pack; a protection circuit module electrically connected to the core pack and including a connector for further electrically connecting to an external electronic device; and a metallic cover for covering the core pack and the protection circuit module while exposing the connector to the outside, the metallic cover including a protrusion adjacent to a ground portion of the connector.
US09553285B2	Battery reinforcement method A battery reinforcement method for reinforcing a rectangular battery cell in which a battery element is disposed in a rectangular external packaging, the method includes enclosing the battery element between two rectangular external packaging sheets and sealing the rectangular external packaging sheets with a sealing part that extends along edges of the rectangular external packaging sheets so as to form the rectangular external packaging, and forming a reinforcing part outside of the sealing part on the rectangular external packaging.
US09553284B2	Molding material for package A molding material for package includes a matte-coating layer having excellent formability, chemical resistance, solvent resistance, electrolytic solution resistance and printing property. The molding material for package includes an outer base material layer including a heat-resistant resin; an inner sealant layer including a thermoplastic resin; a metal foil layer disposed between the outer base material layer and the inner sealant layer; and a matte-coating layer formed on a side opposite to the metal foil layer of the outer base material layer, wherein the matte-coating layer is a multilayer including a bottom layer including a resin composition including a main agent resin including a phenoxy resin and a urethane resin, a curing agent, and solid fine particles; and an upper layer including a resin composition including a fluorine-containing resin.
US09553283B1	Molding packaging material and battery case Provided is a molding packaging material that can have an increased use life, can suppress a decrease over time in inter-layer lamination strength, and can have superior molding properties in extrusion molding, draw forming, and the like. The laminate molding packaging material contains: an outside substrate layer (2) comprising a heat resistant resin; an inside sealant layer (3) comprising a thermoplastic resin; and a metal foil provided between the two layers as a barrier layer (4). A matte coat layer (6) comprising a heat resistant resin coating film containing a dispersion of inorganic or organic solid microparticles is formed on the outer surface of the outside substrate layer (2), and the gloss value of the surface thereof is suppressed to no greater than 30%.
US09553282B2	Organic light emitting diode An organic light emitting diode (OLED) according to an embodiment can include an OLED panel; a printed circuit board adhered onto a rear surface of the OLED panel; and a back cover including first and second metal layers, an inorganic substance layer between the first and second metal layers, and a pocket groove in a horizontal surface on which the OLED panel is placed and corresponding to the printed circuit board, wherein the pocket groove is formed by removing the first metal layer corresponding thereto to expose the inorganic substance layer.
US09553279B2	Organic EL display device comprising different patterns in edge and inner regions An organic EL display device includes lower electrodes each provided for each of pixels, a bank layer formed so as to cover the peripheries of the lower electrodes and including bank openings through each of which a portion of the lower electrode is exposed, a light-emitting layer, an organic layer including portions each formed in the bank opening, a first barrier layer covering the organic layer, a second barrier layer covering the first barrier layer, an intermediate layer located at the edges of the bank openings, and light reflection films each provided under the lower electrode for each of the pixels. A first region where the intermediate layer is present when the pixel is viewed in a plan view includes, above or under the intermediate layer, a different layer structure from that of a second region inside the first region.
US09553275B2	Flexible display panel and method of manufacturing the same A flexible display panel and a method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. In one aspect, the flexible display panel includes a flexible substrate including a bending area, a display unit formed over the flexible substrate, and a thin film encapsulation layer covering the display unit. The flexible display panel further includes a wiring layer electrically connected to the display unit and formed over the bending area and a stress-neutralizing layer formed over the flexible substrate. The stress-neutralizing layer is configured such that a compressive stress is applied to the wiring layer when the bending area is bent. The stress-neutralizing layer includes a layer formed of the same material as the thin film encapsulation layer.
US09553274B2	Organic electroluminescent materials and devices The present disclosure generally relates to novel compounds containing carbazole and triazine with different number of phenyl units attached to its core. In particular, the disclosure relates to compositions and/or devices comprising these compounds as hosts for PHOLEDs.
US09553271B2	Compound and organic light-emitting device including the same A compound and an organic light-emitting device including the same, the compound being represented by Formula 1, below:
US09553268B2	Cathode buffer materials and related devices and methods The present invention generally relates to cathode buffer materials and devices and methods comprising the cathode buffer materials.
US09553265B1	RRAM device with data storage layer having increased height The present disclosure relates to an integrated circuit, which includes a semiconductor substrate and an interconnect structure disposed over the semiconductor substrate. The interconnect structure includes a lower metal layer, an intermediate metal layer disposed over the lower metal layer, and an upper metal layer disposed over the intermediate metal layer. An upper surface of the lower metal layer and a lower surface of the intermediate metal layer are spaced vertically apart by a first distance. A resistive random access memory (RRAM) cell is arranged between the lower metal layer and the upper metal layer. The RRAM cell includes a bottom electrode and a top electrode which are separated by a data storage layer having a variable resistance. The data storage layer vertically spans a second distance that is greater than the first distance.
US09553264B2	Memory cells and semiconductor structures including electrodes comprising a metal, and related methods Memory cells (e.g., CBRAM cells) include an ion source material over an active material and an electrode comprising metal silicide over the ion source material. The ion source material may include at least one of a chalcogenide material and a metal. Apparatuses, such as systems and devices, include a plurality of such memory cells. Memory cells include an adhesion material of metal silicide between a ion source material and an electrode of elemental metal. Methods of forming a memory cell include forming a first electrode, forming an active material, forming an ion source material, and forming a second electrode including metal silicide over the metal ion source material. Methods of adhering a material including copper and a material including tungsten include forming a tungsten silicide material over a material including copper and treating the materials.
US09553263B1	Resistive memory elements including buffer materials, and related memory cells, memory devices, electronic systems A resistive memory element comprises a first electrode, an active material over the first electrode, a buffer material over the active material and comprising longitudinally extending, columnar grains of crystalline material, an ion reservoir material over the buffer material, and a second electrode over the ion reservoir material. A memory cell, a memory device, an electronic system, and a method of forming a resistive memory element are also described.
US09553262B2	Arrays of memory cells and methods of forming an array of memory cells An array of memory cells includes buried access lines having conductively doped semiconductor material. Pillars extend elevationally outward of and are spaced along the buried access lines. The pillars individually include a memory cell. Outer access lines are elevationally outward of the pillars and the buried access lines. The outer access lines are of higher electrical conductivity than the buried access lines. A plurality of conductive vias is spaced along and electrically couple pairs of individual of the buried and outer access lines. A plurality of the pillars is between immediately adjacent of the vias along the pairs. Electrically conductive metal material is directly against tops of the buried access lines and extends between the pillars along the individual buried access lines. Other embodiments, including method, are disclosed.
US09553258B2	Magnetoresistive memory element and method of fabricating same A magnetoresistive memory element (for example, a spin-torque magnetoresistive memory element), includes first and second dielectric layers, wherein at least one of the dielectric layers is a magnetic tunnel junction. The memory element also includes a free magnetic layer having a first surface in contact with the first dielectric layer and a second surface in contact with the second dielectric layer. The free magnetic layer, which is disposed between the first and second dielectric layers, includes (i) a first high-iron interface region located along the first surface of the free magnetic layer, wherein the first high-iron interface region has at least 50% iron by atomic composition, and (ii) a first layer of ferromagnetic material adjacent to the first high-iron interface region, the first high-iron interface region between the first layer of ferromagnetic material and the first surface of the free magnetic layer.
US09553256B2	Spin valve element A spin valve element 10 including a spin injector 12 made of a ferromagnetic material, a spin detector 16 made of a ferromagnetic material, and a channel part 14 made of a non-magnetic material. The spin detector 16 is arranged at a position separated from the spin injector 12, the channel part 14 is connected with the spin injector 12 and the spin detector 16 directly or through an insulating layer, and a plurality of spin diffusion portions 30 to 34 with enlarged cross section areas in a direction perpendicular to a spin current is formed in the channel part 14.
US09553255B2	Memory element, memory apparatus A memory element includes a memory layer having magnetization perpendicular to a film face of the memory layer in which a direction of the magnetization configured to be changed. The memory element includes a magnetization-fixed layer having a magnetization perpendicular to the film face. The memory element includes an intermediate layer that is formed of a non-magnetic material and is provided between the memory layer and the magnetization-fixed layer. The memory layer includes a multilayer structure in which a non-magnetic material and an oxide are laminated. The direction of the magnetization of the memory layer is configured to be changed by applying a current in a lamination direction of the layered structure to record information in the memory layer.
US09553253B2	Method for manufacturing piezoelectric device A lower electrode and an adhesive layer made of an insulator are formed on a back surface on the ion implantation layer side of a piezoelectric single crystal substrate. A supporting substrate in which sacrificial layers made of a conductive material have been formed is bonded to the surface of the adhesive layer. By heating the composite body including the piezoelectric single crystal substrate, the lower electrode, the adhesive layer, and the supporting substrate, a layer of the piezoelectric single crystal substrate is detached to form a piezoelectric thin film. A liquid polarizing upper electrode is formed on a detaching interface of the piezoelectric thin film. A pulsed electric field is applied using the polarizing upper electrode and the sacrificial layers as counter electrodes. Consequently, the piezoelectric thin film is polarized.
US09553250B2	Manufacturing method of thermoelectric converter An insulating substrate to which intermediate portions or conductive pastes constituting the intermediate portions are disposed, a front surface protective member to which front surface patterns are formed, and a back surface protective member to which back surface patterns are formed are prepared. A laminated body, to which first end portions or conductive pastes constituting the first end portions are disposed between the intermediate portions or the conductive pastes constituting the intermediate portions and the front surface patterns, and second end portions or conductive pastes constituting the second end portions are disposed between the intermediate portions or the conductive pastes constituting the intermediate portions and the back surface patterns, is constituted. Then, thermoelectric conversion elements are formed by integrating the laminated body.
US09553241B2	Semiconductor light emitting device and method for producing the same A method for producing a semiconductor light emitting device includes a light-emitting-element provision step, a light-emitting-element placement step, and a light-reflection-layer coating step, in this order. In the light-emitting-element provision step, a light emitting element is prepared which includes a semiconductor layer structure on the lower-surface side of a substrate. In the light-emitting-element placement step, the light emitting element is placed on or above a supporting member from the semiconductor layer structure side. In the light-reflection-layer coating step, the surfaces of the substrate and the semiconductor layer structure is coated with a light reflection layer by using atomic layer deposition so as to expose at least a part of the upper surface or a part of side surface of the substrate as a light-extracting region. The intended functioning of the light reflection layer can be ensured. The highly reliable light reflection layer can make the device good quality.
US09553239B2	Light emitting device and light emitting device package A light emitting device includes a first conductive-type semiconductor layer laminated on a substrate; a light emitting layer laminated on the first conductive-type semiconductor layer; a second conductive-type semiconductor layer laminated on the light emitting layer; a first ITO layer laminated at a side of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer opposite to the substrate; a second ITO layer laminated at a side of the second conductive-type semiconductor layer opposite to the substrate; a first metal layer laminated on the first ITO layer; and a second metal layer laminated on the second ITO layer. The first and second metal layers have the same structure and each includes a lower metal layer which contacts a corresponding ITO layer of the first ITO layer and the second ITO layer; and an upper metal layer laminated on the lower metal layer, the upper metal layer being thicker than the lower metal layer.
US09553229B2	Etching of solar cell materials A solar cell is fabricated by etching one or more of its layers without substantially etching another layer of the solar cell. In one embodiment, a copper layer in the solar cell is etched without substantially etching a topmost metallic layer comprising tin. For example, an etchant comprising sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide may be employed to etch the copper layer selective to the tin layer. A particular example of the aforementioned etchant is a Co-Bra Etch® etchant modified to comprise about 1% by volume of sulfuric acid, about 4% by volume of phosphoric acid, and about 2% by volume of stabilized hydrogen peroxide. In one embodiment, an aluminum layer in the solar cell is etched without substantially etching the tin layer. For example, an etchant comprising potassium hydroxide may be employed to etch the aluminum layer without substantially etching the tin layer.
US09553223B2	Method for alignment of microwires A method of aligning microwires includes modifying the microwires so they are more responsive to a magnetic field. The method also includes using a magnetic field so as to magnetically align the microwires. The method can further include capturing the microwires in a solid support structure that retains the longitudinal alignment of the microwires when the magnetic field is not applied to the microwires.
US09553216B2	Avalanche photodiode receiver A method of operating an avalanche photodiode includes providing an avalanche photodiode having a multiplication region capable of amplifying an electric current when subject to an electric field. The multiplication region, in operation, has a first ionization rate for electrons and a second, different, ionization rate for holes. The method also includes applying the electric field to the multiplication region, receiving a current output from the multiplication region, and varying the electric field in time, whereby a portion of the current output is suppressed.
US09553213B2	Solar cell apparatus and method of fabricating the same Disclosed are a solar cell apparatus, and a method of fabricating the same. The solar cell apparatus includes: dummy parts disposed on a support substrate; a plurality of solar cells disposed on the support substrate and disposed between the dummy parts; and a bus bar electrically connected to the solar cells and disposed between the support substrate and the dummy parts. Each of the solar cells and the dummy parts has a back electrode layer, a light absorbing layer, and a front electrode layer sequentially disposed on the support substrate.
US09553209B2	Process for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising an empty trench structure and semiconductor device manufactured thereby The process is based upon the steps of: forming a trench in a body including a substrate and at least one insulating layer; and depositing a metal layer above the body for closing the open end or mouth of the trench. The trench is formed by selectively etching the body, wherein the reaction by-products deposit on the walls of the trench and form a passivation layer along the walls of the trench and a restriction element in proximity of the mouth of the trench.
US09553208B2	Current sensor device A current sensor device for sensing a measuring current includes a semiconductor chip having a magnetic field sensitive element. The current sensor device further includes an encapsulant embedding the semiconductor chip. A conductor configured to carry the measuring current is electrically insulated from the magnetic field sensitive element. A redistribution structure includes a first metal layer having a first structured portion which forms part of the conductor.
US09553202B2	Semiconductor device, manufacturing method thereof, and electronic device The semiconductor device includes a first layer including a first transistor, a second layer including a first insulating film over the first layer, a third layer including a second insulating film over the second layer, and a fourth layer including a second transistor over the third layer. A first conductive film electrically connects the first transistor and the second transistor to each other through an opening provided in the first insulating film. A second conductive film electrically connects the first transistor, the second transistor, and the first conductive film to one another through an opening provided in the second insulating film. A channel formation region of the first transistor includes a single crystal semiconductor. A channel formation region of the second transistor includes an oxide semiconductor. The width of a bottom surface of the second conductive film is 5 nm or less.
US09553201B2	Thin film transistor, thin film transistor array panel, and manufacturing method of thin film transistor The inventive concept relates to a thin film transistor and a thin film transistor array panel and, in detail, relates to a thin film transistor including an oxide semiconductor. A thin film transistor according to an exemplary embodiment of the inventive concept includes: a gate electrode; a gate insulating layer positioned on or under the gate electrode; a first semiconductor and a second semiconductor that overlap the gate electrode with the gate insulating layer interposed therebetween, the first semiconductor and the second semiconductor contacting each other; a source electrode connected to the second semiconductor; and a drain electrode connected to the second semiconductor and facing the source electrode, wherein the second semiconductor includes gallium (Ga) that is not included in the first semiconductor, and a content of gallium (Ga) in the second semiconductor is greater than 0 at. % and less than or equal to about 33 at. %.
US09553200B2	Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same An oxide semiconductor layer is formed, a gate insulating layer is formed over the oxide semiconductor layer, a gate electrode layer is formed to overlap with the oxide semiconductor layer with the gate insulating layer interposed therebetween, a first insulating layer is formed to cover the gate insulating layer and the gate electrode layer, an impurity element is introduced through the insulating layer to form a pair of impurity regions in the oxide semiconductor layer, a second insulating layer is formed over the first insulating layer, the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer are anisotropically etched to form a sidewall insulating layer in contact with a side surface of the gate electrode layer, and a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer in contact with the pair of impurity regions are formed.
US09553199B2	FET device having a vertical channel in a 2D material layer Semiconductor devices and methods of forming the same are provided. A source/drain electrode stack is formed over a substrate, wherein the source/drain electrode stack comprises a first source/drain electrode and a second source/drain electrode. A source/channel/drain layer is formed on a sidewall of the source/drain electrode stack, wherein the source/channel/drain layer comprises a 2D material. A gate stack is formed on the source/channel/drain layer.
US09553194B1	Method for improved fin profile A method can include performing an etching process to define a fin trench having a first depth, the first depth being less that a target height of fin. A method can also include forming a layer to protect sidewalls defining the fin trench. A method can also include performing a second etching process to increase a depth of fin trench.
US09553193B2	Double gated fin transistors and methods of fabricating and operating the same A semiconductor device is provided that includes a fin having a first upper gate on a sidewall of the fin in a first trench and a second upper gate formed on the opposite sidewall of the fin. The device also includes a first lower gate on the sidewall and a second lower gate on the opposite sidewall, wherein the first upper gate is formed above the first lower gate and the second upper gate is formed above the second lower gate. Methods of manufacturing and operating the device are also included. A method of operation may include biasing the first upper gate and second upper gate to preselect the transistors of a fin and then biasing the first lower gate and second lower gate to operate the transistors of the fin.
US09553179B2	Semiconductor device and insulated gate bipolar transistor with barrier structure A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor mesa which is formed between cell trench structures extending from a first surface into a semiconductor body. The semiconductor mesa includes a body zone forming a first pn junction with a drift zone between the body zone and a second surface opposite to the first surface. Source zones are arranged along a longitudinal axis of the semiconductor mesa at a first distance from each other and form second pn junctions with the body zone. A barrier structure, which has the conductivity type of the source zones, forms at least one of a unipolar homojunction with the drift zone and a pn junction with the body zone at least outside a vertical projection of the source zones perpendicular to the first surface. The barrier structure may be absent in the vertical projection of the source zones.
US09553176B2	Semiconductor device, capacitor, TFT with improved stability of the active layer and method of manufacturing the same A semiconductor device includes a gate, a first electrode, a first insulating layer, an active layer, an etching stop layer, a second insulating layer, a source, a drain and a second electrode. The first insulating layer covers the gate and the first electrode. The active layer and the etching stop layer are disposed on the first insulating layer above the gate and the first electrode respectively. The second insulating layer covers the active layer and the etching stop layer and has a first opening and a second opening exposing the active layer and a third opening exposing the etching stop layer. The source and the drain are disposed on the second insulating layer and contact with the active layer through the first opening and the second opening respectively. The second electrode is located on the second insulating layer and contacts with the etching stop layer through the third opening.
US09553174B2	Conversion process utilized for manufacturing advanced 3D features for semiconductor device applications Embodiments of the present invention provide methods for forming fin structure with desired materials using a conversion process for three dimensional (3D) stacking of fin field effect transistor (FinFET) for semiconductor chips. In one embodiment, a method of forming a fin structure on a substrate includes performing an directional plasma process on a fin structure formed from a substrate comprising a first type of atoms, the directional plasma process dopes a second type of atoms on sidewalls of the fin structure, performing a surface modification process to form a surface modified layer on the sidewalls of the fin structure reacting with the first type of atoms, replacing the first type of the atoms with the second type of the atoms in the fin structure during the surface modification process, and forming the fin structure including the second type of the atoms on the substrate.
US09553173B1	Asymmetric finFET memory access transistor A field effect transistor device comprises a semiconductor substrate, a doped source layer arranged on the semiconductor substrate, an insulator layer arranged on the doped source layer, a fin arranged on the insulator layer, a source region extension portion extending from the doped source layer and through the fin, a gate stack arranged over a channel region of the fin and adjacent to the source region extension portion, a drain region arranged on the fin adjacent to the gate stack; the drain region having a graduated doping concentration.
US09553172B2	Method and structure for FinFET devices A semiconductor device and a method of forming the same are disclosed. The method includes receiving a substrate having a fin projecting through an isolation structure over the substrate; etching a portion of the fin, resulting in a trench; forming a doped material layer on sidewalls of the trench; and growing at least one epitaxial layer in the trench. The method further includes exposing a first portion of the at least one epitaxial layer over the isolation structure; and performing an annealing process, thereby driving dopants from the doped material layer into a second portion of the at least one epitaxial layer. The first portion of the at least one epitaxial layer provides a strained channel for the semiconductor device and the second portion of the at least one epitaxial layer provides a punch-through stopper.
US09553171B2	Fin field effect transistor (FinFET) device and method for forming the same Embodiments for forming a fin field effect transistor (FinFET) device structure are provided. The FinFET device structure includes a substrate and a first fin structure extending above the substrate. The FinFET also includes a first transistor formed on the first fin structure. The first transistor includes a first gate dielectric layer conformally formed on the first fin structure and a first gate electrode formed on the first gate dielectric layer. The FinFET further includes an inter-layer dielectric (ILD) structure formed adjacent to the first transistor. The first gate electrode is in direct contact with a sidewall of the ILD structure.
US09553163B2	Metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) heterojunction diode In one aspect, a diode comprises: a semiconductor layer having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the semiconductor layer having a thickness between the first side and the second side, the thickness of the semiconductor layer being based on a mean free path of a charge carrier emitted into the semiconductor layer; a first metal layer deposited on the first side of the semiconductor layer; and a second metal layer deposited on the second side of the semiconductor layer.
US09553161B2	Mechanism for forming metal gate structure A method for forming a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes providing a semiconductor substrate and forming a metal gate stack including a metal gate electrode over the semiconductor substrate. The method also includes applying an oxidizing solution containing an oxidizing agent over the metal gate electrode to oxidize the metal gate electrode to form a metal oxide layer on the metal gate electrode.
US09553159B2	Semiconductor devices having polysilicon gate patterns and methods of fabricating the same A semiconductor device including a gate insulation pattern on a substrate, and a semiconductor gate pattern including an amorphous silicon pattern and a polycrystalline silicon pattern stacked on a side of the gate insulation pattern opposite to the substrate. The amorphous silicon pattern includes anti-diffusion impurities that suppress diffusion of impurity ions in the semiconductor gate pattern.
US09553158B2	Thin film transistor array substrate and a thin film transistor which comprise a conductive structure comprising a blocking layer and a diffusion prevention layer Embodiments of the invention provide a conductive structure, a thin film transistor, an array substrate, and a display device. The conductive structure comprises a copper layer formed of copper or copper alloy; a blocking layer for preventing copper ions of the copper layer from diffusing outward; and a diffusion prevention layer for preventing exterior ions from diffusing to the copper layer and disposed between the copper layer and the blocking layer. The multilayer conductive structure according to an embodiment of the invention can prevent exterior ions from diffusing into a copper layer and prevent copper ions from diffusing outward to reduce ions diffusion that adversely impacts the electricity performance and chemical corrosion resistance of the copper metal layer, and meanwhile can enhance adhesiveness of the conductive structure, which may be helpful for etching/patterning of the multilayer conductive structure.
US09553156B2	Organic light emitting display device and method of manufacturing the same Provided are an organic light emitting display device and a method of manufacturing the organic light emitting display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The organic light emitting display device includes: a substrate including a display area and a pad area; a pad electrode structure on the substrate in the pad area and including a first pad electrode and a second pad electrode on the first pad electrode; and a protection conductive layer covering a lateral surface of the second pad electrode so as to reduce corrosion of the second pad electrode.
US09553154B2	Memory devices and method of fabricating same A device comprises a control gate structure over a substrate, a memory gate structure over the substrate, wherein the memory gate structure comprises a memory gate electrode and a memory gate spacer, and wherein the memory gate electrode is an L-shaped structure, a charge storage layer formed between the control gate structure and the memory gate structure, a first spacer along a sidewall of the memory gate structure, a second spacer over a top surface of the memory gate structure, a first drain/source region formed in the substrate and adjacent to the memory gate structure and a second drain/source region formed in the substrate and adjacent to the control gate structure.
US09553153B1	Post growth defect reduction for heteroepitaxial materials A method of reducing defects in epitaxially grown III-V semiconductor material comprising: epitaxially growing a III-V semiconductor on a substrate; patterning and removing portions of the III-V semiconductor to form openings; depositing thermally stable material in the openings; depositing a capping layer over the semiconductor material and thermally stable material to form a substantially enclosed semiconductor; and annealing the substantially enclosed semiconductor.
US09553148B2	Method of making a wire-based semiconductor device In some embodiments, a method for manufacturing forms a semiconductor device, such as a transistor. A dielectric stack is formed on a semiconductor substrate. The stack comprises a plurality of dielectric layers separated by one of a plurality of spacer layers. Each of the plurality of spacer layers is formed of a different material than immediately neighboring layers of the plurality of dielectric layers. A vertically-extending hole is formed through the plurality of dielectric layers and the plurality of spacer layers. The hole is filled by performing an epitaxial deposition, with the material filling the hole forming a wire. The wire is doped and three of the dielectric layers are sequentially removed and replaced with conductive material, thereby forming upper and lower contacts to the wire and a gate between the upper and lower contacts. The wire may function as a channel region for a transistor.
US09553147B2	Trench formation with CD less than 10nm for replacement fin growth Embodiments described herein generally relate to methods of forming sub-10 nm node FinFETs. Various processing steps may be performed on a substrate to provide a trench over which a dielectric layer is conformally deposited. The dielectric layer is subsequently etched within the trench to expose the underlying substrate and a semiconductive material is deposited in the trench to form a fin structure. The processes of forming the trench, depositing the dielectric layer, and forming the fin structure can achieve sub-10 nm node dimensions and provide increasingly smaller FinFETs.
US09553146B2	Three dimensional NAND device having a wavy charge storage layer A monolithic three dimensional NAND string includes a semiconductor channel, where at least one end portion of the semiconductor channel extending substantially perpendicular to a major surface of a substrate, a plurality of control gate electrodes extending substantially parallel to the major surface of the substrate, an interlevel insulating layer located between adjacent control gate electrodes, a blocking dielectric layer located in contact with the plurality of control gate electrodes and an interlevel insulating layer, a charge storage layer located at least partially in contact with the blocking dielectric layer, and a tunnel dielectric located between the charge storage layer and the semiconductor channel. The charge storage layer has a curved profile.
US09553142B2	Semiconductor device having buried layer A semiconductor device includes a substrate having a first conductivity type, a high-voltage well having a second conductivity type and disposed in the substrate, a source region disposed in the high-voltage well, a drain region disposed in the high-voltage well and spaced apart from the source region along a first direction, and a buried layer having the second conductivity type and disposed under an area between the source region and the drain region.
US09553141B2	Semiconductor device having supporter A semiconductor device includes a plurality of lower electrodes having a vertical length greater than a horizontal width on a substrate, a supporter disposed between the lower electrodes, an upper electrode disposed on the lower electrodes, and a capacitor dielectric layer disposed between the lower electrodes and the upper electrode. The supporter includes a first element, a second element, and oxygen, an oxide of the second element has a higher band gap energy than an oxide of the first element, and the content of the second element in the supporter is from about 10 at % to 90 at %.
US09553139B2	Semiconductor component and method of manufacture In accordance with an embodiment, a semiconductor component and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor component are provided. A first dielectric material is formed over a body of semiconductor material of the first conductivity type and a plurality of semiconductor fingers are formed over the first of dielectric material. Semiconductor fingers of the plurality of semiconductor fingers spaced apart from each other and at least one of the semiconductor fingers has a first end spaced apart from a second end by a central region. A second dielectric material is formed over central region of the at least one semiconductor finger of the plurality of semiconductor fingers. An electrically conductive material is formed over the second dielectric material that is over the central region of the at least one semiconductor finger. The electrically conductive material serves as a shielding structure and the semiconductor material may be coupled to a fixed potential.
US09553137B2	Display device A display device includes a substrate, a plurality of first layered link lines spaced apart from each other on the substrate, a first insulating layer on the plurality of first layered link lines, a plurality of second layered link lines spaced apart from each other on the first insulating layer, each second layered link line between neighboring first layered link lines, a second insulating layer on the plurality of second layered link lines, and a plurality of data lines or a plurality of gate lines connected to the plurality of first layered link lines and the plurality of second layered link lines.
US09553134B2	Display device Provided is a display device, including: a first substrate including a display area and a non-display area adjacent to the display area; a display unit on the first substrate at the display area and configured to display an image; a display wiring on the first substrate at the non-display area and coupled to the display unit; a second substrate on the first substrate with the display unit and the display wiring therebetween; a touch unit on the second substrate, corresponding to the display unit, and configured to recognize a touch; a touch wiring on the second substrate at the non-display area and coupled to the touch unit; and an anti-noise electrode between the display wiring and the touch wiring at the non-display area.
US09553124B2	CMOS image sensor with sigma-delta type analog-to-digital conversion A CMOS image sensor including a plurality of pixels, each including: a photodiode; a sigma-delta modulator of order p, p being an integer greater than or equal to 1, capable of delivering a binary digital signal representative of the illumination level of the photodiode; and a configurable connection circuit enabling to couple the sigma-delta modulator of the pixel to a sigma-delta modulator of another pixel, so that the modulators of the two pixels form with each other a sigma-delta modulator of order greater than p.
US09553123B2	Back-illuminated sensor chips A back-illuminated sensor chip is disclosed, which includes one or more pixel areas each including a plurality of pixels located in a plane and arranged in a matrix. Each pixel area includes: a central portion consisting of a plurality of first pixels located in vicinity of a center of the pixel area; and a peripheral portion surrounding the central portion and consisting of the other pixels in the pixel area than the first pixels. The plurality of first pixels have a first height in a vertical direction perpendicular to the plane, and the pixels in the peripheral portion have a second height in the vertical direction that is greater than the first height so that the peripheral portion protrudes outward beyond the central portion and is thus located nearer to a light source during imaging than the central portion. As a result, light sensibility of the peripheral portion is increased.
US09553122B2	Backside illuminated image sensor A backside illuminated image sensor includes a substrate, a backside passivation layer disposed on backside of the substrate, and a transparent conductive layer disposed on the backside passivation layer.
US09553120B2	Image sensor using backside illumination photodiode and method for manufacturing the same A technology capable of simplifying a process and securing a misalignment margin when bonding two wafers to manufacture an image sensor using backside illumination photodiodes. When manufacturing an image sensor through a 3D CIS (CMOS image sensor) manufacturing process, two wafers, that is, a first wafer and a second wafer are electrically connected using the vias of one wafer and the bonding pads of the other wafer. Also, when manufacturing an image sensor through a 3D CIS manufacturing process, two wafers are electrically connected using the vias of both the two wafers.
US09553117B2	Solid-state image pickup apparatus, and image pickup system using solid-state image pickup apparatus A solid-state image pickup apparatus includes a photoelectric conversion unit, a charge storage unit, and a floating diffusion unit, all disposed on a semiconductor substrate. The solid-state image pickup apparatus further includes a first gate electrode disposed on the semiconductor substrate and extending between the photoelectric conversion unit and charge storage unit, and a second gate electrode disposed on the semiconductor substrate and extending between the charge storage unit and the floating diffusion unit. The solid-state image pickup apparatus further includes a light shielding member including a first part and a second part, wherein the first part is disposed over the charge storage unit and at least over the first gate electrode or the second gate electrode, and the second part is disposed between the first gate electrode and the second gate electrode such that the second part extends from the first part toward a surface of the semiconductor substrate.
US09553115B1	Manufacturing method of TFT substrate structure The present invention provides a manufacturing method of a TFT substrate structure, which includes sequentially forming a first passivation layer, a planarization layer, and a first transparent conductive film and then first subjecting the first transparent conductive film to patterning to form a first pixel electrode and thereafter, a photolithographic process is applied to the planarization layer for exposure and thus forming a first via located above and corresponding to a drain terminal, followed by using the planarization layer as a self-aligning mask to apply dry etching to the first passivation layer for etching to form a second via that corresponds to the first via, whereby residues of the first transparent conductive film in the first and second vias can be effectively prevented and product yield is enhanced. Further, on mask can be saved to prevent reduction of aperture ratio caused by misalignment thereby improving the production efficiency, reducing production cost, and increasing cost-related competition power of products.
US09553108B2	Array substrate, method of manufacturing the same and display device The present invention discloses an array substrate, a method of manufacturing the array substrate and a display device. Since the respective surfaces of the sources, the drains and the data lines are clad by the respective insulating films, in formation of the patterns of the pixel electrodes above the insulating films by using a patterning process, the insulating films can prevent the sources and the data lines provided under them from being corroded by an etching agent when an etching process is performed to form the patterns of the pixel electrodes, so as to avoid an influence on display quality of a display panel. Furthermore, since the insulating films are formed by curing the insulating material, instead of the photoresist, remained on the patterns of the sources, the drains and the data lines when forming the patterns of the sources, the drains and the data lines by using the insulating material (replacing the photoresist), formation of the insulating films will not increase the number of masks, and a step of peeling off the insulating material is omitted. Furthermore, the respective connecting portions electrically connects the respective drains with the respective pixel electrodes through the respective first via holes A located above the respective drains and passing through the respective insulating films, so that a normal display function of the display panel can be ensured.
US09553107B2	Shallow extension junction A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes receiving a finned substrate comprising an isolation layer with a plurality of semiconductor fins formed thereon, forming a gate structure over a fin that comprises a gate and a seed layer disposed below the gate and immediately adjacent to the fin, and epitaxially growing a gate extender from the seed layer that laterally extends over a source or drain region of the fin. In one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a finned substrate comprising an isolation layer with a plurality of semiconductor fins formed thereon, a gate structure formed over a fin of the plurality of fins, the gate structure comprising a gate and a seed layer disposed below the gate and immediately adjacent to the fin, and a gate extender epitaxially grown from the seed layer that laterally extends over a source or drain region of the fin.
US09553106B1	Three-dimensional nonvolatile memory device A three-dimensional nonvolatile memory device includes a substrate defined with a slimming region, first and second pass regions on both sides of the slimming region, and a cell region adjacent to the slimming region with the first pass region interposed therebetween; a word line stack including a plurality of word lines stacked over the cell region, the first pass region, and the slimming region of the substrate; first wiring lines extending from the slimming region to the first pass region and electrically coupling some word lines with pass transistors formed in the first pass region of the substrate; and second wiring lines extending from the slimming region to the second pass region and electrically coupling remaining word lines, other than the some word lines, with pass transistors formed in the second pass region of the substrate.
US09553104B2	Semiconductor device and method of fabricating the same Provided is a fabricating method of a semiconductor device, including the following. Fin structures are formed on a substrate, and the adjacent fin structures have an opening therebetween. A conductive material layer is formed to cover the fin structures and fill the opening. The conductive material layer and the fin structures are patterned to form a mesh structure. The mesh structure includes first strips extending in a first direction and second strips extending in a second direction. The first strips and the second strips intersect each other, and the mesh structure has holes. The first strips are located on the substrate at positions corresponding to the fin structures. The second strips are located on the substrate, and the conductive material layer in the second strips spans the fin structures. The hole is formed in the opening and surrounded by the first strips and the second strips.
US09553103B2	Memory cell profiles Examples of the present disclosure provide devices and methods for processing a memory cell. A method embodiment includes removing a key-hole shaped column from a material, to define a profile for the memory cell. The method also includes partially filling the key-hole shaped column with a first number of materials. The method further includes filling the remaining portion of the key-hole shaped column with a second number of materials.
US09553099B2	Pillar arrangement in NAND memory Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards techniques and configurations for providing a 3D memory array apparatus. In one embodiment, the apparatus may comprise a substantially hexagonal arrangement having seven pillars disposed in a die in a repeating pattern. The arrangement may include first and second pillars disposed at a pillar pitch from each other in a first row; third, fourth, and fifth pillars disposed at the pillar pitch from each other in a second row; and sixth and seventh pillar disposed at the pillar pitch from each other in a third row and shifted relative to the first and second pillars respectively by a quarter of the pillar pitch in a direction that is substantially orthogonal to bitlines disposed in the die. Each pillar in the arrangement may be electrically coupled with a different bitline. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09553095B2	Capacitor and method for making same A system-on-chip (SOC) device comprises a first capacitor in a first region, a second capacitor in a second region, and may further comprise a third capacitor in a third region, and any additional number of capacitors in additional regions. The capacitors may be of different shapes and sizes. A region may comprise more than one capacitor. Each capacitor in a region has a top electrode, a bottom electrode, and a capacitor insulator. The top electrodes of all the capacitors are formed in a common process, while the bottom electrodes of all the capacitors are formed in a common process. The capacitor insulator may have different number of sub-layers, formed with different materials or different thickness. The capacitors may be formed in an inter-layer dielectric layer or in an inter-metal dielectric layer. The regions may be a mixed signal region, an analog region, a radio frequency region, a dynamic random access memory region, and so forth.
US09553093B1	Spacer for dual epi CMOS devices Aspects of the disclosure include a method for making a semiconductor, including patterning a first transistor having one or more gate stacks on a first source-drain area and second transistor comprising one or more gate stacks on a second source-drain area, forming dielectric spacers on gate stack side walls, depositing a first nitride liner on the first and second transistors. The method also includes masking the second transistor and etching to remove the first nitride material and the spacer from the first source-drain area and growing a first epitaxial layer on the first source-drain area by an epitaxial growth process. The method also includes depositing a second nitride liner on the first and second transistors. The method also includes masking the first transistor. The method also includes etching to remove the second nitride material from the second source-drain area and growing a second epitaxial layer on the second source-drain area by an epitaxial growth process.
US09553091B1	Semiconductor structure and method for manufacturing the same A semiconductor structure is provided, which includes a first high-voltage MOS device region having a first well and a first light-doping region in a part of the first well, wherein the conductive type of the first well and the conductive type of the first light-doping region are opposite. The first high-voltage MOS device region also includes a first gate stack on a part of the first well and a part of the first light-doping region, and first heavy-doping regions in the first well and the first light-doping region at two sides of the gate stack, wherein the conductive type of the first heavy-doping region and the conductive type of the first well are the same. The first light-doping region between the first well and the first heavy-doping regions is a channel region of the first high-voltage MOS device region.
US09553090B2	Structure and formation method of semiconductor device structure Structures and formation methods of a semiconductor device structure are provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a fin structure over a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device structure also includes a gate stack covering a portion of the fin structure, and the gate stack includes a work function layer and a metal filling over the work function layer. The semiconductor device structure further includes an isolation element over the semiconductor substrate and adjacent to the gate stack. The isolation element is in direct contact with the work function layer and the metal filling.
US09553084B2	Switching element, semiconductor device, and semiconductor device manufacturing method According to the present invention, a switching element includes a substrate, a first gate pad formed on the substrate, a second gate pad formed on the substrate, a first resistor portion formed on the substrate, the first resistor portion connecting the first gate pad and the second gate pad to each other, and a cell region formed on the substrate and connected to the first gate pad. Thus, measurement of the gate resistance value and selection from gate resistances of the switching element can be performed after the completion of the gate-resistor-incorporating-type switching element.
US09553079B1	Flip chip assembly with connected component A flip chip assembly is disclosed that includes a die with die circuitry and a plurality of electrical contacts electrically connected to the die circuitry. A substrate includes electrical contacts that are juxtaposed with and electrically connected to corresponding die electrical contacts. A passive component is disposed between the die and the substrate, and includes a dielectric disposed between a first electrode and a second electrode. The first electrode is electrically connected to a first of the die electrical contacts and a corresponding substrate electrical contact, and the second electrode is electrically connected to a second of the die electrical contacts and a corresponding substrate electrical contact.
US09553076B2	Stackable molded microelectronic packages with area array unit connectors A microelectronic package having a substrate, a microelectronic element, e.g., a chip, and terminals can have conductive elements electrically connected with element contacts of the chip and contacts of the substrate. Conductive elements can be electrically insulated from one another for simultaneously carrying different electric potentials. An encapsulant can overlie the first surface of the substrate and at least a portion of a face of the microelectronic element remote from the substrate, and may have a major surface above the microelectronic element. A plurality of package contacts can overlie a face of the microelectronic element remote from the substrate. The package contacts, e.g., conductive masses, substantially rigid posts, can be electrically interconnected with terminals of the substrate, such as through the conductive elements. The package contacts can have top surfaces at least partially exposed at the major surface of the encapsulant.
US09553075B2	Recessed and embedded die coreless package Methods of forming a microelectronic packaging structure and associated structures formed thereby are described. Those methods may include forming a cavity in a plating material to hold a die, attaching the die in the cavity, forming a dielectric material adjacent the die, forming vias in the dielectric material adjacent the die, forming PoP lands in the vias, forming interconnects in the vias, and then removing the plating material to expose the PoP lands and die, wherein the die is disposed above the PoP lands.
US09553073B2	Chip stack structure using conductive film bridge adhesive technology A chip stack structure using conductive film bridge adhesive technology comprises a substrate, a first chip, at least one bridge element, a conductive film, and a second chip. The first chip is electrically connected to a first electrode of the substrate. The at least one bridge element has a first bridge surface and a second bridge surface at two ends, and the first bridge surface and the second bridge surface are electrically connected to the first chip and a second electrode of the substrate, respectively. The conductive film is electrically connected to the first bridge surface of the at least one bridge element. The second chip is stacked and electrically connected to the conductive film. Thus, the structure of the present invention not only facilitates the ease of stacking the chips but also increases the effectiveness of the chips heat dissipation and ability of withstanding electrical current.
US09553070B2	3D packages and methods for forming the same Embodiments of the present disclosure include a semiconductor device, a package, and methods of forming a semiconductor device and a package. An embodiment is a method including placing a plurality of dies over a passivation layer, the plurality of dies comprising at least one active device, molding the plurality of dies with a first molding material, and forming a plurality of through-package vias (TPVs) in the first molding material, first surfaces of the plurality of TPVs being substantially coplanar with a backside surfaces of the plurality of dies. The method further includes patterning the passivation layer to expose a portion of the first surfaces of the plurality of TPVs, and bonding a plurality of top packages to the first surfaces of the plurality of TPVs.
US09553069B2	Bonding apparatus and substrate manufacturing equipment including the same A bonding apparatus of substrate manufacturing equipment includes an upper stage, a lower stage facing the upper stage and which is configure and dedicated to support a processed substrate on which semiconductor chips are stacked (set), and an elevating mechanism for raising the lower stage relative to the upper stage to provide pressure for pressing the substrate and chips towards each other.
US09553066B2	Post passivation interconnect structures and methods for forming the same A device includes a metal pad, a passivation layer overlapping edge portions of the metal pad, and a first polymer layer over the passivation layer. A Post-Passivation-Interconnect (PPI) has a level portion overlying the first polymer layer, and a plug portion that has a top connected to the level portion. The plug portion extends into the first polymer layer. A bottom surface of the plug portion is in contact with a dielectric material. A second polymer layer is overlying the first polymer layer.
US09553058B1	Wafer backside redistribution layer warpage control A method of forming a network of RDL lines on the backside of a thinned TSV die to control warpage and the resulting device are provided. Embodiments include providing a thinned TSV die of a 3D IC stack, the thinned TSV die having a front side and a back side; forming a plurality of RDL lines across the backside of the die; and forming a plurality of UBM structures across the backside of the die.
US09553049B2	Copper interconnects having a titanium-platinum-titanium assembly between copper and compound semiconductor Disclosed are devices and methods related to metallization of semiconductors. A metalized structure can include a first titanium (Ti) layer disposed over a compound semiconductor, a first barrier layer disposed over the first Ti layer, a second Ti layer disposed over the first barrier layer, and a copper (Cu) layer disposed over the second Ti layer. The second Ti layer can be configured to inhibit or reduce alloying of the Cu layer and the first barrier layer. The first Ti layer, the first barrier layer, and the second Ti layer can be configured to yield a barrier between the Cu layer and an ohmic metal layer formed on the compound semiconductor. The metalized structure can further include a third Ti layer disposed over the Cu layer and a second barrier layer disposed over the third Ti layer. The first and second barrier layers can include platinum (Pt) and/or palladium (Pd).
US09553048B1	Semiconductor device and manufacturing method of semiconductor device According to one embodiment, in a semiconductor device, a second contact is disposed at a position that is shifted from a first contact by a distance approximately of P in a first direction and by a distance approximately of √8×P in a second direction. A third contact is disposed at a position that is shifted from the first contact by a distance approximately of 2P in the first direction and by a distance approximately of √8×P/2 in the second direction. A fourth contact is disposed at a position that is shifted from the first contact by a distance approximately of 3P in the first direction. A fifth contact is disposed at a position that is shifted from the fourth contact by a distance approximately of P in the first direction and by a distance approximately of √8×P in the second direction.
US09553042B2	Semiconductor device and manufacturing method therefor A wiring structure thereof includes a first interlayer insulating film, a first wiring and a first electrode for the capacitive element embedded in the first interlayer insulating film, a barrier insulating film formed over the first interlayer insulating film to cover the wiring and the electrode, a second interlayer insulating film formed over the barrier insulating film, and a second wiring and a second electrode for the capacitive element embedded in the second interlayer insulating film. The lower surface of the second wiring is positioned in the middle of the thickness of the second interlayer layer film, and the lower surface of the second electrode is in contact with the barrier insulating film. The barrier insulating film of a portion interposed between both electrodes functions as a capacitance insulating film of the capacitive element and is thicker than the barrier insulating film of a portion covering the first wiring.
US09553041B1	Semiconductor device package and manufacturing method thereof Methods and systems for a semiconductor device package with a die to interposer wafer first bond are disclosed and may include bonding a plurality of semiconductor die comprising electronic devices to an interposer wafer, and applying an underfill material between the die and the interposer wafer. Methods and systems for a semiconductor device package with a die-to-packing substrate first bond are disclosed and may include bonding a first semiconductor die to a packaging substrate, applying an underfill material between the first semiconductor die and the packaging substrate, and bonding one or more additional die to the first semiconductor die. Methods and systems for a semiconductor device package with a die-to-die first bond are disclosed and may include bonding one or more semiconductor die comprising electronic devices to an interposer die.
US09553040B2	Semiconductor package The invention provides a semiconductor package. The semiconductor package includes a semiconductor package includes a substrate having a die attach surface. A die is mounted on die attach surface of the substrate via a conductive pillar bump. The die comprises a metal pad electrically coupling to the conductive pillar bump, wherein the metal pad has a first edge and a second edge substantially vertical to the first edge, wherein the length of the first edge is different from that of the second edge from a plan view.
US09553029B2	Integrated circuit having a vertical power MOS transistor A method includes forming a buried layer in a substrate, growing an epitaxial layer over the substrate, etching the epitaxial layer and the buried layer to form a first trench and a second trench, wherein the first trench and the second trench are of a same depth and a width of the second trench is greater than a width of the first trench, forming a dielectric layer in a bottom portion of the first trench, forming a first gate electrode in an upper portion of the first trench and filling the second trench with a gate electrode material, forming gate electrodes for a plurality of lateral transistors formed in the substrate, forming a body region, forming a first drain/source region over the body region and forming a second drain/source region over the epitaxial layer.
US09553026B1	Semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same A method for fabricating semiconductor device is disclosed. First, a substrate is provided, and a first mandrel, a second mandrel, a third mandrel, and a fourth mandrel are formed on the substrate. Preferably, the first mandrel and the second mandrel include a first gap therebetween, the second mandrel and the third mandrel include a second gap therebetween, and the third mandrel and the fourth mandrel include a third gap therebetween, in which the first gap is equivalent to the third gap but different from the second gap. Next, spacers are formed adjacent to the first mandrel, the second mandrel, the third mandrel, and the fourth mandrel, and the spacers in the first gap and the third gap are removed.
US09553024B2	Method of manufacturing semiconductor device Object is to provide a semiconductor device having improved reliability or performance.A high-breakdown-voltage n type transistor has source and drain regions having first, second, and third semiconductor regions, which are formed by ion implantation of a first impurity from the outside of a high-breakdown-voltage gate electrode, a second impurity from the outside of the high-breakdown-voltage gate electrode and a first sidewall insulating film, and a third impurity from the outside of the high-breakdown-voltage gate electrode and the first and second sidewall insulating films, respectively. The first and second impurities are implanted from a direction tilted by 45° relative to the main surface of the semiconductor substrate and the third impurity from a direction perpendicular thereto. The impurity concentration of the first semiconductor region is lower than that of the second one and the ion implantation energy of the first impurity is greater than that of the second impurity.
US09553022B1	Method for use in manufacturing a semiconductor device die In one embodiment, a wafer includes a number of die areas each including a semiconductor device and dedicated to become a separate die. The die areas are disposed on a first face of the wafer and wherein adjacent die areas are distanced from one another. A first trench and a second trench are formed on the first face between adjacent die areas. The first trench and the second trench are spaced apart from one another by a ridge. A third trench is disposed above the ridge on a second face of the wafer.
US09553021B2	Method for processing a wafer and method for dicing a wafer In various embodiments, a method for processing a wafer may include: providing a wafer having at least one die region and at least one metallization disposed over the at least one die region; covering the at least one metallization with a protecting layer; plasma etching the wafer to form at least one die.
US09553019B1	Airgap protection layer for via alignment A method for via alignment includes forming first airgaps between interconnect structures and depositing a pinch off layer to close off openings to the first airgaps. A protection layer is formed in divots in the pinch off layer. The protection layer and the pinch off layer are planarized to form a surface where the protection layer remains in the divots. An interlevel dielectric layer (ILD) is deposited on the surface. The ILD and the pinch off layer are etched using the protection layer as an etch stop to align a via and expose the interconnect structure through the via.
US09553015B2	Fabrication of III-V-on-insulator platforms for semiconductor devices Embodiments of the present invention provide III-V-on-insulator (IIIVOI) platforms for semiconductor devices and methods for fabricating the same. According to one embodiment, compositionally-graded buffer layers of III-V alloy are grown on a silicon substrate, and a smart cut technique is used to cut and transfer one or more layers of III-V alloy to a silicon wafer having an insulator layer such as an oxide. One or more transferred layers of III-V alloy can be etched away to expose a desired transferred layer of III-V alloy, upon which a semi-insulating buffer layer and channel layer can be grown to yield IIIVOI platform on which semiconductor devices (e.g., planar and/or 3-dimensional FETs) can be fabricated.
US09553012B2	Semiconductor structure and the manufacturing method thereof The present disclosure provides a FinFET. The FinFET includes a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) with an insulator; a plurality of fin structures on the insulator; an isolation on the insulator, and between two adjacent fin structures in the plurality of fin structures; and an oxide layer between each of the plurality of fin structures and the insulator, wherein the insulator comprises silicon germanium oxide. A method for manufacturing the FinFET includes forming a plurality of fin structures on a layer having a larger lattice constant than that of the fin structure by a patterning operation; oxidizing the fin structure and the layer to transform the layer into a first oxide layer; filling insulating material between adjacent fin structures; and etching the insulating material to expose a top surface and at least a portion of a sidewall of the fin structure.
US09553009B2	Substrate separation device and substrate separation system There is provided a substrate separation device and method for separating a growth substrate from a laminate structure which includes a support substrate, a semiconductor layer, and the growth substrate. The device includes: a first base which is configured to hold the laminate structure thereon, and includes a first holding unit configured to hold the support substrate defining a bottom surface of the laminate structure and a heating unit configured to heat the laminate structure; and a second base including a second holding unit disposed above the first holding unit and configured to hold the growth substrate defining an upper surface of the laminate structure.
US09553008B1	Methods to reduce debonding forces on flexible semiconductor films disposed on vapor-releasing adhesives A method comprises providing a handle substrate having a front surface and a back surface; providing a layer of flexible semiconductor material having a front surface and a back surface and an at least partially sacrificial backing layer stack on the back surface of the layer of flexible semiconductor material; bonding the front surface of the layer of flexible semiconductor material to the front surface of the handle substrate; removing at least a portion of the at least partially sacrificial backing layer stack from the back surface of the layer of flexible semiconductor material; opening outgassing paths through the layer of flexible semiconductor material; and processing the layer of flexible semiconductor material.
US09553007B2	Coating method and coating apparatus A coating method includes a step of forming a film of a coating solution having a larger thickness in a central region of a substrate than in an edge region of the substrate by discharging droplets of the coating solution from a plurality of nozzles formed on an inkjet head to the substrate, and a step of moving the coating solution in the film from the central region toward the edge region of the substrate by rotating the substrate. This reduces a difference in thickness of the film between the central region and the edge region of the substrate, thereby to make the film thickness substantially uniform. At the same time, the movement of the coating solution in the film can make the surface of the film smoother.
US09553003B2	Substrate processing device and substrate processing method In a substrate processing device 10 having a heating and drying unit 103 for drying a surface of a substrate W, the heating and drying unit 103 heats upward a vertically downward surface of the substrate W to dry the surface of the substrate by dropping and removing, by gravity, the droplets of the volatile solvent formed on the surface of the substrate W by the heating operation.
US09553002B2	Flow controlled liner having spatially distributed gas passages Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a liner assembly including a plurality of individually separated gas passages. The liner assembly enables tenability of flow parameters, such as velocity, density, direction and spatial location, across a substrate being processed. The processing gas across the substrate being processed may be specially tailored for individual processes with a liner assembly according to embodiment of the present disclosure.
US09553001B2	Method of forming a molding layer for semiconductor package A method of forming a molding layer includes the following operations: forming a substrate having at least one column structure thereon; flipping over the substrate having the column structure such that the column structure is beneath the substrate; dipping the column structure of the flipped substrate into a molding material fluid contained in a container; and separating the column structure of the flipped substrate from the container to form a molding layer covering and in contact with the column structure.
US09552998B2	Thin film transistor, method of manufacturing thin film transistor and flat panel display having the thin film transistor A thin film transistor (TFT), method of manufacturing the TFT and a flat panel display having the TFT are disclosed. In one aspect, the TFT comprises a substrate and an active layer formed over the substrate, wherein the active layer is formed of oxide semiconductor, and wherein the active layer includes two opposing sides. The TFT also comprises source and drain regions formed at the opposing sides of the active layer, a first insulating layer formed over the active layer, a gate electrode formed over the active layer, a second insulating layer formed covering the first insulation layer and the gate electrode, and a first conductive layer formed on the source and drain regions and contacting the second insulating layer.
US09552996B2	Semiconductor device, having conductive pattern and electronic apparatus There is provided a conductive pattern forming method that can suppress shape abnormalities caused by the reattachment of a neodymium component. A conductive pattern forming method according to an aspect of the invention includes forming an aluminum-neodymium alloy film on a base material; forming, on the aluminum-neodymium alloy film, a conductive film having a thickness greater than or equal to ¼ times the thickness of the aluminum-neodymium alloy film; and patterning the aluminum-neodymium alloy film and the conductive film by using dry etching.
US09552995B2	Electrical interconnect for an electronic package Some example forms relate to an electrical interconnect for an electronic package. The electrical interconnect includes a dielectric layer that includes a trench formed into one surface of the dielectric layer and a signal conductor that fills the trench and extends above the one surface of dielectric layer. The electrical interconnect further includes a conductive reference layer mounted on an opposing side of the dielectric layer. The conductive reference layer is electromagnetically coupled to the signal conductor when current passes through the signal conductor.
US09552993B2	Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof A number of variations may include a method that may include depositing a first layer on a first semiconductor epi layer (epitaxial layer) in an overlying position with respect to at least one trench structure formed in the first semiconductor epi layer. The first layer may include a first metal and a second metal. A second layer may comprise a material constructed and arranged to scavenge silicon migrating from the first semiconductor epi layer during annealing may be deposited over the first layer. The first semiconductor epi layer may be subjected to at least a first annealing act to provide a first structure. At least a portion of the first structure may be stripped to remove any of the first layer not reacted with silicon to form a silicide during the first annealing act.
US09552990B2	Storage and sub-atmospheric delivery of dopant compositions for carbon ion implantation A supply source for delivery of a CO-containing dopant gas composition is provided. The composition includes a controlled amount of a diluent gas mixture such as xenon and hydrogen, which are each provided at controlled volumetric ratios to ensure optimal carbon ion implantation performance. The composition can be packaged as a dopant gas kit consisting of a CO-containing supply source and a diluent mixture supply source. Alternatively, the composition can be pre-mixed and introduced from a single source that can be actuated in response to a sub-atmospheric condition achieved along the discharge flow path to allow a controlled flow of the dopant mixture from the interior volume of the device into an ion source apparatus.
US09552988B2	Tone inverted directed self-assembly (DSA) fin patterning A method for DSA fin patterning includes forming a BCP layer over a lithographic stack, the BCP layer having first and second blocks, the lithographic stack disposed over a hard mask and substrate, and the hard mask including first and second dielectric layers; removing the first block to define a fin pattern in the BCP layer with the second block; etching the fin pattern into the first dielectric layer; filling the fin pattern with a tone inversion material; etching back the tone inversion material that overfills the fin pattern; removing the first dielectric layer selectively to define an inverted fin pattern from the tone inversion material; etching the inverted fin pattern into the second dielectric layer of the hard mask; removing the tone inversion material; and transferring the inverted fin pattern of the second dielectric layer into the substrate to define fins.
US09552986B2	Forming a memory device using sputtering to deposit silver-selenide film A method of sputter depositing silver selenide and controlling the stoichiometry and nodular defect formations of a sputter deposited silver-selenide film. The method includes depositing silver-selenide using a sputter deposition process at a pressure of about 0.3 mTorr to about 10 mTorr. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, an RF sputter deposition process may be used preferably at pressures of about 2 mTorr to about 3 mTorr. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a pulse DC sputter deposition process may be used preferably at pressures of about 4 mTorr to about 5 mTorr.
US09552985B2	Oxide semiconductor layer and production method therefor, oxide semiconductor precursor, oxide semiconductor layer, semiconductor element, and electronic device The invention provides an oxide semiconductor layer that has less cracks and is excellent in electrical property and stability, as well as a semiconductor element and an electronic device each including the oxide semiconductor layer. The invention provides an exemplary method of producing an oxide semiconductor layer, and the method includes the precursor layer forming step of forming, on or above a substrate, a layered oxide semiconductor precursor including a compound of metal to be oxidized into an oxide semiconductor dispersed in a solution including a binder made of aliphatic polycarbonate, and the annealing step of heating the precursor layer at a first temperature achieving decomposition of 90 wt % or more of the binder, and then annealing the precursor layer at a temperature equal to or higher than a second temperature (denoted by X) that is higher than the first temperature, achieves bonding between the metal and oxygen, and has an exothermic peak value in differential thermal analysis (DTA).
US09552983B2	Manufacturing method for semiconductor device A manufacturing method for a semiconductor device, including: loading a wafer into a reaction chamber; placing the wafer on a push-up shaft moved up; preheating the wafer under controlling an in-plane temperature distribution of the wafer to be a recess state under a state of placing the wafer on the push-up shaft moved up; lowering the push-up shaft with the wafer kept in the recess state to hold the wafer on a wafer holding member; heating the wafer to a predetermined temperature; rotating the wafer; and supplying a process gas onto the wafer.
US09552978B1	Method of decreasing fin bending A method of decreasing fin bending, includes providing a substrate including a plurality of fins, wherein a plurality of trenches are defined by the fins, the trenches include a first trench and a second trench, and the second trench is wider than the first trench. Later, a flowable chemical vapor deposition process is performed to form a silicon oxide layer covering the fins, filling up the first trench and partially filling in the second trench. After that, the silicon oxide layer is solidified by a UV curing process. Finally, after the UV curing process, the silicon oxide layer is densified by a steam anneal process.
US09552973B2	System and method for ionization of molecules for mass spectrometry and ion mobility spectrometry An ionizing system includes a channel having an inlet disposed in a first pressure region and an outlet disposed in a second pressure region, a pressure of the first pressure region being greater than a pressure of the second pressure region. A heater is coupled to the channel and configured to heat the channel. A device is configured to introduce an analyte into the channel where the analyte is ionized.
US09552970B2	Time shift for improved ion mobility spectrometry or separation digitisation A method of analyzing ions is disclosed comprising: (i) separating ions according to a physico-chemical property in a separator; (ii) transmitting ions which emerge from the separator through a transfer device with a first transit time t1, energizing a pusher electrode or orthogonal acceleration electrode and obtaining first data; (iii) transmitting ions which subsequently emerge from the separator through the transfer device with a second greater transit time t2, energizing the pusher electrode or orthogonal acceleration electrode and obtaining second data; and (iv) repeating steps (ii) and (iii) one or more times. The pusher electrode or orthogonal acceleration electrode is energized with a period t3, wherein t2-t1 is arranged to equal t3/2. The first and second data are combined to form a composite data set.
US09552968B2	Plasma cleaning apparatus and method Embodiments of the present invention generally include an apparatus for plasma cleaning and a method for plasma cleaning. The apparatus can include a lid body having a first surface for facing a pedestal during cleaning and a second surface opposite the first surface and substantially parallel to the first surface, the second surface having a first indentation sized to receive a magnet assembly, one or more handles coupled to the second surface of the lid body, and the magnet assembly resting in the first indentation. The method can include removing a sputtering target from the processing chamber, sealing the processing chamber, introducing a gas into the processing chamber, applying an RF bias to a pedestal within the processing chamber, maintaining the pedestal at a substantially constant temperature, and removing material from the pedestal to clean the pedestal.
US09552966B2	Antenna for plasma generation, plasma processing apparatus and plasma processing method An antenna for plasma generation radiates a microwave transmitted through a coaxial waveguide into a processing chamber and propagates the microwave on a metal surface of the processing chamber to convert gas into surface wave plasma. The antenna includes a gas flow path for passing the gas through the antenna, a plurality of gas holes that communicate with the gas flow path and introduce the gas into the processing chamber, and a plurality of slots that are separated from the gas flow path and penetrate through the gas flow path. The slots pass the microwave transmitted through the coaxial waveguide and a slow-wave plate to the processing chamber. A first space between portions of adjacent slots penetrating through the gas flow path is arranged to be wider than a second space between portions of the adjacent slots opening out to a plasma generation space of the processing chamber.
US09552965B2	Inductively coupled coil and inductively coupled plasma device using the same The present invention discloses an inductively coupled coil and an inductively coupled plasma device using the same. The inductively coupled coil comprises an internal coil and an exterior coil which are respective from each other and coaxially arranged, internal coil comprising a plurality of internal respective branches having the same configurations which are nested together, the plurality of internal respective branches being arranged symmetrically with respect to an axis of the inductively coupled coil; the external coil comprising a plurality of external respective branches having the same configurations which are nested together, the plurality of external respective branches being arranged symmetrically with respect to the axis of the inductively coupled coil. The inductively coupled coil is located on the reaction chamber of the inductively coupled plasma device and is connected to a RF source. It can make the plasma distribute uniformly on the wafer in the reaction chamber so that the difference in chemical reaction rate on the surface of the wafer is small and the quality of the etched wafer is improved. They can be applied in a semiconductor wafer manufacturing apparatus, and they can also be adapted to other apparatuses.
US09552961B2	Scanning transmission electron microscope having multiple beams and post-detection image correction Embodiments are directed to an information processing system for generating a corrected image of a sample. The system includes a detector, a memory communicatively coupled to the detector, and a post-detection image processor communicatively coupled to the memory and the detector. The detector is configured to detect data of a plurality of moving particles, wherein the data of the plurality of moving particles correspond to an uncorrected image of the sample, and wherein the uncorrected image includes defocus, astigmatism and spherical aberration. The post-detection image processor is configured to generate a corrected image of the sample based at least in part on processing the detected data of the plurality of moving particles.
US09552959B2	Sample holder for scanning electron microscope, scanning electron microscope image observation system, and scanning electron microscope image observation method A water solution in which an observation sample is, for example, dissolved is sandwiched on a first insulative thin film side provided under a conductive thin film. When an electron beam incident part is charged minus, electric dipoles of water molecules are arrayed along a potential gradient. Electric charges are also generated on the surface of a second insulative thin film. The electric charges are detected by a terminal section and changes to a measurement signal. In a state in which an electron beam is blocked, the minus potential disappears. Consequently, the electric charges on the surface of the first insulative thin film also disappear, and the measurement signal output from the terminal section changes to 0.
US09552956B2	Radiation generating apparatus and radiation imaging apparatus A radiation generating apparatus includes: an envelope 1 having a first window 2 through which a radiation is transmitted; and a radiation tube 10 being held within the envelope 1, and having a second window 15 which is arranged in opposition to the first window 2, and through which the radiation is transmitted; and a radiation shielding member 16 thermally connected to the second window 15, having a radiation transmitting hole 21 arranged in communication with the second window 15, and having a protruding portion protruding from the second window 15 toward the first window 2. A thermally conductive member 17 having a higher thermal conductivity rather than that of the radiation shielding member 16 is connected to the protruding portion of the radiation shielding member 16. The radiation generating apparatus can shield an unnecessary radiation and cool a target with a simple structure and is entirely reduced in weight.
US09552954B2	Waste fluorescent light end-cutting apparatus The present invention relates to a waste fluorescent light end-cutting device. The waste fluorescent light end-cutting device includes a conveyor transferring a waste fluorescent light, a heating wire disposed on each of both sides of the conveyor, a cooling wire subsequently disposed on a rear side of the heating wire, and a suction duct disposed between the cooling wire and the heating wire. A base cap is separated from the waste fluorescent light by using a temperature difference between the heating wire and the cooling wire.
US09552952B2	12CaO-7Al2O3 electride hollow cathode The use of the electride form of 12CaO-7Al2O3, or C12A7, as a low work function electron emitter in a hollow cathode discharge apparatus is described. No heater is required to initiate operation of the present cathode, as is necessary for traditional hollow cathode devices. Because C12A7 has a fully oxidized lattice structure, exposure to oxygen does not degrade the electride. The electride was surrounded by a graphite liner since it was found that the C12A7 electride converts to it's eutectic (CA+C3A) form when heated (through natural hollow cathode operation) in a metal tube.
US09552950B2	Retaining assembly for a circuit breaker contact system A moveable contact arm assembly includes a moveable contact arm having a moveable contact thereon. Also included is a carrier assembly operatively coupled to the moveable contact arm. Further included is a first end plate operatively coupled to the carrier assembly and a bottom bracket operatively coupled to the first end plate. Yet further included is a first latch member coupled to the bottom bracket, the first latch member comprising a first guiding surface and defining a first recess portion. Also included is a guide pin extending from the carrier assembly and in contact with the first guiding surface of the first latch member during movement of the moveable contact arm assembly. Also included is a first stop pin extending from the carrier assembly and disposed in the first recess portion of the first latch member in the blow open condition of the circuit breaker.
US09552949B2	Circuit breaker and adapter for a circuit breaker A circuit breaker for protecting an electric circuit contains a housing and an adapter having a receiving connector. The circuit breaker has two electrically conductive, substantially cylinder-shaped connection points which are positioned along an axis. Either the outer diameter of the connection points is between 5.0 mm and 5.3 mm and the maximum distance between the connection points is between 19.0 mm and 21.0 mm, or the outer diameter of the connection points is between 6.2 mm and 6.5 mm and the maximum distance between the connection points is between 30.5 mm and 33.0 mm.
US09552948B2	Sealed contact device and method of manufacturing the same A sealed contact device having a small number of components and high productivity. In the sealed contact device a ring-shaped flange portion extending laterally from a lower opening edge part of a metallic case is welded and integrated with an upper surface of a plate-shaped yoke to form an internal space and a stationary contact and a moving contact are opposed to each other in the internal space so as to enable approach/separation. A ring-shaped projection provided along a lower surface of the ring-shaped flange portion is integrated with the upper surface of the plate-shaped yoke by resistance welding.
US09552946B2	Vacuum interrupter The present disclosure relates to a vacuum interrupter, and particularly, to a vacuum interrupter having enhanced performance of discharging air from the interior of a bellows in a breaking operation.
US09552941B1	Vacuum switching apparatus and electrical contact therefor An electrical contact is for a vacuum switching apparatus. The vacuum switching apparatus includes a second electrical contact. The electrical contact includes a body having a center point and a periphery, the body including a plurality of arcing surfaces structured to face in a first direction toward the second electrical contact and structured to move into and out of engagement with the second electrical contact, and a plurality of arc spinning portions each defining a slot extending inwardly from the periphery generally toward the center point, the plurality of arc spinning portions generally separating the plurality of arcing surfaces from one another. At least one arc spinning portion narrows from a corresponding pair of adjacent arcing surfaces of the body to an interior thereof in a second direction opposite the first direction.
US09552940B2	Switch, switch assembly and switch seal structure Provided is a switch attached to an attachment object through a seal member. The switch includes an operating portion including an operating surface. The switch further includes a support portion supporting the operating portion to enable a push operation for the operating portion. The switch further includes a flange portion disposed in a direction of the push operation relative to the support portion. The switch further includes a seal holding portion disposed in the direction of the push operation relative to the flange portion. The seal holding portion has a circular shaped portion or an oval shaped portion in contact with the seal member to hold the seal member with the circular shaped portion or the oval shaped portion. The switch further includes a pawl portion disposed in the direction of the push operation relative to the seal holding portion and configured to be hooked to the attachment object.
US09552938B2	Rubber mat keyboard, particularly a silicone mat keyboard A data entry and/or operating system, particularly a keyboard, also a POS keyboard, includes a lower part and an upper part as well as at least one circuit board and at least one retainer plate, the retainer plate lying on the lower part. One or more bushings are integrated for the purpose of connecting the circuit board to the retainer plate. The upper part is formed from a rubber mat having keys, and the stability of the keyboard is assured by the circuit board, bushing and metal retainer sheet. The lower part is connected to the upper part in a sealed manner.
US09552936B2	Push switch A push switch is provided with a knob that causes the movable contact point in contact with the fixed contact point to slide thereon by a push operation of the knob, thereby connecting/disconnecting the movable contact point and the fixed contact point. A sliding direction of the movable contact point is set to a direction vertical to the push direction of the knob, and the push operation of the knob allows the movable contact point in contact with the fixed contact point to slide in a direction vertical to the push direction of the knob.
US09552933B2	Storage module and method for manufacturing storage module A storage module includes a plurality of stacked cell units, in which each of the cell units has a storage cell that has a pair of electrode tabs, and a frame body where the electrode tab of the storage cell that is adjacent in a stacking direction of the cell units is fixed, and each of the frame bodies has an elastic portion that presses the electrode tab to the other frame body other than one of the frame bodies.
US09552932B2	Highly porous separator foil The invention relates to a biaxially oriented single- or multilayer porous foil, the porosity of which is generated by transformation of ss-crystalline polypropylene during orientation of the foil. The Gurley value of the foil is <250 s. The invention also relates to a process for producing the foil by using a low transverse stretching velocity for the transverse orientation process.
US09552931B2	Polarizable electrode material and electric double layer capacitor using same Disclosed is a polarizable electrode material for an electric double layer capacitor with a high energy density and excellent long-term reliability, as well as an electric double layer capacitor in which the polarizable electrode material is used. The polarizable electrode material includes porous carbon particles, a conductive assistant, a tungsten oxide powder and a binder, wherein the tungsten oxide is dispersed in the polarizable electrode material so that the tungsten oxide per 1 g of the polarizable electrode material has a surface area of 0.2 m2 or more and less than 6 m2.
US09552930B2	Anode for lithium ion capacitor An anode in a lithium ion capacitor, including: a carbon composition comprising: a coconut shell sourced carbon in from 85 to 95 wt %; a conductive carbon in from 1 to 10 wt %; and a binder in from 3 to 8 wt %; and an electrically conductive substrate, wherein the coconut shell sourced carbon has a disorder (D) peak to graphitic (G) peak intensity ratio by Raman analysis of from 1.40 to 1.85; and by elemental analysis a hydrogen content of from 0.01 to 0.25 wt %; a nitrogen content of from 0.01 to 0.55 wt %; and an oxygen content of from 0.01 to 2 wt %. Also disclosed are methods of making and using the carbon composition.
US09552928B2	Solid-state electrolytic capacitor manufacturing method and solid-state electrolytic capacitor A solid electrolytic capacitor having grooves provided in a valve-acting metal substrate that includes a porous surface part and a non-porous body part, the bottoms of the grooves being non-porous. The valve-acting metal substrate is divided into a plurality of unit regions by the grooves, and define cathode layer formation parts in the porous surface parts for each unit region. A dielectric layer covers the surfaces of the cathode layer formation parts of the valve-acting metal substrate and the grooves between the cathode layer formation parts. A solid electrolyte layer and a cathode extraction layer cover the surface of the dielectric layer, thereby providing a sheet in which a plurality of solid electrolytic capacitor elements are prepared integrally with the grooves interposed therebetween. The sheet is cut at the grooves, and a dielectric layer is formed on the cut surfaces located around the cathode layer formation parts.
US09552926B2	Multilayer capacitor with integrated busbar Embodiments are directed to obtaining a specification of at least one operational requirement for at least one capacitor, generating a design of the at least one capacitor to satisfy the at least one operational requirement, the design of the at least one capacitor comprising a plurality of layers and a first integrated busbar coupled to at least a portion of the layers, and based on the design, manufacturing the at least one capacitor by utilizing an additive manufacturing technique.
US09552925B2	Multilayer ceramic capacitor A multilayer ceramic capacitor includes a ceramic body, and external electrodes on opposite side surfaces of the ceramic body. The ceramic body includes an inner layer portion including a plurality of ceramic layers, and first and second internal electrodes each arranged at interfaces between the ceramic layers defining the inner layer portion, and also includes outer layer portions arranged on an upper surface and a lower surface of the inner layer portion. The ceramic layers defining the inner layer portion include as a main component a perovskite-type compound containing Ba and Ti. The amount of Mg contained in the ceramic layers defining the inner layer portion preferably is 0 to about 0.4 part by mole per 100 parts by mole of Ti, for example. The thickness of the ceramic layers defining the inner layer portion preferably is not more than about 0.55 μm, for example.
US09552923B2	Electronic component A multilayer ceramic capacitor includes flat inner electrodes that are laminated on each other. An interposer includes a substrate that is larger than the multilayer ceramic capacitor. A first mounting electrode to mount the multilayer ceramic capacitor is located on a first principal surface of the substrate, and a first external connection electrode for connection to an external circuit board is located on a second principal surface. A recess is located in a side surface of the interposer. A connecting conductor is located in the wall surface of the recess. The connecting conductor is located at a position spaced apart by a predetermined distance from the side surface of the interposer.
US09552921B2	Wireless power transmitter and wireless power receiver An automatic tuning assist circuit is coupled in series with a transmission antenna. A first switch and a second switch are arranged in series between a first terminal and a second terminal of the automatic tuning assist circuit. Furthermore, a third switch and a fourth switch are arranged in series between the first terminal and the second terminal. A first auxiliary capacitor is arranged between a connection node that connects the first switch and the second switch and a connection node that connects the third switch and the fourth switch. A first control unit switches on and off the first switch through the fourth switch with the same frequency as that of the driving voltage, and with a given phase difference with respect to the driving voltage.
US09552920B2	Contactless power transfer system A system, such as a charging system, is provided. The system can include a coil. A connection module can be coupled to the coil and configured to allow the coil to communicate with an energy source to generate a magnetic field. A field-focusing element can be included, the field-focusing element acting to focus the magnetic field when the magnetic field varies in time at a predetermined rate. In one embodiment, the field-focusing element may be configured to focus the magnetic field in an area separated from the coil by at least about 5 cm.
US09552917B2	Materials, devices and methods related to below-resonance radio-frequency circulators and isolators Materials, devices and methods related to below-resonance radio-frequency (RF) circulators and isolators. In some embodiments, a circulator can include a conductor having a plurality of signal ports, and one or more magnets configured to provide a magnetic field. The circulator can further include one or more ferrite disks implemented relative to the conductor and the one or more magnets so that an RF signal can be routed selectively among the signal ports due to the magnetic field. Each of the one or more ferrite disks can include synthetic garnet material having dodecahedral sites, octahedral sites and tetrahedral sites, with bismuth (Bi) occupying at least some of the dodecahedral sites, and aluminum (Al) occupying at least some of the tetrahedral sites. Such synthetic garnet material can be represented by a formula Y3-x-2y−zBixCa2y+zFe5-y-z-aVyZrzAlaO12. In some embodiments, x≦1.4, y≦0.7, z≦0.7, and a≦0.75.
US09552916B2	Solenoid actuator A plunger is formed of a soft magnetic material to have one end connected a regulation pin. A permanent magnet is affixed to a stationary portion, which is stationary relative to the plunger, to attract the plunger in a retreated direction. A coil generates a magnetic flux in an opposite direction of the permanent magnet to reduce a magneto attraction force, which attracts the plunger. A spring biases the regulation pin in an advanced direction. The spring applies a biasing force to the regulation pin to move the regulation pin in the advanced direction when electricity is supplied to the coil to reduce the magneto attraction force of the permanent magnet. A magnetism detection unit is located on a magnetic circuit, which conducts a magnetic flux generated by the permanent magnet and the coil, to detect a magnetic flux density.
US09552915B2	Polymorphic surface systems and methods A polymorphic surface may be provided by applying at least one magnetic field across a plurality of movable surface contour elements and selectively passing a current through the magnetic field(s) adjacent selected surface contour elements, with the current being perpendicular to the magnetic field. The current interacts with the magnetic field to generate a Lorentz force driving guided substantially linear motion of the respective surface contour element(s). The surface contour elements may be individually moveable and individually selectable for application of current to generate movement. The surface contour elements may be supported in position after removing the current. The current applied across each selected surface contour element may be varied to control the amount of guided substantially linear motion.
US09552912B2	Magnetic rubber composition, magnetic rubber molded article obtained by crosslinking the same, and magnetic encoder There is provided a magnetic rubber composition comprising a rubber (A), a thermosetting resin (B) and a magnetic powder (C), wherein a mass ratio (A/B) of the rubber (A) to the thermosetting resin (B) is 0.2 to 5, and a mass ratio [C/(A+B)] of the magnetic powder (C) to the total mass of the rubber (A) and the thermosetting resin (B) is 0.5 to 20. It gives a magnetic rubber molded article excellent in flexibility and abrasion resistance, and a magnetic encoder produced therewith.
US09552904B2	Composition containing nano-carbon material and a polyether-based polymer containing oxirane unites having a cationic group A composition in accordance with the present invention contains a nano-carbon material, such as a carbon nanotube, and a polyether-based polymer containing oxirane monomer units at least part of which are oxirane monomer units each having a cationic group.
US09552893B2	Sample-and-hold circuit and capacitive sensing device that includes the sample-and-hold circuit A sample-and-hold circuit is provided. The sample-and-hold circuit includes an input one or more dedicated capacitive elements, one or more parasitic capacitive elements connected to said one or more dedicated capacitive elements, an output, a group of switches, and a control unit. The control unit controls said switches so as to interconnect said input, said one or more dedicated capacitive elements, and said output in a cyclic manner in accordance with a sample-and-hold cycle.
US09552886B2	Memory system and method of driving memory system using zone voltages A method is provided for driving a nonvolatile memory device, including multiple strings, where each string is formed by penetrating plate-shaped word lines stacked on a substrate. The method includes configuring the word lines of a string in multiple zones based on zone configuration information, and applying zone voltages to the zones, respectively. The zone configuration information is varied according to a mode of operation.
US09552880B2	Screening for later life stuck bits in ferroelectric memories A reliability screen of integrated circuits including ferroelectric random access memory (FRAM) arrays for stuck bits. The FRAM devices are subjected to a high temperature bake in wafer form. A “shmoo” of the reference voltage is performed, at an elevated temperature, for each device to identify a first reference voltage at which a first cell in the device fails a read of its low polarization capacitance data state, and a second reference voltage at which a selected number of cells in the device fail the read. The slope of the line between the first and second reference voltages, in the cumulative fail bit count versus reference voltage plane, is compared with a slope limit to determine whether any stuck bits are present in the device.
US09552878B2	Resistive memory device and operating method A method of operating a memory device includes; applying a pre-write voltage to a selected memory cell by applying a first voltage to a first signal line connected to the selected memory cell and a second voltage to a second signal line connected to the selected memory cell during a first set writing interval, wherein a level of the first voltage is higher than a level of the second voltage, and thereafter, applying a write voltage to the selected memory cell by applying a third voltage having a level lower than the level of the first voltage and higher than the level of the second voltage to the first signal line during a second set writing interval.
US09552866B2	Semiconductor device including subword driver circuit The present invention is provided with: subword drivers SWD for driving subword lines SWL, a selection circuit for supplying either negative potential VKK1 or VKK2 to the subword drivers SWD, and memory cells MC that are selected in the case when the subword line SWL is set to an active potential VPP and are not selected in the case when the subword line SWL is either a negative potential VKK1 or VKK2.
US09552862B2	Magnetic ram array architecture A magnetic random access memory (MRAM) array including: a plurality of MRAM cells arranged in an array configuration, each comprising a first type nTron and a magnetic memory element; a wordline select circuit comprising of a second type nTron to drive a plurality of parallel wordlines; and a plurality of bitline select circuits, each comprising of said second type nTron for writing to and reading from a column of memory cells in the array and each capable of selecting a single MRAM cell for a memory read or write operation, wherein the second nTron has a higher current drive than the first nTron.
US09552860B2	Magnetic memory cell structure with spin device elements and method of operating the same A magnetic memory includes a plurality of memory cells and a data identification circuit. Each of the memory cells includes: a first bias node to which a first voltage is applied in data reading, the first voltage being a positive voltage; a second bias node to which a second voltage is applied in the data reading, the second voltage being a negative voltage having substantially the same absolute value as the first voltage; a connection node; a first spin device element connected between the first bias node and the connection node; and a second spin device element connected between the connection node and the second bias node. The first and second spin device elements operate differentially. The data identification circuit identifies data stored in each of the memory cells based on a polarity of a voltage generated on the connection node.
US09552855B2	Accessing a serial number of a removable non-volatile memory device A removable non-volatile memory device durably stores a serial number or identifier, which is used to mark multimedia content legally stored on the removable non-volatile memory device. In order to retrieve the serial number, a host electronic system coupled to the removable non-volatile memory device sends a sequence of multiple file access commands to access a predefined target file stored on the removable non-volatile memory device. In accordance with the executed predefined sequence of multiple file access commands, a corresponding sequence of data access commands are received at the removable non-volatile memory device and are interpreted as a request by the host electronic device to read the serial number. The removable non-volatile memory device outputs the serial number in response to the sequence of data access commands.
US09552850B2	Sense amplifier driving device and semiconductor device including the same An embodiment relates to a sense amplifier driving device for stabilizing bit line precharge power when a post-overdriving operation is performed. The sense amplifier driving device includes a power driving unit configured to supply a first pull-up voltage and a pull-down voltage to a pull-up power line and a pull-down power line during a post-overdriving period and a driving signal generation unit configured to generate a pull-up driving signal and a pull-down driving signal activated during the post-overdriving period in order to control the driving of the power driving unit. The driving signal generation unit controls a point of time at which the pull-down driving signal shifts in response to a post-overdriving enable signal.
US09552849B2	Memory device with timing overlap mode and precharge timing circuit In some examples, a memory device is configured to receive a precharge command and an activate command. The memory device performs a first series of events related to the precharge command in response to receiving the precharge command and a second series of events related to the activate command in response to receiving the activate command. The memory device delays the start of the second series of events until the first series of events completes.
US09552847B2	Electronic device and covering structure An electronic device including a metal casing and a covering structure is provided. The metal casing has a first opening. The covering structure includes a cover and a conductive component. The cover is assembled to the metal casing and covers the first opening, wherein the cover has at least one hole. The conductive component is fixed to the cover and has at least one contacting portion, wherein the contacting portion passes through the hole and contacts the metal casing, and an electromagnetic wave is adapted to pass through the conductive component to be transmitted to the metal casing.
US09552845B2	Automatic generation of metadata for audio dominance effects Metadata comprising a set of gain values for creating a dominance effect is automatically generated. Automatically generating the metadata includes receiving multiple audio streams and a dominance criterion for at least one of the audio streams. A set of gains is computed for one or more audio streams based on the dominance criterion for the at least one audio stream and metadata is generated with the set of gains.
US09552844B2	Image processing apparatus, image processing method and program To easily edit dynamic image content suiting user's preferences in consideration of the geographical position. A trajectory information generation unit 230 generates trajectory information about a trajectory during imaging of dynamic image content based on position information, wherein the dynamic image content is associated with the position information and azimuth information. An editing point setting unit 260 sets a section of the dynamic image content on a time axis based on the generated trajectory information. For example, the section is set based on a comparison result of an imaging range of the trajectory identified by the generated trajectory information (imaging range identified by azimuth information) and a specific target area such as a landmark. A play list information generation unit 270 generates play list information about a playback of the dynamic image content based on the set section. A display control unit 240 displays the trajectory identified by the generated trajectory information by superimposing the trajectory on a map containing the trajectory.
US09552843B2	Media file access and storage solution for multi-workstation/multi-platform non-linear video editing systems A novel system, method and computer program product for accessing digital media files stored in a media storage device via a server device in communication with the media storage device. The method provides a Project Sharing feature for enabling collaborative sharing of Non Linear Editing (NLE) Projects, even though the NLE application might normally define and save Projects as a single monolithic project file. The system and method provides a file directory and symlink scheme that allows ALL editors who are “members” of a Project Space to see all the bins created by all other editors, but controlling the WRITE ACCESS to the bins according to whose “User Folder” the bins resided in, i.e., a user-based locking scheme is provided to allow control over who can and cannot write to a file. The system and method further treats a single monolithic project file as a collection of smaller Project files, the permissions and ownerships of which could each be controlled independently.
US09552842B2	Systems and methods for managing the process of creating custom professional videos Systems and methods for creating custom professional videos are disclosed. The system includes client computing devices, an administrator computing device, and professional editor computing devices, all of which communicate with one or more servers via a network. A server of the one or more servers receives media data including at least one image file, text data, and an audio file from a client computing device via a network. The server creates a video job based on the media data and transmits it to a professional editor computing device. The professional editor uses at least one editing application running on the professional editor computing device to create a video based on the video job. The server transmits the created video to the administrator computing device for review. The server transmits the created video to the client computing device upon approval by the administrator.
US09552837B2	Vertically and horizontally weakly coupled perpendicular small grain media In one general embodiment, a magnetic medium includes a recording layer having at least three exchange control layers each having a magnetic moment less than 100 emu/cc, and four magnetic layers separated from one another by the exchange control layers. An uppermost of the magnetic layers is doped with oxygen. In another general embodiment, a magnetic medium includes a recording layer having at least three exchange control layers and four magnetic layers separated from one another by the exchange control layers. An uppermost of the magnetic layers has an oxygen content of greater than 0.5 vol %. An average pitch of magnetic grains in a lowermost of the magnetic layers is 9 nm or less. A lowermost of the magnetic layers has an oxide content of at least 20 vol %.
US09552833B2	Devices including a multilayer gas barrier layer Devices that include a near field transducer (NFT); a multilayer gas barrier layer positioned on at least a portion of the NFT, the multilayer gas barrier layer including at least a first and a second sublayer, where the second gas barrier sublayer is positioned on the first gas barrier sublayer, the first gas barrier sublayer is positioned adjacent the NFT and the second gas barrier sublayer is positioned adjacent the wear resistant layer, the first and second sublayers independently have thicknesses from 0.01 nm to 5 nm; and a wear resistance layer positioned on at least a portion of the gas barrier layer.
US09552832B2	Read-write non-erasable memory with laser recording and method of recording A nonvolatile memory comprising at least one ferromagnetic region having permeability which changes from a first state to a second state of lower permeability upon heating; at least one laser operatively associated with the at least one ferromagnetic region which selectively provides heat to the ferromagnetic region to change its p permeability; and a plurality of connectors operatively connected to the at least one laser and adapted to be connected to a current source that provides a current which causes the laser to change the at least one ferromagnetic region from a first state to a second state. Optionally, the memory is arranged as an array of memory cells. Optionally, each cell has a magnetic field sensor operatively associated therewith. Optionally, the nonvolatile memory is radiation hard. Also, a method of recording data by heating at least one ferromagnetic region to change its permeability.
US09552831B2	Method for detecting abnormal sound and method for judging abnormality in structure by use of detected value thereof, and method for detecting similarity between oscillation waves and method for recognizing voice by use of detected value thereof The present invention provides a method for obtaining an accurate detected value of a similarity, such as an hitting sound. The method includes the steps of: creating original standard/input pattern vectors each having a feature quantity of an hitting sound; creating a skewness-weighting vector and a kurtosis-weighting vector based on a reference pattern vector of a reference shape; calculating a skewness-weighted standard pattern vector and a kurtosis-weighted standard pattern vector by product-sum operation using component values of the skewness-weighting vector and the kurtosis-weighting vector and a component value of the original standard pattern vector; creating a dual and weighted standard pattern vector based on these vectors and similarly creating a dual and weighted input pattern vector; creating dual and selected standard/input pattern vectors based on the dual and weighted standard/input pattern vectors; and setting an angle between the dual and selected standard and input pattern vectors as a geometric distance value between the original standard and input pattern vectors.
US09552830B2	Vehicle language setting system A language setting system, for use by a driver having a preferred language and a smartphone, when entering a vehicle to set an active language of the vehicle for vehicle communications with the driver. The vehicle connects with and scans the smartphone. When the smartphone has a user selected language setting, the user selected language setting is used to set the active language of the vehicle. When scan of the smartphone detects examples of language usage in text and email communications, and such examples meet a threshold usage, the active language may be set to the language of the usage examples. When examples of multiple languages are detected on the smartphone, the driver may be prompted to select the preferred language from a list of the detected examples.
US09552826B2	Frequency characteristic modification device A device includes a HPF 702 that modifies frequency characteristics of a target signal; a phase correcting unit 701 that corrects the phase characteristics of the target signal to make the phase characteristics nearly equal to phase characteristics of the HPF 702; a first multiplier 705 that adjusts the gain of the signal output from the phase correcting unit 701; a second multiplier 706 that adjusts the gain of the signal output from the HPF 702; a coefficient determining unit that determines the gain coefficients of the first and second multipliers 705 and 706 in such a manner that the sum of the gain coefficient of the first multiplier 705 and the gain coefficient of the second multiplier 706 becomes a fixed value; and an adder 713 that adds the two signals output from the first multiplier 705 and second multiplier 706.
US09552824B2	Post filter Disclosed is a method, apparatus and non-transitory computer readable storage medium, which is configured to examine an input audio signal to determine an estimated pitch period associated with a detection criterion, encode the filtered audio signal to generate a compressed audio bit stream, decode the compressed audio bit stream to generate a decoded audio signal and adaptively filtering the decoded audio signal to produce an output audio signal, wherein adaptively filtering the decoded audio signal comprises filtering each of a plurality of segments of the decoded audio signal in a manner that is dependent upon the estimated pitch period associated therewith, and wherein a pitch-based post-filter operates to shape noise components located between harmonics of the input audio signal.
US09552823B2	Apparatus and method for generating a frequency enhancement signal using an energy limitation operation An apparatus for generating a frequency enhancement signal, includes: a signal generator for generating an enhancement signal from a core signal, the enhancement signal including an enhancement frequency range not included in the core signal, wherein a time portion of the enhancement signal includes subband signals for a plurality of subbands; a synthesis filterbank for generating the frequency enhanced signal using the enhancement signal, wherein the signal generator is configured for performing an energy limitation in order to make sure that the frequency enhanced signal obtained by the synthesis filterbank is so that an energy of a higher band is, at the most, equal to an energy in a lower band or is greater than an energy of a higher band, at the most, by a predefined threshold.
US09552822B2	Apparatus and method for processing an audio signal and for providing a higher temporal granularity for a combined unified speech and audio codec (USAC) An apparatus for processing an audio signal is provided. The apparatus has a signal processor and a configurator. The configurator is adapted to configure the signal processor based on configuration information such that a configurable upsampling factor is equal to a first upsampling value when a first ratio of the second configurable number of samples to a first configurable number of samples has a first ratio value. Moreover, the configurator is adapted to configure the signal processor such that the configurable upsampling factor is equal to a different second upsampling value, when a different second ratio of the second configurable number of samples to the first configurable number of samples has a different second ratio value. The first or the second ratio value is not an integer value.
US09552820B2	Apparatus and method for processing multi-channel audio signal using space information An apparatus for and a method of processing a multi-channel audio signal using space information. The apparatus includes: a main coding unit down mixing a multi-channel audio signal by applying space information to surround components included in the multi-channel audio signal, generating side information using the multi-channel audio signal or a stereo signal of a down-mixed result, coding the stereo signal and the side information, and transmitting the coded result as a coding signal; and a main decoding unit receiving the coding signal, decoding the stereo signal and the side information using the received coding signal, up mixing the decoded stereo signal using the decoded side information, and restoring the multi-channel audio signal.
US09552819B2	Multiplet-based matrix mixing for high-channel count multichannel audio A multiplet-based spatial matrixing codec and method for reducing channel counts (and thus bitrates) of high-channel count (seven or more channels) multichannel audio, optimizing audio quality by enabling tradeoffs between spatial accuracy and basic audio quality, and converting audio signal formats to playback environment configurations. An initial N channel count is reduced to M channels by spatial matrix mixing to a lower number of channels using multiplet pan laws. The multiplet pan laws include doublet, triplet, and quadruplet pan laws. For example, using a quadruplet pan law one of the N channels can be downmixed to four of the M channels to create a quadruplet channel. Spatial information as well and audio content is contained in the multiplet channels. During upmixing the downmixed channel is extracted from the multiplet channels using the corresponding multiplet pan law. The extracted channel then is rendered at any location within a playback environment.
US09552818B2	Smooth configuration switching for multichannel audio rendering based on a variable number of received channels A decoding system reconstructs an n-channel audio signal on the basis of an input signal representing the audio signal, in different time frames, either by parametric coding or as n discretely coded channels. Parametric decoding uses a core signal and mixing parameters controlling a spatial synthesis stage, to which a downmix signal is supplied from a downmix stage. The downmix stage realizes a projection on the downmix signal based on an n-channel input signal, either a discretely coded signal or a core signal padded with neutral-valued channels. The padding may take place either on the decoding side (reduced parametric coding) or the encoding side. In an embodiment, an audio decoder (110) in the decoding system pads the core signal during an initial portion of each reduced parametrically coded time frame directly succeeding a discretely coded time frame and during a final portion of each reduced parametrically coded time frame directly preceding a discretely coded time frame.
US09552816B2	Application focus in speech-based systems A speech-based system includes an audio device in a user premises and a network-based service that supports use of the audio device by multiple applications. The audio device may be directed to play audio content such as music, audio books, etc. The audio device may also be directed to interact with a user through speech. The network-based service monitors event messages received from the audio device to determine which of the multiple applications currently has speech focus. When receiving speech from a user, the service first offers the corresponding meaning to the application, if any, that currently has primary speech focus. If there is no application that currently has primary speech focus, or if the application having primary speech focus is not able to respond to the meaning, the service then offers the user meaning to the application that currently has secondary speech focus.
US09552815B2	Speech understanding method and system A speech recognition system includes a mobile device and a remote server. The mobile device receives the speech from the user and extracts the features and phonemes from the speech. Selected phonemes and measures of uncertainty are transmitted to the server, which processes the phonemes for speech understanding and transmits a text of the speech (or the context or understanding of the speech) back to the mobile device.
US09552810B2	Customizable and individualized speech recognition settings interface for users with language accents A computer implemented method and system for customizing speech recognition for users with accents. A spoken language of a user is identified. An indicator of a speech accent language can be initiated by the user using a computer. The indicator identifies the speech accent language and defines an influence of the speech accent language on the spoken language. Speech recognition characteristics are set according to the spoken language and the indicator. An automatic speech recognition (ASR) conversion is adjusted based on the speech recognition characteristics.
US09552809B2	Document transcription system training A system is provided for training an acoustic model for use in speech recognition. In particular, such a system may be used to perform training based on a spoken audio stream and a non-literal transcript of the spoken audio stream. Such a system may identify text in the non-literal transcript which represents concepts having multiple spoken forms. The system may attempt to identify the actual spoken form in the audio stream which produced the corresponding text in the non-literal transcript, and thereby produce a revised transcript which more accurately represents the spoken audio stream. The revised, and more accurate, transcript may be used to train the acoustic model, thereby producing a better acoustic model than that which would be produced using conventional techniques, which perform training based directly on the original non-literal transcript.
US09552806B2	Sound synthesizing apparatus A sound synthesizing apparatus includes a processor coupled to a memory. The processor configured to execute computer-executable units comprising: an information acquirer adapted to acquire synthesis information which specifies a duration and an utterance content for each unit sound; a prolongation setter adapted to set whether prolongation is permitted or inhibited for each of a plurality of phonemes corresponding to the utterance content of the each unit sound; and a sound synthesizer adapted to generate a synthesized sound corresponding to the synthesis information by connecting a plurality of sound fragments corresponding to the utterance content of the each unit sound. The sound synthesizer prolongs a sound fragment corresponding to the phoneme the prolongation of which is permitted in accordance with the duration of the unit sound.
US09552802B2	Electromagnetic pickup for stringed instruments An electromagnetic pickup for electric guitars has one or two dual-coil assemblies wherein an inner coil is wound around a bobbin and then an outer coil around the inner coil. In the dual-coil assembly the inner coil replaces the entire or part of wall space of pole piece holes in a plastic molded bobbin. The outer and inner coils in the dual-coil assembly are electrically connected in-phase to produce single coil pickup sound. The outer coil or the serially connected inner and outer coils are connected to a coil in the other pole piece/bobbin/coil assembly out-of-phase to generate humbucking pickup sound.
US09552795B2	Image processing method and image processing device for performing the same An image processing method and image processing device for performing the same are disclosed. In one aspect, the image processing method includes transmitting a content image having a visual condition to a display unit. The method also includes periodically changing the visual condition from a first visual condition to a second visual condition according to a modulation timing such that the content image to be displayed after the modulation timing has the second visual condition different from the first visual condition before commencement of the modulation timing.
US09552794B2	Pre-discharge circuit for multiplexed LED display A system includes an output driver circuit configured to operate a light emitting diode (LED) display having a plurality of columns of LED devices. The output driver circuit is configured to drive a given column output for the plurality of columns of LED devices in response to being activated based on data and an driver on signal supplied to the output driver circuit. A pre-discharge circuit includes a separate discharge circuit connected to each of the column outputs. The pre-discharge circuit is configured to discharge the given column output for a predetermined period of time before the output driver circuit is activated.
US09552792B2	Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and program for controlling the display of image data on a display An apparatus includes a selection unit configured to select an image group from a plurality of image groups based on image information related to image data, and a display control unit configured to control a display to display images based on the plurality of pieces of image data. The display control unit controls the display to display a plurality of images such that images based on the plurality of pieces of image data are arranged in a predetermined order. When the selected image group is displayed, the display control unit controls the display to display images such that images are displayed in a displaying state in which at least one image included in the image group selected by the selection unit is displayed in a manner distinguishable from at least one image that is not included in the selected image group.
US09552791B2	Display driving circuit and a display device having the same A display driving circuit includes first through (2n)-th buffers, a buffer controller, first through n-th image processing units, and a source driver. The buffer controller circularly selects one of the first through (2n)-th buffers in an order from the first buffer to the (2n)-th buffer at each of a plurality of first time intervals, and stores pixel data received during the first time interval in the selected buffer. Each of the first through n-th image processing units is coupled to two corresponding buffers among the first through (2n)-th buffers, and processes the pixel data, which are stored in at least one of their corresponding buffers, during n of the first time intervals to generate processed data when the pixel data are stored in the corresponding buffer during the first time interval. The source driver generates analog signals based on the processed data.
US09552790B2	Scan driving circuit for oxide semiconductor thin film transistors The present invention provides a scan driving circuit for oxide semiconductor thin film transistors, a pull-down holding circuit part (600) employed of the circuit comprises a first pull-down holding module (601) and a second pull-down holding module (602) which is capable of extending the lifetime of the circuit; the first pull-down holding module (601) comprises a first main inverter and a first auxiliary inverter with introducing a constant low voltage level (DCL); the second pull-down holding module (602) comprises a second main inverter and a second auxiliary inverter with introducing a constant low voltage level (DCL); setting the constant low voltage level (DCL)
US09552789B2	Scan driver and driving method thereof A scan driver includes a plurality of stages arranged sequentially and configured to respectively output a scan signal; and a switching unit configured to receive a plurality of clock signals, to select clock signals of the plurality of clock signals according to a selection control signal, and to input the selected clock signals to the plurality of stages.
US09552787B2	Display driving circuit, driving method thereof and display apparatus The present disclosure provides a display driving circuit, a driving method thereof, and a display apparatus, to solve the issue regarding power consumption of the display driver due to multiple reversal of the data voltage. The driving method comprises: firstly, determining pre-input data signals that are respectively input by a data line to each pixel unit of a column of pixel units corresponding to the data line when inputting a Nth image frame; next, determining, according to magnitudes or polarities of the pre-input data signals, a scanning order for the gate lines; then, scanning the gate lines according to the scanning order; and then, inputting the pre-input data signals to corresponding pixel units by the data lines.
US09552786B2	Electronic apparatus and display driver In case that a terminal gradation signal output terminal in a pre-stage display driver and an initial gradation signal output terminal in a next-stage display driver of a plurality of display drivers which are arranged in parallel are used in driving the same gradation signal electrode of a display panel, an output of dummy data from the other gradation signal output terminal which mutually competes with an output timing of a gradation signal from one gradation signal output terminal between both the gradation signal output terminals is suppressed by high impedance control of a corresponding gradation signal output terminal.
US09552780B2	Aggregate particles for use in electrophoretic color displays A multi-color display device has front and rear electrodes on opposed sides of an electrophoretic medium. The device has a voltage controller configured to apply a first and a smaller second potential difference, of either polarity, between the electrodes. The electrophoretic medium has first and second species of particles of differing colors and charge polarities. The first and second particles move independently of one another in response to the first potential difference, but upon application of the second potential difference form charged aggregates, moving as a unit, having an aggregate color different from the first and second colors.
US09552778B2	Digital device and method for controlling the same A method for controlling a digital device, and which includes receiving content; displaying the received content on a display screen of the digital device; calculating, via a controller of the digital device, an average luminance value respective to an entire display screen where the received content is displayed; generating, via the controller, a histogram respective to a partial area of the entire display screen; analyzing, via the controller, the histogram respective to the partial area and verifying whether or not a pixel distribution ratio of pixels having a minimum gray level, among pixels being located in the partial area of the display screen, is equal to or greater than a reference ratio; and if the pixel distribution ratio of pixels having the minimum gray level is equal to or greater than the reference ratio, processing a luminance of the partial area of the display screen to be black.
US09552774B2	Organic light emitting display device including data distribution unit and driving method thereof An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display includes: a display unit comprising a plurality of data lines, a plurality of scan lines, and a plurality of pixels coupled to corresponding data lines of the data lines and corresponding scan lines of the scan lines; a scan driver configured to supply a plurality of scan signals to the scan lines; a data driver configured to: output a plurality of first data signals among a plurality of data signals through a plurality of first output lines among a plurality of output lines, output a plurality of second data signals among the data signals through the first output lines, and output a plurality of third data signals among the data signals through a plurality of second output lines among the output lines, wherein the first data signals represent a first color, the second data signals represent a second color, and the third data signals represent a third color; and a data distribution unit configured to: transmit the first data signals to a plurality of corresponding first data lines among the data lines according to a first clock signal, transmit the second data signals to a plurality of corresponding second data lines among the data lines according to a second clock signal, and transmit the third data signals to a plurality of corresponding third data lines among the data lines.
US09552773B2	Display device, method of laying out light emitting elements, and electronic device Disclosed herein is a display device in which light emitting elements of a plurality of colors including a light emitting element emitting blue light are formed in each pixel on a substrate on which a transistor is formed for each sub-pixel, and a plurality of pixels formed with sub-pixels of the plurality of colors as a unit are arranged in a form of a matrix, wherein relative positional relation between transistors of sub-pixels of respective light emission colors including blue light and a light emitting section of a light emitting element emitting the blue light is laid out such that distances between the transistors of the sub-pixels of the respective light emission colors including the blue light and the light emitting section of the light emitting element emitting the blue light are equal to each other for the respective colors.
US09552771B2	Display apparatus and method of controlling the same A display apparatus includes a first pixel, a second pixel, and a dummy pixel. The first pixel includes a first light-emitting device connected to a first pixel circuit through a first node. The second pixel is in a same row as the first pixel and includes a second light-emitting device connected to a second pixel circuit through a second node. The dummy pixel includes at dummy pixel circuit with a third node. The controller outputs a first control signal having a first level or a second level based on a first pixel grayscale value corresponding to the first pixel and a second pixel grayscale value corresponding to the second pixel. A switch circuit electrically connects the first node, the second node, and a third node when the first control signal has the first level.
US09552770B2	Emission driver, organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display including the same, and electronic device An emission driver, organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display including the same, and electronic device are disclosed. In one aspect, the emission driver includes first through (n)th emission circuits configured to output a plurality of emission control signals. The emission circuits are connected to a display panel of an OLED display via emission-lines. The emission driver also includes a plurality of first switches configured to electrically connect the emission circuits in series when the first switches are turned on and a plurality of second switches configured to electrically connect the emission circuits in parallel when the second switches are turned on. The second switches are further configured to be turned off when the first switches are turned on and the second switches are further configured to be turned on when the first switches are turned off.
US09552766B2	Electroluminescence display device with light emission control and driving method thereof An electroluminescence display device includes a controller which generates signals for controlling at least one pixel circuit during a first period and a second period. The controller controls current to a light-emitting element of the at least one pixel circuit based on a data voltage in the first period. The controller controls a supplying period of current to the light-emitting element based on a duty control voltage in the second period. The supplying period when the pixel circuit is driven at a first gray scale value is longer than that when the pixel circuit is driven at a second gray scale. The first gray scale value is greater than the second gray scale value.
US09552758B2	Display device and image processing device A display device includes an image processing unit that performs image processing on image data input from the outside, and performs display output corresponding to the image data on which image processing is performed by the image processing unit. The image processing unit includes a first processing circuit that simply replaces colors of an image to limit the number of colors used for the image to a predetermined number equal to or smaller than 16, a second processing circuit that performs image processing including arithmetic processing for improving luminance of a plurality of pixels constituting the image displayed on the display device corresponding to the image data; and a switching unit that causes the second processing circuit to perform image processing, and causes the first processing circuit to perform image processing when performing the image processing while saving more power than the second processing circuit.
US09552755B2	Method of displaying an image and display apparatus performing the method A display apparatus includes a light source configured to generate lights having a plurality of colors, the light source configured to be driven in a field sequential color driving method; and a display panel configured to receive the lights to display an image, display the colors at a first area in a first order, and display the colors at a second area different from the first area in a second order different from the first order.
US09552754B2	Display method and device for optimizing screen brightness A display method and a display device for optimizing screen brightness of a mobile terminal are provided. The display method includes: determining an external illuminance value based on a sensor signal by detecting by the sensor signal for determining a brightness value of a screen; determining the brightness value of the screen corresponding to the external illuminance value; and outputting an image signal by using the brightness value of the screen.
US09552751B1	Light tower marketing display A method of advertising includes using light towers for new uses. Specifically, a skeleton may be employed to connect to a frame supporting at least one LED light from a frame connected to a mast of the light tower. The skeleton may locate a first display at a desired distance from the at least one LED light to backlight the first display. While first displays may be used with many embodiments, still other embodiments may have a second display as a vertically oriented display along a portion of the mast. The second display may deploy with the extension of mast portions for at least some embodiments.
US09552749B2	Fixed window badge A badge for displaying indicia. The badge includes a base plate that defines a landing area that has a recessed portion. The badge also includes a top panel coupled to the base plate. The top panel defines an at least partially transparent portion. A strip is disposed between the base plate and the top panel and at least partially disposed underneath the at least partially transparent portion such that a portion of the strip is viewable through the at least partially transparent portion. The strip is removable from between the base plate and the top panel without removing the top panel from the base plate.
US09552740B2	Autonomous safety system for the users of vehicle simulators A method and apparatus for the safe use of a vehicle simulator is provided. The apparatus having an access zone, a rescue unit, a shock absorbing surface, and a projection surface. The rescue unit being moveable with the vehicle simulator.
US09552738B2	Systems and methods for computer-based testing Systems and methods are provided for administering a test using an electronic device. The electronic device is registered to a test-taker, where the registering includes receiving identifying information from the test-taker and associating the electronic device with the test-taker using the identifying information. The test is stored in encrypted form on the electronic device, and the test includes a test question. The test is decrypted prior to test administration. The test is administered to the test-taker via the electronic device, and the administering includes displaying the test question on the electronic device and receiving an answer to the test question on the electronic device. The administered test is removed from the electronic device after transferring the answer to a testing service.
US09552737B1	Landing distance indicator generating system, device, and method A system, device, and method for generating a landing distance indicator (LDI) are disclosed. The LDI generating system may include one or more sources of navigation data, one or more sources of landing distance (LD) factor data, published LD data source, an image generator (IG), and a presentation system. The IG may be configured to navigation data; acquire LD factor data; define LD data; and generate image data as a function of the navigation data and the LD data. The navigation data could include a runway reference point, and the LD data could an LD. The image data could be representative of at least an image of an LDI comprised of a first boundary is based upon a location of the runway reference point, and a second boundary is based upon the runway reference point and the landing distance.
US09552736B2	Systems and methods for restricting drone airspace access Methods, systems and devices are disclosed for providing access to a restricted area for a drone by a beacon device. Beacon signals including access information associated with access for the restricted area may be transmitted by the beacon device. The beacon device may receive one or more access parameters for the drone. The beacon device may compare the received one or more access parameters for the drone to the access information for the restricted area. The beacon device may determine clearance for the drone to access the restricted area based on comparing the one or more access parameter for the drone and the access information.
US09552734B2	Vehicle monitoring and identification system A vehicle monitoring and traffic enforcement system in which a wireless communication device is associated with motor vehicles The device will transmit vehicle identification data which is relayed to a database which maintains current information concerning insurance law compliance, motor vehicle registration and licensing compliance, traffic citations and other information If a violation or compliance failure is noted, this is transmitted to a law enforcement agency and a nearby law enforcement vehicle A law enforcement officer may be required to pursue the vehicle depending on the violation and traffic conditions The system uses GPS and GIs technology to provide law enforcement with a real time display which will not only show the vehicle being tracked but also a map of the area showing roads, traffic conditions and even the location of other law enforcement or emergency vehicles so that officials may make a safe and fast response to situations.
US09552733B2	Course evaluation apparatus and course evaluation method A course evaluation apparatus includes an estimated-course-group generation portion that generates a plurality of estimated course groups for a movable body; and a course evaluation portion that performs a course evaluation on the plurality of estimated course groups with respect to at least two different evaluation criteria.
US09552732B2	Driver assistance system including warning sensing by vehicle sensor mounted on opposite vehicle side A driver assistance system senses and provides an indication of an approaching vehicle located sidewardly and rearwardly within an immediately adjacent driving lane to a host vehicle. The system includes left and right rear sensor units proximate rear corners of the host vehicle. The rear sensor units sense vehicles on respective sides and rearwardly of the host vehicle. When either rear sensor unit detects an approaching vehicle within the adjacent lane on the opposite side of the host vehicle therefrom, the rear sensor unit provides an opposite-lane warning signal to the other rear sensor unit. The system includes providing host vehicle driving path information to the rear sensor units for determining the path of the adjacent lanes adjacent to and rearward of the host vehicle. The path information accounts for curves in a roadway. Further, the rear sensor units detect the speed of a closing vehicle. When a left rear sensor unit senses a closing vehicle in the immediately adjacent left lane or obtains an opposite-lane warning signal from a right rear sensor unit, the left rear sensor unit provides a warning signal to an alarm unit for a vehicle approaching in the left lane. When the right rear sensor unit senses a closing vehicle in the immediately adjacent right lane, or receives an opposite-lane warning signal from the left rear sensor unit, the right rear sensor unit provides a warning signal to the alarm unit.
US09552729B2	Transportation information systems and methods An exemplary method includes determining whether real-time vehicle location information deviates from at least one of historical real-time vehicle location information or scheduled vehicle location information. The exemplary method further includes generating scheduling information for a user based on user data and the public transportation data, determining that the real-time vehicle location information deviates from at least one of the historical real-time vehicle location information or the scheduled vehicle location information by more than a threshold deviation, and updating the scheduling information for the user based on the user data, the public transportation data, and the determined deviation.
US09552728B2	Route-based propulsion mode control for multimodal vehicles A method and system of operating a multimodal vehicle includes determining a vehicle route between a starting point and an ending point, establishing one or more waypoints along the determined vehicle route based on one or more factors such as topography or road classification, and changing the propulsion mode of the vehicle at each of the established waypoints. This can be used, for example, to help optimize the use of different propulsion modes such as gasoline and battery power to thereby increase energy utilization efficiency.
US09552724B2	Traffic citation delivery based on type of traffic infraction Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for vehicle speed acquisition and citation. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, multiple different imaging systems can be placed individually at different locations along a route of travel, such as a highway, byway or waterway. Images of different vehicles can be captured at each of the locations and different ones of the different vehicles can be image-recognized. A time of travel between pairs of the locations can be determined for selected ones of the different vehicles in order to compute a rate of travel for the selected ones of the different vehicles. A citation signal is generated when a speed of a vehicle exceeds a predetermined speed limit such that the vehicle owner may be automatically cited for speeding.
US09552723B2	Trainable transceiver systems and methods for channel frequency offset adjustment A trainable transceiver for controlling a device includes a transceiver circuit, a control circuit coupled to the transceiver circuit, and memory coupled to the control circuit. The control circuit is configured to receive a signal from the device via the transceiver circuit. The control circuit is configured to determine a frequency of a channel used by the device based on the signal strength of the signal received from the device.
US09552721B2	System and method for providing wireless control on an electronic device The invention provides a system 100 for providing wireless control on an electronic device 30. The system 100 comprises a control station 10 and a wireless device 20. The control station 10 is configured to send a wireless exciting signal and a wireless control command. The wireless device 20 comprises an exciter module 201 and a processor module 210, wherein the exciter module 201 is configured to collect power from the wireless exciting signal and subsequently change a state of the processor module 210 from an inactive state to an active state, and the processor module 210 is configured to receive the control command and adjust functions of the electronic device 30 in accordance with the control command. The invention also provides a method and a wireless device.
US09552718B2	Smart-home hazard detector providing non-alarm status signals at opportune moments A hazard detector may include a light sensor that senses a brightness level in an ambient environment. The hazard detector can have a processing system that receives an indication of the brightness level in the ambient environment from the light sensor. The processing system may then determine whether illumination in the ambient environment has been dimmed. Responsive to the dimming, the processing system may access information representative of a status of one or more components of the hazard detector. An illumination state may then be selected from a plurality of illumination states based on the accessed information representative of the status of the one or more components of the hazard detector. A light may then be illuminated based on the selected illumination state.
US09552715B2	Networked filter condition indicator A filter condition indicator system is described herein. A pressure differential switch monitors air pressure across a filter, and a transmitter coupled to the pressure differential switch sends a signal to a networked device. If the pressure differential near the filter triggers the switch, then a “dirty” signal is sent to or retrieved by a mobile device which indicates that the filter is dirty and should be replaced. The filter condition indicator is able to be used by bypassing a thermostat and sending an alert to a computer or mobile device wirelessly. Alternatively, the filter condition indicator system described herein is able to be used in conjunction with a previously installed furnace/thermostat system by utilizing the pre-existing thermostat wiring. The filter condition indicator system is able to be used with HVAC systems, air conditioning systems, other heating/cooling systems, or other systems or devices.
US09552713B2	Notification system for providing awareness of an interactive surface A system for providing awareness of an interactive surface is disclosed. The system may include a processor that is communicatively linked to an interactive surface. The processor may determine a position and a velocity of an object that is within range of the interactive surface based on one or more of media content, vibrations, air movement, sounds and, global positioning data associated with the object. Additionally, the processor may determine if the object has a trajectory that would cause the object to collide with the interactive surface based on the information associated with the object. If the processor determines that the object has a trajectory that would cause the object to collide with the interactive surface, the processor can generate a notification.
US09552712B2	Systems and methods for notifying users of vehicle conditions Systems and methods are disclosed for notifying users of vehicle conditions. According to certain embodiments, the system comprises at least one processor configured to determine whether an ambient temperature associated with a vehicle exceeds a temperature threshold and detect a sound associated with the vehicle. The at least one processor is further configured to output a notification based on the determined ambient temperature and detected sound.
US09552711B2	Systems and methods for intelligent alarming Systems and methods for using state machines to manage alarming states and pre-alarming states of a hazard detection system are described herein. The state machines can include one or more sensor state machines that can control the alarming states and one or more system state machines that can control the pre-alarming states. Each state machine can transition among any one of its states based on raw sensor data values, filtered sensor data values, and transition conditions. Filters may be used to transform raw sensor values into filtered values that can be used by one or more state machines. Such filters may improve accuracy of data interpretation by filtering out readings that may distort data interpretation or cause false positives. For example, smoke sensor readings may be filtered by a smoke alarm filter to mitigate presence of steam.
US09552709B2	Method apparatus and computer program Examples of the present disclosure provide a method, apparatus and computer program configured to cause performance of the following: detecting movement of a device; detecting at least one ambient condition of the device; and determining whether to trigger an alert in dependence upon the detected movement and the detected at least one ambient condition.
US09552705B2	Life safety device with compact circumferential acoustic resonator Low frequency alarm tones emitted by life safety devices are more likely to notify sleeping children and the elderly. Disclosed herein is a life safety device equipped with a novel, compact, circumferential resonant cavity which increases the low frequency (400-600 Hz square wave) acoustic efficiency of an audio output apparatus formed by acoustically coupling an audio output transducer to the resonant cavity.
US09552700B1	Casino game system and method of use A card game system/method pitting players against a live or virtual dealer. Players make two mandatory wagers and optionally place bonus and jackpot wagers followed by each player and the dealer receiving six cards. Each player and the dealer must set the six cards into three, two-card hands based on pre-established rules. The main and play wagers are resolved based on a comparison of the player's three hands to the dealer's three hands, respectively. The bonus wager relates to the strongest five-card poker hand formed using the six cards and the jackpot is paid if the player wins all three hands and the two cards of the first hand meet a minimum threshold (e.g., Ace high or better). An automatic winning hand may be utilized as well. For example, any player receiving the King of Spades and King of Clubs would win their main and play wagers automatically. A player v. player (e.g., home version) version of the game is also disclosed.
US09552697B2	Mobile applications and wagering game machines In some embodiments, a wagering game is presented at a wagering game machine. A wireless communication is established between the wagering game machine and a mobile device. In response to a wagering game player satisfying a wagering game criteria when playing the wagering game, access to content can be enabled on the mobile device, wherein the content is based on a context resulting from the wagering game player playing the wagering game.
US09552691B2	Automatically generated display code for wagering game machine configuration Systems, methods and machine-readable media operate on configuration data for wagering game machines. A wagering game machine configuration or meter data on a wagering game machine is modified. In response to the modification, the configuration data or meter data is transformed into a displayable code such as a bar code or QR (Quick Response) code. The wagering game machine presents the displayable code on a code display of the wagering game machine. A portable computing device reads the displayable code and uses the displayable code to compare the configuration data with configuration data obtained from other wagering game machines or configuration data obtained from a configuration server.
US09552685B1	Automatic ball blower A transparent, automatic ball blower configured to generate random outcomes for a game by air-mixing Ping-Pong-style balls in a mixing chamber. During game play, the balls extracted from the mixing chamber via an extractor pipe are subsequently carried by a computer-controlled, motorized ball carrier mechanism to an inlet of a ball accumulator compartment. The ball accumulator compartment may be located proximate to the ball mixing chamber. The ball carrier mechanism moves and drops the extracted balls, one-at-a-time, into the ball accumulator compartment. The balls fall into the ball accumulator compartment by means of gravity alone. The balls fill the ball accumulator compartment which, in one version, accommodates a single vertical layer of balls allowing visual inspection of the balls. At the end of game play, the balls are released from the ball accumulator compartment into the mixing chamber through a computer-controlled, motorized ball release gate.
US09552677B2	Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and program An information processing system that acquires image data captured by an image capturing device; identifies a density of distribution of a plurality of feature points in the acquired image data; and controls a display to display guidance information based on the density of the distribution of the plurality of feature points.
US09552676B2	Wearable computer with nearby object response Exemplary methods and systems relate to detecting physical objects near a substantially transparent head-mounted display (HMD) system and activating a collision-avoidance action to alert a user of the detected objects. Detection techniques may include receiving data from distance and/or relative movement sensors and using this data as a basis for determining an appropriate collision-avoidance action. Exemplary collision-avoidance actions may include de-emphasizing virtual objects displayed on the HMD to provide a less cluttered view of the physical objects through the substantially transparent display and/or presenting new virtual objects.
US09552674B1	Advertisement relevance Systems and methods for displaying an image of a virtual object in an environment are described. A computing device is used to capture an image of a real environment including a marker. One or more virtual objects which do not exist in the real environment are displayed in the image based at least on the marker. The distance and orientation of the marker may be taken into account to properly size and place the virtual object in the image. Further, virtual lighting may be added to an image to indicate to a user how the virtual object would appear with the virtual lighting.
US09552670B1	System and method for triangulation of non-simple, multiply-connected, multi-styled shapes Disclosed is a system and method for triangulating vector graphics data having non-simple multi-styled and multi-connected shapes. The method provides for geometry flattening and more efficient processing of horizontal edges. The method involves computing a plurality of monotone chains corresponding to each of the plurality of shapes; computing a plurality of scan beams corresponding to the plurality of monotone chains; computing a plurality of monotone polygons corresponding to the monotone chains; computing a plurality of triangles from the plurality of monotone polygons; and displaying the plurality of triangles on the computer display.
US09552669B2	System, apparatus, and method for utilizing geographic information systems One or more geographic limits of a view of a digital display device are determined based on a location and orientation of the digital display device. A least a location of a subsurface object within the view is determined, and a multi-dimensional first representation of the subsurface object is rendered in the view based on the location and depth such that the first representation indicates an actual location of the subsurface object within the view.
US09552666B2	3-D rendering pipeline with early region-based object culling An apparatus and a method for generating images from 3-D source data provide for making a display list for each tile of a set of tiles for an image to be rendered, each display list including identifying information for objects overlapping that tile and depth information for the object. A fetch unit configured to fetch parameter data for objects to be processed by an Image Synthesis Processor (ISP) is coupled to receive depth range information for a current tile, which is produced by the ISP, and to determined, based on the depth range for the current tile and the object-specific depth information from the display list for the current tile, whether the parameter data for the object is to be provided to the ISP for processing or not. The object-specific depth information can be stored with a pointer to parameter data for the object.
US09552657B2	Mobile electronic device and control method of mobile electronic device According to an aspect, a mobile electronic device includes: an imaging unit for capturing a map image; a processing unit for acquiring information for a specific image corresponding to the map image based on information included in the map image captured by the imaging unit; and an image projecting unit for projecting the specific image to a projection area.
US09552656B2	Image-based color palette generation Systems and methods are provided for generating an image-based color palette based on a color image. A color palette can be a collection of representative colors each associated with a weight or other metadata. A color palette may be generated based on palette generation criteria, which may facilitate or control a palette generation process. Illustratively, the palette generation process may include image pre-processing, color distribution generation, representative color identification, palette candidate generation and palette determination. Representative colors with associated weight can be identified from a distribution of colors depicted by the color image, multiple palette candidates corresponding to the same color image can be generated based on various palette generation criteria, and a color palette can be identified therefrom.
US09552655B2	Image processing via color replacement There is described an image processing method in which a scene is repeatedly imaged to form a series of input images. For at least a subset of the input images, a color calibration procedure is conducted which populates a foreground color histogram with the frequency of occurrence of color values in a stencil area of the input image, and populates a background color histogram with the frequency of occurrence of color values outside of the stencil portion of the input image. For at least a subset of the input images, a color replacement procedure is conducted which updates the stencil area based on a determination, from the color values of pixels within the input image, of likelihood values representing the likelihood of pixels belonging to an image area of interest, the likelihood value for each color value being determined from a combination of the foreground and background color histograms, replaces the original color values of pixels within the updated stencil area of the input image with replacement color values, and displays the image on which color replacement processing has been conducted. In this way, a stencil area is determined based on foreground/background histogramming, and used both to define an area to which color replacement processing is to be conducted, and also an area for use in further populating the color histograms to calibrate the color replacement processing.
US09552650B2	Image combining apparatus, image combining method and recording medium storing control program for image combining apparatus The impression given by a background image is determined, wherein the background image represents the background of a location to be decorated with a picture frame into which a print has been inserted. A picture frame image that gives this impression is found. The image representing the print is corrected so as to give an impression closer to the impression that has been determined. The corrected image is combined with the found picture frame image and the resulting composite image is transmitted to a smartphone. When the composite image is checked and deemed suitable by the user, the print of the corrected image is inserted into an actual picture frame specified by the picture frame image and the picture frame with the inserted print is delivered to the user.
US09552649B2	Integrated phenotyping employing image texture features Image texture feature values are computed for a set of image texture features from an image of an anatomical feature of interest in a subject, and the subject is classified respective to a molecular feature of interest based on the computed image texture feature values. The image texture feature values may be computed from one or more gray level co-occurrence matrices (GLCMs), and the image texture features may include Haralick and/or Tamura image texture features. To train the classifier, reference image texture feature values are computed for at least the set of image texture features from images of the anatomical feature of interest in reference subjects. The reference image texture feature values are divided into different population groups representing different values of the molecular feature of interest, and the classifier is trained to distinguish between the different population groups based on the reference image texture feature values.
US09552645B2	Compound object separation Representations of an object (110) in an image generated by an imaging apparatus (100) can comprise two or more separate sub-objects, producing a compound object (500). Compound objects can negatively affect the quality of object visualization and threat identification performance. As provided herein, a compound object (500) can be separated into sub-objects. Three-dimensional image data of a potential compound object (500) is projected into a two-dimensional manifold projection (504), and segmentation is performed on the two-dimensional manifold projection of the compound object to identify sub-objects. Once sub-objects are identified, the two-dimensional, segmented manifold projection (900) is projected into three-dimensional space (1104). A three-dimensional segmentation may then be performed to identify additional sub-objects of the compound object that were not identified by the two-dimensional segmentation.
US09552644B2	Motion analysis method and apparatus A method and apparatus for analyzing a motion based on depth information are provided. The method includes: receiving event signals from a first vision sensor configured to generate at least one event signal by sensing at least a portion of an object in which a motion occurs; receiving a current frame from a second vision sensor configured to time-synchronously capture the object; synchronizing the received event signals and the received current frame; and obtaining depth information of the object based on the synchronized event signals and current frame.
US09552634B2	Methods and systems for automated selection of regions of an image for secondary finishing and generation of mask image of same Automated systems, methods and tools that automatically extract and select portions of an image to automatically generate a premium finish mask specific to the image which require little or no human intervention are presented. Graphical user interface tools allowing a user to provide an image and to indicate regions of the image for application of premium finish are also presented.
US09552632B2	Dynamic waveform region enhancement A system and method includes reception of a color image comprising a plurality of color pixels, conversion of the color image to a monochromatic image comprising a plurality of monochromatic pixels, performance of M erosion operations on the monochromatic image to generate an eroded monochromatic image, where M is equal to or greater than one, performance of N dilation operations on the eroded monochromatic image to generate a mask image, where N is equal to or greater than one, identification of one or more regions of the mask image based on the mask image, and modification of regions of the color image corresponding to the identified regions of the mask image.
US09552628B2	Image processor A setting circuit sets a quantization value per input image on the basis of a noise value of the whole input image, and a quantization circuit performs quantization on first image data to generate second image data. Quantization value based on the noise value the whole input image can realize appropriate denoising depending on the noise level of the whole input image.
US09552615B2	Automated database analysis to detect malfeasance In various embodiments, systems, methods, and techniques are disclosed for analyzing various entity data items including users, computing devices, and IP addresses, to detect malfeasance. The data and/or database items may be automatically analyzed to detect malfeasance, such as criminal activity to disguise the origins of illegal activities. Various money laundering indicators or rules may be applied to the entity data items to determine a likelihood that money laundering is occurring. Further, the system may determine one or more scores (and/or metascores) for each entity data item that may be indicative of a likelihood that it is involved in money laundering. Scores/metascores may be determined based on, for example, various money laundering scoring criteria and/or strategies. Account entities may be ranked based on their associated scores/metascores. Various embodiments may enable an analyst to discover various insights related to money laundering.
US09552614B2	Fine powder of polyamide from renewable materials and method for making such a powder The present invention relates to a powder of polyamide PA (homopolyamide or copolyamide) derived at least partially from renewable materials, in which the particles have a nonspherical shape and a volume median diameter of less than or equal to 20 μm. The present invention also relates to a process for preparing such a powder.
US09552606B2	Mining product recommendation from query reformulations In various example embodiments, systems and methods to mine product recommendations from query reformulation is provided. In example embodiments, a search query is mapped to a particular product. Transition data for the particular product is accessed. The transition data includes values reflecting a number of search transitions between the particular product and other products in session sets of previous queries. One or more recommendations based on the transition data is determined and provided to the user.
US09552603B1	Relating individual items to similar purchased categories Technologies are described herein for relating individual items to categories of items purchased concurrently by a customer. A representative category may be assigned to each of the items offered for sale by an online merchant. Purchase history data containing information regarding each item purchased by a customer on a specific date is augmented with information regarding each representative category of items from which an item was purchased by the customer on the same date. From the purchase history data, an attach rate is calculated between each particular item and a number of representative categories indicating the frequency of concurrency of purchase of the particular item with items assigned to the representative category. A user interface may then be generated containing the attach rates between the particular item and the representative categories and sent to a customer computer for display to the customer.
US09552600B1	Generating and updating recommendations for merchants Disclosed are various embodiments for generating and updating recommendations for merchants. A recommendation for a merchant in an electronic marketplace is evaluated to determine whether a corresponding action for the recommendation has been completed in response to a recommendation query for the merchant. A list of recommendations that correspond to actions that have not yet been completed for the merchant is generated.
US09552597B2	Electronic commerce file system In various example embodiments, a system and method for an electronic commerce file system are provided. In example embodiments, a selection of an item contained in a folder of an electronic commerce file system is received. The item is offered for sale by an electronic commerce provider, and the electronic commerce file system resides locally on a client device. Based on a type of the folder, a set of actions are provided for selection, with the set of actions to be performed with respect to the item. A selection of an action to be performed with respect to the item is received. The action is performed with respect to the item, with the action being performed between the electronic commerce file system and the electronic commerce provider via a network.
US09552595B2	System and method for item inquiry and information presentation via standard communication paths A method and system is provided for item inquiry and information presentation via standard communication paths. More particularly, the method and system detects an item associated with an avatar of a virtual universe (VU) user in a VU and determine information associated with the item. Additionally, the method and system are operable to display the information in the VU in a high-resolution component of the VU.
US09552592B2	System and methods for upcoming event notification and mobile purchasing Various embodiments relate generally to providing upcoming event notification and mobile purchasing and, more specifically but not exclusively relate to a system and methods for providing notifications of upcoming events to users of an online secondary ticket marketplace and allowing the users to purchase tickets to upcoming events using a mobile device. In one embodiment, a network-based system may receive a registration request from a user to receive alert notifications for upcoming events. The registration request may comprise a telephone number for a mobile device of the user. The network-based system may send an alert notification for an upcoming event to the mobile device of the user over a mobile telephone network. The alert notification may comprise a text message including relevant static or dynamic event information as well as an embedded hyperlink for allowing the user to transact a mobile purchase.
US09552591B2	Systems and methods for generating lead intelligence Techniques for generating marketing lead intelligence information are described. Some embodiments provide a marketing activity support system (“MASS”) configured to generate lead intelligence by aggregating marketing activity information and customer information. In one embodiment, the MASS transmits a marketing message that references a Web page or other marketing content. Next, the MASS receives tracking information about activities of a customer with respect to the referenced Web page. The MASS then generates lead intelligence information about the customer by aggregating the tracking information, personal information about the customer, and/or information about an associated marketing campaign. The MASS may then present the generated lead intelligence information, such as by displaying details about the customer and their activities with respect to the Web page.
US09552589B2	Methods and apparatus to determine efficiencies of media delivery across platforms Methods and apparatus to determine efficiencies of media delivery across platforms are disclosed. An example method includes obtaining a first effectiveness metric for a first platform, obtaining a first reach of the first platform with respect for a target group of audience members, and calculating a first performance metric based on the first effectiveness metric and the first reach.
US09552587B2	System and method for mediating representations with respect to preferences of a party not located in the environment System and methods are provided to create representations of geographic areas. Such representations enable users to search for items and services of interest and to quickly locate and utilize such items and services. Representations are created using user preferences thus reducing the amount of information presented to a user, i.e., user preferences control the contents of a representation. Control APIs contained within a representation may be used to control devices represented in a representation or to manufacture them using 3-D printing technologies. Methods to learn user preferences via his movements and other actions and impose a user's preferences upon an environment are shown. Some details of the invention are described by applying the invention to problems in retail marketing and figures depicting an implementation illustrate certain aspects of the invention.
US09552582B2	Controlling ecommerce authentication with non-linear analytical models A method of operating a computer system is disclosed. An eCommerce authentication request is received. Content of the eCommerce authentication request is processed through a non-linear analytical model to generate a risk score. The eCommerce authentication request is selectively provided to an authentication node based on the risk score. Related authentication gateway nodes and computer program products are disclosed.
US09552580B2	Modular device payment system A modular device payment module includes a chassis. A modular device connector is located on the chassis. A payment module database in the chassis stores funding source information and security information. A payment module engine in the chassis determines that the modular device connector has been connected to a modular device frame of a modular device, and retrieves modular device identifying information from the modular device. The payment module then determines that the modular device identifying information matches an authorized modular device identified by the security information in the payment module database and, in response, enables the transmission of at least some of the funding source information from the payment module database to conduct a payment transaction.
US09552576B2	Networked authentication systems and methods Networked authentication systems and methods are described including using a mobile network operator (MNO) agent in communication with an authentication system, a data storage, and a wireless handset via a network, the MNO agent configured to, receive a request for validated data denominations from the wireless handset via the network, generate data denomination corresponding to the requested denomination, retrieve, from the data storage, numbers of validator strings corresponding to the requested data denomination, wherein the validators are received from the authentication system prior to and/or after receiving the request, and append the corresponding number of validator strings to the requested data denominations.
US09552574B2	Methods and systems for payment account issuance over a mobile network According to some embodiments, an over-the-air (“OTA”) provision services receives a request to provision a temporary payment account to a customer's mobile device. The request includes customer data and a temporary primary account number (“PAN”). A process includes mapping the temporary PAN to a mobile PAN, storing the temporary PAN in a mapping database, generating a software package comprising a payment application and the mobile PAN, and transmitting the software package OTA to the customer's mobile device. The software package personalizes the customer's mobile device with the mobile PAN enabling use of that mobile device to utilize the temporary PAN to complete payment transactions shortly after the processor receives the request.
US09552572B2	Mobile terminal Disclosed is a mobile terminal. The mobile terminal includes a display unit and a controller configured to display a watch object on the display unit, the watch object including at least one of a plurality of schedule information or a plurality of applications. The controller is configured to, when a first region of the watch object is touched or when a current time reaches a time corresponding to the first region, display schedule information or a corresponding application screen related to the first region of the watch object or the time corresponding to the first region, and, when a second region of the watch object is touched or when a current time reaches a time corresponding to the second region, display schedule information or a corresponding application screen related to the second region of the watch object or the time corresponding to the second region. In this way, user convenience may be enhanced.
US09552571B2	Electronic device and method of meeting notification A method of providing a meeting notification includes adding an indication of an observer to a calendar event in a calendar graphical user interface at an organizer electronic device, saving the calendar event associated with the observer at the organizer electronic device, and sending an observer electronic message from the organizer electronic device to an observer electronic device. The observer electronic message includes the calendar event for storage at the observer electronic device with a period of time, associated with the calendar event, indicated as free time.
US09552565B2	Method and system for specialized handling of packages Methods and systems for providing information relating to specialized handling of a package, and articles contained within the package. Data relating to a package containing an article that requires specialized handling is associated with a unique identifier and stored in a database. The unique identifier is also included in a machine readable code affixed to the package. A recipient of the package scans the machine readable code using an application downloaded into a computing device, which extracts the unique identifier from the machine readable code and transmits a request to the database. The database may then identify data stored in the database that relates to the article based on the unique identifier, and transmit the data to the computing device for display to the recipient. The data may include a packing list, instructions for how to unpack the package, and how to store or use articles contained within the package.
US09552562B2	Visual information builder for business rules A method, apparatus, and system for a visual information builder for business rules are provided. By providing an additional interface layer over a general purpose business rule creation interface, role-based and context-sensitive interaction and presentation can be provided to abstract the complexity of the underlying service platform that supports the business rules. Templates are used to provide custom context-sensitive user interfaces and to hide complexity from the user by limiting the scope of the rule dictionary exposed to the user. The general rule building process is uniformly consistent across different contexts and operates similarly at the block and rule scale. Moreover, logical combinations are built using a consistent logical layout specifying logical operators and order of operations based on direction of expansion and relative positions. The logical combinations that are built in VIB can be automatically translated into corresponding business rule code for evaluation and execution by a rules engine.
US09552559B2	System and methods for verifying that one or more directives that direct transport of a second end user does not conflict with one or more obligations to transport a first end user Computationally implemented methods and systems that are designed for receiving one or more first directives that direct a transportation vehicle unit to transport a first end user; receiving, while the transportation vehicle unit is en route to or is transporting the first end user, one or more second directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport a second end user while transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been determined to be able to accommodate transport of the second end user while transporting the first end user; and verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit. In addition to the foregoing, other aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text.
US09552558B2	Communication system facilitating a contextual environment for a user filling various role agents A system is provided for implementing, managing or running a communication or workflow management system having multiple role agents representing roles, person agents representing users and device agents representing devices. The system combines a plurality of the role agents and their associated person agents and device agents into at least one mission, links the role agents to the person agents with a policy chain, and links the person agents to the device agents with a policy chain within a mission. Selected communications may be linked to at least one of the missions with a policy chain, such as a policy chain that links selected communications to at least one of the role agents in a mission.
US09552556B2	Site flow optimization In an example embodiment, for each of a plurality of possible presented actions corresponding to a particular flow of actions in a computer network, and for each of one or more possible performed actions for each possible presented action, a likelihood that a user will perform the possible performed action is determined. Then, a first presented action is identified by determining a presented action having a maximum determined likelihood, based on the determined likelihood, wherein the identifying a first presented action includes utilizing a machine learning model having one or more user covariates and one or more performed action covariates, and interactions between the one or more user covariates and the one or more performed action covariates, the user covariates including information specific to the user, the one or more performed action covariates including information specific to one or more of the possible performed actions.
US09552551B2	Pattern detection feedback loop for spatial and temporal memory systems A spatial and temporal memory system (STMS) processes input data to detect whether spatial patterns and/or temporal sequences of spatial patterns exist within the data, and to make predictions about future data. The data processed by the STMS may be retrieved from, for example, one or more database fields and is encoded into a distributed representation format using a coding scheme. The performance of the STMS in predicting future data is evaluated for the coding scheme used to process the data as performance data. The selection and prioritization of STMS experiments to perform may be based on the performance data for an experiment. The best fields, encodings, and time aggregations for generating predictions can be determined by an automated search and evaluation of multiple STMS systems.
US09552550B2	Traffic shaping based on predicted network resources In one embodiment, a committed information rate (CIR) prediction is received from a machine learning model that corresponds to a predicted average traffic rate supported by a network connection. A traffic shaping strategy is adjusted based on the CIR prediction. A rate at which data is communicated over the network connection may be based on the traffic shaping policy. The effects of the adjusted traffic shaping strategy are also monitored. Feedback is further provided to the machine learning model based on the monitored effects of the adjusted traffic shaping strategy.
US09552547B2	Normalizing electronic communications using a neural-network normalizer and a neural-network flagger Electronic communications can be normalized using neural networks. For example, an electronic representation of a noncanonical communication can be received. A normalized version of the noncanonical communication can be determined using a normalizer including a neural network. The neural network can receive a single vector at an input layer of the neural network and transform an output of a hidden layer of the neural network into multiple values that sum to a total value of one. Each value of the multiple values can be a number between zero and one and represent a probability of a particular character being in a particular position in the normalized version of the noncanonical communication. The neural network can determine the normalized version of the noncanonical communication based on the multiple values. Whether the normalized version should be output can be determined based on a result from a flagger including another neural network.
US09552545B2	Fixation filter assembly A filter assembly is provided for collecting samples in a fluid environment, the assembly utilizing a laminar convective flow to cause the flow of a preservative/fixative and a filtrate through a filter. A substantially concave dead space around the filter is flushed free of the preservative and the differential in density of the preservative and filtrate causes the more dense fluid to collect in the reservoir and preserve the collected specimen.
US09552543B2	Method and apparatus for proving an authentication of an original item and method and apparatus for determining an authentication status of a suspect item An apparatus and method for authenticating an item wherein a code is assigned to the item and includes a plurality of modules arranged in an ideal image. A barcode is encoded within the modules and a picture of the code is printed onto the item. A picture of the printed code is recorded with a low resolution camera at high speed during the production process from which the barcode content is decoded. Irregularities in the picture are analyzed and a numerical value describing an individual imperfection profile is calculated. The numerical value of the imperfection profile depends on at least one unique feature inherently related to the original printing device. The individual imperfection profile is printed onto the item and/or a database record is generated. To authenticate a suspect item, the imperfection profile of the suspect item is compared with the imperfection profile of the original item.
US09552541B2	Non-transferable radio frequency identification label or tag A Non-transferable Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) assembly for attachment to an article comprises a RFID module; and a antenna module coupled with the RFID module, the antenna module comprising a conductive layer, a substrate, and an adhesive modification layer between the conductive layer and the substrate, the adhesive modification layer configured such that when the assembly is attached to the article and attempt to remove the assembly will cause the substrate to release and leave the conductive layer intact.
US09552539B2	Selectively addressing transponders A method of selectively addressing one or more transponders in a set (17) of transponders (21, 22, 23, 24, 25) is described. The method comprise transmitting a first set of one or more commands (25; 251, 252) selected to be not executable by a first subset (24; 242) of transponders or to be executable in a shorter time by the first subset of transponders than by a second subset of transponders (23; 231, 232) in the set, and transmitting a second set of one or more commands (26; 253) such that the second set of commands are received by the transponders while the second subset of transponders are still executing the first set of commands.
US09552536B2	Image processing device, information storage device, and image processing method An image processing device includes an input reception section that receives a learning image and a correct answer label, a processing section that performs a process that generates classifier data and a processing target image, and a storage section. The processing section generates the processing target image that is the entirety or part of the learning image, calculates a feature quantity of the processing target image, generates the classifier data based on training data that is a set of the feature quantity and the correct answer label assigned to the learning image that corresponds to the feature quantity, generates an image group based on the learning image or the processing target image, classifies each image of the image group using the classifier data to calculate a classification score of each image, and regenerates the processing target image based on the classification score and the image group.
US09552533B2	Image registration apparatus and method An image processing apparatus comprises a registration unit configured to perform a first registration between a first set of image data and a second set of data, and a second registration between the first set of image data and the second set of data. The apparatus also comprises a registrability determination unit configured to determine a difference between the first registration and the second registration, and to determine a measure of registrability between the first set of image data and the second set of data based on the difference between the first registration and the second registration.
US09552530B2	Method and system to detect objects in multimedia using non-textural information within segmented region A method and a system for detecting and monitoring of at least one object in a multimedia content are provided. The method includes extracting at least one contour from the multimedia content using non-textural information in a segmented region within the multimedia content, computing a histogram for the extracted at least one contour in the segmented region of the selected multimedia content to represent an object shape based on the computed histogram, and determining an orientation change of the represented object shape within the segmented region of the multimedia content.
US09552528B1	Method and apparatus for image binarization Methods and apparatus for generating a binarization threshold are described. A set of input image pixels is processed. Edges including edge pixels are identified. In various embodiments histograms of pixel values and edge pixel values are generated and jointly used in determining an appropriate binarization threshold. In some embodiments a first histogram of edge pixel values is used to determine an interval of pixel values of interest to limit the set of pixel values used for determining a binarization threshold statistically. In some embodiments a first histogram corresponding to edge pixel values and a second histogram corresponding to image pixel values are generated, subjected to one or more smoothing operations, and truncated, based on information derived from the edge histogram. Characteristics of the histograms including, e.g., minima, maxima, are determined, evaluated, and used to generate a best global threshold.
US09552520B1	Systems and methods for automatic key frame extraction and storyboard interface generation for video A storyboard interface displaying key frames of a video may be presented to a user. Individual key frames may represent individual shots of the video. Shots may be grouped based on similarity. Key frames may be displayed in a chronological order of the corresponding shots. Key frames of grouped shots may be spatially correlated within the storyboard interface. For example, shots of a common group may be spatially correlated so that they may be easily discernable as a group even though the shots may not be temporally consecutive and/or or even temporally close to each other in the timeframe of the video itself.
US09552519B2	Providing vehicle owner's manual information using object recognition in a mobile device There is provided a communication system that includes a vehicle and a mobile device, and a method uses that system to provide vehicle owner's manual information. The method includes the steps of: receiving a digital image of a portion of a vehicle; identifying an object of the vehicle in the digital image; associating the object with at least one reference object image stored in an object library comprising a plurality of reference object images; displaying owner's manual information based on the association; and storing at least a portion of the digital image in the object library as a new reference object image for future identifications.
US09552518B2	Method of out-of-band correction for multispectral remote sensing A method of image processing. A band-averaged spectral radiance is measured using at least one optical filter upon scanning a plurality of original radiances. The measured band-averaged spectral radiance includes a measured in-band-averaged spectral radiance and a measured band-gap-averaged spectral radiance. A multispectral radiance vector is generated from the measured band-averaged spectral radiance. The multispectral radiance vector and an out-of-band correction transform matrix corresponding to the at least one optical filter are matrix-multiplied to generate a band-averaged spectral radiances image vector representing a plurality of recovered band-averaged spectral radiances. The plurality of recovered band-averaged spectral radiances is analyzed for a presence of a target.
US09552516B2	Document information extraction using geometric models A receipt processing system includes at least one imaging device which generates an image of a paper receipt. At least one processor programmed to acquire the image of a paper receipt from the at least one imaging device, textualize the data from the acquired receipt image, define specific local partial models based on regular expressions and geometric proximity, extract information from the textualized data according to the local partial models, apply rules to the extracted information, and generate receipt data from the application of the rules.
US09552514B2	Moving object detection method and system A moving object detection method includes acquiring two depth image frames including depth information, which are obtained by continuously taking images of a moving object, the two depth image frames including a present depth image frame and at least one past depth image frame; dividing each of the two depth image frames into a plurality of blocks; calculating differences between numbers of pixels positioned in respective different depth areas in each of the plurality of blocks in the present depth image frame, and numbers of pixels positioned in respective different depth areas in each of the corresponding plurality of blocks in each of the at least one past depth image frame, which correspond to the plurality of blocks in the present depth image frame; and detecting a moving block in the present depth image frame based on the calculated difference and constituting the detected moving object.
US09552513B2	Systems and methods for yaw estimation Systems and methods of automatic detection of a facial feature are disclosed. Moreover, methods and systems of yaw estimation of a human head based on a geometrical model are also disclosed.
US09552504B2	Register for counting and tracking items in a bag A register for counting and tracking items in a bag includes a manifest and an RFID reader. The RFID reader is used to query a plurality of RFID tags attached to items contained in the bag. The register creates reports counting and/or identifying changes to items contained in the bag while the bag is routed and/or items in the bag are processed for a customer.
US09552500B2	Always-available embedded theft reaction subsystem A platform including an always-available theft protection system is described. In one embodiment, the system comprises an arming logic to arm the platform, when an arming command is received, a risk behavior logic to detect a potential problem when the platform is armed, and a core logic component to provide logic to analyze the potential problem, and to move the platform to a suspecting mode, when the potential problem indicates a theft suspicion. The system, in one embodiment, further comprises configuration logic to configure settings for the system when the platform is in an unarmed mode, the configuration logic including a user logic enabling an authorized user to alter settings and an administrator logic enabling an administrator to alter the settings using an authenticated set request.
US09552494B1	Protected indexing and querying of large sets of textual data A protected querying technique involves creating shingles from a query and then fingerprinting the shingles. The documents to be queried are also shingled and then fingerprinted. The overlap between adjacent shingles for the query and the documents to be queried is different, there being less, or no overlap for the document shingles. The query fingerprint is compared to the fingerprints of the documents to be queried to determine whether there are any matches.
US09552490B1	Managing resource dependent workflows Systems and method for the management of resource dependent workflows are provided. One or more resource control devices monitor usage of a computing resource by server computing devices. Each resource control device may direct a server computing device to proceed with a workflow or to pause processing a workflow. A resource control device may further direct a server computing device to take resource conserving actions. When a computing resource is determined to be available, a resource control device may direct a paused server computing device to resume a workflow.
US09552489B1	Restricting network spidering Disclosed are various embodiments for a request monitoring application. Content identifiers are generated according to a known sequence or pattern. Requests for invalid content identifiers are logged. Response behavior to subsequent requests is modified when a number of requests from a source having invalid content identifiers meets a threshold.
US09552487B2	Price mining prevention systems and related methods A price-mining prevention system, in various embodiments, is configured for: (A) detecting an access request for a particular web page; (B) at least partially in response to detecting the access request, determining, based at least in part on the access request, a source of the request; (C) determining, based at least in part on the source, whether the source is an unwanted source; and (D) at least partially in response to determining that the source is an unwanted source, taking one or more defensive actions against the source. The one or more defensive actions may include, for example: (1) requiring the source of the access to complete one or more CAPTCHAs; (2) blocking access to the particular web page from the source; and/or (3) providing access to a modified version of the particular webpage to the source.
US09552486B2	Systems and methods for protecting video content Systems and methods for content-protecting video codecs are described. At least one embodiment of the invention comprises a system for protecting video content comprising computer memory comprising a stored set of instructions for processing video data; and at least one microprocessor configured to process the video data according to the stored set of instructions, the stored set of instructions requiring identification of data to be removed, at least a portion of which is essential to obtaining a visually acceptable reproduction of video, the stored set of instructions being further configured to replace removed data with data-hiding values, wherein the visually acceptable reproduction of video cannot be generated without a key that enables recovery of enough of the removed data from the data-hiding values that replaced the removed data.
US09552485B1	Cryptographic material renewal A method and apparatus for renewing cryptographic material are disclosed. In the method and apparatus a cryptographic material renewal entity of a computing resource service provider detects that cryptographic material stored by a secure module is to be renewed. Renewing the cryptographic material may include rekeying a private key associated with a certificate. Further, a digital certificate may be renewed, and the renewed certificate may be provided for use by the computing resource. The cryptographic material is used to fulfill requests made by a computing resource provisioned by the computing resource service provider for a customer. The renewed cryptographic material is provided to the secure module, whereby the renewed cryptographic material is used by the secure module to fulfill further requests made by the computing resource.
US09552481B1	Systems and methods for monitoring programs A computer-implemented method for monitoring programs may include (1) placing a program within an enclave that includes a protected address space that code outside of the protected address space is restricted from accessing, (2) hooking an application programming interface call within the program in the enclave to monitor the behavior of the program, (3) inserting an enclave entry instruction into code outside of the protected address space that the program accesses through the hooking of the application programming interface call, and (4) monitoring the behavior of the program by executing the program within the enclave in an attempt to force the program to use the hooked application programming interface call in order to access data outside the enclave. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09552478B2	Team security for portable information devices A portable information device (PID) having a security module that conducts security-related functionality. At least some of the security-related functionality for the benefit of the PID is provided by a security team of at least one other PID. In one type of arrangement, when configured in a team processing mode, certain ones of the security functions or components operating for the benefit of the PID can be processed on one or more of the security team member devices. In another type of arrangement, the team of devices exchanges security-related information determined as a result of a single team member device's processing of one or more security-related tasks.
US09552469B2	Identity authentication by using human biological characteristic A human biological characteristic file corresponding to a particular identity is received and used as a base file. A characteristic code to be authenticated is obtained according to a human biological characteristic of a person who requests identity authentication when an identity authentication request corresponding to the particular identity is received. A base characteristic code is collected from a base file. A collecting algorithm applied for collecting the base characteristic code is the same as or matches an algorithm applied for obtaining the characteristic code. The present techniques determine whether the base characteristic code and the characteristic code correspond to a same human biological characteristic. If a result is positive, the identity authentication request is verified. The present techniques implement communication between different terminal devices of different manufacturers and effectively improve user experiences, thereby efficiently and conveniently implementing remote identity authentication.
US09552468B2	Image processing apparatus and control method thereof An image processing apparatus is provided, including a user input interface to input biometric information of at least one user, a processor to process image data to be displayed as an image and to provide a preset service to authenticate a personal identification (ID) and the group ID of a user group including users corresponding to personal IDs, and a controller to specify a personal ID corresponding to biometric information of an input through the user input interface, and to select and authenticate the group ID corresponding to specified personal IDs from the storage when multiple personal IDs are specified. The controller derives interest of the multiple users corresponding to the respective specified personal IDs in the image and selects the group ID corresponding to a personal ID of a user determined to have a high interest.
US09552465B2	Authentication method and system The invention provides a computer-implemented authentication method comprising the step of enabling a user to input an identifier (e.g. a PIN) into an electronic device having a screen and a keypad operable within a keypad zone of the screen; by operating at least one key of the keypad via an image of at least part of a scrambled keypad which is displayed at least partially within the keypad zone. The user's operation of the keypad key via the image generates an encoded version of the user's intended input. In one sense the invention can be perceived as superimposing a non-functional image of a scrambled keyboard over an underlying, functional keypad. The image may be any type of electronic image, and may include a video image. The invention is particularly suited for use with, but not limited to, mobile phones, tablet computer, PCs etc. It can be implemented in any system wherein a user's identity must be verified before access is granted to a controlled resource.
US09552462B2	Method for predicting composition of petroleum A method for predicting petroleum expulsion. A chemical structure of a kerogen is defined and a plurality of reaction products of the kerogen under geologic heating rates are identified. The plurality of reaction products are grouped into a plurality of product lumps based on their chemical composition and predicting petroleum expulsion for each of the plurality of product lumps based on secondary cracking reactions.
US09552460B2	Apparatus for supporting and monitoring a person A system includes a person-support structure, a sensor configured to sense a characteristic of a person supported on the person-support structure, and a control configured to calculate a condition score as a function of the characteristic of the person. The control is operable to change a characteristic of the person-support structure as a function of the condition score.
US09552459B2	Method and apparatus for implementing a task plan including transmission of one or more test messages A method, computing device and computer program product are provided in order to implement a test plan in an efficient manner. In the context of a method, a plurality of test messages from each of a plurality of different source systems are stored. The plurality of test messages may include test messages to be captured in an electronic health record. The method constructs a test plan. The test plan identifies an end point. The test plan also includes one or more test messages that have been previously stored and respective anticipated outcomes at the end point following transmission of the test messages. The method also includes transmitting the test messages of the test plan and receiving feedback regarding the outcome following transmission of the test messages of the test plan to the end point. The method also includes determining whether the test plan was successfully executed based upon the feedback.
US09552455B2	Method for an efficient modeling of the impact of device-level self-heating on electromigration limited current specifications An efficient method of calculating maximum current limits for library gates in which a current limit includes the impact of self-heating effects associated with the maximum current. A maximum current solution is obtained in a self-consistent fashion, providing a way of determining the self-consistent solution in a rapid fashion without extensive numerical calculations or simulations. The present method provides a practical approach for characterizing a large library of gates for use in CMOS designs.
US09552454B2	Concurrent timing-driven topology construction and buffering for VLSI routing A system and method for topology construction for long and complex fan-out networks such as encountered in microprocessors include a modified Steiner tree algorithm with concurrent buffering to reduce post-buffer power/delay cost for a spanning tree. The system and method may prune Hanan points prior to calling a buffering tool to insert buffers and insert non-Hanan branching points. Embodiments may also include dividing a device into a plurality of super unit blocks, performing routing within each of the plurality of super units using a single crossing Steiner tree algorithm to determine a corresponding port, and aligning corresponding ports of each super unit to provide routing between the plurality of super units.
US09552453B1	Integrated circuit with power network aware metal fill In the physical design of an integrated circuit, comparing metal fill locations with an average least resistance path (LRP) for a cell and then filling the location with either power or ground tiles based on the comparison. For each metal layer, all of the metal fill locations are determined and nearby metal fills, i.e., those within a predetermined radius of a located metal fill are connected. A Design Rule Check (DRC) is performed to ensure that connected metal fills meet design specifications, for example, that connected metal fills are not too close to a signal line. The metal fill method improves the power integrity of the design.
US09552451B1	Cross-hierarchy interconnect adjustment for power recovery Embodiments relate to cross-hierarchy interconnect adjustment. An aspect includes receiving chip layout data corresponding to a chip design, wherein a first portion of a metal stack of the chip design is assigned to a first hierarchy and a second portion of the metal stack is assigned to a second hierarchy based on a contract between the first and second hierarchy. Another aspect includes determining an unused portion of the first portion of the metal stack. Another aspect includes moving an interconnect of the second hierarchy from the second portion of the metal stack that is assigned to the second hierarchy to the unused portion of the first portion of the metal stack in the chip layout data. Another aspect includes performing power recovery on the chip layout data after moving the interconnect based on an amount of slack margin generated in the chip design by the moving of the interconnect.
US09552447B2	Systems and methods for controlling integrated circuit chip temperature using timing closure-based adaptive frequency scaling Disclosed are a system and method that control integrated circuit chip temperature using frequency scaling based on predetermined temperature-frequency settings. During integrated circuit chip operation, a controller causes a variable clock signal generator to adjust the frequency of a clock signal that coordinates operations of an integrated circuit chip based on the temperature of the integrated circuit chip and on predetermined temperature-frequency settings. The temperature-frequency settings are predetermined in order to ensure that the frequency of the clock signal, as adjusted, remains sufficiently high to meet a chip performance specification, but sufficiently low to prevent the temperature from rising above a predetermined maximum temperature in order to limit power consumption. Also disclosed is a method of generating such temperature-frequency settings during timing analysis.
US09552443B2	Information processing apparatus and search method An information processing apparatus includes a search execution unit configured to execute a search on the basis of a search condition, an item specification unit configured to specify particular data as an item from data included in a result of the search executed by the search execution unit on the basis of the search condition, an item storage unit configured to store the item specified by the item specification unit in a storage apparatus, a search result generation unit configured to generate a search result without data overlap on the basis of data included in a result of a search executed by the search execution unit on the basis of a new search condition and the item stored in the storage apparatus, and a search result display unit configured to display the search result generated by the search result generation unit.
US09552435B2	Method and system for incremental collection of forum replies The present application discloses methods and systems for incrementally collecting replies in a forum and belongs to the technical field of collecting network information. The method comprises periodically determining whether there is a newly-established post and a post having new replies in all forum list pages needed to be collected: if yes, extracting a main post and reply information from the newly-established post, and extracting the information of the new replies from the post having new replies. The system comprises a determining device (11) for periodically determining whether there is a newly-established post and a post having new replies in all forum list pages needed to be collected; and an extracting device (12) for extracting a main post and reply information from the newly-established post, and extracting the information of the new replies from the post having new replies. The present application can quickly, accurately and completely collect all main post/replies of a post, so that the drawback that the information of turned pages of a post are missed to be searched or cannot be searched through a general search engine may be overcome.
US09552433B2	Generic content collection systems The invention generally relates to a universal, generic content collection method and system for collecting, storing, and sharing content on the Internet using computers, mobile and/or electronic devices. In one aspect, the invention relates to methods and systems for collecting multiple types of content using a user interface. The method includes activating the user interface associated with the content, wherein the user interface is configurable to be associated with at least two types of content; optionally, providing a list of one or more content collections services, wherein a first content collection service is configured to collect a first type of content and a second content collection service is configured to collect a second type of content; and directing the content to one or more content collection services. The user interface may be a virtual button on a webpage, browser or other screen device, or a physical button on a piece of hardware such as a PDA, mobile phone, watch, etc.
US09552431B2	Unified online content manager apparatuses, methods, and systems Apparatuses, methods, and systems for transforming user identification information and user selection data inputs into a profile data output, a generated query output, search results output, and a secure home page with customized content. According to one embodiment, the method includes indexing disparately owned content via a multi-content owner spider indexing engine; generating a disparately owned content index from the indexing engine; receiving, by a first server, a request to access secure content through a network, the request including user identification information; automatically constructing a query based on the request without input from the user; providing the constructed query to the search engine and running the constructed query against the index; constructing a display by placing the results of the query sent from the search engine within a multi-source owner template interface; and providing the multi-source owner template interface to a requestor for display.
US09552430B1	Identifying resource locations Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for identifying resource locations. In one aspect, a method includes determining a resource location for a resource from user locations associated with users who performed actions identified as having represented user interest in the resource.
US09552429B1	Product evaluation system featuring user context analysis A system, method and program product that provides product evaluations. A system is disclosed that includes: a system for identifying a set of products based on an inputted query; a system for collecting structured and unstructured data associated with the set of products; a system for generating a composite feature list from the structured and unstructured data; a system for generating a matrix for each identified product, wherein the matrix provides a set of features and any known limitations and benefits determined from the structured and unstructured data for each of the features; and a rating system that analyzes a usage context in view of the known limitations and benefits to evaluate each product at a feature level.
US09552428B2	System for generating media recommendations in a distributed environment based on seed information A method for generating a media recommendation is disclosed. The method comprises receiving information about a user associated with a requesting device, identifying profile information based on the information about the user, receiving a media recommendation request from the requesting device, the media recommendation request comprising seed information comprising information identifying a media item, determining at least one related media item based on at least the information identifying the media item and the profile information, and providing information identifying the at least one related media item to the requesting device.
US09552427B2	Suggesting media content based on an image capture A method and/or system for suggesting media content based on an image capture may include receiving, from an electronic device, a request for recommendations based on an image capture, wherein the request comprises data associated with the image capture. One or more search objects may be determined based on an analysis of the request. A particular user associated with the electronic device and one or more search interest associated with the particular user may be determined. One or more custom recommendations for the particular user may be determined based on the one or more search objects and/or based on the one or more search interests. Recommendation data comprising the one or more custom recommendations may be sent to the electronic device.
US09552422B2	System and method for detecting a search intent A method and system for detecting a search intent of a user are provided. The method includes receiving an input search query from a user device; tokenizing the input search query to at least one token to create at least one tokenized query; processing the at least one tokenized query by a plurality of engines, wherein each engine of the plurality of engines configured to compute a certainty score that indicates a probability that the at least one tokenized query is mapped to at least one entity, wherein each engine of the plurality of engines is further configured to correspond to at least one entity indicating a topic of interest, thereby the plurality of engines are configured with different entities; receiving from a set of engines of the plurality of engines their respective entities and computed certainty scores, wherein the set of engines output computed certainty scores above a predefined threshold; and analyzing the received certainty scores and the respective entities to determine the search intent.
US09552420B2	Feature engineering and user behavior analysis Systems and techniques are disclosed to rank documents by analyzing a query log generated by a search engine. The query log includes data relating to user behavior, queries and documents. The systems and techniques distill query log information into surrogate documents and extract features from these surrogate documents to rank the documents.
US09552417B2	System and method for multi-modal audio mining of telephone conversations A system and method for the automated monitoring of inmate telephone calls as well as multi-modal search, retrieval and playback capabilities for said calls. A general term for such capabilities is multi-modal audio mining. The invention is designed to provide an efficient means for organizations such as correctional facilities to identify and monitor the contents of telephone conversations and to provide evidence of possible inappropriate conduct and/or criminal activity of inmates by analyzing monitored telephone conversations for events, including, but not limited to, the addition of third parties, the discussion of particular topics, and the mention of certain entities.
US09552410B2	Document order management via relaxed node indexing An illustrative embodiment includes processing parse tree data. A parse tree data structure that is representative of a document object model (DOM) tree data structure is received. Concomitant to receiving the parse tree data structure, an assignment of index values for the DOM nodes consisting of distinct index values for each existing DOM node is received by the processor. Requests to manipulate the parse tree data structure that include node inserts and document order comparisons are also performed.
US09552408B2	Nearest neighbor clustering determination and estimation algorithm that hashes centroids into buckets and redistributes vectors between clusters Embodiments are described for determining and/or estimating a nearest neighbor to a data vector in a dataset are presented. Some embodiments redistribute data vectors between clusters based upon the character of the clusters to more evenly balance the computational load. Some embodiments employ Locality Sensitive Hashing (LSH) functions as part of the clustering and remove redundant data vectors from the data set to mitigate unbalanced computation. The disclosed embodiments may facilitate the analysis of very large and/or very high dimensional datasets with reasonable runtimes.
US09552406B2	Method and system for sandbox visibility A method for local data visibility is disclosed. The method includes detecting data items in a local data repository located in a local environment. In response to the detecting, a computer processor of the local environment collects metadata describing the data items in the local data repository. The metadata includes a project identifier. The metadata is then transmitted, separate from the data items, to a data manager of a database, where the database is accessible by multiple local environments. Accordingly, the data manager determines, based on the project identifier, a synchronization status of the data items in the local data repository, where the synchronization status represents a relationship between the data items in the local data repository and exploration and production data in the database. The data manager further generates, according to a pre-determined data management scheme, an alert based on the synchronization status.
US09552405B1	Methods and apparatus for recovery of complex assets in distributed information processing systems A distributed information processing system comprises first and second sites, which may comprise respective production and replica sites. A snapshot of a first portion of a complex asset is generated at the first site and sent to the second site, and a second portion of the complex asset is replicated at the second site. The complex asset includes one or more virtual machines provided by one or more hypervisors of a virtualization platform of the first site and at least one storage element surfaced through a storage platform of the first site, with the storage platform being external to the virtualization platform. Recovery of the complex asset is implemented at the second site utilizing, for example, a ghost complex asset preconfigured in accordance with current complex asset state information based on the snapshot of the first portion of the complex asset and the replicated second portion of the complex asset.
US09552399B1	Displaying information about distributed group discussions Techniques are described for analyzing user-supplied information, including to predict future aspects of additional information that will be supplied by users. The analyzed information may include distributed group discussions involving numerous users and occurring via user comments and other content items supplied to social networking site(s) and/or other computer-accessible sites. The techniques further include displaying information to users about analyzed and/or predicted information for one or more categories and/or topics or other attributes, to reflect corresponding constituent content items for those categories/topics/attributes for one or more time periods—the information display may further occur in a real-time or near-real-time manner with respect to corresponding events or activities to which the information corresponds (such as within seconds, minutes or hours), and may display information about total quantity of constituent content items, rate of change in total quantity, aggregate sentiment, etc.
US09552396B2	Prioritizing comments A method for prioritizing comments is disclosed. Some embodiments quantify comments by allowing other respondents to agree and identify priorities among comments left by others. In some embodiments, the method for prioritizing comments includes steps for selecting a set of comments, presenting the set of comments, and receiving one or more respondent-initiated responses to the set of comments. In some embodiments, the method further includes entering a starting set of comments into the pool of all comments prior to select the comments. In some embodiments, the method further includes receiving an input to add a comment and incorporating the new comments into the pool of all comments.
US09552392B2	Optimizing nested database queries that include windowing operations A nested database query can be optimized by effectively representing a filtering function or operation (e.g., SQL filtering operation) of its outer sub-query by a qualification or qualify operation (e.g., SQL qualification operation) associated with at least one windowing function of at least one of its inner sub-queries. It will be appreciated that this representation can yield a modified query that would be equivalent (e.g., semantically equivalent) to the original nested query as its execution can produce the same results when optimization rules are applied.
US09552389B2	Apparatus and method of semantic service correlation system A correlation-based service mediator consists of Semantic Query Generator, Service Query Manager, Service Invocation Flow Generator, Service Invocation Manager, Expression Interpreter and Service Invocation Result Cache. The Semantic Query Generator converts service request to Semantic Query based on input/output parameters in the service request. The Service Query Manager interfaces with an Ontology Engine, passing query results to Service Invocation Flow Generator, which creates service invocation flow definition based on passed query results. The Service Invocation Manager executes flow definitions. It also manages a service invocation result cache, so that invocation results can be saved and reused for later service request. When the execution results are not available in cache, the Service Invocation Manager invokes service according to flow definition. When attribute dependent functions are invoked Expression Interpreter compute the execution results. The service mediator possesses two major functionalities: service matching and service invocation.
US09552387B2	Security for debugging of database sessions A system includes reception of authorization information associated with one or more database server sessions of a first user, the authorization information associating the first user, a second user, and an authorization period, establishment of a first database server session of the first user, establishment of a second database server session of the second user, reception, from the second user, of a request to debug the first database server session, determination, based on the authorization information, that the second user is authorized to debug the first database server session, and, in response to the determination, attachment of the second database server session to the first database server session, and transmission of debugging information of the first database server session to the second user.
US09552385B2	Centralized peripheral access protection Implementations are disclosed for a centralized peripheral access controller (PAC) that is configured to protect one or more peripheral components in a system. In some implementations, the PAC stores data that can be set or cleared by software. The data corresponds to an output signal of the PAC that is routed to a corresponding peripheral component. When the data indicates that the peripheral is “unlocked” the PAC will allow write transfers to registers in the peripheral component. When the data indicates that the peripheral component is “locked” the PAC will refuse write transfers to registers in the peripheral component and terminate with an error.
US09552384B2	Apparatus and method for single pass entropy detection on data transfer Embodiments of the present invention include a memory unit and a processor coupled to a memory unit. The processor is operable to group a plurality of subsets of data from an input data stream and compute a first hash value corresponding to a first grouped subset of data. Additionally, the processor is operable to detect a match between the first hash value and a second hash value stored in a hash table. Furthermore, the processor is also configured to monitor a hash value match frequency for the input data stream in which the processor is operable to increment a counter value responsive to a detection of the match and determine an entropy level for the input data stream based on the counter value relative to a frequent hash value match threshold. The processor can generate an instruction to either initialize performance of a data compression operation when the counter value meets or exceeds the frequent hash value match threshold or refrain from the performance of the data compression operation when the counter value fails to meet the frequent hash value match threshold.
US09552383B2	Distributed database management system A distributed database management system provides a central database resident on a server that contains database objects. Objects, e.g., program guide data, to be replicated are gathered together into distribution packages called “slices,” that are transmitted to client devices. A slice is a subset of the central database which is relevant to clients within a specific domain, such as a geographic region, or under the footprint of a satellite transmitter. The viewer selects television programs and Web content from displayed sections of the program guide data which are recorded to a storage device. The program guide data are used to determine when to start and end recordings. Client devices periodically connect to the server using a phone line and upload information of interest which is combined with information uploaded from other client devices for statistical, operational, or viewing models.
US09552382B2	Reference counter integrity checking Disclosed is a method for checking the integrity of a reference counter for objects in a file system. A unique identifier can be associated with the reference referring to the object. A reference check can be associated with the object and set to a predefined initial value before any references referring to the object are added. When a new reference referring to the object is added, the reference counter is increased by one and the identifier associated with the new reference is added to the reference check. When an existing reference referring to the object is about to be removed, the reference counter is decreased by one and the identifier associated with the existing reference is subtracted from the reference check. If the reference check is not equal to the initial value when the reference counter is zero, then an error message is sent to the file system.
US09552379B2	Foreign key identification in database management systems Systems and methods for foreign key identification are described. The method includes computing a threshold value for each of a primary key-foreign key (PK-FK) pair of a super-set of PK-FK, and generating a sub-set of PK-FK pairs based on comparison of the threshold value and a predefined threshold value. The predefined threshold value is indicative of an acceptance criterion. Further, the method includes determining a conformance score for each of the PK-FK pair of the subset of PK-FK pairs. The conformance score is based on deviations between Cumulative Probability Distribution (CPD) values of PK and CPD of FK for each PK-FK pair. Further, the method includes comparing the conformance score of the each PK-FK pair of the sub-set of PK-FK pairs with a predetermined acceptability index. The predetermined acceptability index is indicative of an acceptance of at least one positive FK from the set of PK-FK pairs.
US09552376B2	Method and apparatus for managing digital files A computer-implemented method of associating digital tags with digital files comprises storing a plurality of digital files having embedded therein content data and metadata including tags; receiving, via a user interface device of a client device, a first tag label containing alphanumeric text created and inputted by a user of the client device; modifying, using a controller device, a selected first one of the tags of the metadata in a first of the digital files to include the first tag label; receiving, via the user interface device or another user interface device, an instruction to search for all of the digital files having at least the first tag label; responsive to receiving the instruction, automatically searching for all of the digital files having at least the first tag label; and displaying, on a video display device associated with the client device, a first indication of the first tag label.
US09552373B2	Method for performing face recognition in a radio access network The present invention relates to a method for performing face recognition in a telecommunication system (1) comprising a central repository (10) in which Face Recognition profiles attached to subscribers signed up for face recognition have been stored. The method comprises steps like: Detecting proximity between a subscriber (5) of the subscribers signed up for face recognition and an entity (6,8) involved with Face Recognition, said subscriber (5) being located within a cell coverage area (7); Migrating a Face Recognition profile attached to said subscriber, from the central repository (10) to a Network node (8) controlling the cell coverage area (7); Generating in the Network node, an extended synthetic gallery for the migrated Face Recognition profile.
US09552369B2	Document management systems and methods A system for managing files over a network comprises a first computer hosting managed folders and files and one or more second computers. The first computer comprises database management software, server software such as server pipe software, and a first unique token. The second computer comprises a software module adapted and configured to be integrated into application software, client software such as client pipe software, and a second unique token. The computers communicate in part using the server and client software to establish a secure session for file access and transfer between the first and second computers.
US09552367B2	System and method for network file system server replication using reverse path lookup The system and method described herein may use reverse path lookup to build mappings between file handles that represent network file system objects and full path names associated therewith and distinguish hard links between different file system objects having the same identifier with different parents or file names. The mappings and information distinguishing the hard links may then be cached to enable replicating changes to the file system. For example, a server may search the cached information using a file handle associated with a changed file system object to obtain the file name and full path name associated therewith. The server may then send the file name and full path name and metadata describing how the file system object was changed to a replica host, which may then replicate the change to the file system object.
US09552364B2	Portable content player, content storage device, and method of synchronizing content state lists between portable content player and content storage device A portable content player, a content storage device, and a method of synchronizing content between the portable content player and the content storage device, the method including: generating a first content state list for content stored in the content storage device and a second content state list for content stored in the portable content player; generating an execution list based on the first content state list and the second content state list; and matching the first content state list with the second content state list by executing a synchronization command included in the execution list on content selected to be synchronized. Accordingly, a user can automatically match the content state lists of the portable content player and the content storage device.
US09552361B2	Method and system for prefetching music for devices Methods and systems are presented for prefetching music for devices. The disclosed method includes detecting an access to a music library through a device. The music library is associated with a user music account and is managed in cloud music storage. The disclose method further includes monitoring use activities for the user music account and the use activities of selected songs in the music library are adjustable for relevance based on assigned weightings. One or more songs from the music library that satisfy a prefetching constraint based on the monitored use activities are identified. The songs that satisfy the prefetching constraint are tagged for transferring to the device. The tagged songs are transferred to the device without receiving a user initiated request for the tagged songs.
US09552360B2	Resource reconciliation based on external factors A method that includes a first record that relates to a first subject entity is received and a second record that relates to a second subject entity is received, where it is unknown whether the first subject entity is the same as the second subject entity. A comparison of a first external/non-key attribute value for the first subject entity to a second external/non-key attribute value for the second subject entity is performed. A probability value is calculated, at least in part, on a first external/non-key attribute value for the first subject entity to a second external/non-key attribute value for the second subject entity.
US09552358B2	Guiding a user to identified content in a document A method for identifying content in a document. The method includes determining that a user of a computing device has accessed one or more documents and determining a subject matter of the one or more documents. The method includes determining that the user has accessed at least one additional document. The method further includes searching the at least one additional document for the determined subject matter and responsive to finding the determined subject matter, identifying the found subject matter in the at least one additional document.
US09552355B2	Dynamic bi-phrases for statistical machine translation A system and a method for phrase-based translation are disclosed. The method includes receiving source language text to be translated into target language text. One or more dynamic bi-phrases are generated, based on the source text and the application of one or more rules, which may be based on user descriptions. A dynamic feature value is associated with each of the dynamic bi-phrases. For a sentence of the source text, static bi-phrases are retrieved from a bi-phrase table, each of the static bi-phrases being associated with one or more values of static features. Any of the dynamic bi-phrases which each cover at least one word of the source text are also retrieved, which together form a set of active bi-phrases. Translation hypotheses are generated using active bi-phrases from the set and scored with a translation scoring model which takes into account the static and dynamic feature values of the bi-phrases used in the respective hypothesis. A translation, based on the hypothesis scores, is then output.
US09552354B1	Method and apparatus for cross-lingual communication A system and method for a highly interactive style of speech-to-speech translation is provided. The interactive procedures enable a user to recognize, and if necessary correct, errors in both speech recognition and translation, thus providing robust translation output than would otherwise be possible. The interactive techniques for monitoring and correcting word ambiguity errors during automatic translation, search, or other natural language processing tasks depend upon the correlation of Meaning Cues and their alignment with, or mapping into, the word senses of third party lexical resources, such as those of a machine translation or search lexicon. This correlation and mapping can be carried out through the creation and use of a database of Meaning Cues, i.e., SELECT. Embodiments described above permit the intelligent building and application of this database, which can be viewed as an interlingua, or language-neutral set of meaning symbols, applicable for many purposes. Innovative techniques for interactive correction of server-based speech recognition are also described.
US09552340B2	Method and computer-readable media for comparing electronic documents A computer program and computer-implemented method for assisting a use in selecting versions of a document to be compared and reviewed. The method may include storing a plurality of documents in a database and creating comparison documents that each depicts differences between different pairs of the documents. The method may also include selecting one of the documents to be a current document, then displaying comparison data for assisting the user in selecting one of the documents as a base document. The comparison data may include keyword search results and marked differences between user-selected sections of the documents as extracted from the comparison documents. Based on the comparison data, the user may select one of the documents in the database to be the base document. Finally, the method may include opening and displaying a specific one of the comparison documents associated with the current document and the base documents.
US09552339B1	Method and apparatus of processing data displayed on a mobile station interface based on user preferences A method and apparatus of modifying user content data on a mobile station are disclosed. One example method of displaying customized content data on a mobile station may include receiving the content data at the mobile station, and modifying the content data based on predefined viewing preferences of the user. The modified content may then be displayed on a display interface of the mobile station allowing the user to view the content based on their specified preferences.
US09552337B2	Workflow automation at a multifunction printer via a composite document A composite document comprises a publicly posted composite document including a plurality of parts, a map-file for each participant in a workflow associated with the composite document, and a set of encryption keys. The encryption keys are associated with at least one of the plurality of parts and distributed via the map file to the participants. At least one of the parts of the composite document, associated with the encryption keys, includes workflow processing instructions. The workflow processing instructions are enactable by the multifunction printer independent of a server and automate at east some steps of the workflow for participant at the multifunction printer via resident functions of the multifunction printer.
US09552335B2	Expedited techniques for generating string manipulation programs A program creation system is described which generates sets of subprograms for respective input-output examples. The program creation system then groups the sets into partitions by performing an intersection operation. According to one aspect, the program creation system generates subprograms so as to exclude tokens that are not represented by the input strings of the input-output examples. According to another aspect, the program creation system first generates the subprograms without attempting to generate loop-type expressions. If this operation produces unsatisfactory results, the program creation system repeats its processing, this time including loop-type expressions. According to another aspect, the program creation system performs the grouping operation using an expedited graph-intersection operation. According to another aspect, the program creation system ranks programs (which are created based on the results of the grouping operation) based on the presence of preferred features found in the programs.
US09552330B2	Indicating a page number of an active document page within a document Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for indicating a page number of an active document page within a document are provided. Embodiments include detecting, by a presentation controller, activation of a document page on a presentation device; in response to detecting the activation of the document page on the presentation device, tracking, by the presentation controller, an amount of time that the document page is consecutively active on the presentation device; determining, by the presentation controller, that the amount of time that the document page is consecutively active on the presentation device exceeds a predetermined threshold; and in response to determining that the predetermined threshold has been exceeded, providing to a target source, by the presentation controller, an output indicating a page number of the document page while the document page is active on the presentation device.
US09552329B2	Correction arithmetic circuit and a signal processor A correction arithmetic circuit disclosed herein includes an offset temperature characteristic correction unit that corrects an offset temperature characteristic of an input signal according to an input signal characteristic at a specific temperature and a temperature characteristic at a specific input signal. A signal processor disclosed herein includes a pulse count number setting circuit that generates a pulse count number setting signal in accordance with an input signal and a pulse generation unit that generates a pulse signal by counting a pulse number of a reference clock signal according to the pulse count number setting signal. The pulse count number setting circuit corrects the pulse count number setting signal so as to cancel a frequency temperature characteristic of the pulse signal.
US09552328B2	Reconfigurable integrated circuit device A reconfigurable integrated circuit device includes plural processing elements each including an arithmetic circuit, and being configured in any computing state based on the configuration data; and an inter-processing element network which connects the processing elements in any state based on the configuration data. And the processing element inputs an input valid signal and an input data signal, and outputs an output valid signal and an output data signal, and includes an input data holding register, an arithmetic processing circuit, and an output data holding register which holds the computing result data, and when the configuration is updated by configuration data which makes a hold mode valid, regardless of the input valid signal, valid or invalid, the input data holding register holds the input data signal upon the update and the arithmetic processing circuit performs computing processing on the input data signal held in the input data holding register.
US09552327B2	Memory controller for a network on a chip device Systems and methods may be provided to support memory access by packet communication and/or direct memory access. In one aspect, a memory controller may be provided for a processing device containing a plurality of computing resources. The memory controller may comprise a first interface to be coupled to a router. The first interface may be configured to transmit and receive packets. Each packet may comprise a header that may contain a routable address and a packet opcode specifying an operation to be performed in accordance with a network protocol. The memory controller may further comprise a memory bus port coupled to a plurality of memory slots that are configured to receive memory banks to form a memory and a controller core coupled to the first interface. The controller core may be configured to decode a packet received at the first interface and perform an operation specified in the received packet.
US09552326B2	Cache system and cache service providing method using network switch A cache system configured to provide a cache service includes a network switch and a cache device. The network switch is configured to route data associated with a plurality of servers. The cache device is disposed in association with the network switch. The cache device is configured to cache, in at least one memory available to the network switch, data published by the plurality of servers via the network switch. The cache device is also configured to transmit at least some of the cached data in response to a request received from at least one of the plurality of servers. The network switch provides the cache service via the cache device.
US09552323B1	High-speed peripheral component interconnect (PCIe) input-output devices with receive buffer management circuitry Interface circuitry is provided to control the flow of data transmitted over a high-speed serial link. The interface circuitry may receive data over a high-speed serial link and store the received data in a receive buffer. The receive buffer may be connected to an additional buffer in an application layer module. The application layer module may produce credits based on the processing capacity of the additional buffer and send those credits to the interface circuitry. The interface circuitry may then send these credits over the high speed link.
US09552318B2	Removable memory card type detection systems and methods Removable memory card type detection systems and methods are disclosed. In one aspect, a removable memory card is inserted into a receptacle of a host. The host determines a type of removable memory card based upon either electrical or physical properties of the removable memory card. In this manner, if the host detects that the removable memory card possesses certain electrical or physical properties associated with a microSD card, the host determines that the removable memory card is a microSD type card. If the host detects that the removable memory card possesses certain electrical or physical properties associated with a UFS card, the host determines that the removable memory card is a UFS type card. By determining the card type based on detection of certain electrical or physical properties, aspects disclosed herein are able to distinguish between UFS and microSD cards without requiring an additional pin or card initialization time.
US09552317B2	Apparatus and method for operating and switching a single conductor interface This application discusses, among other things, communication apparatus and methods, and more particularly, a single conductor or single wire communication scheme. In an example, a method for communicating between a master device and a slave device using a first single conductor can include transmitting a first ping on the first single conductor using a master device, the first single conductor configured to couple the master device to a slave device, receiving a slave ping on the first single conductor at the master device during a ping interval, toggling a logic level of the first single conductor prior to sending a first data packet using pulses having a duration of less than one half of a unit interval, such as a unit interval associated with a bit interval.
US09552315B2	Determining addresses of electrical components arranged in a daisy chain In one aspect, a system includes electrical components arranged in a daisy chain that include a first electrical component disposed at a first end of the daisy chain and a second electrical component disposed at an opposite end of the daisy chain than the first end. Each of the first and second electrical components includes an input port, an output port and a common port. The input port of the first electrical component is coupled to one of a supply voltage port or ground and the common ports of the first and second electrical components are coupled to the other one of the supply voltage or the ground. An address of the second electrical component is determined before addresses of the other of the electrical components are determined, and the addresses determine a position of an electrical component with respect to the other of the electrical components.
US09552310B2	Signal control circuit, information processing apparatus, and signal control method An EVEN component selecting unit and an ODD component selecting unit acquire a first signal from a DQ signal based on a rising edge of a DQS signal and a second signal from the DQ signal based on a falling edge of the DQS signal. Variable delay adding units give the first signal a first delay based on a phase difference between an internal clock signal and the rising edge of the DQS signal and give the second signal a second delay based on a phase difference between the internal clock signal and the falling edge of the DQS signal. Data capturing units capture, based on the internal clock signal, data from the first signal to which the first delay is given and the second signal to which the second delay is given.
US09552307B2	Information processing apparatus and computer program product According to an embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes a secure OS, a non-secure OS, and a monitor. The monitor is configured to switch between the OSs. The secure OS includes a memory protection setting controller, a processing determination controller, and a secure device access controller. The memory protection setting controller is configured to set a protection address in a memory for each certain processing. The processing determination controller is configured to receive an access type, a physical address of an access destination, and data to be written, acquire a list of processing, and determine a type of processing to be performed. The secure device access controller is configured to receive the access type, the physical address of an access destination, and data to be written, and access a peripheral identified by the physical address.
US09552304B2	Maintaining command order of address translation cache misses and subsequent hits A computer-implemented method includes storing commands and maintaining an order of receipt of the commands in a command processing unit. The commands include address translation cache miss commands that are organized as one or more linked lists and stored in a content-addressable memory (CAM). All nodes within a single linked list include commands having addresses that map to the same hash value. Based on receiving a memory fetch completion indicator for a cache entry for a command in a head node in a linked list, all of the commands in the linked list are returned. The returning includes sending the commands in the linked list to an address translation unit in an order specified by the linked list.
US09552296B2	Verifying shared memory integrity A method, a system and a computer program product including instructions for verification of the integrity of a shared memory using in line coding is provided. It involves an active step wherein multiple bus masters write a corresponding data to a shared memory. After that it also includes a verification step where data entered in the shared memory by multiple bus masters is verified.
US09552289B1	Bitwise addressing of entries in a forward lookup table A logical address is received that references data stored at a physical address of a non-volatile memory. From the logical address, one or more words of a forward table in random access memory are received. The one or more words encompass the physical address. A bit address within the one or more words is also received. The bit address is not aligned with boundaries of the one or more words. The logical address is forward mapped to the physical address utilizing the one or more words and the bit address.
US09552286B2	Information processing apparatus and installation method The installation of multiple applications by an installer is executed in a mode that does not display an error message in a display device. Upon an installation performed by the installer ending, the result of the installation performed by the installer is determined. As a result of the determination, an installer that failed at the installation is caused to re-execute the installation of the application whose installation failed in a mode that displays an error message in the display device. As a result of the re-execution, an error message is displayed in the display device by the installer that failed at the installation.
US09552285B2	Micro-execution for software testing Micro-execution is the ability to run any code segment in isolation. Implementations for micro-execution of code segments are described. A test engine determines an effective address of a memory operation of an instruction of an executable program. The test engine determines, prior to performing the memory operation and based on a memory policy, that the effective address is to be replaced with a replacement address. Based on determining that the effective address is to be replaced, the test engine allocates the replacement address and executes the instruction based on the allocated replacement address.
US09552284B2	Determining valid inputs for an unknown binary program A method to determine valid input sequences for an unknown binary program is provided. The method includes obtaining multiple input sequences, which each include two or more different inputs, for an unknown binary program. The inputs for the input sequences may be valid inputs for the unknown binary program. The method may further include executing an instrumented version of the unknown binary program separately for each input sequence. For each execution of the instrumented version of the unknown binary program, a set of execution traces may be generated by recording execution traces generated by the execution of the instrumented version of the unknown binary program. The method may further include comparing the sets of execution traces and determining which of the input sequences the unknown binary program accepts as valid based on the comparison of the sets of execution traces.
US09552282B2	Module interrogation Module interrogation techniques are described in which modules configured to rely upon one or more operating system features are interrogated to determine which features are used and by which modules. A module is loaded that is configured to interact with a plurality of features provided by an operating system. Using one or more redirection techniques, calls made by the module to access features of the operating system are redirected to alternate functionality. Based on the redirection, data is generated to indicate the features of the operating system that are used by the module. The techniques may be performed for each of a plurality of modules to populate a database that relates features of the operating system to the plurality of modules.
US09552274B2	Enhancements to logging of a computer program Techniques are described for providing recommendations to enhance the logging code in a computer program. In particular, the methods described herein can identify source code locations which lack log printing statements or contain noisy log printing statements. The methods analyze static call graph of the source code, the corresponding commit and bug history, and propose recommendations to enhance logging. The logging behavior in methods whose log printing statements have been significantly modified can be considered to be ideal. The analysis discovers such methods and quantifies their logging behavior. It then compares this logging behavior with the logging behavior of highly critical and/or less critical methods to generate logging enhancement recommendations.
US09552271B1	Enhanced dispatch for integrated modular avionics solutions system and related method A system and method for enhanced dispatch of an operationally critical system is disclosed. The method receives a minimum equipment list associated with the system including a plurality of dispatch critical applications with at least one dispatch critical application instance. A rules set determines a plurality of schedules of the dispatch critical application instances in compliance with the minimum equipment list, each schedule associates a specific processing resource with a specific dispatch critical application instance. A monitor tracks the availability of each dispatch critical application instance and, should one or more instanced become unavailable, the method implements an alternate schedule of dispatch critical application instances in accordance with the rules set and the minimum equipment list.
US09552270B2	System and method for receiving analysis requests and configuring analytics systems A method for analyzing data is disclosed that includes receiving an analysis request to analyze selected data corresponding to one or more monitored assets, wherein the analysis request includes one or more parameters corresponding to performance categories of computing resources for processing the analysis request, the performance categories include at least one of a time for processing the analysis request or a cost for processing the analysis request; determining a computing resource allocation plan for processing the analysis request based on the one or more parameters; and processing the analysis request using the determined computing resource allocation plan to provide analysis results. Also disclosed is an analytic router that includes a mapper, an estimator, an optimizer, and a resource provisioner.
US09552268B2	Testing device and a test method with zoom display A testing device (10) comprises a storage unit (13), a display unit (11) and a control unit (12). The storage unit (13) is embodied to store messages of at least one test performed on at least one device under test. The control unit (12) is embodied to read in at least one part of the messages, to add them to a selection and to display at least an excerpt of the selection in a view on the display unit (11). The control unit (12) provides a zoom device (16), which, in the selection of messages, controlled by a user by means of an operating device (14), is configured to increase a number of contained messages in the case of a first user entry, and/or to reduce a number of contained messages in the case of a second user entry.
US09552263B2	System, apparatus, and method to dynamically change system recoveries based on system load A method for dynamically changing system recovery actions based on system load. The method includes measuring a value of a workload characteristic of a computer system over a period of time, detecting an error in the computer system, determining a workload level of the computer system, and selecting a set of error recovery actions in response to the system workload analysis module determining the workload level of the computer system. A workload characteristic defines a type of work performed by the computer system. A workload level can be based on user defined parameters or a measurement of the value of one or more workload characteristics.
US09552259B1	Dynamic provisioning of snapshots A method and system are provided for dynamic provisioning of snapshots in a data backup system with a software defined storage (SDS). The method implemented by the backup system receives a snapshot provisioning request including a user selection of snapshot objectives by a dynamic snapshot module, converts a file system reference mapping to a logical unit number (LUN) of the SDS, consolidates the snapshot provisioning request to the mapping and snapshot frequency, and passes the consolidated snapshot provisioning request to the SDS to provision snapshots.
US09552257B2	Memory cell coupling compensation Methods for memory cell coupling compensation and apparatuses configured to perform the same are described. One or more methods for memory cell coupling compensation includes determining a state of a memory cell using a voltage that is changed in accordance with a first memory cell coupling compensation voltage, performing an error check on the state of the memory cell, and determining the state of the memory cell using a voltage that is changed in accordance with a second memory cell coupling compensation voltage in response to the error check failing.
US09552255B2	Memory device with parallel odd and even column access and methods thereof A memory device includes: a plurality of first lines; a plurality of second lines; a plurality of bank groups each including a predetermined number of banks; and a column signal transmission unit suitable for transmitting one or more column command signals and one or more column address signals to the bank groups through the first lines based on an odd-numbered column command, and transmitting the column command signals and the column address signals to the bank groups through the second lines based on an even-numbered column command.
US09552246B2	Out-of-band monitoring and managing of self-service terminals (SSTs) A portable memory device is interfaced to a SST and authenticated; a system application on the SST writes diagnostic data to the device. The portable memory device is subsequently interfaced to an enterprise system and the diagnostic data is pulled to the enterprise system for analysis. In an embodiment, the enterprise system pushes informational data regarding maintenance and support to the portable device when the portable device is subsequently interfaced to the SST; the informational data is pushed to the SST for presentation and viewing by a service engineer.
US09552245B1	Resolving errors that arise while accessing online user accounts The disclosed embodiments provide a system that manages access to an online user account. During operation, the system uses stored authentication credentials for a user to access the online user account of the user. Next, the system aggregates financial data for the user from the online user account. Upon detecting an error associated with aggregating the financial data, the system obtains error information describing the error from a web page associated with the error. Next, when the user subsequently accesses the aggregated financial data, the system displays the error information to the user to facilitate resolution of the error by the user.
US09552244B2	Real time correction of bit failure in resistive memory Systems and methods for correcting bit failures in a resistive memory device include dividing the memory device into a first memory bank and a second memory bank. A first single bit repair (SBR) array is stored in the second memory bank, wherein the first SBR array is configured to store a first indication of a failure in a first failed bit in a first row of the first memory bank. The first memory bank and the first SBR array are configured to be accessed in parallel during a memory access operation. Similarly, a second SBR array stored in the first memory bank can store indications of failures of bits in the second memory bank, wherein the second SBR array and the second memory bank can be accessed in parallel. Thus, bit failures in the first and second memory banks can be corrected in real time.
US09552242B1	Log-structured distributed storage using a single log sequence number space A distributed database system may implement log-structured distributed storage using a single log sequence number space. A log for a data volume may be maintained in a log-structured distributed storage system. The log may be segmented across multiple protection groups according to a partitioning of user data for the data volume. Updates to the log may be assigned a log sequence number from a log sequence number space for the data volume. A protection group may be determined for an update according to which partition of user data space the update pertains. Metadata to be included with the log record may indicate a previous log sequence number of a log record maintained at the protection group. The log record may be sent to the protection group and identified as committed based on acknowledgments received from storage nodes implementing the protection group.
US09552241B2	Information processing apparatus, method of information processing, and recording medium having stored therein program for information processing An information processing apparatus includes: processors each having a memories and a memory controller that controls the memories; a normality checker that checks whether the processors operate normally when started; a failure detector that finds any failed processor from a result of the check; a fallback unit that falls back a failed processor if any; a redundancy determiner that determines whether the memories are used in a redundancy configuration; a redundancy cancellation determiner that determines, when the memories are determined to be used in the redundant configuration, whether the redundancy configuration of the memories is to be cancelled; and a redundancy canceller that cancels, when the redundancy configuration of the memories is to be cancelled, the redundancy configuration of the memories in at least one processor operating normally.
US09552236B2	Tasks—RCU detection of tickless user mode execution as a quiescent state A TASKS_RCU grace period is detected whose quiescent states comprise a task undergoing a voluntary context switch, a task running in user mode, and a task running in idle-mode. A list of all runnable tasks is built. The runnable task list is scanned in one or more scan passes. Each scan pass through the runnable task list searches to identify tasks that have passed through a quiescent state by either performing a voluntary context switch, running in user mode, or running in idle-mode. If found, such quiescent state tasks are removed from the runnable task list. Searching performed during a scan pass includes identifying quiescent state tickless user mode tasks that have been running continuously in user mode on tickless CPUs that have not received a scheduling clock interrupt since commencement of the TASKS_RCU grace period. If the runnable task list is empty, the TASKS_RCU grace period is ended.
US09552233B1	Virtual machine migration using free page hinting Systems and methods are disclosed for migrating a virtual machine from a source hypervisor to a destination hypervisor. An example method of migrating a virtual machine from a source hypervisor to a destination hypervisor includes receiving, by a source hypervisor running a virtual machine, an indication to migrate the virtual machine to a destination hypervisor. A guest runs on the virtual machine and is allocated guest memory. The method also includes reading, by the source hypervisor, a free value indicating whether a memory page in the guest memory is active. The method further includes transmitting the memory page to the destination hypervisor if the free value indicates that the memory page is active. The method also includes determining to not transmit the memory page to the destination hypervisor if the free value indicates that the memory page is inactive.
US09552227B2	System and method for context-aware adaptive computing The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for context-aware adaptive computing. In one embodiment, the present disclosure includes a method comprising receiving a request at a first information handling system (IHS) to perform an application computation. The method also includes determining a user's context, the user operating the first IHS, and ascertaining a battery state of the first IHS. The method further includes allocating the application computation between the first IHS and a second IHS based at least on the user's context and the battery state of the first IHS. The present disclosure also includes associated systems and apparatuses.
US09552226B1	Predictive order status system and method for computing environment A predictive order status system includes one or more processors to receive a request for a current order status of an order for a computing environment, the order having at least one task representing a segment of an order process for completing the order and the request associated with a unique order identifier, determine the current order status for the order for the computing environment, the current order status comprising a simulated percentage value that is based on an amount of elapsed time since the order was placed divided by a total order process time to complete the order, determine an exception status for the order for the computing environment, the exception status being one of on track to be completed within the total order process time to complete the order, possibly at risk for being completed within the total order process time to complete the order, and at risk for being completed within the total order process time, and send a graphical user interface representation of the current order status and the exception status.
US09552223B2	Post-return asynchronous code execution A method, system, and computer program product for the prioritization of code execution. The method includes accessing a thread in a context containing a set of code instances stored in memory; identifying sections of the set of code instances that correspond to deferrable code tasks; executing the thread in the context; determining that the thread is idle; and executing at least one of the deferrable code tasks. The deferrable code task is executed within the context and in response to determining that the thread is idle.
US09552220B2	Method and apparatus of accessing data of virtual machine A methods and device for accessing virtual machine (VM) data are described. A computing device for accessing virtual machine comprises an access request process module, a data transfer proxy module and a virtual disk. The access request process module receives a data access request sent by a VM and adds the data access request to a request array. The data transfer proxy module obtains the data access request from the request array, maps the obtained data access request to a corresponding virtual storage unit, and maps the virtual storage unit to a corresponding physical storage unit of a distributed storage system. A corresponding data access operation may be performed based on a type of the data access request.
US09552215B2	Method and system for transferring a virtual machine A virtual machine management system is used to instantiate, wake, move, sleep, and destroy individual operating environments in a cloud or cluster. In various embodiments, there is a method and system for transferring an operating environment from a first host to a second host. The first host contains an active environment, with a disk and memory. The disk is snapshotted while the operating environment on the first host is still live, and the snapshot is transferred to the second host. After the initial snapshot is transferred, a differential update using rsync or a similar mechanism can be used to transfer just the changes from the snapshot from the first to the second host. In a further embodiment, the contents of the memory are also transferred. This memory can be transferred as a snapshot after pausing the active environment, or by synchronizing the memory spaces between the two hosts.
US09552213B2	Systems and methods for facilitating software interface localization between multiple languages In one aspect, there is provided a system having a processor and a data storage device coupled to the processor. The data storage device stores instructions executable by the processor to receive a software module, the software module having an interface adapted to display a plurality of first graphemes in a first language, provide at least one look-up table having at least some of the first graphemes and a plurality of second graphemes in a second language associated therewith, said association being based on a phonetic similarly between the first and second graphemes when the first graphemes are vocalized in the first language and the second graphemes are vocalized in the second language, and replace at least one of the first graphemes in the interface with the associated second graphemes such that the interface is adapted to display the second graphemes in the second language, the second graphemes being understandable in the first language when the second graphemes are vocalized.
US09552211B1	Method for performing hot-swap of a storage device in a virtualization environment Performing a hot-swap of a storage device for a node in a virtualization environment having a plurality of storage devices, includes performing pass-thru of a storage manager managing the plurality of storage devices to a service virtual machine, such that the service virtual machine communicates with the plurality of storage devices without going through a storage software layer of its corresponding hypervisor, booting the hypervisor from a device other than the plurality of storage devices and performing the hot-swap of the storage device.
US09552209B2	Functional unit for instruction execution pipeline capable of shifting different chunks of a packed data operand by different amounts A method is described that includes fetching an instruction. The method further includes decoding the instruction. The instruction specifies an operation, a first operand and a second operand. The method further includes fetching the first and second operands of the instruction. The first and second operands are each composed of a plurality of larger chunks having constituent elements. The method further includes performing the operation specified by the instruction including generating a resultant composed of a plurality of larger chunks having constituent elements. The generating of the resultant includes selecting for each element in the resultant a contiguous group of bits from a same positioned chunk of the first operand as the chunk of the element in the resultant, the contiguous group of bits being identified by a same positioned element of the second operand as the element in the resultant.
US09552207B2	Method and apparatus for performance efficient ISA virtualization using dynamic partial binary translation Methods, apparatus and systems for virtualization of a native instruction set are disclosed. Embodiments include a processor core executing the native instructions and a second core, or alternatively only the second processor core consuming less power while executing a second instruction set that excludes portions of the native instruction set. The second core's decoder detects invalid opcodes of the second instruction set. A microcode layer disassembler determines if opcodes should be translated. A translation runtime environment identifies an executable region containing an invalid opcode, other invalid opcodes and interjacent valid opcodes of the second instruction set. An analysis unit determines an initial machine state prior to execution of the invalid opcode. A partial translation of the executable region that includes encapsulations of the translations of invalid opcodes and state recoveries of the machine states is generated and saved to a translation cache memory.
US09552203B1	Configuration dependency manager for configurable applications In one embodiment, during runtime use of a configurable application that is used by multiple service requesters, a configuration dependency manager is integrated in the configurable application to check a set of features for one of the service requesters. The method receives a service requester configuration for the set of features. A configuration dependency manager determines a set of dependencies for the set of features that have been configured by the service requester configuration and determines a developer's configuration for a plurality of features for the configurable application. Then, the configuration dependency manager analyzes the set of dependencies with corresponding dependencies in the developer's configuration to determine when an issue exists with the service requester configuration and provides a visualization of the set of features based on the analyzing the set of dependencies, wherein the issue is shown on the visualization.
US09552194B2	System and method for creating a graphical user interface within a manufacturing execution system A graphical user interface for a manufacturing execution system (MES) wherein a client application builder tool (CAB) enables a user to display MES screens and customize MES applications and/or proprietary applications. A MES database contains required data stemming from a production process to be displayed on the MES screens. Specification data are determined in a configuration file with a meta-data fixed structure enabling the generation of a configuration interface. A dynamically built and WEB-technology based GUI configuration tool is executed, calling the specification data and offering the user the configuration interface within the GUI configuration tool to create the GUI according to the specification data. The configuration interface is generated by using the meta-data fixed structure. The graphical user interface is created according to data entries made to the configuration interface. The data from the MES database are filled into the respective data fields, creating the MES screens.
US09552192B2	Context-based generation of memory layouts in software programs The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates execution of a software program. During operation, the system determines a structure of a software program and an execution context for the software program from a set of possible execution contexts for the software program. Next, the system generates memory layouts for a set of object instances in the software program at least in part by applying the execution context to the structure independently of a local execution context on the computer system. The system then stores the memory layouts in association with the software program.
US09552183B2	Methods and systems for performing queue-based assignment of print jobs in a multi-site print production environment A system for performing queue-based routing of print jobs in a multi-site print production environment may include an electronic dispatch system having a scheduling queue, at least one processor and a computer-readable storage medium. The computer-readable storage medium may include programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to receive print jobs from client computing devices, identify one or more print shops, select a set of print jobs from the scheduling queue that are to be assigned to the print shops for completion, generate a feasibility matrix for the selected print jobs, determine a preliminary assignment of the selected print jobs to the identified print shops using a set cover heuristic, use a linear programming heuristic to determine a final assignment of the selected print jobs to the identified print shops, and route each of the selected print jobs to an assigned print shop as specified by the final assignment.
US09552177B2	Image forming system, data processing apparatus, image forming apparatus, recording medium and display method When an image formation instruction for created document data is received, image data for a preview image corresponding to the document data is generated, the preview image based on the image data is displayed on a display, and an image is formed using data for image formation based on the image data for the preview image.
US09552176B2	Block storage using a hybrid memory device Techniques for block storage using a hybrid memory device are described. In at least some embodiments, a hybrid memory device includes a volatile memory portion, such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM). The hybrid memory device further includes non-volatile memory portion, such as flash memory. In at least some embodiments, the hybrid memory device can be embodied as a non-volatile dual in-line memory module, or NVDIMM. Techniques discussed herein employ various functionalities to enable the hybrid memory device to be exposed to various entities as an available block storage device.
US09552170B2	Memory managing apparatus and image processing apparatus The memory area managing unit 22 (a) sets a protect flag to each virtual area allocated in a virtual memory space, the protect flag indicating whether a use of the virtual area has been finished or not, and (b) when a part or all of a first virtual area would overlap another second virtual area due to expansion or movement of the first virtual area, allows the expansion or the movement of the first virtual area accompanying with overlapping the second virtual area, if the protect flag of the second virtual area indicates that a use of the second virtual area has been finished. If the expansion or the movement is allowed, the memory pool managing unit 23 adds a physical area in a physical memory space corresponding to an overlapping part of the first and second virtual areas into a memory pool to map to another virtual area.
US09552166B2	Process and apparatus to reduce declared capacity of a storage device by deleting data Systems, methods and/or devices are used to reduce declared capacity of non-volatile memory of a storage device in a storage system. In one aspect, the method includes, detecting an amelioration trigger for reducing declared capacity of non-volatile memory of a storage device of the storage system, and in accordance with the detected amelioration trigger, performing an amelioration process to reduce declared capacity of the non-volatile memory of the storage device, the performing including: deleting from the storage device discardable data that is used by a host, and reducing declared capacity of the non-volatile memory of the storage device. In some embodiments, the storage device includes one or more flash memory devices. In some embodiments, the detecting, the performing, or both are performed by the storage device, or by one or more subsystems of the storage system distinct from the storage device, or by the host.
US09552163B1	Systems and methods for providing non-power-of-two flash cell mapping Systems, methods, and computer programs are disclosed for providing compressed data storage using non-power-of-two flash cell mapping. One embodiment of a method comprises receiving one or more compressed logical pages to be stored in a NAND flash memory. Binary data in the one or more logical pages is transformed to a quinary representation. The quinary representation comprises a plurality of quinary bits. A binary representation of each of the plurality of quinary bits is transmitted to the NAND flash memory. The binary representation of each of the plurality of quinary bits is converted to a quinary voltage for a corresponding cell in a physical page in the NAND flash memory.
US09552161B2	Repetitive data block deleting system and method An analysis device obtains hash lists from databases of a server cluster. The analysis device determines repetitive hash values and repetitive data blocks. The analysis device deletes the repetitive data blocks from servers of the server cluster.
US09552156B2	Method for operating soft keyboard of touching device and the same touching device A method for operating a soft keyboard of a touch device is disclosed, the touch device including a touch screen and a processor, the touch screen being coupled to the processor, and the method including: the processor determining a touch signal generated from a single touch point applied onto a trigger region for the soft keyboard; the processor determining a drag signal generated through move of the single touch point from inside of the trigger region to outside of the trigger region; the processor determining a starting point and an end point of the drag signal, to generate a soft keyboard display signal; and displaying the soft keyboard on the touch screen according to the soft keyboard display signal.
US09552155B2	Dynamic soft keyboard In accordance with one or more aspects of a dynamic soft keyboard, a user input is received via a soft keyboard having multiple keys. Information describing a current input environment for the soft keyboard is obtained, and a determination is made as to which one or more keys of the multiple keys was intended to be selected by the user input. This determination is made based at least in part on the current input environment.
US09552153B2	Ultrasound apparatus and method of inputting information into the same Provided are an ultrasound apparatus and a method of inputting information into the ultrasound apparatus. The method includes receiving a selection of a control item of the ultrasound apparatus from a user via a control area included in the user input unit; displaying a control window for displaying the selected control item on a screen; adjusting a configuration value of the selected control item based on a touch operation of a touch input which is received via the control area.
US09552151B2	Information processing apparatus and storage medium There is provided an information processing apparatus including an operation recognition unit configured to recognize a drag start area in a first application and a droppable area in a second application, the drag start area being an area where an drag operation is started, and the second application being different from the first application, a paste content processing unit configured to analyze attributes of the drag start area and the droppable area, and to determine a paste content in response to a comparison result between the respective attributes, and a paste execution unit configured to paste the paste content determined by the paste content processing unit, in the droppable area, when the operation recognition unit recognizes a drop operation in the droppable area.
US09552148B2	Display device mounted on steering wheel of vehicle and control method thereof A display device installed on a steering wheel of a vehicle. The display device includes a display configured to display a GUI (Graphic User Interface) having an indicator indicating a rotation of the steering wheel; a sensing unit configured to sense whether or not the steering wheel is rotated; and a controller configured to rotate the displayed GUI in an opposite direction of a rotation direction of the steering wheel, when the steering wheel is rotated, and change a gauge of the indicator according to an amount of the rotation of the steering wheel.
US09552147B2	Hierarchical user interface In one embodiment, one or more components of a user interface are arranged in a hierarchy of layers. The user interface is presented according to the structure of the hierarchy, with one or more first components from a first layer floating on top of a second component from a second layer beneath the first layer. The first components are children of the second components. A user may interact with components uniformly, meaning that each specific user interaction applied to each component results in similar response from each component.
US09552145B2	System and method for planning tasks based on a graphical representation of time A method for planning a task based on a graphical representation of time is provided. The method includes (i) displaying at a display unit a first graphical representation of time at a first magnification level, (ii) processing a first input including a gesture on the first graphical representation of time, and (iii) displaying, at the display unit, a second graphical representation of time of a different shape at a second magnification level based on the gesture, (iv) processing a second input including a gesture on the second graphical representation of time to select a third duration from the second graphical representation of time, (v) processing a third input including content associated with the task, and (vi) generating the task associated with the third duration. The first graphical representation of time represents a first duration, and the second graphical representation of time represents a second duration.
US09552144B2	Item preview with aggregation to a list A server machine manages and presents a user interface. The user interface presents search results, and the server machine receives a cursor input that corresponds to a particular search result. The particular search result references an item available for purchase, and the item is described by descriptors. Responsive to the cursor input, the user interface presents a preview window that contains a descriptor not shown in the particular search result. The server machine receives a further cursor input that indicates the item is to be included in a list of items. Responsive to the further cursor input, the user interface presents a list of items as including an icon that references the item. The icon indicates that the item is included in the list of items.
US09552142B2	Systems and methods for displaying file and folder information to a user A system for displaying the listings of files and/or folders in one of a plurality of different views (e.g., gallery view or list view). In particular embodiments, the system determines which of the views to display in the listings in based on: (1) the types of files to be displayed; (2) a specified preference of a content sharer; and/or (3) a specified preference of a content recipient. Various embodiments are particularly useful for displaying lists of files that a content sharer shares with a content recipient via a URL within the context of a synched file sharing system.
US09552140B2	Method and apparatus for providing data entry content to a remote environment Various methods for providing data entry content to a remote environment are provided. One example method includes receiving, at a device, a data entry field selection message notifying that a selection of a data entry field has occurred at a remote device, modifying a focus of a user interface of the device to the data entry field, retrieving current data content of the data entry field, and causing an indication to be provided to the remote device informing the remote device of the current data content of the data entry field to enable the remote device to display the current data content of the data entry field in a data entry input interface. Similar and related example methods and example apparatuses are also provided.
US09552139B2	Display method and device for menu key of touchscreen mobile terminal Provided are a display method and device for a menu key of a touchscreen mobile terminal, which relate to the technical field of mobile terminals. The method comprises: obtaining relative states of the left side and the right side of the screen of a touchscreen mobile terminal; and when the left side of the screen is higher than the right side thereof, displaying a menu key at the higher side of the screen.
US09552137B2	System and method for managing informational objects on mobile devices A system and method for managing informational objects on a mobile device. A user-selectable option is displayed to a user of the mobile device. The option is associated with an action to be performed on informational objects sharing at least one specified characteristic (e.g., storing all e-mail messages that are part of the same thread in a folder, generating a distribution list of contacts belonging to a specified group). After the user has selected the option, the application identifies informational objects having the at least one specified characteristic and performs the action on the identified objects.
US09552136B2	Methods and systems for providing graphical representations of relationships between customers and computing objects An exemplary method includes a computing system providing a user interface to a user, populating a listing accessible via the user interface with a set of graphical icons that represent a set of computing objects that are associated with a customer of a service provider and hosted by the service provider, detecting a selection by the user via the user interface of one or more graphical icons from the set of graphical icons populated within the listing, and providing a graphical representation of one or more relationships between the customer and one or more of the computing objects represented by the one or more selected graphical icons for presentation to the user via the user interface. Corresponding systems and methods are also described.
US09552135B2	Security system and method with multistate alert user interface A security system, system user interface, and method for displaying status information from security devices in a networked security system using a multistate alert user interface. The security system supports different features in icons associated with the security devices, displayed on a graphical user interface. This provides operators with the ability to display status information from security devices, such as alert information comprising one or more alerts, by displaying the icons on a topology map of the graphical user interface. In this way, the operator can determine at a glance the number and type of alert information from the topology map without the need to perform additional selection and navigation steps within the graphical user interface.
US09552132B2	Application program preview interface and operation method thereof An operation method for application program preview interface which is stored in a storage unit and executed in a computer system. The operation method includes the steps of: displaying a plurality of operation modes on a first display area; selecting one of the operation modes in accordance with a first indicating signal; and displaying at least one selectable object on a second display area, wherein the selectable object is an application program opened or executed in the selected operation mode.
US09552128B2	Media user interfaces using metadata from different sources A navigation interface display system generates a navigation element that organizes television programming data in an easy-to-use manner. The navigation element employs a hierarchical display protocol for a plurality of selection items that represent the various television programs, channels, and/or networks. The hierarchical display scheme displays a limited number of active selection items at a first magnification level and additional active selection items at a second magnification level. In addition, the selection items are displayed on distinctive areas or features of the navigation element, where such features represent different content genres or categories. Subcategories can also be displayed in a hierarchical manner, thus providing additional information related to the content as the magnification level of the navigation element changes.
US09552124B2	Character based search and discovery of media content Mechanisms are provided for character-based and image-based media content search and discovery. Character images or entity images are mapped to corresponding media content. Selection of an image or a portion of an image may trigger or search for corresponding media content or begin playback of relevant media content. Character images or entity images need not correspond to a primary program character or object but may correspond to minor characters or tangential entities depicted periodically on particular programs.
US09552123B1	Integrating applications in a portal Disclosed are various embodiments for integrating applications in a portal. A user interface is obtained in one or more computing devices from a first one of a plurality of applications. The user interface includes an identification of an object instance associated with an object type. A list of views associated with a second one of the applications is obtained. One or more of the views are configured to represent the object type. A modified user interface is generated from the user interface according to the identification of the object instance and the list of views. The modified user interface includes a component for selecting one of the views to represent the object instance.
US09552116B2	Touch apparatus A touch apparatus includes a substrate, a plurality of first sensing electrodes, a plurality of second sensing electrodes, a plurality of third sensing electrodes, a plurality of fourth sensing electrodes, a switch module and a control unit. The switch module is electrically connected with the first sensing electrodes, the second sensing electrodes, the third sensing electrodes and the fourth sensing electrodes. The control unit is electrically connected with the switch module. The touch apparatus decide the connection mode of the switch module according to the touch strength of a touch point on the touch apparatus.
US09552114B2	Touch panel The disclosure is related to a touch panel including a substrate; a low-temperature poly-silicon layer, a first isolating layer, a gate and a second isolating layer arranged in sequence and disposed on a surface of the substrate; a source and a drain disposed on the second isolating layer, the source and the drain disposed separately and respectively connected to the low-temperature poly-silicon layer through a through hole; a planar layer disposed on the source, the drain and the second isolating layer, the planar layer having a first via corresponding to the drain; a filling part filling the first via and the filling part electrically connected to the drain; a third isolating layer disposed on the planar layer, the third isolating layer having a second via corresponding to the filling part; a pixel electrode disposed on the third isolating layer and electrically connected to the filling part through the second via.
US09552113B2	Touch sensing display device for sensing different touches using one driving signal A touch sensing display device includes: a display panel; a capacitive touch panel disposed on a front surface of the display panel; a digitizer disposed on a surface of the display panel; a sensor driving unit which sequentially applies scanning signals to the capacitive touch panel and the digitizer, where each of the scanning signal is applied simultaneously to the capacitive touch panel and the digitizer; and a sensing unit which senses sensing signals of the capacitive touch panel and the digitizer, in which the sensing unit receives the sensing signal of the capacitive touch panel and the sensing signal of the digitizer at different times.
US09552107B2	Inputting fingertip sleeve An inputting fingertip sleeve includes a sleeve and an inputting end. The sleeve is configured to receive a finger. The sleeve includes at least one opening. The inputting end is located on the sleeve. The inputting end includes a supporter and a conductive layer. The conductive layer is located on a surface of the supporter. The conductive layer includes a carbon nanotube structure and a conductive layer. The carbon nanotube structure includes a plurality of carbon nanotubes. The conductive material is coated on a surface of each carbon nanotube to form a coating layer.
US09552105B2	Display device having multi-touch recognizing function and driving method thereof A display device having a multi-touch recognition function includes an integration module having a plurality of cameras integrated at an edge of a display panel; and a processor that detects a touch area using at least first and second images captured by the plurality of cameras, respectively.
US09552104B2	Detecting multitouch events in an optical touch-sensitive device using touch event templates An optical touch-sensitive device is able to determine the locations of multiple simultaneous touch events. The optical touch-sensitive device includes multiple emitters and detectors. Each emitter produces optical beams which are received by the detectors. Touch events disturb the optical beams. Touch event templates are used to determine the actual touch events based on which optical beams have been disturbed.
US09552096B2	Display device and manufacturing method thereof Disclosed herein are a display device and a manufacturing method thereof, in which a sensing signal generated by touch input is received through at least two receiving channels. The display device includes a touch panel in which a plurality of driving electrodes receive a plurality of driving signals and a plurality of sensing electrodes generate a plurality of sensing signals by a touch input, wherein the driving electrodes and the sensing electrodes are arranged to intersect each other, and a sensing circuit device in which a plurality of receiving channels receive the sensing signals. The sensing circuit device is configured to receive one sensing signal generated by the touch input through at least two receiving channels.
US09552083B2	Multi-function touch pen and electronic device with multi-function touch pen A multi-function touch pen for a portable electronic device includes a pen body and an audio output module. The pen body includes a touching input terminal, located at a first end of the pen body for inputting information to the portable electronic device, and an audio input unit located adjacent to the touch input terminal for inputting audio signals to the portable electronic device. The audio output module is located at a second end of the pen body for outputting audio signals generated from the portable electronic device.
US09552082B2	Input device Input devices allow a hand and/or fingers to relay input to machines. Input devices include an operation unit coupled with an X-, Y-, and/or Z-axis sensor that detects movement of the operation unit by a human hand for input. The operation unit includes a base configured to receive a thumb on the hand of a human operator and a cover that covers the thumb. A frontwall blocks further movement in front of the cover. Input devices may further include a base or cover nail configured to hook the thumb for backward pulling.
US09552081B1	Virtualization of tangible interface objects An example system includes a computing device located proximate to a physical activity surface, a video capture device, and a detector. The video capture device is coupled for communication with the computing device and is adapted to capture a video stream that includes an activity scene of the physical activity surface and one or more interface objects physically intractable with by a user. The detector processes the video stream to detect the one or more interface objects included in the activity scene, to identify the one or more interface objects that are detectable, to generate one or more events describing the one or more interface objects, and to provide the one or more events to an activity application configured to render virtual information on the one or more computing devices based on the one or more events.
US09552076B2	Information processing apparatus, information processing method and computer program for determining rotation of a device An information processing device is disclosed. The information processing device includes an inclination detection unit configured to generate a first signal regarding inclination of the device. The information processing device also includes a display processing unit configured to, based on the first signal, generate a second signal to initiate a change in orientation of a display of content, and generate a third signal to cancel the change in orientation in response to receipt of a CANCEL command after initiation of the change.
US09552069B2	3D gesture recognition The description relates to 3D gesture recognition. One example gesture recognition system can include a gesture detection assembly. The gesture detection assembly can include a sensor cell array and a controller that can send signals at different frequencies to individual sensor cells of the sensor cell array. The example gesture recognition system can also include a gesture recognition component that can determine parameters of an object proximate the sensor cell array from responses of the individual sensor cells to the signals at the different frequencies, and can identify a gesture performed by the object using the parameters.
US09552068B2	Input device with hand posture control A gesture detection system according to embodiments includes an input device including a touch sensitive surface and a contact-free detection system; and a controller configured to determine characteristic parameters for the position in three-dimensional space of a user input object and select an operational mode of the input device based on the position of the user input object.
US09552066B2	Drive control apparatus that drives actuator, electronic apparatus that drives actuator, and control method for driving actuator A drive control apparatus includes a storage storing first or second waveform data representing a drive signal, and a drive controller reading the first or the second waveform data, and output the drive signal to the actuator. The first waveform data applying vibration m×Q times (Q is a natural number other than 0) and obtained by multiplying a sine wave (f1=(m/n)×f0 (m and n are mutually different natural numbers other than 0)) by a damping ratio of a vibration system to an actuator, and the second waveform data applying a vibration (m/2)×Q times (Q is a natural number other than 0) and obtained by multiplying a sine wave (a frequency f1=(m/n)×f0 (m and n are mutually different positive odd numbers)) by the damping ratio to the actuator, where f0 represents a resonant frequency of the actuator.
US09552065B2	Dynamic tactile interface A dynamic tactile interface including a tactile layer defining a first region and a deformable region adjacent the first region; a substrate coupled to the tactile layer at the first region, defining a variable volume adjacent the deformable region and defining a fluid channel fluidly coupled to the variable volume; a set of rigid structures distributed across the tactile layer defining an anti-reflective coating over the tactile layer; and a displacement device fluidly coupled to the fluid channel, the displacement device displacing fluid into the fluid channel to transition the deformable region from a retracted setting to an expanded setting, the deformable region tactilely distinguishable from the first region in the expanded setting, the set of rigid structures conforming to the tactile layer, each rigid structure in the set of rigid structures shifting relative to an adjacent rigid structure in the set of rigid structures.
US09552064B2	Eye tracking and user reaction detection Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for optical sensing and tracking of eye movement. In one aspect, a device for obtaining a user's eye dynamics data includes a display screen to present at least one content. The device includes an eye sensing module to obtain the user's eye dynamics data including the user's eye movement while presenting to the user the at least one content on the display screen. The device includes a processor in communication with the eye sensing module. The processor can determine the user's reaction to the at least one content presented on the display screen based at least partly on the obtained user's eye dynamics data.
US09552063B2	Electronic device including transparent display and method of controlling the electronic device A method of controlling an electronic device having a transparent display. The method includes controlling the electronic device to provide a first image through an optical display mode operation of the transparent display in which light incident from an object is transmitted, controlling the electronic device to acquire a second image through a video display mode operation of the transparent display in which an image captured from the object is displayed, and selectively displaying the first and second images using the transparent display by a mixing, by the electronic device, of the first and second images. The mixing may be dependent on a distance between the electronic device and the object or a display ratio between the first and second images. An image for an object may be displayed in a region of interest and an image for another object in a remaining region.
US09552056B1	Gesture enabled telepresence robot and system A telepresence robot includes a mobile platform, a camera, and a computer in communication with the platform and the camera. The computer receives video information from a remotely located camera relating to a gesture made by a remote human operator, and the robot is configured to operate based on the gesture. The computer may further predict an emotional state of a person interacting with the robot, based on video information received from the robot camera. A telepresence robot system includes: a telepresence robot having a mobile platform, a robot camera, a robot display, and a robot computer; and a control station, located remote to the robot, having a control station camera, a control station display, and a control station computer.
US09552046B2	Performance management methods for electronic devices with multiple central processing units Performance management methods for an electronic device with multiple central processing units (CPUs) are provided. First, thread loading rearrangement and CPU frequency evaluation are performed to obtain a plurality of evaluated performance values for different amounts of CPUs, wherein the plurality of evaluated performance values are relevant to power consumption values of the multiple CPUs. It is then determined whether to adjust an amount of used CPUs based on the plurality of evaluated performance values corresponding to the different amounts of CPUs.
US09552045B2	Method, apparatus, and system for controlling power consumption of unused hardware of a link interface In an embodiment, a plurality of hardware buffers each may store information associated with one or more virtual channels. In turn, a configuration logic is to determine an identifier corresponding to a maximum number of virtual channels commonly supported by first and second devices coupled via a link and to obtain a control value based on the identifier. A gate logic coupled to the configuration logic is to provide an operating voltage to corresponding ones of the hardware buffers based on the control value. In this way, the operating voltage can be withheld from at least one of the hardware buffers when the maximum number of virtual channels is less than the plurality of hardware buffers. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09552044B2	Information processing apparatus, information processing system, information processing method, and non-transitory computer readable medium An information processing apparatus includes a specifying unit, an identification information obtaining unit, a state information obtaining unit, a display setting obtaining unit, and a processing unit. The specifying unit specifies data displayed on a display screen. The identification information obtaining unit obtains identification information identifying an operator who performs an operation on the data on the display screen. The state information obtaining unit obtains state information representing a display state of an operation unit, which is used for performing an operation on the data on the display screen. The display setting obtaining unit obtains setting about display of the operation unit. The processing unit performs, when a predetermined storage operation of storing a display state of the operation unit is performed by the operator, a process of storing the state information in association with the specified data and the identification information.
US09552043B2	Handheld electronic device and operation method of the same A handheld electronic device is provided. The handheld electronic device includes a touch display unit, a sensor unit and a processing unit. The sensor unit detects a rotation angle of the handheld electronic device relative to a gravity direction and a displacement of the handheld electronic device. The processing unit is electrically connected to the touch display unit and the sensor unit to extend a timeout threshold of the touch display unit from a first value to a second value that is larger than the first value when the rotation angle is within a reading mode range. The processing unit keeps the timeout threshold at the second value when at least a first condition that the displacement of the handheld electronic device is larger than a predetermined value is met.
US09552035B2	Method, node and computer program for reset of timers A method, node and computer program for a client node (100) in a communications system for resetting of timer units, the client node comprising at least two timer units, the method comprising: for each of the timer units: detecting (S100) the timer unit (130) by a timer handling unit (110), registrating (S110) the detected timer unit (130) in a timer inventory (140) by the timer handling unit (110), the method further comprising: determining (S120) by the timer handling unit (110) which of the at least two timer units that expires first, determining (S130) a time T when the determined timer unit at the latest will be reset, and prior to the timer expiring, resetting (S140) at least one of the other timer units (130) with a new reset time based on the time T, thereby enabling longer radio and CPU sleep periods of the client node between reset of timer units.
US09552027B2	Control method and electronic device A control method and an electronic device utilizing the same are described. The control method, applied to an electronic device which contains at least one of a battery and a touch panel, including: detecting at least one of a temperature of the battery, a consumption rate of the battery, a display time of the touch panel and a touch frequency of the touch panel; and when at least one of the temperature of the battery, the consumption rate of the battery, the display time of the touch panel and the touch frequency of the touch panel meets at least one trigger condition, initiating a protection mechanism.
US09552025B2	Cooling electronic devices in a data center A data center cooling system includes a thermosiphon, an actuator coupled to the thermosiphon, and a controller. The thermosiphon includes an evaporator; a condenser; and at least one conduit coupled between the evaporator and the condenser to transport a working fluid between the evaporator and the condenser. The controller is coupled to the actuator and configured to operate the actuator to adjust a liquid level of the working fluid in the evaporator based, at least in part, on a parameter associated with a heat load of one or more data center heat generating computing devices.
US09552023B2	Wearable terminal including user input unit with camera module A mobile terminal includes a main body case, a user input unit configured to detect an input of a control command in a manner that one side of the user input unit is arranged to a side of the main body case and a controller configured to control according to the control command detected by the user input unit. The user input unit includes a rotatable input unit housing combined with the side of the main body case, a rotation detection unit configured to detect a rotation of the input unit housing and deliver a rotation input to the controller and a camera module mounted on the input unit housing. The mobile terminal can expand an input function using a stem button.
US09552022B2	Housing components for electronic devices Electronic devices are provided with a protective housing having one or more housing components. A housing component can be formed from a single sheet of material to appear as if the housing component had been formed from a hollowed out solid block of material. The sheet of material may be deep drawn, forged, and machined to form the housing component. One or more holes may be formed through a portion of the housing component to provide an I/O interface.
US09552019B2	Portable terminal having display buttons and method of inputting functions using display buttons A portable terminal including: a controller receiving signals corresponding to a plurality of input buttons and outputting image data to be displayed on the plurality of input buttons using the received signals; and a plurality of buttons for inputting a key from a user and outputting a signal corresponding to the key pressed, and for receiving the image data from the controller and displaying the received image data. By using the display buttons for displaying variable images corresponding to specific functions as well as an essential function of inputting keys from a user when a specific function is input in the portable terminal, a plurality of functions can be input with only a few buttons, providing speed and convenience to the user for function input.
US09552017B2	Electronic device An electronic device is provided. The electronic device has a functional body and a supporting apparatus. The supporting apparatus supports the functional body on a supporting surface. The supporting apparatus has a supporting rod, which is connected to the functional body, and a base. When the electronic device is in a first usage mode, the functional body is approximately perpendicular to the supporting surface. When the electronic device is in a second usage mode, the functional body is approximately parallel to the supporting surface. When the electronic device is switched between the first usage mode and the second usage mode, a relative position of the supporting rod and the base is unchanged.
US09552008B1	Voltage regulator circuit A voltage regulator circuit includes: an output transistor that controls an output voltage by making an output current flow between first and second electrodes in accordance with a first differential voltage, which is a difference between first and second voltages of the first and third electrodes; an operational amplifier that controls the second voltage such that the output voltage comes to be at a target level; an initiation circuit that maintains the second voltage at the third voltage such that the output transistor is off before initiation of the voltage regulator circuit and that allows the second voltage to be controlled by the operational amplifier after initiation of the voltage regulator circuit; and a current output circuit that outputs an adjustment current from the third electrode or to the third electrode such that the first differential voltage becomes larger when the output voltage is less than a prescribed level.
US09552007B2	Parallel technique for computing problem functions in solving optimal power flow An exemplary method includes solving on a computing system an optimal power flow formulation for a plurality of generators in a power system. The solving includes computing using multi-threaded parallelism a plurality of constraints for the formulation, computing using multi-threaded parallelism a plurality of Jacobian functions of the constraints, and computing using multi-threaded parallelism a Hessian of Lagrangian functions. The method further includes outputting results of the solving, wherein the results comprise values of generation levels for the plurality of generators. Apparatus and program products are also disclosed.
US09551995B2	Tip-based computer controlled system for a hand-held dental delivery device A tip-based computer controlled system for a dental delivery device is disclosed. The system automatically controls an operating characteristic such as power control or fluid flow based on tip identification and history. The operating characteristic may also be controlled in response to particular conditions throughout the dental procedure, such as (but not limited to) temperature, dental hygiene material, fluid type, etc. The system may provide an alert or shut off if unsafe conditions occur and/or error circumstances are detected. An operator interface is provided to configure the system and augment/override an executing control algorithm during a procedure. A method and a computer-readable storage medium are also disclosed.
US09551985B2	Apparatus and method for positioning geometric model An apparatus for positioning a geometric model comprises a machine tool, a control unit electrically coupled to the machine tool, a storage unit electrically coupled to the control unit, a positioning module electrically coupled to the storage unit, a virtual target geometry module electrically coupled to the positioning module, and a virtual machine tool module electrically and respectively coupled to the virtual target geometry module and the positioning module. A method for positioning the geometric model includes using components of the apparatus.
US09551982B2	Water treatment control apparatus and water treatment system According to one embodiment, a water treatment control apparatus generates an indication to a water treatment facility referring to conditions including a drought status and a water treatment cost at the water treatment facility. The indication indicates a type of water to be taken by the water treatment facility between a plurality of types of water including river water from rivers, rainwater, and waste water used by a customer.
US09551976B2	Pallet lever for a timepiece escapement mechanism An intermittent blocking mechanism for at least one escape wheel, that intermittent blocking mechanism cooperating with at least one regulating member or a balance which is actuated with an alternate motion under action of an elastic return mechanism, the intermittent blocking mechanism being pivoted in at least one bottom plate, and forming an inseparable single-piece component with the bottom plate. The intermittent blocking mechanism includes at least one pallet lever in a single-piece with the plate to which it is connected by the elastic return mechanism.
US09551974B1	Positioning features for electrical connectors of replaceable units of an image forming device An image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a first electrical connector mounted on a frame of the image forming device. The first electrical connector is movable between a home position retracted against the frame and an operative position of the first electrical connector. A replaceable unit is removably installable in the image forming device along a direction of insertion of the replaceable unit into the image forming device. The replaceable unit includes a second electrical connector that is matable with the first electrical connector. The replaceable unit includes a guide on an exterior of the replaceable unit. Insertion of the replaceable unit into the image forming device along the direction of insertion causes the guide to move the first electrical connector from the home position to the operative position of the first electrical connector aligned with the second electrical connector of the replaceable unit.
US09551973B2	Image forming apparatus According to an embodiment, there is provided an image forming apparatus that forms a color image using a plurality of discolorable coloring materials and a plurality of non-discolorable coloring materials. In a case where insufficiency of at least one coloring material from among the plurality of discolorable coloring materials and the plurality of non-discolorable coloring materials is detected, the image forming apparatus performs color image formation using the plurality of discolorable coloring materials and the plurality of non-discolorable coloring material in combination.
US09551970B2	Paper size detection system and method A paper size detection system includes a paper tray, a width adjuster, a length adjuster, a plurality of sensors, and a signal processor. The paper tray is configured to receive a printing paper and includes a blocking plate. Each of the width adjuster and the length adjuster is movably mounted to the paper tray. The width adjuster, the length adjuster, and the blocking plate cooperatively define a paper placing space with a size substantially equal to a size of the printing paper. The sensors are configured to get a position signal assembly according to positions of the width adjuster and the length adjuster. The signal processor is configured to confirm the size of the paper placing space according the position signal assembly. A paper size detection method is further disclosed.
US09551968B1	Image forming apparatus An image forming apparatus comprises a paper feeding unit which feeds a sheet-shaped recording medium, an image forming unit which forms a toner image on the recording medium fed from the paper feeding unit, a fixing unit which fixes the toner image formed by the image forming unit on the recording medium, a stacking unit which stacks the recording medium on which the toner image is fixed by the fixing unit, a temperature sensor which detects the surface temperature of the recording mediums stacked on the stacking unit and a control unit which determines, according to the printing information of the recording medium, whether or not to feed a new recording medium from the paper feeding unit when the surface temperature of the recording mediums detected by the temperature sensor is above a threshold temperature.
US09551963B2	Fixing device having a heater and reflector arrangement and image forming apparatus having same A fixing device includes a fixing rotator rotatable in a given direction of rotation and a pressure rotator pressed against the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip therebetween, through which a recording medium is conveyed. A first heater is disposed opposite the fixing rotator with a first interval therebetween to heat the fixing rotator. A reflector reflects light emitted by the first heater to the fixing rotator. The reflector is disposed opposite the first heater with a second interval therebetween that is greater than the first interval.
US09551961B2	Fixing device having heating section support with hole for releasing heat A fixing device having: a fixing member extending in a first predetermined direction; a heating roller extending in the first predetermined direction; a fixing belt stretched between the fixing member and the heating roller and being annular when viewed in a plan view in the first predetermined direction; a heating section heating the heating roller and being provided in the heating roller; a first support section supporting the heating roller in such a manner that the heating roller is movable with respect to the fixing member along a predetermined plane perpendicular to the first predetermined direction; a pressure section exerting a force upon the heating roller in such a direction that the heating roller moves away from the fixing member; and a second support section supporting the heating section in such a manner that the heating section is movable together with the heating roller.
US09551958B2	Developing apparatus having recycling paths for recycling of toner and image forming apparatus including the same A developing apparatus that develops an electrostatic latent image on an image supporting body using developer including toner and carrier includes a circulation path where the developer circulates, a discharge path connected to the circulation path through which some of the developer passes, and a first recycle path connected to the discharge path and allowing some of the developer flowing into the discharge path to return to the circulation path. The discharge path includes a discharge opening for discharging the developer flowing into the discharge path, and a first return opening for connecting to the first recycle path. The first return opening is located on an upper side in a vertical direction with respect to the discharge opening and located on an upstream side in a pass-through direction of the developer flowing into the discharge path.
US09551954B2	Image forming apparatus An image forming apparatus is provided that can adjust an inclination deviation even after a laser scanner unit and a photosensitive drum are embedded. A CPU 601 selects at least two screen angles from among screen angles, and generates image signals corresponding to the respective selected at least two screen angles, based on these angles. The CPU 601 causes light emitting elements to emit light beams at different emission timings with reference to a timing on which a BD 803 detects the light beam, based on a generated image signal, thereby forming latent images of test images on a photosensitive drum. The latent images formed on the photosensitive drum are developed, and test images are formed on a recording medium.
US09551951B2	Image forming apparatus comprising determination processing portion for detecting property information of photoconductor In an image forming apparatus, a first electric pathway connects a charging portion and a power supply unit, a second electric pathway is formed in the photoconductor unit and connects the first electric pathway and the photoconductor. An electrical component is disposed on the second electric pathway and has predetermined electrical property in accordance with the type of the photoconductor unit. A current detection portion is configured to detect current flowing through the second electric pathway when a detection voltage is applied on the first electric pathway. A determination processing portion is configured to determine the type of the photoconductor unit and existence of usage of the photoconductor unit, based on a current value detected by the current detection portion. The blocking portion is configured to block the second electric pathway after determination by the determination processing portion.
US09551949B2	Electroconductive member for electrophotography, process cartridge, and electrophotographic apparatus To suppress an image trouble resulting from abnormal discharge independent of the use conditions and use environment of an electroconductive member, provided is an electroconductive member to be used while being brought into contact with a body to be contacted, the electroconductive member comprising a layer of a network structural body on an outer peripheral surface of a electroconductive support, in which: when a surface of the network structural body in a surface of the electroconductive member is observed, at least a part of the network structural body exists in an arbitrary square region having one side length of 200 μm; the network structural body contains non-electroconductive fibers; and an average fiber diameter of a top 10% of fiber diameters of the non-electroconductive fibers measured at arbitrary points is 0.2 μm or more and 15 μm or less.
US09551948B2	Image forming apparatus fixing of toner containing flat particles An image forming apparatus includes: a first image forming section that uses a toner containing flat pigment particles; a second image forming section that uses a toner not containing the flat pigment particles; and a fixing section that fixes an image formed on a recording medium to the recording medium using heat. The quantity of heat that the fixing section applies to the image is increased in the case where the image formed on the recording medium using the toner containing the flat pigment particles is to be fixed compared to a case where the image formed on the recording medium using the toner not containing the flat pigment particles is to be fixed.
US09551946B2	Polycarbonate copolymer, coating liquid using same, molded body, and electrophotographic photosensitive body A polycarbonate copolymer includes: a repeating unit represented by a formula (1) below; and a repeating unit represented by a formula (2) below, in which the repeating unit represented by the formula (1) is formed from a bischloroformate oligomer having an average number of monomer units n represented by a formula (100) below in a range from 0.1 to 1.3. In the formulae (100) and (1), Ar1 represents a group represented by a formula (3) below. In the formula (2), Ar2 represents a divalent aromatic group. In the formula (3) below, X1 represents a single bond or an oxygen atom. R11 each independently represents a methyl group or an ethyl group.
US09551945B2	Electrophotographic photoreceptor, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes a conductive substrate, and a single-layer type photosensitive layer that contains a binder resin, a charge generating material, a hole transporting material, and an electron transporting material, wherein a content of the charge generating material in the photosensitive layer is 0.5% by weight or more and less than 2.0% by weight and the charge generating material satisfies expression (1): 30≦a/b, wherein a represents the number of the charge generating materials per unit cross-sectional area in a region ranging from the surface side of the film thickness of the photosensitive layer to a point corresponding to ⅓, and b represents the number of the charge generating materials per unit cross-sectional area in a region ranging from the conductive substrate side of the film thickness of the photosensitive layer to a position corresponding to ⅔, provided that a case where b is 0 is included.
US09551943B2	Exposure apparatus and device manufacturing method An exposure apparatus and method exposes a substrate via a projection optical system and a liquid supplied to an immersion area below the projection optical system. First and second movable members move below the projection optical system. The first movable member has a mount area that mounts a substrate located in a hole of an upper surface of the first movable member. The upper surface outside the hole can maintain at least a part of the immersion area outside the substrate mounted in the hole. A drive system drives the first and second movable members to move the first and second movable members below the projection optical system relative to the liquid immersion region to replace one member positioned below the projection optical system with the other member such that the liquid immersion area is maintained below the projection optical system.
US09551940B2	Lens comprising a plurality of optical element disposed in a housing The invention relates to a lens comprising several optical elements that are disposed in a lens housing. At least one sensor array encompassing at least one capacitive sensor unit and/or at least one inductive sensor unit is provided for determining the relative position between a first optical element and a second optical element or between a load-bearing structural element of the lens and a second optical element.
US09551937B2	Graphene sensor and method of fabricating the same and touch-sensitive display device The present disclosure provides a method of fabricating a graphene touch sensor, a graphene sensor and a touch-sensitive display device. The method comprises: forming a graphene layer on a substrate; forming a metal layer on the graphene layer; coating a photoresist layer on the metal layer; exposing the photoresist layer by using a gray-scale reticle and developing the exposed photoresist layer to obtain a photoresist completely removed region, a photoresist partially remained region, and a photoresist completely remained region; removing the metal layer located in the photoresist completely removed region; removing the graphene layer located in the photoresist completely removed region; removing the metal layer located in the photoresist partially remained region; coating a protective film on the graphene layer located in the photoresist partially remained region; striping off the remainder photoresist. The embodiment of the present disclosure avoids the alkaline developing solution and the alkaline stripping solution from contacting the graphene film to degrade the conduction of the graphene, thereby increasing yield and reducing cost.
US09551936B2	Perfluoroalkyl sulfonamides surfactants for photoresist rinse solutions A method of modifying a surface of a photoresist material including exposing the photoresist material to an aqueous ionic surfactant solution and varying the pH of the aqueous ionic surfactant solution until a fluorochemical layer is formed in or on the photoresist material. The aqueous ionic surfactant solution includes a perfluoroalkyl sulfonamide the formula: RfS02NH—R′ where Rf=CnF2n+1— and n=1 to 6, R′=—H, —CH3, and —CH2CH2OH. The aqueous ionic surfactant solution has a pH of within about 3 pH units of a pKa of the perfluoroalkyl sulfonamide.
US09551935B2	Pattern forming method and resist composition Provided is a method of forming a pattern, ensuring excellent exposure latitude (EL) and focus latitude (depth of focus DOF). The method of forming a pattern includes (A) forming a film from a resist composition, the resist composition, (B) exposing the film to light, and (C) developing the exposed film using a developer containing an organic solvent, thereby forming a negative pattern. The resist composition contains (a) a resin that is configured to decompose when acted on by an acid and ΔSP thereof represented by formula (1) below is 2.5 (MPa)1/2 or above, (b) a compound that is composed to generate an acid when exposed to actinic rays or radiation, and (c) a solvent. ΔSP=SPF−SPI (1)
US09551932B2	Patterning process and resist composition A resist composition comprising a polymer comprising recurring units having an acid labile group of cyclopentyl with tert-butyl or tert-amyl pendant is coated onto a substrate, baked, exposed to high-energy radiation, PEB and developed in an organic solvent to form a negative pattern. A fine hole pattern can be formed from the resist composition with advantages including high dissolution contrast, good size control and wide depth of focus.
US09551929B2	Positive resist composition and patterning process An androstane or estrane-substituted cholane as base resin is combined with an acid generator to formulate a positive resist composition, especially chemically amplified positive resist composition.
US09551926B2	Determination method, storage medium and information processing apparatus The present invention provides a determination method of determining exposure conditions of an exposure apparatus including an illumination optical system which illuminates a mask, and a projection optical system which projects a pattern of the mask onto a substrate, the method including a step of setting an illumination parameter for a light intensity distribution formed on a pupil plane of the illumination optical system, and an aberration parameter for an aberration of the projection optical system, and a step of determining a value of the illumination parameter and a value of the aberration parameter so that an image performance of an optical image of the pattern of the mask satisfies an evaluation criterion set for a target pattern to be formed on an image plane of the projection optical system.
US09551922B1	Foreground analysis on parametric background surfaces Techniques are described for projecting content onto a display surface and for analyzing the hand of a user that is placed over the display surface, such as when the user is making a command gesture. Based on the location and known shape of the display surface, a surface depth map is calculated corresponding to the display surface. Points of the calculated surface depth map are then subtracted from respective points an observed depth map to produce a foreground depth map corresponding to the user hand. The hand may be further characterized and tracked based on the foreground depth map.
US09551917B2	Light source unit and projection display system using same The projection display system has a light source unit where a first light source and a second light source respectively emitting a first and second wavelength or wavelength range of light are juxtapositionally arranged; a third light source emitting a third wavelength or wavelength range of light; an optical combiner device for combining the three wavelengths or wavelength ranges of light from the light sources; an optical device for averaging distributions of the wavelengths or wavelength ranges of light; an image display device for receiving the light transmitted through the optical device and forming image light responsive to a video signal; and a projector lens for projecting the image light onto a screen. At least two of the optical axes of the first, second, and third wavelengths or wavelength ranges of light which are incident on the optical device are not coincident with each other.
US09551911B2	Liquid crystal display device A first substrate includes first and second gate lines extending in a first direction, first and second source lines extending in a second direction and a switching element electrically connected with the gate line and the source line. A pixel electrode includes a contact portion contacting with the switching element and extending in the first direction and a main pixel electrode contacting with the contact portion and extending in the second direction. The switching element includes a drain electrode arranged between the source lines. The drain electrode includes a first electrode portion located under the contact portion, a second electrode portion located under the main pixel electrode and connected with the first electrode portion, a third electrode portion connected with the second electrode portion along the first gate line, and a fourth electrode portion connected with the second electrode portion and extending along the second gate line.
US09551908B2	Liquid crystal display device A liquid crystal display device in which smear error is suppressed and transmittance is uniform is provided.In a liquid crystal display device which includes a plurality of pixels and uses comb-teeth-shaped transparent conductive films 110 as common wirings, the common wirings include mesh-shaped common metal wirings 101v and 101h extending in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction and the comb-teeth-shaped transparent conductive films 110 are connected between adjacent pixels.
US09551907B2	Pixel unit and array substrate The present invention discloses a pixel unit and an array substrate. The pixel unit comprises: a plurality of pixel electrodes, including oblique pixel electrodes extending obliquely and transverse pixel electrodes located on edges of the oblique pixel electrodes and extending transversely, the plurality of pixel electrodes forming a display region having an opening region; and, a conductive unit which is located within the opening region and partially overlapped with projections of the oblique pixel electrodes, one corner of the conductive unit close to the oblique pixel units being an unfilled corner or a round corner. Accordingly, the impact of an electric field around the opening region on the electric field of the oblique pixel electrodes is reduced, and the impact on the liquid crystal orientation of the opening region is reduced; the dark fringe of pixels is improved; the aperture ratio of pixels is increased; and the quality of display is improved.
US09551906B2	Liquid crystal display A liquid crystal display is provided. A liquid crystal display includes: a first substrate; a thin film transistor disposed on the first substrate; and a first electrode disposed on the thin film transistor and connected to an output terminal of the thin film transistor, wherein the first electrode includes a first region and a second region each including a plurality of minute branches separated from each other by open parts, portions of at least two minute branches among the plurality of minute branches are connected to form a plurality of minute plate branches, and wherein the minute plate branch has a wider width than a minute branch.
US09551905B2	Display device A display device is provided that includes a first substrate, a gate wiring formed on the first substrate and extending in a first direction, a data wiring insulated from and crossing the gate wiring and extending in a second direction, and a pixel electrode including a first subpixel electrode to which a first data voltage is applied from the data wiring and a second subpixel electrode to which a second data voltage different from the first data voltage is applied from the data wiring, wherein the first subpixel electrode is surrounded by the second subpixel electrode, and the second subpixel electrode includes a plurality of slit patterns formed in portions thereof which are adjacent to the first subpixel electrode.
US09551901B2	Vertically aligned nematic mode liquid crystal display having large tilt angles and high contrast A reflective liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) display comprises a transparent substrate, a reflective substrate, and liquid crystal fluid between the substrates. The LCOS display further comprises a matrix of pixels, arranged in a plurality of rows and columns, wherein an intersection of a row and a column defines a position of a pixel in the matrix. The LCOS display has tilt angles sufficient to overcome disclinations due to fringe fields, and, at the same time, achieves high contrast. The surface azimuthal direction of the molecules of the liquid crystal fluid is either substantially parallel or perpendicular to the direction of polarization of incoming incident linearly polarized light. Light leakage is minimal because the effective birefringence as seen by the incoming incident linearly polarized light is substantially zero and does not depend on the pretilt of the molecules of the liquid crystal fluid. Between the transparent substrate and the reflective substrate, the twist of the molecules of the liquid crystal fluid may vary from about 0 degrees to about 90 degrees when in the “OFF” state.
US09551899B2	Planar lighting device A lighting device including a circuit substrate; a plurality of light sources disposed on the circuit substrate; a reflection layer disposed on the circuit substrate, the reflection layer comprising a plurality of openings where respective light sources are located; a plurality of light regulating patterns disposed at an edge of the reflection layer and at an inclination with respect to the reflection layer, wherein corresponding light regulating patterns are disposed closer to the edge of the reflection layer at first areas aligned with the respective light sources than light regulating patterns at second areas between the first areas; and an optical sheet disposed on the light sources.
US09551894B2	Display A display including a back cover, a diffuser plate, a display panel, and a light source is provided. The back cover has a first supporting portion, a connecting portion and a second supporting portion. Two opposite ends of the connecting portion are connected to the first supporting portion and the second supporting portion respectively. The first supporting portion has a first surface, the second supporting portion has opposite second and third surfaces, and the first surface faces the second surface to form a containing space between the first surface, the connecting portion and the second surface. At least a part of a periphery of the diffuser plate is disposed in the containing space. The display panel is supported on the third surface. The light source is disposed on the back cover and adapted to provide a light beam to illuminate the display panel after passing through the diffuser plate.
US09551890B2	Electronic apparatus Provided is an electronic apparatus having the waterproof structure. The electronic apparatus includes: a housing; a transparent panel which has an image display area; and a plurality of strip-shaped waterproof spacers fixed adherently between the housing and the transparent panel, and fixed adherently to an outer periphery of the image display area at the transparent panel side. A clearance between the waterproof spacers adjacent to each other is filled with a filler. In the electronic apparatus, a hole is formed in the housing such that the hole overlaps with the clearance and a portion of the waterproof spacer, and the hole is filled with the filler.
US09551889B2	Display module A display module includes a display panel configured to display an image on a display surface, a frame having a shape configured to surround an outer edge of the display panel and having an opening formed in a region overlapping the display surface, and a holding member having an inner region that is a region closer to a center of the display panel and an outer region that is a region farther from the center of the display panel, the inner region being connected to the display panel, the outer region being connected to the frame, and the inner region being separated from the outer region in a view projected from a direction orthogonal to the display surface.
US09551888B2	Magneto-optical crystal assembly for broadband temperature stable polarization rotation Embodiments of a magneto-optic crystal assembly for use in polarization rotation applications are disclosed. In one aspect, a magneto-optic crystal assembly includes two or more magneto-optic crystals. The temperature and wavelength dependencies of Faraday rotation of these crystals are compensated so that the crystal assembly has both reduced temperature and wavelength dependencies of the polarization rotation angle over broad temperature and wavelength ranges.
US09551886B2	Liquid crystal lens and liquid crystal small-aperture glasses The present disclosure provides a liquid crystal lens including a liquid crystal cell including a first substrate, a second substrate and a liquid crystal layer arranged between the first and second substrate. The first substrate includes a first base plate, a plurality of transistors arranged on the first base plate, a first electrode electrically connected to one electrode of each of the transistors, and a first polarizer arranged at a side of the first base plate away from the liquid crystal layer. The second substrate includes a second base plate, and a second polarizer arranged at a side of the second base plate away from the liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystal lens further includes a second electrode arranged on the first or second base plate. The first and second base plates are opaque, and each includes a plurality of small apertures which are provided in a one-to-one correspondence manner.
US09551884B2	Corneal remodelling contact lenses and methods of treating refractive error using corneal remodelling Contact lenses are described with a corneal remodelling effect. This corneal remodelling effect is one or both of broad-area corneal remodelling and localised remodelling. The contact lenses may also have a refractive power. The refractive power may vary across the lens and for myopia may have increased power centrally. The increased power may be provided over a lens area that has increased thickness due to localised remodelling.
US09551880B2	Polarizing optical system There is provided an optical system, including a light-transmitting substrate having at least two major surfaces parallel to each other and edges, and an optical device for coupling light into the substrate by total internal reflection. The device includes a polarization sensitive reflecting surface.
US09551879B2	Optical mechanism An optical mechanism includes a bracket, a first polarization beam splitter, a second polarization beam splitter, a plurality of panels and a plurality of lenses. The first polarization beam splitter and the second polarization beam splitter are joined to the bracket. Light passes through the first polarization beam splitter to reach the panels and is reflected by the panels to generate image beams. The image beams are reflected by the first polarization beam splitter to enter the second polarization beam splitter. The image beams are reflected by a splitting surface of the second polarization beam splitter to pass through the lenses and projected by the lenses.
US09551878B2	Patterned retarder film and display apparatus The present invention provides a patterned retarder film and a display apparatus. The patterned retarder film is attached to a display panel of the display apparatus. The display panel comprises first, second and third sub-pixels arranged along a first direction, and the patterned retarder film comprises at least two phase retarders. First saw portions and second saw portions are disposed at two opposite sides of the phase retarders and adjacent to at least one of the first, second and third sub-pixels. In the present invention, the color shift problem can be prevented.
US09551876B2	Head up display Technologies are generally described for displaying information in a head up display of a vehicle. In one example, an information acquisition unit is configured to obtain data from one or more sensors associated with the vehicle. An information display unit is coupled to the information acquisition unit and the information acquisition unit is further configured to determine a display location based on the data obtained from the one or more sensors. The information acquisition unit is configured to control the information display unit to display information at the determined display location.
US09551871B2	Virtual light in augmented reality A head-mounted display system includes a see-through display that is configured to visually augment an appearance of a physical environment to a user viewing the physical environment through the see-through display. Graphical content presented via the see-through display is created by modeling the ambient lighting conditions of the physical environment.
US09551869B2	Composite display device A composite display device is provided with an optical combiner, a first display unit which displays a virtual image by projecting an image including certain display information to a front surface of the optical combiner, a second display unit which is disposed on a position of a rear surface side of the optical combiner and displays a real image, and a composite display control unit.
US09551863B2	Remote inspection device The portable inspection unit may include a unit body, a flexible cable, and an imager housing. The flexible cable may extend from the unit body and the imager housing may be disposed at a distal end of the flexible cable. The portable inspection unit may be configured to receive an actuating accessory.
US09551860B2	Infrared-reflective film An infrared-reflective film includes a substrate film composed of a polyolefin film or a polycycloolefin film. The substrate film has two main surfaces and an infrared-reflective layer is formed on one main surface and the other main surface faces air, nitrogen gas, inert gas or a vacuum. A surface of the infrared-reflective layer faces either of air, nitrogen gas, inert gas or a vacuum.
US09551856B2	MEMS-released curved image sensor This document describes MEMS-released curved image sensors capable of sensing light from a monocentric lens. This MEMS-released curved image sensor receives light focused on a curved focal surface by releasing a photodetector side of a computing and sensing wafer, such as a Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) sensor. This releasing is effective to allow the photodetector side to conform to the curved focal surface of the monocentric lens. By so doing, the wider field of view, smaller size, and often smaller weight of monocentric lenses can be gained while using generally high-quality, low-cost computing and sensing wafers by processing these wafers to give them a curved surface at which to sense light from a monocentric lens.

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