| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09918620B2 |
Optical transmission element and method for manufacturing the same
According to an embodiment, there is provided an optical transmission element comprising: a fiber including a core made of a first glass and a cladding made of a second glass and covering an outer periphery of the core; and a covering layer covering an outer periphery of the cladding and including a plurality of nonionic surfactant molecules wherein each of the nonionic surfactant molecules is hydrogen-bonded to the cladding. |
| US09918619B2 |
Highly corrected relay system
A highly corrected relay system for medical endoscopes or the like is provided. The system includes a plurality of bonded lenses that are selected to provide color correction from the blue region of the spectrum through to the near infrared region of the spectrum. The system allows co-located visible and near infrared images to be resolved on a single detector. |
| US09918618B2 |
Medical devices and methods of placement
The present invention provides improved medical devices equipped with a visualization device for intubation, ventilation, drug delivery, feeding and continuous remote monitoring of a patient. The present invention also provides methods for rapid and accurate placement of a medical device in a patient and continuous real time monitoring, including a remote monitoring, of the patient after the placement. |
| US09918617B2 |
Mountable camera for laparoscopic surgery
A laparoscopic surgical system comprising a camera and a base supporting the camera, and a camera insertion tool for inserting the camera into the body cavity. The camera is mountable to a surgical instrument inside the body cavity and releasable from the insertion tool after mounting to the surgical instrument. |
| US09918616B2 |
Medical device
A medical device includes a long shaft member, a curved portion configured to be curved, a support member that is configured to be deformed along a curved shape of the curved portion, a guide member that extends from a distal end of the curved portion, and a linear member that includes a connection portion connected to the guide member, the linear member being inserted into the support member, and that pulls the guide member in accordance with a change of the curved shape. A central axis of the guide member is positioned apart from the central axis of the support member. The linear member which protrudes from the support member is inclined with respect to a longitudinal axis of the guide member and is connected to the connection portion. |
| US09918615B2 |
Endoscope button unit and endoscope
An endoscope button unit includes a housing having two housing portions, a claw portion that is capable of being locked to a cylinder, and is provided at the housing portion, a connection portion that connects the two housing portions, a ring-shaped portion that is placed at an upper portion of the housing portion and is capable of being pulled with use of a finger or a jig, and a connection portion that connects the housing portion and the ring-shaped portion. |
| US09918611B2 |
Dishwasher system with a reuse tank
A method of operating a dishwasher having a wash tub and a reuse tank for storing liquid for subsequent reuse, wherein the condition of the water in the reuse tank may be monitored and/or acted upon to limit the likelihood of undesired effects associated with the growth of micro-organisms in the liquid. |
| US09918610B2 |
Fluid circulation assembly for a dishwasher appliance
A fluid circulation assembly for a dishwasher appliance includes a collection chamber positioned below a sump. A first outlet conduit extends from a valve and is configured for receiving liquid from a pump when the valve is in a recirculation configuration, and a second outlet conduit extends from the valve and is configured for directing liquid from the pump to the collection chamber when the valve is in a drain configuration. A check valve is configured for obstructing liquid flow from the collection chamber to an unfiltered volume of the sump when the valve is in the drain configuration. |
| US09918609B2 |
Rotating drum filter for a dishwashing machine
A dishwasher with a tub and a recirculation pump, which includes a housing defining a chamber and having an inlet fluidly coupled to the tub and an outlet fluidly coupled to the tub, an impeller rotatably mounted within the chamber and expelling liquid from the chamber through the outlet, and a filter fluidly disposed between the inlet and the outlet and operably coupled to the impeller for co-rotation. |
| US09918608B2 |
Dish washer
A dish washer is provided to improve washing efficiency by washing dishware having severe degree of contamination in a concentrated manner through an auxiliary spraying nozzle, and which is also easily setting a concentrated wash zone as a user varies a position of the auxiliary spraying nozzle. The dish washer may include a main spraying nozzle which sprays wash water to dishware baskets, a connecting path to connect a sump unit to the main spraying nozzle, an auxiliary spraying nozzle to receive wash water from the sump unit and spray wash water to dishware baskets, and an auxiliary path to connect the sump unit to the auxiliary spraying nozzle. A spraying position of wash water supplied from the auxiliary spraying nozzle is varied by rotation of the auxiliary path, thereby washing dishware having severe degree of contamination in a concentrated manner. |
| US09918607B1 |
Continuously adjustable mop frame
A mop frame with a base, a first extension that is slidably coupled to the base, a second extension that is slidably coupled to the base, a first lock that is mounted to the base, and a second lock that is mounted to the base. The first extension and second extension are each operable to slide with respect to the base between a retracted position and an extended position. The first lock and second lock are operable to releasably lock the first extension and second extension, respectively, to the base in any position between the retracted position and the extended position. |
| US09918603B2 |
Sensor module and robot cleaner having the same
A sensor module and a robot cleaner including the sensor module may provide accurate sensing of an obstacle and prevent an erroneous sensing of an obstacle. The robot cleaner may include a body including a cleaning unit to remove foreign substances from a surface of a floor, a cover to cover an upper portion of the body, a sensor module including an obstacle sensor mounted to sense an obstacle, and a sensor window provided at one side of the sensor module. The sensor module may include a light emitting device to emit light through the sensor window, a light receiving reflector on which light reflected from the obstacle is incident, and a light shielding portion interposed between the light emitting device and the light receiving reflector to block the light emitted from the light emitting device from being incident upon the light receiving reflector. |
| US09918602B2 |
Cyclonic separator
A cyclonic separator comprising a cyclone chamber defined between an outer wall and a shroud. The shroud comprises an inlet opening through which fluid enters the cyclone chamber, and a plurality of perforations through which fluid exits the cyclone chamber. Fluid within the cyclone chamber is then free to spiral about the shroud and over the inlet opening. |
| US09918600B2 |
Self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner
A self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner includes: a vacuum cleaner main body; a running section for causing the vacuum cleaner main body to run on a floor; a suction section for suctioning dust; a side brush for sweeping the dust on the floor, to the suction section; a floor detection sensor for detecting whether or not there is the floor; and a control section for controlling and driving the running section, the suction section and the side brush in response to an output of the floor detection sensor, in which the side brush includes a rotating shaft coaxially having a through-hole, and a plurality of brush bundles radially spread from one end of the rotating shaft, wherein the floor detection sensor includes an optical sensor provided adjacent to the other end of the rotating shaft to detect whether or not there is an object, through the through-hole. |
| US09918597B2 |
Hygienic sheet material dispenser
A hygienic sheet material dispenser includes a housing with a dispensing opening, a compartment for a sheet material product, a first sensor arranged to assume an active mode in which it scans for the presence of a user, a dispensing motor arranged to drive a driving mechanism, a second sensor for sensing when a piece of said product has been removed, and a microcontroller connected to the first sensor, the second sensor and the dispensing motor, said dispenser also being configured to be switched to a passive mode. The dispenser is arranged to switch to the passive mode after a first predetermined period of time has elapsed in the active mode without detection of a user; wherein, upon entering the passive mode, a length of said product is fed from the dispenser out of the dispensing opening and the first sensor and the microcontroller are substantially deactivated; and wherein the dispenser is arranged to switch back to the active mode when the second sensor senses that said product has been removed. |
| US09918592B2 |
Expandable and collapsible container
An expandable and collapsible container includes a lower fixed chamber, a movable chamber configured to rotate outward from a central body of the container in an expansible position and to rotate inward in a collapsible position, and an upper fixed chamber. The container also includes a first lid configured to cover the lower fixed chamber and rotate outward from the central body of the container, a second lid configured to cover the movable chamber and to rotate outward from the central body of the container, and a third lid configured to cover the upper fixed chamber and to rotate outward from the central body of the container. The container also includes a covering on an outer surface of one or more of the lower fixed chamber, the movable chamber, and the upper fixed chamber, wherein the covering is configured to receive and hold one or more articles. |
| US09918590B2 |
Food preparation device
A food preparation device or system which includes the following: (i) a base dimensioned to hold food containers and includes a first opening to receive the food containers and a second opening; (ii) an extraction mechanism to extract food items from each container in the base, through the second opening and to a preparation receptacle; (iii) a heating mechanism in the preparation receptacle; and (iv) one or more processors and memory containing instructions that, when executed cause the food preparation device or system to prepare the food items for consumption. |
| US09918586B2 |
Beverage forming apparatus with cartridge detectors
A method and apparatus for controlling operation of a beverage forming machine arranged for use with cartridges of different types, or receiving an upwardly flowing beverage from a cartridge. A beverage outlet may be movable to receive beverage from a cartridge of a first type, and to not receive beverage from a cartridge of a second type. Different cartridge characteristics may be detected by multiple detectors, e.g., for detecting a presence/absence of a cartridge, a cartridge type and/or an authorization feature. |
| US09918585B2 |
Filtering apparatus for filtering a beverage in a beverage producing apparatus
A filtering apparatus for filtering a beverage in a beverage producing apparatus, includes a base plate, a plurality of piercing components connected to a front side of the base plate, and a plurality of filtering holes extending through the base plate from the front side of the base plate to the rear side of the base plate. Each piercing component includes a piercing base extending away from the front side of the base plate, and a piercing point, integrated with the piercing base, having a pointed tip. During use of the beverage producing apparatus, the filtering apparatus mates with a sealing cover of a beverage cartridge by coupling the plurality of filtering holes and the plurality of piercing components with the sealing cover to form a filtering screen. |
| US09918579B2 |
Juice extraction module for juicer
A juice extraction module for a juicer is provided, which includes a container formed with a juice discharge port, a sieve positioned inside of the container, a screw positioned inside of the sieve to extract juice from a material, and a lid coupled to a top end of the container and formed with a input port through which the material is input. The juice extraction module includes a crushing portion formed on a top end of the screw to be narrowed upward, the crushing portion having a crushing blade formed thereon; and a crushing processing portion connected to the input port and formed in a bottom of the lid to be concave for accommodating the crushing portion. |
| US09918577B1 |
Mail notification system
A mail notification system includes an alert unit that is positioned in a mailbox thereby facilitating the alert unit to sense when mail is placed in the mailbox. The alert unit transmits a first alert signal when the mail is placed in the mailbox. A display unit is provided and the display unit is in electrical communication with the alert unit. The display unit transmits a second alert signal when the display unit receives the first alert signal. An electronic device is provided and the electronic device is in wireless electrical communication with the display unit. The electronic device generates an alert when the display unit transmits the second alert signal. In this way the electronic device notifies the user of the mail in the mailbox. |
| US09918576B1 |
Eyeglass holder and associated use thereof
An eyeglass holder is removably affixed to vertical and horizontal support surfaces. Such an eyeglass holder includes a rigid container suitably sized and shaped for removably receiving an existing eyeglass therein. The container has an exterior surface provided with a curvilinear outer region and a linear outer region contiguously mated with the curvilinear outer region. Notably, a portable fastener is removably affixed to the linear outer region of the exterior surface of the container. |
| US09918572B1 |
System for securing bedclothes to a mattress and method
A system for securing bedclothes to a mattress includes a bottom sheet which is shaped and dimensioned to fit over the top surface of the mattress. The bottom sheet has four corners which include a first corner and a diagonally opposite second corner, and a third corner and a diagonally opposite fourth corner. The second corner has a second corner aperture, and the fourth corner has a fourth corner aperture. A first strap is shaped and dimensioned to connect the first corner to the second corner. The first strap has a first end which is permanently connected to the first corner, and a second end which is configured to pass through the second corner aperture and fold back and connect to itself. A second strap is shaped and dimensioned to connect the third corner to the fourth corner. The second strap has a first end which is permanently connected to the third corner, and a second end which is configured to pass through the fourth corner aperture and fold back and connect to itself. In an embodiment, a top sheet is also connectable to the second corner and the fourth corner. |
| US09918569B1 |
Four side shoppable quick assembling display hutch
A display hutch is provided that can be made from three components adhered together to form a flat compact structure suitable for shipping. The compact structure can be positioned upright and converted into the display hutch by pushing down on support halves and by rotating inwardly shelf panels. |
| US09918568B1 |
Position adjustable support assembly
A position adjustable support assembly provides a support extension that is detachably attachable to a support member. The support extension is attached by an extension attachment that has a support coupler that extends along the length of the support member and has a gap opening to allow the support coupler to be snapped onto the support member. The support coupler may be cylindrical in shape and snap over the rod-shaped support member in a concentric coupling arrangement. The support member has a fin slot for retaining a plurality of fins that extend up from the outside surface of the support member. The fins are slid into a retaining slot along the inside surface of the support coupler to retain the support coupler and support extension in a rotational position with respect to the support member. The support extension can be slid along the length of the support member. |
| US09918567B2 |
Display rack system
The disclosure provides for a display rack system. The display rack system includes a support mechanism having first and second ends. The support mechanism may be configured to be attached to a surface at the first and second ends. The display rack system may also include a track mounted onto the support mechanism. The display rack system may also include a plurality of cardholders attached to the track. Each of the first plurality of cardholders may be configured to independently slide laterally relative to the track. |
| US09918564B2 |
Infant bed frame assembly and child bed assembly
The invention relates to a child bed assembly (1) comprising an infant bed frame assembly (10); an inlay (40) for an infant bed; and a toddler bed frame (82). The infant bed frame assembly (10) comprises an upper frame section (12), a base frame portion (14) and at least one connecting member (16) connecting said base frame portion (14) to said upper frame section (12). The upper frame section (12) comprises a first sidebar (18), a second sidebar (20) spaced apart from the first sidebar (18), and a first crossbar (22) coupled to the first and second sidebars (18, 20) proximate a first end of each of said first and second sidebars (18, 20). The upper frame section (12) is pivotally coupled to the at least one connecting member (16) such that the first crossbar (22) is movable between a first position wherein the first crossbar (22) is at a first distance from the base frame portion (14) and a second position wherein the first crossbar (22) is at a second distance from the base frame portion (14). |
| US09918559B2 |
Three-dimensional net-like structure
By taking into account the difficulty in smoothly bending along the shape of, for example, a care bed, there is provided a three-dimensional net-like structure made from polyethylene having a swelling ratio dependent on a shear rate such as to be 0.93 to 1.16 at a shear rate of 24.3 sec−1 and 1.15 to 1.34 at a shear rate of 608 sec−1 and having an MFR of 3 to 35 g/10 min and a density of 0.82 to 0.95 g/cm3 and configured to have a spring structure of filaments randomly brought into contact with and tangled with one another, have a three-dimensional striped sparse-dense configuration in a lateral direction relative to an extrusion direction. The swelling ratio is shown as D2/D1 against shear rate when a molten thermoplastic resin is extruded to filaments from a capillary having a tube inner diameter D1 of 1.0 mm and a length of 10 mm and D2 denotes a diameter of cross section of the filaments extruded and cooled down. |
| US09918556B2 |
Adjustable bed foundation
The disclosure generally relates to an adjustable bed foundation. The adjustable foundation includes lateral and/or longitudinal support members as part of an adjustable base frame positioned below a mattress support. The lateral and longitudinal support members, along with a fixed base frame portion of the foundation are preferably formed from a lightweight material such as wood. The lateral and longitudinal support members provide sufficient vertical support structure to accommodate a mattress and bed occupants on the adjustable platform, as well as electrical and mechanical components of the adjustable foundation below a mattress support deck. |
| US09918548B2 |
Multitier collapsible stand
A multitier collapsible stand provides enhanced lateral stability while supporting an object, such as a television, on multiple tiers, and also presents an aesthetic décor that enhances the appearance of the object. The stand utilizes a collapsible support frame that supports multiple tiers of support panels in a tiered relationship. The support frame also collapses for enhanced portability and stowage. The support frame comprises three arms that are traversed by a pair of cross bars for enhanced structural integrity. A rear panel positions coplanar to the arms. Left and right lateral members hingedly join the arms to the rear panel. The lateral members carry multiple support panels. A hinge enables hinged articulation between arms, lateral members, and the rear panel for collapsing the stand. A buckle hinge allows for hinged articulation and separation between arms, lateral members, and the rear panel for collapsibility. An attachable vertical stand supports a television. |
| US09918546B2 |
Portable table system
A portable table system includes an article of luggage that has a handle and the handle has a pair of uprights. A table is removably coupled to the handle such that the table may support an object. The table is collapsible such that the table is stored in the luggage. A pair of supports is provided and each of the supports is coupled to the table. Each of the supports is removably coupled to the handle such that the table is retained in a horizontal orientation. |
| US09918545B2 |
Stand for a portable device with a graphic user interface display
A stand for a portable device such as a laptop computer or a tablet computer has a first panel, a second panel hinged to the first panel for supporting the first panel and an angle setting tongue hinged to the first panel or the second panel and connectable to the other one of these panels for setting an angle between these panels. First and second panel members of a first layer define the first and second panels and are attached to a relatively flexible second layer. Portions of the angle setting tongue opposite parts of the first layer when the stand is in a flat folded transport position, are free from material of the first layer. A method for manufacturing such a stand is also disclosed. |
| US09918543B2 |
Toothbrush with curved neck
A toothbrush including a handle portion, a head portion, a plurality of bristles coupled to the head portion, and a neck portion. The neck portion is curved such that the neck portion is angled in a direction away from an axis the handle portion extends upon and is then angled in a direction towards the axis. |
| US09918540B2 |
Support vest
A support vest configured to conform to a wearer's natural movements, allowing forces to be applied to selected areas, and permitting varying attachment points for a supported load. The support vest has a waistband, ventral and dorsal spar systems extending upward therefrom, the ventral and dorsal spar systems attached to a ventral and dorsal plate, respectively and connected to one another via should straps. Pivot systems are provided at the superior and inferior ends of the spar systems. |
| US09918538B2 |
Apparatus and method to realize personalized cosmetic compositions
An apparatus to realize a personalized cosmetic composition including a feeder to expose a base stored in a chamber, a dispenser to dispense a selected treatment mixture onto the base and form a treated base, a collector to collect the treated base from the chamber and depose the treated base onto a collection container, and a compacter to compact an accumulation of the treated base inside the collection container. The dispenser includes a plurality of reservoirs containing a plurality of additives to be selectively incorporated into the selected treatment mixture, wherein the plurality of additives includes a plurality of pigments to produce the selected treatment mixture in a selected of color. |
| US09918534B2 |
Cover for an electronic device
A cover for an electronic device comprises a back sheet portion comprising a first section and a second section and a front sheet portion comprising a first section and a second section. The second end of the front sheet portion is connected to the second section of the back sheet portion, and the first end of the front sheet portion is connected to the first section of the back sheet portion at a distance of the first end of the back sheet portion, the cover having an end section. The cover is foldable between a cover position and a support position. In the cover position, the back sheet portion and the front sheet portion are substantially planar and resting against each other. In the support position, at least a part of the end section rests against at least a part of the first section of the front sheet portion. |
| US09918531B2 |
Travel case luggage with compartments
A hard travel case is described comprising a main body with a main compartment, two sub-compartments, each hinging on a first side of the main body between a closed position and open position, whereby in the closed position together the sub-compartments close the main compartment, and in the open position access is provided to the main compartment, wherein each sub-compartment comprises an access door hinging on a first side of the sub-compartment between a closed position whereby the access door closes the sub-compartment and an open position allowing access to the sub-compartment. |
| US09918526B2 |
Mold-in touch fastening product
A male touch fastener strip includes an elongated base and a field of male fastener elements each having a stem extending from a broad face of the base and a head for engaging fibers. The fastener element stems and broad face of the base together form a unitary mass of resin, such as a resin containing a magnetically attractable substance. Wings extend from respective longitudinal edges of the base and define discrete corrugations extending in a series along the fastener strip and forming corresponding undulations in the rear face of the strip along its longitudinal edges. The corrugated wings can also support a foam gasket. |
| US09918525B2 |
Touch fastener structures
Touch fastener products, as well as apparatus and methods for manufacturing such products, are described. The methods and apparatus feature certain mold cavity shapes that are designed to facilitate demolding of hammer hook touch fastener elements exhibiting desirable fastening properties. Such mold cavity shapes can be combined with particularly soft molding resins to produce useful fastening products. |
| US09918523B2 |
Buckle assembly
A buckle assembly includes a first buckle member, a second buckle member and a locking arrangement. The first buckle member includes a first buckle body and an insertion member. The second buckle member includes a second buckle body having a receiving slot, a first buckle latch and a second buckle latch pivotally connected to the second buckle body to move between a locked position and an unlocked position, and a plurality of resilient elements mounted in the second buckle body. The locking arrangement includes a first locking member extended from one of the first buckle member and the second buckle member to retain one of the first buckle latch and the second buckle latch at a locked position. |
| US09918520B2 |
System and method for printing a pattern on footwear
The invention provides a method for applying a pattern onto the upper of a shoe or other footwear. The footwear is preferably made by injection molding where raw materials are injected into a mold to form the shape of a footwear. |
| US09918517B2 |
Footwear articles with extension apparatuses and methods of using the same
The present invention relates to a footwear article, such as a boot, having a knob, hook, platform or other extension protruding on an upper portion thereof. The knob, hook, platform or other extension may be utilized for engaging with a cart, dolly or other movable object for moving the same by moving the wearer's foot. Methods of using the same are further provided. |
| US09918515B2 |
Footwear with dynamic arch system
The present invention is footwear having a convex shaped outsole with opposing wedge shaped configurations in the bottom of the front sole section and the back sole section which provide rotation of the front sole section and the back sole section in opposite directions when weight is applied. The present invention is also footwear convex shaped in the longitudinal direction with a split sole having opposing wedge shaped configurations in the bottom of the front sole section and the back sole section that provide rotation of the front sole section and the back sole section in opposite directions when weight is applied. The invention further includes footwear having at least one pair of wedges on the outsole which provide footwear having improved arch support. The invention is also footwear with a flexible, elastic, member between the front sole section and the back sole section of the sole. |
| US09918513B2 |
Reversible protective footwear
This disclosure relates in certain embodiments to protective footwear comprising a flexible strap that can be wrapped around a bare foot in order to provide protection and traction to the ball and heel of the foot. The footwear can provide protection from rough or hot surfaces, for example swimming pool decks or hot sand at the beach. The footwear can also provide traction for the user on wet or slippery surfaces. The footwear is designed to minimally cover the foot, giving the user a “barefoot” feeling, while still providing protection and traction to the pressure points (e.g., ball and heel) of the foot. The footwear can be securely fastened to the user's foot such that it does not fall off during routine physical activity (e.g., swimming, walking, etc.). |
| US09918506B2 |
Helmet safety system
A helmet safety system for enhancing visibility of a helmet in a hazardous area includes a helmet that may be worn in a hazardous area. A lighting unit is removably coupled to the helmet. The lighting unit may emit light thereby enhancing visibility of the helmet in the hazardous area. |
| US09918504B1 |
Sensitivity enhancement glove
A sensitivity enhancement glove having at least one sleeve with a unique aperture to enhance performance by capitalizing on neuroanatomy and create hyper sensitivity and thereby enhance effects on proprioception and simultaneous musculoskeletal functions. |
| US09918499B2 |
Brassiere providing continuous adjustability between different lift positions and/or convertibility between minimizer and maximizer support
An adjustable support brassiere comprises traditional bra elements—a bra band with closure; left and right breast cups; and respective shoulder straps. Adjustability may comprise left and right inner support cups having inner ends pivotally attached, respectively, to the left and right breast cups, and a respective support strap having a bottom end attached at a distal (outer) end of each inner support cup, with a top end of each support strap fixedly secured to a clamp member. Each of the left and right clamp members may be releasably secured to a infinite number of positions of the shoulder strap, to cause individual lifting and reconfiguring of the left and right inner support cups to produce a desired amount of lifting to each of the woman's breasts. Adjustments may be made by a woman throughout the day to alter her appearance as desired. |
| US09918491B2 |
Flue-curing apparatus and associated method
A flue-curing apparatus and a related method are provided. The flue-curing apparatus includes a circulation chamber and a curing chamber that are separated by a divider wall. An air circulation system includes a blower positioned in the circulation chamber that directs air to a heater device and a lower passage into the curing chamber. The air may be received from one or both of an inlet and an upper passage extending from the curing chamber to the circulation chamber. A humidity control system humidifies the air directed into the curing chamber. A controller may receive signals from wet and dry bulb thermometers to determine the conditions in the curing chamber and the condition of tobacco leaves being cured therein. The controller may adjust various operational parameters to cause the tobacco leaves in the curing chamber to cure at a desired rate. |
| US09918489B2 |
Food-based supplement delivery system
A cookie or other food product which is designed to deliver a larger dose of cinnamon to a human user without significant introduction of food items detrimental to cinnamon's expected medicinal action and without an unpleasant taste sensation. The cookie is designed to be chewed as opposed to swallowed and the flavoring of the cinnamon is intended to enhance the cookie as opposed to the flavoring of the cinnamon being covered up or concealed by other flavorings. |
| US09918486B2 |
Food compositions having a realistic meat-like appearance, feel, and texture
The invention provides novel food compositions having a realistic meat-like appearance, feel, and texture. The compositions comprise from about 40 to about 90% functional proteins, from about 0.05 to about 2% of one or more cross-linking agents, and from about 60 to about 10% of a meat slurry, wherein the meat slurry comprises meat and one or more humectants plasticizers in a meat:humectant plasticizer ratio of from about 20:80 to about 80:20. The compositions are produced by heating a preconditioned mixture of the food components under pressure and then expanding the heated composition to form the food composition. |
| US09918485B2 |
Soy protein products having altered characteristics
Soy protein products obtained from high oleic soybeans, wherein such products, have improved whiteness, reduced viscosity and reduced gel-strength, are described. Use of such products in food, beverage and animal feed are also disclosed. |
| US09918483B2 |
Sheet for packaging edible meat, and casing for packaging edible meat
A sheet for packaging edible meat is provided that includes a layer A and a layer B thermally adhered to each other. In the sheet, the layer A is a wet-laid nonwoven fabric produced by mixing a first core-in-sheath fiber (a) having a core made of polyester and a sheath made of polyethylene, a second core-sheath fiber (b) having a core made of polyester and a sheath made of a low-melting-point polyester, and an ultrafine polyester fiber (c). The layer B is a spunbonded nonwoven fabric produced from a third core-sheath fiber having a core made of polyester and a sheath made of polyethylene. Also a casing for packaging edible meat is provided that is formed from the sheet for packaging edible meat. |
| US09918481B1 |
Flexible multiple piece mold assembly with interlocking seals for producing a comestible baked product in complex shapes
A flexible multiple piece mold assembly with interlocking seals suitable for baking to produce a comestible baked product in complex shapes. The mold assembly includes three or more pieces, wherein each of the at least three pieces is configured to be joined by an interlocking seal to the other pieces such that when each of the at least three pieces are joined they form the mold assembly. The mold assembly defines an interior cavity for receiving a substance to be baked into a comestible product and this interior cavity defines a shape for the baked comestible. This mold assembly can be peeled away from the comestible one piece at a time. The mold assembly can have an aperture or one of the seams between the pieces of the mold assembly can be opened to receive the substance. The mold assembly may have one or more vent holes for heat release. |
| US09918479B2 |
Control of phytopathogenic microorganisms with Pseudomonas sp. and substances and compositions derived therefrom
Provided are compounds and compositions derived from Pseudomonas sp., particularly, Pseudomonas fluorescens or Pseudomonas protegens and more particularly strain having the identifying characteristics of Pseudomonas ATCC 55799 having antimicrobial properties and particularly, antibacterial properties. |
| US09918478B2 |
Water soluble antimicrobial polyacrylate silver salt
This invention is about a water soluble antimicrobial polyacrylate silver salt. The molecular chain of the polyacrylate silver salt comprises sodium carboxylic group (—COONa) and silver carboxylic group (—COOAg). It is synthesized by dissolving an polyacrylate polymer comprising sodium carboxylic group (—COONa) in water and then exchanging the sodium carboxylic group of the polyacrylate polymer to silver carboxylic group (—COOAg) using silver salt in aqueous solution. Ultrafiltration membrane is used to remove the sodium salt generated from the metal ion exchanging procedure. An aqueous solution of water soluble antimicrobial polyacrylate silver salt with very few impurity is obtained. The water soluble antimicrobial polyacrylate silver salt is then obtain-ned from the aqueous solution. The molar ratio of —COOAg to —COONa of thus obtained water soluble antimicrobial polyacrylate silver salt can be as high as 66/34. |
| US09918473B2 |
Use of aryl carbamates in agriculture and other plant-related areas
Disclosure is provided for methods of preventing, removing or inhibiting microbial biofilm formation or microbial infection in a plant or plant part thereof, including applying thereto a treatment effective amount of an aryl carbamate as described herein, or an agriculturally acceptable salt thereof. Methods of enhancing a microbicide (e.g., including a copper, antibiotic, bacteriophage, etc.) and/or plant defense activator are also provided, including applying an active compound as described herein. Compositions comprising an aryl carbamate compound as described herein in an agriculturally acceptable carrier are also provided, and in some embodiments the compositions further include a microbicide (e.g., including copper, antibiotic, bacteriophage, etc.) and/or a plant defense activator. |
| US09918472B2 |
Animal repellent
The invention provides an animal repellent containing, as an active ingredient, a compound having an odor innately inducing fear in animals, which is free from acclimation of animals to the aforementioned odor. The active ingredient is at least one kind selected from a heterocyclic compound represented by the formula (1): wherein ring A is a 3- to 7-membered heterocycle containing at least one hetero atom selected from a nitrogen atom, a sulfur atom and an oxygen atom, and R1 and R2 are each independently hydrogen, a halogen atom, an optionally substituted alkyl group, an optionally substituted alkoxy group, an acyl group, an optionally esterified carboxyl group, an optionally substituted thiol group, an optionally substituted amino group or an oxo group, or a salt thereof, a chain sulfide compound and alkyl isothiocyanate. |
| US09918471B2 |
Synergistic fungicidal mixtures for fungal control in cereals
A fungicidal composition containing a fungicidally effective amount of a compound of Formula I: (3S,6S,7R,8R)-8-benzyl-3-(3-((isobutyryloxy)methoxy)-4-methoxypicolinamido)-6-methyl-4,9-dioxo-1,5-dioxonan-7-yl isobutyrate, and at least one fungicide selected from the group consisting of fluoxastrobin, trifloxystrobin, and picoxystrobin, provides synergistic control of selected fungi. |
| US09918468B2 |
Compositions and methods for controlling weeds in crops
Compositions and methods for controlling volunteer crop weeds in a crop by applying to weeds a herbicidally effective amount of a synergistic herbicidal composition that includes bromoxynil and a protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO) inhibitor are disclosed. |
| US09918467B2 |
Anti-microbial disinfectant wipe and method of use
A wipe for anti-microbial disinfecting includes a flexible substrate and an anti-microbial ion source integrated on the substrate. The flexible substrate is made entirely or in part of woven fiber cloth, non-woven fiber cloth, woven synthetic cloth, non-woven synthetic cloth, or natural fiber cloth. The anti-microbial ion source is configured to dissolve in an aqueous solution to form an anti-microbial solution. The flexible substrate is configured to absorb the anti-microbial solution for use in cleaning. |
| US09918466B2 |
Antimicrobial polymers and methods for their production
Antimicrobial or antiseptic polymers may be produced by incorporation of an antimicrobial ingredient into the polymer by grafting, copolymerization, or via a combined antimicrobial/plasticizer ingredient. The polymer may be produced as a masterbatch, or a ready to process polymer for producing antimicrobial products. The reactions may be conducted in a reactive extruder to provide a single-step synthesis. |
| US09918463B2 |
Bioreactor
The invention relates to a bioreactor for charging the outside and the interior of a hollow element (1) or hollow element framework with a liquid, having a housing (2) accommodating the liquid, forming a liquid surface, and a rotation device (3) arranged within the housing (2) and receiving the hollow element (1), which rotation device (3) is for rotating the hollow element (1) about the longitudinal axis (4) thereof in the region of the liquid surface. In known bioreactors of this type, the interior of the hollow element must be flushed with a special device, and so here also a liquid exchange takes place. The object of forming a bioreactor for charging the interior and the outside of hollow elements in such a manner that simplest and cheapest flushing of the interior of the hollow element is ensured is achieved in that the rotation device (3) comprises a scooping chamber (5) running at least in part tangentially to the longitudinal axis, and which is connected via a flow channel (6) to the interior of the hollow element (1). |
| US09918459B2 |
Fishing pole heating assembly
A fishing pole heating assembly includes a fishing pole that has a handle portion and a rod portion. The fishing pole includes a reel coupled to the handle portion and a plurality of eyelets coupled to the rod portion. The eyelets are spaced apart from each other and extend along the rod portion. A heating apparatus is coupled to the fishing rod and the heating apparatus heats the eyelets. |
| US09918458B2 |
Double bearing reel
One object is to provide a double bearing reel that provides a comfortable grip feeling in fishing and prevents the cover plates from making a malfunction. A double bearing reel of the present invention includes: a reel body including left and right side plates, each of the left and right side plates including a frame and a cover plate; a spool rotatably supported between the left and right side plates; a handle provided on one of the left and right side plates and configured to rotationally drive the spool; and an opening/closing mechanism configured to enable the cover plate on an opposite side to the handle to be opened and closed on the associated frame. An opening is formed in a side surface of the cover plate on the opposite side to the handle, and an operation member of the opening/closing mechanism is disposed within the opening. |
| US09918456B2 |
Reduced weight live poultry hauling system
A reduced-weight poultry cage is used in conjunction with a reduced-weight trailer to transport live poultry for maximizing the poundage of poultry being transported while reducing the number of trips and fuel expenses. The poultry cage includes a combination of aluminum and plastic elements that reduce cage weight, provide for nesting of cages in stacks as well as easy replacement of failed parts. Furthermore, a drop-deck aluminum trailer with a reduced floor and guide rail alignment stops allows for a durable yet lightweight trailer that can haul a plurality of stacks of these poultry cages, thereby maximizing cubic feet availability while being compliant with various road and bridge laws. |
| US09918453B2 |
Tracking system
An exemplary tracking device or system comprises: a radio frequency identification (RFID) circuit disposed on a substrate; an encapsulation cap encapsulating the RFID circuit and substrate; and, an information bearing indicia (IBI) disposed on the encapsulation cap, wherein the RFID circuit and IBI provide at least some similar information when read with a respective reading device. |
| US09918452B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling herbivore fowl populations
A method and apparatus is provided for controlling the location in which herbivore fowl populations congregate by altering the behavior of the fowl through the combination of providing a strong disincentive to populate areas where the presence of the fowl is not desired and a strong incentive to populate a proximate area where the presence of fowl can be tolerated. For herbivore waterfowl, and in particular Canada geese, the adjacent area also provides the waterfowl with a means of egress to water as an escape from predators and other perceived threats. The method uses a deterrent in the form of adulterated feed to dissuade the herbivore fowl from congregating in areas in which their presence is not desired and the use of an attractant in the form of non-adulterated feed to encourage the herbivore fowl to congregate in a proximate area in which their presence can be tolerated. |
| US09918451B2 |
Livestock feeder
Livestock feeders can include a one-piece or multi-piece designs. A livestock feeder can include a pan, a hood, and a base. The livestock feeder is suitable for providing feedstuffs such as nutritional supplements to a livestock animal on a free-choice basis. The livestock feeder can be durable, portable, non-corrosive and is designed to minimize spillage of feedstuffs and resist tipping over. The livestock feeder can be constructed from a molded polyethylene material. |
| US09918450B2 |
Space divider of a milking parlor arrangement, and milking parlor arrangement
A space divider of a milking parlor arrangement for at least one milking parlor for milking milk-producing animals, wherein the space divider is arranged approximately parallel to a longitudinal axis of the animal to be milked, has an arm device having a milking cluster, which can be adjusted from a parking position to a working position and back. The arm device is arranged with the milking cluster in the parking position in the space divider and can be adjusted into the working position laterally to the animal to be milked between the front and rear legs thereof. The space divider is designed in such a way that no additional space is required between adjacent animals, so that many animals can be milked in a milking parlor arrangement while the smallest possible amount of space is required. |
| US09918446B1 |
Maize inbred PH2TC9
A novel maize variety designated PH2TC9 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof are provided. Methods for producing a maize plant comprise crossing maize variety PH2TC9 with another maize plant are provided. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH2TC9 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby are provided. Hybrid maize seed, plants or plant parts are produced by crossing the variety PH2TC9 or a locus conversion of PH2TC9 with another maize variety. |
| US09918444B2 |
Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH704888
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH704888. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH704888, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH704888 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH704888. |
| US09918434B2 |
Boundary wall with reinforcement device
A boundary wall for framing beds, hotbeds, boundaries in gardens and green areas that includes construction elements configured for connection to each other. Each construction element includes a base body with projecting end sections having connection elements configured to support coupling elements. The connection elements also receive by form-fit at least one reinforcing coupling element which thereby connect the construction elements to each other and/or with other construction elements. |
| US09918433B2 |
Continuous harvester and mobile wrapping systems and methods of using the same
A crop harvesting system for continuous round baling includes a first and second bale chamber, a conveyor system and optionally a wrapping system. At least one conveyor system can facilitate movement of a bale from a first bale chamber to a second bale chamber. The crop harvesting system can be integrated into an agricultural harvester such as a baler or combine. |
| US09918431B2 |
Apparatuses and methods for moving windrow ends inward
Apparatuses for and methods of moving the ends of windrows inward are disclosed. The apparatuses of the present invention include a front end, a rear end and two opposing sides, the front end configured to be wider than the rear end, two skids attached to the two opposing sides, a gate rotatably attached to the rear end and configured to cover an opening in the rear end, a gate cylinder operably attached to the gate and configured to close the gate to collect fruit and/or nuts within the apparatus, and open the gate to distribute the fruit and/or nuts outside of the apparatus, thus eliminating the need to hand rake the ends of the windrows inward or to blow the ends of the windrow inward with a hand blower. |
| US09918429B1 |
Ergonomic weed trimmer
An ergonomic trimmer handle that is attachable along the main shaft housing of a grass trimmer The trimmer handle includes a lateral bar that provides ease of handling and operational support that reduces the pain and fatigue associated with long term usage of a grass trimmer The trimmer handle includes an ergonomic hand grip and universal clamping plates for attaching the trimmer handle to a trimmer |
| US09918427B2 |
Depth control system for front pivot and rear pivot gauge wheel assemblies
A depth control system for an agricultural implement includes a single pivot lever. Additionally, the depth control system is mounted to the single pivot lever. Further, the depth control system includes a gauge wheel pivotally coupled to a frame of the agricultural implement. The control system controls a height of the gauge wheel relative to the frame via movement of the single pivot lever while the gauge wheel is coupled to a front pivot gauge wheel assembly. Furthermore, the depth control system is configured to control the height of the gauge wheel relative to the frame via movement of the single pivot lever while the gauge wheel is coupled to a rear pivot gauge wheel assembly. |
| US09918426B2 |
System and method for spraying seeds dispensed from a twin row planter
A system includes a planter row unit, at least one nozzle assembly, and a controller. The planter row unit includes a first seed meter configured to dispense seeds into a first furrow at a seed frequency and a second seed meter configured to dispense seeds into a second furrow at the seed frequency. The nozzle assembly is configured to spray the seeds dispensed into the first and second furrows, and includes a valve. The controller is communicatively coupled to the valve, and is configured to determine the seed frequency of the first and second seed meters based on a speed-related parameter of the planter. The controller is further configured to control operation of the valve based on the seed frequency such that fluid is sprayed at least one of on or adjacent to each seed. |
| US09918422B2 |
Device and system for providing an agricultural ground working implement with down pressure and protective hydraulic cushion for obstacle impact
A pair of inner plates which are mounted to a coulter wheel by a hub bolted to the two inner plates in one end, and a bearing on an opposing end. A pair of outer plates retains the inner plates and coulter wheel while provide attachment means for a hydraulic cylinder. A hydraulic cylinder is mounted between two tabs located on outer plates and between the inner plates adjacent to the pivot bearing and opposite the coulter wheel. The hydraulic cylinder is connected to a accumulator which provides for a static down pressure. Upon impact with an obstacle, the force pushing up on the coulter wheel overcomes that of the downward static pressure and the hydraulic cylinder retracts allowing the coulter wheel to move in response to the impact force. Trash wheels are bolted to the outer plates parallel to the coulter wheel or at any desired angle. |
| US09924620B2 |
Flat cable for actuators
Considering a case that a device requiring electric power is arranged in a room where an actuator such as an automatic driving device is disposed, a power cable, a control signal cable, and an electric power cable for the actuator are arranged in parallel and extended in one direction, and thereby a flat part is formed. In a cable side connector provided at both ends of the flat part, a connection terminal of the control signal cable is held at a position where a connection terminal of the electric power cable is put between the connection terminal and a connection terminal of the power cable. |
| US09924615B2 |
Receptacle assembly having a heat exchanger
A receptacle assembly includes a receptacle housing having a module cavity defined by a top wall having a plurality of apertures therethrough. The module cavity has a port at a front end of the receptacle housing configured to receive a pluggable module. A communication connector is positioned in the receptacle housing having a mating interface for mating with the pluggable module. A heat exchanger is received in the module cavity having a heat spreader positioned interior of the module cavity below the top wall. The heat spreader is configured to be in thermal communication with the pluggable module. The heat exchanger has a plurality of fin segments extending from the heat spreader. The fin segments are received in corresponding apertures in the top wall to pass through the top wall to an exterior of the module cavity for heat dissipation. |
| US09924613B2 |
Modular electronic production equipment support structures, module connectors and modules therefor, and related installations and methods
Stackable modules and systems of stackable modules for making electronic production equipment furniture for use in mobile and/or non-mobile production facilities. Each stackable module includes one or more types of connection members that allow the module to be securely connected to another stackable module when the modules are stacked with one another for deployment and/or shipping. In some embodiments, quick-connect pins are used to secure the modules together via corresponding sets of the connection members on adjacent ones of the modules. The stackable modules are provided in differing shapes and configurations, some of which are for specific pieces of electronic equipment and others of which can accommodate any of a variety of pieces of electronic equipment. Stackable modules and production furniture made therewith can have numerous benefits, including, relative ease of shipping, ease of set up and tear down, and reconfigurability to suit differing needs. |
| US09924611B2 |
Connectors to secure multiple rails in a server rack
A connector assembly for securing multiple rails in a computer rack system, the rack system having at least four racks positioned on separate corners to form a front, rear and two sides of a rack frame, and wherein each rack has a plurality of rack openings. The connector assembly comprising two pair of front and rear connectors, each pair being secured to the rack frame against one of the sides defined thereby, and wherein each pair of front and rear connectors are configured to secure thereto a plurality of rails. In addition, each connector, of the front and rear connectors, includes a base plate extending from a top to a bottom, and the base plate of each connector being configured to secure to a plurality of rails. |
| US09924610B2 |
Reduced depth data storage assembly and rack server
A reduced-depth rack server for a reduced depth rack includes a data storage device rotated a quarter turn within a carrier. An interposer cable connects at one end to a laterally presented electrical connector of the data storage device and presents another connector to an end that is inserted inwardly into a rack server chassis to electrically connect with a backplane of the reduced-depth rack server. In one embodiment, a data storage assembly of the data storage device, carrier and interposer cable is inserted from a front end of the chassis. In one embodiment, the data storage assembly is inserted from a top of the chassis to facilitate airflow. |
| US09924609B2 |
Modular protection cabinet with flexible backplane
An enclosure having a rear base defining a cavity for holding one or more electronic devices. The enclosure includes a front cover coupled to the rear base and movable between an open position and a closed position. The enclosure includes a chassis mounted within the cavity of the rear base and a drawer chest having a multiple drawers within the cavity of the rear base. The drawer chest is connected to the chassis, and the multiple drawers are configured to receive the one or more electronic devices. The enclosure includes one or more connectors that are exposed outward and provide a connection to a host electronic device. |
| US09924605B2 |
Security system for article display and method of securing the display
The combination of a display and a security system. The display has a support assembly configured to maintain at least one article in a display position and a base assembly configured to maintain the support assembly in an operative state on a subjacent surface wherein the support assembly can be moved relative to the base assembly to reposition an article in the display position relative to the base assembly. The security system has an anchoring assembly configured to be operatively secured relative to a subjacent surface and/or another object in the vicinity of a subjacent surface at a display location at which the display is to be supported to prevent removal of the display from the display location. The security system and display are configured to be releasably placed in an engaged relationship wherein the base assembly cannot be separated from the anchoring assembly. |
| US09924603B2 |
Display system and method of use
A retractable display configured as a plurality of interlinked display subassemblies or panels, a transport box having a lid configured to enclose the display system, the box or subassemblies having a rack system configured to support the plurality of linked display subassemblies in the transport box, a lift mechanism configured to assemble and disassemble the plurality of releasably interlinked display subassemblies into a seamless display, and an alignment system configured to align one display subassembly with a neighboring display subassembly and thus, functions as a rugged self-contained transport box of a plurality of interlinked display subassemblies capable of automated assembly into a seamless display larger than its transport box. |
| US09924599B2 |
Anisotropic conductive film, anisotropic conductive film production method, connecting method, and bonded structure
To provide an anisotropic conductive film, which contains conductive particles, wherein the anisotropic conductive film is an anisotropic conductive film configured to anisotropic conductively connect a terminal of a substrate with a terminal of an electronic component, wherein the conductive particles are conductive particles, in each of which a metal plated layer and an insulating layer are sequentially provided on a surface of a resin particle, or conductive particles, in each of which an insulating layer is provided on a metal particle, or both thereof, and wherein 3.0 to 10.0 conductive particles are linked together on average. |
| US09924597B2 |
Copper clad laminate for forming of embedded capacitor layer, multilayered printed wiring board, and manufacturing method of multilayered printed wiring board
A material for forming of the capacitor layer which generates no crack in drilling on the dielectric layer of the capacitor in manufacturing of a highly multilayered printed wiring board embedded a capacitor circuit. Copper clad laminate for forming of an embedded capacitor layer of a multilayered printed wiring board including an embedded capacitor circuit having a layer structure of copper layer/dielectric layer of the capacitor/copper layer in an inner layer characterized in that the composite elastic modulus Er of the resin film constituting the dielectric layer of the capacitor along the thickness direction is less than 6.1 GPa is employed. |
| US09924592B2 |
Three-dimensional laminated circuit board, electronic device, information processing system, and information network system
Aiming at providing a three-dimensional laminated circuit board which can be confirmed, in an easy and exact manner, to be an authentic product having been manufactured and packaged honestly; and at providing an electronic device, an information processing system, and an information network system using the same, disclosed is a three-dimensional laminated circuit board that includes a substrate, interconnects, and an authentication pattern; the interconnects being provided in the thickness direction of the substrate; wherein the authentication pattern is provided on the substrate, and is characterized by material, shape, layout, structure or size discriminable from those of the interconnects and the substrate. |
| US09924588B2 |
Thermal energy storage with a phase-change material in a non-metal container
A thermal energy storage apparatus that absorbs thermal energy from a heat-generating device is described. In one aspect, the thermal energy storage apparatus comprises a non-metal container and a phase-change material. The non-metal container is configured to receive the heat-generating device thereon. The phase-change material is contained in the non-metal container and configured to absorb at least a portion of heat from the heat-generating device through the non-metal container. |
| US09924587B2 |
Negative ion-based neutral beam injector
A negative ion-based neutral beam injector comprising a negative ion source, accelerator and neutralizer to produce about a 5 MW neutral beam with energy of about 0.50 to 1.0 MeV. The ions produced by the ion source are pre-accelerated before injection into a high energy accelerator by an electrostatic multi-aperture grid pre-accelerator, which is used to extract ion beams from the plasma and accelerate to some fraction of the required beam energy. The beam from the ion source passes through a pair of deflecting magnets, which enable the beam to shift off axis before entering the high energy accelerator. After acceleration to full energy, the beam enters the neutralizer where it is partially converted into a neutral beam. The remaining ion species are separated by a magnet and directed into electrostatic energy converters. The neutral beam passes through a gate valve and enters a plasma chamber. |
| US09924586B2 |
Systems and methods to generate a self-confined high density air plasma
This disclosure relates to methods and devices for generating electron dense air plasmas at atmospheric pressures. In particular, this disclosure relate to self-contained toroidal air plasmas. Methods and apparatuses have been developed for generating atmospheric toroidal air plasmas. The air plasmas are self-confining, can be projected, and do not require additional support equipment once formed. |
| US09924583B2 |
Display brightness control based on location data
The exemplary embodiments herein provide an electronic display assembly having a liquid crystal display, a backlight placed behind the liquid crystal display, one or more power modules in electrical connection with the backlight, and a microprocessor in electrical connection with the power module(s). Said microprocessor is adapted to determine the sunset and sunrise times for each day and determine whether the present time is between sunrise and sunset or between sunset and sunrise. The microprocessor is further adapted to direct the power module(s) to drive the backlight at a daytime level if the present time is between sunrise and sunset, and direct the power module(s) to drive the backlight at a nighttime level if the present time is between sunset and sunrise. |
| US09924580B2 |
Light switch
A light switch comprises a user input mechanism, a wireless receiver for receiving remote control signals and a processor coupled to the user input mechanism and to the wireless receiver and configured to control a light source to turn it on and off both in response to activation of the user input mechanism and in response to the remote control signals. The light switch is configured, in response to a user override input via the user input mechanism, to enter an override state, whereby the light source is maintained in an off state and remote control signals are prevented from causing the light source to be switched on, until the override state is disengaged. An additional light switch may also be provided that communicates with the aforementioned light switch to provide multi-way switching. |
| US09924579B2 |
Smart light
Systems and methods are disclosed with one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) with at least one optical transmitter and receiver optically coupled to an optical network over 1 Mbps using at least one LED with a first mode to communicate using infrared (IR) light and a second mode to communicate using broadband optical transmission; and a controller coupled to the LEDs, the controller communicating with the optical network using the optical transmitter and receiver. |
| US09924577B2 |
Underwater LED light with replacement indicator
Disclosed is a method of determining depreciation of a lumen output of an LED. More particularly, disclosed is a method of determining depreciation of a lumen output of an LED comprising monitoring, by a processing device, an operating characteristic of an AC power source operatively coupled to the LED; determining, by the processing device, whether a lumen output the LED depreciated beyond a specified lumen value based on the monitoring; and causing, by the processing device, an indicator to provide notification to a user based on determining the lumen output of the LED depreciated beyond the specified lumen value. |
| US09924573B2 |
Multi-stage LED driver with current proportional to rectified input voltage and low distortion
A system for driving a multi-stage LED with low distortion and with current proportional to rectified input voltage is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, an apparatus includes LED groups connected in series to form an LED string having a first node, a last node, and intermediate nodes. The apparatus also includes current cells having inputs coupled to the nodes and outputs coupled to an output resistor. Each current cell selectively regulates current to flow between its respective input and the output resistor. The apparatus also includes a feedback circuit that generates a plurality of feedback voltages from a voltage level at the output resistor. When a selected current cell is enabled by a selected feedback voltage to regulate a selected current level from its respective input to the output resistor, upstream current cells are disabled by their respective feedback voltages. |
| US09924572B2 |
Lighting device
Disclosed is a light emitting device having a configuration that, when a magnitude of an input voltage is greater than a minimum light emitting voltage, all light emitting devices are turned on regardless of the magnitude of the voltage. As the magnitude of the voltage is smaller, the light emitting devices are connected in parallel. As the magnitude of the voltage is greater, the light emitting devices are serially connected. |
| US09924569B2 |
LED driving circuit
An LED driving circuit for driving an LED load including N LED strings, where N is a positive integer no less than 2, can include: (i) a power converter having a power switch; (ii) a constant current control circuit that controls a switching operation of the power switch such that the power converter generates a driving current for the LED load; (iii) N control switches respectively coupled in series to the N LED strings; (iv) a PWM signal generator configured to generate N color tuning PWM signals; and (v) a color tuning control circuit configured to output N switching control signals according to the N color tuning PWM signals, to control switching operations of the N control switches, to regulate a ratio of a current through each LED string of the LED load to the driving current, and to regulate the color temperature of the LED load. |
| US09924568B2 |
Diode light source driver
An apparatus is disclosed in some embodiments. The apparatus comprising; a diode light source having a first terminal and a second terminal, an input configured to receive power form an output of a power supply, an inductor configured to store energy and to provide power for the diode light source, the inductor having a first terminal connected to the first terminal of the diode light source, and a second terminal connected to the second terminal of the diode light source, wherein the diode light source and the inductor are connected in parallel, a switching element configured to control a flow of a current through the inductor. |
| US09924567B2 |
Induction coil with dynamically variable coil geometry
A solenoidal induction coil with dynamically variable coil geometry is provided for inductively welding or heating continuous or discontinuous workpieces passing through the solenoidal induction coil in a process line. The coil geometry can change, for example, as the outer dimension of the workpiece passing through the solenoidal induction coil changes or as non-continuous workpieces pass through the solenoidal induction coil in an induction heating or welding process line. |
| US09924563B2 |
Method, system and media gateway for realizing mobile switch center pool
The disclosure provides a method for realizing a Mobile Switch Center (MSC) pool, a system for realizing an MSC pool and a Media Gateway (MGW). The method for realizing an MSC pool includes: connecting with a Base Station Controllers (BSC)/Radio Network Controller (RNC), by a Media Gateway (MGW) through the use of a common signaling point; and upon receipt of a message whose destination signaling point is the common signaling point from the BSC/RNC, determining, by the MGW, a destination MSC server of the message according to ID information carried in the message, and sending the received message to the destination MSC server. According to the present invention, the networking scheme for an MSC pool may be implemented without upgrading any BSC/RNC. The flexibility of the networking scheme for mobile communication systems may be improved, and the traffic load of the subscribers may be shared. |
| US09924561B2 |
Method and system for transmitting sensor signals
A sensor signal transmission system includes: at least one wireless sensor disposed in an equipment package and configured to sense at least one type of information; a gateway configured to receive the at least one type of information sensed by the at least one wireless sensor in a wireless manner, and convert the received information into at least one communication signal; a controller configured to control the equipment package by collecting the at least one communication signal input from the gateway; and at least one wireless power supply configured to supply power to the at least one wireless sensor in a wireless manner. |
| US09924560B2 |
Method and apparatus for simultaneously receiving on two carriers and performing discontinuous transmission and reception in dual cell high speed downlink packet access
A method and an apparatus for simultaneously receiving on two carriers and performing discontinuous transmission (DTX) and discontinuous reception (DRX) in dual cell high speed downlink packet access (DC-HSDPA) are disclosed. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) receives a message for activating DRX for at least one of an anchor carrier and a supplementary carrier and applies the same DRX pattern to the anchor carrier and the supplementary carrier upon reception of the message. The message may be received via a high speed shared control channel (HS-SCCH) order. The WTRU may activate or de-activate the supplementary carrier based on the physical layer signal. Upon activation of the supplementary carrier, the WTRU may apply the same DRX pattern on both the anchor carrier and the supplementary carrier. The WTRU may flush a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) buffer associated with the supplementary carrier upon de-activation of the supplementary carrier. |
| US09924558B2 |
Digital radio communication
A method of digital radio communication between a first device (2) and a second device (8), where each device comprises a radio transmitter (4, 10) and a radio receiver (6, 12), the method comprising: a) said first and second devices (2, 8) establishing a connection using a predetermined protocol having at least one predefined message format; and b) said first and second devices (2, 8) agreeing that in the event of said connection being broken a re-connection may be established using a coding scheme in which at least some bits specified in said predefined message format are represented by a plurality of bits transmitted. |
| US09924556B2 |
Radio communication system, base station, mobile station, communication control method, and non-transitory computer readable medium
A first base station (1) that operates a first cell (10) is configured to receive, from a mobile station (4) through a signaling radio bearer in the first cell (10), a signal containing a NAS message that causes a setup of a data bearer in a data transfer apparatus (7) within a core network (5). The first base station (1) is also configured to send, when forwarding the NAS message received from the mobile station (4) to the mobility management apparatus (6) within the core network (5), a control message that causes a suspension of the setup of the data bearer to the mobility management apparatus (6). It is thus, for example, possible to contribute to a simple establishment of a U-Plane bearer in a dual-connectivity scenario. |
| US09924555B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling D2D discovery process
One of the embodiments of the present invention relates to a method for controlling a D2D discovery process at a discovering user equipment. The method comprises determining by the discovering user equipment whether discovery information in a discovering message received from a discovered user equipment is sufficient for performing the D2D discovery process or not. In response to a positive result of the determination, the user equipment continues the discovery procedure without involvement of network node, at least by using the discovery information in the discovering message; in response to a negative result of the determination, the user equipment sends a request to a network node for assistance on further discovery information for performing the D2D discovery process, and then receives the further discovery information from the network node. Embodiments of the present invention also provide methods, apparatuses and computer program products. |
| US09924553B2 |
Method and apparatus for measuring link quality in wireless communication system supporting device-to-device communication
The present disclosure relates to a device-to-device (D2D) communication for direct communication between nodes in a wireless communication system, wherein an operation method of a terminal includes the steps of: generating sequences, which belong to an orthogonal sequence set, according to a sequence pattern corresponding to a priority of a link; and transmitting the sequences, as signals for measurement of a reception electric power of a counterpart terminal, through sub-blocks within a channel, wherein one sequence is transmitted through each of the sub-blocks. |
| US09924552B2 |
Method and apparatus for changing in wireless communication system
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for changing services in a direct communication system. A method for setting up a session in a first wireless device supporting a Wi-Fi direct service, according to one embodiment of the present invention, can include the steps of: setting up a connection between a first wireless device and a second wireless device, which includes a provision discovery process between the first wireless device and the second wireless device for creating a session for a first service; and transmitting a request_session message from the first wireless device to the second wireless device for creating a session for a second service. Session information for the second service can be included in the request_session message. |
| US09924551B2 |
Method for setting communication in Wi-Fi direct service system, and apparatus therefor
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for transmitting, if an advertiser device is set to delay a session with respect to the request for a session from a seeker device, session delay information to the seeker device in a method for setting Wi-Fi direct service communication and to an apparatus therefor. |
| US09924550B2 |
Dynamic LTE network
A communication network comprises a packet core network and at least one wireless access node, arranged to provide the core network with access to user equipment via a first interface established between the access node and a network element of the core network. The network comprises at least one management entity configured to establish a virtual second interface passing through it and linking the access node and the network element and in which the first interface is encapsulated. |
| US09924547B2 |
Channel access method and access point
Embodiments of the present application provide a channel access method and an access point. The method includes: sending, by a first AP in a first system, a sense time identifier used to identify a sense time reserved on a channel to a first STA in the first system, so as to instruct the first STA to neither send information nor perform random access within the sense time; searching the channel within the sense time for a sequence that is used for random access and that is in a second system, so as to obtain a search result, and determining, according to the search result, whether the channel is obtained by means of competition; The technical solution of the present application provides a new channel access mechanism, which can implement coexistence of a next-generation WiFi system with a traditional WiFi system. |
| US09924546B2 |
Method and device for sending and receiving random access sequence
A method and device for sending and receiving a random access sequence, wherein the method for sending a random access sequence includes: determining one or more preset random access resources forming a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH); and sending a first random access sequence on the one or more preset random access resources. By the disclosure, the problem that an access requirement cannot be met by a random access sequence processing method in a related art is solved, and the effect of improving random access efficiency and accuracy is further achieved. |
| US09924545B2 |
Method for performing random access by terminal, and terminal
Disclosed are: a terminal for selecting RRUs of which a connection state with the terminal is a critical value or more from among a plurality of RRUs on the basis of down signals received from the RRUs, transmitting an RRU list including information on the selected RRUs and a random access preamble to an RRU having the best connection state with the terminal among the selected RRUs, receiving an access information response message indicating a preferred RRU with which a random access is to be performed by the terminal from any one RRU among the selected RRUs and performing a random access process with the preferred RRU; and a method for performing random access by the terminal. |
| US09924543B2 |
Method and apparatus for configuring random access sequence length for high carrier frequency band in wireless communication system
A method of receiving a random access sequence by a base station in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The method includes transmitting information on at least one of random access formats for different effective channel lengths to the user equipment from a base station, and transmitting a random access sequence based on the at least one random access format from the base station, wherein the random access formats have different lengths of effective channel section for receiving the random access sequence. |
| US09924542B2 |
Random access procedures for machine-type communications
Systems and methods relating to transmission and reception of a Random Access Response (RAR) message to a wireless device (e.g., a User Equipment (UE)) in a manner that is particularly well-suited for, but not limited to, reduced bandwidth devices, such as Machine Type Communication (MTC) devices, are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method of operation of a wireless device to perform random access to a cellular communications network comprises transmitting a random access preamble on a physical random access channel and determining, from a random access preamble index of the random access preamble, one of a random access response resource and a channel to monitor for a transmission of an indication of the random access response resource. The method further comprises receiving a random access response on the random access response resource. |
| US09924536B2 |
Communication method for terminal in wireless communication system and terminal using same
A communication method for a terminal in a wireless communication system and a terminal using the method are provided. The method comprises: a first downlink subframe receiving a downlink grant; and a plurality of downlink subframes receiving a plurality of data channels that are scheduled by the downlink grant, wherein the plurality of downlink subframes belong to a predetermined downlink subframe group. |
| US09924533B2 |
Method and apparatus for reducing signaling and delay for uplink scheduling in a wireless communication network
A method and apparatus are disclosed for reducing signaling and delay for uplink scheduling in a wireless communication network. The method includes activating a newly configured SCell (Secondary Cell). The method also includes starting a TA (Timing Alignment/Advance) timer associated with the SCell upon detection of a specific DL (Downlink) signaling. The method further includes detecting and processing a PDCCH (Physical Downlink Control Channel) for a PUSCH (Physical Uplink Shared Channel) transmission. In addition, the method includes sending a MAC (Mac Access Control) PDU (Protocol Data Unit) corresponding to the PDCCH scheduling on a PUSCH of the SCell based on an UL transmission timing equal to a specific value. |
| US09924532B2 |
Buffer status reporting in small cell networks
The invention provides for association of data streams (and/or logical channels) with individual carriers (cells), and independent buffer status reporting per carrier for terminals with more than one uplink carrier configured. In a “Small Cell” scenario for 3GPP LTE, a terminal may be simultaneously served by a macro cell and one or more small cells. These may operate at different frequencies, have different traffic loading and support different QoS (Quality of Service). The invention allows independent control of traffic on the uplinks to the macro cell and the small cells, which can be used to optimize the user experience in relation to the available resources at any given time/location, and allows particular data to be routed via particular cells. |
| US09924530B2 |
Data transmission method, apparatus, and system
A data transmission method, apparatus, and system are provided, where the method includes: receiving, by user equipment, a data scheduling request sent by a base station, where the data scheduling request carries resource information allocated to scheduled data by the base station, and the resource information includes an unlicensed spectrum resource; determining whether a condition for transmission of the scheduled data on an unlicensed spectrum is met; and if the condition for transmission of the scheduled data on the unlicensed spectrum is met, sending the scheduled data to the base station by using the unlicensed spectrum resource. In the present invention, data transmission reliability can be improved. |
| US09924523B2 |
Method for transmitting interference information and device for same
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for receiving information for canceling interference of a terminal is disclosed. The method is performed by the terminal and can comprise the steps of: receiving, from a serving base station, information on the allocation of resource regions of neighboring cells for canceling an interference signal; and using the resource region allocation information in order to cancel the interference signal in a downlink signal. |
| US09924522B2 |
Method for selecting state of a reconfigurable antenna in a communication system via machine learning
A method for selecting the state of a reconfigurable antenna installed at either the receiver or transmitter of a communication system is provided. The proposed method uses online learning algorithm based on the theory of multi-armed bandit to perform antenna state selection. The selection technique utilizes the Post-Processing Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PPSNR) as a reward metric and maximizes the long-term average reward over time. The performance of the learning based selection technique is empirically evaluated using wireless channel data. The data is collected in an indoor environment using a 2×2 MIMO OFDM system employing highly directional metamaterial Reconfigurable Leaky Wave Antennas. The learning based selection technique shows performance improvements in terms of average PPSNR and regret over conventional heuristic policies. |
| US09924521B2 |
Signaling message synchronization
Technology for supporting dual connectivity is disclosed. A user equipment (UE) may receive a radio resource control (RRC) reconfiguration message from a macro evolved node B (MeNB). The RRC reconfiguration message may indicate that a secondary cell associated with a secondary eNB (SeNB) is to be added for connection to the UE. The UE may complete an RRC reconfiguration procedure to add the secondary cell. The UE may send a preamble to the SeNB indicating that the UE has completed the RRC reconfiguration procedure. The UE may communicate data with the SeNB after sending the preamble to the SeNB, wherein the UE supports dual connectivity to the MeNB and the SeNB. |
| US09924518B2 |
Method and apparatus for dynamic channel selection device
The present invention relates to wireless networks and more specifically to systems and methods for selecting available channels free of radar signals from a plurality of radio frequency channels. In one embodiment, the present invention provides for a dynamic frequency selection (“DFS”) master device that can facilitate DFS capabilities for one or more legacy access points that do not have DFS capabilities on their own. The DFS master device can be a device communicably coupled to the access point via a universal serial bus (USB) connection or over Ethernet. In some embodiments, the DFS master device can provide DFS capabilities for a plurality of access points on a network. In other embodiments, the DFS master device can be a separate device that is embeddable on the legacy access point device. |
| US09924515B2 |
Dynamic selection of power reduction values
A method for dynamically selecting an A-MPR value to apply for an uplink transmission is provided. The method can include a wireless communication device receiving an indication from a network that A-MPR should be applied for uplink transmissions within a frequency band used for communication between the wireless communication device and the network. The method can further include the wireless communication device receiving an RB allocation for a subset of RB's within the frequency band from the network. The method can additionally include the wireless communication device determining an allocation ratio and a distribution characteristic of the allocated subset of RB's within the frequency band. The method can also include the wireless communication device selecting an A-MPR value to apply based at least in part on the allocation ratio and the distribution characteristic. The method can further include the wireless communication device applying the selected A-MPR. |
| US09924514B2 |
Channel selection for concurrent communications between wireless devices
Embodiments relate generally to method, system and apparatus for wireless communications between multiple wireless sensor nodes for wireless sensor networks. More specifically, disclosed are system and method that enable wireless communications between devices using different wireless transmission protocols, via one or more multi-channel intermediate devices. |
| US09924507B2 |
Apparatus and method for transmitting uplink control information
A wireless communication system is disclosed. A method and apparatus for allowing a user equipment (UE) to transmit uplink control information through a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) are disclosed. A method for allowing a UE to transmit uplink control information through a PUSCH in a wireless communication system includes receiving configuration information about a plurality of PUSCH feedback modes, identifying information indicating a specific PUSCH feedback mode for the PUSCH by using uplink allocation information for the PUSCH, and transmitting the uplink control information through the PUSCH in accordance with the specific PUSCH feedback mode. |
| US09924498B2 |
Selecting a cell identifier based on a downlink control information
A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided in which a cell identifier is selected based on one or more properties associated with received downlink control information (DCI), where the properties may not be exclusively associated with determining a cell identifier. The cell identifier may be selected from a plurality of cell identifiers received through radio resource control signaling. The properties of the DCI may include a type of download control channel, a type of subframe and a type of DCI format used to provide the DCI. |
| US09924497B2 |
Method for transmitting signal in device-to-device proximity service, base station, and user equipment
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for transmitting a signal in a device-to-device proximity service D2D ProSe, a base station, and a user equipment, where the method includes: allocating, by a base station, at least one time-frequency resource set to each user cluster in N user clusters in a cell covered by the base station, where at least two time-frequency resource sets in M time-frequency resource sets allocated by the base station to the N user clusters are different; and transmitting, by the base station, Rth information to the Rth user cluster in the N user clusters, where the Rth information is used to indicate an Rth time-frequency resource set that is allocated by the base station to the Rth user cluster and used for transmitting a signal, where a value of R is 1, . . . , N separately. |
| US09924494B2 |
Method and apparatus for radio resources management
Various examples provide a method for radio resources management. An MCE or a GCSE AS or a UE receives usage information of eMBMS radio resources, and adjusts radio resources in response to a determination that there is an overload state. The MCE may re-configure the eMBMS radio resources. Alternatively, the UE or the GCSE AS may establish a unicast channel for transporting a GCSE service which was transmitted on an overloaded eMBMS bearer, and release the eMBMS bearer. The technical mechanism can make effective use of radio interface resources and reduce data loss. |
| US09924493B1 |
Method and apparatus for multiple parallel broadcast channel decoder
In wireless communications systems, a client terminal performs cell search procedure to find a suitable cell and camp on it to receive service from the network. In 3GPP LTE wireless communication system, the initial cell search involves the decoding of the Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) which may take a long time to decode which affects the time it takes to camp on an appropriate cell. One of the reasons for this is that conventional methods perform PBCH decoding sequentially to find a suitable cell. A method and apparatus are disclosed that perform the PBCH decoding in parallel for multiple cells. This method enables the client terminal to camp on a cell and receive service faster than conventional methods. |
| US09924491B1 |
Method and system for management of mobile terminal connection in response to paging failure
Disclosed is a method and system for managing a mobile terminal connection. A paging controller attempts to page a mobile terminal and detects failure of the paging. In response, a packet-network address that had been assigned for the mobile terminal is released and/or a data link layer connection that had been established for the mobile terminal is released. |
| US09924488B2 |
Position authentication
A method performed under control of an electronic device may include receiving at least one signal from at least one anchor point; calculating a location of the electronic device based at least in part on the at least one received signal; generating a position proof based at least in part on the at least one received signal; and in response to receiving a position proof request from a server, transmitting the position proof to the server, when the position proof corresponds to the position proof request. |
| US09924486B2 |
Apparatus and method for registering position in mobile communication system
An apparatus and a method for registering a position, which periodically update a position of a user in a mobile communication system are provided. The method includes determining whether to stop reporting position information based on a current operation state for a mobile communication service and controls whether to maintain or stop reporting the position information based on a result corresponding to the determination. Accordingly, it is possible to increase an energy efficiency by preventing an unnecessary position registering step from being performed by a User Equipment (UE) in an Out of Service (OS) area. |
| US09924482B2 |
Unique word (UW) based multiple access message processing
A communications terminal receives a data communications signal via a random access channel. A processor searches for data bursts in a first time-slot that include one of a first set of signature sequences assigned to the first time-slot. When a data burst A in the first time-slot includes one of the first set of signature sequences, the data burst A in the first time-slot is an initial burst of a message from a first communications terminal. The processor determines whether a second time-slot includes a data burst B that includes the one signature sequence. When the second time-slot includes the data burst B, the message is a multi-burst message and that the data burst B is a second burst of the multi-burst message. When the second time-slot does not include the data burst B the message is a single-burst message that has been completed via the first time-slot. |
| US09924476B2 |
Method and apparatus for configuring power headroom information in mobile communication system supporting carrier aggregation
A method and apparatus for configuring Power Headroom Report (PHR) of a User Equipment (UE) efficiently in a mobile communication system supporting carrier aggregation are provided. The method includes generating a header including a LCID for identifying extended PHR and L indicating a length of the extended PHR, and inserting Power Headrooms (PHs) of multiple activated carriers into the extended PHR of one of the carriers. |
| US09924474B2 |
Scheme of finite power transmission statuses for low cost wireless broadband communication system
Some wireless communications environments, such as Wi-Fi, may include inexpensive power amplifiers where the power adjustment may not be accurate, and may also include pathloss measurement errors that are high enough to degrade performance of a power control algorithm. To address this issue, an exemplary aspect is directed toward a finite state power control algorithm and technique that, while designed for next generation Wi-Fi standards, such as 802.11ax, can in general be used with any wireless communication protocol or standard. |
| US09924472B2 |
Wireless communication method, wireless communication system, wireless base station and wireless terminal
A wireless communication method including: transmitting first information from a second wireless terminal to a wireless base station, the first information relating to a first wireless quality from a first wireless terminal to the second wireless terminal, the first wireless quality being measured based on a first reference signal transmitted from the first wireless terminal, the wireless base station being configured to determine whether to perform device-to-device communication between the first wireless terminal and the second wireless terminal, and transmitting second information from the first wireless terminal to the wireless base station, the second information relating to a second wireless quality from the second wireless terminal to the first wireless terminal, the second wireless quality being measured based on a second reference signal transmitted from the second wireless terminal. |
| US09924467B2 |
Base station
Some OFDM symbols transmitted temporally continuously by a base station include data signals that are not orthogonal to each other and are directed to user devices. A reference signal is arranged in the OFDM symbols temporally intermittently. The base station determines, according to reception qualities at user devices, downlink data signal transmission powers for transmitting downlink data signals. The base station reduces a downlink data signal transmission power in an OFDM symbol in which the reference signal is arranged to be lower than a downlink data signal transmission power in an OFDM symbol in which the reference signal is not arranged. The base station determines a downlink reference signal transmission power to be higher than the downlink data signal transmission power of a data signal in the OFDM symbol in which the reference signal is not arranged. |
| US09924465B2 |
Apparatus and methods for low power sensing of wireless access technologies
Apparatus and methods for low power sensing of wireless access technologies are disclosed. In particular, a mobile wireless device, such as an access terminal, may utilize a lower power circuitry portion that operates at a lower power than active circuitry, such as a primary transceiver. The lower power circuitry portion includes a configurable searcher that is capable of sensing if signals of one or more various wireless access technologies are present. When the wireless device utilizes sleep or idle modes for power savings, use of the lower power sensing circuitry to sense the presence of wireless access technologies, rather than using an awoken higher power primary transceiver for sensing, affords increased power savings. An added ability of the lower power circuitry to be put into sleep or idles modes achieves even greater power savings. |
| US09924463B2 |
Method, system and apparatus for controlling power consumption of a mobile terminal
Techniques and examples pertaining to controlling power consumption of a mobile terminal are described. First information regarding at least one aspect of a mobile terminal, as sensed by the at least one sensor, may be received. Second information related to the first information may be transmitted to a remote terminal. Third information may be received from the remote terminal. The third information may be determined by the remote terminal based at least in part on the second information, information about data to be transmitted to or from the mobile terminal, one or more wireless communication variables, or a combination thereof. At least one operational parameter of a wireless transceiver of the mobile terminal may be controlled based on the third information. |
| US09924462B2 |
Low-power wake-up receiver negotiation procedure
Embodiments of a LP-WUR (low-power wake-up radio) negotiation procedure are generally described herein. A first wireless device encodes a request frame for transmission to a second wireless device, requesting to enable a LP-WUR mode and negotiate parameters for LP-WUR transmission between the first wireless device and the second wireless device. The first wireless device decodes a response action frame responsive to the request frame, indicating acceptance or rejection of the request. If the response action frame indicates acceptance of the request, the first wireless device: encodes an acknowledgement frame for transmission to the second wireless device, the acknowledgement frame to configure the second wireless device to enable the LP-WUR mode. |
| US09924457B2 |
Apparatus and product of power management in a wireless network
Some demonstrative embodiments include apparatuses, devices, systems and methods of power management in a wireless network. For example, a first wireless station may be configured to transmit a frame to a second wireless station during a first beacon interval, the frame including an indication that the first wireless station is to switch to a low power mode; switch to the low power mode; operate at an active mode during an awake window in a second beacon interval subsequent to the first beacon interval; and upon receipt of an announcement traffic indication message (ATIM) from the second wireless station during the awake window, transmit an acknowledgement to the second wireless station, and stay at the active mode to communicate data with the second wireless station. |
| US09924455B2 |
System and method for virtual user-specific service gateways
A method embodiment includes receiving, by a virtual user-specific service gateway (v-u-SGW) on a processor, a packet, processing the packet, and forwarding the packet to a user equipment (UE). The v-u-SGW is created in accordance with registration of the UE in a network. The method further includes processing the packet in accordance with a configuration of the UE and/or a configuration of the network. |
| US09924451B2 |
Systems and methods for communicating half-rate encoded voice frames
A method for communicating half-rate encoded voice frames. The method includes receiving, by a digital signal processor, a half-rate encoded voice frame. The method further includes determining, by the digital signal processor, a network access code. The method further includes encoding, by the digital signal processor, a network identifier based on the network access code. The method further includes scrambling, by the digital signal processor, the network identifier to generate a scrambled network identifier. The method further includes generating, by the digital signal processor, an erasure pattern. The method further includes generating, by the digital signal processor, a half-rate embedded voice code word based on the erasure pattern and the half-rate encoded voice frame. The method further includes generating, by the digital signal processor, a half-rate embedded logical data unit based on the half-rate embedded voice code word and the scrambled network identifier. |
| US09924448B2 |
Device for short-range communication, adapted to provide access to a remote service
A hub device is configured for communicating with a terminal by using a short-range wireless connection. The hub device is further configured for connecting to a remote service. More particularly, the device is configured for: receiving from the terminal a request to access the remote service, the access request comprising identification parameters for said service; temporarily storing in memory the identification parameters of the request received, in order to send to the remote service a second access request comprising the identification parameters; and upon response from the remote service to the second request, transferring data relating to the service. |
| US09924444B2 |
Method for accessing wireless local area network, and device
Method includes: determining, by a Access Point, AP, a duration of a time segment according to the number of sensor stations and a size of uplink data and a data transmission rate of the sensor stations in a network; wherein in the time segment, only sensor stations are allowed to perform access contention; sending, by the AP, a beacon frame, wherein the beacon frame carries information about the time segment. |
| US09924433B2 |
Hub apparatus of heterogeneous network and method of offloading the same
A hub apparatus may be provided for distributing a load of a small cell digital unit to a macro cell digital unit in a heterogeneous network. The hub apparatus includes an offloading controller configured to determine a first small cell, as an offloading target among a plurality of small cells based on a load of the macro cell digital unit and the small cell digital unit, to determine a first digital unit processing a load of the first small cell among at least one macro cell digital unit, to that generate a first control signal that requests connection to the first digital unit and a low-power radio unit of the first small cell, a path change unit connected to each of an antenna, having one side installed in the macro cell and a low-power radio unit installed in each small cell, having the other side connected to each of the macro cell digital unit and the small cell digital unit, configured to form a path connecting the one side and the other side, and configured to change a digital unit connected to a corresponding low-power radio unit based on the first control signal. |
| US09924429B2 |
Wireless terminal and method of operating
A wireless terminal can communicate with a first network of first type and a second network of second different type. The wireless terminal performs a packet-domain attachment to the first network and initiates a ready timer indicating that the wireless terminal is in an attached state and has recently sent data to the first network. The wireless terminal initiates an inter-system change from the first network to the second network whereby the wireless terminal becomes registered to the second network. Advantageously the wireless terminal has means for rendering the ready timer ineffective when the inter-system change is performed. The network apparatus has means for initiating its own ready timer dependent on the attachment occurring, this ready timer also indicating that the wireless terminal is in an attached state and has recently sent data to the first network. |
| US09924428B2 |
Quick transmission point handover method, handover device, service base station and terminal
Provided is a quick transmission point handover method, including: a service base station detects whether a current transmission point in use needs to be closed; if the service base station detects that the current transmission point in use needs to be closed, transmitting a target transmission point directive command to a terminal to inform the terminal about information of a new target transmission point to be monitored soon and/or to inform the terminal that the current transmission point in use will be closed. Correspondingly, also provided is a quick transmission point handover device. |
| US09924424B2 |
Integrated radio communications system using an ordered hierarchical cellular coverage
An integrated radio communication system with ordered hierarchical cellular coverage comprises a first system and a second system, the coverage of the second system covered by the coverage of the first system, and a set of dual-mode terminals that can selectively use the first system or the second system. The first and second systems are configured to simultaneously share a common portion Bc of a first band B1 of frequencies respectively on a first uplink and a second uplink, and respectively manage first transmission resources and corresponding second transmission resources. The second radio communication system of lower level N2 is free to manage its second transmission resources without any coordination constraint with respect to the first system of higher level N1, whereas the first system of higher level is configured to not disturb the second system in the common frequency band portion. The first system is configured to transmit data packets on a first uplink random access contention channel and to manage its first resources optimally in terms of transmission capacity of the channel as a function of the measurement of the occupancy of the second radio resources currently used by the second system and of the first resources currently used by the first system. |
| US09924420B2 |
Methods and arrangements in a mobile telecommunication system
Methods and arrangements in a base station and a User Equipment are provided. The methods and arrangements relates to the scenario when the UE is handed over from a source base station to a target base station in a handover scenario, and wherein the target base station may not support functionalities which the source base station and the UE support. The method in the UE comprises receiving (501) a configuration message from the target base station via the source base station, configuring (502) the UE based on the received configuration message from the target base station by searching (503) for a second field in an information element of the received configuration message. The presence/non-presence or a value of the second field is indicative of how to manage a configured first functionality associated with an optional first field, wherein the configured first functionality may not be supported by the target base station. |
| US09924416B2 |
Methods, apparatuses and computer program products for fast handover
Provided are methods, corresponding apparatuses, and computer program products for a fast handover. A method comprises generating, at a source base station serving a user equipment, a first message and a second message including security information for security communication between a target base station and the user equipment after a fast handover. The method also comprises transmitting simultaneously, from the source base station, the first and second messages respectively to the target base station and the user equipment. With the claimed inventions, a fast X2 handover procedure is complemented and becomes more feasible with proposed security handlings, making it possible to decrease the service interruption during X2 handover for users and hence improve the user experiences. |
| US09924412B2 |
Method of handling buffer status report and communication device thereof
A method of handling buffer status report for a mobile device capable of UL MIMO and/or capable of receiving and/or transmitting on a plurality of component carriers in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The method comprises generating at least a buffer size table each including a plurality of indexes according to the maximum uplink data transmission rate, wherein some of the plurality of indexes each is used for indicating a data amount in an uplink buffer of the mobile device for the buffer status report. |
| US09924410B2 |
Efficient medium access control (MAC) header
A medium access control (MAC) frame may have a MAC header that includes two address fields and a MAC frame version indicator. The MAC header may also include control information that indicates a presence of a third address field in the MAC header. A time interval for transmission of the MAC frame may be determined by multiplying a duration value in a first message field by a multiplier value in a second message field. |
| US09924407B2 |
Contention adjustment method, apparatus, and system in wireless local area network
A contention adjustment method for use in an apparatus and a system in a wireless local area network. The method includes acquiring an air interface occupancy time ratio of a terminal that is in a service operating state, and adjusting an uplink data sending threshold of the terminal according to the air interface occupancy time ratio of the terminal, where the air interface occupancy time ratio of the terminal is a ratio of an air interface occupancy time of the terminal to an air interface time, and the air interface occupancy time of the terminal is a ratio of a volume of data sent by the terminal to an air interface data sending rate of the terminal in the air interface time. The present disclosure may avoid that a terminal with a stronger demand excessively preempts a terminal with a weaker demand. |
| US09924402B2 |
Method and apparatus for QoS context transfer during inter radio access technology handover in a wireless communication system
Systems and methodologies are described herein that facilitate efficient transfer of quality of service (QoS) context during inter-radio access technology (RAT) handovers. In particular, techniques are described herein for establishing rules for whether a user equipment unit (UE) or an associated network should establish QoS for a mixed-mode application, identifying flow to bearer mappings when translating QoS across an inter-RAT handover, mapping QoS parameters of respective RATs, mitigating QoS depreciation upon multiple handovers, performing one or more actions if QoS is not acceptable in a new RAT, maintaining QoS during tunnel mode, and handling scenarios in which a UE moves between a RAT using network-initiated QoS and a RAT using UE-initiated QoS. |
| US09924401B2 |
ANDSF parameters for WLAN network selection
Embodiments describe systems, methods, and apparatuses for identifying, based at least in part on an access network discovery and selection function (ANDSF) quality of service (QoS) policy, a preferred access point (AP) of a wireless local area network (WLAN). In some embodiments, the ANDSF QoS policy may be compared to one or more of an air-interface congestion parameter of the AP, and/or a backhaul congestion parameter of the AP. |
| US09924399B2 |
Mobile WLAN gateway
A technique for operating a mobile station as wireless local-area network [“WLAN”] gateway. The mobile station is provided with a gateway application to control the following operations: activating (3-0) the WLAN means as a WLAN base station capable of communicating with at least one WLAN terminal over a WLAN network; creating a network identifier (3-2, 3-4) for the WLAN base station; assigning (3-8, 3-10) an internet protocol address for the at least one WLAN terminal; resolving domain name service [“DNS”] queries (3-12 . . . 3-18) in cooperation with an external DNS service system; assigning at least one port number for each protocol supported by the gateway application; and tunneling internet traffic (3-30 . . . 3-36) between the at least one WLAN terminal and an internet host over the broadband connection. |
| US09924397B2 |
Time of flight window limit synchronization
Generally discussed herein are systems and apparatuses arranged to perform a Time-of-Flight (ToF) or Round Trip Time measurement. The disclosure also includes techniques of making and using the systems and apparatuses. According to an example a station (STA) can be arranged to perform a Time-of-Flight (ToF) measurement, the STA can include a transceiver arranged to transmit a hard constraint indicating a time window in which the STA is unavailable for performing the ToF measurement, and receive an action frame of the ToF measurement from another STA at a time that is outside the time window. |
| US09924395B2 |
Differentiating measurement reporting mechanism
Techniques are provided for transmission of measurement reports from a UE to a base station. A method may include receiving a measurement configuration message from a serving cell. The method may include determining a report value from the measurement configuration message, the report value indicating a number of measurement reports to be transmitted to the serving cell. The method may include, based on the number of measurement reports indicated by the report value, determining whether to wait for a signal measurement result of at least one neighboring cell to become available prior to sending a measurement report to the serving cell. |
| US09924394B2 |
Methods and arrangements for advertising services in wireless networks
Logic may decide which service advertisement information to transmit in a service advertisement frame based on link margin information of each service advertisement received. Logic may filter the service advertisement information to avoid advertising service information for service providers that cannot be reached. A first station may receive a service advertisement from a second station and determine whether to include the service advertisement with a transmission of the first station's service advertisement based upon perceived proximity of the second station. A station may generate a Leaving Message if a user terminates service advertisements of the station or the station appears to be moving away from a service advertisement group. In response to receiving a Leaving Message from a neighboring station, a station may remove the neighboring station from a list of service providers maintained by the station. |
| US09924392B2 |
SDN orchestration and optimization of antennas and frequencies in radio access networks
Systems and methods for Software Defined Networking (SDN) orchestration of antennas and frequencies in a heterogeneous Radio Access Network (RAN) include maintaining status of a plurality of devices connected to the heterogeneous RAN; determining whether to upgrade connections of a first subset of the plurality of devices; determining whether to downgrade connections of a second subset of the plurality of devices; and providing instructions to the heterogeneous RAN for the first subset and the second subset. The systems and methods enable enforcement of business-aware prioritization on the heterogeneous RAN. |
| US09924391B2 |
Client-side dynamic frequency selection check
In one example, a Wi-Fi client device may streamline a dynamic frequency selection check using a channel baseline measurement. The Wi-Fi client device may select a sampling size for a dynamic frequency selection check based on a channel baseline measurement for a dynamic frequency selection Wi-Fi channel. The Wi-Fi client device may execute the dynamic frequency selection check using the sampling size on the dynamic frequency selection Wi-Fi channel. The Wi-Fi client device may establish a Wi-Fi Direct connection based on the dynamic frequency selection check. |
| US09924389B2 |
Verification in a wireless communication system
A method implemented by a node in a wireless communication system comprises obtaining (120) a result of a timing measurement performed on one or more first radio signals associated with one or more specific characteristics. The method also includes verifying (130) one or more second radio signals as associated with the one or more specific characteristics, by determining whether the result meets one or more conditions. In some embodiments, the one or more specific characteristics is an identity of a specific radio node or cell. Moreover, in one or more embodiments, the result of the timing measurement is used for verification in this way instead of or in addition to the result of a power-based measurement. |
| US09924388B2 |
Autonomous detecting and positioning method of indoor wireless network faults
Method of autonomous detection and positioning method of indoor wireless network faults, the method comprising: building an indoor three-dimensional spatial structural model and an indoor transmitting antenna model of a target building, calculating the signal strength of the indoor transmitting antenna model inside the target building according to a ray-tracing propagation model algorithm to determine key testing positions of the target building, each key test position being associated to an individual transmitting antenna and maximizing the difference between the signal strength generated by its corresponding antenna and that generated by other antennas, deploying mobile phones with an automatic dial testing function at the key testing positions of indoor wireless networks and starting the dial testing mobile phones when the wireless networks are idle, collecting measurement reports reported by the dial testing mobile phones, detecting and locating faults of indoor networks and devices according to the measurement reports. |
| US09924386B2 |
Method and system for wireless network optimization and remote control of mobile handset operation
A system for wireless network optimization and remote control of mobile handset operation, comprising one or more devices disposed on a network and a server disposed on the network having a database, the server configured to push a client application to the one or more devices, instruct the client application to perform a plurality of tests on the one or more devices, collect a plurality of reports corresponding the plurality of tests performed on the on the one or more devices, instruct the client application to perform debugging tests on the one or more devices, collect debugging results corresponding to the debugging tests performed on the one or more devices, and remotely access the one or more devices to resolve any operational problems of the one or more devices. |
| US09924384B2 |
Method and apparatus for optimizing neighbor relation
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and an apparatus for optimizing a neighbor relation. The method for optimizing a neighbor relation in the present invention includes: determining, by a centralized device, to-be-processed neighboring cells according to a preset rule, generating an optimization suggestion according to the determined to-be-processed neighboring cells, and delivering the optimization suggestion to a radio network controller RNC, so that the RNC optimizes the to-be-processed neighboring cells according to the optimization suggestion. According to the embodiments of the present invention, automatic optimization of the neighbor relation is implemented. |
| US09924377B2 |
Radio relay apparatus and radio relay method
A radio relay device includes: an antenna, which transmits and receives a radio signal with respect to a counterpart radio relay device; and a directivity controller, which adjusts directivity of the antenna, wherein the directivity controller determines whether to adjust the directivity of the antenna based on a relation between a propagation characteristic at a time when the radio signal is received from the counterpart radio relay device in an operating period and an absolute value or a relative value serving as a threshold, and when it is determined to adjust the directivity of the antenna, the directivity controller transmits an adjustment start signal to the counterpart radio relay device and adjusts the directivity of the antenna, with interlocking with the counterpart radio relay device. |
| US09924375B1 |
Method and system for sharing remote radio head between cell sites
Disclosed is a method and system for sharing a remote radio head (RRH) between multiple cell sites. An RRH is be coupled with at least two separately located cell sites, so as to interface concurrently between one such cell site and a baseband unit and between the other such cell site and the baseband unit. Further, a baseband unit may thus also serve the multiple cell sites, by being coupled with the RRH that serves the multiple cell sites. |
| US09924373B2 |
Adaptively position objects through mobile signal sources
An approach is provided that generates a current coverage area by receiving beacon position data of current beacon locations, with at least some of the beacons being moveable beacons. Object position data is retrieved for current locations and trajectories of moveable objects in a geographic area that are currently being tracked by the beacons. An anticipated coverage area is computed based on comparing the object position data with the current coverage area. Instructions are then wirelessly transmitted to some of the moveable beacons in order to move the beacons to a different set of locations based on the anticipated coverage area. |
| US09924368B2 |
Apparatus and methods for cellular communications over unused unlicenced spectrum
Apparatus and methods of wireless communications are described for determining one or more bands (e.g., guard bands in wireless local area networks (WLANs)) in unused portions of an unlicensed spectrum, positioning one or more carriers for cellular communication (e.g., long term evolution (LTE) or LTE advanced communication) in the one or more bands, and performing the cellular communication over the unlicensed spectrum using the one or more carriers. In some non-limiting example aspects, the cellular communication may be in a standalone mode and the one or more carriers may include a primary component carrier (PCC) that is positioned in a Wi-Fi guard band. In these non-limiting example aspects, the apparatus and methods may further include allocating one or more secondary component carriers (SCCs) in Wi-Fi guard bands or in Wi-Fi channels, where the one or more SCCs are opportunistically tuned or turned ON/OFF based on cell loading or backhaul constraints. |
| US09924366B2 |
Platform validation and management of wireless devices
Methods, components and apparatus for implementing platform validation and management (PVM) are disclosed. PVM provides the functionality and operations of a platform validation entity with remote management of devices by device management components and systems such as a home node-B management system or component. Example PVM operations bring devices into a secure target state before allowing connectivity and access to a core network. |
| US09924365B2 |
Vehicle safety system and method
A vehicle safety system and method for controlling usage of mobile devices in a vehicle is disclosed that includes determining mobile device location in the vehicle; determining vehicle movement; determining whether device is being used by the driver based on device location; and monitoring or limiting usage of the device based on whether its being used by the driver while the vehicle is moving. An electronic beacon located in the vehicle can be used in determining device location. The method can include monitoring activation and usage of device functionality; maintaining an enforcement list of functionality to be limited when used by the driver; determining if any functionality on the enforcement list is attempting to activate, and if so limiting or disabling activation of that functionality. The method can include generating a device motion/usage profile for the driver while driving, and scoring the driver based on the device motion/usage profile. |
| US09924364B2 |
User management method of shared network, and corresponding device and system
A user management method of a shared network, where the method includes acquiring user management information from a user access management device, where the user management information includes identification information of a participant operator and invalid user information/valid user information, the invalid user information is used to indicate a user equipment that has been detached from a network of the participant operator but a user context is still retained in the user access management device, and the valid user information is used to indicate a user equipment attached to the network of the participant operator, and updating access user information of the participant operator according to the user management information. In addition, another user management method of a shared network, and a corresponding device and system are further provided. |
| US09924362B2 |
Providing access dependent services via a broadband access gateway
A system and method of supporting controlled access to multimedia information and media-related services via a broadband access gateway is disclosed. A plurality of user manageable tiers of access privilege may be implemented by the broadband access gateway, that may support communication using, for example, a wireless personal area network and a broadband network. A different degree of user authentication and/or identification may be established for each of the tiers, and users may be restricted in their access to multimedia information and services by their current tier of access privilege. The multimedia information and services may be provided by a variety of access devices via the personal area network, and from providers accessible via the broadband network connected to the gateway. Examples of access devices include mobile multimedia handsets, personal digital assistants, personal computers, digital cameras, and printers. The multimedia information may, for example, comprise data, text, and digitized voice, images, video, and music. The tiers of access privilege may be managed via, for example, the personal area network or from the broadband network, by a user with an access device. |
| US09924360B2 |
AT command for secure ESM information
Systems and methods for transmitting AT commands indicating whether Evolved Packet System (EPS) Session Management (ESM) information should be transmitted securely are disclosed herein. A Terminal Equipment (TE) may transmit an AT command to a Mobile Termination (MT). The AT command may indicate whether protocol configuration options (PCO) should be ciphered and/or whether an access point name (APN) is provided. In some embodiments, the AT command may be a dedicated command and may only include a |
| US09924352B2 |
Voice prompting method and apparatus
A voice prompting method includes detecting whether an unread communication message is received by an electronic device, acquiring, a signal intensity of a wearable device coupled with the electronic device if the unread communication message is received, and performing voice prompt for the unread communication message according to a prompting manner corresponding to the signal intensity. |
| US09924348B2 |
Communication device and method of controlling based on wireless communication environment
Apparatuses, methods, and systems for providing control information to a communication device are described. In the method, it is determined whether a communication device has received device control information from a central management server (CMS) while in a first wireless communication environment, where the device control information is for controlling the communication device in a second wireless communication environment. If the device control information is received while the communication device is still in the first wireless communication environment, the communication device uses the received device control information when in the second wireless communication environment. |
| US09924347B1 |
Method and apparatus for reassigning mobile subscriber identification information
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a system that manages utilization of mobile subscriber identity information including enabling reuse of such information by a different communication device and/or re-authorizing use by a communication device that previously was authorized to utilize the information. The reassignment of mobile subscriber identity information can be based on detecting a registration that utilizes a bootstrap mobile subscriber identity information or a registration based on a mobile subscriber identity information that the network has designated not for use by the particular communication device. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US09924341B2 |
Method and apparatus for mapping discovery signal in wireless communication system
One embodiment of the present invention relates to a method for mapping a discovery signal by a terminal in a wireless communication system, the method for mapping the discovery signal comprising the steps of: generating the discovery signal; mapping the discovery unit on at least a portion of a plurality of discovery signal resource blocks (RB), wherein when the number of terminals transreceiving the discovery signal including the terminal is less than or equal to a predetermined value, an absolute value of a frequency band of a discovery signal RB included in a positive frequency zone with respect to a direct current (DC) carrier, from among the plurality of discovery signal RBs, does not overlap with an absolute value of a frequency band corresponding to a discovery signal RB present in a negative frequency zone. |
| US09924339B2 |
Real-time notification of toll-free data service usage
A device may receive first information. The first information may be based on traffic associated with usage of a toll-free data service. The device may receive an identifier for a user device. The user device may be using the toll-free data service. The device may generate second information. The second information may correspond to usage, by the user device, of the toll-free data service. The second information may be generated based on the first information and the identifier. The device may send the second information to another device to support providing a notification of toll-free data service usage. The notification of toll-free data service usage may be based on the second information. |
| US09924338B1 |
Connecting communication networks via a non-collocated relay
A method of and relay for connecting communication networks. In one example, the relay is a non-collocated relay that includes a plurality of antennas including a first antenna and a second antenna and an antenna scanner connected to the plurality of antennas. The antenna scanner is configured to survey the plurality of antennas for signals from a first base station of a first incident area network and a second base station of a second incident area network. The non-collocated relay also includes a first user device and a second user device communicatively coupled to each other and an electronic processor. The electronic processor is configured to connect the first antenna receiving a signal from the first base station to the first user device and connect the second antenna receiving a signal from the second base station to the second user device. |
| US09924332B2 |
Transmission management system, management method, and computer-readable recording medium
A transmission management system includes a memory that stores destination information indicating destination candidates of a request source terminal, a receiver that receives a destination registration request designating one or more destination terminals as the destination candidates, processing circuitry that, when approval of the destination registration request can be omitted, registers one or more request destination terminals in the destination information as the destination candidates, and a transmitter that, when the approval of the destination registration request cannot be omitted, transmits the approval request to the one or more request destination terminals. The receiver receives a response to the approval request from the one or more request destination terminals. The processing circuitry registers the request destination terminal in the destination information of the request source terminal as a destination candidate. |
| US09924331B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling feedback information
Methods and apparatuses for providing feedback information to a second terminal, to avoid disturbance of data directed to a user associated with a first terminal. The method includes receiving data directed to the user associated with the first terminal, transmitting a request for a current status of the user to the wearable device, receiving broadcast packets, wherein the broadcast packets comprises an identifier of the wearable device and the current status of the user, based on the identifier of the wearable device, determining whether the wearable device has been paired with the first terminal, and if so, executing, at the first terminal, at least one feedback operation directed to the second terminal using the current status of the user to indicate the current status of the user. |
| US09924325B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, program, and information processing system
There is provided an information processing system including an acquisition section configured to acquire a movement direction and a movement purpose from each one of a plurality of terminal devices; and a guide information issuing section configured to issue a guide information which is generate based on the movement direction and the movement purpose of the a plurality of terminal devices. |
| US09924323B2 |
Apparatus and method for facilitating return of a mobile device
An apparatus and method are provided to facilitate a return of a mobile device to an owner. A graphical user interface element is displayed, utilizing a display of a mobile device. A user input is detected in connection with the graphical user interface element, utilizing an input device of the mobile device. An interface is displayed including at least one return option for returning the mobile device to an owner of the mobile device, utilizing the display of the mobile device. Such interface is displayed in response to the detection of the user input in connection with the graphical user interface element utilizing the input device of the mobile device. |
| US09924321B1 |
Quantifying mobility of mobile devices via a privacy preserving mobility metric
Embodiments of the invention generate metrics quantifying the mobility of a mobile device without persisting information related to the device's specific location at any given time. Specifically, at multiple intervals, a value of a mobility metric is computed based on the distance between the current location of the mobile device and a previously identified origin location of the mobile device. The values of the mobility metric computed over a period of time quantify the overall mobility of the mobile device. The mobility metric does not provide any information regarding the specific location of the mobile device at any given time. |
| US09924320B1 |
Locating a user device
Embodiments of the present disclosure support improving determination of a location of a driver device that performs bandwidth constrained communication with a server, based on sensor data acquired by the driver device. The driver device reduces dimensionality of the acquired sensor data before transmitting the sensor data to the server over a communication network. The server receives GPS data and compressed sensor data from the driver device, and determines a quality metric related to the GPS data. Based on the quality metric, the server increases dimensionality of the compressed sensor data to reconstruct original sensor data acquired by the driver device. The server than augments the GPS data with the reconstructed sensor data, and determines location information of the driver device based on the augmented data. |
| US09924319B2 |
Tracking for badge carrier
A tracking system is disclosed that enables the tracking of a beacon device and a credential device being held by the beacon device. The beacon device may communicate with readers of an access control system using a first communication protocol whereas the credential device being held by the beacon device may communicate with readers of the access control system using a second communication protocol. As the beacon device and the credential device being held by the beacon device may also communicate with readers at different times, a beacon device may be associated with a credential device being held thereby such that tracking of one device enables inferred tracking of the other device. |
| US09924315B1 |
Dynamic geofence
Systems, methods and tools for modifying existing geofence notifications using a plurality of overlapping geofences and geo-fencing rules to alter the notification messages as a function of triggering multiple overlapped geofences simultaneously. Triggering the two overlapping geofences may display notifications tied to a special event, marketing campaign or promotion designated by the subsequent geofence overlaying a pre-existing, first geofence. While the second geofence is active, a modified message may be displayed featuring the special event or marketing campaign. Subsequently, after the second geofence has changed locations, deactivated or deleted, the previously existing geofence may revert back to the originally displayed notification prior to mapping the second geofence targeting the special event or promotion. |
| US09924308B2 |
Determining location of client devices in a distributed antenna system (DAS) based on detecting received uplink power
Embodiments of the disclosure relate to determining location of client devices in a distributed antenna system (DAS) based on detecting uplink received power. In this regard, a client device location system is provided in the DAS to configure each remote unit in the DAS to generate a power-regulated UL communications signal based on an assigned power pattern. If a respective power pattern of a reference signal(s) uniquely identifying a client device corresponds to the assigned power pattern of the remote unit that generates the power-regulated UL communications signal, the client device location system reports the location of the remote unit as the location of the client device in the DAS. Hence, it is possible to locate the client device based on the location of the remote unit, thus providing the location of the client device with higher degree of accuracy. |
| US09924303B2 |
Device and method for implementing synchronous connection-oriented (SCO) pass-through links
An electronic device includes circuitry configured to determine that a first codec associated with a signal corresponds to one of one or more codecs supported by another device that is connected to the electronic device via a first communication link. A signal path is configured between a radio device configured to receive the signal and the electronic device based on a correspondence between the first codec associated with the signal and the one or more codecs supported by the another device. The signal is transmitted to the other device via the first communication link encoded with one of the one or more codecs supported by the other device. |
| US09924302B2 |
Mobile communication device and cloud-based computer system
A mobile communication device (1) comprises a transceiver (13) for wireless data exchange and a processor (12) connected to the transceiver (13). The processor (12) is programmed to implement a card reader agent (121) which is configured to enable authentication and access control protocols between a smart card module (122) and a virtual card reader (421, 421′) which is arranged in a remote cloud-based computer center (1) by exchanging authentication and access control protocol data units between the smart card module (122) and the virtual card reader (421, 421′) via a telecommunications network (3). |
| US09924299B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling operations of electronic device
The present disclosure relates to a beacon relay method for an electronic device. A method to operate an electronic device is provided. The method includes receiving a beacon signal. The method also includes analyzing information in the received beacon signal. The method further includes determining whether to relay the beacon signal based on the analyzed information. |
| US09924298B2 |
Wireless ambulatory care network
A method for connecting wireless devices using Bluetooth® low energy can be used to connect wireless computing devices with a medical device in an ambulatory care setting. The wireless computing devices can receive measured vital sign data and transmit the vital sign data to a patient's electronic medical record. The wireless computing devices can be configured to include a user-friendly name and the transmitter power in one or more advertising broadcasts. The medical device can receive advertising broadcasts from one or more wireless computing devices and sort the devices by proximity, last use, number of times used, or alphabetically. After the devices exchange information over Bluetooth® low energy, the devices can connect in Bluetooth® Classic. Systems for implementing the method are also disclosed. |
| US09924296B2 |
Alignment of packets for implementing coexistence of multiple homogeneous radios
Techniques are disclosed for controlling, in a network device, multiple radio circuits operating in a same or similar frequency band and in close physical proximity. In some embodiments, the radio circuits operate on the same network protocol. The network device can include a coexistence controller coupled to the network circuits. According to some embodiments, the network circuits are each assigned a priority, and the coexistence controller can control operations between the network circuits by selectively adjusting one or more transmission operating parameters of a respective network circuit based on a plurality of operating criteria, which include each network circuit's priority. Among other benefits, the embodiments disclosed herein can increase wireless network bandwidth and reduce mobile device power consumption by providing coordination among the radio circuits so that the transmitting and receiving operations are performed in a way that they do not interfere with their respective antennas. |
| US09924294B2 |
Method, apparatus and system for communication
Aspects of the disclosure provide a first device including a storage, a first communication circuit, and a controller. The storage is re-writable. The first communication circuit is configured to perform first wireless communication with other devices when the other devices are within a first distance to the first device. The controller is configured to write first information in a specific memory space of the storage in response to a trigger operation of a user. The first information is transmitted to a second device by the first communication circuit when the second device is within the first distance to the first device for a first time. The controller is further configured to write second information in the specific memory space of the storage. The second information is transmitted by the first communication circuit to one or more other devices at following times. |
| US09924293B2 |
Mobile applications incorporating mobile-based transactions detection and monitoring means
Client to server service request and response interactions are monitored. The service requests have embedded therein mobility-dedicated and business organization oriented reporting headers. At the server side of the interactions, a snooping agent picks up information from the headers, combines it with service performance metrics (e.g., time to service the request) and stores the data in a relational database. Queries are afterwards submitted to the database to spot trends including those showing emerging problems and areas for improvement in providing customers who use mobile devices with seamless and high quality service. |
| US09924292B1 |
Over the air passive downloads
A computer-implemented method, computer-readable media, and wireless system that passively provisions wireless devices over the air are provided. The wireless system includes a database, handset configuration manager, and radio network controller. The database stores updates for the wireless devices and indications of which wireless devices received the updates. The handset configuration manager provides updates for wireless devices available in the database. The wireless devices connect to a communication network associated with a network service provider that implements the handset configuration manager. The radio network controller communicates with wireless devices by establishing a slot 0 communication session with the wireless devices after receiving a registration notification from the wireless devices. |
| US09924291B2 |
Distributed wireless speaker system
A master device receives audio, down-mixes the audio to stereo if it is not already in stereo, and then up-mixes the stereo into as many channels as there speakers in the network. The up-mixing can be based on the number and locations of the speakers, which may be determined automatically using a real time location system such as ultra wide band (UWB) location determination techniques. The master device sends each speaker the stereo only, with each speaker also up-mixing the stereo into at least its own respective channel and in some cases into all N channels, selecting from the rendered “N” channels that result from the up-mix the channel indicated as being associated with the particular location of the particular speaker. |
| US09924290B2 |
Method and system for generation of sound fields
A system and method for providing sound-data indicative of an audible sound to be produced and location-data indicative of a designated spatial location at which the audible sound is to be produced; and utilizing the sound-data and determining frequency content of ultrasound beams to be transmitted by an acoustic transducer system including an arrangement of ultrasound transducer elements for generating said audible sound. The ultrasound beams include primary audio modulated ultrasound beam(s), whose frequency contents includes ultrasonic frequency components selected to produce the audible sound after undergoing non-linear interaction in a non-linear medium, and additional ultrasound beam(s) each including ultrasonic frequency component(s). The location-data is utilized for determining focal points for the ultrasound beams respectively such that focusing the ultrasound beams on the focal points enables generation of a localized sound field with the audible sound in the vicinity of the designated spatial location. |
| US09924285B2 |
Adapter apparatus for headset accessory and signal transfer method of headset accessory
An adapter apparatus for a headset accessory and a signal transfer method of the headset accessory are provided. The adapter apparatus includes an earphone jack, a connection interface and a device adapter circuit. The earphone jack is suitable for a plug of the headset accessory to plug in. The connection interface is suitable for being electrically connected with a portable device. The device adapter circuit is electrically connected to the earphone jack and the connection interface to receive a headset control signal of the headset accessory and provide a device control signal to the portable device via the connection interface. The device adapter circuit provides the device control signal based on a DC level and a frequency of the headset control signal. |
| US09924280B2 |
Binaural hearing assistance system comprising two wireless interfaces
The application relates to a binaural hearing assistance system comprising first and second hearing assistance devices adapted for being located at or in left and right ears of a user. The application further relates to a method of operating a binaural hearing assistance system. The object of the present application is to provide an improved binaural hearing assistance system. The problem is solved in that each of the first and second hearing assistance devices comprises a) a first wireless interface comprising first antenna and transceiver circuitry adapted for establishing a first communication link to the respective other hearing assistance device based on near-field communication; b) a second wireless interface comprising second antenna and transceiver circuitry adapted for establishing a second communication link to an auxiliary device based on far-field communication; c) a link control unit operatively coupled to the second antenna and transceiver circuitry and configured to repeatedly provide a second link quality measure indicative of a link quality of the second communication link; wherein the first and second hearing assistance devices are configured to exchange said respective second link quality measures between them via said first and/or second communication links. This has the advantage of providing a robust and flexible system. The invention may e.g. be used for binaural hearing assistance systems, e.g. binaural hearing aid systems, where audio quality and power consumption has to be mutually optimized. |
| US09924279B2 |
Hearing system comprising a binaural speech intelligibility predictor
The application relates to a binaural hearing system comprising left and right hearing devices, e.g. hearing aids, each comprising a) a multitude of input units, each providing a time-variant electric input signal xi(t) representing sound received at an ith input unit, t representing time, the electric input signal xi(t) comprising a target signal component si(t) and a noise signal component vi(t), the target signal component originating from a target signal source; b) a configurable signal processing unit for processing the electric input signals and providing a processed signal y(t); c) an output unit for creating output stimuli to the user, d) transceiver circuitry allowing information to be exchanged between the hearing devices, and e) a binaural speech intelligibility (SI) prediction unit for providing a binaural SI-measure of the predicted speech intelligibility of the user when exposed to said output stimuli, based on processed signals yl(t), yr(t) from the signal processing units of the respective left and right hearing devices. This allows the hearing devices to control the processing of the respective electric input signals based on said binaural SI-measure. |
| US09924278B2 |
Hearing device with model control and associated methods
A hearing device includes: a processing unit configured to compensate for hearing loss of a user of the hearing device; and a memory unit, wherein the memory unit is configured to store model data comprising model information data indicative of available models for the hearing device, the model information data comprising first model information; wherein the processing unit is configured to: verify the model data, and reject the model data if verification of the model data fails. |
| US09924277B2 |
Hearing assistance device with dynamic computational resource allocation
A hearing assistance device for use by a listener includes a microphone, a receiver, and a processing circuit including a plurality of functional modules to process the sounds received by the microphone for producing output sounds to be delivered to the listener using the receiver. The processing circuit detects one or more auditory conditions demanding one or more functional modules of the plurality of functional modules to each performed at a certain level, and dynamically allocates computational resources for the plurality of functional modules based on one or more auditory conditions. |
| US09924270B2 |
Techniques for channelization of stereo audio in headphones
Techniques are provided for automatically channelizing a stereo audio signal in a headphone device such that a correct audio channel is output to a user's ear regardless of which ear an earbud is inserted. In an embodiment, at least one earbud is configured with a sensor arranged on a housing of the earbud. The placement of the sensor can be keyed or otherwise positioned to identify a right or left ear based on proximity/contact with certain anatomy of the ear. For instance, the sensor can be in detectable range of ear anatomy such as a tragus/antitragus when inserted in one ear and outside of detectable range of the same when inserted in the other. By automatically detecting which ear an earbud has been inserted, audio channels can be switched as necessary enabling users to insert earbuds without regard for which is a right earbud and which is a left earbud. |
| US09924268B1 |
Signal processing system and a method
A signal processing system and a method thereof are disclosed, using a differential amplifier to extract the sensed signals associated with the headphones wear status generated by the diaphragm of the headphone and push back to the sense ADC for digitization. Because the differential amplifier is non-ideal, certain residual music signal will exist. To exclude residual music signal for subsequent processing, a temporary memory is provided to match and synchronize the original playback signal retainment and the round-trip delay of external signal. The round-trip delay is computed to adjust the depth and clock speed of the buffer/FIFO of the temporary memory to, after synchronized with the total external propagation delay, eliminate residual music signal in a function block in order to separate the sense signal of the headphone driver unit diaphragm displacement and use the extracted sense signal for subsequent analysis and auto-control and/or signal compensation reference source. |
| US09924265B2 |
System for voice capture via nasal vibration sensing
A voice capture system worn by a user senses vibrations through the nose of the user when the user speaks. The voice capture system generates an electronic signal based on the sensed vibration and generate voice data based on the electronic signal. In this manner, the system may capture a user's voice while also screening out external noise (e.g., based on the sound dampening properties of the human skull). In one example, a voice capture system may include a wearable frame (e.g., eyeglass frame) on which is mounted at least one sensor and a device. The at least one sensor senses vibration in the nose of a user and generates the electronic signal based on the vibration. The device receives the electronic signal from the at least one sensor and generates voice data based on the electronic signal. |
| US09924261B2 |
Ear defender with concha simulator
A hearing protection system with talk-through having a pair of rigid earcups enclosing a microphone, amplifier and speaker. A concha simulator, having a volume simulating that of the concha of a human ear, is acoustically coupled to the microphone, and also to the outside through an opening in the earcup. By coupling the microphone to the concha simulator, instead of directly to the outside, the acoustic response of the talk-through more accurately represents the hearing of a user. |
| US09924255B2 |
On/off head detection using magnetic field sensing
An on/off head detection system uses magnetic field intensity to determine a configuration, position and/or orientation of a headphone, including whether a headphone is on or off a wearer's head. The system includes a magnetic field sensor configured to detect a magnetic field emitted by a magnetic field source associated with an earpiece of the headphone. A control module determines an intensity of the magnetic field and whether the intensity of the magnetic field has reached a threshold. An operational mode associated with the headphone or an associated device is performed in response to the intensity of the magnetic field reaching the threshold. |
| US09924253B2 |
Microphone sensor
A microphone sensor provides, a receiving space disposed on a cover and a control module and positioned with a sound sensing module in the receiving space. The microphone sensor includes a cover having a receiving groove formed at a lower portion and an air inlet that a sound signal flow in through within a control module coupled to the lower portion of the cover. Furthermore, a sound sensing module is coupled to the control module and positioned at the receiving groove. |
| US09924251B2 |
Transducer holder
A transducer comprising: a flat strip of metal formed into a closed metal loop with two substantially parallel sides and rounded corners, a solenoid fixed to a surface on a first parallel side, and fixed magnets attached to an opposite parallel side of the trapezoidal shape to bring the fixed magnets into proximity with the solenoid, wherein at least one lateral side of the trapezoidal shape coupling said parallel sides has a continuously varying width, resulting in the transducer being able to resonate with high fidelity over a range of frequencies in response to reception of a signal comprising varying frequencies. |
| US09924245B2 |
Synchronized measurement device using local area network with ethernet messaging
A plurality of measurement devices have analog sensors that measure the dynamic signals of physical events, sample the data into digital format with time synchronized clocks and generate time stamped Ethernet messages that are sent to a remote host. The remote host has a master clock that evaluates decoded time stamped messages from the measurement devices and sends back a message with a time correction error signal relative to the master clock. This feedback signal is used by the measurement devices to correct a local clock for data sampling and new message generation. Eight wire cable and associated connectors are used to handle three channels of traffic, with four wires dedicated to Ethernet messages as one channel, another two wires dedicated to reset and other commands as a second channel and another two wires to transmit power from the host to the measurement devices as a third channel. |
| US09924244B2 |
Systems and methods for detecting patterns in spatio-temporal data collected using an RFID system
Systems and methods are described that collect spatio-temporal data using an RFID system that is capable of locating the spatial position of a sensor, which is typically unaware of its location. Such systems and methods can be contrasted with conventional RFID systems in that they are able to determine the location of sensors in space as opposed to with respect to read zones related to the underlying RFID reader infrastructure. One embodiment includes an RFID system having a plurality of read zones and configured to obtain the spatio-temporal state of sensors within a sensor cloud, where the spatio-temporal state of each sensor includes sensor information, a time stamp, and a spatial location specified independently of the read zones of the RFID system, a spatio-temporal database configured to store spatio-temporal state of a plurality of sensors over time, and an application server configured to trigger events based upon the detection of at least one condition by applying at least one filter to the data within the spatio-temporal database. |
| US09924243B2 |
Environment control device and method using a wifi infrastructure for exchanging environmental data
The present disclosure relates to an environment control device (ECD) and a method using a wireless communication infrastructure for exchanging environmental data. The wireless communication infrastructure comprises a first Wi-Fi hotspot, and at least one of a second Wi-Fi hotspot and a mesh network. The ECD comprises a communication module for exchanging environmental data with at least another device over the wireless communication infrastructure. The communication module is capable of establishing the first Wi-Fi hotspot, associating with the second Wi-Fi hotspot, and communicating over the mesh network. The ECD further comprises a processing module capable of processing environmental data received from the other device via the wireless communication infrastructure, and/or transmitting generated environmental data to the other device via the wireless communication infrastructure. The ECD may consist of an environment controller, a sensor, a controlled appliance, and a relay for wired devices. |
| US09924242B2 |
Automatic network topology detection and fraud detection
Given a node of a utility service distribution network, a topology of a subset of the distribution network having the given node as a root node and one or more child nodes branching from the given node is determined. The topology may be determined based on relationships or correlations of utility usage information between the given node and a plurality of potential nodes that are considered in the topology determination. Upon determining the topology associated with the given node, the determined topology may be used to detect fraud and leakage that may occur in the distribution network on a regular basis or upon request. If fraud or leakage is detected in the distribution network, the system may schedule a follow-up and/or field investigation to investigate and fix the fraud or the leakage in the distribution network. |
| US09924239B2 |
Video on demand over satellite
Consumption habits of video content have been changing for some time, as more people (especially young people) prefer video on demand (VOD) services over linear channels. Disclosed is a communication system configured to efficiently deliver video content on demand over a satellite medium. Also disclosed are methods for efficiently delivering video content on demand using multicast transmissions and caching of video title prefixes. |
| US09924236B2 |
Informational banner customization and overlay with other channels
Embodiments are directed towards extracting an informational banner from a first source and combining it with video content from a second source. The informational banner may be a news ticker, a scoreboard, an informational window of a program, etc. The informational banner is selected or identified from the first source using one or more different automated or user-selectable methods. The extracted informational banner is combined with video content from the second source at a display location that is automatically determined or selected by a user. The combined content is then provided to a display device for presentation to the user. |
| US09924235B2 |
Display inserts, overlays, and graphical user interfaces for multimedia systems
A disclosed digital media device operational at user premises to receive media signals from a media source for presentation via endpoint devices such as a television display. The digital media device can include gateway and digital media management functionality and can be referred to as a gateway and digital media device. The device offers application services obtained over a wide area network and a user premises network. The digital media device may form a composite signal from the media signal and application service information, for example, for a composite audio and/or video signal for television type presentation to the user. The digital media device may receive a selection signal based on the presentation, for transmission to the application service provider device or to the media source. The media device also offers a GUI presenting a moveable arrangement of icons for selectively accessing application services. |
| US09924231B2 |
Information presentation method, operation program, and information presentation system
An information presenting device (100) presents image information; an operative device (200) accepts a predetermined input operation during the presentation of the image information; a guide information managing device (300) stores date and time information indicating a date and a time at which the input operation is accepted, image specifying information specifying image information presented when the input operation is accepted, and guide destination information indicating a guide destination to which the user is guided is stored in a database in association with one another, the guide destination information being specified by the date and time information, and the image specifying information; and a guide device (400) presents the guide destination information in response to a request from the user. |
| US09924224B2 |
Methods and apparatus to determine a state of a media presentation device
Methods and apparatus to determine a state of a media presentation device are disclosed. Example disclosed methods include generating a first set of weighted coefficients based on first audio received by first and second microphones at a first time. Example disclosed methods include generating a second set of weighted coefficients based on second audio received by the first and second microphones at a second time after the first time. Example disclosed methods include comparing the first set of coefficients and the second set of coefficients to generate a similarity value. Example disclosed methods include, when the similarity value satisfies a threshold, determining that the media presentation device is in a first state. Example disclosed methods include, when the similarity value does not satisfy the threshold, determining that the media presentation device is in a second state. |
| US09924223B2 |
Video composition by dynamic linking
A computer receives one or more media content source locations. The computer determines two or more media content items associated with the one or more received media content source locations. The computer negotiates digital rights associated with the two or more media content items. The computer pre-fetches the two or more media content items from the one or more media content source locations. The computer determines at least one digital characteristic of a first media content item of the two or more media content items does not match at least one digital characteristic of a second media content item of the two or more media content items. The computer resamples the first media content item of the two or more media content items. The computer publishes a composition of the two or more media content items to appear as one linked asset with uniform digital characteristics. |
| US09924218B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, program, and information sharing system
There is provided an information processing apparatus communicable with a plurality of content viewing devices via a network, including a viewing information receiving unit for receiving viewing information of a user in the past, present, and future from each of the content viewing devices, a user viewing content management unit for managing a user viewing content DB based on the viewing information received from each of the content viewing devices and a program guide, the user viewing content DB associating, in a form of program guide, past, present, and future contents represented in the program guide and identification information of users who have viewed the past content, those who are viewing the present content, and those who will view the future content, and a viewing information transmitting unit for transmitting the extracted viewing information of another user to the requesting content viewing device. |
| US09924216B2 |
System and process for distribution of information on a communication network
A communications system includes a plurality of recipient processors located at geographically remote locations with respect to each other and connected for communication with an information provider processor, over the communications network. The provider and recipient processors may comprise respective computers coupled for communication on the Internet or WWW. The provider processor is capable of providing information form any suitable source, by communicating such information over a communications network. However, access to the information by the recipient processors is controlled, based on the geographic location or region of the recipient processors. Each recipient processor is operably associated with a positioning system for providing geographic location information corresponding to the location or region in which the positioning system is located, such as a global positioning system GPS. The geographic position information is used to determine whether or not the processor requesting the information is within a restricted (or limited) or non-restricted region. This determination may be made comparing the geographic information provided by the recipient processor and positioning system with a list of non-restricted or non-limited (or a list of restricted or limited) geographic locations or regions. |
| US09924210B2 |
Computer system and method for targeting content to users via multiple technology platforms
A computer system uses data about delivery of particular content to users via multiple technology platforms. For example, the computer system may track delivery of particular content to an audience via television in order to enable the same or similar content to be delivered to the same or similar audience via a digital medium (e.g., the web), and vice versa. The computer enables the provider of the content (e.g., advertisement) to benefit from exposure data in one medium or technology platform—namely television or digital—when targeting content at viewers in the other medium or technology platform. |
| US09924209B2 |
System and method for controlling reproduction using terminal
Disclosed are a system and a method for minimizing signal interference for a broadcasting and communication convergence section within a local area, and an apparatus applied to the same. The system has a construction of mounting a plurality of multi RF (Radio Frequency) channels within a short-range wireless transmitting apparatus located in a local area and minimizing signal interference between mutually adjacent RF channels within the short-range wireless transmitting apparatus in a standard for providing a broadcasting and communication convergence service. Accordingly, it is possible to remove the mutual channel effects affecting a communication signal without signal interference for adjacent channels due to a broadcasting signal and it is not necessary to enhance a filtering characteristic for the adjacent channels of a chipset, which corresponds to a broadcasting and communication convergence standard structure in a local area, so that there is an advantage of reducing network investment costs. |
| US09924208B2 |
DTV transmitting system and receiving system and method of processing broadcast signal
A method is described for transmitting broadcast signals. First encoding of first broadcast service data is performed. Second encoding of the first encoded first broadcast service data is performed. The broadcast signals having the second encoded first broadcast service data multiplexed with second broadcast service data are transmitted. Each of the second encoded first broadcast service data and the second broadcast service data is allocated in a different data unit. The second encoded first broadcast service data and the second broadcast service data are allocated in different data units, respectively. Different robustness are allocated to the first broadcast service data and the second broadcast service data. |
| US09924206B2 |
DTV receiving system and method of processing DTV signal
A digital television (DTV) receiving system includes an information detector, a resampler, a timing recovery unit, and a carrier recovery unit. The information detector detects a known data sequence which is periodically inserted in a digital television (DTV) signal received from a DTV transmitting system. The resampler resamples the DTV signal at a predetermined resampling rate. The timing recovery unit performs timing recovery on the DTV signal by detecting a timing error from the resampled DTV signal using the detected known data sequence. The carrier recovery unit performs carrier recovery on the resampled DTV signal by estimating a frequency offset value of the resampled DTV signal using the detected known data sequence. |
| US09924203B2 |
Delivery device and delivery method
A delivery device according to the present disclosure includes a receiving unit and a delivering unit. The receiving unit receives a user attribute of a user using a space in which an output device is installed for each user. The delivering unit delivers content corresponding to the user to the output device for each user based on the user attribute received through the receiving unit. Thus, the delivery device the present disclosure can effectively use an output device installed for each user. |
| US09924202B2 |
Image coding method, image decoding method, image coding apparatus, image decoding apparatus, and image coding and decoding apparatus
An image coding method using arithmetic coding. The method includes: performing arithmetic coding on a first flag that indicates whether or not an absolute value of a target coefficient in a target coefficient block is greater than 1; and performing arithmetic coding on a second flag that indicates whether or not the absolute value is greater than 2. In the arithmetic coding on the first flag and the arithmetic coding on the second flag, it is determined whether or not an immediately-prior coefficient block that has been coded immediately prior to the target coefficient block includes a coefficient having an absolute value greater than a threshold value. Based on a result of the determination, respective contexts to be used in the arithmetic coding on the first and second flags are selected. |
| US09924196B2 |
Independent thread video disparity estimation method and codec
A method for real-time disparity estimation of stereo video data receives sequence of frames of stereo video data. Image-based disparity estimation is initially conducted to produce initial disparity estimates, and the disparity estimates are refined in a space-time volume. The algorithm produces disparity via multi-thread process in which an output is independent of the input for each step of the process. |
| US09924195B2 |
Moving picture coding method and moving picture decoding method
A moving picture coding apparatus includes a counter unit which counts the number of pictures following an intra coded picture; and a motion estimation unit which compares respectively only reference pictures which are the intra coded picture or the following pictures, selected from among a reference picture Ref1, a reference picture Ref2 and a reference picture Ref3 stored in memories, with a picture signal, and determines the reference picture whose inter picture differential value is smallest. |
| US09924194B2 |
Moving picture decoding device, moving picture decoding method, and moving picture decoding program
A motion vector predictor candidate constructing unit performs prediction based on a motion vector of one of coded blocks neighboring a coding target block in the same picture as the coding target block, constructs a plurality of motion vector predictor candidates, and adds the motion vector predictor candidates to a motion vector predictor candidate list. A motion vector predictor candidate number limiting unit limits the number of motion vector predictor candidates added to the motion vector predictor candidate list to a maximum candidate number according to a size of a prediction block. A motion vector predictor selecting unit selects a motion vector predictor from the motion vector predictor candidate list. A coding unit codes information representing an index of the selected motion vector predictor in the motion vector predictor candidate list. |
| US09924188B2 |
Method for encoding and decoding image information to determine reference index in skip mode or merge mode and device using same
A decoding method includes entropy-decoding received information, performing inter prediction on a current block based on the entropy-decoded information, and restoring images by using the prediction results. A skip mode or merge mode is applied to the current block and movement information of the current block and may be determined based on the movement information of a neighboring block of the current block. |
| US09924182B2 |
Method for predicting disparity vector based on blocks for apparatus and method for inter-layer encoding and decoding video
An inter-layer video decoding method includes searching for a neighboring block candidate which neighbors a current block and has a motion vector in an inter-layer direction, from among spatial and temporal neighboring block candidates; when the neighboring block candidate having the motion vector in the inter-layer direction is found, setting the motion vector in the inter-layer direction of the found neighboring block candidate as a disparity vector of the current block; when the neighboring block candidate having the motion vector in the inter-layer direction is not found, searching for a neighboring block candidate having disparity vector information from among the spatial and temporal neighboring block candidates; and when the neighboring block candidate having the disparity vector information is found, predicting a disparity vector of the current block based on the disparity vector information of the found candidate. |
| US09924178B2 |
Method and device for encoding a high-dynamic range image and/or decoding a bitstream
The present invention generally relates to a method and device for encoding an image. The method comprises: —encoding (12) a backlight image determined (11) from the image; —obtaining (13) a residual image by dividing the image by a decoded version of the backlight image, —obtaining (16) a tone-mapped residual image by tone-mapping the residual image; and —encoding (19) the tone-mapped residual image. The invention relates also to a method and device for decoding a bitstream representing a residual image calculated by dividing an image by a backlight image. |
| US09924174B2 |
Image-encoding method and a device therefor, and image-decoding method and a device therefor
An image encoding method is provided, in which image data divided into basic blocks is classified in units of groups and subgroups, wherein each group comprises at least one basic block and each subgroup comprises at least one basic block and is included in each group; an encoding mode for a predetermined group is determined in order to encode the predetermined group, wherein the encoding mode represents a mode for encoding data included in the predetermined group in units of one data processing unit selected from a group, a subgroup, and a basic block; and the data of the predetermined group is encoded according to the determined encoding mode. Detailed operations in the image encoding method are performed in consideration of the encoding mode of the group. |
| US09924171B2 |
Layer decomposition in hierarchical VDR coding
Techniques use multiple lower bit depth (e.g., 8 bits) codecs to provide higher bit depth (e.g., 12+ bits) high dynamic range images from an upstream device to a downstream device. Multiple layers comprising a base layer and one or more enhancement layers may be used to carry video signals comprising image data compressed by lower bit depth encoders to a downstream device, wherein the base layer cannot be decoded and viewed on its own. Lower bit depth input image data to base layer processing may be generated from higher bit depth high dynamic range input image data via advanced quantization to minimize the volume of image data to be carried by enhancement layer video signals. The image data in the enhancement layer video signals may comprise residual values, quantization parameters, and mapping parameters based in part on a prediction method corresponding to a specific method used in the advanced quantization. Adaptive dynamic range adaptation techniques take into consideration special transition effects, such as fade-in and fade-outs, for improved coding performance. |
| US09924167B2 |
Video quality measurement considering multiple artifacts
A particular implementation determines objective distortion levels (d,) respectively for a plurality of artifact types. The objective distortion levels are aligned to ensure that the same distortion level of different types of artifacts corresponds to the same perceived distortion level. The aligned distortion levels (d,′) are sorted to obtain sorted distortion levels (d,″). The sorted distortion levels are then pooled together into an overall distortion level or an overall quality metric. The sorted distortion levels may be pooled using a weighted sum, wherein the weight is larger when the sorted distortion level is greater. |
| US09924164B2 |
Efficient re-transcoding of key-frame-aligned unencrypted assets
Systems and methods are provided for re-transcoding portions of a digital media file while maintaining key-frame alignment across a set of digital media files having the same content. Instead of re-transcoding the entire set of digital media files if a portion of a single video fails quality, the disclosed systems and methods allow only the failing portion of the video to be re-transcoded. |
| US09924160B1 |
Imaging device with alignment analysis
Disclosed is an imaging device employing a measurement zone directed at a target, where the imaging device can be used in conjunction with a misalignment analysis feature. The imaging device can capture first and second images at different times. The first and second images may be compared, such as by comparing a location of the measurement zone of the imaging device in the first image with a location of the measurement zone of the imaging device in the second image. Based on the comparison, a misalignment indication of the imaging device relative to the target can be provided. |
| US09924159B2 |
Shared scene mesh data synchronization
Within a communication system, packets are received for a video channel defining a shared scene and a surface reconstruction channel associated with surface reconstruction data of image data. The image data and intrinsic and extrinsic capture device data are from an image capture device and are encoded and packetized within the video channel. The surface reconstruction data is encoded and packetized within the surface reconstruction channel. The image data and the intrinsic and extrinsic capture device data are extracted from within the video channel. The surface reconstruction data is extracted from within the surface reconstruction channel. The shared scene is rendered using the image data, the intrinsic and extrinsic capture device data, and the surface reconstruction data. |
| US09924154B2 |
Switching between 3D video and 2D video
A three dimensional [3D] video signal is processed in a video device (50). The device has generating means (52) for generating an output signal for transferring the video data via a high-speed digital interface like HDMI to a 3D display, which selectively generate a 3D display signal for displaying the 3D video data on a 3D display operative in a 3D mode, a 2D display signal for displaying 2D video data on the 3D display operative in a 2D mode, or a pseudo 2D display signal by including 2D video data in the output signal for displaying the 2D video data on the 3D display operative in the 3D mode. Processing means (53) detect a request to display 2D video data on the 3D display, while the 3D display is operative in the 3D mode, and, in response to the detection, the generating means are set to generate the pseudo 2D display signal for maintaining the 3D mode of the 3D display. |
| US09924152B2 |
Digital broadcasting reception method capable of displaying stereoscopic image, and digital broadcasting reception apparatus using same
A digital broadcast receiving apparatus for displaying a stereoscopic image includes a demultiplexing unit configured to demultiplex a received digital broadcast signal; a PSIP or PSI/SI processor configured to extract extension view video information from the demultiplexed digital broadcast signal; a decoder configured to decode an extension view video stream and a base view video stream from the demultiplexed digital broadcast signal; and an output formatting unit configured to format the extension view video stream and the base view video stream based on the extension view video information. |
| US09924143B2 |
Wearable mediated reality system and method
Techniques to project an image from a wearable computing device are provided. A wearable computing device including a projector configured to project an image into a user field of view based on output from one or more sensors and/or images captured by a camera. The wearable computing device can also include a touch input device. The wearable computing device can project an image responsive to a users touch based on signals received from the touch input device. |
| US09924140B2 |
Camera device for refrigerator and refrigerator comprising same
A camera device for use in a storage unit includes a case configured to be detachably installable inside the storage unit to a holder unit configured to hold the case inside the storage unit, an image capturing element provided inside the case and configured to capture an image inside the storage unit where the case is installed, an image capture window provided on a first surface portion of the case and configured for capturing the image inside the storage unit by the image capturing element, and a preventing element configured to prevent the case from being attached to the holder unit in an orientation other than a predetermined orientation. The image capture window is configured for capturing image inside the storage unit by the image capturing element. The holder unit holds the case inside the storage unit. The image capturing element captures the image inside the storage unit with the case being installed in the predetermined orientation. |
| US09924139B2 |
Portable pipe inspection systems and apparatus
An intelligent cable storage drum system for use in a pipe inspection system may include a cable storage drum, a video push-cable disposed on the cable storage drum having a proximal end and a distal end for coupling to a camera, and a transceiver module operatively coupled to an output at the distal end of the camera for providing camera output signals to the transceiver module. |
| US09924138B1 |
Combined air-turbulence, ice, volcanic-ash aerosols, passive LWIR optical systems for cruising-airplane safety
A passive thermal imaging system, includes a first detection unit, a second detection unit, imaging optics and processing electronics. The first detection unit and second detection unit each include at least one first detector array. The imaging optics are configured to image a first wavelength range of received EMR onto the at least one first detector array, and to image a second wavelength range of the received EMR onto the at least one second detector array. The processing electronics are configured to receive a first detected signal from the at least one first detector array and to determine whether a first detection event has occurred based on the first detected signal, and to receive a second detected signal from the at least one second detector array and to determine whether a second detection event and a third detection event have occurred based on the second detected signal. |
| US09924134B2 |
Dynamic frame rate adjustment
An image rendering unit (IRU) of a device determines the dynamic frame rate capabilities (DFRCs) of a display and an image frame rate of content to be displayed. Preferably, the DFRCs are stored in a storage device deployed within the display itself. Based on the DFRCs and the image frame rate for the content, the IRU determines an updated frame rate and thereafter provides the content to the display at the updated frame rate. Where control of power consumption is desired, selection of a reduced frame rate can effect a power savings. In this manner, the present invention provides flexible control over display frame rates and/or power consumption of the device. |
| US09924133B2 |
Apparatus and method for processing image signal, imaging apparatus, and method for displaying image
An image signal processing apparatus includes a down-converter unit configured to down-convert an image signal having a first resolution into an image signal having a second resolution lower than the first resolution, a high-frequency-band-edge detection unit configured to perform filtering on the image signal having the first resolution to extract components in a higher frequency band than a frequency corresponding to the second resolution and to perform down-conversion on an edge detection signal obtained through the filtering to obtain an edge detection signal having the second resolution, and a combination unit configured to combine the edge detection signal obtained by the high-frequency-band-edge detection unit with the image signal having the second resolution generated by the down-converter unit so as to obtain an image signal having the second resolution and being to be displayed. |
| US09924127B2 |
Television pedestal and television applying the same
The present invention discloses a television pedestal and a television applying the same, and relates to the technical field of televisions. The television pedestal comprises a base comprising a base body in a shape of a plate. The base body is provided with a first threaded through hole and connected with a holding block via a bolt. A bottom surface of the holding block is provided with a second threaded hole which corresponds to the first threaded through hole. When the television pedestal is connected with the television body, the holding block is connected with a backplane arranged in the television body. The holding block is disposed inside a back cover of the television body. The television pedestal can be applied to a television for enhancing the convenience and comfort for the user during usage of the television and improving the overall appearance of the television. |
| US09924126B2 |
Audiovisual apparatus
An audiovisual apparatus includes: a display section configured to display a picture; and one or a plurality of main speakers and a plurality of sub-speakers each having a sound output surface generating sound corresponding to the picture. The sound output surfaces of one or more of the plurality of sub-speakers are arranged to be inclined toward outside of the display section as compared with the sound output surfaces of the main speakers. |
| US09924125B2 |
Multi-screen display device and manufacturing method thereof
A display device according to an exemplary embodiment includes: a first display unit having a polygon shape for displaying an image; and a plurality of second display units displaying an image and respectively disposed adjacent to respective sides of the polygon of the first display unit. The plurality of second display units may be bent based on the respective sides such that the first display unit and the plurality of second display units form a three-dimensional shape. |
| US09924123B2 |
Image sensor
In an image sensor according to related art, charge information cannot be read at the same time from a pair of photoelectric conversion elements placed corresponding to one microlens. According to one embodiment, an image sensor includes a first photoelectric conversion element and a second photoelectric conversion element placed corresponding to one microlens, a first transfer transistor placed corresponding to the first photoelectric conversion element and a second transfer transistor placed corresponding to the second photoelectric conversion element, a read timing signal line that supplies a common read timing signal to the first transfer transistor and the second transfer transistor, a first output line that outputs a signal of the first photoelectric conversion element to the outside, and a second output line that outputs a signal of the second photoelectric conversion element to the outside. |
| US09924122B2 |
Solid-state imaging device, method of driving the solid-state imaging device, and electronic device
A solid-state imaging device including a photoelectric conversion portion photoelectrically converting incident light into signal charge and accumulate the signal charge, a plurality of signal lines including a transfer signal line to which a transfer signal for reading the signal charge accumulated in the photoelectric conversion portion to a floating diffusion region is input, a driver circuit inputting a plurality of desired signals into the plurality of signal lines including the transfer signal line, and a terminal circuit connected to a side opposite to a side of the transfer signal line where the driver circuit is connected and to which a control signal for securing the transfer signal line at a constant voltage is input before a desired signal of the plurality of desired signals with respect to a signal line adjacent to the transfer signal line of the plurality of signal lines is input to the signal line adjacent to the transfer signal line. |
| US09924121B2 |
Solid-state imaging device and method of driving the same transferring other part of charges to a combined capacitor
A solid-state imaging device includes a pixel that includes a photoelectric conversion element that generates signal charges by photoelectric conversion, a first capacitor, a second capacitor, and an amplifier transistor. At least a part of charges of the signal charges generated by the photoelectric conversion element are held by the first capacitor and are not held by the second capacitor. The amplifier transistor outputs a first signal based on the part of the charges that the first capacitor holds. The part of the charges of the first capacitor are reset, and a combined capacitor of the first capacitor and second capacitor holds other part of charges of the signal charges generated by the photoelectric conversion element. The amplifier transistor outputs a second signal based on the other part of the charges that the combined capacitor holds. |
| US09924118B2 |
Silicon-based image sensor with improved reading dynamic range
In an image sensor, the effective capacitance of the storage node NS of the pixel, which stores the charges (the electrons) collected by the photosensitive element of the pixel, is modified with the aid of a feedback loop 100 which influences the supply VREFP of the follower transistor T3 connected to the storage node, in such a way that the apparent capacitance of the storage node depends on the gain GL of the loop. By modifying the gain, the capacitance of the storage node and therefore the charge/voltage conversion factor, which is inversely proportional to this capacitance, is modified. |
| US09924117B2 |
Imaging element for use with a retina chip, imaging apparatus including the same, and semiconductor apparatus included in the same
According to an embodiment, an imaging element includes a plurality of light receiving elements, a plurality of scanning circuits, a first line comprising a plurality of nodes, and a plurality of first variable resistance elements. The plurality of scanning circuits are respectively connected to the plurality of light receiving elements. Each of the plurality of first variable resistance elements is connected between the corresponding one of the nodes and a corresponding one of the scanning circuits. At least one of the first variable resistance elements includes a plurality of resistance elements connected to each other in parallel. |
| US09924116B2 |
Time based offset correction for imaging systems and adaptive calibration control
A method and an imaging system for adaptive shutter control wherein an imaging system can be configured to actuate a calibration element at various times and develop an offset correction or Non-Uniformity Correction (NUC). The system control processing units may acquire information derived from calibration data, regular imaging data or external data, which may be correlated with how fast the NUC is changing over time. How often calibration element is actuated may be adaptively determined from the correlating information and the actuation times may be adaptively controlled to optimally actuate as needed. In some embodiments the calibration element may be a shutter and calibration activation may include closing the shutter and providing a flat field image for calibration purposes. |
| US09924112B2 |
Automatic video stream selection
A handheld communication device is used to capture video streams and generate a multiplexed video stream. The handheld communication device has at least two cameras facing in two opposite directions. The handheld communication device receives a first video stream and a second video stream simultaneously from the two cameras. The handheld communication device detects a speech activity of a person captured in the video streams. The speech activity may be detected from direction of sound or lip movement of the person. Based on the detection, the handheld communication device automatically switches between the first video stream and the second video stream to generate a multiplexed video stream. The multiplexed video stream interleaves segments of the first video stream and segments of the second video stream. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. |
| US09924110B2 |
Electronic apparatus, storage medium, and method for displaying image
An electronic apparatus, storage medium, and method are disclosed. An electronic apparatus includes a display and at least one processor. The display comprises a first display mode in which a plurality of images are displayed alongside each other. The at least one processor determines importance of an image. The at least one processor determines a display size of each of the plurality of images. The at least one processor increases the display size of an image as the importance of the image is higher. |
| US09924109B2 |
Devices, methods, and systems for visual imaging arrays
Computationally implemented methods and systems include capturing a scene that includes one or more images, through use of an array of more than one image sensor, selecting a particular portion of the scene that includes at least one image, wherein the selected particular portion is smaller than the scene, transmitting only the selected particular portion from the scene to a remote location, and de-emphasizing pixels from the scene that are not part of the selected particular portion of the scene. In addition to the foregoing, other aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text. |
| US09924106B2 |
Image pickup apparatus and image pickup system with increased saturation charge quantity of pixels
An image pickup apparatus performs a global electronic shutter operation in which exposure periods of a plurality of pixels coincide with one another. In a first period in which a photoelectric conversion unit of at least one of the pixels stores charge, signals based on charges stored in holding units of the pixels are successively output to output lines. In a second period after the output of the signals from the pixels is terminated, the holding units of the pixels hold charge. |
| US09924103B2 |
Automated local positioning system calibration using optically readable markers
An improved mechanism for calibrating a local positioning system through the use of passive or retro-reflective markers is described herein. A plurality of imaging targets with the passive or retro-reflective markers may be attached or affixed on a surface of an object. The local positioning system may then capture a first image of the imaging targets in a non-illuminated state and further capture a second image of the imaging targets in an illuminated state. A difference image between the first and second captured images may be computed and then segmented. The local positioning system may then identify the plurality of imaging targets based on the segmented difference image and position itself to extract information. The extracted information may then be used to help calibrate the local positioning system. |
| US09924102B2 |
Image-based application launcher
Techniques for managing applications associated with a mobile device are provided. The techniques disclosed herein include techniques for obtaining an image of an object in the view of a camera associated with a mobile device, identifying the object in the image based on attributes of the object extracted from the image, and determining whether one or more applications are associated with the object. If there are one or more applications associated with the real-world object, an application associated with the object can be automatically launched on the mobile device. The association between a real-world object and an application may be identified by a visual indicator, such as an icon, symbol, or other markings on the object that indicates that the object is associated with one or more applications. |
| US09924101B2 |
Image capturing apparatus including release member, control method thereof, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium
The apparatus displays a standard image capturing screen for capturing an image using a first image capturing unit in the case where an operation of a release member has been detected while a standard playback screen for performing playback using a first playback unit is being displayed, and, in the case where an operation of the release member has been detected while a predetermined image capturing screen for capturing an image using a second image capturing unit is not being displayed and a screen of the predetermined application is being displayed, displays the predetermined image capturing screen. |
| US09924098B2 |
Electronic user interface and method for controlling precision guided firing of a rifle
A rifle scope includes an image sensor configured to capture visual data corresponding to a view area, a display, and a controller coupled to the display and the image sensor. The controller is configured to apply a first stabilization parameter to at least a portion of the visual data to produce a stabilized view, to provide the stabilized view and a reticle to the display, and to apply a second stabilization parameter to stabilize the reticle relative to the stabilized view in response to motion. |
| US09924093B1 |
Method and apparatus for displaying panoramic images
A display device renders a field of view of a panoramic image that is produced from several separate images taken by different cameras. The field of view can be panned across the panoramic image. The separate images each show a portion of a panoramic view and border other images. When rendering a field of view that includes a border between two adjacent images, the images can be merged in a way that substantially eliminates the border and makes the view appear as one continuous image. The merging is performed only as needed, and border regions between images that are not in the rendered field of view are not merged so as to avoid using processing resources unnecessarily. |
| US09924091B2 |
Apparatus for background subtraction using focus differences
First and second images are captured at first and second focal lengths, the second focal length being longer than the first focal length. Element sets are defined with a first element of the first image and a corresponding second element of the second image. Element sets are identified as background if the second element thereof is more in-focus than or as in-focus as the first element. Background elements are subtracted from further analysis. Comparisons are based on relative focus, e.g. whether image elements are more or less in-focus. Measurement of absolute focus is not necessary, nor is measurement of absolute focus change; images need not be in-focus. More than two images, multiple element sets, and/or multiple categories and relative focus relationships also may be used. |
| US09924086B2 |
Display apparatus, image capturing system, control method for display apparatus, and storage medium for displaying information based on attitude
There is provided a display apparatus. A reception unit receives a captured image from an image capturing apparatus. A display unit displays the captured image. A detection unit detects an attitude of the display apparatus. A transmission unit, while the display unit is displaying the captured image, transmits attitude information to the image capturing apparatus in response to an instruction from a user. The attitude information indicates the attitude detected by the detection unit. |
| US09924084B2 |
Auto-tracking imaging apparatus including wide-angle and telephoto optical systems
An auto-tracking imaging apparatus according to a preferred aspect of the invention includes: an imaging optical system that is formed of a central optical system, which is a wide-angle optical system disposed on a common optical axis, and an annular optical system which is a telephoto optical system disposed on the common optical axis; a directional sensor that respectively pupil-divides rays incident through the wide-angle and telephoto optical systems so as to selectively receive the rays; a panning/tilting mechanism; an object detection section that detects a tracking target object on the basis of at least a wide-angle image in wide-angle and telephoto images acquired from the directional sensor by an image acquisition section; and a panning/tilting control section that controls the panning/tilting mechanism on the basis of information about a position of the object, which is detected by the object detection section, in the image. |
| US09924083B1 |
System for camera viewing and illumination alignment
A system for aligning a camera view and the illumination of a lighting fixture is disclosed. The system includes a camera contained with a housing and a lighting fixture that is pivotedly attached to the housing. An angle adjuster attached to a proximate end of each of the housing and the lighting fixture converts a linear movement to the adjuster into an angular adjustment of the lighting fixture with regard to an optical axis of a camera contained with the housing. In another aspect of the invention, the system of aligning a camera view and light fixture may be attached to a magnification lenswear and a focal point of the magnification lenswear may be aligned with the aligned camera view and the illumination of the lighting fixture. |
| US09924080B2 |
Conversion apparatus, imaging apparatus, electronic apparatus, and conversion method
The present technology relates to a conversion apparatus, an imaging apparatus, an electronic apparatus, and a conversion method that are capable of reducing the scale of a circuit.The conversion apparatus includes: a comparison unit that compares an input voltage of an input signal and a ramp voltage of a ramp signal that varies with time; and a storage unit that holds a code value when a comparison result from the comparison unit is inverted, the holding of the code value by the storage unit being repeated a plurality of times, to generate a digital signal having a predetermined bit number. The predetermined bit number is divided into high-order bits and low-order bits, the low-order bits are acquired earlier than the high-order bits, and the acquired low-order bits and the high-order bits are combined with each other, to generate the digital signal having the predetermined bit number. The present technology can be applied to a portion of an image sensor, in which AD conversion is performed. |
| US09924079B2 |
Combination mirror and camera device
A combination mirror and camera for viewing areas that are difficult to see, such as the rear of a user's head. The present invention includes a housing having a digital display on a first side thereof and a mirror on a second side thereof. The housing is disposed on a handle that can be conveniently grasped. A camera is connected to the housing and is adjustably positioned on an elongated, flexible, and adjustable cable. The flexible cable can retain its shape once disposed in a desired position. The housing further includes a recessed channel along the perimeter thereof that can receive the flexible cable and the camera in a stored position. The flexible cable and camera are removable from the recessed channel so as to position the camera in a desired location. The video captured by the camera is displayed on the digital display. |
| US09924077B2 |
Camera for vehicle and control method for the same
The present invention relates to a camera for a vehicle and a control method for the same and an exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a camera for a vehicle which is provided in any one of a plurality of designated installation positions of the vehicle, including: an image sensor which generates a driving image; a receiving unit which receives a plurality of RF signals which are transmitted from a TPMS sensor unit which detects states of a plurality of tires included in the vehicle; and a position determining unit which determines which position among the plurality of installation positions is a position where the camera is installed, based on the plurality of RF signals which is received by the receiving unit. |
| US09924074B2 |
Method and system for enabling optimal colorant job programming
Method, system, and graphical user interface for enabling optimal colorant job programming. A graphical user interface displays a plurality of gamut mode selectable features. One or more of the gamut mode selectable features can be selected for image processing of an image. A graphical image can be displayed within the next of the user interface based on image processing of the image, and in response to selection of a gamut mode selectable feature. The resulting displayed graphical image with the user interface can demonstrate to a user the benefit of utilizing additional colorant on the image particular pixels in the graphical image, which can benefit from the additional colorant. |
| US09924073B2 |
Substituted imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazines as luciferase substrates and preparation method thereof
Described are substituted imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine compounds, which are coelenterazine analogs, kits comprising the compounds, and methods of using the compounds for the detection of luminescence in luciferase-based assays. Also described are methods for making the compounds, such as a method using aminopyrazine acetophosphonates as synthesis intermediates. |
| US09924072B2 |
Image reading apparatus, image forming apparatus, and non-transitory computer readable medium
An image reading apparatus includes an image reading section and a detection section. The image reading section includes at least two detection units, and performs a reading operation on an image. The at least two detection units have respective spectral characteristics which are different from each other. The detection section detects a condition of an irregularity on an image carrier by comparing a detection result of the image read by the image reading section with an output characteristic. The output characteristic is stored in advance and is a color component obtained from a value obtained by the image reading section reading a test image having a region in at least one color. |
| US09924071B2 |
Crum chip and image forming device for authentication and communication, and methods thereof
A Customer Replaceable Unit Monitoring (CRUM) chip, an image forming apparatus, and a method of authenticating are provided. The apparatus includes a main body that includes a main controller controlling operations of the apparatus, a consumable unit mounted on the main body to communicate with the main controller, and a CRUM chip that is provided in the consumable unit and stores information regarding the consumable unit. The main controller and the CRUM chip transmit and receive signals that include data and integrity detection data between each other. The integrity detection data is generated by using previous integrity detection data. |
| US09924070B2 |
Correction method for image forming apparatus
A correction method for an image forming apparatus including: a light source including light emitting points, a photosensitive member configured to rotate in a first direction, and a deflecting unit configured to deflect light beam emitted from the light source in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction to form scanning lines, the correction method including a correction step of correcting sparseness and denseness of density in the first direction caused by deviation of the scanning lines by moving a predetermined pixel in the first direction in accordance with the deviation, and causing a pixel value of the predetermined pixel to be output in accordance with movement of the predetermined pixel, wherein the correction step corrects the sparseness and denseness of the density based on the deviation of the scanning lines and the pixel value of the pixel, which are adjusted in accordance with an image forming condition. |
| US09924069B2 |
Radial lenticular blending effect
A method of integrating a radial zoom effect with a complementary radial image transition effect includes integrating the effects such that the two blended radial effects share a common center, and thereby share common displacement paths during the perceived transition. In addition to the visual appeal of the effect, the invention also resolves operational incompatibilities between the practice of commercial photography and the practice of lenticular printing. A lenticular product is formed in accordance with this method. |
| US09924060B2 |
Information processing apparatus, method of controlling the same, and storage medium, that are capable of setting a naming rule for a file name
There is provided with an information processing apparatus and a method of controlling the same. The apparatus sets a naming rule for an image file and determines whether or not the set naming rule satisfies a predetermined condition. If it is determined that the naming rule does not satisfy the predetermined condition, the information processing apparatus warns a user. On the other hand, if it is determined that the naming rule satisfies the predetermined condition, the information processing apparatus generates a file name of the image file in accordance with the set naming rule, and stores the image file with the file name. |
| US09924056B2 |
Device management system, device management apparatus, and device management method
A device management system includes a device management apparatus, a first electronic device, a second electronic device, and an intervening apparatus. The device management apparatus includes a memory storing authorized user identification information, a receiver receiving user identification information from the first electronic device, and processing circuitry determining whether it is allowed to use at least the first electronic device. If so, third device identification information is stored. The intervening apparatus includes a receiver receiving the user identification information from the second electronic device and processing circuitry determining whether it is allowed to use at least the first electronic device. If so, the third device identification information is received. The second electronic device includes a receiver receiving a request and processing circuitry determining whether the third device identification information in the request matches the third device identification information received from the device management apparatus, and accepts the request. |
| US09924050B2 |
Operation display apparatus, portable terminal, programs therefor, and operation display system
An operation display apparatus includes: an operating unit; a display unit; a position detecting unit configured to detect a position of a predetermined portable terminal; a free region detecting unit configured to detect a free region on a display screen of at least one of the display unit and the portable terminal; and an operation control unit configured to display an image of the operating unit in the free region when the position of the portable terminal detected by the position detecting unit is in front of a front side of the operating unit, and accept an operation performed on the image, as an operation received by the operating unit, the free region being detected by the free region detecting unit. |
| US09924049B2 |
Pull print system
A pull print system includes a print server and a print apparatus. The print server performs a raster-image processor (RIP) process based on print data received as job data from an external apparatus to generate printing image data as raster image data. The RIP process performed by the data generating unit is same as the RIP process performed by the print apparatus. The print apparatus requests to the print server the job data for the user whose login is accepted. The print server transmits to the print apparatus the printing image data of the job data as raster image data. |
| US09924048B2 |
Printer status report with encoded image
A method of diagnosing a printer's status using an encoded image printed and/or displayed by the printer. The printer can produce an encoded image, such as a barcode, that indicates status values in one or more categories. A client device with a camera, such as a smartphone, can take a picture of the encoded image and transmit it to a printer status server. The printer status server can analyze the status values encoded in the encoded image to diagnose problems with the printer, and can return applicable user instructions indicating how to fix and/or prevent the problems. |
| US09924046B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and storage medium
An image processing apparatus includes a blank page determination unit configured to determine whether a document is a blank page by using image data obtained by reading the document, a color determination unit configured to determine whether the document is polychrome or monochrome, and a decision unit configured to decide on processing of the image data obtained by reading the document by using a determination result of the blank page determination unit and a determination result of the color determination unit. |
| US09924043B2 |
Systems and methods for emergency communications
Described herein are methods, devices, media, and systems for managing emergency communications and providing seamless data extraction from a communication device by an emergency service. |
| US09924040B1 |
Forecasting and scheduling campaigns involving different channels of communication
Various embodiments of the invention provide methods, systems, and computer program products for generating a roster template used in scheduling agent resources to conduct a first campaign and a second campaign involving two different channels of communication. Specifically, forecasts are generated for the first and second campaigns and agent resources needed to handle communications forecasted for each campaign are identified. A roster template is generated that includes one or more shifts to schedule based on the agent resources identified for the first campaign and evaluated to identify whether a deficiency exists with respect to the one or more shifts not meeting the agent resources identified for the second campaign. If so, the one or more shifts are revised so as not to cause a second deficiency with respect to the first campaign. |
| US09924036B2 |
Assigning to a call a unique key associated with caller specific data for retrieving data from a database
Caller specific information is linked to a call using a key for database retrieval of caller specific data. A pool of rolling Automatic Number Identification (ANI) codes is maintained. A call is received at a rolling ANI device. A rolling ANI is assigned to the call. The assigned rolling ANI is provided in a field identifying the call. The call and the assigned rolling ANI in the field identifying the call is routed to a call handler. A voice path and data associated with the call is received at the call handler. The data is parsed to determine a rolling ANI associated with the call. Caller specific information is obtained from a database record in a database identified by the rolling ANI. The obtained caller specific information is used to process the call seamlessly without prompting the caller for information in the database record associated with the rolling ANI. |
| US09924035B2 |
Systems and methods for routing user data
Apparatus for initiating a phone call is provided. The apparatus may comprise a receiver configured to receive a request from a user to initiate a phone call. The apparatus may also comprise a transmitter. In response to the receipt of the request to initiate the phone call, the transmitter may be configured to transmit user data over a data communications network to a remote computer platform. The remote computer platform may be in communication with one or more agent desktops. |
| US09924034B1 |
System and method for managing customer communications over communication channels
Systems and methods for managing customer communications over communication channels are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a method for managing customer communications over a plurality of communication channels may include (1) at least one of a plurality of computer processors determining contact information for the customer; (2) at least one of the plurality of computer processors determining that the contact information comprises a cellular phone number; (4) at least one of the plurality of computer processors determining that the customer has consented to being contacted on the cellular phone number; and (5) at least one of a plurality of computer processors automatically initiating contact with the customer using the communication channel. |
| US09924033B2 |
Method for collecting data using a user interaction event-driven data collection system
A communication session between a user and an agent to discuss content provided by a client. A first interactive event occurred during the communication session. A first data collection package associated with the first interactive event is identified. The first data collection package includes a plurality of queries, each query being associated with one of a plurality of workflow stages of a data collection workflow. For each of the queries in one of the workflow stages, a data collection rule corresponding to a current workflow stage is examined to determine whether the query should be sent to the user, the query is transmitted to the user device of the user based on the examination, and a user response is received from the user device in response to the query. The user profile and the agent profile are updated based on user responses. |
| US09924029B2 |
Event handling system
A service that determines what event has occurred and provide a list of actions that the service can be performed in order to help the user through a hectic time period is disclosed. In one example, one or more modules can identify one or more events and transmitting an indication of the at least one event to a mobile device. Then, one or more modules can receive an indication that a mobile device has selected at least one of the at least one event, and determine at least one action to perform, wherein the at least one action can be associated with the at least one selected event. |
| US09924028B2 |
Tamper resistant system for creating zones and manipulating computing devices
A system for selectively manipulating a mobile device when the mobile device is present within one or more defined zones within an area. The system comprises a control device transmitting a signal, with the signal having a decreasing signal strength as distance from the control device increases. The system additional comprises one or more profiles stored in a memory for determining the one or more defined zones based on one or more values, each value corresponding to a particular signal strength of the signal, and at least one software application executing on the mobile device. The application is configured for accessing the profiles from a memory and receiving, from the mobile device, an indication of the signal received at the mobile device and a signal strength of the received signal, and selectively manipulating the mobile device as a function of the signal strength and the one or more profiles. |
| US09924021B2 |
Environment controllers capable of controlling a plurality of smart light fixtures
Environment controllers for the configuration and control of a plurality of smart light fixtures. A master environment controller exchange data with a fixture management server and a plurality of slave environment controllers. Each slave environment controller is in charge of controlling a plurality of light fixtures. The master environment controller receives a command targeting a particular light fixture from the fixture management server. The environment controller determines a target slave environment controller in charge of controlling the particular light fixture, among the plurality of slave environment controllers. The master environment controller forwards the received command to the target slave environment controller. The target slave environment controller further transmits the forwarded command to the particular light fixture. Alternatively, an independent environment controller is in charge of controlling a plurality of light fixtures under the direct supervision of a fixture management server, without using an intermediate master environment controller. |
| US09924017B2 |
Methods and systems for a vehicle computing system to launch an application
A vehicle computing system includes at least one processor in communication with a mobile device via a wireless transceiver. The at least one processor is configured to launch a second application from an inactive state at the mobile device based on a message transmitted to a first application in an active state being executed in a foreground at the mobile device. The message is configured with an application identification of the second application. |
| US09924014B2 |
Cordless telephone equipment, cordless telephone system, and cordless telephone communication method
Cordless telephone equipment includes a portable unit and a base unit. The base unit includes: a portable unit control section controlling a communication protocol with the portable unit through a wireless interface wirelessly connecting with the non-IP terminal type portable unit; a wireless LAN interface section transmitting and receiving packet data to and from a wireless IP terminal and wireless LAN access point; a wireless LAN bridge control section forwarding the received packet data to the wireless IP terminal, or the wireless LAN access point, or within the base unit in accordance with a destination address of the packet data received through the wireless LAN interface section; and a base unit control section processing the packet data received from the wireless IP terminal and forwarded within the base unit, as data received from a portable unit under control of the base unit. |
| US09924013B2 |
Automatic communication responses
A method, and associated system, for determining an automatic action to be performed in response to an unsuccessful communication request. A first set of data, obtained from a first electronic communication device, is transmitted by the first electronic communication device to the computing system in response to a determination by the first electronic communication device that a called user of the first electronic communication device is unable or unwilling to accept a communication request from a calling user of a second electronic communication device. The first set of data is associated with the called user, the first electronic communication device, the second electronic communication device, or combinations thereof. A second set of data is obtained from the second electronic communication device and associated with the calling user, the second electronic communication device, or both. The action to be performed is determined based on the first and second sets of data. |
| US09924010B2 |
Audio data routing between multiple wirelessly connected devices
Apparatus and methods to communicate audio data from either an active wireless device or a requesting wireless device to one or more audio reproduction devices that are simultaneously communicatively coupled to both the active wireless device and to the requesting wireless device are disclosed. Responsive to a request from the requesting wireless device to transmit audio data to the one or more audio reproduction devices, the active wireless device determines whether to transmit audio data from the requesting wireless device based at least in part on an audio status of the active wireless device and a set of predetermined arbitration criteria that prioritizes among applications and operating system processes that generate the audio data. |
| US09924007B2 |
Mobile terminal
Disclosed is a mobile terminal having a rear input unit disposed on a rear surface of a display unit, and configured to receive a control command by a push input. Especially, the present invention provides a structure capable of preventing a force rather than a user's pressing force from being applied to the rear input unit, and a structure capable of shielding an operation sound generated when a pressing force is applied to the rear input unit. |
| US09924001B2 |
Method of selective network buffering in checkpoint systems
A method of allowing egress network frames to bypass the buffer requirement of a checkpoint system. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of examining a frame, or its attributes, to determine if it is a “candidate frame” and if the frame is a candidate frame, allowing it to be released to the external network without an intervening checkpoint. In another embodiment, the candidate frame is one of a group comprising: any frame targeting a designated network interface; any frame of a designated protocol type; any frame sourced or destined from/to a designated address. In still another embodiment, the method includes the designation of scheduling follow-up checkpoints according to frame disposition to limit or reduce the effects of a fail-over (roll-back) disturbance. |
| US09923998B1 |
Method and apparatus for multiple preambles
A digital broadcast communication system includes a transceiver configured to receive a preamble having one of at least four preamble patterns characterized by a bit pattern and a length, produce the received preamble to each of at least four preamble correlator circuits, and at each correlator circuit, compare the received preamble to a reference code pattern. If a specified level of correlation exists between the received preamble and the reference code, produce an indication that the comparison was favorable. In one embodiment, the transceiver includes 16 correlator circuits and further includes 128 preamble reference codes for detecting preambles that have control, synchronization or data content. |
| US09923995B1 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for sharing information for detecting an idle TCP connection
Methods and systems are described for sharing information for detecting an idle connection. In one aspect, a second node receives a packet in a connection. A portion in the packet is detected identifying metadata for a period, detectable by a first node. The second node modifies a timeout associated with the connection based on the metadata. In another aspect, a first node receives information for detecting a period. A packet is generated including a portion identifying metadata for the period based on the information, and sent to the second node. |
| US09923989B2 |
Customizing network-level settings for a network device on a communication network
The present application describes methods and systems for improving user communication in a network-based communication system. In one or more embodiments, a datacenter provides a unique connection address network device that connects to the datacenter. By providing a unique connection address, the datacenter can provide customized network-level settings on a per network device basis. In addition, the datacenter can also provide customized network identification on a per network device basis. |
| US09923987B2 |
Optimization of enhanced network links
A method and apparatus for dynamic network link acceleration provides a managed communication link for accelerated and reliable network communication between a client and other network devices. In one or more embodiments, a client computing device which generates communication packets of a first type is enhanced with a front end mechanism which selectively encodes the data packets into packets of a second type. The data packets which are encoded into a second type are transmitted over a managed communication link which may provide error correction, security, quality of service, and other services including acceleration of communications. |
| US09923982B2 |
Method for visualizing temporal data
In one embodiment, a method and system are provided that receive, during a selected time period, a plurality of different media streams exchanged, over a communications network, in one or more communications between a plurality of parties; and generate a multimedia presentation of the plurality of different media streams, wherein, in the multimedia presentation, the different media streams are referenced according to a common time scale. |
| US09923981B2 |
Capturing structured data about previous events from users of a social networking system
The invention provides a display interface in a social networking system that enables the presentation of information related to a user in a timeline or map view. The system accesses information about a user of a social networking system, including both data about the user and social network activities related to the user. The system then selects one or more of these pieces of data and/or activities from a certain time period and gathers them into timeline units based on their relatedness and their relevance to users. These timeline units are ranked by relevance to the user, and are used to generate a timeline or map view for the user containing visual representations of the timeline units organized by location or time. The timeline or map view is then provided to other users of the social networking system that wish to view information about the user. |
| US09923978B2 |
Automated network service discovery and communication
A network switch includes a service registration database and a service discovery engine that is coupled to the service registration database. The service discovery engine receives a first service registration over a network from a first service included on a first service device and, in response, stores the first service registration in the service registration database. The service discovery engine then receives a multicast service discovery message over the network from a target device. The service discovery message includes a service identification. The service discovery engine then determines that the service identification is associated with the first service registration stored in the service registration database and, in response, sends a unicast service communication message over the network to the target device. The service communication message includes communication information for the first service. The service registration database may store a plurality of different service registrations for respective different services. |
| US09923970B2 |
Multicast collaborative erasure encoding and distributed parity protection
The present disclosure provides methods and systems for multicast collaborative erasure encoding and methods and systems for distributed parity protection. One embodiment relates to a method of multicast collaborative erasure encoding of a chunk stored in a distributed object storage cluster. A roll-call request is multicast to every storage server in a negotiating group for the chunk. Roll-call inventory responses are generated and multicast by every storage server in the negotiating group. The roll-call inventory responses are collected by every storage server in the negotiating group from other storage servers in the negotiating group to form a set of roll-call inventory responses. A logical evaluation of the set of roll-call inventory responses may then be performed by every storage server in the negotiating group. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed. |
| US09923969B2 |
Large-scale storage and retrieval of data with well-bounded life
A method comprising receiving one or more data storage specifications from a tenant, determining that a plurality of physical storage units in a physical storage system comprises a sufficient system capacity to provision data storage for the tenant, sending a storage request message to request creation of a network storage entity for the tenant according to the data storage specifications, and receiving a storage response message indicating a first of a plurality of logical storage units allocated to the network storage entity according to the data storage specifications, wherein the plurality of logical storage units are distributed across the plurality of physical storage units, and wherein the plurality of logical storage units are arranged in a sequential order to form a logical circular buffer. |
| US09923968B2 |
Network system and control method of a network system, and a control device
In a system having a control server and a control device that connects to the control server through a global network, the control device can appropriately handle processing when normal communication with the control server is not possible. The POS terminal 10 of a transaction processing system 1 has a client-function unit 501 configured to send authentication information to a control server 15 and request authentication, and acquire and store an access code generated by the control server 15 when authentication is successful. When normal communication is not possible with the control server 15, the client-function unit 501 communicates with the server-function unit 502 as a client of the server-function unit 502 based on the stored access code, and executes processes with the server-function unit 502. |
| US09923966B1 |
Flexible media storage and organization in automated data storage systems
Techniques and systems for storing and retrieving data storage devices of a data storage system are disclosed. In some embodiments, inventory holders are used to store data storage devices used by a data storage system. When data is to be transacted with the data storage devices, mobile drive units locate appropriate inventory holders and transport them to a device reading station, where an appropriate device retrieval unit transacts the data. The inventory holders are configured such that any of the mobile drive units may interchangeably interact with any of the inventory holders and/or the data device reading stations. After the data has been transacted, the data storage devices are returned to the appropriate inventory holders, and the inventory holders are placed by the mobile drive units in locations where they may be accessed in response to further data transactions. |
| US09923959B2 |
Load balancing with layered edge servers
An edge server node comprises an edge server, a DNS, and a load controller. The DNS is assigned to a layer of edge server nodes where each layer of edge server nodes has a DNS anycast IP address for the DNSs of that layer and a FQDN for that layer. The DNS either handles or offloads requests to resolve the FQDN for the assigned layer to balance the load on the edge server. A request is offloaded by returning the FQDN for another layer. The load controller monitors the load on the edge server and directs the DNS to offload requests to reduce the load on the edge server. |
| US09923957B2 |
Multimedia aware cloud for mobile device computing
Techniques for configuring and operating a multimedia aware cloud, particularly configured for mobile device computing, are described herein. In some instances, clusters of servers are organized for general computing, graphic computing and data storage. A load balancing server may be configured to: identify multimedia types currently being processed within the multimedia edge cloud; determine desired quality of service levels for each identified multimedia type; evaluate individual abilities of devices communicating with the multimedia edge cloud; and assess bandwidth of each network over which the multimedia edge cloud communicates with a mobile device. With that information, multimedia data may be adapted accordingly, to result in an acceptable quality of service level when delivered to a specific mobile device. In one example of the techniques, graphic computing server clusters may be configured to process workload using a configuration that includes elements of both parallel and serial computing. |
| US09923952B2 |
Cloud application deployment
A system (100) includes an application model (140) to characterize a given application (110) for deployment on a cloud (130). A deployment manager (120) analyzes an application requirement for the given application (110) based on the application model (140) and policies (150) associated with the given application (110) to substantially match infrastructure resources (160) in the cloud (130) to fulfill the application requirement. |
| US09923950B1 |
Systems and methods involving features of terminal operation including TOS-agnostic and/or other features
Systems and methods are disclosed associated with processing information involving terminal operating systems. According to one illustrative implementation, an exemplary method for processing information involving terminal operating system herein may include processing data in a TOS format associated with a TOS type, converting the data into a TOS agnostic format, and performing processing using the TOS agnostic data. |
| US09923949B2 |
All-electronic ecosystems for design and collaboration
This invention presents Ecosystems addressing limited capabilities for interactive team design, amidst thrust for improved productivity, enhanced creativity and higher quality. The Ecosystem for Team Design and Collaboration presents apparatus for taking snapshots of whiteboards with sketches from planning, design or brainstorming meetings, using image sensor embedded in a mobile client, for offering a vector representation of the content and hence expediting the preparation of ‘presentable entities’ (eliminating the need to redraw). The Ecosystem for Learning and Team Design outlines a flexible design methodology for automatically assessing the quality of design activities relative to a given design process. It is the only learning tool for computer aided design (CAD) capable of assessing all the five design stages. Its assessment engine, the e-design process, is modular and can be integrated into electronic lab notebooks. Its input, the standardized e-design notebooks, are also quite versatile and can accommodate complex 3D CAD files. |
| US09923948B2 |
Method of acquiring vehicle contents, method of displaying vehicle contents, system for displaying vehicle contents, and automotive electronic device
Disclosed is a method of acquiring vehicle contents, the method including receiving contents from a service provision server, acquiring meta information on the received contents, and acquiring vehicle contents displayable on a web browser on the basis of the received contents and the acquired meta information. |
| US09923945B2 |
Virtual assets for on-demand content generation
A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes generating a key associated with a virtual asset associated with content to be provided to a client device, where the key indicates at least one parameter for accessing the content; generating the virtual asset; receiving a request for the content; identifying a format being requested for the content; using the virtual asset to identify common format content to be retrieved and to identify the key; using the key to retrieve the common format content; and transforming the common format content such that it can be delivered to the client device in the format that was requested. |
| US09923942B2 |
Using messaging associated with adaptive bitrate streaming to perform media monitoring for mobile platforms
Methods, apparatus, systems, storage media, etc., to perform media monitoring for mobile platforms using messaging associated with adaptive bitrate streaming are disclosed. Example methods disclosed hereinto monitor media on a mobile platform include accessing a first uniform resource locator (URL) included in a first message originated by the mobile platform to stream first media according to an adaptive bitrate streaming protocol. Such example methods also include requesting network log information corresponding to the first URL from a service provider providing network access for the mobile platform. Such example methods further include monitoring presentation of the first media on the mobile platform using the network log information. |
| US09923938B2 |
Managing drop-ins on focal points of activities
A computer-implemented method manages drop-ins on conversations near a focal point of proximal activity in a gathering place. One or more processors receive a first set of sensor data from one or more sensors in a gathering place, and then identify a focal point of proximal activity based on the first set of received sensor data received from the one or more sensors. One or more processors characterize a conversation near the focal point based on a second set of received sensor data from the one or more sensors, and then present a characterization of the conversation to an electronic device. One or more processors enable the electronic device to allow a user to drop-in on the conversation. |
| US09923936B2 |
System and method for third party monitoring of voice and video calls
A system is described herein that facilitates the monitoring of inmate communications. The system provides a remotely-accessible means for a reviewer to monitor a call between an inmate and another person. The system includes a monitoring server and a monitoring station. The monitoring server is configured to receive a call and call information from a communication center and process the call for monitoring, schedule a review of the call; and store the call, the call information, and scheduling data. The monitoring station is configured to receive the call and the call information from the monitoring server based on the scheduling data, and to display the identifying information and facilitate the review of the call. |
| US09923935B2 |
Apparatus, system and method of supporting streaming over a protocol adaptation layer (PAL)
Some demonstrative embodiments include apparatuses, systems and/or methods of supporting streaming over a Protocol Adaptation Layer (PAL). For example, an apparatus may include a first PAL communication unit to communicate PAL traffic with a second PAL communication unit over a communication link, the PAL traffic comprising traffic of a PAL connection, over a PAL, between a first device and a second device, the PAL is above a layer of the communication link, the PAL traffic comprising data to be communicated between the first device and one or more endpoints via the second device, wherein the first PAL communication unit is to communicate an endpoint open stream request and an endpoint open stream response with the second PAL communication unit over the communication link. |
| US09923930B2 |
Selectively enabling and disabling biometric authentication based on mobile device state information
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for selectively enabling and disabling biometric authentication are presented. In some embodiments, a computing platform may receive, from a device monitoring and management computer system, a device state indicator message comprising device state information associated with a mobile computing device. Subsequently, the computing platform may set a biometric authentication flag for the mobile computing device based on the device state indicator message received from the device monitoring and management computer system. Then, the computing platform may generate an authentication functionality message for the mobile computing device based on the biometric authentication flag set for the mobile computing device, and the authentication functionality message may be configured to selectively enable or disable one or more biometric authentication functions provided by the mobile computing device. Thereafter, the computing platform may send, to the mobile computing device, the authentication functionality message generated for the mobile computing device. |
| US09923929B2 |
Systems and methods for in-session refresh of entitlements associated with web applications
The described technology provides a capability to perform in-session updates to entitlements associated with a user's access to content served by a web application. The content may be from one or more external servers. The technology provides for automatically detecting changes to entitlements, and without requiring a user of an active session to initiate a new session, updating entitlement data in a memory such that subsequent requests for data made by the client in the same active session are serviced using the updated entitlements. |
| US09923926B1 |
Seamless management of untrusted data using isolated environments
Approaches for managing potentially malicious files using one or more isolated environments. In response to receiving a request to perform an action on a file, a client applies a policy to determine whether the action is deemed trustworthy. The client identifies, without human intervention, an isolated environment, executing or to be executed on the client, in which the action is to be performed based on whether the action is deemed trustworthy. In this way, embodiments allow a user to make use of data deemed untrusted in certain cases without allowing the untrusted data from having unfettered access to the resources of the client. If the requested action is performed in a different isolated environment from which the action was requested, embodiments enable the performance of the action to be performed seamlessly to the user. |
| US09923924B2 |
Endpoint policy change
Endpoint device policy change can, in various examples, include detecting a change in a first registered attribute associated with an endpoint device on a network to a second registered attribute and changing a first policy applied to the endpoint device to a second policy associated with the second registered attribute in response to the detected change. |
| US09923918B2 |
Methods and systems for controlling access to computing resources based on known security vulnerabilities
Methods and systems are provided for fine tuning access control by remote, endpoint systems to host systems. Multiple conditions/states of one or both of the endpoint and host systems are monitored, collected and fed to an analysis engine. Using one or more of many different flexible, adaptable models and algorithms, an analysis engine analyzes the status of the conditions and makes decisions in accordance with pre-established policies and rules regarding the security of the endpoint and host system. Based upon the conditions, the policies, and the analytical results, actions are initiated regarding security and access matters. In one described embodiment of the invention, the monitored conditions include software vulnerabilities. |
| US09923911B2 |
Anomaly detection supporting new application deployments
In one embodiment, a device in a network maintains information regarding anomaly detection models used in the network and applications associated with traffic analyzed by the anomaly detection models. The device receives an indication of a planned application deployment in the network. The device adjusts an anomaly detection strategy of a particular anomaly detector in the network based on the planned application deployment and on the information regarding anomaly detection models used in the network and the applications associated with the traffic analyzed by the anomaly detection models. |
| US09923910B2 |
Dynamic installation of behavioral white labels
In one embodiment, a device in a network analyzes data regarding a detected anomaly in the network. The device determines whether the detected anomaly is a false positive. The device generates a white label for the detected anomaly based on a determination that the detected anomaly is a false positive. The device causes one or more alerts regarding the detected anomaly to be suppressed using the generated white label for the anomaly. |
| US09923908B2 |
Data protection in a networked computing environment
Approaches for providing data protection in a networked computing environment are provided. A method includes detecting, by at least one computer device, a breach of a first system in the networked computing environment. The method also includes generating, by the at least one computer device, a second system in the networked computing environment, wherein the second system includes a patch based on the breach. The method additionally includes converting, by the at least one computer device, the first system to a decoy system. The method further includes generating, by the at least one computer device, a third system in the networked computing environment, wherein the third system has reduced security relative to the first system. |
| US09923907B2 |
Push notifications of system events in a restricted network
Methods, computing systems and computer program products implement embodiments of the present invention that include associating a token with a computing device, defining preferences for the computing device, and conveying, by the computing device, the token and the preferences to an event processing system. Upon the event processing system, an event message from a computing system via a one-way firewall and matching the computing device preferences to the event message, the event processing system can convey the token and the event message to a push notification system. In some embodiments, upon the push notification service receiving the token and the event message, the mobile device can be identified based on the token, and the event message can be conveyed to the computing device. The event messages may include a severity level, and the preferences may include a severity threshold and a message detail level. |
| US09923905B2 |
System and method for zone access control
In some example embodiments, a method comprises receiving a web service request for accessing a resource of a web service, with the web service request corresponding to a user and comprising an access token, identifying a zone for the web service request, identifying a security token provider based on the access token, identifying one or more trusted token providers for the zone, comparing the security token provider to the trusted token provider(s) for the zone, generating a determination that the security token provider does not match any of the trusted token provider(s) for the zone, and denying the web service request based on the determination that the security token provider does not match any of the trusted token provider(s) for the zone. |
| US09923896B2 |
Providing access to a restricted resource via a persistent authenticated device network
Providing access to a restricted resource via a persistent authenticated device network, including: authenticating a user; joining a persistent authenticated device network; iteratively, upon the expiration of a predetermined period of time, determining whether the user remains authenticated; responsive to determining that the user remains authenticated, determining whether a downstream computing device in the persistent authenticated device network is attempting to access a restricted resource; and responsive to determining that the downstream computing device in the persistent authenticated device network is attempting to access a restricted resource, providing user authentication information to the downstream computing device. |
| US09923892B1 |
Enhanced automatic response culling with signature generation and filtering
A method of testing a web application, wherein a web application is a program that operates on a server and interacts with clients that access the program over a network, wherein further the web application accepts parameters that define results generated from the web application, the method comprising determining which web application uniform resource identifiers (“URIs”) are used to access various web applications on a system, selecting a subset of less than all of the URIs for the common web, wherein the subset is selected at least in part independently of the order generated, performing a security scan on a first URI of the subset of URIs, comparing locality-sensitive hash (“LSH”) signatures of responses to the first URI, determine if the differences between responses exceed a threshold and performing a security scan on a second URI of the subset if the responses exceed the threshold. |
| US09923889B2 |
Data processing system, data processing apparatus and log in method
A data processing system including a data processing apparatus, includes a user data storing unit that stores user data of a user who uses a first service, the user data including first authentication data used for logging in the first service and user specifying data; a determining unit that determines, when the user who uses the first service sets second authentication data used for logging in a second service different from the first service, user specifying data usable as the second authentication data from the user specifying data included in the user data; and a management unit that sets the user specifying data determined to be usable as the second authentication data in the user data of the user who uses the first service as the second authentication data, and manages the user data as user data of the user who uses the first service and the second service. |
| US09923882B2 |
Domain based authentication scheme
In one example, a system for authenticating domains operates by authenticating a first domain and the extensions that make up the URI of an initial or primary Internet network call. Thereafter, the system can enable the owner of the first domain to make assertions or statements about additional domains and URIs that make up the rest of the web page, session or application. |
| US09923880B2 |
Authenticating mobile applications using policy files
Examples of techniques for authenticating mobile applications are described herein. A method includes receiving, at a first server, a key pair and a policy file associated with a mobile service on a second server, the policy file includes a plurality of security objects to be authenticated, a plurality of computing devices to authenticate the security objects, and an order of authentication. The method includes distributing the key pair and the policy file to a security device. The method also includes receiving, at the first server, an authentication request from a mobile application. The method further includes creating an authenticity challenge as specified in the policy file and sending the authenticity challenge with a response to the mobile application. |
| US09923879B1 |
Sharing keys
The subject matter described herein can be embodied in a computer-readable medium storing instructions that cause one or more processors to perform operations including receiving, from a client device associated with a user account of a first user, a request to grant a second user access to a key associated with a credential. The credential is associated with the user account of the first user, the request includes an address of the second user, and the key permits access to a resource. The operations include accessing, at a server, a second user account based on the address of the second user, and associating, by the server, the key with the second user account, such that the second user is enabled to access the resource. The operations further include communicating, to the address of the second user, a message indicating that the second user account has been associated with the key. |
| US09923878B2 |
Primitive functions for use in remote computer management
The invention facilitates remote management of a computer via a network. Remote computer management capability can be expanded beyond that previously available through the addition of one or more new primitive functions that can be performed on a managed computer. |
| US09923876B2 |
Secure randomized input
A user inserts a received random sequence into the user's password or PIN. The user enters and transmits this randomized password to a service provider. The service provider extracts the password to determine whether to authenticate the user. |
| US09923874B2 |
Packet obfuscation and packet forwarding
A packet obfuscation method comprising receiving a data packet having a routing header portion and a payload portion, performing a first obfuscation on the routing header portion to generate an obfuscated routing header portion, performing a second obfuscation on at least the payload portion to generate an obfuscated payload portion, and combining the obfuscated routing header portion and the obfuscated payload portion to form an obfuscated packet. A packet forwarding method comprising obfuscating routing information using a packet obfuscation function, generating a plurality of forwarding rule entries in accordance with the obfuscated routing information, transmitting the plurality of forwarding rule entries to at least one network node in a network, transmitting the packet obfuscation function to at least one network node in the network, and transmitting a de-obfuscation function to at least one network node in the network. |
| US09923872B2 |
Cloud computing gateway, cloud computing hypervisor, and methods for implementing same
Embodiments of the present invention provide a cloud gateway system, a cloud hypervisor system, and methods for implementing same. The cloud gateway system extends the security, manageability, and quality of service membrane of a corporate enterprise network into cloud infrastructure provider networks, enabling cloud infrastructure to be interfaced as if it were on the enterprise network. The cloud hypervisor system provides an interface to cloud infrastructure provider management systems and infrastructure instances that enables existing enterprise systems management tools to manage cloud infrastructure substantially the same as they manage local virtual machines via common server hypervisor APIs. |
| US09923870B2 |
Method and system for analyzing a data flow
A method for analyzing a data flow includes extracting packet information of a packet of the data flow, determining the status of the packet and the status of the data flow based on the extracted packet information and storing the packet for later inspection when the status of the packet and/or the status of the data flow indicate that the packet is out-of sequence, and inspecting the packet and/or the stored packet based on inspection rules. Upon a partial match of at least one of the inspection rules with the extracted packet information, a result of the inspection of the packet is temporarily stored. Already stored packets are inspected when they are in-order with already inspected packets. Upon a total match of at least one of the inspection rules, a predetermined action is performed and the stored result is deleted. |
| US09923868B2 |
Working method for a system and system
A system includes a first network with a first computer and a first release computer; a second network with a second computer and a second release computer; a perimeter network with a first data server and a second data server; wherein the first network and the second network connect via a firewall to the perimeter network; the first data server has a storage area accessible to the first computer and a storage area inaccessible to the first computer and the second computer; and the system is configured to carry out the method. |
| US09923864B2 |
Information process device, information process method and program for executing information process device
In order to attain the above object, an information process device of the present invention detects a connection of an electric appliance 100 to a network, transmits an IP address of the electric appliance 100, acquires the IP address of the detected electric appliance 100, acquires association information associating the IP address with an identifier identifying the electric appliance 100, re-acquires the IP address of the re-detected electric appliance based on the acquired association information, and redirects a connection request from an IP address associated with the identifier to the re-acquired IP address based on the acquired association information. |
| US09923862B2 |
Communication message consolidation with content difference formatting
A set of similar messages addressed to a user is detected. Redundantly similar portions of the set of similar messages and a progressive set of differences between the set of similar messages are identified. The set of similar messages are consolidated into a single consolidated message. The single consolidated message includes one version of the redundantly similar portions in association with the progressive set of differences in a sequence and the progressive set of differences formatted differently from the redundant similar portions. |
| US09923858B2 |
Electronically processing bounceback messages from communications networks
Examples of systems and methods for processing email bounceback messages are disclosed. One disclosed method includes the steps of receiving a bounceback email message, determining a classification for the bounceback email message, determining a corrective action for the bounceback email message based on the classification, and executing the corrective action. In another example, program code for performing such a method is encoded on a non-transitory computer-readable media. |
| US09923853B2 |
Folders that employ dynamic user training rules to organize content
Dynamic user training rules can be employed to organize content within a folder. Each folder can be associated with a dynamic rule that defines a number of attribute and weighting factor associations and a folder threshold. Each attribute and weighting factor association can identify an attribute that is common among the contents of the smart folder and associate a weighting factor with the common attribute. Whenever a user manually moves content into or out of the smart folder, the attribute and weighting factor associations and possibly the folder threshold can be updated accordingly, such as by adjusting a value of one or more weighting factors to better reflect how common they are after the content has been manually moved into or out of the folder. In this way, the dynamic rule is automatically updated in response to the user's interaction with the smart folder. |
| US09923850B2 |
System and computer program product for transactional, addressable communication
A system and computer program product for providing a transactional, addressable message over a network. The system includes a first node connectable to the network for generating and communicating a non-duplicated shared message having content and accessible to at least two users and for routing a reference to the shared message, a second node connectable to the network for receiving the reference to the shared message. The shared message includes a unique identifier, an address section, a metadata section, a comments section, and a content section, and is identified over the network using the unique identifier. The shared message is accessible to the second node via the reference. The content of at least one section of the shared message is transactionally modifiable after the second node has received the shared message. A change to the content of the modifiable section of the shared message is persistent with respect to the at least two users. |
| US09923849B2 |
System and method for suggesting a phrase based on a context
A method and a system to suggest a content item to be included in a message based on a determined context are provided. A context of a message that user is composing via a composition interface is determined based on one or more properties of the message. One or more inputs to the user composition interface are identified, the one or more inputs indicating at least a portion of intended content of the message. One or more suggested content items are provided for inclusion in the message based on the context of the message and the one or more inputs. A suggested content item of the suggested content items are added in the message based at least in part on the one or more properties of the message. |
| US09923845B2 |
Terminal and method of having conversation using instant messaging service therein
A mobile terminal including a display unit; a wireless communication unit configured to communicate with at least one external device via a wireless network; and a controller configured to: execute a first message conversation with the at least one external terminal while executing a video communication with the at least one external terminal, and store an image of the video communication in response to termination of the first message conversation. |
| US09923842B2 |
Apparatus and method for network interconnection
A network node (bridge, switch, router) and method for traffic interconnection in a communication network. The node includes an interconnection network or switch fabric having ingress and egress ports in communication with the input and output ports of the node. The interconnection network also includes an interconnector having a retiming module, a permutation module, and a re-alignment module. Data arriving at the node input ports is provided to the ingress queues of the interconnection network where it is queued, if necessary, and then processed through the interconnector so that it can be provided to an appropriate egress port. Data at the egress ports is then provided to output ports for transmission toward its intended destination. |
| US09923837B2 |
Method and system to allocate bandwidth based on task deadline in cloud computing networks
A method implemented to provide a virtual network to tenants requiring bandwidth in a cloud computing environment is disclosed. The method starts with receiving a request for a task at a network device, the request including a first parameter indicating VMs required, a second parameter indicating bandwidths the required VMs need, a third parameter indicating a duration of the task, and a fourth parameter indicating a deadline of the task. The network device then selects a starting time and a bandwidth allocation of the task, where the bandwidth allocation is shrank to be smaller than the second parameter indicating, and where the selection aims at minimizing a measurement of cloud resource utilization considering consumptions of both VMs and bandwidth. Then the network device allocates VMs for the request at the starting time with the bandwidth allocated at a particular location in the cloud computing environment. |
| US09923835B1 |
Computing path maximum transmission unit size
Techniques include quickly establishing a maximum transmission unit (MTU) for a network path, such as a network tunnel. In one example, data representative of the MTU is included in a header of a packet. If the MTU indicated in the packet is larger than a downstream network interface of a network device, the network device updates the data of the header to indicate the MTU of the downstream network interface, and an egress network device sends the packet back to an ingress network device. In another example, network devices fragment packets, if necessary, such that the fragments satisfy the MTU of the downstream network interface. The egress network device then determines the MTU for the path based on a largest received fragment, reassembles the fragments into a single packet, and returns the reassembled packet to the ingress network device. The packets may comprise echo packets of generic routing encapsulation (GRE). |
| US09923834B2 |
System and method for triggering and sending device-to-device buffer status report and scheduling request
A method for device-to-device (D2D) communications by a user device includes transmitting a first message including a proximity services (ProSe) buffer status report (BSR) to a communications controller, receiving a second message including information regarding a D2D resource grant scheduled for the user device by the communications controller, and canceling all pending ProSe BSRs in accordance with the D2D resource grant. |
| US09923832B2 |
Lightweight flow reporting in constrained networks
In one embodiment, a device in a network receives one or more packets that are part of a traffic flow. The device provides a sample packet to a path computation element (PCE) that includes a signature that uniquely identifies the traffic flow. The device receives a traffic flow policy for the traffic flow from a policy engine and enforces the traffic flow policy for the traffic flow. |
| US09923829B1 |
Automatic proxy device configuration
A traffic management device (TMD), system, and processor-readable storage medium directed towards automatically configuring an AAA proxy device (also referred to herein as “the proxy”) to load-balance AAA request messages across a plurality of AAA server devices. In one embodiment the proxy receives an AAA handshake message from an AAA client device. The proxy forwards the handshake message to each of the plurality of server devices and, in reply, receives an AAA handshake response message from each of the plurality of server devices. The proxy extracts attributes from each of the handshake response messages and automatically configures itself based on the extracted attributes. The proxy then load-balances, modifies and/or routes subsequently received AAA request messages based on the extracted attributes. |
| US09923828B2 |
Load balancing with flowlet granularity
A first flowlet of a flow from a source network device to a destination network device is assigned to a first path of a plurality of paths between the source device and the destination device. The assignment of the first flowlet to the first path is made by a network connected device. A second flowlet is detected in response to an interruption in transmission of the flow due to congestion along the first path, wherein the interruption is longer in duration than a difference in a transmission time between the source network device and the destination network device along each of the plurality of paths. The second flowlet is assigned to a second path of the plurality of paths by the network connected device. According to some example embodiments, the second path is randomly selected from the plurality of paths. |
| US09923825B2 |
System and methods for assigning slots and resolving slot conflicts in an electrical distribution grid
A system and method for detecting and resolving conflicts in transmissions from DTs located on the edge of an electrical power distribution grid. By examining the frame and time slot of the conflict and inferring a possible DT involved in the transmission conflict and reassigning the DT's transmission to another frame and time slot, the conflict should be resolved and the data being provided by the DT is not necessarily lost nor is its receipt unreasonably delayed. |
| US09923823B2 |
Flow control method and device
The present invention provides a flow control method and a device. The method includes: obtaining, by a gateway, a data packet of a user; determining N value-added services required by the data packet, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 1; modifying a first IP address in the data packet to an Mth IP address in an address sequence, where the first IP address is an IP address of a network server, M is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1, the address sequence is an IP address set allocated by the gateway to the user, and a correspondence exists between an address in the address sequence and a value-added service; sending a modified data packet to a value-added service server corresponding to the Mth IP address. |
| US09923818B2 |
Systems and methods of achieving equal distribution of packets in a multicore system which acts as a tunnel end point
The present disclosure is directed towards systems and methods of steering packets received by a multi-core device serving as a tunnel endpoint. A device including a plurality of cores identifies a core corresponding to a request to transmit to a destination via a tunnel. The tunnel is established between the first tunnel endpoint and a second tunnel endpoint. The device identifies, from a port allocation table, a source port based on the identified core, a first IP address of the first tunnel endpoint, a second IP address of the second tunnel endpoint and the destination port to steer a response to the request to the identified core. The device modifies a packet of the request to include in an outer header of the packet of the request, a first tuple identifying the first IP address, the second IP address, the destination port and the identified source port. |
| US09923817B2 |
Redirecting network traffic based on content
A rule indicates that data having particular characteristics be automatically routed to a particular destination. When software on a switching device detects a new data stream, it is analyzed to determine whether it has characteristics specified by the rule. If it does, the packet is encapsulated with a special tag, indicating that the packet should be routed to the new destination. Also, an entry is added to a quick-lookup table in the switching device. The entry indicates that future packets in the data stream that have the same source and destination port and address should also be routed to the new destination. |
| US09923815B2 |
Network based service function chaining on top of rack switches
Service aware network devices coordinate function chains of virtual functions. The network devices are aware of which virtual functions exist and how to interconnect them in the most efficient manner and define and process service graphs that can be maintained, monitored and redirected. The network devices themselves implement and manage the service graphs, as opposed to the virtual servers that host the virtual functions. |
| US09923812B2 |
Triple-tier anycast addressing
In one embodiment, a solution is provided wherein redundant routers are treated as a single emulated switch. When a packet is received at a layer 2 edge switch from a host, the layer 2 edge switch may determine a switch identifier for the emulated switch using a destination anycast hardware address contained in the packet. The anycast hardware address may identify an emulated switch comprising a plurality of routers. Then a header may be added to the packet, the header including the switch identifier. Following that, the packet may be forwarded to another layer 2 switch along a shortest path from the layer 2 edge switch to the emulated switch. |
| US09923807B2 |
Intelligent signaling routing for machine-to-machine communications
Concepts and technologies disclosed herein are directed to intelligent signaling routing for machine to machine (“M2M”) communications, such as communications for Internet of things (“IoT”) devices. According to one aspect of the concepts and technologies disclosed herein, a mobility management entity (“MME”) can receive an attach request or a tracking area update (“TAU”) from a device to establish a connection to a network. The MME can extract device identification information from the attach request. The device identification information can identify the device as either a UE or IoT device. The MME can determine an appropriate DIAMETER routing agent (“DRA”) of a plurality of DRAs to which to route signaling traffic associated with the device. The plurality of DRAs can include DRA and an IoT application-specific DRA. The MME can route the signaling traffic to the appropriate DRA of the plurality of DRAs. |
| US09923805B2 |
Backward-recursive path computation using RSVP-TE
One or more nodes, in a network, are configured to transmit a message, for computing diverse paths through the network from a first domain to a second domain using a Resource Reservation Protocol-Traffic Engineering (RSVP-TE) signaling protocol; generate at least one data structure that identifies multiple diverse entry points to the second domain; transmit the at least one data structure toward the first domain; complete the at least one data structure to form at least one completed data structure; use a first data structure, of the at least one completed data structure, to compute a primary path from the first domain to the second domain; and use a second data structure, of the at least one completed data structure, to compute a secondary path from the first domain to the second domain. |
| US09923803B2 |
Method of routing and a device for an autonomous system
The disclosure relates to a method of routing for an Autonomous System AS in a communication system, in which the AS comprises a plurality of network devices including a first network device and a second network device. The first network device distributes routing information to a forwarding table by calculating a first route from the first network device to the second network device. The first network device receives information of a destination network device of the communication system from the second network device, and forms a second route from the second network device to the destination network device to be stored in the forwarding table using the received information of the destination network device. When the first route fails, the first network device calculates a third route from the first network device to the second network device and updates the routing information in the forwarding table according to the third route. |
| US09923800B2 |
Method for reachability management in computer networks
Various techniques for partitioning an overlay network is disclosed herein. In certain embodiments, an overlay network can be partitioned into overlay partitions with manageable sizes. Each overlay partition can independently manage and update reachability information only for end points that belong to a virtual network with at least one end point in the overlay partition. Thus, each overlay partition can operate independently from others to achieve fast reachability updating for relocated virtual machines or other end points. |
| US09923798B1 |
Dynamic load balancing of network traffic on a multi-path label switched path using resource reservation protocol with traffic engineering
Techniques are describe for establishing an overall label switched path (LSP) for dynamic load balancing of network traffic being sent across a network using the a resource reservation protocol such as Resource Reservation Protocol with Traffic Engineering (RSVP-TE). The tunnel may be a single RSVP-TE Label Switched Path (LSP) that is configured to automatically and dynamically load balance network traffic across different sub-paths of the RSVP-TE LSP over the network. The ingress device of the overall multi-path LSP can analyze traffic statistics to determine when a network traffic demand differs from a currently reserved bandwidth of the overall multi-path LSP by at least a threshold amount, and can automatically add or remove a sub-path from the overall multi-path LSP to adjust capacity of the overall multi-path LSP to correspond to the currently reserved bandwidth. |
| US09923791B2 |
Method for monitoring communication between a transmitter and a receiver
A method is provided for monitoring a communication between a transmitting equipment item and a receiving equipment item, the transmitting equipment item transmitting control frames (TC_i) toward the receiving equipment item. The method makes it possible to optimize the frequency of transmission of diagnostic frames (TDx_i), thereby making it possible to avoid saturating the communication link and causing an overconsumption of electrical energy, while guaranteeing a high reliability concerning the state of the communication. The method makes it possible notably to adapt in real time the transmission of the diagnostic frames (TDx_i) to the state of the communication, by taking account of the fact that disturbances prevent the control frames (TC_i) from being correctly transmitted by the transmitting equipment item or received by the receiving equipment item and to adapt the transmission of the diagnostic frames (TDx_i) to the value of the rate of probability of occurrence of a communication failure (τfail), this rate being recalculated on each transmission of a control frame. |
| US09923789B2 |
Determining access point power output
Examples relate to determining access point power output. In one example, a computing device may: identify, for a particular access point, a plurality of neighboring access points; identify, for each neighboring access point, a pathloss value that indicates a difference in a transmit power of the neighboring access point and a received signal strength observed by the particular access point; identify, from the neighboring access points, at least one adjacent access point, each adjacent access point having a pathloss value that is less than a pathloss threshold; generate a representative pathloss using the pathloss values of each adjacent access point; determine a target power level for the representative pathloss; and provide at least one of the neighboring access points with instructions that cause the at least one neighboring access point to adjust a power output level of the at least one neighboring access point. |
| US09923787B2 |
Network configuration predictive analytics engine
A mechanism associated with a network management system (NMS) interprets and predicts the impact on a network of a network configuration change proactively. By providing pre-configuration analysis in this manner, a network administrator can determine the potential effect of the proposed configuration change in advance of actually inserting a configuration command in the network that might otherwise have unforeseen and damaging consequences. The technique is implemented using a predictive analytics engine that receives a proposed network command and, using a current network topology, executes the command against one or more NMS algorithms to verify that the command can be implemented safely. |
| US09923785B1 |
Resource scaling in computing infrastructure
A current workload associated with a computing infrastructure is monitored for a change in the current workload. A first cost value is computed wherein the first cost value indicates a cost associated with scaling a current resource configuration for the computing infrastructure to respond to the change to the current workload. A second cost value is computed wherein the second cost value indicates a cost associated with ignoring the change to the current workload and maintaining the current resource configuration for the computing infrastructure. The first cost value and the second cost value are compared. A determination is made whether to scale or maintain the current resource configuration based on the comparison of the first cost value and the second cost value. |
| US09923784B2 |
Data transfer using flexible dynamic elastic network service provider relationships
Data transfer using flexible dynamic elastic network service provider relationships is provided. A relationship is dynamically established with an elastic network service provider of multiple available elastic network service providers to transfer a portion of the set of data to the target. Peering policies for each of the multiple elastic network service providers are checked, where a respective peering policy for each elastic network service provider includes respective bandwidth pricing information. Based on the bandwidth pricing information for each of the plurality of elastic network service providers, an elastic network service provider and a schedule are selected to use in transferring the portion to the target. The elastic network service provider is used in transferring the portion to the target, which includes dynamically configuring elastic network bandwidth allocation from the elastic network service provider and initiating transfer of the portion to the target according to the selected schedule. |
| US09923781B2 |
Designated forwarder (DF) election and re-election on provider edge (PE) failure in all-active redundancy topology
A method is implemented by a network device functioning as a provider edge (PE) device to determine a designated forwarder (DF) for sending broadcast, unknown unicast or multicast (BUM) traffic to a customer edge (CE) device, which is connected to a plurality of PE devices in an Ethernet virtual private network (EVPN) instance on a given Ethernet segment. The method reduces a time for DF determination and loss of traffic for the CE device. The method determines whether a number of active links from the network device to the CE device is greater than an active link minimum. The method also determines that the network device is the DF in response to determining that the number of active links is greater than the active link minimum. |
| US09923777B2 |
Discovery engine configurations for neighborhood aware Wi-Fi networks
Methods, devices, and computer program products for transmitting and receiving discovery and paging messages in a wireless communication device are described herein. In one aspect, a wireless apparatus operable in a wireless communication system includes a discovery engine configured to communicate with a wireless network based on a profile, the profile having defined use parameters, the discovery engine being configured to receive an input from an application indicating a selection of a profile, the discovery engine further configured to receive one or more attributes from the application and configure the profile using the one or more attributes, the attributes containing information to configure the profile to perform certain functions as defined by the application. |
| US09923776B1 |
Device differentiation for electronic workspaces
An electronic workspace may be created from multiple viewer devices. The viewer devices are coordinated so that each exhibits a different visual identification characteristic such as a distinct or unique color. Content can be assigned by way of a user interface in which individual viewer devices are represented by visual icons that exhibit the same visual identification characteristics as the respective viewer devices, so that a user may easily distinguish between the available viewer devices. |
| US09923771B2 |
Adaptive bitrate modification of a manifest file
A system includes a media optimizer that adaptively generates and transmits a modified manifest file based on an original manifest file corresponding to an associated media asset from a content provider in response to a media content request from a client for the associated media asset. The original manifest file specifies bitrates. The media optimizer extracts parameters associated with the media content request and applies bitrate policies based on the extracted parameters to adaptively modify the original manifest file to generate the modified manifest file. The media optimizer is further configured to transmit the modified manifest file to the client for selection by the client of a bitrate associated with delivery of the associated media asset. |
| US09923770B2 |
Dynamic activation of web applications
Techniques are described herein that are capable of dynamically activating web applications. For instance, such applications may not be configured on a machine until requests for those applications are received by the machine. For example, upon receipt of such a request, the machine may automatically configure an application that is identified by the request on the machine. The machine may then forward the request to the application for processing. In another example, the machine may run an application-agnostic worker process (AAWP), which configures an application on the machine upon receipt of a request for the application. An AAWP is a worker process that is capable of processing requests for web application(s) that are not previously associated with the AAWP. The AAWP may cause a specified worker process to run on the machine, so that the specified worker process may process the request and/or subsequent requests for the application. |
| US09923767B2 |
Dynamic configuration of remote capture agents for network data capture
The disclosed embodiments provide a method and system for facilitating the processing of network data. During operation, the system obtains, at a remote capture agent, configuration information for the remote capture agent from a configuration server over a network. Next, the system uses the configuration information to configure the generation of event data from network packets at the remote capture agent. Upon receiving an update to the configuration information from the configuration server, the system uses the update to reconfigure the generation of the event data by the remote capture agent during runtime of the remote capture agent. |
| US09923765B2 |
Deploying and monitoring multiplatform cloud-based infrastructures
Embodiments are directed towards managing computer applications. A configuration package may be provided to provision a cloud service stack on a cloud platform such that the cloud service stack corresponds to a main stack model. If a monitoring engine identifies inconsistencies between the cloud service stack and the main stack model, a deployment engine may be provided to traverse the main stack model such that the deployment engine may visit each of one or more stack model entities included in the main stack model. Then an updated configuration package may be provided for the cloud platform based on the traversal. And, the updated configuration package may be provided to the cloud platform to re-provision the cloud service stack. |
| US09923761B2 |
Diverse network paths with site hardware redundancy for improved availability
A system may determine that a first device is available to transfer traffic via a network and that a second device is available to transfer the traffic via the network. A master mode may be enabled on the first device. The master mode, when enabled on the first device while both the first device and the second device are available to transfer the traffic, may cause the first device to advertise dynamic routing information associated with transferring the traffic. A slave mode may be enabled on the second device. The slave mode, when enabled on the second device, may cause the second device to suppress advertisement of virtual router redundancy protocol routing information associated with transferring the traffic. The system may provide, via the first device and the second device, the traffic via a dynamic network path across the network, and in accordance with the dynamic routing information. |
| US09923759B2 |
Control method and device for self-loopback of network data
A method and device for controlling self-loopback of network data are provided. The method includes that: whether a master forwarding link and standby forwarding link of a master node in a network structure both fail or not is determined; and when the master forwarding link and the standby forwarding link of the master node both fail, a forwarding attribute of a standby egress port in a data packet forwarding table of the master node is modified into forwarding through the master forwarding link of the master node. |
| US09923758B2 |
Alert damage index
Numerous alerts may be received by a management system, potentially making it difficult to determine which alerts indicate events that are potentially more harmful. To identify alerts that indicate harmful events, a damage index for each of the alerts may be determined. Determining an alert damage index facilitates the ranking, sorting, or graphical representation of alerts. The alert damage index can indicate the potential damage or harm an event associated with the alert may cause if left unaddressed. For example, a low memory event has the potential to cause an application or server to respond slowly or not at all. The alert damage index may be determined by processing metrics that indicate the potential harm or severity of the event. For example, the alert damage index may be determined by processing an alert duration factor, an alert threshold breach factor, and a component load factor (damage factors). |
| US09923757B1 |
Reducing data sets related to network security events
This document describes techniques for reducing a size of data sets related to network security alarms or logs, or other messages. Preferably, the reduction is performed via a clustering and compressing algorithm that, among other things, enables an operator to provide customized control in the form of ordered, per-attribute thresholds, or “stop” points. These thresholds function to preserve important information while still achieving excellent clustering and compression results. In some embodiments, the technique described herein can be used to reliably produce reduced-size data sets composed entirely of unique entries. The unique entries can thus be used as keys into a database, e.g., for storage and later analysis or other purposes. |
| US09923755B2 |
Device programming with system generation
A secure programming system and method for provisioning and programming a target payload into a programmable device mounted in a programmer. The programmable device can be authenticated before programming to verify the device is a valid device produced by a silicon vendor. The target payload can be programmed into the programmable device and linked with an authorized manufacturer. The programmable device can be verified after programming the target payload by verifying the silicon vendor and the authorized manufacturer. |
| US09923751B2 |
Overlay system with digital optical transmitter for digitized narrowcast signals
Methods and apparatuses are provided to modify existing overlay system architectures in a cost effective manner to meet the growing demand for narrowcast services and to position the existing overlay systems for additional future modifications. The implementations of the improved overlay system of this disclosure re-digitize narrowcast analog signals after they have been QAM modulated and upconverted to RF frequencies and replace the analog narrowcast transmitters with digital narrowcast transmitters. In the fiber nodes, the received narrowcast signals are converted back to analog signals and combined with analog broadcast signals for transmission to the service groups. |
| US09923749B2 |
Adaptive frequency tracking mechanism for burst transmission reception
A method and wireless communication device for tracking frequencies of transmitted burst signals. The method includes receiving a burst signal, determining a quality of the burst signal and a carrier frequency of the burst signal, demodulating the burst signal based upon the determined carrier frequency, determining a frequency offset of the burst signal based on the determined carrier frequency, and when the quality of the burst signal exceeds a threshold, calculating a drift window based on the determined frequency offset. |
| US09923748B2 |
Short training field (STF) within wireless communications
A wireless communication device (alternatively, device) includes a processor configured to support communications with other wireless communication device(s) and to generate and process signals for such communications. In some examples, the device includes a communication interface and a processor, among other possible circuitries, components, elements, etc. to support communications with other wireless communication device(s) and to generate and process signals for such communications. Short training field (STF) sequences are designed using a base binary sequence. In some examples, the base binary sequence is specified as [−1, −1 −1 +1 +1 +1 −1, +1, +1 +1 −1 +1 +1 −1, +1]. One STF includes the base binary sequence mapped. Another STF includes the base binary sequence followed by 0 followed by a phased rotated version of the base binary sequence. Another STF includes the base binary sequence followed by 0 followed by an inverted version of the base binary sequence. |
| US09923745B2 |
Signaling methods and apparatus
A transmission apparatus and transmitting method for signaling parameters of a preamble, and a reception apparatus and receiving method for decoding the preamble. The transmitting method includes generating, using processing circuitry of a transmission apparatus, a bootstrap symbol based on the parameters of the preamble. The bootstrap symbol is prefixed to a frame that includes the preamble using the circuitry. The bootstrap symbol is selected from a plurality of patterns. Further, the plurality of patterns represent at least a subset of predetermined combinations of the parameters of the preamble including an FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) size, a guard interval, a frequency domain displacement component of a SPP (Scattered Pilot Pattern) and a L1 mode. |
| US09923741B2 |
Method for detecting presence or absence of phase shift keying modulations
A signal detection method that allows characterization of a modulated signal to be efficiently determined. The method comprises the steps of receiving a data signal, processing the data signal to determine its value squaring the value of the signal; filtering the squared signal value to remove DC content; evaluating the resulting signal to determine if a single sinusoidal value remains; and determining that the presence of a single sinusoidal value as the resulting signal from the squaring and filtering steps indicates that the received data signal is a phase-shift key signal or conversely that the absence of such after a given number of cycle of squaring and filtering indicates a different modulation technique is present in the signal. |
| US09923739B2 |
Wireless receiver for multiuser detection incorporating residual estimation errors
An improved receiver design implements a practical method for modeling users in SIC turbo loop multiuser detection architectures, wherein in each loop unsubtracted estimation errors from previous loops are used to appropriately scale the error covariance matrix for each user, thereby accurately representing the remaining residual interference in the data stream for each desired user. The effect of estimation errors in previous interference cancellation operations is thereby minimized, and symbol estimations in successive turbo loops are improved, for example during multiuser MMSE, multiuser MMSE with interference rejection combining (MMSE-IRC), sample matrix inversion (SMI), or any of their adaptive variants (least mean-square, recursive least square, Kalman filter etc.). The estimated residual symbol energy can be computed per symbol, and then applied to entire data streams, to groups of symbols, or to each symbol separately. |
| US09923737B2 |
Analog-digital compatible re-sampling
A re-sampler comprises: a plurality of multipliers configured to receive an input sample; and a plurality of accumulators coupled to the multipliers and configured to form multiplier-accumulator (MAC) units with the multipliers, wherein the MAC units are configured to: compute partial products from the input sample, accumulate the partial products over clock cycles, and sequentially generate output samples based on the computing and the accumulating. A method comprises: receiving input samples; computing partial products from the input samples; accumulating the partial products over clock cycles; and sequentially generating output samples based on the computing and the accumulating. |
| US09923736B2 |
Method for performing channel estimation, and apparatus therefor
A method for reporting a channel state for a downlink channel to be transmitted via at least one two-dimensional array antenna element composed of a row antenna array and a column antenna array is disclosed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The method is performed by a terminal, and the method may comprise the steps of: receiving settings for channel state information (CSI) process 1 and CSI process 2, the CSI process 1 and the CSI process 2 each comprising a plurality of CSI-reference signal (RS) settings; selecting one of the CSI process 1 and the CSI process 2 if the CSI process 1 and the CSI process 2 have the same feedback cycle and offset; and estimating the downlink channel and reporting the channel estimation to a serving base station according to one selected from the CSI process 1 and the CSI process 2. |
| US09923732B2 |
Virtual gateways and implicit routing in distributed overlay virtual environments
A method includes encapsulating, by a first virtual switch, a packet from a first virtual machine (VM) into a tunneled packet by appending the packet with a tunnel header that is addressed for a second virtual switch, wherein the packet includes a first destination address for a virtual default gateway. The first virtual switch forwards an inner packet of the encapsulated packet to a second VM. The first virtual switch acts as a virtual default gateway based on replacement of a first destination address for the virtual default gateway with a second destination address for the second VM. |
| US09923731B1 |
Seamless migration from multiple spanning tree protocol to ethernet ring protection switching protocol
Methods and systems are provided for migrating loop-breaking protocols in an Ethernet network. The method includes selecting a virtual local area network (VLAN) implementing a multiple spanning tree protocol (MSTP) from a plurality of VLANs operating on the Ethernet network, the MSTP having a spanning tree with a root network element coupled to a first branch of network elements; disabling a virtual network link in the VLAN; migrating a first leaf network element of the first branch in the VLAN by disabling the MSTP and enabling an Ethernet ring protection switching (ERPS) protocol on the first leaf network element; migrating the root network element in the VLAN after the first leaf network element by disabling the MSTP and enabling the ERPS protocol on the root network element; and enabling the virtual network link after migrating the first leaf network element and the root network element. |
| US09923729B2 |
System for delivering unified conferences in light of prohibition of toll bypass
In one embodiment, a method includes obtaining geographic information from a first party when the first party attempts to join a collaborative session, and identifying a first geographic region, using the geographic information, within which the first party is located. A first multipoint control unit (MCU) located within the first geographic region is identified for use in a dial out to establish a first audio connection for use by at least the first party during the collaborative session. The method also includes establishing a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) connection configured to shunt video between the first party and a cloud during the collaborative session, and causing the first MCU to dial out to establish the first audio connection to the cloud. The first audio connection is configured to shunt audio between the first party and the cloud while the VoIP connection shunts the video between the first party and the cloud. |
| US09923727B2 |
Standby powering for power over Ethernet
A respective electronically controlled switch is provided in series with the output of each PD. A control circuit having a timer functionality is further provided, with the electronically controlled switches responsive to the control circuit. Upon detection that a second PD, defined temporally, is provided with operating power, the respective electronically controlled switch is maintained open for a predetermined hold-off time period sufficient to ensure detection by the respective PD control state machine of the completion of startup. After expiration of the predetermined hold-off time period, the respective electronically controlled switch is closed thus enabling normal operation. |
| US09923724B2 |
Method and apparatus for installing profile
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for installing a profile, and more specifically, to a method for managing mobile communication subscriber information (profile), such as for remotely installing and uninstalling a profile onto a security module (Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC)) that is embedded inside a terminal and that is not attachable or detachable, thereby replacing UICC. Accordingly, the present invention relates to a method for a server installing a profile, wherein the method for the server installing the profile for a terminal having an embedded security module comprises the steps of: receiving from the terminal a profile installation request including an identifier of the terminal embedded security module; receiving an encrypted profile corresponding to the installation request; and transmitting to the terminal the encrypted profile. |
| US09923715B2 |
System, apparatus and method for group key distribution for a network
An embodiment includes receiving, in a first key management device (KMD) of a first autonomous network associated with a first realm, a request for a group key to enable content to be shared between one or more first devices of the first autonomous network and one or more second devices of a second autonomous network associated with a second realm, the second autonomous network having a second KMD; creating the group key and providing the group key to the one or more first devices from the first KMD; establishing a temporal key to be used to establish a secure channel between the first KMD and the second KMD; and delivering the group key to the second KMD from the first KMD via the secure channel, to enable the second KMD to provide the group key to the one or more second devices. Other embodiments are addressed herein. |
| US09923711B2 |
Low power edge and data sampling
An integrated circuit receiver is disclosed comprising a data receiving circuit responsive to a timing signal to detect a data signal and an edge receiving circuit responsive to the timing signal to detect a transition of the data signal. One of the data or edge receiving circuits comprises an integrating receiver circuit while the other of the data or edge sampling circuits comprises a sampling receiver circuit. |
| US09923710B2 |
Digital oversampling clock and data recovery circuit
In one aspect, an apparatus includes: a first time-to-data converter (TDC) to oversample a first duration of incoming data and hold the oversampled first duration during receipt of a second duration of the incoming data; a second TDC to oversample the second duration of the incoming data and hold the oversampled second duration during receipt of a third duration of the incoming data; a processing circuit coupled to the first and second TDCs, the processing circuit including a first filter to filter the oversampled first duration and the oversampled second duration and generate a control output therefrom; and a digitally controlled oscillator (DCO) coupled to the processing circuit to receive the control output and generate a recovery clock signal therefrom. |
| US09923708B2 |
Full duplex wireless transmission with channel phase-based encryption
A method comprising: at a first transceiver, transmitting a plurality of signals to a second transceiver and receiving corresponding receive signals from the second transceiver, wherein each transmitted signal is sent using a channel perturbation; measuring a plurality of phase values, wherein each phase value is a phase difference between one of the plurality of transmitted signals and corresponding receive signal; masking a subsequent phase modulated signal employing phase rotation at the first transceiver using the plurality of phase values. |
| US09923707B2 |
Dynamic allocation of subframe scheduling for time division duplex operation in a packet-based wireless communication system
Systems and methods for enabling the dynamic allocation of certain subframes as downlink or uplink resources in a time division duplexed over the air communications system. A base station or eNB may allocate certain subframes within a repeating radio frame of a TDD configuration as either DL or UL subframes for communicating to user equipment or UE devices to increase efficient use of system resources based on the data to be transmitted. Methods for determining the capabilities of a selected UE and based on the determining step, dynamically allocating certain subframes are disclosed. The methods and systems are compatible with user equipment that does not support the dynamic allocation of subframes. |
| US09923706B2 |
System and method for in band full duplex communication in radio network
The embodiments herein provide a method for In Band Full Duplex (IBFD) communication in a radio network including at least one IBFD node, at least one first non-IBFD User Equipment (UE) and at least one second non-IBFD UE. The method includes transmitting by the at least one IBFD node a first signal to the at least one first non-IBFD UE over a forward channel, and receiving by the at least one IBFD node a second signal from the at least one second non-IBFD UE over the same forward channel simultaneously, where the second signal includes at least one of a pilot signal, Channel State Information (CSI), and control information, where the forward channel is orthogonal to a reverse channel in at least one of time, frequency, space, and code. |
| US09923700B2 |
Method and system for localizing interference in spectrum co-existence network
A method for sharing spectrum between a primary user and a secondary user includes receiving a signal transmitted by the primary user at a first network equipment of the secondary user, determining a first attenuation coefficient for the first network equipment, estimating interference from the first network equipment at a receiver of the primary user, and adjusting parameters of the first network equipment. |
| US09923699B2 |
Method and apparatus for feeding back aperiodic CSI in flexible TDD reconfiguration system
The present disclosure provides a method for feeding back aperiodic CSI in a flexible TDD reconfiguration cell. The method includes a UE receiving information about signaling transmitted from an eNB to acquire locations of subframes corresponding to CH and CL, wherein CH and CL correspond to different subframe sets, respectively. The method also includes the UE detects UL DCI information carrying an aperiodic CSI request, on a CSI request subframe. The method also includes the UE feeds back aperiodic CSI specific to a corresponding CSI subframe set to the eNB, on a corresponding UL subframe. The embodiments of the present disclosure, according to another aspect, provide a terminal. According to the solutions disclosed in the present disclosure, the terminal acquires indication information of CSI subframe sets during feeding back the aperiodic CSI, by implicitly or explicitly defining the CSI subframe sets, so as to trigger aperiodic CSI feedback specific to CH and CL in a flexible TDD reconfiguration cell, thus improving the system performance. |
| US09923696B2 |
Method and user equipment for transmitting ACK/NACK information, and method and base station for receiving ACK/NACK information
A method and user equipment (UE) for transmitting ACK/NACK information, and a method and base station (BS) for receiving ACK/NACK information are disclosed. If ACK/NACK repetition and spatial orthogonal-resource transmit diversity (SORTD) caused by 2 antenna ports are configured in the UE, the UE performs first ACK/NACK transmission using 2 PUCCH resources implicitly decided by an associated PDCCH. From the second transmission, the UE performs ACK/NACK transmission using 2 PUCCH resources explicitly assigned respectively for the two antenna ports. |
| US09923693B2 |
Base station and communication method
A terminal device capable of providing a method for determining PUCCH resources used for notification of response signals indicating error detection results for downlink line data, when ARQ is applied during communications using an uplink unit band and a plurality of downlink unit bands associated to the uplink unit band and when downlink data allocations are instructed using an ePDCCH. In this device, a control unit (208) determines A/N resources on the basis of whether a channel used for transmitting downlink control information (DCI) is a PDCCH or an ePDCCH. |
| US09923691B2 |
Radio terminal, radio base station, channel signal forming method and channel signal receiving method
A base station is disclosed, including an information size adjusting section configured to adjust a size of control information based on a first basic information size of control information mapped on a user equipment (UE) specific search space in a first component carrier. The base station also includes a transmitter configured to transmit the control information mapped on the UE specific search space. A first determination method for determining the first basic information size is different from a second determination method for determining a second basic information size of control information mapped on a common search space in the first component carrier. The first determination method for determining the first basic information size is different from a third determination method for determining a third basic information size of control information mapped on a search space in a second component carrier that is different from the first component carrier. |
| US09923688B2 |
Base station apparatus, mobile station apparatus, communication method, integrated circuit, and communication system
The present invention enables efficient transmission/reception of a signal including control information between a base station apparatus and a mobile station apparatus. To realize this, there are provided a receiver configured to receive an enhanced physical downlink control channel from the base station apparatus; a setting unit configured to be able to set, using at least a format of downlink control information included in the received enhanced physical downlink control channel, one of a plurality of possible sets of M, M being the number of first elements that constitute the enhanced physical downlink control channel; and a monitoring unit configured to monitor a search region in which the enhanced physical downlink control channel obtained on the basis of the set possible set of M is possibly mapped. |
| US09923687B2 |
Method and apparatus for measuring communication quality
A method and an apparatus for measuring communication quality are disclosed. The method includes: acquiring reference signal resource configuration information, where the reference signal resource configuration information at least includes: reference signal port configuration information, and reference signal power information of at least one port group; or the reference signal resource configuration information at least includes: reference signal port configuration information, and a ratio of a power of a data channel in at least one port group to a power of a reference signal; and sending the acquired reference signal resource configuration information to user equipment. Therefore, in a multi-antenna system, accurate signal quality measurement information is acquired, or more accurate channel state information is acquired. |
| US09923685B2 |
Method and transmitter apparatus for generating and transmitting channel feedback and method and receiver apparatus for receiving and retrieving channel feedback
The embodiments of the invention relate to a method and a transmitter apparatus for generating and transmitting channel feedback. The method contains the steps of determining at least one first quality value averaged over a long term time interval for a first transmission channel (TC1) from a first antenna system (AS1) of a radio communication system (RCS) to an antenna system (AS) of a network node (MS) containing the transmitter apparatus and at least one second quality value averaged over the long term time interval for at least one second transmission channel (TC2, TC3) from at least one second antenna system (AS2, AS3) of the radio communication system (RCS) to the antenna system (AS) of the network node (MS), determining a distribution of radio resource units of a predefined feedback radio resource based on the at least first quality value and the at least second quality value, transmitting to a receiver apparatus (BS1) a long term feedback containing the at least one first quality value and the at least one second quality value, and transmitting with a short term time interval smaller than or equal to the long term time interval to the receiver apparatus (BS1) a short term feedback containing first short term information for the first transmission channel (TC1) and at least second short term information for the at least second transmission channel (TC2, TC3) using the distribution of radio resource units. The embodiments of the invention further relate to a method and a receiver apparatus for receiving and retrieving channel feedback at a receiver apparatus. The method contains the steps of receiving from a transmitter apparatus a long term feedback containing the at least one first quality value and the at least one second quality value, receiving from the transmitter apparatus with the short term time interval the short term feedback using the distribution of radio resource units, and determining the first short term information and the at least second short term information from the short term feedback based on the distribution of radio resource units. |
| US09923682B2 |
Method and apparatus for adjusting a beam sweeping pattern in wireless communication system
The present disclosure relates to a pre-5th-Generation (5G) or 5G communication system to be provided for supporting higher data rates beyond 4th-Generation (4G) communication system such as Long Term Evolution (LTE). Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and an apparatus for adaptively determining a beam sweeping pattern of a base station in a beamforming-based wireless communication system. An embodiment of the present invention provides an operating method of a serving base station in a wireless communication system, the operating method comprising: receiving, from at least one terminal, beam collision information indicating a collision between beams received from the serving base station and at least one neighboring base station adjacent to the serving base station; and adjusting a beam sweeping pattern of a beam transmitted to the at least one terminal on the basis of the received beam collision information. Various other embodiments of the present invention are also disclosed. |
| US09923681B2 |
Mobile communications network, infrastructure equipment and method
A mobile communications network includes a core network including infrastructure equipment, and a radio network including plural base stations to provide a wireless access interface for communicating data to/from communications terminals. One base station operates as a serving base station to one of the communications terminals, to establish one or more communications bearers for communicating user data to/from the communications terminal via the core network and the radio network via the serving base station, and to co-operate with at least another base station to communicate the user data to/from the communications terminal. The mobile communications network can monitor a state of a radio communications channel between the co-operating base station and the communications terminal, and upon predetermined conditions, establish a communications bearer from the core network to the co-operating base station for communicating the user data to the co-operating base station transmitting the user data to the communications terminal. |
| US09923680B2 |
Beamforming feedback tone/sub-carrier location within wireless communications
A wireless communication device (alternatively, device, WDEV, etc.) includes at least one processing circuitry configured to support communications with other WDEV(s) and to generate and process signals for such communications. In some examples, the device includes a communication interface and a processing circuitry, among other possible circuitries, components, elements, etc. to support communications with other WDEV(s) and to generate and process signals for such communications. The WDEV receives a null data packet (NDP) announcement frame that specifies a sub-carrier (SC) or tone grouping factor, a communication channel bandwidth, and other WDEV(s) to respond with beamforming feedback. The WDEV process the NDP announcement frame to determine it is to respond, and if so, then receives a NDP sounding frame that includes long training fields (LTFs) and pilots at predetermined locations and generates beamforming feedback of communication channel estimates at SCs as determined based on a sub-carrier roster look up table (LUT). |
| US09923676B2 |
Method of data transmission in multiple antenna system
A method of data transmission includes determining the number of layers, generating mapping symbols by mapping modulation symbols for a first codeword and modulation symbols for a second codeword to each layer, and transmitting the mapping symbols through a plurality of antennas. At least one of the first codeword and the second codeword is mapped to at least 3 layers and the number of layers is larger than 3. |
| US09923675B2 |
Integrated circuit for retransmission control
Provided is a terminal device that is capable of improving the characteristics of a response signal having poor transmission characteristics when ARQ is utilized in communication using an uplink unit band and a plurality of downlink unit bands associated with the uplink unit band. At the time of channel selection, a control unit selects a resource used in sending a response signal from among specific PUCCH resources notified in advance from a base station and PUCCH resources mapped to a CCE, and controls the transmission of the response signal. A response signal generating unit supports implicit signaling with respect to any given response signal, and at the same time as supporting LTE fallback from 2CC, uses a mapping method that, between bits, smooths the number of PUCCH resources that can determine ACK/NACK simply by determining the PUCCH resource regarding which the response signal had notified. |
| US09923673B2 |
Method for processing feedback information, base station, and user equipment
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for processing feedback information, a base station, and a user equipment. The method includes: determining, by a base station, a feedback manner of HARQ feedback information, where the feedback manner includes feeding back the HARQ feedback information or not feeding back the HARQ feedback information; and sending, by the base station, first signaling to a user equipment, where the first signaling carries the feedback manner of the HARQ feedback information. The embodiments of the present invention can improve an HARQ mechanism, so as to support new technologies in a small cell more effectively. |
| US09923672B2 |
Radio transmission apparatus and radio transmission method
A radio transmission apparatus and a radio transmission method for readily controlling retransmission timing presets a frame cycle for retransmission, and transmits only packets for which no acknowledgement of receipt has been received within the frame cycle as a reply from a receiving apparatus to a transmitting apparatus. Thus, timing for retransmission can be readily determined. Also, the retransmission timing is determined based on when a packet is actually transmitted. Therefore, the multiple acknowledgement of receipt can be returned as a combined reply. |
| US09923671B2 |
Communication device
A communication control part includes a delivered value storing part, a replacement value storing part and a set value changing part in addition to a retransmission BSR timer. The delivered value storing part stores a delivered value delivered from a radio base station as a timer set value for the retransmission BSR timer. The replacement value storing part stores a replacement value, which is to be applied as the timer set value as a substitute of the delivered value. The set value changing part F5 sets the delivered value as the timer set value when data is not present in a LCG buffer, which corresponds to a particular application. The set value changing part sets the replacement value as the timer set value when data is present in the LCG buffer, which corresponds to the particular application. |
| US09923670B2 |
Transmission of symbols in a MIMO environment using Alamouti based codes
A method for transmitting data in a multiple-input-multiple-output space-time coded communication using a mapping table mapping a plurality of symbols defining the communication to respective antennae from amongst a plurality of transmission antennae and to at least one other transmission resource. The mapping table may comprise Alamouti-coded primary segments and may also comprise secondary segments, comprising primary segments. The primary segments in the secondary segments may be defined in accordance to an Alamouti based code pattern applied at the segment level to define a segment-level Alamouti based code. |
| US09923669B2 |
Distributed Reed-Solomon codes for simple multiple access networks
A computer-based distributed error correction scheme with an efficient decoding algorithm is disclosed. The efficiency of the corresponding decoding algorithm, based on standard single source Reed-Solomon error correcting codes, makes the practical employment of the DECC feasible. Various implementation examples are also provided. |
| US09923666B2 |
Encoding in uplink multi-user MIMO and OFDMA transmissions
A method, an apparatus, and a computer-readable medium for wireless communication are provided. In one aspect, the apparatus is configured to determine a number of data symbols for transmitting a data payload. The apparatus is configured to determine a number of payload bits for transmitting the data payload based on the determined number of data symbols. The apparatus is configured to transmit a data frame. The data frame includes a signal field and data symbols encoded based on the data payload, the determined number of data symbols, and the determined number of payload bits, in which the data symbols are encoded using LDPC encoding or BCC encoding. |
| US09923665B2 |
System and method for forward error correction
A method includes receiving, by a first device from a second device, a plurality of encoded messages on a plurality of transmission time intervals (TTIs), where the plurality of encoded messages are forward error correction (FEC) encoded, and where the FEC spans the plurality of encoded messages and decoding the plurality of encoded messages using FEC. The method also includes determining a plurality of decoding status messages in accordance with decoding the plurality of encoded messages and transmitting, by the first device to the second device, the plurality of decoding status messages less often than once every TTI. |
| US09923662B2 |
Method for masking communication signals, enodeb with masking functionality and aircraft
A method for masking communication signals, particularly for masking terrestrial RF communication signals on board of an aircraft, includes parallelizing a first information data stream to be transmitted on a first LTE transmission channel, the first LTE transmission channel having a first channel transmission bandwidth and at least one guard band adjacent to the channel transmission bandwidth; spreading the first information data stream over a plurality of mutually orthogonal data subcarriers within the first channel transmission bandwidth; generating a CAZAC sequence; spreading the generated CAZAC sequence over guard band subcarriers within the at least one guard band; and transmitting the first information data stream over the data subcarriers in parallel to the CAZAC sequence over the guard band subcarriers. |
| US09923657B2 |
Systems and methods for exploiting inter-cell multiplexing gain in wireless cellular systems via distributed input distributed output technology
A multiple antenna system (MAS) with multiuser (MU) transmissions (“MU-MAS”) exploiting inter-cell multiplexing gain via spatial processing to increase capacity in wireless communications networks. |
| US09923656B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for testing recovered clock quality
A system for testing recovered clock quality includes a test device for operating as a timing synchronization protocol master for communicating with a device under test functioning as a timing synchronization protocol slave or a timing synchronization protocol boundary clock to synchronize a clock of the device under test with a clock of the test device. The system further includes a recovered clock quality tester for receiving, from the device under test, a reverse synchronization message including clock information and for using the clock information to quantify a synchronization error between the clock of the device under test and the clock of the test device. |
| US09923647B1 |
Method for enabling confirmation of expected phase shifts of radio frequency signals emitted from an antenna array
A method for enabling confirmation of expected phase shifts of radio frequency (RF) signals emitted from respective elements of an antenna array, such as a phased array antenna used for providing directional RF signal radiation patterns needed for beamforming. As a RF signal transmitted via an antenna element of the antenna array is shifted, e.g., stepped, in phase, the resulting received RF signal is monitored. Following detection of a phase shift, a sample of the received RF signal is captured and stored, e.g., for subsequent analysis, such as comparison with one or more expected signal phase differences to characterize the directivity of the transmitted signal. |
| US09923646B1 |
Combination low-pass filter
A combination low-pass filter and a method for reducing bandwidth of an input signal comprises filtering an input signal in parallel with a first type of low-pass filter to produce a first filtered signal having the first type of artifacts, and a second low-pass filter to produce a second filtered signal that does not include the first type of artifacts. Responsive to detecting no significant transition in the input signal, the first filtered signal is output. And responsive to detecting a significant transition in the input signal, portions of the first filtered signal are selectively replaced with portions of the second filtered signal by switching outputs from the first filtered signal to the second filtered signal in transition zones occurring immediately before and immediately after the detected transition in the input signal, wherein the transition zones overlap duration of the first type of artifacts caused by the first filter. |
| US09923645B2 |
Body coupled communication devices and systems as well as a design tool and method for designing the same
Based on new insights in body coupled communication systems, herein a design tool for designing a body coupled communication apparatus, and products for use in body coupled communication systems are provided herein. |
| US09923643B2 |
Techniques for reduced jitter in digital isolators
An apparatus for communicating using an isolation channel includes a transmitter circuit having a first terminal configured to communicate a first signal. The first signal oscillates in response to a data signal having a first signal level and is constant in response to the data signal having a second signal level. The transmitter circuit includes a second terminal configured to communicate that oscillates in response to the data signal having the second signal level and is constant in response to the data signal having the first signal level. The apparatus may include a receiver circuit configured to generate a recovered data signal having a first transition in a first direction between first and second levels based on an edge of a first received signal and having a second transition in a second direction between the first and second levels based on an edge of a second received signal. |
| US09923639B2 |
Optical combiner energy harvesting
Powering an active/splitter and providing information to ONUs to cause adjustments to ONU operating wavelengths. An ONU may identify the port of a splitter to which the ONU is connected in order to make wavelength adjustments. Various techniques enable the ONU to identify from which port the ONU is receiving signals, such as a splitter that splits signals to ONUs in a cable network and signals to one or more ONUs the port to which it is connected. The splitter may lack electrical power and may perform the signal function by harvesting optical power from optical power provided to the splitter. In this manner, an active splitter may behave passively with respect to powering components in the absence of electrical power. |
| US09923638B1 |
Clock tracking algorithm for twinkle VPPM in optical camera communication systems
Optical signaling is implemented by modulating visible light with variable pulse position modulation (VPPM). VPPM is a composite waveform and its optical signal includes a Start Frame Delimiter (SFD) which indicates start of optical signaling. To identify modulated lights, the duty cycle is periodically changed in the waveform to induce an AM envelope at a frequency higher than the response of the human eye. The signal is then sampled via a camera producing an alias frequency that produces noticeable blinking. Because the communication is asynchronous, the desired camera frame rate (fc) in relationship to the modulation bit rate timing clock (or symbol rate, fs) is only approximate. Consequently, a frequency offset develops between the camera frame rate (fc) and the symbol rate (fs) in transmission of long packets. The disclosed embodiments provide a detection algorithm, system and apparatus to provide clock offset tracking and correction. |
| US09923634B2 |
Harmonic generation and phase sensitive amplification using a bragg reflection waveguide
Methods and systems enable amplifying optical signals using a Bragg reflection waveguide (BRW) having second order optical nonlinearity to generate an optical pump by injection locking. The BRW may also be used for parametric amplification of optical signals using the optical pump. Feedback phase-power control may be performed to maximize output power. |
| US09923631B1 |
Optical signal processing characterization of microwave and electro-optic devices
The invention introduces a new RF test and measurement methodology based on optical signal processing that has the capability to measure all of the RF parameters (both amplitude and phase) of an electronic component or system including transmission (S21) and reflection (S11). It can also be applied to measuring the electro-optic properties of electro-optic modulators, both phase modulators and intensity modulators. The basis of the invention is to use the RF information encoded in the optical sidebands generated by an electro-optic modulator to determine all of the relevant parameters of an electronic or electro-optic device. Optical carrier suppression techniques are used to isolate the information carrying optical sidebands from the dominant optical carrier. |
| US09923623B2 |
Relay station, control method, and communication system
A relay station relays communications between a plurality of home base stations and a switching station via communication interfaces. The relay station sets up a switching station side communication interface for each base station group. The switching station side communication interface is a part of a communication interface used by each home base station belonging to the base station group to communicate with the switching station, where the part is between the relay station and the switching station. The base station group includes the home base stations identified by home base station identifiers, each of which has a first data length, having a common upper segment. The upper segment has a second data length shorter than the first data length and being located sequentially from an uppermost position. The second data length is the same as a data length of a macro base station identifier. |
| US09923622B2 |
Communication system
A mobile communications system is described in which the network configures a mobile relay node that is mounted in a moving vehicle (such as a train) with expected tracking area information for the route along which the vehicle is expected to travel. UEs associated with the mobile relay node are provided with the list and do not perform tracking area updates if the movement of the vehicle corresponds to the stored list. Where advance knowledge of the route is not available, the mobile relay node is configured with a fixed tracking area and a fixed radio cell so that associated UEs do not detect a change in the tracking area or in the radio cell and so do not perform tracking area updates towards the network or the network does not need to control the UEs mobility while having a radio connection with the network. |
| US09923620B2 |
Method and system for a distributed configurable transceiver architecture and implementation
In communication device comprising a plurality of distributed transceivers and one or more corresponding antenna arrays, a first distributed transceiver is configured to receive signals comprising one or more first data streams and a second distributed transceiver is configured to receive signals comprising one or more second data streams. One or more components within a transmit processing chain of the first distributed transceiver and/or one or more components within a transmit processing chain of the second distributed transceiver are adjusted to maximize beamforming gain for the one or more first data streams and/or second data streams. A phase of the one or more first data streams and/or the one or more second data streams may be adjusted by the one or more components within a transmit processing chain of the first distributed transceiver and/or the one or more components within a transmit processing chain of the second distributed transceiver. |
| US09923619B2 |
Techniques for passive beamforming training
Techniques for passive beamforming training are described. In one embodiment, for example, an apparatus may comprise at least one memory and logic to implement a station (STA), at least a portion of the logic comprised in circuitry coupled to the at least one memory, the logic to decode a medium access control (MAC) header of a beamforming frame associated with a beamforming training procedure, determine whether the beamforming frame is addressed to the STA, and in response to a determination that the beamforming frame is not addressed to the STA, identify a second STA based on a source identifier comprised in the MAC header, the second STA to comprise a source STA of the beamforming frame, and determine one or more beamforming parameters associated with the second STA based on one or more training fields comprised in the beamforming frame. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09923614B2 |
Multiple-antenna data transmission method, base station, user equipment, and system
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a base station, including: a first channel state information acquiring module, configured to acquire channel state information of dimension-reduced channel subspace by means of level-one channel state information measurement; a set determining module, configured to: schedule the user equipment, and determine a set of user equipment involved in multiple-input multiple-output; a second channel state information acquiring module, configured to: perform level-two channel state information measurement on user equipment in the set of user equipment to acquire state information of a dimension-reduced real-time channel; and a data sending module, configured to: process downlink data and a user-specific demodulation reference signal by means of two-level precoding, and send processed downlink data and a processed user-specific demodulation reference signal to the user equipment in the set of user equipment. |
| US09923612B2 |
Method and device for transmitting channel state information reference signal, hybrid spatial division multiplexing, and space division multiple access in wireless communication system using two-dimensional planar array antenna
The present invention proposes a hybrid spatial multiplexing (SM) and a space division multiple access (SDMA) technique in a frequency division duplex (FDD) massive multiple-input multiple output (MIMO) system using a two-dimensional planar array antenna, which effectively transmits a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) for estimating a downlink two-dimensional space channel using only a limited amount of downlink radio resources, and optimally selects and performs the SM and SDMA techniques in a two-dimensional space channel. To this end, the present invention proposes a technique which defines space resource blocks (SRB) by grouping space elements (SE) having a high spatial correlation between downlink channels in the horizontal dimension and corresponding SEs thereof in the vertical dimension, and transmits CSI-RSs for estimating channels in vertical dimension SEs corresponding to one selected horizontal SE in each SRB every transmit time interval (TTI). The present invention proposes a technique wherein user equipment (UE) estimates the spatial correlation between channels of different horizontal dimension SEs belonging to the same SRB received in different TTIs and the spatial correlation between channels of horizontal dimension SEs belonging to different SRBs received in the same TTI, and feeds information for changing the size of SRB of the corresponding UE to an optimal size back to eNodeB. The present invention proposes a technique wherein the UE estimates downlink channels through CSI-RSs transmitted from each SRB, and each UE feeds an index of a preferred SRB, a rank of the corresponding SRB in the vertical dimension, and channel quality information (CQI) back to eNodeB. When each UE determines the rank, it is possible to transmit the ranks to the fullest extent in the vertical dimension and only a single rank from each SRB in the horizontal dimension. |
| US09923611B2 |
Maximum combining in broadcast OFDM systems based on multiple receive antennas
Systems and methods are provided for enhancing signal quality at receivers in a wireless network. In one embodiment, an antenna is selected from a subset of antennas based on a signal quality parameter such as received signal power or signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). In another embodiment, multiple antennas are applied to independent signal processing paths for the respective antennas where output from the paths is then combined to enhance overall signal quality at the receiver. |
| US09923604B2 |
Power transmitting apparatus, power transmitting method, and storage medium
A power transmitting apparatus, which simultaneously or sequentially supplies electric power to a plurality of power receiving apparatuses in a wireless manner, includes a power transmitting unit configured to transmit electric power to the plurality of power receiving apparatuses, a reception unit configured to receive a power transmission end request and an abnormality content regarding power transmission from a first power receiving apparatus from among the plurality of power receiving apparatuses, and a power transmission determination unit configured, based on the abnormality content, to determine whether to stop power transmission to power receiving apparatuses that have not completed power transmission and that are not the first power receiving apparatus from among the plurality of power receiving apparatuses. |
| US09923598B2 |
Circuits and methods for reducing an interference signal that spectrally overlaps a desired signal
Under one aspect, a method is provided for processing a received signal, the received signal including a desired signal and an interference signal that spectrally overlaps the desired signal. The method can include obtaining an amplitude of the received signal. The method also can include obtaining an average amplitude of the received signal based on at least one prior amplitude of the received signal. The method also can include subtracting the amplitude from the average amplitude to obtain an amplitude residual. The method also can include, based upon an absolute value of the amplitude residual being less than or equal to a first threshold, inputting the received signal into an interference suppression algorithm so as to generate a first output including the desired signal with reduced contribution from the interference signal. |
| US09923597B2 |
Interference mitigation for downlink in a wireless communication system
Techniques for mitigating interference in a wireless communication system are described. In an aspect, pertinent transmission parameters for a served UE may be sent to at least one interfered UE to support interference mitigation. In one design, information for at least one transmission parameter for a data transmission sent by a first cell to a first UE may be transmitted to at least one UE served by a second cell to enable the at least one UE to perform interference mitigation for the data transmission sent by the first cell to the first UE. The information may be transmitted by either the first cell or the second cell. In another aspect, a cell may send transmission parameters for a UE via a pilot. In yet another aspect, scrambling may be performed by a cell at symbol level to enable an interfered UE to distinguish between modulation symbols of desired and interfering transmissions. |
| US09923596B2 |
Demodulation apparatus
A demodulation apparatus demodulates spectrum-spread received data, and includes a band variable filter removing noise components from despread received data, a power conversion unit converting each sample value of received data after removing noise components to a power value, a cyclic addition unit cyclically adding the power value in bit periods of received data, a maximum-value detection/average-level measurement unit detecting a maximum value from a cyclic-addition result of the cyclic addition unit, an estimation unit estimating a spreading-code timing and a carrier frequency based on maximum-value information detected by the maximum-value detection/average-level measurement unit, a spreading-code generation unit generating a spreading code with a timing according to an estimation result of a spreading-code timing obtained by the estimation unit, and a local-signal generation unit setting a local-signal frequency according to an estimation result of a carrier frequency obtained by the estimation unit. |
| US09923591B2 |
Array antennas including non-uniform antenna elements
Network nodes including a non-uniform plurality of array antenna elements coupled to transceiver circuitry configured to provide communications in a cellular or short-range wireless network are provided. Sizes of the non-uniform plurality of array antenna elements, distances between adjacent ones of the non-uniform plurality of array antenna elements, tilt of the non-uniform plurality of array antenna elements, and/or antenna types of the non-uniform plurality of array antenna elements differ among the non-uniform plurality of array antenna elements. |
| US09923586B2 |
Apparatus and method for estimating carrier frequency offset for multipath signals
An apparatus for estimating carrier frequency offset for multipath signals includes an echo signal filtering circuit, an Mth power circuit, a spectrum generating circuit, a peak frequency determining circuit and a frequency offset determining circuit. The echo signal filtering circuit filters out an echo signal from an input signal to generate a filtered signal. The Mth power circuit performs an Mth power calculation on the filtered signal to generate an Mth power calculation result. The spectrum generating circuit generates an Mth power spectrum according to the Mth power calculation result. The peak frequency determining circuit determines a peak frequency corresponding to an amplitude peak from the Mth power spectrum. The frequency offset determining circuit determines an estimated carrier frequency offset according to the peak frequency. |
| US09923580B2 |
Error correction decoder and operation method of the error correction decoder
The inventive concepts relate to an operation method of an error correction decoder correcting an error of data read from a nonvolatile memory. The operation method may include receiving the data from the nonvolatile memory, performing a first error correction with respect to the received data in a simplified mode, and performing, when the first error correction fails in the simplified mode, a second error correction with respect to the received data in a full mode. When the first error correction of the simplified mode is performed, a part of operations of the second error correction of the full mode may be omitted. |
| US09923579B2 |
Clock path technique for using on-chip circuitry to generate a correct encode pattern to test the on-chip circuitry
Aspects include techniques for implementing a clock path technique for using on-chip circuitry to generate a correct encode pattern to test the on-chip circuitry for encoding and correction of a chip. A computer-implemented method may include initializing a scan of the chip including data and a set of check bits protecting the data; applying a global control bit to a latch on the chip; and applying an additional clock to the latch so the check bits are updated using the on-chip circuitry. |
| US09923578B2 |
Parity check circuit and memory device including the same
A parity check circuit may include a first signal combination unit for generating first to Nth combination signals by combining first to Nth signals, wherein a Kth (K is a natural number of 2≤K≤N) combination signal of the first to Nth combination signals is obtained by combining the first to Kth signals of the first to Nth signals, a parity check unit for detecting whether an error is present in the first to Nth signals in response to the Nth combination signal, a second signal combination unit for generating first to Nth reconstruction signals by combining the first to Nth combination signals, wherein a Kth reconstruction signal of the first to Nth reconstruction signals is obtained by combining a (K−1)th combination signal and the Kth combination signal of the first to Nth combination signals, and a signal storage unit for storing the first to Nth reconstruction signals. |
| US09923577B1 |
Hybrid software-hardware implementation of lossless data compression and decompression
A system, method and product for providing data compression and decompression. A method is disclosed that includes: utilizing a CPU to perform a matching-bytes search, byte-oriented search result coding, and content analysis on a set of raw data to generate a set of initially compressed data; forwarding the set of initially compressed data from the CPU to a hardware accelerator; utilizing the hardware accelerator to perform search result re-coding, table construction, and encoding to generate a set of further compressed data; and forwarding the set of further compressed data back to the CPU. |
| US09923573B2 |
Method and device for reading a serial data stream
A method for reading a serial data stream in a piece of automation technology equipment includes encoding the data stream to include at least two symbols which are distinguishable by a time interval between two successive signal edges. The data stream is delivered to a read unit including a symbol recognition unit which associates a time sequence of the signal edges with a respective one of the symbols taking into account a period of time including a current symbol duration of one of the symbols to be currently associated and at least one old symbol duration of a preceding one of the symbols. |
| US09923569B1 |
Self-adaptive analog-to-digital converter
A self-adaptive SAR ADC techniques that can increase speed and/or decrease its power consumption. In some example approaches, one or more bits from a conversion of a previous sample of an analog input signal can be preloaded onto a DAC circuit of the ADC. If the preloaded bits are determined to be acceptable, bit trials on the current sample can be performed to determine the remaining bits. If not acceptable, the ADC can discard the preloaded bits and perform bit trials on all of the bits. The self-adaptive SAR ADC can include a control loop to adjust, e.g., increase or decrease, the number of bits that are preloaded in a subsequent bit trial using historical data. |
| US09923568B2 |
Pipelined SAR with TDC converter
An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) that uses voltage-based signal processing and time-based signal processing to convert an analog input signal to a digital output signal is disclosed. In some embodiments, the ADC has a voltage-based signal processing element configured to receive an input signal and to generate a first digital signal having a plurality of most significant bits and a residue voltage. A residue offset circuit is configured to provide a residue offset voltage to the residue voltage. A voltage-to-time conversion element is configured to convert a sum of the residue voltage and the residue offset voltage to a time domain representation, and a time-based signal processing element is configured to convert the time domain representation to a second digital signal having a plurality of least significant bits. |
| US09923561B2 |
Reconfigurable device
Main memory access from a CPU is reduced, and thus an increase in speed of data processing is achieved. Provided is a reconfigurable device (20) connected to a main memory (600). The reconfigurable device (20) includes a plurality of logic sections connected to each other by an address line or a data line. Each of the logic sections includes a plurality of address lines, a plurality of data lines, an address decoder that decodes addresses input from part of the plurality of address lines, and a memory cell array unit that includes a plurality of memory cells specified by decode lines of the address decoder, and outputs data read from the specified memory cells to the data lines. An address line of the memory cell array unit is connected to a data output line (RD1) of the main memory. |
| US09923560B2 |
Method and apparatus for current/power balancing
Aspects of the disclosure provide a system having a power circuit. The power circuit includes a first switch circuit having at least a first transistor and a second switch circuit having at least a second transistor. Further, the power circuit includes first interconnections configured to couple the first switch circuit to driving nodes, a source node and a drain node of the power circuit, and second interconnection configured to couple the second switch circuit in parallel to the first switch circuit to the driving nodes, the source node and the drain node of the power circuit. A polarity of unbalance in the first interconnections and the second interconnections dominates a polarity of current unbalance in the first switch circuit and the second switch circuit. |
| US09923558B2 |
Voltage source driver for a parallel resonant magnetic field generator
A magnetic field generator. In one embodiment, the magnetic field generator includes a drive circuit including a MOSFET gate driver having an output terminal; a drive capacitor having a first and second terminal, a tank circuit including a tank circuit capacitor having a first and second terminal and a field-producing coil having a first and second terminal, wherein the first terminal of the tank circuit capacitor and the first terminal of the field-producing coil comprise the first terminal of the tank circuit, wherein the second terminal of the tank circuit capacitor and the second terminal of the field-producing coil comprise the second terminal of the tank circuit, wherein the first terminal of the drive capacitor is in electrical communication with the output terminal of the MOSFET gate driver, and wherein the second terminal of the drive capacitor is in electrical communication with the first terminal of the tank circuit. |
| US09923555B2 |
Fine-grained power gating in FPGA interconnects
Systems and methods for power gating in logic and/or computing circuitry in accordance with embodiments of the inventions are disclosed. In one embodiment, a multiplexer for fine-grain power gating includes a first supply voltage and a second supply voltage, a plurality of inputs, a plurality of selection inputs, a selection circuitry configured to select one of the plurality of inputs, where one of the plurality of inputs is the first supply voltage and one of the selection inputs is a power gating enable input, an output inverter stage including a PMOS transistor and an NMOS transistor, where at least one input to the inverter stage is provided to the gates of the PMOS and NMOS transistors and selection of the power gating enable signal applies the first supply voltage to the gate of the PMOS transistor and places the PMOS transistor in a cutoff mode of operation. |
| US09923553B2 |
Systems and methods for non-volatile flip flops
A non-volatile flip flop integrated circuit includes a master latch circuit, a slave latch circuit coupled to the master latch circuit, and a non-volatile memory array coupled to the slave latch circuit. The non-volatile memory array includes a first pair of memory cells coupled to the slave latch circuit, and a second pair of memory cells coupled to the slave latch circuit in parallel with the first pair of memory cells. The first and second pair of memory cells are configured to store data from the slave latch circuit, and to restore data to the slave latch circuit. |
| US09923550B2 |
Estimating secondary path phase in active noise control
The technology described in this document can be embodied in a computer-implemented method that includes receiving, by one or more processing devices, a first plurality of values representing a set of coefficients of an adaptive filter disposed in an active noise cancellation system. The method also includes accessing one or more estimates of instantaneous phase values associated with a transfer function representing an effect of a secondary path of the active noise cancellation system, and updating the first plurality of values based on the one or more estimates of the instantaneous phase values to generate a set of updated coefficients for the adaptive filter. The method further includes programming the adaptive filter with the set of updated coefficients to affect operation of the adaptive filter. |
| US09923543B2 |
Radio frequency module
A radio frequency module includes a transmission terminal, a transmission filter connected to the transmission terminal, a common terminal, a reception filter which is connected to the common terminal, a reception terminal, a branch point to which the common terminal, the transmission filter, and the reception filter are connected, a transmission path connecting the transmission terminal and the branch point, a reception path connecting the reception terminal and the branch point, a common path connecting the common terminal and the branch point, a matching circuit connected to the common path, and an inductor circuit that includes a first inductor that defines a propagation path through electromagnetic coupling to at least one of the transmission path, the common path, the matching circuit, and the reception path, and a second inductor that is positioned so as not to be electromagnetically coupled to the transmission path, the common path, the matching circuit, or the reception path. |
| US09923540B2 |
Transmission line reflectionless filters
Reflectionless transmission line filters, as well as a method for designing such filters is disclosed. These filters preferably function by absorbing the stop-band portion of the spectrum rather than reflecting it back to the source, which has significant advantages in many different applications. The insertion of additional transmission line sections that change the phase response of the circuit without altering the amplitude response preferably allows follow-up transmission line identities to be applied in order to arrive at a more easily manufacturable filter topology. This facilitates their application over a higher frequency range the solely lumped-element circuits. |
| US09923538B2 |
Multimode Josephson parametric converter: coupling Josephson ring modulator to metamaterial
A technique relates to a microwave device. The microwave device includes a Josephson ring modulator, a first multimode resonator connected to the Josephson ring modulator, where the first multimode resonator is made of a first left-handed transmission line, and a second multimode resonator connected to the Josephson ring modulator, where the second multimode resonator is made of a second left-handed transmission line. |
| US09923536B2 |
Volume leveler controller and controlling method
Volume leveler controller and controlling method are disclosed. In one embodiment, A volume leveler controller includes an audio content classifier for identifying the content type of an audio signal in real time; and an adjusting unit for adjusting a volume leveler in a continuous manner based on the content type as identified. The adjusting unit may configured to positively correlate the dynamic gain of the volume leveler with informative content types of the audio signal, and negatively correlate the dynamic gain of the volume leveler with interfering content types of the audio signal. |
| US09923534B2 |
Automatic volume control for land mobile radio
The present disclosure provides a radio and method for automatically adjusting, in response to ambient noise, the volume setting of a radio. The radio comprises a microphone for receiving ambient audio and generating a microphone signal; a codec for receiving the microphone signal and generating a processor signal representative of the ambient audio; and processor circuitry operable to receive the processor signal, determine an ambient audio level in response to the processor signal, and determine an adjusted radio volume to generate a radio volume control signal, wherein the adjusted radio volume is determined by calculating a difference between a baseline volume level and ambient audio level and adding a current volume level setting, wherein the codec is also operable to receive the radio volume control signal and generate an output signal to adjust the radio volume setting to maintain a net difference between the adjusted radio volume and ambient audio. |
| US09923533B2 |
Power amplifier module
In a power amplifier module for performing slope control of a transmitting signal, a gain variation due to a variation in battery voltage is suppressed while suppressing an increase in circuit size. The power amplifier module includes: a first regulator for outputting a first voltage corresponding to a control voltage for controlling a signal level; a second regulator for outputting a second voltage that rises as a battery voltage drops; a first amplifier supplied with the first voltage as a power-supply voltage to amplify an input signal and output an amplified signal; and a second amplifier for amplifying the amplified signal, wherein the second amplifier includes a first amplification unit supplied with the second voltage as the power-supply voltage to amplify the amplified signal, and a second amplification unit supplied with the battery voltage as the power-supply voltage to amplify the amplified signal. |
| US09923530B2 |
Matching network circuit and radio-frequency power amplifier with odd harmonic rejection and even harmonic rejection and method of adjusting symmetry of differential signals
A matching network circuit for RF power amplifier circuit capable of odd harmonic rejection and even harmonic rejection in the differential mode and the common mode, respectively. The matching network circuit includes a differential mode filter with a differential resonant frequency and a passive component coupled to a virtual short circuit node at the differential mode filter, wherein a common mode filter with a common resonant frequency includes the differential mode filter and the passive component. As a result, two notch filters with different resonant frequencies are utilized for the common mode and the differential mode, respectively. |
| US09923529B2 |
Customizable ramp-up and ramp-down amplitude profiles for a digital power amplifier (DPA) based transmitter
Apparatuses, systems, and methods for a digital power amplifier (DPA) to generate a monotonic and linear ramp-up and ramp-down for a time division multiple access (TDMA) slot transmission are described. In one aspect, a monotonic and linear amplitude-to-control input code relationship model is generated for the DPA and stored. When the DPA needs to generate a ramp-up or ramp-down, the stored monotonic and linear amplitude-to-control input code relationship model is used to shape the input control code before it is input into the DPA. A new monotonic and linear amplitude-to-control input code relationship model may be generated and stored if the operating conditions change. The apparatuses, systems, and methods described herein may be applied to a multi-standard broadband modem chip capable of 2G transmission. |
| US09923524B2 |
Digital pre-distortion for multi-antenna systems
Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods and apparatus for power amplifier control. A power amplifier network includes a first path comprising a first power amplifier. The power amplifier network further includes a second path comprising a second power amplifier. The power amplifier network further includes a common input path to both the first path and the second path. The power amplifier network further includes a first power control network for controlling a first signal applied to the first power amplifier. The power amplifier network further includes a second power control network for controlling a second signal applied to the second power amplifier, wherein the first power control network is different from the second power control network. |
| US09923523B2 |
Doherty power amplifier having reduced size
Doherty power amplifier having reduced size. In some embodiments, a power amplification system can include a supply system configured to provide a high-voltage supply signal, and a Doherty power amplifier configured to receive the high-voltage supply signal and amplify a radio-frequency (RF) signal. The power amplification system can further include an output path configured to receive and route the amplified RF signal to a filter. The output path can be substantially free of an impedance transformation circuit. |
| US09923522B2 |
Operational amplifier circuit and bias current supply method
Bias current is supplied to a first differential pair and a second differential pair from a first transistor being a single current source. Bias current is supplied to a third differential pair and a fourth differential pair from a second transistor being a single current source. An input voltage is at a power supply potential, and an input voltage is at a ground potential. When the second differential pair and the third differential pair are turned OFF, the bias current supplied from the first transistor flows to an output stage via the first differential pair, and the bias current supplied from the second transistor flows to the output stage via the fourth differential pair. Therefore, when the second differential pair and the third differential pair are turned OFF, a circuit current is kept constant, and a fluctuation in a frequency characteristic can be restrained. |
| US09923517B1 |
Photovoltaic inverter system, potential induced degradation effect compensation method and device for the same
A photovoltaic inverter system and a method, and a PID effect compensation device for the photovoltaic inverter system are provided. A processing control unit records operation conditions of photovoltaic modules, determines whether a PID effect compensation condition is met, calculates a compensation voltage optimally and controls the integrated PID compensation device to perform PID effect compensation on the photovoltaic modules. |
| US09923515B2 |
Solar panels with contactless panel-to-panel connections
A solar panel array comprises a first plurality of solar panels arranged side-by-side in a first course and a second plurality of solar panels arranged side-by-side in a second course, the second course partially overlapping the first course. Electrical energy produced by each solar panel of the array is aggregated with the electrical energy produced by the other solar panels of the array without physical electrical contacts between the solar panels. In one embodiment, contactless inductive couplers are used to couple the electrical energies of the panels together. |
| US09923509B2 |
Spring loaded mounting foot for photovoltaic systems
A photovoltaic (PV) module mounting system including a mounting puck, an arm portion, and a PV module coupling device for coupling to the frames of two photovoltaic modules attached to the arm portion. A clamp pin formed in the mounting puck restrains the arm portion against the mounting puck when a spring holding the clamp pin is released from a compressed position. |
| US09923503B2 |
Fractional-order proportional-resonant controller
A closed-loop system may include a plant (an elctric machine requiring control) and a fractional-order proportional-resonant controller. The fractional-order proportional-resonant controller may have an order greater than zero and less than or equal to one. The order for the fractional-order proportional-resonant controller may be selected to yield a target amplitude and target slope for frequency response. The frequency response may be such that a steady-state error associated with a speed of the electric machine is inversely proportional to the target amplitude and less than a predetermined threshold. The order of the controller may be 0.9. |
| US09923502B2 |
Synchronous motor control apparatus and drive system using the same
A method for detecting a potential (Vn) includes stator wirings in a Y connection, and automatically adjusting a relationship with a position of a rotor as a system for realizing rotor position-sensorless stable drive of an AC motor where the three-phase stator wirings are in Y connection in the stop and low-speed ranges. A synchronous motor control apparatus includes a three-phase synchronous motor in which three-phase stator wirings are in a Y connection, and an inverter for driving the motor, wherein the synchronous motor is DC-conducted thereby to move a rotor to a predetermined position, and is applied with a pulse-shaped voltage from the inverter in the moved state so that a neutral point potential as potential (Vn) of the Y connection point is acquired when the pulse voltage is applied, thereby driving the synchronous motor based on the acquired value. |
| US09923501B2 |
Direct current brushless motor
A motor includes a frame, a shaft rotatably mounted onto the frame, and at least one disc mounted onto the shaft. At least one permanent magnet is mounted on the disc, and at least one electromagnet and at least one coil are mounted to the frame in rotational magnetic proximity to the permanent magnet. A battery is connectable to the electromagnet and the coil for energizing the electromagnet and for receiving electrical current from the coil for charging the battery. A relay switch controls the transmission of electrical power from the battery to the electromagnet. A sensor generates a signal to the relay switch to activate electrical power to the electromagnet upon sensing that the permanent magnet is positioned with respect to the electromagnet such that a magnetic force generated by the electromagnet would be effective for inducing movement of the permanent magnet and consequent rotation of the disc. |
| US09923496B2 |
Fault-tolerant control method for position sensor of switched reluctance motor
A fault-tolerant control method for a position sensor of a switched reluctance motor, if the position sensor of the switched reluctance motor runs without a fault, detecting, in real time, four equal-interval or equal-angle continuous edge pulses of an output signal of the position sensor, the fourth edge pulse being the current edge pulse, and detecting time intervals (T1, T2, T3) between each two adjacent edge pulses sequentially, thereby calculating a time interval (T4) between the current edge pulse and a next edge pulse following the current edge pulse. If the position sensor of the switched reluctance motor fails, and the next edge pulse following the current edge pulse is lost, reconstructing the next edge pulse after the interval time (T4) of the current edge pulse of the output signal of the position sensor. The method can be used, when one or more position sensors of a rotatory and linear switched reluctance motor having various phases and various topology structures fail, to reconstruct an edge pulse after lost. |
| US09923492B2 |
Electric power tool and motor control method thereof
An electric power tool includes a motor, a power supply circuit for supplying power to the motor, and a control device which is able to measure current of the motor and control duty cycle of the power supply circuit. When the measured current of the motor is greater than a predetermined current value, the duty cycle of the power supply circuit is increased to a first predetermined value. If the current of the motor is still greater than the predetermined current value, the duty cycle of the power supply circuit is decreased to a second predetermined value such that the current of the motor is equal to or less than the predetermined current value. |
| US09923486B2 |
Electric power conversion circuit including switches and bootstrap circuits, and electric power transmission system including electric power conversion circuit
An electric power conversion circuit includes: first through fourth port terminals; first through fourth switches that are connected with each other in a bridge configuration; fifth through eighth switches that are respectively connected in parallel with the first through fourth switches; first through eighth diodes that are respectively connected in series with the first through eighth switches; a first bootstrap circuit that is connected to control terminals of the first, second, fourth, and sixth switches; and a second bootstrap circuit that is connected to control terminals of the third, fifth, seventh, and eighth switches. |
| US09923484B2 |
Method and system for operating a multilevel electric power inverter
A controller for operating a multilevel electric power inverter circuit. The controller is configured to generate and apply to the plurality of switching elements switch signal waveforms, the switch signal waveforms comprising a first control signal for causing an energy storage device to be series connected with a direct current source and a load or an alternating current source and charged to a predetermined value proportional to a voltage of the direct current source, and a second control signal for causing the energy storage device to be disconnected from the direct current source and series connected with the load or the alternating current source, thereby causing the energy storage device to be discharged. |
| US09923481B2 |
Photovoltaic system and method for controlling the same
Provided are a photovoltaic system and a method for controlling a photovoltaic system. The photovoltaic system includes a photovoltaic output device, an inverter device, an AC interface device, a control device and an AC load, where a supply terminal of the AC load is connected to an AC output side of the inverter device, and a control terminal of the AC load is connected to the control device, and the method for controlling the photovoltaic system is applied to the control device. The method for controlling the photovoltaic system includes: controlling the AC interface device to maintain the inverter device being disconnected from an electrical grid; starting the inverter device and then starting the AC load; and controlling the AC interface device to connect the inverter device to the electrical grid, in a case that it is determined that a grid connection condition is met for the photovoltaic system. |
| US09923479B2 |
Power supply unit and calibration method to improve reliability
A power supply includes a boost converter, a capacitor, a step-down converter and a control unit. The boost converter, when activated, converts an input voltage into a boost voltage. The capacitor has a bulk voltage which is equal to the boost voltage when the boost converter is activated. The step-down converter converts the boost voltage into a step-down voltage for output. While the boost converter is deactivated, the control unit samples the input voltage and the bulk voltage, calculates an estimated value, and determines a calibration parameter. While the boost converter is activated, the control unit calculates a calibration value for enabling the boost converter to convert the input voltage with reference to the calibration value. |
| US09923475B2 |
Synchronous rectifier
Disclosed is a method to control the synchronous rectification in a power converter including a primary winding and a secondary winding, including detecting a peak current in a secondary winding, determining a blanking threshold based on the peak current, and blanking a turning off of a synchronous rectifier (SR) switch for a blanking time based on the blanking threshold. |
| US09923472B1 |
Fixed frequency series-parallel mode (SPM) active clamp flyback converter
A flyback converter can include a series-parallel mode (SPM) active clamp circuit. The active clamp circuit, coupled in parallel with the primary coil, may include multiple networks in parallel. The first network, comprising a switch, one or more snubber capacitors, and one or more diodes, may be configured to absorb and retain the leakage energy from the leakage inductance of the flyback converter. The second network, comprising another switch and a diode, may be configured to create a circulating circuit for the flow of current through the primary coil in a reverse direction and clamp the current to a threshold level. With the active clamp circuit, the flyback converter may first re-capture the leakage energy in the active clamp circuit and then recover it back to the power source. |
| US09923469B2 |
Motor drive filter damping
Disclosed examples include methods, power converters and damping circuits to control damping of an input filter circuit, in which a low-voltage secondary winding is wound around a common core with a primary winding connected between an AC input and a rectifier input of the converter, where the secondary winding is coupled in a series circuit with a damping resistor and a switch, and a controller selectively closes the switch with a controlled on-time at system power up and/or in response to detection of oscillation or transients in the power converter. |
| US09923464B1 |
Switching device and power supply circuit
A switching device includes first and switching elements connected in series, a capacitor connected to a gate of the first switching element, a diode having an anode connected between the capacitor and the gate of the first switching element and a cathode connected to a source of the first switching element. A capacitance of the capacitor is equal to or greater than a value calculated by a predetermined expression. |
| US09923463B2 |
Constant on-time switching converter with reference voltage adjusting circuit and controller thereof
A COT switching converter includes a switching circuit having a main switch, an on-time control circuit configured to generate an on-time control signal, a comparing circuit, a logic circuit and a reference voltage adjusting circuit. The comparing circuit compares a reference voltage with a feedback signal indicative of output voltage of the switching circuit to generate a comparison signal. Based on the on-time control signal and the comparison signal, the logic circuit generates a control signal of the main switch. The reference voltage adjusting circuit generates the reference voltage based on a basic reference voltage and the control signal, in each switching cycle of the switching converter, the reference voltage is pulled down when the main switch is turned ON and increases with a slew rate until the main switch is turned ON again in the next switching cycle or the reference voltage increases to a maximum value. |
| US09923460B2 |
Circuits, devices and methods for achieving small duty cycles in switching regulators
Circuits, devices and methods for achieving small duty cycles in switching regulators. In some embodiments, a method for generating a low duty cycle output voltage can include setting a ramp signal to a first level substantially with a first edge of a clock signal, and ramping the ramp signal from the first level towards a second level such that voltage level of the ramp signal crosses a compensation level, with the ramping beginning at a time before a second edge of the clock signal. The method can further include starting an output pulse substantially with the second edge of the clock signal, and ending the output pulse substantially with an edge of a pulse-width modulation (PWM) signal that results from the ramp signal crossing the compensation level during the ramping. |
| US09923454B2 |
Fast high-side power FET gate sense circuit for high voltage applications
A circuit for sensing gate voltage of a power FET. A switching circuit includes a switching FET having a high voltage rating, its drain coupled to the gate of the power FET, and its source coupled to an output node. A first feedback loop is coupled to the gate of the switching FET to facilitate sensing rising gate voltage. A second feedback loop is coupled to the gate of the switching FET to facilitate sensing falling gate voltage. |
| US09923453B1 |
Power management device for energy harvesting
A power management device according to example embodiments includes a self-startup circuit including an oscillator and a voltage multiplier to generate a start-up voltage in a first start-up period based on an input voltage, a boost converter to alternately charge the start-up voltage and an output voltage within a start-up voltage range during a second start-up period and to charge only the output voltage during an operation period, a controller to control the self-startup circuit and the boost converter based on a magnitude of the start-up voltage, a voltage charger including a start-up voltage capacitor and an output voltage capacitor, and a shared inductor connected between the input node and a common input node. The shared inductor operates as a part of the oscillator during the first start-up period and a part of the boost converter during the second start-up and operation periods. |
| US09923448B2 |
Method and apparatus for regulated three-phase AC-to-DC conversion with high power factor and low harmonic distortions
The present invention relates to methods and corresponding apparatus for efficient 3-phase AC to DC conversion with high power quality, for example, high power factor and low harmonic distortions. The invention further relates to methods and corresponding apparatus for regulation and control of said AC to DC conversion. |
| US09923445B2 |
Drive for an XY-table and XY-table
A drive for an XY-table includes a stationary, ferromagnetic and U-shaped yoke including a first limb and a second limb which are located together in one plane, and having a movable ferromagnetic bar, the yoke and the bar carrying a magnetic circuit with a flux that takes a path across air gaps between the limbs and the bar, and causes vertical reluctance forces there which counteract the gravitational force of the bar. Bar is parallel to and below the plane defined by the limbs. |
| US09923439B2 |
Hybrid electric motor with self aligning permanent magnet and squirrel cage rotors
A hybrid induction motor includes a fixed stator, an independently rotating Hybrid Permanent Magnet/squirrel Cage (HPMSC) outer rotor, and a Squirrel Cage (SC) inner rotor fixed to a motor shaft. The HPMSC rotor has spaced part permanent magnets and sets of first bars between consecutive permanent magnets. The SC rotor has groups of second bars, and slots in an outer surface between consecutive groups of the second bars. The HPMSC rotor is initially accelerated by cooperation of the stator with the first bars. The permanent magnets create a rotating magnetic field cooperating with the second bars to accelerate the SC rotor. As the HPMSC rotor accelerates towards synchronous RPM, the stator field reaches into the HPMSC rotor and cooperates with the permanent magnets to transition to synchronous operation. Salient poles created by cooperation of the permanent magnets with the slots lock the two rotors at synchronous RPM. |