Document Document Title
US09929430B2 Composite active material, manufacturing method for composite active material, and lithium secondary battery including composite active material
A composite active material including composite particles and a sulfide-based solid electrolyte is proposed. The composite particles contain active material particles and an oxide-based solid electrolyte. The active material particles contain at least any one of a cobalt element, a nickel element and a manganese element and further contain a lithium element and an oxygen element. The oxide-based solid electrolyte coats all or part of a surface of each of the active material particles. The sulfide-based solid electrolyte further coats 76.0% or more of a surface of each of the composite particles.
US09929427B2 Battery module having reinforcing barrier with metal member
A battery module includes a battery array including a plurality of battery cells arranged in a first direction and a plurality of separation barriers respectively interposed among the battery cells, side frames at two opposite sides of the battery array along the first direction, and at least one reinforcing barrier between two adjacent battery cells in the battery array, the reinforcing barrier having a metal member in a surface facing a corresponding side frame, and the metal member being fixed to the corresponding side frame.
US09929421B2 Membrane electrode assembly of fuel cell
A membrane electrode assembly includes a proton exchange membrane and at least one electrode located on the proton exchange membrane, wherein the at least one electrode includes a carbon fiber film. The carbon fiber film includes at least one carbon nanotube film including a number of carbon nanotubes joined end to end and extending along a same direction. Each of the number of carbon nanotubes is joined with a number of graphene sheets, and an angle is between a lengthwise direction of each of the number of graphene sheets and the number of carbon nanotubes.
US09929416B2 Fuel cell vehicle coolant having improved storage stability and method for producing the same
There are provided a stock solution composition for fuel cell vehicle coolant used by dilution with a diluent comprising water and a method for producing the same, and further a fuel cell vehicle coolant composition having improved storage stability and a method for producing the same. The present invention relates to a method for producing a stock solution composition for fuel cell vehicle coolant, wherein the stock solution composition comprises at least one ethylene glycol compound selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, and triethylene glycol, and is used by dilution with a diluent comprising water, and the method comprises the following steps: (a) a step of selecting as a raw material an ethylene glycol compound having an ethylene glycol monoformate content of 60 ppm or less; or (b) a step of selecting as a raw material an ethylene glycol compound, wherein a 50% by mass aqueous solution of the ethylene glycol compound has a conductivity of 4.5 μS/cm or less after heating.
US09929414B2 Reactant flow channel configuration to facilitate water removal
An exemplary fuel cell component comprises a reactant distribution plate including a plurality of channels configured for facilitating gas reactant flow such that the gas reactant may be used in an electrochemical reaction for generating electricity in a fuel cell. Each of the channels has a length that corresponds to a direction of reactant gas flow along the channel. A width of each channel is generally perpendicular to the length. A depth of each channel is generally perpendicular to the width and the length. At least one of the width or the depth has at least two different dimensions at a single lengthwise location of the channel.
US09929413B2 Fuel cell sub-assembly and method of making it
A sub-assembly for an electrochemical stack, such as a PEM fuel cell stack, has a bipolar plate with sealing material extending from its upper face, around the edge of the bipolar plate, and onto its lower face. The bipolar plate is preferably a combination of an anode plate and a cathode plate defining an internal coolant flow field and bonded together by sealing material which also provides a seal around the coolant flow field. All of the sealing material in the sub-assembly may be one contiguous mass. To make the sub-assembly, anode and cathode plates are loaded into a mold. Liquid sealing material is injected into the mold and fills a gap between the edge of the plates, and portions of the outer faces of the plates, and the mold. In a stack, sub-assemblies are separated by MEAs which at least partially overlap the sealing material on their faces.
US09929412B2 Supported platinum catalyst and manufacturing method of the same
A manufacturing method of a supported platinum catalyst, includes: generating a platinum group salt solution using platinum group salts and a complexing agent; mixing the platinum group salt solution and a carbon powder dispersion in which carbon powder is dispersed; and adding a reducing agent to a mixed solution of the platinum group salt solution and the carbon powder dispersion, and reducing the platinum group salts to allow the platinum group particles to be supported on the carbon powder.
US09929411B2 Carbon-based material, electrode catalyst, electrode, gas diffusion electrode, electrochemical device, fuel battery, and process for producing carbon-based material
A carbon-based material according to the present invention contains dopant atoms of metal and non-metal such as nitrogen. In a radial distribution function obtained by Fourier transform of a K-edge EXAFS of the metal, a ratio of “A” to “B” is equal to or more than 4.0, wherein “A” denotes an intensity of the highest one of peaks around a distance equal to a coordinate bond length between atoms of the metal and the non-metal and “B” denotes an intensity of the highest one of peaks around a distance equal to a metallic bond length between atoms of the metal. Note that when the metal is platinum, in a radial distribution function obtained by Fourier transform of an LIII-edge EXAFS of the platinum, a ratio of “A” to “B” is equal to or more than 4.0.
US09929410B2 Composite membrane for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell
The present invention relates generally to conducting polymer composites for use in electrochemical applications and electrolysis applications, and methods of making the same. A composite material is provided that includes a conducting polymer; and a silsesquioxane compound. The composite material is used to prepare ion conducting membranes and membrane electrode assemblies (MEA).
US09929405B2 Electrode comprising a transition metal oxidenitride or a nitrogen-doped transition metal oxide as electronically active material
An electrode comprises a conductor and an electrode coating, said electrode coating comprising as electronically active material a transition metal (T) oxidenitride of formula LixTImTIInNyOz in form of nanoparticles, wherein x=0-3, y+z=2-4, y>0, z>=0.25, m+n=1, m=0-1, n=0-1, TI and TII both being transition metals of the groups IVB, VB, VIB and VIIB, and periods 3d, 4d and 5d, in particular transition metals selected from Zr, Nb, Mo, Ti, V, Cr, W, Mn, Ni, Co, Fe and Cu. Dependent on the kind of transition metal, its oxidation state and the Li content, such materials may be used as anode materials or as cathode materials, respectively.
US09929400B2 High capacity monolithic composite Si/carbon fiber electrode architectures synthesized from low cost materials and process technologies
A composite Si-carbon fiber comprising a carbon matrix material with 1-90 wt % silicon embedded therein. The composite carbon fibers are incorporated into electrodes for batteries. The battery can be a lithium ion battery. A method of making an electrode incorporating composite Si-carbon fibers is also disclosed.
US09929399B2 Negative electrode active material, method for producing a negative electrode active material, and lithium ion secondary battery
The present invention is a negative electrode active material for a negative electrode active material layer of a lithium ion secondary battery, wherein: the negative electrode active material comprises silicon-based material consisting of SiOx (0.5≤x≤1.6); and the negative electrode active material has two or more peaks in a region of a bond energy ranging from 520 eV to 537 eV in an O 1s peak shape given in an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. As a result, it is possible to provide a negative electrode active material in which a battery capacity can be increased and cycle characteristics and initial charge/discharge characteristics can be improved when used as a negative electrode active material for a lithium ion secondary battery.
US09929393B2 Wound battery cells with notches accommodating electrode connections
The disclosed embodiments relate to the design of a jelly-roll battery comprising an alternating anode and cathode layers coated with intervening separator layers wound into a jelly-roll. The alternating anode and cathode layers are coated with, respectively, an anode active coating and a cathode active coating. A first common notch and a second common notch are formed along at least one side of the jelly-roll. A common cathode tab can be bonded to the cathode tabs within the first common notch, and a common anode tab can be bonded to the anode tabs within the second common notch. The jelly-roll battery also includes a pouch enclosing the jelly-roll. Common anode and cathode tabs can extend through the pouch to provide cathode and anode terminals for the battery cell.
US09929391B2 Bus bar module with insulating laminate portion
A bus bar module is located on one end of each battery of a group of batteries that have terminals at their ends. The bus bar module includes a bus bar, which is made of a conductive metal, and electrically connects the terminals of the respective batteries in the battery group, and an insulating laminate portion that is laminated, at least on an inner surface of the bus bar facing the ends of the batteries and an outer surface, which is opposite to the inner surface of the bus bar. The insulating laminate portion has an insulating material that includes thermoplastic elastomer and/or rubber.
US09929390B2 Passenger car with protection
A passenger car includes a body having two opposite wheel wells and a electric energy source which is arranged between two the wheel wheels for supply of electric energy. A protection made of steel sheet is arranged above the electric energy source and has depressions which extend in a direction from one of the wheel wells to another one of the wheel wells.
US09929389B2 Battery device and method of production thereof
A battery device for an at least partially electrically operated vehicle and a method for producing the battery device. The battery device includes a plurality of battery modules, each having at least one battery cell, and a receiving device for receiving the battery modules. In this arrangement, the receiving device includes a dividing wall, which is arranged underneath the battery modules, and a base plate, which is arranged underneath the dividing wall. The dividing wall and the base plate are attached to at least one connecting element and are connected to one another by the connecting element while being spaced apart.
US09929386B2 Battery assembly
There is provided a battery assembly wherein assembly can be facilitated by reducing the number of components to be assembled, by integrally fixing resin plates (52, 62) on the inside of metal plates (51, 61) of end plates (5, 6). A laminated battery body (3) is constituted by adjacently arranging battery holders (2) made of resin forming cooling passages (4) between a plurality of batteries (1) and holding such batteries (1) on both sides between other batteries (1). The metal plates (51, 61) and resin plates (52, 62) that are integrally fixed on the inside of these metal plates are provided on the outside of the batteries (1) at both ends of the laminated battery body (3). Thus, the batteries (1) are held by the resin plates (52, 62), and the end plates (5, 6) are respectively arranged to form the cooling passages (4) between these batteries (1) and the metal plates (51, 61). The laminated battery body (3) is fixed in a clamped manner by fixing means clamping these end plates (5, 6).
US09929385B2 Battery module of improved stability
Disclosed herein is a battery module having a plurality of plate-shaped battery cells, each of which has electrode terminals respectively formed at the upper end and the lower end thereof, the battery module including two or more battery cells, a buffering member disposed at the interface between the battery cells to restrain movement of the battery cells and to buffer volume change of the battery cells during charge and discharge of the battery cells, and a pair of module housings coupled to entirely cover the outside of a stack of the battery cells excluding the electrode terminals of the battery cells, each of the module housings being formed of a sheet.
US09929384B2 Energy storage module containing a plurality of energy storage elements and improved means of thermal dissipation and method of assembly
The present invention relates to an energy storage module (10) able to contain a plurality of energy storage elements (14), the module comprising an envelope (16) comprising at least one plurality of lateral walls and two end walls (18A, 18B) dimensioned so as to surround the energy storage elements, at least one member for placing in contact (22) made at least partially from a thermally conducting material, intended to be placed between at least one energy storage element and a lateral wall of the module, termed the reference wall (20A), said member comprising a first contact face (24A) and a second contact face (30A) which are associated respectively with the reference wall (20A) and said energy storage element or elements (14), one at least of said first (24A) and second (30A) contact faces being adapted to abut against one of the reference wall (20A) or of said element or elements (14), and said member being configured so that the distance between the first and second contact faces can vary. The invention also relates to a method of assembling a module.
US09929378B2 Organic el display device
Provided is a highly reliable organic EL display device. The organic EL display device includes a first insulating layer; and a display portion provided on the first insulating layer, the display portion including a plurality of pixels. The display portion includes a light emitting layer included in organic EL elements included in the plurality of pixels, the light emitting layer being extended in the entirety of, and beyond, the display portion. The organic EL display device further includes a first groove enclosing the display portion as seen in a plan view, the first groove being provided in the first insulating layer at a position below the light emitting layer. A second insulating layer covering the first groove may be provided between the first insulating layer and the light emitting layer.
US09929374B2 Flexible display panel, fabrication method, and flexible display apparatus
A flexible display panel and a flexible display apparatus are provided. The flexible display panel comprises a flexible substrate, an organic light-emitting layer disposed on a side of the flexible substrate and having a first side facing the flexible substrate and an opposing side, and a thin-film-encapsulation layer disposed on the opposing side of the organic light-emitting layer and including at least one organic encapsulation layer and at least one inorganic encapsulation layer. The flexible display panel includes at least one bending area. The at least one organic encapsulation layer has a first side facing the flexible substrate and an opposing side. In the at least one bending area, at least one groove is formed on the opposing side of the at least one organic encapsulation layer. A bottom width W of the at least one groove is configured to be W ≥ n 180 ⁢ ° ⁢ π ⁢ ⁢ R .
US09929373B2 Display device
A display device includes: a light emitting element including a light emitting layer and an anode and a cathode that hold the light emitting layer therebetween; and a sealing layer that seals the light emitting element. The sealing layer includes an organic layer and a first inorganic layer and a second inorganic layer that hold the organic layer from an upper side and a lower side. The organic layer is a cholesteric liquid crystal layer with a circularly polarizing function.
US09929368B2 Light-emitting element, lighting device, and electronic appliance
A tandem light-emitting element employing an inverted-structure is provided. The light-emitting element includes a cathode, a first EL layer over the cathode, a second EL layer over the first EL layer, an anode over the second EL layer, and an intermediate layer. The intermediate layer is between the first EL layer and the second EL layer. The intermediate layer includes a first layer, a second layer over the first layer, and a third layer over the second layer. The first layer includes a hole-transport material and an electron acceptor. The third layer includes an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal. The second layer includes an electron-transport material.
US09929367B2 Display device and method for fabricating the same
The present invention relates to the field of display technology, and particularly to a display device and method for fabricating the same. The display device comprises: a substrate; one or more dams which are arranged to surround an active area on the substrate; and a functional film formed in the active area. A method for fabricating a display device comprises: forming one or more dams on a substrate which surround a region to be coated; coating a functional ink in the region to be coated; and forming the functional ink into a functional film. According to the present invention, the dams prevent the functional ink from spreading to a peripheral region of the substrate, which facilitates forming a functional film with a uniform thickness and reduces the consumption of the functional ink.
US09929364B2 Soluble cyclic imides containing polymers as dielectrics in organic electronic applications
The present invention relates to an electronic device comprising a dielectric material, which dielectric material comprises a copolymer comprising styrene and maleimic acid and derivatives thereof as structural units, a process for the preparation of the electronic device and to the use of the copolymer as dielectric material, especially as dielectric layer in printed electronic devices such as capacitors and organic field-effect transistors.
US09929360B2 Organic electroluminescent materials and devices
New phosphorescent metal complexes containing substituents with succinimide moiety that are useful for phosphorescent organic light emitting devices are disclosed.
US09929359B2 Composition and light emitting device using the same
A composition is provided containing a first phosphorescent compound (DB) having an emission spectrum whose maximum peak wavelength is from 400 nm to less than 480 nm and having a dendron and a second phosphorescent compound (DGR) having an emission spectrum whose maximum peak wavelength is from 480 nm to less than 680 nm and having a dendron.
US09929355B2 Amine compound and organic electroluminescent device including the same
An amine compound is represented by the following Formula 1: The amine compound may be included in at least one of the layers positioned between an anode and an emission layer of an organic electroluminescent device. The amine compound may improve the emission lifetime of the organic electroluminescent device including the amine compound.
US09929352B2 Organic compound, light-emitting element, display module, lighting module, light-emitting device, display device, electronic device, and lighting device
An object is to provide an organic compound having high heat resistance and a light-emitting element, a light-emitting device, an electronic device, and a display device each having high reliability. Provided are an organic compound having a 2,2′-(pyridine-2,6-diyl)bipyrimidine skeleton in which the 2-positions of pyrimidine skeletons are bonded to the 2- and 6-positions of a pyridine skeleton, and having a structure in which at least one aryl group having a fused structure with 10 to 16 carbon atoms is bonded to the 2,2′-(pyridine-2,6-diyl)bipyrimidine skeleton, and a light-emitting element, a light-emitting device, an electronic device, and a display device each containing the organic compound.
US09929349B2 Organic light emitting device and display device including the same
An organic light emitting device and a display device including the same, the organic light emitting device including a first electrode; a hole transport region on the first electrode; an emission layer on the hole transport region; an electron transport region on the emission layer; and a second electrode on the electron transport region, wherein the electron transport region includes a compound represented by the following Chemical Formula 1:
US09929342B2 Ink-jet printing method and manufacturing method of OLED display device
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an ink-jet printing method and a manufacturing method of an OLED display device. The ink-jet printing method includes printing a first ink within a groove defined by a pixel defining layer, such that the first ink forms a first thin film by a drying process, the first thin film covering an inner surface of a lyophilic portion of the pixel defining layer; removing a central portion of the first thin film, the central portion being located at the bottom of the groove; and printing a second ink into the groove covered with the first thin film, such that the second ink forms a second thin film by the drying process.
US09929337B2 Piezoelectric device package and method of fabricating the same
A piezoelectric device package may include: a case having a plurality of terminals formed on a lower surface thereof; a piezoelectric device formed in the case; a temperature measuring device formed on the lower surface of the case and having a thin film form; and a cover member enclosing an upper portion of the case.
US09929335B2 Piezoelectric vibrator
The invention relates to a piezoelectric vibrator having a piezoelectric laminate in which oriented film layers made of a polylactic acid and conductive layers are laminated alternately and grippers gripping both ends of the piezoelectric laminate, wherein one of two conductive layers neighboring via an oriented film layer is short-circuited to a negative electrode and the other conductive layer is short-circuited to a positive electrode, the oriented film layers interposed between the respective conductive layers are laminated such that the oriented film layers expand and contract in the same direction when a current is applied, the piezoelectric laminate has two parallel surfaces which are parallel to the plane direction of the oriented film layers and two end faces A and B which are between the parallel surfaces and parallel to each other, and the gripped ends respectively include the end face A and the end face B.
US09929334B2 Josephson junction with spacer
Various embodiments are directed toward a circuit configured to act as a Josephson junction. The circuit includes: a junction stack on a substrate, the junction stack including a portion of a first superconductor electrode, with an interface layer on a top side of the first superconductor electrode and configured to act as a tunneling barrier for the junction stack. The circuit may also comprise a first portion of a second superconductor electrode on top of the interface layer. A spacer may separate the portion of the first superconductor electrode in the junction stack from a second portion of the second superconductor electrode outside the junction stack where the second superconductor electrode overlays the first superconductor electrode.
US09929333B1 IR thermopile sensor with temperature reference formed in front-end process
An infrared thermopile sensor, an electronic device, and a method for fabricating an infrared thermopile sensor using a front-end process that employ example techniques in accordance with the present disclosure are described herein. In an implementation, the infrared thermopile sensor includes a silicon substrate that has been implanted during front-end processing to form an implant region; a passivation layer disposed on a first side of the silicon substrate, where the passivation layer forms a membrane; and an interlayer dielectric formed on the passivation layer, where the interlayer dielectric includes at least one thermopile that includes at least one thermocouple in series; and at least one metallic interconnect that electrically couples the at least one thermopile to a bond pad; and at least one bond pad interconnect that electrically couples the implant region to the bond pad.
US09929322B2 Foldable organic light emitting display device
A foldable organic light emitting display (OLED) device comprises a substrate including a display region and a non-display region, the non-display region located at a periphery of the display region; an emitting diode in the display region; and an encapsulation film covering both the emitting diode and an entirety of the display region, and the encapsulation film covering and a part of the non-display region without covering at least another part of the non-display region.
US09929318B2 Resin molding, surface mounted light emitting apparatus and methods for manufacturing the same
The present invention provides a surface mounted light emitting apparatus which has long service life and favorable property for mass production, and a molding used in the surface mounted light emitting apparatus.The surface mounted light emitting apparatus comprises the light emitting device 10 based on GaN which emits blue light, the first resin molding 40 which integrally molds the first lead 20 whereon the light emitting device 10 is mounted and the second lead 30 which is electrically connected to the light emitting device 10, and the second resin molding 50 which contains YAG fluorescent material and covers the light emitting device 10. The first resin molding 40 has the recess 40c comprising the bottom surface 40a and the side surface 40b formed therein, and the second resin molding 50 is placed in the recess 40c. The first resin molding 40 is formed from a thermosetting resin such as epoxy resin by the transfer molding process, and the second resin molding 50 is formed from a thermosetting resin such as silicone resin.
US09929316B2 Light emitting element
A light emitting element includes a substrate; a plurality of semiconductor light emitting cells; a plurality of light reflective electrodes; a first insulation layer that continuously covers lateral surfaces of the semiconductor light emitting cells, spaces between the semiconductor light emitting cells, lateral surfaces of the light reflective electrodes, and a portion of upper surfaces of the light reflective electrodes; a plurality of wiring electrodes, and cover the lateral surfaces of the semiconductor light emitting cells and the spaces between the semiconductor light emitting cells via the first insulation layer; and a light reflective metal layer that covers the lateral surfaces of at least two adjacent ones of the semiconductor light emitting cells and the space between said at least two semiconductor light emitting cells, via the first insulation layer.
US09929313B2 Protective capping layer for spalled gallium nitride
Described herein is a method for manufacturing a stack of semiconductor materials in which a growth substrate is separated from the stack after a semiconductor material, e.g., a Group III nitride semiconductor material, is grown on the substrate. The separation is effected in a spalling procedure in which spalling-facilitating layers are deposited over a protective cap layer that is formed over the Group III-nitride semiconductor material. Such spalling-facilitating layers may include a handle layer, a stressor layer, and an optional adhesion layer. The protective cap layer protects the Group III-nitride from being damaged by the depositing of one or more of the spalling-facilitating layers. After spalling to remove the growth substrate, additional processing steps are taken to provide a semiconductor device that includes undamaged semiconductor material. In one arrangement, the semiconductor material is GaN and includes p-doped GaN region that was undamaged during manufacturing.
US09929308B2 Nitride light emitting diode and fabrication method thereof
A nitride light-emitting diode (LED) fabrication method includes: providing a glass substrate; stacking a buffer layer structure composed of circular SiAlN layers and AlGaN layers with the number of cycles 1-5; growing a non-doped GaN layer, an N-type layer, a quantum well layer and a P-type layer. By using the low-cost glass the substrate that has a mature processing technology, and growing a SiAlN and an AlGaN buffer layer thereon, lattice mismatch constant between the substance and the epitaxial layer can be improved. Therefore, photoelectric property of the LED can be improved.
US09929307B2 Light emitting device, light source system including the light emitting device, and optical coherence tomography including the light source system
The present invention provides a light emitting device which emit light having a high-order level without increasing a current injection density to an active layer. A light emitting device according to the present invention includes an upper electrode layer, a lower electrode layer, and an active layer provided between them. In this case, light is emitted by injection of electric current to the active layer through the upper electrode layer and the lower electrode layer, the active layer has a plurality of quantum-confined structures, and a first quantum-confined structure has a ground level having an energy level E0 and a high-order level having an energy level E1, and a second quantum-confined structure has an energy level E2 which is higher than the E0, and the E1 and the E2 are substantially matched.
US09929304B2 Method and system for forming absorber layer on metal coated glass for photovoltaic devices
An apparatus for forming a solar cell includes a housing defining a vacuum chamber, a rotatable substrate support, at least one inner heater and at least one outer heater. The substrate support is inside the vacuum chamber configured to hold a substrate. The at least one inner heater is between a center of the vacuum chamber and the substrate support, and is configured to heat a back surface of a substrate on the substrate support. The at least one outer heater is between an outer surface of the vacuum chamber and the substrate support, and is configured to heat a front surface of a substrate on the substrate support.
US09929297B2 Solar cell and method for manufacturing the same
A solar cell and a method for manufacturing the same are discussed. The solar cell includes a substrate containing impurities of a first conductive type, an emitter region which is positioned at a front surface of the substrate and contains impurities of a second conductive type opposite the first conductive type, a back passivation layer which is positioned on a back surface of the substrate and has openings, a back surface field region containing impurities of the first conductive type, a first electrode connected to the emitter region, and a second electrode connected to the back surface field region. The back surface field region includes a first back surface field region positioned on the back passivation layer and a second back surface field region, which is positioned at the back surface of the substrate exposed by the openings of the back passivation layer.
US09929295B2 Methods of hermetically sealing photovoltaic modules
In various embodiments, photovoltaic modules are hermetically sealed by providing a first glass sheet, a photovoltaic device disposed on the first glass sheet, and a second glass sheet, a gap being defined between the first and second glass sheets, disposing a glass powder within the gap, and heating the powder to seal the glass sheets.
US09929293B1 Superlattice photodetector having improved carrier mobility
In a superlattice (SL) photodetector, each period of the SL includes first and second semiconductor layers having different compositions, at least one of which comprises indium arsenide (InAs). At least one of these two semiconductor layers has a graded composition. In embodiments, the first semiconductor layer comprises InAs and the second semiconductor layer is a graded layer comprising indium arsenide antimonide (InAsSb), wherein the antimony (Sb) concentration is varied. In examples, the Sb concentration in the second layer gradually increases from the top and bottom toward the middle of the layer.
US09929288B2 Trench isolation for monolithically isled solar photovoltaic cells and modules
Fabrication methods and structures are provided for the formation of monolithically isled back contact back junction solar cells. In one embodiment, base and emitter contact metallization is formed on the backside of a back contact back junction solar cell substrate. A trench stop layer is formed on the backside of a back contact back junction solar cell substrate and is electrically isolated from the base and emitter contact metallization. The trench stop layer has a pattern for forming a plurality semiconductor regions. An electrically insulating layer is formed on the base and emitter contact metallization and the trench stop layer. A trench isolation pattern is formed through the back contact back junction solar cell substrate to the trench stop layer which partitions the semiconductor layer into a plurality of solar cell semiconductor regions on the electrically insulating layer.
US09929284B1 Power schottky diodes having local current spreading layers and methods of forming such devices
A Schottky diode includes a drift region doped with dopants having a first conductivity type, first and second blocking junctions that are doped with dopants having a second conductivity type in an upper portion of the drift region, first and second local current spreading layers doped with dopants having the first conductivity type underneath the respective first and second blocking junctions, and first and second contacts on respective lower and upper portions of the drift region. A channel is provided in the upper portion of the drift region between the first and second blocking junctions, the channel doped with dopants having the first conductivity type and a concentration of dopants in at least a first portion of the channel being lower than the concentration of dopants in the first and second local current spreading layers.
US09929283B1 Junction field effect transistor (JFET) with first and second top layer of opposite conductivity type for high driving current and low pinch-off voltage
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a first well region, and a second well region. The semiconductor substrate has a first conductivity type. The first and second well regions are disposed in the semiconductor substrate. The first and second well regions have a second conductivity type that is opposite to the first conductivity type. The semiconductor device also includes a first top layer and a second top layer. The first top layer is disposed in the semiconductor substrate. The first top layer extends from the first well region to the second well region. The first top layer has the first conductivity type. The second top layer is disposed in the semiconductor substrate and on the first top layer. The second top layer extends from the first well region to the second well region. The second top layer has the second conductivity type.
US09929282B2 Field-effect transistors having black phosphorus channel and methods of making the same
Various transistors, such as field-effect transistors, and methods of fabricating the transistors are disclosed herein. An exemplary transistor includes a phosphorene-containing layer having a channel region, a source region, and a drain region defined therein. A passivation layer is disposed over the phosphorene-containing layer. A source contact and a drain contact extend through the passivation layer, such that the source contact and the drain contact are respectively coupled with the source region and the drain region. A gate stack is disposed over the channel region. In some embodiments, the gate stack includes a gate dielectric layer and a gate electrode layer, where the gate dielectric layer extends through the passivation layer and contacts the channel region. In some embodiments, the gate stack includes a gate electrode layer disposed over the passivation layer, and a portion of the passivation layer serves as a gate dielectric layer of the gate stack.
US09929280B2 Semiconductor device including oxide semiconductor film containing indium
A highly reliable semiconductor device having stable electric characteristics is provided by suppressing, in a transistor including an oxide semiconductor film, diffusion of indium into an insulating film in contact with the oxide semiconductor film and improving the characteristics of the interface between the oxide semiconductor film and the insulating film. In an oxide semiconductor film containing indium, the indium concentration at a surface is decreased, thereby preventing diffusion of indium into an insulating film on and in contact with the oxide semiconductor film. By decreasing the indium concentration at the surface of the oxide semiconductor film, a layer which does not substantially contain indium can be formed at the surface. By using this layer as part of the insulating film, the characteristics of the interface between the oxide semiconductor film and the insulating film in contact with the oxide semiconductor film are improved.
US09929271B2 Semiconductor device and method
A representative method for manufacturing a semiconductor device (e.g., a fin field-effect transistor) includes the steps of forming a gate structure having a first lateral width, and forming a first via opening over the gate structure. The first via opening has a lowermost portion that exposes an uppermost surface of the gate structure. The lowermost portion of the first via opening has a second lateral width. A ratio of the second lateral width to the first lateral width is less than about 1.1. A source/drain (S/D) region is disposed laterally adjacent the gate structure. A contact feature is disposed over the S/D region. A second via opening extends to and exposes an uppermost surface of the contact feature. A bottommost portion of the second via opening is disposed above a topmost portion of the gate structure.
US09929263B2 Semiconductor device and method of making a semiconductor device
A semiconductor device and a method of making the same. The device includes a substrate having an AlGaN layer located on one or more GaN layers, for forming a two dimensional electron gas at an interface between the AlGaN layer and the GaN layer. The device also includes a source contact. The device further includes a drain contact. The device also includes a gate contact located between the source contact and the drain contact. The gate contact includes a gate electrode. The gate contact also includes an electrically insulating layer located between the gate electrode and the AlGaN layer. The insulating layer includes at least one aperture for allowing holes generated during an off-state of the device to exit the device through the gate electrode.
US09929262B2 3-5 device with doped regions and method of fabricating
A semiconductor device includes a carrier transit layer including a first region and second and third regions having a density of a donor impurity element higher than that of the first region, an InXAlYGa(1-X-Y)N (0
US09929260B2 IGBT semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a base region formed in the semiconductor substrate on a front surface side thereof, a gate trench extending from a front surface side of the base region and penetrating thorough the base region, and a dummy trench extending from the front surface side of the base region and penetrating thorough the base region, where a portion of the dummy trench that extends beyond a back surface of the base region is longer than a portion of the gate trench that extends beyond the back surface of the base region.
US09929259B2 Semiconductor device and manufacturing method for semiconductor device
A semiconductor device including: a P-type base region provided; an N-type emitter region provided inside the P-type base region; a P-type collector region that is provided on the surface layer portion of the N-type semiconductor layer and is separated from the P-type base region; a gate insulating film that is provided on the surface of the N-type semiconductor layer, and that contacts the P-type base region and the N-type emitter region; a gate electrode on the gate insulating film; a pillar shaped structure provided inside the N-type semiconductor layer between the P-type base region and the P-type collector region, wherein one end of the pillar shaped structure is connected to an N-type semiconductor that extends to the surface layer portion of the N-type semiconductor layer, and the pillar shaped structure includes an insulator extending in a depth direction of the N-type semiconductor layer.
US09929256B2 Fabrication of an isolated dummy fin between active vertical fins with tight fin pitch
A method of forming an arrangement of active and inactive fins on a substrate, including forming at least three vertical fins on the substrate, forming a protective liner on at least three of the at least three vertical fins, removing at least a portion of the protective liner on the one of the at least three of the at least three of vertical fins, and converting the one of the at least three of the at least three vertical fins to an inactive vertical fin.
US09929253B2 Method for making a semiconductor device with sidewal spacers for confinig epitaxial growth
A method for making a semiconductor device includes forming laterally spaced-apart semiconductor fins above a substrate. At least one dielectric layer is formed adjacent an end portion of the semiconductor fins and within the space between adjacent semiconductor fins. A pair of sidewall spacers is formed adjacent outermost semiconductor fins at the end portion of the semiconductor fins. The at least one dielectric layer and end portion of the semiconductor fins between the pair of sidewall spacers are removed. Source/drain regions are formed between the pair of sidewall spacers.
US09929252B2 Method of forming thin film and method of manufacturing semiconductor device
A method of forming a thin film includes forming an interface layer stack on a semiconductor substrate. Forming the interface layer stack may include performing a first surface treatment on the semiconductor substrate under a reducing atmosphere. Forming the interface layer stack may include performing a second surface treatment on the semiconductor substrate. The first surface treatment may be performed under a reducing atmosphere and the second surface treatment may be performed under a nitridation atmosphere. The first surface treatment may include forming a lower interface layer on a surface of the semiconductor substrate and the second surface treatment may include forming an upper interface layer. The first surface treatment may include selectively removing at least one oxide material from a native oxide film on the semiconductor substrate.
US09929251B2 Polysilicon design for replacement gate technology
The present disclosure provides an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit includes a semiconductor substrate; and a passive polysilicon device disposed over the semiconductor substrate. The passive polysilicon device further includes a polysilicon feature; and a plurality of electrodes embedded in the polysilicon feature.
US09929248B2 Source/drain regions for high electron mobility transistors (HEMT) and methods of forming same
An embodiment high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) includes a gate electrode over a semiconductor substrate and a multi-layer semiconductor cap over the semiconductor substrate and adjacent the gate electrode. The multi-layer semiconductor cap includes a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer comprising a different material than the first semiconductor layer. The first semiconductor layer is laterally spaced apart from the gate electrode by a first spacing, and the second semiconductor layer is spaced apart from the gate electrode by a second spacing greater than the first spacing.
US09929246B1 Forming air-gap spacer for vertical field effect transistor
A method is presented for forming a semiconductor structure. The method includes forming a fin over a bottom source/drain region, forming a high-k metal gate (HKMG) adjacent the fin, forming an epitaxial layer over the fin such that at least one gap region is defined adjacent the HKMG, and forming a top source/drain region over the epitaxial layer and the at least one gap region. A hard mask is deposited before the epitaxial layer to cover the fin and the HKMG. An inter-level dielectric (ILD) oxide is deposited adjacent the hard mask. The hard mask is etched to expose a top region of the fin to receive the epitaxial layer. At least one gap region is defined adjacent top sidewalls of the fin.
US09929245B2 Semiconductor structures and methods for multi-level work function
Semiconductor devices and methods for forming semiconductor devices are provided. A vertical channel structure extends from a substrate and is formed as a channel between a source region and a drain region. A first metal gate surrounds a portion of the vertical channel structure and has a gate length. The first metal gate has a first gate section with a first workfunction and a first thickness. The first metal gate also has a second gate section with a second workfunction and a second thickness. The first thickness is different from the second thickness, and the sum of the first thickness and the second thickness is equal to the gate length. A ratio of the first thickness to the second thickness is chosen to achieve a desired threshold voltage level for the semiconductor device.
US09929243B1 Stepped field plate wide bandgap field-effect transistor and method
A method of making a stepped field gate for an FET including forming a first passivation layer on a barrier layer, defining a first field plate by using electron beam (EB) lithography and by depositing a first negative EB resist, forming a second passivation layer over first negative EB resist and the first passivation layer, planarizing the first negative EB resist and the second passivation layer, defining a second field plate by using EB lithography and by depositing a second negative EB resist connected to the first negative EB resist, forming a third passivation layer over second negative EB resist and the second passivation layer, planarizing the second negative EB resist and the third passivation layer, removing the first and second negative EB resist, and forming a stepped field gate by using lithography and plating in a void left by the removed first and second negative EB resist.
US09929242B2 Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
A Fin FET semiconductor device includes a fin structure extending in a first direction and extending from an isolation insulating layer. The Fin FET device also includes a gate stack including a gate electrode layer, a gate dielectric layer, side wall insulating layers disposed at both sides of the gate electrode layer, and interlayer dielectric layers disposed at both sides of the side wall insulating layers. The gate stack is disposed over the isolation insulating layer, covers a portion of the fin structure, and extends in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. A recess is formed in an upper surface of the isolation insulating layer not covered by the side wall insulating layers and the interlayer dielectric layers. At least part of the gate electrode layer and the gate dielectric layer fill the recess.
US09929235B1 Semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same
A semiconductor device and a fabricating method thereof are provided. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first nanowire spaced apart from a first region of the substrate, a first gate electrode surrounding a periphery of the first nanowire, a second nanowire spaced apart from a second region of the substrate and extending in a first direction and having a first width in a second direction intersecting the first direction, a supporting pattern contacting the second nanowire and positioned under the second nanowire, and a second gate electrode extending in the second direction and surrounding the second nanowire and the supporting pattern.
US09929233B2 Memory arrays
The invention includes semiconductor constructions having trenched isolation regions. The trenches of the trenched isolation regions can include narrow bottom portions and upper wide portions over the bottom portions. Electrically insulative material can fill the upper wide portions while leaving voids within the narrow bottom portions. The trenched isolation regions can be incorporated into a memory array, and/or can be incorporated into an electronic system. The invention also includes methods of forming semiconductor constructions.
US09929229B2 Process of manufacturing an open pattern inductor
Various embodiments includes a stacked open pattern inductor fabricated above a semiconductor substrate. The stacked open pattern inductor includes a plurality of parallel open conducting patterns embedded in a magnetic oxide or in an insulator and a magnetic material. A layer of magnetic material may be located above the inductor and below the inductor to confine electronic noise generated in the stacked open pattern inductor to the area occupied by the inductor. The stacked open pattern inductor may include a magnetic material directly contacts one of the conducting patterns and the substrate. The stacked open pattern inductor may be fabricated using conventional integrated circuit manufacturing processes, and the inductor may be used in connection with computer systems.
US09929228B2 Display device
A display device includes: a display unit in which a plurality of pixels are arranged; and a power supply unit configured to feed a power supply voltage to the pixels through a power feeding line disposed on an outer periphery of the display unit. The pixels each include: an anode formed on a drive circuit layer; an auxiliary wire formed on the drive circuit layer to be spaced apart from the anode; an organic light emitting layer and an electron transport layer that are formed above the anode; and a transparent cathode formed above the electron transport layer. The electron transport layer and the transparent cathode extend from above the anode to above the auxiliary wire. The electron transport layer has a resistance value Rip that satisfies the following relationship: Rip≤(R2p−Rbp)×M×(M+1)/2.
US09929223B2 Organic light-emitting diode display
An organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display is disclosed. In one aspect, the display includes a substrate, a switching transistor formed over the substrate, a driving transistor electrically connected to the switching transistor, and a pixel electrode electrically connected to the driving transistor. The display also includes a pixel definition layer covering the pixel electrode and having a pixel opening, an organic emission layer formed only in the pixel opening and connected to the pixel electrode, and a common electrode formed over the organic emission layer. The pixel definition layer is formed over the driving transistor.
US09929221B2 Organic light emitting diode display device
An organic light emitting diode display device (100) including: a plurality of pixels (101, 102, 103) each including first (101a, 102a, 103a), second (101b, 102b, 103b) and third sub-pixels (101c, 102c, 103c), wherein the first sub-pixels (101a, 102a, 103a) of adjacent pixels (101, 102, 103), the second sub-pixels (101b, 102b, 103b) of adjacent pixels (101, 102, 103) and the third sub-pixels (101c, 102c, 103c) of adjacent pixels (101, 102, 103) constitute a plurality of sub-pixel groups (150); a first bank layer (171) dividing the plurality of sub-pixel groups (150) and dividing the first (101a, 102a, 103a), second (101b, 102b, 103b) and third sub-pixels (101c, 102c, 103c); and a second bank layer (173) on the first bank layer (171), the second bank layer (173) dividing the first (101a, 102a, 103a), second (101b, 102b, 103b) and third sub-pixels (101c, 102c, 103c).
US09929213B2 Nano-particle matrix for 3D NVM RRAM
The present disclosure generally relates to a nano-particle matrix in a 3D NVM RRAM device. The RRAM device utilizes a material that may be deposited into high aspect ratio channels, has good cycle ability, short erase and write times, and write/erase voltages that are compatible with CMOS. The RRAM material is disposed between two electrodes of the device and includes conductive nano-particles that are distributed within an insulating matrix. The particles are distributed below the percolation threshold.
US09929212B2 Semiconductor memory device
According to the embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, a first memory cell, a second memory cell, a third conductive layer, a first contact, a intermediate memory cell, a fourth conductive layer, a third memory cell, a fifth conductive layer, and a second contact. The third conductive layer is separated from the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer in a third direction crossing a first direction and crossing a second direction and extends in the second direction. The fifth conductive layer is separated from the second conductive layer in the third direction and extends in the second direction. A first length of the second conductive layer along the second direction is shorter than a second length of the fifth conductive layer along the second direction.
US09929210B2 Spin-orbit torque magnetic random access memory
A spin-orbit torque magnetic random access memory includes a substrate, and an SOT memory cell disposed on the substrate and including a magnetic free layer including a ferromagnetic first metal layer, an anti-ferromagnetic second metal layer, and a third metal layer for generating spin-Hall effect. The first metal layer has a thickness ranging from 0.5 nm to 1.5 nm and exhibits perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA). The second metal layer has a thickness greater than 6 nm for providing an exchange bias field. The second metal layer is an IrMn layer not undergone out-of-plane magnetic annealing or coating and exhibiting no PMA. The magnetic free layer has a coercive magnetic field (Hc) upon reaching the critical current density, and |HEB|>|Hc|.
US09929207B2 Light-emitting device and method for manufacturing the same
A light-emitting device is provided. The light-emitting device comprises: a semiconductor structure comprising a first type semiconductor layer, a second type semiconductor layer, and an active layer between the first type semiconductor layer and the second type semiconductor layer; and an isolation region through the second type semiconductor and the active layer to separate the semiconductor structure into a first part and a second part on the first substrate; wherein the second part functions as a low-resistance resistor and loses its make diode behavior, the active layer in the first part is capable of generating light, and the active layer in the second part is incapable of generating light.
US09929203B1 Semiconductor device and method for fabricating thereof
A semiconductor device and a method for fabricating thereof are provided. In the method for fabricating the semiconductor device, at first, a first semiconductor wafer including a first oxide layer and a second semiconductor wafer including a second oxide layer are provided. Next, the second oxide layer is bonded with the first oxide layer. Then, a through via is formed to through the second oxide layer and the first oxide layer, so as to form a sidewall cut on a sidewall of the through via at an interface of the first oxide layer and the second oxide layer. Then, an ashing operation is performed on the sidewall of the through via to form a protection layer on the sidewall of the through via. After the ashing operation is performed, a conductive material is deposited on the through via.
US09929202B2 Solid-state image pickup device
A solid-state image pickup device capable of suppressing the generation of dark current and/or leakage current is provided. The solid-state image pickup device has a first substrate provided with a photoelectric converter on its primary face, a first wiring structure having a first bonding portion which contains a conductive material, a second substrate provided with a part of a peripheral circuit on its primary face, and a second wiring structure having a second bonding portion which contains a conductive material. In addition, the first bonding portion and the second bonding portion are bonded so that the first substrate, the first wiring structure, the second wiring structure, and the second substrate are disposed in this order. Furthermore, the conductive material of the first bonding portion and the conductive material of the second bonding portion are surrounded with diffusion preventing films.
US09929192B1 Ultraviolet (UV) schottky diode detector having single crystal UV radiation detector material bonded directly to a support structure with proper c-axis orientation
A radiation detector for detecting ultraviolet energy having a single crystal UV radiation detector material and an amorphous support layer disposed directly on the single crystal UV radiation detector material with the single crystal UV radiation detector material having a c-axis aligned along a direction of the ultraviolet energy being detected.
US09929190B2 Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
It is an object of the present invention to provide a peeling method that causes no damage to a layer to be peeled and to allow not only a layer to be peeled with a small surface area but also a layer to be peeled with a large surface area to be peeled entirely. Further, it is also an object of the present invention to bond a layer to be peeled to various base materials to provide a lighter semiconductor device and a manufacturing method thereof. Particularly, it is an object to bond various elements typified by a TFT, (a thin film diode, a photoelectric conversion element comprising a PIN junction of silicon, or a silicon resistance element) to a flexible film to provide a lighter semiconductor device and a manufacturing method thereof.
US09929188B2 Method for producing functional device and apparatus for producing functional device
According to the present invention, a method of producing a functional device includes the imprinting step and the functional solid material layer formation step. In the imprinting step, a functional solid material precursor layer obtained from a functional solid material precursor solution as a start material is imprinted so that a first temperature of a heat source for supplying heat to the functional solid material precursor layer is higher than a second temperature of the functional solid material precursor layer in at least part of a time period while a mold for forming an imprinted structure is pressed against the functional solid material precursor layer. In the functional solid material layer formation step, after the imprinting step, the functional solid material precursor layer is heat treated at a third temperature higher than the first temperature in an atmosphere containing oxygen to form a functional solid material layer from the functional solid material precursor layer.
US09929183B2 Array substrate, manufacturing method of array substrate and display device
Embodiments of the present invention disclose an array substrate, a manufacturing method of the array substrate and a display device, and the manufacturing method of the array substrate comprises: forming a gate line and a gate electrode on a base substrate; forming a gate insulating layer above the gate line and the gate electrode; successively depositing a semiconductor layer and a metal layer above the gate insulating layer, and forming an active layer, a source electrode and a drain electrode that are disposed above the gate electrode and a residual semiconductor layer disposed above the gate line and a signal line covering the residual semiconductor layer by using one patterning process; performing a patterning process for the signal line, the residual semiconductor layer disposed below the signal line and the gate insulating layer to form a via hole, so that a surface of the gate line, side sectional surfaces of the signal line, side sectional surfaces of the residual semiconductor layer and side sectional surfaces of the gate insulating layer are exposed through the via hole; and forming a lapping conductive layer at a position where the via hole is located, so that the signal line and the gate line are electrically connected.
US09929182B2 Semiconductor structure and fabrication method thereof
A method is provided for fabricating a semiconductor structure. The method includes providing a bottom substrate having a first region and a second region, and forming a trench in the first region by patterning the bottom substrate. The method also includes forming an insulation layer in the trench in the first region, wherein the insulation layer exposes part of side surface of the trench, and forming a top substrate on the exposed side surface of the trench and the insulation layer. Further, the method includes forming a first fin portion in the first region, and forming a gate structure crossing the first fin portion, wherein the gate structure covers part of side and top surfaces of the first fin portion.
US09929176B2 Non-volatile storage device and method of manufacturing the same
According to an embodiment, a non-volatile storage device includes a first layer, a second layer formed on the first layer, a stacked body including a plurality of conductive films stacked on the second layer, and a semiconductor pillar which penetrates the stacked body and the second layer and reaches the first layer. The semiconductor pillar includes a semiconductor film formed along an extending direction of the semiconductor pillar, and a memory film which covers a periphery of the semiconductor film. The memory film includes a first portion formed between the stacked body and the semiconductor film and a second portion formed between the second layer and the semiconductor film. An outer periphery of the second portion in a plane perpendicular to the extending direction is wider than an outer periphery of the first portion on a second layer side of the stacked body.
US09929160B1 Semiconductor devices and methods of manufacturing the same
Disclosed are semiconductor devices including a field effect transistor and methods of manufacturing the same. The semiconductor device comprises a device isolation layer in an upper portion of a substrate, first active patterns on a first region of the substrate and second active patterns on a second region of the substrate, gate structures extending in one direction and running across the first and second active patterns, and a blocking layer on a recessed region of the device isolation layer of the first region. Each of the first and second active patterns comprises a plurality of semiconductor patterns that are vertically stacked and spaced apart from each other. The semiconductor patterns of the first active patterns have conductivity different from that of the semiconductor patterns of the second active patterns. The blocking layer is limited on the first region.
US09929159B2 Method, apparatus, and system having super steep retrograde well with silicon and silicon germanium fins
At least one method, apparatus and system disclosed involves forming a finFET device having silicon and silicon germanium fins. The method includes: forming an n-doped and a p-doped region in a semiconductor wafer; forming a layer of silicon above both the those regions; removing a portion of the silicon layer above the p-doped region to create a first recess; forming a layer of silicon germanium in the first recess; etching away at least a portion of the silicon layer and the underlying p-doped region; etching away at least a portion of the silicon germanium layer and the underlying n-doped region; forming fins from the unetched silicon and silicon germanium layers; and forming a shallow trench isolation dielectric in the etched away portion of the silicon layer and the underlying p-doped region and in the etched away portion of the silicon germanium layer and the underlying n-doped region.
US09929158B2 Systems and methods for integrating different channel materials into a CMOS circuit by using a semiconductor structure having multiple transistor layers
A method includes providing a first substrate having first and second regions, fabricating over the first region of the first substrate a channel of a first transistor, providing a second substrate over the second region of the first substrate, fabricating over the second substrate a channel of a second transistor, and forming gates respectively and simultaneously over the channels of the first and second transistors.
US09929157B1 Tall single-fin fin-type field effect transistor structures and methods
Disclosed are methods of forming improved fin-type field effect transistor (FINFET) structures and, particularly, relatively tall single-fin FINFET structures that provide increased drive current over conventional single-fin FINFET structures. The use of such a tall single-fin FINFET provides significant area savings over a FINFET that requires multiple semiconductor fins to achieve the same amount of drive current. Furthermore, since only a single fin is used, only a single leakage path is present at the bottom of the device. Thus, the disclosed FINFET structures can be incorporated into a cell in place of multi-fin FINFETs in order to allow for cell height scaling without violating critical design rules or sacrificing performance.
US09929155B2 Semiconductor device having symmetric and asymmetric active fins
A semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same are disclosed, which may improve the operating performance of a multi-gate transistor in a highly scaled integrated circuit device. The semiconductor device includes a first active fin unit protruding on a first region of a semiconductor substrate and extending along a first direction. The first active fin unit includes at least one first active fin having left and right profiles, which are symmetric to each other about a first center line perpendicular to a top surface of the semiconductor substrate on a cut surface perpendicular to the first direction. A second active fin unit protrudes on a second region of the semiconductor substrate and includes two second active fins, each having a left and right profiles, which are asymmetric to each other about a second center line perpendicular to the top surface of the semiconductor substrate on a cut surface.
US09929153B2 Method of making a FinFET device
A method of fabricating a fin-like field-effect transistor (FinFET) device is disclosed. The method includes forming a mandrel features over a substrate, the mandrel feature and performing a coarse cut to remove one or more mandrel features to form a coarse space. After the coarse cut, the substrate is etched by using the mandrel features, with the coarse space as an etch mask, to form fins. A spacer layer is deposited to fully fill in a space between adjacent fins and cover sidewalls of the fins adjacent to the coarse space. The spacer layer is etched to form sidewall spacers on the fins adjacent to the coarse space. A fine cut is performed to remove a portion of one or more mandrel features to form an end-to-end space. An isolation trench is formed in the end-to-end space and the coarse space.
US09929152B2 Vertical transistors and methods of forming same
One aspect of the disclosure relates to an integrated circuit structure. The integrated circuit structure may include a fin having a first source/drain region and a second source/drain, the first source/drain region being over a substrate and below a central region of the fin, and the second source/drain region being within a dielectric layer and over the central region of the fin; a gate structure within the dielectric layer substantially surrounding the central region of the fin between the first source/drain region and the second source drain region, wherein the fin includes at least one tapered region from the central region of the fin to at least one of the first source/drain region or the second source/drain region.
US09929150B2 Polysilicon diode bandgap reference
Representative implementations of devices and techniques provide a bandgap reference voltage using at least one polysilicon diode and no silicon diodes. The polysilicon diode is comprised of three portions, a lightly doped portion flanked by a more heavily doped portion on each end.
US09929149B2 Using inter-tier vias in integrated circuits
Various implementations described herein may be directed to using inter-tier vias (IVs) in integrated circuits (ICs). In one implementation, a three-dimensional (3D) IC may include a plurality of tiers disposed on a substrate layer, where the tiers may include a first tier having a first active device layer electrically coupled to first interconnect layers, and may also include a second tier having a second active device layer electrically coupled to a second interconnect layer, where the first interconnect layers include an uppermost layer that is least proximate to the first active device layer. The 3D IC may further include IVs to electrically couple the second interconnect layer and the uppermost layer. The uppermost layer may be electrically coupled to a power source at peripheral locations of the first tier, thereby electrically coupling the power source to the first active device layer and to the second active device layer.
US09929148B1 Semiconductor device including buried capacitive structures and a method of forming the same
The present disclosure provides semiconductor devices and manufacturing techniques in which a buried capacitive structure may be provided at the level of the buried insulating layer of an SOI device, thereby providing reduced process complexity compared to conventional strategies, while still preserving superior routing capabilities above the buried capacitive structures.
US09929145B1 Bipolar transistor compatible with vertical FET fabrication
Integrated chips includes a first transistor and a second transistor. The first transistor includes a first semiconductor fin having a channel region and a gate stack formed around the first semiconductor fin that has upper and lower limits that are outside a respective upper and lower limit of the channel region. The second transistor includes a second semiconductor fin having a base region and an extrinsic base formed around the second semiconductor fin that has upper and lower limits that are within a respective upper and lower limit of the base region.
US09929139B2 Modular electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection
In an embodiment, an integrated circuit (IC) may include a circuit block that couples to one or more pins of the IC to communicate and/or receive power on the pins. The circuit block may include a ground connection, which may be electrically insulated/electrically separate from the ground connection of other components of the integrated circuit. In an embodiment, the circuit block may include an ESD protection circuit for the pad coupled to the pin. The IC may include another ESD protection circuit for the pad. The circuit block's ESD protection circuit may be sized for the current that may produced within the circuit block for an ESD event, and the IC's ESD protection circuit may be sized for the current that may be produced from the other components of the IC.
US09929136B1 Process for making and using a semiconductor wafer containing first and second DOEs of standard cell compatible, NCEM-Enabled fill cells, with the first DOE including tip-to-side short configured fill cells, and the second DOE including chamfer short configured fill cells
A process for making and using a semiconductor wafer includes instantiating first and second designs of experiments (DOES), each comprised of at least two fill cells. The fill cells contain structures configured to obtain in-line data via non-contact electrical measurements (“NCEM”). The first DOE contains fill cells configured to enable non-contact (NC) detection of tip-to-side shorts, and the second DOE contains fill cells configured to enable NC detection of chamfer shorts. The process may further include obtaining NC measurements from the first and/or second DOE(s) and using such measurements, at least in part, to selectively perform additional processing, metrology or inspection steps on the wafer, and/or on other wafer(s) currently being manufactured.
US09929134B2 Semiconductor device and method for filling patterns
A semiconductor device is disclosed. The semiconductor device includes: a substrate having a cell region defined thereon, in which the cell region includes a first edge and a second edge extending along a first direction; and a plurality of patterns on the substrate extending along the first direction, in which the patterns includes a plurality of first patterns and a plurality of second patterns, and one of the first patterns closest to the first edge and one of the second patterns closest to the second edge are different.
US09929133B2 Semiconductor logic circuits fabricated using multi-layer structures
Systems and methods are provided for fabricating a semiconductor device structure. An example semiconductor device structure includes a first device layer, a second device layer and an inter-level connection structure. The first device layer is formed on a substrate and includes a first semiconductor device, the first semiconductor device including a first electrode structure. The second device layer is formed on the first device layer and includes a second semiconductor device, the second semiconductor device including a second electrode structure. The first inter-level connection structure includes one or more first conductive materials and is configured to electrically connect to the first electrode structure and the second electrode structure.
US09929125B2 Flip chip module with enhanced properties
A flip chip module having at least one flip chip die is disclosed. The flip chip module includes a carrier having a top surface with a first mold compound residing on the top surface. A first mold compound is disposed on the top surface of the carrier. A first thinned flip chip die resides over a first portion of the first mold compound with interconnects extending through the first portion to the top surface wherein the first portion of the mold compound fills a region between the first flip chip die and the top surface. A second mold compound resides over the substrate and provides a first recess over the first flip chip die wherein the first recess extends to a first die surface of the first flip chip die. A third mold compound resides in the first recess and covers an exposed surface of the flip chip die.
US09929124B2 Method for bonding substrates
A method for bonding a first substrate with a second substrate by means of a connecting layer that is arranged between the substrates and that is comprised of a connecting material with the following steps: applying the connecting material to the first substrate and/or the second substrate in liquid form, and distributing the connecting material between the substrates by bringing the substrates closer and as a result forming the shape of the connecting layer with a thickness t.
US09929117B2 Electronic component package and electronic device including the same
An electronic component package includes an electronic component, a redistribution layer electrically connected to the electronic component and having terminal connection pads, a passivation layer disposed on one side of the redistribution layer and having openings exposing at least portions of the terminal connection pads, and connection terminals disposed in the openings of the passivation layer and connected to the terminal connection pads. At least one of the openings of the passivation layer has a plurality of protrusion parts.
US09929116B2 Electronic device module and method of manufacturing the same
The electronic device module includes a sealing part sealing an electronic component therein, and an external connection terminal disposed on one surface of the sealing part. The electronic device module also includes a dummy bonding part configured on a surface of the sealing part and spaced apart from the external connection terminal.
US09929114B1 Bonding pad structure having island portions and method for manufacturing the same
A bonding pad structure is provided. The structure includes a dielectric layer on a substrate. A bonding pad is disposed on the dielectric layer and a first metal pattern layer is embedded in the dielectric layer and directly below the bonding pad. The first metal pattern layer includes a first body portion and first island portions. The first body portion has first openings in a central region of the first body portion and second openings arranged along a peripheral region of the first body portion and surrounding the first openings. The first island portions are correspondingly disposed in the second openings and spaced apart from the first body portion. First interconnect structures are disposed in the dielectric layer and correspond to the first island portions, such that the bonding pad is electrically connected to the first island portions.
US09929112B2 Semiconductor device and method of manufacture
A redistribution layer with a landing pad is formed over a substrate with one or more mesh holes extending through the landing pad. The mesh holes may be arranged in a circular shape, and a passivation layer may be formed over the landing pad and the mesh holes. An opening is formed through the passivation layer and an underbump metallization is formed in contact with an exposed portion of the landing pad and extends over the mesh holes. By utilizing the mesh holes, sidewall delamination and peeling that might otherwise occur may be reduced or eliminated.
US09929110B1 Integrated circuit wave device and method
A method of forming, and a resulting, an integrated circuit wave device. The method (i) affixes an integrated circuit die relative to a substrate; (ii) creates a form relative to the integrated circuit die and the substrate; and (iii) forms a wave shaping member having a shape conforming at least in part to a shape of the form.
US09929109B2 Stacking of multiple dies for forming three dimensional integrated circuit (3DIC) structure
Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a three dimensional integrated circuit (3DIC) structure. The 3DIC structure has a first die and a second die that is bonded to the first die by one or more bonding structures. The one or more bonding structures respectively have a first metal pad arranged on the first die and a second metal pad arranged on the second die. A first plurality of support structures are disposed between the first die and the second die. The first plurality of support structures include polymers and are laterally spaced apart from a closest one of the one or more bonding structures. The first plurality of support structures extend below an upper surface of the second metal pad.
US09929105B2 Leakage laser beam detecting method
A leakage laser beam detecting method includes a coating step of coating the lower surface of a wafer with an oil marker, thereafter, a press-bonding step of press-bonding an adhesive tape to the lower surface of the wafer, thereafter, a modified layer forming step of applying a laser beam having a wavelength that can be transmitted through the wafer to the wafer from the upper surface thereof while making the laser beam be focused at a focused point within the wafer thereby to form modified layers in the wafer, thereafter, a peeling step of peeling off the press-bonded adhesive tape, and a leakage laser beam detecting step of detecting areas of the lower surface where the oil marker has been removed when the press-bonded adhesive tape is peeled off as areas marked by leakage laser beams.
US09929104B2 Semiconductor device including an optical measurement pattern
A semiconductor device includes a substrate including at least two semiconductor chip regions and a scribe lane region disposed between the semiconductor chip regions. The semiconductor device additionally includes a first optical measurement pattern disposed on the substrate. The semiconductor device further includes a second optical measurement pattern disposed on an upper layer of the first optical measurement pattern, the second optical measurement pattern being spaced apart from the first optical measurement pattern. The semiconductor device additionally includes a three-dimensional (3D) shielding structure surrounding the first optical measurement pattern and including an electrically conductive material.
US09929103B2 Misalignment checking device and manufacturing method of semiconductor device
According to one embodiment, an optical element branches reflection light from a first mark and a second mark having different focus positions, a first imaging element captures an image of the first mark based on a first branch light branched by the optical element, a second imaging element captures an image of the second mark based on a second branch light branched by the optical element, and an arithmetic processing unit that calculates a misalignment between the first mark and the second mark based on a result of superimposition of the image of the first mark and the image of the second mark.
US09929102B1 Fan-out semiconductor package
A fan-out semiconductor package includes: a first interconnection member having a through-hole; a semiconductor chip disposed in the through-hole and having an active surface having connection pads disposed thereon and an inactive surface opposing the active surface; an encapsulant filling at least portions of spaces between walls of the through-hole and side surfaces of the semiconductor chip; and a second interconnection member disposed on the active surface of the semiconductor chip and including a redistribution layer electrically connected to the connection pads of the semiconductor chip through vias, wherein the side surface of the semiconductor chip has a step portion.
US09929099B2 Planarized interlayer dielectric with air gap isolation
A semiconductor device includes an interlayer insulating layer including a first insulating layer on a substrate, and a plurality of interconnections in the first insulating layer. The interlayer insulating layer includes a first region, and a second region including an air gap. The air gap is defined between a pair of the interconnections in the second region. A top surface of the first insulating layer of the first region is lower than a top surface of at least one of the interconnections in the first region.
US09929089B2 Inductive connection structure for use in an integrated circuit
An embodiment in a single structure combines a pad comprising a connection terminal suitable for coupling the circuit elements integrated in a chip to circuits outside the chip itself and at least one inductor that can be used to receive/transmit electromagnetic waves or to supply the chip with power or both. By combining a connection pad and an inductor in a single structure, it is possible to reduce the overall area that otherwise would be occupied exclusively by the inductors, thus reducing the cost and size of integrated circuits that include such a structure.
US09929087B2 Enhancing integrated circuit density with active atomic reservoir
An integrated circuit (IC) comprises first and second conductors in one layer of the IC, wherein the first conductor is oriented along a first direction, the second conductor is oriented along a second direction generally perpendicular to the first direction, and the second conductor is electrically connected to the first conductor. The IC further comprises a third conductor in another layer of the IC, oriented along the second direction, and above the second conductor; a first via connecting the first and third conductors; and a second via connecting the second and third conductors.
US09929085B2 Integrated circuit structure having deep trench capacitor and through-silicon via and method of forming same
One aspect of the disclosure relates to an interposer. The interposer may include: a first dielectric layer extending from a substrate in a direction away from a front side of the substrate; a back-end-of-the-line (BEOL) region extending from the substrate in a direction away from the back side of the substrate; a deep trench (DT) capacitor within the substrate and extending toward a back side of the substrate, the DT capacitor having a first portion within the substrate and a second portion within the first dielectric layer; and a through silicon via (TSV) adjacent to the DT capacitor and extending through the first dielectric layer, the substrate, and the BEOL region.
US09929076B2 Semiconductor package of a flipped MOSFET chip and a multi-based die paddle with top surface groove-divided multiple connecting areas for connection to the flipped MOSFET electrodes
The invention relates to a semiconductor package of a flip chip and a method for making the semiconductor package. The semiconductor chip comprises a metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor. On a die paddle including a first base, a second base and a third base, half-etching or punching is performed on the top surfaces of the first base and the second base to obtain plurality of grooves that divide the top surface of the first base into a plurality of areas comprising multiple first connecting areas, and divide the top surface of the second base into a plurality of areas comprising at least a second connecting area. The semiconductor chip is connected to the die paddle at the first connecting areas and the second connecting area.
US09929075B2 Chip-scale electronic package structure with conductive connective element having increased surface area and laterally spaced connection points for improved connectivity
An electronic package includes a lead frame structure having one or more structural features configured to improve board level reliability. In one embodiment, the structural feature comprises lead frame protrusions extending outward from the electronic package, which are configured to laterally engage solder structures used to attach the electronic package to a next level of assembly. In another embodiment, conductive bumps are attached to exposed portions of the lead frame in advance of next level assembly processes. In a further embodiment, the lead frame comprises laterally separated contact points for attaching an electron die and for attaching the electronic package to a next level of assembly.
US09929073B2 Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes: a first power semiconductor element; a second power semiconductor element that is connected in parallel with the first power semiconductor element; a voltage changing unit that changes a voltage applied to a control terminal of the first power semiconductor element when the second power semiconductor element is turned on; a detection unit that detects a current flowing in the first power semiconductor element when the voltage changing unit has changed the voltage applied to the control terminal of the first power semiconductor element; and a temperature estimation unit that estimates a temperature of the first power semiconductor element based on a characteristic of the change of the current of the first power semiconductor element with respect to a change of the voltage applied to the first power semiconductor element.
US09929071B2 Dicing in wafer level package
A package includes a device die, and an encapsulating material encircling the device die. The encapsulating material includes a first portion with a substantially uniform first width, and a second portion lower than the first portion. Lower portions of the second portion have second widths increasingly smaller than widths of respective overlying upper portions of the second portion. The package further includes at least one dielectric layer underlying and in contact with the encapsulating material. The at least one dielectric layer has third widths smaller than the substantially uniform first width. The substantially uniform first width, the second widths, and the third widths are measured in a cross-sectional view of the package, and are measured in directions parallel to a major top surface of the encapsulating material.
US09929070B2 Isolation rings for packages and the method of forming the same
A device includes a first package component, and a second package component underlying, and bonded to, the first package component. A molding material is disposed under the first package component and molded to the first and the second package components, wherein the molding material and the first package component form an interface. An isolation region includes a first edge, wherein the first edge of the isolation region contacts a first edge of the first package component and a first edge of the molding material. The isolation has a bottom lower than the interface.
US09929068B2 Film-like wafer mold material, molded wafer, and semiconductor device
A film-like wafer mold material for molding a wafer in a lump, the material including a multilayer structure constituted of at least a first film layer and a second film layer provided on the first film layer, wherein the first film layer contains a silicone-backbone-containing polymer, a cross-linking agent, and a filler, and the second film layer, contains a silicone-backbone-containing polymer and a cross-linking agent, and further contains a filler in such a manner that a content rate of the filler becomes 0 or above and less than 100 when a content rate of the filler contained in the first film layer is assumed to be 100. The film-like wafer mold material has excellent transference performance with respect to a thin-film wafer with a large diameter, also has low-warp properties and excellent wafer protection performance after form shaping (after molding), and is preferably used for a wafer level package.
US09929062B2 Abnormality portent detection system and method of manufacturing semiconductor device
According to one embodiment, in an abnormality portent detection system, a collection unit time-sequentially collects plural kinds of parameters related to a state of an apparatus. A calculation unit calculates, while temporally changing a boundary between a first period and a second period in a time-sequential variation characteristic of each of plural kinds of parameters, a contribution rate of each of the plural kinds of parameters with respect to a transition from a first state of the apparatus before the boundary to a second state of the apparatus after the boundary. An extraction unit extracts, among the plural kinds of parameters, a parameter showing a change in which the contribution rate has a maximum value at a timing before an abnormality occurrence timing of the apparatus with respect to a time of the boundary, based on a result of the calculation.
US09929059B2 Dual liner silicide
A method for fabricating a dual silicide device includes growing source and drain (S/D) regions for an N-type device, forming a protection layer over a gate structure and the S/D regions of the N-type device and growing S/D regions for a P-type device. A first dielectric layer is conformally deposited and portions removed to expose the S/D regions. Exposed S/D regions for the P-type device are silicided to form a liner. A second dielectric layer is conformally deposited. A dielectric fill is formed over the second dielectric layer. Contact holes are opened through the second dielectric layer to expose the liner for the P-type device and expose the protection layer for the N-type device. The S/D regions for the N-type device are exposed by opening the protection layer. Exposed S/D regions adjacent to the gate structure are silicided to form a liner for the N-type device. Contacts are formed.
US09929058B2 Vertical FETS with variable bottom spacer recess
A method of forming a variable spacer in a vertical transistor device includes forming a first source/drain of a first transistor on a substrate; forming a second source/drain of a second transistor on the substrate adjacent to the first source/drain, an isolation region arranged in the substrate between the first source/drain and the second source/drain; depositing a spacer material on the first source/drain; depositing the spacer material on the second source/drain; forming a first channel extending from the first source drain and through the spacer material; forming a second channel extending from the second source/drain and through the spacer material; wherein the spacer material on the first source/drain forms a first spacer and the spacer material on the second source/drain forms a second spacer, the first spacer being different in thickness than the second spacer.
US09929052B2 Wafer processing method
A wafer is processed by transferring a wafer to a holding surface of a chuck table by using a suction pad. The front side of the wafer is held through a protective tape on the holding surface under suction. The suction pad is then removed from the back side of the wafer and the back side of the wafer is ground, thereby thinning the wafer and also dividing the wafer into individual device chips. The wafer is mounted on the holding surface while held by the suction pad. The wafer is sandwiched between the suction pad and the holding surface when the suction force is removed. A suction force is applied to the holding surface to thereby hold the front side of the wafer through the protective tape on the holding surface, and the suction pad is then removed from the back side of the wafer.
US09929051B1 Wafer dicing method
A wafer dicing method comprises providing a wafer and performing a cutting procedure and a contacting procedure. The wafer includes a plurality of dies and a metal layer, wherein the metal layer is formed on a scribe line which is formed between adjacent dies. A cutter is used to cut the metal layer along the scribe line during the cutting procedure to form a plurality of dies on the wafer, and the metal layer cut by the cutter remains a plurality of metal burrs on the dies. A brush is used to contact with the metal burrs along the cutting slot during the contracting procedure to prevent each of the metal burrs from protruding from a surface of each of the dies.
US09929043B2 Semiconductor memory device and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor memory device according to an embodiment includes: a pair of insulating members separated from each other, the pair of insulating members extending in a first direction; a plurality of electrode films and a plurality of inter-layer insulating films disposed between the pair of insulating members and stacked alternately along a second direction, the second direction intersecting the first direction; a plurality of semiconductor pillars extending in the second direction and piercing the plurality of electrode films and the plurality of inter-layer insulating films; and a charge storage film disposed between one of the semiconductor pillars and one of the electrode films. An end portion on one of the insulating members side of a first electrode film of the electrode films is thicker than a central portion of the first electrode film between the pair of insulating members.
US09929042B2 Semiconductor device having a discontinued part between a first insulating film and a second insulating film
A semiconductor device, in which an increase in the size of a product can be suppressed and a withstand voltage between wiring layers can be improved, and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. A discontinued part, in which the interface between an interlayer insulating film and a passivation film is discontinued, is formed between a first wiring layer and a second wiring layer that are adjacent to each other with a space therebetween. Both the interlayer insulating film and the passivation film face an air gap in the discontinued part.
US09929039B2 Method for manufacture of a semiconductor wafer suitable for the manufacture of an SOI substrate, and SOI substrate wafer thus obtained
A semiconductor wafer suitable for fabricating an SOI substrate is provided by: producing a first layer of polycrystalline semiconductor on a top side of a semiconductor carrier; then forming an interface zone on a top side of the first layer, wherein the interface zone has a structure different from a crystal structure of the first layer; and then producing a second layer of polycrystalline semiconductor on the interface zone.
US09929038B2 Insulating structure, a method of forming an insulating structure, and a chip scale isolator including such an insulating structure
A method of forming an insulating structure, comprising forming an insulating region comprising at least one electrical or electronic component or part thereof embedded within the insulating region, and forming a surface structure in a surface of the insulating region.
US09929036B2 System and method for peeling a semiconductor chip from a tape using a multistage ejector
A system and method for peeling a semiconductor chip from a tape using a multistage ejector is disclosed. A housing in the multistage ejector houses a plural sets of tape removing contacts. A pick and place unit is moved slowly to have contact with the chip. A vacuum source is utilized for generating vacuum to suck the tape. Plural sets of contacts such as inner, middle and outer contacts are independently or together moved below the tape at various stages by utilizing their respective actuation mechanism. A controller can independently control the movements of each contact to effectively remove or loosen the tape from the chip. A pick and place unit can then pick up the chip easily without any damage to chip.
US09929035B2 Method of producing a removable wafer connection and carrier for wafer support
A relief structure is formed on a surface of a carrier provided for accommodating a wafer, which is fastened to the carrier by a removable adhesive contacting the carrier. The relief structure, which may be spatially confined to the center of the carrier, reduces the strength of adhesion between the wafer and the carrier. If the adhesive is appropriately selected and maintains the connection between the wafer and the carrier at elevated temperatures, further process steps can be performed at temperatures of typically 300° C. or more. The subsequent mechanical separation of the adhesive joint is facilitated by the relief structure on the carrier.
US09929033B2 Gas purge apparatus, load port apparatus, installation stand for purging container, and gas purge method
In a gas purge apparatus, a load port apparatus, an installation stand for a purging container, and a gas purge method, the inside of the purging container can be filled with a cleaning gas without inclining the purging container. A control means drives a nozzle driving mechanism to move a purge nozzle toward a purge port based on a fixing detection signal detected by a fixing detection sensor showing that the purging container is fixed on a table.
US09929030B2 Substrate processing device and substrate transfer method
Provided is a substrate processing device capable of improving throughput without increasing the operation speed of a drive device. Vacuum processing chambers which house a wafer for plasma processing of the wafer are respectively provided with gate valves for opening and closing a wafer inlet/outlet port, and wafer detection sensors for detecting the wafer moving forward or backward through the wafer inlet/outlet port, and a scara robot for making extending/retracting motion and rotating motion transfers the wafer. At this time, the scara robot starts the rotating motion to transfer the wafer picked up from the vacuum processing chamber in response to a trigger signal transmitted from the wafer detection sensor. The trigger signal indicates that the wafer has passed through the wafer inlet/outlet port and has arrived at a point where the gate valve and the wafer inlet/outlet port no longer interfere with the wafer.
US09929029B2 Substrate carrier system
Embodiments described herein relate to a substrate carrier system. The substrate carrier system includes a carrier for transferring a substrate within a multi-chamber processing system. The carrier may be placed in a load lock chamber for receiving the substrate, and the substrate is transferred to a processing chamber on the carrier. In the processing chamber, the carrier, with substrate, is disposed on a susceptor. The carrier can also enhance thermal control of the edge of the substrate in the processing chamber. The substrate carrier system further includes positioning features for repeatable positioning of the substrate in the processing chamber and repeatable positioning of the carrier in the load lock chamber and the processing chamber.
US09929028B2 Service tunnel for use on capital equipment in semiconductor manufacturing and research fabs
A system for processing substrates is provided, comprising: a wafer transport assembly that is configured to transport wafers to and from one or more process modules, the wafer transport assembly having at least one wafer transport module, wherein lateral sides of the at least one wafer transport module are configured to couple to the one or more process modules; a service floor defined below the wafer transport assembly, the service floor being defined at a height that is less than a height of a fabrication facility floor in which the system is disposed.
US09929025B2 Cassette fixture for holding film frames with affixed thin substrates during liquid chemical batch removal of carriers
The invention describes the ability to conduct multiple carrier substrate removal practices simultaneously. The fixture design is slotted in a manner to hold film frame rings and has the bottom region open without interference to the passage of the released carrier substrate. Slots in the fixture are arranged on two sides at top and bottom to support the film frame, however, the distance between the slots and the area of the open region is sufficient to allow the carrier substrate to travel downwards under gravity force, once it has been released from the device wafer. The method describes a batch process whereby a fixture design supports multiple film frames with taped adhered device wafers enable exposure to a chemical medium that either acts upon the interface between the device wafer and carrier substrate or digests the carrier substrate in a manner that results in removal.
US09929022B2 Semiconductor chip package and method of manufacturing the same
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor package includes: providing a package substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; providing a first semiconductor chip on the package substrate, the first semiconductor chip having a first surface facing the second surface of the package substrate, a second surface opposite the first surface of the first semiconductor chip, and lateral surfaces extending from the first surface of the first semiconductor chip to the second surface of the first semiconductor chip; providing a molding layer covering the lateral surfaces of the first semiconductor chip and covering the second surface of the package substrate; and providing a plurality of through-molding conductive vias outside the lateral surfaces of the first semiconductor chip. The through-molding conductive vias may be formed before forming the molding layer and may pass through the molding layer. The through-molding conductive vias may extend beyond a first surface of the molding layer.
US09929011B2 Formation of heteroepitaxial layers with rapid thermal processing to remove lattice dislocations
Method and devices are disclosed for device manufacture of gallium nitride devices by growing a gallium nitride layer on a silicon substrate using Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) followed by rapid thermal annealing. Gallium nitride is grown directly on silicon or on a barrier layer of aluminum nitride grown on the silicon substrate. One or both layers are thermally processed by rapid thermal annealing. Preferably the ALD process use a reaction temperature below 550° C. and preferable below 350° C. The rapid thermal annealing step raises the temperature of the coating surface to a temperature ranging from 550 to 1500° C. for less than 12 msec.
US09929010B2 Method for manufacturing semiconductor device
A highly reliable semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor film with high crystallinity is provided. A first oxide semiconductor film and a second oxide semiconductor film are stacked over an insulating layer. After forming source and drain electrode layers on the second oxide semiconductor film, a third oxide semiconductor film is provided in contact with the second oxide semiconductor film and top surfaces and the source and drain electrode layers. At least one of the first, second, and third oxide semiconductor films is an oxide semiconductor film having a single crystal region.
US09929009B2 Cyclical deposition of germanium
In some aspects, methods for forming a germanium thin film using a cyclical deposition process are provided. In some embodiments, the germanium thin film is formed on a substrate in a reaction chamber, and the process includes one or more deposition cycles of alternately and sequentially contacting the substrate with a vapor phase germanium precursor and a nitrogen reactant. In some embodiments, the process is repeated until a germanium thin film of desired thickness has been formed.
US09929008B2 Substrate processing method and substrate processing apparatus
A substrate processing method is provided. In the method, a plurality of substrates is placed on a plurality of substrate holding areas provided in a surface of a turntable at predetermined intervals in a circumferential direction, the turntable being provided in a processing chamber. Next, the turntable on which the plurality of substrates is placed is rotated. Then, a fluid is supplied to the surface of the turntable while rotating the turntable. Here, the fluid is supplied to an area between the plurality of substrate holding areas in response to an operation of changing a flow rate of the fluid.
US09929004B2 High frequency, repetitive, compact toroid-generation for radiation production
Systems and methods are discussed to create radiation from one or more compact toroids. Compact toroids can be created from plasma of gases within a confinement chamber using a plurality of coils of various densities of windings. High current pulses can be generated within the coil and switched at high frequencies to repeatedly generate compact toroids within the plasma. The plasma can produce radiation at various wavelengths that is focused toward a target or an intermediate focus.
US09929002B2 High pressure mass resolving ion guide with axial field
A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a first mass filter comprising a plurality of electrodes and a first device arranged and adapted to generate an axial force which drives at least some ions axially through or along the first mass filter and a quadrupole mass filter or mass analyzer arranged downstream of the mass filter.
US09929000B2 Method and an apparatus for ionizing a sample
A method of ionizing a sample includes providing an aqueous liquid and directing a jet comprising carbon dioxide to interact with the provided aqueous liquid. One or both of the aqueous liquid and the jet comprise the sample. At least a portion of the sample is ionized due to the interaction.
US09928999B2 Flagging ADC coalescence
A method of mass spectrometry is disclosed comprising digitising at least one individual signal or transient, determining in relation to the digitized signal or transient an indication of overlap and/or coalescence of ion arrivals in the digitized signal or transient, or one or more ion arrival envelopes in the digitized signal or transient, and marking or flagging the digitized signal or transient as suffering from overlap or coalescence of ion arrivals based on the indication.
US09928997B2 Apparatus for PVD dielectric deposition
Apparatus for physical vapor deposition of dielectric material is provided herein. In some embodiments, a chamber lid of a physical vapor deposition chamber includes an inner magnetron assembly coupled to an inner target assembly, and an outer magnet assembly coupled to an outer target assembly, wherein the inner magnetron assembly and the inner target assembly are electrically isolated from the outer magnet assembly and the outer target assembly.
US09928993B2 Workpiece processing chamber having a rotary microwave plasma antenna with slotted spiral waveguide
A microwave antenna includes a first spiral conduit having a first conduit end, first plural ports in a floor of the first spiral conduit spaced apart along the length of the first spiral conduit; an axial conduit coupled to a rotatable stage; and a distributor waveguide comprising an input coupled to the axial conduit and a first output coupled to the first conduit end.
US09928992B2 Plasma generation device
A plasma generation device includes: a pair of electrodes that cause plasma to be generated in atmospheric pressure by a voltage being applied between the pair of electrodes; and a power source that includes a step-up transformer that has a coupling coefficient of 0.9 or greater and 0.9999 or less and generates the voltage.
US09928988B2 Ion source
An ion source includes an ion source chamber having a longitudinal axis, the ion source chamber operative to define a plasma therein. The ion source also includes a split solenoid assembly comprising a first solenoid and a second solenoid that are mutually disposed along opposite sides of the ion source chamber, where each of the first solenoid and second solenoid comprises a metal member having a long axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the ion source chamber, and a main coil having a coil axis parallel to the long axis and comprising a plurality of windings that circumscribe the metal member. The main coil defines a coil footprint that is larger than an ion source chamber footprint of the ion source chamber.
US09928986B2 Emitter arrangement
An emitter arrangement contains at least one emitter and at least one vaporizer element spaced apart therefrom. At least one of the emitters contains at least one emission surface made of at least one first electron emission material and lies at a first potential. At least one of the vaporizer elements contains one evaporation surface made of at least one second electron emission material and lies at a second potential. Thus, the emitter arrangement has a compact configuration and a longer lifetime with simultaneously good emission properties.
US09928983B2 Vaporizer for ion source
A vaporizer with several novel features to prevent vapor condensation and the clogging of the nozzle is disclosed. The vaporizer is designed such that there is an increase in temperature along the path that the vapor travels as it flows from the crucible to the arc chamber. The vaporizer uses a nested architecture, where the crucible is installed within an outer housing. Vapor leaving the crucible exits through an aperture and travels along the volume between the crucible and the outer housing to the nozzle, where it flows to the arc chamber. In certain embodiments, the aperture in the crucible is disposed at a location where liquid in the crucible cannot reach the aperture.
US09928982B2 Multiple configuration switching assembly
A switching assembly includes an operating assembly and a fixed contact assembly including a first fixed contact, a second fixed contact, a third fixed contact, a fourth fixed contact, and a number of terminals. The number of terminals includes a first terminal, a second terminal, and a third terminal. The switching assembly also includes a movable contact assembly that includes a first movable contact and a second movable contact. The first movable contact is movable between a first position and a second position. The second movable contact is movable between a first position and a second position. The operating assembly is coupled to the movable contact assembly and moves the first and second movable contact assemblies between the first and second positions. The switching assembly also includes a shunt assembly including a number of shunts. The shunt assembly is configured in one of a series configuration or a parallel configuration.
US09928980B2 Method of electricity leakage detection and prevention of electrical equipment's outer surface and system thereof
Disclosed in the present invention are a method of electricity leakage detection and prevention of electrical equipment's outer surface and system thereof. The method and system are used for detecting and preventing electricity leakage of the electrical equipment's outer surface caused by defective insulation and power supply connection faults. Without in touch with the electrical equipment's outer surface, the electricity leakage of the outer surface can be detected and the connection between the electrical equipment and the power supply can be cut and an alarm is made by means of the current channel (2) formed between the electrical equipment neutral line (N′) and the electrical equipment's outer surface (G′) and the monitoring of the current value. A power supply channel (5) is set up to make sure that the electrical equipment can be normally operated via the system even in the condition of the power supply connection faults. According to the method and system, the electricity leakage of the outer surface can be correctly detected and the alarm can be made or the connection between the electrical equipment and the power supply can be cut even if the electrical equipment's outer surface is not grounded. With the advantage of simple construction and low cost, the system can be widely used.
US09928979B2 Method for activating a control device
A circuit arrangement for activating a control device includes: a first switch in a main current path, via which the control device is activated; an alternative current path; and a control logic which compares a voltage present for activating the control device to a threshold voltage and opens the first switch if the threshold voltage falls below so that a higher volume of an interference current effectuated by the present negative voltage flows via the alternative current path.
US09928978B1 Device monitoring prevention in power systems
Devices, systems and methods are provided that introduce or alter electrical characteristics of a power delivery system such as a residential power circuit to alter load profiles to prevent accurate identification of powered devices or disaggregation of distinct device information. This masking may include any of a range of steps or actions or devices to introduce or altering impedance elements or filtration circuits in coordinated fashion with the operation of the targeted devices to be masked. The system may be configured to be applied to hinder or interfere with conventional Nonintrusive Load Monitoring.
US09928977B2 Electrical switching apparatus, and operating handle assembly and trip cam therefor
A trip cam is for an operating handle assembly of an electrical switching apparatus. The electrical switching apparatus includes a housing and a number of poles. The operating handle assembly has an operating handle partially extending into the housing. The trip cam includes a mounting portion structured to be disposed in the housing, and an operating handle protrusion extending from the mounting portion and being structured to engage the operating handle.
US09928976B2 System and method for dynamically triggering a device within a closed space
A system may dynamically trigger a digital device based on settings, and the device's position within a closed space, and the device's velocity. A method for triggering the digital device in a closed space may include accessing information related to the closed space and multiple sensor parameters; determining the geographic location of the device based on the multiple sensor parameters; creating a three dimensional grid coordinate system based on the information; compartmentalizing the closed space into one or more compartments based on the information; creating and accessing a user profile; determining a position of the device with respect to the one or more compartments based on the sensor parameters; and triggering the device based on at least the user profile or the position of the device.
US09928975B1 Three-way switch
Devices and methods comprise a relay coupled between conductors and rectifier circuits. A converter is coupled between the rectifier circuits and a radio frequency (RF) device. Control signals are coupled to the RF device. A physical switch is coupled to the RF device, and the control outputs of the physical switch form a multi-way switch.
US09928974B1 Terminal barrier assemblies for electrical switching apparatus and methods of assembly thereof
A terminal barrier assembly for one or more terminals of an electrical switching apparatus, such as an electrical circuit breaker or switch. The terminal barrier includes a first barrier portion including a first opening portion, and a second barrier portion including a second opening portion. The first opening portion and second opening portion interface with one another to form a shielding aperture configured for shielding around one or more line wires extending from the one or more terminals. According to another aspect, an electrical switching apparatus including the terminal barrier assembly and methods of assembly of an electrical switching apparatus are provided, as are other aspects.
US09928971B2 Electrical contact tip for switching applications and an electrical switching device
An electrical contact tip for switching applications. The contact tip includes a body having a first layer and a second layer. The first layer arranged on the second layer and adapted to come in contact with a corresponding contact tip during switching operations. The first and second layers consist of Ag-composites of one or more elements, compounds or alloys, where the hardness of the first layer is lower than the hardness of the second layer.
US09928969B2 Method of pre-doping a lithium ion capacitor
A method for pre-doping a lithium ion capacitor, including: compressing a lithium ion capacitor of the formula: C/S/A/S/C/S/A/S/C, where: /A/ is an anode coated on both sides with an anode carbon layer, and each anode carbon layer is further coated with lithium composite powder (LCP) layer; C/ is a cathode coated on one side with a layer of an cathode carbon mixture; and S is a separator; and a non-aqueous electrolyte; and conditioning the resulting compressed lithium ion capacitor, for example, at a rate of from C/20 to 4C, and the conditioning redistributes the impregnated lithium as lithium ions in the anode carbon structure. Also disclosed is an carbon coated anode having lithium composite powder (LCP) layer compressed on the carbon coated anode.
US09928965B2 Electricity storage module
An electricity storage module includes a plurality of electricity storage cells, a plurality of holders, first and second end plates, and a fastening frame. The plurality of holders are stacked in a stacking direction together with the plurality of electricity storage cells to provide a stack. The fastening frame is to fasten the first and second end plates in the stacking direction. The plurality of holders or at least one resin member disposed between the plurality of electricity storage cells and the fastening frame each has a protrusion that protrudes outward in a width direction of the plurality of holders or the at least one resin member. The protrusion is capable of elastic deformation and is to be pressed against the fastening frame to hold the plurality of electricity storage cells in the width direction or a vertical direction.
US09928963B2 Thermally conductive encapsulant material for a capacitor assembly
A capacitor assembly that comprises a housing, a capacitor element that is hermetically sealed within the housing, and a thermally conductive material that at least partially encapsulates the capacitor element is provided. The capacitor element includes a sintered anode body, a dielectric overlying the anode body, and a solid electrolyte overlying the dielectric. The thermally conductive material has a thermal conductivity of about 1 W/m-K or more as determined in accordance with ISO 22007-2:2014.
US09928962B2 Multilayer ceramic capacitor
A multilayer ceramic capacitor includes a body and at least two outer electrodes. The body includes first and second main surfaces, an inner layer portion and first and second outer layer portions. In the inner layer portion, dielectric layers and conductive layers are alternately stacked on each other. The second outer layer portion includes an outer portion and an inner portion. A boundary region adjacent to the inner portion in the outer portion inclines toward the first main surface.
US09928961B2 Multilayer capacitor
An element body includes a pair of principal surfaces, a pair of side surfaces, and another pair of side surfaces. Each of a pair of terminal electrodes includes a first electrode portion disposed on the principal surface and a second electrode portion disposed on the side surface. In the element body, a length in a direction in which the pair of principal surfaces oppose each other is smaller than a length in a direction in which the pair of side surfaces oppose each other and smaller than a length in a direction in which the other pair of side surfaces oppose each other. An arithmetic mean deviation of the surface of the first electrode portion is from 0.20 to 0.26 μm. An arithmetic mean deviation of the surface of the second electrode portion is from 0.27 to 0.38 μm.
US09928959B2 Dielectric ceramic composition and multilayer ceramic capacitor containing the same
A dielectric ceramic composition and a multilayer ceramic capacitor containing the same are provided. The dielectric ceramic composition contains a base material powder represented by (1−x)BaTiO3−xPbTiO3 containing a first main ingredient represented by BaTiO3 and a second main ingredient represented by PbTiO3, wherein x satisfies 0.0025≤x≤0.4. The multilayer ceramic capacitor includes a ceramic body in which dielectric layers containing the dielectric ceramic composition are alternately stacked with first and second internal electrodes, and first and second external electrodes formed on both end portions of the ceramic body and respectively electrically connected to the first and second internal electrodes.
US09928956B2 Permanent magnet and manufacturing method therefor
In permanent magnets formed by division, a cut-out part is provided in a straight line in the matrix of the permanent magnets, a metal increasing the coercive force the permanent magnet matrix is diffused into the interior of the matrix from a surface that includes the surface of the cut-out part of the permanent magnet matrix, and the permanent magnet matrix is divided into multiple permanent magnet parts along the straight cut-out part to form the permanent magnets. An Nd—Fe—B sintered magnet may be used as the permanent magnet matrix, and dysprosium (Dy) may be used as the metal increasing the coercive force of the permanent magnet. Multiple indentations disposed in a straight line may be used as the cut-out parts, or a straight groove may also be used.
US09928950B2 Polarized magnetic actuators for haptic response
A polarized electromagnetic actuator includes a movable armature, a stator, and at least one coil wrapped around the stator. At least one permanent magnet is disposed over the stator. When a current is applied to the at least one coil, the at least one coil is configured to reduce a magnetic flux of at least one permanent magnet in one direction and increase a magnetic flux of at least one permanent magnet in another direction. The movable armature moves in the direction of the increased magnetic flux.
US09928947B1 Method of fabricating highly conductive low-ohmic chip resistor having electrodes of base metal or base-metal alloy
A low-ohmic chip resistor with high conductivity is fabricated. The chip resistor has an electrode of a base metal or base-metal alloy. The base-metal or base-metal-alloy electrode and a resistor layer are fabricated through thick-film printing with sintering at a low temperature in the air. Therein, a thick-film paste made of a cheap low-reduction-potential metal (such as aluminum (Al) or nickel (Ni)) is formed through screen-printing and sintering. Then, the layer of the cheap low-reduction-potential metal is used as a sacrificial layer to be immersed in a metal solution having a high reduction potential. Therein, a wet chemical alternation reaction is processed for obtaining a metal electrode having the high reduction potential. Or, the sacrificial layer may be immersed in a mixed solution of several different metal having high reduction potential to process wet chemical alternation reaction for obtaining an alloy of metal mixed with different composition.
US09928945B2 Production method for particles of element having standard electrode potential greater than 0V
The present invention provides: a method for producing particles of an element having a standard electrode potential greater than 0V, characterized by using in a protic solvent solution a polysilane having a poor solubility in an aprotic solvent, to produce particles of the element from ions of at least one element having a standard electrode potential greater than 0V; and a composite body of polysilane and the particles of an element having a standard electrode potential greater than 0V, in which the particles of the at least one element having a standard electrode potential greater than 0V (provided that palladium is not included in the element, in the case where the polysilane is a dimethyl polysilane) are adsorbed in the polysilane having poor solubility in an aprotic solvent.
US09928942B2 Pipe type solid insulation cable system, method of constructing pipe type solid insulation cable system and method of cooling pipe type solid insulation cable system
A pipe type solid insulation cable system includes a plurality of solid insulation cables; a plurality of steel pipes in which the plurality of solid insulation cables are inserted, respectively; and a refrigerant circulation path that includes a plurality of refrigerant pipes, which are provided to be adjacent to the plurality of steel pipes, respectively, circularly connected with each other to circulate a refrigerant therein, wherein the pipe type solid insulation cable system is configured to indirectly cool the plurality of solid insulation cables in the plurality of steel pipes, respectively, by cooling at least a part of a periphery of each of the plurality of steel pipes by the refrigerant circulation path without flowing the refrigerant in the plurality of steel pipes.
US09928940B2 Cable and harness
A cable includes a plurality of electric wires, a tape member wound around the plurality of electric wires, and a jacket that covers an outer periphery of the tape member and includes an urethane-based resin. The tape member includes a nonwoven fabric including one of a polyester, a polypropylene, an aramid fiber, a nylon, an acrylic fiber and a glass fiber. An air permeability of the nonwoven fabric is not less than 30 cc/cm2/sec.
US09928939B1 Device and method for splicing shielded wire cables
A wire cable assembly, such as those used in electric or hybrid electric vehicles, having a plurality of shielded wire cables that are spliced together is presented. The assembly includes a splicing device having a generally planar bus bar formed of a conductive material, wherein the exposed core conductors of the shielded wire cables are welded to the bus bar, thereby electrically interconnecting the exposed core conductors. A conductive sleeve encloses bus bar and interconnects the shield conductors of the shielded wire cables, providing shielding for the exposed core conductors and continuity for the shield conductors. An outer insulator enclosing the conductive sleeve. A method of splicing shielded wire cables using such a device is also presented herein.
US09928933B2 Electrical device, and method for arranging conductive member
The present disclosure relates to an electrical device, and a method for arranging a conductive member. A conductive member is arranged to contact the ground portion electrically grounded and the electric wire attached to the ground portion by a first attachment member and a second attachment member. The conductive member is arranged between the first attachment member and the second attachment member.
US09928932B2 Metal microparticles provided with projections
In response to the demand for shape-controlled metal microparticles accompanying rapid development and progress in industry in recent years, metal microparticles, which have projections on the surfaces of the particles that are integrated with the particles, are provided. The metal microparticles have integrated conical projections on the surfaces of the particles, and at least some of the projections are more than ¼ of the size of the particles. The protrusions that protrude from the metal microparticles melt and deform at a temperature lower than the melting point of the metal itself.
US09928931B2 Contact material
A process for producing a cadmium free electrical contact material having at least one metal and magnesium stannate Mg2SnO4. The process includes mixing pulverulent magnesium stannate Mg2SnO4 or a mamesium stannate precursor compound with at least one metal powder and optionally further oxides, pressing the mixture in order to obtain a compact and sintering the compact to obtain a sintered body.
US09928930B1 Laser illuminating system and method for selectively illuminating a zone of coverage
A laser illumination system including two or more lasers, each laser being configured to selectively project an associated laser beam having an associated wavelength, and a projection assembly positioned to receive and combine the laser beams and project an outgoing beam toward a selected bearing.
US09928929B2 Apparatus for generating focused electromagnetic radiation
An apparatus for generating electromagnetic radiation comprises a polarizable or magnetizable medium. A polarization or magnetisation current can be generated, in a controlled manner, whose distribution pattern has an accelerated motion, so that non-spherically decaying and intense spherically decaying components of electromagnetic radiation can be generated. The coordinated motion of aggregates of charged particles can give rise to extended electric charges and currents. The charged distribution patterns can propagate with a phase speed exceeding the speed of light in vacuo and that, once created, such propagating charged patterns act as sources of electromagnetic fields in precisely the same way as any other moving sources of these fields. That the distribution patterns of these sources travel faster than light is not, of course, in any way incompatible with the requirements of special relativity. The superluminally moving charged pattern is created by the coordinated motion of aggregates of subluminally moving particles.
US09928921B2 Non-volatile memory, semiconductor device and reading method
There is provided a non-volatile memory circuit including: plural storage element sections each including a zener zap device and a switch section that connects an anode of the zener zap device to an output terminal during data reading; and wherein cathodes of respective zener zap devices of the plural storage element sections are commonly connected so as to be connected to a power supply employed in the writing or to a power supply employed in the reading, wherein the output terminals of the plural storage element sections are commonly connected to an input terminal of a detector, an anode of each of the storage element sections being connected to a ground voltage during data writing, and wherein the switch section is switched ON during data reading so as to connect the anode of the storage element section through the output terminal to the input terminal of the detector.
US09928920B2 Memory controller, storage device, and read retry method
According to one embodiment, a temperature of a non-volatile memory or an ambient temperature of the non-volatile memory is acquired. A distribution of a threshold voltage, which is corrected according to the acquired temperature, is acquired from the non-volatile memory. Read voltages related to the reading of data are detected from the distribution. Error correction is performed for data read from the non-volatile memory, using the read voltages. The detected read voltages are separately corrected on the basis of the acquired temperature when the error correction has failed.
US09928918B2 Non-volatile semiconductor memory having multiple external power supplies
A memory device includes core memory such as flash memory for storing data. The memory device includes a first power input to receive a first voltage used to power the flash memory. Additionally, the memory device includes a second power input to receive a second voltage. The memory device includes power management circuitry configured to receive the second voltage and derive one or more internal voltages. The power management circuitry supplies or conveys the internal voltages to the flash memory. The different internal voltages generated by the power management circuitry (e.g., voltage converter circuit) and supplied to the core memory enable operations such as read/program/erase with respect to cells in the core memory.
US09928913B2 Semiconductor memory system including a plurality of semiconductor memory devices
A communication line is connected to first and second chips, and held at a first signal level. A monitor circuit changes a signal level of the communication line from the first signal to a second signal level while one of the first and second chips uses a current larger than a reference current. When the signal level of the communication line is the second signal level, the other of the first and second chips is controlled to a wait state that does not transfer to an operating state of using a current larger than the reference current.
US09928911B2 Method and apparatus for providing multi-page read and write using SRAM and nonvolatile memory devices
A memory device includes a static random-access memory (“SRAM”) circuit and a first nonvolatile memory (“NVM”) string, a second NVM string, a first and a second drain select gates (“DSGs”). The SRAM circuit is able to temporarily store information in response to bit line (“BL”) information which is coupled to at the input terminal of the SRAM circuit. The first NVM string having at least one nonvolatile memory cell is coupled to the output terminal of the SRAM. The first DSG is operable to control the timing for storing information at the output terminal of the SRAM to the first nonvolatile memory. The second NVM string having at least one nonvolatile memory cell is coupled to the output terminal of the SRAM. The second DSG controls the timing for storing information at the output terminal of the SRAM to the second nonvolatile memory string.
US09928908B2 Resistance-change memory operating with read pulses of opposite polarity
According to one embodiment, a resistance-change memory includes a memory cell and a control circuit. The memory cell comprises first and second electrodes, and a variable resistance layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The control circuit applies a voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode to perform writing, erasing, and reading. During the writing, the control circuit applies a first voltage pulse between the first electrode and the second electrode, and then applies a second voltage pulse different in polarity from the first voltage pulse after applying the first voltage pulse.
US09928906B2 Data-write device for resistance-change memory element
A data-write device includes a write driver that causes a current to flow through a current path including an MTJ element or the other current path including the MTJ element in accordance with writing data to be written, thereby writing the write data into the MTJ element, a write completion detector which monitors the voltage at a first connection node or a second connection node in accordance with the write data after the writing of the write data into the MTJ element starts, detects the completion of writing of the write data based on the voltage at either node, and supplies a write completion signal indicating the completion of data write, and a write controller that terminates the writing of the write data into the MTJ element in response to the write completion signal supplied from the write completion detector.
US09928905B2 Sensing device of nonvolatile resistive memory
An embodiment of the invention provides a sensing device. The sensing device includes a controller, a Resistive random memory sensor, an access circuit and a comparator circuit. The access circuit accesses the Resistive random memory sensor. The comparator circuit is coupled to the controller and the access circuit. The controller writes a predetermined data to the Resistive random memory sensor via the access circuit. After a predetermined condition, the access circuit reads a first data from the Resistive random memory sensor. The comparator circuit compares the first data with the predetermined data and transmits a comparison result to the controller. The controller determines whether an abnormal condition occurs based on the comparison result.
US09928904B2 Arrays of bit-cells
An example device in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure includes a plurality of bit-cells coupled as an array. A bit-cell includes a first switch element, a second switch element, and a memory element coupled at a node. The plurality of bit-cells are coupled as the array based on a first bit-cell's memory element being coupled to a second bit-cell's node.
US09928901B2 SRAM with first and second precharge circuits
A semiconductor storage device includes an SRAM memory cell composed of a drive transistor, a transfer transistor and a load transistor, an I/O circuit that is connected to bit lines connected to the memory cell, and an operating mode control circuit that switches an operating mode of the I/O circuit between a resume standby mode and a normal operation mode, wherein the I/O circuit includes a write driver that writes data to bit lines, a sense amplifier that reads data from the bit lines, a first switch inserted between the bit lines and the write driver, a second switch inserted between the bit lines and the sense amplifier, a precharge circuit that precharges the bit lines, and a control circuit that controls the first and second switches and the precharge circuit according to a signal from the operating mode control circuit.
US09928899B2 Flying and twisted bit line architecture for dual-port static random-access memory (DP SRAM)
A bit line architecture for dual-port static random-access memory (DP SRAM) is provided. An array of memory cells is arranged in rows and columns, and comprises a first subarray and a second subarray. A first pair of complementary bit lines (CBLs) extends along a column, from a first side of the array, and terminates between the first and second subarrays. A second pair of CBLs extends from the first side of the array, along the column, to a second side of the array. The CBLs of the second pair of CBLs have stepped profiles between the first and second subarrays. A third pair of CBLs and a fourth pair of CBLs extend along the column. The first and third pairs of CBLs electrically couple to memory cells in the first subarray, and the second and fourth pairs of CBLs electrically couple to memory cells in the second subarray.
US09928896B1 Refresh control device
A refresh control device may include a first oscillator configured to generate a first oscillation signal, a second oscillator configured to generate a second oscillation signal having a different cycle from the first oscillation signal, a first address controller configured to latch an address in response to the first oscillation signal, and output the latched address when a refresh signal is enabled. The refresh control device may also include a second address controller configured to latch the address in response to the second oscillation signal, and output the latched address when the refresh signal is enabled. Further included may be a selector configured to select any one of the output of the first address controller and the output of the second address controller in response to a select signal, and output the selected output as a row hammer address.
US09928894B2 Writing to cross-point non-volatile memory
Methods, systems, and devices for preventing disturb of untargeted memory cells during repeated access operations of target memory cells are described for a non-volatile memory array. Multiple memory cells may be in electronic communication with a common conductive line, and each memory cell may have an electrically non-linear selection component. Following an access operation (e.g., a read or write operation) of a target memory cell, untargeted memory cells may be discharged by applying a discharge voltage to the common conductive line. The discharge voltage may, for example, have a polarity opposite to the access voltage. In other examples, a delay may be instituted between access attempts in order to discharge the untargeted memory cells.
US09928892B2 Memory apparatuses having ground switches
A resistive memory apparatus includes a memory cell array having a plurality of memory cells and a first ground switch. The plurality of memory cells are arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, and each memory cell in a first column of the plurality of memory cells is connected between a first bitline and a first source line. The first ground switch is connected in parallel with the first source line, and the first ground switch is configured to selectively provide a first current path from the first bitline to ground through a selected memory cell in the first column of the plurality of memory cells and the first source line, the current path traversing only a portion of the first source line.
US09928890B2 System and method for calibrating memory using credit-based segmentation control
A system and method for calibrating memory using credit-based segmentation control is disclosed. A memory and a memory controller coupled thereto. The memory controller includes a calibration circuit configured to calibrate a data strobe signal conveyed to/from the memory. The calibration may be subdivided, in time, into a number of segments. The memory controller also includes a credit circuit configured to provide a condition code to the calibration circuit. The condition code may be indicative of an amount of time a request has been pending, or how many request are pending. If the condition code indicates that a request has been pending for more than a certain amount of time, the calibration may be terminated.
US09928887B2 Data shift by elements of a vector in memory
Examples of the present disclosure provide apparatuses and methods for performing shift operations in a memory. An example method comprises performing a shift operation a first element stored in a first group of memory cells coupled to a first access line and a number of sense lines of a memory array and a second element stored in a second group of memory cells coupled to a second access line and the number of sense lines of the memory array. The method can include shifting the first element by a number of bit positions defined by the second element by performing a number of AND operations, OR operations, SHIFT operations, and INVERT operations performed without transferring data via an input/output (I/O) line.
US09928886B2 Low power memory device
A memory device comprises a plurality of word lines elongated along a first direction, and at least one memory unit. The at least one memory unit comprises a plurality of memory cells arranged along a second direction different from the first direction; at least one bit line elongated along the second direction, and configured to transmit data of a selected memory cell; and at least one column word line elongated along the second direction; wherein the memory cell comprises a storage cell configured to store data and at least two access transistors; wherein a control terminal of one of the at least two access transistors of the memory cell is coupled to the at least one column word line, and a control terminal of another one of the at least two access transistors of the memory cell is coupled to the corresponding word line.
US09928884B1 Elastic memory expansion chip architecture
An integrated circuit (IC) can dynamically manage memory communication paths between multiple processors and multiple memory modules. The IC can include upstream logic that performs data conversion and provides memory communication paths between each processor and a corresponding upstream port. An interconnect layer in the IC can be electrically coupled to the upstream ports to multiple downstream ports. An interconnect management processor electrically coupled to the interconnect layer can respond to received commands by executing an allocation program stored in a read-only memory (ROM) that dynamically establishes and terminates memory communication paths between the upstream ports and the downstream ports. A memory interface layer in the IC can be electrically coupled to the downstream ports and to the memory modules, and can provide, through corresponding memory physical interfaces, memory communication paths between the multiple downstream ports and corresponding memory modules.
US09928883B2 TFD I/O partition for high-speed, high-density applications
A microelectronic package can include a substrate having first and second surfaces, first, second, and third microelectronic elements each having a surface facing the first surface, terminals exposed at the second surface, and leads electrically connected between contacts of each microelectronic element and the terminals. The substrate can have first, second, and third spaced-apart apertures having first, second, and third parallel axes extending in directions of the lengths of the apertures. The contacts of the first, second, and third microelectronic elements can be aligned with one of the first, second, or third apertures. The terminals can include first and second sets of first terminals configured to carry address information. The first set can be connected with the first and third microelectronic elements and not with the second microelectronic element, and the second set can be connected with the second microelectronic element and not with the first or third microelectronic elements.
US09928878B2 Techniques and apparatus for editing video
An apparatus may include a memory to store a recorded video. The apparatus may further include an interface to receive at least one set of sensor information based on sensor data that is recorded concurrently with the recorded video and a video clip creation module to identify a sensor event from the at least one set of sensor information and to generate a video clip based upon the sensor event, the video clip comprising video content from the recorded video that is synchronized to the sensor event.
US09928877B2 Method and system for automatic generation of an animated message from one or more images
A method and a system for automatically generating a video clip from one or more still images are provided herein. The method includes: obtaining one or more images containing at least one object over a background; detecting at least one object in the one or more images; deriving one or more relationships between at least two of: the background, the at least one object, or a portion thereof; determining, based on the derived one or more relationships, a spatio-temporal arrangement of at least two of: at least one portion of said one or more images, the at least one detected object, or a portion thereof; and producing a clip based on the determined spatio-temporal arrangement. The system may implement the method over a smartphone platform.
US09928869B2 Methods for retrievable information storage using nucleic acids
A method of storing information using monomers such as nucleotides is provided including converting a format of information into a plurality of bit sequences of a bit stream with each having a corresponding bit barcode, converting the plurality of bit sequences to a plurality of corresponding oligonucleotide sequences using one bit per base encoding, synthesizing the plurality of corresponding oligonucleotide sequences on a substrate having a plurality of reaction locations, and storing the synthesized plurality of corresponding oligonucleotide sequences.
US09928866B2 Method for manufacturing magnetic recording medium
A method for manufacturing a magnetic recording medium includes reducing and eliminating impurity gas present in a chamber. A magnetic recording layer is formed and an active material layer is also formed immediately below or immediately above the magnetic recording layer in respective chambers. The active material layer is formed in the same chamber or with a gate opened between the magnetic recording layer chamber and the active material layer chamber.
US09928862B1 Loop shaping methods and devices for disturbance observer in servo control systems
An apparatus includes voice coil motor (VCM) control circuitry and microactuator control circuitry. The VCM control circuitry includes a VCM disturbance observer configured to generate a VCM disturbance compensation signal. The microactuator control circuitry includes a microactuator disturbance observer configured to generate a microactuator disturbance compensation signal. The VCM disturbance observer and the microactuator disturbance observer are decoupled from each other.
US09928861B1 Determining bit aspect ratios for multiple, independent, actuator storage device
Performance data of two or more actuators of a storage device is determined. The actuators independently move respective two or more heads over one or more disks coupled to a spindle motor. The independent movement of the two or more heads causes coupling therebetween that affects tracking of the two or more heads. Based on the performance data, bit aspect ratios associated with each of the two or more heads are selected that minimize performance impacts due to the coupling.
US09928860B2 Method of producing a multi-layer magnetoelectronic device and magnetoelectronic device
A method of producing a multilayer magnetoelectronic device and a related device. The method includes depositing a multilayer structure including at least two ferromagnetic layers disposed one on top of the other and each having a magnetic anisotropy with a corresponding magnetic moment. A magnetization curve is specified for the magnetoelectronic device. The number of ferromagnetic layers and, for each of the ferromagnetic layers, the magnetic moment and the magnetic hardness for obtaining the specified magnetization curve are determined. For each of the ferromagnetic layers a magnetic material, a thickness, an azimuthal angle and an angle of incidence are determined for obtaining the determined magnetic moment and magnetic hardness of the respective ferromagnetic layer. The multilayer structure is deposited using the determined material, thickness, azimuthal angle and angle of incidence for each of the ferromagnetic layers.
US09928858B1 Measurement of a reversed side shield magnetization condition
A method that includes supplying a predetermined signal to a write head having side shields. The method also includes performing, by the write head, a recording operation on a surface of a data storage medium, when the predetermined signal is supplied to the write head, to provide a recorded magnetization pattern. The method further includes carrying out measurements on a portion of the recorded magnetization pattern influenced by a magnetization of the side shields. The measurements are employed to determine whether a reversed side shield magnetization condition is present in the write head.
US09928857B2 Method of making a bottom shield stabilized magnetic seed layer
A data reader generally capable of sensing data bits may be configured at least with a magnetic stack that has free and fixed magnetization structures atop a magnetic seed layer. A bottom shield may be positioned contactingly adjacent the magnetic stack opposite a top shield with the bottom shield having a fixed pinning magnetization set to a predetermined magnetic orientation.
US09928853B2 Reliable data reading with data set screening by error injection
According to one embodiment, a system for processing data includes a controller configured to determine whether a position error signal (PES) is invalid while reading data from a magnetic medium using at least one data channel. The controller is also configured to determine whether a PES value is above a first predetermined threshold in response to a determination that the PES is valid. Moreover, the controller is configured to inject error bits into a data stream in place of corresponding bits of decoded data in response to a determination that the PES is invalid and in response to a determination that the PES value is above the first predetermined threshold. Other systems and methods for processing data are described in accordance with more embodiments.
US09928851B2 Voice verifying system and voice verifying method which can determine if voice signal is valid or not
A voice verifying system, which comprises: a microphone, which is always turned on to output at least one input audio signal; a speech determining device, for determining if the input audio signal is valid or not according to a reference value, wherein the speech determining device passes the input audio signal if the input audio signal is valid; and a verifying module, for verifying a speech signal generated from the input audio signal and for outputting a device activating signal to activate a target device if the speech signal matches a predetermined rule; and a reference value generating device, for generating the reference value according to speech signal information from the verifying module.
US09928850B2 Linear predictive analysis apparatus, method, program and recording medium
An autocorrelation calculating part calculates autocorrelation Ro(i) from an input signal. A predictive coefficient calculating part performs linear predictive analysis using modified autocorrelation R′o(i) obtained by multiplying the autocorrelation Ro(i) by a coefficient wo(i). Here, it is assumed that a case where, for at least part of each order i, the coefficient wo(i) corresponding to each order i monotonically increases as a value having negative correlation with a fundamental frequency of an input signal in a current frame or a past frame increases and a case where the coefficient wo(i) monotonically decreases as a value having positive correlation with a pitch gain in a current frame or a past frame increases, are included.
US09928849B2 Method and device for slowing a digital audio signal
A method for slowing a digital audio signal from the transmitter in order to transmit a slowed-down digital audio signal to a receiver, comprises the conversion of the digital audio signal received from a transmitter into a text made up of a series of words, assigning a timestamp bookmark to each word of the text, identifying words that belong to patterns referenced in a database of patterns to be eliminated, the definition of a rate of slowing, the adaptation of timestamped bookmarks to a slowed-down time frame based on the time of slowing, the slowing of the digital audio signal, the deletion of patterns to be eliminated, and the transmission to the receiver of a slowed-down digital audio signal.
US09928845B2 Audio decoder, apparatus for generating encoded audio output data and methods permitting initializing a decoder
An audio decoder decodes a bit stream of encoded audio data, which bit stream represents a sequence of audio sample values and includes a plurality of frames, wherein each frame includes associated encoded audio sample values. The audio decoder includes a determiner configured to determine whether a frame of the encoded audio data is a special frame including encoded audio sample values associated with the special frame and additional information, wherein the additional information include encoded audio sample values of a number of frames preceding the special frame, wherein the encoded audio sample values of the preceding frames are encoded using the same codec configuration as the special frame, wherein the number of preceding frames is sufficient to initialize the decoder to be in a position to decode the audio sample values associated with the special frame if the special frame is the first frame upon start-up of the decoder.
US09928838B2 Clock switching in always-on component
In an embodiment, a system on a chip (SOC) may include one or more central processing units (CPUs), a memory controller, and a circuit configured to remain powered on when the rest of the SOC is powered down. The circuit may be configured to receive audio samples and match those audio samples against a predetermined pattern. The circuit may operate according to a first clock during the time that the rest of the SOC is powered down. In response to detecting the predetermined pattern in the samples, the circuit may cause the memory controller and processors to power up. During the power up process, a second clock having one or more better characteristics than the first clock may become available. The circuit may switch to the second clock while preserving the samples, or losing at most one sample, or no more than a threshold number of samples.
US09928837B2 Mobile terminal and controlling method thereof
A mobile terminal can include a display; a proximity sensor to sense proximity of an object; an audio output unit; a microphone unit; and a controller to: in response to sensing the proximity of the object through the proximity sensor, activate the microphone and activate a voice recognition function, and in response to receiving a first voice signal for requesting first event information through the microphone, execute a first function of an application corresponding to first text converted from the first voice signal, and output audio data based on an execution of the first function.
US09928835B1 Systems and methods for determining content preferences based on vocal utterances and/or movement by a user
This disclosure relates to systems and methods for determining when a user likes a piece of content based, at least in part, on analyzing user responses to the content. In one embodiment, the user's response may be monitored by audio and motion detection devices to determine when the user's vocals or movements are emulating the content. When the user's emulation exceeds a threshold amount the content may be designated as “liked.” In certain instances, a similar piece of content may be selected to play when the current content is finished.
US09928832B2 Method and apparatus for classifying lexical stress
A method for classifying lexical stress in an utterance includes generating a feature vector representing stress characteristics of a syllable occurring in the utterance, wherein the feature vector includes a plurality of features based on prosodic information and spectral information, computing a plurality of scores, wherein each of the plurality of scores is related to a probability of a given class of lexical stress, and classifying the lexical stress of the syllable based on the plurality of scores.
US09928831B2 Speech data recognition method, apparatus, and server for distinguishing regional accent
A speech data recognition method, apparatus, and server are for distinguishing regional accent. The speech data recognition method includes: calculating a speech recognition confidence and/or a signal-to-noise ratio of the speech data, and screening a regional speech data from the speech data based on the speech recognition confidence and/or the signal-to-noise ratio of the speech dat; and determining a region to which the regional speech data belongs based on a regional attribute of the regional speech data. The regional speech data are automatically recognized from the mass speech data by calculating the speech recognition confidence, the signal-to-noise ratio of the speech data or the combination thereof, thereby avoiding manual labeling of the speech data and enhancing the efficiency of the speech data processing.
US09928826B2 Music compensation for active noise control systems
A vehicle includes a music signal processing system having a loudspeaker disposed within a passenger compartment of the vehicle and emitting audible music into the passenger compartment. A microphone is disposed within the passenger compartment and converts the audible music and noise within the passenger compartment into an analog electrical microphone signal. An analog-to-digital converter is connected to an output of the microphone and receives the analog electrical microphone signal and converts the analog electrical microphone signal into a digital electrical microphone signal. A sample rate down converter is connected to an output of the analog-to-digital converter. A narrow band adaptive noise control is connected to an output of the sample rate down converter and receives an engine speed signal. A sample rate up converter is connected to an output of the narrow band adaptive noise control. An adder device adds an output of the sample rate up converter to a music signal. A digital-to-analog converter is connected to an output of the adder device. An amplifier has an input connected to an output of the digital-to-analog converter. An output of the amplifier is connected to an input of the loudspeaker.
US09928823B2 Adaptive transducer calibration for fixed feedforward noise attenuation systems
A method is provided for attenuating road noise in a vehicle cabin. The method includes filtering a noise signal representative of road noise with a first fixed filter to provide an attenuation signal, and filtering the attenuation signal with an adaptive filter to provide a first filtered attenuation signal. The first filtered attenuation signal is provided to an electro-acoustic transducer for transduction to acoustic energy, thereby to attenuate the road noise in a vehicle cabin at an expected position of an occupant's ears. The method also includes receiving a microphone signal representative of the acoustic energy, filtering the attenuation signal with a second fixed filter to provide a second filtered attenuation signal, and updating a set of variable filter coefficients of the adaptive filter based on the microphone signal and the second filtered attenuation signal to accommodate for variations in a transfer function of the speaker.
US09928805B2 Video output checker
A video output checker (23) is described. The video output checker is configured to receive incoming video data (20) for rendering an image on a display (17). The video data comprises pixel data which comprise, for each pixel (42), a set of color component values (57, 57 2, 57 3) for a given color model. The video output checker can be configured to compare each color component for a pixel in a selected area (24) of the image with a corresponding test range of values (5 1L, 5 1U, 5 2L, 5 2U, 5 3L, 5 3U) and, if a component value falls outside the range, to measure a deviation. The video 10 output checker can be configured to sum deviations for the selected area to provide an error value (58) for the selected area, and to compare the error value against a threshold number (59). Additionally or alternatively, the video output checker can be configured to determine whether each color component for a pixel in a selected area (24) of the image falls within a corresponding test range of values (5 1L, 5 1U, 5 2L, 5 2U, 1 5 3L, 5 3U) so as to determine whether the pixel is valid or invalid and to count the number (58) of valid or invalid pixels in the selected area. The video output checker is configured to compare the number of valid or invalid pixels against a threshold number (59).
US09928802B2 Display apparatus for displaying additional information on transparent display region
A display apparatus is provided. The display apparatus includes: a display panel unit which comprises a first panel region corresponding to an opaque display region, and a second panel region corresponding to a transparent display region, a panel driving unit which drives the first panel region and the second panel region independently, and a controller which controls to display a main image on the opaque display region and display an additional image on the transparent display region.
US09928798B2 Method and device for controlling voltage of electrode
A voltage control method and device for electrodes, wherein the method includes inputting a varying voltage signal to common electrodes on an array substrate. The solution of the present application may avoid the problem of greenish picture of products due to influence of data line voltage on common electrodes.
US09928796B2 Display device and display method
A scanning signal is precisely output to a scanning signal line corresponding to a row range even in a case where a plurality of scanning signals (including a precharge signal) are output at the same time. A display control circuit of the display device sets row selection enable signals at H level so that main charging periods are set in a range from an ith row to an mth row, which corresponds to a moving image region, and precharging periods corresponding to the main charging periods are also set. Accordingly, a precise scanning signal in which a precharging period having a necessary length is set and no unnecessary precharging period is set at all is output to each of scanning signal lines connected to a scanning signal line driving circuit, so that deterioration of display quality is prevented.
US09928794B2 Shift register and display apparatus
A shift register according to the present invention is a shift register in which a plurality of unit circuits are connected in cascade, wherein the unit circuit includes a first output transistor whose current path is connected between an output terminal and a clock terminal to which a first clock signal is provided; a second output transistor whose current path is connected between the output terminal and a predetermined potential node; a setting device which, when a control signal is active, sets a signal level of the output terminal to a predetermined signal level; a first output control device which provides a signal level of the control signal to a control electrode of the first output transistor to turn off the first output transistor when the control signal is active; and a second output control device which turns off the second output transistor when the control signal is active.
US09928793B2 Scanning driving circuit
The present invention provides a scanning driving circuit for executing a driving operation to cascaded scanning lines, the scanning driving circuit includes a pull-down control module, a pull-down module, a reset module, a down link module, a first bootstrap capacitor, a constant low voltage level source, and a constant high voltage level source; wherein a cascading manner of the clock signal is determined according to a scanning order of the scanning driving circuit, for the reset module to pull up the corresponding scanning signal of the scanning line. The structure of the scanning driving circuit of the present invention is simple and highly dependable.
US09928789B2 Display having fixed frame-rate up conversion followed by variable frame-rate down conversion, wherein frame decimation is carried out according to frame ID number
A display includes: a frame-rate conversion section being configured to be capable of changing a frame-rate conversion ratio having a value of 1 or more, the frame-rate conversion section converting a frame rate of an image signal at the frame-rate conversion ratio being set; and a display section displaying an image having undergone frame rate conversion.
US09928784B2 Display apparatus, gradation correction map generating device, gradation correction map generating method, and program
A gradation correction map generating unit generates a gradation correction map based on a brightness unevenness map, a rotation unevenness map, and a second gamma characteristic. The brightness unevenness map indicates a correspondence relation between a plurality of positions in a screen of a display unit, and uncorrected brightness values, the uncorrected brightness values being brightness values at time of performing no correction when the display unit is installed at a predetermined angle. The rotation unevenness map indicates a correspondence relation between the plurality of positions or other plurality of positions, and differences in brightness values corresponding to a rotation angle of the display unit. The second gamma characteristic indicates a correspondence relation between a brightness value at a specific position in the screen, and a gradation of an image signal.
US09928780B2 AMOLED driving device
The present invention proposes an AMOLED driving device. The AMOLED device includes an AMOLED driving circuit, a scan driving signal source, a data driving signal source, and a data driving signal source control module. The AMOLED driving circuit includes a first semiconductor controllable switch, a second semiconductor controllable switch, an energy storage capacitor, and an organic light emitting diode.
US09928775B2 El display device and method of controlling the same
An EL (Electro Luminescence) display device controlling luminosity by a current value supplied to a light emitting element. The EL display device includes a power source supplying a current to the light emitting element and includes a first variable power source and a second variable power source outputting a lower potential than the first variable power source, and a control part changing an output potential of the first variable power source and an output potential of the second variable power source according to acquired maximum luminosity data. Furthermore, the EL display device includes a gate signal output part and a data signal output part, and the control part may change a power source potential of the gate signal output part or a power source potential of the data signal output part according to the maximum luminosity data.
US09928773B2 Degradation compensation apparatus, display device including the degradation compensation apparatus, and degradation compensation method
A degradation compensation apparatus including: a calculator provided with gray data regarding a plurality of consecutive frames, the calculator calculating and outputting a frame degradation amount of a current frame, which indicates a degree of degradation of the current frame; a memory accumulating and storing the frame degradation amount of the current frame and outputting a cumulative degradation amount, which is an accumulated degree of degradation of frames up to the current frame; and a data corrector correcting the gray data for a subsequent frame based on the cumulative degradation amount. Each of the plurality of consecutive frames includes first and second blocks each having a plurality of pixels, and the frame degradation amount is calculated based on one of the pixels included in the first block and one of the pixels included in the second block.
US09928765B1 TFT array substrate, display panel and display device
A TFT array substrate is disclosed. The substrate includes a plurality of gate lines, and a first gate drive circuit, where the first gate drive circuit includes m levels of first repeat units. Each level of first repeat unit includes a first shift register. The substrate also includes a second gate drive circuit, where the second gate drive circuit includes n levels of second repeat units. Each level of second repeat unit includes a second shift register. The substrate also includes a first start signal line and a first start transistor, where a drain of the first start transistor is electrically connected with the first start signal line. The substrate also includes a second start transistor, where a drain of the second start transistor is electrically connected with the first start signal line.
US09928763B2 Guide display device and guide system
A guide display device which is installed in a predetermined direction includes: a first screen which is parallel to the predetermined direction; a first light source which illuminates the first screen; a cover which is provided above the first screen in the predetermined direction and projects in a direction crossing the first screen to block light from above the guide display device and cast a shadow upon an area of the guide display device; a second light source which illuminates the area on which the shadow is cast; and a controller which causes at least the second light source to perform optical communication.
US09928762B2 Electronic devices with flexible circuit light shields
Electronic devices may include displays. A display may include backlight structures that generate light and display layers that generate images using the generated light. An electronic device may include an opaque flexible printed circuit that is wrapped around one or more edges of the backlight structures. The opaque flexible printed circuit may prevent light from the backlight structures from reaching other electronic components or escaping from the device. The opaque flexible printed circuit may include signal lines that communicate signals between a printed circuit board and the display. The opaque flexible printed circuit may be a layer of the printed circuit board that extends from an edge of the printed circuit board. The printed circuit board may include an additional flexible extended printed circuit layer that wraps around a surface of the printed circuit board and forms a portion of a conductive shield over that surface.
US09928754B2 Systems and methods for generating recitation items
Computer-implemented systems and methods are provided for automatically generating recitation items. For example, a computer performing the recitation item generation can receive one or more text sets that each includes one or more texts. The computer can determine a value for each text set using one or more metrics, such as a vocabulary difficulty metric, a syntactic complexity metric, a phoneme distribution metric, a phonetic difficulty metric, and a prosody distribution metric. Then the computer can select a final text set based on the value associated with each text set. The selected final text set can be used as the recitation items for a speaking assessment test.
US09928753B2 Dynamic characterization of nodes in a semantic network for desired functions such as search, discovery, matching, content delivery, and synchronization of activity and information
A system of computers on a wide area network that establishes connections between nodes on the basis of their multidimensional similarity at a particular point in time in a certain setting, such as a social learning network, and that sends relevant information to the nodes is provided. Dimensions in the definition of similarity include a plurality of attributes in time and community space. Examples of such dimensions and attributes may include a position in a learning community's project cycle, titles of readings and projects, the genre or subject matter under consideration, age, grade, or skill level of the participants, and language. Each of the network's nodes is represented as a vector of attributes and is searched efficiently and adaptively through a variety of multidimensional data structures and mechanisms. The system includes synchronization that can transform a participant's time attributes on the network and coordinate the activities and information for each participant.
US09928744B1 System and method of use for managing safety incident and accident first response
The invention disclosed comprises a system for managing first response to an accident, incident or event. The system uses GPS, inter-vehicle wireless communications, and cellular radio communications to direct response team vehicles to the location of an accident, incident or event; and to convey response vehicle avoidance and detouring messages to non-response vehicles and pedestrians within a geo-fence area established by the system.
US09928738B2 Red light warning system based on predictive traffic signal state data
Methods and systems are disclosed for generating a timely and reliable warning message before a traffic control signal changes to a red light state. A preferred process leverages traffic signal state data, state change predictions, and signal timing plans. The warning message may be distributed for various uses by downstream users and applications.
US09928737B2 Mobile number plate recognition and speed detection system
The invention which is mobile number plate recognition and speed detection apparatus (1) placed on the vehicles, i.e., police vehicle, with the aim of security, characterized in comprising camera (1.3) which is placed at two sides of the base—front right and front left—and enables the apparatus to capture image; LED lightings (1.4) which are disposed around the cameras (1.3) and face the direction of vision and provide capturing recognizable image at nights; police lights (1.5) which are placed to the front and rear surfaces of said base (1.2) and flash when necessary; alarm control device (1.8) adjusting the alarm; Ethernet connection (1.9) constituting the network; cooling device (1.10) eliminating the heat inside the apparatus; control card (1.11) controlling the police lights; 3G modem (1.12) providing wireless connection constantly; and upper cover (1.1) covering the entire apparatus by surrounding it.
US09928735B2 Systems and methods for traffic violation avoidance
The various embodiments herein provide a system for mapping and storing traffic violation citations and alerting a user of traffic violations. The system comprises a location identifier, an accelerometer, a unified database, a data processing module, a forum module, and a display apparatus. The unified database comprises traffic related data for commercial and non-commercial vehicles. The unified database is synchronized with the location identifier about commercial or non-commercial vehicle based on a type of vehicle and vehicle plate. The unified database contains historical and real-time traffic violation citations and other traffic related information resides in a central server. The data processing module is connected to the location identifier and the unified database through a communication medium. The data processing module is further connected to the accelerometer. The display apparatus is connected to the data processing module.
US09928734B2 Vehicle-to-pedestrian communication systems
Vehicle-to-pedestrian information systems that use directional sound transmission on autonomous vehicles are disclosed. A cloud computing system manages messages for transmission to pedestrians via autonomous vehicles having directional speakers. The cloud computing system identifies pedestrians and identifies messages for the pedestrians. Pedestrians may be known and authenticated to the cloud computing system or may be unknown. The cloud computing system maintains profiles for known pedestrians and transmits messages to vehicles based on the profiles. The cloud computing system keeps track of the location of vehicles and causes the vehicles to use directional speakers to transmit messages to the pedestrians based on the relative positions of the vehicles and the pedestrians.
US09928732B2 Optical fiber-based remote gas leakage monitoring
An analyzer operable with an optical network is responsive to a probe signal reflected by a sensor in the network to convey information about targeted matter in air in the sensor. Multiple sensors at different locations in the network can be associated with respective selective optical wavelength filtering thereby enabling the analyzer to associated respective ones of the sensors.
US09928731B2 Systems, methods, and computer readable storage devices for controlling an appearance of a surface using sound waves
A controller controls an ultrasonic source to cause the ultrasonic source to emit one or more sound pulses in a direction of a surface in order to obtain reflected sound pulses that are used to determine one or more properties of the surface, receive control signals from the controller, based on the one or more properties of the surface that are determined, and emit ultrasonic sound waves in the direction of the surface based upon the control signals. The ultrasonic sound waves exert a force which causes visible particles within a region proximate the surface to move to achieve a desired appearance with respect to the surface.
US09928724B2 Flow characteristic detection and automatic flow shutoff
The present disclosure relates generally to a flow detection system. The system may include a flow detection hub fluidly connected to a fluid supply pipe including a flow sensor that detects a flow rate of fluid flowing through the fluid supply pipe and a processing element in communication with the flow sensor and a user device. The processing element performs the following operations: determining a first delta based on a first flow rate data from the flow sensor; determining a second delta based on a second flow rate data from the flow sensor; correlating the first delta and the second delta to a first event; and transmitting a message to a user device corresponding to the first event.
US09928720B2 Gas leak detection and location determination
A method of gas detection includes receiving, by a data collection device, reports of detected concentrations of a particular gas from one or more gas sensing devices having one or more associated gas sensors, receiving an alarm from a gas sensing device indicating a detected concentration greater than a predetermined threshold, and receiving concentration updates from the alarming device at a rate faster than that provided by its predetermined reporting schedule. The method may further include sending a command to one or more gas sensing devices nearby the alarming device to send concentration updates. The method may further include determining a location of a gas leak by triangulating the received updates from the alarming device and the nearby devices based on their locations and/or creating and displaying a gas concentration map based on the received updates from the alarming device and the nearby devices and their locations.
US09928718B2 Rescue time tracker
This document relates to systems and techniques for providing response to emergency situations, such as traffic accidents, cardiac arrest, or other medical emergencies.
US09928717B2 Human body tumbling detection method and device and mobile terminal system
A human body tumbling detection method and device and a mobile terminal system are disclosed. The method may include: when detecting that resultant acceleration of a human body is less than a low acceleration threshold a0, capturing a resultant acceleration sequence I0 within fixed time; in a two-dimensional coordinate system using resultant acceleration and time as coordinate axes and a0 as a reference line, calculating a curve area above the reference line and a curve area below the reference line that are enclosed by curves in I0 coordinates and the reference line; and when a difference between the curve area above the reference line and the curve area below the reference line is less than a curve area threshold ΔS, and time occupied by resultant acceleration below the reference line is greater than a low acceleration time threshold ΔT, determining that the human body tumbles.
US09928716B2 System of monitoring a person in a living space
A system for monitoring a lifestyle of a person in a living space includes sensors for detecting a presence of the person and/or an activity of the person, and a processor controlled system, coupled to the sensors for deriving events caused by the person and times when the events occur, for detecting event free periods of first lengths in which no events of a predetermined group occur, and for deriving, an estimate of in-bed time on the basis of the event free period of at least the first length detected in a first observation period beginning before a usual in-bed time, and for determining an estimate of the out-bed time on the basis of the events, and event free periods of at least a second length, detected in a second observation period ending after an usual out-bed time.
US09928713B2 Locks for wearable electronic bands
Provided is an electronic lock for wearable electronics, the electronic lock including: a button assembly; a spring assembly coupled to the button assembly, the spring assembly comprising: two bent arms configured to compress under a force applied to the button assembly; and an aperture configured to receive a stopping element when the locking mechanism is in a locked position; an actuator configured to electronically control movement of the stopping element in and out of the aperture; and a control circuit comprising: a tangible non-transitory machine readable media storing instructions that when executed by one or more processors of the control unit effectuate operations comprising: receiving a request to unlock the locking mechanism; sending a request for authentication; receiving authentication information; and controlling the actuator to move the stopping element from the locked position.
US09928705B2 Threat detection system
A system for detecting a structural change to a structure is provided, wherein an exciter is positioned at a first location of the structure to transmit an excitation signal that is based on a reference signal and to apply the excitation signal to the structure. An accelerometer is positioned at a second location of the structure to sense the excitation signal after it has propagated to the second location. The accelerometer outputs an electrical signal that represents seismic activity applied to the structure by the excitation signal. A signal processing component is synchronized with the reference signal and receives the electrical signal. The signal processing component is configured to use the reference signal to extract portions of the electrical signal that are synchronized with the reference signal, and to output phase and amplitude values of the extracted portion. A computer is operatively connected to the signal processing component to compare the output phase and amplitude values to structural damage signals indicative of structural damages stored in a database for determining whether the signal is indicative of a change in the structure.
US09928702B2 First response locator system
A first response locator system includes at least one emergency locator unit having a main body and a lighting unit for generating light in a plurality of different colors. Indicia is disposed along the main body, and a speaker for generating an audible sound is positioned along the main body. An internal controller controls the operation of the speaker and the lighting unit. A remote operation device communicates with the internal controller and includes a plurality of buttons for selectively activating one or both of the lighting unit and the speaker.
US09928701B2 Method and system for providing haptic effects based on information complementary to multimedia content
The present disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods for providing haptic effects based on information complementary to multimedia content. For example, one disclosed method includes the steps of receiving multimedia data comprising multimedia content and complementary data, wherein the complementary data describes the multimedia content, determining a haptic effect based at least in part on the complementary data, and outputting the haptic effect while playing the multimedia content.
US09928698B2 Illuminating containers in an inventory system
An inventory system employs self-illuminating inventory management containers. A self-illuminating container can include a container body, an illumination element, and a signal receiver for receiving instructions to illuminate the container. The self-illuminating inventory management containers can be illuminated to assist in locating the containers in the system broadly, or locally, and to assist in inventory processing operations.
US09928697B2 Configuring point-of-sale (POS) applications based on a priority level in order to communicate with peripheral devices in a POS system
A Point-of-Sale (POS) terminal in a retail environment is communicatively connected to one or more POS peripheral devices. Each POS peripheral device is associated with a configuration file that defines configuration settings for the POS peripheral device and environmental context information for the POS terminal and the POS controller. The configuration files are prioritized according to various criteria, and used to re-configure POS applications executing on the POS to operate optimally with the particular POS peripheral device. Additionally, the prioritized configuration files control the POS applications to update the configuration information.
US09928695B2 Register system that tracks a position of a customer for checkout
A register system includes an image capturing device set to capture images of a checkout space of a retailer, a first register disposed in the checkout space, and configured to scan product codes of products and generate checkout information based on the scanned product codes, a second register in communication with the first register, disposed in the checkout space separately from the first register, and configured to carry out payment processing, and a server in communication with the first and second registers. The server is configured to process the images captured by the image capturing device to transmit the checkout information collected by the first register to the second register upon detecting movement of a person in the images from the first register to the second register.
US09928692B2 Gaming system and method for providing a community bonus event
A gaming system and method including providing a community or group bonus event to a plurality of players at a plurality of gaming devices. For each of the players determined as eligible to participate in a triggered group bonus event, the gaming system determines that player's relative probability of winning a group bonus event award in the triggered bonus event. In one such embodiment, each player's relative probability of winning the group bonus event award is based on that player's wagering history, such as any amounts wagered by that player, the frequency of placing such wagers and/or frequency of not placing any wagers.
US09928688B1 System and method for providing a currency multiplier item in an online game with a value based on a user's assets
A system and method for providing currency multiplier items to one or more users of an online game is described. A user of an online game may obtain a currency multiplier item by purchase, by award, responsive to one or more actions taken in the online game, and/or by other methods. Use of the currency multiplier item may enable the user to adjust the amount of virtual currency in the inventory in the user's user account, wherein the adjustment to the amount of currency is not provided to the first user prior to use of the currency multiplier item.
US09928685B2 System and method wherein game players are provided electronic maps to communication-enabled locations to perform game activities at the locations
A system and method are provided for enabling performance by players of game-related activities at authorized physical locations, such as retail establishments. A plurality of physical locations are designated as authorized communication-enabled locations and are configured with a transmitter device that broadcasts a unique ID signal or a receiver that receives the unique ID signal. The identity and location of the communication-enabled locations are published to the players via an electronic map on a website accessible by the players. The electronic map also informs the players of game-related functions that are able to be performed by the players at the respective communication-enabled locations.
US09928683B2 System and method for game players to achieve multiple status levels in a game account from visits to authorized locations
A system and method are provided for game players to accumulate points in their personal game account and achieve different hierarchy status levels. Authorized communication-enabled locations are configured with a transmitter device that broadcasts an ID signal unique to the location or a receiver that receives an ID signal unique to a particular player. The players are provided with capability to receive the unique ID signals emitted by the transmitter devices, or to broadcast the ID signal unique to the player for receipt by the receiver in the locations. Point values are assigned to different game-related activities performed by the players at the locations. A game server automatically identifies the player and the particular location upon receipt of a transmission of one of the unique ID signals and automatically credits the player's account with the points assigned to the activities.
US09928681B2 Anonymous player tracking with mobile devices
A monitoring system for monitoring customer activities within a casino enterprise can be used to determine a current utilization of casino activities so that the casino can offer an optimal mixture of activities. Further, the system can identify customers (whose loyalty a casino enterprise may wish to cultivate) based on their utilization of the activities. The monitoring system can passively track portable wireless devices and associate the portable wireless devices with activities within the casino enterprise that are not attributable to customers registered in a loyalty program. The person controlling a particular portable device can be unknown. A virtual customer account can be created where the first portable device is used to identify a virtual customer associated with the account. Based upon identification of the first portable device, activities can be associated with the virtual customer and store to the virtual customer account.
US09928674B2 Operating electronic lock automatically based on user profile
Examples of techniques for automatically operating an electronic lock based on a user profile of a user are disclosed. In one example implementation according to aspects of the present disclosure, a computer-implemented method may include receiving an indication of the user changing a state of the electronic lock. The method may further include storing information associated with the user changing the state of the electronic lock. The method may further include generating, by a processor, the user profile based on the information associated with the user changing the state of the electronic lock. The method may further include determining, by the processor, that the state of the electronic lock should be changed based on the user profile. The method may further include automatically changing the state of the electronic lock when it is determined to change the state of the electronic lock based on the user profile.
US09928672B2 System and method of monitoring and controlling appliances and powered devices using radio-enabled proximity sensing
A system and method of monitoring and controlling powered gas or electric appliances or devices using proximity awareness and providing optional watchdog safety shutoff capabilities including an inline or remote monitor and control system, radio awareness of compatible components such as Bluetooth smartphones and dongles, and optional Internet connectivity for remote monitoring, control, and usage data accumulation.
US09928669B2 System and method for providing optimal state indication of a vehicle
A system for providing optimal state indication of a vehicle, which comprises a communication adapter adapted for wirelessly transmitting the on-board diagnostics (OBD) interface of the vehicle to a local computer system including Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC), ECU identifications, and data readings from one or more sensors of the vehicle; a local computer system (e.g., tablet, PC, smartphone) provided with dedicated software adapted for collecting vehicle data readings and which is capable of automatically identifying the vehicle upon communicating with the OBD of the vehicle via the communication adapter; a server adapted to receive the collected vehicle data from the local computer system, classifying the vehicles into groups according to mileage range, age of vehicle, model, etc. and processing the collected vehicle data for detecting deviations of data that exceeds the allowed range, with respect to each individual sensor of the vehicle, by identifying previous events relevant for the data within the same classified group and compare them with the collected vehicle data and report the processing results to the local computer system or to other local computer systems for sharing the results with other persons/experts.
US09928666B2 Virtual three-dimensional model generation based on virtual hexahedron models
Disclosed embodiments include a method (system and non-transitory computer storage readable medium) for generating 3-dimensional model data of a virtual 3-dimensional model based on a plurality of 2-dimensional cross-sectional images of a 3-dimensional object. The 3-dimensional model of the 3-dimensional object is generated based on a plurality of virtual hexahedron models. The plurality of hexahedron models are generated based on respective pixels in the 2-dimensional cross-sectional images of the object. By generating the 3-dimensional model of the object including the plurality of hexahedron models, objects within another object can be accurately represented. In addition, the 3-dimensional model is guaranteed to have a closed shape, hence 3-dimensional printing of the 3-dimensional model can be performed successfully.
US09928662B2 System and method for temporal manipulation in virtual environments
A system includes a first and a second hand tracking device, the first and second hand tracking devices being configured to provide position information associated with hands of a user; hardware processors; a memory; and a temporal manipulation module. The temporal manipulation module is configured to perform operations including recording changes made in a virtual reality (VR) environment involving the user, thereby creating a recorded content, detecting a first revolution gesture performed by the user with the first and second hand tracking devices, the first revolution gesture including the first and second hand tracking devices revolving in a circular motion about a common axis, stopping the recording based on detecting the first revolution gesture, rewinding through the recorded content based on the first revolution gesture and, during the rewinding, displaying the recorded content in the VR environment, the displaying including altering the VR environment based on the recorded content.
US09928658B2 Overlay for camera field of vision
One or more computer processors generate an augmented reality overlay for camera field of vision. The one or more processors determine a field of view of an imaging device. The one or more processors generate an overlay image that represents the field of view of the imaging device. The one or more processors determine a location of an image display device in respect to the field of view of the imaging device. The one or more processors generate a modified overlay image by modifying one or both of a size and an orientation of the overlay image. The modification is based on the location of the image display device in respect to the field of view of the imaging device. The one or more processors display the modified overlay image by the image display device in real-time.
US09928655B1 Predictive rendering of augmented reality content to overlay physical structures
Embodiments herein include an augmented reality (AR) system that predictively renders images which may reduce or remove lag. Instead of rendering images in response to sensing changes in the user orientation, the AR system generates predictive images by predicting future user orientations. The AR system can render multiple predictive images that each includes AR content that will be displayed at a future time. Because the predictive images are generated using different user orientations, the location of an object in the AR content in each of the predictive images is different. The predictive images are transmitted to the AR device which selects one of the images to display by comparing the orientations used to generate each of the predictive images with the current (actual) orientation of the user.
US09928650B2 Computer program for directing line of sight
A non-transitory computer readable medium for storing instructions for directing a line of sight by causing a computer that is connected to a head-mounted display to identify a position of a target object in a three-dimensional virtual space. The computer is further caused to determine a field of view that is based on the line of sight from a virtual camera, in relation to movement of the HMD. The computer is further caused to place a guiding object, which follows the line of sight, in the three-dimensional virtual space at a point in the field of view that is determined based on a position of the virtual camera, a direction of the line of sight, and the position of the target object. The computer is further configured to generate instructions for displaying a field-of-view image of the three-dimensional virtual space including the guiding object.
US09928649B2 Interface for planning flight path
A flight path of a physical aircraft vehicle is planned. A virtual three-dimensional model of a physical environment is provided. A placement indicator is tracked within the virtual three-dimensional model of the physical environment. Tracking the placement indicator includes tracking a location and an orientation of the placement indicator within the virtual three-dimensional model. A viewfinder display window that displays a simulated image captured from a simulated camera of a simulated vehicle located at the location of the placement indicator and oriented at a direction of the orientation of the placement indicator is provided. For the physical aircraft vehicle, at least a flight path and a camera image capture are planned using the placement indicator and the viewfinder display window within the virtual three-dimensional model.
US09928643B2 Hierarchical continuous level of detail for three-dimensional meshes
Embodiments use hierarchical continuous level of detail (H-CLOD) trees with inherited splitting plane partitioning to reduce visual artifacts in renderings. For example, a three-dimensional mesh can be iteratively split, according to iteratively defined splitting planes, until sub-meshes are smaller than a predetermined bucket size. Each splitting can define a hierarchical level of a tree, so that the original mesh is a root node, each split sub-mesh is a child node, and the smallest meshes are leaf nodes. An H-CLOD tree can be generated by simplifying and combining each group of sibling node sub-meshes bottom-up into a simplified parent mesh accounting for inherited splitting planes, so that the tree has a most simplified mesh as its root node and a most un-simplified mesh formed by a combination of its leaf nodes. At render time, traversing the H-CLOD tree can produce a desired level of detail from the pre-computed nodes.
US09928642B2 Using a geometry shader for variable input and output algorithms
A system and method uses the capabilities of a geometry shader unit within the multi-threaded graphics processor to implement algorithms with variable input and output.
US09928639B2 System and method for deadlock-free pipelining
A system and method for facilitating increased graphics processing without deadlock. Embodiments of the present invention provide storage for execution unit pipeline results (e.g., texture pipeline results). The storage allows increased processing of multiple threads as a texture unit may be used to store information while corresponding locations of the register file are available for reallocation to other threads. Embodiments further provide for preventing deadlock by limiting the number of requests and ensuring that a set of requests is not issued unless there are resources available to complete each request of the set of requests. Embodiments of the present invention thus provide for deadlock free increased performance.
US09928636B2 Perioperative mobile communication system and method
An embodiment provides a mobile application that animates change information in a way that specifically indicates a change in workflow information for various users. This animation of change information permits users, which are often busy healthcare professionals, to be quickly apprised of relevant changes to workflow status. The mobile application also allows users to communicate change information, e.g., for updating the status of a workflow item, which may then be propagated throughout a network, including mobile devices.
US09928635B2 System and method of generating a non-rigid model
A computer-implemented method (400) to generate an avatar, such as an avatar forming part of synthetic user generated content. The method comprises determining a rigid model based on an appearance error, a shape error and a dimensionality (425) of received images (405), and an appearance component and shape component of the rigid model. The non-rigid digital model may be a person specific active appearance model. Other aspects of include a computer system (200) and software (225).
US09928633B2 Apparatus and method for performing motion capture using a random pattern on capture surfaces
A method is described comprising: applying a random pattern to specified regions of an object; tracking the movement of the random pattern during a motion capture session; and generating motion data representing the movement of the object using the tracked movement of the random pattern.
US09928627B2 Method and apparatus for grouping and de-overlapping items in a user interface
An approach is provided for grouping and de-overlapping items in a user interface. A display manager determines one or more items for rendering in a user interface. The display manager then causes, at least in part, a determination of one or more rendering locations for one or more representations of the one or more items based, at least in part, on location information associated with the one or more items. The display manager further causes, at least in part, a grouping, a de-overlapping, or a combination thereof of the one or more representations based, at least in part, on an overlapping of the one or more rendering locations. The display manager also causes, at least in part, a rendering of the one or more representations in the user interface based, at least in part, on the grouping, the de-overlapping, or a combination thereof.
US09928626B2 Apparatus, method, and program for changing augmented-reality display in accordance with changed positional relationship between apparatus and object
An apparatus including an image processor configured to receive a video including an object, determine a positional relationship between the apparatus and the object, and change a positional relationship between an image superimposed on the video and the object when the positional relationship between the apparatus and the object changes.
US09928623B2 Socially generated and shared graphical representations
According to embodiments of the present invention, one or more computer processors display unstructured data. One or more computer processors display a first chart that graphically represents at least a portion of the unstructured data. In response to the first chart failing to satisfy a user-defined criteria, one or more computer processors modifies the first chart to generate a second chart that graphically represents at least a portion of the unstructured data in a user-defined manner. In certain embodiments, the unstructured data includes information that does not have a pre-defined data model and/or is not organized in a pre-defined manner.
US09928619B2 Device and method for image reconstruction at different X-ray energies, and device and method for X-ray three-dimensional measurement
A device and a method for image reconstruction at different X-ray energies that make it possible to achieve image reconstruction with higher accuracy. A device for image reconstruction at different X-ray energies includes: an X-ray source 1 that irradiates a specimen to be imaged 2 with X-rays; an energy-dispersive detector 4 that detects a characteristic X-ray emitted from the specimen to be imaged 2; a signal processor that quantifies the peak of the characteristic X-ray detected by the detector 4; and an image reconstruction device that reconstructs an image on the basis of a signal from the signal processor.
US09928618B2 X-ray imaging apparatus and method of controlling the same
An X-ray imaging apparatus is provided. The X-ray imaging apparatus includes an X-ray generator configured to radiate X-rays onto an object having a region of interest (ROI) and a non-ROI, a filter configured to adjust an X-ray dose of the X-rays incident on the ROI and the non-ROI, an X-ray detector configured to detect the X-rays transmitted through the object and convert the X-rays into X-ray data, and an image processing unit configured to obtain a frame image using the X-ray data, register the obtained frame image to a previous frame image, synthesize the frame image and the previous frame image, and generate a reconstructed frame image.
US09928612B2 Information processing apparatus
There is provided an information processing apparatus. A determination unit determines whether an object is present in a predetermined place. A specification unit specifies a direction of a toe of a user who uses the information processing apparatus. A notification unit performs a notification to the user in a case where a predetermined direction of the toe is specified and it is determined that the object is present in the place.
US09928607B2 Device and method for obtaining a vital signal of a subject
The present invention relates to a device for obtaining a vital sign of a subject, comprising an interface (20) for receiving a set of image frames of a subject, a motion analysis unit (30) for analyzing at least one measurement area within the image frames of the set of image frames and for characterizing motion of the subject within the set of image frames, a signal extraction unit (40) for extracting photoplethysmographic, PPG, signals from the set of image frames using the characterization of motion of the subject within the set of image frames, and a vital signs determination unit (50) for determining vital sign information from the extracted PPG signals. The motion analysis unit comprises a motion estimation unit (32), a spatial characteristic extraction unit (34), and a motion characterization unit (36).
US09928606B2 Method for detecting interferences in a crop collection system
A method for detecting interferences in a crop collecting system of an agricultural harvesting machine includes optically detecting a crop stream at the crop collection system. The method includes that the movement of an object over time in the crop stream is determined in the optically detected crop stream and, based on the determined movement of the object, an interference of the crop collection system is detected.
US09928604B2 Method and apparatus for object tracking in image sequences
Objects in an image sequence are tracked within a bounding box such that the object is assured to some extent of being contained within the bounding box. The location of the object within the bounding box is less important than knowing with some certainty that the object is within the bounding box, unlike previous methods that attempt to center an object within a bounding box. The approach, which uses histograms of image features such as color indices, is suited to applications such as zooming and is robust to occlusions, out-of-plane rotations, illumination changes and long-term tracking drift.
US09928602B2 Fast and automated segmentation of layered image with heuristic graph search
A method of processing an ophthalmic image includes: taking an image of an ophthalmic region involving an ophthalmic layer by an imaging system; constructing an image graph, comprising nodes connected by links and detected image data by an image processor; and performing a heuristic graph-search for a path on the image graph that corresponds to an image of the ophthalmic layer by assigning at least one of link-costs to links of the image graph and node-costs to nodes of the image graph; assigning heuristic-costs to at least one of the nodes and the links; creating extended paths by extending a selected path with extension links; determining path-costs of the extended paths by combining heuristic costs and at least one of link-costs and node-costs assigned to the extension-links; and selecting the extended path with the smallest path-cost.
US09928596B2 Motion corrected imaging system
Systems and methods are provided for detecting motion in an imaging system. A time series of volumetric images of a region of interest are captured at the imaging system. Each volumetric image of the time series of volumetric images is captured as a series of two-dimensional slices of the region of interest. A representative value is calculated for each voxel to create a representative volumetric dataset representing the region of interest. For each slice of the series of two-dimensional slices, a simulated volumetric time series is generated, including time series data for the slice and the calculated representative value at all times for the other slices of the series of two-dimensional slices. A volumetric registration is performed on each of the simulated volumetric time series to provide a set of estimated motion parameters for the slice associated with the simulated volumetric time series.
US09928595B2 Devices, systems, and methods for high-resolution multi-view camera calibration
A system includes cameras; a rotating stage, which has an axis of rotation; one or more computer-readable media; and one or more processors that are coupled to the one or more computer-readable media, the rotating state, and the cameras. Also, the one or more processors are configured to cause the system to control the cameras to capture respective images of a calibration target in a first pose, wherein the calibration target is mounted on the rotating stage; control the rotating stage to rotate through a predetermined angular increment to a second pose; control the cameras to capture respective images of the calibration target in the second pose; and calculate a transformation between two of the cameras based on the respective images of the calibration target in the first pose, on the respective images of the calibration target in the second pose, and on the predetermined angular increment.
US09928593B2 Blood vessel analysis apparatus, medical image diagnosis apparatus, and blood vessel analysis method
According to one embodiment, a structuring circuitry temporarily structures a dynamical model of analysis processing based on the time-series medical image. The identification circuitry identifies a latent variable of the dynamical model so that at least one of a prediction value of a blood vessel morphology and a prediction value of a bloodstream based on the temporarily structured dynamical model is in conformity with at least one of an observation value of the blood vessel morphology and an observation value of the bloodstream measured in advance. The analysis circuitry analyzes the dynamical model to which the identified latent variable is allocated.
US09928592B2 Image-based signal detection for object metrology
A method of image-based quantification for allergen skin reaction includes imaging an area of skin that has been subject to a skin-prick test to produce one or more images of the area. The method includes identifying regions of wheal and/or flare in the one or more images of the area and quantifying weal and/or flare indicators based on the regions identified. The method also includes outputting results of the quantified wheal and/or flare indicators indicative of quantified allergen skin reaction.
US09928591B2 Apparatus and methods for modifying keratinous surfaces
A method and device for analyzing and treating tonal imperfections on human skin. The method has the steps of providing a preselected background L value. One or more treatment images of the skin are taken and at least one localized L value of individual pixels or group of pixels is calculated within the treatment image. The local L value is compared to the background L value. Skin deviations are areas of skin where the absolute value of the difference between a local L and the background L is greater than a predetermined ΔLS. Skin deviations are identified by this method and then treated with a treatment composition.
US09928584B2 Inspecting plants for contamination
A method of inspecting plants for contamination includes generating a first series of images of a plant, identifying a region of interest displayed in the first series of images, comparing a color parameter of the region of interest to a color criterion associated with a type of contamination, comparing a morphological parameter of the region of interest to a reference parameter associated with the type of contamination, and upon determining that the color parameter meets the color criterion and that the morphological parameter sufficiently matches the reference parameter, identifying the region of interest as a region of contamination on the plant. The method further includes transmitting an instruction to lift a cutter of a harvester up from a planting bed to avoid harvesting the plant in response to identifying the region of interest as the region of contamination, and generating a second series of images of an additional plant.
US09928582B2 Method and system for processing image content for enabling high dynamic range (UHD) output thereof and computer-readable medium comprising UHD content created using same
Implementations disclosed herein (e.g., systems, methods, and computer-readable program products) provide a high definition range “UHD” compatible version of classic image content (e.g., as-released motion pictures) that was created in an era of limited dynamic range and that maintains aesthetic characterization defined by “Director's Intent” of the classic image content. Such implementations advantageously use clues to the Director's Intent found in the classic image content to make intelligent estimations as to what a Director (or other image content editing professional) was attempting to achieve in the classic image content relative to a corresponding original image content (e.g., as-shot image content). The original image content holds original imagery details that have been altered or omitted during creation of corresponding classic image content. The classic image content exhibits attributes that reflect the Director's Intent such as, for example color, contrast, vignetting, saturation, and the like.
US09928577B2 Image correction apparatus and image correction method
An image correction apparatus generates, for each pixel of a reduced image generated from an input image, a first smoothed image using each reference pixel in a filter area in which a difference obtained by subtracting a luminance value of the pixel from a luminance value of the reference pixel becomes less than a predetermined value, generates a second smoothed image using each reference pixel in the filter area in which the difference obtained by subtracting the luminance value of the reference pixel from the luminance value of the pixel becomes less than the predetermined value, and generates a smoothed image for correction of the input image based on the first smoothed image and the second smoothed image.
US09928576B2 Denoising method and apparatus for multi-contrast MRI
A denoising method and apparatus for multi-contrast MRI's are disclosed. An aspect of the invention provides a denoising method for an MRI that includes: acquiring multiple MRI's having different contrast levels for the same site; determining pixels corresponding to the same tissue by using the MRI's; and calculating a new luminance value for the pixels by using luminance values of the pixels that are determined to be belonging to the same tissue.
US09928570B2 Method and apparatus for precision measurements on a touch screen
A measurement method and apparatus to make precise measurements on a touch screen device, such as a mobile device. A measuring tool is provided that that measures a quantity associated with an image being displayed on the touch screen. In response to a user selection, the measuring tool may be activated. A magnified view is presented that shows a position associated with a touch of, e.g., a user's finger so the user may fine-tune a start position of a measurement. The user's touch may be tracked from the start position to a current position during which time a dynamically updated display of the quantity being measured is presented. An ending measurement of the quantity is displayed in accordance with a removal of the touch at an end position.
US09928568B2 Display device
Display devices are disclosed. In one aspect, the display device includes a display panel having a display area including a plurality of pixels and a non-display area surrounding the display area. The display panel includes a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of data lines, and the gate and data lines are electrically connected to the pixels. The display device also includes a driving integrated circuit (IC) formed over the non-display area and configured to drive the pixels and a panel information memory formed over the non-display area and configured to store attribute information of the display panel.
US09928561B2 Serialized digital watermarking for variable data printing
Digital watermarking is adapted for the variable data printing. A reference signal serves as a proxy for optimizing the embedding a watermark in a host image to be printed. Using the reference signal, embedding parameters are generated, which are a function of constraints such as visual quality and robustness of the machine readable data. Adjustments needed to embed a unique payload in each printed piece are generated using the embedding parameters. These adjustments are stored in a manner that enables them to be efficiently obtained and applied within the RIP or press during operation of the press. Various other methods, system configurations and applications are also detailed.
US09928558B2 Control device and remote controller
The storage unit prestores element image data presenting an element image contained in a display image in an image data region that is a continuous storage region, and prestores draw command data containing data for creating display data presenting the display image in which the element image is placed in a draw command region that is a continuous storage region. The central processing unit makes reference to a screen management table when a predetermined drawing condition is satisfied to identify and output the draw command identification data corresponding to the satisfied drawing condition. The draw processing unit acquires from the storage unit the draw command data identified with the output draw command identification data, and creates and outputs to the display unit the display data placing the element image based on the acquired draw command data.
US09928556B2 Content quality evaluation and classification
A social networking system classifies content items according to their qualities for ranking and selection of content items to present to users within, for example, a newsfeed. Low-quality content items that are unlikely to be interesting or relevant to a user may be distinguished though they may appear to be popular among users in the social networking system. The social networking system identifies within the content items one or more features that are indicators of the quality of the content items. The social networking system can use one or more classifiers to evaluate the content items based on the features, and it can compute a quality metric indicating the quality of a content item based on the result obtained from the classifiers. The quality metric can be used in the ranking and selection of a set of content items to provide to the user.
US09928550B2 Automated trading exchange system having integrated quote risk monitoring and integrated quote modification services
An automated trading exchange having integrated quote risk monitoring and quote modification services. An apparatus is implemented using at least one computer, having memory, and a processor. The computer is configured to receive orders and quotes, wherein specified ones of the quotes are contained in a quote group, and have associated trading parameters such as a risk threshold. Not all received quotes are required to have trading parameters as described herein. Preferably, the quote group contains all the quotes, or a subset of quotes, belonging to an individual market-maker for a given class of options contracts, or possibly the quotes of two or more market-makers that have identified themselves as belonging to a group for the purposes of risk monitoring and quote modification. The computer typically generates a trade by matching the received orders and quotes to previously received orders and quotes, and otherwise stores each of the received orders and quotes if a trade is not generated. The computer then determines whether a quote within the quote group has been filled as a result of the generated trade, and if so, determines a risk level and an aggregate risk level associated with said trade. The computer then compares the aggregate risk level with the market-maker's risk threshold, and if the threshold is exceeded, automatically modifies at least one of the remaining quotes in the quote group. The computer may also automatically regenerate quotes that have been filled.
US09928539B2 System and method for supporting mobile unit connectivity for computer server to process specific orders
The present invention is an applications gateway that offers multiple functions and features for specific geographic venue locations, while providing easy access to advertising, purchasing, and redemption opportunities for that specific geographic venue location. Venue locations can be stadiums, shopping malls, amusement parks, open air spaces where people can congregate, and/or buildings, which most often require the presence of a concentration of people. The venue location may correlate to the location of the hand-held mobile unit or it may be a remote geographic venue location not near the location of the hand-held mobile unit. Access to the gateway application is through a hand-held mobile unit, which can include a mobile phone, smartphone device, or portable computer having a wireless radio transmission connection. (e.g. iPhone, Droid, iPad, Slate, etc.)
US09928527B2 Passive patron identification systems and methods
A method includes: in response to detection of a patron, capturing N sets of identification data for the patron using N passive patron identification systems, respectively, wherein N is an integer greater than one; calculating N partial confidence values based on N comparisons of the N sets of identification data with N sets of stored identification data, respectively, associated with a unique patron identifier; and, based on the N partial confidence values, calculating an overall confidence value indicating a level of confidence that the patron is associated with the unique patron identifier. The method further includes: based on the unique patron identifier, retrieving stored ordering data that is associated with the unique patron identifier; setting ordering information to be output to the patron based on the overall confidence value and the stored ordering data; and outputting the ordering information to the patron using an ordering terminal.
US09928524B2 Learning driver demographics from vehicle trace data
A method of providing advertising content targeted to an operator of a vehicle. Vehicle data acquisition devices are employed to collect operator attribute information from vehicle trace data of the vehicle as the operator operates the vehicle. A processor of the vehicle applies a statistical analysis on the operator attribute information for determining a probability of demographic characteristics of the operator of the vehicle. The demographic characteristics of the operator are identified as a function of the determined probability. The vehicle communicates the targeted advertising content to the operator of the vehicle.
US09928523B2 System and method for booking an advertisement to an impression using a targeting dimension dictionary
A system and method for booking targeted internet advertisements to web page impressions using a targeting dimension dictionary. The method commences by constructing a targeting dimension dictionary using a dictionary schema such as an XML DTD or other schema language, then retrieving the targeting dimension dictionary to book the impression using a target predicate wherein the target predicate is constructed at least in part using the targeting dimension dictionary. Such target predicates are used to match (i.e. satisfying the target predicate) an advertisement to the impression. The targeting dimension dictionary comprises a targeting dimension object, a targeting dimension attribute type object, and an application attribute type object. Dimension attribute type objects can include a segment definition for codifying sets or ranges of values. Such a targeting dimension dictionary can be accessed by various tools used in internet advertising campaigns for targeting based on predicates.
US09928522B2 Audience matching network with performance factoring and revenue allocation
Performance based delivery of content to an audience member. A network of audience member information collection domains provide information about audience members. A profiled audience member may belong to a network segment. Delivery of an advertisement to the profiled audience member is accommodated based upon membership in the network segment and performance criteria. The performance criteria may be configured to benefit a publisher, such as by maximizing revenue. Allocating revenue based upon the collection of data used to target audience members is also provided.
US09928518B1 Transaction processing using mobile devices
The use of a mobile device with a merchant application may enable the merchant to turn the mobile device into a point-of-sale terminal that interfaces with a server. The server may receive from the mobile device a transaction via a network, in which the transaction includes transaction details for a purchase request made by a customer. In turn, the server may transmit a transaction token that identifies the transaction to the mobile device of the merchant. Subsequently, the server may receive the transaction token from a client device of the customer. The transaction token being transmitted from the mobile device to the client device using a short range communication that is independent of the network. After receiving the transaction token, the server may provide the transaction details of the transaction that matches the transaction token to the client device for display so that the customer may pay for the transaction.
US09928515B2 System and method for competitive product assortment
A product assortment system includes a crawler obtaining product information from one or more domains and storing the product information in a database. A user interface determines one or more product categories associated with one or more products of a customer. A keyword module determines criteria for associating one or more products of one or more competitors with the product categories. The user interface generates a display indicating overlap of the one or more products of the customer with the one or more products of the competitors.
US09928514B2 Systems and methods for delivering tailored content based upon a consumer profile
The present disclosure includes a system, method, and article of manufacture for aggregating a consumer profile, identifying tailored content (e.g., in response to a trigger event and/or based upon a consumer profile), and/or tailoring a digital destination. For example, the systems may receive direct data indicating an interest in receiving specific content, aggregate that data into a consumer profile, compare the consumer profile to content, and/or identify tailored content based upon the comparison. Further, the systems may communicate the tailored content to a web client associated with a consumer, receive a transaction request from a web client, and/or receive bids associated with tailored content. In addition, these systems may prioritize tailored content comprising a plurality of tailored offers and/or forecast a budget for an upcoming experience.
US09928510B2 Transaction choice selection apparatus and system
An apparatus and system for casting votes electronically comprises both a host server and a plurality of voting machines at various remote locations. First “user identifying information” for a plurality of potential users who are registered to use the system is pre-stored in memory, either at the host server or at a voting machine, or both. Second “user identifying information” is entered by a user of the voting machine at the time the user wishes to vote. A display on the voting machine presents to the user voting information concerning at least one voting matter for which the user is to make a voting selection. A processor in either the host server or the voting machine, or both, compares the second user identifying information entered by the user of the voting machine with the first user identifying information, if any, previously stored in memory. The user of the voting machine is authorized to make a voting selection on the voting matter if the first and second user identifying information relating to this user are substantially similar. When a voting selection is made by an authorized user of the voting machine, the processor in the host server counts it as a vote. In this way, only users authorized to cast a vote are allowed to vote and the voting selections from all such authorized users who cast a vote are counted.
US09928508B2 Single sign-on for access to a central data repository
Systems and methods for providing access to an information account stored in a central data repository. The information account is associated with a consumer and is subject to the consumer's control and management. Consumer authentication information is input by the consumer in connection with a first request for access to the information account via a first web-site. Responsive to authentication of the consumer, a single sign-on feature may be activated for automatically managing subsequent authentications of the consumer so that the consumer will not be required to again input the consumer authentication information upon initiating a second request for access to the information account while interacting with a subsequent web-site that is configured to provide access to the information account upon authentication of the consumer. The single sign-on function may be deactivated upon the occurrence of a terminating event, such as the expiration of a time-out interval.
US09928505B1 Mobile electronic wallet
Association of personal, financial, and/or business-related identification information with a mobile communication device (MCD) is provided for herein. For example, an MCD can be associated with a financial account and can further include an identification component that verifies an identity of a user of the MCD. Identity can be verified by biometric analysis (e.g., finger/thumb print scan), username and password, optical feature scan, or a combination thereof or of like mechanisms, for instance. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter provides a mechanism to verify identification of a user of an MCD and incorporate user ID into remote data exchange, including remote financial transactions, with one or more networked devices.
US09928504B2 Saving merchant artifacts to a virtual wallet
A virtual wallet system provides embedded controls to a merchant for association and display with merchant artifacts on a merchant interface. Merchant artifacts may include begin-of-purchase flow items such as coupons, and end-of-purchase flow item such as tickets. When the embedded control displayed on the merchant interface is selected by a user, a save artifact request is communicated to a virtual wallet server allowing the user to instantly save an instance of the merchant artifact to the user's corresponding virtual wallet account.
US09928502B2 Using a mobile device for facilitating cashless wagering in a gaming system
Use of a mobile device for facilitating cashless wagering in a gaming system. An electronic gaming machine (EGM) receives account information of a user from the mobile device associated with the user. The mobile device wirelessly communicates the account information to the EGM. One or more financial transactions may be initialized between the mobile device and the EGM such that the initializing enables the mobile device to perform cashless wagering in the EGM for funding a bet associated with the account information.
US09928497B2 System and method for managing prepaid cards
A point-of-sale system is provided that permits users to self-manage prepaid debit cards. Such a system may be capable of identifying and managing a number of different prepaid debit cards provided by different card issuers. The system may permit, for example, a user to purchase, activate, load funds, or perform other management operations with such cards. The system may also enforce restrictions associated with particular card types, and follow process flows for activating and performing other operations of such cards. The system may also be easily extendible to other types of prepaid cards through established card network relationships.
US09928496B2 Generating a temporal physical payment card
The disclosure is related to generating a temporal physical payment card with a predetermined valid period. One of virtual payment cards stored in user equipment is selected based on a selection input received from a user. Information on the selected virtual payment card is transferred to a physical dummy payment card with a predetermined valid period.
US09928493B2 Systems and methods for providing consumer facing point-of-sale interfaces
Systems, apparatus, methods, and non-transitory media for providing point-of-sale functionality are discussed herein. Some embodiments may include a system including a merchant device and a consumer facing device. The merchant device may include a merchant display device configured to present interactive displays of a merchant facing interface configured to be used by merchants. The consumer facing device may be configured to present interactive displays of a consumer facing interface configured to be used by consumers. The point-of-sale system may be configured to facilitate financial transactions and other forms of consumer service. For example, merchant inputs provided via the merchant facing interface (e.g., entered menu items) may be shown on the consumer facing interface. In another example, consumer inputs provided via the consumer facing interface be sent to the merchant device and/or otherwise used by the merchant device to facilitate a financial transaction, among other things.
US09928491B1 Method and system for controlling certificate based open payment transactions
Methods and systems for controlling certificate-based open payment transactions involving a merchant and a customer utilizing various types of networks and terminals. Prior to accessing a merchant POS terminal or, for example, a merchant website, a customer obtains a certificate from a service provider (SP), such as a bank, certifying his identification (ID) and his relevant financial information, in a form that is understandable by the SP. The SP is capable of performing multiple functions. For example, the SP is capable of acting as a certificate authority when it issues the customer's certificates, an authenticator when it receives private-key encrypted certificates from the customers to be decrypted using the corresponding public-key, and an authorizing authority when it checks the value available in a customer' chosen payment account against the requested purchase or transfer amount.
US09928489B2 Assisting in bill split payment
When a split amount decided by a representative splitting, in a representative terminal, a total amount transmitted from a store terminal is notified from each member terminal to a credit company server as a payment amount, the credit company server holds information for payment settlement, and transmits payment permission information including encrypted information generated by encrypting the information for payment settlement, to each member terminal. Each member terminal transmits payment permission information of the same contents as the payment permission information to the representative terminal. The representative terminal transmits payment permission information obtained by concatenating the payment permission information, to the store terminal.
US09928488B2 Methods and systems for assigning service advisor accounts for vehicle systems and cloud processing
Methods and systems are provided. One method includes receiving a request, at a server, to define an advisor account for a vehicle associated with a user account. The request identifies an advisor entity, a vehicle aspect to be assigned to the advisor entity, and privileges assigned to the advisor entity for the vehicle aspect. The method further includes generating the advisor account for the advisor entity as a sub-account of the user account that is associated with the vehicle. The method includes sending instruction data to the vehicle from the server, wherein the instruction data defines that the vehicle aspect is associated with the advisor account. The method also includes receiving data updates, at the server, from the vehicle for the vehicle aspect, from time to time. The data updates are displayable on a user interface that is accessible to the advisor entity, the user interface being rendered by the server that provides access to the advisor account.
US09928487B2 Systems and methods for determining a potential failure or other status of a robotic device
Methods and systems for proactively preventing hazardous or other situations in a robot-cloud interaction are provided. An example method includes receiving information associated with task logs for a plurality of robotic devices. The task logs may include information associated with tasks performed by the plurality of robotic devices. The method may also include a computing system determining information associated with hazardous situations based on the information associated with the task logs. For example, the hazardous situations may comprise situations associated with failures of one or more components of the plurality of robotic devices. According to the method, information associated with a contextual situation of a first robotic device may be determined, and when the information associated with the contextual situation is consistent with information associated with the one or more hazardous situations, an alert indicating a potential failure of the first robotic device may be provided.
US09928482B2 Integrating private metadata into a collaborative environment
Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to meta-data management for an activity thread in an activity-centric collaborative environment, and provide a novel and non-obvious method, system and computer program product for private metadata integration. In one embodiment of the invention, a private meta-data integration method can be provided for an activity-centric collaborative environment. The method can include selecting an activity thread for display to a collaborator in an activity map of the activity-centric collaborative environment, and identifying the collaborator. For meta-data instances associated with corresponding activity objects in the activity thread, the meta-data instances can be excluded that have been marked private by a creator other than the identified collaborator.
US09928481B1 Management of inventory items
In some examples, a reader system is provided for managing inventory items in an inventory system. The reader system may be configured to read tags associated with items stowed in an inventory holder. The inventory holder may be detachably coupled to a mobile drive unit. The mobile drive unit may move the inventory holder to a first position near an antenna of the reader system and the tags may begin to be read. While reading or at other times in the reading process, the mobile drive unit may move the inventory holder relative to the antenna. The identified tags may be compared to a manifest list of items expected to be stowed in the inventory holder.
US09928479B2 Management tracking identifier format, processing, and data associations
Embodiments include asset tracking and management. In one embodiment, an end-user device obtains a user identifier, a tracking unit identifier, and an asset identifier. The end-user device sends these items to a server. Upon receipt, the server verifies that the tracking unit identifier is valid, available, and assigned to the user. When verified, the server associates the tracking unit identifier with the asset identifier and the user identifier, and marks the tracking unit identifier applied. In another embodiment, a group code is generated. The group code specifies a unit identifier a multiplier. Upon confirmation that the group code was properly generated and applied to a container, unit identifiers are generated for the group. In another embodiment, a custody record is updated to indicate that a received user identifier now has custody of a tracking identifier, while preserving a previous chain of custody of the tracking identifier.
US09928477B2 Externally augmented asset management
A system for externally augmented asset management is disclosed. According to one embodiment, information from a first reporting source about an asset is received. In addition, information from a second reporting source about the asset is also received. Information from a third reporting source about at least one environmental condition is also received. A database is then populated with the information from the first reporting source, the information from the second reporting source and the third reporting source such that information from the first reporting source, the information from the second reporting source and the third reporting source can be collected or accessed from the database.
US09928475B2 Shipper and carrier interaction optimization platform
A shipper and carrier interaction optimization platform can include an internet based web page, application for a handheld device, a dedicated device with a graphical user interface, or any combination thereof for one or more shipper to enter shipment requirements and/or bids for use of a carrier's equipment. One or more carriers can enter equipment specifications, such as equipment type, availability, and minimum payment amount accepted, as well as bids for employment to ship goods via the shipper and carrier interaction optimization platform. The platform can automate matching shippers and carriers for each shipment, provide information regarding shipment status, and help carriers to maximize the amount of time their vehicles carry cargo. Systems may include a shipper interface, a carrier interface, one or more handheld devices running the interaction optimization platform, and positioning software and/or hardware to indicate the location of the one or more handheld devices used by shipment carriers.
US09928474B1 Mobile base utilizing transportation units for delivering items
A mobile base is provided that travels through delivery areas and utilizes associated transportation units (e.g., automated aerial vehicles) for delivering items from the mobile base to user specified delivery locations. The transportation units may be carried on the mobile base, or may be stationed in specific geographic areas, and may travel back and forth to the mobile base when making deliveries. The mobile base may include an automatic storage and retrieval system for automatically presenting items at an extraction point (e.g., on the roof of the mobile base), where items may be engaged by transportation units for delivery.
US09928470B2 Methods and systems for generating and sending representation data
Methods and systems for generating representation data, comprising: receiving travel request data; retrieving schedule data associated with the travel request data; generating representation data representing the schedule data; and sending the representation data via a computer network.
US09928467B2 Apparatus for forecasting water demand
There is provided an apparatus for forecasting water demand of a waste system using an automation system. The apparatus for estimating water demand includes a water demand estimation setting unit configured to collect user input data, a control unit configured to collect the record data and the user input data from the SCADA system, perform a learning process on each of a plurality of algorithm combination groups including at least one algorithm to select any one algorithm combination group, and input the record data and the user input data to the selected algorithm combination group to calculate water demand estimation data, a storage unit configured to store the record data collected from the SCADA system, store the user input data, and store the water demand estimation data, and a water demand estimation output unit configured to output the calculated water demand estimation data.
US09928466B1 Approaches for annotating phrases in search queries
A computing device can generate a collection of phrases using both authoritative data and behavioral data, for example, using previously submitted search queries. The collection of phrases can be used, in part, to determine the best segmentation of search queries. Each segmentation of a search query splits the terms in search query using different permutations or n-grams to identify one or more phrases. Each segmentation is scored based on various criteria. The segmentation having the highest score is included in training data for training a predictive model that predicts segmentations for new search queries. The predicted segmentation can be used to annotate that query to identify the one or more phrases that were created by the segmentation of the query. The annotated query can be processed, for example, by a search engine, to obtain resources that are responsive to the one or more phrases that were identified by the segmentation.
US09928459B2 Robotic cleaner and self testing method of the same
Disclosed are a robot cleaner and a self testing method thereof. The robot cleaner performs a self test when being initially operated or when required by a user. This may prevent malfunctions or breakdowns of the robot cleaner. Furthermore, the robot cleaner senses a state of an operation sensing unit provided at a body, based on a sensing signal of the operation sensing unit. This may prevent accidents or errors which may occur as the robot cleaner operates.
US09928454B2 Host computer, control method of a host computer, and medium
A printer driver enables appropriately executing real-time commands without causing operating errors even when print data is compressed for transmission to a printer. A driver causing a host computer that connects to a printer to execute a process, including causing the host computer to generate first commands executed by the printer in the order received, and second commands executed with priority over the first commands; generate print data including the first commands and send the print data to the printer; and execute a compression process converting data of the first commands contained in the print data to compressed data not containing a data train identical to a second command when generating the print data.
US09928452B2 Image decoding apparatus and method therefor
This invention decodes image data without overwriting the decompression result of the first image data by that of the second image data when the first image data compressed by the first method and the second image data compressed by the second method coexist. To do this, when decoding the image data in which the first image data compressed by the first method and the second image data compressed by the second method different from the first method coexist, a lossy-decoding unit decodes the first image data. Based on boundary information indicating a compression region compressed by the second method, a lossless-decoding unit selectively outputs pixel data decoded by the lossy-decoding unit or pixel data obtained by decoding the second image data of the compression region.
US09928447B2 Social circle and relationship identification
The examiner has taken the exact language in WO 2015/094370 A1 to transcribe it: Systems, apparatus, and methods to determine relationships, group memberships, and social networks and circles automatically through an analysis of media content, such as photos or videos, and ascertaining the connections between individuals or groups. Embodiments include identifying individuals in photos with or without other people in different situations, and developing a context based on objects in the photo. The extracted context may be stored in a predefined ontology structure in a database and analyzed to determine relationships or group memberships. A database of automatically determined relationships may be analyzed in order to provide relationship recommendations, social advice, or to support law enforcement investigations. The database may be continuously updated with additional information provided by individuals or obtained through a secondary social network that includes user media or social information.
US09928445B2 Contextual determination of user photos
A computer detects one or more images, wherein detecting the one or more images further includes identifying one or more characteristics of at least a portion of the one or more images. The computer detects one or more user communications. The computer determines one or more appropriate images of the one or more images to be associated with the one or more user communications based on comparing information associated with the one or more user communications with the identified one or more characteristics of at least a portion of the one or more images.
US09928444B2 Image recognizing apparatus and method that informs the driver that the image is not recognized when it is determined that a disturbance occurs in the image
An image recognizing apparatus, including: a camera which outputs at least one of a front image and a rear image of a vehicle; a disturbance estimating unit which outputs an image which is estimated as a disturbance according to a visibility of an image; a disturbance classifying unit which outputs a cause of disturbance according to a brightness of a pixel in the disturbance estimated image; a disturbance result determining unit which determines whether the disturbance is generated in the image in accordance with accumulated cause of the disturbance; and an image recognizing unit which informs the driver that the image is not recognized when it is determined that disturbance occurs in the image.
US09928443B2 Image processing apparatus and method for fitting a deformable shape model to an image using random forest regression voting
One embodiment of the invention provides an image processing method for use in fitting a deformable shape model to an acquired image. The deformable shape model specifies a set of target points whose motion is governed by the model. The method comprises, for each target point, generating a corresponding response image by: providing a feature detector to locate a given target point within the acquired image, wherein said feature detector includes a random forest comprising one or more decision trees; scanning a patch image across the acquired image to define multiple sampling locations with respect to the acquired image; for each sampling location of the patch image with respect to the acquired image, performing regression voting using the random forest to produce one or more votes for the location of the given target point within the acquired image; and accumulating the regression votes for all of the multiple sampling locations to generate said response image corresponding to the given target point. The method further includes then performing an optimization to determine positions for the set of target points within the acquired image based on the corresponding response images and subject to constraint by the deformable shape model.
US09928442B2 Joint photo stream and blog post summarization and exploration
Systems, methods, and computer program products to perform an operation comprising assigning each of a plurality of images in a blog post and each of a plurality of images in a collection of images to a respective node in a graph, computing an adjacency matrix for the graph, wherein the adjacency matrix defines relationships between images in the blog post and images in the collections of images, and determining a first subset of the images in the collection of images that summarize the images in the image collection, wherein the subset is determined based on the adjacency matrix, wherein the adjacency matrix is computed based on the subset of the images in the collection of images.
US09928438B2 High accuracy localization system and method for retail store profiling via product image recognition and its corresponding dimension database
A method for profiling a location of an image capture device in a region of interest. The method comprises acquiring an image captured by an image capture device. The method comprises acquiring a reported position and pose of the image capture device. The method comprises processing the captured image to detect an object in the captured image. The method comprises identifying a set of interest points characterizing the captured object. The method comprises generating a relative position and pose of the interest points based on dimensional information associated with the captured object. The method comprises computing an estimated position and pose of the image capture device to the object using the reported position and pose of the image capture device and the relative position of the interest points. The method comprises computing the estimated position and pose of the mobile imaging device based on the estimated distance. The method comprises updating the reported position and pose of the image capture device to the estimated position.
US09928435B2 System and method for providing an on-chip context aware contact list
A system, method and device for object identification is provided. The method of identifying objects includes, but is not limited to, calculating feature vectors of the object, calculating feature vectors of the object's context and surroundings, combining feature vectors of the object, calculating likelihood metrics of combined feature vectors, calculating verification likelihood metrics against contact list entries, calculating a joint verification likelihood metric using the verification likelihood metrics, and identifying the object based on the joint verification likelihood metric.
US09928434B1 Appartuses, systems, and methods for determining when a vehicle occupant is using a mobile telephone
Apparatuses, systems and methods are provided for determining when a vehicle occupant is using a mobile telephone. More particularly, apparatuses, systems and methods are provided for determining when a vehicle occupant is using a mobile telephone based on digital image data.
US09928431B2 Verifying a target object with reverse-parallax analysis
A vehicle configured to operate in an autonomous mode may engage in a reverse-parallax analysis that includes a vehicle system detecting an object, capturing via a camera located at a first location a first image of the detected object, retrieving location data specifying (i) a location of a target object, (ii) the first location, and (iii) a direction of the camera, and based on the location data and the position of the detected object in the first image, predicting where in a second image captured from a second location the detected object would appear if the detected object is the target object.
US09928429B2 Image processing apparatus and image processing method
An image processing apparatus includes a calculating unit and a detecting unit. The calculating unit calculates an additional value of a luminance values for each coordinate value in a first direction. The calculating unit calculates an additional value of the luminance values for each coordinate value in a second direction. The detecting unit detects a region of the image in which additional values of the luminance values for each coordinate value in the first direction are equal or a region in which additional values of the luminance values for each coordinate value in the second direction are equal.
US09928425B2 Methods and systems for non-cooperative automatic security screening in crowded areas
The present invention is a multi-threat detection method and system for high-traffic areas, such as airports, other mass-transit hubs, malls, symposiums, and the like. The detection methodology comprises a set of detection blocks, each performing different functions, and taking the information resulting from each block and entering it into one or more detection algorithms. The blocks comprise microwave detectors, co-polarization versus cross-polarization processors, magnetometers, and cameras (optional). The values calculated by the blocks are entered into machine learning algorithms which detect a threat if a threshold value is met. The detection occurs at a distance and the alarm may be silent, such that authorities are able to address threats without the target being aware. The alarm is also able to differentiate among varying threats based on the values calculated. No shadowing problems exist, and thus several targets may be monitored simultaneously without slowing down the speed of processing.
US09928424B2 Side window detection through use of spatial probability maps
Methods, systems, and processor-readable media for detecting the side window of a vehicle. A spatial probability map can be calculated, which includes data indicative of likely side window locations of a vehicle in an image. A side window detector can be run with respect to the image of the vehicle to determine detection scores. The detection scores can be weighted based on the spatial probability map. A detected region of interest can be extracted from the image as extracted image patch. An image classification can then be performed with respect to the extracted patch to provide a classification that indicates whether or not a passenger is in the vehicle or no-passenger is in the vehicle.
US09928423B2 Efficient retrieval of anomalous events with priority learning
Local models learned from anomaly detection are used to rank detected anomalies. The local model patterns are defined from image feature values extracted from an image field of video image data with respect to different predefined spatial and temporal local units, wherein anomaly results are determined by fitting extracted image features to the local model patterns. Image features values extracted from the image field local units associated with anomaly results are normalized, and image feature values extracted from the image field local units are clustered. Weights for anomaly results are learned as a function of the relations of the normalized extracted image feature values to the clustered image feature values. The normalized values are multiplied by the learned weights to generate ranking values to rank the anomalies.
US09928422B2 User terminal apparatus and IRIS recognition method thereof
A user terminal apparatus and an iris recognition method thereof are provided. The user terminal apparatus includes an imaging unit configured to generate an image of a user, a display configured to display the generated image, and a controller configured to detect a user eye from the generated image, control the display to display a guide image in a position of the generated image in which the detected user eye is located, and perform iris recognition in response to a difference between a size of an iris included in the detected user eye and a size of the guide image being within a preset range.
US09928418B2 System and method for detecting objects in an image
A method for cropping photos images captured by a user from an image of a page of a photo album is described. Corners in the page image are detected using corner detection algorithm or by detecting intersections of line-segments (and their extensions) in the image using edge, corner, or line detection techniques. Pairs of the detected corners are used to define all potential quads, which are then are qualified according to various criteria. A correlation matrix is generated for each potential pair of the qualified quads, and candidate quads are selected based on the Eigenvector of the correlation matrix. The content of the selected quads is checked using a salience map that may be based on a trained neuron network, and the resulting photos images are extracted as individual files for further handling or manipulation by the user.
US09928417B2 Imaging process for binarization and punched hole extraction
A first image data, binarized with a first threshold, represent a first image corresponding to a first portion of a specific image. A second image data, binarized with a second threshold different from the first threshold, represent a second image corresponding to a second portion of the specific image. A first area, which is extracted from the first image, includes pixels with a first color. The first color corresponding to a color of an outline of a hole image in the specific image. A second area, which is extracted from the second image, includes pixels with the first color. The first area and the second area are determined as a specific area corresponding to the hole image.
US09928416B2 Method for ascertaining the inventory of a cash box using the orientation of the receiving value
A method for determining the stock of notes of value in a device (12) for receiving notes of value includes determining the orientation of a note of value before it is fed to the device (12) and storing the order in which the notes of value are received in the device (12). For at least a part of the received notes of value their respective orientation is stored such that it is unambiguously assigned to the note of value. For determining the stock, the respective orientation of a predetermined number of successively removed notes of value is determined. These determined orientations are compared with the stored orientations and dependent on the result of the comparison the stock of notes of value in the device (12) is determined.
US09928414B2 Information processing system for displaying handwriting action trajectory based on meta information
There is provided an information processing system including a first control unit configured to associate handwriting action trajectory information indicating a user's handwriting action trajectory with meta information capable of being detected from an actual environment where the user's handwriting action is performed.
US09928402B2 Multi-resolution fingerprint sensor
Multi-resolution fingerprint sensors and methods of using the same are provided. The multi-resolution fingerprint sensors each include a portion of the imaging area or region of the sensor that provides higher imaging resolution than the remaining imaging area of the sensor. The area of higher resolution is useful for anti-spoofing purposes, but because only a portion of the sensor is higher-resolution, advantageously it will not impact hardware costs nearly as much as a sensor that was higher resolution over its entire imaging area. Furthermore, the higher resolution area can be down-sampled so there would be no impact on the standard matcher and image processing software stack, which expects a uniform resolution for the entire image acquired.
US09928401B2 System and method of biometric enrollment and verification
A system and method for biometric enrollment and verification compares a test biometric image (e.g., of a fingerprint) with each of a plurality of reference biometric images of one or more enrolled users. Verification of a user as an enrolled user is based on the cumulative amount of overlap between the test image and the reference images. The reference images are defined during an enrollment process by comparing a plurality of sample images, identifying overlapping data in each of the images, computing one or more quality measures, and storing at least a portion of the sample images. The enrollment process is deemed complete when each quality measures meets or exceeds an associated threshold.
US09928400B2 Wiring board for fingerprint sensor
A wiring board for a fingerprint sensor includes a core insulating layer having a thickness of 30 μm to 100 μm, an inner buildup insulating layer having a thickness of 17 μm to 35 μm, an outer buildup insulating layer having a thickness of 7 μm to 25 μm, a plurality of fingerprint reading outer strip-shaped electrodes, a plurality of fingerprint reading inner strip-shaped electrodes, and an upper solder resist layer covering the outer strip-shaped electrodes by a thickness of 3 μm to 15 μm.
US09928396B2 Symbol information reader and symbol information reading method
A symbol information reader may include an imager; an image memory configured to save image data of a recording medium; and a position detecting processor configured to retrieve the image data and detect the positions of symbols on the recording medium. The position detecting processor may be configured to calculate the amount of change in luminance value of scanning lines in a predetermined area of the image data and discriminate a provisional area possibly corresponding to the symbol, acquire correlations of the provisional area with neighboring areas and create a map showing an area with high correlation values, search the correlation map for the presence of the symbols and label on areas judged having the symbols, set an area for each of the multiple symbols and makes divisions, and detect positions of the symbols printed on the recording medium.
US09928392B2 Barcode-reading system that obtains ranging data via targeting illumination
A barcode-reading system may include a barcode-reading enhancement accessory that is securable to a mobile device. The accessory may include an optic system that is configured to shape and filter illumination from a white light source of the mobile device to project targeting illumination onto a target surface. Calibration data may indicate a relationship between surface distance and at least one feature offset of the targeting illumination. A barcode-reading application may determine a feature offset of the targeting illumination in an image that is captured by the camera assembly of the mobile device. The application may also determine an estimated surface distance based on the calibration data and the feature offset. The application may also use the estimated surface distance to adjust at least one operating parameter of the mobile device.
US09928391B1 Apparatus and associated method
An apparatus comprising a power providing arrangement for a field powered device having a coil antenna for receiving a wireless signal, the power providing arrangement comprising: a first capacitor configured to be coupled to the coil antenna, the first capacitor configured to store energy obtained from the wireless signal received by the coil antenna, up to a first stored energy level, and configured to provide said energy to power the field powered device; a second capacitor arranged in parallel with the first capacitor via a switch; the switch providing at least a connected state in which the first capacitor and the second capacitor are connected in parallel and configured to both store the energy obtained from the wireless signal up to a second stored energy level, greater than the first stored energy level, and configured to provide said energy to power the field powered device and a disconnected state in which the second capacitor is disconnected from the first capacitor; the switch configured to transition from the disconnected state to the connected state based on particular signalling received from a remote device.
US09928390B1 Network-enabled RFID tag endorsement
A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader may be configured to endorse an RFID tag. The reader receives an identifier from the tag and challenges the tag with a challenge. After receiving a response from the tag, the reader sends a first message including at least the identifier, challenge, and response to an authenticating entity and sends a second message including at least the identifier to a certifying entity. The reader then receives a first reply from the authenticating entity and a second reply from the certifying entity. The second reply may include a certificate associated with the tag, or may identify some property of the tag or an item associated with the tag. In some embodiments, the reader may serve as the authenticating and/or certifying entity.
US09928389B2 Method and system for magnetic stripe reading using mobile magnetometers
In various example embodiments, a system and method for reading magnetic information by a mobile device are presented. In example embodiments, the mobile device comprises a housing having an integrated surface for swiping a magnetic swipe card and a magnetometer positioned within the housing to produce digital magnetometer output signals. The digital magnetometer output signals represent magnetic information derived from the magnetic swipe card and from the Earth's magnetic fields (or other sources).
US09928385B2 Periodic memory refresh in a secure computing system
A method of providing security in a computer system includes performing a memory refresh of a window of memory locations in a memory, and in which each memory location stores a version value and a block of ciphertext. The version value may be updated with each write operation at a memory location; and the block of ciphertext may be produced with a key that changes with each write operation and from memory location to memory location. The memory refresh may include performing a periodic read operation followed by a corresponding write operation at each memory location. Between the read and write operations, the version value stored at the memory location may be compared with a chronologically earliest version value stored at any memory location of the window, and validity of the block of ciphertext stored at the memory location may be verified based on the comparison.
US09928383B2 Methods and systems for network-based analysis, intervention, and anonymization
Systems and method for alerting a user device based on a proposed anonymization of a contribution to a conversation thread via one or several location-based anonymization rules are disclosed herein. The system can include a user device that can have location-determining features that can determine a physical location of the user device; a network interface that can exchange data with a server via a communication network; and an I/O subsystem that can convert electrical signals to user-interpretable outputs in a user interface. The system can include a server that can: receive a contribution from the user device; determine an anonymization level for applying to the contribution; identify a potential identifier in the content of the contribution; anonymize the potential identifier according to the determined anonymization level; and generate and provide an alert to the user device.
US09928379B1 Methods using mediation software for rapid health care support over a secured wireless network; methods of composition; and computer program products therefor
Some of these new methods harness distributed computing capabilities to integrate biometric abstraction processes, wireless network connectivity, and specialized software for mediation, to produce a unified result set. A mediator that enables rapid health care support is used in a computer system having a database of information to be shared with authorized requesters, under privacy rules or other pre-defined constraints. The methods, using specialized software for mediation, are preferably enabled to process a securely transmitted remote data request as a query to verify or identify an individual, whether it is sent via a network that is wireless in any part, or not. Upon receiving a remote request, typically sent by a requesting application other than one operated by the individual who is the subject of the request, the mediator uses the individual's transformed biometric data of the request to rapidly advance query resolution, under all query preprocessing rules, and query results post-processing rules, that apply.
US09928378B2 Sensitive data obfuscation in output files
Embodiments include method, systems and computer program products for protecting sensitive data. Aspects include accessing computer readable program instructions having one or more output commands. Aspects also include locating the one or more output commands in the computer readable program instructions. Aspects also include identifying target output variables and output constants in the one or more output commands. Aspects also include modifying the computer readable program instructions to append one or more obfuscate commands to the target output variables.
US09928371B2 Systems and methods for protecting information displayed on a user interface of a device
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a device having a display component that protects displayed information. In an example, a system includes a user interface of a device comprising a display module, wherein the user interface receives information entered by a user of the device. The system also includes a detector that detects surroundings around the device or the user of the device. The system further includes at least one hardware processor in communication with the user interface and the detector that automatically protects some or all of the information based on the detected surroundings and causes the automatically protected information to be displayed on the display module.
US09928369B2 Information technology vulnerability assessment
Presented herein are vulnerability assessment techniques for highlighting an organization's information technology (IT) infrastructure security vulnerabilities. For example, a vulnerability assessment system obtains application metadata for each of a plurality of executable applications observed at one or more devices forming part of an organization's IT infrastructure. The application metadata includes unique software identifiers for each of the plurality of executable applications. The vulnerability assessment system obtains global security risk metadata for executable applications observed at the one or more devices. The vulnerability assessment system maps one or more unique software identifiers in the application metadata to global security risk metadata that corresponds to applications identified by the one or more unique software identifiers, thereby generating a vulnerable application dataset.
US09928365B1 Automated mechanism to obtain detailed forensic analysis of file access
Systems, methods, and computer program products to perform an operation comprising monitoring a set of file access requests to a file from a first application to obtain a set of call information based on runtime stack information related to calls of the first application requesting access to the file, storing the set of call information in a data file, receiving a request for access to the file from a second application, obtaining call information from a runtime stack from the second application, comparing the call information with the set of call information, determining the request for access is an abnormal request based on the comparing, and taking an action based on the determination.
US09928363B2 Isolating data for analysis to avoid malicious attacks
Determining, by a machine learning model in an isolated operating environment, whether a file is safe for processing by a primary operating environment. The file is provided, when the determining indicates the file is safe for processing, to the primary operating environment for processing by the primary operating environment. When the determining indicates the file is unsafe for processing, the file is prevented from being processed by the primary operating environment. The isolated operating environment can be maintained on an isolated computing system remote from a primary computing system maintaining the primary operating system. The isolating computing system and the primary operating system can communicate over a cloud network.
US09928362B2 Dynamic changing of access token types
A system, method and computer program product for dynamically changing access tokens in a communication system. A client computer system is communicatively coupled by a communication channel to at least one target server. The client computer system includes a processor connected to a storage device that has a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium. The storage device stores a connection failure recovery program. The client computer system is programmed to implement the connection failure recovery program. The client computer system initiates a session by transmitting a first request for a connection to the target server using a first token type such as a client security token and if the first request fails, transmits a second request for a connection to the target server using a different token type.
US09928347B2 Computer aided diagnostic system for classifying kidneys
A computer aided diagnostic system and automated method to classify a kidney. Image data for a medical scan that includes image data of a kidney may be received. The kidney image data may be segmented from other image data of the medical scan. One or more iso-contours may be registered for the kidney image data, and renal cortex image data may be segmented from the kidney image data based on the one or more registered iso-contours. The kidney may be classified by analyzing one or more features determined from the segmented renal cortex image data using a learned model associated with the one or more features.
US09928343B2 Tag based knowledge system for healthcare enterprises
Contemplated systems and methods provide an integration platform to facilitate the exchange of information between RFID tagged objects and non-RFID systems. In especially preferred aspects, RFID tagged objects include patients, personnel, and assets of a healthcare facility, while preferred non-RFID systems include asset management systems, timekeeping systems, electronic medical records systems, and hospital and pharmacy information systems. Contemplated systems and methods will apply rules to associate RFID information with events, which will then be correlated with appropriate steps that can be effected in a varied and automated manner. In further preferred aspects, RFID technology is employed to upgrade patient telemetry to provide positional information the hospital system.
US09928339B2 Methods and systems for routing image reports
Methods and systems for routing image reports. One method includes receiving a completed report for the image study from a report source, establishing a unique identifier for a set of images associated with the completed report and stored in an image repository accessible through an image viewer, storing the unique identifier and an identifier of the image viewer in an image directory, and automatically creating a link associated with the completed report, the link based on the unique identifier. The method also includes identifying a report destination for the completed report, and transmitting the completed report and the link to the report destination. In addition, the method includes, when a recipient selects the link, automatically identifying the image viewer based on the image directory, and automatically providing the recipient with access to the image viewer.
US09928338B2 Method and system for phasing individual genomes in the context of clinical interpretation
The present disclosure presents a unified system to phase a personal genome for downstream clinical interpretation. In an embodiment, an initial phasing is generated using public datasets, such as haplotypes from the 1000 Genomes Project, and a phasing toolkit. A local perturbation algorithm is applied to improve long range phasing. If available, a Mendelian inheritance pipeline is applied to identify phasing of novel and rare variants. These datasets are merged, followed by correction by any experimental data. This allows for full clinical interpretation of the role of a group of variants in a gene, whether inherited or de novo variants.
US09928335B2 Temperature-compliant integrated circuits
Aspects of the present disclosure include a computer-implemented method for designing a temperature-compliant integrated circuit (IC). The method can include: calculating a thermal resistance of an IC layout, the IC layout having an area-dependent thermal conductance, a fin thermal conductance, and a gate thermal conductance each based on a device geometry of a plurality of transistors in the IC layout; calculating a self-heating temperature as directly proportional to the thermal resistance; comparing the self-heating temperature with a threshold temperature; in response to the self-heating temperature exceeding the threshold temperature, automatically modifying the device geometry of the IC layout to reduce at least one of the area term and the perimeter term, thereby reducing the self-heating temperature of the IC layout; and designing the temperature-compliant IC layout by repeating the calculating and automatically modifying steps until the self-heating temperature does not exceed the threshold temperature.
US09928333B2 Methods of designing a layout of a semiconductor device including field effect transistor and methods of manufacturing a semicondutor device using the same
A method of designing a semiconductor device includes preparing a standard cell layout including a layout out a preliminary pin pattern in at least one interconnection layout, performing a routing step to connect the preliminary pin pattern to a high-level interconnection layout, and generating a pin pattern in the interconnection layout, based on hitting information obtained at the completion of the routing step. The pin pattern is smaller than the preliminary pin pattern.
US09928331B2 Method and control device for circuit layout migration
A method for circuit layout migration comprises creating a list of layout components in a source layout; determining a plurality of first groups of layout components being regularly aligned horizontally or vertically; determining first subsets of layout components which each belong to at least two of a respective set of determined first groups; determining a plurality of second groups of layout components, each second group comprising mutually exclusive ones of the first subsets of layout components; determining symmetry axes for pairs of second groups; building a constraint graph of the layout components of the source layout using alignment constraints for the alignment of layout components within each of the second groups and distance constraints for preserving a regularity pattern within each of the second groups and symmetry constraints for the determined symmetry axes for pairs of second groups; and performing constraint-graph-based compaction of the source layout.
US09928328B1 Method and system for automated debugging of a device under test
A method for automated debugging of a design under test (DUT), including using a processor, (a) identifying a value of a signal at a specific time instance in which a user has indicated interest; (b) performing driver tracing based on structural analysis and signal analysis to determine one or a plurality of drivers of the identified value in the signal; (c) if the driver tracing returns a single driver of said one or a plurality of drivers, presenting the returned single driver to the user via an output device; and (d) if the driver tracing returns a plurality of drivers of said one or a plurality of drivers, performing formal analysis on a compiled sub-structure of the DUT to which all of said returned plurality of drivers are related to determine a single driver from said returned plurality of drivers, and presenting the determined single driver from said returned plurality of drivers to the user via the output device.
US09928327B2 Efficient deployment of table lookup (TLU) in an enterprise-level scalable circuit simulation architecture
A method for conducting numerical analysis includes defining a plurality of components in a system and a condition to be analyzed, performing a table look-up for components of the plurality of components, acquiring a result for the condition to be analyzed based on information in a table in which a component of the plurality of components is defined, and conducting the analysis of the system using the result based on the information in the table for the component.
US09928321B2 System and method for generation of an integrated circuit design
A method for verification of a design of an electronic circuit is provided. The method includes executing test runs of the design. The method further includes increasing a fail counter if the executing of a test run of the test runs failed. The method further includes increasing a pass counter if the executing of the test run of the test runs passed. The method further includes halting the executing of the test runs of the design if the current ratio of the fail counter versus the pass counter exceeds a predetermined threshold.
US09928320B2 Techniques for estimating compound probability distribution by simulating large empirical samples with scalable parallel and distributed processing
Techniques for estimated compound probability distribution are described herein. Embodiments may include receiving, at a master node of a distributed system, a compound model specification comprising frequency models, severity models, and one or more adjustment functions, wherein at least one model of the frequency models and the severity models depend on one or more regressor and distributing the compound model specification to worker nodes of the distributed system, each of the worker nodes to at least generate a portion of samples for use in predicting compound distribution model estimates. Embodiments may also include predicting the compound distribution model estimates based on the sample portions of aggregate values and adjusted aggregate values.
US09928319B1 Flexible framework for ecological niche modeling
An aspect includes aggregating a plurality of disparate datasets into a document store with semi-structured attributes, with each document in the document store specifying a geospatial location and a value of an environmental parameter at the geospatial location. The document store includes a plurality of documents specifying a plurality of different geo spatial locations and different environmental parameters, and the environmental parameters include a climatological parameter. Niche model layers are generated for the different environmental parameters at the geospatial locations. The niche models include a model layer for each of the different environmental parameters. A future geospatial location of a species is predicted based on environmental attributes of the species and contents of the niche model layers. The predicted future geospatial location of the species overlaid on a geographic map is output.
US09928314B2 Fitting sample points with an isovalue surface
The invention notably relates to a computer-implemented method for designing a three-dimensional modeled object that represents a physical entity. The method comprises providing sample points; determining a volumetric function, within a predetermined class of volumetric functions, as the optimum of an optimization program that explores orientation vectors defined at the sample points, wherein the optimization program penalizes a distance from the explored orientation vectors; and fitting the sample points with an isovalue surface of the volumetric function, wherein the program further penalizes oscillations of the fitted isovalue surface.
US09928309B2 Handling content associated with content identifiers
A method, apparatus, and computer program product are provided for managing content on at least two devices. An interface provides a listing of content, such as multimedia files, stored on devices such as a personal computer and/or mobile device. Indicators associated with a content item indicate whether or not associated content is stored on the respective devices. Selection of an indicator may result in copying of files from one device to another, deletion of a media file from a respective device, and/or downloading a file from a location remote from either or both devices to a respective device. Indicators may be updated to reflect the completion of copying, deletion, and/or downloading.
US09928306B2 Web page editing method, apparatus, and medium
An apparatus includes a storage device and a processor coupled to the storage device and configured to acquire a web page description to be edited, detect a description that refers to a library written in an interpretive language in the acquired web page description, and generate a description of a modified web page in which the web page description is modified by inserting, into the web page description, code for sensing completion of initialization of the library corresponding to the detected description and code for editing a description in the interpretive language using the library corresponding to the detected description.
US09928301B2 Classifying uniform resource locators
A target domain name is classified using hash strides including domain name components. The hash strides are fed into a set of bloom filters programmed to identify pre-determined domain name categories. A programmable mapping table is provided for selecting one of many probable classifications.
US09928300B2 Artificial intelligence article analysis interface
Technologies for an artificial intelligence article analysis interface are described. The interface is configured to render one or more metrics associated with articles written using artificial intelligence. In some examples, the interface data is provided by an article analyzer. The article analyzer may analyze one or more articles and provide one or more outputs. The article analyzer may receive as an input one or more articles provided by an artificial intelligence journalist or human journalist.
US09928290B2 Trust framework for platform data
Techniques are described for determining and employing trust metrics for entities interacting with a super-platform. An end-user may interact with multiple individual platforms of different types. The individual platforms may generate data based on the interactions with end-user(s). The data from the various individual platforms may be received, ingested, stored, analyzed, aggregated, and/or otherwise processed by a super-platform. The super-platform may provide the data, aggregate data, and/or data analysis results to data consumer(s) through a marketplace associated with the super-platform. In some implementations, entities such as data providers, data manipulators, and/or data consumers may rate one another and, based on the rating(s), a trust metric may be determined that indicates a trust level of an entity.
US09928287B2 Processing query to graph database
A method of processing a query to a graph database using a plurality of processors. The method comprises providing a plurality of threads to be executed on a plurality of processors, each the thread is associated with one of a plurality of unique thread identifiers, providing a graph database having a plurality of graph database nodes and a plurality of graph database edges, each the graph database edge represents a relationship between two of the plurality of graph database nodes, receiving a query tree that defines a tree comprising plurality of query nodes connected by a plurality of query tree edges, and searching at least part of the graph database for a match with the query tree, wherein the searching is executed by the plurality of the processors, and wherein each the processor searches one of a plurality of sub-graphs of the graph database, each the sub-graph is defined by one of the plurality of thread identifiers.
US09928283B2 Tracing data through a transformation process using tracer codes
Systems and methods to provide tracing of data through a transformation process using tracers added to the data during the transformation. In one embodiment, a method includes: receiving a plurality of data records; processing the data records using a plurality of transformation rules, wherein each of the transformation rules corresponds to a respective one of a plurality of tracers; and adding the tracers to the data records as needed to indicate those of the transformation rules used to process each data record. After processing the data records using the transformation rules, the data records are provided to a target system, and the transformation process is validated using the tracers added to the data records.
US09928279B2 Media device and user interface for selecting media
A media device and user interface for selecting media. In one embodiment, the media is selected based upon a desired relationship measure between at least two media files. In another embodiment, the media is selected based upon a skip command control functions.
US09928278B2 Systems and methods for distributed data annotation
Systems and methods for distributed data annotation in accordance embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In one embodiment of the invention, a distributed data annotation server system includes a storage device configured to store source data, one or more annotators, annotation tasks and a processor, wherein a distributed data annotation application configures the processor to receive source data including one or more pieces of source data, select one or more annotators, create one or more annotation tasks for the selected annotators and source data, request one or more annotations for the source data using the annotation tasks, receive annotations, determine source data metadata for at least one piece of source data using the received annotations, generate annotator metadata for at least one annotator using the received annotations and the source data, and estimate the ground truth for the source data using the source data metadata and the annotator metadata.
US09928277B2 Materialized query tables with shared data
A computer system can generate a materialized query table (MQT) for data from a base table that has a plurality of rows and columns that each contain stored data. The computer system can receive a query to data stored in a row from the base table. The system can identify a column in the row and determine that data from a cell in the row and the column is above a threshold memory size. The system can generate, in response to determining that the data being above the threshold memory size, an MQT that includes data for the row and that includes a reference pointer that points to a location shared with another table.
US09928275B2 Remote document retrieval and storage system
An electronically stored financial document is either maintained in a first storage system when a parameter associated with the document is greater than a pre-selected parameter or in a second storage system when the parameter associated with the document is less than or equal to the pre-selected parameter. A request for a stored financial document is received and the requested financial document parameter is compared to the pre-selected financial document parameter to determine if the electronically stored financial document's parameter is more than, less than, or equal to the pre-selected parameter. In processing the request, a processing unit compares and electronically accesses one of the storage systems in response to the comparison of the pre-selected parameter to the electronically stored financial document's parameters. After accessing the appropriate storage system, the requested electronically stored financial document can be reproduced, and/or distributed.
US09928273B2 Enhanced database searching and storage
In a method for searching a computer database, a processor receives a set of data containing at least a first character. A processor creates a converted set of data by converting the first character in the received set of data into a second character, wherein the second character represents the first character and one or more additional characters based upon a predetermined equivalency. A processor searches the computer database for a previously stored data entry using the converted set of data. A processor returns a retrieved result of the searching.
US09928272B1 Determining contact-related information
Displaying contact-related information is disclosed. An association between a contact address not specific to a source of contact-related information and an identity of an entity at the source of contact-related information may be determined. Information representing the association between the contact address and the identity of the entity at the source of contact-related information is stored. The information representing the association is stored at a node associated with a service configured to use the information representing the association to retrieve from the source of contact-related information a response data associated with the entity in response to an expression of interest in a contact with which the contact address is associated.
US09928269B2 Apply corrections to an ingested corpus
An approach is provided to correct documents ingested by a question answering (QA) system. A document previously ingested by the QA system is selected. A correction to the selected document is identified from one or more correction sources and the correction is applied to the selected document within the QA system. In one embodiment, the correction source is a non-ingested document, such as a published document or an issued correction. In another embodiment, the correction source is a post in a forum. In this embodiment, a statement in the ingested document is compared with a contradictory statement found in an ingested post of a threaded discussion. The statement and the contradictory statement are evaluated by the QA system. The statement in the ingested document is replaced with the contradictory statement in response to the evaluation revealing that the contradictory statement is correct and that the statement is incorrect.
US09928267B2 Hierarchical database compression and query processing
Embodiments relate to hierarchical database compression. An aspect includes applying a first level of a first type of compression to a first partition of a column of a database. Another aspect includes applying a second level of the first type of compression to a subset of the first partition, wherein the first level of the first type of compression comprises a first first-level dictionary and the second level of the first type of compression comprises a first second-level dictionary, and wherein a code size of the first first-level dictionary is larger than a code size of the first second-level dictionary.
US09928263B2 Persistent shuffle system
A method includes receiving a request to perform a shuffle operation on a data stream; receiving at least a portion of the data stream including a plurality of records, each including a key; storing each of the plurality of records in a persistent storage location assigned to a key range corresponding to keys included in the plurality of records; receiving a request from a consumer for a subset of the plurality of records including a range of keys; and upon receiving the request from the consumer, providing the subset of the plurality of records including the range of keys from the one or more persistent storage locations.
US09928261B2 Radix sort acceleration using custom ASIC
An information processing system, computer readable storage medium, and method for accelerated radix sort processing of data elements in an array in memory. The information processing system stores an array of data elements in a buffer memory in an application specific integrated circuit radix sort accelerator. The array has a head end and a tail end. The system radix sort processing, with a head processor, data elements starting at the head end of the array and progressively advancing radix sort processing data elements toward the tail end of the array. The system radix sort processing, with a tail processor, data elements starting at the tail end of the array and progressively advancing radix sort processing data elements toward the head end of the array, the tail processor radix sort processing data elements in the array contemporaneously with the head processor radix sort processing data elements in the array.
US09928257B2 GINA virtual guid
Techniques and mechanisms for assigning a universal unique identifier to an instance of a plurality of information objects. In an embodiment, a first unique identifier is assigned to a first universal information object management environment and a second unique identifier is assigned to a plurality of information objects within the first information object management environment. Locally-unique identifiers are assigned each to a respective instance of the plurality of information objects, wherein a first information object management environment includes a first instance of the plurality of information objects. In another embodiment, a universal unique identifier for the first instance is created by collecting into a single key the first unique identifier, the second unique identifier and the locally-unique identifier assigned to the first instance.
US09928256B2 Universal data management interface
A universal data management interface (UDMI) system includes a processing system generates a visual interface through which a user can access, manage, and manipulate data on plural different types of remote databases. The UDMI connects to multiple standard database management systems and to allow multiple users to access, manage, and manipulate data within each of the multiple standard database management systems. The UDMI also allows multiple virtual databases that reside in a single database to be available as a network service.
US09928255B2 Method for generating indexes for downloading data
A method for bi-directional data replication between a Web Service application and a relational database are provided. In an electronic communications network, a computer implemented method is provided for generating indexes of relationship fields by accessing the metadata of a remote web service. A plurality of records may be downloaded from the remote web service to a computer. The plurality of records may include metadata related to the identity of data fields involved in parent-child record relationships. An index may be built at least partially on the data fields involved in parent-child relationships.
US09928250B2 System and method for managing deduplication using checkpoints in a file storage system
A deduplication system and method involves interaction between a software-based system that manages the overall background deduplication process and a hardware-based system that includes a hardware-based filesystem manager and a hash generator. A filesystem checkpoint mechanism is leveraged to manage the background deduplication process and also to reduce processing complexity with respect to identifying chunks that are candidates for deduplication and processing such chunks.
US09928249B2 Scheduling deduplication in a storage system
A system can maintain multiple queues for deduplication requests of different priorities. The system can also designate priority of storage units. The scheduling priority of a deduplication request is based on the priority of the storage unit indicated in the deduplication request and a trigger for the deduplication request.
US09928247B2 System and method for deletion of extraneous delete marker objects
Systems and methods for providing object versioning in a storage system may support the logical deletion of stored objects through the use of delete marker objects. In response to a delete operation specifying a key, but not a version identifier, the storage system may create a delete marker object that is stored as the latest object version of the key. In response to performing a subsequent mutating operation, or at pre-determined time intervals, the storage system may perform a local and/or a global analysis of the delete marker objects stored in the system (and/or metadata associated with those delete marker objects) to determine whether any of them are no longer needed to ensure correct operation of the system. The analysis may apply one or more reap conditions to delete marker objects and/or metadata to identify extraneous delete marker objects, removing those that meet one or more reap conditions from storage.
US09928242B2 Managing the content of shared slide presentations
Systems, methods, and software applications for managing slide presentation content are described in the present disclosure. According to one embodiment, among many, a computer readable medium is configured to store instructions that are executable by a processing device. The computer readable medium comprises logic adapted to enable a user to enter one or more search terms via a graphical user interface, the one or more search terms being used to initiate a text search of individual slides disassembled from one or more slide presentations and stored in an external database. Additional logic is adapted to display results of the text search on the graphical user interface, which displays a visual representation of a plurality of the individual slides resulting from the text search. The computer readable medium also includes logic adapted to enable a user to select one or more of the individual slides displayed on the graphical user interface.
US09928238B1 System and method for product optimization
A method includes maintaining product sales information according to a data model. The data model includes a consumer-demographics naming convention, a retail-provider-type naming convention, and a product-naming convention. The maintaining includes indexing the product sales information by consumer-demographics information, by retail-provider-type information, and by product-categorization information. The method further includes receiving raw sales information and translating the raw sales information into the data model. In addition the method includes storing the translated raw sales information as part of the product sales information. Furthermore, the method includes receiving a request for aggregation of at least a portion of the product sales information. The request specifies an intersection of the product-categorization information, the consumer-demographic information, and the retail-provider-type information. The method also includes, responsive to the request, aggregating the at least a portion of the product sales information.
US09928237B2 Automated contextual-based software localization
Example embodiments relate to automated contextual-based software localization. In example embodiments, at least one stage computing device may automatically detect at least one screen state related to source code for a software product. The at least one stage computing device may automatically generate at least one reduced properties file, for a first language. Each of the reduced properties files may relate to one of the screen states. The at least one stage computing device may automatically create at least one screen shot. Each of the screen shots may relate to one of the screen states. The at least one stage computing device may automatically create at least one translation package, e.g., one for each screen state. Each translation package may include the screen shot and the reduced properties file associated with particular screen state.
US09928234B2 Natural language text classification based on semantic features
An example method for natural language text classification based on semantic features comprises: performing semantico-syntactic analysis of a natural language text to produce a semantic structure representing a set of semantic classes; associating a first semantic class of the set of semantic classes with a first value reflecting a specified semantic class attribute; identifying a second semantic class associated with the first semantic class by a pre-defined semantic relationship; associating the second semantic class with a second value reflecting the specified semantic class attribute, wherein the second value is determined by applying a pre-defined transformation to the first value; evaluating a feature of the natural language text based on the first value and the second value; and determining, by a classifier model using the evaluated feature of the natural language text, a degree of association of the natural language text with a category of a pre-defined set of categories.
US09928233B2 Computer-implemented methods and systems for clustering user reviews and ranking clusters
Computer-implemented methods and systems are disclosed for organizing user reviews, especially computer app reviews, into clusters and ranking the clusters so that the reviews may be more meaningfully analyzed.
US09928231B2 Unsupervised topic modeling for short texts
Topics are determined for short text messages using an unsupervised topic model. In a training corpus created from a number of short text messages, a vocabulary of words is identified, and for each word a distributed vector representation is obtained by processing windows of the corpus having a fixed length. The corpus is modeled as a Gaussian mixture model in which Gaussian components represent topics. To determine a topic of a sample short text message, a posterior distribution over the corpus topics is obtained using the Gaussian mixture model.
US09928228B2 Audible presentation and verbal interaction of HTML-like form constructs
A method and workstation for completing an audiovisual form. In response to a user speaking a command for the web browser to accept keyboard entry of text, the web browser accepts entry of text and displays the form with the text entered into a blank area in a field of the form. In response to all fields in the form having been processed, the web browser generates a pause for a specified period of time. In response to the specified period of time of the pause having expired, the web browser loops back to a top of the form.
US09928225B2 Formula detection engine
A formula detection engine and associated method. The formula detection engine locates formulas within a fixed format document portion by identifying formula seeds. The formula detection engine creates and expands a boundary around the formula seed to define a formula area. To eliminate overlap with surrounding normal text, the formula area is divided into multiple formula areas based on vertical position and horizontal spacing between the formula elements. After being vertically ordered, horizontally overlapping formula areas are merged to reconstruct the formula as a flowable element.
US09928222B1 Customizing a browsing experience on a mobile communications device
Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems, methods, and computer storage media for customizing a user agent profile for a mobile communications device. The mobile communications device communicates a request for Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) compatible data. The request includes information about capabilities of the mobile communications device. The mobile communications device receives an options page that includes selectable options associated with the capabilities of the mobile communications device. Selectable options of the options page are selected to identify one or more preferences of a user of the mobile communications device. The mobile communications device communicates the selected options to be used for generating the customized user agent profile. The mobile device receives a target HTTP-compatible page that is a variation of the requested HTTP-compatible page, converted based on the customized user agent profile.
US09928220B2 Temporary highlighting of selected fields
Approaches are presented for temporary highlighting of selected fields of a document. For example, a user can select which fields of a document or class of documents he wishes to have highlighted. The user can also select (a) when he wishes the selected fields to be highlighted, for example, if a field exceeds a threshold and/or (b) how he wishes the selected fields to be highlighted, e.g., overlay the field with a contrasting color. When the user performs a specified action, for example, opens a document, the selected field is selectively highlighted according to the rules for when and how to highlight the selected field. This can help a user quickly recognize important fields in the context of the document.
US09928218B2 Electronic text display upon changing a device orientation
Information is presented to a user by accessing a library of electronic publications that includes a first publication, generating a representation of the first publication in an electronic bookshelf, determining a state for the first publication and modifying the representation of the first publication to reflect the state of the first publication.
US09928217B2 Efficient handling of bi-directional data
A tool for standardized layout transformations of BIDI data exchanged between legacy and modern systems is provided. The tool retrieves client connection information from a client request for data. The tool determines, based, at least in part, on the client connection information, a client application's operating system. The tool determines whether the data requested in the client request is BIDI data. Responsive to a determination that the data requested is BIDI data, the tool initiates a layout transformation of the data requested at a single point within the database server. The tool returns transformed BIDI data to the client application.
US09928212B2 Subspace-constrained partial update method for high-dimensional adaptive processing systems
A method is explained for any adaptive processor processing digital signals by adjusting signal weights on digital signal(s) it handles, to optimize adaptation criteria responsive to a functional purpose or externalities (transient, temporary, situational, and even permanent) of that processor. Adaptation criteria for the adaptive algorithm may be any combination of a signal or parameter estimation, and measured quality(ies). This method performs a linear transformation adapting parameters from M to (M1+L) dimensions in each adaptation event, such that M1 weights are updated without constraints and M0=M−M1 weights are forced by soft constraints into an L-dimensional subspace they spanned at the beginning of the adaptation period. The same dimensionality reduction, using the same linear transformation, is applied to the input data. The reduced-dimensionality weights are then adapted using the identical optimization strategy employed by the processor, except with input data that has also been reduced in dimensionality.
US09928211B2 Parallel self-timed adder (PASTA)
A parallel self-timed adder (PASTA) is disclosed. It is based on recursive formulation and uses only half adders for performing multi-bit binary addition. Theoretically the operation is parallel for those bits that do not need any carry chain propagation. Thus the new approach attains logarithmic performance without any special speed-up circuitry or look-ahead schema. The corresponding CMOS implementation of the design along with completion detection unit is also presented. The design is regular and does not have any practical limitations of fan-ins or fan-outs or complex interconnections. Thus it is more suitable for adoption in fast adder implementation in high-performance processors. The performance of the implementation is tested using SPICE circuit simulation tool by linear technology. Simulation results show its superiority over cascaded circuit adders. A constant time carry propagation is also achieved using the proposed implementation by tuning the CMOS parameters.
US09928207B1 Generating transactions with a configurable port
Provided are systems and methods for generating transactions with a configurable port. In some implementations, a peripheral device is provided. The peripheral device comprises a configurable port. In some implementations, the configurable port may be configured to receive a first transaction. In these implementations, the first transactions may include an address. The address may include a transaction attribute. In some implementations, the configurable port may extract the transaction attribute and a transaction address from the address. The configurable port may further generate a second transaction that includes the transaction attribute and the transaction address. The configurable port may also transmit the second transaction.
US09928204B2 Transaction expansion for NoC simulation and NoC design
Methods and example implementations described herein are generally directed to interconnect architecture, and more specifically, to generation of one or more expanded transactions for conducting simulations and/or NoC design. Aspects of the present disclosure include processing of input traffic specification that is given in terms of groups of hosts, requests, and responses to the requests, in order to generate one or more appropriate/correct expanded transactions that can be simulated.
US09928189B2 Systems and methods for controlling devices using master and slave devices
A method and system for communicating, comprising: at least one master device comprising at least one master driver with at least one intelligent vending controller application; at least one slave device comprising at least one slave driver; and at least one controller area network (CAN) bus facilitating communication between the at least one master device and the at least one slave device; the master device facilitating communication between at least one host application and the at least one master device and the at least one slave, wherein the at least one IVC application needs to be updated or changed only in the at least one master device, but an upgraded CPU affects the at least one slave device.
US09928188B2 Battery pack to regulate access to media systems
Disclosed are devices which regulate the access to media systems such as console gaming systems by means of disconnecting the human interface device such as a wireless controller. Specifically, devices where the control circuitry is integrated into the battery pack of the input device allowing it to be retrofitted easily into the controller.
US09928185B2 Information processing apparatus and computer-readable recording medium having program recorded therein
Processing performance of inter-virtual OS communication is improved by including a first storage processing unit that stores shared data in a data sharing area of a shared memory in a first virtual OS that transmits the shared data, an update determination unit that periodically checks an update state of the data sharing area in a second virtual OS that receives the shared data, and a first read processing unit that reads the shared data from the data sharing area when the data sharing area is updated.
US09928184B2 Microcomputer
A microcomputer is provided for each of industrial apparatuses to synchronously control them and includes a CPU, a peripheral module, and a communication interface. The peripheral module controls an external apparatus based on a specified control parameter. The communication interface includes a time register that is synchronized with the other apparatuses in time series. The communication interface issues a CPU interrupt and a peripheral module interrupt to the CPU and the peripheral module, respectively, if a successively settled correction time matches the time register. In response to the peripheral module interrupt, the peripheral module changes the control parameter from a current value to an update value. In response to the CPU interrupt, the CPU starts an update program to calculate the next update value for the control parameter and writes the calculated value to the peripheral module.
US09928183B2 Priority framework for a computing device
Proving for a framework for propagating priorities to a memory subsystem in a computing system environment is disclosed herein. By way of example, a memory access handler is provided for managing memory access requests and determining associated priorities. The memory access handler includes logic configured for propagating memory requests and the associated priorities to lower levels of a computer hierarchy. A memory subsystem receives the memory access requests and the priorities.
US09928181B2 Systems and methods for protection of reflective memory systems
A computing device within a reflective memory system includes a memory block and a special purpose processor. The memory block includes a plurality of memory areas, which are configured to store data of a corresponding one of a plurality of external devices. The special purpose processor is configured to intercept a write request. The write request is associated with a first external device of the plurality of external devices, and the first external device is associated with a first memory area of the plurality of memory areas. The special purpose processor is configured to determine whether the write request is valid or invalid, write the data of the first external device to the first memory area if the write request is valid, and prevent the data of the first external device from being written to the memory block if the write request is invalid.
US09928178B1 Memory-efficient management of computer network resources
Systems and methods are provided for managing a data store, invalidation requests, and/or resource requests. The system and methods may use one or more data structures, such as hash data structures and/or probabilistic data structures, to achieve various levels of granularity and/or computer resource efficiencies. Further, the invalidation request data may be stored at a front-end layer separate from a data store layer, such that the invalidation requests are processed based on resource requests. In the example, the hash data structure can be used for recent invalidation requests and older request data can be stored in memory-efficient probabilistic data structures. For example, probabilistic filters, such as a bloom filter, can store resource identifiers along with an associated version for space-efficient invalidation comparisons.
US09928176B2 Selecting cache transfer policy for prefetched data based on cache test regions
A processor applies a transfer policy to a portion of a cache based on access metrics for different test regions of the cache, wherein each test region applies a different transfer policy for data in cache entries that were stored in response to a prefetch requests but were not the subject of demand requests. One test region applies a transfer policy under which unused prefetches are transferred to a higher level cache in a cache hierarchy upon eviction from the test region of the cache. The other test region applies a transfer policy under which unused prefetches are replaced without being transferred to a higher level cache (or are transferred to the higher level cache but stored as invalid data) upon eviction from the test region of the cache.
US09928175B2 Identification of a computing device accessing a shared memory
A method for identifying, in a system including two or more computing devices that are able to communicate with each other, with each computing device having with a cache and connected to a corresponding memory, a computing device accessing one of the memories, includes monitoring memory access to any of the memories; monitoring cache coherency commands between computing devices; and identifying the computing device accessing one of the memories by using information related to the memory access and cache coherency commands.
US09928172B2 Method and apparatus for accessing data stored in a storage system that includes both a final level of cache and a main memory
A data access system including a processor and a storage system including a main memory and a cache module. The cache module includes a FLC controller and a cache. The cache is configured as a FLC to be accessed prior to accessing the main memory. The processor is coupled to levels of cache separate from the FLC. The processor generates, in response to data required by the processor not being in the levels of cache, a physical address corresponding to a physical location in the storage system. The FLC controller generates a virtual address based on the physical address. The virtual address corresponds to a physical location within the FLC or the main memory. The cache module causes, in response to the virtual address not corresponding to the physical location within the FLC, the data required by the processor to be retrieved from the main memory.
US09928170B2 Scatter/gather capable system coherent cache
In accordance with some embodiments, a scatter/gather memory approach may be enabled that is exposed or backed by system memory and uses conventional tags and addresses. Thus, such a technique may be more amenable to conventional software developers and their conventional techniques.
US09928168B2 Non-volatile random access system memory with DRAM program caching
Systems, methods, and computer programs are disclosed for providing non-volatile system memory with volatile memory program caching. One such method comprises storing an executable program in a non-volatile random access memory. In response to an initial launch of the executable program, the executable program is loaded from the non-volatile random access memory into a volatile memory cache for execution. In response to an initial suspension of the executable program, cache pages corresponding to the executable program are flushed into the non-volatile random access memory.
US09928166B2 Detecting hot spots through flash memory management table snapshots
Decisions about how to correlate logical address to physical addresses in a flash memory (or other non-volatile random access memory) is based at least in part upon how frequently a logical address is accessed over time. Accordingly, software tracks accesses, by logical address, to the stored data using a flash memory metadata structure, and calculates a frequency-of-access value for each logical address of the set of logical addresses corresponding to the relative frequency with which the corresponding logical address is accessed, based, at least in part, on the flash memory metadata structure. For example, logical addresses with low frequency may be grouped together so that the frequency of erasure operations (which are often done on a block by block basis) will tend to be reduced.
US09928158B2 Redundant transactions for detection of timing sensitive errors
A method for detecting a software-race condition in a program includes copying a state of a transaction of the program from a first core of a multi-core processor to at least one additional core of the multi-core processor, running the transaction, redundantly, on the first core and the at least one additional core given the state, outputting a result of the first core and the at least one additional core, and detecting a difference in the results between the first core and the at least one additional core, wherein the difference indicates the software-race condition.
US09928156B2 Missing include suggestions for external files
When writing program code, syntax errors can be detected and a diagnostic error message can be provided. One of the causes of errors in a C-based programming language such as but not limited to C++ is a missing definition. The definition can exist in a file that is separate from the source program file. The file may be designated by a particular statement such as a “#include” statement which points to the file in which the token used in the code is defined. The list of files and their relationships form an include graph. A feature inside an IDE can suggest potential “#include” statements to correct a missing “#include” statement error. By using the include graph a more accurate list of potential corrections can be suggested so that standard and platform independent code can be written.
US09928151B1 Remote device interface for testing computing devices
Techniques for remote interfacing with one or more computing devices may be provided. For example, a computing node may be communicatively coupled with the one or more computing devices. Each of the one or more computing devices may be associated with a device-specific interface for interacting with the corresponding computing device. The computing node may host the one or more device-specific interfaces. The computing node may also host an agent. The agent may be configured to at least provide a common interface to interact with the one or more device-specific interfaces. As such, status information of the one or more computing devices may be monitored based at least in part on utilizing the common interface. The status information may also be provided for presentation.
US09928147B2 Forceful closure and automatic recovery of pluggable databases in a shared-everything cluster multitenant container database
Embodiment provide that each pluggable database (PDB) in a container database is associated with a distinct distributed lock manager (DLM) domain. Thus, in order to access a PDB, a database server instance joins the DLM domain for the PDB. To perform actions on the PDB, the instance secures locks that belong to the DLM domain for the particular PDB. As such, buffers storing data for the PDB may be managed separately from buffers storing data for other PDBs using the PDB-specific DLM domains. An instance forcefully closing a particular PDB marks the DLM domain of the PDB as invalid, which allows detection of the forceful closure by a recovery instance. Detection of an invalid DLM domain by an instance causes the instance to automatically recover the PDB by accessing pertinent ranges of redo logs and replaying changes made to data blocks for the PDB indicated in the logs.
US09928143B2 System and method for managing single event latched (SEL) conditions
A system and method to manage a single event latched (SEL) condition, the method including operations to monitor, for a predetermined condition associated with single event latched (SEL) states, a reset signal output from a watchdog device to a microprocessor, wherein the reset signal is responsive to a malfunction condition associated with the microprocessor. The method further includes operations to control provision of power to the microprocessor in response to detection of the predetermined condition.
US09928141B1 Exploiting variable media size in grid encoded data storage systems
Techniques for exploiting variable media sizes to create new redundancy encoded data storage systems are described herein. A set of storage devices is selected based at least in part on each storage device having an available capacity and, using the set of storage devices, a set of shards for a redundancy encoded data storage system is generated such that each shard of the set of shards has a storage capacity corresponding to the minimum available capacity of the set of storage devices.
US09928140B2 Non-volatile memory device and method of operating the same
A method of operating a non-volatile memory device, includes, storing sensed data in a page buffer circuit by sensing data stored in a source page of a memory cell array, outputting the sensed data from the page buffer circuit, performing error correction code (ECC) decoding of the sensed data output from the page buffer circuit, storing the decoded data in the page buffer circuit, and providing de-randomized data to an external device as read data by performing de-randomizing of the decoded data output from the page buffer circuit using seed values corresponding to the source page.
US09928139B2 Systems and methods for last written page handling in a memory device
Systems and method relating generally to solid state memory, and more particularly to systems and methods for recovering data from a solid state memory. In one embodiment, the systems and methods include providing a flash memory circuit including a superset of memory cells, accessing a data set from a group of memory cells using a standard reference value to distinguish bit values in the group of memory cells, and based at least in part on determining that the group of memory cells was a last written group of memory cells, re-accessing a data set from the group of memory cells using a last written reference value to distinguish bit values in the group of memory cells.
US09928138B2 Memory system
According to one embodiment, a memory system includes a memory, and a processor. The memory converts an amount of charge held by a memory cell into a value. The processor executes a first process of reading first data from the memory. The processor executes a second process of reading the first data by making the memory use a first determination potential different in a case where error correction of the first data read through the first process is failed. The processor executes a third process of reading second data from the memory by making the memory use a third determination potential in a case where error correction of the first data read through the second process is succeeded. The third determination potential is the first determination potential used by the memory in a case where error correction of the first data read through the second process is succeeded.
US09928133B2 Method to reduce read error rate for semiconductor resistive memory
A method for operating a memory device includes performing a single read operation that includes additional one or more combinations of read and/or write cycles, and performing a single write operation that includes additional one or more combinations of read and/or write cycles. For example, a method for auto-correcting errors in a memory device having plurality of memory cells includes performing a first read operation of the memory cell to obtain a first read data value, performing a first write operation to the memory cell to write a second data value, which is a complement of the first data value, into the memory cell, performing a second read operation of the memory cell to obtain a third data value, and performing a second write operation to the memory cell to write a fourth data value, which is a complement of the third data value, to the memory cell.
US09928132B2 Dynamic accessing of execution elements through modification of issue rules
Embodiments of the invention relate to dynamically routing instructions to execution units based on detected errors in the execution units. An aspect of the invention includes a computer system including a processor having an instruction issue unit and a plurality of execution units. The processor is configured to detect an error in a first execution unit among the plurality of execution units and adjust instruction dispatch rules of the instruction issue unit based on detecting the error in the first execution unit to restrict access to the first execution unit while leaving un-restricted access to the remaining execution units of the plurality of execution units.
US09928131B2 System and method for detection of rare failure events
A method includes generating a system model representative of a socio-technical system having a plurality of system parameters. The method further includes selecting one or more essential system parameters from the plurality of system parameters. The method also includes determining a plurality of probability distributions corresponding to the one or more essential system parameters. The method further includes determining at least one hyperbox using a sampling optimization technique based on the one or more essential system parameters. The at least one hyperbox is representative of a confidence region corresponding to a rare event of the socio-technical system. The method also includes determining a probability of the rare event using a variance reduction technique based on a plurality of particles obtained from the at least one hyperbox. The probability of the rare event is representative of a performance of the socio-technical system.
US09928130B2 Method for generating a machine heartbeat
A method and system for generating a heartbeat of a process including at least one machine configured to perform a process cycle consisting of timed events performed in a process sequence includes determining the duration of each timed event during performance of the process cycle, ordering the durations of the timed events in the process sequence, and generating a heartbeat defined by the ordered durations of a process cycle. One or more process parameters can be sensed and displayed with the heartbeat in real time. The variance of a current heartbeat to a baseline heartbeat and/or a comparison of a process parameter to a parameter limit can be analyzed to monitor and/or control the process or machine. The heartbeat, the process parameter corresponding to the heartbeat can be displayed on a user interface which can include a message corresponding to the heartbeat and/or the process parameter.
US09928129B2 Operation apparatus module
An operation apparatus module includes a plurality of operation apparatuses disposed in a preset pattern. Each of the plurality of operation apparatuses includes a storage block suitable for storing self-identification information for identifying a corresponding operation apparatus and peer identification information for identifying one or more peer operation apparatuses of the corresponding operation apparatus; and an identification block suitable for managing the preset pattern by comparing the self-identification information stored in the storage block with the peer identification information transmitted from the peer operation apparatuses.
US09928125B1 Message queueing in middleware by a message broker
A message broker configured to handle messages received from a plurality of client applications comprises a plurality of message queues that are each associated with a different task. A first synchronous message is received at a first message queue from a first client application. A determination is made that at a time the first synchronous message is received there is an earlier-received message from a different client application waiting in the first message queue. In response to the determination, the first synchronous message is coalesced with the earlier-received message such that a task associated with the first message queue is executed only once for both messages and a notice of the execution is returned to the first client application.
US09928123B1 Precomputing processes associated with requests
Processes from a set of processes are divided for use at a second triggering event and which are part of a single application programming interface (API). The set of processes including a subset of the set of processes including at least one process in the set and a remainder of the set of processes including at least one process in the set of processes and outside of the subset of the set of processes. A first triggering event is identified. The subset of the set of processes are performed using a processor and in response to the first triggering event to obtain a first result for use at the second triggering event. A state and the first result of the subset of the set of processes is saved. The remainder of the set of processes are performed using the processor in response to the second triggering event occurring after the first triggering event, and using the state and first result, to obtain a second result.
US09928121B2 Method and system for implementing recovery from speculative forwarding miss-predictions/errors resulting from load store reordering and optimization
A method for forwarding data from the store instructions to a corresponding load instruction in an out of order processor. The method includes accessing an incoming sequence of instructions; reordering the instructions in accordance with processor resources for dispatch and execution; ensuring a closest earlier store in machine order for to a corresponding load, by determining if said store has an actual age but said corresponding load does not have an actual age, then said store is earlier than said corresponding load; if said corresponding load has an actual age but said store does not have an actual age, then said corresponding load is earlier than said store; if neither said corresponding load or said store have an actual age, then a virtual identifier table is used to determine which is earlier; and if both said corresponding load and said store have actual ages, then the actual ages are used to determine which is earlier.
US09928117B2 Hardware access counters and event generation for coordinating multithreaded processing
A computer system includes a hardware synchronization component (HSC). Multiple concurrent threads of execution issue instructions to update the state of the HSC. Multiple threads may update the state in the same clock cycle and a thread does not need to receive control of the HSC prior to updating its states. Instructions referencing the state received during the same clock cycle are aggregated and the state is updated according to the number of the instructions. The state is evaluated with respect to a threshold condition. If it is met, then the HSC outputs an event to a processor. The processor then identifies a thread impacted by the event and takes a predetermined action based on the event (e.g. blocking, branching, unblocking of the thread).
US09928111B2 System and method for configuration tagging in a multitenant application server environment
In accordance with an embodiment, described herein is a system and method for supporting the use of configuration tagging in a multitenant application server environment. In accordance with an embodiment, a user interface is provided which displays a domain structure, including partitions and target systems, and enables components of the domain to be associated with user-specified tags that are received from an administrator, including for example, a first component associated with a first set of one or more tag(s), and a second component associated with a second set of one or more tag(s), which are then associated with the corresponding domain component. For example, a virtual target or target system can be associated with a tag such as “Gold”, “Silver” or “Bronze”. The tagged components can then be associated with the creation or definition of a partition.
US09928109B2 Method and system for processing nested stream events
One embodiment of the present disclosure sets forth a technique for enforcing cross stream dependencies in a parallel processing subsystem such as a graphics processing unit. The technique involves queuing waiting events to create cross stream dependencies and signaling events to indicated completion to the waiting events. A scheduler kernel examines a task status data structure from a corresponding stream and updates dependency counts for tasks and events within the stream. When each task dependency for a waiting event is satisfied, an associated task may execute.
US09928108B1 Metaevent handling for on-demand code execution environments
Systems and methods are described for generating and executing metaevents within an on-demand code execution environment. The code execution environment can include virtual machine instances that are pre-initialized to enable low latency execution of arbitrary user-defined code. Code execution can typically occur in response to a defined event trigger, such as a call to an application programming interface (API) from an external source. Code execution may also occur in response to metadata regarding the operation of the code execution environment. A user may specify criteria for “metaevents” based on the metadata, and also specify code to be executed in response to satisfaction of the criteria. When the code execution environment determines that the user's criteria is satisfied, a metaevent may be generated that causes execution of the set of code. This execution may, in turn, generate metadata that triggers one or more metaevents.
US09928105B2 Stack overflow prevention in parallel execution runtime
A parallel execution runtime prevents stack overflow by maintaining an inline counter for each thread executing tasks of a process. Each time that the runtime determines that inline execution of a task is desired on a thread, the runtime determines whether the inline counter for the corresponding thread indicates that stack overflow may occur. If not, the runtime increments the inline counter for the thread and allows the task to be executed inline. If the inline counter indicates a risk of stack overflow, then the runtime performs additional one or more checks using a previous stack pointer of the stack (i.e., a lowest known safe watermark), the current stack pointer, and memory boundaries of the stack. If the risk of stack overflow remains after all checks have been performed, the runtime prevents inline execution of the task.
US09928101B2 Certificate based connection to cloud virtual machine
In an environment that includes a host computing system that executes virtual machines, and a secure cloud computing channel that communicatively couples the host to a client computing system that is assigned to a particular one of the virtual machines, the particular virtual machine generates a certificate, install the certificate on the itself, and returns a certificate representation to the client. This may occur when the virtual machine is provisioned. During a subsequent connection request from the client to the virtual machine, the virtual machine returns the certificate to the client. The client compares the certificate representation that was returned during provisioning with the certificate returned during the subsequent connection, and if there is a match, then the virtual machine is authenticated to the client. Thus, in this case, the virtual machine authenticates without the client having to generate, install, and manage security for a certificate.
US09928098B2 Identifying application usage roles for devices provided to virtual machines
Embodiments of the disclosure provide techniques for or managing devices for a virtual machine. A method is provided that includes associating, by a processing device of a cloud management system, a device with a virtual machine. The device is associated, by a memory data structure, with an identifier tag including a character string. The virtual machine is notified of the identifier tag associated with the device. An application to be executed by the virtual machine is associated, using the identifier tag, with the device.
US09928089B2 Optimizing software code
A method of optimizing software source code, where the source code is for execution as compiled bytecode using a just-in-time compiler. The source code is compiled to generate corresponding compiled bytecode. The bytecode is then executed using a just-in-time compiler. Run-time optimization actions performed by the just-in-time compiler during execution of the bytecode are determined, and analyzed to determine corresponding optimization data for the source code.
US09928088B2 Method, apparatus, server and system for implementing web application
A method, apparatus, server and system for implementing a web application. The method, for example, comprises: detecting an operating environment of a current web application; and automatically loading a component of a native version when it is detected that the current web application is operating on a light application platform; and automatically loading a component of a hypertext markup language (HTML) version when it is detected that the current web application is operating on a browser. By automatically loading the component of a native version and automatically loading the component of the HTML version, the disclosed method improves the compatibility of the web application so that the web application may complete the function thereof in various environments; and adopting an HTML tag development component reduces the development costs of the web application and increases the loading speed of the web application.
US09928084B2 Electronic device and method for activating application
An electronic device is provided with an activation unit for activating an application wherein character input to a character input area is possible, a memory for storing a predetermined character string corresponding to the application, an operation unit for inputting a first character string and a second character string, a display unit for displaying the first character string and the second character string input from the operation unit, a determination unit for determining whether or not the second character string matches the predetermined character string, and a control unit which, when the determination unit determines that the second character string matches the predetermined character string, functions to control an activation unit to activate an application corresponding to the predetermined character string and functions to input the first character string in the character input area of the application.
US09928081B2 Customizing program logic for booting a system
A method and system are provided for generating customized program logic operable to control hardware devices of a target system and to boot said target system. The system is connected to one or more target systems via a network, the server system being adapted for: receiving a first list of device identifiers from one of the target systems; automatically selecting, for each of the device identifiers in the received first list, at least one driver operable to control the identified device from a set of drivers, thereby generating a sub-set of said set of drivers; providing a core program logic to the target system; and providing the sub-set of drivers to the target system, wherein a combination of the sub-set of drivers and the core program logic constitutes a customized program logic operable to control the devices of said target system.
US09928078B2 Method of displaying information in booting, and electronic apparatus and mobile terminal using the same
A method of displaying information when an electronic apparatus is booted is provided. The method includes storing specific information, the specific information being monitored and collected from data created when the electronic apparatus operates, in an information file, and executing the information file storing the specific information during booting of the electronic apparatus and displaying the specific information.
US09928075B2 Load queue entry reuse for operand store compare history table update
Embodiments relate to load queue entry reuse for operand store compare (OSC) history table update. An aspect includes allocating a load queue entry in a load queue to a load instruction that is issued into an instruction pipeline, the load queue entry comprising a valid tag that is set and a keep tag that is unset. Another aspect includes based on the flushing of the load instruction, unsetting the valid tag and setting the keep tag. Another aspect includes reissuing the load instruction into the instruction pipeline. Another aspect includes based on determining that the allocated load queue entry corresponds to the reissued load instruction, setting the valid tag and leaving the keep tag set. Another aspect includes based on completing the reissued load instruction, and based on the valid tag and the keep tag being set, updating the OSC history table corresponding to the load instruction.
US09928074B2 System and method for an asynchronous processor with token-based very long instruction word architecture
Embodiments are provided for an asynchronous processor with token-based very long instruction word architecture. The asynchronous processor comprises a memory configured to cache a plurality of instructions, a feedback engine configured to receive the instructions in bundles of instructions at a time (referred to as very long instruction word) and to decode the instructions, and a crossbar bus configured to transfer calculation information and results of the asynchronous processor. The apparatus further comprises a plurality of sets of execution units (XUs) between the feedback engine and the crossbar bus. Each set of the sets of XUs comprises a plurality of XUs arranged in series and configured to process a bundle of instructions received at the each set from the feedback engine.
US09928073B2 Determining of validity of speculative load data after a predetermined period of time in a multi-slice processor
Operation of a multi-slice processor that includes a plurality of execution slices and a plurality of load/store slices coupled via a results bus includes: retrieving, from the results bus into an entry of a register file of an execution slice, speculative result data of a load instruction generated by a load/store slice; and determining, from the load/store slice after expiration of a predetermined period of time, whether the result data is valid.
US09928069B2 Predicated vector hazard check instruction
A hazard check instruction has operands that specify addresses of vector elements to be read by first and second vector memory operations. The hazard check instruction outputs a dependency vector identifying, for each element position of the first vector corresponding to the first vector memory operation, which element position of the second vector that the element of the first vector depends on (if any). In an embodiment, the addresses of the vector memory operations are specified using a base address for each vector memory operation and a vector that is shared by both vector memory operations. In an embodiment, the operands may include predicates for one or both of the vector memory operations, indicating which vector elements are active. The dependency vector may be qualified by the predicates, indicating dependencies only for active elements.
US09928065B2 Variable register and immediate field encoding in an instruction set architecture
A method and apparatus provide means for compressing instruction code size. An Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) encodes instructions compact, usual or extended bit lengths. Commonly used instructions are encoded having both compact and usual bit lengths, with compact or usual bit length instructions chosen based on power, performance or code size requirements. Instructions of the ISA can be used in both privileged and non-privileged operating modes of a microprocessor. The instruction encodings can be used interchangeably in software applications. Instructions from the ISA may be executed on any programmable device enabled for the ISA, including a single instruction set architecture processor or a multi-instruction set architecture processor.
US09928063B2 Instruction and logic to provide vector horizontal majority voting functionality
Instructions and logic provide vector horizontal majority voting functionality. Some embodiments, responsive to an instruction specifying: a destination operand, a size of the vector elements, a source operand, and a mask corresponding to a portion of the vector element data fields in the source operand; read a number of values from data fields of the specified size in the source operand, corresponding to the mask specified by the instruction and store a result value to that number of corresponding data fields in the destination operand, the result value computed from the majority of values read from the number of data fields of the source operand.
US09928058B1 Optimized class loading
A classloader executing in an execution environment, such as a JAVA virtual machine or a software container, may be configured to generate class usage data describing the historical usage of classes by applications in the execution environment. Based upon the class usage data, one or more classes may be pre-loaded into a cache prior to receiving a request from an application to load the classes. If an application subsequently requests a class, the request may be satisfied using the class stored in the cache rather than by loading the class at the time the request is received. A probabilistic data structure, such as a Bloom filter, might also be utilized to determine whether a classloader can possibly load a requested class. Only if the classloader can possibly load the requested class will a search be made for the requested class in a classpath associated with the classloader.
US09928055B1 Validating development software by comparing results from processing historic data sets
A system for validating wireless communication network inventory software. The system comprises a processor, a non-transitory memory, and an application stored in the memory. When executed by the processor, the application processes a first data set with the first version of the software system to produce an authoritative data store, processes the first data set with a second version of the software system to produce a first trial data store, and processes a second data set with the second version of the software system to produce a second trial data store, wherein the second data set comprises later data than the first data set, and responsive to determining that the first trial data store matches the authoritative data store and determining that the second trial data store does not match the authoritative data store, designates the second data set changed.
US09928053B2 Joint acquisition of update software for multiple devices
An example of a game apparatus, regardless of whether or not a peripheral device is connected to the game apparatus, acquires, from a server, update data for main body system software for controlling the game apparatus, together with update data for peripheral device system software, and saves the pieces of update data in a data storage unit. If the peripheral device is connected to the game apparatus, the game apparatus updates the main body system software and the peripheral device system software using the pieces of update data stored in the data storage unit. If the peripheral device is not connected to the game apparatus, the game apparatus updates only the main body system software. If the peripheral device has been connected to the game apparatus after that, the game apparatus updates the peripheral device system software using the update data stored in the data storage unit.
US09928049B2 Identifying unmatched registry entries
A method and a related system for identifying unmatched registry entries may be provided. The method may comprise scanning a file system and discovering software based on a file signature, collecting first attributes of the discovered software, collecting native registry entries, and comparing the first attributes against second attributes of the collected registry entries based on a filtering rule. Thereby, the registry entries may be grouped into two groups. One group may represent matched registry entries and the other group may represent unmatched registry entries. The unmatched registry entries may be identified as unequivocal entries for further software discovery.
US09928048B2 System and method for providing application programs to devices
A system and method are provided for installing applications on a mobile device at first device initialization. An installation client communicates with a management server at an initial start-up state of a mobile device. The management server identifies a set of applications that are available for installation on the client device, and provides the installation files to the device. The management server selects certain client devices for certain applications based on user segments, allowing customization of applications according to user data. This initialization-installation of application programs allows the user to have the experience of having access to pre-installed applications at device initialization, while allowing application providers and mobile network operators real-time management of application programs being offered, without requiring pre-installing a bundle of applications on a device prior to device distribution.
US09928043B2 User-driven evolving user interfaces
The described technologies can be used for customizing and evolving user interfaces. In one embodiment, a method can comprise storing a default graphical user interface template. A user-customized graphical user interface template can be stored in a repository of user-customized graphical user interface templates. A popularity of the user-customized graphical user interface template can be measured. The popularity of the user-customized graphical user interface template can be incorporated into a graphical user interface selection process.
US09928036B2 Random number generator
A processor includes an execution unit to generate a random number. The execution unit includes entropy source circuits, correlation circuits, and an extractor circuit. The entropy source circuits include all-digital components and are to generate an initial randomized bit stream. The correlation circuits are to remove correlations from the initial randomized bit stream to yield an intermediate randomized bit stream. The extractor circuit is to select a subset of the intermediate randomized bit stream as a random output of the execution unit.
US09928035B2 Multiply-and-accumulate unit in carry-save adder format and application in a feedback loop equalizer
A multiply and accumulation (MAC) unit for multiplying a provided first and a provided second multiplicand and for adding a provided summand to the resulting product is described. The MAC includes at least one multiplication block which is configured to multiply a first input signal and a second input signal, wherein the first input signal is given in a carry-save adder format and the second input signal is given in a binary format, wherein the multiplication result is provided in a carry-save format, and a carry-save adder which is configured to add to the result of the multiplication the provided summand.
US09928034B2 Work-efficient, load-balanced, merge-based parallelized consumption of sequences of sequences
A method, computer readable medium, and system are disclosed for processing a segmented data set. The method includes the steps of receiving a data structure storing a plurality of values segmented into a plurality of sequences; assigning a plurality of processing elements to process the plurality of values; and processing the plurality of values by the plurality of processing elements according to a merge-based algorithm. Each processing element in the plurality of processing elements identifies a portion of values in the plurality of values allocated to the processing element based on the merge-based algorithm. In one embodiment, the processing elements are threads executed in parallel by a parallel processing unit.
US09928032B2 Checksum adder
Embodiments relate to a hardware circuit that is operable as a fixed point adder and a checksum adder. An aspect includes a driving of a multifunction compression tree disposed on a circuit path based on a control bit to execute one of first and second schemes of vector input addition and a driving of a multifunction adder disposed on the circuit path based on the control bit to perform the one of the first and second schemes of vector input addition.
US09928030B2 Speech retrieval device, speech retrieval method, and display device
A voice search apparatus includes a web page display controller, a voice recognizer, a matching unit, and a URL creator. The web page display controller controls a web page which is to be displayed on a display. The voice recognizer recognizes a voice that is input, converts the voice into character string information, and outputs the character string information. The matching unit refers to a URL list in which a character string representing part of a URL is registered for each search category, performs matching processing between a URL of the web page displayed on the display and the character string in the URL list, and specifies the character string in the URL list corresponding to the URL. The URL creator creates a URL based on the character string specified by the matching unit and the character string information.
US09928028B2 Mobile terminal with voice recognition mode for multitasking and control method thereof
There is provided a mobile terminal and a method of controlling a mobile terminal. The mobile terminal according to the one embodiment analyzes a voice signal received through the audio input unit, when going to a voice recognition mode, selects at least one application to be executed, and at least one item of content to be used in the application, according to the analyzed voice signal, wherein the at least one item of content is selected from items of content displayed on the touch screen, and executes the selected at least one application by using the selected at least one item of content according to the analyzed voice signal.
US09928022B2 Method of controlling a content displayed in an in-vehicle system
A system and method for controlling an in-vehicle infotainment system to control content in using a primary display includes a mobile device and the in-vehicle infotainment system in communication with the mobile device. The in-vehicle infotainment system comprises the primary display and a first secondary display. The in-vehicle infotainment system receives a first content selection signal for a first content. The first secondary display displays the first content in response to the first content selection signal. The primary display displays a content identifier corresponding to the first content.
US09928019B2 Object shadowing in head worn computing
Aspects of the present disclosure relate to shadowing objects displayed in head worn computing.
US09928016B2 System and method for printable document job submission
In some embodiments, a method which includes receiving an indication of the presence of a first message from a first client device, the first message including a first specification file and a first network address associated with a first print data file. The method includes retrieving the first print data file from the first network address. The method includes processing the first specification file and the first print data file by a raster image processor.
US09928015B2 Copyright infringement prevention
In an approach for determining printability of an electronic file, a computer electronically receives a file for printing. The computer parses the file for one or more of text, images, and formatting indicative of potential copyrighted material. The computer, in response to identifying any text, images, or formatting indicative of potential copyrighted material, identifies potential copyrighted material within the file. The computer determines whether the file may be printed based, at least in part, on the identified potential copyrighted material. In another approach for determining printability of an electronic document, a computer electronically receives a document for printing. The computer locates attributes associated with the document and stored in a separate database, which includes one or more of the following: ownership, licensing information, printability, and number of prints allowed. The computer determines the document is printable based on the attributes and prints the document.
US09928013B2 Print control system, method of controlling printing, and recording medium
An output system includes a user terminal including a first processor; an information processing system including one or more second processors; and one or more output apparatuses each including a third processor, wherein the first processor is configured to receive an output request from a user, an output request designating an output target data and an output destination selected from among the one or more output apparatuses, and send, in response to receiving the output request, the output target data to the information processing system and an acquisition request of outputting to the designated output apparatus and wherein the third processor is configured to execute, in response to receiving the acquisition request from the user terminal, an acquisition process to acquire the designated output target data from the information processing system.
US09928008B2 Pre-loading a parameter to a media accessor to support a data request
Supporting of both reading and writing data to a storage media is provided. A data request is received and a storage medium to support the data request is identified. A parameter related to the data request is retrieved and pre-loaded to an associated media accessor prior to loading the storage media. The parameter includes a setting adjustment of the media accessor in support of the data request. The media accessor performs the data request in compliance with the setting adjustment.
US09928005B2 Synchronizing selected portions of data in a storage management system
Disclosed methods and systems leverage resources in a storage management system to partially synchronize primary data files based on synchronizing selected portions thereof without regard to changes that may be occurring in other non-synchronized portions. Accordingly, a number of primary data files may be partially synchronized by synchronizing designated portions thereof via auto-restore operations from backup data. This approach relies on storage management resources to designate portions of source data that is to be kept synchronized across any number of targets; detect changes to the designated portions; back up changes to secondary storage; and distribute the changes from secondary storage to the associated targets, with minimal impact to the primary data environment. The approach may be mutually applied, so that changes in any one of an associated group of source data files may be likewise detected, backed up, and distributed to the other members of the group.
US09928003B2 Management of writable snapshots in a network storage device
Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for creating writable snapshots of logical data units in a network storage array. One method includes operations for receiving a request to create a snapshot at a storage device, the snapshot being a point-in-time copy of a volume in the storage device, and for creating the snapshot with a first snap-point corresponding to a state of the volume when the snapshot is created. The snapshot is writeable when the snapshot is created. Further, the method includes operations for receiving one or more requests to make changes to the snapshot, for creating one or more snap-points for the snapshot after processing the one or more requests, and for closing the snapshot. The snapshot is not writeable after the snapshot is closed and access to the snapshot, after closing the snapshot, accesses data associated with a last snap-point of the snapshot.
US09928002B2 Integrated snapshot interface for a data storage system
A data storage system includes a generic snapshot interface, allowing for integration with a wide variety of snapshot-capable storage devices. The generic interface can be a programming interface (e.g., an application programming interface [API]). Using the snapshot interface, storage device vendors can integrate their particular snapshot technology with the data storage system. For instance, the data storage system can access a shared library of functions (e.g., a dynamically linked library [DLL]) provided by the vendor (or another by appropriate entity) and that complies with the specifications of the common programming interface. And by invoking the appropriate functions in the library, the data storage system implements the snapshot operation on the storage device.
US09928001B2 Efficiently restoring execution of a backed up virtual machine based on coordination with virtual-machine-file-relocation operations
Systems and methods enable a virtual machine, including applications executing thereon, to quickly start executing and servicing users based on pre-staged data blocks supplied from a backup copy in secondary storage. Substantially concurrently with the ongoing execution of the virtual machine, a virtual-machine-file-relocation operation moves data blocks from backup to a primary storage destination that becomes the virtual machine's primary data store after relocation completes. An enhanced data agent, operating in conjunction with an enhanced media agent in a storage management system, coordinates restoring the virtual machine and launching the relocation operation. The enhanced media agent pre-stages certain backed up data blocks based on predictive analysis pertaining to the virtual machine's operational profile. The enhanced media agent also pre-stages backed up data blocks for the relocation operation, based on the operation's relocation scheme. The media agent tracks read requests and maintains the contents of an associated read cache.
US09927999B1 Trim management in solid state drives
A storage device may include a data storage portion, including a plurality of blocks of data, and a controller. The controller may be configured to receive a command that includes an inherent trim request for the plurality of blocks of data. The controller may be configured to perform a trim operation on a first set of trim blocks from the plurality of blocks of data, which may include fewer than all blocks of the plurality of blocks of data and may include trim blocks on which the controller can complete the trim operation within a predetermined time. The controller may be configured to update a pending trim table to include an indication of a second set of trim blocks on which trim is to be performed, which may include blocks of data on which the controller cannot complete the trim operation within the predetermined time.
US09927994B2 Memory system and operating method thereof
A memory system may include: a memory device comprising a plurality of pages, which include a plurality of memory cells coupled to a plurality of word lines, and in which data is stored, a plurality of memory blocks in which the pages are included, a plurality of planes including the memory blocks, and a plurality of memory dies in which the planes are included; and a controller including a first memory, the controller configured to perform a command operation to store data segments of user data for the command operation in the memory blocks, and store meta segments of metadata for the command operation in the memory blocks and a second memory included in the host.
US09927993B2 Semiconductor memory device
A semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array including a block of memory cells, gates of which are connected to a plurality of word lines, and a control unit configured to perform a writing operation in response to a command received from the outside, the writing operation including applying a program level voltage to at least two word lines at the same time.
US09927991B2 Extent movement speed in multi-tiered systems
Mechanism designed to minimize copying of data from one memory tier to another. Data in a first memory location, is addressed based on its logical block address (LBA). When the data is copied into a second cache memory location, the LBA is updated to address the data at the second location. The first memory location is preserved intact. If the data is to be copied back to the first memory location, and the data has not changed since being copied into the second location, the LBA is updated to address the data at the first memory location, and no physical copying of the data from the second location to the first is performed.
US09927990B2 Memory system, memory controller and memory control method
According to an embodiment, a memory system includes: a non-volatile memory; an encoding unit that generates a code word in which zero and one occur at different occurrence rates by encoding data; and a control unit that writes k third data items and fourth data items into the non-volatile memory. The k is an integer larger than or equal to zero and smaller than or equal to n. The n is an integer larger than or equal to two. The k third data items are obtained by encoding k second data items with the encoding unit among first data items including n second data items and having a first data length. The fourth data items are obtained by removing data corresponding to the k third data items from the first data items. The third data items are generated by encoding the second data items with encoders, respectively.
US09927986B2 Data storage device with temperature sensor and temperature calibration circuitry and method of operating same
A data storage device includes a non-volatile memory, a temperature sensor, and temperature calibration circuitry coupled to the temperature sensor. The temperature calibration circuitry is configured to cause memory operations to be performed on storage elements of the non-volatile memory, to determine a temperature metric based on temperature readings from the temperature sensor in response to initiation of the memory operations, and to modify a temperature threshold based on the temperature metric.
US09927985B2 Method of dynamic table journaling
Embodiments of the disclosure are directed to a journaling scheme in a flash memory device. Advantageously, embodiments described can be used to keep the rebuild time of a Flash Translation Layer (FTL) mapping table to a maximum upon restart from a sudden power-loss event.
US09927979B1 Data compression using constant number-of-track-groups and thin provisioning clone target
For a data copying operation, data compression using constant number-of-track-groups and a thinly provisioned target device facilitates incremental updates where the size of the compressed data on the target device changes. Compressed data is written to the same LBA as the beginning of the source device chunk cluster LBA (1:1 mapping of data start). A termination string or other demarking device is used to identify space freed on the target device resulting from compression. During an incremental update only changed chunk clusters are changed, and freed space is changed accordingly if necessary.
US09927977B2 Retrieving data segments from a dispersed storage network
A method includes generating a plurality of segment allocation tables (SATs) for pluralities of sets of encoded data slices. For a first SAT, the method further includes dispersed storage error encoding the first SAT to produce a first set of encoded SAT slices. The method further includes generating a first source name for the first plurality of sets of encoded data slices and the first SAT based on an object identifier associated with the data object. The method further includes generating, based on the first source name, a first plurality of sets of slices names for the first plurality of sets of encoded data slices and the first set of encoded SAT slices. The method further includes outputting, based on the first plurality of sets of slices names, the first plurality of sets of encoded data slices and the first set of encoded SAT slices to storage units.
US09927975B2 Hybrid memory drives, computer system, and related method for operating a multi-mode hybrid drive
A multi-mode hybrid memory drive comprises a bulk memory device and a removable cache memory device. A controller of the bulk memory device may be configured to operate the bulk memory device in either a stand-alone mode or a hybrid mode responsive to detecting the removable cache memory device being coupled with a cache port of the bulk memory device. A method of operating a multi-mode hybrid drive may also comprise monitoring a cache port of a bulk memory device to determine a presence of a removable cache memory device, operating the bulk memory device as a stand-alone drive responsive to determining the removable cache memory device is not present, and operating the bulk memory device as a hybrid drive using the removable cache memory device as a data cache responsive to determining the removable cache memory device is present. Additional hybrid memory drives and computer systems are also described.
US09927973B2 Electronic device for executing at least one application and method of controlling said electronic device
Methods and systems of controlling an electronic device that executes at least one application include receiving a multipoint input; detecting input points of the multipoint input; and generating a layer for executing the at least one application based on the detected input points of the multipoint input.
US09927972B2 System and method for enhanced command input
A portable electronic device having an input device for receiving a gesture based input from a user is used to control a navigation operation of an appliance. The portable electronic device receives via the input device the gesture based input and uses one or more parameters stored in a memory of the portable electronic device and one or more characteristics associated with the gesture based input to cause the portable electronic device to transmit a navigation step command to thereby control the navigation operation of the appliance.
US09927966B2 Method for enabling an interaction between an assistance device and a medical apparatus and/or an operator and/or a patient, assistance device, assistance system, unit, and system
In a method for enabling an interaction between an assistance device and a medical apparatus and/or an operator and/or a patient, input information are acquired by an input interface of the assistance device, the input information including information of the medical apparatus and/or of the operator and/or of the patient. The acquired input information is transferred from the input interface to a computer. The input information are processed by the computing unit so as to generate an interaction instruction on the basis of the processed input information. The generated interaction instruction is transferred from the computing unit to an interaction interface of the assistance device and an interaction with an environment of the assistance device is performed on the basis of the interaction instruction via the interaction interface.
US09927964B2 Customization of GUI layout based on history of use
A hand-held electronic device has a processor that is operably coupled to the visual display and touch interface. The hand held electronic device includes instructions executable by the processor configured to present an image on the visual display containing one or more active elements; perform a tessellation that divides the image into one or more regions that fill the display, each region corresponds to a different active element, a size of each region depends on a corresponding probability of use of the corresponding active element within a given time frame; correlate one or more active portions of the touch interface to a corresponding one or more of the regions; and activate a particular active element in response to a touch on a corresponding active portion.