| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09848270B2 |
Electronic device, earphone, and electronic device system
A third terminal of a five-electrode plug is connected to a power supply terminal of a first differential amplifier and a power supply terminal of a second differential amplifier in an earphone. The first differential amplifier and the second differential amplifier supply amplified voltages to a first piezoelectric element and a second piezoelectric element, respectively. A battery is connected to a third terminal of an earphone jack. A processor is connected to a sixth terminal of the earphone jack and determines insertion of a plug into the earphone jack. |
| US09848263B2 |
Enhancing audio using a mobile device
Embodiments disclosed herein enable detection and improvement of the quality of the audio signal using a mobile device by determining the loss in the audio signal and enhancing audio by streaming the remainder portion of audio. Embodiments disclosed herein enable an improvement in the sound quality rendered by rendering devices by emitting an test audio signal from the source device, measuring the test audio signal using microphones, detecting variation in the frequency response, loudness and timing characteristics using impulse responses and correcting for them. Embodiments disclosed herein also compensate for the noise in the acoustic space by determining the reverberation and ambient noise levels and their frequency characteristics and changing the digital filters and volumes of the source signal to compensate for the varying noise levels. |
| US09848262B2 |
Techniques for tuning the distortion response of a loudspeaker
A corrector is configured to transform audio signals to compensate for unwanted distortion characteristics of a loudspeaker. A tuning filter is configured to transform audio signals to incorporate desired distortion characteristics associated with a target loudspeaker. By chaining together the tuning filter and the corrector, an audio signal can be modified so that the loudspeaker, when outputting the audio signal, has response characteristics of the target loudspeaker. |
| US09848261B2 |
Apparatus for removing howling and method for removing howling
A howling removing apparatus according to the present disclosure is a howling removing apparatus to be connected to a microphone and a speaker. The howling removing apparatus includes: a nonlinear converter that nonlinearly converts a sound signal input to the speaker and outputs a nonlinear signal; a delay unit that delays the sound signal by a fixed time and outputs a delay signal; a norm calculator that calculates a norm from the delay signal; a filter coefficient generator that, based on the nonlinear signal, the delay signal and the norm, generates an adaptive filter that simulates a transfer characteristic of a space where the sound signal is reproduced from the speaker and is returned to the microphone; a cancel signal generator that convolves the delay signal and the adaptive filter with each other and generates a cancel signal; and a subtracter that subtracts the cancel signal from the sound signal. When an average sound pressure level of the sound signal exceeds a threshold value, the filter coefficient generator initializes the adaptive filter, thereby sensing oscillation of the adaptive filter even when a positional relationship between the microphone and the speaker is dynamically changed, and returning an output to normal. |
| US09848249B2 |
Location based targeted advertising
Systems and methods for providing targeted advertising to media display devices that may be located away from a user premises based on user preferences. A computing system may detect presence of multiple user devices within a proximity of the computing system, and a user profile associated with each particular user device may then be accessed. A net demographic profile associated with the multiple user devices may be determined, and then advertising content may be selected for presentation by a display device based upon the net demographic profile. |
| US09848247B2 |
Media computing device with multiple virtual screens and personal area network capability
A media computing device with multiple virtual screens and personal area network capability, comprising a processor, a memory, an HDMI controller operating an HDMI interface, a wireless network interface configured to communicate via a local area network and configured to communicate via a personal area network, a media management subsystem, a virtual screen driver; and an operating system comprising programming instructions stored in the memory of and operating on the processor and configured to operate multiple virtual screens for user interaction via devices communicating via a network. |
| US09848246B2 |
System and method for tagging content and delivering the tag to buddies of a given user
A method comprises retrieving a profile of a given user, the given user having a given-user device; delivering a content item to the given-user device; receiving one or more user-specified tags associated with the content item; identifying one or more buddies of the user as indicated in the profile; and delivering the one or more tags to the one or more buddies. |
| US09848245B2 |
Systems and methods for transmitting media associated with a measure of quality based on level of game play in an interactive video gaming environment
Systems and methods for incorporating online user generated media content (e.g., videos) into an interactive video gaming environment are provided. Media assets that are associated with different measures of quality generated by users are stored on a remote server. A player action is received by the remote server. A determination is made as to which one of the plurality of levels of the interactive video gaming environment corresponds to the action. One of the videos associated with one of the measures of quality is selected based on the determination of the level corresponding to the action. The selected video is transmitted to the player. |
| US09848241B2 |
Increased user efficiency and interaction performance through dynamic adjustment of auxiliary content duration
Improved operation of a content presentation device is achieved by displaying, to a user, user-desired primary content on the physical display device. Content pod metadata can be received specifying a predefined duration of a content pod for displaying auxiliary content, different from primary content, within a break from the primary content for the predetermined duration. The content pod metadata also specifies a plurality of subdivision time slots of the content pod, each time slot for different auxiliary content. The auxiliary content can be displayed on the physical display device within a time slot of the content pod. User input can be received while displaying the auxiliary content on the physical display device, where the user input indicates user interest in the auxiliary content. The auxiliary content can then be adjusted based on the user interest in the auxiliary content. |
| US09848239B2 |
Projecting person-level viewership from household-level tuning events
The present disclosure describes techniques for projecting person-level viewership from household-level tuning events. One example method includes accessing tuning data representing television tuning events associated with particular households; accessing panelist viewing data representing television viewing events associated with panelists; and for at least one tuning event represented by the tuning data: accessing household member data associated with the tuning event; determining a member minutes value associated with each individual member of the particular household for the tuning event; and determining a fractional viewership value for each individual member of the particular household associated with the tuning event. |
| US09848235B1 |
Video fingerprinting based on fourier transform of histogram
A content device and method is disclosed to include a processing device to process streaming video content. A fingerprinter receives captured frames of the streaming video content and, for each frame of a plurality of the captured frames, generates a one-dimensional histogram function of pixel values and transforms the histogram function with a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), to generate a plurality of complex values for the frame. The fingerprinter further, for each of the plurality of complex values, assigns a binary one (“1”) when a real part of the complex value is greater than zero (“0”) and assigns a binary zero (“0”) when the real part is less than or equal to zero, to generate a plurality of bits. The fingerprinter further concatenates a specific number of the bits to generate a fingerprint for the frame. |
| US09848234B2 |
Method, control point, and media renderer for displaying picture
An embodiment method includes: acquiring a uniform resource identifier URI of a first picture selected by a user; acquiring a URI of a picture to be buffered in accordance with the URI of the first picture; and sending the URI of the first picture and the URI of the picture to be buffered to a media renderer, so that the media renderer acquires the first picture according to the URI of the first picture, and displays the first picture, and acquires, the picture to be buffered in accordance with the URI of the picture to be buffered, and buffers the picture to be buffered. |
| US09848231B2 |
Multi-interface streaming media system
A streaming media device includes a printed circuit board hosting components configured to access internet data. An audio/visual connector is linked to the printed circuit board, wherein the audio/visual connector is adapted for connection to an audio/visual device, wherein the audio/visual connector is adapted to operate with a first audio/visual interface having sufficient power to fully operate the printed circuit board and a second audio/visual interface having insufficient power to fully operate the printed circuit board. A power connector is linked to the printed circuit board, wherein the power connector selectively receives power based on the audio/visual connector utilizing one of the first audio/visual interface and the second audio/visual interface. |
| US09848230B2 |
Video display apparatus and operating method thereof
A video display device is provided. A receiving unit obtains an uncompressed audio and video content. A display unit displays the uncompressed audio and video content. A content recognition configuration management unit extracts a first characteristic information corresponding to a first characteristic information type from the uncompressed audio and video content, receives a first response to a first query which includes the first characteristic information, determines a second characteristic information type based on the first response, extracts a second characteristic information corresponding to the second characteristic information type from the uncompressed audio and video content, and receives a second response to a second query which includes the second characteristic information. |
| US09848229B2 |
Video advertisement overlay system and method
This disclosure relates system(s) and method(s) for overlaying functionalities, text, annotations, and/or features on video advertisements and content videos. |
| US09848225B2 |
Information processing apparatus, control method therefor, and program
Data reception via an appropriate route is realized on an information processing apparatus that can receive data from a communication apparatus via one of a plurality of different routes, and in a control method therefor. If a first device has been discovered on a first network, data is received from the first device on the first network. If the data received from the first device on the first network is to be transferred from a second device existing on a second network, the data is uploaded onto the second device. At this time, whether or not data received by the first reception unit is to be transferred from the second device is determined in accordance with a setting at the time of the discovery of the first device. |
| US09848224B2 |
Methods and apparatus to estimate demographics of a household
Methods and apparatus to estimate demographics of a household are disclosed. An example method to determine demographics for non-panelist households includes calculating a first demographic constraint average and a second demographic constraint average based on a first demographic distribution of a first tuning event of a household and a second demographic distribution of a second tuning event of the household. The household is a non-panelist household. The example method also includes, based on the first demographic constraint average, determining a first likelihood of the household being associated with a first demographic constraint. The example method also includes, based on the second demographic constraint average, determining a second likelihood of the household being associated with a second demographic constraint. The example method also includes estimating a household characteristic of the household based on the first likelihood and the second likelihood. |
| US09848222B2 |
Methods and apparatus to detect spillover
Methods and apparatus to improve the accuracy of crediting media exposure through detecting reverberation indicative of spillover. Example disclosed methods involve determining periods of loudness in media presented by a media presentation device, and identifying a quantity of the periods of loudness that satisfy a duration threshold. Disclosed example methods also involve calculating a ratio by dividing the quantity of the periods of loudness that satisfy the duration threshold by a total number of periods of loudness in the media. Disclosed example methods also involve marking the media as usable to credit a media exposure if the ratio satisfies a loud threshold. |
| US09848217B2 |
Method for transmitting and receiving program configuration information for scalable ultra high definition video service in hybrid transmission environment, and method and apparatus for effectively transmitting scalar layer information
The present invention relates to a method for transmitting and receiving program configuration information for a scalable ultra high definition (UHD) video service under the hybrid transmission environment, and to a method and apparatus for effectively transmitting scalar layer information, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a scheme for inserting group information for the scalable layer of a base layer and an enhancement layer, which form a scalable UHD video, and transmission channel information into a program map table (PMT) or a package configuration table (PCT), and for transmitting same, and to a scalable layer information format for transmitting layer information with a smaller number of bits as possible when a packet header includes scalable layer information. |
| US09848215B1 |
Methods, systems, and media for identifying and presenting users with multi-lingual media content items
Methods, systems, and media for identifying and presenting users with multi-lingual media content items are provided. In some embodiments, the method comprises: receiving a video content item; identifying a first language associated with the video content item; identifying content within the video content item; determining a likelihood that the video content item is a multi-lingual content item that is not language specific based on the identified content within the video content item; receiving a request for media content; determining a second language associated with the request for media content, wherein the second language is different from the first language; in response to determining that the second language that is different from the first language, determining whether to present the video content item based on the determined likelihood; and responsive to the request for media content, causing the video content item to be presented in response to determining that the video content item is deemed to be multi-lingual content that is not language specific. |
| US09848211B2 |
Set-top box with interactive portal and system and method for use of same
A set-top box with an interactive portal and system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment of the set-top box, the set-top box is deployed to provide an interactive portal in a hospitality establishment having multiple rooms, such as a hotel. The set-top box is associated with a room and includes a housing that secures a television input, a television output, a processor, a transceiver, and memory therein in an interconnected bus architecture. The set-top box generates a default interactive portal as well as a guest-specific interactive portal, which is generated from a guest configuration profile having information including guest identification, a guest channel preference presentation, and a guest service preference presentation with guest account information. The guest configuration profile may also enable the creation of a local area wireless network with substantially the same behavior as the guest's home wireless network. |
| US09848207B2 |
Efficient screen image transfer
A system including a source display, externally updatable, an image compression algorithm database, a network connection, and a frame transfer engine. The algorithm database comprises a plurality of image compression algorithms. The frame transfer engine is configured to receive a plurality of updates made to the source display, store at least some of the updates in a queue, and select, based on a bandwidth of the network connection, a size of the update, and sizes and times of updates currently present in the queue, an image compression algorithm in the algorithm database for current transfer over the network connection. |
| US09848205B2 |
Method for predictive coding of depth maps with plane points
A method for predictive encoding of a depth map, includes the steps of receiving a depth map; dividing the depth map to blocks; performing quad-tree decomposition of the depth map to sub-blocks; approximating each of the sub-blocks by a plane, wherein the plane is associated with three plane points; and determining an order of coding of the sub-blocks; and providing an encoded depth map in a form of a set of planes defined by parameters. The method includes, while encoding consecutive sub-blocks: calculating predictors for the plane points of the currently-encoded sub-block (C); calculating differences between the actual values of the plane points and the values of the corresponding predictors; and providing the parameters of the plane for the currently-encoded sub-block (C) in form of the differences. |
| US09848204B2 |
Spatial prediction method and device, coding and decoding methods and devices
A spatial prediction method of a block of pixels of an image, called current block, using a plurality of spatial prediction modes based on neighboring pixels of the current block is disclosed. The method comprises determining a prediction block of the current block according to each one of said spatial prediction modes and selecting one of said prediction blocks according to a predetermined criterion. According to the invention, before carrying out the preceding steps, it is detected, among said spatial prediction modes, whether some of them are redundant. If such redundant modes are detected, one of them is replaced by an additional mode, distinct from the other spatial prediction modes. |
| US09848196B2 |
Method of coding and decoding images, coding and decoding device and computer programs corresponding thereto
A method for coding includes; segmenting an image into blocks; grouping blocks into a number of subsets; coding, using an entropy coding module, each subset, by associating digital information with symbols of each block of a subset, including, for the first block of the image, initializing state variables of the coding module; and generating a data sub-stream representative of at least one of the coded subsets of blocks. Where a current block is the first block to be coded of a subset, symbol occurrence probabilities for the first current block are determined based on those for a coded and decoded predetermined block of at least one other subset. Where the current block is the last coded block of the subset: writing, in the sub-stream representative of the subset, the entire the digital information associated with the symbols during coding of the blocks of the subset, and implementing the initializing sub-step. |
| US09848193B2 |
System and method for selecting quantization parameter (QP) in display stream compression (DSC)
An apparatus for coding video data according to certain aspects includes a memory for storing the video data and a processor. The memory includes a buffer. The processor is configured to receive the video data to be coded. The processor is further configured to determine a quantization parameter (QP) of a current block of the video data without considering a type of content of the video data and a rate-distortion model associated with the type of content. The processor is also configured to code the current block in a bitstream using the determined QP. |
| US09848191B2 |
Adaptive filtering based upon boundary strength
An image decoding apparatus that includes a motion compensation prediction circuit configured to conduct motion compensation prediction for each of blocks to be decoded by using the reconstructed image, an inverse transformation circuit configured to conduct inverse orthogonal transformation for the data of the blocks to be decoded, and a determination circuit configured to determine a filtering strength and whether or not to conduct filtering, with respect to each of the boundaries. In addition, the determining circuit is configured to determine filtering is conducted when at least one of the two adjacent blocks is intra-coded, and filtering is not conducted when both of the two adjacent blocks are not intra-coded, a non-zero transformation coefficient is not coded in both of the two adjacent blocks, the two adjacent blocks are predicted by the same reference frame, and an absolute value of a difference between motion vectors of the two adjacent blocks is smaller than a specified threshold value. |
| US09848188B1 |
Video coding transform systems and methods
In some embodiments, a HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding, MPEG-H Part 2, H.265) video coder (encoder/decoder) transform unit includes nested transform stages, with 8×8 transform computation hardware, e.g. fused quad multiply accumulate (MAC) units and adders, forming part of 16×16 transform computation hardware, which in turn forms part of a 32×32 video transform computation unit. Control logic and multiplexers may be used to reconfigure interconnections between MAC units depending on the size of incoming video blocks. The transform of a 32×32 video block is computed in a fixed number of clock cycles that is independent of whether or how the 32×32 block is partitioned in smaller blocks. A redundant binary format is used until the final stage of operations to increase the speed of computation. |
| US09848187B2 |
Moving picture coding device, moving picture coding method, and moving picture coding program, and moving picture decoding device, moving picture decoding method, and moving picture decoding program
A merging motion information calculating unit calculates motion information of a plurality of coded neighboring blocks located at predetermined positions neighboring to a coding target block in space as spatial motion information candidates of the coding target block, in a case where there are spatial motion information candidates having the same motion information out of the spatial motion information candidates, sets one of the spatial motion information candidates having the same motion information as the spatial motion information candidate and, calculates a temporal motion information candidate of the coding target block by using the motion information of a coded block included in a picture that is different in time from a picture including the coding target block, and includes the spatial motion information candidates and the temporal motion information candidate in candidates for the motion information. |
| US09848186B2 |
Graphical system with enhanced stereopsis
A computer system that provides stereoscopic images is described. During operation, the computer system generates the stereoscopic images at a location corresponding to a viewing plane based on data having a discrete spatial resolution, where the stereoscopic images include image parallax. Then, the computer system scales objects depicted in the stereoscopic images so that depth acuity associated with the image parallax is increased, where the scaling is based on the spatial resolution and a viewing geometry associated with a display. For example, the viewing geometry may include a distance from an individual that views the stereoscopic images on the display and the display. Alternatively, the viewing geometry may include a focal point of the individual. Next, the computer system provides the resulting stereoscopic images to the display. In this way, the computer system may optimize the depth acuity for data having discrete sampling. |
| US09848180B2 |
Method, medium, and system generating a stereo signal
Surround audio decoding for selectively generating an audio signal from a multi-channel signal. In the surround audio decoding, a down-mixed signal, e.g., as down-mixed by an encoding terminal, is selectively up-mixed to a stereo signal or a multi-channel signal, by generating spatial information for generating the stereo signal, using spatial information for up-mixing the down-mixed signal to the multi-channel signal. |
| US09848177B2 |
Hybrid light engine for projector
A projector includes a light source, a filter unit, an auxiliary light source and a combiner. The light source produces a first beam of light having light in a plurality of ranges of wavelengths, corresponding to a plurality of colors. The filter unit is positioned in the optical path of the first light beam. The filter unit is configured in a first configuration during a first time interval and in a second configuration during a second time interval. When the filter unit is configured in the second configuration, the auxiliary light source produces a second beam of light. The combiner combines the first beam of light and the second beam of light. The combined beams of light are directed to a spatial light modulator. |
| US09848173B1 |
Automatic maintenance of front and/or rear windshield visibility
An apparatus comprising a camera sensor and a processor. The camera sensor may be configured to generate a video signal based on a targeted view in a vehicle. The processor may be configured to receive one or more status signals from one or more sensors. The processor may be configured to detect a type of obstruction of a window of the vehicle visible in the video signal based on (i) a classification of information in the video signal and (ii) one or more of the status signals. |
| US09848171B2 |
Display an image during a communication
An electronic device displays an image during a communication between two people. The image represents one of the people to the communication. The electronic device determines a location where to place the image and displays the image such that the image appears to exist at the location. |
| US09848168B2 |
Method, synthesizing device, and system for implementing video conference
A method, device, and system for implementing a video conference includes obtaining in real time an image of a first scene from a main camera located in a first conference site, obtaining in real time an image of a second scene from an auxiliary camera located in the first conference site, the second scene is a part of the first scene, and the second scene includes a target object, generating a target image in real time according to the image of the first scene and the image of the second scene and based on a location of the target object in the first conference site, a location of the image of the second scene in the target image is corresponding to the location of the target object in the first conference site, and sending the target image in real time to a display device located in a second conference site. |
| US09848161B2 |
Video recorder having user extended and automatically extended time slots
The present invention is directed to a video recorder having user extended and automatically extended time slots. An embodiment of the present invention includes a set-top box having an internal storage device, such as a hard drive where broadcasts are transferred from a broadcast input source to the storage device. The set-top box is connected to an output device such as a television, which displays a graphical user interface (GUI) and an interactive program guide (IPG). The user has the option to extend a chosen time slot, in which a show is scheduled to be transferred to the storage device. A dialog box is used when certain types of shows are selected that commonly require timeslot extensions at the end of the show. |
| US09848158B2 |
Digital camera user interface for video trimming
A digital video camera comprising: user controls enabling a user to select between at least an up input, a down input, a left input, a right input, and a confirmation input; and a program memory storing instructions to implement a method for trimming a digital video sequence. The method includes: selecting a digital video sequence; initiating a trimming operation; accepting user input to select a start frame and an end frame for a trimmed digital video sequence, wherein the up input and the down input are used to select between a start frame selection mode and an end frame selection mode, and the left input and the right input are used to scroll through the frames of the selected digital video sequence; and trimming the selected video sequence to include the frames between the selected start frame and the selected end frame. |
| US09848156B2 |
Television system and multimedia playing method
A television system includes: a storage unit, storing a plurality of candidate multimedia files and a plurality of program instructions; a display unit; a trigger signal receiving unit, receiving a trigger signal; and a processing unit, executing the program instructions to perform operations of: playing a target multimedia file via the display unit, generating target characteristic information according to the target multimedia file, generating a plurality of sets of candidate characteristic information respectively corresponding to the candidate multimedia files according to the candidate multimedia files, selecting one of the candidate multimedia files according to the target characteristic information and the candidate characteristic information in response to the trigger signal, and playing the selected candidate multimedia file via the display unit to replace the playback of the target multimedia file. |
| US09848154B2 |
Comparator with correlated double sampling scheme and operating method thereof
A comparator includes: a comparison block suitable for comparing a pixel signal and a plurality of ramp signals; a correlated double sampling (CDS) block operatively coupled among a first input terminal receiving a first ramp signal used for first and third steps, a third input terminal receiving the pixel signal, and a negative input terminal of the comparison block, and suitable for performing CDS; a switch coupled between a second input terminal receiving a second ramp signal used for a second step and a positive input terminal of the comparison block; a capacitor coupled between a ground terminal and the positive input terminal of the comparison block; an amplification block suitable for buffering a comparison signal outputted from the comparison block; and a feedback control unit suitable for generating a control signal for controlling the switch based on the buffered comparison signal. |
| US09848152B1 |
Analog dithering to reduce vertical fixed pattern noise in image sensors
Apparatuses and methods for reducing vertical fixed pattern noise in imaging systems are disclosed herein. An example apparatus may include an analog dithering circuit coupled to randomly add an offset voltage to a first reference voltage in response to a random binary signal during an analog to digital conversion operation, and a ramp generator circuit coupled to receive the first reference voltage, and provide a second reference voltage in response, wherein the randomly added offset voltage to the first reference is also present in the second reference voltage. |
| US09848148B1 |
Methods and apparatus for a multiple storage pixel imaging system
Various embodiments of the present technology may comprise a method and apparatus for a pixel array. Each pixel may include multiple storage regions capable of storing pixel signals during integration. The method and apparatus may utilize the floating diffusion region as a storage region during both an integration period and readout period. The method and apparatus may store pixel signals corresponding to a first exposure periods in the floating diffusion region and pixel signals corresponding to a second exposure periods in a separate storage region. |
| US09848147B2 |
Solid-state imaging device and driving method of solid-state imaging device, and electronic equipment
The solid-state imaging device of the present disclosure includes a signal processing unit including an AD converter that digitizes an analog pixel signal read from each pixel of the pixel array unit to a signal line, the signal processing unit transferring digitized pixel data at a first speed higher than a frame rate; a memory unit that stores the pixel data transferred from the signal processing unit; a data processing unit that reads pixel data at a second speed lower than the first speed from the memory unit; and a control unit that, when the pixel data is read from the memory unit, controls to stop operation of a current source connected with the signal line and operation of at least the AD converter of the signal processing unit. |
| US09848146B2 |
Imaging device and electronic device
An imaging device with low power consumption is provided. The imaging device includes pixels and an A/D converter circuit. The pixels have a function of holding first imaging data and a function of obtaining differential data between the first imaging data and second imaging data. The A/D converter circuit includes a comparator circuit and a counter circuit. When the output of the pixels corresponds to the differential data, the supply of a clock signal to the counter circuit is stopped. |
| US09848145B2 |
Imaging device including pixels
An imaging device includes. a first terminal to which a first voltage is applied; a second terminal to which a second voltage different from the first voltage is applied; a voltage generator generating a ramp voltage which is a voltage varying with time; a first switching circuit connected to the second terminal and the voltage generator; a second switching circuit connected to the first terminal and the first switching circuit, and pixels each including a photoelectric converter generating a signal, and a signal detection circuit detecting the signal, at least one of the pixels connected to the second switching circuit. The first switching circuit selectively connects one of the second terminal and the voltage generator with the second switching circuit. The second switching circuit selectively connects one of the first voltage terminal and the first switching circuit with the at least one of the pixels. |
| US09848143B2 |
Solid-state imaging device, driving method of solid-state imaging device, and electronic apparatus
A solid-state imaging device includes a first chip including a plurality of pixels, each pixel including a light sensing unit generating a signal charge responsive to an amount of received light, and a plurality of MOS transistors reading the signal charge generated by the light sensing unit and outputting the read signal charge as a pixel signal, a second chip including a plurality of pixel drive circuits supplying desired drive pulses to pixels, the second chip being laminated beneath the first chip in a manner such that the pixel drive circuits are arranged beneath the pixels formed in the first chip to drive the pixels, and a connection unit for electrically connecting the pixels to the pixel drive circuits arranged beneath the pixels. |
| US09848142B2 |
Methods for clocking an image sensor
A method of clocking an image sensor which eliminates well bounce effects caused by global current flow in large image sensors during frame readout and line transfer is described. During charge transfer operations in which voltages are applied to VCCD gate contacts that are adjacent to the photodiodes, a compensating voltage may be applied to the lightshield that is associated with, and at least partially formed over the photodiode. Depending on polarity, the compensating lightshield pulse allows holes to locally flow from under the VCCD gates to the photodiode P+ pinning region or vice-versa, and in such a manner to eliminate the global flow of hole current. Lightshields may also be biased during electronic shuttering operations. |
| US09848141B2 |
Image pixels having processed signal storage capabilities
An image sensor may include an array of image sensor pixels. Each image sensor pixel may have signal storage capabilities implemented through a write-back supply line and a control transistor for the supply line. Each image sensor pixel may output pixel values over column lines to switching circuitry. The switching circuitry may route the pixel values to signal processing circuitry. The signal processing circuitry may perform analog and/or digital processing operations utilizing analog circuits or pinned diode devices for image signal processing on the pixel values to output processed pixel values. The processing circuitry may send the processed pixel values back to the array. This allows the array to act as memory circuitry to support processing operations on processing circuitry in close proximity to the array. Configured this way, signal processing can be performed in close proximity to the array without having to move pixel signals to peripheral processing circuitry. |
| US09848139B2 |
Image sensing circuit and method capable of obtaining higher image brightness dynamic range
An image sensing circuit includes floating node, switch circuit, capacitor(s), and counting circuit. The floating node receives image electric charge from a photosensitive pixel. The switch circuit is coupled between floating node and capacitor(s) to dynamically connect and disconnect floating node and capacitor(s). The capacitor(s) include(s) first terminal(s) connected to switch circuit and second terminal(s) connected to ground. The counting circuit counts the number of charging and discharging behavior of capacitor(s) according to dynamic switches of switch circuit wherein the switch circuit dynamically switches to make capacitor(s) be charged and discharged dynamically in response to one exposure time period to receive energy of image electric charge which is determined by the number of charging and discharging behavior of the capacitor(s) and the capacitor(s)' potential value measured finally. |
| US09848135B2 |
Spectral camera with mirrors for projecting multiple adjacent image copies onto sensor array
A spectral camera for producing a spectral output is disclosed. The spectral camera has an objective lens for producing an image, an array of mirrors, an array of filters for passing a different passband of the optical spectrum for different ones of the optical channels arranged so as to project multiple of the optical channels onto different parts of the same focal plane, and a sensor array at the focal plane to detect the filtered image copies simultaneously. By using mirrors, there may be less optical degradation and the trade off of cost with optical quality can be better. By projecting the optical channels onto different parts of the same focal plane a single sensor or coplanar multiple sensors can to be used to detect the different optical channels simultaneously which promotes simpler alignment and manufacturing. |
| US09848130B2 |
Motion-based content navigation
A set of sequential images are accessed. Measures of background stability across a set of images are determined, and the set of images is stabilized based on the determined measures. The images are cropped and stored in sequential order. A first image from the set of cropped images is displayed, and data indicating a change in orientation is received. Responsive to a determination that the change in orientation is associated with forward progress, an image after the first image in the set of sequential images is displayed. Responsive to a determination that the change in orientation is associated with backward progress, an image before the first image in the set of sequential images is displayed. The set of images can include a selected face of an individual and can be ordered chronologically, allowing a user to view older and younger images of the individual when navigating the set of images. |
| US09848124B2 |
Endoscope system and endoscope video processor
An endoscope system has an insertion portion, a forward observation window configured to acquire a forward-field-of-view image, a lateral observation window configured to acquire a lateral-field-of-view image, an image pickup device and a video processor. A positional displacement correcting portion of the video processor detects a positional relationship between a portion where the forward-field-of-view image is formed and a portion where the lateral-field-of-view image is formed, on the image pickup device, and generates displacement amount data. A boundary correcting portion generates an image signal in which the forward-field-of-view image and the lateral-field-of-view image are arranged with an image center point provided in the portion and an image center point provided in the portion caused to correspond to each other, based on the displacement amount data. |
| US09848121B2 |
Method and device to obtain an image aligned with a reference image
Methods and electronic devices are provided that obtain a reference image of an imaged body using a first camera disposed on a first side of an electronic device, obtain image data of the imaged body using a second camera disposed on an opposite, second side of the electronic device, and provide guidance to an operator of the electronic device based on a comparison between the reference image and the image data. The guidance notifies the operator how to move the electronic device so that the imaged body in the image data is closer to being spatially aligned with a reference location of the imaged body in the reference image. |
| US09848118B2 |
Phase detection autofocus using opposing filter masks
An example sensor for phase detection autofocus includes a number of photodiodes to capture light in a number of wavelengths. The example sensor also further includes a color filter array including a grid of alternating color pass filters corresponding to the number of photodiodes. The example sensor further includes a mask including a number of filters to separate a band of light by blocking the band of light on opposing portions of at least two of the alternating color pass filters. |
| US09848112B2 |
Optical detection apparatus and methods
An optical object detection apparatus and associated methods. The apparatus may comprise a lens (e.g., fixed-focal length wide aperture lens) and an image sensor. The fixed focal length of the lens may correspond to a depth of field area in front of the lens. When an object enters the depth of field area (e.g., due to a relative motion between the object and the lens) the object representation on the image sensor plane may be in-focus. Objects outside the depth of field area may be out of focus. In-focus representations of objects may be characterized by a greater contrast parameter compared to out of focus representations. One or more images provided by the detection apparatus may be analyzed in order to determine useful information (e.g., an image contrast parameter) of a given image. Based on the image contrast meeting one or more criteria, a detection indication may be produced. |
| US09848111B1 |
Imager module with molded packaging
An imager assembly having a molded package formed using a molded interconnect device (MID) technique having a rim portion protruding from a surface of the molded package is disclosed. A lens may be held by the rim portion protruding from the surface and an image sensor may be disposed on the surface. The molded package may further be mechanically and electrically coupled to an electromechanical device, such as a voice coil motor (VCM). The VCM may be configured to move the lens held by the molded package for the purposes of focusing an image on the image sensor. Additionally, an imager assembly with a sandwich molded package having a first high density interconnect (HDI) layer and a second HDI layer with surface mount devices (SMDs) and molding compound therebetween is disclosed. The imager assembly may further include an image sensor, lens assembly, and VCM disposed on the sandwich molded package. |
| US09848108B2 |
Image shake correction device and optical apparatus
An image shake correction device, comprising: an image correction unit configured to correct image shake by moving with respect to an optical axis; and a locking ring provided rotatably about the optical axis. In this configuration, the image correction unit comprises at least one locked projection formed to protrude in an optical axis direction, the locking ring comprises at least one locking projection formed to protrude in the optical axis direction, and at a predetermined rotational position of the locking ring, the at least one locking projection contacts the at least one locked projection and thereby locks the image correction unit. |
| US09848107B2 |
Desktop electronic magnifier
A desktop electronic magnifier in a first embodiment includes a monitor and a control panel mounted to the monitor so that access to the control panel cannot be blocked by any position of the monitor. In a second embodiment, a monitor is positioned atop a flat platform that surmounts the camera so that access to the control panel cannot be blocked by any position of the monitor. In a third embodiment, the control panel is mounted to the camera and the monitor is supported by a support surface independent of the magnifier. Access to the control panel is blocked only if the user positions the monitor in blocking relation to the control panel. |
| US09848104B1 |
Image-processing apparatus, method, and computer program product for correcting skew in scanned images
According to the present disclosure, edges of a document image contained in a read image read by an image-reading apparatus including a paper path are detected, a candidate edge-skew occurrence position is detected, a candidate content-skew occurrence position is detected, an accumulated-skew occurrence position is detected based on the candidate edge-skew occurrence position and the candidate content-skew occurrence position, skew of a document rear-part image rearward from the accumulated-skew occurrence position in the conveyance direction is corrected, and image data corrected for accumulated skew is acquired. |
| US09848103B2 |
Systems and methods for generating images with specific orientations
Methods and associated systems for generating images with objects of interests positioned at pre-determined locations and in specific orientations (e.g., vertical to the horizon) are disclosed. The method includes generating a preview image by an image component and identifying an object of interest in the preview image. The system then determines a desirable view angle at least based on an orientation of the object of interest. The system generates an original image and a current dip angle based on a measurement performed by a tilt sensor. The system calculates an angle of rotation based on the current dip angle and the desirable view angle. The system then edits or adjusts the original image to form an edited or adjusted image that can be presented to a user. |
| US09848086B2 |
Methods, apparatus and computer program products for dispatching and prioritizing communication of generic-recipient messages to recipients
Devices, methods and computer program products are provided for dispatching messages to recipients and for prioritizing the dispatch of generic-recipient messages. The device and methods are generally automatic and, thus, require minimal manual intervention by system administrators. Further, the devices and methods are capable of supporting both local and remote message dispatching so as to optimize the system and achieve a lowest cost alternative. In addition, the devices and methods of the present invention dispatch messages over various communication means, such as short-range wireless, Internet, cellular networks and the like. |
| US09848081B2 |
Dissemination of real estate information through text messaging
A system and method having a first software module of a server recorded on a computer-readable medium programmed to receive a request for information from a user. The user sends a text message to a short code, where the information depends on a generic assigned identification associated with real estate information, automobile information, and/or personal property information. The server communicated with a third party server to obtain the real estate information, automobile information, and/or personal property information requested by the user. The server sends the real estate information, automobile information, and/or personal property information to a mobile phone of the user through a mobile phone network. |
| US09848080B2 |
Method for transmitting call disconnection message of electronic apparatus and electronic apparatus thereof
In one aspect of this disclosure, a method and an electronic apparatus executing a method, the method including detecting a disconnection of a call with an external electronic apparatus, when the disconnection is detected, generating and storing a call disconnection message including a notifier indicating a cause for the disconnection, and transmitting the stored call disconnection message to the external electronic apparatus according to a communication receptivity condition. In another aspect of this disclosure, a method and an electronic apparatus comprising a communication module executing a call with an external electronic apparatus, and a processor executing the method, including detecting disconnection of the call with the external electronic apparatus, when the disconnection is detected, generating and store a call disconnection message including a notifier indicating a cause for the disconnection, and transmitting the stored call disconnection message to the external electronic apparatus according to a communication receptivity condition. |
| US09848078B2 |
Automatic determination of caller identification data in outgoing calls
Automatic determination of caller identification information and encoding of such information in outgoing data requests, such a API calls to a call management component, are disclosed herein. The caller identification information may be determined by analyzing information associated with a call target to determine if the target has a custom outbound telephone number assigned, was contacted through a specific campaign, has local geographic data, is being called from a specific entity, or is being made from a call originator with a specific outbound number set. The system may execute machine learning on previous calling data in order to update caller identification selection models used for other outgoing calls. |
| US09848074B2 |
Cellphone transfer stick
A generally rectangular shaped cellphone transfer stick that includes a casing with a distal end, a memory system that is housed within the casing that includes a flash memory that stores data and a billing coding system to ensure a user's cellphone account is properly billed, an input connector to insert into the user's cellphone and an attachment ring disposed on the casing that hangs or attaches the cellphone transfer stick to an exterior attachment device. The memory system also receives any combination of downloaded user data, one or more ring tones or one or more games from the user's broken cellphone that is transferred and downloaded onto the user's new cellphone. |
| US09848073B2 |
Methods and systems for commencing a process based on a sound trigger
Methods and systems for commencing a process based on a sound trigger are provided. First, a sound is received via a sound reception unit. When an intensity difference between the intensity of the sound at a specific time point and the intensity of the sound at a preceding time point is greater than a predefined value, a process in the electronic device is performed. In some embodiments, the sound is caused by tapping the electronic device. |
| US09848070B2 |
Light-emitting device having bent end portions
A light-emitting device or a display device that is less likely to be broken is provided. Provided is a light-emitting device including an element layer and a substrate over the element layer. At least a part of the substrate is bent to the element layer side. The substrate has a light-transmitting property and a refractive index that is higher than that of the air. The element layer includes a light-emitting element that emits light toward the substrate side. Alternatively, provided is a light-emitting device including an element layer and a substrate covering a top surface and at least one side surface of the element layer. The substrate has a light-transmitting property and a refractive index that is higher than that of the air. The element layer includes a light-emitting element that emits light toward the substrate side. |
| US09848068B2 |
Method for providing a parser to extract information from fields of a data packet header
A method for providing a parser by a network node, which includes a table defining a plurality of rules and a plurality of match fields required for extraction from an incoming data packet header in order to apply each of the respective rules is described. The method comprises determining at least one occurrence in the table of a first match field that requires extraction; and determining a parser for use in accordance with the at least one determined occurrence of the first match field. Furthermore, the step of determining at least one occurrence of the first match field comprises initializing a counter associated with the first match field and incrementing the counter for each of the plurality of rules that requires extraction of the first match field. And the step of determining a parser comprises determining the parser for use in accordance with the counter. A network node for carrying this method is also described. |
| US09848065B2 |
Request and response decoupling via pluggable transports in a service oriented pipeline architecture for a request response message exchange pattern
A computer-implemented system and method for decoupling processing of request and response messages supporting different pluggable respective transports in a service-oriented pipeline architecture for a request-response Message Exchange Pattern (MEP) is disclosed. The method in an example embodiment includes receiving a message having coded therein information identifying a desired pluggable transport mechanism respectively for a request and a response; processing the message through a message processing pipeline; dispatching the processed message to a dispatcher; determining if the desired pluggable transport mechanism is available; activating the desired pluggable transport mechanism, if the desired pluggable transport mechanism is available; and transporting the processed message via the desired pluggable transport mechanism. |
| US09848064B2 |
Generation and distribution of named, definable, serialized tokens
A method for generating and distributing serialized tokens is provided. The method may include receiving a request from at least one client. The method may further include determining whether the received at least one request is a request for generating names and definitions for a group of serialized tokens, deleting a names and definitions, and/or receiving a group of serialized tokens. Additionally, the method may include enabling the at least one client to generate names and definitions for a group of serialized tokens. The method may also include storing the names and definitions on a server. The method may also include deleting the names and definitions from the server. The method may also include formatting and distributing serialized tokens based on the names and definitions for the serialized tokens. The method may further include sending a response to the client based on the received request. |
| US09848057B2 |
Multi-layer multi-hit caching for long tail content
Some embodiments provide an optimized multi-hit caching technique that minimizes the performance impact associated with caching of long-tail content while retaining much of the efficiency and minimal overhead associated with first hit caching in determining when to cache content. The optimized multi-hit caching utilizes a modified bloom filter implementation that performs flushing and state rolling to delete indices representing stale content from a bit array used to track hit counts without affecting identification of other content that may be represented with indices overlapping with those representing the stale content. Specifically, a copy of the bit array is stored prior to flushing the bit array so as to avoid losing track of previously requested and cached content when flushing the bit array and the flushing is performed to remove the bit indices representing stale content from the bit array and to minimize the possibility of a false positive. |
| US09848053B2 |
Systems and methods for measuring user engagement
Techniques for measuring user engagement with online products and content are described. According to various embodiments, user sequence flow information is generated for a given member, based on online session log data, the user sequence flow information indicating a chronological sequence of steps and associated activities, each of the activities being any one of a product page view activity and a user action activity. The generation of the user sequence flow information may comprise grouping one or more sequential page views of a product described in the online session log data for the member into a product page view activity in the user sequence flow information, and grouping one or more sequential user actions performed in conjunction with a product described in the online session log data for the member into a user action activity in the user sequence flow information. |
| US09848046B2 |
Archiving applications in information management systems
According to certain aspects, an information management system can include a client computing device residing in a primary storage subsystem configured to: identify a first application to archive to one or more secondary storage devices residing in a secondary storage subsystem, the first application being one of a plurality of applications installed on the client computing device; identify first data associated with the first application, the first data stored in the one or more primary storage devices associated with the client computing device; forward an executable instance of the first application and the first data to a first secondary storage controller computer to copy the executable instance of the first application and the first data to the one or more secondary storage devices; and delete the first application from the one or more primary storage devices. |
| US09848034B2 |
File transfer method
A file transfer method adaptive to a server is disclosed. The file transfer method includes following steps: dividing the file into a plurality of fragments; sending a piece of validation data of the file to at least one client based on TCP; multicasting the plurality of fragments to the at least one client based on UDP; determining whether a command from the at least one client questing for reissuing to send a lost part of the plurality of fragments is received; sending the lost part of the plurality of fragments to the corresponding client based on TCP when the command is received. |
| US09848029B2 |
Highly-scalable data transmission
Methods and systems for transmitting and receiving data, such as, for example, entertainment data, are presented. In one example, a data file is segmented into a plurality of data modules. A header is generated for each of the data modules, with the header including a module identifier for the data module associated with the header. An indication of a number of the plurality of data modules associated with the data file, and at least one multicast address from which the plurality of modules may be received via a multicast transmission, are generated and transmitted. The data modules with their associated headers are transmitted over a communication network in the multicast transmission. |
| US09848024B1 |
Multiple media device infrastructure
Described are techniques for establishing communication between media devices and enabling portions of content to be provided using one or more of the media devices. Data indicative of the transport functionality for the media devices and services available on the media devices may be used to determine one or more media devices suitable for the presentation of content. Control information may be provided to the media device(s) to control presentation of the portions of the content. |
| US09848021B2 |
Session persistent data and method of use thereof
A method of and apparatus for generating, storing and transmitting information relating to a session between an endpoint in an enterprise and an endpoint remote from the enterprise to enable the remote endpoint to contact the enterprise endpoint in a subsequent communications session. The information generated includes, at least, a session identifier identifying the session and the identity of the enterprise endpoint. Advantageously the remote endpoint is also provided with the enterprise communication identity or other means to enable the remote endpoint to associate the session identifier with the enterprise's communication identity. |
| US09848020B2 |
User plane control in IMS
From a user a request for a session is received. Information on an access network via which the request is received is determined. A media type or an application requested in the request is determined. A decision on media path handling is made based on the information on the access network determined and the media type or the application determined. |
| US09848013B1 |
Perfect forward secrecy distributed denial of service attack detection
Provided are methods and systems for detecting a DoS attack when initiating a secure session. A method for detecting a DoS attack may commence with receiving, from a client, a request to initiate a secure session between the client and a server. The method may continue with sending a pre-generated key to the client. The method may further include establishing that the request from the client is suspected of the DoS attack. The establishment may be performed based on further actions associated with the client. |
| US09848010B2 |
Identifying and remediating malware-compromised devices
Systems and methods for identifying and remediating malware-compromised mobile devices are disclosed. A computer-implemented method includes accessing, by a computing device, malware risk data; determining, by the computing device, a mobile device is at risk from malware based on the malware risk data; identifying, by the computing device, a set of connections of a user of the mobile device, wherein each connection in the set of connections is associated with a user computer device; identifying, by the computing device, at least one user computer device from the set of connections at risk from the malware; and outputting, by the computer device, a malware notification for the mobile device at risk and at least one user computer device at risk. |
| US09848008B2 |
Creating timeline views of information technology event investigations
Techniques and mechanisms are disclosed that enable network security analysts and other users to efficiently conduct network security investigations and to produce useful representations of investigation results. As used herein, a network security investigation generally refers to an analysis by an analyst (or team of analysts) of one or more detected network events that may pose internal and/or external threats to a computer network under management. A network security application provides various interfaces that enable users to create investigation timelines, where the investigation timelines display a collection of events related to a particular network security investigation. A network security application further provides functionality to monitor and log user interactions with the network security application, where particular logged user interactions may also be added to one or more investigation timelines. |
| US09848006B2 |
Detecting past intrusions and attacks based on historical network traffic information
A device may receive information that identifies an attack signature for detecting an intrusion. The device may determine a device configuration that is vulnerable to the intrusion, may determine an endpoint device associated with the device configuration, and may determine a time period during which the endpoint device was associated with the device configuration. The device may determine an endpoint identifier associated with the endpoint device during the time period, and may identify network traffic information associated with the endpoint identifier during the time period. The device may apply the attack signature to the network traffic information, and may determine whether the endpoint device was subjected to the intrusion during the time period based on applying the attack signature to the network traffic information. The device may selectively perform an action based on determining whether the endpoint device was subjected to the intrusion. |
| US09848003B2 |
Voice and video watermark for exfiltration prevention
A legitimate voice or video communication application modifies data in a communication session to produce a watermark. The watermark is a piece of information that is part of a communication session that is not readily observable, but can be verified later on. The purpose of a watermark is to verify that the communication session is a legitimate communication session and does not pose a security breach. The video or audio communication session is monitored for a watermark. In response to determining that the communication session contains the watermark, the communication session is allowed continue. In response to determining that the communication session does not contain the watermark, the communication session is identified as a potential security breach. If the communication session is identified as a potential security breach, the communication session can be dropped and a user can be notified of the potential security breach. |
| US09848000B2 |
Resource access
An example method for accessing a target resource in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure includes retrieving a configuration from a local profile associated with a user on a device, automatically completing a login form for a web interface based on the configuration, identifying a target resource by parsing a list of resources received from a server in response to the completed login form, and automatically launching the identified target resource based on the configuration. |
| US09847991B2 |
Method for managing user accounts in a hosted application
A method for managing user accounts in an application of an application provider, includes: receiving a request for proof of authentication to authenticate a user attempting to access the application, the user being registered with an identity provider having a trust relationship with the application provider; obtaining, from a local database, user data including authentication data and access rights data; authenticating the user by the authentication data; determining the user right to access the application, by the access rights data; determining the existence or absence of a user account associated with the user, by querying an external database managed by the application provider; if the user has the right to access the application and there is no user account associated with the user: triggering provisioning of the user account at an entity, generating a proof of authentication associated with the user, sending the proof of authentication to the application provider. |
| US09847984B2 |
System for efficient generation and distribution of challenge-response pairs
A method for implementing response function agnostic, challenge-response authentication on a CE device includes sharing a series of proxy responses to a series of authentication challenges with a service provider, receiving an associated actual response from an initialization phase response function for each of the authentication challenges, where at least one of the initialization phase response function and a parameter required for the initialization phase response function is withheld from the service provider, encrypting each of the proxy responses with its associated actual response, thereby generating a series of encrypted proxy responses, storing the encrypted proxy responses on the CE device, receiving one of the authentication challenges from the service provider, inputting the authentication challenge to an operation phase response generator on the CE device, where the operation phase response generator is configured with the same response function used by the initialization phase response generator, and decrypting the proxy response from the encrypted proxy responses and results of the inputting, thereby producing the proxy response to the authentication challenge without sharing the at least one of the response function and a parameter required for the response function with the service provider. Related apparatus and methods are also described. |
| US09847983B1 |
Epoch-based management of security credentials
Technologies are disclosed herein for epoch-based expiration of temporary security credentials. A temporary security credential is issued that identifies one or more epochs and that specifies one or more versions of the identified epochs during which the temporary security credential is valid. The temporary security credential may then be utilized to request access to another system, service or component. In order to determine whether such a request may be granted, current epoch versions for the epochs identified in the temporary security credential are obtained. The current epoch versions for the identified epochs are then compared to epoch versions specified in the temporary security credential to determine if the request can be granted. The current epoch versions may be periodically modified in order to expire previously issued temporary security credentials. A temporary security credential might also specify an expiration time after which the temporary security credential is no longer valid. |
| US09847980B2 |
Protecting communications with hardware accelerators for increased workflow security
To protect customer data and provide increased workflow security for processing requested by a customer, a secure communicational channel can be established between a customer and one or more hardware accelerators such that even processes executing on a host computing device hosting such hardware accelerators are excluded from the secure communicational channel. An encrypted bitstream is provided to hardware accelerators and the hardware accelerators obtain therefrom cryptographic information supporting the secure communicational channel with the customer. Such cryptographic information is stored and used exclusively from within the hardware accelerator, rendering it inaccessible to processes executing on a host computing device. The cryptographic information can be a shared secret, an appropriate one of a pair of cryptographic keys, or other like cryptographic information. Similarly, the encrypted bitstream can comprise the cryptographic information, computer-executable instructions executable by the processing circuitry of the hardware accelerator to derive such cryptographic information, or combinations thereof. |
| US09847977B2 |
Confidential mail with tracking and authentication
A method for confidential electronic communication between a sender workstation and a receiver workstation is provided, whereby privacy is guaranteed for the electronic communications transmitted over the public Internet. The method of confidential communication is equipped with message tracking and message receipt verification. The system for implementing the method includes a sender server that creates a session content encryption key along with a message envelope that includes a content encryption key encrypted message and a confidential mail token. The content encryption key is stored securely inside the sender organization's system which transmits the message envelope to an intended recipient. The intended recipient processes the message envelope in order to generate a message receipt verification, which is transmitted to the sender. The message receipt verification is processed by the sender server to verify that the message envelope reached the intended recipient. The message receipt verification, which is comprised of the confidential mail token and unique verification data generated by the intended recipient allows the sender server to verify that the message envelope reached the intended receiver and that the message envelope identified as received is authentic. Following verification that the message transmitted by the sender reached the intended receiver and is authorized, the sender transmits the content encryption key to the intended receiver. |
| US09847976B2 |
Shared secret arrangements and optical data transfer
Digital data is optically broadcast through an environment by controllably switching the brightness or chrominance of LED solid state lamps, or of other illumination sources (e.g., television screens and backlit computer displays). This optical data channel is useful to convey cryptographic key data by which devices within the environment can authenticate themselves to a secure network. In some embodiments, the optical modulation is sensed by the camera of a smartphone. The row data output by the smartphone's camera sensor is processed to extract the modulated data signal. In some monochrome embodiments, data communication speeds far in excess of the camera's frame rate (e.g., 30/second), or even the camera's row rate (e.g., 14,400/second) are achieved. Still greater rates can be achieved by conveying different data in different chrominance channels. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. |
| US09847972B2 |
One way secure link
A method for secure communications between a transmitting computer and a receiving computer includes transmitting data from the transmitting computer over a first one-way link to a data security engine, receiving and validating the data within the data security engine, and, after validating the data, transmitting the data from the data security engine to the receiving computer over a second one-way link. |
| US09847971B2 |
System and method for providing high availability in routers using an L1 bypass
According to one aspect, a method includes coupling first and second security units in series between first and second networks. The first security unit obtains packets from the first network, and the second security unit obtains the packets from the first security unit. The first security unit includes first logic arranged to provide security. The second security unit includes second logic arranged to provide security. The method also includes configuring the second security unit in a bypass mode such that the second logic does not provide security, and obtaining a first packet from the first network via the first security unit. The first packet is identified as secure by the first logic. Finally, the method includes providing the first packet from the second security unit to the second network by passing the first packet through the second unit without using the second logic to provide security. |
| US09847969B1 |
Apparatus and method for collecting form data across open and closed domains
A computer readable storage medium includes executable instructions to receive a service execution request from a closed domain. The service execution request has mark-up language expressions characterizing a form definition within a closed domain. The service execution request is hosted as a resident service responsive to service requests. A request for the resident service is received. In response to the request, the resident service is executed to form a rendered object with a format universally observed in the open domain. The rendered object corresponds to the form definition within the closed domain. The rendered object is sent across the open domain to an end user. Open domain data prompted by the rendered object is received. |
| US09847968B2 |
Method and system for generating durable host identifiers using network artifacts
A host identification engine receives network traffic from a network and uses one or more artifact extractors to extract artifact data items that can identify a host. The artifact data items can be stored in a host signature database. Network addresses to which the hosts correspond can be stored in a network address database. A mapping table can be implemented to match the data in the signature database and network database to generate durable host identification data that can accurately track hosts as they use different identification data and/or move between hosts. |
| US09847965B2 |
Asset detection system
A pluggable asset detection engine is used to identify devices within a network. The pluggable asset detection engine includes a set of pluggable discovery sensors and is adapted to identify particular address information of a particular computing device within a network, using a first pluggable discovery sensor in the set of discovery sensors, and send an identification of the particular address information of the particular computing device to an asset management system for inclusion of the particular address information in an asset repository managed by the asset management system. |
| US09847959B2 |
Splitting posts in a thread into a new thread
A method, system and computer program product for improving social network users' interactions. The content of posts in a thread is analyzed so as to group the posts by topic. The posts directed to a specific topic are then analyzed to determine which users posted an initial post or a comment containing an ongoing question not answered. The users' profiles, liked pages and/or friends' graphs for the users involved in the analyzed posts are analyzed to determine any relationships among the users. Furthermore, past communication patterns and/or liked pages of the users are analyzed to determine the likelihood of responding to posts. The posts in the original thread are split into a new thread containing the group(s) of posts directed to a topic(s) having a group of users who would most likely participate in the new thread, where the group of users is selected based on the analysis discussed above. |
| US09847958B2 |
Network-based service for secure electronic mail delivery on an internet protocol network
A network is disclosed that includes a message originator computer and a message recipient computer, for secure electronic mail delivery. In accordance with the invention, the network includes a message delivery server that can distinguish between real and phantom messages. In operation, the message originator computer waits a random time and then transmits a first encrypted phantom message to the message delivery server. This message is to spoof an eavesdropper into believing that there is a steady stream of messages being sent from the originator computer. However, the message delivery server recognizes the message as a phantom message and discards it. When the message originator computer receives a user request to transmit a real message to the recipient computer, it waits a random time and then encrypts and transmits the real message to the message delivery server. The message delivery server recognizes the message as a real message and forwards the real message to the recipient computer. Meanwhile, the message originator computer can continue transmitting encrypted phantom messages to the message delivery server. In this manner, an eavesdropper will be tricked into believing that there is a steady stream of messages being sent from the originator computer. |
| US09847953B2 |
Methods and apparatus related to virtualization of data center resources
In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a switch core that has a multi-stage switch fabric. A first set of peripheral processing devices coupled to the multi-stage switch fabric by a set of connections that have a protocol. Each peripheral processing device from the first set of peripheral processing devices is a storage node that has virtualized resources. The virtualized resources of the first set of peripheral processing devices collectively define a virtual storage resource interconnected by the switch core. A second set of peripheral processing devices coupled to the multi-stage switch fabric by a set of connections that have the protocol. Each peripheral processing device from the first set of peripheral processing devices is a compute node that has virtualized resources. The virtualized resources of the second set of peripheral processing devices collectively define a virtual compute resource interconnected by the switch core. |
| US09847942B2 |
Network load balancing and overload control
Load balancing and overload control techniques are disclosed for use in a SIP-based network or other type of network comprising a plurality of servers. In a load balancing technique, a first server receives feedback information from at least first and second downstream servers associated with respective first and second paths between the first server and a target server, the feedback information comprising congestion measures for the respective downstream servers. The first server dynamically adjusts a message routing process based on the received feedback information to compensate for imbalance among the congestion measures of the downstream servers. In an overload control technique, the first server utilizes feedback information received from at least one downstream server to generate a blocking message for delivery to a user agent. |
| US09847941B2 |
Selectively suppress or throttle migration of data across WAN connections
Systems and methods for detecting and evaluating data migrations over a network are described. More specifically, a Migration Manager is provided to detect data migrations over the network and determine whether the performance of the data migration is satisfactory. In situations where the current data migration is too slow, the Migration Manager may postpone or reschedule the data migration for another time. |
| US09847936B2 |
Apparatus and method for hardware-accelerated packet processing
Devices and techniques for hardware accelerated packet processing are described herein. A device can communicate with one or more hardware switches. The device can detect characteristics of a plurality of packet streams. The device may distribute the plurality of packet streams between the one or more hardware switches and software data plane components based on the detected characteristics of the plurality of packet streams, such that at least one packet stream is designated to be processed by the one or more hardware switches. Other embodiments are also described. |
| US09847931B2 |
Processing of multicast traffic in computer networks
Each router in a group of routers (110R.2, 110R.3) includes an interface (P4) assigned a common virtual address for multicast (VAM). The common VAM is advertised in router advertisings for multicast traffic; other addresses are advertised for unicast. The member routers in the group share multicast forwarding databases. Increased throughput is therefore provided for multicast traffic without traffic replication. Any router in the group can service requests from end-point sources and receivers of multicast traffic, e.g. requests to join or leave a multicast group, or requests presented as multicast packets for forwarding to a multicast group. |
| US09847924B2 |
System for identifying illegitimate communications between computers by comparing evolution of data flows
A method and apparatus for identifying similar and coordinated communications between computers connected by a network are described. Communications between a plurality of pairs of computers are monitored to obtain respective flow metrics for a first and second pair of computers. The flow metric represents at least one property of the data flow between the pair of computers. Representations of the evolution of the data flows between the pairs of computers are updated using the flow metrics. The representations of the evolution of the data flows are compared to determine the similarity of the data flows between the pairs of computers. The first pair of computers and the second pair of computers are identified as exhibiting similar and coordinated communication if their data flows are determined to be similar. |
| US09847923B2 |
Communication status measurement device, communication status measurement method and non-transitory computer readable medium
There is provided a communication status measurement device wirelessly connected to a public network and communicating with a server connected to the public network through a communication channel determined in advance. A measurement unit repeatedly measures a time since a dummy packet is transmitted to the server until an acknowledgement packet corresponding to the dummy packet is received. A pattern calculation unit calculates a pattern obtained by removing a component at frequencies more than a first frequency from a pattern of variations in a measured value. An RTT acquisition unit that acquires a round trip time, which is used to calculate an actual bandwidth of the communication channel, on a basis of the calculated pattern. An implementation unit implements a virtual private network in the communication status measurement device itself. The dummy packet is transmitted and the acknowledgement packet is received via the virtual private network and the public network. |
| US09847921B2 |
Method and apparatus for testing and displaying test results
A test instrument provides suggested next operational step function to provide a user with assistance during testing. A display is provided to show the amount of a project that has been completed, for example as a percentage completed value. Individual test results may be saved to a “fix later” list, which may be later accessed to re-test items that may not have passed on initial testing. |
| US09847919B2 |
Data network device discovery optimization to reduce data transfer volume
There is provided a method of reducing traffic on a data network. The method includes (i) reading an indicator of whether a last attempted communication with a network device was successful, and (ii) performing discovery of the network device at each time specified by a first schedule in response to the indicator indicating that the last attempted communication with the network device was successful, and at each time specified by a second schedule in response to the indicator indicating that the last attempted communication with the network device was not successful. There is also provided a system that performs the method, and a storage device that contains a program that controls a processor to perform the method. |
| US09847917B2 |
Devices and methods supporting content delivery with adaptation services with feedback
A device supporting content delivery is configured to run at least one content delivery (CD) service of a plurality of CD services. The plurality of CD services include adaptation services with feedback. |
| US09847915B2 |
Network function virtualization for a network device
An apparatus for performing network function virtualization (NFV), comprising: a memory, a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the memory includes instructions that when executed by the processor cause the apparatus to perform the following: receive an instruction to virtualize a network device within a network, divide, according to the instruction, the network device into a plurality of network functions (NFs) used to form a virtualized network node that corresponds to the network device, launch the NFs within one or more virtual containers, and group the virtual containers together using a group identifier (ID) that corresponds to the virtualized network node, wherein each of the NFs correspond to a network function performed by the network device prior to virtualization. |
| US09847911B1 |
System and method for customized port configuration
The disclosed system may include (1) a modular port concentrator that connects as a modular line card within a router to forward network packets, (2) a profile module, stored in memory, that stores an allowed port configuration profile that defines supported port configurations for the modular port concentrator, (3) a configuration module, stored in memory, that receives an attempted port configuration for the modular line card, (4) an enforcement module, stored in memory, that enforces the allowed port configuration profile by taking remedial action in response to determining that the allowed port configuration profile does not allow the attempted port configuration, and (5) at least one physical processor configured to execute the modular port concentrator, the profile module, the configuration module, and the enforcement module. Various other systems and methods are also disclosed. |
| US09847910B2 |
IP MPLS PoP virtualization and fault tolerant virtual router
A method of configuring at least one switch involves configuring the at least one switch to direct communication to at least one of a plurality of computers according to at least one outcome of simulated interaction of a plurality of virtual network routers. A method of simulating interaction of a plurality of virtual network routers involves: causing a first at least one processor circuit to simulate the interaction of the plurality of virtual network routers; and causing a second at least one processor circuit, different from the first at least one processor circuit, to simulate the interaction of the plurality of virtual network routers redundantly to the simulated interaction of the plurality of virtual network routers on the first at least one processor circuit. Apparatuses and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US09847909B2 |
Network device with shared hardware for multiple communication networks
A network device may be configured for communication over multiple communication networks. In one example, a method for using a network device to communicate over multiple networks is disclosed. The method includes receiving a packet from a combined communication interface and determining that the packet is formatted according to a first communication protocol. In response to determining that the packet is formatted according to the first communication protocol, the method includes enabling a first component in a first digital signal processor (DSP) block of the network device to process the packet according to the first communication protocol, and disabling a second component of the first DSP block, wherein the second component is configured to process the packet according to a second communication protocol. |
| US09847908B2 |
Resource management method and management server
The present invention relates to the field of a resource management method and a server. The resource management method includes: acquiring, by a management server, a first stable ratio used to indicate a quantitative ratio of at least two types of servers in a CSP during stable interaction; and increasing quantities of the at least two types of servers in the CSP according to the first stable ratio. By applying the present invention, a management server on a CSP increases the quantities of all types of servers at one time according to a stable ratio. This enables all types of servers to quickly reach a stable state, and improves overall processing capabilities of all types of servers, thereby further enhancing quality of service of an application deployed on the CSP. |
| US09847906B1 |
Distributed dynamic system configuration
Reliably making configuration changes to distributed systems, including receiving commands for multiple configuration changes, subdividing configuration changes into separate tasks, and performing those tasks at each node. A configuration element receives sets of configuration change commands, acknowledging them so the user need not wait before issuing additional commands. Tasks are determined, each including consistent changes to system configuration, and each including single-device tasklets. Each particular tasklet might be assigned to a particular single device, or to any single device in the system. Next tasks are performed when tasklets are complete. If tasklets are not timely performed due to nodes which are relatively unresponsive, those nodes are marked “failed.” When a failed node returns to responsiveness, it marks itself “recovering.” When a recovering node catches up, it marks itself “operational.” Updates by failed or recovering nodes are skipped while synchronizing with operational nodes. |
| US09847896B2 |
Method, apparatus, and computer readable medium for signaling high efficiency packet formats using a legacy portion of the preamble in wireless local-area networks
A high-efficiency (HE) wireless local area network (HEW) device including circuitry is disclosed. The circuitry may be configured generate a HE packet comprising a legacy signal field (L-SIG) followed by one or more HE signal fields, where the one or more HE signal fields include a HE-SIG-A field, and where a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) sub-field of the HE-SIG-A field jointly signals a MCS and one or more other sub-fields. The one or more other sub-fields may be a low-density parity check (LDPC) or a space-time block coding (STBC). The circuitry may be configured to generate the L-SIG to signal to the one or more HEW devices either a first packet format of the HE packet or a second packet format of the HE packet, where a length of the L-SIG modulo 3 is used to signal the first packet format or the second packet format. |
| US09847885B2 |
Power negotiation in daisy-chained systems
The invention relates a method and apparatus for distributing power in DC-grid systems, wherein power negotiations are done in a daisy chained system. Multiple mechanisms are presented mitigating the issue of stepwise exploring the power requests along a chain and still keeping the negotiation quick and without many cycles required. |
| US09847884B2 |
Negotiable PoE voltage for improved efficiency based on cable and powered device losses
A powered device (PD) receives a Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) voltage to power the PD over a cable from Power Source Equipment (PSE) configured to output a requested one of multiple candidate PoE voltages to the cable. The PD determines a preferred PoE voltage among the multiple candidate PoE voltages that minimizes a total power loss due to (i) the cable, and (ii) a power loss of the PD that would result if the PD were powered through the cable. The PD requests the preferred PoE voltage from the PSE, receives the preferred PoE voltage from the PSE, and operates at the preferred PoE voltage. |
| US09847879B2 |
Protection against passive sniffing
The invention relates in particular to a method for securing the execution of a cryptographic algorithm (ALG) against passive sniffing, the method implementing masking (MSK) of data processed by the cryptographic algorithm. The masking (MSK) of said data includes a linear encoding step such as x′=x·L+c, in which x is the data to be masked, x′ is the corresponding masked data, c is a code word included in a linear code C, and L is a matrix made up of linearly independent vectors not included in the linear code C. The invention also relates to a device (SC) implementing such a method. |
| US09847877B2 |
Password-based generation and management of secret cryptographic keys
Methods and apparatus are provided for generating a secret cryptographic key of a user computer connectable to a server via a network. A secret user value is provided at the user computer. A secret server value is provided at the server with a check value which encodes the secret user value and a user password. The user computer encodes the secret user value and an input password to produce a first value corresponding to said check value, and communicates the first value to the server. The server compares the first and the check values to check whether the input password equals the user password. If so, the server encodes the first and the secret server values to produce a second value and communicates the second value to the user computer. The user computer generates the secret cryptographic key by encoding the second value, the input password and the secret user value. |
| US09847876B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating raw key using double buffering scheme in implementing quantum key distribution protocol
A receiver in a quantum key distribution (QKD) system includes a quantum optical unit configured to receive quantum signals from a transmitter of the QKD system, modulate the quantum signals based on a basis sequence, and output detection information by detecting the modulated quantum signals. The receiver further includes a signal processor configured to generate a raw key by using the detection information and the basis sequence based on a double buffering scheme. |
| US09847874B2 |
Intermediary organization account asset protection via an encoded physical mechanism
Systems and methods of the present invention provide for one or more server computers communicatively coupled to a network and configured to: receive a request for a physical certificate authenticating a user to transfer a domain name, as well as a domain name and domain name transfer instructions and a request to register the domain name to a third party; register the domain name to the third party and update WHOIS; print the physical certificate, including a QR code encoding a user id, the domain name, an EPP key and the transfer instructions; lock the domain name account against modification; receive a request to execute a domain name transfer; scan the user id, the domain name, the EPP key and the transfer instructions encoded within the QR code; unlock an administrative function of the account; authenticate, via the EPP key, the domain name transfer; and execute the domain name transfer. |
| US09847860B2 |
Communication mechanism using demodulation reference signal based communication mode
There is provided a mechanism for conducting a communication between at least one communication network control element such as an eNB and at least one communication element such as a UE wherein a DM RS based communication mode is used. DMRS (scrambling) sequences are generated wherein each DMRS sequence includes a set of calculation parameters being specific for the respective DMRS sequence, wherein the set of calculation parameters is configurable by the eNB during communication. For initializing each of the at least one scrambling sequence before receiving the configuration information, i.e. in an initial phase of the communication, a predetermined default value based on e.g. an UE_ID and being selectable from a set of predetermined default values is used for the set of calculation parameters in each DMRS sequence. |
| US09847858B2 |
Method of dynamic discontinuous operation from a distribution point
Methods and apparatus to transmit data are disclosed. An embodiment comprises providing transmission opportunities for data to be transmitted. A transmission opportunity can comprise a payload portion for payload. The method comprises transmitting the payload portion. The payload portion comprises a beginning portion from beginning of the payload portion and a completion portion to completion of the payload portion. An embodiment comprises transmitting control information after the beginning portion is transmitted and before the completion portion of the payload portion is transmitted. In an embodiment the control information is indicative of a future completion of the transmitting the payload portion. |
| US09847857B2 |
Establishing a communication link between user equipments
Methods and apparatus for establishing a communication link between a first user equipment and at least one other user equipment in a radio communication cell using a radio frequency spectrum divided into a plurality of channels. The first user equipment comprises a tuner configured to tune a communication unit to channels of a channel sequence vector in order. The channel sequence vector comprises at least a partial vectorization of a symmetric Toeplitz matrix formed from a set of the plurality of channels. The communication unit is configured, at each channel, to receive link data for establishing a communication link with the at least one other user equipment. A link establisher is configured to establish a communication link with the at least one other user equipment over the tuned channel if the link data is received. |
| US09847856B2 |
Apparatus and method for time domain ICIC with muting pattern comprising fixed and optional parts
According to an example embodiment of this invention, a method may include by a processor, receiving a configuration of a flexible muting pattern, wherein the muting pattern comprises a fixed part and an optional part; determining to activate the optional part of the flexible muting pattern; and preparing a message indicating to a network element that the optional part of the flexible muting pattern is activated. Apparatus and computer readable media are also described. |
| US09847845B2 |
System and method for providing additional content to a program stream
A system for providing additional content to a program stream includes a primary program stream, additional content that is related to the primary program stream, and a server for associating the additional content with the primary program stream based on a location of a portable communication device. |
| US09847841B1 |
I/Q imbalance correction for an optical-transport system
A coherent optical receiver that is capable of obtaining separate estimates of the I/Q phase imbalances caused by the front-end circuits of the receiver and transmitter. In an example embodiment, the receiver's I/Q imbalance is estimated using equalization coefficients of a first digital equalizer located upstream from the carrier-recovery module in the train of digital-signal processing implemented at the receiver, whereas the transmitter's I/Q imbalance is estimated using equalization coefficients of a second digital equalizer located downstream from the carrier-recovery module. The receiver DSP can then use the first estimate to carry out signal processing that reduces adverse effects of the receiver's I/Q imbalance on data recovery at the receiver. The receiver can also provide the estimate of the transmitter's I/Q phase imbalance to the transmitter, which can then perform digital signal pre-distortion directed at compensating that I/Q imbalance at the transmitter. |
| US09847835B2 |
Lighting device and lighting system
A Lighting device, which performs visible light communication with a receiver including an image sensor, includes: a dividing unit that divides identification information assigned to the lighting device into N packets (where N is a natural number greater than or equal to 2); a block generator that generates signal blocks each of which includes M packets (where M is a natural number greater than or equal to N) that include at least one of each of the N packets; and a light source that sequentially transmits the signal blocks in (i) each frame cycle of the image sensor or in (ii) each cycle substantially equal to an integral multiple of the frame cycle, by superimposing each of the signal blocks onto illumination light. The block generator generates the signal blocks so that an order of arranging the M packets is different between consecutive signal blocks in the signal blocks. |
| US09847834B2 |
Diverged-beam communications system
An apparatus is provided that includes a modulator and an optical transmitter coupled to the modulator and configured to emit an optical beam that the modulator is configured to modulate with data. The optical transmitter may thereby be configured to emit the optical beam carrying the data and without artificial confinement for receipt by an optical receiver configured to detect and recover the data from the optical beam. The optical transmitter may be configured to emit the optical beam with a divergence angle greater than 0.1 degrees, and with a photonic efficiency of less than 0.05%. The photonic efficiency may relate a number of photons of the optical beam detectable by the optical receiver, to a number of photons of the optical beam emitted by the optical transmitter. |
| US09847832B2 |
Testing a passive optical network
A test apparatus and method for testing passive optical networks is provided. The test apparatus includes an optical circuit having an optical coupler for splitting off a portion of optical traffic. During testing of a passive optical network, the optical circuit is coupled into an optical path of the passive optical network. A bit stream corresponding to an activating procedure is captured and analyzed to extract identification information of the module that sent the bit stream. |
| US09847830B2 |
Techniques for pruning false peaks during slot synchronization at a user equipment
The present disclosure describes a method and an apparatus for pruning false peaks during slot synchronization at a user equipment (UE). For example, a method is provided to identify a plurality of first peaks associated with a primary-synchronization channel (P-SCH) received at the UE and a plurality of second peaks from the plurality of first peaks. Further, one or more pruning locations along with associated energy thresholds for each of the plurality of the second peaks may be determined and whether a peak of the plurality of the first peaks is a false peak is identified based on whether the peak is located at one of the one or more pruning locations of the peak and an associated energy value of the peak does not satisfy the associated energy threshold of the pruning location. Furthermore, the peak identified as the false peak is discarded. |
| US09847829B2 |
Satellite communication system, LEO satellite relaying communications between a GEO satellite and terrestrial stations, the uplinks and downlinks using the same frequency band and time-division multiplexing
A payload for a repeater satellite of a communication system. The repeater satellite being placed into drift orbit above the surface of a celestial body. The payload being configured to repeat data received from a stationary satellite above the surface of the celestial body towards a terminal substantially at the surface of the celestial body, and to repeat data received from the terminal towards the stationary satellite. The payload is further configured to use a single frequency band for repeating data towards the stationary satellite, referred to as uplink transmission, and for repeating data towards the terminal, referred to as downlink transmission, as well as to time-division multiplex the uplink transmissions and the downlink transmissions. Also, a telecommunication system includes a repeater satellite provided with aforesaid payload, and a satellite communication method for transferring data between the terminal and the stationary satellite. |
| US09847825B2 |
Codebook based channel information feedback method, device and system
A codebook based channel information feedback method, device and system are provided in the present invention. The codebook based channel information feedback method includes: measuring, by a terminal in a communication system, a parameter of a downlink channel between the terminal and a base station of the communication system; selecting a plurality of precoding matrixes from a precoding codebook by using the parameter of the downlink channel, wherein a plurality of the precoding matrixes can be used by both of single-user multi-input multi-output (MIMO) transport mode and multi-user MIMO transport mode, and the precoding codebook is an aggregation of precoding matrixes; and feeding back a first information for indicating a plurality of the precoding matrixes to the base station. |
| US09847823B2 |
Systems and methods for mobility state estimation framework for LTE network
Methods, systems, and devices for mobility state estimation in a heterogeneous network are disclosed herein. User equipment (UE) includes circuitry to perform a mobility state estimation (MSE) operation to determine an MSE state for the UE, and a receiver to receive, from a cell in a heterogeneous third generation partnership project (3GPP) network, mobility state information corresponding to movement of the UE within the heterogeneous 3GPP network. The circuitry is configured to update the MSE state based on the mobility state information received from the cell. The UE may also include a transmitter to communicate the updated MSE state to the cell. |
| US09847818B2 |
Channel state information (CSI) feedback and subsampling
A method implemented in a base station used in a wireless communications system is disclosed. The method comprises receiving, from a user equipment, rank indication (RI), a first precoding matrix indicator (PMI), and a second PMI (codebook index i2), wherein values 0-15 are assigned to the second PMI IPMI2 for RI=1 and values 0-3 are assigned to the second PMI IPMI2 for each of RI=2, RI=3, and RI=4, and wherein codebook index i2 comprises IPMI2 for RI=1. Other methods, apparatuses, and systems also are disclosed. |
| US09847816B2 |
Digital transport of data over distributed antenna network
A system for transporting data in a Distributed Antenna System (DAS) includes at least one Digital Access Unit (DAU) and a plurality of Digital Remote Units (DRUs) coupled to the at least one DAU. The plurality of DRUs are operable to transport signals between the plurality of DRUs and the at least one DAU. The at least one DAU includes: a data transport coder comprising: a framer, an encoder, a scrambler, and a serializer and a data transport decoder comprising: a deserializer, a decoder, a descrambler, a frame synchronizer, and a deframer. |
| US09847815B2 |
Device for communication by magnetic coupling
Disclosed is a communication device using magnetic coupling including a communication module linked to a first planar coil (100). The first coil (100) is designed to form a magnetic field in which the field lines are orthogonal to the plane of the first coil (100) in a first zone (10) of the plane. The device includes a unit for orienting the magnetic field such that the field lines are not orthogonal to the plane of the first coil (100) in a second zone (20) of the plane. |
| US09847814B2 |
Electronic apparatus and transmission system
An electronic apparatus includes a switch control section configured to: determine whether a received signal is any one of a power signal and a data signal based on the received signal, and select any one of a power-reception operation and a data-transmission operation based on the determination of the received signal. |
| US09847809B2 |
Using multiple correlators to determine signal sent and frequency offset
A digital radio receiver is adapted to receive radio signals modulated using continuous phase modulation. The receiver includes components for receiving analogue radio signals having various carrier frequencies and a plurality of correlators corresponding to different bit sequences. Each of the plurality of correlators share a common estimator for estimating a frequency offset between the radio signals carrier frequencies and nominal carrier frequencies. The receiver further includes components allowing the estimator to determine which of the correlators produce the most optimal output signal. |
| US09847807B2 |
Wide band antenna systems
A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a communication device including a matching network for impedance tuning and pairs of antennas that can be utilized as primary and diversity antennas, respectively, and can provide high radiation efficiency. An RF switch can be utilized for re-configuring the primary and diversity antennas. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US09847800B1 |
Direct compensation of IQ samples for undesired frequency deviation in phase locked loops
A transmitter includes estimation circuitry and correction circuitry. The estimation circuitry is configured to estimate, based at least on a phase error between a local oscillator and a reference frequency, values for parameters that describe a frequency deviation experienced by a phase locked loop (PLL) during transmission of the data sample, wherein the PLL includes a local oscillator. The correction circuitry is configured to generate a correction term based at least on the estimated parameters; adjust the data sample with the correction term to generate a compensated data sample; and provide the compensated data sample for modulation of a carrier wave generated by the local oscillator. |
| US09847799B2 |
Method of providing communication service and apparatus for performing the method
Disclosed is a method of providing a communication service and an apparatus for performing the method, in which the method includes determining a first user group including a selected user terminal to which a communication service is provided by a communication device belonging to a cell coverage area, determining a second user group including at least one candidate user terminal selected from a plurality of candidate user terminals based on interference information affecting the selected user terminal, and determining the first user group and the second user group to be a final user group to which the communication service is to be provided by the communication device. |
| US09847789B1 |
High precision sampled analog circuits
A sampled analog circuit is divided into at least two segments, each segment receiving sampled analog data and a respective subset of bits of a filter coefficient. The at least two segments can have digital-to-capacitance circuits with substantially identical ranges of capacitance values. One or more outputs from the segments can be scaled to reflect a position of the subset of bits in the bits of the filter coefficient, and thereafter added in the analog domain to produce a filtered output signal that may then be digitized. Alternatively, the outputs from the segments may be digitized before being scaled and/or added in the digital domain. |
| US09847788B2 |
Radio frequency flash ADC circuits
A system for sampling an RF signal comprises a plurality of capacitors, a plurality of resistors, and a sampling circuit. A first port of each capacitor of the plurality of capacitors is coupled to the RF signal. A first port of each resistor of the plurality of resistors is coupled to one of a plurality of reference levels. A second port of each resistor of the plurality of resistors is coupled to a second port of a corresponding capacitor of the plurality of capacitors. The sampling circuit produces a plurality of digital outputs by sampling the second port of each resistor of the plurality of resistors. |
| US09847787B1 |
Independent digital-to-analog converter synchronization
A device includes at least two digital-to-analog converters, each digital-to-analog converter having a digital-to-analog converter clock modulator, a system reference clock modulator, and a phase detector to track the phases of the clock and the system reference clock. A method of calibrating a phase detector includes providing a pulse waveform, aligning a phase of a digital-to-analog clock to a phase of an internal system reference clock, aligning a phase of a modulated system reference clock with a phase of a modulated, divided, digital-to-analog clock, storing the aligned phase of the modulated system reference clock as a calibration value, synchronizing the digital-to-analog converters and adjusting the phase of the digital-to-analog converters to a center of a desired phase, and storing the aligned phase of the digital-to-analog converters as a calibration value. |
| US09847784B2 |
Facilitation of increased locking range transistors
Transistors can be used for a variety of electronic-based applications. Therefore, transistor efficiency and performance is of importance. An apparatus is presented herein to increase the locking range of transistors by leveraging cross-coupled injection transistors in conjunction with symmetry injection transistors. The transistor efficiency can also be increase by reducing a parasitic capacitance associated with the components of the transistor. |
| US09847783B1 |
Scalable architecture for IP block integration
A scalable circuit architecture for programmable circuitry is provided. Intellectual property (IP) blocks may be integrated into a circuit design and may be formed next to programmable logic sectors on which user logic functions are implemented. IP blocks may receive configuration data from sub-system managers (SSMs) that serve as a local configuration source for the IP blocks. Configurable endpoints in the IP blocks may be represented by memory mapped addresses that may be decoded by pipeline decoders having delay elements that prevent read data collision. A reroute layer may serve as an interface between IP blocks and one or more programmable logic sectors. The reroute layer may have a higher number of connections at a logic sector interface compared to the number of connections at an IP block interface. An IP block may route clock signals having different frequencies to respective different rows or regions in the programmable logic sectors. |
| US09847780B2 |
Power-up signal generation circuit and semiconductor device including the same
A power-up signal generation circuit including a pre-power-up signal generation block operates by using a first power supply voltage, and generates a pre-power-up signal when the first power supply voltage becomes higher than a first level, and a second power supply voltage becomes higher than a second level; a level shifting block suitable for pull-down driving a first node when the pre-power-up signal is not in an activated state, and pull-up driving the first node with the second power supply voltage when the pre-power-up signal is in the activated state; a driving block suitable for pull-down driving the first node when the second power supply voltage is lower than the second level; and a power-up signal driving block operates by using the second power supply voltage, and generates a power-up signal through a second node by driving the second node based on a voltage level of the first node. |
| US09847778B1 |
Folded divider architecture
A circuit includes a counter circuit, a logic circuit, and a clock divider. The counter circuit includes a clock divider counter to be loaded with most significant bits of a divider value, and decremented at a same edge of each pulse of a clock signal. The logic circuit compares a value contained in the divider counter to a reference value and generates an end count signal as a function of the value contained in the divider counter matching the reference value, and transitions a toggle signal at a same edge of each pulse of the end count signal. The clock divider counter is reloaded with the most significant bits of the divider value as a function of the end count signal. The clock divider generates a divided version of the clock signal as a function of the toggle signal. |
| US09847776B2 |
Multi-rate clock buffer
A system may include a driver circuit configured to receive a clock signal. The system may also include a first tuned circuit and a second tuned circuit. The first tuned circuit and the driver circuit may be collectively tuned according to a first frequency range. The first tuned circuit may be configured to be active when a rate of the clock signal is within the first frequency range and to be inactive when the rate is outside of the first frequency range. Further, the second tuned circuit and the driver circuit may be collectively tuned according to a second frequency range that is different from the first frequency range. The second tuned circuit may be configured to be active when the rate is within the second frequency range and to be inactive when the rate is outside of the second frequency range. |
| US09847775B2 |
Buffer, and multiphase clock generator, semiconductor apparatus and system using the same
A buffer includes an amplification circuit, an amplification current generation circuit, and a latch. The amplification circuit may change voltage levels of a first output node and a second output node based on a clock signal and a pair of input signals. The amplification current generation circuit may provide currents having different magnitudes to the first and second output nodes during a first operation period, and may provide currents having the same magnitude to the first and second output nodes during a second operation period. The latch circuit may latch the voltage levels of the first output node and the second output node based on the clock signal. |
| US09847773B2 |
Adjustable time duration for driving pulse-width modulation (PWM) output to reduce thermal noise
Noise introduced in an output signal of a pulse-width modulator (PWM) may be reduced by changing the time duration that a switch is driving the output node. Because the power supplies coupled to the switches are the source of noise in the output signal of the PWM, the time duration that the power supplies are driving the output may be reduced to obtain a subsequent reduction in noise in the output signal. For example, when a small signal is desired to be output by the PWM, the switches may be operated for shorter time durations. Thus, the switches couple the noise sources to ground for a duration of a cycle to reduce contribution of noise to the output. But, when a larger signal is desired to be output by the PWM, the switches may be operated for longer time durations or the conventional time durations described above. |
| US09847768B2 |
Polarity determining seed layer and method of fabricating piezoelectric materials with specific C-axis
An acoustic resonator comprises a first electrode, a second electrode and a piezoelectric layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, and comprising a C-axis having an orientation. A polarization-determining seed layer (PDSL) is disposed beneath the piezoelectric layer, the seed layer comprising a metal-nonmetal compound. A method of fabricating a piezoelectric layer over a substrate comprises forming a first layer of a polarization determining seed layer (PDSL) over the substrate. The method further comprises forming a second layer of the PDSL over the first layer. The method further comprises forming a first layer of a piezoelectric material over the second layer of the PDSL; and forming a second layer of the piezoelectric material over the first layer of the piezoelectric material. The piezoelectric material comprises a compression axis (C-axis) oriented along a first direction. |
| US09847767B2 |
Electronic device capable of adjusting an equalizer according to physiological condition of hearing and adjustment method thereof
Disclosed is an electronic device comprising an equalizer and an equalizer adjustment system. The equalizer adjustment system for adjusting the settings of the equalizer comprises a testing module, a parameter calculation module and a parameter setting module. The testing module is used to provide a hearing test procedure for assessing a user's physiological condition of hearing so that after the user completes the hearing test procedure, the parameter calculation module and the parameter setting module can adjust the settings of the equalizer according to the user's physiological condition of hearing. |
| US09847765B1 |
Amplifier with automatic gain control
A low noise amplifying system with adjustable gain. The low noise amplifier includes a plurality of gain stages, including a first stage and a last stage each having fixed gain, and an intermediate stage having adjustable gain. The intermediate stage is an inverting gain stage that includes a field effect transistor connected from the output to the input, to provide negative feedback, reducing the gain as a control voltage (applied to the gate of the field effect transistor) is adjusted to decrease the channel resistance of the field effect transistor. A control circuit measures the input and output signal power of the amplifying system and adjusts the gain of one or more intermediate stages to trade off linearity against noise figure. |
| US09847761B2 |
Transmission apparatus and transmission method
A transmission apparatus is provided with: a plurality of amplification units that amplify RF signals arranged in at least 2 bands; a first control unit that selects amplification units that perform an amplification operation, from among the plurality of amplification units, in accordance with total power of RF signals to be transmitted; a second control unit which, in accordance with a power ratio of the RF signals to be transmitted in respective bands, changes the power ratio of the RF signals in the respective bands while keeping constant the total power of the RF signals received at each of the selected amplification units; and a combining unit that combines the RF signals outputted by the selected amplification units. |
| US09847756B1 |
Wireless communication device and wireless communication method
A wireless communication device includes a signal generator supply a signal to an input node to which a power amplifier is connected. The power amplifier includes an inverter including a first transistor with a gate connected to the input node via a first signal path and a second transistor with a gate electrode connected to the input node via a second signal path. An output signal corresponding to the signal supplied to the input node is supplied from an output node between the first and second transistors. A filter is connected to the output node and outputs a filtered signal having a high frequency component removed. A bias application unit applies a first bias voltage to the first signal path and a second bias voltage to the second signal path. Levels of the bias voltages being set according to a direct current component in the filtered signal. |
| US09847754B2 |
Multi-mixer system and associated receiver and signal processing method
A multi-mixer system comprising a plurality of mixers and a filter module is provided. Each of the mixers is selectively enabled to mix an input signal with a corresponding oscillation signal to generate an output signal at an output node; and the filter module provides different frequency responses for the output signals from at least two of the output nodes of the mixers, wherein the at least two of the output nodes of the mixers are connected to different internal nodes of the filter module. |
| US09847750B2 |
Coaxial drive tracking system for use with photovoltaic systems
A solar energy collection system for converting solar energy to electricity that includes solar arrays mounted on a frame. Each array is set on a tracker head that is supported on a pedestal; each pedestal mounts onto a beam. Elevators pivot the arrays, where each elevator is made up of a shaft with a threaded end coupled to a drive nut. An upper end of each drive nut gimbal mounts to a portion of the tracker head; rotating a lower end of each shaft raises or lowers the drive nut, thereby pivoting each array. The vertical shafts are ganged together and driven by a single motor. Further included with each pedestal are azimuth orientation shafts that also mount to each tracker head. Rotating each orientation shaft adjusts an azimuth of an associated array. The orientation shafts are ganged together and are rotated by a single motor. |
| US09847749B2 |
Pool solar power generator
Solar panels located on residential roofs can be unsightly in some cases. A swimming pool solar power generator can locate solar panels in or around the sides and/or bottoms of a swimming pool in a manner so as to create electricity from the sun without creating an eyesore. In an embodiment, a pool solar power generator includes a solar cell module disposed in a portion of a swimming pool. The solar cell module can include solar cells and be submerged under water held by the swimming pool. The solar cell module can convert sunlight incident on the solar cells to electricity and transmit the electricity for use at a location external to the swimming pool. |
| US09847748B2 |
Utility pole mounted solar panels and securing brackets
An electrical transmission system has solar electrical generation stations mounted directly to existing utility poles along a transmission line. Solar panels and securing brackets define each solar electric generation station. Each station has at least one generally East facing panel, at least one generally South facing panel, and at least one generally West facing panel. A power coupling conducts electricity generated by the solar electric generation station into the transmission lines. In one embodiment, a plurality of spacer members support the separate and distinct solar collector surfaces in a fixed position relative to the utility pole and have a plurality of clamp passages. A plurality of clamps pass through the clamp passages to guide and retain the clamps. In another embodiment, a plurality of adjustable brackets affix with the spacer members adjacent a first end and to the utility pole adjacent a second end distal to the first end. |
| US09847739B2 |
Autonomous intracorporeal capsule with energy harvesting by piezoelectric transducer
An autonomous intracorporeal capsule comprises a body containing electronic circuits and an energy harvesting module. The energy harvesting module comprises a moveable surface on the body of the capsule, subjected to pressure variations and to produce a mechanical stress under the effect of the pressure variations, and a transducer comprising a deformable piezoelectric component configured as a beam adapted to be forced to bend. The piezoelectric component has a recessed end integral with the capsule and a free end. A mechanical connection couples the free end of the piezoelectric component to the actuator. The mechanical connection may provide a degree of freedom in rotation between a main direction of the beam and the direction of application of the mechanical stress. |
| US09847738B2 |
System and method for electric power generation using structured stacked piezoelectric arrays
A piezoelectric power generation system includes a housing defining an opening therethrough and a support structure disposed within the housing, the support structure comprising a plurality of portions. The piezoelectric power generation system also includes one or more piezoelectric elements disposed between two of the plurality of portions of the support structure within the housing. Movement or vibration in the support structure compresses the one or more piezoelectric elements, wherein the one or more piezoelectric elements generate electric energy when compressed. The piezoelectric power generation system further includes one or more exciters coupled to the support structure, wherein the exciters move or vibrate when acted on by a flow of fluid, wherein the motion of vibration of the one or more exciters is translated to the support structure and ultimately to the one or more piezoelectric elements. |
| US09847737B2 |
Modular multilevel converter leg with flat-top PWM modulation, converter and hybrid converter topologies
A voltage source converter for interconnecting first and second electrical networks, including first and second terminals for connection to the first electrical network, and a primary converter limb extending between the first and second terminals including first and second primary limb portions separated by a third terminal connectable to the second electrical network. The converter further including a second chain-link converter connected to the third terminal and a control unit configured to selectively operate one or more chain-link modules to generate a discontinuous pulse width modulation voltage waveform. The converter further including a controller configured to selectively operate each chain-link converter to control the configuration of a discontinuous pulse width modulation voltage waveform at the third terminal. The controller including the control unit, and configured to selectively control switching of each primary limb portion into the circuit between the third terminal and one of the first and second terminals. |
| US09847736B2 |
Driver circuit for LEDs for time-of-flight calculation
An electronic driver circuit for LEDs and LASERs is provided for use in time-of-flight applications featuring a high efficiency of energy-conversion and a high precision of distance-measurements based on a dual conversion circuit. A voltage to voltage DC-DC conversion is hereby merged with a DC-voltage to pulsed-current booster, this booster operating at a time-of-flight modulation frequency. At the start of a new measurement cycle, the PWM signal for driving the DC-DC conversion is updated in response to currents observed during previous illumination periods. |
| US09847735B2 |
Power conversion device, motor drive control apparatus including the power conversion device, air blower and compressor including the motor drive control apparatus, and air conditioner including the air blower or the compressor
A power conversion device includes a switching control unit that controls respective switching elements constituting a plurality of chopper circuits, a rectified-voltage detection unit, a bus-bar voltage detection unit, and a bus-bar current detection unit. The switching control unit includes an on-duty calculation unit that calculates a reference on-duty of respective drive pulses with respect to the switching elements based on a bus-bar voltage and a bus-bar current, an on-duty correction unit that corrects the reference on-duty to output on-duties of the respective drive pulses based on the bus-bar current, so that change amounts of respective reactor currents become substantially the same, and a drive-pulse generation unit that generates the respective drive pulses, based on the respective on-duties. |
| US09847734B1 |
Power-module assembly
A power inverter includes a plurality of power modules each having a power stage encased in a frame that defines an opening. The power modules are stacked in an array with the power stages being spaced apart to define coolant chambers interleaved with the power stages. The openings cooperate to form a manifold cavity extending along a length of the stack and in fluid communication with the chambers. A manifold insert is disposed in the cavity and extends through the openings. |
| US09847732B2 |
Synchronous rectification
A controller for a use with a power converter includes a sensor coupled to sense a signal on a secondary side of the power converter. The sensor is coupled to detect a turn off of a power switch on a primary side of the power converter. A charge source is coupled to charge a control terminal of a synchronous rectifier on the secondary side of the power converter in response to said detection of the turn off of the power switch to a voltage beyond a threshold voltage of the synchronous rectifier to allow the synchronous rectifier to conduct a current of the secondary winding. A linear amplifier having an output is coupled to sink current from the control terminal of the synchronous rectifier in response to a difference between a voltage across the synchronous rectifier and an amplifier reference value. |
| US09847731B2 |
Electrical converter and method of assembling the electrical converter
A converter assembly and method are provided. The converter assembly includes a galvanic isolation device, first switching devices, and second switching devices. The switching devices are conductively coupled with each other and with opposite sides of the isolation device. The first switching devices control conduction of an input voltage, and the second switching devices control conduction of electric power. The first switching devices are configured to switch between an open state and a closed state at frequencies that are faster than frequencies at which the second switching devices switch between the open state and the closed state to control a shape of a waveform of the electric power. |
| US09847726B2 |
Converter control system
A converter control system includes an analog-to-digital converter, a filter and a control module. The analog-to-digital converter digitalizes a different-time and a real-time feedback voltage. The filter bases on the different-time feedback voltage to sample a historical average feedback voltage. The control module receives the real-time feedback voltage, bases on the historical average feedback voltage to detect a load status of the converter, and bases on the real-time feedback voltage and the historical average feedback voltage to derive a voltage difference. The control module applies a control duty cycle to control the load switch. While the control module detects that the load status switches to a heavy-load status and the voltage difference reaches the threshold voltage, the control duty cycle is increased. While the control module detects that the load status switches to the light-load status and the voltage difference reaches the threshold voltage, the control duty cycle is decreased. |
| US09847722B2 |
Voltage regulators with kickback protection
The subject matter of this document can be embodied in a method that includes a voltage regulator having an input terminal and an output terminal. The voltage regulator includes a high-side transistor between the input terminal and an intermediate terminal, and a low-side transistor between the intermediate terminal and ground. The voltage regulator includes a low-side driver circuit including a capacitor and an inverter. The output of the inverter is connected to the gate of the low-side transistor. The voltage regulator also includes a controller that drives the high-side and low-side transistors to alternately couple the intermediate terminal to the input terminal and ground. The controller is configured to drive the low-side transistor by controlling the inverter. The voltage regulator further includes a switch coupled to the low-side driver circuit. The switch is configured to block charge leakage out of the capacitor during an off state of the low-side transistor. |
| US09847717B1 |
Output voltage hold scheme for ultra low power regulator
Apparatus and methods for providing an ultra-low power voltage converter are provided. In an example, a method can include receiving an ultra-low power command at a voltage regulator circuit from a load, disabling charge transfer of a regulator of the regulator circuit during an ultra-low power mode of operation in response to a first state of the ultra-low power command, detecting a change in the low power command or in a timeout signal, receiving an indication that the output voltage of the regulator is below a low voltage threshold in response to the change, discharging the output voltage of the regulator for a reset interval in response to the indication, and enabling charge transfer of the regulator after discharging the output voltage. |
| US09847713B2 |
Charge pump-based split-rail supply generation
A charge pump circuit having first and second input nodes to be coupled to a first power source, and top and bottom output nodes and an intermediate node. The charge pump circuit produces i) a voltage at the top output node that is higher than a voltage of the intermediate node, and ii) a voltage at the bottom output node that is lower than the voltage of the intermediate node. A bias voltage source has i) an input that is to be coupled to a second power source and ii) an output that produces an output voltage, which is a predetermined proportion of an input voltage at the input and that follows the input voltage downward and upward as the input voltage sags and recovers, respectively. The output of the bias voltage source is directly connected to the intermediate node of the output stage. Other embodiments are also described. |
| US09847709B2 |
Switched-mode power supply device
A switched-mode power supply device that rectifies and smoothes a direct input voltage to obtain a predetermined output voltage is disclosed. A series circuit includes a reactor and a switching element and the circuit switches the direct input voltage. An OFF time calculator calculates an OFF time of the switching element based on the direct input voltage, the output voltage, and an ON time of the switching element calculated based on the output voltage and a reference value. A frequency calculator calculates at least one of a period and a frequency based on the OFF time calculated by the OFF time calculator and the ON time. A controller that controls switching of the switching element based on a result of comparison between one of the period and the frequency, and a corresponding one of a reference period and the reference frequency. |
| US09847707B2 |
Converter
A converter includes a first bridge arm and a voltage clamping unit. The first bridge arm includes a first switching unit. The voltage clamping unit is coupled to the first bridge arm, and includes a first charging branch and a second charging branch. The first charging branch is configured to have a first resonant frequency, to absorb a first spike of the first switching unit. The second charging branch is configured to have a second resonant frequency to absorb a second spike of the first switching unit. |
| US09847705B2 |
Regulator using smart partitioning
A disclosed apparatus includes a converter for receiving a supply and regulating a load. The converter uses a gate driver that is controlled by a controller via a control loop. The control loop controls the converter in response to a feedback signal. The controller is located on a first integrated circuit and the gate driver is located on as second integrated circuit. A process geometry of the first integrated circuit is finer than a process geometry of the second integrated circuit. |
| US09847704B2 |
Rotor assembly and method of manufacture for electric machines having multiple magnet lengths
An improved rotor assembly configured for magnets with differing lengths, and methods and systems for manufacturing the same. The rotor assembly may be created by selectively creating first and second tabs extending into apertures of lamination sheets. The first and second tabs may be selectively removed, depending on the different magnet lengths and the specific lamination sheet, according to one of a first finishing schedule and a second finishing schedule. The lamination sheets are stacked with any remaining first and second tabs, and other features, aligned. |
| US09847703B2 |
Rotor manufacturing method
In a rotor manufacturing method, a magnetic body is moved by being pushed by a pusher along a guide surface of a guide portion, and the magnetic body is in a stated of being biased to the guide surface since the magnetic body is urged by a restriction portion. Therefore, the magnetic body can slide reliably between the guide portion and the restriction portion while restricting an insertion posture of the magnetic body. Thus, even if a wall surface of a magnet insertion hole is provided with a protrusion, when the magnetic body slides with the guide surface as a reference, the magnetic body will not abut against the protrusion, and the magnetic body can be reliably loaded into the magnet insertion hole. |
| US09847701B2 |
Determination of rotor fatigue in an electric machine assembly
An electric machine assembly includes an electric machine including a rotor. A controller operatively connected to the electric machine and configured to receive a torque command. The rotor is configured to rotate at a rotor speed (ω) based at least partially on the torque command. The controller has a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which is recorded instructions for executing a method for determining a cumulative rotor fatigue (FC) based at least partially on the rotor speed. The controller is operative to control at least one operating paramater of the electric machine based at least partially on the cumulative rotor fatigue (FC). The controller is configured to record respective occurrences of the rotor stress value exceeding respective predefined stress levels in chronological order to create a cycle dataset, such that the cycle dataset preserves a time order of the respective occurrences. |
| US09847700B2 |
Monitoring system for an electric machine
A monitoring system for monitoring an electric machine is provided. A mini-camera for observing the electric machine is arranged inside the electric machine. Moreover, the mini-camera is arranged movably on guide elements, wherein the guide element is designed in such a way that the mini-camera is held in an uncritical parked position during the operation of the electric machine. |
| US09847697B2 |
Wave energy convertor
A device and method for generating electric energy/power from a wave motion. The device comprises an input branch connected to a movable element, a secondary branch connected to a main electric generator, a power split transmission comprising a first mechanical port connected to the input branch, and a second mechanical port connected to a secondary branch, and a third port being a mechanical or electrical control port. The device further comprises a variable speed auxiliary electrical machine connected to the control port for mechanically or electrically controlling power distribution in the power split transmission. The device further comprises a control unit adapted for controlling the variable speed auxiliary electrical machine in such a way as to realize a one-way rotation of the main electric generator. |
| US09847690B2 |
Motor having an insulator body with guide lugs for prevention of short-circuiting
Disclosed is a motor, the motor according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure including an insulator body coupled to a stator core wound with a plurality of coils applied with powers of mutually different polarities to prevent the coil and the stator coil from being short-circuited, a terminal housing coupling unit integrally formed with the insulator body to be coupled to a terminal housing supplying an outside power by being circumferentially protruded, and a coil guide unit formed at the terminal housing coupling unit to prevent coils connected to a terminal of each polarity installed at the terminal housing from being short-circuited. |
| US09847688B2 |
Rotary electric machine stator and rotary electric machine
An insertion groove is disposed on a tubular portion overlapping portion that is overlapped with an inner circumferential surface of a tubular portion of the stator core. Inter-coil insulating bodies that are disposed between a plurality of stator coils include a groove inserted portion. The groove inserted portion includes: a first inserted portion that can be inserted inside the insertion groove when the insulating film is in a bent and folded state; and a second inserted portion that is contiguous to the first inserted portion, a shape of a visible outline of a cross section of the second inserted portion being different than that of the first inserted portion. The second inserted portion generates a stronger elastic force of recovery than the first inserted portion when the groove inserted portion is inserted into the insertion groove. |
| US09847687B2 |
Multiphase induction motor with flux weakening
An electrical induction motor may include a stator with a plurality of circumferentially spaced slots, and N windings installed in the slots and each configured to be connected between two current inputs from an inverter, with a phase angle difference between the two current inputs equal to H×180°/N, wherein H=a harmonic of a current drive waveform supplied by the inverter to the windings. Each of the N windings may be installed in the plurality of slots to form a top layer of winding and a bottom layer of winding, with a phase angle of the current flowing through the top layer of winding in each slot being aligned with a phase angle of current flowing through the bottom layer of winding at a first, higher harmonic, and out of alignment at a second, lower harmonic. |
| US09847685B2 |
Coil
A coil that is wound around a core having a plurality of slots arranged so as to be distributed in a circumferential direction of a cylindrical core reference plane, and that has N (where N is an integer of 2 or more) star connections. Each of the N star connections includes three phase coil portions corresponding to respective three phases, and first ends of the three phase coil portions are connected together at a neutral point that is formed independently for each of the star connections, second ends of the N phase coil portions of the same phase which are included in the different star connections are connected to each other, a phase coil placement region where the phase coil portion is placed is designed to be continuous in the circumferential direction. |
| US09847680B2 |
Power supply apparatus and method thereof
A power supply apparatus includes a power supply unit that wirelessly supplies power to an electronic device, a communication unit that transmits information related to the power supply apparatus to the electronic device, transmits information for requesting the electronic device for transmitting information related to the electronic device, when a predetermined time has elapsed after the information related to the power supply apparatus is transmitted to the electronic device, and receives the information related to the electronic device from the electronic device; and a control unit that uses the information related to the electronic device to control power to be wirelessly supply to the electronic device, after the information related to the electronic device is received from the electronic device. |
| US09847677B1 |
Wireless charging and powering of healthcare gadgets and sensors
The present disclosure provides wireless charging and powering methods for healthcare gadgets and wireless sensors. The method may include wireless power transmission through suitable techniques such as pocket-forming. The methods may include one or more transmitters and one or more receivers. In some embodiments the transmitters and receivers may be embedded to medical devices and wireless sensors, respectively. In other embodiments, the receiver may be integrated into wireless sensors. In yet another embodiment, the transmitters may be positioned on strategic places so as to have a wider range for wireless power transmission to portable electronic medical devices and wireless sensors. |
| US09847673B2 |
Active power transfer switch control to reduce service impacts due to electrical power interruptions
To prevent overloading of a shared secondary power feed, active transfer switches are controlled to switch discrete hardware from the shared secondary to a corresponding primary power feed, even if such a primary is currently nonoperational thereby resulting in deactivation of such hardware. A threshold amount of power draw from the shared secondary is established, such as to ensure that failure of a single primary can be accommodated, and active transfer switches are controlled so as to prevent such a threshold from being exceeded. Alternatively, or in addition, active transfer switches are controlled such that they, in the event of an interruption in the power being provided by the primary power feed, either switch to the shared secondary or, in accordance with the aforementioned control, do not switch despite the interruption in power. |
| US09847664B2 |
Electric power system using electromagnetic induction based on control information
An electric power supply system includes an electric power reception apparatus and an electric power supply apparatus adapted to supply electric power to the electric power reception apparatus when the electric power reception apparatus is placed on the electric power supply apparatus. The electric power supply apparatus includes a plurality of electric power supply units adapted to supply electric power by electromagnetic induction to the electric power reception apparatus. A selection unit of the electric power supply apparatus selects, from the total plurality of electric power supply units, a plurality of electric power supply units whose location corresponds to a position where the electric power reception apparatus is placed, and a control unit controls the supply of electric power such that electric power is supplied to the electric power reception apparatus from the selected plurality of electric power supply units. |
| US09847656B2 |
Energy storage system and method for driving the same
There are provided an energy storage system and a method for driving the energy storage system, which can exactly measure discharge current by calculating measurement times of the discharge current according to the frequency of the discharge current. An energy storage system includes a battery rack, a battery management system configured to control charging and discharging of the battery rack, and a power conversion system configured to supply discharge current of the battery rack as an alternating current having a frequency to the battery management system. The battery management system is further configured to calculate measurement times of the discharge current, measure the discharge current at the calculated measurement times, and control the charging and discharging of the battery rack based on the measured discharge currents. |
| US09847652B2 |
Power receiving unit, power receiving control method, non-contact feed system, and electronic apparatus
A power receiving unit includes: a power receiving section configured to receive power that is fed from a power feeding unit in a non-contact manner; a rectification section configured to rectify the power received by the power receiving section; a method determination section configured to identify a feeding method of the power feeding unit; and a target voltage setting section configured to set a target voltage of the power rectified by the rectification section, to a value corresponding to the feeding method identified by the method determination section. |
| US09847650B2 |
Management system, management method, control apparatus, and power generation apparatus
An energy management system having a fuel cell apparatus (150) as a power generator that generates power using fuel, and an EMS (200) that communicates with the fuel cell apparatus (150). The EMS (200) receives messages that indicate a type of the fuel cell apparatus (150), from the fuel cell apparatus (150). |
| US09847646B2 |
Systems and methods to combine strings of solar panels
Apparatuses, systems and methods for configuring and managing the combination of strings of photovoltaic energy generators to improve the energy production performance of such generators. The strings of photovoltaic energy generators are connected to terminals in a combiner box having receptacles for receiving removable modular units of various types. Removable modular units with measurement capabilities are used in the combiner boxes to measure the direct current input provided by the strings; and in light of the measurements, the removable modular units can be selectively downgraded to simpler units that do not have measurement capabilities to reduce cost, and/or selectively upgraded to more sophisticated units that can adjust the output of the respective strings, such as upconverting the output voltage of the respective strings, to improve the performance of the strings. |
| US09847641B2 |
Methods, systems and apparatus for regulating frequency of generated power using flywheel energy storage systems with varying load and/or power generation
Featured are methods for regulating the AC frequency of the electrical power be supplied on an electrical distribution system or grid. Such a method includes electrically coupling an energy storage sub-system to the electrical distribution network, where the energy storage sub-system includes one or more flywheel energy storage systems. Also featured as devices, systems and apparatuses embodying such methodologies or for use in implementing such methodologies of the present invention. |
| US09847640B2 |
Synchronous condenser
The present application thus provides a method of operating a synchronous condenser. The method may include the steps of accelerating a gas turbine engine to full speed no load conditions, connecting a generator attached to the gas turbine engine to an electric power grid, turning off a flow of fuel to the gas turbine engine, operating the generator in a synchronous condenser mode, and providing or absorbing reactive power to or from the electric power grid. |
| US09847630B1 |
Locking and retaining structure for attaching fuse box to battery tray
An attachment assembly joining a fuse box and battery tray includes a fuse box having a mounting structure having a fuse bottom surface including a retainer structure joined therewith. The retainer structure includes a cylindrical boss having an attachment wall disposed within the cylindrical boss. A cutout is formed in the cylindrical boss. A battery tray includes a tray bottom surface. The tray bottom surface includes a mating structure including a pair of spaced annular walls extending therefrom defining a gap. Each of the annular walls includes notches formed therein. A J-nut is positioned in the cut out of the cylindrical boss and over an edge of the attachment wall retaining the J-nut on the attachment wall. The cylindrical boss is disposed between the pair of spaced annular walls in the gap and the cutout is aligned with the notches. The J-nut is positioned in the cut out and the notches rotatively aligning the battery tray relative to the fuse box. |
| US09847628B2 |
Plug and power distribution and control apparatus
Invention describes apparatus of configurable electrical circuits controlling and distributing electrical DC power adaptable to ambient environment and specification of a device connected to the apparatus. The apparatus executing a control algorithm within an acceptance criteria for adaptable plug-and-power distribution and communications for: residential, commercial, industrial applications, electro-mechanical devices and computer systems. Invention transforms existing labor-intense installations into plug-and-power modular systems. For a specific project, pre-designed, pre-fabricated kits of factory assembled and tested power control modules and interface cables, are delivered directly to installation site. Invention improves safety, reliability, and efficiency of power distribution, significantly lowers installation time and expenses. |
| US09847627B2 |
Modular photovoltaic power skid base system
A base is a platform that supports a component off the ground in a solar energy installation. The specific configuration of a base can vary based on the intended component, for example whether it holds a transformer or power component. Multiple bases are mechanically and/or electrically connected to form a system of bases in the field. Proper placement of bases and engagement of those bases is facilitated by mating alignment mechanisms such that one base can be lowered “fit” with another. A method of positioning components includes positioning a base and aligning and lowering a second base alongside the first such that the bases engage. |
| US09847623B2 |
Ion generating device enclosure
The present disclosure is directed to ion generators and their enclosures that include a base, a non-linear wall projecting from the base, a top connected to the non-linear wall a top connected to the non-linear wall, wherein the base, the non-linear wall and the top form a closed space, and at least one ionizing element extending from the device, wherein the at least one ionizing element is configured to receive a voltage capable of producing ions from a power source in the closed space. |
| US09847621B2 |
Apparatus for outputting directional light and light interconnection system having the same
An apparatus for outputting directional light includes a light-emitting structure including a light-emitting layer that emits light, and an optical antenna layer disposed on the light-emitting structure, wherein the optical antenna layer includes a light feeder configured to resonate light output from the light-emitting layer and a light reflector configure to reflect light output from the light feeder to have directivity. The light feeder and the light reflector are formed on a surface of the optical antenna layer. |
| US09847620B2 |
Laser driver, driving method, and high-speed optical module
A laser driver for a laser, which includes an adjustable DC-DC power source, an optical power control loop, and a power source voltage regulator. The adjustable DC-DC power source is coupled to the optical power control loop and the power source voltage regulator, in order to provide a working current for the laser. The optical power control loop is configured to adjust the output optical power of the laser to a set value for optical power by adjusting a working voltage of the laser, and to generate a power source voltage state indicator voltage. The power source voltage regulator is used to generate the power source setting voltage, so that the power source voltage state indicator voltage is greater than or equal to a first preset threshold, or less than or equal to a second preset threshold. |
| US09847619B2 |
Structured light generation device formed with assembly of structured light generation modules
A structured light generation device includes at least two laser diode structured light modules. The at least two laser diode structured light modules are arranged side by side or in association. Each at least two laser diode structured light module includes a laser diode, a circuit board and a lens unit. The lens unit includes a structured light generation component. After plural laser structured light beams emitted by each laser diodes pass through the corresponding lens unit, a structure light pattern is generated. |
| US09847610B2 |
Electric vehicle service disconnect position indicator
An example assembly includes, among other things, a position indicator configured to be engaged with a service disconnect when the service disconnect is in a seated position, and to be disengaged from the service disconnect when the service disconnect is in an unseated position. |
| US09847605B2 |
Method of manufacturing an electrical connector having an insulative housing for two rows of terminals
A method of manufacturing an electrical connector including the steps of: insert-molding a base portion around a shielding plate to form two rows of passageways exposing outwardly and rearwardly; over-molding an insulative housing at a rear of the base portion; and inserting two rows of terminals through the insulative housing to the two rows of passageways, respectively. |
| US09847603B1 |
Grounding system and method for providing electrical contact between two components
A grounding system for electrically connecting a first component to a second component. A connection plate has a hole and is configured to be in electrical contact with the first component. A receptacle plate is in electrical contact with the connection plate, and has a receptacle opening aligned with and larger than the hole. A pin has a first end configured to be electrically connected to the second component and an opposed second end receivable through the receptacle opening and through the hole. An electrical connector is retained in electrical contact with the pin. The electrical connector is movable along the pin and biased toward the second end, receivable in the receptacle opening and configured to be in electrical contact with a circumferential surface of the receptacle opening, and has an outer dimension greater than that of the hole so as to be prevented from passing therethrough. |
| US09847602B1 |
Shielded high speed connector with reduced crosstalk
A connector includes a first layer having first and second communication channels, and a ground channel. The first and second communication channels form a first differential pair and transmit a differential signal. The ground channel separates the first differential pair from a next differential pair within the first layer. A surface of the ground channel nearest the first and second communication channels is selectively roughened to a particular roughness level to dampen crosstalk between the first differential pair and the next differential pair to a particular crosstalk level. |
| US09847600B2 |
Lever fitting-type connector
A lever fitting-type connector has a lever and a plug housing, the lever fitting-type connector includes: a contact member and a triangular recess in an inner wall surface of a sidewall of the lever and an outer wall surface of the plug housing. The triangular recess includes: a first inclined surface extending in a direction from the sliding start position toward the sliding end position and inclined in a projecting direction of the contact member; and a second inclined surface extending in a direction from the edge of the first inclined surface on the sliding end position side toward the sliding end position and inclined in a direction opposite to the projecting direction of the contact member. With a sliding direction of the lever as a reference, an inclined angle of the second inclined surface is smaller than an inclined angle of the first inclined surface. |
| US09847598B2 |
Method, system and devices for interconnecting a plurality of devices
An electrical connector is disclosed that includes an insulative housing having a mating face at one end, a rear face at another end, a mating slot at the mating face for receiving a complementary connector, a first set of contacts mounted in a first set of channels incorporated at a top of the insulative housing and a second set of contacts mounted in a second set of channels incorporated at a bottom of the insulative housing, and a shielding device located between the first set of contacts and the second set of contacts. |
| US09847597B2 |
Electrical connector with sealing structure
An electrical connector system includes a plug connector and a receptacle connector each of which having a plurality of terminal receiving cavities for receiving a plurality of terminal lead wires. The plug connector having a perimeter seal for creating a waterproof barrier between the plug connector and the receptacle connector. The receptacle connector including at least one bridging portion having a surface for guiding and aligning the seal when the plug and receptacle connectors are mated together. |
| US09847596B2 |
Terminal fitting and method of manufacturing wire with terminal
A wire connection part of a terminal fitting includes: a barrel piece which is caulked while covering a tip end of a wire, thereby being crimped to the wire; a serration part formed on an inner surface of the barrel piece and connected to a core of the wire; and a water stop part mounted on the inner surface of the barrel piece to close a gap with the wire. A projecting piece mounted anterior to the serration part to position a tip end of the core is mounted to the barrel piece. The tip end of the core is positioned by the projecting piece, whereby the positional deviation of the wire can be prevented. |
| US09847594B2 |
Cable connector
A cable connector with a first body, a plurality of terminals, and a plurality of wires is provided. The first body comprises a plurality of first slots and a plurality of second slots. The terminals comprise a plurality of first terminals and a plurality of second terminals. Each of the first terminals and the second terminals comprises a contacting zone, a fixing zone, and a riveting zone. The first terminals and the second terminals are respectively in the first slots and the second slots of the first body. Each of the wires having a connecting part corresponding to one of the riveting zones of the first terminals and the second terminals, and a part of some of the wires are covered by insulating layers. The connecting parts of the wires are connected with the riveting zones of the corresponding terminals. |
| US09847592B2 |
Sensor
A sensor includes contact springs placed in contact with electrode terminals on major surfaces of a sensor device. At least one of the contact springs includes a spring contact portion, a spring holding portion, a spring bent portion, and a spring connecting portion. The spring contact portion contacts an outer surface of one of the electrode terminals. The spring holding portion is turned from the spring contact portion and extends outside the spring contact portion so as to overlap the spring contact portion in the contacting direction. The spring bent portion is bent inwardly from the spring holding portion and extends at a given angle to the contacting direction. The spring connecting portion is bent from the spring bent portion and extends in the axial direction of the sensor. Such a structure enables the contact spring to be reduced in size and thickness without sacrificing a required mechanical strength thereof. |
| US09847584B2 |
Multi-panel antenna system
A multi-panel antenna system may be disassembled and packaged into a container with substantially smaller dimensions than the assembled antenna system. The antenna system may include two or more reflector panels, such that a respective reflector panel can include a curved surface that may form a portion of a parabolic reflector, and can include an inter-panel fastener operable to align a side surface of the respective reflector panel with a side surface of another reflector panel. The antenna system may also include a mounting assembly that may be used to fasten a convex side of the two or more reflector panels to a surface external to the antenna system, and a feed assembly that may be attached to the mounting assembly. |
| US09847582B2 |
Wideband simultaneous transmit and receive (STAR) antenna with miniaturized TEM horn elements
An antenna system capable of achieving simultaneous transmit and receive (STAR) operation over a wide bandwidth includes a ring array of TEM horn elements and a centrally located monocone or bicone antenna. The TEM horn elements each include a capacitive feed. The elements of the ring array are excited using a phasing scheme that results in signal cancellation at the location of the central element. The ring array may serve as either the transmit antenna or the receive antenna. |
| US09847573B2 |
Method for antenna alignment in a non line-of-sight scenario
A method for alignment of a first node with a second node in a wireless communication network. The method comprises directing a first node first antenna beam at a first pointing angle, using a second node antenna beam for scanning a first volume with objects being able to generate signal reflections/diffraction, detecting a first signal property of reflected/diffracted signals; and saving scan angles resulting in said first signal property exceeding a first threshold level. The method further comprises directing the second node antenna beam at said saved angles, and, for each such angle: using a first node second antenna beam for scanning; and detecting at least a second signal property of reflected/diffracted signals; exchanging information between the nodes comprising first node second antenna beam pointing direction angles resulting in said second signal property exceeding a second threshold level and said saved angles; and selecting angles for communication. |
| US09847571B2 |
Compact, multi-port, MIMO antenna with high port isolation and low pattern correlation and method of making same
An antenna includes a ground support, an electrically conductive, endless element mounted at a distance relative to the ground support, and a trio of ports arranged along the endless element for conveying radio frequency signals in an operating band of frequencies. The antenna is compact and has high port isolation and low pattern correlation due to successively spacing the ports apart along the endless element by a spacing of one-half of a guided wavelength at a center frequency of the operating band. |
| US09847557B2 |
Battery pack
A battery pack includes: a bare cell including an electrode terminal on a first surface thereof; a holder at the first surface and including a fixing groove at an upper surface thereof; a protection circuit module at the fixing groove and electrically connected to the bare cell; and a protection member attached to the protection circuit module. The protection member is attached to an upper surface of the protection circuit module, and the upper surface is at a lower height than upper edges of the fixing groove. An upper surface of the protection member is at a height that is the same as or lower than a height of edges of the holder. |
| US09847555B2 |
Power storage device
A power storage device with reduced initial irreversible capacity is provided. The power storage device includes a positive electrode including a positive electrode current collector and a positive electrode active material layer, a negative electrode including a negative electrode current collector and a negative electrode active material layer, and an electrolyte solution. In the negative electrode active material layer, the content percentage of a carbon material with an R value of 1.1 or more is less than 2 wt %. The R value refers to a ratio of a peak intensity I1360 to a peak intensity I1580 (I1360/I1580). The peak intensity I1360 and the peak intensity I1580 are observed by Raman spectrometry at a Raman shift of 1360 cm−1 and a Raman shift of 1580 cm−1, respectively. The electrolyte solution contains a lithium ion and an ionic liquid composed of an organic cation and an anion. |
| US09847552B2 |
Method for producing low-acid lithium borate salts and mixtures of low-acid lithium borate salts and lithium hydride
A solvent-free mixture of a crude lithium borate salt and lithium hydride, wherein the lithium hydride is at least 0.001 wt. % and at most 10 wt. %, relative to the weight of crude lithium borate salt, wherein the mixture has a water content of at most 100 μmol/g and an acid content of at most 10 μmol H+/g of crude lithium borate salt, method for producing the same, and use thereof for battery electrolytes. |
| US09847551B2 |
Lithium-ion secondary battery
An objective of the present invention is to provide an electrolyte solution effective for reducing the amount of gas generated in a charge-discharge cycle of a lithium-ion secondary battery, preferably a lithium-ion secondary battery using a 5 V-class positive electrode. The present invention relates to a non-aqueous electrolyte solution comprising at least one type of aniline derivative represented by a predetermined formula, and a non-aqueous solvent, and to a lithium-ion secondary battery using the same. |
| US09847547B2 |
Method of manufacturing secondary battery
Provided is a method of manufacturing a secondary battery, in which scattering of an electrolyte is prevented while a degassing process is performed to prevent a product from being contaminated due to the scattering of the electrolyte. The method of manufacturing the secondary battery includes performing a formation process on a battery cell including a dead space to generate a gas within the battery cell, closing a piercing tool of a gas removing device to form a through hole in the dead space, thereby discharging the gas within the battery cell through the piercing tool, closing a sealing tool of the gas removing device after the gas is discharged to thermally bond an inner portion of the dead space that is adjacent to an electrode assembly within the battery cell, opening the piercing tool in the state where the sealing tool is closed, and opening the sealing tool after the piercing tool is opened. |
| US09847545B2 |
Highly ionic conductive zirconia electrolyte for high-efficiency solid oxide fuel cell
Disclosed are a highly ionic conductive zirconia electrolyte and a high-efficiency solid oxide fuel cell using the same. The highly ionic conductive zirconia electrolyte is configured such that a scandia (Sc2O3) stabilized zirconia (ZrO2) electrolyte is simultaneously doped with cerium oxide (CeO2) and at least one oxide of gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3), samarium oxide (Sm2O3), and ytterbium oxide (Yb2O3) so that an ionic conductivity drop rate is mitigated. |
| US09847543B2 |
Fuel cell system having biogas desulfurizer assembly with manganese oxide desulfurizer material
A desulfurizer material for desulfurizing fuel supplied to a fuel cell system, the desulfurizer material comprising one or more manganese oxide materials having an octahedral molecular sieve (OMS) structure, and the desulfurizer material being resistant to moisture and being capable of removing organic sulfur containing compounds and H2S. The desulfurizer material is used in a desulfurizer assembly which is used as part of a fuel cell system. |
| US09847542B2 |
Fuel cell module
A fuel cell module includes a first area where an exhaust gas combustor and a start-up combustor are provided, an annular second area around the first area where a heat exchanger is provided, an annular third area around the second area where a reformer is provided, an annular fourth area around the third area where an evaporator is provided. The heat exchanger includes heat exchange pipes connected to an oxygen-containing gas supply chamber and an oxygen-containing gas discharge chamber. A first circumscribed non-uniform flow suppression plate is provided along a minimum circumscribed circle which contacts outer surfaces of the heat exchange pipes. |
| US09847525B2 |
Lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxide positive active material having concentration gradient of nickel, cobalt, and manganese and precursor thereof and preparation methods
A precursor of a modified ternary material for a lithium ion battery positive material belongs to the technical field of application of lithium ion battery positive materials. A molecular formula of the precursor is: (Ni1/3Co1/3Mn1/3)(OH)2, and the precursor consists of three layers. An inner layer of the precursor is a ternary material with the Co content of more than ⅓ and equal Ni and Mn content, and the molecular formula of the inner layer of the precursor is: (Ni1/3−xCol/3+2xMn1/3−x(OH)2, where 0 |
| US09847523B2 |
Battery pack
The battery pack includes a battery cell for supplying electric power to an external device connected thereto, a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of a place on which the temperature sensor is arranged, a switch member for making and breaking an electric path between the external device and the battery cell; and a controller configured to control the switch member to turn on and off according to the temperature sensed by the temperature sense. The temperature sensor is arranged on a position between the battery cell and the switch member so as to be affected by the temperatures of both of the battery cell and the switch member. |
| US09847522B2 |
Connecting pole for a rechargeable battery and rechargeable battery housing
A connecting pole for a rechargeable battery is disclosed. The connecting pole (1) has a connecting section (2) in which a pole terminal can be attached to the connecting pole (1). The connecting pole (1) has an attachment section (3) in which the connecting pole (1) can be attached in a housing part (5) of the battery. The attachment section (3) has a labyrinth section (4). The outer wall (6) of the connecting pole (1) has at least one circumferential projection (7, 8) in the labyrinth section (4). The circumference of outer wall (6) of the connecting pole (1) increases in the direction pointing away from the connecting section (2) in a section of the labyrinth section (4) which is not provided with a circumferential projection (7, 8). Also disclosed is a rechargeable battery housing or a part of said rechargeable battery housing having at least one connecting pole. |
| US09847521B2 |
Conductive plate and an electronic device having the same
An electronic device includes a casing, first and second batteries and a conductive plate. The first and second batteries are disposed in a battery slot of the casing. The conductive plate is clamped between the first and second batteries, and has a mounting portion that is mounted pivotally into a mounting groove of the casing such that the conductive plate is pivotable between a clamped position where a conductive body of the conductive plate is clamped between the first and second batteries, and an unclamped position where the conductive body is spaced apart from the first and second batteries for removal and installment of one of the first and second batteries. |
| US09847520B1 |
Thermal processing of interconnects
Various embodiments include methods of fabricating an interconnect for a fuel cell stack. Methods for controlled pre-oxidation of an interconnect include oxidizing in a nitride-inhibiting environment to inhibit the formation of nitrides. |
| US09847519B2 |
Freestanding, dimensionally stable microporous webs
A thin, freestanding, microporous polyolefin web with good heat resistance and dimensional stability includes an inorganic surface layer. A first preferred embodiment is a microporous polyolefin base membrane in which colloidal inorganic particles are present in its bulk structure. Each of second and third preferred embodiments is a thin, freestanding microporous polyolefin web that has an inorganic surface layer containing no organic hydrogen bonding component for the inorganic particles. The inorganic surface layer of the second embodiment is achieved by hydrogen bonding with use of an inorganic acid, and the inorganic surface layer of the third embodiment is achieved by one or both of hydrogen bonding and chemical reaction of the surface groups on the inorganic particles. |
| US09847518B2 |
Separator with heat-resistant insulation layer
A separator with a heat-resistant insulation layer for an electric device includes a resin porous substrate and a heat-resistant insulation layer containing heat-resistant particles and a binder, the heat-resistant insulation layer being formed on at least one surface of the resin porous substrate. The heat-resistant particles contain alumina and a parameter X is 0.018 to 0.336. Parameter X is represented by X=Ca×Rzjis/D, wherein Cα is a ratio of the alumina, which occupies the heat-resistant particles, Rzjis is surface roughness of a surface of the heat-resistant insulation layer, the surface being opposite the resin porous substrate, and D is a thickness of the heat-resistant insulation layer. |
| US09847517B2 |
Battery pack for a hand-held power tool
A battery pack for a hand-held power tool includes at least one interface for establishing a mechanical and/or electrical connection of the battery pack to a hand-held power tool and/or a charging device, the interface having a guide arrangement for attaching the battery pack on the hand-held power tool and/or the charging device along a contacting direction y, and at least four contact elements for electrical contacting of corresponding counter-contact elements on the hand-held power tool and/or corresponding counter-contact elements on the charging device. At least two contact elements are thereby situated offset from one another in the direction of the contacting direction y. |
| US09847513B2 |
Organic light emitting display device
Discussed is an organic light emitting display device. The organic light emitting display device according to an embodiment includes a first electrode and a second electrode on a substrate to be opposite to each other and at least three emission parts between the first electrode and the second electrode. A first distance between the substrate and the first emission layer, a second distance between the first emission layer and the second emission layer, a third distance between the second emission layer and the third emission layer, and a fourth distance between the third emission layer and the second electrode are different from each other. |
| US09847511B2 |
Encapsulating film stacks for OLED applications
Embodiments described herein generally relate to a method and apparatus for encapsulating an OLED structure, more particularly, to a TFE structure for an OLED structure. The TFE structure includes at least one dielectric layer and at least two barrier layers, and the TFE structure is formed over the OLED structure. The at least one dielectric layer is deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD). Having the at least one dielectric layer formed by ALD in the TFE structure improves the barrier performance of the TFE structure. |
| US09847506B2 |
Flexible display device having support layer with rounded edge
There is provided a flexible display having a plurality of innovations configured to allow bending of a portion or portions to reduce apparent border size and/or utilize the side surface of an assembled flexible display. |
| US09847505B2 |
Light-emitting device, module, electronic device, and method for manufacturing light-emitting device
A light-emitting element, a bonding layer, and a frame-like partition are formed over a substrate. The partition is provided to surround the bonding layer and the light-emitting element, with a gap left between the partition and the bonding layer. A pair of substrates overlap with each other under a reduced-pressure atmosphere and then exposed to an air atmosphere or a pressurized atmosphere, whereby the reduced-pressure state of a space surrounded by the pair of substrates and the partition is maintained and atmospheric pressure is applied to the pair of substrates. Alternatively, a light-emitting element and a bonding layer are formed over a substrate. A pair of substrates overlap with each other, and then, pressure is applied to the bonding layer with the use of a member having a projection before or at the same time as curing of the bonding layer. |
| US09847502B2 |
Organic light emitting device
The present invention relates to an organic light emitting device. An organic light emitting device according to the present application includes: a substrate; a first electrode provided on the substrate; an auxiliary electrode provided on at least a partial region of the first electrode; an insulating layer provided on the auxiliary electrode, and having an overhang structure in which the insulating layer has a greater width than that of the auxiliary electrode; and a second electrode provided on the first electrode and the insulating layer, in which the second electrode provided on the first electrode and the second electrode provided on the insulating layer have an electrode structure with an electrically short-circuited form. |
| US09847501B2 |
Aromatic heterocyclic derivative, material for organic electroluminescent element, and organic electroluminescent element
An aromatic heterocyclic derivative is represented by a formula (1) below. In the formula (1), X1 to X3 each are a nitrogen atom or CR1, with a proviso that at least one of X1 to X3 is a nitrogen atom. A is represented by a formula (2) and B is represented by a formula (4) below. |
| US09847496B2 |
Organic electroluminescent materials and devices
Novel iridium complexes containing a tetradentate or a hexadentate ligand, wherein a part of the ligand that is coordinated to iridium comprise an acetylacetonate structure. These complexes are useful as emitters for phosphorescent OLEDs. |
| US09847495B2 |
Organic electroluminescent materials and devices
Novel heteroleptic iridium carbene complexes are provided, which contain phenyl imidazole moieties. In particular, ligands containing 2,4,6-trisubstituted N-phenyl imidazole fragments have highly desirable properties that make them suitable materials for use in OLED devices. |
| US09847491B2 |
Organic light-emitting device
An organic light-emitting device including: a first electrode; a second electrode; an emission layer between the first electrode and the second electrode; and a hole transport region between the first electrode and the emission layer, wherein the hole transport region comprises a first compound represented by Formula 1 and a second compound represented by Formula 2: When the first compound represented by Formula 1 and the second compound represented by Formula 2 are used in the hole transport layer and the hole auxiliary layer, respectively, an organic light-emitting device may have improved driving voltage, efficiency, brightness, and lifespan characteristics. |
| US09847489B1 |
Polymer, method of preparing the same, and organic optoelectric device including the same
Provided are a novel polymer, a method of preparing the same, and an organic semiconductor device including the same. According to the present invention, the fluorine content-controlled polymer is employed in an organic active layer, thereby providing an organic optoelectric device representing improved power conversion efficiency (PCE). |
| US09847484B2 |
Mask and method of manufacturing display device by using the same
A mask includes: a frame; and a mask base attached to the frame, having an opening such that light is illuminated, and including a first surface and a second surface that is opposite to the first surface, and the mask base has a welding portion at an outer portion of the mask base and a half-etching portion in at least a portion of the first surface and/or the second surface of the mask base. |
| US09847476B2 |
Armature-clad MRAM device
A magnetoresistive memory cell includes a magnetoresistive tunnel junction stack and a dielectric encapsulation layer covering sidewall portions of the stack and being opened over a top of the stack. A conductor is formed in contact with a top portion of the stack and covering the encapsulation layer. A magnetic liner encapsulates the conductor and is gapped apart from the encapsulating layer covering the sidewall portions of the stack. |
| US09847474B2 |
Electronic device and method for fabricating the same
An electronic device may include a semiconductor memory. The semiconductor memory may include a variable resistance element including a ferromagnetic layer including a hydrogen group; an oxide spacer formed on sidewalls of the variable resistance element; and a nitride spacer formed on the oxide spacer. |
| US09847473B2 |
MRAM structure for process damage minimization
The present disclosure relates to a magneto-resistive random access memory (MRAM) cell having an extended upper electrode, and a method of formation. In some embodiments, the MRAM cell has a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) arranged over a conductive lower electrode. A conductive upper electrode is arranged over the magnetic tunnel junction. The conductive upper electrode has a lower portion and an upper portion. The lower portion overlies the magnetic tunnel junction and is laterally surrounded by an encapsulation structure. The upper portion is arranged onto the lower portion and the encapsulation structure, and laterally extends past the lower portion of the conductive upper electrode. By laterally extending past the lower portion, the upper portion of the conductive upper electrode gives a via a larger landing area than the lower portion of the upper electrode would provide, thereby mitigating via punch through resulting from overlay errors. |
| US09847466B2 |
Light emitting device, package, and methods of manufacturing the same
A method of manufacturing a light emitting device includes: providing an assembly comprising: a package comprising: a resin member having an inner side surface defining a recess, and a lead frame supported by the resin member and arranged at a bottom surface of the recess, and a light emitting element electrically connected to the lead frame; and forming a reflective film containing particles of a first light reflective substance on at least a portion of an outer surface of the resin member corresponding to the recess. The first light reflective substance comprises particles of a white pigment. A reflectance of the reflective film is higher than a reflectance of the resin member. |
| US09847465B2 |
Light emitting device with molded wavelength converting layer
A flexible film comprising a wavelength converting material is positioned over a light source. The flexible film is conformed to a predetermined shape. In some embodiments, the light source is a light emitting diode mounted on a support substrate. The diode is aligned with an indentation in a mold such that the flexible film is disposed between the support substrate and the mold. Transparent molding material is disposed between the support substrate and the mold. The support substrate and the mold are pressed together to cause the molding material to fill the indentation. The flexible film conforms to the shape of the light source or the mold. |
| US09847462B2 |
Array substrate for mounting chip and method for manufacturing the same
Provided is an array substrate for mounting a chip. The array substrate includes a plurality of conductive layers unidirectionally stacked with respect to an original chip substrate; a plurality of insulating layers alternately stacked with the plurality of conductive layers, and electrically separate the plurality of conductive layers; and a cavity having a groove of a predetermined depth with respect to a region including the plurality of insulating layers in an upper surface of the original chip substrate. Accordingly, since the optical device array of a single structure is used as a line source of light, an emission angle emitted from the optical device is great, it is not necessary to form an interval for supplying an amount of light, and a display device can be simply constructed. Further, since it is not necessary to perform soldering a plurality of LED packages on a printed circuit board, a thickness of a back light unit can be reduced. |
| US09847459B2 |
Light emitting device and lighting system
Disclosed are a light emitting device, a method of manufacturing a light emitting device, a light emitting device package and a lighting system. The light emitting device includes a substrate; a first conductive semiconductor layer on the substrate; an active layer on the first conductive semiconductor layer; a second conductive semiconductor layer on the active layer; a contact layer on the second conductive semiconductor layer; an insulating layer on the contact layer; a first branch electrode electrically connected to the first conductive semiconductor layer; a plurality of first via electrodes connected to the first branch electrode and electrically connected to the first conductive semiconductor layer by passing through the insulating layer; a first pad electrode electrically connected to the first branch electrode; a second pad electrode contacts the contact layer by passing through the insulating layer; a second branch electrode connected to the second pad electrode and disposed on the insulating layer; and a plurality of second via electrodes provided through provided through the insulating layer to electrically connect the second branch electrode to the contact layer. |
| US09847456B2 |
Light emitting diode and method of fabricating the same
Embodiments provide a light emitting diode and a method of fabricating the same. The light emitting diode includes a base, a light emitting structure disposed on the base, at least one first electrode disposed on the light emitting structure; and a second electrode disposed under the light emitting structure, wherein at least a portion of the second electrode is covered by the base and the base includes a supporting insulator and at least one bulk electrode embedded in the supporting insulator and electrically connected to the light emitting structure, and a surface of the at least one bulk electrode is exposed through the supporting insulator. The light emitting diode has excellent reliability and efficiency. |
| US09847455B2 |
Vertical topology light emitting device
A light emitting device includes a metal support structure comprising Cu; an adhesion structure on the metal support structure and comprising Au; a reflective conductive contact on the adhesion structure; a GaN-based semiconductor structure on the reflective conductive contact, the GaN-based semiconductor structure comprising a first-type GaN layer, an active layer, and a second-type GaN layer; a top interface layer on the GaN-based semiconductor structure and comprising Ti; and a contact pad on the top interface layer and comprising Au, wherein the GaN-based semiconductor structure is less than 1/20 thick of a thickness of the metal support structure. |
| US09847452B2 |
Light emitting device, and method for manufacturing thereof
Provided is a light emitting device comprising an optical member provided on a light extracting surface side of a semiconductor light emitting element via a first light transmissive layer, wherein bonding surfaces of the semiconductor light emitting element and the first light transmissive layer are roughened surfaces, bonding surfaces of the first light transmissive layer and the optical member are flat, and the first light transmissive layer and the optical member are directly bonded. |
| US09847450B2 |
Light-emitting device and manufacturing method thereof
The present disclosure provides a light-emitting device and manufacturing method thereof. The light-emitting device comprising: a light-emitting stack; and a semiconductor layer having a first surface connecting to the light-emitting stack, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a void; wherein the void comprises a bottom part near the first surface and an opening on the second surface, and a dimension of the bottom part is larger than the dimension of the opening. |
| US09847449B2 |
Nitride semiconductor light-emitting device with periodic gain active layers
A nitride semiconductor light-emitting device with periodic gain active layers includes an n-type semiconductor layer, a p-type semiconductor layer and a resonator. The device further includes a plurality of active layers disposed between the n-type and p-type semiconductor layers so as to correspond to a peak intensity position of light existing in the resonator and at least one interlayer disposed between the active layers. The active layer disposed at the p-type semiconductor layer side has a larger light emission intensity than the active layer disposed at the n-type semiconductor layer side. |
| US09847448B2 |
Forming LED structures on silicon fins
Methods of forming III-V LED structures on silicon fin templates are described. Those methods and structures may include forming an n-doped III-V layer on a silicon (111) plane of a silicon fin, forming a quantum well layer on the n-doped III-V layer, forming a p-doped III-V layer on the quantum well layer, and then forming an ohmic contact layer on the p-doped III-V layer. |
| US09847447B2 |
Semiconductor light-emitting element and optical coupling device
A semiconductor light-emitting element includes a semiconductor stacked body that includes a light emitting layer in which n well layers (where n is, for example, an integer of 1 to 10) formed of Inx (Ga1-yAly)1-xAs (0 |
| US09847446B2 |
Electroluminescent device with integrated sensor and method for controlling the emission of the device
An electroluminescent device comprises a structure comprising a set of nanowires on the surface of a substrate, comprising: a first series of primary so-called emission nanowires (NTie) comprising nanowires connected to first electrical contacts and capable of emitting light under the action of a forward first voltage from a forward voltage or current source; a second series of secondary detection nanowires (NTid) adjacent to the primary nanowires, connected to second electrical contacts and capable of generating a photocurrent under the action of an ambient light and/or of a portion of the light emitted by some of the primary nanowires, under the control of a second reverse voltage, from a voltage or current source; means for controlling the forward voltage as a function of the photocurrent. A method for controlling the luminance of an electroluminescent device is provided. |
| US09847442B2 |
Field-effect localized emitter photovoltaic device
Photovoltaic structures are provided with field-effect inversion/accumulation layers as emitter layers induced by work-function differences between gate conductor layers and substrates thereof. Localized contact regions are in electrical communication with the gate conductors of such structures for repelling minority carriers. Such localized contact regions may include doped crystalline or polycrystalline silicon regions between the gate conductor and silicon absorption layers. Fabrication of the structures can be conducted without alignment between metal contacts and the localized contact regions or high temperature processing. |
| US09847440B2 |
Temperature control system for solar cell module
An aspect of present invention is to provide a temperature control system for a solar cell module, capable of controlling a solar cell module to maintain a proper temperature, the temperature control system comprises: a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the solar cell module; a fluid tube having therein a path along which a temperature controlling fluid flows; a pump configured to supply a temperature controlling fluid which flows along the fluid tube; and an inverter configured to drive the pump such that the temperature controlling fluid is supplied, if the current temperature of the solar cell module is not lower than the pre-stored first pump driving reference temperature, or if the current temperature of the solar cell module is not higher than the pre-stored second pump driving reference temperature. |
| US09847437B1 |
Method of forming conductive electrode grids over silicon wafer surfaces
Conductive thick-film paste is useful in forming front-side contact of a solar cell or other semiconductor devices. Unlike conventional conductive frit pastes, a conductive paste according to the present invention does not include frit particles, and contains silver particles, nano-sized inorganic additives and an organic solvent. The conductive paste according to the present invention provides better etching ability through the anti-reflecting coating on the semiconductor substrate than conventional conductive frit pastes. |
| US09847435B2 |
Solar cell element
To improve characteristics, reliability, and the like of a solar cell element, the solar cell element includes: a semiconductor substrate which includes a first main surface and a second main surface that is positioned opposite to the first main surface, and in which a p-type semiconductor region and an n-type semiconductor region are stacked in such a manner that the p-type semiconductor region is positioned closest to the first main surface and the n-type semiconductor region is positioned closest to the second main surface; a first passivation layer which is disposed on the p-type semiconductor region that is positioned closest to the first main surface, and which includes aluminum oxide; and a first protective layer that is disposed on the first passivation layer. The first protective layer includes an oxide that contains at least one kind of zirconium and hafnium. |
| US09847427B2 |
Array substrate, method for fabricating the same, and display device
An array substrate and a method for fabricating the same, and a display device are disclosed. The array substrate comprises light-transmissive regions for display and shading regions, a plurality of thin film transistors are provided in the shading region, the thin film transistor comprises: a base substrate; an active layer, a gate insulating layer, a gate and a passivation layer sequentially provided on the base substrate; and a source and a drain provided on the passivation layer, the source and the drain comprise a conductive shading layer connected to the active layer and a copper layer provided on the conductive shading layer, the conductive shading layer is provided between the active layer and the copper layer, and at least a part of region of the shading region other than the source and the drain is provided with the conductive shading layer. |
| US09847418B1 |
Methods of forming fin cut regions by oxidizing fin portions
A method includes forming a fin on a substrate. A first liner is formed on the fin. A first dielectric layer is formed above the first liner. A patterned hard mask is formed above the first dielectric layer and has a fin cut opening defined therein. Portions of the first dielectric layer and the first liner disposed below the fin cut opening are removed to expose a portion of the fin. The patterned hard mask layer is removed. The exposed portion of the fin is oxidized to define a diffusion break in the fin. |
| US09847412B2 |
Device comprising a III-N layer stack with improved passivation layer and associated manufacturing method
A device comprising a III-N layer stack featuring a two-dimensional electron gas is disclosed, comprising: —a III-N layer; —a AI-III-N layer on top of the III-N layer; —a passivation layer on top of said AI-III-N layer, the passivation layer comprising Silicon Nitride (SiN); wherein said passivation layer comprises a fully crystalline sub layer at the AI-III-N interface and at least part of the fully crystalline sub layer comprises Al and/or B; and associated methods for manufacturing the device. |
| US09847409B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method for the same
A semiconductor device provides an element arrangement region on a semiconductor substrate including: a first semiconductor region on the semiconductor substrate; a second semiconductor region on the first semiconductor region; multiple trench gates penetrating the first semiconductor region and reaching the second semiconductor region; a third semiconductor region contacting the trench gate; a fourth semiconductor region on a rear surface; a first electrode connected to the first and second semiconductor regions; and a second electrode connected to the fourth semiconductor region. Each trench gate includes a main trench gate for generating a channel and a dummy trench gate for improving a withstand voltage of a component. The device further includes: a dummy gate wiring for applying a predetermined voltage to the dummy trench gate; and a dummy pad connected to the dummy gate wiring. The dummy pad and the first electrode are connected by a conductive member. |
| US09847408B1 |
Fabrication of integrated circuit structures for bipolor transistors
Methods of according to the present disclosure can include: providing a substrate including: a first semiconductor region, a second semiconductor region, and a trench isolation (TI) laterally between the first and second semiconductor regions; forming a seed layer on the TI and the second semiconductor region of the substrate, leaving the first semiconductor region of the substrate exposed; forming an epitaxial layer on the substrate and the seed layer, wherein the epitaxial layer includes: a first semiconductor base material positioned above the first semiconductor region of the substrate, and an extrinsic base region positioned above the seed layer; forming an opening within the extrinsic base material and the seed layer to expose an upper surface of the second semiconductor region; and forming a second semiconductor base material in the opening. |
| US09847401B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of forming the same
A semiconductor device comprising a substrate, a channel layer over the substrate, an active layer over the channel layer and a laminate layer in contact with the active layer. The active layer has a band gap discontinuity with the channel layer. |
| US09847398B1 |
Semiconductor device with gate structure having dielectric layer on one side and contact plug on the other side
A semiconductor device is disclosed. The semiconductor device includes: a substrate; a gate structure on the substrate; a spacer around the gate structure; a contact etch stop layer (CESL) on the spacer; an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer adjacent to one side of the gate structure and contacting the CESL; and a contact plug adjacent to another side of the gate structure and contacting the CESL. |
| US09847395B2 |
Semiconductor device including a contact structure directly adjoining a mesa section and a field electrode
A semiconductor device includes a gate structure that extends from a first surface into a semiconductor portion and that surrounds a transistor section of the semiconductor portion. A field plate structure includes a field electrode and extends from the first surface into the transistor section. A mesa section of the semiconductor portion separates the field plate structure and the gate structure. A contact structure includes a first portion directly adjoining the mesa section and a second portion directly adjoining the field electrode. The first and second portions include stripes and are directly connected to each other. |
| US09847394B2 |
Semiconductor device
In an embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a Group III-nitride-based High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT) configured as a bidirectional switch. The Group III nitride-based HEMT includes a first input/output electrode, a second input/output electrode, a gate structure arranged between the first input/output electrode and the second input/output electrode, and a field plate structure. |
| US09847390B1 |
Self-aligned wrap-around contacts for nanosheet devices
This disclosure relates to forming a wrap-around contact on a nanosheet transistor, the method including: forming an etch-stop layer over a continuous outer surface of a raised source/drain (S/D) region of the nanosheet transistor; forming a sacrificial layer over the etch-stop layer, the etch-stop layer including a different material than the sacrificial layer; depositing a dielectric layer over the sacrificial layer; removing an upper portion of the dielectric layer to expose a portion of the sacrificial layer; removing the sacrificial layer selective to the etch-stop layer; and depositing a conductor in the removed upper portion of the dielectric layer to form a wrap-around contact and a second contact. |
| US09847387B2 |
Field effect semiconductor component and method for producing it
What is provided is a field effect component including a semiconductor body, which extends in an edge zone from a rear side as far as a top side and which includes a semiconductor mesa, which extends in a vertical direction, which is perpendicular to the rear side and/or the top side. The semiconductor body in a vertical cross section further includes a drift region, which extends at least in the edge region as far as the top side and which is arranged partly in the semiconductor mesa, and a body region, which is arranged at least partly in the semiconductor mesa and which forms a pn junction with the drift region. The pn junction extends between two sidewalls of the semiconductor mesa. |
| US09847385B2 |
Organic electroluminescent device and electronic apparatus
An organic electroluminescent device includes a first transistor, a power supply line layer connected to one current terminal of the first transistor, a capacitive element including a first capacitive electrode connected to a gate of the first transistor, and a second capacitive electrode, a signal line, and a pixel electrode connected to the other current terminal of the first transistor, the first capacitive electrode is provided on a layer over the gate of the first transistor, and the power supply line layer is provided on a layer between the first capacitive electrode and the signal line. |
| US09847382B2 |
Array substrate, manufacturing method thereof, and display device
The present invention provides an array substrate, a manufacturing method thereof, and a display device, belonging to the field of organic electroluminescence display technology, which may solve the problem of low light extraction efficiency of existing array substrates. The array substrate of the present invention comprises an organic light emitting device and a planarization layer disposed therebelow, the OLED comprises: a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer, and a light-emitting layer disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, the first electrode layer is a transparent electrode layer and disposed on the planarization layer, and the planarization layer is doped with metal micro/nanoparticles. |
| US09847380B2 |
Touch panel
A flexible touch panel is provided. Both reduction in thickness and high sensitivity of a touch panel are achieved. The touch panel includes a first flexible substrate, a first insulating layer over the first substrate, a transistor and a light-emitting element over the first insulating layer, a color filter over the light-emitting element, a pair of sensor electrodes over the color filter, a second insulating layer over the sensor electrodes, a second flexible substrate over the second insulating layer, and a protective layer over the second substrate. A first bonding layer is between the light-emitting element and the color filter. The thickness of the first substrate and the second substrate is each 1 μm to 200 μm inclusive. The first bonding layer includes a region with a thickness of 50 nm to 10 μm inclusive. |
| US09847378B2 |
Resistive memory devices with a multi-component electrode
A resistive memory device includes a conductor and a resistive memory stack in contact with the conductor. The resistive memory stack includes a multi-component electrode and a switching region. The multi-component electrode includes a base electrode having a surface, and an inert material electrode on the base electrode surface in a form of i) a thin layer, or ii) discontinuous nano-islands. A switching region is in contact with the conductor and with the inert material electrode when the inert material electrode is in the form of the thin layer; or the switching region is in contact with the conductor, with the inert material electrode, and with an oxidized portion of the base electrode when the inert material electrode is in the form of the discontinuous nano-islands. |
| US09847376B2 |
Electronic device
An electronic device may be provided to include: first and second active regions arranged adjacent to each other in a second direction; a gate structure extended in the second direction; a first source region and a first drain region formed in the first active region; a second source region and a second drain region formed in the second active region; a source line contact formed over the first and second source regions and connected to the first and second source regions; a source line connected to the source line contact over the source line contact and extended in a first direction; first and second stacked structures formed over the first and second drain regions; and first and second bit lines formed over the first and second stacked structures, wherein the first and second bit lines are extended in the first direction. |
| US09847372B2 |
Solid state transducer devices with separately controlled regions, and associated systems and methods
Solid state transducer devices with independently controlled regions, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A solid state transducer device in accordance with a particular embodiment includes a transducer structure having a first semiconductor material, a second semiconductor material and an active region between the first and second semiconductor materials, the active region including a continuous portion having a first region and a second region. A first contact is electrically connected to the first semiconductor material to direct a first electrical input to the first region along a first path, and a second contact electrically spaced apart from the first contact and connected to the first semiconductor material to direct a second electrical input to the second region along a second path different than the first path. A third electrical contact is electrically connected to the second semiconductor material. |
| US09847368B2 |
Vertically integrated image sensor chips and methods for forming the same
A method includes bonding a Backside Illumination (BSI) image sensor chip to a device chip, forming a first via in the BSI image sensor chip to connect to a first integrated circuit device in the BSI image sensor chip, forming a second via penetrating through the BSI image sensor chip to connect to a second integrated circuit device in the device chip, and forming a metal pad to connect the first via to the second via. |
| US09847367B2 |
Digital x-ray detector and method for repairing a bad pixel thereof
Provided herein is a digital x-ray detector and a method for repairing a bad pixel thereof, the detector including a substrate; a gate line and a data line formed on the substrate such that the gate line and the data line intersect each other to form a pixel domain; a thin film transistor formed within the pixel domain such that the thin film transistor is adjacent to a portion where the gate line and the data line intersect each other, the thin film transistor including a gate electrode, an active layer, a source electrode and a drain electrode; a PIN diode which is formed within the pixel domain and which includes a lower electrode connected to the source electrode of the thin film transistor, a PIN layer formed on the lower electrode, and an upper electrode formed on the PIN layer; a bias line connected to the upper electrode of the PIN diode; and a scintillator arranged above the PIN diode, wherein on at least one of a surface of the drain electrode which faces the PIN diode and a surface of the PIN diode which faces the drain electrode, a groove is formed such that it expands a distance between the drain electrode and the PIN diode. |
| US09847362B2 |
Semiconductor photosensitive unit and semiconductor photosensitive unit array thereof
The present invention relates to a semiconductor photosensitive unit and a semiconductor photosensitive unit array thereof, including a floating gate transistor, a gating MOS transistor and a photodiode that are disposed on a semiconductor substrate. An anode or a cathode of the photodiode is connected to a floating gate of the floating gate transistor through the gating MOS transistor, and the corresponding cathode or anode of the photodiode is connected to a drain of the floating gate transistor or connected to an external electrode. After the gating MOS transistor is switched on, the floating gate is charged or discharged through the photodiode; and after the gating MOS transistor is switched off, charges are stored in the floating gate of the floating gate transistor. Advantages like a small unit area, low surface noise, long charge storage time of the floating gate, and large dynamic range of an operating voltage are achieved. |
| US09847360B2 |
Two-side illuminated image sensor
A two-side illuminated image sensor includes: a first optical sensor layer and a second optical sensor layer each including a plurality of optical sensing cells, and a signal wiring layer disposed between the first and second optical sensor layers. The first and second optical sensor layers may include a first color filter layer and a second color filter layer each including a plurality of color filters corresponding to the plurality of optical sensing cells. |
| US09847357B2 |
Thin film transistor that includes group VB metal oxide insulating layer
The present invention belongs to the field of display technology and provides a thin film transistor and a manufacturing method thereof, an array substrate and a display device. The thin film transistor comprises a gate, a source, a drain and a plurality of insulating layers, wherein at least one insulating layer comprises a Group VB metal oxide. Since the insulting layer is formed by using the Group VB metal oxide which has high dielectric constant, the thickness of the insulating layer can be reduced and the thin film transistor can be miniaturized. |
| US09847355B2 |
Silicon nitride film, and semiconductor device
An object of the present invention is to apply an insulating film of cure and high quality that is suitably applicable as gate insulating film and protective film to a technique that the insulating film is formed on the glass substrate under a temperature of strain point or lower, and to a semiconductor device realizing high efficiency and high reliability by using it. In a semiconductor device of the present invention, a gate insulating film of a field effect type transistor with channel length of from 0.35 to 2.5 μm in which a silicon nitride film is formed over a crystalline semiconductor film through a silicon oxide film, wherein the silicon nitride film contains hydrogen with the concentration of 1×1021/cm3 or less and has characteristic of an etching rate of 10 nm/min or less with respect to mixed solution containing an ammonium hydrogen fluoride (NH4HF2) of 7.13% and an ammonium fluoride (NH4F) of 15.4%. |
| US09847354B2 |
TFT array substrate and manufacturing and repairing methods of the same
A thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) array substrate is provided, including a base substrate; a first transparent conductive film formed on the base substrate; for each pixel unit of the array substrate the first transparent conductive film comprises at least a first part and a second part that do not contact with each other, and the first part is located under an area of the data line, without contacting the gate line and the common electrode line. When a data line in the array substrate has an open failure, this part of the transparent conductive film can be welded together with the data line using laser welding so as to repair the data line. |
| US09847352B2 |
Semiconductor device and display device
A semiconductor device including a circuit which does not easily deteriorate is provided. The semiconductor device includes a first transistor, a second transistor, a first switch, a second switch, and a third switch. A first terminal of the first transistor is connected to a first wiring. A second terminal of the first transistor is connected to a second wiring. A gate and a first terminal of the second transistor are connected to the first wiring. A second terminal of the second transistor is connected to a gate of the first transistor. The first switch is connected between the second wiring and a third wiring. The second switch is connected between the second wiring and the third wiring. The third switch is connected between the gate of the first transistor and the third wiring. |
| US09847341B2 |
Three-dimensional semiconductor memory device
A three-dimensional semiconductor memory device includes stacked structures, vertical semiconductor patterns, common source regions, and well pickup regions. The stacked structures are disposed on a semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type. Each stacked structure includes electrodes vertically stacked on each other and is extended in a first direction. The vertical semiconductor patterns penetrate the stacked structures. The common source regions of a second conductivity type are disposed in the semiconductor layer. At least one common source region is disposed between two adjacent stacked structures. The at least one common source region is extended in the first direction. The well pickup regions of the first conductivity type are disposed in the semiconductor layer. At least one well pickup region is adjacent to both ends of at least one stacked structure. |
| US09847340B2 |
Methods of tunnel oxide layer formation in 3D NAND memory structures and associated devices
3D NAND memory structures and related method are provided. In some embodiments such structures can include a control gate material and a floating gate material disposed between a first insulating layer and a second insulating layer, an interpoly dielectric (IPD) layer disposed between the floating gate material and control gate material such that the IPD layer electrically isolates the control gate material from the floating gate material, and a tunnel dielectric material deposited on the floating gate material opposite the control gate material. |
| US09847339B2 |
Self-aligned multiple patterning semiconductor device fabrication
Various embodiments provide a self-merged profile (SMP) method for fabricating a semiconductor device and a device fabricated using an SMP method. In an example embodiment, a semiconductor device is provided. The example semiconductor device comprises (a) a plurality of conductive lines; (b) a plurality of conductive pads; (c) a plurality of dummy tails; and (d) a plurality of closed loops. Each of the plurality of conductive pads is associated with one of the plurality of conductive lines, one of the plurality of dummy tails, and one of the plurality of closed loops. In example embodiments, the plurality of dummy tails and the plurality of closed loops are formed as residuals of the process used to create the plurality of conductive lines and the plurality of conductive pads. |
| US09847337B1 |
Memory arrays comprising ferroelectric capacitors
Some embodiments include a memory array which has rows of fins. Each fin has a first pedestal, a second pedestal and a trough between the first and second pedestals. A first source/drain region is within the first pedestal, a second source/drain region is within the second pedestal, and a channel region is along the trough between the first and second pedestals. Digit lines are electrically coupled with the first source/drain regions. Ferroelectric capacitors are electrically coupled with the second source/drain regions. Wordlines are along the rows of fins and overlap the channel regions. Conductive isolation lines are under the wordlines along the rows of fins. |
| US09847336B2 |
Method of forming a junction field effect transistor
The disclosed technology relates to semiconductors, and more particularly to a junction field effect transistor (JFET). In one aspect, a method of fabricating a JFET includes forming a well of a first dopant type in a substrate, wherein the well is isolated from the substrate by an isolation region of a second dopant type. The method additionally includes implanting a dopant of the second dopant type at a surface of the well to form a source, a drain and a channel of the JFET, and implanting a dopant of the first dopant type at the surface of the well to form a gate of the JFET. The method additionally includes, prior to implanting the dopant of the first type and the dopant of the second type, forming a pre-metal dielectric (PMD) layer on the well and forming contact openings in the PMD layer above the source, the drain and the gate. The PMD layer has a thickness such that the channel is formed by implanting the dopant of the first type and the dopant of the second type through the PMD layer. The method further includes, after implanting the dopant of the first type and the dopant of the second type, siliciding the source, the drain and the gate, and forming metal contacts in the contact openings. |
| US09847335B2 |
Methods and apparatuses including an active area of a tap intersected by a boundary of a well
Apparatuses and methods are disclosed. One such apparatus includes a well having a first type of conductivity formed within a semiconductor structure having a second type of conductivity. A boundary of the well intersects an active area of a tap to the well. |
| US09847332B2 |
Semiconductor device and fabricating the same
The present disclosure provides a method for fabricating an integrated circuit device. The method includes providing a precursor including a substrate having first and second metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) regions. The first and second MOS regions include first and second gate regions, semiconductor layer stacks, and source/drain regions respectively. The method further includes laterally exposing and oxidizing the semiconductor layer stack in the first gate region to form first outer oxide layer and inner nanowire set, and exposing the first inner nanowire set. A first high-k/metal gate (HK/MG) stack wraps around the first inner nanowire set. The method further includes laterally exposing and oxidizing the semiconductor layer stack in the second gate region to form second outer oxide layer and inner nanowire set, and exposing the second inner nanowire set. A second HK/MG stack wraps around the second inner nanowire set. |
| US09847330B2 |
Fin field effect transistor and method for fabricating the same
Fin field effect transistors (FinFETs) and method for fabricating the same are disclosed. One of the FinFETs includes a substrate, an insulator, first and second gates, an opening, first and second dielectric layers. The substrate includes first and second semiconductor fins and a trench therebetween. The insulator is disposed in the trench. The first and second gates are respectively disposed on the first and second semiconductor fins. The opening is disposed between the first gate and the second gate. The first dielectric layer is disposed in the opening to electrically insulate the first and second gates and includes a slit. The second dielectric layer is filled in the slit, wherein the opening has a first width in a direction along which the first and second gates extend, the slit has a second width in the direction, and a ratio of the first width to the second width is larger than 2. |
| US09847315B2 |
Packages, packaging methods, and packaged semiconductor devices
Packages, packaging methods, and packaged semiconductor devices are disclosed. In some embodiments, a package for a semiconductor device includes a redistribution layer (RDL) and a plurality of through package vias (TPV's) coupled to the RDL. Each of the plurality of TPV's comprises a first region proximate the RDL and a second region opposite the first region. The first region comprises a first width, and the second region comprises a second width. The second width is greater than the first width. |
| US09847306B2 |
Circuit board having a ground layer including a plurality of polygonal openings
A circuit board includes an insulating layer, a ground layer formed on a first surface of the insulating layer and including a plurality of openings arranged in first and second surface directions, each of the openings having a shape of a polygon having five or more sides, and a wiring layer formed on a second surface of the insulating layer opposite to the first surface. |
| US09847305B2 |
Semiconductor chip with multilayer solenoid coil and multi-chip module comprising the same
In accordance with the disclosed semiconductor chip and multi-chip module, signal transmission is made possible between semiconductor chips that are placed on a plane so as to be adjacent to each other through inductive coupling without affecting other coils such as in an oscillation circuit or an antenna circuit for RF communication. A multilayer solenoid coil, where a plane of the coil formed in a multilayer wiring structure in a semiconductor body is parallel to a main surface of the semiconductor body, is formed along at least one side end surface of the semiconductor body. |
| US09847304B2 |
Electronic device packages with conformal EMI shielding and related methods
Electronic device package technology is disclosed. In one example, an electronic device package can include a bottom surface and a side surface extending from the bottom surface. The side surface can be oriented at a non-perpendicular angle relative to the bottom surface. In another example, an electronic device package can include a top planar surface having a first area, a bottom planar surface having a second area, and a side surface extending between the top surface and the bottom surface. The second area can be larger than the first area. In yet another example, an electronic device package can include a substrate defining a plane, an electronic component disposed on the substrate, and a layer of material disposed about a lateral side of the electronic component. The layer of material can be oriented at an angle of less than 90 degrees relative to the plane. |
| US09847297B2 |
Electronic device and method for fabricating the same
This patent document provides an electronic device including a semiconductor memory that can simplify a fabrication process and improve characteristics of a variable resistance element, and a method for fabricating the same. In one aspect, an electronic device including a semiconductor memory is provided, wherein the semiconductor memory includes: a substrate; a variable resistance element formed over the substrate and exhibiting different resistance states to store data; an interlayer insulating layer formed over the substrate to surround at least a portion of the variable resistance element; an upper electrode contact formed over the variable resistance element to penetrate a portion of the interlayer insulating layer and be in contact with the variable resistance element; and a metal wiring formed over the interlayer insulating layer, and configured to include a stacked structure of a tungsten layer and a barrier layer, wherein the barrier layer is in contact with the upper electrode contact and includes tungsten, boron and iridium. |
| US09847296B2 |
Barrier layer and structure method
A method for forming a multilayer barrier comprises forming a conductive line over a substrate, depositing a dielectric layer over the conductive line, forming a plug opening in the dielectric layer, forming a multilayer barrier through a plurality of deposition processes and corresponding plasma treatment processes. |
| US09847293B1 |
Utilization of backside silicidation to form dual side contacted capacitor
An integrated circuit structure may include a capacitor having a semiconductor layer as a first plate and a gate layer as a second plate. A capacitor dielectric layer may separate the first plate and the second plate. A backside metallization may be coupled to the first plate of the capacitor. A front-side metallization may be coupled to the second plate of the capacitor. The front-side metallization may be arranged distal from the backside metallization. |
| US09847291B2 |
Circuits incorporating integrated passive devices having inductances in 3D configurations and stacked with corresponding dies
A circuit including a die and an integrated passive device. The die includes a first substrate and at least one active device. The integrated passive device includes a first layer, a second substrate, a second layer and an inductance. The inductance includes vias, where the vias are implemented in the second substrate. The inductance is implemented on the first layer, the second substrate, and the second layer. A resistivity per unit area of the second substrate is greater than a resistivity per unit area of the first substrate. The third layer is disposed between the die and the integrated passive device. The third layer includes pillars, where the pillars respectively connect ends of the inductance to the at least one active device. The die, the integrated passive device and the third layer are disposed relative to each other to form a stack. |
| US09847290B1 |
Through-silicon via with improved substrate contact for reduced through-silicon via (TSV) capacitance variability
The present disclosure relates to semiconductor structures and, more particularly, to Through-Silicon Via (TSV) structures with improved substrate contact and methods of manufacture. The structure includes: a substrate of a first species type; a layer of different species type on the substrate; a through substrate via formed through the substrate and comprising an insulator sidewall and conductive fill material; a second species type adjacent the through substrate via; a first contact in electrical contact with the layer of different species type; and a second contact in electrical contact with the conductive fill material of the through substrate via. |
| US09847287B2 |
Passive tunable integrated circuit (PTIC) and related methods
A passive tunable integrated circuit (PTIC) includes a semiconductor die (die) having a plurality of barium strontium titanate (BST) tunable capacitors. The plurality of BST tunable capacitors collectively define a capacitative area of the die. At least one electrical contact is electrically coupled with the plurality of BST tunable capacitors. A redistribution layer electrically couples the at least one electrical contact with at least one electrically conductive contact pad (contact pad). The at least one contact pad is located over the capacitative area. A bump electrically couples with the at least one contact pad and is located over the capacitative area. An electrically insulative layer couples between each contact pad of the PTIC and the plurality of BST tunable capacitors. |
| US09847284B2 |
Stacked wafer DDR package
A top package used in a PoP (package-on-package) package includes two memory die stacked with a redistribution layer (RDL) between the die. The first memory die is encapsulated in an encapsulant and coupled to a top surface of the RDL. A second memory die is coupled to a bottom surface of the RDL. The second memory die is coupled to the RDL with either a capillary underfill material or a non-conductive paste. The RDL includes routing between each of the memory die and one or more terminals coupled to the RDL on a periphery of the die. |
| US09847280B2 |
Method for manufacturing semiconductor device
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes preparing a semiconductor chip having a back surface made of a Cu layer. The semiconductor chip is bonded to a die pad having a front surface made of Cu via a bonding material containing a dissimilar metal not containing Cu and Pb and a Bi-based material so that the Cu layer and the bonding material come into contact with each other. After the bonding, the die pad is then heat-treated. |
| US09847276B2 |
Semiconductor devices having through-electrodes and methods for fabricating the same
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface facing each other, an interlayer dielectric layer provided on the top surface of the semiconductor substrate and including an integrated circuit, an inter-metal dielectric layer provided on the interlayer dielectric layer and including at least one metal interconnection electrically connected to the integrated circuit, an upper dielectric layer disposed on the inter-metal dielectric layer, a through-electrode penetrating the inter-metal dielectric layer, the interlayer dielectric layer, and the semiconductor substrate, a via-dielectric layer surrounding the through-electrode and electrically insulating the through-electrode from the semiconductor substrate. The via-dielectric layer includes one or more air-gaps between the upper dielectric layer and the interlayer dielectric layer. |
| US09847274B2 |
Electronic module and method of manufacturing the same
According to an exemplary aspect an electronic module is provided, wherein the electronic module comprises an electronic chip comprising at least one electronic component, a spacing element comprising a main surface arranged on the electronic chip and being in thermally conductive connection with the at least one electronic component, and a mold compound at least partially enclosing the electronic chip and the spacing element, wherein the spacing element comprises a lateral surface which is in contact to the mould compound and comprises surface structures. |
| US09847273B2 |
Heat sink assembly and clip thereof
A clip for fixing a heat sink on a retaining bracket includes an elastic supporter, an operating member, a movable fastener and a fixing bar. Two ends of the elastic supporter have a connecting portion and a first buckle portion, respectively. The operating member has a resisting portion, a pivot portion and an operating bar. The pivot portion pivots to the connecting portion. The movable fastener installs on the resisting portion and the connecting portion, and includes two sliding slots, a resisting surface and a second buckle portion. The resisting portion has an arc surface for resisting against the resisting surface. The distance between the apex of the arc surface and the pivot portion is the largest distance between the arc surface and the pivot portion. When the clip is locked, the junction of the resisting portion and the resisting surface excludes the apex of the arc surface. |
| US09847271B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes: a processor having a heat sink mounted thereon; and an optical module having a heat transfer interposer, wherein the heat sink and the optical module are coupled to each other via the heat transfer interposer.And a semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor chip mounted on a substrate; a lead that covers the semiconductor chip; a heat sink installed on the lead; and an optical module coupled to the heat sink via a heat transfer interposer. |
| US09847266B2 |
Method of fabricating semiconductor device
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes etching a stack of first-material layers and second-material layers alternately disposed one on another on a substrate. An upper portion of the stack is etched using an end point detection (EPD) signal of an etching reaction gas, and a function of an injection time of an etchant with respect to a depth of an opening is obtained while the upper portion of the stack is etched. A lower portion of the stack is etched using the obtained function. |
| US09847265B2 |
Flow metering for dispense monitoring and control
Methods and systems of accurately dispensing a viscous fluid onto a substrate. In an embodiment, a method includes using an electronic flow meter device to produce electrical flow meter output signals and performing a responsive control function in a closed loop manner by adjusting at least one dispensing parameter to correct for a difference between an output data set and a reference data set. In another embodiment, a system includes a control operatively coupled to a gas flow meter device and to a weigh scale allowing for a density of an amount of viscous material to be determined. In another embodiment, a method includes using a control coupled to both a gas flow meter device and a weigh scale and performing a responsive control function in a closed loop manner by adjusting at least one dispensing parameter using gas flow meter output signals and weigh scale output signals. |
| US09847264B1 |
Method for manufacturing a semiconductor product wafer
Improved methods for manufacturing semiconductor product wafer with the additional use of non-product masks are described. According to certain aspects of the invention, an evaluation wafer is first manufactured by utilizing at least one non-product mask to process one or more layer(s) on the evaluation wafer, and subsequently utilizing at least one unaltered product mask to process an evaluation-region-of-interest on the evaluation wafer. The evaluation-region-of-interest is evaluated by measuring the state of one or more feature(s) in the evaluation-region-of-interest using voltage contrast inspection (VCi). The measurements are then used to identify failures in the evaluation-region-of-interest. In response to identifying a failure in the evaluation-region-of-interest, the manufacturing process is improved by modifying at least one parameter associated with at least one processing step and manufacturing product wafers utilizing the at least one processing step(s) with the at least one modified parameter(s). |
| US09847262B2 |
Method and apparatus for real-time monitoring of plasma etch uniformity
A method is provided for in-situ monitoring of etch uniformity during plasma etching, on the basis of the detection of interferometry patterns. The method is applicable to a reactor wherein a plasma is created in the area between the surface to be etched and a counter-surface arranged essentially parallel to the surface to be etched. The occurrence of interference patterns is detected at a location that is placed laterally with respect to the area between the surface to be etched and the counter-surface. The presence of an interference pattern at a particular wavelength is observed through the detection of oscillations of the light intensity measured by an optical detector, preferably by the standard Optical Emission Spectrometry tool of the reactor. When these oscillations are no longer detectable, non-uniformity exceeds a pre-defined limit. The counter surface is arranged such that the oscillations are detected. |
| US09847258B2 |
Plasma dicing with blade saw patterned underside mask
Consistent with an example embodiment, there is a method for preparing an integrated circuit (IC) device from a wafer substrate, the wafer substrate having a top-side surface with a plurality of active device die separated by saw lanes and an opposite under-side surface. The method comprises coating the under-side surface of the wafer substrate with a resilient coating, locating the position of the saw lanes from the underside surface, blade dicing trenches in the resilient material to expose under-side bulk material in the position of saw lanes, and plasma etching through the trenches to remove the exposed under-side bulk material. |
| US09847255B2 |
TSV formation processes using TSV-last approach
A device includes a semiconductor substrate having a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface. An insulation region extends from the front surface into the semiconductor substrate. An inter-layer dielectric (ILD) is over the insulation region. A landing pad extends from a top surface of the ILD into the insulation region. A through-substrate via (TSV) extends from the back surface of the semiconductor substrate to the landing pad. |
| US09847254B2 |
Fingerprint sensor chip package structure and manufacturing method thereof
A fingerprint sensor chip package structure including a circuit carrier and a fingerprint sensor chip is provided. The fingerprint sensor chip is disposed on the circuit carrier. The fingerprint sensor chip includes a chip body and a plurality of sensing structures. The chip body has an active surface, a fingerprint sensing back surface, a plurality of bond pads disposed on the active surface and a plurality of through holes. The chip body is electrically connected to the circuit carrier with the active surface facing the circuit carrier. The sensing structures are disposed in the through holes respectively. Each of the sensing structures includes a first dielectric layer, a first metal layer, a second dielectric layer and a second metal layer. The first dielectric layer is exposed on the fingerprint sensing back surface. The second metal layer extends to the active surface to be electrically connected to the corresponding bond pad. |
| US09847251B2 |
Diffusion barrier layer formation
A method of forming a titanium nitride (TiN) diffusion barrier includes exposing a deposition surface to a first pulse of a titanium-containing precursor and to a first pulse of a nitrogen-rich plasma to form a first TiN layer with a first nitrogen concentration making a lower portion of the TiN diffusion barrier, the first nitrogen concentration of the first TiN layer is increased by the first pulse of the nitrogen-rich plasma reducing a reactivity of the lower portion of the TiN diffusion barrier to prevent fluorine diffusion. The first TiN layer is exposed to second pulses of the titanium-containing precursor and the nitrogen-rich plasma to form a second TiN layer with a second nitrogen concentration above the first TiN layer making an upper portion of the TiN diffusion barrier, the first pulse of the nitrogen-rich plasma has a substantially longer duration than the second pulse of the nitrogen-rich plasma. |
| US09847250B2 |
Flexible display and method of manufacturing the same
A flexible display and method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. In one aspect, the display includes a flexible substrate having a bending area and a non-bending area and a plurality of metal wirings formed over the flexible substrate in the bending area and the non-bending area. Each of the metal wirings which are formed in the bending area includes a pair of first hard wirings formed over the flexible substrate and a first soft wiring electrically connected to ends of the pair of first hard wirings. |
| US09847243B2 |
Debonding a glass substrate from carrier using ultrasonic wave
A process for making a device comprising a thin functional substrate comprising bonding the functional substrate to a carrier substrate, forming functional components on the functional subsrate, and debonding the functional substrate from the carrier substrate by applying ultrasonic wave to the bonding interface. The application of ultrasonic wave aids the debonding step by reducing the tensile stress the functional substrate may experience. |
| US09847237B2 |
Method and apparatus for manufacturing semiconductor module
Disclosed is a technique capable of preventing an encapsulating material from covering a heat-dissipating surface of a semiconductor module, which releases heat of a switching element. Specifically disclosed a step for manufacturing a semiconductor module including a submodule having a collector and an emitter with heat-dissipating surfaces, including a step for placing the submodule in the cavity so that the submodule is pressed by the pressing device while covering the heat-dissipating surface of the emitter with the pressing device and covering the heat-dissipating surface of the collector with the lower mold, and a step for feeding the encapsulating material to the cavity by moving the piston so that the pressure of the cavity measured by the pressure measuring device does not exceed the pressure at which the pressing device presses the submodule. |
| US09847230B2 |
Method and apparatus for using universal cavity wafer in wafer level packaging
An electronics module assembly is described herein that packages dies using a universal cavity wafer that is independent of electronics module design. In one embodiment, the electronics module assembly can include a cavity wafer having a single frontside cavity that extends over a majority of a frontside surface area of the cavity wafer and a plurality of fillports. The assembly can also include at least one group of dies placed in the frontside cavity and encapsulant that secures the position of the at least one group of dies relative to the cavity wafer. Further, a layer of the encapsulant can cover a backside of the cavity wafer. |
| US09847227B2 |
Method for forming patterns of semiconductor device
A method for forming patterns of a semiconductor device includes preparing an etch target layer defined with a first region and a second region; forming a regular first feature which is positioned over the etch target layer in the first region and a random feature which is positioned over the etch target layer in the second region; forming a regular second feature over the regular first feature; forming first and second cutting barriers which expose a portion of the random feature, over the random feature; cutting the regular first feature using the regular second feature, to form a regular array feature; cutting the random feature using the first cutting barrier and the second cutting barrier, to form a random array feature; and etching the etch target layer by using the regular array feature and the random array feature, to form a regular array pattern and a random array pattern. |
| US09847220B2 |
Azide-based crosslinking agents
The present invention provides compounds of formula a process for their preparation, a solution comprising these compounds, a process for the preparation of a device using the solution, devices obtainable by the process and the use of the bis-azide-type compounds as cross-linkers. |
| US09847219B2 |
Semiconductor die singulation method
In one embodiment, semiconductor die are singulated from a semiconductor wafer having a layer of material by placing the semiconductor wafer onto a carrier tape with the layer of material adjacent the carrier tape, forming singulation lines through the semiconductor wafer to expose the layer of material within the singulation lines, and separating portions of the layer of material using a fluid. |
| US09847211B2 |
Conductive film and method of making same
A method for making a conductive film includes the steps of: depositing a conductive metal film on a substrate to form a metal-coated substrate; depositing a fiber pattern on the conductive metal film of the metal-coated substrate to form a masked substrate, the fiber pattern defining protected metal and exposed metal of the conductive metal film; removing the exposed metal from the conductive metal film of the masked substrate to form a protected conductive film; and removing the fiber pattern from the protected conductive film to expose the protected metal and provide a metal pattern on the substrate. An annealing step con be employed after depositing the fiber pattern to increase the surface area of contact between the fiber pattern and the conductive metal film. |
| US09847208B1 |
Electron beam device, cold field emitter, and method for regeneration of a cold field emitter
The present disclosure provides an electron beam device (500) for inspecting a sample (10) with an electron beam, comprising an electron beam source comprising a cold field emitter (100) for emitting an electron beam, electron beam optics for directing and focusing the electron beam onto the sample (10), and a detector device (540) for detecting secondary charged particles generated by impingement of the electron beam on the sample (10). The cold field emitter (100) includes an emitter tip (110), a base arrangement (120) configured for supporting the emitter tip (110) and comprising a first base element (122) and a second base element (124), and a filament (130) having at least a first filament portion (132) and a second filament portion (134) attaching the emitter tip (110) to the base arrangement (120), wherein the first filament portion (132) extends between the emitter tip (110) and the first base element (122) and the second filament portion (134) extends between the emitter tip (110) and the second base element (124), wherein a length (L) of each of the first filament portion (132) and the second filament portion (134) is 4 mm or less, and wherein a diameter of a cross-section of each of the first filament portion (132) and the second filament portion (134) is 0.13 mm or less. |
| US09847203B2 |
Low current fuse
A multi layer fuse device includes a substrate and an elongated fuse element, having a pair of contact pads formed therewith at opposed longitudinal ends thereof formed on one surface of the substrate. A pair of passivation layers are provided covering the fuse and contact pads. Windows may be opened through both passivation layers above both of the contact pads, and conductive electrode material is electroplated through the windows to contact the contact pads and to extend partially above a top surface of the passivation layers. Exposed electroplated material may be coated with solderable conductive material or a surface mount termination may be provided. Electroplated material may cover a portion of the fuse surface prior to application of the passivation layers and extend to an end of the substrate so that windows are not required. |
| US09847201B2 |
Circuit protection apparatus and method of setting trip parameters thereof
A circuit protection apparatus includes separable contacts, an operating mechanism, an electronic trip unit storing a plurality of trip parameter combinations, wherein each of the trip parameter combinations specifies a certain value for each of a plurality of individual trip parameters, and a multi-position selector moveable among a plurality of predetermined positions and configured to enable selection of one of the predetermined positions. Each of the positions corresponds to a respective one of the trip parameter combinations, wherein the electronic trip unit is structured to, responsive to a chosen one of the plurality of predetermined positions being selected by the multi-position selector, cause the one of the trip parameter combinations corresponding to the chosen one of the plurality of predetermined positions to be used by the electronic trip unit to determine whether to cause the operating mechanism to trip open the separable contacts. |
| US09847197B2 |
Protection module for control and protective switching device
The present invention discloses a protection module for a control and protective switching device, comprising a control power supply processing unit, an auxiliary power supply processing unit, a power supply converting unit, a signal processing and controlling unit, a trip electromagnet driving unit, a control electromagnet driving unit, and a man-machine interaction device. The control power supply processing unit and the auxiliary power supply processing unit receive a power supply signal from a high voltage power supply, and process the signal for supplying power for other components. The signal processing and controlling unit receives a mutual-induction signal from a current mutual inductor, outputs a first control signal and a second control signal to the trip electromagnet driving unit and the control electromagnet driving unit, and receives a first feedback signal and a second feedback signal from an operation mechanism and a control electromagnet. The trip electromagnet driving unit outputs a first operation signal to a trip electromagnet, and the trip electromagnet outputs a mechanical signal to the operation mechanism. The control electromagnet driving unit outputs a second operation signal to the control electromagnet. The man-machine interaction device performs signal interaction with the signal processing and controlling unit. |
| US09847193B2 |
Illuminant keyboard and manufacturing method thereof
An illuminant keyboard and a method thereof are provided. A plurality of protruding walls substantially parallel to each other are disposed on one of an upper surface of the transparent plate, a lower surface of the transparent plate and an upper surface of the planar light source. The protruding walls may be either I-shaped, L-shaped, U-shaped or square-shaped. When the protruding walls are made of an opaque material, the protruding walls can effectively reduce the intensity of the halo light surrounding a transparent keycap. When the protruding walls are made of a transparent material with a designated color, the halo light surrounding the keycap will be modulated with the designated color. |
| US09847191B2 |
Switch having improved moveable contact
An electrical switch (100) includes an insulative housing (110) forming a receiving space therein, a fixed contact set (121, 122) retained in the housing (110), a movable contact set (131, 132) located above the fixed contact set (121, 122), and a cover (140) mounted upon the housing, wherein the moveable contact set (131, 132) further includes at least three outwardly and downwardly extending protrusions (133) on a periphery at equal intervals so as to support up-and-down movement of the moveable contact set (131, 132) during operation with a superior manual feeling. |
| US09847190B1 |
Mechanism to raise and lower the height of keys within a keyboard
A key structure includes a supporting plate, a keycap, a scissors-type connecting element, a movable element and a coupling structure. The keycap is disposed over the supporting plate. The coupling structure is connected with the scissors-type connecting element and the movable element. For operating the key structure, the cooperation of the movable element and the coupling structure allows the keycap to be at a higher first height. Consequently, the tactile feel of depressing the key structure is enhanced. Moreover, the cooperation of the movable element and the coupling structure can lower the height of the keycap. Consequently, the key structure has a slim appearance. |
| US09847186B2 |
Starter and power equipment unit incorporating same
A push-button starter for use with an outdoor power equipment unit. In one embodiment, the starter includes a housing defining an opening to receive a removable button, and a peripheral edge surrounding the opening. The peripheral edge may define two scalloped areas such that two opposite sides of a head portion of the button are exposed and accessible when the button is in a neutral position within the housing while remaining sides of the head portion are enclosed within the housing. Moreover, the opening and the head portion may be configured to control an orientation of the button relative to the housing, and further prevent rotation of the button relative to the housing. |
| US09847184B2 |
Supercapacitor electrode having highly oriented and closely packed graphene sheets and production process
Provided is a process for producing an electrolyte-impregnated laminar graphene structure for use as a supercapacitor electrode. The process comprises (a) preparing a graphene dispersion having multiple isolated graphene sheets dispersed in an electrolyte; and (b) subjecting the graphene dispersion to a forced assembly procedure, forcing the multiple graphene sheets to assemble into an electrolyte-impregnated laminar graphene structure, wherein the multiple graphene sheets are alternately spaced by thin electrolyte layers, less than 5 nm in thickness, and the graphene sheets are substantially aligned along a desired direction, and wherein the laminar structure has a physical density from 0.5 to 1.7 g/cm3 and a specific surface area from 50 to 3,300 m2/g, when measured in a dried state of the laminar structure with the electrolyte removed. This process leads to a supercapacitor having a large electrode thickness, high active mass loading, high tap density, and exceptional energy density. |
| US09847183B2 |
Nano-porous electrode for super capacitor and manufacturing method thereof
The present invention relates to a nano-porous electrode for a super capacitor and a manufacturing method thereof, and more specifically, to a nano-porous electrode for a super capacitor and a manufacturing method thereof wherein pores are formed on the surface or inside an electrode using an electrodeposition method accompanied by hydrogen generation, thereby increasing the specific surface area of the electrode and thus improving the charging and discharging capacity, energy density, output density, and the like of a capacitor. The method for manufacturing a nano-porous electrode for a super capacitor according to the present invention manufactures a nano-porous electrode using hydrogen generated by the electrodeposition as a template to minimize the amount of metal used, so that electrode manufacturing costs can be sharply reduced, the specific surface area of the electrode can be adjusted by a simple process, and also the charging and discharging capacity, energy density, output density, and the like of a capacitor can be improved by increasing the specific surface area. |
| US09847181B2 |
Film comprising single-layer carbon nanotubes and having dense portions and sparse portions, process for producing same, and material including said film and process for producing same
The present invention provides: a film that comprises single-layer carbon nanotubes having shapes which enable the characteristics thereof to be sufficiently exhibited; and a process for producing the film. The film, which comprises single-layer carbon nanotubes, has portions where single-layer carbon nanotubes are densely present and portions where single-layer carbon nanotubes are sparsely present, the dense portions forming a pseudo-honeycomb structure in a surface of the film. |
| US09847176B2 |
Dielectric material and capacitor comprising the dielectric material
A dielectric material suitable for use in an electronic component includes bismuth ferrite, strontium titanate and an additive. The additive comprises barium titanate. The barium titanate reduces the temperature capacitance change of the dielectric material and allows for increased working voltages. The material is useful for the construction of capacitors, and particularly capacitors intended for use at high temperatures. Also provided are a capacitor including the dielectric material, methods of manufacturing the dielectric material and the capacitor, and the use of an additive to improve the lifetime and/or reduce the dissipation factor of a capacitor. |
| US09847160B2 |
Actuator device with resetting means
An actuator device for bidirectional adjustment of an adjusting body constructed for interaction with an adjustment partner and preferably realized as a tappet (14), having first adjustment means (10), which have expansion means having a magnetically effective shape-memory alloy material (12) and exerting an adjustment force, particularly a pushing force, on the adjusting body for moving the same along a first adjustment direction, which carry out an expansion generating the adjustment force as a reaction to a first energizing of first coil means (16), and second adjustment means (20; 20′, 34) assigned to the adjusting body and provided separately from the expansion means and the first coil unit, which are constructed for moving the adjusting body in a second adjustment direction opposite to the first adjustment direction, characterized in that the second adjustment means have an electromagnetically or electromotively driven actuator and therefore for moving the adjusting body in the second adjustment direction construct a drive, which can be activated as a reaction to signal loading, particularly a second electrical energizing. |
| US09847156B2 |
Composite material, reactor-use core, reactor, converter, and power converter apparatus
A reactor 1 of the present invention includes a coil 2 and a magnetic core 3 disposed inside and outside the coil 2 to form a closed magnetic path. At least part of the magnetic core 3 is made of a composite material containing a magnetic substance powder made of an identical material and a resin containing the powder being dispersed therein. In the particle size distribution of the magnetic substance powder, a plurality of peaks are present. That is, the magnetic substance powder contains both a fine powder and a coarse powder at high frequencies. Since the composite material contains the fine powder, it can reduce the eddy current loss, and hence achieves to be a low-loss material. Thanks to the mixed powder including the fine powder and the coarse powder, the packing density of the magnetic substance powder is increased. Thus, the composite material exhibits a high saturation magnetic flux density. By employing such a mixed powder, the raw material powder can be handled with ease, and excellent manufacturability of the composite material is obtained. |
| US09847145B2 |
Method for fabrication of oxide fuel pellets and the oxide fuel pellets thereby
Disclosed herein is a method for manufacturing oxide fuel pellets. The method for manufacturing the oxide fuel pellets includes (step 1) preparing nuclear fuel powder containing uranium dioxide (UO2+x, x=0 to 0.20), (step 2) compacting the nuclear fuel powder prepared in step 1 to manufacture green pellets, sintering the green pellets manufactured in step 2 at a temperature of about 1,200° C. to about 1,400° C. by using an atmosphere gas, and reducing the green pellets sintered in step 3 at a temperature of about 800° C. to about 1,000° C. by using a reducing atmosphere gas. The method for manufacturing the oxide fuel pellets according to the present invention performs the sintering at a low temperature of about 1,200° C. to 1,400° C. to manufacture economical and safe oxide fuel pellets that are adequate for the nuclear fuel specification. |
| US09847138B2 |
Shift register
A shift register includes shift register units, in which at least one shift register unit is coupled to a forestage shift register unit and a post-stage shift register unit, where the at least one shift register unit includes a signal input circuit, a signal output circuit, a pull down circuit and a switching circuit. The signal input circuit electrically coupled to the forestage shift register unit can receive a logic signal from the forestage shift register. The signal output circuit is electrically coupled to the signal input circuit via a control signal terminal and is electrically coupled to the post-stage shift register unit. The signal output circuit can receive a first clock signal. The pull down circuit is electrically coupled to or electrically isolated from the control signal terminal through the switching circuit. |
| US09847137B2 |
Method to reduce program disturbs in non-volatile memory cells
A non-volatile memory and methods of operating the same to reduce disturbs is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes coupling a first positive high voltage to a first global wordline in a first row of an array of memory cells, and coupling a second negative high voltage (VNEG) to a first bitline in a first column of the array to apply a bias to a non-volatile memory transistor in a selected memory cell to program the selected memory cell. A margin voltage having a magnitude less than VNEG is coupled to a second global wordline in a second row of the array, and an inhibit voltage coupled to a second bitline in a second column of the array to reduce a bias applied to a non-volatile memory transistor in an unselected memory cell to reduce program disturb of data programmed in the unselected memory cell due to programming. |
| US09847135B2 |
Memory device and method of reading data
A memory device of an embodiment includes a memory cell array and a controller. In the memory cell, data is written per page unit and is erased per block which is a multiple the page unit of a natural number of two or more. The block includes memory strings, each including memory cells capable of storing data of one or more bits with a threshold voltage indicative of an erase state in which data is erased and one or more threshold voltages which are higher than the voltage indicative of the erase state and indicate written states in which data is written. The controller selects one of adjustment values of positive and negative values based on data read from a first memory cell of the memory cells, and reads data from a second memory cell of the memory cells using the selected adjustment value and a first read voltage. |
| US09847134B2 |
Data storage device and voltage protection method thereof
A data storage device includes a flash memory, a voltage detection device, and a controller. The flash memory is arranged to store data. The voltage detection device is arranged to detect a supply voltage received by the data storage device. The controller is configured to receive write commands from a host, and perform a prohibition mode when the supply voltage is outside a predetermined range, wherein the write command is arranged to enable the controller to write the flash memory, and the controller is further configured to disable all of the write commands received from the host in the prohibition mode. |
| US09847133B2 |
Memory array capable of performing byte erase operation
A memory array includes a plurality of memory pages, each memory page includes a plurality of memory bytes, each memory byte includes a plurality of memory cells, and each memory cell includes a floating gate module, a control element, and an erase element. Memory bytes of the same column are coupled to the same erase line, and memory bytes of different columns are coupled to different erase lines. Therefore, the memory array is able to support byte operations while the memory cells of the same memory byte can share the same wells. The circuit area of the memory array can be reduced and the operation of the memory array can be more flexible. |
| US09847126B2 |
Increasing a read margin in a read cell
A method of increasing a read margin in a memory cell may include sensing an input current created from the application of a read voltage across a memristive device, squaring the input current, and comparing the squared input current to a reference current. A memristive device may include a memristor and a sense amplifier communicatively coupled to the memristor wherein a sensed input current created from the application of a reference voltage across a memristor is squared and wherein the sense amplifier compares the squared input current to a reference current. |
| US09847125B2 |
Resistive memory accelerator
Presented is a method and apparatus for solving. The method includes receiving, by a resistive memory array, a first data, the resistive memory array comprising a plurality of cells, wherein the receiving comprises setting a plurality of resistances on the plurality of cells, wherein each of the plurality of resistances are based on the first data. The method further includes receiving, by the resistive memory array, a second data, wherein the receiving comprises applying at least one of a current and a voltage based on the second data on the plurality of cells. The method still further includes determining, by the resistive memory array, an initial unknown value, the initial value based on the first data and the second data. |
| US09847123B2 |
Multi-bit ferroelectric memory device and methods of forming the same
Multi-bit ferroelectric memory devices and methods of forming the same are provided. One example method of forming a multi-bit ferroelectric memory device can include forming a first ferroelectric material on a first side of a via, removing a material to expose a second side of the via, and forming second ferroelectric material on the second side of the via at a different thickness compared to the first side of the via. |
| US09847122B2 |
Multi-bit memory device and on-chip buffered program method thereof
A program method of a multi-bit memory device is provided. First page data is programmed in a first region of a memory cell array. The first page data is stored in a first buffer of a page buffer. Second page data is programmed in the first region of the memory cell array. The second page data is stored in a third buffer of the page buffer. Third page data is stored in the first region of the memory cell array. The second page data stored in the third buffer is transferred to a second buffer of the page buffer and the third page data is stored in the third buffer. The first to third page data stored in page buffer are programmed in a second region of the memory cell array. |
| US09847118B1 |
Memory device and method for operating the same
A memory device may include: a cell array comprising a main area and an adjacent area with a plurality of main memory cells disposed in the main area and a plurality of adjacent memory cells disposed in the adjacent area; a control circuit suitable for controlling a row operation and column operation of the cell array; and an adjacent area controller suitable for controlling adjacent memory cells so that the adjacent memory cells are operated under a different condition from the main memory cells. |
| US09847115B2 |
Electronic device
An electronic device may include a semiconductor memory. The semiconductor memory may include a global line pair including a global bit line and a global source line; a plurality of cell matrices coupled between the global bit line and the global source line, each cell matrix including a plurality of local line pairs and a plurality of storage cells that are coupled to the plurality of local line pairs, wherein each storage cell is operable to store data and is coupled between local lines of a corresponding local line pair; and a plurality of isolation switch pairs that couple the plurality of cell matrices to the global bit line and the global source line of the global line pair, one isolation switch pair per cell matrix. |
| US09847114B2 |
Electronic device
An electronic device including an inverter includes a pull-up driving unit configured to drive an output node with a high voltage in response to an input signal; a path switching unit coupled in a path between the pull-up driving unit and the output node according to a direction of a first current flowing between the pull-up driving unit and the output node and operable to selectively switch on or off the path; a pull-down driving unit coupled to the output node to supply a low voltage in response to the input signal; a path blocking unit coupled in a path between the pull-down driving unit and the output node to block the path; and a bypass unit coupled to form a bypass path between the pull-down driving unit and the output node. |
| US09847112B2 |
Synchronization of data transmission with a clock signal after a memory mode switch
An apparatus includes a transmitter and a controller. The transmitter may be configured to transmit data stored in a memory. The controller may be configured to (i) train one or more transmit parameters of the transmitter to synchronize transmission of the data with a clock signal while in a first mode, (ii) save the transmit parameters in response to a command received while the transmitter is in the first mode, and (iii) configure the transmitter to transmit the data while in a second mode using the transmit parameters as learned while in the first mode. |
| US09847109B2 |
Memory cell
The present disclosure relates to a memory cell, a memory array, and methods for writing a memory cell. In an example embodiment, a memory cell comprises a first transistor, a second transistor, and a differential sense amplifier. The first transistor is a Vt-modifiable n-channel transistor and the second transistor is a Vt-modifiable p-channel transistor, each transistor having first and second main electrodes. The first main electrodes of the first and second transistors are connected together. The differential sense amplifier is connected to the second main electrodes of the first and the second transistor. The differential sense amplifier is adapted for sensing the current difference between the first transistor and the second transistor. |
| US09847103B1 |
Data storage device carrier and data storage system using the same
A data storage device carrier includes a first supporting bracket and an upper cover. The first supporting bracket includes a first bottom plate and two first side plates, each of the first side plates defines an opening on an upper end and a sliding slot; the upper cover is slidably attached to the first supporting bracket, the first supporting bracket is configured to accommodate the first data storage device, the limiting columns are respectively received in the sliding slots via the openings, the top plate is configured to resist the upper surface of the first data storage device, the top plate comprises a connecting piece for connecting with another supporting bracket. A data storage system is further disclosed. |
| US09847100B2 |
Optical medium reproduction device and optical medium reproduction method
An optical medium reproduction device includes: a detection unit configured to form detection signals of respective channels by dividing a cross-section of a beam returning from the optical medium into a plurality of regions and performing division into at least one channel corresponding to the region at an outer side in a radial direction, at least one channel corresponding to the region that is different in position in a tangential direction, and a channel corresponding to the other regions, and, in a case of forming the detection signals of the channels, form the detection signal of at least one of the channels by weighting and adding a signal in a predetermined region among the plurality of regions; a multi-input equalizer unit configured to include a plurality of equalizer units to which the respective detection signals of the plurality of channels are supplied, and configured to form an equalized signal on the basis of the detection signals of the plurality of channels; and a binarization unit configured to perform a binarization process on the equalized signal to obtain binary data. |
| US09847098B2 |
Described object and descriptor
A described read request may be received. An object and a descriptor may be returned in response to the described read request. The object may be retrieved from a volume. The object may be analyzed to generate the descriptor, which may indicate whether the object is a tape mark or a data record. |
| US09847096B2 |
Environment sensing intelligent apparatus
An audio playback device may drive an audio reproduction device at a volume level. An audio capture device may convert sound waves into audio input. An environment sensing device may detect, based on the audio input, environmental conditions surrounding a user of the audio playback device, the environmental conditions including a loudness estimation indicative of a level of background noise included in the audio input and an audio content classification indicative of presence of speech in the audio input. The environment sensing device may also determine, according to the environmental conditions, a playback action to alter the volume level being provided by the audio playback device, and provide, to the audio playback device, an adjustment to the volume level in accordance with the playback action. |
| US09847091B2 |
Speech processing apparatus, speech processing method, speech processing program, method of attaching speech processing apparatus, ceiling member, and vehicle
To input the voice of the passenger of a vehicle and output a piece of high-quality enhanced speech independently of the direction of a piece of speech or noise, a speech processing apparatus includes a first microphone that is provided on one of a ceiling member in a vehicle and an accessory thereof, inputs a sound mixture including a voice of a passenger of the vehicle and noise in the vehicle, and outputs a first signal, a second microphone that is provided on one of the ceiling member in the vehicle and the accessory thereof at a position farther than the first microphone when viewed from the passenger of the vehicle, inputs the noise in the vehicle while insulating the voice of the passenger of the vehicle using one of the ceiling member of the vehicle and the accessory thereof, and outputs a second signal, and a noise suppressor that outputs an enhanced speech signal based on the first signal and the second signal. |
| US09847089B2 |
Method for reduction of aliasing introduced by spectral envelope adjustment in real-valued filterbanks
The present invention proposes a new method for improving the performance of a real-valued filterbank based spectral envelope adjuster. By adaptively locking the gain values for adjacent channels dependent on the sign of the channels, as defined in the application, reduced aliasing is achieved. Furthermore, the grouping of the channels during gain-calculation, gives an improved energy estimate of the real valued subband signals in the filterbank. |
| US09847086B2 |
Audio frame loss concealment
Concealing a lost audio frame of a received audio signal by performing a sinusoidal analysis of a part of a previously received or reconstructed audio signal, wherein the sinusoidal analysis involves identifying frequencies of sinusoidal components of the audio signal, applying a sinusoidal model on a segment of the previously received or reconstructed audio signal, wherein said segment is used as a prototype frame in order to create a substitution frame for a lost audio frame, and creating the substitution frame for the lost audio frame by time-evolving sinusoidal components of the prototype frame, up to the time instance of the lost audio frame, in response to the corresponding identified frequencies. |
| US09847080B2 |
System and method for switching sound pickups in an electric guitar using a spin wheel arrangement
The embodiments herein provide a system and method for instantly switching sound pickups in an electric guitar using a spin wheel arrangement in the middle of a song. The spin wheel houses a pickup assembly with multiple pickups. The spin wheel allows a guitar player to easily roll neck pickup to bridge position and bridge pickup to neck position in middle of a song by rotating the spin wheel. A click stop arrangement halts wheel rotation after completing a semi-circular rotation around a center screw. The backend portion of pickups is connected to spring loaded plunger. The contact pads at bottom portion of guitar body establishes electrical connections between pickups and control components. The pickups under the strings get activated. The spin wheel arrangement allows a guitar player to add favorite pickups for generating various tonalities beyond the limit of a single guitar. |
| US09847079B2 |
Methods and apparatus to use predicted actions in virtual reality environments
Methods and apparatus to use predicted actions in VR environments are disclosed. An example method includes predicting a predicted time of a predicted virtual contact of a virtual reality controller with a virtual musical instrument, determining, based on at least one parameter of the predicted virtual contact, a characteristic of a virtual sound the musical instrument would make in response to the virtual contact, and initiating producing the sound before the predicted time of the virtual contact of the controller with the musical instrument. |
| US09847078B2 |
Music performance system and method thereof
A method for processing a music performance, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a first media signal from a media source; analyzing the first media signal to extract any media signal characteristics; creating a reference media signal by suppressing at-least a predominant sound source of the first media signal; reproducing the reference media signal while receiving a users media signal from an input device to generate a second media signal; analyzing the second media signal to extract any media signal characteristics; processing the characteristics of the second media signal in isolation or in combination with the characteristics of the first media signal; and generating feedback for the music performance based upon the processed media signals. |
| US09847075B2 |
Electronic device for displaying and adjusting image layers in graphical user interface and method thereof
A method for displaying a graphical user interface on a display of an electronic device includes obtaining a total number “n” of image layers to be displayed on the display, and determining whether the total number of image layers is greater than two, determining a processing method of a number of processing methods for processing each image layer for displaying each image layer, processing each image layer according to the determined processing method, and displaying the graphical user interface on the display after all of the image layers have been processed. The number of processing methods include size adjustment, obfuscation adjustment, saturation adjustment, and transparency adjustment. |
| US09847069B2 |
GOA circuit and liquid crystal display device
The present invention provides a GOA circuit and a liquid crystal display device. The GOA circuit adds the stage transfer unit (900) and the stage transfer pull-down unit (800) and modifying the global control auxiliary unit (1000) to use the stage transfer end (ST(N)) of the stage transfer unit (900) to output the signal which is different from the scan driving signal to be the stage transfer signal and to use the global control auxiliary unit (1000) to stable the voltage level of the stage transfer end (ST(N)) in the period that the output ends (G(N)) of all the GOA units output the scan driving signal at the same time, the signal outputted by the stage transfer end (ST(N)) is opposite to the voltage level of the scan driving signal. |
| US09847068B2 |
Scan driving circuit and LCD device
A scan driving circuit includes a repair assembly, a pull-up assembly, a pull-up control assembly that drives the pull-up assembly, a pull-down maintaining assembly, and a reference low-level signal. When the pull-down maintaining assembly turns off in a work stage of a current scanning line, the repair assembly turns off. When the pull-down maintaining assembly turns on in the work stage of the current scanning line, the repair assembly is connected with the pull-down maintaining assembly. In the work stage of the current scanning line, the reference low-level signal is sent to the repair assembly via the turn-off unit, and turns off the pull-down maintaining assembly through the repair assembly. |
| US09847067B2 |
Shift register, gate driving circuit, display panel, driving method thereof and display device
A shift register, a driving method of a display panel and related device. The shift register adds a selection output unit and a selection control signal terminal to the current shift register; the output terminal of the selection output unit outputs a signal that is same as the signal of the driving signal output terminal when the selection control signal terminal receives a selection control signal. Then whether there is a scan signal outputted from the selection driving output terminal is determined by the control of the selection control signal terminal and the selection output unit. Further, in using the gate-driving circuit consisting of the above shift register, selectively outputting scan signal to certain gate lines can be achieved. Further, in using said gate driving circuit in the display panel of the present disclosure, arranging three neighboring gate lines as a set of gate line along scanning direction and each set of gate line receiving scan signal sequentially along the scanning direction may be realized. |
| US09847066B2 |
Method of operating display panel and display apparatus performing the same
A method of operating a display panel in which a plurality of decisions are generated by detecting transitions of a plurality of present pixel data included in a present frame image. A uniform dynamic capacitance compensation (DCC) is performed based on the plurality of decisions. A present grayscale of each of the plurality of present pixel data increases by a first compensation value, decreases by a second compensation value, or is maintained based on the uniform DCC. |
| US09847065B2 |
Liquid crystal display apparatus
A display apparatus includes a display panel and a driving circuit. The display panel includes pixels. Each of the pixels is connected to one of gate lines and one of data lines. The driving circuit drives the gate lines and the data lines to display an image on the display panel. The driving circuit alternately provides a first polarity data driving signal and a second polarity data driving signal to each of the plurality of data lines. During an asymmetrical mode, the first polarity data driving signal is provided to first data lines of the data lines during a first frame period before a blank period begins, and the second polarity data driving signal is provided to the first data lines during a second frame period after the blank period ends. The second frame period excludes the blank period. |
| US09847062B2 |
Scan driver and organic light-emitting display using same
The present invention provides a scanning driver and an organic light-emitting display using the same. The scanning driver comprises a plurality of cascaded structures receiving signals from a first timing clock line (CK1) and a second timing clock line (CK2) with opposite phases, the cascaded structures successively generating output signals (i.e., scanning signals), wherein each of the cascaded structures comprises: a first transistor, connected to a starting signal line or to a scanning output line of a previous cascaded structure; a second transistor, connected to the second timing clock line and to the scanning output line; a third transistor connected to a high-level power supply VGH; a fourth transistor, connected to a low-level power supply VGL and to an output terminal of the third transistor; a fifth transistor, connected to a high-level power supply VGH and to a scanning output line; and a first capacitor, connected between an output terminal of the first transistor and the scanning output line. Arranging a first capacitor C1 between the output terminal of M1 and the scanning output line prevents slight-ON of M2, thus reducing the reverse current at the scanning driver and reducing the power consumption. |
| US09847060B2 |
DC-DC converter and organic light emitting display including the same
Disclosed are a direct current converter and an organic light emitting display including the converter. The converter includes a power generator configured to generate a first voltage; an output terminal connected to the power generator and configured to output the first voltage; a feedback terminal connected to an external feedback wiring and configured to input a second voltage to a selector; and the selector connected to the first power generator, and configured to transfer the first voltage or the second voltage to the first power generator. |
| US09847058B2 |
Pixel unit structure of organic light emitting diode display panel and driving mechanism thereof
A pixel unit structure of an organic light emitting diode display panel includes a switch transistor, a storage capacitor, an organic light emitting diode, a driving transistor, a first control circuit, and a second control circuit. The organic light emitting diode is controlled by the driving transistor and the first control circuit to emit light. The pixel unit operates in a number of time events repeating in sequence. |
| US09847052B2 |
Drive system of AMOLED display and drive method
The present invention provides a drive system of an AMOLED display and a method. The comparison module (4) is used to compare the first frame of image and a second frame of image in the two adjacent frames of image to be similar or not, and to determine that the second frame of image is a dynamic image or a static image, and to output time count (cnt). The gray scale control module (5) controls output gray scales of corresponding pixels in the second frame of image according the time count (cnt) and the gray scales of respective pixels in the first frame of image: when the second frame of image is the dynamic image, the gray scale control module (5) controls the output gray scales of corresponding pixels in the second frame of image remain to be original gray scales; when the second frame of image is the static image, the gray scale control module (5) controls the output gray scales of corresponding pixels in the second frame of image gradually decrease along with increase of the time count (cnt) in a specific time counting duration, to make a display brightness of the static image slowly decrease. The display effect is not influenced and the lifetime of the AMOLED display is also raised. |
| US09847051B2 |
Organic light-emitting diode display with minimized subpixel crosstalk
An organic light-emitting diode display may have an array of pixels. Each pixel may have multiple subpixels of different colors. To avoid undesired color shifts when operating the display, the display may be configured so that subpixels of different colors are not coupled to each other through parasitic capacitances. The subpixels may include red, green, and blue subpixels or subpixels of other colors. Each subpixel may include an organic light-emitting diode having an anode and a cathode. The anode of each organic light-emitting diode may be coupled to a respective storage capacitor. Capacitive coupling between subpixels can be minimized by configuring the subpixel structures of each pixel so that the storage capacitors of the subpixels do not overlap the anodes of other subpixels in the pixel. Anode and capacitor overlap with subpixel data lines may also be reduced or eliminated. |
| US09847048B2 |
Apparatus and method for driving e-paper display
An apparatus for driving an e-paper display is provided. The display includes a plurality of segments. The apparatus includes: a memory module for each segment; a SEG 4-to-1 multiplexor connected with the memory module for each segment; a 2-to-1 multiplexor connected with the SEG 4-to-1 multiplexor for each segment; a SEG waveform generator connected with the SEG 4-to-1 multiplexor; a COM waveform generator connected with the 2-to-1 multiplexor; a SEG waveform table connected with the SEG waveform generator; and a COM waveform table connected with the COM waveform generator. The memory module for each segment includes an old Data corresponding to a current state of the segment of the display, a new Data corresponding to a new state to be driven for the segment in a display update period, and a COM_Option memory corresponding to an option state. A method for driving an e-paper display is also provided. |
| US09847046B2 |
Display apparatus and method of testing the same
A display apparatus includes a base substrate and a test device group. The base substrate includes a display area in which a plurality of pixels connected to a plurality of signal lines is disposed and a peripheral area disposed adjacent to the display area. The test device group includes a first pad on which a surface plasmon resonance is induced due to an electromagnetic wave incident to the first pad. The first pad is disposed in the peripheral area and completely covered by an insulating layer. |
| US09847041B2 |
Method and apparatus for learning to play a stringed instrument
A method and apparatus for learning to play a musical instrument, such as a guitar, by incorporating a markable, erasable surface onto the neck of the instrument such that the student may apply, as needed, removable markings to the instrument that indicate the correct finger positions for playing the instrument. The incorporation of this markable, erasable surface onto the instrument is an improved method of learning because a student is better able to place his or her fingers in the correct positions on the instrument when learning how to play the instrument. |
| US09847035B1 |
Methods for radio frequency spectral analysis
The invention is directed to methods for radio frequency spectral analysis. Accordingly, flight instructions are executed on a first UAV to fly in a first flight pattern relative to a signal source. The first UAV detects radio signal(s) from the signal source and associated signal data. Flight instructions are concurrently executed on a second UAV to fly in a second flight pattern, relative to the first flight pattern of the first UAV. The second UAV also detects radio signal(s) from the signal source and associated signal data. The stored signal data from the drones may then be processed for visualization. |
| US09847034B1 |
Compliant autonomous aircraft maneuvering
An aerial vehicle maneuvers in compliance with applicable aviation regulations by formulating a request to air traffic control (ATC) for permission to perform a proposed maneuver, overlaying, as a sub-modulated secondary signal, data characterizing the request on top of a primary ADS-B signal such that the primary ADS-B signal is not interfered with, and transmitting an ADS-B message comprising the primary and secondary signals. Permission can likewise be transmitted and received from ATC using ADS-B overlay communication. The aerial vehicle can conduct emergency maneuvers in the absence of permission and update ATC as to flight path deviations taken using ADS-B overlay communication, without the need for a voice radio and by using existing ADS-B digital communications. |
| US09847029B2 |
Apparatus and method for providing shipment information
An apparatus, including a shipment conveyance device which is a shipping container, pallet, or piece of luggage, a memory device located in, on, or at, the shipment conveyance device which stores information regarding the shipment conveyance device, a global positioning device which determines a position or location of the shipment conveyance device, a processing device which processes information regarding the shipment conveyance device in response to an occurrence of an event or a request for information and which generates a message containing information regarding the position or location of the shipment conveyance device and information regarding the occurrence of an event, a status of a shipment or transportation involving the shipment conveyance device, a temperature, or an impact or force on the shipment conveyance device, and a transmitter located in, on, or at, the shipment conveyance device which transmits the message to a communication device. |
| US09847026B2 |
Graphical display of a moving mining machine
This disclosure concerns a graphical display (400) of operational data of a moving mining machine (140). A processor (114) receives terrain information (300) and operational data (500) of the mining machine (140). The operational data (500) is based on the response of the mining machine (140) to terrain variations at the respective geographical locations. The processor (114) generates a display comprising a terrain image (402) and a graphical trail (406) representing the travel path on the terrain image (402) based on the operational data. The appearance of the trail (406) is variable along the trail and based on variations in the operational data. The trail (406) in the display (400) is aligned with the terrain image (402) and a user of the display can visually correlate a change in operational data with a geographical location in the terrain. |
| US09847024B2 |
Methods and systems for providing a traffic congestion warning
A method is provided of providing jam warning messages in relation to jams affecting navigable segments of a network of navigable segments. The method comprises, for each of one or more identified jams, obtaining a jam tail flow speed for the jam. The jam tail flow speed is preferably determined from the analysis of positional data relating to the current or relatively recent movement of a plurality of devices associated with vehicles along at least some navigable segments of a navigable network with respect to time. The jam tail flow speed is used to generate, or to determine whether to generate, a jam warning message in respect of the jam. |
| US09847023B2 |
Method and information system for informing a vehicle driver regarding the conditions of a planned passing maneuver
In a method for informing a vehicle driver regarding the conditions of an upcoming passing maneuver, a speed of a preceding vehicle is ascertained and compared to a speed of a vehicle of the vehicle driver, and a passing duration is estimated and/or computed and displayed to the vehicle driver directly and/or in processed form. |
| US09847022B2 |
Vehicle detection system and method
A vehicle detection system includes a sensor mounted to establish a light curtain along a portion of a roadway, and a control unit operatively coupled with the sensor to detect a vehicle on the roadway. The light curtain defines a first zone and a second zone within the first zone such that detection of the vehicle in the first zone followed by detection of the vehicle in the second zone indicates a correct direction of travel of the vehicle, and detection of the vehicle in the second zone prior to detection of the vehicle in the first zone indicates a wrong direction of travel of the vehicle. |
| US09847020B2 |
Visible light communication of an access credential in an access control system
This disclosure provides methods, systems, and devices for communication of authentication information in an access control system. The authentication information may be transmitted to an electronic locking device configured to restrict access to an entry point of the access control system. In various embodiments, a smart device comprises a light-emitting diode (LED) and a wireless networking radio for exchanging access control information with a remote server. The smart device may receive information from the remote server that configures the LED to present authentication information as an optical signal. The electronic locking device may comprise a photodetector arranged to confront a user holding the smart device so as to receive an optical signal emitted by the smart device. According to various embodiments, the electronic locking device may be configured to respond to the authentication information conveyed by the optical signal by unlocking the entry point. |
| US09847016B2 |
System and method of communicating data from an alarm system to emergency services personnel
Systems and methods of communicating data from an alarm system to emergency services personnel are provided. Some methods can include receiving information from a monitoring system in a monitored region via a first communications link, where the information relates to a detected event in the monitored region. Upon receiving the information, some methods can also include transmitting the information to a communications module via a second, different communications link. |
| US09847015B2 |
Hygiene monitoring and management system and method
A Real Time Locating System (RTLS) hygiene management and monitoring system for individuals and companies to manage and monitor the hygiene of their surroundings. For example, the system can be used in conjunction with a cleaning device and can include a locating module, a display module, and a cleanliness monitoring system. The locating module determines a location of the cleaning device in an area and to track movement of the cleaning device within the area. The display module includes a graphical layout of the area. The cleanliness monitoring system generates data representative of a path that the cleaning device has traversed in the area and at least one aspect of cleaning behavior of the device in the area. The display module displays the data representative of the path and the data representative of the at least one aspect of cleaning behavior, and one or both of the path and the at least one aspect of cleaning behavior is color-coded on the display module. |
| US09847013B2 |
Mobile terminal and method for controlling same
Disclosed is a watch-type mobile terminal that a user can wear on the user's wrist. The mobile terminal according to the present invention may comprise: a display unit configured to display information; a sensing unit configured to detect movement of the mobile terminal; a memory configured to store behavior pattern data of the user for each time slot; and a controller configured to generate the behavior pattern data on the basis of detection signals of the sensing unit, and recommend, on the basis of the behavior pattern data, a behavior that needs to be performed by the user if the time when a predetermined behavior is expected to occur is reached, or the occurrence of the predetermined behavior is not detected although the time when the predetermined behavior is expected to occur has passed. |
| US09847009B2 |
Connection confirmation using acoustic data
Arrangements related to the confirmation of component connections made during manufacturing or assembly processes are described. Acoustic data resulting from the connection can be received by a microphone. A controller can analyze the acoustic information to determine if a predetermined acoustic signature is present in the acoustic information. Responsive to the determination, a confirmation signal can be generated and transmitted by the controller. One or both of the microphone and controller can be included in a wearable device and worn by a user. In some arrangements, a motion sensor can be included in the wearable device to allow determination whether motion data during a connection is acceptable. |
| US09847008B2 |
Remote sensors for detecting alert conditions and notifying a central station
A method for disseminating emergency notification content from an emergency originating source. The method comprising: delivering the emergency notification content from the emergency originating source to at least one transmitting party; selecting a subset of users from among a set of users for dissemination of the emergency notification content based on the subject matter of the emergency notification content; and delivering the emergency notification content from the at least one transmitting party to a device corresponding to each user from the selected subset of users. |
| US09847000B2 |
Ambient triggered notifications for rendering haptic effects
A method of rendering a haptic effect on a haptic output device is provided based on an ambient environmental stimulus signal received from a sensor. A notification event based on the stimulus signal is determined. A haptic effect is rendered on a haptic output devices based on the notification event. A system and computer-readable medium are also provided for rendering a haptic effect on a haptic output device based on an ambient environmental stimulus signal. |
| US09846997B2 |
Apparatus, method and system for checking rear lamp
An apparatus for checking a rear lamp includes a sensor and a controller. The sensor is disposed in at least one rear lamp and configured to obtain a first signal generated from the outside. The controller is configured to turn on the at least one rear lamp according to the first signal. |
| US09846992B2 |
Dynamically variable advertising incentive rewards in online games
A system and method for managing a computer-implemented online game provides dynamically variable rewards to incentivize player interaction with sponsored content presented within the game. The particular reward offered to incentivize player interaction with particular sponsored content (e.g., a particular advertisement) can be dynamically variable based on the attributes of the player, thus providing user-specific custom rewards for interaction with sponsored content. Properties of incentive rewards that may be dynamically variable can include a custom type of in-game asset or resource, and/or a custom amount of a particular in-game asset or resource. |
| US09846990B2 |
Visualizing wagering game establishment patron flow
A patron flow system aggregates wagering game data from a plurality of wagering game machines in a wagering game establishment. The wagering game data indicates a plurality of patrons and times. Patron flow data is generated from the aggregated wagering game data. The patron flow data indicate flows of the plurality of patrons among the plurality of wagering game machines in the wagering game establishment with respect to the times. |
| US09846985B2 |
Multi-reel nudge skill-based redemption game
Aspects of the disclosure relate to a multi-reel skill-based redemption game. An indication of a user desire to participate in the skill-based redemption game is received. The user's account balance is decreased, and simulated reels are spun. Adjustment arrows are displayed for a subset of the plurality of simulated reels. The player selects a simulated reel and a direction of adjustment for the simulated reel. If the player's adjustment creates a winning pattern, the user is rewarded with an increased account balance. The user may also be provided a bonus amount for achieving a number of consecutive wins. |
| US09846982B2 |
Document geometric deformation watermarking and tracking
Various embodiments herein each include at least one of systems, methods, and software that assists in identification of a source of an unauthorized disclosure of a document, such as a public disclosure of check, receipt, or other document type. One method embodiment includes receiving a request for a stored document image from a requestor and retrieving the requested stored document image. This method may then apply a parameterized image deformation algorithm according to at least one input parameter to generate a watermarked image and then stores the at least one parameter and an identifier of the requestor in association with an identifier of the requested stored document in a watermarked image log. The watermarked image is then transmitted to the requestor. |
| US09846978B1 |
Remaining useful life estimation of vehicle component
A vehicle system includes a processor and a memory accessible to the processor and storing computer-executable instructions. The instructions include receiving data from a plurality of vehicles, generating at least one cluster from the received data, and determining a life cycle profile for a vehicle component based on the at least one cluster. The data includes state of health information associated with the vehicle component. |
| US09846966B2 |
Image processing device, image processing method, and computer program product
An image processing device includes: an augmented-reality marker detecting unit that detects, from a captured image, an augmented reality marker indicating that a virtual object is to be displayed; an operation-marker detecting unit that detects, from the captured image, an area of an operation marker that is provided so as to correspond to the augmented reality marker; an operation detecting unit that detects, from the area of the operation marker, a user's operation on the operation marker; a virtual-object control unit that deforms a virtual object corresponding to the augmented reality marker in accordance with the user's operation; and a drawing unit that draws the deformed virtual object in the captured image in a superimposed manner. |
| US09846961B2 |
System and method of limiting processing by a 3D reconstruction system of an environment in a 3D reconstruction of an event occurring in an event space
A method of limiting processing by a 3D reconstruction system of an environment in a 3D reconstruction of an event includes dividing by the subdivision module the volume into sub-volumes; projecting from each camera each of the sub-volumes to create a set of sub-volumes masks relative to each camera; creating an imaging mask for each camera; comparing for each camera by the subdivision module the respective imaging mask to the respective sub-volume mask and extracting at least one feature from at least one imaging mask; saving by the subdivision module the at least one feature to a subspace division mask; cropping the at least one feature from the imaging frames using the subspace division mask; and processing only the at least one feature for a 3D reconstruction. The system includes cameras for recording the event in imaging frames; and a subdivision module for dividing the volume into sub-volumes. |
| US09846960B2 |
Automated camera array calibration
The automated camera array calibration technique described herein pertains to a technique for automating camera array calibration. The technique can leverage corresponding depth and single or multi-spectral intensity data (e.g., RGB (Red Green Blue) data) captured by hybrid capture devices to automatically determine camera geometry. In one embodiment it does this by finding common features in the depth maps between two hybrid capture devices and derives a rough extrinsic calibration based on shared depth map features. It then uses the intensity (e.g., RGB) data corresponding to the depth maps and uses the features of the intensity (e.g., RGB) data to refine the rough extrinsic calibration. |
| US09846959B2 |
Apparatus and method for controlling early depth processing and post depth processing
A depth processing apparatus includes a depth buffer, an early depth processing circuit, a post depth processing circuit, and a depth processing controller. The depth buffer stores depth information of a plurality of pixels of a screen space. The early depth processing circuit performs early depth processing based on at least a portion of the depth information before a pixel shading stage. The post depth processing circuit performs post depth processing based on at least a portion of the depth information after the pixel shading stage. The depth processing controller manages a plurality of dependency indication values corresponding to a plurality of sub-regions in the screen space, respectively, and configured to control a first pixel for undergoing at least one of the early depth processing and the post depth processing by referring a first dependency indication value of a first sub-region in which the first pixel is located. |
| US09846954B2 |
Tread with ultra efficient vulcanization system
Tire treads having improved traction properties while surprisingly still maintaining good material cohesion properties, the tire treads comprising a rubber composition based upon a highly unsaturated diene elastomer and between 95 phr and 160 phr of an inorganic reinforcing filler. The composition may further include between 60 phr and 130 phr of a plasticizing system made up of a plasticizing resin having a Tg of at least 25° C. and a plasticizing liquid. The rubber composition is cured with an ultra-efficient sulfur curing system having a sulfur to accelerator weight ratio adjusted between 0.02 and 0.2 to provide the rubber composition with an MA300/G* ratio of greater than 1.7, wherein the elongation modulus MA300 at 300% is measured at 23° C. and the shear modulus G* is measured at 60° C. |
| US09846952B2 |
Visualization of relationships and strengths between data nodes
One or more processors receive a dataset that includes a plurality of nodes. One or more processors identify relationships between a plurality of interacting nodes within the dataset. One or more processors determine relationship strength values between a plurality of interacting node pairs within the dataset. One or more processors generate a graphical representation that represents the relationship strength values between the plurality of interacting nodes within the dataset. Interacting node pairs are connected by edges and the edges have a length that correlates with the relationship strength value between the interacting node pairs. |
| US09846951B2 |
Determining a consistent color for an image
A method may include obtaining an image that includes a connected component that includes a set of pixels, calculating a representative color for the set of pixels, mapping the representative color to an application color in an application color palette of an application, and generating an electronic document that includes a revised version of the connected component in the application color. |
| US09846950B2 |
Systems and methods for obtaining a digital wallpaper
Systems and methods are provided for controlling functions associated with a back housing (104) that is attached to an electronic device (100). According to one aspect, the electronic device detects (902) attachment of the back housing, retrieves (904) information from the back housing, examines (906) the retrieved information to identify an aesthetic element of the back housing, and displays (910) a graphical representation of the aesthetic element as a digital wallpaper of the electronic device. In some embodiments, attachment of the back housing to the electronic device triggers performance (914) of a function associated with a functional element of the back housing. |
| US09846943B2 |
Code domain power control for structured light
Systems and methods for controlling structured light laser systems are disclosed. One aspect is a structured light system. The system includes a memory device configured to store a depth map. The system further includes an image projecting device including a laser system configured to project codewords. The system further includes a receiver device including a sensor, the receiver device configured to sense the projected codewords reflected from an object. The system further includes a processing circuit configured to retrieve a portion of the depth map and calculate expected codewords from the depth map. The system further includes a feedback system configured to control the output power of the laser system based on the sensed codewords and the expected codewords. |
| US09846942B2 |
Method and system for determining a pose of camera
The invention is related to a method and system for determining a pose of a first camera, comprising providing or receiving a spatial relationship (Rvc1) between a visual content displayed on a display device and the first camera, receiving image information associated with an image (B1) of at least part of the displayed visual content captured by a second camera, and determining a pose of the first camera according to the image information associated with the image (B1) and the spatial relationship (Rvc1). |
| US09846939B2 |
Image display apparatus and image display method
A method includes displaying a first image including a living body on a display apparatus, accepting specifying of a first area on the first image, extracting a first feature point group from an area in the first image, the area being located in a distance more than a threshold from the first area, acquiring a second image including the living body, the second image being captured at different timing from the first image, extracting a second feature point group corresponding to the first feature point group, from the second image, generating, by a processor, transformation information based on a positional relationship between the first feature point group and the second feature point group, for carrying out an image registration between the second image and the first image, executing transformation processing by applying the transformation information to the second image, and displaying a third image generated by the transformation processing. |
| US09846933B2 |
Systems and methods for monitoring components
Systems and methods for monitoring components are provided. A component has an exterior surface. A method includes performing a first analysis of a first image of a surface feature configured on the exterior surface of the component, the first image obtained by an imaging device. The method further includes adjusting a viewing parameter of the imaging device when a predetermined first analysis threshold for the first image is unsatisfied, and performing a subsequent first analysis of a second image of the surface feature, the second image obtained by the imaging device. The method further includes adjusting a distance between the imaging device and the surface feature when the predetermined first analysis threshold for the second image is unsatisfied, and performing a second analysis of a third image, the third image obtained by the imaging device. |
| US09846931B2 |
Pattern sensing device and semiconductor sensing system
An object of the invention is to provide a pattern measuring device for generating appropriate reference pattern data while suppressing an increase in the manufacturing cost that would occur when manufacturing conditions are finely changed. A pattern measuring device has an arithmetic processing unit for measuring a pattern formed on a sample. The arithmetic processing unit, on the basis of signals obtained with a charged particle beam device, acquires or generates image data or contour line data on a plurality of circuit patterns created under different manufacturing conditions of a manufacturing apparatus, and generates reference data to be used for measurement of a circuit pattern from the image data or contour line data. |
| US09846930B2 |
Detecting defects on a wafer using defect-specific and multi-channel information
Methods and systems for detecting defects on a wafer using defect-specific and multi-channel information are provided. One method includes acquiring information for a target on a wafer. The target includes a pattern of interest (POI) formed on the wafer and a known defect of interest (DOI) occurring proximate to or in the POI. The method also includes detecting the known DOI in target candidates by identifying potential DOI locations based on images of the target candidates acquired by a first channel of an inspection system and applying one or more detection parameters to images of the potential DOI locations acquired by a second channel of the inspection system. Therefore, the image(s) used for locating potential DOI locations and the image(s) used for detecting defects can be different. |
| US09846927B2 |
Systems and methods for haziness detection
A method performed by an electronic device is described. The method includes determining a haziness confidence level based on multiple modalities. The method also includes determining whether to perform an action based on the haziness confidence level. The method may include performing the action, including performing haziness reduction based on the haziness confidence level. |
| US09846924B2 |
Systems and methods for detection and removal of shadows in an image
In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, an information handling system may include a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable medium embodying a program of instructions. The program of instructions may be configured to, when read and executed by the processor, receive a visible-light image from a visible-light sensor, receive an infrared image from an active infrared sensor, and compare the visible-light image to the infrared image to determine shadow regions of the visible-light image having shadows. |
| US09846917B1 |
Systems and methods for providing a real estate and rental marketplace
An environment provided by a financial entity in which buyers and sellers may be brought together to initiate and complete a transaction for the purchase of a property for sale or rental. The environment enables sellers to list items together with relevant information that buyers may need to understand the item. Buyers may apply for financing, insurance or other related services to receive approval to purchase properties. A mechanism by which the seller and buyer may communicate enables a negotiation process, scheduling and other processes associated with the sale or rental. After an agreement is reached between the buyer and seller, components associated with the environment, such property and casualty and banking may complete the necessary paperwork, etc. to close the deal. |
| US09846916B2 |
Clustering a user's connections in a social networking system
A user's connections in a social networking system are grouped into a number of clusters based on a measure of the connections' relationships, or affinity, to each other. The affinities among the connections are based on the connections' own relationships and indicate a likelihood that the connections are in the same social circles. The clusters are formed based on the affinities among the user's connections, where the clusters tend to have connections that have relatively high affinities with the other connections the same cluster as compared to the connections who are not in the same cluster. An iterative hierarchical clustering algorithm may be used to collapse the connections into clusters based on affinities between pairs of the connections. |
| US09846915B2 |
Image capture system for property damage assessment
A system for capturing property damage images includes an imaging device and a knowledge base of property damage incident types. The knowledge base also includes, for each category, one or more image acquisition parameters that are associated with the category. A processor receives a property damage incident type for a property damage claim that is associated with a property that reportedly experienced an incident, retrieves from the knowledge base one or more image acquisition parameters that are associated with the received incident type, and uses the one or more applicable image acquisition parameters to automatically cause the imaging device to capture digital images of the property using the retrieved one or more image acquisition parameters. |
| US09846912B1 |
Risk behavior detection methods based on tracking handset movement within a moving vehicle
At least a method for determining risk behavior of a driver is described. While a vehicle is being driven, data is obtained related to the position and movement of a wireless communications device. The data may indicate the type of behavior exhibited by the driver while the vehicle is being driven. |
| US09846910B2 |
Automated trading system in an electronic trading exchange
An electronic exchange system network includes a trader site having an automated trading system capable of submitting orders to an exchange site. The automated trading system determines whether an order should be submitted based on, for example, the current market price of an option and theoretical buy and sell prices. The theoretical buy and sell prices are derived from, among other things, the current market price of the security underlying the option. A look-up table stores a range of theoretical buy and sell prices for a given range of current market price of the underlying security. As the price of the underlying security changes, a new theoretical price may be indexed in the look-up table, thereby avoiding calculations that would otherwise slow automated trading decisions. In addition, a system of checks may be conducted to ensure accurate and safe automated trading. |
| US09846909B2 |
Directed order
A directed order process and related market center are disclosed, wherein a market center grants permission to order sending firms to send directed order flow to participating designated market makers. Such designated market makers create a virtual guarantee order book for each permissioned order sending firm. If an order sending firm sends a directed order to the market center that is marketable against a virtual guarantee order, then the market center automatically pairs the orders in a two-sided directed cross order instruction, which executes against any superior trading interest in the marketplace first before crossing. |
| US09846895B1 |
Automatic generation and management of advertising campaigns based on third-party listings
Embodiments are directed to generating and managing an advertising campaign based on a third-party listing. In particular, an identifier associated with a listing posted over a third-party service from a user of the third-party service is received. Listing data for the listing is retrieved from the third-party service using the identifier associated with the listing. Thereafter, an advertising campaign is automatically generated based at least in part on the retrieved listing data. In one aspect, generation of the advertising campaign includes generating an advertising creative using the retrieved listing data. Subsequently, an advertising opportunity is selected according to the generated advertising campaign. Following the selection, an advertisement based on the advertising creative is provided to a content provider associated with the advertising opportunity. |
| US09846891B2 |
Advertisement display based on common destination
A method of advertisement display which includes: identifying a plurality of users; identifying a possible destination location for each of the users; identifying speed and possible route information for each of the users; identifying common destination locations among the plurality of users; clustering the users into groups of users having similar destination locations; identifying an advertisement specific to at least one of the clusters; and displaying the advertisement on an advertisement display. Also disclosed is a service method and computer program product. |
| US09846890B1 |
Multi-source compilation profiles for targeted content sourcing
In at least one embodiment, a profile/content system generates, accesses, and/or serves a compilation profile for targeting content to identifiable communication devices (“ICDs”). The compilation profile can include data associated with a user of an ICD, and the profile/content system obtains the data from multiple data sources. The data sources can include a particular ICD and can also include particular applications running on the ICD and other data sources such as web sites and data aggregators that store data associated with the IDC user. The profile/content system can operate in a variety of modes depending upon a type of request received by the profile/content system. Exemplary modes are: (1) a direct content provision mode, (2) an indirect content provision mode, and (3) a compilation profile provision mode. In at least one embodiment, in the direct content provision mode, the profile/content system receives a request for content directly via an ICD. |
| US09846887B1 |
Discovering neighborhood clusters and uses therefor
Computer-based systems and methods for discovering neighborhood clusters in a geographic region, where the clusters have a mix of venues and are determined based on venue check-in data. The mix of venues for the clusters may be based on the social similarity between pairs of venues; or emblematic of certain neighborhood typologies; or emblematic of temporal check-in pattern types; or combinations thereof. The neighborhood clusters that are so discovered through venue-check in data could be used for many commercial and civic purposes. |
| US09846886B2 |
Strategic modeling for economic optimization of grid-tied energy assets
One embodiment of the present invention provides an energy-asset control system for utilizing an energy asset to provide one of more modes of operation services. The system includes an economic optimizer configured to identify at least one mode of operation opportunity based on current and/or future market conditions; a prognostics module configured to perform a prognostic analysis associated with the mode of operation opportunity for the energy asset using an existing model, and determine a confidence level associated with the prognostic analysis; and an operation controller. The economic optimizer is further to configured to, in response to the prognostics module determining the confidence level exceeding a predetermined threshold, determine an expected profit of the mode of operation opportunity based on outcomes of the prognostic analysis; and optimize, over a predetermined time period, a usage of the energy asset based on the expected profit of the mode of operation opportunity. |
| US09846878B2 |
Payment account identifier system
A method for utilizing a non-transactable account identifier with a payment token is disclosed. The non-transactable account identifier can have the same format as a primary account number (PAN) and the payment token, but is not used to conduct a payment transaction. |
| US09846876B2 |
System for exchanging a ticket with chips and vice versa at a gaming table in a casino
The invention concerns a system for exchanging a ticket with chips and vice versa, applies a ticket or voucher system to a gaming table in a casino and comprises an accounting system. |
| US09846875B2 |
Electronic transaction verification system with biometric authentication
An electronic transaction verification system for use with transaction tokens such as checks, credit cards, debit cards, and smart cards that gathers and transmits information about the transaction token and biometric data. Customers can be enrolled in the system by receiving customer information that includes at least a biometric datum, associating the received customer information with a transaction instrument issued to the customers and storing the received customer information and the issued transaction instrument information in a database for future reference. |
| US09846870B2 |
Point-of-sale systems
A point-of-sale (POS) system is provided. The POS system may include an adjustable housing configured to receive a computing device. The POS system housing may be adjustable so that a screen of the computing device can be viewed by a merchant and a customer. The computing device may be removable from the housing for use as a mobile POS system. The POS system may also include electronics for accepting various forms of payment and for connecting the computing device to a network. |
| US09846868B2 |
Method and system for improving the collection systems
A method of updating a cash register system (10) including a cash register program (1) configured to interact with at least one cash register peripheral (4) under the control of a control module (5). The method includes a step of inspection, at the control module (5), of the interactions between the cash register program (1) and the at least one cash register peripheral (4); a step of processing at least one inspected interaction, the processing step being selected from within the group including the reformulation of an interaction, the modification of an interaction, the copying of an interaction, the extraction of data from an interaction, the reorientation of an interaction. |
| US09846859B1 |
Systems and methods for remote huddle collaboration
Systems and methods for remote huddle collaboration are disclosed. The huddle collaboration system may include a huddle management system which may include an authentication module, a data processing module, and a module manager, among other components. Huddle collaboration system may allow huddle members of a company to fully engage in remote huddle sessions through different kind of client computing devices, in a consistent way regardless of their location. The system may act as an alternative to traditional whiteboards, displaying, collecting, and storing information during an active huddle session, where this information may be available to the users in the form of one or more standard and/or custom sub-applications, according to the user's and/or project's requirements. |
| US09846857B2 |
Barcode scanner device and inventory management system
A barcode scanner device 200 is formed as a wrist watch with a main body 210 and strap 220 and includes a camera 211 to capture an image of a barcode 11. The scanner 200 generates an inventory request message sent by a communication interface 215 to a local server 30 based on the captured barcode. In a capture mode, live camera images may be displayed on touch-screen display 212 while capturing the barcode with guides and feedback for the user. In a display mode, inventory data from database 32 may be accessed in a large data field on the touch screen display 212. |
| US09846853B2 |
System and method for providing products from multiple websites
A system and method that combines content with one or more canvas products to provide finished products for dissemination to end customers is provided. More specifically, a system and method are provided to enable a content provider to select one or more canvas products to which content would be applied, whereby the content provider may then provide web links on any of a multitude of locations to redirect an end customer to a canvas product center and/or fulfillment center to acquire finished products having content thereon. The finished product is customizable for and by any one or more content providers for a unique appearance and offering to end customers. Content providers are able to leverage the infrastructure, network and benefits of a third party while enjoying the ease of setup, minimal up-front costs and eliminate the need to invest in or carry an inventory of finished products. |
| US09846847B2 |
Organizational reference data and entitlement system with entitlement generator
A system including a centralized organizational information system in communication with a centralized organizational information database and an entitlement generator in communication with the centralized organizational information system, wherein the entitlement generator is configured to automatically generate at least one executable entitlement rule based on an input rule. The system also includes a federated set of entitlements engines in communication with the entitlement generator and a plurality of entitlement databases, wherein each of the entitlements engines is for determining whether a user is entitled to access secured resources requested by the user based on the executable entitlement rule. |
| US09846844B2 |
Method and system for quantitatively evaluating the confidence in information received from a user based on cognitive behavior
A computer-implemented method of evaluating information confidence based on a cognitive trait of a user, is provided, the method including receiving information from a user as an answer to a question in an active learning question and answer system; monitoring a user for a cognitive behavior indicator when the user is providing the information; determining a cognitive trait based on the cognitive behavior indicator; determining a quantified level of information confidence for the information based on the cognitive trait; and annotating the information with the cognitive trait and the quantified level of information confidence. A system and a computer program product for evaluating information confidence based on a cognitive behavior of a user are also provided. |
| US09846842B2 |
Predicting user navigation events
A method and system for predicting a next navigation event are described. Aspects of the disclosure minimize the delay between a navigation event and a network response by predicting the next navigation event. The system and method may then prerender content associated with the next navigation event. For example, the method and system may predict a likely next uniform resource locator during web browsing to preemptively request content from the network before the user selects the corresponding link on a web page. The methods describe a variety of manners of predicting the next navigation event, including examining individual and aggregate historical data, text entry prediction, and cursor input monitoring. |
| US09846839B2 |
Systems and methods for real-time forecasting and predicting of electrical peaks and managing the energy, health, reliability, and performance of electrical power systems based on an artificial adaptive neural network
A system for utilizing a neural network to make real-time predictions about the health, reliability, and performance of a monitored system are disclosed. The system includes a data acquisition component, a power analytics server and a client terminal. The data acquisition component acquires real-time data output from the electrical system. The power analytics server is comprised of a virtual system modeling engine, an analytics engine, an adaptive prediction engine. The virtual system modeling engine generates predicted data output for the electrical system. The analytics engine monitors real-time data output and predicted data output of the electrical system. The adaptive prediction engine can be configured to forecast an aspect of the monitored system using a neural network algorithm. The adaptive prediction engine is further configured to process the real-time data output and automatically optimize the neural network algorithm by minimizing a measure of error between the real-time data output and an estimated data output predicted by the neural network algorithm. |
| US09846831B2 |
Interface IC and memory card including the same
A memory card includes a memory that stores data, a driver that transmits the data received from the memory, and at least one transmitter that transmits the data received from the driver to a receiver provided in an external main unit. The driver and the transmitter are provided in a single IC (Integrated Circuit) chip and are not overlapped with each other in planar view, and the transmitter includes a coil. |
| US09846825B2 |
Method, apparatus and system for generating an intermediate region-based representation of a document
A method of generating a region-based representation of a document is disclosed. A global compositing sequence is generated based on a predetermined rule, using fill data and at least one compositing operation associated with a plurality of objects of the document, to form an object-based representation of the document. The region-based representation of the document is generated based on a further compositing sequence determined for regions formed using the object-based representation. The method also determines whether at least one of the regions satisfies the predetermined rule using a relative arrangement of the objects in the object-based representation. Where the region satisfies the predetermined rule, a reference to the global compositing sequence is created. Where the region does not satisfy the predetermined rule, a local compositing sequence is generated using fill data and compositing operations associated with the objects contributing to the region. |
| US09846824B2 |
Image forming apparatus, method for controlling image forming apparatus, and storage medium for providing print-cost-reducing settings
An image forming apparatus includes a storage unit that stores a plurality of print jobs, an acquisition unit that acquires, when a desired print job is selected from the plurality of print jobs stored in the storage unit, a print setting of the selected print job, a determination unit that determines whether a print-cost-reducing print setting exists that reduces a print cost more than a print cost of the print setting acquired by the acquisition unit, and a changing unit that, if it is determined that the print-cost-reducing setting exists, enables changing the print setting of the selected print job to the print-cost-reducing print setting. |
| US09846823B2 |
Traffic lane boundary line extraction apparatus and method of extracting traffic lane boundary line
A traffic lane boundary line extraction apparatus includes: an image-data-acquiring-unit configured to acquire vehicle outside image data captured by a travelling vehicle; a candidate-area-detection-unit configured to detect a candidate area of a traffic lane boundary line from a road surface part of the vehicle outside image data; a road-surface-area-setting-unit configured to set a road surface area corresponding to the candidate area in the road surface part of the vehicle outside image data for each of the candidate area; a luminance-calculation-unit configured to calculate a representative luminance of the candidate area, and a representative luminance of the road surface area; and if a difference between the representative luminance of the candidate area and the representative luminance of the road surface area is greater than a predetermined threshold value, a candidate area evaluation unit configured to evaluate that the candidate area is suitable for the traffic lane boundary line. |
| US09846822B2 |
Generating and utilizing normalized scores for classifying digital objects
The present disclosure is directed toward systems and methods that enable more accurate digital object classification. In particular, disclosed systems and methods address inaccuracies in digital object classification introduced by variations in classification scores. Specifically, in one or more embodiments, disclosed systems and methods generate probability functions utilizing digital test objects and transform classifications scores into normalized classification scores utilizing probability functions. Disclosed systems and methods utilize normalized classification scores to more accurately classify and identify digital objects in a variety of applications. |
| US09846818B2 |
Objective assessment method for color image quality based on online manifold learning
An objective assessment method for a color image quality based on online manifold learning considers a relationship between a saliency and an image quality objective assessment. Through a visual saliency detection algorithm, saliency maps of a reference image and a distorted image are obtained for further obtaining a maximum fusion saliency map. Based on maximum saliencies of image blocks in the maximum fusion saliency map, a saliency difference between each reference image block and a corresponding distorted image block is measured through an absolute difference, and thus reference visual important image blocks and distorted visual important image blocks are screened and extracted. Through manifold eigenvectors of the reference visual important image blocks and the distorted visual important image blocks, an objective quality assessment value of the distorted image is calculated. The method has an increased assessment effect and a higher correlation between an objective assessment result and a subjective perception. |
| US09846816B2 |
Image segmentation threshold value deciding method, gesture determining method, image sensing system and gesture determining system
An image segmentation threshold value determining method, comprising: defining a plurality of image regions of a first sensing image; determining a first, a second part image segmentation threshold values according to a first, second image regions of the image regions; performing a first, a second image segmentation operation to the first sensing image according to the first, the second part image segmentation threshold values to acquire a first, a second segmented images; and selecting one of the first part image segmentation threshold value and the second part image segmentation threshold value as the first image segmentation threshold value according to the first segmented image and the second segmented image. |
| US09846815B2 |
Image production from video
Implementations generally relate to producing a still image from a video or series of continuous frames. In some implementations, a method includes receiving the frames that a capture device shot while moving in at least two dimensions. The method further includes analyzing the frames to determine changes of positions of objects in at least two of the frames due to movement of the objects in the scene relative to changes of positions of objects due to the movement of the capture device during the shoot time. The method further includes determining, based at least in part on the variability of the objects, one or more target subjects which the capture device captures during the shoot time. One or more still images are generated from the plurality of frames having at least a portion of the target subject. |
| US09846814B1 |
Authentication method and system
A method for authenticating an object, comprising determining a physical dispersion pattern of a set of elements, determining a physical characteristic of the set of elements which is distinct from a physical characteristic producible by a transfer printing technology, determining a digital code associated with the object defining the physical dispersion pattern, and authenticating the object by verifying a correspondence of the digital code with the physical dispersion pattern, and verifying the physical characteristic. |
| US09846813B2 |
Image pickup device
A device includes an illumination device that casts light of a prescribed polarization direction on a scattering body, a camera that picks up images of the scattering body at a plurality of different polarization angles, and a processor that executes a process of generating and outputting an inner layer image, of an inner layer of an inside of the scattering body, in response to a depth from a surface of the scattering body on the basis of the images of the scattering body picked up at the plurality of different polarization angles. |
| US09846812B2 |
Image recognition system for a vehicle and corresponding method
An image recognition system and method for a vehicle, including at least two camera units, each being configured to record an image of a road in the vicinity of the vehicle and to provide image data representing the respective image of the road, a first image processor configured to combine the image data provided by the at least two camera units into a first top-view image. The first top-view image is aligned to a road image plane, a first feature extractor configured to extract lines from the first top-view image, a second feature extractor configured to extract an optical flow from the first top-view image and a second top-view image, generated before the first top-view image by the first image processor, and a curb detector configured to detect curbs in the road based on the extracted lines and the extracted optical flow and provide curb data representing the detected curbs. |
| US09846810B2 |
Method, system and apparatus for tracking objects of a scene
A method of tracking objects of a scene is disclosed. The method determines two or more tracks which have merged. Each track is associated with at least one of the objects and having a corresponding graph structure. Each graph structure comprising at least one node representing the corresponding track. A new node representing the merged tracks is created. The graph structures are added as children nodes of the new node to create a merged graph structure. A split between the objects associated with one of the tracks represented by the nodes of the merged graph structure is determined. Similarity between one or more of the nodes in the merged graph structure and foreground areas corresponding to split objects is determined. One of the nodes in the merged graph structure is selected based on the determined similarity. A new graph structure for tracking the objects is created, the new graph structure having the selected node at the root of the new graph structure. |
| US09846806B2 |
Performing automated tasks based on visual cues
Visual cues may be provided for the purpose of triggering the performance of one or more actions associated with a given task. A visual cue may include one or more characters or other markings on any relevant surfaces, as well as naturally appearing edges, contours or outlines within an environment in which the visual cue is provided. When one or more visual cues appear within a field of view of an imaging device, and the visual cues are recognized as such, a task relating to the visual cues may be identified, and instructions for performing the task may be provided. The task may be dependent upon a context in which the visual cues are provided, such that a single visual cue may be associated with multiple tasks in different contexts, and the performance of the task may be confirmed based on imaging data or other relevant information. |
| US09846803B2 |
Makeup supporting device, makeup supporting system, makeup supporting method, and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium
A makeup supporting device includes: a makeup presentation unit that generates a simulation image by superimposing a makeup image on an image obtained by photographing a face, the makeup image indicating a state in which makeup is applied to the face; a makeup correction unit that receives correction of the makeup image included in the generated simulation image from a user; and a correction information recording unit that records correction information which indicates a region of a post-correction makeup image using a relative position to a facial feature points. |
| US09846800B2 |
Fingerprint matching using virtual minutiae
A fingerprint matching system for fingerprint matching using virtual minutiae includes a fingerprint scanning device, including (i) an interface to a fingerprint scanner, and (ii) a sensor associated with the fingerprint scanner, configured to identify a match between a search fingerprint representing a fingerprint of a subject and a reference fingerprint from among a plurality of reference fingerprints representing fingerprints of a plurality of historical subjects; a database containing the plurality of reference fingerprints representing fingerprints of the plurality of historical subjects; and a computing device in communication with said database and said fingerprint scanning device. |
| US09846797B2 |
Method for producing indicators and processing apparatus and system utilizing the indicators
The present invention discloses a method for producing graphical indicators and interactive systems for utilizing the graphical indicators. On the surface of an object, visually negligible graphical indicators are provided. The graphical indicators and main information, i.e. text or pictures, co-exist on the surface of object. The graphical indicators do not interfere with the main information when the perception of human eyes are concerned. With the graphical indicators, further information other than the main information on the surface of object are carried. In addition to the main information on the surface of object, one is able to obtain additional information through an auxiliary electronic device or trigger an interactive operation. |
| US09846795B2 |
RFID reader integration with a light source
Disclosed are various embodiments for a light bulb or other type of lighting fixture that integrates a light source and a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader. Embodiments of the disclosure can also forward identifiers corresponding to RFID tags detected by the RFID reader to another computing device that can facilitate identification of products or items associated with the RFID tags. RFID tags are energized with interrogator signals and/or an electromagnetic field emitted from the RFID reader and submit a response, which can be forwarded, or data extracted and transmitted, to another computing device. |
| US09846794B2 |
Systems and methods for collision avoidance in a multiple RFID interrogator environment
A method for collision avoidance in a multi-reader environment comprising a plurality of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) interrogators, the method comprises each of the plurality of interrogators entering a quiet state during which none of the interrogators transmits, each of the plurality of interrogators selecting a transmit time after the quiet period during which each of the interrogator will attempt to transmit, each of the plurality of interrogators monitoring their associated receive path, an interrogator of the plurality of interrogators transmitting an instruction during its selected transmit time indicating the beginning of a session when the interrogator does not detect data on its receive path prior to its select transmit time, the interrogator comparing its receive path to its transmit path when it transmits the instruction, the interrogator returning to the quiet state when the receive path does not match the transmit path, and the interrogator completing the session when the receive path matches the transmit path. |
| US09846785B2 |
Efficient two party oblivious transfer using a leveled fully homomorphic encryption
A querying node generates public keys, secret keys, and switch key matrices. A public key associated with a first level and the switch key matrices are sent to a receiving node. The receiving node generates a key-value table, mapping values to keys, and encodes the keys and values using a polynomial ring of a predetermined type. The querying node encodes using a polynomial ring of the same predetermined type, then encrypts a query, using a public key, and sends the query to the receiving node. The receiving node performs a homomorphic comparison of the encrypted, encoded query with each encoded key entry in the encoded key-value store to determine a comparison result. The receiving node sums the results for each of the value entries and returns the summed result to the querying node. The querying node decrypts and decodes the received result using the corresponding secret key. |
| US09846784B1 |
Multi-level storage system and method
A data storage system is provided. The system includes an electronic storage architecture configured to be coupled to a computing system and a storage medium. The architecture mediates the storing and accessing of data at the storage medium in response to the commands to write or read data. The architecture includes a file interface configured to process at least one attribute associated with data. The architecture includes a crypto interface configured to encrypt and decrypt the data based on the at least one attribute. The at least one attribute specifies a classification level of the data. The crypto interface includes cryptographic functions. Each cryptographic function is associated with a different classification level. The architecture includes a storage interface configured to provide a mapping between partitions on the storage medium and the cryptographic functions. Each of the partitions is associated with a different classification level. |
| US09846783B2 |
Multiscreen secure content access
Methods and systems for securely accessing content irrespective of the security of the environment in which the content is being accessed are described herein. In some embodiments, a mobile computing device may determine whether secure enterprise content is being accessed on a mobile computing device. In response to determining that a private user device (e.g., virtual reality or augmented reality headwear/eyewear), is communicatively coupled to the mobile computing device, the mobile computing device may prevent the secure content from display on the mobile computing device and instead generate the secure enterprise content for presentation in an unencrypted form on the private user device. |
| US09846776B1 |
System and method for detecting file altering behaviors pertaining to a malicious attack
According to one embodiment, a computerized method for detecting malware is described. The method includes receiving configuration information that identifies (i) at least one type of lure data and (ii) one or more locations of a system operating within a virtual machine for placement of the lure data into the system. The lure data is configured to entice interaction of the lure data by malware associated with an object under analysis. Thereafter, the lure data is placed within the system according to the configuration information and lure data information is selectively modified. The information may include a name or content within a directory including the lure data. During processing of an object within the virtual machine, a determination is made whether the object exhibits file altering behavior based on a comparison of actions performed that are associated with the lure data and one more known file activity patterns. |
| US09846774B2 |
Simulation of an application
Particular embodiments described herein provide for an electronic device that can be configured to identify an application, run the application, log the parameters for each function call of the application, and store the logged parameters in an emulation table. The logged parameters can include a function call, input parameters, and output parameters. The emulation table can be used to simulate execution of an application without having to actually run the application. |
| US09846771B2 |
Low latency, high payload, high volume API gateway
An API gateway designed to process a high volume of API requests for data and services where relatively large payloads are returned to the requester. The API gateway includes an “on-line” component that, for each API request, examines information in the request to increment an API usage count by API ID and product key. The usage information is periodically pushed to an outbound message queue, where it is later populated in a database. An “off-line” component determines if a customer has exceeded its predetermined quota based on the information in the database. This determination is pushed to another message queue that is periodically read by the on-line component to update the in-memory API ID, product key and API validity flag values. As such the on-line component is able to service a high volume of API requests for data with a low latency. |
| US09846769B1 |
Identifying a remote identity request via a biometric device
A computing device configured for authenticating a remote computing device is described. The computing device includes a processor and executable instructions stored in memory that is in electronic communication with the processor. The computing device detects a biometric device on the remote computing device. The computing device also obtains information regarding the biometric device on the remote computing device. The computing device further sends a utility to the remote computing device. The computer device additionally receives biometric input from the remote computing device. The computing device furthermore validates the biometric input received. The computing device also grants or denies access to the remote computing device based on the validation of the biometric input. |
| US09846767B2 |
Physical confirmation for network-provided content
A computer-implemented method includes receiving, from a remote communication device and at a server system, information that indicates a unique identifier for a physical item that corresponds to media content, the identifier differing from identifiers for other physical items that correspond to the same content; associating the received information with an account of a first user of a hosted internet service; and subsequently providing, by the hosted internet service, content that matches the content that corresponds to the physical item, based on a determination that the received information authorizes the first user to obtain the content provided by the hosted internet service. |
| US09846762B2 |
Gene signature for the prediction of radiation therapy response
Described are mathematical models and method, e.g., computer-implemented methods, for predicting tumor sensitivity to radiation therapy, which can be used, e.g., for selecting a treatment for a subject who has a tumor. |
| US09846759B2 |
Global connection routing method and system for performing the same
A method of global connection routing includes determining a global connection tolerance of a cell for use in a circuit layout, wherein the cell comprises a plurality of pins, and a plurality of routing tracks are defined with respect to the cell. The method further includes determining a number of blocked tracks within the cell. The method further includes comparing the global connection tolerance with the number of blocked tracks. The method further includes adjusting a location of the cell within the circuit layout if the global connection tolerance and the number of blocked tracks fail to satisfy a predetermined condition. |
| US09846755B2 |
Method for cell placement in semiconductor layout and system thereof
According to an embodiment, a method for cell placement in a semiconductor layout is provided. The method includes: providing a first cell having two sides, each side configured as at least one of a source side and a drain side; providing a place-and-route boundary (prBoundary) of the first cell based on the configuration of the two sides of the first cell; providing a second cell having two sides, each side configured as at least one of a source side and a drain side; providing a prBoundary of the second cell based on the configuration of the two sides of the second cell; and placing the first cell and the second cell based on the prBoundary of the first cell and the prBoundary of the second cell. |
| US09846754B2 |
Method of fabricating semiconductor device
A semiconductor device can be manufactured based on patterning groups to include a metal layer patterned according to separate patterning groups. The patterning groups are based on a layout pattern. Preparing the layout pattern includes selecting a first power pattern and a second power pattern, selecting a first pattern and a second pattern therebetween, and selecting a tie-connection pattern to connect the first power pattern to the first pattern. The manufacturing includes forming metal lines according to the patterning groups. Photomasks are manufactured according to the layout pattern, and the metal lines are formed according to the photomasks. A first photomask is manufactured based on the first power pattern and the second power pattern, the first pattern, and the tie-connection pattern, and a second photomask is manufactured based on the second pattern. |
| US09846753B2 |
Monte Carlo simulation for analyzing yield of an electric circuit
In a simulation system and method thereof, the simulation includes, when a function value for a nominal point (NP) of an input is a first value, running a first simulation on the input; and when the function value for the NP of the input is a second value different from the first value, running a second simulation on the input. Here, the running of the second simulation may include (a) setting a boundary of an input distribution for the second value as a first distribution value, (b) generating input samples within the set boundary of the input distribution, (c) obtaining a worst case point (WCP) for the input by performing machine learning on the generated input samples, and (d) repeatedly performing the steps (a) to (c) while shifting the boundary of the input distribution until the boundary of the input distribution reaches a minimum critical value. |
| US09846752B2 |
System and methods for intuitive modeling of complex networks in a digital environment
Systems and methods for modeling an electrical power system are disclosed. A computer and an analytics server are in network connection. The computer comprises a processor coupled with a memory. The memory is configured to maintain at least one engine element and a component database. The analytics server comprises a virtual system modeling engine and an analytics engine. The component database is operable to store power system components. The at least one engine element is operable to generate a virtual system model of the electrical power system and generate predicted output based on the virtual system model. The analytics engine is operable to monitor the predicted output and real-time output from at least one sensor of the electrical power system, and calibrate the virtual system model based on a difference between the predicted output and the real-time output. |
| US09846751B2 |
Takepart action platform for websites
In one embodiment, a device receives a request for a webpage from a client device via a network. The device identifies a societal issue associated with content of the webpage. The device determines a set of one or more online support actions associated with the identified societal issue. The device embeds an interface for a particular one of the set of online support actions into the webpage. The device provides the requested webpage with the embedded interface to the client device via the network. |
| US09846749B2 |
Maintaining continuous access to web content
An approach for providing a framework to maintain continuous access to web content bookmarked in a browser, the framework comprising web content storage, change detection and change notification. Embodiments of the present invention create and store a snapshot of bookmarked web content with a version number in a repository and the snapshot is replaced by a new snapshot whenever bookmarked web content is updated, while access to previously versioned snapshots is maintained. Change detection comprises automatically subscribing to content update notification services provided by a web content provider and receiving updates, comparing the content of a most recent snapshot with the web content available from the content provider and detecting a change to the bookmarked URL. Keywords from a snapshot can be used to relocate web content at a new URL and a web browser user is notified whenever a change to bookmarked web content is detected. |
| US09846748B2 |
Searching for information based on generic attributes of the query
Searching information includes: receiving current query data from a client; extracting generic attribute features of the current query data, wherein the generic attribute features are used for calculating a plurality of confidence degrees of the current query data that correspond to a plurality of categories, each of the confidence degrees indicating a degree of confidence that the current query data belongs to a respective one of the plurality of categories; determining the plurality of confidence degrees of the current query data based at least in part on the generic attribute features; selecting a category based at least in part on the plurality of confidence degrees, the selected category being one of the plurality of categories and having a confidence degree higher than a confidence degree of another category; searching in the selected category for a search result that corresponds to the current query data; and returning the search result. |
| US09846746B2 |
Querying groups of users based on user attributes for social analytics
A system determines a set of users satisfying a given criteria based on attribute values of the users. The system associates each value of an attribute with a representation of users having that attribute value. The representation of users may be an enumeration of users or a bit index. The system receives a request for determining a set of users satisfying a given criterion. The system identifies a logical operation based on the criterion and performs the logical operation to determine the set of users. The representation of the set of users may be distributed across a plurality of processors, allowing the system to perform the logical operation in parallel. The system may further determine statistical information describing a characteristic of the set of users, for example, page likes by the set of users. The statistical information may be presented to a business for analyzing their target audience. |
| US09846743B2 |
Systems, methods, and interfaces for analyzing webpage portions
A method includes aggregating a set of analyzed webpage portions from at least two unaffiliated websites. The method also includes transmitting an aggregated result, the aggregated result associated with an aggregated set of analyzed webpage portions. Another embodiment includes the set of analyzed webpage portions being associated with a topic. Yet another embodiment includes receiving an indication of an occurrence of a browser event and analyzing, in response to receiving the indication, a webpage portion then storing an analyzed webpage portion and the browser event in a database. Yet another embodiment includes analyzing the webpage portion by downloading a webpage portion from at least one website, extracting a text portion from the webpage portion and associating, in response to extracting the text portion, at least one topic from the text portion. |
| US09846741B2 |
Method and apparatus for joining wireless service groups
The disclosed embodiments provide a system that provides wireless service groups. During operation, a wireless device's advertising mechanism advertises a service group over Wi-Fi, wherein the service group comprises at least the wireless device and wherein the service group's security requirements regulate multicast protection within the service group. In response to receiving a request from a second device to be admitted into the service group, the wireless device's security mechanism admits the second device into the service group and sends the service group's security requirements to the second device, thereby enabling the second device to initialize multicast protection in accordance with the service group's security requirements. |
| US09846737B2 |
System and method of delivering content based advertising within a blog
A system and method is disclosed for presenting relevant advertising to web pages, including web logs. The ads can be selected by reference to an underlying content presented in web logs, based on extracting topics from the pages, and using these topics as the basis for a search query. Ads can then be matched against another set of topics derived from web pages forming the search results to the query. |
| US09846735B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing probe data
An approach is provided for providing a unified extensible platform for overall probe data and storage. The approach comprises causing, at least in part, a storage of probe data in one or more information spaces, one or more namespaces of the one or more information spaces, or a combination thereof. The approach further comprises determining one or more nodes for processing the probe data based, at least in part, on one or more context criteria, the one or more nodes associated with the one or more information spaces. The approach also comprises determining to provide access to the processed probe data via the one or more information spaces, the one or more namespaces, or a combination thereof. |
| US09846730B2 |
Interacting with resources exchanged using open data protocol
The present disclosure relates to computer-implemented methods and computer systems for providing user-friendly and understandable presentations of Open Data (OData) Protocol resources through an automatic translation and modification process. The present disclosure provides a user interface tool for presenting and browsing OData fees that can provide a visualization of an OData feed structure to users in an otherwise unavailable format. In particular, developers can view and modify resources outside of the underlying format in which such OData feeds are traditionally presented. The user interface tool can provide an out-of-box user interface with which a developer can view and modify resources associated with a feed, browse related entity sets, set filters, and perform other operations. In essence, the user interface tool can decrease user's efforts and difficult in understanding particular OData feeds and the entities associated therewith. |
| US09846724B2 |
Integration of calculation models into SQL layer
According to an aspect, a database system for integrating calculation models into execution plans includes a first engine configured to parse a query to be applied on a database. The first engine is configured to invoke a second engine during query compilation. The second engine is configured to instantiate a calculation model based on the query, and the second engine is configured to derive a converted calculation model by converting the calculation model into a format compatible with the first engine. The first engine is configured to incorporate the converted calculation model into an execution plan during the query compilation and execute the query on the database according to execution plan. |
| US09846723B1 |
System, method, and computer program for automatically accessing data in a database based on query information
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for automatically accessing data in a database based on query information. In use, query information is received from a user interface, the query information including at least one selection of a preconfigured set of queries that are grouped logically based on a team or an application and the query information further including input parameters defined by a user utilizing the user interface. Additionally, data to access in at least one database is identified based on the query information. Further, a connection with the at least one database is automatically established, the connection with the at least one database being established utilizing a predefined database connection for one or more environments with which the user interface is associated. Moreover, the data in the at least one database is automatically accessed based on the query information. |
| US09846721B2 |
Log file management tool
A system includes: a processor; and a memory, wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: retrieve a first log over a network from a first server of a plurality of servers for at least one contact center; generate an index of values in the first log; update an index database based on the index; and save the first log on a storage device. |
| US09846716B1 |
Deidentification of production data
Systems and methods for generating alias records are described. The alias records, which include deidentified data, are generated from corresponding real records of actual users. As production data (e.g., messages) that identify the actual users flows through a network, the alias records are updated so as to correspond to the real records. |
| US09846713B2 |
Index-only multi-index access
In an index-only multi-index access in a database, when a query to be executed requires multiple indexes, a query optimizer determines whether columns are needed for a query result, subquery, or inner join result. If not, then the query result is resolved using qualified record identifiers (RIDs) from the multiple indexes without accessing the data pages. When the columns are needed and can be resolved using input values of the query, then the query result is resolved using the qualified RIDs from the multiple indexes and substituting column values with the input values of the query. When the columns are needed and cannot be resolved using the input values of the query, the query optimizer may store one or more index keys with its corresponding qualified RIDs from the multiple indexes and may resolve the query result using the stored index keys without accessing the data pages of the database. |
| US09846712B2 |
Index-only multi-index access
In an index-only multi-index access in a database, when a query to be executed requires multiple indexes, a query optimizer determines whether columns are needed for a query result, subquery, or inner join result. If not, then the query result is resolved using qualified record identifiers (RIDs) from the multiple indexes without accessing the data pages. When the columns are needed and can be resolved using input values of the query, then the query result is resolved using the qualified RIDs from the multiple indexes and substituting column values with the input values of the query. When the columns are needed and cannot be resolved using the input values of the query, the query optimizer may store one or more index keys with its corresponding qualified RIDs from the multiple indexes and may resolve the query result using the stored index keys without accessing the data pages of the database. |
| US09846709B2 |
Equi-joins between split tables
A join operation between split data tables includes providing value IDs. For each of the value IDs, a unique global ID may be associated with the value ID when the actual value represented by the value ID occurs among actual values comprising the second attribute of the second partition. For each identified unique global ID, the identified unique global ID may be paired with a document ID of a data record contained in a second partition stored at the second server in which the actual value in the data record is represented by the value ID associated with the identified unique global ID. |
| US09846703B2 |
Page-based metadata system for distributed filesystem
Methods and systems are described for storing metadata in a network of distributed remote storage devices. An example computer implemented method includes identifying a plurality of metadata inodes, grouping the plurality of metadata inodes into one or more metadata pages, mapping the plurality of metadata inodes and the plurality of metadata pages, and storing the mapping as a manifest page, and storing data to and retrieving data from the distributed remote storage devices using the plurality of metadata inodes. |
| US09846700B2 |
Compression and deduplication layered driver
A method, apparatus, and system for interposed file system driver is provided, which provides a logical file system on top of an existing base file system. One such interposed file system driver is a compression and deduplication layered driver (“COLD driver”). File system operations are intercepted from the operating system through the COLD driver, which is provided as an upper-level operating system driver that operates on top of an existing base file system. By processing file data through various modules, the existing base file system can be extended as a logical file system with compression, deduplication, indexing, and other functionality. The COLD driver can be implemented without requiring modifications to existing base file system structures or base file system drivers. Server deployments may thus leverage the additional file system functionality provided by the COLD driver without having to migrate to another file system. |
| US09846698B1 |
Maintaining point-in-time granularity for backup snapshots
A method and system for maintaining granular backups is discussed. Backup windows may be defined, and policies may be associated with those windows. Journal and backup files may be retained or deleted in accordance with those policies. |
| US09846692B2 |
Method and system for machine-based extraction and interpretation of textual information
A method and system of machine-based extraction of information from a text document employ the steps of performing semantic/syntactic analysis for sentences of the document to build semantic-syntactic structures of the sentences; applying production rules to the semantic-syntactic structures to generate a set of logical conclusions about objects of information comprised in the document, wherein the production rules are based on linguistic characteristics and lexical-morphological properties of the semantic-syntactic structures and ontologies of subject matters of the sentences; and using the set of logical conclusions about objects of information comprised in the document to build an ontology-based RDF graph. |
| US09846690B2 |
Automating interrogative population of electronic forms using a real-time communication platform
A computer-implemented method of obtaining form data can include selecting a control from within an electronic form, determining a textual representation of the control, and sending the textual representation of the control as part of a message to a client messaging system through a real-time communication system. A response message from the client messaging system can be received through the real-time communication system. Form data specified by the response message can be stored within memory when the form data is valid, as specified according to the electronic form. |
| US09846687B2 |
Word cloud candidate management system
A method and apparatus for identifying a relative importance of words in a word cloud. A computer system identifies graphical features and locations for the words representing information in the word cloud based on a group of metrics for the information. The graphical features distinguish the words from each other based on a first number of first values for a first metric in the group of metrics. The locations of the words distinguish the words from each other based on a second number of second values for a second metric in the group of metrics. The word cloud is displayed on a display system using the graphical features and the locations for the words in the word cloud in graphical user interface, which enables identifying the relative importance of the words in the word cloud based on the group of metrics for the information represented by the words. |
| US09846684B2 |
Dynamic text layout rules
A system, method and non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium are disclosed for implementing dynamic layout rules for attributed text strings having different type styles. In some implementations, developers can use an Application Programming Interface (API) or a design tool to specify dynamic text layout rules for rendering attributed text strings in a user interface (UI). Various text attributes associated with the different type styles (e.g., font metrics) are dynamically adjusted based on the dynamic text layout rules to improve the readability of the text when, for example, font sizes are adjusted. In some implementations, one or more parameters of a text container, text container region, line-fragment or display object are dynamically adjusted based on the dynamic text layout rules to improve the readability of the text. |
| US09846681B2 |
Apparatus and method for outputting layout image
An apparatus includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire an image group including a plurality of images, a specifying unit configured to specify feature information of each of the images, a generation unit configured to generate a plurality of layout candidates by arranging images selected from the acquired image group, an evaluation unit configured to evaluate each of the layout candidates generated by the generation unit based on a plurality of evaluation standards including an image evaluation based on the feature information of each image arranged in the layout candidate and an overall evaluation of the layout candidate, and a determination unit configured to select and determine a layout to be output from the plurality of layout candidates based on a result of evaluation by the evaluation unit. |
| US09846679B2 |
Computer and graph data generation method
A computer utilizes correlation matrix data including a value indicating correlation between indicators and comprises a graph process unit that includes a control factor calculation unit configured to calculate a control factor for generating compressed graph data based on a constraint condition on a process; and a graph generation unit configured to generate graph data from the correlation matrix data by using the control factor. The control factor calculation unit obtains a target process time as the constraint condition; calculates a maximum of a number of edges to be included in the graph data; calculates a threshold for extracting the elements converted from the correlation matrix data to the graph data based on the maximum of the number of edges; and outputs the threshold as the control factor. The graph generation unit extracts the elements from the correlation matrix data based on the threshold, and generates the graph data. |
| US09846674B2 |
Monolithically integrated system on chip for silicon photonics
In an example, the present invention includes an integrated system on chip device. The device is configured on a single silicon substrate member. The device has a data input/output interface provided on the substrate member and configured for a predefined data rate and protocol. The device has an input/output block provided on the substrate member and coupled to the data input/output interface. The input/output block comprises a SerDes block, a CDR block, a compensation block, and an equalizer block. In an example, the SerDes block is configured to convert a first data stream of N into a second data stream of M such that each of the first data stream having a first predefined data rate at a first clock rate and each of the second data stream having a second predefined data rate at a second clock rate. The device has a driver module provided on the substrate member and coupled to the signal processing block. In an example, the device has a driver interface provided on the substrate member and coupled to the driver module and configured to be coupled to a silicon photonics device. |
| US09846671B2 |
Bidirectional data transmission system
A system for bidirectional signal transmission may comprise a forward data transmission circuit to unidirectionally transmit a first input signal and a backward data transmission circuit to unidirectionally transmit a second input signal. The backward data transmission circuit may comprises a logic circuit to detect a voltage difference over a resistance element in the forward data transmission circuit. When the voltage difference is lower than a threshold value, the logic circuit outputs a first voltage level. When the voltage difference is greater than or equal to a threshold value, the logic circuit outputs a second voltage level different from the first voltage level. |
| US09846669B2 |
PCIe lane aggregation over a high speed link
A computer network system configured with disaggregated inputs/outputs. This system can be configured in a leaf-spine architecture and can include a router coupled to a network source, a plurality of core switches coupled to the router, a plurality of aggregator switches coupled to each of the plurality of core switches, and a plurality of rack modules coupled to each of the plurality of aggregator switches. The plurality of rack modules can each include an I/O appliance with a downstream aggregator module, a plurality of server devices each with PCIe interfaces, and an upstream aggregator module that aggregates each of the PCIe interfaces. A high-speed link can be configured between the downstream and upstream aggregator modules via aggregation of many serial lanes to provide reliable high speed bit stream transport over long distances, which allows for better utilization of resources and scalability of memory capacity independent of the server count. |
| US09846667B2 |
Switch apparatus and electronic device
An electronic device connected to numerous first load medias and second load medias. The electronic device comprises a processor and a switch module. The processor is capable of switching between a first working mode and a second working mode. Under the second working mode, the processor generates a second control signal, the switch mode establishes independent electronic connections between specified first load medias and specified second load medias, thus, the first load medias and the second load medias simultaneously communicate with each other through the electronic device. |
| US09846666B2 |
Multiprocessor system
The present invention realizes a functional safety of a multiprocessor system without tightly coupling processor elements. When causing a plurality of processor elements to execute the same data processing and realizing a functional safety of the processor element, there is adopted a bus interface unit that performs control of performing safety measure processing when the non-coincidence of access requests issued from the processor elements has been fixed, and of starting access processing responding the access request when these access requests coincide with one another. |
| US09846664B2 |
RFID interface and interrupt
A RFID system includes an RFID controller incorporating a serial bus master coupled via a serial bus to a serial bus slave device, whereby the RFID controller controls power supply and/or power mode of the salve device in order that the slave device is powered and able to communicate with the RFID controller in response to RFID commands received from an RFID reader, and unpowered or in a low power mode otherwise. |