| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09596795B2 |
Manufacturing method for sensor of a thermal flow measuring device
A method for the manufacture of a sensor for a thermal flow measuring device, wherein the sensor has at least one housing with a first open end and a second open end. The first open end is securable in a sensor holder; and at least one resistance thermometer is inserted into the housing through the second open end of the housing and the second open end of the housing is closed. Cables for electrical contacting of the resistance thermometer lead out of the housing through the first open end of the housing. |
| US09596794B2 |
Methods for applying protective coatings to internal surfaces of fully assembled electronic devices
Methods for applying protective coatings to electronic devices that have already been assembled, and are in a consumer-ready or aftermarket form, are disclosed. In such a method, an electronic device may be at least partially disassembled to expose at least a portion of an interior of the electronic device. A protective coating is applied to some or all of the exposed surfaces of the electronic devices, including one or more internal surfaces, features or components of the electronic device. Thereafter, the electronic device may be reassembled. During and after reassembly, the protective coating resides internally within the electronic device. Systems for applying protective coatings to interior components of previously assembled electronic devices are also disclosed. |
| US09596793B2 |
Radio frequency shield with partitioned enclosure
A radio frequency (RF) shield includes a shield enclosure formed of conductive material that defines and partially encloses an interior cavity. The shield enclosure is configured to receive, within the interior cavity, a shielding partition securable in a fixed position that defines one end of a first chamber within a narrow portion of the shield enclosure. The first chamber provides RF isolation of an RF conductor that is enclosed within the first chamber. |
| US09596790B2 |
Exhaust air ducting system
A system of thermally managing network equipment including a rack housing a network equipment element, an intake coupling including one or more vanes and an exhaust port, a duct, and a rack coupling mechanism configured to adjustably position the intake coupling relative to the rack. The intake coupling is configured to: receive an airflow from the hot air exhaust vent at a first direction; deflect the airflow in a second direction via the one or more vanes; and exhaust the airflow through an opening in the exhaust port. |
| US09596789B2 |
Cooling systems and heat exchangers for cooling computer components
Computer systems having heat exchangers for cooling computer components are disclosed herein. The computer systems include a computer cabinet having an air inlet, an air outlet spaced apart from the air inlet, and a plurality of computer module compartments positioned between the air inlet and the air outlet. The air inlet, the air outlet, and the computer module compartments define an air flow path through the computer cabinet. The computer systems also include a heat exchanger positioned between two adjacent computer module compartments. The heat exchanger includes a plurality of heat exchange elements canted relative to the air flow path. |
| US09596788B1 |
Hexagonal boron nitride heat dissipation structure
A hexagonal boron nitride heat dissipation structure includes a plurality of electronic components, plural thermally conductive buffer layers, and an electronic conductive heat dissipation element. Each electronic component is configured to generate heat, each thermally conductive buffer layer is made of hBN that has thermal conductivity range from 10 to 40 W/mK. Such structure can completely overcome the issue of short circuit of electronic devices. The cooling of modern electronic devices, which has limited space for cooling, can be improved by this simple structure that takes full advantage of hBN and other heat dissipation materials. |
| US09596787B1 |
Cooling electronic devices in a data center
A data center cooling system includes an outer container that defines a first volume; an inner container that defines a second volume and is positioned within the first volume, the inner container including an air outlet that includes an airflow path between the first and second volumes; a liquid seal to fluidly isolate a liquid phase of a non-conductive coolant that fills at least a portion of the first and second volumes from an ambient environment; and a plurality of electronic heat-generating devices at least partially immersed in the liquid phase of the non-conductive coolant to transfer a heat load to the non-conductive coolant. |
| US09596786B2 |
Closed circulating water cooling apparatus and method
A closed circulating water cooling apparatus and method. The cooling apparatus comprises: an internal cooling apparatus, a plate heat exchanger, an ice thermal-storage auxiliary cooling apparatus. The internal cooling apparatus comprises an air cooler. The ice thermal-storage auxiliary cooling apparatus comprises an ice thermal-storage apparatus. |
| US09596784B2 |
Multi-chamber cooling system
The principles described herein provide an electrical system having multiple chambers that contain different types of electrical components. In particular, the electrical system can include a first chamber that contains a first type of electrical components. The electrical system can further include a second chamber that contains a second type of electrical components. Additionally, the first and second types of electrical components can have different operating temperatures. The electrical system can include a cooling system to maintain the first and second chambers at different temperatures based on the operating temperatures of the respective electrical components. Maintaining the chambers at different temperatures can conserve energy and facilitate optimal performance of the different electrical components within the electrical system. |
| US09596778B2 |
Cabinet frame enclosures, frame members and corresponding methods
According to some aspects of the present disclosure, systems and methods are disclosed for cabinet frames, including frame members coupled together via corner copulas. Frame members may include external and internal channels and surfaces for mounting external and internal components. Systems and methods are also disclosed for coupling the frame members and corner copulas. |
| US09596774B2 |
Set-top box having rubber feet
A rubber foot assembly and embossed mounting assembly for supporting a structure is provided that comprise: an aperture formed along a lower wall of the structure and a rubber foot engaged in the aperture, wherein the rubber foot has a flexible contoured bottom portion connected to a top portion through a neck portion. The neck region is adapted to freely slide vertically along a wall of the aperture such that a peripheral region of the flexible contoured bottom portion contacts a portion of the embossed mounting assembly, thereby supporting the structure. A plurality of the rubber foot assemblies and embossed mounting assemblies can be incorporated into the structure, which can be a set-top box, to prevent the structure from rocking on uneven surfaces. |
| US09596773B2 |
Electronic device with connector arrangement
An electronic unit including a plug assembly having at least one plug element comprising a plug base body having numerous plug pins, an assembly carrier printed circuit board, on which at least one electronic component is disposed, and is in electrical contact with at least one conductor path of the assembly carrier printed circuit board, a plug printed circuit board, onto which the plug assembly is attached, and is in electrical contact with at least one conductor path of the plug printed circuit board, and a cohesive cladding element, which seals the plug printed circuit board and at least one section of the assembly carrier printed circuit board against an external environment. |
| US09596769B2 |
Multilayer circuit board
A multilayer circuit board includes a first substrate and a second substrate in stack. The first substrate is provided with a first pad, a second pad, and a first sub-circuit. The first pad and the second pad are electrically connected to the first sub-circuit. The second substrate has a top surface, a bottom surface, and an opening. The bottom surface of the second substrate is attached to the top surface of the first substrate. The opening extends from the top surface to the bottom surface of the second substrate. The first pad of the first substrate is in the opening of the second substrate; the second pad of the first substrate is not covered by the second substrate. The second substrate further provided with a pad on the top surface and a second sub-circuit electrically connected to the pad of the second substrate. |
| US09596767B2 |
Electronic component, method of manufacturing electronic component, and electronic device
An electronic component includes: a substrate; wiring provided on the substrate, and including an uneven section at an edge portion of the wiring in plain view; and an insulating film provided on the substrate and on the wiring.And a method of manufacturing an electronic component includes: forming, on a substrate, wiring including an uneven section at an edge portion of the wiring in plain view; and forming an insulating film on the substrate and on the wiring. |
| US09596766B2 |
Method of manufacturing a circuit board
A method of manufacturing a circuit board is described herein. The method may include adding a resin, forming first and second fiberglass fibers, and forming first and second signal line traces capable of transmitting electrical signals. In some examples, a ratio between fiberglass and resin material near the first signal line trace is similar to a ratio between fiberglass and resin material near the second signal line trace. In some examples, the first and second fiberglass fibers diagonally cross near the first and second signal line traces. In some examples, the first and second fiberglass fibers cross near the first and second signal line traces in a zig-zag pattern. |
| US09596762B2 |
Method of fabricating a circuit board
Example methods of fabricating a circuit board are disclosed. An example method includes providing a substrate, forming at least one or more channels having linear nanostructures on the substrate, and forming a first electrode and a second electrode on the substrate, where the at least one or more channels electrically couple the first electrode to the second electrode. |
| US09596759B2 |
Electrical component carrier with variable thickness conductor tracks
Component carrier for electrical/electronic components, for example for the combination with a lock housing or as a component of a lock housing of a motor vehicle door lock, comprising a carrier element and a conductor track structure of individual metallic conductor tracks, which can be connected to the carrier element, wherein the conductor track structure is composed of at least two conductor track partial structures, each having a different material thickness, of the associated conductor tracks. |
| US09596756B2 |
Electronic device with printed circuit board noise reduction using elastomeric damming and damping structures
An electronic device may be provided with integrated circuits and electrical components such as capacitors that are soldered to printed circuit boards. Liquid polymer adhesive such as encapsulant and underfill materials may be deposited on the printed circuit. Electrical components such as capacitors may be coated with the encapsulant. The underfill may be deposited adjacent to an integrated circuit, so that the underfill wicks into a gap between the integrated circuit and the printed circuit board. The encapsulant may be more viscous than the underfill and may therefore prevent the flowing underfill from reaching the electrical components. Some of the encapsulant may be located between the electrical components and the printed circuit board. The encapsulant can be cured to form an elastomeric material covering the electrical components that helps damp vibrations. The elastomeric material may be less stiff than the underfill. |
| US09596753B2 |
Ultra low loss dielectric thermosetting resin composition and high performance laminates manufactured therefrom
An ultra low loss dielectric thermosetting resin composition has at least one cyanate ester component (A) and at least one reactive intermediate component (B) that is capable of copolymerization with said component (A). The invention is a cyanate ester resin of the form: Tn-[W-(Z)f/(H)1−f-W]n−1-[W-(Z)f/(H)1−f-(OCN)f/(R)1−f]n+2, wherein T is a 1,3,5-substituted-triazine moiety (C3N3); W is a linking atom between triazine and either component A or component B; Z is component (A); H is component (B); OCN is a cyanate ester end group; R is a reactive end group of component B; n is an integer greater than or equal to 1; and f is a weight or mole fraction of component A. The composition exhibits excellent dielectric properties and yields a high performance laminate for use in high layer count, multilayer printed circuit board (PCB), prepregs, resin coated copper (RCC), film adhesives, high frequency radomes, radio frequency (RF) laminates and various composites. |
| US09596748B2 |
Lens mount with conductive glue pocket for grounding to a circuit board
A lens mount is attached to a circuit board and covers electrical components on the circuit board. An electrically insulating device is positioned between the lens mount and the circuit board. The circuit board includes a grounding pad adjacent the electrically insulating device. The lens mount includes an aperture aligned with the grounding pad and the electrically insulating device. A conductive glue is dispensed into the aperture to electrically ground the lens mount to the grounding pad. The electrically insulating device seals the conductive glue from the electrical components. A method of grounding a lens mount to a circuit board is provided. |
| US09596741B2 |
Dimming control including an adjustable output response
The present disclosure provides improved dimming or dimmer assemblies/modules for controlling lights or loads (e.g., as part of a control or automation system). More particularly, the present disclosure provides for systems and methods for utilizing dimmer control assemblies/modules advantageously having: (i) an adjustable output response, (ii) enhanced thermal management, (iii) a voltage detector to determine amplitude and zero-crossing, and/or (iv) an estimation of power consumption for multiple loads (e.g., using a single sensor). |
| US09596740B2 |
LED auditorium house light system
A plurality of LED light fixtures are mounted in a ceiling of an auditorium and a power control system is positioned in an area separate from a seating area of the auditorium for supplying power to the LED light fixtures. Each LED light fixture comprises an extrusion carrying one or more ambience light LED modules for providing ambient light and one or more high intensity LED modules for providing full level lighting. The power control system is configured to collectively switch the ambience light LED modules “on” and “off” and to separately and collectively switch the high intensity LED modules “on” and “off” to thereby provide either low level ambient light or high intensity full level lighting to the auditorium. |
| US09596738B2 |
Communication with lighting units over a power bus
Various systems and methods facilitate internal communication within a lighting module as well as intercommunication among lighting modules over an external network. The network may be a conventional network managed by a central network controller or may be an ad hoc or “mesh” network—i.e., a scalable network architecture in which any lighting module is a node that can communicate with any other module or network-connected device. |
| US09596736B2 |
Dual function light controller with stand-alone and peripheral mode of operation
The present invention relates to a dual function light controller for a lighting system comprising a number of light emitting devices. The dual function light controller acts in a stand-alone mode of operation as an independent light controller controlling the lighting system and acts in a peripheral mode of operation act as a peripheral device which at least partially is controlled by a main controller controlling the lighting system. The dual function light controller comprises user switching means enabling a user to switch between the stand-alone mode of operation and the peripheral mode of operation. The present invention relates also to a lighting system comprising such dual function light control device. |
| US09596732B2 |
Display module manufacturing method and display module
A display module substrate and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The display module substrate includes a substrate body and a plurality of signal circuits. The substrate body has a supporting surface. The supporting surface includes a viewing area and a signal circuit area on one side of the viewing area. The signal circuits are disposed on the supporting surface and located at the signal circuit area. The signal circuit area has a plurality of apertures running through the substrate body, wherein the apertures are not shielded by the signal circuits. In a manufacturing thereof, the substrate body is disposed on a transparent carrier plate. When high-energy light is applied through the transparent carrier plate to etch a bottom surface of the substrate body to separate the substrate body and the transparent carrier plate, the resulting gas leaves through the apertures. |
| US09596731B1 |
Method for modulating color temperature in visible band
A color temperature modulating method involves: computing blackbody spectrums including a target color temperature, and performing normalization at a benchmark wavelength to define a common color-temperature area; selecting a white LED containing phosphor; adjusting the white LED's intensity such that the primary-peak wavelength is close to a maximum relative intensity in the common color-temperature area accordingly; using a blue LED, a green LED, and at least two red LEDs, wherein peak wavelengths of the blue and green LEDs are located between the primary and the secondary wavelength of the white LED, and peak wavelengths of the red LEDs are greater than the primary-peak wavelength; and adjusting relative intensities of the blue, green, and red LEDs to make a relative intensity of a combination of these LEDs and the white LED close to the target color temperature. |
| US09596727B2 |
Power over ethernet lighting system
A system for controlling a plurality of LED lighting fixtures includes a Power over Ethernet (PoE) LED driver coupleable to a PoE switch via a first power and communication link. The PoE LED driver includes a microcontroller for receiving first power and control signals from the PoE switch and for controlling a first LED driver chip to operate an LED lighting fixture in response thereto. An LED slave controller is connected to the PoE LED driver via a second power and communication link. The LED slave controller includes a second LED driver chip for receiving second power and control signals from the microcontroller to operate an LED lighting fixture in response. The first power and control signals are different from the second power and control signals. The first power and communication link is a CAT5/CAT6 cable. The second power and communication link is a CAT5/CAT6 or other cable type. |
| US09596726B2 |
Driver device and driving method for driving a load, in particular an LED unit
In various embodiments a device and method for providing power to an LED unit and modulating light emitted from the LED unit is disclosed. In one example, the device is configured to be connected between a driver and the LED unit. In this example, the device comprises a controllable resistor that receives from the driver a driver output voltage and to provides a load current to power the LED unit, a frequency filter for providing a substantially constant voltage to the LED unit, the frequency filter being connected to the controllable resistor to provide a substantially constant electrical power to the LED unit, and a modulator coupled in series to the LED unit for modulating the drive current and for modulating the emitted light output, wherein the substantially constant voltage applied to the LED unit is further applied to the modulator by means of the frequency filter. |
| US09596725B2 |
Method and circuit for constant current buck converter
A switch mode power supply (SMPS) includes a buck converter circuit that includes a first inductor coupled to an output terminal and a switch device coupled the first inductor. A controller is configured for regulating the output current based at least in part on controlling a peak current in the first inductor according to a ratio between an instantaneous voltage to an average voltage at the negative output terminal. The controller is configured to cause the SMPS to operate in a boundary conduction mode (BCM). The controller is configured to maintain a constant average output current that is substantially independent of the input voltage and the output voltage, and also provide a high power factor. |
| US09596721B2 |
Method for protecting switching elements in an induction heating system
The present disclosure provides systems and methods for protecting switching elements in an induction heating system. A switching power loss associated with a switching element of the induction heating system can be calculated and an operating frequency of the induction heating system can be adjusted based upon the switching power loss. According to one aspect, the switching power loss can be classified into one of a plurality of threat zones based upon the magnitude of the switching power loss and the operating frequency can be adjusted based upon the threat zone into which the switching power loss is classified. According to another aspect, the switching power loss can be calculated based at least in part on a duty cycle of an output signal. The duty cycle of the output signal can provide an indication of the proximity of the operating frequency of the induction heating system to resonance. |
| US09596717B1 |
MiFi control method and device
The disclosure provides controlling method of MiFi and device thereof. Herein, MiFi is provided with at least two SIM cards of different telecom carriers. The controlling method of MiFi includes: monitoring a currently connected data network corresponding to a SIM card of a source telecom carrier is disconnected; if disconnected, then selecting a SIM card of another telecom carrier except for the SIM card of the source telecom carrier as a SIM card of a target telecom carrier; and connecting to a data network corresponding to the SIM card of the target telecom carrier. In the disclosure, even if MiFi could not continuously access to currently connected data network due to inferior network condition thereof, MiFi still can select and connect to a data network corresponding to a SIM card of another telecom carrier, whereby solving problems that MiFi may be restricted by network condition of telecom carrier to which the inserted SIM card belongs in the prior art and improving user's experience. |
| US09596712B2 |
Method and apparatus for handling P-CSCF failure and restoring connectivity
A method for restoring connectivity between a node in an IP Multimedia Subsystem, IMS, network, and a User Equipment, UE. The UE is associated with a Proxy Call Session Control Function node, P-CSCF, of said IMS network, and with at least one control node of a packet access network, through which the UE connects to the IMS network. The method allows for restoring the connectivity of the UE to an IMS network node after said IMS node has failed to establish a communication to said UE via said P-CSCF node. |
| US09596708B2 |
Smart-home device facilitating convenient setup of plural instances thereof in the smart home
include using an application on a mobile device to establish first wireless communications with a first smart-home device that was previously paired with the user account. The method may also include transmitting, to the first smart-home device and using the first wireless protocol, a transmission that instructs the first smart-home device to establish second wireless communications with a second smart-home device, where the second wireless communications use a second wireless protocol. The method may additionally include transmitting network credentials to the first smart-home device using the first wireless protocol, where the credentials are then sent from the first smart-home device to the second smart-home device using the second wireless protocol, such that the second smart-home device can pair with the user account using the first wireless protocol. |
| US09596707B2 |
Bearer mobility and splitting in a radio access network-based, 3rd generation partnership project network having an integrated wireless local area network
A wireless local area network (WLAN) point-to-point communications link between an evolved universal terrestrial radio access network node B (eNB) and a user equipment device (or simply UE) is identified by UE/eNB media access control (MAC) identifiers on a per UE or per data radio bearer (DRB) basis for offloading cellular data from a long term evolution (LTE) link to the WLAN point-to-point communications link. A wireless local area network tunneling protocol (WLTP) includes packet formats and network protocol stack arrangements to support functions facilitated by the WLAN point-to-point communications link, such as, for example, identification of control and data traffic messages, DRB identification for WLTP packets, quality of service (QoS) delay and packet loss measurement, support of bearer splitting, and support of a general framework for offloading cellular traffic at different depths of the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) network protocol stack. |
| US09596705B2 |
Wireless communication system, terminal apparatus, base station apparatus, wireless communication method, and integrated circuit
In a wireless communication system, a terminal apparatus is capable of reporting, to a base station apparatus, information indicating a mobility state of the terminal apparatus. In a case where the terminal apparatus reports information (history information) to the base station apparatus as mobility state indicating information, the terminal apparatus notifies the base station apparatus of a radio resource control connection setup complete message containing information indicating the presence of the history information that is notified as the mobility state indicating information. The history information contains an identifier of a cell that the terminal apparatus visited and the duration of stay in the cell. The base station apparatus notifies the terminal apparatus of information as to whether to report the mobility state indicating information. In a case where the terminal apparatus reports the mobility state indicating information on the basis of the information notified by the base station apparatus, the terminal apparatus reports the history information to the base station apparatus using a radio resource control message different from the radio resource control connection setup complete message. |
| US09596703B2 |
Method for ensuring parallel data random access and user equipment
A method for ensuring parallel data random access and a user equipment are provided, which relate to the field of communications technologies. An embodiment of the present invention includes controlling a random access sequence transmitted by a user equipment through a physical random access channel PRACH not to be sent with other uplink transmission in the same subframe, or, when a random access sequence transmitted by a user equipment through a PRACH is sent with other uplink transmission in the same subframe, controlling a priority of power transmission of the PRACH and a priority of power transmission of an uplink channel over which the other uplink transmission is performed, when power is limited. |
| US09596702B2 |
Dynamic sensitivity control for wireless devices
A wireless communication device that includes an interface and a processor; wherein the interface is arranged to receive input signals; wherein the processor is arranged to: calculate an input signal's attribute; and determine an attribute of a collision avoidance scheme in response to the input signal's attribute. |
| US09596697B2 |
Application controller for quality-of-service configuration of a telecommunication device radio
An application controller of a telecommunication device to determine, for a packet flow of an application, a quality-of-service rule associated with the application is described herein. The application controller then configures a data bearer for a wireless communication stack of the telecommunication device with a quality-of-service specified by the quality-of-service rule and provides a packet of the packet flow for transmission to a remote recipient via the configured data bearer. |
| US09596690B2 |
Mobile communication device and method for allocating system information among virtual carriers for machine-type communications
A communications device transmitting/receiving signals to/from a mobile communications network includes one or more network elements providing a wireless access interface for the communications device. The wireless access interface includes plural communications resource elements across a host frequency range of a host carrier, and a first section of the communications resources within a first frequency range for preferable allocation to reduced capability devices forming a first virtual carrier and a second section of the communications resources within a second frequency range for preferable allocation to the reduced capability devices forming a second virtual carrier. Each of the first and second frequency ranges is within the host frequency range. The communications device is configured with a reduced capability to receive the signals only within a frequency bandwidth less than the host frequency range and equal to at least one of the first frequency range or the second frequency range. |
| US09596688B2 |
Techniques for group-based spatial stream assignment signaling in 60 GHz wireless networks
Techniques for group-based spatial stream assignment signaling in 60 GHz wireless networks are described. According to various such techniques, a 60 GHz-capable transmitting device may be configured to define one or more DL MU-MIMO groups, each of which may comprise one or more respective 60 GHz-capable receiving devices. In various embodiments, the 60 GHz-capable transmitting device may include a DL MU-MIMO group ID within DL control information in a PHY header of a PPDU in order to indicate that the PPDU is directed to a DL MU-MIMO group corresponding to that DL MU-MIMO group ID. In some embodiments, DL MU-MIMO control information may comprise information specifying spatial stream assignments for the 60 GHz-capable receiving devices of that DL MU-MIMO group. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09596687B1 |
Aperiodic antenna calibration triggering method
A system, media, and method, for aperiodic antenna calibration triggering in a wireless network is provided. Following a calibration of an antenna, a recalibration of the antenna is triggered upon determining that a recalibration criterion is met. The determination is made based on monitoring a reported power level of a transmitted signal as measured by a stationary and/or mobile client device couple to the wireless network. |
| US09596680B2 |
Methods and arrangements to determine station assignments to restricted access windows in wireless networks
Logic may implement a restricted access window association scheme that uses information provided in traffic indication map (TIM) bitmap and restricted access window (RAW) parameter set (PS) to determine stations associated with RAWs. The TIM information element (IE) may comprise a bitmap indicating paged and unpaged stations. The RAW PS IE may comprise a range of station association identifiers (AIDs) and possibly other station selection data. Logic may determine a range of stations associated with a RAW based upon AIDs for the first and last stations in the range based upon a position for the station in the TIM bitmap. And the range of stations associated with a RAW may be independent of block associations of the first and last stations in the TIM bitmap. |
| US09596679B2 |
Power division multiple access
A satellite communication system includes a hub and one or more terminals, wherein the one or more terminals may be configured to communicate over a satellite with the hub using a segment of the satellite's resources and using a single channel per carrier (SCPC) access scheme. Methods are presented herein for facilitating the dimensioning of at least a power characteristic of said space segment using a Demand Assignment Multiple Access approach and for enforcing the dimensioned power characteristic in real-time, or substantially in real-time. Also presented are methods for allocating power to SCPC carriers, wherein a maximum power level for a carrier may be determined using a DAMA technique. |
| US09596677B2 |
Method and device for transmitting/receiving transmission mode information on user terminal in inter-band TDD transmission scheme
The present invention relates to a method of receiving transmission mode information on a user terminal in an inter-band TDD transmission scheme. The present invention includes, at a base station controlling two or more bands with different time division duplex (TDD) settings, receiving a user terminal function information message that includes transmission mode function information on the user terminal in the two or more bands, and setting an element carrier aggregation environment of the user terminal to match the transmission mode function information, wherein the transmission mode function information includes information on whether the user terminal operates in a full duplex of half-duplex mode in the two or more bands. |
| US09596674B2 |
Radio link control reset using radio resource control signaling
A method and apparatus are described for implementing a reset procedure for radio link control (RLC) using radio resource control (RRC) signaling. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) receives a request for RLC reset. A processor at the WTRU comprises a RRC entity and a RLC entity. The RRC entity receives the request for a RLC reset in a radio resource control message. The RLC entity reassembles RLC service data units (SDUs) from any protocol data units (PDUs) that are received out of sequence at a receiving side of the RLC entity. The reassembled SDUs are delivered in sequence to a packet data convergence protocol entity (PDCP). At the receiving side of the RLC entity, any remaining PDUs that are not able to be reassembled are discarded. At a transmitting side of the RLC entity, all SDUs and PDUs stored in transmit buffers are discarded. |
| US09596670B2 |
Location assisted service capability monitoring
A digitally stored map can indicate the signal quality for each of the map's regions. A device can determine its location, speed, and direction using global positioning system (GPS) and other sensors. Based on this information, the mobile device can predict a field of locations within which the device will probably be located within a specified future time frame. Based on both the information indicating signal quality and the probable future field of locations, the device can estimate a moment at which the device will probably begin to suffer from low-quality or absent signal. Using this prediction, the device can proactively perform a variety of anticipatory remedial actions. For example, the device can begin allocating a greater portion of currently available wireless network communication bandwidth to the reception of data packets that represent content that is being streamed to the device, so that the device can proactively buffer those packets. |
| US09596669B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting data
A semiconductor device comprising interface logic for transmitting data bursts across an interface. The interface logic is arranged to transmit bursts of data across the interface such that the start of a burst of data is substantially aligned with a symbol interval (SI) boundary. The interface logic is further arranged to apply an offset to the SI boundary at the start of the burst of data. |
| US09596663B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving training sequence code in communication system
A method and apparatus for transmitting a training sequence code of a transmitting apparatus with a plurality of transmitting antennas in a communication system are provided. A transmitting apparatus allocates a plurality of time slots for the plurality of transmitting antennas to be divided into at least one frame, and sends a training sequence code with reference power for any one of the transmitting antennas, and sends remaining training sequence codes for remainders of the transmitting antennas with transmission power from zero to the reference power, in any one of the time slots. A receiving apparatus receives a plurality of training sequence codes for a plurality of transmitting antennas through any one of the plurality of receiving antennas from a transmitting apparatus, and selects one of the training sequence codes having the greatest reception power to estimate a channel. This may improve a channel estimation performance in a communication system. |
| US09596662B2 |
Method of efficiently reporting user equipment transmission power and apparatus thereof
A method and an apparatus for efficiently transmitting or reporting a Power Headroom Report (PHR) of a User Equipment (UE) are provided. The method of transmitting the PHR of the UE in a mobile communication system includes configuring an extended PHR including an indicator corresponding to a variation factor of a maximum transmission power of the UE, and transmitting the extended PHR from the UE to a Base Station (BS). The BS may be notified of a maximum transmission power of the UE and a variation factor corresponding to the maximum transmission power in order to enable efficient scheduling. |
| US09596661B2 |
Base station, mobile station, wireless communications system, and wireless communications method
At a base station, a lookup table is prepared that for each index value among multiple different index values, associates repetition counts of different channels correlated with each other. The base station acquires reception information indicating a reception state of a wireless signal at a mobile station, determines a repetition count for each channel based on the reception information, and acquires from the lookup table, an index value corresponding to the respective repetition counts for the channels. The base station transmits to the mobile station, a wireless signal that includes the index value to notify the mobile station of the index value. The mobile station has a lookup table that for each index value among different index values, associates repetition counts of different channels correlated with each other and acquires the repetition counts of the channels from the lookup table, based on the index value from the base station. |
| US09596659B2 |
Apparatus, method and system of controlling communications of a multi-radio device
Some demonstrative embodiments include devices, systems and methods of controlling communications of a multi-radio device. For example, a multi-radio device may include a cellular controller to control communication of a cellular radio; and a BT controller to control a transmission power of a BT radio according to a first power level, the BT controller is to receive from the cellular controller an indication of a cellular downlink period, and, during the cellular downlink period, to restrict a transmission power of at least one BT discovery packet to no more than a second power level, which is less than the first power level. |
| US09596657B2 |
Communication control device, transmission power allocation method and program
There is provided a doing apparatus including a communication control device including a power allocation unit configured to allocate transmission power for secondary use of a frequency channel protected for a primary system to a secondary system. The power allocation unit switches power allocation methods between a first group of secondary systems of which a distance from the primary system is less than a prescribed threshold and a second group of secondary systems of which a distance from the primary system exceeds the prescribed threshold. |
| US09596652B2 |
Wireless wake-up device for cellular module
A control device may wake-up a target wireless device through a wired or wireless communications channel. In an implementation, the control device and the wireless device may include a cellular module (e.g., global systems for mobile communications (GSM) capability) to implement an on-demand wake-up call. The on-demand wake-up call may allow the control device to perform at least one task at the wireless device without user intervention at the wireless device. |
| US09596641B2 |
Packet forwarding in wireless networks
A wireless network site comprises a base station and a cell site gateway. The cell site gateway comprises a first interface connected to the base station, a second interface connected to a packet network gateway, a forwarding layer, and a third interface connected to a control server to exchange control plane information. The forwarding layer transmits and receive packets. The control plane information comprises at least one first label value for transmitting a first plurality of packets to the base station and at least one second label value for transmitting a second plurality of packets to the packet network gateway. |
| US09596637B2 |
Dynamically adapting wireless communication
In order to facilitate communication between an electronic device and another electronic device, the electronic device determines communication-quality metrics for a first connection in a wireless network based on received information from the other electronic device. Then, the electronic device calculates an overall communication-quality indicator for the first connection based on at least some of the communication-quality metrics. Moreover, the electronic device dynamically adapts the communication with the other electronic device based on the overall communication-quality indicator. For example, the electronic device may establish a second connection in a cellular-telephone network and may use the second connection to communicate with the other electronic device. Alternatively, the electronic device may provide the overall communication-quality indicator to the other electronic device and may at least partially transition the communication from the second connection in the cellular-telephone network to the first connection in the wireless network. |
| US09596636B2 |
Method performed by a network node, network node and computer program for supporting cell selection of user equipments in a wireless communication network
A method is described performed by a network node for supporting cell selection of user equipments, UEs, in a wireless communication network. The wireless communication network comprises low power nodes, LPN (230, 240), and high power nodes, HPN (210, 220). The LPNs and the HPNs are arranged to transmit signals wirelessly to UEs (251-254). The method comprises identifying (302) cell range expansion, CRE, areas of a group of LPNs, which CRE areas experience interference from a group of HPNs. The method further comprises counting (306) the number of HPNs in the group of HPNs and the number of LPNs in the group of LPNs, and when the numerical relation between the number of LPNs and the number of HPNs fulfills a predefined criterion, triggering (310) connection of a UE situated in any of the identified CRE areas to the LPN of the identified CRE area in which the UE is situated, and when the numerical relation between the number of LPNs and the number of HPNs does not fulfill the predefined criterion, triggering (312) connection of a UE situated in any of the identified CRE areas to one of the HPNs of the group of HPNs. |
| US09596635B2 |
Method and apparatus for releasing delay tolerant access user equipment in wireless communication system
A method and apparatus for releasing delay tolerant access user equipments (UEs) in a wireless communication system is provided. An eNodeB (eNB) receives an overload message or a user equipment (UE) context release command message including a request for releasing the delay tolerant access UEs from a mobility management entity (MME), releases the delay tolerant access UEs based on the overload message or the UE context release command message. |
| US09596626B2 |
Mobile communication system, MME, incoming call control method of mobile communication system, and incoming call control method of MME
It is aimed to provide a mobility management device that can normally provide a UE with a notification of an incoming voice call made when ISR is activated and when a mobile communication device is moving from a location registration area under control of an MME to a location registration area under control of an SGSN. A mobility management device (10) makes an ISR feature operate in collaboration with an SGSN (20). It is assumed that a location registration area (60) managed by the mobility management device (10) exists within a location registration area (50) managed by the SGSN (20), and an incoming voice call is made to a mobile communication device (30) during when the mobile communication device (30) is moving out of the location registration area (60). The mobility management device (10) includes an incoming voice call control unit (11) that, in the above case, sends a response message indicating that the mobile communication device (30) is moving to a switching device (40) and, when an incoming voice call message is sent again from the switching device (40) to a switching device (40) after the lapse of a specified period of time, performs call attempt to the mobile communication device (30). |
| US09596621B2 |
Signaling traffic reduction in mobile communication systems
In an embodiment, a method for reducing signaling traffic between certain service elements in mobile communication systems includes receiving signaling initiated from one service element at a signaling routing agent where the signaling routing agent determines whether the received signaling needs to be sent to its destined service element. If the signaling is not sent, signaling traffic to the destined service element is reduced. |
| US09596620B2 |
Congestion processing method, apparatus, and core network
The present invention provides a congestion processing method, apparatus, and system. The method comprises: in a process of a UE performing handover from a source cell, in a congestion status, of a source access network element to a target cell, in a normal status, of a target access network element, receiving second indication information sent by a second access network element, wherein the second indication information is used for indicating a status of a second cell; sending notification information to a network side according to the indication message, wherein the notification information is used for notifying the network side to restore a status of the UE from a congestion and controlled status to a normal status. In the present invention, determining how to notify the network side and notifying the network side timely to restore the status of the UE to the normal status are realized. |
| US09596617B2 |
Unmanned aerial vehicle-based systems and methods associated with cell sites and cell towers
A method performed at a cell site with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) communicatively coupled to a controller to perform a cell site audit, without requiring a tower climb at the cell site, includes causing the UAV to fly substantially vertically up to cell site components using the controller, wherein flight of the UAV is constrained in a three-dimensional rectangle at the cell site; collecting data associated with the cell site components and the surrounding airspace and environment using the UAV; transmitting and/or storing the collected data; and processing the collected data to obtain information for the cell site audit. |
| US09596615B1 |
Method and apparatus for assessing a condition of a wireless channel in view of feedback under strong and sporadic interference received over the wireless channel
A wireless communication device including an interference module and a feedback generation module. The interference module is configured to detect interference on a communication channel, identify types of the interference detected on the communication channel, and provide information about the types of the interference detected on the communication channel. The feedback generation module is configured to receive a request, from a transmitter, for feedback about a condition of the communication channel, and, based on the request and the information about the types of the interference detected on the communication channel, determine a measurement region of the communication channel, generate the feedback about the condition of the communication channel using measurements taken, by a receiver, in the measurement region as determined by the feedback generation module, and provide the feedback to the transmitter. |
| US09596611B2 |
System and method for mobile data expansion
A data expansion system that provides continuum of discrete wireless small cell coverage areas for mobile terminals includes a set of roadway reflectors configured to provide wireless broadband data services to a mobile terminal. Each reflector includes processing circuitry configured to establish communications between the mobile terminal and a backhaul network. Each reflector includes a wireless transceiver configured to transmit and receive data. Each reflector includes a power source that converts solar energy into electricity. Each reflector includes a housing configured to contain the processing circuitry, the transceiver, and the power source. The housing has a raised reflective surface. |
| US09596610B1 |
System and method for detecting and eliminating radio frequency interferences in real time
The present invention relates in general to communications and navigation systems and methods. In particular, the invention relates to a method and a system for detecting and eliminating radio frequency interferences in real time and more explicitly those related to satellite navigation systems. The invention is based on the application of a combination of techniques based on time domain, frequency domain, scale domain and statistical methods. |
| US09596606B1 |
Application programming interface gateway for sponsored data services
A method to facilitate secure access to a sponsored data service (SDS) through an application programming interface gateway includes providing an access token to a content provider device, where the access token authorizes the content provider device to receive sponsored data services (SDSs). The method also includes receiving a first request for an SDS resource from the content provider device; generating a first timestamp associated with the first request; determining a destination for the first request, where the destination specifies a network address corresponding to an SDS resource device; forwarding the first request to the SDS resource device based on the determined destination; receiving a first response from the SDS resource device corresponding to the first request; generating a second timestamp associated with the first response; and forwarding the first response, along with the first timestamp and the second timestamp, to the content provider device. |
| US09596604B2 |
Method and system for enhanced wireless network security
A method, system, and computer program product for securing wireless network devices improves the security of wireless networks and devices, such as Bluetooth networks and devices, to prevent security attacks on and hacking of such networks and devices. A method for secure wireless communications, comprises the steps of requesting a connection with a wireless device, determining whether the wireless device is trusted, determining a security policy of the wireless device, and establishing a connection with the wireless device if the wireless device is trusted and if the security policy of the wireless device is as expected. |
| US09596603B2 |
Distributed bulk onboarding process
Methods and systems for the distributed bulk onboarding of devices onto a Wi-Fi network are provided. A method may comprise receiving, at an onboarding device, Wi-Fi configuration information. Then, it may comprise detecting, at the onboarding device, broadcast information from a plurality of devices that may be onboarded onto the Wi-Fi network, the broadcast information indicating that one or more of the plurality of devices is an onboarding node capable of onboarding another of the plurality of devices. The method may further comprise creating instructions indicating an order in which the plurality of devices may be onboarded, and by which of the one or more onboarding nodes each of the remaining devices of the plurality shall be onboarded, and providing the Wi-Fi configuration information and at least a portion of the instructions to at least one of the onboarding nodes. |
| US09596602B2 |
Elastic communication network
Systems, devices, and techniques are provided for a communication network in which a wireless communication service can be furnished or otherwise extended to a mobile computing device from one or more other mobile computing devices. |
| US09596597B2 |
Mobile security protocol negotiation
A security gateway/home agent controller HAC is used to assign one home agent HA from a plurality of HAs and to identify at least one security protocol that is common between a mobile node MN and the assigned HA. Establishment of a security association between the MN and the assigned HA is enabled according to the identified security protocol and utilizing bootstrapping parameters provided over a secure connection between the security gateway/HAC and the MN. The bootstrapping parameters include at least a home address for the MN, an address of the assigned HA and security credentials and security parameters for the identified at least one security protocol. In an exemplary embodiment the home address for the MN may be an IPv6 home address and the MN may have certain capabilities with respect to security protocols and ciphering suites which the MN sends to the security gateway. |
| US09596595B2 |
Integrated number management module and service order system
A number inventory system is disclosed. The number inventory system manages the relationships between SIM cards, IMSI numbers, and MSISDN for a mobile telecommunications service provider. The number inventory system provides the software and hardware for receiving SIM card inventory data, including associated IMSI numbers, and efficiently stores the SIM card inventory data in a database. The number inventory system further provides for the opening of a range of available MSISDN. SIM cards, IMSI and MSISDN may be assigned to customer orders, and the number inventory system manages the associations between IMSI numbers and MSISDN and monitors the status of SIM cards, IMSI numbers and MSISDN. The number inventory system may also manage an MSISDN classification system for identifying MSISDN numbers having various desirable sequence characteristics. |
| US09596594B2 |
Making subscriber data addressable as a device in a mobile data network
A mobile data network supports making subscriber data addressable as devices in a mobile data network. Each data chunk is assigned a device address in the mobile data network. The data chunk can then be addresses as a device in the mobile data network. A first implementation allows accessing data in existing mobile data networks by sending a text message to the device address of the data chunk. When the data chunk receives a text message, it responds with one or more text messages that deliver the data in the data chunk to the sender who sent the text message. A second implementation includes a subscriber data mechanism in the mobile data network that supports tracking, transfer and management of subscriber data in the mobile data network. Making subscriber data addressable as a device simplifies data-centric communication in a mobile data network. |
| US09596593B2 |
eUICC subscription change
A connectivity service platform in a communication network manages changes to subscriptions for radio devices. When the connectivity service platform receives a subscription change message, it sends instructions to a radio device to change from the currently enabled subscription to a second subscription for its network connection. The connectivity service platform tests the second subscription network connection using a pre-defined testing procedure. More particularly, the test is performed uses a network connection from the second subscription to send and receive test messages to verify that the second subscription network connection has passed the testing. The first subscription is then disabled and the second subscription is enabled. |
| US09596591B2 |
Switching active subscriber identity of a communication terminal
A method is disclosed of switching the active subscriber identity of a communication terminal which is capable at each moment in time of having only one active subscriber identity. An active subscriber identity switch from a first subscriber identity to a second subscriber identity is initiated. At least one parameter associated with a time of expiry of a timer associated with the first subscriber identity is stored. The first subscriber identity is deactivated and the second subscriber identity is activated. If an active subscriber identity switch from the second subscriber identity to the first subscriber identity is initiated and the first subscriber identity is activated, it may be determined whether the time of expiry of the timer associated with the first subscriber identity has passed. Network registration of the first subscriber identity may be performed only if the time of expiry of the timer associated with the first subscriber identity has passed. Corresponding computer program product, controller, arrangement and communication terminal are also disclosed. |
| US09596587B2 |
Mobility detection for edge applications in wireless communication networks
Various embodiments detecting wireless communication device mobility in a wireless communication network. In one embodiment, one or more Internet Protocol (IP) data packets associated with a wireless communication device are analyzed. The wireless communication device is coupled with the edge entity. A determination is made, based on the analyzing, that the wireless communication device is a newly coupled device at the edge entity. A central entity disposed within the wireless communication network is notified that the wireless communication device is currently coupled to the edge entity. |
| US09596583B2 |
Local network alert system for mobile devices using an IMS session and Wi-Fi access point
A wireless emergency alert system (also known as a wireless emergency alert system, or “WEA,” and formerly known as a commercial mobile alert system, or “CMAS”) receives a geotargeted federal alert that is to be delivered to mobile devices within a defined geographic region. A database of locations of access points is utilized by the system to identify those access points that are likely present in the defined region. The system identifies mobile devices that have an ongoing connection (e.g. IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) session) with the identified access points, in part by maintaining and accessing a look-up table containing location information for the access point and connected mobile devices. In addition, the system tracks mobile devices that no longer have an ongoing session and deregisters the appropriate mobile devices in the look-up table. For mobile devices that have an ongoing session, the system delivers the received alert to the mobile devices in the targeted region via the identified access points. |
| US09596573B2 |
Location information service system, location information service method employing electronic tag, portable information terminal, and terminal program
A system enables desired information to be delivered to, or jump into a portable information terminal such as a smartphone which is carried by a user, without relying on GPS or network environment. The system, provided with an electronic tag transmitter, is configured to broadcast the first identification information (management equipment number) such that the application, executed in common by the plurality of the portable information terminal, and a management device configured to receive an inquiry based on the first identification information received by the portable information terminal; transform the first identification information into a second identification information (application identification number) which is to be managed by the portable information terminal; and transmit the second identification information to the portable information terminal having made the inquiry, wherein the portable information terminal is configured to execute the application based on the second identification information. |
| US09596568B1 |
Content display controls based on environmental factors
Approaches are described for controlling and filtering the display of content by computing devices. In particular, a mobile computing device can adjust the playing of media content (e.g., audio, video, images, games, ringtones) according to situational appropriateness and other environmental factors occurring around the device. For example, a mobile computing device such as a smart phone could use image and audio information captured by its sensors to determine that minors are present within the vicinity of the mobile phone, and filter certain portions of media content that would be deemed inappropriate for those minors. The environmental information can be determined based on data gathered by various sensors of the mobile device, including but not limited to cameras, microphones, global positioning system (GPS) devices, light sensors and others. |
| US09596565B2 |
Location monitoring feature of a mobile device for activating an application subsystem
Methods, program products, and systems for baseband location monitoring and related functions are disclosed. A mobile device can monitor its own current location using its baseband subsystem and decide whether to selectively activate its application subsystem based on whether particular conditions are satisfied by the current location. The mobile device can also correlate location and cellular signal information using its baseband subsystem and provide the correlated location and cellular signal information to a server. The server can receive the correlated location and cellular signal information from the baseband subsystems of a large number of widely distributed mobile devices and generate respective profiles of cellular network base stations that transmitted the cellular signals to the mobile devices. The profiles of the cellular network base stations can be used by the server in fulfilling subsequent positioning requests from mobile devices that do not currently have the baseband location monitoring enabled. |
| US09596552B2 |
Features and optimizations for personal communication device based public addressing system
Systems and methods are described herein, a method including, but not limited to, transmitting, at a first frame time, a first number of redundant data packets; transmitting, at a second frame time, a second number of redundant data packets in response to data packet loss beyond a predetermined tolerance level, the second number being greater than the first number; and transmitting, at a third frame time, a third number of redundant data packets, the third number is between the first number and the second number. |
| US09596550B2 |
Prosthesis adapter
A prosthesis including an abutment, an operationally removable component including a coupling apparatus, and an adapter, wherein the abutment is connected to the adapter and the coupling apparatus of the operationally removable component is releasably coupled to the adapter. |
| US09596548B2 |
Sound processor apparatuses that facilitate battery type detection and communication with a programming system
An exemplary sound processor apparatus included in an auditory prosthesis system includes 1) an interface assembly that includes at least a first contact, 2) a first switchable current source having an output coupled to the first contact of the interface assembly by way of a first data line, and 3) a control module that detects a connection of a battery module to the interface assembly by way of the first contact, enables the first switchable current source while the battery module is connected to the interface assembly, detects a logic level of the first data line while the first switchable current source is enabled and while the battery module is connected to the interface assembly, and identifies, based on the detected logic level of the first data line, a battery type associated with the battery module. Corresponding sound processor apparatuses, systems, and methods are also described. |
| US09596546B2 |
Electroacoustic components and methods thereof
An improved electroacoustic component is provided. The component includes a carrier wafer with a passivation layer, a piezoelectric layer above the passivation layer and an interdigitated transducer in an electrode layer on the piezoelectric layer. The component is configured to work with a shear mode. |
| US09596544B1 |
Head mounted phased focused speakers
A device having first means for directing a sound wave to a first side of a target head location; a first means for encircling the first directing means, being configured to phase focus the sound wave to a proximate center point of a left ear of the listener; a second means for directing the sound wave to a second side of the target head location of the listener; a second means for encircling the second directing means, being configured to phase focus the sound wave to a proximate center point of a right ear of the listener; and means for encapsulating the first and second encircling means, said encapsulating means being configured to proximately surround the target head location of the listener. |
| US09596542B2 |
Apparatus and method with enhancement of sound quality
An audio processing apparatus and method are provided. The audio processing apparatus includes an envelope detector to detect an envelope of an input signal with respect to a low frequency band, and a signal restorer to restore the input signal including a high frequency band by performing frequency folding of frequency sub-band according the envelope. |
| US09596539B1 |
Wireless sound-emitting device and system for remotely controlling a sound-emitting device
A wireless sound-emitting device includes a housing adapted to be coupled to a wall at a source of electric power, a loudspeaker positioned at a periphery of the housing, a control module outputting an electric audio signal to the at least one loudspeaker, and a wireless communications module in electrical communication with the control module. The loudspeaker emits acoustic signals in a direction parallel to the wall, when the housing is coupled to the wall, with the acoustic signals reflecting off the wall. The device may produce a sound masking noise or play a sound recorded on an internal memory. The device may include an electric plug or be adapted to replace an electric outlet faceplate. The device may have electric pass-through outlets and may be powered by the source of electric power. The device may be controlled remotely, for example via an Internet of Things (IoT) platform. |
| US09596538B2 |
Wearable audio mixing
Examples of systems and methods for mixing sounds are generally described herein. A method may include determining the identification of a plurality of worn devices, each of the plurality of worn devices assigned to a sound. The method may also include mixing the respective sounds of each of the plurality of worn devices to produce a mixed sound. The method may include playing the mixed sound. |
| US09596537B2 |
Systems and methods for reduction of audio artifacts in an audio system with dynamic range enhancement
In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a control circuit may be configured to, responsive to an indication to switch between gain modes of a signal path having an analog path portion and a digital signal path portion, switch a selectable analog gain of the analog path portion between a first analog gain and a second analog gain, switch a selectable digital gain of the digital signal path portion between a first digital gain and a second digital gain, wherein the product of the first analog gain and the first digital gain is approximately equal to the product of the second analog gain and the second digital gain, and control an analog response of the signal path to reduce the occurrence of audio artifacts present in the output signal as a result of the switch between gain modes of the signal path.A signal path may have an analog path portion and a digital signal path portion. The digital portion may have a selectable digitally-controlled gain and may be configured to convert a digital audio input signal into an analog input signal in conformity with the selectable digitally-controlled gain, the digital signal path portion comprising a modulator including a forward path and a feedback path. The forward path may include a loop filter for generating a filtered signal responsive to the digital audio input signal and a feedback signal, a quantizer responsive to the filtered signal for generating a quantized signal, and a first gain element configured to apply the selectable digitally-controlled gain to a signal within the forward path. The feedback path may be configured to generate the feedback signal responsive to the quantized signal, the feedback path including a second gain element having a gain inversely proportional to the selectable digitally-controlled gain. |
| US09596534B2 |
Equalization and power control of bone conduction elements
Methods and systems are provided for controlling bone conduction, in which a bone conduction element may be used to output acoustic signals when it is in contact with a user. A bone conduction sensor may also be made in contact with the user, and used to obtain feedback relating to the outputting of the acoustic signals via the bone conduction element. The outputting of the acoustic signals may then be adaptively controlled based on processing of the feedback. The adaptive controlling may comprise adjusting components and/or functions related to or used in the outputting of the acoustic signals. For example, the adaptive controlling may comprise adjusting gain, frequency response, and/or equalization associated with a drive amplifier driving the bone conduction element. |
| US09596533B2 |
Unidirectional close-talking microphone and microphone cap
The orientation of the directional axis and the directionality of a microphone are adjusted through a simple configuration. A unidirectional close-talking microphone includes a microphone unit including a front sound-collecting segment and a rear sound-collecting segment; and a microphone cap attachable to the outer circumference of the microphone cap, the microphone cap including a plurality of sound-collecting holes on a side face, the relative position between the microphone cap and the microphone unit being switchable between a first position and a second position along the central axis, the sound-collecting holes being disposed on opposite sides of the central axis at different positions along the central axis, the rear sound-collecting segment being in communication with outside of the microphone cap through the sound-collecting holes in the microphone cap when the microphone cap resides at the first position, part of the rear sound-collecting segment being covered with the microphone cap when the microphone cap resides at the second position. |
| US09596513B2 |
Method and system for facilitating demand-driven distribution of content
Methods and systems for facilitating distribution of content are disclosed. In one example embodiment, a method of facilitating demand-driven population and management of online content within a video-on-demand (VOD) service includes receiving trend information and a link reference at one or more input ports, the reference being at least indirectly indicative of a location at which the content is available, and obtaining and normalizing, by way of one or more processing devices, metadata pertaining to the content. The method further includes determining business rule information pertaining to the content based at least indirectly upon the trend information, content provider policy information, and the normalized metadata, via the processing device(s), and outputting via one or more output ports the business rule information for receipt by the VOD service, whereby availability and prioritization of the content at the VOD service is based at least in part upon the output business rule information. |
| US09596510B2 |
Method for transmitting broadcast service, method for receiving broadcast service, and apparatus for receiving broadcast service
Provided is a method of a receiver to receive a broadcast service. The method includes: receiving a content; obtaining information on an adjunct service of the broadcast service from the content; transmitting a trigger request according to the information on the adjunct service; receiving at least one trigger in response to the request; and performing a trigger action on a trigger target object at a trigger time on the basis of the received at least one trigger, wherein the received at least one trigger is located in a specific time segment. |
| US09596508B2 |
Device for acquisition of viewer interest when viewing content
In order to acquire a viewer's enjoyment and interest when viewing three-dimensional contents on a consumer electronic device, a viewer's eyes are monitored in real-time. Biometric data from the monitoring can be used for delivery of highly accurate and personalized viewing experiences for the viewer. |
| US09596507B2 |
Electronic device audio volume reduction in response to audio communication request
Presented is a method of facilitating use of an audio communication device, such as a telephone, in the presence of an electronic device capable of generating sound, such as a television or audio receiver. In the method, a message is received from the audio communication device, wherein the message indicates the audio communication device has received a request for an audio communication, such as a telephone call, from a second audio communication device. In response to receiving the message, an audio volume of the electronic device is reduced. |
| US09596505B2 |
Device and method for synchronizing an interactive mark to streaming content
The present invention concerns a device and a method for inserting an interactive mark in a streaming content, said method comprising the steps of receiving a streaming content in a first format, receiving the same streaming content in a second format, receiving an interactive mark, corresponding to a first frame of said content in a first format and sending said interactive mark synchronized to a second frame of the content received in the second format, the content in said second frame corresponding to the content in said first frame. |
| US09596502B1 |
Integration of multiple synchronization methodologies
A method comprising the steps of: generating an acoustic fingerprint that is responsive to a playing of a movie; searching, responsive to the acoustic fingerprint, an acoustic database; generating a dialogue fingerprint that is responsive to the playing of the movie; searching, responsive to the dialogue fingerprint, a dialogue database; identifying, responsive to the searching of the acoustic database and responsive to the searching of the dialogue database, a location within the movie; and displaying, responsive to the identified location, an information item that is associated with the identified location; and wherein the generating the dialogue fingerprint comprises a conversion of a portion of dialogue to text; wherein the searching the acoustic database is initially limited to a portion of the acoustic database; wherein the identifying is further responsive to a confidence indicator; and wherein a subsequent searching is responsive to a synchronization suspend timer. |
| US09596500B2 |
Accessing content via a matrix code
A system for accessing content corresponding to a matrix barcode, such as a video and/or audio content. The system may include a mobile computing device in communication with a content receiver. The mobile computing device may be configured to capture the matrix barcode, for example, via using an optical component and/or barcode scanner to record and/or scan the matrix barcode. The mobile computing device may also include a network interface component configured to transmit the matrix barcode to the content receiver. The content receiver may then receive the matrix barcode from the mobile computing device. The content receiver may include a processor to determine and/or access the content corresponding to the matrix barcode. The content receiver may then transmit the content to a display device. |
| US09596499B2 |
Content recording method, recording apparatus, and recording system
A content recording method for a recording apparatus includes the following steps: an automatic recording control step of automatically recording a first plurality of pieces of content in a channel automatic recording area, each of the first plurality of pieces of content being broadcast through a channel in a time slot; a deletion step of instructing a mobile apparatus to delete a first piece of content that has previously been copied or moved from the channel automatic recording area to the mobile apparatus when the recording apparatus detects that the recording apparatus has become able to communicate with the mobile apparatus; and a content transfer step of copying or moving a second piece of content included in the first plurality of pieces of content to the mobile apparatus when the recording apparatus detects that the recording apparatus has become able to communicate with the mobile apparatus. |
| US09596497B2 |
Recipient specific lists for distribution of media content
There is provided a system and method of recipient specific lists for distribution of media content. The method comprises obtaining at least one unique identifier (UID), wherein the at least one UID identifies a content, and wherein the at least one UID identifies a recipient location and presentation data, generating a recipient specific list (RSL) using the at least one UID, wherein the RSL includes at least one content identifier, and wherein the RSL includes at least one recipient identifier, and transmitting the RSL to an encoded content transport stream creator for creation of an encoded content transport stream. The at least one recipient identifier may correspond to a broadcast affiliate television recipient or a multichannel video programming distributor. Additionally, the RSL may contain primary content, such as television programs, movies, commercials, and promotional programming, as well as secondary content, such as content overlays, program schedules, and triggers. |
| US09596496B2 |
System and method to deliver video content
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, identifying video content having a scheduled broadcast time during a first viewing period that satisfies a viewership threshold and facilitating a transfer of the video content to a multimedia storage device. The video content is transferred to the multimedia storage device during a second viewing period prior to the first viewing period. The video content includes the data to prevent the multimedia storage device from sending the video content to another device prior to the time when the program is scheduled to be broadcast. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US09596495B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining data is available using a virtual time base
The invention provides a method and apparatus that addresses and resolves the issues currently affecting the ability to offer Enhanced TV, in particular, those issues concerning timing and synchronization, interaction with other modules in the STB, and distribution. |
| US09596491B2 |
Detection of failures in advertisement replacement
Methods of monitoring segment replacement within a multimedia stream are provided. A multimedia stream having a replacement segment spliced therein is evaluated by extracting at least one of video, text, and audio features from the multimedia stream adjacent a beginning or ending of the replacement segment, and the extracted features are analyzed to detect if a residual of a segment replaced by the replacement segment exists within the multimedia stream. Methods of ad replacement and a system for performing the above methods are also disclosed. |
| US09596488B2 |
Coding of a spatial sampling of a two-dimensional information signal using sub-division
Coding schemes for coding a spatially sampled information signal using sub-division and coding schemes for coding a sub-division or a multitree structure are described, wherein representative embodiments relate to picture and/or video coding applications. |
| US09596486B2 |
IRAP access units and bitstream switching and splicing
In one example, a device for coding video data includes a video coder configured to code an intra random access point (IRAP) picture of a partially aligned IRAP access unit of video data, and code data that indicates, when performing random access from the partially aligned IRAP access unit, at least one picture of a video coding layer that is not correctly decodable. When the video coder comprises a video decoder, the video decoder may skip decoding of the pictures that are not correctly decodable, assuming random access has been performed starting from the partially aligned IRAP access unit. |
| US09596484B2 |
Method of depth intra prediction using depth map modelling
A method of depth map coding for a three-dimensional video coding system incorporating extended reconstructed neighboring depth samples is disclosed. The depth block is partitioned into one or more segments. A prediction value for each segment is derived based on reconstructed neighboring depth samples. The reconstructed neighboring depth samples for at least one segment include at least one reconstructed sample from an extended top neighboring row or an extended left neighboring column. The extended top neighboring row includes at least one extended top-row reconstructed depth sample located adjacent to top side of a second depth block adjacent to right side of the current depth block. The extended left neighboring column includes at least one extended left-column reconstructed depth sample located adjacent to left side of a third depth block adjacent to bottom side of the current depth block. |
| US09596481B2 |
Apparatus and method for video data processing
Methods and apparatus for facilitating processing a reference frame to produce an output frame. Motion vector data for a block of reference frame pels estimates the displacement of the reference frame pels from corresponding pels in a prior input frame. Comparison metrics are produced for a pel of the reference frame with respect to that pel and a plurality of neighboring reference frame pels A first comparison metric is based on a comparison with corresponding pels of a prior output frame that corresponds to the prior input frame as previously processed. A second comparison metric is based on a comparison with corresponding pels of a motion compensated prior output frame derived from applying motion vector data to the pels of the prior output frame. A pel of the output frame that corresponds to the reference frame pel is determined using the first and second comparison metrics. |
| US09596478B2 |
Image compressing/decompressing apparatus and image forming apparatus
An offset calculating unit (2) performs an offset process for a luma plane and/or chroma planes where the offset process compresses a pixel value range by a predetermined offset except for a saturation value. A compression processing unit (3) performs a lossy compression process using frequency conversion for the luma plane and the chroma planes after the offset process performed by the offset calculating unit (2). Further, a decompression processing unit (4) decompresses compressed data generated in the compression process performed by the compression processing unit (3) to a luma plane and chroma planes. An inverse offset calculating unit (5) performs an inverse offset process for a plane for which the offset process has been performed among the luma plane and the chroma planes after decompression by the decompression processing unit (4) where the inverse offset process expands a pixel value range by the offset. |
| US09596477B2 |
Methods of multiple-slice coding for frame buffer compression
Method is disclosed for reducing frame buffer, stream buffer, reconstruction buffer, or latency associated with frame buffer compression in an encoder or decoder with multiple slices of an image frame. The image frame is divided into multiple slices vertically, horizontally or both. One core compressor or decompressor can be used to process two or more slices. The encoding and decoding of two or more slices may be performed in parallel. Instead of encoding an entire slice, the encoder compresses only partial data of one slice before encoding another slice. According to one embodiment, each slice is divided into two or more partitions. The encoder is switched to another slice after encoding one partition of one slice. In another embodiment, the encoder is switched to another slice based the information related to the coding status. The decoding order may be same as the encoding order. |
| US09596476B2 |
Image decoding apparatus, image encoding apparatus, and method and program for image decoding and encoding
An encoded bit stream is processed by a lossless decoding unit (52), an inverse quantization unit (53), and an inverse orthogonal transform unit (54) in this order, to obtain orthogonally transformed coefficient data and encoding parameter information. The inverse orthogonal transform unit (54) performs an inverse orthogonal transform on the coefficient data by using bases that are set beforehand in accordance with the locations of transform blocks in a macroblock indicated by the encoding parameter information. In this manner, prediction error data is obtained. An intra prediction unit (62) generates predicted image data. An addition unit (55) adds the predicted image data to the prediction error data, to decode image data. By using bases that are set in accordance with the locations of transform blocks, an optimum inverse orthogonal transform can be performed, and encoding efficiency can be increased. |
| US09596470B1 |
Tree-coded video compression with coupled pipelines
An apparatus having a circuit and a processor is disclosed. The circuit may be configured to (i) generate a plurality of sets of coefficients by compressing a block in a picture in a video signal at a plurality of different sizes of coding units in a coding tree unit and (ii) generate an output signal by entropy encoding a particular one of the sets of coefficients. Each set of coefficients may be generated in a corresponding one of a plurality of pipelines that operate in parallel. The processor may be configured to select the particular set of coefficients in response to the compressing. |
| US09596469B2 |
Sample array coding for low-delay
The entropy coding of a current part of a predetermined entropy slice is based on, not only, the respective probability estimations of the predetermined entropy slice as adapted using the previously coded part of the predetermined entropy slice, but also probability estimations as used in the entropy coding of a spatially neighboring, in entropy slice order preceding entropy slice at a neighboring part thereof. Thereby, the probability estimations used in entropy coding are adapted to the actual symbol statistics more closely, thereby lowering the coding efficiency decrease normally caused by lower-delay concepts. Temporal interrelationships are exploited additionally or alternatively. |
| US09596468B2 |
System and method for transferring data
A system and a method transmit data in a first codec from a first terminal to a second terminal. The first terminal establishes a connection with the second terminal and/or transmits, transfers and/or sends the data to the second terminal via the connection between the first terminal and the second terminal. The connection between the first terminal and the second terminal has a first channel and/or a second channel to transmit the data from the first terminal to the second terminal. The first terminal transmits the data in a first codec to the second terminal via the first channel and/or the second channel of the connection without receiving capabilities of and/or intentions from the second terminal. The second terminal may be incapable of receiving, of processing, of accepting and/or of displaying the data in the first codec. The capabilities of and/or the intentions from the second terminal is transmitted to the first terminal via the connection. The first terminal switches the data from the first codec to the second codec and/or transmits the data in the second codec to the second terminal via the connection between the first terminal and the second terminal. |
| US09596467B2 |
Motion estimation device for predicting a vector by referring to motion vectors of adjacent blocks, motion estimation method and storage medium of motion estimation program
When searching the motion in a video image, According to the present invention, it is possible to calculate a large number of motion vectors in parallel and to improve motion vector accuracy. A motion estimation device is a motion estimation device for predicting a vector by referring to the motion vector of adjacent blocks is provided with a plurality of motion estimating units which process adjacent blocks in parallel. Each motion estimating unit is provided with a pseudo predicted motion vector calculating unit for calculating a pseudo predicted motion vector by using the motion vector of a group of processed blocks, and a motion vector searching unit for searching the motion vector of a block to be processed by using the calculated pseudo predicted motion vector. |
| US09596464B2 |
Method and device for encoding and decoding by using parallel intraprediction by a coding unit
A video encoding apparatus, a video decoding apparatus and method by using parallel intra-prediction by a coding unit-level are provided. The video encoding apparatus includes a left extrapolation pixel generating unit for generating left extrapolation pixels for a coding unit by using at least one of pixels of a top left block of the coding unit according to a direction of an intra-prediction mode with respect to the coding unit and leftmost original pixels of the coding unit; an intra-prediction encoding unit for predicting the coding unit by using neighboring pixels including the left extrapolation pixels to generate a first prediction block and encode the coding unit; and a prediction information encoding unit for encoding prediction information including the intra-prediction mode. |
| US09596461B2 |
Loop filtering across constrained intra block boundaries in video coding
This disclosure describes techniques for coding video data. In particular, this disclosure describes techniques for loop filtering for video coding. The techniques of this disclosure may apply to loop filtering and/or partial loop filtering across block boundaries in scalable video coding processes. Loop filtering may include, for example, one or more of adaptive loop filtering (ALF), sample adaptive offset (SAO) filtering, and deblocking filtering. |
| US09596460B2 |
Mapping electrical crosstalk in pixelated sensor arrays
The effects of inter pixel capacitance in a pixilated array may be measured by first resetting all pixels in the array to a first voltage, where a first image is read out, followed by resetting only a subset of pixels in the array to a second voltage, where a second image is read out, where the difference in the first and second images provide information about the inter pixel capacitance. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09596455B2 |
Image processing device and method, and imaging device
An image processing device comprising: an image acquisition device; a parallax information acquisition device; and a calculation device configured to calculate a first pixel and a second pixel for each pixel of the acquired image, the first digital filter and the second digital filter corresponding to the parallax information for each pixel of the acquired image, the first digital filter group and the second digital filter group being digital filter groups for giving a parallax to the acquired image and having left-right symmetry to each other, and each of the first digital filter group and the second digital filter group having filter sizes that are different depending on a magnitude of the parallax to be given, wherein the left-right symmetry of the first and second digital filter groups is different between a central part and an edge part of the image. |
| US09596451B2 |
Device for monitoring at least one three-dimensional safety area
The Invention relates to a device for monitoring at least one three-dimensional safety area, in particular a region in shared work areas of people and machines, comprising at least one capturing device that is pointed at the safety area and captures images of the safety area, and an analyzing device for analyzing the images that are captured by the capturing device in order to determine whether or not persons or objects have entered the safety area. At least one projector is arranged with respect to the safety area such that said projector projects lines or patterns as modulated light, said lines or patterns defining the safety area. The analyzing device analyzes the images for interruptions and/or changes of the projected lines. |
| US09596450B2 |
Video transmission device, video transmission method, and video playback device
A video transmission device for transmitting a video image so that a video playback device can recognize a transmission path for an additional-view video image transmittable through various transmission paths, and play back a 3D video image. The video transmission device includes: a storage unit for storing therein video images transmitted through respective virtual channels, and virtual channel information pieces including definition information pieces defining the respective virtual channels; and a transmission unit for transmitting the video images and the virtual channel information pieces through the respective virtual channels, wherein the stored video images include one of two viewpoint images constituting the 3D video image, and, in one of the definition information pieces defining one of the virtual channels through which the one of the two viewpoint images is transmitted, transmission form information indicating a form of transmitting the other one of the two viewpoint images is described. |
| US09596449B2 |
Transmitting apparatus, transmitting method, and receiving apparatus
First disparity information (disparity information corresponding to the nearest object reproduction position in a certain area of a picture display screen) and second disparity information (disparity information corresponding to the farthest object reproduction position in the certain area of the picture display screen) which are obtained for each of certain pictures of image data are inserted into a video stream, and the video stream is transmitted. On the basis of the first disparity information and the second disparity information, a receiving side is capable of checking whether or not disparity angles in a same-side direction and a crossing direction are within a certain range in which viewing does not cause any health problems, and reconfiguring left-eye image data and right-eye image data which form a stereo image if necessary. |
| US09596441B2 |
Apparatus and method for correcting image for image projection device with cognitive function on user and environment
Disclosed is a method of correcting an input image when projecting the input image using an image projection device. The method includes obtaining information on a projection surface on which the input image is to be projected and information on a user's position through at least one image sensor, performing geometric correction on the input image based on the information on the projection surface and the information on the user's position, performing color correction on the input image based on the information on the projection surface, and performing brightness correction on the input image based on the information on the projection surface. |
| US09596437B2 |
Audio focusing via multiple microphones
Various technologies are applied to focus audio received from a plurality of microphones of a mobile device. A camera can be used to portray a scene, and a selection within the scene can focus audio to a desired audio focus region. Techniques can account for movement of the mobile device or an object being tracked. Pre-computed audio filters can be used to customize the audio focus process to account for a particular mobile device geometry. |
| US09596436B2 |
Level-one encryption associated with individual privacy and public safety protection via double encrypted lock box
Computationally implemented methods and systems are described herein that are designed to, among other things, accepting an output of a surveillance device; encrypting at least a part of the output of the surveillance device with a level-one encryption key whose decryption key is inaccessible by a level-one encryption entity; and transmitting a level-one encrypted output of the surveillance device. |
| US09596431B2 |
Transmission system and program
A recording medium stores a program which, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform a process, the computer connected to a transmission terminal connected to a display device and connected to a second transmission terminal via a network, the process including: displaying an area of a program component on a screen of a second display device connected to the computer; receiving selection of one of display data of a whole area of the screen and display data of the area of the program component; acquiring the display data of the whole area or the area; receiving resolution information indicating a resolution of the display device from the transmission terminal; determining a resolution of the display data based on the resolution information and second resolution information indicating a second display device resolution; and transmitting the display data with the determined resolution to the transmission terminal. |
| US09596430B2 |
Data generation apparatus, data generating method, data reproduction apparatus, and data reproducing method
The present technique relates to a data generation apparatus, a data generating method, a data reproduction apparatus, and a data reproducing method capable of enabling a user to enjoy an HDR image.HDR information designated by HDR designating information is acquired from a file storing a track of a stream including the HDR information which is configured with feature information representing features of luminance of an HDR (high dynamic range) image having a dynamic range higher than that of an STD (standard) image and conversion information representing a conversion rule of converting the one of the STD image and the HDR image into the other and a target track including the HDR designating information designating the HDR information which is to be applied to the target track of interest in the HDR information of the track. The present technique can be applied, for example, to the case of applying HDR information to a subtitle having an SMPTE-TT format using XML. |
| US09596427B2 |
Program information displaying program and program information displaying apparatus
A program information displaying apparatus includes a CPU, and displays a plurality of program information in tabular form. For example, users register accounts as user information in the program information that the user is interested in. A priority and a display manner are set for each of the plurality of accounts, and the program information in which the account is registered is depicted in the display manner on the basis of the priority. When a first depicting method is selected, the program information is depicted in a display manner of the account with the highest priority. When a second depicting method is selected, the program information is depicted such that the display manners are layered in order of the priority. |
| US09596423B1 |
Charge summing in an image sensor
An image sensor includes a pixel array having a plurality of pixels. Pixels can be summed or binned diagonally in the pixel array in a first diagonal direction and in a different second diagonal direction. The locations of the first and second diagonal summed pairs can be distributed across the pixel array. |
| US09596422B2 |
Signal processing device and method, imaging device, and imaging apparatus
The present technology relates to a signal processing device and a method, an imaging device, and an imaging apparatus that are designed to reduce occurrences of A/D conversion errors. A signal processing device of the present technology includes: a comparing unit that compares an analog signal output from a unit pixel with a predetermined voltage; a switching unit that switches reference voltages to be supplied to the comparing unit as necessary, connects one of the reference voltages to the comparing unit, and connects another one of the reference voltages to a predetermined load capacitance, the reference voltages being of different gradation accuracies from each other; and a measuring unit that measures timing of a change in a result of the comparison performed by the comparing unit. The present technique can be applied to imaging devices and imaging apparatuses, for example. |
| US09596415B2 |
Control apparatus, imaging system, control method, and program for changing a composition of an image
A control apparatus, an imaging system, a control method, and a program in which, when performing automatic image-recording, subjects which seem to be present around an imaging apparatus can be recorded as evenly as possible. An automatic recording operation for recording, upon detection of a subject from an image obtained by imaging, data representing an image containing the subject is performed. On that basis, if it is determined, on the basis of image-recording history information, that the transition to a subject configuration different from that used in the last image-recording is to be performed, a movable mechanism unit is moved to change an imaging field-of-view range, thereby obtaining a different subject configuration. |
| US09596414B2 |
Provision of target specific information
The invention concerns an electronic device (10) for providing information (PUB_INFO, PERSON1_INFO) concerning one or more targets (PUB, PERSON1), relative to which target the device is to be aligned in a set manner, and in connection with which device are arranged—at least one source (GPS, BM, COMP, TS, MEM) of first information (X, Y, ALT, Odevice, IMSI_10.0), including at least a source of position and orientation information, in order to define the position of the device and the target, or for positioning the target and—aiming means (CAM, DISP) for aligning the target relative to the device in a set manner, and in connection with which device, second information relating to the target can be arranged, which second information is arranged, in connection with the application of the aiming means, to be brought to the attention of the user by means of the device. The aiming means consist camera and viewfinder means (CAM, DISP). |
| US09596411B2 |
Combined optical and electronic image stabilization
Techniques to improve a digital image capture device's ability to stabilize a video stream are presented. According to some embodiments, improved stabilization of captured video frames is provided by intelligently harnessing the complementary effects of both optical image stabilization (OIS) and electronic image stabilization (EIS). In particular, OIS may be used to remove intra-frame motion blur that is typically lower in amplitude and dominates with longer integration times, while EIS may be used to remove residual unwanted frame-to-frame motion that is typically larger in amplitude. The techniques disclosed herein may also leverage information provided from the image capture device's OIS system to perform improved motion blur-aware video stabilization strength modulation, which permits better video stabilization performance in low light conditions, where integration times tend to be longer, thus leading to a greater amount of motion blurring in the output stabilized video. |
| US09596405B2 |
Image acquiring method and apparatus, and storage medium
The present disclosure discloses an image acquiring method and apparatus, and a storage medium. The method includes: receiving an operation instruction of a user; determining whether first duration corresponding to the operation instruction is equal to or greater than a first preparation time; if yes, displaying a timed notification, and determining whether second duration corresponding to the operation instruction is equal to or greater than second preparation time; and if yes, periodically acquiring a corresponding image at a preset time interval. The present disclosure simplifies a setting process of a continuous shooting operation. |
| US09596404B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating a media capture request using camera pose information
An approach is provided for processing of at least one preview image presented at at least one device to cause, at least in part, an extraction of camera pose information associated with the at least one preview image. The approach also involves determining one or more movement interactions of the at least one device relative to the camera pose information to cause, at least in part, a specification of requested camera pose information. The approach further involves causing, at least in part, a generation of at least one request to capture at least one media item based, at least in part, on the requested camera pose information. |
| US09596401B2 |
Focusing an image based on a direction of a face of a user
The invention discloses a method and a portable device for focusing an image in the device (10), which device (10) comprises; a first image recording arrangement (24a) for recording images of an user (50) of the device (10); a second image recording arrangement (24b) comprising an autofocus arrangement for recording images of the environment surrounding the device (10); and a display arrangement (22) for reproducing the recorded images of the environment surrounding the device (10), which method comprises the step of: obtaining a plurality of gazing directions of the user (50) from images recorded by the first image recording arrangement (24a); selecting focusing areas depending on the obtained gazing directions; processing said at least one image of the environment so as to create a final image that is focused within areas defined by the focusing areas. |
| US09596396B2 |
Camera and control method thereof based on a sensed temperature
A camera and a control method thereof are provided. The camera includes a lens, one or more operation units, an image sensor, a thermal sensor, and a control unit. The image sensor is for receiving an image captured by the lens. The thermal sensor is for sensing and outputting the temperature inside the camera. An operation unit performs corresponding action according to an operation power. The control unit is configured to control the magnitude of the operation power of the operation unit(s) so that a monitoring power of the camera is close to but not greater than a default power threshold, and that the sensing temperature is less than or equal to a first default temperature threshold. Wherein, the monitoring power is the sum of the operation power of the operation unit(s). The sensed temperature corresponds to the operation power of the one or more operation units. |
| US09596390B2 |
Imaging apparatus, imaging method, and computer-readable recording medium
An imaging apparatus includes: an imaging unit configured to receive light collected from an object area through an imaging optical system provided at a front side facing an object, and to generate image data; a body unit including the imaging unit; an optical sight unit including a light source unit for emitting luminous flux, and a reflecting optical element for allowing light from the object area to transmit and reflecting the luminous flux toward a back side opposite to the front in order to produce a virtual image of the luminous flux in the object area or near the object area; and a leg unit that holds at least the reflecting optical element in a movable manner in a direction away from the body unit and in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the imaging optical system, at startup of the optical sight unit. |
| US09596388B2 |
Camera housing with integrated expansion module
A camera housing includes an integrated expansion module for providing expanded functionality to a camera (e.g., a display screen). Different embodiments of the housing include different expansion modules for adding a variety of features to the camera when the camera is placed in the housing. Thus, a user may modify features of a camera by swapping the housing. Furthermore, a user may add a feature to an existing camera without needing to purchase a new camera. |
| US09596387B2 |
Vehicular camera system
A vehicular camera system includes an imager assembly that can include an imager disposed on an imager circuit board and a lens positioned to direct light to the imager. A main circuit board is operatively connected to the imager circuit board. The main circuit board can include at least one processor for processing images captured by the imager. The main circuit board has an opening, and at least a portion of the imager assembly extends through the opening. |
| US09596383B2 |
Interleaved encoding of compressed attribute and color planes
An example embodiment may involve obtaining an a×b pixel macro-cell from an image with one or more color planes, and an a×b attribute macro-cell. The a×b pixel macro-cell may contain 4 non-overlapping m×n pixel cells, and the a×b attribute macro-cell may contain 4 non-overlapping m×n attribute cells. The pixels in the a×b pixel macro-cell may be associated with respective color values. The example embodiment may also involve determining 4 attribute output values associated respectively with the 4 non-overlapping m×n attribute cells. The example embodiment may further involve determining 1 to 4 color-plane output values for the non-overlapping m×n pixel cells, and writing an interleaved representation of the 4 attribute output values and the determined color-plane output values. |
| US09596378B2 |
Method and apparatus for authenticating printed documents that contains both dark and halftone text
A document authentication method determines the authenticity of a target hardcopy document, which purports to be a true copy of an original hardcopy document. The method compares a binarized image of the target document with a binarized image of the original document which has been stored in a storage device. The image of the original document is generated by binarizing a scanned grayscale image of the original document. Halftone and non-halftone text areas in the grayscale image area separated, and the two types of text are separately binarized. The non-halftone text areas are then down-sampled. During authenticating, a scanned grayscale image of the target document is binarized by separating halftone and non-halftone text areas and binarizing them separately, and then down-sampling the non-halftone text areas. The binarized images of the target document and the original document are compared to determine the authenticity of the target document. |
| US09596377B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and storage medium
An image processing apparatus for reading a document to generate image data using a reading unit performs, receiving a job including a document reading-and-transmission job for causing the reading unit to read a document to generate image data and then transmitting the image data to a specified destination, from an information processing apparatus communicable via a network, storing the received job, displaying a list of the stored jobs in response to a user instruction, displaying a confirmation screen related to transmission setting contents of a document reading-and-transmission job selected from the list of jobs, and executing, in a case where execution of the selected document reading-and-transmission job is instructed via the confirmation screen, the document reading-and-transmission job. |
| US09596374B2 |
Image reading apparatus, image reading method, and storage medium
An image reading apparatus includes a front surface reading sensor configured to read a front surface of a document, a rear surface reading sensor configured to read a rear surface of the document, a storage control unit configured to store image data of the front surface of the document read by the front surface reading sensor and image data of the rear surface of the document read by the rear surface reading sensor, and an encoding unit configured to encode image data of the paired front and rear surface images based on the image data of the front surface and the image data of the rear surface. |
| US09596361B2 |
Methods, systems, and products for sharing usage plans
Shared usage plans are popular with families, friends, and small businesses. These shared usage plans share some cumulative utilization of resources, such as communications services. Even though multiple devices may share a monthly allotment of resources, an individual threshold is established for each device. The multiple individual thresholds may then be dynamically regulated to maintain the monthly allotment of resources. |
| US09596359B2 |
Mobile communication device configured for transit application
An apparatus configured for transit application and methods for utilizing the apparatus for transit application is disclosed. One embodiment of the invention is directed to a mobile communication device comprising a processor, a computer readable medium coupled to the processor, wherein the computer readable medium comprises code for receiving a first transit location, code for displaying options to select a second transit location, code for receiving a selection for a second transit location, and code for sending an authorization request message to an issuer associated with the mobile communication device. |
| US09596357B1 |
Phone activity tracking device
A method and system for tracking usage of applications in handheld devices is disclosed. The method includes scanning for pre-connected devices present in a vehicle at the moment when the vehicle is in an ignition mode. Further, the method includes establishing connectivity with the pre-connected devices. Furthermore, the method includes recording usage data of the vehicle and usage data of the handheld device with a start time and end time. Moreover, the method includes uploading the recorded usage data in a cloud. The method also includes permitting one or more users to view the recorded usage data. |
| US09596356B2 |
Analyzing voice characteristics to detect fraudulent call activity and take corrective action without using recording, transcription or caller ID
A system and method for monitoring telephone calls to detect fraudulent activity and take corrective action is described. The system receives a first group of telephone calls having associated voice characteristics and analyzes the first group of telephone calls to identify and store a first set of distributions of voice characteristics that are indicative of normal activity, fraudulent activity, or indeterminate activity. The system receives a second group of telephone calls to be analyzed. The system analyzes the second group of telephone calls to identify a second set of distributions of voice characteristics associated with the second group of telephone calls. The system then compares the second set of distributions of voice characteristics to the stored first set of distributions of voice characteristics to assess a probability that one or more telephone calls in the second group of telephone calls represents normal, fraudulent, or indeterminate activity. If the assessed probability of fraudulent activity exceeds a threshold, the system takes appropriate corrective action, such a flagging the fraudulent call or withholding a financial incentive associated with the fraudulent call. |
| US09596351B2 |
System and method for augmenting features of visual voice mail
A method for delivery of a voice mail message to a recipient. The method includes determining content of the voice mail message, identifying a recipient of the voice mail message based on the determining step, converting the voice mail message to a format for delivery based on the identifying step, and delivering the converted voice mail message to the recipient. The method further includes identifying a voice mail box of the recipient and caching voice mail box information at a voice mail server. |
| US09596350B1 |
Virtual interactions in contact center operations
A contact center has channels for receiving communications requesting interaction with an agent, agent stations providing connection ability to received communications, and a Virtual Interaction (VI) Server connected to the LAN and executing VI software on a processor from a non-transitory medium. The VI Server creates and stores a Virtual Interaction object based on determination of an expected receipt of a future communication, the VI associating a source, an intent, a set of data regarding the source, and an agent station destination, and the created VI is stored and matched with a real incoming communication from the source associated in the VI, and the VI is then instantiated as a live interaction by connecting the source of the incoming call with the agent destination associated in the VI. |
| US09596348B2 |
Call treatment based on user association with one or more user groups
A method is described for call treatment based on user association with one or more user groups. The method includes receiving a phone call from a call source that is directed to a call recipient, identifying a user group associated with the call recipient, and determining a number of received indications assigned to the user group. The received indications are assigned to the user group by users associated with the user group, and the received indications reflect a desire by the users for a special treatment of future calls from the call source. The method also includes distinguishing treatment of the phone call from the call source based on the number of received indications. |
| US09596341B2 |
Smart card and mobile device using parameters included in an ATR signal and a terminal capabilities signal to indicate whether a maximum power supply value for the smart card can be renegotiated
A mobile device is provided having a smart card. The smart card is powered by the mobile device and a maximum power supply value is defined by the mobile device to control the power drawn by the smart card. Provision is made for the smart card or the mobile device to renegotiate the maximum power supply level for the smart card without having to reset the mobile device. This provides the mobile device with dynamic control of the power drawn by the smart card, which can help the mobile device to optimize the power saving management. |
| US09596339B2 |
Communications system providing automatic text-to-speech conversion features and related methods
A communications system may include at least one mobile wireless communications device, and a wireless communications network for sending text messages thereto. More particularly, the at least one mobile wireless communications device may include a wireless transceiver and a controller for cooperating therewith for receiving text messages from the wireless communications network. It may further include a headset output connected to the controller. The controller may be for switching between a normal message mode and an audio message mode based upon a connection between the headset output and a headset. Moreover, when in the audio message mode, the controller may output at least one audio message including speech generated from at least one of the received text messages via the headset output. |
| US09596335B2 |
Communication terminal and communication method
A communication terminal (100) includes a type identifying unit (102) that identifies a type of user-to-user communication means corresponding to a user's operation which is detected by an operation detection unit (101), a data acquisition unit (103) that acquires communication media data of a user of the communication terminal itself, corresponding to the identified type of user-to-user communication means, and a transmission unit (104) that transmits type request information indicating the type of user-to-user communication means and the communication media data to a partner communication terminal, and the type identifying unit (102) determines a range of types of user-to-user communication means to which switching is allowed from a type of current user-to-user communication means, in accordance with a status of response from the partner communication terminal with respect to the type request information transmitted to the partner communication terminal. |
| US09596331B2 |
Electronic apparatus having interface to wirelessly communicate with internal wireless device disposed in a housing of the electronic apparatus and a method thereof
An electronic apparatus includes a housing, first, second, and third interface units disposed in the housing, an internal wireless device, and a controlling/processing unit disposed in the housing to control the first interface unit to communicate with a user, to control the second interface unit to communicate with an external apparatus, and to control the third interface unit to wirelessly communicate with the internal wireless device when the internal wireless device exists in the housing. |
| US09596330B2 |
Antenna system with receiver diversity and tunable matching circuit
Electronic devices may be provided that contain wireless communications circuitry. The wireless communications circuitry may include radio-frequency transceiver circuitry and antenna structures. An electronic device may include a display mounted within a housing. A peripheral conductive member may run around the edges of the display and housing. Dielectric-filled gaps may divide the peripheral conductive member into individual segments. A ground plane may be formed within the housing from conductive housing structures, printed circuit boards, and other conductive elements. The ground plane and the segments of the peripheral conductive member may form antennas in upper and lower portions of the housing. The radio-frequency transceiver circuitry may implement receiver diversity using both the upper and lower antennas. The lower antenna may be used in transmitting signals. The upper antenna may be tuned using a tunable matching circuit. |
| US09596329B2 |
Mobile terminal and method for controlling the same
A mobile terminal includes a sub-device that is attached thereto or detached therefrom, to remotely control the operation and state of the terminal. The mobile terminal includes: a sub-device having an input/output unit and attached to or detached from the terminal; and a controller configured to receive a user input via a certain communication path from the sub-device when the sub-device is separated, and control elements and applications of the terminal according to the user input. |
| US09596327B2 |
Method of detecting packet bandwidth in a wireless OFDM network with multiple overlapped frequency bands
A wireless OFDM transceiver uses a method of detecting subcarrier characteristics, such as phase and amplitude, to determine the bandwidth of a received packet. By detecting different subcarrier characteristics in the long training symbols of a packet at the receiver, the packet is associated with different bandwidths. The different bandwidths are used in a wireless network where devices can communicate using two frequency bands that overlap one another and where one is wider than the other. |
| US09596326B2 |
Communication apparatus, communication method, and non-transitory computer-readable medium
A first header compression table for compressing a message header is generated based on a first communication connection established between communication apparatuses. A message is transmitted from a communication apparatus to another communication apparatus based on the first communication connection, and a header of the message has been compressed based on the first header compression table. It is determined whether the first header compression table is used as a second header compression table for compressing a message header to be communicated based on a second communication connection which is different from the first communication connection and has been established between the communication apparatuses. The header of the message to be communicated based on the second communication connection is compressed using the first header compression table as the second header compression table in accordance with the determination. |
| US09596324B2 |
System and method for parsing and allocating a plurality of packets to processor core threads
An apparatus and method are provided for allocating a plurality of packets to different processor threads. In operation, a plurality of packets are parsed to gather packet information. Additionally, a parse operation is performed utilizing the packet information to generate a key, and a hash algorithm is performed on this key to produce a hash. Further, the packets are allocated to different processor threads, utilizing the hash or the key. |
| US09596321B2 |
Server grouping system
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving client-server connection data for clients and servers, the data including IP addresses corresponding to the servers, for each one of a plurality of IP address pairs performing a statistical test to determine whether the IP addresses in the one IP address pair are related by common clients based on the number of the clients connecting to each of the IP addresses in the one IP address pair, generating a graph including a plurality of vertices and edges, each of the vertices corresponding to a different IP address, each edge corresponding to a different IP address pair determined to be related by common clients in the statistical test, and clustering the vertices yielding clusters, a subset of the IP addresses in one of the clusters providing an indication of the IP addresses of the servers serving a same application. |
| US09596317B2 |
Method and system for delivery of targeted information based on a user profile in a mobile communication device
Methods and systems for receiving targeted content messages on a wireless access terminal (W-AT) are disclosed. For example, a particular method may include selecting at least one reception time based on a user profile and a targeted content message delivery schedule, and receiving a targeted content message at the selected reception time. |
| US09596309B2 |
Method and apparatus for parameterized promotion and delivery of data
The invention includes a method and apparatus for promoting a data item within a data distribution network. In one embodiment, a method includes monitoring at least one parameter for the data item where the data item is associated with an application or service, propagating the data item from a first data server toward a second data server based on the monitoring of the at least one parameter for the data item, and propagating, toward at least one device, a message indicative of the propagation of the data item from the first data server toward the second data server. The message is for adapting the at least one device to identify the second data server as a source of the data item capable of serving future requests for the data item. |
| US09596306B2 |
Managed P2P network with content-delivery network
A content-acquisition request is sent to a centralized management service computer via a computer network. The content-acquisition request may query the centralized management service computer for a recommended content source to provide a first digital content item. If a response to the content-acquisition request is received via the computer network and identifies a recommended peer computer of a peer-to-peer network as the recommended content source, a request to download the first digital content item is sent to the recommended peer computer via the computer network. If a response to the content-acquisition request is not received, a fallback request to download the first digital content item is automatically sent to a content-delivery network computer via the computer network. |
| US09596303B2 |
Systems and methods for establishing and maintaining virtual computing clouds
Networking systems and methods for establishing and maintaining virtual computing clouds are disclosed. A networking system can comprise a server and various instances of a software agent, each agent being installed on a computing device participating in a virtual computing cloud. The server can maintain account setting for a user, wherein the settings can indicate which files on indicated computing devices are included in the virtual computing cloud. The networking system can selectively synchronize data between the computing devices automatically and in a secure manner, and can transmit data in real time to simulate local storage when synchronization of certain files is inappropriate in light of file incompatibility. As a result, the networking system can provide the user with a seamless, automatic system and method for accessing a total computing environment. |
| US09596302B2 |
Migrating applications between networks
A method of migrating a number of applications from a first network to a second network comprises, with a processor, creating a dependency data set for a first network, creating a migration plan to migrate a number of applications from the first network to a second network based on the dependency data set, and migrating a number of applications from the first network to the second network based on the migration plan. A migration device for migrating a number of applications from a first network to a second network, comprises a processor, and a data storage device communicatively coupled to the processor, in which the processor creates a dependency data set for the first network, and migrates a number of applications from the first network to the second network based on the dependency data set. |
| US09596300B2 |
Technologies for processing data packets in batches
At least one connection is defined between protocol entities hosted by network nodes in a packet data communication network. Data packets that include information identifying communicating protocol entities are received. The received data packets are stored into batches corresponding to the defined connections, on the basis of the information identifying communicating protocol entities. |
| US09596298B1 |
Load balancing in a distributed processing system
Methods, systems, and apparatus are described for load balancing in a distributed processing system. In one aspect, a method includes monitoring, for each data processor in a distributed processing system, a rate of cursor progress for the data processor based on timestamps of data units that have been processed, wherein the rate of cursor progress for each data processor specifies a rate of change of an oldest timestamp of an oldest data unit being processed by the data processor; determining a progress threshold for the distributed processing system based on the respective rates of cursor progress of the data processors; determining, based on a first rate of cursor progress for a first data processor, that the first rate of cursor progress does not meet the progress threshold; and in response to the determination, performing one or more load balancing operations on the distributed processing system. |
| US09596294B2 |
System and method for committing transactions on remote servers
A system, computer-readable storage medium storing at least one program, and a computer-implemented method for committing transactions on remote servers is presented. Commit requests are issued to remote servers in a set of remote servers to request that the remote servers in the set of remote servers agree to commit a transaction at a first designated future time. When responses from the remote servers in the set of remote servers are received before a first abort time and indicate that all remote servers in the set of remote servers have agreed to commit the transaction at the first designated future time, commit commands are issued to the remote servers in the set of remote servers instructing the remote servers to perform the transaction at the first designated future time. |
| US09596293B2 |
Content transmission device and network node
Disclosed is a technique for guaranteeing high-level QoS for emergent traffic to enable the transmission of the traffic. According to the technique, when a transmission unit 110 sends a content to a reception unit through a network 130, identification information is added to a data packet including the content to indicate that the data packet is a packet to be transmitted to a permitted content using node 150. This packet is duplicated by a network node (e.g., an intermediate node (management node) 140) and forwarded to both the reception unit and the permitted content using node. The content stored on the permitted content using node can be referred to check whether this content is to be transmitted in high priority. A content owner can get compensation (e.g., the cost required for high-priority network transmission) by providing the right of use of the content to the permitted content using node. |
| US09596289B2 |
Method and system for compression for ACARS and related transmissions
A method of a method of communicating a data file over a radio frequency data link includes steps of determining a type of data represented in the data file; analyzing the data in the data file; selecting an encoding scheme from a plurality of encoding schemes and encoding one or more messages to represent the data file according to the selected encoding scheme. The one or more messages comply with a protocol for a character-oriented data link and the encoding losslessly compresses the data into the one or more messages. |
| US09596284B2 |
Content distribution via a distribution network and an access network
A method and apparatus for streaming content to an access network in an interactive information distribution system. The method encapsulates the content in accordance to an Internet Protocol (IP). The content is then transcoded into a format supported by the access network, and streamed over a distribution network to a remote server or to a subscriber terminal that is coupled to the access network. The apparatus is embodied as stream caching server for streaming the content encapsulated within the packet to access networks via a stream distribution network in response to a request for content. A packet processor is coupled to the stream server for processing the encapsulated content within the IP packets into a format native to the access network. |
| US09596282B2 |
Delivery managing device, terminal, and delivery managing method
A delivery managing device to which a plurality of terminals are connected through a network includes a creating unit that creates display information based on operation information indicating an operation input accepted by a terminal; a converting unit that converts the display information into video information; and a delivery unit that delivers the video information to a terminal. When non-public operation information is received from a terminal, the non-public operation information indicating operation information not to be published to another terminal, the delivery unit delivers video information that is converted from display information not based on the non-public operation information, to the other terminal. |
| US09596280B2 |
Multiple stream content presentation
A client may, for example, initiate presentation of the content item in a hybrid stream mode in which both a client stream and a content provider stream are combined to form a resulting hybrid stream for presentation. The client may then, at some point during presentation of the content item, detect that the content provider stream has become unavailable. In response to such a determination, the client may continue to present the content item in a client stream mode, in which the client stream is used for presentation of the content item without use of the content provider stream. |
| US09596279B2 |
Cloud-based streaming data receiver and persister
The present system receives streaming raw data and inserts context into the raw data. The context raw data may be partitioned into sub-batches and transmitted to a data receiver and persister. The raw data may include context information as well as child-parent information to assist with persisting data. The context may be used to place the data in buckets without analysis of the data, thereby saving time and resources while storing the data batches. |
| US09596277B1 |
Establishing a social application layer
A virtual space may be presented within a plurality of virtual environments provided by different platforms without requiring idiosyncratic APIs associated with the virtual space for each different platform. An API adaptor module may be configured to facilitate interfacing between a single virtual space API and platform APIs associated with two or more different platforms. A space module may be configured to execute an instance of a virtual space, and to implement the instance of the virtual space to determine view information defining views of the instance of the virtual space for presentation via two or more virtual environments provided by the two or more platforms. Facilitating user interactivity with the virtual space via a given virtual environment provided by a given platform may include interfacing between the virtual space API and a platform API associated with the given platform. |
| US09596276B1 |
User notifications for interaction information
A content management system creates and modifies user notification queues for shared content items synchronized between a content management system and multiple devices. A user notification queue includes interactions with a shared content item that may be presented to a user to indicate recent interactions with the shared content item by other sharing users. The content management system sends the user notification queue corresponding to a user to the user's device when the user accesses the content item. The client device displays a content item in a window associated with a process on the device. A client application displays an interaction indicator that presents user notification queue content to the user. |
| US09596271B2 |
Dynamic virtual private network
Various embodiments establish a virtual private network (VPN) between a remote network and a private network. In one embodiment, a first system in the remote network establishes a connection with a central system through a public network. The central system is situated between the first system and a second system in the private network. The first system receives, from the central system and based on establishing the connection, a set of VPN information associated with at least the second system. The first system disconnects from the central system and establishes a VPN directly with the second system through the public network based on the set of VPN information. |
| US09596265B2 |
Identifying phishing communications using templates
Methods, apparatus, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for determining whether communications are attempts at phishing. In various implementations, a potentially-deceptive communication may be matched to one or more templates of a plurality of templates. Each template may represent content shared among a cluster of communications sent by a trustworthy entity. In various implementations, it may be determined that an address associated with the communication is not affiliated with one or more trustworthy entities associated with the one or more matched templates. In various implementations, the communication may be classified as a phishing attempt based on the determining. |
| US09596255B2 |
Honey monkey network exploration
A network can be explored to investigate exploitive behavior. For example, network sites may be actively explored by a honey monkey system to detect if they are capable of accomplishing exploits, including browser-based exploits, on a machine. Also, the accomplishment of exploits may be detected by tracing events occurring on a machine after visiting a network site and analyzing the traced events for illicit behavior. Alternatively, site redirections between and among uniform resource locators (URLs) may be explored to discover relationships between sites that are visited. |
| US09596254B1 |
Event mini-graphs in data intake stage of machine data processing platform
A security platform employs a variety techniques and mechanisms to detect security related anomalies and threats in a computer network environment. The security platform is “big data” driven and employs machine learning to perform security analytics. The security platform performs user/entity behavioral analytics (UEBA) to detect the security related anomalies and threats, regardless of whether such anomalies/threats were previously known. The security platform can include both real-time and batch paths/modes for detecting anomalies and threats. By visually presenting analytical results scored with risk ratings and supporting evidence, the security platform enables network security administrators to respond to a detected anomaly or threat, and to take action promptly. |
| US09596244B1 |
Securing services and intra-service communications
A security service enables service providers to register available services. Prospective service consumers may register with the security service to access a particular registered service, and may specify conditions for access that are subject to approval by the corresponding service provider. Based on the registrations of the service provider and the service consumer, the security service can define access policies that may be enforced to control the conditions under which a service consumer accesses or utilizes the particular service. Additionally, changes to the access policies may be propagated to running services in near real time. Some implementations enable masking of information provided to particular service consumers based on determined needs of each service consumer for access to particular information. In some instances, the service providers may provide log information to the security service, which may be monitored to identify anomalies, security breaches or the like. |
| US09596243B2 |
Method and system for restoring domain management
A method and a system for restoring domain management for a domain in which content access rights are shared between one or more devices, where the domain management was executed by a first demean management device and is discontinued by this first domain management device. The first domain management device registers one or more characteristics of the domain at a domain registration server. After discontinuation of the domain management by the first domain management device, a second domain management device sends a request to the domain registration server for obtaining the right to manage the domain. The domain registration server provides the right to manage the domain together with the at least one of the one or more registered characteristics of the domain. |
| US09596237B2 |
System and method for initiating transactions on a mobile device
Systems and methods are provided for providing a more seamless purchasing experience using a mobile device. The mobile device acquires data, such a barcode image, an image of an object or text, or audio data. A non-limiting example of a barcode is a Quick Response (QR) barcode. The acquired data is then used to obtain a network address of a payment website or webpage, which allows a user to make a purchase for a given product or service. The mobile device then launches the payment website or webpage. A user can enter into the mobile device, through the payment website or webpage, a supplemental ID used for authenticating the transaction. |
| US09596236B2 |
Method for veryifying authorized signer for mobile device based document escrow service
A method for authenticating a user to a document escrow service includes steps of logging a mobile phone onto a mobile network, wherein the mobile phone has a biometric sensor, a display, an input apparatus, and a non-transient memory in communication with a processor, and opening a signature application on the mobile device. The method further includes reading the biometric sensor and sending, via the mobile network, biometric data collected from the reading of the biometric sensor to a document execution server or a manufacturer application server. The method further includes receiving, at the mobile phone a permission signal and, dependent upon the permission signal received, using the mobile device to either allow or not allow a web ready document to be signed and returned to the document execution server. |
| US09596231B1 |
Grid-based authentication on touch-aware devices
Systems and methods for generating secure passwords, personal identification numbers (PINs), and other user credentials using touch-aware devices are described. In some cases, an end user of a computing device may use a touch-sensitive interface (e.g., a touchscreen) to indirectly enter user credentials for accessing protected information or a protected computing resource using the computing device. The end user may indirectly enter the user credentials by entering information that is different from the actual user credentials. In one example, the touch-sensitive interface may display a plurality of numbers and paths connecting the plurality of numbers and the end user of the computing device may select a sequence of numbers of the plurality of numbers using a touch gesture. The computing device may generate a user credential different from the sequence of numbers using the sequence of numbers selected by the end user. |
| US09596229B1 |
Secure port forwarding to access data between public processing locations and on-premise components
A method for transmitting data from an on-premise component to an off-premise computer image includes: sending a message from the off-premise computer image to an off-premise server and recording an address of the off-premise computer image; sending a message from the off-premise server to the off-premise computer image with instructions for the off-premise computer image to connect to a specific unsecure port of the off-premise server; identifying a connection to the specific unsecure port of the off-premise server within a selected time interval; verifying the recorded address of the off-premise computer image; sending from the off-premise server a message to an on-premise connector to transmit the requested data using the specific unsecure port of the on-premise component if the off-premise computer image is verified and the connection is identified within the selected time interval; and transmitting the requested data using the specific unsecure port of the on-premise component. |
| US09596227B2 |
Computerized method and system for managing an email input facility in a networked secure collaborative exchange environment
In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for managing an email input facility in a networked secure collaborative computer data exchange environment, wherein a secure email input facility for accepting non-secure email from outside the exchange into the secure collaborative computer data exchange environment, wherein the non-secure email is received and the non-secure email and/or the content delivered thereby is stored as secure content in a location of the secure exchange server related to at least one of the sender of the email, the subject line of the non-secure email, the destination address of the email within the exchange, and the content of the email. |
| US09596225B2 |
Out-of-vehicle device interface apparatus and method for protecting in-vehicle network
An out-of-vehicle device interface apparatus includes a request message reception unit, a response message request unit, and a response message transmission unit. The request message reception unit receives a request message from an out-of-vehicle device, generates electrical signals in electric lines, and transfers the request message. The response message request unit requests response messages for the request message from one or more devices constituting an in-vehicle network based on one or more of the electric lines in which electrical signals have been generated. The response message transmission unit receives the response messages from the one or more devices, and transfers the response messages to the out-of-vehicle device via unidirectional communication. |
| US09596222B2 |
Method and apparatus encoding a rule for a lookup request in a processor
In one embodiment, a method includes encoding a key matching rule having at least one dimension by storing in a memory (i) a header of the key matching rule that has at least one header field, and (ii) at least one rule value field of the key matching rule corresponding to one of the dimensions. |
| US09596219B2 |
Method of transmission of encrypted documents
The application discloses an improved method of transmitting encrypted emails by prompting the user to select at least one attachment for attaching with the email, prompting the user to select an encryption option from among several encryption options, causing an application to encrypt the selected attachment using the selected encryption option while retaining the original format of the attachments, attaching the encrypted attachment to the email, transmitting the email containing the encrypted attachment to at least one recipient address using the email application, and transmitting a second email containing at least one password to the recipient address using the email application. |
| US09596218B1 |
Methods and systems of encrypting messages using rateless codes
A method of communicating a message using rateless codes, may include, by a sender electronic device, identifying a message to be sent to a receiver, disassembling the message into a plurality of message blocks, identifying one or more encoded block identifiers, selecting a subset of the message blocks, for one or more of the message blocks in the subset, performing a rateless encoding operation on the message blocks using the associated encoded block identifier to generate an encoded message block, encrypting one or more of the encoded message blocks to generate one or more encoded encrypted message blocks; and transmitting one or more of the encoded encrypted message blocks and corresponding encoded block identifier to a receiver. |
| US09596210B2 |
Subscriber-aware duplicate address detection proxy in edge devices
Methods, systems, and apparatus used to provide duplicate address detection in edge devices. Edge devices can include CMTS devices or DSLAMs where network nodes are not allowed to communicate with each other directly. Duplicate address detection proxies can provide duplicate address protection for network devices and can avoid the issue of broadcasting node advertisement messages to all of the devices connected to a particular downstream link. |
| US09596209B2 |
Causing client device to request a new internet protocol address based on a link local address
The present disclosure discloses a method and a network device for causing client devices to renew DHCP IP addresses based on link local addresses. Specifically, the network device provides for detecting that a wireless client device has been self-assigned with an automatic IP address, and for de-authenticating the wireless client device such that the wireless client device restarts the authentication process and the DHCP process subsequently without excessive delay. In particular, the network device may receive a packet from a wireless client device. The network device then determines that a source or destination IP address of a received packet corresponding to the wireless client device is a link local IP address. Responsive to determining that the source IP address is a link local IP address, the network device transmits at least one message that causes the wireless client device to request a new IP address. |
| US09596208B2 |
Event based social networking
A method, apparatus, and computer program product are disclosed for facilitating networked communication. An event creation module is configured to create an event profile within a social networking service. A check in module is configured to associate a plurality of user profiles of the social networking service with the event profile. A message interface module is configured to provide a message interface in response to determining that a user profile of a first user of the social networking service and a user profile of a second user of the social networking service are associated with the event profile. The message interface is operable by the first user to send a private message to the second user. |
| US09596207B1 |
Bootstrap social network using event-related records
Event-related data including at least one event-related record belonging to a first user is received. The event-related record is processed for an event. The event is classified into an event type using a plurality of predefined event types. A post for the event based on the event type is generated and a content stream of the first user is populated with the post. |
| US09596205B2 |
System and method for mailing list identification and representation
Disclosed is a system and method for managing mailing list newsletter messages for a recipient user, and organizing such messages in accordance with a receiving user's interests. The present disclosure enables novel organizational tools for emails by intuitively organizing received newsletters and providing highly visible features within a user's inbox respective the newsletters. Organization of received newsletters is ensured through ranking users' mailing lists according to his/her interest in them, based on actions made by the respective user, in addition to actions of other users receiving the same newsletters. Additionally, upon reception of such newsletters, the present disclosure provides a specialized view, in addition to added functionality within a user's inbox, thereby enhancing a user's experience and engagement with received messages of a newsletter. |
| US09596203B2 |
Collecting messages from a group chat window that mention a specific user
Collecting online group chat messages. The method may include receiving a message associated with an online group chat session between chat participants. The method may also include determining the received message satisfies at least one message collection rule. The method may further include recording the received message to at least one message table based on each chat participant mentioned in the received message. The method may also include determining a first chat participant chooses to open a private chat session with at least one second chat participant. The method may further include identifying recorded messages within the message tables associated with the at least one second chat participant. The method may also include displaying the identified recorded messages in a private chat session sub-window. |
| US09596202B1 |
Methods and apparatus for throttling electronic communications based on unique recipient count using probabilistic data structures
In some embodiments, a mail verification server can use probabilistic methods to determine whether a user's emails should be throttled based on the recipients to which the user sends emails. The mail verification server can estimate a number of unique recipients to which a user has sent emails in the past, and can estimate whether the rate of which the number of unique recipients increases crosses over a predetermined threshold. The mail verification server can determine that a new user has sent emails to 500 unique recipients, and can track the rate at which the number of unique recipients rises. The mail verification server can then throttle the user's emails if the rate at which the number of unique recipients rises exceeds threshold (e.g., if the number of unique recipients the user has contacted rises by 200% and/or a similar threshold). |
| US09596200B1 |
Linking selected messages in electronic message threads
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, computer program products, and systems for linking selected messages in electronic message threads. In one embodiment, related messages are identified and graphic elements associated with a first message are displayed on a user interface. Responsive to receiving a user interaction with the graphical element, a second message can be viewed, where the second message either responds to the first message or is responded to by the first message. Displaying graphical elements associated with related messages can eliminate potential confusion between users in group messages. |
| US09596198B2 |
Enabling and supporting a presence server cache
A method, computer program product, and computer system for enabling and supporting a presence server cache are described herein. A presence server cache may receive a plurality of requests to poll a status of a contact from a plurality of clients. The presence server cache may determine the status of the contact. If the status of the contact is unavailable at the presence server cache, the presence server cache may transmit a request for the status of the contact to a presence server. The presence server cache may transmit the status of the contact of the user to the plurality of clients. |
| US09596196B1 |
Message grouping
Technology for message grouping is provided. In one example, a method may include identifying message addresses to group together. Messages from the message addresses may be modified to include a common sender group attribute according to a defined address grouping rule. The messages exchanged with the message senders may be arranged as a grouped conversation using the common sender group attribute. |
| US09596192B2 |
Reliable link layer for control links between network controllers and switches
Embodiments relate to transmission of control data between a network switch and a switch controller is provided. Aspects of the embodiments includes: configuring a plurality of control data packets by the switch controller, wherein configuring includes disposing a sequence number in each of the plurality of control data packets indicating an order of data packet transmission; storing the plurality of control data packets in a replay buffer in communication with the switch controller; transmitting the plurality of control data packets to the network switch over a secure link between the switch controller and the network switch; and responsive to determining that one or more control data packets were not received by the network switch, retrieving the one or more control data packets from the replay buffer and re-transmitting the one or more control data packets to the network switch. |
| US09596191B2 |
Network relay system and network relay device
A network relay system includes a plurality of communication devices. Each of the communication devices includes a data plane that transfers an input packet according to routing information, and a control plane having a processing unit that learns the routing information, and a control system repeater. The data planes of the respective communication devices can realize a non-blocking communication therebetween. Also, the control system repeater of an operational system receives the routing information from the processing unit, sets the routing information for the data plane of the subject communication device, and transmits the routing information to the control system repeater of the other communication device. The control system repeater of a standby system receives the routing information, and sets the routing information for the data plane of the subject communication device. |
| US09596184B1 |
Hot service flow hardware offloads based on service priority and resource usage
Embodiments are directed towards improving the performance of network traffic management devices by optimizing the management of hot connection flows. A packet traffic management device (“PTMD”) employs a data flow segment (“DFS”) and control segment (“CS”). The CS performs high-level control functions and per-flow policy enforcement for connection flows maintained at the DFS, while the DFS performs statistics gathering, and per-packet policy enforcement, on connection flows maintained at the DFS. The DFS may include high-speed flow caches and other high-speed components. Making efficient use of the high speed flow cache capacity may be improved by maximizing the number of hot connection flows based on unique service and network traffic characteristics through adaptive feedback pattern learning together with administrator configurable service preferences that may have flow control data for most bandwidth hungry and desired hot services offloaded to the high-speed flow cache, at appropriate time. |
| US09596178B2 |
Relay server and relay communication system
A relay server mainly includes a VPN group information storage unit, an address filter information storage unit, and a communication control unit. The VPN group information storage unit is arranged and programmed to store information concerning routing apparatuses that define a VPN group and a routing session. The address filter information storage unit is arranged and programmed to store address filter information in association with identification information of the routing apparatus. The communication control unit is arranged and programmed to perform controls of: upon detection of that an address included in the address filter information overlaps, causing a translated address to be associated with the overlapping address, and transmitting the translated address to another routing apparatus; and performing routing based on the address filter information and the translated address. |
| US09596165B2 |
Multidimensional representation of signalling protocol log files
A testing device comprises a storage unit (17), a display unit (11) and a control unit (12). The storage unit (17) 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 and display on the display unit (11) at least a part of the messages. The control unit (12) provides a view-generating device (14), which is embodied simultaneously to generate and display by means of the display unit (11) at least two views in each case with at least a part of the messages to be displayed. In this context, the views are displayed in a synchronized manner. |
| US09596164B1 |
Application visibility in layer 3 networks
A device may receive configuration information for generating an application probe. The application probe may be used to request network information, associated with an application, from network devices. The device may determine, based on the configuration information, traffic parameters associated with the application. The device may determine a requested type of network information to be requested from the network devices. The device may generate the application probe by including, in the application probe, the traffic parameters and information identifying the requested type of network information. The device may transmit the application probe to a network device of the network devices. The device may receive, from the network device and based on transmitting the application probe, a value associated with the requested type of network information. |
| US09596161B2 |
Determining feasibility of a network service using a ring analysis
A mesh network (such as a mesh Ethernet network) is subdivided into rings. For each ring, a network utilization is assessed in both the clockwise and counter-clockwise directions around the ring. A user requests a particular network service. The network rings that would be utilized by the network service are determined. A maximum utilization of all the network rings utilized by the network service in both clockwise and counter-clockwise directions is determined. The determined maximum utilization is used to determine the feasibility of provisioning the requested network service. |
| US09596160B1 |
Methods for built-in self-measurement of jitter for link components
One embodiment of the present invention relates to a method for built-in self-measurement (BISM) of jitter components. A built-in self-measurement controller on the host integrated circuit (and, in some cases, a slave controller on a partner integrated circuit) may be used to control various switches to form various loopback circuits. A calibrated jittery data pattern is transmitted through each of the various loopback circuits. On-die instrumentation (ODI) circuitry may then be used to measure intrinsic jitter components for each loopback circuit via data representations such as eye-diagrams, or jitter histograms, or bit error ratio bathtub curves. The intrinsic jitter for link components (i.e. the jitter components such as deterministic jitter (DJ), random jitter (RJ), total jitter (TJ)) may then be determined based on the measured intrinsic jitters for the various loopback circuits. Other embodiments and features are also disclosed. |
| US09596154B2 |
Classifying client devices in a network
One or more devices may receive attribute information identifying multiple attributes associated with a client device; classify the client device based on the attribute information; and provide, based on classifying the client device, classification information to a network device to cause the network device to associate a particular policy set, of multiple policy sets, with the client device. The classification information may identify a classification of the client device. The particular policy set may be based on the classification of the client device and may include an instruction used to process a data flow provided to or provided from the client device. |
| US09596153B2 |
Wake pattern management
Wake pattern management techniques are described. In one or more implementations, network traffic received by a network interface device of a computing device is monitored and a traffic pattern is recognized in the monitored network traffic. An application of the computing device is identified that corresponds to the recognized traffic pattern and responsive to this identification, at least a portion of the identified application is woken. |
| US09596151B2 |
Methods and apparatus to determine impressions using distributed demographic information
Methods and apparatus to determine media impressions using distributed demographic information are disclosed. An method includes sending to a client computer, via a processor serving a first internet domain, a response to a first request, the first request sent to the first internet domain and indicative of access to media at the client computer, the response to instruct the client computer to send a second request to an intermediary serving a sub-domain of a second internet domain, the second request to be indicative of the access to the media at the client computer, wherein the intermediary is to transmit first data about the second request to a data collection server of an audience measurement entity and second data about the second request to an entity of the second internet domain and logging an impression of the media. |
| US09596145B2 |
Communication system, GUI apparatus, and service apparatus
An event list required by a graphical user interface (GUI) apparatus is notified to a service apparatus. The service apparatus assigns an ID to an event list and responds to the GUI apparatus. In a case where an event occurs in the service apparatus, the service apparatus determines based on an event list from the GUI apparatus whether to perform an event notification. When notifying an event to the service apparatus, the GUI apparatus transmits an ID in place of an event list in a case where the ID exists. |
| US09596144B2 |
Systems and methods for managing wide area networks
Systems and methods described herein provide automatic generation of one or more application fingerprints which may be used to identify and recommend one or more technologies and/or technical instructions for use within a WAN environment. Input data describing and an application fingerprint for one or more applications currently used within a network environment, such as a WAN environment, is received and executed against a set of rules by a rules engine. Based on the results, one or more recommendations may be provided that identifies various technologies and/or technical procedures the network manager may implement and/or perform. |
| US09596143B2 |
Node discovery and cluster formation for a secondary storage appliance
Techniques are disclosed for identifying “free” compute nodes that have not been configured as a member of a secondary storage system. As disclosed, a node may automatically detect that it is a free node (i.e., one available to join a distributed computing cluster which provides the secondary storage system or to form a new cluster). When a node detects that it is not part of a cluster, the node may build an initial network configuration and begin advertising itself as a free node. Once the initial network state is available, the node may broadcast advertisements observed by a management tool and joined to the secondary storage system. |
| US09596141B2 |
Representing software defined networks using a programmable graph model
System, method, and computer program product to represent a network using a programmable graph model, by generating a directed graph to represent a topology of the network, wherein each of a plurality of network elements in the network are represented, in the directed graph, by one of the plurality of nodes, identifying, through the directed graph, a subset of network elements, of the plurality of network elements, upon which to apply a requested operation, and applying the requested operation to the subset of network elements in a distributed manner through the directed graph. |
| US09596139B1 |
Network system and method for detection and correction of duplex mismatch including duplex mode determination
A first network device including a link module, a collision module, an auto-negotiation module, and a duplex module. The link module generates a first parameter based on whether a link is established between the first network device and a second network device. The collision module generates a second parameter based on whether a collision between transmitted signals has occurred as a result of transmitting data from the first network device to the second network device while transmitting other data from the second network device to the first network device. The auto-negotiation module generates a third parameter based on whether an auto-negotiation procedure has been performed between the first and second network devices. The duplex module, based on the first, second, and third parameters, determines a duplex mode of the first network device or the second network device or transitions the first network device between half-duplex and full-duplex mode. |
| US09596137B1 |
Methods and apparatus for configuration binding in a distributed switch
An apparatus includes a network management module to store a network configuration file. The network configuration file having a binding association with an identifier of a port from a plurality of ports of a switch fabric when the network management module is in a first configuration. The network management module selects the network configuration file based on the binding association with the identifier if the port in response to an access switch being operatively coupled to the port. The network configuration file having a binding association with an identifier of the access switch when the network management module is in a second configuration. The network management module selects the network configuration file based on the binding association with the identifier of the access switch in response to the access switch being operatively coupled to the port. |
| US09596136B2 |
Software migration method and apparatus in micro-server environment
A software migration method and an apparatus for migration of software running at a source node to a destination node with a migration scheme selected optimally in consideration of micro-server communication environment are provided. The software migration apparatus includes an environment monitor which monitors communication environment between a source node and a destination node constituting a micro-server and a migration policy manager which analyzes communication environment information acquired from the environment monitor and determines a migration scheme for migrating a software running at the source node to the destination node based on the analysis result. |
| US09596131B2 |
Method for transiting operation mode of routing processor
A method for transiting an operation mode of a routing processor is provided, which allows each routing processor in a packet processing system to be transited among a slave operation mode, a slave stand-by mode, a master stand-by mode, and a master operation mode to allow the packet processing system to normally operate even though a failure occurs in the routing processor that is set in the master operation mode, a new routing processor is added, or the routing processor set in the master operation mode is initialized. |
| US09596130B2 |
Method and system for link switching
The disclosure provides a method and system for link switching. The method includes: acquiring a warning message, wherein the warning message is sent via broadcast or multicast by a line card where a failure of a link occurs; executing link switching according to the warning message. Through the technical solutions provided by the disclosure, the efficiency of the link switching in a distributed system is improved. |
| US09596127B2 |
Scalable data feed system
A scalable data feed system is disclosed. The data feed system may be offered as a cloud service that can serve many enterprises or tenants that require data to be pulled from information sources such as FTP, POP3, databases, line of business systems, a topic subscription, or an RSS feed, and pushed the data to information sinks, such as SMTP, email, FTP, mobile phones, and other devices and services. A pull agent pumps data from pull sources and pushes the data out to push agent counterparts. The push agent transforms and sends the data in messages to push sink, such as FTP, SMTP, or a mobile device. Both the pull agent and the push agent services are implemented as replicated services over a structured overlay network for high availability that can serve multiple requests to pump out data from multiple pull sources and push the data to multiple information sinks. |
| US09596126B2 |
Controller side method of generating and updating a controller assignment list
Some embodiments provide a novel method for distributing control-channel communication load between multiple controllers in a network control system. In some embodiments, the controllers manage physical forwarding elements that forward data between several computing devices (also called hosts or host computers), some or all of which execute one or more virtual machines (VMs). The method of some embodiments distributes a controller assignment list to the host computers. The host computers use this list to identify the controllers with which they need to interact to perform some of the forwarding operations of their associated logical forwarding elements. In some embodiments, agents executing on the host computers (1) review the controller assignment list to identify the appropriate controllers, and (2) establish control channel communications with these controllers to obtain the needed data for effectuating the forwarding operations of their associated physical forwarding elements. These agents in some embodiments are responsible for out-of-band control channel communication with the controllers. |
| US09596125B2 |
Efficient distributed algorithm for the location design and routing problem
The Location Design and Routing problem asks to find a subset of “depot” nodes and a spanning forest of a graph such that every connected component in the forest contains at least one depot. This problem arises in a number of both logistical and computer networking problems, for example, in selecting the number and location of distribution centers in vehicle routing networks. This problem is functionally equivalent to that of supernode selection in peer-to-peer networks. A distributed algorithm approximates a solution to this problem that runs in a logarithmic number of communication rounds with respect to the number of nodes (independent of the topology of the network), and, under assumptions on the embedding of the edge weights, whose solutions are within a factor of 2 of optimal. |
| US09596122B2 |
Identity provider discovery service using a publish-subscribe model
A proxy is integrated within an F-SSO environment and interacts with an external identity provider (IdP) instance discovery service. The proxy proxies IdP instance requests to the discovery service and receives responses that include the IdP instance assignments. The proxy maintains a cache of the instance assignment(s). As new instance requests are received, the cached assignment data is used to provide appropriate responses in lieu of proxying these requests to the discovery service, thereby reducing the time needed to identify the required IdP instance. The proxy dynamically maintains and manages its cache by subscribing to updates from the discovery service. The updates identify IdP instance changes (such as servers being taken offline for maintenance, new services being added, etc.) occurring within the set of geographically-distributed instances that comprise the IdP service. The updates are provided via a publication-subscription model such that the proxy receives change notifications proactively. |
| US09596121B2 |
Server apparatus communicating with a client apparatus via the internet, system, and control method thereof
A server apparatus receives a query from a client apparatus connected via the Internet, and as its reply, it transmits first condition information according to which initial communication is performed in order to switch to a specific communication format in which instruction from the server apparatus is possible without a request of the client apparatus. |
| US09596119B2 |
Signal detection in a communication system
There is provided a computer-implemented method of estimating transmitted signals in a communication system, the signals being transmitted by a transmitter to a receiver over a communication channel having a channel response, the method comprising estimating the transmitted signals based on generated trial sequences minimizing the channel response between adjacent received signals. There is also provided a receiver, a signal detector device and a communication system adapted to estimated transmitted signals in a communication system by generating trial sequences and determining the generated trial sequences minimizing the channel response between adjacent received signals. The present invention is particularly adapted for OFDM communication systems. |
| US09596110B2 |
Open loop digital PWM envelope tracking system with dynamic boosting
A system, apparatus and method is described for dynamically boosting (increasing) the power supply voltage to an envelope tracking (ET) modulator within a transmitter system when the target/desired power amplifier voltage supply is above a predetermined threshold (e.g., equal to the available power supply of the system, such as a battery). By boosting the power input supply to the ET modulator, the modulated power supply provided to the power amplifier (PA) is also increased. This reduces or eliminates clipping that normally occurs when the target/desired PA supply voltage is greater than the available power supply voltage and reduces distortion in the transmitted signal. |
| US09596101B2 |
System and method for routing calls associated with private dialing plans
Methods and systems for routing a call including a destination number associated with a PDP including a routing engine operable to route the call to a PDP call resolution server, and a first switch operable to receive an egress path identifier and a PDP telephone number from the PDP call resolution server, the egress path identifier identifying an egress path for routing the call to a destination endpoint associated with the destination number, and the PDP telephone number identifying a selected PDP destination endpoint and a second switch operable to receive the call based on the egress path identifier and route the call to the selected PDP destination endpoint using the PDP telephone number. |
| US09596100B2 |
Softswitch usage analysis
A first set of data is received from a media gateway, the first set of data including an identifier for a trunk and a point code associated with the trunk. A second set of data is received from the media gateway, the second set of data including the trunk identifier, an identifier for a link associated with the trunk identifier, and a utilization value associated with the link. In a computing device having a processor and a memory, a data record is generated from the first set of data and the second set of data, the data record including a utilization value associated with the point code. |
| US09596097B2 |
Apparatus and method for transferring network access information of smart household appliances
An apparatus and method for transferring network access information of smart household appliances are provided. The apparatus includes a detection unit for detecting whether a public IP address of an external interface of an indoor IP sharer has changed. An extraction unit is configured to, if the public IP address of the external interface has changed, extract network access information of a smart household appliance connected to an internal interface of the indoor IP sharer, the network access information being updated together with change in the public IP address. An encryption and generation unit encrypts the network access information using a pre-stored encryption key, and generates data to be transmitted to a smart grid service provider server using the encrypted information and an ID of a customer user. A transmission unit transmits the data generated by the encryption and generation unit to the smart grid service provider server. |
| US09596094B2 |
Managing multicast distribution using multicast trees
A method includes receiving multicast traffic intended for host devices; identifying a flow associated with the multicast traffic; retrieving information associated with a group of multicast trees, where the group of multicast trees includes information associated with a group of I/O units, associated with a network node; identifying a particular tree that corresponds to the identified flow, where the particular tree includes information associated with a set of I/O units; and transferring the multicast traffic to an I/O unit, of the set of I/O units, based on the identification of the particular tree, where the transferring enables the I/O unit to send a copy of the multicast traffic to other I/O units of the set of I/O units, and the set of I/O units to process the multicast traffic in a manner that utilizes bandwidth or processing resources in a controlled manner and to send a copy of the multicast traffic to each of the host devices. |
| US09596090B1 |
Method for controlling data acquisition for a plurality of field devices
A method for online licensing of field devices using an enterprise server with a processor and a data storage, which communicate via a network to the field devices optionally through at least one intelligent cryptographic module. The method receives a request for a license online from a client device for bidirectional communication between field devices and the enterprise server. The method generates a license and a symmetric encryption key. The method generates an object with a communication protocol of the field devices, and a primary communication path. The object contains a schedule configuration and time synchronization configuration and settings. The method then initiates communication, provides a secondary communication path if the primary communication paths fails, and simultaneously collects data by type and value from the field devices and publishes a report. |
| US09596089B2 |
Method for generating a certificate
The invention relates to a method for generating a certificate for signing electronic documents by means of an ID token (106), having the following steps: —sending (201) a transaction request for a user to carry out a transaction, —as a result of the sending of the transaction request, a check is carried out as to whether the certificate (519) is available and if this is not the case, carrying out the following steps: generating (206) an asymmetrical key pair consisting of a private key and a public key using an ID token, said ID token (106) being assigned to the user; storing (207) the generated asymmetrical key pair on the ID token, wherein at least the private key is stored in a protected memory region of the ID token; transmitting (208; 509) the generated public key (518) to a first computer system, and generating (209) the certificate (519) by means of the first computer system for the public key. |
| US09596088B1 |
Systems and methods for biometric e-signature
A vendor system may allow a user to electronically sign documents. The vendor system may receive a package of biometric information from the user. In one embodiment, the vendor system may compare the received package of biometric information with a registered package of biometric information associated with the user. If the received package of biometric information matches the registered package of biometric information, the vendor system may sign a document with an electronic signature. |
| US09596086B2 |
Password-based authentication
A password authentication system includes an access control server configured to control access by a user computer to a resource dependent on authentication of user passwords associated with user IDs. The system further includes a plurality of authentication servers, storing respective secret values. For each user ID, the access control server stores a first ciphertext produced by encrypting the user password associated with that ID using a predetermined algorithm dependent on the secret values. In response to receipt of a user ID and an input password, the access control server communicates with the plurality of authentication servers to implement password authentication, requiring use of the secret values, in which a second ciphertext is produced by encrypting the input password using said predetermined algorithm. The access control server compares the first and second ciphertexts to determine whether the input password equals the user password to permit access to the resource. |
| US09596084B2 |
Initializing camera subsystem for face detection based on sensor inputs
In one embodiment, while a mobile electronic device is in a first operation state, it receives sensor data from one or more sensors of the mobile electronic device. The mobile electronic device in a locked state analyzes the sensor data to estimate whether an unlock operation is imminent, and in response to a positive determination, initializes the camera subsystem so that the camera is ready to capture a face as soon as the user directs the camera lens to his or her face. In particular embodiments, the captured image is utilized by a facial recognition algorithm to determine whether the user is authorized to use the mobile device. In particular embodiments, the captured facial recognition image may be leveraged for use on a social network. |
| US09596082B2 |
Secure debug trace messages for production authenticated code modules
Methods of extending capabilities of authenticated code modules (ACM) with minimal increase in code size comprises defining an authenticated code module (ACM) extension module using an entry of a Firmware Interface Table (FIT). The FIT contains a starting address of the ACM extension module that is located outside of a protected boot block. Based on the ACM extension module having been authenticated, the ACM and the ACM extension module may be processed together. |
| US09596081B1 |
Order preserving tokenization
An order-preserving tokenization (OPT) method receives a plaintext and generates a token as the ciphertext which preserves the sort order of the plaintext by using stored legacy plaintext-to-ciphertext mapping data and a tail bounded probability distribution sampler to sample a random order preserving function. More specifically, the OPT method uses a mapping table to store plaintext-to-ciphertext mapping for previously generated ciphertexts. The mapping table enables efficient searching of the ciphertext space as the OPT method only needs to look for ciphertext in the space that most likely will have the desired plaintext. In this manner, the order-preserving tokenization method of the present invention realizes a fast algorithm that is also more computational efficient. In one embodiment, the OPT method uses a tail bounded hypergeometric distribution sampler as the probability distribution sampler. |
| US09596080B2 |
Method of generating prime numbers proven suitable for chip cards
This disclosure relates to methods for generating a prime number, which can be implemented in an electronic device. An example method can include calculating a candidate prime number using a formula Pr=2P·R+1, where P is a prime number and R is an integer. The method can also include applying the Pocklington primality test to the candidate prime number and rejecting the candidate prime number if it fails the Pocklington test. The integer can be generated from an invertible number belonging to a set of invertible elements modulo the product of numbers belonging to a group of small prime numbers greater than 2, where the candidate prime number is not divisible by any number of the group. The prime number P having a number of bits equal to within one bit, to half or a third of the number of bits of the candidate prime number. |
| US09596073B1 |
Picosecond clock synchronization technique for communication and navigation platform equipment
Systems and related methods for simultaneous high precision synchronization and syntonization of multiple sensors or clocks utilize a precision estimator that receives clock signals and time mark signals from both sensors (a reference sensor and a clock to be measured against the reference sensor). A precision time and frequency estimator determines a time offset, frequency offset, and phase offset of the measured sensor relative to the reference sensor. Associated systems can additionally determine the propagation delay between two remote subsystems connected by a communications channel. The communications channel may be a bidirectional duplexed or multiplexed channel allowing for mutual exchange of timing information along a single non-dedicated cable between sensors. Sensors may be synchronized to within 10 ps of each other without the need for THz clocks or fiber-optic cabling. |
| US09596072B2 |
Method and apparatus for mitigation of packet delay variation
An apparatus for mitigation of packet delay variation, PDV, in a packet-based network, comprising an ingress port to receive event messages, each message being timestamped with a local ingress timestamp at the instant of reception of the message using a local internal clock; an extraction unit to extract a timestamp embedded in the received message; a computation unit to calculate a time offset between the extracted embedded timestamp and the local ingress timestamp of the received event message to record the calculated time offset as a maximum observed delay, if the calculated time offset exceeds a previously recorded maximum observed delay, the computation unit adjusting an internal transmission delay time before onward transmission of the event message from an egress port depending on a time difference between recorded maximum observed delay and calculated time offset of the event message to minimize the packet delay variation, PDV, at the egress port. |
| US09596071B1 |
Enhanced TTI bundling in FDD mode
A base station and a user equipment (UE) device may communicate over an air interface using a frequency division duplexing (FDD) configuration that provides a time sequence of consecutive subframes for both uplink and downlink communications. A transmitter (either the UE device or the base station) may select a sequence of N subframes for N transmissions of the same data to a receiver using transmission time interval (TTI) bundling, wherein successive subframes in the sequence are separated by one or more subframes. The transmitter may transmit the data M times (where M |
| US09596063B2 |
Dynamically allocating network resources for communication session
A primary call admission controller (CAC) system receives a request from a client to allocate a network resource such as a network bandwidth. The primary CAC system may determine subordinate CAC to delegate the allocation and transfer the request to the subordinate CAC. Subsequently, the subordinate CAC analyzes the communication session attributes to determine an available network resource for the communication session. Upon a positive determination, the subordinate CAC allocates the network resource and signals the allocation up the network chain to the primary CAC and the client. |
| US09596062B2 |
Base station and mobile station
In the present invention, a wireless transmission system includes a plurality of mobile stations in a cell area, and a base station. The base station divides each of an uplink frame and a downlink frame into a plurality of blocks, assigns a specific one of the plurality of blocks to each of the plurality of the mobile stations, assigns a specific frequency channel to the mobile station, and notifies the specific block and the specific frequency channel to the mobile station. The length of each of the plurality of blocks is optional, and a sum of the lengths of the plurality of blocks is equal to the length of the frame. |
| US09596056B2 |
Method for interference cancellation in wireless communication system and apparatus therefor
In an aspect of the present invention, provided herein is a method for receiving information for interference cancellation of a mobile terminal, the method comprising: receiving, from a base station, multi-user downlink control information (MU DCI) including CRC scrambled with an identifier (ID) of a user group, the MU DCI including control information for a plurality of mobile terminals belonging to the user group, information indicating the number of mobile terminals simultaneously scheduled by the MU DCI in a subframe, and an index allocated to each mobile terminal being added to the end of the control information for each mobile terminal; and receiving downlink data for other mobile terminals in the user group using the control information for the other mobile terminals if the control information for the mobile terminal is included in the MU DCI. |
| US09596055B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for simplified computation of squares and sums of squares of code cross-correlation metrics for signal processing
The subject matter described herein includes a method for simplified computation of metrics of cross-correlations of binary codes and for using the metrics for signal processing applications. The method includes computing an outer product matrix based on a first code vector. The method further includes computing an outer product matrix based on at least one second code vector. The method further includes computing a metric of cross-correlations between the first code and the at least one second code vector using the outer product matrices. The method further includes using the metric to perform a signal processing operation. |
| US09596053B1 |
Method and system of serving a user equipment device using different modulation and coding schemes
According to the present disclosure, a base station may be configured to serve a user equipment device (UE) over two or more beams using different modulation and coding schemes (MCSs) in response to determining that another base station is concurrently serving another UE at nearly the same location. For instance, a first base station may initially serve a first UE over two beams using the same MCS on both beams. The first base station may then determine that a second base station is serving a second UE at nearly the same location. And in response, the first base station may then change the MCS on at least one of the two beams so that the first base station then serves the first UE using different MCSs on the two beams. Serving the first UE with different MCSs concurrently on multiple beams may help to improve the first UE's reception. |
| US09596050B2 |
System and method for communication
A communication system includes an omnidirectional antenna, a beam antenna and a controller. The omnidirectional antenna receives a wideband primary signal and the beam antenna is oriented towards a jammer to receive a jamming signal. The controller subtracts a processed jamming signal from a processed wideband primary signal to produce a jamming cancelled signal. |
| US09596045B2 |
Method for determining impulsive interference applicable to orthogonal frequency division multiple access signal receiver and receiver thereof
A method for determining impulsive interference applicable to an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) signal receiver is provided. The receiving method includes calculating a subcarrier noise of a first symbol, calculating a subcarrier noise of a second symbol, calculating a first ratio of the subcarrier noise of the first symbol to the subcarrier noise of the second symbol, determining whether the ratio is greater than a first threshold, and recognizing that the first symbol suffers from impulsive interference when the first ratio is greater than the first threshold. |
| US09596031B2 |
System and method for a subscriber-powered network element
A system for powering a network element of a fiber optic wide area network is disclosed. When communication data is transferred between a central office (CO) and a subscriber terminal using a network element to convert optical to electrical (O-E) and electrical to optical (E-O) signals between a fiber from the central office and twisted wire pair, coaxial cable or Ethernet cable transmission lines from the subscriber terminal, techniques related to local powering of a network element or drop site by the subscriber terminal or subscriber premise remote powering device are provided. Certain advantages and/or benefits are achieved using the present invention, such as freedom from any requirement for additional meter installations or meter connection charges and does not require a separate power network. |
| US09596029B2 |
Tandem, visible light and RF communication system
A system having first and second different communication systems can include a plurality of illumination devices having modulatable optical output signals. A plurality of building control units are in wireless communication with one another. Representative units could include ambient condition detectors, intrusion detectors, output devices, or actuators. At least some of the units include optical sensors responsive to the modulatable optical output signals, wherein, in response to received, modulated optical output signals, a respective control unit carries out a predetermined function. |
| US09596028B2 |
Method and controller for commissioning wavelength division multiplexing optical network during capacity expansion
The present invention discloses a method and a controller for commissioning a wave division multiplexing optical network during capacity expansion. The method includes: calculating, according to a preset rule, initial power of a wavelength service to be added and adding one or more wavelength services according to the initial power; detecting power of each newly-added wavelength service in transmission and separately calculating target power of each newly-added wavelength service according to a detected value and the initial power; calculating end-to-end performance of an existing wavelength service and end-to-end performance of each newly-added wavelength service when each newly-added wavelength service reaches its respective target power; and adjusting the power of each newly-added wavelength service when each newly-added wavelength service reaches its respective target power and the end-to-end performance of the existing wavelength service and the end-to-end performance of each newly-added wavelength service meets their respective lowest threshold requirements. |
| US09596020B2 |
Methods for providing distributed airborne wireless communications
Embodiments of methods for providing distributed airborne wireless communications are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of providing wireless communication services includes: receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal from a first area by a distributed airborne communication payload, wherein the distributed airborne communication payload is comprised of sections located on respective ones of a plurality of airborne platforms; relaying the RF signal along the sections located on different airborne platforms; and transmitting the RF signal to a second area. |
| US09596019B2 |
Polarization co-ordination
The present invention relates to a group (G1, G2) of at least two transceiver units (1, 2; 3, 4) in at least one wireless communication system. The transceiver units (1, 2; 3, 4) in the group (G1, G2) are arranged for wireless communication with at least one other transceiver unit. The transceiver units (1, 2; 3, 4) in the group (G1, G2) are arranged to transmit signals with polarizations that are essentially parallel to each other when received by at least one transceiver unit for which the transmitted signals (5, 6) constitutes interference.The present invention also relates to a method, a node and a transceiver unit. |
| US09596018B2 |
Wireless communication apparatus for controlling multi-antenna module and related method thereof
A wireless communication apparatus for coupling to a multi-antenna module comprising a plurality of antennas, the wireless communication apparatus includes: a switching circuit, arranged for selectively changing the connected relations of the plurality of antennas according to a switching signal, so as to make the multi-antenna module generating a plurality of antenna combinations; and a receiving module, coupled to the switching circuit, including: a signal intensity measurement circuit, arranged for measuring signal intensity of a wireless packet received through the plurality of antenna combinations, so as to generate a plurality of measurement results; and an antenna switching determination circuit, during a training state, arranged for choosing a first comparison group comprising at least two antenna combinations from the plurality of antenna combinations for receiving the wireless packet, and determining a better antenna combination according to measurement results of the first comparing group. |
| US09596017B1 |
Transmission-mode-aware rate matching in MIMO signal generation
A method in a Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) transmitter includes selecting a transmission mode from a group of modes including a spatial multiplexing mode and a transmit diversity mode. A rate matching parameter is set depending on at least the selected transmission mode. Data for transmission is formatted in one or more transport blocks, each transport block including multiple code blocks having respective lengths, in symbols, that are respective integer multiples of the rate matching parameter. The code blocks of a given transport block are mapped onto time-frequency resource elements in accordance with the selected transmission mode, such that each resource element contains data originating from only a respective one of the code blocks of the given transport block. The code blocks of the given transport block are transmitted over the time-frequency resource elements to a receiver. |
| US09596011B2 |
Base station apparatus, terminal apparatus, and wireless communication system
The present invention provides a technology that sets an offset value with respect to a received power of a reference signal from each of base station apparatuses, taking into consideration a difference between precoding schemes, in a wireless communication system that supports multiple different precoding schemes. The base station apparatus according to the present invention communicates with at least one of terminal apparatuses using the multiple different precoding schemes. The base station apparatus according to the present invention includes a transmission unit that transmits to the terminal apparatus multiple offset values that are to be added by the terminal apparatus to the received power of the reference signal from the base station apparatus, in which the multiple offset values correspond to the multiple precoding schemes, respectively. |
| US09596010B2 |
Wireless communication apparatus and wireless communication method
In a capacity region of a multiple access channel which is a theoretical limit, a combination of transmission speeds that are equal between the channels is realized. A wireless communication apparatus receives first to third frames, which are sequentially transmitted. The second frame is transmitted at a head time different from that of the first and third frames, and the second frame receives a first signal which is temporally superposed to both the first and third frames. A replica signal of the first frame is generated based on the result obtained by demodulating the first frame, and a second signal which is obtained by canceling it from the first signal is generated. The second frame is demodulated by using the second signal, and the interference from the first frame in the second frame in the second signal is canceled, and the interference from the third frame remains. |
| US09596008B2 |
Method and apparatus for die-to-die communication
In apparatus for die-to-die communication, a first die includes at least a first circuit, and a second die includes at least a second circuit. The first die is separated by a fixed distance from the second die. In response to a signal, the first circuit is configured to induce a current in the second circuit via a magnetic coupling between the first circuit and the second circuit. |
| US09595998B2 |
Sampling point adjustment apparatus and method and program
There is provided a sampling point adjustment apparatus including: a frequency conversion unit that converts a first signal and a second signal into a first narrow band signal and a second narrow band signal through frequency conversion; a central position determination unit that determines a central position of a window of the frequency conversion for the second signal based on an estimated value of a sampling interval offset between the first narrow band signal and the second narrow band signal; and a phase control unit that controls a phase of the second narrow band signal based on the estimated value. |
| US09595993B1 |
Protective case adapted to support a smartphone
A protective case for a smartphone is described herein. The case may include a first frame part, and a second frame for retaining the smartphone therein. One of the first and second frame part has a ball formed at one end thereof, and the other includes a socket adapted to fixedly retain the ball therein. The case further includes a threaded insert attachable to the case for receiving a tripod mount, and an elastomeric element. One of the frame parts is pivotable relative to the other via the ball and socket between open and closed states spanning up to 90 degrees, with one of the two frame parts further rotatable 360 degrees about its own longitudinal axis thereof via the ball and socket. The elastomeric element bears against the ball to provide friction so as to prevent undesired rotation of one frame part relative to the other in all degrees of freedom. |
| US09595991B2 |
Low power radio receiver
A frequency converting element includes a mixer and a charge pump. The mixer has first and second input nodes and an output node, and an input code of the charge pump is coupled to the output node of the mixer. The charge pump receives a mixer output signal at the input node of the charge pump, and outputs an amplified version of the mixer output signal. |
| US09595990B1 |
Circuit for and method of enabling the adaptation of an automatic gain control circuit
A circuit for enabling an adaptation of an automatic gain control circuit comprises an automatic gain control (ACG) circuit configured to receive an input signal and to generate a boosted input signal. An average peak signal magnitude adaptation circuit is configured to receive an output of a decision circuit and to generate an average peak signal magnitude. An average peak signal target calculation circuit is configured to receive the average peak signal magnitude and detected peak signal magnitudes, wherein the average peak signal magnitude adaptation circuit generates a target peak signal magnitude. An AGC adaptation circuit is configured to receive an average peak signal magnitude and the target peak signal magnitude, wherein the AGC adaptation circuit provides an AGC control signal to the AGC circuit to maximize the effective signal magnitude within an acceptable linearity range. |
| US09595987B2 |
Wide tuning range receiver
A wide tuning range receiver is provided that includes first and second mixers, and first and second local oscillators. The first mixer can mix an input signal with a signal from the first local oscillator and output a signal having a first intermediate frequency, the second mixer can mix the signal having the first intermediate frequency with a signal from the second local oscillator and output a signal having a second intermediate frequency, and, for each input signal frequency, a relationship between the first and second local oscillators can be fixed. |
| US09595981B2 |
Reduced bandwidth envelope tracking
Envelope power supply circuitry includes an envelope power converter circuitry and envelope tracking circuitry. The envelope power converter circuitry receives an envelope power converter control signal from the envelope tracking circuitry and a supply voltage and provides an envelope power supply signal for an amplifier based thereon. In a first mode of operation, the envelope power converter control signal is provided such that the envelope power supply signal causes the gain of the amplifier to remain substantially constant over a range of input power provided to the amplifier. In a second mode of operation, the envelope power converter control signal is provided such that the envelope power supply signal remains substantially constant for values within the range of input power below a predetermined threshold, and such that the envelope power supply signal causes the gain of the amplifier to remain substantially constant for other values. |
| US09595975B1 |
Low-latency high-gain current-mode logic slicer
A low-latency, high-gain (LLHG) slicer includes an input stage coupled to a differential output port and configured to receive a differential analog input signal, and to track the differential analog input signal during a tracking phase, an output stage coupled to the differential output port and configured to generate digital output bits corresponding to the differential analog input signal during a regeneration phase, and a tunable resistor coupled to the differential output port and configured to provide a first load impedance during the tracking phase and to provide a second load impedance during the regeneration phase, the first load impedance being lower than the second load impedance. |
| US09595971B2 |
Ring frequency divider
A circuit for a divider or counter may include a frequency divider having multiple rings for dividing an input frequency to obtain an output frequency. The first and second rings may include an odd-numbered plurality of elements, such as inverters, wherein each inverter of a ring is coupled to another inverter of the ring in a circular chain. An input frequency may be input to a power supply input of inverters of the first ring. The second ring inverters may be coupled at a power supply input to output nodes of the first ring inverters, which results in the second ring operating at a divisional rate of the first frequency given by (N−1), where N is the number of inverters in the ring. The circuits may be used in frequency dividers and counters, such as in phase-locked loops (PLLs) and analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). |
| US09595965B2 |
Liquid crystal drive circuit and liquid crystal drive circuit control method
There is provided a semiconductor device including (1) a first power source section that includes a first power source output terminal and a second power source output terminal that output voltages at mutually different voltage levels, (2) a first output section that includes a first output stage switch that is provided between the first power source output terminal and a first voltage output terminal, and a second output stage switch that is provided between the second power source output terminal and the first power source output terminal, and (3) a controller that performs ON/OFF control of the first output stage switch and the second output stage switch such that both the first output stage switch and the second output stage switch are in an OFF state over a predetermined period encompassing a point in time when a signal level of the first signal switches. |
| US09595960B2 |
Dead-front user interface
A capacitive touch switch is disclosed which includes a transparent insulating panel, a filtering layer having an opaque color, a transparent icon being defined in the filtering layer, a transparent substrate including a capacitive electrode, the transparent substrate being tinted to substantially match the opaque color of the filtering layer, and a light source configured to transmit light through the transparent substrate, the transparent icon, and the transparent insulating panel when energized. A user interface and a method of manufacturing a capacitive touch switch are also disclosed. |
| US09595957B2 |
Input/output circuit, input/output network, and input/output system including the same
An input/output circuit may include a driving unit including a first transistor coupled between a power supply voltage and a first node, and a second transistor coupled in series with the first transistor through the first node at an end of the second transistor. The input/output circuit may include switch elements coupled in parallel to a second node at another end of the second transistor, and the switch elements configured to be selectively turned on in an input operation and an output operation. |
| US09595954B2 |
Method and circuit for recharging a bootstrap capacitor using a transfer capacitor
A circuit including and a method utilizing an improved bootstrap topology provide power to a high side (HS) driver for high efficiency applications. The improved bootstrap topology includes a transfer capacitor to store charge and to recharge a bootstrap capacitor, which provides power to the HS driver. The improved bootstrap topology also includes a resistor connected to the transfer capacitor to charge the transfer capacitor from a voltage source and to isolate the transfer capacitor from high voltage pulses. |
| US09595953B2 |
Configuration of JFET for base drive bipolar junction transistor with automatic compensation of beta variation
A circuit for automatically compensating beta variation by driving base of BJT with JFET is disclosed. The circuit includes a first well, a second well, a third well, one or more leakage current devices, and a varying metal connection. The first well includes first JFET J1, second JFET J2, third JFET J3 and fourth JFET J4. The input voltage value is combination of emitter to base voltage of first BJT Q1, emitter to base voltage of second BJT Q2. The second well includes first BJT Q1, second BJT Q2 and second diode D2. The third well includes first diode snubber D1. The one or more leakage current devices are connected between base of Q1 and base Q2 to remove excess leakage current across the second well. The varying metal connection is connected across the first well, the second well and the third well to obtain beta value. |
| US09595952B2 |
Switching circuit and the method thereof
A switching circuit having a low side driver providing a three-level low side drive signal keeps a low side power switch slightly on during a dead time between the low side power switch turn off and a high side power switch turn on, thus a current flowing through a body diode is mostly distributed to the slightly on low side power switch instead of the body diode. |
| US09595951B2 |
Radio-frequency switches having gate bias and frequency-tuned body bias
Radio-frequency (RF) switch circuits are disclosed providing improved switching performance. An RF switch system includes a plurality of field-effect transistors (FETs) connected in series between first and second nodes, each FET having a gate and a body. A compensation network including a gate-coupling circuit couples the gates of each pair of neighboring FETs. The compensation network may further including a body-coupling circuit that couples the bodies of each pair of neighboring FETs. |
| US09595946B2 |
PWM modulator
A method is for reducing pulse skipping from a characteristic affecting a modulating signal input to an integrator of a pulse width modulation (PWM) modulator, together with a square wave carrier signal for generating a triangular waveform of the PWM modulator. The method may include creating a broad synchronous peak at vertexes of the triangular waveform output by the integrator. |
| US09595945B2 |
Switch control circuit and switch circuit
A switch control circuit includes a plurality of first voltage generation circuits that generate a plurality of second control signals by level-shifting a plurality of first control signals using a reference voltage. A plurality of cut-off circuits controlling whether or not to supply the reference voltage to a corresponding one of the plurality of first voltage generation circuits. A control circuit is configured to control the cut-off circuits in such a manner that the reference voltage supplied to at least one first voltage generation circuit is cut off to the other first voltage generation circuits after a state of the first control signal supplied to the at least one first generation circuit is changed. In some embodiments, the reference voltage to the other first generation circuits is cut-off for a predetermined time period. |
| US09595944B2 |
Low power architectures
Systems and methods for tuning a voltage are described herein. In one embodiment, a method comprises sending a data signal to first and second flops via a data path, latching in the data signal at the first flop using a clock signal, and latching the data signal at the second flop using a delayed version of the clock signal. The method also comprises detecting a mismatch between outputs of the first and second flops, and adjusting the voltage based on the detected mismatch. |
| US09595942B2 |
MOS capacitors with interleaved fingers and methods of forming the same
A capacitor structure is described. The capacitor structure includes a substrate; a plurality of source/drain regions formed in said substrate to form an active area, the active area having an active area width; and a first and a second plurality of gates formed above the substrate. Each gate of the first and second plurality of gates having a gate width. The gate width is configured to be less than the active area width and each gate of the first and second plurality of gates is formed between a pair of source/drain regions of the plurality of source/drain regions such that the first plurality of gates interleave with the second plurality of gates. |
| US09595940B2 |
Filter, duplexer and module
A filter includes: one or more series resonators connected in series between an input terminal and an output terminal; one or more parallel resonators connected in parallel between the input terminal and the output terminal; a first inductor having one end connected to at least one of the input terminal and the output terminal; a second inductor having one end connected to a terminal near a ground of at least one of the parallel resonators; and a third inductor connected between a first node and the ground, the first node connecting the other end of the first inductor and the other end of the second inductor. |
| US09595934B2 |
Gain calibration for an imaging system
An imaging system includes an array of photodetectors and electronic circuitry associated with the photodetectors to read intensity values from the photodetectors. The electronic circuitry can include an integrator with an integrator capacitor having a nominal capacitance, wherein a gain of the electronic circuitry associated with a photodetector can depend at least in part on the actual capacitance of the integrator capacitor, the actual capacitance differing from the nominal capacitance. The imaging system can be configured to determine a gain factor that depends at least in part on the actual capacitance and/or a signal voltage input to the integrator. The imaging system can be configured to apply the gain factor based at least in part on the actual capacitance of the integrator capacitor calculated. The imaging system can be a thermal imaging system and may include an infrared camera core. |
| US09595933B2 |
Power amplifier device and circuits
A multi-mode multi-band power amplifier and its circuits are provided. The power amplifier comprises a controller, a wide-band amplifier channel, and a fundamental impedance transformer. The controller receives an external signal and outputs a control signal according to the external signal. The wide-band amplifier channel receives a single-band or a multi-band RF signals through the input terminal, performs power amplification on the RF signals and outputs the RF signals through the output terminal. The fundamental impedance transformer comprises a first segment shared by RF signals in all bands, second segments respectively specific to RF signals in all bands, and a switching circuit controlled by the controller to separate a RF signal which is subject to power amplification to the second segment in a switchable manner for multiplexed outputs. A power amplifier output power control circuit, a gain switching circuit, and a gain attenuation circuit are also provided. |
| US09595927B2 |
Bias adjustment circuitry for balanced amplifiers
Circuitry includes a balanced amplifier and bias adjustment circuitry. The bias adjustment circuitry is coupled to the balanced amplifier and is configured to measure an RF termination voltage across an output termination impedance of the balanced amplifier and adjust a bias voltage supplied to the balanced amplifier based on the RF termination voltage. Notably, the RF termination voltage is proportional to a voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) of the balanced amplifier, and thus enables an accurate measurement thereof. By using the RF termination voltage to adjust a bias voltage supplied to the balanced amplifier, overvoltage and/or thermally stressing conditions of the balanced amplifier as a result of high VSWR may be avoided while simultaneously avoiding the need for large or expensive isolation circuitry. |
| US09595926B2 |
Apparatus and methods for overdrive protection of radio frequency amplifiers
Provided herein are apparatus and methods for overdrive protection of radio frequency (RF) amplifiers. In certain configurations, an RF amplifier includes a plurality of amplification stages and an overdrive detection circuit. The overdrive detection circuit determines whether or not the RF amplifier is in an overdrive condition based on a current of an input amplification stage. Additionally, when the overdrive detection circuit detects an overdrive condition, the overdrive detection circuit controls an impedance of one or more feedback circuits of one or more amplification stages subsequent to the input amplification stage in a signal path of the RF amplifier to reduce the RF amplifier's gain. The overdrive protection schemes herein can be used to limit large current and voltage swing conditions manifesting within amplification transistors of the RF amplifier. |
| US09595925B2 |
Distortion-compensating power amplifier and method for compensating for distortion to amplify power
A distortion-compensating power amplifier compensates for nonlinear distortion in a power amplifier. The distortion-compensating power amplifier includes: a predistorter that performs pre-distortion processing, the pre-distortion processing applying an inverse characteristic of a distortion characteristic that is generated in the power amplifier to an input signal; a filter that performs band limitation on the pre-distorted input signal by using a frequency characteristic that is asymmetric with respect to a center frequency of the input signal, the filter having a filter coefficient that is a complex number; a down-sampler that down-samples the band-limited input signal; and a digital-to-analog converter that converts the down-sampled input signal from a digital signal to an analog signal. |
| US09595919B2 |
Front-end architecture for transmitter
Apparatus includes: a mixer configured to mix local a oscillator signal with a baseband signal and output a radio frequency (RF) signal; a first load coupled to the mixer and tuned to an operating frequency; and a second load coupled to the mixer and tuned to a predetermined multiple of the operating frequency. |
| US09595916B2 |
Magnetoresistive effect oscillator
A magnetoresistive effect oscillator is provided which can realize a rise or a fall of oscillation at a higher speed. In the magnetoresistive effect oscillator, at the rise, a current having a first current density, which is larger than a critical current density for oscillation, is applied, and thereafter a current having a second current density, which is less than the current density corresponding to the first current density and not less than the critical current density for oscillation, is applied such that the magnetoresistive effect element oscillates at a predetermined frequency. In the magnetoresistive effect oscillator, at the fall, starting from the state where a first current density is applied to hold the magnetoresistive effect element in an oscillating condition, a current having a second current density and having polarity reversed to that of the first current density is applied such that the oscillation disappears. |
| US09595915B2 |
Fine tuning control apparatus and method
Methods, apparatuses, and systems for providing a variable output using an array of cells are discussed. In the fine tuning bank of an apparatus, control is implemented by selecting a boundary cell from the array of cells and having every cell before the boundary cell in a circuit path be grounded and having the boundary cell and every cell after the boundary cell in the circuit path be connected to a voltage source. The circuit path may be the one formed by using thermometer coding in the fine tuning bank. |
| US09595911B2 |
Tile roof mounting systems
Tile roof mounting systems are disclosed for installing solar panels on a tile roof. The systems may include a base member that can be installed under a tile of the tile roof having two parallel tracks. A first track may include a channel for receiving an end of a tile hook; and the second track may be used to fasten the tile hook to the base member. The tile hook can include a latching region for latching onto the channel, a fastening region that can be fastened to the fastening track, and a supporting region used to support one or more components of a solar panel installation above the roof tiles. |
| US09595909B2 |
Storage type solar power generation device and storage type solar power generation system
An electricity storing solar power generation device 10 includes: solar cells including at least two kinds of solar cells 11, 12 and 13 having mutually different spectral absorption sensitivities; and electricity storing devices 21, 22 and 23 electrically connected to the solar cells. The solar cells are configured such that an nth (n being an integer of 1 or greater) solar cell spontaneously disperses light by itself by transmitting or reflecting light so as to allow a portion of light incident on the nth solar cell other than a portion of light absorbed by the nth solar cell to fall on an n+1th solar cell having a smaller band gap. Each of the solar cells is electrically connected to one of the electricity storing devices, and electric power generated by the solar cells is stored in the electricity storing devices electrically connected to the two or more solar cells. |
| US09595907B2 |
System and method for controlling modulation of an inverter
A current measurement module is adapted to measure an observed current level for the inverter. A data processor or mode controller accesses a stored representation of first current level versus rotor speed output at which a total harmonic distortion level is less than threshold total harmonic distortion level. The data processor or mode controller enables the inverter to use SVPWM (space vector pulse width modulation) if the observed current level is less than the first current level for the measured or determined rotor speed. Further, the data processor or mode controller enables the inverter to use DPWM (discontinuous pulse width modulation) if the observed current level is greater than or equal to the first current level for the measured or determined rotor speed. |
| US09595905B2 |
Refrigerant compressor drives offering enhanced robustness, efficiency and rated voltage operability
Apparatuses, methods, and systems offering enhanced robustness, efficiency and rated voltage operability for refrigerant compressor drives are disclosed. An exemplary embodiment is a method of operating a variable frequency drive. The method includes operating the drive over a first operating range to provide at least a desired operating speed and minimize d-axis current, operating the drive over a second operating range including injecting d-axis current to provide at least the desired operating speed, operating the drive over a third operating range at a de-rated speed less than the desired operating speed. In the first operating range the drive input voltage is greater than a first value. In the second operating range the drive input voltage is lower than the first value and greater than a second value. In the third operating range the drive input voltage is lower than the second value. |
| US09595903B2 |
Controller for motor
A controller is provided which can interface with a variable frequency drive and a motor, the controller having (a) one or more voltage and current sensors which can interface with a power line linking the variable frequency drive and the motor; and (b) a signal interface module which can receive electrical signals associated with an operating condition of the motor from the one or more voltage and current sensors. The signal interface module can correlate the received electrical signals with a rotor position of the motor, and transmit signals corresponding to rotor position, to the variable frequency drive. The data provided by the controller if conveyed as a rotor position, may cause the variable frequency drive to change one or more of its operating parameters to maintain proper synchronization of the rotor and its associated stator currents. Alternatively, the controller may directly control variable frequency drive operating parameters. |
| US09595900B2 |
Method and assembly for the turning gear operation of a turbo set
An assembly including an electric generator and a steam turbine and an excitation device is provided. The excitation device is designed such that during nominal operation the auxiliary excitation machine is designed as permanently excited synchronous machine and the auxiliary excitation machine is designed as a synchronous motor or turning gear motor in a turning gear operation. |
| US09595897B2 |
Motor control device for controlling current phase on dq/three-phase coordinates
A motor control device for controlling a three-phase AC motor by using dq-three-phase coordinate conversion includes a phase correction amount calculation unit for calculating a phase correction amount by using a detected motor speed and a q-axis current command initial value, a rotor phase angle correction unit for adding or subtracting the phase correction amount to or from a detected rotor phase angle of the motor to calculate a corrected rotor phase angle, and a coordinate conversion unit for performing coordinate conversion between parameters on a dq coordinate system and parameters on a three-phase coordinate system on the basis of the corrected rotor phase angle. |
| US09595896B1 |
Methods and systems for sensorless closed loop motor speed and torque control
Methods and systems are presented for closed loop motor speed and torque control without a sensor at the motor, in which configuration parameters are received from a user interface to define operating characteristics of a filter, a transformer, a cable, and the motor coupled with the output of a motor drive, and an object model of the motor drive is configured according to the filter, transformer, cable and motor configuration parameters to facilitate sensorless closed loop motor speed and/or torque control. |
| US09595892B2 |
Electrostatic actuator
An electrostatic actuator 100 includes: a stator 1 that includes a substrate 102 and a plurality of linear electrodes 1a to 1d separately provided on the substrate 102 and arranged in parallel; and a movable element 2 disposed on the linear electrodes 1a to 1d of the stator 1. Multiple projecting elements 104b are provided at regular intervals on a surface of the stator 1 so as to face the movable element 2, forming a mat surface. A smooth layer 105 is formed on a surface of the movable element 2 so as to face the mat surface. |
| US09595891B2 |
Control device and control device of power conversion circuit
Provided are a control device and a control device for a power conversion circuit, said control device having a first control circuit that compensates for detection delays in an analog-to-digital conversion circuit of a second control circuit that compensates for response delays of the integral element and the derivative element of the first control circuit. A first control circuit (212), which has a first analog-to-digital converter at the input stage thereof, generates an amount of time, which is a first control amount, on the basis of sampling information for a controlled object, and applies an operation initiation signal to a second control circuit (222) when a period of time, lasting for the first control amount, has passed from a prescribed reference time. After the operation initiation signal has been input, the second control circuit (222), which has a second analog-to-digital converter at the input stage thereof, generates an amount of time, which is a second control amount, on the basis of sampling information for the controlled object, and outputs a switch-switching signal when a period of time, lasting for the second control amount, has passed from the time the operation initiation signal was input. |
| US09595888B2 |
System and method to avoid reverse recovery in a power converter
A power converter is provided. The power converter includes a converter leg including switches for converting power. The power converter also includes a controller for switching the switches using a pulse width modulation technique. The power converter further includes an interface inductor coupled to the converter leg for avoiding a reverse recovery of current in the switches during operation. |
| US09595887B2 |
Three-phase power conversion device
A three-phase power conversion device includes: single-phase inverters having AC output ends connected in series to the respective phases of the three-phase AC lines; a control device for performing PWM control for each single-phase inverter based on a voltage command V*; and an AC voltage detection circuit for detecting a phase and a voltage amplitude of three-phase AC voltage. The control device adds a zero-phase component Vo common to the three phases to a basic command Vx* for each phase to generate a voltage command V*. The zero-phase component Vo is generated by applying an amplitude a calculated based on the phase and the voltage amplitude to reference zero-phase voltage Voo that has been set, thereby reducing a peak of the voltage command V* for each single-phase inverter. |
| US09595886B2 |
Vehicle auxiliary power supply device and overcurrent protection method thereof
A vehicle auxiliary power supply device includes a resonant inverter circuit that converts DC input into a desired AC voltage and outputs the AC voltage and a control unit. The control unit includes a resonance-time managing unit managing resonance time of current flowing in the resonant inverter circuit, a gate-off-command generating unit detecting overcurrent flowing in the resonant inverter circuit based on detected current of a current detector, and, when the overcurrent is detected, generating, based on detected current of the current detector and resonance time managed by the resonance-time managing unit, a gate-off command to turn off switching elements included in the resonant inverter circuit after the elapse of time after which current flowing in the switching elements becomes zero for the first time, and a gate-signal generating unit generating a gate signal that controls the switching elements to be turned off when the gate-off command is input. |
| US09595885B2 |
Isolated switching mode power supply and the method thereof
An isolated switching mode power supply, having: an input terminal; an output terminal; a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding; a primary power switch coupled to the primary winding; a secondary power switch coupled between the secondary winding and the output terminal of the power supply; a secondary controller configured to generate a frequency modulation signal based on the output voltage and the first feedback signal; a coupled device configured to provide a frequency control signal based on the output voltage and the frequency modulation signal; and a primary controller configured to provide a switching signal to control the primary power switch based on the current sense signal and the frequency control signal. |
| US09595882B2 |
Synchronous rectifier
The invention relates to a synchronous rectifier (16) for integration into a power source (10) in order to provide a direct current, in particular in a cube or ashlar-shaped unit of a heavy-current transformer (12), comprising circuit elements (24), an actuation circuit (17) for actuating the circuit elements (24) and a supply circuit (48), wherein a printed circuit board (35) with conductor tracks and connection surfaces is provided for receiving electronic components. For reduction of losses and improvement of efficiency, the circuit elements (24), the actuation circuit (17) and the supply circuit (48) are arranged on the circuit board (35) for the autonomous operation thereof, wherein several openings (37), which are arranged in parallel and in series, are provided on the circuit board (35) for receiving protrusions (36) of a contact plate (29), above which openings (37) the circuit elements (24) are arranged and are connected or soldered and can be contacted with the protrusions (36) of the contact plate (29). |
| US09595879B2 |
Control device of synchronous rectifier and power supply
A power supply has a primary side and a secondary side electrically insulated from each other. A switching operation based on a switching of the primary side is controlled according to the power transmitted to the secondary side, and the switching operation is converted at a time earlier than a switching conversion time of the primary side by a predetermined time. |
| US09595874B2 |
Systems and methods for regulating power conversion systems with output detection and synchronized rectifying mechanisms
System and method for regulating a power conversion system. A system controller for regulating a power conversion system includes a first controller terminal and a second controller terminal. Additionally, the system controller is configured to receive an input signal at the first controller terminal, and generate a drive signal at the second controller terminal based at least in part on the input signal to turn on or off a transistor in order to affect a current associated with a secondary winding of the power conversion system. Moreover, the system controller is further configured to determine whether the input signal is larger than a first threshold at a first time, in response to the input signal being determined to be larger than the first threshold at the first time, determine whether the input signal is smaller than a second threshold at a second time. |
| US09595873B2 |
Zero voltage switching operation of a minimum current trajectory for a DC-to-DC converter
An apparatus for zero voltage switching is disclosed. A system and method also perform the functions of the apparatus. The apparatus includes an MCT region module that defines a minimum current trajectory (“MCT”) for operation between a maximum positive power output to a maximum negative power output of a bidirectional DC-to-DC converter. The converter includes a dual active bridge series resonant converter. The MCT defines a boundary between a zero voltage switching (“ZVS”) region and a hard switching region. The apparatus includes an offset module that defines an offset to the MCT, the offset in the ZVS region, and an MCT control module that adjust switching of switches of the converter to maintain operation of the converter in the ZVS region between the maximum positive power output to a maximum negative power output along a trajectory defined by the MCT and the offset. |
| US09595868B2 |
Differential output mode for a multi-mode power converter
A switching power stage for producing an output voltage to a load may include a power converter and a controller. The power converter may include a power inductor and plurality of switches arranged to sequentially operate in a plurality of switch configurations. The controller may be configured to, based on a measured parameter associated with the switching power stage, select a selected operational mode of the power converter from a plurality of operational modes, and sequentially apply switch configurations from the plurality of switch configurations to selectively activate or deactivate each of the plurality of switches in order to transfer electrical energy from an input source of the power converter to the load in accordance with the selected operational mode.A switching power stage for producing an output voltage to a load may include a power converter and a controller. The power converter may include a power inductor and plurality of switches arranged to sequentially operate in a plurality of switch configurations. The controller may be configured to, based at least on an input signal to the switching power stage, determine the differential output voltage to be driven at the load, and based on the differential output voltage to be driven at the load, apply a switch configuration from the plurality of switch configurations to selectively activate or deactivate each of the plurality of switches in order to generate the differential output voltage.A method may include sequentially applying a plurality of switch configurations in a power converter to selectively activate or deactivate each of the plurality of switches in order operate the power converter as a differential output buck converter, such that: during a charging phase of the power converter, the power inductor is coupled between (i) one of a first terminal of a power source and a second terminal of the power source and (ii) one of a first terminal of the output load and a second terminal of the output load; during a transfer phase of the power converter, at least one of the plurality of switches is activated in order to couple the power inductor between the first terminal of the output load and a second terminal of the output load; and the output voltage is a differential voltage between the first and second terminal of the output load. |
| US09595866B2 |
Hysteretic switching regulator including a power converting unit and a switch driving unit
A switching regulator includes a power converting unit and a switch driving unit. The power converting unit is configured to generate a direct current (DC) output voltage based on a switch driving signal and a DC input voltage. The switch driving unit is configured to generate a ripple voltage having information of an inductor current flowing through the power converting unit, add the ripple voltage to a reference voltage to generate a first voltage having a ripple, generate a feedback voltage based on the DC output voltage, compare the first voltage with the feedback voltage in a hysteresis mode to generate a comparison output, and generate the switch driving signal based on the comparison output. |
| US09595860B2 |
Field rotor of superconducting rotating machine
A field rotor of a superconducting rotating machine including: a rotation shaft; a supply shaft that supplies a refrigerant to the rotation shaft at one end of the rotation shaft; an input/output shaft provided at the other end of the rotation shaft so as to integrally rotate with the rotation shaft; and a superconducting coil held on a circumferential surface of the rotation shaft to be cooled by the refrigerant, wherein the supply shaft and the input/output shaft are fixed to each other so as to rotate integrally with each other, and the rotation shaft and the supply shaft are at least partly brought in contact with each other in order to allow the rotation shaft to be supported by the supply shaft and in order to be slidably fitted to each other in a circumferential direction of the rotation shaft and in an axial direction of the rotation shaft. |
| US09595857B2 |
Electrical machine
An electrical machine comprising a stator and a member arranged to move relative to said stator. The stator comprises a first stator structure incorporating a first plurality of windings disposed along the direction of relative motion and displaced from the movable member in a direction perpendicular to the direction of motion, and a second stator structure incorporating a second plurality of windings displaced in a second direction from the movable member, so that the movable member lies between the two stator structures. The movable member is arranged to electrically couple with the windings. The first plurality of windings includes a single phase winding connected to a first single-phase ac supply, and the second plurality of windings includes a single phase winding of the same pole pitch being displaced in the direction of relative motion from first plurality of windings and connected to a second single-phase ac supply whose phase is displaced from that of the first supply. |
| US09595856B2 |
Electric generator arrangement and method for reducing a rotor eccentricity
An electric generator arrangement with a stator being equipped with at least two opposed phase windings, each winding comprising at least two sub-windings in series is provided. The arrangement also comprises a controlled varistor across the connections of the sub-windings of said opposed phase windings. A current imbalance between two opposed phase windings is measured and the varistor is controlled in such a way that the resistance of the varistor is increased when the current imbalance increases. |
| US09595840B2 |
Lightweight, wallet-sized portable power charger kit with removable charging cable
A portable power charger kit is provided for charging electronic devices from a rechargeable internal battery. The portable charger kit comprises a wallet, a charger unit, and one or more interchangeable charging cables, each having a first end connection interface and a second end connection interface. The ends of the charging cable are storable within respective first and second cavities formed in the charger unit. A power connection port is provided in the charger unit in operative communication with the internal battery. The connection port is disposed within the first cavity for engagement with the first connection interface of the charging cable. The second end of the charging cable may be removed from its storage cavity and flexed out and away from the charger housing for engagement with a portable electronic device or an external power source while the first end remains in engagement with the power connection port. |
| US09595839B2 |
Adapter for power tools, power tool system and method of operating the same
An adapter for a power tool powered by a detachable battery pack includes a connector for directly connecting the adapter only to the power tool in a detachable manner, a controller, at least one memory and/or storage device in communication with the controller, and at least one communication port configured to transmit electrical communications from the adapter controller to a controller located in the power tool and vice versa. The adapter is further configured such that, when a battery pack, which also includes a controller, is connected to the power tool, a communication path is established from the battery pack controller to the adapter controller via the power tool controller. |
| US09595834B2 |
Wireless power transmission system and power transmission device
In a first power transmission period, a power transmission device holds, in a memory, a value indicating a frequency f0 corresponding to an actual voltage value that matches a requested voltage value, then causes first AC power to be transmitted by using the frequency f0, and uses a foreign substance detector to determine whether or not a foreign substance is present. When it is determined that no foreign substance is present, in a second power transmission period, the power transmission device causes the power transmission of the first AC power to be resumed by using the value indicating the frequency f0, the value being held in the memory. |
| US09595829B2 |
Power control apparatus, power control method, and power control program
A power control apparatus includes: a first obtainment unit which obtains a power flow value at a power flow measuring point and a voltage value at a voltage measuring point provided; a power flow control unit which calculates a first power change value, to cause the power flow value to approach a predetermined target value; a voltage control unit calculates a voltage value at the voltage measuring point when the first power has been changed by the first power change value, and sets a second power change value, based on whether or not the voltage value falls within a predetermined voltage range; and a notification unit which notifies the power adjustment apparatus of a command value for causing the power adjustment apparatus to input or output the first power changed by the first power change value and the second power changed by the second power change value. |
| US09595827B2 |
In-rush current limiting switch control
A subsystem is configured to apply a voltage source to a gated circuit domain in a manner that limits in-rush current and affords minimal time delay. A control signal turns on a wake-up switch that connects the voltage source to the domain. The equivalent series resistance of the wake-up switch has a magnitude that limits the transient charge current to the gated domain. A digital control circuit monitors the resulting rising domain voltage and determines when the domain voltage reaches operating level, at which point additional transient current will be minimal. The control circuit then activates a primary switch that connects the voltage source to the domain through a series resistance of negligible magnitude. An adjustment element provides the option to permanently set a control signal that marginally reduces the time at which the control circuit activates the primary switch to compensate for variations in circuit parameters. |
| US09595823B2 |
Low power circuit for transistor electrical overstress protection in high voltage applications
Described is an apparatus which comprises a pass-gate; and a control unit to control gate terminal of the pass-gate according to first availability of first or second power supplies, the control unit including: a voltage detector to detect the second power supply; and a supply switching circuit to generate a local supply for controlling the gate terminal of the pass-gate according to an output of the voltage detector. |
| US09595820B2 |
Cable suspension
A cable suspension may allow a cable to be pivoted about a pivot axis that passes through a thickness of a cable. A bend radius of the cable entering and exiting the cable suspension may be increased and/or the degree of bend by a cable entering and exiting the cable support may be decreased. The cable may comprise insulated electrical cables, non-insulated electrical cables (e.g., conductors), shielded cables, non-electrical signal cables (e.g., optical cables), and/or assemblies thereof. |
| US09595819B1 |
Hinged mud ring cover and method of use
A Hinged Mud Ring Cover and Method of Use for providing a hinged intermediate mounting surface on which a device may be installed prior to being wired. The Hinged Mud Ring Cover generally includes a box mounting plate with an access aperture operationally coupled to an electrical box, the access aperture facilitating access to an interior of the electrical box when the box mounting plate portion is coupled to the electrical box, and a device mounting plate portion hinged to the box mounting plate portion for mounting the device allowing the use of both hands for wiring the device. |
| US09595816B2 |
Safe use panelboard keyed shutter system
Methods and systems for reducing exposure to live parts in a panelboard allow a circuit breaker or other branch electrical device to be safely installed and removed from the panelboard. The methods and systems provide a shutter system that operates in conjunction with the circuit breaker or other branch electrical device to automatically restrict access to the conductors in the panelboard until the circuit breaker is inserted in the panelboard. Specifically, the circuit breaker has one or more insertion keys on its casing that align with and fit into one or more keyed openings in the shutter system. When the circuit breaker is inserted into the panelboard, the insertion keys automatically force open the shutter system to allow the circuit breaker terminals to contact the conductors. Removing the circuit breaker from the panelboard automatically closes the shutter system and prevents fingers or tools from inadvertently accessing the conductors. |
| US09595813B2 |
Laser package having multiple emitters configured on a substrate member
A method and device for emitting electromagnetic radiation at high power using nonpolar or semipolar gallium containing substrates such as GaN, AlN, InN, InGaN, AlGaN, and AlInGaN, is provided. In various embodiments, the laser device includes plural laser emitters emitting green or blue laser light, integrated a substrate. |
| US09595811B2 |
Quantum cascade semiconductor laser
A quantum cascade semiconductor laser includes a substrate and a semiconductor region provided on a principal surface of the substrate, the semiconductor region including a mesa waveguide, a first burying region provided on a first side surface of the mesa waveguide, and a second burying region provided on a second side surface of the mesa waveguide. Each of the first and second burying regions includes a plurality of laminate regions and a plurality of bulk semiconductor regions that are alternately arrayed. The laminate regions are separated from each other by the bulk semiconductor regions. The bulk semiconductor regions are provided on side surfaces of the laminate regions so as to embed the laminate regions. Each of the laminate regions includes a semiconductor laminate structure having a plurality of semiconductor layers. |
| US09595808B2 |
Method to determine operating conditions of wavelength tunable laser diode and to control optical transmitter providing wavelength tunable laser diode
A method to control a wavelength tunable laser diode (tunable LD) is disclosed. The tunable LD includes a SG-DFB region and a CSG-DBR region to tune the emission wavelength thereof. The CSG-DBR region includes three segments, where the refractive indices of respective segments are variable by heaters provided therein. When the electrical power supplied to two segments is optionally selected, the power supplied to the rest segment is corrected by an offset from a value reflecting physical dimensions of the heaters. The offset is determined such that the tunable LD shows the best side mode suppression ratio (SMSR). |
| US09595800B2 |
Ring electrode for a slip ring
The invention relates to a ring electrode for a slip ring for transmitting electrical energy between machine parts, of which at least one machine part can be rotated in relation to another machine part. The ring electrode and corresponding slip ring can be economically produced and have low wear. The electrode is made of a rod material made of stainless steel, which is rolled into a ring and the free ends of the ring are brought together to form a closed ring. |
| US09595799B2 |
Electrical enclosure having a dual bus bar and a component with a dual bus bar connector
An electrical enclosure system includes a housing includes an interior cavity for receiving electrical components. The electrical enclosure system includes at least one dual bus bar arranged in the interior cavity. The at least one dual bus bar includes a first bus bar, and a second bus bar arranged alongside and connected to the first bus bar through an insulated connection. The first bus bar is configured to carry a first electrical current and the second bus bar is configured to carry a second electrical current that is distinct from the first electrical current. An electrical component is arranged in the housing. The electrical component includes a dual bus bar connector operatively connected to and electrically connected to the dual bus bar. The dual bus bar connector includes a first connector portion and a second connector portion electrically isolated from the first connector portion. |
| US09595797B2 |
Managed electrical connectivity systems
A connector arrangement includes a plug nose body; a printed circuit board positioned within a cavity of the plug nose body; and a plug cover that mounts to the plug nose body to enclose the printed circuit board within the cavity. The printed circuit board includes a storage device configured to store information pertaining to the electrical segment of communications media. The plug cover defines a plurality of slotted openings through which the second contacts are exposed. A connector assembly includes a jack module and a media reading interface configured to receive the plug. A patch panel includes multiple jack modules and multiple media reading interfaces. |
| US09595796B2 |
Electrical connector
An electrical connector comprises a terminal set configuring the terminals parallelly, an insulative base preserving said terminal set with a plurality of terminal grooves as an external conductive sheet slot is disposed between certain terminal grooves, defining an inner side of the hollow center in the mating direction, a pair of resilient arms disposed within the trough ways configured on the both sides of said insulative base and a shielding assembly having a metal casing accommodating said insulative base, defining an external opening, an external conductive sheet received by said external conductive sheet slot. |
| US09595795B2 |
Header assembly
A header assembly includes an outer housing holding a center contact and a dielectric body. The outer housing has a rear shell and an outer contact extending forward from the rear shell. The outer contact has a catch extending therefrom positioned forward of the rear shell. The header assembly includes a nose cone coupled to the outer contact. The nose cone surrounds the outer contact. The nose cone has one or more keying ribs along an exterior thereof. The nose cone has a latch engaging the catch to secure the nose cone to the outer housing in one of at least two distinct rotational orientations. |
| US09595789B1 |
Connector locking mechanism having a sliding connection retention component
A diagnostic port connector for a vehicle that includes a locking mechanism is disclosed. The system can comprise a connector body, such as a male OBD-II connector. The connector can include a plurality of connector pins, with the pins capable of passing signals and messages from the vehicle's on board diagnostic system to a device in electrical communication with the connector. The connector can also include a connection retention component. The connection retention component can be configured to maintain a connection between male connectors and female connection ports by interfering with a protruding portion of the female connection port. |
| US09595785B2 |
Protective element for conductors
A protective element for manufacturing circuit boards is provided, where conductors are fastened to the contacts of the conductors. The protective element includes recesses which are configured for arranging a conductor each, and the protective element can be arranged adjacent a support. The recesses of the protective element are arranged in a first position in alignment with the recesses of the support and in a second position at an angle relative to the recesses of the support. Preferably, the protective element has at least one hinge section which is configured for interacting with a complimentary hinge section of a support which can be mounted against the protective element, where pivoting of the protective element against the support about the pivoting axis of the interacting hinge sections moves the protective element on the support from the first position into the second position. |
| US09595784B2 |
Connector
A connector (10A) includes a housing (20), a seal member (80) to be arranged in a rear part of the housing (20), a holder (60) configured to prevent the seal (80) from coming out backward by being mounted on the housing 20 from behind the seal (80) and a wire cover (50) to be mounted on the housing (20) from behind the holder (60). The housing (20) includes an erroneous mounting preventing portion (39) configured to regulate the mounting of the holder (60) by interfering with the holder (60) when the holder (60) is mounted in an improper posture. The erroneous mounting preventing portion is configured as a cover lock (39) for fixing the wire cover (50) to the housing (20) by locking the wire cover (50). |
| US09595765B1 |
Slotted waveguide antenna with metamaterial structures
The present disclosure relates to a slotted waveguide antenna system. The slotted waveguide antenna system includes a waveguide that includes a first surface and a plurality of slots defined in the first surface and a metamaterial structure positioned external to the waveguide. The metamaterial structure is configured to exhibit a negative effective permittivity and a negative effective permeability for an operating frequency range. The metamaterial structure includes a split ring resonator, a substrate and a wire structure. The wire structure includes a first portion, a second portion and a third portion, the second portion coupled between the first portion and the second portion, the first portion oriented parallel to the third portion, the second portion oriented perpendicular to the first portion and the third portion. A dimension of at least one of the first portion and the third portion is related to the operating frequency range. |
| US09595762B2 |
Printed antenna module applied to the RF detection procedure
A printed antenna module applied to an RF detection procedure is provided. The module comprises a substrate, a ground terminal part, a feeding part, an antenna body, and a second connecting end. The substrate comprises a first surface and a second surface. The ground terminal part and the feeding part are disposed on the first surface. A first end of the feeding part corresponds to the ground terminal part. The antenna body, disposed on the first surface relative to the ground terminal part, comprises a first extending part. One end of the first extending part forms a first connecting end. The second connecting end is disposed on the first surface. The shapes of the first and the second connecting ends correspond to each other. A second end of the feeding part is connected to the second connecting end. An RF detection point is formed on the second surface. |
| US09595755B2 |
Ground independent multi-band antenna assemblies
According to various aspects, exemplary embodiments are disclosed of ground independent multi-band antenna assemblies. In an exemplary embodiment, a ground independent multi-band antenna assembly is operable within at least a first frequency range and a second frequency range different than the first frequency range. The antenna assembly generally includes an annular ground element, a feed element, a patch element, and a high band element. The feed element includes a feeding point and a shorting point electrically connected to the annular ground element. The patch element is electrically shorted to the annular ground element by the feed element. The high band element is electrically connected to the feed element. |
| US09595748B2 |
Remotely deployable, unmanned satellite antenna
A remotely deployable, unmanned, inflatable satellite antenna is provided with shock absorbing supports inside a body of the antenna. The shock absorbing supports operatively connect the satellite receiver to the body interior surface and support the satellite receiver inside the body interior while allowing limited movement of the satellite receiver relative to the body interior surface in response to a shock force exerted on the body exterior surface when the antenna is deployed by air drop and impacts with the ground. |
| US09595746B2 |
Semi-coaxial resonator comprised of columnar shaped resonant elements with square shaped plates, where vertical screw holes are disposed in the square shaped plates
Provided is a semi-coaxial resonator that reduces the insertion loss in the pass band and that is made to be compact, lightweight, and low in cost. A resonator is formed by fastening a cylindrical first element with a square and planar second element at an open end (one end) of the first element. A plurality of these resonators are disposed such that the square edges are brought close to each other and the other ends of the first elements are secured to the bottom of a box-shaped case. The open side of the case that accommodates the plurality of resonators is closed by a lid. |
| US09595743B2 |
Battery module
Provided is a battery module including: a plurality of battery cells which are arranged to be stacked and are electrically connected to each other; a plurality of partitions positioned between the battery cells and having aluminum panels fixed on upper and lower surfaces thereof; and a printed circuit board (PCB) electrically connected to the battery cell, wherein the battery cell and the PCB are connected to each other by one or more voltage sensing wires positioned on the partitions and having one side which is in contact with a bus bar of the battery cell and the other side which is in contact with a PCB terminal formed on the PCB. |
| US09595738B2 |
Electrolyte for lithium secondary batteries and lithium secondary battery including the same
Disclosed is an electrolyte for lithium secondary batteries including a lithium salt and a non-aqueous solvent, in which a silane based material is included in an amount of 0.1 to 20 wt % based on the total weight of the electrolyte, and a lithium secondary battery including the same. |
| US09595737B2 |
Non-aqueous electrolyte and power storage device using same
The present invention includes [1] a nonaqueous electrolytic solution of an electrolyte salt dissolved in a nonaqueous solvent, the nonaqueous electrolytic solution containing from 0.001 to 5% by mass of a specified acyclic lithium salt in the nonaqueous electrolytic solution and being capable of improving electrochemical characteristics in a broad temperature range; and [2] an energy storage device including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a nonaqueous electrolytic solution of an electrolyte salt dissolved in a nonaqueous solvent, the nonaqueous electrolytic solution containing from 0.001 to 5% by mass of a specified acyclic lithium salt in the nonaqueous electrolytic solution. |
| US09595735B2 |
Method for producing sulfide solid electrolyte materials
A method for producing a sulfide solid electrolyte material includes a step of adding an ether compound to a coarse-grained material of a sulfide solid electrolyte material and microparticulating the coarse-grained material by a pulverization treatment. |
| US09595726B2 |
Fuel reforming system and process
Fuel reforming processes and systems are disclosed. The fuel reforming process includes providing a fuel reformer, the fuel reformer comprising a reaction zone configured for exothermic partial oxidation to generate reformates and a heat exchanger extending from the reaction zone, the heat exchanger configured to expel the reformates through a reformate path and receive fuel-rich reactants through a fuel path, generating the reformates by the exothermic partial oxidation of the fuel-rich reactants within the reaction zone, heating the fuel-rich reactants in reaction zone with the heat exchanger by heat from the reformates in the reformate path. The process is energetically self-sustained and operates without a catalyst. The fuel reforming system includes the fuel reformer with a spiral heat exchanger and a component capable of operation with the reformates and incompatible with combustion products, such as a fuel cell. |
| US09595710B2 |
Cathode active material for lithium secondary battery and lithium secondary battery including the same
Disclosed are a cathode active material for lithium secondary batteries and a lithium secondary battery including the same and, more particularly, the present invention relates to a cathode active material for lithium secondary batteries that includes a mixture of an overlithiated transition metal oxide represented by Formula 1 below and a lithium composite transition metal oxide represented by Formula 2 below: Li1+aNibMncCo1-(a+b+c+d)MdO2-sAs (1) LiNixMnyCo1-(x+y+z)M′zO2-tA′t (2) wherein 0.1≦a≦0.2, 0.1≦b≦0.4, 0.3≦c≦0.7, 0≦d≦0.1, 0.5≦x≦0.8, 0.1≦y≦0.4, 0≦z≦0.1, 0≦s<0.2, and 0≦t<0.2; M and M′ are each independently at least one divalent or trivalent metal; and A and A′ are each independently at least one monovalent or divalent anion. |
| US09595705B1 |
Electric vehicle battery
A battery for an electric vehicle is disclosed. The battery may be a low voltage battery for powering low voltage systems. The battery may include a housing formed from at least two parts. For example, the housing may include a top portion that is sealed to a bottom portion. A plurality of rechargeable electrochemical cells may be disposed within the bottom portion. A printed circuit board and/or a bus bar may be disposed within the top portion. The housing can includes a desiccant and/or a two-way pressure valve extending through a surface of the housing. The valve may be used to prevent moisture ingress into an interior of the housing and/or may allow a pressure inside of the housing to equilibrate to the external air pressure. |
| US09595701B2 |
Handheld tool, handheld tool add-on measuring device and handheld tool battery
A handheld tool having a battery interface is described, in which a provision is made for the handheld tool to have at least one measuring device interface, which is provided to receive at least data containing measuring information of a handheld tool add-on measuring device. |
| US09595695B2 |
Method for removing impurities from inside of vacuum chamber, method for using vacuum apparatus, and method for manufacturing product
A method for using a vacuum apparatus that includes a vacuum chamber and a pump, the vacuum chamber housing an object, the pump reducing an internal pressure of the vacuum chamber, the method including: ventilating inside the vacuum chamber by introducing a gas into the vacuum chamber and discharging the gas from the vacuum chamber by causing the pump to reduce the internal pressure of the vacuum chamber. In the ventilating, a discharge rate at which molecules of the gas per unit volume are discharged is at least 3.3×10−5 mol/(s·L), and the temperature in the vacuum chamber is at least 15° C. and at most 80° C. |
| US09595694B2 |
Thin film transistor substrate, organic light-emitting apparatus including the same, method of manufacturing the thin film transistor substrate, and method of manufacturing the organic light-emitting apparatus
A thin film transistor (TFT) substrate which may facilitate subsequent TFT processing by reducing an elevation difference on the top surface of the substrate is disclosed. Aspects include an organic light-emitting apparatus including the TFT substrate, a method of manufacturing the TFT substrate, and a method of manufacturing the organic light-emitting apparatus. In one aspect the TFT substrate includes: a substrate; a height adjusting layer that is disposed on the substrate and has a thickness in a first region greater than a thickness in a second region; and a TFT that is formed on the height adjusting layer to correspond to the second region of the height adjusting layer. |
| US09595687B2 |
Organic light emitting display device and method of manufacturing the same
An organic light emitting display device includes a thin film transistor including a semiconductor layer, a gate electrode, and source and drain electrodes, a pixel electrode connected to the thin film transistor, the pixel electrode including a first layer, a second layer disposed on the first layer and including silver, and a third layer including a carbon-based material and covering an upper portion and lateral surface of the second layer, an organic emission layer including an organic light emitting member and disposed on the pixel electrode, and a common electrode disposed on the organic emission layer. |
| US09595681B2 |
Compounds and organic electroluminescent devices
The present invention concerns particular fluorenes, the use of the compound in an electronic device, and an electronic device containing at least one of these compounds. The present invention further concerns a method for producing the compound and a formulation and composition containing one or more of the compounds. |
| US09595680B2 |
Heterocyclic fluorescent dyes and method of production thereof
The invention relates to novel compounds of formula (III) that can be used as heterocyclic dyes of unique structure and properties. These compounds can be obtained in a three-step synthesis from simple substrates. The compounds according to the invention have excellent solubility in organic solvents and excellent film-forming properties. In addition, high efficiency of energy conversion, excellent field-effect mobility, good on/off current ratios and/or excellent stability can be observed, when the compounds according to the invention are used in organic field effect transistors, organic photovoltaics (solar cells) and photodiodes. |
| US09595679B2 |
Organic light emitting diode
The present specification relates to an organic light emitting diode. |
| US09595677B2 |
Material for organic photoelectric device, and organic photoelectric device including the same
A material for an organic photoelectric device includes a compound represented by the following Formula 1: |
| US09595674B2 |
Method of manufacturing mask
A method of manufacturing a mask includes aligning a mask substrate comprising a thin film at a processing position, forming a coating layer comprising a cleaning solution material on a first surface of the mask substrate, forming a deposition pattern on a second surface of the mask substrate, and removing the coating layer from the mask substrate comprising the deposition pattern. |
| US09595673B2 |
Method for removing electro-static discharge (EDS) noise signal in electronic system including the metal-insulator transition (MIT) 3-terminal device
The inventive concept shows the embodiment of t-switch which is a MIT 3-terminal device based on a Hole-driven MIT theory and a technology for removing an ESD noise signal which is one of applications of the t-switch. The t-switch includes three terminals of Inlet, Outlet and Control, and a metal-insulator transition (MIT) occurs at an Outlet layer by a current flowing through the Control terminal. In the t-switch, a high resistor is connected to the Control terminal and thereby an ESD noise signal of high voltage flows through the Inlet-Outlet without damaging the device. |
| US09595668B2 |
Self-rectifying RRAM element
The disclosed technology generally relates to semiconductor devices and more particularly to memory devices having a resistance switching element, and to methods of operating such memory devices. In one aspect, a memory cell includes a first electrode and a second electrode formed of one of a metallic material or a semiconducting material. The memory cell additionally includes a resistance switching element formed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The memory cell additionally includes a tunnel rectifier formed between the resistance-switching element and the first electrode. The tunnel rectifier includes a multi-layer tunnel stack comprising at least two dielectric layers each having a dielectric constant (ki), a conduction band offset (Φi), and a thickness, wherein one of the dielectric layers has a higher dielectric constant, a lower conduction band offset and a higher thickness compared to any other dielectric layer of the multi-layer tunnel stack. |
| US09595659B2 |
Piezoelectric vibration device for mobile terminal
A piezoelectric vibration device for a mobile terminal is disclosed. A bimorph piezoelectric vibrator includes a pair of piezoelectric element layers connected to one of positive and negative poles and a middle electrode plate interposed between the piezoelectric element layers and connected to the other pole. The piezoelectric vibrator generates vibration due to up/down bending displacement by fixing both end portions thereof to an inner surface of a casing of a mobile terminal. A voltage-boosting transformer raises a power source voltage of a mobile terminal to a driving voltage. A driving chip receives the raised driving voltage from the voltage-boosting transformer and drives the piezoelectric vibrator. Weights are attached to at least one of both sides of the piezoelectric vibrator to amplify vibration. Insulation members are provided at both end portions of the piezoelectric vibrator to prevent electricity applied to the piezoelectric vibrator from leaking to the casing. |
| US09595655B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device that is equipped with a semiconductor substrate, a composite metal film, and a detection terminal is provided. The composite metal film is formed on a surface or a back face of the semiconductor substrate, and has a first metal film, and a second metal film that is joined to the first metal film and is different in Seebeck coefficient from the first metal film. The detection terminal can detect a potential difference between the first metal film and the second metal film. |
| US09595654B2 |
Thermoelectric polymer composite, method of making and use of same
A thermoelectric composite includes a plurality of particles comprising a crosslinked polymer having a heat deflection temperature greater than or equal to 200° F. and a segregated network comprising a first filler material which is disposed between the particles to produce a thermoelectric response in response to application of a voltage difference or temperature difference across the thermoelectric composite. The first filler material includes a carbon material, a metal, a metal disposed on a carbon material, or a combination thereof. A process for preparing a thermoelectric article includes combining a first filler material and a plurality of particles comprising a polymer to form a composition and molding the composition to form a thermoelectric article, wherein the thermoelectric article is configured to produce a thermoelectric response in response to application of a voltage difference or temperature difference across the article. |
| US09595653B2 |
Phononic structures and related devices and methods
Phononic structures, devices related to phononic structures, and methods related to fabrication of the phononic structures are described. The phononic structure can include a sheet of material, where the sheet of material can include a plurality of regions. Adjacent regions in the sheet of material can have dissimilar phononic patterns. |
| US09595652B2 |
Thermoelectric material and thermoelectric element including the same
Provided is a thermoelectric material including metal oxide powder and thermoelectric powder. Thus, an internal filling rate is improved so that a Peltier effect can be maximized according to the increase of electrical conductivity and a Seebeck coefficient and the reduction of thermal conductivity, thereby enabling the improvement of the figure of merit (ZT) of a thermoelectric element. |
| US09595647B2 |
Light emitting device and light emitting device package
Provided is a light emitting device, which includes a second conductive type semiconductor layer, an active layer, a first conductive type semiconductor layer, and a intermediate refraction layer. The active layer is disposed on the second conductive type semiconductor layer. The first conductive type semiconductor layer is disposed on the active layer. The intermediate refraction layer is disposed on the first conductive type semiconductor layer. The intermediate refraction layer has a refractivity that is smaller than that of the first conductive type semiconductor layer and is greater than that of air. |
| US09595646B2 |
Electronic component and electronic unit
According to one embodiment, an electronic component includes a metal portion, a mold resin covering at least a part of the metal portion, and a molecular adhesion layer provided between a surface of the metal portion and the mold resin. |
| US09595645B2 |
LED lens design with more uniform color-over-angle emission
An LED device with improved angular color performance has a silicone lens shaped as a portion of a sphere. The lens is molded over an array of LED dies disposed on the upper surface of a substrate. Phosphor particles are disbursed throughout the material used to mold the lens. The distance between farthest-apart edges of the LED dies is more than half of the length that the lens extends over the surface of the substrate. The distance from the top of the lens dome to the surface of the substrate is between 57% and 73% of the radius of the sphere. Shaping the lens as the top two thirds of a hemisphere reduces the non-uniformity in the emitted color such that neither of the CIE color coordinates x or y of the color changes more than 0.004 over all emission angles relative to the surface of the substrate. |
| US09595641B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device includes a terminal in which a first insulating film and a second insulating film are formed on a terminal metal, a contact hole is formed on the first insulating film and the second insulating film, and a first ITO is formed on the contact hole and the second insulating film. The terminal is connected to a different circuit through an ACF including conductive particles. The contact hole includes a region in which a second ITO is stacked on the first insulating film and the first ITO is stacked on the second ITO in the contact hole. A width s of a portion where the terminal metal contacts the first ITO in the contact hole is s |
| US09595634B2 |
Device with transparent and higher conductive regions in lateral cross section of semiconductor layer
A device including one or more layers with lateral regions configured to facilitate the transmission of radiation through the layer and lateral regions configured to facilitate current flow through the layer is provided. The layer can comprise a short period superlattice, which includes barriers alternating with wells. In this case, the barriers can include both transparent regions, which are configured to reduce an amount of radiation that is absorbed in the layer, and higher conductive regions, which are configured to keep the voltage drop across the layer within a desired range. |
| US09595633B2 |
Method for producing light-emitting device and method for producing group III nitride semiconductor
On the well layer, a first InGaN protective layer is formed at the same temperature employed for the well layer through MOCVD. TMI is pulse supplied. A TMI supply amount is kept constant at a predetermined value of more than 0 μmol/min and not more than 2 μmol/min. Moreover, a duty ratio is kept constant at a predetermined value of more than 0 and not more than 0.95. The In composition ratio of the first protective layer is almost directly proportional to the duty ratio. The In composition ratio of the first protective layer can be easily and accurately controlled by controlling the duty ratio so as to have an In composition ratio within a range of more than 0 at % and not more than 3 at %. |
| US09595631B2 |
Semiconductor light emitting device and method of manufacturing the same
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor light-emitting device includes a semiconductor layer having a first layer including an n-type semiconductor, a second layer including a p-type semiconductor, a light emitting layer, a first surface, and a second surface opposite to the first surface; an n-side electrode; a p-side electrode; a third layer; an insulating member; an n-side metal portion; and a p-side metal portion. The insulating member has a lower surface. A height of the lower surface is higher than a height of the first surface. The insulating member covers a periphery of the third layer, and has light reflectivity on at least a surface of a part adjacent to a side surface of the third layer. |
| US09595629B2 |
Enhancing planarization uniformity in optical devices
An optical device is formed from a device precursor having a layer of a light-transmitting medium on a base. A first feature is formed on the device precursor. The device precursor is then processed such that a stop layer protects the first feature and a portion of the device precursor is above the top of the stop layer. The first feature is between the base and the stop layer. The device precursor is planarized such that the portion of the device precursor located above the top of the stop layer becomes flush with the top of the portion of the stop layer that is present on the device precursor after the planarization. During the planarization, the stop layer acts as a planarization stop that slows or stops the rate of planarization. |
| US09595628B1 |
Microstructured silicon radiation detector
A radiation detector comprises a silicon body in which are defined vertical pores filled with a converter material and situated within silicon depletion regions. One or more charge-collection electrodes are arranged to collect current generated when secondary particles enter the silicon body through walls of the pores. The pores are disposed in low-density clusters, have a majority pore thickness of 5 μm or less, and have a majority aspect ratio, defined as the ratio of pore depth to pore thickness, of at least 10. |
| US09595627B2 |
Photovoltaic panel
A photovoltaic system comprising a first photovoltaic panel configured to collect direct light; and a second photovoltaic panel configured to collect, at least, indirect light transmitted through the one or more first photovoltaic panels. |
| US09595625B2 |
Nanoparticle material and light-emitting device
Quantum dots (nanoparticle material) each having a core-shell structure including a core part and a shell part that protects the core part. The shell part of the quantum dot has a thickness T of 3 to 5 ML based on the constituent molecule of the shell part. A light-emitting device includes the quantum dots. |
| US09595613B1 |
Forming semiconductor fins with self-aligned patterning
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device comprises removing a portion of a substrate to form a first cavity in the substrate and depositing an insulator material in the first cavity. A sacrificial pattern is formed on a portion of the insulator material in the first cavity and the substrate. Exposed portions of the substrate are removed to form a fin in the substrate. A gate stack is formed over a portion of the fin. |
| US09595611B2 |
FinFET with a single contact to multiple fins bridged together to form a source/drain region of the transistor
A semiconductor device may include first and second fins formed side by side on a substrate, a first elevated doped region formed on the first fin and having a first doping concentration of impurities, a second elevated doped region formed on the second fin, and a first bridge connecting the first elevated doped region and the second elevated doped region to each other. Methods of manufacturing such a semiconductor device are also disclosed. |
| US09595610B2 |
Field effect transistor and method of fabricating the same
A MOSFET may be formed with a strain-inducing mismatch of lattice constants that improves carrier mobility. In exemplary embodiments a MOSFET includes a strain-inducing lattice constant mismatch that is not undermined by a recessing step. In some embodiments a source/drain pattern is grown without a recessing step, thereby avoiding problems associated with a recessing step. Alternatively, a recessing process may be performed in a way that does not expose top surfaces of a strain-relaxed buffer layer. A MOSFET device layer, such as a strain-relaxed buffer layer or a device isolation layer, is unaffected by a recessing step and, as a result, strain may be applied to a channel region without jeopardizing subsequent formation steps. |
| US09595607B2 |
Facilitation of increased locking range transistors
Transistors can be used for a variety of electronic-based applications. Therefore, transistor efficiency and performance is of importance. An apparatus is presented herein to increase the locking range of transistors by leveraging cross-coupled injection transistors in conjunction with symmetry injection transistors. The transistor efficiency can also be increase by reducing a parasitic capacitance associated with the components of the transistor. |
| US09595598B1 |
Semiconductor device including epitaxially formed buried channel region
A semiconductor device includes at least one semiconductor fin on an upper surface of a substrate. The at least one semiconductor fin includes a channel region interposed between opposing source/drain regions. A gate stack is on the upper surface of the substrate and wraps around sidewalls and an upper surface of only the channel region. The channel region is a dual channel region including a buried channel portion and a surface channel portion that completely surrounds the buried channel. |
| US09595596B2 |
Superjunction structures for power devices
In one general aspect, a power device can include an active region having a plurality of pillars of a first conductivity type alternately arranged with a plurality of pillars of a second conductivity type. The power device can include a termination region surrounding at least a portion of the active region and can have a plurality of pillars of the first conductivity type alternately arranged with a plurality of pillars of the second conductivity type. Each of the plurality of pillars of the first conductivity type in the active region and the termination region can be defined by a trench. The power device can include an enrichment region at a bottom portion of one of the plurality of pillars of the first conductivity type in the active region. |
| US09595593B2 |
Semiconductor structure with interfacial layer and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor structure and a method for forming the same are provided. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate and an interfacial layer formed over the substrate. The semiconductor structure further includes a gate structure formed over the interfacial layer. In addition, the interfacial layer is made of metal germanium oxide, metal silicon oxide, or metal germanium silicon oxide and is in direct contact with a top surface of the substrate. |
| US09595591B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing same
One device includes a substrate which contains a well region of one conductivity type, an element isolation insulating film which is arranged within the well region, an island-shaped active region which is surrounded by the element isolation insulating film, two first gate structures which are arranged on the island-shaped active region, and each of which is configured by sequentially laminating a lower gate insulating film, a gate insulating film having a high dielectric constant, a first gate electrode film containing a metal material, and a second gate electrode film, and a second gate structure which includes a second gate electrode film that is in contact with and covers a part of the element isolation insulating film. The two first gate structures and the second gate structure are successively arranged in the order of one first gate structure, the second gate structure and the other first gate structure. |
| US09595589B2 |
Transistor with performance boost by epitaxial layer
The present disclosure relates to a transistor device. In some embodiments, the transistor device has an epitaxial layer disposed over a substrate. The epitaxial layer is arranged between a source region and a drain region separated along a first direction. Isolation structures are arranged on opposite sides of the epitaxial layer along a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction. A gate dielectric layer is disposed over the epitaxial layer, and a conductive gate electrode is disposed over the gate dielectric layer. The epitaxial layer overlying the substrate improves the surface roughness of the substrate, thereby improving transistor device performance. |
| US09595587B2 |
Split poly connection via through-poly-contact (TPC) in split-gate based power MOSFETs
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a contact structure in a split-gate trench transistor device for electrically connecting the top electrode to the bottom electrode inside the trench. The transistor device comprises a semiconductor substrate and one or more trenches formed in the semiconductor substrate. The trenches are lined with insulating materials along the sidewalls inside the trenches. Each trench has a bottom electrode in lower portions of the trench and a top electrode in its upper portions. The bottom electrode and the top electrode are separated by an insulating material. A contact structure filled with conductive materials is formed in each trench in an area outside of an active region of the device to connect the top electrode and the bottom electrode. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. |
| US09595585B2 |
Methods for high-k metal gate CMOS with SiC and SiGe source/drain regions
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a PMOS region and an NMOS region in a semiconductor substrate, forming dummy gate structures in the PMOS and NMOS regions, and forming a gate hard mask layer overlying top portions and sidewalls of the dummy gate structures. The method includes forming silicon carbon regions embedded in the semiconductor substrate on both sides of the dummy gate structure in the NMOS region, removing the hard mask layer on top of the dummy gate in the NMOS region, and forming silicon germanium regions embedded in the semiconductor substrate on both sides of the dummy gate structure in the PMOS region. After forming the silicon carbon regions and the silicon germanium regions, while retaining the hard mask layer on top of the dummy gates in the PMOS region, performing ion implant to form source/drain regions in the NMOS region and the PMOS region. |
| US09595581B2 |
Silicon and silicon germanium nanowire structures
Methods of forming microelectronic structures are described. Embodiments of those methods include forming a nanowire device comprising a substrate comprising source/drain structures adjacent to spacers, and nanowire channel structures disposed between the spacers, wherein the nanowire channel structures are vertically stacked above each other. |
| US09595575B2 |
Organic light-emitting diode display
An organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display includes pixel electrodes, each pixel electrode corresponding to a pixel region disposed in a display region of a substrate, a first pixel region disposed at a center portion of the display region, a second pixel region disposed at an edge portion of the display region, auxiliary lines, each auxiliary line disposed adjacent to at least one pixel electrode, emission layers disposed on the pixel electrodes, and an opposite electrode disposed on the emission layers, the opposite electrode contacting each of the auxiliary lines through contact holes, wherein a total contact area between the opposite electrode and an auxiliary line in the first pixel region is greater than a total contact area between the opposite electrode and the auxiliary line in the second pixel region. |
| US09595573B2 |
Display device having light-emitting elements including metals
A display device includes a plurality of light-emitting elements aligned on a TFT substrate in a formation of a matrix. The plurality of light-emitting elements each have a flat surface portion and including a light-emitting layer, an anode, and a cathode, an insulating layer formed on the TFT substrate and under the light emitting element, and a tilted metal surface provided on a peripheral area surrounding the flat surface portion of the light-emitting element and having a tilt angle with respect to the flat surface portion of the light-emitting element. The tilted metal surface is provided on a surface of a slope of a bank that is provided on the insulation layer, and a width of a cross-section of the bank becomes smaller as the cross section comes farther away from a surface of the TFT substrate. A counter substrate is placed on the TFT substrate. |
| US09595569B2 |
Single photon device, apparatus for emitting and transferring single photon, and methods of manufacturing and operating the same
Provided are single photon devices, single photon emitting and transferring apparatuses, and methods of manufacturing and operating the single photon devices. The single photon device includes a carrier transport layer disposed on a conductive substrate and at least one quantum dot disposed on the carrier transport layer. A single photon emitting and transferring apparatus includes a single photon device, an element that injects a single charge into the single photon device described above, a light collecting unit that collects light emitted from the single photon device, and a light transfer system that transmits light collected by the light collecting unit to the outside. |
| US09595567B2 |
Semiconductor memory device with resistance change film and method of manufacturing the same
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of insulating layers, a plurality of first interconnection layers, a plurality of second interconnection layers, a plurality of memory cells, and a resistance change film. The insulating layers and first interconnection layers are arranged in parallel with the semiconductor substrate. The second interconnection layers are arranged so as to intersect the first interconnection layers. The second interconnection layers are arranged perpendicular to the semiconductor substrate. The memory cells are arranged at intersections of the first and second interconnection layers. Each of the memory cells includes the resistance change film arranged between the first and second interconnection layers. The side of the first interconnection layer in contact with the resistance change film is retreated more in a direction to separate from the second interconnection layer than the side of the insulating layer. |
| US09595566B2 |
Floating staircase word lines and process in a 3D non-volatile memory having vertical bit lines
A 3D nonvolatile memory has memory elements arranged in a three-dimensional pattern with a plurality of memory layers stacked over a semiconductor substrate. It has a 2D array of vertical bit lines and a plurality of staircase word lines. Each staircase word line has a series of alternating segments and risers and traverses the plurality of memory layers with a segment in each memory layer. The plurality of staircase word lines have their segments lined up to form a 2D array of stacks of segments. Riser for a pair of segments from each adjacent stacks at different memory layers is provided by a conductive sidewall layer of a stairwell disposed between the adjacent stacks. Multiple insulated conductive sidewall layers provide multiple risers for the adjacent stacks. Layer-by-layer stairwell excavation and sidewall processes between adjacent stacks create risers for different pairs of segments between stacks to form the staircase word lines. |
| US09595561B2 |
Semiconductor memory devices
A semiconductor memory device includes a cell gate dielectric layer and a cell gate electrode disposed in a gate recess region crossing a cell active portion of a substrate, first and second doped regions disposed in the cell active portion at both sides of the gate recess region, respectively, at least one interlayer insulating layer covering the substrate, a data storage element electrically connected to the second doped region through a contact plug penetrating the at least one interlayer insulating layer, a mold layer covering the data storage element, and a bit line disposed in a cell groove formed in the mold layer. The bit line is in direct contact with a top surface of the data storage element. |
| US09595555B2 |
Pixel isolation regions formed with conductive layers
An image sensor may include isolation regions that are formed in between photodiodes. These isolation regions may prevent cross-talk and improve the performance of the image sensor. The isolation regions may include a conductive layer that is electrically connected to a bias voltage supply line. Biasing the conductive layer may result in a charge inversion in the substrate adjacent to the conductive layer. The charge inversion may prevent the generation of dark current. The conductive layer may be formed on a liner oxide layer in trenches formed in epitaxial silicon. A connecting layer may be used to electrically connect each conductive layer. The connecting layer may be formed integrally with the conductive layer or formed from a separate material. |
| US09595551B2 |
Solid-state imaging device and electronic apparatus
There is provided a solid-state imaging device that includes: colored pixels each including a first photoelectric conversion element and a colored filler; white pixels each including a second photoelectric conversion element and a clear layer; and an interlayer insulating film provided between the first photoelectric conversion element and the colored filter, and between the second photoelectric conversion element and the clear layer. The colored filter is provided on light-entering side of the first photoelectric conversion element. The clear layer is provided on light-entering side of the second photoelectric conversion element. The clear layer has a higher refractive index than a refractive index of the colored filter, and includes an inorganic dielectric film made of a different material from a material of the interlayer insulating film. |
| US09595546B2 |
Display backplane and method of fabricating the same
An organic light emitting display is provided. The organic light emitting display comprises a multi-type thin-film transistor (TFT) and an organic light emitting diode. The multi-type TFT has a low-temperature-poly-silicon (LTPS) TFT and an oxide semiconductor TFT (oxide TFT) disposed on the LTPS TFT. The organic light emitting diode is electrically connected to the multi-type TFT. The LTPS TFT and the oxide TFT are connected to the same gate line. |
| US09595544B2 |
Thin film transistor substrate and display device
The present invention provides a thin film transistor substrate and a display device that prevent peeling. The thin film transistor substrate includes: an insulating substrate; a thin film transistor; a first inorganic insulating layer; an organic insulating layer stacked on the first inorganic insulating layer; and a second inorganic insulating layer stacked on the organic insulating layer. The organic insulating layer includes a side covered with the second inorganic insulating layer. The first inorganic insulating layer may contain silicon oxide. The organic insulating layer may contain photosensitive resin. The second inorganic insulating layer may contain silicon nitride. |
| US09595535B1 |
Integration of word line switches with word line contact via structures
Word line switches in a word line decoder circuitry for a three-dimensional memory device can be formed as vertical field effect transistors overlying contact via structures to the electrically conductive layers for word lines. Via cavities in a dielectric material portion overlying stepped surfaces of the electrically conductive layers can be filled with a conductive material and recessed to form contact via structures. After forming lower active regions in the recesses, gate electrodes can be formed and patterned to form openings in areas overlying the contact via structures. Gate dielectrics can be formed on the sidewalls of the openings, and transistor channels can be formed inside the openings of the gate electrodes. Upper active regions can be formed over the transistor channels. |
| US09595532B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
An improvement is achieved in the performance of a semiconductor device having a nonvolatile memory. A memory cell of the nonvolatile memory includes a control gate electrode formed over a semiconductor substrate via a first insulating film and a memory gate electrode formed over the semiconductor substrate via a second insulating film to be adjacent to the control gate electrode via the second insulating film. The second insulating film includes a third insulating film made of a silicon dioxide film, a fourth insulating film made of a silicon nitride film over the third insulating film, and a fifth insulating film over the fourth insulating film. The fifth insulating film includes a silicon oxynitride film. Between the memory gate electrode and the semiconductor substrate, respective end portions of the fourth and fifth insulating films are located closer to a side surface of the memory gate electrode than an end portion of a lower surface of the memory gate electrode. Between the memory gate electrode and the semiconductor substrate, in a region where the second insulating film is not formed, another silicon dioxide film is embedded. |
| US09595529B2 |
Fuse cell circuit, fuse cell array and memory device including the same
A fuse cell circuit may include a bit line, a first fuse transistor having first and second program states, a first select transistor coupled between one terminal of the first fuse transistor and the bit line, and suitable for turning on when the first fuse transistor is selected, a second fuse transistor including one terminal coupled to the other terminal of the first fuse transistor, and having first and second program states, and a second select transistor coupled between a other terminal of the second fuse transistor and the bit line, and suitable for turning on when the second fuse transistor is selected. |
| US09595525B2 |
Semiconductor device including nanowire transistors with hybrid channels
A semiconductor device is provided that includes an n-type field effect transistor including a plurality of vertically stacked silicon-containing nanowires located in one region of a semiconductor substrate, and a p-type field effect transistor including a plurality of vertically stacked silicon germanium alloy nanowires located in another region of a semiconductor substrate. Each vertically stacked silicon-containing nanowire of the n-type field effect transistor has a different shape than the shape of each vertically stacked silicon germanium alloy nanowire of the p-type field effect transistor. |
| US09595523B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit devices
A semiconductor integrated circuit device may include a standard cell region on a surface of a substrate and a first active region on the surface of the substrate in the standard cell region, wherein the first active region has a length in a first direction. A second active region may be on the surface of the substrate in the standard cell region, the second active region may have a length in the first direction, the length of the second active region may be greater than the length of the first active region, and an axis in a second direction may intersect centers of the first and second active regions so that the first and second active regions are symmetric about the axis in the second direction. A first gate electrode may extend across the first active region in the first direction, and a second gate electrode may extend across the second active region in the first direction. |
| US09595521B2 |
Capacitive device
A method of manufacturing a capacitive device. The method includes doping a substrate to form a well region, forming M shoulder portions and (M−1) trenches in the substrate, depositing (M−1) sets of stacked layers along an upper surface of each shoulder portion of the M shoulder portions, sidewalls of the (M−1) trenches, and a bottom surface of each trench of the (M−1) trenches, and etching a plurality of contact holes variously exposing the well region or conductive layers of the (M−1) sets of stacked layers by N patterned masks. An m-th trench of the (M−1) trenches is between an m-th shoulder portion and an (m+1)-th shoulder portion of the M shoulder portions. M is a positive integer equal to or greater than 2 and m is a positive integer from 1 to (M−1). N is a positive integer less than M. Each contact hole of the plurality of contact holes is directly on or above a corresponding shoulder portion of the M shoulder portions. |
| US09595520B2 |
IGBT with built-in diode and manufacturing method therefor
An insulated gate bipolar translator (IGBT) with a built-in diode and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The IGBT comprises: a semiconductor substrate (1) of the first conduction type which has a first major surface (1S1) and a second major surface (1S2), wherein the semiconductor substrate (1) comprises an active region (100) and a terminal protection area (200) which is located at the outer side of the active region; an insulated gate transistor unit which is formed at the side of the first major surface (1S1) of the active region (100), wherein a channel of the first conduction type is formed thereon during the conduction thereof; and first semiconductor layers (10) of the first conduction type and second semiconductor layers (11) of the second conduction type of the active region, which are formed at the side of the second major surface (1S2) of the semiconductor substrate (1) alternately, wherein the IGBT only comprises the second semiconductor layers (11) in the terminal protection area (200) which is located at the side of the second major surface (1S2) of the semiconductor substrate (1). |
| US09595519B2 |
Combination metal oxide semi-conductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) and junction field effect transistor (JFET) operable for modulating current voltage response or mitigating electromagnetic or radiation interference effects by altering current flow through the MOSFETs semi-conductive channel region (SCR)
Systems and methods for controlling current or mitigating electromagnetic or radiation interference effects using a combination of a metal-oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) and junction field effect transistor (JFET) disposed perpendicularly and within a certain orientation to each other. An embodiment of the invention can be formed and operable for modulating current and/or voltage response or mitigating electromagnetic or radiation interference effects on the MOSFET by controlling a semi-conductive channel region (SCR) using an additional gate, e.g., JFET, disposed perpendicularly with respect to the MOSFET configured to generate an electromagnetic field into the MOSFET's semi-SCR. A control system for controlling operation is also provided to include automated systems including sensors as well as manually operated systems. Automated systems can include radiation sensors as well as other control systems such as radio frequency transmitter or receiver systems. Methods of operation for a variety of modes are also provided. |
| US09595518B1 |
Fin-type metal-semiconductor resistors and fabrication methods thereof
Fabrication methods and structure include: providing a wafer with at least one fin extended above a substrate in a first region, and at least one fin extended above the substrate in a second region of the wafer; forming a gate structure extending at least partially over the at least one fin to define a semiconductor device region in the first region; implanting a dopant into the at least one fin in the first region and into the at least one fin in the second region of the wafer, where the implanting of the dopant into the at least one fin of the second region modulates a physical property of the at least one fin to define a resistor device region in the second region; and disposing a conductive material at least partially over the at least one fin in the first region and over the at least one fin in the second region of the wafer, in part, to form a source and drain contact in the first region, and a fin-type metal-semiconductor resistor in the second region. |
| US09595517B2 |
Semiconductor device employing trenches for active gate and isolation
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type formed on a substrate; a first trench formed in the semiconductor layer including a first trench gate; a second trench formed in the semiconductor layer and extending into the substrate and including a second trench gate; a first transistor device formed in the semiconductor layer adjacent the first trench. The second trench encircles active area of the first transistor device to provide electrical isolation of the first transistor device. |
| US09595513B2 |
Proximity coupling of interconnect packaging systems and methods
Proximity coupling interconnect packaging systems and methods. A semiconductor package assembly comprises a substrate, a first semiconductor die disposed adjacent the substrate, and a second semiconductor die stacked over the first semiconductor die. There is at least one proximity coupling interconnect between the first semiconductor die and the second semiconductor die, the proximity coupling interconnect comprising a first conductive pad on the first coupling face on the first semiconductor die and a second conductive pad on a second coupling face of the second semiconductor die, the second conductive pad spaced apart from the first conductive pad by a gap distance and aligned with the first conductive pad. An electrical connector is positioned laterally apart from the proximity coupling interconnect and extends between the second semiconductor die and the substrate, the position of the electrical connector defining the alignment of the first conductive pad and the second conductive pad. |
| US09595512B2 |
Passive component integrated with semiconductor device in semiconductor package
According to one exemplary embodiment, a semiconductor package includes a substrate having lower and upper surfaces. The semiconductor package further includes at least one passive component coupled to first and second conductive pads on the upper surface of the substrate. The semiconductor package further includes at least one semiconductor device coupled to a first conductive pad on the lower surface of the substrate. The at least one semiconductor device has a first electrode for electrical and mechanical connection to a conductive pad external to the semiconductor package. The at least one semiconductor device can have a second electrode electrically and mechanically coupled to the first conductive pad on the lower surface of the substrate. |
| US09595511B1 |
Microelectronic packages and assemblies with improved flyby signaling operation
A microelectronic unit includes microelectronic elements having memory storage arrays. First terminals and second terminals at a surface of the microelectronic unit are configured for connection with corresponding first and second sets of circuit panel contacts which are coupled with conductors of a common signaling bus on the circuit panel. Front surfaces of first and second microelectronic elements define a plurality of first planes at a substantial angle to a second plane defined by the major surface of the circuit panel. Each of a plurality of delay elements within the microelectronic unit is electrically coupled with a signaling path of the common signaling bus between one of the first terminals and a corresponding second terminal. In such way, the delay elements may reduce adverse effects of additive signal energy reflected from the microelectronic packages back towards the common signaling bus. |
| US09595509B1 |
Stacked microelectronic package assemblies and methods for the fabrication thereof
Stacked microelectronic package assemblies are provided, as are methods for producing stacked microelectronic package assemblies. In one embodiment, the stacked microelectronic package assembly includes a base package layer onto which a stacked bridge device is stacked. The base package layer includes, in turn, a first microelectronic package and a second microelectronic package positioned laterally adjacent the first microelectronic package. The stacked bridge device extends over the first and second microelectronic packages. A first terminal of the stacked bridge device is soldered to or otherwise electrically joined to a first backside contact of the first microelectronic package, and a second terminal of the stacked bridge device is soldered to or otherwise electrically joined to a second backside contact of the second microelectronic package. |
| US09595508B2 |
Voltage droop mitigation in 3D chip system
The present invention relates to a multichip system and a method for scheduling threads in 3D stacked chip. The multichip system comprises a plurality of dies stacked vertically and electrically coupled together; each of the plurality of dies comprising one or more cores, each of the plurality of dies further comprising: at least one voltage violation sensing unit, the at least one voltage violation sensing unit being connected with the one or more cores of each die, the at least one voltage sensing unit being configured to independently sense voltage violation in each core of each die; and at least one frequency tuning unit, the at least one frequency tuning unit being configured to tune the frequency of each core of each die, the at least one frequency tuning unit being connected with the at least one voltage violation sensing unit. The multichip system and method described in present invention have many advantages, such as reducing voltage violation, mitigating voltage droop and saving power. |
| US09595506B2 |
Packages with thermal management features for reduced thermal crosstalk and methods of forming same
An embodiment package includes a first die stack on a surface of a package component, a second die stack on the surface of the package component, and a contour lid over the first die stack and second die stack. The contour lid includes a first thermal conductive portion over the first die stack, a second thermal conductive portion over the second die stack, and a thermal barrier portion between the first thermal conductive portion and the second thermal conductive portion. The thermal barrier portion includes a low thermal conductivity material. |
| US09595502B2 |
Spring contact for semiconductor chip
A semiconductor assembly is described. In accordance with one example of the invention, the semiconductor assembly comprises a semiconductor body, a top main electrode arranged on a top side, a bottom main electrode arranged on an underside, and a control electrode arranged on the top side. The semiconductor assembly further includes a spring element for the pressure contacting of the control electrode with a pressure force generated by the spring element. |
| US09595499B2 |
Semiconductor devices having through electrodes, methods of manufacturing the same, and semiconductor packages including the same
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer having a first surface and a second surface, a through electrode penetrating the semiconductor layer and having a protruding portion that protrudes over the second surface of the semiconductor layer, a front-side bump disposed on the first surface of the semiconductor layer and electrically coupled to the through electrode, a passivation pattern including a first insulation pattern that surrounds a sidewall of the protruding portion of the through electrode and extends onto the second surface of the semiconductor layer and a second insulation pattern that covers the first insulation pattern and has an etch selectivity with respect to the first insulation pattern, and a back-side bump covering an end surface of the protruding portion of the through electrode and extending onto the passivation pattern. |
| US09595498B2 |
Semiconductor memory device having pads
A semiconductor memory device includes a semiconductor circuit substrate having a chip pad forming region. A pair of data lines are formed on the semiconductor circuit substrate at one side of the chip pad region. The pair of data lines extend along a direction that the chip pad region of the semiconductor circuit substrate extends. The pair of data lines are arranged to be adjacent to each other and receive a pair of differential data signals. A power supply line is formed on the semiconductor circuit substrate at the other side of the chip pad region. The power supply line extends along the direction that the chip pad region of the semiconductor circuit substrate extends, and the power supply line receives power. |
| US09595496B2 |
Integrated device package comprising silicon bridge in an encapsulation layer
Some novel features pertain to an integrated device package that includes an encapsulation portion and a redistribution portion. The encapsulation portion includes a first die, a first set of vias coupled to the first die, a second die, a second set of vias coupled to the second die, a bridge, and an encapsulation layer. The bridge is configured to provide an electrical path between the first die and the second die. The bridge is coupled to the first die through the first set of vias. The bridge is further coupled to the second die through the second set of vias. The encapsulation layer at least partially encapsulates the first die, the second die, the bridge, the first set of vias, and the second set of vias. The redistribution portion is coupled to the encapsulation portion. The redistribution portion includes a set of redistribution interconnects, and at least one dielectric layer. |
| US09595495B1 |
Multi-level signaling for on-package chip-to-chip interconnect through silicon bridge
One embodiment relates to an apparatus for data communication between at least two in-package semiconductor dies. On the first semiconductor die in a package, a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) converts a plurality of binary signals to an analog signal. The analog signal is transmitted through a silicon bridge to a second semiconductor die. Another embodiment relates to a method of data communication between at least two in-package semiconductor dies. A plurality of binary signals is converted to an analog signal by a digital-to-analog converter on a first semiconductor die. The analog signal is transmitted through a silicon bridge to a second semiconductor die. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed. |
| US09595490B2 |
3D system-level packaging methods and structures
A 3D system-level packaging method includes providing a packaging substrate having a first functional surface and a second surface with wiring arrangement within the packaging substrate and between the first functional surface and the second surface. The method also includes forming at least one flip package layer on the first functional surface of the packaging substrate and forming at least one wiring and package layer on the flip package layer. The flip package layer is formed by subsequently forming a flip mounting layer, an underfill, a sealant layer, and a wiring layer; and the wiring and package layer is formed by subsequently forming a straight mounting layer, a sealant layer, and a wiring layer. Further, the method includes planting connection balls on the second functional surface of the packaging substrate. |
| US09595487B2 |
Circuit arrangement and method for manufacturing the same
Various embodiments may provide a circuit arrangement. The circuit arrangement may include a carrier having at least one electrically conductive line; a plurality of discrete encapsulated integrated circuits arranged on the carrier; wherein a first integrated circuit of the plurality of integrated circuits is in electrical contact with a second integrated circuit of the plurality of integrated circuits to form a first current path bypassing the carrier; and wherein the first integrated circuit of the plurality of integrated circuits is in electrical contact with the second integrated circuit of the plurality of integrated circuits to form a second current path via the at least one electrically conductive line. |
| US09595482B2 |
Structure for die probing
A package includes a device die, which includes a metal pillar at a top surface of the device die, and a solder region on a sidewall of the metal pillar. A molding material encircles the device die, wherein a top surface of the molding material is substantially level with a top surface of the device die. A dielectric layer overlaps the molding material and the device die, with a bottom surface of the dielectric layer contacting a top surface of the device die and a top surface of the molding material. A redistribution line (RDL) extends into the dielectric layer to electrically couple to the metal pillar. |
| US09595481B1 |
Dispersion model for band gap tracking
Methods and systems for determining band structure characteristics of high-k dielectric films deposited over a substrate based on spectral response data are presented. High throughput spectrometers are utilized to quickly measure semiconductor wafers early in the manufacturing process. Optical models of semiconductor structures capable of accurate characterization of defects in high-K dielectric layers and embedded nanostructures are presented. In one example, the optical dispersion model includes a continuous Cody-Lorentz model having continuous first derivatives that is sensitive to a band gap of a layer of the unfinished, multi-layer semiconductor wafer. These models quickly and accurately represent experimental results in a physically meaningful manner. The model parameter values can be subsequently used to gain insight and control over a manufacturing process. |
| US09595478B2 |
Dummy gate used as interconnection and method of making the same
Process of using a dummy gate as an interconnection and a method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. Embodiments include forming on a semiconductor substrate dummy gate structures at cell boundaries, each dummy gate structure including a set of sidewall spacers and a cap disposed between the sidewall spacers; removing a first sidewall spacer or at least a portion of a first cap on a first side of a first dummy gate structure and forming a first gate contact trench over the first dummy gate structure; and filling the first gate contact trench with a metal to form a first gate contact. |
| US09595476B2 |
Method for producing semiconductor device and semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes first and second fin-shaped semiconductor layers on a substrate. First and second pillar-shaped semiconductor layers reside on the first and second fin-shaped semiconductor layers, respectively, where a width of the bottom of the first and second pillar-shaped semiconductors is equal to a width of the top of the first and second fin-shaped semiconductor layers, respectively. A gate insulating film and metal gate electrode are around underlying gate insulating layers on each fin-shaped semiconductor layer. A metal gate line is connected to the metal gate electrodes and extends in a direction perpendicular to the first and second fin-shaped semiconductor layers. Contacts reside on the upper portion of diffusion layers in upper portions of the first and second pillar-shaped semiconductor layers and are directly connected to the diffusion layers. |
| US09595475B2 |
Multi-stage fin formation methods and structures thereof
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device having a multi-stage fin profile includes providing a substrate and forming a first spacer having a first spacer width over the substrate. The first spacer masks a first portion of the substrate during a first etch process. By way of example, the first etch process is performed on the substrate to form a first-stage fin region, where a width of the first-stage fin region is substantially equal to about the first spacer width. A second spacer having a second spacer width is formed over the substrate, where the second spacer and the first-stage fin region mask a second portion of the substrate during a second etch process. In some examples, the second etch process is performed on the substrate to form a second-stage fin region, where a width of the second-stage fin region is greater than the width of the first-stage fin region. |
| US09595471B2 |
Conductive element structure and method
Conductive element structures and methods of manufacture thereof are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method of forming a conductive element in an insulating layer includes: forming a recess in a metal layer disposed over the insulating layer; selectively forming a metal liner on a sidewall of the recess; and etching a via in the insulating layer using the metal layer and the metal liner as a mask. |
| US09595468B2 |
Method of manufacturing semiconductor device that uses treatment to enhance hydrophilicity of spin coated insulating film
To provide a semiconductor device having improved reliability. After formation of a first insulating film for an interlayer insulating film by spin coating, the surface of the first insulating film is subjected to a hydrophilicity improving treatment. A second insulating film for the interlayer insulating film is then formed on the first insulating film by spin coating. The interlayer insulating film is comprised of a stacked insulating film including the first insulating film and the second insulating film thereon. The interlayer insulating film therefore can have improved surface flatness. |
| US09595462B2 |
Peeling system
Disclosed is a peeling system which includes a peeling device, a plurality of first cleaning devices, an inversion device, a second cleaning device, and first to third conveyance devices. The peeling device is configured to separate a superimposed substrate into a first substrate and a second substrate. The plurality of first cleaning devices is configured to clean a bonded surface of the first substrate. The inversion device configured to invert front and rear surfaces of the first substrate. The second cleaning device is configured to clean a non-bonded surface of the first substrate. Delivery positions of the first substrate in the plurality of first cleaning devices are arranged in a region where an operation range of the first conveyance device and an operation range of the second conveyance device overlap each other. |
| US09595461B2 |
Storage facility and storage method
A storage facility includes a controller for monitoring a supply state of the inactive gas for the plurality of storage sections and for controlling the plurality of supply amount adjusting devices. The controller is configured to monitor the supply state of the inactive gas for the plurality of storage sections by dividing the plurality of storage sections into a plurality of monitoring areas, and to control a plurality of supply amount adjusting devices such that the supply state of the inactive gas supplied to the storage sections belonging to each of the plurality of monitoring areas satisfies a set restricting condition defined in advance. |
| US09595459B2 |
Managing thermal budget in annealing of substrates
A method and apparatus are provided for treating a substrate. The substrate is positioned on a support in a thermal treatment chamber. Electromagnetic radiation is directed toward the substrate to anneal a portion of the substrate. Other electromagnetic radiation is directed toward the substrate to preheat a portion of the substrate. The preheating reduces thermal stresses at the boundary between the preheat region and the anneal region. Any number of anneal and preheat regions are contemplated, with varying shapes and temperature profiles, as needed for specific embodiments. Any convenient source of electromagnetic radiation may be used, such as lasers, heat lamps, white light lamps, or flash lamps. |
| US09595458B2 |
Plasma processing apparatus and method, and method of manufacturing electronic device
In an inductively coupled plasma torch unit, two coils, a first ceramic block, and a second ceramic block are arranged, and an annular chamber is provided. Plasma generated in the chamber is ejected toward a substrate through an opening in the chamber. The chamber and the substrate are caused to relatively move having an orientation perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the opening, thereby processing the substrate. A shield cylinder is disposed around the coil inside a rotating cylindrical ceramic tube, thereby making it possible to achieve compatibility of ignitibility and shielding properties. |
| US09595457B2 |
Methods and apparatus for cleaning semiconductor wafers
A method for cleaning semiconductor substrate using ultra/mega sonic device comprising holding a semiconductor substrate by using a chuck, positioning a ultra/mega sonic device adjacent to the semiconductor substrate, injecting chemical liquid on the semiconductor substrate and gap between the semiconductor substrate and the ultra/mega sonic device, changing gap between the semiconductor substrate and the ultra/mega sonic device for each rotation of the chuck during the cleaning process. The gap can be increased or reduced by 0.5λ/N for each rotation of the chuck, where λ is wavelength of ultra/mega sonic wave, N is an integer number between 2 and 1000. The gap is varied in the range of 0.5λn during the cleaning process, where λ is wavelength of ultra/mega sonic wave, and n is an integer number starting from 1. |
| US09595455B1 |
Integrated circuit module with filled contact gaps
Integrated circuit (IC) modules and methods for manufacturing the IC modules are described. In an embodiment, an IC module includes a substrate with contact gaps on which an IC die is attached with electrical connections between the IC die and the substrate. The IC module further include an encapsulation that encloses the IC die and fills first portions of the contact gaps, where the first portions of the contact gaps are located within an area of the substrate defined by the encapsulation. Second portions of the contact gaps, which are located outside of the area of substrate defined by the encapsulation, are filled with a filling material. |
| US09595454B2 |
Semiconductor device including electromagnetic absorption and shielding
A semiconductor device is disclosed including material for absorbing EMI and/or RFI The device includes a substrate (202), one or more semiconductor die (224,225), and molding compound around the one or more semiconductor die (224,225). The material for absorbing EMI and/or RFI may be provided within or on a solder mask layer (210) on the substrate (202). The device may further include EMI/RFI-absorbing material around the molding compound and in contact with the EMI/RFI-absorbing material on the substrate to completely enclose the one or more semiconductor die in EMI/RFI-absorbing material. |
| US09595452B2 |
Residue free oxide etch
A method for selectively etching silicon oxide is provided. A surface reaction phase is provided comprising flowing a surface reaction gas comprising hydrogen, nitrogen and fluorine containing components to form silicon oxide into a compound comprising silicon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and fluorine, forming the surface reaction gas into a plasma, and stopping the flow of the surface reaction gas. The surface is wet treated to remove the compound. |
| US09595450B2 |
Composite structure for gate level inter-layer dielectric
A method of forming an integrated circuit device includes forming dummy gates over a semiconductor substrate, depositing a first dielectric layer over the dummy gates, chemical mechanical polishing to recede the first dielectric layer to the height of the dummy gates, etching to recess the first dielectric layer below the height of the gates, depositing one or more additional dielectric layers over the first dielectric layer, and chemical mechanical polishing to recede the one or more additional dielectric layers to the height of the gates. The method provides integrated circuit devices having metal gate electrodes and an inter-level dielectric at the gate level that includes a capping layer. The capping layer resists etching and preserves the gate height through a replacement gate process. |
| US09595444B2 |
Floating gate separation in NAND flash memory
A method of forming a NAND flash memory includes anisotropically etching trenches of a gate stack down to an intermediate level in a floating gate polysilicon layer, leaving remaining portions of the floating gate polysilicon over the gate dielectric layer. Subsequently, forming a protective layer along exposed sides of the trenches. Then, electrically separating individual floating gates by a selective process that is directed to the remaining portions of the floating gate polysilicon layer exposed by trenches. |
| US09595443B2 |
Metal gate structure of a semiconductor device
The invention relates to integrated circuit fabrication, and more particularly to a metal gate structure. An exemplary structure for a CMOS semiconductor device comprises a substrate comprising an isolation region surrounding and separating a P-active region and an N-active region; a P-metal gate electrode over the P-active region and extending over the isolation region, wherein the P-metal gate electrode comprises a P-work function metal and an oxygen-containing TiN layer between the P-work function metal and substrate; and an N-metal gate electrode over the N-active region and extending over the isolation region, wherein the N-metal gate electrode comprises an N-work function metal and a nitrogen-rich TiN layer between the N-work function metal and substrate, wherein the nitrogen-rich TiN layer connects to the oxygen-containing TiN layer over the isolation region. |
| US09595438B2 |
Method for producing a III/V Si template
A method for producing a monolithic template comprises a Si wafer with a layer of a III/V semiconductor epitaxially applied to its surface. The III/V semiconductor has a lattice constant differing by less than 10% from that of Si. The method includes epitaxially growing a layer of a III/V semiconductor on the surface of the Si wafer at a wafer temperature from 350 to 650° C., a growth rate from 0.1 to 2 μm/h, and a layer thickness from 1 to 100 nm. A layer of another III/V semiconductor, identical to or different from the previously applied III/V semiconductor, is epitaxially grown on the III/V semiconductor layer at a wafer temperature from 500 to 800° C., a growth rate from 0.1 to 10 μm/h, and a layer thickness from 10 to 150 nm. |
| US09595431B2 |
Ion trap mass spectrometer having a curved field region
An electrostatic analyzer including at least one first set of electrodes, at least one second set of electrodes, and a field free space separating the two sets of electrodes is disclosed. The two sets of electrodes form two-dimensional electrostatic fields of ion mirrors and are arranged to provide isochronous ion oscillations in an x-y plane. Both sets of electrodes are curves at a constant curvature radius R along a third locally orthogonal Z-direction to form a torroidal field region. A related method is also disclosed. |
| US09595430B2 |
Laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry using a particulate separation bed
A self-assembled engineered lattice of nanometer-scale silica particles, or other suitable particles generally resembling regularly-sized spheres, is configured in a separation bed for electrophoresis, isoelectric focusing, chromatography, or other voltage-induced separation of analytes. After separation, the analytes are immobilized on the separation bed and then ionized using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) for use with a mass spectrometer. The nanoparticles can be coated with polymers that activate to immobilize the analytes or assist with MALDI. The separation can occur in two dimensions. |
| US09595429B2 |
Method and system for atomizing sample liquid using ultrasonic transducer to be analyzed by mass spectrometry
A mass spectrometry method includes a step of atomizing liquid including a sample using an ultrasonic transducer; a step of transferring the atomized liquid; a step of generating ions from the transferred liquid using a DART ion source; and a step of analyzing a mass spectrometry by introducing the generated ions into a mass spectrometer. |
| US09595427B2 |
Acquisition of fragment ion mass spectra of biopolymers in mixtures
The invention relates to the selection of the most favorable ion species for the acquisition of fragment ion mass spectra when the ionization creates biopolymers in different charge states. The invention proposes a particularly fast method of selecting the most favorable parent ions for fragmentation of the different biopolymers from mass spectra, where the ionization is by electrospray ionization (ESI) or other ionization methods which produce similarly diverse charge states and which, for each biopolymer, contain many signal patterns of ions of the different charge states and different isotopic compositions. The selection is carried out in such a way that it does not measure more than one ion species from one biopolymer. Moreover, the most favorable filter pass-band width for isolating an ion species for fragmentation can be stated in each case. |
| US09595418B2 |
Ion beam irradiation device
An ion beam irradiation device includes a vacuum chamber that accommodates a transport tray which holds a substrate, a transport unit that transports the transport tray in the vacuum chamber in a transport direction, an ion beam irradiation unit that irradiates, with ion beams, a predetermined irradiation position in the vacuum chamber, and a position detector that detects a position of the transport tray. The transport tray includes a plurality of indices that are arranged in the transport direction to indicate portions of the transport tray. The position detector images each of the indices at a predetermined imaging position during transportation of the transport tray and detects a position of the transport tray relative to the imaging position based on the imaged index. |
| US09595416B2 |
Transmission electron microscope
A transmission electron microscope (100) capable of reducing the effects of stray magnetic fields includes an electron beam source (2), an illumination lens system (4) for causing the electron beam to impinge on a sample (S), a sample stage (6) for holding the sample (S), a first objective lens (8), a second objective lens (10) disposed behind the first objective lens (8), an imaging lens system (16) disposed behind the second objective lens (10), and a controller (22) configured or programmed for controlling the first objective lens (8) and the second objective lens (10). The first objective lens (8) has upper and lower polepieces disposed on opposite sides of the sample (S). The upper and lower polepieces together produce a magnetic field. The controller (22) performs an operation for controlling the second objective lens (10) to construct a TEM (transmission electron microscope) image of the sample (S) out of the electron beam transmitted through the sample (S). Furthermore, the controller performs an operation for controlling the first objective lens (8) according to imaging conditions to produce a magnetic field that cancels out stray magnetic fields at the position where the sample (S) is placed. |
| US09595414B2 |
Magnetic field generation apparatus for a magnetron tube, magnetron and method for replacing an old magnetron tube of a magnetron with a new magnetron tube
A magnetic field generation apparatus is provided for a magnetron including a permanent magnet arrangement and a magnetic field conductor device. The magnetic field conductor device has a diverting element. The diverting element, which includes a plurality of rectangular diverting segments, is arranged detachably on the magnetic field generation apparatus during maintenance work in order to deflect a magnetic field generated by the permanent magnet arrangement away from further components of the magnetic field generation apparatus and components of the magnetron. A magnetron includes a magnetron tube and such a magnetic field generation apparatus. In a method for replacing an old magnetron tube of such a magnetron with a new magnetron tube, the diverting element is arranged on the magnetic field generation apparatus, and the old magnetron tube is removed from the magnetron and replaced with the new magnetron tube in order to then remove the diverting element again. |
| US09595413B2 |
Low instantaneous level circuit breakers, circuit breaker tripping mechanisms, and tripping methods
A circuit breaker tripping mechanism providing relatively low instantaneous level tripping is disclosed. Circuit breaker tripping mechanism includes an armature with a first portion extending in a first direction from an armature pivot and a second portion extending in a second direction from the armature pivot, and a magnetic field generator configured as part of a line conductor. Magnetic field generator is operable to produce a magnetic field acting upon the second portion during a short circuit. Circuit breakers including the circuit breaker tripping mechanism and methods of tripping a circuit breaker are provided, as are other aspects. |
| US09595410B2 |
Circuit breaker including adjustable instantaneous trip level and methods of operating same
A circuit breaker including an adjustable instantaneous trip level. Adjustable instantaneous trip level can be applied to a one-pole and/or two-pole circuit breakers including a thermal and magnetic mechanism, including AFCI, CAFCI, and/or GFCI constructions. The circuit breaker includes a magnet position adjustment mechanism allowing an operator to adjust the instantaneous trip level to a desired setting, such as between about 5 to 10 times the handle rating. The design also allows for alternate magnets to be used for either an increased or decreased instantaneous settings as desired. In two-pole circuit breakers, the instantaneous trip level can be set independently for each mechanism pole. Multi-pole circuit breakers and methods of adjusting instantaneous trip level are provided, as are other aspects. |
| US09595404B2 |
Electrical switching apparatus including an adjustable damper assembly
An electrical switching apparatus including a housing, a circuit interrupter mechanism movably disposed in the housing, and a damper assembly. The damper assembly includes a bracket that secures the damper assembly to the housing. A damper body is adjustably secured to the bracket. A stopper is coupled to the damper body and arranged to limit relative movement of the circuit interrupter mechanism with respect to the damper assembly. A damper rod extends through an opening in the stopper and has a surface that is arranged to interact with the circuit interrupter mechanism. The damper rod is arranged to damp movement of the circuit interrupter mechanism with respect to the damper body when the circuit interrupter mechanism is in contact with the surface of the damper rod. |
| US09595401B1 |
Method of fabricating graphene nano-mesh
Example embodiments relate to a method of fabricating a graphene nano-mesh by selectively growing an oxide layer on a defect site of a graphene layer and etching the oxide layer to form the graphene nano-mesh. The method includes forming a graphene layer on a catalyst layer, forming an oxide layer on a defect site of the graphene layer, forming the graphene nano-mesh including a plurality of openings by etching the oxide layer, and transferring, after removing the catalyst layer, the graphene nano-mesh onto a substrate. |
| US09595397B2 |
High energy density asymmetric pseudocapacitor and method of making the same
A high energy density asymmetric pseudocapacitor includes a cathode plate, an anode plate, and a separator. The cathode plate includes a first conductive substrate and a porous cathode film formed on the first conductive substrate. The porous cathode film includes a carbon nano-tube network and a plurality of composite flakes. Each of the composite flakes contains graphene, a transition metal compound and carbon nano-tubes. The anode plate includes a second conductive substrate and an anode film formed on the second conductive substrate. The anode film contains graphene and carbon nano-tubes. |
| US09595390B2 |
Method for filling at least one cavity of a multi-layer component with a filling material, and multi-layer component
The invention relates to a method for filling at least one cavity (5a, 5b) of a multi-layer component (1) with filling material (9). In a first step, the method comprises providing a main body (2) of the multi-layer component (1), the main body (2) having at least one cavity (5a, 5b). In a subsequent step, the method comprises placing the main body (2) in a chamber (11) and then generating a first pressure, the first pressure being a negative pressure. Then, a filling material (9) is arranged on the main body (2). Furthermore, the invention relates to a multi-layer component (1). The multi-layer component (1) has a main body (2) with at least one cavity (5a, 5b), wherein the cavity (5a, 5b) is filled with a filling material (9) which has a viscosity of between 200 mPas and 2000 mPas. |
| US09595388B2 |
BOPP film with high AC breakdown strength
Polypropylene composition comprising a polypropylene and an α-nucleating agent, wherein the polypropylene composition has • a comonomer content of equal or below 1.0 wt.- %, •<2,1> erythro regiodefects of more than 0.1 mol.- %, and • at least 9.0 wt- % of a crystalline fraction crystallizing in the temperature range of above 160 to 170° C., wherein said fraction is determined by the stepwise isothermal segregation technique (SIST). |
| US09595385B2 |
Multilayer ceramic capacitor and board with the same mounted thereon
A multilayer ceramic capacitor may include: a ceramic body including a plurality of dielectric layers; a capacitor unit disposed in an upper portion of the ceramic body and including a plurality of first and second internal electrodes; an equivalent series resistance (ESR) controller disposed in a lower portion of the ceramic body and including a plurality of third and fourth internal electrodes; a gap layer disposed between the capacitor unit and the ESR controller; first and second external electrodes disposed on the first and second end surfaces of the ceramic body and electrically connected to the first and second internal electrodes; and third and fourth external electrodes disposed on the first and second lateral surfaces of the ceramic body and electrically connected to the third and fourth internal electrodes. |
| US09595383B2 |
Wireless charging coil PCB structure
A wireless charging coil PCB structure includes a first coil disposed on a first layer of PCB, where a center or peripheral of the first coil is a first non-coil region; a second coil disposed on a second layer of PCB, where a center or peripheral of the second coil is a second non-coil region; first conductive wires on the first non-coil region; and second conductive wires on the second non-coil region. Electric contacts are arranged between the first conductor and the second coil, and electrically connected in parallel to the first conductive wires and the portion of the second coil. Electric contacts are arranged between the second conductor and the first coil, and electrically connected in parallel to the second conductive wires and the portion of the first coil. The amount of charge is increased in the coil and resistance is reduced to overcome proximity effect. |
| US09595381B2 |
Shielding apparatus and wireless power transmission apparatus
Disclosed are a shielding apparatus and a wireless power transmission apparatus. The shielding apparatus included in a wireless power transmission apparatus for transmitting power to a wireless power reception apparatus in wireless includes a first shielding unit changing a transmission path of a portion of a magnetic field generated from a transmission coil of the wireless power transmission apparatus, and a second shielding unit shielding the portion of the magnetic field which has passed through the first shielding unit. The second shielding unit is placed on the first shielding unit. A real component value of permeability of the first shielding unit is greater than an imaginary component value of the permeability of the first shielding unit, and an imaginary component value of permeability of the second shielding unit is greater than a real component value of the permeability of the second shielding unit. |
| US09595380B2 |
Fault current limiter
A fault current limiter of the type having at least one elongated core biased magnetically towards saturation by means of a surrounding magnetic field, and an AC coil surrounding the core, the fault current limiter including: an elongated core having a variable cross section along the axis of the core in the vicinity of the AC coil, providing increased saturation of the core and enhanced fault current limiting for a lower DC bias. |
| US09595375B2 |
Ceramic electronic component and method of manufacturing the same
A ceramic electronic component includes a rectangular or substantially rectangular parallelepiped-shaped stack in which a ceramic layer and an internal electrode are alternately stacked and an external electrode provided on a portion of a surface of the stack and electrically connected to the internal electrode. The external electrode includes an inner external electrode covering a portion of the surface of the stack and including a mixture of a resin component and a metal component and an outer external electrode covering the inner external electrode and including a metal component. A volume occupied by the resin component in the inner external electrode is within a prescribed range. |
| US09595373B2 |
Shelf brackets to conduct electricity to refrigerator shelves
Shelf brackets to conduct electricity to refrigerator shelves are disclosed. An example shelf bracket includes an end configured to engage a support rail, the end having a first area to conduct electricity from the support rail to the shelf bracket, an arm extending from the end to support the shelf, the arm comprising a second area to conduct electricity from the shelf bracket to the shelf, a non-electrically conductive coating applied to substantially all of the shelf bracket except in the first and second areas, a first electrically conductive material applied to at least a portion of the first area, and a second electrically conductive material applied to at least a portion of the second area, wherein the shelf bracket is formed from a third electrically conductive material, the third electrically conductive material to conduct electricity between the first and second areas. |
| US09595371B2 |
High density shielded electrical cable and other shielded cables, systems, and methods
A shielded cable includes a plurality of conductor sets. Each conductor set is substantially surrounded by a shield and includes two insulated conductors. The plurality of conductor sets includes adjacent first and second conductor sets. First and second non-conductive polymeric layers are disposed on opposite sides of the cable and include cover portions and pinched portions. The cover portions in combination substantially surround the plurality of conductor sets. The pinched portions in combination form pinched portions on each side of the cable. A first conductor of the first conductor set is nearest the second conductor set, and a second conductor of the second conductor set is nearest the first conductor set. The first and second conductors have a spacing S and respective outer dimensions D1 and D2. S/Dmin is from 1.7 to 2. Dmin is the lesser of D1 and D2. |
| US09595362B2 |
Conductive polymer composition comprising a sulfo group-containing dopant polymer
The present invention provides a conductive polymer composite including a π-conjugated polymer and a dopant polymer which contains a repeating unit “a” represented by the following general formula (1) and has a weight-average molecular weight in the range of 1,000 to 500,000, wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; R2 represents a single bond, an ester group, or a linear, branched, or cyclic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms and optionally containing either or both of an ether group and an ester group; Z represents a single bond, a phenylene group, a naphthylene group, an ether group, or an ester group; and “a” is a number satisfying 0 |
| US09595358B2 |
Long-term storage device including a ventilated storage case intended to house a containment case containing radioactive materials
The invention relates to a long-term storage device (1) intended to receive a containment case (3) containing radioactive materials, where this device includes a main body (2) having an inner surface delimiting a housing (7).According to the invention, in an unloaded configuration, in which the containment case containing radioactive materials is absent from the storage device, the latter includes a storage case (9) delimiting a cavity (4) to receive the containment case, where the storage device also includes ventilation means allowing air to circulate between the exterior of the storage device and a space delimited between the inner surface of the main body and the storage case (9). |
| US09595357B2 |
Passive cooling system of nuclear power plant
A passive cooling system of a nuclear power plant includes a steam generator, a cooling water storage tank, a water cooling heat exchanger, an air cooling heat exchanger, a divergence valve, and a cooling tower. The steam generator generates steam by heat exchange with a primary coolant system, and the cooling water storage tank stores cooling water therein. The water cooling heat exchanger is disposed in the cooling water storage tank, and the air cooling heat exchanger is connected to the steam generator. The divergence valve is controllable to divert steam from the steam generator into both the water cooling heat exchanger and the air cooling heat exchanger. Each of the cooling water storage tank, the water cooling heat exchanger, and the air cooling heat exchanger are located in the cooling tower. |
| US09595356B2 |
Nuclear reactor oscillation power range monitor, and method and program therefor
According to one embodiment, reactor oscillation power ranges monitor includes: a receiving unit which receives LPRM signals; an exclusion processing unit which searches the LPRM signals allocated to the cell for an LPRM signal corresponding to an exceptional condition; an averaging unit which averages the allocated LPRM signals; a time averaging unit which calculates a time average of the average flux value; a normalized value calculation unit which divides the average flux value by the time averaged flux value; an initialization unit which outputs an initialization signal identifying the cell allocated to an LPRM signal which is changed to correspond or not correspond to the exceptional condition; and a determination unit which derives at least one of amplitude and cycle of a power oscillation from the normalized value. |
| US09595353B2 |
Resistance-based memory with auxiliary redundancy information
A data storage device includes a resistance-based memory. A method includes storing a codeword into a first set of storage elements of the resistance-based memory. The codeword represents data to be stored, and the codeword includes first redundancy information associated with the data. The method further includes storing auxiliary redundancy information into a second set of storage elements of the resistance-based memory. The auxiliary redundancy information is associated with the data. The method further includes discarding the auxiliary redundancy information from the second set of storage elements while retaining the first redundancy information at the first set of storage elements. |
| US09595349B2 |
Hardware apparatuses and methods to check data storage devices for transient faults
Methods and apparatuses relating to a hardware memory test unit to check a section of a data storage device for a transient fault before the data is stored in and/or loaded from the section of the data storage device are described. In one embodiment, an integrated circuit includes a hardware processor to operate on data in a section of a data storage device, and a memory test unit to check the section of the data storage device for a transient fault before the data is stored in the section of the data storage device, wherein the transient fault is to cause a machine check exception if accessed by the hardware processor. |
| US09595348B2 |
Memory circuit that updates and holds output signal based on fuse signal
A memory circuit includes: a control part configured to output a control signal; a fuse circuit which is driven by the control signal and is configured to output a fuse signal whose signal level is determined based on a state of a first fuse element; and a holding circuit configured to update and hold a signal based on the fuse signal in response to the control signal output from the control part and output the held signal as an output signal. |
| US09595347B2 |
Data retention monitoring using temperature history in solid state drives
Systems and methods for data retention manager in a solid state storage system utilizing temperature measurement mechanisms are disclosed. Background data scanning can provide an efficient way to monitor data health and can be used to determine whether data refreshing is needed or to prevent data retention from degrading beyond error correction capabilities. In certain embodiments, data scanning may be performed as a background process regularly, for example, every month. However, effects of temperature on data retention may not be adequately accounted for using such methods. Certain embodiments disclosed herein provide a numerical integral method for taking account the system temperature by using the acceleration factor for data retention. Embodiments disclosed herein may provide for accurate handling of data retention in view of complex device temperature history. |
| US09595345B2 |
Adaptive selective bit line pre-charge for current savings and fast programming
Techniques are provided for efficiently performing programming operations in a memory device. In particular, power consumption is reduced in sensing circuitry by avoiding pre-charging of bit lines for certain memory cells at certain times during a programming operation. One approach uses knowledge of the different phases of a programming operation to reduce the number of unnecessary bit line pre-charges. For example, during the lower program loop numbers of a programming operation, bit line pre-charging may occur for lower data states but not for higher data states. Similarly, during the higher program loop numbers, bit line pre-charging may occur for higher data states but not for lower data states. In another approach, which may or may not incorporate knowledge of the different phases of a programming operation, the setting of the bit line pre-charge can be updated at least once after it is initially set in the verify portion. |
| US09595344B2 |
Semiconductor memory device capable of shortening erase time
In a memory cell array, a plurality of memory cells connected to a plurality of word lines and a plurality of bit lines are arranged in a matrix. A control circuit controls the potentials of said plurality of word lines and said plurality of bit lines. In an erase operation, the control circuit erases an n number of memory cells (n is a natural number equal to or larger than 2) of said plurality of memory cells at the same time using a first erase voltage, carries out a verify operation using a first verify level, finds the number of cells k (k≦n) exceeding the first verify level, determines a second erase voltage according to the number k, and carries out an erase operation again using the second erase voltage. |
| US09595338B2 |
Utilizing NAND strings in dummy blocks for faster bit line precharge
In NAND Flash memory, bit line precharge/discharge times can be a main component in determining program, erase and read performance. In a conventional arrangement bit line levels are set by the sense amps and bit lines are discharged to a source line level is through the sense amplifier path. Under this arrangement, precharge/discharge times are dominated by the far-side (relative to the sense amps) based on the bit lines' RC constant. Reduction of bit line precharge/discharge times, therefore, improves NAND Flash performance and subsequently the overall system performance. To addresses this, an additional path is introduced between bit lines to the common source level through the use of dummy NAND strings. In an exemplary 3D-NAND (BiCS) based embodiment, the dummy NAND strings are taken from dummy blocks, where the dummy blocks can be placed throughout the array to evenly distribute the discharging current. |
| US09595336B2 |
Vertical gate stacked NAND and row decoder for erase operation
A three-dimensional integrated circuit non-volatile memory array includes a memory array with multiple vertical gate NAND memory cell strings formed in a different vertical layers over a substrate which share a common set of word lines, where different groupings of NAND memory cell strings formed between dedicated pairings of source line structures and bit line structures form separately erasable blocks which are addressed and erased by applying an erase voltage to the source line structure of the erase block being erased while applying a ground voltage to the other source line structures in the array and a high pass voltage to the bit line structures in the array. |
| US09595333B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device and programming method thereof
According to example embodiments, a nonvolatile memory device includes a plurality of cell strings on a horizontal semiconductor layer. Each of the cell strings including a plurality of memory cells stacked in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal semiconductor layer. According to example embodiments, a programming method of the nonvolatile memory device includes setting up bitlines corresponding the cell strings, setting up a plurality of string select lines connected to the cell strings, and applying a negative voltage lower to a ground select line. The ground select line is connected to a plurality of ground select transistors between the memory cells and the semiconductor layer. The string select lines extend in a direction intersecting the bitlines. The negative voltage is lower than a ground voltage. |
| US09595329B1 |
Non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) with backup control
A memory system has a first plurality of non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) cells. Each NVRAM cell has a volatile portion coupled to a corresponding non-volatile portion. A non-volatile indicator circuit provides information as to whether the first plurality of NVRAM cells has the most recent data written into NVRAM cells in the non-volatile portions. |
| US09595327B2 |
Variable resistance memory device and verify method thereof
A resistance variable memory has a controller configured to control a voltage to be applied to the memory cell. The controller has a reset operation to bring the memory cell into a reset state, a first operation to apply a set voltage between the first wire and the second wire, a second operation to determine whether a current flowing to the memory cell to be set exceeds a first threshold when a first reading voltage is applied between the first wire and the second wire, a third operation to determine whether a current flowing to the memory cell to be set exceeds a second threshold when a second reading voltage is applied between the first wire and the second wire, and a fourth operation to apply a second reset voltage, between the first wire and the second wire. |
| US09595323B1 |
Word line compensation for memory arrays
A method is provided for operating a non-volatile storage system that includes a plurality of bit lines, a word line comb including a plurality of word lines, and a plurality of memory elements, each memory element coupled between one of the bit lines and one of the word lines. The method includes receiving a current conducted by the word line comb, estimating a resistance of a conductive path between the word line comb and a selected word line voltage node, and generating a voltage at the selected word line voltage node based on the received current and the estimated resistance so that a voltage of the word line comb substantially equals a reference voltage. |
| US09595319B2 |
Partial/full array/block erase for 2D/3D hierarchical NAND
A novel 2D/3D hierarchical-BL NAND array with at least one plane on independent Psubstrate comprising a plurality of LG groups respectively associated with a plurality of local bit lines (LBLs) laid at a level below a plurality of broken or non-broken global bit lines (GBLs) connected to Page Buffer. Each LG group includes multiple blocks and connects an independent power supply line to each of the plurality of LBLs. Each block including N-bit 2D/3D NAND strings each with S cells connected in series and terminated by two string-select devices and coupled to a common source line. In particular, random-size partial-block WLs are selected from each block of randomly selected LG groups of one plane of the 2D/3D NAND array for erase at the same time with border WLs being optionally preread and program into another plane of the 2D/3D NAND array or optionally saved off-chip and wrote back for data security. |
| US09595318B2 |
Reduced level cell mode for non-volatile memory
Apparatuses, systems, methods, and computer program products are disclosed for reduced level cell solid-state storage. A method includes determining that an erase block of a non-volatile storage device is to operate in a reduced level cell (RLC) mode. The non-volatile storage device may be configured to store at least three bits of data per storage cell. A method includes instructing the non-volatile storage device to program first and second pages of the erase block with data. A method includes instructing the non-volatile storage device to program a third page of the erase block with a predefined data pattern. Programming of a predefined data pattern may be configured to adjust which abodes of the erase block are available to represent stored user data values. |
| US09595308B1 |
Multiple-die synchronous insertion delay measurement circuit and methods
Circuitry and methods are disclosed for accurately measuring a latency of a data path through multiple FIFO buffers on separate semiconductor dies. A base latency of each FIFO may be measured by measuring an average occupancy of the FIFO. The base latency of each FIFO may then be adjusted using quantities measured using the circuitry and methods disclosed herein. These quantities may include: the phase delay difference between FIFO read and write clocks; and the insertion delay for the FIFO read clock. Furthermore, an insertion delay difference of the sampling clock between the separate dies may be measured and used to adjust these quantities. Other embodiments and features are also disclosed. |
| US09595307B2 |
Volatile memory device and system-on-chip including the same
A volatile memory device includes a memory cell array configured to be supplied with a first power supply voltage through a first power supply line, and configured to store data based on the first power supply line; and a peripheral circuit configured to be supplied with a second power supply voltage through a second power supply line, and configured to control the memory cell array based on the second power supply line, the peripheral circuit including a self timing pulse circuit configured to determine an operation timing of the peripheral circuit, the self timing pulse circuit configured to be supplied with the first power supply voltage through the first power supply line, and the self timing pulse circuit being configured to adjust the operation timing of the peripheral circuit according to the voltage level of the first power supply voltage. |
| US09595305B1 |
Semiconductor devices
A semiconductor device may be provided. The semiconductor device may include a pre-charge pulse signal generation circuit configured to generate a pre-charge pulse signal based on the period control signal and a word line off signal. The enablement of the pre-charge pulse signal may be delayed based on the enablement of the word line off signal. |
| US09595298B2 |
Transforming data to create layouts
Concepts and technologies are described herein for transforming data to create layouts. In accordance with the concepts and technologies disclosed herein, a computing device can execute a layout generator. The computing device can be configured to receive or retrieve data that includes visual content such as an image and other content such as text. The computing device can analyze the visual content to identify a salient region and/or an invariant region within the visual content. The computing device can access designs for laying out visual content and other content based upon an identified salient region and/or invariant region. The computing device can evaluate the designs to determine if a design matches the data. The computing device can load the data into the selected design to generate the layout. |
| US09595296B2 |
Multi-stage production pipeline system
Multi-stage production pipeline system that may be utilized in conjunction with a motion picture project management system. The multi-stage production pipeline system includes a computer and a database. The database includes metadata associated with at least one shot or associated with regions within the plurality of images in the at least one shot, or both. The computer includes a grouping tool interface for presenting user interface elements and accepting input of the metadata associated with the at least one shot or regions within the plurality of images in the at least one shot, or both. The system enables a large studio workforce to work non-linearly on a film while maintaining a unified vision driven by key creative figures, allowing for more consistent, higher quality, faster, less expensive work product and more efficient project management techniques. The system also enables reuse of project files, masks and other production elements across projects. |
| US09595292B2 |
Image processing apparatus
An image processing apparatus includes a specifying unit and a processing unit. The specifying unit specifies an editing position in moving image data contained in a moving image file. The moving image file includes a first moving image file recorded in response to a plurality of recording instructions and a second moving image file recorded in response to a single recording instruction. The specifying unit changes the editing position to any positions corresponding to connection positions of the plurality of moving image data pieces according to a predetermined instruction when specifying the editing position in the first moving image file, and changes the editing position while using a predetermine number of frames in the moving image data contained in the second moving image file as a unit therefor according to the predetermined instruction when specifying the editing position in the second moving image file. The processing unit performs editing processing. |
| US09595290B2 |
Method of manufacturing fluid bearing apparatus and spindle motor including press working a cylindrical inner surface provided with a plating layer
A method of manufacturing a fluid bearing apparatus includes plating a metallic base material including a cylindrical base material inner circumferential surface, and pressing by bringing a contact portion of a pressing member into contact with a plating layer on the base material inner circumferential surface in the plating step. At least a portion of the pressing member including the contact portion has a Young's modulus equal to or greater than a Young's modulus of the base material. In the pressing step a surface of the plating layer is smoothened without causing a plastic deformation of the base material by bringing the pressing member into contact with the plating layer. |
| US09595289B2 |
Providing device-level functionality without altering instructions stored in device memory
Systems, methods, and machine-readable media provide device-level functionality without altering device memory. A non-transitory machine-readable medium can store a first set of instructions that are executed by the machine to provide device-level functionality unsupported by a second set of instructions stored in device memory associated with the machine without altering the second set of instructions stored in the device memory. For example, the machine can be an optical disc player and the medium can be an optical disc. |
| US09595285B2 |
Magnetic recording medium and magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus
According to one embodiment, a magnetic recording medium includes an orientation control layer formed on a non-magnetic substrate, the orientation control layer made of a Ni alloy or Ag alloy having fcc structure, a non-magnetic seed layer made of Ag, Ge, and a metal X selected from the group consisting of Al, Mg, Au, and Ti, a non-magnetic intermediate layer made of Ru or Ru alloy, and a magnetic recording layer. The orientation control layer is in contact with the non-magnetic seed layer. |
| US09595282B2 |
Magnetic recording medium having a L10-type ordered alloy
According to one embodiment, a magnetic medium includes a substrate, and a magnetic recording layer positioned above the substrate, the magnetic recording layer including an ordered alloy having a L10-type structure, where the ordered alloy comprises a plurality of ferromagnetic crystal grains surrounded by non-magnetic grain boundaries, and where the ordered alloy comprises Fe, Ni and Pt. |
| US09595279B1 |
Accelerating thermal decay of a harmonic-ratio reference track
A reference track written to a magnetic recording medium includes at least two harmonics that facilitate measuring a clearance between a read/write head and the recording medium. A magnetic field is applied to the reference track that accelerates a thermal decay of the reference track without erasing data of the reference track. |
| US09595277B2 |
Thermally assisted writer protrusion determination and control
Method and apparatus for controlling the fly height of a transducer. In some embodiments, a data pattern is written to a rotating data recording surface using a transducer having a write element, a read element and a thermal assist energy source. A first protrusion distance for the read element induced by operation of the energy source is determined responsive to first and second readback amplitudes obtained from the data pattern using different first and second power levels applied to the energy source. A second protrusion distance for the write element induced by the energy source is determined responsive to the first protrusion distance. |
| US09595276B2 |
Magnetic head and system having offset arrays
In one embodiment, an apparatus includes at least first and second modules, a mechanism for orienting the modules to control a transducer pitch presented to a tape, and a controller physically configured to determine a state of expansion of the tape based on a readback signal from the tape. Each of the modules have an array of transducers. The first and second modules are fixed relative to each other. The transducers of the first module are about aligned with the transducers of the second module in an intended direction of tape travel thereacross when longitudinal axes of the arrays are oriented at an angle greater than 0.2° relative to a line oriented perpendicular to the intended direction of tape travel. The controller is physically configured to control the mechanism for altering the angle of the modules away from the nominal angle based on the state of expansion of the tape. |
| US09595275B1 |
Reset of magnetic domains in write head via magnetic field from media
A method of removing a magnetic domain from a slider structure, such as a shield of a write head, in a storage assembly having a storage media. The method includes passing the slider structure in close proximity to a region on the storage media having a magnetic field sufficiently large to remove a magnetic domain in the slider structure. |
| US09595268B2 |
Method and a decoder for attenuation of signal regions reconstructed with low accuracy
The embodiments of the present invention improves conventional attenuation schemes by replacing constant attenuation with an adaptive attenuation scheme that allows more aggressive attenuation, without introducing audible change of signal frequency characteristics. |
| US09595267B2 |
Method and apparatus for decoding an audio signal
Method and apparatus for processing audio signals are provided. The method for decoding an audio signal includes extracting a downmix signal and spatial information from a received audio signal, generating surround converting information using the spatial information and rendering the downmix signal to generate a pseudo-surround signal in a previously set rendering domain, using the surround converting information. The apparatus for decoding an audio signal includes a demultiplexing part extracting a downmix signal and spatial information from a received audio signal, an information converting part generating surround converting information using the spatial information and a pseudo-surround generating part rendering the downmix signal to generate a pseudo-surround signal in a previous set rendering domain, using the surround converting information. |
| US09595264B2 |
Audio search using codec frames
To detect events in an audio stream, frames of an audio signal (e.g., frames generated by a codec for a voice call or music stream) are received. Based on information in the frames, an index is used to look up an entry in a table associated with the codec. Each entry in the table indicates a likelihood that a frame matches a sound model element. The likelihood is used in the search for a sound bite, word, and/or phrase in the audio signal. The process of dynamic programming is used to find the combined likelihood for a match of the word, phrase, and/or sound bite to a region of the audio stream. Upon detection of the word, phrase, and/or sound bite in the audio stream, an event is generated, such as, notifying a person or logging the event in a database. |
| US09595258B2 |
Context-based smartphone sensor logic
Methods employ sensors in portable devices (e.g., smartphones) both to sense content information (e.g., audio and imagery) and context information. Device processing is desirably dependent on both. For example, some embodiments activate certain processor intensive operations (e.g., content recognition) based on classification of sensed content and context. The context can control the location where information produced from such operations is stored, or control an alert signal indicating, e.g., that sensed speech is being transcribed. Some arrangements post sensor data collected by one device to a cloud repository, for access and processing by other devices. Multiple devices can collaborate in collecting and processing data, to exploit advantages each may have (e.g., in location, processing ability, social network resources, etc.). A great many other features and arrangements are also detailed. |
| US09595256B2 |
System and method for singing synthesis
A singing synthesis section for generating singing by integrating into one singing a plurality of vocals sung by a singer a plurality of times or vocals of which parts that he/she does not like are sung again. A music audio signal playback section plays back the music audio signal from a signal portion or its immediately preceding signal corresponding to a character in the lyrics when the character displayed on the display screen is selected by a character selecting section. An estimation and analysis data storing section automatically aligns the lyrics with the vocal, decomposes the vocal into three elements, pitch, power, and timber, and stores them. A data selecting section allows the user to select each of the three elements for respective time periods of phonemes. The data editing section modifies the time periods of the three elements in alignment with the modified time periods of the phonemes. |
| US09595255B2 |
Single interface for local and remote speech synthesis
Features are disclosed for providing a consistent interface for local and distributed text to speech (TTS) systems. Some portions of the TTS system, such as voices and TTS engine components, may be installed on a client device, and some may be present on a remote system accessible via a network link. Determinations can be made regarding which TTS system components to implement on the client device and which to implement on the remote server. The consistent interface facilitates connecting to or otherwise employing the TTS system through use of the same methods and techniques regardless of the which TTS system configuration is implemented. |
| US09595253B2 |
Active noise reduction system, and vehicular active noise reduction system
A vehicular active noise reduction system includes a first microphone and first speaker disposed in a front-seat space, a second microphone and second speaker disposed in a back-seat space, and an active noise reduction device that performs control to output cancellation sound, to reduce noise in a cabin, from the first speaker and second speaker. When generating a first composite audio, the active noise reduction device removes audio components belonging to a frequency band relating to a second cancellation sound from audio collected by the first microphone, and when generating a second composite audio, removes audio components belonging to a frequency band relating to a first cancellation sound from audio collected by the second microphone. |
| US09595252B2 |
Noise reduction audio reproducing device and noise reduction audio reproducing method
A noise reduction audio reproducing method includes the steps of: generating, from an audio signal of collected and obtained noise, an audio signal for noise cancellation to cancel the noise by synthesizing the audio signal for noise cancellation and the noise in an acoustic manner, reproducing the audio signal for noise cancellation acoustically to synthesize this with the noise in an acoustic manner; emphasizing an audio component to be listened to, of collected audio; synthesizing an audio signal with the audio component to be listened to being emphasized, and the audio signal for noise cancellation to supply the synthesized signal thereof to an electro-acoustic converting unit; and controlling so as to supply an audio signal, with the audio component to be listened to having been emphasized, to a synthesizing unit, regarding only a section based on a control signal. |
| US09595251B2 |
Sound placement of comfort zones
Various exemplary embodiments relate to a device for noise cancelling using a method of updating a noise cancelling distribution area. The device may include: a memory; a processor configured to: measure a location of a user's head; measure an acoustic environment surrounding the user; determine active noise reduction controller configuration parameters for a noise cancelling distribution area; generate at least one active noise reduction control from the active noise reduction controller configuration parameters; and apply the at least one active noise reduction control creating the noise cancelling distribution area in a region around the user's head or ear. |
| US09595250B2 |
Handheld vibration control device for musical instruments
A handheld device for controlling a vibration of a resonant musical member of a musical instrument includes a handheld housing; at least one transducer on the housing that is configured to sense a proximity and/or vibration of a resonant musical member and output an actuating vibratory electromagnetic force based on the vibration of the resonant musical member; and a haptic component on the housing that is configured to output a tactile feedback responsive to a location and/or vibration of a resonant musical member. |
| US09595246B2 |
Adjustable brass valve
An adjustable valve for a musical instrument, such as a trumpet, allows valve alignment to be adjusted without removing the valve from the instrument. The adjustable valve fits and looks like a standard valve. Rotation of a finger button of the valve causes an upper portion of an adjustable stem to rotate with respect to a lower portion of the adjustable stem that is threadably coupled to the upper portion, resulting in control over the length of the adjustable stem. Increasing or decreasing the length of the adjustable stem changes the alignment of the valve piston within the valve tube. Control over piston alignment is achieved by rotating the finger button, and thus is achieved without the need to remove the valve from the instrument. |
| US09595244B2 |
Musical instrument
A stringed musical instrument includes a string which, when vibrated, produces sound. Both ends of the vibrating portion of the string touch glass. |
| US09595239B2 |
Color display calibration system
A display calibration system may be used to calibrate a display. The display calibration system may have an image sensor that captures images of the display. An electrically controllable tunable filter such as an electrically tunable liquid crystal birefringence cell filter may be used to produce various wavelength-dependent filter characteristics in accordance with a variety of different filter settings. Control circuitry in the display calibration system may be used to adjust the filter to implement one or more color matching functions or to produce other desired filter characteristics for the display calibration system. The image sensor may measure light emitted from the display while the control circuitry is adjusting the filter. The control circuitry may then process the measured light to produce calibration data for the display. The calibration data may be loaded into the display by the control circuitry to calibrate the display. |
| US09595238B2 |
Electronic device, cover for electronic device, and method of performing a function in an electronic device
An electronic device, a cover of the electronic device, and a method of performing a function in the electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a display unit configured to display information and a controller configured to detect whether a display screen is covered with one or more parts a cover covering the display unit, and to perform a predetermined function if the display screen is covered with the one or more parts of the cover. Another embodiment may be implemented at any amount. |
| US09595237B2 |
Head-mounted display apparatus for retaining a portable electronic device with display
Head-mounted display systems and methods of operation that allow users to couple and decouple a portable electronic device such as a handheld portable electronic device with a separate head-mounted device (e.g., temporarily integrates the separate devices into a single unit) are disclosed. The portable electronic may be physically coupled to the head-mounted device such that the portable electronic device can be worn on the user's head. The portable electronic device may be operatively coupled to the head-mounted device such that the portable electronic device and head mounted device can communicate and operate with one another. Each device may be allowed to extend its features and/or services to the other device for the purpose of enhancing, increasing and/or eliminating redundant functions between the head-mounted device and the portable electronic device. |