| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09736178B1 |
Systems and methods for detecting suspicious internet addresses
The disclosed computer-implemented method for detecting suspicious Internet addresses may include (1) monitoring Internet communications of an entity (e.g., an organization or individual), (2) compiling an Internet-address history for the entity that includes one or more Internet addresses involved in the Internet communications of the entity, (3) detecting, after compiling the Internet-address history for the entity, an additional Internet address that may be used in future Internet communications involving the entity, (4) computing a similarity metric between the additional Internet address and at least one Internet-address in the Internet-address history, (5) determining that the similarity metric indicates that the additional Internet address is suspicious, and (6) performing a security action in response to determining that the similarity metric indicates that the additional Internet address is suspicious. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US09736175B2 |
Anomalous behavior detection based on behavioral signatures
Electromagnetic (EM)/radio frequency (RF) emissions may be detected and corresponding EM personas may be created. One or more EM personas may be associated with a super-persona corresponding to a particular entity. EM personas, super personas, and/or supplemental identifying information can be used to enforce security protocols. |
| US09736174B2 |
Method and apparatus for machine to machine network security monitoring in a communications network
A method, non-transitory computer readable medium and apparatus for providing network security monitoring in a communications network are disclosed. For example, the method receives communications traffic associated with a sensor network from a sensor that is a member of the sensor network, analyzes the communications traffic to determine if an attack is occurring on the sensor network, and generates an alarm if the attack is occurring on the sensor network. |
| US09736167B2 |
Enhanced security and safety in telerobotic systems
Methods and systems for securing remotely-operable devices are provided. A security device can receive a plurality of commands to control a remotely-operable device in a remote environment. At least one command in the plurality of commands can include command data that is related to the remotely-operable device. The security device can receive a plurality of responses to the plurality of commands. The security device can process the plurality of commands and the plurality of responses to determine a signature related to an operator that issued the plurality of commands for the remotely-operable device. The security device can determine an identity of the operator based on the signature. The security device can generate an identity report that includes the identity of the operator. |
| US09736166B2 |
System and method for using per-application profiles in a computing device
Systems and methods for creating and managing per-application profiles are disclosed. A method may include receiving input designating at least a first profile policy and a second profile policy. At least a first application profile and a second application profile may be created based on the received first profile policy and the second profile policy. An application of the plurality of applications may be associated with both the first application profile and the second application profile. A first storage partition and a second storage partition may be created within a storage space of the computing device. The storage space may be associated with the application. The first storage partition may store application data while the application is running under the first application profile. The second storage partition may store application data while the application is running under the second application profile. |
| US09736165B2 |
Centralized authentication for granting access to online services
Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture (e.g., physical storage media) to implement centralized authentication for granting access to online services are disclosed. Example authentication methods disclosed herein include accessing an identification code included in an authentication request received from an online service for authentication information associated with a first device, wherein the identification code was previously assigned to provide valid identification of the first device during a first time interval. Disclosed example authentication methods also include, in response to determining a profile selected based on the identification code permits the online service to access the authentication information, evaluating activity information associated with the first device based on the profile to determine the authentication information. Disclosed example authentication methods further include transmitting the authentication information to the online service. |
| US09736163B2 |
Scalable virtual appliance cloud (SVAC) and methods usable in an SVAC
According to one embodiment, a system includes at least one switching distributed line card (DLC) configured to apply Access Control Lists (ACLs) on each switching interface of the at least one switching DLC to direct certain received packets to at least one appliance DLC to have deep packet inspection services performed on the certain received packets, and at least one central switch fabric coupler (SFC) in communication with the at least one switching DLC, where the at least one appliance DLC and the at least one switching DLC are connected to the at least one central SFC. Other systems, methods and computer program products for providing scalable virtual appliance cloud (SVAC) services are described in more embodiments. |
| US09736162B2 |
Document event notifications based on document access control lists
A content management system manages documents such that a document is received and stored in the content management system. Access privileges (e.g., an Access Control List) to the document are defined for one or more users of the content management system. An occurrence of a document life cycle event with respect to the document is detected and a distribution list is generated for notifying the one or more users of the document life cycle event based on the access privileges of the one or more users. |
| US09736161B2 |
Method and system for preventing information leakage based on telephone
The present invention relates to a method and a system for preventing an information leakage based on a telephone authentication. The present invention includes a first step in which a telephone-authentication data-loss-prevention (DLP) file policy is set by a generator as a user of a user terminal assembly including a server-connection terminal through using the server-connection terminal and the server-connection terminal sends the telephone-authentication DLP file policy and requests a generation of a telephone-authentication DLP file to a DLP server assembly through an internet network; a second step in which the DLP server assembly generates a contents identification (CID) by using information including the telephone-authentication DLP file policy and stores a telephone-authentication DLP file information including the CID and the telephone-authentication DLP file policy; and a third step in which the server-connection terminal or the DLP server assembly generates the telephone-authentication DLP file, wherein the telephone-authentication DLP file including the CID as a header of an original data file that is a general file. A telephone authentication is needed when a reader reads the generated telephone-authentication DLP file.The method and the system for preventing the information leakage based on the telephone authentication according to an embodiment of the present invention, secure can be effectively enhanced by combining a DLP and a telephone authentication. Also, even though data is leaked, a location of the data can be known through the telephone authentication. Also, encryption of all kinds of data such as personal information, a general document, and so on is possible. Thus, applicable objects and scopes can be broadened. |
| US09736159B2 |
Identity pool bridging for managed directory services
A customer of a computing resource service provider may utilize a set of credentials to request creation of an identity pool within a managed directory service. Accordingly, the managed directory service may create the identity pool. Instead of having the customer create a separate account within this identity pool, the managed directory service may create a shadow administrator account within the identity pool, which may be used to manage other users and resources in the identity pool within the managed directory service. The managed directory service further exposes an application programming interface command that may be used to obtain a set of credentials for accessing the shadow administrator account. The customer may use this command to receive the set of credentials and access the shadow administrator account. Accordingly, the customer can manage users and resources in the identity pool within the managed directory service. |
| US09736158B2 |
Delivering author specific content
Delivering author specific content includes identifying author specific content with tags inserted into its metadata across multiple online resources and delivering updates about the author specific content to a user specified activity stream. |
| US09736156B2 |
WLAN user fixed network accessing method and system
A method for a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) user to access a fixed network is disclosed, which includes: after the WLAN user is authenticated successfully, a Broadband Network Gateway (BNG) sends obtained user subscription information to a WLAN device; and after the WLAN device performs related configuration according to the user subscription information, a WLAN user terminal accesses a network. A system for a WLAN user to access a fixed network is also disclosed. The present disclosure can solve the problem that a WLAN network cannot perceive the user subscription information and further cannot provide differentiated services based on different users and different subscription information because a WLAN user passes through BNG authentication. |
| US09736155B2 |
System, method, and apparatus for authentication
An authentication apparatus updates a first execution information entry corresponding to a first identification information entry of an authentication target having undergone authentication processing, and transmits the first identification and execution information entries to a management apparatus. The management apparatus updates an execution information entry corresponding to the first identification information entry, and stores a first sequence information entry indicating a sequence number. The management apparatus transmits the first sequence and identification information entries to the authentication apparatus. The authentication apparatus then stores the first sequence information entry, and further acquires, from the management apparatus, second execution and sequence information entries corresponding to a second identification information entry identified by comparing the first sequence information entry against a different one received before the reception of the first sequence information entry and stores the acquired information in association with the second identification information entry. |
| US09736149B2 |
Method and system for establishing trusted communication using a security device
Methods and systems for authenticating a security device for establishing trusted email communication. The security device is authenticated by installing private security software on the security device. In order to authorize an email transaction, a transaction authorization is performed using the security device by display a QR (Quick Response) code from an authorization server on a user terminal and scanning the QR code into the security device. After scanning the QR code, an OTA (One-Time-Authorization) code is sent from the security device to the authorization server for verifying the transaction. Embodiments of the present invention provide trusted email communication. A corresponding system for authenticating a security device and preforming trusted email communication is also provided. |
| US09736146B2 |
Embedded extrinsic source for digital certificate validation
A computer uses the information included within a digital certificate to obtain a current date and time value from a trusted extrinsic trusted source and the computer compares the obtained current date and time value to a validity period included in the digital certificate to determine if the digital certificate is expired. The information included within the digital certificate specifying an extrinsic source for the current date and time value can be included in an extension of the digital certificate, and the information can specify a plurality of extrinsic sources. |
| US09736144B2 |
Apparatus and methods for activation of communication devices
A method that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, storing, by a universal integrated circuit card including at least one processor, a digital root certificate locking a communication device to a network provider, and disabling an activation of the communication device responsive to receiving an indication of a revocation of the stored digital root certificate from a certificate authority, wherein the indication of the revocation of the stored digital root certificate is associated with a revocation of permission for an identity authority to issue a security activation information to the communication device on behalf of the network provide. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US09736141B2 |
Passporting credentials between a mobile app and a web browser
Systems and methods for passporting credentials provide a mechanism by which a native app on a client device can invoke a service provider's core web site web addresses (URL) while keeping the existing session active and shared between the two experiences (native app and web flow) so that the end user does not need to re-login at each context switch. The mechanism can include a unique way for the web flow context to communicate conditions and pass control back to the native app context of the shared session. |
| US09736139B2 |
Storage of captured sensitive data with bypass of local storage
The claimed subject matter includes techniques for storing sensitive data. An example system includes a processor and a computer-readable memory storage device storing executable instructions that can be executed by the processor to cause the processor to send authentication credentials to a service to request authorization to store sensitive data with the service. The example system also includes instructions that can be executed by the processor to cause the processor to capture sensitive data from a sensor on a device. The example system also includes instructions that can be executed by the processor to cause the processor to bypass storing the captured sensitive data in any non-volatile memory in the device and stream the captured sensitive data to the service from the sensor. |
| US09736133B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing enhanced authenticity for multimedia data item
A method for providing enhanced authenticity for a multimedia data item, the multimedia data item including captured multimedia data with associated metadata, wherein the method includes receiving the multimedia data item over a transmission path. The method further includes defining path information for the received multimedia data item based on the used transmission path; and storing the path information to the multimedia data item for providing enhanced authenticity of the association between the metadata and the captured multimedia data. |
| US09736130B1 |
Communications methods and apparatus related to web initiated sessions
A client device, e.g., a smartphone including a web browser, requests a call authorization token from a web server, e.g., a web page server. The web server, acting on behalf of a company, whose web page is hosted and whose phone corresponds to the called party, screens incoming requests and decides whether or not to issue an authorization token, e.g., a signed token including an encrypted portion. The web server issues a call authorization token and communicate the issued token to the client device. The client device includes the received issued call authorization token in a signal, e.g., a SIP INVITE signal, which it generates and sends to a session border controller (SBC). The session border controller processes the received authorization token and checks the authorization token to validate the received token. The SBC establishes a communications session if the received token passes the validation check. |
| US09736129B2 |
Counter check and reconfiguration method, apparatus, and system
The present invention relates to base stations, and a terminal. The primary base station execute the following steps, receiving, by a primary base station, security parameter update request information that is sent by a secondary base station and carries an encryption algorithm, wherein the security parameter update request information comprises the encryption algorithm; adding, by the primary base station, the encryption algorithm in the received security parameter update request information to reconfiguration information; sending, by the primary base station, the reconfiguration information carrying the encryption algorithm to a terminal; and receiving, by the primary base station, reconfiguration complete information sent by the terminal. Thereby, the present invention implements a reconfiguration process in a network architecture in which a primary base station is separated from a secondary base station. |
| US09736128B2 |
System and method for a practical, secure and verifiable cloud computing for mobile systems
Disclosed are systems and methods for delegating computations of resource-constrained mobile clients, in which multiple servers interact to construct an encrypted program representing a garbled circuit. Implementing the garbled circuit, garbled outputs are returned. Such implementations ensure privacy of each mobile client's data, even if an executing server has been colluded. The garbled circuit provides secure cloud computing for mobile systems by incorporating cryptographically secure pseudo random number generation that enables a mobile client to efficiently retrieve a result of a computation, as well as verify that an evaluator actually performed the computation. Cloud computation and communication complexity are analyzed to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed system for mobile systems. |
| US09736127B2 |
Systems and methods for cloud data security
Techniques for providing data security services with respect to cloud-based services are described. Examples include a security service provider (“SSP”) configured to perform or provide one or more security-related services or functions with respect to or on behalf of some other system or service. The other system or service may be, for example, a cloud-based system that provides network-accessible services. The SSP allows a user of the cloud-based service to provide and manage one or more security-related services, such as data storage, encryption, decryption, key management, and the like. By using and controlling the SSP, the user can be confident that his or her data is being securely represented and stored, even though it is being operated upon by a cloud-based service that is not under the user's control. |
| US09736126B2 |
Authenticating mobile applications using policy files
Examples of techniques for authenticating mobile applications are described herein. A method includes receiving, at a first server, a key pair and a policy file associated with a mobile service on a second server, the policy file includes a plurality of security objects to be authenticated, a plurality of computing devices to authenticate the security objects, and an order of authentication. The method includes distributing the key pair and the policy file to a security device. The method also includes receiving, at the first server, an authentication request from a mobile application. The method further includes creating an authenticity challenge as specified in the policy file and sending the authenticity challenge with a response to the mobile application. |
| US09736125B2 |
Method and device for generating access stratum key in communications system
In the communications system, a user equipment UE accesses a core network via a first network-side device by using a first air interface and connects to the first network-side device via a second network-side device by using a second air interface to access the core network. The method includes: acquiring, by the network-side device, an input parameter; calculating, by the network-side device, an access stratum root key KeNB* according to the input parameter and an access stratum root key KeNB on the first air interface, or using, by the network-side device, the KeNB as the KeNB*; and generating, by the second network-side device, an access stratum key on the second air interface according to the KeNB*, or sending, by the first network-side device, the KeNB* to the second network-side device. |
| US09736124B2 |
System and method for secure transmission of media content
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a gateway comprising a controller to receive from a communication device a request for media content, receive a key and a record associated with the communications device from an interactive television system, wherein the record comprises a list of entitled media content, determine whether the requested media content is in the list of entitled media content, retrieve the requested media content from the interactive television system when the requested media content is determined to be in the list of entitled media content, encrypt the retrieved media content utilizing the key, and transmit the encrypted media content to the communications device. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US09736115B2 |
Firewall packet filtering
Mechanisms are provided for performing an operation on a received data packet. A data packet is received and a hash operation on a header field value of a header of the data packet is performed to generate a hash value. A lookup operation is performed in a hash table associated with a type of the header field value to identify a hash table entry. A bit string associated with the hash table entry is retrieved, where each bit in the bit string corresponds to a class of rules of a rule set of a firewall. A matching operation of the header field value to rules in classes of rules corresponding to bits set in the bit string is performed to select one or more search trees. Operations are performed based on rules in the classes of rules being matched by header field value of the data packet. |
| US09736114B1 |
Restricting mature content at a network element having an image scanner
Methods, devices, and products provide for restricting access to mature content by individuals for whom access to the mature content is designated as inappropriate. A content filter receives a communication, determines that the communication includes an image, and extracts the image. The image is scanned for mature content. A content restrictor component restricts access by various classes of users to the mature content. |
| US09736110B2 |
Method and apparatus for acquiring IP address by DHCP client
A method and an apparatus for acquiring an Internet Protocol (IP) address by a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) client. The method includes generating, by a controller, a first DHCP discover packet, forwarding, by the controller, the first DHCP discover packet to a DHCP server through a switch so that the DHCP server generates a DHCP offer packet, and sends the DHCP offer packet to the switch, receiving, by the controller, the DHCP offer packet and port information of the switch to communicate with the DHCP server, wherein the DHCP offer packet and the port are reported by the switch, acquiring address information of the DHCP server, and generating, by the controller according to the address information and the port, a forwarding rule for forwarding from the switch to the DHCP server, to assist the DHCP client in acquiring an IP address of the DHCP client. |
| US09736108B2 |
Direct transmission of data between applications in a multi-tenant environment
Overhead of sending data from one application to another by doing input and output processing can be costly. The present invention provides a method of transmitting data with a low overhead between applications in a multi-tenant runtime environment. The multi-tenant runtime detects a connection between tenants, and then performs low-overhead data transmission mechanisms by cloning data from one tenant space to another tenant space, while keeping the data isolated for two tenants. |
| US09736107B2 |
Systems and methods of online social environment based translation of entity mentions
The technology disclosed relates to adapting online social feed items according to the posting formats of each of the multiple destination online social environments to which they are posted, regardless of the source online social environments from which they originate. In particular, it relates to creating separate instances of a feed item such that each of the instances includes tag formats, social handles or identifiers that are compatible to the online social environments in which they are embedded. These separate instances of a feed item can all be embedded in a first online social environment while preserving their tag formats corresponding to other online social environments. |
| US09736103B2 |
Dynamic granular messaging persistence
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for dynamic, granular messaging persistence in a messaging system. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for dynamic, granular messaging persistence in a messaging system is provided. The method includes monitoring operational performance of a message broker and receiving a message for queuing in a message queue of the message broker. The method also includes parsing the message to extract different fields and corresponding priorities and selectively storing in fixed storage, data for corresponding ones of the different fields based upon consideration of corresponding ones of the priorities and the monitored operational performance. Finally, the method includes queuing the message in the message queue. |
| US09736102B2 |
Three-dimensional time series data
A system, device, computer program product, and/or method generates display data that allows a user to ascertain a relationship between related electronic information from among sent and received electronic information. A three-dimensional time series data processing system selects one electronic information, extracts electronic information relating to the selected electronic information from the electronic information database, calculates relevance between the sender of the selected electronic information and the sender of the extracted electronic information, and generates three-dimensional time series data for three-dimensionally rendering a relationship between the selected electronic information and the extracted electronic information as positional information of the respective extracted electronic information in a virtual three-dimensional space, where the sender, the send time and the relevance are axes. In addition, the three-dimensional time series data processing system renders three-dimensional time series data for relevance of electronic information in cylindrical coordinates and displays the data while modifying a viewing angle. |
| US09736101B2 |
Automated communications system
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to automated systems for organizing and facilitating information exchange between members of an organization. Automated systems that represent embodiments of the present invention allow for creation and administration of hierarchical groupings of members of the organization to facilitate efficient dissemination of information among members of groups. Embodiments of the present invention provide for automated and intelligent routing of information and communications among many different types of communications media and devices through which members of the organization can distribute and exchange information with one another. Embodiments of the present invention additionally provide for sophisticated logging, tracking, and monitoring of information distribution and management within the organization. |
| US09736098B2 |
Email-based software delivery
A method, apparatus, and program product are disclosed for dividing, by a processor, a code segment into one or more portions that together form the code segment, generating a plurality of email messages, combining one or more portions of the code segment into an email message of the plurality of email messages, and sending the plurality of email messages to a client to be reassembled on the client. |
| US09736093B2 |
Accessing third-party communication service via a social networking system
A user interface in a social networking system enables users to connect to and interact with each other using a third-party communication service, such as a VoIP or video chat service. A user initiates an interaction with another user in the social networking system, which passes the users' information to the third-party communication service provider to allow it to provide the requested service. The social networking system may pass an encrypted identifier for the users so that the third-party communication service does not have access to the real identities of the social networking system's users. A user of the social networking system may use this process to video conference with users of the third-party communication service, rather than just other users of the social networking system, and vice versa. |
| US09736091B2 |
Chat interface and computer program product for comparing free time between instant message chat members
Under the present disclosure, a chat interface and computer program product for comparing free time between instant message chat members in order to schedule an upcoming event are provided. One approach includes: storing individual calendars corresponding to each member of the chat; initiating a free time comparison; and combining the individual calendars corresponding to each member of the chat into a free time summary calendar, wherein the free time summary calendar indicates at least one of free time periods that are simultaneously available to all of the members of the chat and conflict time periods during which at least two chat members simultaneously have an event scheduled. The free time summary calendar may be viewed in day, week, and month view formats. |
| US09736089B2 |
System and method for enabling voice and video communications using a messaging application
A method and system are provided for enabling voice communications via a messaging application. The method comprises enabling an instant messaging (IM) presence status option to be selected; and blocking an incoming voice communication when the presence status option has been selected. A method and system are also provided comprising displaying a first instant message in an instant messaging conversation user interface comprising call status information; and displaying updated call status information in the instant messaging conversation user interface after determining whether an call attempt has been successful. |
| US09736087B2 |
Computer readable non-transitory medium, electronic mail information send method and electronic mail information send device
A computer readable, non-transitory medium storing a program that causes a computer to execute a process, the process includes: accepting electronic mail information including mail body text information and address information designated by a first user; accepting a request of a second user that designates the electronic mail information; referring to a storage unit that relates address information to human resource information of a person corresponding to the address and stores the address information and the human resource information and extracting human resource information corresponding to address information included in the electronic mail information designated by the second user; and sending the extracted human resource information to a terminal the second user uses together with the mail body text information included in the electronic mail information. |
| US09736086B1 |
Multi-function, multi-protocol FIFO for high-speed communication
Systems and methods are disclosed for buffering data using a multi-function, multi-protocol first-in-first-out (FIFO) circuit. For example, a data buffering apparatus is provided that includes a mode selection input and a FIFO circuit that is operative to buffer a data signal between a FIFO circuit input and a FIFO circuit output, wherein the FIFO circuit is configured in an operating mode responsive to the mode selection signal. |
| US09736084B2 |
Command injection to hardware pipeline for atomic configuration
A command processing system facilitates pipeline configuration. Each stage of a packet processing pipeline may access certain memory locations for processing of a data packet as it passes through each stage. The command processing system facilitates changing the memory locations in an atomic manner. |
| US09736083B2 |
Techniques for packet-switched video telephony setup with QOS preconditions
Techniques for setting up a packet-switched video telephony (PSVT) call are described. A mobile originated (MO) device may transmit an invitation for the PSVT call to a mobile terminated (MT) device. The invitation may initiate a process to reserve and identify video and audio resources to establish the PSVT call. The MO device may determine whether the video resources are available. If the video resources are not available but audio resources are available, the MO device may instead establish the PSVT call with only an audio stream call between the MO device and the MT device. If audio resources become available ahead of video resources, the PSVT call may be established with an audio stream first and a video stream is automatically added to the call when video resources are reserved later, or the PSVT call is downgraded to a VoIP call if the video resources cannot be reserved. |
| US09736078B2 |
Rendezvous flow control apparatus, method, and non-transitory tangible computer readable medium
A rendezvous flow control apparatus, method, and non-transitory tangible computer readable medium thereof are provided. The rendezvous flow control apparatus includes a plurality of transceiving interfaces and a processing unit. Each of the transceiving interfaces is individually assigned with a first allocated bandwidth. The transceiving interfaces transmit a first data flow of a network service to a network apparatus by the first allocated bandwidths at a first stage. The transceiving interfaces receive a piece of feedback information from the network apparatus. The processing unit assigns a second allocated bandwidth to each of the transceiving interfaces according to the piece of feedback information. The transceiving interfaces transmit a second data flow of the network service to the network apparatus by the second allocated bandwidths at a second stage. |
| US09736076B2 |
Device server and control method thereof
A configuration in which a device server is connected to a client and is also locally connected to a USB device suppresses data transfer volume fluctuation due to network delay, maintains the data transferring volume at a value guaranteed by the isochronous output transfer and improves network robustness under the isochronous output transfer process. The device server includes a data buffer portion for the isochronous output transfer data and performs advance reading of the isochronous output transfer data after sending back a transfer completion response unconditionally to the client upon receiving an isochronous output transfer request from the client. When the retention data volume in the data buffer portion reaches the upper limit threshold, the transfer data buffered in the data buffer portion is transferred to the device over the isochronous output transfer. |
| US09736068B2 |
Switching layer 2 (L2) flows to a correct node in a link aggregation domain
Embodiments of the present invention include systems and methods for providing more efficient switching of data traffic in networks that include a link aggregation domain. In embodiments, when packets arrive at one virtual link trunking (VLT) unit via an inter-node link (INL) from a peer VLT unit in the VLT domain, the first VLT unit checks whether the Media Access Control source address (MAC SA) was learned on a VLT LAG. If the MAC SA was learned on a VLT LAG, then, in embodiments, a special packet is sent to a VLT termination unit to have it learn the MAC destination address of the original packet on a sub-LAG from which the special packet was received. Learning the MAC destination address on the sub-LAG rather than the parent LAG allows for more direct switching of future packets. |
| US09736067B2 |
Prefix-aware weighted cost multi-path group reduction
Methods and systems for generating a forwarding table for a packet switch. The system includes a route manager for the packet switch, configured to identify a plurality of multi-path groups each corresponding to a respective initial set of routing entries in the forwarding table and generate, for one or more multi-path groups, at least one replacement set of routing entries with fewer routing entries than the initial set corresponding to the respective multi-path group. The route manager selects, based on a traffic reduction cost metric, one or more of the replacement sets of routing entries, each corresponding to a different respective multi-path group, and updates the forwarding table with the selected replacement sets. In some implementations, the traffic reduction cost metric includes a traffic characteristic. In some implementations, the packet switch participates in a software-defined network (SDN) and the route manager is part of an SDN controller. |
| US09736061B2 |
Enhancements to PIM fast re-route with upstream activation packets
A method performed by a network node. The method includes detecting a loss of connection at an incoming interface to an upstream neighbor of the network node, where the network node is in a multicast communication network that includes a multicast tree to provide connectivity from a common source node to one or more multicast recipient nodes. The multicast communication network further includes a set of one or more secondary paths to provide redundancy to the multicast tree, and sending a notification packet downstream toward the one or more multicast recipient nodes when the network node cannot re-route the multicast data traffic to allow the multicast data traffic to be received by the multicast recipient nodes, wherein the notification packet causes one or more downstream nodes to switch multicast reception to one or more of the set of one or more secondary paths to re-route the multicast data traffic. |
| US09736059B2 |
Purging failover through application controlled transit selection
Some embodiments provide redundancy and failover for accelerating and improving the processing of commands across a distributed platform. A distributed platform administrative server distributes commands to different distributed platform points-of-presence (PoPs) for execution. The administrative server distributes the commands over a first set of transit provider paths that connect the server to each PoP. The administrative server selects the first set of paths based on different addressing associated with each of the paths. If any of the first paths is unavailable or underperforming, the administrative server selects a second path by changing a destination address and resends the command to the particular PoP over the second path. Some embodiments further modify PoP server operation so that the PoP servers can identify commands issued according to the different path addressing and distribute such commands to all other servers of the same PoP upon identifying the different path addressing. |
| US09736058B2 |
Multi-region source routed multicast using sub-tree identifiers
A controller transmits a data packet to a node in a source routed forwarding network having a plurality of nodes configured to transfer data packets to one another via a plurality of links. The data packet includes a header. The header includes a source routed hop list defining a path of the data packet. The data packet is associated with a flow of data packets from a source to one or more destinations. The hop list includes a sub-tree identifier indicative of a multicast sub-tree. |
| US09736054B2 |
Multicast active source discovery and management for layer-2 interconnect solutions
Methods and systems may be provided for installing a route entry associated with multicast traffic to a memory. Client devices may be notified of the route entry for advertisement by an active source device. The delivery group and delivery source may be retrieved from the information for the route entry. Multicast data trees may maintain delivery group and delivery source information for access. |
| US09736051B2 |
Smartap arrangement and methods thereof
Methods for enabling monitoring a network with a monitoring tool are disclosed. The method includes receiving data packets and adding metadata to the data packets, thereby forming metadata-enhanced data packets. The method also includes forwarding the metadata-enhanced data packets along a path toward the monitoring tool, wherein the metadata pertains to data employed by the monitoring tool to perform network monitoring tasks. Arrangements for performing the same are also disclosed. |
| US09736050B2 |
Keep alive management
Keep alive management techniques are described. In one or more implementations, a keep alive interval is calculated by an operating system of the computing device. The keep alive interval is used to maintain one or more notification channels between one or more applications of the computing device and a network. |
| US09736049B2 |
Method, a computer program product, and a carrier for indicating one-way latency in a data network
Disclosed herein is a method, a computer program product, and a carrier for indicating one-way latency in a data network (N) between a first node (A) and a second node (B), wherein the data network (N) lacks continuous clock synchronization, comprising: a pre-synchronization step, a measuring step, a post-synchronization step, an interpolation step, and generating a latency profile. The present invention also relates to a computer program product incorporating the method, a carrier comprising the computer program product, and a method for indicating server functionality based on the first aspect. |
| US09736048B2 |
Virtual private network dead peer detection
Methods and systems are provided for detecting dead tunnels associated with a VPN. An indicator of a tunnel capability, for example, a DPD vendor ID, is received from a peer through a VPN connection. The tunnel capability is associated with one or more phase II tunnels associated with the VPN. Traffic generated by the peer is detected, and if traffic is detected at a tunnel, the tunnel is presumed to be alive. When no traffic is detected in a tunnel, a DPD packet exchange with the tunnel is initiated. A determination is made, based on the packet exchange, whether the tunnel is alive. |
| US09736045B2 |
Systems and methods for network quality estimation, connectivity detection, and load management
Systems, methods, and devices related to estimating backhaul quality, detecting Internet connectivity, and managing server load are described herein. In some aspects, a wireless device is configured to determine a characteristic of a communication link. The device includes a transmitter configured to transmit a request for a communication from a server. The device further includes a receiver configured to receive the communication from the server, over the communication link, in response to the request. The device further includes a processor configured to compute a target amount of at least one of traffic or time to receive the communication. The processor is further configured to terminate the communication based on the computed time or amount of traffic received. The processor is further configured to determine a characteristic of the communication link based on the communication from the server. |
| US09736040B2 |
Monitoring SMS messages related to server/customer interactions
A system, method and/or computer program product monitors delivery of text messages related to network traffic between a user's electronic system and a server. A capture server captures a network traffic message from a user's electronic system to a solution server. In response to capturing a request for specific information from the solution server, the capture server captures a related text message from the solution server to a text message gateway. The capture server then monitors a text message log within the user's electronic system, which contains a record of text messages received by the user's electronic system. In response to the text message log containing no record of the text message from the solution server within a predetermined length of wait time, the capture server generates and transmits an alert message to the solution server. |
| US09736039B2 |
Method and system for identifying matching packets
In a method of identifying matching packets at different locations in a network, a first plurality of packets is received at a first location in the network, and a first subset thereof is selected in accordance with a filter. A second plurality of packets is received at a second location in the network, and a second subset thereof is selected in accordance with the same filter. Each packet in the first and second subsets is parsed to extract invariant header fields from an outermost IP header inwards, until a minimal set of invariant header fields is obtained for that packet, or until it is determined that a minimal set is not obtainable for that packet. A packet signature is computed from the minimal set for each packet having a minimal set, and the packet signatures arc compared to identify matching packets in the first and second subsets. |
| US09736037B2 |
Device management system
A device management system includes a system management information handling system (IHS) that is coupled to a network. A first device is included in the device management system and is not configured to communicate with the system management IHS. A plurality of user IHSs are each configured to communicatively couple to the first device and are each configured to communicatively couple to the system management IHS through the network. Each of the plurality of user IHSs is configured to retrieve device information from the first device when that user IHS is communicatively coupled to the first device. Each of the plurality of user IHSs is configured to provide the device information for the first device to the system management IHS when that user IHS is communicatively coupled to the system management IHS through the network. |
| US09736025B2 |
Determining service dependencies for configuration items
Systems, apparatus, methods, and computer program products for determining which of a plurality of services provided by a production environment depend on which of a plurality of configuration items in the production environment are disclosed. A processor executes computer-readable code to obtain status data for the plurality configuration items utilizing the one or more monitoring tools, integrate the status data for the plurality of configuration items to generate a model of the production environment that identifies the plurality of configuration items in the production environment and their dependencies on one another, and utilize the status data for the plurality of configuration items to identify a channel of configuration items for each of the plurality of services, wherein the channel for each of the plurality of services comprises two or more of the plurality of configuration items that currently are being utilized to provide that service. |
| US09736024B2 |
Registering devices for network access
Methods, systems, and computer program products are disclosed for registering devices for network access. Embodiments include receiving, by a registration module, a media access control (MAC) address associated with a network adapter of a device; registering, by the registration module, the device, including associating the MAC address with a guest account at or before the time of registration of a guest; and allowing, by the registration module, the registered device to access a network. |
| US09736016B2 |
Managing failure behavior for computing nodes of provided computer networks
Techniques are described for providing managed computer networks. In some situations, the techniques include managing communications for computing nodes of a managed computer network by using one or more particular computing nodes of the managed computer network that are configured to operate as intermediate destinations to handle at least some communications that are sent by and/or directed to one or more other computing nodes of the managed computer network. In addition, the techniques may include managing the communications in accordance with configured failure behavior specified for one or more computing nodes of the computer network, such as specified failure behavior for a computing node configured to operate as an intermediate destination that indicates how communications that would otherwise be routed via the intermediate destination computing node are to be handled if the intermediate destination computing node fails or is otherwise unavailable (e.g., to block or allow such communications). |
| US09736014B2 |
Customizable serviceability mechanism
An approach is provided in which a mobile device collects serviceability data from applications executing on the mobile device based upon one or more serviceability state changes provided by a server. The mobile device filters the collected serviceability data according to one or more collection filter rules provided by the server and, in turn, sends the filtered serviceability data to the server accordingly. |
| US09736012B2 |
System and method for sharing storage resources
A network includes a management module with a first root complex, a first server with a first endpoint coupled to the first root complex, and a second server with a second root complex, a second endpoint coupled to the second root complex, a third endpoint coupled to the first root complex, and a bridge coupled to the second endpoint and to the third endpoint. A method includes discovering a PCIe host bridge adapter (PHBA) and a storage resource coupled to multiple storage extents in a PCIe domain, creating a first virtual function on the storage resource and sending a first identifier for the first virtual function to the PHBA. A network interface device includes a PCIe endpoint that is coupleable to a PCIe root complex, another PCIe endpoint that is coupleable to another PCIe root complex, and a bridge that couples the first PCIe endpoint with the second PCIe endpoint. |
| US09736009B2 |
Web services and telecom network management unification
A method of unifying web services and telecom network management is described. The method comprises exporting an external model representation of at least one entity of a service oriented architecture of a service oriented architecture manager and importing the exported external model representation of the at least one entity as a network management data model entity of a network manager. The method further comprises subscribing, by the network manager, to subsequent updates of the at least one entity. |
| US09736007B1 |
Method and apparatus for automated data protection with IT infrastructure visibility
IT organizations are challenged with maintaining data application and availability while satisfying service level agreements and compliance requirements. Unprecedented data growth is straining IT resources requiring greater investments, while capital and operational expenses are under scrutiny. Given this tension, IT organizations are seeking efficiency and optimization to regain control and meet business SLAs. Example embodiments of the present invention provide a method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for performing automated data protection with information technology (IT) infrastructure visibility. The method comprises receiving input regarding a desired state of a data protection environment for an IT infrastructure and creating a data protection environment according to the desired state of the data protection environment. |
| US09736005B2 |
Duplicate IP address detection by a DHCP relay agent
Techniques are described for detecting duplicate IP addresses at a DHCP relay agent. Embodiments identify a list of DHCP clients that have valid IP address leases from one or more DHCP servers. Additionally, network traffic from a first node passing through the DHCP relay agent is monitored. Embodiments then determine whether the first node is using a duplicate IP address, based on the monitored network traffic and the identified list of DHCP clients. |
| US09735998B2 |
Transmission point indication in coordinated multi-point system
Embodiments of the present disclosure describe devices, methods, computer-readable media and systems configurations for transmission point indication in a coordinated multipoint (CoMP) system. A user equipment (UE) may receive common reference signal (CRS) parameters associated with individual base stations of a CoMP measurement set. The UE may also receive a transmission point index corresponding to a first base station of the CoMP measurement set that is scheduled for communications with the UE. A mapping module of the UE may produce a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) mapping pattern based on the CRS parameters associated with the scheduled base station. |
| US09735997B2 |
Method, device and computer program for correcting a frequency shift on symbols received by a receiver
The present invention concerns a method for correcting a frequency shift on symbols received by a receiver, each symbol being composed of N samples and of a cyclic prefix of a predetermined number Δ samples, the Δ samples being a copy of Δ samples of the N samples. The receiver: —calculates for each symbol, a correlation between at most the Δ samples of the cyclic prefix and the at most Δ samples among the last samples, —averages the correlations over a number of symbols and determines one smooth frequency shift estimation for each averaged correlation, —calculates an exponential from the smooth frequency shift estimation, delays the received symbols by a delay, —multiplies the exponential by the delayed received symbols. |
| US09735990B2 |
Soft decision value generating apparatus and method of generating soft decision value
There are provided a hard decision value calculator that calculates hard decision values from I-ch and Q-ch coordinates of a received symbol having been subjected to multilevel modulation, and an LLR calculator that approximately calculates LLRs from the I-ch and Q-ch coordinates of the received symbol. In a case where a sign bit of an LLR calculated by the LLR calculator conflicts with a hard decision value calculated by the hard decision value calculator, an LLR corrector inverts the sign bit of the LLR and outputs the sign-bit-inverted LLR as a soft decision value to an error correction decoder. |
| US09735987B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for determining a demodulation reference sequence for an intercell interfering signal received from a mobile device in a long term evolution communication system
Methods and systems are described for determining a Demodulation Reference Sequence (DMRS) for an intercell interfering signal received from a mobile device in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication system. In one aspect, an interfering signal transmitted from a mobile device being served by a second cell of an LTE communication system is received at a receiver serving a first cell in the LTE communication system. At least one transmit parameter is detected from the received interfering signal. A DMRS for the received interfering signal is determined based on the detected transmit parameter. |
| US09735982B2 |
Switch apparatus, VLAN setting management method, and program
A switch apparatus includes: a plurality of ports; a VLAN setting management unit storing entries, in each of which VLAN information and at least one of the plurality of ports are associated with each other, and adding or updating, if an entry corresponding to a combination of VLAN information included in a packet received from a port and the reception port of the packet is not stored, a corresponding entry for the received packet; and a functional unit notifying a predetermined control apparatus of an added or updated content of the entry. |
| US09735979B2 |
System for providing access to the internet
A system for providing access to the internet, comprises a network of routers (R) hereinafter designated “new routers”) wherein each new router (R) has a CPU (112) that has, or is associated with, a public area (142) that allows simultaneous access to the new router's CPU by more than one user account. The system is so arranged that a pre-registered user with a user account identified by an identifier, typically a user name and/or password, can access the internet from any new router (R) in the network by connecting to the public area (142) of the new router's CPU (112) and entering the account identifier of the pre-registered user account. |
| US09735975B2 |
Method, apparatus, and computer program product for providing internet protocol multicast transport
An apparatus for providing IP multicast transport may include a processor and a memory. The memory may store exécutable instructions that in response to exécution by the processor cause the apparatus to at least perform opérations including receiving a key for encapsulation of multicast data at a base station, using the key to generate a response to a message indicative of a multicast connection for a particular service received from a gateway device, the base station being joined to a same multicast tree in a multicast-broadcast zone as the gateway device, and establishing the multicast connection with the gateway device via a multicast data path comprising a multicast tunnel associated with the key. Corresponding methods and computer program products are also provided. |
| US09735970B1 |
Techniques for secure voice communication
A secured audio apparatus (SAA) for providing secured communications between a local device and a remote device and a method for authenticating a local secured audio apparatus (SAA) associated with a local device to a remote SAA associated with a remote device are presented. The SAA includes a processing unit; and a memory, the memory containing instructions that, when executed by the processing unit, configure the SAA to: receive a remote certificate fingerprint from a remote SAA of the remote device; obtain a verified certificate based on the remote certificate fingerprint; generate an ephemeral key based on the obtained certificate, wherein the ephemeral key is used to encrypt and decrypt communications between the local SAA and the remote SAA; and secure audio communications between the local device and the remote device based on the generated ephemeral key. |
| US09735966B2 |
Secure transmission
A method for providing evidential data is disclosed. The method includes establishing one or more first secret tokens with a server; obtaining one or more data items from one or more sensors; modifying the one or more data items with at least one of the one or more first secret tokens to provide one or more modified data items; generating a respective first hash value for each of the one or more modified data items; generating a second hash value for a data set including each of the one or more data items; and transmitting the one or more data items, the one or more first hash values, and the second hash value to the server. |
| US09735965B1 |
Systems and methods for protecting notification messages
The disclosed computer-implemented method for protecting notification messages may include (1) identifying at least a portion of a notification message to be protected from modification, (2) using a hash function to calculate a hash of the portion of the notification message, (3) encrypting the hash, (4) adding the encrypted hash to the notification message, and (5) transmitting the notification message to a client that is configured to verify that the portion of the message has not been modified by (a) decrypting the encrypted hash, (b) using the hash function to recalculate the hash of the portion of the notification message, and (c) verifying that the decrypted hash is the same as the recalculated hash. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US09735955B2 |
Optical cryptography systems and methods
Systems and methods for sharing data between a first node and second node are disclosed. The methods may include sharing a first initialization vector between a first node and a second node using a multi-stage cryptography protocol. A first bit stream of first information may be passed from the first node to the second node using a single-stage cryptography protocol that encodes a message with the first initialization vector. |
| US09735953B2 |
Side channel analysis resistant architecture
A distributed technique for implementing a cryptographic process performs operations in parallel on both valid and irrelevant data to prevent differentiation of the operations based on an encryption key content. A control entity switches or points valid data to appropriate CPU(s) that are responsible for operations such as squaring or multiplying. Irrelevant data is also switched or pointed to appropriate CPU(s) that execute operations in parallel with the CPU(s) operating on the valid data. The distributed technique contributes to obscuring side channel analysis phenomena from observation, such that cryptographic operations cannot easily be tied to the content of the encryption key. |
| US09735952B2 |
Calibration of dynamic error in high resolution digital-to-time converters
A calibration system operates to calibrate or correct a digital-to-time converter (DTC) that comprises a detector component and a distortion correction component. The DTC can receive one or more signals and a digital code to generate a modulation signal by controlling an offset of the one or more signals based on the digital code. The detector component can comprise a TDC or another DTC that operates to measure a dynamic behavior in response to detecting nonlinearities of the modulation signal. The distortion correction component can generate a set of distortion data that removes the dynamic behavior from an output of the DTC based on the measurement. |
| US09735951B2 |
System and method for remote clock estimation for reliable communications
An electronic device is provided including a processor, a communications interface coupled to the processor, a memory coupled to the processor, and a module saved in the memory. The module configures the processor to receive a first communications packet from a remote device via the communications interface including information useful for estimating a clock offset of the remote device, and determine an upper bound of the clock offset of the remote device with respect to the electronic device based on the information. |
| US09735942B2 |
Physical broadcast channel (PBCH) coverage enhancements for machine type communications (MTC)
Aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques and apparatus for physical broadcast channel (PBCH) coverage enhancements, for example, for machine type communications (MTC). In aspects, the PBCH coverage enhancements may be applied by non-MTC devices. A method for wireless communications typically performed by a base station (BS) is provided. The method generally includes determining a set of resources for a new physical broadcast channel (PBCH) with enhanced coverage relative to a legacy PBCH and communicating to at least one user equipment (UE) based on the determined set of resources for the new PBCH. In aspects, the new PBCH may be transmitted on a subframe allocated for communicating with MTC devices (MTC subframe). |
| US09735941B2 |
Interference measurement indication method, interference measurement method, related device, and communication system
Embodiments of the present invention disclose an interference measurement indication method, an interference measurement method, a related device, and a communication system. The interference measurement indication method includes: transmitting, by a base station, at least one piece of first-type channel state information reference signal CSI-RS configuration signaling to a user equipment UE, where the at least one piece of first-type CSI-RS configuration signaling indicates a first resource set used for CSI-RS transmission; and transmitting, by the base station, at least one piece of second-type CSI-RS configuration signaling to the UE, where a second resource set used for CSI-RS transmission, which is indicated by the at least one piece of second-type CSI-RS configuration signaling, is a subset of the first resource set. Technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present invention help improve the flexibility of interference measurement of the UE. |
| US09735939B2 |
Network node, user equipment and methods therein for transmitting and receiving control information
A method in a network node for transmitting control information to a user equipment in a telecommunications system is provided. The control information is scheduled in time intervals of a downlink shared data channel, wherein the control information is allocated resource elements in resource blocks of a time-frequency Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing, OFDM, grid in the time intervals in which the control information is scheduled. The network node determines for a time interval, a set of user equipments for which control information is scheduled in the time interval. Also, it selects for a user equipment comprised in the determined set of user equipments, at least one group of user equipments amongst one or more groups of user equipments to which the user equipment is assigned. It also prepares a group signal corresponding to the selected one group of user equipments by allocating resource elements in the resource blocks of the time interval to the group signal. Furthermore, the network node transmits the prepared group signal in the allocated resource element in the time interval to the user equipment such that the user equipment is enabled to determine whether the control information that is allocated resource elements in the time interval is intended for the user equipment or not.A network node, a method in user equipment and a user equipment are also provided. |
| US09735936B2 |
Channel state information transmission/reception method and apparatus for use in wireless communication system
A method and an apparatus for transmitting/receiving channel state information for use in multi-antenna system are provided. A signal communication method of a base station having a plurality of antennas in a wireless communication system includes determining antenna ports of first and second directions based on directions of the plurality of antennas, allocating channel measurement resources for the respective antenna ports to a terminal, transmitting a feedback configuration to the terminal according to the channel measurement resources, and receiving feedback information from the terminal based on the channel measurement resource and the feedback configuration. The signal transmission/reception method and apparatus are advantageous in transmitting/receiving channel state information efficiently in the system using a plurality of antennas. |
| US09735934B2 |
Radio station, radio terminal, and method for controling transmission timing in radio communication system
A radio station, a radio terminal, and a method for transmission timing control in a radio communications system are provided that facilitate uplink-signal synchronization management in a plurality of cell groups. The radio station (10) calculates uplink-signal transmission timing adjustment values TA1 and TA2 for respective cell groups (1, 2), each of which includes at least one cell including an available uplink radio resource, and notifies the calculated uplink-signal transmission timing adjustment values TA1 and TA2 to the radio terminal (20) at a time. |
| US09735933B2 |
Method for receiving or transmitting downlink signal in wireless communication system and device therefor
One embodiment of the present invention discloses a method for receiving a downlink signal in a wireless communication system that supports coordinated multiple-point transmission and reception (CoMP), and the method comprises the steps of: receiving downlink control information that contains a plurality of resource allocation parts from a base station; and acquiring information on whether it can be assumed that an antenna port(s) of a particular reference signal and an antenna port (s) of a demodulation reference signal associated with each of the plurality of resource allocation parts are quasi co-located (QCL). |
| US09735932B2 |
Open loop MIMO mode for LTE-A uplink
A precoding scheme to accommodate user equipment (UEs) having higher Doppler speeds. In such transmission schemes, a different precoding matrix is applied to each orthogonal frequency division multiplex (OFDM) symbol in the transmission stream. Additionally, a downlink control message format is defined to handle assignment of multiple different transmission schemes using the same message format. The downlink control message format includes a control element in one of the message fields along with a set of parameters specifically applicable to the assigned transmission scheme. Based on the value of this control element, the UE sets the specific transmission scheme and determines a set of interpretation rules uniquely associated with that transmission scheme. Using the interpretation rules, the UE is able to read the set of parameters as applied to the selected transmission scheme. |
| US09735921B2 |
Ultra-high speed optical transport employing LDPC-coded modulation with non-uniform signaling
A low-density parity-check (LDPC) coded bit-interleaved coded modulation with iterative decoding (BICM-ID) scheme with nonuniform signaling which is effected by mapping simple variable-length prefix codes onto the constellation. By employing Huffman procedure(s), prefix codes can be designed to approach optimal performance. Experimental evaluations of the schemes demonstrate that the nonuniform scheme performs better than 8-QAM by at least 8.8 dB. |
| US09735920B2 |
Efficiently identifying system waveform in uplink transmission
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate indicating a type of waveform utilized for uplink transmission in a wireless communication environment. An access terminal can select a type of waveform from a set of possible waveform types. Moreover, a reference signal can be generated based upon the selected type of waveform. For instance, a sequence employed to yield the reference signal can be generated and/or chosen as a function of the selected type of waveform. According to another illustration, a tone location and/or a symbol location of the reference signal can as part of the uplink transmission to the base station from the access terminal. The base station can detect the selected type of waveform utilized by the access terminal for the uplink transmission based upon parameter(s) recognized from the reference signal. |
| US09735916B2 |
Optical receiver, optical signal processing method, and optical transmission system
An optical receiver includes: an optical brancher configured to branch polarization multiplexed light to a first polarization multiplexed light and a second polarization multiplexed light, the polarization multiplexed light in which a pilot signal is superimposed on at least one of a first polarization and a second polarization; an optical fiber configured to transmit the first polarization multiplexed light; a first polarization rotator configured to control a first polarization state of the first polarization multiplexed light output from the optical fiber; a first polarization separator configured to separate the second polarization multiplexed light into a third polarization and a fourth polarization; and a controller configured to control the first polarization rotator based on one of a first pilot signal included in the third polarization and a second pilot signal included in the fourth polarization. |
| US09735915B2 |
Optical branching/insertion device, optical branching/insertion method and recording medium
[Objective] To make it possible to effectively relay remaining signals even when any input failure occurs on a propagation path.[Solution] Provided is an optical branching/insertion device including: a trunk-side detection/branching unit for detecting a failure of a trunk-side optical signal inputted from the trunk side and outputting it as a first detection result, and for splitting the trunk-side optical signal and sending the split signals respectively to the trunk side and to the branch side; a branch-side detection unit for detecting a failure of a branch-side optical signal inserted from the branch side and outputting it as a second detection result, and for sending the branch-side optical signal as an insertion signal; an insertion signal adjustment unit for outputting the insertion signal with its pass-through degree having been adjusted on the basis of the first detection result, as a first adjusted signal; a trunk signal adjustment unit for outputting the trunk-side optical signal with its pass-through degree having been adjusted on the basis of the first detection result, as a second adjusted signal; and a combining/output unit for outputting, to the outside, an optical signal into which the first adjusted signal and the second adjusted signal are combined together, as a trunk-side output optical signal. |
| US09735914B2 |
Mechanism for traffic privacy in reconfigurable add/drop multiplexer based submarine networks
A method for data transport that includes providing a branch terminal between a first and second trunk terminal, wherein a branching unit is present at an intersect between the first and second trunk terminal and the branch terminal. The branching unit includes a reconfigurable add/drop multiplexers (ROADM) at least one attenuator. A signal is sent from a second terminal of the first and second trunk terminal to the branding unit. The signal may include a branch traffic component trunk traffic component. The branching unit includes at least one attenuator for attenuating the trunk traffic component so that the trunk traffic component of the signal cannot be detected at the branch terminal. |
| US09735912B2 |
Method and apparatus for routing traffic using asymmetrical optical connections
A method, computer-readable storage device and apparatus for routing traffic in a reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer layer of a dense wavelength division multiplexing network are disclosed. For example, the method determines the reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer layer has asymmetric traffic, and routes the asymmetric traffic in the reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer layer over a plurality of asymmetrical optical connections, wherein the plurality of asymmetrical optical connections is provided with only uni-directional equipment in the reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer layer. |
| US09735907B2 |
Transmission device
A transmission device to multiplex in a first signal a plurality of second signals each having a low rate as compared with the first signal, the transmission device includes: a plurality of memories to store the plurality of second signals; a selector to select one of the second signals read from the plurality of memories; and a controller to control read timing to read the plurality of second signals from the plurality of memories and signal selection timing to select the one of the second signals by the selector so as to execute rearrangement processing of the plurality of second signals read from the plurality of memories in accordance with cross-connect setting information for the plurality of second signals and shift processing of the plurality of second signals read from the plurality of memories in accordance with multiplexing positions of the plurality of second signals for the first signal. |
| US09735902B2 |
Apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals, apparatus for receiving broadcast signals, method for transmitting broadcast signals and method for receiving broadcast signals
A method and an apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals thereof are disclosed. The method for transmitting broadcast signals includes encoding PLP data; building at least one signal frame by mapping the encoded PLP data; and modulating data in the built signal frame by OFDM method and transmitting a broadcast signal having the modulated data, wherein the signal frame includes a preamble having a preamble symbol and a guard interval, wherein the guard interval is generated by using a sequence and the preamble symbol. |
| US09735900B2 |
Hybrid multimode network analyzer
Network analysis employs a band-limited multi-tone test signal having a tunable center frequency to test a device under test (DUT). A hybrid network analyzer includes a test signal source to provide the band-limited multi-tone test signal, and a local oscillator (LO) source to provide a tunable LO signal configured to track the tunable center frequency of the band-limited multi-tone test signal. The hybrid network analyzer further includes a receiver to convert into an intermediate frequency (IF) signal using the tunable LO signal one or both of the band-limited multi-tone test signal and a response signal from a device under test (DUT) produced in response to the band-limited multi-tone test signal. The test signal source is further configured to provide a tunable single-tone test signal and a broadband multi-tone test signal to test the DUT in various modes. |
| US09735898B2 |
Communication channel calibration using feedback
A method for calibrating a communication channel coupling first and second components includes transmitting a data signal from the first component to the second component on the communication channel, and sensing a characteristic, such as phase, of the data signal on the second component. Information about the sensed characteristic is fed back to the first component using an auxiliary channel. An adjustable parameter, such as phase, for the transmitter is adjusted on the first component in response to the information. Also, a characteristic of a data signal received from the transmitter on the second component is sensed and used to adjust an adjustable parameter for the receiver on the first component. |
| US09735896B2 |
Emergency response systems and methods
The present disclosure is an emergency response system that has a wearable device that receives an input from a user and transmits data indicative of the input. In addition, the system has a base station communicatively coupled to the wearable device that receives the data indicative of the input and transmits a test signal requesting a test be performed. Further, the system comprises logic that receives the test signal and initiates a call to the base station based upon the test signal. |
| US09735895B2 |
Reducing signal impairments in communication networks via selective filtering techniques
Certain embodiments herein relate to reducing impairments in signals transmitted over a service provider network. A selective filtering device may be placed at various locations in the service provider network to reduce the noise. For example, the devices may be located in, coupled to, or otherwise associated with a tap, an optical node, an amplifier, or other location in the service provider network that may be upstream from user devices at customer premises locations. The selective filtering device may be selective in the way that it may use various types of filtering techniques to eliminate or reduce the noise in a signal. Such techniques may be based on the power densities of carriers and noise in the signal, as well as information associated with scheduled communications in the service provider network. |
| US09735890B2 |
Quantum communications of a two-qubit state
In one aspect, there is provided a method for transmitting a two-qubit state. The method includes: propagating the two-qubit state onto a transmission waveguide, wherein the propagating includes distributing the two-qubit state about a certain phase; and transmitting the two-qubit state through the transmission waveguide using a pump pulse having the certain phase, wherein the pump pulse is provided in a manner so that the transmission waveguide functions as an optical phase sensitive amplifier (OPSA). |
| US09735886B2 |
Self-coherent robust spectrally efficient optical transmission systems
Coherent reconstruction of dual polarized data and pilot signals without local oscillator or laser. |
| US09735885B1 |
Chip-scale mid-IR scanning frequency modulated coherent ladar receiver
A coherent frequency modulated receiver for receiving and detecting arriving optical signals which comprises an electrically controllable optical beam scanner receiving optical input beams arriving at different angles in a field of view of the electrically controllable optical beam scanner, the electrically controllable optical beam scanner conveying a scanned optical input beam as its output optical beam; a grating coupler responsive to the output or reflected optical beam of the electrically controllable optical beams scanner, the grating coupler having a waveguided output; an optical local oscillator laser having a waveguided output; an FMCW signal generator; an optical modulator responsive to the optical waveguided outputs of the optical local oscillator laser and also to an electrical FMCW signal from the FMCW signal generator; a pair of second order non-linear optical elements for frequency upconverting respective outputs of the optical modulator and the grating coupler; and at least one photodiode optically coupled to an outputs of the pair of second order non-linear optical elements. |
| US09735884B2 |
Optical transmitter and bias voltage control method
An optical transmitter includes: optical modulation means; bias voltage output means for supplying the optical modulation means with a bias voltage on which a pilot signal is superimposed; pilot signal receiving means; and bias voltage control means. The bias voltage control means includes: training means for determining a control start voltage and a control direction of the bias voltage based on a pilot signal component at first and second bias voltage values; and feedback means for determining an appropriate bias voltage to compensate for a deviation of an operating point of the optical modulation means by analyzing the pilot signal component while adjusting the bias voltage in a stepwise fashion along the control direction from the control start voltage after the control start voltage and the control direction are determined. |
| US09735882B2 |
Apparatus, system and method for wireless data transmission by using display backlight
The present disclosure provides an apparatus, a system and a method for wireless data transmission by using a display backlight. The apparatus for transmitting wireless data by using a display backlight according to the present disclosure may include: a data storage unit for storing data to be transmitted; a main control unit for reading the data stored in the data storage unit; a signal modulation unit for modulating the data with a predetermined signal modulation method under the control of the main control unit to generate and output a sequence of switching pulse signals; a light source driving circuit for generating backlight driving switching pulse signals according to the sequence of switching pulse signals; and a display backlight member for outputting a sequence of light and shade signals. |
| US09735869B2 |
Method and system for a bi-directional multi-wavelength receiver for standard single-mode fiber based on grating couplers
Methods and systems for a bi-directional receiver for standard single-mode fiber based on grating couplers may include, in a photonically-enabled integrated circuit comprising an optoelectronic transceiver, a multi-wavelength grating coupler, and first and second optical source assemblies coupled to the photonically-enabled integrated circuit: coupling first and second source optical signals at first and second wavelengths into the photonically-enabled integrated circuit using the first and second optical source assemblies, where the second wavelength is different from the first wavelength, receiving a first optical data signal at the first wavelength from an optical fiber coupled to the multi-wavelength grating coupler, and receiving a second optical data signal at the second wavelength from the optical fiber. Third and fourth optical data signals at the first and second wavelengths may be communicated out of the optoelectronic transceiver via the multi-wavelength grating coupler. |
| US09735867B2 |
Microreflection delay estimation in a CATV network
Systems and methods of estimating a distance to a cause of a micro-reflection in a CATV network. |
| US09735865B2 |
Method, apparatus and system for detecting optical network
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, an apparatus, and a system for detecting an optical network. The method comprises: receiving, by a management device, a reflection peak power reported by a testing device, where the reflection peak power is a reflection peak power of an optical splitter that is obtained by the testing device according to a reflected optical signal, the reflected optical signal is an optical signal obtained by reflecting, by the optical splitter, a testing optical signal that is sent by the testing device and is transmitted to the optical splitter through an optical cable, and the optical splitter reflects the testing optical signal by using a reflective film disposed on an end surface of one optical output port. a detector does not need to carry a testing device to a site, to perform detection, efficiency of detecting performance of an optical network is improved. |
| US09735862B2 |
System and method for providing cellular signals to mobile device users travelling by air
A system and method are disclosed for providing broadband network access to mobile devices during air travel. The system transmits a first signal from a phased array antenna towards an airspace. The system also steers the phased array antenna towards an aircraft within the airspace based on a determined movement of the aircraft, a device signal generated by a mobile device aboard the aircraft, or a combination thereof. The system also determines a frequency shift associated with a return of the first signal from the aircraft. Still further, the system determines a second signal of a different frequency based on the frequency shift. |
| US09735860B2 |
Non-networked wireless communication
According to one embodiment, the invention relates to a method comprising: transmitting (410), by an apparatus, a message to detect one or more wireless communication devices; receiving (420), in response to the transmitted message, at least one response message comprising at least identification information regarding a wireless communication device; determining (430) that the apparatus has data suitable for transmitting to the wireless communication device without establishing a formal communication connection with the wireless communication device; and transmitting (440) one or more subsequent messages to the wireless communication device in response to the received response message, wherein the one or more subsequent messages comprise at least the data suitable for transmitting to the wireless communication device without establishing a formal communication connection. |
| US09735850B2 |
High linearity antenna swapping circuitry
Antenna swapping circuitry includes a first pole, a second pole, a first throw, a second throw, and a number of switching elements. A first switching element is coupled between the first pole and the first throw. A second switching element is coupled between the first pole and the second throw. A third switching element is coupled between the second pole and the first throw. A fourth switching element is coupled between the second pole and the second throw. A linearity of the first switching element and the fourth switching element is higher in a closed state of operation than in an open state of operation. A linearity of the second switching element and a third switching element is higher in an open state of operation than in a closed state of operation. |
| US09735843B2 |
Base station router for distributed antenna systems
Certain aspects are directed to a base station router disposed in a distributed antenna system. The base station router includes a backplane and a controller. The backplane can manage an availability of sectors for coverage zones. Each sector can include communication channels to be radiated to mobile devices in the coverage zones and can represent an amount of telecommunication capacity. The controller can respond to a traffic indicator by causing the backplane to redistribute the availability of at least one sector. The sector can be redistributed from a first coverage zone to a second coverage zone. |
| US09735841B2 |
Method and apparatus for identifying and tracking biological fluids using RFID
A system and method of tracking, assigning and releasing biological fluids. The system and method identifies, assigns and releases biological fluid products from controlled storage based on medical criteria supported by the use of RFID technology. |
| US09735836B2 |
Wireless inductive power transfer
An inductive power transfer system comprises a power transmitter (101) and a power receiver (105). The power transmission system supports two-way communications. The power receiver (105) first initiates a mandatory configuration phase by transmitting a signal strength package and the power transmitter and receiver then operates (505, 507) the mandatory configuration phase wherein a first set of power transfer operating parameters are selected for the power transmitter (101) and the power receiver (105). The power receiver (105) subsequently transmits (509) a request to enter a negotiation phase and the power transmitter (101) acknowledges (511) the request by transmitting an acknowledgement. It then enters the negotiation phase. The power receiver (105) enters the negotiation phase in response to receiving the acknowledgment message. The power receiver (105) and power transmitter (101) then determines (513, 515) a second set of operating parameters by performing the negotiation phase. The approach is particularly suitable for a Qi power transfer system. |
| US09735835B2 |
Power transfer architecture with charging history
An apparatus and method are disclosed to increase the efficiency of communications between wireless power transfer (WPT) devices. During an initial power transfer and/or communication between WPT devices, characteristics regarding the operation and capabilities of the devices are shared and stored on one or both of the WPT devices. On subsequent power transfers and/or communications, a WPT device can quickly match the capabilities and preferences for the same WPT device. Various systems are presented to generate, access, and implement the stored information to quickly tailor and improve a communication session for a specific WPT device. |
| US09735833B2 |
Method and apparatus for communications management in a neighborhood network
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a network device of a neighborhood network that determines that data is directed to a group of recipient devices positioned in a service area of the neighborhood network, determines a second network device according to a neighborhood routing scheme that limits delivery of the data to recipient devices within the service area, and transmits the data. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US09735830B2 |
Transmission signal generating/detecting method using code sequences, communication system using the same and measurement system using the same
The present invention provides a transmission method which generates and sends a transmission signal generated from a multiplexing OFDM signal or a multiplexing wavelet-OFDM signal employing a multiplexing-spread chip sequence in which a chip of a code sequence for spread and a code sequence for combination, and a chip of a code sequence for localization are multiplied and multiplexed, and a receiving method which makes a high SN ratio improvement rate possible by converting the received signal to a frequency domain to acquire the multiplexing-spread chip sequence and by performing de-spreading and localizing processing to detect a localized pulse. According to the data transmission using the transmission and receiving method, data is mapped into a code sequence, and the receiving side can detect the data as the kind of code sequence, the shift time of a localized pulse and the polarity at a high SN ratio improvement rate. |
| US09735825B2 |
Electronic device and method for controlling display on basis of information of accessory device and accessory device related thereto
Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide an accessory device of a portable electronic device. The accessory device includes a first cover that is detachably attached to at least a portion of the electronic device, a second cover that is connected to the first cover, at least a portion of the second cover covering at least a portion of a display of the electronic device, and an electronic circuit that is arranged inside the first cover or the second cover. The electronic circuit may include a memory that stores at least some of codes or data that indicate one or more of identification information, a characteristic, a configuration, a structure, and a function that are associated with a protection cover. Various pieces of corresponding information may be output according to the kinds of applied accessories. Therefore, the consumers' product preference can be improved and the reliability of the electronic device can be secured. |
| US09735824B2 |
Protection cover
A protection cover is provided, which includes a first cover that is foldable, a first electronic device being attachable to or detachable from the first cover; a second cover that is connected to the first cover so as to be foldable, a second electronic device being attachable to or detachable from the second cover; and a third cover that is connected to the first cover so as to be foldable. |
| US09735821B2 |
Subscriber identity module (SIM) selection in multi-SIM communication devices
A method relates to identifying, by a processing device, a plurality of subscriber identity modules (SIMs) coupled to the processing device, each of the plurality of SIMs storing data enabling a set of communication services provided by a respective one of a plurality of communication service providers, determining a request parameter comprising at least one of a time, a location of the processing device, or a destination to provide a first communication service, determining a plurality of cost rates to provide the first communication service by the respective one of the plurality of communication service providers in view of a cost rate table and the request parameter, selecting a first SIM from the plurality of SIMs in view of the plurality of cost rates, and displaying, on a screen of the processing device, a first icon indicating the selected first SIM to provide the first communication service. |
| US09735818B2 |
Method and apparatus for cancelling interference and receiving signal in wireless communication system
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system. A method for cancelling interference and receiving a signal by a user equipment in a wireless communication system, the method performed by the user equipment comprising: receiving assistance information for cancelling an interference signal transmitted from an interfering base station; cancelling the interference signal based on the assistance information; and receiving a desired signal from a serving base station, wherein the user equipment assumes a part of the assistance information for cancelling the interference signal as a limited value and then receives the interference signal. |
| US09735812B2 |
Digital RF receiver power saving with signal quality dependent word length reduction
A radio frequency (RF) transceiver system comprises an input port configured to receive an RF receive signal and a receiver (RX) digital signal processing (DSP) unit configured to process a digital IF signal based on the RF receive signal and generate a processed digital IF signal at an output port based thereon. Further, the RF transceiver system comprises a digital interface unit comprising a digital interface configured to convey the processed digital IF signal from the output port. In addition, the RF transceiver system comprises a quality estimation unit configured to estimate a quality indicator of the RF receive signal or a signal associated therewith, and dynamically adapt a digital transmission word length of the processed digital IF signal over the digital interface, based on the estimated quality indicator. |
| US09735804B2 |
Path encoding and decoding
This invention relates to a system, method and computer program product for encoding an input string of binary characters including: a cellular data structure definition including a starting empty cell; one or more path definitions defining paths through the data structure; a character reading and writing engine for writing a binary character to an empty cell with a predefined initial position; a next cell determination engine for determining a next empty cell by methodically checking cells along one of the paths in the data structure until an empty cell is located; a loop facilitator for looping back to the writing next character step and the determining next cell step until there are no more data characters or a next empty cell is not determined; and a serialization deserialization engine for methodically serializing the data structure into a one dimensional binary string of characters representing an encoded string of alphanumeric characters. |
| US09735803B2 |
Data compression device and data compression method
A dimensional compression unit 13 multiplies a feature quantity extracted from an image by a check matrix of an error correcting code which consists of binary elements each of which is 0 or 1, to compress the image. |
| US09735802B1 |
Overload detection and correction in delta-sigma analog-to-digital conversion
A voltage-controlled oscillator-based delta-sigma analog-to-digital converter (VCO-based ΔΣ ADC) includes a VCO-based quantizer that includes delay elements to provide VCO outputs based on an analog input signal and combining logic to combine the VCO outputs so as to provide quantized outputs. Detection logic detects saturation of the VCO-based quantizer based on the quantized outputs and at least a portion of the VCO outputs. The VCO-based ΔΣ ADC also includes correction logic to modify the quantized outputs and provide modified quantized outputs in response to the detection logic detecting the saturation of the VCO-based quantizer and to provide the quantized outputs unmodified in the absence of saturation being detected. |
| US09735801B1 |
Sigma-delta modulator with averaged-signal feedback
A sigma-delta modulator includes a plurality of quantizers, an input path, a feedback path, a loop filter, a pre-filter, and a connection path. The plurality of quantizers are configured to produce a plurality of quantized signals. The input path is configured to lead an input signal to the plurality of quantizers. The feedback path is configured to feed back a feedback signal into the input path, and the feedback signal is produced by averaging the plurality of quantized signals. The loop filter is put on the input path before the plurality of quantizers, and the loop filter is configured to receive the input signal and the feedback signal. The pre-filter is configured to output a signal to a corresponding quantizer which is one of the plurality of quantizers. |
| US09735798B2 |
Precision bipolar current-mode digital-to-analog converter
A precision bipolar digital-to-analog converter (DAC) that provides a bipolar current output having a substantially fixed zero center point is provided. The DAC includes digital-to-analog converter circuitry configured to provide, responsive to a reference signal indicative of the digital data, a first analog current signal having a first potential and a second analog current signal having a second potential, subtractor circuitry configured to provide a bipolar current signal by subtracting the second analog current signal from the first analog current signal, the bipolar current signal having a zero center point, and first control circuitry electrically coupled to the subtractor circuitry and to the digital-to-analog converter circuitry, and configured to modify the second potential so that the second potential equals the first potential. |
| US09735797B2 |
Digital measurement of DAC timing mismatch error
For analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) which utilize a feedback digital-to-analog converter (DAC) for conversion, the final analog output can be affected or distorted by errors of the feedback DAC. A digital measurement technique can be implemented to determine timing mismatch error for the feedback DAC in a continuous-time delta-sigma modulator (CTDSM) or in a continuous-time pipeline modulator. The methodology utilizes cross-correlation of each DAC unit elements (UEs) output to the entire modulator output to measure its timing mismatch error respectively. Specifically, the timing mismatch error is estimated using a ratio based on a peak value and a value for the next tap in the cross-correlation function. The obtained errors can be stored in a look-up table and fully corrected in digital domain or analog domain. |
| US09735795B2 |
Analog-to-digital converter arrangement
An analog-to-digital converter arrangement may include an analog amplifier with variable gain; an analog-to-digital converter; a digital reconstruction element including elements to reduce an influence of transients during a change of the variable gain of the analog amplifier. |
| US09735794B1 |
Analog-to-digital converter with an increased resolution first stage
One example includes a pipelined analog-to-digital converter device. The pipelined analog-to-digital converter device includes a capacitive digital-to-analog converter, a first analog-to-digital converter, and a second analog-to-digital converter. The capacitive digital-to-analog converter includes a capacitor comprised of a top plate and a bottom plate, the capacitive digital-to-analog converter sampling an analog input signal applied to the pipelined analog-to-digital converter device while the capacitor is grounded, holding the sampled analog input while the top plate is floated, and outputting a residue voltage. The second analog-to-digital converter is coupled to the top plate of the capacitor, the second analog-to-digital converter producing a second digital representation of voltage on the top plate of the capacitor after the top plate is floated, wherein the second digital representation represents fine bits produced by the first stage of the pipelined analog-to-digital converter device. |
| US09735790B2 |
Radio communication device and radio communication method
A radio communication device has an analog control loop unit to generate an analog control signal that adjusts a phase of a voltage control oscillation signal, a digital control loop unit to generate a digital control signal having a frequency determined by a frequency of a reference signal and a predetermined frequency setting code signal and a phase opposite to a phase of the analog control signal, a voltage controlled oscillator to generate the voltage control oscillation signal, a data slicer to generate a digital signal including the reception signal, an automatic offset controller to generate a correction signal in response to an error between a frequency of the reception signal and a frequency of the voltage control oscillation signal, and a setting code adjuster to adjust the frequency setting code signal, wherein gain of the digital control loop unit is higher than gain of the analog control loop unit. |
| US09735780B2 |
Tri-state driver circuits having automatic high-impedance enabling
Memories, driver circuits, and methods for generating an output signal in response to an input signal. One such driver circuit includes an input stage and an output stage. The input stage receives the input signal and provides a delayed input signal having a delay relative to the input signal. The output stage receives the delayed input signal and further receives the complement of the input signal. The output stage couples an output node to a first voltage in response to a complement of the input signal having a first logic level and couples the output to a second voltage in response to the complement of the input signal having a second logic level. The output stage further decouples the output from the first or second voltage in response to receiving the delayed input signal to provide a high-impedance at the output node. |
| US09735779B1 |
Apparatus and methods for on-die temperature sensing to improve FPGA performance
A field programmable gate array (FPGA) includes a temperature sensor array. The FPGA also includes a supply voltage modulation circuit. The supply voltage modulation circuit is coupled to the temperature sensor array. |
| US09735777B2 |
Disconnection of solar modules
A method is provided for safely switching off a photovoltaic module comprising solar cell groups, a first conductor electrically connected to the solar cell groups, and a second conductor electrically connected to the solar cell groups. The safety device comprises at least one first safely switching element and one second safety switching element, wherein the safety switching elements are arranged in parallel across the solar cell groups and are connected to the first conductor and the second conductor in an electrically conductive manner. If an error state occurs, at least one of the safety switching elements is switched by means of a switching process, such that a shorted circuit is produced across the solar cell groups. The at least two safety switching elements perform the switching process in working areas that differ at least partially regarding the temperature. |
| US09735772B2 |
Multi-orientation integrated cell, in particular input/output cell of an integrated circuit
An integrated circuit includes at least one integrated cell disposed at a location of the integrated circuit. The at least one integrated cell may have two integrated devices coupled to at least one site of the integrated cell and a multiplexer, and the two integrated devices respectively oriented in two different directions of orientation. A first integrated device of the two integrated devices that is oriented in one of the two directions of orientation is usable. The integrated circuit may include a controller configured to detect the direction of orientation which, having regard to the disposition of the integrated cell at the location, may allow the first integrated device to be usable, and to control the multiplexer to couple the first integrated device electrically to the at least one site. |
| US09735771B1 |
Hybrid switch including GaN HEMT and MOSFET
A hybrid switch apparatus includes a gate drive circuit producing a gate drive signal, a GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) having a first gate, a first drain, and a first source. A silicon (Si) MOSFET has a second gate, a second drain, and a second source. The GaN HEMT and the Si MOSFET are connected in a parallel arrangement so that (i) the first drain and the second drain are electrically connected and (ii) the first source and the second source are electrically connected. The second gate is connected to the gate drive circuit output to receive the gate drive signal. A delay block has an input connected to the gate drive circuit output and an delay block output is configured to produce a delayed gate drive signal for driving the GaN HEMT. |
| US09735768B2 |
Load balancing in discrete devices
In a general aspect, an apparatus can include a temperature measurement circuit configured to produce a first signal indicating a first operating temperature of a first semiconductor device and a temperature comparison circuit operationally coupled with the temperature measurement circuit. The temperature comparison circuit can be configured to compare the first signal with a second signal indicating a second operating temperature of at least a second semiconductor device and produce a comparison signal indicating whether the indicated first operating temperature is higher, lower or equal to the indicated second operating temperature. The apparatus can also include an adjustment circuit configured to adjust operation of the first semiconductor device based on the comparison signal. |
| US09735764B2 |
Circuit and method of operating circuit
A circuit includes a first switch, a second switch, a first delay circuit and a second delay circuit. The first switch includes a first terminal, and the second switch includes a second terminal. The first delay circuit is coupled to the first terminal and the second terminal. The first delay circuit is configured to alternately turn ON the first switch and the second switch in accordance with an input signal and with a delay between successive ON times of the first switch and the second switch. The second delay circuit is coupled to the first terminal and the second terminal. The second delay circuit is configured to control the first delay circuit to generate the delay in accordance with a stored setting of the delay, a first voltage on the first terminal, or a second voltage on the second terminal. |
| US09735758B2 |
Tunable filter devices and methods
Analog interference filter devices and methods for isolation of desirable portions of a radio frequency signal. Signal compensation is used to provide desirable center frequency, passband width, ripple, rolloff, stopband and distortion performance. The filter is implemented with passive and/or active components. |
| US09735753B2 |
Baluns for RF signal conversion and impedance matching
A magnetically-coupled structure is integrated with an integrated circuit in back end-of-line (BEOL) digital CMOS fabrication processes. A differential primary (or secondary) coil is formed by patterning a thick copper (Cu) metal layer, and a single-ended secondary (or primary) coil is formed by patterning a thick aluminum (Al) top metal bonding layer. Crossovers and/or cross-unders are formed using thin metal layers. One embodiment provides a stacked balun with a differential primary input winding defined in the copper layer, directly underneath a single-ended spiral winding defined in the aluminum layer. The spiral forms the single-ended secondary output of the balun and is rotated by 90° to prevent metal shorting for its cross-under connections. Another embodiment provides a transformer with one differential primary (or secondary) coil defined in the copper layer and another differential secondary (or primary) coil defined in the aluminum layer and adding a center tap. The position of the tap is selected to compensate for phase differences and provide desired balance. |
| US09735752B2 |
Apparatus and methods for tunable filters
Apparatus and methods for tunable filters are provided. In certain configurations, a tunable filter includes a semiconductor die attached to a laminated substrate, such as a substrate of a multi-chip module (MCM). The tunable filter includes a vector inductor implemented using two or more conductors arranged on different conductive layers of the laminated substrate. The vector inductor's conductors are inductively coupled to one another and electrically connected in parallel to provide the vector inductor with high quality factor (Q-factor). The semiconductor die includes a variable capacitor that is electrically connected with the vector inductor to operate as a tunable resonator. Additionally, a frequency characteristic of the tunable filter, such as a passband, can be controlled by selecting a capacitance value of the variable capacitor, thereby tuning a resonance of the resonator. |
| US09735751B1 |
Audio reproduction device target sound signature
A system for tuning an audio reproduction device is disclosed. The system includes an audio signal generator for generating an audio signal to be played back in an audio reproduction device and sending the audio signal to the audio reproduction device; a microphone signal module for receiving a microphone signal from a microphone, the microphone signal recording a sound wave reproduced by the audio reproduction device when the audio signal is played back in the audio reproduction device; a comparison module for determining whether the microphone signal matches target sound signature data; and a filter module for applying a digital filter to emulate a target sound signature responsive to determining that the microphone signal does not match the target sound signature data. |
| US09735749B2 |
Radio frequency receiver and automatic gain control method of radio frequency receiver
A radio frequency receiver and an automatic gain control method of the radio frequency receiver is presented. The radio frequency receiver includes an automatic gain control apparatus, a radio frequency component, and an analog to digital converter, where the automatic gain control apparatus further includes: an intensity calculator configured to calculate a relationship between an intensity representation parameter of digital data and a preset intensity threshold within a preset calculation time; and an automatic gain controller configured to compare the relationship calculated by the intensity calculator with a preset relationship threshold, and adjust a gain of the radio frequency component on radio frequency data according to a comparison result, so that an amplitude of the radio frequency data obtained after the gain adjustment is within a receiving range of the analog to digital converter. |
| US09735746B2 |
Automatic loudness control
An improved automatic loudness control system and method comprise controlling gain/attenuation applied to an input audio signal and providing an output audio signal that is the amplified/attenuated input audio signal; evaluating an actual loudness of the input audio signal from the input audio signal and a desired loudness of the input audio signal from a volume control input; and evaluating the gain/attenuation applied to the input audio signal from the actual loudness and the desired loudness of the input audio signal. |
| US09735745B2 |
Power amplifier and method for limiting current in power amplifier
A power amplifier apparatus includes: an amplifier configured to amplify an input signal; a sensing circuit connected to the amplifier and configured to sense a bias of the amplifier; and a biasing circuit connected to the sensing circuit and configured to provide a biasing current to the amplifier, wherein the sensing circuit is configured to change the biasing current based on the bias of the amplifier. |
| US09735744B1 |
Power amplification circuit
A power amplification circuit includes: a first amplifier that is input with a first signal and outputs a second signal; a bias circuit that supplies a bias current or voltage to the first amplifier; and a control voltage generating circuit that generates a control voltage in accordance with the first signal. The bias circuit includes a first transistor that outputs the bias current or voltage, a second transistor provided between the emitter or source of the first transistor and ground, and a third transistor that is supplied with the control voltage and that supplies a first current or voltage to the second transistor. The value of the first current or voltage when the signal level is a first level is larger than the value of the first current or voltage when the signal level is a second level. The first level is higher than the second level. |
| US09735743B1 |
Minimizing impedence mismatch effects in a wireless device
Optimized impedance characteristics of a variable impedance device causes the apparatus to transmit wireless signals with minimal out-of-band transmission at an optimized efficiency of the power amplifier. The variation of impedance characteristics of an antenna cause a change in the coefficients of a mapping function. The relatively fast variations to the power supply voltage of a power amplifier are applied to the mapping function to generate control signals which vary the impedance characteristics of a variable impedance device. The output of the mapping function includes control signals that control optimized impedance characteristics of a variable impedance device as a function of the variation of the supply voltage to a power amplifier. The coefficients of the mapping function may be regularly determined based on a comparison of out-of-band power and in-band power transmitted by an antenna. |
| US09735742B2 |
Multi-port amplifier utilizing an adjustable delay function
Disclosed is a multi-port power amplifier (“MPA”) having an input hybrid matrix (“IHM”), an output hybrid matrix (“OHM”), and a plurality of high-power amplifier (“HPA”) chains. The MPA may include a plurality of adjustable delay modules (“ADMs”) in signal communication with the IHM and the plurality of HPA chains. Each adjustable delay module (“ADM”) of the plurality of ADMs may be in signal communication with the IHM and a corresponding HPA chain of the plurality of HPA chains. |
| US09735735B2 |
Fractional mixer based tuner and tuning method
The application discloses a tuner and a method for tuning a signal. The tuner comprises: a sampling module, the sampling module being configured to receive an input signal and a set of control signals, sample the input signal under the control of the set of control signals and generate a sample signal; wherein each of the set of control signals has a control period equal to (N*TVCO), and the control periods of the set of control signals synchronize with each other; a set of weighting modules, wherein each of the set of weighting modules is configured to receive the set of sample signals and weight the received sample signals with a group of weighting factors to generate a group of weighted signals; and one or more summing modules, each summing module being configured to receive one group of weighted signals generated by one of the set of weighting modules and sum the group of weighted signals to output an output signal, wherein the output signal is the input signal being shifted by a predefined frequency fVCO*mk/N. |
| US09735732B1 |
Coupled oscillators
An apparatus includes an oscillation ring comprising N oscillators, where N is an even integer that is greater than 3, the N oscillators connected in series in a loop by N connection nodes, each oscillator of the N oscillators comprising a pair of cross-coupled inverting amplifiers. The apparatus also includes N inductors arranged in a star configuration such that each inductor of the N inductors connects to a corresponding connection node of the oscillation ring and a common connection node of the star configuration. The apparatus may also include N capacitor banks. Each of the N capacitor banks may include a plurality of activation switches for loading a corresponding oscillator with capacitance. A method includes providing the above apparatus and activating selected activation switches to adjust an oscillation frequency for the oscillation ring toward a desired value. |
| US09735731B2 |
Digitally controlled oscillator device and high frequency signal processing device
The present invention provides a digitally controlled oscillator device capable of realizing a reduction in DNL. The digitally controlled oscillator device includes, for example, an amplifier circuit block, coil elements and a plurality of unitary capacitor units coupled in parallel between oscillation output nodes. Each of the unitary capacitor units is provided with capacitive elements, and a switch which selects whether the capacitive elements should be allowed to contribute as set parameters for an oscillation frequency. The switch is driven by an on/off control line extending from a decoder circuit. The on/off control line is shielded between the oscillation output nodes by a shield section. |
| US09735728B2 |
Flexible module connectors of flexible photovoltaic modules
Provided are flexible photovoltaic modules having flexible module connectors that allow their connector bodies to move with respect to other parts of the modules in one or more directions. This flexibility may be used to align connector bodies during installation. Further, flexibility may help to overcome the thermal expansion differences of various modules and supporting structure components during operation. Flexible arms may be used to support connector bodies with respect to module sealing sheets to provide the necessary flexibility. Such modules may also include various touch safety features to keep conductive elements of the module connectors disconnected from the photovoltaic cells prior to installation of the module and during initial installation operations. Also provided are flexible photovoltaic assemblies, each including multiple modules electrically interconnected with each other and sealed at their interfaces. An assembly may be reconfigured in the field to remove one or more modules from the assembly. |
| US09735725B2 |
Methods and systems for transient voltage protection
Protection of an electric motor drive controller from a transient voltage is described herein. The transient voltage is provided by an alternating current (AC) power line that includes a line conductor, a neutral conductor, and a ground conductor. The transient voltage protection system includes a first stage protection device coupled to an input of a rectifier of the motor drive controller. The first stage protection device is configured to suppress the transient voltage to prevent damage to the motor drive controller. The transient voltage protection system also includes a second stage protection device coupled between the rectifier and an inverter of the motor drive controller. The second stage protection device is configured to further suppress the transient voltage to prevent damage to the inverter. |
| US09735723B2 |
Method to control a switched reluctance motor
A method to control the rotor position in a reluctance motor includes: energizing a phase winding to an energized state so as to move a rotor relative to a stator; switching the phase winding between the energized state and a freewheeling state over a pulsing period to produce a plurality of phase current pulses wherein the phase current freewheels in the freewheeling state over a freewheeling period of each current pulse; sampling rates of change of phase current and amplitudes of phase current during a plurality of freewheeling periods; de-energizing the phase winding; and computing the angular position of the rotor. |
| US09735722B2 |
Methods of controlling a machine using a torque command limit derived from a current limit and systems thereof
At least one example embodiment discloses a method of controlling an alternating current (ac) machine. The method includes determining or retrieving a current limit for the ac machine, determining a characterized peak current value based on a voltage-to-speed ratio of the ac machine, determining current command values for the ac machine based on at least one of the torque command limit and a torque command for the ac machine, determining current command values for the ac machine based on the torque command limit and controlling the ac machine based on the current command values. |
| US09735715B2 |
Methods and systems for inductive energy management
A controller configured to be coupled to an electric motor. The controller including a processor programmed to receive a signal indicating a stopping command of the electric motor, and control a current such that a capacitor coupled to the electric motor is not overcharged by regenerative energy when a stopping of the electric motor has commenced, wherein controlling the current includes one of the following: upon receiving the signal indicating the stopping command of the electric motor, ramping the current down below a threshold level, or upon receiving the signal indicating the stopping command of the electric motor, forcing the current to circulate in motor windings to prevent regeneration of energy in the capacitor. |
| US09735713B2 |
Automatic cleaning method for a pump system comprising a softstarter arrangement
A method for controlling circuitry of a softstarter arrangement to operate an electric motor for driving a pump is provided, wherein the softstarter circuitry electrically connects the motor to electric mains. The method includes: (i) controlling the circuitry of the softstarter arrangement to accelerate the motor up to full speed in a forward direction; (ii) controlling the circuitry of the softstarter arrangement to decelerate the motor when the motor has run at full speed in the forward direction for a first period of time; (iii) controlling the circuitry of the softstarter arrangement to accelerate the motor up a specified speed in a reverse direction; (iv) controlling the circuitry of the softstarter arrangement to decelerate the motor when the motor has run at the specified speed in the reverse direction for a second period of time; and (v) repeating the steps (i)-(iv) one or more times. |
| US09735712B2 |
Roadway renewable energy generation system and method
A roadway renewable energy generation system and method, that includes a plurality of plunger devices, electrically connected in series, and each plunger device configured to generate a predetermined amount of electricity, through reciprocating linear motion, when actuated by an object; a plurality of grooves formed within a ground surface configured to house the plurality of plunger devices therein, wherein a top portion of each plunger device extends a predetermined distance above the ground surface; a transformer configured to transform the electricity generated by the plurality of plunger devices; and a storage device configured to store the electricity from the transformer. The system is embedded into roadways and parking garages/ramp entrances, for example, to enable electricity generated when each plunger device is depressed as the vehicle tires pass over the roadways to be stored and reused for electric vehicles and power/utility grids. |
| US09735711B2 |
Flexure-enhancing system for improved power generation in a wind-powered piezoelectric system
Improving wind-based piezoelectric power conversion is provided. For example, a piezoelectric element affixed to a vibratory member is provided. A rigid mounting system coupled with a rotatable base is provided for said vibratory member on one end of the vibratory member. A solar generator is coupled with the rigid mounting system and at least one obstacle is provided located on the flexing side of the vibratory member. The obstacle induces a vortex in the wind passing the obstacle and arriving at the vibratory member, which enhances wind-induced displacement in the vibratory member. |
| US09735710B2 |
Power generator having a multiple-degree-of-freedom vibration system and a power generating element attached to the vibration system while converting vibration energy of a vibrating member to electrical energy
A power generator including: a vibration system configured to be attached to a vibrating member; and a power generating element attached to the vibration system. The vibration system is a multiple-degree-of-freedom vibration system that includes a first vibration system having a first mass member elastically supported by a first spring member, and a second vibration system having a second mass member elastically connected to the first mass member by a second spring member. The power generating element is arranged between the first and second mass members, and vibration applied from the vibrating member causes relative displacement of the first and second mass members so that vibration energy of the vibrating member is input to the power generating element. A natural frequency of the first vibration system is different from that of the second vibration system. |
| US09735708B2 |
Piezoelectric power generation
Technologies are generally described for generating electrical power from piezoelectric power. Example devices/systems described herein may use one or more of a piezoelectric device, a plurality of solid particles, and/or a container. In various examples, an electrical power generator apparatus is described, where the apparatus may be configured to provide an electrical signal upon application of a mechanical stress to the piezoelectric device. Some example apparatus may also be configured to contain the plurality of solid particles in the container, which may be coupled to at least a portion of a surface of the piezoelectric device. When a mechanical force is exerted on the plurality of solid particles, the plurality of solid particles may be effective to receive at least a portion of the mechanical force and responsively apply the mechanical stress to the piezoelectric device. |
| US09735707B2 |
Thermal energy harvesting optimisation with bistable elements and collaborative behavior
System for converting thermal energy into electrical energy (S1) intended to be arranged between a hot source (SC) and a cold source (SF), comprising means for converting thermal energy into mechanical energy (6) and a piezoelectric material, with the means for converting thermal energy into mechanical energy (6) comprising groups (G1, G2) of at least three bimetallic strips (9, 11, 13) linked mechanically together by their longitudinal ends and suspended above a substrate (12), each bimetallic strip (9, 11, 13) comprising two stable states wherein it has in each of the states a curvature, with two directly adjacent bimetallic strips (9, 11, 13) having for a given temperature opposite curvatures, with the switching from one stable state of the bimetallic strips (9, 11, 13) to the other causing the deformation of a piezoelectric material. |
| US09735705B2 |
Power conversion device
In a power conversion device, a constant voltage can be supplied even when the voltage of an alternating current power supply fluctuates. A switching element Q1 and switching element Q2 are connected to a direct current power supply series circuit. A connection point of a direct current power supply and direct current power supply is a neutral point terminal, a connection point of the switching element Q1 and switching element Q2 is an output terminal, switch elements S1 and S2 are connected between the output terminal and neutral point terminal, switch elements S3 and S4 are connected between a terminal R of an alternating current power supply having a terminal S connected to the neutral point terminal, and the output terminal, and a first element and second element selected from among the switching elements Q1 and Q2 and switch elements S1 to S4 are turned on and off complementarily. |
| US09735703B2 |
Smart load center for distribution of power from two sources
An improved solar energy utilization system is described based on the use of a smart load center which can automatically select the use of utility power or solar-derived power independently for each of a number of load circuits based on availability of utility and solar power, preset user priorities, battery charge status, time of day, instantaneous consumption, historical consumption patterns and weather forecasts. |
| US09735702B2 |
Operating method of full-bridge modular multilevel converter boosting AC voltages for high voltage direct current transmission
Provided is an operating method of a full-bridge sub-module (FBSM)-based modular multilevel converter for HVDC transmission with AC-side voltage boosting. The peak value of the AC-side voltage is increased under a constant DC-link voltage by using FBSM's negative output voltage under steady state, wherein keeping the semiconductor's current rating constant during AC-side voltage boosting is in favor of reducing converter cost by decreasing energy interaction between the upper and lower arms in a leg, and further capacitance value of FBSM's capacitor under a constant capacitor voltage ripple, keeping the RMS value of AC-side current constant during AC-side voltage boosting can effectively improve transmission capacity of the converter while reducing converter cost, and keeping converter transmission capacity constant during AC-side voltage boosting can reduce RMS value of arm currents while reducing converter cost, thereby reducing power loss of FBSMs and improving converter efficiency. |
| US09735698B2 |
Method of controlling power conversion apparatus
A voltage of a reactor taking a potential on a side of a capacitor as a reference is detected. A correction coefficient which is made smaller as a first voltage control rate command becomes smaller is calculated, the first voltage control rate being a ratio of an amplitude of an AC voltage, which is outputted by a power converter, to an average value of the DC voltage. A correction is made to subtract a correction amount obtained by multiplying the voltage of the reactor by the correction coefficient from the first voltage control rate command, so that a second voltage control rate command is generated. A switching signal which is generated based on a second voltage control rate command is given to the power converter. |
| US09735687B2 |
Regulating power converter by sensing transformer discharge timing
A regulating power converter has a transformer, a charging circuit and a discharging circuit connected with each other. The charging circuit charges said transformer whereby the transformer generates a secondary voltage. The discharging circuit discharges the secondary voltage to generate an output voltage. The charging circuit retrieves time information from the secondary voltage through the transformer. The charging circuit drives the transformer to regulate the output voltage according to the time information. |
| US09735686B2 |
Device for avoiding hard switching in resonant converter and related method
A control device controls a switching circuit for a converter. The switching circuit comprises a half-bridge having a high-side transistor and a low-side transistor. The control device comprises a controller configured to control turning on and turning off said two transistors, so that a square-wave voltage is applied to the transformer primary. The controller is configured to start switching the half-bridge by turning on the low-side transistor. The control device comprises a first timer configure to initially turn on the low-side transistor for a duration given by a first time period useful for pre-charging a bootstrap capacitor couplable to the middle point of the half-bridge, and a second timer configured to keep the low-side transistor and the high-side transistor turned off for a second time period immediately following the first time period and having a longer duration than the first time period. |
| US09735683B2 |
DC/DC converter which ensures damping of voltage overshoots of a semiconductor switch
A DC/DC converter has an active energy store, such as an inductance, which can be periodically charged and discharged by one or more semiconductor switches, such as transistors. To avoid voltage overshoot, an RCD element is provided for at least one semiconductor switch, wherein a capacitor and a diode of the RCD element are connected in series, and a resistor of the RCD element can be connected either in parallel with the diode or disconnected from the diode by a switch. The diode of the RCD element is arranged so as to be blocking in the conducting direction of the semiconductor switch. |
| US09735681B2 |
Voltage converter
A voltage converter is provided. The voltage converter includes a compensation circuit, a first comparator circuit, a first inductor, a first driver circuit, and a phase-lag circuit. The compensation circuit generates a first compensation signal according to a loading state of the voltage converter. The first comparator circuit compares the first compensation signal and a first reference signal to generate a first comparison signal. The first driver circuit generates a first driving voltage to the first inductor according to the first comparison signal. The phase-lag circuit is coupled between the first comparison circuit and the first driver. The phase-lag circuit modifies a duty of the first comparison signal for changing a first inductor current following the first inductor. |
| US09735677B2 |
DC-DC converter having digital control and reference PWM generators
A DC-DC converter operating in pulse frequency modulation (PFM) and pulse width modulation (PWM) modes includes a plurality of PWM signal generators. The PWM signal generators generate PWM signals with different duty cycles. PWM signals with larger duty cycles may be selected for use in undervoltage situations. |
| US09735675B2 |
Radiation hardened active or circuit
A radiation hardened active OR circuit for providing a controlled electrical response in radiation-intensive applications. The circuit can include a first voltage source; a second voltage source; a comparator for sampling the first voltage source and the second voltage source; a first switch; and a second switch. The comparator can select a higher magnitude of the first voltage source and the second voltage source and connects the higher magnitude of the first voltage source and the second voltage source to a common output by steering a drive signal to one of the first switch or the second switch. |
| US09735673B2 |
Burst-mode operation of a switching converter
In accordance with an embodiment, a method of driving a switching element in a switching converter includes generating a feedback signal that is dependent on the output voltage, driving the switching element in a plurality of subsequent burst cycles, determining a burst frequency, and adjusting an effective switching frequency in at least one burst cycle dependent on the determined burst frequency. Each burst cycle includes a burst-on period and a subsequent burst-off period, and determining the burst frequency includes evaluating a duration of at least one burst cycle. |
| US09735672B2 |
Charge pump circuit
A bipolar output charge pump circuit having a network of switching paths for selectively connecting an input node and a reference node for connection to an input voltage, a first pair of output nodes, two pairs of flying capacitor nodes, and a controller for controlling the switching of the network of switching paths. The controller is operable to control the network of switching paths when in use with two flying capacitors connected to the two pairs of flying capacitor nodes, to provide a first mode and a second mode when in use with two flying capacitors connected to the flying capacitor nodes, where at least the first mode corresponds to a bipolar output voltage of +/−3VV, +/−VV/5 or +/−VV/6. |
| US09735669B2 |
Power supply
A power supply circuit includes: an anti-electromagnetic interference circuit configured to receive input alternating current power and to output filtered alternating current power; a rectifier circuit configured to rectify the filtered alternating current power; a current correction circuit configured to perform passive power factor correction on the rectified alternating current power; a single-ended flyback converter circuit coupled to the output of the current correction circuit; and a dimming control circuit coupled between the output of the single-ended flyback converter circuit and a light load, wherein the current correction circuit is configured to control a waveform of the rectified alternating current power to follow a current output to the light load in order to provide passive power factor correction. |
| US09735665B2 |
Method and apparatus for implementing a power converter input terminal voltage discharge circuit
A circuit for use in a power converter includes a control circuit coupled to detect whether an electrical energy source is coupled to an input of the power converter. A switch is coupled to the control circuit, and is coupled to transfer energy from the input of the power converter to an output of the power converter during a first operating mode. The control circuit is coupled to drive the switch in the first operating mode when the electrical energy source is coupled to the input of the power converter. The control circuit is coupled to drive the switch in a second operating mode when the electrical energy source is uncoupled from the input of the power converter to drive the switch to discharge a capacitance coupled between input terminals of the power converter to a threshold voltage in less than a maximum period of time. |
| US09735663B2 |
BJT drive scheme
The invention generally relates to switch mode power converters (SMPCs). and methods for providing supplementary base drive to a bipolar transistor of an SMPC, and more particularly to a switching control circuit for a SMPC, a said SMPC having an inductive component coupled to receive power from an input to the SMPC, a bipolar transistor coupled to control current flow in the inductive component, an auxiliary power rail, a charge store for supplying power via the auxiliary rail to a switching control circuit for driving the bipolar transistor, and a bootstrap circuit for bleeding current from the input to the bipolar transistor to thereby provide an amplified current to the charge store, the switching control circuit comprising: a base current line for coupling to a base terminal of a said bipolar transistor, an emitter current line for coupling to an emitter terminal of a said bipolar transistor, an auxiliary line for coupling to a said auxiliary power rail, and at least one reference line for coupling to a reference voltage; a base current switch configured to controllably couple a base current source to the base current line; an emitter current switch configured to controllably couple the emitter current line to a said reference line; a bootstrap element for bleeding current from the emitter current line to the auxiliary line, the bootstrap element further operable to block a said current according to a current or voltage bias; a base discharge switch configured to controllably bleed current from the base current line to a said reference line; and a supplementary base drive line for coupling to a series circuit comprising a supplementary base drive resistor and current control element coupled in series, a said series circuit for bleeding current from a said input to a said base terminal, a said current control element for blocking current flow from a said bootstrap circuit to a said supplementary base drive resistor. |
| US09735661B2 |
Mixed-mode power factor correction
A controller for controlling a power converter is described. The controller may be configured determine a parameter value associated with the power converter, compare the parameter value to a predefined value, and change the conduction mode of the power converter based on the comparison. |
| US09735660B2 |
Rotary electric machine
A rotary electric machine includes: a stator; a rotor; a control device that causes the stator to generate a rotating magnetic field; and a magnetic flux supply element supported by a rotary shaft so as to be rotatable relative to the rotary shaft, disposed radially inward of the rotor across a gap, and having auxiliary magnets. Each auxiliary magnet is formed such that opposite end portions thereof in the circumferential direction are radially opposed to holding magnets when the relative rotation angle of the magnetic flux supply element is a strengthening angle. The control device executes field weakening control or field strengthening control, thereby changing the relative rotation angle of the magnetic flux supply element. |
| US09735659B2 |
Electric rotating machine having a thermistor in a gap between U-shaped and odd-shaped coil ends
An electric rotating machine includes a rotor, a stator, and a thermistor. The thermistor has a temperature measuring element portion that is fitted in a minute gap defined by connecting portions of segment conductors at a stator coil end. The stator coil end is formed by arranging a plurality of the segment conductors in slots of a stator core to thereby form connecting portions of the segment conductors at the end portion of the stator core. The thermistor is separated from the connecting portions of the segment conductors only by dead air that defines the minute gap. |
| US09735656B2 |
Electrical machines with liquid cooling
A core for an electrical machine has a segmented body with first segments and second segments. The first segments extend from a radially inner portion of the segmented body to a radially outer portion of the segmented body. The second segments are axially stacked in alteration with the first layers along an axis of the segmented body. The first segments have thermal conductivity greater than thermal conductivity of the second segments for transferring heat from the radially outer portion of the segmented body to the radially inner portion of the segmented body. |
| US09735652B2 |
Motor for washing machine and washing machine having the same
A washing machine includes a tub; a drum arranged in the tub; and a motor mounted on the rear wall, the motor including a stator and a rotor. The stator includes a stator core, a first insulator and a second insulator. The rotor includes a rotor frame including a bottom, air inlets formed at the bottom, and a side wall extended from the bottom. The first insulator is disposed between the stator core and the bottom of the rotor frame, the first insulator including at least one heat dissipation hole. The second insulator is disposed between the stator core and the rear wall of the tub, the second insulator including at least one guide member to position the second insulator on the rear wall of the tub. The guide member is exposed through the dissipation hole when the stator is coupled to the rear wall of the tub. |
| US09735647B2 |
Electromagnetic actuator with magnetic torque limiter
An electromagnetic actuator having a body and an electric motor driving at least one motion transmission element connected to the body via a brake device, a magnetic torque limiter, and a unidirectional transmission member, the brake device including an electrical activator member so that when the activator member is powered, the unidirectional transmission member is released relative to the body. When the activator member is not powered, the unidirectional transmission member is secured to the body and opposes pivoting of the transmission element in one direction of rotation up to a maximum transmissible torque defined by the magnetic torque limiter. |
| US09735646B2 |
Injection molded blank for lead screw, rotor-blank assembly and method for producing same
A motor rotor-blank assembly for a motor is provided. The rotor-blank assembly includes a rotor including a plurality of rotor anti-rotation features; and a blank having a hollow core and including a plurality of blank anti-rotation features corresponding to the rotor anti-rotation features, wherein the rotor anti-rotation features and the blank anti-rotation features work in conjunction to maintain the blank fixed within the rotor during rotation of the rotor. |
| US09735642B2 |
Rotor for a rotating electric machine
A rotor for a rotating electric machine includes a plurality of pole teeth supporting an excitation winding, grooves respectively formed between the pole teeth, and wedges provided in the grooves, each wedge having a concave shape with a bulge oriented towards the inside of the rotor. |
| US09735641B2 |
Rotary electric machine and manufacturing method therefor
Four layers of first coil rows formed by arranging first coil ends at a pitch of one slot in a circumferential direction are arranged in a radial direction to configure a first coil end group, three layers of second coil rows formed by arranging second coil ends at a pitch of one slot in a circumferential direction are arranged in a radial direction to configure a first coil end group, a cylindrical first insulating paper is housed inside the first coil end rows and inside the second coil end rows, and a cylindrical second insulating paper is housed between the first coil end rows and between the second coil end rows. |
| US09735640B2 |
Rotating electrical machine and vehicle equipped with rotating electrical machine
A rotating electrical machine includes: a stator core; a stator winding; and a rotor. Cross conductors connect slot conductors to run astride slots with the slot pitch N+1 at coil ends on one side and run astride slots with the slot pitch N−1 at coil ends on another side, with N representing a number of slots per pole; the stator winding includes slot conductor groups each having a plurality of slot conductors; the plurality of slot conductors in each slot conductor group are inserted at a predetermined number NS of successive slots so that the slot conductors in the slot conductor group take successive slot positions and successive layer positions; and the number NS is set so that NS=NSPP+NL when NSPP represents a number of slots per phase per pole and a number of layers is expressed as 2×NL. |
| US09735635B2 |
Permanent magnet synchronous machine
A permanent magnet synchronous machine includes a rotor including a core body and an overhang protruding further in an axial direction than a core of a stator. An end surface of the core body includes an N-region disposed on a north pole and an S-region disposed on a south pole. The overhang includes first permanent magnets arranged along an outer edge of the end surface with distances therebetween and a plurality of second permanent magnets disposed on the end surface and adjacent to the first permanent magnets. The first permanent magnets include at least one of a permanent magnet comprising a north pole facing the N-region and a permanent magnet comprising a south pole facing the S-region. The second permanent magnets are provided in the configuration which causes the second permanent magnets to generate a magnetic flux extending from the S-region toward the N-region. |
| US09735629B2 |
Electromagnetic alignment of inductive coils
Methods and systems for automatically aligning a power-transmitting inductor with a power-receiving inductor. One embodiment includes a method of applying a direct current pulse to a transmit coil of a power-transmitting inductor to attract the power-receiving inductor into alignment along an alignment axis. |
| US09735626B2 |
Non-contact power supply system, non-contact power supply device, and power supply target device
With a non-contact power supply system, a non-contact power supply device, and power supply target device of the present invention, power is supplied from a power supply coil of the non-contact power supply device to a power receiving coil of the power supply target device by non-contact power supply utilizing magnetic interaction. During the non-contact power supply, first, a power supply coil exhibiting a first interaction stronger than a predetermined reference interaction is selected as a candidate excitation coil, and a high-frequency voltage is supplied to the power supply coil of the candidate excitation coil. Second, a power supply coil exhibiting a second interaction weaker than the reference interaction and power supply coils adjacent to this power supply coil are selected as candidate excitation coils, and the high-frequency voltage is supplied to the power supply coils of these candidate excitation coils. |
| US09735616B2 |
Systems and methods for providing increased fault current capability in uninterruptible power supply systems
A system is provided. The system includes a ring bus, at least one voltage source, and a plurality of uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs) electrically coupled between the at least one voltage source and the ring bus, wherein at least one UPS of the plurality of UPSs includes an input, an output, a rectifier having a rectifier input and a rectifier output, an inverter having an inverter input and an inverter output, wherein the rectifier output is electrically coupled to the inverter input, and a bypass switch electrically coupled between the rectifier input and the inverter output, the bypass switch configured to close in response to detection of a fault on the ring bus. |
| US09735614B2 |
Supply-switching system
A system for providing a first voltage generated by a main supply and a second voltage generated by a battery to an integrated circuit (IC) includes supply-selection, control logic and switching circuits. The supply-selection circuit includes first, second, and third transistors. The switching circuit includes fourth and fifth transistors that supply the first and second voltages to the IC when switched on. The supply-selection circuit selects and provides the higher of the first and second voltages to body terminals of the fourth and fifth transistors for maintaining required body-bias voltage conditions. The control logic circuit generates a first control signal as long as the first voltage is within a predetermined range for keeping the fourth transistor switched on and a second control signal when the first voltage is not within the predetermined range for switching on the fifth transistor to supply the second voltage. |
| US09735612B2 |
Remotely powered reconfigurable receiver for extreme sensing platforms
Unmanned space programs are currently used to enable scientists to explore and research the furthest reaches of outer space. Systems and methods for low power communication devices in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed, describing a wide variety of low power communication devices capable of remotely collecting, processing, and transmitting data from outer space in order to further mankind's goal of exploring the cosmos. Many embodiments of the invention include a Flash-based FPGA, an energy-harvesting power supply module, a sensor module, and a radio module. By utilizing technologies that withstand the harsh environment of outer space, more reliable low power communication devices can be deployed, enhancing the quality and longevity of the low power communication devices, enabling more data to be gathered and aiding in the exploration of outer space. |
| US09735603B2 |
Facility for controlling an energy storage battery
The invention relates to a control facility, and the associated control method, for an energy storage battery (2) intended to be coupled to an intermittent electrical production source for providing an electrical energy network with a total electrical power approximating a total power setpoint (Prod (T)) according to a production plan, the control facility (1) is adapted for determining a reference trajectory of the state of charge of the battery (SOC_ref(t)) on the basis of a modeling of the battery (5) and of an optimized battery setpoint (Pbatt(T)), said optimized battery power setpoint (Pbatt(T)) being determined on the basis of the total power setpoint (Prod(T)), and the control facility (1) is adapted for implementing a closed-loop regulation of the state of charge of the battery so as to force the state of charge (SOC(t)) to follow the reference trajectory of the state charge of the battery (SOC_ref(t)). |
| US09735595B2 |
Single piece case with a battery and a hinge
An accessory device for an electronic device is disclosed. The accessory device may include a unitary body having a first region, a second region, and a hinge positioned between the first region and the second region. When a force is applied to the first region, the first region may bend or pivot at the hinge. When bent, the first region allows the electronic device to slide into or out of the accessory device. Further, the electronic device may slide into or out of the accessory device in a straight or linear manner. Also, the accessory device may further include a power supply designed to supply electrical current to a battery of the electronic device. The accessory device may further include a connector that electrically connects the power supply with the electronic device. The sliding motion of the electronic device prevents the connector from damage by bending. |
| US09735594B2 |
Charging/discharging device
A charging/discharging device performs charging and discharging on a plurality of secondary cells concurrently in parallel, without adopting a power source having an extremely high current supply capacity. A plurality of switching units controlled by a switching control unit are interposed respectively between the secondary cells and each of a plurality of charging power lines and discharging power lines. A power unit applies voltages having mutually-different voltage values and the switching control unit controls switching so that the respective secondary cells are connected cyclically in predetermined order to the charging and discharge power lines. |
| US09735589B2 |
Power transmission device and power transmission control method
Power transmission device that causes a power supply circuit to supply a first voltage to a first active electrode when power transmission is performed, causes the power supply circuit to supply a second voltage that is lower than the first voltage to the first active electrode and causes power reception device detection means to perform frequency sweeping at a first time interval until the power reception device is mounted, or causes the power supply circuit to supply a third voltage that is lower than the first voltage to the first active electrode and causes the power reception device detection means to perform frequency sweeping at a second time interval that is longer than the first time interval until the power reception device is removed. |
| US09735588B2 |
Power source system with multiple electrical outputs
A system providing a power source includes an electrical input and multiple electrical outputs. The electrical input is couplable to a current clamp that selectively clamps around at least one electrical conductor. A transformer coupled to the electrical input receives an input electrical signal from the at least one electrical conductor and produces an output electrical signal that is electrically isolated from the input electrical signal. Conversion circuitry electrically converts the output electrical signal to a converted electrical signal that is usable to power multiple electrical devices. Distribution circuitry distributes the converted electrical signal to the multiple electrical outputs, wherein each electrical output is couplable to an electrical device to provide power to the electrical device. |
| US09735587B2 |
Wireless power supply system
A wireless power supply system includes a power-supplying device having a power-supplying coil and a power-receiving device having a power-receiving coil and wirelessly supplies electric power from the power-supplying coil to the power-receiving coil, and the power-supplying device and the power-receiving device communicate with each other using an acoustic signal. |
| US09735586B2 |
Wirelessly rechargeable battery and components thereof
A receiver coil assembly for a wirelessly rechargeable battery including first and second transverse coils and a third coil encompassing the first and second coils. The receiver coil may be employed in a power receiver of a wirelessly rechargeable battery. Also disclosed is a wirelessly rechargeable battery having a power receiver demountable from an electrochemical cell. |
| US09735575B2 |
Power management system, power management method, and upper power management apparatus
A power management system comprises a plurality of HEMSs 10 and a CEMS 40. The CEMS 40 transmits, to each HEMS 10, a notification request for requesting a notification of an amount of power that can be reduced from power currently consumed by a load connected to each HEMS 10, in response to a power curtailment signal. Each HEMS 10 transmits, to the CEMS 40, reducible power information including the amount of power that can be reduced from the power currently consumed, in response to the notification request. The CEMS 40 transmits, to each HEMS 10, power reduction information including an amount of power that should be reduced in each consumer 70, in response to the power curtailment signal and the reducible power information. |
| US09735574B2 |
Switching regulator circuits and methods
The present disclosure includes switching regulator circuits and methods. In one embodiment, a first switching regulator stage receives a first input voltage and produces a first voltage on a first node. A second switching regulator stage receives the first input voltage and produces a second voltage on a second node. A capacitor includes a first terminal coupled to the first node and a second terminal coupled to the second node, and the first switching regulator stage and the second switching regulator stage are configured to set a first voltage on the first node and to set a second voltage on the second node. |
| US09735572B2 |
Low-voltage DC power supply for electronic communication devices
The present invention relates to a system (100) for supplying low-voltage DC power to at least one electronic communication device (3;6) in a power line carrier communication system furthermore including a power line carrier coupler comprising a coupling capacitor (10) electrically linked to a medium-voltage line (8) of a power distribution network. According to the invention, the system (100) comprises means (15) for generating a first low DC voltage value based on a current-to-voltage conversion of the leakage current related to said coupling capacitor (10), said first low DC voltage value being able to act as power supply to at least one active electronic component (13) of said at least one electronic communication device (3;6). |
| US09735570B2 |
Power management circuit for wireless communication device and process control system using same
A power management circuit comprises an energy pump, a control circuit and a power consuming circuit. The power management circuit is connected in serial with a current loop in a serial connection with a field device to cause a regulated voltage drop across the serial connection at an insertion voltage and to output an electrical power derived from the insertion voltage. The energy pump inputs at least a portion of the insertion voltage, and a feedback sense, and output a charging voltage based on the feedback sense. The charging voltage sources the electrical power output by the power management circuit. The control circuit regulates the insertion voltage by modulating the feedback sense to the energy pump, and modulates the feedback sense in response to an electrical change in the current loop. The power consuming circuit receives the electrical power from the power management circuit. |
| US09735566B1 |
Proactively operational over-voltage protection circuit
Systems and methods are disclosed for providing over-voltage protection for power converters. An over-voltage protection loop includes an error amplifier that maintains an external reference voltage within a highly precise range that can be used to provide a highly precise output voltage from the over-voltage protection loop. The over-voltage protection loop may also include feedback impedance that delays the output of the over-voltage protection loop. The delay may prevent the over-voltage protection loop from being engaged due to voltage transients output from a main servo loop circuit that provides a nominal output voltage under normal operation, thus allowing the threshold voltage and output voltage of the over-voltage protection loop to be set close to the nominal output voltage of the main servo loop circuit. |
| US09735561B2 |
Explosion-proof cable connecting assembly
The invention relates to an assembly (14) of a cable-connecting device (10) and a multi-core cable (11), which form a mechanical, explosion-proof connection to each other. For this purpose, the cable-connecting device (10) has a plastically deformable outer sleeve (18) having a crimping section (23). A hollow cylindrical inner sleeve (19) made of elastically deformable material is arranged between a cable sheath (13) made of elastomer and the crimping section (23). An elastic deformation of the inner sleeve (19) and of the cable sheath (13) is caused by radially plastically deforming the crimping section (23). Any gaps (40) present within the cable sheath (13) are closed due to the radial forces in the crimping section (23) such that spark-gap-free contact between the cable sheath (13) and the cores (12) of the cable (11) and between the cable sheath (13) and the inner sleeve (19) is ensured. |
| US09735560B2 |
Link assembly and cable protector
A link assembly has a pair of mechanical links pivotally connected to rotate relative to one another about a pivot axis. A cable protector is provided as part of the link assembly. The cable protector has a cup with an end wall which defines a first end of a winding chamber, and an annular side wall which extends from the end wall and defines a side of the winding chamber. A lid defines a second end of the winding chamber opposite to the first end. The lid is coupled to the cup by a bearing so that the cup and lid can rotate with respect to each other. An opening is formed in the side wall of the cup and a slot is formed in the lid. The assembly is fitted with a cable having a length, a width, and a thickness, wherein the width of the cable is greater than its thickness. The cable has a first portion which extends along a first one of the links and passes into the side of the winding chamber through the opening in the side wall of the cup, a second portion which extends along a second one of the links and passes into the second end of the winding chamber through the slot in the lid, and a rolled portion in the winding chamber in which the cable is wound into a roll, the roll including an outer turn which leads to the first portion and an inner turn which is inside the outer turn and leads to the second portion. |
| US09735559B2 |
Cable set holder for a motor vehicle and motor vehicle with cable set holder
A cable set holder is disclosed for fastening a cable or cable set to a motor vehicle and in particular a vehicle body. The cable set holder includes a cable mounting portion configured to hold one or more cables, and a fastening portion configured to fix the cable set holder on a body component of the motor vehicle. A nut is arranged in a loss-preventing manner on the fastening portion of the cable set holder. |
| US09735553B1 |
System and method for testing breakdown voltage/dielectric strength of spark plug insulators
A system for testing an insulative material for a spark plug comprises a test spark plug having at least a center electrode and an insulator comprised of an insulative material surrounding at least a portion of the center electrode, wherein the insulator has an end that is closed, whereby the closed end of the insulator encloses an end of the center electrode. The system further includes a test engine that simulates engine conditions, wherein a conventional spark plug is installed in a first ignition port of the test engine and the test spark plug is installed in a second ignition portion of the test engine and a control system for controlling ignition signals to the test spark plug and the conventional spark plug. |
| US09735550B2 |
Light source unit, illuminator, and display
An illuminator and a display capable of achieving miniaturization are provided with use of a plurality of light sources emitting light with two or more kinds of wavelengths. In the light source unit 11, a red-color laser 11R, a green-color laser 11G, a blue-color laser 11B, a microlens section 116, and a microprism 117 are integrated on a base material. Each laser beam emitted from each of the laser light sources is transmitted through the microlens section 116, and then, comes into the microprism 117. In the microprism 117, optical path conversion is performed to shorten the distance between the optical paths of the incident light beams (to allow the optical axes of the incident light beams to be closer to each other). Due to the above-described integration, the optical paths of the laser beams are allowed to be synthesized using the microscopic-scaled microlens section and microprisms. |
| US09735548B2 |
Semiconductor laser element and semiconductor laser device
A semiconductor laser element includes a semiconductor structure having an optical cavity and a protective film. The semiconductor structure includes a pair of stepped parts at both ends of the semiconductor structure in a cavity width direction, and a first texture pattern extending in a cavity length direction on a bottom surface of each of the stepped parts. The first texture pattern includes recesses and/or protrusions along the cavity length direction. The protective film covers at least part of the first texture pattern to define a second texture pattern having upper surfaces and bottom surfaces. A length of the bottom surfaces of the second texture pattern is less than a height from the bottom surfaces to a surface of the semiconductor structure. A length of the upper surfaces of the second texture pattern is less than a height from the upper surfaces to the surface of the semiconductor structure. |
| US09735546B2 |
Semiconductor laser with integrated phototransistor
The present invention relates to a semiconductor laser for use in an optical module for measuring distances and/or movements, using the self-mixing effect. The semiconductor laser comprises a layer structure including an active region (3) embedded between two layer sequences (1, 2) and further comprises a photodetector arranged to measure an intensity of an optical field resonating in said laser. The photodetector is a phototransistor composed of an emitter layer (e), a collector layer (c) and a base layer (b), each of which being a bulk layer and forming part of one of said layer sequences (1, 2). With the proposed semiconductor laser an optical module based on this laser can be manufactured more easily, at lower costs and in a smaller size than known modules. |
| US09735545B1 |
Vertical cavity surface emitting laser with composite reflectors
A vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) including a substrate and a bottom distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) having a plurality of layers deposited on the substrate. The VCSEL also includes a first charge confining layer deposited on the bottom DBR, an active region deposited on the first charge confining layer, and a second charge confining layer deposited on the active region. A current blocking layer is provided on the second charge confining layer, and a top epitaxial DBR including a plurality of top epitaxial DBR layers is deposited on the current blocking layer. A top electrode is deposited on the top epitaxial DBR, a bottom electrode is deposited on the bottom DBR and adjacent to the active region, and a top dielectric DBR is deposited on the top epitaxial DBR and the top electrode. |
| US09735539B2 |
VCSEL structure with embedded heat sink
An optoelectronic device includes a semiconductor substrate, having front and back sides and having at least one cavity extending from the back side through the semiconductor substrate into proximity with the front side. At least one optoelectronic emitter is formed on the front side of the semiconductor substrate in proximity with the at least one cavity. A heat-conducting material at least partially fills the at least one cavity and is configured to serve as a heat sink for the at least one optoelectronic emitter. |
| US09735535B2 |
Drive laser for EUV light source
Devices and methods for generating EUV light are disclosed. The device comprises an oscillator having an oscillator cavity length, Lo, and defining an oscillator path and a multi-pass optical amplifier coupled with the oscillator to establish a combined optical cavity including the oscillator path, the combined cavity having a length, Lcombined, where Lcombined=(N+x)*Lo, where “N” is an integer and “x” is a number between 0.4 and 0.6. The amplifier comprises a polarization discriminating optic inputting light traveling along a first beam path from the oscillator and having substantially a first linear polarization into the amplifier and outputting light having substantially a linear polarization orthogonal to the first polarization out of the amplifier along a second beam path. |
| US09735532B2 |
Multi-span optical communications link having remote optically pumped amplifier
A remote optically pumped amplifier in a multi-span optical communications link. A backwards Raman pump module performs backwards Raman amplification in an optical communications span that contains the remote optically pumped amplifier. A residual amount of backwards Raman pump power is then used to power the remote optically pumped amplifier. The remote optically pumped amplifier may be located 40 to 120 kilometers in optical distance from the backwards Raman pump module such that at least three milliwatts of residual Raman pump power is received by the remote optically pumped amplifier. The Raman pump module may be a multi-pump Raman pump module. A controller controls pump power provided by at least one of the pumps of the backwards Raman pump module, so as to at least partially compensate for optical signal strength versus wavelength variation introduced by the remote optically pumped amplifier and the backwards Raman pump module. |
| US09735525B2 |
Multifunctional connecting device
A multifunctional connecting device includes a first module, a second module and a housing. The first module has a first insulating main body and a first terminal set. The first terminal set has a plurality of first and second terminals. The first terminals are formed with a first contact portion and a first conductive portion. The second terminals are formed with a second contact portion and a second conductive portion. The second module has a second insulating main body and a second terminal set. The second terminal set has a plurality of third and fourth terminals. The first module and the second module are arranged in a stacked manner. When the first module is moved to a first position, the first module is launched to the use stage accordingly. |
| US09735515B2 |
Elastic-clip junction box structure
An elastic-clip junction box structure has multidirectional wire insertion effect and holds the wires quickly. The junction box structure includes a case body and at least one conductive clip disposed in the case body. The case body is formed with a first-direction wire socket and a second-direction wire socket with different insertion directions. The conductive clip has a first-direction clip mouth in communication with the first-direction wire socket and a second-direction clip mouth in communication with the second-direction wire socket. In use, the wire can be selectively inserted into the first-direction wire socket or the second-direction wire socket. Alternatively, wires can be respectively inserted into both the first-direction wire socket and second-direction wire socket. Accordingly, wires can be selectively inserted into the elastic-clip junction box structure in multiple directions and quickly and securely held by the first-direction clip mouth and second-direction clip mouth or released therefrom. |
| US09735511B2 |
Electrical receptacle connector
An electrical receptacle connector includes a metal shell, an insulation housing, upper-row plate terminals, and lower-row plate terminals. The metal shell defines a receptacle cavity to receive the insulation housing. The insulation housing includes a base portion and a tongue portion extending from one side of the base portion. The tongue portion includes an upper surface and a lower surface. The upper-row plate terminals are held on the base portion and tongue portion and include upper-row contact segments at the upper surface for transmitting first signals. The lower-row plate terminals are held on the base portion and tongue portion and include lower-row contact segments at the lower surface for transmitting second signals. The upper-row plate terminals and the lower-row plate terminals are point-symmetrical with a central point of the receptacle cavity as the symmetrical center. |
| US09735508B2 |
Indexable terminal retainer and method of making plugs
An indexable terminal retainer for a modular wiring system includes a retainer body that retains a terminal, the retainer body being dimensioned to fit within a retainer-receiving holder of a plug or receptacle. The indexable terminal retainer further includes a locking member for locking the retainer body to the retainer-receiving holder to prevent rotation of the retainer body within the retainer-receiving holder. |
| US09735506B2 |
Lock-in device for network cables
A lock-in device for network cables includes a locker, a holding section, and an elastic seesaw. The locker has a through hole for modular connectors to engage therein and to be removed therefrom and a locker hole parallel to the through hole for a key to be inserted therein; an extended end is arranged at a rear end of the locker hole and a space and a fillister with an inclined surface are arranged adjacent to the locker hole. The holding section is disposed in the space with a first depression facing upward at a front end thereof and a second depression facing downward at a rear end thereof. The elastic seesaw has a positioning portion at a rear end thereof extending upwards and forming an elastic piece abutting the second depression for the holding section to be operated by the elasticity. The device thereby enables simultaneous operation of unlocking and removing. |
| US09735505B2 |
Housing device for an electrical connection terminal and electrical connection terminal
A housing device for an electrical connection terminal has a terminal housing and latching systems with two latching units interacting with one another, wherein one latching unit is a latching arm connected to the terminal housing and extending out away from the terminal housing, and the second latching unit is a latching connector for interacting with the latching arm for latching. The latching connector has a latching body with a wedge-like shape in a latching direction, along a movement of the two latching units during latching. A latching toothed portion is provided on at least one transverse surface of a first of the two latching units and a meshing unit is provided on transverse surfaces of a second of the two latching units. The latching toothed portion and the meshing unit mesh with one another so as to latch in order to latch the latching units interacting with one another. |
| US09735504B2 |
Electrical connector and electrical plug connection
Embodiments disclose an electrical connector comprising a contact part including a sleeve enclosing a receiving space; a contact spring; and a locking pin including an axial end protruding laterally beyond the sleeve, the locking pin configured to be displaceably guided in the sleeve between a first final position and a second final position, be in contact with the contact spring, and push the contact spring towards the receiving space to a degree depending on a position of the locking pin between the first and second final positions; and a housing surrounding the contact part, the housing including a securing element configured to be selectively movable or fixed relative to the sleeve, grip the at least one axial end of the locking pin to form a locked connection, and selectively move the locking pin during a movement relative to the sleeve or fix the locking pin relative to the sleeve. |
| US09735497B2 |
Electrical connector having a fixed part bonding with an insulative body by glue
An electrical connector includes a housing and a terminal module mounted in the housing. The terminal module includes an insulative body, a fixed part mounted on the insulative body extending along a back-to-front direction, and a plurality of terminals. The fixed part defines a mounting hole through the fixed part along front-to-back direction. The insulative body has a connecting arm inserting into the mounting hole for position the fixed part on the insulative body. The fixed part defines a pilot hole extending to the mounting hole, and glue is disposed into the pilot hole to bond the fixed part with the insulative body. |
| US09735494B2 |
Pluggable connector having a protective front wall
Pluggable connector having a connector housing with a receiving space that opens to a leading end of the connector housing. The pluggable connector includes an edge interface that is positioned within the receiving space and has a mating edge. The pluggable connector also includes a guard assembly that is coupled to the connector housing and includes a front wall and a spring member that operably engages the front wall. The front wall has an edge slot. The spring member is biased to hold the front wall in a forward position with respect to the edge interface. The front wall compresses the spring member as the front wall moves from the forward position to a displaced position. The mating edge moves through the edge slot and clears the front wall as the front wall moves to the displaced position. |
| US09735487B2 |
Electrical card connector with contact module
A card connector includes an insulative housing, a plurality of contacts received in the insulative housing and a metallic cover covering the insulative housing. The contact includes a retaining portion, an extending portion horizontally and forwardly extending from the retaining portion, a connecting portion downwardly and forwardly aslant extending from the extending portion, a floating portion downwardly from the connecting portion and a contacting portion further downwardly extending from the floating portion. There are two bending points on linking portions of the connecting portion connecting with the floating portion and the extending portion, respectively. By such arrangement, when the electrical card is inserted, the contact can rotate about the two bending points in turn, that can improve an elasticity of the contact. |
| US09735486B1 |
Electrical connector
An electrical connector includes an insulative housing, a plurality of contacts retained in the insulative housing and a fastener. The insulative housing has a rear surface. Each contact has a connecting leg extending beyond the rear surface. The connecting legs are arranged in at least a row, and each connecting leg has a connecting portion and a resisting portion. The fastener has at least a contact receiving chamber, a flexible circuit board receiving chamber communicating with the contact receiving chamber and a press section. The contact receiving chamber is arranged between from the flexible circuit board receiving chamber and the press section. Wherein the fastener has a fixed position on the insulative housing, and as moving the fastener to the fixed position, the press section presses the resisting portion to drive the connecting portion projecting into the flexible circuit board receiving chamber. |
| US09735482B1 |
Wall mountable connector with commonly used field wire terminals spaced from one another
A wall mountable connector is configured for securing a thermostat to a wall. The wall mountable connector is further configured to provide electrical connections with field wires exiting the wall and in turn to provide electrical connection with the thermostat. In some instances, the wall mountable connector is configured to provide easier connections with the field wires. In some cases, for example, the wall mountable connector is configured to better accommodate more commonly used field wires, and in some cases, space the more commonly used field wires from one another. |
| US09735475B2 |
Low cost antenna array and methods of manufacture
In some embodiments, an apparatus may include a conductive planar structure having a plurality of antenna elements and a plurality of cutout portions. The plurality of cutout portions may define a combiner circuit including an output interface and including a combiner circuit coupled between each of the plurality of antenna elements and the output interface. |
| US09735474B2 |
Deployable antenna array and method for deploying antenna array
A deployable antenna array is provided having at least one boresight axis, and including a first plurality of first antenna array elements and a second plurality of second antenna array elements separate from the first plurality of first antenna array elements, the antenna array being configured for being selectively deployable at least from a stowed configuration to a deployed configuration. A radar system including an antenna array, a telecommunication system including an antenna array, and a method for deploying an antenna array are also provided. |
| US09735472B2 |
Elastically deformable item of sports equipment comprising a deformable electromagnetic coil structure
Embodiments relate to an elastically deformable item of sports equipment (100; 200; 250; 300; 500), comprising at least one deformable electromagnetic coil structure (104; 204; 254; 304; 504) arranged around a curved surface (102; 106; 202; 206; 252; 256; 302; 306; 502; 506) within the item of sports equipment, wherein the at least one deformable electromagnetic coil structure has an elongation reserve corresponding to a maximum elastic deformation of the item of sports equipment. |
| US09735471B2 |
Antenna structure and wireless communication device employing same
An antenna structure includes a monopole antenna, a short parasitic antenna and an impedance matching circuit. The monopole antenna includes a first radiating body, a second radiating body and a feeding portion coupled to the first radiating body and the second radiating body. The first radiating body configured to excite a low-frequency resonating mode; the second radiating body configured to excite a first high-frequency resonating mode. The short parasitic antenna includes a parasitic body spaced apart from the second radiating body and a grounding portion coupled to the parasitic body. The short parasitic antenna configured to excite a second high-frequency resonating mode, and resonate with the second radiating body to excite a third high-frequency resonating mode. The impedance matching circuit includes a variable capacitor configured to regulate operating frequency band of the low-frequency resonating mode. |
| US09735467B2 |
Antenna
An antenna includes a grounding portion extending in a longitudinal direction and defining a first end and a second end opposite to each other, a first arm extending from the first end of the grounding portion and towards the second end and defining a first slot with the grounding portion, and a second arm extending from the second end of the grounding portion and towards the first end and defining a second slot. The first arm includes a free end close to the second end defining an opening between the free end and the second end. A coaxial cable includes an inner conductor and an outer conductor, which connects the free end of the first arm and the second end of the grounding portion, respectively, to form a loop around the first slot. |
| US09735464B2 |
System and method for tracking
A tracking system comprising: a transmitter configured to steer an RF beam across a detection range, a passive RFID tag configured to be enabled for locating substantially when located in the center of the RF beam of the transmitter, and an RFID reader configured to detect the tag 104 once enable. |
| US09735461B2 |
Antenna assembly for electronic device
An antenna assembly for an electronic device, the antenna assembly comprising a conductive structure for housing at least a circuit board of the electronic device, an antenna formed as a slot in the conductive structure, a feeding element for feeding the antenna by electromagnetic coupling, the feeding element being positioned between the conductive structure and the circuit board and orientated to extend across said slot, the feeding element being connected to a feed line on the circuit board. |
| US09735457B2 |
RF power combiner functioning as higher-order harmonics filter
An RF power combiner functioning as a higher-order harmonics filter comprises: at least one pair of coaxially arranged disc-shaped metal conductors, at least one of the conductors having a central axial opening to accommodate a waveguide is provided. Facing surfaces of the disk-shaped metal conductors are shaped symmetrically with respect to the plane of symmetry of the disk-shaped metal conductors to form a plurality of consecutive, radially communicating concentric cavities having isosceles trapezoids with different bases in section. The smaller base of each trapezoid disposed closer to the central axis. The number of the concentric cavities is (2 k+1), where K is the number of signal harmonics being filtered. |
| US09735453B2 |
Lithium ion cell preparation by adjusting negative and positive electrodes
The invention relate to methods of preparing lithium ion cells including cells using Li4Ti5O12 as negative electrode material and layered transition metal oxides as positive electrode material or composite positive electrode wherein one of the components is layered transition metal oxide in which the amount of moisture in the cell is reduced such that the characteristics of the cell such as cycle life and cell impedence are improved. |
| US09735449B2 |
Electrolyte composition
An electrolyte composition and a battery is provided. The electrolyte composition includes graphene. The electrolyte composition of the present invention is suitable for a battery and can improve the life cycle of the battery. The application process of the electrolyte composition of the present invention is simple and more cost-efficient as compared to conventional techniques which add carbon material(s) to a battery. The present invention is effective in improving battery performance. |
| US09735443B2 |
Power storage device and method for manufacturing the same
To provide a flexible, highly reliable, and sheet-like power storage device. The power storage device including a flexible substrate; a positive electrode lead and a negative electrode lead over the flexible substrate; and a plurality of power storage elements over the flexible substrate. The plurality of power storage elements each includes a stack body including a sheet-like positive electrode; a sheet-like negative electrode; and an electrolyte therebetween in an exterior body. An edge portion of the sheet-like positive electrode which extends to the outside of the exterior body is electrically connected to the positive electrode lead through a positive electrode tab provided for the exterior body. An edge portion of the sheet-like negative electrode which extends to the outside of the exterior body is electrically connected to the negative electrode lead through a negative electrode tab provided for the exterior body. |
| US09735441B2 |
Hot pressed, direct deposited catalyst layer
A method of fabricating a membrane electrode assembly includes the steps of depositing a catalyst ink directly onto a membrane to form a catalyst coated membrane and hot pressing the catalyst coated membrane. The catalyst coated membrane has a catalyst layer that includes a catalyst and an ionomer. |
| US09735438B2 |
Humidifier for fuel cell systems
A humidifier for transferring water vapour from a first gas stream to a second gas stream in a fuel cell system comprises a stack of thin plates having planar sealing surfaces at their edges, along which they are sealed together. A water permeable membranes is provided between each pair of plates in the stack. Each plate defines a gas flow passage along its top and bottom surfaces, with an inlet and outlet defined along edges of the plate, and a flow field extending between the inlet and outlet openings. Inlet and outlet passages connect the inlet and outlet openings to the flow field, and the planar sealing surfaces on both sides of the plate include bridging portions which extend across the inlet and outlet passages. Support structures such as ribs are provided throughout the flow field and the inlet and outlet passages to support the membrane and diffusion medium layer(s). The support structures may optionally be connected together by webs, and the webs are provided with holes to permit flow distribution between the top and bottom of each plate. |
| US09735431B2 |
Reinforced current collecting substrate assemblies for electrochemical cells
Provided is a current collecting assembly for use in an electrochemical cell. In some embodiments, the current collecting assembly comprises a current collecting substrate having a first side defining a first surface, and a second side defining a second surface. Each of the first and second surfaces defines a surface area. The current collecting assembly further comprises a first assembly of reinforcing structures disposed on and attached to the first side of the current collecting substrate. The current collecting substrate comprises a conductive material. The first assembly of reinforcing structures comprises a first set of reinforcing structures. The first set of reinforcing structures comprises a first polymer material. The first assembly of reinforcing structures mechanically reinforces the current collecting substrate. |
| US09735429B2 |
Lithium ion secondary battery
A lithium ion secondary battery includes a binder that binds an active material to a current collector in the positive electrode or negative electrodes or both. The binder contains a base material including a resin having a benzene ring, and a polyacene additive selected from the group consisting of naphthalene, anthracene, tetracene, and derivatives thereof. The active material is a carbonaceous material or a lithium-containing composite oxide having a crystal structure in which a distance between nearest oxygen atoms is 0.19 to 0.29 nm. Adhesion of the binder to the active material during the manufacturing of the lithium ion secondary battery is led to a closest-packed crystal plane in the crystal structure of the active material, so that inhibition of moving of lithium ions in and out of the active material due to the binder may be reduced. |
| US09735427B2 |
Method of producing triazine-based graphitic carbon nitride films
Methods for fabricating triazene-based graphitic carbon nitride films are provided. A substrate can be coated with silk fibroin, submerged in the central zone of plasma, and provided with microwave power. The substrate can then be dried to give a triazene-based graphitic carbon nitride film. Methods of the subject invention can be easily scaled up to industrial levels and produce triazene-based graphitic carbon nitride films that show excellent electrical properties as anodes in lithium-ion batteries. |
| US09735422B2 |
Lithium ion secondary cell
Provided is a negative-electrode active material, which is capable of constituting a lithium ion secondary cell exhibiting excellent cell characteristics.The negative-electrode active material for a lithium ion secondary cell of the invention includes a mixed material of silicon oxide particles composed of silicon oxide and rod-shaped iron oxide particles composed of iron oxide. It is preferable to use iron oxide particles having a plurality of pores in a surface, and an electrode reaction is effectively carried out. |
| US09735415B2 |
Battery pack and protection method using the same
A method for protecting batteries with consideration for the influence of a load coupled to a battery pack is provided. The battery pack includes a terminal to be coupled to a capacitor of the load, and a battery management system for controlling a protection operation according to a voltage of the terminal, counting a number of protection operation executions after the load is coupled to the battery pack, and differently controlling a deactivation time of the protection operations depending on whether or not the number of executions is greater than or equal to a reference count. |
| US09735412B2 |
Rechargeable battery and method to suppress dendrite
A battery cell includes a first current collector, a cathode in electrical contact with the first current collector, and a second current collector. The second current collector includes a metal foam having a porous structure, and an electrically insulating layer on outer surfaces of the porous structure facing the cathode. The electrically insulating layer isolates the outer surfaces facing the cathode from ions provided by the cathode. The electrically insulating layer is configured to allow an electrolyte to transport ions from the cathode to an inner portion of the porous structure of the metal foam. The battery cell may further include a separator to separate the cathode and the first current collector from the second current collector. When the battery cell is in at least a partially charged state, ions form an anode including a metal plating within the inner porous structure of the metal foam. |
| US09735411B2 |
Polymer for use as protective layers and other components in electrochemical cells
Polymers for use as protective layers and other components in electrochemical cells are provided. In some embodiments, the electrochemical cell is a lithium-based electrochemical cell. |
| US09735408B2 |
Secondary battery
A secondary battery includes a case, a cap plate, and a vent portion. The case accommodates an electrode assembly therein and has an open top. The cap plate seals the top of the case. The vent portion is at one area of the cap plate. A porous safety member is at a position adjacent to the vent portion. |
| US09735398B2 |
Peeling method
To improve the yield in a peeling process and improve the yield in a manufacturing process of a flexible light-emitting device or the like, a peeling method includes a first step of forming a peeling layer over a first substrate, a second step of forming a layer to be peeled including a first layer in contact with the peeling layer over the peeling layer, a third step of curing a bonding layer in an overlapping manner with the peeling layer and the layer to be peeled, a fourth step of removing part of the first layer overlapping with the peeled layer and the bonding layer to form a peeling starting point, and a fifth step of separating the peeling layer and the layer to be peeled. The peeling starting point is preferably formed by laser light irradiation. |
| US09735394B2 |
Organic EL display device
A bank partitions a plurality of pixels and has an opening in each of the plurality of pixels. An organic layer includes a light emitting layer, and covers the bank opening. A first inorganic barrier layer is formed of an inorganic material, and covers the bank and the organic layer. A plurality of organic barrier portions are formed of organic materials, and are disposed on the first inorganic barrier layer. A second inorganic barrier layer is formed of the inorganic material, and covers the first inorganic barrier layer and the plurality of organic barrier portions. A recessed portion is formed on the bank and the first inorganic barrier layer (for example, the recessed portion is formed in an area which covers a contact hole), and a portion of the organic barrier portion is formed in the recessed portion. |
| US09735393B2 |
Organic electroluminescent display device
An organic electroluminescent display device has a display region where image display is performed and a frame region surrounding said display region. The organic electroluminescent display device includes: a first substrate; a second substrate disposed facing said first substrate; an organic electroluminescent element provided on said first substrate in the display region; and a sealing film on said first substrate in the frame and display regions so as to cover said organic electroluminescent element, a surface of the sealing film in the frame region being hydrophilic. |
| US09735392B2 |
Thin film deposition
A method of preparing a surface for deposition of a thin film thereon, wherein the surface including a plurality of protrusions extending therefrom and having shadowed regions, includes locally treating at least one of the protrusions. |
| US09735390B2 |
Organic light-emitting display apparatus and method of manufacturing the same
An organic light-emitting display apparatus and a method of manufacturing the same, the organic light-emitting display apparatus including a first substrate that includes a display area and a peripheral area; a second substrate that faces the first substrate; a first metal layer in the peripheral area of the first substrate, the first metal layer including a plurality of holes; and a sealing member that bonds the first substrate to the second substrate, wherein at least one of the plurality of holes includes a region that does not overlap the sealing member. |
| US09735385B2 |
Organic electroluminescence device
The present invention relates to organic electroluminescent devices which comprise a mixture of at least two materials in the electron-transport layer. |
| US09735383B2 |
Ambipolar synaptic devices
Device architectures based on trapping and de-trapping holes or electrons and/or recombination of both types of carriers are obtained by carrier trapping either in near-interface deep ambipolar states or in quantum wells/dots, either serving as ambipolar traps in semiconductor layers or in gate dielectric/barrier layers. In either case, the potential barrier for trapping is small and retention is provided by carrier confinement in the deep trap states and/or quantum wells/dots. The device architectures are usable as three terminal or two terminal devices. |
| US09735381B2 |
Thin film transistor array and manufacturing method of the same
A thin film transistor array includes thin film transistors positioned in a matrix, each of the thin film transistors including a substrate, a gate electrode formed on the substrate, a gate insulation layer formed on the gate electrode, a source electrode formed on the gate insulation layer, a drain electrode formed on the gate insulation layer, a pixel electrode formed on the gate insulation layer and connected to the source electrode and the drain electrode, a semiconductor layer formed between the source electrode and the drain electrode, an interlayer insulation film covering the source electrode, the drain electrode, the semiconductor layer and a portion of the pixel electrode, and an upper pixel electrode formed on the interlayer insulation film and connected to the pixel electrode. The interlayer insulation film has one or more concave portions and one or more via hole portions. |
| US09735379B2 |
Display apparatus, apparatus and method of manufacturing display apparatus
Provided are a display apparatus and an apparatus and method of manufacturing the display apparatus. The apparatus for manufacturing a display apparatus includes: a dry cleansing unit configured to remove impurities from a surface of a mother substrate; an electrolyte treatment unit connected to the dry cleansing unit and configured to treat the surface of the mother substrate with electrolytes; and an exfoliated layer forming unit connected to the electrolyte treatment unit and configured to form an exfoliated layer on the mother substrate. |
| US09735377B2 |
Phosphorescent emitters and host materials with improved stability
Iridium complexes with ligands containing twisted aryl groups having extended conjugation (i.e., the twisted aryl is substituted with an additional aryl group) and organic light emitting devices including the same are disclosed. The iridium complexes can be used in organic light emitting devices may provide improved stability color, lifetime and manufacturing. |
| US09735368B2 |
Organic electroluminescent devices
An organic electroluminescent element that includes a light-emitting layer composed of a light-emitting composition containing at least one type of host material and at least one type of light-emitting material is provided. The host material is a fluorescent anthracene derivative, which fluoresces blue light under DC current with a current density of 25 mA/cm2. If λ (nm) is taken to be the shortest wavelength of all the wavelengths at which the intensity of PL emission of a film composed only of the aforementioned host material is one-half the maximum emission intensity, then the intensity of PL emission at the aforementioned wavelength λ of a film composed of the aforementioned light-emitting composition is no more than 1/10 the maximum emission intensity of PL emission of the film composed of the aforementioned light-emitting composition, and the PL emission of the film composed of the aforementioned light-emitting composition satisfies CIE y≦0.08. |
| US09735365B2 |
Low band gap polymer compound, synthesis of thereof, and organic photovoltaic cell containing the same
The present disclosure relates to a novel polymer compound and a method for preparing the same. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a novel conductive low band gap electron donor polymer compound having high photon absorptivity and improved hole mobility, a method for preparing the same and an organic photovoltaic cell containing the same. Since the conductive polymer compound as a low band gap electron donor exhibits high photon absorptivity and superior hole mobility, it can be usefully used as a material for an organic optoelectronic device such as an organic photodiode (OPD), an organic thin-film transistor (OTFT), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), an organic photovoltaic cell, etc. as well as in the development of a n-type material. |
| US09735364B2 |
OLED display device and preparation method thereof, display apparatus
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display device and a preparation method thereof, and a display apparatus are disclosed. The OLED display device includes a base substrate (21), an anode (23), a cathode (26) and an organic functional layer (25), the anode (23), the cathode (26) and the organic functional layer (25) formed on the base substrate (21), and the organic functional layer (25) located between the cathode (26) and the anode (23), the anode (23) and/or the cathode (26) being a topological insulator with a two-dimensional nanostructure, and the topological insulator with the two-dimensional nanostructure being adhered on the base substrate (21) by an adhesive layer. The OLED display device overcomes the problem of non-uniform display lightness which is caused by the high transmission resistance and high IR drop of metal electrodes of OLED display devices. |
| US09735360B2 |
Access devices to correlated electron switch
Subject matter disclosed herein may relate to programmable fabrics including correlated electron switch devices. |
| US09735359B2 |
Methods of forming a memory cell material, and related methods of forming a semiconductor device structure, memory cell materials, and semiconductor device structures
A method of forming a memory cell material comprises forming a first portion of a dielectric material over a substrate by atomic layer deposition. Discrete conductive particles are formed on the first portion of the dielectric material by atomic layer deposition. A second portion of the dielectric material is formed on and between the discrete conductive particles by atomic layer deposition. A memory cell material, a method of forming a semiconductor device structure, and a semiconductor device structure are also described. |
| US09735358B2 |
Noble metal / non-noble metal electrode for RRAM applications
A method for forming a non-volatile memory device includes disposing a junction layer comprising a doped silicon-bearing material in electrical contact with a first conductive material, forming a switching layer comprising an undoped amorphous silicon-bearing material upon at least a portion of the junction layer, disposing a layer comprising a non-noble metal material upon at least a portion of the switching layer, disposing an active metal layer comprising a noble metal material upon at least a portion of the layer, and forming a second conductive material in electrical contact with the active metal layer. |
| US09735355B2 |
Electrically actuated switch
An electrically actuated switch comprises a first electrode, a second electrode, and an active region disposed therebetween. The active region comprises at least one primary active region comprising at least one material that can be doped or undoped to change its electrical conductivity, and a secondary active region comprising at least one material for providing a source/sink of ionic species that act as dopants for the primary active region(s). Methods of operating the switch are also provided. |
| US09735351B2 |
Magneto-resistance random access memory device and method of manufacturing the same
Manufacturing a MRAM device may include removing etch residues from a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) pattern in the presence of an atmosphere. The removing may include applying a cleaning solution to one or more surfaces of the MTJ pattern. Manufacturing the MRAM device may include removing an oxide layer based on sputter etching of the MTJ pattern. The etch residues may be removed such that the oxide layer is formed. Removing the etch residues may include applying a cleaning solution to the MTJ pattern. The etch residues may be removed in the presence of an atmosphere. The MTJ pattern may be formed based on patterning an MTJ layer in a vacuum state such that the etch residues are formed on a surface of the MTJ pattern. |
| US09735348B2 |
High stability spintronic memory
An embodiment includes a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) including a free magnetic layer, a fixed magnetic layer, and a tunnel barrier between the free and fixed layers; the tunnel barrier directly contacting a first side of the free layer; and an oxide layer directly contacting a second side of the free layer; wherein the tunnel barrier includes an oxide and has a first resistance-area (RA) product and the oxide layer has a second RA product that is lower than the first RA product. The MTJ may be included in a perpendicular spin torque transfer memory. The tunnel barrier and oxide layer form a memory having high stability with an RA product not substantively higher than a less table memory having a MTJ with only a single oxide layer. Other embodiments are described herein. |
| US09735342B2 |
Piezoelectric thin film and method for producing the same
A piezoelectric thin film is formed through sputtering and consists essentially of scandium aluminum nitride. The carbon atomic content is 2.5 at % or less. When producing the piezoelectric thin film, scandium and aluminum are sputtered simultaneously on a substrate from a scandium aluminum alloy target material having a carbon atomic content of 5 at % or less in an atmosphere where at least nitrogen gas exists. The sputtering may be conducted also by applying an ion beam on an opposing surface of the alloy target material at an oblique angle. Moreover, aluminum and scandium may be also sputtered simultaneously on the substrate from an Sc target material and an Al target material. As a result, a piezoelectric thin film which exhibits excellent piezoelectric properties and a method for the same can be provided. |
| US09735341B2 |
Single-crystal piezoelectric fiber composite and magnetoelectric laminate composite including the same
A piezoelectric fiber composite and a magnetoelectric laminate composite including the same are disclosed. The piezoelectric fiber composite includes a first protective layer having a first electrode, a second protective layer having a second electrode, and a piezoelectric fiber layer formed between the first and the second electrode and having piezoelectric fibers arranged in the longitudinal direction of the composite, wherein the piezoelectric fibers include a single-crystal piezoelectric material and are configured such that a <011> direction of the single crystal is identical to a thickness direction of the composite and a <001> direction of the single crystal is identical to a longitudinal direction of the composite, thus exhibiting superior piezoelectric strain properties and sensing properties. Also, the magnetoelectric laminate composite includes the piezoelectric fiber composite and a magnetostrictive layer including a magnetostrictive material such as nickel (Ni) or Metglas (FeBSi alloy), thus ensuring significantly improved magnetoelectric properties. |
| US09735340B2 |
Method of manufacturing an electronic component
A method for manufacturing an electronic component is provided where resin adhesive rarely spreads before curing. The method includes providing a first sealing member and forming a frame-shaped glass layer on a principal surface of the first sealing member. Moreover, the first sealing member is cut into multiple first sealing members and second sealing members are bonded with resin adhesive to inner frame regions on the principal surface of the first sealing member defined by the glass layer. |
| US09735338B2 |
Protected resonator
A bulk acoustic wave resonator structure that isolates the core resonator from both environmental effects and aging effects. The structure has a piezoelectric layer at least partially disposed between two electrodes. The structure is protected against contamination, package leaks, and changes to the piezoelectric material due to external effects while still providing inertial resistance. The structure has one or more protective elements that limit aging effects to at or below a specified threshold. The resonator behavior is stabilized across the entire bandwidth of the resonance, not just at the series resonance. Examples of protective elements include a collar of material around the core resonator so that perimeter and edge-related environmental and aging phenomena are kept away from the core resonator, a Bragg reflector formed above or below the piezoelectric layer and a cap formed over the piezoelectric layer. The resonator structure is suspended in a cavity in a cap structure. |
| US09735337B2 |
Piezoelectric actuator
A piezoelectric actuator comprises a substantially rectangular parallelepiped piezoelectric element. One outer surface of the piezoelectric element includes a first region, and a second region located such as to project from the first region and to overlap a region corresponding to an active portion in the one outer surface. The second region has a flat surface configured to come into contact with a body to be driven and to generate a frictional force therewith. The flat surface is shorter in a longitudinal direction of the piezoelectric element than in a lateral direction thereof. The flat surface is longer in the longitudinal direction of the piezoelectric element at a lateral center region thereof than at a lateral end region thereof. |
| US09735335B2 |
Thermoelectric conversion element and pyroelectric sensor
A thermoelectric conversion element includes a first electrode on provided a substrate; a pyroelectric film that is provided on the first electrode, is formed of a composite oxide having an ABO3-type perovskite structure, and generates a surface charge due to temperature change; and a second electrode provided on the pyroelectric film, in which the composite oxide which forms at least a portion of layer in the pyroelectric film contains at least Pb, Nb, and Ti, and is formed of tetragonal crystal which is oriented in the direction of {100} on the substrate. |
| US09735319B2 |
Radiation emitting or receiving optoelectronic semiconductor chip
An optoelectronic semiconductor chip includes a multiplicity of active regions arranged at a distance from one another, and a continuous current spreading layer, wherein at least one of the active regions has a main extension direction, one of the active regions has a core region formed with a first semiconductor material, the active region has an active layer covering the core region at least in directions transversely with respect to the main extension direction of the active region, the active region has a cover layer formed with a second semiconductor material and covers the active layer at least in directions transversely with respect to the main extension direction of the active region, and the current spreading layer covers all cover layers of the active region. |
| US09735316B2 |
Method for manufacturing high voltage LED flip chip
A method for manufacturing a high voltage LED flip chip is provided, including: providing a substrate; forming an epitaxy stacking layer on the substrate; etching the epitaxy stacking layer to form a first groove and a Mesa-platform on each chip-unit region; forming a first electrode on each of the Mesa-platforms, wherein the first electrodes on two neighboring chip-unit regions form a second groove; forming a first insulation layer covering the Mesa-platforms and the first electrodes, filling the second groove and partially filling the first grooves to form a third groove; etching the first insulation layer to form fourth groove; and forming an interconnection electrode, wherein the interconnection electrode fills the third groove and the fourth groove, two neighboring interconnection electrodes form a fifth groove, the interconnection electrode connects the first electrode on one chip-unit region and the first semiconductor layer on the other chip-unit region. LED formed has improved performance. |
| US09735303B2 |
Color imaging using color OLED or LED array as color light-field imaging sensor
A color light field imaging sensor array for use as a lensless imaging camera, tactile or proximate gesture user interface, image display, or combination. Each sensor array pixel comprises groups of at least three LEDs, OLEDs, or similar devices having differing emission color wavelengths configured to provide light amplitude measurement signals. For each pixel, a first output signal is produced by subtracting a function of the light amplitude measurement signal from an LED of a mid-value color wavelength from a function of a light amplitude measurement signal from an LED of a higher-value color wavelength. A second output signal is produced by subtracting a function of a light amplitude measurement signal from lower-value color wavelength LED from a function of the light amplitude measurement signal obtained from mid-value color wavelength LED. A third output signal is produced from function of light amplitude measurement signal associated with lowest-value color wavelength LED. |
| US09735302B2 |
Method for manufacturing photovoltaic cells with multiple junctions and multiple electrodes
A photovoltaic device and method of manufacture of a photovoltaic device including an assembly of at least two photovoltaic cells; and a lamination material inserted between each photovoltaic cell, each photovoltaic cell including: two current output terminals; at least one photovoltaic junction; current collection buses; and connection strips extending from the current collection buses to the current output terminals, all the current output terminals being placed on a single surface of the photovoltaic device is provided. |
| US09735301B2 |
Manufacture of N-type chalcogenide compositions and their uses in photovoltaic devices
A layer of an n-type chalcogenide compositions provided on a substrate in the presence of an oxidizing gas in an amount sufficient to provide a resistivity to the layer that is less than the resistivity a layer deposited under identical conditions but in the substantial absence of oxygen. |
| US09735300B2 |
Thermal management
A solar energy receiver can include a heat sink configured to cool or otherwise dissipate heat. The heat sink can include a plurality of fin members, each having bases that are generally aligned with each other. The bases of the fin members can be connected to one another with connection devices that are spaced away from the bases, so as to improve thermal conductivity performance characteristics. |
| US09735298B2 |
Backing sheet for photovoltaic modules
The present invention provides a protective backing sheet for photovoltaic modules. The backing sheet has a layer including fluoropolymer which is cured on a substrate, and the layer includes a hydrophobic silica. The amount of hydrophobic silica contained in the layer is within the range of 2.5 to 15.0% by weight, and preferably in the range of 7.5 to 12.5%. Also, the layer including fluoropolymer may further include a titanium dioxide. |
| US09735296B2 |
Semiconductor light receiving device
A semiconductor light receiving device includes a substrate, a semiconductor fine line waveguide provided on the substrate, and a light receiving circuit that is provided on the substrate and that absorbs light propagating through the semiconductor fine line waveguide. The light receiving circuit includes a p type first semiconductor layer, a number of second semiconductor mesa structures provided on the p type first semiconductor layer in such a manner that an n type second semiconductor layer is provided on top of an i type second semiconductor layer, a p side electrode connected to the p type first semiconductor layer in a location between the second semiconductor mesa structures, and an n side electrode connected to the n type second semiconductor layer. The refractive index and the optical absorption coefficient of the second semiconductor layers are greater than the refractive index and the optical absorption coefficient of the first semiconductor layer. |
| US09735291B1 |
Semiconductor device and Zener diode
A semiconductor device includes a substrate; a well region of a first-conductivity-type, disposed in the substrate; a first impurity region of a first-conductivity-type disposed in the well region; a second impurity region of the second-conductivity-type disposed in the well region, the second-conductivity-type being opposite to the first-conductivity-type; a third impurity region disposed in the well region, a portion of the first impurity region overlapping a first portion of the third impurity region, a portion of the second impurity region overlapping a second portion of the third impurity region, and a third portion of the third impurity region being disposed between the first impurity region and the second impurity region; and a fourth impurity region and a barrier layer disposed in the substrate, the fourth impurity region and the barrier layer enclosing the well region from around and below, respectively. |
| US09735288B2 |
One time programmable non-volatile memory device
A one-time programmable non-volatile memory device includes a first conductivity type well region located in a semiconductor substrate, a selection gate electrode and a floating gate electrode located on the substrate, a first doped region located between the selection gate electrode and the floating gate electrode, a second conductivity type source region located on one side of the selection gate electrode, and a second conductivity type drain region located on one side of the floating gate electrode, wherein a depth of the drain region has a depth shallower than that of the first doped region with respect to a top surface of the substrate. |
| US09735287B2 |
Memory devices, methods of manufacturing the same, and methods of accessing the same
Memory devices, methods of manufacturing the same, and methods of accessing the same are provided. In one embodiment, the memory device may include a substrate, a back gate formed on the substrate, and a transistor. The transistor may include fins formed on opposite sides of the back gate on the substrate and a gate stack formed on the substrate and intersecting the fins. The memory device may further include a back gate dielectric layer formed on side and bottom surfaces of the back gate. The back gate dielectric layer may have a thickness reduced portion at a region facing the fins on one side of the gate stack. |
| US09735284B2 |
Semiconductor device comprising oxide semiconductor
A semiconductor device includes an oxide semiconductor layer including a crystalline region over an insulating surface, a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer, a gate insulating layer covering the oxide semiconductor layer, the source electrode layer, and the drain electrode layer, and a gate electrode layer over the gate insulating layer in a region overlapping with the crystalline region. The crystalline region includes a crystal whose c-axis is aligned in a direction substantially perpendicular to a surface of the oxide semiconductor layer. |
| US09735281B2 |
Crystallization method for oxide semiconductor layer, semiconductor device manufactured using the same, and method for manufacturing the semiconductor device
An oxide semiconductor crystallization method may include depositing an In—Ga—Zn oxide over the substrate while heating a substrate to a temperature of 200 to 300° C., and heat-treating the deposited In—Ga—Zn oxide at a temperature of 200 to 350° C., thereby forming an oxide semiconductor layer crystallized throughout an entire thickness thereof. |
| US09735280B2 |
Semiconductor device, method for manufacturing semiconductor device, and method for forming oxide film
One embodiment of the present invention is a semiconductor device at least including an oxide semiconductor film, a gate insulating film in contact with the oxide semiconductor film, and a gate electrode overlapping with the oxide semiconductor film with the gate insulating film therebetween. The oxide semiconductor film has a spin density lower than 9.3×1016 spins/cm3 and a carrier density lower than 1×1015/cm3. The spin density is calculated from a peak of a signal detected at a g value (g) of around 1.93 by electron spin resonance spectroscopy. The oxide semiconductor film is formed by a sputtering method while bias power is supplied to the substrate side and self-bias voltage is controlled, and then subjected to heat treatment. |
| US09735276B2 |
Non-planar transistors and methods of fabrication thereof
Non-planar transistors and methods of fabrication thereof are described. In an embodiment, a method of forming a non-planar transistor includes forming a channel region on a first portion of a semiconductor fin, the semiconductor fin having a top surface and sidewalls. A gate electrode is formed over the channel region of the semiconductor fin, and an in-situ doped semiconductor layer is grown on the top surface and the sidewalls of the semiconductor fin on opposing sides of the gate electrode using a selective epitaxial growth process. At least a part of the doped semiconductor layer is converted to form a dopant rich region. |
| US09735273B1 |
Method of forming a III-V compound semiconductor channel post replacement gate
After forming a sacrificial gate structure straddling a stacking of a semiconductor mandrel structure and a dielectric mandrel cap and spacers present on sidewalls of the stack, portions of the spacers located on opposite sides of the sacrificial gate structure are removed. Epitaxial source/drain regions are formed on exposed sidewalls of portions of the semiconductor mandrel structure located on opposite sides of the sacrificial gate structure. The sacrificial gate structure is removed to provide a gate cavity. Next, portions of the spacers exposed by the gate cavity are removed to expose sidewalls of a portion of the semiconductor mandrel structure. III-V compound semiconductor channel portions are then formed on exposed sidewalls of the semiconductor mandrel structure. Portions of the semiconductor mandrel structure and the dielectric mandrel cap exposed by the gate cavity are subsequently removed from the structure, leaving only the III-V compound semiconductor channel portions. |
| US09735271B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes an isolation feature in a substrate. The semiconductor device further includes a first source/drain feature in the substrate, wherein a first side of the first source/drain feature contacts the isolation feature, and the first source/drain feature exposes a portion of the isolation feature below a top surface of the substrate. The semiconductor device further includes a silicide layer over the first source/drain feature. The semiconductor device further includes a dielectric layer along the exposed portion of the isolation feature below the top surface of the substrate, wherein the dielectric layer contacts the silicide layer. The semiconductor device further includes a second source/drain feature in the substrate on an opposite side of a gate stack from the first source/drain feature, wherein the second source/drain feature has a substantially uniform thickness. |
| US09735268B2 |
Method for forming metal semiconductor alloys in contact holes and trenches
A semiconductor device is provided that includes a gate structure on a channel region of a substrate. A source region and a drain region are present on opposing sides of the channel region. A first metal semiconductor alloy is present on an upper surface of at least one of the source and drain regions. The first metal semiconductor alloy extends to a sidewall of the gate structure. A dielectric layer is present over the gate structure and the first metal semiconductor alloy. An opening is present through the dielectric layer to a portion of the first metal semiconductor alloy that is separated from the gate structure. A second metal semiconductor alloy is present in the opening, is in direct contact with the first metal semiconductor alloy, and has an upper surface that is vertically offset and is located above the upper surface of the first metal semiconductor alloy. |
| US09735256B2 |
Method and structure for FinFET comprising patterned oxide and dielectric layer under spacer features
A semiconductor device and method of forming the same are disclosed. The method includes receiving a substrate having an active fin, an oxide layer over the active fin, a dummy gate stack over the oxide layer, and a spacer feature over the oxide layer and on sidewalls of the dummy gate stack. The method further includes removing the dummy gate stack, resulting in a first trench; etching the oxide layer in the first trench, resulting in a cavity underneath the spacer feature; depositing a dielectric material in the first trench and in the cavity; and etching in the first trench so as to expose the active fin, leaving a first portion of the dielectric material in the cavity. |
| US09735252B2 |
V-shaped SiGe recess volume trim for improved device performance and layout dependence
Some embodiments of the present disclosure relates to a method of forming a transistor device having a strained channel and an associated device. In some embodiments, the method is performed by performing a first etch of a substrate to produce a recess having a largest width at an opening along a top surface of the substrate. An etch stop layer is formed by doping a bottom surface of the recess with a dopant. A second etch of the recess is then performed to form a source/drain recess, wherein the etch stop layer resists etching of the second etch. A stress inducing material is formed within the source/drain recess onto the etch stop layer. |
| US09735251B2 |
Semiconductor structure and fabrication method thereof
A method for forming a semiconductor structure includes providing a semiconductor substrate having a metal gate structure formed on the semiconductor substrate; forming a first dielectric layer covering a side surface of the metal gate structure on the semiconductor substrate; forming a cap layer on the metal gate structure; etching a top portion of the first dielectric layer using the cap layer as an etching mask; forming a protective sidewall spacer on a side surface of the cap layer and a side surface of a portion of the first dielectric layer under the cap layer; forming a second dielectric layer to cover the cap layer, the protective sidewall spacer and a top surface of the etched first dielectric layer; forming at least a first through-hole in the second dielectric layer; and forming a first conductive via in the first through-hole. |
| US09735250B2 |
Stable work function for narrow-pitch devices
A work function setting metal stack includes a configuration of layers including a high dielectric constant layer and a diffusion prevention layer formed on the high dielectric constant layer. An aluminum doped TiC layer has a thickness greater than 5 nm wherein the configuration of layers is employed between two regions as a diffusion barrier to prevent mass diffusion between the two regions. |
| US09735249B2 |
Gate structure with refractory metal barrier
Gate structures for semiconductor devices include a silicon nitride layer, an electron beam evaporated tantalum nitride layer disposed on the silicon nitride layer, a first electron beam evaporated titanium layer disposed on the tantalum nitride layer, an electron beam evaporated gold layer deposited on the first titanium layer, and a second electron beam evaporated titanium layer deposited on the gold layer. |
| US09735240B2 |
High electron mobility transistor (HEMT)
A high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) device with a highly resistive layer co-doped with carbon (C) and a donor-type impurity and a method for making the HEMT device is disclosed. In one embodiment, the HEMT device includes a substrate, the highly resistive layer co-doped with C and the donor-type impurity formed above the substrate, a channel layer formed above the highly resistive layer, and a barrier layer formed above the channel layer. In one embodiment, the highly resistive layer comprises gallium nitride (GaN). In one embodiment, the donor-type impurity is silicon (Si). In another embodiment, the donor-type impurity is oxygen (O). |
| US09735233B2 |
Electronic device including side gate and two-dimensional material channel and method of manufacturing the electronic device
Provided are electronic devices and methods of manufacturing same. An electronic device includes an energy barrier forming layer on a substrate, an upper channel material layer on the substrate, and a gate electrode that covers the upper channel material layer and the energy barrier forming layer. The gate electrode includes a side gate electrode portion that faces a side surface of the energy barrier forming layer. The side gate electrode may be configured to cause an electric field to be applied directly on the energy barrier forming layer via the side surface of the energy barrier forming layer, thereby enabling adjustment of the energy barrier between the energy barrier forming layer and the upper channel material layer. The electronic device may further include a lower channel material layer that is provided on the substrate and does not contact the upper channel material layer. |
| US09735223B2 |
Organic light-emitting display apparatus and manufacturing method thereof
An organic light-emitting display apparatus and a manufacturing method thereof. The organic light-emitting display apparatus includes a substrate, a display unit arranged on the substrate, a dam unit arranged at a periphery of the display unit and on the substrate and an encapsulating layer to encapsulate the display unit, wherein the encapsulating layer includes an organic film covering the display unit, and an inorganic film covering the organic film and the dam unit, and wherein a hardness of the dam unit is lower than that of the inorganic film. According to this, lateral moisture-proof characteristics of the organic light-emitting display apparatus are improved. |
| US09735221B2 |
Display module
The display module includes first and second FPC substrates disposed on top of each other. The first substrate has an IC mounted on it. The second FPC substrate has a cutout inside which the IC is disposed. |
| US09735216B2 |
Organic light emitting display device
An organic light emitting display (OLED) device is disclosed. The OLED device includes a substrate configured to include a sub-pixel defined into an emission region and a driving region. A first bank pattern configured to define the emission region of the sub-pixel is formed on the substrate. A second bank pattern configured to include an opening, which exposes the emission region and a part of the driving region, is formed on a part of an upper surface of the first bank pattern. An organic emission layer is formed in the opening. As such, the occupied area of the organic emission layer becomes wider. Therefore, the thickness deviation of the organic emission layer is prevented or minimized. |
| US09735215B2 |
Pixel demarcation layer, OLED and manufacturing method thereof as well as display device
A pixel demarcation layer includes a first pixel demarcation sub-layer and a second pixel demarcation sub-layer stacked on the first pixel demarcation sub-layer. The pixel demarcation layer is divided into a display area and an edge area located outside the display area. The first pixel demarcation sub-layer includes a plurality of first openings positioned within the display area each corresponding to a light-emitting region of a respective sub-pixel unit. The second pixel demarcation sub-layer includes a plurality of second openings each coated with an organic light-emitting material. Each of the second openings includes a first area positioned in the display area and corresponding to a set of the first openings. Each of the second openings also includes a second area positioned in the edge area and configured to provide an initiating terminal from which the first area corresponding to the second area is coated with the organic light-emitting material. |
| US09735205B2 |
Solid-state image pickup device and manufacturing method thereof
There is provided a solid-state image pickup device that includes a functional region provided with an organic film, and a guard ring surrounding the functional region |
| US09735204B2 |
Solid-state imaging device and method for manufacturing the same
Each imaging pixel provided in a solid-state imaging device includes a charge accumulation part which is a diffusion region formed in a substrate, a gate electrode formed lateral to the charge accumulation part on the substrate, an insulating film formed on the charge accumulation part, and a contact plug connected to the charge accumulation part so as to penetrate the insulating film and made of semiconductor. The contact plug is, at a lower part thereof, embedded in the insulating film, and is, at an upper part thereof, exposed through the insulating film. Silicide is formed on the upper part of the contact plug, and the charge accumulation part and the gate electrode are covered by the insulating film. |
| US09735201B2 |
Memory device
According to one embodiment, a memory device includes a first layer, a second layers, a third layer provided between the first layer and the second layer, and first electrodes. The first layer includes first interconnections and a first insulating portion provided between the first interconnections. The second layer includes second interconnections and a second insulating portion provided between the second interconnections. The third layer includes first and second portions including silicon oxide. The first portion is provided between the first and the second interconnections. The second portion is provided between the first and the second insulating portions. The first electrodes are provided between the first interconnections and the first portion, and include a first material. The second interconnections include a second material. The first material is easier to ionize than the second material. A density of the first portion is lower than a density of the second portion. |
| US09735199B2 |
Light emitting device
A light emitting device includes a substrate, light emitting cells, each of the light emitting cells including a light emitting structure including lower and upper semiconductor layers, an upper electrode, and a lower electrode, a conductive interconnection layer electrically connecting a lower electrode of a first one of the light emitting cells and an upper electrode of a second one of the light emitting cells, and a current blocking layer disposed to extend from between the upper electrode and the upper semiconductor layer, wherein each light emitting cell further includes a conductive layer arranged to electrically connect the upper electrode of the second light emitting cell to the upper semiconductor layer of the second light emitting cell. |
| US09735195B2 |
Array substrate and method for manufacturing the same, x-ray flat panel detector, image pickup system
An array substrate and manufacturing method thereof, an X-ray flat panel detector and an image pickup system are provided. The array substrate is divided into a plurality of detection units, and each of the detection units has a first electrode and a photoelectric conversion structure provided therein. The first electrode is disposed on a side of the photoelectric conversion structure opposite to a light incident side, and is electrically connected to the photoelectric conversion structure. A reflective layer that is electrically conductive is further included between the first electrode and the photoelectric conversion structure, and a surface of the reflective layer facing the photoelectric conversion structure is a reflection surface. The utilization rate of light can be enhanced by the array substrate as stated in embodiments of the invention, so that the detection accuracy of the X-ray flat panel detector is enhanced. |
| US09735193B2 |
Photo relay
A photo relay includes an illuminating unit, a photoelectric conversion IC, a first MOS IC and a second MOS IC. The illuminating unit receives an input signal to generate an illuminating signal. The photoelectric conversion IC receives the illuminating signal to generate a voltage control signal accordingly. The second MOS IC is reversely stacked on the first MOS IC, such that the source electrodes of the two MOS ICs are electrically connected, and the gate electrodes of the two MOS ICs are electrically connected through a gate connection structure for receiving the voltage control signal, and the drain electrodes of the two MOS ICs generate an output signal according to the received voltage control signal. |
| US09735192B2 |
Solid state imaging device for reducing dark current and imaging apparatus
A solid state imaging device having a light sensing section that performs photoelectric conversion of incident light includes: an insulating layer formed on a light receiving surface of the light sensing section; a layer having negative electric charges formed on the insulating layer; and a hole accumulation layer formed on the light receiving surface of the light sensing section. |
| US09735190B2 |
Solid-state imaging device, manufacturing method thereof, and electronic apparatus
There is provided a solid-state imaging device which includes a plurality of pixels including an imaging pixel for generating a captured image and a focus detection pixel for detecting a focus, in which the focus detection pixel includes a microlens, a photoelectric conversion unit which receives light incident from the microlens, a light-shielding unit which shields a portion of light incident on the photoelectric conversion unit, and a dimming filter which dims the light incident on the photoelectric conversion unit and is formed to contain a black pigment. The present technology can be applied to, for example, a CMOS image sensor. |
| US09735186B2 |
Manufacturing method and structure thereof of TFT backplane
The disclosure provides a manufacturing method and a structure thereof of a TFT backplane. In the manufacturing method of the TFT backplane, after a polysilicon layer (3′) is formed by implanting a induced ion solid-phase crystallization into an amorphous silicon layer (3), patterning the polysilicon layer using a half-tone mask to form an island active layer (4), and at the same time, etching a upper layer portion (31) with more implanted induced ions located in the middle portion of the island active layer (4) to form a channel region, retaining the upper layer portion (31) with more implanted induced ions located in two sides of the island active layer (4) to form a source/drain contact region, it not only reduces the number of masks, but also saves a process only for implanting doped ion into the source/drain contact region, thereby simplifying the process and reducing production cost. |
| US09735184B2 |
Forming method for structure of crossing datalines and scanning lines in display device
A forming method for an array substrate is provided. The method includes: providing a substrate; forming multiple scanning lines and multiple data lines on the substrate, where the scanning lines cross the data lines and are insulated from the data lines, and the first data lines are arranged in the same layer as the scanning lines; forming a first insulating layer on the first data lines and the scanning lines, and forming first via holes in the first insulating layer; and forming second data lines on the first insulating layer, where the second data lines electrically connect to the first data lines via the first via holes, first signal lines are insulated from the second data lines and the first signal lines are in a same layer with the second data lines. |
| US09735180B2 |
Semiconductor device and electronic device
An object is to improve the drive capability of a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a first transistor and a second transistor. A first terminal of the first transistor is electrically connected to a first wiring. A second terminal of the first transistor is electrically connected to a second wiring. A gate of the second transistor is electrically connected to a third wiring. A first terminal of the second transistor is electrically connected to the third wiring. A second terminal of the second transistor is electrically connected to a gate of the first transistor. A channel region is formed using an oxide semiconductor layer in each of the first transistor and the second transistor. The off-state current of each of the first transistor and the second transistor per channel width of 1 μm is 1 aA or less. |
| US09735179B2 |
Semiconductor circuit, method for driving the same, storage device, register circuit, display device, and electronic device
A semiconductor circuit capable of controlling and holding the threshold voltage of a transistor at an optimal level and a driving method thereof are disclosed. A storage device, a display device, or an electronic device including the semiconductor circuit is also provided. The semiconductor circuit comprises a diode and a first capacitor provided in a node to which a transistor to be controlled is connected through its back gate. This structure allows the application of desired voltage to the back gate so that the threshold voltage of the transistor is controlled at an optimal level and can be held for a long time. A second capacitor connected in parallel with the diode is optionally provided so that the voltage of the node can be changed temporarily. |
| US09735175B2 |
Integrated circuit with heterogeneous CMOS integration of strained silicon germanium and group III-V semiconductor materials and method to fabricate same
A structure includes an off-axis Si substrate with an overlying s-Si1-xGex layer and a BOX between the off-axis Si substrate and the s-Si1-xGex layer. The structure further includes pFET fins formed in the s-Si1-xGex layer and a trench formed through the s-Si1-xGex layer, the BOX and partially into the off-axis Si substrate. The trench contains a buffer layer in contact with the off-axis Si substrate, a first Group III-V layer disposed on the buffer layer, a semi-insulating Group III-V layer disposed on the first Group III-V layer and a second Group III-V layer disposed on the semi-insulating Group III-V layer, as well as nFET fins formed in the second Group III-V layer. The s-Si1-xGex layer has a value of x that results from a condensation process that merges an initial s-Si1-xGex layer with an initial underlying on-axis <100> Si layer. A method to fabricate the structure is also disclosed. |
| US09735168B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit device and a method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device including a memory cell featuring a first gate insulating film over a semiconductor substrate, a control gate electrode over the first gate insulating film, a second gate insulating film over the substrate and a side wall of the control gate electrode, a memory gate electrode over the second gate insulating film arranged adjacent with the control gate electrode through the second gate insulating film, first and second semiconductor regions in the substrate positioned on a control gate electrode side and a memory gate side, respectively, the second gate insulating film featuring a first film over the substrate, a charge storage film over the first film and a third film over the second film, the first film having a first portion between the substrate and memory gate electrode and a thickness greater than that of a second portion between the control gate electrode and the memory gate electrode. |
| US09735167B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor memory device according to one embodiment, includes a plurality of first interconnects extending in a first direction and arrayed along a second direction crossing the first direction, a plurality of semiconductor pillars arrayed in a row along the first direction in each of spaces among the first interconnects and extending in a third direction crossing the first direction and the second direction, a first electrode disposed between one of the semiconductor pillars and one of the first interconnects, a first insulating film disposed between the first electrode and one of the first interconnects, a first insulating member disposed between the semiconductor pillars in the first direction and extending in the third direction and opposed the first interconnects not via the first insulating film. |
| US09735164B2 |
Low power embedded one-time programmable (OTP) structures
Devices and methods for forming a device are presented. The method includes providing a substrate prepared with at least a first region for accommodating an anti-fuse based memory cell. A fin structure is formed in the first region. The fin structure includes top and bottom fin portions and includes channel and non-channel regions defined along the length of the fin structure. An isolation layer is formed on the substrate. The isolation layer has a top isolation surface disposed below a top fin surface, leaving the top fin portion exposed. At least a portion of the exposed top fin portion in the channel region is processed to form a sharpened tip profile at top of the fin. A gate having a gate dielectric and a metal gate electrode is formed over the substrate. The gate wraps around the channel region of the fin structure. |
| US09735163B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device including a memory cell is provided. The memory cell comprises a transistor, a memory element and a capacitor. One of first and second electrodes of the memory element and one of first and second electrodes of the capacitor are formed by a same metal film. The metal film functioning as the one of first and second electrodes of the memory element and the one of first and second electrodes of the capacitor is overlapped with a film functioning as the other of first and second electrodes of the capacitor. |
| US09735162B2 |
Dynamic random access memory cell with self-aligned strap
After formation of trench capacitors and source and drain regions and gate structures for access transistors, a dielectric spacer is formed on a first sidewall of each source region, while a second sidewall of each source region and sidewalls of drain regions are physically exposed. Each dielectric spacer can be employed as an etch mask during removal of trench top dielectric portions to form strap cavities for forming strap structures. Optionally, selective deposition of a semiconductor material can be performed to form raised source and drain regions. In this case, the raised source regions grow only from the first sidewalls and do not grow from the second sidewalls. The raised source regions can be employed as a part of an etch mask during formation of the strap cavities. The strap structures are formed as self-aligned structures that are electrically isolated from adjacent access transistors by the dielectric spacers. |
| US09735158B2 |
Semiconductor devices having bridge layer and methods of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first active fin and a second active fin on the substrate, respectively, a plurality of first epitaxial layers on the first active fin and on the second active fin, respectively, a plurality of second epitaxial layers on the plurality of first epitaxial layers, a bridge layer connecting the plurality of second epitaxial layers to each other, and a third epitaxial layer on the bridge layer. |
| US09735156B1 |
Semiconductor device and a fabricating method thereof
A semiconductor device including: a fin-type pattern protruding from a substrate and including a first side surface and a second side surface opposite each other; a first trench in contact with the first side surface; a second trench in contact with the second side surface; a first liner formed conformally on a side surface and a bottom surface of the first trench; a first field insulating film disposed on the first liner and partially filling the first trench; a second liner formed conformally on a side surface of the second trench and exposing a bottom surface of the second trench; and a second field insulating film disposed on the second liner and partially filling the second trench. |
| US09735155B2 |
Bulk silicon germanium FinFET
A bulk SiGe FinFET which includes: a plurality of SiGe fins and a bulk semiconductor substrate, the SiGe fins extending from the bulk semiconductor substrate; the SiGe fins having a top portion and a bottom portion, a part of the bottom portion being doped to form a punchthrough stop; the bulk semiconductor substrate having a top portion in contact with the SiGe fins and comprising a gradient of germanium and silicon, and a bottom portion of silicon in contact with the top portion such that the gradient has a composition of SiGe at the top portion in contact with the SiGe fins that is the same composition of SiGe as in the SiGe fins, the proportion of germanium atoms in the gradient gradually decreasing and the proportion of silicon atoms in the gradient gradually increasing in the gradient until the top portion contacts the bottom portion. |
| US09735153B2 |
Semiconductor device having fin-type field effect transistor and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device includes a first fin structure disposed on a substrate. The first fin structure extends in a first direction. A first sacrificial layer pattern is disposed on the first fin structure. The first sacrificial layer pattern includes a left portion and a right portion arranged in the first direction. A dielectric layer pattern is disposed on the first fin structure and interposed between the left and right portions of the first sacrificial layer pattern. A first active layer pattern extending in the first direction is disposed on the first sacrificial layer pattern and the dielectric layer pattern. A first gate electrode structure is disposed on a portion of the first active layer pattern. The portion of the first active layer is disposed on the dielectric layer pattern. The first gate electrode structure extends in a second direction crossing the first direction. |
| US09735151B1 |
3D cross-point memory device
The present disclosure generally relates to semiconductor manufactured memory devices and methods of manufacture thereof. More specifically, methods for forming a plurality of layers of a 3D cross-point memory array without the need for lithographic patterning at each layer are disclosed. The method includes depositing a patterned hard mask with a plurality of first trenches over a plurality of layers. Each of the plurality of first trenches is etched all the way through the plurality of layers. Then the hard mask is patterned with a plurality of second trenches, which runs orthogonal to the plurality of first trenches. Selective undercut etching is then used to remove each of the plurality of layers except the orthogonal metal layers from the plurality of second trenches, resulting in a 3D cross-point array with memory material only at the intersections of the orthogonal metal layers. |
| US09735145B2 |
Electrostatic discharge protection for a balun
A die is mounted in an integrated circuit package. The die includes a balun circuit and an electrostatic discharge (ESD) circuit coupled to a ground of the integrated circuit die. The package has a first output pin coupled to a first terminal of the balun and has a second output pin coupled to a second terminal of the balun through first and second bond wires. The second output pin is connected to board ground. A third bond wire is disposed between the second package terminal and the ESD circuit to provide a safe discharge path through the third bond wire for ESD events affecting the first and second output terminals. Thus, a charge that builds up involving one of the output terminals coupled to the balun can be safely dissipated. |
| US09735139B2 |
Optoelectronic device comprising a light-emitting diode
The invention relates to a method of manufacturing optoelectronic devices including light-emitting diodes, including the steps of: a) forming a first integrated circuit chip including light-emitting diodes; b) bonding a second integrated chip to a first surface of the first chip; c) decreasing the thickness of the first chip on the side opposite to the first surface to form a second surface opposite to the first surface; d) bonding, to the second surface, a cap including a silicon wafer provided with recesses opposite the light-emitting diodes; e) decreasing the thickness of the second chip; f) decreasing the thickness of the silicon wafer before step d) or after step e), each recess being filled with a photoluminescent material; and g) sawing the structure obtained at step f) into a plurality of separate optoelectronic devices. |
| US09735137B2 |
Switch circuit package module
A switch circuit package module includes at least a semiconductor switch unit and at least a first capacitor unit. The semiconductor switch unit includes a first semiconductor switch element and a second semiconductor switch element. The first semiconductor switch element and the second semiconductor switch element include a plurality of sub micro-switch elements. The capacitor unit includes a plurality of capacitors configured to cooperate with the sub micro-switch elements. The capacitors are arranged in a symmetrical distribution surrounded the semiconductor switch unit, such that impedances of any two symmetrical commutation loops each of which mainly consists of one capacitor and two sub micro-switch elements from the first semiconductor switch element and second semiconductor switch element respectively are close to or the same with each other. |
| US09735136B2 |
Method for embedding silicon die into a stacked package
Several embodiments of microelectronic configurations with logic components and associated methods of manufacturing are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the configuration includes a substrate with a recess, a first die carried by the substrate wherein the die substantially covers the recess, and a logic component carried by the die in a location exposed by the recess. The logic component can be substantially coplanar with the substrate. The die is electrically connected to a terminal on a one side of the substrate, and the logic component is electrically connected to a terminal on an opposite side of the substrate. |
| US09735134B2 |
Packages with through-vias having tapered ends
A package includes a device die, a molding material molding the device die therein, a through-via substantially penetrating through the molding material, wherein the through-via has an end. The end of the through-via is tapered and has rounded sidewall surfaces. The package further includes a redistribution line electrically coupled to the through-via. |
| US09735132B1 |
Semiconductor package
A semiconductor package includes a first chip, an insulating protection layer, a second chip, a plurality of second conductive bumps and an underfill. The insulating protection layer is disposed on a first active surface of the first chip and includes a concave. Projections of a plurality of first inner pads and a plurality of first outer pads of the first chip projected on the insulating protection layer are located in the concave and out of the concave, respectively. The second chip is flipped on the concave and includes a plurality of second pads. Each of the first inner pads is electrically connected to the corresponding second pad through the corresponding second conductive bump. The underfill is disposed between the concave and the second chip and covers the second conductive bumps. |
| US09735125B2 |
Thermocompression for semiconductor chip assembly
An assembly of a semiconductor chip having pads to a substrate having pads aligned to receive the semiconductor chip is provided, whereby at least one of the semiconductor chip pads and substrate pads include solder bumps. The solder bumps are deformed against the substrate pads and the semiconductor chip pads, whereby an underfill material is applied to fill the gap between the semiconductor chip and substrate. The underfill material does not penetrate between the deformed solder bumps, the semiconductor chip pads, and the substrate pads. At least one of the solder bumps have not been melted or reflowed to make a metallurgical bond between the semiconductor chip pads and the substrate pads, and at least another one of the solder bumps have been melted or reflowed to make a metallurgical bond between the semiconductor chip pads and the substrate pads. |
| US09735123B2 |
Semiconductor device structure and manufacturing method
A semiconductor device structure and a manufacturing method are provided. The method includes forming a conductive pillar over a semiconductor substrate. The method also includes forming a solder layer over the conductive pillar. The method further includes forming a water-soluble flux over the solder layer. In addition, the method includes reflowing the solder layer to form a solder bump over the conductive pillar and form a sidewall protection layer over a sidewall of the conductive pillar during the solder layer is reflowed. |
| US09735120B2 |
Low z-height package assembly
In embodiments, a package assembly may include a die coupled with one or more conductive pads. A barrier layer may be directly coupled with and between the die and one or more of the conductive pads. The package assembly may further include a solder resist layer coupled with the die and the conductive pads, and one or more interconnects positioned at least partially within the solder resist layer and directly coupled with one or more of the conductive pads. |
| US09735119B1 |
Conductive pads forming method
In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides a conductive pads forming method. The conductive pads forming method may include providing a contact pad or a test pad electrically connected to a semiconductor component; and forming the conductive pads electrically connected to the contact pad or the test pad through the conductive routes, respectively. |
| US09735116B2 |
Seal ring structure to avoid delamination defect
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of integrated circuit devices on the semiconductor substrate, and a seal ring structure surrounding each one of the integrated circuit devices. The seal ring structure includes a plurality of interlayer dielectric layers and a plurality of hollow through-hole structures disposed within each of the interlayer dielectric layers. Each of the hollow through-hole structure within an interlayer dielectric layer includes a through-hole disposed within one of the interlayer dielectric layers, a diffusion barrier layer formed at the bottom, sidewalls and the top of the through-hole, and a seed layer disposed on the diffusion barrier layer. The diffusion barrier layer and the seed layer cover the top of the through-hole so that the through-hole has a void to form the hollow through-hole structure. |
| US09735115B2 |
Image pickup apparatus and camera module
An image pickup apparatus includes an optical device, a transparent conductive film, an electrode pad, and a penetrating electrode. In the optical device, an optical element area for receiving light is formed on a first surface side of a substrate, and an external connection terminal is formed on a side of a second surface opposite to the first surface of the substrate. The transparent conductive film is formed to face the first surface of the substrate. The electrode pad is formed on the first surface of the substrate and configured to perform connection with a fixed potential. The penetrating electrode is connected to the electrode pad and formed to penetrate the substrate between the first surface and second surface. The transparent conductive film is connected to the electrode pad, and the penetrating electrode is connected to the external connection terminal on the side of the second surface of the substrate. |
| US09735114B1 |
Method of packaging semiconductor device
A first insulation layer comprising stacked prepreg layers is provided, and a metallic protective layer is formed on the first insulation layer. A first alignment mark is formed on the first insulation layer, and an accommodation cavity is formed in the first insulation layer according to the first alignment mark. A second alignment mark is formed on the first insulation layer according to the first alignment mark. A carrier plate is attached on the first insulation layer through a thermal release tape layer, and the semiconductor device is temporarily fixed on the thermal release tape layer within the accommodation cavity according to the second alignment mark. A semi-cured second insulation layer is placed over the first insulation layer, and the second insulation layer is laminated and cured. A re-distribution layer is formed on the second insulation layer, and the re-distribution layer is electrically connected with the semiconductor device. |
| US09735106B2 |
Semiconductor lead frame, semiconductor package, and manufacturing method thereof
A semiconductor lead frame includes a metal plate and a semiconductor chip mounting area provided on a top surface of the metal plate. A first plating layer for an internal terminal is provided around the semiconductor chip mounting area. A second plating layer for an external terminal is provided on a back surface of the metal plate at a location opposite to the semiconductor chip mounting area. The first plating layer includes a fall-off prevention structure for preventing the first plating layer from falling off from an encapsulating resin when the top surface of the metal plate is encapsulated in the encapsulating resin. The second plating layer does not include the fall-off prevention structure. |
| US09735104B1 |
Fuse structure having multiple air dummy fuses
A fuse structure includes a fusing line including a first portion, a second portion, and a central portion between the first portion and the second portion; and a dummy fuse neighboring the fusing line, the dummy fuse may include: a first air dummy fuse including a plurality of first air gaps extending in a first direction parallel to the fusing line; and a second air dummy fuse including a second air gap extending in a second direction crossing the fusing line. |
| US09735102B2 |
High voltage device
Devices and methods of forming a device are disclosed. The method includes providing a wafer that includes a center insulator layer sandwiched by a top substrate and a bottom substrate. Both sides of the wafer are patterned and etched in sequence to form deep trenches in both substrates. A conductive seed layer is formed on both sides of the wafer in sequence to cover all exposed areas. Both sides of the wafer are electroplated simultaneously to fill both deep trenches with a conductive material. Both sides of the wafer are polished in sequence to form a coplanar surface. A protective layer is deposited on both sides of the wafer in sequence. Selective portions of the protective layer on both sides are patterned and etched in sequence to expose micro bump bonding areas. Micro bumps are formed on both sides of the wafer in sequence to facilitate electrical connection. |
| US09735095B2 |
Semiconductor component and method of manufacture
In accordance with an embodiment, a semiconductor component includes a support having first and second device receiving structures. A semiconductor device configured from a III-N semiconductor material is coupled to the support, wherein the semiconductor device has opposing surfaces. A first bond pad extends from a first portion of the first surface, a second bond pad extends from a second portion of the first surface, and a third bond pad extends from a third portion of the first surface. The first bond pad is coupled to the first device receiving portion, the drain bond pad is coupled to the second device receiving portion, and the third bond pad is coupled to the third lead. In accordance with another embodiment, a method includes coupling a semiconductor chip comprising a III-N semiconductor substrate material to a support. |
| US09735092B2 |
Manufacturing method of chip package structure
A manufacturing method of a chip package structure includes following steps. A substrate including a first metal layer, a second metal layer, and an insulation layer located between the first and the second metal layers is provided. A first groove is formed in the first metal layer to form a chip pad and bonding pads. The bonding pads are respectively located in recesses of the chip pad. A second groove is formed in the second metal layer to form a heat-dissipation block and terminal pads. The terminal pads are respectively located in recesses of the heat-dissipation block. Conductive vias are formed to connect the corresponding terminal pads and electrically connect the bonding pads with the terminal pads. A chip is disposed on the chip pad and electrically connected to the bonding pads. An encapsulant covering the chip is formed. |
| US09735091B2 |
Package structure and manufacturing method thereof
The invention discloses a package structure for better heat-dissipation or EMI performance. A first conductive element and a second conductive element are both disposed between the top lead frame and the bottom lead frame. The first terminal of the first conductive element is electrically connected to the bottom lead frame, and the second terminal of the first conductive element is electrically connected to the top lead frame. The third terminal of the second conductive element is electrically connected to the bottom lead frame, and the fourth terminal of the second conductive element is electrically connected to the top lead frame. In one embodiment, a heat dissipation device is disposed on the top lead frame. In one embodiment, the molding compound is provided such that the outer leads of the top lead frame are exposed outside the molding compound. |
| US09735087B2 |
Wafer level embedded heat spreader
Disclosed herein are a device having an embedded heat spreader and method for forming the same. A carrier substrate may comprise a carrier, an adhesive layer, a base film layer, and a seed layer. A patterned mask is formed with a heat spreader opening and via openings. Vias and a heat spreader may be formed in the pattern mask openings at the same time using a plating process and a die attached to the head spreader by a die attachment layer. A molding compound is applied over the die and heat spreader so that the heat spreader is disposed at the second side of the molded substrate. A first RDL may have a plurality of mounting pads and a plurality of conductive lines is formed on the molded substrate, the mounting pads may have a bond pitch greater than the bond pitch of the die contact pads. |
| US09735086B2 |
Power semiconductor module having a two-part housing
A power semiconductor module includes a substrate having a first side for being arranged to face a heat sink and for being thermally conductively connected to the heat sink, a power semiconductor component arranged on an opposing second side of the substrate, and an electrically insulating housing defining a cavity in which the substrate and the power semiconductor component are accommodated. The housing includes a frame which surrounds the substrate in a frame-like manner, and a hood for being fastened to the heat sink by way of fastening means. The hood includes a pressing die for making contact with the substrate so as to pre-stress the substrate elastically against the heat sink by means of the hood and the pressing die at least when the power semiconductor module is fastened on the heat sink. The frame accommodates the substrate in an interlocking manner and/or is fastened to the substrate. |
| US09735084B2 |
Bond via array for thermal conductivity
In a microelectronic device, a substrate has first upper and lower surfaces. An integrated circuit die has second upper and lower surfaces. Interconnects couple the first upper surface of the substrate to the second lower surface of the integrated circuit die for electrical communication therebetween. A via array has proximal ends of wires thereof coupled to the second upper surface for conduction of heat away from the integrated circuit die. A molding material is disposed in the via array with distal ends of the wires of the via array extending at least to a superior surface of the molding material. |
| US09735079B2 |
Molding compound wrapped package substrate
A package substrate for chip/chips package wrapped by a molding compound is disclosed. The molding compound functions as a stiffener for the thin film package substrate. One embodiment discloses at least one redistribution layer (RDL) is prepared and the RDL is wrapped by a molding compound. The molding compound wraps four lateral sides and bottom side of the RDL. A top side of the RDL is made for a chip to mount and a bottom side of the RDL is planted a plurality of solder balls so that the bottom side of the chip package is adaptive to mount onto a system board in a later process. |
| US09735076B2 |
Epoxy resin composition for encapsulating semiconductor device and semiconductor device encapsulated by the same
An epoxy resin composition for encapsulating a semiconductor device and a semiconductor device encapsulated by the epoxy resin composition, the composition including a base resin; a filler; a colorant; and a thermochromic pigment, wherein a color of the thermochromic pigment is irreversibly changed when a temperature thereof exceeds a predetermined temperature. |
| US09735071B2 |
Method of forming a temporary test structure for device fabrication
A method of forming a temporary test structure for device fabrication is provided. The method is particularly useful for electrically testing conductive interconnects during controlled collapse chip connections (C4) fabrication and/or through-silicon vias (TSVs) during interposer fabrication. The method includes providing a substrate containing a plurality of electrically conductive interconnects extending vertically to top surface of the substrate. A temporary test structure is formed to connect the plurality of interconnects and for electrical testing. The suitable material for the temporary test structure is TiW for a single layer structure, or Cu or Cu alloy over Ti or TiW for a bilayer structure with thickness in a range of about 20 nm to 1200 nm. Excimer laser ablation can be used to form the temporary test structure. Electrical testing is performed on the substrate by probing at different test locations on the temporary test structure. All or part of the temporary test structure is removed so as not to affect product performance, and the substrate can be further processed with normal processes. The temporary test structure may contain electrical test pads which provide a way to make temporary connections to small interconnect landings or features at extreme tight pitch to fan them out to testable pads sizes and pitches. |
| US09735067B2 |
Substrate tuning system and method using optical projection
Techniques herein include systems and methods that provide a spatially-controlled or pixel-based projection of light onto a substrate to tune various substrate properties. A given pixel-based image projected on to a substrate surface can be based on a substrate signature. The substrate signature can spatially represent non-uniformities across the surface of the substrate. Such non-uniformities can include energy, heat, critical dimensions, photolithographic exposure dosages, etc. Such pixel-based light projection can be used to tune various properties of substrates, including tuning of critical dimensions, heating uniformity, evaporative cooling, and generation of photo-sensitive agents. Combining such pixel-based light projection with photolithographic patterning processes and/or heating processes improves processing uniformity and decreases defectivity. Embodiments can include using a digital light processing (DLP) chip, grating light valve (GLV), or other grid-based micro projection technology. |
| US09735065B2 |
Systems and methods of local focus error compensation for semiconductor processes
A system and method of compensating for local focus errors in a semiconductor process. The method includes providing a reticle and applying, at a first portion of the reticle, a step height based on an estimated local focus error for a first portion of a wafer corresponding to the first portion of the reticle. A multilayer coating is formed over the reticle and an absorber layer is formed over the multilayer coating. A photoresist is formed over the absorber layer. The photoresist is patterned, an etch is performed of the absorber layer and residual photoresist is removed. |
| US09735064B2 |
Charge dynamics effect for detection of voltage contrast defect and determination of shorting location
A method and apparatus for detecting VC defects and determining the exact shorting locations based on charging dynamics induced by scan direction variation are provided. Embodiments include providing a substrate having at least a partially formed device thereon, the partially formed device having at least a word-line, a share contact, and a bit-line; performing a first EBI on the at least partially formed device in a single direction; classifying defects by ADC based on the first EBI inspection; selecting DOI among the classified defects for further review; performing a second EBI on the DOI in a first, second, third, and fourth direction; comparing a result of the first direction against a result of the second direction and/or a result of the third direction against a result of the fourth direction; and determining a shorting location for each DOI based on the one or more comparisons. |
| US09735063B2 |
Methods for forming fin structures
A method includes providing a substrate having a first and a second plurality of fins with a first at least one dielectric material disposed thereon, removing upper portions of the first dielectric material to expose upper portions of the first and the second plurality of fins, removing the first dielectric material from the lower portions of the second plurality of fins to expose lower portions of the second plurality of fins, depositing a second at least one dielectric material on at least the upper and the lower exposed portions of the second plurality of fins and on the upper exposed portions of first plurality of fins, removing the second dielectric material to expose upper portions of the first and the second plurality of fins, and wherein the first dielectric material is different from the second dielectric material. The resulting structure may be operable for use as nFETs and pFETs. |
| US09735062B1 |
Defect reduction in channel silicon germanium on patterned silicon
After forming a blanket silicon germanium (SiGe) layer over a thinned silicon (Si) layer of a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate, a portion of the SiGe layer located in an n-type FET (nFET) region of the SOI substrate is recessed, while masking another portion of the SiGe layer located in a p-type FET (pFET) region of the SOI substrate. The recessed portion of the SiGe layer in the nFET region is subsequently removed with an in-situ pre-clean etch. An epitaxial Si layer is re-grown in the nFET region over a portion of the thinned Si layer that is exposed by the removal of the recessed portion of the SiGe layer. |
| US09735058B2 |
Method of forming performance optimized gate structures by silicidizing lowered source and drain regions
A performance optimized CMOS FET structure and methods of manufacture are disclosed. The method includes forming source and drain regions for a first type device and a second type device. The method further includes lowering the source and drain regions for the first type device, while protecting the source and drain regions for the second type device. The method further includes performing silicide processes to form silicide regions on the lowered source and drain regions for the first type device and the source and drain regions for the second type device. |
| US09735057B2 |
Fabricating field effect transistor(s) with stressed channel region(s) and low-resistance source/drain regions
Methods of fabricating field effect transistors having a source region and a drain region separated by a channel region are provided which include: using a single mask step in forming a first portion(s) and a second portion(s) of at least one of the source region or the drain region, the first portion(s) including a first material selected and configured to facilitate the first portion(s) stressing the channel region, and the second portion(s) including a second material selected and configured to facilitate the second portion(s) having a lower electrical resistance than the first portion(s). One embodiment includes: providing the first material with a crystal lattice structure; and forming the second material by disposing another material interstitially with respect to the crystal lattice structure. Another embodiment includes forming the first portion and the second portion within at least one of a source cavity or a drain cavity of the semiconductor substrate. |
| US09735052B2 |
Metal lines for interconnect structure and method of manufacturing same
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a dielectric layer over a substrate, forming an etch-stop-layer (ESL) over the dielectric layer, forming a first patterned hard mask (HM) defining a first trench over the ESL, forming a second trench extending through the ESL and the dielectric layer. The second trench is adjacent the first trench. The method also includes filling in the first trench and the second trench with a first material layer, extending the first trench through the ESL and the dielectric layer while the first material layer is filled in the second trench to form an extended first trench, forming a first metal line within the extended first trench, forming a capping layer over the first metal line and removing a portion of the first metal line to form a first cut by using the ESL and the first material layer as an etch mask. |
| US09735049B2 |
Method for fabricating semiconductor structure with passivation sidewall block
A semiconductor structure and a method for forming the semiconductor structure are provided. The method includes receiving a substrate with two sections of conductors thereon that are adjacent to each other, and a valley between the two sections of the conductors, filling the valley with a first passivation material to form a passivation valley, applying a second passivation material overlying the two sections of conductors and the passivation valley and over the substrate, and removing the second passivation material overlying the two sections of conductors and the passivation valley, and the second passivation material over the substrate but not in contact with the two sections of conductors and the passivation valley. |
| US09735047B1 |
Semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same
A semiconductor device includes: a substrate, a gate structure on the substrate, and a spacer adjacent to the gate structure, in which the spacer extends to a top surface of the gate structure, a top surface of the spacer includes a planar surface, the spacer encloses an air gap, and the spacer is composed of a single material. The gate structure includes a high-k dielectric layer, a work function metal layer, and a low resistance metal layer, in which the high-k dielectric layer is U-shaped. The semiconductor device also includes an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer around the gate structure and a hard mask on the spacer, in which the top surface of the hard mask is even with the top surface of the ILD layer. |
| US09735044B2 |
Method of manufacture for a silicon-on-plastic semiconductor device with interfacial adhesion layer
A semiconductor device and methods for manufacturing the same are disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a polymer substrate and an interfacial layer over the polymer substrate. A buried oxide layer resides over the interfacial layer, and a device layer with at least a portion of a field effect device resides over the buried oxide layer. The polymer substrate is molded over the interfacial adhesion layer and has a thermal conductivity greater than 2 watts per meter Kelvin (W/mK) and an electrical resistivity greater than 1012 Ohm-cm. Methods of manufacture for the semiconductor device include removing a wafer handle to expose a first surface of the buried oxide layer, disposing the interfacial adhesion layer onto the first surface of the buried oxide layer, and molding the polymer substrate onto the interfacial adhesion layer. |
| US09735043B2 |
Semiconductor packaging structure and process
A method and structure for packaging a semiconductor device are provided. In an embodiment a first substrate is bonded to a second substrate, which is bonded to a third substrate. A thermal interface material is placed on the second substrate prior to application of an underfill material. A ring can be placed on the thermal interface material, and an underfill material is dispensed between the second substrate and the third substrate. By placing the thermal interface material and ring prior to the underfill material, the underfill material cannot interfere with the interface between the thermal interface material and the second substrate, and the thermal interface material and ring can act as a physical barrier to the underfill material, thereby preventing overflow. |
| US09735041B2 |
Universal clamping fixture to maintain laminate flatness during chip join
A clamping apparatus and method for maintaining a workpiece flatness during processing includes a base having a planar surface for receiving a first workpiece. Two sets of opposing clamping mechanisms are mounted to the base and include a clamp head at a distal end of a rod extending from a housing in removable overlapping relation to the first workpiece. Each set of the clamp heads are in opposing spaced relationship to each other defining a second workpiece area, and the clamp heads are configured to mate with a top surface of the first workpiece. A biasing member is coupled to each of the housings and apply a downward vertical force to the housings, rods, and the clamp heads for applying a downward vertical pressure to the first workpiece. The first workpiece is thereby discouraged from thermally expanding in a vertical direction and is thermally expandable horizontally along the planar surface. |
| US09735040B2 |
Method of processing single-crystal substrate
A method of dividing a single-crystal substrate along a plurality of preset division lines, includes a shield tunnel forming step of applying a pulsed laser beam having such a wavelength that permeates through the substrate along the division lines to form shield tunnels, each including a fine hole and an amorphous region shielding the fine hole, a protective member adhering step of adhering a protective member to the substrate before or after the shield tunnel forming step, and a grinding step of holding the protective member on the substrate, to which the shield tunnel forming step and the protective member adhering step are performed, on a chuck table of a grinding apparatus, grinding a reverse surface of the substrate to bring the substrate to a predetermined thickness, and dividing the substrate along the division lines along which the shield tunnels have been formed. |
| US09735038B2 |
Process for manufacturing a semiconductor structure with temporary bonding via metal layers
A method for manufacturing a structure implementing temporary bonding a substrate to be handled with a handle substrate, including: providing the substrate to be handled covered with a first metal layer, the first layer having a first grain size; providing the handle substrate covered with a second metal layer, the second layer having same composition as the first metal layer and a second grain size different from the first grain size; assembling the substrate to be handled and the handle substrate by thermocompression assisted direct bonding on the first and second metal layers; possibly treating the substrate to be handled assembled to the handle substrate; disassembling the assembly of the substrate to be handled and the handle substrate to form the structure, including an embrittlement thermal annealing of the assembly resulting in the handle substrate being detached. |
| US09735034B2 |
Visual feedback for process control in RTP chambers
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to methods and apparatus for visual lamp failure detection in a processing chamber, such as an RTP chamber. Visual feedback is facilitated through the use of a wide-angle lens positioned to view lamps within the process chamber. The wide-angle lens is positioned within a probe and secured using a spring in order to withstand high temperature processing. A camera coupled to the lens is adapted to capture an image of the lamps within the process chamber. The captured image of the lamps is then compared to a reference image to determine if the lamps are functioning as desired. |
| US09735033B2 |
Multiple swivel arm design in hybrid bonder
An apparatus for cleaning a wafer includes a wafer station configured to hold the wafer, and a first and a second dispensing system. The first dispensing system includes a first swivel arm, and a first nozzle on the first swivel arm, wherein the first swivel arm is configured to move the first nozzle over and aside of the wafer. The first dispensing system includes first storage tank connected to the first nozzle, with the first nozzle configured to dispense a solution in the first storage tank. The second dispensing system includes a second swivel arm, and a second nozzle on the second swivel arm, wherein the second swivel arm is configured to move the second nozzle over and aside of the wafer. The second dispensing system includes a second storage tank connected to the second nozzle, with the second nozzle configured to dispense a solution in the second storage tank. |
| US09735032B2 |
System and method for manufacturing a fabricated carrier
A method of fabricating a BGA carrier, the method comprising combining a conductive portion and a molded dielectric portion, the dielectric portion having a top surface, a bottom surface and an inner surface, the inner surface intersecting said top surface and said bottom surface, the inner surface forming a cavity for receiving a semiconductor die; selectively bonding the semiconductor die to a top surface of the conductive portion; selectively etching part of the conductive portion; and applying solder resist to a bottom surface of the conductive portion. |
| US09735024B2 |
Method of atomic layer etching using functional group-containing fluorocarbon
A method of atomic layer etching (ALE) uses a cycle including: continuously providing a noble gas; providing a pulse of an etchant gas to the reaction space to chemisorb the etchant gas in an unexcited state in a self-limiting manner on a surface of a substrate in the reaction space; and providing a pulse of a reactive species of a noble gas in the reaction space to contact the etchant gas-chemisorbed surface of the substrate with the reactive species so that the layer on the substrate is etched. The etchant gas is a fluorocarbon gas containing a functional group with a polarity. |
| US09735023B2 |
Methods for manufacturing block copolymer compositions and articles manufactured therefrom
Disclosed herein is a composition comprising a first block copolymer that comprises a first block and a second block; where the first block has a higher surface energy than the second block; a second block copolymer that comprises a first block and a second block; where the first block of the first block copolymer is chemically the same as or similar to the first block of the second block copolymer and the second block of the first block copolymer is chemically the same as or similar to the second block of the second block copolymer; where the weight percent based on total solids of the first block of the second block copolymer is greater than that of the first block of the first block copolymer; where the first block copolymer phase separates into a first morphology of cylindrical or lamellar domains when disposed singly on a substrate. |
| US09735020B2 |
System, method and apparatus for plasma etch having independent control of ion generation and dissociation of process gas
A method of etching a wafer includes injecting a source gas mixture into a process chamber. The injecting includes injecting the source gas into multiple hollow cathode cavities in a top electrode, generating plasma in each of the cavities, and outputting the plasma from corresponding outlets of the cavities into a wafer processing region in the chamber, where the processing region is located between the outlets and a surface to be etched. An etchant gas mixture is injected into the processing region through injection ports in the top electrode such that the etchant gas mixes with the plasma output from the outlets. The etchant gas is prevented from flowing into the outlets of the cavities by the plasma flowing from the outlets. Mixing the etchant gas and the output from the cavities generates a desired chemical species in the processing region and thereby enables the surface to be etched. |
| US09735019B2 |
Process gas enhancement for beam treatment of a substrate
A beam processing system and method of operating are described. In particular, the beam processing system includes a beam source having a nozzle assembly that is configured to introduce a primary gas through the nozzle assembly to a vacuum vessel in order to produce a gaseous beam, such as a gas cluster beam, and optionally, an ionizer positioned downstream from the nozzle assembly, and configured to ionize the gaseous beam to produce an ionized gaseous beam. The beam processing system further includes a process chamber within which a substrate is positioned for treatment by the gaseous beam, and a secondary gas source, wherein the secondary gas source includes a secondary gas supply system that delivers a secondary gas, and a secondary gas controller that operatively controls the flow of the secondary gas injected into the beam processing system downstream of the nozzle assembly. |
| US09735016B2 |
Semiconductor device, method of fabricating the same, and apparatus used in fabrication thereof
A semiconductor device includes a substrate, upper impurity regions in upper portions of the substrate, metal electrodes electrically connected to the upper impurity regions, metal silicide layers between the metal electrodes and the upper impurity regions, and a lower impurity region in a lower portion of the substrate. A method of fabricating the semiconductor device and an apparatus used in fabricating the semiconductor device is also provided. |
| US09735008B2 |
Use of surfactants to control island size and density
Methods of controlling island size and density on an OMVPE growth film may comprise adding a surfactant at a critical concentration level, allowing a growth phase for a first period of time, and ending the growth phase when desired island size and density are achieved. For example, the island size and density of an OMVPE grown InGaN thin film may be controlled by adding an antimony surfactant at a critical concentration level. |
| US09735006B2 |
Method of manufacturing semiconductor device, substrate processing apparatus, and recording medium
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes forming a thin film containing a predetermined element, boron, carbon, and nitrogen on a substrate by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times. The cycle includes forming a first layer containing boron and a halogen group by supplying a first precursor gas containing boron and the halogen group to the substrate; and forming a second layer containing the predetermined element, boron, carbon, and nitrogen by supplying a second precursor gas containing the predetermined element and an amino group to the substrate and modifying the first layer. |
| US09735005B1 |
Robust high performance low hydrogen silicon carbon nitride (SiCNH) dielectrics for nano electronic devices
A method for depositing a dielectric layer that includes introducing a substrate into a process chamber of a deposition tool; and heating the substrate to a process temperature. The method may further include introducing precursors that include at least one dielectric providing gas species for a deposited layer and at least one hydrogen precursor gas into the process chamber of the deposition tool. The hydrogen precursor gas is introduced to the deposition chamber at a flow rate ranging from 50 sccm to 5000 sccm. The molar ratio for Hydrogen/Silicon gas precursor can be equal or greater than 0.05. |
| US09735004B2 |
PVDF-TrFE co-polymer having improved ferroelectric properties, methods of making a PVDF-TrFE co-polymer having improved ferroelectric properties and methods of changing the end group of a PVDF-TrFE co-polymer
A method of exchanging or transforming end groups in and/or improving the ferroelectric properties of a PVDF-TrFE co-polymer is disclosed. A bulky or chemically dissimilar end group, such as an iodine, sulfate, aldehyde or carboxylic acid end group, may be transformed to a hydrogen, fluorine or chlorine atom. A method of making a PVDF-TrFE co-polymer is disclosed, including polymerizing a mixture of VDF and TrFE using an initiator, and transforming a bulky or chemically dissimilar end group to a hydrogen, fluorine or chlorine atom. A PVDF-TrFE co-polymer or other fluorinated alkene polymer is also disclosed. The co-polymer may be used as a ferroelectric, electromechanical, piezoelectric or dielectric material in an electronic device. |
| US09735003B2 |
Film-forming apparatus and film-forming method
A film-forming apparatus and film-forming method comprising, a chamber, a first gas supply unit supplying a reaction gas for a film-forming process to the chamber, a substrate-supporting portion supporting a substrate placed in the chamber, a heating unit heating the substrate from below the substrate-supporting portion, a rotary drum supporting the substrate-supporting portion on a top thereof, and including the heating unit disposed therein, a rotary shaft disposed in a lower part of the chamber, and rotating the rotary drum, a reflector reflecting heat from the heating unit, surrounding the rotary drum, and being disposed so as to have an upper end higher in height than an upper end of the substrate-supporting portion, and a second gas supply unit supplying a hydrogen gas or an inert gas between the rotary drum and the reflector. |
| US09735002B2 |
Integrated apparatus for efficient removal of halogen residues from etched substrates
A method and apparatus for removing volatile residues from a substrate are provided. In one embodiment, a method for volatile residues from a substrate includes providing a processing system having a load lock chamber and at least one processing chamber coupled to a transfer chamber, treating a substrate in the processing chamber with a chemistry comprising halogen, and removing volatile residues from the treated substrate in the load lock chamber. |
| US09734995B2 |
Time of flight quantitation using alternative characteristic ions
A method of mass spectrometry is disclosed wherein the intensity of an analyte is determined by determining the intensity of first characteristic fragment ions when the intensity of the first characteristic fragment ions is within a first intensity range corresponding to the detection or unsaturated range of an ion detector. However, when the intensity of the first characteristic fragment ions is outside of the first intensity range so that the ion detector would saturate then the intensity of the analyte is determined by determining the intensity of second different characteristic fragment ions. |
| US09734994B2 |
Crystalline alloy having glass-forming ability, preparation method thereof, alloy target for sputtering, and preparation method thereof
Provided are a crystalline alloy having significantly better thermal stability than an amorphous alloy as well as glass-forming ability, and a method of manufacturing the crystalline alloy. The present invention also provides an alloy sputtering target that is manufactured by using the crystalline alloy, and a method of manufacturing the alloy target. According to an aspect of the present invention, provided is a crystalline alloy having glass-forming ability which is formed of three or more elements having glass-forming ability, wherein the average grain size of the alloy is in a range of 0.1 μm to 5 μm and the alloy includes 5 at % to 20 at % of aluminum (Al), 15 at % to 40 at % of any one or more selected from copper (Cu) and nickel (Ni), and the remainder being zirconium (Zr). |
| US09734993B2 |
Semiconductor manufacturing apparatus
A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is capable of reducing power consumption. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a processing chamber 2 that has a top surface 2a and forms a processing space S therein; a mounting table 3 provided in the processing space S; an upper electrode 20 provided above the mounting table 3 to face the mounting table 3; heaters 35 and 36 provided around the upper electrode 20 and below the top surface 2a of the processing chamber 2 and configured to heat the upper electrode 20; and a heat insulating unit 50, mounted on the top surface 2a of the processing chamber 2, having a plate-shaped member 51 and a heat insulating member 52 that is provided on one main surface 51a of the plate-shaped member 51. |
| US09734992B2 |
Plasma processing apparatus
A plasma processing apparatus performs a stable and accurate matching operation with high reproducibility in a power modulation process of modulating of a high frequency power to be supplied into a processing vessel in a pulse shape. In the plasma processing apparatus, an impedance sensor 96A provided in a matching device performs a dual sampling averaging process on a RF voltage measurement value and an electric current measurement value respectively obtained from a RF voltage detector 100A of a voltage sensor system and a RF electric current detector 108A of an electric current sensor system by sampling-average-value calculating circuits 104A and 112A and by moving-average-value calculating circuits 106A and 114A. Thus, an update speed of a load impedance measurement value outputted from the impedance sensor 96A can be matched well with a driving control speed of a motor in a matching controller. |
| US09734991B2 |
Negative ribbon ion beams from pulsed plasmas
An apparatus and method for the creation of negative ion beams is disclosed. The apparatus includes an RF ion source, having an extraction aperture. An antenna disposed proximate a dielectric window is energized by a pulsed RF power supply. While the RF power supply is actuated, a plasma containing primarily positive ions and electrons is created. When the RF power supply is deactivated, the plasma transforms into an ion-ion plasma. Negative ions may be extracted from the RF ion source while the RF power supply is deactivated. These negative ions, in the form of a negative ribbon ion beam, may be directed toward a workpiece at a specific incident angle. Further, both a positive ion beam and a negative ion beam may be extracted from the same ion source by pulsing the bias power supply multiple times each period. |
| US09734987B2 |
Method and system for adaptively scanning a sample during electron beam inspection
A system for adaptive electron beam scanning may include an inspection sub-system configured to scan an electron beam across the surface of a sample. The inspection sub-system may include an electron beam source, a sample stage, a set of electron-optic elements, a detector assembly and a controller communicatively coupled to one or more portions of the inspection sub-system. The controller may assess one or more characteristics of one or more portions of an area of the sample for inspection and, responsive to the assessed one or more characteristics, adjust one or more scan parameters of the inspection sub-system. |
| US09734986B2 |
Mineral identification using sequential decomposition into elements from mineral definitions
Mineral definitions each include a list of elements, each of the elements having a corresponding standard spectrum. To determine the composition of an unknown mineral sample, the acquired spectrum of the sample is sequentially decomposed into the standard spectra of the elements from the element list of each of the mineral definitions, and a similarity metric computed for each mineral definition. The unknown mineral is identified as the mineral having the best similarity metric. |
| US09734985B2 |
Analytical apparatus, sample holder and analytical method
In accordance with an embodiment, an analytical apparatus includes a member, a voltage source connected to the member and a detecting section. The member has an inserting portion into which a sample holder supporting a sample is insertable and whose shape corresponds to a shape of the sample holder. The detecting section is configured to detect a substance to be emitted from the sample by field evaporation. The shape of the inserting portion in a cross section of a direction perpendicular to an inserting direction of the sample holder is a shape excluding a perfect circle. |
| US09734983B2 |
Charged particle radiation apparatus
To provide a charged particle radiation apparatus including a soundproof cover that highly realizes both suppression of image defects due to a specific frequency and improvement in quake resistance. A charged particle radiation apparatus including a box-shaped soundproof cover having a plurality of wall surfaces, the soundproof cover including a plurality of columnar bodies forming a frame of the box shape body and a box-shaped acoustic energy absorbing structure provided in a connecting part of the plurality of columnar bodies and attached to support at least the two columnar bodies, is proposed. |
| US09734981B2 |
Charged particle beam writing apparatus and charged particle beam writing method
A charged particle beam writing apparatus includes a circuitry to set, when a charged particle beam is deflected to move between plural small regions by a deflector, plural first mesh regions obtained by virtually dividing a chip region into regions by length and width sizes same as those of each of the plural small regions; determine whether a shot figure having been assigned exists in each of the plural first mesh regions; a circuitry to perform, for the plural first mesh regions, merging of two or more adjacent first mesh regions; a circuitry to measure, for each of plural second mesh regions each obtained by merging, the number of first mesh regions each having been determined that an assigned shot figure exists therein; and a circuitry to generate a map for each chip, where measured number of first mesh regions with the shot figure is defined as a map value. |
| US09734975B2 |
In-line fuse assembly
An embodiment of an in-line fuse holder has been disclosed. The fuse holder includes a first terminal and a second terminal configured to cooperate with the first terminal in retaining a fuse between the first terminal and the second terminal, wherein each of the first and second terminals has a sidewall that defines a fuse-receiving socket, the sidewall having a plurality of apertures circumferentially spaced about the socket. |
| US09734961B2 |
Method of controlling an appliance door position switch for Sabbath mode operation
An appliance includes a position switch retention device for use with an appliance includes a body defining a generally cylindrical profile extending through a first portion thereof along an axis and having a first radius. The body further defines a pin-receiving channel open on at least a first end thereof and positioned within the generally cylindrical profile. The device further includes a first tab extending from a side of the body. The tab defines a ramp and an edge with the ramp extending away from the first end of the body to the edge. A cap extends outwardly from a second end of the body opposite the first end. The cap is spaced apart from the edge of the tab at a first distance and has a second radius greater than the first radius. |
| US09734955B2 |
Electrode material, preparation method thereof and supercapacitor based thereof
The disclosure discloses electrode material, preparation methods thereof and supercapacitors based thereof. Raw material for preparing the electrode material include PVDF and an additive which can be reacted with the PVDF to generate conductive active substance, the amount of the PVDF is 50 to 99 mass percentage, and the amount of the additive is 1 to 50 mass percentage. A PVDF-based composite film can be prepared from the raw materials; and activating treatment is performed on the film by virtue of a physico-chemical process, so that PVDF can generate a conductive active substance, the contact resistance of the PVDF and the active substance is reduced, and the conductive active substance is distributed in the PVDF-based composite film more uniformly. Button and wound supercapacitor and flexible capacitor, which are prepared from the electrode material, are high in power density and energy density, long in cycle life. |
| US09734954B2 |
Conducting polymer/graphene-based material composites, and methods for preparing the composites
A composite comprising a conducting polymer and a graphene-based material is provided. The composite includes a graphene-based material doped with nitrogen or having a nitrogen-containing species grafted thereon, and a conducting polymer arranged on the graphene-based material. Methods of preparing the composite, and electrodes formed from the composite are also provided. |
| US09734952B2 |
Nonionic surfactant for use in a solid electrolyte of an electrolytic capacitor
A solid electrolytic capacitor that comprises a sintered porous anode, a dielectric layer that overlies the anode body, and a solid electrolyte overlying the dielectric layer is provided. The solid electrolyte comprises a conductive polymer and a nonionic surfactant having a hydrophilic/lipophilic balance (“HLB”) of from about 10 to about 20 and a molecular weight of from about 100 to about 10,000 grams per mole. The nonionic surfactant has a hydrophobic base and a hydrophilic chain that contains alkoxy moieties. |
| US09734949B2 |
Structure and methods of forming the structure
Structures, including a capacitor, and methods for forming the structures are provided. One such structure may include a first conductor a second conductor above the first conductor, and a dielectric between the first conductor and the second conductor. The dielectric does not cover a portion of the first conductor; and the second conductor does not cover the portion of the first conductor not covered by the dielectric. Other structures and methods are disclosed. |
| US09734945B2 |
Magnetic shield
A magnetic shield for shielding adjacent coils of an ICPT system. One or more conductors are configured to distribute induced eddy currents from the surface of the shield to below the surface and thus reduce heating due to eddy currents. The magnetic shield may be employed to transfer power over rotary couplings, such as the shaft of a wind turbine. |
| US09734944B2 |
Electronic package structure comprising a magnetic body and an inductive element and method for making the same
An inductive component is disclosed. The inductive component comprises a magnetic body and a coil in the magnetic body, wherein a first protrusion and a second protrusion are formed on the bottom surface of the magnetic body, wherein the first protrusion comprises a first electrode disposed on the peak surface of the first protrusion, and the second protrusion comprises a second electrode disposed on the peak surface of the second protrusion, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are electrically connected to a first end and a second end of the coil, and a space is formed by the first protrusion, the second protrusion and the bottom surface of the magnetic body for accommodating electronic devices. |
| US09734943B2 |
Electromagnetic device and conductive structure thereof
A conductive structure for an electromagnetic device includes a conductive sheet and a plurality of protrusions. The conductive sheet includes two electrical connection terminals. The protrusions are arranged between the electrical connection terminals. The protrusions include a support. The support is connected to the conductive sheet. Adjacent two of the protrusions define a first heat dissipation passage. |
| US09734942B2 |
Magnetic core and coil component using same
A magnetic core has a structure in which Fe-based soft magnetic alloy particles are connected via a grain boundary. The Fe-based soft magnetic alloy particles contain Al, Cr and Si. An oxide layer containing at least Fe, Al, Cr and Si is formed at the grain boundary that connects the neighboring Fe-based soft magnetic alloy particles. The oxide layer contains an amount of Al larger than that in Fe-based soft magnetic alloy particles, and includes a first region in which the ratio of Al is higher than the ratio of each of Fe, Cr and Si to the sum of Fe, Cr, Al and Si, and a second region in which the ratio of Fe is higher than the ratio of each of Al, Cr and Si to the sum of Fe, Cr, Al and Si. The first region is on the Fe-based soft magnetic alloy particle side. |
| US09734939B2 |
Noise suppression cable
A noise suppression cable includes an insulated wire including a conductor and an insulation covering an outer periphery of the conductor, a shield layer formed on an outer periphery of the insulated wire so as to be polygonal in a cross section thereof, an insulation layer formed on an outer periphery of the shield layer so as to be polygonal in a cross section thereof, and a magnetic tape layer formed on an outer periphery of the insulation layer so as to be polygonal in a cross section thereof. |
| US09734938B2 |
Devices and systems for obtaining conductance data and methods of manufacturing and using the same
Devices and systems for obtaining conductance data and methods of manufacturing and using the same. In at least one embodiment of a device of the present disclosure, the device is an elongated body with at least one groove defined therein, the at least one groove configured to receive one or more conductor wires therein. In another embodiment, the device is an elongated core body having a plurality of conductive elements positioned thereon and a coating to result in a device having an overall round-cross section. |
| US09734928B2 |
Method for preparing silicon oxide-carbon composite for negative electrode of lithium secondary battery
A method of preparing a silicon oxide (Six)-carbon composite for a negative-electrode active material of a lithium secondary battery, includes mixing silicon (Si) particles and a polymer material with an organic solvent, thus preparing a mixture solution, optionally electrospinning the mixture solution thus preparing a composite having a one-dimensional structure, and heat-treating the mixture solution or the composite having a one-dimensional structure. The silicon oxide (SiOx)-carbon composite can reduce volume expansion upon lithium ion insertion and can increase ionic conductivity and electronic conductivity and thus can maintain high capacity, making it possible to apply it to a lithium ion battery to thus improve electrochemical characteristics of the battery. |
| US09734926B2 |
Device and method for producing medical isotopes
A hybrid nuclear reactor for producing a medical isotope includes an ion source for producing an ion beam from a gas, a target chamber including a target that interacts with the ion beam to produce neutrons, and an activation cell positioned proximate the target chamber and including a parent material that interacts with the neutrons to produce the medical isotope via a fission reaction. |
| US09734923B2 |
Nuclear fuel assembly having a spacer grid with one or more seamless corners
A nuclear fuel assembly grid that has fuel rod support features that take up a substantial portion of the width of the corner fuel rod support cells. The nuclear fuel assembly grid has an outer strap that is joined around a corner of the grid to another outer strap segment and a mating inner strap end at the intersection with the inner strap. The juncture accommodates the width of the rod support feature, enables grid-to-grid anti-snag capabilities and facilitates the use of longitudinal feed materials and dies. |
| US09734921B2 |
Memory repair using external tags
A memory device (100) includes an extra column (114) of repair memory tiles. These repair memory tiles are accessed at the same time, and in the same manner as the main array of memory tiles. The output of the repair column is substituted for the output of a column of the main array (112). The main array column that is substituted is determined by tags (121) stored externally to the memory device. The external tags are queried with a partial address of the access. If the address of the access corresponds to an address in the external tags, the tag information is supplied to the memory device. The tag information determines which column in the main array is replaced by the output of the repair column. Since each column of the main array supplies one bit during the access, the repair column enables cell-by-cell replacement of main array cells. |
| US09734911B2 |
Method and system for asynchronous die operations in a non-volatile memory
A mass storage memory system and method of operation are disclosed. The memory system includes an interface adapted to receive data from a host system, a plurality of memory die and a controller, where the controller is configured to read or write data synchronously across a plurality of die connected to different channels based on a first command, and to read or write data asynchronously and independently in different die in the same channel based on a second command. The controller may program data in a maximum unit of programming for a single memory die. The controller may be a plurality of controllers each configured to select which die of an exclusive subset of die to write data based on characteristics of the die in the subset. The plurality of die may be multi-layer, and multi-partition per layer, flash memory die. |
| US09734910B1 |
Nonvolatile memory cells having lateral coupling structures and nonvolatile memory cell arrays including the same
A nonvolatile memory (NVM) cell includes a selection transistor configured to have a selection gate terminal coupled to a word line and a source terminal coupled to a source line, a cell transistor configured to have a floating gate electrically isolated, a drain terminal coupled to a bit line and sharing a junction terminal with the selection transistor, a first coupling capacitor disposed in a first connection line coupled between the word line and the floating gate, and a P-N diode and a second coupling capacitor disposed in series in a second connection line coupled between the word line and the floating gate. An anode and a cathode of the P-N diode are coupled to the second coupling capacitor and the word line, respectively. The first and second connection lines are coupled in parallel between the word line and the floating gate. |
| US09734909B2 |
Non-volatile static random access memory
A non-volatile static random access memory has an operating mode, a data backup mode and a data restore mode. The non-volatile static random access memory includes a memory cell and a power saving module. The memory cell includes a latch, a set of latch switch units, a set of backup memory units, a set of backup activation units, a backup setting unit and a driving signal transmission unit. The power saving module includes a control switch unit, a backup determination unit and a restore switch unit. When backup data is different from data stored in the latch, a backup driving signal is generated by a node voltage of the backup memory units and outputted to a backup determination unit, which drives the backup setting unit to turn on according to the backup driving signal, so as to change the backup data in the backup memory units and ensure correct backup. |
| US09734908B1 |
Writing method for resistive memory cell and resistive memory
A writing method for a resistive memory cell and a resistive memory using thereof are provided. In the writing method, a group of RESET signals is provided to the resistive memory cell, so as to execute a writing operation. A current of the resistive memory cell is detected to determine whether the writing operation of the resistive memory cell is completed. When the writing operation of the resistive memory cell is not completed, widths of filament paths in the resistive memory cell are determined to be narrowed or not. The voltage of word line of the resistive memory cell in the group of RESET signals is reduced when the widths of the filament paths in the resistive memory cell are narrowed. |
| US09734906B2 |
Multi-function resistance change memory cells and apparatuses including the same
Various embodiments comprise apparatuses having a number of memory cells including drive circuitry to provide signal pulses of a selected time duration and/or amplitude, and an array of resistance change memory cells electrically coupled to the drive circuitry. The resistance change memory cells may be programmed for a range of retention time periods and operating speeds based on the received signal pulse. Additional apparatuses and methods are described. |
| US09734887B1 |
Per-die based memory refresh control based on a master controller
An aspect includes reading a plurality of sensor values from a plurality of sensors located on a plurality of memory dies in the HMC. It is determined that one of the plurality of sensor values from a sensor located on one of the plurality of memory dies has exceeded a threshold value. Based on the determining and on the one of the plurality of sensor values, calculating a refresh rate for the memory locations on the one of the plurality of memory dies. The vault controller is reconfigured to apply the calculated die refresh rate to the memory locations in the vault that are located on the one of the plurality of memory dies. The calculated die refresh rate is different than an other refresh rate being applied to memory locations in the vault that are located on an other one of the plurality of memory dies. |
| US09734885B1 |
Thermal-aware memory
A method for operating a memory system includes receiving thermal data indicating a temperature at addresses in a memory array, and a write request associate with data. An address of the write request is decoded. It is determined whether a temperature at the address of the write request is above a threshold temperature. The data is sent to a short latency write queue responsive to determining that the temperature is not above the threshold temperature. |
| US09734884B2 |
Method for writing to a magnetic tunnel junction device
A method of applying a write current to a magnetic tunnel junction device minimizes sub-threshold leakage. NMOS- and PMOS-follower circuits are used in applying the write current, and bias signals for the follower circuits are isolated from global bias signals before the write current is applied. |
| US09734883B1 |
Reference circuit and MRAM
A reference circuit for a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) is provided. The reference circuit includes a plurality of device strings coupled in parallel. Each of the device strings includes a plurality of magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) devices coupled in serial. A quantity of MTJ devices of each of the device strings is equal to a quantity of device strings. An equivalent resistance of the MTJ devices is equal to the resistance of one of the MTJ devices. |
| US09734879B2 |
Memory device comprising programmable command-and-address and/or data interfaces
A memory device comprising a programmable command-and-address (CA) interface and/or a programmable data interface is described. In an operational mode, two or more CA interfaces may be active. In another operational mode, at least one, but not all, CA interfaces may be active. In an operational mode, all of the data interfaces may be active. In another operational mode, at least one, but not all, data interfaces may be active. The memory device can include circuitry to select: an operational mode; a sub-mode within an operational mode; one or more CA interfaces as the active CA interface(s); a main CA interface from multiple active CA interfaces; and/or one or more data interfaces as the active data interfaces. The circuitry may perform these selection(s) based on one or more bits in one or more registers and/or one or more signals received on one or more pins. |
| US09734877B2 |
Memory interface configurable for asynchronous and synchronous operation and for accessing storage from any clock
A method of operating a memory interface circuit involves selectively operating the memory interface in either a synchronous mode or an asynchronous mode, the synchronous mode controlled by a first clock signal; in asynchronous mode, controlling an address latch for latching an address of a memory location in a memory array, the address latch controlled by an asynchronous address control signal synchronized to a second clock signal that is faster than a third clock signal used to operate the memory array. |
| US09734876B2 |
Indirect register access method and system
Systems and methods are provided for managing access to registers. In one embodiment, a system may include a processor and a plurality of registers. The processor and the plurality of registers may be integrated into a single device, or may be in separate devices. The plurality of registers may include a first set of registers that are directly accessible by the processor, and a second set of registers that are not directly accessible by the processor. The second set of registers may, however, be accessed indirectly by the processor via the first set of registers. In one embodiment, the first set of registers may include a register for selecting a register bank from the second set of registers, and a register for selecting a particular address within the register bank, to allow indirect access by the processor to the registers of the second set. |
| US09734871B2 |
Voice retrieval apparatus, voice retrieval method, and non-transitory recording medium
A voice retrieval apparatus includes a display, a memory, and a processor executing a voice recording process of storing recorded voices in the memory, an accepting process of accepting a retrieval term, a retrieval process of retrieving, from the recorded voices, a candidate segment where an utterance of the accepted retrieval term is estimated, a replay process of replaying voices in the candidate segment retrieved in the retrieval process, and a display control process of adding a marking to display information indicating a transition of the recorded voices in time based on the replay result of the voices in the candidate segment in the replay process, and displaying the display information with the marking on the display, the marking specifying an utterance location of the voices in the candidate segment. |
| US09734869B2 |
Method and system for automatic learning of parameters for automatic video and photo editing based on user's satisfaction
A method and system for modifying video editing parameters based on users satisfaction. The method may include the following steps: maintaining a plurality of video editing parameters; obtaining from a plurality of users, a plurality of footage sets each set comprising at least one of: a video sequence, and a still image; editing the plurality of footage sets, based on the plurality of video editing parameters, to yield respective edited videos; deriving user-satisfaction indicators from the plurality of users, responsive to viewing the respective edited videos; and automatically modifying at least one of the video editing parameters, based on the user-satisfaction indicators, to yield modified video editing parameters. |
| US09734868B2 |
Marking media files
Methods, systems, and products insert markers into recorded media modules. A pair of reference points is received that marks a position and another position in a recorded media module. A copy of the recorded media module is retrieved from memory. Portions of the copy of the recorded media module occurring before the position, and occurring after the another position, are discarded. The copy of the recorded media module occurring between the position and the another position is then presented to a user. |
| US09734867B2 |
Media processing devices for detecting and ranking insertion points in media, and methods thereof
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a method for inserting secondary content into a media stream includes dividing the media stream having a plurality of frames into a plurality of shots at a processor. The method further includes grouping consecutive shots from the plurality of shots into a plurality of scenes. A first list of insertion points is generated for introducing the secondary content. The insertion points of the first list are boundaries between consecutive scenes in the plurality of scenes. An average insertion point saliency of the media stream is generated at the insertion points in the first list. A second list of insertion points is then generated. The insertion points in the second list are arranged to maximize a function of the average insertion point saliency and a distance between each insertion point in the second list with other insertion points in the second list. |
| US09734864B1 |
Active control of a read/write head for reduced head-media spacing
The invention generally relates to a system for achieving reduced head-media spacing (HMS) in a hard disk drive (HDD) by providing active control over the positioning of a read/write head relative to a rotating magnetic data recording and reading surface of a disk. The system is configured to monitor and adjust positioning of the read/write head in real, or near-real time during disk rotation to maintain the HMS between a magnetic transducer of the read/write head and the disk surface within a defined range, generally between 1.0 nm and 10.0 nm, and, in some embodiments, approximately 4.3 nm. The system replaces the conventional an air bearing surface (ABS) design with a fully active suspension to maintain the head flying height within the desired range. The system further allows for each of the magnetic transducer and disk surface to be to be devoid of any overcoat or lubricant layers. |
| US09734863B2 |
Adjustable dual tensioning tone arm device and assembly
A record player capable of playing phonographic records that may be played in a scratch style by a user. The record player includes a tonearm that is rotatably supported at or near an end of the tonearm by a structure having both horizontally and vertically fastening points to the tonearm. The fastening points are configured to receive a user activated tension adjustment element. A user may advance or retreat the tension adjustment element to selectably control the positioning, or relative tension in the tonearm such that any record skipping due to undesirable tonearm pressure is controlled, or to achieve a specific sound. |
| US09734862B1 |
Method and apparatus for writing test tracks on a magnetic recording medium
A first tone is written at a first frequency to outer tracks that surround an inner track of a magnetic recording medium. A second tone is written at a second frequency different from the first frequency to the inner track. The first and second frequencies are both lower than a frequency of an AC erase signal. A crosstrack profile of the inner track is determined based on reading amplitude of the second frequency via the read/write head. |
| US09734861B1 |
In-circuit calibration method of anti-aliasing filter
A computer-implemented method, according to one embodiment, includes, for a particular data read clock value, generating a series of symmetrical square wave signals, each having a frequency that is a different fraction of the data read clock frequency. Anti-aliasing filtering is performed on each of the symmetrical square wave signals using predefined anti-aliasing settings. The filtered symmetrical square wave signals are passed through a band pass filter, the band pass filter being set to pass a single harmonic frequency of each of the symmetrical square wave signals. An amplitude of each of the band pass filtered symmetrical square wave signals is measured. In response to the amplitudes of the symmetrical square wave signals being within a predefined range, the anti-aliasing settings are stored. In response to the amplitudes of the symmetrical square wave signals being outside the predefined range, the anti-aliasing settings are changed, and the method is repeated. |
| US09734852B2 |
Disk drive head suspension structures having improved gold-dielectric joint reliability
A disk drive head suspension or flexure and method of manufacture. Embodiments include a portion such as a terminal pad or flying lead comprising a base layer, a dielectric layer on the base layer, a conductor layer, a seed layer between the dielectric layer and the conductor layer, and a noncorrosive metal layer on the seed layer side of the conductor layer. The seed layer has a strip that extends beyond the edge of the dielectric layer. The noncorrosive metal layer extends over the strip of the seed layer and into contact with the edge of the dielectric layer. |
| US09734850B1 |
Magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) free layer damping reduction
In one embodiment, a system includes a sensor, the sensor having a free layer, a ferromagnetic spin sink layer spaced from the free layer, the spin sink layer being operative to reduce a spin-induced damping in the free layer during operation of the sensor, and a nonmagnetic spacer layer positioned between the free layer and the spin sink layer, the spacer layer having a long spin-diffusion length. |
| US09734848B1 |
Method and system for writing and reading closely-spaced data tracks
A method for writing data onto a medium on which data are stored in tracks includes encoding the data into at least one codeword, and writing a respective portion of each of the at least one codeword onto respective different tracks on the medium. The writing may include writing a respective portion of each of the at least one codeword onto respective different adjacent tracks on the medium. Another method for reading data includes positioning a plurality of read heads to read codewords that have been written across multiple tracks of a medium. Each read head in the plurality of read heads reads a different portion of the first group of the multiple tracks, and where each different portion of the multiple tracks overlaps at least one other different portion of the multiple tracks. Signals are detected from the plurality of read heads, and the detected signals are decoded. |
| US09734844B2 |
Irregularity detection in music
Embodiments of the present invention relate to detecting irregularities in audio, such as music. An input signal corresponding to an audio stream is received. The input signal is transformed from a time domain into a frequency domain to generate a plurality of frames that each comprises frequency information for a portion of the input signal. An irregular event in a portion of the input signal corresponding to a set of frames in the plurality of frames is identified based on a comparison of frequency information of the set of frames to the frequency information of other sets of frames of the plurality of frames. This allows an indication of the irregular event to be provided, or for the input signal to be automatically synchronized to a multimedia event. |
| US09734843B2 |
Apparatus and method for generating bandwidth extension signal
An apparatus for generating a bandwidth extended signal includes an anti-sparseness processing unit to perform anti-sparseness processing on a low-frequency spectrum; and a frequency domain high-frequency extension decoding unit to perform high-frequency extension encoding in the frequency domain on the low-frequency spectrum on which the anti-sparseness processing is performed. |
| US09734842B2 |
Method for audio source separation and corresponding apparatus
Separation of speech and background from an audio mixture by using a speech example, generated from a source associated with a speech component in the audio mixture, to guide the separation process. |
| US09734841B2 |
Device and method for suppressing noise signal, device and method for detecting special signal, and device and method for detecting notification sound
Provided is a noise signal suppressing device including: an input unit configured to receive a sound signal; a time/frequency converting unit; an independent peak spectrum extracting unit configured to extract a peak spectrum having independence; a persistence determining unit configured to determine that the peak spectrum having independence persists for a predetermined period or longer; a noise-signal suppressing unit configured to suppress the peak spectrum having independence as the noise signal. The independent peak spectrum extracting unit includes: a first peak extracting unit configured to extract a peak spectrum having higher energy than that of an adjacent frequency signal, and a second peak extracting unit configured to extract a peak spectrum maintaining a frequency interval of equal to or larger than a predetermined value with respect to a peak spectrum adjacent thereto as the peak spectrum having independence. |
| US09734838B2 |
System and method for signal decomposition, analysis and reconstruction
A system and method for representing quasi-periodic waveforms, for example, representing a plurality of limited decompositions of the quasi-periodic waveform. Each decomposition includes a first and second amplitude value and at least one time value. In some embodiments, each of the decompositions is phase adjusted such that the arithmetic sum of the plurality of limited decompositions reconstructs the quasi-periodic waveform. Data-structure attributes are created and used to reconstruct the quasi-periodic waveform. Features of the quasi-periodic wave are tracked using pattern-recognition techniques. The fundamental rate of the signal (e.g., heartbeat) can vary widely, for example by a factor of 2-3 or more from the lowest to highest frequency. To get quarter-phase representations of a component (e.g., lowest frequency “rate” component) that varies over time (by a factor of two to three) many overlapping filters use bandpass and overlap parameters that allow tracking the component's frequency version on changing quarter-phase basis. |
| US09734836B2 |
Method and apparatus for decoding speech/audio bitstream
A method and an apparatus for decoding a speech/audio bitstream are disclosed, where the method for decoding a speech/audio bitstream includes determining whether a current frame is a normal decoding frame or a redundancy decoding frame, obtaining a decoded parameter of the current frame by means of parsing when the current frame is a normal decoding frame or a redundancy decoding frame, performing post-processing on the decoded parameter of the current frame to obtain a post-processed decoded parameter of the current frame, and using the post-processed decoded parameter of the current frame to reconstruct a speech/audio signal. |
| US09734835B2 |
Voice decoding apparatus of adding component having complicated relationship with or component unrelated with encoding information to decoded voice signal
A voice decoding apparatus includes an MBE-type decoder, a sampling convertor, a non-linear components generator and an adder. The decoder decodes digital voice-encoded information to generate a first decoded voice signal. The convertor converts the first decoded voice signal to a second decoded voice signal with a higher sampling frequency. The generator performs a non-linear process to the first or second decoded voice signal to generate an additional voice signal with the same sampling frequency as the second decoded voice signal. The additional voice signal has components in a frequency band in which the first decoded voice signal has no component and continuing to another frequency band of the first decoded voice signal. The adder adds the second decoded voice signal to the additional voice signal. |
| US09734828B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting user ID changes
In many speech-enabled applications, adaptation of speech recognition and language understanding tools for different users are employed. With such adaptation, identifying the particular user precedes applying the speech recognition and language understanding tools. According to at least one example embodiment, a method and corresponding apparatus of identifying a user includes comparing personal information data received from a user network device against personal information accessible by the server; and identifying a speech profile specific to the user based on the results of comparing the personal information data retrieved from the first user network device against the personal information accessible by the server. The identified speech profile is used in processing a speech of the user. Through use of the method or corresponding apparatus, a user can proceed directly to the use of the speech recognition or other applications and bypassing a login sequence. |
| US09734827B2 |
Electric equipment and control method thereof
An electric equipment including a communication unit to communicate with at least one electric equipment in a predetermined space through a network, a sound collection unit to collect sound in the predetermined space, a voice recognition unit to recognize a voice from the collected sound, and a controller to transmit a noise reduction control signal to the at least one electric equipment when the recognized voice is an operation command. Voice recognition is performed in a state in which surrounding noise is reduced, thereby improving performance of the voice recognition and thus improving operational accuracy of an electric equipment. In addition, a voice recognition rate is increased, thereby improving user satisfaction. |
| US09734826B2 |
Token-level interpolation for class-based language models
Optimized language models are provided for in-domain applications through an iterative, joint-modeling approach that interpolates a language model (LM) from a number of component LMs according to interpolation weights optimized for a target domain. The component LMs may include class-based LMs, and the interpolation may be context-specific or context-independent. Through iterative processes, the component LMs may be interpolated and used to express training material as alternative representations or parses of tokens. Posterior probabilities may be determined for these parses and used for determining new (or updated) interpolation weights for the LM components, such that a combination or interpolation of component LMs is further optimized for the domain. The component LMs may be merged, according to the optimized weights, into a single, combined LM, for deployment in an application scenario. |
| US09734823B2 |
Method and system for efficient spoken term detection using confusion networks
Systems and methods for spoken term detection are provided. A method for spoken term detection, comprises receiving phone level out-of-vocabulary (OOV) keyword queries, converting the phone level OOV keyword queries to words, generating a confusion network (CN) based keyword searching (KWS) index, and using the CN based KWS index for both in-vocabulary (IV) keyword queries and the OOV keyword queries. |
| US09734821B2 |
Testing words in a pronunciation lexicon
A method, for testing words defined in a pronunciation lexicon used in an automatic speech recognition (ASR) system, is provided. The method includes: obtaining test sentences which can be accepted by a language model used in the ASR system. The test sentences cover words defined in the pronunciation lexicon. The method further includes obtaining variations of speech data corresponding to each test sentence, and obtaining a plurality of texts by recognizing the variations of speech data, or a plurality of texts generated by recognizing the variation of speech data. The method also includes constructing a word graph, using the plurality of texts, for each test sentence, where each word in the word graph corresponds to each word defined in the pronunciation lexicon; and determining whether or not all or parts of words in a test sentence are present in a path of the word graph derived from the test sentence. |
| US09734819B2 |
Recognizing accented speech
Techniques (300, 400, 500) and apparatuses (100, 200, 700) for recognizing accented speech are described. In some embodiments, an accent module recognizes accented speech using an accent library based on device data, uses different speech recognition correction levels based on an application field into which recognized words are set to be provided, or updates an accent library based on corrections made to incorrectly recognized speech. |
| US09734815B2 |
Pillow set with snoring noise cancellation
Active noise control systems, devices, and methods are disclosed herein. Anti-snoring systems can include a first pillow unit having at least one error microphone and at least one speaker, at least one reference microphone configured to capture sound produced proximate to the at least one reference microphone, and a control unit operatively coupled to the first pillow unit and the at least one reference microphone. In some aspects, the control unit can be configured to produce an anti-noise in the at least one speaker disposed in the first pillow unit by processing signals received from the at least one error microphone and the at least one reference microphone using gated dynamic adjustments such that the anti-noise cancels any sound produced proximate the at least one reference. |
| US09734812B2 |
Virtual instrument playing scheme
Technologies are generally described for a virtual instrument playing system. In some examples, a virtual instrument playing system may include a sensor data receiving unit configured to receive first sensor data of a first user and second sensor data of the first user, a sound event prediction unit configured to detect a sound event of the first user and to predict a sound generation timing corresponding to the sound event of the first user based at least in part on the first sensor data of the first user, an instrument identification unit configured to identify a virtual instrument corresponding to the sound event from one or more virtual instruments based at least in part on the second sensor data of the first user, a sound data generation unit configured to generate sound data of the first user regarding the identified virtual instrument based at least in part on the sound generation timing, and a video data generation unit configured to generate video data of the first user regarding the identified virtual instrument based at least in part on the second sensor data of the first user. |
| US09734807B2 |
Musical instrument multiple membrane percussion and shaking
Musical instrument of the type called “ocean drum” provided with three or more vibratile membranes, in the interspaces of which some balls of different materials and diameters, phosphorescent as well, are inserted. By tilting said drum, provided with two or more planes bearing some balls, the latter roll on the internal surface of the membranes produces sounds that evoke sea waves. Said “ocean drum” has a plurality of rings with a common central axis, aligned in a fixed way to enable the insertion of three or more vibratile membranes between them. Said rings are made of laminated plywood, solid wood or plastic material. They are glued, without discontinuity, to the circular membranes made of animal leather, or of polymer films provided with holes on a median diameter of the rings for more resistant gluing. |
| US09734806B1 |
Guitar pick with integral strap holder
The present invention is a guitar pick with an integral strap holder. The present invention comes in a variety of embodiments. In one set of embodiments, a slot can be made in the guitar pick, for accommodating a guitar strap. In another set of embodiments, a breakaway shaft can be connected to the guitar pick. The breakaway shaft contains a toothed slot for accommodating a guitar strap. |
| US09734803B2 |
Musical string
In a musical string (1), in particular for bowed and/or plucked instruments, it is provided that the musical string has a first fluid (6), which is arranged on a first musical string part (2, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11) of the musical string (1), and a second fluid (7), which is arranged on a second musical string part (2, 4, 5, 9, 10, 13) of the musical string (1) and is different from the first fluid (6), wherein the first fluid (6) and the second fluid (7) are arranged to form a first mixing region (15) in at least one first pre-definable oscillating section of the musical string (1). |
| US09734797B2 |
Selectively adjusting display parameter of areas within user interface
Controlling a user interface in a computer system, including: displaying a window in a user interface displayed on a display device, wherein the window includes a player section and a non-player section, and the non-player section is displayed according to a display parameter at a standard level, wherein the standard level is a first level as set in a device setting for the display parameter; receiving a play command for content; changing the display parameter for the non-player section of the window to a playback level, wherein the playback level is a second level for the display parameter that is different than the first level; displaying the non-player section of the window according to the playback level of the display parameter; and displaying the content in the player section of the window. Key words include display parameter and playback level. |
| US09734793B2 |
Display apparatus and method for enabling perception of three-dimensional images
A display apparatus may enable a viewer to perceive an image. The viewer has a right eye and a left eye, the right eye having a right pupil, the left eye having a left pupil. The display apparatus includes a display panel including a plurality of subpixels. The display apparatus further includes a position detecting part configured to detect a user location related to the viewer. The display apparatus further includes a light controlling element configured for transmitting light provided from one or more of the subpixels toward one or more of the right eye and the left eye. The display apparatus further includes a display panel driver configured to change subpixel-eye association for at least one of the subpixels in response to a change of the user location detected by the position detecting part. |
| US09734789B2 |
Display device having a pixel structure
The present invention discloses a display device, comprising a display panel, a data driving circuit, and a scan driving circuit, the data driving circuit being disposed on a side of the display panel in a first direction, the scan driving circuit being disposed on a side of the display panel in a second direction, the first direction being perpendicular to the second direction; both the data driving circuit and the scan driving circuit are connected to the display panel. The present invention can reduce a width of a non-display region of the display device under a premise of improving a display quality. |
| US09734787B2 |
Method for operating mobile electronic device, mobile electronic device, and computer readable medium using the same
The disclosure provides a method, mobile electronic device, and computer readable medium for operating the mobile electronic device having a motion sensor, touch sensor, microcontroller, and processor. The method includes the following steps. The motion sensor detects a motion and generates motion data in response to the detected motion. The touch sensor detects a fingerprint and generates fingerprint data in response to the detected fingerprint. The microcontroller compares the generated motion data with enrolled motion data, and one of the microcontroller and the processor compares the generated fingerprint data with enrolled fingerprint data, where the enrolled fingerprint data and the enrolled motion data including the first motion data are prestored in the mobile electronic device. When the generated motion data matches the first motion data and the generated fingerprint data matches the enrolled fingerprint data, the processor performs a first action in associated with the first motion data. |
| US09734784B2 |
Voltage output device, gate driving circuit and display apparatus
The present invention provides a voltage output device, which comprises a direct-current power supply, a reference level input terminal, a predetermined level output terminal, a voltage regulation module and a control signal generation module, the control signal generation module comprises a control signal generation unit, the voltage regulation module comprises a plurality of storage capacitors, wherein the control signal generation unit can send a charging control signal to the voltage regulation module in a charging stage of the voltage output device, and send an operation control signal to the voltage regulation module in an operating stage of the voltage output device. The present invention further provides a gate driving circuit and a display apparatus. With the voltage output device provided by the present invention, a high-level voltage that is high enough and/or a low-level voltage that is low enough can be outputted, thereby satisfying specific application requirements. |
| US09734783B2 |
Displays with high impedance gate driver circuitry
A touch screen display may include gate line driver circuitry coupled to a display pixel array. The display may be provided with intra-frame pausing (IFP) capabilities, where touch or other operations may be performed during one or more intra-frame blanking intervals. In one suitable arrangement, a gate driver may be operable in a high impedance mode, where the output of the gate driver is left floating during touch or IFP intervals. In another suitable arrangement, the gate driver may be operable in an IFP reduced stress mode, where a digital pass gate in the gate driver is deactivated during IFP intervals. In yet another suitable arrangement, the gate driver may be operable in an all-gate-high (AGH) power-down mode, where the output of each gate driver in the driver circuitry is driven high in parallel when the displayed is being powered off. These arrangements may be implemented in any suitable combination. |
| US09734780B2 |
Driving method of liquid crystal display device
An object is to provide a driving method of a liquid crystal display device with a low power consumption and a high image quality. A pixel includes a liquid crystal element and a transistor which controls supply of an image signal to the liquid crystal element. The transistor includes, in a channel formation region, a semiconductor which has a wider band gap than a silicon semiconductor and has a lower intrinsic carrier density than silicon, and has an extremely low off-state current. In inversion driving of pixels, image signals having opposite polarities are input to a pair of signal lines between which a pixel electrode is disposed. By employing such a structure, the quality of the displayed image can be increased even in the absence of a capacitor in the pixel. |
| US09734775B2 |
Display power saving utilizing non volatile memory
A device includes a controller configured to receive information for display, an LCD display coupled to the controller, the LCD display comprising an array of pixel elements, and a non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) coupled to the controller and to the LCD display to receive data for each pixel element and provide that data to the pixel elements for display. |
| US09734772B2 |
Display device
A display device includes: a display unit including pixels arranged in a matrix therein, each of the pixels including a first sub-pixel that displays a first color component, a second sub-pixel that displays a second color component, a third sub-pixel that displays a third color component, and a fourth sub-pixel that displays a fourth color component; and a signal processing unit that receives input signals that are capable of being displayed with the first sub-pixel, the second sub-pixel, and the third sub-pixel, and calculates output signals to the first, second, third, and fourth sub-pixels. The signal processing unit generates converted input signals with changed saturation among the input signals. The signal processing unit calculates output signals to the first sub-pixel, the second sub-pixel, and the third sub-pixel based on the converted input signals and an amount of increase in brightness caused by the fourth sub-pixel. |
| US09734771B2 |
Touch-sensitive flat-panel control and interface
A touch-screen control panel interface has a dielectric flat or curved front panel and a printed circuit board with a front side and a reverse side which is the component side. Alphanumeric display module(s) or an LCD display and optional protective cap mounted on the reverse side of the circuit board are visible through window cutout(s) on the board. An array of LED indicators can be mounted on the back side of the circuit board and visible through cutouts in the board. Metallized capacitive pads on or adjacent the back side of the front panel at touch locations permit selection of various modes, functions, and settings. These pads may be formed on the flat front side of the circuit board, on the back of the front plate, or on an intermediate membrane. A microprocessor is connected with the various components and with capacitive pad. Icons may be printed onto the flat panel, in registry with the metallized capacitive electrode pads. A potting dam is formed of a back plate configured to adhere to the front panel and an open frame extending rearwards. Synthetic resin potting material fills the frame and hermetically seals the circuit board. Positions of the capacitive touch pads can be illuminated when active, as a guide for the user or operator. A second circuit board may be positioned in the frame directly proximal of the first circuit board, and optionally encapsulated. |
| US09734769B2 |
Display apparatus and method of driving the same
In a display apparatus provided with an electrophoresis layer, such a display apparatus as to improve the response performance of a touch detection is provided. A driving unit included in a display apparatus alternately repeats a display driving process for supplying a first driving signal to a driving electrode disposed in a selected partial display region and a detection driving process for supplying a second driving signal to a driving electrode disposed in another selected partial display region while successively cyclically changing the partial display region and successively cyclically changing another partial detection region. Moreover, in the detection driving process, a touch detection unit included in the display apparatus detects an input position at another selected partial detection region based on an electrostatic capacitance of the driving electrode disposed at another selected detection region. |
| US09734765B2 |
Display device and driving method thereof
A display device includes: a plurality of pixels, each being coupled to a corresponding data line among a plurality of data lines and a corresponding scan line among a plurality of scan lines; a scan driver to supply a scan signal to the scan lines; a sensor coupled to the pixels and the data lines and configured to detect a sensing current according to a test signal input to the data lines; and a controller configured to detect a pixel current of a pixel corresponding to a scan line to which the scan signal is supplied, by using a first sensing current corresponding to a first pixel and a second sensing current corresponding to a second pixel, when the scan signal is selectively supplied to a first scan line coupled to the first pixel and a second scan line coupled to the second pixel. |
| US09734762B2 |
Color display device with pixel circuits including two capacitors
In a pixel circuit (10), TFTs (12) to (16) are connected and driven such that a threshold voltage Vth of a TFT (11), which is a drive transistor, can be held in a threshold holding capacitor (19) having a capacitance value c1, voltages, including a data potential Vdata representing an image to be displayed, can be held in a data holding capacitor (18) having a capacitance value c2, and charges in the data holding capacitor (18) and the threshold holding capacitor (19) are redistributed at the time of light emission. As a result, a potential obtained by multiplying the data potential Vdata by c1/(c1+c2) is provided to a gate potential of the TFT (11). |
| US09734761B2 |
Pixel circuit, driving method for the same, and display device
The present disclosure relates to the art of display manufacture. There are provided a pixel circuit, a driving method for the same and a display device. The pixel circuit comprises a light-emitting device and a driving transistor connected in series between a first voltage signal terminal and a second voltage signal terminal, and the pixel circuit further comprises a light-emitting control module and a compensation module; the light-emitting control module has an input terminal connected to a first control signal, an output terminal connected to the source and the drain of the driving transistor, and the light-emitting module is configured to control the state of the driving transistor in response to the first control signal so that the light-emitting device emits light or is turned off; the compensation module has an input terminal connected to a second control signal, and an output terminal connected to the gate and the source of the driving transistor, and to the light-emitting control module, and the compensation module is configured to disconnect or connect the gate and the source of the driving transistor in response to the second control signal, so that the voltage at the gate of the driving transistor compensates for the threshold voltage of the driving transistor when the light-emitting device emits light. The issue of the poor uniformity of the light-emitting diode in luminance can be addressed by the above technical solutions. |
| US09734759B2 |
Organic light-emitting diode display
An organic light-emitting diode display is disclosed. In one aspect, the display includes a display panel including a plurality of display pixels and a plurality of dummy pixels. The display also includes a scan driver including a plurality of first stages configured to sequentially supply a plurality of scan signals to the scan lines and a plurality of second stages configured to sequentially supply a plurality of scan signals to the dummy scan lines. The display also includes a data driver configured to provide corresponding data signals to the data lines, wherein each of the scan signals includes at least one first pulse to be applied as a bias voltage to a driving transistor of each of the display pixels and the dummy pixels and a second pulse to be applied as the corresponding data signal to the driving transistor. |
| US09734757B2 |
Gate driver integrated circuit, and image display apparatus including the same
An image display apparatus includes a display screen on which pixel circuits are disposed in a matrix, each of which includes an EL element, a transistor connected to a first gate signal line, a transistor connected to a second gate signal line, and a driving transistor. A second gate signal line driving unit and a first gate signal line driving unit of a first gate driving circuit apply a control voltage to the first gate signal line and the second gate signal line, respectively. The second gate signal line driving unit of a second gate driving circuit applies a control voltage to the first gate signal line. An ON voltage, a first OFF voltage, and a second OFF voltage are sequentially applied to the first gate signal line. The ON voltage and the first OFF voltage are sequentially applied to the second gate signal line. |
| US09734756B2 |
Organic light emitting diode displays with reduced leakage current
An electronic device may be provided with an organic light-emitting diode display. The display may include row driver circuitry that provides an emission control signal at an output terminal to display pixels. The emission control signals may enable or disable light emission by the pixels. The row driver circuitry may include a bootstrapping capacitor that stores charge for boosting a gate signal at an intermediate node for a pull-up transistor above a power supply voltage. The row driver circuitry may include a pull-down transistor coupled to the intermediate node. The source terminal of the pull-down transistor may be coupled to the output terminal or an additional pull-down transistor may be stacked with the pull-down transistor to reduce leakage current. Charge pump circuitry may be coupled to the intermediate node to ensure that the intermediate node is maintained at a voltage above the power supply voltage. |
| US09734752B2 |
Display device and source driver to automatically block data voltage output to dummy lines
A display device including: a display panel displaying an image based on first and second frames; a timing controller outputting a plurality of image signals for each of the first and second frames and outputting a test signal during a reset section; and a source driving chip outputting a plurality of data voltages corresponding to the image signals or a test voltage corresponding to the test signal. The reset section is arranged after the first frame and before the second frame, and the source driving chip blocks the data voltage in the second frame from being output to driving lines having an arrival time period equal to or less than a reference time period during the reset section, the arrival time period representing the amount of time taken to arrive at the test voltage from an initial voltage. |
| US09734739B2 |
Bulletin board
A bulletin board includes a board having at least three layers of material, in which a first layer of material has a density of 20-50 kg/m3, a second layer of material has a density of 140-170 kg/m3 and a third layer of material has a density of 20-50 kg/m3. The bulletin board has a front surface and a rear surface with an adhesive layer attached to the rear surface of the board, in which the adhesive layer enables the bulletin board to be attached to a support surface. |
| US09734737B2 |
Outdoor billboard with lighting assemblies
A billboard includes a support structure and first and second lighting assemblies. Each lighting assembly includes a number of circuits boards arranged in a common orientation. Each circuit board of the first lighting assembly is planar and has a number of LEDs and optical elements attached thereto. The LEDs are thermally coupled to a first heat sink. The LEDs are arranged in rows on each circuit board, with each row including a number of LEDs mounted so that all of the LEDs are arranged in a common orientation. Each optical element is disposed over only one associated LED. The optical elements are arranged to direct the light across a portion of the display surface. |
| US09734732B2 |
Collapsible surgical training apparatus and method for laparoscopic procedures
A laparoscopic surgery training kit and method is disclosed. The laparoscopic surgery training kit has improved portability and storability because it is collapsible and foldable. The laparoscopic surgery training kit is assembled by unfolding it into a taut condition and inserting a plurality of rods into a plurality of sleeves on a side panel arrangement to place the laparoscopic surgery training kit into its expanded condition. Holes or slits are provided, which are configured to allow insertion of surgical instruments, such as graspers, and/or configured to allow a camera to view the interior of the laparoscopic surgery training kit. In a preferred embodiment, the camera of a smartphone or tablet device is used, which is placed on the laparoscopic surgery training kit using a stand. The image viewed by the camera is shown to the trainee or examinee as a real-time display, preferably at eye-level. The trainee or examinee uses the one or more surgical instruments to manipulate one or more objects contained within the laparoscopic surgery training kit while viewing the real-time display. |
| US09734731B2 |
Braille display
A braille display comprising an outer wall comprising an outer surface, an inner surface and a plurality of holes extending between the outer surface and the inner surface and which are arranged in an at least substantially regular pattern relative to each other. The braille display is further provided with braille cells wherein each braille cell comprises at least one tactile member which is movable between a first outer position and second outer position and activations means for moving the at least one tactile member between the first and second outer position. The at least one tactile member comprises a free top and each braille cell is located near the inner surface of the tactile member wherein each tactile member extends through one of the holes from the inner surface in a direction of the outer surface, at least if the tactile member is in the second position and wherein a position of the free top of the tactile member relative to the outer surface when the tactile member is in its first position differs from the position of the free top of the tactical member relative to the outer surface when the tactile member is in its second position, wherein each braille cell of a group of the braille cells is attached to the outer wall by means of a connection which acts on the one hand on the braille cell and on the other hand on the outer wall at a location adjacent to the braille cell. |
| US09734727B2 |
Aircraft systems and methods to display moving landing platforms
A display system for an aircraft includes a processing unit and a display device. The processing unit is configured to receive data representative of a landing platform on a movable carrier, and the data includes current energy parameters of the movable carrier. The processing unit is further configured to generate display commands associated with the landing platform and the energy parameters of the movable carrier. The display device is coupled the processing unit for receiving the display commands and operable to render first symbology representing the landing platform and second symbology representing the energy parameters of the movable carrier. |
| US09734723B1 |
Process and system to register and regulate unmanned aerial vehicle operations
A registration authority (RA) server registers unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and their owners/operators (O/O). A UAV is maintained in a flight lock state until a flight plan request from the O/O is approved by the RA, which sends an key-signed approval to unlock the UAV's flight lock. The RA server evaluates a UAV's proposed flight plan based on the attributes of the O/O and UAV, the location and time of the requested flight plan, and a set of flight rules and exclusion zones that are developed in view of privacy assurance, security assurance, flight safety assurance, and ground safety assurance. The flight plan key-signed approval supplied to the UAV by the RA server specifies an inclusion zone that corresponds to a flight plan trajectory to be followed. Once in flight, the UAV maintains real-time knowledge of its position and time to ensure its flight remains within the approved inclusion zone. |
| US09734722B1 |
Interactive flight status display
An application engine receives flight position data associated with an airplane through a global computing network. The flight position data includes a list of recorded locations of the airplane. Using the list of recorded locations of the airplane, the application engine computes a current position of the airplane and a polling interval. Responsive to calculating the current position of the airplane, the application engine generates a flight status view of the airplane based on the current position of the airplane. The flight status view includes a flight tracker image representative of the airplane's current location and flight path, and one or more visual indicators corresponding to social network data and informative data associated with the current position of the airplane. The application engine periodically updates the flight status view of the airplane using an updated current position of the airplane. |
| US09734718B2 |
Vehicle location estimation apparatus and vehicle location estimation method
An azimuth of the direction of travel of the host vehicle is acquired, a radius of the road on which the host vehicle is traveling is estimated, a location of another vehicle is acquired, an azimuth of the direction of travel of the other vehicle is acquired, the other vehicle is positioned on a coordinate system, an origin of which is the host vehicle, and an axis of which is the estimated road radius in the direction of travel of the host vehicle, and determination is made on whether or not the other vehicle is on the same course as the host vehicle by taking account of the width of the course, location error, azimuth error, error in the estimated road radius, error due to drift of the vehicle, and change in the curvature of the course. |
| US09734715B2 |
Collision avoidance system using telematics unit
The various examples disclosed herein relate to systems, methods, and equipment that provide location and velocity monitoring of both a user's vehicle and another vehicle to avoid collision. The examples are applicable for using on-board telematics units to process that information and provide additional information based thereon such as the probability of collision. In some examples, if the chances of collision are high based on information received, warnings may be given to the vehicle's user. Based on these warnings, the user may take evasive maneuvers to reduce the probability of collision and prevent it. In other examples, if the chances of collision are high, the vehicle may decelerate without prompting from the user to minimize the impact of the collision. Any emergency reporting by the telematics unit, e.g. if a collision still occurred, may be enhanced with the relative location and velocity data from some interval the prior to emergency. |
| US09734713B2 |
Parking occupancy estimation
Methods, systems and computer program product for determining parking occupancy. In some embodiments, the parking occupancy is determined based on at least one distance between a parking location of a user and a destination of the user. In some embodiments, the parking occupancy is determined based on one or more parking instances in a paid parking lot and is based on the distance from the paid parking lot. In some embodiments, the parking occupancy is determined based on at least one route of a vehicle while searching for parking. In some embodiments, the parking occupancy is determined based on a parking curve. The parking occupancy can be used to compute an estimated arrival time which includes an estimated searching for parking time. The parking occupancy information can be used to rank parking areas. |
| US09734712B1 |
Systems and methods for determining a position of a vehicle based on information collected by communications equipment along a known route
A system and method are provided for determining a position of a vehicle traversing a constrained path via cooperating communications equipment installed at fixed points along a known route and onboard the vehicle. The disclosed schemes leverage certain commonly-installed communications nodes to provide positioning information for participating vehicles when those vehicles are specifically limited in their movement to a particular path, including a train track. Signal analysis between cooperating nodes provides localization information, including timing information, that is sufficient, given the physical constraints of the participating vehicles to a particular track, lane or the like, to quickly resolve a positional localization for the vehicles. Common wireless transceiver connectivity is used to support a backup position locating system that has an appropriate fidelity to provide a required modicum of safety without stopping movement of all vehicles in a vicinity of a particular location with which other communications may have broken down. |
| US09734702B2 |
Method and system for consolidating events across sensors
A method may receive, in response to a first event, a first sensor data from a first sensor, and receive, in response to the first event, a second sensor data from a second sensor. The method may select, from among a plurality of event profiles, a first event profile. The first event profile may comprise a first condition matching the first sensor data, a second condition matching the second sensor data, and a plurality of conditions which, when met, indicate the occurrence of the first event. Conditions may include a sensor data, a time period, a user data, a sequence of conditions, or a combination of such data. The first event profile may comprise a first event notice to be provided in response to the occurrence of the first event. The method may provide the first event notice to a recipient indicated by the event profile. |
| US09734701B2 |
Alternative alarm generator
A computer-implemented method includes receiving a request. The request is for an alarm. The alarm is emitted from a mobile device. The mobile device is powered by a battery. The battery has a battery level. The method includes receiving a battery level threshold. The method is responsive to the battery level being below the battery level threshold. The method includes identifying an alternative alarm device. The alternative alarm device is enabled with an electronic control channel. The method includes generating an alternative alarm. The method includes sending the alternative alarm to the alternative alarm device via the electronic control channel. |
| US09734700B2 |
Lockdown apparatus for initiation of lockdown procedures at a facility during an emergency with an override actuator to override lockdown communication to facility occupants
Some embodiments are directed to a lockdown apparatus for facilitating initiation of lockdown procedures at a facility. The lockdown apparatus can include an actuator configured to transmit a lockdown initiation signal upon being actuated. The actuator can be configured to be recognizably distinguishable from a fire alarm actuator. The lockdown apparatus can also include a lockdown communicator configured to produce a lockdown communication for communicating initiation of lockdown procedures to the facility occupants and individuals not disposed proximate the facility upon transmission of the lockdown initiation signal, the lockdown communication being recognizably distinguishable from the fire alarm communication. |
| US09734697B1 |
Automatic notify mode for security system
A security system is configured to be set in a notify mode if it fails to detect a response from the last person to leave the monitored environment or someone else who have left the house to arm the security system within a finite amount of time. When the security system is in the notify mode, the security system does not generate an alarm signal upon detecting a trigger event that would otherwise trigger an alarm if the system were in a fully armed mode, but instead, transmits a notification to legitimate residents or occupants who have left the monitored environment that the trigger event has occurred. |
| US09734694B2 |
Systems and methods for programming, controlling and monitoring wireless networks
A system for programming, controlling and monitoring wireless networks enabling a wireless device (Dev) being utilized and integrated into car electronic control module or home (or business) alarm/security system. This system also presents a general control (robotic) device, which controls general input and output functions, where plurality of cellular handsets, internet devices can co-control, monitor, share and exchange information through the cellular, the internet networks and other wire/wireless network. |
| US09734692B2 |
Method for poisitioning a residental pest detector and a system for detecting residential pests
A detection system for detecting a residential pest, the detection system may include a housing, a vibration sensor that is configured to sense vibration signals; a processor that is configured to process the vibration signals and detect residential pest activities; a coupler that once connected to a metal-including element of a resident vibrationally couples the metal-including element to the vibration sensor. |
| US09734690B2 |
System and method for activity monitoring and fall detection
Devices and methods of using a personal emergency reporting system device is described. The personal emergency reporting system (PERS) device wakes up based on timing, manual activation or an accelerometer in the PERS device detecting an abnormal condition. The PERS device measures the orientation and correlate and sends statistics to a console. The PERS device determines whether a predetermined threshold has been met to determine whether a fall event has occurred or whether to enter a more active monitoring state. The PERS device also determines whether it is appropriate to transmit an alarm to a central monitoring station via the console and transmits the alarm if desired. |
| US09734689B2 |
Systems with interactive management of environmental objects relative to human appendages
Systems are described for analyzing an environment. A system embodiment includes, but is not limited to, a tag and a reader pair, the tag and the reader configured for individual positioning proximate a human appendage and an environmental object, wherein the reader is configured to identify the tag; a substrate configured to conform to the human appendage, the substrate coupled to at least one of the tag or the reader, the other of the tag or the reader configured to be coupled to the environmental object; a processor operably coupled to the reader and configured to receive one or more output signals from the reader, the one or more output signals corresponding to a threshold associated with the tag or the reader; and an output reporter operably coupled to the processor and configured to generate one or more communication signals responsive to instruction by the processor. |
| US09734688B2 |
Wearable device, recording medium storing control program, and control method
A wearable device, a non-transitory computer readable recording medium that stores a control program, and a control method are disclosed. A wearable device comprises a belt and a processor. The belt is to be fastened to a body. The processor determines whether the wearable device is removed from the body. The processor notifies another device of removal of the wearable device from the body when determining the removal. |
| US09734686B2 |
System and method for enhancing a proximity warning sound
A system and method for enhancing a proximity warning sound may determine an indicator of a distance between a first object and a second object. A proximity warning sound may be generated including a reverberation mimicking component responsive to the determined distance indicator; where a human listener perceives the reverberation mimicking component included in the audible proximity warning sound to be indicative of the determined distance indicator. |
| US09734685B2 |
Vehicle operator emotion management system and method
The method, system, and computer-readable medium facilitates monitoring a vehicle operator during the course of vehicle operation to determine whether the vehicle operator is in an emotionally impaired state (e.g., aggressive or agitated) and presenting appropriate stimuli (e.g., music or sound recordings) to the vehicle operator when impairment is detected. The vehicle operator, the environment surrounding the vehicle, or forces acting on the vehicle may be monitored using a variety of sensors, including optical sensors, accelerometers, or biometric sensors (e.g., skin conductivity, heart rate, or voice modulation). When the vehicle operator is determined to be in an emotionally impaired state, stimuli are selected to improve the emotional state of the vehicle operator. The selection is based on sensor data and data regarding prior responses of the vehicle operator to various stimuli. After selection, the stimuli are presented to the vehicle operator while monitoring continues. |
| US09734680B2 |
Monitoring system, monitoring method, computer program, and storage medium
A coverage area picture imaging a maximum area is displayed on a coverage area picture display. A camera is moved within a predetermined range and a plurality of frames obtained as a result form a picture. The pixels of the picture is decimated in vertical and horizontal directions and form a thumbnail as the coverage area picture. The coverage area picture display presents a display indicating a direction in which the camera is currently directed for picture photographing. In accordance with the display, a photographing direction is controlled. A plurality of frames are photographed with respect to a designated position, then stored, and displayed. A whole picture display presents a whole panorama picture. A selective picture display presents a frame at the position designated within the whole panorama picture as a selected picture. |
| US09734679B2 |
Alarm device
An alarm device includes a portable alarm emitter, the portable alarm emitter being configured to detect a change in an electrical property of a sensor element which is connected to the portable alarm emitter and to signal an alarm if a change is established. The portable alarm emitter and the sensor element are separate units configured to be interconnected with electrical contact. The portable alarm emitter is a reusable unit. The sensor element is a disposable unit. |
| US09734674B1 |
Sonification of performance metrics
Examples are generally directed towards sonifying performance metrics. A computing device includes one or more data storage devices coupled to one or more processors. A performance dashboard controller maps a plurality of performance status updates corresponding to a plurality of points within a time range to a set of sound recordings to identify an audible performance indicator for the at least one object. A performance status update indicates a change in a performance status of the at least one object at a given point in time. The audible performance indicator sonifies the plurality of performance status updates at the plurality of points relative to the performance threshold. The audible performance indicator is output by an output device. The audible performance indicator identifies changes in performance status of the at least one object during the time range. |
| US09734670B2 |
Providing a secondary service for a client application which is associated with a primary service
A secondary service provides a second, or collateral, service in connection with a client application associated with a first service. The secondary service receives user input from the client application and forwards the user input to at least one second server for the collateral service. The collateral service may be a lottery gaming system that generates or receives lottery entries as users perform certain actions. Other non-limiting examples of a collateral service that may receive user input via the secondary service include a data mining system, an advertising system, a loyalty and bonus system. |
| US09734666B2 |
Dynamic updating of content based on gaming-application context
A gaming system and its operations include, for instance, providing, for presentation via one or more electronic display devices, first digital content for a first application. The first application is independent from a second application that concurrently presents second digital content. The operations can further include intercepting, by the first application via an application communication interface associated with the second application, data associated with the second digital content. The operations can further include determining, based on evaluation of the data associated with the second digital content via an electronic processing unit of the gaming system, a relationship between an aspect of the first digital content and an aspect of the second digital content. The operations can further include causing, by the first application via the electronic processing unit, the second application to automatically modify presentation of the second digital content in response to determining the relationship. |
| US09734664B1 |
System and method for facilitating virtual item rewards based on a game of chance
One aspect of the disclosure relates to facilitating virtual item rewards for implementation in a virtual space based on a game of chance in an online game. A virtual wheel with multiple game outcomes may be spun and/or any other action may be taken. One of multiple virtual outcomes corresponding to different game outcomes may be selected and/or displayed. There may be various visual mechanisms for selecting and/or presenting one outcome from multiple possible game outcomes. |
| US09734663B2 |
Automated money laundering detection, notification, and reporting techniques implemented at casino gaming networks
Various aspects described or referenced herein are directed to different methods, systems, and computer program products for implementing automated money laundering detection, notification, and reporting techniques implemented at casino gaming networks. |
| US09734657B2 |
Wide screen gaming apparatus
A gaming apparatus includes a display unit and has a display support structure that extends substantially vertically from a horizontal support base. The display unit includes a flat-panel display screen having a width (W) and a height (H) wherein W/H is at least 16/10 The display unit is rotatable about a horizontal axis located in a plane substantially parallel to the display screen wherein, a player's angle of viewing the display unit may be adjusted by vertical translation of the display unit on the display support structure, over a vertical range of motion, and by rotation of the display unit about the horizontal axis. A front face of the display structure presents, in a region proximate to the vertical range of motion, a concave side of a curved surface. |
| US09734654B2 |
Parking meter pole
A pole mounting system can be configured as a center drawn mounting system which allows the user to securely mount and adjust the inner stanchion in various rotational orientations about the vertical axis. The system also allows any electrical wiring or other conduit to be run up inside of the pole. Once the inner stanchion is fastened in place, the outer stanchion fits over top with a first disc on the outer stanchion interlocking with a disc recess on the inner stanchion, thereby preventing the outer stanchion from twisting with respect to the inner stanchion. Once a locking bolt is in place, the parking meter is fastened to the top of the outer stanchion. The present system is tamper resistant because the electrical wiring or conduit and the mounting hardware are not externally accessible once installation is completed. |
| US09734653B2 |
Apparatus and method of providing an elongated coin souvenir
An apparatus and method for providing one or more elongated coin souvenirs in a single payment transaction embossed with any or all available images. A user interface displays the available images and instructions on how to operate the apparatus. Once a user makes a selection and completes a payment transaction, the apparatus begins to press and emboss coins with chosen image or images. If multiple elongated coins are purchased, an electronic control system causes a delivery of a first coin and causes a pressing mechanism to elongate and emboss the first image onto the coin. Upon completion of this action, a delivery of a second coin to the pressing mechanism is impressed with the next image. These steps are then be repeated until all of the images purchased by the user are impressed onto coins and delivered to the user. |
| US09734652B1 |
Simulating I/O using multicomputer data processing
Methods, systems, and computer program products are included for simulating I/O. An exemplary method includes simulating I/O from a card that includes a magnetic stripe. The method includes receiving, at a first controller, a first token from a first terminal. The first token is communicated from the first controller to at least one backend computing device. The first controller receives, from the at least one backend computing device, a second token generated at the at least one backend computing device. The first controller injects the second token into a second controller. The second controller communicates the second token to the at least one backend system. |
| US09734649B2 |
Banknote processing apparatus
A banknote processing apparatus is disclosed. The banknote processing apparatus includes a sensor unit configured to acquire image information of a banknote and project light alternately from red, green, and blue (RGB) light sources onto the banknote, and a control unit configured to (i) acquire per-color image information of the banknote for each RGB color from the image information and (ii) determine at least one of a denomination, an identification mark, an authenticity, and a fitness of the banknote based on the per-color image information. |
| US09734646B1 |
System, method, and apparatus for accessing real estate property
A system for premise access includes a device for accessing the system by a prospective buyer that has a location determining subsystem. An application running on the device for accessing the system downloads a set of currently available premise listings. Upon arrival near one of the premises as determined by comparing a location of the device to each of the currently available premise listings, if the prospective buyer is authorized to enter the one of the premises and if the prospective buyer indicates a desire to enter the one of the premises, the application running on the device for accessing provides an access code for entry into the one of the premises (e.g. opens a lock or lockbox by radio frequency transmission, opens a lock or lockbox by infra-red transmission, displays a combination, etc.). |
| US09734642B2 |
System and method for providing checkpoint background checks
An improved method for providing checkpoint background checks is described herein. In one embodiment, the pass control method can comprise collecting data related to the identity of a visitor with a checkpoint computer, transferring the data to a pass control server, querying one or more member profiles using the data, and returning a message to the checkpoint computer. In this method, the member profiles can comprise identity information and one or more flags. The flags can be related to an outcome of a previously performed background check performed using the identity information. The message returned to the checkpoint computer can be related to the flags within any of the member profiles comprising identity information that matches the data. |