| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09661215B2 |
System and method for controlling a camera based on processing an image captured by other camera
A device comprises a first digital camera having a first center line of sight and a second digital camera having a second center line of sight that is parallel and opposing the first camera. A method for controlling the first camera based on estimating the angular deviation between a person gaze direction and the line of sight of the first digital camera. A human face is detected in an image captured as an image file by the second digital camera, using a face detection algorithm. An angular deviation α is estimated, defined between the second center line of sight and an imaginary line from the second camera to the detected human face based on the captured image, and an angular deviation β is estimated, defined between the imaginary line from the second camera to the detected face and the human face gaze direction based on the captured image. |
| US09661211B2 |
Image capture apparatus and method for controlling the same
Disclosed are an image capture apparatus that includes an image sensor capable of acquiring parallax images, and calculates the amount of parallax while reducing the amount of data that is to be transmitted or recorded, and a method for controlling the same. The image capture apparatus less frequently outputs a second image signal than a first image signal, wherein the first image signal is generated based on all of the photoelectric signals of the plurality of photoelectric conversion units of each pixel, and wherein the second image signal is generated based on at least one of but not all of the photoelectric signals. |
| US09661210B2 |
Image pickup device and image pickup apparatus
An image pickup device includes a pixel section in which image pixels and phase difference pixels are arranged in a matrix shape, an image-signal generating section that stores pixel signals outputted from the pixel section in a memory section for one or more rows of unit rows, which are rows of unit pixels configured by a plurality of pixels adjacent to each other, combines, for each of the unit rows, the pixel signals of the unit pixels as combined pixel signals, and extracts phase difference pixel signals from the unit row, and an image-signal readout section that reads out, as signals of one row, the combined pixel signals and the phase difference pixel signals of one unit row generated by the image-signal generating section. |
| US09661207B2 |
Front-pivot, motorized pan-tilt camera
Various embodiments provide for a front-pivot, pan-tilt-zoom camera designed to fit into an opening formed in a chain-link fence to enable video recording and photography of activities through the narrow opening in the fence. In some embodiments, the camera can be mounted to the chain-link fence and allow remote operation of the motorized pan and tilt control as well as zoom, focus, exposure and other common camera features. The pan and tilt mechanism pivots the imaging device in the camera around an axis of rotation in front of the imaging device which allows the field of view of the imaging device to be changed while remaining inserted into the fence opening. |
| US09661204B2 |
Image capturing apparatus and control method thereof
An image capturing apparatus comprises: a first image sensor configured to photo-electrically convert a subject image and output an image signal; a first image processing unit configured to develop a first image signal generated by the first image sensor; a second image processing unit configured to reduce a number of pixels in the first image signal and develop the image signal whose pixels have been reduced as a second image signal; a recording unit configured to record an image signal; and a display unit having a lower pixel count than the pixel count of the first image sensor, wherein in the case where an instruction to capture a still image has been made, the recording unit records the image signal developed by the first image processing unit and the display unit displays the image signal developed by the second image processing unit. |
| US09661203B2 |
Lens driving device and camera module having a preventing structure for an inroad of foreign objects
A camera module includes a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) mounted with an image sensor, and a holder member arranged at an upper surface of the PCB and mounted with a plurality of magnets. The camera module also includes a bobbin movably mounted from an inner side of the holder member to a direction of an optical axis and installed at a periphery with a coil unit to enable an electromagnetic interaction with the magnets, and a lug protrusively formed from a floor surface of bobbin to a direction of external diameter of bobbin to overlap with the floor surface of the holder member for a predetermined section. |
| US09661200B2 |
Auxiliary optical components for mobile devices
In some embodiments, an auxiliary optical device for a mobile electronic device has a mounting component that is configured to be selectively attachable and detachable from the mobile electronic device. The mounting component is configured to be coupled to and decoupled from a mobile electronic device using an anchor that is inserted into a port of the mobile electronic device. In some embodiments, the auxiliary optical device attaches to the mobile electronic device by clamping or otherwise contracting or squeezing upon a portion of the mobile electronic device. In further embodiments, the auxiliary optical device is configured to be attached to wearable devices, such as eyewear that includes an onboard camera lens. |
| US09661199B2 |
Imaging apparatus and electronic device which can be reduced in height
There is provided an imaging apparatus including: a lens group including one or more lens elements; and an image sensor having a light-receiving surface onto which an image of an object is formed by the lens group. The light-receiving surface of the image sensor is curved concavely toward the lens group. A distance from a lens surface closest to the light-receiving surface of the lens group to the light-receiving surface is a half or more of a distance from a lens surface closest to the object of the lens group to the light-receiving surface. |
| US09661197B2 |
Quick-release ball-and-socket joint camera mount
A camera mounting system has an upper mount component, a lower mount component, and a base mount component. The upper mount component secures the camera and has a ball protrusion that reciprocally couples with a socket of the lower mount component. The upper mount component can rotate 360 degrees relative to the lower mount, and can pivot 90 degrees or more relative to the lower mount component. The lower mount component couples with the base mount component in a plurality of orientations. This camera mounting system allows for a large range of motion for the camera relative to the mounting system. |
| US09661188B2 |
Image processing apparatus and method of controlling the same
In an image processing apparatus for encoding image data and a method of controlling the same, whether an attribute of each of a plurality of areas in image data corresponds to an edge in an image based on the image data is determined, and one of a plurality of sub-sampling processes is selected according to the determination for each of the plurality of areas. Note that the plurality of sub-sampling processes can sub-sample color difference components of each of the plurality of areas by different processes. By the sub-sampling process selected as that corresponding to each of the plurality of areas, each of the plurality of areas is sub-sampled to encode the image data. |
| US09661187B1 |
Color gamut mapping method based on color gamut of source image
A color gamut mapping method based on a color gamut of a source image is disclosed. The method comprises: (a) inputting a source image, measuring a grayscale value of each of color sub-pixels corresponding to each pixel point; (b) determining multiple preset target pixel points on the source image based on the grayscale value of each of the color sub-pixels; (c) calculating multiple coordinate values in an uniform chromaticity space corresponding to each of the multiple preset target pixel points; (d) determining a color gamut of the source image based on the multiple coordinate values; (e) extracting a color gamut boundary of a target device to obtain a color gamut; and (f) performing a color gamut mapping between the source image and the target device. In a transfer and reproduce process of image colors, the loss is reduced, gamut mapping effect is better, and effectively reduce the amount of calculation. |
| US09661186B1 |
System and method for rendering gloss effect image patterns on a recording medium
Gloss effect image patterns are created by creating a solid color background and overprinting the solid color background with the glossmark. In creating the glossmark, a background base of an electronic image region is painted with a solid color corresponding to a color of a marking material; using a first electronic pattern ink, a background of the electronic image region is painted without knocking out the solid color of the background base of the electronic image region; and using a second electronic pattern ink, a foreground in the electronic image region is painted without knocking out the solid color of the background base of the electronic image region such that a pattern in the rendered image area is only visible when a predetermined angle between an observer's viewing angle and an angle of illuminating the rendered recording medium by an illumination source is realized. |
| US09661185B2 |
Apparatus that produces guidance display for login, control method of the apparatus, and storage medium
In the case where a user in the login state exists, the control unit: controls, on a condition that the multi-login is set to be ineffective, the guidance display unit to turn its light off regardless of whether or not a person is detected by the human sensor; and controls, on a condition that the multi-login is set to be effective, the guidance display unit to turn its light on when a person is detected by the human sensor and controls the guidance display unit to turn its light off when that no person is detected by the human sensor. |
| US09661184B2 |
Data processing system and data processing method for authenticating user by utilizing user list obtained from service providing apparatus
A data processing system includes a data processing apparatus providing a service to a service using apparatus and the service using apparatus that includes an authentication requesting unit that requests the data processing apparatus to authenticate the user by user specifying data input via an input screen, an obtaining unit that obtains, when the user is successfully authenticated, association data associated with the user specifying data from the data processing apparatus to store in a storage unit, and an accepting unit that displays, when the association data is stored in the storage unit, a user list of users specified from the association data in the input screen, reads out, upon a selection of a user from the user list, a part of the user specifying data from the association data corresponding to the selected user, and accepts an input of information except the read out part from the input screen. |
| US09661177B2 |
Photoelectric conversion element, image reading device, image forming apparatus, and photoelectric conversion method
Multiple photodetectors that photoelectric convert incident light to output a pixel signal; multiple analog/digital (A/D) convertors that A/D convert a plurality of pixel signals that are output by the photodetectors in parallel in a plurality of systems; a retaining unit that retains the pixel signals A/D converted in parallel by the A/D convertors in an aligned manner in one direction, to be arranged in reading order from a first pixel signal to a final pixel signal; and multiple transfer units that transfer the pixel signals arranged and retained by the retaining unit, sequentially from the first pixel signal from a first-pixel-signal retaining position toward a final-pixel signal retaining position of the retaining unit are included. |
| US09661172B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method and storage medium with separate device driver installation and application registration processing
There is provided an information processing apparatus that can reliably associate a device driver with an application even without updating the device driver itself. To achieve this, the information processing apparatus is provided with a registration unit capable of registering and updating association information between information for managing a device and a predetermined application regardless of whether a device driver is installed. This allows management by separating installation of a device driver from registration processing of an application. |
| US09661171B2 |
Information processing system, information processing apparatus, and information processing method for providing application information
An information processing apparatus connectable to a device includes: an acquiring unit to acquire, from the device, a display request including destination information indicating a country or an area where the device is used and indicating information for requesting an application list screen for providing an application; a specifying unit to specify, based on application compatibility information in which application identification information identifying an application available for the device is associated with the destination information, the application identification information associated with the destination information included in the display request; and a first transmitting unit to transmit, to the device, the application list screen for providing the application identified by the application identification information. The device includes: a second transmitting unit to transmit the display request to the apparatus; a receiving unit to receive the application list screen from the apparatus; and a display controller to display the application list screen. |
| US09661170B2 |
Image forming system that appropriately permits interrupt print, and recording medium
An image forming system includes a print device, a print job accepting circuit, an interrupt permission circuit, and a distance acquisition circuit. The interrupt permission circuit permits the interrupt print with a count of paper sheets equal to or less than a count of printable sheets printed by the print device within an interruptible time that ensures execution of the interrupt print, within an acceptable extension time by which an extension of completion time of the interrupted print job is accepted. The interrupt permission circuit calculates the acceptable extension time based on a remaining count of printed sheets of the print job to be interrupted. The interrupt permission circuit calculates the interruptible time by at least reducing an arrival time taken to arrive at the printer for the requester arrives at the print device based on a distance acquired by the distance acquisition circuit from the acceptable extension time. |
| US09661169B2 |
Electric power supplying device and image processing apparatus
An electric power supplying device includes a main power supply that supplies electric power to each component of an apparatus, an auxiliary power supply that supplies electric power to an assisted component in the apparatus, the assisted component requiring power supply during start-up time of the apparatus and having a whose start-up time being equal to or longer than a predetermined period of time, a discharging control circuit that controls the auxiliary power supply to cause the auxiliary power supply to output a voltage, the output voltage being lower than a voltage output by the main power supply and being equal to or more than a lower limit voltage of a voltage range that the assisted component is operable, and a power supply prevention circuit that prevents the auxiliary power supply from supplying power to a component other than the assisted component in the apparatus. |
| US09661167B2 |
Communication apparatus configured to perform non-contact communication with external device
A communication controller controls non-contact communication with an external device via an antenna while at least one of first and second power is supplied. A first circuit electrically connects a first power supply to a communication node. A second circuit electrically connects a second power supply to the communication node. The first circuit includes a first electrical component configured to prevent second power from being supplied to a particular target electrically connected to the first power supply while the second power is supplied to the communication node. The communication controller communicates with the communication node in a certain data communication method while the second power is supplied to the communication node. In response to reception of electric power from the external device via the antenna, the second power supply supplies the second power to the communication controller, and supplies the second power to the communication node through the second circuit. |
| US09661166B2 |
Image processing apparatus, region detection method and computer-readable, non-transitory medium
An image processing apparatus includes a color component image generator for extracting a particular color component from an input image to generate a color component image, an expanded-color-component image generator for expanding particular pixels in the color component image to generate an expanded-color-component image, an edge pixel extractor for extracting edge pixels from the expanded-color-component image, and a document region detector for detecting a document region from the edge pixels. |
| US09661165B2 |
Image forming apparatus with playback mode, display method for an operation screen, and computer program
An image forming apparatus includes a display and a touch panel, and is provided with a normal mode in which processing is performed every time operation is performed with the touch panel and a play back mode in which processing is performed on the basis of recording of the operation, and the image forming apparatus includes a controller configured to determine a gesture represented by a series of touch events, store gesture log data and touch event log data to a storage unit, and determine display control processing. In the normal mode, the display control processing is determined on the basis of the gesture or an object. In the play back mode, the display control processing is determined on the basis of the gesture log data or the touch event log data. The determined display control processing is executed. |
| US09661164B2 |
Operation guiding apparatus and operation guiding method
A guidance apparatus comprises: an operation section configured to receive an operation from a user; a first detection section configured to detect a user in front of the operation section; a confirmation processing section configured to confirm the existence of a user operating the operation section according to the detection result of the first detection section; a determination processing section configured to determine whether or not the operation section receives an operation from the user within a certain period of time after the confirmation processing section confirms the existence of the user; and a guidance information output section configured to output guidance information for guiding the user in operating the operation section if the determination processing section determines that the operation section receives no operation from the user. |
| US09661163B1 |
Machine learning based system and method for improving false alert triggering in web based device management applications
Methods, systems, and processor-readable media for remotely providing a device status alert. In an example embodiment, data indicative of the status of one or more devices can be subject to an HMM (Hidden Markov Model) and a dynamic programming algorithm to determine the latent state of the device (or devices). A status alert model can be trained based on such data and can be expanded with respect to a wide range of devices including utilizing semi-supervised learning. The alert status model can then be integrated into a device management application that provides a status alert regarding one or more of such devices based on the status alert model. |
| US09661159B2 |
Information processing device, and method and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium for the same
An information processing device may display a first image indicating a storage area. The information processing device may display a second image in response to receiving a first specific operation performed on the first image. The information processing device may receive a second specific operation for selecting the second image. The information processing device may receive first path information in response to receiving the second specific operation The first path information may indicate a location of the storage area. The information processing device may send the first execution instruction to the image processing device, in the case that the second specific operation is received. The information processing device may receive scan data from the image processing device. The information processing device may store a data file of the received scan data in the storage area designated by the first path information. |
| US09661152B2 |
Policy decision method, charging device, and system
A policy decision method is provided, including receiving, by a policy and charging rules function (PCRF) device, a first user policy request for a first user sent by a gateway device, determining, by the PCRF device, that the first user and a second user share a usage quota, and the second user is an owner user of the usage quota, acquiring, by the PCRF device, a current second user counter status of a second user counter of the second user, and generating, by the PCRF device, a first user control policy according to the current second user counter status and sending the first user control policy to the gateway device. The present invention can implement sharing of accumulated data among users, reduces processing pressure of the charging system, and decreases a performance loss of the charging system. |
| US09661149B2 |
Telephony systems using cloud computing for interconnecting businesses and customers
A multi-tiered communication system for provisioning a cloud computing system to host a media server. The system includes a data center including one or more Interactive Voice Recognition (IVR) functions that are configured for use with a caller who initiates contact with the data center. The system also includes a media server implemented in a cloud computing system. The media server is configured to route an incoming call from one subscriber to another, or in the case of a caller to the data center, to route one or more IVR messages to the caller and to connect the caller with an agent for real-time communication. |
| US09661147B2 |
Method, system and apparatus for intelligently handling a request for a communication session
According to embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a method, system and apparatus for handling a request for a communication session. The method comprises receiving, at a processing time, a request for a communication session, the request comprising a destination network identifier, the destination network identifier having been registered in association with a plurality of communication clients; the request having been originated by an originating party associated with an originating identifier. The method further comprises identifying, based on at least one of the originating network identifier and the processing time, a subset of the plurality of communication clients. The method further comprises delivering the request to the subset of the plurality of communication clients. |
| US09661144B2 |
Method and apparatus for priority summing of group auditory data
A first group auditory data stream, from a transmitting subscriber device of a first group of subscriber devices or from a dispatch console and intended for the first group of subscriber devices, is received at a conference server. A second group auditory data stream from a transmitting subscriber device of a second group of subscriber devices is similarly received. The conference server determines a relative priority level of one of (i) the first group of subscriber devices relative to the second group of subscriber devices and (ii) the first group auditory data stream relative to the second group auditory data stream, and sets different relative signal gains of the first group auditory data stream and the second group auditory data stream as a function of the determined relative priority level. The two auditory data streams are then summed and forwarded towards the second group of subscriber devices. |
| US09661142B2 |
Method and system for providing conferencing services
An approach is provided for supporting multi-media conferencing. Textual information (e.g., text associated with a presentation) is received for display during a conference session to multiple participants. For a particular participant, configuration information corresponding to the participant specifies language assistance for the textual information. Language assistance involves augmenting the textual information according to the configuration information for comprehension of the textual information by the particular participant. In one embodiment, the augmented textual information includes language translation of the textual information. Additionally, the augmented textual information can encompass definitions of terms, including acronyms. The augmented textual information is forwarded for display to the participant during the conference session. |
| US09661141B1 |
Managing agent login to multiple conference call bridges
A method, a computer readable medium, and a system for managing agent login to multiple bridges are provided. The method comprises reserving at least one bridge for at least one agent, creating a first queue for the at least one bridge, the first queue comprising the at least one agent, monitoring efficiency of the at least one bridge, determining if a need for a first bridge of the at least one bridge is high, creating a second queue for the first bridge of the at least one bridge if the need for the first bridge of the at least one bridge is high, assigning at least one agent from the first queue to the second queue, and moving the at least one agent up in the second queue. |
| US09661140B2 |
Method and a module for shifting a call established through a first application server in order to route it through a second application server
A method for shifting an original call established between a first user device (1) and at least a correspondent device (2) through a first application server (3) in order to route it through a second application server (4), the method comprising—instructing the first application server (1) to forward the original call through the second application server (4) to the first user device (1) upon receiving the application server shift instruction, the first application server being instructed to establish a three-way conference communication between the first user device (1), the correspondent device (2) and the second application server (4) in order to forward the original call from the first application server (3) to the second application server (4); —determining that an incoming call routed from the second application server (4) to the first user device (1) has an identification information matches identification information of the original call; —causing the first user device (1) to pick-up the incoming call routed from the second application server (4) to the first user device (1) and instructing to release the call branch between the first application server (3) and the first user device (1) upon determining that the identification information matches. |
| US09661136B2 |
Mobile device having function of controlling call connection in lock mode by using voice signal
The present invention relates to a mobile device having a function of controlling a call connection in a lock mode by using a voice signal. The mobile device includes: a keypad 110 which allows a user to input an execution command for setting a specific function or for performing a specific function; a controller 130 which performs a corresponding operation in accordance with the execution command input to the keypad 110, a preset internal function, or an execution command applied from the outside; a microphone 140 which allow the user to input a voice command under the control of the controller 130; a memory 160 stores at least one preset reference command under the control of the controller 130 and stores the voice command input through the microphone 140 under the control of the controller 130; an LED 180 which represents an operation state of the mobile device under the control of the controller 130; a wireless transceiver 190 which performs a voice call or a data communication between a transmitting terminal and a receiving mobile device; and a speaker 195 which outputs a specific operation state or a user's voice signal under the control of the controller 130. When the receiving mobile device receives an incoming call from any transmitting terminal in a lock mode, the controller 130 converts automatically the mobile device into a voice input mode for a predetermined period of time, and when it is determined that a specific voice command input by the user of the receiving mobile device in the voice input mode is successfully recognized by the receiving mobile device, the controller 130 controls the wireless transceiver 190 to control a call connection between the transmitting terminal and the receiving mobile device. |
| US09661134B2 |
Systems and methods for IP and VoIP device location determination
A method and system for precise position determination of general Internet Protocol (IP) network-connected devices. A method enables use of remote intelligence located at strategic network points to distribute relevant assistance data to IP devices with embedded receivers. Assistance is tailored to provide physical timing, frequency and real time signal status data using general broadband communication protocols. Relevant assistance data enables several complementary forms of signal processing gain critical to acquire and measure weakened or distorted in-building Global Navigation Satellite Services (GNSS) signals and to ultimately extract corresponding pseudo-range time components. A method to assemble sets of GNSS measurements that are observed over long periods of time while using standard satellite navigation methods, and once compiled, convert using standard methods each pseudo-range into usable path distances used to calculate a precise geographic position to a known degree of accuracy. |
| US09661129B2 |
Methods, systems, and products for providing social alerts
Ring tones and other alerts are processed based on social networks. A person's contact information, as an example, may be associated with a social network. Each different social network may also have its own custom ringtone or other alert. Calls, texts, and other electronic messages may thus processed with the alert of the social network. |
| US09661127B1 |
Locking-out a driver handheld mobile device during driving of a vehicle for texting and browsing
Lock-out mechanisms for driver handheld mobile devices are provided to prevent operation of one or more functions of handheld mobile devices by drivers when operating vehicles based on device location data and device motion data within a vehicle by wirelessly communicating with at least one wireless station access point located inside of the vehicle. The lock-out mechanisms disable the ability of a handheld mobile device to perform certain functions, such as texting or browsing, while one is driving. In one embodiment, a handheld mobile device may provide a lock-out mechanism without requiring any modifications or additions to a vehicle by using a motion analyzer, a mobile device position locator and a lock-out mechanism. In other embodiments, the handheld mobile device may provide a lock-out mechanism with modifications or additions to the vehicle, including the use of wireless signals transmitted by the vehicle or by a wireless station access point disposed within the vehicle. |
| US09661126B2 |
Driving distraction reduction system and method
A processor-implemented system for automatically controlling the functionality of a mobile device of a driver while driving so as to reduce driving distractions related to the mobile device. The system detects driving and automatically enters a driving mode when driving is detected. The driving mode implements an alternate user interface (UI) that limits interactions with the mobile device in accord with predetermined restrictions. The driving mode can be configured to automatically screen incoming calls and texts while suppressing potentially-distracting notifications. The system implements a PIN-based mechanism that ensures user compliance while enabling an opt-out feature usable under controlled circumstances. |
| US09661124B2 |
Communication device, communication control device, program, and communication control method
There is provided a communication device including a display control unit configured to, in a case where information on a plurality of parameters is provided, use the provided information and control display of a screen for deciding values of the plurality of parameters, the plurality of parameters each indicating user's request with respect to a radio communication service and depending on each other, and an acquisition unit configured to acquire the decided values of the plurality of parameters. The acquired values of the plurality of parameters are used for changing control of the radio communication service. |
| US09661121B2 |
Intuitive way to point, access, and control appliances and other objects in building interiors
A user equipment (UE) device pointed at an appliance to be controlled, or at an object that is to be accessed or about which information needs to retrieved, determines its position and orientation within an environment with respect to a fixed frame of reference. The appliance to be controlled is identified based on a determined position and orientation of the UE device and a known position of the appliance. The UE device controls the identified appliance by establishing a wireless communication link between the identified appliance and UE device based on a wireless technology that is compliant with both the appliance and the UE device. The UE device may control another appliance via a central control computer server to which the other appliance is interfaced, when the other appliance is not configured for wireless communication. |
| US09661120B1 |
Auto-configuration and automation of a building management system
A building management system is disclosed that is automatically configured using a wireless mesh network data and sensor data to create a virtual floor plan. The building management system comprising a control processor, a plurality of lighting devices, and a plurality of control devices comprising lighting control devices, each directly controlling one or more of the lighting devices. The control devices intercommunicate with each other over a wireless network, and each control device comprises a light sensor detecting light intensity. The control processor creates the mesh graph of relative positioning of the control devices to each other using received wireless signal strengths of the control devices relative to each other. The control processor determines relative positioning of the lighting devices to the control devices using the mesh graph and received light intensity readings obtained by the light sensors of the control devices when each lighting device was turned on and off. The virtual floor plan comprises the relative positioning of the control devices to each other, the relative positioning of the control devices to the lighting devices, and room-by-room groupings of the plurality of control devices and the lighting devices. |
| US09661116B1 |
Card-receptible semiautomatic slide case for mobile phone
The present disclosure relates to a semiautomatic slide case for a mobile phone, which is capable of being semi-automatically slid by applying a slidable hook to a card-receptible mobile phone slide case to open and close a card receiving space. |
| US09661112B2 |
System and methods for providing server virtualization assistance
An improved system and method for network switching that provides the ability to automatically and seamlessly migrate policies for network hosts under certain conditions to local or remote switch ports. The improved switch automatically migrates switch policies for virtual and physical hosts from a source port to a destination port when hosts have been physically moved or replaced. For elements that have failed, the improved switch also migrates host network policies for both physical hosts and virtual machines when the old host network policy will maintain serviceability of the element when applied to the new port. |
| US09661107B2 |
Data transmitting apparatus, data receiving apparatus, data transceiving system, data transmitting method, data receiving method and data transceiving method configured to distinguish packets
A data transmitting apparatus includes a packet generator which generates a plurality of packets regarding multi-channel audio sample data and transmitter which transmits the plurality of generated packets to a data receiving apparatus. Each of the plurality of packets includes an identifier field to distinguish a position or an order of the packets. |
| US09661106B2 |
Uploading and transcoding media files
In one embodiment, a method includes by a host computing server, receiving from a client computing device, a request to upload a multimedia file from the client computing device to a service; by the host computing server, identifying one or more third-party transcoding servers, wherein the transcoding servers are configured to receive and transcode multimedia files from client computing devices and store the transcoded multimedia files; by the host computing server, sending to the client computing device, a reply that comprises addresses of the third-party transcoding servers and job configuration information, wherein the job configuration information specifies one or more upload policies and comprises an access token enabling the client computing device to access the transcoding servers. |
| US09661104B2 |
Method and apparatus for receiving presentation metadata
Method and devices for a client device to receive a presentation streamed via HTTP. The client device receives a first segment of the presentation, the first segment including presentation metadata related to a first presentation description of the presentation. The client device sends a request based at least in part on a portion of the presentation metadata related to the first presentation description. |
| US09661100B2 |
Podcasts in personalized content streams
Software on a content-aggregation website obtains a resource associated with a podcast from a website publishing the podcast and stores it e resource on the content-aggregation website. The software adds the resource as a leaf node to a taxonomy generated by the content-aggregation website. The addition is based on data associated with the podcast. The non-leaf nodes in the taxonomy are categories of content. The software determines that a user of the content-aggregation website is qualified as to at least one category that includes the resource as a leaf node. The determination is based at least in part on feedback from the user that includes a viewing or listening history for the user. Then the software serves the resource to the user in a content stream published by the content-aggregation website, based at least in part on a personalization score associated with the resource. |
| US09661094B2 |
Systems and methods for identifying a processor from a plurality of processors to provide symmetrical request and response processing
Described herein is a method and system for distributing request and responses across a multi-core system. Each core executes a packet engine that further processes data packets allocated to that core. A flow distributor executing within the multi-core system forwards client requests to a packet engine on a core that is selected based on a value generated when a hash is applied to a tuple comprising a client IP address, a client port, a server IP address and a server port identified in the request. The packet engine selects a first IP address and a first port of the core, and determines whether a hash of a tuple comprising those values identifies the selected core. A modification is then made to the client request so that the client request includes a tuple comprising the first IP address, the server IP address, the first port and the server port. |
| US09661093B2 |
Device control profile for a fabric network
Methods, systems, and instructions for remotely controlling devices using device control profiles are described herein. The device control profile may include resetting configuration data in a remote device, arming and disarming failsafes on remote devices, or enabling and disabling connection monitoring links to maintain an active connection between remote devices. |
| US09661092B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing presence information
A system and method for a user to send presence information to authorized contacts in her device's address book and to receive the presence information of those contacts in her device's address book that have authorized her. A user can authorize any contact in her address book. Optionally, a user can only authorize a contact and be authorized by a contact if she is in that contact's address book. A local application on the device interacts with and displays the device's address book, manages the authorization of contacts, updates the user's presence, and receives and displays the presence of contacts. The local application updates the user's presence manually, semi-automatically, or automatically. Semi-automatic updates involve synchronizing with the device's calendar. Automatic updates may involve the use of location data, the device's built-in sensors, and augmented reality. |
| US09661091B2 |
Presence-based content control
Presence based content access control techniques are described in which presence of users is used as a basis for enforcing content restrictions. In an implementation, applications are registered to receive feedback regarding users' presence in relation to a presentation of content via a computing device. The presence of users is recognized independently of authentication of the users to access user accounts. For example, an imaging sensor such as camera may be employed for recognition of multiple users engaged with the computing device. In addition or alternatively, presence devices associated with users such as badges, key fobs, or access cards may be detected to ascertain the presence of users. Feedback indicative of the one or more users that are recognized may then be supplied to the registered applications. The feedback enables the applications to control the presentation of content by enforcing content restrictions and/or taking other presence based actions. |
| US09661090B2 |
Connection invitation ordering
Disclosed in some examples are methods, systems, and machine-readable mediums which provide a relevance engine for determining a relevance of an individual (either a non-member or another member) to another individual (either a non-member or another member). This relevance engine may use signals in the form of data that the social networking service may learn about the individuals to determine how relevant the individuals are to each other. Example applications may include ordering of connection invitations in a social networking service. |
| US09661088B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining user browsing behavior
A computer implemented method and an apparatus for determining user browsing behavior are provided. One or more web pages corresponding to a web domain are configured by associating the one or more web pages with tags. A control file is downloaded on a user device when a first web page access by a user to a tagged web page from among the one or more tagged web pages is detected. The control file facilitates recording of user activity related to a web domain on one or more tabs of a web browser associated with the user device. Recorded user activity corresponding to at least one web browsing session is received and user browsing behavior is determined based on the recorded user activity. |
| US09661087B1 |
Notifying users that were early consumers of popular media content
Systems and methods are provided for notifying a user regarding early consumption of a popular content item. In one or more aspects, a system includes an identification component configured to identify a user that was among a first X percentage of users to access a content item that is ranked as a popular content item based in part on total number of times the content item was previously accessed, a notification generation component configured to generate a notification identifying the user as being among the first X percentage of users to access the popular content item, and a notification posting component configured to send the notification to a device or an account of the user. |
| US09661083B1 |
Efficient notification protocol through firewalls
A first computing device sends a plurality of request messages to a second computing device that is outside a firewall associated with the first computing device, each request message of the plurality of request messages comprising a request for the second computing device to send a response message to the first computing device after a time period specified in the request message. The first computing device determines a timeout period of the firewall based on one or more response messages that are received responsive to the plurality of request messages. The first computing device sends or receives an additional message to or from the second computing device within the timeout period to prevent the firewall from blocking future messages from the second computing device. |
| US09661082B2 |
Token related apparatuses for deep packet inspection and policy handling
A method of handling packets sent across a packet switched network comprising a policy server acting as a policy and charging rules function. The method comprises providing a first set of policy rules at said policy server, and installing these from the policy server into an access gateway over a first service control session. These policy rules cause packets belonging to a given IP session to be diverted by the access gateway to a network address translator. At the network address translator, an IP source address of said packets is translated into a translated IP source address identifying a deep packet inspection node. The network address translator forwards the packets to the deep packet inspection node configured to perform deep packet inspection of IP packet. |
| US09661080B2 |
Systems and methods for smart device networking with an endpoint and a bridge
A system for smart device networking includes an endpoint that enables communication with a connected device, a bridge that communicates with the endpoint over a PAN and relays PAN communications to a WAN, and a router that connects to the bridge through the WAN and routes communication to and from the endpoint. |
| US09661079B2 |
Apparatus and method for providing a common interface for multiple wireless communication protocols
A method includes receiving data from multiple wireless field devices using multiple wireless communication protocols. The method also includes normalizing the data from the wireless field devices using one or more templates associated with the wireless field devices. The method further includes transmitting the normalized data in a unified format. The method could also include generating the one or more templates using device description (DD) files associated with the wireless field devices. Each template may provide, for one wireless field device or type of wireless field device, (i) an indication of a type of data provided by the wireless field device or type of wireless field device, (ii) a range of data provided by the wireless field device or type of wireless field device, and (iii) how to normalize data from the wireless field device or type of wireless field device into the unified format. |
| US09661076B2 |
Concurrently uploading multimedia objects and associating metadata with the multimedia objects
In one embodiment, a first computing device receives a first user input selecting a set of multimedia objects stored on the first computing device, and initiates upload of the set of multimedia objects to a second computing device. While the upload is in progress, a second user input is concurrently received selecting a subset of the set of multimedia objects, and a third user input is concurrently received comprising metadata, and the metadata is associated with one or more multimedia objects from the subset of multimedia objects. |
| US09661074B2 |
Updating de-duplication tracking data for a dispersed storage network
A method begins by a dispersed storage (DS) processing module of a dispersed storage network (DSN) determining whether a change has occurred to a data object of a set of data objects. When a change has occurred, the method continues with the DS processing module accessing de-duplication tracking data for the set of data objects. When the change is deletion of an identified data object of the set of data objects, the method continues with the DS processing module determining whether the identified data object is the only data object in the set of data objects. When the identified data object is not the only data object in the set of data objects, the method continues with the DS processing module updating the linking information to delete linking the identified data object to addressing information. |
| US09661071B2 |
Apparatus, systems and methods for deployment and management of distributed computing systems and applications
Embodiments of apparatus, systems and methods facilitate the running a distributed computing application on at least one of a plurality of cloud infrastructures. In some embodiments, the processor implemented method comprises: deriving an infrastructure independent representation of the distributed computing application; and running the distributed computing application on one of a plurality of cloud infrastructures by utilizing a cloud-specific implementation of the infrastructure independent representation of the distributed computing application. The cloud-specific implementation of the infrastructure independent representation corresponds to the cloud infrastructure on which the distributed application is run. |
| US09661068B2 |
Systems, methods, and computer readable media for sharing environment information
Systems, methods, and computer readable media for sharing awareness information are provided. A non-aware electronic device can require awareness information including, for example, information about its environment or information about its status within its environment, in order to perform a particular device operation. When the non-aware device lacks an awareness component for detecting the required type of awareness information, the non-aware device can establish a communications path with an aware device that includes such an appropriate awareness component. The aware device can share the required type of awareness information as captured by its awareness component with the non-aware device. The distance between the non-aware device and the aware device can be less than a threshold distance to ensure that the shared awareness information is relevant to the non-aware device. |
| US09661066B2 |
System and method for address based locations
Techniques are provided for identifying a locations of application users based on originating address. Techniques to generate a set of address-to-location mappings include a system configured to receive information about a plurality of location-known requests that originated from an address, wherein the information indicates a plurality of locations for the originating address. The system is further configured to identify a geographical area based, at least in part, on the plurality of distinct locations; map the geographical area to a corresponding geographical locality; and associate the address to the geographical area and the corresponding geographical locality generating an address-to-location mapping. Address-to-location mappings may be further clustered into address-range-to-location mappings and stored as a data pack. Using these techniques, location information may be determined for a received location-unknown request that originated from a particular address. |
| US09661063B2 |
Automated integration of content from multiple information stores using a mobile communication device
A system, device and method are provided for merging information from a plurality of network sources using a mobile device capable. The mobile device receives data of a first type from a first network source, then merges the received data with data of a different type stored at the mobile device to create a merged data set, the merging including matching an identifier associated with the received data against an identifier associated with the stored data. The merged data set is then merged with a data record at a different network source, this merging including matching an identifier associated with the merged data set against an identifier associated with the data record. |
| US09661062B2 |
Information-processing system, information-processing device, storage medium, and information-processing method
An exemplary information-processing device includes: an execution unit configured to execute a process relating to an application program selected from among a plurality of application programs; and a display control unit configured to control a display unit to display information indicated by at least one item of data obtained via a network from the storage unit that stores a plurality of items of data during loading of the application program or data used in the application program. |
| US09661061B2 |
Information processing apparatus, remote control communication device, and control method
There is provided an information processing apparatus including: an operating system (OS) processor configured to process information by using an OS; and a remote control communication device configured to operate independently from the OS, the remote control communication device including: communication module configured to receive data from an external network, a storage module configured to store therein the reception data received by the communication module, a communication controller configured to transmit, to the OS processor, the reception data received by the communication module and control the storage module so that the storage module stores therein the reception data, an extract module configured to extract, from the reception data stored in the storage module, remote-control data to be processed in the remote control communication device, and a processor configured to control the OS processor, based on the remote-control data extracted by the extract module. |
| US09661057B2 |
Transmission management system, transmission system, and recording medium
A transmission management system includes a destination name data managing unit which manages a plurality of destination name data items which indicate a plurality of names of a destination in communications between transmission terminals, a destination name data reading unit which reads a destination name data item from the plurality of destination name data items managed by the destination name data managing unit, and a destination name data transmitting unit which transmits the destination name data item read by the destination name data reading unit to a transmission terminal capable of communicating with the destination. |
| US09661047B2 |
Method and system for central utilization of remotely generated large media data streams despite network bandwidth limitations
A computerized method for integrating media streams from a multiplicity of media systems over at least one network into a single media product at high media technical quality, the method comprising the steps of, at certain media systems from among the multiplicity thereof: a. Generating a low volume (LV) media stream representation from a high volume media stream, where the low volume stream's bit-rate is different from the high volume stream's bit-rate; b. streaming the low volume media stream to a content generation center via a data communication network; c. Maintaining high volume local data as a high volume media stream in a storage medium coupled to at least one of the media systems; and d. maintaining mapping information between the low volume stream and the high volume local data for enabling access to media portions in the high volume media stream storage, which correspond based on LV stream time. |
| US09661043B2 |
Packet rate control and related systems for interactive music systems
Packet rate control methods and related systems are disclosed for interactive music systems. In certain embodiments, an interactive music client system combines captured audio data from audio inputs with audio input data from one or more peer interactive music client systems within an interactive music session and outputs the combined audio data to an audio output subsystem. The interactive music client system further determines performance parameters associated with the interactive music sessions and adjusts audio input/output packets based upon the performance parameters. The performance parameters can include, for example, session packet rates or other parameters. Adjustments can include aggregating audio frames, reducing packet rates, and adjusting audio frames within a jitter queue receive buffer. The jitter queue receive buffer, for example, can be adjusted so that is contents are reduced towards zero and/or to zero within a predetermined time duration. Other variations can also be implemented. |
| US09661042B2 |
Data share system, data process apparatus, and computer-readable recording medium
A data process apparatus for sharing shared data among plural data process apparatuses participating in an event. The data process apparatus includes a participation notification reception unit configured to receive a participation notification from each of the plural data process apparatus including first and second data process apparatuses in the event, a notifying unit configured to notify the second data process apparatus to the first data process apparatus as a data obtain target from which the shared data is to be obtained. The second data process apparatus is a data process apparatus from which the participation notification has already been received by the participation notification reception unit. |
| US09661041B2 |
Virtual conference manager
A method of using mobile devices of participants of a meeting to facilitate a meeting is disclosed. It is identified that a group of two or more people are conducting the meeting. Information about the group of the two or more people is collected based on a relevance of the information to a context of the meeting. At least a portion of the information is transmitted for presentation in a user interface of a mobile device of each member of the group to facilitate the meeting. |
| US09661038B2 |
Method and system for application security evaluation
A system and method may be used in generating security profiles for mobile device applications. An application may be installed and executed in a controlled execution environment. Physical, functional, data and/or communications parameters of the executing application may be monitored and/or analyzed. In this regard, the analysis may comprise evaluation based on comparison against benchmark data for the specific type of application being executed and for the specific execution environment. A security profile may be generated based on the monitoring and/or analysis. In this regard, the security profile may include security classification information for the application. The security profile may be made available to servers and/or to user mobile devices. |
| US09661036B2 |
Method and apparatus for configuring IP multimedia subsystem network elements
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a method for receiving initial filter criteria from a home subscriber server, transmitting information obtained from the initial filter criteria to a domain name system, receiving a multicast IP address from the domain name system, and transmitting a message to a plurality of IP multimedia subsystem network elements according to the multicast IP address. The message can be used for configuring the plurality of IP multimedia subsystem network elements. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US09661034B2 |
Apparatus and method for computer controlled call processing applications for skills-based routing in packet switched telephone networks
A method is presented comprising transmitting, from an application computer communicably connected to a call controller which is connected to a data network, packetized messages indicative of telephone calls in progress at an endpoint of the data network, or indicative of such endpoint, and transmitting, from the call controller to the application computer, packetized messages indicative of a variety of information contained in, or relevant to, the telephone calls so as to process such information for a variety of applications. Apparatus to implement the method is also presented. |
| US09661028B2 |
Method, apparatus, and system for disaster recovery of IMS
A method, apparatus, and system for disaster recovery of an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) are provided. The method includes: triggering a redundant Call Session Control Function (CSCF); obtaining, by the redundant CSCF, user backup data of registered IMS Private User Identities (IMPIs) that are associated with IMPUs and user service configuration data of IMS Public User Identities (IMPUs) in an IMS subscription from a network storage entity of a user; and recovering, by the redundant CSCF, a corresponding service according to the obtained user backup data of the registered IMPIs and user service configuration data of the IMPUs in the IMS subscription. With the present invention, the one-IMPU multi-IMPI, one-IMPI multi-IMPU, or multi-IMPI multi-IMPU service can be recovered, and this enables the user to have better service continuity experiences. |
| US09661025B2 |
Method and apparatus for identifying and detecting threats to an enterprise or e-commerce system
Methods and apparatuses for identifying and detecting threats to an enterprise or e-commerce system are disclosed, including grouping log lines belonging to one or more log line parameters from one or more enterprise or e-commerce system data sources and/or from incoming data traffic to the enterprise or e-commerce system; extracting one or more features from the grouped log lines into one or more features tables; using one or more statistical models on the one or more features tables to identify statistical outliers; labeling the statistical outliers to create one or more labeled features tables; using the one or more labeled features tables to create one or more rules for identifying threats to the enterprise or e-commerce system; and using the one or more rules on incoming enterprise or e-commerce system data traffic to detect threats to the enterprise or e-commerce system. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09661019B2 |
System and method for distributed denial of service identification and prevention
Systems and methods for discovery and classification of denial of service attacks in a distributed computing system may employ local agents on nodes thereof to detect resource-related events. An information later agent may determine if events indicate attacks, perform clustering analysis to determine if they represent known or unknown attack patterns, classify the attacks, and initiate appropriate responses to prevent and/or mitigate the attack, including sending warnings and/or modifying resource pool(s). The information layer agent may consult a knowledge base comprising information associated with known attack patterns, including state-action mappings. An attack tree model and an overlay network (over which detection and/or response messages may be sent) may be constructed for the distributed system. They may be dynamically modified in response to changes in system configuration, state, and/or workload. Reinforcement learning may be applied to the tuning of attack detection and classification techniques and to the identification of appropriate responses. |
| US09661018B1 |
System and method for detecting anomalous behaviors using a virtual machine environment
A network device for detecting malware is described. The network device features a memory storage device and a controller. The controller operating in cooperation with one or more virtual machines that are based on software modules stored within the memory storage device. The controller is configured to (i) monitor behaviors of at least a first virtual machine of the one or more virtual machines processing data received over a network, (ii) identify at least one anomalous behavior that includes either a communication anomaly or an execution anomaly, and (iii) detect, based on the identified at least one anomalous behavior, a presence of malware in the first virtual machine in response to identifying the at least one anomalous behavior. |
| US09661017B2 |
System and method for malware and network reputation correlation
A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes receiving a reputation value based on a hash of a file making a network connection and on a network address of a remote end of the network connection. The network connection may be blocked if the reputation value indicates the hash or the network address is associated with malicious activity. In more specific embodiments, the method may also include sending a query to a threat analysis host to request the reputation value. Additionally or alternatively the reputation value may be based on query patterns in particular embodiments. In yet more specific embodiments, the network connection may be an inbound connection and/or an outbound connection, and the reputation value may be based on a file reputation associated with the hash and a connection reputation associated with the network address of the remote end of the network connection. |
| US09661011B1 |
Techniques for data routing and management using risk classification and data sampling
Techniques described and suggested herein include various systems and methods for determining risk levels associated with transiting data, and routing portions of the data in accordance with the determined risk levels. For example, a risk analyzer may apply risk classifiers to transiting data to determine overall risk levels of some or all of the transiting data. A traffic router may route transiting data according to determined risk profiles for the data. A sandbox may be implemented to compare, for a given input, expected and observed outputs for a subset of transiting data, so as to determine risk profiles associated with at least the subset. |
| US09661009B1 |
Network-based malware detection
In an embodiment, a system, device and method for detecting a malicious attack is described. Herein, the system includes a security network device that conducts an analysis on received network traffic to detect a suspicious object associated with the network traffic and determine an identifier associated with a source of the suspicious object. Both information associated with the suspicious object and ancillary data, including information that identifies a return path for analysis results to a customer, are uploaded to a detection cloud. The detection cloud includes provisioning logic and one or more virtual machines that are provisioned by the provisioning logic in accordance with at least a portion of the ancillary data. The provisioning logic to customize functionality of the detection cloud for a specific customer. |
| US09661008B2 |
Network monitoring apparatus, network monitoring method, and network monitoring program
A network monitoring apparatus includes a log collecting unit and a log analyzing unit. The log collecting unit collects log information related to passing packets from at least one of a FW and a proxy server, which are included in a network, for packets transferred in the network. The log analyzing unit extracts log information satisfying a predetermined condition in a predetermined time period by analyzing, over time, the log information collected by the log collecting unit. |
| US09661005B2 |
Security level and status exchange between TCP/UDP client(s) and server(s) for secure transactions
According to one embodiment, a system includes a processor and logic integrated with and/or executable by the processor, the logic being configured to identify a security issue affecting a first peer in one or more secure transmission control protocol/user datagram protocol (TCR/UDP) sessions, inform a second peer about the security issue using the first peer of the one or more TCP/UDP sessions, and perform at least one action in response to identifying and/or being informed about the security issue. In another embodiment, a method for providing a secure TCP/UDP session includes identifying a security issue affecting a first peer in one or more TCP/UDP sessions, informing a second peer about the security issue using the first peer of the one or more TCP/UDP sessions, and performing at least one action in response to identifying and/or being informed about the security issue. |
| US09661003B2 |
System and method for forensic cyber adversary profiling, attribution and attack identification
A system and method is provided for identifying and analyzing cyber-attacks and profiling adversaries responsible for such attacks. The system and method allows for the quantitative measurement of adversary attack behavior. The system and method is able to extract quantitative data from raw attack data and compare the quantitative data to a database of quantifiable metrics associated with known adversaries. This allows for the possible linking of a cyber-attack to a known adversary or known adversary behavior. |
| US09661002B2 |
Method for user authentication using DNSSEC
This invention leverages DNSSEC to makes post-password technologies work against endpoints across the globe, rather than solely within company walls. It describes a system by which DS records are encoded in NS names, which traverse well from the customer to the registry. This invention also proposes a series of steps through which DNSSEC can be explored as a useful solution to real world problems. By creating and further developing a mirror of the real DNS, which grows by combination of true DNS record information with specially synthesized authentication keys, DNSSEC scales, providing greater security and less risk of corrupting or erroneous online material. This same technology also evaluates user activity to create a database of statistics regarding automated activity, as compared to human activity. This database assists in identification and prevention, or at least mitigation, of potential future attacks on any given client by automated bot-driven activity. |
| US09660998B1 |
Secure proxy
Methods and systems are provided herein to enable secure proxying of network traffic between trusted and untrusted environments. In particular, a secure proxy may be provided that includes a set of policies. The policies may be applicable to various network protocol layers (e.g., an application layer), network traffic types, and/or endpoint resolution. The set of policies may be used to inspect, restrict and/or modify traffic between the trusted and untrusted environment to ensure data and network security. A proxy device may use the set of policies, for example, to obtain current service-related information (such as the list of IP addresses) currently associated with a computing resource requested by an application. Such endpoint information may be used, in turn, to update a white list. |
| US09660994B2 |
SCADA intrusion detection systems
According to one aspect, a SCADA system is provided. The SCADA system includes a network interface configured to communicate data with a plurality of industrial control devices via an industrial control system (ICS) network. The SCADA system further includes a memory storing SCADA configuration information including ICS network configuration information and device information descriptive of each industrial control device of the plurality of industrial control devices and at least one processor in data communication with the memory and the network interface. The SCADA system also includes an intrusion detection component executable by the at least one processor and configured to read the SCADA configuration information, generate, from the SCADA configuration information, authorized communication information descriptive of one or more expected communication types of communications authorized for transmission via the ICS network. |
| US09660993B2 |
Event reporting and handling
Particular embodiments may receive and log information related to one or more events occurring on one or more client computing devices associated with a user. An event may comprise a restriction of a user action on a social-networking system, the restriction comprising the social-networking system blocking the user from performing the user action. An event may comprise a login issue associated with logging in to the social-networking system. An event may comprise a system or device error. System errors may comprise events originating from a third-party system. For each event, an indication of the event and at least one user-activatable reference may be provided for display to the user. A control action may then be determined for the event in response to a user selection of the user-activatable reference. An interface may provide third parties with a view of a user's events as well as functionality to effect control actions. |
| US09660991B2 |
Relational encryption
A method includes receiving biometric data, the biometric data non-uniformly distributed and processing the biometric data to a level of randomness as a plaintext vector, the level of randomness associated with a security level. The method also includes encrypting the plaintext vector using a relational linearity encryption scheme to generate a linearity ciphertext representative of the plaintext vector, encrypting the plaintext vector using a relational proximity encryption scheme to generate a proximity ciphertext representative of the plaintext vector, and communicating the linearity ciphertext and the proximity ciphertext to an authentication server. The method further includes receiving from the authentication server an authentication signal for the security level indicative of a linearity relationship between the linearity ciphertext and a registration linearity ciphertext discovered using a relational linearity key and of a proximity relationship between the proximity ciphertext and a registration proximity ciphertext detected using a relational proximity key. |
| US09660987B2 |
Storage isolation using I/O authentication
Techniques are described for logically isolating data I/O requests from different operating systems (OSes) for a same multi-tenant storage system (MTSS). Techniques provide for OSes and the MTSS to obtain security tokens associated with the OSes. In an embodiment, an OS uses a security token to generate an authentication token based on the contents of a data input/output (I/O) request and sends the authentication token to the MTSS along with the data I/O request. When an MTSS receives such data I/O request, MTSS retrieves its own copy of the security token associated with the OS and generates its own authentication token based on the contents of the received data I/O request. If the authentication token generated by the MTSS matches the authentication token generated by the OS, then the data I/O request is successfully authenticated. Otherwise, if the authorization tokens fail to match, then the data I/O request has been compromised. For example, either the contents of data I/O request has been tampered with, or an entity other than the OS, has sent the data I/O request in the first place. Accordingly, the data I/O request may not be serviced by the MTSS. |
| US09660985B2 |
Service authorization using auxiliary device
Implementations of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for service authorization. A server terminal device may receive user authentication information that is stored on the auxiliary device for user authentication associated with an authentication device. Based on the user authentication information, the server terminal device may then determine whether the authentication device meets the authentication condition. The implementations further relate to methods and systems for requesting service authorization. |
| US09660981B2 |
Strong authentication method
The present invention relates to a method of authenticating, with an authentication server, a user having at his disposal a calculator storing at least one unique identifier specific to the calculator and one first secret key (KO) and calculating a non-invertible function (H); the method comprising: •reception of the unique identifier by the authentication server, which sends an item of information (challenge) and an action code; •reception by the authentication server of three results of the non-invertible function, •the first result (R0) depending on at least one item of data specific to a unique or quasi-unique element of the calculator (SN); •the second result (RT) depending on a Turing test, conditioned to the action code, carried out by the user; and •the third result (R1) depending on a second secret key (K1); •authentication of the user if all four of the unique identifier and the first, second and third results are valid. |
| US09660977B2 |
Restricted certificate enrollment for unknown devices in hotspot networks
A network access system, e.g. a network hotspot, requires a mobile network access device, e.g. a smart phone or WiFi only device, to provide a network access standard designation and/or a device identification datum to gain access to network services. The network access standard designation may be provided by the mobile network access device to an online signup server via a EKU_key_purpose field of a PKCS10 certificate signing request. The device identification datum may be provided to the OSU via a subject field of the signing request. The OSU may require that the device identification datum be the same as a device identification datum provided by the mobile network access device prior to the mobile network access device requesting a signed network access certificate. |
| US09660976B2 |
System and method for providing modifications to an offline virtual asset
A system and method for providing modifications to an offline virtual asset is provided. A virtual asset is identified within a virtual environment and stored on offline storage media. The certificate of authenticity includes a digest of the virtual asset and a digital signature by an asset authority. Proposed changes are maintained to the offline virtual asset, which is authenticated via the certificate of authenticity. Each of the proposed changes is evaluated and only the proposed changes to the offline virtual asset that are determined to be satisfactory based on the evaluation are accepted. |
| US09660974B2 |
Fingerprint based authentication for single sign on
A device fingerprinting system provides an additional factor of authentication. A user device may be redirected, along with user ID parameters, to authentication system. The user device may be sent instructions to execute that collect and send back device characteristic information to the authentication system. The authentication can create a unique fingerprint of the device, and determine if the fingerprint has been seen before. If seen before, the authentication system may send back an authentication token indicating the additional factor of authentication was a success. If the fingerprint has not been seen previously, the authentication system may conduct a one-time password authentication as the additional factor. If successful, the fingerprint may be stored in association with the user device for future authentication as an additional factor. |
| US09660972B1 |
Protection from data security threats
A credential, such as a password, for an entity is used to generate multiple keys. The generated keys are distributed to credential verification systems to enable the credential verification systems to perform authentication operations. The keys are generated such that access to a generated key allows for authentication with a proper subset of the credential verification systems. Thus, unauthorized access to information used by one authentication system does not, by itself, allow for successful authentication with other authentication systems. |
| US09660965B2 |
Obtaining a control word to reveal a client device identity
The invention provides for a solution enabling obtaining a control word in the client. The client device has a unique binary identification. An input transformed control word is mapped from an input transform domain to an output transform domain to thereby obtain an output transformed control word by successively applying a transformation function to the input transformed control word using each compound of seeds from the set successively as an input to the successive transformation functions. Each of the successive transformation functions is one of a regular transformation function, a first special transformation function and a second special transformation function. The obtained control word can be used to decrypt one of two copies of a part of content data. The copy that can be decrypted contains a watermark representing either a binary “0” or a binary “1” and represents a bit of the unique binary identification of the client device. |
| US09660961B2 |
Virtual desktop accelerator with enhanced bandwidth usage
In particular embodiments, a method includes receiving a request for a signature verification. In response to the request, signature data is encrypted. A first data size associated with the signature data is determined. A second data size associated with data of a data packet is determined. The method includes comparing the sum of the first data size and the second data size to a pre-determined data size. When the sum is less than or equal to the pre-determined data size, the encrypted signature data is included in the data packet; and the data packet is transmitted over a network. |
| US09660960B2 |
Real-time reconfigurable web application firewall for a distributed platform
Some embodiments provide reconfigurable web application firewall (WAF) functionality across a distributed platform. Specifically, the WAF function at each distributed platform server is customizable on a per customer and per inbound message basis. When a server receives an inbound message, the server identities the content or services of which specific customer are implicated by the inbound message. The server screens the inbound message for attacks using a first set of rules and policies defined as part of a production profile from a WAF instance defined by the specific customer while contemporaneously testing the inbound message against a second set of rules and polices defined as part of an audit profile from the same WAF instance. In this manner, the specific customer tests the audit profile rules and policies while still receiving the protections of the production profile rules and policies. |
| US09660958B2 |
Filtering hidden data embedded in media files
Systems and methods for filtering unsafe content at a network security appliance are provided. According to one embodiment, a network security appliance captures network traffic and extracts a media file from the network traffic. The network security appliance then determines the presence of a hidden data item embedded in the media file in a machine-readable form. When such a hidden data item is identified, the network security appliance performs one or more actions on the media file based on a predefined security policy. |
| US09660956B2 |
Wireless extension of broadband access
Wireless extension of a wired network through the use of strand-mounted access nodes. In some aspects, private network addresses may be assigned to wireless devices, and corresponding data traffic may be routed to a centralized management/provisioning platform for further network access. |
| US09660954B2 |
VOIP routing based on RTP server-to-server routing
A system and method of providing VoIP services by using multiple Real-time Transport Protocol servers (RTP) servers for transmitting VoIP data between user endpoints. The RTP servers are selected based on the network addresses of the respective endpoints according to the network topology. Traffic mirroring is established among the selected RTP servers. Each RTP server is responsible for transmitting the VoIP data representing the video/audio signals received at its associated endpoint to another RTP server which then relays the VoIP data to another endpoint. Further, routing optimization can be performed to select a network route between the selected RTP servers for RTP data transmission. |
| US09660952B2 |
Computer readable non-transitory medium, electronic mail information output method and electronic mail information output device
A computer readable, non-transitory medium storing a program that causes a computer to execute a process, the process includes: storing identification information and information of a plurality of users of an electronic mail sent to the plurality of the users in a storage unit when receiving the electronic mail; determining whether a new electronic mail has a correlation with the electronic mail sent to the plurality of the users of which identification information is stored in the storage unit when receiving the new electronic mail; outputting information reporting receipt of the new electronic mail to at least one of the users included in the addresses of the electronic mail sent to the plurality of the addresses with reference to the storage unit when it is determined that the new electronic mail has the correlation with the electronic mail sent to the plurality of the users. |
| US09660947B1 |
Method and apparatus for filtering undesirable content based on anti-tags
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates filtering undesirable content based on anti-tags. During operation, the system receives items of content. Next, the system receives an anti-tag, wherein an anti-tag describes content that a user has elected not to receive. The system then analyzes the items of content to identify one-or-more undesirable items of content that satisfy the anti-tag. Next, the system filters the one-or-more undesirable items of content from the items of content. Finally, the system presents the filtered items of content to the user. |
| US09660940B2 |
Methods and apparatus for flow control associated with a switch fabric
In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a flow control module configured to receive a first data packet from an output queue of a stage of a multi-stage switch at a first rate when an available capacity of the output queue crosses a first threshold. The flow control module is configured to receive a second data packet from the output queue of the stage of the multi-stage switch at a second rate when the available capacity of the output queue crosses a second threshold. The flow control module configured to send a flow control signal to an edge device of the multi-stage switch from which the first data packet or the second data packet entered the multi-stage switch. |
| US09660935B2 |
Server management connections
Systems, methods, and logic are provided for providing a server management network internal to a computing device. Providing a server management network internal to a computing device can include connecting each of a plurality of network interface controllers (NICs) in the computing device to a limited layer network device in the computing device via mutually isolated connections. Furthermore, providing a server management network internal to a computing device can include connecting the limited layer network device to a server management chip in the computing device via a connection isolated from the NICs. |
| US09660929B1 |
System, method, and computer program for segregated policy decision making in the context of network function virtualization orchestration in a communication network
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for segregated policy decision making in the context of network function virtualization orchestration in a communication network. In use, at least one orchestration task is identified to be performed by a Network Function Virtualization Orchestrator (NFV-O) associated with a communication network. Additionally, the at least one orchestration task is assigned to be performed by a network service planning module, the network service planning module functioning to assure the at least one orchestration task is acceptable based on an orchestration template. Further, a policy decision module is queried with contextual information associated with the at least one orchestration task, the policy decision module functioning to assure one or more business goals are considered based on the contextual information. |
| US09660928B2 |
Allocation of GPU resources across multiple clients
Methods, apparatuses and systems directed to hosting, on a computer system, a plurality of application instances, each application instance corresponding to a remote client application; maintaining a network connection to each of the remote client applications for which an application instance is hosted; allocating resources of a graphics processing unit of the computer system between at least two of the remote client applications; concurrently rendering, utilizing the resources of the graphics processing unit of the computer system, the graphical output of the application instances corresponding to the at least two of the remote client applications; and transmitting the rendered graphical output to the at least two of the remote client applications over the respective network connections. |
| US09660925B2 |
Method and apparatus for implementing scheduling in Ping process
Provided are a method and apparatus for implementing scheduling in a Ping process. An MAC layer of an eNB learns about the traffic of UE, determines whether the UE is carrying out Ping according to a learning result, determines a period of sending a data packet by the UE when determining that the UE is carrying out Ping and carries out pre-scheduling according to the period. According to the technology of implementing scheduling in the Ping process in the present disclosure, a high layer can report the traffic statistic to the MAC layer; and the MAC layer learns continuously based on a set learning period so as to judge whether the UE is carrying out Ping, and determines the period of sending a data packet by the UE when determining that the UE is carrying out Ping to predict the coming of a next data packet for the Ping and carry out pre-scheduling, thereby saving the time of sending an SR by the UE; in this way, the time delay for the Ping is considered, moreover, the technology can be used in the network all the time and do not affect the traffic of a system. |
| US09660919B2 |
Adaptive data connection retry by a wireless communication device
A method for adaptive data connection retry by a wireless communication device is provided. The method can include detecting a failed attempt by the wireless communication device to establish a data connection for an application. The method can further include selecting a data retry pattern having a predefined association with the application from a set of predefined data retry patterns. The set of predefined data retry patterns can be defined based at least in part on application usage data collected by a network entity from wireless communication devices. The method can additionally include retrying data connection establishment in accordance with the selected data retry pattern. |
| US09660918B1 |
Reducing wireless communication signaling overhead
In systems and methods of reducing wireless communication signaling overhead, it is determined that communication resource request traffic from a plurality of wireless devices in communication with an access node to communicate with a communication network meets a first threshold. One of the plurality of wireless devices is selected to operate as a router wireless device based on a power storage level and an assigned modulation and coding scheme of each of the plurality of wireless devices. At least one of the unselected wireless devices is instructed to communicate with the communication network via the selected router wireless device. |
| US09660913B2 |
Network packet broker
A network packet broker comprising a plurality of source ports for receiving incoming data packets, a plurality of destination ports for transmitting outgoing data packets, a switch chip arranged to direct incoming data packets from a source port to a destination port based on a configurable set of rules, and a port for receiving a configuration model from a user interface. The configuration model comprises a set of maps and a set of filters, each map specifying at least one source port and at least one destination port, and each filter specifying a condition under which a packet of interest may pass the filter. A rule generator is provided to convert the configuration model into a set of rules for configuring the switch chip. The rule generator is arranged to convert a plurality of maps into a set of rules which the switch chip can implement in one pass. |
| US09660912B2 |
Control of packet transfer through a multipath session comprising a single congestion window
A method for controlling a packet transfer through a multipath session is disclosed. The method comprises a number of n paths linking a first endpoint to a second endpoint, n being an integer greater or equal to 2, i being an integer and 1≦i≦n; each path Pi being defined by a couple of addresses of a communication interface of the first and second endpoint; the first endpoint being configured for sending the packet to the second endpoint through anyone of the paths; the second endpoint being configured for sending an acknowledgment message through anyone of the paths when the second endpoint received a packet. According to the invention, the method involves, at the first endpoint and at a time t, steps of: assessing a load distribution L |
| US09660910B2 |
Integrated switch for dynamic orchestration of traffic
A network element within a data center comprises a switch adapted to receive a data packet, a server in communication with the switch, and a switching engine in the switch. The switching engine may be configured to modify policy header information in the data packet to direct the packet to the server. The server may be configured to modify the policy header information while the data packet is in the server to return the data packet to said switch. |
| US09660905B2 |
Service chain policy for distributed gateways in virtual overlay networks
A method forwarding data traffic based on a service chain policy for distributed gateway located within a network virtualization edge (NVE). The NVE may receive, within a first virtual overlay network, a data packet destined for a destination tenant end point located in a second virtual overlay network. The NVE may determine that a network service function is unavailable to treat the data packet between the first virtual overlay network and the second virtual overlay network. In order to route the data packet, the NVE may obtain a service chain policy that provides the location of a network node configured to treat the data packet with the network service function. The NVE may transmit the data packet toward the network node. A service chain policy may correspond to a sequence of network nodes that represents a path to the destination tenant end point. |
| US09660904B2 |
Method and system for inserting an openflow flow entry into a flow table using openflow protocol
A method for inserting an OpenFlow flow entry into a flow table is disclosed. In the embodiment, the method involves receiving a flow mod message at an OpenFlow-enabled switch, the flow mod message including a cookie field, decoding an OpenFlow flow entry from the flow mod message, identifying a flow table from the cookie field, and inserting the decoded flow entry into the flow table. |
| US09660902B2 |
Apparatus, method and computer-readable medium of providing acceptable transmission unit
An apparatus includes a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory and configured to: detect change of an acceptable transmission unit in a network segment, the change being detected due to a transmission of a first packet transmitted from a first virtual machine; identify a second virtual machine configured to communicate via the network segment; and cause the second virtual machine to transmit a second packet based on the change. |
| US09660901B2 |
Systems and methods for forming and using a group of link aggregation groups to reduce traffic on interconnect links
A first switch forms first and second LAGs and a main LAG comprising the first and second LAGs as sub-LAGs. Forming the first and second LAGs comprises receiving LACP data units which indicate that the first switch is connected to second and third switches through first and second pluralities of ports, and forming the first LAG of the first plurality of ports and the second LAG of the second plurality of ports. The second and third switches share a control plane. In forming the first and second LAGs, LACP data units are received from the second and third switches and include unique identifiers of the second and third switches respectively. Forming the main LAG comprises receiving one or more LACP data units which indicate that the first and second plurality of ports are to be part of the main LAG, and forming the main LAG based on such LACP data units. Other features are also provided. |
| US09660898B2 |
Enhanced protocol independent multicast source registration over a reliable transport
In one example, a method includes exchanging, by a first routing device and with a second routing device, targeted hello messages using a Protocol Independent Multicast (PIM) protocol to establish a targeted neighbor connection between the first routing device and the second routing device, wherein the first routing device exchanges the targeted hello messages with the second routing device via at least one intermediate routing device, and wherein at least one of the first or second routing device comprises a rendezvous point (RP). The example method further includes processing, by the first routing device using the targeted neighbor connection, a register message that includes multicast stream data elements, wherein each multicast stream data element identifies a source address and a group address that are collectively associated with a respective multicast stream, and wherein each multicast stream data element further indicates whether the respective multicast stream is active or withdrawn. |
| US09660893B2 |
Detecting patterns of events in information systems
Event data pattern identification, storage, and sharing in a peer-to-peer network is disclosed. This includes peer-to-peer devices that store data events, review previously stored data events and identify patterns between the stored events and newly received events. Improvements can serve to reduce duplicative traffic and enhance network performance. |
| US09660889B2 |
Tracking data usage under a schematized data plan
Embodiments provide a schema for representing data usage plans and data usage statistics. The data usage plan describes threshold values associated with network connections of computing devices of the user. A web service dynamically generates data usage statistics for the computing devices to represent data consumed by the computing devices under the data usage plan. The schema is updated with the data usage statistics and distributed to the computing devices for presentation to the user. |
| US09660883B2 |
Computer product, monitoring method, and monitoring apparatus
A non-transitory, computer-readable recording medium stores a monitoring program that causes a computer to execute a process that includes acquiring from a server among a group of servers that are migration candidates for a monitored virtual machine, identification information of a virtual machine operating on the server; identifying classification of the virtual machine that corresponds to the acquired identification information, by referring to a storage unit that correlates and stores identification information of the monitored virtual machine and classification of the monitored virtual machine; and correlating and outputting the identified classification of the virtual machine, the identification information of the virtual machine, and identification information of the server. |
| US09660878B2 |
Managing fabric priorities across heterogeneous server platforms
Embodiments relate to facilitating a plurality of heterogeneous hosts to use a range of priority values. A method of facilitating a plurality of heterogeneous hosts to use a range of priority values is provided. The method retrieves a plurality of priority ranges from a plurality of network forwarding elements shared by a plurality of heterogeneous hosts. The network forwarding elements provide access to a set of storage devices that stores data for the plurality of heterogeneous hosts. The method generates, by a computer that comprises one of the heterogeneous hosts, a universal priority range from the plurality of priority ranges. The method maps a plurality of workloads performed by the computer to priority values in the universal priority range. The method sends the universal priority range to at least one other host of the heterogeneous hosts. |
| US09660877B1 |
Transaction management in multi-protocol SDN controller
A multi-protocol software-defined networking (SDN) controller receives receiving from one or more applications one or more requests for services to be performed by one or more of a plurality of network devices that communicate with the SDN controller by a plurality of different of SDN protocols. The requests are mapped to appropriate ones of the plurality of different SDN protocols to fulfill the services of the requests. The SDN controller sends to the respective one or more of the plurality of network devices, control messages according to appropriate ones of the plurality of different SDN protocols. Responses are received at the SDN controller from the one or more of the plurality of network devices, each response indicating a failure or a success for a corresponding request. Failures and successes of the responses are associated with appropriate ones of the requests. |
| US09660875B2 |
Devices and methods supporting content delivery with rendezvous services having dynamically configurable log information
A device supporting content delivery is configured to run at least one content delivery (CD) service of a plurality of CD services. The plurality of CD services include rendezvous services with dynamically configurable log information. |
| US09660871B2 |
Electronic device and electronic device control program
An electronic device that requires setup of plural setting items upon initial startup operations includes a storage unit that stores designated setting information and setting status information indicating whether the setting items have been set up, which designated setting information and setting status information are stored and updated each time the setup of one of the setting items is completed; and a startup processing unit that refers to the storage unit upon performing startup operations to determine whether at least one of the setting items has been set up and starts setup operations for the setting items that have not yet been set up. |
| US09660869B2 |
Combining network analysis and predictive analytics
Records are obtained from sources and typed datasets are assembled based on the obtained records. Relationships are identified among the typed datasets and at least one network comprising nodes and edges are assembled based on the identified relationships. A network analyzer assembles a vector and the vector is passed to analytics. The analytics then generate an output that is provided to a user or other device in the form of data. |
| US09660868B2 |
Architecture for operational support system
A network management system for management of a communications network is disclosed. The system comprises an inventory database storing a network inventory comprising information representative of network resources of the communications network. The system comprises means for receiving a change request specifying a modification to be made to the network, and an inventory update component adapted to modify the network inventory in response to the change request. The system also includes an implementation component adapted to access the inventory database, identify modifications made to the network inventory, and transmit configuration data to the network to implement the inventory modifications in the network. |
| US09660866B1 |
Readiness detection for data plane configuration of label-switched paths
Techniques are described for generating a No-Acknowledgement (NACK) message if the installation of a route for a label-switched path at a router has failed or is likely to fail. In some examples, a network device includes at least one processor and at least one module operable by the at least one processor to: receive a request to forward network packets for an LSP; responsive to receiving the request, initiate configuration of at least one forwarding unit of the network device to forward network packets for the LSP; generate a NACK message that indicates the at least one forwarding unit is not configured to forward the network packets for the LSP; and terminate based at least in part on the NACK message, the configuration of the at least one forwarding unit for the LSP. |
| US09660861B2 |
Method and system for synchronizing with neighbor in a distributed resilient network interconnect (DRNI) link aggregation group
A method of updating operational states of a network device in a distributed resilient network interconnect (DRNI) of a link aggregation group is disclosed. The method starts with initializing the network device for link aggregation, wherein the initialization includes setting variables of the network device for a first portal as configured by administrative settings, where the first portal includes the network device and at least one neighbor network device. The method continues with determining that an operational state associated with the first portal is changed and updating a set of operational states of the network device for link aggregation in response to the operational state change, where the set of operational states of the network device for link aggregation includes an operational state of the gateway of the network device. |
| US09660857B2 |
Dynamic communication stack
A method of facilitating communication between a resource and a computer is described. The computer employs a software application that allows the computer to communicate with the resource. The resource may comprise a medical device such as a blood glucose meter or an insulin pump. In order to facilitate communication between the computer and the resource, the software constructs a communication protocol particular to the type of resource connected to the computer. The stack comprising the communication protocol allows the computer to communicate with the resource. Once the resource and computer cease communication, the stack may be removed from the memory of the computer. |
| US09660855B2 |
Orthogonal signal demodulation
A modulation transmission technique comprises placing orthogonal subcarriers across an arbitrary-wide band of frequencies without a fixed pre-defined center frequency. Receivers demodulate only the sub-group of subcarriers in which they are to receive data. Thus a broadcast service with many audio programs could send signals across a wide band and receivers would only demodulate the audio channel that the user or users wanted to hear. This saves energy which is important for battery powered devices. A transform bandwidth smaller than the transform bandwidth of the transmitter is used that encompasses the receivers pass band, plus the 2 transition bands (upper and lower) of the linear filter. This technique maintains orthogonality between subcarriers. The subcarriers in the pass band are utilized and the subcarriers in the transition bands are discarded. The orthogonal subcarriers may include both orthogonal frequency division multiplexed and pulse amplitude modulated signals. A notch filter may be included in the receiver to remove unwanted non-orthogonal signals such as a television signal or other interference. |
| US09660853B2 |
Radio communication method and a base station and user terminal thereof
A wireless communication method for transmitting data signals of first and second users using first and second subcarrier groups, respectively, and transmitting pilot signals of the first and second users by multiplexing the pilot signals to the data signals, including allocating the pilot signals of the first and second users to different frequencies, where each of the pilot signals is generated based on Zadoff-Chu sequence; and mapping subcarrier components of the pilot signals so that one or more subcarrier components of higher frequencies and one or more subcarrier components of lower frequencies in the transmission band become identical, in regard to the pilot signals of each of the first and second users. |
| US09660851B2 |
Modulation and equalization in an orthonormal time-frequency shifting communications system
A system and method of providing a modulated signal useable in a signal transmission system. The method includes transforming, perhaps with respect to both time and frequency, a data frame including a plurality of data elements into a transformed data matrix. The transformed data matrix includes a plurality of transformed data elements where each of the plurality of transformed data elements is based upon each of the plurality of data elements. The method further includes generating the modulated signal in accordance with the transformed data elements of the transformed data matrix. |
| US09660842B2 |
Low power equalizer and its training
Described is an apparatus which comprises: samplers operable to perform linear equalization training and to perform function of an un-rolled decision feedback equalizer (DFE); and logic to select output of offset samplers, from among the samplers, when two adjacent bits of an input signal are the same. Described is an equalization scheme which comprises a linear equalizer (LE) operable to match a first post-cursor residual ISI tap to a first pre-cursor residual ISI tap for a non-lone bit transition of the input signal. |
| US09660841B2 |
Circuit and method for performing adaption on all receiver branches
Receiver circuitry is disclosed that can take circuit branches offline to possibly adapt an offset value. In one embodiment, a circuit in a receiver has at least two branches. Each branch includes an adjustor to adjust the branch signal by an offset value. Selection circuitry takes one of the branches offline by selecting the output of that branch as an offline value, and by selecting the output of one or more of the other branches as a data decision value. The selection circuitry changes which branch is taken offline during the operation of the circuit. When a branch is taken offline, an offset value associated with that branch may be updated, if necessary. |
| US09660840B1 |
Selectable-tap equalizer
A signaling circuit having a selectable-tap equalizer. The signaling circuit includes a buffer, a select circuit and an equalizing circuit. The buffer is used to store a plurality of data values that correspond to data signals transmitted on a signaling path during a first time interval. The select circuit is coupled to the buffer to select a subset of data values from the plurality of data values according to a select value. The equalizing circuit is coupled to receive the subset of data values from the select circuit and is adapted to adjust, according to the subset of data values, a signal level that corresponds to a data signal transmitted on the signaling path during a second time interval. |
| US09660839B2 |
Transmission apparatus and method using pre-distortion
A transmission apparatus and a corresponding transmission method for transmitting data within a multi-carrier transmission system comprising two or more transmission apparatuses that are configured to transmit the same data. To avoid destructive interferences a transmission apparatus comprises a signal input configured to receive multi-carrier signals carrying data to be transmitted, a distortion unit configured to distort the multi-carrier signals by use of a distortion function including a phase parameter for differently modulating the phase of the multi-carrier signals wherein the distortion function is different from distortion functions used by other transmission apparatuses, whose coverage areas overlap with the coverage area of the present transmission apparatus, by using a phase parameter that is different from the phase parameter used by the other transmission apparatuses, and a transmission unit configured to transmit the distorted multi-carrier signals as a transmission signal. |
| US09660837B2 |
Modular device and data management system and gateway for a communications network
A gateway provides duplex-directional, multimedia ad hoc mesh networking, peer-to-peer direct communications, power optimization, dynamic configuration, and data management, while operating within various devices and network topologies. A multitasking virtual machine monitor for mobile networked devices, that is capable of functional expandability and portability to various operating environments, interoperability with a variety of operating systems, the Gateway Control System (GCS) performs functional capabilities in both a local and a networked topology using local and remote hardware and software. Software within the GCS is partitioned into sequentially, autonomous code, referred to herein as “modules,” each module being configured to communicate with hardware and other gateway modules. Collectively, all gateway modules are referred to herein as the gateway stack (GS). Each member of the GS can be turned on or off, downloaded from a remote site, and dynamically configured. |
| US09660833B2 |
Application identification in records of network flows
In one embodiment, a method is provided for improving data center and endpoint network visibility and security. The method comprises detecting a communication flow of a plurality of packets over a network, and generating a flow identifier that uniquely identifies the communication flow. After determining an application associated with the communication flow, a flow record is generated. The flow record includes the flow identifier and an indication of the application associated with the communication flow. The indication of the application may be, for example, a hash of the application binary file. |
| US09660832B2 |
Techniques for filtering selective users in distribution lists
Techniques, including systems and methods for distributing electronic messages, are disclosed. In an embodiment, information relating to a message thread is maintained. The information includes information identifying one or more members of a distribution list to be excluded from receiving messages in the message thread. When it has been determined to prevent distribution of the electronic message to one or more members of the distribution list, the electronic message is distributed to members of the distribution list excluding the one or more members to whom distribution is to be prevented. The distributed electronic message may identify the distribution list as an intended recipient. |
| US09660830B2 |
Control method, packet processing device, and storage medium
A control method executed by a packet processing device, the control method includes receiving, by a first processor, a received packet; identifying first processing execution information corresponding to the received packet, from among a plurality of first processing execution information, by referring to the first memory, based on packet identification information included in the received packet; and transmitting processing specification information included in the identified first processing execution information together with the received packet, to a second processor, when the processing specification information included in the identified first processing execution information specifies processing by the second processor; receiving, by the second processor, the processing specification information included in the identified first processing execution information and the received packet; and executing the processing for the received packet in accordance with second processing execution information specified by the received processing specification information, by referring to the plurality of second processing execution information. |
| US09660828B2 |
Smart vacation
A method for security and/or automation systems is described. In some embodiments, the method may include detecting departure data relating to at least one of an occupant and a premises, identifying a likelihood of an absence in relation to the premises based at least in part on the departure data, and sending a confirmation request based at least in part on the identifying for the occupant associated with the premises to confirm the absence. In some cases, the absence may include the premises being unoccupied for at least a portion of a predetermined time period. The predetermined time period may include at least one night. |
| US09660825B2 |
System and method for multi-source multicasting in content-centric networks
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for updating routing information associated with a multicast group in an information-centric network (ICN). During operation, a first node in the ICN receives an update message for the multicast group from a neighbor node. The multicast group includes a root anchor node and a number of anchor nodes with the root anchor node having a smaller name than the anchor nodes. The update message specifies a prefix associated with the multicast group and the root anchor node of the multicast group. The system selects, based on topology information stored on the first node, from neighbors of the first node one or more next-hop neighbors that meet a notification condition, and forwards the update message to the one or more next-hop neighbors. |
| US09660823B2 |
Shared presenting method and system
The present invention provides a shared presenting method and system, in said shared presenting method: an initiator sets up a shared presentation room and sends invitation information of said shared presentation room via a network; a receiver that receives said invitation information joins in said shared presentation room through establishing a network connection; said initiator sends a presenting file and a playing control instruction for said presenting file to said receiver that has joined in said shared presentation room; said receiver receives said presenting file and said playing control instruction, and locally executes a playing control operation to said presenting file in accordance with said playing control instruction. Said mobile device comprises said shared presenting system. The shared presenting method and system provided by the present invention can present a presentation file among a plurality of mobile devices simultaneously. |
| US09660821B2 |
Method and system for sharing content files using a computer system and data network
A system for distributing digital content obtained from a variety of sources in a variety of formats is described that utilizes a content distribution system configured to receive and store the content files, convert the content file both into a standardized format file and into a thumbnail file, and associate the content with one or more tags that can signify characteristics or relevant facts about the content file. Users of the system select one or more tags on their remote devices in order that the content distribution system automatically transmit to the remote device thumbnail images of those content files that match the selected tags. Users can then select the thumbnail image in order to cause the system to transmit to the remote device the standardized format version of the content. |
| US09660820B2 |
Measuring machine communication
Embodiments of the invention relate to a method for line-conducted bidirectional communication between subscribers in a measuring system, the subscribers being arranged in a chain-like series structure. In said series structure, each of the subscribers is connected to one of the subscribers that precedes same by means of a first communication interface and to one of the subscribers that follows same by means of a second communication interface. Each of the subscribers has a message processing unit, by means of which the first and second communication interfaces can be operated independently of each other in order to send and/or receive a message. In the communication by the message processing unit, the message is received as a digital data structure by means of the first communication and an identification range of the message is evaluated by comparing a content of the identification range within specified target criteria. |
| US09660819B2 |
System and method for combining multiple communication links
This invention relates to a client device capable of receiving a multicast content through multiple communication networks, comprising at least one broadband network having a broadband bandwidth and one broadcast network for connection respectively to at least one broadband interface and one receive-only broadcast interface of the client device, wherein said client device comprises an adapter selector capable of selecting the interface to be used in order to save the broadband band-width. |
| US09660817B2 |
Advising clients about certificate authority trust
In many information security scenarios, a certificate issued by a certificate authority may be presented to a client in order to assert a trust level of a certificated item, such as a message or a web page. However, due to a decentralized structure and incomplete coordination among certificate authorities, the presence and exploitation of security vulnerabilities to issue untrustworthy certificates may be difficult to determine, particularly for an individual client. Presented herein are techniques for advising clients of the reputations of respective certificate authorities by evaluating the certificates issued by such certificate authorities, such as the number and types of domains certified by the certificate; the number and pattern of certificates issued for the domain; and the certification techniques used to issue the certificates. Such evaluation enables a determination of a certificate authority trust level that may be distributed to the clients in a certificate authority trust set. |
| US09660811B2 |
Apparatus and method for protecting message data
Disclosed is a method for protecting message data. In the method, the message data is padded with padding bits generated based on a deterministic function performed on the message data. The padded message data is compressed to generate compressed data. A length of the compressed data is dependent on the padding bits. The compressed data is encrypted to generate encrypted message data. |
| US09660806B2 |
Carbon nanotube array for cryptographic key generation and protection
Techniques for use of carbon nanotubes as an anti-tampering feature and for use of randomly metallic or semiconducting carbon nanotubes in the generation of a physically unclonable cryptographic key generation are provided. In one aspect, a cryptographic key having an anti-tampering feature is provided which includes: an array of memory bits oriented along at least one bit line and at least one word line, wherein each of the memory bits comprises a memory cell, wherein the cryptographic key is stored in the memory cell, and wherein the memory cell is connected to the at least one bit line; and a metallic carbon nanotube interconnect which connects the memory cell to the at least one word line. A cryptographic key and method for processing the cryptographic key are also provided. |
| US09660803B2 |
Device and method for resonant cryptography
A system for secure communications using resonate cryptography includes a resonator that has a random number generator (RNG). The RNG can be at least one of a true random number generator, pseudo-random number generator, and any non-repeating sequence of numbers having a characteristic of a random number stream, and generating a first stream of random numbers. A transmitter, electrically coupled to the random number generator, is also included to transmit the generated first stream of random numbers. |
| US09660802B1 |
Systems and methods for generating and storing silicon fingerprints for a security chip
A security chip including a fusible logic array. The fusible logic array is configured to receive a plurality of seed values and output a plurality of respective keys using the received plurality of seed values. The respective keys correspond to logic results generated by the fusible logic array. The fusible logic array includes one or more fusible links. A key storage control module is configured to receive the plurality of seed values, receive the plurality of respective keys, and store, in memory, a selected first seed value of the plurality of seed values and a selected first key of the plurality of respective keys. The selected first seed value and the selected first key are stored as a seed-key pair. |
| US09660797B2 |
Method and apparatus for implementing clock holdover
The embodiments disclose a method and apparatus for implementing the clock holdover in the communication system. The apparatus receives an external source clock and outputs an output clock, and comprises a first phase-locked circuit and a second phase-locked circuit. The first phase-locked circuit is configured for taking the external source clock and a first output clock as input and outputting an intermediate clock, the first output clock is outputted by the second phase-locked circuit and fed back to the first phase-locked circuit. The first phase-locked circuit includes a first digital oscillator, and the first digital oscillator is configured to take the first output clock as a working clock to generate the intermediate clock. The second phase-locked circuit is configured for taking the intermediate clock and a local clock fed by a local oscillator as input, and outputting a second output clock. |
| US09660796B2 |
Method for detecting in a receiver a transmitter local time
The method and apparatus for detecting in a receiver a transmitter local time, comprising determining a reference time for the transmitter local time; receiving from the transmitter a transmission time duration signal that elapsed on the transmitter since the reference time for the transmitter local time; and determining the transmitter local time based on the reference time for the transmitter local time and the received transmitter time duration. A time stamp signal based on the transmitter local time signal is generated at the receiver and is superimposed on the sensor data stream transmitted to the receiver. Consequently, the advantage is provided that a data stream can be transmitted without the incorporation of any time stamp. |
| US09660795B2 |
Start-stop synchronous type serial data acquisition device and start-stop synchronous type serial data acquisition method
A start-stop synchronous type serial data acquisition device includes a counter to which a clock signal that defines an acquisition timing of serial data including a start bit is input, and that counts a number of cycles of a clock signal; and a changing section that, according to a transition of the clock signal when the start bit has been input, changes a maximum count value that is counted by the counter, the maximum count value corresponding to the start bit. |
| US09660788B2 |
Method and apparatus for performing uplink hybrid automatic repeat request operation in an asymmetric multicarrier communication network environment
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for performing an uplink Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) operation in an asymmetric multicarrier communication network environment. In one embodiment, a method includes transmitting a HARQ packet to a base station in a transmit time interval of one of a plurality of partitions of an uplink allocation interval on a first carrier by a mobile station. Then, the method includes determining a partition of the uplink allocation interval in which the HARQ packet is transmitted, and determining a HARQ feedback region in the subsequent downlink subframe corresponding to the determined partition. The method further includes receiving HARQ feedback information in the determined HARQ feedback region in the subsequent downlink subframe on a second carrier from the base station. |
| US09660786B2 |
Transmission of information in a wireless communication system
Methods, devices, and systems for the transmission of information in a wireless communication system are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for the transmission of information in a wireless communication system comprises receiving a downlink message, wherein the downlink message includes a first control channel element; determining a first index using the location of the first control channel element; determining a second index; determining a first orthogonal resource using the first index; determining a second orthogonal resource using the second index; spreading an uplink message using the first orthogonal resource to form a first spread signal; spreading the uplink message using a second orthogonal resource to form a second spread signal; transmitting the first spread signal using a first antenna; and transmitting the second spread signal using a second antenna. |
| US09660785B2 |
Terminal apparatus and control channel detecting method
A radio communication base station device which can reduce the number of judgment times for a control signal in a mobile station, thereby suppressing power consumption by the mobile station. The radio communication base station device (100) includes: a mapping setting unit (122) which sets a mapping method in a mapping unit (102); the mapping unit (102) which maps a control signal to respective mobile stations to any of subcarriers constituting the OFDM symbol according to the mapping method set by the mapping setting unit (122); an MCS setting unit (121) which references a mapping table in which correlation between a plurality of MCS having different MCS levels and mapping methods is set according to the judgment result of the mapping setting unit (122) and sets MCS in encoding/modulation units (101-1 to 101-n). |
| US09660784B2 |
Method and apparatus providing inter-transmission point phase relationship feedback for joint transmission CoMP
Systems and techniques for joint transmission cooperative multi-point. A set of n CSI reference signal resources are to be measured by a user device. The n CSI reference signal resources include at least one CSI reference signal resource spanning over at least two transmission points. Channel state information feedback corresponding to each CSI reference signal resource is configured. Upon receiving CSI from the user device, at least one precoder is selected for coherent joint cooperative multipoint transmission based on inter-transmission point phase relationship information. A co-phasing factor is derived from transmitted precoders over a cross-cell CSI reference signal resource, the derivation including transmission of reference signals using first and second precoding vectors on two ports, computation of a third vector using feedback based on the precoded reference signals, and computation of the co-phasing factor based on the first, second, and third vectors. |
| US09660779B2 |
Method, device, and system for transmitting reference signal
The present invention relates to the technical field of radio communications, and specifically relates to a method, device, and system for transmitting a reference signal, for use in solving the problem in the prior art that vertical-dimension channel estimation cannot be supported and thus 3D beamforming is not supported. The method of embodiments of the present invention comprises: a network side determines a subframe (31) used for bearing the reference signal, determines a pilot frequency port (32) of the reference signal, and transmits in the determined subframe the reference signal configured in the pilot frequency port, where all of the pilot frequency ports comprise at least one row of horizontal-dimension pilot frequency ports and one column of vertical-dimension pilot frequency ports, the reference signal configured in the horizontal-dimension pilot frequency ports is a horizontal-dimension reference signal, and the reference signal configured on the vertical-dimension pilot frequency ports is a vertical-dimension reference signal (33). Because the embodiments of the present invention are capable of transmitting the vertical-dimension reference signal, implementation of channel estimation on the vertical-dimension pilot frequency ports is allowed, and implementation of a dynamic 3D beamforming technology is allowed. |
| US09660776B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing antenna diversity in a wireless communication system
Apparatus and methods implementing transmission schemes that can flexibly achieve the desired spatial multiplexing order, spatial diversity order, and channel estimation overhead order are provided. For example, an apparatus is provided that includes a processor configured to allocate different subcarriers to different antennas at different times. A memory is coupled to the processor. The processor can be further configured to map a traffic channel to a specific sequence of the different subcarriers at the different times. The processor can also be further configured to transmit the traffic channel on only one of the different subcarriers at each time in the different times. The processor can be integrated with at least one of a base station and a terminal. |
| US09660775B2 |
System and method for punctured pilot transmission in a wireless network
In accordance with an embodiment, a method of operating a base station configured to communicate with at least one user device includes transmitting a first group of resource elements that include a time and a frequency. At least one of the first group's resource elements includes a reference element. It is determined if the at least one user device will decode a further resource element using the reference element of the at least one of the resource elements of the first group of resource elements. Based on the determining, if the user device will decode the further resource element, a second group of resource elements is transmitted, where at least one of the resource elements of the second group of resource elements corresponding with the at least one of the resource elements of the first group does not include a reference element. |
| US09660774B2 |
Determining and managing upstream profiles in DOCSIS 3.1 network environments
An example method for determining and managing upstream profiles in Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) 3.1 network environments is provided and includes determining, at a Converged Cable Access Platform (CCAP) core, channel conditions independent of any channel effect over a hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) network between a remote physical layer (R-PHY) entity coupled to the CCAP core and a cable modem (CM) in the DOCSIS 3.1 network environment, and assigning an upstream profile to the CM based on the channel conditions. In specific embodiments, the channel conditions include signal to noise ratio (SNR), modulation error ratio (MER) or group delay. In some embodiments, assigning the upstream profile includes determining a quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) order based on the SNR or MER, and determining a pilot pattern based on the group delay, the combination of the QAM order and the pilot pattern identifying the upstream profile. |
| US09660773B2 |
Method, user equipment and base station for controlling discontinuous reception (DRX) in wireless communication system
A method, a user equipment, an eNB are provided for controlling DRX in a wireless communication system. A method includes receiving, from a master evolved Node B (MeNB), an indication that a Slave eNB (SeNB) is to be monitored; and monitoring the SeNB, in response to the indicator. The present disclosure relates to a pre-5th-Generation (5G) or 5G communication system to be provided for supporting higher data rates Beyond 4th-Generation (4G) communication system such as Long Term Evolution (LTE). |
| US09660769B2 |
Scalable service in a wireless communication system
A method for providing scalable service in a wireless communication system is disclosed. In this method, the transmitting side device performs initial transmission of base layer signals to a user equipment (UE) based on a HARQ (Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request) scheme, and performs transmission of enhancement layer signals to the UE after finishing the initial transmission of the base layer signals. The base layer signals and the enhancement layer signals are for one scalable service. The base layer signals can be independently used at the UE without the enhancement layer signals, while the enhancement layer signals cannot be used at the UE without the base layer signals. The transmitting side device further performs retransmission of the base layer signals determined to be retransmitted based on the HARQ scheme while performing the initial transmission of the enhancement layer signals. |
| US09660765B1 |
Method and apparatus for broadcast information reception in wireless communication systems
Low latency wireless communication applications require highly dynamic allocation of resources. Providing allocation information on a highly dynamic basis increases the overhead of control signaling for allocation. A technique known as blind decoding is used to reduce the control signaling overhead for allocation information. However, blind decoding may occasionally lead to invalid detection of allocation messages which in turn may lead to a number of problems such as wasted bandwidth, increased power consumption, reduced throughput, etc. A method and apparatus are disclosed that detect the invalid allocation messages by maintaining a record of previously received allocation messages and using it to check the validity of the newly received allocation messages. |
| US09660764B2 |
Broadcast transmitter and method of processing broadcast service data for transmission
A method is provided for processing broadcast data in a broadcast transmitter. Broadcast service data is randomized. The randomized broadcast service data is first-encoded to add parity data to the randomized broadcast service data. The first-encoded broadcast service data is second-encoded. The second-encoded broadcast service data is first interleaved. The first-interleaved broadcast service data is second-interleaved. Signaling data is encoded for signaling the broadcast service data. The encoded signaling data is third-interleaved. The third-interleaved signaling data is fourth interleaved. A frame is transmitted that is divided into a data region including the second-interleaved broadcast service data, a first signaling region including the fourth-interleaved signaling data and a second signaling region that includes at least one symbol that is used for synchronization and channel estimation. The frame includes known data. The encoded signaling data includes information for identifying the code rate and information related to the known data. |
| US09660763B2 |
Methods and apparatus employing FEC codes with permanent inactivation of symbols for encoding and decoding processes
Encoding of a plurality of encoded symbols is provided wherein an encoded symbol is generated from a combination of a first symbol generated from a first set of intermediate symbols and a second symbol generated from a second set of intermediate symbols, each set having at least one different coding parameter, wherein the intermediate symbols are generated based on the set of source symbols. A method of decoding data is also provided, wherein a set of intermediate symbols is decoded from a set of received encoded symbols, the intermediate symbols organized into a first and second sets of symbols for decoding, wherein intermediate symbols in the second set are permanently inactivated for the purpose of scheduling the decoding process to recover the intermediate symbols from the encoded symbols, wherein at least some of the source symbols are recovered from the decoded set of intermediate symbols. |
| US09660757B2 |
Low latency fiber optic local area network
The present invention is directed to a low latency fiber optic local area network with a network and a plurality of nodes connected through optical fibers. Each node has a plurality of bi-directional input/output interfaces. Each bi-directional input/output interface has a demultiplexer, at least one optical power coupler, a plurality of wavelength converters, and a plurality of internal optical waveguides. The internal optical waveguides extend from each wavelength converter and are for communication with the demultiplexer, the input fiber optic interface, and the optical fiber. Each optical power coupler has a fiber optic output interface for communication with other nodes, and each demultiplexer has a input fiber optic interface for communication with other nodes. |
| US09660756B2 |
Method for split spectrum signalling in an optical network
The example embodiments presented herein are directed towards an Optical Network Element, ONE, node (14), and corresponding method therein, for establishing multiple spectral routing in an optical transport network. The establishment of the multiple spectral routing features the use of a Split-Spectrum Label, SSL, (11) which comprises multiple definitions for spectral slots, where each definition has an absolute starting and an absolute ending frequency allocation. |
| US09660753B2 |
Optical add/drop multiplexer using integrated optical components
An optical add/drop multiplexer incorporates an integrated receiver module and an integrated transmitter which are interfaced to an intervening electrical network to provide an add/drop/pass-through functionality. The receiver module incorporates a wavelength demultiplexer which is in turn combined with optical/electrical converters PIN photodiodes, and amplifiers on a per wavelength basis to output a plurality of parallel electrical signals in response to a common optical input. The transmitter module combines an integrated plurality of drive circuits and lasers for converting a plurality of parallel input electrical signals to a plurality of optical signals, on a per wavelength basis, which in turn are coupled via an optical wavelength multiplexer to a common output optical fiber. The interconnected electrical network, ring mesh or tree, can provide a reconfigurable electrical add/drop interface to other portions of the network. |
| US09660752B2 |
Wavelength selective switch (WSS) based multiplexing architecture
An apparatus may include a plurality of wavelength selective switches (WSSs). The apparatus may include a plurality of transmitters. The transmitters may transmit a plurality of super-channels. The apparatus may include a plurality of passive power splitters corresponding to the plurality of transmitters. The plurality of passive power splitters may receive the plurality of super-channels. The plurality of passive power splitters may generate a respective set of power-split super-channels for each super-channel of the plurality of super-channels. The plurality of passive power splitters may transmit each power-split super-channel of the respective set of power-split super-channels to a corresponding WSS of the plurality of WSSs. A WSS, of the plurality of WSSs, may receive a plurality of power-split super-channels, of the respective sets of power-split super-channels, from the plurality of passive power splitters. The WSS may selectively route a portion of the plurality of power-split super-channels toward a receiver. |
| US09660749B2 |
Method for configuring a backhaul link subframe in a wireless communication system to which a carrier aggregation scheme is applied and an apparatus for the same
A method for configuring a backhaul link subframe in a wireless communication system to which a carrier aggregation scheme is applied and an apparatus for the same are disclosed. The method comprises determining one of a plurality of subframe configurations as a first subframe configuration for a primary component carrier allocated to the relay node; configuring subframe configuration candidates for one or more secondary component carriers allocated to the relay node on the basis of the determined first subframe configuration; determining a second subframe configuration for each of the one or more secondary component carriers by using the configured subframe configuration candidates; and transmitting and receiving a signal to and from the relay node in accordance with the first subframe configuration and the second subframe configuration. |
| US09660744B1 |
Systems and methods for adaptive frequency synchronization
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving transmission segments from at least one device over a plurality of channels pursuant to a channel-switching schedule, the channel-switching schedule comprising an iteratively-repeated channel sequence. The iteratively-repeated channel sequence comprises a plurality of channels, the channel-switching schedule specifying an assigned transmission duration for each channel. In addition, the method includes, for at least one channel of the plurality of channels, detecting interference during a time segment of the assigned transmission duration, the time segment comprising at least one of a beginning portion and an ending portion of the assigned transmission duration. Further, the method includes responsive to the detected interference, determining to shift, by a specified quantity of time, a future channel switch indicated by the iteratively-repeated channel sequence. |
| US09660742B2 |
Detecting signal leakage in cable networks
A signal leakage in a cable network may be detected by using a test device to obtain a spectrum of an electromagnetic wave propagating in vicinity of the cable network, and automatically detecting QAM channels in the obtained spectrum by detecting characteristic spectral roll-offs at boundary frequencies between QAM channels of the cable network. A test device may be used to determine which QAM channels are currently active on the cable network, thereby facilitating automatic QAM signal leakage detection. |
| US09660739B2 |
System and methods of testing adaptive antennas
The technology disclosed relates to systems and methods for testing adaptive antennas via a multi-probe anechoic chamber, which includes the emulation of real world conditions of a radio frequency (RF) signal reaching a device-under-test (DUT). The technology disclosed can be applied to test and evaluate a range of changed conditions. In one case, beamforming scenarios use separate spatial desired and interference signals, and the results can be compared to uniform interference. Based on performance for a segment of a test profile, the segment can be modified or expanded: shortened, repeated, or repeated with a modification—to fully evaluate the aspect being tested. Also, a dynamic profile that is utilized to evaluate a first device can be saved and repeated as a fixed profile for further testing of a first or second device. |
| US09660735B1 |
Systems and methods for mitigating interference at an access node
Systems and methods are also described for mitigating interference at an access node. It may determined, based on an interference metric for a first wireless device exceeding an interference criteria, that communication between the first wireless device and a cell of an access node is experiencing interference from a neighboring cell. At least one neighboring cell in which one or more beamformed signals are transmitted is identified as a potential interference source. The identified neighboring cell may be instructed to terminate transmission of a beamformed signal to at least a second wireless device. It may then be determined whether the interference metric for the first wireless device continues to exceed the interference criteria after the termination of the beamformed signal. And the second wireless device may be identified as an interference source when the interference metric for the first wireless device does not continue to exceed the interference criteria. |
| US09660733B2 |
Signal processing apparatus, signal processing method, and signal processing system
A signal processing apparatus includes: a filter; and a filter control circuit, wherein the filter control circuit is configured to: detect a power of signals output from the filter; determine one of a plurality of numerical ranges to which the power belongs; update a filter coefficient of the filter according to a determination result; count a number of the signals having the power of a first value or more; set an invalid area which becomes a target not to be determined for each of one or more boundaries between the plurality of numerical ranges when the number of the signals becomes a second value or more; and control a width of the invalid area based on the number of signals. |
| US09660726B2 |
LED light broad band over power line communication system
An LED light and communication system is in communication with a broadband over power line communications system. The LED light and communication system includes at least one optical transceiver. The optical transceiver includes a light support having a plurality of light emitting diodes and at least one photodetector attached thereto, and a processor. The processor is in communication with the light emitting diodes and the at least one photodetector. The processor is constructed and arranged to generate a communication signal. |
| US09660725B2 |
Identifier announcement and detection scheme for PoE fixtures
Techniques are presented herein to enable identification of light fixtures. A light fixture modulates light emitted by the light fixture with an identifier associated with the light fixture. The identifier may be encoded or encrypted before it is modulated. In one example, the identifier is a Universally Unique Identifier (UUID). A user device is positioned to detect light emitted by the light fixture. The user device demodulates the light to obtain the identifier. The identifier, time and location associated with detection of the identifier are sent to a management entity for use in provisioning the light fixture on a network. |
| US09660724B2 |
Communication apparatus and storage medium
There is provided a communication apparatus including a communication unit having an optical communication scheme and a different communication scheme from the optical communication scheme, a level setting unit configured to set a security level in data communication, and a communication scheme switching unit configured to switch communication schemes of the communication unit in accordance with the security level that is set by the level setting unit. |
| US09660721B2 |
Optical detector and amplifier for RF-detection having a position dependent capacitor with a displaceable membrane
An optical detector for detecting radio frequency (RF) signals, the optical detector comprising a light source and a photodetector, and an electrical circuit comprising a position dependent capacitor and a bias voltage source adapted for providing a bias voltage for biasing the position dependent capacitor, the position dependent capacitor comprising an electrode and a membrane being displaceable in reaction to RF signals incident on the membrane, the membrane being metallized, has a thickness of less than 1 μm and a quality factor, Qm, of at least 20,000, and the distance between the membrane and the electrode being less than 10 μm. |
| US09660717B2 |
Base station signal matching device and relay device including the same
A base station signal matching device configured to receive a base station signal from a base transceiver station (BTS), the base station signal matching device is embedded in a relay device, and the base station signal matching device includes a signal attenuation unit configured to receive the base station signal and attenuate the input power level of the base station signal; and a signal matching unit configured to receive the base station signal passing through the signal attenuation unit to match the base station signal suitable for signal processing of the relay device. |
| US09660715B2 |
Method for the detection of an electromagnetic signal by an antenna array, and device implementing said method
A method for detecting an electromagnetic signal comprises: applying to the received electromagnetic signal a plurality of time-frequency transforms, for each time/frequency cell of a given set of cells, calculating the energy of the vector made up of the spectra over all of the antenna elements, applying the following nonlinear function T to the result of the energy calculation: if the norm of the energy is below a first predetermined threshold s, the result of the function T is zero, if the norm of the energy is above or equal to the first threshold s, the result of the function T is equal to the norm of the energy minus the value of the first threshold s, integrating, over the set of time/frequency cells, the result of the nonlinear function T, comparing the result of the integration to a second predetermined threshold, to detect the presence of the signal. |
| US09660713B2 |
Method and apparatus for obtaining channel direction information
The present disclosure relates to a pre-5th-Generation (5G) or 5G communication system to be provided for supporting higher data rates Beyond 4th-Generation (4G) communication system such as Long Term Evolution (LTE).The present disclosure discloses a method for obtaining channel direction information, which includes: transmitting a first detection signal and a second detection signal in at least one detection region, wherein there is differential information between the first detection signal and the second detection signal; receiving a signal receiving characteristic of the first detection signal and a signal receiving characteristic of the second detection signal from a receiver; and adjusting channel direction information (CDI) according to the signal receiving characteristic of the first detection signal and the signal receiving characteristic of the second detection signal. The present disclosure further discloses an apparatus for obtaining channel direction information. |
| US09660709B1 |
Systems and methods for calculating log-likelihood ratios in a MIMO detector
A method and a communication receiver have been described for calculating log-likelihood ratios in a communication receiver. The log-likelihood ratio is calculated for each bit of one or more subsymbols of each of the one or more spatial streams by computing effective noise on one or more spatial streams after considering noise terms resulting from MIMO detection estimates of the subsymbols on each spatial stream. Finally, signal to noise ratio is determined for one or more spatial streams from the effective noise and scaling bit log-likelihood ratios with the signal to noise ratio. |
| US09660701B2 |
Near field coupling devices and associated systems and methods
A near-field coupling device that may facilitate communications with a transponder is provided. The near-field coupling device may include a ground plane, a dielectric substrate, one or more conductive strips and a terminating load. The conductive strips together with the ground planes form coupling elements. The near-field coupling device further includes one or more switching elements for selectively connecting and disconnecting the coupling elements with a transceiver. The connected coupling elements define a total characteristic impedance. Using the switching element, the ratio between the total characteristic impedance of the connected coupling elements and the terminating load may be changed in order to adjust the distribution of an electromagnetic field along the coupling elements according to the type and position of the transponder to be processed. |
| US09660699B2 |
Detection apparatus, electric power receiving apparatus, electric power transmission apparatus, wireless electric power transmission system, and detection method
A method for wireless power transmission includes obtaining, via a Q-value circuit, first and second voltages at respective first and second nodes of a resonance circuit. The first and second voltages are effective to determine if foreign matter is present in a space affecting wireless power transmission. The method includes controlling a switching section between the Q-value circuit and the resonance circuit such that at least a part of the electric power transmission process occurs at a different time than when the first and second voltages are obtained. |
| US09660694B2 |
Radio unit and method performed by a radio unit operable in a base station system of a wireless communication network for reducing interference at the radio unit
Disclosed is a method performed by a radio unit (10) operable in a base station system of a wireless communication network, for reducing interference at the RU. The base station system comprises a baseband unit (30) the radio unit (10) and a plurality of radio heads (21-26) wherein the radio unit is connected to the plurality of radio heads via a number of metallic conductors (40), and wherein a signal is to be communicated to the radio unit at a first frequency range over one of the number of metallic conductors from one of the plurality of radio heads. The method comprises: detecting (206) if there is any near end crosstalk, NEXT, at a receiver of the RU, the receiver being connected to the one of the number of metallic conductors, and, when NEXT is detected, triggering (210) the one of the plurality of RHs to send the signal to be communicated over the one of the number of metallic conductors at a second frequency range different from the first frequency range where a lower NEXT is expected than at the first frequency range. Disclosed are also a corresponding radio unit and a computer program. |
| US09660693B1 |
Spatio-temporal signal monitoring
A spatio-temporal signal monitoring system includes a sampler configured to receive a radio frequency signal and obtain first compressive sensing measurements of said received signal at a first resolution level, and a signal detector configured to identify at least one signal of interest based on said first compressive sensing measurements and perform second compressive sensing measurements on said at least one signal of interest at a second resolution level, said second resolution level being higher than said first resolution level. The received signal may be analyzed as an array or image having two or more dimensions, based on frequency and on at least one other parameter, such as angle-of arrival, and may be analyzed at a higher level of resolution at the frequencies and angles corresponding to a signal of interest (SOI). Estimates of the frequency and/or the at least one other parameter may be generated by the system. The system may be used to monitor a wideband RF spectrum and/or track signals, such as frequency-hopping signals. |
| US09660690B2 |
Optimized data converter design using mixed semiconductor technology for flexible radio communication systems
A cellular radio architecture that includes a receiver module having a receiver delta-sigma modulator that converts analog receive signals to a representative digital signal. The architecture further includes a transmitter module having a transmitter delta-sigma modulator for converting digital data bits to analog transmit signals. Portions of the receiver and transmitter modules are fabricated with silicon germanium (SiGe) technologies and portions of the receiver and transmitter modules are fabricated with CMOS technologies. |
| US09660684B2 |
Housing for encasing a mobile computing device
An apparatus and a system for housing a device are described. The apparatus includes a housing that is configured such that a device may be fitted within the housing and thereby be protected, such as from shocks and/or liquid. The housing may include top and bottom members that may be removably coupled together so as to form the housing. Each top and bottom member includes a perimeter portion. The perimeter is defined by proximal and distal ends as well as opposing sides. The top and bottom members may include respective clasping mechanisms that extend along the perimeter of the top and bottom members and may be configured for engaging a third clasping mechanism, such as a locking comb or wedge feature. The clasping mechanisms are configured for coupling the top and bottom members with one another thereby sealing the housing, for instance, in a shock-proof and/or water tight seal. |
| US09660682B2 |
Apparatus for holding an electronic device
A holder for an electronic device includes a body, a first receptacle, and a second receptacle. The body includes a surface, a first end portion, a second end portion, a medial portion, and an attachment mechanism configured for attaching the body to a wearable band. The attachment mechanism includes one or more deformable attachment protrusions configured for insertion into one or more corresponding attachment apertures of the wearable band. The first and second receptacles are each configured for removably retaining the electronic device to the body. The first and second receptacles each define a respective cavity bounded by a stretchable opening. Each opening is configured to receive and retain a respective end of the electronic device as well as ends of other electronic devices having a range of sizes. |
| US09660677B2 |
Impulsive noise rejection
A method of rejecting impulsive noise in an OFDM receiver is described. The impulsive noise is rejected using channel state information (CSI) and is performed in the frequency domain. A noise power estimate (furthermore referred to as a noise value) is measured for a single OFDM symbol and compared to a threshold value, which may be generated based on a short-term average of OFDM symbols not corrupted by impulsive noise or predicted based on a small number of previously measured OFDM symbols not corrupted by impulsive noise. If the noise estimate for the particular OFDM symbol exceeds the threshold value, the CSI for that symbol is derated (i.e. modified) to reduce the influence of the information from this symbol on the decoding process. |
| US09660675B2 |
Digital predistortion and uptilt and cable communication
Otherwise incompatible digital predistortion and uptilt can be used together, such as in a cable television or other cable communications system having a frequency-dependent signal loss at high frequencies. The predistortion can be used to compensate for a nonlinear gain compression of a power amplifier at higher frequencies. Additional uptilt and equalizer circuits can be included to address deleterious distortion effects that may otherwise arise by using predistortion and uptilt together. Training and adaptation of various components are described. Fine and coarse uptilt adjustments can be provided. |
| US09660672B2 |
Method for operating electronic device for RF signal transmission and electronic device for the same
A method for operating an electronic device for transmission of a radio frequency (RF) signal includes selecting output power of a power amplifier (PA) required upon transmission of a signal with a second frequency through an antenna, determining a first PA operation voltage corresponding to the selected output power using first information stored in a memory of the electronic device and second information regarding a PA operation voltage corresponding to first output power of the PA at the second frequency, supplying the determined first PA operation voltage to the PA, and supplying input power corresponding to the selected output power at the second frequency to the PA. Other various embodiments are possible. |
| US09660671B2 |
Transformer and communication terminal device
In a transformer, first and second coils are provided on different substrate layers of a multilayer body. The first and second coil conductors are interlayer-connected to each other by interlayer connection conductors. A coil aperture defined by the first coil conductor and a coil aperture defined by the second coil conductor overlap each other when seen in a plan view from a laminating direction of the multilayer body. The first and second coil conductors are connected to each other at at least two places with the interlayer connection conductors interposed therebetween. A parallel connection portion including a first portion of the first coil conductor and a first portion of the second coil conductor is provided, and a series connection portion including a second portion of the first coil conductor and a second portion of the second coil conductor is provided. |
| US09660669B2 |
Encoding apparatus and encoding method thereof
An encoding apparatus which performs encoding such as Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) encoding is provided. The encoding apparatus includes: an encoder encoding input bits using a parity check matrix including a plurality of blocks, each being formed of a first information word sub-matrix and a first parity sub-matrix arranged next to each other, and a second information sub-matrix and a second parity sub-matrix arranged next to each other; a bit determiner determining a value of a last sub-parity bit among sub-parity bits generated by encoding the input bits with respect to a first block among the plurality of blocks; and a bit modifier reversing values of bits generated by encoding the input bits with respect to a second block next to the first block based on the value of the last parity bit among the sub-parity bits generated by the encoding with respect to the first block. |
| US09660657B2 |
Spread spectrum clock generator
A spread spectrum clock generator includes: a phase comparing unit that receives a reference clock signal and a feedback clock signal, and generates a control voltage corresponding to a phase difference between the reference clock signal and the feedback clock signal; a voltage-controlled oscillator that oscillates at an oscillating frequency corresponding to the control voltage, and generates an output clock signal; a delta-sigma modulator that receives a waveform signal for controlling spreading of a spectrum of the output clock signal, and outputs bits larger than 1 bit based on the waveform signal; a control circuit that controls a multiplication number according to an output signal of the delta-signal modulator; and a divider that generates the feedback clock signal by dividing the output clock signal according to the multiplication number controlled by the control circuit, and supplies the feedback clock signal to the phase comparing unit. |
| US09660655B2 |
Ultra low phase noise frequency synthesizer
A system for providing ultra low phase noise frequency synthesizers using Fractional-N PLL (Phase Lock Loop), Sampling Reference PLL and DDS (Direct Digital Synthesizer). Modern day advanced communication systems comprise frequency synthesizers that provide a frequency output signal to other parts of the transmitter and receiver so as to enable the system to operate at the set frequency band. The performance of the frequency synthesizer determines the performance of the communication link. Current days advanced communication systems comprises single loop Frequency synthesizers which are not completely able to provide lower phase deviations for errors (For 256 QAM the practical phase deviation for no errors is 0.4-0.5°) which would enable users to receive high data rate. This proposed system overcomes deficiencies of current generation state of the art communication systems by providing much lower level of phase deviation error which would result in much higher modulation schemes and high data rate. |
| US09660652B2 |
Differential driver with pull up and pull down boosters
A driver includes first and second resistors coupled to a supply voltage and coupled to pairs of main transistors at positive and negative output nodes. The first and second pairs of main transistors provide emphasis and de-emphasis on the positive and negative output nodes. The driver also includes a delay inverter, a pull up booster and a pull down booster. The delay inverter delays and inverts each of a pair of differential input signals to provide delayed and inverted differential signals. The pull up booster provides a bypass current path that bypasses the first and second resistors but includes at least some of the first and second pairs of main transistors. The pull down booster provides an additional current path from the supply voltage through the first or second resistor to ground. |
| US09660647B2 |
Calibration device and memory system having the same
A calibration device for use in a memory system includes a bias circuit providing bias current, and a calibration unit generating a control signal for calibration. The bias circuit includes an internal resistor and measures a second bias current generated by mirroring a first bias current through the internal resistor, and adjusts the second bias current to generate the second bias current in a predetermined range as a third bias current. The calibration unit generates the control signal based on a comparison result between a reference voltage and a voltage generated based on the third bias current through an adjustable resistor. |
| US09660641B2 |
Devices with signal characteristic dependent control circuitry and methods of operation therefor
An embodiment of a device includes a terminal, an active transistor die electrically coupled to the terminal, a detector configured to sense a signal characteristic on the terminal, and control circuitry electrically coupled to the active transistor die and to the detector, wherein the active transistor die, detector, and control circuitry are coupled to a package. The control circuitry may include a control element and a control device. Based on the signal characteristic, the control circuitry controls which of multiple operating states the device operates. A method for controlling the operating state of the device includes sensing, using the detector, a signal characteristic at the terminal, and determining, using the control device, whether the signal characteristic conforms to a pre-set criteria, and when the signal characteristic does not conform to the pre-set criteria, modifying the state of the control element to alter the operating state of the device. |
| US09660640B2 |
Switching circuits having ferrite beads
A circuit includes an electronic component package that comprises at least a first lead, a III-N device in the electronic component package, a gate driver, and a ferrite bead. The III-N device comprises a drain, gate, and source, where the source is coupled to the first lead. The gate driver comprises a first terminal and a second terminal, where the first terminal is coupled to the first lead. The ferrite bead is coupled between the gate of the III-N transistor and the second terminal of the gate driver. When switching, the deleterious effects of the parasitic inductance of the circuit gate loop are mitigated by the ferrite bead. |
| US09660634B1 |
Load driving circuit
When a battery power supply voltage is applied to a drain of an output transistor at activation time, a drain-gate path of the output transistor is coupled and the output transistor tends to turn on by itself. A simplified power supply circuit operates in response to current conduction of a drain-source path of the output transistor. The simplified power supply circuit is activated at earlier time than activation of a power supply voltage Vcc of a logic power supply circuit, when the simplified power supply circuit operates with a main power supply voltage. The malfunction prevention circuit thus sets a gate voltage of the output transistor to a ground voltage by using an output generated by the simplified power supply circuit. As a result, malfunction of the output transistor is prevented at earlier time in comparison to malfunction prevention by initialization. |
| US09660630B1 |
Clock grid for integrated circuit
Systems and methods are provided for distributing clocks or other signals on an integrated circuit. In some aspects, one ore more distributed deskewing objects are provisioned for reducing or eliminating skew while linking multiple clock distribution segments into one clock tree of an arbitrary shape and size. |
| US09660629B2 |
Duty cycle detector and semiconductor integrated circuit apparatus including the same
A duty cycle detector may include a rising clock detection unit enabled in response to a first control signal; a falling clock detection unit enabled in response to a second control signal with a different activation timing from the first control signal; and a comparison unit configured to compare an output signal of the rising clock detection unit to an output signal of the falling clock detection unit in response to a comparison enable signal, and output a duty cycle detection signal. |
| US09660618B2 |
Voltage level shifter, and embedded nonvolatile memory and system using the same
A voltage level shifter may include a first input unit, a second input unit, a first mirror unit, a second mirror unit, and a clamping block. The first and second input units may receive a first input signal and a second input signal, respectively, and form current paths of a negative output node and a positive output node. The first and second mirror units may provide a first voltage to the negative output node and the positive output node. The clamping block may receive a second voltage, and couple the positive output node and the negative output node with the first and second mirror units, respectively. |
| US09660616B2 |
Power managers for an integrated circuit
Systems and methods for managing power in an integrated circuit using power islands are disclosed. The integrated circuit includes a plurality of power islands where power consumption is independently controlled within each of the power islands. A power manager determines a target power level for one of the power islands. The power manager then determines an action to change a consumption power level of the one of the power islands to the target power level. The power manager performs the action to change the consumption power level of the one of the power islands to the target power level. |
| US09660615B2 |
Flip-flop devices with clock sharing
A flip-flop device is provided. The flip-flop device includes a first flip-flop and a clock controller. The first flip-flop receives a first clock signal and a second clock signal for operation. The clock controller receives a clock source signal and generates the first clock signal and the second clock signal according to the clock source signal. Each of the first clock signal and the second clock signal switches between a first voltage level and a second voltage level. For each of the first clock signal and the second clock signal, a period of the first voltage level is shorter than a period of the second voltage level. The period of the first voltage level of the first clock signal and the period of the first voltage level of the second clock signal are non-overlapping. |
| US09660613B2 |
Impedance-matching network using BJT switches in variable-reactance circuits
This disclosure describes systems, methods, and apparatuses for impedance-matching radio frequency power transmitted from a radio frequency generator to a plasma load in a semiconductor processing chamber. Impedance-matching can be performed via a match network having a variable-reactance circuit. The variable-reactance circuit can comprise one or more reactive elements all connected to a first terminal and selectively shorted to a second terminal via a switch. The switch can comprise a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) or insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) controlled via bias circuitry. In an on-state, the BJT base-emitter junction is forward biased, and AC is conducted between a collector terminal and a base terminal. Thus, AC passes through the BJT primarily from collector to base rather than from collector to emitter. Furthermore, the classic match network topology used with vacuum variable capacitors can be modified such that voltages do not overload the BJT's in the modified topology. |
| US09660612B2 |
Phase shifted resonator
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for a tunable filter. In some example embodiments, there may be provided an apparatus. In some example embodiments, there is provided an apparatus. The apparatus may include a tunable radio frequency filter including a tunable phase shifter coupled to a resonator, wherein the tunable phase shifter tunes a center frequency of the tunable radio frequency filter by at least varying a phase of a radio frequency signal provided to the resonator. Related apparatus, systems, methods, and articles are also described. |
| US09660608B2 |
Low passive inter-modulation capacitor
A high power, low passive inter-modulation capacitor is presented, which is formed using metal clad substrates, which are broad-side coupled through a thin air gap. Each substrate may include metal layers affixed on both sides which are electrical coupled together to form a single capacitor plate, or each substrate may have only a single metal layer on the surface adjacent to the air gap. The capacitor has particular application in low cost RF and microwave filters, which may be used in communication equipment and communication test equipment such a diplexers, for low PIM applications. |
| US09660607B2 |
Solid state impedance tuners
A solid state impedance tuner or impedance tuner system includes a control element array with a plurality of solid state control elements configured to be turned on simultaneously to achieve a desired impedance state. The control element array comprises N solid state control elements arranged along an RF transmission line. A controller selectively turns on or off each control element by application of a control signal to vary an impedance presented by the control element array, Another aspect is an impedance tuner module card configured in a standardized system architecture, with a chassis board, and at least one solid state tuner module integrated on the card A chassis electrical connector connected to the tuner module is configured for connection to a corresponding backplane connector. Methods for calibrating a solid state impedance tuner that includes at least two solid state tuner modules combined in one package are disclosed. |
| US09660605B2 |
Variable delay line using variable capacitors in a maximally flat time delay filter
Systems and methods for a variable delay line using variable capacitors in a time delay filter are provided. In at least one embodiment, a delay line is configured to apply an adjustable time delay to an electromagnetic signal travelling through the delay line. The delay line comprises a filter that includes a first variable capacitor. Further, a capacitance of the first variable capacitor is configured to adjust the delay applied to the electromagnetic signal travelling through the delay line when varied. |
| US09660601B2 |
Amplifier with compensation of gain in low frequencies
An amplifier includes a differential amplifier and a compensator. A differential amplifier includes a current source and paired transistors. The paired transistors generate an output signal by dividing a source current supplied by the current source into emitter currents of the paired transistors in response to a difference between an input signal and a reference signal. A compensator includes an amplifying transistor and a feedback circuit that feeds a collector current output from a collector of the amplifying transistor back to a base of the amplifying transistor therethrough. The compensator generates the reference signal at a base of the amplifying transistor. The compensator decreases power consumption of the amplifying transistor when the collector current increases, and increases the power consumption of the amplifying transistor when the collector current decreases. The compensator suppresses a peaking of gain in a low frequency band. |
| US09660599B2 |
Radio frequency power amplifier including a pulse generator and matching network circuit
A system and method are provided for controlling a radio frequency (RF) power amplifier. A magnitude input and a phase input are received for transmission of a RF signal by the RF power amplifier. A digital pulse, having a center position relative to an edge of a reference clock based on the phase input and having a width based on the magnitude input, is generated. The digital pulse is filtered with a resonant matching network to produce the RF signal corresponding to the magnitude input and the phase input. |
| US09660594B2 |
Resonating filter and method thereof
In general the embodiments described herein can provide alternating-current (AC) resonating filters. These resonating filters comprise a transmission line, a first resonator, and a second resonator. The first resonator is configured to block AC signals in a first frequency range, while the second resonator is configured to block AC signals in a second frequency range, where the second frequency range is higher than the first frequency range. The transmission line has a first node coupled to an AC source, and the first resonator is coupled to the transmission line a first distance from the first node, and the second resonator is coupled to the transmission line a second distance from the first node, where the second distance is greater than the first distance. When so configured the resonating filter can effectively block signals in multiple selected frequency bandwidths. |
| US09660587B2 |
Power amplifier
A power amplifier (PA) has been disclosed for linearity improvement. The PA comprises at least an amplifying transistor and at least an auxiliary transistor. Each amplifying transistor of the at least an amplifying transistor includes a first terminal for receiving an input signal of the PA, a second terminal for delivering an output signal of the PA, and a third terminal. Each auxiliary transistor of the at least an auxiliary transistor includes a first terminal, a second terminal coupled to the second terminal of the at least an amplifying transistor, and a third terminal electrically connected to the first terminal of the at least an amplifying transistor. |
| US09660586B2 |
Class D switching amplifier and method of controlling a loudspeaker
A switching amplifier includes a first half-bridge PWM modulator, a second half-bridge PWM modulator, and at least one amplifier stage configured to receive input signals. The switching amplifier also includes a PWM control stage configured to control switching of the first PWM modulator and of the second PWM modulator as a function of the input signals, by respective first PWM control signals and second PWM control signals. The amplifier stage and the PWM control stage have a fully differential structure. |
| US09660584B2 |
Power amplifier modules including wire bond pad and related systems, devices, and methods
One aspect of this disclosure is a power amplifier module that includes a power amplifier; a wire bond pad electrically connected to the power amplifier, the wire bond pad including a nickel layer having a thickness that is less than 0.5 um, a palladium layer over the nickel layer, and a gold layer over the palladium layer; and a conductive trace having a top surface with a plated portion and an unplated portion surrounding the plated portion, the wire bond pad being disposed over the plated portion. Other embodiments of the module are provided along with related methods and components thereof. |
| US09660582B2 |
Spin current generation with nano-oscillator
A device including a spin channel to transport a spin current, a nano-oscillator, and a magnetoresistive device that receives the spin current from the nano-oscillator. The nano-oscillator includes a magnetization state that oscillates between a first state and a second state in response to an input voltage or current. The oscillation of the nano-oscillator may induce the spin current within the spin channel. The magnetoresistive device includes a magnetization state that is set based at least in part on the received spin current. |
| US09660578B2 |
Electronic device with capacitor bank linearization and a linearization method
An electronic device comprises a controllable capacitor bank and a capacitive divider arranged in parallel with the capacitor bank and configured to linearize the capacitor bank in a linearization frequency range of a frequency characteristic of the electronic device. The capacitive divider comprises a series arrangement of a first series capacitance, and a main capacitor bank. A control circuit coupled to one or more control inputs of the capacitive divider and controllable capacitor bank is configured to modify the equivalent capacitance of the capacitive divider and the controllable capacitor bank for providing capacitance steps, each capacitance step being variable over frequency such that for each step a frequency change Δf of the frequency characteristic is maintained constant in the linearization frequency range. |
| US09660576B2 |
Predicting production of photovoltaic systems
The present invention is directed to methods, systems, and devices for predicting production of a photovoltaic (PV) system. A method may include establishing a reference performance model for a reference PV system at a reference site. Further, the method may include establishing a performance factor for an installed PV system based on configuration parameters of the installed PV system, measurements of the installed PV system, weather data at an installation site of the installed PV system and a comparison of the measurements of the installed PV system to the reference performance model. The method may also include predicting production of the installed PV system based on the performance factor, cumulative weather data and a time dependent performance ratio. |
| US09660569B2 |
Solar array support structure, mounting rail and method of installation thereof
Disclosed herein is a mounting rail for a solar array support structure that includes a main body having a top and a bottom, the main body extending from a first end to a second end. The mounting rail further includes a solar panel mounting portion extending along the top of the main body, the solar panel mounting portion configured to secure the solar panel to the mounting rail. The mounting rail further includes a first flange extending from the bottom of the first vertical element, the first flange including a first pair of holes configured to receive two ends of a U-bolt, the first pair of holes spaced apart substantially equal to a width of the horizontal rail. A method of installing a solar array support structure using the mounting rail is further disclosed. |
| US09660567B2 |
System for mounting and supporting photovoltaic modules
A system for mounting and supporting photovoltaic (PV) modules includes a frame rail that is formed with a longitudinally extending channel for retaining a plurality of mounting clips, and mounting clamps for anchoring the frame rail to a support base or support structure. Each mounting clamp includes a pair of jaws for engaging along a base portion of the fame rail. The mounting clips are arranged along the length of the frame rail, and are used to support the PV modules adjacent to the frame rails. Module clamps are used to hold the PV modules in place, the module clamps being secured to the mounting clips using elongated fasteners having an engaging end for engaging the mounting clip. The mounting clamps allow the frame rail position to be adjusted in two directions, and the mounting clips facilitate rapid mounting of the PV modules to the frame rail structure. |
| US09660561B2 |
Motor drive device
A motor drive device having drive controller to control a motor for driving an electric vehicle wheel depending on position of magnetic poles using angle detection value sensed by a motor angle sensor; motor angle estimator to estimate an angle of a motor rotor without a rotation sensor; sensor malfunction determiner to determine malfunction of the sensor; sensor switcher to cause the controller to control using an estimation value of the rotor angle estimated by the estimator instead of the angle detection value sensed by the sensor once the determiner determines that the sensor malfunctions; and start-up rotor angle calculator to calculate an angle of the rotor from a counter electromotive voltage of the motor and to cause the controller to control using the calculated angle, when the motor is started up after stop of the motor in a state where the sensor is determined as malfunctioning by the determiner. |
| US09660560B2 |
Motor drive circuit and method of driving a motor
A drive system for a brushless DC motor having a rotor includes at least one permanent magnet and a stator including at least one phase winding. The system has a drive circuit including a switch associated with the winding for varying the current passing through the winding; a rotor position sensor arranged to sense the position of the rotor; and a controller arranged to provide drive signals to control the switch. The drive system is further arranged to receive a temperature signal that has a value dependent upon the temperature of the at least one magnet of the rotor. The controller is arranged to vary the phase of the current passing through the winding relative to the rotor position dependent upon the temperature of the rotor magnet. |
| US09660553B2 |
Switching stage, energy conversion circuit, and conversion stage for wind turbines comprising the energy conversion circuit
The present invention relates to an energy conversion circuit comprising a switching stage with a positive DC voltage terminal (1), a negative DC voltage terminal (3), m−1 intermediate DC voltage terminals (2) m DC bus capacitors (5); and p linked cells consisting of m+1 switches (9) and at least one capacitor (10), connecting cell 1 to the positive DC voltage terminal (1), negative DC voltage terminals (3) and intermediate DC voltage terminals (2); and a multilevel converter, the output of which is connected to the AC voltage terminal (4), with a positive voltage terminal (12) and a negative voltage terminal (14) of the multilevel converter and m−1 intermediate voltage terminals of the multilevel converter (13), which are connected to the positive output terminal of the switching stage (6), to the negative output terminal of the switching stage (8), and to the m−1 intermediate output terminals of the switching stage (7), respectively. |
| US09660538B2 |
Digital closed-loop control for DC/DC switch-mode power converters with multiple outputs
Apparatus and method for providing closed loop feedback control for switch-mode DC/DC power converter with multiple outputs using digital filter feedback, in contrast to analog error feedback. In the apparatus and method, multiple outputs for a switch-mode DC/DC power converter are regulated by digital means, including the allocating or partitioning of digital control resources among each of the multiple outputs. The partitioning of control resources may be in response to operating conditions. |
| US09660537B1 |
Fault tolerant power converter
A power converter provides a low-voltage output using a full-bridge fault-tolerant rectification circuit. The output circuit uses controlled switches as rectifiers. A fault detection circuit monitors circuit conditions. Upon detection of a fault, the switches are disabled decoupling the power converter from the system.A common-source dual MOSFET device includes a plurality of elements arranged in alternating patterns on a semiconductor die. A common-source dual synchronous rectifier includes control circuitry powered from the drain to source voltage of the complementary switch.A DC-to-DC transformer converts power from an input source to a load using a fixed voltage transformation ratio. A clamp phase may be used to reduce power losses in the converter at light loads, control the effective output resistance of the converter, effectively regulate the voltage transformation ratio, provide narrow band output regulation, and control the rate of change of output voltage for example during start up. One or more of the transformer windings may be clamped. The converter may use the sine amplitude converter topology. The converter may use common-source dual MOSFET devices and fault detection.The density of point of load power conversion may be increased and the associated power dissipation reduced by removing the input driver circuitry from the point of load where it is not necessary. An output circuit may be located at the point of load providing fault tolerant rectification of the AC power from the secondary winding of a power transformer which may be located nearby the output circuit. The resonant voltage and current waveforms on the primary side of the transformer are readily communicated via an AC bus between the driver circuit and the primary winding of the power transformer. The driver circuit may drive a plurality of transformer-output circuit pairs. The transformer and output circuit may be combined in a single module at the point of load. Alternatively, the output circuit may be integrated into point of load circuitry such as a processor core. The transformer may be deployed near the output circuit. |
| US09660535B2 |
Method and system to dynamically position a switch mode power supply output voltage
A switch mode power supply (SMPS) converter is periodically run backwards by using a synchronous switch instead of the normally used commutating diode. By running the SMPS converter backwards the SMPS output capacitor can be discharged very quickly to provide a fast turn off of (no current through) the LED's, thereby solving the color shift problem. This enables positioning the output voltage of the SMPS up or down by actively charging or discharging the bulk output capacitor. Having the capability of actively charging or discharging the bulk output capacitor allows generation of a current source comprising substantially square, e.g., substantially full current when on and substantially no current when off, current pulses that are preferable for driving LED lighting applications. |
| US09660530B2 |
Resonant virtual supply booster for synchronous digital circuits having a predictable evaluate time
A booster for a digital circuit block provides speed and reliability at lower static power supply voltages, reducing overall power consumption of the circuits. The booster includes a transistor that couples a dynamic power supply node to a static power supply and is disabled in response to a boost clock. An inductor and capacitance, which may be the block power supply shunt capacitance, coupled to the dynamic power supply resonates so that the voltage of the dynamic power supply increases in magnitude to a value greater the static power supply voltage. A boost transistor is included in some embodiments to couple an edge of the clock to the dynamic power supply, increasing the voltage rise. Another aspect of the booster includes multiple boost transistors controlled by different boost clock phases so that the resonant boost circuit is successively stimulated to increase the amount of voltage rise. |
| US09660528B2 |
Adaptive controller for a voltage converter
A DC-to-DC converter includes an input voltage node, an inductor, and a switch coupled to the inductor and the input voltage node. More specifically, the switch has an on state and off state, wherein during the on state, current flowing through the inductor increases and the off state results in a decrease of the current flowing through the inductor via a driver coupled to the switch. The driver comprises a plurality of transistors and an adaptive voltage node, wherein a voltage level at the adaptive voltage node is to vary in accordance with the current flowing through the inductor so as to decrease a variation of the amount of time to turn off the switch. |
| US09660527B2 |
Zero voltage switching
A method for providing non-resonant zero-voltage switching in a switching power converter. The switching power converter converts power from input power to output power during multiple periodic switching cycles. The switching power converter includes a main switch and an auxiliary capacitor adapted for connecting to the main switch, and an inductor connectable to the auxiliary capacitor. When the main switch is on, a previously charged (or previously discharged) auxiliary capacitor is connected to the main switch with auxiliary switches. The main switch is switched off with zero voltage while discharging non-resonantly (charging) the auxiliary capacitor by providing a current path to the inductor. The auxiliary capacitor is disconnected from the main switch. The voltage of the auxiliary capacitor is charged and discharged alternatively during subsequent switching cycles. The voltage of the auxiliary capacitor stays substantially the same until the subsequent turn off of the main switch during the next switching cycle with substantially no energy loss in the auxiliary capacitor. |
| US09660522B2 |
DC-DC converter circuit arrangement
A DC-DC converter circuit arrangement consisting of at least one multiphase DC-DC converter for transporting energy between two electrical systems. The arrangement may include several converter circuits whereby each features at least one first control element that can be regulated. A controller can produce several drive signals that have different phases. One switched mode operation of a converter circuit of the multiphase DC-DC converter can be controlled with each drive signal. The switched mode operation of each converter circuit of each subsequent multiphase DC-DC converter can be controlled by means of a drive signal, which can be produced by the controller. The controller is designed and equipped in such a way that it can enable or disable the energy transport by means of one of the multiphase DC-DC converter. |
| US09660521B2 |
Power conversion circuit
A power conversion circuit includes first to fourth switching elements connected in series between ground and high voltage electrical paths, a first reactor, a main battery, a second reactor, a sub battery, a high voltage sensor for detecting a high voltage VH between the ground and high voltage electrical paths, and a controller. Upon issuance of an instruction for turning off all of the first to fourth switching elements, the controller determines that the third switching element is experiencing an ON failure when the high voltage VH is equal to the sum of a battery voltage VB1 of the main battery and a battery voltage VB2 of the sub battery, to thereby allow electrical power to be transferred between the batteries and a load even in the event of occurrence of the ON failure in the switching element. |
| US09660520B2 |
Method and apparatus to provide power conversion with high power factor
A power converter circuit rectifies a line voltage and applies the rectified voltage to a stack of capacitors. Voltages on the capacitors are coupled to a plurality of regulating converters to be converted to regulated output signals. The regulated output signals are combined and converted to a desired DC output voltage of the power converter. Input currents of the regulating converters are modulated in a manner that enhances the power factor of the power converter. |
| US09660519B2 |
Switching power supply circuit and power factor correction circuit
A switching power supply circuit including a phase angle detector circuit detecting a phase angle specified in advance based on a peak hold signal, a continuous conduction control setting circuit holding a voltage value corresponding to a peak current value of an inductor current detection voltage in every switching cycle and during a one-shot pulse when the peak is held and outputting a signal at the point of detection to determine to enable or disable a second set pulse set by the continuous conduction control setting circuit. When the second set pulse is disabled, a selector circuit carries out control using critical conduction control to turn on a switching element using a ZCD comparator detecting that the inductor current has reached zero, because of which the peak current does not increase. |
| US09660513B2 |
Switching device
A control circuit is driven by a driving voltage (VOC) generated by a generator circuit, and outputs a control signal. A drive circuit is driven by a driving voltage (VOD) generated by another generator circuit, and turns a switching element inside a switching circuit on or off by supplying, to the switching circuit, a drive signal based on the control signal. During activation of a switching device, a voltage generation controller detects a voltage value of the output voltage (VOC) of the generator circuit, and allows activation of the other generator circuit after verifying that the detected voltage value is at or above a designated threshold. |
| US09660511B2 |
Gate driver circuit and power conversion apparatus using same
A gate driver circuit capable of quickly driving a semiconductor device without erroneous ignitions. It has a positive power supply for forward bias, a negative power supply for backward bias, a first bias circuit that outputs the positive- or negative-power-supply voltage according to gate driver signal S, a capacitor that is charged by the negative-power-supply voltage when the first bias circuit outputs the negative-power-supply voltage, and a second bias circuit that supplies the gate of the semiconductor device with the positive- or negative-power-supply voltage according to gate driver signal S. Only in an early stage of a transition period during which the semiconductor device is turned on, the second bias circuit supplies the gate of the semiconductor device, instead of the positive-power-supply voltage, with a voltage boosted by adding the charged voltage of the capacitor onto the positive-power-supply voltage outputted from the first bias circuit. |
| US09660509B2 |
Linear vibration actuator
Embodiments of the invention provide a motor assembly including a terminal provided at a stator of a motor and electrically connected to a coil wound around the stator, and a controller formed with a coupling hole to which the terminal is coupled and electrically connected and controlling electric input and output to the terminal. |
| US09660501B2 |
Electric actuator with a manual drive means
An actuator including a frame, an electric motor fastened to the frame and to a rotor that is constrained to rotate with an outlet shaft, and a connector electrically connected to the motor and secured to the frame to be connected to a complementary connector. The actuator includes a secondary drive device having a secondary shaft having a first end that extends outside the frame and is arranged to be coupled to rotate with a rotary drive tool, a second end of the secondary shaft in rotation coupled with the outlet shaft, and an activation rod opening out into the connector is secured to the frame and arranged to prevent the secondary shaft from being coupled in rotation with the outlet shaft only when the complementary connector is connected to the connector secured to the frame. |
| US09660500B2 |
Hub motor arrangement or vehicle with hub motor arrangement
A ride-on vehicle, such as for a child, includes a vehicle body and one or more wheels that support the vehicle body relative to a surface. At least one of the wheels includes a hub motor arrangement that provides a drive torque for propelling the vehicle. The hub motor arrangement includes a housing defining an interior space. An axle or other mounting element(s) define an axis of rotation of the housing. Preferably, the axle or other mounting element(s) do not pass completely through the housing. A motor drives the housing through a transmission. Preferably, the motor is a standard, compact motor that is positioned on the axis of rotation and can be laterally offset from a central plane of the housing. In some embodiments, a traction element is carried directly by the housing. |
| US09660494B2 |
Joint and jointing method in a permanent magnet synchronous machine
The invention relates to a joint between a copper short-circuiting ring (1) and a copper bar (2) of the damper winding in a permanent magnet synchronous machine, wherein the end of the bar is jointed to a hole (9) disposed in the short-circuiting ring by welding them together at the mating surfaces. Further, the invention relates to a corresponding method. According to the invention the short-circuiting ring (1) includes a blocking structure for limiting the heat flux from being conducted further into the short-circuiting ring from the weld between the short-circuiting ring and the bar. |
| US09660492B2 |
Outer rotor construction
An outer rotor construction for a wind turbine generator which outer rotor construction comprises a plurality of rotor housing segments, wherein a rotor housing segment is realized to hold a number of magnet poles, and wherein a rotor housing segment comprises a lateral connecting interface of a lateral connection for detachably connecting that rotor housing segment along its longitudinal length to a number of adjacent rotor housing segments. The invention further describes a wind turbine including a generator, which generator includes an inner stator and such an outer rotor is provided. A method of performing a maintenance procedure on such an outer rotor construction is also provided. |
| US09660491B2 |
Rotor for rotating electric machine
A rotor includes a rotor core having a plurality of pairs of magnet-receiving holes and a plurality of magnets respectively received in the magnet-receiving holes. Each pair of the magnet-receiving holes is arranged in a substantially V-shape that opens toward a stator side. The rotor core also has a plurality of q-axis core portions through which q-axis magnetic flux flows, a plurality of first magnetic flux barriers and a plurality of second magnetic flux barriers. Further, in the rotor core, the following dimensional relationships are satisfied: W2≧W1; and W3≧W1, where W1 is a width between centerlines L1 of the q-axis core portions and the corresponding first magnetic flux barriers, W2 is a width between the centerlines L1 and the corresponding second magnetic flux barriers, and W3 is a radial width between a radially inner surface of the rotor core and the second magnetic flux barriers. |
| US09660487B1 |
Intelligent wireless power transferring system with automatic positioning
An automatic-positioning wireless power transfer system to wirelessly charge power to an object and is also capable of wirelessly harvesting power from an object. The power transfer system consists of a mobile housing configured to autonomously move about the object, and has a tiltable transceiver. The mobile housing can be tethered to a base station via a cable, or not physically tethered to a base station when it travels. |
| US09660486B2 |
Wireless power transfer device and wireless charging system having same
The present specification provides a wireless power transfer device formed to transmit power to a wireless power reception device, and a power transfer unit in the wireless power transfer device comprises: a first coil formed to generate a magnetic field so as to transmit power in an induction scheme; and a second coil wound around the first coil and formed to generate a magnetic field vibrating at a resonance frequency so as to transmit power in a resonance scheme. |
| US09660483B2 |
Power supply control apparatus and power supply control system having the same
A power supply control apparatus is connected to an electric device to control supply of power to the electric device. The apparatus includes a main power switch to apply or interrupt main power to the electric device, the main power being external input commercial AC power, an auxiliary power storage unit supplied and charged with the main power as auxiliary power, a charging/discharging unit including a charging circuit to convert the main power into DC power and charge the converted DC power in the auxiliary power storage unit, and a discharging circuit to convert the DC power in the auxiliary power storage unit into AC power and discharge the converted AC power to the electric device, and a controller to control the main power switch, and control the charging/discharging unit to selectively drive the charging circuit or the discharging circuit. |
| US09660479B2 |
Device and method for wirelessly transmitting power
There is provided a wireless power transmitting device capable of simply being carried by a user and wirelessly transmitting a power to a power receiving device with a high transmission efficiency regardless of time and space. The wireless power transmitting device includes a power storage unit configured to store a direct current power, and a power transmitting unit configured to be operated by the direct current power stored in the power storage unit and to wirelessly transmit the power to a power receiving device. |
| US09660478B2 |
System and method for facilitating avoidance of wireless charging cross connection
A system and method for charging a chargeable device is provided. The system can include a wireless charger including a wireless power antenna and a wireless power transmitter coupled to the wireless power antenna and configured to generate a wireless charging field in at least one charging region. The wireless charging field includes a plurality of power signals. The wireless charger further includes a communication antenna and a transceiver coupled to the communication antenna and configured to communicate with the chargeable device via the communication antenna. The wireless charger further includes a controller configured to facilitate avoidance of cross connection of the chargeable device with the wireless charger and at least one other wireless charger in which the chargeable device receives power from the wireless power transmitter of the wireless charger while communicating with at least one other wireless charger. The system can include a chargeable device including a controller configured to generate a load pulse configured to be received by the wireless charger. |
| US09660477B2 |
Mobile charging unit for input devices
Devices, methods, and systems for charging input devices. A charging unit includes a sleeve for receiving a stylus and a base. The charging unit receives electrical power from an external power source via an interface and transfers the power to the stylus via a connection between the base's charging contacts and conductive charging zones on a portion of the input device in the base. A method detects insertion of a stylus into a charging unit having an internal battery and an interface capable of receiving power from an external power source. The method determines if the unit is connected to a power source. If so, the stylus is charged by transferring the received energy via a connection between the unit's charging contacts and conductive charging zones of the stylus. If energy is not being received from the external power source, the method charges the stylus using the unit's internal battery. |
| US09660476B2 |
Circuit arrangement for discharging an electrical energy store and power converter comprising such a circuit arrangement
A circuit assembly for discharging an electrical energy store includes a first discharge current path for uncontrolled, passive discharging of the energy store and for keeping a defined charge voltage of the energy store, and a second discharge current path for controlled, active discharging of the energy store. A semiconductor switch electrically connects to a positive current connection of the energy store and to a negative current connection of the energy store. A voltage limiter includes a first current connection for electrically connecting to the positive current connection of the energy store and a second current connection for electrically connecting to the negative current connection of the energy store. The circuit assembly further includes a first control path for providing a first control signal from the first current connection of the voltage limiter to the control connection of the semiconductor switch in order to control the semiconductor switch. |
| US09660468B2 |
Rechargeable flameless candle systems and methods
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a recharging device includes a recharging port that receives a flameless candle and recharges a battery in the candle. The recharging device includes a first stacking structure that has a top portion and a bottom portion. There is a top stacking contact on the top portion. An electrical power bus is connected with the top stacking contact. The electrical power bus is also configured to provide electrical power to the flameless candle through the recharging port. The top portion of the first stacking structure is configured to mate with a bottom portion of a first stacking structure of another recharging device. |
| US09660465B2 |
Uninterruptible power supply, battery assembly thereof and charging-discharging method thereof
A battery assembly includes a power module, a receptacle connector, a driving switch and a movable stop arm. The power module includes a battery control unit and a cell electrically connected to the battery control unit. The receptacle connector is disposed at the power module and electrically connected to the cell via the battery control unit. The receptacle connector includes an insertion opening. The driving switch is disposed corresponding to the receptacle connector and electrically connected to the battery control unit. A default setting of the driving switch is “switched off”. One end of the movable stop arm is outside of the insertion opening and blocks the same. The movable stop arm is movable toward the driving switch to touch and switch on the same. |
| US09660457B2 |
Feed line switching apparatus, optical submarine branching apparatus, submarine cable system, and feed line switching method
In a feed line switching apparatus, a situation in which the feed line switching apparatus cannot work when feed lines have a predetermined connection relationship is prevented. The feed line switching apparatus includes a command acquisition unit which acquires a feed line switching command which designates a connection relationship of feed lines, a switching execution unit which switches the connection relationship of the feed lines in accordance with the feed line switching command acquired by the command acquisition unit, and a switching control unit which suppresses switching of the connection relationship of the feed lines in the switching execution unit for a predetermined feed line switching command. |
| US09660456B2 |
Switching of conductor pair in power over ethernet system
Technique for providing power to a powered device (PD) over a cable having first and second sets of twisted pairs, such as signal pairs and spare pairs. Power Sourcing Equipment (PSE) circuitry is coupled via a first switch to the second set, e.g. to the spare pairs. A switch control circuit turns the first switch off to enable the PSE circuitry to perform a prescribed operation in connection with the PD over only the first set, e.g. over the signal pairs, and turns the first switch on to enable the PSE circuitry to perform the prescribed operation in connection with the PD over the first and second sets. |
| US09660455B2 |
System and method for increasing efficiency of gensets in micro-grid systems
A system and method for running a plurality of gensets in parallel in a micro-grid system is disclosed. The system and method may include at least one genset configured to run at a load factor of greater than sixty percent, the number of the at least one genset supplying power at any given time including a minimum or less than minimum number of gensets capable of meeting a demand imposed by a load. The system and method may also include a turbo compounding system associated with at least one of the at least one genset, each of the electric turbo compounding systems configured to increase fuel efficiency of the at least one genset. |
| US09660453B2 |
Control of a microgrid
A method of controlling a microgrid including at least one distributed generator (DG) and arranged for being connected to a power grid, by means of a converter via which the DG is connected in said microgrid. The method includes running the converter in a current control mode for controlling at least one current output of the DG in the microgrid; obtaining an indication that the converter should change from the current control mode towards a voltage control mode for controlling a voltage output of the DG in the microgrid; and entering the converter in an interstate mode, in response to the obtained indication, in which interstate mode the converter is configured for controlling both the current output and the voltage output. |
| US09660451B1 |
Islanded operation of distributed power sources
A method for synchronizing distributed generation power sources during an islanding event may include synchronizing a first one of the islanded local power sources to a master local reference, and synchronizing a second one of the islanded local power sources to the master local reference. In-rush current may be controlled by energizing the local load sequentially in stages when a utility grid is connected to the point of common connection. The local loads may also be selectively energized in response to the amount of available local power generating capacity in an islanding situation. A method for controlling a system having local loads and local power sources may include evaluating the power available from local power sources, adaptively controlling the local loads in response to the power available from the local power sources, and operating the local loads and local power sources as an independent system during an islanding event. |
| US09660447B2 |
Connector having wireless control capabilities
A connector for connecting a source of AC power to a powered device includes a line-side interface arranged for releasably and electrically coupling the connector to the source of power, a load-side power interface arranged for electrically coupling the connector to the powered device, a load-side control interface for controlling the power supplied to the powered device, a controller electrically coupled to the line-side interface, the load-side power interface, and the load-side control interface and operable to control a bringing of power to the load-side power interface from the line-side interface and for bringing a control signal to the load-side control interface, and a receiver electrically coupled to the controller for receiving a first signal from a device external to the connector and for generating, in response thereto, a second signal for controlling operations of the controller. |
| US09660443B1 |
Control circuits with energy recycling for envelope elimination and restoration and related methods
Control circuits with energy recycling for envelope elimination and restoration and related methods are disclosed. A control circuit includes a filter module configured to condition an input power signal to provide an output power signal. An energy recapture module is electrically coupled to the filter module and is configured to capture a portion of residual energy from the filter module and return the portion of the residual energy to the input power signal. A control module is electrically coupled to the filter module and the energy recapture module and is configured to control the filter module to provide the output power signal and is further configured to control the energy recapture module to capture and return the portion of the residual energy to the input power signal. |
| US09660439B2 |
Direct current power distribution and protection system
A direct current power (DC) distribution system includes a plurality of DC power sources, a ring bus, a plurality of switch assemblies, and a plurality of passive protection assemblies. Each DC power source is coupled to the ring bus by a respective switch assembly and a respective passive protection assembly. |
| US09660438B2 |
Secure and dependable differential protection for electric power generators
Secure and dependable differential protection for electric power generators is described herein. An internal fault is declared if the operating current exceeds a function of the restraining current, and the operating current exceeds and adjusted pickup value. The adjusted pickup value is selected as a minimum of a compensated first pickup value and a second pickup value. The compensated first pickup value may be calculated by adding the absolute value of a compensation addend with a first pickup value. The compensation addend may be calculated by filtering, compensating, and summing current values from the neutral side and the power system side of the electrical generator. The absolute value of the compensation addend may be further adjusted using a security compensation factor. |
| US09660436B2 |
Detection of interconnected outputs
Systems and methods for detection of interconnected outputs of a power supply are provided. A first channel of a power supply is activated, such that power is supplied to a first load connected to the first channel. A first load voltage is measured for the first load. A second load voltage is measured for a second load connected to a second channel of the power supply. The second load voltage is compared to the first load voltage to generate an interconnection result. The power supply is shut down when the interconnection result indicates that the second load voltage matches the first load voltage, such that all channels of the power supply do not supply power to any load connected thereto. |
| US09660431B2 |
Vibration resistant cable
Vibration resistant cables containing a first conductor and a second conductor, each having a diameter d, are disclosed. The second conductor is twisted around the first conductor at a lay length between 3 feet and 6 feet to eliminate bagging of the vibration resistant cable during installation. |
| US09660428B2 |
Fireproof wall lead-through for an electrically insulated conductor and method for producing a fireproof wall lead-through
A fireproof wall lead-through for an electrically insulated conductor, having a wall, a wall pipe leading through the wall, an outer sleeve extending through the wall pipe, and a conductor led through the outer sleeve, which conductor is spaced apart from the outer sleeve in an electrically insulating manner, wherein an intumescent material is applied to the outer sleeve and the conductor in the conductor segment of the wall pipe, which intumescent material swells and closes the wall lead-through under the influence of heat. |
| US09660427B1 |
Power transfer unit
A power transfer unit is disclosed. In a first implementation of the disclosed power transfer unit, a tubular assembly of the power transfer unit includes an encapsulated elbow hinge design with a reduced profile that permits substantially off-center installation of the housings of the power transfer unit. In a second implementation of the disclosed power transfer unit, the tubular assembly includes an inverted, telescoping tubing design that does not come apart during installation and use, and in some implementations may act as a stop for a closable member. |
| US09660426B1 |
Attachments for compact tractor for pulling wire through underground conduits
A compact tractor equipped for pulling wire through underground conduits having a boom and dipper on the rear of the compact tractor and a rotatable witch's hat spool assembly on the front of the compact tractor, wherein the spool assembly is mounted onto the loader lifter arms such that it can be easily tilted to dump a roll of cable onto the back of a trailer. |
| US09660425B1 |
Ion generator device support
The present disclosure is directed to ion generator device supports. An ion generator device support is configured to retain an ion generator device, the ion generator device having a first portion containing exposed electrodes and a second portion, the support includes a first wall, a second wall extending orthogonally from the first wall, a third wall extending orthogonally from the first wall opposed to the second wall, wherein the third wall extends a smaller distance from the first wall than the second wall and a fourth wall extending orthogonally from the second wall, wherein a substantially open cavity is defined by the fourth wall, the second wall and an edge of the third wall, and a substantially closed cavity is defined by the second wall, the first wall and the third wall, and wherein the first portion of the ion generator device is retained within the substantially open cavity. |
| US09660424B2 |
Spark plug
A spark plug 1 has a center electrode 4 and a ground electrode 5 opposed to each other and causes a spark discharge to occur through application of a voltage between the center electrode 4 and the ground electrode 5 . Moreover, the center electrode 4 has a columnar main chip 10 provided at a distal end thereof by welding via a fusion portion 12 and an annular auxiliary chip 11 surrounding the fusion portion 12. Consequently, when a spark discharge occurring from the center electrode 4 is blown to the downstream side by the influence of a gas flow in a cylinder of an internal combustion engine, it is possible to suppress a cathode point from being formed in the fusion portion 12 since the fusion portion 12 is surrounded and thus protected by the auxiliary chip 11. As a result, it is possible to suppress wear of the center electrode 4, thereby extending the service life of the spark plug 1. |
| US09660419B2 |
High reliability etched-facet photonic devices
Semiconductor photonic device surfaces are covered with a dielectric or a metal protective layer. The protective layer covers the entire device, including regions near facets at active regions, to prevent bare or unprotected semiconductor regions, thereby to form a very high reliability etched facet photonic device. |
| US09660418B2 |
VCSEL based low coherence emitter for confocal 3D scanner
Methods and apparatus for measuring objects comprise a plurality of light sources to generate a plurality of light beams directed toward a spot generator array comprising a plurality of spot generating lenses. The plurality of light sources is separated from the spot generator array with a separation distance sufficient to overlap the plurality of light beams at each of the spot generating lenses. The overlap of each of the beams at each of the spot generating lenses provides smoothing of the energy profile of the light energy incident on the spot generating lenses. The spot generator array generates focused spots comprising overlapping focused beams. The overlapping beams may comprise overlapping beams of a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) array, and the overlapping focused beams can decrease optical artifacts. |
| US09660414B2 |
Heat dissipation system for optical module
A heat dissipation system for an optical module, related to communication fittings technologies, is provided to improve heat dissipation efficiency of the optical module. The heat dissipation system for an optical module includes a circuit card on which at least one optical module is mounted, where the optical module includes a housing and a laser disposed inside the housing. A first heat dissipation apparatus is fixedly disposed on the circuit card. A heat dissipation window is provided in an area that is above the laser and on the housing of the optical module. The first heat dissipation apparatus performs heat dissipation on the heat dissipation window. |
| US09660413B2 |
Nitride semiconductor light emitting device
A nitride semiconductor light emitting device includes a first coat film of aluminum nitride or aluminum oxynitride formed at a light emitting portion and a second coat film of aluminum oxide formed on the first coat film. The thickness of the second coat film is at least 80 nm and at most 1000 nm. Here, the thickness of the first coat film is preferably at least 6 nm and at most 200 nm. |
| US09660412B2 |
Femtosecond ultraviolet laser
A method and system for generating femtosecond (fs) ultraviolet (UV) laser pulses enables stabile, robust, and optically efficient generation of third harmonic fs laser pulses using periodically-poled quasi-phase-matched crystals. The crystals have different numbers of periodically poled crystalline layers that enable a long conversion length without back-conversion and without a special phase-matching direction. The fs UV laser may have a high conversion efficiency and may be suitable for high power operation. |
| US09660409B2 |
Low noise, high stability, deep ultra-violet, continuous wave laser
A laser for generating deep ultra-violet (DUV) continuous wave (CW) light includes a second-harmonic generator and a fourth-harmonic generator. The fourth-harmonic generator includes a plurality of mirrors as well as a first non-linear optical (NLO) crystal and a pair of tilted plates. The first NLO crystal generates the light having the fourth harmonic wavelength and a first astigmatism, and is placed in operative relation to the plurality of mirrors. The pair of tilted plates is placed in operative relation to the first NLO crystal such that the light having the second harmonic wavelength passes through both of the tilted plates. Notably, the pair of tilted plates are disposed at substantially equal and opposite angles about respective parallel axes such that they introduce a second astigmatism that corrects for the first astigmatism while minimizing displacement of the circulated light. |
| US09660406B2 |
Push-in wire connector with collar
A wire connector having a collar surrounding a set of wire ports in a wire connector with the collar providing a collective shield between an environment external to the collar the collar but not between the set of wires within the collar. |
| US09660404B2 |
Terminal connection structure for resistor
Provided is a connection structure for a detection terminal of shunt resistor that allows a lead wire, that is to be connected to an electrode of the shunt resistor and is for detecting electrical current, to be easily and compactly connected to the electrode within a narrow and small module. A terminal connection structure for a resistor, which connects a detection terminal to an electrode, comprises a shunt resistor (13) that has a pair of electrodes (12) at both ends of a resistor body (11); a connector base (14) formed of insulating material; and an electrically conductive section (15a) formed on the connector base (14); wherein the connector base (14) is fit onto the shunt resistor (13) such that the electrically conductive section (15a) is electrically connected to the electrodes (12). The connector base (14) is provided with a joint section (C) that can be fit onto the resistor body (11). The resistor body (11) and the electrode (12) is provided with a level difference and the connector base (14) is fit into between the electrodes (12,12). |
| US09660400B2 |
Flippable electrical connector
A plug connector includes a connector body defining a rear cable supporting platform with opposite first and second surfaces, a plurality of terminals and a cable. The terminal includes a pair of USB 2.0 signal soldering legs, a grounding and power soldering legs exposed to the first surface of the supporting platform and a detecting soldering leg, an additional power and grounding soldering legs exposed to the second surface. Wires of the cable consist of a pair of USB 2.0 signal wires, a power wire, a grounding wire welded with corresponding soldering legs on the first surface. The second surface of the supporting platform is further located with a SMT type resistor with a first leg and a second leg, the first leg is connected with the detecting soldering leg, the second leg is connected with the additional power soldering leg or the additional grounding soldering leg. |
| US09660399B2 |
Electrical connector with two insertion orientations
An electrical connector comprises an insulating housing, several first and second conductive terminals, an inner grounding unit, and an outer grounding unit, which are disposed on the insulating housing. The insulating housing has a first surface, an opposite second surface, and two side surfaces arranged between the first and second surfaces. The inner grounding unit has a plate embedded in the insulating housing and two protruding sheets extended from the plate and respectively protruding from the side surfaces of the insulating housing. The plate is arranged to separate the first conductive terminals from the second conductive terminals. The outer grounding unit clips the insulating housing and engages the protruding sheets. A portion of the outer grounding unit engaged with one of the protruding sheets includes two stacked engaging portions, and at least one of the two stacked engaging portions has a thru-hole for engaging with the corresponding protruding sheet. |
| US09660398B2 |
Coaxial cable connector having electrical continuity member
A coaxial cable connector comprising a connector body; a post engageable with the connector body, wherein the post includes a flange; a nut, axially rotatable with respect to the post and the connector body, the nut having a first end and an opposing second end, wherein the nut includes an internal lip, and wherein a second end portion of the nut corresponds to the portion of the nut extending from the second end of the nut to the side of the lip of the nut facing the first end of the nut at a point nearest the second end of the nut, and a first end portion of the nut corresponds to the portion of the nut extending from the first end of the nut to the same point nearest the second end of the nut of the same side of the lip facing the first end of the nut; and a continuity member disposed within the second end portion of the nut and contacting the post and the nut, so that the continuity member extends electrical grounding continuity through the post and the nut is provided. |
| US09660396B2 |
Cable connector assembly with improved indication effect
A cable connector assembly (100) includes: a cable (30) having a number of inner wires; a first connector (10) including a main body (120), plural contacts (121) retained in the main body, a first circuit board (130), a luminous element (152), and a cover; and a second circuit board (180) assembled on a rear end of the first circuit board and getting power and grounding source from the first circuit board. The second circuit board includes a detection contact (182) electrically connected to an inner wire of the cable, and a chip (181) electrically connected respectively to the luminous element and the detection contact. The chip detects a voltage difference between the power source and the first connector. A light is emitted by the luminous element passing through the cover to indicate a charging status of the charging device. |
| US09660392B2 |
Electrical plug and energy transmission arrangement
The invention relates to an electrical plug (24) having a connection unit (36) which can be coupled to an electrical line (26) in order to transmit electrical energy, having at least one electrical contact pin (30) which has a plug section (32) and a coupling section (34), wherein the coupling section (34) is electrically coupled to the connection unit (36), and wherein the plug section (32) is designed to provide a releasable plug connection to an associated contact socket (18) in order to electrically couple the contact pin (30) to the contact socket (18), and having a detection unit (38) which is designed to) detect a tensile force which is exerted on the contact pin (30) and/or a movement of the contact pin (30) relative to the contact socket (18), and to provide a disconnection signal for interrupting the energy transmission process. |
| US09660391B1 |
Adapter having a rotating member with a connector pin connected to a printed circuit board
An adapter having a rotatable plug is provided. The adapter includes a case having an installation hole which provides access to an interior of the case; a rotation member installed within the installation hole of the case, the rotation member being rotatable within the installation hole relative to the case; at least one connection pin installed in the rotation member and protruding from the case; and a guide member provided adjacent to installation hole in the interior of the case and configured to guide rotation of the rotation member. |
| US09660390B2 |
Cable connector assembly having an insulative housing constructed of two main bodies
A cable connector assembly includes: an insulative housing; a number of contacts retained in the insulative housing; a cable including a plurality of wires electrically connected with the contacts and an insulative outer coating enclosing the wires; and a shielding case enclosing the insulative housing; wherein the insulative housing includes a first main body extending along a docking direction and a second main body extending along a direction perpendicular to the docking direction, an end of the second main body is exposed to the first main body along the docking direction, and the insulative outer coating of the cable extends along a direction away from the docking direction to form an angle relative to the extending direction of the second main body. |
| US09660382B2 |
Electrical extension cord with a unitary and convertible two or three prong plug end
What is presented is an extension cord with a convertible electrical plug end that can be connected to grounded and ungrounded power supply outlets. The extension cord comprises an extension cord and a plug end and is configured to transmit electrical power. The plug end is connected to the extension cord. The plug end itself comprises a plug body, plurality of prongs, flap, and ground contact. The protruding prongs are connected to the plug body and configured to couple to the outlet. The flap is movably attached to the plug body such that the flap can rotate relative to the plug body. When the flap is in the closed position, the plug end can connect to a grounded outlet. The ground contact is configured to releasably and electrically connect the extension cord to a ground potential on the outlet. |
| US09660378B2 |
Magnetic electrical connector
An electrical connector that includes a first part housing for supporting contacting elements each configured to conductively couple with an electrical power source. First part coupling elements are configured to move between a connected and an unconnected configuration. In the connected configuration, each first part coupling element conductively couples with contacting elements, and in the unconnected configuration the first part coupling elements are not conductively coupled with contacting elements. At least one biasing element is configured to maintain the first part coupling elements in the unconnected configuration. A second part housing supports second part coupling elements each configured to conductively couple with one of the first part coupling elements. At least one magnetic element is configured to move and maintain the first part coupling elements into the connected configuration, wherein in the connected configuration electrical current can flow from the contacting elements to the second coupling elements. |
| US09660376B2 |
Connector insert having a cable crimp portion with protrusions and a receptacle having a label in the front
A magnetic connector system having a durable and reliable construction and a reduced height while maintaining sufficient holding strength. A connector insert may utilize a crimping piece to crimp a braiding of a cable. The crimping piece may be fixed to an attraction plate and a board in the insert for mechanical reliability. Retention clips may be used to fix a shell to the attraction plate. A connector receptacle may employ a magnetically conductive label to improve holding strength. |
| US09660375B2 |
Anti-corrosive material, wire with terminal, and wire harness
An anti-corrosive material includes: an ultraviolet curable resin including a polymerizable compound as a main component, the polymerizable compound composed of at least one of a photopolymerizable (meth)acrylate monomer and a photopolymerizable (meth)acrylate oligomer. The polymerizable compound is composed of a combination of a monofunctional (meth)acrylate monomer and a bifunctional (meth)acrylate monomer, or a combination of at least one of a monofunctional (meth)acrylate monomer and a bifunctional (meth)acrylate monomer and at least one of a trifunctional (meth)acrylate monomer and a polyfunctional (meth)acrylate monomer having four or more functional groups. The anti-corrosive material has a viscosity at 25° C. of 18900 mPa·s or less measured according to JIS Z8803. |
| US09660368B2 |
High performance surface mount electrical interconnect
An interconnect assembly including a substrate with a plurality of through holes extending from a first surface to a second surface. A plurality of discrete contact member are located in the plurality of through holes. The contact members include proximal ends that are accessible from the second surface, distal ends extending above the first surface, and intermediate portions engaged with an engagement region of the substrate located between the first surface and the recesses. Retention members are coupled with at least a portion of the proximal ends to retain the contact members in the through holes. The retention members can be made from a variety of materials with different levels of conductivity, ranging from highly conductive to non-conductive. |
| US09660366B2 |
Device for connecting a radiofrequency circuit or component printed on a flexible support to a coaxial cable
The invention concerns a device (4) for connecting a radio frequency circuit (3) or component printed on a flexible support (2) to a coaxial cable, comprising: —a first part (14) suitable for being disposed against a first face (5) of the support (2) on which the circuit or the component (3) is printed, the first part (14) comprising a recess capable of housing a coaxial cable connector (13), —a second part (15) capable of being disposed against a second face (6) of the support (2), opposite the first face, and in which the first part (14) and/or the second part (15) comprises attachment means for attaching the first part (14) and the second part (15) to each other, the flexible support (2) being clamped between the first part (14) and the second part (15), in such a way as to maintain an electrical contact between the connector (13) and the circuit or component (3). |
| US09660361B2 |
Connector with secure wafer retention
A connector includes a connector body, a plurality of wafers arranged within the connector body, and a weld tab defined by a unitary member that includes a plurality of weld tab legs and a plurality of weld tab arms. The plurality of weld tab arms are arranged to engage with corresponding weld tab arm holes included in the connector body, and the plurality of weld tab legs are arranged to engage with a circuit board when the connector is mounted to the circuit board. The weld tab prevents the plurality of wafers from withdrawing from the connector body when the plurality of weld tab arms are engaged with the corresponding weld tab arm holes. |
| US09660360B2 |
Connector producing a biasing force
A connector includes, in one embodiment, a first component, a coupling element configured to engage the first component, and a second component configured to engage the first component. The second component, in one embodiment, is configured to produce a spring, pushing or biasing force. |
| US09660358B2 |
Contact element for an electrical plug connector device
A contact element for an electrical plug connecting device, having a molded first end section and a molded elongated receiving section which defines a longitudinal axis for mechanical and electrical coupling and/or receiving a mating contact element designed to be complementary to the contact element of a plug connecting device to be paired with the electrical plug connecting device, both of which are manufactured of an electrically conductive material. The elongated receiving section extends essentially cylindrically from the first end section. This end section as well as the elongated cylindrical receiving section are molded to be free of seams and butt joints by shaping the electrically conducting material by means of a force acting at least predominantly parallel to the longitudinal axis, and at least the receiving section molded by shaping the electrically conducting material forms a cylindrical interior sheathed by the molded electrically conducting material along the longitudinal axis. |
| US09660353B2 |
Small-sized elastic inner conductor right-angled elbow conductor connector
A small-sized elastic inner conductor right-angled elbow conductor connector includes: a first conductor capable of deforming elastically, the first conductor having a first axis, the first conductor deforms elastically and springs back in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the first axis under the action of a second conductor, thereby elastically contacting the second conductor arranged perpendicular to the first axis and retaining the second conductor, when the second conductor is connected with the first conductor, such that the first conductor and the second conductor are able to be connected to each other at a right angle. |
| US09660352B2 |
Antenna system for broadband satellite communication in the GHz frequency range, comprising horn antennas with geometrical constrictions
An antenna system for wireless communication of data includes at least four horn antennas. Each horn antenna is configured to support communications at two mutually orthogonal linear polarizations. Each horn antenna includes an inner wall enclosing a space and geometric constrictions each protruding inwardly from the inner wall into the space along a corresponding polarization plane of one of the two linear polarizations. At least one of the inner wall or the geometric constrictions has a stepped structure. |
| US09660344B2 |
Optically transparent antenna for wireless communication and energy transfer
Embodiments of an optically transparent antenna are generally described herein. In some embodiments, the optically transparent antenna may comprise a plurality of electrically-isolated conductive patches arranged on a non-conductive surface. A combination of a size of the conductive patches and a spacing between the conductive patches is less than a human visual acuity for a predetermined viewing distance so that the patches are not be visible or perceptible to a human. In some embodiments, optically transparent antenna may serve as one or more antennas on a mobile platform. |
| US09660335B2 |
Antenna system and a communication device
An antenna system includes a monopole antenna with a first end connected to a feed point on a printed circuit board (PCB) and a second end being electrically floating; and a matching conductive stub with a first end connected to a ground point on the PCB and a second end being electrically floating. |
| US09660327B2 |
Combination antenna
A combination antenna includes a conductive block having at least one electrical component mounted on the surface. A metallic housing is connected to the conductive block via at least one electronic element having a front surface and a rear surface. The front surface includes one or more plates separated by gaps of a predetermined width. The rear surface includes a continuous plate separated from the front surface by a gap of a second predetermined width. One or more antenna feeds are disposed between the front surface and the rear surface of the metallic housing and are connected to the metallic housing directly or via the at least one electronic element. A grounding plane includes one or more grounding points connected to the front surface and the rear surface directly or via the at least one electronic element. |
| US09660323B2 |
Independent adjustable azimuth multi-band antenna fixture
A combination antenna fixture is configured to accommodate adjustment of independent azimuths for each frequency band of operation of antennas of a mobile telephone network. The antennas may be mounted within a single radome or housing used to protect the antennas from environmental conditions. Each of the antennas may be coupled to a different movable mounting device within a radome, which may enable directing the azimuth for each antenna independently. By directing the azimuth independently for each antenna, the signal coverage area for each antenna may be customized to optimize coverage over a geographic area. |
| US09660320B2 |
High efficiency mounting assembly for satellite dish reflector
A reflector dish assembly including a support structure, a reflector dish, and a reflector bracket configured for mounting the reflector dish. A support arm supports an electronic device and an elbow bracket is configured for coupling with an end of the support arm. A seat section of the elbow bracket is configured for engaging with the reflector bracket for securing the support arm in relation to the reflector dish. The reflector bracket includes a seat to receive the elbow bracket seat section, with the seat having bosses and support tabs spaced linearly from the bosses. The elbow bracket seat section includes guide slots configured for sliding over the bosses when the seat receives the seat section. The elbow bracket seat section includes support slots for receiving the support tabs of the reflector bracket seat and securing the guide slots with the bosses. |
| US09660316B2 |
Millimeter wave dual-mode diplexer and method
An embodiment millimeter wave diplexer includes a substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) high pass filter (HPF), a microstrip line low pass filter (LPF), and a T-junction. The SIW HPF is coupled to a first port, and the microstrip line LPF is coupled to a second port. The SIW HPF is operable in a first frequency band, and the microstrip line LPF is operable in a second frequency band. The T-junction is coupled between the SIW HPF and the microstrip line LPF. The T-junction is also coupled to a common port. |
| US09660315B2 |
Ground structures between resonators for distributed electromagnetic wave filters
A distributed electromagnetic (EM) wave filter includes: a cavity; upper and lower ground planes on top and bottom surfaces of the cavity, wherein the upper and lower ground planes are in electrical contact; a plurality of electromagnetically coupled resonators in said cavity between the upper and lower ground planes that define respective transmission lines, wherein the plurality of resonators are not connected to each other by a conductive connection; an input port coupled to a first one of the plurality of resonators to receive an EM wave; an output port coupled to a last one of the plurality of resonators to output a filtered EM wave; and a plurality of conductive structures between adjacent resonators, respectively and connected to one or more of the upper and lower ground planes. |
| US09660314B1 |
High efficiency plasma tunable antenna and plasma tuned delay line phaser shifter
A tunable antenna includes a patch antenna including a substrate, a metallic patch mounted on a first side of the substrate, a signal line connected through the substrate to the metallic patch, and a ground plane on a second side of the substrate opposite the first side. The tunable antenna includes an ionizable gas adjacent to the patch antenna. |
| US09660309B2 |
Device and method for raising temperature of battery module in eco-friendly vehicle
A device for raising a temperature of a battery module for an eco-friendly vehicle, the battery module including a plurality of battery cells disposed at intervals in a housing thereof, the device blowing air introduced by a blowing fan to the battery cells to raise a temperature of each the battery cell, the device may include a temperature sensor provided on each battery cell for measuring a temperature of corresponding battery cell, a flow passage for guiding air flowed from a blowing fan to each battery cell, and an air flow rate control means provided at a region connecting the flow passage and each battery cell to control the flow rate of air introduced to each battery cell. |
| US09660294B2 |
Electrolyte materials for batteries and methods for use
An electrolyte solution comprising an additive wherein the additive is not substantially consumed during charge and discharge cycles of the electrochemical cell. Additives include Lewis acids, electron-rich transition metal complexes, and electron deficient pi-conjugated systems. |
| US09660290B2 |
Oxidation resistant separator for a battery
A lithium ion rechargeable battery comprises: a negative electrode adapted to give up electrons during discharge, a positive electrode adapted to gain electrons during discharge, a microporous separator sandwiched between said positive electrode and said negative electrode, an organic electrolyte being contained within said separator and being in electrochemical communication with said positive electrode and said negative electrode, and an oxidative barrier interposed between said separator and said positive electrode, and thereby preventing oxidation of said separator. |
| US09660288B2 |
Battery subunit having multiple battery modules that are connected to one another in a parallel and/or series manner, battery system and method for producing a battery subunit
A battery subunit includes multiple battery modules that are connected to one another in a parallel and/or series manner, and a thermal management system that contacts each of the multiple battery modules. Each of the multiple battery modules has respective multiple battery cells. The thermal management system is configured to dissipate heat that occurs during operation of the multiple battery modules. The battery subunit further includes a carrier unit that comprises at least one carrier plate positioned on a side of the thermal management system that is remote from the battery modules. The thermal management system is configured to at least partially receive, and on at least two opposite lying edges comprises, in each case, one or multiple grooves configured to collect and/or drain off at least one of fluids that are situated in the at least one carrier plate, and condensation water and/or leakage from the thermal management system. |
| US09660286B1 |
Method for assembly of a microbial fuel cell
An anode/cathode system is disclosed for use in a Benthic microbial fuel cell. Carbon cloth forms at least a portion of the anode and is disposed on one side of a water oxygen impermeable layer, which can be weighted around a periphery thereof to hold the anode against a water-sediment interface. Carbon cloth flaps or strands can be attached to the other side of the impermeable layer to form the cathode. The anode and cathode can be divided into sections with each section having an electrical lead coupled thereto. The system is deployed onto the seafloor with the anode side in contact with the water-sediment interface. |
| US09660282B2 |
Fuel cell system and method of controlling the fuel cell system
A control device of a fuel cell system includes an electric conductivity comparing unit for comparing the electric conductivity of the water inside the ion exchanger which is measured by the electric conductivity measuring unit with a predetermined electric conductivity range, and an ion exchange environment determining unit for arbitrarily determining whether or not air has been mixed into an ion exchanger and whether or not the ion exchange efficiency of the ion exchanger has been degraded, based on a comparison result by the electric conductivity comparing unit. |
| US09660279B2 |
Fuel unit for hydrogen generator
Disclosed are a fuel unit for a hydrogen generator and methods for producing the fuel unit and the hydrogen generator. A fuel sheet (50) is made by disposing a plurality of fuel pellets (50A-50J) containing a hydrogen-containing material on a substrate (52), and one or more fuel sheets are formed into a non-cylindrical fuel sheet assembly my moving (e.g., bending) a portion of the fuel sheet (50) to position pellets adjacent to each other such that adjacent sides of the adjacent pellets lie in essentially parallel planes. A non-cylindrical fuel unit is produced from one or more of the fuel sheet assemblies. Fuel units can be replaceably disposed in a hydrogen generator, and fuel pellets can be selectively heated to produce hydrogen gas as needed. |
| US09660277B2 |
Methods for inhibiting corrosion in brazed metal surfaces and coolants and additives for use therein
Disclosed are coolants comprising brazed metal corrosion inhibitors. |
| US09660274B2 |
Iron coated chromium powder and SOFC IC made therefrom
A component, such as a SOFC interconnect, and methods of making the component are provided using various chromium powders, including powder particles with a chromium core covered with an iron shell, a pre-alloyed Cr—Fe powder or a chromium powder produced by hydrogen reduction with hydrogen. |
| US09660270B2 |
Method for producing garnet-type compound, garnet-type compound, and all-solid lithium secondary cell containing said garnet-type compound
The present invention provides a production method that can produce a garnet-type compound containing zirconium and lithium, the compound being in the form of fine particles, with high productivity. The method produces a garnet-type compound containing Zr, Li, and element M1 (wherein M1 is at least one element selected from the group consisting of La, Sc, Y, and Ce) as constituent elements. The method includes a first step of (1) mixing a first raw material and a second raw material to obtain a precipitate, the first raw material being a solution containing a zirconium carbonate complex and having a pH of at least 7.0 and not more than 9.5, and the second raw material containing a compound containing the above element M1 as a constituent element; and (2) a second step of mixing the precipitate and a third raw material containing Li as a constituent element to obtain a mixture, and then firing the mixture at a temperature of less than 1,000° C. to obtain a fired product. The first raw material is prepared by mixing, at a prescribed molar ratio, at least a compound that contains a carbonate species and a compound that contains a zirconium species. |
| US09660269B2 |
Electrode for lithium secondary battery and lithium secondary battery
The present invention provides positive and negative electrodes, for a lithium secondary battery, allowing a battery to be quickly and fully charged in a very short period of time, for example, within one minute and allowing the battery to be used for vehicles at low temperatures. An organic electrolytic solution is permeated into an electrode group formed by winding positive and negative electrodes or by laminating the positive and negative electrodes one upon another with a separator being interposed therebetween to repeatingly occlude and release lithium ions. The positive electrode active substance and the negative electrode active substance have at least one phase selected from among a graphene phase and an amorphous phase as a surface layer thereof. An activated carbon layer is formed on a surface of the positive electrode active substance and that of the negative electrode active substance. |
| US09660266B2 |
Lithium secondary battery
Disclosed is a lithium secondary battery including (i) a cathode active material including a lithium metal phosphate according to Formula 1 below, (ii) an anode active material including amorphous carbon, and (iii) an electrolyte for lithium secondary batteries including a lithium salt and an ether-based solvent, Li1+aM(PO4-b)Xb (1) wherein M is at least one selected from the group consisting of Group II to XII metals, X is at least one selected from F, S, and N, −0.5≦a≦+0.5, and 0≦b≦0.1. |
| US09660265B2 |
Lithium sulfur batteries and electrolytes and sulfur cathodes thereof
Lithium sulfur battery cells that use water as an electrolyte solvent provide significant cost reductions. Electrolytes for the battery cells may include water solvent for maintaining electroactive sulfur species in solution during cell discharge and a sufficient amount of a cycle life-enhancing compound that facilitates charging at the cathode. The combination of these two components enhances one or more of the following cell attributes: energy density, power density and cycle life. For instance, in applications where cost per Watt-Hour (Wh) is paramount, such as grid storage and traction applications, the use of an aqueous electrolyte in combination with inexpensive sulfur as the cathode active material can be a key enabler for the utility and automotive industries, for example, providing a cost effective and compact solution for load leveling, electric vehicles and renewable energy storage. Sulfur cathodes, and methods of fabricating lithium sulfur cells, in particular for loading lithium sulfide into the cathode structures, provide further advantages. |
| US09660262B2 |
Nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery
A positive electrode for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to the present invention includes particles A of a lamellar type lithium transition metal oxide and particles B of a spinel type lithium transition metal oxide, as a positive active material, at a ratio within the range of A:B=20:80 to 80:20 (weight ratio), in which a particle size distribution of the positive active material has a peak based on the particles A and a peak based on the particles B within the range of 1 to 50 μm. In the integrated distribution curve of the particle diameter, a particle diameter A(D50) at a degree of accumulation of the particles A of 50% and a particle diameter B(D50) at a degree of accumulation of the particles B of 50% satisfy the following expression (1), and a particle diameter A(D95) at a degree of accumulation of the particles A of 95% and a particle diameter B(D5) at a degree of accumulation of the particles B of 5% satisfy the following expression (2): B(D50)−A(D50)≧5 μm Expression (1) B(D5)>A(D95) Expression (2). |
| US09660259B2 |
Positive electrode active material with improved output and lithium secondary battery comprising the same
A mixed positive electrode active material comprising a lithium manganese oxide represented by following [Chemical Formula 1] and a second positive electrode active material represented by following [Chemical Formula 2], and a lithium secondary battery comprising the same are disclosed. aLi2MnO3.(1−a)LixMO2 [Chemical Formula 1] In [Chemical Formula 1], 0 |
| US09660256B2 |
Storage element for a solid electrolyte battery
A storage element for a solid electrolyte battery is provided, having a main member including a porous ceramic matrix in which particles that are made of a first metal and/or a metal oxide and jointly form a redox couple are embedded. The storage element further includes particles made of another metal and/or an associated metal oxide, the other metal being electrochemically more noble than the first metal. |
| US09660254B2 |
Method for producing silicon-based negative electrode active material, negative electrode active material for lithium secondary battery, and lithium secondary battery comprising same
The present invention relates to a method for preparing a silicon-based negative electrode active material, a negative electrode active material for a lithium secondary battery, and a lithium secondary battery comprising the same. More particularly, the method for preparing the silicon-based negative electrode active material comprises: preparing a porous silica (SiO2) and a thin metal film; coating the porous silica onto the thin metal film; reducing the porous silica to a porous silicon by performing heat-treatment of the thin metal film and the porous silica; and obtaining the porous silicon. |
| US09660252B2 |
Method for the production of electrodes for fully solid batteries
The invention relates to a process for fabrication of an electrode film in an all-solid-state battery comprising successive steps to: a) Procure a substrate, preferably a conducting substrate, b) Deposit an electrode film on said substrate by electrophoresis, from a suspension containing particles of electrode materials, c) Dry the film obtained in the previous step, d) Thermal consolidation of the electrode film obtained in the previous step by sintering, sintering being done at a temperature TR that preferably does not exceed 0.7 times the melting temperature (expressed in ° C.), even more preferably does not exceed 0.5 times the melting temperature (expressed in ° C.), and much more preferably does not exceed 0.3 times the melting temperature (expressed in ° C.) of the electrode material that melts at the lowest temperature. |
| US09660251B2 |
Electric storage device and manufacturing method thereof
Provided is an electric storage device including: a first electrode plate; a second electrode plate having a polarity opposite to that of the first electrode plate; and a separator interposed between the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate, wherein the first electrode plate includes a current collector and a mixture layer laminated onto the current collector, the mixture layer contains at least one of the binder and the conductive additive, primary particles of an active material, and secondary particles each having a hollow region formed therein by aggregation of a plurality of the primary particles, and the at least one of the binder and the conductive additive is partially distributed in the hollow region. |
| US09660250B2 |
Secondary battery, and electrode sheet cutting apparatus
A secondary battery 100 comprises a positive electrode current collector 221 and a positive electrode active material layer 223 applied on the positive electrode current collector 221 and containing at least a positive electrode active material. The lithium-ion secondary battery 100 further comprises a negative electrode current collector 241 provided so as to oppose the positive electrode current collector 221 and a negative electrode active material layer 243 applied on the negative electrode current collector 241 and containing at least a negative electrode active material. The lithium-ion secondary battery 100 is also formed with a porous insulating layer 245 which contains stacked resin particles having insulating properties and is formed so as to cover at least one of the positive electrode active material layer 223 and the negative electrode active material layer 243 (in this case, negative electrode active material layer 243). The lithium-ion secondary battery 100 further comprises, on the edge of the insulating layer 245, a molten part 246 where the resin particles are melted. |
| US09660247B2 |
Secondary battery manufacturing method and secondary battery
A secondary battery includes, in a battery case, an electrode body having an electrode sheet, a current collecting member including a weld part ultrasonic welded to a current collecting foil of the electrode sheet, and a pressure-type current interrupt mechanism electrically connected to the current collecting member. The current interrupt mechanism has a first valve element integrated with the current collecting member and a second element body, both joined at a joint portion. Of the current collecting member, the first valve element, and the second valve element, at least a part between the weld part and the joint portion is made of damping metal. A method of manufacturing this secondary battery includes: a step of forming a structure in which the first and second valve elements are joined at the joint portion; and a step of thereafter ultrasonic welding the current collecting foil and the weld part. |
| US09660246B2 |
Battery terminal
A battery terminal includes a terminal body and a component terminal. The terminal body is connected to a rod-like electrode which projects from a terminal mounting surface of a battery and extends toward an outer periphery of the terminal mounting surface. An external fuse (electrical component) is connected to the component terminal. The terminal body and the component terminal are formed by being cut integrally from a single plate made of a conductive metal. |
| US09660245B2 |
Battery cell
Provided is a battery cell including: an electrode assembly including a first electrode part, a second electrode part, and a separation membrane; a first terminal and a second terminal extending in a first direction or a fourth direction which is an opposite direction to the first direction from the first electrode part and the second electrode part, respectively; a first lead tap and a second lead tap connected to the first terminal and the second terminal, respectively; and a case in which the electrode assembly, the first terminal, and the second terminal are accommodated, which is sealed to expose the first lead tap and the second lead tap to the outside, and in which a sealing part sealed by coating a sealing member on circumferential sides joined with each other is formed. |
| US09660241B2 |
NASICON-polymer electrolyte structure
A method is provided for forming a sodium-containing particle electrolyte structure. The method provides sodium-containing particles (e.g., NASICON), dispersed in a liquid phase polymer, to form a polymer film with sodium-containing particles distributed in the polymer film. The liquid phase polymer is a result of dissolving the polymer in a solvent or melting the polymer in an extrusion process. In one aspect, the method forms a plurality of polymer film layers, where each polymer film layer includes sodium-containing particles. For example, the plurality of polymer film layers may form a stack having a top layer and a bottom layer, where with percentage of sodium-containing particles in the polymer film layers increasing from the bottom layer to the top layer. In another aspect, the sodium-containing particles are coated with a dopant. A sodium-containing particle electrolyte structure and a battery made using the sodium-containing particle electrolyte structure are also presented. |
| US09660239B2 |
Positive active material layer for rechargeable lithium battery, separator for rechargeable lithium battery, and rechargeable lithium battery including at least one of same
A positive active material layer for a rechargeable lithium battery including a positive active material and a protection film-forming material is disclosed. A separator for a rechargeable lithium battery including a substrate and a porous layer positioned at least one side of the substrate and including a protection film-forming material is also disclosed. A rechargeable lithium battery can include at least one of the positive active material layer and the separator. |
| US09660235B2 |
Assembly with a first and a second component and method for producing such an assembly
The present invention relates to an assembly (10) with a first and a second component (1, 2) which are fixed relative to each other by at least one fixation element (3), characterized by a fixation element (3) extending into or through a space (9) between the first and the second component (1, 2), wherein the fixation element (3) is filled with a hardenable filling material (61), wherein the fixation element (3) is a hollow deformable and at least in a radial direction expandable element if internally pressurized, at least before the filling material (61) hardens. The present invention also relates to a method for producing an assembly with a first and a second component. |
| US09660233B2 |
Base plate of battery module assembly with novel structure
Disclosed herein is a base plate of a battery module assembly, wherein the base plate is made of a metal sheet having module receiving parts, on which one or more battery modules each including battery cells are loaded, formed at a top thereof, the sheet is provided at at least a portion of an outer edge thereof with upwardly bent side walls, and the module receiving parts are provided with reinforcement beads protruding toward the battery modules. |
| US09660232B2 |
Button cell terminal
A button cell terminal to electrically connect to a button cell and a circuit board includes: a spring contact terminal; a board joint; and a pressing force absorbing spring portion. The spring contact terminal is arranged into a spring shape deforming elastically in response to pressing force from the button cell in the X-axis direction and the Z-axis direction. The board joint is joined to the circuit board. The pressing force absorbing spring portion includes a bent arm for absorbing pressing force from the button cell through elastic deformation in response to pressing force from the button cell in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. |
| US09660226B2 |
Packaging material for lithium-ion battery
A packaging material for lithium-ion battery comprises a substrate layer made of a plastic film, and a first adhesive layer, a metal foil layer, an anti-corrosion layer, a second adhesive layer and a sealant layer successively laminated on one surface of the substrate layer. The plastic film has a water absorption rate of not less than about 01% to not larger than about 3% when determined by a method described in JIS K 7209:2000 and when the plastic film is subjected to a tensile test (wherein the sample of the plastic film is stored for 24 hours in an environment of 23° C. and 40% R.H., and subjected to a tensile test in the same environment as indicated above under conditions of a sample width of 6 mm, a gauge length of 35 mm and a tensile speed of 300 mm/minute), stress values in an MD direction of the sample and in a TD direction of the sample after stretching by about 10% relative to a length of the sample prior to the tensile test are both from not larger than about 110 MPa and at least one of the stress values in the MD direction of the sample and in the TD direction of the sample is not less than about 70 MPa. |
| US09660225B2 |
Secondary battery, electronic device, and vehicle
Provided is a secondary battery suitable for a portable information terminal or a wearable device, or an electronic device having a novel structure with a variety of forms and a secondary battery that fits the form of the electronic device. The secondary battery is sealed using a film having projections that can reduce stress on the film caused when external force is applied. The film has a pattern of projections formed by pressing (e.g., embossing). A top portion of each of the projections has a region thicker than a bottom portion of each of the projections. The thickness of the top portion of each of the projections is 1.5 or more times, preferably 2 or more times, as large as that of the bottom portion of each of the projections, and is a thickness such that each of the projections has a convex space. |
| US09660218B2 |
Package of environmental sensitive element
In one embodiment, a package of an environmental sensitive element including a flexible substrate, an environmental sensitive element and an encapsulation is provided. The environmental sensitive element is disposed on the flexible substrate. The encapsulation covers the environmental sensitive element, wherein the Young's mudulus of the encapsulation ranges from about 5 GPa to about 15 GPa, hardness of the encapsulation ranges from about 0.4 GPa to about 1.0 GPa, and water vapor transmittance rate (WVTR) of the encapsulation is less than 10−2 g/cm2 day. |
| US09660215B2 |
Display panel and encapsulation method thereof
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a display panel and an encapsulation method thereof, and relate to the field of display technology. The display panel comprises a first substrate and a second substrate which are disposed in opposition to each other. The first substrate and the second substrate are encapsulated by a sealant. In a non-display area of the display panel, a first adsorption layer is disposed on one of the first substrate and the second substrate, and a second adsorption layer is disposed on the other of the first substrate and the second substrate. The first adsorption layer and the second adsorption layer may be attracted to each other by magnetic force. Embodiments of the present invention can effectively avoid the separation of the first substrate and the second substrate due to the stress released during the process of melting the sealant, thereby improving the problem of poor encapsulation caused thereby. |
| US09660213B2 |
Organic EL element and manufacturing method thereof, and metal oxide film forming method
An organic EL element including: an anode and a cathode disposed to face each other with a gap therebetween; a functional layer that contains an organic material and is disposed between the anode and the cathode; and an electron injection layer that has a function to inject electrons into the functional layer and is disposed between the anode and the cathode. The electron injection layer contains a metal oxide with d0 electron configuration, and a Fermi level of the electron injection layer is located in a vicinity of a lower end of a conduction band of the electron injection layer. |
| US09660211B2 |
Light-emitting element, light-emitting device, display device, electronic appliance, and lighting device
A multicolor light-emitting element using fluorescence and phosphorescence, which has a small number of manufacturing steps owing to a relatively small number of layers to be formed and is advantageous for practical application can be provided. In addition, a multicolor light-emitting element using fluorescence and phosphorescence, which has favorable emission efficiency is provided. A light-emitting element which includes a light-emitting layer having a stacked-layer structure of a first light-emitting layer exhibiting light emission from a first exciplex and a second light-emitting layer exhibiting phosphorescence is provided. |
| US09660210B2 |
Method for manufacturing OLED device and OLED device manufactured therewith
The present invention provides a method for manufacturing an OLED device and an OLED device manufactured therewith. The method for manufacturing an OLED device includes: (1) providing a substrate and forming, in sequence, an anode and a hole transporting layer on the substrate; (2) forming an emissive layer on the hole transporting layer through a solution film casting process, wherein the emissive layer comprises a red sub-pixel, a green sub-pixel, a blue sub-pixel, and a white sub-pixel, of which at least one sub-pixel is formed of a quantum dot and at least one sub-pixel is formed of an organic light-emitting material; (3) forming, in sequence, an electron transporting layer and a cathode on the emissive layer; and (4) providing a package cover plate, which is set above the cathode, wherein the substrate and the package cover plate are bonded together by sealing enclosing resin to complete packaging of the OLED device. Since each sub-pixel of the emissive layer is formed through a solution film casting process, the manufacture of the OLED device requires no use of a fine metal mask so that the manufacturing cost is low, the utilization rate of material is high, and the yield rate is good. |
| US09660209B2 |
Method for manufacturing OLED device and OLED device manufactured therewith
The present invention provides a method for manufacturing an OLED device and an OLED device manufactured therewith. The method for manufacturing an OLED device includes: (1) providing a substrate and forming, in sequence, an anode and a hole transporting layer on the substrate; (2) forming an emissive layer on the hole transporting layer through a solution film casting process, wherein the emissive layer comprises a red sub-pixel, a green sub-pixel, and a blue sub-pixel, of which at least one sub-pixel is formed of a quantum dot and at least one sub-pixel is formed of an organic light-emitting material; (3) forming, in sequence, an electron transporting layer and a cathode on the emissive layer; and (4) providing a package cover plate, which is set above the cathode, wherein the substrate and the package cover plate are bonded together by sealing enclosing resin to complete packaging of the OLED device. Since each sub-pixel of the emissive layer is formed through a solution film casting process, the manufacture of the OLED device requires no use of a fine metal mask so that the manufacturing cost is low, the utilization rate of material is high, and the yield rate is good. |
| US09660206B2 |
Vertical organic transistor and production method
The invention relates to a vertical organic transistor on a substrate having an electrode, a counter electrode and a layer arrangement which is arranged between the electrode and the counter electrode, wherein the layer arrangement is formed with the following layers: a central electrode, an organic layer made up of organic semiconductor material which is arranged between the central electrode and the electrode, a further organic layer made up of organic semiconductor material, which is arranged between the central electrode and the counter electrode, and a doping layer which is arranged between the central electrode and the electrode. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for producing a vertical organic transistor. |
| US09660204B2 |
Silane-based compound and organic light-emitting device including the same
A silane-based compound and an organic light-emitting device including the same, the compound being represented by Formula 1: |
| US09660195B2 |
Anthracene derivative having a phenanthryl group
Anthracene derivatives each having a structure including an anthracene skeleton, a phenanthrene skeleton selected from among various phenanthrene skeletons different in bonding site which is bonded to the 9-position of the anthracene skeleton and a group selected from among various aryl groups and so on which is bonded to the 10-position of the anthracene skeleton. Organic EL devices made by using the derivatives exhibit high light emission efficiency and a long life. |
| US09660194B2 |
Copolymer and organic solar cell comprising same
The present specification provides a copolymer and an organic solar cell including the same. |
| US09660187B1 |
Methods of forming a layer and methods of manufacturing magnetic memory devices using the same
A method of forming a layer includes providing a first insulator and a second insulator over a lower structure, generating a first ion source and a second ion source from the first insulator and the second insulator, respectively, and forming an insulating layer on the lower structure using the first ion source and the second ion source. The first and second insulators are vertically spaced apart from the lower structure and are laterally spaced apart from each other. The first insulator and the second insulator include the same material. |
| US09660180B2 |
Current constriction for spin torque MRAM
Magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) devices include a first magnetic layer. A tunnel barrier layer is formed on the first magnetic layer. The tunnel barrier includes first regions having a first thickness and second regions having a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness. A second magnetic layer is formed on the tunnel barrier layer. |
| US09660176B2 |
Method of manufacturing electronic device, electronic apparatus, and mobile apparatus
A method of manufacturing an electronic device including an electronic element, a base substrate, and a lid member, includes joining the lid member to the sealing part by application of an energy beam so that a plate thickness of the lid member may be larger in a part joined to the sealing part than in a part located inside of the part in a plan view along the thickness direction. |
| US09660175B2 |
Piezoelectric ceramic, method for manufacturing piezoelectric ceramic, piezoelectric element, and electronic device
A piezoelectric ceramic contains a main component, Mn as a first auxiliary component, and a second auxiliary component containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of Cu, B, and Si. The main component contains a perovskite metal oxide having the following general formula (1): (Ba1-xCax)a(Ti1-yZry)O3(0.100≦x≦0.145,0.010≦y≦0.039) (1) The amount b (mol) of Mn per mole of the metal oxide is in the range of 0.0048≦b≦0.0400, the second auxiliary component content on a metal basis is 0.001 parts by weight or more and 4.000 parts by weight or less per 100 parts by weight of the metal oxide, and the value a of the general formula (1) is in the range of 0.9925+b≦a≦1.0025+b. |
| US09660170B2 |
Micromachined ultrasonic transducer arrays with multiple harmonic modes
Micromachined ultrasonic transducer (MUT) arrays capable of multiple resonant modes and techniques for operating them are described, for example to achieve both high frequency and low frequency operation in a same device. In embodiments, various sizes of piezoelectric membranes are fabricated for tuning resonance frequency across the membranes. The variously sized piezoelectric membranes are gradually transitioned across a length of the substrate to mitigate destructive interference between membranes oscillating in different modes and frequencies. |
| US09660155B2 |
Light emitting diode
Provided are a light emitting diode, a method of manufacturing the same, and a use thereof. The light emitting diode having excellent initial light flux and excellent color uniformity and dispersion, the method of manufacturing the same, and the use thereof may be provided. |
| US09660153B2 |
Gap engineering for flip-chip mounted horizontal LEDs
A horizontal LED die is flip-chip mounted on a mounting substrate to define a gap that extends between the closely spaced apart anode and cathode contacts of the LED die, and between the closely spaced apart anode and cathode pads of the substrate. An encapsulant is provided on the light emitting diode die and the mounting substrate. The gap is configured to prevent sufficient encapsulant from entering the gap that would degrade operation of the LED. |
| US09660151B2 |
Method for manufacturing light emitting device
A method for manufacturing a light emitting device has: forming a first phosphor layer including a first phosphor that is based on KSF or quantum dots on a light emitting element by a method other than spraying, and forming a second phosphor layer including a second phosphor that is different from the first phosphor on the first phosphor layer by spraying. |
| US09660147B2 |
Method for providing a reflective coating to a substrate for a light emitting device
The present invention relates to a method for providing a reflective coating (114) to a substrate (104) for a light-emitting device (112), comprising the steps of: providing (201) a substrate (104) having a first surface portion (116) with a first surface material and a second surface portion (106, 108) with a second surface material different from the first surface material; applying (202) a reflective compound (401) configured to attach to said first surface material to form a bond with the substrate (104) in the first surface portion (116) that is stronger than a bond between the reflective compound (401) and the substrate (104) in the second surface portion (106, 108); curing (203) said reflective compound (401) to form a reflective coating (114) having said bond between the reflective coating (114) and the substrate (104) in the first surface portion (116); and subjecting said substrate (104) to a mechanical treatment with such an intensity as to remove (205) said reflective coating (114) from said second surface portion (106, 108) while said reflective coating (114) remains on said first surface portion (116). |
| US09660135B2 |
Enhanced performance active pixel array and epitaxial growth method for achieving the same
Methods are described to utilize relatively low cost substrates and processing methods to achieve enhanced emissive imager pixel performance via selective epitaxial growth. An emissive imaging array is coupled with one or more patterned compound semiconductor light emitting structures grown on a second patterned and selectively grown compound semiconductor template article. The proper design and execution of the patterning and epitaxial growth steps, coupled with alignment of the epitaxial structures with the imaging array, results in enhanced performance of the emissive imager. The increased luminous flux achieved enables use of such images for high brightness display and illumination applications. |
| US09660134B1 |
Nitride semiconductor polarization controlled device
A polarization controlled device has a first layer comprising a group III-nitride semiconductor substrate or template; a second group III-nitride semiconductor layer disposed over the group III-nitride semiconductor substrate or template; a third group III-nitride semiconductor layer disposed over the second group III-nitride semiconductor layer; and a fourth group III-nitride semiconductor layer disposed over the third group III-nitride semiconductor layer. A pn junction is formed at an interface between the third and fourth group III-nitride semiconductor layers. A polarization heterojunction is formed between the second group III-nitride semiconductor layer and the third group III-nitride semiconductor layer. The polarization junction has fixed charges of a polarity on one side of the polarization junction and fixed charges of an opposite polarity on an opposite side of the polarization junction. When unbiased, the pn junction comprises a first electric field that opposes the flow of carriers across the pn junction and the polarization junction comprises a second electric field that opposes the flow of oppositely charged carriers across the polarization junction. |
| US09660130B2 |
Passivation stack on a crystalline silicon solar cell
A method for manufacturing a passivation stack on a crystalline silicon solar cell device. The method includes providing a substrate comprising a crystalline silicone layer such as a crystalline silicon wafer or chip, cleaning a surface of the crystalline silicon layer by removing an oxide layer at least from a portion of one side of the crystalline silicon layer, depositing, on at least a part of the cleaned surface, a layer of silicon oxynitride, and depositing a capping layer comprising a hydrogenated dielectric material on top of the layer of silicon oxynitride, wherein the layer of silicon oxynitride is deposited at a temperature from 100° C. to 200° C., and the step of depositing the layer of silicon oxynitride includes using N2O and SiH4 as precursor gasses in an N2 ambient atmosphere and depositing silicon oxynitride with a gas flow ratio of N2O to SiH4 below 2. |
| US09660128B2 |
Paste for preparing mask patterns and manufacturing method of solar cell using the same
Provided are a paste for preparing etching mask patterns and a manufacturing method of a silicon solar cell using the same. The paste composition for preparing mask patterns is used to form a selective emitter of a silicon solar cell, and includes inorganic powder, an organic solvent, a binder resin, and a plasticizer. The mask patterns prepared from the paste composition have good adhesion with a substrate, thereby preventing edge curling, and have good etching resistant characteristic in an etch-back process for forming a selective emitter, enabling formation of a stable emitter. |
| US09660123B2 |
Fresnel lens solar concentrator configured to focus sunlight at large longitudinal incidence angles onto an articulating energy receiver
This invention includes a Fresnel lens assembly positioned relative to an energy receiver, onto which the lens assembly focuses sunlight for collection and conversion. The Fresnel lens assembly includes a thin polymeric film with prisms molded into or attached to the film. This invention also includes an articulating energy receiver which can move closer to or farther away from the lens depending on the longitudinal angle of incidence of the sunlight relative to the lens, to maintain the best focus of sunlight on the energy receiver. The prisms in the present lens are specified to provide acceptable optical performance in the presence of relatively large longitudinal solar incidence angles, relatively smaller lateral solar incidence angles, in combination with the articulating energy receiver. The new lens assembly can further be deployed and supported as a thin flexible stretched membrane with tension maintaining the lens in proper position on orbit. |
| US09660121B2 |
Method for fabricating a solar module of rear contact solar cells using linear ribbon-type connector strips and respective solar module
A solar module and a method for fabricating a solar module comprising a plurality of rear contact solar cells are described. Rear contact solar cells (1) are provided with a large size of e.g. 156×156 mm2. Soldering pad arrangements (13, 15) applied on emitter contacts (5) and base contacts (7) are provided with one or more soldering pads (9, 11) arranged linearly. The soldering pad arrangements (13, 15) are arranged asymmetrically with respect to a longitudinal axis (17). Each solar cell (1) is then separated into first and second cell portions (19, 21) along a line (23) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (17). Due to such cell separation and the asymmetrical design of the soldering pad arrangements (13, 15), the first and second cell portions (19, 21) may then be arranged alternately along a line with each second cell portion (21) arranged in a 180°-orientation with respect to the first cell portions (19) and such that emitter soldering pad arrangements (13) of a first cell portion (19) are aligned with base soldering pad arrangements (15) of neighboring second cell portions (21), and vice versa. Simple linear ribbon-type connector strips (25) may be used for interconnecting the cell portions (19, 21) by soldering onto the underlying aligned emitter and base soldering pad arrangements (13, 15). The interconnection approach enables using standard ribbon-type connector strips (25) while reducing any bow as well as reducing series resistance losses. |
| US09660113B2 |
Solar cell apparatus and method of fabricating the same
A solar cell apparatus according to the embodiment includes a support substrate including a plurality of patterns; a back electrode layer on the support substrate; a light absorbing layer on the back electrode layer; a buffer layer on the light absorbing layer; and a front electrode layer on the buffer layer, wherein the patterns are formed in an undercut structure including a first inner side surface, a second inner side surface and a bottom surface. |
| US09660111B2 |
Luminescent materials that emit light in the visible range or the near infrared range and methods of forming thereof
Luminescent materials and methods of forming such materials are described herein. A method of forming a luminescent material includes: (1) providing a source of A and X, wherein A is selected from at least one of elements of Group 1, and X is selected from at least one of elements of Group 17; (2) providing a source of B, wherein B is selected from at least one of elements of Group 14; (3) subjecting the source of A and X and the source of B to vacuum deposition to form a precursor layer over a substrate; (4) forming an encapsulation layer over the precursor layer to form an assembly of layers; and (5) heating the assembly of layers to a temperature Theat to form a luminescent material within the precursor layer. |
| US09660109B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device according to an embodiment includes a normally-off transistor having a first drain, a first source electrically connected to a source terminal, and a first gate electrically connected to a gate terminal, a normally-on transistor having a second source electrically connected to the first drain, a second drain electrically connected to a voltage terminal, and a second gate electrically connected to the first source, a coil component provided between the voltage terminal and the second drain, and a first diode having a first anode electrically connected to the first drain and the second source, and a first cathode electrically connected to the coil component and the voltage terminal. |
| US09660106B2 |
Flash memory and method of manufacturing the same
A flash memory structure includes a memory gate on a substrate, a select gate adjacent to the memory gate, and an oxide-nitride spacer between the memory gate and the select gate, where the oxide-nitride spacer further includes an oxide layer and a nitride layer having an upper nitride portion and a lower nitride portion, and the upper nitride portion is thinner than the lower nitride portion. |
| US09660103B2 |
Thin film transistor and method for manufacturing same
This thin film transistor comprises, on a substrate, at least a gate electrode, a gate insulating film, an oxide semiconductor layer, a source-drain electrode, and two or more protective films. The oxide semiconductor layer comprises Sn, O and one or more elements selected from the group consisting of In, Ga and Zn. In addition, the two or more protective films are composed of at least a first protective film that is in contact with the oxide semiconductor film, and one or more second protective films other than the first protective film. The first protective film is a SiOx film having a hydrogen concentration of 3.5 atomic % or lower. |
| US09660101B2 |
Semiconductor device comprising an oxide semiconductor layer
Oxide layers which contain at least one metal element that is the same as that contained in an oxide semiconductor layer including a channel are formed in contact with the top surface and the bottom surface of the oxide semiconductor layer, whereby an interface state is not likely to be generated at each of an upper interface and a lower interface of the oxide semiconductor layer. Further, it is preferable that an oxide layer, which is formed using a material and a method similar to those of the oxide layers be formed over the oxide layers Accordingly, the interface state hardly influences the movement of electrons. |
| US09660098B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
Stable electrical characteristics and high reliability are provided for a miniaturized semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor, and the semiconductor device is manufactured. The semiconductor device includes a base insulating layer; an oxide stack which is over the base insulating layer and includes an oxide semiconductor layer; a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer over the oxide stack; a gate insulating layer over the oxide stack, the source electrode layer, and the drain electrode layer; a gate electrode layer over the gate insulating layer; and an interlayer insulating layer over the gate electrode layer. In the semiconductor device, the defect density in the oxide semiconductor layer is reduced. |
| US09660096B2 |
Semiconductor device
A transistor is provided in which the bottom surface portion of an oxide semiconductor film is provided with a metal oxide film containing a constituent similar to that of the oxide semiconductor film, and an insulating film containing a different constituent from the metal oxide film and the oxide semiconductor film is formed in contact with a surface of the metal oxide film, which is opposite to the surface in contact with the oxide semiconductor film. In addition, the oxide semiconductor film used for the active layer of the transistor is an oxide semiconductor film highly purified to be electrically i-type (intrinsic) through heat treatment in which impurities such as hydrogen, moisture, hydroxyl, and hydride are removed from the oxide semiconductor and oxygen which is one of main component materials of the oxide semiconductor is supplied and is also reduced in a step of removing impurities. |
| US09660089B2 |
Thin film transistor substrate and method of manufacturing the same
A thin film transistor substrate includes a substrate, a data line disposed on the substrate and which extends substantially in a predetermined direction, a light blocking layer disposed on the substrate and including a metal oxide including zinc manganese oxide, zinc cadmium oxide, zinc phosphorus oxide or zinc tin oxide, a gate electrode disposed on the light blocking layer, a signal electrode including a source electrode and a drain electrode spaced apart from the source electrode, where the source electrode is connected to the data line, and a semiconductor pattern disposed between the source electrode and the drain electrode. |
| US09660086B2 |
Fin-shaped field effect transistor
The present invention provides a fin-shaped field effect transistor (FinFET), comprises: a substrate having a fin structure; a plurality trenches formed on the fin structure with an alloy grown in the trenches; a gate structure on the fin structure perpendicular to an extending direction of the fin structure in-between the plurality of trenches; and an amorphous layer on a surface of the fin structure exposed by the gate structure and disposed in-between the gate structure and the alloy. The invention also provides a manufacturing method of a fin-shaped field effect transistor (FinFET). |
| US09660085B2 |
Wide band gap transistors on non-native semiconductor substrates and methods of manufacture thereof
Techniques are disclosed for forming a GaN transistor on a semiconductor substrate. An insulating layer forms on top of a semiconductor substrate. A trench, filled with a trench material comprising a III-V semiconductor material, forms through the insulating layer and extends into the semiconductor substrate. A channel structure, containing III-V material having a defect density lower than the trench material, forms directly on top of the insulating layer and adjacent to the trench. A source and drain form on opposite sides of the channel structure, and a gate forms on the channel structure. The semiconductor substrate forms a plane upon which both GaN transistors and other transistors can form. |
| US09660084B2 |
Semiconductor device structure and method for forming the same
A method for forming a semiconductor device structure is provided. The method includes forming a dielectric layer over a substrate. The dielectric layer has a trench passing through the dielectric layer. The method includes forming a gate stack in the trench. The method includes performing a hydrogen-containing plasma process over the gate stack. The method includes removing a top portion of the gate stack to form a first recess surrounded by the gate stack and the dielectric layer. The method includes forming a cap layer in the first recess to fill the first recess. |
| US09660081B2 |
Method to form localized relaxed substrate by using condensation
Methods and structures for forming a localized, strained region of a substrate are described. Trenches may be formed at boundaries of a localized region of a substrate. An upper portion of sidewalls at the localized region may be covered with a covering layer, and a lower portion of the sidewalls at the localized region may not be covered. A converting material may be formed in contact with the lower portion of the localized region, and the substrate heated. The heating may introduce a chemical species from the converting material into the lower portion, which creates stress in the localized region. The methods may be used to form strained-channel finFETs. |
| US09660078B2 |
Enhanced dislocation stress transistor
A device is provided. The device includes a transistor formed on a semiconductor substrate, the transistor having a conduction channel. The device includes at least one edge dislocation formed adjacent to the conduction channel on the semiconductor substrate. The device also includes at least one free surface introduced above the conduction channel and the at least one edge dislocation. |
| US09660073B1 |
High-voltage semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
A high-voltage semiconductor device is provided. The device includes a semiconductor substrate including a well region of a first conductivity type and an isolation structure in the well region. First and second regions are respectively defined on both sides of the isolation structure. First and second gate structures are respectively disposed on the first and second regions. First and second implant regions of a second conductivity type that is different from the first conductivity type are respectively in the first and second regions and adjacent to the isolation structure. A counter implant region is in the well region under the isolation structure and laterally extends under the first and second implant regions. The counter implant region has the first conductivity type and has a doping concentration that is greater than that of the well region. A method for fabricating the high-voltage semiconductor device is also disclosed. |
| US09660071B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type, a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type, a third semiconductor region of the first conductivity type, a conductive layer, a gate electrode, and a first electrode. The conductive layer includes a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion. The first portion is surrounded by the first semiconductor region via a first insulating portion. The second portion extends in a second direction, is provided on the first semiconductor region, and is provided on the second region. The third portion is connected between the first portion and the second portion and extends in a third direction. The first electrode is electrically connected to the third semiconductor region and the conductive layer. The second portion electrically connects the first electrode to the third portion. |
| US09660069B2 |
Group III nitride integration with CMOS technology
A method of forming a structure that can be used to integrate Si-based devices, i.e., nFETs and pFETs, with Group III nitride-based devices is provided. The method includes providing a substrate containing an nFET device region, a pFET device region and a Group III nitride device region, wherein the substrate includes a topmost silicon layer and a <111> silicon layer located beneath the topmost silicon layer. Next, a trench is formed within the Group III nitride device region to expose a sub-surface of the <111> silicon layer. The trench is then partially filled with a Group III nitride base material, wherein the Group III nitride material base material has a topmost surface that is coplanar with, or below, a topmost surface of the topmost silicon layer. |
| US09660068B2 |
Nitride semiconductor
According to this GaN-based HFET, resistivity ρ of a semi-insulating film forming a gate insulating film is 3.9×109Ωcm. The value of this resistivity ρ is a value derived when the current density is 6.25×10−4 (A/cm2). By inclusion of the gate insulating film by a semi-insulating film having a resistivity ρ=3.9×109Ωcm, a withstand voltage of 1000 V can be obtained. Meanwhile, the withstand voltage abruptly drops as the resistivity of the gate insulating film exceeds 1 ×1011Ωcm, and the gate leak current increases when the resistivity of the gate insulating film drops below 1 ×107Ωcm. |
| US09660064B2 |
Low sheet resistance GaN channel on Si substrates using InAlN and AlGaN bi-layer capping stack
Transistors or transistor layers include an InAlN and AlGaN bi-layer capping stack on a 2DEG GaN channel, such as for GaN MOS structures on Si substrates. The GaN channel may be formed in a GaN buffer layer or stack, to compensate for the high crystal structure lattice size and coefficient of thermal expansion mismatch between GaN and Si. The bi-layer capping stack an upper InAlN layer on a lower AlGaN layer to induce charge polarization in the channel, compensate for poor composition uniformity (e.g., of Al), and compensate for rough surface morphology of the bottom surface of the InAlN material. It may lead to a sheet resistance between 250 and 350 ohms/sqr. It may also reduce bowing of the GaN on Si wafers during growth of the layer of InAlN material, and provide a AlGaN setback layer for etching the InAlN layer in the gate region. |
| US09660062B2 |
Bidirectional HEMT and an electronic package including the bidirectional HEMT
An electronic device can include a bidirectional HEMT. In an aspect, a packaged electronic device can include the bidirectional HEMT can be part of a die having a die substrate connection that is configured to be at a fixed voltage, electrically connected to drain/source or source/drain depending on current flow through the bidirectional HEMT, or electrically float. In another aspect, the electronic device can include Kelvin connections on both the drain/source and source/drain side of the circuit. In a further embodiment, a circuit can include the bidirectional HEMT, switch transistors, and diodes with breakdown voltages to limit voltage swings at the drain/source and source/drain of the switch transistors. |
| US09660061B2 |
Semiconductor device
A p-type well is formed in a semiconductor substrate, and an n+-type semiconductor region and a p+-type semiconductor region are formed in the p-type well to be spaced apart from each other. The n+-type semiconductor region is an emitter semiconductor region of a bipolar transistor, and the p-type well and the p+-type semiconductor region are base semiconductor regions of the bipolar transistor. An electrode is formed on an element isolation region between the n+-type semiconductor region and the p+-type semiconductor region, and at least a part of the electrode is buried in a trench which is formed in the element isolation region. The electrode is electrically connected to the n+-type semiconductor region. |
| US09660058B2 |
Method of FinFET formation
A method of fabricating a fin for a FinFET device includes providing a semiconductor substrate, forming a patterned silicon germanium layer on the semiconductor substrate, epitaxially growing a silicon layer on a top surface and sidewalls of the patterned silicon germanium layer, forming a sacrificial layer covering the patterned silicon germanium layer, and removing the sacrificial layer and a portion of the silicon layer disposed on the top surface of the patterned silicon germanium layer until a top surface of the sacrificial layer is co-planar with the top surface of the patterned silicon germanium layer. The method further includes removing the patterned silicon germanium layer and removing the sacrificial layer to form the fin. The epitaxially formed fin does not have the issues of line width roughness and edge roughness to improve the performance of the FinFET device. |
| US09660057B2 |
Method of forming a reduced resistance fin structure
Methods and structures for forming a reduced resistance region of a finFET are described. According to some aspects, a dummy gate and first gate spacer may be formed above a fin comprising a first semiconductor composition. At least a portion of source and drain regions of the fin may be removed, and a second semiconductor composition may be formed in the source and drain regions in contact with the first semiconductor composition. A second gate spacer may be formed covering the first gate spacer. The methods may be used to form finFETs having reduced resistance at source and drain junctions. |
| US09660054B2 |
Tunneling field effect transistor (TFET) with ultra shallow pockets formed by asymmetric ion implantation and method of making same
An embodiment integrated circuit device and a method of making the same. The embodiment integrated circuit includes a substrate supporting a source with a first doping type and a drain with a second doping type on opposing sides of a channel region in the substrate, and a pocket disposed in the channel region, the pocket having the second doping type and spaced apart from the drain between about 2 nm and about 15 nm. In an embodiment, the pocket has a depth of between about 1 nanometer to about 30 nanometers. |
| US09660053B2 |
High-voltage field-effect transistor having multiple implanted layers
A method for fabricating a high-voltage field-effect transistor includes forming a body region, a source region, and a drain region in a semiconductor substrate. The drain region is separated from the source region by the body region. Forming the drain region includes forming an oxide layer on a surface of the semiconductor substrate over the drain region and performing a plurality of ion implantation operations through the oxide layer while tilting the semiconductor substrate such that ion beams impinge on the oxide layer at an angle that is offset from perpendicular. The plurality of ion implantation operations form a corresponding plurality of separate implanted layers within the drain region. Each of the implanted layers is formed at a different depth within the drain region. |
| US09660048B2 |
High electron mobility transistors exhibiting dual depletion and methods of manufacturing the same
High electron mobility transistors (HEMT) exhibiting dual depletion and methods of manufacturing the same. The HEMT includes a source electrode, a gate electrode and a drain electrode disposed on a plurality of semiconductor layers having different polarities. A dual depletion region exists between the source electrode and the drain electrode. The plurality of semiconductor layers includes an upper material layer, an intermediate material layer and a lower material layer, and a polarity of the intermediate material layer is different from polarities of the upper material layer and the lower material layer. |
| US09660039B2 |
Display device
According to one embodiment, a thin-film transistor includes a semiconductor layer SC including a channel region, and a source region and a drain region on both sides of the channel region, a gate electrode GE, a first electrode SE connected to the source region via a first contact hole CH1, a second electrode DE connected to the drain region via a second contact hole CH2, a source line connected to the first electrode, and a drain line connected to the second electrode. A distance from the first and second contact holes to an end of the respective regions in a direction of a channel width is greater than or equal to 5 μm and less than or equal to 30 μm. The source line and the drain line extend in directions different from each other. |
| US09660038B2 |
Lateral/vertical semiconductor device
A lateral semiconductor device and/or design including a space-charge generating layer and an electrode or a set of electrodes located on an opposite side of a device channel as contacts to the device channel is provided. The space-charge generating layer is configured to form a space-charge region to at least partially deplete the device channel in response to an operating voltage being applied to the contacts to the device channel. |
| US09660036B2 |
Graphene layer, method of forming the same, device including graphene layer and method of manufacturing the device
A graphene layer, a method of forming the graphene layer, a device including the graphene layer, and a method of manufacturing the device are provided. The method of forming the graphene layer may include forming a first graphene at a first temperature using a first source gas and forming a second graphene at a second temperature using a second source gas. One of the first and second graphenes may be a P-type graphene, and the other one of the first and second graphenes may be an N-type graphene. The first graphene and the second graphene together form a P—N junction. |
| US09660029B2 |
Semiconductor device having a positive temperature coefficient structure
A semiconductor device includes a first load terminal at a first surface of a semiconductor body and a second load terminal at the opposing surface. An active device area is surrounded by an edge termination area. Load terminal contacts are absent in the edge termination area and are electrically connected to the semiconductor body in the active device area at the first surface. A positive temperature coefficient structure is between at least one of the first and second load terminals and a corresponding one of the first and second surfaces. Above a maximum operation temperature specified for the semiconductor device, a specific resistance of the positive temperature coefficient structure increases by at least two orders of magnitude within a temperature range of at most 50 K. A degree of area coverage of the positive temperature coefficient structure is greater in the edge termination area than in the active device area. |
| US09660026B1 |
Method of making a silicon nanowire device
There is provided an electronic device and a method for its manufacture. The device comprises an elongate silicon nanowire less than 0.5 μm in cross-sectional dimensions and having a hexagonal cross-sectional shape due to annealing-induced energy relaxation. The method, in examples, includes thinning the nanowire through iterative oxidation and etching of the oxidized portion. |
| US09660023B2 |
Semiconductor film with adhesion layer and method for forming the same
Presented herein is a device including an insulator layer disposed over a substrate. An adhesion layer is disposed over the insulator layer and includes a semiconductor oxide, the semiconductor oxide including a compound of a semiconductor element and oxygen. A semiconductor film layer is over the adhesion layer, the semiconductor film layer being a material including the semiconductor element, the semiconductor film layer having a different composition than the adhesion layer. Bonds at an interface between the insulator layer and the adhesion layer comprise oxygen-hydrogen bonds and oxygen-semiconductor element bonds. |
| US09660020B2 |
Integrated circuits with laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor structures and methods for fabricating the same
Integrated circuits with improved laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) structures, and methods of fabricating the same, are provided. An exemplary LDMOS integrated circuit includes a p-type semiconductor substrate, an n-type epitaxial layer disposed over and in contact with the p-type semiconductor substrate, and a p-type implant layer disposed within the n-type epitaxial layer, wherein the p-type implant layer is not in contact with the p-type semiconductor substrate. It further includes an n-type reduced surface field region disposed over and in contact with the p-type implant layer, a p-type body well disposed on a lateral side of the p-type implant layer and the n-type reduced surface field region, and a shallow trench isolation (STI) structure disposed within the n-type reduced surface field region. Still further, it includes a gate structure disposed partially over the p-type body well, partially over the n-type surface field region, and partially over the STI structure. |
| US09660015B2 |
Method for making semiconductor device with stacked analog components in back end of line (BEOL) regions
A method for making a semiconductor device may include forming a first dielectric layer above a semiconductor substrate, forming a first trench in the first dielectric layer, filling the first trench with electrically conductive material, removing upper portions of the electrically conductive material to define a lower conductive member with a recess thereabove, forming a filler dielectric material in the recess to define a second trench. The method may further include filling the second trench with electrically conductive material to define an upper conductive member, forming a second dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer and upper conductive member, forming a first via through the second dielectric layer and underlying filler dielectric material to the lower conductive member, and forming a second via through the second dielectric layer to the upper conductive member. |
| US09660013B2 |
Chip inductor
Disclosed herein is a chip inductor. The chip inductor according to the present invention includes a substrate on which a trough-hole is formed, a conductive coil that is formed on the substrate, an upper resin composite magnetic layer that is filled to surround the conductive coil so that a core is formed on a center portion of the substrate, a lower resin composite magnetic layer that is formed on a bottom portion of the substrate, and an external electrode that is formed on both sides of the upper and lower resin composite magnetic layers. |
| US09660009B2 |
Organic light emitting diode display
An organic light emitting diode display includes a scan line, a data line, and a driving voltage line connected to a pixel. The pixel includes a switching transistor connected to the scan line and the data line, a driving transistor connected to the switching transistor, and a compensation transistor to compensate a threshold voltage of the driving transistor. The pixel also includes a first data connector to connect the compensation transistor to the driving transistor, a first storage electrode corresponding to the driving gate electrode and connected to the driving voltage line, and a second storage electrode overlapping a first storage electrode. An extended portion of the second storage electrode is in an overlapped portion between the first data connector and the scan line. |
| US09660006B2 |
Method for manufacturing display device and method for manufacturing electronic device
A method for manufacturing a display device, which does not easily damage an electrode, is provided. In the first step, a terminal electrode, a wiring, and a functional layer are provided over a first substrate; the terminal electrode, the wiring, and the functional layer are electrically connected to one another; an insulating layer is provided over the terminal electrode; a first layer is provided over the terminal electrode and the insulating layer; an adhesive layer is sandwiched between the first substrate and a second substrate; the second substrate and the adhesive layer include a first opening overlapping with part of the first layer; and the insulating layer includes a second opening inside the first opening in a top view. In the second step, part of the first layer is removed by emitting particles having a high sublimation property to the first layer, so that the terminal electrode is exposed. |
| US09660000B2 |
Organic light emitting diode (OLED) array substrate and fabricating method thereof, display device
An OLED array substrate, comprising a plurality of pixel units, the pixel unit at least comprising a first sub-pixel, a second sub-pixel and a third sub-pixel, further comprising: a substrate, a TFT array and a pixel electrode formed on the substrate, and at least two organic luminescent material layers that display different colors formed on the pixel electrode, wherein the first sub-pixel comprises a first pixel electrode, the second sub-pixel comprises a second pixel electrode, the third sub-pixel comprises a third pixel electrode, an organic luminescent material layer of a first color covers the adjacent first pixel electrode and second pixel electrode in the pixel unit, an organic luminescent material layer of a second color covers the adjacent second pixel electrode and third pixel electrode in the pixel unit. |
| US09659998B1 |
Memory having an interlayer insulating structure with different thermal resistance
An integrated circuit memory comprises an intermediate layer disposed between a plurality of bit lines in a bit line conductor layer and a plurality of word lines in a word line conductor layer. The intermediate layer includes a plurality of memory posts through an interlayer insulating structure. Each memory post has a memory element and an access element. The interlayer insulating structure includes higher thermal resistance at the level of the memory element than at the level of the access element. |
| US09659993B2 |
Vertical integration of CMOS electronics with photonic devices
A method of fabricating a composite semiconductor structure includes providing an SOI substrate including a plurality of silicon-based devices, providing a compound semiconductor substrate including a plurality of photonic devices, and dicing the compound semiconductor substrate to provide a plurality of photonic dies. Each die includes one or more of the plurality of photonics devices. The method also includes providing an assembly substrate having a base layer and a device layer including a plurality of CMOS devices, mounting the plurality of photonic dies on predetermined portions of the assembly substrate, and aligning the SOI substrate and the assembly substrate. The method further includes joining the SOI substrate and the assembly substrate to form a composite substrate structure and removing at least the base layer of the assembly substrate from the composite substrate structure. |
| US09659988B2 |
Image pickup apparatus
In an image pickup apparatus, during a period from a start of an accumulation period of electric carriers to an end of a reading period for a first photoelectric conversion unit and a second photoelectric conversion unit, the number of times an on-state voltage is supplied to a gate electrode of a first transfer transistor is larger than the number of times an on-state voltage is supplied to a gate electrode of a second transfer transistor. Additionally, among a plurality of pixels, in a pixel having a shortest distance from the gate electrode of the second transfer transistor to a contact plug, a distance from the gate electrode of the second transfer transistor to the contact plug is shorter than a distance from the gate electrode of the first transfer transistor to the contact plug. |
| US09659983B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for driving the same
An image sensor is provided which is capable of holding data for one frame period or longer and conducting a difference operation with a small number of elements. A photosensor is provided in each of a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, each pixel accumulates electric charge in a data holding portion for one frame period or longer, and an output of the photosensor changes in accordance with the electric charge accumulated in the data holding portion. As a writing switch element for the data holding portion, a transistor with small leakage current (sufficiently smaller than 1×10−14 A) is used. As an example of the transistor with small leakage current, there is a transistor having a channel formed in an oxide semiconductor layer. |
| US09659982B2 |
Image sensor pixel structure with optimized uniformity
An image sensor includes at least a first row and a second row of photodiodes, each photodiode being coupled with an associated transistor, each associated transistor including a gate, the first and second row of photodiodes forming a series of 2×2 Bayer-pattern units. In each Bayer-pattern unit, a first photodiode and a second photodiode in the first row are designated respectively as a first green pixel and a blue pixel, and a third photodiode and a fourth photodiode in the second row are designated respectively as a red pixel and a second green pixel, wherein a position of the gate of the transistor associated with the first photodiode relative to the first photodiode and a position of the gate of the transistor associated with the fourth photodiode relative to the fourth photodiode are the same. |
| US09659979B2 |
Sensors including complementary lateral bipolar junction transistors
An integrated radiation sensor for detecting the presence of an environmental material and/or condition includes a sensing structure and first and second lateral bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) having opposite polarities. The first lateral BJT has a base that is electrically coupled to the sensing structure and is configured to generate an output signal indicative of a change in stored charge in the sensing structure. The second lateral BJT is configured to amplify the output signal of the first bipolar junction transistor. The first and second lateral BJTs, the sensing structure, and the substrate on which they are formed comprise a monolithic structure. |
| US09659976B2 |
Electro-optic device and electronic equipment
Deterioration of display quality due to a difference of leak current in each pixel is suppressed.A pixel 30G includes a pixel capacitor 36 and a switching element 14 which controls supplying and blocking of voltage with respect to the pixel capacitor 36, and modulates irradiation light of a first wavelength (530 nm) according to the voltage of the pixel capacitor 36. A pixel 30R includes the pixel capacitor 36 and the switching element 14 that controls supplying and blocking of voltage with respect to the pixel capacitor 36, and modulates irradiation light of a second wavelength (620 nm) which is longer than the first wavelength according to the voltage of the pixel capacitor 36. A capacitance value of the pixel capacitor 36 of the pixel 30G is larger than a capacitance value of the pixel capacitor 36 of the pixel 30R. |
| US09659975B2 |
Fabrication methods of transparent conductive electrode and array substrate
Fabrication methods of a transparent conductive electrode (301) and an array substrate are provided. The fabrication method of the transparent conductive electrode (301) comprises: forming a sacrificial layer pattern (201) on a substrate (10) having a first region (A1) and a second region (A2) adjacent to each other, wherein the sacrificial layer pattern (201) is located in the second region (A2), and has an upper sharp corner profile formed on a side adjacent to the first region (A1); forming a transparent conductive thin-film (30) in the first region (A1) and the second region (A2) of the substrate (10) with the sacrificial layer pattern (201) formed thereon, wherein a thickness ratio of the transparent conductive thin-film (30) to the sacrificial layer pattern (201) is less than or equal to 1:1.5, and the transparent conductive thin-film (30) is disconnected at the upper sharp corner profile of the sacrificial layer pattern (201), such that at least a part of a side surface of the sacrificial layer pattern (201) facing the first region (A1) is exposed; and removing the sacrificial layer pattern (201) so as to reserve the transparent conductive thin-film (30) in the first region as the transparent conductive electrode (301). |
| US09659974B2 |
Pixel structure, manufacturing method of pixel structure, array substrate, and display panel
The disclosure provides a pixel structure, a manufacturing method of a pixel structure, an array substrate, a display panel, and a display device. The pixel structure includes a plurality of data lines and a plurality of scan lines, and a plurality of pixel units formed by intersecting the plurality of data lines with the plurality of scan lines. A pixel unit corresponds to one of the plurality of data lines and one of the plurality of scan lines. The pixel unit includes a pixel electrode and a TFT. The pixel electrode of the pixel unit in a row is electrically connected to a TFT of a pixel unit in a preceding adjacent row of the pixel electrode of the pixel unit. |
| US09659969B2 |
Display device
With an increase in the definition of a display device, the number of pixels is increased, and thus the numbers of gate lines and signal lines are increased. Due to the increase in the numbers of gate lines and signal lines, it is difficult to mount an IC chip having a driver circuit for driving the gate and signal lines by bonding or the like, which causes an increase in manufacturing costs. A pixel portion and a driver circuit for driving the pixel portion are formed over one substrate. At least a part of the driver circuit is formed using an inverted staggered thin film transistor in which an oxide semiconductor is used. The driver circuit as well as the pixel portion is provided over the same substrate, whereby manufacturing costs are reduced. |
| US09659968B2 |
Display device comprising a metal oxide semiconductor channel and a specified insulating layer arrangement
Variation in the electrical characteristics of transistors is minimized and reliability of the transistors is improved. A display device includes a pixel portion 104 and a driver circuit portion 106 outside the pixel portion. The pixel portion includes a pixel transistor, a first insulating layer 122 which covers the pixel transistor and includes an inorganic material, a second insulating layer 124 which is over the first insulating layer and includes an organic material, and a third insulating layer 128 which is over the second insulating layer and includes an inorganic material. The driver circuit portion includes a driving transistor for supplying a signal to the pixel transistor, and the first insulating layer covering the driving transistor. The second insulating layer is not formed in the driver circuit portion. |
| US09659967B2 |
Thin-film transistor and display device having the same
A thin-film transistor includes a substrate, a gate electrode formed over the substrate, a gate insulating layer formed over the gate electrode and the substrate, an oxide semiconductor layer formed over the gate insulating layer and comprising a source section and a drain section, a first electrode formed over the substrate and electrically connected to the source section, and a second electrode formed over the substrate and electrically connected to the drain section. The thin-film transistor further includes a first barrier layer disposed between the oxide semiconductor layer and the first electrode, a second barrier layer disposed between the first barrier layer and the first electrode, and the first electrode being electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor layer via the first barrier layer and the second barrier layer. |
| US09659961B2 |
Semiconductor structure with integrated passive structures
A metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) with integrated passive structures and methods of manufacturing the same is disclosed. The method includes forming a stacked structure in an active region and at least one shallow trench isolation (STI) structure adjacent to the stacked structure. The method further includes forming a semiconductor layer directly in contact with the at least one STI structure and the stacked structure. The method further includes patterning the semiconductor layer and the stacked structure to form an active device in the active region and a passive structure of the semiconductor layer directly on the at least one STI structure. |
| US09659958B2 |
Three-dimensional semiconductor memory device
A semiconductor device includes lower and upper selection lines, a cell gate structure, a lower dummy structure and an upper dummy structure. The cell gate structure is between the lower and upper selection lines and includes cell gate electrodes stacked in a first direction. The lower dummy structure is between the lower selection line and the cell gate structure and includes a lower dummy gate line spaced from a lowermost one of the cell gate electrodes by a first distance. The upper dummy structure is between the upper selection line and the cell gate structure and includes an upper dummy gate line spaced from an uppermost one of the cell gate electrodes by a second distance. The cell gate electrodes are spaced by a third distance less than each of the first and second distances. |
| US09659956B1 |
Three-dimensional memory device containing source select gate electrodes with enhanced electrical isolation
A method of manufacturing a three-dimensional memory device includes forming, a bottom dielectric layer, a bottom sacrificial material layer, and an alternating stack of insulating layers and spacer material layers over a semiconductor substrate, forming a memory opening, forming an epitaxial channel portion and a memory stack structure in the memory opening, forming a backside contact trench, forming a first backside recess by selectively removing the bottom sacrificial material layer, forming a semiconductor oxide layer underneath the bottom dielectric layer and around a material of the epitaxial channel portion, forming second backside recesses by selectively removing the spacer material layers, and forming electrically conductive layers in the first and second backside recesses. |
| US09659945B2 |
Semiconductor device
A first transistor including a channel formation region, a first gate insulating layer, a first gate electrode, and a first source electrode and a first drain electrode; a second transistor including an oxide semiconductor layer, a second source electrode and a second drain electrode, a second gate insulating layer, and a second gate electrode; and a capacitor including one of the second source electrode and the second drain electrode, the second gate insulating layer, and an electrode provided to overlap with one of the second source electrode and the second drain electrode over the second gate insulating layer are provided. The first gate electrode and one of the second source electrode and the second drain electrode are electrically connected to each other. |
| US09659943B1 |
Programmable integrated circuits and methods of forming the same
Integrated circuits and methods of forming the same are provided. An exemplary integrated circuit includes a semiconductor substrate having a central shallow trench isolation (STI) region. A pair of select transistors have drain regions in contact with opposite portions of the central STI region. A central gate structure overlies the central STI region and includes a central gate dielectric layer. The central gate dielectric layer has a medial dielectric region overlying the central STI region, a first lateral dielectric region overlying the first drain region, and a second lateral dielectric region overlying the second drain region. The first lateral dielectric region defines a first programmable element and the second lateral dielectric region defines a second programmable element. |
| US09659941B2 |
Integrated circuit structure with methods of electrically connecting same
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an integrated circuit (IC) structure and methods of electrically connecting multiple IC structures. An IC structure according to embodiments of the present disclosure can include: a first conductive region; a second conductive region laterally separated from the first conductive region; a first vertically-oriented semiconductor fin formed over and contacting the first conductive region; a second vertically-oriented semiconductor fin formed over and contacting the second conductive region; and a first gate contacting each of the first vertically-oriented semiconductor fin and the second conductive region, wherein the first gate includes: a substantially horizontal section contacting the first vertically-oriented semiconductor fin, and a substantially vertical section contacting the second conductive region. |
| US09659940B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: preparing a wafer in which a first cell area and a second cell area are defined; forming a bottom electrode structure in the first cell area and a dummy structure located in the second cell area; and sequentially forming a dielectric layer and a top electrode on the bottom electrode structure and the dummy structure, wherein the bottom electrode structure includes a plurality of bottom electrodes extending in a first direction in the first cell area and first and second supporters to support the plurality of bottom electrodes, wherein the dummy structure includes a first mold film, a first supporter film, a second mold film, and a second supporter film that are sequentially formed to cover the second cell area, and the second supporter and the second supporter film are at a same level relative to the wafer. |
| US09659932B2 |
Semiconductor device having a plurality of fins and method for fabricating the same
A semiconductor device having a plurality of fins including at least one first fin and at least one second fin formed on a semiconductor substrate is provided. Each of the first fin and second fin has a first portion and a second portion. A gate electrode structure overlies the first portion of the plurality of fins. The gate electrode structure includes a gate electrode, and a gate dielectric layer between the gate electrode and the plurality of fins, A first electrode overlies the second portion of the plurality of fins and the first electrode is in electrical contact with the second portion of the plurality of fins. The gate electrode structure is in direct physical contact with the first portion of the first fin and the gate electrode structure is spaced apart from the first portion of the second fin. |
| US09659930B1 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
A semiconductor device includes first and second FETs including first and second channel regions, respectively. The first and second FETs include first and second gate structures, respectively. The first and second gate structures include first and second gate dielectric layers formed over the first and second channel regions and first and second gate electrode layers formed over the first and second gate dielectric layers. The first and second gate structures are aligned along a first direction. The first gate structure and the second gate structure are separated by a separation plug made of an insulating material. A width of the separation plug in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction is smaller than a width of the first gate structure in the second direction, when viewed in plan view. |
| US09659923B2 |
Electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuits, integrated circuits, systems, and methods for forming the ESD protection circuits
An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit includes a field oxide device in a substrate, wherein the field oxide device is coupled between an input/output (I/O) pad and a first terminal. The field oxide device includes a drain end and a source end having a first type of dopant. The field oxide device includes a field oxide structure between the drain end and the source end. The field oxide structure has a top surface co-planar with a top surface of a substrate. A first doped region having a second type of dopant is adjacent to the drain end. A second doped region having the second type of dopant is adjacent to the source end. The field oxide structure is in a well and the source end and the drain end are separate from the well. The substrate has the second type of dopant and is around the field oxide structure. |
| US09659921B2 |
Power switch device
A power switch device includes a transistor and an ESD protection circuit. The transistor includes a source, a drain, and a gate, wherein a well region is disposed between the source and the drain. One end of the ESD protection circuit is coupled to the gate and another end thereof is coupled to the well region so as to form a protection circuit between the gate and the source and between the gate and the drain simultaneously. |
| US09659918B2 |
POP structures with dams encircling air gaps and methods for forming the same
A device includes a bottom package component that includes a bottom die, and a dam over a top surface of the bottom die. The dam has a plurality of sides forming a partial ring, with an air gap surrounded by the plurality of side portions. The air gap overlaps the bottom die. A top package component is bonded to the bottom package component, wherein the air gap separates a bottom surface of the top package component from the bottom die. |
| US09659916B2 |
Light emitting device package
A light emitting device package is provided. The light emitting device package may include a main body having a cavity including side surfaces and a bottom, and a first reflective cup and a second reflective cup provided in the bottom of the cavity of the main body and separated from each other. A first light emitting device may be provided in the first reflective cup, and a second light emitting device may be provided in the second reflective cup. |
| US09659913B2 |
LED module and LED module packaging structure
An LED module includes: a substrate including main, rear, and bottom surfaces; a first light emitting element disposed on the main surface; a conductive layer formed on the substrate and electrically coupled with the first light emitting element; a first conductive bonding layer interposed between the first light emitting element and the conductive layer; a main surface insulating film formed on the main surface and covering a portion of the conductive layer; and a first wire, wherein the main surface and the rear surface face opposite directions, the bottom surface connects long sides of the main and rear surfaces, the conductive layer includes a first wire bonding portion where the first wire is bonded, and the main surface insulating film includes a first insulating portion including a portion interposed between the first light emitting element and the first wire bonding portion when viewed in a thickness direction of the substrate. |
| US09659912B2 |
Low-inductance circuit arrangement comprising load current collecting conductor track
A circuit arrangement includes at least two semiconductor chip having first and second load terminals that are each connected to one another, a first load current collecting conductor track, and also an external terminal electrically conductively connected thereto. For each of the semiconductor chips there is at least one electrical connection conductor electrically conductively connected to the first load terminal of the relevant semiconductor chip and also to the first load current collecting conductor track. The total inductance of all the connection conductors with which the first load terminal of the second of the semiconductor chips is connected to the first load current collecting conductor track has at least twice the inductance of that section of the first load current collecting conductor track which is formed between the second connection location of the first of the semiconductor chips and the second connection location of the second of the semiconductor chips. |
| US09659911B1 |
Package structure and manufacturing method thereof
A package structure and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The package structure includes a redistribution layer (RDL), at least one first die, a plurality of conductive terminals and solder balls, a first encapsulant, a plurality of second dies, and a second encapsulant. The RDL has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The first die and the conductive terminals are electrically connected to the RDL and are located on the first surface of the RDL. The first encapsulant encapsulates the first die and the conductive terminals. The first encapsulant exposes part of the conductive terminals. The solder balls are electrically connected to the conductive terminals and are located over the conductive terminals exposed by the first encapsulant. The second dies are electrically connected to the RDL and are located on the second surface of the RDL. The second encapsulant encapsulates the second dies. |
| US09659908B1 |
Systems and methods for package on package through mold interconnects
Discussed generally herein are methods and devices for more reliable Package on Package (PoP) Through Mold Interconnects (TMIs). A device can include a first die package including a first conductive pad on or at least partially in the first die package, a dielectric mold material on the first die package, the mold material including a hole therethrough at least partially exposing the pad, a second die package including a second conductive pad on or at least partially in the second die package the second die package on the mold material such that the second conductive pad faces the first conductive pad through the hole, and a shape memory structure in the hole and forming a portion of a solder column electrical connection between the first die package and the second die package. |
| US09659905B2 |
Semiconductor package and semiconductor system including the same
A semiconductor package may include a first die, a second die disposed adjacent to the first die, and configured to share an address with the first die. The semiconductor package may include a first address pin included with the first die, and configured for receiving the address. The semiconductor package may include a second address pin included with the second die, and configured for receiving the address. The first die and the second die may output data corresponding to the address. Timings of the address in the first die and the second die may be aligned according to delay signals applied from a controller. |
| US09659902B2 |
Thermocompression bonding systems and methods of operating the same
A thermocompression bonding system for bonding semiconductor elements is provided. The thermocompression bonding system includes (1) a bond head assembly including a heater for heating an semiconductor element to be bonded, the bond head assembly including a fluid path configured to receive a cooling fluid; (2) a pressurized cooling fluid source; (3) a booster pump for receiving a pressurized cooling fluid from the pressurized cooling fluid source, and for increasing a pressure of the received pressurized cooling fluid; (4) a pressurized fluid reservoir for receiving pressurized cooling fluid from the booster pump; and (5) a control valve for controlling a supply of pressurized cooling fluid from the pressurized fluid reservoir to the fluid path. |
| US09659894B2 |
Chip mounting
A device comprising a chip including a substrate defining one or more electronic devices and a printed circuit board electrically connected to the chip via one or more solder elements sandwiched between the chip and the printed circuit board, and the solder elements, and buffer layers having a Young's Modulus of 2.5 GPa or less. |
| US09659893B2 |
Semiconductor package
The invention provides a semiconductor package. The semiconductor package includes a substrate. A first conductive trace is disposed on the substrate. A first conductive trace disposed on the substrate. A semiconductor die is disposed over the first conductive trace. A solder resist layer that extends across an edge of the semiconductor die is also included. Finally, a molding compound is provided that is formed over the substrate and covers the first conductive trace and the semiconductor die. |
| US09659892B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing semiconductor device
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: arranging a solder material containing at least tin, between a semiconductor element and a joined member provided with a nickel layer and a copper layer, such that the solder material is in contact with the copper layer, the nickel layer being provided on a surface of the joined member, and the copper layer being provided on at least a portion of a surface of the nickel layer; and melting and solidifying the solder material to form Cu6Sn5 on the surface of the nickel layer using tin of the solder material and the copper layer. |
| US09659887B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a pad group including pads provided on a semiconductor substrate and arranged in a row to form a pad row as a whole. The pad group includes at least one first pad provided with a first via-connection part electrically connected therewith and extending in a first direction perpendicular to a row direction of the pad row, and at least one second pad provided with a second via-connection part electrically connected therewith and extending in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The at least one second pad is formed at a position moved in the first direction from the row direction of the pad row passing through a center of the at least one first pad. |
| US09659885B2 |
Semiconductor device with pre-molding chip bonding
This disclosure relates generally to a semiconductor device and method of making the semiconductor device by pressing an electrical contact of a chip into a bonding layer on a carrier. The bonding layer is cured and coupled, at least in part, to the electrical contact. A molding layer is applied in contact with the chip and a first major surface of the bonding layer. Distribution circuitry is coupled to the electrical contact. |
| US09659879B1 |
Semiconductor device having a guard ring
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor die having a guard ring disposed in a periphery of the semiconductor die. The semiconductor device also includes a conductive pad over the guard ring. the semiconductor device further has a passivation partially covering the conductive pad, and including a recess to expose a portion of the conductive pad and a post passivation interconnect (PPI) over the passivation. In the semiconductor device, a conductor is extended upwardly from the recess and connected to a portion of the PPI. |
| US09659878B2 |
Wafer level shielding in multi-stacked fan out packages and methods of forming same
An embodiment device package includes a device die, a molding compound surrounding the device die, a conductive through inter-via (TIV) extending through the molding compound, and an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield disposed over and extending along sidewalls of the molding compound. The EMI shield contacts the conductive TIV, and the conductive TIV electrically connects the EMI shield to an external connector. The external connector and the EMI shield are disposed on opposing sides of the device die. |
| US09659876B1 |
Wafer-scale marking systems and related methods
A method of wafer-scale marking includes coupling a first marking mask over a semiconductor wafer having unsingulated semiconductor devices thereon. The first marking mask has a plurality of first stencils therethrough and a surface of the wafer is plasma etched through the first stencils to form first markings in the surface. A second marking mask is coupled over the surface and includes a plurality of second stencils therethrough. The surface is plasma etched through the second stencils to form second markings in the surface. In implementations the first marking mask and second marking mask are simultaneously coupled over the surface and the first markings and second markings are simultaneously formed. In implementations a plurality of first windows of the first marking mask are aligned with the plurality of second stencils while a plurality of second windows of the second marking mask are aligned with the plurality of first stencils. |
| US09659871B2 |
Semiconductor device
Provided is a semiconductor device including a substrate with a plurality of logic cells, transistors provided in the plurality of logic cells, contact plugs connected to electrodes of the transistors, first via plugs in contact with top surfaces of the contact plugs, and first wires in contact with top surfaces of the first via plugs. The first wires may include a common conductive line connected to the plurality of logic cells through the contact plugs, and all of the first wires may be shaped like a straight line extending parallel to a specific direction. |
| US09659868B2 |
Semiconductor apparatus
A semiconductor apparatus has a configuration in which multiple copper wiring layers and multiple insulating layers are alternately layered. A low-impedance wiring is formed occupying a predetermined region. A first wiring pattern includes multiple copper wiring members arranged in parallel with predetermined intervals in a first copper wiring layer, each of which has a rectangular shape extending in a first direction. A second wiring pattern includes multiple copper wiring members arranged in parallel with predetermined intervals in a second copper wiring layer adjacent to the first copper wiring layer, each of which has a rectangular shape extending in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The region occupied by the first wiring pattern and that occupied by the second wiring pattern are arranged such that they at least overlap. The first wiring pattern and the second wiring pattern are electrically connected so as to have the same electric potential. |
| US09659867B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
The reliability of wirings, each of which includes a main conductive film containing copper as a primary component, is improved. On an insulating film including the upper surface of a wiring serving as a lower layer wiring, an insulating film formed of a silicon carbonitride film having excellent barrier properties to copper is formed; on the insulating film, an insulating film formed of a silicon carbide film having excellent adhesiveness to a low dielectric constant material film is formed; on the insulating film, an insulating film formed of a low dielectric constant material as an interlayer insulating film is formed; and thereafter a wiring as an upper layer wiring is formed. |
| US09659864B2 |
Method and apparatus for forming self-aligned via with selectively deposited etching stop layer
A layer of an interconnect structure is formed over a substrate. The layer contains an interlayer dielectric (ILD) material and a metal line disposed in the ILD. A first etching stop layer is formed on the ILD but not on the metal line. The first etching stop layer is formed through a selective atomic layer deposition (ALD) process. A second etching stop layer is formed over the first etching stop layer. A high etching selectivity exists between the first and second etching stop layers. A via is formed to be at least partially aligned with, and electrically coupled to, the metal line. The first etching stop layer prevents the ILD from being etched through during the formation of the via. |
| US09659863B2 |
Semiconductor devices, multi-die packages, and methods of manufacture thereof
Semiconductor device, multi-die packages, and methods of manufacture thereof are described. In an embodiment, a semiconductor device may include: first conductive pillars and second conductive pillars respectively aligned to a first row of first pins and a second row of second pins of a first die, the first pins and the second pins differing in function; a first insulating layer covering surfaces of the first conductive pillars and the second conductive pillars facing away from the first die; first pads disposed on a surface of the first insulating layer facing away from the first die, the first pads substantially aligned to the first conductive pillars; and first traces coupled to the first pads, the first traces extending over a portion of the first insulating layer covering the second conductive pillars. |
| US09659862B1 |
Method, apparatus, and system for e-fuse in advanced CMOS technologies
Methods, apparatus, and systems for fabricating and using a semiconductor device comprising a first conductive element; a second conductive element; and an e-fuse comprising a first region comprising a conductive oxide of a first metal; and a second region comprising a second metal, wherein an oxide of the second metal is resistive; wherein the e-fuse is electrically connected to both the first conductive element and the second conductive element. |
| US09659861B2 |
Semiconductor device and fabrication method thereof
A semiconductor device includes a lower wiring layer made of a conductive material; an upper wiring layer formed in an upper layer than the lower wiring layer; and a fuse film, at least a portion of the fuse film being formed in a plug formation layer in which a plug for connecting the lower wiring layer and the upper wiring layer is formed, and made of a conductive material including a metallic material other than copper. |
| US09659857B2 |
Semiconductor structure and method making the same
The present disclosure provides a method for forming an integrated circuit (IC) structure. The method comprises providing a substrate including a conductive feature; forming aluminum (Al)-containing dielectric layer on the conductive feature; forming a low-k dielectric layer on the Al-containing dielectric layer; and etching the low-k dielectric layer to form a contact trench aligned with the conductive feature. A bottom of the contact trench is on a surface of the Al-containing dielectric layer. |
| US09659855B2 |
Cavity package with pre-molded substrate
A cavity package is set forth along with a method of manufacturing thereof. The method comprises applying a selective plating resist to a metallic substrate in a pattern to expose portions for a ring, tie bars, die attach pad and input/output wire bonding pads; elective depositing of metal plating using the selective plating resist; removing the selective metal plating resist; applying a selective etching resist to the substrate; selectively etching portions of the substrate not covered by the selective etching resist; stripping away the selective etching resist; pre-molding a leadframe to the substrate so as to surround the die attach pad portion; etching the tie bars away from the bottom surface of the substrate; attaching a semiconductor device die to the die attach pad; wire bonding the semiconductor device to the input/output wire bonding pads; and attaching a cap to the ring portion of the substrate and the die attach pad to protect the wire bonded semiconductor device die and permit electrical grounding. |
| US09659841B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of producing semiconductor device
A method of producing a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of forming a through hole in a semiconductor substrate having a first main surface, a second main surface opposite to the first main surface, and a first conductive layer disposed on the second main surface so that the through hole passes through the semiconductor substrate from the first main surface to the second main surface; forming an insulation film to extend from a bottom portion of the through hole to the first main surface through a side surface of the through hole; coating an organic member on the insulation film on the side surface of the through hole and the first main surface; removing an air bubble in the organic member and between the organic member and the insulation film; and forming a first opening portion in the organic member. |
| US09659839B2 |
Barrier structures between external electrical connectors
A structure includes a die substrate; a passivation layer on the die substrate; first and second interconnect structures on the passivation layer; and a barrier on the passivation layer, at least one of the first or second interconnect structures, or a combination thereof. The first and second interconnect structures comprise first and second via portions through the passivation layer to first and second conductive features of the die substrate, respectively. The first and second interconnect structures further comprise first and second pads, respectively, and first and second transition elements on a surface of the passivation layer between the first and second via portion and the first and second pad, respectively. The barrier is disposed between the first pad and the second pad. The barrier does not fully encircle at least one of the first pad or the second pad. |
| US09659837B2 |
Direct bonded copper semiconductor packages and related methods
A power semiconductor package includes a first direct bonded copper (DBC) substrate having a plurality of connection traces on a first face of the first DBC substrate. A plurality of die are coupled to the connection traces, each die coupled to one of the connection traces at a first face of the die. A second DBC substrate includes connection traces on a first face of the second DBC substrate. A second face of each die is coupled to one of the connection traces of the first face of the second DBC substrate. A cavity between the first face of the first DBC substrate and the first face of the second DBC substrate is filled with an encapsulating compound. Terminal pins may be coupled to connection traces on the first face of the first DBC substrate. More than two DBC substrates may be stacked to form a stacked power semiconductor package. |
| US09659835B1 |
Techniques for integrating thermal via structures in integrated circuits
A technique for designing an integrated circuit includes placing standard cells across a first surface of a substrate of an integrated circuit (IC) design. At least two unoccupied regions are located across the first surface that do not include standard cells. Aspect ratios for one or more micro fill vias that can be placed in the at least two unoccupied regions are determined. The one or more micro fill vias are placed in the at least two unoccupied regions. Finally, one or more partial thermal vias are placed from a second surface of the integrated circuit, opposite the first surface, to thermally couple the one or more partial thermal vias to the one or more micro fill vias to create thermal paths from the first surface to the second surface. |
| US09659829B1 |
Hybrid orientation vertically stacked III-V and Ge gate-all-around CMOS
A method of CMOS construction may include stacked III-V nanowires and stacked Ge nanowires. The CMOS construction may include a hybrid orientation with surface SOI and a standard substrate. |
| US09659828B2 |
Semiconductor device with metal gate and high-k dielectric layer, CMOS integrated circuit, and method for fabricating the same
A semiconductor device includes a gate dielectric layer over a substrate, a metal layer over the gate dielectric layer, a capping layer over the metal layer, wherein the capping layer includes a plurality of dipole forming elements concentrated at the interface between the metal layer and the capping layer. |
| US09659825B2 |
Method of CMOS manufacturing utilizing multi-layer epitaxial hardmask films for improved epi profile
An integrated circuit containing PMOS transistors may be formed by forming a dual layer hard mask. A first layer of the hard mask is halogen-containing silicon nitride formed using a halogenated silane reagent. A second layer of the hard mask is silicon nitride formed on the first layer using halogen-free reagents. After source/drain cavities are etched in the PMOS transistors, a pre-epitaxial bake with hydrogen is performed. After SiGe epitaxial source/drain regions are formed, the hard mask is removed. |
| US09659824B2 |
Graphoepitaxy directed self-assembly process for semiconductor fin formation
Guiding pattern portions are formed on a surface of a lithographic material stack that is disposed on a surface of a semiconductor substrate. A copolymer layer is then formed between each neighboring pair of guiding pattern portions and thereafter a directed self-assembly process is performed that causes phase separation of the various polymeric domains of the copolymer layer. Each guiding pattern portion is selectively removed, followed by the removal of each first phase separated polymeric domain. Each second phase separated polymeric domain remains and is used as an etch mask in forming semiconductor fins in an upper semiconductor material portion of the semiconductor substrate. |
| US09659822B2 |
Providing a chip die with electrically conductive elements
A method for providing position control information for controlling an impingement position of a laser beam for treatment of a chip die in a chip manufacturing process, comprises the steps of a) receiving a specification of positions (x,y) of a electrically conductive elements in the chip die, the positions having a first coordinate along a first direction (x) and a second coordinate (y) along a second direction in a plane defined by the chip die, said first and second direction being mutually transverse to each other, b) selecting a cluster of positions that is within a predetermined two-dimensional spatial range, wherein each pair of positions in the cluster at least has a first minimum difference in their first coordinates or a second minimum difference in their second coordinates and removing the next position from the ordered set, c) update the positions of the set of positions in accordance with an expected time needed to carry out the treatment for said cluster and a speed of a wafer comprising the chip die, d) repeating steps b-d until each of the positions in said set is assigned to a cluster. |
| US09659821B1 |
Method of forming interconnect structures by self-aligned approach
A method includes forming a dielectric layer over a conductive feature. A first mask having a first opening is formed over the dielectric layer. A second mask is formed over the first mask. A third mask having a second opening is formed over the second mask. A fourth mask having a third opening is formed over the third mask, a portion of the third opening overlapping with the second opening. The portion of the third opening is transferred to the second mask to form a fourth opening, a portion of the fourth opening overlapping with the first opening. The portion of the fourth opening is transferred to the dielectric layer to form a fifth opening. The fifth opening is extended into the dielectric layer to form an extended fifth opening, the extended fifth opening exposing the conductive feature. The extended fifth opening is filled with a conductive material. |
| US09659820B2 |
Interconnect structure having large self-aligned vias
A method of forming a wavy line interconnect structure that accommodates small metal lines and enlarged diameter vias is disclosed. The enlarged diameter vias can be formed using a self-aligned dual damascene process without the need for a separate via lithography mask. The enlarged diameter vias make direct contact with at least three sides of the underlying metal lines, and can be aligned asymmetrically with respect to the metal line to increase the packing density of the metal pattern. The resulting vias have an aspect ratio that is relatively easy to fill, while the larger via footprint provides low via resistance. By allowing the via footprint to exceed the minimum size of the metal line width, a path is cleared for further process generations to continue shrinking metal lines to dimensions below 10 nm. |
| US09659812B2 |
Microelectronic elements with post-assembly planarization
A microelectronic unit can include a carrier structure having a front surface, a rear surface remote from the front surface, and a recess having an opening at the front surface and an inner surface located below the front surface of the carrier structure. The microelectronic unit can also include a microelectronic element having a top surface adjacent the inner surface, a bottom surface remote from the top surface, and a plurality of contacts at the top surface. The microelectronic unit can also include terminals electrically connected with the contacts of the microelectronic element. The terminals can be electrically insulated from the carrier structure. The microelectronic unit can also include a dielectric region contacting at least the bottom surface of the microelectronic element. The dielectric region can define a planar surface located coplanar with or above the front surface of the carrier structure. |
| US09659810B2 |
Method of making a FinFET device
The present disclosure provides many different embodiments of fabricating a FinFET device that provide one or more improvements over the prior art. In one embodiment, a method of fabricating a FinFET includes providing a semiconductor substrate and a plurality of dummy fins and active fins on the semiconductor substrate. A predetermined group of dummy fins is removed. |
| US09659808B2 |
Semiconductor-element manufacturing method and wafer mounting device using a vacuum end-effector
According to the present invention, a semiconductor-element manufacturing method including the steps of cutting out a ring portion of a wafer with laser light to form a flat wafer, the ring portion being formed on a periphery of the wafer and thicker than a central portion of the wafer, the wafer having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, with the first surface of the wafer being held on a vacuum stage by suction, attaching the first surface to dicing tape after detaching the flat wafer from the vacuum stage with the second surface of the flat wafer being held by a vacuum end-effector by suction, and dicing the flat wafer attached to the dicing tape. |
| US09659806B2 |
Semiconductor package having conductive pillars
A semiconductor package and a method for fabricating the semiconductor package are provided. The semiconductor package includes a base layer, a plurality of conductive pillars, a semiconductor element, and an encapsulation. The base layer has opposing first and second surfaces and a receiving part. The conductive pillars are formed on the second surface. Each of the conductive pillars has first and second terminals, and the second terminal is distant from the second surface of the base layer. The semiconductor element is received in the receiving part, and has opposing active and passive surfaces, and the active surface is exposed from the first surface. The encapsulation is formed on the second surface, encapsulates the conductive pillars and the semiconductor element, and has opposing third and fourth surfaces, and the second terminals of the conductive pillars are exposed from the fourth surface. The semiconductor package is provided with the conductive pillars having fine pitches. |
| US09659805B2 |
Fan-out interconnect structure and methods forming the same
A method includes forming an adhesive layer over a carrier, forming a sacrificial layer over the adhesive layer, forming through-vias over the sacrificial layer, and placing a device die over the sacrificial layer. The Method further includes molding and planarizing the device die and the through-vias, de-bonding the carrier by removing the adhesive layer, and removing the sacrificial layer. |
| US09659803B2 |
Electrostatic chuck with concentric cooling base
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally provide apparatus and method for cooling a substrate support in a uniform manner. One embodiment of the present disclosure provides a cooling assembly for a substrate support. The cooling assembly includes a cooling base having a first side for contacting the substrate support and providing cooling to the substrate support, a diffuser disposed on a second side of the cooling base, wherein the diffuser defines a plurality of cooling paths for delivering a cooling fluid towards the cooling base in a parallel manner, and an inlet/outlet plate disposed under the diffuser, wherein the inlet/outlet plate is provides an interface between the diffuser and an inlet and outlet of a cooling fluid. |
| US09659801B2 |
High efficiency buffer stocker
A high-efficiency buffer stocker is disclosed. The buffer stocker includes an overhead transport track for supporting overhead transport vehicles carrying wafer containers and at least one conveyor system or conveyor belt provided beneath the overhead transport track for receiving the wafer containers from the overhead transport vehicles on the overhead transport track. The buffer stocker is capable of absorbing the excessive flow of wafer containers between a processing tool and a stocker, for example, to facilitate the orderly and efficient flow of wafers between sequential process tools in a semiconductor fabrication facility, for example. |
| US09659799B2 |
Systems and methods for dynamic semiconductor process scheduling
Embodiments of the present disclosure can help increase throughput and reduce resource conflicts and delays in semiconductor processing tools. An exemplary method according to various aspects of the present disclosure includes analyzing, by a computer program operating on a computer system, a plurality of expected times to complete each of a respective plurality of actions to be performed by a semiconductor processing tool, the semiconductor processing tool including a first process module and a second process module. |
| US09659796B2 |
Rinsing wafers using composition-tunable rinse water in chemical mechanical polish
An apparatus for manufacturing integrated circuits on a wafer includes a polish pad; a rinse arm movable over the polish pad; and a post-polish cleaner. The post-polish cleaner includes a brush for brushing the wafer; and a nozzle aiming at the wafer. The apparatus further includes a mixer configured to mix an additive and de-ionized water; and a pipe connecting the mixer to at least one of the rinse arm and the nozzle. |
| US09659788B2 |
Nitrogen-containing compounds for etching semiconductor structures
A method for etching silicon-containing films is disclosed. The method includes the steps of introducing a vapor of a nitrogen containing etching compound into a reaction chamber containing a silicon-containing film on a substrate, wherein the nitrogen containing etching compound is an organofluorine compound containing at least one C≡N or C═N functional group; introducing an inert gas into the reaction chamber; and activating a plasma to produce an activated nitrogen containing etching compound capable of etching the silicon-containing film from the substrate. |
| US09659785B2 |
Fin cut for taper device
A method of making a semiconductor device includes patterning a fin in a substrate; performing a first etching process to remove a portion of the fin to cut the fin into a first cut fin and a second cut fin, the first cut fin having a first fin end and a second fin end and the second cut fin having a first fin end and a second fin end; forming an oxide layer along an endwall of the first fin end and an endwall of the second fin end of the first cut fin, and an endwall of the first fin end and an endwall of the second fin end of the second cut fin; disposing a liner onto the oxide layer disposed onto the endwall of the first fin end of the first cut fin to form a bilayer liner; and performing a second etching process to remove a portion of the second cut fin. |
| US09659783B2 |
High aspect ratio etch with combination mask
A method for etching features in a stack is provided. A combination hardmask is formed by forming a first hardmask layer comprising carbon or silicon oxide over the stack, forming a second hardmask layer comprising metal over the first hardmask layer, and patterning the first and second hardmask layers. The stack is etched through the combination hardmask. |
| US09659779B2 |
Method and structure for enabling high aspect ratio sacrificial gates
Sacrificial gate structures having an aspect ratio of greater than 5:1 are formed on a substrate. In some embodiments, each sacrificial gate structure straddles a portion of a semiconductor fin that is present on the substrate. An anchoring element is formed orthogonal to each sacrificial gate structure rendering the sacrificial gate structures mechanically stable. After formation of a planarization dielectric layer, each anchoring element can be removed and thereafter each sacrificial gate structure can be replaced with a functional gate structure. |
| US09659777B2 |
Process for stabilizing a bonding interface, located within a structure which comprises an oxide layer and structure obtained
The invention relates to a process for stabilizing a bonding interface, located within a structure for applications in the fields of electronics, optics and/or optoelectronics and that comprises an oxide layer buried between an active layer and a receiver substrate, the bonding interface having been obtained by molecular adhesion. In accordance with the invention, the process further comprises irradiating this structure with a light energy flux provided by a laser, so that the flux, directed toward the structure, is absorbed by the energy conversion layer and converted to heat in this layer, and in that this heat diffuses into the structure toward the bonding interface, so as to thus stabilize the bonding interface. |
| US09659775B2 |
Method for doping impurities, method for manufacturing semiconductor device
Impurity elements are doped at a high concentration exceeding a thermodynamic equilibrium concentration into a solid material having an extremely small diffusion coefficient of the impurity element. A method for doping impurities includes steps for depositing source film made of material containing impurity elements with a film thickness on a surface of a solid target object (semiconductor substrate) made from the solid material. The film thickness is determined in consideration of irradiation time per light pulse and the energy density of the light pulse. The method also includes a step for irradiating the source film by the light pulse with the irradiation time and the energy density so as to dope the impurity elements into the target object at a concentration exceeding a thermodynamic equilibrium concentration. |
| US09659773B2 |
Method for manufacturing silicon carbide semiconductor device by selectively removing silicon from silicon carbide substrate to form protective carbon layer on silicon carbide substrate for activating dopants
A method for manufacturing a SiC semiconductor device includes the steps of: forming an impurity region in a SiC layer; forming a first carbon layer on a surface of the SiC layer having the impurity region formed therein, by selectively removing silicon from the surface; forming a second carbon layer on the first carbon layer; and heating the SiC layer having the first carbon layer and the second carbon layer formed therein. |
| US09659767B2 |
Substrate processing apparatus and method of manufacturing semiconductor device
Generation of adhered materials in a space over a gas guide of a shower head is inhibited. A substrate processing apparatus includes a process chamber; a buffer chamber including a dispersion unit; a process gas supply hole installed in a ceiling portion of the buffer chamber; an inert gas supply hole installed in the ceiling portion; a gas guide disposed in a gap between the dispersion unit and the ceiling portion, the gas guide including a base end portion disposed at a side of the process gas supply hole, a leading end portion disposed closer to the inert gas supply hole than to the process gas supply hole, and a plate portion connecting the base end portion and the leading end portion; a process chamber exhaust unit; and a control unit. |
| US09659766B2 |
Method for forming semiconductor structure with etched fin structure
Methods for forming semiconductor structures are provided. The method includes forming a first fin structure and a second fin structure over a substrate and forming a first sidewall layer to cover the first fin structure and the second fin structure over the substrate. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure further includes forming a second sidewall layer over the first sidewall layer and etching a top portion of the first fin structure and the first sidewall layer and the second sidewall layer formed over the top portion of the first fin structure to expose a portion of the first fin structure. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure further includes oxidizing the exposed portion of the first fin structure to transform the exposed portion of the first fin structure into an oxide structure formed over the first fin structure. |
| US09659757B2 |
Measuring and controlling wafer potential in pulsed RF bias processing
Apparatus and methods are provided for monitoring a pulsed RF bias signal applied to a chuck in a processing chamber. One method includes operations for detecting voltage values of individual pulses of the pulsed RF bias voltage, and for determining the time for sampling the value of each individual detected pulse. At the sampling time for each pulse, a particular voltage value of the respective individual detected pulse is sampled and the particular voltage value is held. Each particular voltage value represents a characteristic peak-to-peak voltage value of each individual detected pulse. A feedback signal representing the characteristic peak-to-peak voltage value for a voltage envelope of one of the individual detected pulses is generated, and the voltage of the pulsed RF bias voltage signal applied to the chuck is adjusted according to a difference between the feedback signal and a desired voltage value of the pulsed RF bias voltage signal. |
| US09659755B2 |
Plasma generator and thermal electron emitter
A plasma generator includes: an arc chamber having a plasma generation region in which plasma is generated in the inside thereof; a magnetic field generator configured to apply a magnetic field to the plasma generation region; and a cathode configured to extend in an axial direction along an applying direction of the magnetic field applied to the plasma generation region and provided with a cathode cap that emits thermal electrons at a front end thereof. The cathode cap protrudes toward the inside of the arc chamber in the axial direction and has a shape of which a width in the radial direction perpendicular to the axial direction becomes smaller toward the inside of the arc chamber. |
| US09659754B2 |
Plasma processing apparatus and plasma processing method
The present disclosure provides a plasma processing apparatus, including: a processing chamber; an oscillator configured to output high-frequency power; a power supply unit configured to supply the high-frequency power from a specific plasma generating location into the processing chamber; a magnetic field forming unit provided outside the processing chamber and configured to forming a magnetic field at least at the specific plasma generating location; and a control unit configured to control the magnetic field formed by the magnetic field forming unit such that a relationship between an electron collision frequency fe of plasma generated in the processing chamber and a cyclotron frequency fc is fc>fe. |
| US09659753B2 |
Grooved insulator to reduce leakage current
A plasma source includes a first electrode and a second electrode having respective surfaces, and an insulator that is between and in contact with the electrodes. The electrode surfaces and the insulator surface substantially define a plasma cavity. The insulator surface defines one or more grooves configured to prevent deposition of material in a contiguous form on the insulator surface. A method of generating a plasma includes introducing one or more gases into a plasma cavity defined by a first electrode, a surface of an insulator that is in contact with the first electrode, and a second electrode that faces the first electrode. The insulator surface defines one or more grooves where portions of the insulator surface are not exposed to a central region of the cavity. The method further includes providing RF energy across the first and second electrodes to generate the plasma within the cavity. |
| US09659752B2 |
Method for presetting tuner of plasma processing apparatus and plasma processing apparatus
Disclosed is a method for presetting a tuner that matches a power required for plasma emission in a plasma processing apparatus. The method includes: obtaining a relationship of a time lapse from power supply, an emission intensity of plasma, and a setting position of the tuner by emitting plasma; differentiating the emission intensity by time to calculate a time when an increase rate of the emission intensity becomes maximum; and setting the setting position of the tuner at a time, which is obtained by subtracting a time required from the setting of the tuner until the setting is reflected on the emission intensity from the time when the increase rate of the emission intensity becomes maximum, as a preset position. |
| US09659751B2 |
System and method for selective coil excitation in inductively coupled plasma processing reactors
Spatial distribution of RF power delivered to plasma in a processing chamber is controlled using an arrangement of primary and secondary inductors, wherein the current through the secondary inductors affects the spatial distribution of the plasma. The secondary inductors are configured to resonate at respectively different frequencies. A first secondary inductor is selectively excited to resonance, during a first time period within a duty cycle, by delivering power to a primary inductor at the resonant frequency of the first secondary inductor. A second secondary inductor is selectively excited to resonance, during a second time period within a duty cycle, by delivering power to a primary inductor at the resonant frequency of the second secondary inductor. The secondary inductors are isolated from one another and terminated such that substantially all current that passes through them and into the plasma results from mutual inductance with a primary inductor. |
| US09659749B2 |
Beam extraction slit structure and ion source
A beam extraction slit structure includes a plasma chamber interior surface that is, in operation, in contact with a plasma; a plasma chamber exterior surface that faces an extraction electrode; and a slit surface part that forms a beam extraction slit between the plasma chamber interior surface and the plasma chamber exterior surface in the beam extraction direction. The slit surface part includes a plasma meniscus fixing part formed in an area of relatively higher plasma density in the slit longitudinal direction to fixingly maintain a plasma meniscus of the plasma and a plasma meniscus non-fixing part formed in an area of relatively lower plasma density in the slit longitudinal direction to movably maintain the plasma meniscus of the plasma in the beam extraction direction. |
| US09659745B2 |
Charged particle beam drawing apparatus, information processing apparatus and pattern inspection apparatus
A charged particle beam drawing apparatus of an embodiment includes: a graphic information file for storing graphic information for each of elements (for example, patterns) at a level underlying an element (for example, a cell) at a particular level in hierarchically-structured drawing data which has elements at each level; and an attribute information file for storing attribute information to be given to each of the elements at the underlying level in association with information (for example, an index number) on the element at the particular level. |
| US09659743B2 |
Image creating method and imaging system for performing the same
A spatial image having 2D spatial information is obtained from a surface of a sample by an image creating method. The surface of the sample is milled to obtain an elemental image having material information from the milled surface. The spatial image and the elemental image are composed to form a 2D spatial/elemental image. |
| US09659740B2 |
Radiation generator adjusting beam focusing based upon a diagnostic electrode
A radiation generator is provided that includes a target, a cathode to emit electrons in a downstream direction toward the target, a first conductive member downstream of the cathode, and a second conductive member downstream of the cathode. The first and second conductive members have a potential difference with the cathode such that a resultant electric field accelerates the electrons toward the target. A diagnostic current in the second conductive member and a target current in the target may be measured, and an electrical property of the first conductive member may be adjusted based upon the diagnostic current and the target current. |
| US09659736B2 |
Particle beam isotope generator apparatus, system and method
An isotope generation apparatus is disclosed including: an ion beam source of any of the types described herein; an extractor for extracting the ion beam from the confinement region, where the beam includes a portion of multiply ionized ions in a selected final ionization state; a target including a target material; and an accelerator for accelerating the ion beam and directing the ion beam to the target. The ion beam directed to the target transmutes at least a portion of the target material to a radio-isotope in response to a nuclear reaction between ions in the selected final ion state and atoms of the target material. |
| US09659735B2 |
Applications of graphene grids in vacuum electronics
Graphene grids are configured for applications in vacuum electronic devices. A multilayer graphene grid is configured as a filter for electrons in a specific energy range, in a field emission device or other vacuum electronic device. A graphene grid can be deformable responsive to an input to vary electric fields proximate to the grid. A mesh can be configured to support a graphene grid. |
| US09659733B2 |
Method for preparing a molybdenum disulfide film used in a field emission device
Method for preparing a molybdenum disulfide film used in a field emission device, including: providing a sulfur vapor; blowing the sulfur vapor into a reaction chamber having a substrate and MoO3 powder to generate a gaseous MoOx; feeding the sulfur vapor into the reaction chamber sequentially, heating the reaction chamber to a predetermined reaction temperature and maintaining for a predetermined reaction time, and then cooling the reaction chamber to a room temperature and maintaining for a second reaction time to form a molybdenum disulfide film on the surface of the substrate, in which the molybdenum disulfide film grows horizontally and then grows vertically. The method according to the present disclosure is simple and easy, and the field emission property of the MoS2 film obtained is good. |
| US09659729B2 |
Electrical switch
An electrical switch includes a gas-insulated tube, a contact system in the tube having fixed and movable contacts, a contact operating element passed out of the tube and movable along an actuation direction for opening and closing the system, and a contact pressure spring movable along the direction, connected to the operating element and an external drive element and disposed in a stationary guide part. The guide part guides the operating element. If the drive element shifts along the direction toward the fixed contact, the spring, operating element and movable contact move toward the fixed contact, closing the system and compressing the spring providing contact pressure force. The spring is in a housing connected to the operating element and movable relative to the guide part. A guide element is attached outside the housing, bears against the guide part, guides the housing and guides the operating element along the direction. |
| US09659728B2 |
Solid-dielectric switch including a molded viewing window
A solid-dielectric switch includes a visible disconnect assembly having an open state and a closed state. A molded housing at least partially encases the visible disconnect assembly. At least a portion of the molded housing forms a molded one-piece wall having an inner surface and an outer surface. An aperture in the molded one-piece wall extends between the inner surface and the outer surface of the wall. A viewing window is disposed in the aperture and molded into the molded wall. The viewing window includes a lens, wherein the viewing window has an outer edge that is embedded within the molded one-piece wall with the outer edge extending into the molded one-piece wall between the inner surface and the outer surface of the molded one-piece wall. |
| US09659721B1 |
Circuit breakers with integrated safety, control, monitoring, and protection features
Methods, systems, and apparatus for circuit breakers with integrated safety, control, monitoring, and protection features. In one aspect, a circuit breaker includes, an input and an output, a switch coupled between the input and the output, a sensor configured to measure the current flowing from the input to the output, and a control system coupled to the sensor and the switch, wherein the control system is configured to perform operations including comparing a rate of change of the current measured by the sensor to a threshold rate of change of current, determining that the rate of change of the current measured by the sensor exceeds the threshold rate of change of current for at least a predetermined period of time, and as a consequence of determining that the rate of change of current exceeds the threshold rate of change, opening the switch, thereby disconnecting the input from the output. |
| US09659717B2 |
MEMS device with constant capacitance
A MEMS apparatus has a substrate, an input node, an output node, and a MEMS switch between the input node and the output node. The switch selectively connects the input node and the output node, which are electrically isolated when the switch is open. The apparatus also has an input doped region in the substrate and an output doped region in the substrate. The input doped region and output doped region are electrically isolated through the substrate—i.e., the resistance between them inhibits non-negligible current flows between the two doped regions. The input doped region forms an input capacitance with the input node, while the output doped region forms an output capacitance with the output node. |
| US09659709B2 |
Common mode filter and manufacturing method thereof
A common mode filter and a manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. A common mode filter in accordance with an aspect of the present invention includes: a substrate: a filter layer disposed on the substrate and configured to remove a signal noise; an electrode column formed to be bent along a perimetric portion of the filter layer and electrically connected with the filter layer; an electrode pad formed to have a larger longitudinal cross-sectional area than the electrode column and integrally coupled on the electrode column; and a magnetic layer formed on a layer on which the electrode column and the electrode pad are formed. |
| US09659708B2 |
Method for manufacturing an inductor
A method for manufacturing an inductor including preparing an insulating layer; forming a polymer layer including a coil pattern on the insulating layer; forming a stacked structure by heat treating the insulating layer and the polymer layer; and forming an external electrode to electrically connect the coil pattern for the stacked structure. |
| US09659701B2 |
Common mode filter
A common mode filter includes first and second wires wound around a winding core portion by the same number of turns. Each of the first and second wires is wound by a number m1 of turns in a first winding area and wound by a number m2 of turns in a second winding area. A distance D1 between an n1th turn (1≦n1≦m1−1) of the second wire and an n1+1th turn of the first wire is shorter than a distance D2 between an n1th turn of the first wire and an n1+1th turn of the second wire in the winding area. A distance D3 between an n2th (m1+1≦n2≦m1+m2−1) turn of the first wire and an n2+1th turn of the second wire is shorter than a distance D4 between an n2th turn of the second wire and an n2+1th turn of the first wire in the winding area. |
| US09659700B2 |
Neutralizing external magnetic forces on an OIS module
A device is disclosed, comprising a camera comprising an optical image stabilization module, at least one magnetic component, at least one ferromagnetic component, wherein the at least one ferromagnetic component is disposed at a position so as to develop a magnetic force between the optical image stabilization module of the camera and the ferromagnetic component which acts in a direction opposite to a magnetic force exerted on the optical image stabilization module by the at least one magnetic component. |
| US09659699B2 |
Magnetic substance holding device minimalizing residual magnetism
Disclosed herein is a magnetic substance holding device that minimizes residual magnetism by way of employing structures for minimizing reluctance to magnetic flux flow. |
| US09659695B2 |
Dipole ring magnetic field generator
Provided is a dipole ring magnetic field generator capable of generating a substantially unidirectional magnetic field in the internal space of a ring without using permanent magnet pieces having fan-shaped or trapezoidal sections, and as a result, a smaller skew angle therein is achieved. The sections of the permanent magnet pieces are shaped to be rectangular, and a plurality of the rectangular permanent magnet pieces are circularly placed at predetermined positions. Each of first, second, third and fourth permanent magnet units, which are main permanent magnet units, comprises five or more permanent magnet pieces. The first and third permanent magnet units, as well as the second and fourth permanent magnet units, are positioned oppositely from each other with respect to a central axis of the magnetic field generator and have hollow shapes or E-shapes facing against each other in a section perpendicular to the central axis. |
| US09659694B2 |
Non-oriented electrical steel plate and manufacturing process therefor
Disclosed are a non-oriented electrical steel plate with low iron loss and high magnetic conductivity and a manufacturing process therefor. The casting blank of the steel plate comprises the following components: Si: 0.1-2.0 wt %, Al: 0.1-1.0 wt %, Mn: 0.10-1.0 wt %, C: ≦0.005 wt %, P: ≦0.2 wt %, S: ≦0.005 wt %, N: ≦0.005 wt %, the balance being Fe and unavoidable impurities. The magnetic conductivity of the steel plate meets the following relationship formula: μ10+μ13+μ15≧13982−586.5P15/50; μ10+μ13+μ15≧10000, wherein P15/50 is the iron loss at a magnetic induction intensity of 1.5 T at 50 Hz; μ10, μ13, and μ15 are relative magnetic conductivities at induction intensities of 1.0 T, 1.3 T, and 1.5 T at 50 Hz, respectively. The steel plate can be used for manufacturing highly effective and ultra-highly effective electric motors. |