最新美国发明专利第2018-03-13期 - 专利汇|PatentHub专利检索|专利查询网|发明专利查询分析

Document	Document Title
US09918418B2	Protective material applicator device Devices, methods and systems disclosed herein relate to the application of a protective film on a surface of an electronic device that instantly reduces air bubbles and eliminates the waiting time usually required when using a wet fluid solution. In one embodiment, a roller apparatus may be used to apply the protective film on the surface of the electronic device. The roller apparatus may include an opening for receiving a display peg.
US09918414B2	Electromagnetic interference shields for electronic packages and related methods Disclosed are EMI shielded packages, electronic device packages, and related methods. EMI shielded packages are formed by applying an insulating material to a first side of a substrate strip, separating the substrate strip into segments, adhering the insulating material of the segments to a solid conductor, applying a conductive paste around lateral sides of the segments, curing the conductive paste, and cutting through the conductive paste and the solid conductor to form the EMI packages. An electronic device package includes a substrate including electronic circuitry, an EMI shield, and an insulating material insulating the substrate from the EMI shield. The EMI shield includes a solid conductor adhered to the insulating material, and a cured conductive paste at least partially surrounding a lateral edge of the substrate. The cured conductive paste electrically connects the solid conductor to a conductive terminal in a lateral side of the substrate.
US09918413B2	Air-based cooling for data center rack A high-velocity low-pressure cooling system (100), especially suited for data center applications, includes an air coolant loop (102), a non-air coolant loop (104) and a cooler unit (126) for heat transfer between the loops (102 and 104). The air loop (102) is used to chill ambient air that is blown across heat transfer surfaces of equipment mounted in data center racks (110). In this manner, effective cooling is provided using a coolant that is benign in data center environments.
US09918412B2	Cooling air stack for computer equipment A cooling system for a computer room includes a forced air system. The forced air system moves cooling air through computers in one or more rack systems in the computer room. Stacks are coupled between the rack systems and the ceiling of the computer room. Each stack may include a flexible portion between an inlet portion and an exit portion of the stack. The stacks direct cooling air exiting from exit ports on the rack systems to openings in the ceiling.
US09918411B2	Flap-based forced air cooling of datacenter equipment In one embodiment, a rack enclosure for housing rack-mounted equipment includes a deflection member adapted to a piece of the rack-mounted equipment and an actuator coupled to the deflection member to control a position of the deflection member between a fully closed position and a fully opened position. A variable amount of cooling airflow is to be provided to the equipment piece based on the deflection member position.
US09918409B2	Cooling system with integrated fill and drain pump A cooling system is provided which includes, for instance, a coolant circulation loop, one or more primary coolant pumps, and a fill and drain pump. The primary coolant pump(s) is coupled to facilitate circulating coolant through the coolant circulation loop, and the fill and drain pump facilitates selective filling of the cooling system with the coolant, or draining of the coolant from the cooling system. The fill and drain pump is integrated with the cooling system as a backup coolant pump to the primary coolant pump(s), and circulates the coolant through the coolant circulation loop responsive to an error in the primary coolant pump(s). The primary coolant pump(s) and fill and drain pumps may be different types of pumps, and the cooling system further includes a control system for automatically activating the fill and drain pump upon detection of an error in the primary coolant pump(s).
US09918408B2	Method and apparatus to manage coolant pressure and flow for an array of liquid submerged electronic devices A fluid delivery system configuration is described for use with an array of liquid submersion cooled electronic devices disposed in a rack, such as an array of liquid submerged servers. The fluid delivery system allows for the pumping system to generate pressure and flow of the cooling system fluid at slightly higher levels than is necessary for the worst case device/position within the array and to provide for uniformity of delivery pressure and coolant flow to each and every device within the array.
US09918406B2	Mounting arrangements for electrical contactors A mounting arrangement for an electrical contactor includes a panel and a post. The post has a first end and a second end protruding from the panel. The first end of the post is arranged to electrically communicate with an electrical contactor. The second end of the post is arranged to connect to an electrical bus bar. A cold plate overlays the panel, extends about the post, and is in thermal communication with the post to transfer heat between the cold plate and post.
US09918404B1	Server sliding rail mounting bracket assembly A server sliding rail mounting bracket assembly includes a bracket, a top cover, an elastic member and a swing seat. When mounting, a lever of the swing seat is pushed to move hanging rods of the bracket into respective rectangular or circular mounting holes of the server rack, and the elastic member pushes second guide rods of the swing seat to move forward along respective longitudinal sliding slots of the top cover to further force a top block of the lever into abutment against an inner wall surface of the server rack and to force first guide rods of the swing seat into engagement with first or second engagement portions of the top cover. When dismounting, the lever is pushed inward to disengage the server sliding rail mounting bracket assembly and the server sliding rail assembly from the server rack. Thus, mounting and dismounting can be achieved easily without tools.
US09918399B1	Server A server adapted to a server rack. The server rack has a first and a second connectors at a rear end of the server rack. The server comprises a tray, a motherboard, an expansion board, an adaption board, a system board, a docking module and a first cable. The motherboard comprises a central processing unit. The motherboard, the expansion, the adaption board and the system board are disposed on the tray. The docking module comprises a third and a fourth connectors. The fourth connector is configured for electrically connected to the first connector, and the third connector is configured for electrically connected to the second connector. One end of the first cable is connected to one end of the third connector, and the other end of the first cable is connected to the adaption board. The first cable is electrically connected to the third connector and the adaption board.
US09918396B2	Bendable structure and electronic device The present application discloses a bendable structure for an electronic device, which includes a first structural layer and a second structural layer arranged to be overlapped with the first structural layer. The bendable structure has a straight state and a bent state, the first structural layer has a first bendable section which can be bent, and the second structural layer has a second bendable section which can be bent. The first bendable section corresponds to the second bendable section in an overlapped manner. When the bendable structure is in the bent state, a central angle corresponding to the first bendable section and a central angle corresponding to the second bendable section are same, such that both ends of the first bendable section are flush with corresponding ends of the second bendable section.
US09918395B1	Three part foldable housing supporting multiple use positions in an electronic device The present application provides an electronic device having at least a three part housing foldable between multiple use positions. The three part housing includes a first housing part, a second housing part, and a third housing part, where each of the three housing parts has a front facing, a back facing, and two spaced apart sides respectively coupled between the front facing and back facing at opposite edges of the front and back facings. The second housing part is respectively movably coupled to a side of each the first housing part and the third housing part at a different one of the two spaced apart sides of the second housing part. The electronic device further includes a flexible display which extends along at least portions of the first housing part and the second housing part, and across the movably coupled sides, at which the first housing part is coupled to the second housing part. The third housing part is adapted to be moved relative to the second housing part to selectively cover at least a portion of the flexible display.
US09918394B2	Robot control apparatus A robot system includes a robot and a robot control apparatus. The robot control apparatus is connected to the robot for controlling the robot and includes a casing and a display unit movable with respect to the casing and displaying information. The casing has a plurality of attachment parts to which the display unit is attached. The plurality of attachment parts are provided on first and second surfaces of the casing, and the first surface is not parallel to the second surface.
US09918393B2	Printed circuit board, power supply apparatus, image forming apparatus, and printed circuit board manufacturing method A piezoelectric transformer includes a piezoelectric element. Two primary side electrodes exist on the primary side of the piezoelectric element. The primary side electrodes are coupled by a resistor formed from a conductive coating. A discharge current is discharged via the resistor to protect a semiconductor component from the discharge current. Since neither a short-circuit terminal nor conductive jig is required, electrostatic discharge damage to a semiconductor component can be prevented by a low-cost arrangement.
US09918390B2	Electronic component mounting system An electronic component mounting system includes a component information change history storage unit that stores component information including operating parameters for numerical determination of an operation mode of an electronic component mounting operation unit and a change history of the component information, a mounting error recorder that detects a mounting error occurring during an electronic component mounting operation and records mounting error information relating to an occurrence situation of the mounting error, and a display unit that displays a transition of the mounting error on a screen of the display unit and reads past component information for designated date and time based on the designated date and time so that a correlation between change in the component information and the mounting error can be checked with ease and the component information including the operating parameter can be restored to a proper state.
US09918387B2	Electronic unit An electronic unit includes a heat sink, a substrate, a heating component, a temperature sensor, a first interconnection, and a second interconnection. The heat sink includes a strut. The substrate is fixed to the strut of the heat sink. The heating component is mounted on the substrate to generate heat upon energization of the heating component. The temperature sensor is mounted on the substrate to detect temperature. The first interconnection is provided in a high-temperature region in which the heating component is mounted on the substrate, and is connected to the strut of the heat sink. The second interconnection is provided in a detection region in which the temperature sensor is mounted on the substrate, and is provided separately from the first interconnection. The second interconnection is connected to the strut of the heat sink and the temperature sensor.
US09918385B2	Electronic device According to an embodiment, an electronic device includes a substrate, first conductors, second conductors, a connector, third conductors, an electronic component, and a first wiring. The first conductor is complied with a first USB standard. The second conductor is complied with a second USB standard. The connector is mounted on the first conductors or the second conductors. The first wiring connects one of the first conductors, one of the second conductors, and one of the third conductors.
US09918376B2	Hybrid impedance matching for inductively coupled plasma system In one aspect, a system includes a generator configured to generate and tune a frequency of a supply signal. The system includes an auto-matching network configured to receive the supply signal and to generate an impedance-matched signal for use in powering a plasma system. In some implementations, during a first stage of an impedance matching operation, the generator is configured to tune the frequency of the supply signal until the generator identifies a frequency for which the reactance of the generator and the reactance of the load are best matched. In some implementations, during a second stage of the impedance matching operation, the auto-matching network is configured to tune a tuning element within the auto-matching network until the auto-matching network identifies a tuning of the tuning element for which the resistance of the generator and the resistance of the load are best matched.
US09918373B2	Methods and apparatus for providing DC power for low voltage lighting A DC power supply for lighting includes low voltage driver electronics for any suitable load such as lighting along with a supervisory controller that communicates to the driver electronics via any suitable digital communication protocol. Each driver's output ports include a 3rd wire that communicates to the low voltage load fixture for the purpose of auto-negotiating the appropriate power level without first having to energize the fixture.
US09918369B2	LED backlight driving circuit and method for detecting failure thereof Disclosed is an LED backlight driving circuit and method for detecting failure thereof. A driving chip of the circuit, on the one hand, is electrically connected to a control end of a booster unit so as to transmit a gate control signal to the booster unit, for regulating a driving voltage supplied by a power supply unit to an LED light strip through the booster unit, and on the other, is electrically connected between an output end of a detection unit and a negative end of the LED light strip, forming a current path of the LED light strip. When the detection unit outputs a variable testing voltage, the driving chip controls a current flowing through the LED light strip so that the current changes with the testing voltage, and judges whether to cut off its electrical connection to the LED light strip based on a comparison of a voltage on the negative end of the LED light strip and a predetermined threshold voltage.
US09918367B1	Current source regulation Current source regulation circuitry that is arranged in a loop with power supply circuitry and current source circuitry. The current source regulation circuitry is configured to control the magnitude of supply voltage output by the power supply circuitry in order to maintain the voltage drop across each one current source of the current source circuitry to within a bounded range of voltage values. The bounded range of voltage values may be defined such that each one current source of the current source circuitry can properly regulate a drive current that is supplied to a corresponding light source coupled thereto, and such that the amount of power dissipated by each current source of the current source circuitry during operation is maintained within an acceptable range.
US09918366B2	Lighting device with variable color rendering The present disclosure relates to an LED-based lighting component that can control the color rendering capability of its generated light based on the presence or characteristics of ambient light. In one embodiment, the lighting component may employ at least two different types of LEDs to generate light. Control circuitry of the lighting component is able to monitor ambient light and drive the LEDs based on an ambient light characteristic that is indicative of the CRI of the ambient light. If the ambient light characteristic is indicative of the ambient light having a lower CRI, the control system will drive the LEDs to emit light with a defined CRI. If the ambient light characteristic is indicative of the ambient light having a higher CRI, the control system will drive the LEDs to emit light with a reduced CRI, which is lower than the defined CRI.
US09918365B1	Ripple removing circuit and LED control circuit applying the same A ripple removing circuit and an LED control circuit applying the same are described herein. The LED control circuit receives alternating current input, converts the input into direct current with ripples and supplies power for an LED load. The direct current with ripples is connected to a positive end of the LED load, a negative end of the load is connected to a first end of a regulation tube, and a second end of the regulation tube is grounded. A first capacitor is connected between a control end of the regulation tube and the ground, and the time constant of the filter circuit formed by the first capacitor, a current generating circuit and a current source is far greater than a power frequency period. The current flowing across the regulation tube is approximately a direct current free of ripples, thereby decreasing the current ripples going across the LED load.
US09918363B2	LED lighting device A light emitting diode (LED) lighting device includes a circuit for receiving an input power from a power source and outputting a rectified power, an LED unit including a plurality of LED channels connected in series, each LED channel having a front end and a rear end, a current sensing resistor, and a switch circuit unit. The switch circuit unit includes a plurality of switches, and an Nth switch is connected to the rear end of an Nth LED channel so as to control an operation of the nth LED channel, and is controlled by a sum of a current of the Nth switch and a current of an (N+1)th switch, which flows through the current sensing resistor. Forward voltages of the LED channels are unevenly redistributed so as to keep power consumption between the Nth switch and the (N+1)th switch substantially same, and N is a positive integer.
US09918362B2	Control unit and lighting apparatus including light engine and control unit A LED based lighting apparatus is disclosed. The light engine used in the lighting apparatus may use printed circuit board and have a plurality of LED groups that are independently controllable by a control unit. The power supply input and return paths connected to each LED group may be implemented on different layers to allow a compact footprint that may be used with traditional fluorescent encasements with relatively little modification. The LEDs may comprise a subset of LEDs having a first color and a subset of LEDs having a second color different from said first color intertwined on the light engine.
US09918357B2	Fixing member, cooking range and oven with the same A fixing member, a cooking range and an oven with the same are provided. The fixing member includes: a base plate defining a mounting hole; a connecting plate comprising a first plate segment connected at a first side of the base plate, a second plate segment, and a third plate segment substantially parallel to the base plate, the second plate segment being connected between the first and third plate segments; and a fixing plate defining a first end connected at a second side of the base plate and perpendicular to the base plate, and a second end having a snapping tongue bent and extended in a direction away from the connecting plate, a vertical distance between a free end of the snapping tongue and the base plate being equal to or smaller than that between the third plate segment and the base plate.
US09918355B2	Heater assembly A television/space heater combination device for displaying image content and for heating air and method of using the same is presented. The television/space heater combination device includes a television, a space heater and, sometimes, a frame. The method of use includes activating the space heater; selecting a temperature value for the space heater; generating heat and distributing the same into a room from the space heater; activating the television; and displaying an image on a screen of the television while generating heat with the space heater. The displayed image may be an image of a wood or gas burning fireplace generated by a continuous video loop; or be images from regular television programming or images generated by data transmitted to the television by a remote computer.
US09918354B2	Method and apparatus for processing service of wireless communications The disclosure provides a method and apparatus for processing service of wireless communications. The method includes that: a network side receives a request message which is sent by a terminal and used for creating a service (S102); after determining that the terminal is in a handover process, the network side notifies the terminal to delay the creation of the service (S104); and after the handover process is completed, the network side receives the request message which is resent by the terminal, and creates the service (S106). The disclosure solves the problem that when handover process is carried out, a User Equipment (UE) cannot ensure that a service is initiated normally, thereby ensuring that the service which is initiated in a handover process can be initiated normally and is not affected because of the handover process, and improving the user experience.
US09918353B2	802.1X access session keepalive method, device, and system The present invention relates to the field of communications. Disclosed are an 802.1X access session keepalive method, device, and system. The method comprises: during network access of a 802.1X client, an authenticating node used for access authentication sending, to the 802.1X client according to an actual keepalive period of the authenticating node, a keepalive request message used for determining whether the 802.1X client is off-net abnormally; and during a preset duration of the authenticating node, if the authenticating node does not receive a keepalive response message from the 802.1X client in response to the keepalive request message, the authenticating node determining that the 802.1X client is off-net abnormally; otherwise, determining that the 802.1X client is on-net normally. The embodiments of the present invention improve network resource utilization, reduce the security problem caused by too heavy load of the authenticating node, and lower the risk of errors in charging on time.
US09918352B2	Vehicle-to-everything reattach timing Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communication are described. A user equipment (UE) may establish a connection to a base station for wireless communications with a network that supports vehicle based communications. The UE may identify a boundary time for the base station. The boundary time may be associated with a periodic schedule when UEs connected to the base station and participating in the vehicle based communications over the network perform a disconnect procedure and a reattach procedure. The UE may perform the disconnect procedure and the reattach procedure at the boundary time.
US09918347B2	Wireless communication apparatus, information processing apparatus, communication system, and communication method A communications apparatus and method provide logic for establishing communications sessions in accordance with one or more connection rights. In one implementation, a communications apparatus may include a control circuit configured to establish, through an information processing apparatus, a communications session with an additional communications apparatus associated with one or more first connection rights. The established communications session may be associated with one or more second connection rights that differ from the first connection rights, and the control circuit may be further configured to generate an instruction to transmit data in accordance with the second connection rights.
US09918346B2	System for connecting, securing and managing network devices with a dedicated private virtual network A device includes a database, a controller, and a PVN router. The database is configured to store network settings information and tracks devices connected to a network. The controller is configured to control access of devices to one another after establishing a connection to the network. The PVN router is configured to receive a provisioning request from a requesting to connect to the network. The PVN router is further configured to transmit a provisioning response to the requesting device based on instantiation of a PVN template received from the database. The PVN template is generated based on the network settings information and further based on the control access determined by the controller. The provisioning response establishes a connection between the requesting device and the network. The requesting device is inaccessible by a subset of devices already connected in the network after the connection is established and vice versa.
US09918345B2	Apparatus and method for wireless network services in moving vehicles Apparatus and methods for providing backhaul access connectivity to e.g., a vehicular hotspot. In one embodiment, a wireless network of access points comprises so-called “parent access points” (PAPs), “child access points” (CAPs), and “transit access points” (TAPs). Each PAP operates as a service gateway and provides a wireless coverage area, which is further augmented by the coverages of its subsidiary CAPs. Each TAP can connect to either a PAP or a CAP for backhaul access. During exemplary operation, a user's Wi-Fi client device connects to a TAP located in the vehicle (e.g., car, train, bus, etc.), and provides connectivity to a host managed content distribution network to which the user subscribes.
US09918343B2	Wireless communication method for simultaneous data communication, and wireless communication terminal using same The present invention relates to a wireless communication method for simultaneous data communication and a wireless communication terminal using the same, and more particularly, to a wireless communication method for suppressing interference between terminals and ensuring fairness when performing data simultaneous communication for spatial reuse of communication system and wireless communication terminal using the same.For this, provided are a wireless communication method and a wireless communication terminal using the same. The method includes: receiving a wireless signal of a specific channel; extracting basic service set (BSS) identifier information of the received wireless signal; extracting length information from the wireless signal wherein the length information represents information relating to a transmission completion time point of the wireless signal; and adjusting a data transmission period of the terminal based on the extracted length information, when the BSS identifier information of the wireless signal is different from BSS identifier information of the terminal.
US09918342B2	Method and device for transmitting/receiving frame in accordance with bandwidth thereof in WLAN system The present invention relates to a wireless communication system and, more specifically, provides a method and device for transmitting/receiving a frame in accordance with the bandwidth thereof in a WLAN system. The method for performing a response process in a WLAN system according to one embodiment of the present invention may comprise: a step in which a first station (STA) transmits a frame requesting a response frame to a second STA; and a step in which the first STA awaits the response frame for an ACKTimeout interval. The value of the ACKTimeout interval may be determined differently according to the preamble channel bandwidth type of the frame.
US09918341B2	Clear channel assessment procedure at master and slave devices In order to provide a generic access rule, the present disclosure proposes a new potential set of adaptivity rules for LBE based on LBT. The generic access rule of the present disclosure provides LTE-U and Wi-Fi coexistence and DL/UL coexistence in both LTE-U and Wi-Fi. The apparatus receives, from the first master device, a resource allocation for communicating with the second master device. The apparatus also determines a type of CCA procedure to perform before communicating with the second master device on an unlicensed channel. The apparatus further performs a CCA procedure to obtain a transmission opportunity based on the determining, the CCA procedure being one of an ICCA procedure or an ECCA procedure. In addition, the apparatus transmit data to the second master device in accordance with the resource allocation on the unlicensed channel when the transmission opportunity is obtained.
US09918340B1	Enhanced distributed channel access parameter variation within restricted access window A wireless access point includes a medium access control circuit that generates a first traffic indication map announcing a restricted access window (RAW). A physical layer device transmits a first beacon, including the first traffic indication map, over a wireless medium. The RAW begins subsequent to the first beacon and ends prior to the next beacon. During the RAW, the physical layer device accesses the wireless medium using a first set of channel access parameters. Outside of the RAW, the physical layer device accesses the wireless medium using a second set of channel access parameters different than the first set. The second set includes channel access values respectively corresponding to access categories. A first frame, associated with a first access category, is transmitted after waiting for a period of time that is based on a channel access value corresponding to the first access category.
US09918339B2	Method of accessing channel in wireless local area network system A method of accessing a channel in a wireless LAN system is disclosed. A method of accessing a channel in a terminal includes receiving TIM information included in a beacon transmitted by an access point, determining a channel access slot allocated to the terminal based on the TIM information, transmitting a data transmission request to the access point in the channel access slot, and receiving data transmission slot allocation information corresponding to the data transmission request from the access point. Accordingly, a time slot can be prevented from unnecessarily wasting.
US09918338B2	Method and apparatus for detecting uplink synchronization signal of each level in wireless access system supporting high-frequency band The present invention provides a method for detecting an uplink synchronization signal in a wireless access system supporting a high-frequency band, a method for designing a detection filter for the same and an apparatus for supporting the same. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for detecting a random access channel signal by a base station in a wireless access system supporting the high-frequency band comprises: allocating a cyclic shift value used in the base station; configuring a received signal vector for a signal transmitted via a random access channel; detecting at least one RACH signal from the received signal vector, using a frequency domain detecting filter; and identifying at least one terminal having transmitted at least one RACH signal, using a target terminal detecting filter, wherein the filter for detecting a target terminal may be set on the basis of the cyclic shift value.
US09918337B2	Method and apparatus for performing uplink transmit diversity A method and apparatus for performing uplink (UL) transmit diversity implemented in a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) includes receiving a signal including precoding information. The precoding information is detected and applied to an UL transmission. The UL transmission is transmitted with the applied precoding information.
US09918335B2	PDCCH monitoring method and apparatus in a carrier junction system A method is provided for receiving a downlink control information (DCI) from a base station (BS) by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system. The UE monitors a plurality of Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) candidates having a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) scrambled by a cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI) and having a same payload size in a common search space and a UE-specific search space on a primary cell to receive the DCI from the BS. The common search space and the UE-specific search space are overlapped. When the UE is configured with a carrier indicator field (CIF), determining, by the UE, that only a PDCCH in the common search space is transmitted by the BS from among the plurality of PDCCH candidates. The UE receives a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) corresponding to the PDCCH in the common search space.
US09918332B2	Method and device for UE-base station communication by using unlicensed spectrum Provided are a method and device for UE-base station communication by using an unlicensed spectrum, the method comprising: a UE detects, on the first sub frame of a first carrier wave, a first physical layer signaling for scheduling the first carrier wave, and detects, on the second sub frame of a second carrier wave, a second physical layer signaling for scheduling the first carrier wave, the first carrier being deployed on the unlicensed spectrum, the second carrier wave being deployed on a licensed spectrum, and the first sub frame and the second sub frame being different sub frames. The present invention disclosure ensures the transmission quality of the physical layer signaling as far as possible, and also ensures that a sub frame on an SCC can be scheduled. In addition, the present invention disclosure reuses an existing LTE CA solution as far as possible, and has good compatibility.
US09918329B2	Station (STA) and method for communication on primary and secondary channel resources Embodiments of a station (STA) and method for communication on primary and secondary channel resources are generally described herein. The STA may transmit a grant frame to indicate a transmission of a data payload by the STA during a grant period. The grant frame may indicate whether the data payload is to be transmitted on primary channel resources or on secondary channel resources. The STA may transmit the data payload to a destination STA on the secondary channel resources when the grant frame indicates that the data payload is to be transmitted on the secondary channel resources. The grant frame may be transmitted on the primary channel resources and on the secondary channel resources when the grant frame indicates that the data payload is to be transmitted on the secondary channel resources.
US09918318B2	Mobile communication system and mobile communication method In a mobile communication system, user data is communicated directly among a plurality of radio terminals without passing through a radio base station. The communication of user data directly performed among the plurality of radio terminals is performed by using a part of radio resources assigned to the mobile communication system. A D2D terminal included in the plurality of radio terminals notifies the radio base station of an identifier of a neighboring terminal located in the neighborhood of the D2D terminal, or the neighboring terminal notifies the radio base station of the identifier of the D2D terminal.
US09918317B2	Apparatus configured to approximate a power coefficient in a cell-free massive MIMO wireless system and method of performing same A central node may include a processor configured to empirically compute an approximation of power coefficients based on estimates of the channel coefficients such that a same one of the approximation of the power coefficient is assigned to each of a plurality of access terminals (ATs), and transmit components of a signal vector to associated access points (APs), the signal vector being based on at least the approximation of the power coefficient.
US09918316B2	Spectral stitching method to increase instantaneous bandwidth in vector signal generators Embodiments are described of devices and methods for processing a signal using a plurality of vector signal generators (VSGs). A digital signal may be provided to a plurality of signal paths, each of which may process a respective frequency band of the signal, the respective frequency bands having regions of overlap. The gain and phase of each signal path may be adjusted such that continuity of phase and magnitude are preserved through the regions of overlap. The adjustment of gain and phase may be accomplished by a complex multiply with a complex calibration constant. The calibration constant may be determined for each signal path by comparing the gain and phase of one or more calibration tones generated within each region of overlap. Each signal path may comprise a VSG to convert the respective signal to an analog signal, which may be combined to obtain a composite signal.
US09918312B2	Radio resource assignment in control channel in wireless communication systems A method in a wireless communication device including receiving (410) a composite control channel including at least two control channel elements, each control channel element only contains radio resource assignment information, for example, a codeword, exclusively addressed to a single wireless communication entity. The device combines (420) at least two of the control channel elements, and decodes (430) the combined control channel elements.
US09918308B2	Enhanced PDCCH overlapping with the PDCCH region The present invention relates to configuring search spaces of at least two coexisting control channels in a communication system. In particular, the control channels are defined in at least partially overlapping regions, wherein the overlapping is in the time and/or frequency domain. This configuration enables coexistence of the at least two channels in the same resource grid and better utilization of the resources. Furthermore, it enables sharing of the reference signals.
US09918307B2	MAC-D multiplexing in UTRAN HSDPA wireless networks UTRAN MAC-d multiplexing of data from multiple logical channels to a single MAC-d flow is supported while reducing overhead and achieving octet alignment in MAC-d PDU length. In one embodiment, the C/T field of a multiplexed MAC-d PDU is eliminated, and the logical channels multiplexed into the MAC-d flow are mapped to a MAC-hs PQ in at least the NodeB (and preferably in the UE as well). In other embodiments, the C/T field is retained, and an octet-aligned length indicator is transmitted from the RNC to the UE. In one embodiment, the length indicator is octet-aligned by padding the MAC-d PDUs. In another embodiment, transmitters and receivers in the path from RNC to UE are configured with an offset to add to the length indicator to achieve octet alignment. The padding or offset is (8−n) bits, where n=the number of bits in C/T field.
US09918303B2	Method and apparatus for transmitting uplink control information in wireless communication system Provided are a method and an apparatus for transmitting uplink control information performed by a user equipment in a wireless communication system. The method comprises the steps of: receiving a first parameter for indicating whether to simultaneously transmit a first combination of an acknowledgement/negative-acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) and a channel quality indicator (CQI), and a second parameter for indicating whether to multiplex a second combination of an ACK/NACK and the CQI and transmitting same as a second physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) format; and multiplexing the first combination of the ACK/NACK or the second combination of ACK/NACK with the CQI and transmitting same as a first PUCCH format or the second PUCCH format, based on the first parameter and the second parameter.
US09918298B2	Paging in mobile networks using independent paging cells and access cells One embodiment provided herein relates to a method in which a mobile device selects a paging cell whose location area is registered to the network and determines where paging of this mobile device takes place, and selects an access cell to be used by the mobile device when connecting to the network. When the mobile device receives a paging message in the paging cell it sends the paging response through the access cell. Nodes in the mobile network are configured not to reject or filter out paging responses received from mobile devices that this node did not page. Instead, the nodes initiate call setup for such mobile devices.
US09918296B2	Method and device for positioning Embodiments of the present disclosure disclose a method of positioning and a corresponding portable device. In one embodiment, a method of positioning is provided. The method comprises: capturing, by image capturing equipment of a portable device, a visually encoded to in an environment; decoding the visually encoded tag to obtain an identification for generating the visually encoded tag; and determining a location of the portable device in the environment by querying a predefined library using the identification, the library recording correspondences between a set of identifications for generating visually encoded tags and a set of locations in the environment.
US09918295B2	Techniques for computing location of a mobile device using calculated locations of Wi-Fi access points from a reference database In one embodiment, characteristics of signals of a plurality of Wi-Fi access points within a target area are determined at least in part from observing the signals during a traversal of a programmatic route through the target area by a scanning device. A location is calculated for each of the plurality of Wi-Fi access points based on the characteristics of the signals of the Wi-Fi access point, and stored in records of a reference database. A request from an application or service executing on a mobile device is received for a current location of the mobile device. Positioning software obtains characteristics of signals of one or more Wi-Fi access points observed by the mobile device from the current location. The positioning software computes the current location of the mobile device using at least the characteristics of signals observed by the mobile device and the location of Wi-Fi access points stored in the reference database, and provides the computed current location to the application or service.
US09918294B2	Altitude estimation using a probability density function Methods, program products, and systems of location estimation using a probability density function are disclosed. In general, in one aspect, a server can estimate an effective altitude of a wireless access gateway using harvested data. The server can harvest location data from multiple mobile devices. The harvested data can include a location of each mobile device and an identifier of a wireless access gateway that is located within a communication range of the mobile device. The server can calculate an effective altitude of the wireless access gateway using a probability density function of the harvested data. The probability density function can be a sufficient statistic of the received set of location coordinates for calculating an effective altitude of the wireless access gateway. The server can send the effective altitude of the wireless access gateway to other mobile devices for estimating altitudes of the other mobile devices.
US09918293B2	Proximity alert using signal strength A monitoring device may monitor its proximity to a monitored station. The monitored station may transmit a proximity indicator to the monitoring device. For example, the proximity indicator may include the received signal strength of a signal sent by the monitored station. Wireless interface control circuitry at the monitoring device may monitor the status of the proximity indicator for changes. If one or more criteria set by an application processor are met by a detected change, the wireless interface control circuitry may send a status update to the application processor. In the criteria are not met, generation of the status update may be forgone. The application processor need not monitor the proximity indicator status and may remain in a reduced power consumption mode for longer periods.
US09918289B2	Power amplification module for multiple bands and multiple standards Provided is a communication unit that includes first and second power-amplification modules, which can be integrated. The first power-amplification module includes a first power-amplifier for a first frequency band in a first communication scheme, a second power-amplifier for a second frequency band in the first communication scheme, a third power-amplifier for a third frequency band in a second communication scheme, a fourth power-amplifier for a fourth frequency band in the second communication scheme, a first bias circuit that generates a first bias current to the first and second power-amplifiers, and a bias current circuit that converts the first bias current into a second bias current to the third and fourth power-amplifiers. The second power-amplification module includes a fifth power-amplifier for a fifth frequency band in the first communication scheme, and a second bias circuit that generates a third bias current to the fifth power-amplifier.
US09918286B2	Method and terminal for transmitting power headroom report in dual connection between terminal and base station One disclosure of the present specification provides a method for receiving downlink data in a wireless communication system supporting 256 QAM. The method for receiving downlink data in a wireless communication system supporting 256 QAM comprises the steps of: receiving configuration information about power back-off; receiving downlink data transmitted on the basis of the configuration information about power back-off; and demodulating the received downlink data on the basis of the configuration information about power back-off, wherein the configuration information about power back-off may comprise information related to at least one of the following: whether to apply power back-off, the reduced amount of power of downlink data by power back-off, a frame index to which power back-off is applied, a subframe index and a resource to which power back-off is applied.
US09918282B1	Systems and methods for determining a power option for an access node Systems and methods are described for determining a power option for an access node. Application requirements for a first plurality of wireless devices in communication with a first access node may be identified for each wireless device. The number of wireless devices that comprise a met application requirement may then be determined. When that number meets a first criteria, a plurality of power options for transmitting a first signal may be determined. For each power option, a second number of the first plurality of wireless devices and a third number of wireless devices in communication with a second access node may be estimated. Based on the estimated numbers for the determined power options, a power option may be selected and the first access node may transmit the first signal according to the selected power option.
US09918280B1	Method and system for automatic power control (APC) in a communications device that communicates via inductive coupling Embodiments of methods and systems for automatic power control (APC) in a communications device that communicates via inductive coupling are described. In an embodiment, a method for APC in a communications device that communicates via inductive coupling involves storing a universal APC table for the communications device, adjusting the universal APC table in response to at least one system parameter, and controlling a transmission configuration of the communications device based on the adjusted APC table. Other embodiments are also described.
US09918273B2	Network access method, mobile communication terminal, network server, and network access system Provided are a network access method, a mobile communication terminal, a network server, and a network access system. The network access method includes the follows. A mobile communication terminal accesses a wireless local area network of a place of visit. The mobile communication terminal sends a network ID acquisition request to a network server of the wireless local area network. The mobile communication terminal receives at least one PLMN network ID unicast or broadcast by the network server in response to the network ID acquisition request, and adds the received at least one PLMN network ID to an equivalent home public land mobile network (EHPLMN) list; the at least one PLMN network ID comprises network IDs of PLMNs of visited operators who have contracted with a home operator of the mobile communication terminal. The mobile communication terminal performs network access in the place of visit based on the EHPLMN list.
US09918272B2	Communication system, mobile terminal apparatus, local area base station apparatus and communication method The present invention is designed to provide highly efficient local area radio access. A communication system, in which a mobile terminal apparatus (10) detects a local area base station apparatus (30) to connect to, among local area base station apparatuses (30), is configured such that the local area base station apparatuses (30) transmit detection signals to be used to detect the local area base station apparatus (30), to the mobile terminal apparatus (10), in a radio communication scheme for the local areas, which is different from the radio communication scheme for the wide area, and the mobile terminal apparatus (10) transmits detection signal measurement results to the local area base station apparatus (30), through an uplink channel that is defined in the radio communication scheme for the local areas.
US09918268B2	Communication control device, communication control method, radio communication system, base station, and terminal device [Object] To make it possible to select an optimum connection destination cell in consideration of an influence of future control[Solution] There is provided a communication control device including an interference control unit configured to perform interference control for a radio communication system including a plurality of base stations and a plurality of terminal devices, and a decision unit configured to correct a decision index which is based on a measurement report generated by a first terminal device by factoring in an influence of the interference control performed by the interference control unit after the first terminal device performs measurement and to perform handover decision on the first terminal device using the corrected decision index.
US09918256B2	User equipment, base station and method for handover The present disclosure relates to a method in a User Equipment (UE) for use in handover from its serving base station to a neighboring base station. The method includes: performing one or more downlink quality measurements of the neighboring base station on one or more downlink subframes in a TDD configuration of the neighboring base station to obtain a downlink quality measurement result; and transmitting said downlink quality measurement result to the serving base station for enabling the serving base station to determine whether to trigger the handover or not.
US09918253B2	Method and apparatus for performing communication by UE in wireless communication system supporting circuit switched fallback service Provided is a User Equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system supporting a Circuit Switched FallBack (CSFB) service. The UE includes a transceiver for transmitting and receiving a signal to/from a first or second communication system that uses a different frequency; a receiver for receiving a signal from the second communication system; and a controller for controlling an operation of receiving signaling information for the CSFB service from the first communication system through the transceiver, and simultaneously measuring channel status of the second communication system using the signal received from the receiver.
US09918246B2	Enhancing the usage of resources related to the transmission of environment-related information between a user equipment and a mobile communication network A method for transmission of environment-related information between a user equipment and a mobile communication network includes: transmitting measurement configuration information from a mobile communication network to a user equipment; obtaining local network information by conducting a requested measurement; and transmitting the local network information together with at least one other uplink transmission performed by the user equipment to the base station entity by using at least one radio interface of the user equipment.
US09918245B2	Wireless terminal device, measurement control method, control method, measurement control program, and recording medium A wireless terminal device performs a communication via the wireless LAN and also performs a communication via a wireless communication network different from the wireless LAN. The wireless terminal device is provided with a determiner for determining whether the device is moving or not, and a measurement controller for measuring a communication power of a communication radio wave transmitted from an access point of the wireless LAN in the position of the determination and for transmitting the information for allowing the operation administrator to specify the measured value of the communication power and the measurement position to the predetermined destination via the above described wireless communication network, triggered by a fact that the determiner determines that the wireless terminal device is not moving.
US09918241B2	Estimating channel utilization for a target wireless device Operations include estimating a channel utilization, for a target wireless device, corresponding to a set of wireless signals that are received and/or transmitted by another wireless device. One or more relationships between detected signal strength values, measured channel utilization values, and/or actual channel utilization values are determined. The estimation is made based on applying detected signal strength values received at other wireless devices, measured channel utilization values at other wireless devices, and/or actual channel utilization values at other wireless devices to the relationships.
US09918239B2	Self-optimizing network (SON) system for mobile networks A device receives subscriber records for mobile devices associated with a mobile network, and receives performance data associated with the mobile network in near real time. The performance data includes one or more of performance management statistics, call trace data associated with the subscriber records, and geolocated subscriber records for the mobile devices. The device stores the geolocated subscriber records with other types of data in an asynchronous manner, and receives configuration data associated with the mobile network and indicating a topology of the mobile network. The device identifies, based on at least one of the topology and the performance data, a desired topology of the mobile network. The desired topology is predicted to achieve at least one of improved network performance or alignment with a network design policy.
US09918230B2	Method of performing secure communication, system-on-chip performing the same and mobile system including the same In a method of performing secure communication, access information for navigating to a target site is received while a mobile system is in a normal mode. An operational mode of the mobile system is changed from the normal mode to a secure mode based on the access information. The access information is verified while the mobile system is in the secure mode. Access to the target site is either allowed or denied based on a result of the verification.
US09918227B2	Network connectivity switching utilizing an authentication device In embodiments of network connectivity switching utilizing an authentication device for switching network connectivity from a first device to a second device, the authentication device receives a device switch indication from the second device, which can communicate via a cellular network. The authentication device communicates a device switch order to the first device, which is authenticated and communicatively linked for wireless communication via the cellular network. The authentication device communicates a network attach indication to the second device that then communicates an attach request to the cellular network, and the authentication device authenticates the second device to the cellular network. Alternatively, the authentication device receives a device switch indication from the second device and communicates a device switch order to the first device. The first device then communicates connection reestablishment information to the second device that initiates a connection reestablishment with the cellular network based on the connection reestablishment information.
US09918223B2	Fingerprint based communication terminal and method, server and method thereof A fingerprint based communication terminal and method, a server and method thereof are disclosed. The terminal includes a fingerprint processing module, a processing module, a storage module, and a communication module. The fingerprint processing module is configured to obtain fingerprint information; the processing module is configured to verify the fingerprint information through a network to obtain a fingerprint phone number bound to the fingerprint information, and bind the fingerprint phone number to the terminal; the storage module is configured to store the fingerprint phone number obtained by the processing module; and the communication module is configured to read the fingerprint phone number in the storage module for performing communication.
US09918221B2	Selection of a basestation physical layer identifier In one example embodiment, a method for selecting a physical layer identifier for use in a basestation is disclosed. The basestation may be comprised within a mobile communications network, which may also comprise a plurality of other basestations. The method comprises receiving a pool of identifiers available for use by basestations within the network and assigning a temporary identifier for the basestation. The method further comprises receiving from connected UEs reports of identifiers from among the received pool that are in use by basestations detected by the connected UEs and assigning a final identifier selected from the received pool of identifiers, the final identifier being different from the temporary identifier.
US09918217B1	Fast roaming across a network fabric Fast roaming across a network fabric may be provided. A route device may receive location information corresponding to a client device in response to roaming by the client device from a first access point connected to a first network device to a second access point connected to a second network device. The first network device and the second network device may comprise fabric edge nodes on the fabric network. The first network device and the second network device may be ones of a plurality of network devices in the fabric network. On detecting the roaming of the client device, the route device may be updated with the new location, and then the route device may send, to the plurality of network devices in the fabric network, the location information corresponding to the client device.
US09918213B2	Discovery and networking of proximate wireless devices by acoustic messaging Apparatus and method are provided for discovery and networking of proximate devices using acoustic messaging. In one novel aspect, a peer discovery protocol is used to discover proximate devices using voting messages encoded in ultrasonic waveform. In one embodiment, the UE receives one or more voting messages from neighboring UEs encoded in ultrasonic waveform, builds its voting message and broadcasts the voting message encoded in ultrasonic waveform. In another embodiment, based on the voting result, a multi-tier wireless LAN is established by the master UEs through two RF interfaces. In another novel aspect, an optimized synchronization by the receiver is used to locate the transmitted frame boundary of the ultrasonic message. In one embodiment, the UE reversed-looks up a pre-calculated boundary-offset table to estimate the tone boundary and searches the maximum synchronization tone energy down to per sampling interval using a predefined search algorithm to optimize locating the tone boundary.
US09918210B2	Enhanced gateway safety system A method comprising receiving non-voice information concerning an emergency event captured by at least one electronic device; selecting a responding agency to receive the non-voice information, based on at least one of a unique identifier and location information; and directing the non-voice information to the selected agency, via a broadband internet connection, to provide enhanced situational awareness regarding the emergency event to a responding agent at the selected agency. A method comprising receiving non-voice information concerning an emergency event; selecting a responding agency to which to direct the non-voice information; processing the non-voice information to be compatible with at least one of an intake or dispatch system utilized by the selected agency; and directing the processed non-voice information to the selected agency, via a broadband internet connection, to provide enhanced situational awareness regarding the emergency event to a responding agent at the selected agency.
US09918209B2	Policies for selecting sources for resource strings Techniques for policies for selecting sources for resource strings are described. Generally, a resource string refers to a set of characters that can be used to initiate communication with a particular resource. According to one or more embodiments, techniques discussed herein enable resource strings to be determined at different locations, e.g., geographic locations. In at least some embodiments, string source policies are implemented that specify parameters for selecting a source from which to obtain resource strings. According to one or more embodiments, string profiles are implemented that specify resource strings that correspond to particular resources and/or types of resources.
US09918208B2	Controlling vehicle telematics unit data transmission based on call center location A method and system that inhibits transmission of location information by a telematics unit outside of a geographic region in which such transmission is prohibited. The method includes identifying the relative location of the vehicle and a call center to which the information is to be sent. If the vehicle is in a country or other geographic region that prohibits transmission of vehicle location data outside of the region and, if the call center is determined by the vehicle to be outside of that region, then the telematics unit inhibits the location data from being sent in any communication between the vehicle and call center.
US09918205B2	Communication system A communication system that transmits and receives a message including an amount of data and an identifier determined for the contents of each data. The communication system includes a device that receives the message and includes an processor that processes data in the message, a detector that detects a vehicle situation, and an storage that stores attributes, wherein the storage stores an identification code, a situation code determined according to the vehicle situation, and an attribute determined corresponding to a combination of the identification code and the situation code as the attribute, and the processor acquires, based on a combination of the identification code corresponding to the identifier of the received message and the situation code corresponding to the vehicle situation detected by the detector, an attribute corresponding to the combination among the attributes stored in the storage, and processes data of the received message based on the acquired attribute.
US09918200B2	Tuning based on historical geographic location A history of user listening patterns associating geographic locations with media stations is stored and used to aid in selecting a media station. If a media station associated with a current geographical location is available, that station can be automatically tuned by a wireless media receiver. If a media station associated with the current location is not available, an alternate media station that is available at the current geographical location can be selected, and the receiver tuned to the alternate station. The alternate station can be an over-the-air (OTA) station or an Internet Protocol (IP) station. A user can be allowed to select between alternate stations having comparable content, or the user can designate a default alternate station. User listening patterns can be used to determine whether a media station is associated a particular geographic location.
US09918198B2	Method and system for device positioning utilizing distributed transceivers with array processing A mobile device receives signals from base stations each with multiple distributed transceivers. Each distributed transceiver may operate at different carrier frequencies. Each distributed transceiver is equipped with an independently configurable antenna array handling transmissions of the radio frequency signals to the mobile device. The mobile device generates channel measurements for the received signals, and subsequently receives a position estimate from a remote location server. The location server determines corresponding transmit diversity configurations applied to the base stations for conducting the channel measurements for the mobile device, and channel measurements at scanned locations in a location scanning region. The location server selects and utilize a signature function to calculate the position estimate for the mobile device over the transmit diversity configurations. A multi-level positioning process may be performed by adopting various signature functions, subsets of transmit configurations and/or subspaces of the location scanning region for accurate device positioning.
US09918197B2	Interactive advertisement environment Disclosed is a novel system and process to provide an interactive environment for advertisers utilizing physical advertisement structures to provide their advertisements to users. Users are able to receive advertisement information associated with the advertisements on these structures along with additional information associated with the advertisements. This is also beneficial for the advertisers because this static form of advertising now becomes dynamic and interactive. Advertisers are now able to provide more detailed information regarding their products, services, etc. than what is normally available via an advertisement structure such as a billboard.
US09918196B2	Internet queried directional navigation system with mobile and fixed originating location determination A mobile wireless network and a method of operation provide directional assistance in response to an Internet query. The directional assistance is provided from a location of the querying device to a destination that may be selectively prompted based on whether the destination is a nearby business, a type of business, a street address, or another mobile device or fixed telephone location. The location of the querying device is also selectively determined depending on whether the querying device is a wireless device such as a mobile telephone, or whether the device has a presumed fixed location, such as an ordinary telephone connected to a public-switched telephone network (PSTN).
US09918194B2	Apparatus and systems for providing location-based services within a wireless network A system for providing wireless telecommunications services to mobile devices includes structure and functionality for location-based services, and includes both server and client/mobile device apparatuses. One apparatus includes a data store storing at least a first record associated with a first wireless device or a second record associated with a second wireless device. A computer is coupled to the data store and is configured to receive a request from the first wireless device to obtain location information associated with the second wireless device. The computer is configured to receive a change location privileges request, and to update the first or second records in the data store based on the received change request. Other apparatuses provide additional structures and functions.
US09918190B2	Augmenting network device management In an embodiment, presenting computer datacenter information comprises a server computer system that is coupled to a plurality of internetworking devices. The plurality of internetworking devices is configured to emit device location information. The server computer system receives the device location information from one or more internetworking devices, where the device location information is based on a particular proximity to a mobile computing device. The server computer system determines a geo-location and proximity of the mobile computing device relative to the one or more internetworking devices. The server computer system then selects device related information for a particular internetworking device, of the one or more internetworking devices, that has closest proximity to the determined geo-location of the mobile computing device. The server computer system then modifies a level of detail of the device related information based upon proximity of the mobile computing device and the particular internetworking device. The server computer system presents the device related information for the particular internetworking device, to the mobile computing device. In other embodiments, the invention encompasses a computer-readable medium configured to carry out the foregoing steps.
US09918189B2	Jurisdiction based parameter setting for wireless transceivers Low cost semiconductor manufacturing techniques have provided consumers with a wide range of electronic devices supporting communications according to multiple standards. These electronic devices will be deployed within many operational jurisdictions, particularly with roaming features, such as Japan, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America and North America. However, operational compliance requirements can vary substantially with these different jurisdictions. Current electronic devices are designed, manufactured, calibrated and operated according to a specification providing compliance with broad range of operational jurisdictions despite the performance limitations this applies in many of the operational jurisdictions. Accordingly, there is provided a method of dynamically configuring the electronic device based upon a geographically based determination of the operational jurisdiction from global navigation systems data received by the electronic device. Based upon the determined operational jurisdiction, the operational parameters of a device's communication interfaces are adjusted for improving performance and efficiency of the device within these jurisdictions.
US09918184B2	Apparatus and methods for reducing soft buffer size in MTC devices A machine type communication (MTC) device is configured to communicate through a long term evolution (LTE) network. The MTC device include a wireless transceiver to receive a signal through the LTE network, a soft buffer configured to store a plurality of soft channel bits for up to a maximum number of hybrid automatic retransmission request (HARQ) processes, and a signal processing unit. The signal processing unit is configured to determine a total number of soft channel bits based at least on the maximum number of HARQ processes, and to use limited buffer rate matching (LBRM) to store a reduced number of the total number of soft channel bits in the soft buffer.
US09918183B2	Methods and systems for content processing Mobile phones and other portable devices are equipped with a variety of technologies by which existing functionality can be improved, and new functionality can be provided. Some aspects relate to visual search capabilities, and determining appropriate actions responsive to different image inputs. Others relate to processing of image data. Still others concern metadata generation, processing, and representation. Yet others concern user interface improvements. Other aspects relate to imaging architectures, in which a mobile phone's image sensor is one in a chain of stages that successively act on packetized instructions/data, to capture and later process imagery. Still other aspects relate to distribution of processing tasks between the mobile device and remote resources (“the cloud”). Elemental image processing (e.g., simple filtering and edge detection) can be performed on the mobile phone, while other operations can be referred out to remote service providers. The remote service providers can be selected using techniques such as reverse auctions, through which they compete for processing tasks. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed.
US09918167B2	Speaker spider having varying corrugation geometry Embodiments for a speaker spider of a loudspeaker are provided. The speaker spider may include a central opening and a plurality of concentric corrugations. Dimensions of the speaker spider may substantially homogenize stress on the speaker spiders during operation of the loud speaker. Dimensions of such a speaker spider that substantially homogenizes stress on the speaker spider during operation may involve one or more of (i) corrugations having azimuthally varying depths, (ii) corrugations having azimuthally varying crest and/or trough curvature radii, and (iii) corrugations having angularly varying distances from the central opening of the speaker spider, among other possibilities.
US09918166B2	Speaker A speaker is disclosed. The speaker includes a magnetic circuit system; a vibration system including a vibrating diaphragm, a voice coil for driving the vibrating diaphragm, and a silicone gel spider elastically supporting the voice coil. The silicone gel spider includes a through-hole passing through an upper surface and a lower surface thereof for balancing air pressure inside and outside of the speaker.
US09918164B2	Complex exponential modulated filter bank for high frequency reconstruction or parametric stereo An apparatus and method are disclosed for filtering an audio signal. The apparatus includes an analysis filter bank, a high frequency reconstructor or parametric stereo processor, and a synthesis filter bank. The analysis filterbank receives real-valued time domain input audio samples and generates complex valued subband samples. The high frequency reconstructor or parametric stereo processor modifies at least some of the complex valued subband samples. The synthesis filter bank receives the modified complex valued subband samples and generates time domain output audio samples. The analysis filter bank comprises analysis filters that are complex exponential modulated versions of a prototype filter with an arbitrary phase shift to reduce a complexity of the filter bank.
US09918159B2	Time heuristic audio control A time heuristic audio control system, comprises a receiver for receiving time-based data from a personal computing device and a memory storing one or more sets processing parameters comprising instructions for processing the ambient sound based upon the time-based data. The system further includes a processor coupled to the memory and the receiver configured to adjust the ambient sound as directed by a selected set of processing parameters retrieved from the memory to create adjusted audio, the selected set of processing parameters retrieved based upon the time-based data and at least one speaker for outputting the adjusted audio.
US09918144B2	Enchanced experience from standard program content Methods and apparatus are disclosed for enhancing the viewing experience of video content by analyzing the content to determine where enhanced sensory experience events may be appropriate, by identifying devices at the viewing location and devices personal to the viewer that can be controlled to provide an enhanced sensory experience, and by activating those devices in a way that is synchronized with the presentation of the content.
US09918143B2	Shuffled media content In one embodiment, a method for providing media content implemented on a broadcast headend includes defining at least one metablock of media content according to a number of media content data blocks, where the media content data blocks are ordered in accordance with associated serial numbers, reordering the media content data blocks in the at least one metablock of media content to generate reordered data blocks, obfuscating the associated serial numbers in the reordered data blocks, providing details of the reordering to a receiving device, and transmitting the reordered data blocks to a receiving device.
US09918139B2	Distributed architecture for mobile streaming content delivery A system for providing a distributed architecture for mobile streaming content delivery is disclosed. In particular, the system may include bypassing a master head end facility and its accompanying fiber distribution network to deliver a content stream directly to mobile cell sites. In order to do so, the system may receive, at a cell cite, a content stream directly from a content satellite and then format the content into a format suitable for delivery to a subscriber device. The system may receive, such as via a radio access network, a request from the subscriber device to access the content stream. In response to the request from the subscriber device, the system may deliver the formatted content stream to the subscriber device. The distributed architecture may also allow for delivering the content stream jointly with voice data services, such as those provided in a Long-Term Evolution network or other network.
US09918137B2	Content item receiver module and method The present invention relates to a content item receiver module and method. The content item receiver module is operative for a content item delivery system, configured to operate in a first and second mode: the first mode operative to drive a display apparatus to display a received content item; the second mode operative for a specified time window to display on a display apparatus a sequence of linked content items in the specified time window, and to respond to a prompt signal to initiate a display option.
US09918135B1	Single button selection to facilitate actions in a communications network Single button selection to facilitate actions in a communications network are provided herein. In one embodiment, a method can comprise facilitating, by a network device of a wireless network and comprising a processor, a first transmission of a multimedia content stream to a communications device. The multimedia content stream can comprise a main content item and a supplemental content item that supplements the main content item. The method can also include in response to a request from the communications device for additional information related to the supplemental content item, facilitating, by the network device, a second transmission, to the communications device, of data that comprises the additional information. Based on an indication, received from the communications device, of an acceptance of the data related to the supplemental content item, the method can include facilitating, by the network device, an action related to the supplemental content item.
US09918130B2	Automatically suggesting faster tiered bandwidth based on prior usage at different hospitality establishment A user profile server stores a particular user profile corresponding to a user who belongs to a plurality of separate loyalty programs, and the particular user profile includes a plurality of different loyalty program user identifiers each identifying the user on a respective one of the separate loyalty programs. The user profile server communicates user a preference included on the particular user profile to a first controller via the computer network and communicates the user preference included on the particular user profile to a second controller via the computer network. The first controller is associated with a first hospitality location where the user is identified according to a first loyalty program user identifier included on the particular user profile, and the second is controller is associated with a second hospitality location where the user is identified according to a second loyalty program user identifier included on the particular user profile.
US09918128B2	Content categorization using facial expression recognition, with improved detection of moments of interest The invention relates to content categorization and a method to that end comprises acts of: rendering content within graphical user interfaces to a plurality of viewers; receiving multiple signals related to feedbacks from the plurality of viewers relatively to the rendered content; and tallying the multiple received signals from the plurality of viewers to categorize the content. More particularly: the content is fragmented into a plurality of fragments having a predetermined duration, each signal comprises data of a facial expression recognition of each viewer, to sense a mood expression of the viewer during the content rendering, a memory is provided for storing at least timestamps associated to fragments for which an intensity of the sensed mood expression of a viewer is above a first threshold, and a processing circuit is further provided for implementing tallying acts of: For all the viewers and for each given timestamp, using the memory for counting a first number of viewers for which the intensity is above the first threshold during the fragment corresponding to the given timestamp, and When the first number is above a second threshold, labelling the fragment corresponding to the given timestamp as a moment of interest of the content.
US09918127B2	Methods and apparatus to detect people Methods and apparatus to detect people are disclosed. An example method includes detecting a first human pulse waveform in first light information associated with a first one of a plurality of segments of an environment, the light information obtained from a light sensor. Generating a first presence indication in response to respective light information associated with a threshold amount of the segments proximate the first one of the segments includes the first human pulse waveform identified in the first one of the segments. Identifying a first location associated with a face in the environment using thermal imaging data from a thermal sensor. Adjusting a people count in response to the first location associated with the face not corresponding to a second location associated with the first presence indication.
US09918126B2	Methods and apparatus to count people in an audience Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to count people in an audience are disclosed. An example method includes analyzing location information collected by a portable device indicative of a location of the portable device. The method also includes analyzing proximity information collected by the portable device indicative of when a person is near the portable device. The example method further includes generating presence information based on (1) the location information and (2) the proximity information, the presence information being indicative of whether the person is present in a media exposure environment associated with a media presentation device.
US09918124B2	Method and apparatus for distributing content in a communication network Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a system for receiving decoded satellite signals, obtaining media channels from the decoded satellite signals, selecting a portion of the media channels for distribution to a plurality of media processors, encoding the portion of the media channels selected according to a satellite distribution protocol, such as a protocol that facilitates satellite switching, to generate satellite encoded content, formatting the satellite encoded content according to a transport protocol to generate formatted content, and providing the formatted content for distribution to the plurality of media processors via a communication network, such as a single wire communication network or other network. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09918123B2	Thwarting removal of a commercial in an IPTV network In an IPTV network, a program content stream is processed to create an artifact detectable by a commercial remover in a program content portion of the program content stream. The artifact may be created by splicing first and second portions of program content together such that the artifact appears in the program content. A commercial remover processing the resultant program content stream erroneously removes portions of program content or leaves portions containing commercial content in the program content stream.
US09918122B2	Display apparatus and control method thereof A display apparatus includes a display configured to display an image based on at least one between received first and second broadcast signals, a first signal processor configured to selectively activate and inactivate an operation for processing the first broadcast signal, a second signal processor configured to selectively activate and inactivate an operation for processing the second broadcast signal, and a controller configured to control the first signal processor and the second signal processor to selectively activate or inactivate the operations for processing the first broadcast signal and the second broadcast signal in response to a command for switching between the first broadcast signal and the second broadcast signal.
US09918117B1	System and method for managing advertising in program streams Method and system for managing advertising in program streams. Advertisement opportunities (avails) in a program stream may be divided into sections (subavails) with the goal of directing advertising at a particular target audience (group). A program stream is split into one or more sub-streams to produce additional advertising avail sections (subavails) able to be targeted to a subgroup of subscribers. Subavails may also refer to various advertisement opportunities in different presentation streams (sub-streams). Each sub-stream may be targeted at a subgroup of subscribers with demographic and product preference characteristics. By correlating the subscriber characteristics with advertisement parameters supplied by an advertiser, the system/method determines which advertisement is best to display in the one or more subavails. Accordingly, such a subavail, or group of subavails may be sold to an advertiser, e.g., via an auction.
US09918116B2	Image domain compliance Systems and methods for generating domain-compliant image data. Domain-specific usage rights may be evaluated. The domain-specific usage rights may be associated with the transfer of particular encoded image data to a particular computing system other than the computing system. The domain-specific usage rights may specify maximum allowable spatial frequency content of the particular encoded image data. Domain-compliant image data may be generated by removing particular disallowable spatial frequency content from the encoded image data prior to transfer to the particular computing system.
US09918115B2	System and method for obtaining video streams A system, computer-readable storage medium storing at least one program, and a computer-implemented method for obtaining video streams is presented. A device-agnostic request to obtain a video stream is received from an application executing on a client device, the device-agnostic request including a universal resource identifier (URI) for the video stream, the URI including a type of the video stream and at least one of a name of the video stream and device-specific parameters for the video stream. The URI is analyzed to identify a media device from which the video stream is available. A device-specific library for the media device is identified. A device-specific request corresponding to the device-agnostic request is executed to obtain the video stream, the device-specific request including the URI. The video stream is received from the media device responsive to executing the device-specific request. The video stream is provided to the application.
US09918114B2	Transmission of applications with content Provided are methods and systems for controlling data such as content and/or application data transmitted to one or more user devices. One method can comprise receiving a request for first content and generating, in response to the request for the first content, a first transport stream comprising the first content and application data relating to a first application. At least a portion of the first transport stream is transmitted to a recipient device. An interruption in the transmission of the first transport stream is detected and a determination is made that only a first portion of the application data has been transmitted to the recipient device. A second transport stream including second content and a second portion of the application data is generated and transmitted.
US09918111B2	System and method for simultaneously recording multiple media assets using a single tuner A method for facilitating multiple recordings via a single tuner includes isolating data packets associated with recording candidate media assets from at least two broadcast data streams, generating at least one broadcast recording data stream from a subset of the isolated data packets, broadcasting the at least one broadcast recording data stream in parallel with the at least two broadcast data streams, where the broadcast recording data stream is broadcast via at least one dedicated broadcast “recording” device, and the at least two broadcast data streams are broadcast via other broadcast devices, storing remaining data packets not included in the isolated data packets in broadband data segments, and transmitting the broadband data segments via an IP connection to facilitate reassembly of partially recorded the media assets, where the partially recorded media assets were recorded from the broadcast recording stream. Related methods and apparatus are also disclosed.
US09918110B2	Point of view multimedia platform A point of view platform may be comprised of an ingest layer; a processing layer; a rules engine; and a streaming layer. The ingest layer may be configured to: receive audio, video, and telemetric data associated with a plurality of capturing devices. The rules engine may be configured to: determine a plurality of views to be generated from the received data, and derive a set of rules for processing the received data to generate each of the plurality of views. The processing layer may be configured to derive metadata from the received data, apply the set of rules for processing the data, process the received data based on the metadata and the rules, and generate content associated with each of the plurality of views. The streaming layer may be configured to: receive an end-user selection of a particular view and stream the content associated with the particular view.
US09918109B2	Aircraft in-flight entertainment system having a multi-beam phased array antenna and associated methods An in-flight entertainment (IFE) system for an aircraft includes a phased array antenna and control circuitry associated therewith to be carried by the aircraft and to generate dual antenna beams for television programming and Internet data from respective spaced apart satellites. A television programming distribution system is to be carried by the aircraft and coupled to the phased array antenna and control circuitry to provide television programming within the aircraft. At least one access point is to be carried by the aircraft and coupled to the phased array antenna and control circuitry to provide a wireless local area network (WLAN) within the aircraft for the Internet data.
US09918105B2	Intra BC and inter unification In general, the disclosure describes techniques related to block vector coding for Intra Block Copy and Inter modes. In one example, the disclosure is directed to a video coding device comprising a memory configured to store video data and one or more processors. The video coding device is configured to determine a reference picture used for coding the current video block and determine a picture order count (POC) value for the reference picture. In response to the POC value for the reference picture being equal to a POC value for a current picture that includes the current video block, the video coding device sets a value of a syntax element to indicate that a reference picture list includes the current picture. Otherwise, the video coding device sets the value of the syntax element to indicate that the reference picture list does not include the current picture.
US09918104B2	Entropy coding of motion vector differences An entropy decoder is configured to, for horizontal and vertical components of motion vector differences, derive a truncated unary code from the data stream using context-adaptive binary entropy decoding with exactly one context per bin position of the truncated unary code, which is common for horizontal and vertical components of the motion vector differences, and an Exp-Golomb code using a constant equi-probability bypass mode to obtain the binarizations of the motion vector differences. A desymbolizer is configured to debinarize the binarizations of the motion vector difference syntax elements to obtain integer values of the horizontal and vertical components of the motion vector differences. A reconstructor is configured to reconstruct a video based on the integer values of the horizontal and vertical components of the motion vector differences.
US09918103B2	Moving picture decoding device, moving picture decoding method, and moving picture decoding program A prediction information deriving unit derives the inter-prediction information candidates from inter-prediction information of a prediction block neighboring to a coding target prediction block or a prediction block present at the same position as or near the coding target prediction block in a coded picture at a temporally different position from the coding target prediction block. A candidate supplementing unit supplements inter-prediction information candidates having the same prediction mode, reference index, and motion vector until the number of inter-prediction information candidates reaches the designated number of candidates when the number of inter-prediction information candidates is smaller than the designated number of candidates.
US09918097B2	Method for decoding chroma image using luma quantization A method for decoding chroma image is discussed. The method includes deriving a chroma intra prediction mode of a prediction unit; determining a size of a current chroma block using luma transform size information; generating a chroma prediction block of the current chroma block using the chroma intra prediction mode; generating a chroma residual block of the current chroma block using the chroma intra prediction mode and a chroma quantization parameter; and generating a chroma reconstructed block adding the chroma prediction block and the chroma residual block.
US09918095B1	Pixel processing and encoding A method of processing pixels in a picture of a video sequence comprising multiple pictures comprises identifying a pixel to be processed in the picture for which a variation in a linear representation of a color of the pixel that is smaller than a first threshold value results in a variation in a non-linear representation of the color that is larger than a second threshold value. The variation in the linear representation of the color also results in a variation in a luminance and chrominance based representation of the color that is smaller than a third threshold value. The method also comprises processing the identified pixel by modifying a value of at least one color component of the pixel. The method achieves a selective denoising of particular color components in certain situations to reduce the encoding cost yet do not significantly affect the visual quality.
US09918091B2	Systems and methods for assigning a minimum value to a syntax structure in a parameter set Techniques and systems are provided for encoding video data. For example, a method of encoding video data includes generating, by an encoder, an encoded video bitstream according to a first coding protocol. The encoded video bitstream includes one or more enhancement layers and a video parameter set defining parameters of the encoded video bitstream. The method further includes determining that a base layer is to be provided to a decoding device by an external source and is not to be provided as part of the encoded video bitstream. The method further includes assigning a minimum value to a syntax structure in the video parameter set when it is determined that the base layer is to be provided by the external source. The syntax structure defines profile, tier, and level parameters for the base layer.
US09918090B2	Entropy coding supporting mode switching A decoder for decoding a data stream into which media data is coded has a mode switch configured to activate a low-complexity mode or a high-efficiency mode depending on the data stream, an entropy decoding engine configured to retrieve each symbol of a sequence of symbols by entropy decoding using a selected one of a plurality of entropy decoding schemes, a desymbolizer configured to desymbolize the sequence of symbols to obtain a sequence of syntax elements, a reconstructor configured to reconstruct the media data based on the sequence of syntax elements, selection depending on the activated low-complexity mode or the high-efficiency mode. In another aspect, a desymbolizer is configured to perform desymbolization such that the control parameter varies in accordance with the data stream at a first rate in case of the high-efficiency mode being activated and the control parameter is constant irrespective of the data stream or changes depending on the data stream, but at a second lower rate in case of the low-complexity mode being activated.
US09918086B2	Method for encoding an intra prediction mode Provided is a method that de-multiplexes a bit stream to extract intra prediction mode information and residual signals, restores an intra prediction mode of a current prediction unit using the intra prediction information and intra prediction modes of prediction units adjacent to the current prediction unit, generates reference pixels using one or more available reference pixel if there exist unavailable reference pixels of the prediction unit, adaptively filters the reference pixels based on the restored intra prediction mode, generates a prediction block using the restored intra prediction mode and the reference pixels, decodes the residual signal to generating a residual block, and generates a reconstructed block using the prediction block and the residual block. Accordingly, additional bits resulted from increase of a number of intra prediction mode are effectively reduced. Also, an image compression ratio can be improved by generating a prediction block similar to an original block.
US09918085B2	Media coding for loss recovery with remotely predicted data units An improved loss recovery method for coding streaming media classifies each data unit in the media stream as an independent data unit (I unit), a remotely predicted unit (R unit) or a predicted data unit (P unit). Each of these units is organized into independent segments having an I unit, multiple P units and R units interspersed among the P units. The beginning of each segment is the start of a random access point, while each R unit provides a loss recovery point that can be placed independently of the I unit. This approach separates the random access point from the loss recovery points provided by the R units, and makes the stream more impervious to data losses without substantially impacting coding efficiency. The most important data units are transmitted with the most reliability to ensure that the majority of the data received by the client is usable. The I units are the least sensitive to transmission losses because they are coded using only their own data. While they provide the best coding efficiency, the P units are the most sensitive to data loss because the loss of one P unit renders useless all of the P units that depend on it. The remotely predicted units are dependent on the I unit, or in an alternative implementation, on another R unit.
US09918084B2	Encoding device, encoding method, decoding device, and decoding method The present technology relates to an encoding device and an encoding method, and a decoding device and a decoding method that are capable of reducing the calculation amount of orthogonal transform processing or inverse orthogonal transform processing. A DWT unit (91) performs a DWT of which the calculation amount is smaller than that of a KLT for residual information. KLT units (92-0 to 92-8) perform separable-type KLTs for a low-frequency component of the residual information that is acquired as a result of the DWT using bases of KLTs of the corresponding intra prediction modes. A coefficient acquired as a result of the KLT and a high-frequency component of the residual information that is acquired as a result of the DWT are losslessly encoded. The present technology can be applied to, for example, an image encoding device.
US09918080B2	Reference picture handling A reference picture marking process and a reference picture list management process is handled in a unified reference picture marking and reference picture list management process. A new idle reference picture list may be used for handling reference pictures that are not used for reference in the current picture. Differential coding of picture order count may be used to increase coding efficiency. The reference picture management syntax structure may be sent in the picture parameter set for improved coding efficiency e.g. in regular GOP (group of pictures) arrangements.
US09918078B2	Method of measuring display delay time, display device, and method of manufacturing display A method of measuring a display delay time includes a step where a display pattern displayed on a first display including i (i is a natural number greater than 2) display elements is switched to a display pattern other than the display pattern at every elapse of a pattern continuation time, and j (j is a natural number, 1
US09918074B2	Three dimensional (3D) stereo display systems for creating 3D effects for viewers wearing 3D glasses A display system creating three dimensional (3D) imagery for a viewer in a viewing space wearing 3D stereo glasses. The 3D stereo glasses have first and second lens passing colored light in first and second ranges of wavelengths. The display system includes a 3D mural element with a display surface facing the viewing space and a light receiving surface opposite the display surface. The display system includes a first wavelength multiplex visualization (WMV) light source outputting a first light stream onto the light receiving surface, and the first light stream has a wavelength in the first range of wavelengths. The display system includes a second WMV light source outputting a second light stream onto the light receiving surface, and the second light stream has a wavelength in the second range of wavelengths. WMV light sources may be directed onto 3D surfaces and props in the viewing space providing 3D effect.
US09918073B2	Integrated camera system having two dimensional image capture and three dimensional time-of-flight capture with movable illuminated region of interest An apparatus is described having an integrated two-dimensional image capture and three-dimensional time-of-flight depth capture system. The integrated two-dimensional image capture and three-dimensional time-of-flight depth capture system includes an illuminator to generate light for the time-of-flight depth capture system. The illuminator includes an array of light sources and a movable lens assembly. The movable lens assembly is to movably direct an emitted beam of the light to one of any of a plurality of locations within the illuminator's field of view to form an illuminated region of interest within the illuminator's field of view. The illuminated region of interest has a size that is smaller than the illuminator's field of view.
US09918072B2	Photography apparatus and method thereof An image photographing apparatus is provided. The image photographing apparatus includes a first photographing unit configured to photograph an image by using a phase difference image sensor, a second photographing unit configured to be spaced on a side of the first photographing unit, a controller configured to generate a first depth map by using a first image photographed by the first photographing unit and generate a second depth map by using a second image photographed by the second photographing unit, and an image processor configured to generate a three-dimensional (3D) image by using the first depth map and the second depth map.
US09918068B2	Method and apparatus of texture image compress in 3D video coding A method and apparatus for texture image compression in a 3D video coding system are disclosed. Embodiments according to the present invention derive depth information related to a depth map associated with a texture image and then process the texture image based on the depth information derived. The invention can be applied to the encoder side as well as the decoder side. The encoding order or decoding order for the depth maps and the texture images can be based on block-wise interleaving or picture-wise interleaving. One aspect of the present invent is related to partitioning of the texture image based on depth information of the depth map. Another aspect of the present invention is related to motion vector or motion vector predictor processing based on the depth information.
US09918064B2	Method and apparatus for providing reduced resolution update mode for multi-view video coding There are provided a method and apparatus for providing reduced resolution update mode for multi-view video coding. A video encoder includes an encoder for encoding a picture using a reduced resolution update mode. The picture is one of a set of pictures corresponding to multi-view content having different view points with respect to a same or similar scene. The picture represents one of the different view points.
US09918063B2	Multiview video encoding method and device, and multiview video decoding method and device Provided are methods and apparatuses for encoding and decoding a multiview video. The method of decoding the multiview video includes obtaining a data unit including encoding information of texture pictures and depth map pictures of a multiview image related to a same point of time, obtaining, from the data unit, view information of pictures that are encoded and are included in the data unit, type information indicating a type of each of the pictures from among the texture pictures and the depth map pictures, and reference flag information indicating whether each of the pictures is previously inter-layer predicted by referring to a texture picture of the same point of time or to a depth map picture of the same point of time, determining an encoding order of the pictures, based on the obtained information, and decoding the texture pictures and depth map pictures based on the determined encoding order.
US09918055B2	Polarization converting element, light source device, lighting device, and projector A polarization conversion element includes: a polarization separation layer which emits first polarized light among incident light and second polarized light which is different from the first polarized light in different directions, respectively; a color separation layer which reflects first colored light among incident light and transmits second colored light which is different from the first colored light, and reflects the first polarized light and one light ray among the second polarized light emitted from the polarization separation layer in substantially the same direction as the direction of the other polarized light emitted from the polarization separation layer; and a retardation layer which is disposed on an optical path of any of the one polarized light and the other polarized light and converts a polarization direction of incident light.
US09918050B2	Hyperspectral resolution using three-color camera A method for capturing hyperspectral images using a regular color camera. In the method, the camera takes multiple images of a scene, with the camera oriented differently for each image. For a camera carried by an aircraft or spacecraft, this allows hyperspectral imaging without the cost or weight of a hyperspectral camera.
US09918048B2	System and method for providing automatic location-based imaging An approach is provided for automatic location-based imaging. A platform receives, over a communication network, positional information corresponding to a location of a device associated with a user. The platform determines whether the location is within a zone including a pre-positioned camera and retrieves one or more images or sounds of the user from the camera based on the determination. The platform can receive the positional information in real-time or as cached positional information. The cached positional information can then be correlated with the one or more images at a later time.
US09918046B2	Peer to peer surveillance architecture A peer to peer surveillance architecture comprising a plurality of independent nodes for capturing, analyzing, storing, and viewing surveillance information is disclosed. The surveillance architecture has no central controller or single point of failure because of the peer to peer or independent relationship between its nodes. Generally, surveillance information of various types is captured by one or more capture nodes and transmitted to or one or more viewing, content storage, or server nodes for display, analysis, storage, or a combination thereof. Server nodes may provide authentication services to validate user or device credentials prior to granting access to surveillance information. In one or more embodiments, specialized video compression hardware is provided to allow high quality video surveillance information to be transmitted across low bandwidth connections. Compression may also be performed on other types of surveillance information.
US09918041B1	Motion adaptive de-interlacing and advanced film mode detection A system including a motion adaptive de-interlacer, a film mode detector, and a combiner. The motion adaptive de-interlacer is configured to determine a first output by de-interlacing a plurality of interlaced frames based on at least a first motion indicator indicating motion between fields of the plurality of interlaced frames. The film mode detector is configured to determine a second output based on a film mode detected based on at least a second motion indicator indicating motion between fields of the plurality of interlaced frames. The film mode detector is further configured to output a control signal based on the second motion indicator and the film mode. The combiner is configured to combine the first output and the second output based on the control signal.
US09918038B2	System and method for multimedia capture Methods, systems, and apparatus for multimedia capture. The system includes one or more storage devices connected through a network to a vehicle. The vehicle includes a memory for buffering video. The vehicle includes multiple cameras coupled to one or more video processors. The one or more video processors are configured to capture a first video of an interior view of the vehicle for a period of time, capture a second video of an exterior view of surroundings of the vehicle for the period of time, and synchronize the first video and the second video. The vehicle includes one or more microphones coupled to one or more audio processors for capturing audio and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit includes a multimedia processor. The electronic control unit is configured to buffer the synchronized video, detect a triggering event, and store the synchronized video.
US09918035B2	Interactive computer system for providing television schedule information The present invention provides systems and methods for providing television schedule and/or listing information to a viewer, and for allowing the viewer to link, search, select and interact with information in a remote database, e.g., a database on the internet. The television schedule and/or listing information can be displayed on a variety of viewer interfaces, such as televisions screens, computer monitors, PCTV screens and the like. The television schedule and/or listing information may be stored on the viewer's computer, television, PCTV, or a remote server (e.g., a website), or the television schedule and/or listing information may be downloaded from a remote database to the viewer's computer, television or PCTV.
US09918033B2	Signal processing apparatus and signal processing method, and image capturing apparatus A signal processing apparatus comprising: an analog-digital converter that uses reference signals having different slopes from each other; a supply unit that supplies analog signals of predetermined different output levels; and a calculation unit that calculates a slope ratio and an offset amount between the plurality of different slopes for correcting a converted digital signal based on digital signals respectively obtained by converting the analog signals of the different output levels using the reference signals. In a case where the conversion is performed using a reference signal with a steeper slope, the supply unit supplies at least one high level analog signal whose level is higher than a case where the conversion is performed using a reference signal with a gentler slope, and a digital signal obtained by converting the high level analog signal is further used when calculating the slope ratio.
US09918026B2	Photo-detector device for electro-optical sensors with variable light dynamics Photo-detector device for electro-optical sensors, comprising at least a detection and conversion circuit, or pixel (20), having at least a photo-sensitive reception mean (26) and a reset control terminal (11), which is able to drive an element to control the charge dissipation (23) of the photo-sensitive reception mean (26). The pixel (20) is able to convert the current generated by the photo-sensitive reception mean (26) into a voltage signal on a read-out terminal (28). The photo-detector device also comprises a circuit for controlling the reset voltage (40), able to generate a suitable input signal to the reset control terminal (11) by connecting it alternatively to a reset terminal (42) or to an external reference terminal (47), the input signal to said external reference terminal (47) is the type that can be programmed from outside. Furthermore, the circuit for controlling the reset voltage (40) can be shared between a subset of detection and control circuits (20).
US09918022B2	Imaging device and imaging method An imaging device of the present invention comprises a first combination processing circuit that carries out first cumulative combination processing for every pixel of image data that has been generated by the image sensor and image data that has been stored in a memory, and updates pixel data, a second combination processing circuit that carries out second cumulative combination processing for every pixel of image data that has been generated by the image sensor and image data that has been stored in the memory, and updates pixel data, and a controller that determines whether or not level of each pixel data constituting image data is a given threshold level or greater, and in accordance with the result of determination selects to either carry out the first cumulative processing by the first combination processing circuit, or to carry out the second cumulative processing by the second combination processing circuit.
US09918020B2	User portable device having floating sensor assembly to maintain fixed geometric configuration of sensors A user portable device includes a device chassis comprising at least one opening at a surface of the device chassis and a sensor assembly aligned with the at least one opening. The sensor assembly includes a mounting structure and a plurality of sensors mounted to the mounting structure. The sensors include at least two sensors utilized by the user portable device based on a specified geometric configuration between the at least two sensors. The user portable device further includes a mounting fastener that mounts the sensor assembly to the device chassis so as to isolate the sensor assembly from deformation of the surface of the device chassis along one or more axes during user handling, and thus aid in preventing alteration of a baseline geometric configuration of one or more sensors of the sensor assembly due to the chassis deformation.
US09918018B2	Dynamic range enhancement systems and methods for use in welding applications Dynamic range enhancement methods and systems for display for use welding applications are described. A display system in a dynamic range enhancement system can include, for example, a splitter, a high density filter, a low density filter, a first image sensor, a second image sensor, a graphical circuit, and a display. The high density filter and the first image sensor can be disposed in a first path. The low density filter and the second image sensor can be disposed in a second path. The first image sensor can receive filtered electromagnetic waves from the high density filter. The second image sensor can receive filtered electromagnetic waves from the low density filter. The graphic circuit can combine the signals from the first image sensor and the second image sensor to provide a high dynamic range image or video that is displayed on the display of a welding helmet, for example.
US09918011B2	Omnistereo imaging A method for generating a 360 degree view. N input images are captured from N cameras fixed at a baseline height equidistantly about a circle in an omnipolar camera setup where N≧3. Two epipolar lines are defined per field of view from the cameras to divide the field of view of each one of the cameras into four parts. Image portions from each one of the cameras are stitched together along vertical stitching planes passing through the epipolar lines. Regions corresponding to a visible camera are removed from the image portions using deviations performed along the epipolar lines. Output images are formed for left and right eye omnistereo views by stitching together the first one of the four parts from each one of the fields of view and the second one of the four parts from each one of the fields of view, respectively.
US09918001B2	Crowd sourcing exterior vehicle images of traffic conditions An apparatus and method for crowd sourcing current traffic conditions using an image sensor on a vehicle to record traffic conditions at the vehicle location, date and time stamp the images, and transmit the images along with selected vehicle operating conditions and vehicle coordinates through a network to a central crowd sourcing traffic condition control. The control stores the images and, upon receiving an image request from a vehicle, transmits traffic condition images to the requesting vehicle through the network for a specified roadway segment. A vehicle opted-in to the control can select another opted-in vehicle to have an image taken by the any selected vehicle of a desired road location. The control handles the exchange of a request and an image between the requesting vehicle and the selecting vehicle to enable an instantaneous image of a desired road location to be displayed in the requesting vehicle.
US09917998B2	Systems and methods for measuring scene information while capturing images using array cameras Systems and methods for measuring scene information while capturing images using array cameras in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of measuring scene information while capturing an image using an array camera includes defining at least two subsets of active cameras, configuring the active cameras using image capture settings, capturing image data using the active cameras, synthesizing at least one image using image data captured by a first subset of active cameras, measuring scene information using image data captured by a second subset of active cameras, and determining whether the image capture settings satisfy at least one predetermined criterion for at least one image capture parameter using the measured scene information, where new image capture settings are determined and utilized to configure the active cameras upon a determination that the image capture settings do not satisfy the at least one predetermined criterion.
US09917995B2	Method, transmission unit, system and computer program for wireless communication between a camera and at least one remote flash device The present invention generally relates to the field of communication between electronic devices used for photography. In particular, the invention relates to a method, transmission unit, system and computer program for wireless communication between a camera and at least one remote flash device, such as photoflash units and related equipment. More in particular, the invention provides a way of controlling a plurality of flash devices from an intermediate radio transmission unit mountable on the camera, and utilized a delay a sequence flash control sequence so as to synchronize the function of the camera and the remote flash devices during image acquisition.
US09917994B2	Visual and tactile assessment tool A selectively attachable and removable visual and tactile assessment tool or clip for use with a mobile device is provided. Clip is an elongate member forming a curvilinear shape having a magnifying lens at a distal end thereof. Clip has a transparent tubular member disposed between first and second openings through the body portion of the clip. Tubular member has varying internal diameters to simulate, for example, the constriction or stenosis of a patient's vessel lumen. Once clip is attached to mobile device and the magnifying lens is positioned over the camera of the mobile device, a catheter is inserted through tubular member. The magnifying lens enlarges the size of the catheter displayed on the screen of the mobile device.
US09917993B2	Lens mounting module, interchangeable lens system, and electronic apparatus having the same A lens mounting module includes an image pickup unit; a mount plate that includes an installation surface on which a lens unit is installed; a first support frame located between the image pickup unit and the mount plate, that supports the mount plate, and that includes a contact point that provides an electrical contact with the lens unit installed on the mount plate; and a second support frame installed between the first support frame and the image pickup unit, that supports the first support frame, and that includes an insertion part through which the image pickup unit is inserted.
US09917992B2	Camera module A first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) mounted with an image sensor, a holder member mounted on the PCB, a lens module directly mounted inside the holder member, an actuator arranged at an inside of the holder member, and an electronic circuit pattern formed on a surface of the holder member to conductibly connect the PCB and the actuator, where one end of the electronic circuit pattern is connected to the PCB, and the other end of the electronic circuit pattern is connected to the actuator.
US09917988B2	Method for detecting occlusion areas A method and apparatus for occlusion area detection based on block difference associated with a motion vector and a predicted block difference are disclosed. For each current block of a frame, motion estimation is performed based on a temporally previous frame and a temporally subsequent frame. Based on the motion vector derived, two reference blocks of the current block are located in the temporally neighboring frames. The block difference between these two reference blocks is calculated for the current block. By comparing the block difference with a predicted block difference of the current block, the current block is determined to be an occlusion block or not accordingly. The predicted block difference is updated by averaging the block difference of neighboring blocks in a non-motion boundary area.
US09917987B2	Media editing with overlaid color adjustment tools A non-transitory machine readable medium that has a computer program for adjusting color values of an image represented in a color space is described. The computer program displays the image on a display device. The computer program receives several inputs on the displayed image. The several inputs include a selection of a point on the displayed image and a vector input. The computer program identifies a pixel of the image that corresponds to the selected point. Based on the color values of the identified pixel and the vector input, the program determines a color space transform for mapping a set of color values defined within the color space to a different set of color values.
US09917983B2	Image forming apparatus and control method of image forming apparatus for using history of settings When a user logs into an image forming apparatus, a setting by the user is registered as an operation history in an individual setting of the user if a setting mode is an “individual setting” and an operation history is registered in a device setting if the setting mode is a “device setting”. If a user does not log into the image forming apparatus, an operation history is registered in the device setting. If the setting mode is the “device setting”, an operation history is deleted from the device setting when the user logs out from the image forming apparatus.
US09917981B2	Image processing apparatus An image processing apparatus includes: an image processing unit; an authentication-information input unit; a storage unit; and a controller. The storage unit stores a plurality of secure jobs and a plurality of authentication information associated with the secure jobs respectively. The controller is configured to: acquire first authentication information; in a case that the first authentication information matches an authentication information stored in the storage unit, cause the image processing unit to execute a secure job stored in the storage unit and associated with the authentication information; acquire second authentication information which has been inputted during an interruption of the secure job; and in a case that the second authentication information matches another authentication information, and that another secure job associated with the another authentication information is executable by the image processing unit, cause the image processing unit to execute the another secure job.
US09917980B2	Print control apparatus for inquiring whether a user wants to change a binding process, control method, and storage medium When a user changes a setting of a hold job that includes a stapleless binding process setting, a print control apparatus determines whether the number of sheets to be printed when the setting change is applied is equal to or less than the upper-limit number of sheets that can be bound in the stapleless binding process. The print control apparatus inquires whether the user wants to change the staple setting to a staple binding process or cancel the setting change in a case where it is determined that the number of sheets to be printed is greater than the upper-limit number of sheets.
US09917979B2	Printed document control with verified unique watermarks Systems and methods are directed towards generating a verified unique watermark. More specifically, the systems and methods are directed towards generating a watermark that is as long as possible without any repetition. Such watermarks are possible by selecting characteristics of the watermark and methods for producing the watermarks (e.g., dandy rollers). By producing longer unique watermarks, users would be capable of generating longer rolls of paper whereby more sheets can be produced that each possesses a unique watermark. With the unique watermark, users can identify what information is printed on each sheet as well as authenticate the contents of each individual sheet.
US09917978B2	Watermark generator, watermark decoder, method for providing a watermarked signal based on discrete valued data and method for providing discrete valued data in dependence on a watermarked signal A watermark generator for providing a watermark signal as a sequence of subsequent watermark coefficients based on a stream of subsequent stream values representing discrete valued data includes a differential encoder. The differential encoder is configured to apply a phase rotation to a current stream value of the stream values representing the discrete valued data or to a current watermark symbol, the current watermark symbol corresponding to a current stream value of the stream values representing the discrete valued data, to obtain a current watermark coefficient of the watermark signal. The differential encoder is configured to derive a phase of a previous spectral coefficient of a watermarked signal which is a combination of the host signal and the watermark signal, and to provide the watermark signal such that a phase angle of the phase rotation applied to the current stream value or the current watermark symbol is dependent on the phase of the previous spectral coefficient of the watermarked signal.
US09917976B2	Image forming system that identifies who has performed printing An image forming system includes a portable terminal device, an image forming apparatus, and a marker registration circuit. The image forming apparatus prints a marker associated with location information of a user who has instructed execution of printing on a recording medium. The portable terminal device includes an information acquisition circuit and a position notification image output circuit. The information acquisition circuit photographs a marker printed on a recording medium using an imaging device so as to acquire the location information registered in the marker registration circuit, and the location information is associated with the marker photographed by the imaging device. The position notification image output circuit outputs a position notification image that notifies a position corresponding to the location information acquired by the information acquisition circuit to an output device.
US09917972B2	Image processor, image-processing method and program An image processor executing a predetermined image process on an input image including a plurality of pixels to generate an output image includes an image-processing unit reading the input image required for generating the output image into an internal storing circuit as a reference image to execute an image process, a storing capacity determination unit determining whether or not a data size of the reference image is within a storing capacity range of the internal storing circuit, and a reference image division unit dividing the data size of the reference image when the data size of the reference image exceeds a storing capacity of the internal storing circuit by the storing capacity determination unit.
US09917968B2	Image processing device and terminal device using application programming interface corresponding to specific function An image processing device acquires a selection instruction to select one of a plurality of functions; and determines whether an operation mode is in a simulation mode in which a specific function is executed according to an instruction from a terminal device, which stores a virtual application program and a virtual service program used for the virtual application program. The device executing, in a case of determining that the operation mode is not the simulation mode, a first function executing process to execute the selected function by: activating the application program corresponding to the selected function, and executing, in a case of determining that the operation mode is the simulation mode, a second function executing process to execute the specific function by: inhibiting activation of the application program; publishing an API corresponding to the specific function; and acquiring an instruction for executing the specific function from the virtual application program.
US09917962B1	Multifunction peripheral with avatar based login A system and method for logging into a document processing includes a touchscreen for receiving touch-based user input and displaying digital images. A memory stores avatar data for each of a plurality of avatars, including image data for generating an image of each avatar on the touchscreen and a plurality of identifiable areas within each avatar. A login screen on the touchscreen includes images of the avatars. A user selects an avatar and the login screen displays an image of the selected avatar on the touchscreen. The user touches the touchscreen, and tap point data is captured corresponding to the user touches on the image of the selected avatar relative to a touchscreen location of the avatar. The processor compares received tap point data with stored tap point data stored in the memory associatively with the selected avatar and selectively enables device operation in accordance with the comparison.
US09917961B2	Printing device software management and common interface The present disclosure is directed to a method for managing printing device software. The method includes receiving, at a computing device, a request to print a document file. The method also includes receiving a selection of a particular printing device with which to print the document file. The method further includes performing a search operation to determine whether a printer driver for the particular printing device is stored on the first computing device. Additionally, the method includes causing a data transfer of the printer driver from a server onto the first computing device over a wide area network upon determining that the printer driver is not stored on the computing device. Further, the method includes converting, using the printer driver, the document file into a print job. The method also includes transmitting, to the particular printing device, instructions to execute the print job.
US09917960B2	Image forming apparatus, management apparatus, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and load control method Provided are an image forming apparatus, a management apparatus, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a load control program and a load control method. The image forming apparatus includes a controller that provides a job execution function and a server function. The controller defines a condition for restricting server connections from one or more client terminals, according to a status of job execution, and instructs a load balancing apparatus to perform load control to restrict the server connections based on the condition. The management apparatus includes a controller that sends a request from a client terminal to a server function, to one of image forming apparatuses. The controller obtains, from each image forming apparatus, information relating to a status of job execution, and performs load control to restrict server connections to each image forming apparatus, according to the status of job execution.
US09917958B2	Printing apparatus and control method of printing apparatus requesting print job from server system based on detected event A processing apparatus transmits a request to an external apparatus server for a job on a condition that a predetermined time has elapsed from detection of a predetermined event by a detection unit.
US09917952B2	Evaluation of perceptual delay impact on conversation in teleconferencing system Example embodiments disclosed herein relate to an evaluation of perceptual delay impact on a conversation. A method of evaluating perceptual delay impact on a conversation is disclosed. The method includes detecting a conversational event between a first participant and a second participant, the conversational event including a plurality of speech segments; in response to the conversational event being detected, obtaining at least one conversational parameter for the first and second participants, the at least one conversational parameter indicating a relationship between the plurality of speech segments in the conversational event; and determining a quality of the conversation according to a model based on the at least one conversational parameter, the model characterizing the quality with the at least one conversational parameter. A method of obtaining a model for evaluating perceptual delay impact on a conversation is also disclosed. Corresponding systems and computer program products are also disclosed.
US09917947B2	Internet protocol text relay for hearing impaired users An IP text relay is described herein, to facilitate communication through the use of VOIP or internet telephone system between people of hearing impaired and non hearing impaired. This service and device will enable users to communicate with users of hearing via assistance of an operator who will transcribe.
US09917945B2	In-service monitoring of voice quality in teleconferencing A voice quality estimation process may be triggered by receiving one or more alarms corresponding to one or more endpoint terminals being used during a teleconference. The alarm(s) may include uplink transmission alarms, downlink transmission alarms and/or acoustic quality alarms. The alarms may be based on evaluating transmission metrics and/or acoustic quality metrics. The voice quality estimation process may require a relatively greater computational burden than the processes of evaluating the transmission metrics and/or acoustic quality metrics for the purpose of potentially triggering an alarm. The accuracy and computational complexity of voice quality estimation may be adjusted by selecting times during which alarm detection will take place, alarm detector thresholds, alarm analyzer thresholds and/or levels of voice quality estimation.
US09917943B2	Automatic prompt at call-end Disclosed is a first audio device comprising a speaker for reproduction of first audio signals, a microphone for reception of second audio signals, a first transceiver configured for establishing a wireless link according to a short-distance wireless technology, where the first audio device is configured for establishing the wireless link with a second audio device configured for establishing a call, where the first audio device is configured for transmission of the first and second audio signals of the call via the wireless link, wherein the first audio device is configured for detecting a call-end request during the call, wherein the first audio device is configured for, upon detecting the call-end request, inquiring whether the wireless link between the first audio device and the second audio device should be disconnected.
US09917940B2	USB programmable dual antenna communications headset system A communications headset having an antenna on each earpiece and having an RF switch for determining which antenna is receiving the superior signal and selecting that signal for amplification and distribution to headset speakers. A cable, supported and secured to a headband of the headset, connects the two earpieces for signal and power transfer. An illustrated embodiment has a transceiver and a speaker in an earpiece, with the RF switch, switching logic, and audio processor in one earpiece. Other configurations are within the scope of the invention. The RF switch selects the superior signal responsive to signal strength, signal to noise ratio, and/or similar figures of merit. Monitoring for signal superiority is at a high bandwidth to prevent granularity in the switching becoming noticeable to the user. The antenna corresponding to the superior signal is also used for transmitting from the headset.
US09917936B2	Modular devices and systems configured to receive a plurality of removable modules and to enable data transfer between the modules An electronic device includes a backplane including a set of slots configured to receive user-removable modules; a printed circuit board, coupled to the backplane; and a set of interface blocks, electrically connected to the printed circuit board, that enable power and data transfer between modules coupled to the set of interface blocks.
US09917935B2	Multi-layer handheld electronic device Disclosed is a housing for a portable handheld electronic device such as a cellphone. The device has a housing, having a left side and right side. The housing can be layered, such as in a sandwich configuration. The layers can be secured together via one or more fasteners that extend through at least front and rear plates of the housing.
US09917934B2	Mounting structures for portable electronic devices A portable electronic device such as a handheld electronic device is provided. The device may have upper and lower portions. The upper portion may have clips that attach to springs on the lower portion. The device may have a housing with a bezel. A prong on the springs may ground the bezel. A vibrator mounting bracket may hold a vibrator in place within the housing. The vibrator mounting bracket may have an end that engages the housing. A threaded insert may be welded to the spring. A screw that passes through a hole in the vibrator mounting bracket may be screwed into the threaded insert to attach the vibrator to the housing. An elastomeric member may bias the vibrator towards the bracket. An acoustic module may serve as a subassembly for the device. Components such as an antenna, dock connector, microphone, and speaker may be attached to the acoustic module.
US09917933B2	Method and apparatus for wide bandwidth PPDU transmission in a high efficiency wireless LAN Methods and apparatus for a wideband Physical layer Protocol Data Unit (PPDU) transmission in a High Efficiency WLAN (HEW) include a method for transmitting a Physical layer Protocol Data Unit (PPDU) in a wireless local area network. The method may further include performing a stream parsing of data bit streams to output blocks, determining whether to perform a segment parsing of the blocks based on a predetermined condition to output frequency subblocks, performing a constellation mapping of the blocks or the frequency subblocks, and transmitting the PPDU.
US09917929B2	Sticky and transient markers for a packet parser A packet parser has a set of marker elements each comprising a one bit latch and connected to store flag values from the results of the application of parser rules. Some marker elements are connected to provide the stored marker values as input to the parser rule logic to be taken into account in the processing of subsequent parser rules and some are connected to control external hardware. Some markers are reset at the end of each packet. A special toggle marker element toggles its value when its address is selected and other marker elements are connected to store, when its own address is selected, the value of the toggle element. Other markers toggle their own value when selected.
US09917928B2	Network address translation Systems and methods for connecting a network using one network protocol with a network using another network protocol are provided. According to an embodiment, a method is provided for performing network address translation. A data packet is received, by a protocol bridge connecting a first network, using a first protocol, and a second network, using a second protocol, via a first session of the first protocol from a first network appliance of the first network. The first protocol may be either Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) or Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) and the second protocol is the other. The data packet is translated into the second protocol. The translation is performed in a kernel space of the protocol bridge. Finally, the data packet is transmitted via a second session of the second protocol to a second network appliance of the second network.
US09917924B2	Methods, systems, and computer readable media for simplistic visual representation of complex interdependent network protocol fields for network protocol fuzzing and graphical framework for reporting instantaneous system level progress A method for visualizing interdependent network protocol fields for fuzzing and progress reporting includes providing a graphical user interface including a stacked representation of network protocol fields to be fuzzed. The method further includes displaying, in the stacked representation, an indication of network protocol fields that can or cannot be fuzzed. The method further includes receiving, via the stacked representation, selections of network protocol fields to be fuzzed and specifications of fuzzed parameter values for the selections. The method further includes generating and sending to a device under test network protocol packets with fuzzed parameter values according the selections and specifications.
US09917923B2	Building message relationships for offline operation of an enterprise application A system, method, and computer program product for building JSON message relationships for offline operation of an enterprise application is presented. The claimed embodiments address the problem of mobile application behavior during periods of limited access to backend application services and data. More specifically, some embodiments are directed to approaches for capturing request and response information communicated between a client device and application server when connected by a network, and storing respective relationships using the captured information. The stored requests and responses and respective relationships are used to emulate the backend services provided by the application server when the client device is disconnected from the network. In one or more embodiments, a crawler on the client device can generate simulated online requests to build a set of information for use by the emulator when the client device is disconnected from the application server.
US09917922B2	Extensibility bundles for a cloud and devices suite An interface mechanism is provided for developers to bundle together a set of extensions (or add-ins) to a productivity suite allowing end users and system administrators to manage their lifecycle in a unified way. Aspects such as discovery, acquisition, authorization deployment, management, updates, and similar ones may be addressed for the bundle as opposed to each of the different extensions (for example extensions for different versions of the same application such as desktop version, web application version, mobile version, etc.). Bundles may also provide a means to match specific functional sets or commercial offerings to specific user or customer profiles.
US09917920B2	System and method of reciprocal data sharing Systems and methods are provided for implementing reciprocal data sharing in a data exchange system. Limitations may be placed on the amount of data an exchange member may access based on the amount of data that exchange member has contributed. The system may include determining a data contribution associated with a first member of the data exchange, determining a limit for the first member based on the data contribution, and providing data to the first member when the first member has not exceeded the limit. In some embodiments, there may be separate limits for each member of the data exchange, so that a first member may have different access limits when accessing data from a second member, data from a third member, and data from a fourth member. Further, the system may limit a requester to a type of data that corresponds to the type of data contributed.
US09917918B2	Method and apparatus for delivering content from content store in content-centric networking A method of delivering content includes receiving an interest packet including a plurality of requests in a content-centric networking (CCN), determining an availability of content for a first request among the plurality of requests in a content store (CS), fetching available pieces of content from the CS for a set of sequential requests starting from the first request among the plurality of requests in response to the content for the first request being available in the CS, the fetching comprising fetching available content for each remaining request subsequent to the first request among the sequential requests based on information from content identified for a request immediately preceding each remaining request, and delivering the fetched available pieces of content.
US09917915B2	Information processing system, information processing apparatus, terminal apparatus and information transmission method for ordered transmission of stored information to be synchronously displayed at terminal apparatuses An information processing system includes one or more terminal apparatuses and an information processing apparatus connected via a network. The system converts stored information, based on a method determined for each of the terminal apparatuses, into at least first transmission information and second transmission information to be transmitted to the terminal apparatuses; transmits the first transmission information including a first display part of the information to one of the terminal apparatuses and transmits the second transmission information including a second display part of the information different from the first display part to the one of the terminal apparatuses after transmitting the first transmission information; and displays ones of the at least first transmission information and second transmission information.
US09917914B2	Facilitating content accessibility via different communication formats Methods and systems for facilitating content accessibility via different communication formats are provided. According to one embodiment, information indicative of one or more communication formats via which a client device is capable of communication is stored on a client device by (i) sending the client device a web page having embedded therein test content associated with a first protocol stack and/or a second protocol stack; and (ii) based on a response to the test content received from the client device, determining communication capabilities of the client device. A result of the determination is stored within a browser cookie, which is sent to the client device. A content request is received from the client device that includes the browser cookie. The client device is redirected to a server device appropriate for the communication capabilities of the client based at least in part on the browser cookie.
US09917911B2	Security system communications management Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for managing communications. One of the systems includes a plurality of security systems, each security system including a secure network coupling a plurality of security devices; a plurality of user devices authorized to send and receive communications associated with a respective security system of the plurality of security systems; and a service provider system configured to manage communications for each of the plurality of security systems with respective user devices, wherein, the service provider system or the user devices are configured to communicate with a push service to send push notifications.
US09917904B1	Identifying non-search actions based on a search-query In general, the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for invoking a non-search action based on a search query. A server system receives a search query from a remote computing device. The server system determines whether the search query includes reserved text that indicates an intent by a user that provided the search query to the remote computing device to perform a non-search messaging action instead of or in addition to obtaining search results. The server system provides to the computing device, in response to determining that the search query includes the reserved text, code for causing the remote computing device to display a draft communication that includes at least the search query without the reserved text, and for allowing the user to edit the draft communication before transmitting the draft communication for receipt by recipient users.
US09917902B2	System and method for scalable and efficient deployment of wireless infrastructure nodes for multiple collocated wireless field device networks A wireless infrastructure node includes at least one processing device configured to receive a data packet from a wireless field device network (WFN) controller, where the data packet includes a network identifier. The at least one processing device is also configured to determine a field device network to receive the data packet based on the network identifier. The at least one processing device is further configured to transmit the data packet to a field device in the field device network. The wireless infrastructure node, the WFN controller, and the field device network comprise one logical WFN among a plurality of logical WFNs. The wireless infrastructure node is one of a plurality of pooled infrastructure nodes configured to communicate between a plurality of WFN controllers and a plurality of field device networks arranged in the plurality of logical WFNs.
US09917895B2	Information providing system and method thereof This specification allows a plurality of terminals to exchange and use data stored in each of the terminals through their own embedded web servers. An information providing system according to embodiments disclosed herein includes a first web server and a first controller both embedded in a telematics terminal mounted in a vehicle, and a second web server and a second controller both embedded in a mobile terminal. The first controller requests the second web server to transmit a first data corresponding to a first user request, receives the first data from the second web server, and executes the received first data. The second controller requests the first web server to transmit a second data corresponding to a second user request, receives the second data from the first web server, and executes the received second data.
US09917893B2	Method and system for supporting dynamic instance hosting service of virtual object Disclosed is a method and system for re-directing a dynamic instance hosting service of a virtual object. The dynamic instance hosting service re-directing system may include a spatial information controller configured to determine whether an instance of an Internet of Things (IoT) device is movable based on spatial information of the IoT device using an instance hosting function; and an instance resource controller configured to manage available instance resources associated with the IoT device and an external service for an instance movement of the IoT device.
US09917888B1	Data integration application execution management Disclosed aspects relate to data integration application execution management using both a set of managed nodes and a set of unmanaged nodes. An execution request for a data integration application may be sensed. A first set of commands of the data integration application may be assigned to the set of managed nodes. A second set of commands of the data integration application may be assigned to the set of unmanaged nodes. Execution of the data integration application may be initiated using the set of managed nodes to process the first set of commands and the set of unmanaged nodes to process the second set of commands.
US09917880B2	Method and apparatus for enabling participants to assume control over a presentation in a remote viewing session A display computer running remote viewing software may detect when a UAC dialog is shown and send a generic representation of the UAC to viewer participants. Although the software cannot capture the UAC dialog itself, it can detect when a UAC dialog occurs and generate its own generic representation of the UAC dialog to be presented to the viewer participants. The generic representation may include an instruction for the viewer participant to instruct the display participant to respond to the UAC dialog and a generic image of an example UAC dialog.
US09917879B2	Remote interface templates Embodiments of the present invention allow applications developers to change user experiences within an application without updating the application by relying on remote interface templates to create user experiences. The application code includes entry points to various remote interface templates stored on a remote device. The remote interface templates are consumed by the application to render content blocks that are all, or part of, the application's interface. The remote interface templates may be changed seamlessly at the remote device allowing the user to enjoy the updated interface without interruption the next time the application is opened.
US09917878B2	Congestion induced video scaling Access nodes and methods adjust a bit rate of a data stream in a communication network. The access nodes and methods have a packet inspection unit configured to inspect one or more of the data packets to determine that the data stream includes video data. A congestion unit is coupled to the packet inspection unit and is configured to determine a level of congestion in the communication network, the level of congestion associated with a capacity of the wireless channel, the level of congestion capable of varying over time, and the capacity of the wireless channel capable of varying with the level of congestion. A video scaling unit is configured to adjust the bit rate of the data stream responsive to the packet inspection unit and the congestion unit.
US09917877B2	Streaming the visible parts of a spherical video In a general aspect, a method includes determining a tile position in a frame of a spherical video based on a view perspective, selecting a portion of the frame of the spherical video as a two dimensional tile based on the tile position, encoding the two dimensional tile at a first quality, mapping the frame of the spherical video to a two dimensional representation of the spherical video based on a two dimensional projection algorithm, and encoding the two dimensional representation of the spherical video at a second quality.
US09917876B2	Video information playing system and method The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a video information play system and method. The video information play system comprises: a video file separator; an information processing unit; a system resource monitoring module configured to obtain hardware parameters and resource consumption of the video information play system; a decoding parameter setting unit configured to set decoding parameters corresponding to the video information to be played according to the video information parameters from the video file separator; and an adaptation unit configured to obtain the video information play parameters of the video information to be played according to the video information parameters, configure parameters of the information processing unit according to the obtained hardware parameters and resource consumption of the video information play system, the decoding parameters and the video information play parameters, and configure parameters of the video file separator according to the video information play parameters.
US09917874B2	Enhanced block-request streaming using block partitioning or request controls for improved client-side handling A block-request streaming system provides for improvements in the user experience and bandwidth efficiency of such systems, typically using an ingestion system that generates data in a form to be served by a conventional file server (HTTP, FTP, or the like), wherein the ingestion system intakes content and prepares it as files or data elements to be served by the file server. A client device can be adapted to take advantage of the ingestion process. The client device might be configured to optimize use of resources, given the information available to it from the ingestion system. This may include configurations to determine the sequence, timing and construction of block requests based on monitoring buffer size and rate of change of buffer size, use of variable sized requests, mapping of block requests to underlying transport connections, flexible pipelining of requests, and/or use of whole file requests based on statistical considerations.
US09917873B2	Network-based playback of content in cloud storage based on device playback capability A cloud computing device facilitates distribution of digital content by receiving multimedia content and a corresponding effect uploaded from a source device and storing the multimedia content with the corresponding effect, receiving an access request from a requesting device for the multimedia content, and determining whether the requesting device is a registered device. In response to the requesting device not being a registered device, the requesting device is registered and a registered device capabilities list is updated. A determination is made based on the registered device capabilities list on whether the requesting device is compatible with the multimedia content and effect. Based on a compatibility determination, data is transmitted to the requesting device to facilitate playback of the multimedia content and effect.
US09917867B2	Conducting online meetings with intelligent environment configuration A computer-implemented method of conducting online meetings includes gathering sensed environment information from a set of intelligent sensor devices in physical user environments, along with meeting information describing online meetings in which the users participate while located in the respective environments. The sensed environment information and meeting information are stored in an event database, intelligent environment-control devices in the physical user environments are configured for subsequent online meetings. The configuring includes operating a stateful behavioral engine using the sensed environment information and meeting information from the event database to identify patterns of user behavior and to configure the intelligent environment-control devices according to the identified patterns of user behavior.
US09917861B2	Enabling access to an enterprise network domain based on a centralized trust A method of establishing centralized trust includes, at a policy server having connectivity to a network, establishing a trust relationship with a first enterprise network domain and a second enterprise network domain. One or more criterion from a server in the first enterprise network domain are received by the policy server and a federation relationship is established between at least a portion of the first enterprise network domain and one or more entities in the second enterprise network domain based on the one or more criterion. Based on the federation relationship, the policy server enables the one or more entities in the second enterprise network domain to access the at least a portion of the first enterprise network domain.
US09917853B2	Correlating event logs to identify a potential security breach Systems and techniques for displaying timelines of event logs are described. A software application may identify event logs associated with an identifier, such as an IP address of a network element or a username. The software application may group the identified event logs based on specified criteria. The software application may determine multiple sessions in which an individual session includes a group of event logs arranged along a timeline. Sessions associated with a same network element may be displayed with a same magnitude. Sessions associated with different network elements may be displayed with different magnitudes. For example, a first timeline of event logs in a first session at a first network element may be displayed at a first height. A second timeline of event logs in a second session at a second network element may be displayed at a second height.
US09917851B2	Intrusion detection using a heartbeat A variety of techniques are disclosed for detection of advanced persistent threats and similar malware. In one aspect, the detection of certain network traffic at a gateway is used to trigger a query of an originating endpoint, which can use internal logs to identify a local process that is sourcing the network traffic. In another aspect, an endpoint is configured to periodically generate and transmit a secure heartbeat, so that an interruption of the heartbeat can be used to signal the possible presence of malware. In another aspect, other information such as local and global reputation information is used to provide context for more accurate malware detection.
US09917838B2	Providing access to applications with varying enrollment levels Various examples of detecting whether a device meets an enrollment level are disclosed. A request to authenticate a user based upon user credentials is obtained. Applications for which the user is authorized are identified. An enrollment level associated with each of the plurality of applications is also identified. A user interface including the plurality of applications and the enrollment level associated with each of the plurality of applications is generated.
US09917835B2	Techniques for secure message offloading Techniques for secure message offloading are presented. An intermediary is transparently situated between a user's local messaging client and an external and remote messaging client. The user authenticates to the local client for access and the intermediary authenticates the user for access to the remote client using different credentials unknown to the user. Messages sent from the local client are transparently encrypted by the intermediary before being passed to the remote client and messages received from the remote client are transparently decrypted before being delivered to the local client.
US09917830B2	System and methods for weak authentication data reinforcement Systems and methods for weak authentication data reinforcement are described. In some embodiments, authentication data is received in a request to authenticate a user. In response to detecting weak authentication data, the systems and methods determine whether the identifier of the device was previously associated with a human user and whether the authentication data is weak. An example embodiment may include initiating a verification process in response to determining that the authentication data is weak and that the identifier of the device was not previously associated with a human user.
US09917822B2	Automatically securing distributed applications A processing system for distributed multi-tier applications is provided. The system includes a server component that executes a replica of a client-side application, where a client component executes the client-side application. The client component captures events from the client-side application and transmits the events to the replica to validate the computational integrity security of the application.
US09917821B2	Hardware cryptographic authentication An example method of establishing an authenticated session between two communicating devices includes establishing, by a first processor of a first device, a secure connection with a second device over the network using a communications protocol; receiving, by the first processor, an identity authentication request from the second device; passing, by the first processor, the identity authentication request to a second processor located on an authentication chip of the first device; generating, by the second processor using one or more authentication code functions stored on the authentication chip, one or more authentication codes using a unique serial number of the first device and an authentication key, both stored on the authentication chip; providing, by the second processor, the one or more generated authentication codes to the first processor; and sending, by the first processor, a response to the second device that includes the one or more generated authentication codes.
US09917819B2	System and method for providing a proxied contact management system A system and method for providing a Proxied Contact Management System (PCMS) so that individual owners of personal contact data may control and manage the access and dissemination of their personal data and also control who may contact them. The owner of personal contact data may securely register the data with a secured information vault of the PCMS and specify which other parties may contact them. In this way, duplication of the personal data is avoided, but at the same time is always current. In use, a second party's device, such as a telephone or a PDA may request that the PCMS, under public key infrastructure (PKI) control, establish a connection with the first party. Once verified, the PCMS may establish a proxy connection between the first and second parties according to the permitted mode of communication defined by criteria established by the first party and managed by the PCMS. In this way, personal contact information, such as a telephone number, is kept secure and private and not provided to the second party.
US09917817B1	Selective encryption of outgoing data Methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture for selective encryption of outgoing data are provided herein. A method includes monitoring a set of outgoing data from a first user, identifying one or more items of sensitive information from the set of outgoing data, encrypting the one or more items of sensitive information to produce one or more items of encrypted sensitive information, and replacing the one or more items of sensitive information with the one or more items of encrypted sensitive information in the set of outgoing data.
US09917814B2	Automated configuration of endpoint security management Systems and methods for managing configuration of a client security application based on a network environment in which the client device is operating are provided. According to one embodiment, a network connection state of a client device with respect to a private network is determined by a client security application running on the client device. The client security application, then selects a configuration based on the determined network connection state. Finally, the client security application launches one or more functions of the client security application that are designated by the selected configuration.
US09917802B2	Interactive user interface based on analysis of chat messages content A method of adapting a webpage comprising monitoring textual content inputted to a user interface of an IM service by participant(s) of an IM session managed by the IM service, the user interface being displayed on a display of a client device, performing an analysis of the textual content to identify query conditions defining at least one feature of the product or the service, generating an interactive UI according to at least a portion of the query conditions and an identity of the at least one participant, storing the adapted interactive UI to be available to a browser via a link, automatically inputting the link into the IM session so as to allow the participant(s) to access the adapted interactive UI using a browser running on the client device, and submitting an order based on completing data received from the participant(s) via the adapted interactive UI.
US09917797B2	Method and system for managing switch workloads in a cluster In general, embodiments of the invention relate to a switch that includes a processor, ports, and memory that includes instructions, which when executed by the processor perform a method. The method includes obtaining, via a port, a global task-server mapping from a first server, detecting that one of the ports is congested. The method further includes, based on the detecting, identifying a task associated with the one of the ports using the global-task server mapping, generating a task listing based on the identifying, generating an alert including the task listing, and transmitting the alert to an administrator.
US09917794B2	Redirection IP packet through switch fabric A method for redirecting Internet Protocol (IP) packets from a packet redirect source to a packet redirect destination through a switch fabric of Ethernet switches is disclosed. At the packet redirect source, the topological location and the identifier of the packet redirect destination are put in a first set of bits and a second set of bits of the destination Media Access Control (MAC) address field of the packet to be redirected. The switch fabric forwards the packet to the switch directly connected to the packet redirect destination according to the first set of bits. Then the switch forwards the packet to the packet redirect destination according to the second set of bits.
US09917791B1	Systems and methods for suspended playback In an approach, a first application executing on a first computer acquires, one or more resources of the first computer, wherein the one or more resources include one or more shared resources that are shared among applications of the first computer. The first application receives a media stream from a second computer and presents playback of the media stream. In response to detecting that priority within the first computer has shifted to a second application, the first application pauses playback of the media stream and releases the one or more shared resources while retaining one or more remaining resources that relate to a session context. In response to detecting that priority has shifted back to the first application, the first application re-acquires the one or more shared resources and resumes playback of the media stream based on the one or more remaining resources.
US09917787B2	Method and system for flexible credit exchange within high performance fabrics Method, apparatus, and systems for implementing flexible credit exchange within high performance fabrics. Available buffer space in a receive buffer on a receive-side of a link is managed and tracked at the transmit-side of the link using credits. Peer link interfaces coupled via a link are provided with receive buffer configuration information that specifies how the receive buffer space in each peer is partitioned and space allocated for each buffer, including a plurality of virtual lane (VL) buffers. Credits are used for tracking buffer space consumption and in credits are returned from the receive-side indicating freed buffer space. The peer link interfaces exchange credit organization information to inform the other peer of how much space each credit represents. In connection with data transfer over the link, the transmit-side de-allocates credits based on an amount of buffer space to be consumed in applicable buffers in the receive buffer. Upon space being freed in the receive buffer, the receive-side returns credit ACKnowledgements (ACKs) identifying a VL for which space has been freed.
US09917786B2	Systems, methods, and devices to support intra-application flow prioritization Systems and methods to support intra-application flow prioritization are disclosed herein. User equipment (UE) may be configured to communicatively couple to an Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) Node B (eNB). The eNB may transmit packets from the UE to an evolved packet core (EPC), which may transmit schedule packets to an application function (AF) via a network. The AF may provide classification information and prioritization information for a plurality of intra-application flows transmitted between the AF and the UE. The EPC may classify uplink and/or downlink traffic into the intra-application flows and mark and/or schedule the traffic based on the prioritization information. Absolute and/or modular length, payload values, and/or packet type may be used to classify the traffic into the intra-application flows.
US09917773B2	Data communication system and method A communication system in a vehicle consist includes a router that is configured to monitor an operational status of a plurality of network channels across a plurality of vehicles in the consist, and to route messages through one or more of the network channels in dependence upon the monitored operational status of the network channels.
US09917771B2	Virtual expansion of network fabric edge for multihoming of layer-2 switches and hosts Methods and systems are provided for virtual expansion of a fabric network edge to include edge network devices. For example, unique virtual Internet Protocol (IP) addresses may be assigned to a plurality of L2 switches, wherein the L2 switches are connected to one or more fabric edge devices in a fabric, and wherein the L2 switches are located outside of the fabric. Next, the unique virtual IP addresses may be announced in an underlay of the fabric.
US09917769B2	Method and system for virtualizing flow tables in a software-defined networking (SDN) system In one embodiment, a method is implemented in a network element coupled to the SDN system, which contains a set of network elements processing traffic flows and a SDN controller managing the set of network elements. The method includes creating a set of virtual tables for processing packets of traffic flows at the network element based on a set of flow tables of the network element, where the set of flow tables is ordered in a sequence. The method further includes mapping each of the set of virtual tables to a single flow table of the set of flow tables, where the mapping causes at least one flow table being mapped to a plurality of the set of virtual tables. The method also includes forwarding packets of traffic flows to the set of virtual tables for processing.
US09917766B2	Loop-free hybrid network A loop-free hybrid network can include receiving an advertisement from a non-software defined network (SDN) network device, determining a network topology that includes the non-SDN network device and a number of SDN network devices, and sending an aggregating instruction to the non-SDN network device, wherein the aggregating instruction aggregates all connections between the non-SDN network device and the number of SDN network devices.
US09917757B2	Network connectivity identification Examples of the present invention present a method of determining the network connectivity technology being used in a network link. The method sends test packets from the router to an end device, such as a set-top box, and measures the latency in the received packets at the end device. The packets are gradually increased in size. The increasing packet size effectively results in increasing the load on the network link between the router and the end device. The latency characteristics vary as a function of packet size (representing increasing network load), and result in a signature or “fingerprint” for the network connectivity technology being used for the link, across the load cycle. The signature can be compared to predetermined models to identify the specific technology used. The technique can be enabled using software modules installed at the gateway/router and at the end-point, such as a set-top box.
US09917756B2	Systems and methods for visualizing a call over network with a caller readiness dialog box Systems and methods for a readiness dialog box for a call over network (CON) are provided. In some embodiments, the readiness dialog box is presented to the callers prior to the onset of the call. It presents the other participant's and their status. For example, it may indicate which participants are online, but not yet ready, those who are ready, and those not available. It also enables the caller to send messages (both preconfigured and customized) to the other participants. Once sufficient participants have joined, the call may start. Sufficiency of participants could include a quorum of individuals, may require that specific participants are ready, everyone is ready, or may be time dependent. The participant requirements may be configured by the individual setting up the call based upon call type.
US09917755B1	Providing fast radio-frequency delay measurements for envelope tracking Techniques are disclosed related to determining delay in a radio frequency (RF) communications device configured to perform envelope tracking. The RF communications device may comprise a power amplifier and an envelope tracker. First and second input stimuli signals may be transmitted to each of the power amplifier and envelope tracker, respectively. The RF communications device may output, by the power amplifier, an output signal to a vector signal analyzer (VSA). The VSA may determine a first delay offset by cross-correlating the output signal with a reference signal, and the VSA may determine a second delay offset based on an amplitude distortion of the output signal. A relative delay between the first and second input stimuli signals may be determined based on a difference between the first and second delay offsets.
US09917754B2	Management of decommissioned server assets in a shared data environment Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for monitoring decommissioned servers in a shared data environment. Embodiments of the present invention can be used to aggregate information associated with an environment from external resources, and calculate a baseline of server activity from the aggregated information. When new information is received, it is compared to the baseline of server activity in order to determine a possible misuse of the server assets, when inconsistencies are detected between the baseline of activity and the new information.
US09917751B2	Hierarchical service oriented application topology generation for a network The technology disclosed relates to understanding traffic patterns in a network with a multitude of processes running on numerous hosts. In particular, it relates to using at least one of rule based classifiers and machine learning based classifiers for clustering processes running on numerous hosts into local services and clustering the local services running on multiple hosts into service clusters, using the service clusters to aggregate communications among the processes running on the hosts and generating a graphic of communication patterns among the service clusters with available drill-down into details of communication links. It also relates to using predetermined command parameters to create service rules and machine learning based classifiers that identify host-specific services. In one implementation, user feedback is used to create new service rules or classifiers and/or modify existing service rules or classifiers so as to improve accuracy of the identification of the host-specific services.
US09917750B2	Method for providing information A method includes: inputting information indicating power usage corresponding to each of a plurality of user IDs; generating a differential value between i) a first cumulative value of power usage corresponding to a first user ID in a prescribed period and ii) a second cumulative value of power usage corresponding to a second user ID in the prescribed period; generating a first conversion value by converting the differential value to a use time of an electric home appliance corresponding to a first type among electric home appliances corresponding to the first user ID; generating display data indicating that the differential value corresponds to the first conversion value; and transmitting the display data to an information terminal device corresponding to the first user ID.
US09917748B2	Information processing apparatus and information processing method for presentation of information based on status of user device There is provided an information processing apparatus, including an acquiring unit that acquires first information representing at least one of a characteristic and a status of delivery data and second information representing at least one of a characteristic and a status of a terminal in which the delivery data is usable, a comparing unit that compares the first information and the second information acquired by the acquiring unit, and determines whether or not the delivery data is usable in the terminal, and a presentation information generating unit that generates information of the delivery data usable in the terminal based on a determination result of the comparing unit as presentation information.
US09917747B2	Problem detection in a distributed digital network through distributed packet analysis A system and method performs packet analysis in a distributed communication network. Packet processors tap into data packet flow at various points in the distributed network. The packet processors processes data packets from the packet flow and select a set of packets using a packet signature function and packet selection criteria. A packet record is created by each packet processor and sent to other packet processors in the distributed network. The other packet processors add data to the packet record for the same set of packets. The packet records are analyzed to gather comparative data to identify problems in the network.
US09917744B2	Method and system for monitoring quality of data transmission in IDC network A method for monitoring quality of data transmission in an IDC network includes: monitoring data sent by an application service node and data received by a data storage node of the application service node in an IDC network; acquiring index items of sent data and index items of received data; calculating, according to the index items of sent data and the index items of received data, a data transmission quality index of the sent data and the received data; and raising an alarm according to the data transmission quality index. By contrast, transmission of erroneous data that causes a waste of network bandwidth resources can be avoided, and data calculation performed according to the erroneous data resulting in an erroneous data calculation result is further prevented; therefore, occupation of unnecessary calculation resources and a bad decision that is generated according to the erroneous data calculation result can be prevented.
US09917739B2	Systems and methods for network pattern matching Example embodiments of systems and methods for network pattern matching provide the ability to match hidden networks from noisy data sources using probabilistic multi-attribute graph matching analysis. The algorithms may map roles and patterns to observed entities. The outcome is a set of plausible network models. The pattern-matching methodology of these systems and methods may enable the solution of three challenges associated with social network analysis, namely network size and complexity, uncertain and incomplete data, and dynamic network structure.
US09917738B2	Intelligent device data router Examples of the disclosure enable messages, such as syslog messages, rsyslog messages, and/or syslog-ng messages, to be efficiently and effectively routed. In some examples, it is determined whether a transmitting device associated with a message is associated with one or more device classes. Upon determining that the transmitting device is not associated with one or more device classes, the transmitting device is associated with a device class, and a rule set for determining whether the transmitting device is associated with one or more device classes is updated. A recipient for the message is identified, such that the message is configured to be accurately routed to the recipient. Examples of the disclosure manage messages to increase system functionality, increase speed, conserve memory, reduce processor load, increase communication reliability, and/or reduce communication error rate.
US09917734B2	FEMTO parameter profiles based upon nearby access point Operating parameters for a femto access point (FAP) are efficiently and accurately defined. During provisioning of the FAP, the system obtains operating parameters utilized by a nearby FAP expected to have a substantially similar radio environment as the provisioning FAP. Moreover, weighting is applied to the nearby FAP to determine which set of operating parameters to utilize at the provisioning FAP. Accordingly, pre-existing operating parameters, optimized by the nearby FAP are employed to augment initial network listen measurements performed at the provisioning FAP, and thus improve speed and accuracy of initial FAP parameter provisioning.
US09917733B2	Communication device, control method, program product and communication system A communication device that communicates with a plurality of different target devices compliant with different specifications of data communication. The communication device receives request data to control operations of the plurality of different target devices; identifies a specific target device for which operation is to be controlled among the plurality of different target devices; identifies command content to be performed by the specific target device according to the received request data; identifies a specification of data communication employed by the specific target device; identifies an operation command corresponding to the identified command content based on the identified specification of data communication employed by the specific target device; and sends the operation command to the specific target device.
US09917727B2	Consistent hashing for network traffic dispatching A method is provided that uses a consistent hashing technique to dispatch incoming packets in a stable system prior to adding of a node. The method uses a hash table and assigns hash buckets in the table to each network node. A set of fields in each incoming packet is hashed and is used to identify the corresponding hash bucket. The packets are then dispatched to the network nodes based on the nodes' hash buckets. During an observation period, the method identifies the ongoing sessions by creating a bit vector table that is used to identify the old and new sessions during a re-dispatching period. The method uses the consistent hashing method and the probabilistic method dispatch the incoming packets such that each packet that belongs to an old session is dispatched to the same old node that has been processing the other packets of the session.
US09917726B2	Method and apparatus for bundling multiple logger events A system, method, apparatus and mechanisms for detecting traps triggered by Label Switch Path (LSP) interface events, determining the corresponding event characteristics, associating the detected traps with a bitmap marker indicative of their respective event characteristics, and bundling together bitmaps having common markers to provide thereby respective bundles of common logger events adapted for bulk transmission to a management system.
US09917725B2	Automotive neural network Network node modules within a vehicle are arranged to form a reconfigurable automotive neural network. Each network node module includes one or more subsystems for performing one or more operations and a local processing module for communicating with the one or more subsystems. A management system enables traffic from the one or more subsystems of a particular network node module to be re-routed to an external processing module upon failure of the local processing module of that particular network node module.
US09917724B2	Access method and system of customer premise equipment, and broadband network gateway The present invention provides an access method and system of a customer premise equipment, and a broadband network gateway. The access method of a customer premise equipment includes: receiving, by a BNG in a BNG pool, an access request packet sent by a CPE, where the access request packet carries an identifier of a CPE group to which the CPE belongs; and obtaining, by the BNG, an access policy of the CPE group according to the identifier of the CPE group, and performing access control on the CPE according to the access policy. Through the present invention, a BNG in a BNG pool is enabled to provide an access service for a CPE according to an access policy, so that when a BNG in a BNG pool is faulty, a BNG that is not faulty in the BNG pool can provide an access service for a CPE originally accessing the faulty BNG, thereby improving the reliability of the entire network.
US09917723B2	Efficient methods and recursive/scalable circuit architectures for QAM symbol mean and variance estimations Circuits for producing signals representative of mean and variance estimations for quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) are provided where the circuits comprise: sequentially repeated first circuit modules and sequentially repeated second circuit modules configured for producing updates in the corresponding estimation iterations. In one embodiment, a closest negative integer power of 2 is used as a substitute multiplicand when multiplying together two or more outputs of hyperbolic function generating units where the substituted for output is less than one. Size and complexity of the corresponding multiplier can then be reduced.
US09917720B2	Apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals, apparatus for receiving broadcast signals, method for transmitting broadcast signals and method for receiving broadcast signals A method and an apparatus for receiving broadcast signals thereof are disclosed. The apparatus for receiving broadcast signals, the apparatus comprises a receiver to receive the broadcast signals, a demodulator to perform demodulation on the received broadcast signals by an OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex) scheme, a frequency de-interleaver to frequency de-interleave the demodulated broadcast signals by using a different interleaving sequence, wherein the different interleaving sequence is used for data corresponding to an OFDM symbol pair or data corresponding to an OFDM symbol according to an FFT size of the demodulation, a frame parser to parse at least one signal frame from the frequency de-interleaved broadcast signals and a decoder to decode service data in the parsed at least one signal frame.
US09917716B2	Transmission apparatus, reception apparatus, and communication system to insert symbols and cyclic prefix into a block signal A transmission apparatus that transmits a block signal including a plurality of data symbols, includes: a data-symbol generation unit that generates a data symbol; a symbol arrangement unit that arranges the data symbol and a same-quadrant symbol such that one same-quadrant symbol that becomes a signal point in a same quadrant in a complex plane is inserted per block at a predetermined position in each block signal to generate a block symbol; a CP insertion unit that inserts a Cyclic Prefix into the block symbol; and an interpolation unit that performs interpolation processing on the block symbol on which CP insertion has been performed.
US09917715B2	Apparatus for transmitting and receiving a signal and method of transmitting and receiving a signal A method of transmitting and receiving a signal and an apparatus for transmitting and receiving a signal are provided. The method includes receiving the signal of a first frequency band, obtaining Layer-1 (L1) information from a preamble of a first time-frequency slicing (TFS) signal frame of the received signal, the layer-1 information including a radio frequency (RF) channel identifier of the first TFS signal frame including a physical layer pipe (PLP) in a super frame of TFS structure and including an identifier of a starting radio RF channel that can receive the PLP in the first TFS signal frame, parsing the first TFS signal frame using the L1 information and obtaining a PLP of the first TFS signal frame, and converting the PLP to a service stream.
US09917712B2	Frequency domain equalizer for optical communications A method decodes an optical signal transmitted over an optical channel from a transmitter to a receiver. The receiver receives the transmitted optical signal to produce a digital signal which is filtered in the frequency domain for compensating static effects and/or dynamic effects. The filtering is performed in the frequency domain, while the frequency coefficients of the filter are updated in the time domain by updating at least some of time coefficients of the filter and transforming the time coefficients into the frequency domain.
US09917711B2	Multilevel driver for high speed chip-to-chip communications Transmission line driver systems are described which are comprised of multiple paralleled driver elements. The paralleled structure allows efficient generation of multiple output signal levels with adjustable output amplitude, optionally including Finite Impulse Response signal shaping and skew pre-compensation.
US09917710B2	Adaptive equalizer, adaptive equalization method and receiver An adaptive equalizer, an adaptive equalization method and receiver are disclosed where the adaptive equalizer is used for performing adaptive equalization processing on a frequency-domain signal, a channel used by the frequency-domain signal containing multiple subcarriers, the adaptive equalizer comprises: an equalizer coefficient generating unit configured to, for each subcarrier, generate an equalizer coefficient to which the subcarrier corresponds according to channel information and a step length of the subcarrier; where different subcarriers correspond to different step lengths and an equalization processing unit configured to, for each subcarrier, perform equalization processing on a signal in the subcarrier by using the equalizer coefficient.
US09917704B2	Energy saving monitoring method and device An energy saving monitoring method and device are provided. The method includes: acquiring system resource occupation information of an information technology (IT) device layer management system; sending a power-off instruction to the IT device layer management system according to the system resource occupation information, so that the IT device layer management system closes a virtual machine in a no-load state; and receiving a power-off feedback message sent by the IT device layer management system, and sending a cooling adjustment instruction to an infrastructure layer monitoring system according to a running state of a corresponding virtual machine in a cooling area where the closed virtual machine is located, so that the infrastructure layer monitoring system adjusts cooling deployment of the cooling area where the closed virtual machine is located.
US09917700B2	Systems, methods, and computer readable media for policy enforcement correlation Systems, methods, and computer readable media for policy enforcement correlation are disclosed. According to one aspect, a method for policy enforcement correlation includes, at a policy and charging rules function (PCRF) node: receiving, from a first network node, first policy and charging related information associated with a first user of a telecommunication network; receiving, from a second network node, second policy and charging related information; correlating the first and second policy and charging related information; and, in response to correlating the first and second policy and charging information, issuing a policy and charging control (PCC)-related instruction. In one embodiment, the PCC-related instruction may be sent to the first network node, the second network node, a third network node, or some combination of the above. In one embodiment, the PCRF may receive policy and charging related information from, and may issue PCC related instructions to, policy and charging enforcement functions (PCEFs), deep packet inspection (DPI) nodes, or Diameter signaling routers (DSRs).
US09917694B1	Key provisioning method and apparatus for authentication tokens A processing device is configured to obtain an address and a public key, both associated with an authentication service, to generate a symmetric key as a function of the public key, to configure an authentication token to incorporate the symmetric key, to encrypt the symmetric key utilizing the public key, and to transmit the encrypted symmetric key to the address so as to permit the authentication service to bind the symmetric key to an identifier of the authentication token. By way of example, the authentication token may comprise a software authentication token implemented on the processing device. One or more tokencodes generated by the authentication token utilizing the symmetric key are transmitted to the authentication service for authentication. The authentication by the authentication service is based on the symmetric key bound to the identifier of the authentication token.
US09917690B2	Encryption management, content recording management, and playback management in a network environment Management of key information as described herein enables a respective service provider to distribute encrypted content to subscribers, preventing improper use of the content without authorization. For example, the service provider can distribute encrypted content for recording by a subscriber at a remote location. At or around a time of recording the encrypted content, and on behalf of the user, the service provider initiates storage of the corresponding decryption information that is needed to decrypt the recorded encrypted content. In order to play back the recorded segments of the encrypted content, the subscriber communicates with a server resource to be authenticated. Subsequent to being authenticated, the server resource distributes a copy of decryption information needed to decrypt the previously recorded segments of encrypted content to the subscriber. Accordingly, the service provider retains control of playing back content via controlled distribution of the corresponding copy of decryption information.
US09917687B2	Migrating secrets using hardware roots of trust for devices Systems and methods facilitating a framework that provides a core trusted computing base (TCB) of an electronic device with various security capabilities. The framework can include a low-resource device and at least one distributed resource. The low-resource device can be configured to generate sealing keys, migration keys, and attestation keys that are based on a device secret associated with the low-resource device and one or more software modules. The low-resource device can further be configured to use the migration keys and the sealing keys to both verify a software update and migrate secrets from a previous version of the software to a newer version of the software. Additionally, the low-resource device can be configured to generate an attestation statement using the attestation keys and perform attestation using the attestation statement and the at least one distributed resource.
US09917684B1	System and method for sampled analog clock distribution Sampled analog data are transferred between sampled analog circuits operating on respective local phase clocks which are triggered by a master clock. In response to a first (DATA READY) signal from an upstream sampled analog circuit, the sampled analog data are transferred from an upstream sampled analog circuit to a data transfer circuit. In response to a second (READY FOR DATA) signal from a downstream sampled analog circuit, the sampled data are transferred from the data transfer circuit to the downstream sampled analog circuit. The sampled data are delayed in the data transfer circuit for at least one master clock cycle when the second signal from the downstream sampled analog circuit is received before the first signal is received from the upstream sampled analog circuit.
US09917681B2	Method and apparatus for allocating ACKCH resources in a wireless communication system Methods and apparatuses are provided for wireless communication. A scheduling message is received that includes first information on at least one resource allocated for uplink transmission and second information. Data and a pilot are transmitted via the allocated at least one resource for uplink transmission. An ACK/NACK resource is identified based on a lowest index among at least one index of the allocated at least one resource for uplink transmission and the second information. An ACK/NACK signal is received in response to the transmitted data using the identified ACK/NACK resource.
US09917680B2	Method and apparatus for rebalancing the sizes of the downlink (DL) association sets for component carriers having different time division duplex subframe configurations Methods, apparatus and computer program products are provided for rebalancing the sizes of downlink (DL) association sets for component carriers having different time division duplex subframes configurations. A method is provided that includes determining DL subframes that are included in a DL association set for each of a plurality of component carriers. In an instance in which the number of acknowledgement (ACK)/negative acknowledgement (NACK) bits corresponding to the DL subframes included in the DL association sets for respective component carriers differ by at least a predetermined amount, the method modifies the number of ACK/NACK bits corresponding to the DL subframes that are included in the DL association sets for each of the respective component carriers. The method may also cause transmission of the ACK/NACK bits in accordance with the DL association sets, as modified, via the respective component carriers. Corresponding apparatus and computer program products are also provided.
US09917679B2	Method and apparatus for transmitting response frame based on type in a high efficiency wireless LAN The present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for transmitting a response frame based on a type in a High Efficiency Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) (HEW). According to an aspect, a method for transmitting an uplink frame by a station (STA) to an access point (AP) in a WLAN may be provided. The method may include receiving, from the AP, a downlink frame including information related to a type of the uplink frame, the type of the uplink frame including a single-user (SU) type and a multiple-user (MU) type; and transmitting, to the AP, the uplink frame having a type determined based on the information related to the type of the uplink frame, wherein, when the type of the uplink frame corresponds to the MU type, the uplink frame is simultaneously transmitted by a plurality of STAs including the STA and at least one other STA.
US09917678B2	Method and apparatus for generating a long training sequence and sending a signal The present disclosure discloses a method and an apparatus for generating a long training sequence and sending a signal, and belongs to the field of wireless communications. The method includes: obtaining a plurality of long training sequences according to a system parameter and a preset sequence construction formula, wherein the plurality of long training sequences include a plurality of basic training sequences and a plurality of shift training sequences obtained according to cyclic shift of the basic training sequences; and configuring a mapping rule between a terminal device and a long training sequence, for enabling the terminal device to select a long training sequence according to the mapping rule as a long training sequence for sending a signal. By adopting the present disclosure, energy consumption of the receiving end may be reduced and accuracy of channel estimation may be improved.
US09917677B2	Transmission method, reception method, transmitter, and receiver When transmitting signals from a plurality of base stations (broadcasting stations), the base stations include at least a first base station having a first antenna with a first polarization and a second base station having a second antenna with a second polarization that is different from the first polarization. Then, when the first base station transmits a signal from the first antenna having the first polarization, the second base station transmits the same signal as the first antenna of the first base station from a second antenna having the second polarization, at the same time.
US09917672B2	Wireless distributed antenna MIMO The present disclosure relates to system applications of multicore optical fibers. One embodiment relates to a base transceiver station for a wireless telecommunication system comprising a plurality of antenna units arranged in a MIMO configuration and adapted for transmission and/or reception of radio-frequency signals, an optical transmitter in the form of an electro-optic conversion unit for each of said plurality of antenna units, each electro-optic conversion unit adapted for converting an RF signal into an optical signal, a plurality of a single core optical fibers for guiding the optical signals, and at least one first space division multiplexing (SDM) unit adapted for multiplexing said single core optical fibers into respective individual cores of a multicore fiber, or into respective individual modes of a multimode fiber.
US09917671B2	Passive optical networks and method of configuring transmission wavelengths therein A method of configuring transmission wavelengths in a passive optical network comprising a wavelength selective routing element between first and second locations. The method comprises: at a first location: a. iteratively generating and transmitting a first optical signal at different ones of a plurality of wavelengths until a second optical signal is received at the first location; and then b. ceasing transmission of the first optical signal and then recommencing transmission of the first optical signal at the wavelength being transmitted when the second optical signal was received; and at a second location, remote from the first location: c. waiting until the first optical signal is received at the second location; d. iteratively generating and transmitting the second optical signal at different ones of a plurality of wavelengths until the first optical signal is no longer received at the second location; and e. maintaining generation and transmission of the second optical signal at the wavelength being transmitted when the first optical signal was no longer received.
US09917663B2	Apparatus, system, and method for configuring a serializer/deserializer based on evaluation of a probe signal An apparatus, system, and method are provided for configuring a serializer/deserializer (SerDes) based on evaluation of a probe signal. Included is circuitry configured to detect at least one of a probe signal or a reflection resulting from the probe signal. Such probe signal and/or reflection is evaluated such that at least one configurable aspect of the apparatus may be set, based on the evaluation.
US09917662B2	Digital measurement input for an electric automation device, electric automation device comprising a digital measurement input, and method for processing digital input measurement values A digital measurement input for an electric automation device has a receiving device configured to receive digital input measurement values generated by sampling an analog measurement signal at a first sampling rate, and a signal converting device configured to generate digital output measurement values from the digital input measurement values and to provide digital output measurement values. The sampling rate and sampling times of each digital output measurement value is adapted to a specified sampling rate and/or specified sampling time. The signal converting device has a digital encoder filter on the input side and a digital decoder filter on the output side, between which an interpolator is provided. The encoder filter, the interpolator, and the decoder filter are matched to one another so as to adapt the sampling rate and/or sampling time of the digital input measurement values.
US09917659B2	Efficient transmit and receive switches Transmit/receive switches and methods for radio control include connecting a first reactive impedance in parallel with a power amplifier on a transmit path during reception to neutralize a reactive impedance of the power amplifier and to prevent received signals from entering the transmit path. The first reactive impedance is disconnected during transmission.
US09917657B1	Verification of aircraft emitter A method and system. The method includes receiving at least one signal and measuring at least one physical layer feature of the at least one signal. The method further includes determining that the at least one signal originated from an emitter of an aircraft based on the at least one measured physical layer feature of the at least one signal.
US09917656B1	AM noise cancellation in vehicles A device to cancel noise in broadcast signal is disclosed. The device a first port to connect to a main antenna, a second port to connect to a noise antenna, a processor coupled to the first port and the second port to measure the broadcast signal received at the first port and a noise signal received at the second port to derive a first set of coefficients, a first adaptive filter coupled to the first port and the processor and a second adaptive filter coupled to the second port and the processor. The first adaptive filter and the second adaptive filters are configurable based on the first set of coefficients to remove the high energy parts of a frequency spectrum of signals received at the first port and the second ports respectively. The device also includes a subtraction coefficient calculator module coupled to the first filter and the second filter to derive a second set of coefficients and a subtractor coupled to the first port, the second port and the subtraction coefficient calculator module to subtract the noise signal from the broadcast signal.
US09917653B2	Mobile terminal and controlling method thereof A mobile terminal and controlling method thereof are disclosed, by which a communication can be performed using a sound wave or an ultrasonic wave. The present invention includes a display unit configured to display information, a microphone configured to receive an input of a sound, and a controller, if a preset user input is received, controlling the microphone to enter a state capable of listening to a communication signal on at least one band of a sound wave and an ultrasonic wave.
US09917650B2	Time sampled photodetector devices and methods Photonic integration has primarily sought to exploit optical parallelism through wavelength division multiplexing whilst in many instances “brute-force” time division multiplexing offers benefits through reduced complexity and cost. However, photoreceivers are primarily the same now for operation at 10 Gb/s, 20 Gb/s, 40 Gb/s and above as 20 or 25 years ago and exploit the same optical detection—amplification—logic processing design. However, high speed low cost electronics ca be leveraged in conjunction with optical time sampling and logic to provide a new design paradigm. An incoming XGbs−1 optical data stream is sampled and processed by N photodetectors each operating at (X/N)Gbs−1 rather than the current direct XGbs−1 front-end of the prior art. Flexibility for the designer in establishing N within optical layer constraints, electronics capabilities etc. allows for further cost—power—complexity—performance tradeoffs to be established in different systems such that high capacity TDM links can exploit direct CMOS integrated optoelectronic front-ends.
US09917646B2	High throughput satellite system with RF service uplink beams and optical feeder downlink beams Described herein are space based subsystems of a satellite, and related methods, for use in producing an optical feeder downlink beam in dependence on RF service uplink beams received from service terminals within a specified RF frequency range. Beneficially certain embodiments eliminate the need for any type of frequency conversion equipment in the spaced based subsystem that is used to produce the optical feeder downlink beam. Also described herein are ground based subsystems, and related methods, for use in transmitting an optical feeder uplink beam to a satellite configured to receive the optical feeder uplink beam and in dependence thereon produce and transmit a plurality of RF service downlink beams within a specified RF frequency range to service terminals. Also described herein is are space based subsystems of a satellite, and related methods, for use in transmitting a plurality of RF service downlink beams to service terminals.
US09917644B2	Method and system for data transmission and communication using imperceptible differences in visible light An exemplary system for communicating data includes a light source that emits light and a processing device that receives and encodes data into a communication signal. A modulator modulates light emitted by the light source, wherein the modulation is imperceptible to the human eye, and the modulated light includes the encoded data. The modulation of the transmitted light is imperceptible to a human eye. A receiving device receives the modulated light and processes the light to decode the encoded signal and obtain the data.
US09917642B2	Method and apparatus for establishing a communication path in an optical network A method is provided for establishing a communication path in an optical network, the communication path comprising a plurality of sections, wherein the power level of a section is controlled by a respective power control unit of a network node. The method comprises the steps of, in response to a request to establish a communication path, step 201, controlling at least one power control unit to perform a first power-up mode of operation. The first power-up mode of operation comprises the step of setting a power control factor of a respective section of the communication path directly to a value estimated to provide a target power level, step 203.
US09917638B1	Antenna status and propagation management over fiber optic transport A monitoring and troubleshooting system to determine whether or not an antenna that is used for receiving wireless weak signals, like base station for cellular wireless communication, is operational. The antenna status condition is signaled over the Fiber Optic (FO) link without interfering the signal during normal operation. When a fault is detected the status at the FO receiver is determined. Then, an indication using special signaling allows a service technician to distinguish if the status fault is antenna failure or antenna disconnect. The present invention will also allow a service technician to determine if there is a FO link failure by use of light intensity monitoring.
US09917636B2	Apparatus for controlling operations of a communication device and methods thereof Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a transmission system having a coupling device, a bypass circuit, a memory and a processor. The coupling device can facilitate transmission or reception of electromagnetic waves that propagate along a surface of a transmission medium. The memory can store instructions, which when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform operations including restarting a timer to prevent the bypass circuit from disabling the transmission or reception of electromagnetic waves by the coupling device. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09917633B2	Using predicted movement to maintain optical-communication lock with nearby balloon A balloon may include an optical-communication component, which may have a pointing axis. A pointing mechanism could be configured to adjust the pointing axis. The optical-communication component could be operable to communicate with a correspondent balloon via a free-space optical link. For example, the optical-communication component could include an optical receiver, transmitter, or transceiver. A controller could be configured to determine a predicted relative location of the correspondent balloon. The controller may control the pointing mechanism to adjust the pointing axis of the optical-communication component based on the predicted relative location so as to maintain the free-space optical link with the correspondent balloon.
US09917629B2	Multi-hypothesis channel quality indicator feedback A method for providing multi-hypothesis channel quality indicator (MH-CQI) feedback is described. Hypotheses corresponding to rank indicator (RI) and precoding matrix indicator (PMI) assumptions associated with a dominant interferer are selected. Multi-hypothesis channel quality indicator (MH-CQI) values based on the selected hypotheses are generated. The multi-hypothesis channel quality indicator (MH-CQI) values are encoded. The multi-hypothesis channel quality indicator (MH-CQI) values are sent as feedback.
US09917628B2	Beamforming in a MU-MIMO wireless communication system with relays This invention presents methods for MU-MIMO wireless communication systems comprising a BS with plural of antennas, either closely located or distributed; A plural of AFRs deployed over a coverage area, each AFR has N_BF≧1 BF antennas with a beam pattern facing the MU-BFer and N_UF≧1 UF antennas with a beam pattern facing UEs or downstream AFR(s); A channel estimation module for estimating the Total Channels between a plural of UEs and the BS with the AFRs in place; and, A MU-BFer that uses the estimates of the Total Channels to perform beamforming computations for transmitting and/or receiving multiple spatially multiplexed streams of signals to or from a plural of UEs using the same frequency resource.
US09917626B2	Base station device in mobile communication system and circulator arrangement to increase isolation between co-located antennas A base station apparatus of mobile communication system is provided, including an antenna system including first antenna for transceiving signals for a first path among MIMO paths, and a second antenna for transceiving signals for a second path among the MIMO paths, a first duplexer including transmission filter for processing the transmitted signal of first path and reception filter for processing the received signal of second path, a second duplexer including reception filter for processing the received signal of first path and transmission filter for processing the transmitted signal of second path, and a path change unit for providing the transmitted signal provided from the first duplexer to the first antenna and the received signal provided from the first antenna to the second duplexer and to provide the transmitted signal from the second duplexer to the second antenna and the received signal from the second antenna to the first duplexer.
US09917625B2	Handover signaling for beamforming communications According to one or more aspects, a wireless device may transmit a message to a serving base station comprising parameters indicating that the wireless device supports configuration of a first quantity of channel state information (CSI) processes. The serving base station may transmit a message to the wireless device comprising measurement configuration parameters for the wireless device. The serving base station may transmit an indication of the measurement configuration parameters to a target base station in response to a determination to make a handover of the wireless device.
US09917624B2	Beamforming handover messaging in a wireless network According to one or more aspects, a serving base station may transmit a message to a target base station based on a handover decision for a wireless device. The message may include first measurement configuration parameters for the wireless device and/or an indication of a number of channel state information (CSI) processes supported by the wireless device. The serving base station may receive a response from the target base station indicating second measurement configuration parameters for use by the wireless device after handover. The serving base station may transmit a handover command to the wireless device including the second measurement configuration parameters.
US09917618B2	PAPR reduction in a microwave backhaul outdoor unit Aspects of methods and systems for PAPR reduction in a microwave backhaul outdoor unit are provided.
US09917617B2	Randomization of crosstalk probing signals In accordance with an embodiment, the vectoring controller is configured to iterate through successive crosstalk acquisition cycles and, within respective ones of the crosstalk acquisition cycles, to configure sequences of crosstalk probing symbols for transmission over the respective communication lines, to receive sequences of error samples as successively measured by respective receivers coupled to the respective communication lines while the sequences of crosstalk probing symbols are being transmitted, and to determine crosstalk estimates between the respective communication lines based on the sequences of error samples. The vectoring controller is further configured to randomize the successive sequences of crosstalk probing symbols used during the successive crosstalk acquisition cycles, and to iteratively configure the vectoring processor based on the successive crosstalk estimates.
US09917613B1	Fine and coarse phase and amplitude control A digitally controlled phase shifter and (optional) attenuator circuit that has both a broad range as well as a fine-tuning resolution. Embodiments maintain a full 360° phase range while providing nth-bit least-significant bit (LSB) resolution across the entire range of possible phase shift and attenuation states, and compensate for the effect of frequency and/or PVT variations. In embodiments, two or more range partitionings can be defined that can be monotonic over respective sub-ranges while providing full coverage when combined. One such partitioning is a “coarse+fine” architecture. Embodiments of the coarse+fine architecture provide for greater than 360° of range for phase shifting and more than the total nominal design level for attenuation, and provide for fine ranges for both phase shifting and attenuation that are greater than the LSB of the corresponding coarse ranges for phase shifting and attenuation.
US09917608B2	Equipment interconnection A radio equipment and a method for interconnecting components in the radio equipment are disclosed. The radio equipment includes a signal processing module and a radio component positioned relative to each other for a high-speed connection using at least a first mechanical connector and a high-speed connector. The first mechanical connector includes a first part disposed on the radio component and a second part disposed on the signal processing module. The high-speed connector includes a first part disposed on the radio component and a second part disposed on the signal processing module. At least one high-speed processing capability is provided to the radio equipment using the signal processing module through the high-speed connector. The signal processing module and the radio equipment are interchangeably connected.
US09917606B2	Signal processing apparatus, method, and system The present application discloses a signal processing apparatus and method, the method includes: receive an analog signal; adjust a frequency band of the analog signal to a lowest frequency band when a frequency band of the analog signal received by the receiving unit falls outside the lowest frequency band in multiple preconfigured frequency bands; process, by using a signal processing channel in the lowest frequency band, the analog signal whose frequency band has been adjusted to the lowest frequency band. The method provided in the embodiments of the present application processes signals of different frequency bands by using a processing channel in a lowest frequency band. In this way, only a relatively small quantity of radio-frequency link components are required to implement processing of the signals of the different frequency bands, which reduces a link size of a communications system.
US09917605B2	Systems and methods for providing messages to devices using a carrier signal A method is provided that comprises tuning a radio system to a frequency band that contains a locally-broadcast terrestrial radio signal. The locally-broadcast terrestrial radio signal comprising a main signal component and a side data component is thereby received. In response to receiving the locally-broadcast terrestrial radio signal a determination is made as to a permissible time for processing the side data component using a time slot schedule. The side data component is processed at the permissible time. A message corresponding to the side data component is outputted to an output device. In some instances, the side data component includes the message. In other instances, the method further includes searching a message lookup list using a code included in the side data component. When a stored code is found that matches the code, the message corresponding to the matching stored code is outputted.
US09917602B2	Antenna system, integrated communication structure and terminal Provided are an antenna system, an integrated communication structure and a terminal. The antenna system comprises: a first antenna which is connected to transmission paths of a plurality of communication modules and used for transmitting transmission signals from each of the transmission paths; and a second antenna which is connected to receiving paths of the plurality of communication modules and used for transmitting a received signal from the outside to a corresponding communication module via a corresponding receiving path. By means of the technical solution of the present invention, transmitting antennas and reception antennas of all communication modules in a terminal can be integrated respectively. The number of antennas can be effectively reduced, and the stacking difficulty is reduced, thereby avoiding antenna interference among a plurality of communication devices, and making it easy to realize multi-mode.
US09917601B2	Adaptive error correction in a memory system According to one aspect, a method for adaptive error correction in a memory system includes reading data from a memory array of a non-volatile memory device in the memory system. Error correcting logic checks the data for at least one error condition stored in the memory array. Based on determining that the at least one error condition exists, a write-back indicator is asserted by the error correcting logic to request correction of the at least one error condition, where the write-back indicator is a discrete signal sent to a memory controller, and the at least one non-volatile memory device asserting the write-back indicator extends cycle timing monitored by the memory controller while the write-back indicator is asserted. Based on determining that the at least one error condition does not exist, accesses of the memory array continue without asserting the write-back indicator.
US09917594B1	Inbuilt threshold comparator A comparator includes a first input stage coupled to a first signal input and a first reference input, wherein the first input stage is coupled between a first node and a second node. A second input stage is coupled to a second signal input and a second reference input, wherein the second input stage is coupled between a third node and the second node. An output stage generates at least one output signal in response to the first and second input signals. First switching circuitry is coupled between the first node and the output stage. The first switching circuitry is for coupling the first node to a fourth node in response to a reset signal. Second switching circuitry is coupled between the third node and the output stage. The second switching circuitry is for coupling the third node to a fifth node in response to the reset signal.
US09917593B2	Logarithmic analog to digital converter devices and methods thereof An analog to digital converter includes an error integration circuit configured to receive an input charge from a detector and to integrate a difference between the input charge and one or more feedback charge pulses to create an error voltage. A quantizer is in operable communication with the error integration circuit and is responsive to the created error voltage. An accumulator having a mantissa component and a radix component is in operable communication with the quantizer. A charge feedback device in operable communication with the quantizer and the radix component of the accumulator. The charge feedback device is configured to generate the one or more feedback charge pulses proportional to the radix component of the accumulator and an output of the quantizer. Digital focal plane read out integrated circuits including the analog to digital converter are also disclosed.
US09917592B2	Atomic oscillator, method of detecting coherent population trapping resonance and magnetic sensor An atomic oscillator includes an alkali metal cell encapsulating an alkali metal atom; a light source that emits laser light; a light detector that detects light which has passed through the alkali metal cell; and a polarizer arranged between the alkali metal cell and the light detector. A modulation frequency in the light source is controlled, according to a coherent population trapping resonance which is a light absorption characteristic of a quantum interference effect for two kinds of resonant lights, by modulating the light source to generate sidebands and injecting laser lights with the sidebands into the alkali metal cell. A magnetic field is applied on the alkali metal cell in a direction parallel to a propagating direction of the laser light, and the laser light entering the alkali metal cell has a linear polarization, which is not parallel to a polarization direction of the polarizer.
US09917589B2	Transmitter circuit and receiver circuit for operating under low voltage A transmitter circuit including a pre-driver circuit configured to receive a logic signal from a logic circuit and to generate a first signal driven by a first voltage, the pre-driver circuit including a transistor having a threshold voltage equal to or lower than a threshold voltage of a transistor included in the logic circuit, and a main-driver circuit configured to receive the first signal and generate a second signal driven by a second voltage, the main-driver circuit configured to output the second signal to an input/output pad, the main-driver circuit including a transistor having a threshold voltage which is equal to or lower than the threshold voltage of the transistor included in the logic circuit may be provided.
US09917587B2	Fast voltage level shifter circuit A voltage level shifting circuit with an input terminal and an output terminal. The level shifting circuit has a field-effect transistor (FET) switch with a gate attached to the input terminal, a drain attached to the output terminal and a source attached to a current changing mechanism. The current changing mechanism includes a current mirror circuit having an output connected between the source and an electrical earth. The output of the current mirror circuit is preferably adapted to change a current flowing between the drain and the source based on an input voltage applied to the gate.
US09917583B2	Termination apparatus, termination control method, and storage medium on which termination control program has been stored [Problem] To provide a termination control apparatus that can provide an optimum termination state. [Solution] Included are: an input terminal to which an input signal is inputted; a termination resistance unit that terminates the input terminal by use of a variable resistor the resistance value of which can be set; a voltage measurement unit that measures the voltage of the input signal; and a control unit that changes the resistance value or a target voltage range when the voltage is not within the target voltage range having been set for the input signal on the basis of both an absolute maximum rated value and an operation-guaranteed voltage.
US09917579B2	Low power consumption diode switch A switching circuit includes a first diode coupled between a first terminal and a second terminal, a second diode coupled between the first terminal and a third terminal, and a bias circuit coupled to the first terminal and configured to bias the first diode on and the second diode off in a first switch state and to bias the first diode off and the second diode on in a second switch state, the bias circuit including a voltage converter configured to convert a fixed voltage to an intermediate voltage and a current source coupled in series with the voltage converter.
US09917577B1	Brown-out detector and power-on-reset circuit A brown-out detector and power-on-reset circuit can be used to monitor a supply voltage to determine when brown-out and power-on events occur and provide the appropriate reset signal in response. The circuit can include a comparator to generate the reset signal and a first monitoring circuit that operates in conjunction with a second monitoring circuit to provide an input voltage to the comparator. The first monitoring circuit can incorporate a bandgap circuit and can be used to control the input voltage based on the comparison of the supply voltage and a corresponding supply voltage threshold. The second monitoring circuit can incorporate a diode and can be used when the supply voltage is lower than a threshold voltage for the bandgap circuit. The second monitoring circuit can be used to control the input voltage based on a comparison of the supply voltage and a threshold voltage for the diode.
US09917575B2	Circuit comprising an accelerating element A circuit includes a switching element with a first terminal, a second terminal and a control terminal. The circuit also includes an impedance network coupled between the control terminal and a switching node. The circuit also includes a first accelerating element coupled between the control terminal and a first node. The first node is different from the switching node. The circuit is configured to temporarily activate the first accelerating element when a switching state of the switching element is to be changed.
US09917574B2	Switching circuit A switching circuit is disclosed. The switching circuit includes a normally-on switching element, a normally-off switching element, a switching unit and a power source. The drain of the normally-off switching element is electrically connected to the source of the normally-on switching element. The source of the normally-off switching element is electrically connected to the gate of the normally-on switching element. The power source and the switching unit are configured to form a serial-connected branch. A first terminal of the serial-connected branch is electrically connected to the drain of the normally-off switching element. A second terminal of the serial-connected branch is electrically connected to the source of the normally-off switching element.
US09917573B2	Voltage detection circuit To provide a voltage detection circuit which avoids unintentional on/off-control of an output transistor immediately after starting a power supply. A voltage detection circuit is configured to be equipped with a comparator which compares a detected voltage and a reference voltage, and an inverter which drives an output transistor, based on an output of the comparator and to supply the operating current of the inverter by a current source.
US09917568B2	Membrane substrate structure for single crystal acoustic resonator device A substrate structure for an acoustic resonator device. The substrate has a substrate member comprising a plurality of support members configured to form an array structure. In an example, the substrate member has an upper region, and optionally, has a plurality of recessed regions configured by the support members. The substrate has a thickness of single crystal piezo material formed overlying the upper region. In an example, the thickness of single crystal piezo material has a first surface region and a second surface region opposite of the first surface region.
US09917565B2	System and method for distortion limiting A system is provided for limiting distortion of an audio speaker. The system includes a first lowpass filter circuitry that is configured to receive a system input signal and generate a first lowpass filtered output signal. The system also includes a first limiter circuitry that is configured to limit the first lowpass filtered output signal. Limiting the first low pass filtered output signal includes reducing an amplitude of the first lowpass filtered output signal below a first predetermined threshold value, thereby to generate a first limited output signal. A second lowpass filter circuitry is configured to receive the first limited output signal and to generate a second lowpass filtered output signal.
US09917564B2	System and method to monitor audio loudness and provide audio automatic gain control An audio loudness data collection module collects and stores audio data. The data can be stored for a first time period. A monitoring system can access and store the audio data collected and stored by the loudness data collection module according to a second time period. The stored audio data can be processed and displayed to a user in a number of ways. The data can also be used to provide loudness data control. For example, a loudness data control module can perform an audio AGC function to control audio loudness.
US09917560B1	Incremental wattage reduction in a vacuum tube amplifier Disclosed is an amplifier for incremental wattage reduction. The amplifier comprises a first pair of pentode vacuum tubes and a second pair of pentode vacuum tubes arranged in a push-pull-parallel power configuration. Each pentode vacuum tube from the first pair of pentode vacuum tubes and the second pair of pentode vacuum tubes includes a plate element, a screen grid element and a cathode element. The amplifier further comprises a single multi-position user switch to configure the first pair of pentode vacuum tubes and the second pair of pentode vacuum tubes to achieve varying wattage outputs of the amplifier by deactivating at least one of the first pair of pentode vacuum tubes or the second pair of vacuum tubes, and causing at least one of the first pair of pentode vacuum tubes or the second pair of vacuum tubes to operate as triodes.
US09917557B1	Calibration for amplifier with configurable final output stage A method for offset calibration may include decoupling a modulator input of a first path from a first stage output, coupling a second path output to the modulator input, applying a common-mode voltage to a second path input, receiving a calibration signal from the modulator output generated in response to the common-mode voltage, and modifying one or more parameters of the modulator to compensate for an offset between the first path and the second path indicated by the calibration signal. A method for gain calibration may include decoupling a modulator input from a first stage output, decoupling a second path from the first stage output, applying a first test signal to the modulator input, applying a second test signal to a second path input, wherein the second test signal is of opposite phase as the first test signal, coupling a second path output to an amplifier input via a calibration feedback network, receiving a calibration signal from the first stage output generated in response to the first test signal and the second test signal, and modifying one or more parameters of the second path to compensate for a difference in respective gains of the modulator and the second path indicated by the calibration signal.
US09917552B2	Offset correction circuit and transconductance proportional current generation circuit A first amplifier circuit includes differential pair transistors that amplify a difference between input voltages and active load transistors connected to the differential pair transistors. A second amplifier circuit amplifies output voltage of the first amplifier circuit. An offset correction current source is connected in parallel with the active load transistors and adjusts electric current flowing through the differential pair transistors correct offset voltage. An offset correction switch switches a driving state of the offset correction current source. A transconductance proportional current generation circuit generates transconductance proportional current for compensating for temperature drift of offset correction voltage for correcting the offset voltage. The transconductance proportional current is proportional to transconductance.
US09917546B2	Solar tracker A free-standing solar tracker comprises a base, a support frame, a panel assembly comprising one or more solar panels, and an actuator to rotate the panel assembly to track the movement of the sun. The solar tracker is designed to be free-standing and requires no foundation. When the solar tracker is deployed, the base forms a pan to contain a ballast material for holding the base in place. The base of the solar tracker is designed to serve as a “suitcase” to contain most of the components of the solar tracker, making it easier to transport the solar tracker 10 to a location where the solar tracker is installed.
US09917543B1	Inverter for common mode voltage cancellation An inverter includes a plurality of inverter legs that each includes first, second, and third switches. A first control line connected to the first switch receives a first control signal. A second control line connected to the second switch receives a second control signal. A third control line connected to the third switch receives the first control signal. The first, second, and third switches are connected sequentially in series. A first connector line is connected between the first switch and the second switch and to a first winding of an electric machine. A second connector line is connected between the second switch and the third switch and to a second winding of the electric machine. The second control signal is complementary to the first control signal.
US09917541B2	Device and method for driving motor The present disclosure relates a motor driving device that includes: an H-bridge circuit that includes first and second legs, each of which has one pair of switches, and supplies a driving current to a motor; a current sensor disposed between the H-bridge circuit and a voltage source; and a controller that acquires a first sensing signal from the current sensor for a first period of time during which a turn-on signal is supplied to a first switch disposed in the first leg or a fourth switch disposed in the second leg, to acquire a second sensing signal from the current sensor for a second period of time during which a turn-on signal is supplied to a second switch disposed in the first leg or a third switch disposed in the second leg, and determines an abnormality in the H-bridge circuit.
US09917537B2	System and method for controlling an electric motor A method for controlling an electric motor includes receiving a first control command that is indicative of a desired motor control. A current operating condition for the motor is determined. It is then determined whether the first control command meets at least one predetermined criterion at the current operating condition. A second control command that is different from the first control command is generated when the first control command meets the at least one predetermined criterion. Generating the second control command includes determining a current value of a motor parameter, changing the parameter value, and using the changed parameter value to generate the second control command. The second control command is then used to control the motor.
US09917535B2	Wafer and method of manufacturing the same The present invention relates to a wafer (100) being subdivided and separable into a plurality of dies. Each die (110) comprises an array of capacitive micro-machined transducer cells (1). Each cell comprises a substrate (10) comprising a first electrode (11), a membrane (13) comprising a second electrode (14), and a cavity (12) between the substrate (10) and the membrane (13). Each cell (1) of at least a part of the dies (110) comprises a compensating plate (15) on the membrane (13), each compensating plate (15) having a configuration for influencing a bow (h) of the membrane (13). The configurations of the compensating plates (13) vary across the wafer (100). The present invention further relates to a method of manufacturing such a wafer and a method of manufacturing such a die.
US09917532B2	Grid-tied inverter, inverter arrangement, and method for operating an inverter arrangement A grid-tied inverter for supplying current to a power supply system includes an output bridge arrangement that is actuated via a pulse width modulator, wherein switching times of the output bridge arrangement are determined by using a periodic auxiliary signal, wherein the frequency of the periodic auxiliary signal varies according to a prescribed periodic wobble signal. The inverter further includes a synchronization unit configured to provide phase synchronization of the auxiliary signal to the power supply system, wherein the synchronization unit is configured to adjust a prescribed phase offset of the periodic auxiliary signal in relation to a phase of the power supply system, and a further synchronization unit configured to provide phase synchronization of the periodic wobble signal to the power supply system. The synchronization unit and the further synchronization unit each include a phase locked loop (PLL) circuit, and the periodic wobble signal is routed to a controller system of the PLL circuit of the synchronization unit via a correction signal generator circuit and an adder circuit for the purpose of suppressing oscillations.
US09917529B2	Power conversion unit, power converter and method of manufacturing power converter To improve accessibility with respect to a power conversion unit in a power converter. The power converter includes a circuit connection part including a positive electrode conductor, a negative electrode conductor and an AC conductor, a power semiconductor module positioned in a particular direction with respect to the circuit connection part and connected to the positive electrode conductor, the negative electrode conductor and the AC conductor and a capacitor positioned in the particular direction with respect to the circuit connection part and connected to the positive electrode conductor and the negative electrode conductor. The positive electrode conductor is connected to a positive electrode conductor of another power conversion unit through a unit connection part positioned in an opposite direction of the particular direction with respect to the circuit connection part. The negative electrode conductor is connected to a negative electrode conductor of another power conversion unit through the unit connection part.
US09917527B2	Arrangement providing a 3-phase or 1-phase power stream An arrangement is provided for alternatively providing a 3-phase or a 1-phase power stream. In an embodiment, the arrangement includes a 3-phase power source including a first, a second and a third power source output terminal; a switching section adapted to selectively provide, from the three power source output terminals of the 3-phase power source, either: a 3-phase power stream at three arrangement output terminals or a 1-phase power stream at two arrangement output terminals, different from the three arrangement output terminals.
US09917522B2	Power control apparatus for sub-module of MMC converter The present invention relates to a power control apparatus for sub-modules in a Modular Multilevel Converter (MMC), which controls the supply of power to sub-modules in an MMC connected to an HVDC system and to a STATCOM. The power control apparatus includes a half-bridge circuit unit for switching multiple switches, converting an input voltage across P and N buses of the MMC into a relatively low voltage, and outputting the low voltage; a transformer for transferring the low output voltage (primary side), output through switching of the switches in the half-bridge circuit unit via switching of the switches, to a secondary side of the transformer; a DC/DC converter for converting an output voltage on the secondary side of the transformer; a photocoupler for outputting a reference signal corresponding to a magnitude of the secondary side output voltage of the transformer; a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) control unit for controlling switching of the switches in the half-bridge circuit unit in response to the reference signal output from the photocoupler; and a starting circuit unit for supplying an initial starting voltage to the PWM control unit, wherein the PWM control unit is started in response to the starting voltage initially supplied from the starting circuit unit, and is configured to control switching of the switches in response to the reference voltage received from the photocoupler, and to receive the secondary side output voltage of the transformer as an operating voltage depending on the switching, thus being operated.
US09917521B1	Power limiting for flyback converter A controller of a power converter is described that after switching-on a primary switch of a power converter, detects a voltage that is indicative of a primary current through the primary switch and responsive to determining that the voltage exceeds a direct-current (DC) voltage threshold, switches-off the primary switch. The controller stores a peak value of the voltage while switching-off the primary switch, and responsive to determining that the peak value is higher or lower than a range of target values associated with the peak value of the voltage, the controller adjusts at least one of the DC voltage threshold or the range of target values for a subsequent switching cycle of the primary switch.
US09917517B1	Switched tank converter An apparatus that includes resonant tanks, switches, control logic and one or more non-resonant capacitors. The control logic that generates two or more sets of control signal inputs applied to the inputs of the switches so that for each set of control signals one or more sub-circuit loops are formed, and wherein the one or more sub-circuit loops for a first set of control signals is different from the one or more sub-circuit loops for a second set of control signals, and each of the sub-circuit loops includes one or more of the resonant tanks, and at least one of the sub-circuit loops includes a non-resonant capacitor.
US09917515B2	Cascadable modular 4-switch extended commutation cell The extended commutation cell (ECC) is a four-port, four-switch cell that allows for bidirectional energy transport in two orthogonal directions throughout the cell. By cascading multiple cells, a multilevel converter can be constructed with a high number of levels. The voltage across each cell capacitor can be adjusted independently of the load, resulting in high flexibility in output levels. Improved fault tolerance is also provided.
US09917510B2	Multi-staged buck converter with efficient low power operation A system and method of increasing the efficiency in multi-stage power converters by providing an open loop charge pump stage which reacts in part based on information from a closed loop multi-phase buck converter stage.
US09917505B2	Pulse width modulation controller architectures Systems, apparatuses, and techniques for pulse width modulation (PWM) are described. A described system includes a circuit that contains an inductor and a transistor that controls current through the inductor based on a PWM signal to produce an output; and a controller to provide the PWM signal, which includes PWM cycles that include on-durations and off-durations. The controller can receive a first signal indicating an input voltage that is applied to the inductor, receive a second signal indicating a current through the inductor, use an on-duration parameter value to control the on-duration, determine a maximum off-duration of the off-durations corresponding to the PWM cycles occurring within a first voltage cycle, the first voltage cycle being defined between two consecutive zero-crossing events as indicated by the first signal, and adjust the on-duration parameter value for a second, subsequent voltage cycle based on the maximum off-duration to regulate the output voltage.
US09917500B2	Superconductive electro-magnetic device for use within a direct current motor or generator A non-traditional topology of a superconductive electric motor or generator increases the air gap flux density by reducing stray flux and concentrating lines of flux within the air gap. An electric motor or generator utilizing the invention will include three components: a rotating armature, a permanent magnet stator and a shielding sleeve. The shielding sleeve of the motor is a hollow cylinder that fits between the armature and the stator, and is configured to cool a plurality of high-temperature superconductors within it to a temperature below their critical temperatures. These superconductors are placed at an optimized position to redirect flux and promote greater efficiency.
US09917495B2	Interior permanent magnet machine for automotive electric vehicles Certain aspects relate to topologies for an interior permanent magnet (IPM) electrical machine having increased saliency torque, increased flux-linkage, reduced magnet leakage flux, and reduced detrimental slotting effects compared to existing IPM electrical machines. The IPM electrical machine includes a rotor having a number of poles and a flux barrier formed along the edge of the rotor between poles. The flux barrier contains a magnet or set of magnets having a varying thickness, with a central thickest portion located along the d-axis of the rotor. A magnet retention structure, which may be formed integrally with the rotor or provided as a separate structure, surrounds the rotor and magnets. The rotor and magnets combine to form a smooth circular profile having no air gaps.
US09917485B2	Reduction of the electrical resistance for an electric machine having windings arranged in grooves An electric machine has grooves and windings, divided into strands, of electrical conductors. At least one strand has a number s of coils connected in series and arranged in the grooves. Each coil has sub-conductors connected in parallel and arranged in bundles. Each bundle is arranged in a groove at a bundle position relative to a deepest possible bundle position in the groove. The positions of all bundles in all coils define a number b of possible bundle positions of the strand. The bundles are interchanged between the coils such that each bundle is arranged in the grooves at least n times and at most n′ times at each possible bundle position, wherein n is the integer quotient in regard to the quotient of the number s and the number b, wherein n′=n if s is divisible by b and n′=n+1 if s is not divisible by b.
US09917482B2	Hybrid drive module having a rotor secured to a hub via staking A hybrid drive module including: a torque converter with a cover, an impeller and a turbine; a rotor for an electric motor; a hub non-rotatably connected to the rotor and the cover and including a circumferential surface and a plurality of protrusions extending radially outward from the circumferential surface; and an end plate disposed between the plurality of protrusions and the rotor and engaged with the end plate and the rotor. The plurality of protrusions is formed of a material forming the hub and restrains the end plate and the rotor, with respect to the hub, in an axial direction.
US09917481B2	Synchronous reluctance machine There is described a synchronous reluctance machine having a plurality of poles and comprising a stator with a plurality of spaced slots and a rotor. The rotor has one direct axis and one quadrature axis for each pole and comprises a plurality of flux barriers, each extending to a circumference thereof at least one barrier point. Successive angular separations between barrier points around the circumference of the rotor increase or decrease when moving around half a pole pitch from an initial axis to an adjacent finishing axis, the initial axis being one of a direct axis or a quadrature axis and the finishing axis being the other of a direct axis and a quadrature axis. The increase or decrease in size may be governed by a systematic progressive series.
US09917478B2	Power transmission device, power reception device and power transfer system A power transmission device includes a power transmission unit transmitting electric power in a contactless manner to a power reception unit provided outside; and a power transmission-side shield formed in a hollow shape and provided so as to surround the power transmission unit. An electromagnetic wave can pass through a region on a side opposite to a region where the power reception unit is located across the power transmission-side shield. The power transmission-side shield is provided with a shield member on a side opposite to the power transmission unit across the power transmission-side shield.
US09917470B2	In-vehicle charging apparatus An in-vehicle charging apparatus (100) has: a charge control ECU (10), which operates with power supplied from a low-voltage battery (16), and which controls charging; an S2 switch, which is on/off controlled by means of the charge control ECU (10), and which reduces a voltage of the pulse signals when the switch is in the on-state; and a switch (SW1), which is controlled to be in an on-state by means of units other than the charge control ECU (10), and which reduces the voltage of the pulse signals when the switch is in the on-state. In the cases where the switch (SW1) is turned on, power from a charging cable (200) is supplied to the low-voltage battery (16) or the charge control ECU (10).
US09917467B2	Wireless power reception device and electronic device including the same A wireless power reception device includes a first resonant circuit having a first resonant frequency; a second resonant circuit connected in parallel with the first resonant circuit and having a second resonant frequency; and a rectifier configured to receive power received wirelessly by either one or both of the first resonant circuit and the second resonant circuit to output a charging current.
US09917466B2	DC power source and associated methods of operating same to efficiently supply a specification-compliant output voltage A direct current (DC) power source includes a rechargeable battery and a battery charging circuit, and supplies an output voltage within a specified output voltage range to at least one output port. In one embodiment, the power source determines whether an input voltage is present at an input port, where the input voltage is usable to produce a battery charging voltage during normal operation of the charging circuit. The power source also determines whether at least one load device is coupled to the output port(s). When the input voltage is present at the input port and at least one load device is coupled to the output port(s), the power source electronically decouples the rechargeable battery from the charging circuit, electronically adjusts a voltage at an output of the charging circuit so as to be within the specified output voltage range, and provides the adjusted voltage to the output port(s).
US09917463B2	System and method for discharging a thyristor-switched capacitor There are provided methods, devices, and systems relating to discharging thyristor-switched capacitors. For example, there is provided a method for discharging the capacitors of a thyristor-switched capacitor (TSC) device coupled to a transmission line. The method can include determining whether an angle of a voltage on the transmission line is within one of a first threshold range and a second threshold range. Further, the method can include discharging the capacitors, when the angle is within the first threshold range, by operating the TSC device in a first discharging mode. Furthermore, the method can include discharging the capacitors, when the angle is within the second threshold range, by operating the TSC device in a second discharging mode distinct from the first discharging mode.
US09917462B2	Method and apparatus for power sharing A method is provided comprising: detecting an electrical connection between a first device having a first battery and a second device having a second battery; receiving an indication of a residual power of the second battery; displaying, by the first device, a power sharing interface based on the indication of the residual power of the second battery; detecting an input to the interface specifying a threshold amount of power; transmitting power from the first battery to the second device until the threshold amount of power is transmitted.
US09917461B2	Battery unit, overcurrent control method, and computer program for the same Techniques effectively prevent an overcurrent from occurring in a system comprising assembled batteries connected in parallel to a power supply line, when a given assembled battery is connected to the power supply line. Multiple battery units are each configured such that they can be connected to a power supply line. Each battery unit includes a battery cell group configured including multiple battery cells, a switching unit arranged between the power supply line and the battery cell group so as to control a current that flows between the power supply line and the battery cell group, and a control unit that controls the switching unit.
US09917453B1	Unitary wall outlet charging station A unitary wall outlet charging station for charging portable electronic devices including a unitary unitary wall outlet plug body operably configured to be removeably plugged into a wall outlet disposed on a building wall, the unitary unitary wall outlet plug body having an inner surface of each of a front face, a rear face, a first sidewall, and a second sidewall defining a cavity; a set of wall outlet plugs extending outwardly from the rear face; and a wall outlet disposed on the front face. The unitary wall outlet charging station further includes a pair of retractable cables each having a connector coupled to an end thereof and each disposed within the cavity in a retracted configuration and outside of the cavity in an extended configuration.
US09917444B2	Method for DC-AC conversion A method of controlling a plurality of DC/AC converters in cascade configuration, each being arranged to receive an input direct current and voltage from a respective photovoltaic panel and to deliver an electric output. The method includes receiving information representing at least one of frequency, phase, amplitude and harmonics of a required AC, and receiving information on the input direct current and voltage to each one of the plurality of DC/AC converters. Based on the received information, each one of the plurality of DC/AC converters is individually controlled in such manner that the combined output from the plurality of DC/AC converters produces an AC matching the required AC.
US09917443B2	Photovoltaic system and method for operating a photovoltaic system for feeding electrical power into a medium-voltage network The disclosure relates to a method for operating a photovoltaic system for feeding a medium-voltage grid, wherein the photovoltaic system has a photovoltaic generator including a plurality of photovoltaic modules, at least one inverter and at least one medium-voltage transformer. The medium-voltage transformer is connected on the primary side directly to a low-voltage AC output of the inverter, the inverter is connected to the photovoltaic generator via a DC input, and the inverter permits reverse currents from the low-voltage AC output to the DC input. The method is characterized by the fact that in the event that there is insufficient generation of electric power for the feed by the photovoltaic modules, the inverter remains connected on the AC side to the medium-voltage grid via the medium-voltage transformer, and remains connected on the DC side to the photovoltaic generator.
US09917441B2	Intelligent grid communications network management systems and methods A system for communication network management of a utility grid includes a database configured to store a grid information data set, where the grid information data set includes network device information for the utility grid and a network management system executable by a processor to: receive an event message from one or more network devices indicative of one or more failures in a communication network of the utility grid; retrieve the grid information data set; identify one or more network device associated with the one or more failures based on the grid information data set; transmit a request for a response to the identified one or more network devices; determine a response pattern based on responses from the identified one or more network devices in order to identify a cause of the failure based on the response pattern.
US09917440B2	Reconfigurable multiple-output power-delivery system The disclosed embodiments provide a system that operates a power supply. During operation, the system obtains power states of two or more loads coupled to two or more power converters in the power supply. Next, the system generates one or more control signals for a set of switching mechanisms to configure a coupling of the two or more loads to the two or more power converters through the switching mechanisms based on the power states.
US09917439B2	Renewable energy unit with simplified connection The present invention relates to an electronic device comprising a power supply module connected to a converter system, wherein said power supply module comprises a plurality of elements for producing electricity from renewable energy connected in series and said elements for producing electricity from renewable energy are assembled in groups, characterized in that the converter system comprises a plurality of regulator circuits, each regulator circuit being connected to a group of elements for producing electricity from renewable energy so that each group of elements for producing electricity from renewable energy can be controlled separately.
US09917438B2	Polarity recognition and swapping for DC powered devices A system for recognizing and swapping polarity for DC powered devices that includes a polarity detection module that is configured to identify polarity of DC power input, and further configured to send an output to a controller based on identification of polarity of the DC power input. The system includes a power switch array that is operatively coupled with the controller, and wherein the controller, based on the output, can set one or more switches of the power switch array for executing polarity switching.
US09917437B2	Hot swap controller with individually controlled parallel current paths An apparatus comprises an input node, a power rail to power a circuit load, and multiple current paths coupled in parallel with each other between the input node and the power rail. Each current path respectively provides a sense output to indicate current in the path and a current switch having a control input to control the current in the path. A control circuit, coupled to each control input individually and to each sense output individually, controls the current in each path individually based on the indicated current therein after a non-zero input voltage is initially applied to the input node, such that all of the paths concurrently conduct current from the input node to the power rail and collectively cause a total inrush current and corresponding voltage at the power rail to gradually increase.
US09917436B2	System and method for control of power distribution A system for controlling a multi-feed power distribution network is described herein. The network includes a first network sector that includes a first plurality of devices connected to a first power source and a second network sector that includes a second plurality of devices connected to a second power source. The system includes a first controller and a second controller. The first controller is configured to control operation of the first network sector and exchange data with the second controller. The second controller is configured to control operation of the second network sector and exchange data with the first controller. The system is modular and it can be expanded to include additional controllers as necessary. Methods and a computer program product for controlling a multi-feed power distribution network are also described.
US09917434B2	Device and method for splicing shielded wire cables A wire cable assembly, such as those used in electric or hybrid electric vehicles, having a plurality of shielded wire cables spliced together. The center conductors are joined together and enclosed in an inner insulator. The shield conductors of the cable are joined by an electrically conductive sleeve enclosing the inner insulator and attached to the shield conductors of the shielded wire cables. The sleeve separates the outer insulating layers of the shielded wire cables. The sleeve is encased by an outer insulator that is sealed to the outer insulating layers of the shielded wire cables. A method of splicing shielded wire cables together is also presented.
US09917430B2	Active cover plates In one example, a cover plate may include a face plate with at least one outlet aperture, a back plate abutting the back of the face plate, an electric load between the face plate and the back plate, and at least one prong that extends from the face plate to a free end. The prong may be configured to interface with a terminal on the side of an outlet receptacle body and may include any or all of the following: an insulated portion and/or an electrical contact. The prong may resiliently deflects outward when interfacing with the terminal and may deflect with a first resistance prior to contacting a wall and with a second resistance that is greater than the first resistance when the prong contacts the wall. The cover play may also include at least one conductor electrically connecting the prong to the electric load.
US09917426B1	Reclaimation of scrap copper and other metals by waterblasting in a rotating cylinder A system and method that applies a rotating cylinder within which is mounted water jetting apparatus that when applied, causes high pressure water jets to be ejected from nozzles onto combined non-metal and metal substrate materials, and thereby separate non-metal and metal components from one another.
US09917424B2	Polarized lightning arrestors Systems and methods for dynamically defending a site from lightning strikes are provided. The systems and methods involve dynamically altering electrostatic fields above the site and/or dynamically intervening in lightning.
US09917418B2	Monolithical widely tunable quantum cascade laser devices Monolithic, wavelength-tunable QCL devices are provided which comprise a substrate, an array of QCLs formed on the substrate and an optical beam combiner formed on the substrate electrically isolated from the array of QCLs. In embodiments, the QCL devices are configured to provide laser emission in the range of from about 3 μm to about 12 μm, a wavelength tuning range of at least about 500 cm−1, and a wavelength tuning step size of about 1.0 nm or less.
US09917415B2	Driving circuit for light emitting element A driving circuit for causing a light emitting element to emit light in response to a driving signal is provided. The driving circuit comprising a first current supply circuit that starts to supply a driving current to the light emitting element in response to the driving signal, a second current supply circuit that starts to supply a supplementary current to the light emitting element in response to the driving signal. The second current supply circuit stops to supply the supplementary current upon detecting that a voltage applied to the light emitting element has reached a threshold voltage.
US09917414B2	Monolithic nanophotonic device on a semiconductor substrate A photonic light generating device is provided on a portion of a first semiconductor material. The photonic light generating device includes a second semiconductor material that has a different lattice constant than the lattice constant of the first semiconductor material and that is capable of generating and emitting light. The second semiconductor material of the photonic light generating device is present in a via opening that is provided into a waveguide core material and an underlying dielectric material. The via opening exposes a surface of the first semiconductor material.
US09917410B2	Optical mode filter employing radially asymmetric fiber Fiber amplifier and/or mode filter including a linearly birefringent LMA fiber coiled at a radius of curvature over a bend length to differentiate a fundamental optical mode from supported higher-order modes through bending losses. The LMA fiber may be a polarization-maintaining (PM) fiber having a variety of geometrical core shapes and cladding configurations. In some embodiments, the birefringent LMA fiber includes a radially asymmetric core that is angularly rotated over a length of the coiled fiber to ensure bending losses are experienced in orthogonally oriented higher-order modes associated with some orientation relative to the core orientation. In some embodiments, the fiber coiling is two-dimensional with bending occurring only about one axis. In some embodiments, an asymmetric core is pre-spun to a predetermined axial spin profile. In some embodiments, angular rotation of the core is achieved through mechanically twisting an un-spun fiber over a length of the coil.
US09917409B2	Method for producing a crimp connection A method for producing a crimp connection includes a mobile supply unit that can be connected with a crimping press station for storing and supplying crimp contacts to the crimping press station. The mobile supply unit is loaded with two supply rolls with crimp contacts that can be attached laterally to the mobile supply unit. Each supply roll is assigned to a respective coupling device by which the supply unit can be connected in two docking locations with the crimping press station and disconnected from the docking locations.
US09917407B1	High-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) cable integrated with a media device In one general aspect, an apparatus can include an output cord segment including an LVDS connector disposed in a housing and an HDMI connector.
US09917403B2	Connecting structure having a regulating portion to control deformation of an elastic portion of a terminal in an electrical connector An electrical connector includes a housing formed of a fixed housing and a movable housing movable relative to the fixed housing. The connector further includes a terminal. The terminal includes a connecting portion to be connected to the electrical circuit board and a contact portion to be contacted with the mating connecting member. The terminal further includes a fixed side held portion, a movable side held portion, and an elastic portion. The connecting structure further includes a regulating portion for regulating the elastic portion from elastically deforming within a specific elastic deformation range. The elastic portion is configured to have a specific elastic deformation range. When the electrical connector is connected to the mating connecting member, the spring force is smaller than a holding force between the contact portion of the terminal and the mating connecting member in a direction that the electrical connector is pulled out.
US09917398B1	Mechanical snap connector assembly A connector assembly includes a first component having a slot and an indentation and a second component having a hook and a protrusion. The hook is configured to engage with the slot by being inserted into the slot and being translated with respect to the slot. The protrusion is configured to at least partially depress as the hook is inserted into the slot and engage with the indentation when the hook is positioned to engage with the slot. The hook and the slot, when engaged, resist separation of the second component from the first component. The protrusion and the indentation, when engaged, resist disengagement of the hook from the slot.
US09917390B1	Multiple piece contact for an electrical connector An electrical connector contact has a body for receiving a conductor and for receiving a male pin contact. A spring is configured for engaging the pin contact and includes a plurality of spring fingers positioned for forming a bore with the spring fingers bent radially inwardly and configured for securing a pin in engagement with the body. A sleeve is configured for engaging the body to overlie the spring. Indentations are formed in the body at discrete positions around the body and extend radially inwardly into the pin section. The spring includes tongues extending radially inwardly and configured for extending into the indentations for securing the spring with the body.
US09917389B2	Flat terminal and socket for electrical plug-and-socket connection A flat terminal for a socket of an electrical plug-and-socket connection comprising: a terminal body formed by a metal strip; a connecting end extending from one of the axial ends of the terminal body; a contacting lug extending from the other of the axial ends of the terminal body, said contacting lug being bent back such that a gap remains between the terminal body and the contacting lug to form a resilient contact surface; and a protection against over-bending protruding into said gap to stop a movement of the contacting lug towards the terminal body in a defined distance from the terminal body.
US09917387B2	Connector for lighting devices, corresponding accessory and method In various embodiments, a connector for a lighting device is provided. The lighting device has a planar support with at least one electrical contact formation at an edge of the planar support. The connector includes a fork-shaped shell with a notch coupleable with said planar support edge with said planar support edge inserted in said notch, and an electrical contact structure on at least one side of said notch configured to provide electrical contact with an electrical contact formation on said edge inserted in said notch.
US09917386B1	Electrical connector An electrical connector for electrically connecting a chip module to a circuit board includes an insulating body and multiple terminals. The insulating body has multiple receiving slots vertically running through the insulating body, and each receiving slot has a stopping portion. The terminals are respectively received in the receiving slots. Each terminal has a contact portion for urging upward the chip module. Each terminal has a soldering surface and a positioning surface that are separated. The soldering surface is soldered through a solder. The solder has bottom surface soldered downward to the circuit board. The positioning surface is positioned below the stopping portion to limit upward movement of the terminal or the positioning surface is positioned above the stopping portion to limit downward movement of the terminal. A height of the positioning surface is between the soldering surface and the bottom surface.
US09917383B1	Printed circuit assemblies with an elongated cut-out Examples herein relate to printed circuit assemblies (PCA's). In one example, a PCA comprises a printed circuit board (PCB) having an elongated cut-out, the cut-out defining a first and a second opposite elongated edges on the PCB, a movable bracket having a standoff established on a surface of the movable bracket, the movable bracket connecting to the first and the second opposite elongated edges and a platform connector established on the PCB.
US09917381B1	Electrical connector with a terminal position assurance device having rigid and flexible locking features An electrical connector including electrical terminals along with a connector housing defining a first and second cavity, the first and second cavities configured to receive the terminals. The connector housing further defines a third cavity extending along a lateral axis. The electrical connector includes a terminal position assurance (TPA) device received within the third cavity. The TPA device is moveable from an terminal insertion position to a terminal locking position. The TPA device has flexible first and second primary locking features and rigid first and second secondary locking features configured to engage locking features of the terminals. Only the first primary and first secondary locking features engage the locking surface of the first electrical terminal and only the second primary and second secondary locking features engage the locking surface of the second electrical terminal when the TPA device is in the terminal locking position.
US09917378B2	Terminal attaching/detaching device A terminal attaching/detaching device includes a housing, an engaging member, and a movable member. The engaging member is configured to move in a first direction toward a terminal inserted in the housing to engage with the terminal, and is configured to move from the terminal inserted in the housing in a second direction to disengage from the terminal. The movable member is configured to move in concert with the engaging member in the moving process thereof in the first direction, and is configured to move the engaging member from the terminal inserted in the housing in the second direction, so that the engaging member is disengaged from the terminal.
US09917370B2	Dual-band printed omnidirectional antenna A microwave antenna assembly is printed on a substrate with a first face and an opposing second face. The assembly includes at least one antenna disposed on the front face of the substrate and a balun disposed on the rear face of the substrate. A first microstrip on the front face is coupled to the antenna(s). A second microstrip on the front face is coupled a feed line. A coplanar strip on the rear face is electrically coupled to the second microstrip and electromagnetically coupled to the first microstrip.
US09917369B2	Compact broadband antenna system with enhanced multipath rejection An antenna includes a planar ground plane, a planar exciter, and a plurality of passive elements. The planar ground plane and the planar exciter are disposed orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the antenna. The planar exciter is spaced apart from the ground plane. The planar exciter is configured to excite right-hand circularly-polarized electromagnetic radiation. The planar exciter is configured to excite first currents orthogonal to the longitudinal axis and substantially no current parallel to the longitudinal axis. The plurality of passive elements is symmetrically disposed azimuthally about the longitudinal axis and spaced apart from the planar exciter. The plurality of passive elements is electromagnetically coupled to the planar exciter. The plurality of passive elements is configured to excite second currents parallel to the longitudinal axis and third currents orthogonal to the longitudinal axis.
US09917367B2	Antenna device and communication apparatus An antenna device includes a power supply coil including wire patterns provided on or in magnetic layers and antenna coils including wire patterns provided on or in the magnetic layers. The power supply coil and the antenna coils include coil winding axes thereof coinciding with a lamination direction of the magnetic layers and generate magnetic field coupling to each other. The power supply coil is located on an inner side portion relative to the antenna coils when seen in the lamination direction. At least portions of the antenna coils are located on outer side portions relative to the power supply coil in the lamination direction. With this, an antenna device and a communication apparatus capable of communicating with a communication party reliably without forming an unnecessary communication path with a party-side coil are provided.
US09917361B2	Variable beam control antenna for mobile communication system The present invention relates to a variable beam control antenna for a mobile communication system, the antenna comprising: a radome formed on the front surface at which a signal is emitted; multiple emitters vertically arranged in at least one row; a frame portion for supporting the radome and the multiple emitters; and a direction-changing module which rotates each of the multiple emitters vertically and horizontally with respect to a reference point in order to change the emission direction of the multiple emitters.
US09917359B2	Repeater with multimode antenna The disclosure concerns an antenna subsystem that can be used in various repeater systems to optimize gain of the repeater by increasing isolation between donor and server antennas, wherein at least one of the donor and server antennas is an active multi-mode antenna.
US09917358B1	Array antenna with tightly coupled elements An antenna with tightly coupled elements is provided. The antenna includes a plurality of planar elements. Each element is connected to a signal line, and is coupled to at least one other element. The elements are arranged in one or more linear arrays. A first array of elements can be provided on a first plane, while a second array of elements can be provided on a second plane. Moreover, elements included in the first array can can at least partially overlap elements included in the second array. Alternatively, a single array of elements formed on a first plane can be provided, with coupling elements that are capacitively connected to one element, and directly, are electrically connected to an adjacent element.
US09917353B2	Roof antenna for vehicle A roof antenna for a vehicle is provided having an antenna unit that receives radio waves, an antenna cover that covers the antenna unit, and an annular pad interposed between the antenna cover and the roof, wherein the pad includes a base that is retained at an inner side of a lower end of the antenna cover, an extension portion provided at a position opposing the lower end of the antenna cover, that extends from the base to an outer side of the lower end of the antenna cover, that can be tilted in a direction away from the lower end of the antenna cover, and that is formed from an elastic structure, and a lip formed at a tip of the extension portion and that is distanced from the outer side of the lower end of the antenna cover, and the extension portion is tilted to move away from the lower end of the antenna cover when a force in a direction away from the lower end of the antenna cover acts on the lip.
US09917352B2	Antenna for vehicles A antenna for vehicles may include: a main ground formed on a printed circuit board (PCB); a first LTE antenna ground connected to the main ground so as to ground a signal of a first LTE antenna; and a second LTE antenna ground connected to the main ground so as to ground a signal of a second LTE antenna. The first LTE antenna ground and the second LTE antenna ground may be left-right asymmetrically formed on the PCB.
US09917351B2	Antenna and antenna assembly An antenna comprises a main body and a cable connecting to the main body. The main body has a grounding portion, a cantilevered arm, a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion. The first connecting portion connects the grounding portion and the cantilevered arm. The first connecting portion is located at the upper side of the cantilevered arm and defines a first slot with the cantilevered arm. The second connecting portion connects the grounding portion and the cantilevered arm. The second connecting portion is located at the lower side of the cantilevered arm and defines a second slot with the cantilevered arm.
US09917349B2	Waveguides for digital communication devices Various of the disclosed embodiments use ITO and ITO-like materials or structures to serve as a waveguide for device communications, e.g., for mobile phone communication. Various embodiments employ an economical design, wherein one or more wireless antennas are integrated into or in conjunction with the display of a communications device as a waveguide antenna. The waveguide may use space more economically than traditional designs. In some embodiments, the waveguide can provide a wider range of viable operational frequencies. Additionally, in some embodiments, a square surface area of the waveguide optimizes the area to length ratio, which may reduce the resistance when the structure includes a lossy material. The waveguide antenna may be composed of ITO or ITO-like materials, which facilitate waveguide propagation while retaining a visually transparent character.
US09917347B2	Hinge barrel antenna system A hinge barrel antenna system includes a first hinge device and a second hinge device that couple a chassis base to a display device. A hinge barrel extends between the first hinge device and the second hinge device. A hinge barrel support member is included in the hinge barrel and defines a first slot that extends through the hinge barrel support member. A feed structure is coupled to the hinge barrel support member adjacent the first slot by a circuit board. The first slot is dimensioned such that the combination of the first slot and the feed structure emit radio waves having a first predetermined frequency when the feed structure is activated.
US09917342B2	Waveguide having a hollow polymeric layer coated with a higher dielectric constant material A wave cable transceiver system is disclosed incorporating an air-core or noble gas filled hollow plastic waveguide. The system may include a transmitter receiver, in-antennas and a tubular plastic waveguide with the inner air-core. The hollow plastic waveguide is a low loss and low dispersion guiding channel for the electromagnetic radiation.
US09917341B2	Apparatus and method for launching electromagnetic waves and for modifying radial dimensions of the propagating electromagnetic waves Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a system for receiving a communication signal, generating an electromagnetic wave from the communication signal, and inducing the electromagnetic wave on a portion of a transmission medium having an insulation layer with a tapered end covering at least part of a conductor. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09917337B2	Inspection method for film covered battery A film covered battery (1) has a flat shape with an outer cover member (5) formed of a laminate film to accommodate therein a battery element (4) together with an electrolytic solution. For reliable inspection of an insulation failure between a metal layer (52) of the laminate film and a negative electrode plate (42) of the battery element (4), an inspection test is performed on the film covered battery by a first inspection device (73) under a condition where pressure is applied to a center region of the outer cover member (5) by a first press bar (72); and an inspection test is performed on the film covered battery by a second inspection device (83) under a condition where pressure is applied to the remaining side regions of the outer cover member (5) by a second press bar (82).
US09917336B2	Battery system A battery system comprises an assembled battery in which a plurality of battery cells are connected in series, a temperature sensor for detecting temperature of the battery cells of the assembled battery, and a voltage detecting line connected to a voltage detecting location of the battery cell. Further the battery system fixes the connecting terminal at the voltage detecting location. The connecting terminal fixes the temperature sensor in a thermally coupling state, and electrically connects the voltage detecting line.
US09917331B2	Method for producing a secondary battery and the metal contaminant deactivation of the same Provided are a secondary battery having a configuration with which localized metal contaminant precipitation at the negative electrode can be reliably inhibited in less time, and a method for producing a secondary battery that allows reliable deactivation of metal contaminant in less time. The battery comprises a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator placed between the two electrodes. The separator has an air resistance Rp≦100 sec in an in-plane direction vertical to its thickness direction and an air resistance Rt>Rp in the thickness direction. The method comprises a minimal charging step where the cell is charged to 0.01% to 0.5% capacity over at least one hour to obtain a state of charge where the positive and negative electrode potentials are at or above the oxidation and reduction potentials of a probable metal contaminant, respectively; and a step of performing initial conditioning charging.
US09917330B2	Secondary battery Provided is a secondary battery being superior to a conventional secondary battery with respect to volume (energy density) and manufacturing (manufacturing workload). The present invention provides a secondary battery including a sheet-shaped first-electrode-functioning base material having a function as a first electrode and a function as a base material, a front-side storage layer formed on a front side of the first-electrode-functioning base material, a front-side second electrode layer layered on the front-side storage layer, a rear-side storage layer formed on a rear side of the first-electrode-functioning base material, and a rear-side second electrode layer layered on the rear-side storage layer.
US09917328B2	Halogenated organosilicon electrolytes, methods of using them, and electrochemical devices containing them Described are electrolyte compositions having at least one salt and at least one compound selected from the group consisting of: wherein “a” is from 1 to 3; “b” is 1 or 2; 4≧“a”+“b”≧2; X is a halogen; R can be alkoxy or substituted alkoxy, among other moieties, and R1 is alkyl, substituted alkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, alkoxy, or substituted alkoxy. Also described are electrochemical devices that use the electrolyte composition.
US09917326B2	Battery and method of manufacturing the same A battery capable of improving ionic conduction is provided. The battery includes a cathode, an anode, and a solid electrolyte layer. One or more of the cathode, the anode, and the solid electrolyte layer includes a solid electrolyte binder.
US09917325B2	Battery with multiple jelly rolls in a single pouch The disclosed embodiments provide a battery cell which includes a set of jelly rolls enclosed in a pouch. Each jelly roll includes layers which are wound together, including a cathode with an active coating, a separator, and an anode with an active coating. The battery cell also includes a first set of conductive tabs and a second set of conductive tabs. Each of the first set of conductive tabs is coupled to the cathode of one of the jelly rolls, and each of the second set of conductive tabs is coupled to the anode of one of the jelly rolls. At least one of the first set and one of the second set of conductive tabs extend through seals in the pouch to provide terminals for the battery cell.
US09917324B2	System for generating electric power with micro fuel cells and corresponding process Embodiment of a system for generating electric power with micro fuel cells comprising at least one first micro cell and at least one second micro cell, each micro cell having an anode and a cathode with a membrane being sandwich-wise interposed, the system comprising a spacer element having an annular element that surrounds a cavity, said spacer element being associated with said anode of said first micro cell and with said anode of said second micro cell to realize a common diffusion chamber for the fuel of said first micro cell a of said second micro cell.
US09917319B2	Gas generator and process therefor A process of generating a gas includes providing an encapsulation of reactive metal particles, releasing the reactive metal particles from the encapsulation, mixing the reactive metal particles in turbulent water, reacting the reactive metal particles in the turbulent water to generate hydrogen, cooling the turbulent water and the hydrogen with water jets, separating solids and liquids from the hydrogen, and providing the hydrogen to an electrochemical cell.
US09917316B2	Apparatus and method for controlling humidification amount of membrane humidifier for fuel cell An apparatus and a method for controlling a humidification amount of a membrane humidifier for a fuel cell are provided. The humidification amount of the membrane humidifier relative to air supplied to a stack is changed by adjusting a difference in partial pressure of moisture between the inside and the exterior of a hollow fiber membrane that constitutes the membrane humidifier for a fuel cell.
US09917314B2	Mitigating electrode erosion in high temperature PEM fuel cell A method of operating a fuel cell power plant (10) including a stack (11) of fuel cells having an anode catalyst layer and a cathode electrode (15) including a catalyst layer disposed on catalyst support material is characterized by, during normal operation of said power plant, adjusting the voltage of the stack to be substantially equal to or less than a predetermined maximum voltage for the temperature of the stack. Further, said step of adjusting comprises adjusting the stack voltage to the lesser of: a) a predetermined voltage above which corrosion of catalyst support material is significant and below which corrosion of catalyst support material is insignificant at the temperature of the stack; and b) a predetermined voltage above which dissolution of catalyst is significant and below which dissolution of the catalyst is insignificant at the temperature of the stack.
US09917312B2	Cooling and heating device [Object]The purpose is to provide a cooling and heating device.[Solution]This cooling and heating device includes: a fuel cell device including a fuel cell; a heating unit which utilizes the heat of exhaust gas discharged from the fuel cell; a thermoacoustic cooler (14) including a cooling unit which performs a cooling function with use of the heat of the exhaust gas discharged from the fuel cell; and an exhaust gas switching unit (25) which allows the exhaust gas discharged from the fuel cell to be supplied to at least one of the thermoacoustic cooler (14) and the heating unit, whereby there can be provided a cooling and heating device which effectively utilizes the exhaust gas of a fuel cell.
US09917311B2	Electrical insulation and sealing surround for water electrolysis reactor (SOEC) or fuel cell (SOFC) The invention relates essentially to an electrical insulation and sealing surround for distributing gases in a high temperature steam electrolyzer of SOEC type or in a fuel cell of SOFC type. According to the invention, some of the functions of sealing, distributing gases and providing electrical insulation between interconnectors are grouped together within one and same component in the form of a surround made of electrically insulating material, the recessed zones of which serve to support the actual sealing gaskets, making them easier to use and to maintain.
US09917310B2	Gas flow channel forming body for fuel cell, and fuel cell Gas flow channels are provided between protrusions arranged in parallel on a first surface of a partition wall of a gas flow channel forming body, and water introduction channels are provided in valleys on the opposite side of each protrusion, on a second surface. In order to allow the gas flow channels and the water introduction channels to communicate so that water can pass there through, communication channels is provided to the partition wall. Intermediate structures are correspondingly provided inside the water introduction channels to the communication channels. A set of communication channels is formed by a pair of communication channels positioned at a first interval. A set of communication channels and another set of communication channels adjacent thereto are positioned on each protrusion with a second interval therebetween.
US09917308B2	Method for producing crystals comprising fullerene molecules and fullerene nanowhisker/nanofiber nanotubes The present invention provides a method for producing metal-supported carbon, which includes supporting metal microparticles on the surface of carbon black, by a liquid-phase reduction method, in a thin film fluid formed between processing surfaces arranged to be opposite to each other so as to be able to approach to and separate from each other, at least one of which rotates relative to the other, as well as a method for producing crystals comprising fullerene molecules and fullerene nanowhisker/nanofiber nanotubes, which includes uniformly stirring and mixing a solution containing a first solvent having fullerene dissolved therein, and a second solvent in which fullerene is less soluble than in the first solvent, in a thin film fluid formed between processing surfaces arranged to be opposite to each other so as to be able to approach to and separate from each other, at least one of which rotates relative to the other.
US09917302B2	Electrode active material for lithium secondary battery, method of preparing the electrode active material, electrode for lithium secondary battery including the same, and lithium secondary battery using the same An electrode active material for a lithium secondary battery, a method of preparing the electrode active material, an electrode for a lithium secondary battery which includes the same, a lithium secondary battery using the electrode. The electrode active material includes a core active material and a coating layer including magnesium aluminum oxide (MgAlO2) and formed on the core active material. 1s binding energy peaks of oxygen (O) in the electrode active material measured by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) are shown at positions corresponding to 529.4±0.5 eV, about 530.7 eV, and 531.9±0.5 eV, and a peak intensity at the position corresponding to 529.4±0.5 eV is stronger than a peak intensity at the position corresponding to about 530.7 eV.
US09917301B2	Solid solution composite LIMVO4-LINI-X-YCOXMNYO2 material for rechargeable lithium ion batteries Described herein are solid solution composites that are used as cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries. The solid solution composite of α LiMVO4-βLiNi1-x-yCoxMnyO2, in which LiMVO4 has cubic close-packed structure, LiNi1-x-yCoxMnyO2 has hexagonal layered structure, and both share an oxygen lattice fully or partly. The new solid solution materials have advantage for lithium-ion batteries that the working voltage of the composite is adjustable by controlling the molar ratio of α and β and have higher working voltage than current secondary battery materials.Also described herein are methods of preparing such composite.
US09917298B2	Composite, method of preparing the same, electrode including the composite, and lithium battery including the electrode A composite includes a carbonaceous material; a plurality of silicon structures disposed on the carbonaceous material; and a graphene layer, which comprises graphene and is disposed on the plurality of silicon structures, wherein a silicon structure of the plurality of silicon structures includes silicon and a silicon oxide of the formula SiOx which is disposed on a surface of the silicon, wherein 0
US09917296B2	Nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes: a positive electrode that includes a positive electrode active material layer; a negative electrode that includes a negative electrode active material layer; and a nonaqueous electrolytic solution. When a void volume of the positive electrode active material layer per battery capacity is represented by α (cm3/Ah), and when a void volume of the negative electrode active material layer per battery capacity is represented by β (cm3/Ah), the following conditions are satisfied: 1.00≦α≦2.20; (1) 2.17≦β≦3.27; and (2) α<α. (3)
US09917295B2	Methods for using atomic layer deposition to produce a film for solid state electrolytes and protective electrode coatings for lithium batteries A method for using atomic layer deposition to produce a film configured for use in an anode, cathode, or solid state electrolyte of a lithium-ion battery or a lithium-sulfur battery. The method includes repeating a cycle for a predetermined number of times in an inert atmosphere. The cycle includes exposing a substrate to a first precursor, purging the substrate with inert gas, exposing the substrate to a second precursor, and purging the substrate with inert gas. The film is a metal sulfide.
US09917291B2	Welding process for a battery module The present disclosure relates to a battery module that includes a stack of battery cells, where each battery cell has a terminal, and the terminal has a first alloy of a metal. The battery module has a bus bar that includes a body having a second alloy of the metal, nickel plating on at least a portion of the body, and an indentation disposed on the body, where a thickness of the nickel plating is between 0.2% and 20% of an overall thickness of the body, and a weld physically and electrically coupling the respective terminal to the bus bar. The indentation has a depth between 10% and 90% of the overall thickness, an area of the indentation is between 5% and 20% of an overall area of the body, and the nickel plating enables the weld to be stronger than a weld between the first and second alloys.
US09917284B2	System and method for a non-hazmat shippable portable power device Provided are a system and method for a non-hazmat shippable portable power device (“NHSPD”). The NHSPD includes at least one cell block providing a plurality of electrically isolated encased electrochemical cells each in a predetermined location, each cell having one positive and one negative terminal in a predetermined location. At least one backplane circuit board is disposed adjacent to each cell block and, for each positive and negative terminal of each cell, the adjacent circuit board provides electrically isolated traces from each cell to at least one grouping area, the grouping area providing a connection point for each trace. A physically separate interconnection cap having at least one external positive terminal and external negative terminal connected by electrical circuitry to at least one connector structured and arranged to physically connect with each connection point of each trace at such time as the interconnection cap is disposed adjacent to the at least one cell block such that the cap connector engages the trace connection points. A method of providing NHSPD is also disclosed.
US09917278B2	Array substrate, organic electroluminescent display panel and display apparatus Disclosed are an array substrate, an organic electroluminescent display panel and a display apparatus. The array substrate includes: a base substrate, an organic electroluminescent structure disposed on the base substrate, a thin film packaging layer covering the organic electroluminescent structure, and an adsorption layer disposed on the thin film packaging layer.
US09917275B2	Display apparatus A display apparatus including a substrate having an active area and a sealing area surrounding the active area; a display unit disposed on the active area of the substrate; a sealing member including a recess, which is formed in the sealing area of the substrate and is concave in a direction from an edge of the substrate to the active area of the substrate or from the active area of the substrate to the edge of the substrate; and an alignment mark disposed between the recess and the edge of the substrate or between the recess and the active area of the substrate.
US09917274B2	Light-emitting panel, light-emitting device using the light-emitting panel, and method for manufacturing the light-emitting panel To provide a light-emitting panel in which the occurrence of crosstalk is suppressed. To provide a method for manufacturing a light-emitting panel in which the occurrence of crosstalk is suppressed. The light-emitting panel includes a first electrode of one light-emitting element, a first electrode of the other light-emitting element, and an insulating partition which separates the two first electrodes. A portion with a thickness A1 smaller than a thickness A0 of a portion of the layer containing a light-emitting organic compound, which overlaps with a side surface of the partition, is included. The ratio (B1/B0) of a thickness B1 of a portion of the second electrode, which overlaps with a side surface of the partition, to a thickness B0 of a portion of the second electrode, which overlaps with the first electrode, is higher than the ratio (A1/A0).
US09917273B2	Cross-linking polymer and organic electroluminescent element using same A polymer including structural units represented by the following formulas (A) and (B).In the formula (A), P is a group derived from a compound represented by the formula (P). L1 is a linkage group. In the formula (B), Q is a group derived from a compound represented by the formula (Q). L2 is a linkage group. In the formula (B), at least one of “c”Qs and “d”L2s includes a cross-linkable group.
US09917263B2	Transparent electrode, electronic device, and organic electroluminescent element A transparent electrode includes a nitrogen-containing layer constituted by using a compound containing a nitrogen atom (N), an electrode layer containing silver (Ag) as a main component, which is disposed adjacent to the nitrogen-containing layer, and two high-refractive index layers each having a higher refractive index than that of the nitrogen-containing layer, which are disposed so that the electrode layer and the nitrogen-containing layer are sandwiched between the high-refractive index layers.
US09917262B2	Organic light-emitting device An organic light-emitting device including a first electrode; a second electrode; and an organic layer between the first electrode and the second electrode, the organic layer including an emission layer; wherein the emission layer includes a first host represented by the following Formula 1, and a second host represented by the following Formula 2:
US09917252B2	GaSbGe phase change memory materials A Ga—Sb—Ge family of phase change memory materials is described, including GaxSbyGez, wherein a Ga atomic concentration x is within a range from 20% to 45%, a Sb atomic concentration y is within a range from 25% to 40% and a Ge atomic concentration z is within a range from 25% to 55%, is described wherein the material has a crystallization transition temperature Tx greater than 360° C. Adding impurities including one or more element selected from silicon Si, carbon C, oxygen O and nitrogen N, can also increase the crystallization transition temperature Tx to temperatures greater than 400° C., and also reduce reset current.
US09917249B2	Method and system for providing a magnetic junction usable in spin transfer torque applications and including a magnetic barrier layer A magnetic junction and method for providing the magnetic junction are described. The magnetic junction resides on a substrate and is usable in a magnetic device. The magnetic junction includes free and pinned layers separated by a nonmagnetic spacer layer. The free layer is switchable between stable magnetic states when a write current is passed through the magnetic junction. The pinned layer has a pinned layer perpendicular magnetic anisotropy energy greater than a pinned layer out-of-plane demagnetization energy. The pinned layer includes a high perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) layer including at least one nonmagnetic component, a magnetic layer and a magnetic barrier layer between the high PMA layer and the magnetic layer. The magnetic barrier layer includes Co and at least one of Ta, W and Mo. The magnetic barrier layer is for blocking diffusion of the nonmagnetic component of the high PMA layer.
US09917248B2	Memory element, memory apparatus A memory element including a layered structure including a memory layer having magnetization perpendicular to a film face in which a direction of the magnetization is changed depending on information stored therein, a magnetization-fixed layer having magnetization perpendicular to the film face, which becomes a base of the information stored in the memory layer, and an intermediate layer that is formed of a non-magnetic material and is provided between the memory layer and the magnetization-fixed layer.
US09917244B2	Resonant body high electron mobility transistor A resonant body high electron mobility transistor is described with resonance frequencies in gigahertz regime, limited by the cutoff frequency of the readout transistor. Piezoelectric materials form the resonating membrane of the device. Different modes of acoustic resonance, such as a thickness-mode, can be excited and amplified by applying an AC signal to the transducer electrode and proper biasing of all electrodes. The drain electrode reads out the acoustic resonance and amplifies it. The drain electrode is placed at or near where the piezoelectric charge pickup is maximum; whereas, the source electrode is placed at a nodal point with minimum displacement.
US09917239B2	Thermoelectric conversion device and electronic device A thermoelectric conversion device includes: a thermoelectric conversion element in which a p-type thermoelectric material and an n-type thermoelectric material that are provided between an upper electrode and a lower electrode of the thermoelectric conversion element are alternately connected in series via the upper electrode and the lower electrode; an insulating layer that is provided between the upper electrode and the lower electrode and covers the p-type thermoelectric material and the n-type thermoelectric material; and an electric storage element that is provided between the upper electrode and the lower electrode and is covered by the insulating layer.
US09917237B2	Flexible lighting device having unobtrusive conductive layers A flexible lighting element is provided, comprising: a first substrate; first and second conductive elements over the first substrate; a light-emitting element having first and second contacts that are both on a first surface of the light-emitting element, the first and second contacts being electrically connected to the first and second conductive elements, respectively, and the light-emitting element emitting light from a second surface opposite the first surface; a transparent layer located adjacent to the second surface; and a transparent affixing layer located between the first substrate and the transparent layer, wherein the transparent layer and the transparent affixing layer are both sufficiently transparent to visible light that they will not decrease light transmittance below 70%, and the first and second conductive layers are at least partially transparent to visible light, or are 300 μm or smaller in width, or are concealed by a design feature from a viewing direction.
US09917235B2	Display apparatus A display apparatus includes a substrate, a light-emitting diode (“LED”) provided above the substrate, an insulating layer provided above the LED, and a wire grid polarizer (“WGP”) provided above the insulating layer.
US09917233B2	Light emitting diode package structure, backlight module and display device The present disclosure provides a light emitting diode (LED) package structure, a backlight module and a display device, and relates to the field of display technologies. The LED package structure includes an encapsulation housing and an LED chip encapsulated in the encapsulation housing. The encapsulation housing is a polyhedron which includes at least one inclined plane. One inclined plane of the encapsulation housing is a light exiting surface of the LED package structure.
US09917229B2	Electrical contact structure for a semiconductor component, and semiconductor component An electrical contact structure (10) for a semiconductor component (100) is specified, comprising a transparent electrically conductive contact layer (1), on which a first metallic contact layer (2) is applied, a second metallic contact layer (3), which completely covers the first metallic contact layer (2), and a separating layer (4), which is arranged between the transparent electrically conductive contact layer (1) and the second metallic contact layer (3) and which separates the second metallic contact layer (3) from the transparent electrically conductive contact layer (1).Furthermore, a semiconductor component (100) comprising a contact structure (10) is specified.
US09917222B2	Frameless solar module with mounting holes A frameless solar module having a carrier substrate and a top layer connected thereto, between which there is a layer structure which forms a plurality of solar cells connected in series for the photovoltaic generation of power is described. The carrier substrate and/or the top layer of the frameless solar module is/are provided with mounting holes for mounting the solar module on a module bracket or for connection to at least one further solar module. The mounting holes are produced in a coating-free zone within a photovoltaically active region. Mounting arrangements having such a solar module which contain fixing elements which pass through the mounting holes are also described. Furthermore, a method for producing such a solar module in which the mounting holes are produced in the carrier substrate and/or in the top layer is also described.
US09917218B2	Process for preparing quantum dot array and quantum dot superlattice The present invention presents a process for preparing a quantum dot array comprising at least the steps of: (a) providing a crystalline semiconductor substrate surface; (b) depositing quantum dots on the said substrate surface by a process of successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR). The steps can be repeated to build up a quantum dot superlattice structure.
US09917214B2	Solar photovoltaic panel and solar photovoltaic system A solar photovoltaic panel disposed in a matrix for use, wherein the solar photovoltaic panel comprises a plurality of antennas configured to communicate with antennas placed on adjoining solar photovoltaic panels, a receptor configured to receive a search command via the plurality of antennas, a transmitter configured to transmit a search command from the antennas excluding the antenna having received the search command in response to the received search command, and a responder configured to create a response signal including the panel ID of its own solar photovoltaic panel and transmit the response signal from the antenna having received the search command when no response signal to the search command transmitted from the transmitter is received, and when a response signal to the search command transmitted from the transmitter is received, transmit the response signal with the addition of information from the antenna having received the search command.
US09917213B2	Photovoltaic module and method for producing a photovoltaic module A photovoltaic module has at least one solar cell having an irradiation surface for receiving light. The photovoltaic module is configured to provide a voltage. The photovoltaic module also includes a carrier unit which is arranged laterally offset from the solar cell at least on one side. A first surface of the carrier unit is oriented flush with the irradiation surface of the solar cell within a predefined tolerance range. The photovoltaic module also includes at least one electrical conductor, which contacts a carrier contact connection on a second surface of the carrier unit opposite the first surface via a cell contact connection of an electronic component on the solar cell or the solar cell in an electrically conductive manner. The cell contact connection is arranged on a contacting side of the solar cell opposite the irradiation surface.
US09917207B2	Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same A semiconductor device includes a first barrier layer having a barrier property against oxygen and hydrogen over a substrate, a first insulator over the first barrier layer, a second insulator over the first insulator, a third insulator over the second insulator, a transistor including an oxide semiconductor over the third insulator, a fourth insulator including an oxygen-excess region over the transistor, and a second barrier layer having a barrier property against oxygen and hydrogen over the fourth insulator. The transistor includes a first conductor with oxidation resistance, a second conductor with oxidation resistance, and a third conductor with oxidation resistance, the second insulator includes a high-k material, the first barrier layer and the second barrier layer are in contact with each other in an outer edge of a region where the transistor is provided, and the transistor is surrounded by the first barrier layer and the second barrier layer.
US09917200B2	Nanowire transistor structures with merged source/drain regions using auxiliary pillars A nanowire transistor structure is fabricated by using auxiliary epitaxial nucleation source/drain fin structures. The fin structures include semiconductor layers integral with nanowires that extend between the fin structures. Gate structures are formed between the fin structures such that the nanowires extend through the gate conductors. Following spacer formation and nanowire chop, source/drain regions are grown epitaxially between the gate structures.
US09917195B2	High doped III-V source/drain junctions for field effect transistors A semiconductor device includes a fin patterned in a substrate; a gate disposed over and substantially perpendicular to the fin; a pair of epitaxial contacts including a III-V material over the fin and on opposing sides of the gate; and a channel region between the pair of epitaxial contacts under the gate including an undoped III-V material between doped III-V materials, the doped III-V materials including a dopant in an amount in a range from about 1e18 to about 1e20 atoms/cm3 and contacting the epitaxial contacts.
US09917192B2	Structure and method for transistors with line end extension A method includes forming an isolation feature in a semiconductor substrate; forming a first fin-like active region and a second fin-like active region in the semiconductor substrate and interposed by the isolation feature; forming a dummy gate stack on the isolation feature, wherein the dummy gate extends to the first fin-like active region from one side and to the second fin-like active region from another side.
US09917189B2	Method for detecting presence and location of defects in a substrate A method for detecting the presence and location of defects over a substrate is disclosed. In an embodiment, the method may include: forming a semiconductor material in a plurality of openings in a reference wafer using an epitaxial growth process; performing one or more measurements on the reference wafer to obtain a baseline signal; forming a plurality of gate stacks and stressor regions in a plurality of substrates; after forming the plurality of gate stacks, forming the semiconductor material in a plurality of openings in a batch wafer; performing the one or more measurements on the batch wafer to obtain a batch signal; comparing the batch signal to the baseline signal; and determining whether a defect in present in the plurality of substrates based on the comparison.
US09917187B2	Semiconductor device and manufacturing method A semiconductor device comprising at least one active layer on a substrate and a first contact to the at least one active layer, the first contact comprising a metal in contact with the at least one active layer and a capping layer on the metal, the capping layer comprising a diffusion barrier, wherein the capping layer is patterned to form a pattern comprising regions of the contact covered by the capping layer and regions of the contact that are uncovered.
US09917184B2	Semiconductor component that includes a clamping structure and method of manufacturing the semiconductor component Embodiments include a method and structure to that provide a clamping structure in an integrated semiconductor device. In accordance with an embodiment, the method includes forming trenches in a semiconductor material and forming a shield electrode in a portion of at least one of the trenches. A clamping structure is formed adjacent to a trench. The clamping structure has an electrode that may be electrically connected to a source region of the integrated semiconductor device. In accordance with another embodiment, an impedance element is formed in a trench.
US09917182B1	Semiconductor device A semiconductor device includes: a first nitride semiconductor layer, a second nitride semiconductor layer that is provided on the first nitride semiconductor layer and has a band gap larger than a band gap of the first nitride semiconductor layer, a gate electrode that is provided on the first nitride semiconductor layer, a first electrode that is electrically connected to the first nitride semiconductor layer, a second electrode disposed such that the gate electrode is positioned between the first electrode and the second electrode, and electrically connected to the first nitride semiconductor layer, and a first insulation layer that is provided between the gate electrode and the second electrode, disposed such that the second nitride semiconductor layer is positioned between the first nitride semiconductor layer and the first insulation layer, and including silicon oxide having an oxygen-to-silicon atomic ratio (O/Si) of 1.50 or more and 1.85 or less.
US09917181B2	Bipolar transistor with superjunction structure A superjunction bipolar transistor includes an active transistor cell area that includes active transistor cells electrically connected to a first load electrode at a front side of a semiconductor body. A superjunction area overlaps the active transistor cell area and includes a low-resistive region and a reservoir region outside of the low-resistive region. The low-resistive region includes a first superjunction structure with a first vertical extension with respect to a first surface of the semiconductor body. The reservoir region includes no superjunction structure or a second superjunction structure with a mean second vertical extension smaller than the first vertical extension.
US09917178B2	Devices including gate spacer with gap or void and methods of forming the same Devices and structures that include a gate spacer having a gap or void are described along with methods of forming such devices and structures. In accordance with some embodiments, a structure includes a substrate, a gate stack over the substrate, a contact over the substrate, and a spacer disposed laterally between the gate stack and the contact. The spacer includes a first dielectric sidewall portion and a second dielectric sidewall portion. A void is disposed between the first dielectric sidewall portion and the second dielectric sidewall portion.
US09917176B2	Method for fabricating FinFET isolation structure A method for forming a semiconductor device. In this method, a semiconductor fin is formed on a semiconductor substrate. Two cells adjacent to each other are formed on the semiconductor fin. A gate conductor is formed on a top of the semiconductor fin at a common boundary that is shared by the two cells. A gate spacer is formed to peripherally enclose the gate conductor. The gate conductor and the semiconductor fin are etched to form an air gap, thereby dividing the semiconductor fin into two portions of the semiconductor fin. A dielectric cap layer is deposited into the air gap to cap a top of the air gap.
US09917169B2	Semiconductor device and method of formation A semiconductor device and method of formation are provided. The semiconductor device includes a channel surrounding a dielectric tube and a gate surrounding the channel. The dielectric tube comprises a high dielectric constant material that has or conducts few to no carriers, such as electrons or holes. The presence of the dielectric tube confines carriers to the channel, which is in close proximity to the gate. The proximity of the channel, and the carriers therein, to the gate affords greater control to the gate over the carriers, thus allowing a length of the channel to be decreased while experiencing little to no short channel effects, such as current leakage through the channel.
US09917166B2	Memory first process flow and device A semiconductor device includes a substrate comprising a source region and a drain region, a bit storing element formed on the substrate, a memory gate structure, a first insulating layer formed on the substrate, a second insulating layer formed on the substrate, and a select gate structure formed on the first insulating layer. The second insulating layer is formed on the memory gate structure and the select gate structure and between the memory gate structure and the select gate structure.
US09917161B2	Semiconductor device and method of fabricating the same A semiconductor device includes active pillars protruding from a semiconductor substrate and spaced apart from each other in a first direction and a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, a word line extending in the first direction between the active pillars, a drain region disposed in an upper portion of each of the active pillars, and a separation pattern provided between the word line and the drain region. A bottom surface of the separation pattern is disposed at a lower level than a bottom surface of the drain region.
US09917159B2	Semiconductor device comprising planar gate and trench field electrode structure An embodiment of a semiconductor device includes a transistor cell array having transistor cells in a semiconductor body. A planar gate structure is on the semiconductor body at a first side. Field electrode trenches extend into the semiconductor body from the first side. Each of the field electrode trenches includes a field electrode structure. A depth d of the field electrode trenches is greater than a maximum lateral dimension wmax of the field electrode trenches at the first side.
US09917154B2	Strained and unstrained semiconductor device features formed on the same substrate Embodiments are directed to a method of forming a feature of a semiconductor device. The method includes forming the feature from a semiconductor material having compressive strain that extends throughout a cut region of the feature and throughout a preserve region of the feature. The method further includes converting the cut region of the feature to a dielectric.
US09917152B1	Nanosheet transistors on bulk material A method of forming a semiconductor device and resulting device. The method may form a first gate on a gate region of a starting substrate. The starting substrate includes alternating sacrificial layers and semiconductor layers above a buffer sacrificial layer located on a bulk substrate. The method may remove the starting substrate located between the gates. Etching the starting substrate creates a trench into the bulk substrate. The method may form an insulating layer on the inside of the trench. The method may form a masking layer over in the trench in the starting substrate covering a portion of the insulating layer, but below a top surface of the buffer layer. The method may remove the unmasked portion of the insulating layer. The method may form a source/drain in the trench. The method may remove the buffer sacrificial layer, and the sacrificial layers in the layered nanosheet.
US09917151B2	Forming multi-stack nanowires using a common release material A method for forming a multi-stack nanowire device includes forming a common release layer on a substrate, the common release layer comprising a common release material. The method also includes forming a first multi-layer stack on a first portion of the common release layer, the first multi-layer stack comprising at least two layers separated by at least one layer comprising the common release material, and forming a second multi-layer stack on a second portion of the common release layer, the second multi-layer stack comprising at least two layers separated by at least one layer comprising the common release material. The method further includes patterning each of the first multi-layer stack and the second multi-layer stack into one or more fins and forming two or more multi-stack nanowires from the one or more fins by removing the common release material using a common etch process.
US09917147B2	Capacitor structure and semiconductor device including the same A capacitor structure includes a plurality of bottom electrodes horizontally spaced apart from each other, a support structure covering sidewalls of the bottom electrodes, a top electrode surrounding the support structure and the bottom electrodes, and a dielectric layer interposed between the support structure and the top electrode, and between the top electrode and each of the bottom electrodes. An uppermost surface of the support structure is positioned at a higher level than an uppermost surface of each of the bottom electrodes.
US09917146B2	Integrated capacitor and method for producing the same An integrated capacitor includes a substrate with a first main surface area and an opposing second main surface area. A capacitor structure with a dielectric layer is integrated in the first main surface area. A compensation structure with a compensation layer is integrated in the second main surface area. The ratio between a surface enlargement of the second main surface area effected by the compensation structure corresponds to at least 30% of the surface enlargement of the first main surface area effected by the capacitor structure.
US09917143B2	Organic light emitting diode display An organic light emitting diode display includes a substrate and a first red organic light emitting element disposed on the substrate. The first red organic light emitting element may include a first light emission region and a second light emission region, wherein the first light emission region emits a first red light having a first peak wavelength, and the second light emission region emits a second red light having a second peak wavelength different from the first peak wavelength.
US09917140B2	Photo electric converter imaging system and method for manufacturing photoelectric converter A method for manufacturing a photoelectric converter includes a first step of preparing a semiconductor substrate including a metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistor, a second step of forming a plurality of interlayer insulating films above the semiconductor substrate, and a third step of forming a photoelectric conversion portion above the semiconductor substrate. The second step includes a step of forming a first film containing hydrogen. The third step includes a step of forming a first electrode, a step of forming a photoelectric conversion film, and a step of forming a second electrode. The method includes a step of performing heat treatment between the step of forming the first film and the step of forming the photoelectric conversion film.
US09917138B1	Semiconductor device and semiconductor memory device A semiconductor device according to the embodiment includes a plurality of semiconductor layers arranged along a first direction and a second direction, wherein each of the semiconductor layers includes a first semiconductor layer and second semiconductor layers positioned at both upper and lower sides of the first semiconductor layer, and a gate electrode which faces the first semiconductor layer. A row of the semiconductor layer in the first direction is oblique to a row of the semiconductor layer in the second direction. At least one part of peripheral faces of the first semiconductor layer is in contact with the gate electrode along the first direction.
US09917132B2	CMOS image sensor structure with IR/NIR integration A semiconductor device includes a substrate, light sensing devices, at least one infrared radiation sensing device, a transparent insulating layer, an infrared radiation cut layer, a color filter layer and an infrared radiation color filter layer. The light sensing devices and the at least one infrared radiation sensing device are disposed in the substrate and are adjacent to each other. The transparent insulating layer is disposed on the substrate overlying the light sensing devices and the at least one infrared radiation sensing device. The infrared radiation cut layer is disposed on the transparent insulating layer overlying the light sensing devices for filtering out infrared radiation and/or near infrared radiation. The color filter layer is disposed on the infrared radiation cut layer. The infrared radiation color filter layer is disposed on the transparent insulating layer overlying the at least one infrared radiation sensing device.
US09917126B1	Metal shield trenches and metal substrate contacts supported within the premetallization dielectric (PMD) layer of an integrated circuit using a middle end of line (MEOL) process A semiconductor substrate includes a photodiode region, a charge storage region electrically coupled to the photodiode region and a capacitive deep trench isolation (CDTI) structure including a conductive region positioned between the photodiode region and the charge storage region. A contact etch stop layer overlies the semiconductor substrate and a premetallization dielectric layer overlies the contact etch stop layer. A first trench, filled with a metal material, extends through the premetallization dielectric layer and bottoms out at or in the contact etch stop layer. A second trench, also filled with the metal material, extends through the premetallization dielectric layer and the contact etch stop layer and bottoms out at or in the conductive region of the CDTI structure. The metal filled first trench forms an optical shield between the photodiode region and the charge storage region. The metal filled second trench forms a contact for biasing the CDTI structure.
US09917125B2	Low reflectance back-side imager A back-side imager includes a matrix of photosites in an active layer. An interconnect layer covers the active layer. A layer of germanium is positioned between the active layer and the interconnect layer.
US09917124B2	Image sensor with vertical electrodes An image sensor arranged inside and on top of a semi-conductor substrate having a front surface and a rear surface, the sensor including a plurality of pixels, each including: a photosensitive area, a reading area, and a storage area extending between the photosensitive area and the reading area; a vertical insulated electrode including an opening of transfer between the photosensitive area and the storage area; and at least one insulation element among the following: a) a layer of an insulating material extending under the surface of the photosensitive area and of the storage area and having its front surface in contact with the rear surface of the electrode; and b) an insulating wall extending vertically in the opening, or under the opening.
US09917123B2	Method and apparatus for image sensor packaging Methods and apparatus for packaging a backside illuminated (BSI) image sensor or a BSI sensor device with an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) are disclosed. A bond pad array may be formed in a bond pad area of a BSI sensor where the bond pad array comprises a plurality of bond pads electrically interconnected, wherein each bond pad of the bond pad array is of a small size which can reduce the dishing effect of a big bond pad. The plurality of bond pads of a bond pad array may be interconnected at the same layer of the pad or at a different metal layer. The BSI sensor may be bonded to an ASIC in a face-to-face fashion where the bond pad arrays are aligned and bonded together.
US09917119B2	Imaging device including unit pixel cell which includes capacitor circuit and feedback circuit An imaging device includes: a unit pixel cell comprising: a photoelectric converter generating an electric signal and comprising a first and second electrodes and a photoelectric conversion film located therebetween, the first electrode being located on a light receiving side of the photoelectric conversion film, a signal detection circuit detecting the electric signal and comprising a first transistor and a second transistor that are connected to the second electrode, the first transistor amplifying the electric signal, and a capacitor circuit comprising a first capacitor and a second capacitor having a capacitance value larger than that of the first capacitor that are serially connected to each other, the capacitor circuit being provided between the second electrode and a reference voltage; and a feedback circuit comprising the first transistor and an inverting amplifier and negatively feeding back the electric signal to the second transistor via the first transistor and the inverting amplifier.
US09917116B2	Semiconductor device A semiconductor device having a high aperture ratio and including a capacitor capable of increasing the charge capacity is provided. A semiconductor device includes a transistor over a substrate, a first light-transmitting conductive film over the substrate, an oxide insulating film covering the transistor and having an opening over the first light-transmitting conductive film, a nitride insulating film over the oxide insulating film and in contact with the first light-transmitting conductive film in the opening, a second light-transmitting conductive film connected to the transistor and having a depressed portion in the opening, and an organic resin film with which the depressed portion of the second light-transmitting conductive film is filled.
US09917115B2	Semiconductor device having an effective use of the conductive layer formed in the same process as one electrode A semiconductor device includes a first conductive layer, a first insulating layer over the first conductive layer, first and second oxide semiconductor layers over the first insulating layer, a second conductive layer over the first oxide semiconductor layer, a third conductive layer over the second oxide semiconductor layer, a fourth conductive layer over the first oxide semiconductor layer and the second oxide semiconductor layer, a second insulating layer over the second conductive layer, the third conductive layer, and the fourth conductive layer, a fifth conductive layer electrically connected to the first conductive layer over the second insulating layer, and a sixth conductive layer over the second insulating layer. Each of the first and fifth conductive layers includes an area overlapping with the first oxide semiconductor layer. The sixth conductive layer includes an area overlapping with the second oxide semiconductor layer.
US09917111B2	Electrode lead-out structure, array substrate and display device The present invention belongs to the field of display technology and particularly relates to an electrode lead-out structure, an array substrate and a display device. The electrode lead-out structure comprises a substrate electrode, an isolating layer and an lead-out electrode. The isolating layer covers the substrate electrode to expose a part of region of the substrate electrode through a via formed in the isolating layer, and the lead-out electrode is in contact with the exposed region of the substrate electrode, wherein the lead-out electrode covers the wall and bottom of the via of the isolating layer and extends from an upper edge of the via of the isolating layer along an upper surface of the isolating layer to overlap with the upper layer of the isolating layer.
US09917109B2	Semiconductor device A semiconductor device includes a wiring embedded in an insulating layer, an oxide semiconductor layer over the insulating layer, a source electrode and a drain electrode electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor layer, a gate electrode provided to overlap with the oxide semiconductor layer, and a gate insulating layer provided between the oxide semiconductor layer and the gate electrode. The insulating layer is formed so that part of a top surface of the wiring is exposed. The part of the top surface of the wiring is positioned higher than part of a surface of the insulating layer. The wiring in a region exposed from the insulating layer is electrically connected to the source electrode or the drain electrode. The root-mean-square roughness of a region which is part of the surface of the insulating layer and in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer is 1 nm or less.
US09917102B2	Semiconductor device A semiconductor device (1) is manufactured which includes a SiC epitaxial layer (28), a plurality of transistor cells (18) that are formed in the SiC epitaxial layer (28) and that are subjected to ON/OFF control by a predetermined control voltage, a gate electrode (19) that faces a channel region (32) of the transistor cells (18) in which a channel is formed when the semiconductor device (1) is in an ON state, a gate metal (44) that is exposed at the topmost surface for electrical connection with the outside: and that is electrically connected to the gate electrode (19) while being physically separated from the gate electrode (19), and a built-in resistor (21) that is made of polysilicon and that is disposed below the gate metal (44) so as to electrically connect the gate metal (44) and the gate electrode (19) together.
US09917101B1	Semiconductor memory device According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a substrate, a stacked body, a columnar member, and an insulating film. The stacked body is provided on the substrate, and includes a plurality of electrode layers separately stacked each other. The columnar member is provided in the stacked body, and includes a first semiconductor portion extending in a stacked direction of the plurality of electrode layers. The insulating film covers a bottom portion of the columnar member.
US09917100B2	Three-dimensional NAND device containing support pedestal structures for a buried source line and method of making the same A three-dimensional memory device includes an alternating stack of electrically conductive layers and insulating layers located over a substrate, an array of memory stack structures. A source conductive line structure is provided between the substrate and the alternating stack. The source conductive line structure includes a plurality of parallel conductive rail structures extending along a same horizontal direction and adjoined to a common conductive straddling structure. Each memory stack structure straddles a vertical interface between a conductive rail structure and a support matrix. A semiconductor channel in each memory stack structure contacts a respective conductive rail structure and the support matrix.
US09917098B2	Semiconductor memory device and manufacturing the same One embodiment includes a plurality of memory cells and a plurality of conducting layers. The memory cells are three-dimensionally disposed on a semiconductor substrate. The conducting layers are disposed in a laminating direction. Each of the plurality of the conducting layers is connected to each of the plurality of the memory cells. Each conducting layer has a structure where a first conductive film and a second conductive film are laminated in the laminating direction. The conducting layers adjacent to one another in the laminating direction have a laminating order of the first conductive film and the second conductive film different from one another.
US09917096B2	Semiconductor memory device and method for manufacturing same According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a stacked body including a plurality of electrode layers and a plurality of inter-layer insulating layers each provided between the plurality of electrode layers; and a columnar portion penetrating the stacked body and extending in a stacking direction of the stacked body. The columnar portion includes a channel body extending in the stacking direction; and a charge storage film provided between the channel body and each of the electrode layers. Each of the electrode layers includes an edge portion provided closer on a central axis side of the columnar portion than the inter-layer insulating layers. The charge storage film covers the edge portion of each of the electrode layers and separated from each other in the stacking direction.
US09917094B2	Semiconductor device having staggered pillars Provided is a semiconductor device including gate structures provided on a substrate, a separation insulating layer interposed between the gate structures, and a plurality of cell pillars connected to the substrate through each gate structure. Each gate structure may include horizontal electrodes vertically stacked on the substrate, and an interval between adjacent ones of the cell pillars is non-uniform.
US09917093B2	Inter-plane offset in backside contact via structures for a three-dimensional memory device A three-dimensional memory device includes a plurality of planes, each having a respective alternating stack, strings of memory stack structures which extends through the respective alternating stack, and backside contact via structures vertically extending through the respective alternating stack, extending generally along the first horizontal direction, and laterally separating neighboring pairs of strings of memory stack structures along a second horizontal direction. A first plane includes a first plurality of strings that are laterally spaced apart along the second horizontal direction by a first plurality of backside contact via structures. A second plane laterally shifted from the first plane along the first horizontal direction and including a second plurality of strings that are laterally spaced apart along the second horizontal direction by a second plurality of backside contact via structures which are laterally offset with respect the first plurality of backside contact via structures along the second horizontal direction.
US09917091B2	Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, includes: forming an insulating film on a first surface of a semiconductor substrate; and forming a hydrogen supply film on a second surface facing the first surface of the semiconductor substrate, the hydrogen supply film containing one or more of silicon oxide, TEOS, BPSG, BSG, PSG, FSG, carbon-containing silicon oxide, silicon nitride, carbon-containing silicon nitride, and oxygen-containing silicon carbide.
US09917085B2	Metal gate isolation structure and method forming same A device includes a gate isolation plug, which further includes a U-shaped layer having a bottom portion and two sidewall portions, and an inner region overlapping the bottom portion. The inner region contacts the two sidewall portions. A first transistor has a first gate stack, and a first end of the first gate stack is in contact with both the inner region and the U-shaped layer of the gate isolation plug. A second transistor has a second gate stack, and a second end of the second gate stack is in contact with both the inner region and the U-shaped layer of the gate isolation plug. The first gate stack and the second gate stack are on opposite sides of the gate isolation plug.
US09917083B2	Semiconductor device with an upper surface of a substrate at different levels and method of manufacturing the same A first transistor required for decreasing leak current and a second transistor required for compatibility of high speed operation and low power consumption can be formed over an identical substrate and sufficient performance can be provided to the two types of the transistors respectively. Decrease in the leak current is required for the first transistor. Less power consumption and high speed operation are required for the second transistor. The upper surface of a portion of a substrate in which the second diffusion layer is formed is lower than the upper surface of a portion of the substrate where the first diffusion layer is formed.
US09917078B2	Semiconductor device and electronic apparatus of a cascode-coupled system The manufacturing yield of a semiconductor device is improved. There is provided a semiconductor device of a cascode coupling system, which is equipped with a plurality of normally-on junction FETs using as a material, a substance larger in bandgap than silicon, and a normally-off MOSFET using silicon as a material. At this time, the semiconductor chip has a plurality of junction FET semiconductor chips (semiconductor chip CHP0 and semiconductor chip CHP1) formed with the junction FETs in a divided fashion, and a MOSFET semiconductor chip (semiconductor chip CHP2) formed with the MOSFET.
US09917072B2	Method of manufacturing an integrated stacked package with a fan-out redistribution layer (RDL) and a same encapsulating process A method includes forming a first through-via from a first conductive pad of a first device die, and forming a second through-via from a second conductive pad of a second device die. The first and second conductive pads are at top surfaces of the first and the second device dies, respectively. The first and the second conductive pads may be used as seed layers. The second device die is adhered to the top surface of the first device die. The method further includes encapsulating the first and the second device dies and the first and the second through-vias in an encapsulating material, with the first and the second device dies and the first and the second through-vias encapsulated in a same encapsulating process. The encapsulating material is planarized to reveal the first and the second through-vias. Redistribution lines are formed to electrically couple to the first and the second through-vias.
US09917068B2	Package substrates, packaged semiconductor devices, and methods of packaging semiconductor devices In some embodiments, a package substrate for a semiconductor device includes a substrate core and a material layer disposed over the substrate core. The package substrate includes a spot-faced aperture disposed in the substrate core and the material layer.
US09917065B1	Power module assembly with reduced inductance A power module assembly has a plurality of electrically conducting layers, including a first layer and a third layer. One or more electrically insulating layers are operatively connected to each of the plurality of electrically conducting layers. The electrically insulating layers include a second layer positioned between and configured to electrically isolate the first and the third layers. The first layer is configured to carry a first current flowing in a first direction. The third layer is configured to carry a second current flowing in a second direction opposite to the first direction, thereby reducing an inductance of the assembly. The electrically insulating layers may include a fourth layer positioned between and configured to electrically isolate the third layer and a fifth layer. The assembly results in a combined substrate and heat sink structure. The assembly eliminates the requirements for connections between separate substrate and heat sink structures.
US09917059B2	Self-aligned vertical transistor with local interconnect A metallization scheme for vertical field effect transistors (FETs) is provided. By forming lower-level local interconnects connecting source regions located at bottom portions of semiconductor fins, and upper-level interconnects connecting adjacent metal gates located along sidewalls of channel regions of the semiconductor fins, electrical connections to the source regions and the metal gates can be provided through the lower-level local interconnects and the upper-level local interconnects, respectively. As a result, gate, source and drain contact structures are formed on the same side of vertical FETs.
US09917057B2	Mixed lithography approach for E-beam and optical exposure using HSQ In one aspect, a method of forming a wiring layer on a wafer is provided which includes: depositing a HSQ layer onto the wafer; cross-linking a first portion(s) of the HSQ layer using e-beam lithography; depositing a hardmask material onto the HSQ layer; patterning the hardmask using optical lithography, wherein the patterned hardmask covers a second portion(s) of the HSQ layer; patterning the HSQ layer using the patterned hardmask in a manner such that i) the first portion(s) of the HSQ layer remain and ii) the second portion(s) of the HSQ layer covered by the patterned hardmask remain, wherein by way of the patterning step trenches are formed in the HSQ layer; and filling the trenches with a conductive material to form the wiring layer on the wafer.
US09917056B2	Coarse grid design methods and structures A layer of a mask material is deposited on a substrate. A beam of energy is scanned across the mask material in a rasterized linear pattern and in accordance with a scan pitch that is based on a pitch of conductive structure segments to be formed on the substrate. The beam of energy is defined to transform the mask material upon which the beam of energy is incident into a removable state. During scanning the beam of energy across the mask material, the beam of energy is turned on at locations where a conductive structure is to be formed on the substrate, and the beam of energy is turned off at locations where a conductive structure is not to be formed on the substrate.
US09917055B2	Semiconductor device having fuse element A corrosion-resistant semiconductor device includes fuse elements that can be cut by laser light. An upper portion of the fuse elements is covered with a porous insulating film so that, when laser light irradiated from a rear surface of a semiconductor substrate is collected at selected fuse elements, the fuse elements generate heat, expand, and rupture. An array of intersecting metal lines forming windows is disposed over the fuse elements to permit rapid expansion of the fuse elements when irradiated with the laser light. A silicon nitride film having a uniform thickness is formed on a front surface of the semiconductor device to prevent entry of moisture.
US09917052B2	Method of fabricating anti-fuse for silicon on insulator devices A method includes depositing a first hard mask layer on a first substrate; lithographically patterning and etching the first substrate to form a semiconductor link connected to an anode semiconductor region and a cathode semiconductor region; removing the first hard mask layer from the first substrate; depositing a second hard mask layer on the first substrate; patterning a photoresist on the first substrate and etching to form an opening in the semiconductor link; etching to remove portions of the second hard mask layer to expose a portion of a sidewall of the semiconductor link; removing the photoresist from the first substrate and the semiconductor link; and recessing the sidewalls of the semiconductor link forming first anti-fuse tip and second anti-fuse tip to form an anti-fuse with an opening between the first and second anti-fuse tips.
US09917051B2	Conductive structure and method of forming the same Conductive structures and method of manufacture thereof are disclosed. A barrier layer can line the first recess of a substrate. A first seed layer can be formed on the barrier layer and line a bottom of the first recess and partially line sidewalls of the recess. A first conductive material can partially fill the first recess to form a second recess. The top surface of the first conductive material can coincide with a vertical extent of the first seed layer and have a depression formed therein. A second seed layer can be formed on the barrier layer and line the second recess. A second conductive material can fill the second recess.
US09917049B2	Semiconductor device having contacts in drawing area and the contacts connected to word lines extending from element formation area According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes interconnects extending from a element formation area to the drawing area, and connected with semiconductor elements in the element formation area and connected with contacts in the drawing area. The interconnects are formed based on a pattern of a (n+1)th second sidewall film matching a pattern of a nth (where n is an integer of 1 or more) first sidewall film on a lateral surface of a sacrificial layer. A first dimension matching an interconnect width of the interconnects and an interconnects interval in the element formation area is (k1/2n)×(λ/NA) or less when an exposure wavelength of an exposure device is λ, a numerical aperture of a lens of the exposure device is NA and a process parameter is k1. A second dimension matching an interconnect interval in the drawing area is greater than the first dimension.
US09917046B2	Manufacturing method of a circuit board having a glass film Provided is a manufacturing method of a circuit board structure including steps as below. A glass film is provided on an electrostatic chuck (E-chuck). A plurality of first conductive vias are formed in the glass film. A first circuit layer is formed on an upper surface of the glass film, such that the first circuit layer is electrically connected with the first conductive vias. A first polymer layer is formed on the first circuit layer. The first polymer layer covers a surface of the first circuit layer and the upper surface of the glass film. A plurality of second conductive vias are formed in the first polymer layer. A second circuit layer is formed on the first polymer layer, such that the second circuit layer is electrically connected with the second conductive vias. The E-chuck is removed.
US09917044B2	Package with bi-layered dielectric structure Some embodiments of the present disclosure describe a multi-layer package with a bi-layered dielectric structure and associated techniques and configurations. In one embodiment, an integrated circuit (IC) package assembly includes a dielectric structure coupled with a metal layer, with the dielectric structure including a first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer, wherein the first dielectric layer has a thickness less than a thickness of the second dielectric layer and a dielectric loss tangent greater than a dielectric loss tangent of the second layer. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09917036B2	Chip package and a wafer level package Various embodiments provide for a chip package consisting of a layer over a carrier, further carrier material over the layer, wherein one or more portions of the further carrier material is removed, and a chip with one or more contact pads, where the chip is adhered to the carrier via the layer. A wafer level package consisting of a plurality of chips adhered to the carrier via a plurality of portions of the layer released from the further carrier material is also provided for.
US09917035B2	Bump-on-trace interconnection structure for flip-chip packages A bump-on-trace interconnection structure utilizing a lower volume solder joint for joining a conductive metal pillar and a metal line trace includes a conductive metal pillar having a bonding surface having a width WP and a metal line trace, provided on a package substrate, having a top surface with a width WT, where WP is greater than WT. The solder joint is bonded to the bonding surface by wetting across the width WP and bonded predominantly only to the top surface of the metal line trace by wetting predominantly only to the top surface across the width WT.
US09917027B2	Integrated circuits with aluminum via structures and methods for fabricating the same A method for fabricating an integrated circuit includes forming a first opening in an upper dielectric layer, the first opening having a first width, forming a second opening in a lower dielectric layer, the lower dielectric layer being below the upper dielectric layer, the second opening having a second width that is narrower than the first width, the second opening being substantially centered underneath the first opening so as to form a stepped via structure, conformally depositing an aluminum material layer in the stepped via structure and over the upper dielectric layer, and forming a passivation layer over the aluminum material layer.
US09917023B2	Display element manufacturing method and manufacturing apparatus The display element manufacturing apparatus has a transporting part, which transports a substrate in a first direction, a first alignment system, which detects fiducial marks, a second alignment system, which is arranged at a prescribed distance from the first alignment system in the first direction and detects fiducial marks, calculating parts, which detect the fiducial marks and calculate the expansion/contraction of the substrate in the first direction or the transport speed of the substrate, and a processing part, which processes a prescribed position of the substrate based on at least one of the expansion/contraction of the substrate in the first direction or the transport speed of the substrate and the fiducial marks.
US09917019B2	Strained FinFET device fabrication A method for forming a fin on a substrate comprises patterning and etching a layer of a first semiconductor material to define a strained fin, depositing a layer of a second semiconductor material over the fin, the second semiconductor material operative to maintain the a strain in the strained fin, etching to remove a portion of the second semiconductor material to define a cavity that exposes a portion of the fin, etching to remove the exposed portion of the fin such that the fin is divided into a first segment and a second segment, and depositing an insulator material in the cavity, the insulator material contacting the first segment of the fin and the second segment of the fin.
US09917016B2	Integrated circuits and methods of forming the same with effective dummy gate cap removal Integrated circuits and methods of forming the same are provided. An exemplary method of forming an integrated circuit includes forming a dummy gate structure overlying a semiconductor substrate. The dummy gate structure includes a gate dielectric layer, a dummy gate layer, an etch stop layer, and a dummy gate cap layer. First sidewall spacers are formed adjacent to sidewalls of the dummy gate structure. A source and drain region are formed in the semiconductor substrate adjacent to the first sidewall spacers. A dielectric material is deposited adjacent to the first sidewall spacers. The dummy gate cap layer is etched with a first etchant selective thereto after depositing the dielectric material. The etch stop layer is etched with a second etchant that is selective thereto. The dummy gate layer is etched to form a gate recess, and a gate material is deposited in the gate recess.
US09917011B2	Semiconductor wafer, semiconductor device diced from semiconductor wafer, and method for manufacturing semiconductor device A semiconductor wafer is provided with a substrate, a GaN type semiconductor film which is laminated on the substrate, a plurality of element regions which are provided on the GaN type semiconductor film, a dielectric film which is laminated on the GaN type semiconductor film, and a dicing region which has a dicing groove which is provided in a lattice form without passing through the dielectric film described above so as to partition the element regions described above. Then, an end on the element region side of the dicing groove is higher or lower than a central portion of the dicing groove in a width direction in a bottom surface of the dicing groove.
US09917010B2	Semiconductor device manufacturing method A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate; a heat sink mounted on an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate; wirings formed on a lower surface of the semiconductor substrate; and the like. The heat sink is mounted on the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a planar size thereof is approximately the same as that of the semiconductor substrate. Moreover, the heat sink has a thickness of 500 μm to 2 mm, and may be formed to be thicker than the semiconductor substrate. By using the heat sink to reinforce the substrate, a thickness of the semiconductor substrate can be reduced to, for example, about 50 μm. As a result, a thickness of the entire semiconductor device can be reduced.
US09917005B2	Semiconductor structure with airgap A field effect transistor (FET) with an underlying airgap and methods of manufacture are disclosed. The method includes forming an amorphous layer at a predetermined depth of a substrate. The method further includes forming an airgap in the substrate under the amorphous layer. The method further includes forming a completely isolated transistor in an active region of the substrate, above the amorphous layer and the airgap.
US09917002B2	Semiconductor with through-substrate interconnect Semiconductor devices are described that have a metal interconnect extending vertically through a portion of the device to the back side of a semiconductor substrate. A top region of the metal interconnect is located vertically below a horizontal plane containing a metal routing layer. Method of fabricating the semiconductor device can include etching a via into a semiconductor substrate, filling the via with a metal material, forming a metal routing layer subsequent to filling the via, and removing a portion of a bottom of the semiconductor substrate to expose a bottom region of the metal filled via.
US09917001B2	High temperature fine grain aluminum heater An aluminum heated substrate support suitable for use in high temperature substrate processing systems and method for fabricating the same are provided. In one embodiment, an aluminum heated substrate support can include an aluminum body, a stem coupled to the body and a heating element disposed in the body. The body has an average grain size less than about 250 μm. In some embodiments, the stem to body joint is a fully penetrated lap weld that promotes service life of the substrate support.
US09916994B2	Substrate support with multi-piece sealing surface Embodiments of substrate supports and sealing rings for use in a substrate support are provided herein. In some embodiments, a substrate support structure includes an arcuate sealing piece having a first side including a generally planar support surface; a first arcuate portion; a second arcuate portion disposed radially inward of the first arcuate portion; a first end portion comprising a first arcuate extension extending from the first arcuate portion; and a second end portion comprising a second arcuate extension extending from the second arcuate portion.
US09916991B2	Semiconductor device with recess and method of making A semiconductor device is provided with a substrate made of a semiconductor material, an interconnect layer, at least one electronic element, and a sealing resin. The substrate has a main surface and a pair of lateral surfaces that are orthogonal to the main surface and face in opposite directions to each other. A recessed portion that is recessed from the main surface and has an opening portion that opens on at least one of the pair of lateral surfaces is formed in the substrate. The interconnect layer is formed on the substrate. The electronic element is an orientation sensor, for example, and is accommodated in the recessed portion of the substrate. The sealing resin covers the electronic element.
US09916989B2	System and method for laser assisted bonding of semiconductor die A system and method for laser assisted bonding of semiconductor die. As non-limiting examples, various aspects of this disclosure provide systems and methods that enhance or control laser irradiation of a semiconductor die, for example spatially and/or temporally, to improve bonding of the semiconductor die to a substrate.
US09916988B2	Sacrificial material for stripping masking layers Techniques and structures for protecting etched features during etch mask removal. In embodiments, a mask is patterned and a substrate layer etched to transfer the pattern. Subsequent to etching the substrate layer, features patterned into the substrate are covered with a sacrificial material backfilling the etch mask. At least a top portion of the mask is removed with the substrate features protected by the sacrificial material. The sacrificial material and any remaining portion of the mask are then removed. In further embodiments, a gate contact opening etched into a substrate layer is protected with a sacrificial material having the same composition as a first material layer of a multi-layered etch mask. A second material layer of the etch mask having a similar composition as the substrate layer is removed before subsequently removing the sacrificial material concurrently with the first mask material layer.
US09916982B1	Dielectric preservation in a replacement gate process Structures for use in a replacement gate process involving a field-effect transistor and methods for forming such structures. A first dielectric layer is formed adjacent to a dummy gate structure, and a second dielectric layer is formed on the first dielectric layer. After the second dielectric layer is formed, a portion of the dummy gate structure is removed with an etching process to cut the dummy gate structure into disconnected segments. The second dielectric layer caps the first dielectric layer when the portion of the dummy gate structure is removed. The second dielectric layer has a higher etch rate selectivity than the first dielectric layer to the etching process.
US09916978B2	Method for fabricating a Fin field effect transistor (FinFET) The invention provides a method for fabricating a fin field effect transistor (FinFET), comprising: providing a substrate having a logic region and a large region; forming a plurality of fin structures in the logic region by removing a portion of the substrate in the logic region; forming an oxide layer on the substrate filling in-between the fin structures in the logic region; forming an first epitaxial structure in the large region by removing a portion of the substrate in the large region; exposing a portion of the fin structures and a portion of the epitaxial structure by removing a portion of the oxide layer; and forming a gate electrode on portions of the fin structures.
US09916976B2	Method of manufacturing semiconductor device, substrate processing apparatus, and recording medium An oxide film is formed on a substrate by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times. The cycle includes: continuously performing supplying in advance an oxidant to a substrate in a process chamber and simultaneously supplying the oxidant and a precursor to the substrate in the process chamber, without having to purge an interior of the process chamber between the act of supplying in advance the oxidant and the act of simultaneously supplying the oxidant and the precursor; stopping the supply of the oxidant and the precursor to the substrate in the process chamber and purging the interior of the process chamber; and supplying the oxidant to the substrate in the purged process chamber.
US09916972B2	Method and device for ionizing particles of a sample gas flow A device for ionizing sample particles of a sample gas flow comprises a first flow tube for providing the sample gas flow, and an introducing means for providing H2SO4 molecules to an interaction region. In addition the device comprises a generator for producing reagent primary ions from particles of candidate reagent gas flow essentially in a primary ion production region. The device is configured to introduce said reagent primary ions with H2SO4 molecules in said interaction region in order to arrange interaction between the reagent primary ions and the H2SO4 molecules, thereby producing HSO4− ions and again to produce HSO4− ion clusters comprising HSO4− ions and at least two H2SO4 molecules via interactions of HSO4− with other H2SO4 molecules in said interaction region. Furthermore the device is configured to introduce said HSO4− ion clusters with the sample particles of the sample gas flow in order to provide reactions between said HSO4− ion clusters and the sample particles, and thereby provide a sample cluster comprising the HSO4− ion clusters and said base sample to be determined.
US09916970B2	Ion source A method of ionizing a sample is provided, comprising providing a fluid sample, wherein the fluid sample contains an analyte, applying one or more pulses of acoustic energy to the fluid sample to cause a spray of the fluid sample to eject from the surface of the fluid sample, and applying an AC, RF or alternating voltage to the fluid sample using an electrode.
US09916969B2	Mass analyser interface A mass analyzer includes a desolvation chamber into which an upstream gas is injected to provide a counter-flow to said downstream flow in the chamber. The counter-flow may slow the downstream flow of solvated ionized particles in the chamber, while allowing lighter desolvated ions to travel toward an outlet aperture of the desolvation chamber.
US09916960B2	Device for producing an electron beam A device for the production of an electron beam with high surface strengths. The device has a cathode component with a convex cathode face with a predetermined radius for extracting the electron beam in such an alignment that a magnetic field or the magnetic field lines thereof, for causing the extraction of the electron beam, is almost collinearly to the convex cathode face.
US09916956B1	Cutout cover A fuse cutout assembly cover including an insulator cover end for positioning over a cutout assembly insulator and including a shield end for shielding a cutout upper contact assembly. An intermediate portion between the insulator cover end and the shield end can have detents for retaining the cover in place on the fuse cutout assembly. The fuse cutout cover can include a plurality of hole and slot arrangements to provide multiple access sites for an installation tool such as a shotgun stick or other hot stick tool. Methods of manufacturing fuse cutout assembly covers are also disclosed.
US09916954B2	Electrical switching contact and switching device having the same A switching contact is disclosed. The switching contact has an actuation section including a plurality of spring elements. The actuation section is less rigid in a first direction than an opposite second direction.
US09916950B2	Single-channel safety output A safety switching device for fail-safely switching on and off an electrical load, and to a system comprising at least two safety switching devices which interact in a fail-safe manner via a single-channel. The safety switching device comprises a fail-safe control unit, a first and a second electronic switching element connected with a first and a second output terminal; and at least one input terminal for receiving a first switching signal that causes a switching of said switching elements. Said first and second switching elements each comprise an output which provides depending on the first switching signal an output signal having a first or second potential. A third output terminal connects said safety switching device to a second safety switching device, providing a clocked signal depending on the first switching signal and being monitored by said control unit for performing a cross fault detection.
US09916947B2	Universal control handle A control handle with a mounting portion, having an upper mounting portion and a lower mounting portion. An upper removable portion forms a substantially spherical portion with the upper mounting portion. A control plate is disposed between the upper mounting portion and the lower mounting portion, and control buttons are disposed on the control plate. A lower removable portion forms a substantially cylindrical portion with the lower mounting portion.
US09916944B2	Contact mechanism having movable contact pieces, trigger switch and electric tool with same A pair of open/close and current-passing movable contact pieces is supported on a movable contact terminal such that the pair is rotatable along with the reciprocation of an operating element. An open/close movable contact is mounted on the open/close movable contact piece and is rotatably biased by a spring member. A current-passing movable contact is mounted on the current-passing movable contact piece. By moving the operating element, a restriction imposed on a position of the operating element is released so that the open/close movable contact piece is rotated by a spring force of the spring member whereby the open/close movable contact is brought into pressure contact with an open/close fixed contact mounted on a fixed contact terminal. The current-passing movable contact piece is rotated by the operating element so that the current-passing movable contact is brought into pressure contact with a current-passing fixed contact mounted on the fixed contact terminal.
US09916941B2	Electrical switching apparatus, and interface assembly and display apparatus therefor An electrical switching apparatus includes a body and a display apparatus. The body has a housing, a handle partially extending through the housing, separable contacts located within the housing, an operating mechanism structured to open and close the separable contacts, a main printed circuit board located within the housing, and a number of electrical rating settings associated with the main printed circuit board. Each of the number of electrical rating settings has a magnitude. The display apparatus is electrically connected to the main printed circuit board and is structured to display the magnitude of at least one of the number of electrical rating settings.
US09916939B1	Electrical distribution apparatus including barrier and methods of assembling same An electrical device includes a case defining an interior space. The case includes a sidewall and a cover. The sidewall defines an opening therethrough to provide access to the interior space. The electrical device also includes a power connector coupled to the case and disposed at least partially within the interior space. The power connector is coupleable to a cable extending through the opening into the interior space of the case. The electrical device further includes a shield removably coupleable to the case. The shield includes an engagement feature and a wall. The engagement feature is arranged to engage the case. The wall is arranged to at least partially cover the opening when the shield is coupled to the case such that the wall and the cable are spaced apart a distance that is less than a width of the opening when the cable is coupled to the power connector.
US09916938B2	Porous carbon electrodes for energy storage applications The present patent application discloses a method of producing nano-porous carbon, comprising mixing furfuryl alcohol or its fast-polymerizing derivatives with an aluminum-based solid polymerization catalyst, heating the mixture until a solid catalyst-carbon matrix forms, heating again under inert atmosphere and etching the powder to remove the matrix to produce a network of pores in the nano-porous carbon. The application further provides a method for making of fabricating tailor-made nano-porous carbon electrodes.
US09916936B2	Method for forming conductive electrode patterns and method for manufacturing solar cells comprising the same A method for forming conductive electrode patterns of a solar cell is provided. The method includes preparing a glass substrate and forming a transparent conductive oxide film (TCO) on the glass substrate. Then, a titanium oxide (TiO2) layer and a silver (Ag) electrode are formed on the glass substrate. A nickel (Ni) layer is formed on the Ag electrode and a copper (Cu) layer is formed on the Ni layer. In addition, a tin (Sn) layer is formed on the Cu layer.
US09916935B2	Solid electrolytic capacitor with increased volumetric efficiency A solid electrolytic capacitor that contains a capacitor element including an anode body, a dielectric layer, and solid electrolyte is provided. The capacitor element also includes an anode lead (e.g., wire, tape, etc.) that is electrically connected to the anode body. A first portion of the anode lead is embedded within the anode body, while a second portion of the anode lead extends from the anode body in a longitudinal direction. Contrary to conventional capacitors in which the exposed portion of the anode lead is supported by a complex and bulky lead frame assembly, there is no lead frame present in the capacitor of the present disclosure. Thus, the volumetric efficiency of the finished capacitor can be increased. An assembly containing a matrix of multiple solid electrolytic capacitor elements is also provided, as is a method for forming a matrix that comprises multiple solid electrolytic capacitor elements.
US09916933B2	Ceramic electronic component A ceramic electronic component includes a laminated body including ceramic layers and conductor layers stacked alternately; and first and second external electrodes provided on portions of the laminated body. Each of the first and second external electrodes includes a sintered metal layer provided on the laminated body, a conductive resin layer covering the sintered metal layer, and a plated layer covering the conductive resin layer. The maximum length of the sintered metal layer provided on the second principal surface is shorter than the maximum length of the sintered metal layer provided on each of the first and second side surfaces.
US09916932B1	Spacer for cast capacitors A method and apparatus for storing energy. An apparatus comprises a first plate, a second plate, and a spacer. The spacer comprises a material having a plurality of pores, being open pores. The spacer is located between the first plate and the second plate. The apparatus further includes an enclosure, the first plate, the second plate, and the spacer located within the enclosure, the enclosure defining a volume, wherein the enclosure further defines a wall, and further comprising a second spacer disposed between the wall and one of the first plate and the second plate.
US09916931B2	Energy storage devices and methods of production thereof The present disclosure provides an energy storage device comprising a first electrode, a second electrode, and a solid multilayer structure disposed between said first and second electrodes. The solid multilayer structure can be in contact with said first and second electrodes. The solid multilayer structure can include layers disposed parallel to said electrodes, the layers have a sequence (A-B)m-A, wherein, A is an insulating layer and B is a polarization layer comprising a colloidal composite with a micro-dispersion of electro-conductive nano-particles in an insulator matrix, and ‘m’ is a number greater than or equal to 1. Layer A can have a breakdown voltage of at least about 0.05 volts per nanometer (nm), and layer B can have a dielectric permittivity of at least about 100.
US09916929B2	Electronic component A first metal terminal includes a first connection portion connected to an electrode portion of a second external electrode, and a first leg portion extending from the first connection portion. A second metal terminal includes a second connection portion connected to a conductor portion of a connection conductor, and a second leg portion extending from the second connection portion. A multilayer capacitor and an overcurrent protection device are disposed in such a manner that a first principal surface and a third side surface oppose each other. An electrode portion of a first external electrode and an electrode portion of a fourth external electrode are connected to each other.
US09916928B2	High voltage multilayer ceramic capacitor and manufacturing method thereof Provided is a high voltage multilayer ceramic capacitor and a manufacturing method thereof. The high voltage multilayer ceramic capacitor includes a multilayer ceramic sintering body; a plurality of first inner electrode layer; a plurality of second inner electrode layers; a plurality of first arc shield pattern layers respectively formed inside the multilayer ceramic sintering body to be arranged on a plane the same as those of the plurality of first inner electrode layers and spaced apart from the first inner electrode layers to surround the first inner electrode layers; and a plurality of second arc shield pattern layers respectively formed inside the multilayer ceramic sintering body to be arranged on a plane the same as those of the plurality of second inner electrode layers and spaced apart from the second inner electrode layers to surround the second inner electrode layers.
US09916927B1	Thin insulation coatings by sol-gel method Electrically insulating Al2O3—SiO2 thin coatings have been deposited on long-length 316 stainless steel (SS) tape using a reel-to-reel continuous sol-gel dip coating process for co-winding insulation into YBCO pancake coils, a high temperature superconductor magnet technology. Coatings with a thickness of ˜2 μm are achieved after just one dip with a tape withdrawal speed of ˜16 mm/s (1 m/min) and a calcination at 700° C. The coatings were measured to have a room-temperature breakdown voltage of about 100 V, corresponding to a dc dielectric strength of about 50 MV/m. Consequently, this process has low cost and high throughput and produces a thin electrical insulation with excellent thermal, dielectric, and mechanical properties. A new technique has been developed in the coating process to mitigate coating buildup near the edges of the tape.
US09916926B2	Multilayer electronic component and method of manufacturing the same A method of manufacturing a multilayer electronic component comprises steps of: preparing first insulating sheets having internal electrode patterns formed thereon; moving one or more of the first insulating sheets having the internal electrode patterns formed thereon onto a lower mold; arranging a second insulating sheet to be disposed between an internal electrode pattern disposed in an uppermost position among the internal electrode patterns formed on the lower mold and an upper mold and pressing the first insulating sheets having the internal electrode patterns formed thereon by the upper mold to form a laminate; and sintering the laminate to form a multilayer body. In a cross section in a width-thickness direction of the internal electrode pattern included in the multilayer body, 0.45≦t2/t2≦1.0, where t1 is a thickness of one side of the internal electrode pattern in relation to a central line connecting both vertices of the internal electrode pattern in a width direction and t2 is a thickness of the other side of the internal electrode pattern in relation to the central line and t2 is larger than or equal to t1.
US09916922B2	Iron oxide magnetic nanoparticle powder and method of producing the same, iron oxide magnetic nanoparticle thin film containing the iron oxide magnetic nanoparticle powder and method of producing the same There is provided an iron oxide magnetic nanoparticle powder having a ferromagnetic property even if the particles have an average particle size of 15 nm or less, preferably 10 nm or less, and a method of producing the same, an iron oxide magnetic nanoparticle thin film containing the iron oxide magnetic nanoparticle powder and a method of producing the same, wherein the iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles having an ε-Fe2O3 single phase, having the average particle size of 15 nm or less, and further 10 nm or less, are generated by using β-FeO(OH) (iron oxide hydroxide) nanoparticles as a starting material, and coating the (iron oxide hydroxide) nanoparticles with silicon oxide, and applying heat treatment thereto under an atmospheric air, and further the iron oxide magnetic nanoparticle thin film is obtained by using the iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles.
US09916921B2	Resistor and method for making same A metal strip resistor is provided. The metal strip resistor includes a metal strip forming a resistive element and providing support for the metal strip resistor without use of a separate substrate. There are first and second opposite terminations overlaying the metal strip. There is plating on each of the first and second opposite terminations. There is also an insulating material overlaying the metal strip between the first and second opposite terminations. A method for forming a metal strip resistor wherein a metal strip provides support for the metal strip resistor without use of a separate substrate is provided. The method includes coating an insulative material to the metal strip, applying a lithographic process to form a conductive pattern overlaying the resistive material wherein the conductive pattern includes first and second opposite terminations, electroplating the conductive pattern, and adjusting resistance of the metal strip.
US09916918B2	Connection bar architecture for high-power converter The invention mainly provides a busbar (BS1) designed to provide an electrical connection between a high-power converter (R) and a disconnector (S), said busbar being characterized in that the busbar (BS1) has a shape defining, at least in part, at least one hollow portion (10).

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