| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09728733B2 |
Thin film device with protective layer
Embodiments of the invention include a method for fabricating a semiconductor device and the resulting structure. A substrate is provided. A plurality of metal portions are formed on the substrate, wherein the plurality of metal portions are arranged such that areas of the substrate remain exposed. A thin film layer is deposited on the plurality of metal portions and the exposed areas of the substrate. A dielectric layer is deposited, wherein the dielectric layer is in contact with portions of the thin film layer on the plurality of metal portions, and wherein the dielectric layer is not in contact with portions of the thin film layer on the exposed areas of the substrate such that one or more enclosed spaces are present between the thin film layer on the exposed areas of the substrate and the dielectric layer. |
| US09728731B2 |
Heterocyclic compound and organic light emitting device using same
Disclosed are a heterocyclic compound and an organic light emitting device including the same. |
| US09728729B2 |
Organic light-emitting device
An organic light-emitting device and a flat panel display, the device including an anode; a cathode; and an organic layer therebetween, the organic layer including an EML, the EML including a first host and a second host that are different from one another, a hole transport region between the anode and the EML, the hole transport region including at least one of a hole injection layer (HIL), a hole transport layer (HTL), a buffer layer, or an electron blocking layer (EBL), an electron transport region between the EML and the cathode, the electron transport region including at least one of a hole blocking layer (HBL), an electron transport layer (ETL), or an electron injection layer (EIL), and an intermediate layer between the EML and the electron transport region; wherein the intermediate layer includes a compound having an electron affinity of more than 0 eV and less than 2.5 eV. |
| US09728727B2 |
Organic electroluminescence device and organic light emitting medium
An organic electroluminescence device having a layer of an organic light emitting medium which comprises (A) a specific arylamine compound and (B) at least one compound selected from specific anthracene derivatives, spirofluorene derivatives, compounds having condensed rings and metal complex compounds and is disposed between a pair of electrodes and an organic light emitting medium comprising the above components (A) and (B) are provided. The organic electroluminescence device exhibits a high purity of color, has excellent heat resistance and a long life and efficiently emits bluish to yellowish light. The organic light emitting medium can be advantageously used for the organic electroluminescence device. |
| US09728725B2 |
Light emmiting device comprising conjugated terpolymer/teroligomer capable of white light emittion
In some embodiments, conjugated polymers and oligomers are described herein, which can demonstrate white light or substantially white light emission, thereby reducing or precluding reliance on layered or blended polymer constructions for organic white light emitting devices. |
| US09728722B2 |
Socket structure for three-dimensional memory
Socket structures that are configured to use area efficiently, and methods for providing socket regions that use area efficiently, are provided. The staircase type contact area or socket region includes dielectric layers between adjacent planar electrodes that partially cover a portion of a planar electrode that does directly underlie an adjacent planar electrode. The portion of a dielectric layer between adjacent planar electrodes can be sloped, such that it extends from an edge of an overlying planar electrode to a point between the edge of an underlying planar electrode and a point corresponding to an edge of the overlying planar electrode. |
| US09728718B2 |
Magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device array
A semiconductor device includes a first magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device, a second MTJ device, and a top electrode. The first MTJ device includes a barrier layer. The second MTJ device includes the barrier layer. The top electrode is coupled to the first MTJ device and the second MTJ device. |
| US09728714B2 |
Armature-clad MRAM device
A magnetoresistive memory cell includes a magnetoresistive tunnel junction stack and a dielectric encapsulation layer covering sidewall portions of the stack and being opened over a top of the stack. A conductor is formed in contact with a top portion of the stack and covering the encapsulation layer. A magnetic liner encapsulates the conductor and is gapped apart from the encapsulating layer covering the sidewall portions of the stack. |
| US09728713B2 |
Magnetoresistive element, spin MOSFET, magnetic sensor, and magnetic head
Spin-transport elements using semiconductors have had the problem of higher element resistance than conventional GMR elements and TMR elements, making it difficult to obtain high magnetoresistance ratios. A magnetoresistive element including a semiconductor channel layer; a first ferromagnetic layer disposed on the semiconductor channel layer; a second ferromagnetic layer disposed away from the first ferromagnetic layer; and a non-magnetic first reference electrode disposed away from the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer, wherein current is input from the second ferromagnetic layer to the first ferromagnetic layer through the semiconductor channel layer, a voltage between the second ferromagnetic layer and the first reference electrode is output. |
| US09728704B2 |
Thermoelectric module
The invention concerns a thermoelectric module with multiple thermoelectric elements, which are arranged spaced apart from one another, two thermoelectric elements being respectively electrically connected by means of a conductor bridge, an electrical insulation being arranged at least in certain portions on a side of the conductor bridge that is facing away from the thermoelectric element and/or on a side of the conductor bridge that is facing the thermoelectric element, the electrical insulation being arranged on the surface of the conductor bridge, the electrical insulation and the conductor bridge being thermomechanically decoupled. |
| US09728702B1 |
Power delivery through a barrier
A system and method for power delivery through a barrier may include a source for directing thermal energy through a first side of a barrier of sufficient intensity to raise the temperature of at least a region of the barrier and propagate therethrough to a second side thereof, and a thermoelectric generator positioned adjacent the second side of the barrier proximate the region to receive the thermal energy from the source and convert the thermal energy into electricity. A method for delivering power through a barrier may include directing thermal energy upon a first side of a barrier, the thermal energy being of sufficient intensity to raise a temperature of at least a region of the barrier and propagate therethrough to a second side thereof, receiving the thermal energy from the source through the barrier adjacent the second side, and converting the thermal energy to electricity adjacent the second side. |
| US09728701B2 |
Thermoelectric generation apparatus
A thermoelectric generation apparatus includes a heat absorbing surface configured to absorb heat from an internal combustion engine, a heat generating surface bonded to the heat absorbing surface by a semiconductor and configured to discharge the heat to the outside, and a conductive converting part interposed between the heat absorbing surface and the internal combustion engine. The conductive converting part is configured to allow the heat to be conducted from the internal combustion engine to the heat absorbing surface when a temperature of the internal combustion engine is equal to or greater than a specific value. |
| US09728699B2 |
Thermal transpiration device and method of making same
A thermal transpiration device and method of making the same. The device includes a pair of membranes having predetermined thicknesses in order to provide the device with strength and rigidity. The thickness of a portion of each membrane is reduced in the area where thermal transpiration occurs in order to optimize the effectiveness of the thermal transpiration device without scarifying structural integrity of the device. |
| US09728698B2 |
Light emitting device package having improved heat dissipation efficiency
Exemplary embodiments provide a light emitting diode and a method for manufacturing the same. The light emitting diode includes a light emitting structure, a plurality of holes formed through a second conductive type semiconductor layer and an active layer such that a first conductive type semiconductor layer is partially exposed therethrough, and a first electrode and a second electrode electrically connected to the first conductive type semiconductor layer and the second conductive type semiconductor layer, respectively, while being insulated from each other. The second electrode includes openings corresponding to the plurality of holes, a plurality of unit electrode layers separated from each other, and at least one connection layer electrically connecting at least two unit electrode layers to each other. The first electrode forms ohmic contact with the first conductive type semiconductor layer through the plurality of holes and partially covers the light emitting structure. |
| US09728696B2 |
Vertical solid-state transducers and high voltage solid-state transducers having buried contacts and associated systems and methods
Solid-state transducers (“SSTs”) and vertical high voltage SSTs having buried contacts are disclosed herein. An SST die in accordance with a particular embodiment can include a transducer structure having a first semiconductor material at a first side of the transducer structure, and a second semiconductor material at a second side of the transducer structure. The SST can further include a plurality of first contacts at the first side and electrically coupled to the first semiconductor material, and a plurality of second contacts extending from the first side to the second semiconductor material and electrically coupled to the second semiconductor material. An interconnect can be formed between at least one first contact and one second contact. The interconnects can be covered with a plurality of package materials. |
| US09728695B2 |
Mount substrate and LED module with the same
A mount substrate includes: an insulation substrate containing resin and glass; connection conductors formed on a surface of the insulation substrate; a first white resist layer that covers the connection conductors; and a second white resist layer that covers the first white resist. Each of the connection conductors includes a copper foil and a plating layer partly formed on the copper foil. The plating layer is formed of metal having oxidation-resistant and corrosion-resistant characteristics higher than those of copper. The first white resist layer is formed with first openings that respectively expose the plating layers of the connection conductors. The second white resist layer covers a periphery of each plating layer of the connection conductors in planar view. |
| US09728694B2 |
Light emitting device and manufacturing method thereof
A light emitting device includes a semiconductor light emitting element, a resin layer, and a metal wire. The semiconductor light emitting element includes a semiconductor stack and an electrode. The semiconductor stack has one surface. The metal wire has a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and an end surface between the first surface and the second surface. The metal wire is provided in the resin layer and electrically connected to an upper surface of the electrode via the first surface. The end surface of the metal wire is exposed from the resin layer. A lower end of the end surface closest to the first surface of the metal wire that is exposed from the resin layer is provided at an opposite side of the one surface of the semiconductor stack with respect to the upper surface of the electrode. |
| US09728693B2 |
Light-emitting device comprising partition including overhang portion
Occurrence of a crosstalk phenomenon in a light-emitting device including a tandem element is suppressed. A light-emitting device includes: lower electrodes over an insulating layer; a partition over a portion between the lower electrodes, which includes an overhang portion over an end portion of each of the lower electrodes; a first light-emitting unit over each of the lower electrodes and the partition; an intermediate layer over the first light-emitting unit; a second light-emitting unit over the intermediate layer; and an upper electrode over the second light-emitting unit. The distance between the overhang portion and each of the lower electrodes is larger than the total thickness of the first light-emitting unit and the intermediate layer over the lower electrode. |
| US09728690B2 |
Light emitting device and method of manufacturing the same
A light emitting device includes a base member including a conductive member containing silver. A light emitting element has an upper surface below an upper surface of a side wall portion. A wire electrically connects the light emitting element and the conductive member. A protective film covers the conductive member to be spaced apart from at least a part of at least one connecting portion connecting the wire and the conductive member. A first resin member continuously covers at least a portion of each of the protective film, a portion of the conductive member around the connecting portion, and the wire. The first resin member has a first gas barrier property with respect to hydrogen sulfide. A second resin member covers the light emitting element and the first resin member and has a second gas barrier property with respect to hydrogen sulfide lower than the first gas barrier property. |
| US09728688B2 |
Method of manufacturing light emitting device including light emitting element having lateral surface covered with cover member
A method of manufacturing a light emitting device includes providing a light emitting element, a light extracting surface, and a light emitting element lateral surface. A lower mold has an upper surface and a projected portion. The projected portion has a bottom portion. The projected portion has a projected portion upper surface. The projected portion has a projected portion lateral surface provided between the bottom portion and the projected portion upper surface. The light emitting element is arranged on the projected portion such that the light extracting surface contacts the projected portion upper surface. The projected portion lateral surface and the light emitting element lateral surface are covered with a cover member. The lower mold is removed to provide a recessed portion on the light extracting surface surrounded by a sidewall made of the cover member. A first light-transmissive member is provided in the recessed portion. |
| US09728685B2 |
Light emitting device and lighting device including same
A light emitting device includes a base that has an element mounting surface, a light emitting element that is mounted on the element mounting surface and that has maximum light intensity in a directly upward direction, and a coating member that contains a fluorescent body that is excited by light from the light emitting element, and that is constituted by a single layer that coats an upper part of the light emitting element. The fluorescent body exists at a position other than directly above the light emitting element. |
| US09728681B2 |
Organic electroluminescence device and fabrication method thereof
An organic electroluminescence device is disclosed which includes: a substrate; a thin film transistor formed on the substrate; a first electrode formed on the substrate provided with the thin film transistor; an organic light emission layer and a second electrode sequentially formed on the first electrode; and a first light absorption layer formed over the thin film transistor and configured to shield light emitted from the organic light emission layer. As such, the organic electroluminescence device employing the oxide thin film transistor can secure reliability against light. |
| US09728679B2 |
Optoelectronic device and method for manufacturing same
An optoelectronic device comprises a substrate; pads on a surface of the substrate; semiconductor elements, each element resting on a pad; a portion covering at least the lateral sides of each pad, the portion preventing the growth of the semiconductor elements on the lateral sides; and a dielectric region extending in the substrate from the surface and connecting, for each pair of pads, one of the pads in the pair to the other pad in the pair. A method of manufacturing an optoelectronic device is also disclosed. |
| US09728678B2 |
Light emitting element and method of manufacturing the same
A light emitting element includes a crystal growth substrate formed in a flat shape and that has a translucency, a semiconductor layer that constitutes a light emitting element structure and is formed at a side of a first surface of the crystal growth substrate, irregularities formed on a second surface of the crystal growth substrate, the second surface being an opposite surface of the first surface, and a protective layer that has a translucency and a predetermined hardness and brittleness, and covers the irregularities formed on the second surface of the crystal growth substrate. |
| US09728675B2 |
Display substrate, method of manufacturing the same and electro-wetting display panel having the same
In a display substrate, a method for manufacturing the display substrate and an electro-wetting display apparatus including the display substrate, the display substrate includes a base substrate, a sidewall defining a unit pixel area, a pixel electrode, a hydrophobic insulating layer and a light blocking layer. The sidewall is on the base substrate and defines the unit pixel area. The pixel electrode is in the unit pixel area. The hydrophobic insulating layer is on the sidewall and the pixel electrode. The light blocking layer is on the hydrophobic insulating layer and overlaps the sidewall. |
| US09728674B2 |
Optoelectronic component and method for the production thereof
The invention concerns an optoelectronic component comprising a layer structure with a light-active layer. In a first lateral region the light-active layer has a higher density of V-defects than in a second lateral region. |
| US09728669B2 |
Solar cell and method of manufacturing the same
A method of manufacturing solar cell includes providing a semiconductor substrate. A coating layer is then formed on a plurality of sides. Subsequently, an anti-reflective layer is formed on the layer. Finally at least one first electrode and at least one second electrode are formed. The first and second electrodes respectively and electrically connect to the second conductive amorphous substrate and the semiconductor substrate. The potential induced degradation is greatly reduced. |
| US09728667B1 |
Solid state photomultiplier using buried P-N junction
A device that detects single optical and radiation events and that provides improved blue detection efficiency and lower dark currents than prior silicon SSPM devices. The sensing element of the devices is a photodiode that may be used to provide single photon detection through the process of generating a self-sustained avalanche. The type of diode is called a Geiger photodiode or signal photon-counting avalanche diode. A CMOS photodiode can be fabricated using a “buried” doping layer for the P-N junction, where the high doping concentration and P-N junction is deep beneath the surface, and the doping concentration at the surface of the diode may be low. The use of a buried layer with a high doping concentration compared to the near surface layer of the primary P-N junction allows for the electric field of the depletion region to extend up near the surface of the diode. With a low doping concentration through the bulk of the diode, the induced bulk defects are limited, which may reduce the dark current. The resulting structure provides a diode with improved quantum efficiency and dark current. |
| US09728661B2 |
Optoelectronic device including ferroelectric material
Example embodiments relate to optoelectronic devices. An optoelectronic device may include a photoactive layer between first and second electrodes, and a ferroelectric layer corresponding to at least one of the first and second electrodes. At least one of the first and second electrodes may include graphene. The photoactive layer may include a two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor. The optoelectronic device may further include a third electrode, and in this case, the ferroelectric layer may be between the second electrode and the third electrode. The second electrode, the ferroelectric layer, and the third electrode may constitute a nanogenerator. |
| US09728654B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing same
A semiconductor device includes: a first conductive type semiconductor device; a first conductive type drift region formed by epitaxial growth on the semiconductor substrate; a plurality of first conductive type vertical implantation regions formed by multistage ion implantation in the drift region, the vertical implantation regions having a prescribed vertical implantation width and a prescribed drift region width; an anode electrode disposed on the front surface of the drift region opposite to the semiconductor substrate, the anode electrode being in Schottky contact with the drift region and in ohmic contact with the first conductive type vertical implantation regions; and a cathode electrode disposed on the rear surface of the semiconductor substrate opposite to the drift region, the cathode electrode being in ohmic contact with the semiconductor substrate. |
| US09728653B2 |
MEMS device
A MEMS device includes a membrane comprising a first plurality of fingers. A counter electrode arrangement includes a second plurality of fingers disposed in a interdigitated relationship with the first plurality of fingers of the membrane. A deflector is configured to deflect the membrane such that the first and second plurality of fingers are displaced in a position excluding maximum overlapping of surfaces of the fingers. |
| US09728648B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing semiconductor device
A miniaturized transistor having excellent electrical characteristics is provided with high yield. Further, a semiconductor device including the transistor and having high performance and high reliability is manufactured with high productivity. In a semiconductor device including a transistor in which an oxide semiconductor film including a channel formation region and low-resistance regions between which the channel formation region is sandwiched, a gate insulating film, and a gate electrode layer whose top surface and side surface are covered with an insulating film including an aluminum oxide film are stacked, a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer are in contact with part of the oxide semiconductor film and the top surface and a side surface of the insulating film including an aluminum oxide film. |
| US09728647B2 |
TFT substrate structure and manufacturing method thereof
The present invention provides a TFT substrate structure and a manufacturing method thereof. In the manufacturing method of a TFT substrate structure according to present invention, a graphene layer is formed on a semiconductor layer and after the formation of a second metal layer, the second metal layer is used as a shielding mask to conduct injection of fluoride ions into the graphene layer to form a modified area in a portion of the graphene layer that is located on and corresponds to a channel zone of the semiconductor layer, wherein the modified area of the graphene layer shows a property of electrical insulation and a property of blocking moisture/oxygen so as to provide protection to the channel zone; portions of the graphene layer that are located under source and drain electrodes are not doped with ions and preserves the excellent electrical conduction property of graphene and thus electrical connection between the source and drain electrodes and the semiconductor layer can be achieved without formation of a via in the graphene layer, making a TFT device so manufactured showing excellent I-V (current-voltage) output characteristics and stability, saving one mask operation process, shortening the manufacturing time, and lowering down the manufacturing cost. |
| US09728646B2 |
Flat STI surface for gate oxide uniformity in Fin FET devices
Operations in fabricating a Fin FET include providing a substrate having a fin structure, where an upper portion of the fin structure has a first fin surface profile. An isolation region is formed on the substrate and in contact with the fin structure. A portion of the isolation region is recessed by an etch process to form a recessed portion and to expose the upper portion of the fin structure, where the recessed portion has a first isolation surface profile. A thermal hydrogen treatment is applied to the fin structure and the recessed portion. A gate dielectric layer is formed with a substantially uniform thickness over the fin structure, where the recessed portion is adjusted from the first isolation surface profile to a second isolation surface profile and the fin structure is adjusted from the first fin surface profile to a second fin surface profile by the thermal hydrogen treatment. |
| US09728640B2 |
Hybrid substrate engineering in CMOS finFET integration for mobility improvement
A method for forming a hybrid complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device includes orienting a semiconductor layer of a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substrate with a base substrate of the SOI, exposing the base substrate in an N-well region by etching through a mask layer, a dielectric layer, the semiconductor layer and a buried dielectric to form a trench and forming spacers on sidewalls of the trench. The base substrate is epitaxially grown from a bottom of the trench to form an extended region. A fin material is epitaxially grown from the extended region within the trench. The mask layer and the dielectric layer are restored over the trench. P-type field-effect transistor (PFET) fins are etched on the base substrate, and N-type field-effect transistor (NFET) fins are etched in the semiconductor layer. |
| US09728636B2 |
System and method for threshold logic with electrostatically formed nanowire transistors
An electrostatically formed nanowire transistor, includes a source, a drain, and multiple gates surrounding a doped silicon region. The gates include a top gate, a bottom gate, and side gates. The gates induce a channel in said doped silicon region. The channel has a width which is decreased by negative biasing of the side gates, and a height and vertical position controlled by the top and bottom gates. |
| US09728635B1 |
Uniform gate length in vertical field effect transistors
A method of fabricating a vertical field effect transistor includes forming a base layer on a doped layer that is formed on a substrate, and forming fin hard masks above the base layer. Spacers are formed adjacent to each side of each of the fin hard masks above the base layer. A width dimension of each of the spacers is the same. Gaps between the spacers are filled with oxide prior to removing the spacers. The spacers are removed to leave gaps of the same width on each side of each of the fin hard masks. An etch in the gaps forms a plurality of fins below the fin hard masks. A height dimension of each of the plurality of fins is the same and a space between two of the plurality of fins is different than a second space between two others of the plurality of fins. |
| US09728634B2 |
Vertical semiconductor pillar device
Methods of fabricating vertical devices are described, along with apparatuses and systems that include them. In one such method, a vertical device is formed at least partially in a void in a first dielectric material and a second dielectric material. Additional embodiments are also described. |
| US09728632B2 |
Deep silicon via as a drain sinker in integrated vertical DMOS transistor
A vertical DMOS device implements one or more deep silicon via (DSV) plugs, thereby significantly reducing the layout area and on-resistance (RDSON) of the device. The DSV plugs extend through a semiconductor substrate to contact a conductively doped buried diffusion region, which forms the drain of the vertical DMOS device. Methods for fabricating the vertical DMOS device are compatible with conventional sub-micron VLSI processes, such that the vertical DMOS device can be readily fabricated on the same integrated circuit as CMOS devices and analog devices, such as lateral double-diffused MOS (LDMOS) devices. |
| US09728631B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
An object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device having a conductive film, which sufficiently serves as an antenna, and a method for manufacturing thereof. The semiconductor device has an element formation layer including a transistor, which is provided over a substrate, an insulating film provided on the element formation layer, and a conductive film serving as an antenna, which is provided on the insulating film. The insulating film has a groove. The conductive film is provided along the surface of the insulating film and the groove. The groove of the insulating film may be provided to pass through the insulating film. Alternatively, a concave portion may be provided in the insulating film so as not to pass through the insulating film. A structure of the groove is not particularly limited, and for example, the groove can be provided to have a tapered shape, etc. |
| US09728628B2 |
Silicon carbide semiconductor device and method for manufacturing same
A silicon carbide epitaxial layer includes: a first impurity region; a second impurity region; and a third impurity region. A gate insulating film is in contact with the first impurity region, the second impurity region, and the third impurity region. A groove portion is formed in a surface of the first impurity region, the surface being in contact with the gate insulating film, the groove portion extending in one direction along the surface, a width of the groove portion in the one direction being twice or more as large as a width of the groove portion in a direction perpendicular to the one direction, a maximum depth of the groove portion from the surface being not more than 10 nm. |
| US09728625B2 |
Fin formation in fin field effect transistors
A method of forming a semiconductor device that includes forming a silicon including fin structure and forming a germanium including layer on the silicon including fin structure. Germanium is then diffused from the germanium including layer into the silicon including fin structure to convert the silicon including fin structure to silicon germanium including fin structure. |
| US09728622B1 |
Dummy gate formation using spacer pull down hardmask
Forming a dummy gate on a semiconductor device is disclosed. A first sacrificial layer is formed on a fin, and a second sacrificial layer is formed on the first sacrificial layer. A first hardmask layer is formed on the second sacrificial layer, and a second hardmask layer is formed on the first hardmask layer and patterned. The first hardmask layer is laterally recessed in a lateral direction under the second hardmask layer. The first and second sacrificial layers are etched to a corresponding width of the first hardmask layer. A spacer layer is formed on the fin, the first sacrificial layer, second sacrificial layer, the first hardmask layer and the second hardmask layer. The spacer layer is etched until it remains on a sidewall of the first sacrificial layer, the second sacrificial layer and the first hardmask layer, wherein the first and second sacrificial layers form the dummy gate. |
| US09728621B1 |
iFinFET
A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit is provided. According to the method, a layered fin including a plurality of sacrificial layers and semiconductor layers wherein two adjacent semiconductor layers are separated by the sacrificial layer is provided on a semiconductor substrate. A gate over the layered fin and a spacer surrounding a sidewall of the gate are then formed. The sacrificial layers are subsequently removed to provide a structure in which two adjacent semiconductor layers are separated by a gap. The method further includes forming an insulator in the gap and forming source and drain regions located on the layered fin. The insulator includes a high-K dielectric material surrounded by a low-K dielectric material, both of which are in contact with the two adjacent semiconductor layers. |
| US09728620B2 |
Semiconductor device having metal gate structure and fabrication method thereof
The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device including a metal gate structure and formation method thereof. The semiconductor device includes a substrate and a dielectric layer disposed on the substrate. The dielectric layer includes a trench. A diffusion barrier layer is disposed over a bottom surface and sidewall surfaces of the trench in the dielectric layer. The diffusion barrier layer includes at least a titanium-nitride stacked layer. The titanium-nitride stacked layer includes a TiNx layer disposed over the bottom surface and the sidewall surfaces of the trench, a TiN layer on the TiNx layer, and a TiNy layer on the TiN layer, x<1 and y>1. A metal gate is filled in the trench and disposed on the diffusion barrier layer. |
| US09728619B2 |
Generation of multiple diameter nanowire field effect transistors
A method of modifying a wafer having a semiconductor disposed on an insulator is provided and includes forming pairs of semiconductor pads connected via respective nanowire channels at each of first and second regions with different initial semiconductor thicknesses and reshaping the nanowire channels into nanowires to each have a respective differing thickness reflective of the different initial semiconductor thicknesses. |
| US09728618B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor layer formed of a nitride semiconductor on a substrate, a second semiconductor layer formed of a nitride semiconductor on the first semiconductor layer, a gate trench formed in the second semiconductor layer or in the second and first semiconductor layers, a gate electrode formed at the gate trench, and a source electrode and a drain electrode formed on the second semiconductor layer. The gate trench has terminal parts of a bottom of the gate trench formed shallower than a center part of the bottom. A part of a sidewall of the gate trench is formed of a surface including an a-plane. The center part of the bottom is a c-plane. The terminal parts of the bottom form a slope from the c-plane to the a-plane. |
| US09728617B2 |
Method for manufacturing a semiconductor device
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing a semiconductor substrate having a main surface and a gate electrode which is within a trench between neighboring semiconductor mesas. The gate electrode is electrically insulated from the neighboring semiconductor mesas by respective dielectric layers. A respective pillar on each of the neighboring semiconductor mesas is formed, leaving an opening between the pillars above the trench. Dielectric contact spacers are formed in the opening along respective pillar side walls to narrow the opening above the gate electrode. A conductor is formed, having an interface with the gate electrode. The interface extends along an extension of the gate electrode, and the conductor has a conductivity greater than the conductivity of the gate electrode. |
| US09728616B2 |
High-voltage metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor device and manufacturing method thereof
The present invention provides a high-voltage metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor device and a manufacturing method thereof. First, a semiconductor substrate is provided and a dielectric layer and a conductive layer sequentially stacked on the semiconductor substrate. Then, the conductive layer is patterned to form a gate and a dummy gate disposed at a first side of the gate and followed by forming a first spacer between the gate and the dummy gate and a second spacer at a second side of the gate opposite to the first side, wherein the first spacer includes an indentation. Subsequently, the dummy gate is removed. |
| US09728615B2 |
Fin shape contacts and methods for forming fin shape contacts
Semiconductor devices and methods for forming the devices with fin contacts. One method includes, for instance: obtaining a wafer with at least one isolation region; forming at least one fin on the wafer; forming at least one sacrificial contact; forming at least one sacrificial gate; etching to recess the at least one fin; growing an epitaxial material over the at least one fin; performing replacement metal gate to the at least one sacrificial gate; depositing an interlayer dielectric layer; and forming at least one fin contact. An intermediate semiconductor device is also disclosed. |
| US09728610B1 |
Semiconductor component with a multi-layered nucleation body
There are disclosed herein various implementations of a semiconductor component with a multi-layered nucleation body and method for its fabrication. The semiconductor component includes a substrate, a nucleation body situated over the substrate, and a group III-V semiconductor device situated over the nucleation body. The nucleation body includes a bottom layer formed at a low growth temperature, and a top layer formed at a high growth temperature. The nucleation body also includes an intermediate layer that is formed substantially continuously using a varying intermediate growth temperature. |
| US09728607B2 |
Silicon carbide semiconductor device and method for manufacturing silicon carbide semiconductor device
A silicon carbide substrate having a gate insulating film provided in contact with a first main surface, having a gate electrode provided in contact with the gate insulating film, and having a source region exposed from first main surface is prepared. A first recess having a first inner wall surface is formed in an interlayer insulating film by performing a first isotropic etching with respect to the interlayer insulating film with use of a mask layer. A second recess having a second inner wall surface is formed by performing a first anisotropic etching with respect to the interlayer insulating film and the gate insulating film with use of the mask layer and thereby exposing the source region from gate insulating film. An interconnection is formed which is arranged in contact with the first inner wall surface and the second inner wall surface and electrically connected to a source electrode. |
| US09728600B2 |
Partially biased isolation in semiconductor devices
A device includes a semiconductor substrate, a doped isolation barrier disposed in the semiconductor substrate and defining a core device area within the doped isolation barrier, an isolation contact region disposed in the semiconductor substrate outside of the core device area, and a body region disposed in the semiconductor substrate within the core device area, and in which a channel is formed during operation. The body region is electrically tied to the isolation contact region. The body region and the doped isolation barrier have a common conductivity type. The body region is electrically isolated from the doped isolation barrier within the core device area. The doped isolation barrier and the isolation contact region are not electrically tied to one another such that the doped isolation barrier is biased at a different voltage level than the isolation contact region. |
| US09728597B2 |
Metal-insulator-metal structure and method for forming the same
A semiconductor structure and a method for forming the same are provided. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure includes forming a bottom electrode layer over a substrate and forming a first passivation layer over the bottom electrode layer by a first atomic layer deposition process. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure further includes forming a dielectric layer over the first passivation layer by a second atomic layer deposition process and forming a second passivation layer over the dielectric layer by a third atomic layer deposition process. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure further includes forming a top electrode layer over the second passivation layer. |
| US09728594B2 |
Display device
A display device is disclosed. In one aspect, the display device includes a substrate, a display unit formed over the substrate and a thin film encapsulation layer covering the display unit. The display device further includes an encapsulation substrate formed over the thin film encapsulation layer and encapsulating the display unit and a photosensor formed on an end of the thin film encapsulation layer. |
| US09728591B2 |
Organic light emitting diode display having an insulating and a light blocking materials covering an inner circumferential surface of a transmissive hole
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display according to an exemplary embodiment includes: a substrate including a display area for displaying an image and a transmissive area around the display area; an insulating layer formed on the transmissive area of the substrate; and a pixel definition layer formed on the substrate and defining a pixel area within the display area. The pixel definition layer may cover an inner circumferential surface of a transmissive hole formed in the insulating layer. |
| US09728587B2 |
Organic light emitting diode device with a color calibration layer
An organic light emitting diode device is disclosed. The organic light emitting diode device includes a color calibration layer which is applied to the white sub-pixel. The color calibration layer selectively absorbs light in a given wavelength region thereby increasing luminance due to the white sub-pixel while simultaneously preventing the deformation of white color coordination. The contrast ratio may also be improved by reducing the reflection of external light, thereby minimizing the need for a polarizer, and the thickness of the device may thus be decreased and processing costs may be reduced. |
| US09728586B2 |
Organic photoelectronic device and image sensor
An organic photoelectronic device includes a first electrode having a plurality of nanopatterns arranged at a regular interval, a second electrode facing the first electrode and an active layer between the first electrode and the second electrode, the active layer absorbing light in at least one wavelength of a visible ray region. |
| US09728579B2 |
Solid-state image pickup unit and electronic apparatus for achieving high sensitivity and high saturation charge amount
There is configured a solid-state image pickup unit including a photoelectric conversion section formed on a light incident side of a substrate; a first charge accumulation section accumulating a signal charge generated by the photoelectric conversion section; a second charge accumulation section formed in a region other than a light-condensing region where incident light is condensed in the substrate on a side opposite to a light incident side and formed to be laminated together with the first charge accumulation section in a depth direction of the substrate; and a floating diffusion section formed in a region other than the light-condensing region in the substrate on the side opposite to the light incident side and converting the signal charge into a voltage. |
| US09728576B2 |
Solid-state image pickup element and image pickup apparatus
A solid-state image pickup element including: a photoelectric conversion region; a transistor; an isolation region of a first conductivity type configured to isolate the photoelectric conversion region and the transistor from each other; a well region of the first conductivity type having the photoelectric conversion region, the transistor, and the isolation region of the first conductivity type formed therein; a contact portion configured to supply an electric potential used to fix the well region to a given electric potential; and an impurity region of the first conductivity type formed so as to extend in a depth direction from a surface of the isolation region of the first conductivity type in the isolation region of the first conductivity type between the contact portion and the photoelectric conversion region, and having a sufficiently higher impurity concentration than that of the isolation region of the first conductivity type. |
| US09728575B1 |
Pixel and circuit design for image sensors with hole-based photodiodes
In order to reduce dark current and pixel readout noise in an image sensor, pixels may include a p-type hole-based pinned photodiode. Charge stored in the p-type pinned photodiode may be transferred to a p-type floating diffusion (FD) node and read out by pixel circuitry that uses p-channel metal oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (p-channel MOSFET). Additionally, the pixel circuitry may be split across multiple wafers that are connected by metal interconnect layers. This arrangement may enable the pixel photodiode to have a larger size than if all of the pixel circuitry was in a single wafer. |
| US09728574B2 |
CMOS image sensor with shared sensing node
A CMOS image sensor has a pixel array provided with a plurality of unit pixels arranged in a matrix shape of rows and columns. Each of the unit pixels includes a photocharge generation means for generating photocharges by absorbing an external light; and a sensing node for receiving the photocharges transferred from the photocharge generation means, wherein the sensing node of the unit pixel in a previous scan line is shared with a sensing node of a unit pixel in a current scan line in response to a line select signal of the current line. |
| US09728571B2 |
Solid-state imaging device and method of manufacturing the same, and imaging apparatus
A solid-state imaging device includes: a semiconductor substrate provided with an effective pixel region including a light receiving section that photoelectrically converts incident light; an interconnection layer that is provided at a plane side opposite to the light receiving plane of the semiconductor substrate; a first groove portion that is provided between adjacent light receiving sections and is formed at a predetermined depth from the light receiving plane side of the semiconductor substrate; and an insulating material that is embedded in at least a part of the first groove portion. |
| US09728569B2 |
Solid-state imaging device and electronic apparatus
The present disclosure relates to a solid-state imaging device, an electronic apparatus, and a manufacturing method that are designed to further increase conversion efficiency. A solid-state imaging device includes a pixel in which element separation is realized by a first trench element separation region having a trench structure in a region between an FD unit and an amplifying transistor among element separation elements separating the elements constituting the pixel from one another, and a second trench element separation region having a trench structure in a region other than the region between the FD unit and the amplifying transistor among the element separation regions separating the elements constituting the pixel from one another, and the first trench element separation region is deeper than the second trench element separation region. The present technology can be applied to CMOS image sensors, for example. |
| US09728568B2 |
Semiconductor device and electronic apparatus
Provided is a semiconductor device including: a multilayer substrate including an optical element; a light-transmitting plate provided on the substrate to cover the optical element; and a lens of an inorganic material provided between the substrate and the light-transmitting plate. A structure having a same strength as a strength per unit area of the lens is provided at a portion outside an effective photosensitive region where the optical element is formed, when the substrate is viewed in plan. |
| US09728557B2 |
TFT array substrate, display panel and display device
A TFT array substrate is disclosed. The TFT array substrate includes a substrate, a data line disposed above the substrate, and a gate insulating layer disposed above the substrate, where the gate insulating layer includes a groove. The TFT array substrate also includes a data line disposed within the groove of the gate insulating layer. |
| US09728556B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device which includes an oxide semiconductor and in which formation of a parasitic channel due to a gate BT stress is suppressed is provided. Further, a semiconductor device including a transistor having excellent electrical characteristics is provided. The semiconductor device includes a transistor having a dual-gate structure in which an oxide semiconductor film is provided between a first gate electrode and a second gate electrode; gate insulating films are provided between the oxide semiconductor film and the first gate electrode and between the oxide semiconductor film and the second gate electrode; and in the channel width direction of the transistor, the first or second gate electrode faces a side surface of the oxide semiconductor film with the gate insulating film between the oxide semiconductor film and the first or second gate electrode. |
| US09728554B2 |
Array substrate of display panel
An array substrate of display panel comprises a substrate, a first and second transistors disposed on the substrate. The first and second transistors are electrically connected and share a semiconducting layer which comprises a first lateral portion, a turning portion and a bottom portion. The turning portion connects to the first lateral portion. The bottom portion connects to the turning portion. In one embodiment, a first outer edge extending line of the first lateral portion, a second outer edge extending line of the bottom portion and a third outer edge of the turning portion defines a first region. A first inner edge extending line of the first lateral portion, a second inner edge extending line of the bottom portion and a third inner edge of the turning portion defines a second region. The area of the first region is smaller than that of the second region. |
| US09728550B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and method for manufacturing same
According to one embodiment, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor memory device includes forming a stacked body by alternately stacking an insulating film and a conductive film. The method includes forming a trench in the stacked body. The trench extends in one direction and divides the conductive film. The method includes burying a diblock copolymer in the trench. The method includes phase-separating the diblock copolymer into a plurality of first blocks and an insulative second block extending in a stacking direction of the insulating film and the conductive film. The method includes forming a plurality of holes by removing the first blocks. The method includes forming charge accumulation layers on inner surfaces of the holes. And, the method includes forming a plurality of semiconductor pillars extending in the stacking direction by burying a semiconductor material in the holes. |
| US09728549B2 |
Semiconductor devices and methods for forming the same
A semiconductor device may include a cell gate conductive pattern in a cell array area that extends to a step area, a cell vertical structure in the cell array area that extends through the cell gate conductive pattern, a cell gate contact structure on the cell gate conductive pattern in the step area, a cell gate contact region in the cell gate conductive pattern and aligned with the cell gate contact structure, a first peripheral contact structure spaced apart from the cell gate conductive pattern, a second peripheral contact structure spaced apart from the first peripheral contact structure, a first peripheral contact region under the first peripheral contact structure, and a second peripheral contact region under the second peripheral contact structure. The cell gate contact region may include a first element and a remainder of the cell gate conductive pattern may not substantially include the first element. |
| US09728547B1 |
Three-dimensional memory device with aluminum-containing etch stop layer for backside contact structure and method of making thereof
Unwanted erosion of dielectric materials around a backside contact trench can be avoided or minimized employing an aluminum oxide liner. An aluminum oxide liner can be formed inside an insulating material layer in a backside contact trench to prevent collateral etching of the insulating material at an upper portion of the backside contact trench during an anisotropic etch that forms an insulating spacer. Alternatively, an aluminum oxide layer can be employed as a backside blocking dielectric layer. An upper portion of the aluminum oxide layer can be converted into an aluminum compound layer including aluminum and a non-metallic element other than oxygen at an upper portion of the trench, and can be employed as a protective layer during formation of a backside contact structure. |
| US09728543B1 |
Semiconductor structure and fabricating method thereof
A method of fabricating a semiconductor structure includes the following steps. A first dummy gate structure and a second dummy gate structure are formed on a semiconductor substrate. A recess is formed next to the first and the second dummy gate structure and in the semiconductor substrate. A pair of first spacers is formed adjacent to the first dummy gate structure. A pair of second spacers is formed adjacent to the second dummy gate structure. One of the first spacers extends from a first sidewall of the first dummy gate structure to a first inner sidewall of the recess. One of the second spacers extends from a second sidewall of the second dummy gate structure to a second inner sidewall of the recess. A first isolation layer is formed on a bottom surface of the recess. A first conducting layer is formed on the first isolation layer. |
| US09728540B2 |
Semiconductor device for reducing coupling capacitance
A semiconductor device includes a spacer having a nitride/oxide/nitride (NON) structure. The spacer is disposed between a sidewall of a bit line and a bit line contact and a sidewall of a storage node contact plug to reduce coupling capacitance between the bit line and a storage node contact plug and between the bit line contact and the storage node contact plug. |
| US09728539B2 |
Multi bit capacitorless DRAM and manufacturing method thereof
A multi-bit capacitorless DRAM according to the embodiment of the present invention may be provided that includes: a substrate; a source and a drain formed on the substrate; a plurality of nanowire channels formed on the substrate; a gate insulation layer formed in the plurality of nanowire channels; and a gate formed on the gate insulation layer. Two or more nanowire channels among the plurality of nanowire channels have different threshold voltages. Each of the nanowire channels includes: a silicon layer; a first epitaxial layer which is formed to surround the silicon layer; and a second epitaxial layer which is formed to surround the first epitaxial layer. As a result, the high integration multi-bit capacitorless DRAM which operates at multi-bits can be implemented and a performance of accumulating excess holes can be improved by using energy band gap. |
| US09728538B2 |
Three-dimensional devices having reduced contact length
Various embodiments comprise apparatuses and methods including a memory array having alternating levels of semiconductor materials and dielectric material with strings of memory cells formed on the alternating levels. One such apparatus includes a memory array formed substantially within a cavity of a substrate. Peripheral circuitry can be formed adjacent to a surface of the substrate and adjacent to the memory array. Additional apparatuses and methods are described. |
| US09728534B2 |
Densely spaced fins for semiconductor fin field effect transistors
A method of forming a fin-based field-effect transistor device includes forming one or more first fins comprising silicon on a substrate, forming epitaxial layers on sides of the one or more first fins, and removing the one or more first fins to form a plurality of second fins. |
| US09728531B2 |
Electrostatic discharge device
An integrated circuit device includes at least two epitaxially grown active regions grown onto a substrate, the active regions being placed between a first gate device and a second gate device. The integrated circuit device includes at least one dummy gate between the two epitaxially grown active regions and between the first gate device and the second gate device, wherein each active region is substantially uniform in length. The first gate device and the second device are formed over a first well having a first conductivity type and the dummy gate is formed over a second well having a second conductivity type. |
| US09728530B1 |
Bipolar transistor device
A bipolar transistor device includes a substrate and at least one first transistor unit. The first transistor unit includes a first doped well of first conductivity type, at least one first fin-based structure and at least one second fin-based structure. The first fin-based structure includes a first gate strip and first doped fins arranged in the first doped well, and the first gate strip is floating. The second fin-based structure includes a second gate strip and second doped fins arranged in the first doped well, and the second gate strip is floating. The first doped fins, the second doped fins and the first doped well form first BJTs, and the first doped fins and the second doped fins are respectively coupled to high and low voltage terminals. |
| US09728525B2 |
Light emitting device package and light unit including the same
Disclosed are a light emitting device package. The light emitting device package includes a body having recess; a first lead frame including a first and second portions on a first region of the body; a second lead frame including a third and fourth portions on a second region of the body; a third lead frame between the first and second lead frame. The body has a length of the first direction greater than a width of the second direction, wherein the second portion of the first lead frame extends toward the second lead frame and has a small width, and wherein the fourth portion of the second lead frame extends toward the first lead frame. A first light emitting device is disposed on the first portion of the first lead frame and a second light emitting device is disposed on the third portion of the second lead frame. |
| US09728523B2 |
Semiconductor light emitting device
A semiconductor light emitting device includes an LED chip, which includes an n-type semiconductor layer, active layer, and p-type semiconductor layer stacked on a substrate. The LED chip further includes an anode electrode connected to the p-type semiconductor, and a cathode connected to the n-type semiconductor. The anode and cathode electrodes face a case with the LED chip mounted thereon. The case includes a base member including front and rear surfaces, and wirings including a front surface layer having anode and cathode pads formed at the front surface, a rear surface layer having anode and cathode mounting electrodes formed at the rear surface, an anode through wiring connecting the anode pad and the anode mounting electrode and passing through a portion of the base member, and a cathode through wirings connecting the cathode pad and the cathode mounting electrode and passing through a portion of the base member. |
| US09728521B2 |
Hybrid bond using a copper alloy for yield improvement
An integrated circuit (IC) using a copper-alloy based hybrid bond is provided. The IC comprises a pair of semiconductor structures vertically stacked upon one another. The pair of semiconductor structures comprise corresponding dielectric layers and corresponding metal features arranged in the dielectric layers. The metal features comprise a copper alloy having copper and a secondary metal. The IC further comprises a hybrid bond arranged at an interface between the semiconductor structures. The hybrid bond comprises a first bond bonding the dielectric layers together and a second bond bonding the metal features together. The second bond comprises voids arranged between copper grains of the metal features and filled by the secondary metal. A method for bonding a pair of semiconductor structures together using the copper-alloy based hybrid bond is also provided. |
| US09728519B2 |
Bonding method of semiconductor chip and bonding apparatus of semiconductor chip
According to one embodiment, there is provided a bonding method of a semiconductor chip. The bonding method includes arranging an activated front surface of a semiconductor chip and an activated front surface of a substrate so as to face each other with a back surface of the semiconductor chip attached to a sheet. The bonding method includes pushing the back surface of the semiconductor chip through the sheet to closely attach the activated front surface of the semiconductor chip and the activated front surface of the substrate. The bonding method includes stripping the sheet from the back surface of the semiconductor chip while maintaining a state in which the activated front surface of the semiconductor chip is closely attached to the activated front surface of the substrate. |
| US09728518B2 |
Interconnect etch with polymer layer edge protection
Various semiconductor workpiece polymer layers and methods of fabricating the same are disclosed. In one aspect, a method of manufacturing is provided that includes applying a polymer layer to a passivation structure of a semiconductor workpiece where the semiconductor workpiece has first and second semiconductor chips separated by a dicing street. A first opening is patterned in the polymer layer with opposing edges pulled back from the dicing street. A mask is applied over the first opening. A first portion of the passivation structure is etched while using the polymer layer as an etch mask. |
| US09728517B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a pad disposed on the substrate, a passivation disposed over the substrate, a post passivation interconnection (PPI) disposed over the passivation and the substrate, a conductive line isolated from the PPI, a bump disposed on the PPI and a polymeric composite between the PPI and the conductive line, wherein the polymeric composite includes a first layer conformal to the conductive line and PPI and a second layer filling a gap between the PPI and the conductive line. Further, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing a substrate, disposing a passivation over the substrate, forming a post passivation interconnect (PPI) and a conductive line over the passivation, disposing a bump on the PPI, and forming a polymeric composite over the PPI by disposing a first layer conformal to the PPI and the conductive line and disposing a second layer to fill a gap between the PPI and the conductive line. |
| US09728515B2 |
Integrated WLUF and SOD process
This disclosure relates generally to a wafer having a plurality of semiconductor chips having a major surface, a metal contact positioned on one of the plurality of semiconductor chips and having a side surface and contact surface, the contact surface substantially parallel to the major surface, wherein the contact surface defines a thickness of the metal contact relative to the major surface, an underfill layer abutting the one of the plurality of semiconductor chips and the side surface of the metal contact, the underfill layer having a top surface substantially parallel to the major surface, wherein the top surface of the underfill layer defines a thickness of the underfill layer relative to the major surface, the thickness of the underfill layer being not greater than the thickness of the metal contact, and a solder bump formed in electrical contact with the contact surface of the metal contact. |
| US09728514B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
A semiconductor device including a relatively thin interposer excluding a through silicon hole and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The method includes forming an interposer on a dummy substrate. The forming of the interposer includes, forming a dielectric layer on the dummy substrate, forming a pattern and a via on the dielectric layer, and forming a seed layer at the pattern and the via of the dielectric layer and forming a redistribution layer and a conductive via on the seed layer. A semiconductor die is connected with the conductive via facing an upper portion of the interposer, and the semiconductor die is encapsulated with an encapsulant. The dummy substrate is removed from the interposer. A bump is connected with the conductive via facing a lower portion of the interposer. |
| US09728511B2 |
Semiconductor wafer and semiconductor die
A semiconductor wafer includes a substrate, an integrated circuit and a die seal ring structure. The substrate is with a die region, a die seal ring region surrounding the die region and a scribe line region surrounding the die seal ring region. The substrate includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and periodic recesses within the first surface of the die seal ring region, the scribe line region or both the die seal ring region and the scribe line region. The integrated circuit is located on the first surface and the second surface of the die region. The die seal ring structure is located on the second surface of the die seal ring region. A semiconductor die is also provided. |
| US09728509B1 |
Laser scribe structures for a wafer
Structures that include an identification marking and fabrication methods for such structures. A chip is formed within a usable area of a wafer, and a marking region is formed on the wafer. The marking region is comprised of a conductor used to form a last metal layer of an interconnect structure for the chip. The identification marking is formed in the conductor of the marking region. After the identification marking is formed, a dielectric layer is deposited on the marking region. The dielectric layer on the marking region is planarized. |
| US09728505B2 |
Methods and structrues of novel contact feature
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes forming a fin structure on a substrate; forming a dummy gate over the fin structure; forming spacers on sides of the dummy gate; forming a doped region within the fin structure; replacing the dummy gate with a metal gate; replacing an upper portion of the metal gate with a first dielectric layer; forming a conductive layer directly on the doped region; replacing an upper portion of the conductive layer with a second dielectric layer; removing the first dielectric layer thereby exposing a sidewall of the spacer; removing an upper portion of the spacer to thereby expose a sidewall of the second dielectric layer; removing at least a portion of the second dielectric layer to form a trench; and forming a conductive plug in the trench. |
| US09728504B2 |
Interconnect structures and fabrication method thereof
A method is provided for fabricating an interconnect structure. The method includes providing a substrate; and forming a first conductive layer; and forming a sacrificial layer on the substrate and the first conductive layer. The method also includes forming an opening exposing a surface of the first conductive layer in the sacrificial layer; and forming a catalyst layer on the exposed portion of the surface of the first conductive layer and a top surface of the sacrificial layer. Further, the method includes forming carbon nanotube bundles perpendicular to the surface of the substrate on the catalyst layer; and removing the sacrificial layer and the carbon bundles on the sacrificial layer. Further, the method also includes forming a first dielectric material layer covering top surfaces of the carbon nanotube bundles and a portion the surface of the substrate without carbon nanotubes to seal the carbon nanotube bundles in a space. |
| US09728502B2 |
Metal oxysilicate diffusion barriers for damascene metallization with low RC delays and methods for forming the same
A method is disclosed to form a metal-oxysilicate diffusion barrier for a damascene metallization. A trench is formed in an Inter Layer Dielectric (ILD) material. An oxysilicate formation-enhancement layer comprising silicon, carbon, oxygen, a constituent component of the ILD, or a combination thereof, is formed in the trench. A barrier seed layer is formed on the oxysilicate formation-enhancement layer comprising an elemental metal selected from a first group of elemental metals in combination with an elemental metal selected from a second group of elemental metals. An elemental metal in the second group is immiscible in copper or an alloy thereof, has a diffusion constant greater than a self-diffusion of copper or an alloy thereof; does not reducing silicon-oxygen bonds during oxysilicate formation; and promotes adhesion of copper or an alloy of copper to the metal-oxysilicate barrier diffusion layer. The structure is then annealed to form a metal-oxysilicate diffusion barrier. |
| US09728500B2 |
Integrated circuit surface layer with adhesion-functional group
Embodiments of the present disclosure describe an integrated circuit and associated fabrication techniques and configurations, which may include forming on at least one of a metal layer or a polymer layer of an integrated circuit die a surface layer that includes an adhesion-functional group, and applying to the surface layer a next layer to adhere to the surface layer with the adhesion-functional group. In embodiments wherein the at least one of the metal layer or the polymer layer is a polymer layer, forming the surface layer may include copolymerizing on the polymer layer a polar monomer that includes the adhesion-functional group. In embodiments wherein the at least one of the metal layer or the polymer layer is a metal layer, forming the surface layer may include forming on the metal layer a self-assembled monolayer that includes amine group terminations. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed. |
| US09728497B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A substrate structure may include a base substrate, a plurality of unit substrate regions arranged on the base substrate in one or more rows and one or more columns and spaced apart from one another, and dummy substrate regions between the unit substrate regions. In a row direction or a column direction, a first pitch between central points of two adjacent unit substrate regions among the unit substrate regions and a second pitch between central points of two adjacent second unit substrate regions among the unit substrate regions are different from each other. |
| US09728493B2 |
Mold PackageD semiconductor chip mounted on a leadframe and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device package includes a leadframe and a semiconductor chip mounted to the leadframe. The semiconductor device package further includes a molded encapsulant configured to cast-in-place the leadframe. A surface area of the leadframe remains exposed by the encapsulant. An electrically insulating covering layer extends over a part of the surface area and is configured to divide the surface area in at least two zones. |
| US09728490B2 |
Semiconductor devices and methods of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device includes a via structure penetrating through a substrate, a portion of the via structure being exposed over a surface of the substrate, a protection layer pattern structure provided on the surface of the substrate and including a first protection layer pattern and a second protection layer pattern, the first protection layer pattern surrounding a lower sidewall of the exposed portion of the via structure and exposing an upper sidewall of the exposed portion of the via structure, the second protection layer pattern exposing a portion of the top surface of the first protection layer pattern adjacent to the sidewall of the via structure, and a pad structure provided on the via structure and the protection layer pattern structure and covering the top surface of the first protection layer pattern exposed by the second protection layer pattern. |
| US09728488B2 |
Onboard electronic device
An onboard electronic device includes: an element that generates heat; a member that is provided between the element and a coolant cooling the element, and differs in thermal expansion coefficient from the element; an element temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the element; a coolant temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the coolant; and a controller that controls operation of the element such that the temperature of the element allowed when the temperature of the coolant is a first temperature is lower than the temperature of the element allowed when the temperature of the coolant is a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature. |
| US09728482B2 |
Semiconductor device having a substrate restrained from thermal deformation
A semiconductor device includes a housing, a substrate housed in and fixed to the housing, and a semiconductor module package disposed on a surface of the substrate. A protrusion is formed on the housing, protrudes towards the substrate, located adjacent to the semiconductor module package, and directly or indirectly urges the substrate in a direction away from the protrusion. |
| US09728477B2 |
Method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having scribe lines
The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes receiving a substrate. The substrate comprises at least one chip region and at least one scribe line next to the chip region, and each chip region comprises an active region. The method further includes disposing a buffer layer at least covering the scribe line, disposing a dielectric layer including an opening over each chip region, and disposing a bump material to the opening of the dielectric layer and electrically connecting to the active region. The method further includes forming a mold over the substrate, covering the buffer layer and cutting the substrate along the scribe line. Furthermore, the buffer layer includes an elastic modulus less than that of the mold, or the buffer layer includes a coefficient of thermal expansion less than that of the mold. |
| US09728474B1 |
Semiconductor chips with seal rings and electronic test structures, semiconductor wafers including the semiconductor chips, and methods for fabricating the same
A semiconductor chip includes an active area including a plurality of integrated circuit structures, a seal ring enclosing the active area, a corner area of the semiconductor chip that is outside of the seal ring, and an electronic test structure disposed within the corner area. Semiconductor wafers including the above-noted semiconductor chips, as well as methods for fabricating semiconductor wafers including the above-noted semiconductor chips, are also disclosed. |
| US09728473B2 |
Method of manufacturing semiconductor device and semiconductor manufacturing apparatus
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a film along a surface of a semiconductor substrate in a first surface area state having a first surface area by supplying a reaction gas at a first flow rate. The method further includes detecting a transition from the first surface area state to a second surface area state having a second surface area different from the first surface area. The method still further includes forming the film by changing the flow rate of the reaction gas from the first flow rate to a second flow rate different from the first flow rate after detecting the transition from the first surface area state to the second surface area state. |
| US09728471B2 |
System for non radial temperature control for rotating substrates
Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and method for reducing non uniformity during thermal processing. One embodiment provides an apparatus for processing a substrate comprising a chamber body defining a processing volume, a substrate support disposed in the processing volume, wherein the substrate support is configured to rotate the substrate, a sensor assembly configured to measure temperature of the substrate at a plurality of locations, and one or more pulse heating elements configured to provide pulsed energy towards the processing volume. |
| US09728470B1 |
Semiconductor structure and methods
In an embodiment, a method for evaluating a surface of a semiconductor substrate includes directing an incident light beam having multiple wavelengths at a position of a layer having a surface profile configured to form an optical diffraction grating, the layer including a Group III nitride, detecting a reflected beam, reflected from the position, and obtaining a spectrum of reflected intensity as a function of wavelength, the spectrum being representative of the surface profile of the position of the layer from which the beam is reflected, comparing the spectrum obtained from the detected beam with one or more reference spectra stored in memory, and estimating at least one parameter of the surface profile. |
| US09728467B2 |
Method for modulating work function of semiconductor device having metal gate structure by gas treatment
A method for modulating a work function of a semiconductor device having a metal gate structure including the following steps is provided. A first stacked gate structure and a second stacked gate structure having an identical structure are provided on a substrate. The first stacked gate structure and the second stacked gate structure respectively include a first work function metal layer of a first type. A patterned hard mask layer is formed. The patterned hard mask layer exposes the first work function metal layer of the first stacked gate structure and covers the first work function metal layer of the second stacked gate structure. A first gas treatment is performed to the first work function metal layer of the first stacked gate structure exposed by the patterned hard mask layer. A gas used in the first gas treatment includes nitrogen-containing gas or oxygen-containing gas. |
| US09728461B2 |
Method of forming semiconductor device with different threshold voltages
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a first gate stack over a first fin feature and second gate stack over a second fin feature, removing the first gate stack to form a first gate trench that exposes the first fin structure, removing the second gate stack to form a second gate trench that exposes the second fin feature, performing a high-pressure-anneal process to a portion of the first fin feature and forming a first high-k/metal gate (HK/MG) within the first gate trench over the portion of the first fin feature and a second HK/MG within the second gate trench over the second fin feature. Therefore the first HK/MG is formed with a first threshold voltage and the second HK/MG is formed with a second threshold voltage, which is different than the first threshold voltage. |
| US09728459B2 |
Method for singulating an assemblage into semiconductor chips, and semiconductor chip
A method for singulating an assemblage (1) into a plurality of semiconductor chips (10) is specified, wherein an assemblage comprising a carrier (4), a semiconductor layer sequence (2) and a metallic layer (3) is provided. Separating trenches (45) are formed in the carrier. The assemblage is subjected to mechanical loading, with the result that the metallic layer breaks along the separating trenches and the assemblage is singulated into semiconductor chips, wherein the singulated semiconductor chips each have part of the semiconductor layer sequence, of the carrier and of the metallic layer. A semiconductor chip (10) is furthermore specified. |
| US09728456B2 |
Interconnect structure including middle of line (MOL) metal layer local interconnect on etch stop layer
An interconnect structure includes an insulator stack on an upper surface of a semiconductor substrate. The insulator stack includes a first insulator layer having at least one semiconductor device embedded therein and an etch stop layer interposed between the first insulator layer and a second insulator layer. At least one electrically conductive local contact extends through each of the second insulator layer, etch stop layer and, first insulator layer to contact the at least one semiconductor device. The interconnect structure further includes at least one first layer contact element disposed on the etch stop layer and against the at least one conductive local contact. |
| US09728455B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same
A method for fabricating semiconductor device includes the steps of: providing a substrate having a gate structure thereon and an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer surrounding the gate structure; forming a sacrificial layer on the gate structure; forming a first contact plug in the sacrificial layer and the ILD layer; removing the sacrificial layer; and forming a first dielectric layer on the gate structure and the first contact plug. |
| US09728451B2 |
Through silicon vias for semiconductor devices and manufacturing method thereof
The present invention provides a semiconductor wafer, a semiconductor chip and a semiconductor package. The semiconductor wafer includes a first pad, a first inter-layer dielectric and a second pad. The first pad is disposed on a top surface of a semiconductor substrate and has a solid portion and a plurality of through holes. The first inter-layer dielectric covers the first pad. The second pad is disposed on the first inter-layer dielectric and has a solid portion and a plurality of through holes, wherein the through holes of the first pad correspond to the solid portion of the second pad. |
| US09728450B2 |
Insulating a via in a semiconductor substrate
Insulating a via in a semiconductor substrate, including: depositing, in the via, a dielectric layer; depositing, in the via, a barrier layer; allowing the barrier layer to oxidize; and depositing, in the via, a conducting layer. |
| US09728447B2 |
Multi-barrier deposition for air gap formation
A method includes forming a first conductive line and a second conductive line in a dielectric layer, etching a portion of the dielectric layer to form a trench between the first conductive line and the second conductive line, and forming a first etch stop layer. The first etch stop layer extends into the trench. A second etch stop layer is formed over the first etch stop layer. The second etch stop layer extends into the trench, and the second etch stop layer is more conformal than the first etch stop layer. A dielectric material is filled into the trench and over the second etch stop layer. An air gap is formed in the dielectric material. |
| US09728443B2 |
Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method
A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate heating unit arranged to heat the underside of a substrate while supporting the substrate thereon and an attitude changing unit arranged to cause the substrate heating unit to undergo an attitude change between a horizontal attitude and a tilted attitude. In an organic solvent removing step to be performed following a substrate heating step of heating the substrate, the substrate heating unit undergoes an attitude change to the tilted attitude so that the upper surface of the substrate becomes tilted with respect to the horizontal surface. |
| US09728439B2 |
High-temperature, spin-on, bonding compositions for temporary wafer bonding using sliding approach
New compositions and methods of using those compositions as bonding compositions are provided. The compositions comprise a polymer dispersed or dissolved in a solvent system, and can be used to bond an active wafer to a carrier wafer or substrate to assist in protecting the active wafer and its active sites during subsequent processing and handling. The compositions form bonding layers that are chemically and thermally resistant, but that can also be softened to allow the wafers to slide apart at the appropriate stage in the fabrication process. |
| US09728438B2 |
Method for producing an electrostatic holding apparatus
Production of a holding apparatus (100) for electrostatically holding a component, e.g., silicon wafer (1), includes connecting plate-type first holding element (11, 12) and plate-type core element (13), first holding element (11, 12) having first electrode device (20) and spanning support surface for receiving component (1), and the connecting includes the steps: providing liquid adhesive to at least one of the mutually facing surfaces of first holding element (11, 12) and core element (13), aligning first holding element (11, 12) with first forming tool (40) such that support surface is matched to predetermined master surface (41) of first forming tool (40), and curing the adhesive, wherein first adhesive connecting layer (15) is formed, which has thickness variations constituted by form deviations between support surface and at least one of the mutually facing surfaces. Also described is a holding apparatus (100) configured to electrostatically hold a component, e.g., silicon wafer (1). |
| US09728432B2 |
Method of degassing
A method of degassing semiconductor substrates includes sequentially loading a plurality of semiconductor substrates into a degas apparatus, and degassing the semiconductor substrates in parallel, the degassing of each semiconductor substrate commencing at a different time related to the time at which the semiconductor substrate was loaded into the degas apparatus. The method further includes unloading a semiconductor substrate from the degas apparatus when the semiconductor substrate has been degassed, while semiconductor substrates which were loaded later in the sequence are still being degassed. The degassing of the semiconductor substrates is performed at pressure of less than 10−4 Torr, and the degas apparatus is pumped continuously during the degassing of the semiconductor substrates. |
| US09728431B2 |
Method of manufacturing semiconductor device
The present invention provides a technique for improving the productivity of a processing apparatus including a plurality of process chambers. There is provided a technique including a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device including: (a) transferring a last remaining substrate stored in an xth storage unit of a plurality of storage units to an empty nth chamber in an mth processing unit of a plurality of processing units; and (b) transferring a first one of a plurality of substrates stored in an (x+1)th storage unit of the plurality of storage units to one of chambers in an (m+1)th processing unit of the plurality of processing units (where x, m and n are natural numbers). |
| US09728430B2 |
Electrostatic chuck with LED heating
An electrostatic chuck with LED heating is disclosed. The electrostatic chuck with LED heating comprises a first subassembly, which comprises a LED heater, and a second subassembly, which comprises an electrostatic chuck. The LED substrate heater subassembly includes a base having a recessed portion. A plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) is disposed within the recessed portion. The LEDs may be GaN or GaP LEDs, which emit light at a wavelength which is readily absorbed by silicon, thus efficiently and quickly heating the substrate. The second subassembly, which comprises an electrostatic chuck, is disposed on the LED substrate heater subassembly. The electrostatic chuck includes a top dielectric layer and an interior layer that are transparent at the wavelength emitted by the LEDs. One or more electrodes are disposed between the top dielectric layer and the interior layer to create the electrostatic force. |
| US09728427B2 |
Method for manufacturing semiconductor structure
A method includes followings operations. A substrate including a first surface and a second surface is provided. The substrate and a transparent film are heated to attach the transparent film on the first surface. A first coefficient of a thermal expansion (CTE) mismatch is between the substrate and the transparent film. The substrate and the transparent film are cooled. A polymeric material is disposed on the second surface. A second CTE mismatch is between the substrate and the polymeric material. The second CTE mismatch is counteracted by the first CTE mismatch. |
| US09728425B1 |
Space-efficient underfilling techniques for electronic assemblies
Space-efficient underfilling techniques for electronic assemblies are described. According to some such techniques, an underfilling method may comprise mounting an electronic element on a surface of a substrate, dispensing an underfill material upon the surface of the substrate within a dispense region for forming an underfill for the electronic element, and projecting curing rays upon at least a portion of the dispensed underfill material to inhibit an outward flow of dispensed underfill material from the dispense region, and the underfill material may comprise a non-visible light (NVL)-curable material. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09728422B2 |
Dry etching method
Disclosed is a dry etching method for a laminated film in which at least one silicon layer and at least one silicon oxide layer are laminated together. The dry etching method includes generating a plasma gas from a dry etching agent and etching the laminated film with the plasma gas under the application of a bias voltage. The dry etching agent contains an unsaturated hydrofluorocarbon represented by the following formula: C3HxFy where x is an integer of 1 to 5; y is an integer of 1 to 5; and x and y satisfy a relationship of x+y=4 or 6, and iodine heptafluoride. The volume of the iodine heptafluoride in the dry etching agent is 0.1 to 1.0 times the volume of the unsaturated hydrofluorocarbon in the dry etching agent. |
| US09728420B2 |
Organic film composition, process for forming organic film, patterning process, and compound
An organic film composition including a compound represented by the following general formula (1), wherein n1 and n2 each independently represent 0 or 1; “W” represents a single bond or any of structures represented by the following formula (2); R1 represents any of structures represented by the following general formula (3); m1 and m2 each independently represent an integer of 0 to 7, with the proviso that m1+m2 is 1 to 14. There can be provided an organic film composition for forming an organic film having dry etching resistance as well as advanced filling/planarizing characteristics. |
| US09728419B2 |
Fin density control of multigate devices through sidewall image transfer processes
Methods and structures for fabricating fins for multigate devices are disclosed. In accordance with one method, a plurality of sidewalls are formed in or on a plurality of mandrels over a semiconductor substrate such that each of the mandrels includes a first sidewall composed of a first material and a second sidewall composed of a second material that is different from the first material. The first sidewall of a first mandrel of the plurality of mandrels is selectively removed. In addition, a pattern composed of remaining sidewalls of the plurality of sidewalls is transferred onto an underlying layer to form a hard mask in the underlying layer. Further, the fins are formed by employing the hard mask and etching semiconducting material in the substrate. |
| US09728418B2 |
Etching method and etching apparatus
An etching method for performing a plasma etching on an object to be processed by using a supplied gas is provided. In the etching method, a temperature of a focus ring is adjusted by using a first temperature adjustment mechanism controllable independently of a temperature control of the object to be processed while measuring a time variation until the temperature of the focus ring reaches a target value. A degree of consumption of the focus ring is estimated from the measured time variation based on a preliminarily set correlation between the time variation and the degree of consumption of the focus ring. The target value of the temperature of the focus ring is corrected based on the estimated degree of consumption of the focus ring. |
| US09728416B2 |
Plasma tuning rods in microwave resonator plasma sources
A resonator system is provided with one or more resonant cavities configured to couple electromagnetic (EM) energy in a desired EM wave mode to plasma by generating resonant microwave energy in a resonant cavity adjacent the plasma. The resonator system can be coupled to a process chamber using one or more interface and isolation assemblies, and each resonant cavity can have a plurality of plasma tuning rods coupled thereto. The plasma tuning rods can be configured to couple the EM-energy from the resonant cavities to the process space within the process chamber. |
| US09728414B2 |
Method of depositing copper using physical vapor deposition
The present method of forming an electronic structure includes providing a tantalum base layer and depositing a layer of copper on the tantalum layer, the deposition being undertaken by physical vapor deposition with the temperature of the base layer at 50.degree. C. or less, with the deposition taking place at a power level of 300 W or less. |
| US09728412B2 |
Integrated circuits with backside metalization and production method thereof
An embodiment of an integrated device, including a chip of semiconductor material wherein an integrated circuit is integrated, is proposed; the integrated device includes a set of contact terminals for contacting the integrated circuit. At least one contact terminal of said set of contact terminals includes a contact layer of metal material being suitable to be directly coupled mechanically to an element external to the chip, and a coupling element for improving an electrical and/or mechanical coupling between the contact layer and the chip. The coupling element includes a coupling layer being formed by a combination between the metal material of the contact layer and the semiconductor material of the chip, with the coupling layer that is directly coupled to the chip and to the contact layer. |
| US09728408B2 |
Method of semiconductor integrated circuit fabrication
A method of fabricating a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) is disclosed. A dielectric layer is formed over a substrate. An interlayer is formed over the dielectric layer. A first photoresist layer with a first opening is formed over the interlayer and a second photoresist layer having a second opening is formed over the first photoresist layer. Spacers are formed along sidewalls of the first opening and the second opening. A first trench is formed in the interlayer by using the spacer along the first opening as an etch mask. A second trench is formed in the interlayer by using the spacer along the second opening as an etch mask. The first trench and the second trench are extended down into the dielectric layer as a lower portion and an upper portion, respectively, of a dielectric trench. |
| US09728407B2 |
Method of forming features with various dimensions
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes forming mandrels over a material layer and forming spacers along sidewalls of mandrels, forming a patterned hard mask to cover a first region, depositing a filling layer in a second region while the patterned hard mask covers the first region. A space between two adjacent spacers in the second region is filled in by the filling layer. The method also includes recessing the filling layer to form a filling block in the space between two adjacent spacers in the second region, removing the patterned hard mask, removing mandrels and etching the material layer by using spacers and the filling block as an etch mask to form material features in the first region and the second region, respectively. |
| US09728405B2 |
Nanowire semiconductor device partially surrounded by a gate
A semiconductor device is provided, including two semiconductor nanowires superimposed one on top of the other or arranged next to one another, spaced one from the other and forming channel regions of the semiconductor device, a dielectric structure entirely filling a space between the nanowires and which is in contact with the nanowires, a gate dielectric and a gate covering a first of the nanowires, sidewalls of the nanowires and sidewalls of the dielectric structure when the nanowires are superimposed one on top of the other, or covering a part of the upper faces of the nanowires and a part of an upper face of the dielectric structure when the nanowires are arranged next to one another, and wherein the dielectric structure comprises a portion of dielectric material with a relative permittivity greater than or equal to 20. |
| US09728397B1 |
Semiconductor device having the insulating layers cover a bottom portion of the fin shaped structure
A semiconductor device and a method of forming the same, the semiconductor device includes fin shaped structures and a recessed insulating layer. The fin shaped structures are disposed on a substrate. The recessed insulating layer covers a bottom portion of each of the fin shaped structures to expose a top portion of each of the fin shaped structures. The recessed insulating layer has a curve surface and a wicking structure is defined between a peak and a bottom of the curve surface. The wicking structure is disposed between the fin shaped structures and has a height being about 1/12 to 1/10 of a height of the top portion of the fin shaped structures. |
| US09728392B2 |
Mass spectrometer electrode
A monolithic electrode includes a first portion devoid of apertures and a second portion surrounded by the first portion, the second portion having a web defining a plurality of apertures. A method for forming an electrode includes forming a first electrode portion devoid of apertures and forming a second electrode portion having a web defining a plurality of apertures. The web of the second electrode portion connects to the first electrode portion. |
| US09728383B2 |
Method of calibrating ion signals
A method of mass or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed comprising: providing an ion source for generating analyte ions and reference ions; providing a mass analyzer or ion mobility separator (IMS); providing an ion trap between the ion source and the mass analyzer or IMS; guiding reference ions from the ion source into the ion trap and trapping the reference ions in the ion trap; guiding the analyte ions from the ion source into the mass analyzer or IMS, wherein the analyte ions bypass the ion trap; and releasing reference ions from the ion trap into the mass analyzer or IMS for analysis. |
| US09728381B2 |
Plasma processor and plasma processing method
An etching chamber 1 incorporates a focus ring 9 so as to surround a semiconductor wafer W provided on a lower electrode 4. The plasma processor is provided with an electric potential control DC power supply 33 to control the electric potential of this focus ring 9, and so constituted that the lower electrode 4 is supplied with a DC voltage of e.g., −400 to −600 V to control the electric potential of the focus ring 9. This constitution prevents surface arcing from developing along the surface of a substrate to be processed. |
| US09728378B2 |
Method for controlling an RF generator
In one embodiment, an RF generator includes an RF amplifier comprising an RF input, a DC input, and an RF output, the RF amplifier configured to receive at the RF input an RF signal from an RF source; receive at the DC input a DC voltage from a DC source; and provide an output power at the RF output; and a control unit operably coupled to the DC source and the RF source, the control unit configured to receive a power setpoint indicative of a desired output power at the RF output; determine a power dissipation at the RF generator; alter the DC voltage to decrease the power dissipation at the RF generator; and alter the RF signal to enable the output power at the RF output to be substantially equal to the power setpoint. |
| US09728377B2 |
Plasma processing device capable of plasma shaping through magnetic field control
A plasma processing device capable of plasma shaping through magnetic field control includes: a vacuum chamber having an inner space on which a substrate is mounted; an antenna positioned on the upper portion of the chamber and generating plasma in the inner space of the chamber; a magnetic field generation unit including a first magnetic field generation unit disposed on the lower portion of the chamber and including one or more electromagnetic coils and a second magnetic field generation unit including one or more electromagnetic coils disposed on the side of the chamber; and a control unit controlling current input into the electromagnetic coils of the magnetic field generation unit. |
| US09728374B2 |
Inspection apparatus
An inspection apparatus includes beam generation means, a primary optical system, a secondary optical system and an image processing system. Irradiation energy of the beam is set in an energy region where mirror electrons are emitted from the inspection object as the secondary charged particles due to the beam irradiation. The secondary optical system includes a camera for detecting the secondary charged particles, a numerical aperture whose position is adjustable along an optical axis direction and a lens that forms an image of the secondary charged particles that have passed through the numerical aperture on an image surface of the camera. In the image processing system, the image is formed under an aperture imaging condition where the position of the numerical aperture is located on an object surface to acquire an image. |
| US09728373B2 |
Pattern inspection apparatus and pattern inspection method
A pattern inspection apparatus includes a data processing circuitry to input detection data based on a secondary electron from a substrate for each irradiation unit region, where n1×m1 irradiation unit regions in irradiation unit regions configure one of n2×m2 image reference regions configuring an inspection measurement image, to calculate, for each of the n2×m2 image reference regions, a statistic value acquired from the detection data of all the n1×m1 irradiation unit regions in one of the n2×m2 image reference regions, and to define the statistic value as image reference data for the image reference region, and a comparison processing circuitry to receive transmission of the image reference data for each image reference region, and to compare, using a reference image corresponding to the inspection measurement image composed of the n2×m2 image reference regions, the measurement image with the reference image for each image reference region. |
| US09728372B2 |
Measurement method and electron microscope
A measurement method capable of easily measuring the directions of detector segments of a segmented detector relative to a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) image is provided. The measurement method is for use in an electron microscope equipped with the segmented detector having a detection surface divided into the detector segments. The measurement method is used to measure the directions of the detector segments relative to the STEM image. The method involves defocusing the STEM image to thereby cause a deviation of the STEM image and measuring the directions of the detector segments relative to the STEM image from the direction of the deviation of the STEM image (step S11). |
| US09728362B2 |
Dead tank circuit breaker with surge arrester connected across the bushing tops of each pole
Surge arrester structure is provided for a dead tank circuit breaker. The circuit breaker has a pole assembly with a first electrical terminal in a first bushing, and a second electrical terminal in a second bushing. The first terminal is electrically connected to a stationary contact and the second terminal is electrically connected to a movable contact. The surge arrester structure includes a surge arrester having first and second opposing ends. A first conductor structure electrically and mechanically connects the first end of the surge arrester with an end of the first terminal. A second conductor structure electrically and mechanically connects the second end of the surge arrester with an end of the second terminal. The surge arrester is electrically connected parallel with respect to the stationary and movable contacts so that the surge arrester can limit transient over voltages occurring across the contacts when the contacts are open. |
| US09728361B2 |
Piezoelectric multiplexer
A piezoelectric multiplexer includes an actuator and multiple piezo-morph beams. The actuator includes an actuator conducting head and an actuator stem, and each piezo-morph beam includes a conducting beam contact head and a beam stem manufactured out of piezo-morph material. A control voltage is selectively applied to electrical contacts coupled to the beam stems to create a piezoelectric effect that bends the selected piezo-morph beam and creates an electrical connection between its contact head and the conducting head of the actuator. A control circuit with a controller signals which piezo-morph beam to connect to the actuator. This multi-piezo-morph-beam piezoelectric multiplexer can be affixed to the electrical terminals of different electrical components (e.g., a transistor) to create an electrical cell that can be manufactured on a semiconductor chip or in a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device. |
| US09728358B2 |
Magnetic control devices for enclosures
A control device for an enclosure is disclosed, where the control device includes a first portion positioned proximate to a back side of an enclosure surface of the enclosure, and a second portion positioned proximate to a front side of the enclosure surface. The first portion can include a plunger having a proximal end and a distal end, where the proximal end is adjacent to the enclosure surface. The first portion can also include a first magnet having a first polarity and disposed at the proximal end of the plunger. The first portion can further include at least one contact in communication with the distal end of the plunger, where the at least one contact has a first state and a second state. The second portion can include a second magnet having a second polarity, where the second magnet has an engaged position and a disengaged position. |
| US09728357B2 |
Safety device for a power transformer, and related power transformer using such a safety device
A safety device is disclosed for a power transformer containing a cooling liquid, and can include a shaped body having an inner chamber which is suitable to be at least partially immersed in cooling liquid and inside which gas can accumulate; a first floating element and a second floating element suitable to be at least partially immersed in and moved by cooling liquid; and a switch suitable to be actuated by the first floating element when the gas accumulated is such that the level of the cooling liquid in the inner chamber reaches a predetermined first threshold level and by the second floating element when the gas accumulated is such that the level of the cooling liquid in the inner chamber reaches a lower predetermined second threshold level, respectively. The first and second floating elements can be mounted on and move linearly relative to one or more corresponding guiding supports. |
| US09728352B2 |
Switch structure and electronic device using the same
A switch structure and an electronic device using the same are provided. The electronic device has a casing, and the switch structure is disposed at an inner side of the key portion of the casing. The switch structure includes an elastic member, a force transmission member and a strain sensor. The elastic member is connected to the casing. The force transmission member is located inside the casing. The strain sensor is disposed on the elastic member, and the strain sensor and the force transmission member are disposed are two opposite sides of the elastic member respectively. The elastic member is configured to be deformed by the force transmission member when an external force is applied to an outside of the key portion. |
| US09728351B2 |
Electrical switch operated by lockable push button actuator, and retrofit method and kit
A simple kit of parts is provided that can be used to replace a few easily removed elements of a lockable push button actuator of a mechanical locking mechanism to convert the push button actuator to a lockable actuator for controlling a switch that can serve as a component of an electrical locking system. Other aspects of the invention relate to a method of making the mechanical to electrical conversion, and to a lockable actuator for operating an electrical switch connected to the actuator. |
| US09728349B2 |
Button struture and electronic device with same
A button structure includes a circuit board, a switch module, a light source module, and a button body. The button body includes a substantially cylindrical shaped light guide member and a pressing member. The light guide member includes a periphery wall having at least one light guide surface. The pressing member is movably mounted in the light guide member and faces the switch module. When the pressing member is pressed, the pressing member activates the switch module and the switch module is activated to control the light source module to irradiate light, so that the light from the light source module enters the light guide member through the at least one light guide surface and is emitted out from a top portion of the periphery wall. |
| US09728347B2 |
Integrated contactor mounting and power distribution system and method
A contactor mounting system is disclosed herein. The contactor is directly mounted to the printed wire board. Pins may be coupled to an exposed end portion of the first stationary lead and the second stationary lead of the contactor. Pins may be configured to interconnect the contactor to the printed wire board. |
| US09728345B1 |
Ultra capacitor module
An ultra capacitor module includes a first ultra capacitor having a first polar terminal provided with a screw thread A formed on an outer peripheral surface, a second ultra capacitor having a second polar terminal provided with a screw thread A formed on an outer peripheral surface, and a connecting member having a screw hole B formed corresponding to the screw thread A on an inner peripheral surface through which the first polar terminal is inserted from one side and the second polar terminal is inserted from the other side to connect the first and second ultra capacitors in series and having a gas emission hole formed from a center to an outer surface. |
| US09728342B2 |
Coated housing for ultracapacitor
An electric double-layer ultracapacitor configured to maintain desired operation at an operating voltage of three volts, where the capacitor includes a housing component, a first and a second current collector, a positive and a negative electrode electrically coupled to one of the first and second current collectors, and a separator positioned between the positive and the negative electrode. The capacitor may also include a protective coating disposed on an inner surface of the housing for the ultracapacitor. |
| US09728338B2 |
Method for manufacturing solid electrolytic capacitor
A first conductive polymer solution in which fine particles of a conductive polymer are dispersed is applied to a dielectric layer of aluminum oxide, and this solution is dried to form a first conductive polymer layer. Next, a coating solution is applied to the first conductive polymer layer, this solution containing at least one selected from an aromatic sulfonic acid having, in one molecule of the acid, a carboxyl group and a hydroxyl group, or two carboxyl groups, and a salt of the aromatic sulfonic acid. The solution is then dried to form a coating layer. Next, a second conductive polymer solution is applied to the coating layer, the solution being a solution in which fine particles of a conductive polymer are dispersed. This solution is then dried to form a second conductive polymer layer. This process gives a solid electrolyte layer of a capacitor element. |
| US09728333B2 |
Method for manufacturing a ceramic laminated body
A laminated ceramic capacitor that includes a ceramic laminated body having a stacked plurality of ceramic dielectric layers and a plurality of internal electrodes opposed to each other with the ceramic dielectric layers interposed therebetween, and external electrodes on the outer surface of the ceramic laminated body and electrically connected to the internal electrodes. The internal electrodes contain Ni and Sn, a proportion of the Sn/(Ni+Sn) ratio is 0.001 or more in molar ratio is 75% or more in a region of the internal electrode at a depth of 20 nm from a surface opposed to the ceramic dielectric layer, and the proportion of the Sn/(Ni+Sn) ratio is 0.001 or more in molar ratio is less than 40% in a central region in a thickness direction of the internal electrode. |
| US09728330B2 |
Radio frequency switching system with improved linearity
A radio frequency (RF) circuit is described that comprises a plurality of switching arms selectively activatable and associated with corresponding RF input ports. A switch source impedance is associated with each of the RF input ports. The switch source impedance is frequency dependent with its value matched to a characteristic impedance value within a first frequency range. The value of the switch source impedance is not matched to the characteristic impedance value within a second frequency range. When an RF signal within the first frequency range is transmitted through the RF circuit, between one of the RF input ports and an a common port, an RF distortion voltage within a distortion frequency range results at the common port; and the amplitude of a resultant RF distortion voltage is lower than an RF distortion voltage if the switched source impedance is matched to the characteristic impedance within the second frequency range. |
| US09728329B2 |
Coil techniques
Techniques are disclosed involving coils. For example, energy may be transferred between transmitting and receiving coils. The transmitting coil may be in a first device, while the receiving coil may be in a second device. In embodiments, the transmitting coil may be shaped in a way as to direct a magnetic field toward a receiving device. Similarly, the receiving device may be shaped in a way that is directed towards the device having the transmitting coil. |
| US09728323B2 |
Polyamide electrical insulation for use in liquid filled transformers
A transformer assembly is provided that includes a housing, transformer oil disposed within the housing, a plurality of coils of electrically conductive wire, and aliphatic polyamide insulation material operable to insulate the coils disposed within the oil. The plurality of electrically conductive coils is disposed in the housing and in contact with the transformer oil. The aliphatic polyamide insulation material includes stabilizing compounds and nano-fillers. The stabilizing compounds provide thermal and chemical stability for the insulation material. |
| US09728320B1 |
Method of manufacturing winding-type coil component
A method of manufacturing a winding-type coil component, wherein at the time of manufacturing the winding-type coil component, the method can efficiently form an inclined external electrode, can change inclination of an external electrode, and can satisfy a demand for the manufacture of plural kinds of winding-type coil components provided with external electrodes having different inclination angles respectively. |
| US09728318B2 |
Drum-type tri-phase transformer and methods for producing same
This new type of transformer comprises a ferromagnetic drum-type core characterized in that the drum core has a plurality of holes or windows parallel to the drum longitudinal shaft to place the windings being the windows arranged close to the periphery of the drum symmetrically distributed at 360° of the circumference, each winding being parallel to the longitudinal shaft of the drum and each one of the windings crossing said longitudinal shaft. The core comprises two main components: a central body and an air gap filling system. The central body is formed by a plurality of silicon steel sheets, stacked one over the other, each of them has slots or spaces on its periphery thereof to place the windings and with an air gap filling system. Said filling system can be: wedge-shaped sheets, set of sheets extending parallel to the shaft of the core or a metal sheet wound around the central body. |
| US09728317B2 |
Noise suppression member
A noise suppression member comprising: a plurality of magnetic cores, and a case for arranging and housing the plurality of magnetic cores; the noise suppression member being configured such that a restraining member can be attached, the restraining member restraining a cable in a state of contact with an inner periphery of the plurality of magnetic cores at a location between an adjacent two of the plurality of magnetic cores, by coming into contact with the cable passing through an inner peripheral side of the plurality of magnetic core. |
| US09728315B2 |
Electromagnetic actuator having enhanced magnetic structures
An electromagnetic actuator includes a coil that is selectively energizable by an electric current. The electromagnetic actuator further includes an armature having a outwardly extending prong. The armature is movably disposed with respect to the coil such that when the coil is energized with the electric current, the armature moves in relation to the coil and disposing thereby the prong on a first side of the coil. A flux gatherer is provided to be disposed around a second side of the coil, thereby channeling magnetic flux emanating from the coil back into the armature and prong. |
| US09728311B2 |
Method for preparing neodymium-iron-boron (Nd—Fe—B)-based sintered magnet
A method for preparing a Nd—Fe—B-based sintered magnet. The method includes: 1) providing a master alloy and an auxiliary alloy, the master alloy being a Nd—Fe—B alloy ingot or cast strip, the auxiliary alloy being a heavy rare earth alloy; 2) breaking up the master alloy using a hydrogen decrepitation process to yield a crude powder, conducting hydrogen absorption treatment on the auxiliary alloy and breaking up the hydrogenated auxiliary alloy to yield hydride particles; 3) uniformly mixing and stirring the crude powder of the master alloy and the hydride particles of the auxiliary alloy to yield a mixture; 4) milling the mixture obtained in step 3) to yield powders; 5) uniformly stirring the powders obtained in step 4) and conducting orientation forming treatment on the powders, to yield a raw body of a Nd—Fe—B based magnet; and 6) sintering the raw body of the Nd—Fe—B based magnet. |
| US09728310B2 |
Short-process method for preparing sintered NdFeB magnets with high magnetic properties recycling from NdFeB sludge
The present invention discloses a short process preparation technology of sintered NdFeB magnets from the NdFeB sludge, which relates to a field of recycle technology of NdFeB sludge. The present invention comprises the following steps: water bath distillation of organics in sludge, ultrasonic cleaning, calcium reduction and diffusion, ultrasonic rinsing in a magnetic field and drying, powders mixing and sintering. NdFeB sludge as raw materials was directly prepared from recycled sintered magnets with high magnetic properties. Most of the organics in the sludge could be removed by a vacuum distillation process with stepwise heating. The ultrasonic rinsing process in a magnetic field could effectively remove the remaining organics. The recycled sintered magnets exhibited good maximum energy product [(BH)max] of 35.26 MGOe. The present invention has important features, such as the short processing time, efficient environmental protection, high recycling rate and effective utilization rate of rare earth metals. |
| US09728309B2 |
Variable resistance and manufacturing method thereof
Embodiments of the present disclosure disclose a variable resistance and a manufacturing method thereof, and the variable resistance is a variable resistance with continually adjustable resistance value. This variable resistance comprises: an elastic insulation envelope and conductive particles filled in the elastic insulation envelope. The manufacturing method of the variable resistance comprises: filling conductive particles into an elastic insulation envelope with an opening; and sealing the opening of the elastic insulation envelope. |
| US09728303B2 |
Shielded cable
A shielded cable includes two signal wires, each of which having a signal conductor covered with an insulator, and a shield conductor having a metal clad resin tape spirally wrapped around the two signal wires in a lump. The insulator is configured so that a section thereof is to be deformable by an external force. A residual diameter ratio of the signal wire is 80% or greater and 95% or less when load of 1 kg is applied to the signal wire for 30 minutes. |
| US09728300B2 |
Power cable with a thick insulation layer and a method for its manufacture
A power cable comprising a: (A) Conductor, (B) First semiconductor in contact with the conductor; (C) First insulation layer in contact with the first semiconductor; (D) Second semiconductor layer in contact with the first insulation layer; (E) Third semiconductor layer in contact with the second semiconductor layer; (F) Second insulation layer in contact with the third semiconductor layer; and (G) Fourth semiconductor layer in contact with the second insulation layer. |
| US09728299B2 |
PTFE material having an anti-corona effect
The present invention provides a material based on high density polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and its applications, such as in the production of electric cable. The PTFE material of the invention includes PTFE, a metal oxide, a lubricant and a wetting agent. |
| US09728296B2 |
Insulated wire, electrical equipment, and method of producing insulated wire
An insulated wire having a conductor, a foamed insulating layer containing a thermosetting resin having cells, coated directly or indirectly onto the outer periphery of the conductor and an outer insulating layer containing a thermoplastic resin having a melting point of 240° C. or higher when the thermoplastic resin is a crystalline resin or a thermoplastic resin having a glass transition temperature of 240° C. or higher when the thermoplastic resin is a non-crystalline resin; electrical equipment using the insulated wire; and a method of producing the insulated wire, containing a step of forming a foamed insulating layer by applying a varnish for forming the foamed insulating layer on the outer periphery of a conductor, by generating foams during baking and a step of forming an outer insulating layer by extrusion-molding a thermoplastic resin composition for forming the outer insulating layer on the outer periphery of the foamed insulating layer. |
| US09728292B2 |
I-layer vanadium-doped PIN type nuclear battery and the preparation process thereof
A layer I vanadium-doped PIN-type nuclear battery, including from top to bottom a radioisotope source layer(1), a p-type ohm contact electrode(4), a SiO2 passivation layer(2), a SiO2 compact insulation layer(3), a p-type SiC epitaxial layer(5), an n-type SiC epitaxial layer(6), an n-type SiC substrate(7) and an n-type ohm contact electrode(8). The doping density of the p-type SiC epitaxial layer(5) is 1×1019 to 5×1019 cm−3, the doping density of the n-type SiC substrate(7) is 1×1018 to 7×1018 cm−3. The n-type SiC epitaxial layer(6) is a low-doped layer I formed by injecting vanadium ions, with the doping density thereof being 1×1013 to 5×1014 cm−3. Also provided is a preparation method for a layer I vanadium-doped PIN-type nuclear battery. The present invention solves the problem that the doping density of layer I of the exiting SiC PIN-type nuclear battery is high. |
| US09728285B2 |
Water jet peening apparatus and water jet peening method
Provided is a water jet peening apparatus and a water jet peening method including: a clamping cylinder (201) which is able to be disposed at the outer peripheral side of an instrumentation nozzle (83) with a predetermined gap therebetween; a clamping piece (210) which is able to fix the clamping cylinder (201) to the instrumentation nozzle (83); a nozzle guide (221) which has a cylindrical shape, is provided inside the clamping cylinder (201), and is positioned to a position adjacent to the upper end of the instrumentation nozzle (83); an inner surface WJP nozzle (105) which is movable upward and downward inside the nozzle guide (221); and a drainage hole (224) which radially penetrates the nozzle guide (221). Accordingly, it is possible to improve the safety of the operation by preventing a thimble tube from being popped out due to a water jet peening operation. |
| US09728284B2 |
Apparatus for supporting radioactive fuel assemblies and methods of manufacturing the same
An apparatus for supporting radioactive fuel assemblies, such as spent nuclear fuel. In one aspect, the invention is an apparatus, which can be in the form of a fuel basket, fuel rack, or the like, in which polygonal storage tubes are used not only for their internal cells but are also strategically patterned to create resultant cells with their outside surfaces. |
| US09728283B2 |
Positional encoder and control rod position indicator for nuclear reactor using same
A cam is immersed in water at an elevated temperature and/or pressure. A reciprocating cam follower also immersed in the water contacts a surface of the cam. The cam follower includes a permanent magnet. An electrically conductive coil is magnetically coupled with the permanent magnet such that movement of the cam follower induces an electrical signal in the electrically conductive coil. A sealed housing also immersed in the water contains the electrically conductive coil and seals it from contact with the water. Leads of the coil are electrically accessible from outside the sealed housing and from outside the water. Alternatively, the cam includes magnetic inserts, the cam follower is replaced by a sensor arm of magnetic material, and the sensor arm and/or the inserts are magnetized whereby rotation of the rotary element causes time modulation of the magnetic coupling and induces coil voltage. |
| US09728274B2 |
Error control using threshold based comparison of error signatures
A technique is provided for system reliability. An input is received, and a computation operation on the input is repeated to generate multiple output values. The multiple output values are stored in a table along with a number of hits for each distinct output value in the multiple output values, and the number of hits indicates a number of times each distinct output value was generated by the repeating. A reliability circuit checks whether the number of hits for any one distinct output value meets a confidence threshold. Based on meeting the confidence threshold for the number of hits, the any one distinct output value is output. Based on the number of hits for the any one distinct output value not meeting the confidence threshold, the computation operation is continuously repeated on the input until the number of hits for the any one distinct output value meets the confidence threshold. |
| US09728270B2 |
Semiconductor device and control method of the same
A semiconductor device comprises a bit determination circuit to count the number of bits at a first level in an input address signal formed of a plurality of bits and to output a result indicating whether or not a value of the count exceeds a predetermined determination threshold value, as a bit determination result signal, and a selection control circuit to select a non-volatile program element to be cut off, based on the bit determination result signal and the address signal. Additional apparatus and methods are described. |
| US09728269B2 |
Semiconductor memory device for performing repair operations based on repair information stored therein
A semiconductor memory device includes a memory array region including normal cells and redundancy cells; a repair fuse block including a plurality of fuse sets suitable for programming repair addresses of the repair target cells as repair information, the repair fuse block being suitable for outputting the programmed repair information, in response to a boot-up signal; a fuse information storage block including a plurality of memory cells for storing the repair information outputted from the repair fuse block, the plurality of memory cells being refreshed simultaneously with the normal cells and the redundancy cells of the memory array region; and a repair control block suitable for comparing the repair information stored in the fuse information storage block and an address to generate a repair control signal to selectively activate redundant paths between the repair target cells and the redundancy cells. |
| US09728265B2 |
Storage device and operating method thereof
There are provided a storage device and an operating method thereof. A storage device includes a string including a plurality of memory cells, peripheral circuits for, in a read operation of a selected memory cell, applying a read voltage to a selected word line electrically coupled to the selected memory cell, and selectively applying a first pass voltage and a second pass voltage higher than the first pass voltage to unselected word lines electrically coupled to the other unselected memory cells according to a position of the selected word line, and a controller for controlling the peripheral circuits. |
| US09728263B2 |
Method and device for iteratively updating read voltages
A data storage device includes a memory and a controller. Read voltages are updated based on adjusting a first read voltage without adjusting a second read voltage to generate multiple sets of read voltages, and the multiple sets of read voltages are used to generate multiple representations of data. A value of the first read voltages is selected based on error correction coding (ECC) related information related to the multiple representations of the data. In another embodiment, storage elements of the memory are sensed using a set of candidate read voltages to generate sensing data that is transferred to a memory accessible to the controller. The multiple representations of data may be generated based on the sensing data to emulate results of reading the storage elements using a different combination of candidate reading voltages. |
| US09728262B2 |
Non-volatile memory systems with multi-write direction memory units
Non-volatile memory systems with multi-write direction memory units are disclosed. In one implementation an apparatus comprises a non-volatile memory and a controller in communication with the non-volatile memory. The controller is configured to select an empty memory block of the non-volatile memory for the storage of data; examine an identifier associated with the memory block to determine a write direction for the storage of data; and write data to the memory block beginning with an initial word line of the memory block or a last word line of the memory block dependent on the write direction. The controller is further configured to erase the memory unit and, in response to erasing the memory unit, modify the identifier to change the write direction for a subsequent write of data to the memory block. |
| US09728261B2 |
High performance digital to analog converter
A digital-to-analog converter (DAC) may include a conversion block providing a first analog value. The DAC may also include an amplification block for receiving the first analog value and providing a second analog value amplified by an amplification factor. The amplification block may include a first input terminal for receiving the first analog value, a second input terminal, and an output terminal for providing the second analog value. The amplification block may also include a first capacitive element and a second capacitive element. The first and second capacitive elements may determine the amplification factor. The amplification block may further include a control unit for recovering a charge at a first terminal of the second capacitive element, and based thereon, the second analog value. |
| US09728256B2 |
Methods and apparatuses having a voltage generator with an adjustable voltage drop for representing a voltage drop of a memory cell and/or a current mirror circuit and replica circuit
Apparatus and methods utilize a replica circuit to generate a voltage for programming of a memory cell, such as a memory cell of a phase-change memory (PCM). Current passing through a circuit including the memory cell to be programmed is mirrored in a scaled or unscaled manner, and provided as an input to the replica circuit. The replica circuit represents voltage drops that should be encountered when programming the memory cell. An input voltage is also provided to the replica circuit, which affects the voltage drop within the replica circuit that represents the voltage drop of the cell. The voltage drop across the replica circuit can then be mirrored and provided to bias the circuit including the memory cell. |
| US09728255B2 |
Planar variable resistance memory
An example memory device includes a planar semiconductor substrate layer; a planar variable resistance layer disposed above the planar semiconductor substrate layer; a planar channel layer disposed above the planar variable resistance layer; and one or more gates positioned along a length of the memory device and above the planar channel layer, wherein each respective gate of the one or more gates is configured to direct at least a portion of a current flowing through a respective region of the planar channel layer positioned below the respective gate into a respective region of the variable resistance layer positioned below the respective gate in response to a voltage applied to the respective gate being greater than a threshold voltage. |
| US09728250B2 |
Memory write tracking device and method
A memory write tracking device is applied to a data write operation to at least a memory cell row. The memory write tracking device includes a dummy cell row, a variation sensor, a judging device and a word-line pulse generator. The dummy cell row includes a plurality of dummy memory cells for simulating the data write operation to the memory cell row. The variation sensor senses a set of circuit parameters for write ability of the memory cell row. The judging device determines a threshold number according to a change of the set of circuit parameters and sends an enabling signal when a threshold number of the dummy memory cells have been successfully written with the data. The word-line pulse generator determines a write cycle of the data write operation in response to the enabling signal. An associated memory write tracking method is also provided. |
| US09728247B2 |
Memory controller for strobe-based memory systems
An integrated circuit (IC) memory controller is disclosed. The memory controller includes a receiver to receive a strobe signal and provide an internal strobe signal. An adjustable delay circuit delays an enable signal to generate a delayed enable signal. A gate circuit generates a gated strobe signal using the delayed enable signal that masks transitions of the internal strobe signal that occur prior to a valid region of the internal strobe signal. A sample circuit samples data using the gated strobe signal. |
| US09728245B2 |
Precharging and refreshing banks in memory device with bank group architecture
Memory subsystem refresh management enables commands to access one or more identified banks across different bank groups with a single command. Instead of sending commands identifying a bank or banks in separate bank groups by each bank group individually, the command can cause the memory device to access banks in different bank groups. The command can be a refresh command. The command can be a precharge command. |
| US09728244B2 |
Memory device, refresh method, and system including the same
A memory device may be provided. The memory device may include an active control section configured to output a row active signal in response to a refresh signal when an active signal is activated. The memory device may include a refresh management section configured to control the refresh signal to skip a refresh operation for an unused row address in response to a refresh command signal and a refresh skip signal, and output an active row address for controlling the refresh operation. The memory device may include a memory section configured to perform a refresh operation for only an area of a cell array corresponding to a used row address in response to the row active signal and the active row address. |
| US09728243B2 |
Semiconductor device or electronic component including the same
Provided is a semiconductor device including first to sixth capacitors, first to fourth wirings, first and second sense amplifiers, and a memory cell array over the first and second sense amplifiers. The first wiring is electrically connected to the memory cell array, one electrode of the first capacitor, the third wiring via a source and a drain of a first transistor, the fourth wiring via the fifth capacitor, and the second wiring via the first sense amplifier. The second wiring is electrically connected to one electrode of the second capacitor, the fourth wiring via a source and a drain of a second transistor, and the third wiring via the sixth capacitor. The third wiring is electrically connected to one electrode of the third capacitor, and the fourth wiring via the second sense amplifier. The fourth wiring is electrically connected to one electrode of the fourth capacitor. |
| US09728242B1 |
Memory device
According to one embodiment, a memory device includes a spin transfer torque magnetoresistive element including a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, and a nonmagnetic layer between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer, a temperature detecting unit detecting an ambient temperature of the magnetoresistive element, and a write voltage generating unit generating a write voltage for the magnetoresistive element in accordance with the temperature detected by the temperature detecting unit. |
| US09728238B2 |
Spin transfer torque memory (STTM) device with half-metal and method to write and read the device
Spin transfer torque memory (STTM) devices with half-metals and methods to write and read the devices are described. For example, a magnetic tunneling junction includes a free magnetic layer, a fixed magnetic layer, and a dielectric layer disposed between the free magnetic layer and the fixed magnetic layer. One or both of the free magnetic layer and the fixed magnetic layer includes a half-metal material at an interface with the dielectric layer. |
| US09728233B2 |
Serial magnetic logic unit architecture
An apparatus has magnetic logic units a logic circuit configured to receive a serial input bit stream at an input node. Individual bits of data from the serial input bit stream are serially written into individual magnetic logic units without buffering the serial input bit stream between the input node and the individual magnetic logic units. Individual bits of data from individual magnetic logic units are serially read to produce a serial output bit stream on an output node without buffering the serial output bit stream between the individual magnetic logic units and the output node. |
| US09728231B1 |
Device and method for data-writing
A device includes a voltage regulator, an auxiliary signal generator, and a circuit cell. The voltage regulator is configured to output a write voltage. The auxiliary signal generator is configured to output an auxiliary signal. The circuit cell is configured to receive both of the write voltage and the auxiliary signal according to a first select signal and a second select signal. |
| US09728229B2 |
Searching video content to fit a script
For video searching, a set of objects and a relationship between objects in the set of objects is determined in a portion of a script for creating a video. From a collection of video clips, a set of video clips is selected based on matching an object from the set of objects to an object specified in a metadata of a video clip that is selected in the set of video clips. A duration of the relationship in the portion is computed. video analysis is performed on the video clip to determine whether the video clip includes the relationship. When the video clip includes the relationship, a determination is made whether the relationship in the video clip is at least of the duration. When the relationship is at least of the duration, the video clip is selected as a fit for the portion of the script. |
| US09728228B2 |
Vehicle event playback apparatus and methods
Vehicle event data playback systems have been devised and invented to provide authorized users means for advanced visual review. Detailed circumstances relating to vehicle operation are visually presented in these unique playback systems. In particular, a group of cooperating visual display devices operate in conjunction with each other to effect a detailed visual presentation of a vehicle's operational states. An interested party is afforded a high level of access to many data types in highly graphical and intuitive arrangements. Further, data replay access is enhanced by slow motion, fast forward, loop repeat, among others which have never before been associated with these data types nor with the compound visual presentations first taught in the accompanying disclosure. |
| US09728227B2 |
Display system, information terminal, display device, and recording medium
A display system includes a display device and an information terminal for communicating with the display device. The information terminal includes a generation unit that generates playback control information that includes information indicating a storing position of playback content data selected from content data stored in a storage part and is used to control playback of the playback content data, and a transmission unit that transmits the playback control information to the display device. The display device includes a display control unit that makes reference to the information indicating the storing position included in the playback control information received from the transmission unit, and plays back the playback content data according to the playback control information. |
| US09728225B2 |
Systems and methods for viewing instant updates of an audio waveform with an applied effect
A method implemented in an audio editing device comprises retrieving, by the editing device, audio content and obtaining from a user via the user interface an effect to be applied to the audio content. The method further comprises determining a target number of samples based on the obtained effect, obtaining the target number of samples of the audio content, and identifying, within the obtained target number of samples, a maximum amplitude and a minimum amplitude. The method further comprises applying the effect to the obtained target number of samples and displaying on the user interface, a graphical representation of the obtained target number of samples with the applied effect, wherein the graphical representation depicts amplitude varying as a function of time, wherein displaying the graphical representation is performed prior to generating an audio output file with the effect applied to the audio content. |
| US09728222B1 |
Reverse read bias for drive performance and sensor stability
In one general embodiment, an apparatus includes a plurality of read transducers arranged in an array, and a plurality of biasing circuits. Each biasing circuit is coupled to a unique one of the read transducers. Each biasing circuit is configured to selectively reverse a direction of a read current applied to the read transducer associated therewith. |
| US09728217B2 |
Glass substrate for magnetic disk and magnetic disk for heat assisted magnetic recording
A glass substrate for use as a magnetic disk for heat assisted magnetic recording can restrain the occurrence of scratches when a magnetic head is in operation. The glass substrate for the magnetic disk includes a principal face on which an arithmetic average waviness Wa of a wavelength band of 1 to 3 mm is 2.15 Å or less. |
| US09728215B2 |
Magnetic disk apparatus and data recording method
A magnetic disk apparatus of one of the embodiments stores read position dependency information on read signal quality of a data region at a first track and measures the read signal quality at a predetermined radial position in a second data region of a second track different from the first track. A positioning error of the second data region is determined based on the read position dependency information and the read signal quality at the predetermined radial position. Data is recorded in a recording target data region in a shingled recording so as to prevent data written in the second data region from being overwritten by data in a recording target data region adjacent to the second data region by using the determined positioning error. |
| US09728213B1 |
Hysteresis compensation in a disc drive
Systems and methods for compensating for hysteresis in a disc drive are described. In one embodiment, a method may use an inverse hysteresis model to linearize effects of hysteresis of a microactuator in the disc drive. The hysteresis model may be a Coleman-Hodgdon hysteresis model. The hysteresis of the microactuator may be characterized, and the inverse hysteresis model may be based at least in part on the characterization. The inverse hysteresis model may be used to implement a digital filter. The digital filter may be employed in series with the microactuator to linearize the effects of hysteresis. |
| US09728211B1 |
Suspension pad for head-gimbal assembly that inhibits formation of an inter-pad solder bridge
Devices including a suspension pad shape and layout that avoids shorts caused by solder bridging during coupling of leads thereto. One embodiment includes a plurality of slider pads and a plurality of suspension pads being generally aligned with the slider pads. A conductive material electrically couples each of the suspension pads to the slider pad aligned therewith. At least one of the suspension pads is characterized as follows. The suspension pad has a proximal edge positioned closest to the associated slider pad, a distal edge positioned opposite the proximal edge, and side edges extending between the proximal and distal edges. At least a portion of the suspension pad tapers toward the proximal edge. |
| US09728209B2 |
Thermally robust near-field transducer peg
A near-field transducer includes first and second stacked base portions having a common outline shape. The second base portion is proximate alight delivery structure. A peg extends from the first base portion towards a media-facing surface. The peg includes a material that is more thermally robust than a plasmonic material of the base portion. The peg has a peg thickness that is less than a thickness of the first base portion. The first base portion has a first recess proximate the peg. The first recess separates the first base portion from the media-facing surface and exposes at least a top side of the peg. |
| US09728208B2 |
Methods of forming materials for at least a portion of a NFT and NFTs formed using the same
A method including depositing a plasmonic material at a temperature of at least 150° C.; and forming at least a peg of a near field transducer (NFT) from the deposited plasmonic material. |
| US09728207B2 |
Write pole magnetic guard
A data storage system may have at least one data writer that incorporates a write pole that continuously extends from an air bearing surface. The write pole can be separated from the air bearing surface by a side shield that consists of a first magnetic layer positioned on the air bearing surface and a guard layer separated from the air bearing surface by the first magnetic layer. The guard layer may be configured with a different magnetic saturation flux density than the first magnetic layer. |
| US09728205B2 |
Generating audio fingerprints based on audio signal complexity
An audio identification system accounts for an audio signal's complexity when generating a test audio fingerprint for identification of the audio signal. In particular, the audio identification system determines a complexity of an audio signal to be fingerprinted. For example, the audio signal's complexity may be determined by performance of an autocorrelation on the audio signal. Based on the determined complexity, the audio identification system determines a length of a sample of the audio signal used to generate a test audio fingerprint. A sample having the length is then obtained and used to generate a test audio fingerprint for the audio signal. The test audio fingerprint may be compared to a set of reference audio fingerprints to identify the audio signal. |
| US09728201B2 |
Playback apparatus, setting apparatus, playback method, and program
A playback apparatus includes: an acquiring unit that acquires auditory language data including data to be played back as a spoken voice; an analyzing unit that analyzes the auditory language data to output an analysis result; a setting unit that sets at least a portion of the auditory language data to a control portion to be played back at a set playback speed, based on the analysis result; and a voice playback unit that plays back the control portion as a spoken voice at the set playback speed. |
| US09728199B2 |
Audio decoder for interleaving signals
A method for decoding an encoded audio bitstream in an audio processing system is disclosed. The method includes extracting from the encoded audio bitstream a first waveform-coded signal including spectral coefficients corresponding to frequencies up to a first cross-over frequency and performing parametric decoding at a second cross-over frequency to generate a reconstructed signal. The second cross-over frequency is above the first cross-over frequency and the parametric decoding uses reconstruction parameters derived from the encoded audio bitstream to generate the reconstructed signal. The method further includes extracting from the encoded audio bitstream a second waveform-coded signal including spectral coefficients corresponding to a subset of frequencies above the first cross-over frequency and interleaving the second waveform-coded signal with the reconstructed signal to produce an interleaved signal. The interleaved signal is then combined with the first waveform-coded signal. |
| US09728198B2 |
LPC residual signal encoding/decoding apparatus of modified discrete cosine transform (MDCT)-based unified voice/audio encoding device
Disclosed is an LPC residual signal encoding/decoding apparatus of an MDCT based unified voice and audio encoding device. The LPC residual signal encoding apparatus analyzes a property of an input signal, selects an encoding method of an LPC filtered signal, and encode the LPC residual signal based on one of a real filterbank, a complex filterbank, and an algebraic code excited linear prediction (ACELP). |
| US09728197B2 |
Method and device for encoding a high frequency signal, and method and device for decoding a high frequency signal
A method and a device for encoding a high frequency signal, and a method and a device for decoding a high frequency signal are provided, which relate to encoding and decoding technology. The method for encoding a high frequency signal includes: determining a signal type of a high frequency signal of a current frame; smoothing and scaling time envelopes of the high frequency signal of the current frame and obtaining time envelopes of the high frequency signal of the current frame that require to be encoded, if the high frequency signal of the current frame is a non-transient signal and a high frequency signal of the previous frame is a transient signal; and quantizing and encoding the time envelopes of the high frequency signal of the current frame that require to be encoded, and frequency information and signal type information of the high frequency signal of the current frame. |
| US09728193B2 |
Frame erasure concealment for a multi-rate speech and audio codec
An audio coding terminal and method is provided. The terminal includes a coding mode setting unit to set an operation mode, from plural operation modes, for input audio coding by a codec, configured to code the input audio based on the set operation mode such that when the set operation mode is a high frame erasure rate (FER) mode the codec codes a current frame of the input audio according to a select frame erasure concealment (FEC) mode of one or more FEC modes. Upon the setting of the operation mode to be the High FER mode, the one FEC mode is selected, from the one or more FEC modes predetermined for the High FER mode, to control the codec by incorporating of redundancy within a coding of the input audio or as separate redundancy information separate from the coded input audio according to the selected one FEC mode. |
| US09728185B2 |
Recognizing speech using neural networks
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for recognizing speech using neural networks. One of the methods includes receiving an audio input; processing the audio input using an acoustic model to generate a respective phoneme score for each of a plurality of phoneme labels; processing one or more of the phoneme scores using an inverse pronunciation model to generate a respective grapheme score for each of a plurality of grapheme labels; and processing one or more of the grapheme scores using a language model to generate a respective text label score for each of a plurality of text labels. |
| US09728184B2 |
Restructuring deep neural network acoustic models
A Deep Neural Network (DNN) model used in an Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) system is restructured. A restructured DNN model may include fewer parameters compared to the original DNN model. The restructured DNN model may include a monophone state output layer in addition to the senone output layer of the original DNN model. Singular value decomposition (SVD) can be applied to one or more weight matrices of the DNN model to reduce the size of the DNN Model. The output layer of the DNN model may be restructured to include monophone states in addition to the senones (tied triphone states) which are included in the original DNN model. When the monophone states are included in the restructured DNN model, the posteriors of monophone states are used to select a small part of senones to be evaluated. |
| US09728178B2 |
Particular signal cancel method, particular signal cancel device, adaptive filter coefficient update method, adaptive filter coefficient update device, and computer program
By using the adaptive filter, the reference input signal is processed so as to identify a pseudo-signal of a particular signal to be deleted. The pseudo-signal is subtracted from the mixture containing a target signal inputted from a microphone, the particular signal to be deleted, and a noise so as to obtain an error signal. A stationary noise is estimated to obtain a stationary noise estimated value. A non-stationary noise is estimated to obtain a non-stationary noise estimated value. The stationary noise estimated value is mixed with the non-stationary estimated value to obtain a mixed noise estimated value. An update amount is calculated according to a correlation value between the error signal and the reference input signal, and the mixed noise estimated value. According to the update amount, a coefficient of the adaptive filter is updated. |
| US09728177B2 |
Acoustic resonator assembly having variable degrees of freedom
An acoustic resonator assembly may include a first acoustic liner and a second acoustic liner. The first acoustic liner may define a first plurality of openings extending between first and second surfaces thereof. The second acoustic liner may be rotatably coupled to the first acoustic liner and at least one of the first acoustic liner and the second acoustic liner may be configured to rotate relative to each other to attenuate one or more frequencies of acoustic energy generated by working fluid flowing past the acoustic resonator assembly. The second acoustic liner may define a second plurality of openings extending between first and second surfaces thereof. A number of degrees of freedom of the acoustic resonator assembly may be varied by rotating the first acoustic liner and/or the second acoustic liner. |
| US09728174B2 |
Optoelectronic pickup for musical instruments
An optoelectronic pickup for a musical instrument includes at least one light source which directs light to impinge a sound generating element of the musical instrument in at least one photoreceiver located to detect the reflected light, so as to generate an electrical signal that is responsive to sound generating element movement. |
| US09728172B1 |
System and method to interface and control multiple musical instrument effects modules on a common platform
A system and method for interfacing and controlling multiple musical instrument effects modules on a common platform. The system includes: a system processor; a backplane coupled with the system processor; a plurality of musical instrument effects modules removably inserted into the backplane, each of the plurality of musical instrument effects modules including an audio input signal interface and an audio output signal interface, at least one of the musical instrument effects modules including a programmable potentiometer and/or programmable switch to modify an audio output signal; and a user interface configured to enable a user to apply a desired setting on the programmable potentiometer of the musical instrument effects modules via the system processor and the backplane. |
| US09728171B2 |
Electronic music box
Music data memory includes pieces of music within a group and other pieces of music outside the group. The next piece to be played is automatically determined by random table among pieces within the group. Favorite or newest piece is weighted to be more frequently played in the group. Piece in music data memory is automatically included into the group by random table. Newly downloaded piece into music data memory is included into the group by priority. Most frequently played piece is excluded from the group in place of newly included piece. Favorite or newest piece may be an exception of exclusion. Next piece is capable of being played in tempo similar to that of preceding piece by means of tempo-adjusted or piece replacement or repetition of the same piece for the purpose of continued baby cradling in synchronism with the same tempo of succeeding pieces. |
| US09728168B2 |
Image processing apparatus
An image is displayed without impairing visibility, even in the case of a screen having a limited size. A display setting unit includes a target image display unit that displays an image of a workpiece on an LCD, an image selection unit that, in accordance with a selection operation, selects all or part of the image of the workpiece displayed on the LCD, a menu display unit that displays a menu image so as to be overlapped with the image of the workpiece in a translucent state, the menu image being made up of a plurality of parts that are partial images for displaying information or receiving an input operation, and a display switching unit that, in accordance with a switching instruction given via the operation unit, switches the size of the area occupied by the menu image on the LCD. |
| US09728167B2 |
Device and method for controlling electronic map
The present invention discloses a device and method for controlling zooming-in of an electronic map, a device and method for controlling zooming-out of an electronic map, a device and method for controlling panning of an electronic map, a device and method for computing tiles within a visual region of an electronic map, and a device and method for processing an electronic map tile request queue, wherein the method for controlling zooming-in of an electronic map comprises: determining a target display level to be reached via zooming in when receiving an instruction of zooming in the map, and searching out a plurality of target tiles that need to be displayed in the target display level; selecting a pre-loaded display level based on a relationship between a current display level and the target display level, and searching out pre-loaded tiles corresponding to the target tiles in the pre-loaded display level; acquiring the pre-loaded tiles and the target tiles according to an order of priority, loading and displaying the pre-loaded tiles by zooming in according to a level difference between the pre-loaded display level and the target display level; and after acquiring the target tiles, loading and displaying the target tiles so as to replace the zoomed-in pre-loaded tiles at corresponding positions. |
| US09728166B2 |
Refresh rate matching with predictive time-shift compensation
A software application executing on at least one processor may output a video at a frame rate for display at a display device. The at least one processor may synchronize a refresh rate of the display device displaying the video to the frame rate of the video. In response to detecting a potential delay in displaying, at the display device, a frame of the video to be output by the software application, the at least one processor may time-shift at least one of: compositing of the frame and refreshing of the display device to mitigate the potential delay in displaying, at the display device, the frame of the video to be output by the software application. |
| US09728165B1 |
Multi-user/multi-GPU render server apparatus and methods
The invention provides, in some aspects, a system for rendering images, the system having one or more client digital data processors and a server digital data processor in communications coupling with the one or more client digital data processors, the server digital data processor having one or more graphics processing units. The system additionally comprises a render server module executing on the server digital data processor and in communications coupling with the graphics processing units, where the render server module issues a command in response to a request from a first client digital data processor. The graphics processing units on the server digital data processor simultaneously process image data in response to interleaved commands from (i) the render server module on behalf of the first client digital data processor, and (ii) one or more requests from (a) the render server module on behalf of any of the other client digital data processors, and (b) other functionality on the server digital data processor. |
| US09728161B2 |
Display device
A display device includes a signal processing unit that receives input signals, and calculates output signals to a first sub-pixel, a second sub-pixel, a third sub-pixel, and a fourth sub-pixel. The signal processing unit calculates a frequency of pixels belonging to each of a plurality of partitions using a light quantity of a surface light source. The signal processing unit calculates an index value for each of the partitions by at least multiplying the cumulative frequency being obtained by sequentially adding the frequency of pixels from a partition having the maximum light quantity among the partitions, and the number of partitions representing a position of a partition to which the cumulative frequency belongs counted from the partition having the maximum light quantity. The signal processing unit controls luminance of the surface light source based on a partition in which the index value exceeds a threshold. |
| US09728160B2 |
Image processing method of a display for reducing color shift
An image processing method of a display includes transforming three color image data to four color image data, passing the four color image data through a kernel filter to generate original data corresponding to a first sub pixel and a second sub pixel, and transforming original data of each sub pixel to generate display data of the sub pixel. The original data of the first sub pixel is the same as the original data of the second sub pixel. The brightness of the display data of the first sub pixel is substaintially greater than the original data of the first sub pixel. The brightness of the display data of the second sub pixel is substaintially smaller than the original data of the second sub pixel. |
| US09728154B2 |
Display apparatus
Disclosed is a display apparatus including: a display panel including a plurality of pixels each for displaying an image corresponding to a data signal; and a timing controller configured to receive an image signals and to convert the image signal into the data signal to be supplied to the display panel, wherein the timing controller is further configured to convert the image signal into an intermediate data signal and to generate the data signal, which corresponds to a k-th pixel, on a basis of intermediate data signals corresponding to a (k−1)-th pixel, the k-th pixel and a (k+1)-th pixel of the plurality of pixels, wherein the data signal corresponding to a first pixel of the plurality of pixels includes first and second color signals and the data signal corresponding to a second pixel of the plurality of pixels includes third and fourth color signals. |
| US09728147B2 |
GOA circuit of LTPS semiconductor TFT
The present invention provides a GOA circuit of LTPS semiconductor TFT, employed for forward-backward bidirectional scan transmission, comprising a plurality of GOA units which are cascade connected, and N is set to be a positive integer and an Nth GOA unit utilizes a plurality of N-type transistors and a plurality of P-type transistors and comprises a transmission part (100), a transmission control part (200), an information storage part (300), a data erase part (400), an output control part (500) and an output buffer part (600). The transmission gate is employed to perform the former-latter level transferring signal, and the NOR gate logic unit and the NAND gate logic unit are employed to convert the signals, and the sequence inverter and the inverter are employed to save and transmit the signals to solve the issues that the stability of the circuit is poor, and the power consumption is larger as concerning the LTPS with single type TFT elements, and the problem of TFT leakage of the single type GOA circuit to optimize the performance of the circuit. The ultra narrow frame or frameless designs can be realized. |
| US09728145B2 |
Method of enhancing moving graphical elements
A method performed by a processor of a electronic device, including rendering (402), on an electronic display, a line segment having a first direction and moving in a second direction. The method also includes a step of determining (404) whether the direction of the line segment (the first direction) is in the same direction that the line segment is moving (the second direction). If the processor determines that the line segment is not moving in the same direction of the direction of the line segment (the first direction), then the processor performs (408) a first action, such as adjusting the color intensity of the line segment. If the processor determines that the line segment is moving in the same direction of the direction of the line segment (e.g., the two directions are substantially parallel to each other), then the processor performs (406) a second action. |
| US09728144B2 |
Method and apparatus for shifting display driving frequency to avoid noise of electronic sensor module
A method and apparatus for shifting a display driving frequency to avoid a noise of an electronic sensor module is provided. The method for operating of an electronic device includes detecting a driving frequency of a divider in an operating module of the electronic device, determining whether an offset exists in the detected driving frequency, and controlling an oscillation frequency of an oscillator in the operating module. |
| US09728142B2 |
Reduced blur, low flicker display system
A reduced blur, low flicker display system is provided, comprising: a display device comprising an array of pixel devices, each configured to be driven to a given output intensity value by changing each of the pixel devices between at least two intensity values within an image frame, including: a first intensity value and a second intensity value, higher than the first intensity value; and, a computing device configured to: spatially drive the pixel devices, according to image frames of image data, on a pixel-by-pixel basis and independent of one another, to respective output intensity values, according to at least two different spatio-temporal driving modes within a same image frame, a first set of the pixel devices driven according to a first spatio-temporal driving mode, and a second set of the pixel devices driven according to a second spatio-temporal driving mode, each within the same image frame. |
| US09728138B2 |
Organic light emitting display device and method of driving the same
Discussed is an organic light emitting display device. The organic light emitting display device includes a display panel configured to include a plurality of pixels that each include an OLED and a pixel circuit for emitting light from the OLED, a compensation circuit configured to generate an initial compensation voltage of a driving TFT and a sequential compensation voltage based on an elapse of a driving time of the driving TFT, a data driver configured to reflect the compensation voltage in a data voltage based on an image signal to generate a driving voltage that is used to drive the driving TFT included in the pixel circuit, and supply the driving voltage of the driving TFT to each of the plurality of pixels, and a timing controller configured to set a driving voltage of the data driver, based on a sequential compensation voltage at a current time. |
| US09728137B2 |
Display device for adjusting black insertion for reducing power consumption
According to one embodiment, a display device includes a display panel in which pixel units are arranged, and a controller configured to generate image signals by multiplying display data externally supplied to each line by a luminosity adjustment factor, to supply the generated image signals to the pixel units, to accumulate power consumption of each line, and to execute black insertion if the accumulated power consumption is determined to be greater than power consumption of one previous display frame by a predetermined value, wherein the luminosity adjustment factor is acquired by substituting the power consumption of one previous frame to a decreasing function, and a display pattern including a plurality of continuing black display lines is synchronized with supply of the image signals and is displayed moving the same direction of a screen scanning direction of the display panel during the black insertion. |
| US09728134B2 |
Pixel and organic light emitting diode display having a bypass transistor for passing a portion of a driving current
A pixel and an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display using the pixel are disclosed. The pixel includes a driving transistor for transmitting a driving current, an OLED configured to receive a first portion of the driving current and a bypass transistor configured to receive a second portion of the driving current. |
| US09728132B2 |
Four-transistor-two-capacitor AMOLED pixel driving circuit and pixel driving method based on the circuit
The present invention provides an AMOLED pixel driving circuit and a pixel driving method. The AMOLED pixel driving circuit utilizes the 4T2C structure, comprising a first, a second, a third, a fourth thin film transistors (T1, T2, T3, T4), a first, a second capacitor (C1, C2) and an organic light emitting diode (OLED) with introducing a first, a second global signals (Vselx, Vsely) and a reference voltage (Vref); by providing the reference voltage (Vref) to the first node (a) via the third thin film transistor (T3), the data signal voltage (Vdata) can be simplified to diminish the complexity of the data signal voltage (Vdata). The process of writing the data signal voltage (Vdata) into the first thin film transistor T1, i.e. the driving the thin film transistor is separated from the reset stage (Reset) and the threshold voltage detection stage (Vth sensing) with the fourth thin film transistor (T4). Thus, the reset time and the compensation time can be increased to effectively compensate the threshold voltage changes of the drive thin film transistor and the display brightness of the AMOLED becomes more even to raise the display quality. |
| US09728131B2 |
Five-transistor-one-capacitor AMOLED pixel driving circuit and pixel driving method based on the circuit
The present invention provides an AMOLED pixel driving circuit and a pixel driving method. The AMOLED pixel driving circuit utilizes a 5T1C structure, comprising a first, a second, a third, a fourth and a fifth thin film transistors (T1, T2, T3, T4, T5), a capacitor (C) and an organic light emitting diode (OLED). The first thin film transistor (T1) is a drive thin film transistor; the first global signal (G1), the second global signal (G2) and the scan signal (Scan) are introduced to be combined with one another, and correspond to an initialization stage (1), a data writing stage (2), a threshold voltage compensation stage (3) and a drive stage (4) one after another, wherein the data writing stage (2) and the threshold voltage compensation stage (3) are simultaneously proceeded for effectively compensating the threshold voltage variations of the drive thin film transistor and the organic light emitting diode to make the display brightness of the AMOLED more even and to promote the display quality. |
| US09728128B2 |
Pixel circuit, driving method thereof and display panel
A circuit is disclosed. The circuit includes a first transistor, to respond to a first scanning signal and to transmit a first voltage, a first capacitor, to store the first voltage, and an organic light emitting diode. The circuit also includes a second transistor, to provide a current to the organic light emitting diode, a third transistor, to respond to a second scanning signal and to transmit a first potential signal to the second transistor, and a fourth transistor, to respond to the first scanning signal and to form a diode connection of the second transistor. The circuit also includes a fifth transistor, to respond to a third scanning signal and to transmit a second signal voltage to the second transistor, and a sixth transistor, to respond to a light emitting scanning signal, and to output the current to the organic light emitting diode. |
| US09728124B2 |
Adaptive RGB-to-RGBW conversion for RGBW display systems
An electronic device may include a display having an array of display pixels. Each display pixel may include a red subpixel, a green subpixel, a blue subpixel, and a white subpixel. The display may be controlled using display control circuitry. The display control circuitry may convert frames of display data from a red-green-blue (RGB) color space to a red-green-blue-white (RGBW) color space. The display control circuitry may supply data signals corresponding to a frame of display data in the RGBW color space to the array of display pixels. A frame of display data may be converted from the RGB color space to the RGBW color space based on an amount of color saturation in the frame of display data, based on information identifying what code is running on control circuitry in the electronic device, and/or based on ambient lighting condition information. |
| US09728114B2 |
Display drive signal compensating method, display drive signal compensating device for carrying out such method, and display comprising such device
The present invention relates to liquid crystal display manufacturing technology. There provides a display drive signal compensating method, comprising the steps of: acquiring an original drive signal of every row of input pixels in a display; determining a position of the row of input pixels, based on the original drive signal; generating a compensation signal for compensating the original drive signal, based on a transmission line internal resistance at the position of the row of input pixels; and outputting a superposed signal obtained by superposing the compensation signal on the original drive signal to the row of input pixels. This method can compensates a voltage drop of the drive signal resulted by the transmission line internal resistance and thus improves the display effect. Meanwhile, there also provide a display drive signal compensating device for carrying out the abovementioned method, and correspondingly, a display comprising such device. |
| US09728113B2 |
Control signal generating circuit and circuit system
The present invention provides a control signal generating circuit, which comprises a signal output module comprising an output terminal, a first control signal input terminal and a second control signal input terminal, and the signal output module can selectively output the first control signal input from the first control signal input terminal or the second control signal input from the second control signal input terminal to a control signal receiving circuit via the output terminal. The present invention further provides a circuit system comprising the control signal generating circuit. When providing high-level signal and low-level signal for a control signal receiving circuit, the control signal generating circuit of the present invention only needs to switch between first control signal mode and second control signal mode, without complicated conversion. In addition, the control signal generating circuit of the present invention can test various control signal receiving circuits which need quick action. |
| US09728109B1 |
Signage system, a display sign assembly incorporating the same and a method of use thereof
A signage system and a method of using the same. The system includes a base plate with front and rear surfaces; one or more signs engageable with the base plate; each sign having a rear surface positionable adjacent the front surface of the base plate; a boss extending outwardly from the rear surface of the sign or a front surface of the base plate; and an aperture defined in the other of the rear surface of the sign or the front surface of the base plate; wherein the boss is received in the aperture; and wherein the sign is moveable relative to the base plate between an unlatched position and a latched position; and when in the latched position the boss is not removable from the aperture. A locking member is engageable with the base plate to selectively prevent relative movement between the signs and the base plate. |
| US09728107B1 |
Systems and methods for protecting content when using a general purpose user interface application
Systems and methods which prevent or limit access to protected content (e.g., value bearing indicia (VBI)) by a general purpose user interface application (e.g., web browser) are shown. Embodiments implement techniques to avoid displaying protected content by a general purpose user interface application, or displaying protected content during a time in which a user does not have access to particular functions of the general purpose user interface application, to protect the content from various operations, such as repeated printing, electronic copying, etc. Data presentation formatting control in the form of style sheets may be utilized to control access to content. Additionally or alternatively, executable code or an executable object may be implemented within a page or other content to control access to content. Similarly, separate areas, such as windows or pages, may be utilized to control access to content. |
| US09728101B2 |
System and method for assessing and improving a user's life skills and self-efficacy for life stage readiness
A computer-implemented mental and emotional life efficacy development system and method are disclosed which assist lay individuals to measure and improve their mental health and emotional capabilities and life skill deficits to increase the individual's ability to achieve life efficacy. A scoring subsystem measures competencies or deficits in a breadth of critical life skills. The system provides feedback concerning personality traits and mental and emotional deficits and compares the user's scores to the scores of those who are successfully navigating a particular life step. This pinpoints deficits for which the user can receive training and treatment tailored to that user's personality and individual difficulties. Through the collection and aggregating of such symptoms, a preliminary diagnosis is made of the user's mental health and life skills. This diagnosis is subsequently refined before it is used to offer emotion and/or mental health care treatment and life skills training for life efficacy competency. |
| US09728099B2 |
Manipulative system for teaching musical notation
Progressive systems and methods for enabling music students to easily notate the pitch and/or rhythm of musical compositions using three-dimensional manipulative members representing musical notation symbols. The members are adapted to removably affix to a workspace, such as a magnetic white board surface to notate a musical composition. |
| US09728095B1 |
Firearm trigger pull training system and methods
A firearm training system provides a firearm body having a trigger and a trigger pull sensor circuit. When the trigger is pulled, the trigger pull sensor circuit provides trigger pull path data allowing monitoring of the actual two-dimensional trigger pull path taken by the trigger during the trigger pull. The trigger pull path is graphed on a predetermined map. The system provides a way to monitor trigger pull path to determine whether the trigger has been pulled laterally and/or if the firearm body has moved with respect to a longitudinal axis of the firearm body during the trigger pull. By repeatedly monitoring trigger pulls using the system, a user can train to improve trigger pull technique. |
| US09728094B2 |
Redundant determination of positional data for an automatic landing system
An automatic landing system contains a control device for providing positional data for controlling an aircraft, a first position or range measuring device for detecting first positional data of the aircraft, a second position or range measuring device for detecting second positional data of the aircraft, and a sensor device for detecting sensor data from which a direction in which a landmark is located and/or a distance of the landmark to the aircraft can be determined. The control device may be configured to generate, based on the first positional data, a first hypothesis for the direction and distance of the landmark and, based on the second positional data, a second hypothesis for the direction and distance of the landmark. Moreover, the control device may be configure to confirm or discard the first hypothesis and the second hypothesis, respectively, using the sensor data detected by the sensor device. |
| US09728091B2 |
System and method for optimizing an aircraft trajectory
Systems and methods of the present invention are provided to generate a plurality of flight trajectories that do not conflict with other aircraft in a local area. Interventions by an air traffic control system help prevent collisions between aircraft, but these interventions can also cause an aircraft to substantially deviate from the pilot's intended flight trajectory, which burns fuels, wastes time, etc. Systems and methods of the present invention can assign a standard avoidance interval to other aircraft in the area such that a pilot's aircraft does not receive an intervention by an air traffic control system. Systems and methods of the present invention also generate a plurality of conflict-free flight trajectories such that a pilot or an automated system may select the most desirable flight trajectory for fuel efficiency, speed, and other operational considerations, etc. |
| US09728087B2 |
Vehicle accident response using diagnostic data burst transmission
An approach is provided for vehicle accident response using diagnostic data burst transmission. In the approach, a set of vehicle data is collected during operation of a vehicle. When an impact is detected, the set of vehicle data is transmitted using a short range wireless communication technology to any receivers that are proximate to the vehicle, such as a second vehicle that was involved in the impact. The vehicle data may include intra-vehicle data, such as the vehicle identification number (VIN) of the vehicle, as well as extra-vehicle data, such as a timestamp. |
| US09728085B2 |
Low-power vehicle detection
A parking meter detects an object in proximity, based on a change in a proximity measurement at the meter, activates a directional sensor in response to detecting the object, receives sensor data at a meter processor from the directional sensor, wherein the received sensor data indicates a predetermined direction to the detected object relative to the meter. The parking meter determines a presence of the object, or lack thereof, in the predetermined direction based on the sensor data, and upon a positive determination of the presence of the object, stores an indication of the presence of the object along with a time of the positive determination. |
| US09728084B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing vehicle classification based on automation level
An approach is provided for classifying one or more vehicles based on their level of automation. The approach involves determining training sensor data collected during at least one driving operation of one or more vehicles, wherein one or more automation levels of the one or more vehicles are known. The approach also involves determining one or more sensor signatures for the one or more automation levels based, at least in part, on one or more values of one or more classification features extracted from the training sensor data. The approach further involves causing, at least in part, a classification of one or more other vehicles according to the one or more automation levels based, at least in part, on the one or more sensor signatures and sensor data associated with the one or more other vehicles. |
| US09728082B2 |
Premises monitoring system
This invention relates generally to computer systems, and more specifically, to a premise monitoring system. In one embodiment, the invention includes operations of receiving one or more signals containing a device identifier and a device condition from one or more remote alarm monitoring systems; retrieving enhanced information based on the device identifier and/or the device condition; determining one or more communication methods and/or communication destinations based on the device identifier and/or the device condition; and dispatching the enhanced information to the one or more communication destinations using the one or more communication methods. |
| US09728081B2 |
Bluetooth wireless network for infrared electronic devices
A wireless network for providing commands to a plurality of electronic devices that receive an infrared signal is provided with an at least one sprocket for receiving a wireless transmission command via Bluetooth signals and/or infrared signals and a Bluetooth remote for sending the Bluetooth signal to the at least one sprocket. The Bluetooth remote is provided with a Bluetooth remote power source, a software application for providing command logic to the Bluetooth remote, and a Bluetooth signal transmitter. The at least one sprocket is provided with a sprocket shell housing, a corresponding sprocket lid, and a sprocket command assembly that is housed by the sprocket shell housing and the corresponding sprocket lid. |
| US09728080B1 |
Proximity-sensor supporting multiple application services
A personal digital key (e.g., which can be carried by a human) contains a memory having different service blocks. Each service block is accessible by a corresponding service block access key. As the personal digital key (PDK) moves around, it is detected by sensors. The sensors report position data, thus enabling location tracking of the PDK. The sensors also provide a data path to various applications. An application that has access to a service block access key can therefore access the corresponding service block on the PDK. The sensors themselves may also contain service block access keys. |
| US09728078B2 |
Telerobotic communications system and method
A telerobotic communications system including a teleoperation center to transmit control data and receive non-control data by wireless connection to and from a first mobile telerobot and indirectly to and from a second mobile telerobot. The first mobile telerobot includes a transceiver for receiving and transmitting control and non-control data, respectively, and also a repeater for relaying control data to a second mobile telerobot and relaying non-control data back to the teleoperation center. The system allows the second mobile telerobot to travel beyond a communications-enabled distance of the wireless signal emitted directly by the teleoperation center. The system may also include wireless repeaters to extend the communications distance between the first and second telerobots. |
| US09728075B2 |
Distributed automatic notification method for abnormality in remote massive monitors
The present invention discloses a distributed automatic notification method for abnormality in remote massive monitors. If a data stream is not available, a disconnect prompt stream is generated. The data stream is converted to a continuous video. Then, the continuous video is divided into a plurality of single-frame images along the time axis, and each single-frame image is divided into a plurality of image grids. A plurality of pixels are next selected from each image grid. According to a plurality of image parameter values corresponding to the plurality of pixels, a statistical value of image grid parameter is calculated. Then whether an image grid is monochromatic can be judged according to the statistical value of image grid parameter. When a plurality of continuous single-frame images are judged to be monochromatic single-frame images, the color of the monochromatic single-frame images can be further judged. |
| US09728070B2 |
Portable compliance dispenser
A portable compliance dispenser provides a compliance module that is removably attached to a replaceable refill container, which carries any suitable liquid material, such as sanitizer. The compliance module is configured to be worn or carried by an individual and communicates hygiene compliance data to a remote monitoring station when material from the refill container is dispensed. |
| US09728069B2 |
Hand cleanliness
Among other things, an entry monitor has circuitry to detect when a person enters a monitored space and an indicator perceptible to other people in the space to indicate a cleanliness state of the hands of the person who has entered the space. |
| US09728068B2 |
Devices, systems, and methods for adherence monitoring and devices, systems, and methods for monitoring use of consumable dispensers
Devices, systems, and methods are provided for adherence monitoring, and devices, systems, and methods are provided for monitoring use of consumable dispensers. In general, the devices, systems, and methods can facilitate an individual's adherence to a schedule for consuming consumables and can facilitate monitoring and tracking of the individual's adherence to the schedule. The devices, systems, and methods can allow data regarding the individual's historical adherence to the schedule to be accessible via a computer system. In one embodiment, an accessory is provided that can be configured to attach to consumable dispensers. The accessory can be configured to be removably and replaceably coupled to the dispenser. The accessory can be configured to provide a notification to a user indicating that a certain event occurred and/or that a certain action needs to be taken. The accessory can be configured to sense attachment thereof to and removal thereof from the dispenser. |
| US09728067B2 |
Method for detecting motion of an electrical device or apparatus
A method for providing an alert to a person to unplug an electrical power cord of an electrical device or equipment includes an alarm device that is activated upon separation of a first portion from a second portion. The first and second portions of the alarm device are secured proximate opposite sides of a loop provided in the power cord. The first and second portions, when engaged, maintain a switch of an electrical circuit in an open position. If the equipment is moved prior to unplugging the power cord, the loop will be straightened, causing the first and second portions to separate. The switch closes, completing the electrical circuit and activating the alarm device. The alarm alerts the person to unplug the power cord. A first alternate method includes the alarm device as a part of newly manufactured equipment. A second alternate method includes a motion detector or sensor in the alarm device of the newly manufactured equipment. A third alternate method includes an add-on alarm device with the motion detector or sensor. |
| US09728065B2 |
Metallic conductor disturbance detection device and method
A method of detecting disturbance in a metallic conductor, comprises the steps of providing an inductance sensing circuit in mechanically and electrically connected to a metallic conductor having a monitorable inductance, tuning the inductance sensing circuit based on an electromagnetic field impressed upon the metallic conductor and an internally generated circuit oscillation, and outputting an alert signal when a tuned output signal from the tuned inductance sensing circuit becomes detuned due to a change in inductance of the metallic conductor by addition to or removal of at least a portion of the metallic conductor. A metallic conductor disturbance detection device for such a method is also provided, the device comprising an amplitude and/or frequency tunable inductance sensing circuit, and an alarm circuit for outputting an alarm signal based on an output of the inductance sensing circuit. |
| US09728060B2 |
Monitoring system
The present invention is a system for monitoring a health state of a subject. The system is provided with: a measuring unit that chronologically measures the position of the subject in a facility in which the subject resides or stays; and an information processing unit that determines a health state of the subject by determining whether a chronological change in the position of the subject satisfies a predetermined determination condition. |
| US09728052B2 |
Digital signage system and emergency alerting method using same
A digital signage system and a method of providing information using the digital signage system are disclosed. The digital signage terminal includes an emergency detection unit, an emergency detection message generation unit, a communication unit, and an emergency alert message processing unit. The emergency detection unit collects the surrounding emergency-related information of the digital signage terminal. The emergency detection message generation unit generates an emergency detection message including the collected emergency-related information. The communication unit transmits the generated emergency detection message to a digital signage server, and receives an emergency alert message including an emergency alert corresponding to an emergency situation from the digital signage server. The emergency alert message processing unit parses the emergency alert message, and provides the emergency alert included in the emergency alert message to a user. |
| US09728050B2 |
Systems and methods for slot-style games
Systems, methods, and articles of manufacture provide for new features and functionality of slot-style games. |
| US09728047B2 |
System and method for managing one or more games of chance over a network
Implementing games of chance across multiple computing devices is described. An electronic hand is associated with each computing device. The electronic hand includes a set of characters having a value. An electronic bid, which is a total quantity of a character of the set characters at a particular value, is initiated. An electronic challenge to the electronic bid is initiated. An actual quantity of the character at the particular value in the bidding electronic hand is determined. A point value is allocated to the bidder if the actual quantity of the character at the particular value is greater than or equal to the total quantity of the character at the particular value in the electronic bid. The point value is adjusted based on a bid value, and/or bid level, and/or the number of participants. |
| US09728035B2 |
Gaming machine
A gaming machine including housing in which a game sequence controller, at least one display device for displaying a gaming unit and at least one switching element, actuatable by a user and in contact with the game sequence controller, are arranged. At least one electromagnetic device coupled to the game sequence controller is associated with the switching element and, if the switching element is actuated, generates information that can be detected tactilely by the user in the form of a vibration and/or a change of the actuating resistance depending on the course of the game. |
| US09728030B2 |
Electronic game and/or entertainment device
A game and/or entertainment device, more particularly in the form of a coin operable or token operable gaming machine and/or gambling device with multiple separate display units for presenting information, more particularly game contents and/or game information, wherein at least one of the display units is furnished with a touch panel for inputting control commands by touching. The touch panel is formed continuously over at least one part of each of at least two different display units. By extending the touch panel across the boundary region or intermediate space between two display units, it is possible to achieve a continuously closed off front of the device, despite the use of multiple display units, whereby the structure of the corresponding device wall is simplified and the security against intrusion into the housing at gaps is increased. |
| US09728021B2 |
System and method for auto-configuration of devices in BIM using bluetooth low energy devices
A system that includes a building information model (BIM) defined by a set of geographic coordinates of a secured area embodied in a memory, a plurality of security devices located within the secured area where each of the plurality of security devices has a short range wireless transceiver and a portable user device having a wireless transceiver, a global positioning system (GPS) and a programmed processor that interrogates the short range wireless transceiver of each of the plurality of security devices for identification and functional information of the security device as a user of the portable user device traverses the secured area and saves the identification and functional information along with geographic coordinates of each of the plurality of security devices under the BIM into a memory. |
| US09728009B2 |
Augmented reality based management of a representation of a smart environment
A capability for managing a representation of a smart environment is presented herein. The capability for managing a representation of a smart environment is configured to support augmented reality (AR)-based management of a representation of a smart environment, which may include AR-based generation of a representation of the smart environment, AR-based alignment of the representation of the smart environment with the physical reality of the smart environment, and the like. |
| US09728008B2 |
Interaction analysis systems and methods
Interaction-based ecosystems are presented. Interaction analysis engine analyze media content to derive a set of media features. The engine can then identify one or more interaction objects (e.g., transactions, searches, game play, etc.) based on the set of media features. Relevant interaction objects can then be instantiated as persistent available or active points of interaction readily accessed by a consumer. The consumer need only capture a digital representation of the content via a user device, a smart phone for example. A second set of media features can be derived from the digital representation and the second set of media features can then be used to find the instantiated interactions. |
| US09728007B2 |
Mobile device, server arrangement and method for augmented reality applications
A mobile device (104, 204) comprising communications interface (324) for transferring data, a digital camera (328) for obtaining a camera view (102) of the surroundings of the mobile device at a location, a display (330) for visualizing data such as the camera view (102), and an augmented reality (AR) entity (332) configured to transmit, via the communications interface, an indication of the location of the mobile device to an external entity, obtain, by applying data transfer from said external entity via the communications interface, a representation determined on the basis of a number of 3D models (202) of one or more virtual elements (102e, 206a) deemed as visually observable from the location of the mobile device, said representation forming at least a part of at least an approximation of spherical projection (108, 208, 210) of said 3D models, wherein the associated spherical surface is configured to surround the location of the mobile device, and produce an AR view (102d) for visualization on the display on the basis of the camera view and orientation-wise matching portion, such as 2D images and/or parts thereof, of the representation. Related server arrangement and methods are presented. |
| US09727998B2 |
Apparatus and method for virtual spatial reconstruction of a surgical tool
An apparatus and a method determine a virtual spatial reconstruction of a surgical tool imaged in a 2D x-ray image. A reconstruction module segments a 2D image of at least one element of the surgical tool in the 2D x-ray image and a spatial reconstruction of the at least one element is implemented after the spatial configuration of the 2D image of the at least one element is determined. |
| US09727995B2 |
Alternative representations of virtual content in a virtual universe
An invention for generating an alternative representation of virtual content in a virtual universe is provided. In one embodiment, there is an alternative representation tool, including a visual component configured to determine a visual capacity of a user of a virtual universe. The alternative representation tool further includes an alternative component configured to provide an alternative representation of a virtual content renderable in the virtual universe based on the visual capacity of the user of the virtual universe. |
| US09727994B2 |
Image joining method
An image jointing method includes steps of obtaining a first image, a second image including a line image, and a displacement data, dividing a specific region of the line image as image blocks and calculating to obtain feature values corresponded to the image blocks, comparing the feature values and utilizing an initial coordinate of the image block corresponding to the maximum of the feature values as a feature point representing the line image, corresponding the feature point to a base point of the first image according to the displacement data and obtaining a first jointing point corresponding to the first image and a second jointing point corresponding to the second image according to the base point and the feature point, and jointing the first image and the second image through the first jointing point and the second jointing point, thereby significantly reducing the operation time and enhancing the user experiences. |
| US09727987B2 |
Blending techniques for curve fitting
Blending techniques for curve fitting are described. In one or more implementations, an indication is received of three or more data points. A blending factor is computed based on a spatial relationship of the three or more data points to each other. A curve is fit to the three or more data points by blending a plurality or curve fitting techniques using the computed blending factor. |
| US09727982B2 |
Parallelising per-pixel compositing
A method of compositing layers by grouping the layers into a foreground group and a background group; identifying independent instructions of compositing model for execution independently from the background group and dependent instructions requiring a compositing output of a background layer in order to composite foreground layers; executing the independent instructions on the foreground layers in parallel with compositing the background layers, a first independent instruction storing a corresponding result in a first buffer and a second independent instruction storing a corresponding result in a second buffer; executing a dependent instruction by updating the second buffer using the background compositing output; and determining a compositing output for the foreground group dependent upon contents of the first buffer and the updated second buffer. |
| US09727980B2 |
Inspection method
In an inspection method, an inspection region of a sample is divided into a plurality of stripe regions, and is divided into a plurality of groups so that a plurality of continuously arranged stripe regions constitutes one group. An optical image of a graphic pattern arranged in a stripe region of one of the groups is acquired while moving a stage in a longitudinal direction of the stripe region. The stage is then moved in a lateral direction of the stripe region. An optical image of a graphic pattern arranged in a stripe region of a group different from one of the groups in which the optical image is acquired, and in a stripe region not continuous to the stripe region whose optical image is acquired immediately before the movement in the lateral direction, is acquired while moving the stage in the longitudinal direction of the stripe region. |
| US09727975B2 |
Knowledge-based automatic image segmentation
A method for medical image segmentation includes accessing and updating a knowledge-base. A medical image is received and a sparse landmark signature is computed based on the medical image. Either a representative or a cohort average reference image set is selected. A portion of either representative reference image set or the cohort average reference image set is deformed to generate mappings to the medical image set. A segmentation for each structure of interest of the medical image set is determined. The knowledge-base is searched for representative matches to form a plurality of sub-volume base sets comprising a plurality of reference image set sub-volumes. A portion of the plurality of reference image set sub-volumes is deformed to generate mappings from the plurality of sub-volume base sets to corresponding structures of interest of the medical image set. A weighted-average segmentation for the structures of interest in the medical image set is calculated. |
| US09727974B2 |
System for video super resolution using semantic components
A method for increasing the resolution of a series of low resolution frames of a low resolution video sequence to a series of high resolution frames of a high resolution video sequence includes receiving the series of low resolution frames of the video sequence. The system determines a first plurality of semantically relevant key points of a first low resolution frame of the series of low resolution frames and determines a second plurality of semantically relevant key points of a second low resolution frame of the series of low resolution frames. The system temporally processes the first plurality of key points based upon the second plurality of key points to determine a more temporally consistent set of key points for the first plurality of key points. |
| US09727971B2 |
Method and system for updating background model based on depth
A method and a system for updating a background model based on depth are disclosed. The method includes receiving, in response to the occurrence of a predetermined background updating condition, one or more depth images captured after a time when the predetermined background updating condition occurs; obtaining, based on an original background model, foreground images in the one or more captured depth images, which are newly added compared with a depth image at the time when the predetermined background updating condition occurs; for each of foreground pixels in each of the newly added foreground images, comparing a current depth value with a previous depth value before the time when the predetermined background updating condition occurs; and updating, when the current depth value is greater than the previous depth value, the original background model as the updated background model by using the foreground pixel in the newly added foreground image. |
| US09727964B2 |
Image processing device
This image processing device operates by identifying a region that is in a similar image and has a pattern which is the same as a pattern appearing in a section of a reference image, and repeating an operation several times and the section and the region are superposed to generate a reduced-noise fragment, after which the reduced-noise fragments obtained for all of the regions of the reference image are combined to generate a reduced-noise image. When such an operation actually is attempted with an image processing device the regions corresponding to the sections in the reference image cannot be found from the similar image. Therefore, with the present invention the reduced-noise fragments are generated by performing spatial processing on the sections. Thus, reduced-noise fragments can be obtained reliably for all of the regions of the reference image, and noise can be removed from the reference image more reliably. |
| US09727963B2 |
Navigation of tubular networks
Methods and apparatuses provide improved navigation through tubular networks such as lung airways by providing improved estimation of location and orientation information of a medical instrument (e.g., an endoscope) within the tubular network. Various input data such as image data, EM data, and robot data are used by different algorithms to estimate the state of the medical instrument, and the state information is used to locate a specific site within a tubular network and/or to determine navigation information for what positions/orientations the medical instrument should travel through to arrive at the specific site. Probability distributions together with confidence values are generated corresponding to different algorithms are used to determine the medical instrument's estimated state. |
| US09727962B2 |
System for visualizing tissue in a surgical region
The invention relates to a system for visualizing characteristic tissue with a colorant in a surgical region. The system contains a detection unit which detects light from at least one object point in the surgical region. The system has a computer unit which is connected to the detection unit and drives a visualization unit which displays an image of an area in the surgical region. The computer unit determines the color coordinate in a color space with respect to the light from a point from the object point in the surgical region. Depending on the position of the color coordinate determined with respect to the object point, the computer unit calculates a color coordinate information (“0”, “1”) for controlling the visualization unit by comparing information concerning the determined color coordinate of the object point with information concerning a characteristic reference color coordinate. |
| US09727957B2 |
Source image providing multiple item views
According to example embodiments, an Image View Aggregator identifies a frontal view of an item within an image. The Image View Aggregator identifies at least one reflection view of the item within the image. Each reflection view of the item having been captured off a corresponding reflective physical surface. The Image View Aggregator extracts the frontal view of the item and each reflection view of the item from the image. The Image View Aggregator generates a representation of the item based at least on the extracted frontal view of the item and each extracted reflection view of the item. |
| US09727954B2 |
Local contrast adjustment for digital images
Edge enhancement of a digital image can include using at least two signal processing paths to adjust a display-formatted pixel value to enhance the appearance of edges in displayed image data. A digital image can be filtered by producing an edge enhancement factor, α, per pixel from at least one look up table (LUT). Digital image data can also be adjusted using at least two signal processing paths, where the image data is adjusted if a pixel value and its neighboring pixel values are all within a smoothing range or where the pixel delta value is outside of a bad pixel range and its neighboring pixel delta values are all within the bad pixel range. In such cases, the image data can be adjusted by replacing the pixel value with an average or median value of the neighboring pixels. |
| US09727953B2 |
Method and apparatus for ring artifact repair of magnetic resonance images
An apparatus for detecting and repairing a ring artifact in a multi-spectral magnetic resonance image includes an image processor, which is configured to obtain an off-resonance magnetic field map and a deblurred composite image, to calculate a spatial gradient of the image based on the magnetic field map, to kernel search the spatial gradient, to mask the image, based on the kernel search, in order to identify voxels affected by a ring artifact, and to apply a filter in order to smooth intensities of the voxels identified by the image mask. |
| US09727951B2 |
Image processing apparatus and method for controlling the apparatus
An image processing apparatus and a method thereof for correcting image data in accordance with a feature of the image data, calculates a brightness component of image data and a color difference component of image data, determines whether the image data is a nightscape image or an underexposed image using the calculated brightness component and color difference component, and corrects the image data which has been determined as a nightscape image or an underexposed image. |
| US09727949B1 |
Providing secure digital images
Implementations generally relate to providing secure digital images. In some implementations, a method includes receiving an input image. The method further includes generating a plurality of partial images derived from the input image. The method further includes displaying the plurality of partial images to a user, where a sum of the partial images provides the input image. |
| US09727943B1 |
Remote rendering control objects
This disclosure is directed to the control of graphical output of a second computing device by a first computing device. According to these techniques, a first computing device may be configured to generate at least one control object that includes at least one control script. The at least one control script is configured to be executed according to an execution environment (e.g., a graphics processing environment) of the second computing device. Once executed, the at least one control script may be configured to access a native application programming interface (API) of the second computing device to cause graphical data to be presented via an output interface (e.g., a display) communicatively coupled to the second computing device based on a context defined by the at least one control object. |
| US09727940B2 |
Demand forecasting systems and methods utilizing unobscuring and unconstraining
A computer based system for unobscuring and/or unconstraining demand is disclosed. Via use of the system, actual airline seat bookings may be restated in an unobscured and/or unconstrained form, facilitating improved demand forecasts for subsequent seat bookings. In this manner, seat protects may be better allocated to align with actual demand, thus increasing revenue. |
| US09727934B2 |
System and method for avoiding duplication of effort in drafting documents
A system and method is provided for avoiding duplication of effort in drafting documents and, in particular, to a system and method for avoiding duplication of effort in preparing patent related submissions. The method is implemented on a computer infrastructure comprises storing disclosure information related to non-public proprietary innovation and receiving terms associated with an innovation. The method further comprises matching the terms with the stored disclosure information and providing an alert to a user that certain of the terms overlap with the stored disclosure information. |
| US09727932B1 |
Systems and methods for promotional validation of travel expenses
Disclosed is a system to validate promotional offers in the nature of a reduction or rebate of certain travel expenses through a network of local merchants who offer to offset travel costs in exchange for patronage. The system allows verification of the travel and the purchases. |
| US09727931B2 |
Electricity demand prediction system
An electricity demand prediction system includes electricity usage data collection means, production schedule storage means, model creation means, and short-term electricity demand prediction means. The electricity usage data collection means collects electricity usage data of each device and causes electricity usage data storage means to store the collected electricity usage data. The model creation means creates an electricity amount calculation model of each prescribed product type for each device on the basis of the electricity usage data stored in the electricity usage data storage means and a past production schedule stored in the production schedule storage means. The short-term electricity demand prediction means computes future electricity demand for each device on the basis of the electricity amount calculation model created by the model creation means and a future production schedule stored in the production schedule storage means. |
| US09727918B2 |
System and method for displaying profit related information in an electronic trading environment
A system and method for displaying a plurality of profit and risk related indicators are described. A graphical interface displays and dynamically updates a plurality of profit/loss (P/L) indicators including a realized, net, and open indicator. The net and open indicators are based on a trader's net position and a current market level, while the realized indicator is based on trader's buys and sells associated with a tradable object. In one embodiment, the plurality of indicators are displayed in relation to a plurality of money management regions defining a maximum order quantity and a maximum net position controlling the trader's trades, so that a trader can quickly determine his current as well as potential money management parameters. The graphical interface may also display a plurality of potential risk/gain indicators in relation to a realized profit indicator so that a trader, before entering an order having a predetermined order quantity, can view a potential risk/gain in entering into a predetermined net position in view of potential market movements. |
| US09727914B2 |
Directed graph-based strategy trading tool
Certain embodiments provide systems, methods, and apparatus for directed graph-based strategy trading tools. In some embodiments, opportunities for altering a trading strategy position are visually represented by a tool as a directed graph. In some embodiments, a tool to facilitate trading strategy leg conversions is provided. |
| US09727911B2 |
Systems, method and computer-accessible mediums for providing secure paper transactions using paper fiber identifiers
Exemplary systems, methods and computer-accessible mediums can receive information comprising a first speckle pattern(s) associated with a portion(s) of the paper. The information can be generated by an optical arrangement, and the first speckle pattern(s) can be compared with a second speckle pattern(s) to determine if a similarity measure based on local or global descriptors is of equal to a predetermined amount or within a predetermined range. |
| US09727909B2 |
Anonymous block trade matching system
An anonymous block trade matching system which allows users that who wish to cross large blocks of stock to submit orders, or indications of interest, with the option of utilizing market peg benchmarks or future price cross benchmarks. Orders submitted may be subject to minimum thresholds, including a threshold requiring that the order represent ‘X’ % of average daily volume. After submission of a firm order in the system, an alert is generated to provide the order data to other users with potential to cross the order. Visibility of order data by other users may be restricted based upon a data interaction group to which the ordering user or the other user belongs. The system provides users viewing order data with a capability of communicating with the submitting user via a restricted two-way messaging interface. |
| US09727908B2 |
Method and system to enhance presentation of a shared resource
Method and system to enhance the presentation of a pinned resource is provided. Users may be provided with an option to enhance the presentation of a shared (or pinned) resource by attaching to it a visual control that indicates that the resource can represent an item of merchandise and that the resource is associated with functionality that would allow a user to purchase an item depleted in the pinned resource. |
| US09727902B2 |
Mitigating distribution and consumption of counterfeit products
A method, system, and computer usable program product for mitigating distribution or consumption of counterfeit products in a supply chain are provided in the illustrative embodiments. A first set of identifiers is generated to associate with a product to be manufactured. The first set of identifiers includes identifiers corresponding to a customer reference number (CRN), a customer acknowledgment number (CAN), and a merchant acknowledgment number (MAN). The first set of identifiers is associated with the product and a status indicator. The status indicator is set to a first value representative of the product being an original product and the product being available for sale. The first set of identifiers is transmitted to another second application. |
| US09727900B2 |
Multiple UI paradigms within a single application
A user interface (UI) with multiple UI paradigms. Each of the multiple UI paradigms is substantially different from the other UI paradigm(s). The substantially different UI paradigms are within a single application. A switching mechanism, which is also a part of the single application, enables a user to relatively rapidly switch between the different UI paradigms. |
| US09727898B2 |
System and method for managing battery discharge during critical peak pricing intervals
A system and method are provided for managing battery discharge during critical peak pricing (CPP) intervals. The method provides an alternating current (AC) client with a fluctuating AC grid demand, and a direct current (DC)-to-AC inverter having an input connected to a battery and selectable inversion power output levels connected to the AC client. In response to receiving a CPP warning for a first time interval, a present battery capacity state of charge (SoC) is determined. Also determined is a target peak demand for the AC client over a second time interval that includes the first time interval. The target peak demand defines a desired maximum threshold AC grid demand. In response to determining the present battery capacity SoC and the target peak demand, excess battery capacity is determined, and the excess battery capacity is used to supply auxiliary energy to the AC client during the CPP first time interval. |
| US09727897B2 |
Sensor data gathering
A sensor data gathering environment that associates a sensor with a smart tag attached to a product. The sensor receives product identification data from the smart tag. An application, web service or a computing device associated with the sensor collects customer behavior data, such as a length of time the sensor is associated with the smart tag, the proximity of the sensor to the smart tag, the location of the sensor while in a threshold distance from the smart tag, and the like. The application, web service or the computing device associated with the sensor transmits the product identification data and the customer behavior data to a remote computing system for analysis. Based on the analysis, a message or communication is initiated to provide the customer with personalized customer service. |
| US09727889B2 |
Identifier-based coupon distribution
A client device detects a QR code (or NFC tag). The client device decodes the QR code. The client device determines that the data encoded within the QR code includes a URL. Based on the URL, the client device sends a first request to a first server identified by the URL. In response to the first request, the client device receives from the first server data configured to cause the client device to display, to a user of the client device, at least one of: a video or an interactive web page. Responsive to the data encoded in the QR code, the client device sends to a coupon server: identification data associated with a user of the client device, and a request for the coupon server to distribute a digital coupon for an offer associated with an identifier encoded within the QR code to an account associated with the user. |
| US09727883B2 |
Methods and systems for conducting surveys and processing survey data to generate a collective outcome
Machine-implemented methods and computer systems are disclosed for determining a collective outcome for a survey from a plurality of potential outcomes. Each outcome is a particular combination of options. Each survey participant ranks the options to develop an influent function. For each participant, the influent function is applied to each potential outcome to determine a satisfaction score for the outcome. A collective dissonance score is calculated based on the participants' satisfaction scores for the potential outcome. The potential outcomes are ordered based on a weighted combination of the satisfaction scores and the collective dissonance score for each of the potential outcomes. In particular embodiments, the methods and systems aim to determine a collective outcome that achieves greatest satisfaction and minimizes dissonance among the participants. |
| US09727881B2 |
Feedback based technique towards total completion of task in crowdsourcing
The present disclosure provides a method for incenting potential contributors for creating content in response to a posting. The method comprises: posting a task to a first crowdsource with the task having a first expiry period of δ1; waiting for δ1 period to expire; determining whether the task is complete; reposting the task if not complete including a second expiry period of δ2; waiting for the second period of δ2 to expire; reposting the task if not yet complete including an increased reward and a third expiry period of δ3; waiting for the third period of δ3 to expire; and, reposting the task if still not complete, wherein the reposting includes a second crowdsource. |
| US09727880B2 |
Predicting user responses
Predicting user responses to items is useful in many application domains, such as personalized information retrieval and recommendation systems. In an embodiment a contacts service identifies contacts of a target user and predictions are elicited from the contacts about the target user's response to an item. In various examples, the predictions are combined taking into account weights of the contacts to produce a prediction of the target user's response. For example, the response may be one or more of: a numerical rating, a word or phrase describing the targets user's opinion of the item and a word or phrase stating a reason that the target user holds the opinion. In examples, accuracy of the predictions is calculated after observing the target user's actual response. The accuracy may be used to calculate and display scores and rankings of the contact's prediction abilities and to update the weights of the contacts. |
| US09727875B2 |
Legitimacy determination of reported problems
Techniques for determining the legitimacy of a problem report are provided. Report data indicating a reported problem is received at a computer processor. Image data associated with the reported problem is identified, and metadata associated with the image data is identified. The legitimacy of the reported problem is determined based on the metadata in view of the report data. |
| US09727874B2 |
Virtual photorealistic digital actor system for remote service of customers
A system for remote servicing of customers includes an interactive display unit at the customer location providing two-way audio/visual communication with a remote service/sales agent, wherein communication inputted by the agent is delivered to customers via a virtual Digital Actor on the display. The system also provides for remote customer service using physical mannequins with interactive capability having two-way audio visual communication ability with the remote agent, wherein communication inputted by the remote service or sales agent is delivered to customers using the physical mannequin. A web solution integrates the virtual Digital Actor system into a business website. A smart phone solution provides the remote service to customers via an App. In another embodiment, the Digital Actor is instead displayed as a 3D hologram. The Digital Actor is also used in an e-learning solution, in a movie studio suite, and as a presenter on TV, online, or other broadcasting applications. |
| US09727860B1 |
Systems and methods for value bearing indicia balance reservation
Systems and methods which operate to reserve an amount of value associated with a value bearing indicia (VBI) request or requests are shown. Embodiments facilitate completion of a multiple VBI session without failing due to insufficient value balance once the session has begun. Additionally or alternatively, embodiments facilitate later or subsequent (e.g., scheduled) completion of a VBI session, whether a session for a single VBI or multiple VBI, without failing due to insufficient value balance. Value reservations may be made automatically and/or manually. Embodiments provide various reservation priority levels, such as to individual users, user groups, user systems, sessions, types of sessions, jobs, etc., in order to facilitate completion of various desired operations without failure due to insufficient value. Value reservation techniques according to embodiments do not introduce additional transactions into a normal VBI session flow. |
| US09727858B2 |
Configurable payment tokens
Methods and systems are disclosed for the generation and use of merchant-customizable token formats that define tokens that represent credit card and other payment numbers in online transactions. The tokens, which are used instead of the card numbers themselves for security, can be specified by the token format to have a certain number of characters, have certain fields reserved for major card identifiers, use encryption and/or randomization, be alphanumeric, and have other formatting. The customized tokens can be used with legacy equipment that uses longer or shorter card numbers than the standard sixteen-digit payment card number format and can be less likely to be recognized as related to card numbers by identify thieves. |
| US09727855B2 |
Systems and methods for communicating with a magnetic reader head
A device and method for waveform transmission of transaction card data to a merchant point-of-sale device are provided. The device includes a memory device for storing data, a processor, and a transmitter. The device is programmed to receive transaction card data that mimics data stored within a magnetic stripe associated with a transaction card, convert the transaction card data to a first data file for storage within the memory device, transmit the first data file to the transmitter, and transmit a first waveform from the transmitter to the POS device, wherein the first waveform includes changes in a magnetic field that represent the transaction card data. |
| US09727852B2 |
Control device, control system, and control method of a control device
A tablet terminal 13 has a tablet terminal controller 20 that returns a substitute address indicating the address of the tablet terminal 13 to the POS terminal 10 when a command asking for the address of the recording device 12 is received from the POS terminal 10; determines whether to send the received print control data to the recording device or the management device, or to both, as the destination device if print control data transmitted by the POS terminal 10 to the substitute address is received; and transmits the print control data to the selected destination. |
| US09727851B2 |
Purchasing data management method and system
A data management method and system. The method includes retrieving by a computing system, first identification data associated with a buyer of a product. The computing system retrieves product data associated with the product. The product data is compared to campaign data associated with a campaign. The campaign is associated with an entity associated with the product. The computing system determines that the product is associated with the campaign. The computing system generates second identification data comprising the first identification data, an identification code for the product, a campaign code indicating that the product is associated with the campaign, and a date of purchase for the product. The computing system generates encrypted data comprising the second identification data in an encrypted format. The encrypted data is transmitted to a secure database system. |
| US09727846B2 |
Associating a meeting room with a meeting
Arrangements described relate to associating a meeting room with a meeting. A meeting invitation being accessed by a first recipient can be identified, wherein the meeting invitation is sent to a plurality of recipients. A location associated with the first recipient of the meeting invitation can be identified, and whether the location associated with the first recipient is similar to a location associated with a sender of the meeting invitation can be determined. Responsive to determining that the location associated with the first recipient is not similar to the location associated with a sender of the meeting invitation, the first recipient can be prompted to reserve a meeting room at the location associated with the first recipient. Responsive to receiving from the first recipient an indication of the meeting room being reserved, an association between the meeting and the meeting room can be created. |
| US09727845B2 |
System initiated pending state authorization in a benefits administration domain model
In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for a human resource management platform that includes applications targeted to solve a variety of human resource and benefits administration management problems. Applications of the human resource management platform include business applications such as benefits administration that may provide a single solution for facilitating employee benefits management and organizational efficiencies through automation of benefit management functions, measurement of benefit provider effectiveness, and the like. |
| US09727844B2 |
Online documentation review
An apparatus, method, and computer program product for online documentation review. The apparatus includes a documentation presentation module configured to visually present a list of documents within a documentation frame. The content of one or more documents selected from the list of documents may also be visually presented. The online documentation framework may facilitate navigation of the documentation package. The apparatus also includes a documentation review module configured to receive and store comments associated with at least one document in the documentation package. The comments may be stored on a computer readable storage medium. The apparatus includes an integration module configured to integrate the documentation review application into the online documentation framework such that comments associated with the at least one document of the documentation package may be one or more of submitted and viewed from within the online documentation framework. |
| US09727842B2 |
Determining entity relevance by relationships to other relevant entities
An entity resolution system configured to process an inbound identity record and to generate a relevance score for the inbound identity record is disclosed. One process of resolving identity records and detecting relationships between entities may be performed using a pre-determined or configurable entity resolution rules. Further, the entity resolution system may assign base relevance scores, association relevance scores, and derived relevance scores to each resolved entity. The relevance score for the inbound identity record may be computed based on base relevance scores, association relevance scores, derived relevance scores, and/or relationship strengths of entities related to the inbound identity record. |
| US09727837B1 |
System utilizing layered software application for facilitating delivery services
A Barcode to Zipcode Application, the purpose of which is to remove as many steps from the supply chain as possible, reducing the time required to complete the process of purchasing goods in one location for delivery in another location to hours or even minutes. This application contains interfaces to location based retail product information services as well as customer payment processing systems. The application functions as an internet web application with the primary users being the customer service representatives and delivery personnel. |
| US09727836B2 |
Systems and methods for generating data visualization dashboards
An aspect of the technology described relates to a dashboard creation system for generating dashboards displaying key performance indicator (KPI) information. The dashboard creation system includes: a business database comprising a plurality of business values; an intermediate table comprising intermediate data; and at least one KPI record. In some implementations, the intermediate data includes: an intermediate value corresponding to a selected plurality of the business values; and an intermediate link identifying the corresponding selected plurality of business values. Also, the KPI record may include: a KPI value corresponding to the intermediate value; a KPI link corresponding to the intermediate link and identifying the corresponding selected plurality of the business values; and a KPI format corresponding to a desired graphical format for depicting the KPI value. A processor may be provided to render the KPI value in the KPI format. |
| US09727835B2 |
Business systems management mobile administration
A method and system for remotely managing business processes via a mobile device is provided. The method includes enabling, for a user, an application integrated with analytic models and geo-positioning technology. The user and a location of the user are identified. Preferences associated with the user are identified and a status of business processes associated with the entity at the location is monitored. In response, a status of the entity at the location is determined. Status data associated with the status is presented to the user via the mobile device. The status data is based on the preferences. The user may initiate an escalation process based on the status provided. |
| US09727834B2 |
Remote measurement via on-site portable platform
A portable measurement system is described herein that provides accurate real-time data for a subject object at a job site. The acquired data may include photos, laser mapping, thermal images, sonar imaging, electronic measurements, or other types of measurement data. The system leverages commonly available remote control helicopters or other flying vehicles mounted with a camera or other equipment to acquire images or other measurement data that would be difficult to obtain without climbing onto a target structure or placing personnel in other dangerous situations. A portable platform is described herein that can include helicopters as well as other types of portable measurement devices that can fly or otherwise maneuver to capture measurement data at a job site. In many cases, these connected devices can provide near instant availability of captured data to a processing center or other remote location, reducing delays that are typical today. |
| US09727830B2 |
Multi-tier employment model for human capital management
A three-tier employment model provides flexibility when modeling even moderately complex relationships, such as where an employee has multiple job tasks or assignments for an employer. In such an example, a top level can store information for each employee defining the type of relationship that exists between the employee and the employer, such as where the employee works for multiple entities of the employer. A middle level can capture employment terms and conditions that are associated with the relationship(s), as well as one or many work assignments, such as salary information for each assignment. A bottom level can store the actual details of the work to be performed. A three-tier approach thus provides significant flexibility in modeling the employment of a person for an enterprise, and allows companies and enterprises to easily record the reality of their complex work relationships. |
| US09727827B2 |
Method and system for referral tracking
A method for identifying a source of a job referral, the method including identifying a URL that the job applicant uses to access a web page with functionality to enable the job applicant to apply for the first job, identifying a first job message record using the URL, obtaining an original job message record for an original job message using the first job message record, determining a first sender of the original job message from the original job message record, determining that a second job message was sent to the job applicant for a second job at the company by a second sender, wherein the second job message was sent to the job applicant before the first job message and wherein the second job message was sent to the job applicant within a look-back period, and identifying the second sender as the source of the referral for the first job. |
| US09727824B2 |
Systems and methods for quantum processing of data
Systems, methods and aspects, and embodiments thereof relate to unsupervised or semi-supervised features learning using a quantum processor. To achieve unsupervised or semi-supervised features learning, the quantum processor is programmed to achieve Hierarchal Deep Learning (referred to as HDL) over one or more data sets. Systems and methods search for, parse, and detect maximally repeating patterns in one or more data sets or across data or data sets. Embodiments and aspects regard using sparse coding to detect maximally repeating patterns in or across data. Examples of sparse coding include L0 and L1 sparse coding. Some implementations may involve appending, incorporating or attaching labels to dictionary elements, or constituent elements of one or more dictionaries. There may be a logical association between label and the element labeled such that the process of unsupervised or semi-supervised feature learning spans both the elements and the incorporated, attached or appended label. |
| US09727823B2 |
Systems and methods for achieving orthogonal control of non-orthogonal qubit parameters
Achieving orthogonal control of non-orthogonal qubit parameters of a logical qubit allows for increasing the length of a qubit chain thereby increasing the effective connectivity of the qubit chain. A hybrid qubit is formed by communicatively coupling a dedicated second qubit to a first qubit. By tuning a programmable parameter of the second qubit of a hybrid qubit, an effective programmable parameter of the hybrid qubit is adjusted without affecting another effective programmable parameter of the hybrid qubit thereby achieving orthogonal control of otherwise non-orthogonal qubit parameters. The length of the logical qubit may thus be increased by communicatively coupling a plurality of such hybrid qubits together. |
| US09727822B1 |
Event prediction using temporal and geospatial precursor networks
The present invention provides a system and method for providing an alert notification prior to occurrence of a consequent event. The present invention provides a decision maker with the means to reconstitute his unfiltered operational environment such that the information needed to make an informed decision is extracted from a vast array of data available and presented in a manner that allows the decision maker to focus on the aspects of the decision that are most important to arriving at the best course of action under the exigent circumstances that are present when a response to an unexpected and possibly deleterious event is required. |
| US09727821B2 |
Sequential anomaly detection
A dataset including at least one temporal event sequence is collected. A one-class sequence classifier f(x) that obtains a decision boundary is statistically learned. At least one new temporal event sequence is evaluated, wherein the at least one new temporal event sequence is outside of the dataset. It is determined whether the at least one new temporal event sequence is one of a normal sequence or an abnormal sequence based on the evaluation. Numerous additional aspects are disclosed. |
| US09727818B1 |
Impression effect modeling for content items
The modeling of an impression effect may include generating a content item impression effect distribution. A classification model may be used to determine a period of the content item impression effect distribution based on one or more accessed impression effect parameters. A value for a content item may be determined based, at least in part, on the determined period and a bid associated with the content item. A content item may be selected based on the determined value and data to display the selected content item may be transmitted. In some instances, the determined period may be used to determine or select predictive model for the determined period that outputs a factor to modify the determined value. |
| US09727812B2 |
RFID device wtih control logic, and method
A radio frequency identification (RFID) device has controllable features that allow for modification of its interaction with external devices, such as RFID readers. The RFID device may have multiple antennas, coupled to multiple contacts of a chip of the device. The chip may include a real or virtual switch for selectively coupling the chip to either of the antennas. The switch may be activated by an external signal sent to the RFID device. The RFID device also may be controlled by adjusting an adjustable modulator within the RFID device. The modulator may adjust outgoing signals from the RFID device to an appropriate level of signal strength, or to have other suitable characteristics. By control of the antenna couplings and/or the modulator settings of the RFID device, adjustments in performance of the RFID device may be made for suitable operation in a variety of situations and environments. |
| US09727810B2 |
Spatially addressable molecular barcoding
The disclosure provides for methods, compositions, systems, devices, and kits for determining the number of distinct targets in distinct spatial locations within a sample. In some examples, the methods include: stochastically barcoding the plurality of targets in the sample using a plurality of stochastic barcodes, wherein each of the plurality of stochastic barcodes comprises a spatial label and a molecular label; estimating the number of each of the plurality of targets using the molecular label; and identifying the spatial location of each of the plurality of targets using the spatial label. The method can be multiplexed. |
| US09727809B2 |
Mobile terminal, program, and communication system for avoiding display of an unnecessary message
A mobile terminal operated in cooperation with an information processing device capable of setting an authentication mode relating to user authentication to one mode selected from two kinds of modes of an authentication request mode requiring the user authentication, and a non-authentication request mode not requiring the user authentication, the mobile terminal including: a display unit configured to display a confirmation message inquiring a user of the mobile terminal whether to perform authentication operation; and a control unit configured to control display operation for displaying the confirmation message, acquiring, from the information processing device, authentication mode information being information representing whether the authentication mode is the authentication request mode or the non-authentication request mode, and displaying the confirmation message on the display unit, on condition that the authentication mode information is acquired, the authentication mode information representing that the authentication mode is the authentication request mode. |
| US09727806B2 |
Image forming apparatus capable of speeding up drawing process, an image forming method, and a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium
An image forming apparatus includes a control circuit configured to determine whether one of an x-coordinate and a y-coordinate of a path specified in each of successive drawing commands for vector objects is the same, wherein the successive drawing commands are received in incoming printable data. The control circuit is further configured to execute, when there is a new successive drawing command for a vector object in which one of an x-coordinate and a y-coordinate of the path specified by the new successive drawing command is different from the x-coordinate or y-coordinate that has been determined to be the same for previously received successive drawing commands, all of the previously received successive drawing commands having the same x-coordinate or y-coordinate. |
| US09727805B2 |
Image evaluation device, image evaluation method and program storage medium
An image evaluation device includes: a reading unit that reads a sample image included in a sample printout recognized as a non-defective printout and that reads an inspection object image included in an inspection object printout obtained by printing an image corresponding to the sample image on a recording medium using a printing device based on image data representing the image; an extraction unit that extracts a line defect including a linear pattern formed in a specific direction from the inspection object image represented by inspection object image data, based on a difference value between sample image data obtained by reading the sample image and the inspection object image data; and an evaluation unit that evaluates a visibility of the line defect extracted by the extraction unit. |
| US09727804B1 |
Method of correcting strings
Determining a set of edit operations to perform on a string, such as one generated by optical character recognition, to satisfy a string template by determining a minimum cost of performing edit operations on the string to satisfy the string template and then determining the set of edit operations corresponding to the minimum cost. Transforming a string to satisfy one or more string templates by determining a minimum cost of performing edit operations on the string to satisfy one or more string templates, selecting one or more minimum costs, determining a set of edit operations corresponding to the minimum costs, and then performing the set of edit operations on the string. Determining a minimum cost of performing edit operations on a string to satisfy a string template by determining set costs of performing sets of edit operations using costs associated with edit operations of the set and determining the minimum cost using the set costs. |
| US09727800B2 |
Optimized object detection
Disclosed are a system, apparatus, and method for detecting objects. Input image frames may be received and distinct regions created within each frame. Descriptors may be extracted from the regions according to their associated probability. Extracted descriptors may be matched to reference descriptors. Votes or confidence is cast for particular regions according to region properties. The region properties may be determined from center voting methods based on vector intersection to other vectors or intersections with a region. The probability of selecting particular regions can increase with each vote or increase in confidence for a region. In response to updating probabilities, additional regions may be selected and additional descriptors may be extracted. Additional voting iterations can update the probability of selecting a next region. An object pose may be estimated in response to meeting one or more thresholds. |
| US09727799B2 |
Method of automatic defect classification
A method of automatic defect classification (ADC) includes detecting defective parts from a substrate wherein at least one unit process is performed; and classifying defect types of the respective defective parts, wherein the classifying includes obtaining a scanning electron microscope (SEM) image of each of the defective parts; registering information about the substrate in a graphic data system (GDS) image corresponding to each SEM image; defining a plurality of defects of interest (DOIs) categorizing defects of the respective defective parts; defining a DOI rule that is a criterion for determining which defects of the respective defective parts correspond to which DOI from among the DOIs; and analyzing the image to classify which defects of the respective defective parts correspond to which DOI from among the DOIs according to the DOI rule. |
| US09727793B2 |
System and method for image based vehicle localization
Methods and systems for determining a vehicle location and pose are provided. A vehicle localization system may determine a location and pose estimate for the vehicle. The system may retrieve three-dimensional map data based on the location and pose estimate. The system may obtain a camera image from a vehicle mounted camera. The system may project the three-dimensional map data onto the camera image based on the location and pose estimate. The system may compare the projected three-dimensional map data to the camera image. The system may then determine the vehicle location and pose based on the comparing. |
| US09727790B1 |
Method and apparatus for a wearable computer with natural user interface
An embodiment of a Wearable Computer with Natural User Interface apparatus includes a first portable unit for data gathering and communicating feedback and a second portable unit for processing the at least gathered data from the first unit. The first portable unit includes an eyeglass frame, at least one first optical unit disposed on the eyeglass frame for capturing at least one scene image corresponding to a field of view of a user, at least one second optical unit disposed on the eyeglass frame for capturing at least one eye image corresponding to at least a portion of at least one eye of the user, at least one microphone to allow the user to communicate via voice, at least one speaker to allow the user to receive feedback via voice, at least one visible light source to allow the user to receive feedback via light signals, at least one motion sensor to monitor the head movements of the user, and at least one first processor to at least receive data from the data gathering units in the first portable unit and at least manage the communication with the second portable unit. The second portable unit is in communication with the first portable unit and includes at least one second processor configured for receiving the at least data from the first processor and decoding a pre-defined command from the user and executing at least one command in response to the received command. At least one of the processors will determine a direction within the field of view to which the at least one eye is directed based upon the at least a history of one eye image, and generates a command or a subset of the at least one scene image based on the determined direction. At least one of the processors will provide a feedback to the user to acknowledge the user command received. In one embodiment, the Wearable Computer will function as a driver assistant and in another embodiment as a cameraman. |
| US09727785B2 |
Method and apparatus for tracking targets
A method and apparatus for processing images. A set of candidate targets is identified in a first image and in a second image that corresponds with the first image. A set of first scores is generated for the set of candidate targets using the first image. A set of second scores is generated for the set of candidate targets using the second image. A set of final scores is computed for the set of candidate targets using the set of first scores and the set of second scores. A determination is made as to which of the set of candidate targets is a target of interest based on the set of final scores. |
| US09727784B2 |
Some automated and semi-automated tools for linear feature extraction in two and three dimensions
A system for vector extraction comprising a vector extraction engine stored and operating on a network-connected computing device that loads raster images from a database stored and operating on a network-connected computing device, identifies features in the raster images, and computes a vector based on the features, and methods for feature and vector extraction. |
| US09727783B2 |
Extended depth-of-field biometric system
An iris recognition system may include an optical system having an intentional amount of spherical aberration that results in an extended depth of field. A raw image of an iris captured by the optical system may be normalized. In some embodiments, the normalized raw image may be processed to enhance the MTF of the normalized iris image. An iris code may be generated from the normalized raw image or the enhanced normalized raw image. The iris code may be compared to known iris codes to determine if there is a match. |
| US09727781B2 |
Machine vision verification
Embodiments of systems and methods for directly reading and verifying characters on a personalized document, are provided. A surface of the personalized document is illuminated independently or simultaneously by first and second light sources. The first light source has a ring shape, surrounds the personalized document in 360 degree, and transmits a grazing incident light to illuminate the surface of the personalized document. An incident light from the second light source is reflected by a beam splitter and illuminates the surface of the personalized document in a direction generally perpendicular to the surface. Light reflected from the surface of the personalized document in a direction generally perpendicular to the surface thereof is collected by a camera. |
| US09727777B2 |
Information processing devices and methods facilitating face-ID-based user login
An information processing device includes: an image acquirer acquiring a shot image of a user; a registered user information holder holding face identification data of a registered user; a face authentication carrying out authentication of a face image in the shot image by using the face identification data held in the registered user information holder; an information processing section executing information processing on a basis of an authentication result by the face authentication section; a face identification data registration section updating the face identification data on a basis of a face image extracted from the shot image; and a provisionally-registered data holder temporarily holding data relating to the face image when the face image satisfies a predetermined condition. The face identification data registration section determines whether or not to update the face identification data on the basis of the face image by evaluating the data. |
| US09727774B2 |
System and method for detecting an organic body for authentication
Methods, systems, and programming for user identification and authentication are presented. In one example, an apparatus for user authentication is disclosed. The apparatus comprises: a surface on which an object is placed; a light source configured for providing light illuminating a first portion of the surface; a brightness measuring unit configured for measuring brightness distribution in a second portion of the surface, wherein the brightness distribution is caused by the object that spreads the light from the first portion to the second portion; and a determiner configured for determining whether the object is an organic body part based on the brightness distribution. |
| US09727772B2 |
Method and apparatus for contact image sensing
A contact image sensor having an illumination source; a first SBG array device; a transmission grating; a second SBG array device; a waveguiding layer including a multiplicity of waveguide cores separated by cladding material; an upper clad layer; and a platen. The sensor further includes: an input element for coupling light from the illumination source into the first SBG array; a coupling element for coupling light out of the cores into output optical paths coupled to a detector having at least one photosensitive element. |
| US09727769B2 |
Conformable hand mount for a mobile scanner
A hand mount for a mobile scanner includes an elongated body having an upper surface, a lower surface opposite the upper surface, a scanner receiving cradle disposed on the upper surface that removably receives a mobile scanner, a scanning end, and an opposite securing end; a hook extends outward from the lower surface of the body, adjacent the scanning end, and bends towards the securing end; and a conformable wrist wrap is positioned adjacent the securing end of the body, with the body being positionable on a back area of a wearer's hand whereby the hook is received between a thumb and index finger of the hand and the conformable wrist wrap is wrapped around a wrist area. |
| US09727768B2 |
Executable machine readable symbology
A method of operating an indicia reader includes reading at least one indicia, the indicia having an encoded executable software program; storing the encoded executable software program into memory of the indicia reader; and running the encoded executable software program. |
| US09727764B2 |
Food freshness card
A food freshness card emits energy tuned to the natural frequency of fresh foods. The card may include a material programmed using scalar waves. The material may be a hologram. Information is embedded into the material via a setup that uses a wave function generator to produce resonant frequencies for the application and drive wave information from a transmitting electrode to a receiving electrode. The scalar waves between the electrodes may be subjected to a wave or field source modulating the resultant wave information received at the receiving electrode. A material placed on a receiving coil at the receiving electrode receives the resultant wave information programming the material to emit energy tuned to the natural frequencies of fresh foods. Food or liquid placed within an effective radius of the card is kept fresher by exposure to the energetic information emitted by the material. |
| US09727756B2 |
Access and protection of I2C interfaces
A method, computer program product, and system to implement access control from a master device to a slave device over an inter-integrated circuit (I2C) interface are described. The method includes generating, using a processor, a control block defining the access control to the slave device over the I2C interface. The generating the control block is performed by the trusted code layer and the generating the control block is prohibited by the user-modifiable code layer. The method also includes controlling a command over the I2C interface to the slave device based on a generated command from the trusted code layer and the user-modifiable code layer in accordance with the control block. |
| US09727755B2 |
Processing information
A method and system for processing information. An apparatus divides target information into N pieces of divided data using a secret sharing scheme in which a predetermined number (K) of pieces of the N pieces of divided data is required to restore the target information, wherein N>K. The apparatus is an information processing device or an external storage device. The apparatus selects M pieces from the N pieces (K |
| US09727752B2 |
Device, system, and method of identifying a specific user from a profile image containing multiple people
The present disclosure involves a method. A request is received from a user to participate in an electronic social network. In response to the receiving of the request, a user is prompted to upload a digital picture that is representative of the user. An uploaded digital picture is uploaded in response to the prompting. The uploaded digital picture of the user is scanned for human faces. The user is prompted to upload a different digital picture that is representative of the user if the scanning indicates that the uploaded digital picture contains no human faces. The user is prompted to identify the human face belonging to the user if the scanning indicates that the uploaded digital picture contains a plurality of human faces. |
| US09727749B2 |
Limited-access functionality accessible at login screen
Techniques and technologies for providing limited-access functionality accessible at a “login screen” (or “lock screen”) of a device are described. In at least some embodiments, a system includes a user interface operatively coupled to a processing component; and one or more instructions stored on a memory that, when executed by the processing component, are configured to: (a) generate a login portion displayed on the user interface, the login portion configured to receive at least one user access credential to determine whether to provide access to one or more authorized-access functionalities; and (b) generate a limited-access functionality access portion displayed on the user interface concurrently with the login portion, the limited-access functionality access portion configured to provide access to at least one limited-access functionality without requiring receipt of the at least one user access credential. |
| US09727744B2 |
Automatic folder access management
Methods and systems are provided for decentralizing user data access rights control activities in networked organizations having diverse access control models and file server protocols. A folder management application enables end users of the file system to make requests for access to storage elements, either individually, or by becoming members of a user group having group access privileges. Responsibility for dealing with such requests is distributed to respective group owners and data owners, who may delegate responsibility to authorizers. The application may also consider automatically generated proposals for changes to access privileges. An automatic system continually monitors and analyzes access behavior by users who have been pre-classified into groups having common data access privileges. As the organizational structure changes, these groups are adaptively changed both in composition and in data access rights. |
| US09727738B1 |
Patch validation via replay and remediation verification
A method and apparatus for patch validation via replay and remediation verification is provided. A method comprises: receiving, from a researcher computer, a report of a potential vulnerability that the researcher computer identified in a computer program application that the researcher computer accessed via a first web browser, the report comprising a record of actions performed by the researcher computer, a first outcome of the actions, and Document Object Model (DOM) events that the application outputted when the record of actions was generated; automatically generating an executable script from the record of actions, wherein the executable script, when executed, causes the web browser to perform the actions that are recorded in the record of actions; verifying the report of the potential vulnerability by executing the executable script in a second web browser and determining that a second outcome of the actions matches the first outcome that was recorded in the record of actions; determining that the first outcome of the actions is associated with a security vulnerability. |
| US09727733B2 |
Risk-based model for security policy management
A security policy management solution (such as a Data Loss Prevention (DLP) system) is augmented to enable a user to model and visualize how changes in a security policy may impact (positively or negatively) the effectiveness of a policy configuration as well as the risk associated with its deployment. This technique enables a user (e.g., a security policy administrator) to evolve enterprise information technology (IT) security policies and, in particular, to generate and display “what-if” scenarios by which the user can determine trade-offs between, on the one hand, the effectiveness of a proposed change to a policy, and on the other hand, the risk associated with the proposed change. |
| US09727729B2 |
Automated code lockdown to reduce attack surface for software
In an example embodiment, a system determines a set of instructions from the available instructions for a computer application. The determined set of instructions provides specific functionality of the computer application. The system may determine the set of instructions by performing functional testing and negative testing on the specific functionality. The system may reorganize and randomize the set of instructions in memory and write the reorganized set of instructions to a smaller memory space. For each available instruction not in the set of instructions, the system changes the respective instruction to inoperative to prevent execution of the respective instruction. The system may change the respective instruction to inoperative by overwriting the instruction with a NOP instruction. The system then captures a memory address of the computer application being accessed at runtime. The system may declare a security attack if the captured memory address matches a memory address for an inoperative instruction. |
| US09727728B2 |
Normalizing and detecting inserted malicious code
A method, system, and computer program product for detecting malicious code insertion in data are provided in the illustrative embodiments. At an application executing using a processor and a memory in a data processing system, a script that has been inserted in a mix of code and content is detected. A content-related portion is removed from the script to form a remaining script structure, the content-related portion referring to the content in the mix. From the remaining script structure, a code construct is selected and replaced with an alphanumeric string to form a normalized construct. Whether the normalized construct matches, within a tolerance, a second normalized construct in a corpus of normalized scripts is determined. Responsive to the normalized construct matching the second normalized construct within the tolerance, a conclusion is drawn that the script is malicious. |
| US09727721B2 |
Method and device for unlocking electronic equipment and unlocking key thereof
Disclosed is a method for unlocking an electronic equipment, and the method includes: the electronic equipment detects periodically whether there is an unlocking key in its surrounding environment, and when there is an unlocking key in the surrounding environment, transmits an unlocking request to the unlocking key; the unlocking key receives the unlocking request, determines in accordance with the unlocking request whether the electronic equipment matches the unlocking key, and when it is determined that the electronic equipment matches the unlocking key, transmits an unlocking signal to the electronic equipment so as to unlock the electronic equipment. Further disclosed are a device for unlocking an electronic equipment and an unlocking key for unlocking an electronic equipment. By means of the present disclosure, the unlocking key is enabled to automatically unlock an electronic equipment when it is disposed near the electronic equipment. |
| US09727716B1 |
Shared workspace associated with a voice-request account
Methods are described herein related to providing a workspace that is associated with a voice-request account workspace and that is capable of establishing a session for a user-account. An example method may involve: (a) providing, by a computing system, a workspace on a virtual machine, where the workspace is associated with a voice-request account, where the workspace is accessible to one or more guide computing systems, (b) receiving, at the computing system, authentication information for a user-account, (c) receiving, at the computing system, a request to establish a session for the user-account in the workspace associated with the voice-request account and responsively establishing the session, and (d) providing, by the computing system, the one or more guide accounts with access via the workspace to the session for the user-account. |
| US09727712B2 |
System that enforces accountability by requiring justifications for sensitive information technology operations
A method for requiring justifications for predetermined user operations may include maintaining a plurality of policies in a policy store, and detecting a user operation, via a policy module, that triggers a policy of the plurality of policies. The method may also include pausing user operation, notifying the user of the impact of the user operation that triggered the policy, and requesting justification from the user for the user operation. The method may further include storing user-provided justification in a predetermined location, and then resuming the user operation. |
| US09727710B2 |
System and method for limiting spyware activity
A system and method of detecting and limiting unsolicited data uploads. Downloaded content such as web pages and emails are scanned for web forms and/or links. A watermark is added where appropriate and the modified downloaded content is forwarded to the person who requested the content. A check is made to determine whether information received from a user includes appropriate watermarks. If so, the watermark is removed and the information is forwarded to its destination. |
| US09727709B2 |
Support for secure objects in a computer system
A computer system includes a mechanism supporting a Secure Object that includes information that is cryptographically protected so that other software on the computer system cannot access or undetectably tamper with the information, thereby protecting both a confidentiality and an integrity of the Secure Object information from other software while making an unencrypted form of the Secure Object information available to the Secure Object itself during execution of the Secure Object. The Mechanism includes a crypto engine that decrypts and integrity-checks Secure Object information as the Secure Object information moves into the computer system from external storage and encrypts and updates an integrity value for Secure Object information as the Secure Object information moves out of the computer system to the external storage. |
| US09727707B2 |
System and method for managing, tracking, and utilizing copy and/or paste events
A method of enforcing copyright rights over a distributed computer network includes the steps of transmitting website content to a remote user computer, transmitting computer executable instructions to the remote user computer, the computer executable instructions being operable to identify execution of a copy command applied to at least a portion of the website page content, receiving notification, via the computer executable instructions, of execution of a copy command applied to at least a portion of the website content, receiving identification information associated with either the remote user computer or a user of the remote user computer, and identifying publication of the at least a portion of the website page content. |
| US09727703B2 |
Software distribution method and apparatus
The present invention provides for a method and apparatus for distributing digital information, such as software applications, to application users. By providing the digital information on unused memory space of a computer system, and providing a process for authorizing access to the information, the information can be efficiently and cost effectively transferred to users. Traditional inventory and distribution channel difficulties are avoided. |
| US09727698B2 |
Method and apparatus for using gait analysis to determine a health quality measure
A method, computer-readable storage device and apparatus for calculating a health quality measure are disclosed. For example, a method receives characteristics of motion information, wherein the characteristics of motion information is based upon gait information, monitors the characteristics of motion information over a time period to determine a plurality of different modes of motion within the time period, and calculates the health quality measure based upon the plurality of different modes of motion. |
| US09727690B2 |
Method and system for molecular dynamics simulation with stability control
The present invention is applicable in the field of molecular dynamics, said invention consisting of computing methods for predicting the structure and function of biomolecules, and particularly of proteins, by means of simulating the protein folding process and the interaction process of proteins with other biomolecules in a solvent. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and a system for controlling simulation stability and for choosing the timestep used in the numerical integration of the equations of motion. The invention successfully reduces the molecular dynamics simulation time by means of optimizing the timestep choice through an adaptive control or allowing larger timesteps correcting the trajectories based on a power control. |
| US09727687B2 |
Method for calculating an effect on timing of moving a pin from an edge to an inboard position in processing large block synthesis (LBS)
A computer-implemented method for calculating an effect on timing of moving a pin from an edge position to an inboard position in processing large block synthesis (LBS). The method includes determining first timing details at the inboard position, based on internal wire segments between a signal source and the inboard position. The method further includes selecting an upper metal layer as a virtual wire between the edge position and the inboard position. The method further includes calculating capacitance and resistance of the virtual wire. The method further includes updating driver strength of a driver between the signal source and the inboard position. The method further includes determining second timing details at the inboard position, based on wire loads of the virtual wire. The method further includes modifying an assertion of the pin at the inboard position, based on the first timing details and the second timing details. |
| US09727685B2 |
Method, apparatus, and system for improved standard cell design and routing for improving standard cell routability
At least one method, apparatus and system disclosed involves circuit layout for an integrated circuit device. A design for an integrated circuit device is received. The design comprises a functional cell. A first substitute functional cell for a first value of shift of a set of routing tracks respective to the boundary of the functional cell is provided. The first substitute functional cell comprises at least one pin moved by an amount of the first value. A determination is made as to whether an amount of shift of the set of routing tracks corresponds to the first value. The functional cell is replaced with the first substitute functional cell in response to a determination that the amount of shift of the set of routing tracks corresponds to the first value. |
| US09727682B2 |
Designing memories in VLSI design using specific memory models generated from generic memory models
Memory optimization of integrated circuit (IC) design using generic memory models is presented. One method includes accessing a register transfer level (RTL) description for the IC design that includes generic memory interface calls to generic memory models for each memory instance. The generic memory call interface includes a set of memory parameters. The method also includes processing the RTL description of the IC design as a step in a design flow for the IC design by processing specific memory models for the memory instances, wherein the specific memory model for each memory instance is generated from the generic memory model using the memory parameters corresponding to the memory instance. The method can also include generating specific memory models (e.g., simulation model, timing model, and layout model) for each memory instance based on a given set of values of memory parameters for the memory instance. |
| US09727681B2 |
Generating specific memory models using generic memory models for designing memories in VLSI design
Memory optimization of integrated circuit (IC) design using generic memory models is presented. One method includes accessing a register transfer level (RTL) description for the IC design that includes generic memory interface calls to generic memory models for each memory instance. The generic memory call interface includes a set of memory parameters. The method also includes processing the RTL description of the IC design as a step in a design flow for the IC design by processing specific memory models for the memory instances, wherein the specific memory model for each memory instance is generated from the generic memory model using the memory parameters corresponding to the memory instance. The method can also include generating specific memory models (e.g., simulation model, timing model, and layout model) for each memory instance based on a given set of values of memory parameters for the memory instance. |
| US09727679B2 |
System on chip configuration metadata
A topology metadata file is identified that describes a topology of a system on chip (SoC) to be created, where the topology includes a plurality of computing blocks to be interconnected by a fabric. A corresponding computing block metadata file is identified for each of the plurality of computing blocks, where each of the computing block metadata files is to describe attributes of the corresponding computing block. The topology metadata file and the computing block metadata files are parsed to identify configuration attributes of the SoC. An intermediate representation of the SoC is generated based on the configuration attributes. |
| US09727677B2 |
Baseband equivalent volterra series for behavioral modeling and digital predistortion of wideband transmitters
A method, system and apparatus for modelling a power amplifier and pre-distorter fed by one of a wideband signal and an intra-band carrier aggregated signal are disclosed. According to one aspect, a method includes receiving the one of the wideband signal and the intra-band carrier aggregated signal and generating a discrete base band equivalent, BBE, Volterra series based on the received signal, where the series has distortion products grouped according to determined shared kernels. The shared kernels are determined based on a transformation of a real-valued continuous-time pass band Volterra series without pruning of kernels. |
| US09727675B2 |
Parameter extraction of DFT
Electronic design automation to simulate the behavior of structures and materials at multiple simulation scales with different simulators. |
| US09727674B2 |
Method of operating simulator compensating for delay and device for performing the same
A simulator includes a memory for storing a first netlist, a timing library, and a standard parasitic exchange format (SPEF) file; and a processor configured to compensate for delay to synchronize digital and analog signals. The processor includes a delay calculator module for generating one of a rising time and a falling time and a standard delay format (SDF) file using the first netlist, the timing library, and the SPEF file; an SDF file converter module for adjusting an interconnect delay description included in the SDF file to compensate for delay using the one of the rising time and the falling time; and a digital simulator module for generating an event using a first driving cell according to a compensated interconnect delay description. |
| US09727672B2 |
Fast method for reactor and feature scale coupling in ALD and CVD
Transport and surface chemistry of certain deposition techniques is modeled. Methods provide a model of the transport inside nanostructures as a single-particle discrete Markov chain process. This approach decouples the complexity of the surface chemistry from the transport model, thus allowing its application under general surface chemistry conditions, including atomic layer deposition (ALD) and chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Methods provide for determination of determine statistical information of the trajectory of individual molecules, such as the average interaction time or the number of wall collisions for molecules entering the nanostructures as well as to track the relative contributions to thin-film growth of different independent reaction pathways at each point of the feature. |
| US09727671B2 |
Method, system, and program storage device for automating prognostics for physical assets
In an example embodiment, a method of calculating end-of-life (EOL) predictions for a physical asset is provided. A state-space model for the physical asset is obtained, the state-space model being a physics-based model describing a state of the physical asset at a particular time given measurements or observations for the physical asset. Then a current state of the physical asset is inferred. Then a long-term prediction is derived for the physical asset based on the inferred current state of the physical asset and the state-space model for the physical asset. Then an EOL probability distribution function is generated for the physical asset based on the long-term prediction, the EOL probability distribution function describing a range of estimates of EOL for the physical asset and their corresponding confidence intervals. |
| US09727669B1 |
Analyzing and interpreting user positioning data
In a computer system, a pedestrian dataset that indicates position fixes for several portable devices is received, such that each portable device corresponds to a respective pedestrian. Raw heat scores for several geographic units of equal size are generated based on the pedestrian dataset, each raw heat score being indicative of a number of position fixes in the corresponding geographic unit. A selection of a geographic area that contains some of the geographic units is received, and normalized heat scores for these geographic units are generated based on at least some of the generated raw heat scores. |
| US09727668B2 |
Delta retiming in logic simulation
Aspects of the present invention are directed to improving the speed of event-driven simulation by manipulating delta delays in a system model to reduce delta cycle executions. The manipulation is performed in a manner that preserves delta cycle accurate timing on selected signals of the system, which may be of interest to a designer. Methods and systems are provided for identifying the signals of interest, and for determining portions of the design that may have delta delays retimed. Preserving the timing on the signals of interest ensures that race conditions and glitches present in the design on the signals of interest are still viewable by the designer. To reduce simulation time, delta delays may be moved from high activity signals to low activity signals, the total number of delta delays may be reduced, or a number of processes executed may be reduced. |
| US09727667B2 |
Generating a three dimensional building management system
Devices, methods, and systems for generating a three dimensional building management system are described herein. One method includes inputting, into a three dimensional graphics rendering engine, building information modeling data associated with a building, inputting, into the three dimensional graphics rendering engine, real time building management system data associated with the building, and generating, by the three dimensional graphics rendering engine, a three dimensional building management system for the building based on the building information modeling data and the real time building management system data. |
| US09727666B2 |
Data store query
Querying a data store can include receiving a query defined by a number of phrases. Querying a data store can include identifying within the data store service component metrics, service component logs, and service component events associated with the query. Querying a data store can include displaying the identified service component metrics, service component logs, and service component events. |
| US09727653B2 |
System and method for identifying and ranking user preferences
Methods and systems for learning models of the preferences of members drawn from some population or group, utilizing arbitrary paired preferences of those members, in any commonly used ranking model are disclosed. These methods and systems utilize techniques for learning Mallows models, and mixtures thereof, from pairwise preference data. |
| US09727650B2 |
Method for delivering query responses
A method and computing program for providing a user computing platform with a response to a query, the response comprising indications to one or more Universal Resource Identifier optionally with instructions on how to get the relevant information from there, and how to format the response. Thus a user computing platform receives information directly from a content provider, whose rights are not infringed by the query engine. If payment or other limitations are imposed by the content provider or by the user, they are handled between the user and the content provider, without intervention by the query engine. |
| US09727648B2 |
Time-box constrained searching in a distributed search system
A method includes receiving a search query containing one or more query terms from a remote device, determining one or more entity types implicated by the search query based on the one or more query terms, and determining an entity score indicating a likelihood that the search query implicates the entity type. The method also includes identifying one or more index clusters from index clusters to search based on the one or more entity types implicated by the search query, generating a query execution plan based on the entity scores, and performing a consumer driven search on the identified index clusters based on a set of query terms corresponding to the one or more query terms and in accordance with the query execution plan to identify a delivery consideration set of records. The method also includes generating delivery search results based on the delivery consideration set of records. |
| US09727645B2 |
Method and system of scoring documents based on attributes obtained from a digital document by eye-tracking data analysis
In one exemplary embodiment, a set of attributes derived from an element of a first digital document is obtained. The element is identified from eye-tracking data of a user viewing the digital document. A search query of a database comprising at least one query term is received. A set of documents in the database is identified according to the search query. An attribute score is determined for each document. The set of documents are sorted according to the attribute score. Optionally, a commonality between the query term and at least one member of the set of attributes ma be determined. The search query may be generated by the user. The database may be a hypermedia database. |
| US09727644B1 |
Determining a quality score for a content item
Systems and methods for determining a quality score or a user engagement level for a content item are provided. The quality score is based on a recentness score of the content item, an affinity score between two users and a popularity score of the content item. The user engagement level for the content item is based on user interactions with the content item, associated times of the user interactions, and interaction types of the user interactions. The user engagement level for the content item is stored in association with the content item. |
| US09727641B2 |
Generating a summary based on readability
A technique to generate a summary of a set of sentences. Each sentence in the set can be evaluated based on a criterion, such as informativeness of the sentence. The sentences may also be evaluated for readability based on a readability measure. Sentences can be selected for inclusion in the summary based on the evaluations. |
| US09727639B2 |
Name search using a ranking function
An approach is described for performing a name search using a name search operation and a ranking operation. The name search operation may take text as input and apply a fuzzy matching operation and a lookup operation to generate a collection of candidate names with respective probability scores. In other cases, speech or handwriting recognition may generate the collection of candidate names and probability scores. The ranking operation may then rank these candidate names using a ranking function. The ranking function may rank the candidate names based on the probability scores associated with the names and at least one other factor. One such factor may reflect whether information provided by a user matches profile information associated with a candidate name under consideration. Another factor may reflect an extent of a nexus between the user and a person associated with the candidate name. Other types of factors can be used. |
| US09727638B2 |
System and method to provide query linguistic service
In various example embodiments, a system and method to provide query linguistic service is provided. An initial query term set is received. Phrase recognition is performed on the initial query term set to determine recognized phrases. Using the determined recognized phrases, one or more synonyms for each of the recognized phrases are determined. Results matching the initial query term set and any selected synonyms from the determined one or more synonyms are determined. |
| US09727635B2 |
Combined code searching and automatic code navigation
Software code changes are facilitated by receiving as input a user query specifying a search term and automatically generating a ranked list of connected call trees based on the search term. Each connected call tree identifies subroutines that contain an identifier matching at least part of the search term or that are linked to a subroutine that contains an identifier matching at least part of the search term. The ranked list of connected call trees is displayed as a diagram. |
| US09727632B2 |
Contact builder
A web-based contact builder, management system and a computer-implemented method to assist a user in efficiently managing and communicating with their designated contacts. The system enables a user to manage existing contacts; to identify via automated means new contacts and determine if they are registered users, or to invite them to join the system; to invite and respond to requests from new contacts in an efficient “one step” method; and to set the level of access that each contact will have to the user's personal identifying information. |
| US09727630B2 |
Dynamic content delivery for real-time trends
Systems and methods for serving dynamic content (such as advertisements) in response to dynamic content requests are presented. More particularly, systems and methods for serving dynamic content from dynamic content portfolios directed to trending events and/or topics are presented. Upon receiving a dynamic content request, content classifications corresponding to the requested, published content (i.e., the requested content) that included reserved dynamic content space which initiated the dynamic content request are determined. A current trend is identified in a content classification when the dynamic content request volume for the current trend period exceeds the standard/expected dynamic content request volume for the current trend period by at least a threshold amount. When a trend is detected, candidate content portfolios directed to the trending content classification are selected from a set trending content portfolios. A content creative is selected from the candidate content portfolios and returned to the requesting computer user. |
| US09727629B2 |
System, methods, and media for compressing non-relational database objects
Method, media, and systems for compressing objects, comprising: receiving a request to write a first object including a first key and a first value, wherein the first object is of a given type; receiving a request to write a second object including a second key and a second value, wherein the second object is of the given type; classifying the first object to a compression dictionary according to at least one rule based on a value of the first object and/or the key of the first object; classifying the second object to the compression dictionary according to at least one rule based on a value of the second object and/or the key of the second object; and compressing the first object and the second object based on the compression dictionary. |
| US09727628B2 |
System and method of applying globally unique identifiers to relate distributed data sources
In a particular embodiment, a method includes sending a text string from a source device to a destination device. The destination device includes a unique identifier repository having a plurality of globally unique identifiers mapped text strings, relationship data defining associations between the plurality of globally unique identifiers, and meta-data related to the text string. Each of the plurality of globally unique identifiers includes a data value that is shared by a plurality of data sources as an identifier associated with information related to the text string. The method further includes receiving data including one or more globally unique identifiers, associated relationship data, and associated meta-data from the destination device at the source device in response to sending the text string. Additionally, the method includes storing the received data at a memory of the source device for use in searching and relating search results received from multiple data sources. |
| US09727624B2 |
Active replication with generic conflict detection and resolution (CDR)
In various embodiments, an active-active replication solution is provided with one generic PL/SQL stored procedure (e.g., a PL/SQL stored procedure) configured to handle all application tables' conflict detection and resolution. In various aspects, the generic stored procedure simplifies initial setup, maintenance and management of complex mission critical active-active replication projects. |
| US09727623B1 |
Integrated developer workflow for data visualization development
A development platform system is disclosed that provides a development platform configured to create new and modified web-based applications. The development platform may be configured to search for and select a design layout template from available design layout templates stored on a database library. The development platform may further be configured to search for and select a data visualization template from available data visualization templates stored on a database library. The development platform may further be configured to generate a data visualization modification interface and accept a client device customization input to modify attributes of a data visualization. Templates that are modified by the development platform may be stored for subsequent look-up on a database library according to metadata describing attributes of the templates. |
| US09727621B2 |
Systems and methods for servicing database events
Provided are systems and methods for determining, by a master queue service, that one or more database event records are present in a master input queue, wherein each of the one or more database event records corresponds to an occurrence of an event at a database, causing, by the master queue service, moving of the one or more database event records from the master input queue to a master output queue, determining, by the master queue service, one or more processes associated with the one or more database event records, and causing, by the master queue service, adding of the one or more database event records to one or more process queues for the one or more processes. |
| US09727616B2 |
Systems and methods for predicting sales of item listings
A method and a system are disclosed for predicting sales of item listings on a network-based system. For example, historical transaction data generated by the network-based system is accessed to create a prediction model. A feature predictive of an item being sold through the network-based system is selected. A training set is created by extracting the predictive feature from the historical transaction data. The prediction model is trained based on the training data set to predict the probability of an item listing being sold through the network-based system. The prediction model is used to rank search results, and the search results can be presented through the network-based system. |
| US09727614B1 |
Identifying query fingerprints
A method and system for analyzing user behavior as users search for items within an electronic marketplace is provided. A query is submitted by a user of the electronic marketplace, the query is processed to identify a series of actions or behaviors performed by the user in relation to the query and fingerprint information for the query is determined based at least in part on analyzing the actions. A classification for a query is determined based on the fingerprint information. In one embodiment, an electronic marketplace receives a query from a user, accesses a query classification database having fingerprint information, determines a fingerprint for the query based on the fingerprint information and dynamically modifies a user experience for the user based at least in part on the fingerprint information. |
| US09727609B2 |
Triggering hard parses
Techniques for processing queries are provided. In one approach, an execution plan for a query includes multiple sub-plans, one or more of which are selected at runtime while one or more other sub-plans are not executed during execution of the execution plan. In another approach, data about misestimate is generated and stored persistently for subsequent queries. In another approach, statistics for a database object are generated automatically and efficiently while the database object is created or data items are added thereto. In another approach, a hybrid histogram is created that includes a feature of frequency histograms and a feature of height-balanced histograms. In another approach, computer jobs are executed in such a way to avoid deadlock. In another approach, changes to a database object trigger a hard parse of a query even though an execution plan already exists for the query. |
| US09727608B2 |
Generating statistical views in a database system
Techniques are disclosed for generating statistical views in a database system. In one embodiment, a request is received to execute a database workload. One or more constraints pertaining to executing the database workload is retrieved. The database workload is evaluated to generate multiple statistical view candidates. The statistical view candidates are refined based on the one or more constraints. One or more statistical views are then generated based on the refined statistical view candidates. |
| US09727602B2 |
Database updating with latency tolerance
New data messages for updating a database can indicate a latency tolerance. The latency tolerance can constrain new data records based on such new data messages to also indicate the latency tolerance. Latency-tolerant data records can be constrained to remain in the working database for a minimum duration. Data records present in the working database can be prioritized according to prioritization criteria that increases priority of data records indicating latency tolerance. Matching incoming data messages with the data records present in the working database can be based on such prioritization. A matched data record can be updated or deleted upon successful match with an incoming data message. The latency tolerance can be applied to trading systems for financial instruments or interests as a long-life order that rests in an order book without being able to be cancelled or updated for the minimum duration in exchange for priority during order matching. |
| US09727601B2 |
Predicting validity of data replication prior to actual replication in a transaction processing system
Validating a write of a replica record to a replica data store in a transaction processing system. The source record is written to a location in the source data store, and the location is recorded in a transaction log file. The transaction processing system obtains from the transaction log file the location, and the location in the replica data store to which the replica record will be written is predicted, based on the location and length of the previous replica record. If the obtained location of the source record corresponds to the predicted location of the replica record location, the replica record is written to a location in the replica data store. |
| US09727599B2 |
Automatically correcting invalid scripts in web applications
According to an aspect, a method for correcting an invalid script in a web application includes determining an invalid reference in an invalid script. A storage location is determined in a database corresponding to the invalid reference based on a data relationship mapping, wherein the data relationship mapping indicates the correspondence between the reference and a storage location in the database. An up-to-date value at the storage location is queried and the queried up-to-date value is determined to be the correct value of the invalid reference. |
| US09727596B2 |
Scalable visualization of a product and its variants
A method for generating a scalable visualization of a hierarchical data structure is provided. The method may include mapping at least one component within a plurality of components to the hierarchical data structure. The method may also include mapping at least one sub-component within a plurality of sub-components to the at least one mapped component. The method may further include mapping at least one variant within a plurality of variants to the hierarchical data structure as an accordion user interface widget. Additionally, the method may include mapping at least one variant component within a plurality of variant components to the at least one mapped variant as an accordion user interface widget. The method may also include mapping at least one variant sub-component within a plurality of variant sub-components to the at least one mapped variant component as an accordion user interface widget. |
| US09727593B2 |
Database element versioning system and method
This disclosure relates to database systems and, more particularly, to database systems with version controlled data. A version controlled database program resides on a computer readable medium, having a plurality of instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations. The operations include defining a version object software layer. The version object software layer may be configured to read and write data of a version controlled database to a physical storage medium, maintain one or more versions of at least one element of the data, and provide access to the data. The operations may also include defining a database management software layer. The database management software layer may be configured to read and write data to the version object software layer and provide a database access interface for accessing the data. |
| US09727587B2 |
Previewing search results
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for previewing search results. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a query from a client device. One or more image search results are provided to the client device, each of the one or more image search results identifying a corresponding image resource and each of the one or more image search results including an image representation of the corresponding image resource. One or more related queries are provided to the client device, the one or more related queries having been determined to be related to the query, wherein each of the one or more related queries includes a preview image to be displayed at the client device, the preview image representing an image search result responsive to the related query. |
| US09727586B2 |
Incremental visual query processing with holistic feature feedback
To reduce communication costs and computational complexity, only a subset of ranked SIFT points within a query image for a visual search request is transmitted to the visual search server in each iteration of an incremental search. For each candidate match, a flag identifying the matching points is returned by the server for use in computing holistic (e.g., histogram) information for a bounding box within the query image including the matching points. Distance from that query image holistic information is used to reject images from a short list used for a subsequent iteration, if any. If all images are rejected or a match criteria is met during one iteration, the search may terminate early without consideration of remaining SIFT points. |
| US09727584B2 |
Refining image annotations
Methods, systems and apparatus for refining image annotations. In one aspect, a method includes receiving, for each image in a set of images, a corresponding set of labels determined to be indicative of subject matter of the image. For each label, one or more confidence values are determined. Each confidence value is a measure of confidence that the label accurately describes the subject matter of a threshold number of respective images to which it corresponds. Labels for which each of the one or more confidence values meets a respective confidence threshold are identified as high confidence labels. For each image in the set of images, labels in its corresponding set of labels that are high confidence labels are identified. Images having a corresponding set of labels that include at least a respective threshold number of high confidence labels are identified as high confidence images. |
| US09727583B2 |
Interactive physical display
According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus comprising at least one receiver configured to receive sensor information, at least one processing core configured to determine, based at least in part on the sensor information, a position of a device on a physical surface and to obtain or cause obtaining of an image relating to the determined position wherein obtaining the image comprises obtaining static content based on the position of the device on the physical surface and obtaining dynamic content based a virtual space associated with the physical surface. |
| US09727579B2 |
Systems and methods for storing digital content
An overlay content distribution network provides a consistent interface to enable the storage and retrieval of digital content at multiple storage providers (210). An allocator component (140) instantiates and destroys location and/or provider specific agent processes (240) which transfer digital content to and from the storage providers (210). Encoding agent processes (250) are geographically located near the storage providers (210) at which the content is to be stored. Content may be stored in a manner which guarantees content availability, each storage provider (210) being periodically probed by a Quality of Service (QoS) probes distributed within the network. |
| US09727576B2 |
Method and system for efficient data synchronization
Data synchronization includes establishing a plurality of target data tables based on a source data table in which data to be synchronized is stored, determining a current target data table from the plurality of target data tables, synchronizing the source data table and the current target data table, and directing an application server to access the current target data table upon successful completion of synchronization. |
| US09727573B1 |
Out-of core similarity matching
A method for storing data in a data storage system by partitioning the data into a plurality of data chunks and generating representative data for each of the plurality of chunks by applying a predetermined algorithm to each chunk of the plurality of chunks. Subsequently, the representative data is compared and sorted. Representative data for base data chunks and representative data for other data chunks that can be stored relative to the base data chunks are identified by evaluating the sorted set of representative data. Finally, each of the other data chunks identified as those that can be stored relative to a base data chunk are stored in the data storage system as the difference between the data chunk and a base data chunk. |
| US09727572B2 |
Database compression system and method
A database compression system includes and analyzer, a counting engine, and a mapping engine. The analyzer analyzes a schema of a database by maintaining a list of attributes and corresponding values. The analyzer also analyzes a selection of entries in the database. The counting engine determines a frequency of occurrence of each attribute/value pair in the selection of entries. The mapping engine assigns a condensed code to a character string determined on the basis of the attribute/value pair with a highest frequency of occurrence. |
| US09727571B2 |
Storage system supporting replacement of content in a storage device
A file replacement system includes a storage device, a host, and a server. In a file replacement transaction one or more files that are stored in the storage device are replaced in the storage device by one or more files that are provided by the server. The storage device monitors access to the files stored therein and updates an access tracking table with segment access information that pertains to access to segments of the files. While the file replacement transaction is in progress, the storage device delivers the segment access information to the server, and, based on the segment access information and file replacement criteria, the server determines a credit to which the end-user is entitled for the replaced files. The server calculates an outstanding balance for the file replacement transaction from the credit owing to the end-user for the replaced files and from the cost of the replacement files. |
| US09727569B2 |
Transitive file copying
A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture provide an alternative mechanism for copying files. A request to copy a first file from a first source location to a first target location is received. A first checksum value of the first file is determined and used in a query to find a second source location for a second file. The second file has a second checksum value that is equivalent to the first checksum value. Additionally, the second file is located at the second source location. A determination is made regarding whether to copy the first file from the first source location or the second file from the second source location. Thereafter, the first source file or the second source file is copied to the first target location based on the determining. |
| US09727564B2 |
Annotating content with context metadata
A method and corresponding apparatus, computer program instructions, and graphical user interface are provided for annotating content with context metadata. The method includes obtaining by an apparatus a first list of context metadata items for a content item where the context metadata items include information relating to devices which were nearby the apparatus when the content item was created; obtaining a second list of context metadata items, wherein the second list contains some, but not all, of the metadata items of the first list; and annotating the content item with the second list by creating an association between metadata items of the second list and the content item. |
| US09727550B2 |
Presenting a selected table of data as a spreadsheet and transforming the data using a data flow graph
The present disclosure includes techniques pertaining to computer implemented systems and methods for transforming data. In one embodiment, data sources are specified by a user and copies of specified data are received in local storage. Data is presented to the user as a spreadsheet of columns and rows and the user manipulates the data in the spreadsheet. The user manipulations are automatically translated into data flow objects and a data flow graph, which is executed to transform the data. The modified data is presented to the user. |
| US09727549B2 |
Adaptive key-based navigation on a form
A navigation learning system learns the field sequence that a given user uses to enter data into a given form. When the user completes entering data in a first field and performs a key-based navigation action (such as by actuating the tab key), a form navigation component identifies the next most likely field, into which the user will be entering data, and navigates the cursor to the identified field. |
| US09727547B2 |
Media interface tools and animations
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for displaying display primary e-book content, note glyphs and margins in an e-book interface according to the size of the e-book interface; animating “peeking pages” and glyph size during and after re-sizing events; selecting text in an e-book, entering a note that will become linked to the selected text, and representing the presence of the note on top of the primary content of the e-book as an interactive glyph according to some embodiments of the present technology; and displaying note objects, editing note objects, and navigating between note objects in a note-view pane of an e-book interface according to some embodiments of the present technology. |
| US09727546B1 |
Creating a narrative description of media content and applications thereof
This invention relates to creating a narrative description of media content. In an embodiment, a computer-implemented method describes content of a group of images. The group of images includes a first image and a second image. A first object in the first image is recognized to determine a first content data. A second object in the second image is recognized to determine a second content data. Finally, a narrative description of the group of images is determined according to a parameterized template and the first and second content data. |
| US09727544B2 |
Animating edits to documents
A notes system is presented with a content management system. The notes system manages creation and distribution of edits to notes to users sharing the notes. The notes are stored as a series of edits at the notes system. When an edit to a note is received, the edit is propagated to users subscribed to a note by a backend server responsible for managing the note. The shared users are notified through application servers associated with each shared user. The notes server includes various indices for searching the notes and allows notes to be searched quickly to organize viewing by a user of notes and identification of relevant material in the notes. The stored edits are used to display edits to a note to a user by replaying the accessed note to the user. |
| US09727543B2 |
Methods and systems for creating, interacting with, and utilizing a superactive document
A method of processing an interactive document is enclosed. |
| US09727540B2 |
Method and system of a user associating a first webpage web link and second webpage link and viewing of the contents of the webpage links by the selection of the first webpage link
A link association method and system. The method involves receiving by a computer processor from a user, a first link for a first Webpage and a second link for a second Webpage. The user determines that the first Webpage is related to the second Webpage. The computer processor receives a specification command indicating that the first Webpage is related to the second Webpage and in response the computer processor associates the first link with the second link. The computer processor stores the first link associated with the second link and generates a report indicating that the first link is related to the second link. |
| US09727539B2 |
Computer-implemented method and system for enabling communication between networked users based on common characteristics
A computer-implemented method and system for enabling communication between networked users based on search queries and common characteristics is disclosed. Particular embodiments relate to receiving a search query from a first user and establishing a communication link between the first user and a second user based on the first user's search query. Particular embodiments relate to receiving a first search query from a first user, receiving a second search query from a second user, determining if the first user and the second user fit within match criteria, and establishing a communication link between the first user and the second user if the first user and the second user fit within match criteria. Particular embodiments relate to receiving a first search query from a first user, receiving a second search query from a second user, determining if the first search query and the second search query fit within match criteria, determining if the first user and the second user fit within match criteria, and establishing a communication link between the first user and the second user if the first search query and the second search query fit within match criteria and if the first user and the second user fit within match criteria. |
| US09727536B2 |
Logic processing apparatus and logic processing method for composite graphs in fixed layout document
A logic process apparatus for composite graphs in a fixed layout document is provided in this invention. The apparatus includes a composite graph block extraction unit, for extracting composite graph blocks from the fixed layout document, a document parsing unit, for parsing the fixed layout document to obtain text primitives contained therein, a legend primitive extraction unit, for extracting legend primitives from the text primitives, a correlation detection unit, for detecting correlations between the composite graph blocks and the legend primitives, and a correlation storage unit, for storing the detected correlations. A logic process method for composite graphs in a fixed layout document is also provided. |
| US09727531B2 |
Fast fourier transform circuit, fast fourier transform processing method, and program recording medium
Provided is a fast Fourier transform circuit including: a first butterfly circuit and a second butterfly circuit which perform butterfly calculations corresponding to calculation bit-widths being different from each other; and a control means which controls selection of the first and second butterfly circuits in accordance with any one of a plurality of operation modes including: a first operation mode in which a calculation is performed by both of the first and second butterfly circuits; and a second operation mode in which a calculation is performed by any one of the first and second butterfly circuits. |
| US09727529B2 |
Calculation device and calculation method for deriving solutions of system of linear equations and program that is applied to the same
A calculation device for deriving solutions of a system of linear equations, which realizes a solution of the system of linear equations using an iterative method belonging to a Krylov subspace method, includes a plurality of arithmetic units. In the calculation device, a vector sequence xk (k is a natural number containing 0) approximating to the solutions of the system of linear equations is formed by a plurality of components in accordance with an order of the vector sequence xk, and when the vector sequence xk is divided into a plurality of different regions corresponding to the plurality of components and the respective arithmetic units are caused to execute arithmetic processings corresponding to the plurality of different regions in parallel in iterative computation of causing the vector sequence xk to approximate to the solutions, a preconditioned matrix that is used in the iterative computation is a diagonal matrix. |
| US09727524B2 |
Remote direct memory access (RDMA) optimized high availability for in-memory data storage
A method for RDMA optimized high availability for in-memory storing of data includes receiving RDMA key-value store write requests in a network adapter of a primary computing server directed to writing data to an in-memory key-value store of the primary computing server and performing RDMA write operations of the data by the network adapter of the primary computing server responsive to the RDMA key-value store write requests. The method also includes replicating the RDMA key-value store write requests to a network adapter of a secondary computing server, by the network adapter of the primary computing server. Finally, the method includes providing address translation data for the in-memory key-value store of the primary computing server from the network adapter of the primary computing server to the network adapter of the secondary computing server. |
| US09727517B2 |
Wireless docking device
In a wireless docking system a dockee device (120) communicates with a host device (100) that is coupled to at least one peripheral (110, 111, 112). The host device has a host communication unit (102) and a docking processor (101) arranged for docking at least one dockee device. The dockee device has a dockee communication unit (121), and a dockee processor (122) for docking to the host device. The dockee processor is arranged for providing at least one virtual peripheral device in a virtual docking environment, the virtual peripheral device having a privacy level. When docking, the virtual peripherals are mapped on actual peripherals so as to apply the privacy level to the actual peripheral. When docked, data transfer with the actual peripheral is controlled according to the respective peripheral privacy level. |
| US09727513B1 |
Unicast packet ready command
A method of performing an unicast packet ready command (unicast mode operation) is described herein. A packet ready command is received from a memory system via a bus and onto a network interface circuit. The packet ready command includes a multicast value. A communication mode is determined as a function of the multicast value. The multicast value indicates a single packet is to be communicated to a single destination by the network interface circuit. A free packet command is outputted from the network interface circuit onto the bus. The free packet command includes a Free On Last Transfer (FOLT) value that indicates that the packet is to be freed from the memory system by the network interface circuit after the packet is communicated to the network interface circuit. The network interface circuit and the memory system are included on an Island-Based Network Flow Processor. |
| US09727512B1 |
Identical packet multicast packet ready command
A method of performing an identical packet multicast packet ready command (common packet multicast mode operation) is described herein. A packet ready command is received from a first memory system via a bus and onto a network interface circuit. The packet ready command includes a multicast value. A communication mode is determined as a function of the multicast value. The multicast value indicates a single packet is to be communicated by the network interface circuit to a first number of destinations. A free packet command is output from the network interface circuit onto the bus. The free packet command includes a Free On Last Transfer (FOLT) value that indicates that the packet will not be freed from the first memory system by the network interface circuit once the packet is transmitted. The network interface circuit and the memory system are included on an Island-Based Network Flow Processor. |
| US09727504B2 |
Data transfer apparatus, data transfer method, and data transfer program
An object of the present invention is to prevent occurrence of data destruction when a transfer source region and a transfer destination region of data overlap with each other and even when transfer is performed using a burst transfer function. The data read from the transfer source region is temporarily written into a ring buffer, and then the data written into the ring buffer is written into the transfer source region. In this case, reading of the data from the ring buffer is controlled, based on a magnitude relation between the number of times of wrap-arounds caused by writing of the data into the ring buffer and the number of times of wrap-arounds caused by reading of the data from the ring buffer. |
| US09727503B2 |
Storage system and server
A data storage system includes a storage server, including non-volatile memory (NVM) and a server network interface controller (NIC), which couples the storage server to a network. A host computer includes a host central processing unit (CPU), a host memory and a host NIC, which couples the host computer to the network. The host computer runs a driver program that is configured to receive, from processes running on the host computer, commands in accordance with a protocol defined for accessing local storage devices connected to a peripheral component interface bus of the host computer, and upon receiving a storage access command in accordance with the protocol, to initiate a remote direct memory access (RDMA) operation to be performed by the host and server NICs so as to execute on the storage server, via the network, a storage transaction specified by the command. |
| US09727496B1 |
Bus optimization to log sensor data
The disclosure includes a system and method for optimizing a bus to log sensor data. The system includes a processor and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to: estimate a use case of a journey of a mobile device; retrieve a set of sensor configuration parameters associated with the estimated use case; and configure one or more sensors according to the set of sensor configuration parameters to operate during at least a portion of the journey according to the set of sensor configuration parameters. |
| US09727492B1 |
Log-based data storage on sequentially written media
Techniques for implementing a log-based storage scheme upon data storage devices are described herein. A data storage device is initialized by writing an identifying record. For each portion of data to be written to the drive, a first record including information regarding the anticipated nature of the portion of data is written prior to the data. The data is then written as a second record that includes at least the raw data as well as integrity verification information. A third record is stored following the second record, and includes an accounting and/or index of the data successfully written in the second record. On sequentially written devices, the information in the first stored record may be used to locate the third record, which in turn may be used to record data in the second record as well as the location of a first record of another portion of data. |
| US09727487B2 |
Cache management method and apparatus for non-volatile storage device
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method and apparatus of cache management for a non-volatile storage device. The method embodiment includes: determining a size relationship between a capacity sum of a clean page subpool and a dirty page subpool and a cache capacity; determining, when the capacity sum is equal to the cache capacity, whether identification information of a to-be-accessed page is in a history list of clean pages or a history list of dirty pages; and when it is determined that the identification information of the to-be-accessed page is in the history list of clean pages, adding a first adjustment value to a clean page subpool capacity threshold; and when the identification information of the to-be-accessed page is in the history list of dirty pages, subtracting a second adjustment value from the clean page subpool capacity threshold. |
| US09727483B2 |
Tracking memory accesses when invalidating effective address to real address translations
According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a method for invalidating an address translation entry in an effective address to real address translation table (ERAT) for a computer memory can include receiving a first invalidation request. According to some embodiments, the method may also include determining that a first entry in the ERAT corresponds with the first invalidation request, wherein the ERAT has a plurality of entries, each entry in the plurality of entries having an indicator. In particular embodiments, the method may then determine that a first indicator associated with the first entry indicates that the first entry is not being used by any of a plurality of memory access entities (MAE), wherein a first MAE can concurrently use a same entry as a second MAE. The first entry may then be invalidated in response to determining that the first entry is not being used. |
| US09727482B2 |
Address range priority mechanism
Method and apparatus to efficiently manage data in caches. Data in caches may be managed based on priorities assigned to the data. Data may be requested by a process using a virtual address of the data. The requested data may be assigned a priority by a component in a computer system called an address range priority assigner (ARP). The ARP may assign a particular priority to the requested data if the virtual address of the requested data is within a particular range of virtual addresses. The particular priority assigned may be high priority and the particular range of virtual addresses may be smaller than a cache's capacity. |
| US09727479B1 |
Compressing portions of a buffer cache using an LRU queue
Techniques are described for compressing cache pages from an LRU (Least-Recently-Used) queue so that data takes longer to age off and be removed from the cache. This increases the likelihood that data will be available within the cache upon subsequent re-access, reducing the need for costly disk accesses due to cache misses. |
| US09727476B2 |
2-D gather instruction and a 2-D cache
A processor may support a two-dimensional (2-D) gather instruction and a 2-D cache. The processor may perform the 2-D gather instruction to access one or more sub-blocks of data from a 2-D image stored in a memory coupled to the processor. The 2-D cache may store the sub-blocks of data in a multiple cache lines. Further, the 2-D cache may support access of more than one cache lines while preserving a 2-D structure of the 2-D image. |
| US09727475B2 |
Method and apparatus for distributed snoop filtering
An apparatus and method are described for distributed snoop filtering. For example, one embodiment of a processor comprises: a plurality of cores to execute instructions and process data; first snoop logic to track a first plurality of cache lines stored in a mid-level cache (“MLC”) accessible by one or more of the cores, the first snoop logic to allocate entries for cache lines stored in the MLC and to deallocate entries for cache lines evicted from the MLC, wherein at least some of the cache lines evicted from the MLC are retained in a level 1 (L1) cache; and second snoop logic to track a second plurality of cache lines stored in a non-inclusive last level cache (NI LLC), the second snoop logic to allocate entries in the NI LLC for cache lines evicted from the MLC and to deallocate entries for cache lines stored in the MLC, wherein the second snoop logic is to store and maintain a first set of core valid bits to identify cores containing copies of the cache lines stored in the NI LLC. |
| US09727473B2 |
Methods to communicate a timestamp to a storage system
Embodiments of methods to communicate a timestamp to a storage system are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. |
| US09727471B2 |
Method and apparatus for stream buffer management instructions
A method and system to perform stream buffer management instructions in a processor. The stream buffer management instructions facilitate the creation and usage of a dedicated memory space or stream buffer of the processor in one embodiment of the invention. The dedicated memory space is a contiguous memory space and has a sequential or linear addressing scheme in one embodiment of the invention. The processor has logic to execute a stream buffer management instruction to copy data from a source memory address to a destination memory address that is specified with a desired level of memory hierarchy. |
| US09727467B2 |
Preemptible-RCU CPU hotplugging while maintaining real-time response
A grace period detection technique for a preemptible read-copy update (RCU) implementation that uses a combining tree for quiescent state tracking. When a leaf level bitmask indicating online/offline CPUs is fully cleared due to all of its assigned CPUs going offline as a result of hotplugging operations, the bitmask state is not immediately propagated to the root level of the combining tree as in prior art RCU implementations. Instead, propagation is deferred until all tasks are removed from an associated leaf level task list tracking tasks that were preempted inside an RCU read-side critical section. Deferring bitmask propagation obviates the need to migrate the task list to the combining tree root level in order to prevent premature grace period termination. The task list can remain at the leaf level. In this way, CPU hotplugging is accommodated while avoiding excessive degradation of real-time latency stemming from the now-eliminated task list migration. |
| US09727466B2 |
Interconnect and method of managing a snoop filter for an interconnect
An interconnect and method of managing a snoop filter within such an interconnect are provided. The interconnect is used to connect a plurality of devices, including a plurality of master devices where one or more of the master devices has an associated cache storage. The interconnect comprises coherency control circuitry to perform coherency control operations for data access transactions received by the interconnect from the master devices. In performing those operations, the coherency control circuitry has access to snoop filter circuitry that maintains address-dependent caching indication data, and is responsive to a data access transaction specifying a target address to produce snoop control data providing an indication of which master devices have cached data for the target address in their associated cache storage. The coherency control circuitry then responds to the snoop control data by issuing a snoop transaction to each master device indicated by the snoop control data, in order to cause a snoop operation to be performed in their associated cache storage in order to generate snoop response data. Analysis circuitry then determines from the snoop response data an update condition, and upon detection of the update condition triggers performance of an update operation within the snoop filter circuitry to update the address-dependent caching indication data. By subjecting the snoop response data to such an analysis, it is possible to identify situations where the caching indication data has become out of date, and update that caching indication data accordingly, this giving rise to significant performance benefits in the operation of the interconnect. |
| US09727465B2 |
Self-disabling working set cache
A method to monitor the behavior of a working set cache of a full data set at run time and determine whether it provides a performance benefit is disclosed. An effectiveness metric of the working set cache is tracked over a period of time by efficiently computing the amount of physical memory consumption the cache saves and comparing this to a straightforward measure of its overhead. If the effectiveness metric is determined to be on an ineffective side of a selected threshold amount, the working set cache is disabled. The working set cache can be re-enabled in response to a predetermined event. |
| US09727463B2 |
Assymetric coherent caching for heterogeneous computing
A method of caching data in the memory of electronic processor units including compiling, in a first processor configured to perform data-parallel computation, a set of asymmetric coherent caching rules. The set of rules configure the first processor to be: inoperable to cache, in a second level memory cache of the first electronic processor unit, data whose home location is in a final memory store of a second electronic processor unit; operable to cache, in the second level memory cache of the first electronic processor unit, the data whose home location is in a final memory store of the first electronic processor unit; and operable to cache, in a first level memory cache of the first electronic processor unit, the data, regardless of a home location of the data. |
| US09727458B2 |
Translating an address associated with a command communicated between a system and memory circuits
A memory circuit system and method are provided. An interface circuit is capable of communication with a plurality of memory circuits and a system. In use, the interface circuit is operable to translate an address associated with a command communicated between the system and the memory circuits. |
| US09727456B2 |
Scheduled garbage collection for solid state storage devices
A processing device identifies a plurality of solid state storage devices arranged in an array and determines, for at least one solid state storage device of the plurality of solid state storage devices, a first time window during which the at least one solid state storage device is permitted to perform one or more garbage collection operations. The processing device then sends, to the at least one solid state storage device, a message comprising the first time window allocated to the at least one storage device, wherein the at least one solid state storage device is to perform the garbage collection operations during the first time window allocated to the at least one solid state storage device. |
| US09727453B2 |
Multi-level table deltas
A memory system or flash card may include an algorithm or process for managing the handling of large tables in memory. A delta may be used for each table to accumulate updates. There may be a plurality of deltas for a multi-level delta structure. In one example, the first level delta is stored in random access memory (RAM), while the other level deltas are stored in the flash memory. Multiple-level deltas may improve the number of flash writes and reduce the number and amount of each flush to the actual table in flash. The use of multi-level deltas may improve performance by more efficiently writing to the table in flash. |
| US09727451B2 |
Virtualization in a multi-host environment
Methods and systems for implementing improved partitioning and virtualization in a multi-host environment are provided. According to one embodiment, multiple devices, including CPUs and peripherals, coupled with a system via an interconnect matrix/bus are associated with a shared memory logically partitioned into multiple domains. A first domain is associated with a first set of the devices and a second domain is associated with a second set of the devices. A single shared virtual map module (VMM), maps a memory access request to an appropriate partitioned domain of the memory to which the originating device has been assigned based on an identifier associated with the device and further based on they type of memory access. The VMM causes a memory controller to perform memory access on behalf of the device by outputting a physical address based on the identified domain and the virtual address specified by the request. |
| US09727450B2 |
Model-based software application testing
A method of testing a software application may include receiving a business process model of a software application, the business process model comprising representations of elements of the software application and labels for the elements of the software application. The method may further include generating a plurality of test cases according to the business process model, each test case comprising respective links between one or items of test data and the labels for the elements of the software application, and executing the test cases to test the software application. The method may further include prioritizing and generating pre-conditions for test cases. The method may be embodied in an article of manufacture, such as a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions. |
| US09727447B1 |
System, method, and computer program for automated exploratory testing
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for automated exploratory testing. In use, a plurality of actions to be performed as a test flow in an exploratory test associated with at least one testing project are identified. Additionally, a plurality of additional options are identified for each performed action of the plurality of actions of the test flow that are capable of being performed instead of one or more of the plurality of actions in the test flow. Further, a graph is generated showing all combinations of the plurality of first actions and the plurality of additional options as a possible scope of the exploratory test associated with the at least one testing project. In addition, the graph is modified based on received input, the received input identifying one or more test flows to execute as the exploratory test associated with the at least one testing project. Still yet, the exploratory test associated with the at least one testing project is automatically executed in accordance with the modified graph based on the received input. Moreover, a status of the automatic execution of the exploratory test associated with the at least one testing project is reported utilizing the graph. |
| US09727445B2 |
Debugging a web application locally during development
A web application intended to be called by a cloud service is debugged locally in a developer's machine. A debugging session is configured to initiate execution of the web application in its intended cloud context by utilizing a reverse proxy mechanism to forward network traffic from a calling cloud service to the developer's machine. In a first embodiment, an integrated development environment (IDE) is able to establish a connection with the reverse proxy mechanism during the debugging session. In a second embodiment, a separate process is used to establish the connection with the reverse proxy mechanism where the separate process is outside of the IDE. |
| US09727442B2 |
Engineering tool, program editing device, and program editing system
An engineering tool includes a program display/editing unit that edits an official program to be run as an actual product and a debugging program to be used at the time of operation confirmation of the official program distinctively in such a manner that the debugging program is executed by a controller when the debugging program is selected and that the official program is executed by the controller without the debugging program being executed when the debugging program is not selected. |
| US09727437B2 |
Dynamically controlling erasure code distribution in an object store
Example apparatus and methods monitor conditions in an object storage system. The conditions monitored may include a load balance measure in the system, a capacity balance measure in the system, a fault tolerance measure in the system, or a usage pattern measure in the system. A distribution plan or redistribution plan for storing or moving erasure codes in the object storage system may be determined based on the conditions. The distribution plan or the redistribution plan for the erasure codes may be updated dynamically in response to changing conditions in the object storage system. The distribution or redistribution may depend on a weighted combination of the load balance measure, the capacity balance measure, the fault tolerance measure, or the usage pattern measure so that responding to one sub-optimal condition (e.g., load imbalance) does not create a different sub-optimal condition (e.g., unacceptable fault tolerance). |
| US09727435B2 |
Method and system of sampling to automatically scale digital power estimates with frequency
A method for automatically scaling estimates of digital power consumed by a portion of an integrated circuit (IC) device by the operating frequency of the portion of the IC are described herein. The method may include obtaining an energy value which may correspond to an amount of energy used by the portion of the IC. A cumulative energy value may be generated by repeatedly, at a frequency proportional to the operating frequency of the portion of the IC, obtaining energy values and adding each obtained energy value to a sum of energy values for the portion of the IC. The cumulative energy value may be sampled at a time sample interval to generate an estimate of the portion of the IC's digital power consumption that is automatically scaled with the operating frequency of the portion of the IC. |
| US09727433B2 |
Control valve diagnostics
In a diagnosis method of a control valve, position data representing a position of a control valve, and pressure data representing a pressure difference over a valve actuator, and optionally travel direction of the control valve, is measured during online operation of the control valve. The position data and the pressure difference data are processed to contain data around starting points of a plurality of individual travel movements of the control valve during normal online operation of the control valve. Finally, a valve signature graph of the control valve is determined based on the processed position and pressure difference data, collected at a plurality of points along the travel range of the control valve during online operation of the control valve. |
| US09727432B1 |
Accelerated testing using simulated failures in a multi-device storage system
Apparatus and method for accelerated testing of a multi-device storage system. In some embodiments, the storage system includes a server adapted to communicate with a user device, and a plurality of data storage devices adapted to store and retrieve data objects from the user device. The server maintains a map structure that describes the data objects stored on the data storage devices. A fault injection module is adapted to induce simulated failures of selected data storage devices in relation to a time-varying failure rate distribution associated with the data storage devices that indicates an observed failure rate over a first time interval. The simulated failures are induced by the fault injection module over a second time interval shorter than the first time interval. The server operates to modify the map structure responsive to the simulated failures. |
| US09727431B2 |
Communication monitoring system
A system for monitoring of integrity of a communication bus includes a communication bus cooperating with at least one transmitter configured to generate and transmit a signal on communication bus. At least one receiver is configured to receive a signal generated by the transmitter and transmitted on communication bus. The receiver is further configured to receive the transmitted signal as well as any reflected signals arising from non-impedance matched section in communication bus and wherein a time difference between transmitted pulse width and received pulse width indicates a distance between the non-impedance matched section and the transmitter on the communication bus. |
| US09727429B1 |
Method and system for immediate recovery of replicated virtual machines
Example embodiments of the present invention relate to a method and system for immediate recovery of replicated virtual machines. The method includes replicating a complex asset from a first site of a distributed information processing system to a second site of the distributed information processing system. The replicated complex asset the may be configured at a first time in an active operational state but in a disconnected communicative state at the second site of the distributed information processing system. At a second time, the replicated complex asset may be configured in a connected communicative state at the second site of the distributed information processing system to facilitate recovery at the second site from a failure in the complex asset at the first site. |
| US09727427B2 |
Synchronizing storage of data copies in a dispersed storage network
A method begins with storage units receiving a request to transfer a copy of a set of encoded data slices from two or more source virtual storage vaults to a destination virtual storage vault. The method continues with each storage unit obtaining a slice transfer map and determining whether the storage unit supports one of the two or more source virtual storage vaults. For each supporting storage unit, the method continues with each supporting storage unit determining, based on the slice transfer map, a sub-set of encoded data slices of the set of encoded data slices that is stored within the one of the two or more source virtual storage vaults by the supporting storage unit. The method continues with the supporting storage unit sending the sub-set of encoded data slices to a corresponding storage unit that is supporting the destination virtual storage vault. |
| US09727421B2 |
Technologies for data center environment checkpointing
Technologies for environment checkpointing include an orchestration node communicatively coupled to one or more working computing nodes. The orchestration node is configured to administer an environment checkpointing event by transmitting a checkpoint initialization signal to each of the one or more working computing nodes that have been registered with the orchestration node. Each working computing node is configured to pause and buffer any presently executing applications, save checkpointing data (an execution state of each of the one or more applications) and transmit the checkpointing data to the orchestration node. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09727420B2 |
Generating and using checkpoints in a virtual computer system
To generate a checkpoint for a virtual machine (VM), first, while the VM is still running, a copy-on-write (COW) disk file is created pointing to a parent disk file that the VM is using. Next, the VM is stopped, the VM's memory is marked COW, the device state of the VM is saved to memory, the VM is switched to use the COW disk file, and the VM begins running again for substantially the remainder of the checkpoint generation. Next, the device state that was stored in memory and the unmodified VM memory pages are saved to a checkpoint file. Also, a copy may be made of the parent disk file for retention as part of the checkpoint, or the original parent disk file may be retained as part of the checkpoint. If a copy of the parent disk file was made, then the COW disk file may be committed to the original parent disk file. |
| US09727419B2 |
Non-binary low density parity check code column rotation
An apparatus for processing data includes a storage medium operable to store encoded data, and a read channel circuit with a low density parity check encoder operable to encode data to generate the encoded data, and a low density parity check decoder operable to decode the encoded data retrieved from the storage medium. The read channel circuit is operable to perform a column rotation on the encoded data prior to storage and after retrieval before decoding. |
| US09727417B2 |
Chunk redundancy architecture for memory
An integrated circuit (IC) includes addressable blocks of memory, and at least one redundant block of memory. A block of memory includes two or more chunks of memory. The IC also includes redundancy control cells. Control circuitry is included to access a first chunk of a redundant block of memory in place of a first remapped chunk one of the addressable blocks of memory, and a second chunk of a redundant block of memory in place of a second remapped chunk one of the addressable blocks of memory, based on the redundancy control cells. |
| US09727416B2 |
Variable code rate solid-state drive
An apparatus, as well as a method therefor, relates generally to managing reliability of a solid state storage. In such an apparatus, there is a memory controller for providing a code rate. An encoder is for receiving input data and the code rate for providing encoded data. The solid-state storage is for receiving and storing the encoded data. A decoder is for accessing the encoded data stored in the solid-state storage and for receiving the code rate for providing decoded data of the encoded data accessed. The decoded data is provided as soft decisions representing probabilities of the decoded data. The memory controller is for receiving the decoded data for adjusting the code rate responsive to the probabilities of the decoded data. |
| US09727412B2 |
Memory device having error notification function
A memory device having an error notification function includes an error correction code (ECC) engine detecting and correcting an error bit by performing an ECC operation on data of the plurality of memory cells, and an error notifying circuit configured to output an error signal according to the ECC operation. The ECC engine outputs error information corresponding to the error bit corresponding to a particular address corrected by the ECC operation. The error notifying circuit may output the error signal when the particular address is not the same as any one of existing one or more failed addresses. |
| US09727411B2 |
Method and processor for writing and error tracking in a log subsystem of a file system
A method for error tracking a log subsystem of a file system is provided. The method includes: when a data block of the log subsystem is recovered to an original position in the file system, calculating a verification code of the data block to obtain a second verification code; determining whether a verification result between the second verification code and a first verification code of the data block stored in a spare space in a submit block of the log subsystem in a disk is consistent; and when the verification result is inconsistent, processing the data block corresponding to the inconsistent verification result. With the above method, given that system performance is least affected, an error and a position of the error of the log subsystem of the file system can be more accurately detected to enhance the reliability of the log subsystem. |
| US09727404B2 |
System and method for remote maintenance of user units
A system and method for remote maintenance of user units allows efficient diagnosis of failures in a reduced time. Each user unit transmits to a management server, via a network, state data related to hardware and software parameters associated to an operating mode of the user unit. The method includes: storing state data in a user unit memory, monitoring state data stored in the memory, and detecting at least one datum of a state indicating an operational failure of the user unit. When a failure is detected, state data corresponding to current states of the user unit at the moment of the failure and state data corresponding to states stored during a predetermined period before the failure are extracted and transmitted to the management server which determines a statistic correlation coefficient between the values of each state of a user unit and the values of states of other user units. |
| US09727403B2 |
System and method for detecting an abnormal condition in a multi-node communication system
A system includes a plurality of information processing apparatuses; and a management apparatus configured to: transmit Hamilton path information including a communication route information and order information indicating a position in a communication order assigned to the each of the plurality of information processing apparatuses, to each of the plurality of information processing apparatuses, and transmit a first message to one or more information processing apparatuses that are free from an abnormal condition according to the communication order, and wherein each of the plurality of information processing apparatuses is configured to: transmit a second message including information about an abnormal condition that has been detected to a next transmission destination that is free from an abnormal condition, when the first message is received, and transmit the information about an abnormal condition that has been detected to the management apparatus, when the next transmission destination fails to be identified. |
| US09727400B2 |
Method and system for timeout monitoring
Embodiments relate to systems and methods for timeout monitoring of concurrent commands or parallel communication channels comprising assigning or de-assigning each one of the commands or communication channels to a corresponding one of a plurality of timeout timers when corresponding commands are to be transmitted or command acknowledges are received respectively. |
| US09727398B2 |
Information processing apparatus, control device, and computer-readable recording medium having stored control program
A first control device includes: a switch device including a first port connected to a second control device among the plurality of control devices via a first channel and a second port connected to the second control device via a second channel and to which a processing device is connected; a detection unit that detects an error in the control devices; a first reset processing unit that performs a port reset of the first port included in the switch device; and a transmitting unit that transmits a reset instruction to the second control device; thereby propagation of an error occurred in a control device can be inhibited. |
| US09727395B2 |
Robust and adaptable management of event counters
Embodiments include a method, system, and computer program product for verifying a counter design. A method includes receiving a plurality of events within the counter design. The plurality of events can include a context event and a design event. The method also includes determining a tolerance window in response to the receiving of the context. The tolerance window is defined around the context event and includes a first portion before an occurrence of the context event and a second portion after the context event. The method further includes performing a verification algorithm to identify whether the design event is within the tolerance window and should be accounted for by a design model counter of the counter design. |
| US09727393B2 |
Method, apparatus and computer program for analysing events in a computer system
A method, an apparatus and computer program for analyzing events in a computer system, the method comprises receiving an event, splitting the event into a meta part and a content part. The method further comprises comparing the meta part by matching the meta part with meta parts from previous events. The method further comprises determining that the meta part is new, and when the meta part is determined new storing the meta part and the content part. The method further comprises wherein when the meta part is determined not new, comparing the content part by matching with previous content parts with the same meta part. The method further comprises determining that the content part is new, and when the content part is determined new, storing the content part, thereby enabling analyzing events in a computer system and presenting events as new. |
| US09727390B1 |
Invoking a firmware function
A computer system firmware is provided that includes functionality for allowing a calling application to invoke firmware functions through the use of firmware services for getting and setting firmware variables. Firmware functions may be defined and mapped to firmware variable names. When a request is received by the firmware to get or set a value for a particular firmware variable, the firmware determines whether a custom firmware function has been defined that corresponds to the requested firmware variable. If a custom function has been defined that corresponds to the requested firmware variable, then the corresponding custom function is executed rather than the requested get or set operation. A firmware setup application might utilize this mechanism to obtain information from a firmware for use in modifying the configuration of a computer system that would not otherwise be available to the setup application. |
| US09727389B2 |
Methods and systems for distributed processing on consumer devices
Systems and methods are used to provide distributed processing on a service provider network that includes a plurality of remotely located consumer devices. Each of the remotely located consumer devices includes a processing device. A service is provided from the service provider network to the remotely located consumer devices. Distributed processing of a task on the processing devices of the remotely located consumer devices occurs, the distributed processing being unrelated to the service provided to the consumers. The distributed processing occurs even when the processing devices are in use by corresponding remotely located consumer devices. |
| US09727386B2 |
Method and apparatus for network resource virtual partitioning
A method and apparatus are disclosed for network resource virtual partitioning. An embodiment method includes mapping a plurality of hardware functions at a plurality of physical network interface devices into a plurality of virtual partitions (VPs) implemented using software, wherein the VPs are configured to manage and operate independent from one another the corresponding hardware functions at the physical network interface devises. An embodiment apparatus includes a processor configured to aggregate a plurality of hardware functions at a plurality of physical network interface devices into a plurality of virtual partition aggregations (VPAs), wherein the VPAs are configured to manage and operate independent from one another a plurality of corresponding subsets of the hardware functions to serve one or more clients. |
| US09727384B2 |
Method and system for cloud computing services for use with client devices having memory cards
A system, method and computer program product for cloud computing, including a cloud server including a cloud link module or program and coupled to a communications network; a client device including a device link module or program and coupled to the cloud server via the communications network; and a memory card including a card link module or program and coupled to the client device. The cloud link, client link, and card link modules or programs are configured to allocate processing of content between the cloud server, client device and memory card, such that communications bandwidth usage between the cloud server and the client device are minimized during content delivery. |
| US09727381B2 |
Image forming apparatus and resource management method
The upper limit value of a resource amount is set for a group introduced as a fragment bundle for a resource service. At the time of introducing a group, the amount of a resource used by an application belonging to the group can be transferred to management for each group. |
| US09727380B2 |
Global register protection in a multi-threaded processor
Global register protection in a multi-threaded processor is described. In an embodiment, global resources within a multi-threaded processor are protected by performing checks, before allowing a thread to write to a global resource, to determine whether the thread has write access to the particular global resource. The check involves accessing one or more local control registers or a global control field within the multi-threaded processor and in an example, a local register associated with each other thread in the multi-threaded processor is accessed and checked to see whether it contains an identifier for the particular global resource. Only if none of the accessed local resources contain such an identifier, is the instruction issued and the thread allowed to write to the global resource. Otherwise, the instruction is blocked and an exception may be raised to alert the program that issued the instruction that the write failed. |
| US09727379B1 |
Specifying behavior among a group of computing tasks
A method of specifying behavior among a group of computing tasks included in a request to be performed in a domain of computing resources is disclosed. Method steps include receiving, at a scheduler operably coupled to the domain, a p/f request, the received p/f request including a first group and a first relationship, the first group comprising at least a first p/f group element and a second p/f group element, the first relationship defining a desired behavior of the first and second p/f group elements with respect to each other during performance of the p/f request; determining whether the domain includes available computing resources capable of satisfying the first relationship; and in response to a determination that the domain includes available computing resources capable of satisfying the first relationship, allocating, with the scheduler, at least one available computing resource to fulfill the p/f request. |
| US09727376B1 |
Mobile tasks
Activities related to data analyses are managed in part using task objects representing tasks that need to be performed. In one embodiment, a method comprises: receiving a first request to generate a task object that describes a task; responsive to the first request, generating the task object, the task object being a data structure that comprises values for task object fields that represent attributes of the task; identifying, in a repository of data objects, a particular data object to associate with the task object; determining that a first field of the task object fields corresponds to a second field of the particular data object, the second field of the particular data object having a particular value; and assigning the first field of the task object to the particular value of the corresponding second field. In another embodiment, task objects are associated with geolocation data, and mapped or otherwise presented accordingly. |
| US09727370B2 |
Collecting memory operand access characteristics during transactional execution
A transactional execution of a set of instructions in a transaction of a program may be initiated to collect memory operand access characteristics of a set of instructions of a transaction during the transactional execution. The memory operand access characteristics may be stored upon a termination of the transactional execution of the set of instructions. The memory operand access characteristics may include an address of an accessed storage location, a count of a number of times the storage location is accessed, a purpose value indicating whether the storage location is accessed for a fetch, store, or update operation, a count of a number of times the storage location is accessed for one or more of a fetch, store, or update operation; a translation mode in which the storage location is accessed; and an addressing mode. |
| US09727364B2 |
Virtual device hypervisor memory limited receive queuing
A hypervisor retrieves a packet written by a guest operating system of a virtual machine from hypervisor memory accessible to the guest operating system. The Hypervisor then adds the packet of the guest operating system to at least one receive queue associated with a virtual device. The hypervisor pauses the retrieving of additional packets from the guest upon determining that the at least one receive queue size has met a first predetermined threshold condition. The hypervisor processes queued packets from the at least one receive queue sequentially. The hypervisor restarts the retrieving of the additional packets from the guest upon determining that the at least one receive queue size has met a second predetermined threshold condition. |
| US09727363B2 |
Virtual machine migration
In some examples, prior to a source cloud migrating one or more virtual machines to a destination cloud, a migration controller may establish one or more migration agreements between at least two of a client, a provider of the source cloud, and a provider of the destination cloud. The migration controller may further sort the virtual machines that execute on the source cloud based on a usage frequency and select an instance of each of the virtual machines to migrate. |
| US09727359B2 |
Virtual machine function based sub-page base address register access for peripheral component interconnect device assignment
A value stored in a guest device register is received from a virtual machine. A hypervisor generates a page table including a first mapping between the value stored in the guest device register and a first address of the host operating system and a second mapping between a second address of the guest operating system and a third address of a virtual machine function on the host operating system. The hypervisor modifies a first access status of the first mapping to include rendering memory of the host device referenced by the value stored in the guest device register accessible to the virtual machine function, and a second access status of the second mapping to include rendering the virtual machine function accessible to the virtual machine. The hypervisor initializes code on the virtual machine function to access the memory of the host device. |
| US09727358B2 |
Failover detection and treatment in checkpoint systems
A method for treatment of a hypervisor call sequence, in a system having a plurality of hosts, includes assigning a host ID to a plurality of hosts in the system; identifying a first host ID for a host from which a first hypervisor call of a hypervisor call sequence originates; identifying a second host ID for a host from which a second hypervisor call of the hypervisor call sequence originates, wherein the second hypervisor call is a call subsequent to the first hypervisor call; and determining whether the second host ID is equal to the first host ID. |
| US09727356B2 |
Scaling past the java virtual machine thread limit
Embodiments of the present invention provide efficient systems and methods for scaling past the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) thread limit in a Java Virtual Machine. Embodiments of the present invention can be used to ensure that a received workload is executed, even if the workload is greater than a JVM thread limit of the system, by spawning a reduced number of threads from a main process, in order to provide enough resources for the effective execution of a received workload. |
| US09727355B2 |
Virtual Hadoop manager
A distributed computing application is described that provides a highly elastic and multi-tenant platform for Hadoop applications and other workloads running in a virtualized environment. Multiple instances of a distributed computing framework, such as Hadoop, may be executed concurrently. A centralized manager detects when contention for computing resources, such as memory and CPU, causes tasks to run slower on VMs executing on a given host, and scales up or scales down a cluster based on the detected resource contention. |
| US09727354B2 |
System and methods for loading an application and its modules in a client device
A method of dynamically loading a module into an application that includes receiving from a configuration file a list of available modules; retrieving for each available module, a mapping of a URL pattern to a callback function associated with the available module; and adding the mapping of the URL pattern to a collection of URL patterns associated with the application. |
| US09727351B2 |
Method and device for setting status of application
A method for a device to set a status of an application, including: acquiring status setting permission information of the application; determining if the acquired status setting permission information indicates that it is permitted to set the status of the application; and setting the status of the application as an inactive status, if it is determined that the acquired status setting permission information indicates that it is permitted to set the status of the application. |
| US09727350B2 |
Localizing computer program code
A method of localizing a computer program code comprises, with a manager node, updating a message catalog, localizing code at the manager node, and distributing the localize code to a number of client nodes. An apparatus for localizing computer program code comprises a processor, and a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, in which the memory comprises a message catalog, and in which the processor updates a message catalog, localizes code at the manager node, and distributes localized code to a number of client nodes. |
| US09727346B2 |
Selecting or modifying a thermal profile based on receiving temperature information of location of computing device in response of completion of boot process
A computing device may detect an ambient temperature and receive temperature information for a location of the computing device. The computing device may select a thermal profile for the computing device based on the ambient temperature. The computing device may modify the thermal profile based on the received temperature information. |
| US09727344B2 |
Mining dependencies from disk images
Methods and arrangements for automatically finding the dependency of a software product on other software products or components. From an install image or directory, a signature is found by deriving the same from a directory structure of the software. Further, a directory tree structure is built and an approximate sub-tree matching algorithm is applied to find commonalities across software products. |
| US09727339B2 |
Method and system for distributed shader optimization
Embodiments of the present invention are operable to communicate a list of important shaders and their current best-known compilations to remote client devices over a communications network. Client devices are allowed to produce modified shader compilations by varying optimizations. If a client device produces a modified compilation that beats an important shader's current best-known compilation, embodiments of the present invention can communicate this new best-known shader compilation back to a host computer system. Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention may periodically broadcast the new best-known shader compilation back to client devices for possible further optimization or for efficient rendering operations using the best-known shader compilation. |
| US09727337B2 |
Fine-grained instruction enablement at sub-function granularity based on an indicated subrange of registers
Fine-grained enablement at sub-function granularity. An instruction encapsulates different sub-functions of a function, in which the sub-functions use different sets of registers of a composite register file, and therefore, different sets of functional units. At least one operand of the instruction specifies which set of registers, and therefore, which set of functional units, is to be used in performing the sub-function. The instruction can perform various functions (e.g., move, load, etc.) and a sub-function of the function specifies the type of function (e.g., move-floating point; move-vector; etc.). |
| US09727336B2 |
Fine-grained instruction enablement at sub-function granularity based on an indicated subrange of registers
Fine-grained enablement at sub-function granularity. An instruction encapsulates different sub-functions of a function, in which the sub-functions use different sets of registers of a composite register file, and therefore, different sets of functional units. At least one operand of the instruction specifies which set of registers, and therefore, which set of functional units, is to be used in performing the sub-function. The instruction can perform various functions (e.g., move, load, etc.) and a sub-function of the function specifies the type of function (e.g., move-floating point; move-vector; etc.). |
| US09727333B2 |
Vector find element equal instruction
Processing of character data is facilitated. A Find Element Equal instruction is provided that compares data of multiple vectors for equality and provides an indication of equality, if equality exists. An index associated with the equal element is stored in a target vector register. Further, the same instruction, the Find Element Equal instruction, also searches a selected vector for null elements, also referred to as zero elements. A result of the instruction is dependent on whether the null search is provided, or just the compare. |
| US09727332B2 |
Information technology resource management
Embodiments relate to information technology resource management and scaling. According to one aspect, an upcoming event impacting an application operating on one or more resources is identified. A workload on the application is predicted based on the upcoming event identified and historical data about a previous event having similarity with the upcoming event. The prediction is performed using a predefined rule. A number of resources required to process the predicted workload is ascertained using a past scaling history of the application. The resources are scaled based on the ascertained number of said resources determined before the occurrence of the event. |
| US09727330B2 |
Source to image transformation pipeline for a platform-as-a-service system
Implementations provide for a source to image transformation pipeline for a Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) system. A method of the disclosure includes receiving a request to create an application for execution on a multi-tenant PaaS system, introspecting received source files associated with the application to identify at least one of a language or a framework corresponding to the application, identifying a build image corresponding to the identified at least one of the language or the framework, constructing a build configuration object, a deployment configuration object, and a networking configuration object for the application, and transmitting, by the processing device, the build configuration object, the deployment configuration object, and the networking configuration object to a master layer of the multi-tenant PaaS system to enable the multi-tenant PaaS system to build and deploy the application at one or more nodes of the multi-tenant PaaS system. |
| US09727325B2 |
Method for reprogramming a vehicle electronic control unit
The present invention is a system and method for reprogramming a vehicle engine or transmission control unit to receive and store setpoint data where the vehicle electronic control unit was not configured to receive and store aftermarket setpoint data prior to being reprogrammed. The method comprising the steps of modifying enclosure of the vehicle electronic control unit to allow access to a memory device by a reprogramming device, placing a reprogramming device in electrical connection to the memory device, reprogramming the memory device and modifying the enclosure a second time to render it weather proof. |
| US09727322B2 |
Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to deploy software applications
Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to deploy software applications are disclosed. A disclosed example includes query a user for a first parameter indicative of a capacity level needed for a software system and a second parameter indicative of a set of software applications to be installed for the software system, determine a group of components of the software system to be installed on the computer system based on the first parameter and the second parameter, determine a computer hardware requirement based on the set of software applications, compare the determined computer hardware requirement to a computer hardware configuration, indicate that the computer hardware configuration is sufficient when the computer hardware configuration at least meets the determined computer hardware requirement, and when the computer hardware configuration is sufficient, configure the set of software applications by installing the determined group of components of the set of software applications. |
| US09727320B2 |
Configuration of provisioning servers in virtualized systems
A software provisioning environment can include several provisioning servers for providing software provisioning to one or more target machines. In the environment, one of the provisioning servers can initiate a replication action. The replication action can transfer and apply the metadata from one provisioning server to another provisioning server. Additionally, the replication action can transfer and apply portions of an inventory of provisioning objects from one provisioning server to another provisioning server. During the replication action, the provisioning server can utilize the interfaces and protocols of standard provisioning processes to transfer the metadata and portions of the inventory. |
| US09727318B2 |
Techniques to identify and purge unused code
An apparatus to identify and purge unused code may comprise a processor circuit on a device and a storage component configured to store a codebase including one or more portions of programming code. The apparatus may further comprise a sampling component, a profiling component, and a purge component. The sampling component may sample the codebase and generate one or more leads identifying portions of programming code from the codebase determined to be unused during a sampling period. The profiling component may receive the one or more leads and profile programming code identified therein during a profiling period and to identify portions of programming code determined to be unused during the profiling period. The purge component may receive identification of the portions of programming code determined to be unused during the profiling period and initiate a purging process thereon. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09727317B2 |
Optimized compilation using an auto-tuned compiler as a service
A source code is pre-processed to form a pre-processed source code. The source code refers to an external code in a separate file, and the pre-processed source code creates a single file that includes the source code and the external code. The source code is profiled to create profile information identifying a hot portion having a first degree of hotness. A set of environment parameter values is determined to be applicable to a data processing system where the application will execute. At a remote optimizing compiler, a selection of a set of compiler options from a knowledgebase corresponding to the profile information and the set of environment parameter values is caused and an object code resulting from compiling the pre-processed source code using the set of compiler options is obtained. The object code is optimized according to the profile information and the set of environment parameter values. |
| US09727316B2 |
Systems and methods for skinning an application with interactive content
In one implementation, an electronic package of assets substantially complying with a standard is received from a content provider. Placeholders in an application referring to items of content defined by the standard are replaced with items of content from the package of assets. In another implementation, an electronic package of assets substantially complying with a standard is received from a content provider. A publisher is identified, the package of assets is provided to the publisher, and an application incorporating items from the package of assets is received. In another implementation, a package of assets substantially complying with a standard is prepared, an application is received from a publisher, and a version of the application is generated, replacing references in the application to items defined in a standard with items of content from the package of assets. |
| US09727314B2 |
Composite virtual services
Composite virtual service models can be defined to model various business transactions. A request of a particular component in a first transaction is identified and a composite virtual service model can be identified that corresponds to the particular component. The composite virtual service model models a plurality of transactions comprising the first transaction between the particular component and a first component and a second transaction between the particular component and a second component. The composite virtual service model defines a correlation between the first transaction and the second transaction. A first synthetic response is generated from the composite virtual service model based at least in part on the request, the first synthetic response simulating a response of the first component. A second synthetic response is generated from the composite virtual service model based at least in part on the correlation to simulate a response of the second component. |
| US09727310B2 |
Entropy source for random number generator
An entropy source extracts noise associated with the sampling of an RC circuit. The decay time of the RC circuit and other parameters are selected so that a buffer used to sample the voltage remains in an indeterminate voltage region over multiple clock cycles to generate random transitions. The entropy source may be implemented to be compliant with government standards for entropy sources utilized to generate random numbers. |
| US09727306B2 |
Bi-synchronous electronic device with burst indicator and related methods
A bi-synchronous electronic device may include a FIFO memory circuit configured to store data, and a first digital circuit coupled to the FIFO memory circuit and configured to operate based upon a first clock signal and a write pointer, write a data burst to the FIFO memory circuit, thereby causing a jump in the write pointer to a new position, and write a burst indicator associated with the new position in the FIFO memory circuit. The bi-synchronous electronic device may include a second digital circuit coupled to the FIFO memory circuit and configured to operate based upon a second clock signal different from the first clock signal, read from the FIFO memory circuit based upon a read pointer, and synchronize the read pointer to the write pointer based upon the burst indicator. |
| US09727305B2 |
Method and electronic device for information processing
The present disclosure provides a method and an electronic device for information processing. The electronic device comprises a sensing unit and a display unit having a display area. The display unit displays a graphical interface. The display area displays a first part of the graphical interface. The method comprises: detecting a first operation by the sensing unit when the display unit displays the first part of the graphical interface; displaying the second part of the graphical interface on the display unit in response to the first operation; detecting a second operation; determining whether a preset condition is satisfied during the detecting of the second operation to obtain first decision information; and displaying a speech control on the display unit when the first decision information indicates that the preset condition is satisfied during the detecting of the second operation. |