Document Document Title
US09685540B2 Semiconductor device having a gate that is buried in an active region and a device isolation film
A semiconductor device includes an active region with a first gate trench formed when a gate region is etched to a first depth, a device isolation film defining the active region and including a second gate-trench formed when a gate region is etched to a second depth, a gate buried below the first gate trench and the second gate trench, and a source plug and a drain plug formed when a conductive material is deposited in a source region and a drain region of the active region.
US09685538B2 Low temperature polysilicon thin film transistor and method for fabricating same
The present invention provides a low temperature polysilicon thin film transistor and a fabricating method thereof. According to the method, a laser annealing process is performed to a remained portion of a a-Si layer on a substrate to form a first lightly doped drain (LDD) terminal, a second LDD terminal, a first phosphor material structure and a second phosphor material structure. A gate metal layer is then formed on the remained portion of the a-Si layer. A source metal layer and a drain metal layer are formed on the first doped layer and the second doped layer located at opposite sides of the gate metal layer, respectively. The present invention use the high temperature of the laser annealing process to perform a heat diffusion of phosphor material to form the LDD terminal and the phosphor material structure, the times of photomasks are used is reduced, and the process is simplified.
US09685531B2 Method for manufacturing semiconductor device having metal gate
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device having metal gates includes following steps. A substrate including a first transistor and a second transistor formed thereon is provided. The first transistor includes a first gate trench and the second transistor includes a second gate trench. A patterned first work function metal layer is formed in the first gate trench and followed by forming a second sacrificial masking layer respectively in the first gate trench and the second gate trench. An etching process is then performed to form a U-shaped first work function metal layer in the first gate trench. Subsequently, a two-step etching process including a strip step and a wet etching step is performed to remove the second sacrificial masking layer and portions of the U-shaped first work function metal layer to form a taper top on the U-shaped first work function metal layer in the first gate trench.
US09685529B1 III-V NFETs including channel barrier layers to reduce band-to-band leakage current
Methods for creating barrier layers in a III-V electron channel to reduce band-to-band leakage current and the resulting devices are disclosed. Embodiments include forming a fin channel portion comprising a III-V material, on a barrier layer; forming undoped InP semiconductor spacers at opposite ends of the fin channel portion on the barrier layer; forming S/D regions adjacent the undoped InP semiconductor spacers on the barrier layer; and forming a high-k/metal gate over the fin channel portion and undoped InP semiconductor spacers.
US09685525B2 Sidewall passivation for HEMT devices
Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) which includes a heterojunction structure arranged over a semiconductor substrate. The heterojunction structure includes a binary III/V semiconductor layer made of a first III-nitride material to act as a channel region of the e-HEMT, and a ternary III/V semiconductor layer arranged over the binary III/V semiconductor layer and made of a second III-nitride material to act as a barrier layer. Source and drain regions are arranged over the ternary III/V semiconductor layer and are spaced apart laterally from one another. A gate structure is arranged over the heterojunction structure and is arranged between the source and drain regions. The gate structure is made of a third III-nitride material. A first passivation layer is disposed about sidewalls of the gate structure and is made of a fourth III-nitride material.
US09685522B1 Forming uniform WF metal layers in gate areas of nano-sheet structures
Methods for forming uniform WF metal layers in gate areas of NS structures in a NS FET and the resulting devices are disclosed. Embodiments include providing NS structures, parallel to and spaced from each other, in a substrate; conformally forming gate dielectric and metal layers, respectively, on all surfaces in a gate area of each NS structure; forming a barrier layer on surfaces in the gate area of each NS structure except on surfaces in between the NS structures by PVD or PECVD; annealing the NS structures including the gate dielectric and metal layers; removing the barrier and metal layers from all surfaces; and forming a WF metal layer on all surfaces in the gate area of each NS structure.
US09685520B1 Manufacturing method of semiconductor device
A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device includes the following steps. A first gate dielectric layer is formed in a first gate trench and a second gate dielectric layer is formed in a second gate trench. A first bottom barrier layer is formed on the first gate dielectric layer and the second gate dielectric layer. A first conductivity type work function layer is formed on the first bottom barrier layer. A first treatment to the first gate dielectric layer and/or a second treatment to the first bottom barrier layer on the first gate dielectric layer are performed before the step of forming the first conductivity type work function layer. The first treatment and the second treatment are used to modify threshold voltages of specific transistors, and thicknesses of work function layers formed subsequently may be modified for increasing the related process window accordingly.
US09685518B2 Method of forming semiconductor structure of control gate, and semiconductor device
A method of forming a semiconductor structure of a control gate is provided, including depositing a first dielectric layer overlying a substrate, forming a surface modification layer from the first dielectric layer; and forming semiconductor dots on the surface modification layer. The surface modification layer has a bonding energy to the semiconductor dots less than the bonding energy between the first dielectric layer and the semiconductor dots. Therefore the semiconductor dots have higher density to form on the surface modification layer than that to directly form on the first dielectric layer. And a semiconductor device is also provided to tighten threshold voltage (Vt) and increase programming efficiency.
US09685512B2 Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a diode region and an IGBT region. The diode region includes a front side anode region, an n-type diode barrier region, an n-type diode pillar region reaching the diode barrier region through the front side anode region, and a p-type back side anode region separated from the front side anode region by the diode barrier region. The IGBT region includes a front side body region, an n-type IGBT barrier region, and a back side body region separated from the front side body region by the IGBT barrier region. When a gate-off voltage is applied to a gate electrode, a resistance between the IGBT barrier region and the emitter electrode is higher than a resistance between the diode barrier region and the anode electrode.
US09685507B2 FinFET devices
FinFET devices and processes to prevent fin or gate collapse (e.g., flopover) in finFET devices are provided. The method includes forming a first set of trenches in a semiconductor material and filling the first set of trenches with insulator material. The method further includes forming a second set of trenches in the semiconductor material, alternating with the first set of trenches that are filled. The second set of trenches form semiconductor structures which have a dimension of fin structures. The method further includes filling the second set of trenches with insulator material. The method further includes recessing the insulator material within the first set of trenches and the second set of trenches to form the fin structures.
US09685505B2 Semiconductor device with guard rings
A semiconductor device that includes: a semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type, having a peripheral area and a cell area inside of the peripheral area; a region of a second conductivity type in the semiconductor layer in the cell area; and a plurality of guard rings of the second conductivity type in the semiconductor layer in the peripheral area, each having a substantially same depth as the region of the second conductivity type in the cell area. The plurality of guard rings include at least one first ring that has a diffusion region in the depth profile in the semiconductor layer that is wider at a top thereof.
US09685501B2 Low parasitic capacitance finFET device
Embodiments in accordance with the present invention include a method of fabricating a finFET device comprising forming a dielectric layer over the top surface of a semiconductor substrate. A first semiconductor layer is deposited over the dielectric layer. A second semiconductor layer is then deposited over the first semiconductor layer, such that the first semiconductor layer can be preferentially etched with respect to the second semiconductor layer. At least a fin is formed in the second semiconductor layer. A portion of the first semiconductor layer is removed from beneath a portion of the fin such that the bottom surface of the fin is exposed. A gate oxide layer is deposited over the fin such that the gate oxide layer surrounds a portion of the fin, and a gate structure is deposited over at least a portion of the gate oxide layer such that the gate structure surrounds the fin.
US09685496B2 Semiconductor device, method of manufacturing the same, and signal transmitting/receiving method using the semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor chip including a main surface, an internal circuit including a plurality of transistors, formed on the main surface, a bonding pad electrically connected to the internal circuit, formed on the main surface, an inductor for communicating an external device in a non-contact manner, formed on the main surface, and a seal ring formed along an outer peripheral edge of the semiconductor chip to surround the internal circuit and the bonding pad in a plan view. The inductor has a configuration to surround the internal circuit and the bonding pad in the plan view and along the seal ring. The inductor is arranged inside the seal ring.
US09685492B2 Display apparatus
A display apparatus includes a first substrate including a first display region and a first non-display region, a first display device in the first display region of the first substrate, a second substrate including a second display region and a second non-display region, the second display region overlapping the first non-display region of the first substrate, and a second display device in the second display region of the second substrate.
US09685491B2 Display device with transistor sampling for improved performance
A display device including a pixel array having a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix form, each of the pixels including a sampling transistor configured to sample a data potential from a video signal line which is insulated from and intersects a control line in response to the change in potential of the control line, and a light-emitting element configured to emit light at the brightness commensurate with the magnitude of the post-sampling data potential.
US09685490B2 Organic light-emitting diode display
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display includes: a first electrode around a center point of a virtual tetragon, e.g., a virtual square; second electrodes around a first vertex and a second vertex diagonal to the first vertex of the virtual square, the second electrodes being separated from each other and with the center point of the virtual square interposed therebetween; third electrodes around a third vertex and a fourth vertex of the virtual square, the third electrodes being separated from each other and with the center point of the virtual square interposed therebetween; a pixel defining layer partially on the first electrode, the second electrodes, and the third electrodes, and partially exposing the first electrode, the second electrodes, and the third electrodes; and four spacers disposed as islands on the pixel defining layer and corresponding to four sides of the virtual square.
US09685479B2 Method of forming a shallow pinned photodiode
An image sensor with a pinned photodiode includes a photodiode formed in a substrate by implanting dopants of a first type through one or more dielectric layers formed over the substrate. A pinning layer for the photodiode may be formed by implanting dopants of a second type through the same one or more dielectric layers. The pinning layer may be formed over a photodiode region of the substrate. The concentration of dopants of the second type may have a maximum value in dielectric layers over the photodiode that exceeds the concentration of dopants of the second type in the substrate below. The photodiode and pinning layer may both be formed by implanting ions of the first and second type respectively through a dielectric layer formed after etching away a portion of another dielectric layer, having a different thickness, and having different optical transmission properties than the another dielectric layer.
US09685477B2 Two-terminal multi-mode detector
A two-terminal detector has a back-to-back p/n/p SWIR/MWIR stack structure, which includes P-SWIR absorber, N-SWIR, wide bandgap bather, N-MWIR absorber, and P-MWIR layers, with contacts on the P-MWIR and P-SWIR layers. The junction between the SWIR layers and the junction between the MWIR layers are preferably passivated. The detector stack is preferably arranged such that a negative bias applied to the top of the stack reverse-biases the MWIR junction and forward-biases the SWIR junction, such that the detector collects photocurrent from MWIR radiation. A positive bias forward-biases the MWIR junction and reverse-biases the SWIR junction, such that photocurrent from SWIR radiation is collected. A larger positive bias induces electron avalanche at the SWIR junction, thereby providing detector sensitivity sufficient to provide low light level passive amplified imaging. Detector sensitivity in this mode is preferably sufficient to provide high resolution 3-D eye-safe LADAR imaging.
US09685474B2 Semiconductor device and a manufacturing method thereof
A semiconductor device has a chip region including a back-side illumination type photoelectric conversion element, a mark-like appearance part, a pad electrode, and a coupling part. The mark-like appearance part includes an insulation film covering the entire side surface of a trench part formed in a semiconductor substrate. The pad electrode is arranged at a position overlapping the mark-like appearance part. The coupling part couples the pad electrode and mark-like appearance part. At least a part of the pad electrode on the other main surface side of the substrate is exposed through an opening reaching the pad electrode from the other main surface side of the substrate. The mark-like appearance part and coupling part are arranged to at least partially surround the outer circumference of the opening in plan view.
US09685472B2 Image sensor with reduced spectral and optical crosstalk and method for making the image sensor
An integrated image sensor may include adjacent pixels, with each pixel including an active semiconductor region including a photodiode, an antireflection layer above the photodiode, a dielectric region above the antireflection layer and an optical filter to pass incident luminous radiation having a given wavelength. The antireflection layer may include an array of pads mutually separated by a dielectric material of the dielectric region. The array may be configured to allow simultaneous transmission of the incident luminous radiation and a diffraction of the incident luminous radiation producing diffracted radiations which have wavelengths below that of the incident radiation, and are attenuated with respect to the incident radiation.
US09685468B2 Color filter substrate, display device and detecting method therefor
The present invention provides a color filter substrate, a display device and a detection method thereof, aims to solve the problems of difficulty in failure positioning and low detection efficiency in existing display panels. The color filter substrate comprises a plurality of sub-pixels arranged in an array, each of the sub-pixels is provided with a color filter, and at least a part of columns of sub-pixels are marked column of sub-pixels. The shapes of the color filters of a part of sub-pixels of the marked column of sub-pixels are different from those of the remaining sub-pixels. The display device comprises the above-mentioned color filter substrate. The color filter substrate can be used in the display device, particularly suitable for the display device which adopts double side GOA circuits.
US09685462B2 Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device of an embodiment includes an oxide semiconductor layer including a first region, a second region and the third region provided between the first region and the second region. The oxide semiconductor layer contains indium (In), gallium (Ga), and zinc (Zn). The first and second regions have thinner film thickness and lower indium (In) concentration than the third region. An insulating film is provided on the third region, and an electrode is provided on the insulating film. A first conductive layer is provided under the first region and electrically connected with the first region. A second conductive layer is provided under the second region and electrically connected with the second region.
US09685459B2 Flexible substrate, flexible display panel and flexible display device
The present invention provides a flexible substrate, a flexible display panel and a flexible display device. The flexible substrate includes an on-off element and an insulating layer, wherein a part of the insulating layer serves as a part of the on-off element, and the part of the insulating layer serving as a part of the on-off element is separated from rest part of the insulating layer. In the flexible substrate, the part of the insulating layer serving as a part of the on-off element is separated from the rest part of the insulating layer, such that cracks generated in the reset part of the insulating layer are unlikely to extend to the region where the on-off element is located, thus the poor contact or abnormal on-off phenomenon of the on-off element can be avoided.
US09685454B2 Method of forming 3D vertical NAND with III-V channel
Disclosed herein is 3D memory with vertical NAND strings having a III-V compound channel, as well as methods of fabrication. The III-V compound has at least one group III element and at least one group V element. The III-V compound provides for high electron mobility transistor cells. Note that III-V materials may have a much higher electron mobility compared to silicon. Thus, much higher cell current and overall cell performance can be achieved. Also, the memory device may have better read-write efficiency due to much higher carrier mobility and velocity. The tunnel dielectric of the memory cells may have an Al2O3 film in direct contact with the III-V NAND channel. The drain end of the NAND channel may be a metal-III-V alloy in direct contact with a metal region. The body of the source side select transistor could be formed from the III-V compound or from crystalline silicon.
US09685451B2 Nonvolatile memory device and method for fabricating the same
A nonvolatile memory device includes cell strings, each including a plurality of memory cells over a substrate, extending in a direction, channel layers, connected with one sides and the other sides of the cell strings, extending in another direction perpendicular to the substrate, select gate electrodes, located over the cell strings, surrounding side surfaces of the channel layers with a gate dielectric layer interposed therebetween, and conductive lines connected with upper ends of the channel layers.
US09685449B2 Dynamic memory structure
A dynamic memory structure is disclosed. The dynamic memory structure includes: a substrate; a first strip semiconductor material disposed on the substrate and extending along a first direction; a gate standing astride the first strip semiconductor material, extending along a second direction and dividing the first strip semiconductor material into a first source terminal, a first drain terminal and a first channel region; a first dielectric layer sandwiched between the gate and the first strip semiconductor material; a first capacitor unit disposed on the substrate and comprising the first source terminal serving as a bottom electrode, a second dielectric layer covering the first source terminal to serve as a capacitor dielectric layer and a capacitor metal layer covering the second dielectric layer to serve as a top electrode. Preferably, the first source terminal and the first drain terminal have asymmetric shapes.
US09685446B2 Method of manufacturing a semiconductor device
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes preparing a light ion source, a first mask and a second mask. A side of a first region on a top surface of a semiconductor substrate is shielded by using the first mask. The top surface, with the side of the first region thereon being shielded with the first mask, is irradiated with light ions by operating the light ion source to introduce lattice defects at a specified depth on a side of a second region on the top surface. A side of the second region on a bottom surface of the semiconductor substrate is shielded by using the second mask. The bottom surface, with the side of the second region thereon being shielded with the second mask, is irradiated with light ions by operating the light ion source to introduce lattice defects at a specified depth on the side of the first region on the bottom surface.
US09685445B2 Semiconductor device and manufacturing method of the same
A semiconductor device includes a buffer layer formed with a semiconductor adapted to produce piezoelectric polarization, and a channel layer stacked on the buffer layer, wherein a two-dimensional hole gas, generated in the channel layer by piezoelectric polarization of the buffer layer, is used as a carrier of the channel layer. On a complementary semiconductor device, the semiconductor device described above and an n-type field effect transistor are formed on the same compound semiconductor substrate. Also, a level shift circuit is manufactured by using the semiconductor device. Further, a semiconductor device manufacturing method includes forming a compound semiconductor base portion, forming a buffer layer on the base portion, forming a channel layer on the buffer layer, forming a gate on the channel layer, and forming a drain and source with the gate therebetween on the channel layer.
US09685443B2 Compact guard ring structure for CMOS integrated circuits
An integrated circuit includes an active device formed in a semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type, a first guard ring of the first conductivity type formed in the semiconductor layer surrounding at least part of the active device; a second guard ring of the second conductivity type formed in the semiconductor layer surrounding the first guard ring and the active device and including comprising alternating first well regions of the first conductivity type and the second well regions of the second conductivity type, the first and second well regions being electrically shorted together and electrically coupled to a ground potential or floating; and a third guard ring of the first conductivity type formed in the semiconductor layer surrounding the second guard ring. The first and third guard rings do not receive direct electrical connection.
US09685442B2 Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device including an insulating film in a first region of a semiconductor substrate; a first impurity region and a second impurity region of a first conductivity type, each of the regions including a part located deeper than the insulating film in contact with each other, and the insulating film being sandwiched by the first and second impurity regions in planar view in the first region of the semiconductor substrate; a metal silicide film on the first impurity region and in Schottky junction with the first impurity region; a first impurity of the first impurity region having a peak of a concentration profile deeper than a bottom of the insulating film; a second impurity of the second impurity region having a concentration higher than a concentration of the first impurity in a part of the first impurity region shallower than the bottom of the insulating film.
US09685441B2 Semiconductor device with tunable work function
The metal-oxide semiconductor structure includes a substrate, a gate dielectric multi-layer, an etch stop layer, a work function metallic layer, a barrier layer and a silicide layer. The substrate has a trench. The gate dielectric multi-layer overlies the trench, in which the gate dielectric multi-layer includes a high-k capping layer with a fluorine concentration substantially in a range from 1 at % to 10 at %. The etch stop layer is disposed on the gate dielectric multi-layer. The work function metallic layer is disposed on the etch stop layer. The barrier layer is disposed on the work function metallic layer. The silicide layer is disposed on the barrier layer.
US09685438B2 Field effect transistor having two-dimensionally distributed field effect transistor cells
A Field Effect Transistor (FET) having: a plurality of FET cells having a plurality of source pads, a plurality of drain pads, and a plurality of gate electrodes disposed on a surface of a substrate; each one of the FET cells having a corresponding one of the gate electrodes disposed between one of the source pads and one of the drain pads; a gate contact connected to the gate electrodes of each one of the FET cells; a drain contact connected to the drain pad of each one of the FET cells; and a source contact connected to source pad of each one of the FET cells. The cells are disposed on a surface in a two-dimensional array.
US09685436B2 Monolithic three-dimensional (3D) ICs with local inter-level interconnects
Monolithic 3D ICs employing one or more local inter-level interconnect integrated intimately with at least one structure of at least one transistor on at least one transistor level within the 3D IC. In certain embodiments the local inter-level interconnect intersects a gate electrode or a source/drain region of at least one transistor and extends through at least one inter-level dielectric layer disposed between a first and second transistor level in the 3D IC. Local inter-level interconnects may advantageously make a direct vertical connection between transistors in different levels of the 3D IC without being routed laterally around the footprint (i.e., lateral, or planar, area) of either the overlying or underlying transistor level that is interconnected.
US09685432B2 Compact electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection structure
A multi-gate Schottky depletion-mode field effect transistor (FET), at least one diode and two resistors comprise a compact electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection structure. This ESD protection structure can be laid out in a smaller area than typical multiple diode ESD devices. The multi-gate FET may comprise various types of high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) devices, e.g., (pseudomorphic) pHEMT, (metamorphic) mHEMT, induced HEMT. The multiple gates of the Schottky field effect device are used to form an ESD trigger and charge draining paths for protection of circuits following the ESD protection device. Both single and dual polarity ESD protection devices may be provided on an integrated circuit die for protection of input-output circuits thereof.
US09685422B2 Semiconductor package device
A semiconductor package may include a first chip located over a substrate. The semiconductor package may include a second chip located over the substrate and adjacent to the first chip. The semiconductor package may include a test micro-bump located at a layer below the first chip and above the substrate, and electrically coupled to an external connection member through a first path. The semiconductor package may include a normal micro-bump located at a layer below the first chip and above the substrate, and electrically coupled to the second chip through a second path.
US09685419B2 Semiconductor device
Disclosed is a semiconductor device suppressed in decrease of reliability. The semiconductor device comprises an electrode pad portion (2) formed on the upper surface of a semiconductor substrate (1), a passivation layer (3) so formed on the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate (1) as to overlap a part of the electrode pad portion (2) and having a first opening portion (3a) where the upper surface of the electrode pad portion (2) is exposed, a barrier metal layer (5) formed on the electrode pad portion (2), and a solder bump (6) formed on the barrier metal layer (5). The barrier metal layer (5) is formed such that an outer peripheral end (5b) lies within the first opening portion (3a) of the passivation layer (3) when viewed in plan.
US09685416B2 Semiconductor wafer and its manufacture method, and semiconductor chip
A semiconductor wafer includes: a first semiconductor chip area formed with a semiconductor element; a second semiconductor chip area formed with a semiconductor element; and a scribe area sandwiched between said first and second semiconductor chip areas; wherein: the first semiconductor chip area includes a first metal ring surrounding the semiconductor element formed in the first semiconductor chip area; and the metal ring is constituted of a plurality of metal layers including an lower metal layer and an upper metal layer superposed upon the lower metal layer, and the upper metal layer is superposed upon the lower metal layer in such a manner that an outer side wall of the upper metal layer is flush with the outer side wall of the lower metal layer or is at an inner position of said first semiconductor chip area relative to said outer side wall of the lower metal layer.
US09685414B2 Package assembly for embedded die and associated techniques and configurations
Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a package assembly for embedded die and associated techniques and configurations. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a package assembly comprising a die attach layer, a die coupled with the die attach layer, the die having an active side including active devices of the die and an inactive side disposed opposite to the active side, a reinforced plate coupled with the die attach layer, the reinforced plate having a first side and a second side disposed opposite to the first side and a cavity disposed in the reinforced plate and one or more build-up layers coupled with the second side of the reinforced plate, the one or more build-up layers including an insulator and conductive features disposed in the insulator, the conductive features being electrically coupled with the die, wherein the inactive side of the die is in direct contact with the die attach layer, the first side of the reinforced plate is in direct contact with the die attach layer and the die is disposed in the cavity. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09685413B1 Semiconductor package having an EMI shielding layer
Semiconductor packages and methods of forming semiconductor packages are described. In an example, a semiconductor package includes a shielding layer containing metal particles, e.g., conductive particles or magnetic particles, in a resin matrix to attenuate electromagnetic interference. In an example, the shielding layer is transferred from a molding chase to the semiconductor package during a polymer molding operation.
US09685412B2 Semiconductor apparatus and manufacturing method for same
According to the embodiments, a semiconductor device includes a substrate, a plurality of insulating layers, a lower shield plate, a semiconductor device, an upper shield plate, and a side shield member. A first contact portion is formed on the substrate. The lower shield plate includes a magnetic substance and is provided above the substrate so as to avoid the first contact portion. The semiconductor chip is provided above the lower shield plate and has a second contact portion electrically connected to the first contact portion. The upper shield plate includes a magnetic substance and is provided above the semiconductor chip so as to avoid the second contact portion and a connection member. The side shield member includes a magnetic substance and connects side portions of the lower shield plate and the upper shield plate on which the connection member is not disposed.
US09685408B1 Contact pad structure and method for fabricating the same
A contact pad structure includes alternately stacked N insulating layers (N≧6) and N conductive layers, and has N regions arranged in a 2D array exposing the respective conductive layers. When the conductive layers are numbered as first to N-th from bottom to top, the number (Ln) of exposed conductive layer decreases in a column direction in the regions of any row, the difference in Ln is fixed between two neighboring rows of regions, Ln decreases from the two ends toward the center in the regions of any column, and the difference in Ln is fixed between two neighboring columns of regions.
US09685407B2 Optimized wires for resistance or electromigration
Optimized metal wires for resistance or electromigration, methods of manufacturing thereof and design methodologies are disclosed. The method includes depositing metal material within openings and on a surface of dielectric material resulting in metal filled openings and a topography of recessed areas aligned with the metal filled openings. The method further includes depositing an alloying material over the metal material, including within the recessed areas. The method further includes planarizing the metal material, leaving the alloying material within the recessed areas. The method further includes diffusing the alloying material into the metal material forming alloyed regions self-aligned with the metal filled openings.
US09685406B1 Selective and non-selective barrier layer wet removal
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a dielectric layer on a substrate, forming a plurality of openings in the dielectric layer, conformally depositing a barrier layer on the dielectric layer and on sides and a bottom of each one of the plurality of openings, depositing a contact layer on the barrier layer in each one of the plurality of openings, removing a portion of each contact layer from each one of the plurality of openings, and removing a portion of the barrier layer from each one of the plurality of openings, wherein at least the removal of the portion of the barrier layer is performed using an etchant including: (a) a compound selected from group consisting of -azole, -triazole, and combinations thereof; (b) a compound containing one or more peroxy groups; (c) one or more alkaline metal hydroxides; and (d) water.
US09685403B2 Semiconductor device and method of forming shielding layer over semiconductor die mounted to TSV interposer
A semiconductor device has a plurality of conductive vias formed partially through a substrate. A conductive layer is formed over the substrate and electrically connected to the conductive vias. A semiconductor die is mounted over the substrate. An encapsulant is deposited over the semiconductor die and substrate. A trench is formed through the encapsulant around the semiconductor die. A shielding layer is formed over the encapsulant. The trench is formed partially through the substrate and the shielding layer is formed in the trench partially through the substrate. An insulating layer can be formed in the trench prior to forming the shielding layer. A portion of the substrate is removed to expose the conductive vias. An interconnect structure is formed over the substrate opposite the semiconductor die. The interconnect structure is electrically connected to the conductive vias. The shielding layer is electrically connected to the interconnect structure.
US09685401B2 Structures for heat dissipating interposers
An interconnect element includes a semiconductor or insulating material layer that has a first thickness and defines a first surface; a thermally conductive layer; a plurality of conductive elements; and a dielectric coating. The thermally conductive layer includes a second thickness of at least 10 microns and defines a second surface of the interconnect element. The plurality of conductive elements extend from the first surface of the interconnect element to the second surface of the interconnect element. The dielectric coating is between at least a portion of each conductive element and the thermally conductive layer.
US09685396B2 Semiconductor die arrangement
A semiconductor die arrangement comprising a first die including at least one semiconductor device; a second die including at least one semiconductor device; a lead frame associated with the first die and comprising one or more lead fingers, wherein the second die is mounted on one of the lead fingers and electrically connected to a further element by a bond wire.
US09685395B2 Wiring layout having differently shaped vias
A method of forming photo masks having rectangular patterns and a method for forming a semiconductor structure using the photo masks is provided. The method for forming the photo masks includes determining a minimum spacing and identifying vertical conductive feature patterns having a spacing less than the minimum spacing value. The method further includes determining a first direction to expand and a second direction to shrink, and checking against design rules to see if the design rules are violated for each of the vertical conductive feature patterns identified. If designed rules are not violated, the identified vertical conductive feature pattern is replaced with a revised vertical conductive feature pattern having a rectangular shape. The photo masks are then formed. The semiconductor structure can be formed using the photo masks.
US09685394B2 Electronic device and manufacturing method therefor
An electronic device includes a semiconductor substrate, an insulating material-filled layer and a vertical conductor. The semiconductor substrate has a vertical hole extending in a thickness direction thereof. The insulating material-filled layer is a ring-shaped layer filled in the vertical hole for covering an inner periphery thereof and includes an organic insulating material or an inorganic insulating material mainly of a glass and a nanocomposite ceramic. The nanocomposite ceramic has a specific resistance of greater than 1014 Ω·cm at room temperature and a relative permittivity of 4 to 9. The vertical conductor is a solidified metal body filled in an area surrounded by the insulating material-filled layer.
US09685390B2 Microelectronic package having non-coplanar, encapsulated microelectronic devices and a bumpless build-up layer
A microelectronic package having an encapsulated substrate comprising a plurality of microelectronic devices encapsulated within an encapsulation material, wherein the encapsulated structure may have an active surface proximate the active surfaces of the plurality of microelectronic devices, and wherein at least one of the plurality of microelectronic devices may have a height greater than another of the plurality of microelectronic devices (e.g. non-coplanar). The microelectronic package further includes a bumpless build-up layer structure formed proximate the encapsulated structure active surface. The microelectronic package may also have an active surface microelectronic device positioned proximate the encapsulated structure active surface and in electrical contact with at least one of the plurality of microelectronic devices of the encapsulated substrate.
US09685388B2 Picture frame stiffeners for microelectronic packages
A microelectronic package may be formed with a picture frame stiffener surrounding a microelectronic die for reducing warpage of the microelectronic package. An embodiment for fabricating such a microelectronic package may include forming a microelectronic die having an active surface and an opposing back surface, wherein the microelectronic die active surface may be attached to a microelectronic substrate. A picture frame stiffener having an opening therethrough may be formed and placed on a release film, wherein a mold material may be deposited over the picture frame stiffener and the release film. The microelectronic die may be inserted into the mold material, wherein at least a portion of the microelectronic die extends into the picture frame opening. The release film may be removed and a portion of the mold material extending over the microelectronic die back surface may then be removed to form the microelectronic package.
US09685387B1 Test key for checking the window of a doped region and method of using the test key
A test key and a method for checking the window of a doped region using the test key are provided in the present invention. The test key includes a P-type first well region on a substrate, a P-type substrate region adjacent to the first well region, a N-type first doped region partially overlapping the first well region, two P-type second doped regions at two opposite sides of the first well region, a N-type second well region surrounding the first doped region, the substrate region and the two second doped regions, and a plurality of test pads above the above-identified region.
US09685386B2 Semiconductor test structure for MOSFET noise testing
The present invention provides a semiconductor test structure for MOSFET noise testing. The semiconductor test structure includes: a MOSFET device having a first conductivity type formed on a first well region of a semiconductor substrate; a metal shielding layer formed on the MOSFET device, the metal shielding layer completely covering the MOSFET device and extending beyond the circumference of the first well region; a deep well region having a second conductivity type formed in the semiconductor substrate close to the bottom surface of the first well region, the deep well region extending beyond the circumference of the first well region; wherein a vertical via is formed between the portion of the metal shielding layer extending beyond the first well region and the portion of the deep well region extending beyond the first well region to couple the metal shielding layer to the deep well region. The metal shielding layer is used to be connected to the ground terminal of a testing machine during testing, and the first conductivity type and the second conductivity type are opposite conductivity types.
US09685385B1 Method of fabricating semiconductor device
The present invention provides a method for forming a semiconductor device, including the following steps: first, a substrate is provided, at least one gate is formed on the substrate, a contact etching stop layer (CESL) and a first dielectric layer are formed on the substrate in sequence, afterwards, a first etching process is performed to remove the first dielectric layer, and to expose a top surface and at least one sidewall of the etching stop layer, next, a second etching process is performed to partially remove the contact etching stop layer, and to form at least one epitaxial recess in the substrate. Afterwards, an epitaxial process is performed, to form an epitaxial layer in the epitaxial recess, and a contact structure is then formed on the epitaxial layer.
US09685377B2 Wafer processing method
A wafer is divided into individual device chips along a plurality of scheduled division lines. A protective film is formed by coating liquid-state resin, which is hardened by irradiation of ultraviolet rays thereon, on the front face of the wafer. The protective film is hardened by irradiating ultraviolet rays upon the protective film. A protective tape is adhered on a front face of the hardened protective film. A modified layer is formed by irradiating a laser beam of a wavelength having a transparency to the wafer along the scheduled division lines with a focal point thereof positioned in the inside of the wafer. A back face of the wafer is ground while grinding water is supplied to thin the wafer to a given thickness and divide the wafer into the individual device chips along the scheduled division lines using the modified layer as a start point of the break.
US09685373B2 Conductive plug and method of forming the same
A method of forming a conductive plug is disclosed. A material layer having at least one opening is provided on a substrate. A first conductive layer is deposited in the opening, wherein the first conductive layer does not completely fill up the opening. A second conductive layer is deposited on the first conductive layer. A surface treatment is performed after the step of depositing the first conductive layer and before the step of depositing the second conductive layer, so that the first deposition rate of the second conductive layer at the lower portion of the opening is greater the second deposition rate of the second conductive layer at the upper portion of the opening. A void-free conductive plug can be easily formed with the method of the invention.
US09685372B2 Method of forming Cu pillar bump with non-metal sidewall spacer and metal top cap
A method of forming an integrated circuit device includes forming a conductive element over a substrate, wherein the conductive element is over an under bump metallurgy (UBM) layer, and the UBM layer comprises a first UBM layer and a second UBM layer over the first UBM layer. The method further includes etching the second UBM layer to expose a portion of the first UBM layer beyond a periphery of the conductive element. The method further includes forming a protection layer over sidewalls of the conductive element, over sidewalls of the second UBM layer and over a top surface of the first UBM layer. The method further includes etching the first UBM layer to remove a portion of the first UBM layer. The method further includes forming a cap layer over a top surface of the conductive element.
US09685371B2 Method of enabling seamless cobalt gap-fill
Methods for depositing a metal layer in a feature definition of a semiconductor device are provided. In one implementation, a method for depositing a metal layer for forming a semiconductor device is provided. The method comprises performing a cyclic metal deposition process to deposit a metal layer on a substrate and annealing the metal layer disposed on the substrate. The cyclic metal deposition process comprises exposing the substrate to a deposition precursor gas mixture to deposit a portion of the metal layer on the substrate, exposing the portion of the metal layer to either a plasma treatment process or hydrogen annealing process and repeating the exposing the substrate to a deposition precursor gas mixture and exposing the portion of the metal layer to either a plasma treatment process or hydrogen annealing process until a predetermined thickness of the metal layer is achieved.
US09685365B2 Method of forming a wire bond having a free end
A method of forming a wire bond having a free end includes joining an end of a metal wire to a conductive element at a surface of a first component, the end of the metal wire being proximate a surface of a bonding tool adjacent an aperture through which the metal wire extends. A predetermined length of the metal wire is drawn out from the aperture. The surface of the bonding tool is used to plastically deform a region of the metal wire between the surface of the bonding tool and a metal element at the surface of the first component. The bonding tool then applies tension to the metal wire to cause a first portion of the metal wire having the end joined to the conductive element to detach from a remaining portion of the metal wire at the plastically deformed region.
US09685361B2 Container transport facility
A support body includes a protrusion that protrudes in the horizontal direction from a base and passes through a notch in the vertical direction when a container is transferred, and the lateral width of the protrusion is formed to be narrower than the lateral width of the container. A small container and a large container configured to be wider than the small container in the lateral width direction exist as the container. The support body includes, as support body-side supporting parts, three support body-side small container supporting parts that support three small container supported parts located on the bottom surface of the small container, and a support body-side edge supporting part that supports an edge of the outer periphery of the bottom surface of the large container near the base.
US09685356B2 Substrate support assembly having metal bonded protective layer
A substrate support assembly comprises a ceramic body and a thermally conductive base bonded to a lower surface of the ceramic body. The substrate support assembly further comprises a protective layer metal bonded to an upper surface of the ceramic body, wherein the protective layer is a bulk sintered ceramic article.
US09685353B2 Apparatus and method for edge bevel removal of copper from silicon wafers
Chemical etching methods and associated modules for performing the removal of metal from the edge bevel region of a semiconductor wafer are described. The methods and systems provide the thin layer of pre-rinsing liquid before applying etchant at the edge bevel region of the wafer. The etchant is less diluted and diffuses faster through a thinned layer of rinsing liquid. An edge bevel removal embodiment involving that is particularly effective at reducing process time, narrowing the metal taper and allowing for subsequent chemical mechanical polishing, is disclosed.
US09685349B2 Laser-induced forming and transfer of shaped metallic interconnects
A method of forming and transferring shaped metallic interconnects, comprising providing a donor substrate comprising an array of metallic interconnects, using a laser system to prepare the metallic interconnects, forming shaped metallic interconnects, and transferring the shaped metallic interconnect to an electrical device. An electronic device made from the method of providing a donor ribbon, wherein the donor ribbon comprises an array of metal structures and a release layer on a donor substrate, providing a stencil to the metal structures on the donor substrate, applying a laser pulse through the donor substrate to the metal structures, and directing the metal structures to an electronic device.
US09685348B2 Semiconductor device, method of manufacturing the same and power converter
An object is to avoid an increase in contact resistance of an ohmic electrode by etching in a semiconductor device. There is provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device. The method of manufacturing comprises forming a semiconductor layer; forming an ohmic electrode by stacking a plurality of metal layers, on the semiconductor layer; forming another metal layer that is mainly made of another metal different from a material of an outermost layer among the plurality of metal layers, on the ohmic electrode; removing the another metal layer from top of the ohmic electrode by etching; and processing the ohmic electrode by heat treatment, subsequent to the etching.
US09685346B2 Method of generating plasma in remote plasma source and method of fabricating semiconductor device using the same method
Provided are a method of generating plasma and a method of fabricating a semiconductor device including the method, which may improve selectivity in an etching process and minimize damage to layers. The method of generating plasma includes generating first plasma by supplying at least one first process gas into a first remote plasma source (RPS) and applying first energy having a first power at a first duty ratio, and generating second plasma by supplying at least one second process gas into a second RPS and applying second energy having a second power at a second duty ratio.
US09685345B2 Semiconductor devices with integrated Schottky diodes and methods of fabrication
An embodiment of a semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate that includes an upper surface and a channel, a gate electrode disposed over the substrate electrically coupled to the channel, and a Schottky metal layer disposed over the substrate adjacent the gate electrode. The Schottky metal layer includes a Schottky contact electrically coupled to the channel which provides a Schottky junction and at least one alignment mark disposed over the semiconductor substrate. A method for fabricating the semiconductor device includes creating an isolation region that defines an active region along an upper surface of a semiconductor substrate, forming a gate electrode over the semiconductor substrate in the active region, and forming a Schottky metal layer over the semiconductor substrate. Forming the Schottky metal layer includes forming at least one Schottky contact electrically coupled to the channel and providing a Schottky junction, and forming an alignment mark in the isolation region.
US09685344B2 Method of fabricating a semiconductor device including a plurality of isolation features
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes etching a substrate to form a plurality of first trenches and a plurality of second trenches performed at an electrostatic chuck (ESC) temperature between about 90° C. to 120° C. in the substrate, wherein each trench of the plurality of first trenches extends downward from the substrate major surface to a first height, and each trench of the plurality of second trenches extends downward from the substrate major surface to a second height greater than the first height. The method includes forming a first isolation structure in each of the plurality of first trenches. The method includes forming a second isolation structure in each of the plurality of second trenches, wherein a difference between a height of the first isolation structure and the first height equals a difference between a height of the second isolation structure and the second height.
US09685343B2 Method for producing polished object and polishing composition kit
[Problem] To provide a method for producing a polished object, which can remarkably reduce a haze level on a surface of the object to be polished while defects are significantly reduced.[Solution] A method for producing a polished object, which includes a double-side polishing step in which an object to be polished is subjected to double-side polishing using a double-side polishing composition including first abrasive grains having an average primary particle diameter of 40 nm or more and a nitrogen-containing water-soluble polymer to obtain a double-side polished object; and a single-side polishing step in which the double-side polished object is subjected to single-side polishing using a single-side polishing composition including second abrasive grains having an average primary particle diameter of 40 nm or less and a water-soluble polymer, and in which a ratio of an average primary particle diameter (A) of the first abrasive grains with respect to an average primary particle diameter (B) of the second abrasive grains (A)/(B) is more than 1 and 2.5 or less.
US09685342B2 Wafer processing apparatuses and methods of operating the same
Wafer processing apparatuses and methods of operating the same are provided herein. In an embodiment, a wafer processing apparatus includes a rotatable platen that has the capacity to support a polishing pad on a pad mounting surface of the rotatable platen. A drive assembly is coupled to the rotatable platen and has the capacity to rotate the rotatable platen. A polishing head is coupled to a head actuator. The polishing head is disposed adjacent to and over a first portion of the pad mounting surface and the polishing head is movable relative to the pad mounting surface by the head actuator. An optical sensor has a vision field including a second portion of the pad mounting surface. The first portion and the second portion of the pad mounting surface are at least partially offset. A control unit is operatively connected to the drive assembly and the head actuator.
US09685339B2 Scalable split gate memory cell array
A split gate memory array includes a first row having memory cells; a second row having memory cells, wherein the second row is adjacent to the first row; and a plurality of segments. Each segment includes a first plurality of memory cells of the first row, a second plurality of memory cells of the second row, a first control gate portion which forms a control gate of each memory cell of the first plurality of memory cells, and a second control gate portion which forms a control gate of each memory cell of the second plurality of memory cells. The first control gate portion and the second control gate portion converge to a single control gate portion between neighboring segments of the plurality of segments.
US09685334B1 Methods of forming semiconductor fin with carbon dopant for diffusion control
Methods of forming a semiconductor fin and methods for controlling dopant diffusion to a semiconductor fin are disclosed herein. The methods provide alternative ways to incorporate a carbon dopant into the fin to later control out-diffusion of dopants from a dopant-including epitaxial layer. One method includes depositing a carbon-containing layer over a portion of the fin adjacent to the gate and annealing to diffuse carbon from the carbon-containing layer into at least the portion of the semiconductor fin. This method can be applied to SOI or bulk semiconductor substrates. Another method includes epitaxially growing a carbon dopant containing semiconductor layer for later use in forming the fin.
US09685333B2 Manufacturing method of silicon carbide semiconductor device
A method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor device includes grinding a back surface of a semiconductor substrate formed of silicon carbide to reduce thickness thereof and provide an altered layer that is ground; removing by polishing or etching, the altered layer from the back surface; forming a nickel film on the back surface of the semiconductor substrate after removing the altered layer; heat treating the nickel film to forming a nickel silicide layer by silicidation; and forming a metal electrode on a surface of the nickel silicide layer.
US09685331B1 Semiconductor device manufacturing method and pattern forming method
A semiconductor device manufacturing method includes forming a first film on a substrate having a first region and a second region. A second film is formed on the first film. Guide grooves are formed by removing portions of the second film and exposing the first film. A self-assembly material is coated on the exposed first film and heated to cause a phase separation into a first and a second phase section. The self-assembly material is irradiated. A mask pattern including at least a portion of the first phase section is formed by removing the second phase section. The mask pattern has a first dimension in the first region and a second dimension in the second region that is different from the first dimension. The first film is etched after the mask pattern is formed.
US09685319B2 Method for filling gaps of semiconductor device and semiconductor device formed by the same
A method for filling gaps of semiconductor device and a semiconductor device with insulation gaps formed by the same are provided. First, a silicon substrate with plural protruding portions is provided, and the protruding portions are spaced apart from each other by gaps with predetermined depths. A nitride-containing layer is formed above the silicon substrate for covering the protruding portions and surfaces of the gaps as a liner nitride. Then, an amorphous silicon layer is formed on the nitride-containing layer. An insulating layer is formed on the amorphous silicon layer, and the gaps are filled up with the insulating layer.
US09685315B2 Method of producing epitaxial wafer and the epitaxial wafer having a highly flat rear surface
The present invention provides a method of producing an epitaxial wafer having a highly flat rear surface without polishing top and rear surfaces of the epitaxial wafer after forming an epitaxial film. A method of producing an epitaxial wafer 100 according to the present invention comprises a step of preparing a semiconductor wafer 10 having a beveled portion 11 formed on its end portion, a first surface 12b, a second surface 12a opposite to the first surface 12b, and edges 13b and 13a on both of the first surface 12b and the second surface 12a, the each edge 13a and 13b is boundary with the beveled portion 11; a step of processing of rolling off an outer peripheral portion 14 of the first surface 12b to form a roll-off region, the outer peripheral portion 14 is extending outward of the wafer from a predetermined position P inner than the position of the edge 13b on 12a the first surface 12b; and a step of forming a first epitaxial film 20 on the second surface 12a.
US09685312B2 Removal of ions from survey scans using variable window band-pass filtering to improve intrascan dynamic range
Systems and methods are used to band-pass filter ions from a mass range. A full spectrum is received for a full scan of a mass range using a tandem mass spectrometer. A mass selection window of the full spectrum is selected and a set of tuning parameter values is selected. The tandem mass spectrometer is instructed to perform a scan of the mass selection window using the set of tuning parameter values. A spectrum is received for the scan from the tandem mass spectrometer. A band-pass filtered spectrum is created for the mass range that includes values from the spectrum for the mass selection window of the mass range. Systems and methods are also used to band-pass filter ions from two or more mass selection windows across the mass range and to filter out ions from a mass selection window between two band-pass mass selection windows.
US09685311B2 Methods for detecting reverse triiodothyronine by mass spectrometry
Provided are methods for determining the amount of reverse T3 in a sample using mass spectrometry. The methods generally involve ionizing reverse T3 in a sample and detecting and quantifying the amount of the ion to determine the amount of reverse T3 in the sample.
US09685308B2 Getter pumping system
Getter pumping system particularly useful for linear accelerators or more generally high-volume environments, wherein a plurality of getter cartridges (100, 100′, 100″, . . . 100n) having a linear support (110, 110′, 110″, . . . 110n) and a plurality of linear heaters (120, 120′, . . . 120n) are connected in a high-density configuration to a wall (11) that has a surface area of at least 0.5 m2.
US09685304B2 Isotopically-enriched boron-containing compounds, and methods of making and using same
An isotopically-enriched, boron-containing compound comprising two or more boron atoms and at least one fluorine atom, wherein at least one of the boron atoms contains a desired isotope of boron in a concentration or ratio greater than a natural abundance concentration or ratio thereof. The compound may have a chemical formula of B2F4. Synthesis methods for such compounds, and ion implantation methods using such compounds, are described, as well as storage and dispensing vessels in which the isotopically-enriched, boron-containing compound is advantageously contained for subsequent dispensing use.
US09685297B2 Systems and methods for monitoring faults, anomalies, and other characteristics of a switched mode ion energy distribution system
Systems, methods and apparatus for regulating ion energies in a plasma chamber and chucking a substrate to a substrate support are disclosed. An exemplary method includes placing a substrate in a plasma chamber, forming a plasma in the plasma chamber, controllably switching power to the substrate so as to apply a periodic voltage function (or a modified periodic voltage function) to the substrate, and modulating, over multiple cycles of the periodic voltage function, the periodic voltage function responsive to a defined distribution of energies of ions at the surface of the substrate so as to effectuate the defined distribution of ion energies on a time-averaged basis.
US09685294B2 Fuse
A fusible link (11) includes a fuse element (13) provided with a fusible conductor part (25) which has a melting part (31) provided between parallel inner side edges (21) of a first terminal part (17) and a second planar terminal part (19). The fusible link (11) also includes an insulative housing (15), having a melting part accommodating space (35) to accommodate the melting part (31) therein, which is mounted to a front surface side of the fuse element (13) to cover the inner side edges (21) of the first planar terminal part (17) and the second planar terminal part (19) and the fusible conductor part (25).
US09685292B2 Electrical switching apparatus and pole shaft catch assembly therefor
A pole shaft catch assembly is for an electrical switching apparatus, such as a circuit breaker. The circuit breaker includes a housing, separable contacts enclosed by the housing, and an operating mechanism for opening and closing the separable contacts. The operating mechanism includes a pole shaft pivotably coupled to the housing and a yoke assembly coupled to the pole shaft. The pole shaft catch assembly includes a catch arm. The catch arm moves between an engaged position in which the catch arm engages the yoke assembly to restrict movement of the yoke assembly and the pole shaft, and a disengaged position in which the catch arm disengages the yoke assembly. A biasing element biases the catch arm toward the disengaged position. A trigger translates movement of the yoke assembly into movement of the catch arm.
US09685287B2 Circuit breakers with moving contact having heel-toe action
Circuit breakers with moving contacts having heel-toe action are configured to direct arcing across a small portion of a stationary contact surface to an adjacent arc chute to thereby alleviate deterioration due to arcing and improve conductivity of a major portion of the stationary contact and moving contact surface over time.
US09685286B2 Keyboard device
There is provided a keyboard device including a plurality of key tops that include magnets and are depressible, an opposing member which is provided to face the plurality of key tops and in which signal lines are wired, and a plurality of openings that is formed corresponding to positions of the magnets when the key tops are pressed in the opposing member. The signal lines are wired while avoiding the openings.
US09685285B2 Single actuator control switch
A control switch includes a key, a housing structure, in the upper portion of which the key is secured in a manner such that the key can rotate about a first fulcrum. A tip is secured at one end to the key and moving integrally therewith, so as to slide along a first axis (X) of the key is countered by an elastic element. A printed circuit board includes at least two push-buttons, arranged in the lower portion of the housing structure. The housing structure includes in its internal portion, a flared structure having two inclined contact planes specularly opposite with respect to a second vertical axis (Z) and forming a first obtuse angle (a), on which the tip can slide along its stroke. The flared structure is structurally secured to the housing structure. The switch includes at least one actuator positioned in proximity to the flared structure.
US09685281B2 Safety mechanism for medical treatment device and associated methods
A safety mechanism for medical treatment devices includes a switch actuator that depresses a power activation switch after movement in a first direction followed movement in a second direction. The safety mechanism thus prevents accidental or unintentional delivery of power to a heating segment of the medical treatment device.
US09685279B2 Switch
A switch has a base comprising a flat circular recess formed on an upper surface thereof, a fixed contact disposed in an inner surface of the flat circular recess, a spring body that has a bellows shape in which a reference form unit is repetitively formed, the spring body being annularly disposed in the flat circular recess of the base, an operating body that has a turning unit fitted turnably in the flat circular recess of the base, and an operating projection provided in an inward surface of the turning unit. When the operating body is turned, the operating projection presses an end portion of the spring body to compress the spring body, which allows a contact to be switched.
US09685277B2 Electrode
An electrode which can have an improved performance such as higher discharge capacity and in which deterioration due to peeling of an active material layer or the like is difficult to occur are provided. The electrode includes an active material layer including a first protrusion, a second protrusion and a continuous active material film, a metal oxide layer, and a continuous mixed layer. The first protrusion, the second protrusion and the continuous active material film includes silicon. The metal oxide layer includes oxygen and a metal element which is capable of forming silicide by reacting with silicon. The continuous mixed layer includes silicon and the metal element.
US09685274B2 Electric capacitor for a coolant compressor
The invention relates to an electric capacitor having at least one capacitor coil, a cylindrical housing that surrounds the capacitor coil, composed of metal, electric connectors, and connection lines that run in the housing interior and electrically connect the capacitor coil with the connectors, wherein at least one connection line has a planned breaking point, and wherein at least one circumferential depression is formed in the mantle of the housing, which depression divides the housing into a first segment and a second segment and can be unfolded by means of excess pressure in the housing interior, wherein the first segment surrounds the capacitor coil and the second segment carries the connectors.
US09685273B2 Chip capacitor, circuit assembly, and electronic device
A chip capacitor according to the present invention includes a substrate, a pair of external electrodes formed on the substrate, a capacitor element connected between the pair of external electrodes, and a bidirectional diode connected between the pair of external electrodes and in parallel to the capacitor element. Also, a circuit assembly according to the present invention includes the chip capacitor according to the present invention and a mounting substrate having lands, soldered to the external electrodes, on a mounting surface facing a front surface of the substrate.
US09685270B2 High K dielectric composition for thermoformable capacitive circuits
This invention is directed to a polymer thick film thermoformable dielectric composition with a high dielectric constant. Dielectrics made from the composition can be used in various electronic applications to enhance the performance of thermoformable capacitive circuits.
US09685269B2 Method of forming an insulated electric conductor
A method of anodizing a coil comprised of wire having a copper core and a layer of a metal formed on the core is disclosed. The metal has electrically insulating characteristics when anodized. Two variations of the method are provided. In the first variation, the metal-clad wire is partially anodized prior to being wound on a spool to form a coil. Once the partially anodized wire is wound onto a spool the coiled wire is anodized to complete anodization. The anodized coiled wire may be rinsed to remove residual electrolytic material. In the second variation, the metal-clad wire is wound on a spool to form a coil. The coiled wire is then anodized. The method of the disclosed invention reduces or entirely eliminates the presence of micro cracks in the oxide layer. The resulting coil may be used in motors, electromagnets, generators, alternators and subsystems for the same.
US09685265B2 Wearable magnet housing
Wearable housings are configured in size and shape to be securely attached to a strap, such as a belt, suspender, backpack strap, rifle strap, shoulder bag strap, vest, carrier, or other strap with one or more clasping members. One or more magnets are positioned within the substantially hollow receptacle area(s) of the wearable housing. The magnet(s) have sufficient holding force to securely hold a handgun or other item against the wearable housing for ready access.
US09685264B2 Die assembly and method for manufacturing wound motor laminated article
A stator core is formed from a continuous strip of wound sheet stock material, in which the sheet stock material is converted from the sheet stock to a formed material including winding slot cutouts. This strip of formed material is then wound into the stator core, with the winding slot cutouts in the formed material maintained at a substantially constant width throughout most of the radial extent of the resulting winding slots in the finished article. However, one or more of the radially innermost and radially outermost layers may define winding slot cutouts that are wider than the other winding slot cutouts. Where several radial layers are altered in this way, the cutout widths are progressively expanded such that the resulting winding slot has terminal ends with edges that are effectively “radiused” or rounded, thereby protecting windings near the edge of such slots.
US09685263B2 Coil component
A coil component is constituted by a composite magnetic material containing alloy grains whose oxygen atom concentration in their surfaces is 50 percent or less, and resin, and also by a coil. The coil component using the composite magnetic material does not require high pressure when formed.
US09685262B2 Surge arrester module and surge arrester
A surge arrester module including: first and second end electrodes; and a stack of cylindrical elements including at least one varistor block. The first end electrode includes a first part and a second part. A connecting element is provided between the first end electrode parts in order to keep them electrically connected to each other if a gap is formed between them. At least one clamping member is connected to the second end electrode and to the first part of the first end electrode in order to press them towards each other in the axial direction. The clamping member or at least one other clamping member is connected to the second end electrode and to the second part of the first end electrode in order to press them towards each other in the axial direction.
US09685258B2 Hybrid carbon nanotube shielding for lightweight electrical cables
A cable comprising hybrid carbon nanotube (CNT) shielding includes at least one conducting wire; at least one insulating layer covering at least one of the at least one conducting wire; a metallic foil component configured for lower frequency shielding function; and a CNT tape component configured for higher frequency shielding function.
US09685256B2 Wire harness
In a splice connection member, a core wire holder is integrally formed on an interior of each of a plurality of depressions into which coated wires can be guided. A plurality of pressure blades are provided opposite each other on a wire introduction opening side of the depressions, the pair of pressure blades separated by a distance smaller than an inlet diameter of the wire introduction opening. Each of the pressure blades includes a plurality of blade tips separated by a distance in an axis direction of the coated wires smaller than a thickness of the coating, and the core wire holder includes a plurality of pressure portions. A communicating groove is formed in each of the depressions so as to be open on two ends, passing between the plurality of pairs of blade tips, the communicating groove extending in a circumference direction of each of the coated wires.
US09685255B2 Synergistic blends of calcium carbonate and calcined clay
A lead-free composition comprising: (A) Polyvinyl chloride (PVC); (B) Bioplasticizer; (C) Calcium Carbonate; and (D) Calcined clay; with the combined weight of the calcium carbonate and calcined clay in the composition in the range of 1 to 15 weight percent, and the weight ratio of calcium carbonate to calcined clay in the range of 15:85 to 85:15. In one embodiment the invention is an insulation sheath for a wire or cable made from the lead-free composition described in the preceding embodiment. In one embodiment the invention is a wire or cable comprising the insulation sheath of the preceding embodiment.
US09685251B2 Interferometric dynamic-grating imaging method, diffraction grating and imaging apparatus
The present invention relates to a method for producing an image of a target using radiation and a diffraction grating and apparatus for x-ray imaging. The method comprises directing a beam of radiation to the target to produce a modified beam through interaction with the target, directing the modified beam to an diffraction grating to produce an interference pattern, detecting the interference pattern using a detector, and forming an image of the target using the interference pattern measured. According to the invention, the diffraction grating is modified n the plane of the grating during the imaging so that at least two interference patterns are detected using the detector different configurations of the diffraction grating. Further, the image of the target using the at least two interference patterns measured. The invention provides a simple configuration, less radiation exposure and/or better image quality then conventional imaging methods.
US09685249B2 Beta voltaic battery and method of preparing the same
Provided is a beta voltaic battery including a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer, and a beta-ray generator which is disposed between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer and includes a metal substrate having both sides coated with a radioisotope layer. The beta voltaic battery according to the present invention has no sealing layer, but may efficiently shield beta rays through a sandwich structure. Since the sealing layer is absent, the absorption of beta rays by the semiconductor may be improved, and excellent energy conversion efficiency may be obtained because output is improved due to the two semiconductor layers and the radioisotope ray source coated on the both sides.
US09685242B2 Memory system
According to one embodiment, a memory system includes a memory, an encoding unit, an interface unit, a decoding unit and a changing unit. The encoding unit is configured to encode first data to generate second data. A size of the second data is equal to a first size. A size of the first data is equal to a second size which is smaller than the first size. The interface unit is configured to store the second data in the memory and to read the second data from the memory. The decoding unit is configured to decode the second data read from the memory to perform detection of an error. The changing unit is configured to change the second size according to an occurrence situation of the error.
US09685240B1 Memory device to alleviate the effects of row hammer condition and memory system including the same
There may be provided a memory or memory system. A memory may include an active cell array comprising a plurality of unit cells coupled to a word line and configured to store an active count of the word line. The memory may include a read control circuit configured to read the active count of the word line from the active cell array. The memory may be configured to refresh an adjacent word line of the corresponding word line based on the active count of the word line.
US09685238B2 Clock signal generation device and memory device including the same
A clock signal generation device includes a variable voltage providing circuit, a fixed voltage providing circuit and a clock signal generating circuit. The variable voltage providing circuit provides a variable reference voltage based on a selection signal, a reference voltage and a temperature coefficient. The variable reference voltage is varied according to temperature. The fixed voltage providing circuit provides a fixed reference voltage that is determined according to the selection signal. The fixed reference voltage is a constant voltage. The clock signal generating circuit provides a clock signal based on the fixed reference voltage and the variable reference voltage. The performance of the clock signal generation device may be increased by providing the clock signal based on the variable reference voltage that is varied according to the temperature and based on the fixed reference voltage.
US09685236B2 Memory chip, memory device, and reading method
A memory chip includes a memory cell array having a plurality of memory cells connected to word lines and bit lines, and a sense amplifier configured to detect data stored in a memory cell that is connected to a selected one of the word lines and a selected one of the bit lines, and a control circuit configured to read data from the memory cell in a first read mode when a first command is received and in a second read mode when a second command is received. A peak or an average value of an operation current that is flowing between power supply and ground terminals of the memory chip during a read operation in the first read mode is less than a peak or an average value of the operation current during a read operation in the second read mode.
US09685228B2 Reference and sensing with bit line stepping method of memory
A sensing method for a memory is provided. The memory includes: a memory cell; a reference circuit generating a reference voltage and a clamp voltage; and a current supplying circuit receiving the clamp voltage to develop a cell current passing through the memory cell to form a cell voltage, wherein the cell voltage is used for incorporating with the reference voltage to determine the information stored in the memory.
US09685222B2 Memory cell with read transistors of the TFET and MOSFET type to reduce leakage current
Memory cell of the SRAM type, including storage transistors forming a memory point for storing a bit and a read port having at least one MOS transistor, a TFET transistor, a power terminal and a read bit line whereof a potential is designed to vary depending on the value of the stored bit, and such that: the gate of the MOS transistor is connected to the memory point, and the gate of the TFET transistor is able to receive a read command signal; a first electrode of the MOS transistor is connected to the power supply terminal; a second electrode of the MOS transistor is connected to a first electrode of the TFET transistor; a second electrode of the TFET transistor is connected to the read bit line.
US09685216B2 Non-destructive readout ferroelectric memory as well as method of preparing the same and method of operating the same
A non-destructive readout ferroelectric memory as well as a method of preparing the ferroelectric memory and a method of operating the ferroelectric memory are disclosed. The ferroelectric memory comprises a ferroelectric thin film layer. The ferroelectric memory of the invention can realize a non-destructive readout by way of current, is suitable for a high density application, is simple in preparation and has a low cost.
US09685213B2 Provision of holding current in non-volatile random access memory
Embodiments of the present disclosure describe techniques and configurations for controlling current in a non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) device. In an embodiment, the NVRAM device may include a plurality of memory cells coupled to a plurality of bit lines forming a bit line node with parasitic capacitance. Each memory cell may comprise a switch device with a required level of a holding current to maintain an on-state of the cell. A voltage supply circuitry and a controller may be coupled with the NVRAM device. The controller may control the circuitry to provide a current pulse that keeps a memory cell in on-state. The pulse may comprise a profile that changes over time from a set point to the holding current level, in response to a discharge of the bit line node capacitance through the memory cell after the set point is achieved. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09685212B2 Method and apparatus for timing adjustment
A strobe signal from a memory is delayed through delay circuits of a strobe delay selection section, thus obtaining a plurality of delayed strobe signals. A strobe latch section produces check data in synchronism with each of the delayed strobe signals, and a system latch section latches, with a system clock, check data latched by the strobe latch section. Based on a comparison by an expected value comparison section and a determination by a delay determination section, the optimal strobe signal with the optimal delay is selected from among the delayed strobe signals produced in the strobe delay selection section. Then, data from the memory is delayed through delay circuits in a data delay selection section, thus obtaining a plurality of delayed data, and the optimal data with the optimal delay is selected from among the plurality of delayed data based on the comparison by the expected value comparison section and the determination by the delay determination section.
US09685211B2 Nonvolatile memory devices and storage devices including nonvolatile memory devices
The inventive concepts relate to nonvolatile memory devices. The nonvolatile memory devices may include a memory cell array, and a page buffer circuit connected to the memory cell array through bit lines. The page buffer circuit may comprise a substrate, bit line selection transistors on the substrate and connected to respective ones of the bit lines, and latches on the substrate connected to the bit line selection transistors through lines. The lines may be on a first plane above and parallel to a top surface of the substrate, and may be connected to respective ones of the bit line selection transistors through first contacts. The bit lines may be on a second plane above and parallel to a top surface of the substrate, and may be connected to respective ones of the bit line selection transistors through second contacts.
US09685209B1 Circuit for generating a sense amplifier enable signal with variable timing
A sense amplifier enable signal generating circuit includes an input coupled to a dummy bit line of a memory. A voltage comparator circuit compares a voltage on the dummy bit line to a threshold voltage and generates an output signal when the voltage falls below that threshold voltage. A multi-bit counter circuit counts a count value in response to the output signal. A pull-up circuit pulls up the voltage on the dummy bit line in response to the output signal. A count comparator circuit compares the count value to a count threshold and generates a sense amplifier enable signal when the count value equals the count threshold.
US09685208B2 Assist circuit for memory
Embodiments include apparatuses, methods, and systems related to an assist circuit that may be coupled to one or more components of a memory system to selectively lower a supply voltage that is delivered to the component. For example, the assist circuit may be coupled to a plurality of bitcells (e.g., register file bitcells). The assist circuit may selectively lower the supply voltage delivered to the bitcells during at least a portion of a write operation and/or during an inactive state of the bitcells. Additionally, or alternatively, the assist circuit may be coupled to a read circuit to selectively lower the supply voltage delivered to the read circuit during an inactive state of the read circuit. The assist circuit may include a control transistor coupled in parallel with one or more diodes between a main supply rail and a supply node of the bitcells and/or read circuit.
US09685207B2 Sequential access memory with master-slave latch pairs and method of operating
A synchronous sequential latch array generated by an automated system for generating master-slave latch structures is disclosed. A master-slave latch structure includes N/2 rows of master-slave latch pairs, an N/2-to-1 multiplexer and control logic. N is equal to the number of latches that are included in the latch array.
US09685206B2 Memory device, memory system, and method of controlling read voltage of the memory device
A memory device includes a memory cell array having a plurality of memory cells, and a page buffer unit including a plurality of page buffers configured to store a plurality of pieces of data sequentially read from some of the plurality of memory cells at different read voltage levels, respectively, and to perform a logic operation on the plurality of pieces of data, respectively. The memory device further includes a counting unit configured to count the number of memory cells that exist in each of a plurality of sections defined by the different read voltage levels, based on results of the logic operation.
US09685205B2 Semiconductor device
Data hold time is controlled without excessively increasing a circuit area. A semiconductor device includes a data buffer and a flip-flop formed of fin. As a delay line, gate wirings being in the same layer as gate electrodes of the fin are provided in a data signal path from a data output node of the data buffer to a data input node of the flip-flop.
US09685202B1 Near-field transducer having enlarged portion matching outline shape of heat sink
A near-field transducer includes an enlarged portion and a peg protruding from a first edge. The enlarged portion has a second edge facing away from the first edge. The near-field transducer includes a heat sink disposed on the enlarged portion and with an outline shape that matches that of the enlarged portion. The heat sink is disposed at a first separation distance from the first edge of the enlarged portion and a second, greater, separation distance from the second edge of the enlarged portion. The first separation distance is greater than the second separation distance.
US09685200B2 Apparatus, system and method for consolidating and recording high definition surgical video with a surgical data overlay
An apparatus, system and method of consolidation of HD video and a surgical data overlay, such as for recordation in a single consolidated video capture recording of the HD video and surgical data overlay for subsequent playback and/or storage; and an apparatus, system and method for recording HD surgical video consolidated with a surgical data overlay in which an automated switch occurs between at least two surgical HD video sources based, at least in part, on then-active surgical aspects.
US09685199B2 Editing apparatus and editing method
An editing apparatus includes an image analyzing section that analyzes a recorded video, a sound analyzing section that analyzes recorded sound, and a display control section that displays, on a display section, on the basis of an analysis result of the image analyzing section, a video bar indicator corresponding to a reproduction time of the recorded video and displays, on the display section, on the basis of an analysis result of the sound analyzing section, a sound bar indicator corresponding to a reproduction time of the recorded sound, the sound bar indicator having a time per unit length same as a time per unit length of the video bar indicator. The editing apparatus facilitates editing combination work for the video and the sound by arranging and displaying the video and the sound on time axes of the same scale.
US09685196B2 Sharing and synchronizing content
A device may provide a video content item for display and receive a request to share the video content item with another device for a synchronized playing of the video content item by the device and the other device. The device may generate a stream of the video content item based on a point within the video content item currently played by the device and transmit the stream to the other device to synchronize playing of the video content item by the device and the other device. The device may obtain information identifying a particular point within the video content item currently played by the other device, determine a synchronization point, in the video content item, based on the obtained information, and update, based on the synchronization point, to synchronize the stream. The device may transmit the synchronized stream, to the other device, to re-synchronize playing of the video content item.
US09685194B2 Voice-based video tagging
Video and corresponding metadata is accessed. Events of interest within the video are identified based on the corresponding metadata, and best scenes are identified based on the identified events of interest. A video summary can be generated including one or more of the identified best scenes. The video summary can be generated using a video summary template with slots corresponding to video clips selected from among sets of candidate video clips. Best scenes can also be identified by receiving an indication of an event of interest within video from a user during the capture of the video. Metadata patterns representing activities identified within video clips can be identified within other videos, which can subsequently be associated with the identified activities.
US09685189B1 Reduced reel motor disturbances in a tape drive system
An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a motor having a rotor, a take up reel coupled to the rotor, and a damping layer positioned between the rotor and the take up reel. The damping layer is constructed of a visco-elastic material. An apparatus according to another embodiment includes a motor having a rotor, a clutch coupled to the rotor, and a damping layer positioned between the rotor and the clutch. The damping layer is constructed of a visco-elastic material.
US09685188B2 Recording medium and manufacturing method of recording medium
Provided is a recording medium including an ink receiving layer. The ink receiving layer includes a hydrophilic resin and a low oil absorbing porous silica.
US09685184B1 NiFeX-based seed layer for magnetic recording media
A recording medium having improved signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) capabilities includes a NiFeX-based magnetic seed layer over a soft magnetic underlayer, where X comprises an element that is soluble in and has a higher melting point than Ni. X may be selected from a group of elements, including ruthenium (Ru), which may facilitate growth of smaller grains and distributions in the corresponding magnetic recording layer(s).
US09685182B1 Non-contact laser-induced protrusion measurement apparatus and method
A method and apparatus are directed to providing relative movement between a slider configured for heat-assisted magnetic recording and a magnetic recording medium, and causing protrusion of a portion of an air bearing surface (ABS) of the slider in response to activating at least a laser source while maintaining spacing between the protrusion and the medium. A magnitude of at least a portion of the protrusion is measured while maintaining spacing between the protrusion and the medium.
US09685181B2 Method of operating a data storage apparatus and data storage apparatus
In the present disclosure, a method of operating a data storage apparatus is provided. The method includes writing a data signal into a portion of a data layer in a recording medium of a data storage apparatus. The method further includes determining a data layer coupling interference value arising due to interference from the data layer provided in between a sensor head and a servo layer of the recording medium in reading servo data, the data layer coupling interference value determined based on the data signal. The method further includes writing the data layer coupling interference value onto the recording medium. A corresponding data storage apparatus is provided.
US09685178B1 Lateral spin valve reader with large-area tunneling spin-injector
A lateral spin valve reader includes a channel layer having a first end that is proximate to a bearing surface and a second end that is away from the bearing surface. The lateral spin valve reader also includes a detector structure disposed over an upper surface of a first portion of the channel layer that is proximate to the first end of the channel layer. A spin injection structure disposed below a lower surface of a second portion of the channel layer is proximate to the second end of the channel layer. An area of overlap between the spin injection structure and the second portion of the channel layer is substantially larger than an area of overlap between the detector structure and the first portion of the channel layer.
US09685176B2 Process to inhibit slider contamination during processing
Methods for forming a slider for a disc drive. One method includes forming a plurality of sliders on a wafer, applying a self-assembled monolayer coating on the plurality of sliders, and cutting the plurality of sliders into a plurality of individual sliders. Another method includes forming a plurality of sliders on a wafer, applying a low surface energy coating on the plurality of sliders, and cutting the plurality of sliders into a plurality of individual sliders.
US09685170B2 Pitch marking in speech processing
According to some embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a computerized method for selecting and correcting pitch marks in speech processing and modification. The method comprises an action of receiving a continuous speech signal representing audible speech recorded by a microphone, where a sequence of pitch values and two or more pitch mark temporal values are computed from the continuous speech signal. The method comprises an action of computing for each of the pitch mark temporal values a lower limit temporal value and an upper limit temporal value by a cross-correlation function of the continuous speech signal around the pitch mark temporal values associated with pairs of elements in the sequence and replacing one or more of the pitch mark temporal values with one or more new temporal value between the lower limit temporal value and the upper limit temporal value.
US09685168B2 Apparatus for encoding/decoding multichannel signal and method thereof
Provided is an encoding/decoding apparatus and method of multi-channel signals. The encoding apparatus and method of multi-channel signals may encode phase information of the multi-channel signals using a quantization scheme and a lossless encoding scheme, and the decoding apparatus and method of multi-channel signals may decode the phase information using an inverse-quantization scheme and a lossless decoding scheme.
US09685167B2 Multi-object audio encoding and decoding apparatus supporting post down-mix signal
A multi-object audio encoding and decoding apparatus supporting a post downmix signal may be provided. The multi-object audio encoding apparatus may include: an object information extraction and downmix generation unit to generate object information and a downmix signal from input object signals; a parameter determination unit to determine a downmix information parameter using the extracted downmix signal and the post downmix signal; and a bitstream generation unit to combine the object information and the downmix information parameter, and to generate an object bitstream.
US09685166B2 Classification between time-domain coding and frequency domain coding
A method for processing speech signals prior to encoding a digital signal comprising audio data includes selecting frequency domain coding or time domain coding based on a coding bit rate to be used for coding the digital signal and a short pitch lag detection of the digital signal.
US09685161B2 Method for updating voiceprint feature model and terminal
A method for updating a voiceprint feature model and a terminal are provided that are applicable to the field of voice recognition technologies. The method includes: obtaining an original audio stream including at least one speaker; obtaining a respective audio stream of each speaker of the at least one speaker in the original audio stream according to a preset speaker segmentation and clustering algorithm; separately matching the respective audio stream of each speaker of the at least one speaker with an original voiceprint feature model, to obtain a successfully matched audio stream; and using the successfully matched audio stream as an additional audio stream training sample for generating the original voiceprint feature model, and updating the original voiceprint feature model.
US09685160B2 Method for offering suggestion during conversation, electronic device using the same, and non-transitory storage medium
A method for offering suggestion during conversation, an electronic device using the same, and a non-transitory storage medium are provided. The method includes listening to a conversation on a first electronic device and a second electronic device, and determining whether the conversation satisfies a recommendation criterion. The method also includes determining whether at least one suggestion information exists in a database if the conversation satisfies the recommendation criterion. The method further includes displaying at least one suggestion option related to the at least one suggestion information on the first electronic device if the at least one suggestion information exists in the database.
US09685159B2 Speaker recognition from telephone calls
A method for speaker recognition comprising: obtaining speaker information for a target speaker; obtaining speech samples from telephone calls from an unknown speaker; classifying the speech samples according the unknown speaker thereby providing speaker-dependent classes of speech samples; extracting speaker information of each of the speaker-dependent classes of speech samples; combining the extracted speaker information; comparing the combined extracted speaker information with the stored speaker information for the target speaker to obtain a comparison result; and determining whether the unknown speaker is identical with the target speaker based on the comparison result.
US09685144B2 Toy piano
A toy piano including one or both an enlarged sound plate intermediate the sound bar of the toy piano and its sound board, and a sound box into which the sound board is incorporated. Preferably, the sound plate extends beyond the normal edges of the sound bar in which the longitudinal tines of the toy piano are mounted so as to lie adjacent to the sound board over a larger area. Likewise, the sound box should preferably be shaped so as to be somewhat wider (measured in the longitudinal direction of the tines) towards the end where the tines are longest (and produce lower tones) and somewhat narrower towards the end where the shorter tines (producing higher tones) are located. It preferred shape is characterized by somewhat convex curves at the more treble and bass ends, respectively, of the sound box with a somewhat concave curve intermediate these two ends. The backboard of the sound box can be bowed outward for enhance acoustics.
US09685141B2 MDLL/PLL hybrid design with uniformly distributed output phases
A circuit for generating a clock signal formed as a hybrid of a multiplying delay-locked loop (MDLL) and a phase locked loop (PLL). In one embodiment a chain of inverting delay multiplexers is connected in a ring configuration capable of operating as a ring oscillator, with a first delay multiplexer in the ring configured to substitute a feed-in clock signal for the feedback clock generated by the ring oscillator when an edge, either rising or falling, is received at the forwarded clock input. The first delay multiplexer may also be configured to interpolate between the phase of the feedback clock and the phase of the feed-in clock. The interpolation may be based on transistor channel widths and the value of a control signal, and results in behavior intermediate to that of an MDLL and that of a PLL.
US09685139B2 Perceptual luminance nonlinearity-based image data exchange across different display capabilities
A handheld imaging device has a data receiver that is configured to receive reference encoded image data. The data includes reference code values, which are encoded by an external coding system. The reference code values represent reference gray levels, which are being selected using a reference grayscale display function that is based on perceptual non-linearity of human vision adapted at different light levels to spatial frequencies. The imaging device also has a data converter that is configured to access a code mapping between the reference code values and device-specific code values of the imaging device. The device-specific code values are configured to produce gray levels that are specific to the imaging device. Based on the code mapping, the data converter is configured to transcode the reference encoded image data into device-specific image data, which is encoded with the device-specific code values.
US09685138B2 Brightness controlling method with brightness synchronizing functionality and all-in-one computer implementing the same
A brightness controlling method for an all-in-one computer is provided. The all-in-one computer includes an on-screen display adjusting unit having a first brightness value, an operating system having a first system brightness value, a control unit and a scaler. The brightness controlling method includes the following steps. First, the first brightness value is adjusted to a second brightness value or the first system brightness value is adjusted to a second system brightness value. Then, when the first brightness value is adjusted to the second brightness value, the control unit synchronizes the first system brightness value to the second brightness value; when the first system brightness value is adjusted to the second system brightness value, the scaler adjusts the first brightness value to the second system brightness value. The invention also provides an all-in-one computer implementing the brightness controlling method.
US09685137B2 Display device
According to an aspect, a display device includes: an image display unit in which pixels are arranged, each of the pixels including a fourth sub-pixel and surrounding sub-pixels arranged around the fourth sub-pixel, the fourth sub-pixels of the respective pixels being arranged in a two-dimensional matrix and displaying a white color component as a fourth color, each of the pixels sharing at least one of the surrounding sub-pixels with an adjacent pixel adjacent to the pixel; and a signal processing unit that, based on a first input video signal for a specific pixel and a second input video signal for an adjacent pixel adjacent to the specific pixel, generates an output signal for the surrounding sub-pixels belonging to the specific pixel and outputs the generated output signal to the image display unit.
US09685136B2 Display system and conversion apparatus
A display system and a conversion apparatus are provided. The display system includes an image signal input apparatus configured to convert a first parallel image signal to a serial image signal, a conversion apparatus configured to convert the serial image signal to a second parallel image signal, and a display apparatus configured to process the second parallel image signal, and display the processed second parallel image signal. The conversion apparatus is attachable to and detachable from the display apparatus.
US09685135B2 Display device, display method, and electronic device
Disclosed herein is a display device including: a display section configured to have a plurality of scanning signal lines to which respective scanning signals are applied, the display section performing line-sequential scanning by repeating interruption and resumption of the line-sequential scanning on a basis of the plurality of scanning signals, and displaying an image; and a scanning section configured to generate the plurality of scanning signals such that transition times on a pulse termination side of the respective scanning signals are equal to each other.
US09685134B2 Shift register unit, gate driving circuit and display device
The present invention provides a shift register unit, a gate driving circuit and a display device, which belongs to the field of display technology. The shift register unit of the present invention comprises: an input module, a pull-up module, a pull-down control module, a pull-down module, a reset module and a discharge module.
US09685131B2 Active-matrix substrate, method of manufacturing active-matrix substrate, and display panel
An objective is to provide a technique for reducing the size of the picture-frame region of the active-matrix substrate and improve the freedom of design, such as the freedom in designing the active-matrix substrate. An active-matrix substrate includes a group of gate lines and a group of source lines crossing the gate lines. At least some of the gate lines have a length that is smaller than the maximum value of the width of the active-matrix substrate as measured in the direction in which the gate lines extend. The active-matrix substrate further includes pixel electrodes connected with the gate lines and source lines, and gate line driving units (11) provided in the display region for switching the gate lines to the selected or non-selected state in response to a supplied control signal. First terminals (12s) for providing data signals from the source driver and second terminals (12g) for providing control signals from the display control circuit are provided in the portion of the picture-frame region that is adjacent a side of the display region.
US09685130B2 Display device
A display device includes a substrate, a gate line connected to a gate driver, a reference voltage line, a data line crossing the gate line and the reference voltage line, a first thin film transistor including a first drain electrode and connected to the gate line and the data line, a second thin film transistor including a second drain electrode, a third thin film transistor connected to the gate line, the reference voltage line, and the second thin film transistor, and a pixel electrode including a first sub-pixel electrode connected to the first thin film transistor and a second sub-pixel electrode connected to the second thin film transistor. The first drain electrode overlaps the reference voltage line, and an area of a region in which the first drain electrode and the reference voltage line overlap each other increases in a direction toward the gate driver.
US09685129B2 Liquid crystal display device
A scanning line drive unit sequentially selects a plurality of scanning lines, and utilizes a drive voltage generated by the booster circuit to control the operation of a thin-film transistor. A timing control unit controls the scanning line drive unit on the basis of a display signal, which includes a horizontal synchronization signal, a vertical synchronization signal and an image signal. A reference synchronization signal is input to the booster circuit during a period in which the scanning line drive unit selects none of the plurality of scanning lines. A booster circuit generates a non-selection voltage in synchronization with the reference synchronization signal in the abovementioned period. The scanning line drive unit outputs the non-selection voltage generated by the booster circuit to the plurality of scanning lines in the abovementioned period.
US09685127B2 Array substrate, method for driving array substrate, and display device
The present invention provides an array substrate, a driving method and a display device. The array substrate comprises a plurality of gate lines. A first gate line of the two adjacent gate lines is coupled to a first switch unit and a second gate line is coupled to a second switch unit. The first switch unit and the second switch unit are coupled to a control line, and are coupled to a gate drive output channel. The second switch unit is turned off when the first switch unit is turned on under control of the control line, and the first switch unit is turned off when the second switch is turned on under control of the control line. According to the present invention, it is able to effectively reduce the number of the gate drive ICs and thereby to reduce the cost.
US09685125B2 Apparatus and method of driving data of liquid crystal display device
An apparatus and method of driving data of a liquid crystal display device is disclosed, which can minimize an electromagnetic interference EMI noise by decreasing an output peak current of a data driver, the apparatus comprising a timing controller for supplying a reference source output enable signal; a delay circuit for delaying the reference source output enable signal and supplying a plurality of source output enable signals provided with the different delay times; and a data driver, including a plurality of data ICs to divide and drive data lines of a liquid crystal panel into a plurality of data blocks, for dispersing data output timing of the plurality of data ICs in response to the plurality of source output enable signals.
US09685124B2 Electro-optical device including a plurality of scanning lines
An electro-optical device includes, on a substrate, three sub-pixels, three sampling switches, three data lines, three image signal lines, and three lead wiring lines. The three sub-pixels correspond to red, green and blue, respectively. The three sub-pixels are included in a unit pixel. The three sampling switches correspond to the three sub-pixels, respectively. The three data lines electrically connect the three sub-pixels and the three sampling switches with each other, respectively. The three image signal lines, which are provided on a side opposite to the three sub-pixels with respect to the three sampling switches, correspond to the three sampling switches, respectively. The three lead wiring lines electrically connect the three sampling switches and the three image signal lines with each other, respectively. Among the three sampling switches, a sampling switch corresponding to green is disposed close to the three image signal lines compared to other two sampling switches.
US09685121B2 Electrowetting display device having improved aperture ratio and method of driving the same
An electrowetting display device includes an electrowetting pixel cell and a driving circuit. The electrowetting pixel cell including a polar liquid and a non-polar liquid disposed between a common electrode and a pixel electrode, the pixel electrode configured to receive a fixed voltage and the common electrode configured to receive a variable voltage that varies according to an image signal. The driving circuit configured to control an operation of the electrowetting pixel cell by, providing an image signal to the electrowetting pixel cell at a display interval where the electrowetting pixel cell displays an image, and providing a reset voltage to the electrowetting pixel cell at a reset interval. An absolute value of a difference between the voltage applied to the pixel electrode and the reset voltage is greater than that of a difference between the voltage applied to the pixel electrode and the voltage applied to the common electrode.
US09685119B2 Organic light emitting display for compensating for variations in electrical characteristics of driving element
An organic light emitting display is provided which offers shorter sensing time and higher sensing accuracy when sensing variations in electrical characteristics of a driving element. The organic light emitting display can include: a display panel with a plurality of pixels; a gate driving circuit that generates a sensing gate pulse corresponding to one line sensing ON time in a sensing operation and sequentially supplies the same to gate lines in a line sequential manner; a data driving circuit comprising a plurality of current integrators that perform an integration of the source-drain current of the driving TFT of each pixel input through the sensing lines and an ADC that sequentially digitizes the output of the current integrators to output digital sensed values; and a timing controller that controls the operations of the gate driving circuit and data driving circuit.
US09685118B2 Organic light-emitting display device and method of driving the same
An organic light-emitting display device includes a data line, a scan line, and a display panel including a pixel where the data line crosses the scan line. The pixel includes: a switching transistor including a gate electrode connected to the scan line and a first electrode connected to the data line; a first capacitor between a second electrode of the switching transistor and a reference voltage source; a second capacitor including a first terminal connected to the first electrode of the switching transistor via a first node and a second terminal connected to a second node; a driving transistor including a first electrode connected to a first power source via the second node, a second electrode connected to an organic light-emitting diode, and a gate electrode connected to the reference voltage source via a third node; and a third capacitor between the second and third nodes.
US09685116B2 Display device using a demultiplexer circuit
A display device is disclosed to include a display panel including a plurality of data lines, a plurality of gate lines, and a plurality of pixels coupled to the data lines and gate lines. The data lines include first and second data lines, and the pixels include first and second color pixels. The display device also includes a data driving circuit to generate data voltages through a plurality of output channels, a gate driving circuit coupled to the gate lines, and a timing controller to generate control signals to the data driving circuit and the gate driving circuit. The display device further includes a demultiplexer switching circuit with first demux switches to supply, when turned on, the data voltages from the output channels to the first data lines, and second demux switches to supply, when turned on, the data voltages from the output channels to the second data lines.
US09685114B2 Pixel circuits for AMOLED displays
A system for controlling a display in which each pixel circuit comprises a light-emitting device, a drive transistor, a storage capacitor, a reference voltage source, and a programming voltage source. The storage capacitor stores a voltage equal to the difference between the reference voltage and the programming voltage, and a controller supplies a programming voltage that is a calibrated voltage for a known target current, reads the actual current passing through the drive transistor to a monitor line, turns off the light emitting device while modifying the calibrated voltage to make the current supplied through the drive transistor substantially the same as the target current, modifies the calibrated voltage to make the current supplied through the drive transistor substantially the same as the target current, and determines a current corresponding to the modified calibrated voltage based on predetermined current-voltage characteristics of the drive transistor.
US09685113B2 Organic light emitting diode pixel compensation circuit, and display panel and display device containing the same
An OLED pixel compensation circuit includes first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh transistors and a storage capacitor. The first transistor has a gate electrode coupled to a scan signal, a first electrode coupled to a data signal, and a second electrode coupled to a gate electrode of the fifth transistor. The second transistor has a gate electrode coupled to the scan signal, a first electrode coupled to a power supply voltage, and a second electrode coupled to a second electrode of the storage capacitor. The third transistor has a gate electrode coupled to a first light emitting signal, a first electrode coupled to the power supply voltage. The transistors and the storage capacitor are configured to compensate the threshold voltage drift of the fifth transistor, which is the driving transistor for the OLED.
US09685104B2 Display control apparatus and related method
An independent display control apparatus communicates with a plurality of display devices. The display control apparatus includes a receiving module, a signal generating module, and a signal transmitting module. The receiving module receives the location information of a plurality of display devices and the signal generating module generates control signals based on the received locations, different locations can thus receive different control signals. Each of the control signals corresponds to a different segment of a predetermined media file transmitted to each display device and the group of display devices can thus be made to simulate the flight and bursting of a firework, or simulate the echoing of a single sound for example.
US09685100B2 Rollable display
A rollable display is disclosed. In one aspect, the rollable display includes a flexible display panel configured to display an image via at least a portion thereof and a housing accommodating at least a portion of the flexible display panel. The flexible display panel has a point of inflection in the portion of the flexible display panel accommodated in the housing.
US09685098B1 Driver compliance risk adjustments
A system for driver compliance risk adjustments includes an interface and a processor. The interface is to receive driver violation data. The processor is to determine risk based at least in part on the driver violation data and provide an event recorder one or more risk adjustments based at least in part on the risk.
US09685097B2 Device and method for detecting eating activities
Devices and methods for detecting an eating activity occurrence are provided. A device includes a sensor for monitoring movement of a portion of an arm of a subject, and a processor in communication with the sensor for collecting raw data associated with movement of the portion of the arm. The processor is configured to process the raw data and form processed data. The processed data includes a determination of whether an eating activity has occurred. A method includes sensing movement of a portion of an arm of a subject, and processing raw data associated with the movement of the portion of the arm of the subject to form processed data. The processed data includes a determination of whether an eating activity has occurred.
US09685096B2 Guidance system for learning to play piano
The present application generally relates to guidance systems configured to assist individuals in learning to play a piano. Specifically, the invention relates to a system for projecting animated guidance onto the keys of a standard piano, with such system being controlled by a computing device directing the speed, tempo, location and other aspects of displaying such guidance. Further embodiments of the invention also provide for the system projecting graphical images onto the keys of the piano to assist with note association.
US09685093B2 Customizable wireless education or occupational therapy tool having a switch unit and a transmitter unit
A wireless computer-aided occupational therapy and education tool for young children or children with developmental delays. The tool comprises a wireless input device and preferably a covering. The wireless input device of the tool comprises a switch, a transmitter, and identification code. The covering can be made in various shapes, sizes, and colors. The wireless input device is removably attachable to the covering.
US09685090B2 Navigational aids
Systems, methods and computer-storage media are provided for use of navigational aids. Three-dimensional graphical representations of flight plans, flight paths, waypoints, etc., may be displayed to improve situational awareness. Additionally, dynamic monitoring of airports, waypoints, traffic, etc., may be performed so that real-time updates are available to users. The real-time updates will not only include updated location information and any relevant navigational markers (e.g., updated waypoints, new traffic, etc.) but will also include detailed information related to the navigational markers such as a distance from the marker, an airspeed of the marker (if applicable), and the like.
US09685089B2 Commercial and general aircraft avoidance using acoustic pattern recognition
This disclosure is directed to a detection and avoidance apparatus for an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) and systems, devices, and techniques pertaining to automated object detection and avoidance during UAV flight. The system may detect objects within the UAV's airspace through acoustic, visual, infrared, multispectral, hyperspectral, or object detectable signal emitted or reflected from an object. The system may identify the source of the object detectable signal by comparing features of the received signal with known sources signals in a database. The features may include, for example, an acoustic signature emitted or reflected by the objet. Furthermore, a trajectory envelope for the object may be determined based on characteristic performance parameters for the object such as cursing speed, maneuverability, etc. The UAV may determine an optimized flight plan based on the trajectory envelopes of detected objects within the UAV's air-space.
US09685086B2 Power conservation in traffic safety applications
In one embodiment, a device sends collision avoidance safety messages to prevent potential collisions between vehicles and the portable electronic device. The device determines whether a current or predicted future location of the device intersects an action zone. An action zone corresponds to a geographic area in which a potential collision may occur between a vehicle and the device. The device adjusts a broadcast rate for the collision avoidance safety messages based on whether the device determines that the current or predicted future location of the device intersects an action zone.
US09685078B2 Traffic flow rates
One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for determining a scaled flow rate of traffic for a road segment. For example, probe flow rate information is determined based upon locational information from one or more probe vehicles on a road segment (e.g., a flow rate of probe vehicles corresponding to a sum of probe vehicles identified from time stamped global positioning system coordinates provided by the probe vehicles). Satellite imagery of the road segment is analyzed to identify a count of vehicles on the road segment. Scale factor and offset information is estimated based upon the probe flow rate information and the count of vehicles. The scale factor and offset information is used to scale the probe flow rate information to determine a scaled flow rate that may be a relatively accurate flow rate of traffic, which may correspond to an inferred traffic volume along the road segment.
US09685075B2 Data communication systems and methods and devices for data communication between electronic device with serial data output and client device with audio port
A data communication system including an electronic device including a serial port, a client device including at least an audio port and an interface device is provided. The electronic device is configured to obtain serial data and output the serial data via the serial port. The interface device is coupled between the electronic device and the client device and includes a serial port connected to the serial port of the electronic device, a signal conversion device and an audio port connected to the audio port of the client device, wherein the interface device receives first serial data from the electronic device via the serial port, converts the received first serial data to first audio signals via the signal conversion device, and outputs the first audio signals to the client device via the audio port, such that the client device obtains the serial data according to the first audio signals.
US09685065B2 Dual sensor system and related data manipulation methods and uses
The invention relates to sensor systems and related data manipulation methods and software and use thereof, for instance amongst others, in surveillance systems, e.g. fall detection, more in particular systems and methods for capturing data of a scene is provided, comprising a first sensor, providing a first data set; a second sensor, spatially arranged with respect to the first sensor in a predetermined arrangement, the second sensor providing a second data set; and data manipulation means using said first and/or second data set to support enhanced data computations on one or both of said data sets to generate said scene data.
US09685061B2 Event prioritization and user interfacing for hazard detection in multi-room smart-home environment
Systems and methods for providing spoken messages that reflect event status of one or more hazard detection systems within a smart-home environment are described herein. The messages can inform occupants in concise manner that does not overload cognitive recognition of those occupants. For example, the messages may be prioritized to limit the amount of information that is spoken and intelligently condense information in as concise a manner as possible. This may be accomplished by using one or more speaking paradigms to compile audible messages to be played back through a speaker of the hazard detection system.
US09685058B2 Smoke detector chamber
Various embodiments of a smoke chamber for a smoke detector are presented. Such a smoke chamber may include a housing, having a first portion and a second portion. The first portion may be through which an electromagnetic sensor and two or more electromagnetic emitters interact with an airspace within the housing. The second portion may have an airflow surface that at least partially defines a curved airflow path between the airspace within the housing and an external environment. The curved airflow path may curve radially outward.
US09685057B2 Chain of custody with release process
A tag used for storing information related to chain of custody of an object is described. The tag is at least one of attacked to a physically associated with the object and the tag includes memory that has custody claim entries written thereto. When custody of the object is transferred from one entity to another entity or when an entity relinquishes custody of the object, a release record is also written to the tag. The custody claim entries and release records written to the tag can be used to verify the chain of custody of the object.
US09685056B2 Robust change-detection system and method
A system and method for detecting change in a video stream may include receiving, by a processor, a video image from a video stream and a reference image. The processor may divide the video image and the reference image into non-overlapping blocks, and each block in the video image may correspond to a block in the reference image. The processor may perform an orthogonal transformation on a corresponding pair of blocks in the video image and the reference image. DC (direct current, or, average value) components in the orthogonally transformed pair of blocks in the video image and the reference image may be zeroed. An infinity-norm difference between coefficient values of the corresponding pair of transformed and modified blocks in the video image and the reference image may be determined and compared to a threshold.
US09685055B2 Anti-theft home location check device
An anti-theft device for an electronics apparatus, including (a) locating means for determining an actual location, (b) storage means for storing a permissible location, and (c) processing means connected to the locating means and storage means. The processing means is configured to retrieve the actual location from the locating means, and to compare the actual location against the permissible location. The processing means is further configured to disable at least part of the functionality of the electronics apparatus if the actual location is more than a predetermined distance from the permissible location. The processing means is further configured to enter the anti-theft device in a standby mode, wherein the electronics apparatus is never disabled by the anti-theft device, and the standby mode may be entered for a predetermined time period.
US09685049B2 Method and system for improving barcode scanner performance
A barcode scanner should output one scanned result per scanned item at checkout. Scanners with large scan areas and multiple scan lines may scan an item more than once as it is dragged through the scan area during the checkout process. A timeout period, during which duplicate scans are ignored, may prevent duplicate scans from being transmitted. Scanners with integrated weight scales may require the use of the scan area for a weight measurement. As a result, weighed items may linger in the scan area longer than the regular timeout period and may be re-scanned. The invention embraces a method and system for mitigating this problem by using information from the scanned barcode and information from the scale to affect how duplicate barcode scans are handled for items requiring a weight measurement and not adversely affected with speed of input as may result with gating and virtual gating with disable/enable scanning commands.
US09685048B2 Automatically generating an optimal marketing strategy for improving cross sales and upsales of items
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program product for generating an optimized marketing strategy for improving sales. The process parses event data to identify patterns of events associated with a selection of a selected item by each customer in a plurality of customers and selection of at least one item in a set of items related to the selected item. The process identifies events in the patterns of events that result in a purchase of at least one item in the set of related items by the customers to form optimized events. The process then generates a marketing strategy using the optimized events. The marketing strategy comprises a set of strategies for increasing purchases of items in the set of related items by the customers.
US09685046B2 Gaming machine with buy feature games
A gaming system comprising an input device for placing wagers. The wagers include a first wager consisting of a base wager, and second and third wagers, each consisting of a base wager portion and an additional wager portion. The third wager has a higher ratio of the additional wager portion to the base wager portion than the second wager. An outcome is based on the first, second or third wager, such that upon said second wager being made and an designated event associated with the second wager occurring, a first additional benefit relative to when the first wager is made is provided, and upon said third wager being made and a designated event associated with the third wager occurring, a second additional benefit relative to when the first wager is made is provided. The second additional benefit is a greater benefit than the first additional benefit.
US09685045B2 Computerized game management systems and methods
A computerized card game management system includes a communications interface, a winning percent module, a dealer module, and a game play module. The communications interface is configured to receive data inputs from client devices. The winning percent module is configured to generate a first set of winning percentages defining each player's likelihood of winning each hand of the play cycle during the first segment. The dealer module is configured to select, for each hand of the play cycle, a set of hole cards to be dealt to each player during the first segment. The dealer module selects the set of hole cards based on each player's likelihood of winning the hand as defined by the first set of winning percentages. The game play module is configured to generate a graphical user interface for each player and to provide the graphical user interfaces to the plurality of client devices.
US09685043B2 Electronic gaming machine with die-based random result generator
In one example, disclosed is a method for use with at least one die, wherein each of the at least one die is configured to have multiple resting positions and includes multiple symbols disposed thereon, and wherein for each of the at least one die, each of the multiple resting positions of that die corresponds with a respective one of the multiple symbols of that die. The method involves: the electronic gaming machine causing each of the at least one die to randomly land in one of the multiple resting positions of that die; for each of the at least one die, the electronic gaming machine determining the symbol that corresponds with the landed resting position of that die; and the electronic gaming machine performing an action based, at least in part, on the at least one determined symbol.
US09685042B2 Gaming system and a method of managing bandwidth usage in a gaming system
A plurality of games are implemented at a plurality of gaming machines. At least one server (30, 36, 38) serves game play and non-game play related data to at least one gaming machine (12, 12′), and a resource control unit (50, 202) obtains information indicative of bandwidth usage of a plurality of gaming machines (12, 12′), and controls the level of non-game play related data served to at least one gaming machine based on the information.
US09685040B2 Electronic slot machine with optional triggered games
An electronic gaming machine includes a display and an electronic game controller. A first game, second game and third game are playable on the display, the second game being triggered during play of the first game and the third game being triggered during play of the second game. A player must make an additional wager to play one of the second and third games and does not need to make a further bet to play the other of the second and third games. A gaming method is also provided.
US09685038B2 Game system, and control method and storage medium employed therein
Provided is a game system that is capable of limiting the usage of predetermined information individually. The game system acquires a two dimensional code for recreating a combined image from a character card, and utilizes, for the progression of a game, the combined image recreated during the game on the basis of the two dimensional code that has been acquired. And, the game system provides a two dimensional code so that information of a player name ID that is employed in order to limit the usage of the two dimensional code is included.
US09685033B2 Regulated games: multi-act games
Creative multi-act games for the younger generation of casino players accustomed to creative simulation games such as “The Sims®” and familiar TV characters such as the cast of “Friends”. Stories unfold through acts that have been staged by the player by selecting and placing acting objects. A palette of betting opportunities may be provided in each act in accordance with the staged act to allow the player(s) to place bets. A typical storyboard may include three acts: (a) a construction act, (b) a testing act and (c) a destruction or resolution act. The unfolding of acts may be non-linear and several players may participate simultaneously, sharing the opportunity to affect a storyboard's direction through decision-making.
US09685027B2 Parking meter
A parking meter assembly (10) including a base (11) that is to be fixed to or embedded in a ground surface, typically adjacent the curb that which a car is to be parked. The assembly (10) also includes a parking meter (13) having a front face (17) that includes a coin slot (25) a card slot (20) and a control panel (21). The parking meter (13) further includes a rear face (27) having a window aperture (28) that provides for the transmission of light to a solar panel (29) behind the aperture (28).
US09685021B2 Point-of-sale-scanner
Verifying the authenticity of a bill of currency includes configuring an ultraviolet filter mounted within a point-of-sale scanner to allow the passage of ultraviolet light within, illuminating the bill of currency with ultraviolet light, capturing, with the point-of-sale scanner, an image of the bill of currency, and determining if the bill of currency is authentic by analyzing the image.
US09685019B2 Device for examining a value document and method for examining a value document
A method or apparatus for examining a security element of a value document involves at least one optical property of the security element influenceable by a magnetic field. The value document is transported through a magnetic field which is inhomogeneous transversely to the transport direction and/or is changed time-dependently. An image of at least one portion of the value document having the security element is captured and image data describing the image are formed. The optical properties of the security element are influenced by the magnetic field, and the image data is checked whether they have a location dependence transverse to the transport direction corresponding to the location dependence of the magnetic field and/or have a location dependence in the transport direction corresponding to the time dependence of the magnetic field.
US09685018B2 Intelligent door lock system with wireless access control system
A wireless access control system is provided to lock or unlock a first door at a dwelling. A remote access device transmits a first signal and a second signal. The user remote access device is configured to be in communication with: an apparatus that controls transmission of displacement or rotational mechanical energy, a bolt coupled to the first door with the bolt coupled to an input rod and an output rod, where in operation the bolt locks and unlocks the first door, an energy source coupled to the apparatus that controls transmission of displacement or rotational mechanical energy, a wireless communication device to communicate with the user remote access device, a drive shaft associated with the first door that assists in locking and unlocking the bolt in response to communication with the user's user remote access device and receiving the first signal. The user remote access device is configured to be in communication with a second lock at a vehicle of the user or at an office of the user. The user remote access device is configured to communicate with the second lock with the second signal to cause the second lock to lock or be unlocked. The remote access device has a controller for generating the first and second signals.
US09685014B1 Remote control system using different types of carrier waves for polling signals
A carrier wave is selected based on a state of a target device such as a vehicle. A polling signal is generated using the selected carrier wave for transmission from the target device for receipt by a portable controller. A sinusoidal carrier wave is selected when the target device is in a state that is more sensitive to electrical noise interference caused by the polling signal being generated using the carrier wave than to electrical energy consumed in generating the polling signal using the carrier wave. A non-sinusoidal periodic carrier wave is selected when the target device is in a state that is more sensitive to electrical energy consumed in generating the polling signal using the carrier wave than to electrical noise interference caused by the polling signal being generated using the carrier wave.
US09685009B2 System and method for managing mixed fleet worksites using video and audio analytics
Systems and methods for managing and optimizing mixed fleet worksite operations based on video and or audio data are disclosed. One method includes receiving one or more models relating to a fleet of machines at the worksite, wherein the fleet of machines comprises an in-network machine and an out-of-network machine, receiving first sensor data associated with the out-of-network machine at the worksite, receiving second sensor data associated with the in-network machine at the worksite, determining a machine state of each of the in-network machine and the out-of-network machine based at least on the first sensor data and the second sensor data, comparing the determined machine states to a modeled machine state represented by the received one or more models to classify site operations and/or detect an irregularity in site operations or an inefficiency in site operations, and generating a response based at least on the detected irregularity or inefficiency.
US09685008B2 Method and system for securing a vehicle offered for rent, and vehicle rental facility implementing such a system or such a method
The invention relates to a method (200) for securing a traveling electric vehicle offered for rent; said method including the following steps: measuring (206) at least one value of at least one parameter relating to said vehicle, comparing (208) the value of said parameter to at least one predetermined value, and reporting (220) an anomaly, on the basis of the result of the comparison step; wherein the reporting step is initiated by a so-called central site remote from the vehicle. Said invention likewise relates to a system implementing such a method and an automated vehicle rental facility implementing such a method or such a system.
US09684999B1 Easily computable object representations
Techniques are disclosed for providing easily computable representations of dynamic objects so that a graphic systems' physics engine can more accurately and realistically determine the result of physical actions on, or with, such dynamic objects. More particularly, disclosed techniques generate a convex decomposition of an arbitrarily complex polygonal shape that is then simplified in a manner that preserves physically significant details, resulting in an object having a relatively small number of convex shapes that cover the original polygonal shape. The salience of a physically significant detail may be controlled via a threshold value which may be user or system specified.
US09684997B2 Efficient rendering of volumetric elements
Techniques for determining a shading rate of a volumetric element in a rendered scene when the rendered scene is viewed from a first point of view are provided. Embodiments determine a viewable area of the volumetric element, as viewed from the first point of view. A shading rate to use in processing the volumetric element is then determined, based on the determined viewable area. Embodiments processing the volumetric element at the determined shading rate using one or more shaders.
US09684996B2 Rendering global light transport in real-time using machine learning
Some implementations disclosed herein provide techniques and arrangements to render global light transport in real-time or near real-time. For example, in a pre-computation stage, a first computing device may render points of surfaces (e.g., using multiple light bounces and the like). Attributes for each of the points may be determined. A plurality of machine learning algorithms may be trained using particular attributes from the attributes. For example, a first machine learning algorithm may be trained using a first portion of the attributes and a second machine learning algorithm may be trained using a second portion of the attributes. The trained machine learning algorithms may be used by a second computing device to render components (e.g., diffuse and specular components) of indirect shading in real-time.
US09684995B2 Setting a display list pointer for primitives in a tile-based graphics processing system
A tiling unit assigning primitives to tiles in a graphics processing system which has a rendering space subdivided into a plurality of tiles. A primitive is assigned to a tile by including a primitive ID of the primitive in a display list for the tile. If a primitive, or a mesh of primitives entirely covers a tile such that all of the previous primitives in the tile are obscured (i.e. hidden) then a start pointer of the display list can be moved to thereby skip the obscured primitives. In this way, a hidden surface removal (HSR) module will not fetch the primitives which would ultimately be hidden by the primitive or the mesh which entirely covers the region. This method therefore reduces the number of primitives which are fetched by the HSR module.
US09684992B2 Visualization of objects along a street
For visualization of objects along a length of street, a user selection of a street is received. The selected street is displayed in an above-street view. At least a first plurality of street view images are concurrently displayed for objects along at least a first side of the selected street.
US09684991B2 Image processing apparatus and method using photon mapping and ray tracing and increasing a rate of photon mapping
Provided is an image processing apparatus for performing photon mapping, and the image processing apparatus may perform ray tracing for photon mapping, sample a ray space based on a result of the ray tracing, and perform pseudo photon mapping using the sampled ray space.
US09684987B1 Image manipulation for electronic display
The density of images to display can be increased, and distractions reduced, through intelligent cropping or manipulation of at least some of the images. For objects such as dresses represented in the images, the density can be increased by cropping away regions of background outside the object region(s). Locating regions representing the face and legs of the wearer can enable cropping of the top and/or bottom of the image in order to cause the dress to occupy the majority of the area of the image, and can provide for a level of consistency of the sizes of the objects across the images, regardless of the sources of the images. Representative colors of the objects can also be selected to adjust the background color, in order to provide for easy distinction between the images while not providing contrasting or unappealing colors that take away from the aesthetics of the objects.
US09684986B1 Constructing fonts from scanned images for rendering text
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for constructing fonts from scanned images. In one embodiment, a method may include receiving a scanned image with a first glyph and a second glyph that correspond to a character in the image. The method may include generating an image representative of each of the first glyph and the second glyph, determining a default positioning of the first character, determining a positional reference line indicative of an alignment of certain characters, and a third positional reference line indicative of an alignment of different characters. The method may include determining an adjustment for the first glyph by determining a distance between the default positioning and the second positional reference line. The method may include assigning an identifier to the first glyph and generating a font file to be executed by a renderer for rendering the source text.
US09684978B2 Camera, computer program and method for measuring thermal radiation and thermal rates of change
A camera, computer program, and method for determining and displaying temperature rates of change for regions within the camera's field of view. More specifically, the embodiments provide for the continuous, real-time temperature measurement and display of a plurality of objects within the camera's field of view, and further for the real-time processing and display of the temperature rates of change for the region.
US09684975B2 Method and system for filtering of visual objects
A system, device, computer-readable instructions, and method are provided for mapping and filtering of visual objects to address bump mapping. For example, a system, device, computer-readable instructions, and method are provided as a unified shading model representing both bump orientation and bidirectional radiance distribution function (“BRDF”). The computer-readable instructions are non-transitory, and storable on a storage device, including a CDROM, flashdrive, cloud, processor memory, or other storage capability.
US09684974B2 Lossless compression of fragmented image data
Lossless compression of fragmented image data is disclosed. In some embodiments, a stream of information comprising data elements having statistical characteristics is received. An encoded output is produced by an encoder comprising a data compressor that implements a variable length code that is adapted to the statistical characteristics of the data elements. The output and information from which the variable length code can be derived are stored.
US09684972B2 Imaging apparatus for imaging an object
An imaging apparatus for imaging an object includes a geometric relation determination unit configured to determine a geometric relation between first and second images of the object. A marker determination unit configured to determine corresponding marker locations in the first and second images and marker appearances based on the geometric relation such that the marker appearances of a first marker to be located at a first location in the first image and of a second marker to be located at a second corresponding location in the second image are indicative of the geometric relation. The images with the markers at the respective corresponding locations are shown on a display unit. Since the marker appearances are indicative of the geometric relation between the images, a comparative reviewing of the images can be facilitated, in particular, if they correspond to different viewing geometries.
US09684971B2 Field goal indicator for video presentation
A method is described for indicating an outcome of a sports action by determining a trajectory of a game-object. In football, the trajectory of the football determines the outcome of a field goal attempt. A television viewer has difficulty seeing if the ball passes between the uprights or not, especially if the ball is kicked higher than the uprights. By tracking the trajectory, virtual insertions such as extended goal posts, or goal posts colored to reflect the success or not of the attempt, can be inserted in a video feed. By tracking the flight of the ball from the time it is set in motion, the balls future trajectory is predicted after a short elapsed time, and the television audience is informed of the outcome before it has happened.
US09684970B2 Fast adaptive estimation of motion blur for coherent rendering
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for adaptively executing one or more motion blur estimation methods to estimate a motion blur associated with an image target frame in an Augmented Reality environment produced by an Augmented Reality application. In one embodiment, the functions implemented include: applying a first motion blur estimation method to estimate the motion blur; determining whether computational resources are available for a second motion blur estimation method; and applying the second motion blur estimation method to estimate the motion blur in response to a determination that computational resources are available for the second motion blur estimation method.
US09684969B2 Computer-readable recording medium, detecting method, and detecting apparatus detecting an amount of image difference
A detection method by which a computer to execute the following processes: The detection program causes the computer to execute a process of detecting times at which a timelike change amount temporarily decreases in a plurality of images that are sequentially taken. The detection program also causes the computer to execute a process of extracting, on the basis of the detected times, either a movement of beating time of a person included in the taken images or times at which the person included in the taken images beats time.
US09684964B2 Image processing apparatus and image processing method for determining disparity
There is provided an image processing apparatus including a stereo matching unit configured to obtain right and left disparity images by using stereo matching, based on a pair of images captured by right and left cameras, respectively, a filter processing unit configured to perform filter processing on the disparity images, and a first merging unit configured to make a comparison, in the disparity images that have undergone the filter processing, between disparity values at mutually corresponding positions in the right and left disparity images and to merge the disparity values of the right and left disparity images based on a comparison result.
US09684961B2 Scan region determining apparatus
The invention relates to a scan region determining apparatus (12) for determining a scan region of a subject to be scanned by a scanning system (10) like a computed tomography system. A spatial transformation defining a registration of an overview image and a template image with respect to each other is determined, wherein initially the overview image and the template image are registered by using an element position indicator being indicative of a position of an element of the subject with respect to the overview image. A template scan region is defined with respect to the template image, wherein a final scan region is determined by projecting the template scan region onto the overview image by using the determined spatial transformation. The registration and thus the determination of the spatial transformation are very robust, which improves the quality of determining the final scan region.
US09684956B2 Arrangement and method for determining a body condition score of an animal
An arrangement for determining a body condition score of an animal comprises a three-dimensional camera system directed towards the animal and provided for recording at least one three-dimensional image of the animal; and an image processing device connected to the three-dimensional camera system and provided for forming a three-dimensional surface representation of a portion of the animal from the three- dimensional image recorded by the three-dimensional camera system; for statistically analyzing the surface of the three-dimensional surface representation; and for determining the body condition score of the animal based on the statistically analyzed surface of the three-dimensional surface representation.
US09684953B2 Method and system for image processing in video conferencing
A method for image processing in video conferencing, for correcting the gaze of an interlocutor in an image or a sequence of images captured by at least one real camera, comprises the steps of the at least one real camera acquiring an original image of the interlocutor; synthesizing a corrected view of the interlocutor's face as seen by a virtual camera, the virtual camera being located on the interlocutor's line of sight and oriented towards the interlocutor; transferring the corrected view of the interlocutor's face from the synthesized view into the original image, thereby generating a final image; at least one of displaying the final image and transmitting the final image.
US09684952B2 Alignment of mixed-modality data sets for reduction and removal of imaging artifacts
Methods and systems are described for removing reflective artifacts from an imaging model of a patient's teeth. A first volumetric model and a second volumetric model of the patient's teeth are accessed from a computer-readable memory. The orientation and scale of at least one of the two models is repeatedly and automatically adjusted until an optimized orientation and scale is determined that correlates the first volumetric model and the second volumetric model. The second volumetric model is then overlaid onto the first volumetric model. Any data points in the first volumetric model that extend beyond a surface of the patient's teeth in the second volumetric model are detected and removed to create an artifact-reduced volumetric model.
US09684931B2 Method and system for offering a credit product by a credit issuer to a consumer at a point-of-sale
A method for offering at least one credit product by at least one credit issuer to a consumer at a point-of-sale between a merchant and the consumer. The method includes the steps of: providing a credit issuer data set including a plurality of data fields to a central database; initiating a transaction between the consumer and the merchant at the point-of-sale; offering, to the consumer at the point-of-sale, the at least one credit product; and presenting, to the consumer at the point-of-sale, at least one data field in the credit issuer data set. The at least one data field presented to the consumer is populated with data directed to the credit product, the credit issuer, or any combination thereof. An apparatus and system are also disclosed.
US09684929B1 Detecting content consumption
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for providing content are disclosed. In one aspect, a set of interaction data specifying one or more types of user interactions with a resource is received for a user. A determination is made, based on the interaction data, that the user is in a first engagement category from at least two different engagement categories. A request for a content item to be provided to the user is received. A content item having a bid specifying an amount that a content item provider is willing to pay for distribution of the content item to a user in the first engagement category is identified. A determination is made, based on the outcome of an auction performed using the bid, that the bid is a winning bid. The content item is provided for presentation in response to the request.
US09684926B1 Processing purchase requests by third-party applications
In general, the subject matter described in this disclosure can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products. A server system receives a request for details regarding a product that a user of a remote computing device selected for purchase from a user interface provided by a third-party application program executable at the remote computing device. The received request specifies the product. The server system uses an indication of the product to identify details that are specific to the product. The server system sends, for receipt by the particular application program, the details. The server system receives, from the particular application program and after sending the details, confirmation to purchase the product, and, in response, sends a charge request to charge the user for the product to a transaction processing system.
US09684924B2 Assistance on the go
A mobile computerized apparatus or method configured to coordinate towing facilities and roadside assistance providers and their available capacity to tow and provide roadside assistance and match users with those towing facilities and roadside assistance providers is disclosed. The apparatus or method may be configured to consider the following factors in matching the towing facilities/roadside assistance providers and users: (a) availability of nearby towing facilities; (b) telematics information from the vehicle to assist with the diagnosis/repairs; (c) preset preferences of the user; (d) insurance information (such as the type of the vehicle the user has and the user's home address); and (e) the capabilities of the towing facility.
US09684922B2 Accurate delivery apparatus and method for delivering from within a building and distant locations
A delivery station and a method for operating the delivery station including a station server, at least one of storage device for controlling storage facility and a delivery device for delivery including confirmation, located in one of a building and distant and connected to at least one e-provider server via a network for gathering and delivering without error at least one of merchandise and service item included in an order received by at least one e-provider from at least one dweller of the building, each of the devices comprising a CPU, a memory, indicators and touch display screen identifying particulars pertaining to a stored item, the order received from a dweller, a barcode reader, an RFID reader, a communication transceiver for verifying and communicating the gathering and the delivery, including updating of the stored item quantity via the station server upon execution or cancellation of the delivery.
US09684919B2 Item delivery using 3D manufacturing on demand
Methods and systems can be provided for providing items manufactured on demand to users. A user request for an item can be received. The item can have 3D manufacturing instructions associated therewith. A delivery method for the item can be determined. A manufacturing apparatus can be selected to manufacture the item based on the 3D manufacturing instructions. Instructions can be sent to the manufacturing apparatus to manufacture the item based on the 3D manufacturing instructions. Delivery instructions can be provided for delivering the item according to the delivery method.
US09684915B1 Method, medium, and system including a display device with authenticated digital collectables
A fan network system provides portals that can be accessed by fan mobile devices to buy, sell, or trade digital trading cards. The fan network system can keep track of these purchases and trades using a database that keeps track of cards and a database that keeps track of user accounts. The fan network system also provides portals that can be accessed by fan mobile devices to buy or cancel subscriptions, such as magazine subscriptions or television channel subscriptions. The fan network system also provides portals that can be accessed by fan mobile devices to redeem codes for digital trading cards, the codes given during sporting events, or in exchange for subscriptions, or through fan club memberships, or through fantasy league memberships.
US09684912B2 Proxy shopping registry
Methods and systems are provided for facilitating purchases by one person for another person. A user can take advantage of one or more social networks to facilitate purchases by proxy shoppers for the user. For example, the user can designate what products can be purchased by a proxy shopper and what stores can be used by the proxy shopper to make the purchases. The products can be listed in a registry on the user's social network. When the proxy shopper is in a designated store, the proxy shopper can purchase a designated products for the user.
US09684906B2 Footage reporting
Footage used in an aired show by a broadcaster, broadcasting network or similar entity can be more easily tracked and reported to rights holders. An electronic cutsheet can be created for a video package. The electronic cutsheet includes information identifying one or more footage items included in the video package and any rights holders associated with the footage item. Using the cutsheets, a number of playlists can be created or otherwise provided. Each playlist is associated with at least one video package. The playlist can then be associated with a show to indicate that the show has aired and thus that the playlist and its included packages have actually been used. A report can then be generated that indicates at least one rights holder and the number of instances in which a footage item associated with the indicated rights holder was included in an aired show.
US09684902B2 Processing techniques for text capture from a rendered document
A facility for initiating a purchase is described. The facility receives a text sequence captured by a user from a rendered document using a handheld text capture device. The facility identifies in the received text sequence a reference to a distinguished product. In response to identifying the reference, the facility presents to the user an opportunity to place an order for the established product. If the user accepts the presented opportunity to order the distinct product, the facility orders the distinct product on behalf of the user.
US09684900B2 Authentication on mobile device using two-dimensional code
A two-dimensional code generated from encrypted original authentication data can be displayed on an authentication device. The code is read and decrypted by an authentication application on a mobile device. This can generate and display a new two-dimensional code. The new code can contain additional information, and the new two-dimensional code is read by the two-dimensional code reading unit of an authentication device. It is then authenticated.
US09684898B2 Securing personal identification numbers for mobile payment applications by combining with random components
Systems and methods can secure personal identification numbers associated with secure elements within mobile devices. A host application of the mobile device can receive a personal identification number (PIN) or user PIN from a user. The application can generate one or more random PIN components. The application can compute a PIN for the secure element based upon the user PIN and each of the one or more random components. The SE can be configured using the PIN computed for the secure element. Each of the one or more random components may be stored in one or more distinct, diverse locations. In addition to entering the correct user PIN, each of the one or more random components must be retrieved from the diverse locations in order to reconstruct the PIN for the secure element whenever performing a transaction using the secure element.
US09684884B2 System and method for identifying one or more objects hung from a display peg
Systems and methods for identifying one or more objects hung from a display peg are described herein. The system may include a display peg comprising a first and second electrically conductive terminal. An object comprising a resistive element may be hung from the display peg such that the resistive element is in electrical communication with the terminals. A source may be configured to provide a current that flows from the first terminal through the resistive element to the second terminal. An electronic device may be configured to detect the electrical current flowing from the second terminal. The system may be configured to identify the type of object depending on the detected electrical current.
US09684878B2 Automatic graphical rendering of processes
This disclosure relates to tools for optimizing complex processes or systems, such as flow process charts and, more specifically to the automatic graphical renderings of processes. In an exemplary embodiment, the process is a complex process including hundreds or thousands of operations. In an exemplary embodiment, a device displays a first view that includes a complete progression diagram automatically generated from data stored in a database, and at least some directional lines of the complete progression diagram unintelligibly overlap. In response to a selection of a particular operation in the complete progression diagram, in an exemplary embodiment, the display toggles to a second view that includes a focus diagram. In an exemplary embodiment, an edit to the focus diagram is checked in real-time and rejected if the edit orphans of an object currently undergoing the process on a live production line.
US09684877B2 System and method for improved consumption models for analytics
Described herein are systems and methods for generating user interfaces that include a meta-chart framework for organizing and analyzing multi-dimensional hierarchical data in an efficient and intuitive graphical user interface with which a user can explore and consume prepared analytical elements. The predetermined structure of such user interfaces can include customizable and scalable graphical and/or alphanumeric analytic elements with contextual controls that can guide a user on a preconfigured analytical path, or “drill-down path,” to better explore and understand the multidimensional data. Such embodiments provide a turnkey analytical framework from which users can both immediately understand data and learn how to explore the data in greater depth.
US09684874B2 Parallel decision or regression tree growing
Embodiments relate to growing a plurality of trees in parallel. An aspect includes creating, for each of a plurality of trees, a data bag based on a training data set comprising a plurality of data records. Another aspect includes splitting the training data set into disjoint data sub-sets; and storing each of the sub-sets in a respective data slice. Another aspect includes performing a single pass through the data records stored in a data slice, thereby identifying one or more of the current nodes that are assigned data records; calculating an intermediate result for each identified current node based on all data records of said data slice; and merging intermediate results into a combined intermediate result. Another aspect includes, for each of the current nodes: calculating a split criterion from the combined intermediate result; and creating two or more child nodes of the current node based on the split criterion.
US09684870B2 Methods and systems of using boosted decision stumps and joint feature selection and culling algorithms for the efficient classification of mobile device behaviors
Methods and systems for classifying mobile device behavior include configuring a server use a large corpus of mobile device behaviors to generate a full classifier model that includes a finite state machine suitable for conversion into boosted decision stumps and/or which describes all or many of the features relevant to determining whether a mobile device behavior is benign or contributing to the mobile device's degradation over time. A mobile device may receive the full classifier model and use the model to generate a full set of boosted decision stumps from which a more focused or lean classifier model is generated by culling the full set to a subset suitable for efficiently determining whether mobile device behavior are benign. Boosted decision stumps may be culled by selecting all boosted decision stumps that depend upon a limited set of test conditions.
US09684868B2 Predicting influence in social networks
A method, system and computer program product are disclosed for predicting influence in a social network. In one embodiment, the method comprises identifying a set of users of the social network, and identifying a subset of the users as influential users based on defined criteria. A multitude of measures are identified as predictors of which ones of the set of users are the influential users. These measures are aggregated, and a composite predictor model is formed based on this aggregation. This composite predictor model is used to predict which ones of the set of users will have a specified influence in the social network in the future. In one embodiment, the specified influence is based on messages sent from the users, and for example, may be based on the number of the messages sent from each user that are re-sent by other users.
US09684867B2 Adaptive content inspection
Methods and apparatus are provided involving adaptive content inspection. In one embodiment, a content inspection processor may identify information with respect to input data and provide the information to a host controller. The host controller may adapt search criteria or other parameters and provide the adapted parameter to the content inspection processor. Other embodiments may include a content inspection processor having integrated feedback, such that results data is fed back to the content inspection processor. The results data may be processed before being provided to the content inspection processor.
US09684863B2 Electronic card having an external connector
A smart card is provided, including an external connector formed of an insulating support and a plurality of external metal contact pads arranged on an external face of the support, and a card body having a housing in which the external connector is arranged and includes an electronic unit and/or an antenna electrically connected to a plurality of internal metal contact pads arranged underneath the external connector and respectively aligned with the external pads. The external pads are respectively electrically connected to the internal pads by a plurality of metal parts, which are each at least partially formed by a solder material and which traverse the insulating support through respective apertures. The metal parts are respectively covered by the external pads, which close the apertures on the external face of the support, and respectively form connecting bridges between rear surfaces of the external pads and the internal pads.
US09684861B2 Payment cards and devices with displays, chips, RFIDs, magnetic emulators, magnetic decoders, and other components
A payment card (e.g., credit and/or debit card) or other card or device (e.g., mobile telephone) is provided with a magnetic emulator operable to communicate data to a magnetic stripe read-head. User interfaces are provided in a number of different configurations in order to achieve a number of different functionalities.
US09684859B2 Registration correction for continuous printing
Image plane registration errors are corrected for a multi-channel printing system that prints on a continuous web of media. Nominal in-track line spacing are defined for each image plane, and are used to print lines of image data for each image plane. An in-track registration error is measured for a misregistered image plane in the printed image, and is used to determine an adjusted in-track line spacing that will bring the misregistered image plane back into registration in the in-track direction over a predefined correction time interval. Additional image data is then printed using the adjusted in-track line spacing during the correction time interval, after which image data is printed using a new in-track line spacing that is different from the adjusted in-track line spacing.
US09684858B2 Image processing system, image generation-output control apparatus, method of processing image, and storage medium of program to execute method of processing image, to control plural output apparatuses to output same output image
An image processing system for executing a plurality of processes includes a process execution control apparatus to control an execution of the plurality of processes, and an image generation-output control apparatus to control an execution of image generation-output operation, The process execution control apparatus includes a process execution controller to control the execution of the processes, a control-side drawing information generator to generate drawing information to be referred when performing the image generation-output operation based on information of a target image to be output. The image generation-output control apparatus includes an output-side drawing information generator capable of generating the drawing information based on the information of the target image to be output acquired from the process execution control apparatus, and an execution controller to execute the image generation-output operation by using the image forming apparatus based on the drawing information generated by the output-side drawing information generator.
US09684856B2 Method, control device and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing program for estimating color verification result
A control device estimates a color verification result by using the following method. The method includes obtaining a first set of color values by using measurements of a color chart printed by a printer without color management; calculating second and third sets of color values based on increased color gamut and reduced color gamut of the printer due to a conditional change of the printer; creating a first to third printer-profiles by using the first to third sets of color values; calculating theoretical reference values of target color values and first to third theoretical color values by using the first to third printer-profiles; calculating first to third color differences by using the theoretical reference values and the first to third theoretical color values; obtaining an estimated result of the color verification by comparing the first to third color differences with a preset standard value; and outputting the estimated result.
US09684855B2 Printer
The disclosure discloses a printer including a first memory and a controller. The first memory is configured to store a plurality of types of partial print data for print formation of a plurality of types of partial pictorial symbols wherein some of the partial pictorial symbols are combined into at least one pictorial symbol. The controller is configured to execute a determining operation acceptance process, a print data generation process, and a coordination control process. In the determining operation acceptance process, a determining operation for determining the pictorial symbol is accepted. In the print data generation process, print data including the pictorial symbol determined by variably combining the plurality of types of the partial print data stored in the first memory is generated. In the coordination control process, the feeder and the printing head are coordinately controlled for forming a print corresponding to the print data on the print-receiving medium.
US09684852B2 Systems and methods for inferring gender by fusion of multimodal content
A method and systems are provided. A system includes a set of visual and textual classifiers for recognizing semantic concepts in a set of images and assigning semantic scores for the images to predict a gender of a user, and performing gender prediction from visual content and textual content in the images to respectively generate visual-based gender predictions and textual-based gender predictions. The system further includes a multimodal information fusion device for combining, using multimodal information fusion, the visual-based gender predictions, the textual-based gender predictions, and the semantic scores to infer a gender of a user.
US09684849B2 Image processing device, information storage device, and image processing method
An image processing device includes: an image sequence acquisition section that acquires an image sequence that includes a plurality of constituent images; and a processing section that performs an image summarization process that deletes some of the plurality of constituent images included in the image sequence to generate a summary image sequence, the processing section detecting an observation target area from each of the plurality of constituent images, selecting a reference image and a determination target image from the plurality of constituent images, calculating deformation information about a deformation estimation target area included in the reference image and the deformation estimation target area included in the determination target image, and determining whether or not the determination target image can be deleted based on the observation target area included in the reference image, the observation target area included in the determination target image, and the deformation information.
US09684847B2 Spherical lighting device with backlighting coronal ring
A method for capturing three-dimensional photographic lighting of a spherical lighting device is described. Calculation of boundaries of the spherical lighting device based on lighting properties of at least one light source in a set location of the spherical lighting device is performed. A mapping of multitude points of the spherical lighting device to three-dimensional vectors of at least one camera device using a logical grid is performed. A measurement of brightness of the logical grid of the spherical lighting device is performed. The method further comprises determining brightest grid point of the logical grid of the spherical lighting device, wherein the brightest grid point of the logical grid is measured within a region brightness of the spherical lighting device. The method further comprises calculating the region of brightness of the spherical lighting device based on the determined brightest grid point of the logical grid.
US09684843B2 Video capture in data capture scenario
A data capture component of a mobile device receives information for an identification of a data field in a physical document. The data capture component receives a video stream comprising a plurality of frames, wherein each frame comprises a portion of the physical document. A frame is selected from the plurality of frames in the video stream. One or more text regions in the frame are identified. Each of the identified text region(s) in the frame is processed to identify data of each of the identified text region(s) and to select data of one of the identified text region(s) that corresponds to a set of attributes associated with the data field. The selected data is then compared with data of text regions of a subsequent frame. If the data of the text regions of the subsequent frame is a closer match to the set of attributes, the selected data is updated. A display field is then provided with the selected data for presentation in a user interface.
US09684838B2 Empirical data modeling
Methods, apparatuses and systems directed to pattern identification and pattern recognition. In some particular implementations, the invention provides a flexible pattern recognition platform including pattern recognition engines that can be dynamically adjusted to implement specific pattern recognition configurations for individual pattern recognition applications. In some implementations, the present invention also provides for a partition configuration where knowledge elements can be grouped and pattern recognition operations can be individually configured and arranged to allow for multi-level pattern recognition schemes.
US09684836B1 Combining multiple estimates of an environment into a consolidated estimate for an autonomous vehicle
A vehicle is provided that may combine multiple estimates of an environment into a consolidated estimate. The vehicle may receive first data indicative of the region of interest in an environment from a sensor of the vehicle. The first data may include a first accuracy value and a first estimate of the region of interest. The vehicle may also receive second data indicative of the region of interest in the environment, and the second data may include a second accuracy value and a second estimate of the region of interest. Based on the first data and the second data, the vehicle may combine the first estimate of the region of interest and the second estimate of the region of interest.
US09684834B1 Trainable versatile monitoring device and system of devices
A machine system includes monitor devices each having a camera, the monitor devices distributed over a physical area; layout logic forms images from the cameras of the monitor devices into a scene layout for the area; user interface logic receives training signals from sensors directed to a person physically present in the area and to correlate those signals to subareas of the layout; and analytical logic analyzes the layout and training signals to ascertain subareas of the area at which the monitor devices should focus machine sensor and processing resources.
US09684832B2 Methods and systems for providing remote plant identification by unique biological characteristics
Plants may be remotely identified using unique biological characteristics (UBCs). One method involves determining a target plant within an area to be surveyed and associated target plant characteristics. The method may further include a determination of one or more unique UBCs associated with the target plant, and the location of a training plant within the physical area that exhibits the target plant characteristics. Thereafter, comparisons may be made between subsections of an acquired, date-specific, geo referenced image and data representing the training plant to identify those subsections that represent plants within the area that are associated with the one or more UBCs.
US09684831B2 Adaptive edge-like feature selection during object detection
A method of recognizing an object of interest in an image includes extracting a first set of features from within the image. Each extracted feature in the first set of features is then categorized as either blob-like or edge-like. A second set of features is then taken from the first set, where a number of the edge-like features to include in the second set of features is based on a relative number of edge-like features to blob-like features included in the first set of extracted features. An object of interest within the image is detected according to the second set of features.
US09684826B2 Reducing the search space for recognition of objects in an image based on wireless signals
Provided is a process including: determining that a mobile computing device has crossed a geofence associated with a merchant store; sending, to a remote classifier server, a request for object-recognition classifiers for objects in the merchant store; receiving a set of object-recognition classifiers; receiving with the mobile computing device from user a request to search for offers; capturing an image with a camera of the mobile computing device; receiving one or more wireless beacon identifiers with the mobile computing device; based on the wireless beacon identifiers, selecting a subset of the object-recognition classifiers in the set of object-recognition classifiers; and recognizing an object in the captured image based on the selected subset of the object-recognition classifiers; and requesting, from a remote offer publisher server, offers corresponding to the recognized object; and receiving offers from the remote offer publisher server; and displaying the received offers to the user.
US09684824B2 Motion estimation device, robot, and method to estimate reaction of a person
A motion estimation device includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire a distance between a sensor and an object and a situation estimation unit configured to estimate a person's reaction based on a distance acquired by the acquisition unit at a first time that is set based on a time when a person is being urged to stop raising his/her hand.
US09684822B1 Mechanism to create pattern gesture transmissions to create device-sourcing emergency information
A system may comprise a registration device configured to register patterns for users; a recording device configured to record a received pattern, as an electronic pattern, wherein the recording device recognizes the received pattern as one of the registered patterns; a receiving device configured to observe human movement patterns with a camera, transform the observed human movement patterns to an electronic signal, and receive the recognized registered pattern from the recording device by a first wireless transmission; a forwarding device configured to transmit the electronic signal, and the received recognized registered pattern to an alert service by a second wireless transmission; and an alert service, configured to receive the electronic signal and the received recognized registered pattern from the forwarding device and configured to transmit the electronic signal and the received recognized registered pattern to a second electronic device by a third wireless transmission.
US09684818B2 Method and apparatus for providing image contents
Disclosed herein is a method for providing image contents. The method for providing image contents includes: dividing the image contents into a plurality of scenes, each scene including a plurality of shots; classifying image frames for each scene depending on each of a plurality of characters appearing in the image contents; receiving a user input for selecting any one of the plurality of characters; and displaying a scene corresponding to the character selected depending on the user input.
US09684817B2 Method and system for automatically optimizing quality of point cloud data
Disclosed is a method for automatically optimizing point cloud data quality, including the following steps of: acquiring initial point cloud data for a target to be reconstructed, to obtain an initial discrete point cloud; performing preliminary data cleaning on the obtained initial discrete point cloud to obtain a Locally Optimal Projection operator (LOP) sampling model; obtaining a Possion reconstruction point cloud model by using a Possion surface reconstruction method on the obtained initial discrete point cloud; performing iterative closest point algorithm registration on the obtained Possion reconstruction point cloud model and the obtained initial discrete point cloud; and for each point on a currently registered model, calculating a weight of a surrounding point within a certain radius distance region of a position corresponding to the point for the point on the obtained LOP sampling model, and comparing the weight with a threshold, to determine whether a region where the point is located requires repeated scanning. Further disclosed is a system for automatically optimizing point cloud data quality.
US09684814B2 Method and device for estimating orientation field of fingerprint
A method for estimating an orientation field of a fingerprint is provided, comprising: obtaining an initial orientation field of a fingerprint, and putting the initial orientation field in a reference coordinate system; obtaining N initial orientation blocks corresponding to the initial orientation field, and obtaining N orientation block sets corresponding to N positions respectively from a fingerprint dictionary; obtaining a similarity between each of the N initial orientation blocks and each orientation block in the N orientation block sets corresponding to the N positions to obtain P similarities, and selecting a preset number of candidate orientation blocks for each position from the orientation block set according to the P similarities; obtaining a compatibility between two candidate orientation blocks corresponding to any two adjacent positions respectively to obtain a plurality of compatibilities; and obtaining a candidate orientation block for each position according to the P similarities and the plurality of compatibilities.
US09684812B2 Fingerprint sensing device with common mode suppression
The present invention relates to a fingerprint sensing device for sensing a fingerprint pattern of a finger, the fingerprint sensing device comprising at least a first sensing structure and a second sensing structure; and at least a first charge amplifier and a second charge amplifier. Each charge amplifier comprises: a first input; a second input; an output; and at least one amplifier stage between the first and second inputs, and the output. The output is capacitively coupled to the first input. The first input of the first charge amplifier is connected to the first sensing structure; the first input of the second charge amplifier is connected to the second sensing structure; and the output of the first charge amplifier is capacitively coupled to the first input of the second charge amplifier to suppress the common mode component.
US09684811B2 Suspended capacitive fingerprint sensor and method for manufacturing the same
A suspended capacitive fingerprint sensor includes a substrate, capacitive sensing units disposed on the substrate and one or more insulation protection layer. Each of the capacitive sensing units includes a fixed electrode, a suspended electrode, and a chamber between the fixed electrode and the suspended electrode. The insulation protection layer covers the capacitive sensing units, so that the capacitive sensing units sense a fingerprint of a finger above the insulation protection layer. A method for manufacturing the suspended capacitive fingerprint sensor is also provided.
US09684810B2 System and method for partite optically readable code
A system and method for partite optically readable codes are provided. The method includes: scanning at least one component of the partite optically readable code, wherein the partite optically readable code comprises of at least two components; determining whether the remaining components of the partite optically readable code are accessible; combining all the components of the partite optically readable code; and decoding the partite optically readable code. The system includes: a scanning module configured to retrieve a component of a partite optically readable code, wherein the partite optically readable code comprises at least two components; and a code module configured to receive the component from the scanning module, the code module further configured to determine whether the remaining components of the partite optically readable code are accessible, to combine the components of the partite optically readable code, and to decode the partite optically readable code.
US09684809B2 Scanner assembly with removable shock mount
An indicia scanning assembly having a housing with a shock mount receiving space; and an elastomeric scan engine receiving shock mount positioned in the shock mount receiving space. The scan engine receiving shock mount has a first end with a scan engine receiving space.
US09684807B2 Frequency selective logarithmic amplifier with intrinsic frequency demodulation capability
A regenerative selective logarithmic detector amplifier (LDA) can have integrated FM demodulation capabilities. It can receive a wired or wireless FM modulated signal and amplify or demodulate it with high sensitivity, high skirt ratio and minimized noise when compared to the prior art. When used in conjunction with other circuits such as a PLL or mixer, it can improve interference rejection and frequency selectivity and be locked on a precise channel in frequency and phase. The LDA produces intermittent oscillations that are self-quenched when reaching a given threshold. It also embeds the circuitry to perform direct FM discrimination. FM demodulation process is completed by a simple analog or digital frequency to voltage converter. This plus the fact that the instantaneous regeneration gain is low-medium permit to detect signals of small amplitudes buried in the noise.
US09684804B2 Protecting content displayed on a mobile device
A method, computer program product and system for protecting content includes a mobile device screen including a plurality of pixels, whereby each of the plurality of pixels have first sub-pixel units that include a first viewing angle and second sub-pixel units that include a second viewing angle. Within each of the plurality of pixels, the first sub-pixel units are adjacent to the second sub-pixel units. A processing unit is coupled to the mobile device screen and determines a portion of the mobile device screen that displays sensitive content. The processing unit obscures the sensitive content displayed on the portion of the mobile device screen by deactivating the first sub-pixel units at the portion of the mobile device screen that displays the sensitive content and activates the second sub-pixel units at the portion of the mobile device screen that displays the sensitive content.
US09684797B2 Protecting privacy with secure digital signage in vehicle registration plates
Various systems and methods for protecting privacy with secure digital signage in vehicle registration plates are described herein. A system with an electronic registration plate for protecting privacy with secure digital signage, the electronic registration plate attached to a vehicle, the system may include a data access module to: access, a data store of registration numbers, the data store including a plurality of unique registration plate numbers and assigned to the vehicle; and retrieve a registration plate number from the data store; and a display module to present the registration plate number on the electronic registration plate.
US09684794B2 System and architecture for secure computer devices
The present invention relates to a system and architecture for securing otherwise unsecured computer subsystems. According to one aspect, the invention provides an independent hardware platform for running software in a secure manner. According to another aspect, the invention provides the means to control and secure all disk, network and other I/O transactions. According to still further aspects, the invention provides a means to monitor and prevent unauthorized user and malicious software activity Additional aspects include providing a secure platform for device and user authentication as well as encryption key management, providing a means to perform background backup snapshots, and providing the means for enabling full management over computer operations.
US09684784B2 Systems and methods for securely storing data
Various embodiments of systems and methods for securely storing data are provided. In one embodiment, a computer-readable storage module is provided for securely storing data. A storage-side processor is provided for selectively granting access to the stored data on the computer-readable storage module. A user-side memory for storing an output generation record is also provided. A user-side processor configured to provide a password receiving module for receiving a password candidate, an output generation module for using the password candidate received to attempt to access the output generation record and for generating an output based on whether the attempt to access the output generation record is successful, and an output communication module for communicating the output generated by the output generation module to the storage-side processor are also provided. The storage-side processor is configured to grant access to at least some of the data if the output received corresponds to an authorized output, the storage-side processor being configured to otherwise deny access to the data. The user-side processor is further configured to conceal whether the attempt to access the output generation record was successful until the storage-side processor receives the output generated. The output generation module is configured to generate the authorized output if the password candidate is an authorized password and the output generated is not the authorized output if the password candidate is not the authorized password.
US09684781B2 Determine authorization of a software product based on a first and second authorization item
Embodiments disclosed herein relate to determining authorization of a software product based on a first authorization item and a second authorization item. Each authorization item may be a file or a registry key. A processor 104 may determine whether use of the software product is authorized at a particular time period by comparing a first authorization item and a second authorization item.
US09684780B2 Dynamic interactive identity authentication method and system
An identity authentication system includes a storage unit, a display character set generation unit, a display unit and a password authentication unit. An identity authentication method includes the following steps: generating the dynamic display character sets; inputting a dynamic input code; and comparing the dynamic input code with the user password. This invention can improve the security of identity authentication and is convenient to use.
US09684770B2 Performing measurement of a subject
A method of performing measurement of a subject comprises measuring a physiological parameter of a subject, deriving data from the measured parameter, optionally, obtaining metadata relating to the measurement of the physiological parameter, determining the quality of the derived data from the derived data and/or the obtained metadata, and if the determined quality matches a predefined criteria, performing a predefined corrective action. In one embodiment, the method further comprises calculating one or more qualifiers from the derived data and/or from the obtained metadata, and wherein the step of determining the quality of the derived data comprises determining the quality of the derived data from the calculated qualifiers.
US09684769B2 Apparatus and method for diagnosis
There are provided an apparatus and method for diagnosis using a medical image. The apparatus includes: an analyzing unit configured to detect a lesion area, and generate a group of candidate lesion areas with respect to the detected lesion area; and an interface unit configured to arrange one or more candidate lesion areas selected among the group of candidate lesion areas with information about each of the one or more selected candidate lesion areas in a first region of an interface.
US09684762B2 Rules-based approach to rendering medical imaging data
Systems and methods that allow transfer criteria to be defined based on one or more of several attributes, such as a particular user, site, or device, as well as whether individual images and/or image series are classified as thin slices, and applied to medical images in order to determine which images are downloaded, viewed, stored, and/or any number of other actions that might be performed with respect to particular images.
US09684760B2 Measure of analysis performed in property checking
The amount of analysis performed in determining the validity of a property of a digital circuit is measured concurrent with performance of the analysis, and provided as an output when a true/false answer cannot be provided e.g. when stopped due to resource constraints. In some embodiments, a measure of value N indicates that a given property that is being checked will not be violated within a distance N from an initial state from which the analysis started. Therefore, in such embodiments, a measure of value N indicates that the analysis has implicitly or explicitly covered every possible excursion of length N from the initial state, and formally proved that no counter-example is possible within this length N.
US09684758B2 Generating asserted sensitivities for statistical timing
One or more processors group a plurality of timing arcs into a plurality of equivalence classes. Each timing arc includes one or more delay tables. One or more processors generate, for at least one equivalence class of the plurality of equivalence classes, an average sensitivity to a condition by performing a weighted average on respective sensitivities of timing arcs to the condition. One or more processors determine a sensitivity of an electronic circuit to the condition based, at least in part, a match between one or more attributes of the electronic circuit and one or more attributes present in the at least one equivalence class.
US09684757B2 Cross-hierarchy interconnect adjustment for power recovery
Embodiments relate to cross-hierarchy interconnect adjustment. An aspect includes receiving chip layout data corresponding to a chip design, wherein a first portion of a metal stack of the chip design is assigned to a first hierarchy and a second portion of the metal stack is assigned to a second hierarchy based on a contract between the first and second hierarchy. Another aspect includes determining an unused portion of the first portion of the metal stack. Another aspect includes moving an interconnect of the second hierarchy from the second portion of the metal stack that is assigned to the second hierarchy to the unused portion of the first portion of the metal stack in the chip layout data. Another aspect includes performing power recovery on the chip layout data after moving the interconnect based on an amount of slack margin generated in the chip design by the moving of the interconnect.
US09684755B2 Isolation of IP units during emulation of a system on a chip
A host system receives a description of a design under test (DUT) that includes multiple IP units and is to be emulated by an emulator. The host system compiles the description of the DUT, which includes synthesizing the description, partitioning the DUT, and mapping the partitions to FPGAs included in the emulator that will emulate the DUT. Each IP unit is part of a single partition or partitioned into multiple partitions and mapped to a different set of FPGAs. The host system identifies connections in the DUT between IP units. The host system designates one or more FPGAs of the emulator that have not been allocated to emulate IP units as interface FPGAs. The host system determines a route for each of the identified connections through one of the interface FPGAs. The connections are routed so that there are no direct connections between the sets of FPGAs of two IP units.
US09684751B2 Slack redistribution for additional power recovery
A system and method to implement an integrated circuit design are described. The method includes obtaining a timing database of current timing slack values based on current cell selection, placement, and routing for a plurality of cycles defined by a plurality of cycle boundaries, each cycle representing devices between a corresponding pair of the plurality of cycle boundaries, identifying candidate cycle boundaries among the plurality of cycle boundaries for slack redistribution, every one of the candidate cycle boundaries being associated with a positive timing slack, and selecting redistribution cycle boundaries among the candidate cycle boundaries. A modified timing database is generated based on redistributing the positive timing slack associated with the redistribution cycle boundaries, and power recovery is performed using the modified timing database to reduce power at one of more of the redistribution cycle boundaries.
US09684749B2 Pipeline depth exploration in a register transfer level design description of an electronic circuit
A list of input registers and output registers for a circuit design are provided. The circuit design is modified by traversing output connections paths for each input register and replacing any register in the output connection paths with a wire unless the register is a listed output register. An initial total cycle time value for the modified circuit design is determined. A gate level description for the modified circuit design is obtained by a macro synthesis with the initial total cycle time value. The total cycle time value for the modified circuit design is then varied in order to determine the theoretical limit of the modified circuit design. This theoretical limit is realized when negative slacks are present in a macro synthesis of the modified circuit design for a given total cycle time value. Based on this theoretical limit, the minimum pipeline depth of the circuit design is determined.
US09684746B2 Signal reconstruction in sequential logic circuitry
A method for reconstructing at least one output signal associated to a sequential logic circuitry block of a circuit is disclosed. At least one input signal is associated to the sequential logic circuitry block. The method comprises simulating a value of the at least one output signal depending on the at least one input signal and determining a transfer function for computing the value of the output signal directly after the simulation timestamp depending on the input signal and/or on the value of the output signal directly before the simulation timestamp. The method further comprises computing the value of the at least one output signal directly after the simulation timestamp as a function value of the transfer function, if a reconstruction condition is fulfilled.
US09684745B2 Digitally calibrated voltage regulators for power management
A computer provides a graphical user interface for displaying a virtual representation of a voltage regulator and for accepting a user requirement for the voltage regulator. The computer automatically determines an internal calibration setting of the voltage regulator that meets the user requirement. The computer simulates operation of the voltage regulator as calibrated with the internal calibration setting. The internal calibration setting is downloaded to the voltage regulator. A calibration controller of the voltage regulator receives the internal calibration setting and outputs digital calibration bits in accordance with the internal calibration setting. The digital calibration bits works in conjunction with interface circuits to adjust circuits of a voltage regulator core to digitally calibrate the voltage regulator.
US09684742B1 Method and apparatus for performing timing analysis on calibrated paths
A method for performing timing analysis on calibrated paths includes performing static timing analysis on the calibrated paths to obtain delay and margin information. The delay and margin information are utilized to emulate operations performed during calibration.
US09684740B2 Method and apparatus for proliferating testing data
Embodiments of the present invention provide information processing systems and methods for proliferating testing data based on sample testing data. In one embodiment, a difference is determined by comparing a desired query result to a query result acquired by executing a query statement on sample testing data. Sample testing data can then be proliferated based, at least in part, on the difference and data generation constraint conditions.
US09684739B1 View generator for managing data storage
Views of files in an archival data storage system are generated by a backup view generator. A storage application generates and stores archival data in an archive system, the archival data corresponding to client data stored on a server or in memory associated with one or more client nodes. The storage application also generates backup files of the archival data which may be stored in a local memory. A set of metadata attributes are associated with each of the backup files. The backup views are generated by comparing metadata values in a view definition file to the sets of attributes associated with the backup files. Generated backup views can be exported for processing, including searching the backup views or displaying the backup views in a user interface.
US09684738B2 Text-based command generation
Embodiments relate to generating application-processable commands from character strings. An aspect includes preparing a database in which are recorded keywords for presenting commands as conversion candidate objects, conversion candidate objects, and commands generated when a conversion candidate object has been selected. Another aspect includes receiving a plurality of character strings inputted by a user for an application. Another aspect includes converting a character string of the plurality of character strings to generate a completion candidate character string. Another aspect includes referencing the database when the character string includes a keyword, and presenting, to the user, completion candidate character strings and conversion candidate objects as a conversion candidate list. Another aspect includes generating a command corresponding to a selected conversion candidate object in response to selection of one of the conversion candidate objects from the conversion candidate list by the user.
US09684729B2 Displaying search results on a user device using a layout file
A method for displaying search results on a user device using a layout file includes receiving search results containing one or more result objects. Each result object includes a layout identifier, an access mechanism used to access a state of an application, and result data. For each result object the method includes retrieving a layout file of a plurality of layout files from a storage device based on the layout identifier, obtaining content based on the result data, and generating the user selectable link based on the access mechanism, the layout file, and the content. The layout file defines a template that is used to generate a user selectable link and corresponds to the application referenced by the one or more access mechanisms. The method further includes generating displayable search results using the generated user selectable links and providing, by the processing device, the displayable search results for display.
US09684727B1 Ranking of geographic information
Ranking of geographic information includes receiving information about geographic features, identifying documents based on the information, each document being associated with one of the geographic features, and generating a rank score for each document based on one or more properties of the geographic feature associated with the document.
US09684725B1 Systems and methods for online matching using non-self-identified data
An electronic process for presenting interpersonal relationship analysis includes: receiving recorded responses of a plurality of users to selected stimuli, such recorded responses comprising indications of traits and preferences that are not explicitly identified in the recorded response; generating match profile data at least partially from the response; and presenting potential matches to a first user based on a compatibility score generated from correlating match profile data of the plurality of users with the match profile data of the first user.
US09684722B2 Server apparatus and filtering method
According to one embodiment, an output unit performs filtering on input data for each filtering condition for performing data filtering and outputs a result of the filtering to an output destination. A receiving unit receives information indicating whether the output result of the filtering is appropriate or inappropriate from the output destination. A cumulative counting unit cumulatively counts the numbers of times determined to be appropriate and appropriate for each filtering condition based on the received information. A switching unit switches the filtering at the output unit between being valid and invalid for each filtering condition based on cumulative values of the numbers of times the output result of the filtering for each filtering condition has been determined to be appropriate and inappropriate and a switching condition that switches the filtering condition between being valid and invalid.
US09684721B2 Performing machine actions in response to voice input
In a method for determining an answer to a query expressed in an imprecise syntax, a formula for computing an answer to the query is determined. An answer is calculated using the formula, and the answer is then presented to the user.
US09684717B2 Semantic search for business entities
Systems and methods for using a semantic search to address business entities that fulfill certain criteria are provided. A free search term may be determined by a user for the semantic search. The free search term may include any object type, element or parameter the user would like to search for. An ontology which relates to a specific business or industry may be used for the semantic search. The ontology may include various business classes, roles, and individuals. In some implementations, the ontology may be generated from metadata of business objects. The semantic search may be conducted across the entire ontology to obtain search results that match the free search term. As a result, business entities that fulfill the free search term may be retrieved and provided to the user.
US09684714B2 Using paraphrase metrics for answering questions
A mechanism is provided in a data processing system for using paraphrase metrics for answering questions. The mechanism receives an input question and generating a candidate answer from a corpus of information. The candidate answer has a supporting passage from the corpus of information. The mechanism divides the input question into a first sequence of tokens and divides the supporting passage into a second sequence of tokens. The mechanism identifies a plurality of subsequences of tokens within the second sequence of tokens and applies a paraphrase metric to compare the first sequence of tokens to each of the plurality of subsequences of tokens to generate a plurality of paraphrase metric scores. The mechanism then determines a confidence score for the candidate answer based on a highest paraphrase metric score within the plurality of paraphrase metric scores.
US09684711B2 System and method for providing agent service to user terminal
A method may provide an agent service to a user terminal by including receiving a user instruction from the user terminal, determining whether at least one agent reply to at least one keyword included in the user instruction is able to be searched for in a database, providing at least one suggestive query to the user terminal to allow a search for the at least one agent reply, receiving at least one set of additional information with respect to the at least one suggestive query from the user terminal, and providing the at least one agent reply to the user terminal based on the at least one set of additional information.
US09684707B1 Visualization of graphical representations of log files
A computer-implemented method includes receiving one or more log files. Each of the one or more log files includes one or more logs. The computer-implemented method further includes extracting one or more event records from said one or more logs. The computer-implemented method further includes, for each event record of the one or more event records, determining one or more attributes and one or more dimensions based on the event record, respectively. The computer-implemented method further includes grouping the one or more event records into one or more attribute groups. The computer-implemented method further includes ordering the one or more event records of each of the one or more attribute groups by the one or more dimensions. The computer-implemented method further includes generating one or more graphical representations of the one or more attribute groups. A corresponding computer system and computer program product are also disclosed.
US09684705B1 Systems and methods for clustering data
A computer-implemented method for clustering data may include (1) identifying a plurality of samples, (2) locating a sample, from within the plurality of samples, that is a centroid of a cluster, (3) locating another sample that is, among the plurality of samples, next closest to the centroid relative to a most-recently located sample, (4) determining whether an attribute of the next-closest sample matches an attribute of the centroid, (5) determining whether to adjust a radius of the cluster based on whether the attribute of the next-closest sample matches the attribute of the centroid, and (6) repeating the steps of locating the next-closest sample, determining whether the attributes match, and determining whether to adjust the radius of the cluster, until the attribute of the next-closest sample does not match the attribute of the centroid. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09684703B2 Method and apparatus for automatically creating a data warehouse and OLAP cube
A data warehouse design that combines data from multiple source ledgers or modules is constructed and from that an associated, single physical Star or Snow-Flake schema and OLAP hyper-cube analytic structure is generated to enable cross-functional analysis of any those multiple source ledgers or modules. The step of constructing the data warehouse or the step of generating the associated OLAP cube is achieved without significant human intervention using software.
US09684700B2 Systems for synchrophasor data managment
A system includes a Synchrophasor Data Management System (SDMS), in which the SDMS includes a Synchrophasor Processor System (SPS). The SPS includes a Phasor Data Concentrator (PDC) configured to receive a first plurality of inputs from a first Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU), transform at least one of the first plurality of inputs into a first time aligned output by time aligning the at least one of the first plurality of inputs. The SPS further includes a virtual PMU configured to aggregate the first time aligned output into a PMU dataset, in which the SPS is configured to transmit the PMU dataset to a second PMU, an external PDC, a super PDC, or a combination thereof.
US09684694B2 Identifying and scoring data values
Text including at least a first term can be presented on a display. An enterprise glossary is queried to identify other terms that match the first term. Data assets to which each of the other terms are linked and which include data values for the other terms can be identified. A first score indicating a level of relevance of the respective data asset to an enterprise is assigned to each of the data assets. A frequency distribution of the data values in the data assets is determined. Based at least on the first scores indicating the level of relevance of the respective data assets to the enterprise and the frequency distribution of the data values in the data assets, second scores are assigned to each of the data values. A plurality the data values which are assigned highest of the second scores are presented on the display.
US09684686B1 Database system recovery using non-volatile system memory
A database system may implement database system recovery using non-volatile system memory. An update to a data page of a database may be received. A version of the data page may be obtained in system memory. A new version of the data page may be determined according to the received update. The new version of the data page may be maintained in a non-volatile portion of system memory irrespective of a failure of the database. In at least some embodiments, the update may be performed without generating recovery log records indicating the update. Upon recovery from a database failure, data pages maintained in non-volatile system memory may be made available to service access requests.
US09684681B2 Processing columns in a database accelerator while preserving row-based architecture
Database processing using columns to present to a processing unit decompressed column data without changing the underlying row-based database architecture. For some embodiments, a database accelerator is used to efficiently process the columns of a database and output tuples to a processing unit's memory, such that the columns can be quickly processed (with the advantages of a column-based architecture) to create tuples of requested data, but without having to depart from a row-based architecture at the processing unit level or having decompressed data scattered throughout the processing unit's memory.
US09684680B2 Version control methodology for network model
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for providing version control for a model. A database (102) is divided into three logical areas corresponding to working model area (120), full model area (122), and permanent model area (124). Data, which may be CIM formatted data, imported into the model is validated against data previously stored in the full model area (122) and version controlled based in part on timestamp data. The version controlled data may then be exported for use by network applications. Imported data may come from a power system utility while the exported data may be used for control of such a utility.
US09684676B1 Method for searching media
The present invention is directed to a computer-implemented method and apparatus for searching in response to Internet-based search queries using a search engine and an electronic database. According to one example embodiment of the present invention, data sets representing printed items from publications respectively printed by a plurality of respective publishers are input, e.g., scanned-in, and stored in a searchable database. Each data set includes text from at least one printed item. Responsive to the search query, a search engine searches for and identifies relevant web pages and data sets representing printed items from publications and, in a more specific embodiment, ranked characterizations are returned for the relevant web pages and publication items. Another aspect of the present invention is directed to an electronic path for accessing further information about a relevant publication item. In one embodiment, the electronic path is a hyperlink from a characterization of a relevant publication item to a more complete electronic representation of the relevant publication item. Publishers provide authorization to display copyrighted materials through a permission protocol.
US09684673B2 Systems and methods for processing and distributing earth observation images
Systems and methods are provided for processing observation data. Processes and capabilities include: obtaining images and metadata associated with the images; encoding the images and the metadata to generate encoded tiles; storing the encoded tiles in an encoded tiles database; receiving a request for a map tile; searching the encoded tiles database and obtaining the encoded tiles that are relevant to the request; merging data from the encoded tiles into the map tile; and outputting the map tile. The images and metadata may be obtained from Earth observation platforms, including satellites or aircraft. The map tiles may include spectral content, data source identification, acquisition date/time, sensor characteristics, sun angles, calibration parameters, a cloud mask, a snow mask, a land mask, a water mask, and a missing data mask.
US09684672B2 System and method for data storage
In some examples, a system configured to provide data storage is described. The system may include a write server configured to receive data from a first client for storing on the system and computer storage media configured to receive and to store the data. The system may also include a read server configured to receive the data from the write server and to store the data in the read server for a duration. The read server may be further configured to provide the data from the read server to a second client during the duration and, after the duration, to access the data from the computer storage media and to provide the data accessed from the computer storage media to the second client.
US09684669B2 Single instantiation method using file clone and file storage system utilizing the same
The file storage system includes a controller and a volume storing a plurality of files, the volume including a first directory storing a first file and a second file and a second directory storing a third file being created. The controller migrates actual data of the second file to the third file, sets up a management information of the second file so that the third file is referred to when the second file is read, and if the sizes of actual data of the first file and the actual data of the third file are identical and the binaries of the actual data of the first file and the actual data of the third file are identical, sets up a management information of the first file to refer to the third file when reading the first file.
US09684668B1 Systems and methods for performing lookups on distributed deduplicated data systems
A computer-implemented method for performing lookups on distributed deduplicated data systems may include (1) identifying a collection of deduplicated data stored within a plurality of nodes, (2) identifying a request to locate a deduplicated object of the collection within the plurality of nodes, (3) identifying a fingerprint of the deduplicated object, the fingerprint being generated using an algorithm that maps deduplicated objects onto a fingerprint space, (4) directing the request, based on a partitioning scheme that divides the fingerprint space among the plurality of nodes, to a first node within the plurality of nodes that is responsible for forwarding requests pertaining to a partition of the fingerprint space that includes the fingerprint, and (5) forwarding the request from the first node to a second node identified by the first node as corresponding to the fingerprint. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09684667B2 System and method of optimizing the user application experience
A system and method of optimizing the performance of an information handling system is disclosed herein. One or more data samples are generated by identifying one or more files accessed during the user application experience while in a sampling interval. An identifier and access frequency for each of the identified files are stored in a data sample. One or more data samples are merged into a merged data sample. A compression ratio is calculated for each of the identified files. One or more of the files identified in the merged data sample are selected for uncompression. The files selected for uncompression are uncompressed.
US09684664B2 Elimination of fragmentation of files in storage medium by utilizing head movement time
Accessing a file on a sequentially accessed storage device such as a magnetic tape often involves bypassing valid files and gaps between valid files. Presently taught is a method of copying valid files being bypassed to a second sequentially accessed storage device while not copying the gaps. When a read target file is reached, the read target file is read. During a write to a file writing position, valid files are copied to the second sequentially accessed storage device until the file writing position is reached and the file is written at the end of the valid files on the second sequentially accessed storage device.
US09684663B2 SWAT command and API for atomic swap and trim of LBAs
Exemplary embodiments provide access to an updated file performed by at least one processor, wherein responsive to receiving a first list of logical block addresses (LBAs) and a second list of LBAs for an update, wherein the first list of LBAs is mapped to a first list of physical block addresses (PBAs), and the second list of LBAs is mapped to a second list of PBAs, the method, comprising: atomically remapping the first list of LBAs so that the first list of LBAs is mapped to the second list of PBAs; trimming a mapping of the first list of LBAs to the first list of PBAs; and unmapping the mapping of the second list of LBAs to the second list of PBAs.
US09684661B2 Method for correlating data
A method for correlating data stored in a database implements a web crawler element and an analyzer element to discover data correlations between a first set of data and a second set of data. The web crawler element searches online for a plurality of electronic files, and inspects said electronic files in order to determine a file type for each of the electronic files. A plurality of accepted files is marked for review; the accepted files being the electronic files having the file type being a data structure. Each of the accepted files is inspected for chronological tags, wherein a plurality of relatable files is stored in a database, each having chronological tags. The first set of data is then selected from the database to determine data correlations with the second set of data; the second set of data being uploaded by a user account or selected from the database.
US09684654B2 Performing a code conversion in a smaller target encoding space
Embodiments relate to a system, method and program product for performing code conversions. In one embodiment the method includes determining size of encoding space for a source file and a target file upon receipt of a code conversion request and generating a main conversion file upon determination that a target encoding space associated with said target file is smaller than a source encoding space associated with the source file. Subsequently an extension converted file is generated from the source file according to a pre-established mapping table of code conversion stored in a memory. The code conversion request is completed by using the main conversion file and said extension file together so that the source file does not need to be truncated in order to fit into the target conversion space.
US09684653B1 Foreign language translation using product information
Product information may be utilized to create a translation dictionary. The translation dictionary may then be utilized to translate search queries from a foreign language to the primary language that is utilized to provide an online e-commerce marketplace. The translated search queries may then be utilized to perform a search of a product catalog maintained by the online e-commerce marketplace. The translation dictionary created with the product information might also be utilized to translate resources, such as Web site resources, to verify the translation of the resources, and to perform other functionality.
US09684648B2 Disambiguating words within a text segment
Determining a subject type for an entity in a text segment. A text segment is selected, which includes one or more single-word or multi-word entities. Natural language processing is performed on the selected text segment to identify entities that constitute subjects of the selected text segment. One entity is selected. A variant annotation is associated with the selected entity. The variant annotation reflects multiple subject types for the selected entity and a value for each subject type. The most probable subject type is determined for the selected entity, based on a combination of natural language processing rules and dictionary listings. The value of the annotation is incremented for the subject type corresponding to the most probable subject type for the selected entity, so that the highest value of the annotation indicates the most probable subject type for the selected entity within the selected text segment.
US09684647B2 Domain-specific computational lexicon formation
According to an aspect, a candidate token sequence including one or more word tokens is extracted from an unstructured domain glossary that includes entries associated with a domain. A look-up operation is performed to retrieve language data for each word token in the candidate token sequence and annotates each word token in the candidate token sequence found by the look-up operation with corresponding retrieved language data to form an annotated sequence. A pattern match of the annotated sequence is performed relative to a repository of patterns and identifies a best matching pattern from the repository of patterns to the annotated sequence based on matching criteria. The annotated sequence is refined with lexical information associated with the best matching pattern as a refined annotated sequence. The candidate token sequence and the refined annotated sequence are output to a domain-specific computational lexicon file.
US09684645B2 Summary views for ebooks
An ebook is represented as a plurality of ebook pages associated with a plurality of segments. A summary view command is received, the summary view command requesting a particular type of summary view of a plurality of available summary views. One or more ebook pages are identified, for a summary view based in part on the requested type of summary view, and page thumbnails are generated for each of the identified one or more ebook pages. The generated page thumbnails are grouped by segment, using the plurality of segments. A summary view graphical user interface (GUI) is generated for the requested type of summary view using the grouped page thumbnails, the summary view GUI vertically listing one or more segments, of the plurality of segments, and horizontally listing page thumbnails associated with the one or more segments, and the summary view GUI is displayed.
US09684644B2 Annotating video intervals
A system and method is provided for managing and displaying annotations in online hosted videos. To determine related annotations associated with a video, a plurality of annotations for one or more intervals of the video are collected and organized into a plurality of groups. Each group includes annotations for intervals of the video that are similar to each other. A group having related annotations is identified, and an annotated clip of the video is formed based upon the intervals in the group. This process can be used to determine any number of groups in a given video having related annotations, forming the respective annotated intervals within a single video, and can also identify and organize annotated intervals within a large number of different videos.
US09684643B2 Management of building plan documents utilizing comments and a correction list
Systems and methods for managing and processing building plan documents. An electronic building plan document including a plurality of plan sheets is received. A first plan sheet is provided for display. A user interface is provided via which a user can select or enter a first comment associated with the first plan sheet. A user interface is provided via which the user can associate metadata, including a project type or discipline, with the first comment. A first plurality of comments, including the first comment, is stored in association with respective metadata. A user interface via which the user can select, by category and/or subcategory a plurality of comments to be included in a plan correction list, and a correction list is generated including a plurality of comments specified by a plurality of users.
US09684641B1 Presenting content in multiple languages
In some examples, an electronic device may present a portion of a content item in a first language contemporaneously with a corresponding portion in a second language. Thus, a user may view the portion of content in the first language and the same portion of content in the second language. Further, the electronic device may dynamically adjust an area allotted to displaying each language version, such as in the case that a portion of content in one language takes up more space than a matching portion of content in the other language. In some examples, metadata for multiple language versions of a content item may include mapping information for correlating a portion of the first language version of the content item with a matching or corresponding portion of the second language version of the content item based, at least in part, on location information.
US09684638B2 Accessing location-based information on a mobile device
A computer system for accessing location-based information on a mobile device. The computer system determines whether a default HTML including information of a location is available, in response to determining that a wireless network at the location is available. The computer system determines geographical coordinates of the location and calculates a URL and the default HTML using the geographical coordinates, in response to determining that the wireless network at the location is not available and in response to determining that the default HTML is not available. The computer system displays one or more pages created by the default HTML that is calculated. The computer system displays the one or more pages created by the default HTML that is available, in response to determining that the default HTML is available.
US09684633B2 Adaptive service controller, system on chip and method of controlling the same
A system on chip (SOC) includes a slave device, a plurality of master devices, an interconnect device and a plurality of service controllers. The master devices generate requests to demand services from the slave device. The interconnect device is coupled to the slave device and the master devices through respective channels, and the interconnect device performs an arbitrating operation on the requests. The service controllers control request flows from the master devices adaptively depending on an operational environment change of the SOC.
US09684631B2 Processing sytem with a secure set of executable instructions and/or addressing scheme
A method for securing a data processing system having a processing unit is disclosed. At least a group of N1 digital words of m1 bits is selected from among the set of M1 digital words. N1 is less than M1. These words are selected in such a way that each selected digital word differs from all the other selected digital words by a number of bits at least equal to an integer p which is at least equal to 2. The group of N1 digital words of m1 bits form at least one group of N1 executable digital instructions. The processing unit is configured to make it capable of executing each instruction of the at least one group of N1 executable digital instructions.
US09684630B1 Provisioning of cryptographic modules
Disclosed are various embodiments of a first computing device for obtaining an authentication credential for a cryptographic module of a second computing device. The authentication credential is obtained via a communication session with a module interface of the second computing device. Configuration data is determined for the cryptographic module based at least in part upon the authentication credential. The configuration data is transmitted to the second computing device via the communication session.
US09684626B2 Wireless transmission and video integrated apparatus
A wireless transmission and video integrated apparatus includes a hub module, a video module and a wireless module. The hub module includes a hub unit, a first expansion interface, a second expansion interface and a transmission interface. The video module includes a first connection interface, an image processing unit, an image acquisition unit and a microphone unit. The video module is electrically connected to the first expansion interface of the hub module through the first connection interface. The wireless module includes a second connection interface, a wireless communication unit and an antenna unit. The wireless module is electrically connected to the second expansion interface of the hub module through the second connection interface. The video module and the wireless module are integrated as a whole through the hub module, and then electrically connected to an electronic apparatus through the transmission interface to help with the assembly.
US09684625B2 Asynchronously prefetching sharable memory pages
When a process is swapped out of memory, a record of the sharable memory pages of the process is maintained. The sharable memory pages can then be repurposed. When the process is subsequently swapped back into memory, concurrently with the process running the sharable memory pages of the process are prefetched. If during this prefetching the process requests a memory page that is not currently in physical memory, a high priority I/O request is issued for that memory page. The high priority I/O request is placed at the front of an I/O queue, so the high priority I/O request is processed before the pending prefetch requests.
US09684622B2 Method and apparatus for controlling access to a common bus by multiple components
Apparatuses and methods for controlling access to a common bus including a plurality of memory devices coupled to a common bus, wherein individual ones of the plurality of memory devices are configured to access the common bus responsive to a strobe signal, and a strobe line driver programmed with a first delay associated with a combination of a first command type and a first one of the plurality of memory devices to provide a first strobe signal to the first one of the plurality of memory devices, and further programmed with a second delay associated with a combination of a second command type and a second one of the plurality of memory devices to provide a second strobe signal to the second one of the plurality of memory devices.
US09684616B2 Motor control apparatus and motor control method
A motor control apparatus includes: a driving control unit that performs driving control of a motor in accordance with a drive command; an interrupt control unit that starts and executes interrupt processing for performing the driving control at an interrupt cycle; a first processing unit that executes same first processing every time the interrupt processing starts; and a second processing unit that selects and executes a different piece of processing from second processing every time the interrupt processing starts. The interrupt control unit executes at least one piece of the first processing before executing the second processing in the interrupt processing.
US09684615B1 Apparatus and methods for multiple-channel direct memory access
One embodiment relates to an integrated circuit for a multiple-channel direct memory access system. The integrated circuit includes multiple direct memory access (DMA) controllers, each one corresponding to a different DMA channel. A channelizer receives descriptors from the DMA controllers. Fragmentation circuits in the channelizer fragment descriptors to generate multiple sub-descriptors therefrom, and the sub-descriptors may be sorted into priority queues. Another embodiment relates to a method of providing DMA transfers for multiple DMA channels using an integrated circuit. Another embodiment relates to a system for multiple-channel direct memory access. Other embodiments and features are also disclosed.
US09684614B2 System and method to convert lock-free algorithms to wait-free using a hardware accelerator
A method to convert lock-free algorithm to wait-free using a hardware accelerator includes (i) executing a plurality of software threads by a plurality of processing units associated, the plurality of software threads is associated with at least one operation, (ii) generating at least one of a read request or a write request at the hardware accelerator based on the execution, (iii) generating at least one operation includes PARAM and read request or the write request at the hardware accelerator, (iv) checking, an operation specific condition of at least one software thread of the plurality of software threads, and (v) updating, at least one read value or write value and at least one state variable upon the operation specific condition being an operation success. The operation specific condition includes an operation success or an operation failure based on the PARAM, the read request, or the write request.
US09684610B2 Platform neutral device protocols
Platform neutral device protocol techniques are described in which functionality to customize device interactions through communication busses is made accessible through platform independent script-based infrastructure. Functionality provided by an operating system to manipulate standard protocols of a communication bus used to interact with a connected device is exposed as script-based objects. Script-based protocol definition files associated with connected device may be employed to customize device protocols for the communications using the functionality exposed through the script-based objects. A computing device may acquire a protocol definition file for a particular device in various ways and host the protocol definition file via a suitable run-time platform. Requests for interaction with the particular device may then be handled using the custom protocols defined by the hosted protocol definition file.
US09684606B2 Translation lookaside buffer invalidation suppression
Managing a plurality of translation lookaside buffers (TLBs) includes: issuing, at a first processing element, a first instruction for invalidating one or more TLB entries associated with a first context in a first TLB associated with the first processing element. The issuing includes: determining whether or not a state of an indicator indicates that all TLB entries associated with the first context in a second TLB associated with a second processing element are invalidated; if not: sending a corresponding instruction to the second processing element, causing invalidation of all TLB entries associated with the first context in the second TLB, and changing a state of the indicator; and if so: suppressing sending of any corresponding instructions for causing invalidation of any TLB entries associated with the first context in the second TLB to the second processing element.
US09684604B2 Electronic device with cache memory and method of operating the same
An electronic device with a cache memory and a method of operating the electronic device are provided. The electronic device includes a cache memory including a plurality of cache lines each of which includes a first area with at least one storage space and a second area with at least one storage space, where the at least one storage space of the first area has a first size and the at least one storage space of the second area has a second size different from the first size, and a cache controller for storing the data requested for storage in one of the storage spaces of the first or second area, according to a compression factor associated with the data requested for storage when a request is made to store data in the cache memory.
US09684602B2 Memory access control device, cache memory and semiconductor device
A memory access control device of an embodiment includes a data memory configured to record information of an access request relating to reading and writing of data to a main memory, and a controller configured to receive notification of the access request and select an access destination with reference to recording content of the data memory. When history of a request for write access and history of a request for read access to an address designated by the access request are recorded in the data memory, the controller selects a cache memory as the access destination, and otherwise, selects the main memory as the access destination.
US09684601B2 Data processing apparatus having cache and translation lookaside buffer
A data processing apparatus has a cache and a translation look aside buffer (TLB). A way table is provided for identifying which of a plurality of cache ways stores require data. Each way table entry corresponds to one of the TLB entries of the TLB and identifies, for each memory location of the page associated with the corresponding TLB entry, which cache way stores the data associated with that memory location. Also, the cache may be capable of servicing M access requests in the same processing cycle. An arbiter may select pending access requests for servicing by the cache in a way that ensures that the selected pending access requests specify a maximum of N different virtual page addresses, where N
US09684594B2 Write back coordination node for cache latency correction
A coordinating node acts as a write back cache, isolating local cache storage endpoints from latencies associated with accessing geographically remote cloud cache and storage resources.
US09684592B2 Memory address generation for digital signal processing
Memory address generation for digital signal processing is described. In one example, a digital signal processing system-on-chip utilizes an on-chip memory space that is shared between functional blocks of the system. An on-chip DMA controller comprises an address generator that can generate sequences of read and write memory addresses for data items being transferred between the on-chip memory and a paged memory device, or internally within the system. The address generator is configurable and can generate non-linear sequences for the read and/or write addresses. This enables aspects of interleaving/deinterleaving operations to be performed as part of a data transfer between internal or paged memory. As a result, a dedicated memory for interleaving operations is not required. In further examples, the address generator can be configured to generate read and/or write addresses that take into account limitations of particular memory devices when performing interleaving, such as DRAM.
US09684588B1 Interprogram communication messaging for application development event handling
An interprogram communication system including a test engine, a program interface, and a visibility engine configured to employ interprogram communication messaging with each other. The test engine sends a feature notification that identifies a feature file to the visibility engine. The visibility engine associates a first test status and a second test status, and a workflow status with the feature file in response to receiving the feature notification. The test engine sends feature code test results to the visibility program via the program interface. The program interface translates feature code test results from a first format to a second format and sends the feature code test results in the second format to the visibility engine. The visibility engine updates the first test status and the second test status in response to receiving feature code test results from the test engine.
US09684586B2 System test compliance tool
An apparatus includes a memory and a processor. The memory stores a test plan, a plurality of performed steps, a configuration for a test environment in which the test was performed, and a result of the test. The processor compares the plurality of performed steps to the plurality of planned steps, compares the configuration for a first test environment and the configuration for the second test environment, and determines whether an action of the plurality of actions resulted in a failure. The processor presents a first chart, a second chart, and a third chart the results of the comparisons and determination. The processor deploys an application corresponding to the test plan if each step of the plurality of planned steps was performed during the test, if the second test environment was configured according to the configuration for the first test environment, and if the failure was fixed.
US09684585B2 Testing code response to injected processing errors
More robust testing of computer module responses to processing errors using a flexible, lightweight solution that does not alter the computer module. Through modification of processing pointers, a wide variety of processing errors and delays are injected into a computer module without modifying the computer module.
US09684582B2 Automatically analyzing operation sequences
An automatic analysis method for operation sequence and a system thereof are disclosed. The method comprising: receiving at least one operation sequence containing at least one operation record, the operation record including an operation of switching from a previous user interface to a post user interface, an interval time of switching from the previous user interface to the post user interface; forming time-dependent operation record groups of respective operation sequences based on the interval time and a first time threshold, wherein the time-dependent operation record group includes operation records whose interval time is less than the first time threshold; comparing time-dependent operation record groups of respective operation sequences to obtain identical time-dependent operation record groups; and calculating a frequency that identical time-dependent operation record groups occur in the operation sequence to obtain the identical time-dependent operation record groups having high frequency.
US09684581B2 Determining overall performance characteristics of a concurrent software application
One embodiment of the present invention includes a dependency extractor and a dependency investigator that, together, facilitate performance analysis of computer systems. In operation, the dependency extractor instruments a software application to generate run-time execution data for each work task. This execution data includes per-task performance data and dependency data reflecting linkages between tasks. After the instrumented software application finishes executing, the dependency investigator evaluates the captured execution data and identifies the critical path of tasks that establishes the overall run-time of the software application. Advantageously, since the execution data includes both task-level performance data and dependencies between tasks, the dependency investigator enables the developer to effectively optimize software and hardware in computer systems that are capable of concurrently executing tasks. By contrast, conventional performance analysis may not correctly identify critical paths in software applications that execute tasks in parallel across multiple processing units and, consequently, may misdirect optimization efforts.
US09684579B1 Test device selection using multi-pass scoring
A method for selecting test devices in a service provider environment may include receiving a request for performing a test on a device, the request specifying at least one parameter for the test. A list of available devices may be obtained. The list of available devices may be filtered to generate a list of candidate hardware devices that meet the at least one parameter for the test. Using a first set of operations, current state information for each of the candidate devices may be obtained. Using a second set of operations, at least one weight may be assigned to the current state information to generate weighted state information for each of the candidate devices. Device scores may be generated using the weighted state information. Based on the scores, one of the candidate devices may be selected for performing the test.
US09684574B2 Method and system for implementing remote disaster recovery switching of service delivery platform
A system and method for implementing geographic disaster tolerance switching on a service delivery platform are disclosed. The system includes: a bidirectional monitoring module, an intelligent recognition module, and an automatic switching module, wherein: the bidirectional monitoring module is configured to: monitor an active site and a standby site of the service delivery platform, and when detecting that an abnormity occurs on the active site or the standby site and an alarm reporting condition is satisfied, report alarm information to the intelligent recognition module; the intelligent recognition module is configured to: receive the alarm information, and judge whether a preset switching rule is satisfied, if yes, then send a disaster tolerance switching instruction to the automatic switching module; and the automatic switching module is configured to: start an active-standby switching between the active site and the standby site after receiving the disaster tolerance switching instruction.
US09684572B2 Signal protection
A signal protector utilizes a variable latency station to provide error correction.
US09684567B2 Hypervisor agnostic interchangeable backup recovery and file level recovery from virtual disks
Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for hypervisor agnostic interchangeable backup recovery and file level recovery from virtual disks. Data is stored for a first virtual disk that represents data in a first format and metadata for the first virtual disk in a common data format in a storage having a fixed block length. A virtual disk file represents data in a second format that allows variable size blocks. Multiple instances of the fixed block length of blocks of data for the second virtual disk indicated in the virtual disk file are read. Each instance of the read fixed block length of blocks is written to the storage in the common data format with metadata describing the format of the blocks in the second virtual disk, and can be restored to a third virtual disk in the first or second format.
US09684564B2 File based incremental block backup from user mode
A system for incremental backup comprises a storage device and a processor. The processor is configured to: 1) start tracking, wherein a file changed block info is tracked in map(s), wherein each of the map(s) tracks writes indicated via a node of a set of nodes; 2) receive request for an incremental backup of a volume of one or more volumes, wherein the map(s) track changed blocks from writes to the volume; 3) halt writes to the volume and queue writes to the volume after halting; 4) freeze the map(s) of changed blocks; 5) change tracking, wherein the change block info is tracked to a new set of maps; 6) determine changed blocks using the map(s); 7) write changed blocks to a backup volume; and 8) release writes to volume.
US09684561B1 Smart assistant for backing up data
A smart assistant scans or directs the scanning of a network and clients connected to the network to ensure that the clients will be properly backed up. When the smart assistant detects a change in the network, a client, or both, the smart assistant seeks the approval of a backup administrator to automatically update backup configuration information based on the detected change. If the backup administrator approves the approval request, the smart assistant automatically updates the backup configuration information. If the backup administrator denies the approval request, the smart assistant does not update the backup configuration information.
US09684558B2 Accessing data stored in a dispersed storage memory
A method begins by a processing module forward error correction (FEC) encoding data to produce FEC encoded data and dividing the FEC encoded data into a set of FEC encoded words. The method continues with the processing module generating integrity information based on the data and generating a word name for an FEC encoded word of the set of FEC encoded words. The method continues with the processing module affiliating an address of allocated address space of a dispersed storage memory with the word name and storing the integrity information, the word name, and the address. The method continues with the processing module creating a write command to store the FEC encoded word at the address in the dispersed storage memory.
US09684548B2 Integrating operating systems
A method and apparatus for integration of operating systems solve the problem in the conventional techniques with low efficiency in switching among the operating systems. The techniques of the present disclosure firstly starts a first operating system and its agent process, and then starts a second operating system, wherein the second operating system may call the agent process to request the first operating system for resources required by the second operating system. The second operating system may directly request the first operating system for the needed resources, which realizes the coexistence of the first operating system and the second operating system without mutual switching between the operating systems.
US09684545B2 Distributed and continuous computing in a fabric environment
Systems and methods for continuous computing are disclosed. One such system includes a plurality of communicatively interconnected computing systems, and a workload including a plurality of tasks executing on a first computing system of the plurality of communicatively interconnected computing systems. The system includes a task management system executing on at least one of the plurality of communicatively interconnected computing systems, the task management component configured to encapsulate a task of the plurality of tasks with a current system state of the first computing system, wherein encapsulating the task includes associating metadata defining an association between the task and resources of the first computing system. The task management system is configured to transfer the encapsulated task to a second computing system among the plurality of communicatively interconnected computing systems for execution, the metadata used to associate the task with resources of a second computing system.
US09684544B1 Distributed data set storage and analysis reproducibility
An apparatus includes a processor and a storage storing instructions causing the processor to: maintain a federated area; receive a request to perform a job flow with a data set from a remote device; retrieve a job flow definition specifying the tasks of the job flow from the federated area; determine whether there is an instance log in the federated area generated by a previous performance of the job flow with the data set; in response to there being such an instance log, retrieve the version specified in the instance log of each task routine for each task from the federated area; in response to there being no such instance log, retrieve the most recent version of each task routine; perform the job flow with the retrieved versions of the task routines and the data set to generate a result report; and provide the result report to the remote device.
US09684539B1 Methods, systems, and computer readable mediums for logically remediating infrastructure resource components
Methods, systems, and computer readable mediums for logically remediating infrastructure resource components are disclosed. According to one example, the method includes interfacing an infrastructure component remediation (ICR) device to a plurality of infrastructure resource components located at a data facility area in order to assess a configuration state for each of the plurality of infrastructure resource components. The method further includes identifying, via the interfaced ICR device, a disparity existing between a converged infrastructure baseline configuration and the assessed configuration states associated with the infrastructure resource components, and remediating, via the interfaced ICR device, the plurality of infrastructure resource components to logically operate as a converged infrastructure that complies with the converged infrastructure baseline configuration.
US09684538B1 Enhanced power method on an electronic device
A power method can be enhanced. For example, an electronic communication indicating a job to be performed can be received. A best rank-1 approximation of a matrix associated with the job can be determined using the power method. Each iteration of the power method can include determining a point that lies on a line passing through (i) a first value for a first singular vector from an immediately prior iteration of the power method; and (ii) a second value for the first singular vector from another prior iteration of the power method. Each iteration of the power method can also include determining, by performing the power method using the point, a current value for the first singular vector and a current value for a second singular vector for a current iteration of the power method. The job can then be performed using the best rank-1 approximation of the matrix.
US09684535B2 Archiving virtual machines in a data storage system
The data storage system according to certain aspects can manage the archiving of virtual machines to (and restoring of virtual machines from) secondary storage. The system can determine whether to archive virtual machines based on usage data or information. The usage information may include storage usage, CPU usage, memory usage, network usage, events defined by a virtual machine software or application, etc. The system may archive virtual machines that are determined to have a low level of utilization. For example, a virtual machine can be archived when its usage level falls below a threshold level. The system may create a virtual machine placeholder for an archived virtual machine, which may be a “light” or minimal version of the virtual machine that acts as if it is the actual virtual machine. By using a virtual machine placeholder, a virtual machine may appear to be active and selectable by the user.
US09684534B2 Monitoring and modifying allocated computing resources
Data is collected for at least one metric relating to utilization of a computing resource allocated to a virtual machine. The data is compared to decision criteria. A confidence level that the virtual machine is not utilized based, at least in part, on the comparing is determined. A policy is identified that defines an action to be taken for the confidence level. A severity of the action is greater as the confidence level increases. The action is initiated the action in accordance with the policy and confidence level.
US09684522B2 Customizable food freshness printer startup wizard
A method of utilizing a startup wizard is disclosed. The startup wizard guides a user through the installation of a food freshness barcode printer, enabling a non-technical user to complete the installation in minimal time. Specifically, the startup wizard detects first power on or is accessible from a system menu. Then, when the printer is installed, the startup wizard is entered which prompts the user for some or all of the following items: language, date format, product database, network configuration, or other specific elements required for implementation. The user is then guided through the installation process which enables a non-technical user to complete the installation of the food freshness barcode printer in minimal time.
US09684519B2 Electronic device using trigger signal and status signal to execute a plurality of booting modes
An electronic device with a plurality of booting modes comprises at least a button unit, a control module, a control chip unit, a super I/O unit and a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS). One of the button units outputs a first signal according to a trigger event. The control module includes a buffer unit connected to the button units. The control module sets the buffer unit according to the first signal. The control module outputs a status signal and copies the first signal and outputs the first signal after a delay time. The control chip unit receives the status signal. The super I/O unit receives the first signal outputted from the control module and transmits the first signal to the control chip unit. When the control chip unit receives the status signal and the first signal, the BIOS executes the corresponding booting procedure according to the status signal.
US09684508B2 Mobile device and recording medium
A mobile device receives a latest version of firmware with a firmware management system that manages firmware and receives a current version of firmware in an image forming apparatus through close-range communication with the image forming apparatus. The mobile device determines whether or not a later version than the current version of firmware in the image forming apparatus exists based on the latest version of firmware and the current version of firmware that are received.
US09684506B2 Work-item expiration in software configuration management environment
A first changeset that identifies a change to a first software product development file is generated. An expiry condition to assign to the first changeset is received. Responsive to determining that the expiry condition assigned to the first changeset is met, whether any subsequent changesets identify another change that depends on the change to the first software product development file identified in the first changeset is determined. Responsive to determining that no subsequent changesets identify another change that depends on the change to the first software product development file identified in the first changeset, the change identified in the first changeset, such that the first software product development file does not include the change identified in the first changeset is automatically reversed.
US09684497B1 Optimized compiling of a template function
A template function is received. The template function includes one or more data types. A single abstract instantiation of the template function is created. An abstract internal descriptor for each data type is created. A map set for each abstract internal descriptor is created. The number of instantiations required and the type of instantiation required is provided. A finished object is created using each map set. The finished object is a translation of the intermediate representation into assembly code.
US09684496B1 Method for parsing programming languages and structured data
A computer implemented method for parsing computer languages and structured data which converts the source language text of a computer program, e.g. C or FORTRAN, or structured data, e.g. HTML or XML, into a syntax tree. The method has two steps. The first step looks for sequences of tokens in the main token list in which no tokens referring to recursive delimiters exist. The second step parses those tokens into a partial syntax tree which is inserted back into the main token list replacing the tokens which have just been parsed. The two steps are repeated until only one token remains in the main token list. Because no recursion exists in the tokens being parsed by the second step, a find and replacement mechanism using regular expressions can be used to do the parsing. Guidelines are shown for creating a language definition using regular expressions.
US09684495B2 Command interpretation
The compiled code of a computer program is stored in multiple pieces within a database. Each piece is optionally stored within a separate data record. Execution of the computer program includes using database queries to retrieve pieces of the compiled code for execution. The database and associated database management logic are used to provide numerous advantages in execution and management of the computer program. For example, in some embodiments, database queries are used to help facilitate program flow logic. In another example, database queries are based on a command line or universal resource locator. These queries may be used to select functionality of a computer program in response to the command line or universal resource locator.
US09684493B2 R-language integration with a declarative machine learning language
In a method for analyzing a large data set using a statistical computing environment language operation, a processor generates code from the statistical computing environment language operation that can be understood by a software system for processing machine learning algorithms in a MapReduce environment. A processor transfers the code to the software system for processing machine learning algorithms in a MapReduce environment. A processor invokes execution of the code with the software system for processing machine learning algorithms in a MapReduce environment.
US09684486B2 Display device, method of controlling display device, and program
A head mounted display device is used by being mounted on a body of a user and includes an image display unit through which outside scenery is transmitted and which displays an image such that the image is visually recognizable together with the outside scenery. Further, the head mounted display device includes a right headphone and a left headphone outputting a sound. Further, the head mounted display device includes a target detection unit that detects a target of the user in the visual line direction; a distance detection unit that detects a distance between the detected target and the user; and an information output control unit that controls the output of the sound of the right headphone and the left headphone according to the detected distance.
US09684482B2 Multi-monitor display system
A multi-monitor display is disclosed. A multi-monitor display receives video data configured for a single N×M video display; splits the video data into a plurality of portions spanning the N×M display; and transmits the plurality of portions to a corresponding plurality of displays. The multi-monitor display system can be any system, for example a display-port system or an ePaper system.
US09684477B2 Method and device for image processing and computer-readable recording medium
According to an aspect of the invention, an image processing device includes a storage that stores character information, which is information affecting legibility of a character, on a character-by-character basis, and circuitry configured to determine a toner saving ratio for each character contained in a to-be-printed image so that legibility of the character achieves a preset target value at the determined toner saving ratio by assessing the legibility of the character based on the character information.
US09684474B2 Single input/output cell with multiple bond pads and/or transmitters
A storage module may include a controller configured to communicate with a memory having a plurality of memory dies. The controller may include a plurality of bond pads, where each bond pad is configured to communicate a same type of memory signal, and where each bond pad is electrically connected to at least one but less than all of the plurality of memory dies. A core of the controller may identify a memory die that it wants to communicate a memory signal and an associated bond pad with which to communicate the memory signal.
US09684472B2 Cluster families for cluster selection and cooperative replication
Cluster families for cluster selection and cooperative replication are created. The clusters are grouped into family members of a cluster family base on their relationships and roles. Members of the cluster family determine which family member is in the best position to obtain replicated information and become cumulatively consistent within their cluster family. Once the cluster family becomes cumulatively consistent, the data is shared within the cluster family so that all copies within the cluster family are consistent.
US09684471B2 Priority based depopulation of storage ranks
Various embodiments for priority based depopulation of ranks in a computing storage environment are provided. In one embodiment, a method comprises prioritizing a plurality of ranks selected for depopulation. Highest priority and lowest priority ranks are marked and selected for depopulation. Lower priority ranks are placed in a queue in order of priority. An extent of one of the lower priority ranks is migrated to a rank not selected for depopulation. One of the lower priority ranks with newer data is selected for executing a read operation in response to a read operation to one of the lower priority ranks. At least one of the highest priority ranks is depopulated to at least one of a plurality of targeted ranks. The highest priority rank is left as unassigned to one of the plurality of targeted ranks until determining if the highest priority rank is to be assigned the targeted ranks.
US09684468B2 Recording dwell time in a non-volatile memory system
In at least one embodiment, a data storage system includes a non-volatile memory array, such as a flash memory array, and a controller coupled to the memory array. The controller records, for each of a plurality of valid pages in the memory array, a respective indication of a dwell time of each valid page.
US09684466B2 Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device in which unwanted change in the secondary data which must be reliable is suppressed and the need for a considerable increase in the capacity of a memory unit can be avoided. Also it ensures efficient data processing by asymmetric access to the memory unit. It includes a memory unit having a first memory without an error correcting function, a second memory with an error correcting function, and a plurality of access nodes for the memories. A plurality of buses is coupled to the access nodes and a plurality of data processing modules can asymmetrically access the memory unit through the buses. The first memory stores primary data before data processing by the data processing modules, and the second memory stores secondary data after data processing by the data processing modules.
US09684465B2 Memory power management and data consolidation
According to embodiments of the disclosure, methods, systems and computer program products for memory power management and data consolidation are disclosed. The method may include selecting a first real memory portion and a second real memory portion from a plurality of real memory portions coupled to a memory controller in a computer system by a memory bus. The first real memory portion may be connected to a first buffer and the second real memory portion may be connected to a second buffer. The first and second real memory portions may be selected by the memory controller. The method may include migrating data from the first real memory portion to the second real memory portion on a migration bus through the first and second buffers. The method may also include placing the first real memory portion into a reduced power mode.
US09684462B2 Method and apparatus utilizing non-uniform hash functions for placing records in non-uniform access memory
Method and apparatus for storing records in non-uniform access memory. In various embodiments, the placement of records is localized in one or more regions of the memory. This can be accomplished utilizing different ordered lists of hash functions to preferentially map records to different regions of the memory to achieve one or more performance characteristics or to account for differences in the underlying memory technologies. For example, one ordered list of hash functions may localize the data for more rapid access. Another list of hash functions may localize the data that is expected to have a relatively short lifetime. Localizing such data may significantly improve the erasure performance and/or memory lifetime, e.g., by concentrating the obsolete data elements in one location. Thus, the two or more lists of ordered hash functions may improve one or more of access latency, memory lifetime, and/or operation rate.
US09684461B1 Dynamically adjusting read data return sizes based on memory interface bus utilization
A memory system comprises memory devices coupled to a memory controller via a memory interface bus, the memory controller for receiving one or more memory requests via an interconnect. The memory controller tracks utilization of the memory interface bus for reads from the memory devices for a selection of the one or more memory requests during a time window. The memory controller, responsive to detecting utilization of the memory interface bus for reads during the time window reaches a memory utilization threshold, dynamically selects a reduced read data size for a size of data to be accessed from the memory devices by at least one read operation, the reduced data size selected from among at least two read data size options for the at least one read operation of a maximum read data size and the reduced read data size that is less than the maximum read data size.
US09684455B2 Method and apparatus for sequential stream I/O processing
A method for providing efficient processing for many concurrent streams of sequential I/O requests is provided. In response to receiving an I/O request, the method includes determining if the I/O request corresponds to an active stream. If the request corresponds to an active stream, then the method includes updating an existing active list entry of an active list corresponding to the active stream, and if the I/O request does not correspond to an active stream, then instead converting and configuring an inactive list entry of an inactive list into a new active list entry. The inactive list stores available but unallocated resources, and the active list stores allocated resources. The active list includes a head at one end of the active list and a tail at an opposite end. The active list head corresponds to a most recently used entry, and the tail corresponds to a least recently used entry.
US09684454B2 Method, storage system, and program for spanning single file across plurality of tape media
Mechanisms for splitting and spanning a single file across a plurality of tape media in a tape drive file system are provided. The mechanisms format the tape media so as to store an index of the file and data on the file in the tape media in a predetermined format; splitting the single file into separate portions and managing at least one of IDs identifying the plurality of tape media that sequentially store the portions of the file in association with the file; and storing a generation number indicating the number of storing and updating each of the file portions as the index in each of the tape media. Upon receiving a request to read the stored split file, the system obtains an index on a tape medium storing a file portion whose generation number is the highest and reads a time stamp related to the size and update of the single file.
US09684453B2 Cluster federation and trust in a cloud environment
An improved scalable object storage system allows multiple clusters to work together. In one embodiment, a trust and federation relationship is established between a first cluster and a second cluster. This is done by designating a first cluster as a trust root. The trust root receives contact from another cluster, and the two clusters exchange cryptographic credentials. The two clusters mutually authenticate each other based upon the credentials, and optionally relative to a third information service, and establish a service connection. Services from the remote cluster are registered as being available to the cluster designated as the trust root. Multi-cluster gateways can also be designated as the trust root, and joined clusters can be mutually untrusting. Two one-way trust and federation relationships can be set up to form a trusted bidirectional channel.
US09684449B2 Character input using modern remote control
Methods and system for generating a first set of selection options for presentation on a display screen of a television. Each first set selection option identifies a sub-set of symbols. The presentation provides a visual representation of spatial relationship between the first set of selection options and a first group of input options available on a physical remote control. A first user selection is received for the first group of input options. In response to receiving the first user selection, a second set of selection options corresponding to the first user selection, is generated for presentation as a visual representation of spatial relationship between the second set of selection options and a second group of input options available on the physical remote control. A second user selection is received for the input options from the second group and is interpreted to identify selection of one of the sub-set of symbols.
US09684445B2 Mobile gesture reporting and replay with unresponsive gestures identification and analysis
In gesture reporting and replay, touch events are captured from an operating system of a client device for touch actions on a touchscreen. The touch events are interpreted as gestures. Any application events are captured from an application in response to the gestures. A given gesture and any given application event in response to the given gesture are compared against an expected application event. When there is a match, the given gesture is identified as a responsive gesture. When there is no match, the given gesture is identified as a non-responsive gesture. The gesture information for the given gesture, any application event in response to the given gesture, and a screen layout displayed on the touchscreen at the time of the given gesture are sent to a service. For the information received, the service replays the given gesture and generates a report.
US09684443B2 Moving object on rendered display using collar
In response to receiving a first user action in relation to an object displayed on the rendered display, a collar is displayed on the rendered display around the object. The collar and the object can be made translucent. The collar can have the same shape as the object, but can be larger in size than the object. In response to receiving a second user action in relation to the collar, the object and the collar are moved on the rendered display in correspondence with the second user action, without finalizing a current location of the object on the rendered display after the second user action has been completed. In response to receiving a third user action, the current location of the object is finalized on the rendered display and the collar is removed from around the object on the rendered display.
US09684442B2 Moving an object displayed on a display screen
A method, system, and/or computer program product moves a movable object displayed on a display screen using an electronic device. The method comprises the electronic device displaying a first frame around a first area on a display screen, and displaying a second frame around a second area on the display screen. The second frame displayed is larger than the first frame, and adjusts in size until it intersects a movable object. Once the second frame intersects the movable object, a half line is displayed from the first frame to the movable object, and in response to receiving a movement signal, a display of the movable object is then displayed in the first area.
US09684441B2 Apparatus and associated methods
An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following: display a partial portion of a media scroll-line on a display; allow user marking input of respective start and end points to the partial portion of the media scroll-line, the marked start point and end point together defining a selection segment of the partial portion; and allow user scrolling input to the media scroll-line itself to scroll the media scroll-line on the display relative to the selection segment to re-position the selection segment to a different partial portion of the media scroll-line to allow for selection of the re-positioned selection segment.
US09684437B2 Memorization system and method
A system for memorization of content includes a memory storing the content. The memory includes a tangible computer readable medium with an instruction set, and at least one database. The database has information corresponding to the content. A processor communicating with the memory is configured to: execute the instruction set to present information corresponding to an original discrete portion of the content, and conduct an accuracy analysis of at least one version of the discrete portion audibly repeated by a user. An audio input device communicating with the processor receives the version from the user for use in the accuracy analysis by the processor. An input device inputs a user predetermined quantity of repetitions of the version presented to the user prior to the user progressing to a next discrete portion of the original discrete portion when a user predetermined accuracy threshold of the accuracy analysis is met.
US09684429B2 Device, method, and graphical user interface for managing concurrently open software applications
An electronic device displays a first application on the touch-sensitive display, the first application being one of a plurality of concurrently open applications on the electronic device. The device detects a first input and in response, displays a multitasking user interface that is configured to select an open application for viewing and is also configured to select one of a plurality of contactable users to communicate with. The multitasking user interface includes a set of open application affordances, wherein activation of a respective open application affordance selects a corresponding open application in the plurality of concurrently open applications for viewing, and a first set of contactable-user affordances, wherein activation of a respective contactable-user affordance initiates a process for communicating with a corresponding contactable-user.
US09684427B2 Three-dimensional interface
A three-dimensional virtual-touch human-machine interface system (20) and a method (100) of operating the system (20) are presented. The system (20) incorporates a three-dimensional time-of-flight sensor (22), a three-dimensional autostereoscopic display (24), and a computer (26) coupled to the sensor (22) and the display (24). The sensor (22) detects a user object (40) within a three-dimensional sensor space (28). The display (24) displays an image (42) within a three-dimensional display space (32). The computer (26) maps a position of the user object (40) within an interactive volumetric field (36) mutually within the sensor space (28) and the display space (32), and determines when the positions of the user object (40) and the image (42) are substantially coincident. Upon detection of coincidence, the computer (26) executes a function programmed for the image (42).
US09684425B2 Suggesting a target location upon viewport movement
A digital map of a geographic area is provided via a user interface within a viewport, which defines a viewable portion of the digital map. The viewport is repositioned relative to the digital map in accordance with user commands provided via the user interface. A substantially continuous movement of the viewport in response to a plurality of similar user commands is detected. In response, a geographic place located in a general direction of the continuous movement of the viewport is determined, and a control for directly positioning the viewport over a portion of the digital map representing the geographic place is provided.
US09684421B2 Touch sensing system including touch screen panel
A display device includes a first electrode arranged in a first direction, and a second electrode arranged in a second direction, wherein the first electrode crosses the second electrode. A base film is between the first electrode and the second electrode, and a driving hole is in one of the first electrode and the second electrode. The driving hole is in a region in which the first electrode overlaps the second electrode, and a side of the driving hole is tilted relative to the first or second direction.
US09684419B2 Touch sensor integrated type display device
A touch sensor integrated type display device capable of recognizing a user's touch operation is disclosed. The touch sensor integrated type display device includes a plurality of first electrodes each including a plurality of first electrode patterns, which are connected through a plurality of first bottlenecks, the plurality of first electrodes being arranged in a first direction, and a plurality of second electrodes arranged in a second direction crossing the first direction. The plurality of first electrode patterns and the plurality of second electrodes are alternately disposed. At least one unit pixel electrode is disposed corresponding to each of the plurality of first electrode patterns.
US09684417B2 Touch-sensing electrode structure and touch-sensitive device
A touch-sensing electrode structure includes multiple first electrodes and multiple second electrodes. Each of the first electrodes includes at least a first major part and a second major part, the first major part and the second major part cross over each other to form at least one interconnect section, the interconnect section includes a first connecting line extending in a first direction and a second connecting line extending in a second direction different to the first direction. Each of the second electrodes includes a plurality of electrode sections and third connecting lines, each of the third connecting lines is connected between two adjacent electrode sections, the third connecting lines extend in a third direction different to the first direction and the second direction, and at least one of the third connecting lines overlaps the interconnect section.
US09684413B2 Light-based touch screen
Touch screen apparatus, including a display unit including a touch surface, a number of light pulse emitting units for emitting light pulses over and across the touch surface, a number of light pulse receiving units for measuring amounts of light received from the light pulse emitting units, circuitry for selectively activating the light pulse emitting units and the light pulse receiving units, and a calculating unit to control the circuitry to provide a low-frequency idle mode and a high-frequency active mode, wherein only one of the light pulse emitting units and one of the light pulse receiving units are activated in the idle mode, and to determine that a light pulse in the idle mode is broken, based on the measured amounts of light received at the one receiving unit.
US09684407B2 Method and apparatus for determining shape and orientation of a touch object on handheld devices
A method and apparatus are disclosed for determining the shape and orientation of an object touching a touch panel on, for example, a handheld device. The method comprises extracting and storing in a training phase a plurality of touch attributes corresponding to a plurality of predefined objects touching the touch panel, receiving in a test phase an input data for a test object touching the touch panel, wherein the input data comprises a plurality of values corresponding to difference mutual capacitance at each node of the touch panel, determining a plurality of touch attributes associated with the test object by comparing the input data with the plurality of features extracted during the training phase and approximating input data of the test object with the plurality of touch attributes obtained in the training phase to determine the shape and orientation of the test object.
US09684405B2 System and method for cyclic motion gesture
A method and system for cyclic motion gesturing is provided. The method includes receiving at a motion sensor coupled with a processor a first motion associated with an e-reader, receiving a second motion associated with an e-reader at the motion sensor, the second motion being a counter motion of the first motion, wherein the first and second motions are associated with moving the e-reader form a first point in space to a second point in space and then back to the first point in space within a predetermined period of time, determining the first and second motions indicate a multi-motion command gesture corresponding to a first function performable on the e-Reader and automatically performing the first function on the e-reader in response to the multi-motion command gesture.
US09684402B2 Touch display panel and touch display device
Provided are a touch display panel and a touch display device. The touch display panel comprises a TFT array substrate (200) and a color film substrate (100) arranged opposite to each other. The TFT array substrate (200) comprises: a plurality of touch drive wires (TD), a plurality of touch sensing wires (TS), and a plurality of touch TFTs (220), one of the source (2053) and the drain (2054) of the touch TFTs (220) is electrically connected to the touch drive wires (TD), and the other one of the source (2053) and the drain (2054) of the touch TFTs (220) is electrically connected to the touch sensing wires (TS). The color film substrate (100) comprises: a plurality of conductive pillars (110) facing the TFT array substrate (200), and the conductive pillars (110) are arranged corresponding to the touch TFTs (220) to control the channel current of the touch TFTs (220). TFT arrays in the provided touch display panel and touch display device are compatible with the existing pixel array structure and technology, without adding additional process steps, and the realization of the touch function and the realization of the display function do not interfere with each other.
US09684400B2 Capacitive sensing detection method for an active pixel matrix
The present invention provides a capacitive sensing detection method for an active pixel matrix. The method comprises to select a first sensing region in the active pixel matrix. Then, a first signal is transferred to the first sensing region. Next, a second sensing region is selected. A second signal is transferred to the second sensing region for sensing. Finally, a change of the first signal and the second signal is detected and calculated to determine a position.
US09684399B2 Touch element and manufacturing method thereof, and touch screen
The present invention provides a touch element and a manufacturing method thereof, and a touch screen. The touch element includes a substrate and a touch layer arranged on the substrate, the touch layer is made of a doped carbon nanotube material, and the doped carbon nanotube material is formed by doping and modifying a carbon nanotube material with a strong oxidizing material. The touch element has higher conductivity and lower sheet resistance, which makes the touch element have a good touch performance, thus making a touch product with the touch element achieve the same touch performance while reducing the cost of the touch product; at the same time, the touch layer made of the doped carbon nanotube material has good characteristics of bending resistance, scratch resistance and knocking resistance, so that the touch element can be well applied to the touch of a flexible display product.
US09684398B1 Executing a default action on a touchscreen device
A computer-implemented method for executing a default action on a touchscreen device is provided. The method includes receiving a touch input from a user on a touchscreen device and determining a context associated with the touch input. The context is associated with one or more actions including a default action. The method also includes determining that the received touch input comprises a default gesture, and performing the default action associated with the determined context. The default gesture may be a two-finger double-tap gesture. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided.
US09684395B2 System and method for context driven voice interface in handheld wireless mobile devices
A wireless communication device with a voice-input and display-touch interface has an interface processor that enables, in part (i) an either display-touch or a voice-input based interface, and in part (ii) only a voice-input based interface for efficiently searching information databases. A sequence of context based search verb and search term is selected via either touch or voce selection and then the human articulated voice query is expanded using a culture and a world intelligence dictionary for conducting more efficient searches though a voice-based input.
US09684392B2 In-car operation display device
Provided is an in-car operation display device which improves the operability of a display unit. The display unit is used for indications and operations for car-installed functions such as settings and instructions of the car-installed functions. An operating means (first switch plate SpL, second switch plate SpR) includes an operating-plate portion (6L, 6R) configured to be operated to move along a display screen 5a of a display unit 5. The operating-plate portion (6L, 6R) includes a protruding switch portion (touch-sensor protrusion 10-15).
US09684388B2 Method and apparatus for determining an operation based on an indication associated with a tangible object
An apparatus, method, and computer program product are described that can receive a signal from a tangible object, where the signal includes an indication of an operation to be executed upon receipt of a user input applied by the tangible object, and that can determine the operation based on the indication. In this way, the user is not required to provide additional user input to define the particular operation that is desired. The apparatus may determine at least one recipient with whom data selected via a user input applied by the tangible object may be shared. The apparatus may further provide for the determination of an operation to be executed based on an identification of a selection of content and may provide for the association of the operation with the tangible object, such that subsequent user input applied via the tangible object causes execution of the operation.
US09684383B1 Electronic apparatus and method for detecting status of keys thereof
An electronic apparatus and a method for detecting status of keys thereof are provided. The electronic apparatus comprises a key module, a key control circuit, a conversion circuit with calibration mechanism and a processor. The key control circuit detects whether any of keys in the key module is pressed. If the detection result is affirmative, the press status of each of the keys is scanned by the key control circuit to obtain a coarse scan result. The conversion circuit with calibration mechanism is configured to perform the other system function of the electronic apparatus. When the processor determines that at least one of the keys is not pressed according the coarse scan result, the conversion circuit with calibration mechanism is switched to assist a re-scan operation of the press status of the at least one of the keys.
US09684378B2 Electronic device and method of displaying information in response to a gesture
A method includes displaying information associated with a first application on a touch-sensitive display of an electronic device. A gesture is detected on the touch-sensitive display, which gesture indicates a request to display information associated with a second application. At least part of the information associated with the second application is displayed without opening the second application.
US09684376B1 Method and apparatus for controlling a texture of a surface
A method and apparatus for providing tactile feedback to a rotary knob is provided herein. During operation a rotary knob will have a surface pattern that will change smoothly from one pattern to another based on device functions currently being controlled by the rotary knob. So, for example, when the rotary knob is controlling a volume function, the surface will have a first textured pattern, and when the rotary knob is controlling a channel function, the surface will have a second, differing, textured pattern.
US09684375B2 Systems and methods for stabilizing a haptic touch panel or touch surface
Systems and methods for stabilizing haptic touch panels or touch surfaces are disclosed. For example, one disclosed system includes a housing having a base; and a touch sensitive input device. The apparatus further includes a first support member coupled to the base via a first hinge and coupled to the touch sensitive input device via a second hinge; a second support member coupled to the base via a third hinge and coupled to the touch sensitive input device via a fourth hinge; wherein the first support member and the second support member are configured to facilitate movement of the touch sensitive input device in a first degree of freedom.
US09684372B2 System and method for human computer interaction
A system and method for human computer interaction (HCI), may acquire image data, determine an interaction intended to be conducted by a user based on various gestures and poses of the user detected from the image data, and perform an operation and/or function which is displayed on a display of a display unit, in response to a result of the interaction.
US09684370B2 Reducing camera interference using image analysis
Various embodiments relating to reducing camera interference are disclosed. In one embodiment, an infrared image of a scene may be received from a camera that emits infrared light. An interference condition likely to degrade infrared performance of one or more proximate infrared devices may be recognized. Responsive to recognizing the interference condition, an instruction to mitigate the interference condition may be output.
US09684367B2 Power trace port for tracing states of power domains
A power trace port included in a system (e.g., a microcontroller system) having multiple power domains includes a power trace port that outputs digital signals indicating the states of the power domains. If each power domain is independent of other power domains in the system, each power domain can have its own set of power trace pins in the power trace port that are at least partially external to the system. If a power domain has multiple states, multiple pins can be used to indicate the multiple states. In some implementations, the power trace port can include performance level pins for providing performance level signals. The power trace port can be coupled to power trace probes of a power analyzer that is external to the system for generating power traces.
US09684361B2 Devices routing wakeup signals using physical layer directly to power management circuit without waking up link layer
In a method of operating a device, signals associated with wakeup of the device are detected using a first physical layer among a plurality of physical layers, and a detection signal is generated based on the detected signals. The detection signal is transmitted directly to a power management circuit. The first physical layer is included in logical lane #0 or physical lane #0.
US09684358B2 Electrical appliance
An electrical appliance includes a communication unit receiving energy related information from the outside; a control unit receiving the energy related information from the communication unit; an energy consumption component operating by the control unit; and an input unit receiving a command for selecting an operation mode of the energy consumption component. The operation mode of the energy consumption component includes a first power saving mode in which the operation of the energy consumption component is restricted on a basis of the energy related information, and a second power saving mode in which the operation of the energy consumption component is restricted irrespective of the energy related information. One of the first and second power saving modes is selected through the input unit.
US09684355B2 Identifying power state changes
Techniques for detecting mobile computing power states are described herein. An active state may be detected in a mobile computing device. A timestamp may be requested at predetermined intervals while in the active state. A first timestamp and a second timestamp may be received in response to the timestamp requests. If a difference between a first time stamp and a second time stamp exceeds the predetermined interface, the mobile computing device is identified to have entered a sleep state during a time period indicated by the determined timestamp difference.
US09684354B2 Remote customer relationship management activity workspace
A secure activity workspace including a monitoring device connected to a power source and a managed router and a monitoring router connected to a communication channel, and the managed router and a power source wherein the monitoring device controls the managed router.
US09684350B2 Calibration scheme for improving flexibility on platform implementation
An apparatus is described herein. The apparatus includes a plurality of electrical components, wherein at least one component is to increase a total impedance at a port. The apparatus also includes a comparator, wherein the comparator is to determine an additional impedance from the plurality of electrical components at the port and adjust the impedance to maintain signal integrity along a trace to the port in response to a device being coupled with the port.
US09684346B2 Power supply
A power supply includes a main body having a coupling face and a handlebar. The coupling face includes a first end and a second end forming a power socket. The handlebar includes a first beam coupled to the first end and a second beam. The first beam extends a tab outwardly. The handlebar defines a window configured to expose the power socket. The handlebar is transitionable between: (i) a first configuration in which the second beam couples the second end, the window corresponds and exposes the power socket, the tab extends toward a first direction, and (ii) a second configuration in which the second beam is remote from the second end, the window is remote from the power socket, and the tab extends toward a second direction different from the first direction. A method for removing the power supply from a case of an electronic device is also provided.
US09684345B2 Secondary memory device
A secondary memory device includes: a substrate and a housing configured to accommodate at least a part of the substrate. The substrate has upper and lower opposed surfaces and includes a first region in which a first semiconductor device is mounted on the upper surface and a second region in which a second semiconductor device is mounted on the upper surface. The housing includes a first sub-housing covering the upper surface of the substrate at the first region and the first semiconductor device. The first sub-housing does not extend to cover the upper surface of the substrate at the second region.
US09684340B2 Rollable flexible display device
Disclosed is a rollable flexible display device. The rollable flexible display device includes, for example, a display panel, a source board, and a panel roller unit. The panel roller unit provides a mechanical structure for rolling the display panel and the source board along an outer circumferential surface thereof. The panel roller unit may have a region forming a curved surface and a region forming a planar surface.
US09684339B2 Bendable display assembly
A bendable display assembly comprises a plurality of layered elements each having two side surfaces, each having an area, the elements comprising a display element capable of displaying an adjustable visual output. Two successive elements of the plurality of layered elements have opposite side surfaces facing towards each other, the opposite side surfaces being, for a majority of their areas, in contact with a sealed sliding fluid volume extending between the successive elements, whereby the successive elements are slidably movable relative to each other when the display assembly is bent.
US09684336B2 Mechanism device with rotary holder and display device therewith
A mechanism device includes a hinge mechanism, a holding base, a guiding member and a fixing member. The holding base is pivoted to the frame by the hinge mechanism and includes a main casing, a first holding casing and a second holding casing. The first holding casing and the second holding casing extend from two opposite sides of the main casing along a direction away from the hinge mechanism, such that the main casing, the first holding casing and the second holding casing cooperatively define a holding slot with openings formed on two sides thereof, so as to hold an electronic device. The guiding member is disposed within the holding slot and for guiding the electronic device into the holding slot. The fixing member is disposed within the holding slot and for fixing the electronic device inside the holding slot after the electronic device enters the holding slot.
US09684334B2 Tablet computer overlay membrane
A tablet computer device comprises a overlay membrane detachably couplable to the tablet computer device to protect a display element of the tablet computer device, the overlay membrane having an integrated keyboard.
US09684330B2 Operation member and electronic devices having the same
An operation member includes a body having an operating end and a coupling end, and a skirt member. The skirt member is arranged at the coupling end. The skirt member includes a base plate outwardly extending from the coupling end, a wall extending from the base plate, and a groove defined between the outer surface of the wall and the body. The electronic device includes a casing, an operation member, and a circuit module. The casing has portions defining an opening. The circuit module has a circuit board including a controller disposed thereon. The above-mentioned operation member is sleeved onto the controller and passes through the opening. The outer surface of the operation member and the opening define a gap therebetween. The groove is correspondingly arranged proximate to the gap to gather small particles entering the gap.
US09684328B2 Systems and methods for overvoltage protection of power converters
A system includes an excitation system configured to regulate one or more outputs of a power generating system. The excitation system includes a power conversion module (PCM). The PCM includes a direct current (DC) link, a plurality of insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) configured to generate an output to the system, and a nonlinear resistor configured to limit a voltage of the DC link to a predetermined threshold.
US09684327B2 Protecting passive HF generator components
In one aspect, a method includes protecting passive components connected to a high-frequency generator. In another aspect, a system includes a high-frequency generator having an HF source generating a high-frequency power signal at a fundamental frequency, and having a first control circuit which is fed with a signal related to an HF power transmitted by a high-frequency cable between the high-frequency generator and a load.
US09684325B1 Low dropout voltage regulator with improved power supply rejection
In certain aspects, a method for voltage regulation includes adjusting, using a feedback circuit, a resistance of a first pass element in a direction that reduces a difference between a reference voltage and a feedback voltage, wherein the first pass element is coupled between an input and an output of a voltage regulator, and the feedback voltage is equal to or proportional to a voltage at the output of the voltage regulator. The method also includes adjusting a bias voltage of the feedback circuit in a direction that reduces the difference between the reference voltage and the feedback voltage.
US09684322B2 Voltage limiting device for use in a distributed control system
A voltage limiting device for limiting the voltage being transferred from a trunk circuit to a spur circuit of a distributed control network includes an AC signal device that passes the AC data signals between the trunk circuit and the spur circuit.
US09684304B2 Device for controlling a motor vehicle
A communication module for controlling a motor vehicle, which is configured for receiving vehicle-independent commands and converting these received commands into a target trajectory of the motor vehicle, and transmitting this target trajectory to an implementation module which is configured for associating a sequence of control commands for components of the motor vehicle with this transmitted target trajectory.
US09684301B2 Computer product, assembly sequence generating apparatus, and manufacturing method
An assembly sequence generating apparatus includes a computer that has a display control unit (301) that causes a display unit to display a 3-D model; a setting unit (302) that, when parts included in the 3-D model displayed on the display unit are sequentially selected, sets the selected parts to not be displayed; and a storing unit (304) that stores to a memory unit, a reverse sequence of a sequence of the selection of the parts as an assembly sequence of the 3-D model.
US09684299B2 Apparatus and method for managing machine tool information for heterogeneous numerical control devices
The present disclosure relates to a system and a method for managing machine tool information for heterogeneous numerical control devices, and more particularly, to a system and a method for managing machine tool information for heterogeneous numerical control devices which may manage data of heterogeneous numerical control devices by a mobile device through a network, such as a wide area Internet or local WiFi, and monitor an operational state of the machine tool.
US09684296B2 Handheld field maintenance tool with improved functionality
A handheld field maintenance tool with improved functionality is provided. The handheld field maintenance tool includes a keypad, a display, a short-range wireless transceiver and a processor. The processor is coupled to the keypad, the display and the short-range wireless transceiver. The processor is also coupled to memory having a plurality of instructions stored therein, which instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform at least one of remote wireless display; remote wireless keypress injection; and wireless printing.
US09684293B2 Refrigerant relief valve monitoring system and method
A relief valve monitoring system and method can monitor the pressure in a pressure vessel in an ammonia refrigeration system and warn of an impending overpressure condition and a possible subsequent ammonia release event through a pressure relief valve. If a pressure relief valve opens, the relief valve monitoring system and method can identify the relief valve that has opened by monitoring the downstream pressure of the relief valve, accurately determine the amount of ammonia refrigerant that has been released into a common collection header, and purge the common collection header of residual ammonia after the ammonia release event has ended.
US09684283B2 Pivot for timepiece mechanism
A pivot for a timepiece mechanism, including a first rotational guide member for radially holding an arbor in a plate, and a second front guide member for axially limiting an end of the arbor, and including at least one resilient shock absorber acting on at least the first rotational guide member and/or the second front guide member. The resilient shock absorber is made in a one-piece manner in a micromachinable material or in silicon or quartz or diamond with a structural element other than the first rotational guide member and the second front guide member.
US09684279B2 Image forming apparatus with an insertion port configured for a process cartridge, usable with the image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus in which an apparatus main body has: an insertion port through which a process cartridge cannot pass when an image bearing member and a developer bearing member are separated from each other and through which the process cartridge can pass when the image bearing member and the developer bearing member are in contact with each other; and guides that guide one of a first frame and a second frame when the process cartridge is inserted into the insertion port. The image forming apparatus has a separation mechanism that separates the image bearing member and the developer bearing member from each other when the process cartridge is further inserted after the other of the first frame and second frame has passed through the insertion port.
US09684276B2 Cleaning apparatus, process cartridge and image forming apparatus
This invention concerns a cleaning unit which has a photosensitive body and a cleaning frame body supporting the photosensitive body, and which is attachable to and detachable from an apparatus main body of an image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a recording material. In the cleaning unit, which is installed in the apparatus main body so as to adjoin a developing unit including a developing roller that bears toner for developing an electrostatic image formed on the photosensitive body 1, engagement portions (bosses) are disposed on the cleaning frame body so as to protrude toward the developing unit side, and engage with engaged portions (insertion guide portions) disposed on the apparatus main body when the cleaning unit is attached to the apparatus main body.
US09684275B2 Image forming apparatus having meshed driving force connections
An image forming apparatus includes an output gear that is driven by a drive source, a transmitting member that meshes with the output gear in such a manner as to be capable of advancing toward and retracting from a driving object and transmits a rotational driving force to the driving object, a guiding portion provided coaxially with the output gear and that guides the transmitting member in a direction of advancement or retraction of the transmitting member, and a locking member provided between the output gear and the transmitting member and that limits a movement of the transmitting member from a side of the output gear toward the driving object.
US09684273B2 Apparatus that forms an image on a medium using a plurality of erasable materials and erasing apparatus
An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment comprises a first image forming section configured to form an image on a recording medium with a non-erasable material, and a second image forming section configured to form an image on the recording medium with an erasable material. The image forming apparatus further comprises a control section configured to separate image data according to attributes of the image data into first image data to be printed on the recording medium in the first image forming section and second image data to be printed on the recording medium in the second image forming section.
US09684265B2 Developing device to charge and mix toner and electrophotographic image forming apparatus including the same
Provided is a developing device configured to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing member by feeding a toner to the electrostatic latent image. The developing device includes a developing frame configured to form an inner space in which the toner and a carrier are to be mixed, a developing roller including an outer periphery to which the developer attaches where the developing roller feeds the toner included in the developer to the image bearing member. The developing device includes an agitator installed in the inner space and configured to mix and deliver the toner and the carrier in a direction parallel to an axial direction of the developing roller, and a plurality of concave portions arranged on a bottom surface of the developing frame.
US09684264B2 Toner container
A toner container installed in an image forming apparatus includes a toner container main body having a predetermined length and in which toner is accommodated, a discharge port through which the toner is discharged from the toner container main body, a shutter which opens and closes the discharge port, a handle provided on the toner container main body, and a pressed portion provided on the toner container main body and which is pressed by the image forming apparatus to project the handle out from the image forming apparatus.
US09684262B2 Developer supplier, developing device including the same, image forming apparatus, and developer container included in the developer supplier
A developer supplier includes a developer container and a main unit. The main unit includes a mounting section for allowing the developer container to be mounted therein. The developer container includes a container body, a container shutter and a developer discharge port. The container shutter is supported on the container body and covers or exposes the developer discharge port. The main unit includes a housing and a guide mechanism. The housing is formed with a developer supply port. The developer container is mounted into a first position of the mounting section while being guided in a first direction by the guide mechanism, and subsequently the container body is rotated from the first position to a second position in a first rotational direction to thereby move and expose the developer discharge port away from the container shutter so that the developer discharge port communicates with the developer supply port.
US09684261B2 Cartridge, and electrophotographic image forming apparatus which uses cartridge
A cartridge for use with a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the cartridge being dismountable from the main assembly and including (i) a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, the developing roller being rotatable about an axis thereof; and (ii) a coupling member capable of taking a rotational force transmitting angular position for transmitting a rotational force for rotating the developing roller to the developing roller and a disengaging angular position in which the coupling member is inclined away from the rotational force transmitting angular position.
US09684259B2 Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes an image formation processor to perform image formation to a recording medium with a primary color toner and a secondary color toner that is different from the primary color toner, a database to store multiple setting values, each of which corresponding a combination of a mode type depending on the primary color toner and the secondary color toner and a media type of the recording medium and being applied to a process of the image formation performed by the image forming processor, a database retriever to retrieve an optimum setting value from the multiple setting values stored in the database according to a specified combination of the mode type and the media type, and an operation setting arranger to perform the image formation based on the optimum setting value acquired from the database retriever.
US09684256B2 Method for producing toner by managing zeta-potentials of particles
A method for producing toner includes adding a liquid containing dispersed resin particles into a liquid containing dispersed colorant particles having a volume average particle size of equal to or greater than 6 μm and having a zeta-potential sign opposite to a zeta-potential sign of the resin particles, until a zeta-potential of aggregates of the colorant particle and the resin particles has a sign opposite to the zeta-potential sign of the colorant particles, adjusting the zeta-potential of the aggregates, such that an absolute value of the zeta-potential of the aggregates is smaller than an absolute value of the zeta-potential of the resin particles by more than 10 mv, and adding a liquid containing dispersed resin particles having a zeta-potential sign that is the same as the sign of the adjusted zeta-potential of the aggregates, into a liquid containing the aggregates.
US09684254B2 Diamine compound and electrophotographic photosensitive member
A diamine compound is represented by general formula (1). In the general formula (1), R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, and R10 each represent, independently of one another, a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an optionally substituted alkyl group having a carbon number of at least 1 and no greater than 6, an optionally substituted alkoxy group having a carbon number of at least 1 and no greater than 6, or an optionally substituted aryl group having a carbon number of at least 6 and no greater than 14. m represents an integer of at least 1 and no greater than 3. n represents an integer of at least 0 and no greater than 2.
US09684248B2 Lithographic apparatus having substrate table and sensor table to measure a patterned beam
A lithographic apparatus includes a substrate table capable of holding a substrate, a projection system that projects a patterned beam of radiation onto the substrate held by the substrate table, and a sensor table that is not capable of holding a substrate but that includes a sensor capable of sensing a property of the patterned beam of radiation. In addition, a first positioning system is connected to the substrate table and displaces the substrate table into and out of a path of the patterned beam of radiation, and a second positioning system is capable of positioning the sensor table into the path of the patterned beam of radiation when the substrate table is displaced out of the path of the patterned beam of radiation.
US09684246B2 Polarization-modulating element, illumination optical apparatus, exposure apparatus, and exposure method
There is disclosed a polarization-modulating element for modulating a polarization state of incident light into a predetermined polarization state, the polarization-modulating element being made of an optical material with optical activity and having a circumferentially varying thickness profile.
US09684238B2 Fluorene-type compound, photopolymerization initiator comprising said fluorene-type compound, and photosensitive composition containing said photopolymerization initiator
According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a novel fluorene-based compound and a photopolymerization initiator using the fluorene-based compound. The fluorene-based compound according to an embodiment of the present invention is represented by the general formula (1). A photopolymerization initiator having additionally high sensitivity can be provided by using the fluorene-based compound. In addition, a photopolymerization initiator that can impart additionally excellent characteristics can be provided by appropriately selecting, for example, a substituent.
US09684224B2 Light adjusting apparatus and method for measuring distance between substrates of light adjusting apparatus
A light adjusting apparatus includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a spacer configured to form a space for disposing a light adjusting section between the first substrate and the second substrate, a notch provided so that measuring light to measure a space dimension reaches the spacer and an extending peripheral portion provided so that the measuring light reaches the second substrate.
US09684220B2 Electro-optical modulator with bias control
Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed toward techniques and configurations for phase offset adjustment in an electro-optical modulator. In one embodiment, the apparatus may include an electro-optical modulator having first and second arms, to modulate light passing through the arms according to an electrical data signal provided to the electro-optical modulator, to output an optical data signal that combines first and second light portions outputted by the first and second arms respectively; and a control module to convert the first and second light portions into first and second power signals indicative of respective phases of the first and second light portions, determine a balance between the first and second power signals, and adjust a phase of one of the first or second light portions, to achieve a bias point to provide the balanced optical data signal. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09684213B2 BOA liquid crystal panel and manufacturing method thereof
The present invention provides a BOA liquid crystal panel and a manufacturing method thereof. The BOA liquid crystal panel includes a first substrate, a second substrate opposite to the first substrate, a black matrix arranged in the first substrate, a thin-film transistor arranged on the black matrix, a color resist layer arranged on the second substrate, a common electrode layer arranged on the second substrate and the color resist layer, a photoresist spacer arranged on the common electrode layer and located between the first substrate and the second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate. The present invention arranges the black matrix of the liquid crystal panel in a channel that is pre-formed in a substrate to make the film thickness of the liquid crystal panel uniform and improve the display performance of the liquid crystal panel.
US09684212B2 Electro-optical device and electronic apparatus with a pixel that transmits light with peak transmittances in the wavelength ranges or red, green, and blue
A liquid crystal device comprises a first substrate, a second substrate, an insulating film, and a first, second, and third translucent electrode. The second substrate is disposed facing the first substrate. The first translucent electrode is disposed between the second substrate and the first substrate. The second translucent electrode is disposed between the first translucent electrode and the first substrate. The insulating film is disposed between the second translucent electrode and the first substrate. The third translucent electrode is disposed between the insulating film and the first substrate.
US09684207B2 Polymer for alignment films, and liquid crystal display device
Provided are: a polymer for alignment films, which enables the production of a liquid crystal display device that is suppressed in image burn-in even if the light irradiation time is reduced; and a liquid crystal display device which is suppressed in image burn-in even if the light irradiation time is reduced. A polymer for alignment films, which has a main chain and a side chain that contains a structure represented by chemical formula —O—C(C6H5)(CO—C6H5)—O—; and a liquid crystal display device which comprises a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal layer that is held between the pair of substrates, and wherein at least one of the substrates has an alignment film, on which a polymer layer for controlling the alignment of liquid crystal molecules is formed, and the alignment film is formed using a polymer for alignment films, which has a main chain and a side chain that contains a structure represented by chemical formula —O—C(C6H5)(CO—C6H5)—O—.
US09684204B2 Mirror display, half mirror plate, and electronic device
The present invention provides a mirror display which prevents the boundary line between a frame region and a display region from being observed in a mirror mode and which thus has improved design quality. The mirror display of the present invention includes a half mirror plate including a half mirror layer, and a display device disposed behind the half mirror plate, the display device including a display panel and a frame component that supports a peripheral portion of the display panel, and the mirror display including a reflectance adjuster that makes equal the reflectance in a display region where the half mirror layer and the display panel face each other and the reflectance in a frame region where the half mirror layer and the frame component face each other.
US09684201B2 Liquid crystal display device
A first polarizing plate is disposed on a first main surface of a liquid crystal display panel. A second polarizing plate is disposed on a second main surface of the liquid crystal panel. The first polarizing plate includes a first polarizer and a first phase difference film laminated on a main surface on the liquid crystal display panel side in the first polarizer. The second polarizing plate includes a second polarizer and a transparent film laminated on a main surface on the side opposite to the liquid crystal display panel in the second polarizer.
US09684200B2 Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, a second substrate including an insulative substrate and a color filter layer formed on that side of the insulative substrate, which is opposed to the first substrate, the color filter layer including a first color filter of red, a third color filter of blue which is spaced apart from the first color filter, a fifth color filter of red which is spaced apart from the third color filter, a second color filter which is located between the first color filter and the third color filter and has a color which is different from red and blue, and a fourth color filter which is located between the third color filter and the fifth color filter and has a color which is different from red and blue, and a liquid crystal layer.
US09684197B2 Electro-optic device and electronic apparatus
An electro-optic device includes: a liquid crystal panel which includes an element substrate, a facing substrate arranged so as to face the element substrate with a sealing material interposed therebetween, and a liquid crystal layer sealed in a region surrounded by the sealing material; and a mold which covers an outer circumference of the liquid crystal panel and functions as a mold, in which the mold covers a region, which is overlapped with at least a part of the sealing material in a plan view, from an end of the element substrate and an end of the facing substrate on a surface of the element substrate on an opposite side to the liquid crystal layer and a surface of the facing substrate on an opposite side to the liquid crystal layer, and in which a surface of the mold has liquid repellency.
US09684196B2 Display having a flexured element
A display device having a flexured element. More particularly, the display device may incorporate a cover glass with one or more flexure bearing sections. The flexure bearing may permit the cover glass to flex and/or bend in response to stresses or strains while still maintaining contact with an attachment point. If the attachment points have different heights, for example, the cover glass may flex at the flexure bearing, thereby permitting the portion of the cover glass between the attachment points to maintain a relatively planar alignment.
US09684195B2 Manufacture method of flexible liquid crystal panel and flexible liquid crystal panel
The present invention provides a manufacture method of a flexible liquid crystal panel and a flexible liquid crystal panel. The manufacture method of the flexible liquid crystal panel first manufactures comb pixel electrodes (11), gate lines, data lines, TFTs and a color filter layer on a first flexible substrate (1); continuously coats a mixture of sealant (51′) and liquid crystal micro capsules (53) on a flexible carrier (30) in roll-to-roll, and meanwhile implements UV irradiation to the sealant (51′) for occurring polyreaction and solidification to become a polymeric layer (51), and the liquid crystal micro capsules (53) are distributed in the polymeric layer (51) to acquire a polymer/liquid crystal mixture layer (5); cuts a composite layer of the flexible carrier (30) and the polymer/liquid crystal mixture layer (5) to obtain a second flexible substrate (3); then, laminates the first flexible substrate (1) and the second flexible substrate (3); finally, laminates an upper polarizer (9) and a lower polarizer (7).
US09684191B2 Efficient thermo-optic phase shifters using multi-pass heaters
Techniques for increasing efficiency of thermo-optic phase shifters using multi-pass heaters and thermal bridges are provided. In one aspect, a thermo-optic phase shifter device includes: a plurality of optical waveguides formed in an SOI layer over a buried insulator; at least one heating element adjacent to the optical waveguides; and thermal bridges connecting at least one of the optical waveguides directly to the heating element. A method for forming a thermo-optic phase shifter device is also provided.
US09684189B2 Adornment assembly for a wearable item
The embodied invention is a design that provides components for attaching adornment articles to eyewear and adornment holders. The design ensures that only the adornment article will be visible and maintain proper orientation. Additionally, the adornment article is held securely in place yet is easily removable and interchangeable with a variety of other adornment articles.
US09684184B2 Upright mounted camera actuator component with trapezoidal magnet for optical image stabilization
Some embodiments provide an actuator module for optical image stabilization of a lens assembly relative to an image sensor in a camera. In some embodiments, the actuator module includes a coil mounting structure. One or more optical image stabilization (OIS) coils is mounted to the coil mounting structure. The actuator module further includes a lens assembly structure configured to hold a lens assembly. One or more autofocus coils is affixed to the lens assembly structure. The actuator module further includes a spring assembly for coupling the coil mounting structure to the lens assembly structure, such that the lens assembly structure is movable relative to the coil mounting structure. The actuator module further includes a plurality of trapezoidal magnets affixed to the lens assembly structure for magnetic interaction with one or more of the one or more optical image stabilization coils and the one or more autofocus coils.
US09684178B2 Solid state illuminator for emitting beams with different wavelengths and operating method using the same
A solid state illuminator for generating time sequential 6-primary color includes a first light source, a second light source, a path choosing module, a multi-band filter, a first photoluminescence module, a second photoluminescence module, a first optical module, and a second optical module. The first light source and the second light source provide a first beam with a first wavelength and a second beam with a second wavelength respectively, and the first wavelength is not overlapped with the second wavelength. The first optical module enables the first beam to enter the first photoluminescence module and guide the beam to pass through the multi-band filter to arrive at a predetermined position. The second optical module enables the second beam to enter the second photoluminescence module and guide the beam to be reflected by the multi-band filter to arrive at the predetermined position.
US09684176B2 Illumination optical apparatus, exposure apparatus, and exposure method with optical integrator and polarization member that changes polarization state of light
An illumination optical apparatus illuminates a pattern on a mask with illumination light. The illumination optical apparatus includes an optical integrator arranged in an optical path of the illumination light, and a polarization member made of optical material with optical rotatory power, which is arranged in the optical path on an incidence side of the optical integrator, and which changes a polarization state of the illumination light. The illumination light from the polarization member is irradiated onto the pattern through a pupil plane of the illumination optical apparatus.
US09684174B2 Imaging structure with embedded light sources
In embodiments of an imaging structure with embedded light sources, an imaging structure includes a silicon backplane with a driver pad array. The embedded light sources are formed on the driver pad array in an emitter material layer, and the embedded light sources can be individually controlled at the driver pad array to generate and emit light. A conductive material layer over the embedded light sources forms a p-n junction between the emitter material layer and the conductive material layer. Micro lens optics can be positioned over the conductive material layer to direct the light that is emitted from the embedded light sources. Further, the micro lens optics may be implemented as parabolic optics to concentrate the light that is emitted from the embedded light sources.
US09684173B2 Image processing device, image processing method, and image processing system
An image acquisition unit acquires an image captured by a first imaging device provided in a HMD for presenting an image observed when a three-dimensional image in a virtual three-dimensional space is projected onto a real-world setting, the first imaging device being configured to visualize an area including a field of view of a user wearing the HMD. A marker detection unit detects a marker included in the image captured by the first imaging device and acquired by the image acquisition unit. The image acquisition unit acquires an image captured by a second imaging device having an angle of view that at least partially overlaps an angle of view of the first imaging device. If the marker is not captured in the image captured by the first imaging device, the marker detection unit detects the marker in an image captured by the second imaging device.
US09684166B2 Motor vehicle and display of a three-dimensional graphical object
A display apparatus displays a three-dimensional graphical object. The display apparatus includes a projection device for producing an autostereoscopic projection image of the object. The object is displayed for a viewer such that the viewer has an improved three-dimensional impression from the representation. The display apparatus to this end has a specularly reflective and light-transparent combiner plate, and the projection device is configured to project the projection image onto the combiner plate such that for a viewer, viewing from a predetermined viewing direction through the combiner plate, the projection image appears as a mirror image on the combiner plate.
US09684163B2 Methods, systems, and products for illuminating displays
Methods, systems, and products illuminate display devices. Light in a waveguide is frustrated to illuminate an array of picture elements.
US09684158B2 Reference mirror converter of Linnik interferometer
Provided is a reference mirror converter of a Linnik interferometer in which a first object lens 30 focuses light emitted from a beam splitter 20 on a reference mirror 40, a plurality of reference mirrors 40 reflects light incident from the first object lens 30, a plurality of reference mirrors 40 is disposed on a plurality of reference mirror brackets 45, respectively, the plurality of reference mirror brackets 45 is disposed on a rotary plate 60 at the same angles, and the rotary plate 60 is rotated using a motor 70 to control a rotation of the rotary plate 60 to select the reference mirror 40 having a reflectivity similar to that of a target 200 to be measured from among the plurality of reference mirrors 40. Accordingly, since a separate state between articles is maintained at all times, adhesiveness between articles packaged with an easily adhesive material may be prevented.
US09684153B2 System and method for producing an aperture on an optical element of an infrared optical system
A system and method for producing an optical aperture for an optical element of an infrared optical system includes placing the optical element in a printer and applying ink in an image of the optical aperture to a curved surface of the optical element.
US09684151B2 Imaging lens
A compact low-cost imaging lens which provides brightness with an F-value of 2.5 or less and a wide field of view and corrects aberrations properly, meeting the demand for low-profileness. The imaging lens elements are arranged in the following order from an object side to an image side: a first lens with positive refractive power having a convex surface on the object side; a second lens with negative refractive power; a third lens with positive or negative refractive power having at least one aspheric surface; a fourth lens with positive refractive power; a fifth lens as a meniscus double-sided aspheric lens having a concave surface near an optical axis on the image side; and a sixth lens as a meniscus lens having a concave surface near the optical axis on the object side. The both surfaces of the fifth lens have pole-change points off the optical axis.
US09684149B2 Coordinate measuring machine and method for determining spatial coordinates on a measurement object
A coordinate measuring machine has a workpiece support for holding a measurement object and a measuring head which can be displaced relative to the workpiece support. The measuring head carries an optical sensor. An evaluation and control unit is configured to determine spatial coordinates on the measurement object depending on a position of the measuring head relative to the workpiece support and depending on sensor data from the optical sensor. The optical sensor includes a lens assembly and a camera. The lens assembly comprises at least four separate lens-element groups. Three of these separate lens-element groups can be displaced along the optical axis of the lens assembly. A first lens-element group is arranged fixed in the region of the light-entry opening of the lens assembly. The coordinate measuring machine with the above-described lens assembly allows individual variation of magnification, focusing and resolution.
US09684148B2 Primary mirror mount assembly and method
A primary mirror mount assembly includes a body including a mirror surface and a mount surface, with the mount surface having at least one feature formed therein. The mount assembly further includes a hub configured to be secured to the body. The hub includes at least one corresponding mating feature configured to receive the at least one feature of the mount surface of the body therein. The at least one feature and the at least one corresponding mating feature are configured to be welded together. A method of assembling a primary mirror mount assembly is further disclosed.
US09684146B2 Temperature insensitive precision locking apparatus for use with large aperture adjustable optic mounts
A temperature insensitive locking apparatus for use with large optical mounts having at least one locking nut having an internal threaded portion adjacent to an internal tapered portion, at least one flexurized spring collet attached to a rigid base structure having an external threaded portion and a plurality of tapered flexures, a pivot shaft engaged with an optical yoke on a rotational axis of symmetry wherein when the internal threads of the locking nut engage with the external threads of the flexurized spring collet an increased level of a radial clamping force is provided around the pivot shaft.
US09684142B2 Rapid distribution terminal
A fiber distribution terminal (30, 130, 230) including a housing (131, 231); and a spool arrangement (136, 236) that can rotate relative to the housing about an axis of rotation. The spool arrangement includes a drum portion (142, 242) centered on the axis of rotation and a flange (144, 146, 244, 246) that rotates with the drum portion about the axis of rotation. A fiber optic cable (40) is coiled on the drum portion. A fiber optic adapter (164, 264) and a connectorized pigtail (160, 260) are carried with the flange and positioned within the housing. The spool arrangement (136, 236) rotates relative to the housing when the fiber optic cable (40) is paid out. The drum portion (142, 242) can be removed from the flange after the fiber optic cable has been paid out to provide the distribution terminal with a compact configuration.
US09684135B2 Optoelectrical connector and portable electronic device
In an optoelectrical connector including two connectors to be interconnected, each having at least one optical connection part and at least two electrical connection parts, the electrical connection parts of one of the connectors are pins and the electrical connection parts of the other connector are spring contacts. The connector having the spring contacts includes, before the spring contacts, positioning holes in which the pins are to be inserted. The tips of the pins come into contact with the spring contacts to make electrical connection. The bases of the pins fit in the positioning holes to perform positioning for optical connection. The optoelectrical connector can be smaller, lighter, and thinner.
US09684134B2 Managed fiber connectivity systems
A communications connection system includes a fiber optic connector including a storage device having memory configured to store physical layer information. The storage device also includes at least one contact member that is electrically connected to the memory. Certain types of fiber optic connectors have the storage device mounted to a key of the fiber optic connector. Certain types of fiber optic connectors have the storage device mounted in a cavity defined in the fiber optic connector.
US09684130B2 Fiber optic connector with polarity change
A fiber optic connector includes a boot receiving an optical fiber; a connector body for receiving the optical fiber and terminating the optical fiber; and a latch coupled to the connector body, the latch for engaging an adapter for receiving the fiber optic connector, the latch repositionable relative to the connector body to enable polarity change of the fiber optic connector without changing a relative position of the connector body and the optical fiber.
US09684128B2 Method and system for coupling optical signals into silicon optoelectronics chips
A method and system for coupling optical signals into silicon optoelectronic chips are disclosed and may include coupling one or more optical signals into a back surface of a CMOS photonic chip comprising photonic, electronic, and optoelectronic devices. The devices may be integrated in a front surface of the chip and one or more optical couplers may receive the optical signals in the front surface of the chip. The optical signals may be coupled into the back surface of the chip via one or more optical fibers and/or optical source assemblies. The optical signals may be coupled to the grating couplers via a light path etched in the chip, which may be refilled with silicon dioxide. The chip may be flip-chip bonded to a packaging substrate. Optical signals may be reflected back to the grating couplers via metal reflectors, which may be integrated in dielectric layers on the chip.
US09684126B2 Optical module having multi-mode coupler formed on semiconductor substrate
An optical module that implements an MMI device including an optical hybrid primarily made of semiconductor material is disclosed. The MMI device, which has a rectangular plane shape and includes multi-mode couplers, is mounted on a carrier. The carrier provides a step extending in a whole lateral width of a top surface thereof, where the step makes a gap against the MMI device in an area where the MMI couplers are formed.
US09684115B1 Light fixtures with waveguides
A curved waveguide is described herein. The curved waveguide can include a length having at least one portion. The curved waveguide can also include a width, a height, and at least one side. A first portion of the at least one portion of the length can have a first curvature. The at least one side is configured to receive light emitted by at least one light module disposed adjacent to the at least one side.
US09684110B2 Lighting device for vehicles
The present invention relates to a lighting device for vehicles. The lighting device has a flat optical waveguide containing two opposing flat sides, a light input surface for the entry of light, and a light output surface for emitting the entering light at a light output side of the flat waveguide. The light input surface has a central input section disposed in the main beam direction in front of the light source, and an outer input section adjacent thereto. The central input section and the outer input section are shaped such that a first sub-light bundle of the light striking the central input section strikes a central region of a sub-surface of the light output surface disposed in the main beam direction in front of the light input surface after being reflected at the flat sides. A second sub-light bundle of the light source, striking the outer input section, strikes an outer region of the same sub-surface, adjacent to the central region.
US09684108B2 Arrangement and a method for coupling light into a plate-like light guide
An arrangement (20) for coupling light into a plate-like guide (25) having two surfaces (23, 24) on opposite sides of the light guide comprises an in-coupling diffraction grating (21) for diffracting an external light beam (26) incident on said in-coupling diffraction grating into the light guide in a direction enabling the in-coupled light beam to propagate within the light guide via total internal reflections at the light guide surfaces (23, 24). According to the present invention, the arrangement further comprises a deflection member (22) arranged to deflect the beam (27) initially diffracted by the in-coupling diffraction grating (21), before it hits the in-coupling diffraction grating again, out of the path determined by the in-coupling diffraction grating in order to reduce out-coupling of the already in-coupled light through the in-coupling diffraction grating.
US09684107B2 Detachable lighting source device having a light guiding wire set equipped with a detachable lighting source
A device includes a main body and a light guiding wire set. The light guiding wire set has an illuminating apparatus, a detachable connecting device and at least one light guiding wire. When the illuminating apparatus connects with the detachable connecting device, the light provided by the illuminating apparatus is transmitted via the light guiding wire to achieve the effects of displaying, guiding, alerting, illuminating or decorating.
US09684105B2 Polarizing plate, liquid crystal display comprising the same and method for preparing polarizing plate
A polarizing plate includes a polarizer and a polyester film formed on at least one surface of the polarizer. The polyester film includes a polyester base film and a primer layer formed on at least one surface of the polyester base film. The polyester film contains about 0.1 wt % to about 5 wt % of a UV absorbent. In addition, a liquid crystal display includes the polarizing plate. A method of fabricating a polarizing plate includes preparing a multilayer film containing about 0.1 wt % to about 5 wt % of a UV absorbent, stretching the multilayer film to about 2 to about 10 times its initial length in a transverse direction (TD) to prepare a polyester film, and attaching the polyester film to at least one surface of a polarizer. The multilayer film comprises a polyester base film and a primer layer on at least one surface of the polyester base film.
US09684103B2 Structured light generation device and light source module with the same
A structured light generation device includes a first surface structure and a second surface structure, which are opposed to each other. The first surface structure includes a diffractive optical element. The second surface structure includes a lenticular lens structure. By the diffractive optical element, an incident dot beam is processed into plural dot beams with different sizes and different brightness values. By the lenticular lens structure, the each dot beam is expanded to a linear beam. After the single dot beam is processed by the structured light generation device, a structured light is generated. The structured light generation device can be applied to a projection system with a 3D gesture sensing control or detection device.
US09684095B2 Hydrophilized carbosiloxane vinylic monomers
The invention provides a hydrophilized carbosiloxane vinylic monomer which comprises (1) a poly(carbosiloxane) segment, (2) one sole ethylenically unsaturated group, and (3) at least one terminal or pendant group which is a hydrophilic group or hydrophilic polymer chain. The present invention is also related to a polymer, an actinically-crosslinkable silicone-containing prepolymer, a silicone hydrogel polymeric material, or a silicone hydrogel contact lens, which comprises monomeric units derived from a hydrophilized carbosiloxane vinylic monomer of the invention.
US09684090B1 Nulled-signal utility locating devices, systems, and methods
Nulling utility locators including a transmitter element, a sensing element, and an electronic circuit for processing signals from the transmitting element to at least partially cancel each other and determine information associated with a buried utility are disclosed.
US09684089B2 Determining P-wave azimuthal anisotropy from walkaround VSP with offset dependent slowness corrections
A method comprises obtaining vertical seismic profile (VSP) data using seismic sources positioned at corresponding shot locations at desired offsets from seismic receivers positioned in a borehole drilled through a formation. The method further comprises receiving seismic waves emanating from the seismic sources, processing the VSP data to determine vertical slowness of the formation, and analyzing an azimuthal anisotropy of the formation. This is performed by calculating modified total slowness of the formation using the vertical slowness and vertical polarization angle, calculating and applying a polar anisotropy correction to the modified total slowness to obtain a corrected value of the modified total slowness, and normalizing the corrected modified total slowness to a desired polarization angle. The method further comprises estimating azimuthal anisotropy based on the corrected value of the modified total slowness, outputting an anisotropy depth profile of the formation, and performing borehole operations based on the anisotropy depth profile.
US09684085B2 Wavefield modelling and 4D-binning for seismic surveys from different acquisition datums
A method for maximizing a repeatability between a base seismic survey and a monitor seismic survey of a same surveyed subsurface during a 4-dimensional (4D) project. The method includes receiving first seismic data associated with the base seismic survey; receiving second seismic data associated with the monitor seismic survey, wherein the monitor seismic survey is performed later in time than the base seismic survey; estimating subsurface reflection-points and incidence angles; determining 4D-binning based on the estimated subsurface reflection-points and incidence angles; and maximizing the repeatability between the first seismic data and the second seismic data by using the 4D-binning.
US09684081B2 Method and apparatus for providing a location data error map
An approach is provided for generating location data error maps. The approach involves determining location data error information associated with at least one set of location data. The approach also involves causing, at least in part, an encoding of the location data error information as a function of a position parameter. The approach further involves causing, at least in part, a generation of at least one location data error map based, at least in part, on the encoding.
US09684080B2 Low-energy GPS
This document describes various techniques for implementing low-energy GPS on a mobile device. A GPS module is activated, a sub-millisecond pseudo-range estimate is received from the GPS module, the GPS module is deactivated, the sub-millisecond pseudo-range estimate and a time stamp are transmitted to a remote entity, and location information based on the sub-millisecond pseudo-range estimate and time stamp is received from the remote entity.
US09684073B2 Radar apparatus
A radar apparatus includes an antenna section that transmits and receives a radar wave, a high-frequency circuit section that handles a high-frequency signal, and a low-frequency circuit section that handles a low-frequency signal. The low-frequency circuit section is arranged on a major face of a main printed board. The high-frequency circuit section and the antenna section are arranged respectively on first and second faces of a secondary printed board. Moreover, the secondary printed board is mounted to a space on the major face of the main printed board which is not occupied by the low-frequency circuit section. Consequently, it becomes possible to use the high-frequency signal by using an insulating material, which is necessary for suppression of dielectric loss, only for the secondary printed board.
US09684069B2 High angular resolution low frequency radar with small antenna and high resolution low frequency ground penetrating radar
A ground-penetrating radar system or other low-frequency radar system that operates at a wavelength that is comparable to or larger than the dimensions of the transmitting and receiving antennas. In one embodiment, a radar transmitter includes two drive coils, misaligned with respect to each other, that produce respective field patterns, each modulated with a respective modulation. A radar receiver includes a composite sense coil that senses the effect a target has on the fields, and generates a corresponding signal that carries the two modulations. From the proportion of the two modulations in the received signal, which depends on the extent to which the target is in each of the two field patterns, the receiver estimates the angle (e.g., the azimuth angle) to the target. An additional measurement of the angle may be made by comparing the phases of the carrier in the two received modulations. The composite sense coil may consist of two coils wired in series and configured to generate no output when the only field incident on the composite sense coil is that of the two drive coils, in the absence of a target.
US09684064B2 Apparatus and method for determining a vehicle feature
Techniques are disclosed for determining characteristic feature(s) of a vehicle travelling on a roadway, comprising: a detector, which is directed towards the roadway and is configured to measure the movement vector of the vehicle at a current location and time, a tracking unit, connected to the detector, for calculating a target location of the vehicle at a target time on the basis of current location and time and movement vector, a first radar sensor, connected to the detector, for transmitting a radar beam directed towards the current location, receiving a reflected radar beam, and determining a frequency spectrum thereof, a second radar sensor, connected to the tracking unit, for transmitting a radar beam directed towards the target location at the target time, receiving a reflected radar beam and determining a frequency spectrum thereof, and an evaluation unit for generating characteristic feature(s) of the vehicle from the determined frequency spectra.
US09684062B2 Radar antenna device and method for controlling electric power source thereof
A radar antenna device is provided for rotating an antenna unit which successively emits transmission signals. It is configured to reduce the capacity of an electric power source for supplying electric power to a transmission circuit, a drive unit and the like. A radar antenna device is comprised with an antenna unit and a control unit. The antenna unit is driven by a drive unit to rotate and emits successively transmission signals generated by a transmission circuit into an outer space. After electric power is supplied to the drive unit to be driven, the control unit controls the transmission circuit in response to the transmission start signal from the transmission start signal producer so that the electric power for the transmission will be supplied to the transmission circuit.
US09684061B2 Method for determining a fill level of a medium and device for determining a fill level of a medium
A method and a device for determining a fill level of a medium using the radar principle that has a high degree of accuracy and reliability. In accordance with the method, an electromagnetic signal is transmitted from a transmitting device and an electromagnetic signal is received for determining the fill level. Thereby, a slope of the transmitting device relative to the force of gravity and an evaluation value dependent on the determined slope are identified for determining the fill level.
US09684060B2 Ultrasound-based localization of client devices with inertial navigation supplement in distributed communication systems and related devices and methods
Spatially located ultrasound beacons are provided in known locations within a distributed communication system. The ultrasound beacons are configured to emit ultrasound pulses that can be received by client devices in ultrasound communication range of the beacons. The client devices are configured to analyze the received ultrasound pulses from the beacons to determine their time-difference of arrival and as a result, their location(s) within the distributed communication system. The client devices comprise inertial navigation systems (INS) that calculate client device location as the client device moves, and when received ultrasound signals are below a predefined threshold.
US09684058B2 Method of estimating the position of a user device using radio beacons and radio beacons adapted to facilitate the methods of the invention
Disclosed is the estimation of the position of a user device (18) using radio beacons (B1-B4) which are operable at a plurality of transmit power levels. The radio beacons (B1-B4) may transmit their position and current transmit power level. Estimates of distance between a user device and a radio beacon can take into account both received signal strength and the current transmit power level of the radio beacon. The position of the user device (18) can be estimated taking into account whether a radio beacon (B1-B4)) can be detected at a given transmit power level. The transmit power level of the radio beacon may vary according to a cycle. The transmit power level of the radio beacon may be changed to facilitate positioning, for example in response to a signal from a user device. A radio beacon (B1-B4) changes transmit power level in a cycle. The radio beacon can reduce transmit power level responsive to a signal. The radio beacon (B1-B4) may be compatible with Bluetooth short range wireless connectivity standard core specification version 4.0.
US09684050B2 Method and apparatus for the reconstruction of MR images
A method for producing an image of an object located in the field of view of a Magnetic Resonance (MR) imaging system including determining a center of an echo, shifting the data elements of the raw matrix by whole positions to align the center of the echo, multiplying the shifted raw matrix by a low pass filter, Fourier transforming the filtered matrix, dividing each nonzero pixel of the low resolution complex image by its magnitude, calculating a blending function shifted by the determined fractional echo position, multiplying each data element of each row of the raw matrix by corresponding blending function coefficient values, performing a two-dimensional Fourier transform in row directions and column directions, multiplying the complex image by a complex conjugate of the phase map and extracting the real part of the complex numbers in the phase corrected image to provide the image of the object.
US09684040B2 Magnetic field probe and probe head thereof
A magnetic field probe and a probe head thereof are disclosed herein. The probe head includes an inner metal layer, a shielding unit, and a filtering unit. The inner metal layer receives a magnetic field to be measured. The shielding unit, including a first shielding metal layer and a second shielding metal layer, shields the inner metal layer. The first and the second shielding metal layer are respectively stacked above and below the inner metal layer. The filtering unit, including a first filtering metal layer and a second filtering metal layer, filters out an electric field interfering with the inner metal layer. The first filtering metal layer is stacked between the first shielding metal layer and the inner metal layer. The second filtering metal layer is stacked between the second shielding metal layer and the inner metal layer.
US09684039B2 Fluxgate magnetic sensor readout apparatus
Compact, low power fluxgate magnetic sensor readout circuits and apparatus are presented in which demodulator or rectifier circuit to modulates a sense signal from the fluxgate sense coil, and the demodulated signal is provided to an amplifier circuit with a transconductance or other amplifier and one or more feedback capacitors connected between the amplifier input and amplifier output to integrate the amplifier output current and provide a voltage output signal indicating the magnetic field sensed by the fluxgate sensor.
US09684037B2 Devices and methods for testing the energy measurement accuracy, billing accuracy, functional performance and safety of electric vehicle charging stations
Testing of electric vehicle charging stations (EVCS) is performed. In an active mode, the device provides or is connected with a programmable load capable of emulating the load of an electrical vehicle (EV). In passive mode, the load is an EV with the device being arranged in series between the EVCS and EV. In either case, energy delivery from the EVCS to the load is monitored by the device to determine energy measurement and billing accuracy of the EVCS. This enables a comparison to be made between a measured value of energy delivered and a metered value of energy delivered as given by the EVCS. Other measurements and safety tests may also be performed by the device. A programmable load controller is also provided for providing a variable effective load as seen by the EVCS based on one or more fixed loads.
US09684030B2 Drum-type IC burn-in and test equipment
Disclosed is drum-type IC burn-in and test equipment including burn-in equipment. The burn-in equipment includes therein a first working platform, a second working platform, a drum-type burn-in device, and a parts pickup device. The first working platform includes a first parts disposition section and a parts feeding device. The second working platform includes a parts transferring device. The drum-type burn-in device is rotatably mounted between the first and second working platforms and includes multiple planar sections circumferentially mounted thereto with each planar section having at least one burner mounted thereon. This arrangement allows a parts feeding device to sequentially dispose unburned ICs and a parts transferring device to sequentially pick up completely-burned ICs. As such, the drum-type burn-in device helps increase the number of ICs disposed and also helps improve the throughput and increase the manufacturing speed.
US09684029B2 Transmission line pulse and very fast transmission line pulse reflection control
An approach for transmission line pulse and very fast transmission line pulse reflection control is provided. The approach includes using a power splitter to split an incident pulse into two identical pulses with one going to a device under test (DUT) through a delivery cable and the other going down an open ended delay cable. The structure of the power splitter, along with having the delivery cable and the open ended delay cable with the same signal propagation time and pulse transmission characteristics enable the canceling of pulse reflections from the DUT.
US09684028B1 Monitoring and fault detection of electrical appliances for ambient intelligence
The operation of electrical appliances receiving electrical power from an electrical system may be indirectly monitored using monitoring units engaged with outlets on branch circuits of the electrical system. Electrical systems providing power to appliances to be monitored in accordance with the present invention may comprise split phase alternating current systems, tri-phase systems, or any other type of electrical system. Known loads may be applied to calibrate the monitoring system. The monitoring system may measure the power consumption of appliances operating on the electrical system and/or detect possible fault conditions. The monitoring system may be distributed across multiple monitoring units and other computing devices. Output devices may be used to output a summary of the power consumption or other operation of monitored electrical appliances.
US09684025B2 DUT continuity test with only digital IO structures apparatus and methods associated thereof
A method and system for determining short, open, and good connections using digital input and output (IO) structures in a device under test (DUT) continuity test, through the combined methods of using resistance-capacitance (RC) delay, time domain reflectometry (TDR), and forcing voltage on to a single IO pin of the DUT while measuring voltage on remaining IO pins of said DUT. In one embodiment, the combined methods are executed without the DUT in a test socket to produce a first set of test values and also with the DUT in a test socket to produce a second set of test values. The first and second sets of test values are compared to determine if one or more circuits of the DUT have a short circuit, an open circuit, or are a good (have an electrical connection that is not a short circuit or an open circuit) circuit.
US09684024B2 Method for determining unmated connector and program
A group of electric wires of a first wire harness assigned to a first divided region is identified for each pattern as a necessary electric wire having a connection counterpart in a second divided region adjacent to the first divided region among the divided regions and an extra electric wire not having a connection counterpart in the second divided region. It is determined, out of connectors connected to a group of the electric wires of the first wire harness, that a connector is an unmated connector when all electric wires connected to the connector are the extra electric wires.
US09684020B2 Merging unit and method of operating a merging unit
A merging unit for substation automation includes at least one input interface for receiving input data characterizing at least one voltage and/or current related to a component of a power system, and a timing synchronization mechanism which includes an interface to an external synchronization network operating according to one of Inter Range Instrumentation Group, IRIG, -B standard, the 1PPS standard and the Institute of Electrical and the Electronics Engineers, IEEE, 1588 standard. The merging unit is configured to implement logical nodes according to the International Electrotechnical Commission, IEC, 61850-7 standard. The merging unit is configured to map information to and/or from at least one of the logical nodes; to the IEC 61850-9-2 sampled measured values, SMV, communication protocol.
US09684019B2 Wire management method with current and voltage sensing
A wire management method using a wire manager including current sensing features provides input for power measurement and management systems. The wire manager may be a single wire or single bundle retaining device with a current sensor such as a hall effect sensor integrated therein, or may be a multi-wire management housing with multiple current sensing devices disposed inside for measuring the current through multiple wires. The wires may be multiple branch circuits in a power distribution panel or raceway, and the wire manager may be adapted for mounting in such a panel or raceway. Voltage sensing may also be incorporated within the sensors by providing an electrically conductive plate, wire or other element that capacitively couples to the corresponding wire.
US09684018B2 Current sense circuit that operates over a wide range of currents
The magnitude of an output current that flows into a load is determined by placing a sense bipolar transistor and a sense resistor in series with the load, utilizing the non-linear current characteristics of the base-emitter junction of the sense bipolar transistor to compress and sense an emitter current logarithmically, and then performing an inverse log function to determine the emitter current, which is substantially identical to the output current that flows into the load.
US09684012B2 Damped fiber optic accelerometers, sensors, and sensor assemblies, and methods of assembling the same
A fiber optic sensor is provided. The fiber optic sensor includes: a fixed portion configured to be secured to a body of interest; a moveable portion; a spring member positioned at least partially between the fixed portion and the moveable portion; an optical fiber wound in contact with the fixed portion and the moveable portion such that the optical fiber spans at least a portion of the spring; and an elastomeric material provided in contact with at least one of the fixed portion, the moveable portion, the spring member, the body of interest, and the optical fiber.
US09684009B2 Measuring launch and motion parameters
An example embodiment includes an apparatus for monitoring launch parameters of an object. The apparatus includes a transmitter optical subassembly (TOSA), a receiver optical subassembly (ROSA), a processing unit, and a camera. The TOSA includes at least one laser source configured to transmit a laser sheet along an expected flight path of an object. The ROSA is configured to receive light reflected from the object. The processing unit is configured to estimate a velocity of the object based at least partially on the received light. The camera is configured to capture one or more images of the object at a time in which the object passes through a field of view of the camera according to the estimated velocity.
US09684002B2 Markers for acute kidney injury
Provided are methods and compositions for predicting the development of kidney disease, including acute kidney injury. In certain aspects and embodiments the provided methods and compositions are particularly useful for predicting kidney injury following an event likely to cause kidney injury and/or kidney failure in a patient, such as a cardiac surgery, e.g., a surgery involving a cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), such as a coronary artery bypass graft surgery. In some embodiments, the higher the urinary hepcidin-to-urinary creatinine ratio (uHep/uCr) at 6-24 hours following initiation of CPB, the lower is the risk for development of AKI determined by RIFLE criteria in the ensuing four to five days. Conversely, the higher the urinary NGAL to urinary creatinine ratio (uNGAL/uCr) at 6-24 hours following initiation of CPB, the higher is the risk of developing CPB-mediated AKI over the same time period.
US09684001B2 Biomarkers for head-and-neck cancers and precancers
The invention provides markers and methods for detecting head-and-neck precancers, (including OPLs), cancers and related disease conditions in a subject. The invention also provides localization and imaging methods for head-and-neck precancers (including OPLs) and cancers, along with kits for carrying out methods of the invention. The invention further provides therapeutic applications for head-and-neck precancers (including OPLs) and cancers which employ head-and-neck precancer and cancer markers, and binding agents for the markers. Methods of identifying a subject having oral dysplasia that is at high risk of malignant transformation are provided.
US09684000B2 Diagnosis and treatments relating to TH2 inhibition
Methods of diagnosing and treating disorders related to TH2 inhibition, including but not limited to asthma, are provided. Also provided are methods of selecting or identifying patients for treatment with certain therapeutic agents that are TH2 pathway inhibitors.
US09683998B2 Tumor necrosis factor-like ligand 1A specific antibodies and compositions and uses thereof
The present invention provides antibodies, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, which specifically bind to tumor necrosis factor-like ligand 1A (TL1A). The invention further provides a method of obtaining such antibodies and nucleic acids encoding the same. The invention further relates to compositions and therapeutic methods for use of these antibodies for the treatment and/or prevention of TL1A mediated diseases, disorders or conditions.
US09683993B2 Fluidic structures including meandering and wide channels
The present invention relates generally to microfluidic structures, and more specifically, to microfluidic structures and methods including meandering and wide channels. Microfluidic systems can provide an advantageous environment for performing various reactions and analyses due to a reduction in sample and reagent quantities that are required, a reduction in the size of the operating system, and a decrease in reaction time compared to conventional systems. Unfortunately, the small size of microfluidic channels can sometimes result in difficulty in detecting a species without magnifying optics (such as a microscope or a photomultiplier). A series of tightly packed microchannels, i.e., a meandering region, or a wide channel having a dimension on the order of millimeters, can serve as a solution to this problem by creating a wide measurement area. Although this invention mainly describes the use of meandering and wide channels in heterogeneous immunoassays on a microfluidic chip, this invention could be used for amplifying optical signals for other types of reactions and/or assays.
US09683986B2 Treatment of cancer by inhibition of the MYD88/ERK MAP kinase interaction
A method for selecting in vitro compounds is capable of potentiating the effect of a DNA damage inducing chemotherapy agent for the treatment of cancer, and includes selecting compounds inhibiting the interaction between MyD88 and ERK MAP KINASE.