| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09877418B2 |
Motor drive device in which fan motor is exchangeable and control panel including same
In a motor drive device of the present invention, a motor control unit is disposed on a first surface of an attaching unit, and a heat sink is disposed on a second surface opposite to the first surface. A first duct connects the second surface and the heat sink with each other. A second duct is disposed on the first surface, and a fan motor is disposed in the second duct. A space inside the first duct in communication with only a second opening of the attaching unit, and a space inside the second duct is in communication with both a first opening and the second opening of the attaching unit. |
| US09877417B2 |
Electronic device with cooling function
An electronic device with a cooling function includes a cap nut, a case, a semiconductor unit, a second bus bar for external output, and a connecting bolt. The case includes a side wall and a bottom surface. The bottom surface of the case has a coolant passage and a recessed portion to receive the cap nut. The coolant passage is open to above and is generally U-shaped. The recessed portion is positioned in a position surrounded by the coolant passage and the side wall of the case, and the cap nut is received in the recessed portion. The semiconductor unit includes a first bus bar that extends from the semiconductor unit. The semiconductor unit is fixed to the case in a posture and position that closes off the coolant passage from above. The second bus bar passes through the side wall of the case. Inside the case, the connecting bolt passes through the first bus bar and the second bus bar and screws into the cap nut, and the cap nut and a head portion of the connecting bolt bring the first bus bar and the second bus bar into close contact. |
| US09877415B2 |
Cold storage server with heat dissipation
A server can be used for a cold storage application. The server can include a nest for holding a high density of bare storage drives. The nest can include a plurality of drive cooling channels residing on the underside of the nest. The server can further include rear, front, and side air flow paths for natural convection cooling. |
| US09877414B2 |
Configurable telecommunication equipment chassis
The disclosure describes methods and apparatuses that are used to provide a telecommunication equipment chassis for supporting telecommunication equipment within server racks while providing an adjustable venting arrangement for the telecommunication equipment. More particularly, the disclosure describes a telecommunication equipment chassis for supporting telecommunication equipment within a server rack, which is vertically adjustable, rather than horizontally adjustable, to modify the venting arrangement for the telecommunication equipment without changing a width of the telecommunication equipment chassis. |
| US09877408B2 |
Package assembly
A package assembly includes a housing frame, a power module, a first heat dissipating module and a second heat dissipating module. The housing frame is fixed on the first heat dissipating module. The power module is disposed within a hollow part of the housing frame, and covers a first open end of the hollow part. The power module includes a first surface, a second surface and at least one pin. The first surface has a periphery region and a middle region. The second surface is attached on the first heat dissipating module. The at least one pin is disposed on the periphery region. The at least one pin is penetrated through the corresponding opening and partially exposed outside the housing frame. The second heat dissipating module is disposed within the hollow part and attached on the middle region of the first surface of the power module. |
| US09877405B2 |
Electronic device and mounting method
An electronic device includes a housing; a plug-in unit that is inserted into the housing and electrically connected to a connection substrate within the housing; a guiding member that includes a retention portion retaining the plug-in unit, the guiding member being moved between a protruding position protruding from the housing to a front side of an insertion direction of the plug-in unit and a retracting position retracting to the housing side, the guiding member being electrically connected to the housing; a biasing member that biases the guiding member to the protruding position; and a conductive member that is positioned between the plug-in unit and the guiding member, the plug-in unit and the guiding member being in a conduction state by the conductive member. |
| US09877402B2 |
Display device
A display device is disclosed. The display device includes a display unit including a display panel, a back cover positioned on a back surface of the display panel, and a light shielding plate positioned between the display panel and the back cover, a housing into which at least a portion of a lower area of the display unit is inserted, and on which a printed circuit board (PCB) is mounted, and a link bar connecting the housing to the display unit and having at least one opening. A transparent fixer is mounted in the opening of the link bar and is attached to a back surface of the back cover. |
| US09877401B2 |
Portable electronic device provided with a battery enclosure
A portable electronic device includes at least one electronic module and the electronic module includes, in particular, a main plate provided with a cavity arranged for receiving an electrical energy source, at least one movement associated with a printed circuit, an elastically deformable contact member for ensuring an electrical connection between the electrical energy source and the printed circuit, and a holder for holding the electrical energy source. The holder includes a removable holder made of insulating material arranged to receive the energy source and including a removable clamp for holding the energy source in place. The holder can be inserted inside the cavity. |
| US09877398B2 |
Method and apparatus for attaching a circuit component
Method and apparatus for attaching an electrical component to a printed circuit board. The apparatus includes a circuit board, an elastomeric connector, a rotary electrical component having a connector housing for holding the elastomeric connector, and one or more fasteners for securing the electrical component to the circuit board with sufficient force to compress the elastomeric connector and thereby ensure electrical contact between the electrical component and the printed circuit board. |
| US09877391B2 |
Electronic module comprising flexible conducting member connected thereto and method of connecting flexible conducting member to electronic module
According to one embodiment, a electronic module includes a circuit board including an electronic component mounted thereon, a flexible conducting member including a conductor including a portion covered with a covering member and a portion exposed from an edge of the covering member and soldered to the circuit board, and an engagement member engaging with the flexible conducting member to place the engaged flexible conducting member in a predetermined position on the circuit board and is attached to the circuit board by an attachment method the same as a method of mounting the electronic component on the circuit board. |
| US09877388B2 |
Transmission module and circuit board used therein
A transmission module includes an electrically insulative substrate body, a first card edge connector provided at a first end of the substrate body, a second card edge connector provided at a second end of the substrate body, a circuit element mounted on the substrate body, a control element mounted on the substrate body and provided with a built-in memory which controls the circuit element, a first wiring pattern formed on the substrate body for connecting an electrode of the first card edge connector and the control element together, and a second wiring pattern formed on the substrate body for connecting an electrode of the second card edge connector and the control element together. |
| US09877387B2 |
Wiring board and mounting structure using same
A wiring board includes: an inorganic insulating layer having a via hole formed so as to penetrate the inorganic insulating layer in a thickness direction thereof; a conductive layer disposed on the inorganic insulating layer; and a via conductor which adheres to an inner wall of the via hole and is connected with the conductive layer. The inorganic insulating layer includes a first section including a plurality of inorganic insulating particles partly connected to each other, and a resin portion located in gaps between the inorganic insulating particles, and a second section which is interposed between the first section and the via conductor, including a plurality of inorganic insulating particles partly connected to each other, and a conducting portion composed of part of the via conductor which is located in gaps between the inorganic insulating particles. |
| US09877383B2 |
Tamper-respondent assemblies with enclosure-to-board protection
Tamper-respondent assemblies and fabrication methods are provided which incorporate enclosure to circuit board protection. The tamper-respondent assemblies include a circuit board, and an electronic enclosure mounted to the circuit board and facilitating enclosing at least one electronic component within a secure volume. A tamper-respondent electronic circuit structure facilitates defining the secure volume, and the tamper-respondent electronic circuit structure includes a tamper-respondent circuit. An adhesive is provided to secure, in part, the electronic enclosure to the circuit board. The adhesive contacts, at least in part, the tamper-respondent circuit so that an attempted separation of the electronic enclosure from the circuit board causes the adhesive to break the tamper-respondent circuit, facilitating detection of the separation by a monitor circuit of the tamper-respondent electronic circuit structure. |
| US09877362B2 |
Light emitting diode driver circuit, display apparatus including the same, and method for driving light emitting diode
A light emitting diode (LED) driver circuit is provided. The light emitting diode (LED) driver circuit includes an LED array; an LED driving circuit configured to provide a constant current to the LED array by a switching operation of a switch element; and a driving controller configured to control the switch element using a clock signal of a preset frequency so that the constant current corresponding to a dimming signal is provided to the LED array. The driving controller varies a frequency of the clock signal in response to a signal value indicating that the dimming signal is being transitioned. |
| US09877358B2 |
Heating pad
A heating pad includes a heating element, a number of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes. The heating element includes a flexible substrate and a carbon nanotube layer fixed on the flexible substrate. The heating element has a first end and a second end opposite to the first end. The first end is cut into a number of first strip structures. The second end is cut into a number of second strip structures. Each of the first electrodes clamps one of the first strip structures and is electrically connected with the first strip structure. Each of the second electrodes clamps one of the second strip structures and is electrically connected with the second strip structure. |
| US09877355B2 |
Wireless communicator connectable to different types of wireless communication networks
A wireless communicator includes network processors transmitting data to and receiving data from respective different networks; a media access control (MAC) setter receiving pieces of information on a MAC layer from the plurality of network processors and storing the pieces of information on the MAC layer; and a MAC processor performing operations on media access control on the basis of the pieces of information stored in the MAC setter. In the wireless communicator, the network processors supply a frame signal containing network identification information corresponding to the respective network processors to the MAC processor. Thus, it is possible to provide a wireless communicator which can give a notice to every network processor even when broadcast frames are received and which can make a reply even when beacon request command frames are received. |
| US09877352B2 |
Application of a discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle
The present disclosure concerns radio communication. More particularly, the present disclosure inter alia introduces the possibility for a user equipment (UE) to apply a temporary DRX cycle during the time period when the UE transitions from an IDLE mode to a CONNECTED mode. Thus, the disclosure presents an example method performed by a UE. The UE is configured to be either in an IDLE mode or in a CONNECTED mode. The method implemented in the UE comprises applying the temporary DRX cycle during the time period when the UE is in transition from the IDLE mode to the CONNECTED mode. |
| US09877350B2 |
Method and system for P2P communications and decentralized spatial sharing in wireless networks with directional transmissions
Beamformed directional wireless communications are described that provide for spatial re-use that allows multiple pairs of peer-to-peer (P2P) links to communicate simultaneously over the same channel in the same spatial vicinity, without contention, and independent of centralized control. The spatial re-use improves network throughput by sharing spectrum resource among multiple links. Beamformed training includes obtaining best sector and least sector information by all stations. Prior to performing an independent P2P communication, antenna array sector information is checked, to assure that the sector to be selected is not impinging interference on other P2P interactions, then a request is made to a target station. The target station also refers to its sector information, and if no conflict is found it accepts and acknowledges the request, upon which it receives the P2P communication. |
| US09877348B2 |
Method and apparatus for establishing a backhaul link
A method and radio base station for enabling establishment of backhaul links. A method is performed by a first communication network node for establishing a backhaul link (BH) between the first communication network node and a second communication network node (200, 200′, 202, 400), wherein one of the first communication network node and the second communication network node is associated to a backhaul network (220). The second communication network node is detected (500), an address of the second communication network node is determined (502), preferably, an IP-address or an Ethernet-address. The address is sent (504) to a backhauling entity (206), the backhauling entity being associated with a third communication network node (204), and at least one of the first communication network node and the second communication network node is located within a coverage of the third communication network node. Routing information regarding the second communication network node is received (506) from the backhauling entity, the routing information being calculated by the backhauling entity, and a backhaul link (BH) between the first communication network node and the second communication network node is established (508) by applying the routing information. By performing routing calculations in a central backhauling entity, embedded RBSs may be designed less complex because less calculation capacity needs to be included, and no routing protocols needs to be stored locally. Moreover, the backhauling entity may select the most appropriate and effective transport mechanism for the backhauling. |
| US09877346B2 |
Method and nodes for handling ESM information
The embodiments herein relate to a method in a UE (101) for handling ESM information. The UE (101) supports reception of information to be used in determination of the ESM information. The UE (101) receives, from an MME (105), information about at least one supported EPS network feature which the UE (101) may use. The information is received before the UE (101) sends ESM information to the MME (105). Based on the received information, the UE (101) determines the ESM information for a PDN connection for the UE (101). The UE (101) sends the determined ESM information to the MME (105). |
| US09877345B2 |
Method and system for using a situational network
A method of creating a projection of a situational network includes creating, by an event node server, an event node in a multi-dimensional personal information network, where the event node corresponds to a situation. A projection of nodes of the situational network is formed using geographic locations of a plurality of devices corresponding to nodes in the multi-dimensional personal information network. An invitation is transmitted to establish a link with the event node server to the devices corresponding to each node in the projection. A response is received from at least one of the devices accepting the invitation to establish a link with the event node server. A link with each device accepting the invitation is established. |
| US09877342B1 |
Method and system for managing a multi-message exchange over a wireless channel
When an upper layer of a device is going to initiate an exchange of two or more messages with a corresponding upper layer of another device, the initiating device will provide from its upper layer to a lower layer such as a MAC layer an indication of how many messages the devices will be exchanging. In response to that indication, the lower layer of the initiating device will then cause the lower layer of the other device to forgo checking for and confirming availability of the channel for transmission of the next message of the exchange from the other device to the initiating device. Further, the lower layer of the initiating device may also responsively forgo for and confirming availability of the channel for a subsequent message of the exchange. |
| US09877341B2 |
Multi-subframe scheduling method, device and system
A multi-subframe scheduling method, device and system are disclosed. The method includes: a base station side scheduling transmission of a plurality of subframes through a piece of downlink control information DCI; and according to an acquired multi-subframe scheduling mode and scheduling parameters, a user equipment UE receiving and sending the plurality of subframes according to an indication of the DCI. |
| US09877338B1 |
Wireless scheduler bandwidth estimation for quick start
A method, wireless system, and medium are provided for estimating capacity for a new communication session initiated by a wireless device. The wireless system includes a base station and wireless devices that wirelessly connect to the base station. The base station executes a wireless scheduler that coordinates wireless transmission over wireless networks. The base station also executes a bandwidth estimation component to estimate available bandwidth for a new communication session. The estimated available bandwidth is used in a quick configuration message communicated from the base station to a wireless device to notify the wireless device of the capacity available at the base station and of a transmission rate for the wireless device. |
| US09877334B2 |
Cell configuration in a wireless device and wireless network
A cross-carrier scheduling group comprises a first cell and a second cell. Each of the first cell and the second cell are identified by a respective cell identifier employing a first number of bits. A wireless device receives a message comprising configuration parameters. The configuration parameters comprise a cell identifier and a first cell indicator field. The first cell indicator field employs a second number of bits. The second number is smaller than the first number. The wireless device receives downlink control information on a control channel of the second cell for a packet transmitted on the first cell. |
| US09877333B2 |
Signalling for group communications
Apparatus and method for signalling are provided. The solution includes reserving resources for communication of a set of nodes (114, 116, 118) organized into one or more scheduling groups having a predetermined group identity, each node in a scheduling group having a unique identity. Scheduling messages are transmitted to all nodes, the messages including the group identity designating the scheduling group the message is intended, an information element indicating identity of the node allowed to transmit, a bitmap indicating identities of nodes instructed to receive, and information on parameters needed to transmit and receive data utilizing the resources allocated for communication. |
| US09877328B2 |
Method, apparatus, and computer program product for efficient use of frequency bands and channels in wireless environment
A method to provide interoperable mechanisms for efficient use of frequency bands and channels in Wi-Fi networks, including receiving, by an access point device, a wireless request message from a wireless device, requesting information on candidate wireless networks; determining, by the access point device, whether the wireless device is associated with the access point device; and composing, by the access point device, a forwarding message to be transmitted by the access point device to a server, and including in the forwarding message an indication that the wireless device is associated with the access point device, if the wireless device is associated with the access point device. |
| US09877327B2 |
Beam misalignment detection for wireless communication system with beamforming
A method of beam misalignment detection for wireless communication system with beamforming is proposed. To identify a misaligned beam, a relative beam quality degradation is applied by comparing a dedicated beam quality with a reference beam quality. The reference beam favors similar transmission path as the dedicated beam, and has better mobility robustness. In one embodiment, the reference beam is an associated control beam of the dedicated beam. To detect beam misalignment, a first dedicated beam SINR is compared with a second associated control beam SINR. |
| US09877322B1 |
Method and apparatus for managing air interface resource allocation based on evaluation of transport block capacity
A method and system to help manage air interface resources for communication between a user equipment device (UE) and a base station. As disclosed, a UE or base station detect a situation where a transport block that the base station would allocate to the UE would be too small to hold carry a packet that the UE would seek to transmit, and the UE and base station responsively switch to a mode of operation in which the UE will receive a multi-TTI transport block allocation rather than a single-TTI transport block allocation. Given a per-TTI limitation of available air interface resources, the allocation of a transport block spanning multiple TTIs may thus provide the UE with increased air interface capacity for transmission, thus optimally allowing the UE to transmit without a need for segmentation. |
| US09877321B2 |
Slot allocation in time division duplex systems
Various communication systems may benefit from managing signal interference. For example, certain wireless communication systems may benefit from a dynamic time division duplex system involving slot allocation. A method includes allocating, by an access point, in a time division duplex frame a plurality of radio resource slots, each one of the plurality of radio resource slots being allocated for a downlink or an uplink transmission, and determining that the allocation of the downlink or uplink transmission should be changed. The method also includes applying a permutation pattern to re-allocate at least one of the plurality of radio resource slots for the downlink or uplink transmission. |
| US09877319B2 |
Method for acquiring resource region information for PHICH and method of receiving PDCCH
A method of acquiring information on a resource region for transmitting PHICH and a method of receiving PDCCH using the same are disclosed. The resource region for transmitting the PHICH can be specified by first information corresponding to the per-subframe PHICH number and second information corresponding to a duration of the PHICH within the subframe. The first information can be specified into a form resulting from multiplying a predetermined basic number by a specific constant. And, the specific constant can be transmitted via PBCH. Moreover, the second information can be acquired from the PBCH as well. |
| US09877317B2 |
Dynamic uplink and downlink configuration using flexible subframes
An apparatus and method for dynamically changing an uplink and downlink ratio configuration is disclosed herein. An evolved Node B (eNodeB) operating in a wireless communications network transmits a System Information Block Type 1 (SIB1) including first uplink and downlink ratio configuration information. The eNodeB also transmits in at least one downlink subframe of a radio frame configured in the first uplink and downlink ratio configuration second uplink and downlink ratio configuration information. The second uplink and downlink ratio configuration information is included in a downlink control information (DCI) message. The DCI message is included in the at least one downlink subframe of the radio frame. |
| US09877314B2 |
Method and apparatus for receiving control information over an enhanced physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) in wireless communication system
An embodiment of the present invention relates to a method for receiving a control signal through an enhanced physical downlink control channel (EPDCCH) by a user equipment in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: receiving a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) included in a physical resource block (PRB) pair; and monitoring an EPDCCH associated with the DMRS, wherein a minimum aggregation level or the number of enhanced resource element groups (EREGs) per enhanced control channel element (ECCE) applied to the EPDCCH is determined depending on to which interval of a plurality of predetermined intervals the number of resource elements (REs) included in the PRB pair belongs. |
| US09877311B2 |
Uplink control information sending method, and user equipment and base station
There is provided a method for sending uplink control information, comprising when a Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) serving cell and a Time Division Duplex (TDD) serving cell are aggregated, a user equipment (UE) sending the uplink control information in uplink subframes of the FDD serving cell and/or uplink subframes of the TDD serving cell according to a predefined rule. |
| US09877310B2 |
Multiplexing large payloads of control information from user equipments
An apparatus and method for transmitting Uplink Control Information (UCI) over a Physical Uplink Control CHannel (PUCCH) in a communication system. A method includes acquiring, by a UE, at least one PRB information for a first PUCCH format and a second PUCCH format; selecting, by the UE, one of the first PUCCH format and the second PUCCH format, wherein the second PUCCH format is selected, by the UE, for multiple cells from an eNB; generating, by the UE, UCI to be transmitted; encoding, by the UE, the UCI; performing, by the UE, an FT operation on the encoded UCI if the second PUCCH format is selected; performing, by the UE, an IFT operation on the encoded UCI or on the Fourier transformed UCI; and transmitting, by the UE, the inverse Fourier transformed UCI based on the selected PUCCH format and the at least one PRB information. |
| US09877309B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting uplink control information in wireless communication system
Provided are a method and an apparatus for transmitting uplink control information (UCI), which is carried out by a terminal in a wireless communication system. If the number of information bits of the UCI falls inside a specific range when different types of UCI are transmitted through the same PUCCH format, a bit sequence of each of the UCI are channel-coded by aligning/interleaving, wherein the aligning/interleaving is carried out so that the UCI having high importance are channel-coded so as to have better decoding performance. |
| US09877308B2 |
Interference mitigation techniques for broadcast multimedia receiver device
In an aspect of the disclosure, a method, a computer-readable medium, and an apparatus are provided. The apparatus may be a broadcast multimedia receiver device. The apparatus detects a signal causing interference at a first radio of the receiver device. The first radio is configured to receive broadcast multimedia transmissions. The apparatus determines a RAT associated with an aggressor entity transmitting the signal. The aggressor entity is physically remote from the receiver device. The apparatus determines a mitigation action to mitigate the interference caused by the signal at the first radio. The apparatus transmits, at a second radio of the receiver device, a control message to the aggressor entity. The control message instructs the aggressor entity to implement the mitigation action. The second radio is configured to communicate with the aggressor entity using at least one RAT or a wired interface. |
| US09877301B2 |
System and method for alerting a user on an external device of notifications or alerts originating from a network-connected device
Users are experiencing an increasing number of alerts and notifications on their mobile devices. When it is inconvenient or not possible to view the network-connected device, an accessory can be used to save time and avoid missing notifications. A system comprising a network-connected device and an accessory are provided to address these problems. The accessory is capable of notifying the user of alerts from the network-connected device, allowing the user to quickly be advised of alerts without needing to first interact with the network-connected device. The system includes a method to selectively filter alerts so as to avoid unnecessarily interrupting the user in cases where the network device is inaccessible. The system is also capable of pushing new interface designs and themes from the network device to the accessory to alter the appearance and configuration of its display. |
| US09877298B1 |
Beacon-based location introduction system
Embodiments of the present disclosure include an efficient method for identifying receiving devices with similar attributes and displaying their respective locations to each other using data packets receiving from transmission associated with beacons. The system can receive unique beacon identifiers from a first receiving device, determine its location, receive a request for a match comprising a set of attributes, query a database and identify a second user associated with a second receiving device based on the received set of attributes, determine a location for the second receiving device, and generate/transmit a graphical user interface to the first receiving device informing the first user about the location of the second user. |
| US09877294B2 |
Managing tune-aways in a multi-subscription multi-standby communication device
Various embodiments include multi-subscription multi-standby (MSMS) communication devices and methods for managing a tune-away by a radio frequency (RF) resource supporting a first subscription to support a second subscription. A device processor may monitor a data loss during a first burst of a segment of a broadcast data stream received using the first subscription by the MSMS communication device. The device processor may calculate a permitted data loss of the segment of a broadcast data stream. The device processor may reserve one or more subframes in a second burst of the segment based on the permitted data loss, and the device processor may prevent a tune-away of the RF resource from the first subscription to the second subscription during the reserved one or more subframes of the second burst. |
| US09877293B2 |
Wireless communication
The invention is directed to a method of synchronizing transmission between two nodes in a wireless network. The method comprises the steps of obtaining an expected interference profile for each node; and agreeing a synchronized transmission schedule between the nodes, where the expected interference profile of the or each node meets predetermined criteria. |
| US09877292B2 |
Collaborative data capturing apparatuses and methods
Various aspects of the present disclosure provide for a control scheme of trigger based collaborative data capturing operations utilizing a plurality of time-synchronized data capturing devices. These data capturing devices are synchronized to the same time reference so that their inputs and outputs can be coordinated and controlled in a deterministic manner. |
| US09877281B2 |
Scheduled peer power save mode
Embodiments of scheduled peer power save systems, devices, and methods are disclosed. For example, methods of saving power for stations configured to communicate via a direct link are provided. Embodiments of scheduled peer power save systems, devices and methods are disclosed. For example, methods of saving power for stations configured to communicate via a direct link are provided. In one embodiment, among others, a method comprises waking up, at a station and peer station, before a scheduled wakeup interval. The scheduled wakeup interval is defined relative to common timing reference at the station and the peer station. Further, in the absence of a service period between the station and the peer station, the station and the peer station stay awake until at least a predefined time period has elapsed or a predefined number of idle slots have elapsed. |
| US09877279B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting control information for interference measurement in a wireless communication system
A method and apparatus for transmitting control information to a User Equipment (UE) by an evolved Node B (eNB) for interference measurement in a wireless communication system are provided. The eNB determines whether the UE can perform interference management for receiving a data signal transmitted from the eNB based on information of an interference signal. When it is determined that the UE can perform the interference management, the eNB transmits to the UE configuration information for receiving the data signal by applying the interference management by the UE, and then transmits to the UE downlink control information including transmission power control information indicating whether a transmission power of a DeModulation Reference Signal (DMRS) corresponding to the interference signal is different from a transmission power of the interference signal. |
| US09877276B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving power save-polling frame and response frame in wireless LAN system
A method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving a power save-polling (PS-Poll) frame and response frame in a wireless LAN (WLAN) system are disclosed. The method for transmitting a frame by a station (STA) in a wireless LAN (WLAN) system includes awakening at a predetermined time, and transmitting a Power Save (PS)-Poll frame to an access point (AP); and receiving information in response to the PS-Poll frame from the access point (AP), wherein information indicating an access category (AC) of the PS-Poll frame is provided from the access point (AP) to the station (STA). |
| US09877274B2 |
Access control method and device
An access control method includes: obtaining, by a protocol-stack upper layer of a terminal, an override identifier; starting, by the protocol-stack upper layer of the terminal, an application specific congestion control for data connectivity ACDC check according to a service initiated by the terminal; and, if the protocol-stack upper layer of the terminal confirms that the service initiated by the terminal can pass the ACDC check and determines that the override identifier corresponding to an application identifier of the service passing the ACDC check is overriding an access class barring ACB check, sending, by the protocol-stack upper layer of the terminal, an RRC establishment request message to an access layer of the terminal, where the request message carries an indication of not performing an ACB check. Therefore, even if the terminal cannot pass the ACB check, the terminal can still perform services of some particular applications. |
| US09877269B2 |
Electronic device and method of connecting electronic device to network
An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a communication unit configured to communicate with an Access Point (AP), a controller configured to find at least one AP through the communication unit, and transmit a query signal to the found at least one AP found through the communication unit to request a connection, wherein the controller sets up at least one of a maximum number of retransmission times of a query signal and a response standby time of the query signal based on at least one of a number of the found at least one AP and a quality of the found at least one AP. |
| US09877266B1 |
Methods and systems for beacon-based management of shared resources
Embodiments of the present disclosure can be used to monitor, access, and utilize resources available at workspaces effectively using location-aware devices. Methods and systems disclosed herein integrate location signals received from beacons and other indoor positioning systems for better management of shared resources, such as conference rooms, audiovisual equipment, and other equipment, and address dynamic changes to the availability or non-availability of these resources based on data from location-aware devices and beacons. |
| US09877261B2 |
Communication system
A communication system (1) is disclosed in which a core network node (11) generates configuration data including a first parameter for controlling data throughput (such as an aggregate maximum bit rate value) for a relaying user device (3-2) in dependence on whether or not the relaying user device (3-2) has a relaying connection with another user communication device (3-1, 3-3). The core network node (11) transmits the generated configuration data to another network node (5, 14) for managing communications with the relaying user device (3-2). |
| US09877260B2 |
Data forwarding in hybrid mesh networks
A system and method are disclosed for forwarding data in hybrid wireless mesh networks. The method includes configuring a number of mesh network nodes as potential relay nodes (PRNs) in an overlay network associated with a hybrid wireless mesh network, streaming data packets from a source node to a destination node using a native data forwarding algorithm of the hybrid wireless mesh network, dynamically identifying relay nodes (RNs) among PRNs in the overlay network, creating secondary paths for sending data packets towards selected RNs in the overlay network, and relaying data packets from RNs to the destination node using the overlay network. |
| US09877256B2 |
Systems, devices, and methods for interworking between a universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) network and a wireless local area network (WLAN)
Embodiments of the present disclosure describe systems, devices, and methods for interworking between a universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) network and a wireless local area network (WLAN). Various embodiments may include utilizing traffic steering rules based on radio access network assistance parameters to perform traffic steering between the UMTS network and the WLAN. Other embodiments may be described or claimed. |
| US09877253B1 |
Controlling base station power status based on quality of service load
A radio access network (RAN) may determine that a quality-of-service (QOS) load of a first base station exceeds a QOS load high threshold. The RAN may further determine that a set of wireless communication devices (WCDs) served by the first base station are located within a geographic area nearby a second base station. The RAN may additionally determine that the set of WCDs are responsible for at least a predefined portion of the QOS load of the first base station, and may power on the second base station. If at some point a second QOS load of the second base station falls below a QOS load low threshold, the RAN may facilitate handover of at least one of the WCDs served by the second base station from the second base station to the first base station, and may power off the second base station. |
| US09877252B2 |
Method and apparatus for seamless handover in a wireless communication network
A mobile station in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication network transmits Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) protocol data units to a base station and the base station transfers corresponding PDCP service data units to a core network. The mobile station is configured to support handover from a source base station to a target base station. The mobile station generates new PDCP protocol data units for missing PDCP service data units, and transmits the new PDCP protocol data units to the target base station, responsive to signaling from the target base station that indicates which PDCP service data units have been successfully received at the target base station. The new PDCP protocol data units are generated using ciphering specific to the connection with the target base station, from corresponding PDCP service data units buffered at the mobile station. |
| US09877245B2 |
Determining a threshold value for determining whether to steer a particular node from associating with one node to another node in a wireless environment
Techniques are disclosed for determining a threshold value for determining whether to steer a particular node (such as, a client device) from one node (such as, an access point ((AP)) to another node (such as, another AP). A particular node associated with a current node in a wireless environment is identified. One or more parameters associated with the particular node, the current node, a candidate node to which the particular node may be steered, and/or the wireless environment is identified. Based on the parameters, a threshold value is determined. The threshold value is the minimum improvement in quality of one or more links if the particular node is steered from the current node to the candidate node. If the improvement in quality is greater than the determined threshold value, then the particular node is steered to associate with the candidate node rather than the current node. |
| US09877240B1 |
Method and apparatus for latency-based selection of serving base station
A wireless communication device (WCD) can communicate with either a first radio access network (RAN) that uses a packet-switched network under the control of a call server for voice calls, or a second RAN that uses a circuit-switched network for voice calls. When served by the first RAN, the WCD determines whether it should be served by a relay base station of the first RAN (a base station that has a wireless backhaul to a donor base station), a non-relay base station of the first RAN, or a base station of the second RAN, by measuring a communication latency with the call server. If the latency is greater than a threshold latency for voice calls, the WCD initiates a handover to a non-relay base station (if served by a relay base station) or to a base station of the second RAN (if served by a non-relay base station). |
| US09877238B2 |
Interworking among dissimilar radio networks
Embodiments of the invention provide a method, apparatus and computer readable memory for controlling a user equipment (UE), comprising receiving at the UE on a first radio access technology (RAT) from a first access node radio resource control information for a second RAT. Then the UE performs at least one of a) uses the received radio resource control information to configure or reconfigure a module of the UE for communicating on the second RAT, and b) uses the module of the UE to report the received radio resource control information on the second RAT to a second access node. |
| US09877236B2 |
User equipment and methods to indicate power saving mode configuration to RAN nodes
An evolved NodeB (eNB), user equipment (UE) and mobility management entity (MME), as well as method of communicating using a power saving mode (PSM) are generally described. A PSM configuration indication of the UE may be received at the eNB from the UE or MME in an Initial UE Context Setup Request, a UE Context Modify Request, core network assistance information, or a dedicated message to the eNB. The eNB may adjust the time for transmitting to the UE an RRC connection release message based on the PSM configuration indication. The eNB may determine whether the UE is in a connection mode and the inactivity timer of the eNB having reached the activation timer of the PSM configuration indication, transmit the RRC connection release message to the MME. The PSM configuration may be provided between eNBs during handover. |
| US09877234B2 |
Apparatus and method for selecting voice bearer in reverse single radio voice call continuity
An apparatus and method capable of creating and controlling voice bearer in reverse single radio voice call continuity comprise performing a handover request action S64 of generating a request to a mobile management entity for a handover of a mobile communication call of a user equipment from circuit switched mobile communication to packet switched mobile communication in response to an indication of required handover S61 by a radio access network controller entity; performing a notification action S62 of notifying an access transfer control function to prepare for the transfer of media to packet switched mobile communication by allocating media ports on an access transfer gateway; and performing an obtaining action S63 of obtaining the allocated media ports from the notified access transfer control function, wherein both the notification action S62 and the obtaining action S63 are performed after the indication of required handover S61 is obtained from the radio access network controller entity and before the performing of the handover request action S64, and information on the allocated media ports is included into the request S64 to the mobile management entity. |
| US09877229B2 |
Methods enabling enhanced receivers with a reduced need for gaps when handling interference
According to some embodiments, a radio node receives target channels from a target cell and interfering channels from first and second interfering cells. The first target channel and the first interfering channel each comprise a first channel type, and the second target channel and the second interfering channel each comprise a second channel type. The radio node receives the first interfering channel when receiving the first target channel and determines first information accordingly. The radio node uses one or more gaps impacting receipt of the second interfering channel relative to receipt of the second target channel and determines second information based on receipt of the second target channel and second interfering channel. The radio node reduces interference associated with the at least one of the interfering cell based on at least one of the first information and the second information. |
| US09877228B2 |
Overload control method, and device
The present invention discloses an overload control method, a gateway device, a mobility management entity, and a PGW. The method includes: determining, by a gateway device, first overload indication information, where the first overload indication information is used to indicate an overload control policy; and sending, by the gateway device, the first overload indication information to a mobility management entity, so that the mobility management entity executes the overload control policy according to the first overload indication information. According to the overload control method, the gateway device, the mobility management entity, and the PGW in embodiments of the present invention, adverse impact brought by device overload can be avoided; therefore, the device overload can be effectively controlled. |
| US09877225B2 |
Communication device and traffic control method
In order to accommodate expansion of a mobile network and detailed QoS control, a transmission VXLAN header is generated by setting a logical group to which an input packet belongs as a logical network number in the VNI field of a VXLAN header and setting QoS information as traffic control information in a predefined, predetermined field. The generated transmission VXLAN header is added to the input packet, which is then output as a VXLAN header-added output packet to a mobile backhaul. When a VXLAN header-added input packet is input from the mobile backhaul, the received VXLAN header that was added is removed, and the logical network number that is set in the VNI field of the received VXLAN header and the traffic control information that is set in the predefined, predetermined field are extracted. Traffic control is performed on the basis of the extracted logical network number and traffic control information, and the packet is output as an output packet. |
| US09877221B2 |
Wireless LAN system, and access point and station for the wireless LAN system
A wireless LAN system in which data communication between a wireless station whose connection method as a method for wireless connection can be set to one of a plurality of connection methods and a wireless access point whose connection method has been preset to one of the connection methods is made possible by setting the connection method of the wireless station to a method identical with the connection method of the wireless access point. |
| US09877217B2 |
Wireless communication method of configuring measurement resource, and wireless communication device therefor
There are provided a wireless communication method of configuring a measurement resource and a wireless communication device therefor. The method comprises determining a measurement resource to be disregarded when the number of measurement resources configured in one subframe exceeds the maximum number of measurement resources that a user equipment is able to measure in one subframe, wherein the measurement resource with lower priority is determined to be disregarded, and the measurement resource is not disregarded A times within the duration of N subframes, where A is an integer larger than 1, N corresponds to one plus B*periodicity of the measurement resource, and B is an integer equal to or larger than 1. |
| US09877215B2 |
Method for measuring channel state information in a wireless access system and apparatus for same
Disclosed are a method for measuring channel state information in a wireless access system that supports an environment in which an amount of uplink resource and an amount of downlink resource dynamically change, and an apparatus for the method. In detail, the method comprises: a step of receiving interference measurement resource information including information on the location of an interference measurement resource set in an uplink resource for interference measurement; a step of measuring interference being received from an adjacent cell at the location of the interference measurement resource a step of calculating channel state information using the measured interference value; and a step of transmitting the calculated channel state information to a base station. |
| US09877212B1 |
Crowd sourcing beacon setting adjustments
The present invention provides a method and system for configuring multiple beacons distributed in one or more physically uncoupled sites. A computing device sends a command to multiple portable communication devices to update, when a portable communication device is within range of a beacon, one or more parameters of selected beacons to be updated with data specific to each beacon. The command instructs for verification of a beacon update to be immediately sent to the computing device and in response to the verification, an instruction is sent from the computing device to the multiple portable communication devices to not update the a first beacon to which the beacon update pertains with the identified data specific to the first beacon. |
| US09877208B2 |
System and methods for unobtrusively and relocateably extending communication coverage and supporting unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) activities
Exemplary apparatuses and methods are provided associated with an unobtrusive router/relay system (URRS) configured to communicate with a plurality of radio frequency (RF) systems including a first radio frequency (RF) system (e.g. a cell phone, RF system carried or used by an individual or team, etc.), other URRS systems (which each include a second RF receiver/transmitter), and an RF communication's hub (e.g. cell tower, tethered UAV, control center, etc.). Locations are identified for a specific location or number of locations along a transit path where the RF communication's hub lacks transmit/receive coverage with the first RF system. URRS are positioned in the locations or transit path lacking RF communication hub transmit/receive coverage. The exemplary URRS are configured to route/relay the first RF system's signals to the RF communications' hub directly or through one or more other URRS systems. URRS are designed to blend with their surroundings. |
| US09877206B2 |
Transmission device with channel equalization and control and methods for use therewith
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a transmission device that includes at least one transceiver configured to modulate data to generate a plurality of first electromagnetic waves in accordance with channel control parameters. A plurality of couplers are configured to couple at least a portion of the plurality of first electromagnetic waves to a transmission medium, wherein the plurality of couplers generate a plurality of second electromagnetic waves that propagate along the outer surface of the transmission medium. A training controller is configured to generate the channel control parameters based on channel state information received from at least one remote transmission device. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US09877201B2 |
Method for communicating in a network, a secondary station and a system therefor
The present invention relates to a method for communicating in a network, comprising a) a secondary station preparing the transmission to a primary station of a message comprising at least a data field for containing data in an allocated resource, said resource comprising a plurality of resource blocks, and b) if the size of the allocated resource is bigger than required for the size of the message, the secondary station dividing the allocated resource in a first portion and a second portion, each portion comprising at least one resource block, c) the secondary station transmitting the message to the primary station in the first portion of the resource, d) the secondary station preventing from transmitting in the second portion of the resource. |
| US09877200B2 |
System and method for wireless handheld device security in a data center environment
A data center includes an access controller with a short range wireless communication controller, and an access point with a long range wireless communication controller. The access point is coupled to the access controller via a secure link. The access controller, receives a security credential from a mobile device via the short range wireless communication controller, authenticates the mobile device, receives access information for the mobile device via the short range wireless communication controller in response to authenticating the mobile device, and provides the access information to the access point via the secure link. The access point uses the access information to connect to the mobile device via the long range wireless communication controller. |
| US09877197B2 |
Secure network matchmaking
There is provided a method for use by a client device having a client address in a network for communication with a host device having a host address in the network. The method includes retrieving a first subset of a plurality of images, displaying the first subset of the plurality of images, receiving a selection of a second subset of the first subset of the plurality of images from a user of the client device, determining a number based on the second subset of the first subset of the plurality of images, replacing a portion of the client address with the number to obtain the host address, and connecting to the host device using the host address obtained by the replacing of the portion of the client address with the number. |
| US09877191B2 |
Device having a SIM card combined with a wireless service card and method of use thereof
A process for authorizing wireless service includes providing a generally rectangular flat form factor card having a first surface and opposing second surface, providing at least one removable subscriber identity module (SIM) card arranged in the generally rectangular flat form factor card defined by the first surface, where the at least one removable subscriber identity module is releasably attached to the first surface of the generally rectangular flat form factor by respective breaking tabs. The process further includes providing an activation code arranged on the first surface, the activation code is associated with the at least one SIM card, wherein the activation code is configured to authorize wireless service associated with the at least one SIM card when provided to a wireless service provider, and provisioning wireless service to a wireless device from a wireless network. An activation card is also disclosed. |
| US09877187B2 |
Security for network load broadcasts over cellular networks
A method, computer readable medium and apparatus for obtaining cellular network load information in a secure manner are disclosed. For example, the method receives the cellular network load information, where the cellular network load information is encrypted. The method then decrypts the cellular network load information using a decryption key and performs a task responsive to the network load information that is decrypted. |
| US09877185B2 |
Techniques for phone number and data management
Techniques for phone number and data management are described. A storage module may be configured to store contact information for a plurality of users, which may be members of a social network. A server device may be configured to receive a SIM change event from a mobile device associated with a first user of the plurality of users. The SIM change event may include updated contact information for the first user. The server may further be configured to identify one or more users from the plurality of users associated with the first user, and provide the updated contact information to one or more mobile devices associated with the one or more identified users. |
| US09877183B2 |
Terminal and processing method for head portrait of contact person
The present invention provides a terminal which includes a program determining unit configured to determine at least one associated application program corresponding to a designated contact person in an address book of the terminal, and a displaying unit configured to simultaneously display head portraits of the designated contact person in the address book and the at least one associated application program under the condition that the address book or a designated interface provided by any of the at least one associated application program is displayed. The present invention further provides a processing method for head portraits of a contact person. |
| US09877182B2 |
System for retrieving external identifier of terminal
Disclosed is a system for retrieving an EID of a terminal, comprising a Machine Type Communications (MTC) server, a processor of the MTC serbver is configured to be capable of executing programmed instructions comprising: storing a corresponding relationship between an EID of a terminal and a Reference Number (RN) of the EID of the terminal; and when a terminal responds to a trigger request from a Machine Type Communications (MTC) server, retrieving an EID of the terminal which corresponds to an RN according to the RN of the EID of the terminal and the corresponding relationship. By employing the system, the network side can retrieve the EID of the terminal, and use a correct EID to respond to a terminal trigger request from an MTC server. |
| US09877179B2 |
Method for operating audio, video, and navigation (AVN) system, AVN system, and vehicle including the same
An audio, video, and navigation (AVN) system includes a battery voltage detection circuit configured to detect an output voltage of a main battery; an e-call power controller configured to output power of a back-up battery (BUB) based on a result of detecting the output voltage; and a central controller configured to receive the power of the BUB and to generate an accident occurrence message when an airbag inflation signal is received. |
| US09877175B2 |
Apparatus and method for providing enhanced telephonic communications
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a device that facilitates presentation of a textual transcription of an audio portion of an active voice call between a first communication device and a second communication device on a first display device. A presence of the first communication device being nearby local device is detected during the active voice call. In response to the detecting of the presence, the facilitating of the presentation of the textual transcription on the first display device is discontinued, wherein the textual transcription is provided to the local device for presentation on a second display device. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US09877169B1 |
Multi-period assignment optimization using dynamic priority updating
Software techniques are described for optimizing resource assignments among assignees of those resources, by using dynamic priority updating over a plurality of rounds of resource assignment. In particular, in example implementations, a greedy algorithm is used to optimize the resource assignments over multiple rounds based on ranked selections within each selection set of each assignee, including dynamically updating the priority of the assignees at each round, based on assignment results from one or more preceding assignment rounds. |
| US09877165B2 |
Indoor positioning method and apparatus
Embodiments of the invention disclose an indoor positioning method and apparatus. The method includes: acquiring current cell signal strength information of a terminal located indoors; determining, according to three-dimensional (3D) indoor positioning matching information, horizontal position information and height information of an indoor grid that are corresponding to the current cell signal strength information, where the 3D indoor positioning matching information includes a correspondence between cell signal strength information of the indoor grid and the horizontal position information and the height information of the indoor grid; and determining, according to the horizontal position information and the height information of the indoor grid, a horizontal position at which the terminal is located indoors and a height at which the terminal is located. In this way, high-accuracy 3D indoor positioning can be implemented. |
| US09877159B2 |
User terminal apparatus and controlling method thereof
A user terminal apparatus is provided. The user terminal apparatus includes a sensor configured to sense a movement of the user terminal apparatus, a storage configured to store a plurality of movement patterns and place information for each time period matching with each movement pattern, and a processor configured to, in response to the movement sensed by the sensor corresponding to one of the plurality of movement patterns, determine a place where the user terminal apparatus is located using a movement pattern corresponding to the sensed movement and place information matching with a present time. |
| US09877156B2 |
Techniques for populating a content stream on a mobile device
Techniques for populating a content stream of a mobile application are described. Consistent with some embodiments, the delays associated with waiting for a server to respond to a user's manual request for content items are eliminated by using various sensors of a mobile computing device to predict when a user is likely to view a personalized content stream. Accordingly, a background process identifies when certain conditions are satisfied, and an automatic content request is communicated to a content server, such that content items for presentation to a member of a social networking service are pre-fetched. |
| US09877155B1 |
System and method for employing base stations to track mobile devices
The invention described is a system and method for tracking assets. Mobile devices on the assets communicate their location to a central station. When the mobile devices are in an area with interference or no network then the mobile devices connect to a base station. The base station in turn can communicate with the central station and report on the locations of mobile devices connected to that base station. The base stations can be placed in areas such as warehouses, mines or other locations. |
| US09877153B1 |
Mobile device path and user association
Methods, computer program products, and systems are presented. The method computer program products, and systems can include, for instance: recording position data for a mobile device over time, the position data being associated to an identifier of the mobile device; outputting to a user an identification code associated to the identifier; receiving input data from a user, the input data including the identification code and user identifying information from a user; responsively to the receiving the input data from a user associating the identification code and the user identifying information; based on the associating processing the position data and user profile data associated to the user identifying information; sending a message to the user based on a result of the processing. |
| US09877152B2 |
Auto-locate operation
In accordance with some embodiments, a system includes a line locator and a device configured to communicate through an internet with a server also coupled to the internet. Furthermore, a plurality of line locate transmitters are distributed geographically and configured to communicate through the internet with the server. The server operates to activate one of the plurality of line locate transmitters based on a geographic location of the device. |
| US09877149B2 |
Assisted passive geo-location of a wireless local area network device
An assisted passive geo-location method and system for determining the location of a wireless device. The method includes passive location techniques in order to assist in determining the location of the wireless device and active techniques in order to assist in the calculation of the relative drift between the clock associated with the wireless device and the clock associated with the measuring station. |
| US09877145B2 |
Wireless communication apparatus and method for a user wirelessly receiving information regarding belongings of a nearby person
Information on the belongings of a nearby-present person is easily acquired. An information processing apparatus comprises a reception unit and a control unit. Herein, the reception unit is directed for receiving belongings information of the user of other information processing apparatus transmitted from the other information processing apparatus by use of wireless communication. Further, the control unit is directed for causing the received belongings information to be output and controlling evaluation information on the belongings information to be transmitted to the other information processing apparatus by use of wireless communication on the basis of a user operation for the belongings information. |
| US09877144B2 |
Method for transmission of IPv6 packets over near field communication (NFC) and device operating the same
Provided are a method of transmitting an Internet Packet version 6 (IPv6) packet over near field communication (NFC) and a device for performing the method. The method of transmitting an IPv6 packet over NFC includes receiving the IPv6 packet through a Logical Link Control Protocol (LLCP), and transmitting the IPv6 packet to an Information Field in Protocol Data Unit (I PDU) of the LLCP, and transmitting the IPv6 packet through an adaptation layer for IPv6 over NFC, wherein the maximum number of octets in the I PDU is determined based on a Maximum Transfer Unit (MTU). |
| US09877138B1 |
Method and system for localized data retrieval
A system and method for localized data retrieval to disseminate data about points of interest at a display venue, based on a local area network established with a series of commonly named wireless access points operatively connected to a main router. The system is connected to a user's mobile device through an application they are directed to download. Each WAP has a common name and is located about the display venue in close enough proximity to other WAPs so as to constitute an uninterrupted communication platform with the main LDRS computer from which data about the points of interest is polled. Interspersed about the display venue is a series of tracking devices causing nearby mobile devices to self report their location to the LDRS computer. |
| US09877136B2 |
HRTF personalization based on anthropometric features
The derivation of personalized HRTFs for a human subject based on the anthropometric feature parameters of the human subject involves obtaining multiple anthropometric feature parameters and multiple HRTFs of multiple training subjects. Subsequently, multiple anthropometric feature parameters of a human subject are acquired. A representation of the statistical relationship between the plurality of anthropometric feature parameters of the human subject and a subset of the multiple anthropometric feature parameters belonging to the plurality of training subjects is determined. The representation of the statistical relationship is then applied to the multiple HRTFs of the plurality of training subjects to obtain a set of personalized HRTFs for the human subject. |
| US09877133B2 |
Sound collection and reproduction system, sound collection and reproduction apparatus, sound collection and reproduction method, sound collection and reproduction program, sound collection system, and reproduction system
The sound collection and reproduction system reproduces comprise: a microphone array selection unit which selects a microphone arrays; an area sound collection unit which collects sounds of all areas by using the microphone arrays; an area sound selection unit which selects an area sound of an area corresponding to a specified listening position, and area sounds of surrounding areas of this area corresponding to a listening direction, in accordance with a sound reproduction environment; an area volume adjustment unit which adjusts a volume of each area sound unit in accordance with a distance from the specified listening position; and a stereophonic sound processing unit which performs a stereophonic sound process, for each area sound to which volume adjustment has been performed by the area volume adjustment unit, by using a transfer function corresponding to a sound reproduction environment. |
| US09877132B2 |
Audio signal of an FM stereo radio receiver by using parametric stereo
The invention relates to a method for improving a stereo audio signal of an FM stereo radio receiver. The method comprises determining one or more parametric stereo parameters based on the stereo audio signal in a frequency-variant or frequency-invariant manner. Preferably, these PS parameters are time- and frequency-variant. Moreover, the method comprises generating the improved stereo signal based on a first audio signal and the one or more parametric stereo parameters. The first audio signal is obtained from the stereo audio signal, e.g. by a downmix operation. |
| US09877131B2 |
Apparatus and method for enhancing a spatial perception of an audio signal
An apparatus and a method for enhancing a spatial perception of an audio signal are provided creating increased interaural-level differences. To obtain this effect, two dipoles are used: one for producing a left audio signal and one for producing a right audio signal. |
| US09877130B2 |
Synchronization of signals for multiple data sinks
A data source sends a synchronization signal and information to several data sinks that use the synchronization signal and a specified parameter to determine when to process the information. The data source and data sinks may comprise wireless nodes such as, for example, a wireless audio source that sends multi-channel data to a pair of wireless earpieces. The wireless earpieces use the synchronization signal and a latency interval to determine the appropriate time to output audio based on the audio channels. |
| US09877125B2 |
Ear model unit, artificial head, and measurement device and method using said ear model unit and artificial head
A measurement device (10) is for evaluating an acoustic device (100) that allows sound to be heard via vibration transmission by having a housing (101) provided with a vibrating element (102) be held by a head including a human ear. The measurement device (10) includes an ear model unit (50) modeled after a human ear, a model of a human body that holds the acoustic device (100), and a vibration detector (55) disposed in the ear model unit (50). |
| US09877123B2 |
Method of manufacturing a hearing device and hearing device with certificate
A hearing device includes: a processing unit configured to compensate for hearing loss of a user of the hearing device; a memory unit; and an interface; wherein the memory unit has a hearing device certificate stored therein, the hearing device certificate comprising: a hearing device identifier, a plurality of hearing device keys, at least one hearing device key identifier indicative of one of the hearing device keys. |
| US09877121B2 |
Control button configurations for auditory prostheses
A button on an auditory prosthesis is aligned with a shaft and a bone anchor of the prosthesis. Forces resulting from pressing of the button are evenly distributed towards the anchor, which prevents damage to the prosthesis. The button can be connected to the prosthesis housing with a flexible element or seal, which acts as a soft mute function when the button is pressed, further reducing the risk of feedback. Dampers can be incorporated into the button structure to further dampen feedback that can be transmitted to other components of the auditory prosthesis. |
| US09877120B2 |
Method and system for wireless communication between a telephone and a hearing aid
The present invention relates to a system comprising a telephone (10) and a hearing aid (40). The analog signal to the loudspeaker (11) of the telephone (10) is picked up and digitalized at the telephone where after it is wirelessly transmitted to the hearing aid (40) using a radio transceiver at the telephone (10), coupling with a radio at the hearing aid. The sound from the telephone (10) is hereby transmitted directly to the hearing aid without relying on the acoustic coupling between the telephone speaker (11) and the hearing aid microphones and may further be transmitted to both left and right hearing aid at the same time. The invention provides a telephone, a hearing aid and a method of communicating with a hearing aid. |
| US09877115B2 |
Dynamic relative transfer function estimation using structured sparse Bayesian learning
The use of a dynamic Relative Transfer Function (RTF) between two or more microphones may be used to improve multi-microphone speech processing applications. The dynamic RTF may improve speech intelligibility and speech quality in the presence of environmental changes, such as variations in head or body movements, variations in hearing device characteristics or wearing positions, or variations in room or environment acoustics. The use of an efficient and fast dynamic RTF estimation algorithm using short burst of noisy, reverberant mic recordings, which will be robust to head movements may provide more accurate RTFs which may lead to a significant performance increase. |
| US09877113B2 |
Condenser microphone unit and condenser microphone
A condenser microphone unit that has a capacitor element with a large effective area and a high signal-noise ratio but does not have frequency-dependence occurring with sound waves beyond the audio frequency range. A solid cylindrical fixed electrode pole is used as a fixed electrode. A diaphragm includes a rectangular synthetic resin film having a length smaller than or equal to the axis length of the fixed electrode pole, and a width equal to a circumferential length of the fixed electrode pole, the synthetic resin film including an electrode film on one face and ribs on the other face and entirely partitioned by the ribs into a plurality of diaphragm regions. The synthetic resin film is attached to an entire outer periphery of the fixed electrode pole such that the ribs are in contact with the outer periphery. |
| US09877109B2 |
Diaphragm for loudspeaker, loudspeaker, electronic apparatus, and mobile apparatus
A diaphragm for loudspeaker contains resin and single-crystal diamond powder dispersed in the resin. |
| US09877100B1 |
Audio sensing to alert device user
A method includes identifying an active state of a headset interface of a device. A signal generated by a microphone of the device is monitored to identify an alert trigger not initiated by a user of the device. Operation of the headset interface is interrupted responsive to identifying the alert trigger. A device includes a microphone, a headset interface, and a processor coupled to the microphone and the headset interface. The processor is to identify an active state of the headset interface, monitor a signal generated by the microphone to identify an alert trigger not initiated by a user of the device, and interrupt operation of the headset interface responsive to identifying the alert trigger. |
| US09877097B2 |
Slim-tunnel wind port for a communication device
A housing having a port for reducing wind-induced noise in a communication device. The housing includes a first channel, a second channel, and a ridge between the first and second channels. The housing further includes a tunnel extending through the ridge, which tunnel connects the first and second channels. The housing further includes a microphone port beneath the ridge, which microphone port is connected to the tunnel and connects the tunnel to a microphone cavity in the housing. |
| US09877096B2 |
Portable speaker mount
A portable speaker mount is provided. The portable speaker mount includes a base plate having a front surface, a rear surface, an upper edge, a lower edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge. At least one upper flange arm extends from the upper edge of the base plate and curves towards the lower edge. At least one lower flange arm extends from the lower edge of the base plate and curves towards the upper edge. The lower flange arm includes a first clearance portion disposed in between an outer edge of the lower flange arm. The first clearance portion is positioned to align with a control and port region of a speaker. A cylinder shaped space is formed in between the upper flange arm and the at lower flange arm and is sized to snuggly fit the speaker in between. |
| US09877095B2 |
Member-fastening structure
A member-fastening structure permits three members to be fastened and fixed such that a first member and a second member holds a third member therebetween. The fastening of three members is accomplished with a meter visor that has a first through-hole formed therein. A speaker ring has a projecting part formed thereon which is inserted into the first through-hole. The projecting part has a second through-hole formed therein in a direction perpendicular to a projecting direction of the projecting part. A speaker grille is positioned on the meter visor, and the projecting part of the speaker ring is then caused to project downward through the first through-hole of the meter visor. A clip is inserted into the second through-hole of the projecting part projecting from an underside of the meter visor, and is engaged with the second through-hole of the projecting part and the underside of the meter visor. |
| US09877089B2 |
Wireless environmental sensor
A wireless environmental sensor or monitoring device includes a processor unit, a monitor module for monitoring and collecting data corresponding to an environmental parameter, a radio module configured to enable wireless communication of the data to a remote system, and logic executable by the processor unit to: monitor wireless communication connectivity between the radio module and the remote system; and responsive to detecting a loss of wireless communication connectivity with the remote system, automatically enable a wireless access point (AP) mode of the radio module to initiate a broadcast of a local wireless network identifier to enable a client device to wirelessly locate and connect to the sensor device. |
| US09877078B2 |
Rules-based content management
Techniques for rules-based content management are provided. Video on demand content is collected from a variety of sources. Business rules embedded within metadata can be retrieved where the business rules control processing and delivery of the video on demand content. The video on demand content may be selectively packaged in response to the business rules and the metadata to generate packaged video on demand content. A server can distribute the packaged video on demand content to devices. A priority for processing the packaged video on demand content can be based on a quality of service parameter and based on the metadata, the business rules, and a license embedded within the metadata where the license describes the priority. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US09877077B2 |
Systems, methods, and media for managing an entertainment system
Systems, methods, and media for managing an entertainment system are provided. In some implementations, systems for managing an entertainment system are provided, the systems comprising: at least one hardware processor configured to: detect a first instruction; select a component of the entertainment system; determine a first state of the component; store an indication of the first state; detect a second instruction; retrieve the indication of the first state; generate a third instruction based on the indication of the first state; and transmit the third instruction to the component of the entertainment system. |
| US09877076B2 |
Dynamic management of audiovisual and data communications
A device, system and method are provided to dynamically manage bandwidth for audiovisual communications and content distribution. The device, system and method may include dynamic qualification of content or channels for distribution in accordance with one or more distribution models, such as a broadcast distribution model and a narrowcast distribution model (e.g., a multicast distribution model and/or a unicast distribution model). In some embodiments, the qualification may be based on demand as reflected in requests for, or access to, content from user terminals. In some embodiments, based on changes in demand for content, a requalification of the content in terms of one or more distribution models may take place. |
| US09877075B2 |
Systems and methods for controlling media recording devices via a media recorder proxy device
A method includes receiving data from a communication device at a processor of a proxy device, the data requesting a recording of media content. The method includes, sending a first command to a first media recording device and a second command to a second media recording device. The first command instructs the first media recording device to generate a first recording based on the media content, and the second command instructs the second media recording device to generate a second recording based on the media content. The first recording has a first file format and the second recording has a second file format. The second file format is compatible with a portable device. |
| US09877067B2 |
System and method for broadcast-mediated coordination of interactive experiences
Systems and methods configured to facilitate broadcast-mediated coordination of interactive experiences are presented herein. The systems and/or methods may be configured to extend the experiences of audience members at a live event to users not be physically present at the live event. A user may view a broadcast and/or recording of a live event via a presentation device, such as a television, computer, and/or other devices. Interactive user experiences may be facilitate by one or more other user devices. Interactive user experiences may include one or more of interactive content being presented on mobile computing platforms associated with the users, one or more display devices being controlled to provide an entertaining output (e.g., visual, audible, tactile, and/or other output), and/or other types of experiences. |
| US09877066B2 |
Synchronization of multimedia streams
This method for synchronizing a first multimedia stream rendered on a first terminal and a second multimedia stream rendered on a second terminal, comprises a step of generation, from an original audio sequence of the first stream, of original audio fingerprints, and further comprises steps of: a) generation from a first sequence of the first stream first audio fingerprints; b) comparison between the first fingerprints and the original fingerprints in order to obtain one or more first synchronization positions; c) correlation of the first sequence with one or more pieces of the original sequence located around the first synchronization positions in order to obtain a second synchronization position; d) rendering of the second stream on the second terminal using the second synchronization position. |
| US09877062B2 |
Method and system for diversity combining for high-performance signal reception
A terrestrial receiver at a premises includes a plurality of antennas and a corresponding plurality of tuners. The terrestrial receiver receives terrestrial television signals via the plurality of antennas and the plurality of tuners and diversity combines a corresponding plurality of terrestrial television channels within the received terrestrial television signals, for example, based on control signals received from one or more customer premises equipment (CPE). The terrestrial receiver processes the diversity combined corresponding plurality of terrestrial television channels and communicates the processed and diversity combined corresponding plurality of terrestrial television channels to the one or more CPE. The diversity combined corresponding plurality of terrestrial television channels may be remodulated, and converted to corresponding analog signals prior to being communicated to the one or more CPE. The diversity combined corresponding plurality of terrestrial television channels may be demodulated and converted to intermediate frequency signals prior to being communicated to the one or more CPE. |
| US09877060B2 |
Method for programming a remote control
A method for programming a remote control for a device in which the device detects partially identifying metadata, filters the metadata and uses the metadata to search for matching code sets in a database. The code sets are presented in ordered sequence by probability weighting which is established depending on frequency of confirmation signal in response to the request using the filtered data, and as a function of the time difference between a current request and earlier matching requests. |
| US09877059B1 |
Video broadcasting with geolocation
A video hosting system is provided for storing and managing broadcasts. A user device communicates with the video hosting system to create or join a broadcast. The user device transmits video to the video hosting system for inclusion in the broadcast that may be joined by video transmitted by other user devices. Users of user devices may also search for nearby broadcasts to join. The video hosting system associates a time and place for broadcasts and limits users from joining a broadcast who do not correspond to the time and place of the broadcast. Users of the video hosting system may search for and view videos associated with a broadcast and compile portions of videos associated with a broadcast to create a compilation. |
| US09877052B1 |
System and method for set top box viewing data
In a video delivery context, collection and analysis of viewing data can provide insight into viewer interaction with video and the Internet. The viewing data can be transmitted in a controlled manner to a data repository. The system can selectively target specific viewers/households to obtain viewing data, which can be combined with demographics, anonymized, and encrypted. Embodiments enable precision selection of media opportunities, by determining detailed characteristics associated with broadcasts including movement of audiences and specific viewer behavior, such as visits to websites on the Internet. The effective yield of broadcasts, including promotional spots and advertisements, can be determined and predicted based on concrete data at a level of detail down to individual viewers. Accordingly, embodiments enable improvement of the effectiveness and return on investment for programming, promotional spots, and advertisements. |
| US09877048B2 |
Entropy coding techniques for display stream compression (DSC)
Entropy coding techniques for display stream compression (DSC) are disclosed. In one aspect, a method of entropy coding video data includes partitioning a block of the video data into a plurality of groups of samples based at least in part on a coding mode of the block. The method further includes entropy coding the block via performing a group-wise skip on at least one of the groups in response to all of the samples in the at least one group being equal to a predetermined value. |
| US09877047B2 |
Coding and decoding of interleaved image data
Sampled data is packaged in checkerboard format for encoding and decoding. The sampled data may be quincunx sampled multi-image video data (e.g., 3D video or a multi-program stream), and the data may also be divided into sub-images of each image which are then multiplexed, or interleaved, in frames of a video stream to be encoded and then decoded using a standardized video encoder. A system for viewing may utilize a standard video decoder and a formatting device that de-interleaves the decoded sub-images of each frame reformats the images for a display device. A 3D video may be encoded using a most advantageous interleaving format such that a preferred quality and compression ratio is reached. In one embodiment, the invention includes a display device that accepts data in multiple formats. |
| US09877043B2 |
Methods and systems for intra block copy coding with block vector derivation
Systems and methods are described for encoding and decoding video using derived block vectors as predictors in intra block copy mode. In an exemplary encoding method, an encoder identifies at least a first candidate block vector for the prediction of an input video block, where the first candidate block vector points to a first candidate block. The encoder then identifies a first predictive vector (e.g. a block vector or a motion vector) that was used to encode the first candidate block. From the first candidate block vector and the first predictive vector, the encoder generates a derived predictive vector from the first candidate block vector and the first predictive vector. The encoder then encodes the video block in the bit stream using the derived predictive vector for the prediction of the input video block. |
| US09877042B1 |
Position encoder sample timing system
A position encoder system (e.g., including a linear encoder) is configured to rapidly provide encoder position data in response to position trigger signals that are received from a host motion control system at predictable times (e.g., according to a preset frequency, etc.) A pre-trigger lead time is determined that is a fraction of a duration of a defined encoder position sample period. A current instance of the encoder position sample period is then initiated at the pre-trigger lead time before a next predictable time of the position trigger signal. A current position trigger signal is then received (e.g., near the middle of the current instance of the encoder position sample period) from the host motion control system. The average effective sample time of the current instance of the encoder position sample period coincides with the actual timing of the current position trigger signal within an allowed tolerance window. |
| US09877039B2 |
Apparatus for encoding moving picture
Provided is an apparatus for encoding a moving picture that determines a quantization step size of a previous coding block according to scan order as the quantization step size predictor of the current coding block when a quantization step size of a left coding block of a current coding block and a quantization step size of an above coding block of the current coding block are unavailable and determines an available motion vector encountered first when retrieving motion vectors in the order of motion vector of a first predetermined position and motion vector of a second predetermined position in a reference picture as a temporal motion vector candidate. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the amount of coding bits required to encode motion information and the quantization step size of the current prediction block. |
| US09877038B2 |
Motion vector calculation method, picture coding method, picture decoding method, motion vector calculation apparatus, and picture coding and decoding apparatus
A motion vector calculation method which attains a higher compression rate, includes: a selection step of selecting one of at least one reference motion vector of a reference block; and a calculation step of calculating a motion vector of a current block to be processed, using the one reference motion vector selected in the selection step, and in the selection step, when the reference block has two reference motion vectors, one of the two reference motion vectors is selected based on whether the reference block is located before or after the current block in display time order, and when the reference block has only one reference motion vector, the one reference motion vector is selected. |
| US09877036B2 |
Inter frame watermark in a digital video
Watermark data is converted to watermark coefficients, which may be embedded in an image by converting the image to a frequency domain, embedding the watermark in image coefficients corresponding to medium-frequency components, and converting the modified coefficients to the spatial domain. The watermark data is extracted from the modified image by converting the modified image to a frequency domain, extracting the watermark coefficients from the image coefficients, and determining the watermark data from the watermark coefficients. The watermark data may be truncated image data bits such as truncated least significant data bits. After extraction from the watermark, the truncated image data bits may be combined with data bits representing the original image to increase the bit depth of the image. Watermark data may include audio data portions corresponding to a video frame, reference frames temporally proximate to a video frame, high-frequency content, sensor calibration information, or other image data. |
| US09877034B2 |
Pipelined video decoder system
Efficient decoding of video content that may involve intra block copy operations, such as copying pixel data from one region of a frame to another region of the same frame is described. For example, a method to decode the video content may involve identifying the video frame in which intra block copy operation is to be performed, prior to the intra block copy operation being initiated. A video decoder may prefetch the pixel data from the source region to a local buffer with low memory latency such that the source pixel data to be copied into the destination blocks in the video frame is readily available. Thus, costly, and time consuming memory access may be avoided, and in turn a video decoding pipeline may operate smoothly without any stalling. |
| US09877032B2 |
Weighted multi-band cross color channel predictor
A sequence of visual dynamic range (VDR) images is encoded using a standard dynamic range (SDR) base layer and one or more enhancement layers. A predicted VDR image is generated from an SDR input by using a weighted, multi-band, cross-color channel prediction model. Exponential weights with an adaptable decay parameter for each band are also presented. |
| US09877031B2 |
System and method for multi-resolution raster data processing
An improved method and system are provided for constructing square multi-resolution tiles for use with spatial multi-resolution raster data. This improvement permits more efficient storage, processing and display of raster tiles at different resolutions. A base level cell size is defined for a highest required resolution. Lower resolution cell sizes are defined for lower resolution tiles. The lower resolution cell sizes are integer multiples of the base level cell size. A base level tile size is defined such that the integer multiples, as used in the step of defining lower resolution cell sizes, are all integer factors of a number of cells on a side of the base level tile. Using this technique, the boundaries for the base level tile and the multi-resolution tiles are coextensive. |
| US09877030B2 |
Apparatus and method for encoding/decoding additional intra-information
The present disclosure provides an apparatus for encoding additional intra-information includes an intra prediction mode selecting unit for performing an intra prediction by applying at least one of one or more predetermined types of partitions and one or more prediction modes with respect to a coding unit, and for selecting at least one of a partition among the one or more types of partitions and a prediction mode among the one or more prediction modes; a partitioning and prediction mode table lookup unit for looking up a table, and for generating a table hit signal if the table has at least one of a partition corresponding to the selected partition and a prediction mode corresponding to the selected prediction mode; and an entropy encoding unit for performing an encoding based on the table, if the table hit signal is received. |
| US09877029B2 |
Palette index binarization for palette-based video coding
An example method of coding video data includes determining, for a current block of video data, a palette that includes a plurality of entries that each corresponds to a respective color value; determining a particular entry in the palette that is predicted to correspond to a color value of a current pixel of the current block; selecting a binarization from a plurality of binarizations; and coding, using the selected binarization, an index that indicates which entry in the palette corresponds to a color value for a current pixel of the current block, wherein coding the index using a first binarization of the plurality of binarizations comprises coding a syntax element that indicates whether the index is equal to the particular entry, and wherein coding the index using a second binarization of the plurality of binarizations comprises coding the index using a variable length code without coding the syntax element. |
| US09877027B2 |
Moving picture coding device, moving picture coding method, and moving picture coding program, and moving picture decoding device, moviing picture decoding method, and moving picture decoding program
In a moving picture coding device that codes moving pictures in units of a block by partitioning a first block, which is obtained by partitioning each picture of the moving pictures into predetermined sizes, into one or a plurality of second blocks, a quantization parameter calculation unit calculates a quantization parameter of the second block. A predictive quantization parameter deriving unit derives a predictive quantization parameter of the second block using quantization parameters of a third block adjacent to the left of the second block and a fourth block adjacent to the top of the second block. A differential quantization parameter generation unit generates a differential quantization parameter of the second block from a difference between the quantization parameter of the second block and the predictive quantization parameter. A first bitstream generation unit codes the differential quantization parameter of the second block. |
| US09877025B2 |
Video encoding and decoding with prediction at higher precision
A video decoder has a transform mode and a transform skip mode and in the transform skip mode a residual prediction mode is selected. A compressed bit-stream is entropy-decoded to obtain a block of quantised values. An inverse quantiser operates in the transform mode to form transform coefficients and in the transform skip mode to form differential residual values. In the transform mode an inverse transform is performed to form residual values. In the transform skip mode residual prediction is used perform residual prediction using high accuracy locally decoded residual value. The residual value is then down-scaled to obtain the reconstructed residual. A block predictor is formed from decoded image values at the same precision at which video samples are stored in the frame memory. |
| US09877020B2 |
Method for encoding inter-layer video for compensating luminance difference and device therefor, and method for decoding video and device therefor
Provided are an inter-layer video encoding method and apparatus therefor and an inter-layer video decoding method and apparatus therefor. An inter-layer video decoding method involves reconstructing a first layer image, based on encoding information obtained from a first layer bitstream; in order to reconstruct a second layer block determined as a predetermined partition type and to be in a prediction mode, determining whether to perform illumination compensation for the reconstructed second layer block determined by using a first layer reference block that is from among the reconstructed first layer image and corresponds to the second layer block; and generating the reconstructed second layer block by using inter-layer prediction information obtained from a second layer bitstream and the first layer reference block, and generating a second layer image including the reconstructed second layer block whose illumination is determined according to whether the illumination compensation was performed. |
| US09877018B2 |
Managing a display
A system and computer implemented method for managing a display for a software application is disclosed. The software application may have a set of portions. The method can include collecting, for a first portion and a second portion of the set of portions, optical tracking information including a set of viewing coordinates having a temporal feature. The method can also include determining, based on the optical tracking information including the set of viewing coordinates having the temporal feature, a set of viewing scores including a first group of viewing scores and a second group of viewing scores. The method can also include generating a frustum having a set of regions. The set of regions can include a first region, to provide the first portion, based on the first group of viewing scores, and a second region, to provide the second portion, based on the second group of viewing scores. |
| US09877017B2 |
Auto-stereoscopic display apparatus and method of driving the same
A method of driving an auto-stereoscopic display apparatus includes detecting a position of a user to determine a target visible distance, determining at least one original pixel unit having a first unit width based on the target visible distance, wherein the pixel unit includes a plurality of pixel sets in a row, each pixel set including N pixels, comparing the target visible distance to a predetermined reference visible distance of the auto-stereoscopic display apparatus, and converting the original pixel unit to a compensated pixel unit having a second unit width different from the first unit width to project viewpoint sets through the N pixels to a viewing zone at the target visible distance. |
| US09877011B2 |
Image display apparatus and image display method
An image display apparatus for converting an image into a virtual viewpoint image so that the image of an object is not distorted. |
| US09877004B2 |
Color-mixture-ratio calculation device and method, and imaging device
When a color-filter-array of a color-imaging-element is a Bayer-array, outputs of pixels prior to color-mixture correction are acquired from the color imaging element when red light is incident onto the color-imaging-element through a photography optical system, the outputs of the green pixels adjacent to the red pixels, among the acquired outputs of each pixel, are regarded as components of color mixture caused by the red pixels, and ratios of color mixture are calculated. In a central portion of an imaging surface of the color-imaging-element, ratios of color mixture, which do not depend on directions of the color mixture caused by the red pixels, are calculated. In end portions of the imaging surface of the color-imaging-element, separate ratios of color mixture according to the directions of the color mixture caused by the red pixels are respectively calculated. The calculated ratios of color mixture are subjected to interpolation calculation. |
| US09877002B2 |
Reconfigurable mobile device
A reconfigurable mobile device is provided. The reconfigurable mobile device includes a first body, a second body that is disposed at a side of the first body and is movable with respect to the first body, a multistage supporter that is provided between the first body and the second body and comprises at least two supporting members that are inserted and received in at least one of the first body and the second body according to movement of the first body and the second body, a screen that is provided in the multistage supporter and is wound or unwound according to the movement of the first body and the second body, and a projector that is provided in at least one of the first body and the second body and configured to project an image toward the screen. |
| US09876998B2 |
Light source apparatus and projector
A light source apparatus includes a light source, a substrate provided rotatably around a predetermined axis of rotation, a scattered light generator which is provided on the substrate and on which light from the light source is incident, a pickup lens provided on the light exiting side of the scattered light generator, and a holding member that holds the pickup lens, and at least one of the contour of a surface closest to the substrate among the surfaces of the holding member and the contour of a surface facing the substrate among the surfaces of the pickup lens is located inside the contour of the substrate when viewed in the direction parallel to the axis of rotation. |
| US09876991B1 |
Hierarchical key management system for digital rights management and associated methods
An intermediate server (104) is operable in a distributed key management system (300). The intermediate server comprises one or more processors (205) and an intermediate key material repository (302) to store digital rights management key material. The intermediate server can be operable in the system between a master server (101) and a local server (106), with the local server to deliver content (108) to one or more subscriber devices (109,110). The intermediate server, or optionally a management system (117) can pre-populate the intermediate key material repository with one or key material (1005) corresponding to fragments (1001) of the content prior to the fragments of content being requested by the one or more subscriber devices. |
| US09876986B2 |
Mechanisms to conceal real time video artifacts caused by frame loss
The claimed subject matter provides systems and/or methods that facilitate describing, communicating, utilizing, etc. a frame dependency structure in connection with real time video communication. For example, a protocol can be employed to communicate the dependency structure from a sender to a receiver. Moreover, a mechanism on a receiver side can detect frame(s) that will be rendered with artifacts if displayed due to previous frame loss; this mechanism can leverage receiver side knowledge concerning the dependency structure of the of the frames. |
| US09876984B2 |
Mounting system
A mounting system capable of mounting objects to support structures. The mounting system includes a wall mount including a display bracket configured to hold the object, a fixed support bracket coupleable to a vertical support structure, and a linkage assembly. The linkage assembly has a low-profile stowed configuration in which the object is held in a raised position close to the support structure. The linkage assembly moves to another configuration to move the object. The object can be held in a lowered position. A biasing mechanism can facilitate convenient movement of the object. |
| US09876982B2 |
Text detection in video
Techniques of detecting text in video are disclosed. In some embodiments, a portion of video content can be identified as having text. Text within the identified portion of the video content can be identified. A category for the identified text can be determined. In some embodiments, a determination is made as to whether the video content satisfies at least one predetermined condition, and the portion of video content is identified as having text in response to a determination that the video content satisfies the predetermined condition(s). In some embodiments, the predetermined condition(s) comprises at least one of a minimum level of clarity, a minimum level of contrast, and a minimum level of content stability across multiple frames. In some embodiments, additional information corresponding to the video content is determined based on the identified text and the determined category. |
| US09876975B2 |
Solid-state image sensor and image sensing system with readout unit including current source
A sensor has an image sensing unit including pixel blocks, and a readout unit for reading out a signal from the image sensing unit. The pixel block includes a photoelectric converter, first and second transistors, and a current source. First main electrodes of the first and second transistors are connected to a common node, and the current source is provided between the common node and a predetermined voltage. A signal readout operation includes an operation in which a voltage corresponding to charges in the photoelectric converter is supplied to a control electrode of the first transistor, and a temporally changing reference voltage is supplied to a control electrode of the second transistor. The readout unit reads out a signal from the image sensing unit via a second main electrode of the first transistor. |
| US09876974B2 |
Endoscope
An endoscope is an endoscope connectable to a processor provided with a high frequency component enhancement circuit configured to perform, for an image pickup signal having an attenuated high frequency component, enhancement correction of the high frequency component, the endoscope including: a CMOS image sensor provided with an image pickup portion configured to pick up an optical image of a subject and generate an analog image pickup signal and an A/D converting portion configured to convert the analog image pickup signal to a digital image pickup signal and output the digital image pickup signal; a cable for transmitting the digital image pickup signal; and a filter having frequency characteristics equalizing frequency characteristics of the high frequency component enhancement circuit. |
| US09876971B2 |
Solid-state imaging device
The solid-state imaging device includes unit cells each of which and generates a pixel signal corresponding to a light reception amount, vertical signal lines each of which is provided for a corresponding column of the unit cells and transfers the corresponding pixel signal, comparators each of which is provided for corresponding one of the vertical signal lines, and a ramp signal generation circuit that supplies a common ramp signal to the comparators. Each of the comparators includes a differential amplifier circuit that includes a transistor to which the ramp signal or the pixel signal is input, a transistor to which the other of the ramp signal and the pixel signal is input, an output terminal for outputting a signal corresponding to a difference between the ramp signal and the pixel signal, and a voltage generation circuit for reducing fluctuations of charge accumulated in a capacitance component of the transistor. |
| US09876970B2 |
Multi-exposure imaging
Certain cameras and systems described herein produce enhanced dynamic range still or video images. The images can also have controlled or reduced motion artifacts. Moreover, the cameras and systems in some cases allow the dynamic range and/or motion artifacts to be tuned to achieve a desired cinematic effect. |
| US09876968B2 |
Drift correction method for infrared imaging device
A method reduces drift induced by environment changes when imaging radiation from a scene in two wavelength bands. Scene radiation is focused by two wedge-shaped components through a lens onto a detector that includes three separate regions. The wedge-shaped components are positioned at a fixed distance from the lens. The radiation from the scene is imaged separately onto two of the detector regions through an f-number of less than approximately 1.5 to produce a first pixel signal. Imaged radiation on each of the two regions includes radiation in one respective wavelength band. Radiation from a radiation source is projected by at least one of the wedge-shaped components through the lens onto a third detector region to produce a second pixel signal. The first pixel signal is modified based on a predetermined function that defines a relationship between second pixel signal changes and first pixel signal changes induced by environment changes. |
| US09876957B2 |
Dual mode image sensor and method of using same
A dual mode image sensor is provided. The image sensor includes an on-chip sensing array, on-chip analog-to-digital converters, and an on-chip processor. The sensor array has rows and columns of discrete sensor elements. The dual mode image sensor has a scene sensing mode and an image capture mode, which use the same set of imaging optics. The processor includes a dual context register; one being for the scene sensing mode and the other for image capture mode. The scene sensing mode is configured to output results of object sensing, motion detection, focus evaluation and illumination measurement to the analog-to-digital converters. The image capture mode is configured to output captured images to the analog-to-digital converters, which are configured to send the digital data to the processor. The processor is configured to switch from scene sensing mode to image capture mode based upon the scene sensing mode output results. |
| US09876956B2 |
Imaging apparatus, imaging control method and storage medium
In the present invention, when a user operation (shutter button depression) for instructing to start still image recording or a user operation (REC button depression) for instructing to start moving image recording is performed and detected at recording timing in interval shooting, a CPU records a still image or a moving image by an imaging section based on the user operation, without temporarily stopping the recording for the interval shooting. In addition, the CPU stores, in an external memory, a still image or a moving image recorded by the interval shooting and the still image or the moving image recorded by the detection of the user's instruction operation such that they can be managed to be usable as material for the interval shooting. |
| US09876954B2 |
Calibrating panoramic imaging system in multiple dimensions
Example apparatus and methods produce image correction data for a lens or sensor based on individual images acquired under different operating parameters. Example apparatus and methods then produce strip correction data based on a strip of images pieced together from the individual images. Example apparatus and methods then produce panoramic image correction data based on a panoramic image pieced together from two or more strips of images. The strip of images is produced without using a hemispherical mirror and thus accounts more accurately for issues associated with making a two dimensional representation of a three dimensional spherical volume. Images are acquired using different imaging parameters (e.g., focal length, pan position, tilt position) under different imaging conditions (e.g., temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, pan rate, tilt rate) to account for aberrations that may appear or be exacerbated under operating conditions. Example apparatus and methods then correct images using the correction data. |
| US09876952B2 |
High resolution thin multi-aperture imaging systems
A multi-aperture imaging system comprising a first camera with a first sensor that captures a first image and a second camera with a second sensor that captures a second image, the two cameras having either identical or different FOVs. The first sensor may have a standard color filter array (CFA) covering one sensor section and a non-standard color CFA covering another. The second sensor may have either Clear or standard CFA covered sections. Either image may be chosen to be a primary or an auxiliary image, based on a zoom factor. An output image with a point of view determined by the primary image is obtained by registering the auxiliary image to the primary image. |
| US09876951B2 |
Image subject and composition demand
A method, computer program product and computer system is provided. A processor identifies a location of a user. A processor determines a subject based on the location of the user. A processor determines a composition factor associated with the subject. A processor determines a popularity score for the subject based, at least in part on, a plurality of search queries from a plurality of users. Responsive to the popularity score for the subject being above a threshold, a processor sends a suggestion for an image including the subject and the composition factor associated with the subject. |
| US09876949B2 |
Camera module and array camera module with circuit board unit and photosensitive unit and manufacturing method thereof
A camera module and array camera module with circuit board unit and photosensitive unit and manufacturing method thereof is provided. The array camera module comprises two or more camera lenses and a circuit unit. The circuit unit comprises a circuit board portion for electrically connecting two or more photosensitive sensors of the array camera module, and a conjoined encapsulation portion integrally encapsulated on the circuit board portion. The camera lenses are respectively arranged along the photosensitive paths of the photosensitive sensors. |
| US09876946B2 |
Imaging device and electronic device
An imaging device with low power consumption is provided. A pixel circuit has a configuration of detecting difference data between data of a reference frame and data of a target frame in a pixel, and a peripheral circuit has a configuration of efficiently converting the difference data by A/D conversion so as to obtain high compressibility. Difference data which is encoded by compression is written into a memory element and read sequentially. At this time, the frequency of a clock signal can be lowered in accordance with the amount of data. The read data is expanded and the expanded data is added to the reference frame to constitute an image. |
| US09876942B2 |
Image processing apparatus and computer program
An image processing apparatus includes: a controller configured to perform: acquiring original image data representing an original image and corrected image data representing a corrected image, the corrected image data being generated by executing specific correction processing on the original image data; calculating a first index value and a second index value, the first index value relating to a color distribution of the original image by using the original image data, and the second index value relating to a color distribution of the corrected image by using the corrected image data; and determining which processing, among a plurality of processing candidates that are executable by the image processing apparatus, corresponds to the specific correction processing, based on comparison of the calculated first index value and the calculated second index value. |
| US09876941B2 |
Image forming apparatus, decoloring apparatus and image forming method
In one embodiment, an image forming apparatus forms an image on a recording medium using a plurality of decolorable coloring materials having different decoloring conditions. Further, the image forming apparatus forms a mark relating to authority information indicating authority capable of decoloring one of the plurality of decolorable coloring materials for each of the decolorable coloring materials on the recording medium. Further, in another embodiment, a decoloring apparatus grasps the authority information, and decolors the image of the decolorable coloring material, in accordance with the grasped authority information. |
| US09876937B1 |
Saving marking material using threshold arrays and toner reduction mask
Methods and devices create a first halftone image and a different second halftone image from a continuous tone image. A third halftone image is produced by identifying pixels that are common to both the first and second halftone images. A toner reduction mask is applied to the third halftone image to produce a fourth halftone image (the fourth halftone image has only holes and remaining ones of the common pixels). The holes are added to the first halftone image to create a reduced-toner halftone image. Further, edges of features within the continuous tone image are detected (to identify edge pixels of the edge features) and such edge pixels are added to the reduced-toner halftone image to produce a print-ready halftone image. Finally, such methods print the print-ready halftone image on print media. |
| US09876933B2 |
Job processing system, job processing apparatus, and program
A job processing system includes: a job processing apparatus configured to execute an input job; and a plurality of terminals configured to receive an operation to set a job to be input to the job processing apparatus including: a processor configured to have a function of acquiring setting information indicating setting contents of a job for which a terminal has received a setting operation from a user by a first method and a second method; and a saving unit configured to save job setting information, the processor being configured to determine whether a first job setting operation is to be taken over by another terminal, and combine first job setting information with setting information about a job corresponding to a job setting operation received from a user by another terminal, and the job processing apparatus accepting an input of the first job. |
| US09876929B2 |
Image output device, image output system, mobile information processing device, image output method, and non-transitory computer readable medium
An image output device includes a transmitting unit and a receiving unit. The transmitting unit transmits, via visible-light communication, information for identifying the image output device as a destination of second communication different from the visible-light communication. The receiving unit receives a print instruction from a mobile information processing device via the second communication in accordance with the information. The transmitting unit stops emission of light for the visible-light communication in response to receipt of the print instruction by the receiving unit. |
| US09876927B2 |
Image forming apparatus having a guide member for regulating approaching of two cables
An image reading device is movable between a first position and a second position spaced farther apart from an image forming device than the first position, and a regulating member configured to regulate respective positions of two cables maintains, when the image reading device is at the first position, the two cables, respectively, in a bent state in a direction away from each other. |
| US09876922B2 |
Image forming apparatus with a short-range wireless communication antenna
Provided is an image forming apparatus that is able to concentrate user access, and maintain a high degree of usability. The image forming apparatus is an image forming apparatus with a short-range wireless communication antenna that includes a main unit that performs image formation, and an operation unit that includes a touch-panel device and that is attached to the front of the main unit. The antenna is located in a space at the top inside a housing of the operation unit where the touch-panel device is not located. |
| US09876921B2 |
Controller to control tank filling with a liquid
An object is to improve a user's convenience. There is provided a control unit for use in a liquid ejecting apparatus using a tank containing a liquid and a storage material attachable to and detachable from the liquid ejecting apparatus, and storing an amount of the liquid in the tank. After the storage material is not mounted on a predetermined place, the control unit receives an answer for a question to ask whether or not the liquid is injected to the tank. |
| US09876918B2 |
Information processing system for generating job execution screen, electronic apparatus, and program
An information processing system including an electronic apparatus and at least one information processing apparatus which are connected through a network includes an acquisition destination information administration unit configured to administer acquisition destination information of setup information for an execution of a job in the electronic apparatus, a setup information acquisition unit configured to acquire the setup information from an acquisition destination specified by the acquisition destination information acquired from the acquisition destination information administration unit, and a setup information reflection unit configured to control a content of the job executed by the electronic apparatus based on a content of the setup information. |
| US09876915B2 |
Message exchange
Disclosed is a voice message exchange system and method for improving communication between an inmate and a third party by enabling the inmate to leave a message when a call is not answered and further allowing the third party who receives the message to reply with a message to the inmate. Additionally, outside parties that meet the institution's requirements can leave messages for inmates at any time. The present invention can be used as an add-on to legacy inmate call management systems or incorporated internally into an inmate call management system. The system also provides monitoring, controlling, recording, and billing means. |
| US09876914B2 |
Flexible communication systems and methods
A method of initiating a telecommunication session for a communication device that includes submitting to one or more telecommunication carriers a proposal for a telecommunication session, receiving from at least one of the one or more telecommunication carriers a bid to carry the telecommunications session, and automatically selecting one of the telecommunication carriers from the carriers submitting a bid, and initiating the telecommunication session through the selected telecommunication carrier. |
| US09876912B2 |
Parallel forking with AoR chaining
The concept of chained parallel forking is introduced. Addresses of record are included in a contactee's contact resolution preferences to enable an incoming INVITE message to be routed to one or more users as well as other devices, per the contactee's contact resolution preferences. A communication system configured to execute the chained parallel forking contact resolution process is also described. |
| US09876911B2 |
System and method for augmenting features of visual voice mail
A method for delivery of a voice mail message to a recipient. The method includes determining content of the voice mail message, identifying a recipient of the voice mail message based on the determining step, converting the voice mail message to a format for delivery based on the identifying step, and delivering the converted voice mail message to the recipient. The method further includes identifying a voice mail box of the recipient and caching voice mail box information at a voice mail server. |
| US09876908B2 |
Method and system for managing interactive communications campaigns with text messaging
A messaging platform includes a text messaging subsystem that includes a suite of enhancements that facilitate implementation of a multi-channel communications strategy with high level and fine-grained control over outbound message creation or inbound message handling. |
| US09876906B2 |
Remote call center system with real-time feedback
This invention is a system and method for making remote calls linked to a call center, which is also capable monitoring the quality of the calls made by the sales agents at a call center. The sales agents can make the calls, without the need for a computer, using only a fixed or mobile telephone line from a remote station, which may be their home or elsewhere. The system includes a database with information of the customers and of the recorded calls made by the agents, a centralized call platform (CCP) with a server connected to the database, which concentrates in a virtual place all the calls made by the various agents and controls the numerical menus with the respective options through an automated interactive voice response (IVR) system that allows the platform to interact with an agent through the use of voice and touch input via keyboard, a plurality of remote call stations each with a fixed telephone line, and a central station or call center where the centralized platform is disposed. |
| US09876903B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for notifying a mobile station of an incoming circuit switched call during a packet switched session
Apparatus, system, and method for notifying a mobile station of an incoming circuit switched call during a packet switched session. During the packet switched session, a mobile station may receive a call notification of the circuit switched call. The call notification may be received via a packet switched network associated with the packet switched session. Additionally, the call notification may identify a calling party. In response, an indication of the circuit switched call may be displayed to a user on a display of the mobile station. This indication of the circuit switched call may identify the calling party. Additionally, the indication may be displayed while maintaining the packet switched session. In response, the user may provide input to the mobile station regarding whether to accept the circuit switched call. Based on this input, the mobile station may accept or reject the circuit switched call. |
| US09876902B1 |
Methods and systems for authenticating a user on a call
Methods and systems described in this disclosure allow customers to quickly be authenticated. In some embodiments, a device and a user verifier are associated with a user profile. When a call is received from the device, the user may be requested to input the user verifier. After verifying that the device is unique to the user and that the user verifier matches the user verifier associated with the user profile, the user may be authenticated to the call or activity. |
| US09876900B2 |
Digital telecommunications call management and monitoring system
The present invention discloses a centralized, digital, computer-based telephone call management system for authenticating users of a telephone system in an institutional facility. The system includes the capacity to allow an institution to control, record, monitor, and bill and report usage and access to a telephone network. The telephone call management system further includes both accounting and management software for use in controlling, monitoring, billing, recording, and reporting usage and access. Also, it can operate over both a Public Switch Telephone Network (PSTN) and a Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) infrastructure. |
| US09876897B2 |
Communication apparatus, communication control method, and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium
A communication apparatus includes a controller that prohibits data communication by default, receives a request for data communication from an application, permits data communication of the application in accordance with a UID of the application issuing the request, and prohibits data communication of the application depending on an ID of a group to which the application issuing the request belongs. |
| US09876896B1 |
System and method of interdicting malware infiltration as spoofed advertisement
A method of thwarting infiltration of malware onto a mobile communication device. The method comprises a filtering application executing on an ad gateway server computer analyzing a mobile advertisement by to determine a signature of the mobile advertisement, where the signature comprises at least one of a brand identity, a color scheme, a reference image, and a font type, searching a rules data store using the signature of the mobile advertisement as a search key to obtain a first rule, and identifying a first mobile presentation context in the first rule. The method further comprises the filtering application determining that a mobile presentation context of a mobile communication device to which the mobile advertisement is directed by matches the first mobile presentation context and the filtering application blocking transmission of the mobile advertisement from the ad gateway server to the mobile communication device. |
| US09876893B2 |
Mobile terminal altering operation when coupled with audio sub module
A mobile terminal and a mobile terminal audio signal processing system including the same are disclosed. The mobile terminal includes a first body including an opening, a main circuit board, and a main earphone jack, a first audio signal processing body including a first circuit board, on which a sub-sound module receiving a digital audio signal from the first body and converting the digital audio signal into an analog audio signal is mounted, and a sub-earphone jack outputting the analog audio signal, and a controller outputting a first audio signal to the sub-earphone jack and outputting a second audio signal to the main earphone jack. The first audio signal processing body is a first state where the first audio signal processing body is coupled with the opening, or a second state where the first audio signal processing body is separated from the first body. |
| US09876890B2 |
Air quality monitor and air quality monitoring system carried by smart phone
An air quality monitor carried by a smart phone and an air quality monitoring system carried by the smart phone are provided. The quality monitor carried by the smart phone includes a shell body, wherein a sensor is provided inside the shell body; a plug is provided on the shell body for being connected to the smart phone; a signal output terminal and a power input terminal of the sensor are both connected to the plug; wherein no power source or power source managing module is provided inside the shell body; no display module is provided on the shell body. Product weight and volume are greatly reduced, in such a manner that a product of the present invention is easy to carry. An air quality monitoring system carried by a smart phone includes: the smart phone, wherein the smart phone comprises a port and a signal processing system. |
| US09876889B1 |
Smart playable device and charging systems and methods
This disclosure is generally directed to a smart playable device and charging systems and methods. The playable device can include any device that is suitable for sports, games, or play, such as balls, discs, staffs, clubs, and the like. The playable device can include rapid charging circuits to receive power from a remote charger. The playable device may transmit sensor data including motion data to a computing device. Sensor data may be interpreted by the computing device as gestures of the playable device for interacting with the computing device. Sensor data can also be interpreted as motion data during gameplay and notifications can be provided to a user based on the gameplay. In some instances, the computing device can capture image data of the playable device and identify the playable device and annotate image data based on the sensor data from the playable device. |
| US09876886B1 |
System and method for automatic update of calls with portable device
Systems and methods are disclosed for calling desired contacts using a standalone smartphone or other portable device, selecting and using contact information from a customer relationship management (CRM) system, and automatically updating the CRM system with the outcome of each conversation. In addition, systems and methods are disclosed for automatically integrating an automated calling system with a customer relationship management system, contact management system, and/or task management system, so that historical information stored concerning past contact activity and automated calling sessions relating to contacts is automatically updated in the customer relationship management system, contact management system, and/or task management system. |
| US09876885B1 |
Cell phone case with integrated hooks
The cell phone case with integrated hooks is configured for use with a personal data device. The cell phone case with integrated hooks is a housing that contains the personal data device. The cell phone case with integrated hooks comprises a housing, a plurality of fasteners, and a removable pad. The plurality of fasteners are retractably installed within the housing. Each of the plurality of fasteners attach the housing to a vertical surface such that the personal data device may be hung from the vertical surface thereby allowing the personal data device to be used in a hands free manner. The removable pad provides an anchor point for use by the plurality of fasteners when hanging the personal data device. |
| US09876878B2 |
Seamless cluster servicing
Embodiments are directed to progressively migrating source computer nodes where the source computer nodes perform a computer-implemented service. In one embodiment, a computer system determines that execution of the performed service is to be migrated from the source computer nodes to target computer nodes. The computer system groups the source computer nodes into multiple source subgroups, where each source subgroup includes at least one source computer node. The computer system then schedules creation of target subgroups of target nodes. These target subgroups include at least one source computer node and, themselves, correspond to a source subgroup. The computer system activates a first target subgroup corresponding to a first source subgroup, and deactivates the first source subgroup. In this manner, the first target subgroup replaces the first source subgroup. Still further, the target subgroups are scheduled to be created only after the first source subgroup has been deactivated. |
| US09876877B2 |
Special handling of a landing page
A device intercepts a request that includes a network address or a universal resource locator (URL) for a landing page and determines whether special handling is applicable when forwarding the landing page to the requesting device. When the special handling is applicable, the request is automatically redirected to a validation device, which determines whether the requesting device is eligible for the special handling. The validation device signs based on the determination and returns the signed request to the requesting device. The requesting device forwards the signed request to request the landing page and the special handling is selectively applied based on the signed request. |
| US09876874B2 |
Network selecting apparatus and operating method thereof
Disclosed herein is a network selecting apparatus including: a determining unit checking an operation state of a cache server in which replicated data corresponding to a data request signal are stored and determining whether the cache server is normally operated, when the data request signal is received from a client; and a selecting unit selecting a first network so that the replicated data are transmitted to input and output devices when the cache server is normally operated and selecting a second network so that original data corresponding to the data request signal are transmitted from a storage server in which the original data are stored to the input and output devices when the cache server is not normally operated. |
| US09876870B2 |
Sharing content within an evolving content-sharing zone
A user selects a content item that he wishes to send. He then performs a “sending” gesture and specifies an initial “content-sharing zone.” In order to be eligible to receive the selected content item, a receiving device must be located within the content-sharing zone. However, the content-sharing zone can evolve over time. It can grow in size, change shape, or move (e.g., it can remain centered on the sending user as he moves). A potential recipient makes a “receiving” gesture, and, if the location of the receiving device is located within the evolving content-sharing zone, as currently defined, then the content item is sent from the sending device to the receiving device (either directly or via a content server). A maximum size or duration of the evolving content-sharing zone can be specified. Other restrictions can be stated so that, for example, only intended recipients can receive the content item. |
| US09876862B1 |
Service identification with reduced ambiguity
A method of performing service discovery is implemented in a first communication device. In the method, a service discovery request is generated that contains a first identifier associated with a requested service and does not contain a second identifier associated with the requested service. The first communication device is caused to transmit the service discovery request. A service discovery response, received by the first communication device from a second communication device, is processed. The service discovery response contains the second identifier and does not contain the first identifier. At least the second identifier is utilized to determine that the second communication device provides the requested service. |
| US09876861B2 |
Autonomic discovery and integration of complementary internet services
Autonomic discovery and integration of complementary Internet services can include discovering a plurality of services that are complementary to an offered service and selecting a service from the plurality of services as a candidate for integration with the offered service. A new service can be automatically generated by integrating the candidate service with the offered service. The new service can be included in a service catalog. |
| US09876857B2 |
Operation method of communication node in network
An operation method of communication node in a vehicle network is provided. The operation method includes transitioning from a sleep mode to an active mode and generating a first message that includes a first information indicating at least one communication node to be operated in the active mode. In addition, the method includes transmitting the first message to a second communication node to thus enhance performance of a vehicle network. |
| US09876856B2 |
Intelligent network
A network intelligence system may include a plurality of sensors located throughout and industry system. The sensors may obtain data related to various aspects of the industry network. The network intelligence system may include system endpoint intelligence and system infrastructure intelligence. The system endpoint and system infrastructure intelligence may provide distributed intelligence allowing localized decision-making to be made within the industry system based in response to system operation and occurrences. The network intelligence may include a centralized intelligence portion to communicate with endpoint and infrastructure intelligence. The centralized intelligence portion may provide responses on a localized level of the system or on a system-wide level. |
| US09876851B2 |
Cloud-edge topologies
The description relates to cloud-edge topologies. Some aspects relate to cloud-edge applications and resource usage in various cloud-edge topologies. Another aspect of the present cloud-edge topologies can relate to the specification of cloud-edge applications using a temporal language. A further aspect can involve an architecture that runs data stream management systems (DSMSs) engines on the cloud and cloud-edge computers to run query parts. |
| US09876850B2 |
Gateway-facilitated communications for resource-constrained devices
A network-connected object for performing a function and communicating with a server computing device via a network includes a functional object, application-specific input/output (I/O) device, and a gateway device. The functional object is configured to perform a function. The application-specific I/O device includes an electronic circuit configured to perform an application-specific function related to the functional object. The gateway device includes a first communication device configured for data communication with the application-specific I/O device, a second communication device configured for data communication with the server computing device, at least one processing device, and at least one computer readable storage device. The gateway device is configured to receive a command and a profile identifier from the application-specific I/O device, determine a client identification key associated with the profile identifier, and transmit the command with the client identification key to the server computing device. |
| US09876844B2 |
Transferring files
Systems and techniques for transferring one or more files by connecting to a communications system host; sending, to a client connected to the communications system host, a request to transfer one or more files; when a client permits access to the one or more files, establishing a direct socket connection from the client and bypassing the communications system host; and initiating the transfer of the one or more files from the client over the direct socket connection. |
| US09876841B2 |
Context-aware content delivery
A flexible and context-aware delivery scheme for uniform resource locators builds on a generic representation that can be used for whichever binary content is to be delivered to a client. It can also be applied to improve the network operations of a network operator, the user's perceived quality of experience, and the costs of a content provider that does not need to encode and support different codecs and transport mechanisms. |
| US09876839B2 |
Data stream classification
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with data stream classification are described. One example method includes identifying packets associated with the data stream. The example method may also include updating a set of characterization data associated with the data stream based on information associated with a packet. The example method may also include assigning a data stream classifier to the data stream by comparing characterization data to identification data upon determining that the set of characterization data indicates that the data stream is able to be classified. The example method may also include providing a signal associated with the data stream classifier. |
| US09876838B2 |
Dynamic codec negotiation
A method, a device, and a non-transitory storage medium having instructions to store data that provides mappings between criteria information and lists of codecs; receive an indication that one of an audio session, a video session, or an audio and video session is to be initiated with another device; obtain one or more criteria metric values in response to a receipt of the indication; select one of the lists of codecs from the data based on one of the mappings and the one or more criteria metric values; transmit the one of the lists of codecs to the other device via a wireless network; receive a response, via the wireless network, from the other device, wherein the response indicates one of the codecs; and use the one of the codecs during the one of the audio session, the video session, or the audio and video session. |
| US09876837B2 |
Using constraints on media file formats to improve performance
A processor that processes encoded media is configured so as to apply constraints to the encoded bitstream. Such constraints are not those required by a specification of a standard with which the encoded media is compliant; instead such constraints reflect portions of the standard that are insufficiently constrained and are applied by the processor to ensure that the processor does not experience performance degradation or errors. The constraints can be applied, for example, as a preprocessing step before reading, writing or decoding the bitstream, or while the bitstream is being decoded, or while the bitstream is being received from a transmission. |
| US09876834B2 |
Methods, systems, and media for resuming playback of media content across multiple devices
Systems and methods for facilitating cross device resumable media content consumption. In an aspect, a system includes an update component that receives a media statistics update where the media statistics update includes information identifying an account, media content identification information, and a first playback time position associated with media content. A monitoring component is also included that identifies when the account accesses the media content associated with the media content identification information. A resume component is also included that plays back the media content at the first playback time position in response to identifying an access of the media content associated with the account. |
| US09876829B2 |
Display control apparatus, display control method, program, and communication system
There is provided a display control apparatus including an acquisition section configured to acquire display information for displaying a state of collaborative editing in which a plurality of editors collaboratively edit a same editing target, and a display control section configured to cause an editing screen to display, based on the display information, the state of the collaborative editing performed on a not displayed part not included in a display range displayed when the editing target is displayed on the editing screen referenced to by a first editor among the plurality of editors. |
| US09876813B2 |
System and method for web-based log analysis
The technology described herein provides a novel system and method for web-based log analysis. The analysis combines the benefits of typical log monitoring systems with those of typical vulnerability managements systems. The synergy of the combined log monitoring and vulnerability management results in a single provider detecting vulnerability and subsequently accessing archived log data to detect if the vulnerability has been exploited in the past, identifying compromised machines for customers. |
| US09876812B1 |
Automatic malware signature extraction from runtime information
A computer system receives a file and instruments an original code of the file in memory. The resulting instrumented code allows for collection of runtime information of the original code. An unpacking routine that includes one or more instructions that execute several times, modify memory locations, and execute instructions in the modified memory locations is identified. The unpacking routine is deemed a malware signature and incorporated into a malware pattern. An unpacking behavior diagram can also be generated from the runtime information. |
| US09876809B2 |
Standard metadata model for analyzing events with fraud, attack, or any other malicious background
A standard metadata model for analyzing events with fraud, attack or other malicious background is disclosed. Log data for two or more computing systems is stored, and mapped to standardized attributes based on metadata entities defined for each computing system. A standard metadata model is defined for the computing systems, in which one or more standardized attributes of a first set of computing systems is associated with one or more standardized attributes of a second set of computing systems to define connected metadata that connects attributes of the associated metadata entities. |
| US09876806B2 |
Behavioral detection of malware agents
In an example, a detection engine identifies potential malware objects according to behavior. In order to circumvent blacklists and fingerprint-based detection, a malware server may frequently change domain names, and change the fingerprints of distributed malware agents. A malware agent may perform only an initial DNS lookup, and thereafter communicate with the malware command-and-control server via “naked” HTTP packets using the raw IP address of the server. The detection engine identifies malware agents by this behavior. In one example, if an executable object makes repeated HTTP requests to an address after the DNS lookup “time to live” has expired, the object may be flagged as potential malware. |
| US09876792B2 |
Apparatus and method for host abstracted networked authorization
An information handling system includes a host processing system and an authentication processing system. The authentication processing system authenticates to the host processing system based upon a shared secret. An authentication module of the authentication processing system operates as a master authentication module to establish an authentication area, determine that a first device is a first trusted device of the authentication module, determine that the first device is within the authentication area, authenticate the first device on the authentication area based upon the determination that the first device is within the authentication area, determine that a second device is a second trusted device of the authentication module, determine that the second device is not within the authentication area, and prevent the second device from authenticating on the authentication area based upon the determination that the second device is not within the authentication area. |
| US09876791B2 |
Method and apparatus for authenticating user based on biosignal
A method and apparatus for authenticating a user are provided. An authentication apparatus includes a data set generator configured to generate an authentication data set by extracting waveforms from a biosignal of a user, a similarity calculator configured to match each of the extracted waveforms to registered waveforms included in a registration data set, and calculate a similarity between each of the extracted waveforms and the registered waveforms, and an auxiliary similarity calculator configured to extract a representative authentication waveform indicating a representative waveform of the extracted waveforms and a representative registration waveform indicating a representative waveform of the registered waveforms, and calculate a similarity between the representative authentication waveform and the representative registration waveform. |
| US09876789B1 |
Systems and methods for secure logon
The present disclosure provides methods and systems for secure logon. One or more method includes: determining, via authentication information provided by a user of an electronic device, that the user is authorized to access an online account provided by the online account provider; providing the user with a selectable option to enable an expedited logon process by which the user can access the online account by solely providing a particular authentication item of the user; receiving a verification credential in response to a next logon attempt using the expedited logon process; and verifying that the received verification credential matches an assigned verification credential provided to the user for use in conjunction with the next logon attempt using the expedited logon process. |
| US09876784B2 |
Temporal modification of authentication challenges
A method for authenticating a user of a computing device. The method includes a computer processor receiving an indication that a user of a computing device is accessing an object that utilizes an authentication process. The method further includes a computer processor selecting a first multi-media file that is associated with a user profile of the user and the object of the authentication process, wherein the first multi-media file is associated with a baseline user input authentication sequence. The method further includes creating a first temporal manipulation vector based on the user profile and a security requirement of the object of the authentication process, wherein the temporal manipulation vector modifies a presentation of a multi-media file and a corresponding time sequence of a user input authentication sequence in the multi-media file. The method further includes transmitting the first temporal manipulation vector and the first multi-media file to the computing device. |
| US09876781B2 |
Information processing device
A login controller has a function of allowing a user to log in to an information processing apparatus. A sign-in controller has a function of allowing the user to sign in to a network service provided by a server. At login time, a login information receiving unit receives a pass code input by the user for login authentication. A login processing unit performs login authentication using the received pass code. If it is determined that the pass code received by the login processing unit is incorrect, a sign-in processing unit causes the user to sign out of the network service. When the user again signs in to the network service, a screen generating unit receives the pass code for login authentication. A registration processing section then registers the received pass code in a registered user information holding section as a new pass code. |
| US09876777B2 |
Method and browser for online banking login
The present disclosure discloses method and browser for online banking login, solving the problems of complex and trivial steps and insecurity of online banking login via web navigation websites. The method comprises: pre-storing and managing online banking website addresses on a browser side and managing the certificates and/or online banking plugins corresponding to the online banking in the form of NPAPI; judging whether the current website address accessed by a user in the browser is an online banking website address, based on the stored online banking website addresses; when it is one of the stored online banking website addresses, using the NPAPI to call the corresponding online banking certificate and/or online banking plugin to perform online banking login. The embodiments of the present disclosure decrease steps and enhance security to log in to online banking. |
| US09876776B2 |
Methods for generating and publishing a web site based on selected items and devices thereof
A method, non-transitory computer readable medium, and web content management server computing device that receives, from a client device, requested data comprising at least a template identifier, information for a custom attribute, and a unique item identifier for an item. A public identifier and a uniform resource locator (URL) comprising at least the public identifier are generated. The public identifier is stored in a requested sites database as associated with the requested data. A preview panel comprising a selectable application indication is generated and sent to the client device. The URL is sent to the client device in response to receiving a selection of the selectable application indication from the client device. |
| US09876773B1 |
Packet authentication and encryption in virtual networks
Systems and methods provide logic for distributing cryptographic keys in a physical network comprising a plurality of physical nodes. In one implementation, a computer-implemented method is provided for distributing cryptographic keys in a physical network. The method includes receiving information mapping a virtual network address of a virtual node to a physical network address of a physical node. The virtual node may be associated with a virtual network hosted by the physical node, and the received mapping information identifies a virtual network address of the node and the physical network address of the node. The mapping service transmits a current version of a cryptographic key and an identifier of the current version to the physical node. |
| US09876772B1 |
Encrypting and transmitting data
A message having at least one intended recipient is encrypted using a first key. The first key is encrypted with a second key associated with the recipient. At least two of the encrypted message, the encrypted first key, and an identifier associated with the at least one recipient are encapsulated in a secure communication protocol encapsulation. The secure communication protocol encapsulation is transmitted to a server. |
| US09876770B1 |
Group permission based Li-Fi file transfer
A system for enabling group permission based file transfer via Light Fidelity (Li-Fi). A first Li-Fi device is configured to transmit encrypted data by illuminating a target location with a first light source. A second Li-Fi device is configured to transmit a key for decrypting the encrypted data by illuminating the target object with a second light source to define a group permission enabled data transfer zone including a merger of the encrypted data and the key. A third Li-Fi device is configured to download the merger of the encrypted data and the key from the group-permission enabled data transfer zone. |
| US09876768B2 |
System, apparatus and method for secure coordination of a rendezvous point for distributed devices using entropy multiplexing
In one embodiment, a method includes: receiving, in a first device of a first segment of a first network, a root seed from a second device; generating a pseudo-random seed tree using the root seed; according to a predetermined schedule, accessing at a first time a random number at a level of the pseudo-random seed tree associated with the first time; generating a rendezvous point record to enable communication with a third device in a second segment of the first network, the rendezvous point record including a rendezvous point name based on the random number; and encrypting and sending a message to the third device via an exchange server identified using the rendezvous point record, where the rendezvous point record does not include connection metadata and the exchange server has an anonymous network location. |
| US09876765B2 |
Transmitting a hidden communication
A first communication element is received on a communicating device. A defined mapping is identified based on an identification of a recipient device. The first communication element is mapped to a second communication element based on the defined mapping. The mapped communication element is provided to the recipient device. |
| US09876757B2 |
Systems and methods for dynamic network address modification
The invention presented herein permits split-routing to occur without any changes, modifications, or configuration of the requesting host, network stacks, network architectures and routing and forwarding behavior. The invention is carried out by way of a Module that intercepts the normal and standard DHCP communication between a requesting device and a DHCP server, and substitutes the elements within the server response with the Module's own predefined elements. These substitute elements leverage the behavior of standard protocols to gain desired device network behavior. |
| US09876755B2 |
Identifying algorithmically generated domains
Examples relate to identifying algorithmically generated domains. In one example, a computing device may: receive a query domain name; provide the query domain name as input to a predictive model that has been trained to determine whether the query domain name is an algorithmically generated domain name, the determination being based on syntactic features of the query domain name, the syntactic features including a count of particular character n-grams included in at least a portion of the query domain name, where n is a positive integer greater than one; and receive, as output from the predictive model, data indicating whether the query domain name is algorithmically generated. |
| US09876753B1 |
Automated message security scanner detection system
An electronic messaging system includes a messaging server that identifies a recipient for an electronic message. The messaging system sends the recipient an electronic message that includes instrumented content. A web server monitors activity and determines whether interaction occurred with the instrumented content. The web server determines whether a sandbox intercepted the message based on whether interaction occurred, or did not occur, with the instrumented content within a threshold time period or with one or more activity characteristics. |
| US09876748B1 |
Notifying users in response to movement of a content item to a new content source
Systems and methods are provided for notifying a user regarding movement of a content item which the user has previously expressed interest in, to a new network location. In one or more aspects, a system includes a notification generation component configured to generate a notification indicating a content item has been moved from a first content source to a second content source in response to movement of the content item from the first content source to the second content source. The system further includes a notification posting component configured to send the notification to a device or an account of a user based in part on a subscription of the user to the first content source or the content item. |
| US09876744B2 |
Information sending method and information sending apparatus
An information sending method and an information sending apparatus are provided, which relate to the field of wireless communication processing technologies. A method includes receiving target information sent to at least one target receiving device by a sender, and determining, according to state information of a receiver device corresponding to the at least one target receiving device, a forwarding policy of forwarding the target information to the receiver device. A sending policy can be determined according to state information of a receiver device, so that a receiver acquires information as much as it does not change a current state, thereby improving user experience of the receiver. |
| US09876741B1 |
Methods, systems, and media for facilitating user interactions while watching media content
Methods, systems, and media for facilitating user interactions while watching media content are provided. In accordance with some embodiments, the method comprises: associating a first user device with a second user device, wherein the first user device and the second user device are associated with a first user; causing, on the first user device, a media content item to be presented; receiving an indication that the media content item is being presented on a third user device associated with a second user; causing, on the first user device, a selectable indication that the media content item is being presented on the third user device to be presented; and in response to determining that the selectable indication has been selected on the first user device, causing a communication interface for exchanging messages between the second user device and the third user device to be presented on the second user device. |
| US09876738B2 |
System and method for extending ports
A system and method includes a first switching device that includes a first control unit with a first and third port coupled to the first control unit and a second switching device that includes a second control unit with the a second port coupled to the second control unit. The system and method may include a network link coupling the first and second switching devices. The first control unit configured to receive a data packet and adding a drop indication. The second control unit configured to detect the drop indication. In some embodiments the first control unit is configured to apply a rule, and mark a data packet with a drop indication in a header, the header being a header normally attached to the data packet. The second switching device may interpret the drop indication with a set of rules to determine a course of action. |
| US09876737B2 |
System and method for supporting efficient load-balancing in a high performance computing (HPC) environment
Methods and systems for supporting efficient load balancing among a plurality of switches and a plurality of end nodes arranged in a tree topology in a network environment. The methods and systems can sort the plurality of end nodes, wherein the plurality of end nodes are sorted in a decreasing order of a receive weight. The method and system may further route, in the decreasing order of receive weights, the plurality of end nodes, wherein the routing comprises selecting at least one down-going port and at least one up-going port. Further, the method and system can increase an accumulated downward weight on each selected down-going port by the receive weight of the routed end node, and increase an accumulated upward weight on each selected up-going port by the receive weight of the routed end node. |
| US09876733B2 |
Resource reservation method and system, and convergence device
Embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of communications technologies, and disclose a resource reservation method and system, and a convergence device. The method includes: receiving, by a convergence device, a first resource reservation request message based on a format of a first interface and that is from a policy server (PS); converting, by the convergence device, the first resource reservation request message into a second resource reservation request message based on a format of a second interface; and sending, by the convergence device, the second resource reservation request message based on the format of the second interface to a modulation and demodulation system, so that the modulation and demodulation system performs resource reservation according to the second resource reservation request message. |
| US09876729B1 |
Method and system for efficient data streaming in an emulation system
An emulation system for efficient data streaming is provided. The emulation system comprises a first device configured to product machine readable binary data, and a second device configured to receive the data. The emulation system further comprises a centralized first-in first-out (FIFO) memory unit. The centralized FIFO memory unit interfaces between the first device and the second device. The centralized FIFO memory unit is configured to receive the data from the first device, and transmit to the second device on receiving a transfer request from the first device or the second device. |
| US09876728B2 |
Packet processing apparatus, packet processing method, and packet processing system
A first cache stores preferential packets to be preferentially processed. A second cache stores packets other than the packets stored in the first cache. A processing circuit adjusts the number of preferential packets stored in the first cache in a manner such that the preferential packets are processed at the amount of processing that is equal to or less than a set value set as the amount of processing applicable to the preferential packets within a predetermined period, processes the packets stored in the first cache, and reads from the second cache as many packets as are processable at a surplus value, and processes the read packets, the surplus value being obtained by subtracting the amount of processing to be applied to the preferential packets stored in the first cache from the amount of processing that the processing circuit is capable of performing within the predetermined period. |
| US09876727B2 |
Physical-layer signaling of flow control updates
A method for communication includes transmitting a sequence of outgoing data blocks from a network node over a communication link to a peer node, and receiving incoming data blocks from the peer node. A control field is added in a predefined location in each of the outgoing data blocks in the sequence by the network node. In at least a first subset of the outgoing data blocks in the sequence, the control field contains error control information, which is capable of causing the peer node to retransmit one or more of the incoming data blocks to the network node, while in at least a second subset of the outgoing data blocks in the sequence, disjoint from the first subset, the control field contains a flow control instruction, configured to cause the peer node to alter a rate of transmission of the incoming data blocks over the link. |
| US09876726B2 |
Systems and methods for prioritization of data for intelligent discard in a communication network
Systems and methods for optimizing system performance of capacity and spectrum constrained, multiple-access communication systems by selectively discarding packets are provided. The systems and methods provided herein can drive changes in the communication system using control responses. One such control responses includes the optimal discard (also referred to herein as “intelligent discard”) of network packets under capacity constrained conditions. The systems and methods prioritize packets and make discard decisions based upon the prioritization. Some embodiments provide an interactive response by selectively discarding packets to enhance perceived and actual system throughput, other embodiments provide a reactive response by selectively discarding data packets based on their relative impact to service quality to mitigate oversubscription, others provide a proactive response by discarding packets based on predicted oversubscription, and others provide a combination thereof. |
| US09876725B2 |
Methods and apparatus for flow-controllable multi-staged queues
In one embodiment, a method includes sending a first flow control signal to a first stage of transmit queues when a receive queue is in a congestion state. The method also includes sending a second flow control signal to a second stage of transmit queues different from the first stage of transmit queues when the receive queue is in the congestion state. |
| US09876720B2 |
Reducing network latency during low power operation
In an embodiment, a method includes identifying a core of a multicore processor to which an incoming packet that is received in a packet buffer is to be directed, and if the core is powered down, transmitting a first message to cause the core to be powered up prior to arrival of the incoming packet at a head of the packet buffer. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09876712B2 |
Method and device for processing address resolution protocol in software-defined networking environment
A method and device for processing an address resolution protocol (ARP) in a software-defined networking (SDN) environment is disclosed. The method includes receiving, by a first network device, an ARP request packet from a first terminal so that the first terminal communicates with a second terminal and transmitting, by the first network device, an ARP response message including MAC address information of the second terminal to the first terminal as a response to the ARP request packet. Accordingly, a load of the controller can be reduced by sharing and processing an ARP proxy function with the network device in the SDN environment. |
| US09876711B2 |
Source address translation in overlay networks
Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for translating source addresses in an overlay network. An access switch in an overlay network, such as a VXLAN, may receive an encapsulated packet from a tunnel endpoint in the overlay network. The encapsulated packet may originate from a host associated with the tunnel endpoint and be encapsulated at the tunnel endpoint with a first source tunnel endpoint address and a destination tunnel endpoint address. The access switch may replace the first source tunnel endpoint address in the encapsulated packet with a second source tunnel endpoint address of the access switch to yield a translated packet. The access switch may then transmit the translated packet towards the destination tunnel endpoint address. |
| US09876705B1 |
System and method for adjusting network topology without packet loss
A system and method are provided for updating a network including at least one optical circuit switch (OCS) to transition from an existing network topology to a new network topology. One or more intermediate topologies between the existing topology and the new topology are created. Creating the intermediate topologies includes selecting first links to be added to the existing topology without removing links, selecting additional links to be added to the existing topology upon removal of one or more existing links, and adding one or more of the selected first and additional links to the existing topology to create a first intermediate topology. It is determined whether any of the selected first and additional links are still to be added, and if no selected first and additional links are to be added, remaining links are removed. The transition from the existing topology to the first intermediate topology is then effected. |
| US09876704B2 |
Packet tracing in a software-defined networking environment
An example method to perform packet tracing in a Software-Defined Networking (SDN) environment is provided. The SDN environment comprises an SDN controller device and a plurality of forwarding devices configurable by the SDN controller device. The method may comprise the SDN controller device configuring the plurality of forwarding devices to generate trace information of packets associated with a communication flow in the SDN environment; and receiving trace information of packets associated with the communication flow. Based on the trace information, the SDN controller device may generate aggregated trace information by identifying, from header information and payload information of the packets, particular packets associated with the communication flow that are processed by one of the plurality of forwarding devices, or a particular packet associated with the communication flow that is processed by at least two of the plurality of forwarding devices, or both. |
| US09876703B1 |
Computing resource testing
A technology for testing a computing resource is provided. In one example, services available for the computing resource are identified. The services may be automatically tested on the computing resource and metrics for testing of the services may be collected. Performance of the services may be determined based on the metrics. |
| US09876701B1 |
Arrangement for efficient search and retrieval of indexes used to locate captured packets
An indexing arrangement enables efficient search and retrieval of indexes persistently stored in a metadata repository and used to locate packets captured from a network and persistently stored in a data repository. The packets are captured at a packet capture and retrieval system having persistent storage devices organized as files of the metadata and data repositories. Search and retrieval of the indexes within the files of the metadata repository occur at substantially a same time as one or more other captured packets is written to one or more files of the data repository to realize a substantially high sustained packet transfer rate of the network. |
| US09876700B2 |
Method and system for active fabric management using unicast reachability monitoring
A method for active network fabric management. The method includes receiving a probe packet by a termination beacon, where the probe packet is associated with a stream, the stream is identified using an origin beacon identification (ID) for an origin beacon, a stream source IP address, a stream destination IP address, an L2 origin interface, and a TTL value or an IP Hop value. The method further includes generating, after receiving the probe packet and after the expiration of a probe rate request (PRR) refresh timer, a rate control packet (RCP) by the termination beacon where the RCP includes a PRR for the stream, and sending the RCP to the origin beacon using an origin beacon IP address, where the origin beacon IP address is different than the stream source IP address. |
| US09876698B2 |
Interconnect congestion control in a storage grid
Methods, systems, and computer program product embodiments for controlling congestion in a storage grid, by a processor device, are provided. In a storage grid, a storage request transmit queue length is monitored. Upon reaching at least one of a certain threshold, a watermarked message is transmitted to a receiving node, the receiving node altering storage requests based upon the watermarked message. |
| US09876694B2 |
Apparatus and method for detecting online failure and system
This application provides an apparatus and method for detecting online failure and a system. The apparatus includes: a reading unit configured to read signal to noise ratios of subcarriers from a receiver of a multicarrier optical communication system according to a predetermined monitoring time interval; a judging unit configured to judge whether there exist a first predetermined number of subcarriers of which the signal to noise ratios are less than a first threshold value; a detecting unit configured to monitor a change of distortion of the system when it is judged yes by the judging unit, and determine a cause of degradation of signal to noise ratios according to the change of distortion of the system; and a reporting unit configured to report degradation of signal to noise ratios and/or the cause of degradation of signal to noise ratios. With the apparatus and method and system provided by this application, changes of distortion of the system may be monitored on line, and the changes possibly posing a threat to normal operation of the system may be early alerted, thereby making it possible to perform targeted adjustment in advance. |
| US09876692B2 |
Cloud-based monitoring apparatus
A cloud-based monitoring apparatus includes a cloud-based network system, a cloud-based database connected with the cloud-based network system, at least one gateway control unit connected with the cloud-based network system, at least one mobile apparatus connected signally with the cloud-based database, at least one basic detection module connected signally with the gateway control unit, at least one serial bus module connected signally with the gateway control unit, at least one analog I/O module connected signally with the gateway control unit, at least one digital I/O module connected signally with the gateway control unit, and an ISP connected signally with the cloud-based database. The gateway control unit, the basic detection module, the serial bus module, the analog I/O module, and the digital I/O module are all mounted in a monitored environment and have at least individual monitor parameters. |
| US09876684B2 |
System architecture for cloud-platform infrastructure layouts
A system maintains, generates, and manages infrastructure layouts. The infrastructure layouts interconnect infrastructure components and capture relational aspects between the components within the interconnections. The infrastructure layouts map northbound services, which are service outputs, to southbound services, which are service capabilities, for fulfilment. The system may traverse a mapping from a northbound service to a fulfilling southbound service to generate a workflow to support deployment of the northbound service. In various implementations, the system may compare a path, which maps a northbound service to a southbound service, to a policy model to determine compliance with the policy. |
| US09876681B2 |
Policy-based resource management with target-driven remediation on server
A resource management solution for use in a data-processing infrastructure comprising a server data-processing entity and a set of target data-processing entitiesthat is operable for downloading a set of corresponding management policies, executing a verification action indicated in each one of the corresponding management policies for verifying a compliance of the target data-processing entity with the management policy, executing a target-side remediation action indicated in each violated one of the corresponding target-side management policies which the target data-processing entity is not compliant with, for remedying the non-compliance of the target data-processing entity with the violated target-side management policy, sending an indication of a remediation request for each violated one of the corresponding server-side management policies, which each target data-processing entity is not compliant with, and executing by the server data-processing entity, a corresponding server-side remediation action in response to each remediation request for remotely remedying, by the server data-processing entity, the non-compliance of the corresponding target data-processing entity with the corresponding violated server-side management policy. |
| US09876677B1 |
System and method for connection efficiency
In a distributed object computing system, a server application may create multiple, uniquely identified, server contexts that each provide one or more services to a service consumer (client). Instead of creating a connection to a client for each server context, a single connection can be used. A service request handler may be configured to handle service requests for each server context. Service requests may be generated in the client with a service context identity. When a service request is received by the server application, the service request handler resolves the service context identity and forwards the service request to the appropriate server context. |
| US09876676B1 |
Methods, systems, and computer readable mediums for managing computing systems by a management orchestration module
Methods, systems, and computer readable mediums for managing computing systems by a management orchestration module. An example method includes determining that a projected computing load placed on a management computing system by one or more existing tenant computing systems and a new tenant computing system exceeds a threshold computing load, and in response, configuring the new tenant computing system as a remote tenant of the management computing system by deploying remote management software onto the new tenant computing system. |
| US09876675B1 |
Packet transport shared mesh protection
In one embodiment, primary circuits may be established on a network link, where each primary circuit individually allocates primary bandwidth of the network link and is assigned to one of either a respective primary weighted queue of the network link corresponding to a size of the respective primary circuit or a shared primary weighted queue of the network link corresponding to a total size of the individually allocated primary bandwidth for the network link. In addition, protection circuits may also be established on the network link, where the protection circuits collectively allocate shared backup bandwidth of the network link and are assigned to a shared backup weighted queue of the network link corresponding to a size of the shared backup bandwidth for the network link. As such, primary and backup packets may be forwarded on the network link according to the primary and backup weighted queues (e.g., allowing 1:1 protection). |
| US09876674B1 |
Systems and methods for detecting service outages based on aggregate device signals
Techniques for detecting localized changes in a distributed service based on aggregate device signals. Certain implementations may leverage a plurality of networked nodal devices to serve as an ad-hoc sensor network for detecting changes in a service provided to the nodal devices. For example, status changes at each nodal device indicative of a disruption in a service provided to the nodal device may be reported and utilized to diagnose regional or localized disruptions in a common service received by a large group of devices. In some implementations, the service provided to the nodal devices may be a distributed service, for example, electric power or Internet access. The device signals may include reports from or based on status changes of mobile devices or other network-enabled electronic devices, such as changes in battery-charging status or network-connectivity of the respective mobile device. |
| US09876668B2 |
Communication apparatus, demodulation apparatus, carrier reproduction apparatus, phase error compensation apparatus, phase error compensation method, and storage medium on which phase error compensation program has been stored
To enable a large-capacity, high-quality data communication that is excellent in bit error rate characteristic even in an adverse noise environment mainly caused by phase noises or thermal noises. [Solution] Included are: a first phase error detection filter that generates, on the basis of a forward sequence of received symbols, a first phase difference value and a first phase error estimated value; a second phase error detection filter that generates, on the basis of a backward sequence of received symbols, a second phase difference value and a second phase error estimated value; a phase error combination means that generates a third phase error estimated value on the basis of the first and second phase error estimated values and one of the first and second phase difference values; and a phase error compensation means that compensates the phase error of the received symbols in accordance with the third phase error estimated value. |
| US09876667B2 |
4-level pulse amplitude modulation transmitter architectures utilizing quadrature clock phases
A four-level pulse amplitude modulation transmitter and corresponding method are provided. The transmitter includes a most significant bit processing section and a least significant bit processing section. The transmitter further includes at least one termination resistor connected to respective outputs of the processing sections to provide a transmitter output. Each of the processing sections include a set of retiming latches arranged in a parallel for aligning input parallel data and providing parallel aligned latched outputs responsive to one phase of a quarter-rate four-phase quadrature clock. Each of the processing sections further includes a serializer for serializing the parallel aligned latched outputs to provide a serialized output using quarter-rates of the quarter-rate four-phase quadrature clock. Each of the processing sections also include an output driver for driving the serialized output. |
| US09876660B2 |
Apparatus and method for estimating carrier frequency offset
An apparatus for estimating carrier frequency offset includes an Mth power circuit, a spectrum generating circuit, a peak frequency determining circuit and a frequency offset determining circuit. The Mth power circuit performs an Mth power calculation on an input signal to generate an Mth power calculation result. The spectrum generating circuit generates an Mth power spectrum according to the Mth power calculation result. The peak frequency determining circuit determines a peak frequency corresponding to an amplitude peak from the Mth power spectrum. The frequency offset determining circuit determines an estimated carrier frequency offset according to the peak frequency. |
| US09876656B1 |
Differential feedback equalizer and method of implementing a differential feedback equalizer
A differential feedback equalizer is described. A differential feedback equalizer comprises a summer circuit configured to receive a differential input signal and a summer tap circuit output and to generate a summer circuit differential output; a first latch configured to receive the summer circuit differential output from the summer circuit and to generate a first differential latch output comprising a first state of the differential feedback equalizer; and a feedback circuit having a NAND gate coupled to an output of the first latch and configured to generate a differential tap feedback signal; wherein the feedback circuit comprises a NAND gate buffer that maintains the differential tap feedback signal at a predetermined voltage during a reset phase of the first latch. A method of implementing a differential feedback equalizer is also described. |
| US09876653B1 |
System, method and apparatus for augmenting a building control system domain
A system, method and apparatus for augmenting a building control system domain. A sensor network platform can be configured to collect data based on measurements from sensors outside of a legacy building control system domain, and to present information based on the collected data to a known interface supported by the legacy building control system. In one embodiment, the collected data can undergo customized processing by an operation center outside of the legacy building control system domain. |
| US09876652B2 |
Automatic configuration of control device user interface in a home automation system
In one embodiment, a technique is provided for automatically generating a custom user interface (UI) of a control device usable to control a home automation system. A configuration database is maintained, for example, on a host controller, of the home automation system. The configuration database stores logical representations that describe a configuration. The configuration database is transferred (e.g., downloaded) to a control device. The control device accesses the configuration database for one or more of the logical representations, and translates returned information related to the one or more of the logical representations to UI element, using predefined mappings. The controll device then displays the UI elements as a custom UI. |
| US09876651B2 |
Home appliance and home network system using the same
A home network system has a home appliance, a portable terminal to receive a control command associated with the home appliance, and an access point to allow the home appliance or the portable terminal to be connected to a wide area network (WAN), wherein the access point notifies the home appliance of the connection of the portable terminal if the portable terminal connects to the access point, so that the home application detects that a user returns home and performs a certain operation as a user connects to the access point when returning home. |
| US09876649B2 |
ECMP parent group selection for multidestination traffic in DCE/TRILL networks
Consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure, systems and methods are disclosed for providing per-group ECMP for multidestination traffic in a DCE/TRILL network. Embodiments enable per-group load balancing of multidestination traffic in DCE/L2MP networks by creating a new IS-IS PDU to convey the affinity of the parent node for a given multicast group. For broadcast and unknown unicast flooded traffic, the load balancing may be done on a per-vlan basis. |
| US09876647B2 |
Apparatus for providing PUF-based hardware OTP and method for authenticating 2-factor using same
Provided is an apparatus for generating a hardware-based OTP which is impossible to duplicate. The apparatus for generating the OTP can comprise a PUF for generating a unique PIN. In addition, provided is a method which is used for 2-Factor authentication with the apparatus for generating the OTP and existing secure elements. |
| US09876642B2 |
Method for securely transmitting a digital message
A method is provided for securely transmitting a digital message that is transmitted by means of an electronic letter service. A user of the service has a computer with a functioning browser and an Internet connection, and the electronic letter service makes use of a TrustCenter. The user creates a password using his/her browser. A user password verifier is cryptographically derived from the password. The user password verifier is transmitted to the electronic letter service and stored on a storage medium. A user secret is generated from the password by means of a cryptographic derivation. The user secret constitutes the symmetrical key for the encryption of a user-specific user master secret. The user secret is encrypted using the public key of the TrustCenter and the encrypted user secret is transmitted to the electronic letter service, from where it is then forwarded to the TrustCenter. |
| US09876637B2 |
Cloud file system
A cloud storage system supporting user agnostic encryption and deduplication of encrypted files is described. Further the cloud storage system enables users to share a file, a group of files, or an entire file system with other users without a user sending each file to the other users. The cloud storage system further allows a client device to minimize the utilization of bandwidth by determining whether the encrypted data to transfer is already present in the cloud storage system. Further the cloud storage system comprises mechanisms for a client device to inform the cloud storage system of which data is likely to be required in the future so that the cloud storage system can make that data available with less latency one the client device requests the data. |
| US09876621B2 |
Method for transmitting signal and apparatus for same
The present invention relates to a method for transmitting an uplink signal in a wireless communication system supporting carrier aggregation of a plurality of cells including a first cell having a first type cyclic prefix and a second cell having a second type cyclic prefix, and an apparatus for the same, the method comprising: transmitting an uplink physical channel signal through the first cell in a specific sub-frame; and transmitting a sounding reference signal through the second cell in the specific sub-frame, wherein the second type cyclic prefix length is greater than the first type cyclic prefix length, a transmission interval of the sounding reference signal is overlapped with a transmission interval of the uplink physical channel signal during a specific interval, and the transmission of the sounding reference signal is omitted during the specific interval when the transmission power of the terminal does not exceed a specific value. |
| US09876620B2 |
Uplink control information transmissions/receptions in wireless networks
A method and apparatus provide a user equipment (UE) configured to communicate with a plurality of carrier aggregation (CA) groups with at least a first CA group (CG1) and a second CA group (CG2). The UE includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to determine whether the UE is power-limited. The UE is scheduled to transmit acknowledged information in a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) to a cell of the CG1 and uplink control information (UCI), other than the acknowledgement information, in a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) to a cell of the CG2. The processing circuitry is also configured to, responsive to the UE being power-limited, prioritize the PUSCH for power allocation. The processing circuitry is also configured to transmit the PUSCH to the cell of the CG1. |
| US09876617B2 |
Wireless communication system, base station apparatus, mobile station apparatus, wireless communication method and integrated circuit
A mobile station apparatus includes a transmission circuit or circuitry. The mobile station apparatus is configured to transmit a sounding reference signal (SRS) in a single carrier-Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA) symbol corresponding to an SRS symbol. In addition, the mobile station apparatus is configured to, in a case that a region for SRS transmission on a given component carrier is extended based on a higher layer signal, transmit a first SRS in the SC-FDMA symbol, and transmit a second SRS in the extended region, where the first SRS is an SRS transmitted based on a first higher layer signal and the second SRS is an SRS transmitted based on a second higher layer signal and an SRS request in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH). |
| US09876616B2 |
Transmission apparatus, transmission method, reception apparatus, and reception method
A transmission apparatus including: a transport stream generation unit configured to generate a transport stream in which a first transport packet containing transport media in a payload and a second transport packet containing information about the transport media in a payload, are time-division multiplexed; a transport stream transmission unit configured to transmit the transport stream to a receiver through a predetermined transmission channel; and a time information insertion unit configured to insert time information for allowing the receiver to obtain decoding time and/or presentation time into the first transport packet or the second transport packet. |
| US09876613B2 |
Transport protocol communications reduction
A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for transport protocol communications processing are provided. The apparatus may be an electronic device. The electronic device receives a transport protocol communications from a sender device. The electronic device generates a plurality of acknowledgments in response to the received transport protocol traffic and stores the plurality of acknowledgments at a first memory. A modem load for a modem of the electronic device is determined. The electronic device identifies the plurality of acknowledgments to identify a subset of the plurality of acknowledgments in response to the determined modem load satisfying a modem load threshold condition. The electronic device moves the subset of acknowledgments from the first memory to a second memory. The electronic device transmits the subset of acknowledgments to the sender device. |
| US09876611B2 |
System and method for retransmitting received data using index coding and statistical characteristics
A method for transmitting packets by a transmitter in a wireless communication network and retransmitting the packets not received correctly by receivers is discussed. The method includes transmitting the packets to at least two receivers, receiving reception acknowledgement response signals including ACK or NACK signals for the packets transmitted to the receivers, analyzing patterns of the received reception acknowledgement response signals in accordance with a number of the ACK or NACK signals, differently index coding the packets which are not received correctly by each receiver, and retransmitting the index-coded packets. |
| US09876608B2 |
Encoding apparatus and encoding method
In an encoding method, data segments and encoding information which indicates encoding patterns each representing a set of data segments used for a predetermined encoding calculation are acquired. An encoded data piece is generated by performing the predetermined encoding calculation based on each encoding pattern, and is stored in the memory. A first encoding pattern for generating the encoded data piece is compared to a second encoding pattern for a next encoding calculation, and the next encoding calculation is performed by using the encoded data piece corresponding to the first encoding pattern when at least a part of the second pattern is common with the first encoding pattern. |
| US09876606B2 |
Transmitting device, receiving device, and methods performed therein
A transmitting device encodes information bits of a first type of information and a second type of information into a codeword. The transmitting device interleaves the encoded information bits of the first type of information according to a first interleaving pattern and the encoded information bits of the second type of information according to a second interleaving pattern, thereby changing an order of the encoded information bits of at least one of the first type of information and the second type of information in the codeword and generating an interleaved encoded information bit sequence. At least one of the first and the second interleaving pattern is designed to allow the information bits of a first type of information to be decoded without knowing a length of the codeword. The transmitting device then transmits the interleaved encoded information bit sequence to a receiving device. |
| US09876602B1 |
Managing processor frequencies
Power can be conserved by managing the frequencies at which a processor operates to process data packets. For example, a pair of frequencies can be selected from among at least three candidate frequencies based on a power consumption associated with the pair of frequencies being less than another power consumption associated with another pair of frequencies selected from the at least three candidate frequencies. A clock rate of the processor can be set to a lower frequency in the selected pair of frequencies based on a number of data packets in a data buffer being below a threshold number of data packets. The clock rate of the processor can be set to a higher frequency in the selected pair of frequencies based on the number of data packets in the data buffer meeting or exceeding the threshold number of data packets. |
| US09876601B2 |
Optical transmission system, controller for wavelength tunable filter, and control method of wavelength tunable filter
There is proved an optical transmission system including: a transmitter configured to transmit an optical signal modulated with a discrete multi-tone (DMT) drive signal; a filter capable of changing a wavelength of the optical signal input from the transmitter; a monitor configured to monitor a power of the optical signal passed through the filter; and at least one processor configured to: set a center wavelength of the filter, shift the center wavelength, detect a change in the power monitored by the monitor, identify a carrier component of the optical signal based on the change in the power, and control a relative relationship between a transmission characteristic of the filter and a wavelength of the carrier component so that the carrier component is included in the optical signal and one of an upper sideband and a lower sideband of the optical signal is at least partially removed by the filter. |
| US09876600B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for calibrating phase hardware-induced distortion in a cellular communications system
Methods and systems are described for calibrating phase hardware-induced distortion in a cellular communications system. In one aspect, an estimate of a phase difference at a user equipment (UE) between downlink channels including signals sent over two or more BS transmitter chains is obtained. A phase difference between uplink channels including signals received over two or more BS receiver chains is determined. A relative phase distortion induced by two or more BS transceiver chains is determined based on the received estimate of phase difference between downlink channels and the determined phase difference between uplink channels. |
| US09876598B2 |
Switch for transmission of data between heterogeneous networks for aircraft
A data transmission switch configured to be carried onboard an aircraft comprises: at least one input configured to receive data from a flight management computer on a first transmission channel, the channel functioning in multidirectional mode; at least one output configured to transmit the data to at least one avionic equipment on a second transmission channel, the switch further comprising a transducer configured to generate instructions for synchronization of the second transmission channel. The invention enables retrofitting to aircraft with an old avionic system under very economic conditions. |
| US09876595B2 |
Method and system for a distributed receiver
A first semiconductor die may comprise an interface circuit and a demodulation circuit. The interface circuit may be operable to receive an externally generated signal and recover decisions of a symbol de-mapper carried in the externally generated signal. The demodulation circuit may be operable to recover one or more transport streams based on the decisions of the symbol de-mapper. The first semiconductor die may comprise circuitry operable to combine a plurality of signals from a plurality of second semiconductor dice, where each of the plurality of signals comprises decisions of a respective one of a plurality of symbol de-mappers. |
| US09876594B1 |
Accessing infotainment system using non-paired devices
A content projection solution includes a first device paired with an IVI system, a second device, instances of an application running on these devices, and a corresponding application server. The first device registers an application on an IVI. The application notifies the server of the registration. The IVI may broadcast IDs of registered applications over BLE. An application on the second device searches for a target to present/control application content on the IVI via the first device, either through linking of application users logged into its server from first and second devices or by detecting presence of its ID in a BLE broadcast. In response to selection of a target, the IVI requests authorization. If authorized, control inputs received on the second device are transmitted to application server, which processes them and provides content or instructions to the first device, which invokes presentation or execution thereof by the IVI. |
| US09876589B2 |
Method for adjusting inter-cell interference in wireless communication system and apparatus therefor
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method by which a fixed base station adjusts inter-cell interference in a wireless communication system comprises the steps of: receiving channel state information-reference signal (CSI-RS) configurations on an access link of each moving cell connected to the fixed base station; determining the CSI-RS configuration on a backhaul link of a first moving cell among the moving cells on the basis of the CSI-RS configurations on the access link; and providing, to the first moving cell, the CSI-RS configuration on the determined backhaul link, wherein the CSI-RS configuration on the determined backhaul link is for measuring, by the backhaul link of the first moving cell, the interference received from an access link of a second moving cell among the moving cells. |
| US09876582B2 |
Integrated multichannel photonic receiver
An integrated multi-channel photonic radio-frequency (RF) receiver system includes a master oscillator including a laser source configured to generate laser light. A local oscillator (LO) path may include an LO generator, an LO modulator, an optical LO filter, and an optical amplifier optically coupled to one another to generate an LO signal. Multiple RF-modulation channels are coupled through an optical switch to a number of channel filters and configured to produce a number of filtered RF-modulated optical signals. An optical combiner may combine the LO signal with each filtered RF-modulated optical signal to generate down-converted optical signals. Each channel of the plurality of RF-modulation channels includes a channel laser coupled to a channel modulator, and the LO generator and channel lasers of the RF-modulation channels are fed by the laser light of the master oscillator. |
| US09876575B2 |
Hybrid optical transmitter and/or receiver structure
A device may include a substrate. The device may include a carrier mounted to the substrate. The device may include a transmitter photonic integrated circuit (PIC) mounted on the carrier. The transmitter PIC may include a plurality of lasers that generate an optical signal when a voltage or current is applied to one of the plurality of lasers. The device may include a first microelectromechanical structure (MEMS) mounted to the substrate. The first MEMS may include a first set of lenses. The device may include a planar lightwave circuit (PLC) mounted to the substrate. The PLC may be optically coupled to the plurality of lasers by the first set of lenses of the first MEMS. The device may include a second MEMS, mounted to the substrate, that may include a second set of lenses, which may be configured to optically couple the PLC to an optical fiber. |
| US09876571B2 |
Guided-wave transmission device with non-fundamental mode propagation and methods for use therewith
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a coupler that includes a tapered collar that surrounds a transmission wire. A coaxial coupler, that surrounds at least a portion of the transmission wire, guides an electromagnetic wave to the tapered collar. The tapered collar couples the electromagnetic wave to propagate along an outer surface of the transmission wire. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US09876570B2 |
Guided-wave transmission device with non-fundamental mode propagation and methods for use therewith
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a coupler that includes a tapered collar that surrounds a transmission wire. A coaxial coupler, that surrounds at least a portion of the transmission wire, guides an electromagnetic wave to the tapered collar. The tapered collar couples the electromagnetic wave to propagate along an outer surface of the transmission wire. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US09876562B2 |
Beamspace-frequency adaptive processing for satellite communications
Systems and methods to generate virtual spot beams are provided. The system includes a first antenna that provides a first physical spot beam that represents a radio frequency (RF) signal received from a remote source. The system also includes a second antenna that provides a second physical spot beam that represents the RF signal received from the remote source. The system further includes a beam formation module that is communicatively to the first and second antennas and that performs a beam formation operation on the first and second physical spot beams to generate one or more virtual spot beams. |
| US09876556B2 |
Portable deployable underground communication systems, devices and methods
Disclosed are passive reflector radio communications systems, such as for UHF frequencies or greater than UHF frequencies, and related deployment systems and devices that provide underground communications. Embodiments of the system include reflector elements to provide passive radio communications, structural frameworks to support and orient the reflector elements, methods for calculating reflector size, shape, and position corresponding to a desired wavelength, and deployment methods and devices to install the communication system at a desired location. The passive reflectors can be placed in a folded or otherwise compact mode, for transport into underground tunnels. Once at the desired installation location, the system can be installed, with the reflectors positioned appropriately for the radio frequencies used at the location. Some of the embodiments include any of vertical or horizontal foldable reflector poles, reflective sheets, reflective mesh sheets and/or ropes, inflatable reflective pucks, and rapid deployment systems and methods. |
| US09876553B2 |
Multiple input multiple output communication system using codebook corresponding to each reporting mode
A multiple input multiple output (MIMO) communication system using a first codebook and a second codebook is provided. The first codebook and the second codebook may independently exist, or may exist in a form of an overall codebook in which the first codebook and the second codebook are integrated with each other. A receiver may extract a first precoding matrix indicator from the first codebook, and may extract a second precoding matrix indicator from the second codebook. The receiver may also extract the first precoding matrix indicator and the second precoding matrix indicator from the overall codebook. The first precoding matrix indicator and the second precoding matrix indicator may be fed back to a transmitter. The transmitter may determine a precoding matrix based on the first precoding matrix indicator and the second precoding matrix indicator. |
| US09876552B2 |
Beamforming techniques for single-stream communications
A method of adjusting single-stream transmissions by a wireless device based on channel state information (CSI). The wireless device generates a sounding packet formatted for transmission via multiple spatial streams, and transmits the sounding packet to a receiving device via a single one of the multiple spatial streams. For example, the wireless device may be a single-antenna device. The wireless device further receives channel state information (CSI) from the receiving device based at least in part on the sounding packet. The wireless device then adjusts one or more characteristics of single-stream transmissions to the receiving device based at least in part on the received CSI. |
| US09876551B2 |
Mobile station and reporting method
A mobile station reports, based on a known signal transmitted from a base station, channel state information to the base station and performs wireless communication with the base station by spatial multiplexing. The mobile station includes: a calculating unit that calculates first precoding information corresponding to first channel state information and used in horizontal direction beam formation in the base station, second precoding information corresponding to second channel state information, and third precoding information corresponding to both of the first channel state information and the second channel state information and used in vertical direction beam formation in the base station; and a report control unit that reports the first precoding information and the third precoding information in reporting the first channel state information, and reports the second precoding information without reporting the third precoding information in reporting the second channel state information. |
| US09876550B2 |
Reporting of channel state information
A mobile station is connected to a multi-carrier cellular communication system having a plurality of sub-carriers. The sub-carriers are classified into K frequency sub-bands, channel state information (CSI) of the frequency sub-bands is represented by matrices Wi (i=0 . . . K−1), where K is an integer grater than 1. The mobile station determines a first sub-index k1 for the K matrices Wi (i=0 . . . K−1), and a second sub-index k2 for each one of the K matrices Wi (i=0 . . . K−1). The first sub-index k1 is common for all frequency sub-bands, and the second sub-index k2 is specific for the indexed matrix that corresponds to one frequency sub-band. The mobile station reports to a base station of the multi-carrier cellular communication system the first sub-index k1 and at least one second sub-index k2. |
| US09876548B2 |
Method and apparatus for flexible product codebook signaling
A method and apparatus can be configured to transmit a number of azimuth antenna elements. The method can also comprise transmitting a number of elevation antenna elements. The method can also comprise receiving an azimuth precoder-matrix-indicator. The method can also comprise receiving an elevation precoder-matrix-indicator. The method can also comprise transmitting based on the received azimuth precoder-matrix-indicator and the received elevation precoder-matrix-indicator. |
| US09876546B2 |
Digital beam-forming network having a reduced complexity and array antenna comprising the same
A digital beam-forming network for an array antenna having N>1 antenna ports, to be associated to respective antenna elements, and M≧1 beam ports (BP), corresponding to respective antenna beams. The digital beam-forming network comprises a plurality of complex weighting elements interconnected through summing nodes. At least one of the complex weighting elements is connected to either two antenna ports, to be associated with respective antenna elements which are arranged symmetrically with respect to the symmetry axis, or two beam ports corresponding to respective antenna beams pointing toward directions which are symmetrical with respect to the symmetry axis, or both. The digital beam forming network can be a part of an array antenna comprising N antenna elements, NS of which are arranged according to an array pattern having a symmetry axis, NS being an even integer different from zero. |
| US09876536B1 |
Systems and methods for assigning groups of antennas to transmit wireless power to different wireless power receivers
The embodiments described herein include a transmitter that transmits a power transmission signal (e.g., radio frequency (RF) signal waves) to create a three-dimensional pocket of energy. At least one receiver can be connected to or integrated into electronic devices and receive power from the pocket of energy. The transmitter can locate the at least one receiver in a three-dimensional space using a communication medium (e.g., Bluetooth technology). The transmitter generates a waveform to create a pocket of energy around each of the at least one receiver. The transmitter uses an algorithm to direct, focus, and control the waveform in three dimensions. The receiver can convert the transmission signals (e.g., RF signals) into electricity for powering an electronic device. Accordingly, the embodiments for wireless power transmission can allow powering and charging a plurality of electrical devices without wires. |
| US09876530B2 |
Advanced backhaul services
“Tiered” groups of devices (tiered service radios) and/or licenses associated with the devices or users so as to provide a hieratical set of interference protection mechanisms for members of each tier of service are disclosed. Point-to-point and point-to-multipoint data links for any communication application, including wireless backhaul applications, are also disclosed. Exemplary systems, devices, and methods disclosed herein allow for the efficient operation of such a tiered service. Interference protection among tiered service devices belonging to one or more tiers of the service, from other devices within the same tier of service, or devices of other tiers of service, is disclosed. Identification of other devices of the same or differing tiers of service, and interference mitigation between other tiered service devices based upon intercommunication between the devices, and/or via a central registry database, are also disclosed. |
| US09876526B2 |
Tunable bandpass filter for communication system
Systems and methods according to one or more embodiments are provided for filtering of communication signals. Filtering may be implemented, for example, as a bandpass filter that is selectively tuned across a communication system frequency range to more effectively utilize the communication system bandwidth. In one example, a system includes a printed wiring board (PWB) and a filter implemented in the PWB. The filter includes first and second ports, an inductor comprising a plurality of vias extending through the PWB and a plurality of conductors connecting the plurality of vias to provide a plurality of coils between the first and second ports, and a plurality of capacitors disposed within the PWB. Additional systems and methods are also provided. |
| US09876525B1 |
Portable millimeter-wave communications device
A portable millimeter-wave wireless communications device relies on millimeter-wave spectrum for wireless communications. The millimeter-wave device may be a smart-phone, a laptop computer or a tablet computer. The millimeter-wave device may be a module that is added to an existing portable device such as a smart-phone, a laptop computer or a tablet computer to provide millimeter-wave communications capability. The module may be incorporated into a protective encapsulating case of such portable devices. |
| US09876521B2 |
Sliding stand assembly
A sliding stand assembly comprises a back cover, a sliding engaging member, a spring, a first stand and a second stand. The sliding engaging member is located at a first surface of the back cover. The sliding engaging member comprises first and second protruding portions. The first stand is slidably pivoted to the back cover. The first stand comprises first to third concave portions. The first concave portion has first and second sub-portions. The second stand is pivoted to the first stand and the back cover. When the first stand slides to a positioning location, the first protruding portion is engaged with the first sub-portion and the second protruding portion is located in the second concave portion. When the first protruding portion moves from the first sub-portion to the second sub-portion, the second protruding portion moves to the third concave portion to be positioned. |
| US09876518B2 |
Capacitive passive mixer baseband receiver with broadband harmonic rejection
Systems, methods, and articles of manufacture, including computer program products, are provided for capacitive passive mixer baseband receivers with broadband harmonic rejection. In some embodiments, an apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a receiver configured to receive an input signal and generate, based on the input signal, an in-phase portion and a quadrature phase portion. The apparatus further includes a harmonic rejection mixer comprising a plurality of capacitors, the plurality of capacitors encoded with a plurality of capacitance values, the harmonic rejection mixer configured to reduce harmonics in the input signal based on applying a quantity of the plurality of capacitance values to the input signal. The apparatus further includes a plurality of switches configured to activate the plurality of capacitors, the quantity of the plurality of predetermined capacitance values applied to the input signal based on a quantity of the plurality of capacitors that are active. |
| US09876510B2 |
Method for determining active input elements of an input arrangement and input arrangement
The invention relates in an aspect A to a method for determining active input elements (S1a, S2a) of an input arrangement (10), comprising providing input elements (S1a to S2b) that are connected according to a matrix arrangement, providing within the matrix arrangement at least two drive lines (L1, L2) that are each connected to a respective driving circuit (2, 4), providing within the matrix arrangement at least two sense lines (Ca, Cb) that may be used to detect active input elements (S1a, S2a), providing within the matrix arrangement serial connections (SC1 to SC4) each comprising one of the input elements (S1a) and a resistor (R1a) and each serial connection (SC1 to SC4) being connected to a respective one of the drive lines (L1, L2) and to a respective one of the sense lines (Ca, Cb), providing pull resistors (Ra, Rb) that connect the sense lines (Ca, Cb) to a first potential, and using a control device for the driving circuits that drives an active drive line (L1) to a second potential that is different from the first potential and that drives a non active drive line (L2) or non active drive lines to the first potential or to a potential having an absolute offset value from the first potential that is at most 50 percent or at most 10 percent of the absolute value of the difference of the first potential and of the second potential. |
| US09876509B2 |
Methods and apparatus to parallelize data decompression
An example method to parallelize data decompression includes adjusting a first one of initial starting positions to determine a first adjusted starting position by decoding the bitstream starting at a training position in the bitstream, the decoding including traversing the bitstream from the training position as though first data located at the training position is a valid token; and merging, by executing an instruction with the processor, first decoded data generated by decoding a first segment of the compressed data bitstream starting from the first adjusted starting position with second decoded data generated by decoding a second segment of the compressed data bitstream, the decoding of the second segment starting from a second position in the compressed data bitstream and being performed in parallel with the decoding of the first segment, and the second segment preceding the first segment in the compressed data bitstream. |
| US09876505B1 |
Superconducting isochronous receiver system
An isochronous receiver system is provided and includes a single flux quantum (SFQ) receiver to receive a data signal from a transmission line. The single flux quantum receiver then converts the data signal to an SFQ signal. The system also includes a converter system to convert the SFQ signal to a reciprocal quantum logic (RQL) signal and to phase-align the RQL signal with a sampling phase of an AC clock signal. |
| US09876503B2 |
Method of obfuscating digital logic circuits using threshold voltage
A threshold logic element (TLE) is disclosed. The TLE includes a first input gate network, a second input gate network, and a differential sense amplifier. The first input gate network is configured to receive a first set of logical signals and the second input gate network configured to receive a second set of logical signals. The differential sense amplifier is operably associated with the first input gate network and the second input gate network such that the differential sense amplifier is configured to generate a differential logical output in accordance with a threshold logic function. To obfuscate the TLE, any number of obfuscated transmission gates can be provided in one or both of the input gate networks. The obfuscated transmission gates are obfuscated such that obfuscated transmission gates are incapable of effecting the threshold logic function of the TLE and thus hide the functionality of the TLE. |
| US09876501B2 |
Switching power amplifier and method for controlling the switching power amplifier
A switching power amplifier includes: a first transistor controlled by a first digital signal to selectively output a first output signal; a second transistor controlled by a second digital signal to selectively output a second output signal; and a control circuit arranged to generate the second digital signal according to the first digital signal and a third digital signal; wherein the first output signal and the second output signal are outputted on a common connected node of the first transistor and the second transistor. |
| US09876499B2 |
Semiconductor device, electronic component, and electronic device
A semiconductor device suitable for low-voltage driving. The semiconductor device includes a first transistor, a second transistor, a power supply line, a circuit, and a memory circuit. The first transistor controls electrical continuity between the circuit and the power supply line. The memory circuit stores data for setting a gate potential of the first transistor. The second transistor controls electrical continuity between an output node of the memory circuit and a gate of the first transistor. The second transistor is a transistor with an ultralow off-state current, for example, an oxide semiconductor transistor. In a period for operating the circuit, a first potential is input to the power supply line and the second transistor is turned off. In a period for updating the gate potential of the first transistor, a second potential is input to the power supply line. The second potential is higher than the first potential. |
| US09876498B2 |
Physically unclonable product and fabrication method thereof
The present disclosure provides physically unclonable products and fabrication methods thereof. An exemplary fabrication method forming a resistor block; performing a resistance randomizing process to the resistor block to cause the resistor block to have a random resistance; forming a resistor block array using at least two resistor blocks obtained after the resistance randomizing process; and coupling at least one resistor block array with a product to form the physically unclonable product. |
| US09876497B2 |
Active diode having improved transistor turn-off control method
An active diode having an improved transistor turn-off control method is disclosed. The active diode comprises: a comparator for comparing voltages of both ends of a parasitic diode of a transistor; and a gate driver for controlling a gate terminal of the transistor according to the comparison result of the comparator, and estimates a turn-on time of the transistor and uses the same to control the gate terminal of the transistor. |
| US09876488B2 |
Flip-flop circuit with data-driven clock
A flip-flop circuit includes a D flip-flop and a gating controller. The D flip-flop generates an output signal according to a data signal and a gated clock signal. The gating controller receives an original clock signal. The gating controller further compares the output signal with the data signal. If the output signal is the same as the data signal, the gating controller will maintain the gated clock signal at a constant logic level. If the output signal is different from the data signal, the gating controller will use the original clock signal as the gated clock signal. |
| US09876485B2 |
Active circuit capable of preventing impedance from being mismatched in a bypass mode
An active circuit includes an active element, an input unit, and a bypass unit. The active element is coupled to an output terminal of the active circuit for outputting an output signal. The input unit is coupled to an input terminal of the active circuit, and is coupled to an input terminal of the active element through a node. The input unit adjusts a capacitance value of the input unit according to a first control signal. The bypass unit is coupled to an output terminal of the input unit through the node, and is coupled to the output terminal of the active circuit. The bypass unit turns on or off a signal bypassing path according to a second control signal. |
| US09876480B2 |
System and method for a tunable capacitance circuit
A tunable capacitance circuit comprises a plurality of varactor transistors which are coupled in series. An antenna tuner comprises such a tunable capacitance circuit. |
| US09876479B2 |
Filter
A filter includes a substrate; a signal line formed on the substrate and including an input terminal and an output terminal at either end of the signal line; and a first pair of resonant lines connected between the signal line and a ground portion, wherein the first pair of resonant lines are connected to the signal line at the same point. |
| US09876478B2 |
Apparatus and methods for wide local area network power amplifiers
Apparatus and methods for wireless local area network (WLAN) power amplifiers are provided. In certain configurations, a WLAN power amplifier system includes a WLAN power amplifier, an output impedance matching network, and an envelope tracker. The WLAN power amplifier includes an input that receives a WLAN signal having a fundamental frequency and an output that generates an amplified WLAN signal for transmission over an antenna. The output impedance matching network is electrically connected to the output of the WLAN power amplifier, and can provide a load line impedance between 10Ω and 35Ω at the fundamental frequency. The envelope tracker receives an envelope of the WLAN signal, and controls a voltage level of a power supply of the WLAN power amplifier based on the envelope signal. |
| US09876477B2 |
Operational amplifier circuit
In a folded cascode operational amplifier circuit, a source is connected to a back gate in each of third and fourth transistors that are cascode-connected to first and second transistors, which are an electric current source that returns an electric current signal output by a differential pair of an input stage. In the third and fourth transistors, an active parasitic element exists due to its device structure. When a falling edge signal of a rectangular wave is input, and electric current is supplied to the source of the third transistor to increase its electric potential, electric current flows into the drain from the back gate via the active parasitic element in an on state, in order to rapidly charge a capacitor. Thereby, a fifth transistor turns on within a shorter time, in order to improve an internal slew rate. |
| US09876475B2 |
Phase shift and attenuation circuits for use with multiple-path amplifiers
Embodiments of circuits for use with an amplifier that includes multiple amplifier paths include a first circuit and a second circuit in parallel with the first circuit. The first circuit includes a first input coupled to a first power divider output, a first output coupled to a first amplifier path of the multiple amplifier paths, and a first adjustable phase shifter and a first attenuator series coupled between the first input and the first output. The second circuit includes a second input coupled to a second power divider output, a second output coupled to a second amplifier path of the multiple amplifier paths, and a second adjustable phase shifter coupled between the second input and the second output. |
| US09876472B2 |
Envelope tracking power amplifying apparatus and method
An apparatus includes a first predistorter configured to calculate a first predistortion parameter and configured to distort an input signal using the first predistortion parameter to output a first distortion signal, a second predistorter configured to calculate a second predistortion parameter and configured to distort the first distortion signal using the second predistortion parameter to output a second distortion signal, a power supply configured to receive the first distortion signal to generate a first envelope signal, and configured to limit a bandwidth of the first envelope signal to obtain a second envelope signal to supply a source voltage, and a power amplifier configured to receive the source voltage and to output an output signal obtained by amplifying the second distortion signal. |
| US09876468B2 |
Method, system and program product for photovoltaic cell monitoring via current-voltage measurements
A method, a system and a program product for use when monitoring degradation of a photovoltaic cell each use a plurality of current-voltage curves for the photovoltaic cell obtained at a plurality of predetermined times, where the plurality of current-voltage curves is obtained when the photovoltaic cell (or related module, string or array) is in operational service. The use of such a plurality of current-voltage curves provides for extraction of a plurality of degradation characteristics or parameters for the photovoltaic cell. |
| US09876466B2 |
Photovoltaic panel circuitry
Circuits integrated or integrable with a photovoltaic panel to provide built-in functionality to the photovoltaic panel including safety features such as arc detection and elimination, ground fault detection and elimination, reverse current protection, monitoring of the performance of the photovoltaic panel, transmission of the monitored parameters and theft prevention of the photovoltaic panel. The circuits may avoid power conversion, for instance DC/DC power conversion, may avoid performing maximum power tracking to include a minimum number of components and thereby increase overall reliability. |
| US09876464B2 |
Apparatus and method for renewable energy system
A renewable energy system comprising a solar panel that is adapted to be mounted on a structure and convert solar energy into electrical energy, a windmill that is adapted to be mounted on the structure and convert wind energy into electrical energy, a window turbine assembly that is adapted to convert wind energy into electrical energy, and a means for shutting down the renewable energy system that is adapted to automatically shut down the system in the event of an emergency. A method for a renewable energy system comprising providing a renewable energy system and converting renewable energy into electrical energy. |
| US09876461B2 |
Control and protection apparatus for electric motor
A control and protection apparatus for an electric motor, comprising an inverter (3), a first converter (1), a temperature detection apparatus (7), and a second converter (2). The first converter (1) is used for generating, on the basis of an input signal, a first control signal to control working of the inverter (3). The temperature detection apparatus (7) is used for detecting the temperature of the electric motor (4) and for acquiring a temperature signal. The second converter (2) is used for generating a second control signal on the basis of the temperature signal detected and for providing the second control signal to the inverter (3). The inverter (3) is used for controlling wording of the electric motor (4) on the basis of the first control signal and of the second control signal. The control and protection apparatus for the electric motor is low in costs and high in safety and reliability. |
| US09876460B2 |
Automobile equipped with drive motor
In an automobile equipped with a drive motor, a positive value is set to a distribution factor during EV driving in a first CD mode. During EV driving in a second CD mode (a mode in which driving performance is limited as compared to the first CD mode), a value 0 is set to the distribution factor. First and second boosting converters are controlled such that an electric current (discharge power from the second battery) of a reactor of a second boosting converter when the distribution factor is small becomes smaller as compared to that when the distribution factor is large. |
| US09876459B2 |
Motor driving circuit, motor device, and electric vehicle
A motor driving circuit has a supply line connected to a DC power source, an inverter whose input side is connected to the supply line and whose output side is connected to a motor, a power switch inserted in the supply line for switching the supply line between conducting and cut-off states, a voltage detector for detecting a voltage between the direct-current power source and the power switch, and an insulation resistance detector for first detecting, based on a result of detection by the voltage detector with the power switch in the cut-off state, an insulation resistance on the preceding-stage side of the power switch and subsequently detecting, based on a result of detection by the voltage detector with the power switch in the conducting state, an insulation resistance on the succeeding-stage side of the power switch. |
| US09876458B2 |
Control device for AC rotating machine and electric power steering device
A control device for an AC rotating machine includes an electric-power converter that has two or more switching devices connected with an AC rotating machine and applies a voltage to the AC rotating machine, a switch that opens or closes an electric connection path between the AC rotating machine and the electric-power converter, a switching device controller that controls opening and closing of the switching devices, and a switch controller that controls opening and closing of the switch; when a failure occurs in the electric-power converter, the AC rotating machine, or the electric connection path therebetween, the switch controller controls opening and closing of the switch in accordance with rotation information on the AC rotating machine. |
| US09876454B2 |
Circuit and method for frequency synthesis for signal detection in automatic voltage regulation for synchronous generators
Automatic voltage regulation is shown involving full wave rectifying a power signal and generating a reference corresponding to an operating voltage level, line sampling the power signal and comparing it to the reference to generate a line sync signal synchronized to the power signal. Producing 90° out of phase signals synchronized to the line sync signal with a PLL locked onto the line sync signal that outputs a phase error signal. Generating a quadrature signal from the phase signals. Sampling the peaks of the rectified power signal using the quadrature signal to produce a control signal. Subtracting the error signal and damping signal from the reference to produce a duty cycle modulation signal. The duty cycle modulation signal controls a duty cycle of a field voltage control signal that oscillates at a predetermined frequency. The field voltage control signal is low-pass filtered to produce the damping signal. The control signal is utilized to detect a short circuit condition and engage a circuit protection device. The reference voltage may also be obtained from another generator so that the output voltage is controlled to operate in sync with the other generator. |
| US09876452B1 |
Rotor position sensing system for permanent magnet synchronous motors and related methods
Implementations of a system for sensing rotor position of a PMSM may include: a controller which may be coupled with the PMSM. The controller may be configured to apply a plurality of voltage vectors to the PMSM to generate a plurality of sensing signals from a stator of the PMSM in response. A comparator may be coupled to the PMSM configured to receive and to compare each one of the plurality of sensing signals with a threshold voltage. A rise time measurement circuit may calculate a plurality of rise times using the plurality of sensing signals in response to receiving a signal from the comparator. The rotor-angle estimation circuit may be configured to identify from the plurality of rise times a shortest rise time and a voltage vector corresponding with the shortest rise time and thereby identify the position of the rotor of the PMSM. |
| US09876446B2 |
Plate, transducer and methods for making and operating a transducer
A plate, a transducer, a method for making a transducer, and a method for operating a transducer are disclosed. An embodiment comprises a plate comprising a first material layer comprising a first stress, a second material layer arranged beneath the first material layer, the second material layer comprising a second stress, an opening arranged in the first material layer and the second material layer, and an extension extending into opening, wherein the extension comprises a portion of the first material layer and a portion of the second material layer, and wherein the extension is curved away from a top surface of the plate based on a difference in the first stress and the second stress. |
| US09876445B2 |
Piezoelectric energy harvester and wireless switch including the same
Provided are a piezoelectric energy harvester and a wireless switch including the piezoelectric energy harvester. The wireless switch uses energy generated in a piezoelectric energy harvester as a source of driving power, thereby transmitting communications signals to an external electronic device without requiring a battery. In addition, the piezoelectric energy harvester generates displacement in a piezoelectric element through a magnetic force generated in a magnet, thereby generating a constant level of energy when generating the driving power. |
| US09876440B1 |
Active rectifier capable of preventing reverse leakage current
Disclosed herein is an active rectifier. The rectifier includes a rectifier unit, a driver unit, and a switching device control circuit unit. The rectifier unit includes first and fourth transistors configured to become conductive when the voltage of an alternating current (AC) input is negative and apply the current of the AC input to a rectifier capacitor, and second and third transistors configured to become conductive when the voltage of the AC input is positive and apply the current of the AC input to the rectifier capacitor. The driver unit outputs first to fourth drive control signals, and drives the first to fourth transistors. The switching device control circuit unit compares the first drive control signal and the second drive control signal with the AC input, and outputs switching device control signals to delay the first to fourth drive control signals based on the extents to delay. |
| US09876439B2 |
Ultra high voltage regulator
An ultra high voltage regulator includes a rectifying circuit, a first transistor, a second transistor, an output capacitor, a bootstrap diode, a bootstrap capacitor, and a gate driver circuit. The ultra high voltage regulator converts a received alternative current into a direct voltage to an electrical component. The ultra high voltage regulator is capable of providing a larger current becomes more compact and thinner in size without cooperating with a mass transformer/high voltage capacitor, which satisfies the request for miniaturization of the electrical components. |
| US09876437B2 |
Interleaved transformer/inductor
An interleaved transformer or a transformer and integrated set of inductors formed via a magnetic structure comprising a set of E cores and an I core inserted between the set of E cores is provided in order to address issues that occur when a structured transformer is coupled together with inductor flux. Actual inductance exhibited by the transformers is controlled by a preselected precise gap between the I core and each of the E cores. The advantage of such a structured transformer cancels out the magnetic flux in certain legs of the magnetic structure requiring less magnetic material and thus, less core losses while improving the overall efficiency of a power supply. |
| US09876436B2 |
Current-resonance type switching power supply apparatus
A switching power supply apparatus of a current-resonance type, including a first switching element and a second switching element connected in series, a series circuit of a resonant reactor and a resonant capacitor connected in parallel to the first switching element or the second switching element, a control circuit configured to alternately turn on and off the first switching element and the second switching element, and a load detection circuit. The load detection circuit includes a shunt circuit which shunts a resonant current flowing through the resonant reactor and resonant capacitor connected in series to obtain a shunted current, converts the shunted current to a first voltage signal, and outputs the first voltage signal, a switching circuit which switches between the first voltage signal and a second voltage signal of a ground level to generate a third voltage signal, and an averaging circuit which averages the third voltage signal. |
| US09876432B2 |
Switching power supply device
The present invention provides, in one aspect, a restart timer that turns a switching element ON when it is not possible to turn the switching element ON via a zero-current detection and frequency reduction part, and specifically includes: a frequency reduction part that reduces a switching frequency of the switching element by delaying the turn-ON timing of the switching element by the zero-current detection and frequency reduction part when a light load state is detected; and a timer adjustment part that lengthens the restart time of the restart timer by synchronizing with the turn-ON timing of the switching element that was delayed by the frequency reduction part. |
| US09876430B2 |
Zero voltage switching
A method for providing non-resonant zero-voltage switching in a switching power converter. The switching power converter converts power from input power to output power during multiple periodic switching cycles. The switching power converter includes a main switch and an auxiliary capacitor adapted for connecting to the main switch, and an inductor connectible to the auxiliary capacitor. When the main switch is on, a previously charged (or previously discharged) auxiliary capacitor is connected to the main switch with auxiliary switches. The main switch is switched off with zero voltage while discharging non-resonantly (charging) the auxiliary capacitor by providing a current path to the inductor. The auxiliary capacitor is disconnected from the main switch. The voltage of the auxiliary capacitor is charged and discharged alternatively during subsequent switching cycles. The voltage of the auxiliary capacitor stays substantially the same until the subsequent turn off of the main switch during the next switching cycle with substantially no energy loss in the auxiliary capacitor. |
| US09876429B1 |
Reconfigurable on time circuit for current mode control of buck converter
An apparatus including an inductor coupled to a load circuit, a control circuit, and a driver circuit. The control circuit may be configured to select a first operating mode in response to a determination that a value of current flowing through the inductor is greater than a threshold, and to otherwise select a second operating mode. In the first operating mode, the driver circuit may be configured to source current to the load circuit through the inductor for a first duration, based on a comparison of a supply voltage level to a voltage level across the load circuit. In the second operating mode, the driver circuit may be configured to source current to the load circuit through the inductor at a number of time points. At each time point the current may be sourced for a second duration that is based on an allowable peak current flowing through the inductor. |
| US09876426B2 |
On-period setting circuit, power control IC, and switching power supply device
An ON-period setting circuit is provided in a fixed-ON-period switching power supply device that produces a desired output voltage from an input voltage by driving a coil by turning ON and OFF an output transistor and a synchronous rectification transistor. The ON-period setting circuit shortens the ON period the more the lighter the load is in a discontinuous-current mode. Or, the ON-period setting circuit transiently shortens the ON period on completion of a transition from a discontinuous-current mode to a continuous-current mode. |
| US09876421B2 |
Power supply controller and related methods
A power supply controller having a shortened reset time due to a small hiccup voltage includes an electrical circuit providing a repeated voltage hiccup of a supply voltage of the controller of a switched-mode power supply (SMPS) when the controller enters a latched state. A plurality of comparators each have an input coupled with the controller supply voltage. A multiplexer and two latches are included, each coupled with one or more comparator outputs, and a restart controller is coupled with an output of one of the latches. The restart controller in various implementations toggles a switch to activate and deactivate a current sink to create the supply voltage hiccup. In other implementations, the switch is excluded and the restart controller toggles a voltage startup transistor to couple and decouple a voltage source with the supply voltage to create the voltage hiccup. |
| US09876418B2 |
Actuator
An actuator (1) has a movable portion (120); a supporting portion (210, 110); and a torsion bar (230), a rib (123) is formed on a surface of the movable portion, the movable portion has a protruding portion (122) which protrudes in a direction along the surface and protrudes toward an outside of the movable portion, at least one portion of the rib is formed on the surface to extend on the protruding portion. |
| US09876417B2 |
Arrangement for determining the angular position of a shaft of an electric motor, and windscreen wiper motor with an arrangement for determining the angular position
The invention relates to an arrangement (20) for determining the angular position of a shaft (11) of an electric motor (10), in particular of a shaft (11) of a windscreen wiper motor (100), with a magnet element arrangement, connected with the shaft (11), and several magnetic field sensors (26, 27, 28), wherein the angular position of the shaft (11) is inferred from the different signals of the magnetic field sensors (26, 27, 28). Provision is made, according to the invention, for the magnet element arrangement to comprise at least one magnet element, preferably several separate magnet elements (21, 22, 23), which are arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the shaft (11), and for the magnetic field sensors (26, 27, 28) to be arranged on a printed circuit board (30) which is arranged at a slight distance from the shaft (11), such that the magnetic fields of the magnet elements (21, 22, 23) are able to be determined by the magnetic field sensors (26, 27, 28). |
| US09876413B2 |
Coil segment manufacturing method
A coil segment manufacturing apparatus includes a conducting wire material feeder which repeatedly feeds a conducting wire material while changing the feeding amount and interposing a processing time, a coating remover which removes an insulation coating of the conducting wire material at a removal position each time the processing time is reached, and a conducting wire material cutter which cuts the conducting wire material each time the processing time is reached. |
| US09876410B2 |
Electric motor with functional monitoring of the motor bearings
The present invention relates to an electric motor, comprising a stator and a rotor that can rotate relative to the stator and that is mounted in bearing arrangements, and also comprising a motor housing and a vibration sensor to pick up vibrations that occur in the electric motor and that are caused by malfunctions of the bearing arrangements. The configuration provided here is that of an external-rotor motor. The stator has a bearing support tube that is connected at one end to a ring-shaped stator flange. Bearing arrangements are arranged at a distance from each other in the bearing support tube in the direction of a center longitudinal axis of the bearing support tube, in which a shaft of the rotor is supported. The vibration sensor is attached to the stator flange. |
| US09876409B2 |
Inner-rotor motor with upper and lower brackets press-fit with the stator core, and a circuit board
An inner-rotor motor includes a shaft, a rotor magnet, a stator arranged radially outside of and opposite to the rotor magnet, and upper and lower brackets arranged to hold upper and lower bearings. The upper bracket includes an upper cylindrical cover press fitted to an outer circumference of a stator core from above, an upper bearing holding portion configured to hold the upper bearing, and a top plate portion arranged to join the upper cylindrical cover to the upper bearing holding portion. The lower bracket includes a lower cylindrical cover press fitted to the outer circumference of the stator core from below, a lower bearing holding portion arranged to hold the lower bearing, and a bottom plate portion arranged to join the lower cylindrical cover to the lower bearing holding portion. Each of the upper and lower brackets is fixed to the stator core through press fitting. |
| US09876407B2 |
Halbach motor and generator
A motor includes two magnetically coupled, coaxially-nested Halbach cylinder rotors, one of which passes through a toroidal series of at least two stator coils while the other is attached to an axle or other means of transferring mechanical power. An embodiment is described comprising an additional third Halbach cylinder rotor in which a circumferential arrangement of permanent magnets is mounted rotatably and proximally outside the stator coils, coaxial with the stator coils. Adjacent stator coils are configured so as to produce opposing magnetic fields upon energizing of the motor. Alternating the current to the stator coils induces movement in the rotor. Commutation can occur brushlessly, or the motor can be configured to function without commutation by varying the frequency of the alternating current, and can be configured to operate by either DC or AC current. Alternatively, the rotor may be driven to generate an electric current in the stator. |
| US09876402B2 |
Permanent magnet embedded electric motor, compressor, and refrigerating and air-conditioning device
An interior permanent magnet motor includes a stator and a rotor. The rotor includes a rotor core formed by laminating a plurality of plate members. The rotor core has a plurality of magnet insertion holes formed therein, into which corresponding permanent magnets are respectively inserted. At least one slit and at least one caulked portion are formed between a rotor outer peripheral surface of the rotor and a radially-outer insertion hole contour surface of the magnet insertion hole. At least a part of the caulked portion is positioned between a pair of width extended lines of the slit. |
| US09876401B2 |
Transverse flux electrical machine rotor
A rotatable transverse flux electrical machine (TFEM) comprising a stator portion and a rotor portion operatively disposed inside the stator portion is described therein, the rotor portion comprising a plurality of magnets and concentrators alternatively affixed in a cylindrical arrangement to a non-magnetic magnets-and-concentrators supporting frame, the non-magnetic magnets-and-concentrators supporting frame being operatively secured to an axial shaft concentrically aligned with a rotational axis of the rotor portion. |
| US09876397B2 |
Electrical machine
An electrical machine, in particular an electric motor of a motor vehicle, having a stator and having a rotor which has a rotation axis. An electrical machine can be a brushless electric motor (DC motor) or a synchronous machine, but also a generator. The stator or the rotor has an electromagnet structure, and the other has a permanent-magnet structure which comprises a first quantity of permanent magnets and a second quantity of permanent magnets. At at least the operating temperature (T), the magnetic coercive field strength (Hcji) of the first quantity is greater than the magnetic coercive field strength (Hcj2) of the second quantity. Further, two methods for producing hybrid magnets are provided. |
| US09876395B2 |
Power feeding device and contactless power feeding system provided with power feeding device
A power feeding device utilizing an electromagnetic resonance coupling method and a contactless power feeding system can be provided. A coupling coefficient of electromagnetic induction coupling in the power feeding device and/or the inside of a power receiving device is optimized to improve electric power transmission efficiency of a resonance frequency regardless of positions of the power feeding device and the power receiving device. Provided is a power feeding device or a contactless power feeding system in which an S11 parameter which is a reflection component of electric power output from a high-frequency power source of the power feeding device is monitored, and one or both of positions of a transmission coil and a first resonant coil in the power feeding device and positions of a reception coil and a second resonant coil in a power receiving device are changed to adjust a coupling coefficient of electromagnetic induction coupling. |
| US09876393B2 |
Direct current (DC) voltage control method and apparatus
The present invention discloses a direct current (DC) voltage control method. The present invention further discloses an apparatus for implementing the method. With the present invention, DC voltage oscillation of a system, which is caused when a DC voltage primary control station stops running, may be reduced. |
| US09876386B2 |
Wirelessly powered door lock systems and methods
Example wireless power transfer systems and methods are described. In one implementation, a rechargeable battery is electrically coupled to an electronic lock module. An electronic control module that is physically separate from the electronic lock module generates a wireless charging link between the electronic control module and the electronic lock module. The electronic control module transmits a charging signal to the electronic lock module via the wireless charging link, and the electronic lock module uses this charging signal to charge the rechargeable battery. The transmission frequency of the charging signal can be varied over a predetermined frequency range by a numerically controlled oscillator. |
| US09876385B2 |
Seat wireless charger
A seat control unit (SCU) for use in an aircraft can include a base that has a wireless charger configured to transmit a wireless power signal and a case at least partially enclosing the wireless charger. The SCU can also include a control device having a remote controller configured to wirelessly control a system of the aircraft and a battery coupled to the remote controller and configured to store electrical energy. The control device can also include a wireless receiver configured to receive the wireless power signal from the wireless charger and transmit associated power to the battery and an outer casing at least partially enclosing at least one of the remote controller or the wireless receiver. |
| US09876382B2 |
Peak power caching in a wireless power system
An information handling system includes a wireless charging module, a capacitor, and a control module. The wireless charging module receives wireless power from a wireless charging pad, and provides power to other components in the information handling system. The control module receives a turbo mode request, and determines whether the wireless charging module of the information handling system has sufficient power delivery capability to enable a turbo mode of the information handling system. The wireless power charging module provides power to the capacitor in response to the turbo mode request being received and the wireless charging module having sufficient power delivery capability. The control module determines whether a first voltage of the capacitor is substantially equal to a second voltage of a second capacitor in the information handling system, and in response to the first voltage being substantially equal to the second voltage the capacitor to provide power for the turbo mode. |
| US09876373B2 |
Charging cabinet and storage device thereof
A storage device includes a frame and a plurality of adjusting structures. The frame includes a base and a plurality of partition components. The partition components stand on the base so that the partition components and the base form a plurality of accommodation spaces together. Each of the adjusting structures includes a sliding component and a blocking component that are connected to each other. The sliding components are slidable on the base. The blocking components are located within the accommodation spaces, respectively. The blocking components protrude from the base so that the base, the partition components and the blocking components form a plurality of storage compartments together. The sliding components are for sliding relative to the base so as to respectively adjust depths of the storage compartments. |
| US09876371B2 |
Battery pack and driving method thereof
A battery pack includes: a battery to be charged; a first terminal part including a positive terminal coupled to a positive pole of the battery and a negative terminal coupled to a negative pole of the battery; a charge control switch and a discharge control switch between the positive pole and the positive terminal of the battery; and a protector to measure a voltage of the first terminal part, to control the charge control switch and the discharge control switch to operate normally when the voltage of the first terminal part is greater than or equal to a voltage of a reference power, and to control the charge control switch and the discharge control switch to be turned off when the voltage of the first terminal part is less than the voltage of the reference power. |
| US09876368B2 |
Alternating current linked power converting apparatus
Disclosed herein is an alternating current linked power converting apparatus, including: a direct current power unit including a plurality of cells, which provide a direct current (DC) voltage and are connected in series, wherein the direct current power unit has both ends connected to an inverter which converts the direct current voltage to an alternating current (AC) voltage; a cell balancing charger/discharger connected to the plurality of cells and balancing the direct current voltage or an amount of charging between the plurality of cells; and a ripple removing capacitor that is positioned between the cell balancing charger/discharger and the inverter and that includes a first terminal and a second terminal that are respectively connected to a first output terminal and a second output terminal of the cell balancing charger/discharger so as to remove ripples of the direct current voltage. |
| US09876365B2 |
Contactless power supply controller and contactless power supply system
A contactless power supply system for transferring power without contact between a primary side coil and a secondary side coil is provided. In the contactless power supply system, a manipulation unit manipulates a secondary side converter so that power outputted to a load is controlled to be a command value. The manipulation unit manipulates an input voltage of a primary side resonance circuit so that a current flowing in the primary side resonance circuit equals a product of a current flowing in the secondary side resonance circuit and a current coefficient. The current coefficient is defined as a square root of a specific value and the specific value is an equivalent resistance of the secondary side resonance circuit divided by an equivalent resistance of the primary side resonance circuit. |
| US09876361B2 |
Method for controlling the operation of electric energy generators and control device for performing the method
A method controls the operation of electric energy generators. A correction signal is sent to the control device and indicates a deviation of a current energy requirement of a supply network from a planned energy requirement. The control device transmits control signals to the energy generators, the correction signal being used for determining the control signals. To react to a correction signal, a control energy quantity is determined which indicates an energy quantity to be jointly provided by all energy generators, and a first energy generator is selected for providing a proportion of the control energy quantity. Further energy generators are sequentially selected, until the extent of the control energy quantity has been completely assigned to respective selected energy generators, and control signals are generated for the selected energy generators, which control signals indicate the proportions of the control energy quantity to be provided by the energy generators. |
| US09876357B2 |
Customer-centric demand side management for utilities
A method and system for reducing demand on a power grid through demand side management includes receiving assigned priorities from a customer for smart appliances and for appliances plugged into sockets of one or more smart plugs of the customer, the assigned priorities indicative of a customer-preferred sequence for disconnection of, or adjustment of power to, the appliances from the power grid. The system determines whether to disconnect or adjust power to at least one of the appliances of the customer; and selects at least one of the appliances according to the assigned priorities to reduce demand on the power grid. The system sends one or more commands, the one or more commands indicative to the one or more smart plugs to disconnect or adjust power to the selected at least one of the appliances based on selecting at least one of the appliances. |
| US09876356B2 |
Dynamic and adaptive configurable power distribution system
A power distribution system is dynamically and adaptively configured in real-time to improve energy efficiency, reliability and power quality, particularly if the system includes renewable sources and storages. An optimal multi-objective scheduling and partitioning method is provided to partition the system into self-sufficient sections (SSS) through optimally combination of adjacent basic switching sections (BSS). The SSSs enable system operating at a lower cost, with less power losses, more energy efficiency, improved power quality, and sufficient transient security. The method uses two storage based transient security indices, storage compensation power margin (SCPM) and storage compensation energy margin (SCEM) evaluate the transient stability margin of distribution system. A minimal stability margin is used to ensure that the system remains stable when subject to large unexpected load deviations. |
| US09876349B2 |
Intrinsically safe voltage clamping device
An intrinsically safe voltage clamping device includes a regulated rail, a ground rail, and a shunt regulator assembly. The shunt regulator assembly is coupled to both the regulated rail and the ground rail and includes one or more regulating components. The shunt regulator assembly is configured to clamp a voltage applied across the regulated rail and the ground rail to a safety clamp voltage value. The intrinsically safe voltage clamping device also includes a power-sensing component configured to cause one or more limiting components to reduce a power dissipated in the respective regulating components without raising the clamp voltage. |
| US09876344B2 |
Apparatus and methods for monitoring and responding to power supply and/or detection circuit failures within an electronic circuit breaker
An electronic circuit breaker may include a monitoring circuit configured to monitor and respond to a power supply and/or detection circuit failure within the electronic circuit breaker. In some embodiments, the monitoring circuit may monitor a regulated DC voltage provided by the detection circuit within the electronic circuit breaker. A response to a power supply and/or detection circuit failure may include interrupting current flow between an electrical power source and an electrical circuit protected by the electronic circuit breaker. Methods of monitoring and responding to a power supply and/or detection circuit failure within an electronic circuit breaker are also provided, as are other aspects. |
| US09876334B2 |
Breaker assembly with mating platform and well connection
A breaker assembly is disclosed comprising a breaker board having a bus bar including a first engagement feature and a breaker module having a line side connector including a second engagement feature engaging the first engagement feature to inhibit separation of the breaker module from the breaker board. The breaker board can further include a board mount having a first alignment feature, and the breaker module can further include a module mount engaging the board mount and having a second alignment feature engaging the first alignment feature. In another aspect of the invention, the breaker board includes board connections, the breaker module includes breaker connections (e.g., blind mate connections), and the board connections are engaged with the breaker connections. In another aspect of the invention, the breaker module includes a ledge that defines an undercut to facilitate prying of the breaker module from the breaker board. |
| US09876332B2 |
Spark plug capable of restraining lateral sparking
In a metallic shell, cutting traces are formed on the inner circumferential surface of a trunk portion and the inner circumferential surface of an elongated leg portion. A first portion of a packing is in contact with and disposed between the rear end surface of a ledge portion of the metallic shell and the outer circumferential surface of a step portion of an insulator. A second portion of the packing is in contact with and disposed between the inner circumferential surface of a trunk portion of the metallic shell and the outer circumferential surface of a tubular portion of the insulator. A gap between the inner circumferential surface of the elongated leg portion and the outer circumferential surface of the leg portion is approximately uniform along the entire circumference. |
| US09876331B2 |
Semiconductor laser having improved index guiding
A semiconductor laser includes a main body, a strip having a narrower width provided on the main body, and an active zone that generates light radiation, wherein surfaces of the main body laterally with respect to the strip and side surfaces of the strip are covered with an electrically insulating protective layer, an electrically conductive layer as a contact is provided on a top side of the strip, a cavity is provided between a side surface of the strip and the protective layer at least in a delimited section. |
| US09876329B2 |
One plus one redundant optical interconnects with automated recovery from light source failure
An optical interconnect device is provided that includes a first vertical cavity of surface emitting laser (VCSEL), connected in parallel with a second VCSEL, an optical coupler that is configured to direct the light output from the first VCSEL and the second VCSEL to a single optical fiber, where a common connection of each VCSEL is controlled using a MOSFET/inverter, where in normal operation only one of the first VCSEL or the second VCSEL is enabled, where a common connection of each VCSEL is not directly connected to a ground, and a microcontroller that is configured to switch output from the first VCSEL to the second VCSEL in the event of failure by the first VCSEL, where a failure of the first VCSEL does not result a communication in link failure. |
| US09876328B1 |
Driving light emitting elements with reduced voltage drivers
In one example, a method includes outputting, by a power supply and across a supply node and a ground node, a supply power signal; and selectively outputting, by a driver, a power signal to a second terminal of a light emitting element that has a first terminal and the second terminal, wherein the first terminal of the light emitting element is coupled to a load node, wherein a supply terminal of the driver is coupled to the supply node, wherein a ground terminal driver is coupled to the ground node, and wherein a difference between a potential of the supply node and a potential of the ground node is less than an activation voltage of the light emitting element. |
| US09876327B2 |
Hermetically sealed container for laser device
The present invention relates to a first container with an internal space for accommodating a vertical external cavity surface emitting laser device. Said first container hermetically seals said internal space from an external space, wherein said first container has at least one wall with at least one first through-opening. Said at least one first through-opening is adapted for passage of an optical pump beam from the external space into the internal space, and/or for passage of a laser emission beam from the internal space into the external space. Moreover, said at least one first through-opening is hermetically sealed by a sealing mirror, wherein said sealing mirror is adapted to form an external cavity of the vertical external cavity surface emitting laser device with a second mirror in the internal space. Furthermore, the present invention relates to laser device with such a first container and to an assembly method of the laser device. |
| US09876324B2 |
Retractable wall mounted electrical plug for charging communication devices
A retractable electrical plug for mounting in a hollow wall structure of a building and for charging the batteries of portable communication devices, including a face plate for mounting to hollow wall structures defining on its exterior surface a plug recess, a plug shaped to nest in the plug recess, a cord opening in the face plate extending from the plug recess to the interior surface of the face plate, and an electrical conductor cord that extends from the plug and through the cord opening into the hollow wall. |
| US09876320B2 |
Sensor adapter cable
A sensor adapter cable provides medical personnel with the convenience of utilizing otherwise incompatible optical sensors with multiple blood parameter plug-ins to a physiological monitor, where the plug-ins each have keyed connectors that mechanically lock-out incompatible sensors in addition readers that poll sensor identification components in each sensor so as to electrically lock-out incompatible sensors. |
| US09876315B2 |
Electrical coupling unit
A coupling unit has an electrical-connector for push-fit electrical connection in the coupling unit axial direction to a mating electrical-connector of a unit. The electrical-connector and mating electrical-connector have engagement formations permitting push-fit connection only when the electrical-connector is in predetermined rotational alignment about axial direction with the mating electrical-connector. The coupling unit has a backshell in fixed rotational relationship with the electrical-connector and extending rearwardly therefrom to house, in use, one or more leads extending rearwardly from the electrical-connector. The coupling unit has coaxial actuation sleeve surrounding the backshell. The actuation sleeve axially moves to effect push-fit connection. The backshell and actuation sleeve are operatively connected so: actuation sleeve movement in forward axial direction towards the unit is resisted by electrical-connector contact with the mating electrical-connector to produce backshell rotation, thereby aligning the electrical-connector with the mating electrical-connector and allowing push-fit connection of the electrical-connector to the mating electrical-connector. |
| US09876311B2 |
Magnetically connectable device with self-aligning connector
A device may comprise a housing having a straight rounded edge. A self-aligning connector at the straight rounded edge may comprise a cylindrical magnet oriented with its axis substantially parallel to the straight rounded edge. The cylindrical magnet is for magnetically engaging a magnet of another connector so as to align and connect the self-aligning connector with the other connector. The self-aligning connector may comprise mounting structure configured to mount the cylindrical magnet at the straight rounded edge of the housing with the axis of the cylindrical magnet being substantially parallel to the straight rounded edge of the housing. The device may include two such self-aligning connectors, spaced apart from one another, along a single straight rounded edge of the device housing. |
| US09876310B2 |
Connector pair including a connector having a face portion and a magnetic portion connectable with a mating connector having a mating face portion and a mating magnetic portion
A connector pair includes a connector and a mating connector. A movement of the connector to a first position along a first direction and a subsequent movement of the connector from the first position to a second position along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction completes a connection between the connector and the mating connector. The connector includes a magnetic portion, and the mating connector comprises a mating magnetic portion. When the connector is located at the first position, the magnetic portion receives a force, which urges the connector to be moved toward the second position, from the mating magnetic portion. When the connector is located at the second position, the magnetic portion receives a force, which binds the connector at the second position, from the mating magnetic portion. |
| US09876307B2 |
Surface connector with silicone spring member
Contact structures for devices, where contacts in the contact structures may provide a sufficient normal force to provide a good electrical connection with corresponding contacts while consuming a minimal amount of surface area, depth, and volume in a device, and where the contact structures may prevent or limit the ingress of fluid or debris into the device. On example may provide a contact structure having a frame. The frame may be arranged to be placed in an opening in a device enclosure for an electronic device or the frame may be part of the electronic device. The frame may include a number of passages, each passage for a contact of the contact structure. Each contact may be held to the frame by a pliable membrane. Each contact may connect to a board in the electronic device via a compliant conductive path. |
| US09876299B2 |
Electrical connector assembly with floating support
The electrical connector assembly includes an insulative housing and a plurality of contacts retained in the housing. The stand includes a support and a spring supporting the support. The electrical connector is seated upon the support and moveable along with the support in the vertical direction due to deformation of the spring. Each of the contacts includes an upper contacting section and a lower contacting section. An electronic component located upon the housing and downwardly pressing and mechanically and electrically connected to the upper contacting sections. An FPC is sandwiched between the support and the electrical connector and mechanically and electrically connected to the lower contacting sections. |
| US09876298B2 |
Flexible connector and methods of manufacture
A flexible connector includes a flexible substrate having a plurality of conductive pads and a plurality of conductive polymer springfingers. Each conductive polymer springfinger extends between a first end and a second end. The conductive polymer springfingers are mechanically and electrically connected to corresponding conductive pads at the corresponding second ends and the conductive polymer springfingers are configured to be mechanically and electrically connected to conductors of an electrical component at the corresponding first ends. The conductive polymer springfingers are internally conductive and compressible between the first and second ends. The conductive polymer springfingers are discrete and separated by gaps. The flexible substrate is flexible to allow the second ends of the conductive polymer springfingers to be non-coplanar and to allow the first ends of the conductive polymer springfingers to be non-coplanar for electrical connection with the electrical component. |
| US09876297B2 |
Connector
A connector includes a housing that has a fitting chamber with an insertion opening for a flat conductor in the upper surface thereof and whose lower side is placed on a circuit board, a locking spring that locks the flat conductor, and an unlocking member. The locking spring is provided with a housing fixing portion, an elastic arm that is rotationally displaced about the housing fixing portion away from the flat conductor, an engaging piece that engages with a locking portion of a through-shape provided in the flat conductor, and a sliding contact portion that comes into oblique sliding contact with the unlocking member displaced by a pressing operation, rotates the elastic arm, and extracts the engaging piece from the locking portion. |
| US09876296B2 |
Connector assembly having a receptacle on one PCB connected to a plug on another PCB
A board-to-board connectory assembly, intended to connect two PCBs using a receptacle connector mounted on a first PCB and a plug connector mounted on a second PCB, is formed with the plug insertion space on the header of the receptacle connector open to the front, and the fastener part inserted removably in the plug insertion space of the header of the plug connector formed on the front part, while each header is mounted in a way so as to pass vertically through the respective PCB, so as to reduce the vertical width of the product. Accordingly, a locking part for locking the fastening part within the plug insertion space is furnished in the fastening part, and the locking part is configured so as to operate elastically in the vertical direction, operating in such a way as to pass through the second PCB. |
| US09876295B2 |
Electric connector
A socket connector includes a first connection terminal and a second connection terminal that come into electrical contact with a plug connector, and a socket housing having an insertion opening for the plug connector. The first connection terminal is provided with a switch contact piece and a terminal body that comes into electrical contact with the plug connector. The switch contact piece has an opening contact point portion that comes into pressure contact with the plug connector, a short-circuit contact point portion, and an elastic arm that elastically supports the opening contact point portion and the short-circuit contact point portion and that is elastically deformed when the opening contact point portion is pressed by the plug connector, and thereby brings the short-circuit contact point portion out of contact with the second connection terminal. |
| US09876294B2 |
Electronic card connector
An electronic card connector is provided which has an insulative body and a plurality of terminals. The body is provided with a plurality of terminal grooves, each having first and second opposite sides. Each groove penetrates the body from a top surface thereof to a lower surface thereof. The terminals are respectively provided to the grooves. Each terminal has a transverse base portion, first and second elastic arms, and a contact portion. Two ends of the base portion are fixed in the groove at the first side. The base portion is exposed in the groove. A distal end of the second arm is a fixed end portion fixed at the second side. The contact portion protrudes from the top surface of the body. The first arm comprises two reverse bent elastic portions and a connecting portion which connects the bent elastic portions. |
| US09876293B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device having a tubular part is able to prevent the solder from spattering when soldering the tubular part. The semiconductor device has a insulated substrate that has a circuit layer on a front surface thereof, a tubular part that is soldered to the circuit layer, and an external terminal that is inserted into the tubular part and connected electrically to the tubular part. The tubular part has a cylinder portion and a flange portion that is connected to one longitudinal end of the cylinder portion. The flange portion has a first projection, a second projection and a third projection that face the circuit layer. The distance between the first projection and the second projection, the distance between the second projection and the third projection, and the distance between the third projection and the first projection each are greater than the inner diameter of the cylinder portion. |
| US09876290B2 |
Apparatus for making contact with an electrical conductor, and connection or connecting device with an apparatus of this kind
An apparatus (1) for making contact with an electrical conductor (10, 20), in particular a cable conductor of a power supply cable, has a connecting body (4) that delimits a receiving space (6) into which the conductor (10, 20) with which contact is to be made can be inserted by way of its end. The apparatus (1) has a contact medium (30) with which electrical contact can be made with the end of the conductor (10, 20) under the action of a contact force. The contact medium (30) has a large number of electrically conductive contact bodies (32) introduced into the receiving space (6) and bearing against one another. At least some of the contact bodies can be brought into electrical contact-making contact with the ends of the conductors (10, 20). |
| US09876286B2 |
Connector
A connector is connectable with a conductive core of a cable which is inserted from a front of the connector along a front-rear direction. The connector comprises a shell and a spring member. The shell is made of a metal. The shell has an operation portion and a contact portion. The spring member is made of another metal which is harder than the metal of the shell. The spring member has an operated portion and a press portion. When the operation portion moves the operated portion, the press portion is moved away from the contact portion. The press portion presses the conductive core against the contact portion under a connection state where the conductive core is connected with the connector. |
| US09876285B2 |
Electrical connector contact terminal
An electrical contact terminal includes a base portion for positioning and retaining the electrical contact terminal within a connector housing, an insulation displacement connecting portion extending upwardly from the base portion and comprising a pair of spaced apart arms defining an opening therebetween for receiving and making electrical contact with an electrical conductor, and a contact portion extending downwardly from the base portion and configured to float when the electrical contact terminal is retained and positioned within a connector housing. The contact portion includes a first arm, a second arm, and an arcuate base portion. The first arm extends downwardly and includes a first end attached to the base portion and an opposite second end. The second arm extends downwardly and includes a free first end closer to the base portion and an opposite second end farther from the base portion. The second arm is configured to deflect when making electrical contact with a mating contact pin. The arcuate base portion connects the second ends of the first and second arms. |
| US09876282B1 |
Integrated lens for power and phase setting of DOEWG antenna arrays
The present application discloses a dual open-ended waveguide (DOEWG) antenna apparatus. The apparatus may include a plurality of radiating elements configured to radiate electromagnetic energy. Each radiating element may have an associated amplitude and phase. The apparatus may further include a waveguide configured to propagate an electromagnetic signal from a waveguide feed to the radiating elements. The radiating elements are arranged in a plurality of doublets. Each doublet includes at least two radiating elements and is coupled to the waveguide via a respective doublet neck. At least one doublet in the plurality of doublets is coupled to the waveguide via a doublet neck that has a first height proximate a first radiating element in the at least one doublet and a second height proximate a second radiating element in the at least one doublet in which the first height is different from the second height. |
| US09876277B2 |
Omni directional circularly-polarized antenna
An omni circularly-polarized antenna comprises: upper and lower layers of metal strips placed horizontally and having identical spoke-like shapes, each of the layers of said metal strips composed of a center and a plurality of spokes connected to the center, the plurality of spokes, at a circumferential position of the spoke-like shape, having extensions extending towards an identical direction along the circumference, wherein extending directions of the extensions of the spokes in the upper and lower layers of metal strips are opposite; metal poles with a number being identical with a number of the spokes in the metal strips, the metal poles vertically interconnecting ends of the extensions of the spokes in the upper and lower layers of metal strips; a coaxial connector comprising an elongated inner conductor and an outer conductor, wherein the elongated inner conductor is connected to the center of the upper layer of metal strip, and the outer conductor is connected to the center of the lower layer of metal strip. |
| US09876274B2 |
Antenna radiator having heterogeneous antennas cross-linked with each other and manufacturing method therefor
The present invention relates to an antenna radiator having heterogeneous antennas cross-linked with each other, and a manufacturing method therefor. More specifically, the present invention provides an antenna radiator having heterogeneous antennas cross-linked with each other, wherein the antenna radiator has an antenna pattern constituted with an in-mold antenna provided on an end of a frame, and a printed or plated antenna provided on an adjacent area to the in-mold antenna, the in-mold antenna having a protrusion on at least one area thereof, and the printed or plated antenna provided to overlap the protrusion such that the in-mold antenna and the printed or plated antenna are cross-linked with each other; and a manufacturing method for the antenna radiator. |
| US09876273B2 |
Electronic device having antenna on grounded speaker box
An electronic device may be provided with a housing in which electrical components are mounted. The housing may include a metal portion that serves as ground. An antenna for the electronic device may be formed from metal traces on an antenna support such as a flexible printed circuit. The flexible printed circuit may be mounted to a speaker box. The speaker box may have one or more walls formed from metal plates. A metal plate in a speaker box may be coupled to a metal clip. The metal clip may be shorted to a metal stiffener that overlaps a tail portion of the flexible printed circuit. The metal stiffener may have an opening that is aligned with an opening in the metal clip. A metal fastener such as a screw may pass through the openings to short the metal clip, stiffener, and metal plate to ground. |
| US09876270B2 |
Antenna structure, electronic device using same, and method for making same
An antenna structure includes a carrier and an antenna coupled to the carrier. The carrier has at least one end, at least one fixing hole formed on the end of the carrier, and at least one groove formed in the middle of the carrier. A manufacture method of the antenna structure and an electronic device using the antenna structure are also provided. |
| US09876267B2 |
Antenna device and method for operating an antenna device
An antenna device is disclosed including a control means and at least two transmission means in predeterminable positions and at least two receiving means in predeterminable positions. The control means is set up in such a way that it alternately individually excites the at least two transmission means in transmission, in such a way that each of the at least two receiving means receives a transmitted signal generated by each of the at least two transmission means. The control means is further set up to excite the at least two transmission means jointly in transmission at a predeterminable moment in such a way that each of the at least two receiving means receives a transmission signal generated by a single virtual transmission means. |
| US09876266B2 |
Contactless connector
A contactless connector includes a housing having a mating interface configured to be coupled to a connector interface of an electronic device. A connector communication module is held at least partially within the housing and is operable in a transmit mode and/or a receive mode of operation. The connector communication module is configured to wirelessly communicate with a device communication module of the electronic device to wirelessly transfer at least one of data or power between the connector communication module of the contactless connector and the device communication module of the electronic device. An optical contacting element is held by the housing. The optical contacting element is configured to optically contact an optical contacting element of the electronic device such that the housing is mechanically connected to the electronic device with the connector communication module configured to wirelessly communicate with the device communication module. |
| US09876264B2 |
Communication system, guided wave switch and methods for use therewith
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a guided wave switch that selectively aligns an end of the first dielectric core of a first conductorless guided wave cable with an end of a selected one of a plurality of second dielectric cores of at least one second conductorless guided wave cable to facilitate coupling of the first guided waves from the first dielectric core to a selected one of the plurality of second dielectric cores. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US09876263B2 |
Arrangement and method for the galvanically separated energy transmission
The invention relates to an arrangement and a method for the galvanically separated energy transmission, in which the energy is transmitted via a dielectric waveguide. |
| US09876256B2 |
Electrode stacking device and electrode stacking method
A device including a detector 200 for detecting position of a positive electrode 24 as a first electrode in terms of a packaged electrode having a bag-shaped separator 40 in which the positive electrode is provided, and stacking unit 112 and 122 for stacking the positive electrode 24 as the first electrode on a negative electrode 30 as a second electrode having a different polar characteristics from that of the positive electrode 24 as the first electrode on the basis of the position of the positive electrode 24 as the first electrode thus detected. |
| US09876248B2 |
Solid electrolyte, method for manufacturing solid electrolyte, solid electrolyte laminate, method for manufacturing solid electrolyte laminate, and fuel cell
Provided is a solid electrolyte made of yttrium-doped barium zirconate having hydrogen ion conductivity, a doped amount of yttrium being 15 mol % to 20 mol %, and a rate of increase in lattice constant at 100° C. to 1000° C. with respect to temperature changes being substantially constant. Also provided is a method for manufacturing the solid electrolyte. This solid electrolyte can be formed as a thin film, and a solid electrolyte laminate can be obtained by laminating electrode layers on this solid electrolyte. This solid electrolyte can be applied to an intermediate temperature operating fuel cell. |
| US09876245B2 |
Gas separator and battery system having the same
A gas separator has an adsorbent, a circulation-passage constituting member, a circulator, an adsorption facilitator, and a desorption facilitator. The adsorbent adsorbs or desorbs carbon dioxide, and the adsorbent is made of a liquid. The circulation-passage constituting member therein has a space that defines a circulation passage in which the adsorbent flows. The circulator circulates the adsorbent in the space. The adsorption facilitator facilitates an adsorption of carbon dioxide to the adsorbent filling the space. The desorption facilitator facilitates a desorption of carbon dioxide from the adsorbent filling the space. |
| US09876243B2 |
Method to reduce pressure when injectors are stuck open under faulted conditions and remedial action to prevent walk-home incident
A method for controlling a fuel cell system, capable of quickly detecting the pressure rise caused by a faulted open anode injector, reducing pressure in the fuel cell stack when the fault occurs, and taking remedial action to allow continued operation of the fuel cell stack, and militate against a walk-home incident. |
| US09876242B2 |
Fuel cell system
A fuel cell system (100) includes a hydrogen supply valve (33) that controls a supply of the anode gas into an anode system, a purge valve (36) that discharges an off-gas from the anode system, a pressure detecting unit (34) configured to measure a pressure inside the anode system, and a purge flow rate estimating unit (4) configured to estimate a purge flow rate of the off-gas discharged from the anode system through the purge valve (36) based on a pressure decrease in a purge valve open state and a pressure decrease in a purge valve close state when an anode gas supply into the anode system stops. |
| US09876240B2 |
Multi-functional fuel cable
The present invention relates to a connector or cable between the fuel supply and the fuel cell that in addition to transporting fuel and electrical power can also communicate control signals between the fuel cell and the cartridge to instruct the fuel cartridge or the fuel cell or both to commence or cease the operation of one or more functions. Control signals can be electrical, fluidic/hydraulic and/or mechanical. The connector or cable may also transport electricity produced by the fuel cell to power an electronic device, and/or to the fuel cartridge to power a component(s) on the cartridge or to re-charge a battery. The connector or cable may have universal connectors that can attach to multiple fuel cells, fuel cartridges and electronic devices, even when manufactured by different manufacturers. |
| US09876239B2 |
Fuel cell system and method for controlling the same
A fuel cell system and a method for controlling the fuel cell system are provided. The fuel cell system includes a compressor that is configured to supply air and a humidifier that includes a supply portion connected to the compressor and an air supply pipe to supply moisture to the supplied air and supply the humidified air to a fuel cell stack. An exhaust portion is configured to receive air exhausted from the fuel cell stack, discharge moisture from the received air to the supply portion, and discharge moisture-deprived air to an exhaust pipe. A valve installed in the air supply pipe is disposed between the compressor and the humidifier and a bypass pipe which branches off at the valve is connected to the exhaust pipe. |
| US09876238B2 |
Fuel cell fluid channels
An example fuel cell assembly includes a plate having channels configured to facilitate movement of a fuel cell fluid near an area of active flow of fuel cell. The channels include portions having a varying depth that extend laterally outside of the area of active flow. |
| US09876237B2 |
Fuel cell separator and fuel cell stack and reactant gas control method thereof
A fuel cell separator, a fuel cell stack having the fuel cell separator, and a reactant gas control method of the fuel cell stack are provided. That is, even when the fuel cell stack operates under the low load operation condition, a reactant gas is supplied to the reactant gas passages of the fuel cell separator, and thus, the length of the passage can be shortened by 50% as compared with the prior art having only one reactant gas passage. Therefore, the reactant gas can be effectively supplied without experiencing pressure loss. Further, in the high load operation of the fuel cell stack, the reactant gas is introduced into the first reactant gas passage of the fuel cell separator and utilized in half of the whole electrode area. Subsequently, the reactant gas is introduced into the second reactant gas passage and utilized in the remaining half of the electrode area. The flow rate of the reactant gas flowing along the passage channels is increased by two times, even when the reactant gas utilizing rate is identical as compared with the reactant gas flow in the low load operation. As a result, the moisture existing in the passage channels can be more effectively discharged and the flooding phenomenon occurring in the high load operation can be prevented. By controlling the reactant gas supply in accordance with an operation condition of the fuel cell stack without experiencing pressure loss and deterioration of the utilizing rate, the flooding phenomenon and concentration polarization phenomenon that occur in the fuel cell stack can be prevented. |
| US09876233B2 |
Secondary battery
A secondary battery according to embodiments of the present invention can reduce or prevent an uncoated portion and the rest of an electrode assembly from being damaged when the uncoated portion and a collector plate are coupled to each other using laser welding. The secondary battery includes a case having an internal space, an electrode assembly accommodated in the case, the electrode assembly having a coated portion coated with an active material and an uncoated portion without the active material, and a collector plate including a first collector plate and a second collector plate coupled to the uncoated portion, wherein first protrusions of the first collector plate and second protrusions of the second collector plate are engaged with each other with the uncoated portion interposed therebetween, and a boundary surface between the first protrusions and the second protrusions is configured to deviate with respect to a direction in which the collector plate is coupled to the uncoated portion. |
| US09876232B2 |
Positive electrode for secondary battery, method for producing the same, and nonaqueous secondary battery
A positive electrode active material layer comprises a coating layer for coating at least part of surfaces of positive electrode active material particles. The coating layer comprises alternate layers of a cationic material layer containing a cationic material having a positive zeta potential and an anionic material layer containing an anionic material having a negative zeta potential under neutral conditions, and a material layer having a zeta potential of opposite sign to that of the positive electrode active material particles is bonded to the surfaces of the positive electrode active material particles. The coating layer is thin and uniform, and has a high strength for bonding to the positive electrode active material particles, so the coating layer suppresses direct contact of the positive electrode active material particles and an electrolytic solution even when a nonaqueous secondary battery is used at a high voltage. |
| US09876231B2 |
Binder composition for positive electrode of lithium ion secondary battery, slurry composition for positive electrode of lithium ion secondary battery and method of producing the same, method of producing positive electrode for lithium ion secondary battery, and lithium ion secondary battery
The disclosed binder composition for the positive electrode of a lithium ion secondary battery includes a binder and an organic dispersion medium, a weight-average molecular weight of the binder being from 100,000 to 2,000,000, and the binder containing 10% to 35% by mass of an ethylenically unsaturated monomer unit containing an acid group, and includes 0.6 to 1.5 equivalents of lithium with respect to the acid group. The disclosed slurry composition for the positive electrode of a lithium ion secondary battery includes this binder composition, a positive electrode active material, and a conductive material. |
| US09876230B2 |
Batteries
A battery electrode comprising a porous polymeric material having at least a coating of an active material applied thereto. The battery electrode may be a 3-dimensional electrode. |
| US09876229B2 |
Lithium secondary battery and manufacturing method of the same
A manufacturing method of the invention includes: a process of preparing a positive electrode which includes a positive electrode mixture layer, a negative electrode which includes a negative electrode mixture layer, and a non-aqueous electrolyte; and a process of accommodating the positive electrode, the negative electrode, and the non-aqueous electrolyte in a battery case. The non-aqueous electrolyte contains lithium sulfate. In addition, when a BET specific surface area of the negative electrode mixture layer is referred to as X (m2/g) and an addition amount of the lithium sulfate with respect to a total amount of the non-aqueous electrolyte is referred to as Y (mass %), the following relationships are satisfied: 3≦X≦4.3; 0.02≦Y≦0.1; and Y/X≦0.023. |
| US09876227B2 |
Sealed nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery and method of producing same
The sealed nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes a nonaqueous electrolyte containing a gas generator that is decomposed to generate a gas when a prescribed battery voltage is exceeded, and a battery case that includes a current interrupt device that operates when the pressure within the battery case rises accompanying the gas generation. A positive electrode (10) has a positive electrode mixture layer (14) that contains at least a positive electrode active material (16). This positive electrode mixture layer (14) contains, as conductive agents, electroconductive carbon particles (18) and an expanded graphite (17) that has an average pore diameter of 0.2 μm to 0.5 μm. |
| US09876224B2 |
Silicon-embedded copper nanostructure network for high energy storage
Provided herein are nanostructure networks having high energy storage, electrochemically active electrode materials including nanostructure networks having high energy storage, as well as electrodes and batteries including the nanostructure networks having high energy storage. According to various implementations, the nanostructure networks have high energy density as well as long cycle life. In some implementations, the nanostructure networks include a conductive network embedded with electrochemically active material. In some implementations, silicon is used as the electrochemically active material. The conductive network may be a metal network such as a copper nanostructure network. Methods of manufacturing the nanostructure networks and electrodes are provided. In some implementations, metal nanostructures can be synthesized in a solution that contains silicon powder to make a composite network structure that contains both. The metal nanostructure growth can nucleate in solution and on silicon nanostructure surfaces. |
| US09876223B2 |
Cathode for lithium-sulfur battery
Provided herein is a cathode for lithium-sulfur battery. The cathode for lithium-sulfur battery has a structure for improved in charge/discharge efficiency, charge capacity, and life span. In particular, in the cathode structure, an active material is inserted into a porous carbon structure and a surface of the porous carbon structure is densely coated with the conducting material thereby maximizing the contents of an active material and a conducting material in the cathode without a current collector. |
| US09876214B2 |
Battery module and battery unit
An object of the invention is to provide an easy sealing technique of a battery element. A battery module has a battery element placed in the frame shape of an insulating middle frame body. This battery element is covered across the middle frame body by a positive electrode-side plate and a negative electrode-side plate to be contained. In the battery module, an insulating outer peripheral frame body is provided to cover outer peripheral plate sections of the positive electrode-side plate and the negative electrode-side plate along a circumference in a frame shape to include circumferential end faces of the positive and negative electrode-side plates and a circumferential end face of the middle frame body. |
| US09876211B2 |
Separation membrane and lithium-sulfur battery comprising same
The present application relates to a separation membrane and a lithium-sulfur battery including the same, and the separation membrane according to the present application prevents elution of lithium polysulfide in a cathode and suppresses growth of a lithium dendrite generated in an anode, and thus has an effect that a life-span and safety of the battery are improved. |
| US09876207B2 |
Battery module
The present invention proposes a structure of a battery module in which a spacer can slide by means of a guide member constituting the battery module and can be positioned. A battery module according to the present invention is a battery module 9 provided with a battery block 8 in which a plurality of rectangular battery cells 1 are arranged and laminated, and includes a spacer 2 which intervenes between the plurality of battery cells 1, guide members 4 and 5 which slidably support the spacer 2 along a laminating direction of the battery cells 1, and end plates 3 as a pair which are respectively arranged on one side and the other side of the guide members 4 and 5 in a sliding direction and which sandwich the battery block 8 from both sides in the sliding direction. |
| US09876206B2 |
Cylindrical sealed battery
A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery representing an embodiment of a sealed battery of the present invention includes a bottomed cylindrical exterior case (15), a sealing member (20), a cylindrical wound electrode assembly (14) including a positive electrode plate (11) and a negative electrode plate (12) wound together via a separator (13), and an electrolyte. The cylindrical wound electrode assembly (14) and the electrolyte are accommodated in the exterior case (15). An open end of the exterior case (15) is crimped together with the sealing member (20) via an insulating gasket (21) so as to form a seal. The sealing member (20) includes a valving element (23) having a thin and fragile portion (22) and a support element (25) having an opening (24). The support element (25) is disposed on an outer side of the valving element (23), and a portion of the valving element (23) is exposed to an outside environment along the inner periphery of the opening (24) in the support element (25). |
| US09876204B2 |
Battery module assembly with novel structure
Disclosed herein is a battery module assembly including two or more battery modules, each of which includes two or more plate-shaped battery cells vertically stacked such that electrode leads of the battery cells are arranged in one direction, a base plate including module receiving parts, on tops of which the battery modules are loaded in a state in which electrode terminals of the battery modules are arranged in one direction, the base plate being provided at an outer edge thereof with upwardly bent side walls, an upper cover plate including downwardly bent side walls formed at opposite sides thereof on the basis of the electrode terminals of the battery modules, the upper cover plate being fixed on the base plate to form a top of the battery module assembly, and a plate-shaped assembly cover loaded on tops of the battery modules and coupled to the battery modules in a fastening fashion, the assembly cover including a cable fixing part for fixing a cable. |
| US09876198B2 |
Rechargeable battery
A rechargeable battery is disclosed. In one aspect, the battery includes an electrode assembly that comprises a first electrode plate, a second electrode plate, and a separator interposed between the first and second electrode plates. The battery also includes a can having an opening and accommodating the electrode assembly therein, wherein the can comprises a plurality of corner units, wherein at least one of the corner units is rounded, and wherein the outer radius of curvature of the at least one corner unit is greater than the inner radius of curvature thereof. The battery further includes a cap plate substantially sealing the opening of the can. |
| US09876197B2 |
Display device including fresnel lens
A display device including pixels disposed on a substrate, and a lens layer disposed on the substrate, the lens layer including Fresnel lenses respectively corresponding to the pixels. Each of the Fresnel lenses includes Fresnel zones disposed adjacent to each other in a radial direction with respect to a center of a corresponding Fresnel lens, and refractive indices of each of the Fresnel zones change stepwise along the radial direction. |
| US09876195B2 |
Method for packaging organic light-emitting diode apparatus, organic light-emitting diode packaging apparatus and display device
The present disclosure provides a method of packaging an OLED apparatus, an OLED packaging apparatus and a display device, and relates to the field of the OLED. The method includes steps: forming a first inorganic thin film layer on an OLED to be packaged; forming a groove on a surface of the first inorganic thin film layer; forming a second organic thin film layer within the groove; and forming a third inorganic thin film layer covering the first inorganic thin film layer and the second organic thin film layer. |
| US09876188B2 |
Light emitting element and method of manufacturing light emitting element
A second electrode (130) is superimposed on a first electrode (110). An organic layer (120) is positioned between the first electrode (110) and the second electrode (130). Furthermore, the organic layer (120) includes a light emitting layer (123). Furthermore, the organic layer (120) includes an alkali-containing layer (which is an electron transporting layer (125) in an example in the present drawing, and is hereinafter described as the electron transporting layer (125)) between the light emitting layer (123) and the second electrode (130). The electron transporting layer (125) includes an alkali metal. In the electron transporting layer (125), a content of the alkali metal as an elemental substance is greater than the content of a compound of the alkali metal. |
| US09876187B2 |
Light-emitting element, light-emitting device, and electronic appliance
In a light-emitting element including an EL layer between a pair of electrodes, between an electrode functioning as an anode and a fourth layer having a light-emitting property (light-emitting layer), the EL layer includes at least a first layer having a hole-injecting property (hole-injecting layer), a second layer having a hole-transporting property (first hole-transporting layer), and a third layer having a hole-transporting property (second hole-transporting layer). The absolute value of the highest occupied molecular orbital level (HOMO level) of the second layer is larger than the absolute value of the highest occupied molecular orbital level (HOMO level) of each of the first layer and the third layer. With such a structure, the rate of transport of holes injected from the electrode functioning as an anode is reduced and emission efficiency of the light-emitting element is improved. |
| US09876186B2 |
Organic light emitting display device with color correction
An organic light emitting display device includes a substrate with a first emitting region adjacent a second emitting region, a first anode in the first emitting region, a first organic light emitting layer on the first anode, a second anode in the second emitting region, and a second organic light emitting layer on a part of the first anode and the second anode. The second organic light emitting layer includes a material different from the first organic light emitting layer. |
| US09876183B2 |
Charge-transporting metal oxide-polymer blend thin films
The present teachings relate to charge-transporting metal oxide-polymer blend thin films which can be incorporated as the semiconductor component or one of the conductor components of a thin film transistor. Generally, the present charge-transporting metal oxide-polymer blend thin film includes a semiconducting or conducting metal oxide lattice and an electrically insulating polymer dispersed within the lattice. The electrically insulating polymer is present at about 20% or less by weight of the metal oxide. |
| US09876182B2 |
Thieno-containing compounds and processes and uses thereof
Disclosed herein are embodiments of thieno-containing compounds suitable for use in electrical devices and/or electrooptical device. Also disclosed herein are methods of making the disclosed compounds, with particular embodiments of the method concerning a novel dione intermediate that may be used to make particular embodiments of the thieno-containing compounds. |
| US09876179B2 |
Organic light emitting device
An organic light-emitting device including: a first electrode; a second electrode facing the first electrode; and an organic layer between the first electrode and the second electrode, the organic layer including an emission layer, wherein the organic layer further includes: i) a hole transport region between the first electrode and the emission layer, the hole transport region including at least one selected from a hole transport layer, a hole injection layer, and a buffer layer, and ii) an electron transport region between the emission layer and the second electrode, the electron transport region including an electron transport layer and at least one selected from a hole blocking layer and an electron injection layer; and wherein the electron transport region includes a compound represented by Formula 1 or a compound represented by Formula 2: |
| US09876171B2 |
Materials for electronic devices
The present invention relates to an electronic device comprising one or more compounds of a formula (I) or (II). Furthermore, the invention encompasses the use of a compound of the formula (I) or (II) in an electronic device, and the provision of certain compounds of the formula (I) or (II). |
| US09876170B2 |
Mask assembly, apparatus, and method of manufacturing display device using the mask assembly
Provided is a mask assembly, an apparatus, and a method of manufacturing a display apparatus using such mask assembly and apparatus. The mask assembly deposits a deposition material on a first pixel among a plurality of pixels disposed on a device substrate and including the first pixel and a second pixel includes a mask substrate, a molding layer stacked on the mask substrate and including a hole corresponding to a position of the second pixel, a blocking plate detachably mounted in the hole and configured to block the second pixel from the deposition material by covering the second pixel when the blocking plate is detached from the hole. |
| US09876168B2 |
Method, system, and device for phase change memory switch wall cell with approximately horizontal electrode contact cross references
Embodiments disclosed herein may include depositing a storage component material over and/or in a trench in a dielectric material, including depositing the storage component material on approximately vertical walls of the trench and a bottom of the trench. Embodiments may also include etching the storage component material so that at least a portion of the storage component material remains on the approximately vertical walls and the bottom of the trench, wherein the trench is contacting an electrode and a selector such that storage component material on the bottom of the trench contacts the electrode. |
| US09876166B2 |
Phase change memory cell and manufacturing method thereof using minitrenches
A process forms a phase change memory cell using a resistive element and a memory region of a phase change material. The resistive element has a first thin portion having a first sublithographic dimension in a first direction; and the memory region has a second thin portion having a second sublithographic dimension in a second direction transverse to the first dimension. The first thin portion and the second thin portion are in direct electrical contact and define a contact area of sublithographic extension. The second thin portion is delimited laterally by oxide spacer portions surrounded by a mold layer which defines a lithographic opening. The spacer portions are formed after forming the lithographic opening, by a spacer formation technique. |
| US09876165B2 |
Method for forming patterns and method for manufacturing magnetic memory device using the same
A method for forming a pattern, the method including forming an etch target layer on a substrate; patterning the etch target layer to form patterns; and performing a pre-oxidation trim process a plurality of times, the pre-oxidation trim process including performing an oxidation process to form an insulating layer on a sidewall of each of the patterns; and performing a sputter etch process to remove at least a portion of the insulating layer. |
| US09876158B2 |
Component comprising stacked functional structures and method for producing same
A component suitable for miniaturization and comprising acoustically decoupled functional structures is specified. The component comprises a first functional structure, a first thin-film cover, which covers the first functional structure, and a second functional structure above the thin-film cover. The thin-film cover does not touch the first functional structure. |
| US09876156B2 |
Thermoelectric generator module and method for manufacturing the same
The present invention provides a thermoelectric generator module including a set of module unit bodies disposed between a hot source and a cold source to serve as fundamental structures for performing thermoelectric power generation and a method of manufacturing the thermoelectric generator module. Each of the module unit bodies comprises: a first electrodes disposed at one of the hot source and the cold source; a second electrode disposed at the other of the hot source and the cold source so as to be spaced apart from the first electrodes; a first nanowire configured to interconnect the first electrode and the second electrode and composed of an n-type or p-type semiconductor; and a second nanowire. |
| US09876154B2 |
Optoelectronic component with asymmetric carrier arms
An optoelectronic component includes a housing that includes a rectangular basic shape with four sides. The sides each merge into one another at a corner point. At least two carrier arms of two contact elements of a lead frame are guided to an edge of the housing. The two carrier arms are arranged on different sides of the housing. The two carrier arms are each at different spacings from the two corner points of the side on which the carrier arms are arranged. The spacings differ at least in the width of a carrier arm. |
| US09876149B2 |
Semiconductor light emitting device package and light source module using same
A semiconductor light emitting device package may include: a light emitting diode (LED) chip having a first surface on which a first electrode and a second electrode are provided, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a plurality of side surfaces, a lateral wavelength conversion layer disposed on a side surface of the plurality of side surfaces of the LED chip, the lateral wavelength conversion layer comprising a wavelength conversion material, and a reflective layer covering the second surface of the LED chip, the reflective layer being configured to reflect light emitted by the LED chip back towards the LED chip. |
| US09876144B2 |
Light-emitting element
A light-emitting element includes a semiconductor layered body comprising: an n-type semiconductor layer, and p-type semiconductor layer; an insulating film disposed on the semiconductor layered body and defining at least one p-side opening above the p-type semiconductor layer and a plurality of n-side openings exposing the n-type semiconductor layer; an n-side electrode disposed on the insulating film and comprising a plurality of first n-contact portions each electrically connected to the n-type semiconductor layer through one of the plurality of n-side openings; a p-side electrode electrically connected to the p-type semiconductor layer through the at least one p-side opening; a p-side post electrode disposed on the p-side electrode; and an n-side post electrode disposed on the n-side electrode. A total area of one or more first n-contact portions located on the second side is smaller than a total area of one or more first n-contact portion located on the first side. |
| US09876143B2 |
Ultraviolet light emitting device doped with boron
In an example, the present invention provides a light-emitting device configured to emit electromagnetic radiation in a range of 210 to 360 nanometers. The device has a substrate member comprising a surface region. The device has a thickness of AlGaN material formed overlying the surface region and an aluminum concentration characterizing the AlGaN material having a range of 0 to 100%. The device has a boron doping concentration characterizing the AlGaN material having a range between 1e15 to 1e20 atoms/centimeter3. |
| US09876139B2 |
Light-emitting device
A light-emitting device, comprises a light-emitting stacked layer comprising a first conductivity type semiconductor layer; a light-emitting layer formed on the first conductivity type semiconductor layer; and a second conductivity type semiconductor layer formed on the light-emitting layer and comprising a first plurality of cavities; a first dielectric layer formed on a first part of the second conductivity type semiconductor layer; a first transparent conductive oxide layer formed on the first dielectric layer and on a second part of the second conductivity type semiconductor layer, the first transparent conductive oxide layer including a first portion in contact with the first dielectric layer and including a second portion in contact with the upper surface of the second conductivity type semiconductor layer; a first electrode formed on the first portion; and a first reflective metal layer formed between the first transparent conductive oxide layer and the first electrode. |
| US09876136B2 |
Separation method of GaN substrate by wet etching
Disclosed herein is a method of separating a GaN substrate by wet etching. The method employs chemical lift-off, and includes forming oxide layers separated from each other and a GaN column in each space between the oxide layers on a substrate, forming an n-GaN layer covering an upper space on the oxide layers and the n-GaN columns, sequentially forming an active layer, a p-GaN layer, and a p-type electrode on the n-GaN layer, and removing the oxide layers and wet etching the n-GaN columns to separate the substrate. The method can achieve improvement in epitaxial growth of GaN and reduction in fabrication costs through a simple process. In addition, the method can increase a luminous area and light extraction efficiency. |
| US09876135B2 |
Method for forming copper metallization over TCO of solar cells
Methods for fabricating busbar and finger metallization over TCO are disclosed. Rather than using expensive and relatively resistive silver paste, a high conductivity and relatively low cost copper is used. Methods for enabling the use of copper as busbar and fingers over a TCO are disclosed, providing good adhesion while preventing migration of the copper into the TCO. Also, provisions are made for easy soldering contacts to the copper busbars. |
| US09876132B2 |
Shingled solar cell module
A high efficiency configuration for a solar cell module comprises solar cells arranged in a shingled manner to form super cells, which may be arranged to efficiently use the area of the solar module, reduce series resistance, and increase module efficiency. In some variations a solar module comprises a white backing sheet on which rows of super cells are arranged, and the white backing sheet comprises darkened stripes having locations and widths corresponding to gaps between the rows of super cells such that white portions of the backing sheet are not visible through the gaps between the rows of super cells. |
| US09876127B2 |
Backside-illuminated photodetector structure and method of making the same
A backside-illuminated photodetector structure comprising a first reflecting region, a second reflecting region and a semiconductor region. The semiconductor region is between the first reflecting region and the second reflecting region. The semiconductor region comprises a first doped region and a second doped region. |
| US09876125B2 |
Photoelectric conversion device and method for manufacturing same
A photoelectric conversion device capable of preventing anomalous transmission of light of a wavelength that is not supposed to be transmitted and reducing the half-width of a spectral waveform and a method for manufacturing such a photoelectric conversion device are provided. A first photoelectric conversion element is formed on a substrate. A first metal film having a plurality of openings arranged periodically or aperiodically is formed above the first photoelectric conversion element with insulating films interposed therebetween. A second metal film covering a part of the openings in the first metal film is provided. |
| US09876124B2 |
Semiconductor device and semiconductor device manufacturing method
This semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor layer that is formed of first conductivity-type SiC; a plurality of trenches that are formed in the semiconductor layer; second conductivity-type column regions that are formed along the inner surfaces of the trenches; a first conductivity-type column region that is disposed between the adjacent second conductivity-type column regions; and insulating films that are embedded in the trenches. The semiconductor device is capable of improving a withstand voltage by means of a super junction structure. The semiconductor device may also include an electric field attenuation section for attenuating electric field intensity of a surface section of the first conductivity-type column region. |
| US09876120B2 |
Low temperature poly-silicon TFT substrate and manufacturing method thereof
The present invention provides a LTPS TFT substrate and a manufacturing method thereof. The LTPS TFT substrate of the present invention includes a metal layer formed on a channel zone so that the metal layer, a source electrode, and a drain electrode can be used as a mask to form LDD zones in a poly-silicon layer in order to save the mask needed for separately forming the LDD zones; further, due to the addition of the metal layer that is connected to the channel zone of the poly-silicon layer, the electrical resistance of the channel zone can be effectively reduced to increase a TFT on-state current. The LTPS TFT substrate manufacturing method of the present invention forms a metal layer on a channel zone at the same time of forming a source electrode and a drain electrode and uses the metal layer, the source electrode, and the drain electrode as a mask to form LDD zones in a poly-silicon layer so as to save the mask needed for separately forming the LDD zones thereby reducing the manufacturing cost and increasing throughput. |
| US09876116B2 |
Semiconductor structure and manufacturing method for the same
A semiconductor structure and a manufacturing method for the same are disclosed. The semiconductor structure includes a first gate structure, a second gate structure and a second dielectric spacer. Each of the first gate structure and the second gate structure adjacent to each other includes a first dielectric spacer. The second dielectric spacer is on one of opposing sidewalls of the first gate structure and without being disposed on the dielectric spacer of the second gate structure. |
| US09876111B2 |
Method of forming a semiconductor device structure using differing spacer widths and the resulting semiconductor device structure
A method of forming a semiconductor device structure is disclosed including providing a first active region and a second active region in an upper surface portion of a substrate, the first and second active regions being laterally separated by at least one isolation structure, forming a first gate structure comprising a first gate dielectric and a first gate electrode material over the first active region, and a second gate structure comprising a second gate dielectric and a second gate electrode material over the second active region, wherein a thickness of the second gate dielectric is greater than the thickness of the first gate dielectric, and forming a first sidewall spacer structure to the first gate structure and a second sidewall spacer structure to the second gate structure, wherein a lateral thickness of the second sidewall spacer structure is greater than a lateral thickness of the first sidewall spacer structure. |
| US09876109B2 |
Transistors having strained channel under gate in a recess
Some embodiments include a construction having a second semiconductor material over a first semiconductor material. A region of the second semiconductor material proximate the first semiconductor material has strain due to different lattice characteristics of the first and second semiconductor materials. A transistor gate extends downwardly into the second semiconductor material. Gate dielectric material is along sidewalls and a bottom of the transistor gate. Source/drain regions are along the sidewalls of the transistor gate, and the gate dielectric material is between the source/drain regions and the transistor gate. A channel region extends between the source/drain regions and is under the bottom of the transistor gate. At least some of the channel region is within the strained region. |
| US09876106B2 |
Trench power transistor structure and manufacturing method thereof
A trench power transistor and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The trench power transistor includes a substrate, an epitaxial layer, a trench gate structure, a body region, and a source region. The epitaxial layer disposed on the substrate has a trench formed therein. The trench gate structure disposed in the trench includes a bottom dielectric structure, a gate dielectric layer, and a gate. The bottom dielectric structure formed in a lower portion of the trench includes an insulating layer formed along a first inner wall of the lower portion of the trench defining a groove, and a non-conductive structure formed in the groove. The gate dielectric layer is formed along a second inner wall of an upper portion of the trench, and the gate is formed in the trench and connects the gate dielectric layer. The body region and the source region are formed in the epitaxial layer. |
| US09876102B2 |
Semiconductor device with multiple carrier channels
A semiconductor device includes a layered structure forming multiple carrier channels including at least one n-type channel formed in a first layer made of a first material and at least one p-type channel formed in a second layer made of a second material and a set of electrodes for providing and controlling carrier charge in the carrier channels. The first material is different than the second material, and the first and the second materials are selected such that the n-type channel and the p-type channel have comparable switching frequency and current capability. |
| US09876101B2 |
Semiconductor substrate and semiconductor device
A semiconductor substrate including a substrate, a buffer layer having a nitride-based semiconductor containing carbon provided on the substrate, a high-resistance layer having a nitride-based semiconductor containing carbon provided on the buffer layer, and a channel layer having a nitride-based semiconductor provided on the high-resistance layer, the high-resistance layer including a first region having carbon concentration lower than that of the buffer layer, and a second region which is provided between the first region and the channel layer, and has the carbon concentration higher than the first region. As a result, it is possible to provide the semiconductor substrate which can reduce a leak current by enhancing crystallinity of the high-resistance layer while maintaining a high resistance of the high-resistance layer, and suppress occurrence of a decrease in electron mobility or current collapse in the channel layer by likewise enhancing crystallinity of the channel layer formed on the high-resistance layer. |
| US09876099B2 |
Semiconductor device, display device, input/output device, and electronic device
To suppress change in electric characteristics and improve reliability of a semiconductor device including a transistor formed using an oxide semiconductor. A semiconductor device includes a transistor including a gate electrode, a first insulating film, an oxide semiconductor film, a second insulating film, and a pair of electrodes. The gate electrode and the oxide semiconductor film overlap with each other. The oxide semiconductor film is located between the first insulating film and the second insulating film and in contact with the pair of electrodes. The first insulating film is located between the gate electrode and the oxide semiconductor film. An etching rate of a region of at least one of the first insulating film and the second insulating film is higher than 8 nm/min when etching is performed using a hydrofluoric acid. |
| US09876098B2 |
Method of forming a gate spacer
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a fin feature over a substrate having a first region and a second region, forming a gate stack over the fin feature in the first region and forming a spacer layer over the gate stack in the first region and over the fin feature in the second region. The spacer layer is disposed along sidewalls of the gate stack and the fin feature, respectively. The method also includes removing the spacer layer along sidewalls of the fin feature in the second region without removing the spacer layer along sidewalls of the gate stack in the first region. |
| US09876096B2 |
Integrating enhancement mode depleted accumulation/inversion channel devices with MOSFETs
A plurality of gate trenches is formed into an epitaxial region of a first conductivity type over a semiconductor substrate. One or more contact trenches are formed into the epitaxial region, each between two adjacent gate trenches. One or more source regions of the first conductivity type are formed in a top portion of the epitaxial region between a contact trench and a gate trench. A barrier metal is formed inside each contact trench.Each gate trench is substantially filled with a conductive material separated from trench walls by a layer of dielectric material to form a gate . A heavily doped well region of a conductivity opposite the first type is provided in the epitaxial region proximate a bottom portion of each of the contact trenches. A horizontal width of a gap between the well region and the gate trench is about 0.05 μm to 0.2 μm. |
| US09876095B2 |
High-voltage transistor with high current load capacity and method for its production
An isolation area (10) is provided over a drift region (12) with a spacing (d) to a contact area (4) provided for a drain connection (D). The isolation area is used as an implantation mask, in order to produce a dopant profile of the drift region in which the dopant concentration increases toward the drain. The implantation of the dopant can be performed instead before the production of the isolation area, and the later production of the isolation area (10) changes the dopant profile also in a way that the dopant concentration increases toward the drain. |
| US09876092B2 |
Semiconductor device including sense insulated-gate bipolar transistor
A semiconductor device of the present invention includes a semiconductor layer including a main IGBT cell and a sense IGBT cell connected in parallel to each other, a first resistance portion having a first resistance value formed using a gate wiring portion of the sense IGBT cell and a second resistance portion having a second resistance value higher than the first resistance value, a gate wiring electrically connected through mutually different channels to the first resistance portion and the second resistance portion, a first diode provided between the gate wiring and the first resistance portion, a second diode provided between the gate wiring and the second resistance portion in a manner oriented reversely to the first diode, an emitter electrode disposed on the semiconductor layer, electrically connected to an emitter of the main IGBT cell, and a sense emitter electrode disposed on the semiconductor layer, electrically connected to an emitter of the sense IGBT cell. |
| US09876090B1 |
Lattice matched and strain compensated single-crystal compound for gate dielectric
A transistor device includes a source region, a drain region and a III-V channel material disposed between the source and drain region. A gate dielectric layer is epitaxially grown on the III-V channel material. The gate dielectric layer includes a (X)Se compound, wherein X includes one or more of Zn, Cd and/or Mg. A gate conductor is formed on the gate dielectric layer. |
| US09876087B2 |
Surround gate transistor device and contact structure for same
A semiconductor device includes a fin-shaped semiconductor layer and a pillar-shaped semiconductor layer. A diffusion layer resides in an upper portion of the fin-shaped semiconductor layer. A metal contact electrode is around the pillar-shaped semiconductor layer and a metal contact line is connected thereto. A fourth contact surrounds an upper sidewall of the pillar-shaped semiconductor layer and is connected to the metal contact electrode. |
| US09876086B2 |
Non-volatile memory device with floating gate having a tip corner
Embodiments of mechanisms for forming a memory device structure are provided. The memory device includes a first gate stack structure. The first gate stack structure includes a first dielectric layer over a semiconductor substrate. The first gate stack structure also includes a first floating gate over the first dielectric layer, and the first floating gate has a tip corner. The first gate stack structure further includes a second dielectric layer conformally covering an upper surface and sidewalls of the first floating gate. The second dielectric layer has a substantially uniform thickness. In addition, the first gate stack structure includes a first control gate over the second dielectric layer and partially over the first floating gate. |
| US09876084B2 |
Symmetric tunnel field effect transistor
The present disclosure relates to semiconductor structures and, more particularly, to a symmetric tunnel field effect transistor and methods of manufacture. The structure includes a gate structure including a source region and a drain region both of which comprise a doped VO2 region. |
| US09876076B2 |
Method for local isolation between transistors produced on an SOI substrate, in particular an FDSOI substrate, and corresponding integrated circuit
An integrated circuit may include an SOI substrate having a buried insulating layer, and a semiconductor film above the buried insulating layer. The semiconductor film may have first patterns in a first zone defining gate regions of first MOS transistors and also first dummy gate regions. The first zone may include two domains having a space therebetween, and the space may be filled by at least one insulating material and be situated between two dummy gate regions above a region of the supporting substrate without any insulating trench. |
| US09876075B2 |
Method of forming dielectric with air gaps for use in semiconductor devices
Aspects of the invention are directed to a method for forming a semiconductor device. A dielectric layer is formed on a semiconductor substrate. Subsequently, a metallic contact is formed in the dielectric layer such that it lands on the semiconductor substrate. A masking layer comprising a block copolymer is then formed on the dielectric layer. This block copolymer is caused to separate into two phases. One of the two phases is selectively removed to leave a patterned masking layer. The patterned masking layer is used to etch the dielectric layer. The patterned air gaps reduce the interconnect capacitance of the semiconductor device while leaving the dielectric layer with enough mechanical strength to serve as a middle-of-line dielectric. |
| US09876068B1 |
High-K metal-insulator-metal capacitor and method of manufacturing the same
A metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor includes, in cross-sectional view, a first metal plate, a second metal plate, a third metal plate, and high-k material contacting the first metal plate, the second metal plate, and the third metal plate, in a manner achieved by using a single etching/mask pattern for an etching and deposition process to form the second metal plate, the third metal plate, the high-k material layer, and contact with the first metal plate. |
| US09876067B2 |
Dielectric layer and manufacturing method of dielectric layer, and solid-state electronic device and manufacturing method of solid-state electronic device
The invention provides a dielectric layer having high relative permittivity with low leakage current and excellent flatness. A dielectric layer 30a according to the invention is made of multilayer oxide including a first oxide layer 31 made of oxide consisting of bismuth (Bi) and niobium (Nb) or oxide consisting of bismuth (Bi), zinc (Zn), and niobium (Nb) (possibly including inevitable impurities) and a second oxide layer 32 made of oxide of one type (possibly including inevitable impurities) selected from the group of oxide consisting of lanthanum (La) and tantalum (Ta), oxide consisting of lanthanum (La) and zirconium (Zr), and oxide consisting of strontium (Sr) and tantalum (Ta). |
| US09876066B2 |
Device and structure and method for forming the same
In various embodiments, a method for forming a device may be provided. The method may include forming a contact layer at least partially on a substrate. The method may also include forming a device structure adhered to the contact layer. In addition, the method may include depositing a transfer medium such that the device structure is at least partially covered by the transfer medium. The method may further include solidifying the transfer medium. The method may also include separating the contact layer, the device structure and the transfer medium from the substrate. The contact layer may have a greater adhesion to the device structure than to the substrate. |
| US09876062B2 |
Light emitting device, driving method of light emitting device and electronic device
By controlling the luminance of light emitting element not by means of a voltage to be impressed to the TFT but by means of controlling a current that flows to the TFT in a signal line drive circuit, the current that flows to the light emitting element is held to a desired value without depending on the characteristics of the TFT. Further, a voltage of inverted bias is impressed to the light emitting element every predetermined period. Since a multiplier effect is given by the two configurations described above, it is possible to prevent the luminance from deteriorating due to a deterioration of the organic luminescent layer, and further, it is possible to maintain the current that flows to the light emitting element to a desired value without depending on the characteristics of the TFT. |
| US09876059B2 |
Display device and electronic device
A highly reliable display device. A first flexible substrate and a second flexible substrate overlap each other with a display element positioned therebetween. Side surfaces of at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate which overlap each other are covered with a high molecular material having a light-transmitting property. The high molecular material is more flexible than the first substrate and the second substrate. |
| US09876057B2 |
Organic electroluminescence panel, method for manufacturing the same, organic electroluminescence module, and information device
An object of the present invention is to provide an organic EL panel having a display pattern that allows low power consumption, high emission uniformity, and high emission luminance ratio and makes it possible to reduce the manufacturing process time and provide high productivity, a method for manufacturing the organic EL panel, an organic EL module, and an information device. The organic EL panel of the present invention includes an organic EL device including an organic EL element having a pattern A including at least a light-emitting part and a non-light-emitting part; and at least one auxiliary member, wherein the organic EL element has an emission luminance ratio of the light-emitting part to the non-light-emitting part of 5:1 to 50:1, and the at least one auxiliary member has a pattern B being geometrically similar to the pattern A and including a light-transmitting part and a light-blocking part. |
| US09876056B2 |
Light-emitting device, electronic device, and lighting device
A light-emitting device, an electronic device, or a lighting device with low power consumption and high reliability is provided. The light-emitting device includes a first light-emitting element, a second light-emitting element, a third light-emitting element, and a fourth light-emitting element. The first to fourth light-emitting elements include the same EL layer between an anode and a cathode. The EL layer includes a first light-emitting layer and a second light-emitting layer. The first light-emitting layer contains a fluorescent substance. The peak wavelength of an emission spectrum of the fluorescent substance in a toluene solution of the fluorescent substance is 440 nm to 460 nm, preferably 440 nm to 455 nm. The second light-emitting layer contains a phosphorescent substance. The first light-emitting element exhibits blue emission. The second light-emitting element exhibits green emission. The third light-emitting element exhibits red emission. The fourth light-emitting element exhibits yellow emission. |
| US09876054B1 |
Thermal management of selector
A non-volatile memory device that limits the temperature excursion of a selector during operation to enhance the cycling life of the non-volatile memory device. A selector, in line with a memory element, may be degraded with repeated temperature excursions as current passes through a stack during the read/write process. The selector changes from an amorphous state to become crystalline thus reducing the life of a memory device. The memory device includes a word line, a bit line disposed perpendicular to the word line, a stack—including a memory element, a selector, and a spacer—disposed between the word line and bit line, and one or more insulating layers surrounding an outer surface of the stack disposed between the word line and bit line. By surrounding the selector with a high thermal conductive heat-sink material, heat is directed away from the selector helping maintain the selector's amorphous state longer. |
| US09876052B2 |
Light-emitting diode device
A light-emitting diode device includes a substrate; a plurality of light-emitting units formed on the substrate, wherein the light-emitting units form a serially-connected array, including n adjacent light-emitting unit rows, wherein n≧5, and the light-emitting units in the same rows connect vertically and/or the light-emitting units in the same columns connect horizontally, and a connecting direction of at least three light-emitting units in two adjacent rows are the same; a plurality of conductive connecting structures connecting the plurality of light-emitting units; a first contact light-emitting unit formed on the substrate and in the first light-emitting unit row; and a second contact light-emitting unit formed on the substrate and in the nth light-emitting unit row; at least three light-emitting units in the first light-emitting unit row have a 1st area, and at least three light-emitting units in the nth light-emitting unit row have a 2nd area, wherein the 1st area and the 2nd area are not equal. |
| US09876049B2 |
Photoelectric conversion device, method for manufacturing photoelectric conversion device, and electronic apparatus
An image sensor as a photoelectric conversion device includes: a lower electrode containing a high-melting-point metal; an upper electrode disposed in a layer higher than the lower electrode; a p-type semiconductor layer and an n-type semiconductor layer disposed between the lower electrode and the upper electrode; and a relay electrode containing the high-melting-point metal. The lower electrode and the relay electrode are formed in the same layer. An intermediate layer as a selenized film of the high-melting-point metal is formed on the lower electrode. |
| US09876045B2 |
Back side illuminated CMOS image sensor arrays
An image sensor including at least one pixel for collecting charge in its photodiode is provided. The image sensor comprises: a substrate having a first surface on a front side and a second surface on a back side, a photodetector formed in the silicon substrate and having a light-receiving surface on the second surface, and a first layer with positive charges disposed on the second surface, the first layer being configured to form an electron accumulation region at the light-receiving surface of the photodetector for suppressing a dark current at a back side interface of the image sensor. A method for fabricating an image sensor including a first layer with positive charges is also provided. |
| US09876042B2 |
Image sensor having vertical transfer gate and method for fabricating the same
The present disclosure provides an image sensor. An image sensor may include: a transfer gate formed over a first substrate, and having a through-hole; a column-shaped epitaxial body having a first portion filled in the through-hole and a second portion formed over the transfer gate; a photoelectric conversion element formed in the second portion of the epitaxial body; and a floating diffusion region formed in the first substrate, and contacting the first portion of the epitaxial body. |
| US09876039B2 |
Thin-film transistor substrate, thin-film transistor substrate manufacturing method, and liquid crystal display
A thin-film transistor substrate constituting a liquid crystal display includes: a thin-film transistor including, a gate electrode, a gate insulating film covering the gate electrode, a semiconductor layer opposing the gate electrode via the gate insulating film, a channel protective film covering the semiconductor layer, a protective film covering over the channel protective film, source and drain electrodes in contact with the semiconductor layer through first contact holes penetrating through the protective film and the channel protective film; a first electrode electrically connected to the drain electrode; a gate wiring extending from the gate electrode; and a source wiring electrically connected to the source electrode. The source wiring and first electrode are respectively electrically connected to the source electrode and drain electrode through respective second contact holes penetrating through the protective film. The first electrode and source wiring have a first transparent conductive film formed on the first insulation film. |
| US09876035B2 |
TFT substrate including additional metal layer for reducing electrical resistance and manufacturing method thereof
A TFT substrate and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The TFT substrate includes a plurality of vias formed in a second insulation layer that is formed on a second metal layer that forms peripheral signal wiring traces of the TFT substrate so as to line up in an extension direction of each of the peripheral signal wiring traces and a third metal layer that is formed on the second insulation layer at a location corresponding to each of the peripheral signal wiring traces such that the third metal layer is connected, through the vias, with each of the peripheral signal wiring traces to thereby reduce the electrical resistance of each of the peripheral signal wiring traces and thus lowering down power consumption of control ICs and improving capability of the TFT substrate for resisting electrostatic discharge. |
| US09876032B2 |
Method of manufacturing a device with MOS transistors
A device includes both low-voltage (LV) and high-voltage (HV) metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistors of opposite types. Gate stacks for the transistors are formed over a semiconductor layer. First spacers made of a first insulator are provided on the gate stacks of the LV and HV MOS transistors. Second spacers made of a second insulator are provided on the gate stacks of the HV MOS transistors only. The insulators are selectively removed to expose the semiconductor layer. Epitaxial growth of semiconductor material is made from the exposed semiconductor layer to form raised source-drain structures that are separated from the gate stacks by the first spacers for the LV MOS transistors and the second spacers for the HV MOS transistors. |
| US09876029B2 |
Semiconductor memory device
A semiconductor memory device according to an embodiment comprises: a plurality of memory strings arranged in a first direction intersecting a surface of a semiconductor substrate, each of the memory strings including a plurality of memory transistors connected in series in a second direction along the surface of the semiconductor substrate; a source side select transistor connected to one end of the memory string; a drain side select transistor connected to the other end of the memory string; a plurality of source lines respectively connected, via the source side select transistor, to each of the plurality of memory strings arranged along the first direction; a bit line commonly connected, via the drain side select transistor, to the plurality of memory strings arranged along the first direction; a word line connected to a gate electrode of the memory transistor; and a layer selector disposed between the source line and the source side select transistor and commonly connected to the plurality of memory strings arranged along the first direction. |
| US09876025B2 |
Methods for manufacturing ultrathin semiconductor channel three-dimensional memory devices
An alternating stack of insulating layers and sacrificial material layers is formed over a substrate. Memory openings are formed through the alternating stack to the substrate. After formation of memory film layers, a sacrificial cover material layer can be employed to protect the tunneling dielectric layer during formation of a bottom opening in the memory film layers. An amorphous semiconductor material layer can be deposited and optionally annealed in an ambient including argon and/or deuterium to form a semiconductor channel layer having a thickness less than 5 nm and surface roughness less than 10% of the thickness. Alternately or additionally, at least one interfacial layer can be employed on either side of the amorphous semiconductor material layer to reduce surface roughness of the semiconductor channel. The ultrathin channel can have enhanced mobility due to quantum confinement effects. |
| US09876020B1 |
Integration of a memory transistor into high-k, metal gate CMOS process flow
Memory cells including embedded SONOS based non-volatile memory (NVM) and MOS transistors are described. The memory cell includes a substrate having a non-volatile memory (NVM) region and a plurality of metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) regions. A NVM transistor in the NVM region includes a tunnel dielectric on the substrate, a charge-trapping layer on the tunnel dielectric, and a blocking dielectric comprising a high-k dielectric material over the charge-trapping layer. The plurality of MOS regions include a number of MOS transistors. At least one of the MOS transistors includes a gate dielectric comprising a high-k dielectric material over a surface of the substrate. Generally, the blocking dielectric and the gate dielectric comprise the same high-k dielectric material. Other embodiments are also described. |
| US09876019B1 |
Integrated circuits with programmable memory and methods for producing the same
Methods of producing integrated circuits and integrated circuits produced by those methods are provided. In an exemplary embodiment, a method of producing an integrated circuit includes forming first and second shallow trench isolations within a substrate, where the first and second shallow trench isolations have an initial shallow trench height. A base well is formed in the substrate, where the base well is positioned between the first and second shallow trench isolations. A gate dielectric is formed overlying the base well, and a floating gate is formed overlying the gate dielectric. An initial shallow trench height is reduced to a reduced shallow trench height shorter than the initial shallow trench height after the floating gate is formed. |
| US09876010B1 |
Resistor disposed directly upon a sac cap of a gate structure of a semiconductor structure
A semiconductor structure includes a substrate. A gate structure is disposed over the substrate. The gate structure includes: a pair of gate spacers extending generally vertically from the substrate, gate metal disposed between the spacers, and a self-aligned contact (SAC) cap disposed over the gate metal to form a top of the gate structure. A resistor is disposed directly upon the SAC cap such that no additional layer is disposed between the resistor and SAC cap. The resistor is composed of a material suitable to provide a predetermined resistance to a current to be conducted therethrough. A pair of resistor contacts are electrically connected to the resistor and spaced to provide the predetermined resistance to the current. |
| US09876007B1 |
MIMcap creation and utilization methodology
A metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor design methodology and system substantially maximizes the benefits of including MIM capacitors in an integrated circuit design while substantially minimizing the negative impacts resulting from increased capacitance. A process analysis is performed on an integrated circuit design to determine a metal layer that is likely to be most adversely affected by the presence of MIM capacitor cells. The MIM capacitor cells are then designed to have specific sizes and orientations based on results of the process analysis, taking the most affected metal layer into consideration. Finally, the MIM capacitor cells are placed at selected locations on the die in an algorithmic fashion in order to satisfy a design target of maximizing coverage area while avoiding interference with signal paths and critical or sensitive components. |
| US09876005B2 |
SCRS with checker board layouts
An Electro-Static Discharge (ESD) protection circuit includes a plurality of groups of p-type heavily doped semiconductor strips (p+ strips) and a plurality of groups of n-type heavily doped semiconductor strips (n+ strips) forming an array having a plurality of rows and columns. In each of the rows and the columns, the plurality of groups of p+ strips and the plurality of groups of n+ strips are allocated in an alternating layout. The ESD protection circuit further includes a plurality of gate stacks, each including a first edge aligned to an edge of a group in the plurality of groups of p+ strips, and a second edge aligned to an edge of a group in the plurality of groups of n+ strips. |
| US09876004B2 |
Semiconductor component including a short-circuit structure
A semiconductor component including a short-circuit structure. One embodiment provides a semiconductor component having a semiconductor body composed of doped semiconductor material. The semiconductor body includes a first zone of a first conduction type and a second zone of a second conduction type, complementary to the first conduction type, the second zone adjoining the first zone. The first zone and the second zone are coupled to an electrically highly conductive layer. A connection zone of the second conduction type is arranged between the second zone and the electrically highly conductive layer. |
| US09876000B2 |
Method for integrating a light emitting device
Light emitting devices and methods of integrating micro LED devices into light emitting device are described. In an embodiment a light emitting device includes a reflective bank structure within a bank layer, and a conductive line atop the bank layer and elevated above the reflective bank structure. A micro LED device is within the reflective bank structure and a passivation layer is over the bank layer and laterally around the micro LED device within the reflective bank structure. A portion of the micro LED device and a conductive line atop the bank layer protrude above a top surface of the passivation layer. |
| US09875996B2 |
Composite substrate for light emitting device and LED module with the same
The invention relates to a composite substrate for light emitting device and a LED module equipped with the composite substrate for light emitting device. The composite substrate for light emitting device includes a metal substrate, an insulating carrier and an electrode, the metal substrate and the insulating carrier respectively have a front side and a back side that are opposite, the insulating carrier is disposed on the periphery of the metal substrate and connected to the metal substrate, the electrode is disposed on the insulating carrier, the electrode penetrates the insulating carrier, the electrode has a front side and a back side that are opposite, the heights of the back sides of the insulating carrier and the electrode are less than that of the back side of the metal substrate. The present invention also provides a LED module. The composite substrate for light emitting device can reduce costs. |
| US09875992B2 |
Semiconductor package having stacked chips and a heat dissipation part and method of fabricating the same
An embodiment includes a semiconductor package comprising: a substrate; a first semiconductor chip mounted on the substrate; a second semiconductor chip mounted on a top surface of the first semiconductor chip; a connecting bump disposed between the first and second semiconductor chips to electrically connect the second semiconductor chip to the first semiconductor chip; and a first heat dissipation part disposed on the top surface of the first semiconductor chip between the first and second semiconductor chips and spaced apart from a bottom surface of the second semiconductor chip. |
| US09875991B2 |
Package module having exposed heat sink
A package module includes a power module, a first thermal dissipating component and a packaging plastic. The power module includes a substrate and at least one power semiconductor component disposed on the substrate. The first thermal dissipating component is disposed over the power module. The packaging plastic covers the power module and the first thermal dissipating component, wherein a portion of the first thermal dissipating component is exposed from the packaging plastic. |
| US09875989B2 |
Semiconductor device structure
A semiconductor device structure is provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a second surface. The semiconductor substrate has an active region. The semiconductor substrate is doped with first dopants with a first-type conductivity. The active region is adjacent to the first surface and doped with second dopants with a second-type conductivity. The semiconductor device structure includes a doped layer over the second surface and doped with third dopants with the first-type conductivity. A first doping concentration of the third dopants in the doped layer is greater than a second doping concentration of the first dopants in the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device structure includes a conductive bump over the doped layer. |
| US09875986B2 |
Micro-scrub process for fluxless micro-bump bonding
A fluxless bonding process is provided. An array of micro solder bumps of a first semiconductor structure is aligned to an array of bonding pads of a second semiconductor structure under an applied bonding force. An environment is provided to prevent oxides from forming on the solder bump structures and bonding pads during the bonding process. A scrubbing process is performed at a given scrubbing frequency and amplitude to scrub the micro solder bumps against the bonding pads in a direction perpendicular to the bonding. Heat is applied to at least the first semiconductor structure to melt and bond the micro solder bumps to the bonding pads. The first semiconductor structure is cooled down to solidify the molten solder. Coplanarity is maintained between the bonding surfaces of the semiconductor structures within a given tolerance during the scrubbing and cooling steps until solidification of the micro solder bumps. |
| US09875984B2 |
Substrate surface metallization method and substrate having metallized surface manufactured by the same
A substrate having a metallized surface is provided. The substrate includes a substrate having a silanated surface, an adhesive layer disposed on the silanated surface, and a first metallic layer bonded to the silanated surface through the adhesive layer. The adhesive layer is formed with a plurality of colloidal nanoparticle groups, and the colloidal nanoparticle group may include metallic nanoparticles capped with polymer. The first metallic layer and the adhesive layer have chemical bonds formed there between. The substrate may further include a second metallic layer which is electro-plated onto the first metallic layer. A method for metallizing a surface of a substrate is also provided. |
| US09875983B2 |
Nanomicrocrystallite paste for pressureless sintering
A sintering paste includes solvent and nanomicrocrystallite (NMC) particles. Each NMC particle is a single crystallite having at least one dimension in the range of 1 nm to 100 nm and at least one dimension in the range of 0.1 μm to 1000 μm. The sintering paste may be used in a pressureless sintering process to form a low porosity joint having high bond strength, high electrical and thermal conductivity, and high thermal stability. |
| US09875979B2 |
Conductive external connector structure and method of forming
External electrical connectors and methods of forming such external electrical connectors are discussed. A method includes forming an external electrical connector structure on a substrate. The forming the external electrical connector structure includes plating a pillar on the substrate at a first agitation level affected at the substrate in a first solution. The method further includes plating solder on the external electrical connector structure at a second agitation level affected at the substrate in a second solution. The second agitation level affected at the substrate is greater than the first agitation level affected at the substrate. The plating the solder further forms a shell on a sidewall of the external electrical connector structure. |
| US09875976B2 |
Switching device
A semiconductor device includes a first doping region, a second doping region, and a channel region. The first doping region is doped with a first type of dopant. The second doping region is doped with the first type of dopant. The channel region is doped with a second type of dopant, wherein the channel region is configured to have a first region with a first concentration of the second type of dopant and a second region with a second concentration of the second type of dopant, and the second concentration is higher than the first concentration. |
| US09875970B2 |
Fan-out semiconductor package
A fan-out semiconductor package includes: a first connection member having a through-hole; a semiconductor chip disposed in the through-hole of the first connection member and having an active surface having connection pads disposed thereon and an inactive surface opposing the active surface; an encapsulant encapsulating at least portions of the first connection member and the inactive surface of the semiconductor chip; a pattern layer disposed on the encapsulant and covering at least portions of the encapsulant adjacent to the inactive surface of the semiconductor chip; vias penetrating through the encapsulant and connecting the pattern layer and the inactive surface of the semiconductor chip to each other; and a second connection member disposed on the first connection member and the active surface of the semiconductor chip and including a redistribution layer electrically connected to the connection pads of the semiconductor chip. |
| US09875968B2 |
Interlevel conductor pre-fill utilizing selective barrier deposition
A substrate is provided having a dual damascene structure formed within a dielectric material over the substrate. The dual damascene structure includes a trench and an opening formed to extend from a bottom of the trench to an underlying conductive material, with the underlying conductive material exposed at a bottom of the opening. The dual damascene structure is exposed to a sealing process by which the exposed surfaces of the dielectric material in the opening are sealed without covering the underlying conductive material exposed at the bottom of the opening. The sealing process can be one or more of deposition of a flowable film, deposition of an amorphous carbon barrier layer, and formation of a self-assembled monolayer of an amino group. After the sealing process, an electroless deposition process is performed to fill the opening with a metallic material in a bottom-to-top manner up to the bottom of the trench. |
| US09875965B2 |
Semiconductor device
Semiconductor devices and fabrication methods are provided. In a semiconductor device, a semiconductor substrate includes a first electrode layer having a top surface coplanar with a top surface of the semiconductor substrate. A sacrificial layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate and the first electrode layer. A first mask layer made of a conductive material is formed on the sacrificial layer. The first mask layer and the sacrificial layer are etched until a surface of the first electrode layer is exposed to form openings through the first mask layer and the sacrificial layer. A cleaning process is performed to remove etch byproducts adhered to a surface of the first mask layer and adhered to sidewalls and bottom surfaces of the openings. Conductive plugs are formed in the openings after the cleaning process. |
| US09875964B2 |
Semiconductor device components and methods
Semiconductor device components and methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, a semiconductor device component includes a conductive segment having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, a first end, and a second end opposite the first end. A first via is coupled to the second surface of the conductive segment at the first end. A second via is coupled to the first surface of the conductive segment at the second end, and a third via is coupled to the second surface of the conductive segment at the second end. |
| US09875958B1 |
Trace/via hybrid structure and method of manufacture
A method of forming an interconnect that includes providing a sacrificial trace structure using an additive forming method. The sacrificial trace structure having a geometry for the interconnect. The method continuous with forming a continuous seed metal layer on the sacrificial trace structure; and removing the sacrificial trace structure, wherein the continuous seed metal layer remains. An interconnect metal layer may be formed on the continuous seed layer. A dielectric material may then be formed on the interconnect metal layer to encapsulate a majority of the interconnect metal layer, wherein ends of the interconnect metal layer are exposed through one surface of the dielectric material to provide an interconnect extending into a dielectric material. |
| US09875956B1 |
Integrated interface structure
The present disclosure relates to interface structures and, more particularly, to integrated interface structures with both parallel and serial interfaces and methods of manufacture. The integrated interface structure includes: a substrate; a plurality of serial interface connections integrated on the substrate; and a plurality of parallel interface connections on the integrated substrate and within spaces between sets of the plurality of serial interface connections. |
| US09875947B2 |
Method of surface profile correction using gas cluster ion beam
A method for correcting a surface profile on a substrate is described. In particular, the method includes receiving a substrate having a heterogeneous layer composed of a first material and a second material, wherein the heterogeneous layer has an initial upper surface exposing the first material and the second material, and defining a first surface profile across the substrate. The method further includes setting a target surface profile for the heterogeneous layer, selectively removing at least a portion of the first material using a gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) etching process, and recessing the first material beneath the second material, and thereafter, selectively removing at least a portion of the second material to achieve a final upper surface exposing the first material and the second material, and defining a second surface profile, wherein the second surface profile is within a pre-determined tolerance of the target surface profile. |
| US09875945B2 |
Laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor device integrated with vertical field effect transistor
An electrical device that in some embodiments includes a substrate including a lateral device region and a vertical device region. A lateral diffusion metal oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) device may be present in the lateral device region, wherein a drift region of the LDMOS device has a length that is parallel to an upper surface of the substrate in which the LDMOS device is formed. A vertical field effect transistor (VFET) device may be present in the vertical device region, wherein a vertical channel of the VFET has a length that is perpendicular to said upper surface of the substrate, the VFET including a gate structure that is positioned around the vertical channel. |
| US09875936B1 |
Spacer defined fin growth and differential fin width
Methods for forming fins with a straight profile by preventing fin bending during STI fill and annealing are disclosed. Embodiments include providing STI regions separated by Si regions, each topped with a hardmask; planarizing the STI regions; removing the hardmask over a portion of the Si regions, forming recesses; forming a conformal spacer layer over the STI regions and in the recesses; removing horizontal portions of the spacer layer; epitaxially growing Si in each recess, forming fins; and etching the STI regions and a remainder of the spacer layer down to the Si regions to reveal the fins. |
| US09875930B2 |
Method of packaging a circuit
Methods of packaging integrated circuits are disclosed herein. In one embodiment of a method. A die having a side is provided. A conductive stud is connected to the side of the die, wherein the conductive stud has a first end that is connected to the die and an opposite second end. The die is encapsulated except for the side. A first dielectric layer is affixed to the side of the die. The first dielectric layer has a first side and a second side. The first side of the first dielectric layer is affixed to the side of the die. The conductive stud enters the first side of the first dielectric layer. A conductive layer is affixed to the second side of the first dielectric layer. The second side of the conductive stud is affixed to the conductive layer using a conductive adhesive. |
| US09875925B2 |
Method of fabricating semiconductor device
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a doped polysilicon layer on a substrate, forming a barrier layer on the doped polysilicon layer, forming an oxidized barrier layer by oxidizing a surface of the barrier layer, and forming a metal layer on the oxidized barrier layer. |
| US09875923B2 |
Control systems employing deflection sensors to control clamping forces applied by electrostatic chucks, and related methods
A control system that includes deflection sensors which can control clamping forces applied by electrostatic chucks, and related methods are disclosed. By using a sensor to determine a deflection of a workpiece supported by an electrostatic chuck, a control system may use the deflection measured to control a clamping force applied to the workpiece by the electrostatic chuck. The control system applies a clamping voltage to the electrostatic chuck so that the clamping force reaches and maintains a target clamping force. In this manner, the clamping force may secure the workpiece to the electrostatic chuck to enable manufacturing operations to be performed while preventing workpiece damage resulting from unnecessary higher values of the clamping force. |
| US09875921B2 |
Flexible purge management system
The subject matter of this invention is a device for flexible purge management, comprising a FOUP transport system, a purging gas distribution system, one or more FOUP nests for holding FOUPs and an electronic control system. The overhead FOUP transport system, the gas distribution system and the electrical system run together for the most part. Adapter plates that serve to hold the FOUPs are arranged in the FOUP nests. A computer-supported multi-tier control system controls the device and makes it possible to individually address each FOUP nest and to also operate the remaining FOUP nests when there is partial removal. |
| US09875919B2 |
Heat treatment method for heating substrate by irradiating substrate with flash of light
A flash heating part in a heat treatment apparatus includes 30 built-in flash lamps, and irradiates a semiconductor wafer held by a holder in a chamber with a flash of light. Thirty switching elements are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the 30 flash lamps. Each of the switching elements defines the waveform of current flowing through a corresponding one of the flash lamps by intermittently supplying electrical charge thereto. Radiation thermometers measure an in-plane temperature distribution of the semiconductor wafer during flash irradiation. Based on the results of measurement with the radiation thermometers, a controller individually controls the operations of the 30 switching elements to individually define the light emission patterns of the 30 flash lamps. |
| US09875915B2 |
Method for removing metal contamination and apparatus for removing metal contamination
Disclosed is a method for removing metal contamination present on an inner wall of a fluorine-based resin used in a chemical liquid supply line that supplies a chemical liquid to a workpiece. The method includes bringing some or all of a cleaning material reactive to a metal forming the metal contamination into a gaseous state; supplying the gaseous cleaning material to the chemical liquid supply line; and removing the metal contamination by reacting the gaseous cleaning material with the metal contamination present on the inner wall of the fluorine-based resin used in the chemical liquid supply line. |
| US09875914B2 |
Process for manufacturing a plurality of structures
A process comprises the following steps: a) provision of a chamber suitable for receiving a plurality of structures, b) circulation of a gas stream in the chamber so that the chamber has a non-oxidizing atmosphere, c) heat treatment of the plurality of structures at a temperature above a threshold value above which the oxygen present in an oxide of a dielectric diffuses through an active layer reacts with semiconductor material of the active layer and produces a volatile material, the process being noteworthy in that the step b) is carried out so that the gas stream has a rate of circulation between the plurality of structures greater than the rate of diffusion of the volatile material into the gas stream. |
| US09875912B2 |
Chip package and manufacturing method thereof
A chip package includes a chip, a first adhesive layer, a second adhesive layer, and a protection cap. The chip has a sensing area, a first surface, a second surface that is opposite to the first surface, and a side surface adjacent to the first and second surfaces. The sensing area is located on the first surface. The first adhesive layer covers the first surface of the chip. The second adhesive layer is located on the first adhesive layer, such that the first adhesive layer is between the first surface and the second adhesive layer. The protection cap has a bottom board and a sidewall that surrounds the bottom board. The bottom board covers the second adhesive layer, and the sidewall covers the side surface of the chip. |
| US09875911B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of forming interposer with opening to contain semiconductor die
A semiconductor device has an interposer mounted over a carrier. The interposer includes TSV formed either prior to or after mounting to the carrier. An opening is formed in the interposer. The interposer can have two-level stepped portions with a first vertical conduction path through a first stepped portion and second vertical conduction path through a second stepped portion. A first and second semiconductor die are mounted over the interposer. The second die is disposed within the opening of the interposer. A discrete semiconductor component can be mounted over the interposer. A conductive via can be formed through the second die or encapsulant. An encapsulant is deposited over the first and second die and interposer. A portion of the interposer can be removed to that the encapsulant forms around a side of the semiconductor device. An interconnect structure is formed over the interposer and second die. |
| US09875910B2 |
Wiring board, semiconductor device, and manufacturing methods thereof
It is an object to reduce defective conduction in a wiring board or a semiconductor device whose integration degree is increased. It is another object to manufacture a highly reliable wiring board or semiconductor device with high yield. In a wiring board or a semiconductor device having a multilayer wiring structure, a conductive layer having a curved surface is used in connection between conductive layers used for the wirings. The top of a conductive layer in a lower layer exposed by removal of an insulating layer therearound has a curved surface, so that coverage of the conductive layer in the lower layer with a conductive layer in an upper layer stacked thereover can be favorable. A conductive layer is etched using a resist mask having a curved surface, so that a conductive layer having a curved surface is formed. |
| US09875909B1 |
Method for planarizing material layer
A method for planarizing a silicon layer includes providing a silicon layer having at least one recess therein. Next, a photoresist layer is formed to cover the silicon layer and fill up the recess. Then, the photoresist layer is hardened. After that, part of the photoresist layer is removed by taking a top surface of the silicon layer as a stop layer. Finally the photoresist layer and the silicon layer are etched back simultaneously to remove the photoresist layer entirely. |
| US09875908B2 |
LDMOS device
The disclosed subject matter provides an LDMOS device and fabrication method thereof. In an LDMOS device, a drift region and a body region are formed in a substrate. A first trench is formed in the drift region and in the substrate between the drift region and the body region. The first trench is separated from the drift region by a first shallow trench isolation structure. A gate dielectric layer is formed on a side surface and a bottom surface of the first trench. A gate electrode filling up the first trench is formed on the gate dielectric layer with a top surface above a top surface of the semiconductor substrate. A source region is formed in the body region on one side of the gate electrode and a drain region is formed in the drift region on another side of the gate electrode. |
| US09875907B2 |
Self-aligned shielding of silicon oxide
Methods of etching silicon nitride faster than silicon oxide are described. Exposed portions of silicon nitride and silicon oxide may both be present on a patterned substrate. A self-assembled monolayer (SAM) is selectively deposited over the silicon oxide but not on the exposed silicon nitride. Molecules of the self-assembled monolayer include a head moiety and a tail moiety, the head moiety forming a bond with the OH group on the exposed silicon oxide portion and the tail moiety extending away from the patterned substrate. A subsequent gas-phase etch using anhydrous vapor-phase HF may then be used to selectively remove silicon nitride much faster than silicon oxide because the SAM has been found to delay the etch and reduce the etch rate. |
| US09875901B2 |
Manufacturing method of metal oxide semiconductor transistor
A manufacturing method of MOS transistor, the MOS transistor includes a substrate, a gate oxide, a gate, a source/drain region and a silicide layer. The gate oxide is disposed on the substrate and the gate is disposed on the gate oxide. The source/drain region is disposed in the substrate at two sides of the gate. The silicide layer is disposed on the source/drain region, wherein the silicide layer includes a curved bottom surface and a curved top surface, both the curved top surface and the curved bottom surface bend toward the substrate and the curved top surface is sunken from two sides thereof, two ends of the silicide layer point tips raised up over the source/drain region and the silicide layer in the middle is thicker than the silicide layer in the peripheral, thereby forming a crescent structure. The present invention further provides a manufacturing method of the MOS transistor. |
| US09875893B2 |
Methods for forming doped silicon oxide thin films
The present disclosure relates to the deposition of dopant films, such as doped silicon oxide films, by atomic layer deposition processes. In some embodiments, a substrate in a reaction space is contacted with pulses of a silicon precursor and a dopant precursor, such that the silicon precursor and dopant precursor adsorb on the substrate surface. Oxygen plasma is used to convert the adsorbed silicon precursor and dopant precursor to doped silicon oxide. |
| US09875891B2 |
Selective inhibition in atomic layer deposition of silicon-containing films
Methods of selectively inhibiting deposition of silicon-containing films deposited by atomic layer deposition are provided. Selective inhibition involves exposure of an adsorbed layer of a silicon-containing precursor to a hydrogen-containing inhibitor, and in some instances, prior to exposure of the adsorbed layer to a second reactant. Exposure to a hydrogen-containing inhibitor may be performed with a plasma, and methods are suitable for selective inhibition in thermal or plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition of silicon-containing films. |