| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| 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. |
| US09875887B1 |
Electrodeless high intensity discharge lamp with wave-launcher
Electrodeless high intensity discharge (HID) lamps have the promise of higher reliability and higher efficiency than traditional electroded high intensity discharge lamps. However, most electrodeless HIDs operate in the frequency range of around 400 MHz or higher resulting in expensive, inefficient RF drivers that reduce the overall efficacy of the lamp. Operating the lamp at lower frequencies results in substantial increase in the physical dimensions of the resonators used in traditional electrodeless HIDs. In this invention a novel wave-launcher technology is used allow the lamp housing's operating frequency to be independent of the physical dimensions of the lamp housing. This provides an avenue to increase the conversion efficiency of the RF driver and the efficacy of the lamp system. |
| US09875885B2 |
Systems and methods for ion isolation
A mass spectrometer includes a radio frequency ion trap and a controller. The controller is configured to cause an ion population to be injected into the radio frequency ion trap and supply an isolation waveform to the radio frequency ion trap. The isolation waveform has at least one notch at a target mass-to-charge ratio and a frequency profile determined to eject unwanted ions at a plurality of frequencies in a substantially similar amount of time. |
| US09875884B2 |
Ambient desorption, ionization, and excitation for spectrometry
An ion source includes a plasma generator for supplying plasma at an ionization region proximate to a sample surface. The plasma generator applies energy that may be utilized for desorbing analytes from the sample surface as well as for generating plasma by which analytes are excited or ionized. Desorption and ionization/excitation may be controlled as individual modes. The ion source may be interfaced with an ion-based or optical-based spectrometer. A sample support may be provided, which may be capable of performing analytical separation. |
| US09875878B2 |
Sample holder and analytical vacuum device
Sample transferring can be securely and easily performed between an FIB device, an electron microscope, and an atom probe device, and atom probe analysis can be performed to a material that easily alters due to atmospheric exposure. A sample holder that holds a sample (12) is provided with an atmosphere-isolation mechanism that prevents the sample from altering due to the atmospheric exposure upon the sample transferring between the devices. There is provided a structure enabling of attaching and detaching a housing (21) of a sample holder leading end of a part of the atmosphere-isolation mechanism in an analytical vacuum device, such as the atom probe device. |
| US09875876B2 |
Charged particle beam writing apparatus and charged particle beam writing method
A charged particle beam writing apparatus according to an embodiment starts a wiring operation when the sum of the amount of shot data stored in a buffer memory of a transfer control calculator, the amount of shot data being transferred by a transfer unit, and the amount of shot data stored in a buffer memory of a deflection control circuit reaches the amount of data for one stripe region. |
| US09875870B2 |
Metallic device having mobile element in a cavity of the BEOL of an integrated circuit
In order, for example, to improve the ohmic contact between two metal pieces located at a metallization level, these two metal pieces are equipped with two offset vias located at the metallization level and at least partially at the via level immediately above. Each offset via comprises, for example, a nonoxidizable or substantially nonoxidizable compound, such as a barrier layer of Ti/TiN. |
| US09875867B2 |
Electronic switch for simulating a mechanical rocker switch
The present disclosure relates to an electronic switch for simulating a mechanical rocker switch having a determined current-interrupting capacity, the electronic switch being configured to supply power to an electronic device using an input voltage, and comprises a tact switch for the generation of a control signal, a bistable circuit whose output state depends on said control signal, a switching circuit adapted to the opening and to the closing of a power supply line supplying power to the device, which device consumes a current less than or equal to said determined interrupting capacity, a memory circuit comprising a reservoir capacitor, the tact switch being configured to control opening and closing of the switching circuit and the memory circuit being adapted to the storage of an “open” or a “closed” mechanical position of the electronic switch for a predetermined duration according to the reservoir capacitor. |
| US09875866B2 |
Haptic keyswitch structure and input device
A keyswitch structure includes a keycap layer having a keycap region and a peripheral region adjacent to the keycap region, a circuit layer disposed under the keycap layer, a haptic actuator electrically connected to the circuit layer, a supporting structure layer being disposed under the circuit layer and having an accommodation space for accommodating the haptic actuator, and an adhesive layer disposed between the keycap layer and the circuit layer corresponding to only the peripheral region. |
| US09875865B2 |
Haptic keyswitch structure and input device
A keyswitch structure includes a keycap layer having a keycap region, a circuit layer disposed under the keycap layer, at least a haptic actuator disposed under the circuit layer and electrically connected to the circuit layer, a cushion layer disposed under the circuit layer and having an accommodation space for accommodating the haptic actuator, a sensing unit disposed under the cushion layer, and a control circuit coupling the sensing unit and the circuit layer, wherein when an external force is applied and delivered through the cushion layer to trigger the sensing unit, the sensing unit outputs a trigger signal, and the control circuit receives the trigger signal and outputs a driving signal to drive the haptic actuator to vibrate. |
| US09875864B2 |
Keyboard and backlight module
A backlight module includes a masking plate, a light guiding plate, a light emitting unit, a reflective plate and an attaching layer. A plurality of upper through holes are formed on the masking plate. An upper attached area is defined by a periphery of each of the upper through holes. The light guiding plate is disposed below the masking plate with a plurality of penetrating holes formed thereon. The light emitting unit is located on a lateral side of the light guiding plate and. The reflective plate is disposed below the light guiding plate. A plurality of lower through holes are formed on the reflective plate and located corresponding to the penetrating holes. A lower attached area is defined by a periphery of each of the penetrating holes. The lower attached area is attached to the upper attached area by the attaching layer via the penetrating hole. |
| US09875856B2 |
Capacitor
An aspect of a capacitor comprises an exterior package case housing an electrolyte along with a capacitor element, a sealing plate where an external terminal is disposed, the sealing plate sealing the exterior package case, a current collecting plate disposed between an electrode protruding portion formed on an element end surface of the capacitor element and the external terminal, a gas releasing mechanism disposed in the sealing plate to release a gas in the exterior package case, and a blocking mechanism disposed on at least one of the sealing plate and the current collecting plate to block the electrolyte from the gas releasing mechanism. |
| US09875855B2 |
High voltage tantalum capacitor with improved cathode/separator design and method of manufacture
A wet tantalum capacitor of either a single anode design or of multiple anode configurations having cathode active material supported on the casing and sealed in its own separator material is described. The separator “covers’ the cathode active material and is adhered directly to the casing. For a multiple anode design, an inner cathode foil positioned between opposed anode pellets is sealed in its own separator bag. Preferably, a polymeric restraining device prevents the anode from contacting the casing. The completed anode/cathode electrode assembly is sealed in the casing, which is filled with electrolyte thru a port. The fill port is hermetically sealed to complete the capacitor. |
| US09875853B2 |
Electrical storage device, manufacturing method of the same, and separator
An electrical storage device includes an electrical storage element and an electrolytic solution. The electrical storage element is formed of an anode body, a cathode body facing the anode body, and a separator interposed between the anode body and the cathode body. The separator includes a separator substrate and a conductive polymer adhering to the separator substrate. The electrical storage element is impregnated with the electrolytic solution. The separator includes a first surface layer having a first surface facing the anode body and a second surface layer having a second surface facing the cathode body. The first surface layer includes a first region that is not provided with the conductive polymer, and the second surface layer includes a second region provided with the conductive polymer. |
| US09875852B2 |
Use of mixtures of self-doped and foreign-doped conductive polymers in a capacitor
Described are methods for the production of a capacitor, comprising the process steps: a) the provision of an electrode body (1) of an electrode material (2), wherein a dielectric (3) covers one surface (4) of this electrode material (2) at least partly under formation of an anode body (5); b) the introduction of a dispersion comprising a dispersing agent, a foreign-doped conductive polymer and counter-ions which are not covalently bonded to the foreign-doped conductive polymer into at least a part of the anode body (5); c) the at least partial removal of the dispersing agent under obtaining a solid electrolyte (6) in a capacitor body; wherein a self-doped conductive polymer is additionally introduced into at least a part of the anode body (5). Also described are capacitors obtainable by these methods, capacitors, electronic circuits, the use of these capacitors and dispersions. |
| US09875850B2 |
Multilayer ceramic electronic component and board having the same mounted thereon
There is provided a multilayer ceramic electronic component including: a ceramic body including dielectric layers and satisfying T/W>1.0 when a width thereof is W and a thickness thereof is T; and first and second internal electrodes stacked to face each other, having the dielectric layer interposed therebetween, within the ceramic body, wherein when an average width of the first and second internal electrodes stacked at an upper portion of the ceramic body in a thickness direction is M1 and an average width of the first and second internal electrodes stacked at a lower portion of the ceramic body in the thickness direction is M2, M1>M2 is satisfied. |
| US09875843B2 |
Electric coil device
An electric coil device includes a terminal unit and a coil module. The terminal unit includes a block and multiple terminals. The coil module is mounted to the block and includes first and second winding cores, two first wires and two second wires. Each of the first wires has a transformer wire segment wound on the first winding core, and an inductor wire segment wound on the second winding core. The transformer wire segment of each of the first wires is electrically connected to a respective one of the terminals, and the inductor wire segment of each of the first wires is electrically connected to the respective one of the terminals, thereby achieving the functions of a transformer and a common-mode choke. |
| US09875839B2 |
Magnetic composition and inductor including the same
A magnetic composition includes: coarse powder containing a non-crystalline iron-based material; medium powder containing a crystalline iron-based material; and fine powder containing nickel. A ratio of the coarse powder and the medium powder is in a range of 65:35 to 80:20, and the amount of the fine powder is in a range of 3 wt % to 7 wt % on the basis of a total weight of the coarse powder and the medium powder. |
| US09875834B2 |
Printed flexible circuit
A flexible printed circuit may include a flexible body portion and a flexible head end portion, where conductors and/or elongated cut outs may be formed in a pattern. The flexible body may include a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end is configured to be connected to a stationary object and the distal end is configured to be connected to a moving object that moves in relation to the stationary object. The head end of the flexible printed circuit may be located at the distal end of the flexible body. The head end may include a plurality of elongated cut-outs, and/or a plurality of electrical connection pads suspended from the flexible body by the plurality of elongated cutouts. |
| US09875831B2 |
Method for producing a multi-layer varistor component and a multi-layer varistor component
A method for producing a multi-layer varistor component is specified. A main body for the multi-layer varistor component includes a plurality of internal electrodes. The method further includes providing the main body with a starting material for a copper electrode layer in such a way that the starting material is directly connected to at least one internal electrode. A thermal treatment of the starting material is performed under a protective gas atmosphere in order to form the copper electrode layer. |
| US09875826B2 |
Field makeable cryostat/current connections for an HTS tape power cable
A method of connecting prefabricated pieces of an HTS cable onsite is disclosed. This quick and reliable procedure of connecting pieces of HTS cable adds to the flexibility of designing and installing power transmission and distribution grids. The joint can also be dissembled such that it can be dismantled for replacing the cable on one side of the connection. The joint can then be reassembled with a new cable in its place. This facilitates repairing the electrical grid in case of local damage to the cable, as well as reconfiguring the grid in case this is required. The complexity of creating demountable HTS cable joints is due to the necessity to create and maintain continuity of several media across the joint along the length of the cable. Various combinations of design options satisfying these requirements are possible. |
| US09875822B2 |
Aluminum alloy conductor wire, aluminum alloy stranded wire, coated wire, wire harness and method of manufacturing aluminum alloy conductor wire
An aluminum alloy conductor wire has a composition comprising Mg: 0.1-1.0 mass %, Si: 0.1-1.20 mass %, Fe: 0.01-1.40 mass %, Ti: 0-0.100 mass %, B: 0-0.030 mass %, Cu: 0-1.00 mass %, Ag: 0-0.50 mass %, Au: 0-0.50 mass %, Mn: 0-1.00 mass %, Cr: 0-1.00 mass %, Zr: 0-0.50 mass %, Hf: 0-0.50 mass %, V: 0-0.50 mass %, Sc: 0-0.50 mass %, Co: 0-0.50 mass %, Ni: 0-0.50 mass %, and the balance: Al and inevitable impurities, where Ti, B, Cu, Ag, Au, Mn, Cr, Zr, Hf, V, Sc, Co and Ni are arbitrary additive components of which at least one component may be contained or none of the components may be contained. A density of a compound having a particle size of 0.5-5.0 μm and containing Fe is 1 to 300 particles/10000 μm2. |
| US09875818B2 |
Fail-safe reactivity compensation method for a nuclear reactor
The present invention relates generally to the field of compensation methods for nuclear reactors and, in particular to a method for fail-safe reactivity compensation in solution-type nuclear reactors. In one embodiment, the fail-safe reactivity compensation method of the present invention augments other control methods for a nuclear reactor. In still another embodiment, the fail-safe reactivity compensation method of the present invention permits one to control a nuclear reaction in a nuclear reactor through a method that does not rely on moving components into or out of a reactor core, nor does the method of the present invention rely on the constant repositioning of control rods within a nuclear reactor in order to maintain a critical state. |
| US09875815B1 |
Fast memory array repair using local correlated electron switch (CES) memory cells
An integrated circuit is provided for self-repair of a memory array. The circuit includes first word lines coupled to first memory rows of the memory array, one first word line for each bit of a line address word, second word lines coupled to one or more spare memory rows of the memory array. Repair configuration data is stored in memory cells within the integrated circuit to direct memory accesses to spare memory rows rather than dysfunctional first memory rows. A memory cell may be based on a correlated electron switch (CES). A built-in self-test circuit is provided to facilitate setting of repair configuration data. The repair data may be reconfigurable, enabling operating margins to be improved by testing under various operating conditions. |
| US09875812B2 |
Health state of non-volatile memory
An embodiment relates to a method for determining a health state of a non-volatile memory comprising: determining the health state based on at least one indicator for determining a predictable failure of the non-volatile memory. |
| US09875811B2 |
Method and device for reading a memory
A method for reading data from memory cells of a target word line in a semiconductor memory includes determining a disturbance status of the target word line. The disturbance status reflects a disturbance of a neighboring word line on the memory cells of the target word line. The method further includes determining a read voltage for the target word line according to the disturbance status of the target word line and applying the read voltage to the memory cells of the target word line. |
| US09875808B2 |
Reclaimable semiconductor device package and associated systems and methods
Several embodiments of reclaimable semiconductor device packages and assemblies are disclosed herein. A semiconductor device assembly (100) includes a package (101) having a housing (102) and a package contact (104) arranged to receive a signal indicative of a reclamation state. A plurality of modules of semiconductor dies (106) are located within the housing and electrically coupled to the package contact (104). The dies (106) of the first and second modules dies are configured to store a module configuration state. The first and second modules (107a, 107b) are enabled for operation based, at least in part, on the reclamation state and the module configuration state. |
| US09875805B2 |
Double lockout in non-volatile memory
A double lockout programming technique is provided having a hidden delay between programming and verification. A temporary lockout stage and a permanent lockout stage are provided for double lockout programming. The temporary lockout stage precedes the permanent lockout stage and is used to initially determine when a memory cell should be locked out a first time for one or more program pulses. When a memory cell initially passes verification for its target state, it is temporarily locked out from programming for one or more program pulses. The memory cell enters a permanent lockout stage where it is verified again for its target state. When the memory cell passes verification a second time, it is permanently locked out for programming during the current program phase. The memory cell may be programmed at one or more reduced program rates in the permanent lockout stage. |
| US09875804B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device with read voltage setting controller
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array. The memory cells of the memory cell array can be programmed to have different threshold voltages. A word line is connected to the memory cells. A controller is configured to receive a first command and perform a first read sequence and a second read sequence to read data from the memory cell array. In the first read sequence, a series of different voltage levels are applied to the word line and data is read from the array at each voltage level. In the second read sequence, a read voltage level is set based on the data obtained during the first read sequence. The read voltage level is applied to the word line to read the data to be output from the memory cell array. |
| US09875802B2 |
Access line management in a memory device
Memory devices are configured to store a number of access line biasing patterns to be applied during a memory device operation performed on a particular row of memory cells in the memory device. Memory devices are further configured to support modification of the stored bias patterns, providing flexibility in biasing access lines through changes to the bias patterns stored in the memory device. Methods and devices further facilitate performing memory device operations under multiple biasing conditions to evaluate and characterize the memory device by adjustment of the stored bias patterns without requiring an associated hardware change to the memory device. |
| US09875801B2 |
Methods and apparatuses including an asymmetric assist device
Apparatuses and methods have been disclosed. One such apparatus includes a plurality of memory cells that can be formed at least partially surrounding a semiconductor pillar. A select device can be coupled to one end of the plurality of memory cells and at least partially surround the pillar. An asymmetric assist device can be coupled between the select device and one of a source connection or a drain connection. The asymmetric assist device can have a portion that at least partially surrounds the pillar and another portion that at least partially surrounds the source or drain connection. |
| US09875800B2 |
3D NAND semiconductor device for erasing groups of bit lines
A semiconductor device may include a memory block including memory strings connected to respective bit lines coupled to a substrate and commonly connected to a common source line coupled to the substrate. The semiconductor device may include an operation circuit configured to perform an operation on memory cells included in the memory strings. The bit lines may be classified into a plurality of groups. The operation circuit may be configured to apply a voltage to bit lines of a selected group and set the common source line to a voltage level for the operation. |
| US09875799B1 |
Methods for pattern matching using multiple cell pairs
Memories having a plurality of cell pairs, where each cell pair of the plurality of cell pairs is programmed to store a same bit of data corresponding to a particular bit position of a pattern to be searched in a memory are useful in mitigating match errors, such as in a CAM (Content Addressable Memory) memory device. |
| US09875797B1 |
Photon memory system
A photon memory system. The photon memory system includes a first memory cell having a first memory cell output and a second memory cell output. The first memory cell also includes an LED (Light Emitting Diode) and a photo dot region that includes phosphorescent material. The first memory cell can be charged to first, second, and third initial values for a first memory cell output voltage across the first and second memory cell outputs. The first memory cell output voltage changes from the first, second, and third initial value towards zero. The first memory cell includes a read circuit electrically connected to the first and second memory cell outputs. The read circuit can distinguish first, second, and third voltage ranges of the first memory cell output voltage. The first, second, and third voltage ranges do not overlap with one another. |
| US09875796B2 |
Resistive memory device and method relating to a read voltage in accordance with variable situations
A resistive memory device and a method may be provided. The resistive memory device may include a reset voltage-detecting circuit, a set voltage-detecting circuit, a control circuit and a read voltage-generating circuit. The reset voltage-detecting circuit may receive a variable preliminary reset current to detect reference reset voltage information. The set voltage-detecting circuit may receive a variable preliminary set current to detect reference set voltage information. The control circuit may receive the reference reset voltage information and the reference set voltage information to determine middle voltage information of the reference reset voltage information and the reference set voltage information. The read voltage-generating circuit may receive the middle voltage information to generate a read voltage. |
| US09875795B2 |
Memory architecture and cell design employing two access transistors
Some embodiments include an improved memory array architecture and memory cell design. In one of such embodiments, a memory cell may comprise a memory element to store a logic state and two access transistors coupled to the memory element to access the logic state of the memory element. Other embodiments are described. |
| US09875790B1 |
Boost charge recycle for low-power memory
A negative bit line boost circuit for a memory is configured to control a write multiplexer and a write assist transistor so that charge from a boost capacitor positively charges a bit line following a write assist period. |
| US09875788B2 |
Low-power 5T SRAM with improved stability and reduced bitcell size
A 5 Transistor Static Random Access Memory (5T SRAM) is designed for reduced cell size and immunity to process variation. The 5T SRAM includes a storage element for storing data, wherein the storage element is coupled to a first voltage and a ground voltage. The storage element can include symmetrically sized cross-coupled inverters. A single access transistor controls read and write operations on the storage element. Control logic is configured to generate a value of the first voltage a write operation that is different from the value of the first voltage for a read operation. |
| US09875785B2 |
Refresh timer synchronization between memory controller and memory
A memory controller is configured to communicate to a DRAM an indication of when a most-recent memory-controller-triggered refresh cycle occurred prior to a transition to a self-refresh mode of operation in which the DRAM self-triggers its refresh cycles. |
| US09875782B2 |
Magnetic memory device and operating method thereof
A magnetic memory device may include a bit line, a plurality of source lines, a plurality of normal cells coupled between the bit line and the plurality of source lines, and each including a magnetic resistance element and a switching element coupled in series to the magnetic resistance element and switched by a word line signal, a dummy cell coupled to the bit line, and a spin-hall effect material layer between the bit line and the magnetic resistance element. The magnetic resistance element may write data according to a first current that flows through the dummy cell and flows in a direction parallel to the magnetic resistance element, and a second current that flows through the magnetic resistance element. |
| US09875779B2 |
Storage element and memory
A storage element includes a magnetization fixed layer, and a magnetization free layer. The magnetization fixed layer includes a plurality of ferromagnetic layers laminated together with a coupling layer formed between each pair of adjacent ferromagnetic layers. The magnetization directions of the ferromagnetic layers are inclined with respect to a magnetization direction of the magnetization fixed layer. |
| US09875778B2 |
Semiconductor device including a clock adjustment circuit
Disclosed herein is an apparatus that includes a clock circuit configured to receive first and second clock signals and perform a phase control operation in which a phase relationship between the first and second clock signals is controlled, the clock circuit configured to initiate the phase control operation each time a first control signal is asserted, the clock circuit including a comparator circuit that is configured to produce a second control signal indicative of a phase difference between the first and second clock signals, and a timing generator configured to assert the first control signal cyclically, the timing generator configured to respond to the second control signal to control a cycle of producing the first control signal. |
| US09875777B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and method for operating the same
A semiconductor memory device includes: an enable signal generation portion suitable for generating a data output enable signal activated at a predetermined first moment corresponding to column address strobe (CAS) latency based on a read command, a strobe signal generation portion suitable for generating a data strobe signal which has a preamble section until the data output enable signal is activated from a predetermined second moment ahead of the first moment based on the read command and toggles based on a source clock during an activated section of the data output enable signal, and a data output portion suitable for outputting internal data in synchronization with the data strobe signal during the activated section of the data output enable signal. |
| US09875776B1 |
Bit writability implementation for memories
Maskable level shifter circuits and memories are provided. Memories may include a plurality of memory cells and a bitline coupled to the plurality of memory cells. The memories includes a maskable level shifter configured to receive write data and a mask signal. A maskable level shifter includes a level shifter configured to level shift the write data and output the level shifted write data to the bitline when the mask signal is inactive and a masking circuit configured to remove power from the level shifter when the mask signal is active. Another maskable level shifter includes a level shifter configured to level shift the write data and output the level shifted write data to the bitline when the mask signal is inactive and a masking circuit configured to output a predetermined state to the bitline when the mask signal is active. |
| US09875775B2 |
Sense amplifier and input/output circuit of semiconductor apparatus including the same
A sense amplifier may be provided. The sense amplifier may include a first switch coupled between any one of a first signal line pair and a first power supply terminal. The sense amplifier may include a second switch coupled between the other one of the first signal line pair and the first power supply terminal. The sense amplifier may include a third switch configured to turn on the first switch depending on a level of the any one of the first signal line pair. The sense amplifier may include a fourth switch configured to turn on the second switch depending on a level of the other one of the first signal line pair. |
| US09875773B1 |
Acoustic hard drive surrogate
Systems and methods for an acoustic hard drive surrogate. In some embodiments, an Information Handling System (IHS) may include a chassis having a hard drive bay, and an acoustic hard drive surrogate coupled to the hard drive bay, where the acoustic hard drive surrogate includes a microphone configured to measure a combined airflow-induced and fan-generated acoustic wave transmitted over the air within the chassis and received at a selected point on a surface of the acoustic hard drive surrogate, and where the measurement excludes vibration received by the acoustic hard drive surrogate through the chassis. |
| US09875765B2 |
Base for magnetic recording medium
A base for a magnetic recording medium includes, a substrate made of an Al alloy, and a film made of a NiP-based alloy and provided on the substrate. The Al alloy of the substrate includes Mg in a range of 0.2 mass % to 6 mass %, Si in a range of 3 mass % to 17 mass %, Zn in a range of 0.05 mass % to 2 mass %, and Sr in a range of 0.001 mass % to 1 mass %. An average grain diameter of Si grains in an alloy structure of the substrate is 2 μm or less. The film has a thickness of 10 μm or greater. The substrate has an outer diameter of 53 mm or greater, a thickness of 0.9 mm or less, and a Young's modulus of 79 GPa or higher. |
| US09875754B2 |
Method and apparatus for pre-processing speech to maintain speech intelligibility
An audio system processes a speech signal to maintain a target value of the speech intelligibility index (SII) while minimizing the overall speech level so that speech intelligibility is preserved across different environmental sound levels while possible distortions and overall loudness are mitigated. In one embodiment, a hearing aid processes a speech signal received from another device to maintain a target value of the SII while minimizing the overall speech level before mixing the speech signal with a microphone signal. |
| US09875750B2 |
Digital volume control
A digital volume control may be implemented in a digital-to-analog controller (DAC) when an output rate of the DAC is higher than the input rate. The upsampling conversion process from the digital input to analog output may be controlled to adjust a volume of an output signal produced from the digital signals. The frames produced by the upsampling conversion process may include a fraction of scheduling blocks filled with the input data bit, where the fraction is based on a desired volume. The generated frames are provided to a finite impulse response (FIR) filter that produces an analog signal with a magnitude proportional to the determined fraction of scheduling blocks. |
| US09875747B1 |
Device specific multi-channel data compression
A sensor device may include a computing device in communication with multiple microphones. A neural network executing on the computing device may receive audio signals from each microphone. One microphone signal may serve as a reference signal. The neural network may extract differences in signal characteristics of the other microphone signals as compared to the reference signal. The neural network may combine these signal differences into a lossy compressed signal. The sensor device may transmit the lossy compressed signal and the lossless reference signal to a remote neural network executing in a cloud computing environment for decompression and sound recognition analysis. |
| US09875746B2 |
Encoding device and method, decoding device and method, and program
The present invention pertains to an encoding device and method, a decoding device and method, and to a program, with which sound of an appropriate volume level can be obtained with a smaller quantity of codes. A first gain calculation circuit calculates a first gain for volume level correction of an input time series signal, and a second gain calculation circuit calculates a second gain for volume level correction of a downmixed signal obtained by downmixing of the input time series signal. A gain encoding circuit computes the gain differential between the first gain and the second gain, the gain differential between time frames, and the gain differential within time frames, and encodes the first gain and the second gain. The present invention can be applied in encoding devices and decoding devices. |
| US09875745B2 |
Normalization of ambient higher order ambisonic audio data
In general, techniques are directed to performing normalization with respect to ambient higher order ambisonic audio data. A device configured to decode higher order ambisonic audio data may perform the techniques. The device may include a memory and one or more processors. The memory may be configured to store an audio channel that provides a normalized ambient higher order ambisonic coefficient representative of at least a portion of an ambient component of a soundfield. The one or more processors may be configured to perform inverse normalization with respect to the audio channel. |
| US09875742B2 |
Word-level blind diarization of recorded calls with arbitrary number of speakers
Disclosed herein are methods of diarizing audio data using first-pass blind diarization and second-pass blind diarization that generate speaker statistical models, wherein the first pass-blind diarization is on a per-frame basis and the second pass-blind diarization is on a per-word basis, and methods of creating acoustic signatures for a common speaker based only on the statistical models of the speakers in each audio session. |
| US09875740B1 |
Using voice information to influence importance of search result categories
Approaches provide for using voice information to influence the importance of search result categories for a search query. For example, various embodiments may provide search results for a search query based on a most relevant search result category to the search query. Voice information associated with a subsequent user interaction may be analyzed to identify whether the search result category is correct or if search results from a different category should be provided. Additionally, the voice information may be used to update the relevance score of the search result category to the search query to improve the category matching of future queries. |
| US09875738B2 |
Query rewrite corrections
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for natural language processing. One of the methods includes receiving a first voice query; generating a first recognition output; receiving a second voice query; determining from a recognition of the second voice query that the second voice query triggers a correction request; using the first recognition output and the second recognition to determine a plurality of candidate corrections; scoring each candidate correction; and generating a corrected recognition output for a particular candidate correction having a score that satisfies a threshold value. |
| US09875736B2 |
Pre-training and/or transfer learning for sequence taggers
Systems and methods for pre-training a sequence tagger with unlabeled data, such as a hidden layered conditional random field model are provided. Additionally, systems and methods for transfer learning are provided. Accordingly, the systems and methods build more accurate, more reliable, and/or more efficient sequence taggers than previously utilized sequence taggers that are not pre-trained with unlabeled data and/or that are not capable of transfer learning/training. |
| US09875732B2 |
Handheld electronic musical percussion instrument
An apparatus, system, and method for an electronic handheld musical instrument that generates electronic signals for processing by a processor-based module to generate musical sounds adapted to replicate non-electronic traditional hand percussion and other handheld instruments, is provided. A piezoelectric-based trigger is secured in an enclosed volume or enclosure formed in the electronic handheld musical instrument. When manipulated by a musician in a normal fashion, freely moving beads float or travel within the enclosure of the electronic handheld musical instrument and strike against a sensitive face of the piezoelectric transducer device to create a desired sound effect. |
| US09875727B2 |
Circuit and display device
A circuit arranged in a gate drive area on a display panel comprises control lines. Each control line is connected with multiple gate lines, and the gate lines connected with each control line are distributed at intervals on the display panel. A switch-on level can be provided sequentially to the control lines in a preset time interval when the display panel is being shut down. The circuit mitigates or otherwise eliminates a shutdown afterimage phenomenon and also avoids delivery of a relatively large instantaneous current generated at shutdown. |
| US09875725B2 |
Information processing to exchange information via wireless communication
There is provided an information processing device including an operation acceptance unit configured to accept a user operation related to an image based on image data received from another information processing device using short-range wireless communication when the image is displayed on a display unit, and a controller configured to perform control in a manner that notification information for issuing a notification that the user operation is accepted is output when the user operation is accepted, and control data corresponding to the user operation is transmitted to the other information processing device. |
| US09875720B2 |
Display wall
The present invention discloses a display wall comprising a display device and a solar panel for supplying power to the display device, wherein the display device and the solar panel are laminated. |
| US09875719B2 |
Identifying a characteristic of an individual utilizing facial recognition and providing a display for the individual
A method may include automatically remotely identifying at least one characteristic of an individual via facial recognition; and providing a display for the individual, the display having a content at least partially based on the identified at least one characteristic of the individual. A system may include a facial recognition module configured for automatically remotely identifying at least one characteristic of an individual via facial recognition; and a display module coupled with the facial recognition module, the display module configured for providing a display for the individual, the display having a content at least partially based on the identified at least one characteristic of the individual. |
| US09875718B1 |
Electrochromic two way display for two in one laptop/tablet form factors
In one general aspect, a computing device can include a base, and a lid coupled to the base, the lid housing a display device that includes a first electrochromic material, a second electrochromic material, and an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display. The OLED display can be located between the first electrochromic material and the second electrochromic material. |
| US09875717B2 |
Liquid crystal display device having improved side visibility
Provided is a liquid crystal display device including: a substrate; a first gate line; a first data line and a second data line to which data voltages with different polarities are applied; a first pixel electrode connected to the first gate line and the first data line; a liquid crystal layer formed on the first pixel electrode; and a first common electrode and a second common electrode disposed on the liquid crystal layer, in which the first pixel electrode includes a first subpixel electrode overlapping with the first common electrode and a second subpixel electrode overlapping with the second common electrode. A first voltage and A second voltage are alternatingly applied to the first common electrode and the second common electrode every two or more frames, respectively. |
| US09875713B2 |
Semiconductor device
It is an object to provide a semiconductor device which can supply a signal with sufficient amplitude to a scan line while power consumption is kept small. Further, it is an object to provide a semiconductor device which can suppress distortion of a signal supplied to the scan line and shorten a rising time and a falling time while power consumption is kept small. A semiconductor device which includes a plurality of pixels each including a display element and at least one first transistor and a scan line driver circuit supplying a signal for selecting the plurality of pixels to a scan line. A light-transmitting conductive layer is used for a pixel electrode layer of the display element, a gate electrode layer of the first transistor, source and drain electrode layers of the first transistor, and the scan line. The scan line driver circuit includes a second transistor and a capacitor for holding a voltage between a gate electrode layer of the second transistor and a source electrode layer of the second transistor. The source electrode of the second transistor is connected to the scan line. |
| US09875700B2 |
Source driver and driving method thereof
A source driver utilized for a display device and switching between two operational modes includes a reception module for receiving a plurality of display information and a plurality of transmission channels. Each transmission channel includes a register module for receiving one of the plurality of display information; a voltage level transformer for determining a voltage level of the one of display information; a polarization digital-to-analog converter for processing a digital-to-analog operation for the voltage level of the one display information; and an output module for outputting a plurality of voltage levels of the display information. The voltage levels of every two adjacent transmission channels include different polarization of voltage levels, and the output module processes an odd-number switching operation before outputting the plurality of voltage levels. |
| US09875699B2 |
Display device
A liquid crystal display device 10 includes a liquid crystal panel 11, a driver 21, panel-side output terminals 24, image signal lines 30, and control signal lines 31. The driver 21 is configured to generate output signals by processing input signals supplied by a control circuit board 12 and transmit the output signals to a display area AA to drive the display panel 11. The panel-side output terminals 24 are connected to the driver 21. The panel-side output terminals 24 include panel-side image output terminals 24A and panel-side control output terminals 24B disposed along a ling edge 21L of the driver 21. The image signal lines 30 are routed so as to extend from the panel-side image output terminals 24A, to cross a long edge 21L of the driver, and to spread in a fan-like form toward the display area AA. The control signal lines 31 are routed so as to extend from the panel-side control output terminals 24B toward the display area AA and to cross the short edge 21S of the driver 21. |
| US09875696B2 |
Method of displaying three-dimensional image and display apparatus using the same
A method of displaying a three-dimensional image includes outputting a converted left image generated based on a left image to a pixel of a display panel during a first period, where the converted left image has a grayscale value less than a grayscale value of the left image, outputting the left image to the pixel of the display panel during a second period, outputting a converted right image generated based on a right image to the pixel of the display panel during a third period, where the converted right image has a grayscale value less than a grayscale value of the right image, and outputting the right image to the pixel of the display panel during a fourth period. |
| US09875695B2 |
Display device
A display device uses a control unit to analyze an image obtained by picturing a user using an image-capturing unit and detect a line of sight of the user with respect to the display region of a display unit. Further, the control unit identifies observation condition information indicating the condition of the user viewing the display region based on the detected line of sight of the user. A display control unit writes the image signal in the display region of the display unit for each frame, wherein the display control unit halts, for a predetermined frame period, writing of the image signal in a controlled region when the identified observation condition information meets a predetermined requirement, the controlled region being at least a part of the display region. |
| US09875693B2 |
Data driver and organic light emitting display device having the same
A data driver includes a data signal converter to convert image data to a data signal, an output buffer to output the data signal to a data line, a first cascode circuit connected to the output buffer and including a plurality of transistors, a first noise attenuator connected to a first node between the output buffer and the first cascode circuit, and to attenuate a first current noise, a second cascode circuit connected to the output buffer and including a plurality of transistors, a second noise attenuator connected a second node between the output buffer and the second cascode circuit, and to attenuate a second current noise, a current integrator to generate an integrated voltage by integrating a first current flowing through the first cascode circuit and a second current flowing through the second cascade circuit, and an analog-digital converter (ADC) to convert the integrated voltage to a digital signal. |
| US09875692B2 |
DC-DC converter and organic light emitting display including the same
Disclosed are a direct current converter and an organic light emitting display including the converter. The converter includes a power generator configured to generate a first voltage; an output terminal connected to the power generator and configured to output the first voltage; a feedback terminal connected to an external feedback wiring and configured to input a second voltage to a selector; and the selector connected to the first power generator, and configured to transfer the first voltage or the second voltage to the first power generator. |
| US09875691B2 |
Pixel circuit, driving method thereof and display device
The present invention provides a pixel circuit, a driving method thereof and a display device. The pixel circuit comprises a drive module, an energy storage module, an electroluminescent module, a data voltage writing module, a threshold compensation module and a reset module, and also comprises an operating voltage input terminal, a data voltage input terminal and a plurality of control signal input terminal. The threshold compensation module is capable of introducing the voltage on the compensation voltage input terminal so as to set the voltage on the control terminal of the drive module to be a sum of the threshold voltage of the drive module and the operating voltage, thus the driving current flowing through the electroluminescent units is not affected by the threshold voltage of corresponding drive modules, such that the problem of uneven display brightness caused by the threshold voltage drift of driving transistors can be solved. |
| US09875686B2 |
Voltage driving pixel circuit, display panel and driving method thereof
The present disclosure relates to a voltage driving pixel circuit, a display panel and a driving method thereof. The voltage driving pixel circuit comprises: any two power lines and a load connected in each power line, wherein there is one or more switching circuits between the any two power lines. By means of the voltage driving pixel circuit of the present disclosure, the power lines form a network structure in the light emitting phase, so as to avoid voltage change of the power line voltage Vdd of each row in the pixel in the light emitting phase, thereby improving lateral resistance drop and crosstalk phenomenon of the variable power line voltage Vdd. |
| US09875685B2 |
Display device and method for compensation of image data of the same
A display device includes: a display including a plurality of pixels; and a controller configured to: receive an external input image signal, adjust the external input image signal to compensate for brightness deviations of the pixels, and transmit corresponding image data signals to the pixels, wherein the controller includes: a data input section configured to receive the external input image signal and transmit a test image data signal to the pixels through a data driver, a luminance information extracting section configured to: extract brightness information for the pixels after displaying a test image in accordance with the test image data signal, and calculate first, second, and third parameters, using the brightness information, and a data compensating section configured to generate the image data signals by adjusting the external input image signal based on the first, second, and third parameters. |
| US09875683B2 |
Scan driver for outputting a sensing scan signal to detect a driving current of pixels and display device having the same
A scan driver includes a plurality of decoder type stages respectively outputting a plurality scan signals. An n-th stage includes a first input block configured to provide a first DC voltage to a first node in response to a plurality of selection signals, a pull-down block configured to pull down a first node voltage, a second input block configured to reduce a voltage drop of a second node voltage when a scan signal is output, and to provide a second DC voltage to a second node in response to the selection signals, a buffer block configured to output the first node voltage, that is a buffer output voltage, in response to the first node voltage and the second node voltage, and an output block configured to output the scan signal. |
| US09875680B2 |
Method and apparatus for generation of gray scale adjustment voltage and panel driver circuit
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for generating gray scale adjustment voltages and a panel driver circuit using the same. With the method provided in the invention, said apparatus for generating gray scale adjustment voltages generates a plurality of gray-scale reference voltage groups at a given time interval T0, and provides them for, such as a data driver circuit for adjusting gray scale of pictures by means of the reference gray-scale voltages, wherein values of the gray-scale reference voltages in each gray-scale reference voltage group are different from one another, and the time interval T0 need to be less or equal to a quotient from the displaying time in each frame divided by the product of the number of pixels in the vertical direction of a display screen and the number of gray-scale reference voltage groups. The present invention can improve the rate for outputting the gray scale voltages by said gray scale adjustment voltages generation apparatus without modifying the original data driver circuit in the liquid crystal display, such that a displaying effect of higher-order is obtained and improvement in picture quality is accomplished. The present invention may be widely used in various image display devices. |
| US09875678B2 |
Image display method
An image display method is disclosed. In one aspect, the image display method includes receiving image data including a black region and a white region, determining a boundary between the black and white regions, determining a pixel to be corrected which is adjacent to the boundary, and determining a direction of the boundary and an arrangement of the black and white regions with respect to the boundary. The method also includes converting pixel data corresponding to the pixel into corrected pixel data based at least in part on the boundary direction and the arrangement and displaying images on a display device based at least in part on corrected image data including the corrected pixel data. |
| US09875670B2 |
Braille copy machine using image processing techniques
A Braille Copy Machine includes a processor configured to detect at least one Braille cell from a scanned image of an original Braille document. The detecting includes determining a coordinate and a code for the at least one Braille cell. The Braille Copy Machine also includes an embosser configured to create an embossed copy of the original Braille document based on the determined coordinate and code for the at least one Braille cell. |
| US09875669B2 |
Systems and methods for generating distractors in language learning
Disclosed are systems, methods, and products for language learning software that automatically extracts text from resources using various natural-language processing features, which can be combined with custom-designed learning activities to offer a needs-based, adaptive learning methodology. The system may receive a text, extract keywords pedagogically valuable to non-native language learning, assign a difficulty score to the text using various linguistic attributes of the text, generate a list of potential distractors for each keyword related to a resource to implement in learning activities. Distractors may be of various types, which are dynamically selected from a distractor store depending on a learning activity chosen to meet a learner's needs. Distractors may vary in difficulty, and may be dynamically selected based on a learner's overall proficiency or based on a learner's abilities in specific language skills. |
| US09875667B2 |
Method and apparatus for utilizing control points to manage a user to a desired state
The system is an interactive control system that uses multiple control points to manage a user toward a desired state through coaching, feedback, and feed-forward mechanisms. They system uses push and pull from a user to dynamically determine which control points to utilize and emphasize to guide the user to a desired state. The system creates Topics that are generated out of Content Elements. These topics are referenced by Rules and are arranged in a queue so that a planned succession of Topics can be presented proactively to a user in a prioritized and logical manner to guide the user to a desired state. The Rules include Dynamic Rules that allow real time modification of the queue to present Topics relevant to user state and progress toward the desired state. |
| US09875664B2 |
Virtual trainer optimizer method and system
This disclosure provides an augmented Virtual Trainer (VT) method and system. According to an exemplary system, a video based physiological metric system is integrated with a VT system to provide health and/or safety related data associated with a user of the VT system. According to an exemplary embodiment, the disclosed augmented VT system modifies an exercise routine based on the physiological metrics and/or provides audio signals to the user. |
| US09875663B2 |
Personalized testing of learning application performance in a modular learning system
A modular learning system is provided for providing learning users a plurality of learning applications. On occasion, learning users may wish to develop personalized testing systems to determine the learning user's progress. In the modular learning system, individual learning applications are selected by the learning users. The learning applications include learning content and are provided to the user with a learning facility, tutoring user, and other learning services. The personalized testing systems allows learning users to construct personalized testing for the user comprised of particular learning applications for performance by the learning user. |
| US09875655B2 |
Parking assist system
A parking assist system includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to set at least one candidate position that is a candidate for a target position of a moving path of a vehicle on the basis of at least one of a detected obstacle or a detected parking boundary, rank each of the at least one candidate position on the basis of the candidate position and a position and orientation of the host vehicle, and determine one of the ranked at least one candidate position as the target position. |
| US09875654B2 |
Real-time monitoring and diagnostic processing of traffic control data
A traffic control monitoring and abnormality determination system and associated methods are disclosed for receiving and analyzing traffic controller input/output data during a learning phase to determine a model indicative of normal or healthy operation of the traffic controller in regulating traffic flow at an intersection and receiving and evaluating additional traffic controller input/output data against the model during an evaluation phase to determine whether an abnormality exists in operation of the traffic controller. If an abnormality is detected during the evaluation phase, the system may initiate a corrective action to resolve the abnormality such as sending an alarm signal to a traffic controller to cause the traffic controller to alter an operating state to resolve the abnormality. |
| US09875653B2 |
Electronic traffic alert system
An electronic traffic alert system for communicating with an emergency vehicle and a centralized traffic control station includes a traffic display having a screen for displaying graphics and configured to hold a plurality of modules. The modules are of substantially uniform shape, such that individual modules are interchangeably connectable to the traffic display, and the plurality of modules are mounted below the screen so that at least one of them extends below the traffic display. The traffic display also includes a central processor in communication with the plurality of modules and the screen, with the central processor configured to display a predetermined graphic on the screen according to input from at least one of the plurality of modules, and an interface for transmitting traffic-related information to the traffic display from and a centralized traffic control station. |
| US09875650B2 |
Trainable transceiver and mobile communications device diagnostic systems and methods
A trainable transceiver for installation in a vehicle and for controlling a remote device includes a transceiver circuit configured based on training information to communicate with the remote device, a communications device configured to communicate with a mobile communications device, and a control circuit coupled to the transceiver circuit, and coupled to the communications device. The control circuit is configured to transmit diagnostic information related to the trainable transceiver to a mobile communications device via the communications device. |
| US09875644B2 |
Master slave wireless fire alarm and mass notification system
A wireless fire alarm notification system uses wireless repeater devices to annunciate an alarm to slave devices from the control panel. A notification device provides a local synchronization signal via wire to a secondary notification device. A method enables the activation or deactivation of child device without the child device having to query their parent repeater. A circuit to test the integrity of an active battery charger, a battery, and an isolation circuit is also shown. A method for qualifying that an RF signal meets a specified minimum acceptable level is described. A method for wirelessly sending events to avoid RF link overload is provided. A programming checksum method confirms that an annunciator has latest programming information. A method to automatically process messages from new devices without having to hardcode repeaters to support these new devices is also described. |
| US09875633B2 |
Patient support apparatus
A patient support apparatus comprises a substantially rigid support deck for supporting a patient support element, a first sensing element and a second sensing element arranged on the support deck and separated from one another in a direction along the width of the patient support apparatus. Each sensing element is configured to determine, in use, the force or pressure applied to it by the patient support element and a patient on the patient support element. One or more processors, coupled to the sensing elements, are configured to determine the location of the center of gravity of a patient on the patient support element, along the width of the patient support apparatus, based upon outputs of the first and second sensing elements. An alarm may be activated when the location of the center of gravity along the width of the patient support apparatus is outside a predetermined range of values. |
| US09875631B2 |
Detector unit and sensing chamber therefor
According to one embodiment, a hazard detector may include a back plate and a front casing coupled to the back plate to define a housing having an interior region and an opening through which air flows into the interior region. A circuit board may be coupled to the back plate and have a plurality of components mounted thereon. A smoke chamber may be mid-mounted on the circuit board, mid-mounting being characterized in the smoke chamber extending through a hole formed in the circuit board such that a top surface of the smoke chamber is positioned above a top surface of the circuit board and a bottom surface of the smoke chamber is positioned below a bottom surface of the circuit board, whereby an interior region of the smoke chamber is accessible to smoke from both the top and bottom surfaces of the circuit board. |
| US09875622B2 |
Method and device for conducting a card game
Game wagers are received on a hand. At least two hands are dealt and completed according to an underlying game of baccarat or baccarat variation. A bonus wager is received. After the hands are completed, a determination is made whether an end-bonus condition is met. If not, a determination is made whether a bonus-eligible sum has been obtained in a designated hand. Bonus-eligible hand sums may include designated hand sums in a player hand, a banker hand, a player hand or banker hand, and/or a player hand and banker hand. Bonus-eligible hand sums may also be hand sums closer to a target value in a designated hand. When bonus-eligible sums have been obtained in a threshold quantity of bonus triggering games, without obtaining an end-bonus condition, an award is issued on the bonus wager. |
| US09875621B1 |
Providing secondary wagering-game play via a mobile device
A mobile device for playing a wagering game and its operations are described herein. In some embodiments, the operations can include obtaining a game code associated with a secondary game, wherein the game code was scanned from a physical game card. In some embodiments, the game code is scanned by a scanning mechanism of a mobile device. The physical game card is associated with a wagering game. The operations can further include determining an outcome for the secondary game based on the game code. The operations can further include providing, for presentation, an indication of the outcome. In some examples, the indication of the outcome is provided for presentation via the mobile device. |
| US09875619B2 |
Electronic gaming based on intermediate points in an event
Systems and methods related to gaming based on the results at intervals of a race. |
| US09875618B2 |
Gaming system and method employing multi-directional interaction between multiple concurrently played games
A gaming system which includes a plurality of overlapping game plays each configured to activate zero, one or more features. Following any activation of one or more features of at least one of the overlapping game plays, the gaming system causes such activated features to also be activated in one or more of the other overlapping game plays independent of which specific game play such features were activated initially for. |
| US09875613B2 |
Methods and system for providing outcomes
Gaming devices may generate outcomes to be sold in printed form. Representations of the outcomes, corresponding payouts, and other information are printed on sheets of paper. Multiple printed outcomes are assembled into books, wrapped, and sold to consumers. Consumers may purchase the books and browse through the printed outcomes at their leisure. When finished with a book, a consumer may submit a portion of the book to the casino that sold the outcomes. The casino may then pay the player based on the payouts associated with the outcomes in the book. |
| US09875612B2 |
Pre-authorized casino credit instrument
A casino credit access instrument comprises a source of funds for a player, such as for placing wagers to play casino-style games or to purchase other goods or services. The instrument defines a period of timed during which credit may be accessed up to a predetermined amount, defines a redemption period during which any accessed credit may be re-paid, and defines settlement terms if the instrument is not redeemed. Credit may be granted based upon financial collateral, which collateral may be executed upon to settle the instrument. The instrument provides a convenient source of funding for player at low risk to the casino or other lender. |
| US09875599B2 |
Operation device and play machine
An operation device installed on a play machine has a push button switch having a push button made of a translucent material, a floating image projector that projects a floating image into midair above the push button through the push button from a rear face side of the push button, and a gesture detector in which at least a region where the floating image is projected is set to be a detection region. |
| US09875597B2 |
Processing user information in wagering game systems
Techniques for processing user information in wagering game systems are described herein. In some embodiments, a system includes a first wagering game system to assign a first set of access credentials to a user, wherein the first wagering system is connected to a first set of wagering game machines. The system can also include a second wagering game system to assign a second set of access credentials to the user, wherein the second wagering system connected to a second set of wagering game machines. The systems can also include a master identifier controller to receive and store the first and second sets of access credentials, to receive requests to access the first wagering game system based on the second set of user access credentials, and to facilitate access the first wagering game system based on the second set of user access credentials. |
| US09875592B1 |
Drone used for authentication and authorization for restricted access via an electronic lock
In an electronic lock authentication method using a drone, authentication information input by a person is received at an electronic lock, a first level verification of the authentication information is performed at the electronic lock, and a drone request signal is transmitted from the electronic lock to the drone. The drone request signal instructs the drone to proceed to the electronic lock and perform a second level verification of the person when the first level verification has passed. Further in the method, the second level verification of the person is performed with the drone, a grant access signal is transmitted from the drone to the electronic lock, the grant access signal instructs the electronic lock to unlock when the second level verification has passed, and the electronic lock is unlocked in response to the grant access signal. |
| US09875591B2 |
Systems and methods for phone-as-a-key range extension
Systems and methods for phone-as-a-key range extension are disclosed. An example disclosed vehicle includes an integrated antenna array with a plurality of antenna located on a roof of the vehicle. The plurality of antenna includes a personal area network antenna. The example vehicle also includes a personal area network module communicatively connected to the personal area network antenna. Additionally, the vehicle includes a key phone unit communicatively connected to the personal area network module. The example key phone unit performs key fob functions as requested by an authorized mobile device. |
| US09875588B2 |
System and method for identification triggered by beacons
There is provided systems and methods of identification and automation of devices using a beacon. A system includes a beacon, an automation device, and a server. The beacon is configured to transmit a signal to the automation device in response to entering a defined geographic zone. The automation device is configured to receive the signal from the beacon, transmit, in response to receiving the signal, the signal to the server, receive an identification of a person possessing the beacon from the server, and activate an automation feature, wherein the automation feature uses the identification of the person possessing the beacon. An automation feature may include, but is not limited to, a video camera, a display device, or a stereo. |
| US09875584B2 |
Systems and methods for monitoring flight
Systems, methods, and devices are provided herein for recording operation history of a remotely controlled vehicle. The recorded operation history may comprise outgoing operation commands sent from a remote controller of a remotely controlled vehicle, as well as incoming operation commands received by the remotely controlled vehicle. The recorded operation history may further comprise vehicle status data, such as data related to an operation process of the remotely controlled vehicle. The recorded operation history of a vehicle may be used to analyze a behavior of the vehicle. |
| US09875583B2 |
Vehicle operational data acquisition responsive to vehicle occupant voice inputs
Vehicle operational data can be acquired in response to receiving a vehicle occupant voice command. A voice input can be received from a vehicle occupant while a vehicle is in operation. The received voice input can be analyzed to determine whether a vehicle diagnostic command is included in the voice input. In response to determining that a vehicle diagnostic command is included in the received voice input, one or more vehicle sensors can be caused to acquire vehicle operational data based on the vehicle diagnostic command. The vehicle operational data can be presented to a user, such as a driver, a passenger, or a review entity. |
| US09875581B2 |
Automated 3D reconstruction of the cardiac chambers from MRI or ultrasound
The disclosure relates to a method of automatically producing a three-dimensional (3D) segmentation of a heart chamber, the method comprising: obtaining data sets from cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or ultrasound, generating a 3D segmentation of the heart chamber from the data sets using an active contour method, modifying the 3D segmentation by adding a plurality of intra-chamber structures; and identifying an enclosing myocardium using the 3D segmentation generated by the method. |
| US09875578B2 |
Voxelization of a mesh
A method for 3D rendering, including receiving a group of 3D triangles defining a mesh of a surface, each 3D triangle in the group having 3D vertices with respective 3D coordinates, and transforming each 3D triangle into a 2D triangle having 2D vertices corresponding respectively to the 3D vertices, each 2D vertex having respective 2D pixel coordinates and a triplet of pixel attributes corresponding to the 3D coordinates of a corresponding 3D vertex. Each 2D triangle is passed to a graphics processor, which treats the triplet of pixel attributes of each 2D vertex as interpolatable values. The graphics processor computes respective triplets of interpolated pixel attributes for pixels within each 2D triangle by interpolation between the pixel attributes of the 2D vertices, and a 3D image of the surface is rendered by converting the interpolated pixel attributes computed by the graphics processor into voxel coordinates in the 3D image. |
| US09875575B2 |
Smoothing 3D models of objects to mitigate artifacts
A system and method is provided for smoothing portions of a 3D model of an object based on the likelihood of a portion being an accurate representation of the surface of the object, and based on whether the surface of the object according to the model is relatively jagged or relatively smooth. |
| US09875573B2 |
Method and apparatus for rendering a 3-dimensional scene
Provided herein are methods and systems to provide for parallax correction for multiple eye-points in a single viewpoint within a Homogeneous 3-Dimensional (3D) virtual environment. In preferred embodiments, the systems and methods are used as part of a virtual training environment where multiple participants are participating simultaneously. The methods and systems render multiple objects from multiple eye-points by creating custom projection matrix for each eye-point. Each rendered object is overlaid over the background and other images rendered with the standard eye-point projection matrix. Preferred embodiments use the same view matrix for all renderings. |
| US09875569B2 |
Unified 3D volume rendering and maximum intensity projection viewing based on physically based rendering
In rendering in medical imaging, the MIP and VRT modes are emulated using physically-based rendering, such as Monte Carlo ray tracing. By weighting the rendering based on user or other input, where along a continuum of MIP to VRT to render is selected. A sequence of different images may be rendered with different settings at different points on the continuum using the same window level, classification, or other parameters. |
| US09875568B2 |
Graphics effect data structure and method of use thereof
A graphics effect data structure and method of use thereof. One embodiment of the graphics effect data structure is embodied in an effect processing system, including: (1) a memory configured to store an effect data structure that describes a graphics effect implemented by a plurality of passes and shader code modules contained in the effect data structure, (2) a graphics processing unit (GPU) operable to render the graphics effect according to a shader program based on the shader code modules, assembled according to the plurality of passes, and (3) a central processing unit (CPU) configured to execute an application that employs the graphics effect and to gain access to the effect data structure during run time, at which time the shader program is passed to the GPU for processing. |
| US09875567B2 |
Systems and methods for modeling
The invention provides systems that allow users to design and model natural structures such as biomolecules. The system can include a collection of individual models and also provide users with the option to select certain simulation/interaction modalities that will influence the dynamics of models within a simulation created by the user. The system includes a processor coupled to a non-transitory memory within which is stored a digital model that includes data representing a structure and a rig that defines animation dynamics for the structure such that a range of motion of the at least one digital model on an electronic display device is predetermined without manipulation from a user. They system also includes at least one molecular dynamics modality selectable by the user that applies one or more parameters that influence the animation dynamics of the structure in a simulation provided by the system. |
| US09875561B2 |
Method and system for dynamically creating and exploring graph structures
A system and method are presented that store graph data in a database as nodes, edges that link nodes, and profiles that contain properties that provide additional context for the nodes and edges. Computerized methods are described that provide for the dynamic creation of graph data based on the properties stored on the profiles related to each node, including the ability to predetermine which properties are used within a CSS-like language. Methods for visually focusing on a portion of a graph are also disclosed that allow a user to select one or more base nodes and limit the display of related nodes to those nodes within a defined degree of separation from the base node(s). The user can control the desired degree of separation, can select multiple base nodes, and can predetermine the base nodes to be used (and desired degree of separation for each) using a CSS-like language. |
| US09875560B2 |
Graphical display of physiological parameters on patient monitors
A system for receiving one or more measured physiological parameters of a patient and displaying a graphical representation of the same. In various embodiments, a display module generates a graphical display that includes a range of possible values for the physiological parameter, one or more thresholds and/or alarm values, a numeric display of the current value of the measured physiological parameter, and a historical comparator of the current value with historical values. |
| US09875554B2 |
Surface normal estimation for use in rendering an image
Relightable free-viewpoint rendering allows a novel view of a scene to be rendered and relit based on multiple views of the scene from multiple camera viewpoints. Image values from the multiple camera viewpoints can be separated into diffuse image components and specular image components, such that an intrinsic color component of a relightable texture can be determined for a specular scene, by using the separated diffuse image components. Furthermore, surface normals of geometry in the scene can be refined by constructing a height map based on a conservative component of an initial surface normal field and then determining the refined surface normals based on the constructed height map. |
| US09875547B2 |
Method and apparatus for adjusting stereoscopic image parallax
The present invention provides a method for adjusting stereoscopic image parallax. An original camera is provided. A scene space corresponding to the original camera is preset, including presetting a depth range of the scene space. Preset viewing environment parameters for displaying stereoscopic images of a scene in the scene space are configured, including presetting a depth range of an actual view space. The method further includes establishing a mapping relationship between the depth range of the actual view space and the depth range of the scene space. According to the mapping relationship, the preset viewing environment parameters and the scene space, camera parameters for adjusting stereoscopic image parallax are calculated. The original camera is adjusted based on the camera parameters to capture the scene. Thus, the stereoscopic images of the scene can be generated and presented. |
| US09875545B2 |
Camera pose estimation apparatus and method
Provided is a camera pose estimation apparatus that estimates an initial camera pose using one of an input depth image and an input color image, and refines the initial camera pose using the other image. When the initial camera pose is estimated using the input depth image, the radius of a first area, in which color information is matched for refinement, can be adaptively set according to the distribution of the depth value of at least one first point that is subject to matching. |
| US09875535B2 |
Wear measurement system using computer vision
A wear measurement system for a component is disclosed. The wear measurement system may have an imaging device configured to obtain a plurality of two-dimensional images of the component. The wear measurement system may also have a controller. The controller may be configured to generate a three-dimensional point cloud representing the component based on the two-dimensional images. The controller may also be configured to select at least two reference points appearing in each of a subset of images selected from the two-dimensional images. Further, the controller may be configured to determine locations of the two reference points in the three-dimensional point cloud. The controller may also be configured to determine an image distance between the locations. In addition, the controller may be configured to determine an amount of wear based on the image distance. |
| US09875533B2 |
Image processing for productivity applications
Image processing for productivity applications is provided. An image may be received by a computing device. The computing device may detect the edges comprising the received image and adjust the image based on a skew state of the detected edges. The computing device may then process the adjusted image to correct imbalances. The computing device may then assign an image classification to the processed image. The computing device may then adjust the processed image based on the assigned image classification. |
| US09875527B2 |
Apparatus and method for noise reduction of spectral computed tomography images and sinograms using a whitening transform
A method and apparatus is provided to denoise material-decomposition data generated using projection data from a spectral computed tomography scanner. A whitening transform is used to transform the material-decomposition data into uncorrelated components and perform denoising on the uncorrelated components. Using different denoising parameters for the various uncorrelated components, a flattening can be achieved for the standard deviation of the noise as a function of X-ray energy, which can be determined using mono-energetic images derived from the material-decomposition data. The whitening transformation and the denoising can be applied the material-decomposition sinograms and/or to material-decomposition images reconstructed from the material-decomposition sinograms. |
| US09875523B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
An image processing apparatus and image processing method enlarge an input image (Din) to generate a low-resolution enlarged image (D101). Depending on a result of identification of the pattern of the input image (Din), coefficient data (D108) for conversion to a high-resolution are selected, and a feature component (D102H) of a low resolution is converted to a feature component (D103H) of a high resolution. Decision as to whether or not the pattern of a local region of the input image (Din) is flat is made. If it is flat, the coefficient data are so selected that no substantial alteration is made to pixel values in a high-resolution conversion unit (103). It is possible to reduce the circuit size and the memory capacity, and to improve the noise immunity, and achieve conversion to a high resolution suitable for implementation by hardware. |
| US09875522B2 |
Display control apparatus
A display control apparatus includes: a plurality of acquiring units; a determining unit configured to determine, as a display target, image data acquired by at least one of the acquiring units on the basis of an acquisition result of the plurality of acquiring units; and a setting unit configured to set a first display mode in a case where two or more image data are determined as the display targets, and to set a second display mode in a case where one image data is determined as the display target, wherein in a case where formats of a plurality of acquired image data are not the same, the determining unit determines one format based on the formats of the plurality of image data, and determines one or more image data having the determined one format as the display target. |
| US09875521B2 |
Image output apparatus, image output method, and program
An image output apparatus includes an input image acquiring unit, a target attribute value acquiring unit that acquires at least one target attribute value, which is an original attribute value of a subject contained in an input image, an attribute value acquiring unit that acquires at least one attribute value of the subject contained in an output image formed using the input image, a difference information acquiring unit that acquires at least one piece of difference information indicating a difference between the at least one target attribute value acquired by the target attribute value acquiring unit and the at least one attribute value acquired by the attribute value acquiring unit, and an image output unit that, in a case where the at least one piece of difference information does not satisfy a predetermined condition, changes an output mode of the output image formed using the input image, and performs output. |
| US09875517B2 |
Data processing method, data processing apparatus, and storage medium
A data processing method performed by a first processor configured to control a second processor that performs a process of creating an image and has a plurality of operation modes with different power consumption levels, the data processing method includes setting a number related to a second period following a first period based on a number of first images created by the second processor during the first period; and switching an operation mode of the second processor to an operation mode in which power consumption is lower than a power consumption of an operation mode during creating the image, among the plurality of operation modes, when the number of second images created during the second period reaches the set number. |
| US09875513B2 |
Method and system for venture capital raising for startup via award and reality television show
Provided are equity crowdfunding platform for startup projects and methods of using thereof. An exemplary equity crowdfunding platform comprises an online service, a processor, and a database in communication with the online service and the processor. The online service is configured to receive information associated with a crowdfunding request from an owner of a startup project. The processor checks the information using a set of pre-defined rules to determine whether the startup project complies with the pre-defined rules. If the startup project related to the information complies with the pre-defined rules, the processor generates a crowdfunding request page for startup project using the information. The crowdfunding request page is provided to investors via the online service. The database is configured to store at least the information, the pre-defined rules, and the crowdfunding request page. |
| US09875512B2 |
Photo and video sharing
In one embodiment, a set of tags associated with a media item may be ascertained. One or more of a plurality of individuals may be identified based, at least in part, upon the set of tags associated with the media item and a plurality of sets of sharing preferences, each one of the plurality of sets of sharing preferences being associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of individuals and indicating tags for which media items are to be automatically shared with the corresponding one of the plurality of individuals. Information pertaining to the media item may be shared with the identified individuals. |
| US09875509B1 |
Method and system for determining the condition of insured properties in a neighborhood
A method and system may determine the condition of insured properties in a neighborhood using aerial images captured from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or from a satellite device. The neighborhood may be selected by identifying a neighborhood having a large concentration of properties which are insured by a particular insurance provider. Aerial images of the entire neighborhood may then be captured and received from the UAV or the satellite device. For each insured property in the neighborhood, a condition and level of risk may be automatically determined based on the received aerial images, and the aerial images along with indications of the level of risk may be displayed. |
| US09875505B2 |
Hierarchical transaction filtering
Systems and methods of allocating transactions among business objects are described. The systems and methods include storing transaction data characterizing the plurality of transactions, producing a plurality of generated allocation rules, using relationships between nodes of a data structure, and executing a plurality of queries on the stored transaction data, using the plurality of generated allocation rules. |
| US09875504B1 |
Real-time video streaming of marine life for sale
A method and system is provided for a merchant to display live streaming video feeds of live items, such as marine life, for sale to a buyer through an online e-commerce website. More specifically, the method can include placing the item within a storage vessel, positioning a video recording camera adjacent to the storage vessel, and capturing streaming video from the camera of the item. The method can further include transmitting the streaming video of the item to a client portal, receiving an order request from the client, processing the order request, updating an inventory based on the processed order request, and ceasing transmission of the streaming video to the portal based on the processed order. The method and system provide a simple, automated, and reliable method for a buyer to purchase live items from a merchant wherein the buyer can see exactly the item he or she is purchasing, including the physical condition, configuration, size, health, and overall well-being of the item. |
| US09875503B2 |
Method and apparatus for transporting a plurality of stacked motorized transport units
A housing contains a plurality of motorized transport units in a stacked relationship to one another, with a bottom-most one of the plurality of motorized transport units serving as a locomotion mechanism that selectively causes movement of the housing with the plurality of motorized transport units contained therein. By one approach the aforementioned housing has a cylindrical form factor and includes a cylindrically-shaped chamber configured to receive the motorized transport units, By one approach, for example, this housing includes no lifting mechanism to lift any of the motorized transport units into itself and further has no integral locomotion mechanism by which the housing can move itself. The interior of the housing can include at least one track formed therein to receive a corresponding part of each of the plurality of motorized transport units which the motorized transport units can engage to thereby lift themselves into the interior of the housing. |
| US09875496B2 |
Product schematics collection and projection
A method of projecting a likeness of an item onto a surface is disclosed. A determination that a user is interested in an item is made. A schematic corresponding to the item is identified based on information about the item. The user is provided with an option to project a likeness of the item onto a surface. Based on an accepting of the option by the user, a device of the user is instructed to project the likeness of the item onto the surface based on the schematic. |
| US09875493B2 |
Online/offline payment system
A method for receiving a payment includes receiving information for a transaction with a merchant over the network, wherein the transaction includes an incomplete online transaction associated with a user account. A location of a user device that is associated with the user account is then retrieved, and a payment location is determined that is within a predetermined distance of the location of the user device. The payment location is then sent over the network to the user device. The user of the user device may then go to the payment location to provide payment information offline to a payment location device (e.g., by presenting a payment card to the payment location device provider, providing cash, etc.). That payment information is then received over the network from the payment location device and, in response, the online transaction is completed. |
| US09875491B2 |
Systems and methods for facilitating lending between two or more parties
A method and a system for facilitating lending between private parties, the private parties including a lendee and at least one lender. For example, a loan request from a lendee may be received, the loan request sent to at least one lender, the lender indicating acceptance of the loan request, notifying the lendee of the acceptance and transferring funds from a financial account of the lender to a financial account of the lendee. |
| US09875489B2 |
Dynamic binding of video content
A method of dynamically binding supplemental content to video content includes receiving the video content at a device and identifying at least one value related to one or more products or services, where the at least one value is associated with the video content. The method also includes obtaining the supplemental content based on the at least one value, where the supplemental content provides additional information about the one or more products or services. In addition, the method includes dynamically binding the supplemental content to the video content and positioning the supplemental content in association with the video content using a supplemental interactive display. |
| US09875486B2 |
Extracting product purchase information from electronic messages
Improved systems and methods for extracting product purchase information from electronic messages transmitted between physical network nodes to convey product purchase information to designated recipients. These examples provide a product purchase information extraction service that is able to extract product purchase information from electronic messages with high precision across a wide variety of electronic message formats and thereby solve the practical problems that have arisen as a result of the proliferation of different electronic message formats used by individual merchants and across different merchants and different languages. In this regard, these examples are able to automatically learn the structures and semantics of different message formats, which accelerates the ability to support new message sources, new markets, and different languages. |
| US09875483B2 |
Conversational interfaces
In accordance with some implementations, a method for responding to requests submitted through a conversational interface is disclosed. The method is performed on a server system having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors. The server system receives a request from a user through a conversational interface. The server system determines, based on the request, whether the system is able to fulfill the request automatically. In accordance with a determination that the system is able to fulfill the request automatically, the server system fulfills the user request with no human interaction. In accordance with a determination that the system is not able to fulfill the request without human intervention, the server system sends the request to a human operator for fulfillment. |
| US09875481B2 |
Capture of retail store data and aggregated metrics
A computer extracts traffic data from one or more traffic servers and stores the traffic data in a database. The computer also extracts and stores customer wait time, resource management, and point of sale (POS) data from one or more retail store servers in the database, and each of the retail store servers can correspond to a retail store. Extract and store subroutines may be executed in parallel using multithreading. Upon achieving synchronization of the parallel subroutines, the computer transforms the traffic, customer wait time, resource management, and POS data from the database by determining one or more metrics for each of the retail stores. Next, the computer loads the one or more determined metrics into the database. Finally, the computer aggregates the one or more determined metrics on at least one of a district level, region level, area level, and nation level to determine one or more aggregated metrics. |
| US09875478B1 |
System and method for leveraging location to enhance banking services
Methods, machine-readable media, apparatuses and systems are provided to provide an application platform that provides the ability to track and report the location of customers of various organizations such as retailers, banks and other service organizations. In one embodiment, customers' locations are tracked via automatic check-in with a centralized location service via channels of such organizations such as corporate websites, ATMs, POS terminals and so forth. In one embodiment, customers' locations are tracked via third-party websites such as social networking websites via manual and/or automated check-in with check-in facilities on such websites. Organizations, with appropriate, permissions can then inquire on, inter alia, customers' last known location. |
| US09875476B2 |
Wireless devices for storing a financial account card and methods for storing card data in a wireless device
Systems and methods for completing a transaction using biometric validation and data received from a wireless device are provided. The method comprises wirelessly receiving card data or information associated with the card data from a wireless device, the card data being associated with a card user, and authorizing for transmission, by one or more processors, the card data or the information associated with the card data, to complete the transaction, wherein the card data or information associated with the card data is received after validation of a first entity as the card user, and validation of the first entity as the card user is based on first biometric data received by an electronic device from the first entity. |
| US09875475B2 |
Systems and methods for fraud detection by transaction ticket size pattern
A method and system for detecting fraud in a payment card network using a pattern of transaction ticket size are provided. The method including receiving transaction information, for a current financial transaction, from at least one of a merchant point of sale (POS) device and a merchant website, the transaction information including a current transaction amount, the transaction information associated with a single payment card cardholder, retrieving a predetermined number of historical transactions for the single cardholder based on the transaction information, and generating a historical spend ticket size pattern based on average ticket size and dispersions for at least one of the same store, similar stores, and relevant merchant categories. The method further including comparing the current transaction amount to the historical spend ticket size pattern and generating a recommendation for approval or decline of the current financial transaction based on the comparison. |
| US09875473B2 |
Method and system for retrofitting an offline-payment operated machine to accept electronic payments
A payment module with one or more processors, memory, a short-range wireless transceiver (e.g., BLE), and a first interface module configured to couple the payment module with a control unit of an offline-payment operated machine that includes a coin receiving switch. The payment module receives a transaction request via the short-range wireless transceiver from a respective mobile device to perform a transaction with the offline-payment operated machine. In accordance with receiving the request, the payment module causes the offline-payment operated machine to perform the requested transaction by issuing one or more electronic pulses emulating one or more signals issued by the coin receiving switch to perform the transaction to the control unit of the offline-payment operated machine via the first interface module. |
| US09875468B2 |
Intelligent authentication process
A method is provided for authentication that includes receiving consumer information associated with a consumer transmitted over a first data network, determining available account authentication options based on the received consumer information and a database of potential authentication options stored in a memory, selecting a set of available authentication options from the available authentication options based on a database of the potential authentication option attributes stored in the memory, transmitting the selected set of available authentication options to the consumer over the first data network, receiving a selected authentication option transmitted over the first data network, transmitting the consumer information to an authentication provider associated with the selected authentication option over a second data network, and receiving an authentication confirmation transmitted over the second data network. |
| US09875466B2 |
Probability based whitelist
A system and method are disclosed for maintaining a whitelist, including: obtaining message data based on an email message sent by a user; extracting recipient information from message data; updating the whitelist using the recipient information. |
| US09875464B2 |
Dynamic presentation of contextual business component data
Various arrangements for organizing business components for use in creating a business object are presented. A selection of a business context may be received from a plurality of business contexts. After receiving the selection of the business context, for each business component of the plurality of business components, whether the business component is within the received business context or outside of the received business context may be determined. An indicator may be assigned to each business component of the plurality of business components based on the business component being determined as being within the received business context or outside of the received business context. Each business component of the plurality of business components with the business component's assigned indicator may be presented. |
| US09875462B2 |
Docking modules for controlling access to goods or services
A docking module for use in a modular locking system includes a locking daughter board configured to selectively operate a locking mechanism into locking and unlocking positions. The docking module further includes an ID daughter board configured to interact with an identifier incorporated into a latching body of a tangible item in order to generate identification information regarding the tangible item. The ID daughter board is configured to transmit the identification information to a remote computer. The locking daughter board is configured to receive instructions from the remote computer regarding whether to selectively move the locking mechanism into the locking and unlocking positions. |
| US09875460B2 |
Removably sustended electronically addressable object and system
An electronically addressable object carrier for enabling the management of removably suspended objects, such as keys, distributed in an object location space, The object carrier includes a housing having an object retention element for securing an object to the object carrier and at least one through aperture for removably receiving an electrically conductive suspension member capable of manifesting object address signals and power signals supplied by a source; a microcontroller carried by the housing, the microcontroller having a unique object address serving to identify an object secured to the object carrier; an electrically conductive element located in the at least one aperture for electrically coupling the microcontroller to the electrically conductive suspension member when the aperture is removably received on the electrically conductive suspension member; and a visible indicator coupled to the microcontroller for activation whenever the microcontroller receives an address signal representative of the unique object address. Two electrically conductive elements can be used: one having first and second electrically conductive members slidably and oppositely disposed in a single aperture and bias means for urging the first and second electrically conductive members toward each other to make contact with an electrically conductive suspension member when the carrier is mounted. Another being a pair of washers mounted in spaced first and second apertures in the housing. In use, the devices are removably suspended by one or two electrically conductive suspension members secured to a support element, such as the back board of a cabinet. |
| US09875454B2 |
Accommodating mobile destinations for unmanned aerial vehicles
A device receives a request for a flight path for a UAV to travel from a location to an anticipated location associated with a mobile device, and determines capability information for the UAV based on component information associated with the UAV. The device receives information associated with a current location, a direction of travel, and a speed of the mobile device, and calculates the flight path from the location to the anticipated location associated with the mobile device based on the capability information and based on the information associated with the current location, the direction of travel, and the speed of the mobile device. The device generates flight path instructions for the flight path, and provides the flight path instructions to the UAV to permit the UAV to travel from the location to the anticipated location associated with the mobile device, based on the flight path instructions. |
| US09875449B1 |
Systems and methods for dynamic business decision making
A system comprises one or more modules to access a business rule, deconstruct the business rule into a condition and an associated action, determine a set of questions relevant to the condition, place the set of questions into a question queue, order the question queue, and present the question queue to a user. A system comprises one or more modules to determine a subject of the request received from a user, use the subject to obtain a set of relevant questions, examiner each question and determine whether an answer to a current question is available in a storage area, and present the current question when the answer is not available. A system comprises one or more modules to access a decision tree, determine a current node, determine an estimated number of nodes between the current node and a leaf node, and present a representation using the estimated number of nodes. |
| US09875448B2 |
Mobile service platform
A method and apparatus for a service platform capable of providing device-based task completion is disclosed. A request for a task is received at a service platform from a customer. A worker device to complete the task is selected from a group of worker devices registered with the service platform based on a current attribute of the worker device. Data resulting from completion of the task is received from the selected worker device, validated, and presented to the customer. A reward or incentive can be provided to the worker device in response to the data being received from the worker device and validated. |
| US09875445B2 |
Dynamic hybrid models for multimodal analysis
Technologies for analyzing temporal components of multimodal data to detect short-term multimodal events, determine relationships between short-term multimodal events, and recognize long-term multimodal events, using a deep learning architecture, are disclosed. |
| US09875444B2 |
Systems and devices for quantum processor architectures
A problem graph having one or more odd cycles is embedded in a quantum processor. The quantum processor includes a plurality of qubits and coupling devices, each coupling device operable to provide controllable communicative coupling between a respective pair of the plurality of qubits to form an interconnected topology. Embedding may, for example, be realized by mapping each vertex of the problem graph to a respective single qubit; mapping each edge of the problem graph to a respective single coupling device, where for pairs of qubits, each qubit of the pair is mapped to a respective pair of vertices. The problem graph may include one or more sub-graphs, one or more of the sub-graphs being a bipartite K3,3 graph. |
| US09875442B2 |
Method, apparatus, and artificial intelligence editor for implementing artificial intelligence behavior
Methods, apparatus and artificial intelligence (AI) editors for implementing an AI behavior are provided herein. In an exemplary method, an AI behavior configuration file can be obtained. The AI behavior configuration file can be configured using at least one preset component, and the AI behavior configuration file matches logic of a preset AI behavior. It can be tested whether a result of running the AI behavior configuration file reaches a preset effect. When the result of running the AI behavior configuration file reaches the preset effect, the preset AI behavior can be implemented according to the AI behavior configuration file. |
| US09875439B2 |
License plate radio electronic identifier
A license plate radio electronic identifier is provided. Through an isolated space defined between an RFID tag in an elongate frame of an identifier and a license plate to form a resonant cavity at a slot of a metal film antenna on the RFID tag, the metal film antenna can resonate and sense an electromagnetic wave signal reflected by the surface of the license plate through the resonant cavity. The electromagnetic wave signal of a frequency band is transmitted to a radio frequency identification chip under the action of the frequency band and the field pattern adjustment of the slot and a groove. The overall structure of the identifier serves as radio identification for a vehicle. The identifier is resistant to a metal interference and capable of long distance reading and can be put into mass production and is cost-effective. |
| US09875437B2 |
Systems and methods for drive circuits for dynamic magnetic stripe communications devices
Dynamic magnetic stripe communications devices are provided as magnetic stripe emulators. A magnetic stripe emulator may include a coil. Drive circuits may be coupled to this coil in order to produce electromagnetic fields from the coil operable to communicate with a magnetic stripe reader. |
| US09875434B2 |
Method of printing a plurality of sections of a complete image
A method for printing a strip-shaped material to be printed uses a printing unit of a roller printer. Output data for actuating at least one printing machine printing unit component, which determines the shape of printing images, is generated from stored template image data of a complete printing image in order to generate a printed complete printing image. The complete printing image is determined or described in a primary data packet, and the dimensions of the complete image, which dimensions are measured in a template direction, are assigned to the complete printing image in the template image data or the primary data packet. The dimensions of the complete image are compared with a threshold, and if the threshold is exceeded, the complete printing image is divided into a plurality of sections with respect to the template direction, with the plurality of sections being determined or described in a plurality of secondary data packets. The sections are produced on the material to be printed by printing processes which are carried out by the printing unit and during each of which, output data, based on at least one of the secondary data packets, is processed. |
| US09875433B2 |
Linkage system and linkage method for image processing, portable terminal device, and image processing linkage program
An image processing linkage system includes: an image processing apparatus and a portable terminal device connectable with each other, wherein the image processing apparatus includes a display unit, and a transmitting unit, the portable terminal device includes a display unit, a receiving unit, a display control unit, an operation information converting unit, and a transmitting unit, and the image processing apparatus receives the operation information transmitted from the portable terminal device, and executes a process corresponding to the operation information. |
| US09875429B2 |
Font attributes for font recognition and similarity
Font recognition and similarity determination techniques and systems are described. In a first example, localization techniques are described to train a model using machine learning (e.g., a convolutional neural network) using training images. The model is then used to localize text in a subsequently received image, and may do so automatically and without user intervention, e.g., without specifying any of the edges of a bounding box. In a second example, a deep neural network is directly learned as an embedding function of a model that is usable to determine font similarity. In a third example, techniques are described that leverage attributes described in metadata associated with fonts as part of font recognition and similarity determinations. |
| US09875421B2 |
Method, apparatus and system for detecting the thickness of a substance on a body of water
Methods and systems described herein are useful for determining a thickness of a substance on a surface of a body of water, in particular through the use of a thickness detection apparatus that includes a body and at least one camera. The body has a plurality of sides with at least a portion of one of the sides comprising a light transmitting material. At least one camera is disposed within the body and configured to generate at least one image through the light transmitting material of the substances extending a depth below an air-substance interface. |
| US09875418B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting biometric region for user authentication
A method of detecting a biometric region, the method including receiving an input image; setting a plurality of regions of interest (ROI) corresponding to a plurality classifiers, respectively, the plurality of classifiers corresponding to a plurality of multi-stages, respectively, the plurality of ROIs having different sizes with respect to each other, each ROI of the plurality of ROIs including a biometric region of the input image; calculating a plurality of similarity values for the plurality of classifiers, respectively, based on the ROIs corresponding to the plurality of classifiers from among the plurality of ROIs; and detecting a first biometric region for a user authentication based on at least one of the plurality of similarity values. |
| US09875413B2 |
Vehicle monitoring apparatus and vehicle monitoring method
An embodiment of a vehicle monitoring apparatus has a determiner and a reader. The determiner determines whether or not a specific site of a vehicle exists at least in an area of an image, the image imaged by an imager, the area being one of multiple areas into which the image is divided by dividing line that are substantially orthogonal to a direction of travel of the vehicle. The reader reads information on a license plate mounted to the vehicle from the area in case that the determiner determines the specific site of the vehicle is determined to exist in the area. |
| US09875411B2 |
Video monitoring method, video monitoring apparatus and video monitoring system
The present disclosure relates to a video monitoring method and a video monitoring system based on a depth video. The video monitoring method comprises: obtaining video data collected by a video collecting module; determining an object as a monitored target based on pre-set scene information and the video data; extracting characteristic information of the object; and determining predictive information of the object based on the characteristic information, wherein the video data comprises video data including the depth information. |
| US09875408B2 |
Setting apparatus, output method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium
A setting apparatus that configures a setting for detecting that an object existing at different positions in images corresponding to different times has passed through a detection line or a detection area composites, on an image, an indication indicating a trajectory of an object in an image, and outputs the image on which the indication is composited, as a setting window for setting the detection line or the detection area. |
| US09875407B2 |
Hyperspectral image acquisition system and method
A system for acquiring a hyperspectral image, including: a grey level image sensor; and a diffuser and dispersive element placed on the optical path between the sensor and a scene, this element including an array of individually-controllable liquid crystal cells, where each cell can receive a control voltage selected from among a series of at least three different control voltages. |
| US09875405B2 |
Video monitoring method, video monitoring system and computer program product
The present disclosure relates to a video monitoring method, a video monitoring system and a computer program product. The video monitoring method comprises: obtaining video data collected by a video data collecting apparatus; and based on pre-set scene information and the video data, performing determination and statistics of monitored objects in a scene to be monitored corresponding to the scene information. |
| US09875404B2 |
Automated metric information network
A Metric Information Network (MIN) with a plurality of Ground Control Points (GCPs) that are selected in an automated fashion. The GCP selection includes clustering algorithms as compared to prior art pair-wise matching algorithms. Further, the image processing that takes place in identifying interest points, clustering, and selecting tie points to be GCPs is all performed before the MIN is updated. By arranging for the processing to happen in this manner, the processing that is embarrassingly parallel (identifying interest points, clustering, and selecting tie points) can be performed in a distributed fashion across many computers and then the MIN can be updated. |
| US09875403B2 |
Method for accurately geolocating an image sensor installed on board an aircraft
A method for geolocating an image sensor having an LoS and installed on board an aircraft. The geographical position of the sensor and the orientation of its LoS being approximate, it comprises: a step of creating an opportune landmark comprising the following substeps: an operator locating, on a screen for displaying acquired images, a stationary element on the ground, the axis of a telemeter being indicated in these images by means of a reticle the direction of which represents the LoS; the operator moving the LoS in order to place the reticle on this stationary element; tracking of this stationary element; estimating the approximate geographical position of this stationary element; searching in a terrain DB for the location corresponding to a zone centered on the stationary element; displaying an image of the terrain of this location, the operator locating the stationary element; and the operator pointing to this stationary element in the displayed terrain image, the geographical coordinates pointed to being retrieved from the terrain DB, this stationary element becoming an opportune landmark; and the sensor moving relative to the landmark, a step of accurately locating the sensor, from the geographical coordinates of this landmark and using a Kalman filter supplied with a plurality of measurements of the distance between the sensor and the landmark and with a plurality of measurements of the orientation of the LoS of the sensor toward the landmark, there being one orientation measurement for each telemetry measurement, simultaneously allowing the orientation of the LoS to be accurately estimated. |
| US09875402B2 |
Digital image manipulation
Techniques for assigning context to a digitally captured image, and for manipulating recognized data fields within such image. In an exemplary embodiment, a context of an image may be assigned based on, e.g., user input or pattern recognition. Based on the assigned context, recognized data fields within the image may be manipulated according to context-specific processing. In an aspect, processing specific to a sales receipt context may automatically manipulate certain data, e.g., calculate updated sales tax and subtotals based on user-designated fields, and display the automatically calculated data in an output receipt. Fields not designated by the user may be selectively concealed in the output receipt for privacy. Further aspects disclose processing techniques specific to other contexts such as restaurant menu, store shelf, and fillable form contexts. |
| US09875401B2 |
Image processing apparatus, non-transitory computer readable medium, and image processing method for classifying document images into categories
An image processing apparatus includes an obtaining unit, a first classification unit, and a second classification unit. The obtaining unit obtains plural types of document images. The first classification unit classifies each of the plural types of document images obtained by the obtaining unit into any of classification items included in one category among plural categories, the plural categories each including plural classification items. The second classification unit classifies, in a case where there is a document image that is not classified into the one category by the first classification unit among the plural types of document images, the document image, which is not classified into the one category, into another category that includes at least one of classification items into which some of the document images are classified by the first classification unit. |
| US09875398B1 |
System and method for face recognition with two-dimensional sensing modality
A method and system in which facial image representations stored in a database are defined by facial coordinates in a plane common to other images in the database in order to facilitate comparison or likeness of the facial images by comparing the common plane facial coordinates, the common plane being determined by the locations of the eyes and mouth corners; at least one input operatively connected to the at least one processor and configured to input the corners of the eyes and mouth coordinates; the at least one processor configured to convert inputted coordinates for the corners of the eyes and mouth into estimated common plane coordinates by minimizing the error between the inputted corners of the eyes and mouth coordinates and the estimated coordinates corners of the eyes and mouth obtained from the least square estimation model of the common plane coordinates of the corners of eyes and mouth. |
| US09875396B2 |
Spoofing detection in image biometrics
System and techniques for spoofing detection in image biometrics are described herein. A sequence of images may be obtained from a camera; a first plurality of images in the sequence of images including a representation of a user body part, and a second plurality of images in the sequence of images including a representation of an environment of the user. A marker may be created for the representation of the body part. A feature of the environment of the user present during the second plurality of images may be identified in the sequence of images using a third group of circuits. A correlation between the marker and the feature of the environment in the sequence of images may be quantified to produce a synchronicity metric of the degree to which the marker and the feature of the environment correlate. |
| US09875395B2 |
Method and system for tagging an individual in a digital image
A system and method for tagging an image of an individual in a plurality of photos is disclosed herein. A feature vector of an individual is used to analyze a set of photos on a social networking website to determine if an image of the individual is present in a photo of the set of photos. Photos having an image of the individual are tagged preferably by listing a URL or URI for each of the photos in a database. |
| US09875392B2 |
System and method for face capture and matching
According to an example, a face capture and matching system may include a memory storing machine readable instructions to receive captured images of an area monitored by an image capture device, and detect one or more faces in the captured images. The memory may further store machine readable instructions to track movement of the one or more detected faces in the area monitored by the image capture device, and based on the one or more tracked detected faces, select one or more images from the captured images to be used for identifying the one or more tracked detected faces. The memory may further store machine readable instructions to select one or more fusion techniques to identify the one or more tracked detected faces using the one or more selected images. The face capture and matching system may further include a processor to implement the machine readable instructions. |
| US09875386B2 |
System and method for randomized point set geometry verification for image identification
Object recognition can be improved by verifying a geometric consistency between matching interesting points pairs of two images, as objects with the images are more likely to match when the matching interesting points pairs are geometrically consistent. The geometric consistency between matching interesting points pairs can be verified in accordance with a topology code distance vector (D). The topology code distance vector (D) may be evaluated in accordance with a decision tree classifier, which may be trained in accordance with previous or historic topology code distance vectors. The topology code distance vector (D) may be computed from a subset of matching interesting points pairs having the shortest matching distance. |
| US09875385B1 |
Method and system for sharing of product receipts
A method for transmitting line item data from an electronic receipt comprising storing a plurality of receipt data entries affiliated with a consumer account based on a consumer identifier. The method comprises storing a plurality of merchant identifiers affiliated with one or more product data files for products sold by a merchant. The method further receives a transaction message for a payment transaction using the consumer identifier via a payment network and executes a query on the electronic receipt database from a first consumer device to identify one or more products purchased in the payment transaction. The method generates an electronic receipt displaying purchase information for the one or more products and links the purchase information on the electronic receipt to the product data file for the one or more products for transmittal. |
| US09875384B2 |
Method for reading an identification code on a glass sheet
A method for reading symbols forming a code, the symbols each being marked on one face of a number of glass sheets in proximity to the same edge face of the glass sheets, the glass sheets being arranged in a stack. The method includes acquiring, with a camera, at least one image via the edge face of the glass sheets, the observation direction being non-perpendicular and inclined relative to the edge face of each of the glass sheets the code of which is read with the image; and an image processing step in which the acquired image is processed by a processor programmed to extract information present in at least one code visible in the image and having to be read. |
| US09875382B2 |
RFID tracking fastener
In some embodiments, a tracking fastener may include a plastic tracking fastener. The plastic tracking fastener may include a plastic tracking staple or a plastic tracking nail. The plastic tracking fastener may include at least one elongated member comprising at least one distal end, and a proximal end. The distal end(s) may penetrate, during insertion, a surface of an object. The tracking fastener may include a wireless identification device. The wireless identification device may contain electronically stored information associated with an item to which the plastic tracking fastener is coupled. The plastic tracking fastener may have a primary antenna electrically coupled to the wireless identification device. The plastic tracking fastener may have a secondary antenna electromagnetically coupled to the primary antenna of the wireless identification device. The secondary antenna may provide higher read range/distance relative to the primary antenna itself. The tracking fastener may communicate information to an interrogator. |
| US09875379B2 |
System and method for providing user-accessible card slot
Systems and methods for reducing problems and disadvantages associated with providing a user-accessible card slot are provided. A removable card carrier a configured to mechanically interface an information handling system may include a body and a cover. The body may be adapted to hold a card. The cover may be movably coupled to the body such that exterior surfaces of the cover and the information handling system are substantially flush with each other when card carrier is disposed in the information handling system. |
| US09875375B2 |
Method for performing similar-information search while keeping content confidential by encryption
A similar-information search method includes receiving, with a data computation device, an encrypted feature quantity and an encrypted similarity value from a user terminal device; calculating, with the data computation device, an encrypted distance between an encrypted reference feature quantity and the encrypted feature quantity; determining, with the data computation device, whether the encrypted distance matches the encrypted similarity value; generating, with the data computation device, encrypted reference data that is information obtained by encrypting reference data if it is determined that the encrypted distance matches the encrypted similarity value; and transmitting, with the data computation device, the generated encrypted reference data to the user terminal device. |
| US09875373B2 |
Prioritization of users during disaster recovery
Two or more users of a system are determined. The system includes at least one resource. Contextual information for a user of the two or more users is determined. The user of the two or more users are assigned to a tier of a plurality of tiers based on the contextual information. A failure of a system is determined. Responsive to determining the system has a system failure, a user of the two or more users is granted access to the system based on the tier assigned to the user. |
| US09875372B2 |
Redacting restricted content in files
Restricted content of a data file is identified. The restricted content is removed from the data file, and a redacted version of the data file is generated. The restricted content is stored separate from the redacted version of the data file. |
| US09875362B2 |
Hash value generation apparatus
For enabling improvement in throughput for generating a hash value, a hash value generation apparatus comprises: a θ operation unit configured to execute a θ operation included in a round process of a SHA-3 algorithm; a ρ operation unit configured to execute a ρ operation included in the round process; a π operation unit configured to execute a π operation included in the round process; a χ operation unit configured to execute a χ operation included in the round process; and an ι operation unit configured to execute an ι operation included in the round process, wherein the θ operation unit receives data for each sheet structure, and starts to execute the θ operation upon receiving data of three sheet structures. |
| US09875357B2 |
Methods and systems for detecting fake user interactions with a mobile device for improved malware protection
A computing device processor may be configured with processor-executable instructions to implement methods of detecting and responding to fake user interaction (UI) events. The processor may determine whether a user interaction event is a fake user interaction event by analyzing raw data generated by one or more hardware drivers in conjunction with user interaction event information generated or received by the high-level operating system. In addition, the processor may be configured with processor-executable instructions to implement methods of using behavioral analysis and machine learning techniques to identify, prevent, correct, or otherwise respond to malicious or performance-degrading behaviors of the computing device based on whether a detected user interaction event is an authentic or fake user interaction event. |
| US09875356B2 |
System for preventing malicious intrusion based on smart device and method thereof
The present invention provides a system and a method of preventing intrusion of a malicious code based on a smart device.The system for preventing intrusion of a malicious code based on a smart device includes: a collection unit that collects at least one situation information allowing for recognition of situation of the smart device; a control unit that primarily determines whether to execute an application on the basis of the collected situation information and secondarily determines whether to execute the application on the basis of a hash value extracted from a portion of or the entire file relating to execution of the application; and a display unit that displays an image for executing the application on the basis of the result of determination, in which the control unit checks whether the application performs a function of a predetermined malicious code on the basis of the collected situation information and primarily determines whether to execute the application on the basis of the result of checking. |
| US09875354B1 |
Apparatus and method for enhancing security of data on a host computing device and a peripheral device
A method of enhancing security of at least one of a host computing device and a peripheral device coupled to the host computing device through a communication interface. Data is transparently received from the peripheral device or the host computing device, and the received data is stored. The stored data is analyzed to detect a circumstance associated with a security risk. If such a circumstance is not detected, then the data is transparently forwarded to the other of the peripheral device or the host. However, if a circumstance associated with a security risk is detected, then a security process, defined by a rule, is performed. Related apparatus are provided, as well as other methods and apparatus. |
| US09875353B2 |
Log information generation apparatus and recording medium, and log information extraction apparatus and recording medium
A log information generation apparatus includes: a process information generation unit which generates first identification information for temporally and spatially uniquely identifying a process that is an execution subject of an application program at a start of a process behavior constituted by a series of events of the process, in a space of a system including a plurality of computers, and which generates process information including the first identification information; an event information generation unit which generates event type information indicating an event type for each of the events and which generates event information including the event type information; and a log information generation unit which generates, for each of the events, log information including the process information generated by the process information generation unit and the event information generated by the event information generation unit. |
| US09875351B2 |
Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for hiding access to information in an image
Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products are herein provided for hiding access to information in an image. A method may include receiving user input indicating a desire of a user to magnify a region within an image to a level of magnification. The method may further include causing the region to be magnified to the level of magnification. The method may further include determining whether the region is associated with at least one of an application or information and determining whether the level of magnification satisfies a level of magnification threshold. The method may further include causing the at least one application to be launched or information to be opened in an instance in which the region is associated with the at least one of an application or information and the level of magnification satisfies the level of magnification threshold. Corresponding apparatuses and computer program products are also provided. |
| US09875348B2 |
E-learning utilizing remote proctoring and analytical metrics captured during training and testing
A device configured to utilize training techniques and to gather information while training and administering certification examinations. Certification examinations may require security to ensure users taking the certification examination are actually the user designated on any issued certificate. When certification examinations are administered remotely from a proctor, different techniques to identify the user and attempt to guarantee that the user is not obtaining outside aid during the examination may be performed. Tests may be administered off-line while not connected to any network and locally cached data may be collected on the testing device for later transmittal to a back-end server for further analysis. In addition to remote proctoring/invigilating capabilities, the disclosed techniques and device may collect metrics that have a number of uses. For example, skill level of different geographical regions may be calculated to assist companies in determining a location for a new factory (e.g., assembly plant). |
| US09875347B2 |
System and method for performing authentication using data analytics
A system, apparatus, method, and machine readable medium are described for performing authentication using data analytics such as machine learning. For example, one embodiment of a method comprises: selecting a set of parameters related to user activity on a client device; receiving a request to authenticate the user for a current transaction; responsively calculating a distance between parameters associated with the current transaction and historical parameters from an existing dataset; determining a risk level associated with the current transaction based on the calculated distances between the parameters associated with the current transaction and the historical parameters; selecting one or more authentication techniques required to authenticate the user based on the risk level; performing the one or more authentication techniques to attempt to authenticate the user and generating an authentication result; and updating the historical parameters using the parameters associated with the current transaction and the authentication result. |
| US09875344B1 |
Dynamic monitoring and authorization of an optimization device
Disclosed is a system and method for the monitoring and authorization of an optimization device in a network. In exemplary embodiments, an optimization device transmits an authorization request message to a portal to receive authorization to operate. The portal transmits an authorization response message to the optimization device with capability parameters for operation of the device, including an expiration parameter for the authorization. The optimization device sends updated authorization request messages to the portal with its device usage information, such that the portal can dynamically monitor the optimization device and continue to authorize its operation. |
| US09875342B2 |
Dynamic barcode generation for content location
A user can share digital content with another user or device using dynamically-generated barcodes. A user might request to share an electronic book (“e-book”), stored on a first device, with another user having a second device. The first device can generate a barcode that includes not only information about the identity of the e-book, but also information about the user or the first device, which can help to determine rights and/or access restrictions for the content. The second device can capture an image of the barcode generated on a display of the first device, and use information extracted from that image to attempt to obtain a copy of the e-book. Other types of barcodes can be generated based at least in part upon the context, such as where a user is attempting to locate a physical copy of a type of digital content in a retail location. |
| US09875339B2 |
System and method for generating a patient-specific digital image-based model of an anatomical structure
Embodiments of the invention are directed to a method of performing computerized simulations of image-guided procedures. The method may comprise receiving medical image data and metadata of a specific patient. A patient-specific digital image-based model of an anatomical structure may be generated based on the medical image data and the metadata. A computerized simulation of an image-guided procedure may be performed using the digital image-based model and the metadata. |
| US09875332B2 |
Contact resistance mitigation
Various implementations described herein are directed to systems and methods for mitigating contact resistance. In one implementation, a method may include analyzing operating conditions for cells of an integrated circuit. The method may include selectively marking instances of the cells having timing degradation along a critical path of the integrated circuit. The method may include reducing contact resistance for the selectively marked instances of the cells having timing degradation. |
| US09875330B2 |
Folding duplicate instances of modules in a circuit design
Disclosed approaches for processing a circuit design include identifying duplicate instances of a module in a representation of the circuit design. A processor circuit performs folding operations for at least one pair of the duplicate instances of the module. One instance of the duplicates is removed from the circuit design, and a multiplexer is inserted. The multiplexer receives and selects one of the input signals to the duplicate instances and provides the selected input signal to the remaining instance. For each flip-flop in the remaining instance, a pipelined flip-flop is inserted. Connections to a first clock signal in the remaining instance are replaced with connections to a second clock signal having twice the frequency of the first clock signal. An alignment circuit is inserted to receive the output signal from the first instance and provide concurrent first and second output signals. |
| US09875328B2 |
High-speed latch circuits by selective use of large gate pitch
An apparatus for storing data includes a latch circuit comprising a first set of transistors that propagate an input signal to an output signal and a second set of transistors that do not propagate the input signal of the latch circuit to the output signal wherein a gate pitch for the first set of transistors is substantially greater than a gate pitch for the second set of transistors. Also disclosed herein, a method for improving circuit performance includes receiving an electronic representation of a plurality of latching circuits associated with a design file and increasing transistor gate pitch for selected transistors of the plurality of latching circuits, wherein the selected transistors comprise transistors that propagate an input signal to an output signal. The method may also include fabricating a chip comprising the plurality of latching circuits. A computer program product corresponding to the method is also disclosed within. |
| US09875327B2 |
Timing violation resilient asynchronous template
An asynchronous circuit may include a single-rail logic datapath; one or more error-detecting latches; a controller that controls the error-detecting latches; and delay lines. The controller and the delay lines may cooperate to communicate with one or more other controllers that the output of the controlled error-detecting latches may be valid prior to when the error-detecting latches indicate whether or not an error occurred. |
| US09875326B2 |
Addressing coupled noise-based violations with buffering in a batch environment
A mechanism is provided for addressing coupled noise-based violations. For each net in an integrated circuit (IC) design, a determination is made as to whether an associated delta wire delay is below a predetermined threshold. Responsive to the associated delta wire delay failing to be below the predetermined threshold, a subset of nets is formed. For each net in the subset of nets, a stage delay side model of the net is adjusted to emulate a noise impact on timing of the net and an optimization is applied using the stage delay side model of the net. A full retiming of the set of nets is then performed. For each net in the subset of nets a determination is made as to whether the net has degraded slack and, responsive to the net having degraded slack, the applied optimization is backed out. |
| US09875323B1 |
Optimization of fastener selections
An apparatus and method for a computer implemented tool for designing fasteners to satisfy design rules and optimize the engagement between the locking insert of the bolt and the insert threads to achieve the best solution which has maximum engagement or friction, minimum vibration and weight. |
| US09875320B1 |
Providing search results based on sorted properties
An entity may be related to multiple related entities by one or more properties, and the entity may also be associated with one or more entity types. A system for providing sorted results may include identifying the entity, related entities, and types. The system may also determine related entity scores for each respective related entity, relative to the entity. For each property, the related entity scores of the related entities related to the entity by that property are combined to generate a property score. The properties are then sorted based on their property scores. The sorting may occur for properties associated with an entity type, and sorted search results may be provided as output for one or more entity types of interest. |
| US09875314B2 |
Content request with HTTP request-header rendering template that is independent of content storage location
Techniques are disclosed for managing page state and interaction between a client and server. One embodiment provides a server that is configured to serve webpages having code therein that is executable within the client browser. The code is invoked upon user input indicative of a content request and is configured to request the server to pass back a desired representation of the requested content based on a template specified in the HTTP Accept request-header. The template is independent of content storage location, thereby allowing the same resource at a given server storage location to be accessed and presented in numerous renditions. The server is configured to send back the requested content in a rendition that corresponds to the specified template. The client-based code can be further configured to place the returned content the appropriate page location. The HTTP Accept request-header may specify a media type and template combination. |
| US09875312B2 |
System and devices for digital media distribution
A device includes a memory for storing digital media, a transfer module, and a processor. The media includes first data that associates the media with the device, second data authorizing the device to play back the media, and third data authorizing the device to transfer a copy of the media. A transfer includes transfer data identifying the copy uniquely relative to the device. The processor implements instructions to receive a request to transfer a copy of the media to a peer device, create a copy of the media that includes the first data and the transfer data, and direct the transfer module to transfer the copy to the peer device and send a transaction record including the first data and the transfer data to a server. |
| US09875311B2 |
Collaborative CAx updates
A method, executed by at least one processor, may include storing, within a set of memory locations within a storage medium, data for a feature of an engineering object in a first client format and a collaborative server format that is different than the first client format, the first client format corresponding to a first CAx application operable by a first user, the collaborative server format corresponding to a collaborative server. The method may also include updating the data for the feature in both the first client format and the collaborative server format in response to receiving an update to the feature from, or detecting an update to the feature by, the first CAx application or the collaborative server. A corresponding system and computer readable medium are also disclosed herein. |
| US09875307B2 |
Using content identification as context for search
Techniques for using contextual information relating to content presented by a television as part of a search query for an information search are presented. A search management component, at a given moment in time during presentation of television-related content by a communication device in or associated with a television, identifies contextual information associated with a section of the television-related content and generates a content identifier timestamp associated with the contextual information and the section of television-related content. A search component augments a search query using the contextual information to facilitate customization of a subset of search results based on the contextual information. The contextual information in the search query can facilitate disambiguating the search query or promoting a search result over another search result in the subset of search results, based on the contextual information, to facilitate customization of the subset of search results. |
| US09875303B2 |
System and process for building a catalog using visual objects
A method including: clustering a plurality of records, each record comprises at least one object image and at least one textual field associated with the object, to yield a plurality of clusters such that the object images in each cluster exhibit between them a visual similarity above a specified value; associating each cluster with a label by applying a dictionary function to the textual fields of each cluster, wherein the label reflects a common semantic factor of the textual fields of each cluster, wherein the common semantic factor has a value above a specified threshold. Accordingly, the visual similarity provides a measure of resemblances between two visual objects that can be based on at least one of: the fit between their color distribution such as correlation between their HSV color histograms, the fit between their texture, the fit between their shapes, the correlation between this edge histograms and face similarity. |
| US09875280B2 |
Efficient partitioned joins in a database with column-major layout
Embodiments of the present invention provide a database processing system for efficient partitioning of a database table with column-major layout for executing one or more join operations. One embodiment comprises a method for partitioning a database table with column-major layout, partitioning only the join-columns by limiting the partitions by size and number, executing one or more join operations for joining the partitioned columns, and optionally de-partitioning the join result to the original order by sequentially writing and randomly reading table values using P cursors. |
| US09875278B2 |
Modified data query function instantiations
Techniques are described for using stored function instantiations, together with user queries. In one example, a method includes receiving a query from a user that contains one or more parameters. The method further includes comparing one or more parameters of the query with one or more parameters of one or more stored function instantiations. The method further includes determining a pre-existing function instantiation from the one or more stored function instantiations that have one or more parameters in common with the query. The method further includes identifying one or more parameters that are not in common between the query and the pre-existing function instantiation. The method further includes modifying the pre-existing function instantiation into a repurposed function instantiation that incorporates the one or more parameters from the query that are not in common between the query and the pre-existing function instantiation. The method further includes executing the repurposed function instantiation. |
| US09875277B1 |
Joining database tables
In one implementation, a query is received that is related to data stored in a database that is implemented in computer memory. Based on the received query, attributes of data stored in the database that are relevant to generating a response to the received query are identified. Information that is indicative of attributes for which values are recorded in different tables included in the database is accessed. Based on having accessed this information, tables included in the database that record values for the attributes identified as being relevant to generating a response to the received query are identified. These tables then are joined to create, within computer memory, a new table that reflects relationships between values of attributes identified as being relevant to generating a response to the received query. |
| US09875276B2 |
Database view generation
In some embodiments, a system for database view generation may include a view generator configured to generate a database view for one or more database tables. The view generator includes a generation module configured to determine a generation template for the database view, where the generation template is a code structure describing a manner in which the database view is created. The code structure does not reference a database name of the one or more database tables. The generation module is configured to invoke a code composer to insert code commands into the generation template to build a structured query language (SQL) statement for the database view, where the SQL statement references the database name of the one or more database tables. The view generator is configured to create the database view based on the SQL statement. |
| US09875268B2 |
Natural language management of online social network connections
Natural language management of online social network connections may comprise receiving natural language data associated with a user's social network interactions. The natural language data associated with a user's social network interactions is analyzed and features used in the user's social network interactions are determined based on the analysis. The contexts in which the features are used in the user's social network interactions may be also determined. Point values to the features used in the user's social network interactions are assigned. A fingerprint of the user is created at least based on the features and the point values. The created fingerprint may be compared with information associated with online communities, and based on the comparison, one or more of the online communities may be recommended as user's potential social network connections. |
| US09875266B2 |
Restoring database consistency integrity
Techniques for restoring point-in-time and transaction consistency across consistency groups between a first and a second independent database management system (DBMS) for a disaster recovery. Several consistency groups (CGs) are defined for replication. For each CG in the first DBMS data changes are transmitted to a second DBMS. A timestamp representing a most recently received commit log record or a heartbeat during periods of inactivity for a CG is stored in a database table at regular intervals. At regular intervals, the timestamp is compared with timestamps for other CGs to identify a common time at which data to be applied to the CGs in the second DBMS have been received into a recoverable data store. The received data is applied to the CGs in the second DBMS up to the common time. |
| US09875265B2 |
Database table format conversion based on user data access patterns in a networked computing environment
An approach for conversion between database formats (e.g., from a relational database format to a hash table or a “big table” database format) based on user data access patterns in a networked computing environment is provided. A first set of database tables having a first format is identified based on a set of access patterns stored in a computer storage device. A second set of database tables having a second database format corresponding to the first set of database tables may then be provided (e.g., accessed, augmented, and/or generated). A mapping between the first set of database tables and the second set of database tables may then be created. A column set may then be generated based on at least one condition of the set of queries. The column set may then be used as a key for the second set of database tables. |
| US09875260B2 |
Systems and methods of provisioning data storage and runtime configuration in telecommunications systems and devices
Systems and methods of provisioning data storage and runtime configuration in telecommunications systems and devices. The systems and methods employ at least one decentralized revision control system as a data repository for storing data, such as configuration data, and at least one data provisioning component as an interface for accessing the configuration data stored in the data repository. By employing the decentralized revision control system in conjunction with the data provisioning component, the systems and methods can provide a data storage and runtime configuration provisioning framework that is data agnostic, application agnostic, and user agnostic, while further providing at least the capability of tracking and maintaining the version history of the configuration data. |
| US09875259B2 |
Distribution of an object in volatile memory across a multi-node cluster
Techniques are described herein for distributing distinct portions of a database object across the volatile memories of a plurality of nodes in a clustered database system. The techniques involve establishing a single database server instance located on a node in a multi-node cluster as a load-operation master for a particular data set. The load-operation master determines how the data set may be separated into chunks using a hash function. The load-operation master then broadcasts a small payload of consistency information to other database servers, so each database server may independently execute the hash function and independently load their respectively assigned chunks of data. |
| US09875254B2 |
Method for searching for, recognizing and locating a term in ink, and a corresponding device, program and language
A method for searching for at least one term, consisting of at least one character, in at least one set of ink data is disclosed. This method advantageously includes an operation for converting ink data into intermediate data, in an intermediate format, in the form of at least one segmentation graph, each node of one of the graphs including at least one ink segment associated with at least one assumption of correspondence with a recognition unit, and an operation for searching for the term or terms, carried out on the intermediate data, the conversion operation being carried out once and for all during storage of one of the sets of data, and the search operation being capable of being carried out at any time. |
| US09875250B2 |
Solid state disk, data management method and system therefor
The present invention is applied to the technical field of solid-state storage, and provided are a solid state disk and a data management method and system. The data management method for a solid state disk comprises: saving the written data in a solid state disk after adding a timestamp to written data; receiving a mark command for marking the data to be invalid, marking an address range corresponding to the invalid data, and saving the marked information in the solid state disk after adding a timestamp to the marked information; comparing the timestamp of the marked information with the timestamp of the data in the marked address range after starting the solid state disk; if the timestamp of the data in the marked address range is earlier than the timestamp of the marked information, marking the address range as invalid, otherwise not marking the address range as invalid. |
| US09875248B2 |
System and method for identifying a file path using tree data structure
Disclosed is a system and method for identifying a path in a tree data structure having a plurality of levels. An example method includes receiving a request from a software application to access a resource in a computer file system using a requested path; identifying a first element in the requested path; comparing the first element with nodes in a first level of the tree data structure to identify an exact match; if the first element does not have an exact match, comparing the first element with at least one mask node in the first level of the tree data structure to identify a match by mask; and if the first element does not match one of mask nodes in the first level of the tree data structure, determining that the requested path is not in the tree data structure. |
| US09875245B2 |
Content item recommendations based on content attribute sequence
User created playlists can be analyzed to create a statistical language model indicating the likelihood that a particular sequence of content attributes will be found in a playlist created by a user, as well as the likelihood of any sequence of one or more content attributes following a playlist or partial playlist created by a user. The language model can be used to generate a recommended content attribute sequence based on a partial playlist of one or more content items. A recommended content item sequence that will be pleasant to a user when added to the partial playlist can be selected based on the recommended content attribute sequence. |
| US09875237B2 |
Using human perception in building language understanding models
An understanding model is trained to account for human perception of the perceived relative importance of different tagged items (e.g. slot/intent/domain). Instead of treating each tagged item as equally important, human perception is used to adjust the training of the understanding model by associating a perceived weight with each of the different predicted items. The relative perceptual importance of the different items may be modeled using different methods (e.g. as a simple weight vector, a model trained using features (lexical, knowledge, slot type, . . . ), and the like). The perceptual weight vector and/or or model are incorporated into the understanding model training process where items that are perceptually more important are weighted more heavily as compared to the items that are determined by human perception as less important. |
| US09875233B1 |
Associating one or more terms in a message trail with a task entry
Methods and apparatus related to determining an association between a message trail and a task entry of a user and associating an n-gram with the task entry, wherein the n-gram is based on one or more messages of the message trail. A similarity score between the n-gram and one or more aspects of the associated task entry may be determined. The similarity score may be utilized, for example, to determine when to associate the n-gram with the task entry and/or how to utilize the associated n-gram with the task entry. |
| US09875226B1 |
Performing server-side and client-side operations on spreadsheets
A method for obtaining server-side and client-side calculations performed on a spreadsheet includes loading, on a client computer, a spreadsheet stored on a server and receiving an input from a user on the client computer, where the input causes a calculation of one or more cell values in the spreadsheet. The client computer performs the calculation of the one or more cell values on the client computer and sends the input to the server to perform the calculation of the one or more cell values on the server. The client computer then displays in the spreadsheet a result of the calculation of the one or more cell values to the user, where the result of the calculation is taken from the quicker of the calculation performed on the client computer or the calculation performed on the server. |
| US09875223B2 |
Apparatus and method for editing memo in user terminal
An apparatus and a method for editing memo contents of a user in a user terminal including a user interface are provided. When a part or all of the memo contents on a screen are damaged based on a memo function by using a prearranged pattern, the damaged part or all of the memo contents are deleted and a memo where the part or all of the memo contents have been deleted is displayed on the screen. At this time, the memo displayed on the screen has gone through an edit for filling a blank generated due to the deletion of the damaged part or all of the memo contents by moving successive memo contents to the deleted memo contents. |
| US09875218B2 |
Document summarization
A computer implemented method, system and a computer program product is provided for summarizing a document which includes receiving a reading speed of the reader, determining a summary length of a summary of the document based on the received reading speed of the reader, and generating a summary of the document having the determined summary length. |
| US09875215B2 |
Systems and methods that formulate problems for solving by a quantum processor using hardware graph decomposition
Systems and methods formulate problems for solving by a quantum processor using hardware graph decomposition. A decomposition of a primal graph may be built in a first stage based on a hardware specific graph, and refined in a second stage by, for example, removing vertices from the decomposition. The hardware specific graph may be a graph that is specific to a piece of hardware, for instance a quantum processor comprising a plurality of qubits and couplers operable to communicatively couple pairs of qubits. |
| US09875210B2 |
Method and apparatus of USB 3.1 retimer presence detect and index
An apparatus for retimer presence detection is described herein. The apparatus includes at least one retimer, wherein an algorithm is to enable the at least one retimer to announce its presence by asserting a bit of a presence message during link initialization. The at least one retimer can declare an index and is accessible via the index. |
| US09875195B2 |
Data distribution among multiple managed memories
A system and method are disclosed for managing memory interleaving patterns in a system with multiple memory devices. The system includes a processor configured to access multiple memory devices. The method includes receiving a first plurality of data blocks, and then storing the first plurality of data blocks using an interleaving pattern in which successive blocks of the first plurality of data blocks are stored in each of the memory devices. The method also includes receiving a second plurality of data blocks, and then storing successive blocks of the second plurality of data blocks in a first memory device of the multiple memory devices. |
| US09875194B2 |
Security system for external data storage apparatus and control method thereof
A security system for an external data storage apparatus and control method thereof are disclosed. The system utilizes a preset identification (ID) and input ID to selectively permit data to be written and/or read. |
| US09875193B2 |
Cache structure for a computer system providing support for secure objects
A method (and structure) protects confidentiality and integrity of information in a secure object from other software on the system. An object-id value that identifies software currently executing on a CPU (Central Processing Unit) is stored, the value having a predetermined standard value when software that is not a secure object is executing. Each block of information in the cache is associated with an ownership value that is used to store an identification of the software that owns the information in the block. When software attempts to access information in one of the blocks, the object-id of the currently executing software is compared with the ownership value associated with the block being accessed. Access to the block is allowed if the object-id of the currently executing software matches the ownership value of the block. |
| US09875187B2 |
Interruption of a page miss handler
A first operation associated with a request for a page miss handler may be identified. A second operation associated with a current execution of the page miss handler may also be identified. An age of the first operation and an age of the second operation may be determined. The page miss handler may be interrupted based on the age of the first operation and the age of the second operation by stopping the current execution of the page miss handler for the second operation and starting execution of the page miss handler for the first operation. |
| US09875182B1 |
Lock free container packing
Systems and methods for writing data are provided. A lock-free container and methods of writing to the lock-free container are disclosed. The container is associated with a tail pointer that identifies free space in the container. Threads writing to the container access the tail pointer and update an offset in the tail pointer to account for a size of a write to the container. Multiple threads can write to the same container without having to contend for a container lock. |
| US09875180B2 |
Systems and methods for managing storage compression operations
A compression manager generates a reduced-size data set for a page. The reduced-size data set is stored on a storage medium by a storage module, and unused portions of the page are identified and/or recorded by the storage module. The reduced-size data set may be generated by compressing the page. The reduced-size data set may be written in response to a request from a client, which provides a message that identifies the unused portion(s) of the page. The page may be stored in a file, and the unused portion may correspond to empty portion(s) within the file. The storage module may maintain an index to map the page to the reduced-size data set, such that portions of the page are unmapped. The storage capacity used by the page may correspond to the mapped portion of the page, and exclude portion(s) of the page that are unmapped. |
| US09875173B2 |
Time travel debugging in managed runtime
Various technologies described herein pertain to time travel debugging in a managed runtime system. The managed runtime system can include an execution component that executes a managed program component. Moreover, the managed runtime system can include a time travel debugger component. The time travel debugger component can be configured to record a sequence of live-object snapshots of program states during execution of the managed program component. A live-object snapshot can include live objects from a heap in memory at a given time during the execution. Moreover, the time travel debugger component can be configured to replay at least a portion of the execution of the managed program component based upon the live-object snapshots. |
| US09875170B2 |
Data storage device for self-detecting error and logging operation and method of operating the same
A method of operating a data storage device which is provided with an operating voltage from a host and communicates with the host is provided. The method includes converting an operation mode of the data storage device into a debugging mode in response to a log start command transmitted from the host, receiving a first operation command from the host and executing the first operation command, generating first log information corresponding to a result of executing the first operation command, storing the first log information in a first storage area of memory of the data storage device, and copying at least part of the first log information from the first storage area to a second storage area of the memory of the data storage device when an event occurs according to the result of executing the first operation command. |
| US09875165B2 |
Communication bus with baseboard management controller
A system and method of using a baseboard management controller (BMC) to detect a fault on a communication bus. The BMC is connected to and monitors the operation of the communication bus. The BMC automatically detects a communication bus hang and reports bus hang to the host. The BMC attempts to access the communication bus. If the BMC can access the communication bus, the BMC then resets all of the devices connected to the communication bus. The BMC then attempts to contact components connected to the devices. If a component is not accessible via its communication device, the BMC blocks the channel used by the component and reports that information. Once the BMC detects that the component has been removed, the BMC attempts to recover the channel via the I2C/SM bus for use by the computer network. |
| US09875164B2 |
Systems, methods, and apparatuses for fixing logical or physical corruption in databases using LSM trees
In accordance with disclosed embodiments, there are provided methods, systems, and apparatuses for fixing logical or physical corruption in databases using LSM trees including, for example, means for storing records in a LSM database at the host organization; processing transactions to the LSM database by writing the transactions into immutable extents for subsequent merge into the LSM database; recording a history of the transactions in a log; identifying corruption in at least one of the records of the LSM database represented within the immutable extents prior to use of the immutable extents in the LSM database; and correcting the identified corruption to the at least one of the records of the LSM database based at least in part on the recorded history of the transactions in the log during live operation of the LSM database. Other related embodiments are disclosed. |
| US09875161B2 |
Data replication across servers
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, systems, and computer program products for replicating data between redundant sources. In one embodiment, during a reverse replication process, roles of a source system and target system are altered such that the target system controls the replication process. The target system can identify objects to be transferred, build batches of objects for efficient transfer, and transmit the batches of objects to the source system. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention can reduce inefficient communication between a source system and a target system that might otherwise occur during replication processes controlled by the source system. |
| US09875156B2 |
Data storage device with a memory die that includes an interleaver
A data storage device includes a set of latches, read/write circuitry, a memory, and an interleaver. The set of latches is configured to receive data. The read/write circuitry is coupled to the set of latches. The memory is coupled to the read/write circuitry. The interleaver is configured to interleave the data and to cause the read/write circuitry to program the interleaved data to the memory. The set of latches, the read/write circuitry, the memory, and the interleaver are integrated within a common die. |
| US09875153B2 |
Validation bits and offsets to represent logical pages split between data containers
A flash memory codeword architecture is provided. A non-integer count of logical pages is packed into a codeword payload data container. A codeword payload header is generated. The codeword payload header includes an offset to a first logical page that is packed, at least in part, into the codeword payload data container. The codeword payload data container and the codeword payload header are concatenated to generate a codeword payload. Error-correcting code data is generated based, at least in part, on the codeword payload using a systematic error-correcting code. The codeword payload and error-correcting code data is concatenated to generate a codeword. A physical page is programmed with the codeword. |
| US09875146B1 |
Managing workloads in a database system using a plurality of health and demand metrics
A database system monitors a metric for a Workload Definition (WD) and adjusts a metric throttle for the WD to a new metric throttle level Cn, computed as the average of a theoretical metric level Cc that would drive a metric to a target T and a theoretical metric level Cr that would drive a rolling average of the metric to the target T. |
| US09875143B2 |
Computer system, management computer and management method
The purpose of the invention is to simplify the work of setting migration WWNs used in live migration of LPARs. Hypervisor management software of a management computer acquires and stores, in a storage unit, WWNs set for logical FC-HBAs of hypervisors of computers and host information including a WWN of a source capable of accessing a logical unit (LU) of a storage device. The hypervisor management software uses such information as a basis to output, on a display screen, information indicating whether or not a migration WWN, which is a WWN value of a logical FC-HBA used at migration of a virtual computer of the computer, is in a state of being able to be used to access the LU. |
| US09875141B2 |
Managing pools of dynamic resources
Computer systems attempt to manage resource pools of a dynamic number of similar resources and work tasks in order to optimize system performance. Work requests are received into the resource pool having a dynamic number of resources instances. An instance-throughput curve is determined that relates a number of resource instances in the resource pool to throughput of the work requests. A slope of a point on the instance-throughput curve is estimated with stochastic gradient approximation. The number of resource instances for the resource pool is selected when the estimated slope of the instance-throughput curve is zero. |
| US09875140B2 |
System, method, and apparatus for coordinating distributed electronic discovery processing
The present invention relates to a method, system, and apparatus for coordinating distributed electronic discovery processing. The method may comprise the steps of receiving electronic discovery data comprising a plurality of electronic files, determining, with at least one processor, a plurality of discrete tasks for processing the electronic discovery data, determining, with at least one processor, a coordinated distribution of the plurality of discrete tasks to a plurality of computers, and assigning at least a portion of the plurality of discrete tasks to the plurality of computers based on the coordinated distribution such that at least one discrete task is assigned to each computer at any given time or during any given time period. A system and apparatus configured to perform the method is also disclosed. |
| US09875139B2 |
Graphics processing unit controller, host system, and methods
A graphics processing unit controller configured to be communicatively coupled to one or more graphics processing units and one or more virtual machines, comprising: a unit collection module which is configured to store information regarding the available resources of one or more graphics processing units; and a scheduler module configured to allocate at least part of the one or more graphics processing units to the execution of a compute kernel in response to receipt of a request for the execution of the compute kernel, wherein the scheduler is configured to allocate at least part of the one or more graphics processing units based on a comparison between the available resources of the one or more graphics processing units and required resources for the execution of the compute kernel. |
| US09875138B2 |
General purpose software parallel task engine
A software engine for decomposing work to be done into tasks, and distributing the tasks to multiple, independent CPUs for execution is described. The engine utilizes dynamic code generation, with run-time specialization of variables, to achieve high performance. Problems are decomposed according to methods that enhance parallel CPU operation, and provide better opportunities for specialization and optimization of dynamically generated code. A specific application of this engine, a software three dimensional (3D) graphical image renderer, is described. |
| US09875137B2 |
Intelligent application back stack management
Intelligent application back stack management may include generating a first back stack for activities of an application that have been executed by a device that executes the application. The first back stack may include a back stack size limit. A further back stack may be generated for selected ones of the activities of the application if a total number of the activities of the application and further activities of the application exceeds the back stack size limit. The first back stack may be an in-memory back stack for the device that executes the application, and the further back stack may include an external on-device back stack for the device that executes the application and/or a Cloud storage based back stack. Intelligent application back stack management may further include regenerating an activity of the selected ones of the activities that is pulled from the further back stack. |
| US09875125B2 |
Parallel mapping of client partition memory to multiple physical adapters
Techniques are disclosed for performing input/output (I/O) requests to two or more physical adapters in parallel. One method for performing an input/output (I/O) request includes mapping an address for at least a first page associated with a virtual I/O request to an entry in a virtual TCE table and identifying a plurality of physical adapters required to service the virtual I/O request. For each of the identified physical adapters, the entry in the virtual TCE table is mapped to an entry in a physical TCE table corresponding to the physical adapter. This method may also include, in parallel, issuing physical I/O requests to the physical adapters. |
| US09875124B2 |
Data assignment and data scheduling for physical machine in a virtual machine environment
A computer program product for performing a method comprising receiving, by a processor executing on a computing device, data to be processed from a scheduler configured to assign job data. The processor also storing the received data to be processed into a single queue, wherein the single queue is shared by the multiple virtual machines running on the physical machine, and in response to an idle virtual machine being among the multiple virtual machines, assigning, by the processor, data in the queue to the idle virtual machine to be processed by the idle virtual machine, wherein storing the received data to be processed into a single queue comprises parsing the received data to be processed and storing data to be processed, which is determined as specific to a predetermined application after the parsing, into the single queue. |
| US09875122B2 |
System and method for providing hardware virtualization in a virtual machine environment
A system and method for providing hardware virtualization and resource management in a virtual machine environment. An application server environment is extended to provide an interface from the higher layers in the application server environment to the system's actual processing power, such that the allocation of processing can be made in a machine-independent way. A layer of software can be placed between the virtual machine and the hardware that improves the efficiency of the virtualized Java execution system. The system comprises two main components: a first, lower-level, execution environment that replaces the usual operating system; and a second, higher-level, resource broker that is responsible for handing out new virtual machines to the above layers, and for monitoring the current resource usage of the running virtual machines. |
| US09875114B2 |
Method, computer readable medium and device for the configuration or maintenance of a computer system in a cluster
The configuration and maintenance of a computer system in a cluster, where the computer system is configured to allow booting from data stored in an administration computer system is disclosed. In one aspect, after obtaining a boot disk image making it possible to boot an operating system and configuration data from the administration computer system, the operating system is booted and configured and a virtual storage disk is created. The configuration data received are analyzed in order to obtain and store in the virtual disk a program for the configuration of the computer system. The program for the configuration of the computer system is then executed. |
| US09875109B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating user adaptive application in mobile terminal
A method and apparatus for generating a user adaptive application in a mobile terminal are provided. The method includes displaying a list of applications in the mobile terminal and displaying a list of services provided by at least one of the applications in the mobile terminal from among lists of services provided by each of the applications in the mobile terminal, receiving a selection of at least one service for an operation of a desired application module from among the displayed list of services, dynamically loading library modules for performing the selected services, and generating a specific application by combining the loaded library modules. |
| US09875107B2 |
Accelerated execution of execute instruction target
As disclosed herein a method, executed by a processor, for accelerated instruction execution includes retrieving an execute instruction including a register reference and a reference to a target instruction, retrieving the target instruction, decoding the execute instruction using an instruction pipeline, decoding the target instruction using the instruction pipeline, associating the register reference to the target instruction, and executing the target instruction using the register reference as a source operand modifier. The instruction pipeline is configured such that it allows the target instruction to continue processing without waiting for the register reference to be resolved. The contents of the referenced register may be retrieved in a later stage of the instruction pipeline, and the target instruction may be modified and executed. An apparatus corresponding to the described method is also disclosed herein. |
| US09875106B2 |
Computer processor employing instruction block exit prediction
A computer processor is provided that executes sequences of instructions stored in memory. The sequences of instructions are organized as one or more instruction blocks each having an entry point and at least one exit point offset from the entry point. An apparatus for predicting control flow through sequences of instructions includes a table storing a plurality of entries each associated with an instruction block or part thereof. At least one entry of the table corresponding to a given instruction block or part thereof includes a predictor corresponding to a predicted execution path that exits the given Instruction block or part thereof. The table is queried in order to generate a chain of predictors corresponding to a sequence of instruction blocks or parts thereof that is predicted to be executed by the computer processor. |
| US09875104B2 |
Accessing data in multi-dimensional tensors
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including an apparatus for processing an instruction for accessing a N-dimensional tensor, the apparatus including multiple tensor index elements and multiple dimension multiplier elements, where each of the dimension multiplier elements has a corresponding tensor index element. The apparatus includes one or more processors configured to obtain an instruction to access a particular element of a N-dimensional tensor, where the N-dimensional tensor has multiple elements arranged across each of the N dimensions, and where N is an integer that is equal to or greater than one; determine, using one or more tensor index elements of the multiple tensor index elements and one or more dimension multiplier elements of the multiple dimension multiplier elements, an address of the particular element; and output data indicating the determined address for accessing the particular element of the N-dimensional tensor. |
| US09875103B2 |
Translating instructions in a speculative processor
A method for use by a host microprocessor which translates sequences of instructions from a target instruction set for a target processor to sequences of instructions for the host microprocessor including the steps of beginning execution of a speculative sequence of target instructions by committing state of the target processor and storing memory stores previously generated by execution at a point in the execution of instructions at which state of the target processor is known, executing the speculative sequence of host instructions until another point in the execution of target instructions at which state of the target processor is known, rolling back to last committed state of the target processor and discarding the memory stores generated by the speculative sequence of host instructions if execution fails, and beginning execution of a next sequence of target instructions if execution succeeds. |
| US09875099B2 |
Computer-implemented method and system for executing android apps natively on any environment
A method for executing Android apps nativelyon any environment comprises converting one or more Android applications to a binary format of other applications in the Host Operating System. The Android applications are in one of a source format and a binary format. Further, all equivalent components are replaced from a standard Android environment with ones provided by the Host OS using the Host Operating System's capabilities. Furthermore, Android applications are executed natively by a Host Operating System. Moreover, the method includes mixing Android generated with content created by the Host Operating System to generate a final screen and the user views and interacts with the final screen. |
| US09875096B2 |
Systems and methods for software scanning tool
Systems, methods, and non-transitory machine readable medium are provided for creating a structured report that aggregates information related to a plurality of source code files based on selective scanning of one or more repositories. A repository search request is received including a repository identifier, a project identifier, and a search term. The specified repository is scanned to identify source code files for the specified project that include the search term. It is determined whether an instance of a search term within the source code file corresponds to a reserved term. A report is generated identifying the source code files that include an instance of the search term. A new file directory is created, and populated with a first results file including the generated report. |
| US09875095B2 |
Software bundle detection
A method for grouping of software components may be provided. The method may comprise relating a trigger agent to a software component, identifying the trigger agent, and triggering a trigger message of the trigger agent to potential other trigger agents. The method may also comprise monitoring a response to the trigger message from at least one other trigger agent related to at least one other software component, grouping the software components with the at least one other software component based on responses to a group of software components, and relating the group of software components to the software product based on comparisons with a software catalog. |
| US09875093B2 |
Rack server device firmware update using network switch
A system and method of updating device firmware on a rack server computer system using a network switch. The network switch receives a request to update the firmware of a device in the rack server computer system. The network switch determines the location of the device in the rack server system and transmits the firmware update to the device and commands the device to update its firmware using the firmware update transmitted by the switch. Alternatively, the network switch automatically detects a new device connected to the network switch in the rack server computer system. The network switch determines the identification of the new device, including its firmware, and determines if a newer version of the device firmware is available. The network switch obtains the newer version of the device firmware, transmits the firmware to the device, and commands the device to update its firmware with the newer version. |
| US09875091B1 |
User-initiated software application deployment to an orbital satellite platform
Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for deploying software applications in satellites. In one example, a control system may receive user input indicative of deployment requirements for a software application, and identify an availability of resources present in a plurality of satellites deployed as an orbiting satellite platform. The control system further determines deployment options for deployment of the software application based on the deployment requirements and the availability of resources in the plurality of satellites, and provides the deployment options for the software application via a user interface for deployment of the software application onto the orbiting satellite platform. |
| US09875090B2 |
Program analysis based on program descriptors
A deployment package descriptor may be obtained. One or more application files that include application content in a plurality of different data formats may be obtained. An analysis of the application content included in the obtained one or more application files may be initiated, based on a plurality of different data formats and descriptive information associated with the obtained application files, the descriptive information included in the obtained deployment package descriptor. |
| US09875088B2 |
Optimized compiling of a template function
A template function is received. The template function includes one or more data types. A single abstract instantiation of the template function is created. An abstract internal descriptor for each data type is created. A map set for each abstract internal descriptor is created. The number of instantiations required and the type of instantiation required is provided. A finished object is created using each map set. The finished object is a translation of the intermediate representation into assembly code. |
| US09875085B2 |
Memory system and method of generating a seed value
A memory system and method are provided for generating a seed value. In one embodiment, a memory system identifies a random defect in a memory die and, in accordance with the identified random defect in the memory die, generates a seed value, wherein with the generated seed value a random number can be generated. Other embodiments are provided, which can be used alone or in combination with one another. |
| US09875083B2 |
Performing a comparison computation in a computer system
A method and computer system are provided for performing a comparison computation, e.g. for use in a check procedure for a reciprocal square root operation. The comparison computation compares a multiplication of three values with a predetermined value. The computer system performs the multiplication using multiplier logic which is configured to perform multiply operations in which two values are multiplied together. A first and second of the three values are multiplied to determine a first intermediate result, w1. The digits of w1 are separated into two portions, w1,1 and w1,2. The third of the three values is multiplied with w1,2 and the result is added into a multiplication of the third of the three values with w1,1 to thereby determine the result of multiplying the three values together. In this way the comparison is performed with high accuracy, while keeping the area and power consumption of the multiplier logic low. |
| US09875082B2 |
Single operation array index computation
Embodiments are directed to a processor for adjusting an index, wherein the index identifies a location of an element within an array. The processor includes a shift circuit configured to perform a single operation that adjusts a first parameter of the index to match a parameter of an array address. The single operation further adjusts a second parameter of the index to match a parameter of an array element. |
| US09875078B1 |
External amplifier interface
An interface configured to allow desired cooperation between an OEM or aftermarket head unit and an external power amplifier. The inventive interface receives an audio input signal from the head unit. It also monitors the vehicle's CAN bus. The interface detects CAN bus commands that cause the head unit to play an audio notification signal such as a “chime.” Upon detecting such a CAN bus command, the inventive interface selectively adjusts the output level so that the user hears the audio notification signal at an appropriate volume. |
| US09875077B2 |
Personalized car radio system
A personalized car radio system comprising: a remote application server comprising: a collector, being a software that scans web sites continuously, for detecting content that corresponds to keywords expressing a driver's preferences; a client application, being a software that schedules displaying collected content in accordance with an alertness rank of the driver and a rhythm of the content; and a client device interacting with the application server by Unicast communication, the client device comprising: a safety module, being a software activated continuously or intermittently, for determining an alertness rank according to (a) metered movement of an organ of the driver, and (b) road condition; and a sounding device and a user interface thereof, for sounding the scheduled content; and a text-to-speech converter, being executed either on the server or the client device, for converting text files to audio files. |
| US09875074B2 |
Projection device and control method therefor
When each of a plurality of projection devices projects an image on a screen, in order to easily determine whether or not an association between identification information of each of the plurality of projection devices and positional relationship of each of the plurality of projection devices is correct, an image for notifying of an association between a predetermined area included in a display pattern and an external projection device is projected, and a communication unit of a projection device transmits information related to the association between the predetermined area included in the display pattern and the external projection device, which is inputted by an input unit, to the external projection device. |
| US09875073B2 |
Printing apparatus and control method therefor
A printing apparatus according to the present invention stores in a predetermined storage area, identification information of a print job including a print setting as a monitoring target in accordance with an extension program, for a job registration event issued according to a basic program when the print job is received. Then, for the job registration event issued according to the basic program, a job log including the identification information that has been stored in accordance with the extension program, in a dedicated file different from a normal file. |
| US09875072B2 |
Information processing system, terminal device, information processing apparatus and non-transitory computer readable medium
There is provided an information processing system. A terminal device includes a parameter transmission unit that transmits a parameter being used for designating processing which is performed by using a first file; an instruction data transmission unit that transmits instruction data for storing a second file which is a duplicate of the first file; a control data memory that store control data which includes the parameter and storing location information of the second file. A control data transmission unit transmits the stored control data, acquires the second file by requiring transmission of the second file based on the storing location information, and transmits the acquired second file to the information processing apparatus which performs processing designated by the parameter included in the control data. |
| US09875067B2 |
Information processing apparatus, computer-readable recording medium, and information processing system
An information processing apparatus includes: an acquisition unit that acquires sets of apparatus type specifying information that specify types of apparatuses connected to the apparatus; an identifying unit that identifies the apparatus types of the connected apparatuses into a first apparatus type corresponding to a control program transmitted from a server and a second apparatus type different from the first apparatus type; and a specifying unit that, according to the sets of apparatus type specifying information on the apparatus types that are identified by the identifying unit and correspondence information that associates the sets of apparatus type specifying information with the types of user interface for accepting a setting relating to the process required to the apparatus, specifies a first type corresponding to the first apparatus type and a second type corresponding to the second apparatus type among the types of user interface. |
| US09875066B2 |
Single action print application creation
A method of creating a print application by a single action comprises appending a print application creation button to a browser instance displayed on a user device, receiving a single action user input on the user device to add content displayed in the browser instance as a print application, and creating the print application based on the content. A system for creating a print application comprises a user device communicatively coupled to a server, the user device comprising a processor, a data storage device, and a native print application to display a print application creation button in association with content displayed in a browser instance and obtain data related to the content displayed in the browser instance. |
| US09875062B2 |
Memory die temperature adjustment based on aging condition
A device includes a memory device and a controller. The controller is coupled to the memory device. The controller is configured to, in response to receiving a request to perform a memory access at the memory device, determine that the memory device has a characteristic indicative of a temperature crossing. The controller is also configured to, in response to the determination, increase a temperature of the memory device by performing memory operations on the memory device until detecting a condition related to the temperature. |
| US09875058B2 |
Prioritizing pages to transfer for memory sharing
A method for transferring memory pages to a first and a second page repository identifies pages in a memory sharing operation for transfer to a first page repository and pages in a memory migration operation for transfer to a second page repository. Pages in the memory migration operation may be prepared for transfer prior to transfer of the pages in the memory sharing operation. Transferring pages in the migration operation may remove the need to transfer pages in the memory sharing operation. |
| US09875044B2 |
Data storage device compensating for initial threshold voltage distribution shift, method of operating the same, and data processing system including the same
A method is provided for operating a data storage device capable of compensating for an initial threshold voltage shift of multiple memory cells. The method includes generating a first compression value for a first write address corresponding to a first write request input during a first time interval among different time intervals, and storing the first compression value in a first table among multiple tables. |
| US09875041B1 |
Synchronized change tracking in data storage volumes
Various examples are directed to systems and methods for backing up data. A tracking utility may receive a start request and then receive a write request directed towards the first volume. An address of the block of the volume to be modified by the write request may be recorded to a current changes list. The tracking utility may also receive a first lock request, wherein the lock request comprises an instruction to place the volume in a read-only mode. Upon receiving the first lock request, the tracking utility may copy the current changes list to a frozen changes list and clear the current changes list. Upon receiving a second lock request, the tracking utility may merge the current changes list and the frozen changes list. |
| US09875040B2 |
Assigning read requests based on busyness of devices
Techniques are provided for assigning read requests to storage devices in a manner that reduces the likelihood that any storage device will become overloaded or underutilized. Specifically, a read-request handler assigns read requests that are directed to each particular item among the storage devices that have copies of the item based on how busy each of those storage devices is. Consequently, even though certain storage devices may have copies of the same item, there may be times during which one storage device is assigned a disproportionate number of the reads of the item because the other storage device is busy with read requests for other items, and there may be other times during which other storage device is assigned a disproportionate number of the reads of the item because the one storage device is busy with read request for other items. Various techniques for estimating the busyness of storage devices are provided, including fraction-based estimates, interval-based estimates, and the response-time-based estimates. Techniques for smoothing those estimates, and for handicapping devices, are also provided. |
| US09875037B2 |
Implementing multiple raid level configurations in a data storage device
Embodiments of the present invention provide systems, methods, and computer program products for implementing multiple raid level configurations in a computer storage device. In one embodiment, performance or resiliency of application data being executed to a single computer storage device can be prioritized. Embodiment of the present invention provide systems, methods, and computer program products for a recovery operation, responsive to determining to prioritize performance of application data being executed to the single computer storage device. |
| US09875034B2 |
Delaying programming requests in flash memory
Embodiments herein describe a memory system that queues program requests to a block of flash memory until a predefined threshold is reached. That is, instead of performing program requests to write data into the block as the requests are received, the memory system queues the requests until the threshold is satisfied. Once the buffer for the block includes the threshold amount of program requests, the memory system performs the stored requests. In one embodiment, the memory system erases all the pages in the block before writing the new data in the program requests into the destination pages. The data that was originally stored in the pages that are not destination pages is rewritten into the pages. In this example, the queued program requests can be written into the pages using one erase and write step rather than individual erase and write steps for each of the requests. |
| US09875033B2 |
Apparatus and method for minimizing data storage media fragmentation
A method of minimizing data storage medium fragmentation, wherein the method provides a data storage library comprising (N) data storage media, wherein (N) is greater than or equal to 1. The method establishes a threshold fragmentation index, and determines, for each value of (i), an actual fragmentation index for an (i)th data storage medium, wherein (i) is greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to (N). The method receives a data set from a host computer in communication with the data storage library, and writes the data set to an (i)th data storage medium based upon an (i)th actual fragmentation index. |
| US09875030B2 |
Media write operation
A method or system comprises determining an end data track of a write operation in response to a request for the write operation in a media storage device, saving data from an adjacent track following the end data track to a cache, performing the write operation. In one implementation, performing the write operation is comprises writing data to a plurality of data tracks in a band. |
| US09875029B2 |
Network-attached storage enhancement appliance
A network attached storage management appliance that can be inserted into a pre-existing network. The appliance sits between an end user and the available storage and optimizes performance and storage through acceleration of data, migration of data, compression of data, deduplication of data, and expansion of storage. The device moves data between lower- and higher-performance storage, with frequently accessed data sitting in higher-performance storage and infrequently accessed data sitting in lower-performance storage. |
| US09875025B2 |
System and method for performing data retention in solid-state memory using an LRU list
Systems and methods for retaining data are disclosed in which refresh copy operations are performed on data stored in non-volatile solid-state memory. A controller may be configured to maintain a list of physical memory locations, the list sorted by a least recently used criterion. The controller may select a first entry from a top of the list and perform a refresh operation to copy data stored in a current physical memory location associated with the first entry to a new physical memory location, and may remove the first entry from the top of the list and add a new entry associated with the new physical memory location to a bottom of the list. The controller may repeat the select, perform, remove and add steps for a plurality of entries in the list, and the steps may be timed such that all refresh operations are performed for all of the plurality of entries within a set period of time. |
| US09875022B2 |
Portable terminal device using touch pen and handwriting input method thereof
A portable terminal device using a touch pen and a handwriting input method thereof are provided. The handwriting input method of the portable terminal device using a touch pen includes displaying an execution screen of an application on a touch screen in response to the application being executed, overlapping a handwriting input layer, which is configured for a handwriting input, with the execution screen, inputting a handwriting image on an area of the handwriting input layer using the touch pen, determining a data type for recognizing the input handwriting image in consideration of an attribute of the area corresponding to a position in which the handwriting image has been input on the execution screen, and recognizing the input handwriting image as the determined data type, and applying a recognized result of the determined data type to the application. |
| US09875021B2 |
Method and system for ink data generation, ink data rendering, ink data manipulation and ink data communication
A method is provided for generating ink data including stroke objects. The method includes generally four steps. The first step receives device-dependent user-input data including either one of pen event data of Type 1, which includes indicator position data and indicator pressure data, or pen event data of Type 2, which includes indicator position data but does not include indicator pressure data. The second step determines whether the pen event data is Type 1 or Type 2. The third step derives one or both of radius data for defining a width of the stroke object and transparency data for defining a transparency of the stroke object, based on the pen event data of Type 1 or Type 2. The fourth step outputs the stroke object including said one or both of radius data and transparency data as device-independent common attribute value(s) of each of multiple points of the stroke object. |
| US09875020B2 |
Method for capturing user input from a touch screen and device having a touch screen
A touch screen device is configured to provide outputs responsive to inputs provided by a user interacting with the touch screen. The outputs are processed by processing circuitry to determine touch locations of consecutive taps. If the latter tap is within a threshold area of the former tap the action performed in response to the former tap is repeated. In the latter tap is not within a threshold area of the subsequent tap, the action performed in response to the former tap is different to the action performed in response to the subsequent tap. |
| US09875019B2 |
Indicating a transition from gesture based inputs to touch surfaces
A system and method for indicating a transition from a gesture based input to a touch surface is provide herein. The system includes a detection monitor coupled to a detection device to detect the transition; and an alert transmitter to alert an output device based on the detection. The gesture based input is a non-contact interface associated with an electronic system, and a touch surface is a contact interface associated with the electronic system. |
| US09875018B2 |
Electronic device and text-input interface displaying method thereof
The present invention discloses an electronic device including a storage device, an input device, a display device and a processing unit. The storage device stores an input rule table. The input device receives at least one input signal corresponding to text editing. The display device is arranged to display a text input interface, wherein the text input interface comprises a first display region and a second display region provided for users to do the text editing by the input device, wherein the display device has a display region, the display region has a predetermined display area, and the text input interface has an interface area. The processing dynamically adjusts the interface area of the text input interface to change the ratio of the interface area and the predetermined display area of the display region according to the input signal and the input rule table. |
| US09875015B2 |
Data processing device and driving method thereof
A data processing device which includes a flexible position input portion for sensing proximity or a touch of an object such as a user's palm and finger. In the case where a first region of the flexible position input portion is held by a user for a certain period, supply of image signals to the first region is selectively stopped. |
| US09875014B2 |
Input apparatus and storage medium storing input control program
An input apparatus including: a display device on which at least one operational image is displayed; a selected image determining section which determines, as a selected image, an operational image displayed at a position designated by an input operation; and a display updating section which updates a display from a first operational screen to a second operational screen where a display update condition has been satisfied, and which includes: a position specifying section which, where the input operation has been performed or expected to be performed within a period after the satisfaction of the display update condition and before the update, specify one of positions designated by the input operation and expected to be designated by the input operation; and an image arranging section which arranges the at least one operational image on the second operational screen after the update so as to avoid the specified position. |
| US09875011B2 |
Moving an object by drag operation on a touch panel
A contact state of a finger with respect to an object displayed on a first layer is detected. The object is moved onto a second layer and displayed on the second layer in response to detecting that the finger has moved from the contact state to a proximity state with respect to the object and in response to the finger reaching a second layer displayed nearer than the first layer. |
| US09875004B2 |
Spread matrix with statistics
Systems, methods and user interfaces are provided for displaying spread product market data and statistics. Market data may be arranged in a matrix and statistical information is inserted in the matrix in available space. In some cases, a computer system may receive market data for a plurality of spread products, receive and/or compute statistical information for the plurality of spread products, and generate a user interface screen that includes the market data for the plurality of spread products and the statistical information associated with the plurality of spread products, where the market data and the statistical information are arranged in a matrix. |
| US09875003B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing a user interface
A method for providing a user interface in which a set of objects stored in the form of data is displayed as a sequential list. The method involves each of the objects being allocated a position in a graphical presentation displayed in addition to the sequential list, the position being taken as a basis for displaying the objects in the graphical presentation. A first user action selects a position in the graphical presentation, and the selected position is taken as a basis for selecting a subset from the displayed set of objects in the sequential list. The positions in the graphical presentation are allocated a metric, wherein it is possible to ascertain a measure of distance between two positions, and an object is included in the subset on the basis of the measure of distance between the position associated with the respective object and the selected position. |
| US09874996B2 |
Big face icons
A navigation system which minimizes vehicle driver distraction through a series of simple, easily identifiable individual large icons separately displayed. The driver taps the screen and sees a first big non-verbal icon for an image related to the driver's query, wherein the driver hears an audio prompt and proceeds to select a desired navigation related to the driver's query. |
| US09874981B2 |
Detection method and device for touch screen
A detection method and device for a touch screen is provided. When a pen touching or approaching the touch screen is detected, only the location of the pen in a predetermined range is provided, and the locations of all other objects within the predetermined range are not provided, such as the location of a palm. Only when the pen is no longer detected over a predetermined period of time, then the locations of objects other than the pen in the predetermined range are provided again. |
| US09874980B2 |
Dynamic configuration of touch sensor electrode clusters
An apparatus of one embodiment includes a sensor having a plurality of electrodes and a controller having a processor and a memory. The memory includes logic operable to configure the electrodes to form a first cluster pattern having a plurality of first clusters of two or more electrodes, apply voltage to each first cluster, and determine a plurality of first values associated with a capacitance of a first cluster. The logic is further operable to configure the electrodes to form a second cluster pattern having a plurality of second clusters of two or more electrodes, apply voltage to each second cluster, and determine a plurality of second values associated with a capacitance of a second cluster. At least one second cluster is interleaved with an adjacent second cluster. The logic is further operable to determine a position of an object based at least on the second values. |
| US09874975B2 |
Reconstruction of original touch image from differential touch image
Reconstruction of an original touch image from a differential touch image is disclosed. Reconstruction can include aligning columns of the differential touch image relative to each other and aligning the image to a baseline DC value. The column and baseline alignment can be based on the differential image data indicative of no touch or hover, because such data can more clearly show the amount of alignment needed to reconstruct the original image. The reconstruction can be performed using the differential image data alone. The reconstruction can also be performed using the differential image data and common mode data indicative of the missing image column average. |
| US09874971B2 |
Display device
A display device is configured in a display state to allow the common electrode to function as an electrode for display and a scanning electrode for a touch panel, to which a common voltage and a first scanning pulse voltage are supplied, and to allow a detection circuit to detect a touched position based on the voltage detected by the first and the second detection electrodes. In a display stop state, the first detection electrode is configured to function as a temporary scanning electrode, and the detection circuit is configured to supply a second scanning pulse voltage to the first detection electrode so as to detect existence of a swipe based on the voltage detected by the second detection electrode. |
| US09874970B2 |
Touch display device and driving method thereof
A touch display device including a first substrate, a second substrate, a display medium layer, a pixel array structure and a pressure sensing electrode layer is provided. The display medium layer is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. The pixel array structure is disposed between the second substrate and the display medium layer and includes a plurality of pixel electrodes and a multi-function electrode layer overlapping the pixel electrodes. The pressure sensing electrode layer is parallel to the multi-function electrode layer and a changeable gap is formed between the pressure sensing electrode layer and the multi-function electrode layer. The touch display device capable of 3D touch is provided. |
| US09874967B2 |
Touch-panel display device
The present disclosure provides a touch-panel display device. The touch-panel display device comprises a substrate, a display module, a sensing module and a function layer. The substrate includes a first surface and a second surface on opposite sides of the substrate, respectively. The display module is proximal to the first surface of the substrate, and the sensing module is disposed between the display module and the substrate. The function layer, disposed on either the first surface or the second surface of the substrate, is configured to polarize light emitted from the display module towards the substrate. |
| US09874966B2 |
Electrostatic device having spaced electrodes
Devices are described herein that include spaced electrodes. In one example, a spaced distance between the electrodes may cause a capacitance between the electrodes to exceed a capacitance threshold. In another example, an impedance component (e.g., a resistor or a capacitor) may be coupled between the electrodes. In accordance with this example, the impedance component may provide an impedance that is less than an impedance threshold while causing an absolute difference between voltages that are induced by the respective electrodes to exceed a voltage threshold. |
| US09874965B2 |
Transparent strain sensors in an electronic device
An electronic device includes one or more transparent strain sensors configured to detect strain based on an amount of force applied to the electronic device, a component in the electronic device, and/or an input surface of the electronic device. The one or more transparent strain sensors may be included in or positioned below an input surface that is configured to receive touch inputs from a user. The area below the input surface can be visible to a user when the user is viewing the input surface. The one or more transparent strain sensors are formed with a nanostructure, including a nanomesh or nanowires. |
| US09874961B2 |
Optical structures having integrated component layers
A method of forming an optical structure in a continuous manufacturing process includes providing a continuous ribbon of flexible glass substrate (134) having a thickness of no more than 0.3 mm. The continuous ribbon of flexible glass substrate has a first side and a second side separated by a plane formed by the ribbon of flexible glass substrate. A liquid polarizer material (142) is applied on the ribbon of flexible glass substrate at one of the first and second sides as the continuous ribbon of flexible glass substrate moves by a polarizer material application apparatus to form a polarizing layer. A conductive material (150) is applied on the ribbon of flexible glass substrate at one of the first and second sides to form a touch layer for a touch sensitive display. |
| US09874959B2 |
Array substrate, touch control display device and touch control driving method
The invention discloses an array substrate, a touch control display device and a touch control driving method. The array substrate comprises a common electrode layer, comprising: touch control driving electrodes and common electrodes insulated from one another and arranged in an intersecting manner, each of the touch control driving electrodes being loaded a common electrode signal and a touch control scanning signal in a time-sequence manner and comprising touch control driving sub-electrodes arranged along an extending direction of thereof at an interval and each being positioned between adjacent common electrodes; pixel units; and touch control driving lines, arranged in a same layer as data lines or gate lines, an extending direction thereof being same as that of the touch control driving electrode, and touch control driving sub-electrodes of each of the touch control driving electrodes being electrically connected by at least one of the touch control driving line. |
| US09874947B2 |
Display control apparatus and control method therefor, and imaging apparatus and control method therefor
A display control apparatus for controlling displaying of a display unit includes an orientation detection unit configured to detect an orientation of the display control apparatus, and a display control unit configured to, when an orientation change from a first orientation to a second orientation of the display control apparatus is detected by the orientation detection unit, perform display control based on the second orientation after the orientation change in a case where a speed of the orientation change is higher than a predetermined speed, and perform display control based on the first orientation even after the orientation change in a case where the speed of the orientation change is lower than or equal to the predetermined speed. |
| US09874946B2 |
Information processing to select an image
An input device includes: an operating section which is held by a user and operated in a three-dimensional free space in order to operate an information processing apparatus by remote control; a calculation section which calculates a hand shake related value for controlling selection of an image to be controlled which is displayed on the information processing apparatus, the hand shake related value being relevant to an amount of hand shake of the operating section; and an output section which outputs the hand shake related value as an operation signal for operating the information processing apparatus by remote control. |
| US09874945B2 |
Low-profile pointing stick
A low-profile, small-footprint gel-based pointing device is described herein. The gel-based pointing device described herein includes a gel-based body, a tactile surface affixed to a first side of the gel-based body, and a base surface affixed to a second side of the gel-based body that is opposite the first side. The tactile surface is configured to receive an input from a user and the base surface couples the gel-based body to a sensor surface. In at least one embodiment, the gel-based pointing device described herein further includes a sensor for receiving the gel-based pointing device and a detector for detecting changes in at least one of resistance, capacity, pressure, or lateral or vertical position of the gel-based pointing device. |
| US09874940B2 |
Input display control device, thin client system, input display control method, and recording medium
A display control unit (15) in an input display control device (1) displays an image including a symbol display area in which a symbol input by a user is displayed, on the screen of a display unit (11). The display control unit (15) also displays operation buttons and symbols allocated to the operation buttons on the screen of the display unit (11) while being superimposed on the image displayed by the display control unit (15), the operation buttons being arrayed in a virtual keyboard through which a symbol to be displayed in the symbol display area is input through tapping on the display unit (11), the operation buttons being translucently displayed. The display control unit (15) also changes a display color of the symbols allocated to the operation buttons arrayed in the virtual keyboard to a display color selected from a plurality of display colors set in advance. |
| US09874936B2 |
Wearable electronic device
An electronic device including a frame and a plurality of capsules is provided. The frame is configured to be wearable on a user, and the frame includes a bridge portion having a first mountable section, a first arm portion having a second mountable section, and a second arm portion having a third mountable section. The plurality of capsules is configured to be mounted on the first mountable section, the second mountable section, and the third mountable section of the frame. The bridge portion is configured to be supported by the nose of a user, the first arm portion has a first free end supported by an ear of the user, and the second arm portion has a second free end supported by the other ear of the user. |
| US09874935B2 |
Systems and methods for a texture engine
Systems and methods for a texture engine are disclosed. For example, one disclosed system includes: a processor configured to receive a display signal including a plurality of pixels, determine a haptic effect comprising a texture, and transmit a haptic signal associated with the haptic effect to an actuator in communication with the processor, the actuator configured to receive the haptic signal and output the haptic effect. |
| US09874934B1 |
System, method, and recording medium for tracking gaze with respect to a moving plane with a camera with respect to the moving plane
A gaze tracking method, system, and non-transitory computer readable medium for tracking an eye gaze on a screen of a device including a fixed camera, include calculating a parametric equation of an eye gaze vector passing through a pupil of a user and an eye ball center of the user, computing a first angle of the screen with respect to a fixed plane relative to the screen based on a preset angle of the screen and an object, calculating a current plane of the screen based on the first angle and a position of the fixed camera with respect to the screen, and calculating an intersection of the eye gaze vector calculated by the calculating the parametric equation with the current plane equation calculated by the calculating the current plane. |
| US09874931B1 |
Head-tracking system and method
A head-tracking system includes a georeferenced head tracker (GHT) configured to provide georeferenced head position data, and a platform-referenced head-tracker (PRHT) configured to provide platform-referenced head position data. A controller is coupled with the GHT and the PRHT, and configured to be coupled with an avionic system configured to provide georeferenced aircraft position data. The controller includes a processor configured to access the georeferenced head position data, compare a current drift error of the GHT with a predetermined error threshold. When the current drift error is below the threshold, the processor transmits a signal indicative of the georeferenced head position data being a current georeferenced head position data. When the current drift exceeds the threshold, the processor access the georeferenced aircraft position-data, generates update data based on the platform-referenced head position data and the georeferenced aircraft position data, and updates the GHT at a known instant in time. |
| US09874928B2 |
DNP3 based Ethernet port power saving for solar power energized RTU system
A system includes a control system and a Remote Terminal Unit (RTU). The control system is configured to communicate data with one or more field devices via the RTU. The RTU is configured to transmit received data from the one or more field devices and the control system. The RTU is also configured to activate a power saving mode that selectively provides power to transmit the received data. The RTU is further configured to, while the power saving mode is activated, prevent power from being provided to transmit the received data, and store the received data in a memory of the RTU when the power is not provided to transmit the received data. The RTU is configured to, while the power saving mode is activated, provide power to transmit the received data after storing the received data in the memory of the RTU. |
| US09874919B2 |
Soft switching control after power interruption
In some implementations, power provided to a computing system, such as a rack system, may be interrupted. This interruption is detected, and in response, power from a battery backup system is directed to the computing system to replace the interrupted power source, which in some implementations may be a main AC power grid source. A signal is received indicating that a backup power source, for example a backup generator system, is online and prepared to deliver power to the computing system. For an initial period of time, this backup power source is prevented from providing power to the computing system. For example, the backup generator system may be providing power to a power supply unit of the computing system, but the power is not allowed to flow to the computing system. After the initial period of time passes, the power provided to the computing system by the battery backup unit is reduced at a particular rate of change while the power from the backup generator system is allowed to flow to the computing system through the power supply unit. |
| US09874913B2 |
Apparatus and methods for power conflict resolution in power delivery systems
An apparatus includes voltage summation logic to provide a summed voltage corresponding to a sum of voltage contributions, each contribution associated with a corresponding port controller of a plurality of port controllers. The apparatus also includes a first port controller to determine, based on the summed voltage, whether a second power source is to be coupled to a system power bus of a system via a second port controller of the plurality of port controllers, and if not, the first port controller is to couple a first power source to the system power bus. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09874910B2 |
Methods and apparatus to effect hot reset for an on die non-root port integrated device
In an embodiment, a processor includes at least one core to initiate a hot reset, and a peripheral device that is coupled to a root complex fabric via through the root port via an peripheral component interconnect express to on-chip system fabric (PCIE to OSF) bridge. The processor also includes a power control unit that includes reset logic to decouple the peripheral device from the root complex fabric responsive to initiation of the hot reset. After the peripheral device is decoupled from the root complex fabric, the reset logic is to assert a reset of the peripheral device while a first core of the at least one core is in operation. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09874909B2 |
Laptop
A laptop includes a housing, a touch sensor, a fingerprint sensor and a contact panel. The housing has a through hole. The touch sensor is received in the housing and the touch sensor includes a touch area exposed through the through hole. The fingerprint sensor is received in the housing and the fingerprint sensor includes a fingerprint collecting area exposed through the through hole. The contact panel is arranged at the through hole and covers the touch area and the fingerprint collecting area. |
| US09874908B2 |
Electronic devices
An electronic device capable of maintaining an angle between two display units at a certain angle, without any hinge structure is provided. The electronic device includes a display unit including a first display unit and a functional unit spaced apart from each other, the functional unit being equipped with an electronic component, a cover unit including a first cover part and a second cover part, to which the first display unit and the functional unit are respectively attached, and a connection unit including a shape-preserving member, which is configured to allow the display unit and the functional unit to be maintained at a certain angle, when an angle between the first cover part and the second cover part is changed by an external force. |
| US09874903B2 |
Foot assembly system
Disclosed is a foot assembly system comprising a foot member configured to attach to a base of a device through a cutout in the base. The system may further comprise a cap configured to affix the foot member to the base, wherein the foot member and cap are configured to engage from opposite sides of the base, through the cutout in the base. |
| US09874900B2 |
Form adjustable angle between a battery and battery cavity to selectively place a video display in viewing orientations
A tablet computing device may include a main body, a video display, and a battery cavity. The main body may include a front side and a back side. The video display may be disposed on the front side. The video display may display images. The battery cavity is disposed on the back side to receive a battery to supply power to the main body. The battery may form an adjustable angle between the battery and the battery cavity. The video display may be selectively placed in one of a plurality of viewing orientations based on an amount of the adjustable angle. |
| US09874899B2 |
Devices and methods for dispensing hand sanitizer
A portable sanitizer dispenser for use with a cellular phone includes a hand sanitizer dispenser configured to releasably engage at least one surface of a cellular phone. The sanitizer dispenser includes a compressible cavity defined therein configured to retain a sanitizer therein. The sanitizer dispenser further includes a nozzle disposed on an outer surface thereof. The nozzle is in fluid communication with the compressible cavity such that when pressure is applied to the compressible cavity, sanitizer is expelled from the nozzle. |
| US09874898B2 |
Memory system using asymmetric source-synchronous clocking
The disclosed embodiments relate to a memory system that generates a multiplied timing signal from a reference timing signal. During operation, the system receives a reference timing signal. Next, the system produces a multiplied timing signal from the reference timing signal by generating a burst comprising multiple timing events for each timing event in the reference timing signal, wherein consecutive timing events in each burst of timing events are separated by a bit time. Then, as the reference clock frequency changes, the interval between bursts of timing events changes while the bit time remains substantially constant. |
| US09874895B2 |
Reference current generating circuitry, A/D converter, and wireless communication device
A reference current generating circuit has a variable current supply to output a reference current, delay circuitry to generate a reference clock by delaying a clock by a reference delay amount and a delay clock by delaying the clock depending on a current value of the reference current, a phase comparator to compare a phase of the reference clock with a phase of the delay clock to output a comparison result, and control circuitry to control the current value of the reference current based on the compared result. |
| US09874893B2 |
Self-biased multiple cascode current mirror circuit
A self-biased cascode current mirror/scaler circuit can include a bias FET biased with an input current to generate a gate-source voltage, which can be divided by a bias circuit into a first voltage component (e.g., at a threshold voltage) and a second voltage component (at a FET drain-source saturation voltage or edge of saturation voltage). An input FET of the current mirror/scaler circuit can receive approximately the input current or a function thereof. A gate of the input FET can be biased at the first voltage component in sum with a FET drain-source saturation voltage or edge of saturation voltage of the input FET. A gate of the output FET can be connected to the gate of the input FET. A gate of a cascode FET in series with the output FET can be biased at the first voltage component in sum with the second voltage component in sum with the FET drain-source saturation voltage or edge of saturation voltage of the input FET. Multiple cascode FETs, multiple output stages, high frequency bypass capacitors, and lowpass filters are also described. |
| US09874891B2 |
Auto-adaptable energy management apparatus
An apparatus includes a housing including an LCD screen capable of displaying settings information and an energy savings settings icon, and a processor configured to detect multiple inputs with the housing including settings information provided by a user in response to an interaction with the housing. The processor is further configured to initiate a suggestion of a setting resulting in a display of the energy savings settings icon, and process the multiple inputs and determine a schedule and determine whether to display the energy savings settings icon based on the determined schedule. A wireless communication module is configured to access a hosted web service and a mobile device, each of which receive multiple inputs such that the settings information can be provided remotely. The multiple inputs include detecting a presence in proximity to the housing over a period of time and providing a presence status to determine the settings information. |
| US09874885B2 |
System and method for optimal load and source scheduling in context aware homes
A controller for controlling energy consumption in a home includes a constraints engine to define variables for multiple appliances in the home corresponding to various home modes and persona of an occupant of the home. A modeling engine models multiple paths of energy utilization of the multiple appliances to place the home into a desired state from a current context. An optimal scheduler receives the multiple paths of energy utilization and generates a schedule as a function of the multiple paths and a selected persona to place the home in a desired state. |
| US09874877B2 |
Method and system for automatically controlling a following vehicle with a scout vehicle
A method and system for automatically controlling at least one following vehicle where a scout trajectory is produced for a scout vehicle and the scout vehicle is guided along an actual trajectory, the actual trajectory of the scout vehicle and scout environmental data is captured by scout sensors. A desired trajectory is produced for the following vehicle and following vehicle environmental data are captured by following vehicle sensors. A scout trajectory similarity is determined based on the scout trajectory produced and the captured actual trajectory, reference trajectory data are produced and reference environmental data are produced based on the scout environmental data. The reference trajectory data and the reference environmental data are transmitted to the following vehicle and a trajectory similarity is determined by a trajectory comparison based on the desired trajectory produced and the transmitted reference trajectory data. |
| US09874876B2 |
Control apparatus for autonomously navigating utility vehicle
In an apparatus for controlling operation of an autonomously navigating utility vehicle travelling about a working area delineated by a boundary wire, the working area including a narrow area and a broad area, there are provided with a magnetic field strength detector, a travel controlling unit controlling the vehicle to turn and travel straight forward every time the vehicle reaches the boundary wire based on the magnetic field strength, and a narrow area discriminating unit discriminating that the vehicle travels in the narrow area when the magnetic field strength is kept to be greater than a threshold value predefined based on a minimum value of the magnetic field strength in the narrow area from a first turn to a second turn of the vehicle, or for a predetermined time period after the first turn. |
| US09874874B2 |
Dynamic compliance monitoring of unmanned vehicles
A system includes an unmanned vehicle (UV). A compliance unit receives sensor data from one or more sensors and compares the sensor data to a predetermined payload capacity threshold and a predetermined range capability threshold to determine compliance with a predetermined payload capacity and a predetermined range capability of the UV. The compliance unit generates a command to restrict the operation of the UV if the sensor data exceeds the predetermined payload capacity threshold and the predetermined range capability threshold of the UV. |
| US09874873B2 |
Environmental management systems including mobile robots and methods using same
A mobile robot includes a microprocessor connected to a memory and a wireless network circuit, for executing routines stored in the memory and commands generated by the routines and received via the wireless network circuit. The microprocessor drives the mobile robot to a multiplicity of accessible two dimensional locations within a household, and commands an end effector, including at least one motorized actuator, to perform mechanical work in the household. A plurality of routines include a first routine which monitors a wireless local network and detects a presence of a network entity on the wireless local network, a second routine which receives a signal from a sensor detecting an action state of one of the network entities, the action state changeable between waiting and active, and a third routine which commands the end effector to change state of performing mechanical work based on the presence and on the action state. |
| US09874866B2 |
Control system including control apparatus for controlling machine having a plurality of axes
A control system includes a control apparatus, identification information storage units disposed in a plurality of servo amplifiers and configured to store identification information pieces for identifying each of the plurality of servo amplifiers, communication units configured to perform communication between the control apparatus and the plurality of servo amplifiers, and an automatic setting unit configured to automatically set axis configuration parameters for assigning correspondence relations between a plurality of control axes and axes of the plurality of servo amplifiers based on the identification information and a type of a servo amplifier corresponding to each of the plurality of control axes recognized by software of the control apparatus. |
| US09874859B1 |
Framework for simulations of complex-adaptive systems
An initial data state is obtained for an adaptive system. A simulation is started for the adaptive system on an electronic computing device. A first trial is run of the simulation of the adaptive system until a first stop point is reached. When the first stop point is reached, one or more recursive simulations are run from the first stop point. After the one or more recursive simulations have been run, an optimized set of modified data states for the adaptive system at the first stop point is automatically determined. Using the optimized set of modified data states, the run of the first trial of the simulation is continued from the first stop point until either additional stop points are reached or the first trial of the simulation is completed. An additional set of optimized modified data states is determined for at least one of the additional stop points. |
| US09874858B2 |
Automation control system and a method in an automation control system
Systems and methods for controlling lab equipment such as transmitters are provided that includes a mini automation controller (MAC). The system provides a control system, user interface, and interfaces, including network interfaces usable for interfacing equipment, MAC, and user interfaces over a network, which provide a variety of functions including automation and monitoring of transmission sequences and receiver events. An exemplary MAC may include an Ethernet controller capable of converting an Ethernet signal to a serial signal. The MAC may also include a receiver monitor section comprising a fiber optic receiver input, a copper cable receiver input, and a monostable multivibrator. In addition to the receiver monitor section, the MAC may have a transmitter control section including a transmitter control pulse and a power output. An exemplary MAC may have a microcontroller coupled to the Ethernet controller, the receiver monitor section, and the transmitter control section. |
| US09874856B2 |
EEPROM cell with charge loss
An EEPROM memory cell includes a dual-gate MOS transistor in which the two gates are separated by an insulation layer. The insulation layer includes a first portion and a second portion having lower insulation properties than the first one. The second portion is located at least partially above a channel region of the transistor. |
| US09874854B2 |
Process cartridge, electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and electrophotographic photosensitive drum unit
A drum unit includes a photosensitive drum having an axis L1, a drum flange provided at an end of the photosensitive drum, and a coupling member having an axis L2. The coupling member includes (i) a first end portion connected to the drum flange, (ii) a second end portion including at least one projection, and (iii) a connecting portion connecting the first end portion and the second end portion. The coupling member is movable between (i) a first position in which a tip of the at least one projection is a first distance away from the photosensitive drum as measured in the direction of the axis L1 and (ii) a second position in which the tip of the at least one projection is a second distance away from the photosensitive drum as measured in the direction of the axis L1. |
| US09874851B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body, a fixing device, and a latching member. The fixing device is disposed in the apparatus main body. The latching member is disposed at the apparatus main body. The fixing device includes a fixing device main body and a fixing device cover. The fixing device cover is disposed over the fixing device main body in an openable and closable manner. The fixing device cover includes a fixing device cover main body and a to-be-latched portion. The fixing device cover is disposed over the fixing device main body in an openable and closable manner. The to-be-latched portion is disposed at the fixing device cover main body. In a situation in which the fixing device cover is opened, the to-be-latched portion is latched by the latching member. |
| US09874848B2 |
Image forming apparatus having a lubricant and developer of opposite polarity
An image forming apparatus includes a cartridge including an image bearing member, and a developer bearing member that bears a developer. A lubricant of a polarity opposite to a polarity of the developer is coated on the developer bearing member, with the lubricant being a resin. If the cartridge is new, a discharging operation of discharging the lubricant from a surface of the developer bearing member onto the image bearing member is performed. |
| US09874846B2 |
Process cartridge, electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and electrophotographic photosensitive drum unit
A drum unit includes a photosensitive drum having an axis L1, a drum flange provided at an end of the photosensitive drum, and a coupling member having an axis L2. The coupling member includes (i) a first end portion connected to the drum flange, (ii) a second end portion including at least one projection, and (iii) a connecting portion connecting the first end portion and the second end portion. The coupling member is movable between (i) a first position in which a tip of the at least one projection is a first distance away from the photosensitive drum as measured in the direction of the axis L1 and (ii) a second position in which the tip of the at least one projection is a second distance away from the photosensitive drum as measured in the direction of the axis L1. |
| US09874840B2 |
Fixing device and image forming apparatus including a fixing device
There is provided a fixing device. An endless belt comes into contact with a developer image on a recording medium. A heat source is provided on an inner side of the belt and emits radiant heat. A heat transmitting member includes a contact portion which contacts with an inner circumferential surface of the belt, absorbs the radiant heat of the heat source, and transmits the heat to the belt. A deforming unit deforms when a temperature of the contact portion exceeds a predetermined setting temperature, and separates the belt and at least a part of the contact portion from each other. |
| US09874833B2 |
Cartridge and image forming device
A cartridge includes: a casing including a developer accommodation part for accommodating developer; an agitator for agitating the developer and rotatable about a first rotational axis extending in an axial direction; a receiving member rotatable about a second rotational axis upon receipt of a drive-force inputted thereto; a first drive-force transmission member rotatable about a third rotational axis upon receipt of the drive-force from the receiving member; and a second drive-force transmission member rotatable about the first rotational axis together with the agitator. The second drive-force transmission member can contact the first drive-force transmission member and receive the drive-force therefrom, the first rotational axis being positioned closer to the second rotational axis than the third rotational axis is to the second rotational axis when projected in the axial direction of the agitator. |
| US09874832B2 |
Roller and image forming apparatus using same
Provided is a roller capable of suppressing generation of cut waste from an end of a roller due to contact with another member inside a device when mounted on an image forming device, particularly a conductive roller, and an image forming device using the same. A roller includes a shaft 1 and a base layer 2 provided on the outer periphery of the shaft. A filler layer 4 covering the base layer is provided on end faces of both ends of the base layer in the roller axial direction, and the filler layer is composed of a material having a breaking strain measured according to a tensile test of JIS K 7127 of not less than 120% and a tensile stress at 100% elongation measured according to a tensile test of JIS K 7127 of from 5 to 30 N/mm2. |