最新美国发明专利第2017-08-29期 - 专利汇|PatentHub专利检索|专利查询网|发明专利查询分析

Document	Document Title
US09748686B1	BGA spring probe pin design An improved BGA spring probe pin with a spring actuated solder ball receptacle that grips the sides of the solder ball during probing. A method of operating a BGA prober with improved BGA spring probe pins.
US09748683B2	Electroconductive material superior in resistance to fretting corrosion for connection component An electroconductive material includes a Cu or Cu alloy base member, a Cu—Sn alloy coating layer, and a Sn coating layer. The Cu—Sn alloy coating layer has a Cu content of 20 to 70 atomic %, and an average thickness of 0.2 to 3.0 μm. The Sn coating layer has an average thickness of 0.2 to 5.0 μm. A surface of the electroconductive material has an arithmetic average roughness Ra of at least 0.15 μm in at least one direction along the surface and 3.0 μm or less in all directions along the surface. The Cu—Sn alloy coating layer is partially exposed at the surface of the electroconductive material. An area ratio of the Cu—Sn alloy coating layer exposed at the surface of the electroconductive material is 3 to 75%. An average crystal grain size on a surface of the Cu—Sn alloy coating layer is less than 2 μm.
US09748673B1	Terminal block and electronic appliance A terminal block includes: a terminal body with a screw hole for a screw used to connect a wire; and a terminal holder that holds the terminal body and has a substrate facing portion placed facing a first surface of a substrate. The terminal block is attached to the substrate by soldering the terminal body to a conductive pattern of the substrate with the substrate facing portion facing the first surface. The terminal holder has the substrate facing portion at one end in a first direction that becomes parallel to the thickness of the substrate when the terminal block is attached to the substrate. A casing fixing portion equipped with an insertion portion, into which a fastener for fixing the terminal holder to a casing that houses the substrate is inserted, is provided at another end in the first direction of the terminal holder.
US09748667B2	Terminal device and antenna switching method A terminal device includes a first memory that stores a position of each of antennas included in a main body of a terminal device for each of holding manners for the main body of the terminal device, a second memory, a processor coupled to the second memory, configured to detect a holding manner for the main body of the terminal device including the antennas, detect a shape indicating a shadow of an object pointing to a surface of the terminal device, identify a holding hand that holds the main body of the terminal device, based on the detected shape, and switch an antenna which overlaps with the holding hand to another antenna based on the identified holding hand and the position of each antenna stored in the first memory, the antenna corresponding to the detected holding manner.
US09748661B2	Antenna for achieving effects of MIMO antenna An antenna disposed on a substrate includes a radiating portion, a first coupling and feeding portion, and a second coupling and feeding portion. A length of the radiating portion is substantially equal to a half wavelength of electromagnetic signals radiated by the radiating portion. Each coupling and feeding portion includes a feeding part and a coupling part. The feeding part feeds the electromagnetic signals to the radiating portion via the coupling part so as to achieve effects of a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna.
US09748659B2	High gain antenna structure An antenna structure includes a dipole antenna element, a meandering connection line, and a cascade radiation element. The dipole antenna element includes a feeding radiation element and a grounding radiation element. The feeding radiation element has at least one open slot. The cascade radiation element is coupled through the meandering connection line to the feeding radiation element.
US09748656B2	Broadband patch antenna and associated methods The patch antenna includes an electrically conductive patch carried by a dielectric substrate and having a planar shape and a feed point defined therein. A feed conductor is coupled to the feed point of the electrically conductive patch, and a plurality of electrically conductive wings extend upwardly from a periphery of the electrically conductive patch. A method aspect may include adjusting at least one property (e.g. frequency) of the antenna by angling at least one of the plurality of electrically conductive wings outwardly from the electrically conductive patch.
US09748650B2	Antenna structure and wireless communication device using same An antenna structure includes a feed unit, a grounding unit, a first radiating unit, a second radiating unit, third radiating unit, fourth radiating unit, and a fifth radiating unit. The grounding unit is spaced apart from the feed unit. The first radiating unit is electrically connected to the feed unit. The second radiating unit is electrically connected to the grounding unit. The third radiating unit is electrically connected to the first radiating unit, the second radiating unit, and the fourth radiating unit. The fifth radiating unit is electrically connected to the feed unit and couples with the fourth radiating unit.
US09748649B2	Antenna module and electronic apparatus including the same An antenna module and an electronic apparatus include: an antenna element, and a clip which includes an antenna pattern, is formed of a metallic material, and electrically connects the antenna element to a circuit board to process an antenna signal through the antenna pattern.
US09748648B2	Distributed feeding device for antenna beamforming A distributed feeding device for antenna beamforming comprises a first distributed feeding circuit comprising P inputs and N outputs, for producing a signal on each of its outputs with a phase shift which is substantially constant between two adjacent outputs, at least one frequency multiplexer connected to at least one input of the said first circuit, a number N of frequency demultiplexers each connected, by their input, to an output of the first circuit and a second distributed feeding means comprising a plurality of inputs, each connected to an output of one of the frequency demultiplexers, and a plurality of outputs, the second distributed feeding means comprising at least one second distributed feeding circuit comprising Q inputs and M outputs, for producing a signal on each output with a phase shift which is substantially constant between two adjacent outputs, the integers P, N, Q and M being equal or distinct.
US09748647B2	Frequency routing based on orientation Systems, methods, and apparatus for frequency routing based on orientation are disclosed. An example method includes receiving, by a playback device, an audio data stream. The example method includes determining, by the playback device, an orientation of the playback device. The example method includes routing, by the playback device, a first set of frequencies in the audio data stream to at least one of a plurality of speaker drivers based on the first orientation. The example method includes routing, by the playback device, a second set of frequencies in the audio data stream to the at least one of the plurality of speaker drivers based on the second orientation, wherein the first set of frequencies is different than the second set of frequencies.
US09748646B2	Configuration based on speaker orientation Systems, methods, and apparatus to shape sound based on a speaker orientation. An example playback device includes a network interface; a processor; and a memory including instructions stored therein. The instructions are executable by the processor to perform functions including: receiving, via the network interface from a network device, an indication that an orientation of the playback device is one of a first orientation or a second orientation; when the received indication is the first orientation, then configuring the playback device to reproduce sound according to a first equalization setting; and when the received indication is the second orientation, then configuring the playback device to reproduce sound according to a second equalization setting.
US09748643B2	Identification or messaging systems and related methods An identification or messaging system is provided that has embodiments including a embodiment with a structure with different faces and a base with reflective or resonance panels which are positioned at different receiving angles to detect direct signals and amplify them including in a sequence to be detected by an active emitter that emits electromagnetic radiation that is reflected and steered or resonated off or with the panels. An emitter can be an aerial platform with the emitter and a library of reflected or resonated signals that are associated with a particular sequence of panels on the structure which are associated with a particular entity identification or message. Thermal patterned and/or magnetic patterned panels (e.g., for backplane beamforming) and return signal steering can also be provided. Embodiments with secondary signaling systems can also be provided. A variety of various embodiments and methods are also provided.
US09748637B2	Antenna and method for steering antenna beam direction for wifi applications An antenna comprising an IMD element and one or more parasitic and active tuning elements is disclosed. The IMD element, when used in combination with the active tuning and parasitic elements, allows antenna operation at multiple resonant frequencies. In addition, the direction of antenna radiation pattern may be arbitrarily rotated in accordance with the parasitic and active tuning elements. Unique antenna architectures for beam steering in Wi-Fi band applications is further described.
US09748633B2	Antenna structure An antenna structure includes a feed end, a ground end, a first radiator, a second radiator, and a third radiator. Both of the first radiator and the second radiator are connected to the feed end. The second radiator includes a first connection section and a second connection section. The third radiator is connected to the ground end, and includes a first coupling section separated from the first connection section and a second coupling section separated from the second connection section. A first gap is defined between the first coupling section and the first connection section; and a second gap is defined between the second coupling section and the second connection section.
US09748625B2	High-frequency transmission line and electronic device A transmission line portion of a flat cable includes first regions and second regions connected alternately. In the first region, the transmission line portion is a flexible tri-plate transmission line including a dielectric element including a signal conductor, a first ground conductor including opening portions, and a second ground conductor which is a solidly filled conductor. In the second region, the transmission line portion is a hard tri-plate transmission line including a wide dielectric element including a meandering conductor, and a first ground conductor and a second ground conductor which are solidly filled conductors. A variation width of the characteristic impedance in the second region is larger than a variation width of the characteristic impedance in the first region.
US09748624B2	Non-reciprocal circuit element A non-reciprocal circuit element includes a ferrite, a first central electrode and a second central electrode that are arranged on the ferrite so as to cross each other in an insulated state, and a permanent magnet configured to apply a DC magnetic field to a portion where the first and second central electrodes cross each other. One end of the first central electrode defines an input port and the other end thereof defines an output port. One end of the second central electrode defines the input port and the other end thereof defines a ground port. A resistance element and a capacitance element which are connected in parallel with each other are connected in series between the input port and the output port. A switching capacitance unit configured to switch a capacitance is connected in parallel with the resistance element between the input port and the output port.
US09748618B2	Battery assembly having a heat-dissipating and heat-emitting functions According to one embodiment of the present invention, a battery assembly comprises: a battery module comprising a plurality of unit batteries; an exterior case for housing the battery module in an internal space; and a heat-dissipating film which is inserted between the plurality of unit batteries and fitted tightly against each of the plurality of unit batteries, and is attached to the inside surface of the exterior case; and the heat-dissipating film comprises: first and second heat-dissipating layers which are formed of a thermally conductive material and discharge the heat of the unit batteries; and an adhesive layer which is formed between the first and second heat-dissipating layers and adheres the first and second heat-dissipating layers.
US09748615B2	Rechargeable lithium batteries comprising means for the sorption of harmful substances in the form of a multilayer polymeric sheet Rechargeable lithium batteries are described comprising an airtight container, electrodes immersed in an electrolytic solution and spaced apart by means of one or more separators, electrical contacts connected to the electrodes and a means for sorbing harmful substances formed of a multilayer polymeric sheet comprised of an inner layer of a polymeric material containing particles of one or more getter materials for the sorption of the harmful substances, and at least one external protective layer of a polymeric material impermeable to the electrolyte, wherein all the polymeric materials are permeable to the harmful substances.
US09748610B2	Spirally-wound lithium battery A spirally-wound lithium battery includes: a bottomed cylindrical cell can doubling as an anode current collector; and a strip-shaped electrode body including an anode and a cathode arranged faced each other via a separator, the anode including an anode active material of lithium metal or alloy, the cell can being sealed, with a non-aqueous organic electrolyte, containing the electrode body wound in a longitudinal direction, the electrode body being wound from a winding axis side around the axis in a vertical direction, an extending direction of a cell can cylindrical axis, such that the anode is arranged at an outermost circumference, the electrode body is attached with a conductor, continuously extending in the longitudinal direction thereof, on an outer circumferential surface of the anode, from a winding end of the anode to an area thereof opposed to an inner surface of the cathode on its winding end side.
US09748601B2	Method of manufacturing lithium ion conductive solid electrolyte and lithium-ion secondary battery A method of manufacturing a lithium ion conductive solid electrolyte includes (a) a step of preparing an object to be processed including a crystalline material, that includes alkali metal other than lithium and whose ionic conductivity at room temperature is greater than or equal to 1×10−13 S/cm; and (b) a step of performing an ion-exchange process on the object to be processed in molten salt including lithium ions.
US09748600B2	Phosphate based composite anode material, preparation method and use thereof The present invention relates to a novel phosphate based composite anode material, preparation method and uses thereof. Specifically disclosed is a phosphate based composite cell anode material, the material having monoclinic and orthorhombic crystal lattice structures with the chemical formula of A3−xV2−yMY(PO4)3, wherein A is Li+, Na+ or the mixture thereof, M is Mg, Al, Sc, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn or Nb, 0≦x≦3.0, 0≦y≦2.0, and C is the carbon layer. Also disclosed are a preparation method and uses of the composite material. Unlike simple physical mixing, the composite material of the present invention has the advantages of an adjustable electric potential plateau, high reversible capacity, good cycle stability, power consumption early warning and the like.
US09748599B2	Phased introduction of lithium into the pre-lithiated anode of a lithium ion electrochemical cell The present invention relates to a method for combining anode pre-lithiation, limited-voltage formation cycles, and accelerating aging via heated storage to maximize specific capacity, volumetric capacity density and capacity retention of a lithium-ion electrochemical cell.
US09748597B2	Flexible electrode assembly and electrochemical device including the electrode assembly An electrode assembly including an electrode structure including a first electrode plate and a second electrode plate which are alternately disposed, and a separator film that is disposed between the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate, wherein a surface of the separator film is bonded to the first electrode plate, and a binding member, which rigidly connects at least one selected from the first electrode plate, the second electrode plate, and the separator film.
US09748595B2	High-energy-density, aqueous, metal-polyiodide redox flow batteries Improved metal-based redox flow batteries (RFBs) can utilize a metal and a divalent cation of the metal (M2+) as an active redox couple for a first electrode and electrolyte, respectively, in a first half-cell. For example, the metal can be Zn. The RFBs can also utilize a second electrolyte having I−, anions of Ix (for x≧3), or both in an aqueous solution, wherein the I− and the anions of Ix (for x≧3) compose an active redox couple in a second half-cell.
US09748594B2	Polymer of fluorine-containing sulfonated poly(arylene ether)s and method of manufacturing the same A polymer of fluorine-containing sulfonated poly(arylene ether)s and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The polymer is formed by processing a nucleophilic polycondensation between a fluorine-containing monomer having an electron-withdrawing group and a multi-phenyl monomer. A main structure of the polymer of fluorine-containing sulfonated poly(arylene ether)s has a first portion with fluoro or trifluoromethyl substituted phenyl groups, and a second portion with sulfonated phenyl groups.
US09748593B2	Polymer electrolyte composition, and polymer electrolyte membrane, membrane electrode complex and solid polymer-type fuel cell each produced using same The present invention provides: a polymer electrolyte composition which can achieve excellent proton conductivity under slightly humidified conditions, excellent mechanical strength and excellent physical durability, has excellent practicality, and can be produced using a nitrogen-containing additive, wherein the nitrogen-containing additive can prevent the elution of the additive under a strongly acidic atmosphere during the operation of a fuel cell, has excellent chemical stability so as to tolerate a strongly acidic atmosphere, can be dissolved in various general-purpose organic solvents, has superior processability, can be mixed with an ionic-group-containing polymer, can prevent the occurrence of phase separation during the formation of a film, and can prevent the formation of an island-in-sea-like phase separation structure or the occurrence of bleeding out during the formation of a film; and a polymer electrolyte membrane, a membrane electrode assembly and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, each of which is produced using the polymer electrolyte composition. The polymer electrolyte composition according to the present invention comprises at least an ionic-group-containing polymer (A) and a nitrogen-containing additive (B), said polymer electrolyte composition being characterized in that the nitrogen-containing additive (B) is represented by a specific structural formula.
US09748592B2	Electrolyte generation within a fuel cell An exemplary method of providing an electrolyte for a fuel cell comprises including a electrolyte precursor within a fuel cell. An electrolyte is generated within the fuel cell from the precursor. An exemplary fuel cell system includes a cell stack assembly. A manifold is associated with the cell stack assembly. An electrolyte precursor is within at least one of the cell stack assembly or manifold for generating an electrolyte within a fuel cell.
US09748591B2	Filtering device, in particular for the air to be supplied to a fuel cell A filtering device features a carrier medium and activated carbon as adsorbent which is immobilized due to the addition of adhesive.
US09748585B2	Cooling system for fuel cells A fuel cell stack assembly comprises a stack of fuel cells, each fuel cell having a cooling air conduit with an input/output ventilation aperture disposed on a ventilation face of the stack. The ventilation apertures form an array over said ventilation face of the stack. A first fan is configured to direct air flow through a first portion of the ventilation face and a second fan is configured to direct air flow through a second portion of the ventilation face. A reconfigurable plenum is in fluid communication with the first fan and the second fan and has a first configuration in which air is directed, by the first and second fans, through the first and second portions of the ventilation face in the same direction, and a second configuration in which air is directed, by at least one of the fans, respectively through the first and second portions of the ventilation face in opposing directions. When operating in the second configuration, the directions of air flow through the first and second portions of the ventilation face are periodically reversed.
US09748578B2	Battery and battery plate assembly A battery plate assembly for a lead-acid battery is disclosed. The assembly includes a plates of opposing polarity each formed by an electrically conductive grid body having opposed top and bottom frame elements and opposed first and second side frame elements, the top frame element having a lug and an opposing enlarged conductive section extending toward the bottom frame element; a plurality of interconnecting electrically conductive grid elements defining a grid pattern defining a plurality of open areas, the grid elements including a plurality of radially extending vertical grid wire elements connected to the top frame element, and a plurality of horizontally extending grid wire elements, the grid body having an active material provided thereon. A highly absorbent separator is wrapped around at least a portion of the plate of a first polarity and extends to opposing plate faces. An electrolye is provided, wherein substantially all of the electrolyte is absorbed by the separator or active material. A method for assembling a battery is also disclosed.
US09748576B2	Polymer, binder and negative electrode including the polymer, and lithium battery including the negative electrode A polymer including a first repeating unit including at least one carboxyl group substituted with a cation and a second repeating unit including at least one carboxyl group substituted with a moiety containing a dihydroxyphenyl group.
US09748571B2	Cathode material with oxygen vacancy and manufacturing process thereof A cathode material with oxygen vacancy is provided. The cathode material includes a lithium metal phosphate compound having a general formula LiMPO4-Z, wherein M represents at least one of a first-row transition metal, and 0.001≦z≦0.05.
US09748568B2	Manganese oxide nanoparticles, methods and applications Manganese oxide nanoparticles having a chemical composition that includes Mn3O4, a sponge like morphology and a particle size from about 65 to about 95 nanometers may be formed by calcining a manganese hydroxide material at a temperature from about 200 to about 400 degrees centigrade for a time period from about 1 to about 20 hours in an oxygen containing environment. The particular manganese oxide nanoparticles with the foregoing physical features may be used within a battery component, and in particular an anode within a lithium battery to provide enhanced performance.
US09748562B2	Negative active material, negative electrode including the negative active material, and lithium secondary battery including the negative electrode A negative active material including graphite; silicon nanowires; and silicon nanoparticles, wherein a silicon nanowire of the silicon nanowires and a silicon nanoparticle of the silicon nanoparticles are each disposed on a particle of the graphite to form a composite with the graphite.
US09748560B2	Negative electrode for alkaline secondary battery, outer case for alkaline secondary battery and alkaline secondary battery Disclosed is a negative electrode for an alkaline secondary battery, which can suppress elution of iron to improve the long-period storage property of the battery capacity even under conditions in which elution of iron in a substrate into an electrolyte solution tends to occur, and which can also suppress lowering of initial capacity and increase in internal resistance. Even under conditions in which the elution of iron in the substrate into an electrolyte solution tends to occur, including a case where there is a thin conductive protecting layer at the surface or where the conductive protecting layer has defects, by adding magnesium or a magnesium compound to the negative electrode for an alkaline secondary battery (excluding the case where magnesium is contained as a constituent element of a hydrogen storage alloy), the elution of iron can be suppressed, and thereby, the long-period storage property of the battery capacity can be improved and the lowering of the initial capacity and the increase in internal resistance can be suppressed.
US09748559B2	Positive electrode active material for non-aqueous secondary battery and method of manufacturing thereof A positive electrode active material for non-aqueous secondary battery includes core particles containing a lithium transition metal composite oxide, and a covering layer covering, that covers a surface of the core particle. The covering layer contains niobium and carbonate ions, and the carbonate ions are present at a concentration of from 0.2 weight % to 0.4 weight %. The positive electrode active material for non-aqueous secondary battery exhibits infrared absorption peaks at a wavenumber range of from 1320 cm−1 to 1370 cm−1, and at a wavenumber range of from 1640 cm−1 to 1710 cm−1.
US09748558B2	Method for preparing electrode materials and electrode materials produced therefrom The present invention provides a method for preparing an electrode material, comprising providing an acidic plating bath; adding titanium dioxide in the form of powder, metal salt, and reductant to said acidic plating bath to obtain a precursor; and heat treating said precursor to obtain an electrode material. When the electrode material obtained by said method is applied to batteries, the batteries have not only high capacity, but also long lifetime.
US09748554B2	Electric storage device and method for manufacturing electric storage device An electric storage device includes a container which houses an electric generating element, and a sealing plug which seals a liquid injecting hole into which an electrolyte is injected. The liquid injecting hole is provided in a bottom surface of a recessed portion provided to be recessed on one side surface of the container. The sealing plug includes an inserting portion to be inserted into the liquid injecting hole and a fitting portion to be fitted into the recessed portion. At least either a rim portion of the fitting portion or an opening rim portion of the recessed portion is provided with a plurality of plastic deformation portions. In each of n regions (n is an integer of at least 3) into which an outer circumference of the fitting portion or an inner circumference of the recessed portion is equally divided, one or more of the plastic deformation portion(s) is/are arranged, and, in each of regions into which the outer circumference of the fitting portion or the inner circumference of the recessed portion is halved with an arbitrary plastic deformation portion out of the plastic deformation portions set as a starting point, one or more of the plastic deformation portion(s) is/are arranged. An outer circumferential side surface of the fitting portion and an inner circumferential side surface of the recessed portion are welded over an entire circumference.
US09748552B2	Battery having protection components A battery includes a shell, a core received in the shell and having first and second electrode tabs, and first and second protection components. Each of the first and second protection components includes two insulating layers and a conducting layer disposed between two insulating layers. The conducting layer of the first protection component defines a first end electrically connected to the first electrode tab and a second end configured as a free end. The conducting layer of the second protection component defines a first end electrically connected to the second electrode tab and a second end configured as a free end.
US09748549B2	Integrated cell separator/high voltage bus bar carrier assembly An integrated cell separator/high voltage bus bar carrier assembly for a high voltage traction battery includes a cell separator having a plurality of cell separator walls and a plurality of bus bar retention walls carried by the plurality of cell separator walls. A high voltage bus bar is carried by the plurality of bus bar retention walls of the cell separator.
US09748548B2	Pouch frame with integral circuitry for battery module A battery cell assembly for use in a battery module including a battery cell that includes a positive electrode and a negative electrode and a rigid frame coupled to the battery cell. The rigid frame includes a first frame connector and a second frame connector. The frame is configured to facilitate electrical coupling of the positive electrode of the battery cell with the first frame connector, and to facilitate electrical coupling of the negative electrode of the battery cell with the second frame connector. The first and second frame connectors are configured to interface with frame connectors of other battery cell assemblies to facilitate physical and electrical connection of a plurality of battery cell assemblies disposed in a stacked orientation relative to each other.
US09748546B2	High porosity silica-containing microporous sheets A flexible microporous polymer sheet having first and second opposite major surfaces comprises a polymer matrix binding a filler component that exhibits high oil absorption capacity in its initial state before the start of material processing. The polymer matrix includes a polyolefin component and has three-dimensional interconnecting and interpenetrating pore and polymer networks through which the bound filler component is distributed from the first major surface to the second major surface. The polyolefin and filler components are included in amounts that result in a microporous polymer sheet having between about 75% and about 90% porosity and containing less than about 10 wt. % polyolefin component. Preferred polyolefin and filler components include ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene and high oil absorption precipitated silica, respectively.
US09748542B2	Composite porous film having excellent heat resistance To provide a composite porous film in which thermal shrinkage is satisfactorily suppressed even when temperature exceeds a melting temperature of a polyolefin resin, adhesion between a microporous membrane and a heat-resistant layer is improved, and dropout of an inorganic filler is suppressed. The composite porous film is composed of the heat-resistant layer formed of the inorganic filler and a binder, and the microporous membrane formed of the polyolefin resin, and the composite porous film having a primary particle size of the inorganic filler in the range of 5 nanometers to 100 nanometers.
US09748540B2	Power supply apparatus The present invention aims to provide a power supply apparatus capable of suppressing a short circuit that occurs between adjacent battery cells.The power supply apparatus includes: a plurality of battery cells in which positive electrodes and negative electrodes are provided alternately and inversely with each other; a plurality of bus bars arranged in a straight line so as to series-connect the plurality of battery cells; a sheet-like insulation film disposed on at least one surface side of the plurality of bus bars; and a resin frame for fixing the plurality of battery cells, wherein an insulation portion for insulating the adjacent battery cells from each other is provided on the insulation film or in the resin frame.
US09748539B2	Battery module A battery module includes a plurality of battery cells, an end plate, and bush members. The plurality of battery cells are arranged along a direction. The end plate is adjacent to an outermost battery cell among the plurality of battery cells. The bush members are at respective sides of the end plate. In the battery module, the end plate includes a first end plate adjacent to the outermost battery cell, the first end plate including a first material, and a second end plate at an outer side of the first end plate, the second end plate including a second material. The bush members are at respective sides of the first and second end plates and between the first and second end plates.
US09748536B2	Battery pack A battery pack includes one or more bare battery cells, a frame case, and a top case. Each of the bare battery cells has first and second electrode tabs. The frame case surrounds an outer surface of the one or more bare cells. The top case is coupled to the frame case at one end of the one or more bare cells. In the battery pack, the frame case includes a warp preventing portion parallel to the top case.
US09748535B2	Battery pack and holster for mobile devices Embodiments of this disclosure relate to battery packs and/or holsters and, more particular, to an external battery pack and/or holster for mobile electronic devices.
US09748534B2	Electric tool and battery pack for the electric tool When a battery pack is mounted to a battery attachment part, the battery pack is slid in a horizontal direction (a direction substantially perpendicular to an upper-lower direction) with respect to the housing, e.g., along a long longitudinal direction of a battery-side rail part, such that tool-side rail parts of the battery attachment part are introduced into engaging recess portions of the battery pack. Thereby, the elastic members are fitted and compressed in the battery-side rail parts and the tool-side rail parts, so that the elastic members press upwards the battery-side rail part (e.g., the battery pack) and press downwards the tool-side rail parts (e.g., the housing). That is, the elastic members press the battery pack and the housing such that they come close to each other.
US09748533B2	Battery module A battery module is provided including a secondary battery unit having a plurality of secondary batteries spaced from each other, the plurality of secondary batteries each including electrode terminals and a safety vent which are arranged on one side of the secondary battery unit; a compression plate wrapping at least a portion of the secondary battery unit and compressing the secondary battery unit together; and an insulation cover covering the electrode terminals and the safety vent, the insulation cover including a duct connected to the safety vent to guide gases exhausted from the safety vent to a first location, and a vent hole member coupled to the duct at the first location.
US09748532B2	Belt with built-in batteries A belt with built-in batteries includes: a plurality of rechargeable batteries, each having a positive terminal and a negative terminal that protrude in two opposite directions; a positive reinforcing tab that electrically connects the positive terminals of the rechargeable batteries to each other; a negative reinforcing tab that electrically connects the negative terminals of the rechargeable batteries to each other; and a sheath that seals the positive and negative terminals of the rechargeable batteries and the positive and negative reinforcing tabs.
US09748528B2	Hard shell cell housing with vapour barrier layer A hard shell cell housing for an individual alkali metal cell includes a housing main body with an interior space that is configured to accommodate cell components of the individual alkali metal cell, and a housing cover configured to close off the interior space. The housing main body is formed at least substantially from plastic, and further includes at least one vapor barrier layer.
US09748525B2	Light-emitting device having reduced in-plane variation A first electrode having light transmissivity is formed on a first surface of a first light transmissive substrate and. An organic functional layer includes a light-emitting layer and is located on an opposite side to the first light transmissive substrate with the first electrode interposed therebetween. A second electrode is located on an opposite side to the first electrode with the organic functional layer interposed therebetween. A second surface which is a surface of the first light transmissive substrate on an opposite side to the above-mentioned first surface is fixed to the second light transmissive substrate, which has a bending rigidity higher than that of the first light transmissive substrate. First irregularities are formed in the second surface of the first light transmissive substrate, and second irregularities are formed in a surface of the second light transmissive substrate which faces the first light transmissive substrate.
US09748522B2	Illumination system comprising beam shaping element The invention relates to an illumination system comprising a light emitting device and a beam shaping element for generating an angular distribution of the light emitted from the illumination system. The beam shaping element is configured for recycling at least a part of the light emitted from a light emitting surface of the light emitting device via reflection back towards the light emitting surface. The illumination system further comprises a diffuser arranged substantially parallel to the light emitting surface for diffusing at least part of the recycled light. The diffuser is constituted of a translucent diffuser and/or a diffusely reflective electrode layer of the light emitting device. Limiting the angular distribution by recycling light, using the beam shaping element for recycling light via reflection, reduces glare when the illumination system is used in general lighting applications. The diffuser avoids that the recycled light is confined between the beam shaping element and the light emitting surface of the light emitting element. The recycling is preferably done via total internal reflection at the beam shaping element. The presence of the diffuser improves the efficiency of the illumination system.
US09748518B2	Thin-film packaging method and organic light-emitting device A thin-film packaging method and an organic light-emitting device are provided. The method includes following steps: forming an OLED layer on a TFT substrate, forming a first inorganic packaging layer on the OLED layer, forming a coupling agent unit on the first inorganic packaging layer, and forming an organic packaging layer on the coupling agent unit. Wherein, the organic packaging layer includes a buffer sublayer and a resist sublayer sequentially formed. The coupling agent unit generates chemical reactions with the first inorganic packaging layer and the buffer sublayer in order to increase an adhesive strength between the first inorganic packaging layer and the organic packaging layer so that they are not easily to be separated, and have a good water and oxygen insulation property.
US09748517B2	Organic insulating material and flexible display including the same An organic insulating material and a flexible display device are disclosed. The organic insulating material comprises an acrylic polymer having a cinnamoyl moiety.
US09748516B2	Functional film An environmentally sensitive electronic device package including a first adhesive, at least one first side wall barrier, a first substrate, and a second substrate is provided. The first adhesive has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The first side wall barrier is distributed in the first adhesive. The first substrate is bonded with the first surface. The first substrate has an environmentally sensitive electronic device formed thereon and the environmentally sensitive electronic device is surrounded by the first side wall barrier. The second substrate is bonded with the second surface. A manufacturing method of the environmentally sensitive electronic device package is also provided.
US09748515B2	Organic light-emitting diode display and method of manufacturing the same including a sealant with a plurality of openings and islands formed within the openings An organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display is disclosed. In one aspect, the OLED display includes a first substrate and a second substrate facing each other, a display unit formed between the first and second substrates and a sealant formed between the first and second substrates and bonding the first and second substrates. The sealant includes a sealing portion surrounding and sealing the display unit, the sealing portion having a plurality of first openings separate from each other along a circumferential direction of the display unit. The sealant also includes an adhesion reinforcing portion including a plurality of islands that are respectively formed inside the first openings and separate from the sealing portion.
US09748512B2	See-through organic light emitting display device and method for manufacturing the same A see-through organic light emitting display device including a light emitting region having a transparent anode, an organic light emitting layer, and a transparent cathode, and a see-through region having a transparent auxiliary electrode, which is configured to transmit external light. The transparent auxiliary electrode can be made from the same material as the transparent anode and separated from the transparent anode, and the transparent cathode extends into the see-through region so as to be electrically connected with the transparent auxiliary electrode.
US09748507B2	Single electron transistor having nanoparticles of uniform pattern arrangement A transistor and a fabrication method thereof. A transistor includes a channel region including linkers, formed on a substrate, and metallic nanoparticles grown from metal ions bonded to the linkers, a source region disposed at one end of the channel region, a drain region disposed at the other end of the channel region opposite of the source region, and a gate coupled to the channel region and serving to control migration of charges in the channel region. The metallic nanoparticles have a substantially uniform pattern arrangement in the channel region.
US09748503B2	Organic electroluminescent materials and devices Bis(tridentate) osmium(II) complexes containing phosphite groups useful as phosphorescent emitters are disclosed. The disclosed osmium(II) complexes have higher oxidation potential then previously known osmium(II) complexes. An organic light emitting device having an organic layer that includes the disclosed osmium(II) complex is also disclosed.
US09748499B2	Organometallic compounds and organic light-emitting devices comprising the same An organometallic compound represented by Formula 1 below is disclosed. An organic light-emitting device including at least one organometallic compound represented by Formula 1 is also disclosed.
US09748496B2	Nitrogenated heterocyclic derivative, electron-transporting material for organic electroluminescent elements, and organic electroluminescent element using same A specific nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound having a urea structure, an electron transporting material containing the nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound, and an organic electroluminescence device including a light emitting layer and an electron transporting layer between a cathode and an anode in which the electron transporting layer includes the electron transporting material or the nitrogen-containing heterocyclic derivative. An organic EL device exhibiting high emission efficiency even at low voltage and a material for organic EL devices are described.
US09748495B2	Carbazole derivative, light-emitting element material, light-emitting element, light-emitting device, electronic device, and lighting device A carbazole derivative represented by the general formula (1) is provided. In the formula, Ar1 represents a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms which form a ring; α and β independently represent a substituted or unsubstituted arylene group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms which form a ring; R1 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms which form a ring; and R11 to R17 and R21 to R28 independently represent hydrogen, an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms which form a ring.
US09748493B2	Aromatic amine-terphenyl compounds and use thereof in organic semiconducting components The present invention relates to aromatic amine-terphenyl compounds and use thereof in organic semiconducting components. The organic semiconducting components may contain at least one layer that includes one or more of the aromatic amine-terphenyl compounds, and the layer may be a charge transporting layer or an emitter layer. The organic semiconducting components may be organic light-emitting diodes or photovoltaic components.
US09748492B2	Organic electroluminescent device Provided are an amine compound having a benzofluorene structure and further having a dibenzofuran structure and/or a dibenzothiophene structure, and an organic electroluminescent device containing a cathode, an anode and an organic thin film layer intervening between the cathode and anode, the organic thin film layer comprising one layer or plural layers comprising at least an emitting layer, at least one layer of the organic thin film layer comprising the aforementioned amine compound solely or as a component of a mixture.
US09748489B2	Copolymer and organic solar cell comprising same The present specification provides a copolymer and an organic solar cell including the same.
US09748488B2	Organic electronic material, ink composition, and organic electronic element Provided is an organic electronic material which is excellent in storage stability in the case as an ink composition, and able to prepare, at a high yield, an organic electronic element capable of reducing the driving voltage and of being driven stably for a long period of time, and an ink composition including the organic electronic material. The organic electronic material is characterized in that it contains at least an ionic compound represented by the following general formula (1), and a compound including a charge transporting unit, and the ink composition including the material.[In the general formula (1), Ra to Rc each independently represent a hydrogen atom (H), an alkyl group, or a benzyl group, and N is not bonded to an aryl group. A represents an anion.]
US09748487B2	Polymers based on naphthodiones The present invention relates to polymers comprising one or more (repeating) unit(s) of the formula (I), and compounds of formula (III), wherein Y, Y15, Y16 and Y17 are independently of each other a group of formula and their use as IR absorber, organic semiconductor in organic devices, especially in organic photovoltaics and photodiodes, or in a device containing a diode and/or an organic field effect transistor. The polymers and compounds according to the invention can have excellent solubility in organic solvents and excellent film-forming properties. In addition, high efficiency of energy conversion, excellent field-effect mobility, good on/off current ratios and/or excellent stability can be observed, when the polymers and compounds according to the invention are used in organic field effect transistors, organic photovoltaics and photodiodes.
US09748486B2	Organic light emitting device with increased light out coupling The invention relates to an organic light-emitting device (OLED) comprising at least: a first electrode; a second electrode; an organic light emissive layer arranged between said first electrode and said second electrode; and an organic charge transport layer arranged between said first electrode and said emissive layer, wherein i) the charge transport layer is patterned or provided with a periodic surface structure on a surface of the charge transport layer facing the emissive layer, and/or ii) an alignment layer which allows for charge transport to the emissive layer is provided between said charge transport layer and said emissive layer, which alignment layer promotes alignment of the optical dipoles of molecules of said light emissive layer towards a common preferred direction of the molecular axes. The use of the patterned or structured charge transport layer and/or the alignment layer provides improved light out coupling from the OLED layer stack, i.e. increased external quantum efficiency.
US09748484B2	Apparatus for fabricating OLED display device and method of fabricating OLED display using the apparatus An apparatus for fabricating an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display device includes a chamber, a stage in the chamber to support an array substrate, a cover plate in the chamber above the stage, and a solvent absorption plate on a first surface of the cover, the solvent absorption plate including a solvent, and the solvent absorption plate facing the stage to have the array substrate face the solvent absorption plate.
US09748479B2	Memory cells including vertically oriented adjustable resistance structures A memory cell is provided that includes a vertically-oriented adjustable resistance material layer, a control terminal disposed adjacent the vertically-oriented adjustable resistance material layer and coupled to a word line, and a reversible resistance-switching element disposed on the vertically-oriented adjustable resistance material layer. The control terminal is configured to adjust a resistance of the vertically-oriented adjustable resistance material layer.
US09748477B2	Method of forming a conductive filament in a living resistive memory device including a pre-forming step to form a localised path of oxygen vacancies from an interface layer A resistive random access memory device includes a first electrode; a solid metal oxide electrolyte; and a second electrode, the first and second electrodes being respectively arranged on either side of the solid metal oxide electrolyte, the second electrode being capable of supplying mobile ions circulating in the solid metal oxide electrolyte to the first electrode to form a conductive filament between the first and second electrodes when a potential difference is applied between the first and second electrodes. The device further includes an interface layer including a metal oxide, the interface layer extending at least partially onto the first electrode, the solid metal oxide electrolyte extending at least partially onto the interface layer.
US09748475B2	Memory devices including phase change material elements Memory devices having a plurality of memory cells, with each memory cell including a phase change material having a laterally constricted portion thereof. The laterally constricted portions of adjacent memory cells are vertically offset and positioned on opposite sides of the memory device. Also disclosed are memory devices having a plurality of memory cells, with each memory cell including first and second electrodes having different widths. Adjacent memory cells have the first and second electrodes offset on vertically opposing sides of the memory device. Methods of forming the memory devices are also disclosed.
US09748474B2	Nano-scale electrical contacts, memory devices including nano-scale electrical contacts, and related structures and devices Electrical contacts may be formed by forming dielectric liners along sidewalls of a dielectric structure, forming sacrificial liners over and transverse to the dielectric liners along sidewalls of a sacrificial structure, selectively removing portions of the dielectric liners at intersections of the dielectric liners and sacrificial liners to form pores, and at least partially filling the pores with a conductive material. Nano-scale pores may be formed by similar methods. Bottom electrodes may be formed and electrical contacts may be structurally and electrically coupled to the bottom electrodes to form memory devices. Nano-scale electrical contacts may have a rectangular cross-section of a first width and a second width, each width less than about 20 nm. Memory devices may include bottom electrodes, electrical contacts having a cross-sectional area less than about 150 nm2 over and electrically coupled to the bottom electrodes, and a cell material over the electrical contacts.
US09748473B2	Quantum well device with lateral electrodes An apparatus includes a substrate having a planar top surface, a sequence of crystalline semiconductor layers located on the planar surface, and first and second sets of electrodes located over the sequence. The sequence of crystalline semiconductor layers has a 2D quantum well therein. The first set of electrodes border opposite sides of a lateral region of the sequence and are controllable to vary a width of a non-depleted portion of the quantum well along the top surface. The second set of electrodes border first and second channels between the lateral region and first and second adjacent lateral areas of the sequence and are controllable to vary widths of non-depleted segments of the quantum well in the channels. The electrodes are located such that straight lines connecting the first and second lateral areas via the channels either pass between one of the electrodes and the substrate or are misaligned to an effective [1 1 0] lattice direction of the sequence.
US09748464B2	Athletic activity monitoring device with energy capture Aspects relate to an energy harvesting device adapted for use by an athlete while exercising. The device may utilize a mass of phase-change material to store heat energy, the stored heat energy subsequently converted into electrical energy by one or more thermoelectric generator modules. The energy harvesting device may be integrated into an item of clothing, and such that the mass of phase change material may store heat energy as the item of clothing is laundered.
US09748462B2	Floating heat sink support with conductive sheets and LED package assembly for LED flip chip package A floating heat sink support with copper sheets for a LED flip chip package may include least two copper sheets and a flexible polymer for fixing the copper sheets, where the copper sheets separated from each other, and where each of the copper sheets is electrically connected with a positive or negative pole of a LED flip chip. Further, a LED package assembly may comprise the floating heat sink support as mentioned above and one or more LED chips welded in a flip chip manner on the floating heat sink support. A number of copper sheets in the floating heat sink support are heated separately and expand separately to avoid the breakage of a chip substrate resulting from the thermal expansion of a whole bulk of copper sheet, thereby improving the reliability of the LED package structure and prolonging the service life of a LED light source.
US09748461B2	Light emitting diodes with enhanced thermal sinking and associated methods of operation Solid state lighting devices and associated methods of thermal sinking are described below. In one embodiment, a light emitting diode (LED) device includes a heat sink, an LED die thermally coupled to the heat sink, and a phosphor spaced apart from the LED die. The LED device also includes a heat conduction path in direct contact with both the phosphor and the heat sink. The heat conduction path is configured to conduct heat from the phosphor to the heat sink.
US09748460B2	LED back end assembly and method of manufacturing An LED device and method of manufacture including separately coupling a thin flexible interposer and an LED die to a heat sink structure and then electrically coupling the interposer and the LED die together with a wirebond. A specifically shaped perimeter of an aperture within the interposer negates the need for a cavity or alignment markings within the heat sink structure by limiting the orientation in which the die fits within the aperture. Alternatively, an LED device and method of manufacture include coupling a rigid circuit board to an LED die such that electrical contacts of the die are electrically coupled with electrical input/output terminals of the circuit board. This die/board unit is then able to be coupled to a heat sink structure to form a portion of the device.
US09748458B2	Light emitting diode module and method of manufacturing the same A light emitting diode module includes a substrate, a first soldering section, a second soldering section, a block and a light emitting diode die. The substrate has a top surface and includes a circuit structure. The block is formed on the top surface. The soldering section and the second solder section are formed on the top surface of the substrate and electrically connected with the circuit structure. The block is positioned between the first soldering section and the second solder section. A height of the block is larger than thicknesses of the first soldering section and the second soldering section. The light emitting diode die includes a first electrode and a second electrode being respectively electrically connected to the first soldering section and the second soldering section. The block is positioned between the first soldering section and the second soldering section.
US09748452B2	Light-emitting element package One embodiment comprises: a body having a cavity which includes a bottom and sides; a light-emitting element arranged within the cavity of the body; a molding part arranged within the cavity so as to seal the light-emitting element; and a lens which includes a light incident surface and a light emitting surface and is arranged on the molding part, wherein the diameter of the light incident surface of the lens is smaller than a maximum diameter of the cavity, and the height of the lens is lower than the diameter of the light incident surface of the lens.
US09748451B2	Radiation-emitting component, transparent material and filler particles, and method of producing same A radiation-emitting component includes a radiation source; a transparent material disposed in the beam path of the component and including a polymer material and filler particles, wherein the filler particles include an inorganic filler material and a phosphonic acid derivative or phosphoric acid derivative attached to a surface thereof and through which the filler particles are crosslinked with the polymer material.
US09748448B2	LED module An LED module A1 is provided with: a first lead 1 including a die-bonding portion 12 with a mount surface 12a, and a front-end sunk portion 14; a second lead 2 including a wire-bonding portion 22 and spaced apart from the first lead 1; an LED chip 3 mounted on the mount surface 12a and provided with a first electrode terminal 31 and a second electrode terminal 32; a wire 61 connecting the second electrode terminal 32 and the wire-bonding portion 22; and a support member 4 including a protective portion 42 and supporting the leads 1 and 2. The protective portion covers the front-end sunk portion 14 with the mount surface 12a exposed, and includes an inclined portion 42a that becomes thinner as proceeding from the die-bonding portion 12 toward the lead 2.
US09748446B2	Semiconductor light emitting device Disclosed is a semiconductor light emitting device, including: a plurality of semiconductor layers grown sequentially on a growth substrate; a first electrode part, which is in electrical communication with the first semiconductor layer and supplies one of electrons or holes thereto; a second electrode part, which is in electrical communication with the second semiconductor layer and supplies the other one of electrons or holes thereto; and a non-conductive reflective film, which is formed on the plurality of semiconductor layers for reflecting the light generated in the active layer towards the growth substrate and has an opening formed therein, wherein at least one of the first and second electrode parts includes a lower electrode exposed at least partly through the opening; an upper electrode provided on the non-conductive reflective film; and an electrical connection, which comes into contact with the lower electrode by passing through the opening and is in electrical communication with the upper electrode.
US09748442B2	Light emitting diodes and associated methods of manufacturing Light emitting diodes and associated methods of manufacturing are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a light emitting diode (LED) includes a substrate, a semiconductor material carried by the substrate, and an active region proximate to the semiconductor material. The semiconductor material has a first surface proximate to the substrate and a second surface opposite the first surface. The second surface of the semiconductor material is generally non-planar, and the active region generally conforms to the non-planar second surface of the semiconductor material.
US09748441B2	Dry etching method of manufacturing semiconductor light emitting device substrate A method of manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device, including arranging a plurality of particles in a monolayer on a substrate, dry etching the plurality of particles arranged to provide a void between the particles in a condition IN which the particles are etched while the substrate is not substantially etched; and dry etching the substrate using the plurality of particles after the particle etching step as an etching mask, thereby forming an uneven structure on one surface of the substrate.
US09748434B1	Systems, method and apparatus for curing conductive paste One embodiment can provide a system for curing conductive paste applied on photovoltaic structures. The system can include a wafer carrier for carrying a plurality of photovoltaic structures and a heater. The wafer carrier can include a surface element that is in direct contact with the photovoltaic structures and is substantially thermally insulating. The heater can be positioned above the wafer carrier. The heater can include a heated radiation surface that does not directly contact the photovoltaic structures.
US09748432B2	Automated assembly and mounting of solar cells on space panels The present disclosure provides methods of fabricating a multijunction solar cell panel in which one or more of the steps are performed using an automated process. In some embodiments, the automated process uses machine vision.
US09748428B2	Light detection device including a semiconductor light detection element with a through-hole electrode connection, a mounting substrate and a light-transmissive substrate A semiconductor light detection element includes a plurality of avalanche photodiodes operating in Geiger mode and formed in a semiconductor substrate, quenching resistors connected in series to the respective avalanche photodiodes and arranged on a first principal surface side of the semiconductor substrate, and a plurality of through-hole electrodes electrically connected to the quenching resistors and formed so as to penetrate the semiconductor substrate from the first principal surface side to a second principal surface side. A mounting substrate includes a plurality of electrodes arranged corresponding to the respective through-hole electrodes on a third principal surface side. The through-hole electrodes and the electrodes are electrically connected through bump electrodes, and a side surface of the semiconductor substrate and a side surface of a glass substrate are flush with each other.
US09748425B2	Photoelectric conversion element and photovoltaic cell A photoelectric conversion element includes a PN junction formed from an N-type oxide layer and a P-type oxide layer. The P-type oxide layer is formed from an oxide having a perovskite structure.
US09748417B2	Composition for forming solar cell electrode and electrode produced from same A composition for solar cell electrodes and electrodes fabricated using the same. The composition includes a silver (Ag) powder; a first glass frit containing PbO and a second glass frit containing V2O5 and TeO2; and an organic vehicle. The composition includes two types of glass frits on PbO and V2O5-TeO2, respectively, thereby minimizing contact resistance and adverse influence on a p-n junction of silicon solar cells.
US09748416B2	Optical detector apparatus, method, and applications An optical device including a shaped electrode on a substrate thereof utilizes total internal reflection to provide improved transmission of electromagnetic radiation (‘light’) to the substrate compared to standard electrode designs that involve flat electrode surfaces. Redirection of incident light by a tilted or otherwise shaped contact or material added on the contact provides otherwise reflected light to an open surface region of the substrate. Optional plasmon mediated focusing of incident p-polarized light may be realized.
US09748415B2	Fast process flow, on-wafer interconnection and singulation for MEPV A method including providing a substrate comprising a device layer on which a plurality of device cells are defined; depositing a first dielectric layer on the device layer and metal interconnect such that the deposited interconnect is electrically connected to at least two of the device cells; depositing a second dielectric layer over the interconnect; and exposing at least one contact point on the interconnect through the second dielectric layer. An apparatus including a substrate having defined thereon a device layer including a plurality of device cells; a first dielectric layer disposed directly on the device layer; a plurality of metal interconnects, each of which is electrically connected to at least two of the device cells; and a second dielectric layer disposed over the first dielectric layer and over the interconnects, wherein the second dielectric layer is patterned in a positive or negative planar spring pattern.
US09748414B2	Self-activated front surface bias for a solar cell A self-activated front surface bias for photovoltaic solar cell assembly is provided. The solar cell assembly comprises a front surface electrical bias activated by electrical energy generated by the solar cell assembly. The front surface bias improves generation efficiency for said solar cell assembly.
US09748412B2	Highly responsive III-V photodetectors using ZnO:Al as N-type emitter A photodiode includes a p-type ohmic contact and a p-type substrate in contact with the p-type ohmic contact. An intrinsic layer is formed over the substrate and including a III-V material. A transparent II-VI n-type layer is formed on the intrinsic layer and functions as an emitter and an n-type ohmic contact.
US09748402B2	Semiconductor element and organic light emitting display device having a semiconductor element A semiconductor element includes a substrate, a gate electrode, an active layer, a contact layer, a first electrode, and a second electrode. The gate electrode is disposed on the substrate. The gate insulation layer is disposed on the gate electrode. The active layer is disposed on the gate insulation layer, and includes a first end portion and a second end portion that is opposite the first end portion. The contact layer overlaps the second end portion of the active layer. The first electrode is in contact with the first end portion. The second electrode is spaced apart from the first electrode, and is in contact with the contact layer.
US09748401B2	Transistor and semiconductor device Manufactured is a transistor including an oxide semiconductor layer, a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer overlapping with part of the oxide semiconductor layer, a gate insulating layer overlapping with the oxide semiconductor layer, the source electrode layer, and the drain electrode layer, and a gate electrode overlapping with part of the oxide semiconductor layer with the gate insulating layer provided therebetween, wherein, after the oxide semiconductor layer which is to be a channel formation region is irradiated with light and the light irradiation is stopped, a relaxation time of carriers in photoresponse characteristics of the oxide semiconductor layer has at least two kinds of modes: τ1 and τ2, τ1<τ2 is satisfied, and τ2 is 300 seconds or less. In addition, a semiconductor device including the transistor is manufactured.
US09748400B2	Semiconductor device A semiconductor device in which a transistor using an oxide semiconductor containing In, Zn, or the like for a channel region can be driven like a p-channel transistor is provided. The semiconductor device includes a transistor and an inverter, wherein an output of the inverter is input to a gate of the transistor, a channel region of the transistor includes an oxide semiconductor film containing In, Zn, or Sn, and each channel region of transistors in the inverter contains silicon. When a high voltage is input to the inverter, a low voltage is output from the inverter and is input to the gate of the transistor, so that the transistor is turned off. When a low is input to the inverter, a high voltage is output from the inverter and is input to the gate of the transistor, so that the transistor is turned on.
US09748394B2	FinFET having a multi-portioned gate stack Structures and formation methods of a semiconductor device structure are provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a fin structure over a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device structure also includes a gate stack covering a portion of the fin structure. The gate stack includes a first portion and a second portion adjacent to the fin structure, and the first portion is wider than the second portion.
US09748390B2	Semiconductor device and method of forming the same A method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming a NMOS gate structure over a substrate. The method further includes forming an amorphized region in the substrate adjacent to the NMOS gate structure. The method also includes forming a lightly doped source/drain (LDD) region in the amorphized region. The method further includes depositing a stress film over the NMOS gate structure, performing an annealing process, and removing the stress film.
US09748385B1	Method for forming vertical Schottky contact FET A semiconductor structure containing a vertical Schottky contact transistor is provided in which the contact resistance as well as the junction resistance is improved. The vertical Schottky contact transistor includes a bottom Schottky contact source/drain structure and a top Schottky contact source/drain structure located at opposing ends of a semiconductor channel region. The bottom Schottky contact source/drain structure includes a base portion and a vertically extending portion.
US09748383B2	Transistor A Metal Oxide Semiconductor (MOS) transistor comprising: a source; a gate; and a drain, the source, gate and drain being located in or on a well structure of a first doping polarity located in or on a substrate; wherein at least one of the source and the drain comprises a first structure comprising: a first region forming a first drift region, the first region being of a second doping polarity opposite the first doping polarity; a second region of the second doping polarity in or on the first region, the second region being a well region and having a doping concentration which is higher than the doping concentration of the first region; and a third region of the second doping polarity in or on the second region. Due to the presence of the second region the transistor may have a lower ON resistance when compared with a similar transistor which does not have the second region. The breakdown voltage may be influenced only to a small extent.
US09748382B1	Self aligned top extension formation for vertical transistors A method of forming a semiconductor device that includes providing a vertically orientated channel region; and converting a portion of an exposed source/drain contact surface of the vertically orientated channel region into an amorphous crystalline structure. The amorphous crystalline structure is from the vertically orientated channel region. An in-situ doped extension region is epitaxially formed on an exposed surface of the vertically orientated channel region. A source/drain region is epitaxially formed on the in-situ doped extension region.
US09748379B2	Double exponential mechanism controlled transistor The present disclosure relates to a tunnel FET device with a steep sub-threshold slope, and a corresponding method of formation. In some embodiments, the tunnel FET device has a dielectric layer arranged over a substrate. A conductive gate electrode and a conductive drain electrode are arranged over the dielectric layer. A conductive source electrode contacts the substrate at a first position located along a first side of the conductive gate electrode. The conductive drain electrode is arranged at a second position located along the first side of the conductive gate electrode. By arranging the conductive gate electrode over the dielectric layer at a position laterally offset from the conductive drain electrode, the conductive gate electrode is able to generate an electric field that controls tunneling of minority carriers, which can change the effective barrier height of the tunnel barrier, and thereby improving a sub-threshold slope of the tunnel FET device.
US09748376B2	Power FET with integrated sensors and method of manufacturing A semiconductor device and a method of making are disclosed. The device includes a substrate, a power field effect transistor (FET), and integrated sensors including a current sensor, a high current fault sensor, and a temperature sensor. The structure of the power FET includes a drain contact region of a first conductivity type disposed in the substrate, a drain drift region of the first conductivity type disposed over the drain contact region, doped polysilicon trenches disposed in the drain drift region, a body region of a second conductivity type, opposite from the first conductivity type, disposed between the doped polysilicon trenches, a source region disposed on a lateral side of the doped polysilicon trenches and in contact with the body region, and a source contact trench that makes contact with the source region and with the doped polysilicon trenches.
US09748372B2	Semiconductor structure and method of forming the same A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes growing a second III-V compound layer over a first III-V compound layer, wherein the second III-V compound layer has a different band gap from the first III-V compound layer. The method further includes forming a source feature and a drain feature over the second III-V compound layer. The method further includes forming a gate dielectric layer over the second III-V compound layer, the source feature and the drain feature. The method further includes implanting at least one fluorine-containing compound into a portion of the gate dielectric layer. The method further includes forming a gate electrode over the portion of the gate dielectric layer.
US09748368B2	Tunnel field-effect transistor (TFET) with supersteep sub-threshold swing Technologies are generally described herein generally relate to tunnel field-effect transistor (TFETs) structures with a gate-on-germanium source (GoGeS) on bulk silicon substrate for sub 0.5V (VDD) operations. In some examples, the GoGeS structure may include an increase in tunneling area and, thereby, a corresponding increases in the ON-state current ION. In order to achieve supersteep sub-threshold swing, both the lateral tunneling due to gate electric-field and the non-uniform tunneling at the gate-edge due to field-induced barrier lowering (FIBL) may be suppressed through selection of component dimension in the device structure. Example devices may be fabricated using CMOS fabrication technologies with the addition of selective etching in the process flow.
US09748366B2	Etching oxide-nitride stacks using C4F6H2 An article having alternating oxide layers and nitride layers is etched by an etch process. The etch process includes providing a first gas comprising C4F6H2 in a chamber of an etch reactor, ionizing the C4F6H2 containing gas to produce a plasma comprising a plurality of ions, and etching the article using the plurality of ions.
US09748365B2	SiGe and Si FinFET structures and methods for making the same FinFET structures and methods for making the same. A method includes: creating a plurality of Silicon fins on a first region of a substrate, creating a plurality of Silicon-Germanium fins on a second region of the substrate, adjusting a Silicon fin pitch of the plurality of Silicon fins to a predetermined value, and adjusting a Silicon-Germanium fin pitch of the plurality of Silicon-Germanium fins to a predetermined value, where the creating steps are performed in a manner that Silicon material and Silicon-Germanium material used in making the plurality of fins will be on the semiconductor structure at a same time.
US09748364B2	Method for fabricating three dimensional device A method for forming a three dimensional device. The method may include directing ions to an end surface of an extension region of a fin structure, the fin structure extending perpendicularly from a substrate plane and having a fin axis parallel to the substrate plane, wherein the ions have trajectories extending in a plane perpendicular to the substrate plane and parallel to the fin axis, wherein a portion of the fin structure is covered by a gate structure defining a channel region, and wherein the end surface is not covered by the gate structure.
US09748362B2	High-voltage normally-off field effect transistor with channel having multiple adjacent sections A device having a channel with multiple voltage thresholds is provided. The channel can include a first section located adjacent to a source electrode, which is a normally-off channel and a second section located between the first section and a drain electrode, which is a normally-on channel. The device can include a charge-controlling electrode connected to the source electrode, which extends from the source electrode over at least a portion of the second section of the channel. During operation of the device, a potential difference between the charge-controlling electrode and the channel can control the on/off state of the normally-on section of the channel.
US09748358B2	Gap fill of metal stack in replacement gate process A method for fabricating a semiconductor device comprises forming a replacement gate structure on a semiconductor layer of a substrate. The replacement gate structure at least including a polysilicon layer. After forming the replacement gate structure, a gate spacer is formed on the replacement gate structure. Atoms are implanted in an upper portion of the polysilicon layer. The implanting expands the upper portion of the polysilicon layer and a corresponding upper portion of the gate spacer in at least a lateral direction beyond a lower portion of the polysilicon layer and a lower portion of the spacer, respectively. After the atoms have been implanted, the polysilicon layer is removed to form a gate cavity. A metal gate stack is formed within the gate cavity. The metal gate stack includes an upper portion having a width that is greater than a width of a lower portion of the metal gate stack.
US09748355B2	Method for manufacturing oxide semiconductor transistor with low-nitrogen, low-defect insulating film The amount of nitrogen that is transferred to an oxide semiconductor film of a transistor including the oxide semiconductor film is reduced. In addition, in a semiconductor device which includes a transistor including an oxide semiconductor film, change in electrical characteristics is suppressed and reliability is improved. After a nitrogen-containing oxide insulating film is formed over a transistor including an oxide semiconductor film where a channel region is formed, nitrogen is released from the nitrogen-containing oxide insulating film by heat treatment. Note that the nitrogen concentration which is obtained by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) is greater than or equal to the lower limit of detection by SIMS and less than 3×1020 atoms/cm3.
US09748353B2	Method of making a gallium nitride device A method of making a GaN device includes: forming a GaN substrate; forming a plurality of spaced-apart first metal contacts directly on the GaN substrate; forming a layer of insulating GaN on the exposed portions of the upper surface; forming a stressor layer on the contacts and the layer of insulating GaN; forming a handle substrate on the first surface of the stressor layer; spalling the GaN substrate that is located beneath the stressor layer to separate a layer of GaN and removing the handle substrate; bonding the stressor layer to a thermally conductive substrate; forming a plurality of vertical channels through the GaN to define a plurality of device structures; removing the exposed portions of the layer of insulating GaN to electrically isolate the device structures; forming an ohmic contact layer on the second surface; and forming second metal contacts on the ohmic contact layer.
US09748351B2	Process for integrated circuit fabrication including a uniform depth tungsten recess technique Dummy gates are removed from a pre-metal layer to produce a first opening (with a first length) and a second opening (with a second length longer than the first length). Work function metal for a metal gate electrode is provided in the first and second openings. Tungsten is deposited to fill the first opening and conformally line the second opening, thus leaving a third opening. The thickness of the tungsten layer substantially equals the length of the first opening. The third opening is filled with an insulating material. The tungsten is then recessed in both the first and second openings using a dry etch to substantially a same depth from a top surface of the pre-metal layer to complete the metal gate electrode. Openings left following the recess operation are then filled with a dielectric material forming a cap on the gate stack which includes the metal gate electrode.
US09748341B2	Metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) devices with increased channel periphery A semiconductor device includes a drift layer disposed on a substrate. The drift layer has a non-planar surface having a plurality of repeating features oriented parallel to a length of a channel of the semiconductor device. Further, each the repeating features have a dopant concentration higher than a remainder of the drift layer.
US09748337B2	Semiconductor memory device Three directions intersecting each other are referred to as first to third directions. A semiconductor memory device according to embodiments includes a semiconductor substrate having a top surface spread in the first and second directions, and a plurality of conductive layers laminated at predetermined intervals in the third direction on the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor memory device further includes a columnar semiconductor layer having an interface that is in contact with the semiconductor substrate on a side surface. The columnar semiconductor layer is opposed to the plurality of conductive layers. The columnar semiconductor layer has the third direction as a lengthwise direction. The interface exists in a position deeper than the top surface of the semiconductor substrate in the third direction.
US09748334B1	Fabrication of nanomaterial T-gate transistors with charge transfer doping layer A field effect transistor including a dielectric layer on a substrate, a nano-structure material (NSM) layer on the dielectric layer, a source electrode and a drain electrode formed on the NSM layer, a gate dielectric formed on at least a portion of the NSM layer between the source electrode and the drain electrode, a T-shaped gate electrode formed between the source electrode and the drain electrode, where the NSM layer forms a channel of the FET, and a doping layer on the NSM layer extending at least from the sidewall of the source electrode to a first sidewall of the gate dielectric, and from a sidewall of the drain electrode to a second sidewall of the gate dielectric.
US09748331B2	Method for growing III-V epitaxial layers Disclosed are methods of growing III-V epitaxial layers on a substrate, semiconductor structures thus obtained, and devices comprising such semiconductor structures. An example semiconductor substrate includes a substrate and a buffer layer on top of the substrate, where a conductive path is present between the substrate and buffer layer. A conductive path may be present in the conductive interface, and the conductive path may be interrupted by one or more local electrical isolations. The local electrical isolation(s) may be positioned with the device such that at least one of the local electrical isolation(s) is located between a high voltage terminal and a low voltage terminal of the device.
US09748330B2	Semiconductor device having self-isolating bulk substrate and method therefor In one embodiment, a semiconductor device comprises a bulk semiconductor substrate that includes a first conductivity type floating buried doped region bounded above by a second conductivity type doped region and bounded below by another second conductivity semiconductor region. Dielectric isolation regions extend through the second conductivity doped region and the first conductivity floating buried doped region into the semiconductor region. Functional devices are disposed within the second conductivity type doped region. The first conductivity type floating buried doped region is configured as a self-biased region that laterally extends between adjacent dielectric isolation regions.
US09748326B2	Structure of integrated inductor This invention discloses a structure of an integrated inductor, comprising: an outer metal segment which comprises a first metal sub-segment and a second metal sub-segment; an inner metal segment which is arranged inside an area surrounded by the outer metal segment and comprises a third metal sub-segment and a fourth metal sub-segment; and at least a connecting structure for connecting the outer metal segment and the inner metal segment. The first metal sub-segment corresponds to the third metal sub-segment, and the first metal sub-segment and the third metal sub-segment belong to different metal layers in a semiconductor structure. The second metal sub-segment corresponds to the fourth metal sub-segment, and the second metal sub-segment and the fourth metal sub-segment belong to different metal layers in a semiconductor structure.
US09748319B2	Thin film transistor array substrate and method of fabricating the same Disclosed is a display device that may include a thin film transistor array substrate that includes a plurality of first sub-pixels and a plurality of second sub-pixels, wherein one of the plurality of first sub-pixels includes a first emission region and a first non-emission region, and one of the plurality of second sub-pixels includes a second emission region and a second non-emission region; a first bank pattern in the first and second non-emission regions, the first bank pattern including a hydrophilic material; and a second bank pattern on an upper surface of the first bank pattern, the second bank pattern includes a hydrophobic material.
US09748318B2	Auxiliary lines reducing resistance in a cathode of an organic light emitting display device An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display device is described that includes a shared cathode between OLED pixels as well as auxiliary lines that are formed between rows and/or columns of the OLED pixels. As the cathode is shared between many if not all of the pixels of display device, resistance within the cathode can affect the brightness of those pixels that are further from the cathode's voltage source. The auxiliary lines serve to counteract the voltage drop caused by this resistance. The auxiliary lines are electrically connected to the cathode in close proximity to individual pixels of the display.
US09748316B2	Organic electroluminescent panel The present invention provides an organic electroluminescent panel capable of increasing the luminous efficacy and decreasing the driving voltage of a top emission (TE) organic EL element. The organic electroluminescent panel of the present invention includes: a substrate; and an organic electroluminescent element provided on the substrate. The organic electroluminescent element is a top emission element that includes, in the order from the substrate side: an anode; a light-emitting layer; an electron transport layer; a first metal layer; a p-type oxide layer; and a transparent cathode. The top emission element is configured to emit light from the transparent cathode side. The light-emitting layer and the electron transport layer are each formed from an organic material. At least one of a mixture layer of a p-type oxide and a hole transport material and a second metal layer is provided between the electron transport layer and the transparent cathode.
US09748310B2	Structure and method to reduce shorting in STT-MRAM device A method of making a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) device includes depositing a spacer material on an electrode; forming a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) on the spacer material that includes a reference layer in contact with the spacer material, a free layer, and a tunnel barrier layer; patterning a hard mask on the free layer; etching the MTJ and the spacer material to transfer a pattern of the hard mask into the MTJ and the spacer material; forming an insulating layer along a sidewall of the hard mask, the MTJ, and the spacer material; disposing an interlayer dielectric (ILD) on and around the hard mask, MTJ, and spacer material; etching through the ILD to form a trench that extends to a surface and sidewall of the hard mask and a sidewall of a portion of the MTJ; and disposing a metal in the trench to form a contact electrode.
US09748306B2	Radiation detectors, and methods of manufacture of radiation detectors Radiation detectors are disclosed. The radiation detectors comprise a substrate and at least one radiation sensitive region on the substrate, the at least one radiation sensitive region comprising an array of elongate nanostructures projecting from the substrate. Methods of manufacture of such radiation detectors are also disclosed.
US09748303B2	Solid-state image pick-up apparatus, image pick-up system, and method of driving solid-state image pick-up apparatus A solid-state image pick-up apparatus of an example includes a photoelectric conversion portion, a transfer transistor configured to transfer a charge in the photoelectric conversion portion, and a signal output circuit configured to supply selectively a first voltage to turn on the transfer transistor and a second voltage to turn off the transfer transistor to the transfer transistor. The signal output circuit is configured to supply the second voltage having a voltage value selected from two or more different voltage values based on an output signal from a pixel.
US09748296B2	Solid-state imaging device, method for producing solid-state imaging device and electronic apparatus A solid-state imaging device, method for producing solid-state imaging device and electronic apparatus are provided. The solid-state imaging device includes a substrate, with a plurality of pixels formed in the substrate. In addition, a plurality of groups are formed in the substrate, and in particular in pixel isolation regions between adjacent pixels. The grooves extend from a first surface of the substrate towards a second surface of the substrate. An embedded film extends into the grooves. At least some of the grooves include a first stage near the first surface of the substrate and a second stage near the second surface of the substrate that are defined by walls of the grooves, wherein the first stage is wider than the second stage, and wherein a step is present between the first and second stages. In addition, the device includes a light shielding film adjacent the first surface of the substrate that overlies the grooves. A portion of the light shielding film is embedded in the embedded film that extends into the grooves.
US09748291B2	Imaging device having a third circuit with a region overlapping with a fourth circuit An imaging device which offers an image with high quality and is suitable for high-speed operation is provided. The imaging device includes a first region to an n-th region (n is a natural number of 2 or more and 16 or less) each including a first circuit, a second circuit, a third circuit, and a fourth circuit. The first to third circuits each include a transistor in which silicon is used in an active layer or an active region. The fourth circuit includes a photoelectric conversion element and a transistor in which an oxide semiconductor is used in an active layer. The first circuit includes a region overlapping with the fourth circuit. The third circuit includes a region overlapping with the fourth circuit.
US09748289B2	Semiconductor device, its manufacturing method and electronic apparatus thereof The present invention proposes a semiconductor device, its manufacturing method and to an electronic apparatus thereof equipped with the semiconductor device where it becomes possible to make a CMOS type solid-state imaging device, an imager area formed with a MOS transistor of an LDD structure without having a metal silicide layer of a refractory metal, an area of DRAM cells and the like into a single semiconductor chip. According to the present invention, a semiconductor device is constituted such that an insulating film having a plurality of layers is used, sidewalls at the gate electrodes are formed by etchingback the insulating film of the plurality of layers or a single layer film in the region where metal silicide layers are formed and in the region where the metal silicide layers are not formed, sidewalls composed of an upper layer insulating film is formed on a lower layer insulating film whose surface is coated or the insulating film of the plurality of layers remain unchanged.
US09748286B2	Thin film transistor substrate having metal oxide semiconductor and manufacturing the same A method for manufacturing a thin film transistor substrate, the method can include a first mask process for forming a gate electrode on a substrate; a step for forming a gate insulating layer covering the gate electrode; a second mask process for forming a source electrode overlapping with one side of the gate electrode, and a drain electrode overlapping with other side of the gate electrode and being apart from the source electrode, on the gate insulating layer; and a third mask process for forming an oxide semiconductor layer extending from the source electrode to the drain electrode, and an etch stopper having the same shape and size with the oxide semiconductor layer on the oxide semiconductor layer.
US09748282B2	Thin film transistor array substrate having a gate electrode comprising two conductive layers Provided is a thin film transistor array substrate having at least one thin film transistor. The thin film transistor includes a semiconductor layer having a channel area with a first doping concentration on a substrate, a source-drain area disposed at opposite sides of the channel area and with a second doping concentration greater than the first doping concentration, and a substantially undoped area extending from the source-drain area. The substrate has a gate insulating layer on the semiconductor layer and a gate electrode disposed on the gate insulating layer and overlapping the channel area in at least some portions. The substrate has a source electrode and a drain electrode, each insulated from the gate electrode and electrically connected to the source-drain area. The gate electrode includes a first gate electrode layer and a second gate electrode layer, wherein the second gate electrode layer is thicker than the first gate electrode layer.
US09748279B2	Display device To provide a display device with excellent display quality, in a display device including a signal line, a scan line, a transistor, a pixel electrode, and a common electrode in a pixel, the common electrode is included in which an extending direction of a region overlapping with the signal line differs from an extending direction of a region overlapping with the pixel electrode in a planar shape and the extending directions intersect with each other between the signal line and the pixel electrode. Thus, a change in transmittance of the pixel can be suppressed; accordingly, flickers can be reduced.
US09748277B2	Array substrate, manufacturing method thereof, and display device The present invention provides an array substrate, a manufacturing method thereof and a display device, relates to the field of display technology. The array substrate comprises: a substrate; a gate metal layer comprising gate lines; a source and drain metal layer comprising data lines, the gate lines and the data lines intersecting with each other to define a plurality of sub-pixel areas; a pixel electrode layer provided on the substrate, which comprises a plurality of pixel electrodes which are in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of sub-pixel areas; a common electrode layer provided on the substrate, which is provided with a plurality of cutting hole at positions corresponding to spaces between the pixel electrodes; a first insulating layer provided between the pixel electrode layer and the common electrode layer; and a second insulating layer provided between the gate metal layer and the source and drain metal layer.
US09748273B2	Semiconductor device A semiconductor device is described, which includes a first transistor, a second transistor, and a capacitor. The second transistor and the capacitor are provided over the first transistor so as to overlap with a gate of the first transistor. A semiconductor layer of the second transistor and a dielectric layer of the capacitor are directly connected to the gate of the first transistor. The second transistor is a vertical transistor, where its channel direction is perpendicular to an upper surface of a semiconductor layer of the first transistor.
US09748265B1	Integrated structures comprising charge-storage regions along outer portions of vertically-extending channel material Some embodiments include an integrated structure having stacked conductive levels. At least some of the conductive levels are wordline levels and include control gate regions of memory cells. One of the conductive levels is a vertically outermost conductive level along an edge of the stack. Vertically-extending channel material is along the conductive levels. Some of the channel material extends along the memory cells. An extension region of the channel material is vertically outward of the vertically outermost conductive level. A charge-storage structure has a first region directly between the vertically outermost conductive level and the channel material, and has a second region which extends vertically outward of the vertically outermost conductive level and is along the extension region of the channel material.
US09748260B2	Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device and manufacturing method thereof A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device that have a new structure are provided, in which memory cells are laminated in a three dimensional state so that the chip area may be reduced. The nonvolatile semiconductor memory device of the present invention is a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device that has a plurality of the memory strings, in which a plurality of electrically programmable memory cells is connected in series. The memory strings comprise a pillar shaped semiconductor; a first insulation film formed around the pillar shaped semiconductor; a charge storage layer formed around the first insulation film; the second insulation film formed around the charge storage layer; and first or nth electrodes formed around the second insulation film (n is natural number more than 1). The first or nth electrodes of the memory strings and the other first or nth electrodes of the memory strings are respectively the first or nth conductor layers that are spread in a two dimensional state.
US09748257B2	Semiconductor devices having dummy patterns and methods of fabricating the same Provided are semiconductor devices and methods of fabricating the same. The semiconductor devices may include a substrate with a cell region and a peripheral region, a gate stack including gates stacked on the cell region of the substrate. At least one edge portion of the gate stack may have a staircase structure. The semiconductor devices may also include a channel that extend through the gate stack and is enclosed by a memory layer and at least two dummy patterns on the substrate. The at least two dummy patterns may be spaced apart from the gate stack and may be spaced apart from each other.
US09748256B2	Semiconductor device and method of forming the same Provided is a semiconductor device including a memory gate structure and a select gate structure. The memory gate structure is closely adjacent to the select gate structure. Besides, an air gap encapsulated by an insulating layer is disposed between the memory gate structure and the select gate structure.
US09748254B2	Convex shaped thin-film transistor device having elongated channel over insulating layer in a groove of a semiconductor substrate The present invention provides a semiconductor device that has a shorter distance between the bit lines and easily achieves higher storage capacity and density. The semiconductor device includes: first bit lines and an insulating layer that is provided between the first bit lines and in a groove. First faces of the first bit lines are aligned on a first line and second faces of the first bit lines are aligned on a second line. A first face of the insulating layer is disposed at a third line that is a first distance from the first line in a first direction and a second face of the insulating layer is disposed at a fourth line that is a second distance from the second line in a second direction.
US09748252B2	Antifuse element utilizing non-planar topology Techniques for providing non-volatile antifuse memory elements and other antifuse links are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the antifuse memory elements are configured with non-planar topology such as FinFET topology. In some such embodiments, the fin topology can be manipulated and used to effectively promote lower breakdown voltage transistors, by creating enhanced-emission sites which are suitable for use in lower voltage non-volatile antifuse memory elements. In one example embodiment, a semiconductor antifuse device is provided that includes a non-planar diffusion area having a fin configured with a tapered portion, a dielectric isolation layer on the fin including the tapered portion, and a gate material on the dielectric isolation layer. The tapered portion of the fin may be formed, for instance, by oxidation, etching, and/or ablation, and in some cases includes a base region and a thinned region, and the thinned region is at least 50% thinner than the base region.
US09748250B2	Deep trench sidewall etch stop Embodiments of the present invention provide a structure and method for fabrication of deep trenches in semiconductor-on-insulator structures. An upper portion of the deep trench cavity is formed to expose a sidewall of the buried insulator layer. A protective layer is disposed on the sidewall of the buried insulator layer. Then, the cavity is extended into the bulk substrate. The protective layer prevents over etch of the buried insulator layer during this process. The protective layer is then partially removed, such that the semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) layer sidewall is exposed. The trench is then filled with a conductive fill material, such as polysilicon. The protection of the buried insulator (BOX) layer allows the trenches to be placed closer together while reducing the risk of a short circuit due to over etch, thereby increasing circuit density and product yield.
US09748247B2	Semiconductor device A semiconductor device aims to prevent a leak current from flowing between a well and a corner of an active region formed on an upper surface of another well in an SRAM. In a memory cell of the SRAM, a load MOSFET is formed. An end of an active region extending in y-direction is arranged to gradually go away from a p-well as it goes from a gate electrode G2 side to a gate electrode G4 side in such a manner that a distance in x-direction between the end of the active region and the p-well is larger than a shortest distance in the x-direction between the p-well and the active region.
US09748246B2	Semiconductor integrated circuits having contacts spaced apart from active regions First and second active regions are doped with different types of impurities, and extend in a first direction and spaced apart from each other in a second direction. First and third gate structures, which are on the first active region and a first portion of the isolation layer between the first and second active regions, extend in the second direction and are spaced apart from each other in the first direction. Second and fourth gate structures, which are on the second active region and the first portion, extend in the second direction, are spaced apart from each other in the first direction, and face and are spaced apart from the first and third gate structures, respectively, in the second direction. First to fourth contacts are on portions of the first to fourth gate structures, respectively. The first and fourth contacts are connected, and the second and third contacts are connected.
US09748244B2	Method for manufacturing semiconductor device and semiconductor device A semiconductor device includes a first and second fin-shaped semiconductor layers on a substrate. A first insulating film is around the first and second fin-shaped layers. A first and second pillar-shaped semiconductor layers reside on the first and second fin-shaped layers, respectively. A width of a bottom of the first pillar-shaped semiconductor layer is equal to a width of a top of the first fin-shaped semiconductor layer, and a width of a bottom of the second pillar-shaped semiconductor layer is equal to the width of a top of the second fin-shaped semiconductor layer. First and second gate insulating films and first and second metal gate electrodes reside around the first and second pillar-shaped layers, respectively. A metal gate line is connected to the first and second metal gate electrodes and extends in a direction perpendicular to the first and second fin-shaped layers.
US09748242B2	Semiconductor device A semiconductor device is provided that includes a composite semiconductor body including a high voltage depletion-mode transistor and a low voltage enhancement-mode transistor. The high voltage depletion-mode transistor is stacked on the low voltage enhancement-mode transistor so that an interface is formed between the high voltage depletion-mode transistor and the low voltage enhancement-mode transistor. The low voltage enhancement-mode transistor includes a current path coupled in series with a current path of the high voltage depletion-mode transistor, and a control electrode is arranged at the interface.
US09748239B2	Fin-double-gated junction field effect transistor A method of forming a double-gated junction field effect transistors (JFET) and a tri-gated metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) on a common substrate is provided. The double-gated JFET is formed in a first region of a substrate by forming a semiconductor gate electrode contacting sidewall surfaces of a first channel region of a first semiconductor fin and a top surface of a portion of a first fin cap atop the first channel region. The tri-gated MOSFET is formed in a second region of the substrate by forming a metal gate stack contacting a top surface and sidewall surfaces of a second channel region of a second semiconductor fin.
US09748237B2	Semiconductor integrated circuit and logic circuit Disclosed herein is a driver circuit including first and second n-channel transistors connected together in series between first and second nodes. The first n-channel transistor is comprised of n fin transistor(s) having an identical gate length and an identical gate width where n is equal to or greater than one, and has its gate connected to a first input node. The second n-channel transistor is comprised of m fin transistors having the same gate length and the same gate width where m is greater than n, and has its gate connected to a second input node.
US09748236B1	FinFET device with enlarged channel regions A semiconductor device including a semiconductor layer, a plurality of semiconductor fins formed on a surface of the semiconductor layer and a plurality of gate electrodes formed over the surface of the semiconductor layer is provided. The semiconductor fins extend in parallel to each other along a first direction parallel to the surface of the semiconductor layer and have a first height in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, and the gate electrodes comprise longitudinal portions extending parallel to the semiconductor fins along the first direction and, in particular, having a second height in the second direction lower than the first height.
US09748235B2	Gate stack for integrated circuit structure and method of forming same One aspect of the disclosure relates to a method of forming an integrated circuit structure. The method may include: forming a first work function metal over a set of fins having at least a first fin and a second fin; implanting the first work function metal with a first species; removing the implanted first work function metal from over the first fin such that a remaining portion of the implanted first work function metal remains over the second fin; forming a second work function metal over the set of fins including over the remaining portion of the implanted first work function metal; implanting the second work function metal with a second species; and forming a metal over the implanted second work function metal over the set of fins thereby forming the gate stack.
US09748232B2	Semiconductor device structure and method for forming the same A semiconductor device structure is provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a substrate having a first source region and a first drain region. The semiconductor device structure includes a first gate over the substrate and between the first source region and the first drain region. The semiconductor device structure includes a first contact structure over the first source region. The first contact structure is electrically connected to the first source region. The semiconductor device structure includes a second contact structure over the first drain region. The second contact structure is electrically connected to the first drain region. The semiconductor device structure includes a conductive layer electrically connecting the first gate to the first contact structure and the second contact structure.
US09748231B2	Semiconductor device A semiconductor device includes: a substrate; a first active region formed in the substrate and that includes a first region that has a first width and a second region including a second width larger than the first width and extended in a first direction; a second active region formed in the substrate and extended in parallel to the second region of the first active region; and an element isolation insulating film formed in the substrate and that partitions the first active region and the second active region, respectively, wherein the second region of the first active region or the second active region includes a depressed part depressed in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction in a plan view.
US09748230B2	Semiconductor apparatus having a trench Schottky barrier Schottky diode A semiconductor apparatus having a trench Schottky barrier Schottky diode, which includes: a semiconductor volume of a first conductivity type, which semiconductor volume has a first side covered with a metal layer, and at least one trench extending in the first side and at least partly filled with metal. At least one wall segment of the trench, and/or at least one region, located next to the trench, of the first side covered with the metal layer, is separated by a layer, located between the metal layer and the semiconductor volume, made of a first semiconductor material of a second conductivity type.
US09748226B1	Decoupling capacitor A device is disclosed that includes active areas, gates, and conductors. The active areas are disposed apart from each other. The gates are crossing over the active areas. The conductors are disposed over the active areas and disposed between the active areas. Each one of the conductors disposed between the active areas is arranged between adjacent two of the gates, and has an overlap with at least one corresponding gate of the gates to form at least one capacitor.
US09748225B2	Semiconductor device with power transistors coupled to diodes The ringing of a switching waveform of a semiconductor device is restrained. For example, an interconnect (L5) is laid which functions as a source of a power transistor (Q3) and a cathode of a diode (D4), and further functioning as a drain of a power transistor (Q4) and an anode of a diode (D3). In other words, a power transistor and a diode coupled to this power transistor in series are formed in the same semiconductor chip; and further an interconnect functioning as a drain of the power transistor and an interconnect functioning as an anode of the diode are made common to each other. This structure makes it possible to decrease a parasite inductance between the power transistor and the diode coupled to each other in series.
US09748223B2	Six-transistor SRAM semiconductor structures and methods of fabrication A two-transistor memory cell based upon a thyristor for an SRAM integrated circuit is described together with a process for fabricating it. The memory cell can be implemented in different combinations of MOS and bipolar select transistors, or without select transistors, with thyristors in a semiconductor substrate with shallow trench isolation. Standard CMOS process technology can be used to manufacture the SRAM.
US09748220B1	Gate-bounded silicon controlled rectifier A gate-bounded silicon controlled rectifier includes a substrate, an N-type well region, a P-type well region, a first N-type semiconductor region, a first P-type semiconductor region, a second N-type semiconductor region, a second P-type semiconductor region and a third semiconductor region. The N-type well region and the P-type well region are disposed in the substrate. The first N-type semiconductor region is disposed in the N-type well region. The first P-type semiconductor region is disposed in the P-type well region. The second N-type semiconductor region is disposed in the P-type well region and located between the first N-type semiconductor region and the first P-type semiconductor region. The second P-type semiconductor region is disposed in the N-type well region and located between the first N-type semiconductor region and the first P-type semiconductor region. The third semiconductor region is located between the second N-type semiconductor region and the second P-type semiconductor region.
US09748218B1	Method and apparatus to facilitate direct surface cooling of a chip within a 3D stack of chips using optical interconnect In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to a system of stacked and connected layers of circuits that includes at least one pair of adjacent layers having very few physical (electrical) connections. The system includes multiple logical connections. The logical interconnections may be made with light transmission. A majority of physical connections may provide power. The physical interconnections may be sparse, periodic and regular. The exemplary system may include physical space (or gap) between the a pair of adjacent layers having few physical connections. The space may be generally set by the sizes of the connections. A constant flow of coolant (gaseous or liquid) may be maintained between the adjacent pair of layers in the space.
US09748216B2	Apparatus and method for a component package A component package and a method of forming are provided. A first component package may include a first semiconductor device having a pair of interposers attached thereto on opposing sides of the first semiconductor device. Each interposer may include conductive traces formed therein to provide electrical coupling to conductive features formed on the surfaces of the respective interposers. A plurality of through vias may provide for electrically connecting the interposers to one another. A first interposer may provide for electrical connections to a printed circuit board or subsequent semiconductor device. A second interposer may provide for electrical connections to a second semiconductor device and a second component package. The first and second component packages may be combined to form a Package-on-Package (“PoP”) structure.
US09748215B2	Light emitting device A light emitting device includes: at least one first light emitting element configured to emit ultraviolet light; at least one second light emitting element configured to emit light with a wavelength longer than that of the ultraviolet light emitted from the at least one first light emitting element; an electronic component including a resin portion on a surface thereof; and a substrate on which the at least one first light emitting element, the at least one second light emitting element, and the electronic component are mounted and disposed in that order along a first direction of the substrate.
US09748212B2	Shadow pad for post-passivation interconnect structures Interconnect structures, packaged semiconductor devices, and methods of packaging semiconductor devices are disclosed. In some embodiments, an interconnect structure includes a first post-passivation interconnect (PPI) layer. The first PPI layer includes a landing pad and a shadow pad material proximate the landing pad. A polymer layer is over the first PPI layer, and a second PPI layer is over the polymer layer. The second PPI layer includes a PPI pad. The PPI pad is coupled to the landing pad by a via in the polymer layer. The shadow pad material is proximate the PPI pad and comprises a greater dimension than a dimension of the PPI pad. The shadow pad material is disposed laterally around the PPI pad.
US09748210B2	Method for transfer of semiconductor devices A method of transferring semiconductor devices to a product substrate includes positioning a surface of the product substrate to face a first surface of a semiconductor wafer having the semiconductor devices thereon, and actuating a transfer mechanism to cause the transfer mechanism to engage a second surface of the semiconductor wafer. The second surface of the semiconductor wafer is opposite the first surface of the semiconductor wafer. Actuating the transfer mechanism includes causing a pin to thrust against a position on the second surface of the semiconductor wafer corresponding to a position of a particular semiconductor device located on the first surface of the semiconductor wafer, and retracting the pin to a rest position. The method further includes detaching the particular semiconductor device from the second surface of the semiconductor wafer, and attaching a particular semiconductor device to the product substrate.
US09748208B2	Light-emitting device A light-emitting device includes a substrate, and a plurality of light-emitting arrays or light-emitting groups arranged on the substrate. The light-emitting arrays or light-emitting groups include a plurality of LED elements connected in parallel with a pair of adjacent electrodes. The number of the LED elements constituting each of the light-emitting arrays or the light-emitting groups differs in each of the light-emitting arrays or the light-emitting groups. Of the plurality of light-emitting arrays arranged in parallel with each other or the light-emitting groups arranged in a line, the number of the LED elements of the light-emitting arrays or the light-emitting groups positioned inside the substrate is more than the number of the LED elements of the light-emitting arrays or the light-emitting groups positioned outside the substrate.
US09748207B2	Bonded dies with isolation An electronic circuit structure is formed with first and second dies bonded together. A first active layer is formed in the first die, and a second active layer is formed in the second die. The first and second dies are bonded together, with an isolation capacitor, through which the first and second active layers communicate, disposed between the first and second dies.
US09748206B1	Three-dimensional stacking structure and manufacturing method thereof A three-dimensional stacking structure and the manufacturing method(s) thereof are described. The stacking structure includes at least a bottom die, a top die and a spacer protective structure. The bottom die include contact pads in the non-bonding region. The top die is stacked on the bottom die without covering the contact pads of the bottom die and the bottom die is bonded with the top die through bonding structures there-between. The spacer protective structure is disposed on the bottom die and covers the top die to protect the top die. By forming an anti-bonding layer before stacking the top dies to the bottom dies, the top die can be partially removed to expose the contact pads of the bottom die for further connection.
US09748202B2	Semiconductor device A semiconductor device includes a first circuit board having a first chip and a second chip mounted on a first base, the second chip having a greater height from the first base than that of the first chip; and a second circuit board having a third chip and a fourth chip mounted on a second base, the fourth chip having a greater height from the second base than that of the third chip, the second circuit board being disposed overlapping with the first base such that the second base faces the first chip, and the second base not contacting the second chip.
US09748193B2	Printed circuit board and semiconductor package using the same A printed circuit board (PCB) includes: a base substrate including a top surface including an electronic device mounting region; chip connection pads that are provided on the electronic device mounting region; a conductive pattern group that is provided on the top surface of the base substrate and includes an extended conductive pattern extending between two adjacent chip connection pads from among the chip connection pads, the extended conductive pattern being spaced apart from each of the two adjacent chip connection pads; and a solder resist layer that covers a part of the extended conductive pattern and is spaced apart from the chip connection pads.
US09748190B2	Low cost and ultra-thin chip on wafer on substrate (CoWoS) formation Methods of making and an integrated circuit device. An embodiment method includes patterning a first polymer layer disposed over a first copper seed layer, electroplating a through polymer via in the first polymer layer using the first copper seed layer, a via end surface offset from a first polymer layer surface, forming a second polymer layer over the first polymer layer, the second polymer layer patterned to expose the via end surface, and electroplating an interconnect in the second polymer layer to cap the via end surface using a second copper seed layer.
US09748188B2	Method of forming a bump on pad (BOP) bonding structure in a semiconductor packaged device The embodiments described above provide enlarged overlapping surface areas of bonding structures between a package and a bonding substrate. By using elongated bonding structures on either the package and/or the bonding substrate and by orienting such bonding structures, the bonding structures are designed to withstand bonding stress caused by thermal cycling to reduce cold joints.
US09748187B2	Wafer structure and method for wafer dicing The semiconductor die includes a base body, protruding portions and bonding pads. The base body has sidewalls. The protruding portions are laterally protruding from the sidewalls respectively. The bonding pads are disposed on the protruding portions respectively. The wafer dicing method includes following operations. Chips are formed on a semiconductor wafer. Bonding pads are formed on a border line between every two of the adjacent chips. A scribe line is formed and disposed along the bonding pads. A photolithographic pattern is formed on a top surface of the semiconductor wafer to expose the scribe line. The scribe line is etched to a depth in the semiconductor wafer substantially below the top surface layer to form an etched pattern. A back surface of the semiconductor wafer is thinned until the etched pattern in the wafer substrate is exposed.
US09748182B2	Wafer processing method Disclosed herein is a wafer processing method including a stacked member removing step of applying a laser beam having an absorption wavelength to a stacked member through a protective film along each division line formed on the front side of a wafer, thereby performing ablation to remove the stacked member present on each division line, a dividing step of applying an external force to the wafer to divide the wafer into individual device chips along each division line where a modified layer is previously formed, and a plasma etching step of supplying an etching gas in a plasma state to the wafer from the front side thereof after performing the stacked member removing step or after performing the dividing step, thereby removing damage due to the ablation in the stacked member removing step.
US09748181B1	Methods and apparatus for crack propagation prevention and enhanced particle removal in scribe line seals An example apparatus includes a plurality of scribe streets arranged in rows and columns on the surface of a semiconductor wafer; and a plurality of integrated circuit dies arranged in rows and columns and spaced apart by the scribe streets. Each integrated circuit die includes plurality of active areas; a plurality of insulator layers overlying the active areas; a plurality of conductor layers interspersed with and separated by ones of the insulator layers; and a passivation layer overlying a top portion of the uppermost one of the conductor layers. A scribe seal in a scribe region surrounds the periphery of the integrated circuit dies, the scribe seal covered by the passivation layer; and a crack arrest structure is located surrounding and spaced from the scribe seal, and including an opening in the passivation layer that extends to and exposes the upper surface of the crack arrest structure. Methods are disclosed.
US09748180B2	Through-body via liner deposition Techniques are disclosed for through-body via liner structures and processes of forming such liner structures in an integrated circuit. In an embodiment, an integrated circuit includes a silicon semiconductor substrate having one or more through-silicon vias (TSVs), although other through-body vias can be used as will be appreciated in light of this disclosure. Each TSV extends through at least a portion of the substrate, for example, from one side (e.g., top) of the substrate to the opposite side of the substrate (e.g., bottom), or from one internal layer of the substrate to another internal layer. A liner is disposed between the substrate and each TSV. The liner is formed of multiple alternating layers of dissimilar insulation films (e.g., tensile films and compressive films) sandwiched together.
US09748174B1	Three-dimensional memory device having multi-layer diffusion barrier stack and method of making thereof An alternating stack of insulating layers and spacer material layers is formed over a substrate. Memory stack structures are formed through the alternating stack. The spacer material layers are removed to form backside recesses. The backside recesses are sequentially filled with a continuous layer stack including a first continuous metallic nitride layer, a continuous tungsten layer, a second continuous metallic nitride layer, and a continuous metal fill layer. The continuous layer stack is patterned to form electrically conductive layers. Each electrically conductive layer includes a liner stack of a first metallic nitride liner, a tungsten liner, and a second metallic nitride liner. The liner stack is a diffusion barrier for high diffusivity species such as fluorine and boron.
US09748172B2	Floating staircase word lines and process in a 3D non-volatile memory having vertical bit lines A 3D nonvolatile memory has memory elements arranged in a three-dimensional pattern with a plurality of memory layers stacked over a semiconductor substrate. It has a 2D array of vertical bit lines and a plurality of staircase word lines. Each staircase word line has a series of alternating segments and risers and traverses the plurality of memory layers with a segment in each memory layer. The plurality of staircase word lines have their segments lined up to form a 2D array of stacks of segments. Riser for a pair of segments from each adjacent stacks at different memory layers is provided by a conductive sidewall layer of a stairwell disposed between the adjacent stacks. Multiple insulated conductive sidewall layers provide multiple risers for the adjacent stacks. Layer-by-layer stairwell excavation and sidewall processes between adjacent stacks create risers for different pairs of segments between stacks to form the staircase word lines.
US09748170B2	Semiconductor devices having staggered air gaps A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a plurality of first conductive patterns disposed on the substrate and a plurality of second conductive patterns disposed on the first conductive patterns. Respective air gaps are disposed between adjacent ones of the first conductive patterns overlying a first region of the substrate, while adjacent ones of the first conductive patterns overlying a second region of the substrate do not have air gaps disposed therebetween. The air gaps may include first air gaps, and the device may further include second air gaps disposed between adjacent ones of the second conductive patterns in the second region. Adjacent ones of the second conductive patterns overlying a second region of the substrate may not have air gaps disposed therebetween.
US09748168B2	Substrate with routing A substrate having an edge; a first and second active trace, wherein the first active trace corresponds to a first signal of a differential pair and the second active trace corresponds to a second signal of the differential pair; and a first and second conductive via which are located at different distances from the edge. The first active trace is routed to the first conductive via, and the second active trace is routed around the first conductive via to the second conductive via such that the second active trace is between the first conductive via and the edge. The substrate includes a first plating trace in electrical contact with the first active trace, and a second plating trace in electrical contact with the second active trace, wherein the first and second plating traces are routed to the edge on different metal layers of the substrate.
US09748166B2	Semiconductor devices including control and load leads of opposite directions A device includes a carrier and a semiconductor chip arranged over a surface of the carrier. The semiconductor chip includes a control electrode and a load electrode. A first lead is electrically coupled to the control electrode and extends away from the control electrode in a first direction. A second lead is electrically coupled to the load electrode and extends away from the load electrode in a second direction opposite the first direction.
US09748164B2	Semiconductor device A lead frame of high quality which can endure direct bonding to the electrodes of a semiconductor element and a metal member, and a semiconductor device of high reliability which utilizing the lead frame. The lead frame includes a pair of lead frame portions which are arranged spaced apart from and opposite to each other to be electrically connected to a pair of electrodes of a semiconductor element respectively, and a pair of support bars which are arranged spaced apart from the lead portions and extending from a side of either one of the lead portions to a side of the other lead portion.
US09748159B2	Electronic device provided with an integral conductive wire and method of manufacture An electronic device includes a supporting substrate having a front mounting face and an electrical connection network. An integrated circuit chip is mounted to the mounting face and is electrically connected to the electrical connection network. A primary encapsulation block embeds the integrated circuit chip and extends above and around the integrated circuit chip on the mounting face of the supporting substrate. An opening is provided in the primary encapsulation block to at least partially uncover an electrical contact. An additional wire made from an electrically conductive material has an end that is electrically connected to the electrical contact. An additional encapsulation block above the primary encapsulation block embeds the additional wire.
US09748157B1	Integrated circuit packaging system with joint assembly and method of manufacture thereof An integrated circuit packaging system and method of manufacture thereof includes: a base substrate having a bottom pad; an integrated circuit device mounted on the base substrate; an interposer having a package interconnect mounted on the base substrate, the package interconnect includes an underside base portion having an irregular surface characteristic of a coining process; and an encapsulation between the interposer and the base substrate.
US09748155B2	Printed circuit board A printed wiring board includes a power supply conductor pattern arranged on one conductor layer, one ground conductor pattern arranged on the one conductor layer, and another ground conductor pattern arranged on the another conductor layer so as to be opposed to the power supply conductor pattern. The power supply conductor pattern includes a power supply pad on which a terminal of a capacitor is to be bonded. The one ground conductor pattern includes a ground pad on which another terminal of the capacitor is to be bonded. A slit is formed in the another ground conductor pattern so as to pass through a projection portion defined by projecting the power supply pad onto the another ground conductor pattern and divide a projection portion defined by projecting the power supply conductor pattern onto the another ground conductor pattern.
US09748153B1	Process for making and using a semiconductor wafer containing first and second does of standard cell compatible, NCEM-enabled fill cells, with the first DOE including side-to-side short configured fill cells, and the second DOE including tip-to-side short configure A process for making and using a semiconductor wafer includes instantiating first and second designs of experiments (DOEs), each comprised of at least two fill cells. The fill cells contain structures configured to obtain in-line data via non-contact electrical measurements (“NCEM”). The first DOE contains fill cells configured to enable non-contact (NC) detection of side-to-side shorts, and the second DOE contains fill cells configured to enable NC detection of tip-to-side shorts. The process may further include obtaining NC measurements from the first and/or second DOE(s) and using such measurements, at least in part, to selectively perform additional processing, metrology or inspection steps on the wafer, and/or on other wafer(s) currently being manufactured.
US09748148B2	Localized stress modulation for overlay and EPE Embodiments of the disclosure provide apparatus and methods for localized stress modulation for overlay and edge placement error (EPE) using electron or ion implantation. In one embodiment, a process for correcting overlay error on a substrate generally includes performing a measurement process in a metrology tool on a substrate to obtain a substrate distortion or an overlay error map, determining doping parameters to correct overlay error or substrate distortion based on the overlay error map, and providing a doping recipe to a doping apparatus based on the doping parameters determined to correct substrate distortion or overlay error. Embodiments may also provide performing a doping treatment process on the substrate using the determined doping repair recipe, for example, by comparing the overlay error map or substrate distortion with a database library stored in a computing system.
US09748145B1	Semiconductor devices with varying threshold voltage and fabrication methods thereof Semiconductor device fabrication methods are provided which include: providing a structure with at least one region and including a dielectric layer disposed over a substrate; forming a multilayer stack structure including a threshold-voltage adjusting layer over the dielectric layer, the multilayer stack structure including a first threshold-voltage adjusting layer in a first region of the at least one region, and a second threshold-voltage adjusting layer in a second region of the at least one region; and annealing the structure to define a varying threshold voltage of the at least one region, the annealing facilitating diffusion of at least one threshold voltage adjusting species from the first threshold-voltage adjusting layer and the second threshold-voltage adjusting layer into the dielectric layer, where a threshold voltage of the first region is independent of the threshold voltage of the second region.
US09748142B2	FinFETs with strained well regions A device includes a substrate, insulation regions extending into the substrate, a first semiconductor region between the insulation regions and having a first valence band, and a second semiconductor region over and adjoining the first semiconductor region. The second semiconductor region has a compressive strain and a second valence band higher than the first valence band. The second semiconductor region includes an upper portion higher than top surfaces of the insulation regions to form a semiconductor fin, and a lower portion lower than the top surfaces of the insulation regions. The upper portion and the lower portion are intrinsic. A semiconductor cap adjoins a top surface and sidewalls of the semiconductor fin. The semiconductor cap has a third valence band lower than the second valence band.
US09748141B2	Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same Provided are a semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same. An example method may include: forming a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer sequentially on a substrate, wherein the first semiconductor layer is doped; patterning the second and first semiconductor layers to form an initial fin; forming a dielectric layer on the substrate to substantially cover the initial fin, wherein a portion of the dielectric layer on top of the initial fin has a thickness sufficiently less than that of a portion of the dielectric layer on the substrate; etching the dielectric layer back to form an isolation layer, wherein the isolation layer partially exposes the first semiconductor layer, thereby defining a fin above the isolation layer; and forming a gate stack intersecting the fin on the isolation layer.
US09748138B2	Metal layer end-cut flow A method of patterning a metal layer is disclosed. The method includes providing a substrate and forming a material layer over the substrate. The method includes forming a second material layer over the first material layer. The method includes performing a first patterning process to the second material layer to form a trench in the second material layer. The first patterning process defines a width size of the trench, the width size being measured in a first direction. The method includes performing a second patterning process to the trench to transform the trench. The second patterning process defines a length size of the transformed trench. The length size is measured in a second direction different from the first direction. The method also includes filling the transformed trench with a conductive material.
US09748125B2	Continuous substrate processing system A processing chamber having a plurality of movable substrate carriers stacked therein for continuously processing a plurality of substrates is provided. The movable substrate carrier is capable of being transported from outside of the processing chamber, e.g., being transferred from a load luck chamber, into the processing chamber and out of the processing chamber, e.g., being transferred into another load luck chamber. Process gases delivered into the processing chamber are spatially separated into a plurality of processing slots, and/or temporally controlled. The processing chamber can be part of a multi-chamber substrate processing system.
US09748117B2	Substrate treating apparatus and substrate treating method Provided is a substrate treating apparatus. The substrate treating apparatus includes a chamber, a support member disposed within the chamber to support a substrate, and an exhaust member for exhausting a gas within an inner space of the chamber to the outside of the chamber. A trap space for collecting fumes contained in the gas is defined in the exhaust member.
US09748114B2	Method for forming through silicon via in N+ epitaxy wafers with reduced parasitic capacitance A semiconductor device includes an epitaxy layer formed on semiconductor substrate, a device layer formed on the epitaxy layer, a trench formed within the semiconductor substrate and including a dielectric layer forming a liner within the trench and a conductive core forming a through-silicon via conductor, and a deep trench isolation structure formed within the substrate and surrounding the through-silicon via conductor. A region of the epitaxy layer formed between the through-silicon via conductor and the deep trench isolation structure is electrically isolated from any signals applied to the semiconductor device, thereby decreasing parasitic capacitance.
US09748113B2	Method and apparatus for controlled dopant incorporation and activation in a chemical vapor deposition system Embodiments include systems and methods for producing semiconductor wafers having reduced quantities of point defects. These systems and methods include a tunable ultraviolet (UV) light source, which is controlled to produce a raster of a UV light beam across a surface of a semiconductor wafer during epitaxial growth to dissociate point defects in the semiconductor wafer. In various embodiments, the tunable UV light source is configured external to a Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) chamber and controlled such that the UV light beam is directed though a window defined in a wall of the MOCVD chamber.
US09748111B2	Method of fabricating semiconductor structure using planarization process and cleaning process A method for fabricating a semiconductor structure includes following steps. First, a first layer, a second layer and a third layer are sequentially formed on the substrate. The second layer is conformally disposed on the top surface of the first layer. The second layer and the first layer have different compositions, and the third layer and the second layer also have different compositions. Then, a planarizing process is performed on the third layer until portions of the second layer are exposed. Afterwards, hydrofluoric acid and aqueous oxidant are concurrently or sequentially provided to the remaining second and third layers. Finally, an etch back process is carried out to remove all the second layer and portions of the first layer.
US09748104B2	Method of depositing film A method of depositing a film is provided. In the method, one operation of a unit of film deposition process is performed by carrying a substrate into a processing chamber, by depositing a nitride film on the substrate, and by carrying the substrate out of the processing chamber after finishing depositing the nitride film on the substrate. The one operation is repeated a predetermined plurality of number of times continuously to deposit the nitride film on a plurality of substrates continuously. After that, an inside of the processing chamber is oxidized by supplying an oxidation gas into the processing chamber.
US09748095B2	Controlled manufacturing method of metal oxide semiconductor and metal oxide semiconductor structure having controlled growth crystallographic plane A method of controlling a growth crystallographic plane of a metal oxide semiconductor having a wurtzite crystal structure by using a thermal chemical vapor deposition method includes controlling a growth crystallographic plane by allowing the metal oxide semiconductor to grow in a non-polar direction by using a source material including a thermal decomposition material that reduces a surface energy of a polar plane of the metal oxide semiconductor.
US09748091B2	Substrate treatment apparatus and substrate treatment method In one embodiment, a substrate treatment apparatus includes a housing configured to house a substrate. The apparatus further includes a chemical supplying module configured to supply one or more chemicals in a gas state to the substrate in the housing, the one or more chemicals including a first chemical that contains a silylation agent. The apparatus further includes a cooling module configured to cool the substrate in the housing while any of the one or more chemicals is supplied to the substrate in the housing.
US09748089B2	Method for producing mirror-polished wafer A method for producing mirror-polished wafer, the method produces a plurality of mirror-polished wafers by performing, on plurality of silicon wafers obtained by slicing a silicon ingot, slicing strain removing step of removing strain on a surface caused by slicing, etching step of removing strain caused by the slicing strain removing step, and double-side polishing step of performing mirror polishing on both surfaces of the silicon wafers subjected to etching, each step being performed by batch processing, wherein silicon wafers which are processed in double-side polishing step by batch processing are selected from silicon wafers processed in same batch in the slicing strain removing step and the number of silicon wafers to be selected is made to be equal to the number of silicon wafers processed in the slicing strain removing step or submultiple thereof. As a result, a method that can produce mirror-polished wafers having high flatness is provided.
US09748083B2	Method of tandem mass spectrometry A method of tandem mass spectrometry is disclosed. A quasi-continuous stream of ions from an ion source (20) and having a relatively broad range of mass to charge ratio ions is segmented temporally into a plurality of segments. Each segment is subjected to an independently selected degree of fragmentation, so that, for example, some segments of the broad mass range are fragmented while others are not. The resultant ion population, containing both precursor and fragment ions, is analyzed in a single acquisition cycle using a high resolution mass analyzer (150). The technique allows the analysis of the initial ion population to be optimized for analytical limitations.
US09748081B2	Method of manufacturing semiconductor device and sputtering apparatus Reliability of a semiconductor device is improved, and use efficiency of a sputtering apparatus is increased. When depositing thin films over a main surface of a semiconductor wafer using a magnetron sputtering apparatus in which a collimator is installed in a space between the semiconductor wafer and a target installed in a chamber, a region inner than a peripheral part of the collimator is made thinner than the peripheral part. Thus, it becomes possible to suppress deterioration in uniformity of the thin film in a wafer plane, which may occur as the integrated usage of the target increases.
US09748080B2	Cu—Ga alloy sputtering target and method for producing same According to the present invention, a Cu—Ga alloy sputtering target which is a sintered body has a composition with 29.5 atom % to 43.0 atom % of Ga and a balance of Cu and inevitable impurities. A Cu—Ga alloy crystal particle in the sintered body has a structure in which γ phase particles are dispersed in a γ1-phase crystal particle. A method for producing the sputtering target includes a step of performing normal pressure sintering by heating a molded body formed of a powder mixture of a pure Cu powder and a Cu—Ga alloy powder in a reducing atmosphere, and a step of cooling the obtained sintered body at a cooling rate of 0.1° C./min to 1.0° C./min, at a temperature having a range of 450° C. to 650° C.
US09748077B2	Substrate processing device and substrate processing method Disclosed is an apparatus and method of processing substrate, wherein the apparatus comprises a process chamber; a substrate supporter for supporting at least one of substrates, wherein the substrate supporter is provided in the process chamber, and is rotated at a predetermined direction; a chamber lid confronting with the substrate supporter, the chamber lid for covering the process chamber; and a gas distributor having a plurality of gas distribution modules for distributing gas to the substrate, wherein the plurality of gas distribution modules are connected to the chamber lid, wherein each of the gas distribution modules includes a power source electrode and a ground electrode confronting each other, a plasma discharge space is formed between the power source electrode and the ground electrode, and the plasma discharge space is not overlapped with a thin film formation region of the substrate supported by the substrate supporter.
US09748073B2	Analysis method using electron microscope, and electron microscope An analysis method using an electron microscope, detects by a first electronography detector an electron beam transmitted through or scattered by a sample to detect an ADF image of the sample, detects by a second electronography detector the electron beam passing through the first electronography detector to detect an MABF image, adjusts a focal point of the electron beam to be located on the film of the sample to obtain first and second electronographies by the second and first electronography detectors, respectively, adjusts the focal point of the electron beam to be located on the substrate of the sample to obtain third and fourth electronographies by the second and first electronography detectors, respectively, aligns positions of the second and fourth electronographies based on the first and third electronographies, and after the aligning, subtracts the fourth electronography from the second electronography to obtain an image of the film.
US09748072B2	Lower dose rate ion implantation using a wider ion beam In an exemplary process for lower dose rate ion implantation of a work piece, an ion beam may be generated using an ion source and an extraction manipulator. The extraction manipulator may be positioned at a gap distance from an exit aperture of the ion source. A current of the ion beam exiting the extraction manipulator may be maximized when the extraction manipulator is positioned at an optimal gap distance from the exit aperture. The gap distance at which the extraction manipulator is positioned from the exit aperture may differ from the optimal gap distance by at least 10 percent. A first potential may be applied to a first set of electrodes. An x-dimension of the ion beam may increase as the ion beam passes through the first set of electrodes. The work piece may be positioned in the ion beam to implant ions into the work piece.
US09748071B2	Individually switched field emission arrays An electron beam apparatus is disclosed that includes a plurality of current source elements disposed in at least one field emitter array. Each current source element can be a gated vertical transistor, an ungated vertical transistor, or a current controlled channel that is proximate to an optically-modulated current source. The electron beam apparatus includes a plurality of field emitter tips, each field emitter tip of the plurality of field emitter tips being coupled to a current source element of the plurality of current source elements. The electron beam apparatus is configured to allow selective activation of one or more of the current source elements.
US09748070B1	X-ray tube anode An X-ray tube includes a cathode and an anode. The cathode is configured to generate an electron beam. The anode has at least one hole that faces the electron beam, the hole having sidewalls and a floor. The electron beam impinges on one or more of the sidewalls of the at least one hole so as to emit a first X-ray beam at angles that are not orthogonal to a surface of the anode. The electron beam also impinges on the floor of the at least one hole so as to emit a second X-ray beam, at least some of which is emitted at an angle that is orthogonal to the surface of the anode.
US09748067B2	Positioning apparatus for an electron beam A positioning apparatus is provided for an electron beam of an electron tube, the apparatus including a first DC voltage circuit having a high potential difference and a second DC voltage circuit having a smaller potential difference, having in each case a first potential level and a second potential level, and a deflection module, which has two inputs and at least one deflection coil, wherein the at least one deflection coil is connected between the two inputs of the deflection module.
US09748065B2	Sealed contact device A sealed contact device capable of maintaining a function for drawing a generated arc to disappear rapidly and reliably for a long period. An electromagnetic relay includes a housing, a stationary contact and a moving contact which are disposed opposite to each other in the housing, and a pair of permanent magnets and disposed opposite to the stationary contact and the moving contact. An arc generated between the stationary contact and the moving contact is drawn due to a current conducting between the stationary contact and the moving contact and magnetic forces of the permanent magnets. An arc shield member is disposed in a position in which an arc in the housing is induced.
US09748064B2	Fail-safe circuit A fail-safe circuit enables a switch to turn on/off according to a signal from an external device if a microcomputer that controls the turning on/off of the switch falls into an abnormal state and is reset, and if the power supply for a circuit that backs up the control of the switch is lost. The fail-safe circuit includes a microcomputer that controls the turning on/off of a switch based on an instruction signal from an input terminal, a watchdog circuit that generates a reset signal based on a watchdog pulse from the microcomputer, and a transistor for masking a watchdog pulse for resetting a flip-flop circuit that is set by the reset signal. If a voltage supplied by a power supply circuit is lost, a transistor turns off, and therefore the switch turns on/off according to an instruction signal supplied to an output terminal via a resistor and a diode.
US09748063B2	Overvoltage protection element An overvoltage protection element with a housing, an overvoltage-limiting component arranged in the housing, and with two connection elements for electrically connecting the overvoltage protection element to the current or signal path to be protected, wherein, normally, the connection elements are each in electrical contact with a pole of the overvoltage-limiting component. Reliable and effective electrical connection in the normal state and reliable isolation of a defective overvoltage-limiting component are ensured by the fact that a thermally expandable material is arranged within the housing in a way that, in the event of thermal overloading of the overvoltage-limiting component, the position of the overvoltage-limiting component is changed by expansion of the thermally expandable material relative to the position of the connection elements in a way that causes at least one pole of the overvoltage-limiting component to be out of electrical contact with the corresponding connection element.
US09748060B2	Hybrid cutoff member for an electric circuit A hybrid interrupter member for an electrical circuit, the interrupter member including a static interrupter component and an electromechanical interrupter component. The static component is mounted on a support carrying electrical contacts for the static component, the support being configured, on receiving a command to interrupt, to move in such a manner as to withdraw at least one of the electrical contacts from its respective pin, thereby forming the electromechanical interrupter component.
US09748056B2	Illuminated-type push-button switch and keyboard A push-button switch (1) is arranged such that, once a user presses an operation button (8), a switch body (20) performs an operation, and light from an LED (21) passes through a transmission plate (70) and then illuminates the operation button (8). A structure (700) is provided on a lower surface (70b) of the transmission plate (70) to refract the light from the LED (21) so that the refracted light is reflected within the transmission plate (70) and then guided to an upper circumferential wall (71) of the transmission plate (70).
US09748053B2	Visible disconnect switch interlock assembly A visible disconnect switch (VDS) interlock assembly is provided. The VDS interlock assembly is movable between a CBA, first lockout position, wherein a CBA second contact assembly cannot move when a VDS second contact assembly is in a first position, and a VDS, second lockout position, wherein a VDS second contact assembly cannot move when the CBA second contact assembly is in a second position. Further, the VDS interlock assembly is placed in an open position in between where the CBA, first lockout position and the VDS, second lockout position; from the open position the VDS interlock assembly may be moved into one of the CBA, first lockout position or the VDS, second lockout position.
US09748050B2	Keyswitch module and keyboard A keyswitch module includes a bottom plate, a movable plate, a keycap, and a connecting assembly. The moving plate is stacked with the bottom plate and capable of moving between a first position and a second position relative to the bottom plate. The movable plate moves a horizontal stroke from the first position to the second position. The connecting assembly is operatively connected to the bottom plate and connected to the keycap. A forced portion of the connecting assembly is configured to be moved by a forcing structure of the movable plate to make the keycap move between an opening position and a closing position relative to the bottom plate. When the movable plate is located at the first position, the forcing structure and the forced portion are separated by a distance, and the keycap is located at the opening position.
US09748047B2	Connector arranged between two cylindrical energy storage assemblies The invention relates to a module comprising at least two electrical energy storage assemblies (20), each storage assembly comprising: a tubular element (21) comprising a so-called side face (23), and at least one cover (50) for covering one of the ends of the tubular element. Said module is characterized in that it also comprises a connecting body (60) for electrically connecting the two assemblies, the connecting body comprising at least one portion, each portion being separate from at least one of the storage assemblies (20), and the connecting body extends between the two storage assemblies such that the height of each storage assembly connected to the connecting body is equal to the height of a storage assembly that does not have a connecting body.
US09748046B2	Power storage device A power storage device that includes a first adhesive member between a first current collector and a second surface layer, and a second adhesive member between a second current collector and a first surface layer. A first electrolyte retaining layer is provided between the first adhesive member and the first current collector. A second electrolyte retaining layer is provided between the second adhesive member and the second current collector.
US09748045B2	Nonaqueous lithium storage element Provided is a nonaqueous lithium storage element which is obtained by housing an electrode body and a nonaqueous electrolyte solution containing a lithium salt in an outer case, said electrode body being composed of a negative electrode that is composed of a negative electrode collector and a negative electrode active material layer laminated on one or both surfaces of the negative electrode collector, a positive electrode that is composed of a positive electrode collector and a positive electrode active material layer laminated on one or both surfaces of the positive electrode collector, and a separator.
US09748042B2	Multilayer feedthrough capacitor An element body includes principal surfaces opposing each other in a first direction, first side surfaces opposing each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and second side surfaces opposing each other in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions. A length in the first direction of the element body is smaller than a length in the second direction of the element body and a length in the third direction of the element body. Each of the first and second terminal signal electrodes and the terminal ground electrode includes an electrode portion disposed on the principal surface. A thickness of the electrode portion of the terminal ground electrode is smaller than a thickness of the electrode portion of the first terminal signal electrode and smaller than a thickness of the electrode portion of the second terminal signal electrode.
US09748040B2	Electronic control device for controlling actuators An electronic control device for controlling at least one rotatably arranged actuator includes electronic components, such as a device for the contact-free reception of electrical energy and the contact-free reception of signals, a device for generating magnetic fields, and a common housing that encloses the electronic components and assimilates them. The control device is rotatable and designed for attaching on or into a component rotating around a rotational axis.
US09748039B2	Wireless energy transfer resonator thermal management A resonator structure for wireless power transfer includes a first piece and a second piece of magnetic material disposed adjacent to one another, a spacer disposed between the first and second pieces of magnetic material forming a gap of 1 mm or less between the first and second pieces of magnetic material, and an electrical conductor wound to form a plurality of loops. The electrical conductor is disposed on the first and second pieces of magnetic material. The resonator structure includes a thermal conductor positioned in contact with the electrical conductor and at least one of the first and second pieces of magnetic material.
US09748037B2	Power supply system and wireless power supply method The power supply system includes: movable power-receiving units, each power-receiving unit including at least one power-receiving device used to receive electric power from outside of the power-receiving unit and at least one power-supplying device used to supply, to the outside of the power-receiving unit, at least part of electric power received by the power-receiving device; and a power-supplying unit used to supply electric power to the power-receiving device of one power-receiving unit of the power-receiving units.
US09748035B2	Methods for forming chip-scale electrical components A method of forming a planar, low loss electrical component such as an inductor or transmission line is provided. A channel can be formed on a top surface of a substrate. A threading plate can be positioned on an upper surface of the channel. A wire or fiber can be introduced through the substrate, the channel, and the threading plate. The wire or fiber can then be guided into the channel using the threading plate. The substrate and the threading plate can then be removed.
US09748033B2	Integrated transformer An integrated transformer includes a primary inductor and a secondary inductor wherein the primary inductor includes a B turns spiral winding formed by a first metal layer and an A turns winding formed by a second metal layer, wherein the A turns winding formed by the second metal layer and the innermost turns of the B turns spiral winding formed by the first metal layer are substantially overlapped; and the secondary inductor includes a C turns winding at least formed by the second metal layer, wherein the C turns winding formed by the second metal layer of the secondary inductor and a portion of the winding formed by the first metal layer of the primary inductor are substantially overlapped, wherein A is not bigger than B, and A is not bigger than C.
US09748029B2	Method of producing grain-oriented electrical steel sheet In a method of producing a grain-oriented electrical steel sheet by hot rolling a steel slab having a chemical composition comprising C: 0.001 to 0.10 mass %, Si: 1.0 to 5.0 mass %, Mn: 0.01 to 0.5 mass %, S and/or Se: 0.005 to 0.040 mass %, sol. Al: 0.003˜0.050 mass % and N: 0.0010 to 0.020 mass %, subjecting to single cold rolling or two or more cold rollings including an intermediate annealing therebetween to a final thickness, performing primary recrystallization annealing, and thereafter applying an annealing separator to perform final annealing, a temperature range of 550° C. to 700° C. in a heating process of the primary recrystallization annealing is rapidly heated at an average heating rate of 40 to 200° C./s, while any temperature zone of from 250° C. to 550° C. is kept at a heating rate of not more than 10° C./s for 1 to 10 seconds, whereby the refining of secondary recrystallized grains is attained and grain-oriented electrical steel sheets are stably obtained with a low iron loss.
US09748026B2	Hexagonal ferrite magnetic powder for magnetic recording, method for producing hexagonal ferrite magnetic particles, and magnetic recording medium Provided are hexagonal ferrite magnetic powder for magnetic recording, being comprised of hexagonal ferrite magnetic particles having a crystalline metal oxide adhered to a surface thereof, a method for producing hexagonal ferrite magnetic particles having a crystalline metal oxide adhered to a surface thereof, and a magnetic recording medium.
US09748025B2	Magnetoresistive current limiter A magnetoresistive current limiter, comprising a substrate, a magnetoresistive sensor layer, a first insulating layer, a coil, a second insulating layer, a magnetic shield layer, and an input electrode and output electrode. The coil is located between the magnetic shield layer and the magnetoresistive sensor layer. The first and second insulating layers are isolated from the magnetoresistive sensor layer and the coil, and from the coil and the magnetic shield layer, respectively; the magnetoresistive sensor layer and the coil are connected in series, and are connected to the input electrode and the output electrode. The magnetoresistive sensor layer comprises N rows of array-type magnetic tunnel junction lines; the coil comprises 2*N+M (N>1, M=−1 or 3) conductive lines in series or N+M (N>1, M=0 or 2) conductive lines in parallel; current flows in the same direction into the conductive lines located above or below the tunnel junction lines and produces, at the magnetic tunnel junction lines, a uniform magnetic field. The magnetic tunnel junction of the magnetically sensitive axis is perpendicular to the magnetic tunnel junction lines, and the magnetoresistive sensor layer has the feature of a monotonic or axisymmetric linear rise in resistance to the magnetic field. The magnetoresistive current limiter has the features of rapid response, continuous operation, and ability to increase or decrease current.
US09748021B2	Cable connections A plurality of telecommunications connections are installed in a distribution network by connecting a series of distribution points using a multicore cable comprising a plurality of cores having a common enclosure, some of the cores carrying fiber tubes into which optical fiber may later be introduced, and other cores carrying an electrical power supply. One or more cores may be diverted from a longer cable run to serve a local distribution point by rupturing a web connecting the core to the rest of the cable, thus allowing the remaining cores to be uninterrupted at the point of divergence. An alternative embodiment intended for underground use provides for apertures to be opened in a protective sheath to expose the individual cores required to be diverted to a local distribution point.
US09748012B2	Method for manufacturing metal grating structure, metal grating structure manufactured by the method, and X-ray imaging device using the metal grating structure According to a method for manufacturing a metal grating structure of the present invention, in filling a concave portion formed in a silicon substrate (30), for instance, a slit groove (SD) with metal by an electroforming method, an insulating layer (34) is formed in advance on an inner surface of the slit groove (SD) as an example of the concave portion by a thermal oxidation method. Accordingly, the metal grating structure manufacturing method is advantageous in finely forming metal parts of the grating structure. A metal grating structure of the present invention is manufactured by the above manufacturing method, and an X-ray imaging device of the present invention is incorporated with the metal grating structure.
US09748011B2	Packaging for transporting and/or storing radioactive materials, including improved means for attaching a shock-absorbing cover The invention relates to a packaging for transporting and/or storing radioactive materials, comprising a packaging body extending along a longitudinal direction, and further including at least one shock-absorbing cover mounted on one of both longitudinally opposite ends of the packaging body, the absorbing cover comprising attaching portions (44) on said packaging body, each attaching portion defining a clearing hole (58) through which an element (24) screwed in the packaging body passes. According to the invention, the attaching portion (44) has a deformable area (54) which, in the case of an outer bias on the absorbing cover leading to a contact strain between the screwed element (24) and the clearing hole (58), is designed to plastically deform.
US09748008B2	Nuclear power plant control system and nuclear power plant control method A nuclear power plant control system (3) is provided with detection units (30a to 30d) which detect phenomena that occurs in a nuclear power plant for each of four systems, a trip control device (20) which starts, in the case where a signal that indicates an occurrence of the phenomenon is input from at least a predetermined number of signal lines out of signal lines of two systems, processing corresponding to the phenomenon, and majority circuits (50a and 50b) which are provided for each signal line of the two systems and each output, in the case where the phenomenon is detected by N or more detection units out of the detection units (30a to 30d), a signal that indicates an occurrence of the phenomenon to a corresponding signal line.
US09748007B2	Method, system, and apparatus for the thermal storage of energy generated by multiple nuclear reactor systems A method, system, and apparatus for the thermal storage of energy generated by multiple nuclear reactor systems including diverting a first selected portion of energy from a portion of a first nuclear reactor system of a plurality of nuclear reactor systems to at least one auxiliary thermal reservoir, diverting at least one additional selected portion of energy from a portion of at least one additional nuclear reactor system of the plurality of nuclear reactor systems to the at least one auxiliary thermal reservoir, and supplying at least a portion of thermal energy from the auxiliary thermal reservoir to an energy conversion system of a nuclear reactor of the plurality of nuclear reactors.
US09748005B2	Apparatus and method to inspect nuclear reactor components in the core annulus, core spray and feedwater sparger regions in a nuclear reactor This invention generally concerns robotic systems and is specifically concerned with an improved apparatus and method for inspecting nuclear reactor components in limited access areas, such as, the core annulus, core spray and feedwater sparger regions of a nuclear reactor. This invention includes an apparatus for remotely operating and positioning at least one inspection device for inspecting at least one component in an annulus region of a reactor pressure vessel of a nuclear power plant. The apparatus includes a track, a braking system and a frame assembly which has a frame movably connected to the track, at least one mast assembly and at least one mast positioning assembly. The at least one inspection device is attached to the at least one mast assembly. In certain embodiments, the at least one mast assembly includes a mast that is capable of becoming rigidly stable in both an extended tube form and a retracted rolled form.
US09748003B2	Efficient coding for memory redundancy A system may be provided that provides redundancy for a plurality of embedded memories such as SRAMs. The system may include one or more decoders, each capable of decoding a selection address to identify a defective one of the embedded memories.
US09748001B2	Bad column management with bit information in non-volatile memory systems Column based defect management techniques are presented. Each column of the memory has an associated isolation latch or register whose value indicates whether the column is defective, but in addition to this information, for columns marked as defective, additional information is used to indicate whether the column as a whole is to be treated as defective, or whether just individual bits of the column are defective. The defective elements can then be re-mapped to a redundant element at either the appropriate bit or column level based on the data. When a column is bad, but only on the bit level, the good bits can still be used for data, although this may be done at a penalty of under programming for some bits, as is described further below. A self contained Built In Self Test (BIST) flow constructed to collect the bit information through a set of column tests is also described. Based on this information, the bad bits can be extracted and re-grouped into bytes by the controller or on the memory to more efficiently use the column redundancy area.
US09748000B2	Magnetic element, skyrmion memory, solid-state electronic device data recording apparatus, data processing apparatus, and communication apparatus Provided is a skyrmion memory circuit capable of circularly transferring a magnetic element skyrmion, comprising one or more current paths in a magnet having a closed-path pattern that are provided surrounding an end region including an end portion of the magnet in a plane of the magnet with the closed-path pattern, and applying current between an outer terminal connected to an outer circumferential portion of the closed-path pattern and an inner circumference electrode connected to an inner circumferential portion of the closed-path pattern, transferring the skyrmion in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of the applied current, and circulating the skyrmion in the magnet with the closed-path pattern.
US09747999B2	Compact eFuse array with different MOS sizes according to physical location in a word line A array of electrically programmable fuse (eFuse) units includes at least one connecting switch connecting two adjacent eFuse units. Each eFuse unit includes an eFuse, a write switch for passing through a first portion of a write current, a read/write switch for passing through a second portion of the write current or a read current, and a common node. The eFuse, the write switch, the read/write switch, and the at least one connecting switch are connected to each other at the common node. By turning on and off the at least one connecting switch, the current is split among the eFuse units, so that the size of the write switch can be reduced, thus reducing the total area of the array.
US09747998B2	Test method of semiconductor memory device and semiconductor memory system transferring fail address data from a volatile to a non-volatile memory array using an error-correction code engine A test method of the semiconductor memory device including a memory cell array and an anti-fuse array includes detecting failed cells included in the memory cell array; determining a fail address corresponding to the detected failed cells; storing the determined fail address in a first region of the memory cell array; and reading the fail address stored in the first region to program the read fail address in the anti-fuse array. According to the test method of a semiconductor memory device and the semiconductor memory system, since the test operation can be performed without an additional memory for storing an address, the semiconductor memory device and the test circuit can be embodied by a small area.
US09747995B2	Nonvolatile memory devices, operating methods thereof and memory systems including the same Nonvolatile memory devices, operating methods thereof, and memory systems including the same. A nonvolatile memory device may include a memory cell array and a word line driver. The memory cell array may include a plurality of memory cells. The word line driver may be configured to apply word line voltages to a plurality of word lines connected to the plurality of memory cells, respectively. Magnitudes of the word line voltages may be determined according to locations of the plurality of word lines.
US09747993B2	Memory systems Technologies are generally described for a memory system that may be a solid-state drive (SDD). The memory system may include memory blocks, where each memory block may have multiple memory pages, and each memory page may have multiple memory cells. The memory cells may have multiple programmed states. In various examples, a method to control the memory system may include determining one or more memory pages to be analyzed, identifying read threshold voltages of each memory cell associated with the memory pages to be analyzed, performing statistical analysis on the identified read threshold voltages, and determining a distribution of the read threshold voltages based at least in part on the statistical analysis.
US09747992B1	Non-volatile memory with customized control of injection type of disturb during read operations A non-volatile memory system includes one or more control circuits configured to read memory cells. The reading of the programmed memory cells includes applying one or more voltages to perform boosting of a channel region associated with unselected memory cells, allowing the boosting of the channel region for a portion of time while applying the one or more voltages, preventing/interrupting the boosting of the channel region while applying the one or more voltages for a duration of time based on position of a memory cell selected for verification, applying a compare signal to the memory cell selected for reading, and performing a sensing operation for the memory cell selected for reading in response to the compare signal.
US09747989B1	Memory device and control method thereof A memory device and a control method of the memory device are provided. The memory device includes a decoding circuit, Q switching circuits and Q blocks. The decoding circuit generates Q select signals. A k-th select signal of the Q select signals has a first select voltage. The other (Q−1) select signals have a second select voltage. The Q switching circuits receive an erase voltage, and generate Q common source line signals according to the Q select signals. A k-th common source line signal of the Q common source line signals generated by a k-th switching circuit of the Q switching circuits has the erase voltage. The Q blocks receive the Q common source line signals, respectively. A k-th block of the Q blocks is erased according to the k-th common source line signal.
US09747986B2	Transistor design for use in advanced nanometer flash memory devices Improved PMOS and NMOS transistor designs for sensing circuitry use in advanced nanometer flash memory devices are disclosed.
US09747981B2	Apparatuses, devices and methods for sensing a snapback event in a circuit Example subject matter disclosed herein relates to apparatuses and/or devices, and/or various methods for use therein, in which an application of an electric potential to a circuit may be initiated and subsequently changed in response to a determination that a snapback event has occurred in a circuit. For example, a circuit may comprise a memory cell that may experience a snapback event as a result of an applied electric potential. In certain example implementations, a sense circuit may be provided which is responsive to a snapback event occurring in a memory cell to generate a feed back signal to initiate a change in an electric potential applied to the memory cell.
US09747980B2	Semiconductor memory device and method for temperature compensation using temperature-resistance-voltage functions A semiconductor device includes: a physical parameter sensing circuit configured to sense a variation of a physical parameter; an applying parameter generating circuit coupled to the physical parameter sensing circuit, configured to adjust an applying parameter from the variation of the physical parameter based on a transfer function which defines relationship between the physical parameter and the applying parameter; and a main circuit, coupled to the physical parameter sensing circuit and the applying parameter generating circuit, wherein the applying parameter generated by the applying parameter generating circuit is used to compensate effect on operations of the main circuit caused by the variation of the physical parameter.
US09747977B2	Methods and systems for verifying cell programming in phase change memory Technology for verifying cell programming for a phase change memory array is disclosed. In an example, a method may include sending a reset pulse to a phase change memory cell. The method may further include sensing a threshold voltage of the phase change memory cell in response to applying first and second verify voltages across the phase change memory cell, where the second verify voltage is lower than the first verify voltage. The method may also include determining whether the threshold voltage of the phase change memory cell was below the first or second verify voltages.
US09747975B2	Multi-level phase change memory A phase change memory may be formed which is amenable to multilevel programming. The phase change material may be formed with a lateral extent which does not exceed the lateral extent of an underlying heater. As a result, the possibility of current bypassing the amorphous phase change material in the reset state is reduced, reducing the programming current that is necessary to prevent this situation. In addition, a more controllable multilevel phase change memory may be formed in some embodiments.
US09747973B2	Solid state storage device and data writing method to prevent data loss during program cycle A data writing method for a solid state storage device includes following steps. A step (a) is performed to judge whether a shutdown command is issued from a host. In a step (b), if the solid state storage device confirms that the shutdown command is not issued from the host, plural program procedures are performed. Consequently, plural write data in a buffer are stored to a triple-level cell flash memory according to a program order. In a step (c), if the solid state storage device confirms that the shutdown command is issued from the host, plural redundant data are added to the plural write data, the write data are stored into the buffer, and the plural program procedures are performed. Consequently, the plural write data in the buffer are stored to the triple-level cell flash memory according to the program order.
US09747971B2	Row hammer refresh command A memory controller issues a targeted refresh command. A specific row of a memory device can be the target of repeated accesses. When the row is accessed repeatedly within a time threshold (also referred to as “hammered” or a “row hammer event”), physically adjacent row (a “victim” row) may experience data corruption. The memory controller receives an indication of a row hammer event, identifies the row associated with the row hammer event, and sends one or more commands to the memory device to cause the memory device to perform a targeted refresh that will refresh the victim row.
US09747969B1	Charge sharing between memory cell plates using a conductive path Methods, systems, techniques, and devices for operating a ferroelectric memory cell or cells are described. A first ferroelectric memory cell may be used to charge a second ferroelectric memory cell by transferring charge from a plate of first ferroelectric memory cell to a plate of the second ferroelectric memory cell. In some examples, prior to the transfer of charge, the first ferroelectric memory cell may be selected for a first operation in which the first ferroelectric memory cell transitions from a charged state to a discharged state and the second ferroelectric memory cell may be selected for a second operation during which the second ferroelectric memory cell transitions from a discharged state to a charged state. The discharging of the first ferroelectric memory cell may be used to assist in charging the second ferroelectric memory cell.
US09747966B2	Semiconductor memory device for sensing memory cell with variable resistance According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell; a reference signal generation circuit; a sense amplifier; a first transistor configured to electrically couple the memory cell and a first input terminal of the sense amplifier; a second transistor configured to electrically couple the reference signal generation circuit and a second input terminal of the sense amplifier; a first control circuit configured to supply a voltage to gates of the first transistor and the second transistor; a second control circuit configured to supply a first voltage except 0V to a back gate of the first transistor; and a third control circuit configured to supply a second voltage except 0V to a back gate of the second transistor.
US09747962B2	Semiconductor device, electronic component, and electronic device A semiconductor device which can write and read multilevel data is provided. A node connecting a source or a drain of an OS transistor and a gate of an OS transistor can hold the distribution of a plurality of potentials. A circuit configuration is employed in which the potential of the node is changed by capacitive coupling to control a conduction state of the OS transistor whose gate is connected thereto so that the potential of a gate of a Si transistor is changed. The potential of the gate of the Si transistor is changed positively in accordance with the potential change by capacitive coupling and is changed negatively in accordance with another transistor. In accordance with a change in value of current flowing through the Si transistor is detected, written data is read.
US09747960B2	Apparatuses and methods for converting a mask to an index The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods related to converting a mask to an index. An example apparatus comprises an array of memory cells and periphery logic configured to: generate an indicator mask by resetting, in response to a first control signal, a second digit of a mask different from a first digit of the mask that is set; and convert, in response to a second control signal, a digit position in the indicator mask of the first digit that is set to an identifier value as an index.
US09747955B2	Disc drive actuator assembly with bearing cooling Various aspects of the present disclosure are directed toward a disc drive actuator assembly including an e-block, a plurality of bearings, and one or more heat transfer components. The heat transfer component(s) operates to conductively draw heat from the plurality of bearings through the e-block, and convectively dissipate the heat into an atmosphere in contact therewith. The heat transfer component(s) mitigates temperature rise of the bearings during operation of a disc drive, thereby mitigating bearing lubricant outgassing from within the bearings.
US09747953B1	Disk drive base unit with communicating groove extending outside outer circumferential portion of connector A base member of a disk drive apparatus includes a window portion, a first groove, and a communicating groove. The window portion passes through a bottom plate portion of the base member in an axial direction. The first groove is defined in an upper surface of the bottom plate portion around the window portion. A connector includes a board portion and an electrode terminal on a lower surface of the board portion. The board portion is on the upper surface of the bottom plate portion to cover the window portion, the first groove, and a portion of the communicating groove. The communicating groove extends from the first groove up to a position outside of an outer circumferential portion of the connector. An adhesive layer is between the upper surface of the bottom plate portion and the lower surface of the board portion.
US09747950B2	Use of program-schedule text and closed-captioning text to facilitate selection of a portion of a media-program recording In one aspect, an example method involves a computing device accessing first data representing a program schedule of a media program; accessing second data representing closed-captioning text of the media program; making a determination that first text of the program schedule has at least a threshold extent of similarity with second text of the closed-captioning text, where a portion of the media program was recorded proximate a time when a portion of the second data representing the second text of the closed-captioning text was generated; using the first text of the program schedule as a basis to select a portion of the program schedule; and responsive to at least the determination, storing third data indicative of a correlation between the selected portion of the program schedule and the recorded portion of the media program.
US09747942B2	Variable written track widths for attribute-based storage A storage device controller is configured to select one of multiple written track widths for a storage location based on a write attribute of data to be recorded at the storage location. According to one implementation, the storage device controller is further configured to select a power level for a heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) device based on the write attribute.
US09747941B2	Method for applying supplementary attribute information to E-book content and mobile device adapted thereto A method that applies supplementary attribute information to the e-book content is provided. The method includes retrieving the e-book content; identifying objects in the retrieved e-book content; selecting one or more of the objects; defining one or more screen alteration attribute values regarding the selected objects; collecting an application condition for applying the defined screen alteration attribute values to the selected objects; and generating the supplementary attribute information by binding the defined screen alteration attribute values to the selected objects, and an action condition.
US09747937B1	Multi-purpose resistive sensor for a heat-assisted magnetic recording device An apparatus comprises a slider having an air bearing surface (ABS) and a near-field transducer (NFT) at or near the ABS. An optical waveguide is configured to couple light from a laser source to the NFT. A resistive sensor comprises an ABS section situated at or proximate the ABS and a distal section extending away from the ABS to a location at least lateral of or behind the NFT. The resistive sensor is configured to detect changes in output optical power of the laser source and contact between the slider and a magnetic recording medium.
US09747936B1	Data storage device filtering sensor signal to optimize shock and thermal pop detection A data storage device is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk, and a sensor configured to generate a sensor signal representing at least one of a shock and a thermal popping affecting the data storage device. The sensor signal is first filtered based on a first frequency range corresponding to the shock to generate a shock signal, and second filtered based on a second frequency range corresponding to the thermal popping to generate a pop signal, wherein the second frequency range is different from the first frequency range. The shock signal and the pop signal are individually processed, for example, to log a disturbance event, to abort a write operation, or to generate a feed-forward servo compensation signal.
US09747935B1	Heat assisted magnetic recording writer having pole coupled with the NFT A heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) write apparatus has a media-facing surface (MFS) and is coupled with a laser that provides energy. The HAMR write apparatus includes a waveguide, a near-field transducer (NFT), a pole and coil(s) for energizing the pole. The waveguide is optically coupled with the laser and directs a first portion of the energy toward the MFS. The NFT is optically coupled with the waveguide. The pole writes to a region of the media and includes a pole tip. A first portion of the pole tip is at the MFS and is separated from the NFT in a down track direction. A second portion of the pole tip is recessed from the MFS and between the first portion and the NFT.
US09747932B1	Magnetic recording head and disk device comprising the same According to one embodiment, a magnetic recording head includes an air bearing surface, a magnetic core including a main magnetic pole and a write shield arranged to face the main magnetic pole with a write gap, a coil, and a high-frequency oscillator provided between the main magnetic pole and the write shield in the write gap. The magnetic core includes an opposite surface facing a film surface of the high-frequency oscillator, a magnetic layer, and a nonmagnetic layer in which magnetic microparticles are dispersed. The nonmagnetic layer is provided outside the magnetic layer in at least a part of the opposite surface of the magnetic core.
US09747928B1	Data storage device modifying write operation when a laser mode hop is detected A data storage device is disclosed comprising a first head actuated over a first disk surface, wherein the first head comprises a laser configured to heat the first disk surface while writing data to the first disk surface. A write power is applied to the laser when executing a first write operation, and the first write operation is paused when a transient increase in the output power of the laser is detected. In another embodiment, a write-verify of the written data is executed when a transient decrease in the output power of the laser is detected.
US09747926B2	Hotword recognition Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for receiving audio data corresponding to an utterance, determining that the audio data corresponds to a hotword, generating a hotword audio fingerprint of the audio data that is determined to correspond to the hotword, comparing the hotword audio fingerprint to one or more stored audio fingerprints of audio data that was previously determined to correspond to the hotword, detecting whether the hotword audio fingerprint matches a stored audio fingerprint of audio data that was previously determined to correspond to the hotword based on whether the comparison indicates a similarity between the hotword audio fingerprint and one of the one or more stored audio fingerprints that satisfies a predetermined threshold, and in response to detecting that the hotword audio fingerprint matches a stored audio fingerprint, disabling access to a computing device into which the utterance was spoken.
US09747924B2	Sound verification In some examples, sound verification may include a speaker device that may be configured to transmit sound at a dynamic volume level and a listening device that may be configured to receive the sound and provide feedback to the speaker device based on the received sound. The primary transceiver device may be further configured to adjust the dynamic volume level based on the feedback provided by the secondary transceiver device.
US09747923B2	Voice audio rendering augmentation An audio rendering device enhances voice audio such that audible voice is not overwhelmed by other aspects of the soundtrack. The device attenuates right and left channels in an audio stream in response to a detected voice component in the audio stream, and boosts the voice component in the audio stream based on the level of attenuation of the right and left channels. Voice components are distinguished from the non-voice components by separating center channel and mono information from the left, right and surround channels. Non-voice components are attenuated down towards a non-voice threshold level based on an attenuation ratio. Voice components are boosted up toward a voice threshold level, so that the spoken voice is more audible to viewers and not overwhelmed or drowned out by the non-voice aspects of the soundtrack.
US09747919B2	Sound processing apparatus and recording medium storing a sound processing program A sound processing apparatus includes a first calculator that calculates first power based on a first signal received by a first microphone that is among the first microphone and a second microphone; a second calculator that calculates second power based on a second signal received by the second microphone; a gain calculator that calculates a gain on the basis of the ratio of the first power to the second power; and a multiplier that processes the second signal using the gain calculated by the gain calculator.
US09747915B2	Adaptive codebook gain control for speech coding In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a selector supports the selection of a first encoding scheme or the second encoding scheme based upon the detection or absence of the triggering characteristic in the interval of the input speech signal. The first encoding scheme has a pitch pre-processing procedure for processing the input speech signal to form a revised speech signal biased toward an ideal voiced and stationary characteristic. The pre-processing procedure allows the encoder to fully capture the benefits of a bandwidth-efficient, long-term predictive procedure for a greater amount of speech components of an input speech signal than would otherwise be possible. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the second encoding scheme entails a long-term prediction mode for encoding the pitch on a sub-frame by sub-frame basis. The long-term prediction mode is tailored to where the generally periodic component of the speech is generally not stationary or less than completely periodic and requires greater frequency of updates from the adaptive codebook to achieve a desired perceptual quality of the reproduced speech under a long-term predictive procedure.
US09747913B2	Apparatus and method determining weighting function for linear prediction coding coefficients quantization An apparatus determining a weighting function for line prediction coding coefficients quantization converts a linear prediction coding (LPC) coefficient of an input signal into one of a line spectral frequency (LSF) coefficient and an immitance spectral frequency (ISF) coefficient and determines a weighting function associated with one of an importance of the ISF coefficient and importance of the LSF coefficient using one of the converted ISF coefficient and the converted LSF coefficient.
US09747912B2	Reuse of syntax element indicating quantization mode used in compressing vectors In general, techniques are described for indicating reuse of a syntax element that indicates a quantization mode used when compressing a vector. A device comprising a processor and a memory may perform the techniques. The processor may be configured to obtain a bitstream comprising a vector in a spherical harmonics domain. The bitstream may further comprise an indicator for whether to reuse, from a previous frame, at least one syntax element indicative of a quantization mode used when compressing the vector. The memory may be configured to store the bitstream.
US09747907B2	Digital watermark detecting device, method, and program According to an embodiment, a digital watermark detecting device includes a residual signal extractor, a voiced period estimator, a storage, a phase estimator, and a watermark determiner. The residual signal extractor is configured to extract a residual signal from a speech signal. The voiced period estimator is configured to estimate a voiced period based on the speech signal. The storage is configured to store pulse signals modulated in advance so as to have different phases. The phase estimator is configured to clip the voiced period in units of an analysis frame having a predetermined length, and perform pattern matching between the residual signal in the analysis frame and the pulse signals to estimate phase of the speech signal. The watermark determiner is configured to, based on a sequence of phases estimated by the phase estimator, determine whether a digital watermark is embedded in the speech signal or not.
US09747906B2	Determining media device activation based on frequency response analysis Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture (e.g., physical storage media) to determine media device activation based on frequency response analysis are disclosed. Example methods disclosed herein include determining a reference frequency response based on first frequency values of an audio signal used to perform watermark detection for a first time interval during which a media device has been determined to be active. Such example methods also include determining a second frequency response based on second frequency values of the audio signal used to perform watermark detection for a second time interval different from the first time interval. Such example methods further include comparing the second frequency response with the reference frequency response to determine whether the media device was active during the second time interval.
US09747900B2	Method and apparatus for using image data to aid voice recognition A device performs a method for using image data to aid voice recognition. The method includes the device capturing image data of a vicinity of the device and adjusting, based on the image data, a set of parameters for voice recognition performed by the device. The set of parameters for the device performing voice recognition include, but are not limited to: a trigger threshold of a trigger for voice recognition; a set of beamforming parameters; a database for voice recognition; and/or an algorithm for voice recognition, wherein the algorithm can include using noise suppression or using acoustic beamforming.
US09747893B2	Unsupervised training method, training apparatus, and training program for an N-gram language model based upon recognition reliability A computer-based, unsupervised training method for an N-gram language model includes reading, by a computer, recognition results obtained as a result of speech recognition of speech data; acquiring, by the computer, a reliability for each of the read recognition results; referring, by the computer, to the recognition result and the acquired reliability to select an N-gram entry; and training, by the computer, the N-gram language model about selected one of more of the N-gram entries using all recognition results.
US09747890B2	System and method of automated evaluation of transcription quality Systems and methods automatedly evaluate a transcription quality. Audio data is obtained. The audio data is segmented into a plurality of utterances with a voice activity detector operating on a computer processor. The plurality of utterances are transcribed into at least one word lattice with a large vocabulary continuous speech recognition system operating on the processor. A minimum Bayes risk decoder is applied to the at least one word lattice to create at least one confusion network. At least conformity ratio is calculated from the at least one confusion network.
US09747889B2	Reverberant sound adding apparatus, reverberant sound adding method, and reverberant sound adding program A reverberant sound adding apparatus includes a noise generator configured to generate a noise, an impulse noise generator configured to generate an impulse noise comprising an impulse sequence with random time intervals, an addition noise generator configured to generate an addition noise by adding the noise to the impulse noise, an impulse response generator configured to generate a modified impulse response by multiplying the addition noise by an amplitude characteristic of an impulse response that indicates acoustic characteristics of a space, and an impulse response convolver configured to convolve an input audio signal with the modified impulse response.
US09747886B2	Method for cancelling noise of audio signal and electronic device thereof An apparatus and method for cancelling a noise of an audio signal in an electronic device are provided. The electronic device includes a communication module configured to provide a voice call service with a counterpart electronic device, a memory configured to store one or more noise cancellation variables, and a processor configured to, when a call with the counterpart electronic device is configured through the communication module, select a noise cancellation variable corresponding to a reception signal strength from the memory and cancel an audio signal noise based on a noise cancellation variable corresponding to the reception signal.
US09747883B2	Acoustic insulator mat with liquid applied sprayable coating and method for making the same The disclosed acoustic insulator mat includes a first absorber layer made of a non-woven fibrous material. The non-woven fibrous material comprises a mesh of intertwined fibers that defines a plurality of cavities. The first absorber layer has a first side and a second side. Peripheral cavities are arranged along the second side of the first absorber layer between peripheral fibers. A coating is disposed on the second side of the first absorber layer. The coating is adhered to the peripheral fibers and thus includes a plurality of discontinuities at the peripheral cavities such that the coating provides a partial barrier to noise at the second side of the first absorber layer. The acoustic insulator mat may optionally include a second absorber layer that is retained on the first absorber layer by the coating. A method of manufacturing the acoustic insulator mat is also disclosed.
US09747881B2	Beat detection and enhancement A system encourages experimentation with audio frequency and speaker technologies while causing an inanimate figure to appear to dance. The system applies a bandpass filter to an incoming audio stream (e.g., in a low frequency bass band). The system monitors the magnitude of the audio content in a frequency band of interest. When an amplitude peak or other threshold magnitude is detected, a controller injects a short pulse (e.g., 3 cycles) of a sub-audible low frequency sine wave to a platform. Preferably, the sub-audible low frequency sine wave is at a resonance frequency of the platform to maximize its movement. The figure is positioned on the platform and appears to dance to the beat of the music.
US09747874B2	Electronic guitar pick and method An electronic guitar pick, system, system and method may include an enclosure forming a cavity, the enclosure having a first end that is substantially pointed and a second end opposite the first end that is substantially flat, the enclosure having a thickness proximate the cavity greater than a thickness proximate the first end. The electronic guitar pick, system, and method may further include a sensor contained, at least in part, within the cavity and configured to generate a sensor output based on an interaction with the enclosure and a sensory output device, communicatively coupled to the sensor, configured to output a sensory output based, at least in part, on the sensor output.
US09747863B2	Method for combined transformation of the scale and aspect ratio of a picture A source image is transformed into a destination image having a target aspect ratio. A reference region in the source image is defined. An extended region of interest of the source image having the target aspect ratio and containing the reference region is defined. A set of candidate image regions of increasing resolutions from the extended region of interest is determined, each having the target aspect ratio and containing the reference region. Candidate image regions are scaled to form a candidate target images. A quality metric is used to select a target image providing the best quality metric value.
US09747862B2	Method of immersive rendering for wide field of view A method, apparatus, and system is presented by which images of virtual objects displayed in augmented reality systems, virtual reality systems, or immersive display systems for realistic rendering of wide field of view, may be corrected to provide for reduction of registration errors regarding real objects or locations.
US09747860B2	Method of driving display panel and display apparatus for performing the same A method of driving a display panel includes generating a high data voltage having a high gamma corresponding to a grayscale of input image data, generating a low data voltage having a low gamma less than the high gamma corresponding to the grayscale of the input image data and outputting the high data voltage and the low data voltage to pixels of a display panel. Of the high data voltage and the low data voltage, only the low data voltage is outputted to the pixels of the display panel during at least one frame.
US09747852B2	Method for driving liquid crystal display device The liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate provided with a terminal portion, a switching transistor, a driver circuit portion, and a pixel circuit portion including a pixel transistor and a plurality of pixels, a second substrate provided with a common electrode electrically connected to the terminal portion through the switching transistor, and liquid crystal between a pixel electrode and the common electrode. In a period during which a still image is switched to a moving image, the following steps are sequentially performed: a first step of supplying the common potential to the common electrode; a second step of supplying a power supply voltage to the driver circuit portion; a third step of supplying a clock signal to the driver circuit portion; and a fourth step of supplying a start pulse signal to the driver circuit portion.
US09747851B2	Compensation method of Mura phenomenon The present invention provides a compensation method of Mura phenomenon. By dividing the LCD display panel into a plurality of display partitions, and selecting a pre-selected pixel dot of a determined position in each display partition and obtaining gray scale compensation data thereof at the respectively selected gray scales, and then, calculating the respective interpolation coefficients of the requested pixel dots in the corresponding display partitions, the compensation data of partial pixel dots in the respective gray scales and the respective interpolation coefficients of the requested pixel dots can be utilized to calculate the gray scale compensation data of all pixel dots in all gray scales. The calculation difficulty is reduced to lower the computation. The consumption of the hardware storage space is decreased and the Mura compensation result can be ensured. The time and effort can be saved and it can be simple and quick.
US09747841B2	Electro-optical device and driving method thereof An electro-optical device selects a detection target pixel independently and obtains correction data to perform a correction operation. Under a control of the electro-optical device, remaining pixels other than the detection target pixel emit light to display an image.
US09747833B2	Electro-optical device having pixel circuit and driving circuit, driving method of electro-optical device and electronic apparatus An electro-optical device includes a first storage capacitor that has a first electrode and a second electrode, and a second storage capacitor that has a third electrode and a fourth electrode, and a first pixel circuit. The first pixel circuit includes a first transistor having a first gate, a first drain, and a first source, an electro-optical element, a second transistor through which a first data line is electrically connected to the first gate during the second transistor is in an on-state, and a third transistor through which the first gate is electrically connected to the first drain or the first source. The second electrode and the third electrode are electrically connected to the first data line.
US09747832B2	Organic light emitting display device and driving method thereof An organic light emitting display includes: a data driver configured to supply a data signal to data lines, corresponding to a data enable signal during a driving period in which an image is displayed; and a timing controller configured to supply data and the data enable signal to the data driver, wherein a first data enable signal having a first period and a second data enable signal having a second period differing from the first period are included in the data enable signal supplied during one frame period.
US09747830B2	Data transmission system including encoder and a clock recovery system for display device, data transmission method for display device and display device A display device includes an encoder having at least one translation table, and encoding m (m is a natural number) bits of a data to n (n is a natural number and n>m) bits of a data on a basis of the at least one translation table; a clock recovery circuit configured to recover a clock from the data encoded by the encoder; a decoder configured to decode the n bits of the encoded data to the m bits of the data in accordance with the clock recovered by the clock recovery circuit; an output driver configured to output a voltage in accordance with the data decoded by the decoder; and a display element having a pixel applied with the voltage.
US09747822B2	Rollable display device A rollable display device includes a flexible display panel displaying an image, a housing accommodating the flexible display panel in a rolled state, the housing having a bent opening portion through which the flexible display panel is pulled out, and a grip attached to the flexible display panel, the grip pulling the flexible display panel out of the housing by an external force.
US09747819B2	Display device A display device includes first light emitting devices arranged in a line in a protective member, second light emitting devices parallel to and alternately arranged with the first light emitting devices, and optical member supporters in the protective member between the first and second light emitting devices. Each optical member supporter is positioned at a center of a parallelogram defined by two adjacent first light emitting devices and two adjacent second light emitting devices, and each transparent optical member supporter includes a first surface that faces one of the first light emitting devices and a second surface opposite the first surface that faces one of the second light emitting devices. Each optical member supporter includes a plate portion having the first and second surfaces, and a hook portion that extends through the protective member. A width of the plate portion decreases with increasing distance from the hook portion.
US09747816B2	Pregnancy education dolls A set of pregnancy education dolls (1) with an adult female doll (4) resembling a fully developed adult female and a child female doll (5) resembling a young teen or preteen female. Each doll has a womb (3) that is accessible through openings (10) in the bellies (11) of each doll. At least one baby doll (2) is preferably attached the set of pregnancy education dolls via a cord (12) that resembles an umbilical cord. The at least one baby doll may be placed inside the womb of the adult female doll and then pushed through a pelvic outlet (13A), thereby simulating childbirth. The at least one baby doll may also be placed inside the womb of the child female doll, however, the child female doll 5 has pelvic outlet (13B) that is smaller than the adult female doll's pelvic outlet, thereby demonstrating the danger of pregnancy in young females and the cause of obstetric fistulas.
US09747813B2	Braille mirroring Techniques for performing Braille mirroring are disclosed. In one aspect, content is converted into Braille content, and then formatted for each of a plurality of Braille displays. The formatted content is then sent to each of the Braille displays. In another aspect, data identifying a primary Braille display in a plurality of Braille displays is stored. Input requesting that a data processing apparatus perform an action is received from one of the Braille displays, and it is determined whether to perform the action, based in part on whether the requesting Braille display is the primary Braille display.
US09747811B2	Flame simulator with weighted base A mounting and stabilization system including a base portion and a mounting portion pivotally coupled to the base portion. The base portion and the mounting portion have a closed configuration where the base portion and the mounting portion are generally parallel with each other and an open configuration where the base portion and the mounting portion are generally perpendicular with each other. The system further includes a collapsible container positioned between the base portion and the mounting portion, where the collapsible container is adapted to expand and receive ballast therein when the base portion and the mounting portion are in the open configuration. The collapsible container is adapted to collapse between the base portion and the mounting portion when the base portion and the mounting portion are in the closed configuration.
US09747809B2	Automated hazard handling routine activation Disclosed herein are example embodiments for automated hazard handling routine activation. For certain example embodiments, at least one machine, such as an unoccupied flying vehicle (UFV), may: (i) detect at least one motivation to activate at least one automated hazard handling routine of the UFV; or (ii) activate at least one automated hazard handling routine of the UFV based at least partially on at least one motivation. However, claimed subject matter is not limited to any particular described embodiments, implementations, examples, or so forth.
US09747805B2	Computing a similarity measure over moving object trajectories Methods and arrangements for measuring similarity with respect to moving object trajectories. First and second moving object trajectories are input, each trajectory being defined by at least two spatial dimensions and a temporal dimension. At least one segment is defined with respect to each trajectory, each segment being defined between two defining points. At least one segment from the first trajectory is matched with at least one segment from the second trajectory. A spatial distance and temporal distance are each computed between the at least one segment from the first trajectory and the at least one segment from the second trajectory. The spatial distance and temporal distance are combined to provide a measure of a spatio-temporal distance between the at least one segment from the first trajectory and the at least one segment from the second trajectory. Other variants and embodiments are broadly contemplated herein.
US09747801B2	Method and device for determining surroundings A method for classifying surroundings of a motor vehicle includes: providing a hypothesis regarding the class to which the surroundings belong; sampling pieces of information from the surroundings of the motor vehicle; determining a criterion which supports or weakens the hypothesis based on the sampled pieces of information; and determining a probability of the hypothesis being correct, using the criterion with the aid of Bayesian filtering.
US09747797B1	Method and system for predicting availability of parking spot in parking area The disclosed embodiments illustrate methods and systems for predicting an availability of a parking spot in a parking area. The method includes generating a first signature for each of one or more first users. The first signature is generated based on at least a first set of data received from at least one or more first sensors in a first user-computing device associated with each of the one or more first users. The method further includes generating a second signature for each of the one or more first vehicles, based on at least a second set of data received from one or more second sensors in a first vehicle-computing device associated with each of the one or more first vehicles. Further, the method includes determining a likelihood of the availability of the one or more parking spots based on at least the first signature and the second signature.
US09747795B1	System to alert users of potential ambushers The present invention provides an alert system for providing protection to the users inside the vehicle from potential intruders and ambushers. The alert system includes a proximity detection unit using microwaves to detect any potential ambusher in the vicinity of the vehicle, an alarm unit raises an alarm to alert the users of the vehicle of the potential ambusher(s), a warning unit to warn the potential ambusher to back away and a remote communication unit to broadcast a signal to a remote location to inform the personnel therein about the potential attack. The alert system also includes means to mitigate false alarms. Further, the alert system is capable to be retro-fitted into existing vehicles.
US09747794B1	Method and apparatus for implementing a vehicle inspection waiver program Position data received wirelessly from a vehicle enrolled in an inspection waiver program are employed to determine when the enrolled vehicle is approaching an inspection station. After determining that the enrolled vehicle is approaching an inspection station, and if the enrolled vehicle has a valid inspection waiver, a bypass confirmation can selectively be provided to the vehicle operator, authorizing the operator to bypass the inspection station. The task of determining when an enrolled vehicle is approaching the location of an inspection station can be performed using a processor disposed in the vehicle, or at a remote location separate from both the vehicle and the inspection station, or at the inspection station. The inspection stations can be mobile so that their locations are varied to prevent operators from intentionally avoiding an inspection, as may occur with fixed inspection stations.
US09747793B1	Transportation vehicle traffic management Disclosed aspects relate to transportation vehicle traffic management. A traffic controller detects a first traffic state parameter value for a first lane. In response to detecting the first traffic state parameter value, the traffic controller establishes a first broadcast of a first movement value (e.g., speed, acceleration, direction). The first movement value may indicate a first movement pattern for a first set of vehicles in the first lane. In response to establishing the first broadcast of the first movement value, the traffic controller detects a second traffic state parameter value for the first lane. In response to detecting the second traffic state parameter value the traffic controller modifies the first broadcast of the first movement value. The modified first movement value may indicate a second movement pattern for the first set of vehicles in the first lane.
US09747790B1	Method, device, and computer-readable medium for correcting at least one error in readings of electricity meters A device, method, and computer-readable medium for correcting at least one error in readings of electricity meters, the method including receiving first readings of regular meters measuring electric energy delivered in each of a group of cables fed from a same distribution node in an electric grid during a period of time, receiving second readings of check meters measuring electric energy delivered in each of combinations of cables in the group of cables during the period of time, the combinations of cables being formed based on a redundant matrix in a generator matrix of a linear systematic block code, and correcting, in response to determining that at least one error been detected, the at least one error in the first readings of the regular meters and the second readings of the check meters.
US09747789B2	Magnetic resonance imaging with switched-mode current-source amplifier having gallium nitride field effect transistors for parallel transmission in MRI Example systems, apparatus, circuits, and other embodiments described herein concern parallel transmission in MRI. One example apparatus includes at least two enhanced mode gallium nitride (eGaN) based field effect transistors (FETs) that are connected by a coil that includes an LC (inductance-capacitance) leg. The apparatus includes a controller that inputs a signal to the eGaN FETs to control the production of an output analog radio frequency (RF) signal. The LC leg selectively alters the output analog RF signal. The analog RF signal is used in parallel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) transmission. One embodiment provides an MRI transmit coil with switched-mode current-source amplification provided by a gallium nitride FET.
US09747786B2	Virtual cluster meter (VCM) A distributed metering platform virtualizes functions of a conventional metrology sensor and separates the virtualized functions from a metrology sensor. One or more virtual meters or applications may be instantiated at a network communication device that is remote from the metrology sensor and processes metrology data received from the metrology sensor. Each virtual meter may include multiple partitioned application spaces that are isolated from one another. In one example, a first application space includes a locked version of code and a second application space includes an unlocked version of code. Furthermore, each virtual meter may be isolated from other virtual meters such that each virtual meter is unable to affect operations and/or data associated with other virtual meters.
US09747784B2	Emergency system and method A system and a method for receiving local emergency information on a mobile device in a system having a telecommunication network and at least one local communication network having one or more wireless access points. The mobile device receives a general emergency signal over a broadcast channel of the telecommunication network. In response to the general emergency signal, the mobile device connects to one of the wireless access points and transmits a request for transmitting the local emergency information to the mobile device. The mobile device then receives the local emergency information from one of the wireless access points.
US09747783B2	Methods and apparatus for providing notifications in a media system A system to convey user alert messages is disclosed. The system may have a alert service coupled between alert providers and a number of households. After receiving in the alert service an alert message from an alert provider, the alert service may alter the alert message to identify the household designated to receive the alert message. The alert service sends a notification to a home media system within the household designated to receive the alert message.
US09747781B2	Shoe-based wearable interaction system A system and method of initiating a command in a computing system having a processor. A pair of wearable items are detected as being in close proximity and a command interface connected to the processor is activated on detecting that the pair of wearable items are in close proximity. A command is received via the command interface and the command is transferred to the processor.
US09747778B2	Context-aware compliance monitoring In one embodiment, a monitoring method is described. The method includes detecting a set of contextual information by a monitoring device, and retrieving from the monitoring device a particular compliance query that adapts to the detected contextual information from one or more compliance queries.
US09747776B2	Electrical sensor with configurable settings and a display An electrical sensor is described. The electrical sensor including an electrical signal input configured to receive an electrical signal, an alarm, one or more inputs configured to set a configuration value and at least one display configured to display said configuration value. The monitor is coupled with the electrical signal input, the alarm, the display, and the one or more inputs. Further, the monitor is configured to determine a characteristic of the electrical signal received on the electrical signal input. The monitor is configured to activate the alarm based on the configuration value set by the one or more inputs and the characteristic of the electrical signal. And, the monitor configured to generate at least one display signal based on the configuration value to be used by the at least one display to display the configuration value.
US09747772B2	Modular assistance system Modular assistance system (1) for a person (4), with at least one mobile unit (2) that has a recognition module (6) for recognizing a functional requirement of the person (4) and provides the function of the person (4) depending on the detected function requirement of the person (4) by means of at least one replaceable function module (7).
US09747769B2	Entry point opening sensor A sensor package is disclosed that includes, a compass, an accelerometer, and an electromagnetic flux tag based open/close sensor. The compass may be activated by a microcontroller in response to an indication of movement detected by an accelerometer. The compass's data may be utilized to determine an orientation for the object such as a door on which the sensor package is situated. The orientation data may indicate that the door is ajar and/or that a second magnetic field is present, suggesting tampering. A notice may be dispatched to a controller for the home security system, a client device, a remote system, etc.
US09747768B1	System and method for proving physical presence Methods and systems receive location identification tokens from transmitters using a portable computerized device. A first location identification token is received from a first location transmitting device, while the portable computerized device is within a predetermined distance from a designated location. A second location identification token is received from a second location transmitting device. A current location signature is calculated using the first and second location identification tokens. A previously stored location signature associated with the first and second location identification tokens is obtained from a computer readable storage medium. The current location signature is compared with the previously stored location signature to determine a similarity measure. The location identification tokens and the current location signature are stored in a memory and transmitted to a server. The presence of the portable computerized device at the designated location is verified based on the location identification tokens and the current location signature.
US09747767B2	Acoustic magnetic tag An acoustic magnetic tag includes a housing, a resonant sheet, and a biasing magnetic sheet received in the main body. The housing includes a main body having an opening, a first connecting portion connected to one side of the main body, a second connecting portion connected to an other side of the main body opposite to the one side, a partition connected to the first connecting portion, and a cover connected to the second connecting portion. The partition is rotated relative to the main body to be received in the main body by folding the first connecting portion, and the cover is rotated relative to the main body to cover the opening by folding the second connecting portion. The partition is positioned between the resonant sheet and the biasing magnetic sheet.
US09747766B2	Merchandise sensor and method for protecting an item of merchandise A merchandise sensor for protecting an item of merchandise displayed on a merchandise display security device from theft includes sensor electronics and a sensor element operably coupled to the sensor electronics. The sensor element provides an output value in an initial stable state before an interaction state and in a subsequent stable state following the interaction state. The sensor electronics compares the output value of the sensor element in the subsequent stable state and the output value of the sensor element in the initial stable state to determine whether a change in the output value indicates an alarm condition. In the event that the output value of the sensor element in the subsequent stable state is not within a predetermined tolerance bandwidth of the output value of the sensor element in the initial stable state, the sensor electronics activates an alarm in response to the alarm condition.
US09747761B2	Flag device for hunter flagpole A flagpole has a main support with an indicator coupled thereto. The indicator may include a pair of flags with an array of holes formed therein. The flagpole includes first securement means disposed on the main support and configured for anchoring the flagpole to a ground surface. The flagpole also includes a second securement means coupled to the main support and configured for anchoring the flagpole to a tree.
US09747760B2	Safety equipment criteria verification Verifying a set of safety equipment criteria may include receiving a first unit of data at a first computing device. The first unit of data may be received via a wireless signal between the first computing device and a set of sensing devices. A set of safety equipment that includes the set of sensing devices may be identified as the first unit of data. The set of sensing devices may be configured to transmit the first unit of data. The wireless signal between the first computing device and the set of sensing devices may be monitored and the signal strength for the wireless signal may be determined to be below a threshold value. A second computing device may be notified in response to the determining that the signal strength for the wireless signal is below the threshold value.
US09747755B2	Method of gaming, a gaming system and a game controller A gaming system comprises at least one display for displaying a main window and a plurality of activatable additional windows and a game controller. The game controller is arranged to activate one or more of the activatable additional windows in response to one or more activation conditions being met and conduct at least one game round. In each game round game outcomes are independently generated by the game controller for each of the main window and each active additional window, wherein for each window generation of a game outcome comprises selection of a plurality of symbols from a symbol set associated with the respective window for display at respective ones of a plurality of symbol display positions within the respective window, and upon a contributing symbol occurring in at least one active additional window, the game controller applies the contributing symbol to the game outcome displayed in the main window to form a modified game outcome and evaluates the modified game outcome to determine whether to make an award.
US09747752B2	Method of and device for generating true random numbers and a gaming system A device for generating true random numbers by way of a quantum optic process, the device having a light source for generating at least one single-photon within a light beam; and at least two detectors each for detecting single-photons within the beam thereby providing detector signals; and control means provided and adapted to control generation of a series of single photons and to register the detector signals for generating the true random number values; wherein the detectors for detecting single-photons each including at least one quantum dot; and wherein the detectors are positioned at substantially equivalent spatial position of detection probability of single-photons in the beam.
US09747751B2	Method and system for gaming A gaming machine comprises a display and a game control to control images of symbols to be displayed on the display. Symbols are stored for positioning in an array. The symbols are divided into game-specific standard symbols and bonus symbols and are organized to define a bonusing scheme for filling fixed positions of the array. The game control randomly selects portions of the array for displaying images of the symbols in a matrix format on the display during a play of the game, and associates symbols within paylines of the matrix to provide play outcomes in accordance with the bonusing scheme and a paytable prescribed for the particular game. Different play options have a prescribed set of symbols associated with them. Each set is designed with a predetermined bonusing scheme, where the bonusing schemes are different between at least some of the play options and their associated set of symbols.
US09747749B1	Multi-wager casino games with token detection A system having a plurality of interconnected controls is provided for playing multiple-wager casino card games using gaming tables found at one or more casinos. Both physical and electronic cards can be utilized, depending on game play outcomes. Information related to game play can be sent by one or more table controls to a central control through one or more casino controls for use in generating additional information. A token detection apparatus, which includes a particular one of the table controls, provides un-modulated light for use in detecting whether or not a token is present as part of game play. The token is used in making a progressive/fixed amount wager.
US09747747B2	Alternative application resource interleaved wagering system Systems for an alternative application resource interleaved wagering system are disclosed, the system including a wager controller constructed to: receive application telemetry; determine a wager request; determine a wager outcome based on the wager request; communicate wager outcome data; an application server controller constructed to: receive wager outcome instructions; determine application resources to award the application client controller; and communicate application resource data to the application client controller; and the application client controller operatively connecting the application server controller and the wager controller, the application client controller constructed to: communicate the application telemetry; receive the wager outcome data; scan the wager outcome data to determine the wager outcome; instruct the application server controller by communicating the wager outcome instructions; receive the application resource data; scan the application resource data to determine the application resources awarded based on the wager outcome; and display the wager outcome and the application resources awarded.
US09747745B2	User interface manager for a skill wagering interleaved game An electromechanical gaming machine constructed to receive real credits from a user, and having an entertainment game controller connected to a game world controller, and a real world controller which together communicate game world information; receive a request to aggregate information; aggregate game world information, encode and associate it with a transaction identifier; receive a gambling outcome; display gambling outcome; receive a wager request; determine gambling outcome; communicate gambling outcome; determine whether or not to generate an aggregation request; generate an aggregation request; communicate plurality of transaction identifiers; receive game world information and transaction identifier; determine whether the transaction identifier is valid; disaggregate game world information, communicate wager request; receive gambling outcome; and communicate gambling outcome.
US09747743B2	Patient-specific medication dispensing and notification system A medication dispensing system is described. In some embodiments, the system includes a medication station and a controller responsive to patient admittance status information. The medication station includes at least one securable compartment configured to hold medication. The controller is configured to assign a patient to the at least one securable compartment such that medications for the patient are able to be placed into the at least one securable compartment. The controller is also configured to selectively permit access to the medications for the patient in the at least one securable compartment when the patient admittance status information indicates the patient is currently admitted, and restrict access to retrieval of the medications for the patient in the at least one securable compartment when the patient admittance status information indicates the patient is not currently admitted.
US09747736B2	Multiple-band identification and ranging A long-range power-efficient multiple-band identification system and method includes, for example, a base-station control module and paired electronic key fob. The base-station control module and paired electronic key fob is arranged to provide a UHF (ultra-high frequency) wake transmitter for transmitting a wakeup signal in a UHF frequency range to the paired electronic key. When in range, the electronic key is awakened by the wakeup signal and in response transmits an acknowledgment reply to the base-station control module. After receiving the acknowledgment, the base-station control module transmits a relatively high power localization signal for determining an electronic key location.
US09747730B2	Driver measurement and incentive system for improving fuel-efficiency A vehicle driver is provided with a display interface a smartphone, tablet, PC, or any telematics or in-vehicle device installed in the vehicle. The display interface presents a real-time target for the driver to follow to maximize fuel economy and safety, achieved by modulating the accelerator pedal appropriately.
US09747728B2	Vehicle apparatus A vehicle device for a road tolling or road communication system for installation in a vehicle, comprising electronic components, which are supplied with energy by a thermoelectric generator, which produces electrical energy from a temperature difference present on two sides of the generator, wherein in the installed position of the vehicle device, one of said sides faces a window pane of the vehicle and the other of said sides faces the interior of the vehicle.
US09747727B2	Object customization and accessorization in video content A real-time video exploration (RVE) system that allows users to pause, step into, move through, and explore 2D or 3D modeled worlds of scenes in a video. The RVE system may allow users to select and manipulate objects within a scene, and to modify an object by adding or removing accessories from the object or otherwise customizing the object according to the user's preferences or desires. The RVE system may also provide an interface or interfaces via which the user can obtain additional information for the object, customize the object, be given a price or price(s) for the object as customized, and purchase the object as specified if desired.
US09747725B2	Video system for piloting a drone in immersive mode This system comprises a drone and a remote station with virtual reality glasses rendering images transmitted from the drone, and provided with means for detecting changes of orientation of the user's head. The drone generates a “viewpoint” image (P′1) and a “bird's eye” image (P′2) whose field is wider and whose definition is lower. When the sight axis of the “viewpoint” image is modified in response to changes of position of the user's head, the station generates locally during the movement of the user's head a combination of the current “viewpoint” and “bird's eye” images, with outlines (CO′) adjusted as a function of the changes of position detected by the detection means.
US09747724B2	System and method for controlling a display A system includes circuitry configured to acquire image data captured by an electronic device, acquire content and display position information corresponding to the content based on an object detected in the image data, the display position information indicating a display position of the content in relation to the object, determine whether the content is capable of being displayed in a superimposed manner on the image data at the display position indicated by the display position information, and indicate an alert to be output by the electronic device when it is determined that the content is unable to be displayed at the position indicated by the display position information.
US09747723B2	Augmented reality for video system In one embodiment, a method includes: displaying an event on a first display device associated with a client device, the event comprising at least one video scene; enabling an electronic device to communicate with the client device; receiving a user input requesting augmented reality content associated with the at least one video scene; identifying a relevant portion of the augmented reality content to render on a second display associated with the electronic device, wherein the relevant portion comprises video frames corresponding to the at least one video scene and additional content surrounding the video frames; and rendering the relevant portion on the second display device.
US09747719B2	Method for producing photorealistic 3D models of glasses lens A method of generating a digital model of a lens of a pair of glasses from images of the pair of glasses with an uniform background. The images being taken with a camera of an acquisition device. A silhouette of the lens is generated by clipping the lens in the taken images. A processor is configured to project the silhouette on a 3D surface of the digital model, adjust a surface of degree 2 to the projected silhouette, cut the adjusted surface according to the projected silhouette, extrude the adjusted surface from the 3D surface to obtain the desired thickness of the lens, and apply a realistic texture on the digital model of the lens. The texture depends of the angle of view of the lens.
US09747716B1	Facial animation models A system includes a computing device that includes a memory configured to store instructions. The system also includes a processor configured to execute the instructions to perform a method that includes receiving multiple representations of an object. Each of the representations includes position information of the object and corresponds to an instance in time. For at least one of the representations, the method includes defining a contour that represents a movable silhouette of a surface feature of the object. The method also includes producing a deformable model of the surface of the object from the defined contour and from the at least one representation of the object.
US09747715B2	Image processing apparatus for generating combined image data by determining reference region An image processing apparatus performs: determining a reference region that is a part region of a first image; calculating, for at least one of candidate regions, a degree of similarity between the reference region and each of the at least one candidate regions; identifying a corresponding region from among the plurality of candidate regions based on at least one degree of similarity; and generating combined image data by using the first image data and the second image data. The combined image data represents a combined image in which the first image is combined with the second image by overlapping the reference region with the identified corresponding region.
US09747714B2	Method, device and computer software A device for superimposing a graphic on an image which comprises: a selection unit configured to select a plurality of specified points on the image which represent areas of background; an image processing unit configured to i) determine a color characteristic of the image at the plurality of specified points; ii) determine a location for graphic insertion; iii) determine the difference in color between at least one of the plurality of specified points and the location for graphic insert; iv) define areas within the location for graphic insert as a foreground region or a background region on the basis of the determined color difference; v) overlay the graphic on the image to form a graphic image; and vi) overlay the foreground regions of the location for composition onto the graphic image, is described.
US09747712B2	Data point on a display Examples disclosed herein relate, among other things, to a method. The method may include obtaining a data point associated with a first value and a second value, wherein the first value may represent a time associated with the data point. The method may also include determining a location based on the first and second values, and indicating or representing the data point on a display at the determined location.
US09747710B2	Method, system, and computer-readable medium for creating and laying out a graphic within an application program A method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium are provided for creating and laying out a graphic within a drawing application program. The method includes receiving a data model defining a set of data and data relationships to be represented in the graphic, receiving a graphic definition describing the mapping of the data from the data model to a set of algorithms, algorithm parameters, constraints, constraint rules, and shape properties, determining a shape size and position for the layout nodes utilizing the set of algorithms, constraints, and constraint rules from the graphic definition, and creating a list of shapes and shape properties for the graphic, including size and position. The method further includes determining if the graphic fits a given layout into a specific area based on the set of constraint values and if the graphic does not fit the specific area, then modifying the set of constraint values using the constraint rules.
US09747709B2	Method and apparatus for animate visualization of static 3-D data Rendering a time sequence of 2-D images includes obtaining ultrasound image data, applying time variant noise, and raytracing the ultrasound image data to render pixels of a 2-D image for each of a plurality of time steps.
US09747707B2	Method and arrangement for 3D image production An image is produced of a target region from tomographic measurements through statistical inversion. The target region is mapped with a grid of voxels. Unknowns in the voxels are the components of a vector-valued variable. A next version of the vector-valued variable is repeatedly generated by drawing for each component a value from a conditional distribution. Elements of a theory matrix indicate, what is the contribution of each voxel in the grid to a detection result. The non-zero elements of the theory matrix are stored in a compressed form. A proper subset of the elements of the theory matrix is decompressed for either updating the quantity Ax and/or calculating the quantity AjT(Ax), where A is the theory matrix, x is the vector-valued variable and AjT is the transpose of the j:th column of the theory matrix.
US09747706B2	Image reconstructing apparatus and image reconstructing method When a group of (pre-processed) projection data is stored into a projection-data storage unit, a Gaussian-based expansion-data creating unit creates a group of Gaussian-based expansion data that is expanded from each of the group of projection data through linear combination based on a plurality of Gaussian functions that is stored by a Gaussian-function storage unit and has different center points. A reconstruction-image creating unit then creates a reconstruction image by using the Gaussian-based expansion-data created by the Gaussian-based expansion-data creating unit, and stores the created reconstruction image into an image storage unit.
US09747703B2	X-ray imaging apparatus and method of controlling the same An X-ray imaging apparatus includes an X-ray detector including pixels, which is configured to change a pattern of binning applied to pixels and obtain first resolution X-ray images; and an image processor configured to reconstruct a second resolution X-ray image using the first resolution X-ray images.
US09747702B2	Method and apparatus for acquiring a high-resolution magnetic resonance image dataset of at least one limited body region having at least one anatomical structure of a patient In a method and magnetic resonance apparatus for acquiring a high-resolution magnetic resonance image dataset of at least one limited body region having at least one anatomical structure of a patient, an overview image dataset is first acquired, using which an item of position information of the at least one anatomical structure is ascertained, the item of position information designating an exact position of the at least one anatomical structure and/or a relative position of the at least one anatomical structure relative to the reference body region. A high-resolution magnetic resonance image dataset of the anatomical structure is then created using the position information and the high-resolution magnetic resonance image dataset is evaluated. The evaluated high-resolution image data is then made available in electronic form.
US09747701B2	Systems and methods for emission tomography quantitation A method includes acquiring scan data for an object to be imaged using an imaging scanner. The method also includes reconstructing a display image using the scan data. Further, the method includes determining one or more aspects of a quantitation imaging algorithm for generating a quantitation image, wherein the one or more aspects of the quantitation imaging algorithm are selected to optimize a quantitation figure of merit for lesion quantitation. The method also includes reconstructing a quantitation image using the scan data and the quantitation imaging algorithm; displaying, on a display device, the display image; determining a region of interest in the display image; determining, for the region of interest, a lesion quantitation value using a corresponding region of interest of the quantitation image; and displaying, on the display device, the lesion quantitation value.
US09747694B2	Method and apparatus for optimizing depth information Method and apparatus for optimizing depth information are provided. One of a left image and a right image is divided into a plurality of segmentations for obtaining a plurality of segmentation maps. A necessary repair depth map is obtained, and the necessary repair depth map is partitioned into a plurality of depth planes according to a plurality of primary depth values and a camera parameter. The primary depth values are recorded in the necessary repair depth map having a plurality of holes. A plurality of optimized depth values are respectively generated for the holes in each of the depth planes by using the segmentation maps, and the optimized depth values are filled into the depth planes to obtain an optimized depth map.
US09747692B2	Rendering apparatus and method Provided are a rendering method and a rendering apparatus performing the rendering method. The rendering method includes receiving a request to output a hierarchical depth value stored in a hierarchical depth buffer, outputting the hierarchical depth value from the hierarchical depth buffer, storing the hierarchical depth value, in response to the request, and performing rendering using the stored hierarchical depth value.
US09747678B2	Customs inspection and release system and method A system and method for customs inspection and release are disclosed. In one aspect, a system includes a device layer of devices for inspection and release, at least some of which generate subject detection data. The system also includes an adaptor layer of adaptors corresponding to the devices that receive detection data from its corresponding device and convert it into an event in a formatted message. The system also includes a message service layer including a bus that receives events from the adaptor layer and constructs event messages based on them. The system also includes a processing control layer that receives and processes event messages, generates instructions associated with them, and transmits the instructions to the message service layer, which constructs instruction messages based on the received instructions and transmits them to the adaptor layer. The adaptor layer converts them into device instructions that operate based on them.
US09747676B2	Adaptive noise filter A method for applying a filter to data to improve data quality and/or reduce file size. In one example, a region of interest of an image is identified. A histogram is generated of pixel intensity values in the region of interest. The histogram is iteratively updated to focus (zoom) in on the highest peak in the histogram. A Gaussian curve is fitted to the updated histogram. A bilateral filter is applied to the images, where parameters of the bilateral filter are based on the parameters of the Gaussian curve.
US09747674B2	Method and device for converting an image sequence whose luminance values belong to a high dynamic range The invention relates to a method and a device for converting an original image sequence (SIO) whose luminance values belong to a given dynamic range, said method comprising a step of image-by-image dynamic range conversion during which a dynamic range conversion operator (TMO) is applied to the luminance component (Lw(i)) of each image of the original image sequence (SIO) to obtain a modified luminance component whose values belong to a lower dynamic range than that of the original image sequence (SIO). The method is characterized in that it also comprises a step of correction of the dynamic range during which the dynamic range of the values of the luminance component thus modified is reduced by a value calculated from a global characteristic of the original image sequence.
US09747673B2	Systems and methods for rectifying image artifacts A sparse FIR filter can be used to process an image in order to rectify imaging artifacts. In a first example application, the sparse FIR filter is applied as a selective sparse FIR filter that examines a set of selected neighboring pixels of an original pixel in order to identify smooth areas of the image and to selectively apply filtering to only the smooth areas of the image. The parameters of selective filtering are selected based on the characteristics of an inter-layer predictor. In a second example application, the sparse FIR filter is applied as an edge aware selective sparse FIR filter that examines additional neighboring pixels to the set of selected pixels in order to identify edges and carry out selective filtering of smooth areas of the image. Examples for detecting and removing banding artifacts during the coding of high-dynamic range images are provided.
US09747671B2	Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and storage medium A non-local means method is insufficient in its noise reduction effect or edge retainability due to a perfect match between blocks in a case where a reference pixel matches a target pixel. Therefore, information on a target region and plural reference regions is obtained for the target pixel. Whether the target region matches any one of the reference regions is determined from the obtained information. Switching between weight derivation methods based on similarity between the target region and the reference region is performed according to a determined result.
US09747666B2	Apparatus and method of reproducing multi image Disclosed are a multi image reproducing apparatus and a multi image reproducing method. The multi image reproducing apparatus includes an image processor to process image data corresponding to a plurality of image contents and to output the image data by or in correspondence to the image contents, an image composition and output part or outputer to compose image frames of the image data input from the image processor and to output a composed mosaic split image frame, and a controller to receive operation information on the image composition and output part from the image composition and output part, to calculate optimal input time information of the image frames input from the image processor to the image composition and output part based on the received operation information, and to provide the calculated optimal input time information to the image processor.
US09747664B2	Image processing apparatus An image processing apparatus includes: an image processor which: receives a captured-image from an image acquisition part acquiring the captured-image from a camera that captures an image of a vicinity of a vehicle; project data of the captured-image onto a virtual projection plane provided in the vicinity of the vehicle; and correct deformation of the captured-image caused by projection of the captured-image onto the virtual projection plane. In a case of presence of a command indicative of enlarging a portion of the captured-image, the image processor corrects the deformation of the captured-image by using a greater correction amount than that used in a case of absence of the input of the command indicative of enlarging the portion of the captured-image. Accordingly, in a case where a portion of an image of a vicinity of a vehicle is enlarged, deterioration of image quality can be suppressed as much as possible.
US09747660B2	Primitive processing in a graphics processing system with tag buffer storage of primitive identifiers A graphics processing system has a rendering space which comprises one or more tiles. The system comprises a processing module configured to perform hidden surface removal for primitives of a tile to determine primitive identifiers identifying the primitives which are visible at each of a plurality of sample positions in the tile. A set of two or more tag buffers store the primitive identifiers determined for each of the sample positions in a tile, thereby representing overlapping layers of primitives. A tag control module controls: (i) selection of a tag buffer for the storage of each of the primitive identifiers according to the layering of the primitive identifiers stored in the tag buffers, and (ii) flushing of primitive identifiers from the tag buffers. A texturing engine applies texturing to the primitives identified by the flushed primitive identifiers.
US09747659B2	Starvation free scheduling of prioritized workloads on the GPU Embodiments are directed toward systems and methods for scheduling resources of a graphics processing unit that determine, for a number of applications having commands to be issued to the GPU, a static priority level and a dynamic priority level of each application, work iteratively across static priority levels until a resource budget of the GPU is consumed, and starting with a highest static priority identify the applications in a present static priority level, assign a processing budget of the GPU to each of the applications in the present static priority level according to their dynamic priority levels, and admit to a queue commands from the applications in the present static priority level according to their processing budgets, and release the queue to the GPU.
US09747655B2	Emergency service provision with destination-specific information An emergency service provision platform may be provided. The platform may be integrated into existing transportation service provision platforms. The platform may be configured to receive pick-up and destination location and track a passenger's route from the pick-up location to the destination. The platform may provide the passenger with an emergency notification button. Upon selection of the emergency notification button, the platform may communicate and alert comprising passenger and driver information to emergency contacts, infrastructure, and personnel. In some embodiments, the alert may be issued upon a detection of deviation from a route between the pick-up location and the destination. The emergency contacts, infrastructure, and personnel that receive the alert may be pre-set or determined dynamically based on the passenger's location at the time of the alert issuance. Furthermore, while the passenger is en route to the destination, the platform may provide the passenger with destination specific information.
US09747653B2	Authentication system for mobile devices for exchanging medical data An authentication system, a mobile electronic device, an instantiating unit and a method, as well as a computer program product are disclosed for the authentication of a patient against a central registry which exchanges data with a repository for the storage of medical data records. In an embodiment, an individualized application is loaded and installed on the mobile radio device in order to sign messages to the registry with a signature. The signature can be triggered in the registry to check the authenticity of the remote patient in order to provide data access.
US09747651B2	Application software based information management and real time communications system including intelligent automated assistants (bots) in a computing ecosystem including different types of remote computing devices with different user interfaces and with a master database that is accessible from and stored at a central location An information management and synchronous communications system and method facilitates database equilibrium and synchronization with wired, wireless and Web-based systems, user-friendly and efficient generation of computerized menus and reservations with handwritten/voice modifications for restaurants and other applications that utilize equipment with nonstandard graphical formats, display sizes and/or applications for use in remote data entry, information management and communication with host computer, digital input device or remote pager via standard hardwired connection, the internet, a wireless link, printer or the like. Various operations employing automated telephone calls and/or messaging may, for instance, be performed. For example, desired reservation and/or appointment information may be automatically converted and conveyed to one or more entities via automated telephone call and/or messaging. As another example, information regarding reservation acceptability may be received and automatically converted via automated telephone call and/or messaging. Telephones may, for instance, be the only equipment required by the entities.
US09747642B1	Automated method of identifying stock indexes which are historically high or low relative to a plurality of macroeconomic indicators An automated method is provided of identifying stock indexes which are historically high or historically low relative to a plurality of a macroeconomic indicators. A frequency distribution graph may then be constructed of the data points which visualizes the price history of the stock indexes in an animated graphical representation.
US09747638B2	Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for electronic report tracking Exemplary embodiments are disclosed herein for processing one or more sheets of sheet material in a deposit include various systems and processes. The systems and processes include receiving a sheet in a sheet-accepting device. Further, the systems and processes include detecting, by a sensor, characteristic information about the sheet. The characteristic information indicates whether the sheet is anomalous. The systems and processes also include encoding, by an encoding device, the sheet based on the characteristic information detected by the sensor. The encoding includes encoding the sheet with anomaly information when the characteristic information indicates that the sheet is anomalous. The anomaly information identifies a reason for indicating that the sheet is anomalous. Moreover, the systems and processes include disposing the encoded sheet in a container for further processing when the characteristic information indicates that the sheet is anomalous.
US09747635B1	Reserved instance marketplace Technologies are described herein for providing a marketplace for the remaining term of reserved instances. A selling customer identifies a reserved instance of a computing resource for which the customer wishes to sell a remainder of their term and specifies an asking price. A reserved instance listing associated with the identified reserved instance and asking price is created. A buying customer provides a specification of reserved instances that they wish to purchase, including a term. The specification may also include size, platform, tenancy, availability zone, and other parameters of the reserved instances. The reserved instance listings are searched to find associated reserved instances matching the specification and having a remaining term equal to or greater than the term in the specification. The reserved instances associated with the reserved instance listings having the lowest asking price may then be transferred from the selling customer to the buying customer.
US09747633B2	Method and related apparatus for generating online and printing on-demand compilation of works with customer selectable printing options A method and related computer program product for customizing price-related options for printing a compilation of works, including the steps of: compiling the compilation of works; setting different options for customers to print the compilation of works with different prices; and allowing a customer to change one or more of the options to print the compilation of works with a price based on the customer's needs and budget.
US09747631B2	Systems and methods for purchasing products from a retail establishment using a mobile device Techniques for purchasing products from a retail establishment using a mobile device allow a user to transact a purchase of physical products within a retail establishment site, without need for significant interaction with personnel of the retail establishment to transact the purchase. The user may install a software application on the mobile device to communicate with a purchase facilitating server. An image acquisition component of the mobile device may be used to obtain an image of indicia, such as a bar code, on a product to be purchased within the retail establishment. Image recognition may be performed on the indicia to identify the product to be purchased, the user may submit payment information via the mobile device, and the purchase facilitating server may transact the user's purchase of the product. The purchase facilitating server may transmit a purchase confirmation to the mobile device as a receipt of the user's purchase.
US09747618B1	Purchasing pace control in a real-time bidding environment using a multi-loop control scheme A method for controlling a purchasing pace in a real-time bidding environment is provided. A pacing parameter is dynamically adjusted using a multi-loop control algorithm including an outer control loop and an inner control loop, wherein the outer control loop outputs a control parameter, and the inner control loop uses this control parameter as an input and outputs a current value of the pacing parameter, which is adjusted over time by the multi-loop control algorithm. A series of bid requests generated by a real-time bidding exchange are received, each identifying a respective available ad placement in a respective webpage being loaded. For each received bid request, a decision is made in real-time, during the loading of the respective webpage, whether to submit a bid to purchase the respective ad placement based at least on the current value of the dynamically adjusted pacing parameter.
US09747617B1	Provision of wireless device activity information to a third party based on acceptance of an offer presented to a user Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems and methods for providing wireless device activity information to a third party based on acceptance of an offer presented to a user. In a particular embodiment, a method provides detecting an occurrence of one of a plurality of trigger conditions, wherein each of the trigger conditions corresponds to at least one activity performed by a wireless communication device. In response to detecting the occurrence, the method provides presenting a user of the wireless communication device with an offer to provide device activity information for the wireless communication device to a third party. The method further provides receiving a response to the offer from the user, wherein the response comprises an indication of whether the user desires to accept the offer.
US09747613B2	Dynamic electronic coupon for a mobile environment Dynamic mobile coupons (DMCs) having a variable commercial value and/or other variable coupon characteristic are provided herein. By way of example, a DMC can be distributed to a mobile device based on criteria established by a sponsor of the DMC. A redemption value of the DMC can be variable and dynamically established based at least in part on data associated with a recipient mobile device. Upon redemption of the DMC at a retail entity, the value is fixed and applied to a transaction. Details of the transaction are provided to a remote clearinghouse that performs mediation and indemnification functions to finalize the transaction. As described, the subject disclosure provides a DMC that facilitates a rich and flexible mechanism to generate purchasing incentive for consumers in a mobile environment.
US09747610B2	Method and apparatus for determining presence A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, determining a first linear model and a first log-linear model according to first explanatory variables and a first plurality of occupancy estimates, determining a second linear model and a second log-linear model according to second explanatory variables and a second plurality of occupancy estimates, evaluating, according to a location of a building, the first linear model, the first log-linear model, the second linear model, and the second log-linear model according to first values of the first explanatory variables and second values of the second explanatory variables, and combining results from the evaluating to generate a mixed occupancy estimate. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09747609B2	System and method for brand management using social networks A system for brand management using social networks comprising an application server, social network crawler software modules, third party service integration software modules, an analytics server, a report generator, a search engine, a behavioral analysis engine, a recommendation engine, and a database. A user registers and provides data pertaining to a brand. Upon retrieving content from a plurality of social networks pertaining to the brand, the analytics server module analyzes the content to a content value specific to the brand among members of the social networks. The behavioral analysis engine obtains content elements generated by a first member a social network and analyzes the first member's behavior to compute an audience value of the first member. The report generator prepares reports specific to the brand, the reports comprising at least indicia of content value, indicia of audience value, and recommendations for improving member engagement with the brand.
US09747608B2	Third-party provider method and system Methods and systems for processing negotiable economic credits through, or at the request of, a hand held device in association with a third-party provider communicative with the hand held device and/or a point of sale. At least one negotiable economic credit can be transferred from a third-party provider communicative with the hand held device to the hand held device and/or point of sale. The negotiable economic credit can be stored within a memory of the hand held device and/or point of sale for retrieval and processing at a point of sale associated with a retail establishment and/or by a hand held device. The negotiable economic credit can be associated with a security module for protecting the privacy of the negotiable economic credit. A user profile can be compiled for utilization during the retrieval of the negotiable economic credit.
US09747603B2	System and method for avatar tethering to a user on a social networking website A system for tethering a plurality of avatars to a user on a social networking website having a first avatar association to the user accessing the social networking site which is held in a database, and a second avatar association to the same user. The first avatar association connects the user to an avatar image that the user wishes to project, and the second avatar association connects the user to a third party advertiser that has its own avatar. Optionally, the user has a third avatar association connecting the user to the avatar of the website sponsor. A webserver generates web pages for the social networking website in response to a remote PC's request and, relying upon the stated avatar associations, delivers a webpage having the two or three avatars adjacent to a one another and adjacent to a communicative activity of the first user on the social network website.
US09747601B2	Method for authenticating financial instruments and financial transaction requests A method for authenticating a check of a plurality of checks where the check was previously issued from a first party to a second party, including receiving first information from the first party, storing the first information in a file of a third party and receiving the check. The check has first party identifying information, a unique pseudorandom number of a pseudorandom sequence, and an amount. A status of activating the plurality of checks is determined. At least a portion of the first party identifying information included with the check, the unique pseudorandom number included with the check and the check amount included with the check are authenticated. The received check is authenticated if the first party, the unique pseudorandom number included with the check and the amount included with the check are authenticated and if the plurality of checks have been activated.
US09747599B2	Method and system for identifying and processing currency conversion in a financial transaction A method and a system for processing cross-border transactions in a multiple party payment card processing network is disclosed. A party evaluates an inbound transaction message received from a downstream party to determine if the corresponding payment transaction is a cross-border transaction and if it requires currency conversion processing. Based on the evaluations, a cross-border and currency conversion status indicator that is attached to outbound transaction messages sent to upstream entities in the payment network. Currency conversion service fees and/or rebates may be assessed to other entities in the payment card network according to the results of the evaluations.
US09747598B2	Dynamic security code push A system and method for fraud prevention is provided. This system and method may comprise a web browser having form filing capabilities. This system may interact with a financial institution to request and receive a dynamic security code to be used in merchant checkout page to complete a transaction.
US09747597B2	Mobile device and authentication method for mobile payment system A mobile device is utilized for a mobile payment system. The mobile device includes an identity module for storing an identity data; a communication module for communicating with a client and receiving a start signal to generate a notification signal; a processing module for executing an application program to obtain an authentication information according to the notification signal and determining whether the authentication information is legal according to a checking information to generate a switching signal; and a switching module for determining whether to connect the communication module and the identity module according to the switching signal; wherein the communication module reads the identity data stored in the identity module to obtain an identity result according to a conduction of the switching module, and transmits the identity result to the client.
US09747596B2	System and method for registering a mobile subscriber for authentication Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment, a mobile subscriber is registered for authentication. Registering the mobile subscriber, in an embodiment, includes querying the mobile service provider of the mobile subscriber for an international mobile subscriber identifier (IMSI) of the mobile subscriber at the time of registration and creating an authentication database in which a database entry includes at least: a mobile telephone number for the mobile subscriber and the IMSI of the mobile subscriber.
US09747594B2	Methods and apparatus to obtain transaction confirmation Methods and apparatus to obtain transaction confirmation are described. One example method includes emulating a payment method using a close-proximity communication device of a mobile device, establishing a close-proximity communication link with a close-proximity communications-equipped device using the close-proximity communication device of the mobile device, transferring payment information from the mobile device to the close-proximity communications-equipped device using the close-proximity communication device, subsequent to transferring the payment information, switching the close-proximity communication device of the mobile device to an information receiving communication mode, determining whether the close-proximity communication device is within proximity of the close-proximity communications-equipped device, and receiving a transaction confirmation at the close-proximity communication device of the mobile device from the close-proximity communications-equipped device when the close-proximity communication device is within proximity of the close-proximity communications-equipped device.
US09747591B2	Online stock payment system In general, this disclosure describes an electronic payment processing system that facilitates payment for goods or services using securities, such as stock. In some examples, a computing device includes at least one processor configured to receive data indicating an electronic payment request for a transaction associated with a provider of goods or services; process the payment request with a payment processing system to access a data store of a data storage device to identify one or more accounts associated with a recipient of the goods or services and to determine whether the identified accounts have sufficient amount of securities to satisfy an amount specified by the electronic payment request; and when the identified account has a sufficient amount of securities to satisfy the amount specified by the payment request, automatically generating an electronic response message from the payment processing system indicating pending payment for the transaction.
US09747585B2	Method of retrieving and uniformalizing elevator maintenance and callback data and code events Elevators and escalators produce code event data, and also have associated maintenance data and callback data. This data is collected and stored in different formats for different types of elevators and escalators, as well as their respective controller devices. Systems and methods are provided that include elevator controllers that transmit code events to a business partner by means of a web services application. The code events data comprising elevator performance data that is collected and stored by the elevator controllers in different formats, and the different formats correspond to different types of the elevator controllers. The business partner obtains the code events data, uniformalizes the code events data, and presents the code events data by means of a web application. Other user devices, via a mobile web application, can access the uniformalized data and, initiate and control callbacks for a given elevator.
US09747584B2	Method and system for generating visually enhanced calendar from pre-existing calendar on electronic device A method for enhancing a pre-existing calendar on an electronic device includes parsing an event of the pre-existing calendar for an item of information associated with the event. The method further includes searching at least one source for a visual representation indicative of the information associated with the event using the item of information as a search term. The method further includes forming a visual enhancement layer including the visual representation and generating a visually enhanced calendar based on the visual enhancement layer and the pre-existing calendar for display on the electronic device in lieu of the pre-existing calendar.
US09747583B2	Presenting entity profile information to a user of a computing device Entity profile information is presented to a user of a computing device. In one embodiment, a method includes: receiving a communication associated with a first entity; in response to receiving the communication, creating or updating, by at least one processor, a first entity profile, wherein the first entity profile is for display to the user on the computing device; and storing a plurality of entity profiles for entities, the entity profiles including the first entity profile.
US09747577B1	Automatic guarantee delivery tracking and reporting for United States Postal Service postage refunds for paid computer-based postage Various exemplary embodiments of the present invention will provide methods and systems for automatic tracking and reporting of refunds for parcels for which the United States Postage Service (the “USPS”) fails to provide delivery to the designated delivery address by a guaranteed delivery date. Various embodiments of the present invention will automatically detect a parcel for which a delivery date has been guaranteed, but for which the USPS failed to make delivery by the guaranteed delivery date. For such guaranteed delivery failures, various embodiments of the present invention will display an online report to the user, or will send an electronic report of the failure, such as by electronic mail (“email”), to the user that printed the corresponding USPS Express Mail postage, or will otherwise notify the user of, or make available to the user information regarding, such failures. Various embodiments of the present invention will automatically and periodically analyze electronic and/or digital scanning events provided by the USPS regarding postage printed by users that used the subject Internet postage provider to print Express Mail Postage with a corresponding USPS Express Mail Label Number. Various embodiments of the present invention will automatically and periodically analyze such electronic and/or digital scanning events in order to determine whether a scanned tracking event indicates a delivery corresponding to postage printed by a user using the subject Internet postage provider and in order, then, to determine whether the actual delivery date and/or time, if delivered, exceeds the guaranteed delivery and/or time.
US09747573B2	Emotion recognition for workforce analytics Methods and systems for videoconferencing include generating work quality metrics based on emotion recognition of an individual such as a call center agent. The work quality metrics allow for workforce optimization. One example method includes the steps of receiving a video including a sequence of images, detecting an individual in one or more of the images, locating feature reference points of the individual, aligning a virtual face mesh to the individual in one or more of the images based at least in part on the feature reference points, dynamically determining over the sequence of images at least one deformation of the virtual face mesh, determining that the at least one deformation refers to at least one facial emotion selected from a plurality of reference facial emotions, and generating quality metrics including at least one work quality parameter associated with the individual based on the at least one facial emotion.
US09747572B2	Exercise support device, exercise support method, and exercise support program An exercise support device of the present invention includes a detecting section which detects motion data related to a motion status of a user performing an exercise and an swing-angle obtaining section which obtains an swing angle of the user and an information notifying section which notifies the user of exercise support information for guiding the swing angle to a suitable angle. When the user is in a specific motion state with an swing motion of a part which is an arm or a leg of the user, the swing-angle obtaining section successively tracks a swing status in one cycle of the swing motion in the specific motion state based on the motion data detected by the detecting section, and obtains a maximum value of differences between angles of the part of the user at two different timings in the one cycle as the swing angle.
US09747570B1	Method and system for risk measurement and modeling A method and system for risk measurement and modeling, which may be used to identify and mitigate information security risks for an information system, and which may improve the efficiency of risk measurement and modeling. Such a system may perform risk modeling based on threat likelihood information, the potential business impacts of particular threats, and data on the effectiveness of particular controls implemented by the operators of the information system, which may be used to calculate residual risk scores for particular risk scenarios that the information system may face.
US09747567B2	Selecting organizational transportation proposals based on commuter pledges and cost-benefit computation A method for planning a transportation service includes sending transportation proposal to a plurality of organizations. The proposal includes one or more initial options, each including a set of variable parameters. Each organization can generate a modified option and make a commitment conditional on selected ones of the parameters. Each organization sends respective modified options to commuters of that organization who may specify their own pledges for at least one of the modified options, conditional on the organization-selected values for the variable parameters and optionally on commuter-selected values for the variable parameters. A cost-benefit function is computed for each of a set of revised options for the transportation service, each of the revised options being based on a combination of the variable parameters for which pledges which cover the combination have been received and one or more of the revised options is identified, based on the computed cost-benefit function.
US09747566B2	Method and system for managing queues Disclosed is a system and method for managing a queue of one or more service requests. In accordance with the system and the method, a queue of one or more service requests pertaining to one or more services delivered through a service location is created. Further, a queue registration request is received from a user device in order to register a service request associated with a user in the queue. Further, the queue registration request is processed to register the service request in the queue thereby recording a position of the service request in the queue. Further, the status of the queue is monitored in order to track change in the position of the service request of the user in the queue. Furthermore, the status of the queue is updated to the user on the user device thereby indicating the change in position of the service request to the user.
US09747565B2	System and methods for management of mobile field assets via wireless handheld devices Communication from enterprise servers to handheld devices in the field supports dispatch, data synchronization, logistics and personnel. Bi-directional data delivery from enterprise-based servers over wireless data networks is enabled using wireless capabilities resident in handheld personal computing devices. Real time communications facilitates real-time access to remote programs, assistance and/or information related to the field operations and asset (personnel and inventory) resource management. Management is facilitated for at least one of: construction industry project analysis, HVAC system analysis, project management, equipment readiness inspection, troubleshooting, inventory tracking, inventory ordering, sales (e.g., providing cost estimates to customers), customer invoicing, conducting legal investigations, field data collection, and multi-user remote function coordination.
US09747559B2	Data driven wheel-based interface for event browsing Features are disclosed relating to a collaborative ticketing system that manages various aspects of ticketing for events (e.g., movies, concerts, sporting events, and the like) using knowledge about the contacts, friends, and other social connections of system users. The collaborative ticketing system may generate dynamic ticket offers that are based on the number of friends, invited by users, ultimately obtaining tickets. The collaborative ticketing system can also streamline the procurement of concessions and other event-related items by allowing users to pre-purchase such items (e.g., in connection with ticket offers), and then pick up the items at the event venue with little or no wait. In addition, users can preview event-related content (e.g., movie trailers) for event providers (e.g., movie studios), and answer questions or otherwise provide feedback about the event-related content in return for special offers, rewards, and other considerations.
US09747554B2	Learning device with continuous configuration capability An embodiment method for continuous configuration of learning devices includes operations for storing, by a learning device within a decentralized system of a plurality of learning devices, events obtained while in a monitoring mode, activating a triggered mode for a reflex when at least one of the stored events corresponds to a trigger pattern, determining whether the reflex has a trigger weight exceeding a trigger weight threshold, conducting the predetermined action associated with the reflex when the trigger weight exceeds the trigger weight threshold, obtaining at least one additional event while in the triggered mode, adjusting the trigger weight of the reflex when the at least one additional event corresponds to a correction pattern or a reward pattern occurring in response to conducting the predetermined action, and creating a second reflex when the at least one additional event does not correspond to a known pattern.
US09747553B2	Focused fact checking method and system An efficient fact checking system analyzes and determines the factual accuracy of information and/or characterizes the information by comparing the information with source information. The efficient fact checking system automatically monitors information, processes the information, fact checks the information efficiently and/or provides a status of the information.
US09747552B2	Using cohorts to infer attributes for an input case in a question answering system A cohort analysis mechanism analyzes cohorts to infer one or more additional attributes for an input case to provide a refined input case to answer a question in a question answering system. The refined input case is then used to answer a question in the question answering system. The refined input case can be used in a traditional question answering flow or in a flow that again uses cohort analysis to extract relevant data to answer the question. The cohort analysis mechanism analyzes cohorts to find common attributes in the cohorts and then determines whether to infer the common attributes into the refined input case. The cohort analysis mechanism may determine to dialog with a user to confirm an inferred attribute.
US09747551B2	Determining and localizing anomalous network behavior Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for detecting and localizing anomalies in large data sets. One of the methods includes identifying a user whose behavior is classified as anomalous during a particular time interval and determining observed community feature values for a community of users of which the user is a member. If observed user feature values are consistent with the observed community feature values, the behavior of the user is classified as not anomalous. If the observed user feature values are not consistent with the observed community feature values, the behavior of the user is classified as anomalous.
US09747543B1	System and method for controller adaptation A neural-Model Predictive Control (MPC) controller is described to control a dynamical system (i.e., “plant”). The MPC controller receives, in a base controller, a measurement of a current state of a plant and generates a control signal based on the measurement of the current state of the plant. A forward module receives the measurement of the current state of the plant and the control signal to generate a forward module prediction. A forward module corrector receives the measurement of the current state of the plant and the control signal from the base controller to generate an additive correction to the forward module prediction to generate a predicted plant state. Control sequences of length L of pairs of control signals and corresponding predicted plant states are generated until Ns control sequences have been generated. A next plant control signal is generated based on the Ns control sequences.
US09747541B2	Reflow soldering-compatible integrated RFID barcode label A surface mount technology (SMT)-compatible barcode-printable radio frequency identification (RFID) label that can be attached to a printed circuit board (PCB) work piece for tracking the work piece through an assembly line that includes at least one reflow solder process. The label is constructed from materials and components that function consistently and accurately after being exposed to the high temperature of the reflow solder process, and may further include shielding material to mitigate radio frequency interference. Preferably, the label is configured to be programmed and printed on using an RFID printer.
US09747539B1	Organic light emitting diode (“OLED”) travel card Aspects of the invention relate to a smart check that includes an OLED display. The smart check may store data associated with multiple purchasing instruments and utilize the OLED display to present sensitive data associated with a user selected purchasing instrument. In response to the selection, the smart check may transmit sensitive data associated with the selected purchasing instrument. The smart check may receive power when it is inserted into a card reader. Inserting the smart check into the card reader may launch an application stored on the smart check. The smart check may store a value. The value may be converted into a currency associated with a location of the smart check.
US09747535B2	Image forming apparatus, image forming method, and non-transitory computer-readable medium An image forming apparatus includes a receiving unit that receives plural pieces of print data described in plural types of page description languages, plural drawing processors that respectively correspond to the plural types of page description languages, extract specific drawing objects from the plural pieces of print data, and convert the specific drawing objects into print image data, and an output unit that compares the print image data that the drawing processors have converted the specific drawing objects into, and outputs comparison results.
US09747530B2	Payment card receiver with selectably blockable slot A payment card receiver including at least one element defining a payment card receiving slot, a shutter, pivotably mounted with respect to the payment card receiving slot for selectably blocking the payment card receiving slot and a card-operated shutter movement restricting switch operative to retain the shutter in a shutter movement restricting operative orientation, in which the shutter blocks the payment card receiving slot, in the absence of at least partial insertion of a payment card in the payment card receiving slot.
US09747521B2	Frequency domain interest point descriptor Systems and methods for image analysis and recognition are disclosed, in particular the methods for interest point description. An interest point and its surrounding area is broken into subareas, a frequency domain description of each area is created by applying discrete Fourier transform (DFT). Frequency domain features are than coded bitwise by comparing them to predefined thresholds. Subsequently, the present invention provides alternative or improved methods and data structures for interest point description that may reduce memory consumption and allow fast bitwise matching.
US09747516B2	Keypoint detection with trackability measurements Disclosed embodiments facilitate keypoint selection in part by assigning a similarity score to each candidate keypoint being considered for selection. The similarity score may be based on the maximum measured similarity of an image patch associated with a keypoint in relation to an image patch in a local image section in a region around the image patch. A subset of the candidate keypoints with the lowest similarity scores may be selected and used to detect and/or track objects in subsequent images and/or to determine camera pose.
US09747508B2	Surrounding environment recognition device A surrounding environment recognition device includes an image capturing unit that captures a peripheral image, and a traffic signal detecting unit, which sets a search region with respect to the peripheral image, and detects a traffic signal inside of the search region. The search region becomes smaller as the distance from the image capturing unit is farther away.
US09747507B2	Ground plane detection A ground plane detection system including an imaging device operable to generate at least two images of a scene and an image processing assembly operable to receive the at least two images of the scene and to generate a model of each image and to perform homography computations through use of corresponding features in the models of each image.
US09747503B2	Optical narrowcasting augmented reality Systems and methods for optical narrowcasting are provided for transmitting various types of content. Optical narrowcasting content indicative of the presence of additional information along with identifying information may be transmitted. The additional information (which may include meaningful amounts of advertising information, media, or any other content) may also be transmitted as optical narrowcasting content. Elements of an optical narrowcasting system may include optical transmitters and optical receivers which can be configured to be operative at distances ranging from, e.g., 400 meters to 1200 meters. Moreover, the elements can be implemented on a miniaturized scale in conjunction with small, user devices such as smartphones, thereby also realizing optical ad-hoc networking, as well as interoperability with other types of data networks. Optically narrowcast content can be used to augment a real-world experience, enhance and/or spawn new forms of social-media and media content.
US09747499B2	Systems and methods for detection and high-quality capture of documents on a cluttered tabletop with an automatically controlled camera Described are systems and methods for recognizing paper documents on a tabletop using an overhead camera mounted on pan-tilt servos. The described automated system first finds paper documents on a cluttered desk based on a text probability map, constructed using multiple images acquired at fixed grid positions, and then captures a sequence of high-resolution overlapping frames of the located document(s), which are then fused together and perspective-rectified, using computed homography, to reconstruct a high quality and fronto-parallel document image that is of sufficient quality required for optical character recognition. The extracted textual information may be used, for example, for indexing and search, document repository and/or language translation applications.
US09747490B2	Cell size imaging In the various embodiments, cell size imaging is performed using a method that relies upon the acquisition of gradient echo and spin echo data during contrast agent (CA) passage through tissue and estimation of “perturber” size using the ratio of ΔR2* and ΔR2. When measured at CA equilibrium, the magnetic field perturbations, and associated MRI signal changes, are determined by the cellular features and not the vasculature. Thus, in cell size imaging the cells act as the perturbers.
US09747489B2	Electric field-type fingerprint identification apparatus and state control method and prosthesis identification method thereof Provided are an electric field type fingerprint identification apparatus and a state control method and a prosthesis identification method. The electric field type fingerprint identification apparatus includes a signal acquisition module and a signal processing module. In a case that a measuring state signal processing unit is electrically connected to a signal acquisition unit, a to-be-measured state signal processing unit is at least electrically connected to at least one signal acquisition unit peripheral to the signal acquisition unit in a measuring state. Charging and discharging processes of sensing capacitors electrically connected to the measuring state signal processing unit and the to-be-measured state signal processing unit are coordinated to restrain charging and discharging quantities of a parasitic capacitor between the signal acquisition unit in the measuring state and the signal acquisition unit in a to-be-measured state.
US09747475B2	Mobile virtual environment A system and method for displaying a virtual experience based on a presence of a physical object is disclosed. According to one embodiment, the system includes a screen, a target, and a reader. The reader detects a presence of the target within a predetermined proximity and communicates with the screen to display a virtual environment based on the presence of the target.
US09747474B2	Card reader device and method of use In one embodiment, a card reader device includes: a read head configured to generate a signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe of a card, an output plug, adapted to be inserted into a headset jack of a mobile host device, configured to communicate an output signal indicative of data stored on the magnetic stripe to a microphone input of the headset jack of the mobile host device; and circuitry configured to set the amplitude, which includes attenuation by at least a resistor, of a signal communicating said data included in the signal indicative of data stored on the magnetic stripe generated by the read head resulting in the output signal indicative of data stored on the magnetic stripe. In one embodiment, the circuitry includes decoding circuitry configured to decode the signal indicative of the data stored on the magnetic stripe.
US09747471B2	Secure switch between modes A state sensitive device is described, the device including a state register which stores a record of the effective-state of the device, a mask field having a value which varies according to a value of the state register, and a processor which changes the value of the mask field to a new value of the mask field when there is a change in the value of the state register, wherein, the processor performs a state dependent calculation requiring the value of the mask field as an operand in the state dependent calculation which will yield an incorrect result if the value of the mask field does not properly correspond to the value of the state register. Related methods, systems and apparatus are also described.
US09747469B2	Method and system for cryptographically enabling and disabling lockouts for critical operations in a smart grid network A method for locking out a remote terminal unit includes: receiving a lockout request, wherein the lockout request includes at least a public key associated with a user, a user identifier, and a terminal identifier; identifying a user profile associated with the user based on the user identifier included in the received lockout request; verifying the public key included in the received lockout request and permission for the user to lockout a remote terminal unit associated with the terminal identifier included in the received lockout request based on data included in the identified user profile; generating a lockout permit, wherein the lockout permit includes at least the public key included in the received lockout request; and transmitting at least a lockout request and the generated lockout permit, wherein the lockout request includes an instruction to place a lockout on the remote terminal unit.
US09747465B2	Systems and methods for secure data exchange and data tampering prevention Systems and methods for secure data exchange and data tampering prevention. A secure data system receives electronic data files from data entities and stores the files in a first storage. Each file includes data values collected by a respective data entity over a predefined time period. A benchmark system determines plural randomized snapshot times corresponding to the predefined time period. A data mapping is created between the first storage and plural second storage, based on the snapshot times and the number of files. Data values samples in each file are selectively transferred from the first storage to the plural second storage according to the data mapping. Each second storage stores samples synthesized from among the data entities associated with a single respective snapshot time. A benchmark data value is determined based on the synthesized samples stored in the plural second storage associated with the snapshot times.
US09747461B2	Steganography detection Systems and methods for detecting potential steganography use to hide content in computer files transmitted via electronic communications are provided. An electronic communication associated with a computer file may be identified. The communication and the computer file may be analyzed to determine whether the computer file potentially includes hidden content. To determine whether the computer file potentially includes hidden content, a set of steganographic criteria may be analyzed. If at least a portion of the steganographic criteria are satisfied, then it may be determined that the computer file potentially includes hidden content. If at least a portion of the steganographic criteria are not satisfied, then it may be determined that the computer file does not potentially include hidden content. If the computer file is determined to potentially include hidden content, an individual may be notified of the communication associated with the computer file.
US09747459B2	Method and apparatus for requesting access to files A method for requesting access rights for an object of a computerized system comprising installing in the computerized system a code that associates an object with an owner of the object, thereby enabling to automatically request access rights for the object from an owner of the object, and an apparatus for performing the same.
US09747456B2	Secure query processing over encrypted data The subject disclosure is directed towards secure query processing over encrypted database records without disclosing information to an adversary except for permitted information. In order to adapting semantic security to a database encryption scheme, a security model for all query processing is specified by a client and used to determine which information is permitted to be disclosed and which information is not permitted. Based upon the security model, a trusted, secure query processor transforms each query and an encrypted database into secure query results. Even though the adversary can view the secure query results during communication to the client, the adversary cannot determine any reliable information regarding the secure query results or the encrypted database.
US09747454B2	Directivity control system and sound output control method A system includes an imaging part that captures an image, a sound collection part that collects sounds, a display part that displays image data captured by the imaging part, a directive direction calculation part that calculates a directive direction which directs toward a sound position corresponding to a designated position of the image data from the sound collection part when any position of the displayed image data is designated, and a control part that forms a directivity in the sounds in the calculated directive direction. The control part controls output of the sounds collected by the sound collection part or output of the sounds which are collected by the sound collection part and of which the directivity is formed, or suspends collection of sounds in the sound collection part, when it is determined that the sound position is included in a preset protection region.
US09747451B2	File system modification A system and method for message analysis, including: receiving, by a control service, a first modification request to modify a file system of a computing device, wherein the computing device is operating in a read-only state; identifying, by the control service, a request parameter associated with the first modification request; determining, by the control service, that the request parameter satisfies a permission criteria to perform the first modification request; provisioning, by the control service, the computing device to operate in a read/write state in response to determining that the permission criteria has been satisfied, wherein the first modification request is executed to modify the file system while the computing device is operating in the read/write state; and, upon a determination that the first modification request has successfully completed, provisioning, by the control service, the computing device to operate in the read-only state.
US09747449B2	Method and device for preventing application in an operating system from being uninstalled Provided are a method and device for preventing the application in an operating system from being uninstalled. The method includes monitoring the operation executed for the application; determining whether the operation executed for the application is to uninstall the application; displaying at the client a prompt whether it is agreed to uninstall the application, if the operation executed for the application is to uninstall the application; the prompt whether it is agreed to uninstall the application may be displayed at the client after the operation executed for the application is determined to uninstall the application. Therefore, the method may prevent the malicious software from uninstalling maliciously, enhancing the security of the intelligent terminal.
US09747448B2	Cryptographic mechanisms to provide information privacy and integrity A security engine may be selected from a plurality of security engines to apply one or more security mechanisms to a section of source code of an application. In some cases, the section of source code may be identified by one or more security mechanism identifiers included in the source code. The security engine may generate machine-readable code that corresponds to the section of source code for which the one or more security mechanisms are to be applied. The machine-readable code may be executed on a plurality of computing devices. In one implementation, applying the security mechanisms to the section of source code may include producing zero-knowledge proofs of knowledge for the section of source code.
US09747445B2	Method and apparatus for retroactively detecting malicious or otherwise undesirable software as well as clean software through intelligent rescanning Techniques are provided for the detection of malicious software (malware) on a general purpose computing device. A challenge in detecting malicious software is that files are typically scanned for the presence of malicious intent only once (and subsequent rescanning is typically performed in a simplistic manner). Existing methods in the art do not address how to most effectively rescan collections of files in a way that tries to optimize performance and efficacy. These methods may also be useful if additional information is now available regarding a file that might be useful to an end-user or an administrator, even though the file's core disposition might not have changed. More specifically, we describe methods, components, and systems that perform data analytics to intelligently rescan file collections for the purpose of retroactively identifying malware and retroactively identifying clean files.
US09747442B2	Preventing malicious instruction execution Systems and techniques for preventing malicious instruction execution are described herein. A first instance of an instruction for a graphics processing unit (GPU) may be received. The instruction may be placed in a target list. A notification that the instruction caused a problem with the GPU may be received. The instruction may be moved from the target list to a black list in response to the notification. A second instance of the instruction may be received. The second instance of the instruction may be prevented from executing on the GPU in response to the instruction being on the black list.
US09747434B1	Authenticating with an external device by providing a message having message fields arranged in a particular message field order A technique performs authentication with an external device. The technique involves receiving, by electronic circuitry, a messaging command. The technique further involves providing, by the electronic circuitry, a message to the external device in response to the messaging command. The message includes message fields which store message operating parameters e.g., Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) header fields containing HTTP operating parameters to form part of an HTTP transaction. The message fields of the message are arranged in a particular order to match an expected order during an order comparison operation performed by the external device to gauge authenticity of the message source. If the particular order matches the expected order, there is lower risk that the message source is fraudulent. However, if the particular order does not match the expected order, there is higher risk that the message source is fraudulent.
US09747433B2	Wearable electronic device and method for securing same The disclosure is directed to a wearable device that is configured to secure itself based on signals received from a pulse sensor. According to one implementation, the pulse sensor includes a light source (e.g., a light-emitting diode) and a photo sensor. The light source, under the control of a processor, shines light having a particular wavelength (e.g., green or infrared). The photo sensor generates signals based on light that it senses. For example, when the light from the light source reflects off a person's skin, then the photo sensor will generate signals based on the reflected light that the photo sensor detects. In this manner, the wearable device can accurately determine whether it is being worn by a user (e.g., by taking a photoplethysmogram) and, when necessary, secure the wearable electronic device.
US09747429B2	Personal familiarity authentication A method for computer security. A gallery comprising a first identity of a first human person is maintained, the first identity associated with a plurality of tags, with first properties, useful for identifying the first human person. A first Internet search for facial images of the first human person is performed using the plurality of tags. A first facial image is selected from the results of this search. A second Internet search is performed for facial images of other human persons based on second properties that are generated by modifying the first properties of the plurality of tags. A plurality of additional facial images of the other human persons retrieved by the second Internet search is selected. A palette of randomized facial images including the first facial image together with the plurality of additional facial images is presented. Access is denied unless the correct facial image is selected.
US09747427B2	Storage device reader having security function and security method using thereof Disclosed is a storage device reader for interfacing a storage device and a user terminal, which includes a storage unit and a control unit. The data storage unit stores reader recognition information uniquely assigned to the storage device reader. The control unit retrieves reader recognition information stored in the storage device, determines whether or not the retrieved reader recognition information matches reader recognition information stored in the data storage unit, and transferring a file list stored in the storage device to the user terminal if the retrieved reader recognition information matches the stored reader recognition information.
US09747423B2	Disease therapy game technology A video game in possession of and/or in the proximity of a patient. The patient computing system receives an indication that it is to begin a game, and executes the game using identified game parameters that are associated with the patient by a clinician as part of a disease therapy program. As the game executes, game state progresses in response to physical activity of the patient, causing the patient to exercise. The physical activity is received as input into the patient computing system. Such input causes game state to be progressed dependent on the identified game parameters that are associated with the game. Thus, the game is tailored for the patient by a clinician in order to motivate physical activity that is medically beneficial to the patient in order to advance through the disease therapy program.
US09747422B2	System and method of enhanced distribution of pharmaceuticals in long-term care facilities A system and related methods of enhanced distribution of pharmaceuticals in long-term care facilities are provided. An embodiment of a system includes one or more pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing machines each positioned in a long-term care facility remote from a long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and in communication therewith, and long-term care facility pharmacy management computer programs associated with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server to enhance use of the one or more of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing machines. The long-term care facility management computer programs include a patient prescription receiver and a medication dispensing apparatus administrator and are configured and operable to transmit dispensing instructions to the one or more pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing machines when no drug conflicts exist to thereby initiate packaging and dispensing of one or more disposable patient dosing packages.
US09747418B2	Portable monitoring device for remotely monitoring a medical device A portable monitoring device operates to remotely monitor a medical device for use in hospitals and the like. The portable monitoring device includes a signal receiver for receiving a first wireless signal. The medical device can be a portable drip infusion set of the type having a liquid supply, a drip chamber downstream of the liquid supply for forming liquid drops, a flexible tube connecting the drip chamber with an injection needle and a signal emitter for emitting the first wireless signal. The infusion set and the monitoring device each can include printed circuit boards (PCBs) and mutually interconnectible electric contacts. The infusion set includes an electronic circuitry that blocks programming of the infusion set when the monitoring device is not electrically connected to the infusion set.
US09747417B2	Method and apparatus for enhanced personal care A method and apparatus for enhancing a user's lifestyle and personal care is provided. The design includes a device having a display/mirror and a plurality of connection ports each configured to receive a personal care module configured to facilitate the personal care of a user and a remote device arrangement. The device is configured to provide user personal care communications to and receive user personal care communications from the remote device arrangement, and wherein the device is configured for the user to freely substitute personal care modules.
US09747416B2	Transactional storage system for healthcare information Managing healthcare information data includes, on a computer, representing a state of a system based on the healthcare information, receiving a transaction representing a change to the system, changing the representation of the state of the system according to the transaction, and storing the transaction.
US09747414B2	Methods for accurate sequence data and modified base position determination Disclosed herein are methods of determining the sequence and/or positions of modified bases in a nucleic acid sample present in a circular molecule with a nucleic acid insert of known sequence comprising obtaining sequence data of at least two insert-sample units. In some embodiments, the methods comprise obtaining sequence data using circular pair-locked molecules. In some embodiments, the methods comprise calculating scores of sequences of the nucleic acid inserts by comparing the sequences to the known sequence of the nucleic acid insert, and accepting or rejecting repeats of the sequence of the nucleic acid sample according to the scores of one or both of the sequences of the inserts immediately upstream or downstream of the repeats of the sequence of the nucleic acid sample.
US09747409B2	Method of parameter extraction and system thereof A method performed by at least one processor comprises the steps of: generating a layout data of a chip comprising transistors; determining heat-related parameters for the transistors based on the locations thereof in the layout data; generating a netlist data comprising the heat-related parameters; performing a post-layout simulation based on the netlist data; and verifying whether the post-layout simulation meets a design specification.
US09747404B2	Method for optimizing an integrated circuit layout design A method for optimizing an integrated circuit layout design includes the following steps. A first integrated circuit layout design including a metal line feature having several metal lines and a second integrated circuit layout design including a hole feature having several holes are obtained. A line-end hole feature of the hole feature is selected by piecing the metal line feature with the hole feature. The line-end hole feature is classified into a single hole feature and a redundant hole feature by spacings between the adjacent holes by a computer system.
US09747400B2	Optimizing placement of circuit resources using a globally accessible placement memory A method, executed by one or more processors, for optimizing placement of a logic network, includes partitioning a logic network into a set of logic partitions, launching a set of placement optimization threads that correspond to the logic partitions, and allocating memory that is accessible to the placement optimization threads to provide a globally accessible placement memory for reserving placement locations on the integrated circuit. Each placement optimization thread may be configured to conduct the operations of determining a desired location for a logic element, reserving a set of potential locations for the logic element, determining a best location from the set of potential locations, and placing the logic element to the best location. Each placement optimization thread may also be configured to release each of the potential locations that are not the best location. A corresponding computer program product and computer system are also disclosed herein.
US09747396B1	Driving pervasive commands using breakpoints in a hardware-accelerated simulation environment An aspect includes driving a plurality of commands to an interface unit of a circuit design in a hardware-accelerated simulator to dynamically initialize the circuit design to run one or more test cases based on an initialization sequence with breakpoint support. A state of the circuit design is examined through the interface unit based on triggering of a breakpoint on the hardware-accelerated simulator. A next action to perform in the initialization sequence is determined based on the state of the circuit design as determined through the interface unit.
US09747395B2	Simulated loading method and apparatus for moving load of wheel axle in rail transportation The present invention discloses a simulated loading method and an apparatus for moving load of a wheel axle in rail transportation. Multiple actuators are arranged right above rail sleepers along rail direction. The two continuous rails are connected to the rail sleepers via fastening systems and are cut into discrete independent rail segments right above the rail sleeper. The anti-drop member satisfies the applications of compression and uplift force of the actuator. The input load of each actuator is obtained from the load-time history of a single fastening system under moving load of a wheel axle according to a train-rail-subgrade theory model, and adjacent actuators perform dynamic excitation in turn with a same time interval to achieve simulation of moving load of a wheel axle under different speed. This invention provides a reliable and convenient loading platform for experimental study of the rail transportation.
US09747389B2	Optimized autocompletion of search field A computer receives event information associated with a user. The computer determines one or more social media contacts associated with the event, wherein the social media contacts are further associated with the user. The computer determines one or more terms utilized by the determined one or more social media contacts. The computer detects an input by the user, wherein the input includes one or more characters. The computer determines one or more autocomplete suggestions based on the one or more terms utilized by the determined one or more social media contacts.
US09747383B2	Multi-factor prioritization and visualization tool A system for user activity and data aggregation and visualization, comprising a data aggregation server that receives data via a network, a prioritization server that ranks data, and a visualization engine that generates a visualization of ranked data using a planetary model, and a method for visualizing data using a planetary model.
US09747382B1	Measuring page value Techniques and solutions for measuring web page value are described. For example, web page content information for a web page can be obtained. The web page can be decomposed into web page content components based on the web page content information. Content types can be determined for the web page content components. The web page content components can be weighted based on the content types and/or based on other criteria. Web page resources can be obtained in advance for web pages and/or content components based on the weights.
US09747377B2	Semantic zoom for related content Among other things, one or more techniques and/or systems are provided for displaying a related content view within a search interface. That is, a search interface, such as a search application, may provide search results that are relevant to a query submitted through the search interface. For example, a main search engine results view comprising one or more search results of the query may be presented within the search interface. Responsive to a semantic zoom operation (e.g., a touch gesture), the search interface may be transitioned from the main search engine results view to a related content view comprising related content that corresponds to the query and/or a (e.g., supplemental) search result for the query. In this way, the user may explore supplemental content, such as query suggestions, images, entity descriptions/profiles, videos, and/or other content, that may be related to a query submitted by the user.
US09747372B2	Systems and methods for discovering social accounts Methods and systems allow organizations to discover accounts, subscriptions, properties, sites and other online portals within each distinct social network platform and across disparate social network platforms, publishing platforms and networks that represent, claim to represent or are relevant to their organization and/or brands based on search terms and facilitate the statistical reporting and analysis of activities on the discovered properties.
US09747371B2	Method and system for producing customized content There is provided a method for producing a customized content, comprising identifying a customizable content from which to produce the customized content, identifying a base content in the customizable content, and receiving at least one customizing criterion as input. The method further comprises determining a plurality of content modifiers for harmonizing the base content and the customizing criterion, extracting the plurality of content modifiers from a modification library, and integrating the plurality of content modifiers with the base content to produce the customized content. In one embodiment, the method is embodied as instructions stored on a computer-readable medium. A system for producing customized content comprises a content host hosting a customizable content including a base content, a modification library, and a content customizing application.
US09747369B2	Systems and methods for providing searchable customer call indexes A system and method is provided for providing searchable customer call indexes. Consistent with disclosed embodiments, a system may receive call information associated with telephone conversations between callers and a vendor, the call information including an audio recording or transcript for each telephone conversation. The system may also identify one or more keywords from the audio recordings or transcripts and index the call information into one or more indexes based on the identified keywords. Finally, the system may determine search results responsive to a search query based on the indexing. In some embodiments, changes to customer service may be identified based on the search results.
US09747368B1	Batch reconciliation of music collections A system and method for reducing duplication of music tracks associated with a user account of an online music provider, includes selecting multiple music collections. Selecting at least one of the tracks in the selected music collections, identifying multiple duplicate metadata candidate tracks and multiple duplicate audio candidate tracks. The duplicate metadata candidate tracks are compared to the duplicate audio candidate tracks to identify common duplicate tracks. An audio hash is calculated for each audio file for the common duplicate tracks. An audio hash of one of the common duplicate tracks is selected and compared to the remaining audio hashes of the common duplicate tracks to identify matching tracks. All instances of the matching track in the selected music collections can be replaced with the selected track.
US09747366B2	Configuration information management method and configuration information management apparatus A program stored in a computer-readable medium causes a computer to execute a process including acquiring configuration information and first log with respect to a first device and configuration information and second log with respect to a second device, classifying messages included in the first and second log in accordance with a similarity between the messages to generate a message pattern including a variable portion that is different between the classified messages, and storing the message pattern in association with the configuration information when match or mismatch between a value of the configuration information of the first device and a corresponding value of the configuration information of the second device is consistent with match or mismatch between a value corresponding to the variable portion of the message pattern in the first log and a value corresponding to the variable portion of the message pattern in the second log.
US09747365B2	Query understanding pipeline A method for performing a search includes receiving a search query having one or more query terms from a remote device and generating a collection of one or more analyzed tokens based on the search query. The analyzed token collection is indicative of at least a subset of the query term(s). The method includes inputting the analyzed token collection into different parsers that each parse the analyzed token collection and/or the search query according to a parsing operation specific to the parser and output a parsed query including a list of one or more parsed tokens. Each parsed token includes a string, and at least one parsed token of at least one of the parsed queries includes one or more properties of the string. The method further includes generating a retrieval query based on the parsed queries outputted by the parsers and generating search results based on the retrieval query.
US09747363B1	Efficient storage and retrieval of sparse arrays of identifier-value pairs Some computer applications, such as database applications, generate sparse arrays that map identifiers to field values. To reduce memory usage, only those blocks of the array with non-empty entries are stored, and only the entries between and including the first non-empty entry and the last non-empty entry are stored. The offset and length of this range of non-empty entries is stored. To retrieve a value for an entry of the array, it is determined whether the entry is in an empty block or a non-empty block. If the entry is in an empty block, a null value is returned for the entry. If the entry is not in the stored range of entries for a non-empty block, a null value is returned for the entry. Otherwise, the value stored in the block for that entry is returned.
US09747360B2	Mapping non-relational database objects into a relational database model According to some embodiments, information may be received about a non-relational database object, such as an InfoSet, InfoSet query, or Advanced Business Application Programming (“ABAP”) function for an enterprise resource planning system. The non-relational database object may then be mapped into a relational database model, such as a model associated with a business intelligence platform. As a result, Structured Query Language (“SQL”) inputs from a business intelligence platform may be used create reports based on information in an enterprise resource planning system.
US09747359B2	Using a database to translate a natural key to a surrogate key A technique includes, in response to an access to a database involving access to a table and specifying a natural key, using the database to translate the natural key to a surrogate key based at least in part on a mapping.
US09747357B2	Fast snapshots A fast snapshot is configured to store a state of a computing environment at a point in time. The fast snapshot operation is performed by avoiding reference counts of one or more data units associated with the snapshot from being updated at a creation and a deletion time.
US09747355B2	Method of making a high-temperature cable having a fiber-reinforced rein layer A high-temperature cable and method of making the same is provided. The high-temperature cable includes at least one elongated conductor portion. A fiber-reinforced resin is positioned radially about at least a portion of an exterior surface of the at least one elongated conductor portion. The high-temperature may optionally include a thin metal layer and/or an armor shell.
US09747352B2	Method and system for interactive geometric representations, configuration and control of data In one exemplary embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes obtaining a data set from a data source. The data set is prepared for an analysis operation according to a problem type. A result is generated from an interactive geometric node based a geometric property of the data set. A specified condition is determined with the result from the interactive geometric node based on a query to the interactive geometric node. A system's geometric configuration is determined. A geometric control criterion is determined.
US09747351B2	Creating an entity definition from a search result set A processing device performs a search query to produce a search result set having entries having data items. Each data item has an ordinal position. A table, having rows and columns, is displayed in a graphical user interface. Each data item of a particular entry appears in a respective column of the same row of the table. Each column corresponds to the ordinal position of its respective data item. User input is received designating, for each respective column, a field name and an entity definition component type to which the respective column pertains, and stores for each data item of the particular entry an element value of an entity definition. The element has the element name designated for the respective column in which the data item appeared, and is associated with an entity definition component having the type designated for the respective column in which the data item appeared.
US09747350B2	Method, system, and apparatus for enterprise wide storage and retrieval of large amounts of data A scalable network of mobile data storage containers that are connected in peer-to-peer networks to archive large data storage capacities. The various embodiments provide a method of extracting a large amount of data from a variety of sources and storing the extracted data in mobile, storage units. The various embodiments provide storage units housed in mobile containers that can store multiple days/weeks of sensor data in the order of petabytes (1024 terabytes). The various embodiments, integrate high performance computing devices into the mobile storage containers that are able to perform critical extraction, pattern, and index processing on the sensor data. The various embodiments, provide a method for the efficient physical transport of the mobile storage containers from current locations to a center analysis location for re-connecting in another peer-to-peer network for integration into a central enterprise data warehouses.
US09747349B2	System and method for distributing queries to a group of databases and expediting data access Systems, methods, and computer readable media for expediting data access. The method embodiment may comprise the steps returning a result to a query for information requested from a hybrid database. The hybrid database may be constructed by: (1) identifying source member databases where query acceleration is required, and for each of the identified source member databases, performing the following steps: (2) identifying common dimensions or grouping patterns, (3) creating sets of commonly occurring common dimensions, (4) building multi-dimensional databases, (5) building one or more sampled databases, (6) compacting the sampled databases into a master sampled database, (7) building a hybrid database metadata repository combining metadata from the master sampled database and the one or more multi-dimensional databases, together referred to as an answers catalog, and source member databases, and (8) building a query governor to federate the query to the source member databases and their associated answers catalogs.
US09747348B2	Personality-relevant search services For a search query submitted by a user, a result set including a plurality of pages is obtained. A first and a second personality score of a first and a second page, respectively, is determined using a value of a personality trait of the user and a weight associated with the value, and at least one of (i) a personality score of a site from which a first page is obtained based on a personality analysis of another content on the site, and (ii) a personality score of an author of the first page based on a personality analysis of another content published by the author. The first page is ordered ahead of the second page when the first personality score exceeding the second personality score, even when the first page and the second page are equally relevant to the search query.
US09747347B1	Providing posts from an extended network A system includes: an engaging post identifier for identifying and retrieving engaging posts; an extended network post identifier for identifying extended posts from an extended network; a combining module for creating a combined list of added posts from the engaging post and the extended posts, the combining module generating one or more ranked posts by ranking the list of added posts by relevance to a user; and a user interface module for providing the one or more ranked posts. The disclosure also includes a method for finding and providing engaging posts that includes determining engaging posts; determining extended posts from an extended social network using a social graph of the user; adding the engaging posts and the extended posts to create a combined list of added posts; ranking the added posts by relevance to a user; and providing one or more of the ranked posts.
US09747346B1	Attention spots in a map interface Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for providing content items based on a location of a user's attention in a map interface. In one aspect, a method includes receiving data specifying one or more map attention spots in a viewport of a map interface presented at a user device. Each map attention spot is a location on a map of the map interface corresponding to a specified amount of user activity. Content items are identified for presentation with the map. For each content item and map attention spot, a distance between a presentation location for the content item on the map and a location of the identified map attention spot on the map is determined. A rank score for the content item based at least on a respective content item score for the content item and each determined distance for the content item.
US09747343B2	Algorithmic changing in a streaming environment A stream computing application may permit one job to connect to a data stream of a different job. As more jobs dynamically connect to the data stream, the connections may have a negative impact on the performance of the stream computing application. A variety of performance indicators (e.g., CPU utilization or tuple rate) may be monitored to determine if the dynamic connections are harming performance. If they are, the stream algorithm may be modified to mitigate the effects of the dynamic connections.
US09747342B2	Information processing apparatus, information processing method, information processing program, and recording medium A category highly relevant to a keyword combination including a plurality of keywords is extracted. An information processing apparatus extracts a category where the number of times when the category is specified as a search condition along with a first keyword is greater than or equal to a first threshold value from among a plurality of categories that are hierarchized in a tree structure. Subsequently, from among categories corresponding to descendants of the extracted category, the information processing apparatus extracts a category where the number of times when the category is specified as a search condition along with a second keyword is greater than or equal to a second threshold value as a category relevant to a combination of the first keyword and the second keyword.
US09747341B2	System and method for providing a shareable global cache for use with a database environment Described herein is a system and method for providing a shareable global cache for use with a database environment. In accordance with an embodiment, a shareable global cache is used for caching connections to database instances. When a request is received for a particular service, the system looks for an idle connection to that service, and, if none is available, locates an existing connection to a database instance serving that service and switches a service on the existing connection to that service.
US09747340B2	Method and system of using a local hosted cache and cryptographic hash functions to reduce network traffic The described method and system enables a client at a branch office to retrieve data from a local hosted cache instead of an application server over a WAN to improve latency and reduce overall WAN traffic. A server at the data center may be adapted to provide either a list of hashes or the requested data based on whether a hosted cache system is enabled. A hosted cache at the client side may provide the data to the client based on the hashes. The hashes may be generated to provide a fingerprint of the data which may be used to index the data in an efficient manner.
US09747338B2	Runtime optimization for multi-index access Optimization of a multi-index database access at runtime. A processor receives a query. A processor determines a plan and an RID results threshold for the plan, wherein the plan includes an access to the index. A processor determines a static risk threshold, a static risk for the access, and whether the static risk exceeds the static risk threshold. Responsive to the static risk exceeding the static risk threshold, a processor determines a risk bound for the access, and links the access to the risk bound. A processor accesses the index with the key. Responsive to the access being linked to a risk bound, a processor determines a dynamic risk for the access. A processor receives one or more RID results during the execution of the plan. A processor aborts the execution of the plan if a quantity of the RID results is less than the RID results threshold.
US09747336B1	Method and system for creating hyperlinks that cycle multiple search term relevant web sources and self-resolve to a single resource by measuring audience interaction A user submits a search query. The query submission results in a result set, including a number of listings, and a unique hyperlink associated in a database with the search query, the result set, and the listings. The user distributes the unique 5 hyperlink to new members who select the unique hyperlink. Each new member who selects the unique hyperlink is presented with a listing from the result set. The time they spend viewing the listing is recorded. An algorithm based on the recorded viewing time ultimately filters the listings to a single best-fit listing for the original query and permanently associated it with the unique hyperlink.
US09747334B2	Managing excess capacity of database systems in a capacity controlled computing environment Excess capacity available to a database system in a capacity controlled environment can be effectively managed. In particular, excess capacity that is not made available for normal operations of a database system can be used to manage errors, especially situations that may hinder expected performance of the database system. In addition, excess capacity can be used to optimize or further optimize database queries, especially those that meet a criterion (e.g., not fully optimize, not optimized as expected).
US09747321B2	Providing a content preview A content preview of a content item stored in an online storage system can be viewed on a client device without the content item itself being downloaded to the client device and without the use of software associated with the content item being installed on the client device. Furthermore, data storage and processing requirements can be minimized by creating and storing only one content preview for each unique content item. The content item can be identified by using the content item as a hash key in a hashing algorithm. The resulting unique identifier can be used to search a preview index that lists all created content previews and their location. A content preview is only created if one does not exist. The unique identifier can be used to locate the content preview and return it in response to a preview request by a client device.
US09747319B2	Read-modify-write processing of chunks at the storage server level in a distributed object storage system The present disclosure provides systems and methods for sharding objects stored in a distributed storage system. Such sharding may be advantageously utilized for an object that stores a collection of key-value records and for otherwise encoded objects. The object sharding techniques disclosed herein advantageously enable a read-modify-write process at the storage server level. One embodiment disclosed herein provides a method of creating a new chunk by modifying a payload of an existing chunk at the storage server level in a distributed object storage system. The method includes validating the new chunk at the gateway server. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.
US09747317B2	Preserving past states of file system nodes A selective tuple versioning is used on a files system for preserving past states of file system nodes by adding a bitmap to a row for a node within a file system table for preserving the past state of the node in a file system, receiving a request for updating the node along with a node identification (ID) and associated attributes of the node needing to be updated, generating a second time value indicating the time of the updating, and duplicating the row for the node into a new row in the file system table with an end time set equal to the second time value if the bit in the bitmap for the node is set.
US09747316B2	Search based on a relationship between log data and data from a real-time monitoring environment Methods and apparatus consistent with the invention provide the ability to organize, index, search, and present time series data based on searches. Time series data are sequences of time stamped records occurring in one or more usually continuous streams, representing some type of activity. In one embodiment, time series data is organized into discrete events with normalized time stamps and the events are indexed by time and keyword. A search is received and relevant event information is retrieved based in whole or in part on the time indexing mechanism, keyword indexing mechanism, or statistical indices calculated at the time of the search.
US09747314B2	Normalized searchable cloud layer An example system for indexing heterogeneous resources includes a data module that invokes one or more APIs, and responsive to the invoked one or more APIs, receives a first set of attributes of one or more cloud resources of a first subset of the set of cloud resources and a second set of attributes of one or more cloud resources of a second subset of the set of cloud resources. The system also includes a normalization module that for at least one attribute of the first and second sets of attributes, searches a database for a normalized attribute corresponding to the respective one attribute, normalizes based on the uniform schema the respective attribute, and places the normalized attribute in a data structure. The system further includes an indexing module that indexes the normalized attributes in the data structure.
US09747313B2	Timeline index for managing temporal data Embodiments described herein generally relate to creating a timeline index for executing queries on temporal data. A computer-implemented method is described. The method includes creating a first list of tuples that are invalidated in a temporal table and sorting the first list of the invalidated tuples. The method can further include creating a second list of tuples that are activated in the temporal table and combining the first list and the second list into a third list that includes the activated tuples and the invalidated tuples, wherein the third list contains ROW_IDs of both the activated tuples and the invalidated tuples.
US09747311B2	Solution to generate a scriptset for an automated database migration The migration of a database may be accomplished, at least in part, by careful preparation and analysis of the database objects prior to migration. Migration may be performed more timely, efficiently, and reliably if the source database and its objects are first analyzed to determine the properties of the data, relationships, dependencies, and the like. The length of time of the copying and installation is reduced may selecting appropriate operations for different object types.
US09747306B2	Method and apparatus for identifying input features for later recognition Disclosed are methods and apparatuses to recognize actors during normal system operation. The method includes defining actor input such as hand gestures, executing and detecting input, and identifying salient features of the actor therein. A model is defined from salient features, and a data set of salient features and/or model are retained, and may be used to identify actors for other inputs. A command such as “unlock” may be executed in response to actor input. Parameters may be applied to further define where, when, how, etc. actor input is executed, such as defining a region for a gesture. The apparatus includes a processor and sensor, the processor defining actor input, identifying salient features, defining a model therefrom, and retaining a data set. A display may also be used to show actor input, a defined region, relevant information, and/or an environment. A stylus or other non-human actor may be used.
US09747302B2	Method and apparatus for associating information The present invention belongs to the information processing field and discloses a method and apparatus for associating information. The method for associating information comprises: obtaining identification information of a first content; associating the identification information of the first content with a second content, wherein the second content is created for the first content; obtaining identification information of a third content, wherein the third content is an updated version of the first content, the third content containing revision made according to the second content; and associating the identification information of the third content with the second content. With the method and system for associating information as provided by the present invention, contents of a plurality of versions can be managed and traced efficiently without a need to modify the existing code review flow.
US09747300B2	Local networked storage linked to remote networked storage system Disclosed are various embodiments for local networked storage that is linked to a remote networked storage system. In a client application, it is determined whether a local networked storage system is accessible to the client through a local network. A file is sent to the local networked storage system over the local network for storage by the local networked storage system when the local networked storage system is determined to be accessible to the client through the local network. A file is sent to a remote networked storage system over a remote network for storage by the remote networked storage system in association with a user account when the local networked storage system is determined not to be accessible through the local network.
US09747298B2	Inline garbage collection for log-structured file systems Exemplary methods, apparatuses, and systems receive a command to overwrite or delete data stored within an allocated portion of a file system. In response to the command, an entry is added to a first data structure. A write command is received. The portion of the file system added to the first data structure is formatted for reallocation. In performance of the write command, the portion of the file system is reallocated. Portions of the file system are allocated from a second data structure when the second data structure includes a sufficient amount of space to satisfy the write command and from the first data structure when the second data structure does not include a sufficient amount of space. The second data structure includes free portions of the file system that have been formatted for allocation. The first data structure includes free portions that have yet to be formatted.
US09747293B2	Method and system for storage and retrieval of information A method, a system, and a computer program product for storing and retrieving information are provided. The system receives information. Thereafter, the system organizes the information for optimal storage and retrieval based on qualities of a storage medium. The organizing may include optimizing the information for sequential read and/or write access. The information may be organized in an append-only manner. Once the information has been organized, the apparatus presents and/or stores the organized information.
US09747292B2	Simplifying the check-in of checked-out files in an ECM system Techniques are disclosed for managing a file stored in an enterprise content management (ECM) repository. In response to a check-out request from a client machine for a file stored in the ECM repository, a management application for an ECM system identifies ECM-related metadata associated with the file. The management application stores the ECM-related metadata into the file (or an associated file) prior to sending the file to the client. At check-in for the file, the management application identifies the location of the corresponding file in the ECM repository using the metadata previously stored in the file sent to the client.
US09747289B2	System and method for proximity-based personalized content recommendations Systems and methods for generating and outputting personalized content recommendations are provided. When it is determined that two or more users are in close proximity to each other, the two or more users' respective media content libraries may be compared. Commonalities or related aspects of the two or more users' respective media content libraries can be determined and leveraged to generated personalized content recommendations.
US09747288B1	Scalable transaction-based data repository service A reliable and scalable data repository service can be supporting cooperative transactions. In an example, multiple data producers may use the data repository service to upload data in one or more transactions. Data contained in one transaction may be treated as an atomic unit. In an embodiment, the data repository service manages multiple candidate transactions associated with an election transaction such that at most one candidate transaction may begin and/or commit a given time. During a commit of a candidate transaction, the data uploaded during the candidate transaction may become associated with the election transaction. The data repository service may maintain metadata associated with each of the candidate transactions. In response to a request for data associated with the election transaction, the metadata may be used, in conjunction with a user-specified isolation level, to locate the data uploaded some of the candidate transactions for the election transaction.
US09747284B2	Methods and systems for multi-engine machine translation A method for machine translation, comprising receiving a source string in a source language, an indication of a target language, and user identification information. The method includes using the user identification information to identify at least one memory with user-specific translation data. The method includes tokenizing the source string, using at least one processor, to produce a tokenized source string comprising any unique temporary textual elements associated with corresponding target textual elements during tokenization. The method includes obtaining a translated string from a translator, the translated string being at least a partial translation of the tokenized source string and including all of the unique temporary textual elements. The method includes generating an output string using at least one processor, the generation comprising replacing all of the unique temporary textual elements in the translated string with the associated target textual elements.
US09747282B1	Translation with conversational overlap A first utterance is received. A first language associated with the first utterance is identified. The first utterance is translated into a second language and outputted at a pair of earphones that occludes a direct sound path associated with utterances.
US09747280B1	Date and time processing For language elements that indicate or suggest time, such as adverbs, these also contain date and time information that can be used to quantify time for a single piece of text or for an entire repository. This quantification of time can then be used by many applications, such as a mobile device that needs to know when to execute a command or when an investigator is trying to piece together a chain of events from different documents.
US09747273B2	String comparison results for character strings using frequency data A similarity between character strings is assessed by identifying first and second character strings as candidate similar character strings, determining a frequency of occurrence for at least one of the first and second character strings from a collection of character strings, and designating the first and second character strings as similar based on the determined frequency of occurrence.
US09747268B2	Making document changes by replying to electronic messages Document changes are sent within a body of an electronic message to reviewers that are collaborating on the document. The document may be any type of document to which changes/comments are made, such as word processing documents, spreadsheets, slides, and the like. A reviewer receiving the electronic message may accept/reject changes and/or make comments/modifications to the document changes that are contained within the electronic message. For example, a reviewer may edit the document changes that are included within the body of the electronic message to add a comment and/or make changes to the change. A reviewer may also have the option to accept/reject changes directly from within the electronic message. After making any changes, the reviewer replies to the electronic message and the changes that are included within the electronic message are applied to the document.
US09747267B2	Document editing synchronization Document editing synchronization techniques are described. In one or more implementations, one or more inputs are received via a user interface to edit a first portion of a first document, the first portion of the first document corresponding to a first portion of a second document. Responsive to receipt of an input to begin editing of a second portion of the first document, correspondence in the user interface of the second portion of the first document is indicated to a second portion of the second document automatically and without user intervention.
US09747265B2	Dynamically generating a plurality of interfaces using structured control files A system and method allowing customization of a user-interface into a data repository are disclosed. Customization options are provided via a hierarchy and/or compartmentalization of structured control files such as Extensible Markup Language (XML) files. The control files may be defined in a hierarchical fashion allowing a particular end-user or group of end-users to customize their interface without impacting other users of the same data and user-interface system. Compartmentalization of functions to specific files may also aid in ease of maintenance of customizations. Customization may include an ability to customize what data is shown on a screen and which capabilities are available on each screen for data interaction pertaining to a particular job responsibility. Capabilities to provide these and other customization options to an end-user are disclosed using an example of an import export trade transaction storage and retrieval system.
US09747261B2	System and method of embedding symbology in alphabetic letters and then linking the letters to a site or sites on the global computer network A system and method of embedding symbology in alphabetic letters and then linking the letter to a site or sites on the global computer network, i.e., the Internet, are provided. The system and method provide for capturing an image of at least one character fixed in a medium; determining at least one letter of an alphabet corresponding to the at least one character; determining a numerical value for the determined at least one letter; looking up in a database a hyperlink corresponding to the numerical value; and presenting the hyperlink on a display device. The system and method further provide determining at least one marking within the at least one letter; and determining a location for the at least one marking within the at least one letter, wherein the combination of the at least one marking and the location for the at least one marking corresponds to the numerical value.
US09747254B2	Method and apparatus for matching vehicle ECU programming to current vehicle operating conditions Disclosed herein are techniques for implementing vehicle ECU reprograming, so the ECU programming, which plays a large role in vehicle performance characteristics, is tailored to current operational requirements, which may be different than the operational characteristics selected by the manufacturer when initially programming the vehicle ECU (or ECUs) with specific instruction sets, such as fuel maps. In one embodiment, a controller monitors the current operational characteristics of the vehicle, determines the current ECU programming, and determines if a different programming set would better suited to the current operating conditions. In the event that the current programming set should be replaced, the controller implements the ECU reprogramming. In a related embodiment, users are enabled to specify the ECU programming to change, such as changing speed limiter settings.
US09747251B2	Video encoding and decoding using parallel processors A method is disclosed for the decoding and encoding of a block-based video bit-stream such as MPEG2, H.264-AVC, VC1, or VP6 using a system containing one or more high speed sequential processors, a homogenous array of software configurable general purpose parallel processors, and a high speed memory system to transfer data between processors or processor sets. This disclosure includes a method for load balancing between the two sets of processors.
US09747245B2	Method, apparatus and system for integrating devices in a root complex In an embodiment, an apparatus comprises: a semiconductor die including but not limited to: at least one core to execute instructions; an agent to perform at least one function; a root complex including a first root port to interface to a first device to be coupled to the apparatus via a first interconnect and a second root port to interface to the agent via a bridge logic; and the bridge logic to interface the second root port to the agent, convert a first transaction from the first root port having a first format to a second format and communicate the first transaction having the second format to the agent. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09747244B2	Clockless virtual GPIO A virtual GPIO architecture for an integrated circuit is provided that both serializesvirtual GPIO signals and deserializes virtual GPIO signals without the need for an external clock.
US09747242B2	Methods and apparatuses for providing data received by a plurality of state machine engines An apparatus can include a first state machine engine configured to receive a first portion of a data stream from a processor and a second state machine engine configured to receive a second portion of the data stream from the processor. The apparatus includes a buffer interface configured to enable data transfer between the first and second state machine engines. The buffer interface includes an interface data bus coupled to the first and second state machine engines. The buffer interface is configured to provide data between the first and second state machine engines.
US09747240B2	Dynamic connection of PCIe devices and functions to an array of hosts Systems and methods for connecting a device to one of a plurality of processing hosts. A virtual interface card (VIC) adapter learns the number and location of the hosts and an identification of the device; receives a mapping of the device to a selected host where in the host is selected from the plurality of hosts; and dynamically builds an interface that connects the device to the selected host.
US09747237B2	Methods and apparatus for reliable detection and enumeration of devices Methods and apparatus for reliable detection and enumeration of devices. In one embodiment, the controller comprises serialized bus protocol (e.g., a Universal Serial Bus (USB)) controller capable of supporting different bus architectures (e.g., USB 2.0 and USB 3.0) of the USB protocol (e.g., eXtensible Host Controller Interface (xHCI) controller). In one variant, when a USB-compliant device is detected over multiple bus architectures of a controller, the controller waits an additional period to allow the device to properly identify which bus architecture to use. After the time period has elapsed, if the device has been determined to be connected over the USB 3.0 bus architecture, the controller waits an additional period of time before enumerating the device. If the device is still present on the USB 3.0 bus architecture, the device continues to enumerate as a USB 3.0 advice to be made available to a host system.
US09747236B2	HDMI extender with bidirectional power over twisted pair Disclosed are various embodiments of transmit and receive connectivity devices that receive a media signal from a source device coupled to the HDMI port and to convert the media signal to a converged media signal based on a converged signal specification. The converged media signal can be transmitted between the transmit and receive connectivity devices through a multi-position multi-contact port. The converged media signal can be converted to a media signal based on the converged signal specification. The converted media signal can be output to a sink device via an HDMI port.
US09747233B2	Facilitating routing by selectively aggregating contiguous data units A method for facilitation of aggregation of contiguous data packets, such as contiguous I/O adapter stores, is disclosed. Commensurate with receiving data packets to be written to a memory, multiple contiguous data units of the data packets are aggregated into an aggregated data block. The aggregated data block is validated for writing to memory responsive to either the aggregated data block reaching a size which with inclusion of a next contiguous data unit in the aggregated data block would result in the aggregated data block exceeding a configurable size limit, or a next data unit of the plurality of data units to be written to memory being non-contiguous with the multiple contiguous data units.
US09747229B1	Self-describing data format for DMA in a non-volatile solid-state storage A method of applying a data format in a direct memory access transfer is provided. The method includes distributing user data throughout a plurality of storage nodes through erasure coding, wherein the plurality of storage nodes are housed within a single chassis that couples the storage nodes as a cluster, each of the plurality of storage nodes having nonvolatile solid-state memory for user data storage. The method includes reading a self-describing data portion from a first memory of the nonvolatile solid-state memory and extracting a destination from the self-describing data portion. The method includes writing data, from the self-describing data portion, to a second memory of the nonvolatile solid-state memory according to the destination.
US09747228B2	Caching systems and methods for execution within an NVDRAM environment Systems and methods presented herein provide for simulated NVDRAM operations. In a host system, a host memory is sectioned into pages. An HBA in the host system comprises a DRAM and an SSD for cache operations. The DRAM and the SSD are sectioned into pages and mapped to pages of the host memory. The SSD is further sectioned into regions comprising one or more pages of the SSD. AnHBA driver is operable to load a page of data from the SSD into a page of the DRAM when directed by a host processor, to determine that the page of the DRAM is occupied with other data, to determine a priority of the region of the page of other data occupying the page of the DRAM, and to flush the other data from the DRAM to the SSD based on the determined priority.
US09747227B1	Method and system for transmitting information from a network device Method and system for transmitting same data by at least two different ports of a network device coupled to a computing device or to at least two different destinations coupled to a same port of the network device is provided. The computing device sends a single command for sending the same data to the network device. The network device obtains the same data from the computing device via one direct memory access (DMA) operation; and then sends only one notification for transmitting the same data via at least two different ports or to two different destinations via the same port.
US09747221B2	Dynamic pinning of virtual pages shared between different type processors of a heterogeneous computing platform A computer system may support one or more techniques to allow dynamic pinning of the memory pages accessed by a non-CPU device, such as a graphics processing unit (GPU). The non-CPU may support virtual to physical address mapping and may thus be aware of the memory pages, which may not be pinned but may be accessed by the non-CPU. The non-CPU may notify or send such information to a run-time component such as a device driver associated with the CPU. The device driver may, dynamically, perform pinning of such memory pages, which may be accessed by the non-CPU. The device driver may even unpin the memory pages, which may be no longer accessed by the non-CPU. Such an approach may allow the memory pages, which may be no longer accessed by the non-CPU to be available for allocation to the other CPUs and/or non-CPUs.
US09747219B1	Address remapping for efficient use of distributed memory An apparatus such as a system-on-a-chip includes memory that is distributed through multiple functional hardware circuits. Each functional hardware circuit includes memory, and each functional hardware circuit can be configured to have its memory used either by the respective functional hardware circuit or by the apparatus' master device (e.g., main processor). For those functional hardware circuits that are not needed for a given application, their memories can be repurposed for use by the master device. Related methods are also disclosed.
US09747215B2	Stride reference prefetcher A processor including a cache memory, processing logic, access logic, stride mask logic, count logic, arbitration logic, and a prefetcher. The processing logic submits load requests to access cache lines of a memory page. The access logic updates an access vector for the memory page, in which the access logic determines a minimum stride value between successive load requests. The stride mask logic provides a mask vector based on the minimum stride value. The count logic combines the mask vector with the access vector to provide an access count. The arbitration logic triggers a prefetch operation when the access count achieves a predetermined count threshold. The prefetcher performs the prefetch operation using a prefetch address determined by combining the minimum stride value with an address of a last one of the load requests. Direction of the stride may be determined, and a stable mode is described.
US09747213B2	Providing memory management unit (MMU) partitioned translation caches, and related apparatuses, methods, and computer-readable media Providing memory management unit (MMU) partitioned translation caches, and related apparatuses, methods, and computer-readable media. In this regard, an apparatus comprising an MMU is provided. The MMU comprises a translation cache providing a plurality of translation cache entries defining address translation mappings. The MMU further comprises a partition descriptor table providing a plurality of partition descriptors defining a corresponding plurality of partitions each comprising one or more translation cache entries of the plurality of translation cache entries. The MMU also comprises a partition translation circuit configured to receive a memory access request from a requestor. The partition translation circuit is further configured to determine a translation cache partition identifier (TCPID) of the memory access request, identify one or more partitions of the plurality of partitions based on the TCPID, and perform the memory access request on a translation cache entry of the one or more partitions.
US09747212B2	Virtual unifed instruction and data caches including storing program instructions and memory address in CAM indicated by store instruction containing bit directly indicating self modifying code Execution of a store instruction to modify an instruction at a memory location identified by a memory address is requested. A cache controller stores the memory address and the modified data in an associative memory coupled to a data cache and an instruction cache. In addition, the modified data is stored in a second level cache without invalidating the memory location associated with the instruction cache.

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