Document Document Title
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).
US09916917B2 Method and compositions for producing polymer blends
Methods for mixing nylon compounds and compositions useful in mixing nylon compounds are provided. The methods and compositions disclosed are useful in producing nylon for wire and cable jacketing. The disclosed methods provide nylon having a reduced heat history compared to traditional methods. The disclosed methods and composition provide additional mixing capacity by reducing the amount of nylon that must be incorporated with additives per unit of final nylon composition. The disclosed methods and compositions provide the ability to select from a plurality of additive concentration levels in the final product by varying the ratio of a masterbatch compound containing a high concentration of the additive to a resin containing a low concentration or no additive.
US09916913B2 Atom interferometer with adaptive launch direction and/or position
Embodiments described herein provide for a method of launching atoms in an atom interferometer. The method includes determining a direction of the total effective acceleration force on the atoms, controlling a direction of launch of the atoms for measurement in the atom interferometer based on the direction of the total effective acceleration force, and obtaining measurements from the atoms.
US09916912B2 Method and device for encapsulating a fuel rod or a fuel rod section for temporary storage
A method for encapsulating a fuel rod or a fuel rod section in a container includes inserting the fuel rod or fuel rod section into the container. One of the ends of the container is connected to a purging-gas line. The container is dehydrated and purged by use of a purging gas. The ends of the container are connected to a bypass line in such a way that a closed gas circuit is produced and a hot gas is circulated in the gas circuit until the absolute moisture content reaches an end value at which the absolute moisture content no longer rises. The container is disconnected from the gas circuit and subsequently the container is closed in a fluid-tight manner at both ends.
US09916911B2 Systems and methods for storing spent nuclear fuel
Systems and methods for storing spent nuclear fuel below grade that afford adequate ventilation of the spent fuel storage cavity. In one aspect, the invention is a system comprising: a shell forming a cavity for receiving a canister of spent nuclear fuel, at least a portion of the shell positioned below grade; and at least one inlet ventilation duct extending from an above grade inlet to a below grade outlet at or near a bottom of the cavity; the inlet ventilation duct connected to the shell so that the cavity is hermetically sealed to ingress of below grade fluids. In another aspect, the invention is a method comprising: providing a below grade hole; providing a system comprising a shell forming a cavity for receiving a canister of spent nuclear fuel, at least a portion of the shell positioned below grade, and at least one inlet ventilation duct extending from an inlet to an outlet at or near a bottom of the cavity, the inlet ventilation duct connected to the shell; positioning the apparatus in the hole so that the inlet of the inlet ventilation duct is above grade and the outlet of the inlet ventilation duct into the cavity is below grade; filling the hole with engineered fill; and lowering a spent fuel canister into the cavity.
US09916910B2 Passively-cooled spent nuclear fuel pool system and method therefor
A passively-cooled spent nuclear fuel pool system comprising: a spent nuclear fuel pool comprising a body of liquid water having a surface level, at least one spent nuclear fuel rod submerged therein that heats the water; a lid covering the spent nuclear fuel pool to create a hermetically sealed vapor space between the surface level and the lid; and a passive heat exchange sub-system including a riser conduit comprising first and second riser inlet sections and a primary riser section that receives water vapor therefrom. Each riser inlet section has a respective inlet positioned in a respective section of the vapor space. A downcomer receives and condenses water vapor from the primary section forming condensed water vapor. A return conduit fluidly coupled to the downcomer and having an outlet located in the body of liquid water returns the condensed water vapor thereto.
US09916905B2 Display panel and bi-directional shift register circuit
A display panel includes shift registers coupled in serial. At least one of the shift registers includes an input circuit, an output circuit and a control circuit. The input circuit is coupled to a first input terminal and a second input terminal for respectively receiving a first input signal and a second input signal. The output circuit is coupled to a first clock input terminal for receiving a first clock signal and outputting a pulse signal at an output terminal according to the first clock signal. The control circuit is coupled to the output circuit via a first control node, a second control node and a third control node and controls voltages at the first control node, the second control node and the third control node according to the first input signal or the second input signal, and further controls operations of the output circuit.
US09916897B2 Storage device
A storage device includes nonvolatile memories and a device controller configured to store data being received from an external device in an internal RAM, according to a command and an address being received from the external device. The device controller controls the nonvolatile memories according to the data stored in the internal RAM, distinguishes whether phase bits received with the data and also stored in the internal RAM are valid, and processes the data stored in the internal RAM when the phase bits are valid.
US09916896B1 Ternary content addressable memory (TCAM) for multi bit miss detect circuit
The present disclosure relates to a pre-charge circuit including a first inverter which receives an early pre-charge signal and outputs an inverted early pre-charge signal, a first gate which receives a late pre-charge signal and a match line output signal and outputs an AND output signal, and a second gate which receives the inverted early pre-charge signal and the AND output signal and outputs an effective pre-charge signal.
US09916894B2 Resistance change memory device and method of sensing the same
A method of sensing a resistance change memory device includes preparing a memory cell including a variable resistance element storing different data on the basis of a variable resistance, and a switching element connected to the variable resistance element and performing a threshold switching operation, measuring a first cell current by applying a first read voltage to the memory cell, the first read voltage being selected in a threshold-sensing range of a current-voltage characteristic curve of the memory cell, measuring a second cell current by applying a second read voltage to the memory cell, the second read voltage being selected in a resistance-sensing range of the current-voltage characteristic curve, and when at least one of the first cell current and the second cell current is greater than a corresponding reference current, outputting a data signal having a first logic value as data stored in the memory cell.
US09916889B1 Memory circuitry with row-wise gating capabilities
An integrated circuit that includes an array of random-access memory cells is provided. Each memory cell in the array may be a single-port or a multiport memory cell. Memory cells in the same column of the array are connected to shared bit lines, whereas memory cells in the same row of the array are connected to shared word lines. The memory cells in the same row may also be connected to a row control line. During normal operations, the row control line may provide a positive power supply voltage to each memory cell along that row. During write operations, the row control line may be driven to ground or tri-stated to help improve the write margin and the write performance of the selected memory cells. The aspect ratio of these memory cells may also be more square-like or balanced to help improve power delivery.
US09916883B2 Magnetic random access memory using current sense amplifier for reading cell data and related method
A circuit includes a first and second reference cells and a current sense amplifier. The first and second reference cells are configured to store a first and a second logic values, respectively. The current sense amplifier is configured to couple the first reference cell to a first node of the current sense amplifier, and couple the second reference cell to a second node of the current sense amplifier for reading bits stored in the first reference cell and the second reference cell.
US09916882B2 Magnetic memory
A magnetic memory of an embodiment includes: a first to third terminals; a magnetoresistive element including a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, and a first nonmagnetic layer; a second nonmagnetic layer including a first to third portions, the first portion being located between the second and the third portions, the second and third portions being electrically connected to the second and third terminals respectively, the first magnetic layer being disposed between the first portion and the first nonmagnetic layer; and a third nonmagnetic layer including a fourth to sixth portions, the fourth portion being located between the first portion and the first magnetic layer, the fifth portion including a first region extending from the magnetoresistive element to the second terminal, the sixth portion including a second region extending from the magnetoresistive element to the third terminal.
US09916880B2 Apparatuses, circuits, and methods for biasing signal lines
Apparatuses, circuits, and methods are disclosed for biasing signal lines in a memory array. In one such example the memory array includes a signal line coupled to a plurality of memory cells and is configured to provide access to the plurality of memory cells responsive to a biasing condition of the signal line. The memory array also includes a signal line driver coupled to the signal line, the signal line driver configured to provide a biasing signal to the signal line and to provide a preemphasis in the biasing signal responsive to a control signal. The control signal is responsive to an operating condition.
US09916877B2 Memory bandwidth aggregation using simultaneous access of stacked semiconductor memory die
A packaged semiconductor device includes a data pin, a first memory die, and a second memory die stacked with the first memory die. The first memory die includes a first data interface coupled to the data pin and a first memory core having a plurality of banks. The second memory die includes a second memory core having a plurality of banks. A respective bank of the first memory core and a respective bank of the second memory core perform parallel row access operations in response to a first command signal and parallel column access operations in response to a second command signal. The first data interface of the first die provides aggregated data from the parallel column access operations in the first and second die to the data pin.
US09916875B2 Method and apparatus for switching power in a dual rail memory
A memory apparatus includes an array of bit cells arranged in rows and columns, multiple pairs of complementary bit lines, multiple power lines, and multiple voltage control circuits. Each column of the array is selectable by a corresponding pair of complementary bit lines. Each power line is coupled to the bit cells in a corresponding column. The voltage control circuits are coupled to respective columns of the array. Each voltage control circuit is configured to set a voltage level of a respective one of the power lines responsive to logic levels of the pair of complementary bit lines corresponding to the respective column.
US09916868B1 Heat-assisted rotating disk magnetometer for ultra-high anisotropy magnetic measurements
An apparatus comprises a spindle to rotate a magnetic recording medium and a magnetic field generator to expose a track of the medium to a DC magnetic field. The magnetic field generator is configured to saturate the track during an erase mode and reverse the DC magnetic field impinging the track during a writing mode. A laser arrangement heats the track during the erase mode and, during the writing mode, heats the track while the track is exposed to the reversed DC magnetic field so as to write a magnetic pattern thereon. A reader reads the magnetic pattern and generates a read signal. A processor is coupled to the reader and configured to determine an anisotropy parameter using the read signal. The apparatus can further comprise a Kerr sensor that generates a Kerr signal using the magnetic pattern.
US09916865B2 Mobile terminal and controlling method thereof
A mobile terminal including a touchscreen; and a controller configured to display a video list in a first region of the touchscreen, display a selected video from the video list in a second region of the touch screen different than the first region, in response to a first type of input for selecting the video, and display the selected video in the first region of the touch screen, in response to a second type of input for selecting the video different than the first type of touch input. Further, the first type of input corresponds to a direct touch input to the touchscreen, and the second type of input corresponds to a proximity touch input to the touchscreen.
US09916862B2 Method and apparatus for editing video scenes based on learned user preferences
A computer implemented method and apparatus for editing video scenes based on learned user preferences. The method comprises identifying a plurality of scenes in a video; for each scene of the plurality of scenes: applying an effect to a representative frame of a scene, wherein the effect is based on learned user preferences; receiving an input that adjusts at least one effect on the representative frame; updating user preferences based on received input; and applying the at least one effect to all frames of the scene; interpolating the adjusted at least one effect at a boundary of two consecutive scenes; and applying the interpolated at least one effect to transitional frames between the two consecutive scenes.
US09916861B2 Editing media on a mobile device before transmission
According to one exemplary embodiment, a method for editing at least one media file on a device is provided. The method may include receiving the at least one media file. The method may also include determining a content of interest region within the at least one media file. The method may then include generating an at least one edited media file based on the content of interest region and the at least one media file. The method may further include transmitting the at least one edited media file to a target destination.
US09916856B2 Playing apparatus and playing method
A set of first signal light and reference light with a phase difference of almost 0 degree, a set of second signal light and reference light with a phase difference of almost 180 degrees, a set of third signal light and reference light with a phase difference of almost 90 degrees, and a set of fourth signal light and reference light with a phase difference of almost 270 degrees are generated. A first differential signal as a difference between a first light-receiving signal obtained by a first light-receiving element and a second light-receiving signal obtained by a second light-receiving element is calculated, and a second differential signal as a difference between a third light-receiving signal obtained by a third light-receiving element and a fourth light-receiving signal obtained by a fourth light-receiving element is calculated. The first differential signal and the second differential signal are supplied to respective FIR filters. An equalization error is formed from output signals from the FIR filters. Tap coefficients for the FIR filters are controlled to minimize the equalization error.
US09916850B1 Laser bias current control
A preamplifier circuit can include a control line dedicated to receive a control signal that corresponds to indicating a specific register of the preamplifier circuit, which can allow the preamplifier to switch between utilizing two or more registers to control a current output of the preamplifier circuit. The preamplifier circuit may also have a serial input to program multiple registers of the preamplifier circuit in a serial fashion. In some embodiments, the current output may be a laser bias current. The preamplifier may adjust an output current that drives a laser emitter based on a control signal indicating which specific registers controls the output current. Further, a controller, such as a system-on-chip controller, may selectively vary the control signal to affect the current output of the preamplifier circuit. These systems and methods may be particularly useful for lasers and heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR).
US09916849B1 Method and apparatus for detecting and remediating in response to insufficient or excessive HAMR optical power
An optical power level applied via a laser when recording data to a track of a heat-assisted recording medium is determined. In response to the optical power level being too low or too high, remedial action is taken to prevent loss of data on one or more of the track and an adjacent track.
US09916848B2 Corrosion resistance in air bearing surfaces
A method includes identifying a microelectronic device located at an air bearing surface and a resistive heating element, said resistive heating element electrically isolated from the microelectronic device. The method further includes applying a bias current through the resistive heating element to generate localized heat and heating the microelectronic device by the localized heat. In an aspect, the method further includes identifying a predetermined humidity threshold, identifying a separation distance between the microelectronic device and the resistive heating element in at least one dimension, determining an effective temperature for which relative humidity at that region of the air bearing surface where the microelectronic device is located is reduced below the predetermined humidity threshold, and adjusting the bias current such that the microelectronic device is heated at least to the effective temperature.
US09916833B2 Apparatus and method for improved signal fade out for switched audio coding systems during error concealment
An apparatus for decoding an audio signal includes a receiving interface, wherein the receiving interface is configured to receive a first frame and a second frame. Moreover, the apparatus includes a noise level tracing unit for determining noise level information being represented in a tracing domain. Furthermore, the apparatus includes a first reconstruction unit for reconstructing a third audio signal portion of the audio signal depending on the noise level information and a second reconstruction unit for reconstructing a fourth audio signal portion depending on noise level information being represented in the second reconstruction domain.
US09916832B2 Using combined audio and vision-based cues for voice command-and-control
Techniques for leveraging a combination of audio-based and vision-based cues for voice command-and-control are provided. In one embodiment, an electronic device can identify one or more audio-based cues in a received audio signal that pertain to a possible utterance of a predefined trigger phrase, and identify one or more vision-based cues in a received video signal that pertain to a possible utterance of the predefined trigger phrase. The electronic device can further determine a degree of synchronization or correspondence between the one or more audio-based cues and the one or more vision-based cues. The electronic device can then conclude, based on the one or more audio-based cues, the one or more vision-based cues, and the degree of synchronization or correspondence, whether the predefined trigger phrase was actually spoken.
US09916831B2 System and method for handling a spoken user request
A method and an electronic device for handling a spoken user request of a user, executable by each one of at least two applications installed on the electronic device, comprising determining that the spoken user request corresponds to an action executable by an other one of the at least two of the applications; and causing execution of the action by the other one of the at least two of the applications. A method and an electronic device for handling a spoken user request received from a user of the electronic device, comprising detecting reception of a spoken user request by a first application; transferring the spoken user request to the second application by the first application; determining, by the second application, that the spoken user request corresponds to an action executable by a third application; and causing, by the second application, execution of the action by the third application.
US09916829B2 Voice search and response based on relevancy
A user seeking information relevant to the purchase of a home improvement product or other product submits a query to an automated system. The system transforms the user's voice query into a text statement and searches a knowledge base for candidate responses. Quality scores for the candidate responses are determined. If no candidate response having at least a minimum quality score is identified, the query is sent to a second device associated with an agent. The agent response is provided to the user and stored in the knowledge base for future use.
US09916828B2 Voice control system with dialect recognition
Voice command recognition with dialect translation is disclosed. User voice input can be translated to a standard voice pattern using a dialect translation unit. A control command can then be generated based on the translated user voice input. In certain embodiments, the voice command recognition system with dialect translation can be implemented in a driving apparatus. In those embodiments, various control commands to control the driving apparatus can be generated by a user with a dialect input. The generated voice control commands for the driving apparatus can include starting the driving apparatus, turning on/off A/C unit, controlling the A/C unit, turning on/off entertainment system, controlling the entertainment system, turning on/off certain safety features, turning on/off certain driving features, adjusting seat, adjusting steering wheel, taking a picture of surroundings and/or any other control commands that can control various functions of the driving apparatus.
US09916827B2 Method and device for updating language model and performing speech recognition based on language model
A method of updating a grammar model used during speech recognition includes obtaining a corpus including at least one word, obtaining the at least one word from the corpus, splitting the at least one obtained word into at least one segment, generating a hint for recombining the at least one segment into the at least one word, and updating the grammar model by using at least one segment comprising the hint.
US09916826B1 Targeted detection of regions in speech processing data streams
In speech processing systems, a special audio trigger indication is configured to efficiently isolate and mark incorrect speech processing results. The trigger indication may be configured to be easily recognizable by a speech processing device under various ASR and acoustic conditions. Once a speech processing device recognizes the trigger indication, incorrectly processed speech processing results are marked and may be isolated and prioritized for review by training and upgrading processes.
US09916817B2 Display method of display panel, display panel and display device
The present invention relates to a display method of a display panel, a display panel and a display device, and the display method of a display panel is used for enabling each row of N pixel units in the display panel to display an image having 2N+x−1 pixel points. The display method comprises steps of: acquiring an image, each row of which comprises 2N+x−1 pixel points corresponding to the N pixel units; and determining a display parameter of each sub-pixel according to the components, which have the same color as the sub-pixel, in the pixel points corresponding to the sub-pixel.
US09916816B2 Method and device for presenting information
A method for presenting information includes: receiving a notification message when a display screen is in a screen-off state; and presenting the notification message on the display screen with darkening a selected object, when the display screen is switched into a screen-on state from the screen-off state. Herein the selected object comprises all or partial content displayed on the display screen except the notification message. Accordingly, the selected object can be darkened and hidden on the display screen while the notification message can be highlighted.
US09916815B2 Enhanced system and method for presenting a view of a virtual space to a user based on a position of a display
An enhanced system and method presents a view of a virtual space on a display based on a position of the display in one or more degrees of freedom. For such a position of the display, a corresponding field of view in the virtual space may be determined. In some examples, as the display rotates about an axis that runs perpendicular to the display through a centroid of the display, the view of the virtual space may shift such that the field of view varies dynamically with the rotational position of the display and the objects in the field of view are maintained fixed in the virtual space. In some implementations, an object of the virtual space may be controlled by the position change of the display in the degrees of freedom such that the objects may be steered according to the display's position in the degrees of freedom.
US09916809B2 Method and apparatus for image data transformation
Image data is transformed for display on a target display. A sigmoidal transfer function provides a free parameter controlling min-tone contrast. The transfer function may be dynamically adjusted to accommodate changing ambient lighting conditions. The transformation may be selected so as to automatically adapt image data for display on a target display in a way that substantially preserves creative intent embodied in the image data. The image data may be video data.
US09916805B2 GOA circuit for LTPS-TFT
The invention provides a GOA circuit for LTPS-TFT, by adding the twelfth and thirteenth TFTs (T12, T13) controlled by output ends (G(n−1), G(n+1)) of (n−1)-th and (n+1)-th GOA units, the drain of twelfth TFT T12 connected through the fourth node (W1(n)) to source of first TFT (T1), the drain of first TFT (T1) connected to output end of (n−1)-th GOA unit, the drain of thirteenth TFT (T13) connected through the fifth node W2(n) to source of third TFT (T3), the drain of third TFT (T3) connected to output end of (n+1)-th GOA unit; the first and third TFTs (T1, T3) controlled respectively by the forward and backward scan DC control signals (U2D, D2U) to reduce leakage of twelfth TFT (T12) in forward scanning and leakage of thirteenth TFT (T13) in backward scanning. As such, the leakage in key TFTs is reduced and GOA circuit stability is improved.
US09916804B2 Display apparatus and method of driving the display apparatus
A display apparatus includes a display panel comprising a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of data lines, a gate driver circuit configured to generate a plurality of gate signals sequentially applied to the gate lines, and a timing controller configured to generate a reference control signal, the reference control signal adjusting at least one of a pulse-width and a phase of a predetermined gate signal among the gate signals.
US09916794B2 Switched emissive transparent display with controllable per-pixel opacity
A display system adapted to use rapid switching techniques to switch between displaying content and displaying a mask for that content so as to provide per-pixel opacity control. The display system may employ rapid synchronized switching of both a non-emissive, transparent display and a transparent backlight. In a first state, the display is operated to display content with the backlight acting as a scattering luminous backlight. In the other or second state, the display is operated to display one or more masks (for some or all objects or items of the content displayed in the first state) with the backlight functioning as a clear and unlit backlight. The display system is capable of producing opaque emissive content on a transparent field to provide a novel display and/or for use in compact spatial augmented reality applications.
US09916793B2 Semiconductor device and method of driving the same
To reduce the effect of external light and to improve the accuracy of detecting the location of a touch. In an image-capture period, light emission from a self-light-emitting element is controlled, and imaging data at the time of displaying white on a display screen and imaging data at the time of displaying black on the display screen are output from each sensor pixel. The location of a sensor pixel where a difference between the two pieces of imaging data output from the same sensor pixel is the greatest is detected. Thus, the location of a touch of the object on the display screen is detected with high accuracy. By utilizing a difference between imaging data at the time of reverse display, the effect of external light can be reduced.
US09916790B2 Organic light emitting display device and driving method thereof
An organic light emitting display device includes: a panel having sections and blocks, pixels included in the blocks to control an amount of current flowing from a first power source to a second power source via organic light emitting diodes; a data driver to receive data, and generate the data signals; a sensing unit connected to the power supply unit, and to detect an amount of current flowing in each of the blocks; and a timing controller to generate a correction value to adjust the data in view of the amount of current.
US09916789B2 Organic light-emitting diode display and method of driving the same
An organic light-emitting diode display and a method of driving the same are disclosed. In one aspect, the display includes a light emission control line configured to provide a light emission control signal and a power line configured to provide a power voltage. An operation control TFT is electrically connected to the power line and configured to be turned on based on the light emission control signal so as to provide the power voltage. A driving TFT is electrically connected to the operation control TFT, an OLED is electrically connected to the driving TFT, and an initialization TFT is configured to provide the power voltage to the driving TFT. In a frame of the OLED display, the power voltage provided when the initialization TFT is turned on and the power voltage provided when the operation control TFT is turned on are different from each other.
US09916788B2 Organic electroluminescent display device
An organic electroluminescent display device includes: a display unit in which pixels are arranged in rows and columns, the pixels each including an organic electroluminescent element, a drive transistor, and a capacitor; a power supply unit which generates a supply voltage; a gate drive unit which applies a reference supply voltage to the capacitor; and a control unit which carries the supply voltage from the power supply unit to the gate drive unit, wherein the gate drive unit includes a buffer amplifier circuit which suppresses a variable component of the supply voltage carried via the control unit to stabilize the reference supply voltage, and supplies the stabilized reference supply voltage to the pixel.
US09916786B2 Display driving method, driving circuit and display device
The present disclosure provides a method for driving a display, including: step 1, obtaining a tone of each sub-pixels in an input image; step 2, determining whether a color of each sub-pixel to be calculated in the input image is capable of being distinguished from a reference color by a two-color blind viewer; and step 3, calculating the tone of each sub-pixel in an output image based on a result of the determination in step 2.
US09916784B2 Integrated drive circuit for multi-segment electroluminescent displays
An integrated drive circuit for multi-segment electroluminescent displays is provided. During a charging phase, the electroluminescent segments are charged by a common charge circuit, and partially discharged using separate discharge circuits associated with individual electroluminescent segments. A controller provides essentially independent control over the respective discharge circuits so, by the end of the charging phase, the EL segments can be charged to correspondingly different final voltages. Then during a discharging phase following the charging phase, the electroluminescent segments are completely discharged, thereby emitting an intensity of light that varies roughly in proportion to the final accumulated voltage. The controller can be pre-programmed with a spatial-temporal light pattern so that, using the disclosed integrated drive circuit, the electroluminescent display can be operated to generate rudimentary animations.
US09916783B2 Banner support assembly
The present invention is a banner support assembly for mounting to poles of any surface or shape. The banner support assembly includes a plurality of pole brackets abutting the outer surface of the pole which are demountably secured at preselected intervals around the pole with at least one band clamp received through band slots defined in each pole bracket. A ring is slideably received within a channel defined in each of the pole brackets such that the ring is free to rotate around the pole about a longitudinal axis of the pole.
US09916781B2 Illuminated vehicular sign
An illuminated vehicular sign is provided including a vehicle and luminescent planar sheet. The luminescent planar sheet is constructed to provide illuminated alpha-numeric characters which are mounted to the horizontal planar surfaces of a vehicle. The alpha-numeric characters are mounted substantially horizontally so as to be seen from the air such as by helicopters or planes. The illuminated vehicle sign includes a switching system electrically connected to the luminescent planar panels for selectively controlling the transfer of power from said power source to the luminescent planar panels. The switching system including one or more adjustable variable resistors electrically connected to the luminescent planar panels for allowing one to selectively adjust the wattage provided to them.
US09916780B2 Light-emitting assembly and display device
Disclosed embodiments relate to a light-emitting assembly and a display device. In some embodiments, the light-emitting assembly includes a lamp bead a lamp bead mounting plate and a lamp bead shading face mask, the lamp bead shading face mask covering the lamp bead, and there is a distance between the lamp bead shading face mask and the lamp bead, at least two side faces of the lamp bead shading face mask including light emergence holes, wherein one side, facing the lamp bead mounting plate, of the lamp bead shading face mask is provided with a first reflecting surface; one side, facing the lamp bead shading face mask, of the lamp bead mounting plate is provided with a second reflecting surface; and light emitted by the lamp bead is reflected by the first reflecting surface and the second reflecting surface and then emitted out of each of the light emergence holes.
US09916779B1 Multi-position illuminated signage panel
A multi-position illuminated signage panel comprising a mounting assembly anchored to a vehicle, a display assembly, and an intermediate assembly. The display assembly comprises an illumination panel and a sign insert for displaying a visual element. The intermediate assembly comprises a control unit for controlling the operation of the illumination panel, the control unit having a solar panel, rechargeable battery, motion sensor, light sensor, and control module. The illumination panel is positioned behind the sign insert and produces a back-light effect by emitting light which passes through the sign insert. The illumination panel can be activated when the motion sensor detects the vehicle's motion, and deactivated when the photosensor is exposed to light. The display assembly is hingedly connected to the intermediate assembly, which is in turn hingedly connected to the mounting assembly, allowing the multi-position signage panel to be configured in multiple display positions.
US09916774B2 Wearable partial task surgical simulator
A wearable device for simulating wounds and injuries received during a trauma event includes a raiment and vest for covering the torso of a person. The raiment has an outer surface with a color and a texture comparable to human skin. Mounted on the outer surface is at least one wound simulator formed with an orifice that is in fluid communication with a fluid reservoir. Thus, the person can selectively expel a blood-like fluid from the reservoir, and through the wound simulator orifice, to simulate a trauma event. The vest includes an artificial rib cage and prosthetic internal organs juxtaposed with at least one wound simulator to simulate internal effects of a trauma event.
US09916772B1 Atomic and molecular modeling system
A modeling system is provided which comprises a physical atomic modeling system structured for use in conjunction with a computer-implemented application which can execute a vision detection and analysis algorithm. When used to form molecular representations or models, the modeling system can be used to make molecular bonding visible, tangible, and more readily understandable to a student or other user. Various embodiments of the invention leverage the effectiveness of tangible, tactile systems to create a learning experience which increases understanding of atomic bonding at the valence electron interaction level.
US09916769B2 Identification method for training vehicle accessory
A method for identifying a vehicle accessory with a mobile device is disclosed. The method comprises receiving an input in the mobile device and activating an identification function in a control circuit of the mobile device in response to the input. An image viewfinder is initiated in response to the activation of the identification function. The viewfinder is used to capture an image of the vehicle accessory including at least one feature. The at least one feature in the image is compared to a plurality of corresponding features of a plurality of compatible vehicle accessories. Based on the comparison, an identity of the vehicle accessory is identified. Training information for the vehicle accessory is then accessed and displayed on the mobile device to facilitate at least one setup task of the vehicle accessory in response to identifying the vehicle accessory.
US09916767B2 Device and method for simulating a transportation emergency
Devices for simulating a transportation emergency and kits for the same are disclosed. The devices have a base with a framework of interconnected supports extending therefrom as a skeletal portion of a simulated transportation device and defining a chamber configured to receive a human or a medical-training manikin. Within the chamber a seat for receiving the human or the medical-training manikin is disposed. The framework defines one or more openings representative of access openings into the simulated transportation device such that a first responder in-training can receive instructions on how to assist a victim positioned in the simulated transportation device. The framework also defined one or more open frames representative of structural features of the simulated transportation device that block access to the victim such that realistic training occurs.
US09916763B2 Visibility event navigation method and system
A method of visibility event navigation includes receiving, via processing circuitry of a client device, a first visibility event packet from a server, the first visibility event packet including information representing 3D surface elements of an environmental model that are occluded from a first viewcell and not occluded from a second viewcell, the first and second viewcells representing spatial regions of a specified navigational route within a real environment modeled by the environmental model. The method also includes acquiring, surface information representing the visible surfaces of the real environment at a sensor and determining, a position in the real environment by matching the surface information to the visibility event packet information. The method further includes transmitting, the position from the client device to the server and receiving a second visibility event packet from the server if the at least one position is within the specified navigational route.
US09916759B2 Signal light priority system utilizing estimated time of arrival
Systems and methods for requesting modification of traffic flow control systems that combine satellite position navigation systems and dead reckoning technology with secure radio communications to accurately report a vehicle's real-time location and estimated arrival times at a series of signal lights within a traffic grid or at a distant signal light, while enabling signal controllers to accommodate priority requests from these vehicles, allowing for these vehicles to maintain a fixed schedule with minimal interruption to other grid traffic.
US09916756B2 Broadcast traffic information bounding areas
A method includes configuring a plurality of sub-bounding areas within a primary bounding area. An aggregate traffic message includes traffic information aggregated from the sub-bounding areas, and is broadcast throughout the primary bounding area. The roads within the primary bounding area are associated with road classifications, and individual traffic messages associated with those roads are generated. Sub-bounding areas within the primary bounding area are associated with particular road classifications. Individual traffic messages (for particular roads) are selected for inclusion in the aggregate traffic message (broadcast over the primary bounding area) if those messages are associated with a road having a road classification that matches a road classification of a sub-bounding area in which the road is located. The aggregate traffic message is generated by combining the selected individual traffic messages, and is transmitted to a station importer.
US09916754B2 Proximity-based vehicle location alerts
Arrangements related to proximity-based vehicle location alerts are described. A vehicle can include a location signaling mode. In the location signaling mode, an alert is automatically provided by the vehicle responsive to detecting an authorized portable communication device being located within a predetermined alert distance from the vehicle. In the way, an indication of the location of the vehicle is provided to a user of the portable communication device. However, responsive to determining that the vehicle is located in a predetermined special location, the location signaling mode can be altered in one or more respects. In one or more arrangements, altering the location signaling mode can include disabling the location signaling mode. Thus, an indication of the location of the vehicle is not provided responsive to detecting that the portable device is located within the predetermined alert distance from the vehicle.
US09916753B2 Systems and methods for remote control adaptive configuration
The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods in which a controllable device transfers to the remote device, such as to a remote control application (“app”) located on a smartphone, a data structure identifying various functions that can be controlled by a remote device, together with the identity of the signal type that will achieve the desired operation. The remote device, upon accepting input directly from the remote device, can then allow the remote device user to select how controls of the various functions are to be configured and presented to, or otherwise selectively arranged for a user on a user interface of the remote device. In this way, the present disclosure provides a single highly customizable system. Distributors, resellers, and/or manufacturers of various electronic devices will be able utilize the same controllable device instructions, yet visually distinguish its brand name from other solutions using the same instructions.
US09916749B2 System to monitor an amount of material in a container
Embodiments of the disclosure pertain to a system effective to monitor an amount of a material that includes a portable container, wherein the material is within the portable container; a sensor in the portable container, the sensor effective to detect a first level of the material in the portable container when the portable container is at a first location and to generate a first data signal based on the first level; and a processor in communication with the sensor, the processor effective to receive the first data signal and effective to generate a report based on the first data signal, the report relating to an amount of the material in the container.
US09916744B2 Multi-layer stack with embedded tamper-detect protection
Tamper-respondent assemblies and methods of fabrication are provided which include a multi-layer stack having multiple discrete component layers stacked and electrically connected together via a plurality of electrical contacts in between the component layers. Further, the tamper-respondent assembly includes a tamper-respondent electronic circuit structure embedded within the multi-layer stack. The tamper-respondent electronic circuit structure includes at least one tamper-respondent sensor embedded, at least in part, within at least one component layer of the multiple discrete component layers of the multi-layer stack. The tamper-respondent electronic circuit structure defines a secure volume within the multi-layer stack. For instance, the tamper-respondent electronic circuit structure may be fully embedded within the multi-layer stack, with monitor circuitry of the tamper-respondent electronic circuit structure residing within the secure volume within the multi-layer stack.
US09916743B2 Security devices
A monitoring device arranged to be fitted to a door, wherein the door includes an operating bar mounted on the door for angular movement about its axis and a handle which is connected to the operating bar by a pivotal connection; wherein the device comprises a body element and a cover element arranged to slide relative to the body element and the two elements having a closed configuration and an open configuration in which the cover element is extended relative to the body element thereby allowing the device to be fitted to a door; the body and cover elements being shaped so that when in the closed configuration a pocket is formed that substantially surrounds an operating bar and further wherein the cover element comprises a portion extending over a region of a handle of a door to which the device is fitted such that that handle is prevented from rotating relative to the door; and monitoring circuitry arranged to monitor the device.
US09916738B2 Detection and notification of pressure waves by lighting units
Methods and apparatus for detection and notification of pressure waves are described herein. A lighting unit (100) may include one or more light sources (104) such as LEDs, a pressure wave sensor (106), a communication interface (108), and a controller (102) operably coupled with the one or more LEDs, the pressure wave sensor, and the communication interface. In various embodiments, the controller may be configured to receive a signal from the pressure wave sensor, the signal representative of one or more pressure waves detected by the pressure wave sensor. The controller may be configured to determine, based on the signal received from the pressure wave sensor, that the detected one or more pressure waves satisfy a predetermined criterion. The controller may be configured to transmit, to one or more remote lighting units via the communication interface, notification that the predetermined criterion has been satisfied.
US09916731B2 Gaming system and method providing a card game with extra draws for winning hands
Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a gaming system and method providing a card game with an extra award for each winning hand including one or more extra hands of cards or a modifier for an extra award. In various embodiments, if the first hand includes any winning card combination from a first set of designated winning card combinations, the gaming system provides one or more extra hands of cards, wherein each extra hand initially includes one or more cards from the first hand and then provides one or more extra draws of cards to complete that extra hand. In various embodiments, when the first hand includes any winning card combination from a second set of designated winning card combinations, the gaming system provides a multiplier value which the gaming system applies to the award for the winning card combination from the first hand of cards.
US09916728B2 Sudoku style hybrid game
Systems for operating a Sudoku style hybrid game are disclosed. Sudoku style hybrid games can include a themed entertainment game in which a player places symbols into a Sudoku puzzle and events within the entertainment portion of the Sudoku style entertainment game can trigger wagers in a real world game of chance. Players may compete against each other to determine a winning player based on the amount of time taken to complete the puzzle of the Sudoku style entertainment game. The outcome of the wagers can result in payouts of real world credit and can also affect gameplay within the Sudoku style entertainment game.
US09916725B2 Personalizable hybrid games
An electronic gaming machine that provides a gambling game and an entertainment game, including: a real world engine, an entertainment software engine, and a game world engine; the system constructed to provide a randomly generated payout of real world credit from a wager in a gambling game, wagers triggered during an entertainment game; and to collect parameter data indicative of player performance during the player's skillful execution of the entertainment game at each of a plurality of difficulty settings, the parameter data indicative of the player's actions during the player's skillful execution of the entertainment game and indicative of a rate of accumulation of game world credit during the entertainment game; and select a difficulty setting from the plurality of difficulty settings for the skill based entertainment game based upon the collected parameter data.
US09916724B2 Gaming machine feature
A gaming machine (10) has a display (14) and a game controller arranged to control images displayed on the display (14). The game controller is arranged to play a game wherein one or more random events arc caused to be displayed on the display (14) and, if a predefined winning event results, the machine (10) awards a prize which is credited to a credit meter of the machine (10). The credit meter includes two meter displays, a first meter display (42.1) indicating credit which is available for expenditure in the machine (10) to play at least one game and a second meter display (42.2) indicating credit set aside by at least one of a player and the game controller and which credit is unavailable to the player for wagering on a game but which is only available by termination of a playing session.
US09916722B2 Gaming device having advance game information analyzer
This concept is directed to methods of operating a gaming device to analyze game information that is part of a gaming event having a player interaction in advance of the player interaction to make a determination about the game play. These methods may be used for a variety of gaming devices such as slot machines, video keno devices, video poker machines, electronic table games, internet gaming terminals, etc. In each type of gaming device, these operation methods evaluate future game information during game play to determine one of multiple manners by which the game play will continue. These continuation manners may include changing the speed of game play, determining display characteristics of the game and outcome, providing tips or information to the player about the future game information, automatically initiating a subsequent game, or otherwise altering an aspect of the game play parameters in response to the evaluated game information.
US09916713B1 Systems, methods and devices for processing coins utilizing normal or near-normal and/or high-angle of incidence lighting
Currency processing systems, coin processing machines, and methods of imaging coins are presented herein. A currency processing system is disclosed which includes a housing with an input area for receiving coins and receptacles for stowing processed coins. A disk-type coin processing unit is coupled to the coin input area and coin receptacles. The coin processing unit includes a rotatable disk for imparting motion to coins, and a sorting head adjacent the rotatable disk with shaped regions for guiding moving coins to exit channels through which the coins are discharged to the coin receptacles. A sensor arrangement mounted adjacent the rotatable disk includes one light emitting device for emitting light onto a coin surface at near-normal incidence. A photodetector senses light reflected off the coin surface and outputs a coin-image signal for processing the coin.
US09916712B2 Sensor and apparatus for checking paper goods, and method for sensor prealignment
In an apparatus for checking sheet material a plurality of sensors is arranged along a sensor path along which the sheet material is transported. The sensors each have two components, which are arranged at opposite sides of the bank note transport path. For the functioning of many sensors it is necessary that the opposing sensor components are exactly aligned to each other. So as to achieve that the alignment of the sensor components arranged opposite each other is set with high accuracy and reproducible, the relative position of the sensor components opposing each other is defined by means of docking elements.
US09916711B1 Use of spacers to accommodate less than a capacity number of coins in a roll of coins in a case
A standard sized coin roll holder is loaded with a stack of alternating coins and spacers such that a variable number of coins can be accommodated in a standard sized holder. The number of coins loaded into the holder can be configured to be one more than the number of spacers, starting with a coin, then a spacer and so on, such that a coin occupies both the first position and the last position in the stack and making a coin face visible at each end. A twenty coin holder can be loaded, for example, with 10 coins and 9 spacers or with 5 coins and 4 spacers. A compressible silicone rubber washer can also be included to account for slight variations in coin thickness, thus securing the stack within the available height inside a closed and sealed case.
US09916708B2 Signal processing system and method
According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a signal processing system is provided, comprising: a receiving unit configured to receive at least one signal that comprises a plurality of multipath components; a verification unit configured to correlate at least one multipath component under test with a reference signal derived from one or more of said plurality of multipath components. According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a corresponding signal processing method is conceived. According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a corresponding computer program is provided.
US09916706B1 Customer vehicle management systems and methods
A customer vehicle management system includes fob devices that each include a customer portion and a key portion, that are separable and may be magnetically interlocked with a charging and communication link between them. The system provides dynamic association of fob customer portions, fob key portions and docking units housed within a cabinet. Customer portions are deployed to a customer (driver) who may later request retrieval of a vehicle the keys of which were left with an operator (valet). Vehicle requests are made through a wireless link. A communications and management module within a fob and key storage cabinet receives the request signal and activates an indicator on a docking unit associated with the customer portion and where an associated key portion is docked. The operator may then retrieve vehicle keys associated with the customer portion from which the request was made.
US09916704B1 Vehicle decal
A vehicle having a decal attached thereto is provided herein. The vehicle includes a controller operably coupled with a powertrain of the vehicle and configured to calculate an energy efficiency performance score of the vehicle. A decal is disposed on the vehicle. One or more performance score indicators are disposed within the decal. A number of the one or more performance score indicators illuminate to represent the performance score.
US09916703B2 Calibration for autonomous vehicle operation
Various embodiments relate generally to autonomous vehicles and associated mechanical, electrical and electronic hardware, computer software and systems, and wired and wireless network communications to provide an autonomous vehicle fleet as a service. In particular, a method may include receiving data associated with a sensor measurement of a perceived object, determining a label associated with the perceived object based on an initial calibration, retrieving log file data associated with the label, determining a calibration parameter associated with the sensor measurement based on the retrieved log file data, and storing the calibration parameter in association with a sensor associated with the sensor measurement. Sensors may be calibrated on the fly while the autonomous vehicle is in operation using one or more other sensors and/or fused data from multiple types of sensors.
US09916700B2 Asset-agnostic framework with asset-specific module for alternate bus parameter calculation
Network buses in vehicles and other assets are monitored in order to obtain information and calculate alternate values of parameters relating to components connected to the bus and to send them to a management server. The device includes main code, which is common to the different vehicles or assets in a group, and a script, which is specific to each type of vehicle or asset. The script, which may be customizable, is responsible for defining the parameters to obtain and for defining how the values of the parameters are to be calculated. The script compensates for differences in the way different buses and components operate in different assets, which means that the values of like parameters obtained from different sources are all in conformance with each other. The script can be updated without interrupting the operation of the main code and the monitoring of the bus.
US09916697B2 Automatic usage tracker for respirator
A respirator container includes a sealable chamber that is adapted to receive and contain a respirator having a unique identifying tag. The respirator container also includes a reader for reading the unique identifying tag of a respirator in the sealable chamber, and a timer for measuring the time during which a respirator is outside of the sealable chamber.
US09916695B2 Structure self-adaptive 3D model editing method
The invention provides a structure self-adaptive 3D model editing method, which includes: given a 3D model library, clustering 3D models of same category according to structures; learning a design knowledge prior between components of 3D models in same group; learning a structure switching rule between 3D models in different groups; after user edits a 3D model component, determining a final group of the model according to inter-group design knowledge prior, and editing other components of the model according to intra-group design knowledge prior, so that the model as a whole satisfies design knowledge priors of a category of 3D models. Through editing few components by the user, other components of the model can be optimized automatically and the edited 3D model satisfying prior designs of the model library can be obtained. The invention can be applied to fields of 3D model editing and constructing, computer aided design etc.
US09916694B2 Method for hole filling in 3D model, and recording medium and apparatus for performing the same
Disclosed is a method for hole-filling in 3D models. The method includes extracting static background information from a current frame of an input image and extracting virtual static background information using the static background information, warping a color image and a depth map of the current frame to acquire a virtual image and a virtual depth map, and labeling a hole area formed in the virtual depth map to extract local background information, performing a first hole-filling onto the virtual image and the virtual depth map using a similarity between the virtual static background information and the local background information, and performing a second hole-filling with respect to remaining holes after the first hole-filling in a manner of an exemplar-based in-painting method to which a priority function including a depth term is applied.
US09916683B2 Techniques for approximating three-dimensional curves using foldable beams
In one embodiment of the present invention, a foldable beam generator produces a foldable beam polyline that approximates a three-dimensional (3D) space curve. The foldable beam generator optimizes the number and position of joints included in the foldable beam polyline to minimize differences between the foldable beam polyline and the 3D space curve while complying with one or more manufacturing constraints. Notably, the foldable beam generator designs each of the joints to act as a living hinge that closes to a fixed angle when heated and solidifies when cooled. By using the foldable beam polyline as a 3D digital model for manufacturing and subsequently applying heat to assemble the manufactured 3D object, defects and/or limitations of complex 3D objects typically associated with traditional manufacturing techniques may be reduced. In particular, support structures designed to buttress three-dimensional (3D) digital models during 3D printing may be minimized.
US09916680B2 Low-power processing in depth read-only operating regimes
Techniques are disclosed for suppressing access to a depth processing unit associated with a graphics processing pipeline. The method includes receiving a graphics primitive from a first pipeline stage associated with the graphics processing pipeline. The method further includes determining that the graphics primitive is visible over one or more graphics primitives previously rendered to a frame buffer, and determining that the depth buffer is in a read-only mode. The method further includes suppressing an operation to transmit the graphics primitive to the depth processing unit. One advantage of the disclosed technique is that power consumption is reduced within the GPU by avoiding unnecessary accesses to the depth processing unit.
US09916677B2 Ray tracing across refractive boundaries
According to one exemplary implementation, a method for use by a global illumination system including a hardware processor includes identifying, using the hardware processor, a first interior vertex of multiple first interior vertices of a light path, the first interior vertices being situated within a volume having a refractive boundary. In addition, the method includes determining, using the hardware processor, a surface vertex of the light path at the refractive boundary, and determining, using the hardware processor, a linear direction from the surface vertex to a light source of the light path. The method also includes determining, using the hardware processor, one or more second interior vertices for completing the light path by constructing a path from the surface vertex to the first interior vertex, based on the linear direction, the surface vertex and the first interior vertex.
US09916676B2 3D model rendering method and apparatus and terminal device
The present application discloses a 3D model rendering method and apparatus and a terminal device. The method includes calculating, in a diffuse reflection illumination situation simulated by hardware, dot product operation results of a light vector and a normal line vector of each vertex on a surface of a 3D model, converting the dot product operation results of each vertex to corresponding UV coordinate values, then drawing, according to a preset correspondence between UV coordinate values and a color value of a 3D model basic texture after receiving light, a gradient map having a color value corresponding to the UV coordinate values of the each vertex, and covering the surface of the 3D model with the gradient map. The rendering method according to the present application transfers a conventional process of coloration in a three-dimensional model to drawing a gradient map in a two-dimensional plane and then, further covering the 3D model with the drawn gradient map, has a simpler processing process, and also reduces a performance requirement on an electronic device in a process of performing 3D model rendering.
US09916675B2 Graphics processing systems
In a tile-based graphics processing system, when a tile for a render output is to be generated, the fragment data storage requirements for each fragment to be generated for the tile is determined 51, and a color and/or depth buffer in the tile buffer is allocated for use by the fragments for the tile based on the determination 57. The graphics processing pipeline then, when generating rendered fragment data for the tile, stores the rendered fragment data in the color buffer and/or depth buffer of the tile buffer allocated to the fragments for the tile 58.
US09916673B2 Method and apparatus for rendering a perspective view of objects and content related thereto for location-based services on mobile device
A method including causing, at least in part, rendering of a perspective view showing one or more objects in a field of view. The method further including retrieving content associated with an object of the one or more objects in the field of view, and causing, at least in part, rendering of a graphic representation relating to the content on a surface of the object visible in the perspective view in a user interface for a location-based service of a mobile device.
US09916670B1 Fast, efficient, and list-mode compatible tomographic image reconstruction using a novel quadratic surrogate
A method and apparatus is provided to iteratively reconstruct a PET image for emission data using separable quadratic surrogates (SQS). The quadratic surrogates include a Poisson likelihood surrogate that has a curvature that depends on a back-projection of an inverse of mean-background signal. The method can be used with Nesterov acceleration and ordered subsets to achieve quadratic convergence to an image minimizing a Poisson Likelihood objective function that includes a regularizer that penalizes roughness in the reconstructed image.
US09916667B2 Stereo matching apparatus and method through learning of unary confidence and pairwise confidence
A stereo matching apparatus and method through learning a unary confidence and a pairwise confidence are provided. The stereo matching method may include learning a pairwise confidence representing a relationship between a current pixel and a neighboring pixel, determining a cost function of stereo matching based on the pairwise confidence, and performing stereo matching between a left image and a right image at a minimum cost using the cost function.
US09916660B2 Vehicle vision system with calibration algorithm
A vision system of a vehicle includes a camera configured to be disposed at a vehicle so as to have a field of view exterior of the vehicle. The camera may include a fisheye lens. An image processor is operable to process image data captured by the camera. The vision system provides enhanced camera calibration using a monoview noncoplanar three dimensional calibration pattern. The system may include a plurality of cameras configured to be disposed at the vehicle so as to have respective fields of view exterior of the vehicle.
US09916657B2 Method and device for restoring scan image and recording medium for storing same
Disclosed is a method for restoring a scan image. The method includes the steps of: measuring a blurring function oversampled with respect to a slit image obtained through a slit inclined at a predetermined angle in a vertical or horizontal direction according to the predetermined angle; and restoring a scan image to increase a resolution of an interface of a subject in the scan image obtained by obtaining the subject using the measured blurring function. Computed tomography (CT) that applies image restoration by increasing sampling can secure a precise image for computer-aided design (CAD)/computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) additionally used in a system used when actually diagnosing a patient, and thus does not require additional expenses and equipment.
US09916656B2 Method for processing radiographic image and radiography system
Provided is a method for processing a radiographic image including obtaining a radiographic image using an indirect radiographic detector comprising a scintillator panel and a pixel array panel, determining a parameter value for defining a point spread function (PSF) according to the scintillator panel or the pixel array panel, and correcting the radiographic image by deconvoluting the radiographic image using the PSF to which the parameter value is applied.
US09916654B2 System, method and computer accessible mediums for determining neurodegeneration
Method, system and computer-accessible medium for determining at least one of axonal loss or myelin degradation can be provided. For example, it is possible to receive data based on at least one of a measure of diffusion of an axonal structure or a measure of a density of axons, and determine axonal loss and/or myelin degradation based on the data. The determination can be based on axonal geometry of at least one parallel tube.
US09916648B1 Method for correcting a diffusion image having an artifact
The present invention is related to a method for correcting a diffusion image having an artifact, the method comprising: (a) providing a set of diffusion images comprising the diffusion image having the artifact; (b) calculating a first signal intensity of each image in the set of diffusion images; (c) plotting a graph of serial number of slice of the set of diffusion images versus the first signal intensity; (d) calculating a second signal intensity of the diffusion image having the artifact by performing interpolation on the graph; and (e) correcting the diffusion image having the artifact base on the second signal intensity.
US09916647B2 Liquid crystal display apparatus
A liquid crystal display apparatus, which displays an image on the basis of an input image signal input from an outside, includes a liquid crystal display element, a processor that performs a plurality of processing to reduce disclination in the liquid crystal element with respect to the input image signal selectively or in combination so as to acquire an output image signal, and a liquid crystal driver that drives the liquid crystal display element using the output image signal.
US09916646B2 System and method for processing input images before generating a high dynamic range image
An image processing system for generating a high dynamic range image from a first image and a second image is presented. The system comprises a first displacement estimator adapted to estimate a displacement of image content between a reference image derived from the first image and an image to be warped derived from the second image. The system comprises a first warping unit that compensates the estimated displacement by warping the image to be warped resulting in a first warped image. The system comprises a first error detector adapted to detect geometric warping errors within the first warped image and a first error compensator adapted to compensate the estimated geometric warping errors within the first warped image resulting in a first error corrected image. The system comprises a high dynamic range calculator adapted to calculate the high-dynamic range image based upon the first error corrected image and the reference image.
US09916645B2 Chroma subsampling
A chroma subsampling having reduced artifacts is achieved by detecting high contrast areas in a luminance channel of an image to be chroma subsampled so as to partition the image into a first region composed of the high contrast areas and a second region distinct from the first region, with chroma subsampling the image in the first region using a first chroma subsampler and chroma subsampling the image in the second region using a second chroma subsampler, with the first chroma subsampler having a higher edge preserving property than compared to the second chroma subsampler. Thereby, bleeding artifacts may be avoided at least partially, while the saturation of the image may be substantially preserved.
US09916642B2 Image processor
A setting circuit sets a quantization value per input image on the basis of a noise value of the whole input image, and a quantization circuit performs quantization on first image data to generate second image data. Quantization value based on the noise value the whole input image can realize appropriate denoising depending on the noise level of the whole input image.
US09916640B2 Automated sliver removal in orthomosaic generation
Techniques for automatically removing slivers from orthomosaics. First, slivers may be identified, which may be based upon user-configurable characteristics such as width and length. Second, slivers may be replaced with portions of another image, such as an older image. Third, boundary slivers may optionally be removed. Fourth, remaining boundary or interior slivers can be inflated by expanding the sliver until it is no longer a sliver, which may include replacing a portion of an adjacent image portion with older imagery.
US09916632B1 Data collection and software registration during desktop software installation
Methods, systems, and computer program products for data collection and/or software registration during software installation. One or more embodiments involve a computer presenting a screen or interface comprising a screen to a user through a display, during a software installation process of a software program, a web form embedded into a web screen. The web screen may be installation web screen for the software installation process. In at least one embodiment, the web form allows the user to input data. One or more embodiments further involve the computer providing the data inputted by the user to the software program after the installation process is complete. In one or more embodiments, the data is user identification data, customer information data, software registration data, software configuration data, and/or answers by the user to at least one survey.
US09916628B1 Interview question modification during preparation of electronic tax return
Computer-implemented methods, systems and articles of manufacture for modifying the manner in which interview questions are presented to a user of a tax return preparation application to provide a more personalized experience during preparation of an electronic tax return. A selected question that is consistent with a data model or schema is modified or twisted such that the selected question is reworded or rephrased. The modified question, rather than the original question, is presented to the user. The user's answer to the modified question is converted, mapped or “untwisted” to derive a corresponding answer to the original question that is consistent with the data model or schema utilized by the tax return preparation application. The corresponding answer may then be read by a rule engine or logic agent that utilizes a decision table that defines rules to determine which additional or other questions can be presented to the user.
US09916627B1 Methods systems and articles of manufacture for providing tax document guidance during preparation of electronic tax return
Computer-implemented methods, systems and computer program products for directing a current user of a tax preparation application to a portion of the current user's tax document. Images of tax documents of other or prior users are received, and a tax document image is selected. Tax data within the selected tax document image is redacted from the image to generate an image of a template of a tax document. Sections or interface elements of interview screens generated by the tax preparation program are mapped to sections of the template. When the current user selects an interface element such as a field, a pre-determined or selected portion of the template image is presented through the tax preparation application to the current user. The particular field mapped to the particular selected interface element may be identified or highlighted.
US09916620B2 Systems and methods for providing balance notifications in an augmented reality environment
The disclosed embodiments include methods and systems for providing account status notifications. The disclosed embodiments include, for example, a device for providing account status notifications including a memory storing software instructions and one or more processors configured to execute the software instructions to perform operations. In one aspect, the operations may include receiving account status notification information for a first account associated with a user. The account status notification information may be generated based on one or more notification rules and account information associated with the first account. The operations may also include generating, based on the received account status notification information, a first account status indicator that provides a status of a first account parameter associated with the first account that is presented, via a device component and within a field-of-view of the user, without a user request to receive the status of the first account parameter.
US09916618B2 Auction of multiple heterogeneous items among multiple buyers and sellers using software agents linked via a communication network
A method, system and computer program product for conducting an online auction of a plurality of heterogeneous items between a plurality of selling and potential purchasing parties. The method includes the steps of accepting an offer in respect of an item, accepting one or more subsequent offers that is/are preferable to a previously accepted offer, and rejecting the previously accepted offer. While the offer/s is/are binding on a party making the offer, acceptance of the offer/s is/are not binding on a party accepting the offer. Classes of “seller strategies”, for offering items to potential purchasing parties, and “buyer strategies”, to decide which offers to accept, are also disclosed. As a result of the interaction of the buyer and seller strategies, the auction mechanism converges to an allocation of items to buyers at particular prices and assists in discovering a free and fair competitive equilibrium price.
US09916616B2 Inventory management system using incremental capacity formats
An inventory management method for storage devices may comprise obtaining an order for an aggregate storage capacity from a customer; and determining a usable capacity of each of a plurality of storage devices. From the plurality of storage devices, a first set of storage devices may be selected, at least some of which have different usable storage capacities from one another, such that the first set of storage devices comprises a first predetermined number of storage devices and has a first aggregate storage capacity that is at least equal to an integer fraction of the aggregate capacity ordered by the customer. The first set of storage devices may then be packed into a first container configured to accommodate the first predetermined number of storage devices. A second set of storage devices may be similarly be selected from remaining ones of the plurality of storage devices and packaged.
US09916615B2 Order history analyzing systems and methods
A computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for: (1) receiving information regarding a plurality of past orders placed by health care providers at a particular health care facility; (2) using the information regarding the plurality of past orders to determine a set of most commonly prescribed orders for the health care facility; (3) converting the set of most commonly prescribed orders from a first format to a second format; (4) displaying the set of most commonly prescribed orders to a user in the second format; and (5) allowing the user to place a new order by selecting one of the most commonly prescribed orders.
US09916611B2 System and method for collecting and targeting visitor behavior
A system and method is disclosed for collecting website visitor activity for profiling visitor interests and dynamically modifying the content of the website to better match the visitor's profile. The visitor activity data is collected directly from the visitor's client browser or from the website's own web log information. The collected data consists of the page identifier, page links, and the previous page identifier. Similarly, the modified page content can be sent directly to the client browser or can be sent back to the website server for integration with the other page content. The collected data is stored in a database. Based on the amount of information collected on the visitor and the various items that are presented on the website, the visitors and items are profiled so that a visitor's response to other items can be predicted and recommended to the visitor. The recommendations can be requested and displayed directly by and to the client browser or the website server can make the request and subsequently display the matching content. The system has application in personalization, behavioral targeting, Internet retailing, social networking, affiliate marketing, and online advertising, to name but a few applications.
US09916610B2 Service implementation
The present invention provides a method of allowing a user to obtain a service using a processing system. The method utilizes components each of which corresponds to a respective service portion provided by a respective entity. The method includes causing the processing system to determine a combination of components defining a sequence of service portions, in accordance with input commands received from the user. The processing system then implements the components in accordance with the component combination, thereby causing the sequence of service portions to be performed, such that the desired service to be performed.
US09916609B1 Review-broadcasting mechanism integrating social networks and product information
A feedback module identifies one or more social network data entries received from the at least one social network provider that are related to a content item. The feedback module parses the identified one or more social network data entries to identify feedback related to the content item. The feedback module then generates a feedback result based on the feedback identified in the one or more social network data entries.
US09916604B2 Apparatus and method to bring offline data online while protecting consumer privacy
A method and system for bringing together online and offline advertising uses anonymous links that are associated with consumer data. The anonymous links allow processing without personally identifiable information (PII) in a secure environment. Data is matched using the anonymous links, and further using identifiers that are encrypted for use in connection with individual match distribution partners. The method and system allows a marketer to utilize offline data to precisely target advertisements without the use of PII, and to perform analytics concerning the use of the online advertisements to more precisely determine the effectiveness of multichannel marketing efforts.
US09916602B2 Batch image processing tool
A tool provides for the batch processing of assets that will be utilized across multiple ad sizes, allowing quickly and simultaneously reformatting assets into multiple standard online advertisement formats so as to save time and cost in generating an online advertising campaign. The tool may include high level commands to allow a user to simultaneously or individually adjust an asset for different renderings for an online advertising campaign. The tool may also allow a user to adjust multiple assets simultaneously for different renderings for an online advertising campaign.
US09916601B2 Marketplace for presenting advertisements in a scalable data broadcasting system
An ad-marketplace system manages an exchange for advertisement opportunities from a plurality of content brokers. Each advertising opportunity can include one or more attributes that describe advertisement slots during a broadcast of a data stream. The ad-marketplace system can receive one or more bids for an advertising opportunity associated with a media stream, and can select a matching bid from an advertiser for the advertising opportunity. Each bid can specify one or more advertising requirements that are to be satisfied by the advertising opportunity. When the ad-marketplace system selects the matching bid, the ad-marketplace system establishes a contract between the media broker, and places an initial payment from the advertiser in escrow. The ad-marketplace system can provide a payment to the media broker after confirming that a set of consumers have consumed the advertisement.
US09916599B2 Computer method and system for recommending content in a computer network
A computer method and system for ranking computer network portal users is provided. The system and method comprise a ranking module which determines rank of an individual in a community of global computer network users. The ranking module determines rank of an individual as a function of user demand. The function of user demand includes any one or combination of number of requests to be connected to the individual user, readership following of the individual user and keywords common between profiles or authored works by the individual user and those of other users. An output member is coupled to receive the determined rank from the ranking module and generates an ordered list of user names ordered by determined rank of individuals. The rank of individuals may be provided to external entities such as fraud detection systems or advertising targeting engines.
US09916595B2 Apparatus and methods for incentivized superdistribution of content
Apparatus and methods for providing an incentive-based system for the superdistribution of content, which include one or more communications devices transmitting one or more referral messages relating to the content. Further, the apparatus and methods include the communications devices ordering content from across the network based on the referral messages, where a reward is generated for one or more referring devices based on the one or more referral messages. Additionally, the application of privacy and authentication mechanisms protects the privacy and verifies the identities of the parties involved in the transaction.
US09916589B2 Advertisement selection using multivariate behavioral model
An advertising system identifies behaviors from user activity and associates the behaviors with a user profile. Advertisers provide the advertising system with information on conversion rates of users associated with user profiles. A behavioral model of user responses is built to identify the relative frequency of behaviors for increasing the response rate of ads. Incoming advertising requests are matched to modeled behaviors to determine an advertiser's interest in bidding on the ad placement.
US09916588B2 Methods and apparatus for quality assessment of a field service operation based on dynamic assessment parameters
Methods, apparatus and systems for computer-aided determination of quality assessment for locate and marking operations. In one example, information related to a locate and marking operation is electronically analyzed such that a quality assessment is made using assessment parameters that are dynamically selected based at least in part on first information describing at least some aspects of the locate and marking operation as performed by a field-service technician and second information relating to a description of the locate operation to be performed.
US09916587B2 Computerized system and method for creating a modified version of a digital ticker data feed by creating and inserting a digital content item into the digital ticker data feed
Systems and methods are disclosed for automatically adding advertisements into a ticker. The disclosure includes receiving a request for a ticker data feed and generating a modified ticker data feed from the original data feed. One or more advertisements are selected and inserted as data items into the modified ticker data feed. The modified ticker data feed is then transmitted to the requester. When rendered on the requestor's device, the modified ticker data feed displays the data items of the originally requested data feed along with the advertisements in a scrolling ticker.
US09916586B2 Client-side deposit packaging compliance
Apparatus and methods for client-side deposit packaging compliance are provided. Apparatus and methods may include deploying a uniform reporting format for clients, banks, armored couriers and vaults. The uniform reporting format may be a XML data feed. The XML data feed may provide for reporting of condition codes associated with a deposit. The condition codes may correspond to one or more attributes of a deposit packaged by a client. The condition codes may be submitted by the client. The condition codes may be verified when a deposit is processed by a vault. Illustrative condition codes may correspond to: armored courier ID, envelope status, counterfeit status. The XML data feed may utilize dynamic online, rule-based forms for clients, banks, armored couriers and vaults.
US09916585B2 Methods and systems for generating a transaction lifecycle output for a payment card transaction
Systems and methods for generating a transaction lifecycle output using a transaction lifecycle (TL) computer system are provided herein. The TL computer system includes a memory device for storing data and a processor in communication with the memory device. The processor is programmed to receive transaction data associated with a transaction being processed over a payment network. The transaction data includes authorization data, clearing data, and fraud data. The processor is also programmed to generate the transaction lifecycle output by processing the authorization data, the clearing data, and the fraud data. The transaction lifecycle output includes output data organized by pre-defined stages of the transaction.
US09916581B2 Back end of payment system associated with financial transactions using card readers coupled to mobile devices
A method of reconstructing a packet that includes financial card information from a mobile device uses a card reader. The card reader has a read head, a slot for swiping a magnetic stripe of a card and device electronics that includes a microcontroller with logic resources with code. The card reader has a unique identifier and associated cryptographic key. The same code is used to produce an encrypted and signed signal. The encrypted and signed signal, that includes the card reader identifier, is sent to the mobile device. The mobile device sends an encrypted and signed packet to a back end of a payment system. A cryptographic key is used to decrypt and verify the contents of the packet at the back end. Non-encrypted financial card information is sent to a payment gateway.
US09916580B2 Payment device with holographic security element
An object that enables electronic commerce is disclosed where the object has a holographic image on security contacts. The security contacts may be in communication with a security element that provides security features. The contacts may be placed in predetermined locations but may be extended to create a complementary identifiable image.
US09916579B1 Promotion redemption and payment gateway
Systems and related methods facilitating secure payments are discussed herein. Some embodiments may provide for a system including a payment gateway server, a tokenizer server and a detokenizer server. The payment gateway server may receive payment card data from a merchant device and provide the payment data the tokenizer server. The tokenizer server may be configured to generate one or more tokens based on the payment data and provide the one or more tokens to the payment gateway server. During payment processing, the payment gateway server may be configured to provide the one or more tokens to the detokenizer server configured to determine the payment data based on the one or more tokens to facilitate completion of a financial transaction. In some embodiments, the one or more tokens may be stored for subsequent payments. Furthermore, some embodiments may provide for secure promotion redemptions in addition or alternative to payments.
US09916578B2 Method and system for processing internet purchase transactions
A method for minimizing risk of a consumer performing a fraudulent Internet purchase transactions using a transaction card is disclosed herein, the method comprising receiving an enrollment verification request for a transaction from a merchant's website, transmitting the enrollment verification request to an access control server; receiving an enrollment verification response from the access control server, determining whether the transaction is risky based on at least a portion of the enrollment verification request, if the transaction is not risky, forwarding the enrollment verification response to the merchant website and, if the transaction is risky, modifying the enrollment verification response to denote the transaction is risky and forwarding the modified enrollment verification response to the merchant's website.
US09916577B1 Multi channel purchasing for interoperable mobile wallet
A computer-implemented system and method that includes receiving by a mobile wallet device a product code that identifies a product after a user of the mobile device has been authenticated into the mobile wallet device, determining by the mobile wallet device the identity of a merchant from a plurality of merchants based on at least a portion of the product code. The method includes sending the received product code to a merchant computer, receiving by the mobile wallet device a price, information regarding the product and merchant bank information. The method further includes transferring payment for the product to a merchant bank from an account held by the user.
US09916572B2 Payment card processing system
A method, programmed medium and system are provided for using a payment card with an embedded RFID device. In one example, a cellular telephone or other wireless device is used to generate a one-time password (OTP), which is then transmitted by a read-write RFID in the wireless device to the read-write RFID which is embedded within a payment card. The user's phone or other wireless device then activates the writing of the OTP to the RFID of the payment card. The payment card, with the one time password now saved in the card, is then handed to the waiter or store clerk for payment approval and/or further processing. The user's OTP is then read by the merchant's RFID reader and transmitted to an approving agency/server for approval or disapproval of the user's purchase.
US09916569B2 Shopping support computing device
A computing device includes an operation unit configured to receive a first user input about an item to be purchased, a display unit configured to display a name of the item and an interface based on which a user can make a second user input about the user's preference of the item through the operation unit, and a communication unit configured to transmit data corresponding to the first and second user inputs to an external device configured to store information about items for sale and information about user preferences of the items.
US09916567B1 Systems, methods and apparatus for payment terminal management
Systems, methods and apparatus are disclosed for remote management of payment terminals. Public keys, or other security elements can be received from a certification authority and distributed to the payment terminals. A merchant, or other entity affiliated with the payment terminals, can monitor the status of the software and security elements of the payment terminals.
US09916557B1 Systems and methods for item delivery and pick-up using social networks
Systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products are provided for delivery of items in connection with social networks. For example, in various embodiments, a customer can register with a carrier and identify participation is various social networks. The carriers may then use the social network contacts of the customer to facilitate improved delivery efficiency.
US09916547B2 Method for managing a manufacturing plant for the production of carbon fiber pieces
A method for managing a plurality of equipment pieces and operations within a factory for the manufacture of carbon fiber pieces, in order to increase production rate and reduce thereby manufacturing costs. In the method of the invention, collected production times are classified as added value production time or as wasted production time, and an efficiency parameter is calculated as a proportion between the sum of the added value production times, and a period of production time needed to complete said operation. Based on that efficiency parameter, causes for said wasted production times are identified and corrected. The invention provides a methodology for detecting and correcting causes which reduce production efficiency, in industries with low productivity cadence.
US09916546B2 Factory automation transactions
A system that facilitates direct communication of a transaction between an automation controller and a business system comprises a request analyzer that receives a request for data relating to the automation controller and locates a transaction definition within the automation controller based upon the request. A subscribing component subscribes the business system to the automation controller based at least in part upon the located transaction definition.
US09916544B2 Information providing apparatus for providing reservation information with reduced response delay, information providing method, information providing program, and recording medium
An information providing apparatus caches, based on a number of reservation remains which is periodically acquired from a management apparatus managing numbers of reservation remains of services, a number of remains of a reservation target in a cache means for each reservation target identified by a combination of a service and a time of providing the service; estimates, for each of a plurality of reservation targets corresponding to a request of a user, a probability that information related to a reservation target is browsed by the user; acquires the number of remains of a reservation target where the probability is greater than or equal to a threshold value from the management apparatus and acquires the number of remains of a reservation target where the probability is smaller than the threshold value from the cache means; and provides a state of remains of each of the plurality of reservation targets, the state of remains corresponding to the number of remains.
US09916542B2 Domain adaptation by multi-noising stacked marginalized denoising encoders
A machine learning method operates on training instances from a plurality of domains including one or more source domains and a target domain. Each training instance is represented by values for a set of features. Domain adaptation is performed using stacked marginalized denoising autoencoding (mSDA) operating on the training instances to generate a stack of domain adaptation transform layers. Each iteration of the domain adaptation includes corrupting the training instances in accord with feature corruption probabilities that are non-uniform over at least one of the set of features and the domains. A classifier is learned on the training instances transformed using the stack of domain adaptation transform layers. Thereafter, a label prediction is generated for an input instance from the target domain represented by values for the set of features by applying the classifier to the input instance transformed using the stack of domain adaptation transform domains.
US09916540B2 Scalable-effort classifiers for energy-efficient machine learning
Scalable-effort machine learning may automatically and dynamically adjust the amount of computational effort applied to input data based on the complexity of the input data. This is in contrast to fixed-effort machine learning, which uses a one-size-fits-all approach to applying a single classifier algorithm to both simple data and complex data. Scalable-effort machine learning involves, among other things, classifiers that may be arranged as a series of multiple classifier stages having increasing complexity (and accuracy). A first classifier stage may involve relatively simple machine learning models able to classify data that is relatively simple. Subsequent classifier stages have increasingly complex machine learning models and are able to classify more complex data. Scalable-effort machine learning includes algorithms that can differentiate among data based on complexity of the data.
US09916537B2 Smart office desk interactive with the user
A smart office desk interactive with the user, defined on the basis of an individual work desk (M) and various hardware and software elements applied to it and whose main hardware components comprise a working desktop divided into two zones, one which can be raised at an angle, motor-driven legs which raise and lower the desktop, a footrest tray and a series of sensors integrated into the desktop structure and in the legs.The smart office desk learns from the user by machine learning algorithms, and proposes physical actions in accordance with what has been learned. The table collects information from the user concerning their postures and working habits, using various physical sensors, and by their interactions with the software application displayed onscreen.It is thus a table controlled by a computer system which receives data on the user and the working environment as inputs. The system's outputs take the form of recommendations made to the user, automatic implementation of actions on them, and statistics the user can consult about their daily work.
US09916534B2 Enhancement of massive data ingestion by similarity linkage of documents
A method for ingesting a plurality of content according to a statistical similarity of at least one portion of the ingested plurality of content into an information handling system capable of answering questions, whereby the ingested plurality of content is based on a received topic and ingesting the plurality of content comprises ingesting a plurality of documents associated with the received topic is provided. The method may include determining at least one similarity between each document based on a similarity criteria. The method may also include applying a statistical model to characterize the determined at least one similarity between each document. The method may further include creating at least one pair-wise link for each document. The method may additionally include mapping the created at least one pair-wise link. The method may include generating a plurality of rules for ingesting a plurality of additional content.
US09916530B2 Neuromorphic circuit model simulation that facilitates information routing and processing
The disclosed embodiments relate to a system that selectively propagates information through a neuromorphic circuit comprising a set of interconnected neurons. During operation, a neuron in the set of neurons receives information-carrying current pulses from one or more upstream information-carrying neurons, wherein the information-carrying current pulses are insufficient to cause the neuron to generate output current pulses. The neuron also receives selectively generated gating current pulses from one or more gating neurons, wherein the gating current pulses cause a neural voltage of the neuron to approach a firing threshold. In this way, concurrently received information-carrying current pulses combine with the gating current pulses to cause the neural voltage to exceed the firing threshold, which causes the neuron to generate output current pulses that propagate to downstream neurons.
US09916525B2 Learning-based framework for personalized image quality evaluation and optimization
A computer-implemented method for providing image quality optimization individualized for a user includes a computer receiving raw image data acquired from an image scanner and identifying one or more raw image quality features based on the raw image data. The computer automatically determines one or more target image quality features by applying one or more user preferences to the one or more raw image quality features. The computer also automatically determines one or more processing parameters based on the one or more target image quality features. The computer may then process the raw image data using the one or more processing parameters to yield an image.
US09916521B2 Depth normalization transformation of pixels
A feature point is extracted from an input image including an image region for which depth values of pixels change consecutively. A transformation that normalizes depth values of pixels of a vicinity of the feature point with respect to a region of at least a portion of the input image is set as a normalization transformation, and an image for a feature amount calculation is generated by performing the normalization transformation on a pixel position of the feature point. A feature amount is calculated from the image for the feature amount calculation.
US09916519B2 Intuitive computing methods and systems
In one particular aspect, a portable computing device (e.g., a tablet or smartphone) senses audio and/or image content from a user's environment, and initiates one or more recognition agents (e.g., performing image watermark recognition, image recognition, object recognition, facial recognition, barcode recognition, optical character recognition, audio watermark recognition, speech recognition, speaker recognition, or music recognition). Resource allocation to a recognition agent can be varied based on (a) progress of the recognition agent to achieve its recognition goal, and (b) user interest data indicating user interest in the output of the recognition agent. A second candidate recognition agent can be evaluated for possible launch, based on a relevance score, and a cost score. In some embodiments, the device adapts its operation to changing context, by terminating a first recognition agent in favor of a second recognition agent, without express user instruction to do so. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed.
US09916514B2 Text recognition driven functionality
Various approaches for providing textual information to an application, system, or service are disclosed. In particular, various embodiments enable a user to capture an image with a camera of a portable computing device. The computing device is capable of taking the image and processing it to recognize, identify, and/or isolate the text in order to forward the text to an application or function. The application or function can then utilize the text to perform an action in substantially real-time. The text may include an email, phone number, URL, an address, and the like and the application or function may be dialing the phone number, navigating to the URL, opening an address book to save contact information, displaying a map to show the address, and so on.
US09916513B2 Method for processing image and computer-readable non-transitory recording medium storing program
A method for processing an image includes calculating a vanishing point located at a same position in a plurality of images that are temporally successive, receiving specification of a target object whose privacy is to be protected in at least one of the plurality of images, calculating a target location area, which includes the vanishing point and in which the target object is located in each of the plurality of images, on the basis of the specification of the target object in the at least one of the plurality of images received in the receiving and the vanishing point calculated in the calculating the vanishing point, and performing image processing for protecting privacy in an area in each of the plurality of images located at a same position as the target location area calculated in the calculating the target location area.
US09916512B2 Information processing apparatus, processing system, object moving system, and object moving method
A moving method for moving a plurality of objects by repeating a process of capturing an image of objects, recognizing a position of an object using the image acquired by image capturing, and moving the recognized object includes acquiring an image of a plurality of objects randomly placed in a first state in each of a first space and a second space partitioned from each other, setting a first partial area corresponding to the first space and a second partial area corresponding to the second space in an entire area of the image in the first state, recognizing a position of a first object in the first partial area and a position of a second object in the second partial area using the image in the first state, and moving the recognized first and second objects using a robot.
US09916511B2 Systems and methods for authentication based on human teeth pattern
An automated system and method to authenticate one or more users based on capturing one or more images of a set of teeth, obtaining a selected image from the one or more captured images and extracting a portion of the selected image to obtain an extracted image. Each extracted image is converted into a grayscale image and stored in a database along with the username and the user keyword of the one or more users. A unique signature matrix and a pattern vector is generated by processing the grayscale image and stored in the database along with the username. One or more images comprising a set of teeth of at least one user is captured and a unique signature matrix obtained from the same is compared with a set of unique signature matrices previously stored in the database and at least one action is triggered based on the comparison.
US09916509B2 Systems and methods for curb detection and pedestrian hazard assessment
A detection system for a vehicle is provided. The detection system may include at least one image capture device configured to acquire a plurality of images of an area forward of the vehicle, the area including a curb separating a road surface from an off-road surface and a data interface. The detection system may also include at least one processing device programmed to receive the plurality of images via the data interface, and determine a plurality of curb edge line candidates in the plurality of images. The at least one processing device may be further programmed to identify at least one edge line candidate as an edge line of the curb.
US09916503B2 Detecting user viewing difficulty from facial parameters
A method to determine whether a user is experiencing difficulty visually resolving content is disclosed. The method includes capturing one or more images of the user while the user is viewing the content. The method also includes obtaining facial parameters related to a visual acuity of the user from the captured one or more images. The method further includes determining whether the user is experiencing difficulty visually resolving the content based on the obtained one or more facial parameters. The method is implemented in a device such as a smartphone, tablet computer, or television. The facial parameters include information about the extent to which the user has their eyes open or closed, whether the user is wearing glasses, and the distance at which the user is viewing the content.
US09916502B2 Handling glare in eye tracking
Embodiments are disclosed for eye tracking systems and methods. An example eye tracking system comprises a plurality of light sources and a camera configured to capture an image of light from the light sources as reflected from an eye. The eye tracking system further comprises a logic device and a storage device storing instructions executable by the logic device to acquire frames of eye tracking data by iteratively projecting light from different combinations of light sources of the plurality of light sources and capturing an image of the eye during projection of each combination. The instructions may be further executable to select a selected combination of light sources for eye tracking based on a determination of occlusion detected in the image arising from a transparent or semi-transparent optical structure positioned between the eye and the camera and project light via the selected combination of light sources for eye tracking.
US09916490B2 Fingerprint sensors and electronic devices having the same
A fingerprint sensor includes a pixel array, an offset cancellation circuit, a correlated double sampling and integration circuit, a sample and hold circuit, and an analog-to-digital converter. The pixel array includes unit pixels arranged in rows and columns, each of which generates an analog signal by detecting a fingerprint of a user. The offset cancellation circuit receives the analog signal from the unit pixels through a plurality of column lines, and outputs one of the analog signal and an offset cancellation signal as an integration signal based on an offset control signal. The correlated double sampling and integration circuit accumulatively performs a correlated double sampling operation and an integration operation on the integration signal to generate an accumulation signal. The sample and hold circuit samples the accumulation signal based on a hold signal to generate a sampling signal. The analog-to-digital converter converts the sampling signal to a digital signal.
US09916489B2 Multi-frame super-resolution barcode imager
A system and method for reading a machine readable code associated with an object moving relative to an imaging device may include capturing a first image of the machine readable code at a first resolution. A second image of the machine-readable code with a non-integer pixel shift in alignment at the first resolution may be captured. An interleaved image may be formed from the first and second images. An image of the machine-readable code may be generated at a second resolution using the interleaved image, where the second resolution is higher than the first resolution.
US09916483B1 Tag-handle-based authentication of RFID readers
An RFID tag may execute instructions from an authenticated RFID reader. A tag determines a handle and a first parameter, both of which may be random numbers, and sends the handle to a reader. Upon receiving a challenge from the reader, the tag determines and sends a cryptographic response to the challenge based on an algorithm, a tag key, the first parameter, and the challenge. Upon receiving a message with a second parameter and a tag instruction, the tag executes the tag instruction upon verifying that the second parameter derives from the first parameter and the tag handle.
US09916481B2 Systems and methods for mitigating the unauthorized use of a device
The invention is directed to systems and methods for detecting the loss, theft or unauthorized use of a device and/or altering the functionality of the device in response. In one embodiment, a method includes detecting that a security compromise event has occurred for a mobile device. The method also includes altering a function of the mobile device in response to the security compromise event to mitigate loss of control by an authorized user. Altering the function of the mobile device includes denying access to data stored on the mobile device.
US09916480B2 Security apparatus to house a device
According to an example, a security apparatus to house a device may include a chassis, a front stop having a front stop wall and a front stop opening, a rear stop having a rear stop wall and a rear stop opening, a front cover to be positioned in front of the front stop having a front cover opening, in which the front stop wall blocks direct line of sight into the front opening of the chassis through the front cover opening when the front cover is positioned in front of the front stop, and a rear cover to be positioned behind the rear stop having a rear cover opening, in which the rear cover blocks direct line of sight into the rear opening of the chassis through the rear cover opening when the rear cover is positioned behind the rear stop wall.
US09916479B2 USB dock system and method for securely connecting a USB device to a computing network
A Universal Serial Bus (USB) dock for connecting a USB data storage device to a computing network. The USB dock includes a chassis for coupling the USB dock to the computing network, at least one panel coupled to the chassis, and at least one USB port coupled to at least one of the panels. The USB port indicates when a USB data storage device is connected to the USB port. The USB dock includes an operating system for booting the USB dock, for creating a table associated with the connected USB data storage device and for initiating an antivirus scan of the connected USB data storage device. If the antivirus scan detects a virus on the connected USB data storage device, an option of removing the virus from the connected USB data storage device is provided. If the detected virus is not removed from the connected USB data storage device, the USB port to which the USB data storage device is connected is disabled, thereby preventing the virus from entering the computing network. If the detected virus is removed from the connected USB data storage device, the operating system generates a token associated with the USB port to which the USB data storage device is connected. The token allows for enablement of the USB port to which the USB data storage device is connected. When the token expires, the USB port to which the USB data storage device is connected is disabled, thereby preventing enablement of the USB port to which the USB data storage device is connected.
US09916476B2 Maintaining cryptoprocessor types in a multinode environment
Maintaining cryptoprocessor types in a multinode system includes receiving a selection of a cryptoprocessor type; identifying, within a multinode system, a node having a cryptoprocessor of the selected cryptoprocessor type; and designating the node having the cryptoprocessor of the selected cryptoprocessor type as a primary node for the multimode system.
US09916474B2 Wellness registry
The present disclosure relates to receiving and sharing wellness data. The wellness data can be received by a user device from any number of sensors external or internal to the user device, from a user manually entering the wellness data, or from other users or entities. The user device can securely store the wellness data on the user device and transmit the wellness data to be stored on a remote database. A user of the device can share some or all of the wellness data with research entities conducting research studies, friends, relatives, caregivers, healthcare providers, or the like.
US09916471B2 Data security for a database in a multi-nodal environment
A security mechanism in a database management system enforces processing restrictions stored as metadata to control how different pieces of a multi-nodal application are allowed to access database data to provide data security. The security mechanism preferably checks the data security restrictions for security violations when an execution unit attempts to access the data to insure the nodal conditions are appropriate for access. When the security mechanism determines there is a security violation by a query from an execution unit based on the security restrictions, the security mechanism may send, delay or retry to maintain data security. Nodal conditions herein include time restrictions and relationships with other columns, rows or pieces of information. For example, multiple processing units may execute together, but the security mechanism would prohibit these processing units to access specific pieces of information at the same time through the use of metadata in the database.
US09916468B2 System and method for detecting fraud and misuse of protected data by an authorized user using event logs
A system and method are provided for detecting fraud and/or misuse of data in a computer environment through generating a rule for monitoring at least one of transactions and activities that are associated with the data. The rule can be generated based on one or more criteria related to the at least one of the transactions and the activities that is indicative of fraud or misuse of the data. The rule can be applied to the at least one of the transactions and the activities to determine if an event has occurred, where the event occurs if the at least one criteria has been met. A hit is stored if the event has occurred and a notification can be provided if the event has occurred. A compilation of hits related to the rule can be provided.
US09916465B1 Systems and methods for automatic and customizable data minimization of electronic data stores
A dynamic data minimization server implements minimization protocols to entity-specific information based on access rights (e.g., privacy rights) of a requesting entity. The minimization may be applied on the fly (e.g., as the entity-specific information is requested) and the level, type, protocol, etc., of encryption (or other minimization process) may be selected based on a particular type of a data item. The dynamic data minimization server may determine and apply transformation functions, such as encryption, to items of protected information, transforming those items of protected information into items of minimized information. If a requesting entity has appropriate rights, the dynamic data minimization server may selectively apply a reverse transformation function, such as decryption, to recover the original information. The systems and methods include generation and presentation of user interfaces for presenting minimized information and processing requests to de-minimize information, and may be used to provide minimization services to pre-existing data stores.
US09916464B2 Replacement text for textual content to be printed
Examples disclosed herein relate to replacement text for textual content to be printed. Examples include a covert version of a document including textual content to be printed, the covert version including replacement text having, for each character of a plurality of first characters of the textual content, a corresponding second character having a different semantic meaning than the first character. The covert version also includes an encrypted representation of the textual content.
US09916463B2 Camouflaged communication device
A transmission system is used in a method of transmitting a camouflaged transmission of signals by generating an underlying transmission comprising a plasma transmission discharge constituting background noise having a first amplitude and generating an embedded transmission of signals within the underlying transmission.
US09916460B2 Secure database backup and recovery
As disclosed herein a computer system for secure database backup and recovery in a secure database network has N distributed data nodes. The computer system includes program instructions that include instructions to receive a database backup file, fragment the file using a fragment engine, and associate each fragment with one node, where the fragment is not stored on the associated node. The program instructions further include instructions to encrypt each fragment using a first encryption key, and store, randomly, encrypted fragments on the distributed data nodes. The program instructions further include instructions to retrieve the encrypted fragments, decrypt the encrypted fragments using the first encryption key, re-encrypt the decrypted fragments using a different encryption key, and store, randomly, the re-encrypted fragments on the distributed data nodes. A computer program product and method corresponding to the above computer system are also disclosed herein.
US09916456B2 Systems and methods for securing and restoring virtual machines
Systems and methods are provided for securing a virtual machine by causing a plurality of shares of virtual machine files to be separately stored in response to a stop command. Systems and methods are also provided for restoring a data set with a cryptographic restoration application in response to a series of user inputs received when no visual indicator of the cryptographic restoration algorithm is displayed, and for restoring a data set with data shares received from another computer device in response to detecting a communication link with the device.
US09916453B2 Derived keys for execution environments in a boot chain
Methods, apparatus, and computer program products for generating a derivative key for an execution environment (EE) are described. An example of a method includes obtaining a device key by a key derivation circuit, obtaining a context string by the key derivation circuit from a one-time writable bit register (OWBR), generating the derivative key for a current EE by the key derivation circuit based on the device key and on the context string from the OWBR.
US09916452B2 Self-contained cryptographic boot policy validation
A device-local key derivation scheme generates, during a first boot session for an electronic device, a sealing key that is derived at least in part from a device-generated random seed and an internal secret that is unique to the electronic device. After generating the sealing key, access to the internal secret is disabled for a remainder of the first boot session and until a second boot session is initiated. At runtime, the sealing key is used to sign a module manifest that describes the software that is authorized to access the sealing key, and the module manifest containing the sealing key is persisted in non-volatile memory of the electronic device. The module manifest can be used to validate software during a subsequent boot session and to authorize software updates on the electronic device without relying on an external entity or external information to protect on-device secrets.
US09916449B2 Identification of backdoors and backdoor triggers
Disclosed are devices, systems, apparatus, methods, products, media, and other implementations, including a method that includes computing for one or more inputs of a circuit associated metrics representative of degree of influence that values of each of the one or more inputs have on at least one output dependent on the one or more inputs, and determining based, at least in part, on the computed metrics associated with the one or more inputs of a more inputs whether the at least one output dependent on the one or more inputs is part of a potentially malicious implementation.
US09916445B2 Attack detection device, attack detection method, and non-transitory computer readable recording medium recorded with attack detection program
For a plurality of events, event stage information is stored which describes an event observed by an information system when an attack against the information system is underway, a pre-event stage, and a post-event stage. Observed event notice information is received which notifies an observed event observed by the information system. Event stage information is searched for which describes the observed event notified by the observed event notice information. Event stage information is searched for which describes a post-event stage coinciding with a pre-event stage of the event stage information searched for, or a pre-event stage coinciding with a post-event stage of the event stage information searched for. If an event of the event stage information searched for is an observation non-available event that cannot be observed, an event sequence is created by treating the observation non-available event as having been observed and connecting the observed event and the observation non-available event to each other with a dependency.
US09916441B2 Mobile device and monitoring method adaptable to mobile device
A mobile device includes a memory and a processor. The memory is configured to store a plurality of commands; the processor is configured to receive the commands and execute the following steps: receiving a function call and datum of a mobile application; determining if the received function call is a call to an predetermined application programming interface; determining if the received datum is labeled datum; and processing the received function call with a predetermined monitoring procedure when the received function call is the call to the predetermined application programming interface and the received datum is the labeled datum.
US09916440B1 Detection efficacy of virtual machine-based analysis with application specific events
A computerized system and method is described for classifying objects as malicious by processing the objects in a virtual environment and monitoring behaviors during processing by one or more monitors, where the monitoring is conducted in an electronic device that is different than the electronic device within which an analysis of attributes of the objects is conducted beforehand. The monitors may monitor and record selected sets of process operations and capture associated process parameters, which describe the context in which the process operations were performed. By recording the context of process operations, the system and method described herein improves the intelligence of classifications and consequently reduces the likelihood of incorrectly identifying objects as malware or vice versa.
US09916439B2 Securing a computing environment against malicious entities
The subject disclosure is directed towards securing network data traffic through a trusted partition of the computing environment. A proxy service may communicate transaction data from a client to security-critical code within the trusted partition, which compares the transaction data to a security policy from a commercial electronic entity. If the transaction data includes malicious content, a security component framework of the trusted partition may reject the transaction data and terminate communications with the client. If the transaction data does not include malicious content, the security component framework may communicate a secured version of the transaction data and retrieve response data from the commercial electronic entity, which may be further communicated back to the client.
US09916436B2 Intelligent accessories for medical devices
An accessory for a host medical device that is capable of authenticating itself to the host medical device. The accessory includes an onboard facility for authenticating the accessory to the host medical device. Various embodiments of the accessory enable it to validate itself to the host medical device without the host medical device reading any stored information from the accessory.
US09916432B2 Storing and retrieving cryptographic keys from biometric data
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided securing information. In some example embodiments, there is provided a method, which may include receiving, at a user equipment, biometric data from a user of the user equipment; receiving, at the user equipment, sensitive data to be encoded and/or decoded; encoding, based on at least one feature detected in the biometric data, the sensitive data, when the user equipment is in a storage mode; and decoding, based on at least the at least one feature detected in the biometric data, the sensitive data, when the user equipment is in a read mode. Related apparatus, systems, methods, and articles are also described.
US09916420B2 Physician and clinical documentation specialist workflow integration
A medical documentation system and a CDI system may be linked together, or integrated, so there is a tie between the two systems that allows for a much more efficient and effective CDI process. In one disclosed embodiment, a CDI system receives from a medical documentation system a structured data set including at least some information relating to one or more medical facts the medical documentation system automatically extracted from text documenting a patient encounter.
US09916419B2 Processing electronic documents
A method and a system for processing electronic documents are provided. The method includes displaying a first image. The first image includes one or more portions. The one or more portions are associated with metadata. A first portion of the one or more portions of the first image is selected. Upon selection of the first portion, at least one subsequent image is displayed based on a first selection. The subsequent images also include one or more portions associated with metadata. One or more subsequent portions of the at least one subsequent image is selected. Upon selecting the portions of the first image and the subsequent image, one or more electronic documents corresponding to the selections are retrieved.
US09916418B2 Uploading measurement data of non-connected medical measuring devices
Embodiments are directed to detecting and uploading measurement data of a non-connected medical measuring device. Embodiments include capturing an image of an identification object and a beginning event image of a medical measuring device and extracting identification data from the image of the identification object. Based on detecting that the identification object has been removed, an ending event image of the medical measuring device is captured. Embodiments include determining if a measurement event has occurred by comparing the ending event image and the beginning event image. Based on determining that the measurement event occurred, a measurement data of the ending event image is extracted and upload to a personal health record database.
US09916416B2 System and method for genotyping using informed error profiles
A system and method for genotyping tandem repeats in sequencing data. The invention uses Bayesian model selection guided by an empirically-derived error model that incorporates properties of sequence reads and reference sequences to which they map.
US09916408B2 Circuit design generator
Systems and methods for designing reconfigurable integrated circuits receive target data and training data; and generate a circuit design for implementing the target data which is over-provisioned with respect to the target data according to the training data.
US09916407B2 Phase algebra for analysis of hierarchical designs
A design tool can implement phase algebra based design evaluation to evaluate a circuit design with a compact representation of waveforms without simulating the individual waveforms. The tool can determine whether module instances of a register level circuit design share a common usage, each instance being associated with a mapping. Two instances share a common usage if a sequence of signal transition representations received by the first instance can be mapped using a first mapping to the same common sequence of signal transition representations as a mapping of another sequence of signal transition representations received by the second instance using a second mapping. A result sequence of signal transition representations was generated by a previous propagation of the common sequence through the common usage. If the two instances share the common usage, the result sequence is mapped to an output sequence for the second instance using the second mapping.
US09916406B2 Cross-current power modelling using logic simulation
A processor may receive a transistor level integrated circuit (IC) design to be modelled. The processor may determine that the transistor level IC design has a first stage and a second stage. The processor may determine a first cross-current effective capacitance of the first stage and a second cross-current effective capacitance of the second stage. The processor may then determine a cross-current effective capacitance for the transistor level IC design by accumulating the first and second cross-current effective capacitances.
US09916401B2 Creation of cut files for personalized package design using multiple substrates
A package design system creates one or more package design files by creating cut line instructions and fold line instructions. If the system determines that the package should be split across two or more substrates, it will select a fold line and convert the selected fold line to a seam. Conversion to a seam may occur by creating cut line instructions for the selected fold line, imparting a first set of functional elements on a first side of the seam, and imparting a second set of functional elements on a second side of the seam. The first set of functional elements and the second set of functional elements will form a functional connection when the three-dimensional structure is formed.
US09916400B1 User defined object pusher for multi-user CAx environment
A system for collaborating on a component according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a computing device configured to execute a first multi-user CAx environment including a data module and an import module. The data module is configured to access a database relating to a component design. The component design relates to a group of function-based commands. The import module is configured to cause a user defined object to be imported into the first multi-user CAx environment in response to the user defined object being located based on an identifier. The user defined object relates to the component design.
US09916398B2 Laser scan re-engineering of 3D CAD models
A 3D CAD model of a plant, a factory, refinery, or facility is re-built from laser scan data of the plant, a factory, refinery, or facility. Through a rules-based analysis, CAD model objects are identified in the laser scan data. The rules map laser scan data to CAD model objects based on shape, size and/or sequence of connection of objects in the plant, a factory, refinery, or facility grouping. Design logic of equipment and process facilities are also utilized by the rules.
US09916395B2 Determining answer stability in a question answering system
An approach is provided to determine answer stability in a question answering (QA) system. In the approach, a question submitted to a question answering (QA) system is selected and data pertaining to a candidate answers generated by the QA system are analyzed. The analysis of the data results in a stability characteristic that pertains to the candidate answers. A confidence value associated with the candidate answers is adjusted based on the respective answer's stability characteristic. One or more of the candidate answers are provided to a requestor based on the adjusted confidence values.
US09916393B2 Fast component enumeration in graphs with implicit edges
A method and system for graphical enumeration. The method includes creating an ordered set of vertices for a graph such that each vertex is associated with a corresponding index, and wherein each vertex in the ordered set of vertices includes information. A plurality of keys is created for defining the information. A plurality of lists of vertices is created, each of which is associated with a corresponding key such that vertices in a corresponding list include information associated with the corresponding key. For a first list of vertices, a least valued index is determined from a group of associated vertices based on vertices in the first list and vertices pointed to by the vertices in the first list. Also, all associated vertices are pointed to a root vertex associated with the least valued index.
US09916388B2 Simplified website creation, configuration, and customization system
A system and method for creating a web page or web site including dynamically-generating content, such as a forum, using a framing layout and a series of modules arrangeable within. An interface allows the selection and placement of modules of various types in a simulation of a web page, and configuration data for each module may be set. A layout, or plurality of possible layouts, defines sections into which the modules may be placed. Pages may be organized in a hierarchy such that features of a template page are applied to any page underneath it in the hierarchy. The interface or other component of the system may further allow for the development of additional modules and layouts to be added to the available selection.
US09916387B2 Systems and methods for generating search results using application-specific rule sets
A search system includes a storage system that stores a plurality of sets of application-specific rules. Each of the sets is associated with a respective application and defines a template for generating function identifiers that identify functions of the respective application. A search module receives a search query prepared by a remote device, identifies at least one entity type indicated by the search query, and retrieves a first set of application-specific rules corresponding to the identified entity type. The search module generates at least one unparameterized function identifier using the retrieved first set of application-specific rules and the search query and parameterizes the at least one unparameterized function identifier using the search query. Parameterizing the at least one unparameterized function identifier includes populating at least one parameter field with a parameter value. The search module generates search results based on the parameterized function identifier.
US09916384B2 Related entities
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for receiving a first search query from a user device; receiving search results for the first search query provided by a search engine, wherein each of the search results identifies a respective resource; determining from the search results that the first search query relates to a first entity of a first entity type; determining that one or more entities of a second entity type have a predetermined relationship with the first entity; and transmitting information identifying the one or more entities of the second type to the user device as part of a response to the first search query.
US09916383B1 Systems and methods for document analytics
A system and method dynamically analyzes documents to determine the relevancy of a document relatively quickly and efficiently. Potentially relevant documents can be determined using a search string and then converted into corresponding document data structures for analysis. Keywords can be used to identify documents of interest from the document data structures. Tools are provided to assess the relevancy of documents, including tools to determine the frequency of keywords in the documents, to compare documents, and to contrast documents. Algorithms are provided that use prior searches to determine sets of relevant documents. Adaptive search methods are provided that refine searching during analysis to reduce a number of documents that are not sufficiently relevant. A dynamic relevancy matrix can be generated that provides access to keyword frequency and associated keyword frequency for a plurality of documents.
US09916382B1 Systems and methods for linking content items
Provided are systems and methods for determining a first subject of a first content item corresponding to a first storyline, determining a second subject of a second content item corresponding to a second storyline, determining first data associated with the first subject, determining second data associated with the second subject, comparing at least a portion of the first data to at least a portion of the second data, determining that the first subject is related to the second subject, and associating the first content item with the second content item.
US09916366B1 Query augmentation
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for generating or using augmentation queries. In one aspect, a first query stored in a query log is identified and a quality signal related to the performance of the first query is compared to a performance threshold. The first query is stored in an augmentation query data store if the quality signal indicates that the first query exceeds a performance threshold.
US09916358B2 Sample data extraction
A method for obtaining sample data includes associating data extracted from an incoming query with a key corresponding to an index table file, downloading data based on a filename, offset, and data range obtained from a table entry corresponding to the key, inserting the downloaded data to an inner join between a query table and a big data table, and obtaining data corresponding to a sample from the inner join.
US09916350B2 Automated creation of join graphs for unrelated data sets among relational databases
A computer system processes a plurality of unrelated database tables to create a join graph where each node in the join graph represents a table. The nodes in the join graph are connected by weighted, directed edges, where each directed edge represents a join from a first column in a first table to a second column in a second table and where the weight of the directed edge represents a predicted level of success in performing the join. The edge weights can be based on a likelihood of finding a value from the first column in the second column. A user selects a subset of the tables, and the system creates a join tree with recommended joins between the tables selected by the user. The recommended joins are used to create a structured query language statement which is executed to return a result to the user.
US09916348B1 Answer facts from structured content
In one aspect, a method includes receiving a query determined to be a question query that seeks an answer response and data identifying resources determined to be responsive to the query; identifying structured content set in a top-ranked subset of the resources, each structured content set being content arranged according to related attributes in one of the resources; for each identified structured content set, determining whether the query matches the structured content set based on terms of the query matching related attributes of the structured content set; selecting one of the structured content sets for which the query is determined to match; generating, from the selected structured content set, a structured fact set from the related attributes that matched the terms of the query; and providing the structured fact set with search results that identify the resources determined to be responsive to the query.
US09916341B2 Partition level operation with concurrent activities
Techniques of implementing partition level operations with concurrent activities are disclosed. A first operation can be performed on a first partition of a table of data. The first partition can be one of a plurality of partitions of the table, where each partition has a plurality of rows. A first partition level lock can be applied to the first partition for a period in which the first operation is being performed on the first partition, thereby preventing any operation other than the first operation from being performed on the first partition during the period the first partition level lock is being applied to the first partition. A second operation can be performed on a second partition of the table at a point in time during which the first operation is being performed on the first partition.
US09916340B2 Managing data records
Data records may be managed in a relational database by monitoring, a record length for a first data record in a page of memory, an amount of free space in the page, and a page length. In response to receiving an operator command to replace the first data record with a second data record, a database management system may determine whether an estimated record length of a compressed second data record is outside of the amount of free space in the page. In response to determining the estimated record length of a compressed second data record is outside of the amount of free space in the page, the database management system may determine whether an estimated length of a compressed page is outside of the page length. In response to determining the estimated length of a compressed page is within the page length, the page may be compressed.
US09916339B2 Efficient sorting in a relational database
The present invention relates to a method, computer program product and system to compute one sorted list of enumeration values in a specific language, read from at least one relational database including at least one data table storing enumeration programming variable values and at least one catalog table storing an expression, in at least one language, of the enumeration programming variable values, said method comprising the steps of receiving a request for providing enumeration variable values including one list sorted in a specific order, of the values of a specific enumeration, in a specific language; then, all the expressions of the enumeration values for the specific language for the specific enumeration read in a corresponding catalog table are sorted in the specific order; if the sorted list of the specific enumeration expression values matches a list of the specific enumeration variable values sorted in the specific order in the same catalog table, the sorted list of enumeration values in a specific language is created from this ordered catalog table; if in the preceding step the match was not found, if the sorted list of the specific enumeration expressions values matches a list of the specific enumeration variable values sorted in the reverse order from the specific order in the same catalog table, the sorted list of enumeration values in a specific language is created from the sorted catalog table; if in any of the two preceding steps, the match was not found, a new table joined table is built from data and catalog table in the standard way.
US09916337B2 Identifying unvisited portions of visited information
Identifying unvisited portions of visited information to visit includes receiving information to crawl, wherein the information is representative of one of web based information and non-web based information, computing a locality sensitive hash (LSH) value for the received information, and identifying a most similar information visited thus far. Identifying unvisited portions of visited information further includes determining whether the LSH of the received information is equivalent to most similar information visited thus far and, responsive to a determination that the LSH of the received information is not equivalent to most similar information visited thus far, identifying a visited portion of the received information using information for most similar information visited thus far and crawling only unvisited portions of the received information.
US09916334B2 Ensuring data maintenance within a LDAP environment
An approach for tracking system changes to support data maintenance within a directory service environment. Log fields are added to a directory service database for applications that interface with a directory service environment based on predetermined fields to be tracked. The log fields are updated to register database schema fields and data associated with the applications to create a history of changes. An application's identity and data access to the directory service environment are monitored and the log fields are updated to create a history of usage. The directory service database history of usage and changes are periodically analyzed to determine applications relationship dependencies and usage information. Associated maintenance actions are identified by detecting conditions in the directory service environment, based on predetermined maintenance criteria and maintenance is performed.
US09916329B2 Selecting images associated with content received from a social networking system user
A composer interface allows a user to provide input, such as text data, to the social networking system. One or more images may be presented to the user via the composer interface, allowing the user to select one or more images to associate with the input. The images presented to the user may be selected based on associations of images with similar input by social networking system users. For example, images that a threshold number of users have associated with similar input are presented via the composer interface. If the user selects an image to associate with the input, the social networking system presents the selected image along with the received input in a content item presented to other social networking system users.
US09916323B2 Support for worm cartridges realized by linear tape file system (LTFS)
When a WORM cartridge is formatted for Tape File System (LTFS) in advance, such as prior to shipment, Linear Tape File System Library Edition (LTFS LE) is expanded by software to reduce consumption of the index partition and to support elimination of the appending of unnecessary data. More specifically, instead of recording metadata in the index partition during normal unmounting, the metadata is recorded in separate local storage such as on hard disk drive (HDD), and the index partition is updated only when the cartridge is ejected from the library. In this way, the present invention is able to significantly reduce the frequency of index partition updates. Because an update occurs only when the user intentionally ejects a cartridge, overflow of the index partition before overflow of the data partition can be prevented.
US09916321B2 Methods and apparatus for controlling snapshot exports
Methods, apparatus, and computer-accessible storage media for controlling export of snapshots to external networks in service provider environments. Methods are described that may be used to prevent customers of a service provider from downloading snapshots of volumes, such as boot images created by the service provider or provided by third parties, to which the customer does not have the appropriate rights. A request may be received from a user to access one or more snapshots, for example a request to export the snapshot or a request for a listing of snapshots. For each snapshot, the service provider may determine if the user has rights to the snapshot, for example by checking a manifest for the snapshot to see if entries in the snapshot manifest belong to an account other than the customer's. If the user has rights to the snapshot, the request is granted; otherwise, the request is not granted.
US09916320B2 Compression-based filtering for deduplication
Methods, computing systems and computer program products implement embodiments of the present invention that include configuring a storage system to store multiple storage entities, and defining, in a memory, a lookup table including multiple entries, each of the entries referencing a unique storage entity. Upon receiving a storage entity to be stored on the storage system, a compressibility of the received storage entity is determined upon detecting that the received storage entity is not identical to any of the unique storage entities referenced by the lookup table, and an entry referencing the received storage entity is added to the lookup table upon meeting a duplication condition based on the determined compressibility.
US09916319B2 Effective method to compress tabular data export files for data movement
Compression of data for database movement, includes: selecting a first group of categorical columns for compression; selecting a next group of categorical columns from remaining columns for compression; repeating the selecting of the next group until a predetermined compression threshold is met; creating first compression files comprising compressed representations of the columns in the first group; creating next compression files comprising compressed representations of the columns in each of the next groups; storing initial row sort order, group identity, and column positions corresponding to each of the next groups; and storing any columns not selected for compression in an uncompressed file in the original row sort order. Decompression of the data includes: rebuilding categorical columns in each group of compression files using group identity and column positions corresponding to the group; and sorting rows comprising the rebuilt categorical columns to the initial row sort order.
US09916316B2 Apparatus, method and medium for creating folder shortcuts
To provide a shortcut creating apparatus which creates folder shortcuts for a plurality of folders in a single flow without move to a target folder, and stores the created folder shortcuts in a selected folder. The shortcut creating apparatus according to the present invention includes: (1) a one-way shortcut creating unit configured to create a folder shortcut of a reference folder under a related folder, (2) a one-way shortcut creating unit configured to create a folder shortcut of the related folder under the reference folder, (3) a two-way shortcut creating unit configured to create a folder shortcut of the reference folder under the related folder, and create a folder shortcut of the related folder under the reference folder, and (4) a multiple-shortcut creating unit configured to create respective folder shortcuts of the reference folder and the related folders under folders except under the currently selected folder.
US09916315B2 Computer implemented system and method for comparing at least two visual programming language files
A computer implemented system for comparing at least two visual programming language files, the system comprising an intransient repository, a user interface, an authentication module, a menu driven selector module, an extractor module, a transient repository, a processor and a report generation module. A computer implemented method for comparing at least two visual programming language files, the method comprising the steps of verifying login credentials of a user, identifying a file type, identifying a file format, identifying file path to the files stored in an intransient repository, extracting files from the intransient repository, creating a copy each of the files in a transient repository, carrying out iterations of node-wise comparison between the files using a DOM parser and generating a report in a chosen file format.
US09916313B2 Mapping of extensible datasets to relational database schemas
Data including a text file is received. The text file is arranged in an extensible format and includes a plurality of metadata lines, a header line, and a plurality of content lines. Metadata from the metadata lines is mapped to a plurality of metadata tables in a database that are formed according to a relational database schema using prefix parameters from each metadata line. Content from the content lines is mapped to a plurality of content tables in the database that are formed according to the relational database schema using the header line. A first subset of the content tables have a static structure and a second subset of the content tables have a dynamic structure. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.