Document Document Title
US09960318B2 Light emitting diode with high efficiency
A light emitting diode includes a light emitting structure including first and second conductive type semiconductor layers, an active layer, a first electrode electrically connected to the first conductive type semiconductor layer, a current blocking layer disposed on a lower surface of the light emitting structure, and a second electrode electrically connected to the second conductive type semiconductor layer. The second electrode includes a first reflective metal layer adjoining the second conductive type semiconductor layer, and a second reflective metal layer covering a lower surface of the current blocking layer and a lower surface of the first reflective metal layer, and adjoining the second conductive type semiconductor layer. A contact resistance between the second reflective metal layer and the second conductive type semiconductor layer is higher than a contact resistance between the first reflective metal layer and the second conductive type semiconductor layer.
US09960314B2 Inorganic salt-nanoparticle ink for thin film photovoltaic devices and related methods
Compositions for solution-based deposition of CIGS films are described. The compositions include ternary, quaternary or quinary chalcogenide nanoparticles (i.e., CIGS nanoparticles) and one or more inorganic salts dissolved or dispersed in a solvent to form an ink. The ink can be deposited on a substrate by conventional coating techniques and then annealed to form a crystalline layer. Further processing can be employed to fabricate a PV device. The inorganic salts are included to (i) tune the stoichiometry of the CIGS precursor ink to a desirable ratio, thus tuning the semiconductor band gap, to (ii) dope the CIGS layer with additives, such as Sb and/or Na, to promote grain growth, and/or to (iii) modify and improve the coating properties of the CIGS precursor ink.
US09960313B2 Solar battery module and manufacturing method therefor
A solar battery module and manufacturing method for a solar battery module having improved output are provided. The solar battery module 1 is a transparent substrate 10, transparent resin layer 13b, solar battery cell 12, colored resin layer 13a and back sheet 11 laminated in this order. The light-receiving surface 12a of the solar battery cell 12 faces the transparent resin layer 13b side. The backside 12b of the solar battery cell faces the colored resin layer 13a. The MFR [melt flow rate] of the transparent resin layer 13b is lower than the MFR of the colored resin layer 13a.
US09960306B2 Condensing photoelectric conversion apparatus and system
A condensing photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a first photoelectric conversion module and a second photoelectric conversion module. The first and second condensing photoelectric conversion modules each include a power generating element, a condensing lens located on the power generating element and having a front surface with a convex portion and a flat rear surface, a transparent first resin located between the power generating element and the rear surface of the condensing lens, a colored second resin located on the rear surface of the condensing lens and around the power generating element, and a third resin located between the condensing lens of the first photoelectric conversion module and the condensing lens of the second photoelectric conversion module, and having a refractive index n1 satisfying a relational expression n0−0.05≤n1≤n0+1.0 with a refractive index n0 of the condensing lens.
US09960305B2 Manufacture of solar concentrator modules using a wafer precursor
A wafer precursor for creating photovoltaic (PV) concentrator modules and a method for fabricating solar concentrator modules using the wafer precursor. The method includes providing a crystalline silicon wafer substrate that can be used to make multiple concentrator cells to be incorporated into concentrator modules. The method also includes applying fingers as horizontal grid lines onto the crystalline silicon wafer substrate. The method also includes applying bus bars onto the crystalline silicon wafer substrate to form separate top grid structures. The number of separate top grid structures is at least two when the concentrator module is part of an optical system that has a concentration ratio of between about 8 and about 16 times sunlight. The number of top grid structures is at least three when the concentrator module is part of an optical system that has a concentration ratio of between about 17 and about 50.
US09960304B2 Solar cell, concentrator photovoltaic unit, concentrator photovoltaic module, and method for producing concentrator photovoltaic module
Provided is a solar cell for which accurate mutual alignment between a condenser lens and a power generating element corresponding thereto can be performed.In a solar cell 23, a plurality of grid electrodes 31 each formed in a linear shape are arrayed on a light receiving surface 23a along the width direction of the light receiving surface 23a. The plurality of grid electrodes 31 include a first center grid electrode 31a forming a cross portion 34 exhibiting a center-specific geometry caused by electrodes crossing each other at the center of the light receiving surface 23a.
US09960302B1 Cascaded photovoltaic structures with interdigitated back contacts
A solar module is provided. The solar module includes a number of photovoltaic structures. Each photovoltaic structure has an interdigitated back contact, and the photovoltaic structures are cascaded, wherein any two adjacent structures are electrically coupled by overlapping their edges.
US09960300B2 Photovoltaic module using PVDF based flexible glazing film
The invention relates to flexible photovoltaic (PV) modules, and in particular to those having a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) glazing layer. The PVDF layer may be a monolayer or a multi-layer structure.
US09960299B2 Avalanche photodiode using silicon nanowire and silicon nanowire photomultiplier using the same
Disclosed is an avalanche photodiode using a silicon nanowire, including a first silicon nanowire formed of silicon (Si), a first conductive region formed by doping one surface of the first silicon nanowire with a first dopant, and a second conductive region formed by doping one surface of the first silicon nanowire with a second dopant having a conductive type different from that of the first dopant so as to be arranged continuously in a longitudinal direction from the first conductive region, wherein, when the magnitude of a reverse voltage applied to both ends of the first silicon nanowire is equal to or greater than a preset breakdown voltage, avalanche multiplication of inner current occurs due to the incidence of light from the outside.
US09960298B2 Preparation of copper-rich copper indium (gallium) diselenide/disulfide nanoparticles
A method for the preparation of copper indium gallium diselenide/disulfide (CIGS) nanoparticles utilizes a copper-rich stoichiometry. The copper-rich CIGS nanoparticles are capped with organo-chalcogen ligands, rendering the nanoparticles processable in organic solvents. The nanoparticles may be deposited on a substrate and thermally processed in a chalcogen-rich atmosphere to facilitate conversion of the excess copper to copper selenide or copper sulfide that may act as a sintering flux to promote liquid phase sintering and thus the growth of large grains. The nanoparticles so produced may be used to fabricate CIGS-based photovoltaic devices.
US09960292B2 Radially arranged metal contact fingers for solar cells
A solar cell includes negative metal contact fingers and positive metal contact fingers. The negative metal contact fingers are interdigitated with the positive metal contact fingers. The metal contact fingers, both positive and negative, have a radial design where they radially extend to surround at least 25% of a perimeter of a corresponding contact pad. The metal contact fingers have bend points, which collectively form a radial pattern with a center point within the contact pad. Exactly two metal contact pads merge into a single leading metal contact pad that is wider than either of the exactly two metal contact pads.
US09960286B2 Solar cell bus bars
A bus bar for a silicon solar cell. The bus bar is a strip of electrically conductive material with a plurality of protrusions extending from at least one side of the bus bar.
US09960285B2 Contact structure
One or more techniques or systems for forming a contact structure for a deep trench capacitor (DTC) are provided herein. In some embodiments, a contact structure includes a substrate region, a first region, a second region, contact landings, a first trench region, a first landing region, and a second trench region. In some embodiments, a first region is over the substrate region and a second region is over the first region. For example, the first region and the second region are in the first trench region or the second trench region. Additionally, a contact landing over the first trench region, the second trench region, or the first landing region is in contact with the first region, the second region, or the substrate region. In this manner, additional contacts are provided and landing area is reduced, thus reducing resistance of the DTC, for example.
US09960283B2 Thin-film transistor
Disclosed is a thin-film transistor. The thin-film transistor includes: a substrate; a first gate, a first gate insulation layer, a semiconductor layer, an etching stop layer, and the second gate stacked on a surface of the substrate, in which the semiconductor layer has a thickness of 200 nm-2000 nm; the etching stop layer includes a first via and a second via formed therein; and the first via and the second via are arranged to each correspond to the semiconductor layer; and a source and a drain respectively extending through the first via and the second via to connect to the semiconductor layer. The thin-film transistor has an increased ON-state current and switching speed.
US09960274B2 FinFET device for device characterization
FinFET devices, along with methods for fabricating such devices, are disclosed herein for facilitating device characterization. An exemplary FinFET device includes a fin having a first portion extending in a first direction and a second portion extending from the first portion in a second direction. The second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction. The first portion includes a first region doped with a first type dopant disposed between second regions doped with a second type dopant. The first type dopant is opposite the second type dopant. A source contact and a drain contact are coupled to the second regions of the first portion, and a body contact is coupled to the second portion. A gate is disposed over the first region of the first portion, and the second portion extends from the first region.
US09960270B2 Semiconductor devices and method for manufacturing semiconductor devices
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: forming a recess in a semiconductor substrate, the recess having a bottom and a sidewall extending from the bottom to a first side of the semiconductor substrate; forming an auxiliary structure on the sidewall and the bottom of the recess and forming a hollow space within the recess; filling the hollow space with a filling material; forming a plug on the first side of the semiconductor substrate to cover the auxiliary structure at least on the sidewall of the recess; forming an opening in the plug to partially expose the auxiliary structure in the recess; removing the auxiliary structure at least partially from the sidewall of the recess to form cavities between the auxiliary structure and the sidewall; and sealing the opening in the plug.
US09960269B2 Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device according to one embodiment includes a semiconductor substrate having a main surface and a back surface opposite to the main surface, a drift region of a first conductivity type, a base region of a second conductivity type, a source region of the first conductivity type, and a gate electrode. The semiconductor substrate has a trench in the main surface. The gate electrode is formed in the trench. A distribution of an impurity concentration in the base region has a plurality of peak values along a direction of depth from the main surface toward the back surface, and the number of peak values is four or more.
US09960266B2 Damage-free plasma-enhanced CVD passivation of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors
Passivated AlGaN/GaN HEMTs having no plasma damage to the AlGaN surface and methods for making the same. In a first embodiment, a thin HF SiN barrier layer is deposited on the AlGaN surface after formation of the gate. A thick HF/LF SiN layer is then deposited, the thin HF SiN layer and the thick HF/LF Sin layer comprising bi-layer SiN passivation on the HEMT. In a second embodiment, a first thin HF SiN barrier layer is deposited on the AlGaN surface before formation of the gate and is annealed. Following annealing of the first SiN layer, the gate is formed, and a second HF SiN barrier layer is deposited, followed by a thick HF/LF SiN layer, the three SiN layers comprising tri-layer SiN passivation on the HEMT.
US09960265B1 III-V semiconductor device and method therefor
In one embodiment, a III-V high electron mobility semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate including a GaN layer, an AlGaN layer on the GaN layer wherein a 2 DEG is formed near an interface of the GaN layer and the AlGaN layer. An insulator may be on at least a first portion of the AlGaN layer and a P-type GaN gate region may be overlying a second portion of the AlGaN layer wherein the 2 DEG does not underlie the P-type GaN gate region.
US09960264B1 High electron mobility transistor
A high electron mobility transistor includes a first III-V compound layer, a second III-V compound layer, a source electrode, a drain electrode, a gate electrode, a first moat, and a second moat. The second III-V compound layer is disposed on the first III-V compound layer. The source electrode and the drain electrodes are disposed above the first III-V compound layer. The gate electrode is disposed above the second III-V compound layer located between the source and the drain electrodes in a first direction. The second III-V compound layer includes a first region under the gate electrode. The first moat is at least partially disposed between the first region and the source electrode in the first direction. The second moat is at least partially disposed between the first region and the drain electrode in the first direction.
US09960261B2 Method for manufacturing semiconductor device
A transistor with stable electrical characteristics is provided. Provided is a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device that includes, over a substrate, an oxide semiconductor, a first conductor, a first insulator, a second insulator, and a third insulator. The oxide semiconductor is over the first insulator. The second insulator is over the oxide semiconductor. The third insulator is over the second insulator. The first conductor is over the third insulator. The oxide semiconductor has a first region and a second region. To form the first region, ion implantation into the oxide semiconductor is performed using the first conductor as a mask, and then hydrogen is added to the oxide semiconductor using the first conductor as a mask.
US09960258B2 Methods of forming transistor gates
Some embodiments include methods of forming charge storage transistor gates and standard FET gates in Which common processing is utilized for fabrication of at least some portions of the different types of gates. FET and charge storage transistor gate stacks may be formed. The gate stacks may each include a gate material, an insulative material, and a sacrificial material. The sacrificial material is removed from the FET and charge storage transistor gate stacks. The insulative material of the FET gate stacks is etched through. A conductive material is formed over the FET gate stacks and over the charge storage transistor gate stacks. The conductive material physically contacts the gate material of the FET gate stacks, and is separated from the gate material of the charge storage transistor gate stacks by the insulative material remaining in the charge storage transistor gate stacks. Some embodiments include gate structures.
US09960255B2 Method for manufacturing thin film transistor
A method for manufacturing a thin film transistor is provided. The method comprises depositing sequentially a gate insulating layer and a gate metal layer on a semiconductor substrate; etching the gate metal layer uncovered by the first photoresist pattern; implementing a first ion implantation on the semiconductor substrate; etching a side wall of the first photoresist pattern; implementing a second ion implantation on the semiconductor substrate to form a source and a drain. The source and the drain include a heavily doped drain region and a lightly doped drain region.
US09960253B2 Chemically sensitive sensor with lightly doped drains
A chemically sensitive sensor with a lightly doped region that affects an overlap capacitance between a gate and an electrode of the chemical sensitive sensor. The lightly doped region extends beneath and adjacent to a gate region of the chemical sensitive sensor. Modifying the gain of the chemically sensitive sensor is achieved by manipulating the lightly doped region under the electrodes.
US09960252B2 Method to improve reliability of replacement gate device
A method of fabricating a replacement gate stack for a semiconductor device includes the following steps after removal of a dummy gate: growing a high-k dielectric layer over the area vacated by the dummy gate; depositing a thin metal layer over the high-k dielectric layer; depositing a sacrificial layer over the thin metal layer; performing a first rapid thermal anneal; removing the sacrificial layer; and depositing a metal layer of low resistivity metal for gap fill.
US09960251B2 ESD protection structure and method of fabrication thereof
An ESD protection structure comprising a first semiconductor region of a first doping type, a second semiconductor region of the first doping type, a semiconductor structure of a second doping type opposite to the first doping type formed to provide lateral isolation between the first and second semiconductor regions of the first doping type, and a first contact region of the second doping type formed within a surface of the second semiconductor region. A thyristor structure is formed within the ESD protection structure comprising the first contact region of the second doping type, the second semiconductor region of the first doping type, the semiconductor structure of the second doping type, and the first semiconductor region of the first doping type. Wherein no contact region is formed within a surface of the semiconductor structure of the second doping type between the first and second semiconductor regions of the first doping type.
US09960250B2 Power device and method of manufacturing the same
Provided are a power device having an improved field stop layer and a method of manufacturing the same. The method can include performing a first ion implant process by implanting impurity ions of a first conductive type into a front surface of a semiconductor substrate to form an implanted field stop layer where the semiconductor substrate is the first conductive type. The method can include performing a second ion implant process by implanting impurity ions of the first conductive type into a first part of the implanted field stop layer such that an impurity concentration of the first part of the implanted field stop layer is higher than an impurity concentration of a second part of the implanted field stop layer.
US09960247B2 Schottky barrier structure for silicon carbide (SiC) power devices
A method for fabricating a silicon carbide power device may include steps of: forming a first n-type silicon carbide layer on top of a second n-type silicon carbide layer; depositing a first metal layer on the first silicon carbide layer; patterning the first metal layer; depositing and patterning a dielectric layer onto at least a portion of the pattered first metal layer; and depositing and patterning a second metal layer to form a Schottky barrier. In one embodiment, the first metal layer is a high work function metal layer, which may include Silver, Aluminum, Chromium, Nickel and Gold. In another embodiment, the second metal layer is called a “Schottky metal” layer, which may include Platinum, Titanium and Nickel Silicide.
US09960242B2 Reduced size split gate non-volatile flash memory cell and method of making same
A reduced size non-volatile memory cell array is achieved by forming first trenches in an insulation layer in the row direction, filling the first trenches with insulation material, forming second trenches in the insulation layer in the column direction, forming the STI isolation material in the second trenches, and forming the source regions through the first trenches. Alternately, the STI isolation regions can be made continuous, and the source diffusion implant has sufficient energy to form continuous source line diffusions that each extend across the active regions and under the STI isolation regions. This allows control gates of adjacent memory cell pairs to be formed closer together.
US09960241B2 Semiconductor device for manufacturing
A semiconductor device includes an active pattern protruding from a substrate, gate structures crossing over the active pattern, gate spacers on sidewalls of the gate structures, a source/drain region in the active pattern between the gate structures, and a source/drain contact on and connected to the source/drain region. The source/drain contact includes a first portion between the gate structures and being in contact with the gate spacers, a second portion on the first portion and not being in contact with the gate spacers, and a third portion on the second portion. A first boundary between the second and third portions is at the substantially same height as a top surface of the gate structure.
US09960232B2 Horizontal nanosheet FETs and methods of manufacturing the same
A horizontal nanosheet field effect transistor (hNS FET) including source and drain electrodes, a gate electrode between the source and drain electrodes, a first spacer separating the source electrode from the gate electrode, a second spacer separating the drain electrode from the gate electrode, and a channel region under the gate electrode and extending between the source electrode and the drain electrode. The source electrode and the drain electrode each include an extension region. The extension region of the source electrode is under at least a portion of the first spacer and the extension region of the drain electrode is under at least a portion of the second spacer. The hNS FET also includes at least one layer of crystalline barrier material having a first thickness at the extension regions of the source and drain electrodes and a second thickness less than the first thickness at the channel region.
US09960229B2 Semiconductor device including a LDMOS transistor
In an embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a bulk resistivity ρ≥100 Ohm.cm, a front surface and a rear surface, at least one LDMOS transistor in the semiconductor substrate, and a RESURF structure. The RESURF structure includes a doped buried layer arranged in the semiconductor substrate, spaced at a distance from the front surface and the rear surface, and coupled with at least one of a channel region and a body contact region of the LDMOS transistor.
US09960227B2 Removal of electrostatic charges from interposer for die attachment
A wafer includes a first interposer having a first patterned metal layer and a second interposer having a second patterned metal layer. The wafer includes a metal connection in a scribe region of the wafer that electrically couples the first patterned metal layer of the first interposer with the second patterned metal layer of the second interposer forming a global wafer network. The wafer further includes a probe pad located in the scribe region that is electrically coupled to the global wafer network.
US09960224B2 Three capacitor stack and associated methods
A three capacitor stack and associated methods are shown. An exemplary capacitor device may include a first capacitor stack that includes a first plurality of layers of reference electrodes interleaved with first capacitor electrodes, a second capacitor stack on the first capacitor stack that includes a second plurality of layers of reference electrodes interleaved with second capacitor electrodes, and a third capacitor stack on the second capacitor stack that includes a reference electrode and a third capacitor electrode. A respective layer of dielectric material is formed between the reference electrodes and the first capacitor electrodes, the second capacitor electrodes, and the third capacitor electrode.
US09960222B2 OLED array substrate, display apparatus containing the same, and method for forming the same
The present disclosure provides an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) array substrate. The OLED array substrate includes a display area with OLEDs arranged in arrays, electrostatic discharge lines, and peripheral electrostatic discharge areas with conductive areas electrically connected to a cathode of the OLEDs and electrically connected to the electrostatic discharge lines through switch modules.
US09960221B2 Organic light emitting diode display and manufacturing method thereof
An organic light emitting diode display includes: a substrate; a scan line formed over the substrate and transmitting a scan signal; a data line crossing the scan line and transmitting a data voltage; a driving voltage line crossing the scan line and transmitting a driving voltage; a switching transistor connected to the scan line and the data line; a driving transistor connected to the switching transistor; a driving connection member connected to a driving gate electrode of the driving transistor; a storage capacitor including a first storage electrode and a second storage electrode; a pixel electrode electrically connected to the driving transistor; and a contact hole connecting the first storage electrode and the driving connection member. the second storage electrode may include a cut-out by a curved edge at least partially surrounding the contact hole, and the pixel electrode may be formed not to overlap the cut-out.
US09960219B2 Organic light emitting display device having a partition
An organic light emitting display device includes a substrate; an anode electrode on the substrate; an auxiliary electrode on the substrate in a same layer as the anode electrode; a partition supporter on the auxiliary electrode; a partition on the partition supporter; an organic emitting layer on the anode electrode and on the partition such that portions separated on the partition are separated from other portions; and a cathode electrode connected with the organic emitting layer and the auxiliary electrode. A lower surface of the partition supporter includes a pair of short sides; and a pair of long sides connecting the pair of short sides and including at least one inclined surface.
US09960215B2 Organic electroluminescent display device
An organic electroluminescent display device is provided. The display device has a polarizing film disposed at a light exiting side thereof. The polarizing film has a plurality of polarization units, and adjacent polarization units have different polarization directions.
US09960205B2 Optoelectronic device comprising light-emitting diodes
An optoelectronic device including a semiconductor substrate including first and second opposing faces, a first set of first light-emitting diodes resting on a first portion of the substrate and including conical or frustoconical wire-like semiconductor elements, a first electrode covering each first light-emitting diode, a first conductive portion insulated from the substrate, extending through the substrate and connected to the first electrode; a second set of second light-emitting diodes resting on a second portion of the substrate and including conical or frustoconical wire-like semiconductor elements, a second electrode covering each second light-emitting diode, a second conductive portion insulated from the substrate and connected to the second electrode, and a first conductive element connecting the first conductive portion to the second portion of the substrate on the side of the second face.
US09960193B2 Display driver integrated circuit and method of manufacturing the same
A display driver integrated circuit and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The method of manufacturing a display driver integrated circuit (DDI) including a first area, a second area, and an overlapping area in which the first area and the second area overlap each other includes forming a first pattern in the first area using a first reticle; and forming a second pattern in the second area using a second reticle, and ends of the first pattern and the second pattern are connected within the overlapping area and the first area and the second area are asymmetrically set based on the overlapping area such that the overlapping area includes only a metal line.
US09960184B2 FDSOI-capacitor
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) wafer having a semiconductor substrate, a buried insulating layer positioned above the semiconductor substrate, and a semiconductor layer positioned above the buried insulating layer. A shallow trench isolation (STI) structure is positioned in the SOI wafer and separates a first region of the SOI wafer from a second region of the SOI wafer, wherein the semiconductor layer is not present above the buried insulating layer in the first region, and wherein the buried insulating layer and the semiconductor layer are not present in at least a first portion of the second region adjacent to the STI structure. A dielectric layer is positioned above the buried insulating layer in the first region, and a conductive layer is positioned above the dielectric layer in the first region.
US09960182B2 Three-dimensional semiconductor memory device and method of fabricating the same
A semiconductor memory device includes a stack including gate electrodes sequentially stacked on a substrate, a vertical insulating structure penetrating the stack vertically with respect to the gate electrodes, a vertical channel portion disposed on an inner side surface of the vertical insulating structure, and a common source region formed in the substrate and spaced apart from the vertical channel portion. A bottom region of the vertical channel portion has a protruding surface in contact with a bottom region of the vertical insulating structure.
US09960181B1 Three-dimensional memory device having contact via structures in overlapped terrace region and method of making thereof
Contact areas for three-dimensional memory devices including multiple vertically stacked tier structures can be reduced by overlapping stepped terraces of the tier structures. Sacrificial via structures laterally surrounded by a respective insulating spacer can be formed through an overlying tier structure in the stepped terrace region thereof. After formation of memory stack structures, the sacrificial via structures can be removed to provide first upper via cavities. An isotropic etch can be performed to extend the first upper via cavities to top surfaces of underlying first electrically conductive layers in an underlying tier structure while forming second upper via cavities extending to second electrically conductive layers in the overlying tier structure. First contact via structures extending through the terrace region of the overlying tier structure can provide electrical contact to the first electrically conductive layers, and second contact via structure can be formed in the second upper via cavities.
US09960180B1 Three-dimensional memory device with partially discrete charge storage regions and method of making thereof
Memory openings can be formed through an alternating stack of insulating layers and sacrificial material layers. Memory stack structures including charge storage elements can be formed in the memory openings. Inter-level charge leakage in a three-dimensional memory device including a charge trapping layer can be minimized by employing a thin continuous charge trapping material layer within each memory opening. After removal of the sacrificial material layers and formation of backside recesses, discrete charge trapping material portions can be formed by selective growth of a charge trapping material from physically exposed surfaces of each thin continuous charge trapping material layer. The discrete charge trapping material portions can function as primary charge storage regions, and inter-level charge leakage can be minimized by the small thickness of the thin continuous charge trapping material layer.
US09960179B2 Semiconductor memory device and method for manufacturing same
A semiconductor memory device includes a conductive layer; electrode layers stacked on the conductive layer; an insulating body extending through the electrode layers; and a semiconductor layer positioned between the insulating body and the electrode layers. The plurality of electrode layers include a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer provided between the conductive layer and the first electrode layer, and a third electrode layer provided between the conductive layer and the second electrode layer, and the semiconductor layer has a first layer thickness between the insulating body and the first electrode layer, a second layer thickness between the insulating body and the second electrode layer and a third layer thickness between the insulating body and the third electrode layer. The first layer thickness is thinner than the second layer thickness, and the second layer thickness is thinner than the third layer thickness.
US09960176B2 Nitride-free spacer or oxide spacer for embedded flash memory
In some embodiments, a semiconductor substrate includes first and second source/drain regions which are separated from one another by a channel region. The channel region includes a first portion adjacent to the first source/drain region and a second portion adjacent the second source/drain region. A select gate is spaced over the first portion of the channel region and is separated from the first portion of the channel region by a select gate dielectric. A memory gate is spaced over the second portion of the channel region and is separated from the second portion of the channel region by a charge-trapping dielectric structure. The charge-trapping dielectric structure extends upwardly alongside the memory gate to separate neighboring sidewalls of the select gate and memory gate from one another. An oxide spacer or nitride-free spacer is arranged in a sidewall recess of the charge-trapping dielectric structure nearest the second source/drain region.
US09960172B2 Reliable non-volatile memory device
Device and method for forming a device are disclosed. The method includes providing a substrate prepared with a memory cell region. At least first and second memory cells are formed on the memory cell region. Each of the memory cells is formed by forming a split gate having first and second gates. The first gate is a storage gate having a control gate over a floating gate and the second gate is a wordline. Re-oxidized layers which extend from top to bottom of the control gate are formed on sidewalls of the control gate. First source/drain (S/D) region is formed adjacent to the second gate and second S/D region is formed adjacent to the first gate. The first and second gates are coupled in series and the second S/D region is a common S/D region for adjacent first and second memory cells. An erase gate is formed over the common S/D region.
US09960167B1 Method for forming semiconductor device
A method for forming a semiconductor device includes providing a substrate having a plurality of memory cells formed therein; forming an insulating layer on the substrate; forming a plurality of openings in the insulating layer and exposing a portion of the memory cells; forming a conductive portion and a metal layer in the openings; removing a portion of the metal layer to form a plurality of first metal portions and a plurality of second metal portions that the first metal portion and the conductive portion form a first connecting structure, and the second metal portion and the conductive portion form a second connecting structure; forming a passivation layer on the first connecting structures; and forming a plurality of first storage nodes and dummy nodes on the substrate and the first storage nodes and the dummy nodes are electrically connected to the second connecting structures and the first connecting structures respectively.
US09960164B2 Flipped vertical field-effect-transistor
Various embodiments disclose a method for fabricating vertical transistors. In one embodiment, a structure is formed comprising at least a first substrate, an insulator layer on the substrate, a first doped layer on the insulator layer, at least one fin structure in contact with the doped layer, a dielectric layer surrounding a portion of the fin structure, a gate layer on the dielectric layer, a second doped layer in contact with the fin structure, a first contact area in contact with the second doped layer, and at least a first interconnect in contact with the first contact area. The structure is flipped bonded to a second substrate. The first substrate and the insulator layer are removed to expose the first doped layer. A second contact area is formed in contact with the first doped layer. At least a second interconnect is formed in contact with the second contact area.
US09960157B2 Bidirectional normally-off III-V high electron mobility transistor (HEMT)devices and circuits
Circuits and devices for bidirectional normally-off switches are described. A circuit for a bidirectional normally-off switch includes a depletion mode transistor and an enhancement mode transistor. The depletion mode transistor includes a first source/drain node, a second source/drain node, a first gate, and a second gate. The enhancement mode transistor includes a third source/drain node and a fourth source/drain node, and a third gate. The third source/drain node is coupled to the first source/drain node.
US09960156B2 Integrated semiconductor device having a level shifter
An integrated semiconductor device is provided. According to an embodiment, the integrated semiconductor device includes a semiconductor body having a first surface with a normal direction defining a vertical direction, an opposite surface, a first area including a vertical power field-effect transistor structure, a second area including a three-terminal step-down level-shifter, and a third area including a three-terminal step-up level-shifter. A terminal of the vertical power field-effect transistor structure is electrically connected with one of the three-terminal step-down level-shifter and the three-terminal step-up level-shifter.
US09960154B2 GaN structures
A semiconductor device is disclosed. The device includes a substrate including GaN, a two dimensional electron gas (2DEG) inducing layer on the substrate, and a lateral transistor on the 2DEG inducing layer. The lateral transistor includes source and drain contacts to the 2DEG inducing layer, a gate stack between the source and drain contacts, and a field plate between the gate and the drain contact. The device also includes one or more insulation layers on the 2DEG inducing layer, where the field plate is spaced apart from the 2DEG inducing layer by the insulation layers, and a conductor on the insulation layers, where a first portion of the conductor is spaced apart from the 2DEG inducing layer by the insulation layers by a distance less than 200 nm.
US09960152B2 Optoelectronic device with light-emitting diodes comprising at least one zener diode
An optoelectronic device is provided, including light-emitting diodes arranged such that: N diodes of said plurality, where N ≥2, are connected in series and are configured to be forward-biased, and at least one diode is connected in parallel to the N diodes and is configured to be reverse-biased and to form a Zener diode, wherein a sum of threshold voltages of the N diodes is less than a breakdown voltage of the Zener diode, and the light-emitting diodes include a stack of semiconductive portions including a first conductivity-type doped portion, a second conductivity-type doped portion opposite the first type, and a first intermediate portion doped according to the first type and being disposed between said first and second portions and having a doping level such that the breakdown voltage is greater than the sum of the threshold voltages of each of the N diodes.
US09960150B2 Semiconductor device assembly with through-mold cooling channel formed in encapsulant
Semiconductor device assemblies having stacked semiconductor dies and thermal transfer devices that include vapor chambers are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a semiconductor device assembly includes a first semiconductor die having a base region, at least one second semiconductor die at the base region, and a thermal transfer device attached to the first and second dies. The thermal transfer device includes an encapsulant at least partially surrounding the second die and a via formed in the encapsulant. The encapsulant at least partially defines a cooling channel that is adjacent to a peripheral region of the first die. The via includes a working fluid and/or a solid thermal conductor that at least partially fills the channel.
US09960149B2 Devices and stacked microelectronic packages with package surface conductors and methods of their fabrication
Embodiments of methods for forming a device include performing an oxidation inhibiting treatment to exposed ends of first and second device-to-edge conductors, and forming a package surface conductor to electrically couple the exposed ends of the first and second device-to-edge conductors. Performing the oxidation inhibiting treatment may include applying an organic solderability protectant coating to the exposed ends, or plating the exposed ends with a conductive plating material. The method may further include applying a conformal protective coating over the package surface conductor. An embodiment of a device formed using such a method includes a package body, the first and second device-to-edge conductors, the package surface conductor on a surface of the package body and extending between the first and second device-to-edge conductors, and the conformal protective coating over the package surface conductor.
US09960142B2 Hybrid bonding with air-gap structure
A package component includes a surface dielectric layer having a first planar surface, and a metal pad in the surface dielectric layer. The metal pad includes a diffusion barrier layer that includes sidewall portions, and a metallic material encircled by the sidewall portions of the diffusion barrier layer. The metallic material has a second planar surface level with the first planar surface. An air gap extends from the second planar surface of the metallic material into the metallic material. An edge of the air gap is aligned to an edge of the metallic material.
US09960141B2 Binding wire and semiconductor package structure using the same
A semiconductor package structure includes a substrate, and a package preform. The substrate includes a plurality of conductive tracing wires. The package preform includes a semiconductor chip and a plurality of binding wires. The semiconductor chip includes a plurality of welding spots, and the welding spots are electrically connected with corresponding conductive tracing wires by the binding wires. Each binding wire comprises a carbon nanotube composite wire, the carbon nanotube composite wire includes a carbon nanotube wire and a metal layer. The carbon nanotube wire consists of a plurality of carbon nanotubes spirally arranged along an axial direction an axial direction of the carbon nanotube wire.
US09960140B2 Metal joining structure using metal nanoparticles and metal joining method and metal joining material
The present invention can give a joining structure using metal nanoparticles to join the same types or different types of metal where when one surface metal is Al based, the parts are joined through a joining layer containing Ni nanoparticles, whereby a good joining strength is obtained. Further, by using two joining layers (6, 8) including metal nanoparticles to sandwich metal foil (7) so as to form a joining layer and joining the same type or different types of surface metals (3-4) through this joining layer, it is possible to ease the thermal stress due to the difference in amounts of thermal expansion of joined members which have two surface metals.
US09960139B2 Anisotropic conductive film, method for producing anisotropic conductive film, method for producing connection body, and connection method
To reduce substrate warp occurring after connection an anisotropic conductive film is used. An anisotropic conductive film has: a first insulating adhesive layer; a second insulating adhesive layer; and a conductive particle-containing layer sandwiched by the first insulating adhesive layer and the second insulating adhesive layer and having conductive particles contained in an insulating adhesive, wherein air bubbles are contained between the conductive particle-containing layer and the first insulating adhesive layer, and, the conductive particle-containing layer, a portion thereof below the conductive particles and in contact with the second insulating adhesive layer has a lower degree of cure than other portions thereof.
US09960138B2 Connection body
Even in case of conductive particles being clamped between stepped sections of substrate electrodes and electrode terminals, conductive particles sandwiched between each main surface of the substrate electrodes and electrode terminals are sufficiently compressed, ensuring electrical conduction. An electronic component is connected to a circuit substrate via an anisotropic conductive adhesive agent, on respective edge-side areas of substrate electrodes of the circuit substrate and electrode terminals of the electronic component, stepped sections are formed and abutted, conductive particles are sandwiched between each main surface and stepped sections of the substrate electrodes and electrode terminals; the conductive particles and stepped sections satisfy formula, a+b+c≤0.8 D (1), wherein a is height of the stepped section of the electrode terminals, b is height of the stepped section of the substrate electrodes, c is gap distance between each stepped sections and D is diameter of conductive particles.
US09960137B1 Semiconductor device package and method for forming the same
A semiconductor device package ready for assembly includes: a semiconductor substrate; a first under-bump-metallurgy (UBM) layer disposed on the semiconductor substrate; a first conductive pillar disposed on the first UBM layer; and a second conductive pillar disposed on the first conductive pillar. A material of the first conductive pillar is different from a material of the second conductive pillar, and the material of the second conductive pillar includes an antioxidant.
US09960135B2 Metal bond pad with cobalt interconnect layer and solder thereon
A method of forming bond pads includes providing a substrate including an integrated circuit (IC) device formed thereon having an oxidizable uppermost metal interconnect layer which provides a plurality of bond pads that are coupled to circuit nodes on the IC device. The plurality of bond pads includes a metal bond pad area. A cobalt including connection layer is deposited directly on the metal bond pad area. The cobalt including connection layer is patterned to provide a cobalt bond pad surface for the plurality of bond pads, and a solder material is formed on the cobalt bond pad surface.
US09960133B2 Filter and capacitor using redistribution layer and micro bump layer
An integrated circuit package includes a die. An electrically conductive layer comprises a redistribution layer (RDL) in the die, or a micro-bump layer above the die, or both. The micro bump layer comprises at least one micro-bump line. A filter comprises the electrically conductive layer. A capacitor comprises an electrode formed in the electrically conductive layer.
US09960132B1 Display apparatus and method for binding the same
Embodiments of the present application provide a display apparatus and a method for binding the same. The apparatus includes: a flexible display panel; and a chip on film bound on a binding region of the flexible display panel. The chip on film has at least two rows of output pads and the flexible display panel has at least two rows of input pads. Virtual elongation lines of all of the output pads intersect at a same intersection point in a first datum line perpendicular to the first direction. The output pads are electrically connected to the input pads and the output pads and the input pads have the virtual elongation lines at a same angle with respect to a common datum line, the common datum line being composed of the first datum line and the second datum line coinciding with each other.
US09960131B2 Method for thermo-mechanical stress reduction in semiconductor devices and corresponding device
In one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes one or more metallizations, such as, e.g., Cu-RDL metallizations, provided on a passivation layer over a dielectric layer. A via is provided through the passivation layer and the dielectric layer in the vicinity of the corners of the metallization. The via may be a “dummy” via without electrical connections to an active device and may be provided at a distance between approximately 1 micron (10−6 m.) and approximately 10 micron (10−5 m.) from each one of said converging sides landing on an underlying metal layer.
US09960119B2 Method and structure for wafer level packaging with large contact area
A method to provide a wafer level package with increasing contact pad area comprising the steps of forming a first packaging layer on wafer top surface, grinding the wafer back surface and etch through holes, depositing a metal to fill the through holes and covering wafer backside, cutting through the wafer from wafer backside forming a plurality of grooves separating each chip then depositing a second packaging layer filling the grooves and covering the wafer back metal, reducing the first packaging layer thickness to expose the second packaging layer filling the grooves and forming a plurality of contact pads overlaying the first packaging layer thereafter cutting through the second packaging layer in the grooves to form individual package.
US09960114B1 Structure of integrated circuitry and a method of forming a conductive via
A method of forming a conductive via comprises forming a structure comprising an elevationally-extending-conductive via and a conductive line electrically coupled to and crossing above the conductive via. The conductive line comprises first conductive material and the conductive via comprises second conductive material of different composition from that of the first conductive material. The conductive line and the conductive via respectively having opposing sides in a vertical cross-section. First insulator material having k no greater than 4.0 is formed laterally outward of the opposing sides of the second conductive material of the conductive via selectively relative to the first conductive material of the opposing sides of the conductive line. The first insulator material is formed to a lateral thickness of at least 40 Angstroms in the vertical cross-section. Second insulator material having k greater than 4.0 is formed laterally outward of opposing sides of the first insulator material in the vertical cross-section. Additional method aspects, including structure independent of method of fabrication, are disclosed.
US09960109B2 Printed circuit board and electronic equipment
A plurality of lands is formed apart from each other on a surface of a package substrate. Another plurality of lands is formed apart from each other on a surface of a printed wiring board. The surface of the package substrate and the surface of the printed wiring board face each other. The plurality of lands and another plurality of lands are bonded to each other with solder having a height of 30% or less of a diameter of a solder bonding portion at the corresponding land. A ratio of a solder bonded area of at least each of lands, among another plurality of the lands, of which distance value to a corresponding one of the lands is larger than an average distance value between the lands and another lands, to a solder bonded area of the corresponding one of the lands is 56% or more and 81% or less.
US09960106B2 Package with metal-insulator-metal capacitor and method of manufacturing the same
A package includes a chip formed in a first area of the package and a molding compound formed in a second area of the package adjacent to the first area. A first polymer layer is formed on the chip and the molding compound, a second polymer layer is formed on the first polymer layer, and a plurality of interconnect structures is formed between the first polymer layer and the second polymer layer. A metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor is formed on the second polymer layer and electrically coupled to at least one of the plurality of interconnect structures. A metal bump is formed over and electrically coupled to at least one of the plurality of interconnect structures.
US09960104B2 Integrated package design with wire leads for package-on-package product
An integrated package design for a package-on-package product is described that uses wire leads. Some embodiments pertain to a stacked package assembly that includes a first die having a front side and a back side, a die paddle attached to the back side of the first die, a plurality of wire leads, one end being connected to the front side of the die for connection to an external device, a mold compound encapsulating the first die and at least a portion of the die paddle, a land pad cut from the die paddle and supported by the mold compound, a second plurality of wire leads, one end of the wire leads being connected to the front side of the first die and the other end of the wire leads being connected to the land pad, a second die stacked over the die paddle and a third plurality of wire leads, one end being connected to the second die and the other end being connected to the land pad.
US09960103B2 Power module semiconductor device and inverter equipment, and fabrication method of the power module semiconductor device, and metallic mold
The power module semiconductor device (2) includes: an insulating substrate (10); a first pattern (10a) (D) disposed on the insulating substrate (10); a semiconductor chip (Q) disposed on the first pattern; a power terminal (ST, DT) and a signal terminal (CS, G, SS) electrically connected to the semiconductor chip; and a resin layer (12) configured to cover the semiconductor chip and the insulating substrate. The signal terminal is disposed so as to be extended in a vertical direction with respect to a main surface of the insulating substrate.
US09960098B2 Systems and methods for thermal conduction using S-contacts
An integrated circuit architecture that provides a path having relatively low thermal resistance between one or more electronic devices and one or more thermal structures formed on an insulator layer on a substrate. Independent parallel thermal conduction paths are provided through the insulator layer, such as a buried oxide (“BOX”) layer, to allow heat to flow from the substrate layer to a thermal structure disposed upon the BOX layer. In some cases, the substrate is a silicon substrate layer supporting the thermal structure and a heat source, such as an electronic device (e.g., power amplifier, transistor, diode, resistor, etc.).
US09960097B2 Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device manufacturing method includes a step of preparing a semiconductor unit, having a first main surface including a heat releasing portion and a second main surface opposite to the first main surface, in which is mounted a semiconductor chip, a step of preparing a cooler having a flat surface, a step of applying a paste including metal nanoparticles to the first main surface of the semiconductor unit or the flat surface of the cooler, a step of bringing the first main surface of the semiconductor unit and the flat surface of the cooler into contact through the paste, and a step of applying a pressurizing force uniform in-plane to the second main surface of the semiconductor unit at the same time as raising the temperature of the paste, thereby sintering the paste and forming a junction layer.
US09960095B2 Thermally enhanced semiconductor package with thermal additive and process for making the same
The present disclosure relates to a thermally enhanced semiconductor package, which includes a module substrate, a thinned flip chip die over the substrate, a first mold compound component, and a thermally enhanced mold compound component. The first mold compound component resides over the module substrate, surrounds the thinned flip chip die, and extends above an upper surface of the thinned flip chip die to form a cavity over the upper surface of the thinned flip chip die. The thermally enhanced mold compound component includes a lower portion filling a lower region of the cavity and residing over the upper surface of the thinned flip chip die, and an upper portion filling an upper region of the cavity and residing over the lower portion. A first average thermal conductivity of the lower portion is at least 1.2 times greater than a second average thermal conductivity of the upper portion.
US09960084B1 Method for forming semiconductor device
The present invention provides a method for forming a semiconductor device, comprising the following steps: firstly, a substrate is provided, having a NMOS region and a PMOS region defined thereon, next, a gate structure is formed on the substrate within the NMOS region, and a disposal spacer is formed on two sides of the gate structure, afterwards, a mask layer is formed on the PMOS region to expose the NMOS region, next, a recess is formed on two sides of the gate structure spaced from the gate structure by the disposal spacer within the NMOS region, the disposal spacer is then removed after the recess is formed, and an epitaxial layer is formed into the recess.
US09960082B2 Stack type semiconductor memory device
A stack type memory device and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The stack type memory device includes a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of active layers stacked on the semiconductor substrate, and a gate structure overlapping the plurality of active layers. The gate structure includes a side gate region overlapping sides of the plurality of active layers and a top gate region overlapping a top of an uppermost active layer.
US09960079B2 Passive within via
A method of forming a device associated with a via includes forming an opening or via, and forming at least a pair of conducting paths within the via. Also disclosed is a via having at pair of conducting paths therein.
US09960077B1 Ultra-scale gate cut pillar with overlay immunity and method for producing the same
Methods of forming a self-aligned CT pillar with the same CD width as the device fins to enable PC isolation and the resulting devices are provided. Embodiments include forming a plurality of fins over a substrate; forming an oxide layer over the substrate and between each fin; removing a portion of a central fin among the plurality, a trench formed in the oxide layer; forming a CT pillar in the trench; recessing the oxide layer below an upper surface of the plurality of fins; forming a gate over the plurality of fins and CT pillar; planarizing the gate down to the CT pillar; and forming a cap layer over the gate and CT pillar.
US09960073B2 Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method
Disclosed is a substrate processing apparatus and method which facilitate to improve uniformity of thin film material and also facilitate to control quality of thin film by the use of plasma forming space and source gas distributing space separately provided from each other, wherein the substrate processing apparatus includes a process chamber; a substrate support for supporting a plurality of substrates, the substrate support rotatably provided inside the process chamber; and an electrode unit arranged above the substrate support and provided with the plasma forming space and the source gas distributing space, wherein the plasma forming space is spatially separated from the source gas distributing space.
US09960071B2 Polishing apparatus and semiconductor manufacturing method
A polishing apparatus according to an embodiment includes a first polishing part, a second polishing part, and an annular part. The second polishing part includes a mounting surface for a semiconductor substrate, and rubs the semiconductor substrate mounted on the mounting surface while pressing the semiconductor substrate against the first polishing part. The annular part includes a support part provided in the second polishing part, and a plurality of convex portions that project from the support part toward the first polishing part, are arranged in a circumferential direction around the mounting surface while being supported by the support part, and are movable in a radial direction of the semiconductor substrate.
US09960061B2 Method and device for curing at least in part a photoresist applied to a substrate
A method for curing at least in part a photoresist applied to a substrate comprises the following steps: The substrate coated with the photoresist is arranged on a support. The photoresist is subjected to a suitable temperature for curing the photoresist for a first predetermined time period. After the first predetermined time period has passed, the substrate is lifted from the support, rotated, re-placed onto the support and subjected to a suitable temperature for curing the photoresist for a second predetermined time period. This method can be performed with a device for curing at least in part a photoresist applied to a substrate, comprising a chamber, a support which is arranged in the chamber and on which the substrate can be arranged, and a rotating device for rotating the substrate between a first and a second phase of the curing of the photoresist.
US09960057B2 Device for measuring the distribution or impulse of a series of droplets
A device for measuring the distribution and/or impulse of a series of droplets comprises a piezoelectric sensor positioned relative to a source of droplets such that each of a plurality of droplets contacts the piezoelectric sensor in succession, thereby to generate an electrical signal. Logic circuitry is configured to calculate one or more frequencies from the electrical signal.
US09960051B2 Activation method for silicon substrates comprising at least two aromatic acids
The present invention relates to an activation composition for activation of silicon substrates, which is an aqueous solution comprising a source of palladium ions, a source of fluoride ions and at least two aromatic acids. The present invention further relates to a method for its use and optionally for subsequent metallization of such treated substrates. The method can be employed in semiconductor and solar cell manufacturing.
US09960050B2 Hard mask removal method
A method of removing a hard mask is provided. Gate stacks are patterned on a substrate, where the gate stacks include a polysilicon layer and the hard mask deposited over the polysilicon layer. A dielectric layer is deposited on the substrate and on the patterned gate stacks. A first portion of the dielectric layer is planarized by chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) to remove a topography of the dielectric layer. The hard mask and a second portion of the dielectric layer are removed by the CMP.
US09960039B2 Method of forming pattern and method of manufacturing integrated circuit device by using the same
A method of forming a pattern includes forming a first level pattern layer on a feature layer on a substrate. The first level pattern layer includes a plurality of first line patterns and a plurality of first space burying patterns. The first line patterns extend parallel to one another in a first direction and the first space burying patterns extend parallel to one another in the first direction with first line patterns alternately disposed with first space burying patterns A portion of the plurality of first space burying patterns may be removed to form a second direction pattern space extending intermittently or continuously in the first level pattern layer. A second burying layer filling the second direction pattern space may be formed to form a network structure pattern. The feature layer may be etched with the network structure pattern as an etch mask to form a pattern of holes.
US09960032B2 Methods of forming thin films and methods of fabricating integrated circuit devices using the same
Provided herein are methods of forming thin films. In some embodiments, to form a thin film, a precursor adsorption layer including an organic ligand is formed by supplying a precursor including a metal or silicon central atom, and the organic ligand onto a lower structure. An intermediate result layer is formed by supplying a non-oxidant onto the precursor adsorption layer. In forming the intermediate result layer, the organic ligand included in the precursor adsorption layer is substituted with a substituent. An oxide film including the central atom is formed from the intermediate result layer by supplying an oxidant onto the intermediate result layer.
US09960030B2 Method and device for the surface treatment of substrates
A method for the surface treatment of a substrate surface of a substrate with the following steps: arrangement of the substrate surface in a process chamber, bombardment of the substrate surface with an ion beam, generated by an ion beam source and aimed at the substrate surface, to remove impurities from the substrate surface, whereby the ion beam has a first component, introduction of a second component into the process chamber to bind the removed impurities. A device for the surface treatment of a substrate surface of a substrate with: a process chamber for receiving the substrate, an ion beam source for generating an ion beam that has a first component and is aimed at the substrate surface to remove impurities from the substrate surface, means to introduce a second component into the process chamber to bind the removed impurities.
US09960020B2 Method and apparatus for saving energy while increasing the conveying speed in vacuum coating plants
Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for saving energy while increasing the conveying speed in vacuum coating plants consisting of a series of sputtering segments (3) and gas separation segments (2) along with a continuous substrate plane (1). Said apparatus has the following features: a) each of the sputtering segments (3) consists of a tank tub (12) inside which a conveying device (11) is located; the flange (6) of the tank is positioned in the immediate vicinity above the substrate plane (1); a cathode bearing block (5), along with targets (8) and gas inlet ducts (10), is located in the tank cover (4) in the immediate vicinity of the substrate together with splash guards (9); b) in the region of the substrate plane (1), the gas separation segments (2) are provided with a tunnel cover (14) that extends along the entire length of the gas separation segment (2); c) sputtering segments (3) and/or gas separation segments (2) are evacuated using one or more vacuum pumps (15), and the air pumped in said process is trapped in an air reservoir (25) having an adjustable volume.
US09960018B2 RF sputtering apparatus and sputtering method
Provided is a RF sputtering apparatus in which film forming can efficiently be made by suppressing an amount of reverse sputtering at a substrate. The RF sputtering apparatus SM, according to this invention, in which RF power is applied in vacuum to a target to thereby perform film forming processing on one surface (Wa) of the substrate (W) is provided with a stage for holding the substrate in a state in which one surface thereof is left open in an electrically insulated state. The stage has a dented portion on such a holding surface as is adapted to hold thereon the substrate. A movable body, which is movable toward, and away from, the substrate, and is connected to grounding is disposed in a space defined by such an opposite surface of the substrate as is opposite to said one surface and an outline of the dented portion.
US09960011B2 Plasma generation apparatus and plasma generation method
Provided are a plasma generation apparatus and a plasma generation method. The plasma generation apparatus includes a chamber including a dielectric window and a toroidal discharge space, a magnetic core disposed to surround a portion of the chamber, an induction coil disposed to wind the magnetic core, and a waveguide radiating a microwave through the dielectric window. Alternating current flowing in the induction coil forms a magnetic flux at the magnetic core, and the magnetic flux generates inductively-coupled plasma. A microwave propagating along the waveguide generates microwave plasma inside the chamber.
US09960008B2 Methods and devices for measuring orbital angular momentum states of electrons
A device for measuring electron orbital angular momentum states in an electron microscope includes the following components aligned sequentially in the following order along an electron beam axis: a phase unwrapper (U) that is a first electrostatic refractive optical element comprising an electrode and a conductive plate, where the electrode is aligned perpendicular to the conductive plate; a first electron lens system (L1); a phase corrector (C) that is a second electrostatic refractive optical element comprising an array of electrodes with alternating electrostatic bias; and a second electron lens system (L2). The phase unwrapper may be a needle electrode or knife edge electrode.
US09960006B2 Charged-particle-beam device
A charged-particle-beam device used for measuring the dimensions, etc., of fine circuit patterns in a semiconductor manufacturing process, wherein corrections are made in the defocusing and astigmatism generated during changes in the operating conditions of a Wien filter acting as a deflector of secondary signals such as secondary electrons, and the display dimensions of obtained images are kept constant. In the charged-particle-beam device, the Wien filter (23) is arranged between a detector and a lens (11) arranged on the test-sample side among two stages of lenses for converging a charged-particle beam, and a computing device (93) is provided for the interlocked control of the Wien filter (23) and a lens (12) arranged on the charged-particle-source side among the two stages of lenses.
US09960005B2 Microplasma generation devices and associated systems and methods
Microplasma generators and associated arrays and methods are described herein. Certain embodiments relate to a microplasma generator in which an elongated semiconductor structure can control electronic current supplied to a microplasma cavity. In certain cases, the microplasma generator can be configured to generate a microplasma when a voltage is applied across the elongated semiconductor structure. Some embodiments include particular spatial arrangements between the electrode(s), the elongated semiconductor structure, and/or the microplasma cavity.
US09960000B2 Protective device
The present invention provides a protection device which provides a greater degree of freedom in a disposition of the bimetal switch as well as be able to more accurately control an actuation of the bimetal member of the bimetal switch. The protection device characterized in that the device comprises a bimetal switch wherein a first PTC member and a bimetal member are connected electrically in parallel with each other; and a second PTC member; and the bimetal member is disposed to be actuated by tripping of the second PTC member.
US09959995B2 Keyboard backlight system
Disclosed systems provide keyboard backlighting from organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) placed under the keys. A keyboard stack optionally includes a light guide or reflector. A single OLED can illuminate multiple keys through a light guide. OLEDs used for backlighting may be arranged in a strip to illuminate more than one key. OLEDs can be deposited directly to the light guide or reflector, and can include a seal to promote air stability.
US09959989B2 Key structure
A key structure includes a base plate, a position-limiting structure, a stabilizer bar and a keycap. The position-limiting structure is connected with and fixed on the base plate. A slot is defined by the position-limiting structure and the base plate. The stabilizer bar is connected with the keycap and pivotally coupled to the slot. The position-limiting structure includes a top stopper. The top stopper is made of soft material. As the stabilizer bar is rotated and the stabilizer bar is contacted with the top stopper, the efficacy of reducing noise is enhanced.
US09959981B2 Process for the production of electrolyte capacitors of high nominal voltage
The invention relates to a process for the production of electrolyte capacitors having a low equivalent series resistance and low residual current for high nominal voltages, electrolyte capacitors produced by this process and the use of such electrolyte capacitors.
US09959976B2 Dielectric composition and multilayer ceramic capacitor containing the same
A multilayer ceramic capacitor includes a ceramic body including dielectric layers and first and second internal electrodes disposed to face each other with respective dielectric layers interposed therebetween; and first and second external electrodes disposed on outer surfaces of the ceramic body, wherein the dielectric layer contains zirconium (Zr), a Zr content is 2×Zr/(Ba+Ca+Ti+Zr) based on an atomic ratio, a first crystal grain is composed of a core part having a Zr content of 3.0 at % or less and a shell part having a Zr content of 4.0 to 15.0 at %, and a number fraction of the first crystal grain to all crystal grains in the dielectric layer is 4% or more.
US09959974B2 Method for making a structural capacitor
A structural capacitor having a plurality of planar dielectric layers and a plurality of positive and negative electrodes with the positive and negative electrodes alternating between each dielectric layer and methods for making structural capacitors are provided. First and second spaced apart holes are provided through each dielectric layer as well as the electrodes so that the first holes in the electrodes register with the first holes in the dielectric layer and likewise for the second holes. The capacitor is formed by stacking the dielectric layers and electrodes on two spaced apart alignment pins with a positive alignment pin extending through the first holes and a negative alignment pin extending through the second holes in the dielectric layers and electrodes. These alignment pins maintain layer alignment during subsequent thermal and pressure processing to bond together the dielectric and electrode layers into an integral structural material. After processing, the alignment pins are removed and replaced with electrode pins, where the positive electrode pin is in electrical contact only with the positive electrodes and the negative electrode pin is in electrical contact only with the negative electrodes. The electrode pins are used for subsequent electrical and mechanical connectorization to the structural capacitor.
US09959973B2 Multilayer ceramic capacitor and method for manufacturing same
A multilayer ceramic capacitor that includes a layered body in which dielectric layers and internal electrode layers are layered alternately, an external electrode on a surface of the layered body and a plating layer on a surface of the external electrode. The external electrode contains Cu, and a protective layer containing Cu2O is provided at a joining portion between the external electrode and the plating layer. When heat is applied to the layered body after the external electrode is removed, a ratio of an arithmetic mean value Xa of a quantity of hydrogen generated per unit temperature in a range higher than or equal to 350° C. with respect to an arithmetic mean value Y of a quantity of hydrogen generated per unit temperature in a range higher than or equal to 230° C. and lower than or equal to 250° C. (Xa/Y) is less than or equal to 0.66.
US09959971B1 Inductor and converter having the same
The present disclosure discloses an inductor and a converter having the same. The inductor includes a magnetic core and a winding, the winding is provided within a window of the magnetic core, the winding includes a main body part and a sampling part, the main body part and the sampling part are connected in series, and a length ratio of the sampling part to the main body part is less than 2; wherein the main body part is formed of a low resistivity conductive material, the sampling part is formed of a low temperature coefficient conductive material, and a current flowing through the inductor is sampled across two ends of the sampling part. The inductor can obtain a current detection signal with high accuracy and low temperature drift with a compact structure, without increasing detection loss.
US09959970B2 Resonant high current density transformer with improved structure
A resonant high current density transformer with an improved structure includes a secondary insulating bobbin, a primary insulating bobbin and a core assembly. The secondary insulating bobbin includes a base. Two posts extend from a first side of the base, and a raised plate extends from a second side of the base, the second side is opposite to the first side. The two posts and the raised plate form a receiving space for receiving an insulating sheath having a plurality of sleeves. A secondary winding is provided on each of the sleeve. The primary insulating bobbin having a tunnel is provided at one side of the secondary insulating bobbin. The surface of the primary insulating bobbin is provided with a primary winding and covered by an insulating cover. A core assembly includes a first core and a second core. A first primary core column and a second primary core column opposite to each other extend from a side of the first and second cores, respectively, and a plurality of first secondary core columns and a plurality of second secondary core columns extend from another side of the first and second cores, respectively. The first primary core column and the second primary core column are inserted into the tunnel of the primary insulating bobbin, while each of the first secondary core columns and each of the second secondary core columns are inserted into a corresponding one of the sleeves. As a result, the secondary windings are capable of withstanding large current. Their overall length covers the air gap of the core assembly, thus achieving magnetic shielding. Meanwhile, production and assembly processes are simplified.
US09959969B2 Multilayer coil component
Each of internal conductors includes an annular portion with two end portions and an extension portion extending along the one end portion from the other end portion and separated from the one end portion. An edge of the one end portion and an edge of the other end portion oppose each other. The internal conductors include two first internal conductors and a second internal conductor located between the first internal conductors in a first direction. The one end portion of at least one first internal conductor includes a first portion overlapping the edges of the two end portions of the second internal conductor and a second portion overlapping a region between the edges of the two end portions of the second internal conductor, when viewed from the first direction. The second portion is recessed at a side opposite to the region, as compared with the first portion.
US09959968B2 Reactor
A reactor uses a composite magnetic core which combines a ferrite core and a soft magnetic metal core. The reactor is composed of a pair of yoke portion cores composed of ferrite cores, winding portion core(s) disposed between the opposite planes of the yoke portion cores, and coil(s) wound around the winding portion core(s). Flange-like members are disposed at the end part of the winding portion core(s) in a way of being external connected with the periphery of winding portion core(s) which is composed of a soft magnetic metal core. The flange-like member is composed of a metal material with iron as the main component which can be magnetically attracted to a magnet, and a junction portion of the flange-like member and the yoke portion core is formed at one flat plane of the member which is the same plane with an end plane of the winding portion core.
US09959961B2 Permanent magnetic chuck for OLED mask chucking
A permanent magnetic mask chuck is described herein. The permanent magnetic mask chuck includes a body with a plurality of permanent magnets positioned therein. The permanent magnets can then deliver a magnetic force to a mask to position and hold the mask over or on the substrate for further deposition.
US09959960B2 Magnetic component
A magnetic component is disclosed. The magnetic component includes a magnetic core assembly, a fastening element, a first winding set and a second winding set. The magnetic core assembly includes at least a pillar. The fastening element is provided on an outer peripheral surface of the pillar. The first winding set is disposed around the outer peripheral surface of the pillar. The second winding set is disposed around the outer peripheral surface of the pillar and engaged with the fastening set. The first winding set and the second winding set are located adjacent to each other and disposed around the outer peripheral surface of the pillar.
US09959959B2 Magnetic steel sheet having a layer improving the electrical insulation and method for the production thereof
A magnetic steel sheet including a layer adjoining at least one of a top side and bottom side of the magnetic metal sheet. The layer includes a metal oxide containing titanium oxide or tantalum oxide and the layer adjoins the magnetic steel sheet along a diffusion zone into which the titanium or tantalum of the metal oxide has diffused into the magnetic steel sheet. The diffusion zone is produced on at least one of a top surface and a bottom surface of the magnetic steel sheet and the diffusion layer diffuses one of tantalum and titanium as metal into the at least one surface. The metal of the at the at least one surface is converted into an associated metal oxide to form the layer including the metal oxide, and a residual content of the metal of the metal oxide remains in the diffusion zone.
US09959958B1 PTC circuit protection device and method of making the same
A PTC circuit protection device, includes: two PTC units, each of the PTC units including a first insulating layer, a first electrically conductive layer, a PTC polymeric layer, a second electrically conductive layer, a second insulating layer, a first electrode, a second electrode; an insulating bridge layer interconnecting the first insulating layers of the PTC units; and first and second gaps formed between the PTC units and located at two opposite sides of the insulating bridge layer.
US09959955B2 Superconducting cable
A superconducting cable includes a core part, in which the core part includes a former including a plurality of copper wires, a superconducting conductor layer including a plurality of superconducting wires connected in parallel to each other, an insulating layer, and a superconducting shield layer including a plurality of superconducting wires are sequentially arranged. A conducting layer formed of a metal having a current-carrying property at room temperature is provided on opposite surfaces of each of the superconducting wires of the superconducting conductor layer to reinforce mechanical rigidity of each of superconducting wires of the superconducting conductor layer, and the former has a cross-sectional area which is smaller than that of a former of a superconducting cable in which the conducting layer is not added to superconducting wires and which is designed on an assumption that all fault current flows to the former.
US09959954B1 Power and control cable for healthcare facilities
A metal clad cable for healthcare facilities including a first ground conductor, a phase conductor in contact with the first ground conductor, a neutral conductor positioned in contact with the first ground conductor and the phase conductor, a control conductor assembly including a first control conductor and a second control conductor positioned in contact with the phase conductor and the neutral conductor in a valley between the phase conductor and the neutral conductor. The control conductor assembly, the first ground, the phase conductor and the neutral conductor are wrapped in a binder tape forming a core. A second ground conductor is positioned outside the binder tape of the core located away from the control conductor assembly with no contact with the control conductor assembly, and an interlock armor disposed over the core and the second ground conductor, the second ground conductor is maintained in contact with the interlock armor.
US09959951B2 Reduction of dielectric losses through use of organoclay in semiconductor or insulator compositions
Organodavs are added to semiconductive compositions to provide a reduction in the dielectric losses of layered composites in which the semiconductive layer contains species which could migrate into the insulation and result in undesirably high dielectric losses, The invention semiconductive compositions provide improved performance in power cable applications.
US09959950B2 Thin plate having excellent corrosion resistance, conductivity and formability, and method for manufacturing same
[Problem] To prepare a thin plate having excellent corrosion resistance, conductivity, and formability at low cost.[Solution] A thin plate is prepared by an ultraquenching transition control injector with a mixture of a metal powder having corrosion resistance to form a matrix and a powder having conductivity, as a raw material. An obtained thin plate has a conductive material component that exists, without dissolving, in a metal matrix exhibiting corrosion resistance by passivation, thereby having aforementioned characteristics.
US09959943B2 Method and apparatuses for operating and repairing nuclear reactors
The method includes repairing a nuclear reactor, where the reactor includes one or more submerged lines welded to one or more support brackets. The method involves removing a damaged section of the one or more submerged lines, and replacing the damaged section without welding.
US09959942B2 Encapsulating magnetic fields for plasma confinement
In one embodiment, a fusion reactor includes an enclosure, an open-field magnetic system comprising one or more internal magnetic coils suspended within the enclosure, and one or more encapsulating magnetic coils coaxial with the one or more internal magnetic coils of the open-field magnetic system. The one or more encapsulating magnetic coils form a magnetosphere around the open-field magnetic system. The open-field magnetic system and the one or more encapsulating magnetic coils, when supplied with electrical currents, form magnetic fields for confining plasma within the enclosure.
US09959941B2 System for supporting structures immersed in plasma
A fusion reactor includes an enclosure having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a midpoint substantially equidistant between the first and second ends of the enclosure. The fusion reactor includes two internal magnetic coils suspended within the enclosure and positioned on opposite sides of the midpoint of the enclosure, one or more encapsulating magnetic coils positioned on each side of the midpoint of the enclosure, two mirror magnetic coils positioned on opposite sides of the midpoint of the enclosure, and one or more support stalks for supporting the two internal magnetic coils suspended within the enclosure. The one or more encapsulating magnetic coils and the two mirror magnetic coils are coaxial with the internal magnetic coils. The magnetic coils are operable, when supplied with electric currents, to form magnetic fields for confining plasma within the enclosure.
US09959934B2 High-speed differential current sensing of preprogrammed NVM cells
A differential current sensing circuit architecture is used with an integrated circuit NVM memory block in which a selected memory cell and a related complementary memory cell are accessed at the same time for reading. The circuit architecture is used not only for normal operations for reading the logic states of a selected memory cell and its complementary memory cell after programming, but also for reading the logic states of a selected memory cell and its complementary memory cell before programming for the detecting of faults in memory cells.
US09959932B1 Grouping memory cells into sub-blocks for program speed uniformity
A three-dimensional stacked memory device is configured to provide uniform programming speeds of different sets of memory strings formed in memory holes. In a process for removing sacrificial material from word line layers, a block oxide layer in the memory holes is etched away relatively more when the memory hole is relatively closer to an edge of the word line layers where an etchant is introduced. A thinner block oxide layer is associated with a faster programming speed. To compensate, memory strings at the edges of the word line layers are programmed together, separate from the programming of interior memory strings. A program operation can use a higher initial program voltage for programming the interior memory strings compared to the edge memory strings.
US09959931B2 Programming a memory device in response to its program history
A method includes determining, internal to a memory device, a number of program pulses required to program a sample of memory cells of the memory device during a first programming operation, comparing the determined number of program pulses required to program the sample of memory cells of the memory device to a target number of program pulses, and adjusting a program starting voltage level of one or more program pulses applied to one or more memory cells of the sample of memory cells during a second programming operation subsequent to the first programming operation when the determined number of program pulses required to program the sample of memory cells in the first programming operation is different than the target number so that the number of program pulses applied during the second programming operation tends toward the target number.
US09959928B1 Iterative method and apparatus to program a programmable resistance memory element using stabilizing pulses
A method to program a programmable resistance memory cell includes performing one or more iterations until a verifying passes. The iterations include a) applying a programming pulse to the memory cell, and, b) after applying the programming pulse, verifying if the resistance of the memory cell is in a target resistance range. After an iteration of the one or more iterations in which the verifying passes, c) a stabilizing pulse with a polarity the same as the programming pulse is applied to the memory cell. After applying the stabilizing pulse, a second verifying determines if the resistance of the programmable element is in the target resistance range. Iterations comprising steps a), b), c), and d) are performed until the second verifying passes. Methods and apparatus are described to program a plurality of such cells, including applying a stabilizing pulse of the same polarity after programming.
US09959927B2 Multi-step voltage for forming resistive access memory (RRAM) cell filament
A memory device and method comprising a metal oxide material disposed between and in electrical contact with first and second conductive electrodes, and a voltage source configured to apply a plurality of voltage pulses spaced apart in time across the first and second electrodes. For each one of the voltage pulses, an amplitude of the voltage increases during the voltage pulse.
US09959926B2 Method and apparatus for selective write assist using shared boost capacitor
Write assist circuitry is disclosed to assist a memory device in changing logical states during a write operation. The write assist circuit includes write assist circuits which can be coupled to a shared boost capacitor to provide write assistance to the memory device. The write assist circuit includes boost switch circuit to selectively couple one or more of the write assist circuits and the shared boost capacitor. The one or more write assist circuits, when coupled to the shared capacitor, provide negative bitline assistance by selectively driving one of its corresponding bitlines pairs to be negative during a write operation.
US09959923B2 Apparatuses and methods to reverse data stored in memory
Apparatuses and methods are provided for reversing data stored in memory. An example apparatus comprises an array of memory cells, a first plurality of sensing components corresponding to a respective first plurality of columns of the array, a second plurality of sensing components corresponding to a respective second plurality of columns of the array, and a plurality of shared input/output (I/O) lines (which may be referred to as SIO lines). Each one of the plurality of SIO lines can be selectively coupled to a respective subset of the first plurality of sensing components and to a respective subset of the second plurality of sensing components. The apparatus can include a controller configured to control reversing a logical sequence of data stored in a group of memory cells coupled to a first access line of the array by performing a plurality of transfer operations via the plurality of SIO lines.
US09959918B2 Memory device and system supporting command bus training, and operating method thereof
An operating method of a memory device includes entering into a command bus training mode, generating a plurality of internal clock signals by dividing a received clock signal, generating a plurality of internal chip selection signals by latching a received chip selection signal according to the plurality of internal clock signals, generating a second command/address signal by encoding a received first command/address signal based on the plurality of internal chip selection signals, and outputting the second command/address signal.
US09959915B2 Voltage generator to compensate for process corner and temperature variations
The present disclosure describes a system, a circuit, and method for process and temperature compensation in an integrated circuit. For example, the system includes a bus, a data latch, and a voltage generator. The data latch includes a plurality of transistors coupled to the bus. The voltage generator includes a tracking transistor with one or more physical characteristics that substantially match one or more respective physical characteristics—e.g., gate width and gate length dimensions—of at least one of the plurality of transistors in the data latch. The voltage generator is configured to adjust a pre-charged voltage on the bus based on an electrical characteristic of the tracking transistor.
US09959912B2 Timed sense amplifier circuits and methods in a semiconductor memory
A memory includes a memory cell, one bitline coupled to the memory cell, a sense amplifier coupled to the one bitline, a timing circuit configured to enable the sense amplifier during a read operation, a control circuit configured to enable the sense amplifier independent of the timing circuit, and a pull-up circuit configured to pull up the one bitline while the sense amplifier is enabled by the control circuit. The method includes enabling a sense amplifier in a read operation by a timing circuit. The sense amplifier is coupled to at least one bitline, and the at least one bitline is coupled to a memory cell. The method further includes enabling the sense amplifier independent of the timing circuit in a second operation and pulling up the at least one bitline by a pull-up circuit while the sense amplifier is enabled in the second operation.
US09959909B1 HDD tray and HDD rack assembly
A hard disk drive (HDD) tray adapted to carry a HDD includes a base and a cover pivoted to the base. The base includes a bottom plate and two base lateral plates connected to the bottom plate. The cover includes a top plate and two cover lateral plates connected to the top plate. One of each of the cover lateral plates and the corresponding base lateral plate includes a first fixing member which is retractable, and the other includes a fixing hole corresponding to the first fixing member. The HDD is located between the base and the cover. When the cover covers the base, the first fixing members extend into the corresponding fixing holes to fix the relative location of the cover and the base. When the cover is pivoted upward relative to the base, each first fixing member is drawn back along an inner wall of the fixing hole to exit the corresponding fixing hole. A HDD rack assembly is also provided.
US09959908B2 Media content recording and healing statuses
An exemplary system includes a content processing subsystem configured to record at least a subset of a media content program and detect a defective portion of the recorded media content program that failed to be properly recorded. The content processing subsystem is further configured to provide a recording status indicator to an output device for presentation to a user, the recording status indicator identifying the defective portion of the recorded media content program. In certain implementations, the content processing subsystem is further configured to heal at least a subset of the defective portion of the recorded media content program and provide a healing status indicator to the output device for presentation to the user, the healing status indicator identifying the healed portion of the recorded media content program.
US09959907B2 Fast creation of video segments
A computer-implemented method can include displaying, within a user interface in a digital media system, a media pane, and a project pane, displaying, within the media pane, a thumbnail group representing a media item, the thumbnail group comprising one or more thumbnails, a thumbnail comprising a plurality of frames, enabling a user to select, from the thumbnail group, a frame of the media item, and upon detecting that the user has selected a frame, creating a group of frames, the group of frames including the selected frame and one or more adjacent frames.
US09959905B1 Methods and systems for 360-degree video post-production
In accordance with example embodiments, the method and system for 360-degree video post-production generally makes use of points of view (POVs) to facilitate the 360-degree video post-production process. A POV is a rectilinear subset view of a 360-degree composition based on a particular focal length, angle of view, and orientation for each frame of the 360-degree composition. Video post-production editing can be applied to a POV by the user, using rectilinear video post-production methods or systems. The rectilinear video post-production editing done on the POV is integrated back into the 360-degree environment of the 360-degree composition. In accordance with example embodiments, the method and system for 360-degree video post-production comprises identifying a point of view in a 360-degree composition; applying video post-production editing to the point of view; and aligning a new layer containing the video post-production editing with the point of view in the 360-degree composition.
US09959902B2 Systems and methods of interactive exercising
Methods and systems for receiving information descriptive of a pace at which a user is exercising; presenting video content depicting a race at a playback speed dependent on the pace; and displaying a dashboard including an indication of the pace.
US09959895B2 Method for manufacturing magnetic recording medium, magnetic recording medium and magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus
A method for manufacturing a magnetic recording medium is provided. An orientation control layer is deposited on a non-magnetic substrate to control an orientation of a layer located directly thereon, and a perpendicular magnetic layer whose easy axis of magnetization is mainly oriented perpendicular to the non-magnetic substrate is deposited thereon. In depositing the orientation control layer, a first granular structure layer containing Ru or a material mainly made of Ru and a first oxide having a melting point of 1000 degrees C. or lower are deposited by sputtering. In depositing the perpendicular magnetic layer, a second granular structure layer containing magnetic particles and a second oxide having a melting point of 1000 degrees C. or lower are deposited by sputtering, and the magnetic particles are grown so as to form a columnar crystal continuing in a thickness direction. The columnar crystal includes crystal grains constituting the orientation control layer.
US09959893B1 Multi-purpose resistive sensor for a heat-assisted magnetic recording device
An apparatus comprises a slider having an air bearing surface (ABS) and a near-field transducer (NFT) at or near the ABS. An optical waveguide is configured to couple light from a laser source to the NFT. A resistive sensor comprises an ABS section situated at or proximate the ABS and a distal section extending away from the ABS to a location at least lateral of or behind the NFT. The resistive sensor is configured to detect changes in output optical power of the laser source and contact between the slider and a magnetic recording medium.
US09959892B1 Extending usable life of magnetic storage media
Some embodiments of the present invention logically eliminate an end region of a user-data area of a magnetic storage tape during formatting (or re-formatting) of the tape, if the position error signal (PES) variance corresponding to the end region exceeds a threshold. An adjacent region, having a PES variance less than the threshold is designated as a new end region, thereby shortening the user-data area of the tape and extending its usable life.
US09959885B2 Method for user context recognition using sound signatures
Method for user micro context recognition using sound signatures. The method includes: recording an environment sound sample from a microphone into a mobile device by a trigger stimulus; simultaneous to recording an environment sound sample, collecting hardware and software macro context data from available mobile devices; extracting a sound signature from the recorded sound sample based on sound features and spectrograms; comparing for similar patterns the recorded sound signature with reference sound signatures stored in a sound database; updating the sound database; checking if the recorded sound was recognized; performing a logical association between the sound label and the available macro context data; comparing for similar patterns the recorded context with a reference context stored in a context database; updating the context database; checking if the micro context was recognized; and returning to a mobile context-aware application the micro context label.
US09959884B2 Adaptive filter control
A sound processing circuit comprises a first input for receiving a first input signal, and a second input for receiving a second input signal. A first adaptive filter receives the first input signal, and an error calculation block calculates an error between the second input signal and the output of the first adaptive filter, and outputting an error signal. A second adaptive filter receives the error signal, and an output calculation block subtracts an output of the second adaptive filter from the first input signal to generate an output signal. The adaptation of first and second adaptive filters is controlled based on a magnitude coherence between the first and second input signals.
US09959881B2 Voice processing device, audio and video output apparatus, communication system, and sound processing method
A voice processing device includes: a sound pickup to receive sounds respectively from a plurality of locations; and circuitry to: identify, from the plurality of locations, a sound source location at which a sound source exists, as a current sound source location; specify at least one location of the plurality of locations other than the current sound source location, from at least one sound source location that has been identified as the sound source location during a past predetermined time period, as a specified source location at which a sound to be enhanced exists; enhance a sound from the current sound source location, and a sound from the specified source location; and output an audio signal including the enhanced sounds.
US09959879B2 Context-based arithmetic encoding apparatus and method and context-based arithmetic decoding apparatus and method
A context-based arithmetic encoding apparatus and method and a context-based arithmetic decoding apparatus and method are provided. The context-based arithmetic decoding apparatus may determine a context of a current N-tuple to be decoded, determine a Most Significant Bit (MSB) context corresponding to an MSB symbol of the current N-tuple, and determine a probability model using the context of the N-tuple and the MSB context. Subsequently, the context-based arithmetic decoding apparatus may perform a decoding on an MSB based on the determined probability model, and perform a decoding on a Least Significant Bit (LSB) based on a bit depth of the LSB derived from a process of decoding on an escape code.
US09959876B2 Closed loop quantization of higher order ambisonic coefficients
In general, techniques are described for closed loop quantization of HOA coefficients that provide a three-dimensional representation of the sound field. An audio encoding device may perform closed loop quantization of an audio object based at least in part on a result of performing quantization of directional information associated with the audio object. An audio decoding device may obtain an audio object that has been closed loop quantized based at least in part on a result of performing quantization of directional information associated with the audio object, and may dequantize the audio object.
US09959872B2 Multimodal speech recognition for real-time video audio-based display indicia application
Aspects relate to computer implemented methods, systems, and processes to automatically generate audio-based display indicia of media content including receiving, by a processor, a plurality of media content categories including at least one feature, receiving a plurality of categorized speech recognition algorithms, each speech recognition algorithm being associated with a respective one or more of the plurality of media content categories, determining a media content category of a current media content based on at least one feature of the current media content, selecting one speech recognition algorithm from the plurality of categorized speech recognition algorithms based on the determination of the media content category of the current media content, and applying the selected speech recognition algorithm to the current media content.
US09959869B2 Architecture for multi-domain natural language processing
Features are disclosed for processing a user utterance with respect to multiple subject matters or domains, and for selecting a likely result from a particular domain with which to respond to the utterance or otherwise take action. A user utterance may be transcribed by an automatic speech recognition (“ASR”) module, and the results may be provided to a multi-domain natural language understanding (“NLU”) engine. The multi-domain NLU engine may process the transcription(s) in multiple individual domains rather than in a single domain. In some cases, the transcription(s) may be processed in multiple individual domains in parallel or substantially simultaneously. In addition, hints may be generated based on previous user interactions and other data. The ASR module, multi-domain NLU engine, and other components of a spoken language processing system may use the hints to more efficiently process input or more accurately generate output.
US09959867B2 Electronic devices with voice command and contextual data processing capabilities
An electronic device may capture a voice command from a user. The electronic device may store contextual information about the state of the electronic device when the voice command is received. The electronic device may transmit the voice command and the contextual information to computing equipment such as a desktop computer or a remote server. The computing equipment may perform a speech recognition operation on the voice command and may process the contextual information. The computing equipment may respond to the voice command. The computing equipment may also transmit information to the electronic device that allows the electronic device to respond to the voice command.
US09959866B2 Computer-implemented method for generating a response sentence by using a weight value of node
A semantic network storage unit stores multiple nodes necessary for performing a task of generating a response sentence to user's speech while associating the nodes with each other. A natural language processor acquires speech information indicating content of the user's speech and identifies a primary node corresponding to the speech information from multiple nodes. A conversation generation unit selects one secondary node from multiple secondary nodes associated with the identified primary node, based on weight values each related to one of the multiple secondary nodes and generates a response sentence corresponding to the selected one secondary node.
US09959864B1 Location-based voice query recognition
In some implementations, systems and methods are capable of performing location-based voice query recognition. Audio corresponding to an utterance of the user and data indicating a location associated with a user are initially received. An initial transcription of the utterance is then obtained. A set of n-grams that are associated with a region are selected for each of multiple regions that are associated with the location. One or more additional candidate descriptions are generated for one or more of the multiple geographic regions. A representative transcription of the utterance is selected for one or more of the multiple geographic regions. The representative transcription is finally provided to an automated speech recognizer.
US09959862B2 Apparatus and method for recognizing speech based on a deep-neural-network (DNN) sound model
A speech recognition apparatus based on a deep-neural-network (DNN) sound model includes a memory and a processor. As the processor executes a program stored in the memory, the processor generates sound-model state sets corresponding to a plurality of pieces of set training speech data included in multi-set training speech data, generates a multi-set state cluster from the sound-model state sets, and sets the multi-set training speech data as an input node and the multi-set state cluster as output nodes so as to learn a DNN structured parameter.
US09959860B2 Active airborne noise abatement
Noises that are to be emitted by an aerial vehicle during operations may be predicted using one or more machine learning systems, algorithms or techniques. Anti-noises having equal or similar intensities and equal but out-of-phase frequencies may be identified and generated based on the predicted noises, thereby reducing or eliminating the net effect of the noises. The machine learning systems, algorithms or techniques used to predict such noises may be trained using emitted sound pressure levels observed during prior operations of aerial vehicles, as well as environmental conditions, operational characteristics of the aerial vehicles or locations of the aerial vehicles during such prior operations. Anti-noises may be identified and generated based on an overall sound profile of the aerial vehicle, or on individual sounds emitted by the aerial vehicle by discrete sources.
US09959858B2 Noise-cancelling headphone
A noise-cancelling headphone is provided that avoids an influence of the wind and prevents degradation in the sound quality of the reproduced sound output from a driver unit. The noise-cancelling headphone includes an ear piece including a housing unit having an interior and an exterior, a driver unit attached to the housing unit, and a microphone collecting external sounds at the exterior of the housing unit. The housing unit includes an accommodating portion accommodating the microphone and a sound collecting hole establishing the communication between the accommodating portion and the exterior of the housing unit. The accommodating portion is disposed in an upper portion of the housing unit of the noise-cancelling headphone when worn by the user. The sound collecting hole is open toward the upper side of the housing unit of the noise-cancelling headphone when worn by the user.
US09959850B2 Acoustic music similarity determiner
It is inter alia disclosed a method comprising: determining a divergence measure between a statistical distribution of audio features of a first audio track and a statistical distribution of audio features of at least one further audio track; determining a divergence measure threshold value from at least the divergence measure between the statistical distribution of audio features of a first audio track and the statistical distribution of audio features of the at least one further audio track; and comparing the divergence measure with the divergence measure threshold value.
US09959848B2 Mute equipment capable of controlling a breath pressure and an adapter therof
A mute equipment capable of controlling a breath pressure and reducing the volume of the sound during a performance state in normal manner, an adapter thereof and the wind instruments equipped with them, are characterized in that it the mute equipment capable of controlling a breath pressure is to be attached to the blowing section of the wind instruments, wherein the equipment has a hole to release the breath and a section of restricting a wind way width. The mute equipment capable of controlling a breath pressure may be further characterized in that the equipment has a section of adjusting a breath volume to adjust the size of the hole to release the breath. The mute equipment capable of controlling a breath pressure may be further characterized in that the section of adjusting a breath volume can use as the section of restricting the wind way width.
US09959846B1 Metal frog for a violin bow
A frog for a stringed instrument bow is disclosed which has a hollow metal body, which may be made, for example, of direct laser metal sintered titanium. The hollow body has a top side adapted to engage a bow stick of the stringed instrument bow, and a bottom side adapted to support a hair bundle of the stringed instrument bow. A back stop is positioned proximate the bottom side in the interior of the hollow metal body and a cam attached to the bottom side of the hollow metal body is adapted to slide or rotate with respect to the hollow metal body, from an open position in which a hair bundle can be inserted in the hollow metal body and a closed position in which the cam forms a pinch point with the back stop to secure the hair bundle.
US09959840B2 Multimedia servers that broadcast packet-switched audio with second screen content
An apparatus, system, or method wirelessly sends an audio component of a multimedia channel to one or more wireless computing devices while a visual component of the multimedia channel is playing on a video monitor. The audio component may be packetized into data packets and broadcast via a network such that the data packets can be received and played by the wireless computing devices in synchronization with the visual component playing on the video monitor. A channel listing may inform the wireless computing devices what channels are available. A visual content that is not the visual component of the multimedia channel may be displayed on the wireless computing device while an audio component of the multimedia channel is streamed to the wireless computing device.
US09959839B2 Predictive screen display method and apparatus
Apparatuses, methods and storage media associated with display of visual assets on a device are described. Specifically, the device may include a display screen. The device may further include a visual asset scheduler. The visual asset scheduler may include a screen predictor, a queue, and a visual asset loader. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09959838B2 Transparent display overlay systems for vehicle instrument cluster assemblies
An instrument cluster assembly for a vehicle includes a vehicle instrument that is viewable by an occupant of the vehicle. A transparent protective cover covers the vehicle instrument such that the vehicle instrument is viewable by the occupant through the transparent protective cover. A transparent display overlay system includes an overlay display comprising a transparent display layer connected to the transparent protective cover by an optical adhesive layer. A display controller displays an image on the transparent display layer based on vehicle information. The vehicle instrument is viewable by the occupant through the transparent protective cover and the transparent display layer adjacent the image.
US09959834B2 Method and system for adaptively changing display parameters of virtual reality content
Aspects of the present disclosure include a method and system for the delivery of virtual reality content that enables a more immersive experience to the user by adaptively changing display parameters of virtual reality content using resolution-defined projections. The resolution-defined projections are two-dimensional and virtual reality content agnostic. According to some aspects, the projections can be used to generate virtual reality content images and video that can be encoded and/or compressed for processing and transmission with lower or without increasing bandwidth requirements, and to be perceived of a higher resolution. Additional aspects include, the adaptive focus via the resolution-defined projections using the user's viewing direction and/or orientation, optimization data from a feedback loop and/or crowdsourcing data.
US09959833B2 Driver and electronic device for suppressing a rise or fall in voltage at an output terminal in capacitive driving
A driver and an electronic device include a capacitor driving circuit and a capacitor circuit having a plurality of capacitors provided between a plurality of capacitor driving nodes and a data voltage output terminal. The capacitor driving circuit has a plurality of driving units that output capacitor driving voltages, and in the case where a capacitance of one of the plurality of capacitors is the highest, after a driving unit that drives that capacitor has outputted a capacitor driving voltage, the next driving unit outputs the next capacitor driving voltage.
US09959832B2 GOA circuits and liquid crystal devices
A GOA circuit and a liquid crystal device (LCD) are disclosed. The GOA circuit includes a plurality of GOA units and a control module. Each of the cascaded GOA units is configured for charging corresponding horizontal scanning lines within a display area when being driven by a first level clock, a second level clock, a first control clock, and a second control clock. After the horizontal scanning lines are fully charged by the GOA circuit, the control module is configured for resetting the gate driving signals to be at the first level, i.e., the invalid level, via the turn-on pulse signals and the negative-voltage constant-voltage source.
US09959831B1 Drive method of liquid crystal display panel and drive system of liquid crystal display panel
The present invention provides a drive method of a liquid crystal display panel and a drive system, in which a sequence controller (3) comprises a counter (31), a TFT activation voltage calculation module (32) and an I2C instruction module (33), and the counter (31) adds 1 as outputting the display data of each row, and as adding to i×M/N, the TFT activation voltage calculation module (32) operates to obtain the target TFT activation voltage of the i+1th gate drive IC (GD(i+1)) and transmits the same to the I2C instruction module (33), and the I2C instruction module (33) controls the PWM IC (2) correspondingly output the corresponding target TFT activation voltage to the i+1th gate drive IC (GD(i+1)), which can adjust the TFT activation voltage in real time so that the TFT activation voltages, which the respective gate drive ICs actually receive are consistent.
US09959819B2 RGB to RGBW brightness compensation method and device
An RGB to RGBW brightness compensation method and device is disclosed. The method includes: retrieving multiple gray scale values of RGB color RGB(x, y, z), wherein x, y, z are gray scale levels of red, green and blue sub-pixels of an RGB model, 0≤x, y, z≤1; multiplying the gray scale values of RGB color RGB (x, y, z) by N to obtain an enhanced gray scale values of RGB color RGB (Nx, Ny, Nz), wherein N is 4/3 and a minimum value selected from x, y, z is taken to represent a first conversion value W1; and obtaining multiple gray scale values of RGBW color RGBW (Nx−W1, Ny−W1, Nz−W1, W1) according to the enhanced gray scale values of RGB color RGB (Nx, Ny, Nz) and the first conversion value W1. Accordingly, a brightness of the RGBW model of a liquid crystal panel is compensated.
US09959818B2 Display engines for use with optical waveguides
A display engine includes light emitting elements, an optical subsystem to produce a single collimated beam of light from the light emitted by the light emitting elements, one or more image producing MEMS mirrors, one or more image reprojecting MEMS mirrors, and a controller. One of the image producing MEMS mirror(s) is positioned to reflect the single beam of light produced by the optical subsystem. The controller controls the image producing MEMS mirror(s) and the image reprojecting MEMS mirror(s). The image reprojecting MEMS mirror(s) is/are controlled and is/are positioned relative to the image producing MEMS mirror(s) and relative to input-coupler(s) of optical waveguide(s) so that a pupil corresponding to a scanned image that the image producing MEMS mirror(s) project onto one of the image reprojecting MEMS mirror(s), is reprojected by the image reprojecting MEMS mirror(s) onto the input-coupler(s) of the optical waveguide(s) and thereby coupled into the optical waveguide(s).
US09959814B2 Display device and display method
Provided is a display device and display method that can improve the moving image display performance. A display device includes a display panel and a backlight for the display panel. The display device also includes control means configured to output a control signal for controlling illumination and extinction of the backlight, to the backlight in synchronization with start of update of a frame on the display panel and update means configured to update a frame in each predetermined period in order to change one image displayed on a screen of the display panel. The control means outputs a control signal for controlling the backlight so that the backlight starts to illuminate after the update means starts to update one frame and ends illumination at the time point when the update means starts to update a frame subsequent to the one frame or after the time point.
US09959812B2 Method of compensating AMOLED power supply voltage drop
The present invention provides a method of compensating AMOLED power supply voltage drop, comprising: step 1, measuring a brightness value L of each light-emitting element line of a panel by starting from a COF end of the AMOLED; step 2, drawing a brightness variation curve of the each light-emitting element line caused by IR Drop according to the brightness value L of the each light-emitting element line measured in the step 1; step 3, calculating a voltage value for compensation of every two adjacent light-emitting elements from difference values between the brightnesses of every two adjacent light-emitting elements according to a ratio conversion between a brightness difference ΔL and a voltage difference ΔV, i.e. ΔV=α·ΔL, wherein α is a scaling factor; step 4, making no compensation to a data voltage of the first light-emitting element line, and adding the first compensation value ΔV1 to a data voltage of the second light-emitting element line, and adding a sum (ΔV1+ΔV2) of the first and the second compensation value to a data voltage of a third light-emitting element line and so on to the last light-emitting element line when a sequence controller transmits data voltage signals for showing images. The method can solve the issue of uneven brightness caused by IR Drop in a large scale AMOLED display device.
US09959809B2 EL display apparatus
An EL display apparatus according to the present invention includes an EL device adapted to emit light at a luminance corresponding to a current fed thereto. A source driver outputs a current higher than a current corresponding to an analog video signal to the EL device through a source signal line. This operation charges/discharges a parasitic capacitance present in the source signal line. A second gate driver circuit controls a transistor formed between the EL device and the source driver to operate so that the EL device is fed with the current for only a part of a one-frame period. As a result, the El device emits light for only the part of the period.
US09959804B1 Mura compensation method for display panel
The invention provides a Mura compensation method for display panel, which extracts the luminance information of a grayscale b other than the lowest grayscale from the inputted image through an image console, generates a Mura value index table for 0 to the lowest grayscale; uses linearly interpolation calculate the Mura values for the remaining grayscales; determines the inputted data signal; for low grayscale image smaller than the lowest grayscale, searches the index table for Mura value to perform Mura compensation to make the compensated grayscale larger than the lowest grayscale; for dynamic image, uses linear interpolation to calculate the Mura value corresponding to the inputted data signal; and for static image, uses non-linear interpolation to calculate the Mura value corresponding to the inputted data signal. As such, the Mura compensation effect is improved for static and low grayscale images; moreover, the memory speed requirement is reduced.
US09959799B2 Driving method and driving apparatus for display apparatus
A driving method for a 3D display apparatus and a driving apparatus thereof, the method includes: receiving an image signal and extracting a first view and a second view from the image signal (S31); dividing the first view and the second view respectively into multiple virtual pixels, and obtaining the color component corresponding to the color of each sub-pixel in the multiple virtual pixels (S32); arranging a sampling region in the pixel array of the display apparatus for each sub-pixel of each view (S33); determining the gray scale signal of the sub-pixel corresponding to the sampling region according to the color component corresponding to the color of each sub-pixel in each virtual pixel covered by the sampling region (S34); and displaying the image signal according to the gray scale signals of the sub-pixels (S35).
US09959796B2 Display apparatus and display apparatus control circuit
A display apparatus includes: a display device; a display device driver which drives the display device; a compression section adapted to an operation of generating compression data by compression processing performed on image data; and a transmission section which, when receiving compressed data from the compression section, transmits the compressed data to the display device driver by using a serial data signal. The compression section performs the compression processing with a data compression ratio selected in response to a frame rate with which the display device driver drives the display device. The display device driver receives the serial data signal from the transmission section, generates decompressed data by decompressing the compressed data transmitted by the serial data signal, and drives the display device in response to the decompressed data. The data compression ratio used in the compression processing is set so that the transmission rate of the serial data signal from the transmission section to the display device driver is kept constant independently of the frame rate.
US09959794B2 Electronic device, processing method and device
An electronic device, a processing method and a device are provided. The electronic device includes: a first and second display devices, an input device, a first component and a second component, a detection device configured to detect a relative position relation between the two components, a processing device is configured to control the first display device or the second display device in different cases to respond to operation data collected by the input device.
US09959792B2 System and method to place subjective messages on a vehicle
A system to exhibit subjective messages on a vehicle including a memory, controller, transceiver, external display, camera, image recognition module, and technology platform. The memory is configured to comprise modules of executable instructions. The controller is configured to read and execute the modules. The transceiver is configured to communicate data transmissions. The external display is configured to exhibit information on the vehicle, visible in the external environment. The camera is configured to capture an image of the vehicle environment. The executable instructions enable the controller to: receive an image of the vehicle environment comprising a selected object; perform the image recognition module to identify the selected object; receive the results of the image recognition module; communicate the results to the technology platform; receive subjective message information from the technology platform; and operate the external display to exhibit the subjective message information to the vehicle environment.
US09959790B2 Display apparatus and electronic equipment
Disclosed herein is a display apparatus including: a first pixel including three sub-pixels for displaying three primary colors respectively; and a second pixel including three sub-pixels for displaying two colors selected among the three primary colors and a predetermined color other than the three primary colors, wherein, in the first pixel, the size of the display surface of a sub-pixel for displaying a specific color included in the three primary colors as a specific color missing from the second pixel is larger than each of the sizes of the display surfaces of the two other sub-pixels for displaying the two other primary colors respectively.
US09959779B2 Analyzing or emulating a guitar performance using audiovisual dynamic point referencing
The systems and methods taught herein are generally directed to a dynamic point referencing of an audiovisual performance for an accurate and precise selection and controlled cycling of portions of the performance. The dynamic point referencing can be used by a learning artist, for example, in analyzing or performing a portion of the work through an accurate and precise digital audio/video instructional method having the controlled cycling feature. Such systems and methods will be appreciated, for example, by musicians, dancers, and other enthusiasts of the performing arts.
US09959778B2 System and method for facilitating learning of a musical instrument
Systems and methods facilitate a user's learning to play a musical piece on a musical instrument and involve dividing a musical piece into a number of musical piece segments. The systems and methods display or cause display of a particular segment of the musical piece. A suggested playing position is displayed adjacent to each musical note in a textual representation. Each of the displayed musical notes in the textual representation aims to indicate to the user the pitch or key of a particular musical note to be played. The suggested playing position for each musical note in turn aims to indicate the fingering position for placement on a musical instrument for playing the musical note.
US09959777B2 Secure testing device, system and method
Headpiece (10) including a frame (22) having a support portion supported on a test-taker's head, an imaging device (14) that obtains images of an environment around and in front of the test-taker, a biometric identification system (26) that obtains biometric data about the person, a display (12) viewable by the test-taker, and a sound generator and detector (16, 18). A processor on the frame (22) is coupled to these components and controls content of the display (12) based on input received via the imaging device (14) and the biometric identification system (26). The processor also monitors detection of audio communications by the sound detector (16) relative to sound generated by the sound generator (18) and images obtained by the imaging device (14) and a test is displayed on the display (12) to determine whether a person other than the test-taker is present in an image obtained by the imaging device (14) or orally providing information to the test-taker.
US09959776B1 System and method for automated scoring of texual responses to picture-based items
Systems and methods are provided for measuring a user's English language proficiency. A constructed response generated by a user is received, the constructed response being based on a picture. The constructed response is processed to determine a first numerical measure indicative of a presence of one or more grammar errors in the constructed response. The constructed response is processed to determine a second numerical measure indicative of a degree to which the constructed response describes a subject matter of the picture. The constructed response is processed to determine a third numerical measure indicative of a degree of awkward word usage in the constructed response. A model is applied to the first, second, and third numerical measures to determine a score for the constructed response indicative of the user's English language proficiency. The model includes first, second, and third variables with associated first, second, and third weighting factors, respectively.
US09959772B2 Flying lane management systems and methods for unmanned aerial vehicles
A flying lane management method implemented in an air traffic control system communicatively coupled to one or more Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) via one or more wireless networks includes initiating communication to the one or more UAVs at a preflight stage for each, wherein the communication is via one or more cell towers associated with the one or more wireless networks, wherein the plurality of UAVs each comprise hardware and antennas adapted to communicate to the plurality of cell towers; determining a flying lane for the one or more UAVs based on a destination, current air traffic in a region under management of the air traffic control system, and based on detected obstructions in the region; and providing the flying lane to the one or more UAVs are an approval to takeoff and fly along the flying lane.
US09959771B1 Unmanned aerial vehicle routing using real-time weather data
Weather data is used to create and/or update a flight plan prior to and/or during flight by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The weather data may be received using sensors onboard the UAV and/or the weather data may be received from other sources, such as weather aggregators, other UAVs, other vehicles, and/or local weather stations. In some embodiments, a UAV may be prematurely grounded after initiating flight toward a destination in response to some weather conditions identified in near real-time weather data, such as heavy winds and/or heavy precipitation. In various embodiments, the UAVs may leverage air stream information included in the weather data to cause flight along with an air stream, and thereby reduce power resources used to fly to a destination.
US09959766B2 Information-collecting device, information-collection method, and program-recording medium
Information regarding moving bodies (00) that are in danger of colliding is collected at an appropriate frequency in accordance with the degree of danger. This information-collecting device has a risk calculation unit and a transmission-interval determination unit. The risk calculation unit receives, from a plurality of moving bodies, state information that includes locations and velocities and is transmitted at provided time intervals. The risk calculation unit also computes the distance between and relative velocities of two moving bodies. The transmission-interval determination unit computes an interval such that the higher the relative velocities of two moving bodies are relative to the distance therebetween, the shorter the interval is, and provides the computed interval to the moving bodies.
US09959758B2 Method and system for locating a parked vehicle
The present disclosure relates to a method performed by a vehicle locating system for locating at least a first parked vehicle situated where it potentially is difficult to find. The system determines an estimated geographical vehicle position of the at least first parked vehicle. The system furthermore determines—based on digital map data—that the estimated vehicle position is comprised in, or is in in the vicinity of, a multilevel parking area. Moreover, the system transmits a level request message to a user device associated with the at least first parked vehicle. The disclosure also relates to a vehicle locating system in accordance with the foregoing, and a computer program product comprising a computer program containing computer program code means arranged to cause a computer or a processor to execute the steps of the vehicle locating system discussed above, stored on a computer-readable medium or a carrier wave.
US09959757B2 Method and apparatus for automated service schedule derivation and updating
A method, apparatus and computer program products are provided for automatically determining or fine-tuning bus service schedules for bus stops along a route. One example method includes causing reception of GPS data from a plurality of buses or uses from along a transit route, the GPS data comprised of a plurality of location points and associated temporal data, aggregating the location data by route and direction to determine a trip count, causing reception of at least one bus stop location, partitioning the associated temporal data into a number of clusters in accordance with the trip count, calculating a mean arrival time at the at least one bust stop for each cluster, and generating, using a processor, at least one service schedule for the at least one bus stop, wherein the mean arrival time of each cluster represents the service schedule.
US09959755B2 Dynamic multi-lane capacity optimization in a mixed vehicle environment
In the example embodiments as described herein there is at least a method and apparatus to perform operations including monitoring probe data of car and truck traffic on at least one road segment including more than one lane; based on the monitoring, determining that an occurrence of a traffic jam ahead of the car and truck traffic on the at least one road segment is probable or occurring; and in response to the determining, selectively notifying at least one of a car and truck of the traffic of required or prohibited changes to at least one of their position and speed on the at least one road segment to prevent an occurrence of a traffic jam on the at least one road segment.
US09959754B1 Pavement marker modules
A traffic control system and method in which a sensor and processor interact with at least one road module to illuminate and/or cause to flash in response to predetermined road surface and/or traffic conditions. The system and method can be configured to interact with vehicles, including autonomous vehicles, traveling on the road in which the road module(s) are embedded. The road surface and/or traffic conditions include an EMS vehicle located in proximity to a fire hydrant, a vehicle located in proximity to a bus stop, a vehicle located in proximity to an intersection with a bicycle and/or pedestrian path intersecting with said road in which said road modules are embedded.
US09959753B2 Communication device, communication system and associated communication method
A communication device, a communication and associated communication method are provided. The communication device is placed at a first moving device and the communication device includes a movement detection module, a transmitter, and a controller. The movement detecting module detects movement of the first moving device to obtain at least one first movement parameter at a first time point, and detects the movement of the first moving device to obtain at least one second movement parameter at a second time point latter than the first time point. The transmitter transmits the at least one first movement parameter. By estimating position of the first moving device at the second time point, the controller obtains an estimated internal movement parameter. The controller controls the transmitter to transmit the at least one second movement parameter selectively according to the estimated internal movement parameter and the at least one second movement parameter.
US09959746B1 Selectively disabling a restricted mode of a user equipment based on detection of an emergency health condition
In an embodiment, a user equipment (UE) determines an emergency health condition for a user that is defined based on a set of health-related parameters crossing a corresponding set of thresholds. The UE receives health data from a set of health monitoring sensors that are each configured to monitor one or more health-related parameters of the user. The UE detects, while a restricted mode restricting access to a set of communicative functions of the UE is active, that the emergency health condition for the user exists based on the received health data indicating that the set of health-related parameters have crossed the corresponding set of thresholds. The UE disables the restricted mode in response to the detecting. The UE conveys, using one or more communicative functions from the set of communicative functions that are made available by the disabling of the restricted mode, an alarm related to the detected emergency health condition for the user.
US09959739B1 System, method and article for indicating a wet or dry condition to a user
Disclosed is a system, method and an article for indicating wet/dry condition to a user. At least one sensor comprising a circuit of a processing unit, a switch and an antenna is positioned within a target area. The switch detects the target area with a dry condition or a wet condition. The switch arranges the circuit in an open circuit configuration or a closed circuit configuration based upon the detection of the dry condition or the wet condition respectively. The antenna transmits a communication signal, generated by the processing unit, to a wireless reader via the circuit arranged in the open circuit configuration or the closed circuit configuration. The wireless reader determines the dry condition or the wet condition in the target area based upon the receipt of the communication signal. The wireless reader notifies to a user the dry condition or the wet condition detected in the target area.
US09959737B2 System and method for generating an alert based on noise
A noise detector, a method of detecting noise and an analysis/alert engine. In one embodiment, the noise detector includes: (1) a vibration sensor configured to derive a raw signal from noise proximate the noise detector and (2) a noise score generator having a processor and memory, coupled to the vibration sensor and configured to generate a noise score from the raw signal, the noise score being insufficient to reproduce a content of the raw signal.
US09959734B1 Predictive shock alert warning system for use in bodies of water
A predictive shock alert warning system (SA) installed adjacent a body of water and monitoring a voltage level present in the water to alert persons in or about the water the water when the level is approaching, or reaches or exceeds a threshold that will produce a dangerous shock to a person. The system comprises a plurality of probes (1-3) placed in the water, each probe monitoring the voltage level in a zone (Z1-Z3) of water surrounding the probe and producing an output representing the voltage level for the respective zone in which the sensor is placed. An apparatus (100) processes the respective signals from each probe and triggers an alarm (13) when a voltage approaches, reaches or exceeds the danger voltage level.
US09959729B2 Alarming method and device
This application provides an alarming method and device, and relates to the field of communications. The method includes: obtaining a power of an audio signal; determining a transmit power value at least according to the power of the audio signal; broadcasting detection information according to the transmit power value, the detection information including the transmit power value; and alarming, in response to receiving alarming information fed back by another device according to the detection information, a user according to the alarming information. According to the method and device, a user is alarmed in time in a situation in which a risk may occur, and meanwhile an undesired effect of an environmental noise on the user listening to the audio signal in a safe situation is also avoided, thereby improving user experience.
US09959728B2 Managing a smart appliance with a mobile device
A method, system or computer usable program product for a smart appliance to interact with a user through a mobile device including detecting whether a mobile device associated with a first user is outside a user configurable proximity range of a smart appliance; detecting a status of the smart appliance via a set of sensors; and responsive to detecting that the mobile device is outside the user configurable proximity range, sending a user configurable message to the mobile device associated with the first user including the status of the smart appliance.
US09959725B2 Strobe notification appliance
A notification appliance is disclosed. The notification appliance may be a strobe notification appliance, such as an LED strobe notification appliance. The notification appliance may be wall-mounted or ceiling-mounted. Further, the notification appliance may include an optic that is configured to shape the light output from the notification appliance. For example, in a wall-mount, the optic may be mounted off-axis of a plane defined by a back plate of the notification appliance. Further, the notification appliance may be composed of a back plate, a driver board, and a front housing, with the front housing being attached to one or both of the back plate and the driver board. Moreover, the notification appliance may be used with an adapter bracket, which may be used to connect the notification appliance with one or more types of junction boxes.
US09959723B2 Product presence sensor security device
A security device is provided including a product presence sensor configured to sense a change in product presence relative to the product presence sensor and a directional element configured to direct the product presence sensor in a sensing direction.
US09959717B2 Security and first-responder emergency lighting system
A network system in a building complex linking different locations together and facilitating information and data exchange and access, includes ‘N’ number of autonomous nodes for receiving, processing, and storing sensory data collected by one or more sensors relating to an environment in ‘N’ number of regions within the building complex. The nodes are configured to communicate and share sensory data among the ‘N’ number of nodes and to generate a dynamic virtual map of the building complex environment that is accessible by users having access to the network.
US09959716B2 Multi-tone haptic pattern generator
A system for producing a mechanical haptic pattern based on linear resonance actuator (LRA) signal is disclosed. The system includes an actuator displacement sensor, the actuator displacement sensor configured to apply an alternating measurement signal at a predetermined frequency to an actuator motor. The actuator displacement sensor configured to use a measure of a voltage across and a current through the actuator motor to determine its impedance at the predetermined frequency and determine an estimated displacement of the actuator motor using said impedance and a predetermined displacement-impedance function. The system also includes a controller configured to accept the LRA signal and the estimated displacement, wherein the controller is configured to alter the input LRA signal according to the estimated displacement to limit excursion of a moving part of the actuator motor.
US09959713B2 Card reading device and tabletop game system
A card reading device includes a card shoe part in which cards are housed, a card reading part that reads information on the cards drawn out, a control part that determines the outcome of a game based on the read information on the cards, and display parts that display the determined outcome of the game. In a tabletop game system, the information on the cards read by the card reading part and information on the game outcome determined by the control part are transmitted from the card reading device to a main computer apparatus via wireless communication. The card reading device includes a battery that supplies electric power to the control part, the display parts and a wireless output part. The card reading device, as such, is capable of facilitating moving the card reading device in a participatory tabletop game.
US09959712B2 Types of games having multiple stages and their applications utilizing game-operating computer systems and computer-implemented methods
In some embodiments, the present invention provides for a computer-implemented method for conducting a game, having at least steps of: electronically receiving, by at least one specifically programmed computer processor, in real-time, game entries data representing game entries of players to participate in the game; where each game entry identifies a single playing instance of the game, having a plurality of drawing events; electronically determining, by the processor, in real-time, based on a game mode, a plurality of winning results for the plurality of drawing events respectively; electronically determining, by the processor, in real-time, a winning game entry, having selections which win each drawing event of the plurality of drawing events; and electronically recording, by the processor, in real-time, a portion of a jackpot to be distributed to a particular player associated with the winning game entry.
US09959708B2 Gaming system and method for selective participation in free game retrigger sequence
A gaming system which enables a player to selectively participate in a retriggered free game sequence. Following a free game triggering event, the gaming system initiates a free game sequence including a quantity of free games. If a free game retriggering event occurs in association with the initiated free game sequence, the gaming system enables a player to participate in a retriggered free game sequence or forgo the retriggered free game sequence in exchange for a modification of the remaining free games of the initiated free game sequence.
US09959695B2 Coin box for a coin-operated device
A coin box for a coin-operated device, the box having a housing, the front face of which is provided with a removal opening. A sliding door is associated with the removal opening and a supporting floor for the coins is situated in the interior of the housing. The supporting floor runs at an incline from a rear wall of the housing towards the removal opening.
US09959692B2 Locking unit, housing having a locking unit, and method for unlocking one or more doors of the housing
Provided is a locking unit for a housing, comprising at least two doors for locking each housing opening. The locking unit has a locking element module for each of the doors, and the module has at least one locking body and a locking drive for actuating the locking body. The locking drive has a common drive element for the locking element modules, which drive element can be moved about a displacement path, and which, in a first displacement position, brings the locking body, for only one of the doors or only a first group of doors, of the doors into an unlocking position, and in a second displacement position, brings the locking body for all doors into an unlocking position. The invention also relates to a housing comprising a locking unit of this type, and to a method for unlocking one or more doors of a housing of this type.
US09959690B2 Expanding time window for remote commands
A vehicle includes: receiver(s), a timer counting time, memory, and processor(s) configured to: receive a timestamped signal from a fob; compare the timestamp to a time window; reject the timestamp if the timestamp is outside the time window; expand the time window with the counted time; compute the time window as a trigonometric function of the counted time and a predetermined angle.
US09959687B2 Driver behavior monitoring
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are directed to a system for monitoring, recording, and analyzing driver activity. An exemplary system comprises a sensor module configured to receive data from one or more sensors that measure acceleration or deceleration associated with a vehicle. A stop detection module is configured to receive the sensor module data, process the sensor module data, and determine an abrupt acceleration or deceleration event. A location module is configured to retrieve the location of the vehicle simultaneous with an abrupt acceleration or deceleration event. The system stores the location of the abrupt acceleration or deceleration event in an event record in an event database.
US09959686B2 Operation analysis system for a machine
Systems and methods are disclosed for analyzing operation of a machine. The system includes a memory device configured to store a data stream that includes values of a plurality of parameters. The system further includes a data interface configured to receive a first script associated with a first set of parameters selected from the plurality of parameters, and a second script associated with a second set of parameters selected from the plurality of parameters. A processing device is in communication with the memory device and the data interface. The processing device is configured to analyze the data stream according to the first and second scripts to produce a first result associated with the first set of parameters and a second result associated with the second set of parameters. The processing device is further configured to render for display the first result and the second result.
US09959684B2 Method for using a computer graphics system for changing the shape of the surface of models of geometric solids with the aid of deformation and device for implementing same
The proposed method for using a computer graphics system for changing the shape of models of geometric solids with the aid of deformation is characterized in that it is used for producing geometric solids which mate with one another as they were relative to one another and have mating surfaces, which require manufacture with precision accuracy (up to 10 micrometers), for example toothed screws (cylindrical, conical) of a screw compressor unit, gear trains, gears of a gear pump and similar mating pairs of geometric solids. The proposed method consists in that deformation of a model (3) of a semifinished product (3) of a first mating solid (1) is performed with the aid of a model (7) of a first tool (7), whose surface is automatically calculated using several mathematical laws, each of which is a polynomial in which at least one of the coefficients represents one of several characteristics defining the geometry of the shape of the surface of the second geometric solid (2). Deformation of a model (4) of a semifinished product (4) of a second mating solid (2) is performed with the aid of a model (10) of a second tool (10), which represents a deformed target model (8) of the first solid (1). Furthermore, said deformation is performed in accordance with a law for a movement imitating the movement of the geometric solids (1), (2) which mate with one another during use relative to one another. The proposed device is capable of implementing the proposed method.
US09959682B2 Digital camera system for acoustic modeling
A digital camera with audio, visual and motion analysis includes a digital processor, an input processing system, and one or more imaging sensors, sound sensors, and motion sensors. In a non-limiting embodiment, the input processing system including non-transitory computer readable media including code segments, executable by the digital processor, for real-time audio, visual and motion analysis to develop a digital model of an ambient environment of the digital camera from data derived from the imaging sensor(s), sound sensor(s) and motion sensor(s).
US09959681B2 Augmented reality contents generation and play system and method using the same
The present disclosure relates to an augmented reality contents generation and play system. The augmented reality contents generation and play system includes an image acquisition unit configured to include a preview mode in which an image which is input through a lens is displayed on a screen and a shooting mode in which, if an image to be shot is displayed in the preview mode, the image is captured by operating a shooting button and the captured image is converted into an image file; a storage unit configured to store an image which is obtained from the image acquisition unit when the shooting button is pressed and video information which is automatically obtained for a predetermined time based on a shooting point of time; a mapping unit configured to map the image which is stored in the storage unit onto a video which is stored in the storage unit; an augmented reality processing unit configured to recognize an image corresponding to a marker from the image which is obtained by the image acquisition unit, configured to call the video mapped onto the image, and configured to overlay the video on a position of the marker on a screen in the preview mode; and a control unit configured to control a process of generating and playing contents by using an augmented reality contents.
US09959680B2 Real-time travel experience system based on virtual reality technology
A real-time travel experience system based on virtual reality technology includes sight real-time acquisition subsystems, a network transmission subsystem, a center platform subsystem and experience site subsystems. Based on virtual reality technology, the system collects the scenery and environment parameters of scenic spots using an unmanned aerial vehicle, transmits the data to an experience site, and simulates a sight real-time state vis the experience site by using the data received, providing more real user experiences; meanwhile, the user can view in motion via a walking caterpillar and a rotary base, a scenery environment can also be moved or steered due to the motion or steering of the user, so that the user experience is significantly enhanced. The system can be widely applied in various virtual travel systems.
US09959674B2 Directional and X-ray view techniques for navigation using a mobile device
Techniques for displaying navigation information on a mobile device are provided that include a method that includes obtaining an indication of a position and an indication of a direction associated with the mobile device, using the indication of the position, the indication of the direction, information regarding identities of POIs within a geographic region of interest, and information regarding areas associated with the POIs to determine at least one relevant POI, of the POIs, that is associated with the position and direction, and displaying at least one visual indication associated with each of the at least one relevant POI on the mobile device. The appearance of the at least one visual indication is dependent on at least one of a distance from the mobile device of the relevant POI associated with the visual indication or presence of a known physical barrier between the mobile device and that relevant POI.
US09959673B2 Image quality of a magnetic resonance image dataset
A method for improving the image quality of a three-dimensional magnetic resonance image dataset recorded with a magnetic resonance device, wherein, from at least one correction image dataset recorded with a modality other than magnetic resonance imaging, registered with the magnetic resonance image dataset, showing at least partly the same recording region as the magnetic resonance image dataset, especially an x-ray image dataset, relevant material parameters are derived locally-resolved for the magnetic resonance imaging, which are used for establishing a virtual magnetic resonance comparison dataset in a simulation wherein, as a function of a comparison between the magnetic resonance image dataset and the magnetic resonance comparison dataset, at least one measure parameter describing an image quality improvement measure to be applied in the k-space is determined and the image quality improvement measure is carried out with the measure parameter relating to the magnetic resonance image dataset.
US09959667B2 Method for the automatic material classification and texture simulation for 3D models
A method of automatically transforming a computerized 3D model having regions of images utilized as textures on one or more physical objects represented in the 3D model (such as building sides and roofs, walls, landscapes, mountain sides, trees and the like) to include material property information for one or more regions of the textures of the 3D model. In this method, image textures applied to the 3D model are examined by comparing, utilizing a computer, at least a portion of each image texture to entries in a palette of material entries. The material palette entry that best matches the one contained in the image texture is assigned to indicate a physical material of the physical object represented by the 3D model. Then, material property information is stored in the computerized 3D model for the image textures that are assigned a material palette entry.
US09959666B2 Method and apparatus for adding detail to a 3D solid model using a secondary geometric representation
The invention is directed to systems and methods for detailing a graphical 3D solid model displayed to a user. An example system includes a graphical user interface device (e.g., joystick, keyboard, stylus, roller ball, touch screen, tablet, etc.) configured to receive input from a user and transmit the input to a computer including a Central Processing Unit (CPU) and/or a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), a memory for use with the computer, and a video display configured to graphically display the detailed 3D solid model to the user.
US09959665B2 Zero pixel culling for graphics processing
A graphics processing unit (GPU) may include a triangle setup engine (TSE) configured to determine coordinates of a triangle, rotate coordinates of the triangle based on an angle. To rotate the coordinates, the TSE generates coordinates of the triangle in a rotated domain, and determines coordinates of a bounding box in the rotated domain based on the coordinates of the triangle in the rotated domain. The TSE determines a first plurality of parallel scanlines in the rotated domain, and a second plurality of parallel scanlines in the rotated domain. The first and second pluralities of scanlines are perpendicular. The TSE determines whether the bounding box coordinates are located within two adjacent scanlines. If the bounding box coordinates are located within the two adjacent scanlines, the TSE removes the triangle from the scene.
US09959643B2 Variable rasterization order for motion blur and depth of field
Cache thrashing or over-accessing of a cache can be reduced by reversing the order of traversal of a triangle on different granularities. In the case where triangles are not grouped, the traverse order may be reversed on each triangle. In cases where triangles are grouped, the traversal order may be reversed with each group change. However, when motion is excessive, for example beyond a threshold, then the traversal order reversal may be disabled.
US09959640B2 Iterative image reconstruction with a sharpness driven regularization parameter
A method includes performing a first pass of an iterative image reconstruction in which an intermediate first spectral image and an intermediate second spectral image are generated using an iterative image reconstruction algorithm, start first spectral and second spectral images, and initial first spectral regularization and second spectral regularization parameters, updating at least one of the initial first spectral regularization or second spectral regularization parameters, thereby creating an updated first spectral regularization or second spectral regularization parameter, based at least on a sharpness of one of the intermediate first spectral or second spectral images, and performing a subsequent pass of the iterative image reconstruction in which an updated intermediate first spectral and second spectral image is generated using the iterative image reconstruction algorithm, the intermediate first spectral and second spectral images, and the updated first spectral regularization and Compton scatter regularization parameters.
US09959639B2 Method of ptychographic imaging
A method and apparatus for ptychographic imaging is described. Typically a high number of pixels (after binning) is needed to obtain a high quality reconstruction of an object. By using calculation planes with more nodes (for example 512×512 nodes) than the number of pixels of the detector, a high quality reconstruction of an object can be made, even when using for example a 16 segment detector, or a 32×32 pixel detector. Although the reconstructed object shows less resolution (“sharpness”), all features are there.
US09959638B2 X-ray CT apparatus and data compression/restoration method
In one embodiment, an X-ray CT apparatus includes an X-ray tube that radiates, an X-ray, a detector that outputs a plurality of pieces of pre-compression data on a basis of the X-ray first processing circuitry and second processing circuitry. The first processing circuitry groups the plurality of pieces of pre-compression data to generate grouped data corresponding to the pre-compression data in each group, and generates data for restoration for restoring the pre-compression data, wherein the first processing circuitry transmits the grouped data and the data for restoration to the second processing circuitry. And the second processing circuitry selects any of a first reconstruction mode in which image reconstruction is performed based on the plurality of pieces of pre-compression data; and a second reconstruction mode in which image reconstruction is performed based on the data for restoration, and generates an image, and in a case of performing image reconstruction in the first reconstruction mode, the second processing circuitry restores the pre-compression data based on the grouped data and the data for restoration.
US09959634B2 Method and system for identifying depth data associated with an object
Methods and systems for identifying depth data associated with an object are disclosed. The method includes capturing, with an image capturing device, a plurality of source images of the object. The image capturing device has a sensor that is tilted at a known angle with respect to an object plane of the object such that the image capturing device has a depth of field associated with each source image, the depth of field defining a plane that is angled with respect to the object plane. An image processor analyzes the plurality of source images to identify segments of the source images that satisfy an image quality metric. Position data is assigned to the identified segments of the source images, the position data including depth positions based on the plane defined by the depth of field.
US09959633B2 Texture detection in image processing
An embodiment relates to a method for the detection of texture of a digital image, including providing a raw data image of the image by means of Bayer image sensors, determining noise in at least a region of the raw data image and determining the texture based on the determined noise without using a high pass or low pass filter.
US09959629B2 System and method for managing spatiotemporal uncertainty
Provided herein are methods and systems for managing spatiotemporal uncertainty in image processing. A method can comprise determining motion from a first image to a second image, determining a latency value, determining a precision value, generating an uncertainty element based upon the motion, the latency value, and the precision value, and rendering the uncertainty element.
US09959619B2 Apparatus for processing medical image and method of processing medical image by using the apparatus
Provided are an apparatus for processing a medical image, and a method of processing a medical image by using the apparatus. The apparatus includes: an image obtainer that receives a first image obtained by photographing an object; and an image processor that calculates a scaling factor for adjusting a magnification of the first image based on statistic information corresponding to the object and generates a second image to be displayed by normalizing a size of the object by applying the calculated scaling factor to the first image.
US09959617B2 Medical image processing apparatus and breast image processing method thereof
A medical image processing apparatus and a breast image processing method thereof are provided. The processing method at least contains but not limited to the following steps. At least one slice of breast image is obtained. Mammary glandular tissue in each breast image is detected through a mammary glandular tissue detector. The mammary glandular tissue detector is based on texture characteristic analysis. Therefore, the embodiments of the present disclosure would assist density analysis of the mammary glandular tissue and efficiently reduce false positive of computer-aided detection. In addition, based on a result of the density analysis of the mammary glandular tissue, the embodiment would further determine lactation yield and present density diagrams of mammary glandular tissue of left and right breasts. A breast region may also be separated from the breast image based on rib information according to the embodiments of the present disclosure.
US09959615B2 System and method for automatic pulmonary embolism detection
A system and method for detecting pulmonary embolisms in a subject's vasculature are provided. In some aspects, the method includes acquiring a set of images representing a vasculature of the subject, and analyzing the set of images to identify pulmonary embolism candidates associated with the vasculature. The method also includes generating, for identified pulmonary embolism candidates, image patches based on a vessel-aligned image representation, and applying a set of convolutional neural networks to the generated image patches to identify pulmonary embolisms. The method further includes generating a report indicating identified pulmonary embolisms.
US09959613B2 Optical Processing head, optical processing apparatus, and control method and control program of optical processing apparatus
This specification discloses an optical processing head including a light guide portion that guides, to a process surface, a ray for processing. The light guide portion is further configured to guide, to the process surface, a ray for inspection different in wavelength from the ray for processing. The optical processing head further includes an inspection portion that inspects the state of the process surface based on reflected light of the ray for inspection reflected by the process surface. With the optical processing head, the state of the process surface can be easily inspected even during optical processing.
US09959611B2 Method and apparatus for manufacturing single crystal
Disclosed herein is a method for manufacturing a single crystal, the method includes: photographing an image of a boundary portion between the single crystal and a melt by a camera during a single crystal pull-up process according to a Czochralski method; comparing at least one pixel included in a left side region with respect to an extension line of a pull-up shaft of the single crystal and at least one pixel included in a right side region with respect to the extension line; and determining an abnormality in a luminance distribution of the image from a result of the comparing.
US09959606B2 Method for acquiring histogram, method for dynamically adjusting luminance and image processing apparatus
The present invention discloses a method for acquiring a histogram, wherein the method for acquiring a histogram includes the following steps: acquiring luminance data of pixel points of a dynamic video image; and performing separate statistical processing on frequencies of first luminance data with the minimum luminance value and second luminance data with the maximum luminance value in the luminance data, to draw a first histogram corresponding to the luminance data after the statistical processing. The present invention further discloses a method for dynamically adjusting luminance and an image processing apparatus. The present invention can embody features of image quality more accurately and more comprehensively.
US09959603B2 Method and device for image processing
The present application discloses a method and a device for image processing. The method comprises: performing facial recognition on an image to be processed; determining a skin area to be processed in a facial area according to detection results; determining the locations of skin blemishes in the skin area to be processed; removing the skin blemishes in the facial area according to the determined locations of the skin blemishes in the skin area to be processed to obtain a processed image. The method and the device for image processing can modify people's skin in an image automatically, that is to say, both light-colored blemishes and obvious problems on the skin are removed. In contrast to the solutions for removing skin blemishes manually in various existing APPs for skin beautification, the method provided by the present application provides a better experience for users.
US09959599B2 System for enhanced images
A system for enhancing an image includes a cadence detection process that detects a cadence of a series of frames, a scene cut detection process that detects a scene cut of the series of frames, and a noise monitoring process that detects noise in the series of frames based upon the cadence detection process. The system also includes a temporal filtering process temporally filtering the series of frames wherein the temporal filtering is modified based upon the scene cut detection process and the noise monitoring process, and a spatial noise reduction process reducing spatial noise in the series of frames wherein the reducing spatial noise is modified based upon the modified temporally filtered frames and the noise monitoring process.
US09959586B1 System, method, and computer program for encoding and decoding a unique signature in a video file as a set of watermarks
The present disclosure describes a system, method, and computer program for encoding and decoding a unique signature for a user in a video file, wherein the digital signature is substantially invisible to the viewer of the video, easy to detect during the coding process, does not require specialized equipment for playback of the video, and is resilient to transcoding, video editing, and high compression encoding. A numeric digital signature is converted into a binary number. The binary number is then divided into sequences, where sequence includes a subset of data bits from the binary number. Each sequence is also associated with a sequence ID that enables the data bits in the sequence to be later combined in the correct order to recreate the binary number. A watermark is created for each of the sequences and embedded within suitable areas of a color channel.
US09959584B1 Automated system and method for electronic health record indexing
A system includes one or more processors to receive a representation of a document from a client computing device, the document comprising one of a scanned document, a faxed document, and an electronic document, determine a document type of the document based at least on the representation of the document, index the document using a classification and index processing engine based on the document type, the document type comprising at least one of a plurality of document types used by an electronic health record (EHR) system, extract index data from the document based on the document type using the classification and index processing engine, and match the document with a patient from a database of the EHR system using the index data when the classification and index processing engine successfully indexes the document and extracts index data from the document.
US09959575B2 VIN based insurance claim system
An insurance claim system that can display vehicle identification key information and vehicle option, package, engine, transmission, paint, production date information provided from multiple different sources. The system can perform a method that includes displaying at least one insurance claim with at least one vehicle description, a plurality of vehicle options, and a VIN field. A VIN is entered into the VIN field, which is decoded to determine vehicle information and vehicle option information. One or more vehicle options displayed by the client computer are selected with the vehicle option information, and the selected vehicle options are modified with supplemental vehicle options information provided by an OEM source. Modifying the vehicle options with the information provided by the OEM source improves the accuracy of the options information selected on the insurance claim page.
US09959574B2 Risk assessment
A clearing system comprising: a database for storing a plurality of accounts; and a risk manager for carrying out a risk assessment for a group of accounts comprising one or more accounts of said plurality of accounts; said risk manager being configured to update a risk assessment for a group of accounts each time the clearing system receives information about a new event affecting at least one account of said group of accounts. The event may be a new trade. The trade may be reported to the clearing system as soon as it has been settled.
US09959568B2 Multi-node customer engagement and ordering system with mobile payment integration
A method for delivering advertising content from a central office to customer interfaces positioned at a plurality of remote local stores includes the steps of storing the advertising content on a content control server at the central office and transmitting the advertising content from the central office to customer interface control servers at each of the plurality of remote local stores. The method further includes the step of transferring the advertising content from the customer interface control servers to each of the customer interfaces. The advertising content is displayed at the customer interface in response to a content trigger sent from the customer interface control server.
US09959567B2 Systems and methods of targeted interactions for integrated retail applications
Example gesture based cross-channel commerce retail systems and methods are provided. Some of the example systems and methods permit a consumer to complete a Store Pick Up order, i.e., an order placed by the consumer via computer, mobile device, telephone, fax, mail-order, etc., by gesturing with a mobile device near a digital kiosk and optical sensor at a store pick up location. The mobile device and/or the digital kiosk may display media content to the consumer while the consumer completes the Store Pick Up order. In another example system, a digital kiosk is located in a public area such as an airport, shopping mall, train station, or stadium. The digital kiosk displays media content to the consumer, and the consumer may transfer to a mobile device such media by gesturing with the mobile device near the digital kiosk.
US09959566B2 Providing electronic content in association with a request for physical content
Disclosed systems and methods provide media content through an electronic commerce server. In one implementation, a method for providing electronic content is provided. The method includes receiving an order of a user. The order of the user may comprise a request of the user for a physical copy of media content. The commerce server may determine whether to provide to the user an electronic copy of the media content based at least on the order. Further, a request to access the electronic copy of the media content is received from the user. The method further grants the user access to the electronic copy of the media content based at least on the request to access the electronic copy of the media content.
US09959565B2 Automatic resupply of consumable commodities
Methods and systems for facilitating initiation of resupply orders for consumable commodities include using a stand-alone electronic or audio-generating device incorporated into retail product packaging. The stand-alone device is equipped with a rudimentary processor or logic circuit, a memory, and a wireless transmitter. A simple user interface/activation device such as a push button or membrane switch is coupled to the logic circuit or processor. The stand-alone device is incorporated into or with product packaging, and may be configured with a resupply code at or after a point of sale. A user may activate the user interface of the device when the product needs resupplying, causing the resupply code to be transmitted to an access point or terminal that initiates a reorder sequence for the product.
US09959563B1 Recommendation generation for infrequently accessed items
Systems and methods are disclosed for generating recommendation rules based on the attributes of items that are purchased together at a threshold rate. The attributes of the items may be extracted from item-detail content associated with the items. Using a count of the frequency with which pairs of items include pairs of attributes, a recommendation rule can be created that recommends items with particular attributes to users who access other items with particular attributes. Further, using the recommendation rules, items may be selected for recommendation to users who access an item that lacks historical access data from which to generate recommendations solving the “cold-start” problem. Moreover, negative rules may be generated based on historical access data and attributes of items purchased and/or not purchased together at a threshold rate to prevent the recommendation of particular items to users who access items associated with the negative rules.
US09959562B1 Method, medium, and system for local item fulfillment in a market hierarchy
Techniques are provided for managing local item fulfillment. For example, a fulfillment management computer can provide a local item to a user when the local item is stored in a local fulfillment center, when the local fulfillment center can fulfill the order requested by the user quickly, when the price of a local item is within a certain threshold of the best item in a top level market, or when the local item is provided by a preferred item provider. The local item may be a perishable item (e.g., apples) and could benefit from being stored close to a user that orders the local item or be non-perishable (e.g., electronics). It may be preferable to provide an item that is stored locally to the user instead of an item that would need to be shipped to the user from afar.
US09959559B2 Ranking and recommendation algorithms for search listings
In various exemplary embodiments, a system and associated method for prioritizing search results in an electronic environment is disclosed. The system comprises a communications module to receive a search query from a searching party located in a geographic region and a search engine to conduct a search and generate search results. A query engine identifies the geographic region of the searching party and identifies a language associated with the identified geographic region of the searching party based on the identified geographic region of the searching party. The search results are prioritized based on the identified language.
US09959554B2 Provision of content through publicly accessible computer devices
Localized content from at least local merchant is provided to a user through a publicly accessible computer device. A server interfaces to one or more publicly accessible computer devices that are associated with a vendor. The computer devices interface to content sources through a network. A user access is detected and the identity of the user and the computer device is determined. These identities are provided to a server. The server then provides content to the computer device that is selected based on the identity of the user and the computer device. At least a portion of the content is advertising from a local merchant. Revenue is obtain from the local merchants and a portion is provided to the vendor associated with the particular computer device.
US09959550B2 Time-based tracking of social lift
Various of the disclosed embodiments concern systems and methods for tracking virality and social lift of media content. In some embodiments, an analytics engine creates and tags URLs to media content using generation codes, time codes, or both. The codes and their respective values allow the analytics engine to determine whether trends or patterns exist in how media content is viewed and shared. The generation codes and time codes can be used instead of, or in addition to, conventional UTM codes. The generation code, time code, or both, can be used to determine which segments (e.g., generations, time periods) of viewers generate a profit, subsequent viewers, etc. For example, the analytics engine can determine when an advertising campaign for a piece of media content should be terminated, rather than simply indicating whether the campaign should continue.
US09959547B2 Platform for mobile advertising and persistent microtargeting of promotions
An end-to-end mobile advertising system characterizes user behavior (e.g., location, interaction with advertisements on a mobile communication device, etc.) in order to select micro-targeted advertisements. A marketplace platform handles the formatting required for presentation suitable for mobile communication devices in accordance with negotiated tags for a desired audience (“reach”), for a suitable number of presentations (“frequency”) and for an effective duration (“time”) within a particular scheduled window. Effectiveness is gauged even in the instance of impression advertisements by monitoring user location and/or interaction with the communication device to see a change in behavior (e.g., whether goes to a location of a competitor or advertiser, calls the advertiser, clips the advertisement, etc.). This effectiveness is further tracked across applications and/or platforms to capture reach, frequency, and duration of a particular advertising campaign for a user. The marketplace platform secures user identification for privacy reasons from advertising entities that provide the advertisements.
US09959543B2 System and method for aggregating ratings for media content
Methods of aggregating and importing user-generated and/or professional ratings of media content are provided. User-generated ratings may have been previously created at a ratings source by a user associated with a customer profile. The method for aggregating ratings includes importing the ratings from the ratings source, storing the ratings in a customer profile, normalizing the ratings, and storing the normalized ratings. The normalized rating may be used to determine recommendations and preferences. The method for importing ratings includes receiving authentication information for a ratings source, authenticating to the ratings source, importing the ratings from the ratings source, and storing the ratings in a customer profile. Changes in the ratings may be detected and updated in the customer profile.
US09959542B2 System and method for the automated processing of physical objects
Methods and systems for verifying authenticity of a physical object and/or for verifying possession of the object by an individual are described. In one embodiment, the object is registered with a remote processing system. Data representing at least one characteristic of the object is obtained and stored in the remote system and the identity of the individual or entity possessing the object is authenticated. After authenticating the individual, an identifier is collocated (or an existing mechanism is activated or modified to replicate the identifier) with the object, where the identifier uniquely identifies the object and the individual possessing the object. The object and the identity of the individual possessing the object can be authenticated at a future time by sensing the collocated identifier and sending the sensed identifier to the remote system. The remote system can send instructions to an entity wishing to authenticate the object and its association with the individual possessing the object. The instructions can be set up at the time the object is registered in the remote system. The remote system can perform an interactive or automated session with the entity wishing to authenticate the object, thereby saving time and providing a robust method of authentication and means for carrying out additional processing functions.
US09959540B2 Security authentication using payment card display devices at accepted merchant locations
There are provided systems and methods for security authentication using payment card display devices at accepted merchant location. A user may be walking near or visiting a merchant location with a wireless smart payment card which may connect to a wireless beacon at the merchant location. The user's payment card may communicate issuer and type of payment card data when connected with the wireless beacon. The beacon may communicate the user's payment card data to a merchant device or server. The merchant device or server may compare user's payment card data to merchant's accepted payment sources. The merchant device or server may alert user's payment card via communication through the wireless beacon, the payment card is accepted at the merchant location. Additionally, security identification and/or advertisements may be communicated to the user's accepted payment card.
US09959538B2 Multi-point authentication for payment transactions
Authentication for payment transaction includes receiving, by a point-of-sale (POS) terminal, an indication that a payment account of a cardholder is associated with a mobile device and receiving a second indication of physical possession of a payment card by a merchant. The authentication includes receiving a purchase request for an authorization of exchange from the payment account of the cardholder to the merchant and assigning a transaction identifier to the request for the authorization of the exchange. The authentication includes transmitting the request for authorization of the exchange from the cardholder payment account to the merchant and the transaction identifier. The authentication includes receiving an indication that an authentication identifier is associated with the transaction identifier. The authentication includes receiving a copy of the authentication identifier, facilitated by the cardholder. The authentication includes receiving validation that the copy of the authentication identifier matches the authentication identifier.
US09959522B2 System and method for controlling the distribution of electronic media
Distribution of media data to multiple displays is managed by displaying a representation of the access relationships among users, administrators, data, and the displays in the form of a hierarchical tree diagram or corporate organizational chart. The representation can be organized as a number of linked data objects having specific levels of hierarchy, each data object expressing data distribution and access control relationships which are at least partly determined implicitly by their position within the hierarchy. By interacting graphically with the tree, a user can quickly and efficiently manage the distribution of data and the administrative access relationships among displays.
US09959519B2 Method and system for transit characteristic prediction
A method and system for transit characteristic prediction. In one embodiment, a method may include determining respective transit latencies from a source location to a number of destination locations, and grouping the destination locations according to a similarity criterion into a number of subsets corresponding to respective geographical regions, where transit characteristics of locations grouped into a geographical region may each satisfy the similarity criterion. The method may further include determining a respective distribution associated with each of the geographical regions, where a given respective distribution correlates a given transit characteristic from the source location to a given geographical region with a respective surety factor, where the respective surety factor includes a cumulative probability that the given transit characteristic will be achieved. The method may also include dynamically updating the respective transit characteristic, the grouping of destination locations into geographical regions and the respective distributions dependent upon collecting empirical transit data.
US09959517B2 Self-organizing neural network approach to the automatic layout of business process diagrams
A method, system, and/or computer program product generates self-organizing layouts of process diagrams. Initial weight vectors are distributed uniformly within boundaries of regions in the process diagram. A spatial input vector is randomly generated within the boundaries of each region. In each region in the process diagram, a closest graphical node is found, and a position of a winning graphical node that is the closest graphical node to the random input vector is adjusted. Positions of all non-immutable graphical objects, wi, in a topographical neighborhood N(k) of a closest graphical node wc that can cross a boundary of one or more regions from the multiple regions are adjusted. The spatial input vector is recursively generated, the closest graphical node is recursively located, and the positions of all non-immutable graphical objects, wi, in the topographical neighborhood N(k) are recursively adjusted until a maximum number of iterations, kmax is reached.
US09959508B2 Systems and methods for providing information for predicting desired information and taking actions related to user needs in a mobile device
Systems and methods for providing inferences for use in prediction algorithms to mobile devices are disclosed. The mobile device detects an event and generates an event record that includes contextual information for the event. The event record is transmitted from the mobile device to a service provider system. The service provider system stores the event record on a cloud storage system. The cloud storage system uses the stored event records to generate inferences. The inferences are then passed to the service provider system. In turn, the service provider system provides the inferences to the proper mobile devices. The mobile devices then use the inference in prediction algorithms to generate prediction information that is used to configure applications provided by the device to operate in accordance with a predicted event.
US09959505B1 High value information alert and reporting system and method
High value information Alert and Reporting System (HARS) and method to integrate the public into the law enforcement process by providing information on specific wanted persons/person-of-interest to a diverse range of information display devices specifically selected to display the information to the public. Wanted persons/persons-of-interest are profiled by behavior and acquaintances and predictive behavior algorithms and social media and social communication links and networks are used to predict locations and venues where there is a higher likelihood the person can be found and providing that information to the public. Public observations on the wanted person can be reported to HARS, which notifies the Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) for investigation and apprehension. HARS can provide public service information to the public in the precise area the information is needed and can also provide commercial advertising information to selected target areas.
US09959498B1 Neural network instruction set architecture
A computer-implemented method that includes receiving, by a processing unit, an instruction that specifies data values for performing a tensor computation. In response to receiving the instruction, the method may include, performing, by the processing unit, the tensor computation by executing a loop nest comprising a plurality of loops, wherein a structure of the loop nest is defined based on one or more of the data values of the instruction. The tensor computation can be at least a portion of a computation of a neural network layer. The data values specified by the instruction may comprise a value that specifies a type of the neural network layer, and the structure of the loop nest can be defined at least in part by the type of the neural network layer.
US09959493B2 Systems and methods for authentication of printer supply items
Methods for authenticating printer supply items using revocation lists are disclosed. Revocation lists are updated using DNSSEC to communicate between a printer and a DNS name server. A first domain name is created containing a request for a challenge to an authentication module and sent to the DNS name server. A second domain name is created containing a response to the challenge and sent to the DNS name server. The DNS name server indicates success or failure, which is used to authenticate the printer supply item. Other systems and methods are disclosed.
US09959492B2 Image processing device
An image processing device supplies image data to be used in an image forming apparatus, the image processing device including a control unit configured to process the image data in accordance with an image quality processing parameter, wherein the control unit distinguishes between an overprint region in which overprinting of a coat layer of a transparent material is to be performed on a transfer medium and a non-overprint region in which the overprinting is not to be performed, and adjusts a difference in image quality between the overprint region and the non-overprint region by using the image quality processing parameter.
US09959489B2 Network system, printing device, and control method of a printing device
Delaying processing based on received commands is suppressed while preventing executing parallel processes involving operation of hardware. Servers can send printing commands and non-printing commands to a printing device. When a printing command is received from a first server and a printing command is then received from another server different from the first server while a process based on the printing command received from the first server is executing, the printing device does not execute the process based on the printing command received from the other server; but if a non-printing command is received from another server, the printing device executes a process based on the non-printing command received from the other server parallel to the process based on the printing command received from the first server.
US09959481B2 Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and computer-readable recording medium
An image processing apparatus for processing an image acquired by imaging a living body includes: a blood vessel candidate region extraction unit configured to extract a plurality of blood vessel candidate regions from the image; an identical blood vessel candidate region extraction unit configured to extract, from among the plurality of blood vessel candidate regions, a blood vessel candidate region group estimated to form a line shape when integrated, as an identical blood vessel candidate region; an evaluation value calculation unit configured to calculate one or more kinds of evaluation values for evaluating a likelihood that the identical blood vessel candidate region corresponds to an identical blood vessel; and a blood vessel region discrimination unit configured to discriminate whether or not the identical blood vessel candidate region forms an identical blood vessel region, based on the evaluation values.
US09959477B2 Mapping of blood vessels for biometric authentication
Improved thermoacoustic imaging is provided by ensuring directional uniformity of the microwave excitation provided to the target being imaged. This directional uniformity can be quantified in terms of the eccentricity e of the polarization ellipse of the microwave excitation. We have e≤0.87, preferably e≤0.71, and more preferably e≤0.32. Optical excitation can be provided in addition to the microwave excitation. Excitation can be performed at multiple optical wavelengths and/or microwave frequencies to improve depth uniformity. In addition, the employment of excitation cells with optimized spacing and geometry provides the uniformity in another two degrees of freedom. One potential application is to detect blood vessel in user's finger for biometric authentication.
US09959476B2 Reading machine with camera polarizer layers
A reading machine includes an image input device including a lens and a polarizer disposed over the lens, a flash and a second polarizer disposed over the flash. The image input device also includes a computing device coupled to the image input device for capturing images, the computing device, including a processor to execute instructions and a computer program product residing on a computer readable medium, the computer program product comprising instructions for causing the processor to process the captured images to recognize features in the captured images.
US09959475B2 Table data recovering in case of image distortion
The subject matter of this specification can be implemented in, among other things, a method that includes identifying edges of a section of a document in a source image that includes at least one row of text. The method includes identifying characters in the document. The method includes identifying word portions. The method includes generating polynomials that approximate points of the characters within the word portions. The method includes generating a second polynomial that approximates the points of the characters of word portions. The method includes identifying a stretching coefficient of the row of text based on a length of the section between the edges relative to a length of the second polynomial. The method includes mapping portions of the source image along the row of text to new positions in a corrected image based on the second polynomial and the stretching coefficient.
US09959474B2 Bus translator
Disclosed are methods and devices, among which is a device including a bus translator. In some embodiments, the device also includes a core module and a core bus coupled to the core module. The bus translator may be coupled to the core module via the core bus, and the bus translator may be configured to translate between signals from a selected one of a plurality of different types of buses and signals on the core bus.
US09959471B2 Patient video monitoring systems and methods for thermal detection of liquids
A system for monitoring a patient in a patient area having one or more detection zones, the system comprising one or more cameras, a user interface, and a computing system configured to receive a chronological series of frames from the one or more cameras, identify liquid candidates by comparing a current frame with a plurality of previous frames of the chronological series, determine locations of the liquid candidates, identify thermal signatures of the liquid candidates, determine types of liquids of the liquid candidates based on the locations and thermal signatures of the liquid candidates, and generate an alert with the user interface corresponding to the determined types of liquids.
US09959466B2 Object tracking apparatus and method and camera
An object tracking apparatus is configured to determine, according to a predetermined object region containing an object in an initial image of an image sequence, an object region estimated to contain the object in each subsequent image of the image sequence. Moreover, the object tracking apparatus is allowed to adapt the size of the object region obtained through tracking to the change in the shape or size of the object, and to avoid a tracking error.
US09959463B2 Gesture recognition system using depth perceptive sensors
Acquired three-dimensional positional information is used to identify user created gesture(s), which gesture(s) are classified to determine appropriate input(s) to an associated electronic device or devices. Preferably at at least one instance of a time interval, the posture of a portion of a user is recognized, based at least one factor such as shape, position, orientation, velocity. Posture over each of the instance(s) is recognized as a combined gesture. Because acquired information is three-dimensional, two gestures may occur simultaneously.
US09959458B1 Surveillance system
Data from a wireless network location system is used in conjunction with the known geographic location of a video surveillance area such that the system according to the present invention infers that a person who appears in an image in the video is the user of a mobile phone estimated to be at the person's location. When facial recognition is applied and the person's identity is thus recognized, an association is generated as between the identity according to the facial recognition and the identity of the co-located mobile phone. This association can be critical when there is no personal identification available for a mobile phone such as a pre-paid mobile.
US09959450B2 Apparatus, method and program for 3D data analysis, and microparticle analysis system
In an example embodiment, may be embodied in a data analysis apparatus comprises a control unit configured to provide data representative of a three dimensional image, the three dimensional image including at least a three dimensional coordinate space which includes at least one plane that divides the three dimensional coordinate space into at least two regions, a display unit configured to produce the three dimensional image based on the data representative of the three dimensional image, and an input unit configured to provide data representative of at least one of a movement and a position of the at least one plane. In other example embodiments, the present disclosure may be embodied in a data analysis server, a data analysis system, and/or a computer readable medium.
US09959446B2 Appending a user identifier to an image
For appending a user identifier to an image, code records a user identity input from an input device in response to a principle camera recording a principle image. In addition, the code generates a user identifier from the user identity input. The code further appends the user identifier to the principle image.
US09959440B2 Data application method, device and system with communication mode conversion
A data application method and system of radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags are provided. The method includes: when a first-type RFID tag is within a readable range of a first-type RFID reader, acquiring, by the first-type RFID reader, data of the first-type RFID tag; obtaining, by an RFID emulator, the data of the first-type RFID tag, converting the data of the first-type RFID tag to second-type data according to a predetermined data conversion protocol, and providing the second-type data for a second-type reader; and forming, by the second-type reader, a second-type signal according to the second-type data and sending the second-type signal. The data application method and system expand applications of RFID tags.
US09959435B1 Location-based access to RFID tag information
Embodiments are directed to restricting access to Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag information based on location. Access to RFID tag information may be restricted at the reader level, at the requester level, and at the network level. When reader-level restrictions exist, devices may be prevented from inventorying tags and retrieving information from tags. When requester-level restrictions exist, a requester or device may be prevented from receiving tag information from inventoried tags or a network. When network-level restrictions exist, a network may discard or otherwise restrict tag information received from devices.
US09959434B1 Bi-directional communication system for logistic tracking
The present invention provides a method of operating a bi-directional communication system between a plurality of communication devices, which comprises at least one communication controller and a plurality of nodes including a first node. The method includes periodically broadcasting a beacon signal from said communication controller at a broadcast interval via a channel of a first host. The beacon signal contains a first address of the communication controller. The method further includes periodically scanning the beacon signal on the first host by the first node. Upon detecting of the beacon signal by the first node, the first node transmits an identification payload to the communication controller. Upon receipt of the identification payload by the communication controller, an acknowledgement signal is transmitted to the first node.
US09959432B2 Authorization control for an anti-theft security system
Improved systems and techniques are disclosed for controlling the security states of anti-theft security systems such as product display assemblies using security fobs. According to an example embodiment, a manager security fob and another security fob that is to be authorized for use in controlling the security status of a product display assembly can interact with a system in accordance with a defined sequence to add the another security fob to an authorization list for the product display assembly. For example, the defined sequence can be a connection of the manager security fob with the system, followed by a disconnection of the manager security fob from the system, followed a connection of the another security fob with the system within a defined window.
US09959429B2 Asymmetrically masked multiplication
Methods and systems for masking certain cryptographic operations in a manner designed to defeat side-channel attacks are disclosed herein. Squaring operations can be masked to make squaring operations indistinguishable or less distinguishable from multiplication operations. In general, squaring operations are converted into multiplication operations by masking them asymmetrically. Additional methods and systems are disclosed for defeating DPA, cross-correlation, and high-order DPA attacks against modular exponentiation.
US09959428B2 Packet generation and authentication in a process chain
A method of verifying a data packet by a data consumer may be provided. The method may include authenticating a first signature in a signature stack of a data packet, where the first signature corresponds to a hashed first content in a content stack, and the first signature is generated at a first network location. The method may additionally include authenticating a second signature in the signature stack of the data packet, where the second signature corresponds to second content in the content stack, and the second signature is generated at a second network location. The second content may include a processed version of the first content and may be generated at the second network location.
US09959426B2 Method and apparatus for specifying time-varying intelligent service-oriented model
A method and an apparatus for specifying a time-varying, intelligent service-oriented model are provided. A method implemented in a computer infrastructure having computer executable code embodied on a computer readable storage medium having programming instructions, includes defining information of a service which is to be provided to one or more users having access to a system storing the defined information. The method further includes defining policies associated with the defined information to allow and deny access to selected portions of the defined information, and exposing to a user of the one or more users the selected portions of the defined information based on the defined policies allowing access to the selected portions of the defined information.
US09959408B2 Scanning content items based on user activity
In some embodiments, a content management system can initiate a scan of a content item when the content management system detects that activity associated with the content item triggers a scan policy. In some embodiments, a content management system can initiate a scan of a user's account when the content management system detects that activity associated with the content item triggers a scan policy. A scan policy can specify, for example, a number of shares, downloads and/or previews of the content item allowable in a period of time. When the number of shares, downloads, and/or previews exceeds the specified number in the policy in the specified period of time, the content management system can initiate a scan (e.g., virus scan, malware scan, etc.) of the content item and/or the user's account.
US09959406B2 System and method for zero-day privilege escalation malware detection
The various embodiments herein disclose a system and method for detecting zero-day privilege escalation malware at host level. The method identifies whether a privileged escalation state is initiated and executed by a user or by a malware program. The method uses keystrokes, Mouse events along with OCR output extracted from recorded background screen image for checking if user has initiated the privilege escalation. If a new process starts automatically without any pattern in Key Strokes, Mouse Strokes and background screen, then the process is identified as zero-day privilege escalation malware.
US09959404B2 Methods and systems for creating and updating approved-file and trusted-domain databases
Computer-implemented methods and systems for creating or updating approved-file and trusted-domain databases and verifying the legitimacy of files are disclosed. A method for creating or updating an approved-file database may include intercepting a first file, identifying a source domain associated with the first file, identifying a trusted-domain database, determining whether a database record for the source domain associated with the first file exists within the trusted-domain database, creating a hash value for the first file if a database record for the source domain associated with the first file exists within the trusted-domain database, and storing the hash value for the first file in an approved-file database. Methods and systems for verifying the legitimacy of a file and for creating or updating a trusted-domain database are also disclosed.
US09959402B2 Image processing system, image formation apparatus, and relay device
An MFP sets an access condition for an external device with respect to a cloud box. The access condition is transmitted from the MFP to a relay device, and is registered in a memory of the relay device. When the relay device receives an access request made by the external device with respect to the MFP serving as an internal device, the relay device determines whether to permit or deny access to the MFP by comparing the access request with the access condition. When the access is permitted, the access request is transferred from the relay device to the MFP, whereas when the access is denied, the relay device notifies the external device of it.
US09959401B2 Automated password authentication
A system connected to an existing computer includes a unit for monitoring the screen and provides input, a storage unit that stores data that pairs screen buffer regions with authentication details, wherein the system learns new pairs via user training and presents stored authentication details when the screen buffer regions match a related stored region which is paired with a region of the screen, and a unit that determines which of stored passwords need to be presented to the system by a pattern matching of regions of screen pixels.
US09959398B1 Dynamic user authentication and authorization
System and a method to dynamically authenticate and optionally dynamically authorize a user at a user device or at a server, the method including: receiving a request from the user to access a service; determining contextual data associated with the user; determining, based on at least the contextual data, at least one rule from a rules database to authenticate the user; and authenticating the user based on the determined at least one rule, wherein the user is authorized to access the service based on the authentication.
US09959395B2 Hybrid digital rights management system and related document access authorization method
A digital rights management system includes two digital rights management servers (RMS servers) connected to a client computer. The two RMS servers implement different but related digital rights management (DRM) policies, with the first RMS server implementing conventional DRM policies and the second RMS server implementing extended DRM policies. An application program on the client computer interacts with a document on the client computer, and communicates with the first RMS server to obtain access authorization for the document. A plug-in program in the client computer cooperates with the application program, and communicates with the second RMS server to obtain additional access authorization for the document. Access to the document is granted when both RMS servers grant access to the document. This achieves extended digital rights management control which can provide a more flexible access control than that provided by existing DRM systems.
US09959393B2 Method for testing tamper protection of a field device and field device having tamper protection
Testing tamper protection of a field device includes arrangement of at least one test element in the material of a housing of the field device. The test element is supplied with a first test signal, and the first test signal is measured for determining a physical fingerprint. The physical fingerprint is measured, and the test element is supplied with a second test signal. The second test signal is measured, and the second test signal is compared with the physical fingerprint. If the second test signal deviates from the physical fingerprint, a tamper signal is output.
US09959391B2 Medicine administering system including injection pen and companion device
Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for administering a medicament to a patient. In one aspect, a system includes an injection pen device in wireless communication with a mobile communication device. The injection pen device includes a housing including a chamber to encase a cartridge containing medicine, a dose setting and dispensing mechanism to set the mechanism to dispense a particular dose of the medicine from the loaded cartridge, a sensor unit to detect a dispensed dose based on positions and/or movements of the dose setting and dispensing mechanism, and an electronics unit in communication with the sensor unit to process the detected dispensed dose and time data associated with a dispensing event and to wirelessly transmit the dose data to a user's device. The mobile communication device provides a software application to provide the user with health information using the processed dose data.
US09959390B2 Modeling techniques for predicting mortality in intensive care units
A medical modeling system and method predict a risk of a physiological condition, such as mortality, for a patient. Measurements of a plurality of predictive variables for the patient are received. The plurality of predictive variables are predictive of the risk of the physiological condition. The risk of the physiological condition is calculated by applying the received measurements to at least one model modeling the risk of the physiological condition using the plurality of predictive variables. The at least one model includes at least one of a hidden Markov model and a logistic regression model. An indication of the risk of the physiological condition is output to a clinician.
US09959386B2 Cloud-based clinical information systems and methods of use
An example method includes monitoring healthcare information employed by a local information system of a first healthcare entity via an edge device located at a facility of the first healthcare entity and in communication with a local information system. The edge device is to implement a local cloud system. The local cloud system is to be accessible by only the first healthcare entity and healthcare entities affiliated with the first healthcare entity. The example method also includes determining if the healthcare information has a first characteristic via the edge device, determining if the healthcare information has a second characteristic via the edge device, and automatically uploading the healthcare information onto the local cloud system if the healthcare information has the first characteristic. The example method also includes automatically uploading the healthcare information onto a remote cloud system if the healthcare information has the second characteristic.
US09959384B2 Methods of developing selective peptide antagonists
Methods and compositions related to the selective, specific disruption of multiple ligand-receptor signaling interactions, such as ligand-receptor interactions implicated in disease, are disclosed. These interactions may involve multiple cytokines in a single receptor family or multiple ligand receptor interactions from at least two distinct ligand-receptor families. The compositions may comprise polypeptides having composite sequences that comprise sequence fragments of two or more ligand binding sites. The methods and compositions may involve sequence fragments of two or more ligand binding sites that are arranged to conserve the secondary structure of each of the ligands from which the sequence fragments were taken.
US09959381B2 Placing and routing debugging logic
Embodiments relate an emulation environment that places debugging logic in a manner that connections between the debugging logic and logic components outputs can be efficiently routed. In one embodiment, the host system places the debugging logic after placing the logic components of the DUT, but before routing the logic components. In another embodiment, the host system places debugging logic after placing and routing logic components of the DUT. In another embodiment, for one or more emulator FPGAs, the host system places debugging logic units of the debugging logic evenly across the FPGA before placing logic components of the DUT.
US09959380B2 Integrated circuit design systems and methods
Methods for integrated circuit design are provided. In one embodiment, a method for determining a physical layout pattern includes accessing a layout pattern configuration graph. The graph includes layout pattern configurations meeting a circuit requirements. At least two of the layout pattern configurations are annotated with characteristics by analyzing sample layout patterns. An integrated circuit electrical design is partitioned into circuit design configurations. One of the circuit design configurations meets one of the circuit requirements. One of the layout pattern configurations is selected from the layout pattern configuration graph to meet the selected circuit requirements. In another embodiment, a method for determining a netlist for an integrated circuit electrical design is provided. In a further embodiment, a method for determining a tool configuration for a manufacturing process is provided.
US09959377B2 Iterative solution using compressed inductive matrix for efficient simulation of very-large scale circuits
Presented herein are systems, methods, and devices for analyzing a circuit. A netlist is obtained and parsed, where the netlist describes the circuit having one or more branches and one or more nodes. A linear system describing the circuit is obtained and compressed using a hierarchical approach. Compression involves storing off-diagonal sub-blocks in a dense matrix in a low-rank format to reduce the density of the matrix. The linear system is then solved using an iterative operation. An initial guess is used for the voltage at each node and the current through each branch. After performing the first iteration, an initial estimate for the voltage and current is stored and used as the initial guess for the second iteration. The iterative operation is continued until the estimate for the voltage at each node and the current through each branch is sufficiently accurate.
US09959376B2 Isolated debugging in an FPGA based emulation environment
For a design under test (DUT) that is to be emulated, a host system partitions the DUT into multiple partitions and maps each partition to an FPGA of an emulator which will emulate the partition. The host system stores information describing to which FPGAs each component of the DUT has been mapped. Additionally, mapped to each FPGA is trace and injection logic that traces signals exchanged by the FPGA with other FPGAs during emulation of the DUT. After the emulation of the DUT is complete, if a user wishes to debug a component of the DUT, the FPGAs that are configured to emulate the component are identified. For each identified FPGA, the trace and injection logic injects previously traced signals into the logic of the FPGA in order to reemulate the component. The host system generates waveforms for the user that include signals traced during the reemulation of the component.
US09959370B2 Network portal for 3D printable structures
A method includes receiving a plurality of design files at a computer-based system, wherein each of the design files is indicative of a respective structural design and a structural value associated with the respective structural design, causing a three-dimensional representation of at least a portion of the structural designs to be displayed to a user, causing a cost value to be displayed to the user for each of the displayed structural designs, receiving a user selection of a first structural design of the displayed structural designs, generating an additive manufacturing file indicative of the first structural design in a predefined format, wherein the predefined format enables the processing of the additive manufacturing file into a physical structure through an additive manufacturing process, and transmitting the selected first structural design in the predefined format.
US09959369B2 Rigid body proxy for modeling in three-dimensional simulation
Modeling is provided in three-dimensional simulation. Proxies are used as virtual rigid bodies to create (22) reusable part files. A custom physics object is defined (22) in the part file using the proxy to allow for control of object behavior, such as control of the rate of spinning of a spindle of a motor. By overriding (28) the part file with the proxy, links to up or owner part files may be made. Changes to physics properties in the different instances of proxies may be made without requiring or resulting in the same change to the other instances. The proxy acts as a virtual rigid body that may or may not move during simulation. The proxy body may be replaced with a rigid body from the assembly when both reference the same geometry object.
US09959368B2 Computer generated emulation of a subject
A system for emulating a subject, to allow a user to interact with a computer generated talking head with the subject's face and voice; said system comprising a processor, a user interface and a personality storage section, the user interface being configured to emulate the subject, by displaying a talking head which comprises the subject's face and output speech from the mouth of the face with the subject's voice, the user interface further comprising a receiver for receiving a query from the user, the emulated subject being configured to respond to the query received from the user, the processor comprising a dialogue section and a talking head generation section, wherein said dialogue section is configured to generate a response to a query inputted by a user from the user interface and generate a response to be outputted by the talking head, the response being generated by retrieving information from said personality storage section, said personality storage section comprising content created by or about the subject, and said talking head generation section is configured to: convert said response into a sequence of acoustic units, the talking head generation section further comprising a statistical model, said statistical model comprising a plurality of model parameters, said model parameters being derived from said personality storage section, the model parameters describing probability distributions which relate an acoustic unit to an image vector and speech vector, said image vector comprising a plurality of parameters which define the subject's face and said speech vector comprising a plurality of parameters which define the subject's voice, the talking head generation section being further configured to output a sequence of speech vectors and image vectors which are synchronised such that the head appears to talk.
US09959365B2 Method and apparatus to identify the source of information or misinformation in large-scale social media networks
A system and method of detecting a source of a rumor in a social media network is disclosed. The social media network includes a plurality of node clusters, each of the plurality of nodes therein having at least one edge connection to a corresponding number of different nodes in the same cluster. The system identifies a plurality of gateway nodes, each having at least one weak tie connection with a corresponding gateway node from a different node cluster; selects a subset of gateway nodes as sensors to measure arrival times of a rumor; and selects a candidate node cluster based on these arrival times. From there, the system selects a set of nodes in the candidate cluster to measure arrival times of a rumor from a source node, and selects a candidate node from the candidate cluster as having a high probability of being the source node.
US09959363B2 Self-documentation for representational state transfer (REST) application programming interface (API)
In an approach for documenting a representational state transfer (REST) resource. A processor monitors input JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) data and output JSON data of a REST resource of an application. A processor converts a set of data from the monitored input JSON data and output JSON data of the REST resource to a self-documenting interchange format. A processor stores the converted set of data from the monitored input JSON data and output JSON data of the REST resource.
US09959361B2 Direct navigation through browser address bar
In one or more embodiments, a Web browser receives user input in the form of text that is entered in a suitably-configured text entry bar, such as an address bar. The web browser processes the text and ascertains whether the text appears to be a search or an attempted navigation. Based on whether the text appears to be a search or an attempted navigation, the web browser communicates the text to a search provider, along with an indication of whether the text appears to be a search or an attempted navigation. The search provider receives the text and the indication and can then take appropriate action as by returning a search results page or causing the web browser to be redirected to a website associated with the received text.
US09959359B2 Ranking objects by social relevance
In one embodiment, one or more computing systems may implement a social networking environment and may be operable to access, in a social graph associated with one or more computing systems of a social network environment, a user node representing a particular user, the user node connected to a plurality of attribute nodes. The social graph may comprise a plurality of object nodes in the social graph, each object node being connected to a plurality of attribute nodes. The systems may be further operable to calculate a match coefficient between the user node and an individual object node. The calculation may include operations to, for each attribute node in a set of all attribute nodes connected to both the user node and the object node, calculate a first coefficient between the user node and the attribute node.
US09959357B2 Personal content item searching system and method
Enable using a user computer to search the user's personal content items hosted by an online content management service, the online content management service having an indexer computer configured to generate a base index of the user's content items hosted by the service, a base index server computer configured to transmit the generated base index over a network to the user computer, an index mutation generator computer configured to generate index mutations for subsequent changes to user's hosted content items, and an index mutation sever computer configured to transmit the generated index mutations over the network to the user computer. In one aspect, the system and method enable searches of the user's hosted content items and changes thereto to be conducted at the user computer using an index local to the user computer constructed based on the base index and the index mutations received by the user computer.
US09959356B2 Automatically modifying a custom search engine for a web site based on administrator input to search results of a specific search query
Automatically creating and modifying a search engine for a website. User input may be received specifying an address of a website. A search engine may be automatically created for the website based on the user input. Webpages of the website may specify a plurality of tags specifying custom attributes of the webpages. During creation of the search engine, these custom attributes may be incorporated into the search engine index. Additional user input may be received customizing the search engine for various search engine contexts, e.g., based on the custom attributes of the webpages. Search engine results for the website may be based on various ranking functions, potentially including social impact of webpages of the website.
US09959355B2 Associating related threads in a question and answer session
A computer detects a question from a participant and determines whether the question is marked to be directed to a particular participant. If marked, the question is directed towards the particular participant, otherwise the question is transmitted to all participants of the web conference. If the computer does not detect an answer to the question from a participant, the participants are reminded of the unanswered question. If the computer detects an answer from a participant, the computer determines whether the answer has been marked by the answering participant as related to another question and answer thread. The computer moves the question and answer to the related thread if marked as related, otherwise the question and answer are saved as a new thread. The entirety of the web conference threads are then saved by the computer in an organized database.
US09959353B2 Determining a company rank utilizing on-line social network data
Method and system to determine a company rank utilizing on-line social network data are described. A company ranking system is configured to access a base set of member profiles, construct a talent flow graph having nodes that represent respective companies and edges that represent transitions of employees from one company to another, and determine a node score for each node by applying a ranking algorithm to the graph. In one embodiment, a company ranking system generates perturbed versions of the base set by using bootstrap resampling procedure and uses the perturbed versions of the base set to calculate ranking data for the nodes in the talent flow graph in the form of node scores. The distribution of the node scores included in the ranking data calculated for a given node is used to determine a desirability score for the company represented by the node.
US09959350B1 Ontology models for identifying connectivity between entities in a social graph
A system gathers information on important and influential people and uses an ontology to build a social graph. The information is organized based on this social graph and provided to users as a service. The system uses ontology models to identify connectivity between entities (e.g., people, organizations, events, and things) in the social graph. Through its ontology, the system can determine, interpret, and represent the relationships of people that occur in the real world.
US09959349B1 Content guide and/or content channels to provide trending content associated with social media
Trending content items from the user's social network(s) are provided in the form of one or more channel(s) or a guide. Various social networks of the user may be analyzed and the trending content may identified and sorted based on one or more of popularity, availability, etc. The trending content items may be updated automatically and/or dynamically to reflect any changes in trends based on spikes in discussions, like/dislike feedback, etc. The trending content items may be personalized based on the user's social networks and may differ for various user profiles within the same household.
US09959346B2 System and method to store video fingerprints on distributed nodes in cloud systems
A method to design, implement and create distributed indexes for storing and comparing fingerprints of videos is presented. The method effectively utilizes cloud computing platforms that offer varying amounts of computing resources. The method enables the distributed index to scale to large numbers of data points and the distributed index is robust to failures within the computing resources maintaining the index. The method minimizes the memory required to maintain the distributed index and reduces the I/O operations needed to process operations performed on the index. The method improves the efficiency of the index to process queries.
US09959344B1 Systems and methods for playing multiple sounds
Disclosed are systems, methods and devices for improving audio processing and playing multiple sounds using fewer resources. Various implementations may create audio files, in some cases from a single sample of a type of sound, where the files represent specific quantities of that type of sound, such as 10 footsteps or 1000 claps. Given a desired target number of sounds to play, various implementations determine an appropriate combination of the employable audio files to represent the desired number of sounds, and play or render the combination as an approximation of the desired target number of sounds. By using single audio files that represent and sound like multiple instances of a specified type of sound, the various implementations use significantly fewer computing and audio resources than playing an equivalent number of audio files each of which contains a single instance of the specified type of sound.
US09959338B2 Document order management via relaxed node indexing
An illustrative embodiment includes processing parse tree data. A parse tree data structure that is representative of a document object model (DOM) tree data structure is received. Concomitant to receiving the parse tree data structure, an assignment of index values for the DOM nodes consisting of distinct index values for each existing DOM node is received by the processor. Requests to manipulate the parse tree data structure that include node inserts and document order comparisons are also performed.
US09959337B2 Independent data processing environments within a big data cluster system
A cluster system includes an interface and a processor. The interface is to receive a request from a user associated with one of a plurality of shells. The processor is to determine a plurality of tasks to respond to the request; determine a local set of data and a shared set of data for a task of the plurality of tasks, wherein the local set of data is associated with the one of the plurality of shells; and provide the task, a local set indication, and a shared set indication to a worker associated with the task, wherein the local set indication refers to the local set of data and the shared set indication refers to the shared set of data.
US09959329B2 Unified master report generator
Methods, systems, and computer-readable mediums are provided for generating master reports. For example, a request to generate a master report may be received from a client device. Release data that includes a list of programs being developed is obtained from a program repository tool. Programs from the list of programs matching the search criteria are then identified. Business case data is then obtained from a business case tool for each matching program. Program process data is also obtained from a product and production tool for each matching program. Using an integrity rule, issues in the release data, the business case data, and the program process data are detected. The master report is generated such that the master report includes the release data, the business case data, the program process data, and the detected issues. The master report is then communicated to the client device.
US09959325B2 Method and apparatus for supporting distributed deductive closures using multidimensional result cursors
A method comprises selecting at least a first data set and a second data set on which to apply a query. The method also comprises causing generating of a first cursor based and a second cursor based on a first application of the query on the first data set and a second cursor based on a second application of the query on the second data set. A third cursor based on a combination of a result set returned by the first cursor and second cursor is then generated in response to the query.
US09959319B2 Event driven data staging and data aging algorithms for personalization data in enterprise search
Each access event for a plurality of business objects is logged. Using the log, a user profile for each of a plurality of users is generated that identifies one or more recently accessed business objects. A relevance value for each business object identified in the user profile is calculated and an aging function is applied to the calculated relevance values. The relevance information can graphically rendered.
US09959317B2 Semantic data generation
In some examples, a computing device may be configured to simulate the deduction process of human mind by generating new data based on existing data and newly received data that is semantically relevant to the existing data.
US09959311B2 Natural language interface to databases
An embodiment of the invention provides a method wherein a natural language query is received from a user with an interface. An ontological representation of data in a database is received with an input port, including names of concepts and names of concept properties. Template rules are received with the input port, the templates rules being language dependent and ontology independent, the template rules including widely used constructs of a language. Rules are automatically generated with a rule generation engine with the ontological representation of the data in the database and the template rules to identify entities and relations in the natural language query. Entities and relations are identified with a processor, the entities and relations being identified in the natural language query with the rules. The structured data language query is generated with a query generation engine from the entities and relations.
US09959309B2 Distributed reservation systems and methods
Example distributed reservation systems and methods are described. In one implementation, multiple storage nodes are configured to store distributed data. Multiple clients are coupled to the multiple storage nodes and access data from the multiple storage nodes. A management server is coupled to the multiple storage nodes and the multiple clients. The management server manages the access of data by the multiple clients and manages reservation of the multiple storage nodes by a particular client.
US09959308B1 Non-blocking processing of federated transactions for distributed data partitions
Non-blocking processing of federated transactions may be implemented for distributed data partitions. A transaction may be received that specifies keys at data nodes to lock in order to perform the transaction. Lock requests are generated and sent to the data nodes which identify sibling keys to be locked at other data nodes for the transaction. In response to receiving the lock requests, data nodes may send to lock queues indicating other lock requests for the keys at the data node. An evaluation of the lock queues based, at least in part, on an ordering of the lock requests in the lock queues may be performed to identify a particular transaction to commit. Once identified, a request to commit the identified transaction may be sent to the particular data nodes indicated by the sibling keys in a lock request for the identified transaction.
US09959307B2 Automatic question sorting
In a large presentation or lecture, multiple questions submitted by the audience may be classified into one or more common questions based on the semantic relatedness of the submitted questions. Further, the common questions may be sorted and presented to a host or lecturer so that the host or lecturer may efficiently answer the common questions.
US09959303B2 Alleviation of index hot spots in datasharing environment with remote update and provisional keys
In a remote index operation, a first system in a datasharing group performs an operation on a data object in a database, determines a second system in the datasharing group has exclusive access to an index page to be updated according to the operation, and sends to the second system a remote request to change the index page according to the operation. In response, the second system changes the index page with an index entry referencing the data object and marks a key in the index entry as a provisional key. When a third system in the datasharing group reads the index entry, it determines that the key in the index entry is the provisional key. In response, the third system determines whether the data object exists in the database and a committed state of the transaction, and accordingly determines a current state of the data object.
US09959300B1 Systems and methods for article location and retrieval
Systems and methods for article location and retrieval are described. In one described method, the normal processing of an operating system call associated with a dialog control is interrupted, and a search dialog control is displayed. The search dialog control is associated with an index comprising a plurality of events. Each of the plurality of events may be associated with at least one of a plurality of client applications and at least some of the plurality of events can be captured in real time. Each event may be associated with one or more articles.
US09959298B2 Method, apparatus and system for indexing content based on time information
There is provided a method, apparatus and system for indexing content based on relative time information. The method, apparatus and system include determining relative time information of at least one of a time interval of at least a portion of the content and an event occurring in the content, generating time metadata that indexes in absolute time the determined relative time information and communicating the time metadata for storage. The method, apparatus and system can further include receiving a request for the at least one of a time interval of at least a portion of the content and an event occurring in the content, the request identifying a desired content portion using relative time information, using the time metadata to determine a portion of the content relative to the time information and communicating the content portion relative to the time information to a requester.
US09959295B1 S-expression based computation of lineage and change impact analysis
Systems and processor-implemented methods of S-expression based computation of lineage and change impact analysis. An SQL expression is converted into an S-expression tabular structure. A function table including a plurality of functions associated with S-expression tabular structure tabulated against at least one of a function name, a derived column and a derived table and an argument table including plurality of arguments associated with the S-expression tabular structure tabulated against at least one of an argument type, a function identifier linking the arguments to the function table, a computed from function, a reference to entity or a literal value, is generated based on the S-expression tabular structure. At least one of lineage or change impact analysis for an entity is determined based on the function table and the argument table, where lineage provides a provenance of the entity or attribute from a source entity or a source attribute.
US09959293B2 Interactive image thumbnails
A computer-implemented method includes displaying, within a user interface, a view pane having a vertical direction and a horizontal direction, displaying, within the view pane, a plurality of poster frames, each poster frame representing a corresponding media item, a first poster frame being displayed as positioned in a first row extending across the event view pane in the horizontal direction such that the first poster frame is displayed substantially adjacent to a first vertical edge of the event view pane and subsequent poster frames are displayed substantially adjacent to one another in the first row until a poster frame in the first row is displayed substantially adjacent to a second vertical edge of the event view pane, and displaying a next poster frame in a second row vertically displaced from the first row. Photographs in a poster frame can be previewed by moving a cursor across the poster frame.
US09959291B2 Users tagging users in media online
A system, computer program, and method for storing and sharing images such as photographs via a communications network (16) and for permitting the identification of objects within the images. The invention allows the identification of objects such as persons within the photos without requiring the person submitting the photos to type in identification information for each and every photo in a photo album. The invention also allows users to automatically share their photos with others and to automatically search for photos and/or certain people in photos.
US09959289B2 Navigation system with content delivery mechanism and method of operation thereof
A method of operation of a navigation system includes: determining a navigation component based on comparing a traversal content to a stored content for identifying an object type; determining a content discrepancy based on the navigation component present in the traversal content but unidentified in the stored content; and generating a content filler with a control unit based on the content discrepancy for presenting on a device the navigation component missing in map information.
US09959277B2 Systems and methods for managing files in a computer system by segmenting files
Systems and methods allow for reliably and efficiently managing files stored on a data storage medium associated with a computer system such as a set-top box. In one embodiment a method of managing a file is provided. The method includes: mounting a first file system to a second file system; creating, by the first file system, a virtual file by partitioning a file into a plurality of segments and by linking the plurality of segments in an index file; and sending a file operation request, by the first file system, to the second file system based on the segments of the virtual file.
US09959276B2 Static feature extraction from structured files
Data is received or accessed that includes a structured file encapsulating data required by an execution environment to manage executable code wrapped within the structured file. Thereafter, code and data regions are iteratively identified in the structured file. Such identification is analyzed so that at least one feature can be extracted from the structured file. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.
US09959273B2 Enterprise-level data protection with variable data granularity and data disclosure control with hierarchical summarization, topical structuring, and traversal audit
Access is obtained to a plurality of intermediately transformed electronic documents (with a plurality of sections and subsections) which have been transformed, by topical analysis and text summarization techniques, from a plurality of original electronic documents comprising at least some unstructured electronic documents. Audit and retrieval agent code is appended to the sections and subsections to create a plurality of finally transformed electronic documents. Users are allowed to access the finally transformed electronic documents. The users are provided with accountability reminders contemporaneous with the access. The access of the users to the sections and subsections of the finally transformed electronic documents is logged. An audit report is provided based on the logging. Also provided is a cloud service for enterprise-level sensitive data protection with variable data granularity, using one or more one guest virtual machine images.
US09959271B1 Optimized statistical machine translation system with rapid adaptation capability
Technologies are disclosed herein for statistical machine translation. In particular, the disclosed technologies include extensions to conventional machine translation pipelines: the use of multiple domain-specific and non-domain-specific dynamic language translation models and language models; cluster-based language models; and large-scale discriminative training. Incremental update technologies are also disclosed for use in updating a machine translation system in four areas: word alignment; translation modeling; language modeling; and parameter estimation. A mechanism is also disclosed for training and utilizing a runtime machine translation quality classifier for estimating the quality of machine translations without the benefit of reference translations. The runtime machine translation quality classifier is generated in a manner to offset imbalances in the number of training instances in various classes, and to assign a greater penalty to the misclassification of lower-quality translations as higher-quality translations than to misclassification of higher-quality translations as lower-quality translations.
US09959270B2 Method and apparatus to model and transfer the prosody of tags across languages
A method for determining the prosody of a tag question in human speech and preserving said prosody as the human speech is translated into a different language.
US09959263B2 User interface form field expansion
The subject disclosure relates to configurable multi-view data entry. When a user encounters a form field with a complex data type, depending on the invoking mechanism, either automatic when on focus, or through a user gesture such as clicking on an icon in the form field, the form field expands to multiple form fields including the original form field. The multiple form fields can allow the user to enter in each separate data item that makes up the complex data type. As data items are entered, the data items can be combined into a correct format and displayed in the original form field.
US09959259B2 Identification of compound graphic elements in an unstructured document
Some embodiments provide a method of analyzing an unstructured document. The method receiving the unstructured document that includes a number of primitive graphic elements, each of which is defined as a single object in the unstructured document. The unstructured document has a drawing order that indicates the order in which the primitive graphic elements are drawn when the unstructured document is displayed. The method identifies positional relationships between successive primitive graphic elements in the drawing order. Based on the positional relationships, the method defines a single structural graphic element from several of the primitive graphic elements.
US09959256B1 Web asset modification based on a user context
A system for web asset modification comprises a processor and a memory. The processor is configured to: receive a request for a web asset for display on a device; receive an indication of one or more user contexts; determine one or more groups for the web asset, wherein each of the one or more groups comprises a group for adapting display of the web asset on the device; and modify the web asset based at least in part on one user context of the one or more user contexts and one group of the one or more groups. The memory is coupled to the processor and is configured to provide the processor with instructions.
US09959252B2 Collaborative workflow through messaging conversations
A networked application and email application were described herein that provide for an intuitive system by which users can participate in collaborative workflow relating to a network document. In one implementation, a system includes a messaging server component to provide messaging services and an application server component to provide a networked application. The application server component interacts with the messaging server component in response to a user command to initiate collaboration on the network document. The interaction with the messaging server component includes providing a link that refers to a version of the network document as created or edited by the user.
US09959244B2 Public wireless network performance management system with mobile device data collection agents
Controller coupled to a mobile communications environment including at least one of a public and a private network and method of controlling a mobile device in the mobile communications environment. The controller includes a receiver that receives data about network operating parameters at specific locations within the at least one of a public and private network, a processor that evaluates the data about the network operating parameters at the specific locations based upon rules for the mobile device, and a transmitter that sends advisories to a mobile device located within a predetermined proximity to one of the specific locations about the network operating parameters.
US09959240B2 Manually configurable PCIe lane count for PCIe SSD backplane
A configurable rack server backplane that provides either two-lane or four-lane PCIe bus connections at each the individual drive bays supported by the backplane. The backplane may be configured to provide each drive bay with a two-lane PCIe connection or a four-lane PCIe connection based on the selection of cable connectors that are provided by the backplane. The backplane may be re-configured to distribute the bandwidth of a sixteen-lane PCIe bus connection among four drive bays, each using four-lane PCIe links or among eight drive bays, each using two-lane PCIe links. The backplane may additionally support tiered distribution of the PCIe bus connection bandwidth, such as two-lane PCIe links for certain drive bays and four-lane PCIe links for other drive bays. Each two-lane and four-lane PCIe link provided by the backplane is comprised of consecutively numbered PCIe lanes of the PCIe bus connection.
US09959237B2 Method and apparatus for transferring information within and between system-on-chips via intra-chip and inter-chip hopping buses
A system-on-chip including non-hopping bus interfaces and a hopping bus. The non-hopping bus interfaces include a first non-hopping bus interface and a second non-hopping bus interface. The first non-hopping bus interface is configured to, based on a first protocol, receive information. The hopping bus includes intra-chip adaptors. The intra-chip adaptors are connected in series and respectively to the non-hopping bus interfaces. The intra-chip adaptors are configured to (i) according to a second protocol, convert the information into a first format for transmission over the hopping bus, and (ii) transfer the information in the first format over the hopping bus and between the intra-chip adaptors. The second protocol is different than the first protocol. The second non-hopping bus interface is configured to receive the information from the hopping bus based on the transmission of the information over the hopping bus.
US09959236B2 Observing an internal link via an existing port for system on chip devices
Methods and apparatus relating to observing an internal link via an existing port for System On Chip (SOC) devices are described. In one embodiment, a logic within an SOC device may allow an external logic analyzer to observe communication between a first and second component of the SOC through an existing (e.g., shared and/or non-dedicated) interface. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
US09959234B2 MultiGig solution on conventional SGMII and XFI capable system
Methods and systems are disclosed which may provide MultiGig capability to a system where a physical layer device (PHY) or a network device does not have the capacity to support all available line speeds while operating in a single system-interface mode between MAC and PHY devices.
US09959232B2 Methods for executing data access commands and flash memory devices using the same
An embodiment of a method for executing data access commands, performed by a control unit, is disclosed to include at least the following steps. A series of interface-driving instructions is read from a RAM (Random Access Memory) after detecting that an indication for altering instruction source has been written into a register. A storage-unit access interface is operated according to the interface-driving instructions, so as to complete data access to a storage unit.
US09959228B2 Method for automatically matching electronic devices
A method for group matching electronic devices includes entering a system for group matching, activating an automatic group matching mode of a master electronic device and generating a master automatic matching identification code, activating a group matching mode of a slave electronic device and generating a function software automatic matching code and a slave automatic matching identification code, sending out the master automatic matching identification code to the slave electronic device, writing the interface code of the master automatic matching identification code into the wireless module of the slave electronic device, setting up a function software of the master electronic device having the function software automatic matching code as the function software for controlling an operation of the slave electronic device, and completing the automatic matching between the wireless modules of the master and slave electronic devices.
US09959227B1 Reducing input/output latency using a direct memory access (DMA) engine
Apparatus and methods are disclosed herein for reducing I/O latency when accessing data using a direct memory access (DMA) engine with a parser. A DMA descriptor indicating memory buffer location can be stored in cache. A DMA descriptor read command is generated and can include a prefetch command. A descriptor with the indicator can be communicated to the DMA engine in response to the read. A second parser can detect the descriptor communication, parse the descriptor, and can prefetch data from memory to cache while the descriptor is being communicated to the DMA engine and/or parsed by the DMA engine parser. When the DMA engine parses the descriptor, data can be accessed from cache rather than memory, to decrease latency.
US09959226B2 Communication interface for interfacing a transmission circuit with an interconnection network, and corresponding system and integrated circuit
A communication interface couples a transmission circuit with an interconnection network. The transmission circuit requests transmission of a predetermined amount of data. The communication interface receives data segments from the transmission circuit, stores the data segments in a memory, and verifies whether the memory contains the predetermined amount of data. In the case where the memory contains the predetermined amount of data, the communication interface starts transmission of the data stored in the memory. Alternatively, in the case where the memory contains an amount of data less than the predetermined amount of data, the communication interface determines a parameter that identifies the time that has elapsed since the transmission request or the first datum was received from the aforesaid transmission circuit, and verifies whether the time elapsed exceeds a time threshold. In the case where the time elapsed exceeds the time threshold, the communication interface starts transmission of the data stored in the memory.
US09959222B2 In-band configuration mode
A first state of an interconnect protocol is entered. A particular signal is sent according to the protocol to a device over a link. During the first state, it is detected that a response to the particular signal is received in the first state. It is determined that the device supports a configuration mode outside the protocol based on the received response. The configuration mode is entered based on the response. One or more in-band configuration messages are sent within the configuration mode.
US09959221B2 Semiconductor device, memory access control method, and semiconductor device system for determining random access or burst access as an access method for an external address set
A semiconductor device (100) according to an embodiment calculates the number of times of burst access for an address set (A) based on a result of a determination, for each of N addresses a1 to an (N is a natural number no less than two) included in the address set (A), whether or not the address and another address adjacent to that address in an accessing order can be accessed by the same burst access, and calculates an access time that will be taken for accessing the address set by the burst access.
US09959220B2 Memory tile access and selection patterns
In one embodiment, an apparatus, such as a memory device, is disclosed. The apparatus includes multiple memory tiles and selection circuitry. Each memory tile has an array of storage components at intersections of a plurality of digit line conductors and a plurality of access line conductors. The selection circuitry includes line drivers that select a storage component of a memory tile based on a corresponding digit line conductor and a corresponding access line conductor to the storage component. The selection circuitry may select two or more storage components of a memory tile in a consecutive manner before selecting the storage components of a different memory tile.
US09959215B2 Efficient address-to-symbol translation of stack traces in software programs
The disclosed embodiments provide a system for processing data. During operation, the system obtains an attribute of a stack trace of a software program. Next, the system uses the attribute to select an address-translation instance from a set of address-translation instances for processing the stack trace. The system then provides the stack trace to the selected address-translation instance for use in translating a set of memory addresses in the stack trace into a set of symbols of instructions stored at the memory addresses.
US09959211B2 Memory control unit for controlling semiconductor memory device and data storage apparatus including the same
The memory control unit includes a descriptor fetch block suitable for fetching a descriptor from a volatile memory; an instruction fetch block suitable for fetching an instruction set from an instruction memory through an address information, wherein the instruction fetch block obtains the address information from the instruction memory through an index information included in the fetched descriptor; and a memory instruction generation block suitable for generating a memory instruction by combining a descriptor parameter value included in the fetched descriptor to the fetched instruction set.
US09959210B2 Systems and methods for dynamic optimization of flash cache in storage devices
In various embodiments, a storage device includes a magnetic media, a cache memory, and a drive controller. In embodiments, the drive controller is configured to establish a portion of the cache memory as an archival zone having a cache policy to maximize write hits. The drive controller is further configured to pre-erase the archival zone, direct writes from a host to the archival zone, and flush writes from the archival zone to the magnetic media. In embodiments, the drive controller is configured to establish a portion of the cache memory as a retrieval zone having a cache policy to maximize read hits. The drive controller is further configured to pre-fetch data from the magnetic media to the retrieval zone, transfer data from the retrieval zone to a host upon request by the host, and transfer read ahead data to the retrieval zone to replace data transferred to the host.
US09959207B2 Log-structured B-tree for handling random writes
A sorted key-value store is implemented using a write-back cache maintained in memory, a B-tree data structured maintained in disk, and a logical and physical log for providing transactions. The logical log and write-back cache are used to answer client requests, while dirty blocks in the write-back cache are periodically flushed to disk using the physical log.
US09959206B2 Memory system and method of controlling cache memory
According to one embodiment, a memory system includes first and second memories, and a controller configured to switch between first and second modes, search whether data of a logical address associated with a read command is stored in the first memory in the first mode, and read the data from the second memory without searching whether the data of the logical address associated with the read command is stored in the first memory in the second mode.
US09959200B2 User interface for composing test scenarios
A graphical user interface allows a user with little or no knowledge of XML to compose and manage automated tests for a target testing platform and testing framework. An example system opens an XML file storing test parameters and converts the test parameters to fields in a graphical user interface for presentation to a user. The system receives, from the user, input via the graphical user interface to modify the test parameters to yield modified test parameters, and outputs the modified test parameters, in XML format, for use with a testing framework which is configured to perform automated tests on a target test platform based on the modified test parameters.
US09959189B2 Server monitoring device and server monitoring system
[Problem] To provide a server monitoring device capable of grasping the state of a server more rapidly than conventional ones, and a server monitoring system. [Solution] This server monitoring device has a configuration in which a plurality of optical fibers are optically coupled to a plurality of light-emitting elements each showing the operating state of a server by a lighting mode, and the end surfaces of the plurality of optical fibers on the opposite side to the light-emitting elements are secured in a predetermined arrangement. An image of a light emission pattern of the end surfaces of the optical fibers is captured by a camera, and the image is transmitted to a monitoring person.
US09959179B1 Systems and methods for repairing corrupted data segments
The disclosed computer-implemented method for repairing corrupted data segments may include (1) detecting a corrupted data segment in a backup stored in a data storage system, (2) identifying at least one additional backup stored in the data storage system that exceeds a predetermined threshold for probability of comprising an uncorrupted version of the corrupted data segment, (3) matching at least a portion of a data segment in the additional backup with at least a portion of a data segment adjacent to the corrupted data segment in the backup, (4) locating, at least in part by examining data adjacent to the matched data segment in the additional backup, the uncorrupted version of the corrupted data segment, and (5) repairing the corrupted data segment in the backup by using the uncorrupted version of the corrupted data segment located in the additional backup. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09959176B2 Failure recovery in shared storage operations
Systems and methods for failure recovery in shared storage operations. An example method comprises: acquiring a lock with respect to a storage domain comprising a specified disk image; creating a transaction marker associated with the disk image; creating a component of a new volume associated with the disk image; destroying the transaction marker; and releasing the lock with respect to the storage domain.
US09959173B2 Node, arithmetic processing device, and arithmetic processing method
A node includes: an arithmetic processing device; and a first memory, wherein the arithmetic processing device includes: a processor core; a storing circuit to store a first failure node list in which first information indicating that a failure has occurred or second information indicating that no failure has occurred is set for each of nodes; a request issuing circuit to issue a first request to a second memory provided at a first node among the nodes; a setting circuit to set the first information for the first node in the first failure node list when the first request has timed out; and an issuance inhibition circuit to inhibit, based on a second request to the second memory from the processor core, the second request from being issued by the request issuing circuit when the first information is set for the first node in the first failure node list.
US09959172B2 Data processing device and method of conducting a logic test in a data processing device
A data processing device, comprising a processing unit and a test control unit connected to the processing unit, is described. The processing unit and the test control unit are arranged to: start a logic test of the processing unit; detect a test abort event; and, in response to the test abort event, perform an event response action which comprises aborting the logic test and booting the processing unit, said booting including executing an event handling routine. The event response action may comprise setting a reset vector to an address of the event handling routine. System availability may thus be improved. In particular, the delay between capturing an asynchronous signal and responding to it may be reduced. The test abort event may, for example, be an asynchronous event having certain pre-defined characteristics.A method of operating a data processing device is also described.
US09959171B2 Self-healing using a virtual boot device
Apparatus and computer program products implement embodiments of the present invention that enable a computer system comprising networked computers to self-heal from a boot failure of one of the computers. In some embodiments, upon detecting a first computer having a memory and a physical boot device failing to successfully load a boot image, a second computer defines a virtual boot device in communication with the first computer and the second computer and having a boot image for the first computer. Subsequent to defining the virtual boot device, the second computer can configure the first computer to boot from the virtual boot device.
US09959170B2 Automatically reconfiguring a storage memory topology
A storage cluster is provided. The storage cluster includes a plurality of storage nodes within a single chassis. Each of the plurality of storage nodes has nonvolatile solid-state memory for storage of user data. The plurality of storage nodes are configured to distribute the user data and metadata throughout the plurality of storage nodes with erasure coding of the user data such that the plurality of storage nodes can access the user data, via the erasure coding, with a failure of two of the plurality of storage nodes. The plurality of storage nodes are configured to employ the erasure coding to reconfigure redundancy of the user data responsive to one of adding or removing a storage node.
US09959168B2 ECC and RAID-type decoding
A device includes a memory and a controller. The controller is configured to read codewords of a data structure from the memory. The codewords include a number of undecodable codewords that are undecodable at an error correction coding (ECC) decoder according to a first correction scheme. The controller includes a stripe generator and a stripe decoder. The stripe generator is configured, in response to the number of undecodable codewords exceeding an erasure correction capacity of a stripe correction scheme, to generate trial data for a stripe of the data structure, the trial data including at least one element that corresponds to erased data and at least another element that is associated with an undecodable codeword and that corresponds to valid data of the stripe. The stripe decoder is configured to initiate a stripe decode operation of the trial data.
US09959162B2 Automated remote network target computing device issue resolution
A management computing device receives, from a target computing device located within a remote network, an event generated at the target computing device resulting from an issue at the target computing device. The management computing device determines a remediation process to resolve the issue at the target computing device in an automated manner. The management computing devices executes the remediation process in conjunction with a software agent running on the target computing device to resolve the issue in the automated manner.
US09959161B2 Automated ticketing analytics
A computer-implemented method, system, and/or computer program product utilizes Automated Ticketing (AT) Analytics to create a recommendation file of routines and to automatically create a work ticket in response to a message. One or more processors identify messages related to a Logical Partition (LPAR) for automated ticketing. The messages identify an operational anomaly in the LPAR used by a computer system, and are based on sensor readings from hardware sensors and software programs within the computer system. The identified messages identify which messages are to be auto ticketed as a work ticket for the computer system. In response to updates to rules for automated ticketing being initiated, the processor(s) identify trends using an automated message analysis and an automation routine identification to automatically trigger a generation of the work ticket. The processors(s) automatically create and execute the work ticket to correct a new operational anomaly in the LPAR.
US09959158B2 Methods and apparatus for the creation and use of reusable fault model components in fault modeling and complex system prognostics
A method for creating and using a fault model representative of a system, the fault model comprising one or more fault model components is provided. The method creates a reusable fault model component; associates one or more algorithms to the reusable fault model component, the one or more algorithms describing behavior of the reusable fault model component; incorporates the reusable fault model component and the one or more algorithms into the fault model; tunes the reusable fault model component, using available data associated with the fault model; and predicts occurrence of degradation of the system, based on the tuning.
US09959157B1 Computing instance migration
A technology is described for identifying a destination physical host used to host a computing instance modeled on a source computing instance. An example method may include obtaining specifications for a source computing instance in preparation to migrate the source computing instance to a destination physical host. A destination physical host may then be identified for hosting a destination computing instance modeled on the source computing instance, where the destination physical host may have specifications determined to support the destination computing instance. A model of the source computing instance as hosted on the source physical host may be compared with a model of the source computing instance as hosted on the destination physical host to identify any conflicts that may prevent the destination physical host from hosting the destination computing instance.
US09959153B2 Assisting failure diagnosis in a system
A method of assisting failure diagnosis in a system includes obtaining data including a probabilistic Bayesian Network describing a set of failures, a set of symptoms and probabilities of at least some of the symptoms being associated with at least some of the failures in a system. A cost value representing a cost associated with learning of a presence or absence of the symptom is obtained for at least some of the symptoms, as well as a plurality of information values, e.g. values representing measures of information gained by learning of the presence or absence of the symptom in relation to a respective plurality of the failures, associated with the symptom. The method then computes an information-for-cost value for the symptom based on the cost value and the plurality of information values.
US09959151B2 System and method for tagging and tracking events of an application platform
A system and method for providing delegated metric tools within a partially closed communication platform that includes receiving a tag identifier linked to at least a first identified platform interaction in the communication platform; associating the tag identifier with at least one logged event of an account associated with the first identified platform interaction; defining a tracking resource with at least one tag identifier; measuring platform interactions tracked by a tracking resource; and providing access to measured platform interactions through an application.
US09959150B1 Centralized file action based on active folders
A method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for automating application activity is disclosed. In some embodiment, this comprises monitoring an active folder in a computer system for file events, triggering an intermediary application based on the monitoring, and activating an application based on the triggered intermediary application. In some embodiments, an application remote to the computer system is activated. In some embodiments, an application local to the computer system is activated.
US09959149B1 Server farm and method for operating the same
A method for operating a server farm with a plurality of servers operably connected with each other includes: receiving a job request of a computational task to be handled by the server farm; determining, from the plurality of servers, one or more servers operable to accept the job request; determining a respective effective energy efficiency value associated with at least the one or more servers; and assigning the computational task to a server with the highest effective energy efficiency value. The effective energy efficiency value is defined by a service rate of the respective server divided by a difference between an energy consumption rate value when the respective server is busy and an energy consumption rate value when the respective server is idle. The present invention also relates to a server farm operated by the method.
US09959143B1 Actor and thread message dispatching
Techniques for actor and thread message dispatching are described herein. In some examples, a computing system may include multiple actors and multiple processing threads. Upon receiving an incoming message associated with one of the actors, a dispatching component may select one of the multiple processing threads within the computing system to which to dispatch the message for processing. If the associated actor is already assigned to one of the processing threads, then that processing thread may be selected for processing of the message. By contrast, if the associated actor is not already assigned to one of the processing threads, then a processing thread may be selected based on various factors, such as a set of priorities associated with the processing threads.
US09959141B2 System and method of providing a self-optimizing reservation in space of compute resources
A system and method of dynamically controlling a reservation of compute resources within a compute environment is disclosed. The method aspect of the invention comprises receiving a request from a requestor for a reservation of resources within the compute environment, reserving a first group of resources, evaluating resources within the compute environment to determine if a more efficient use of the compute environment is available and if a more efficient use of the compute environment is available, then canceling the reservation for the first group of resources and reserving a second group of resources of the compute environment according to the evaluation.
US09959140B2 System and method of co-allocating a reservation spanning different compute resources types
Co-allocating resources within a compute environment includes. Receiving a request for a reservation for a first type of resource, analyzing constraints and guarantees associated with the first type of resource, identifying a first group of resources that meet the request for the first type of resource and storing in a first list, receiving a request for a reservation for a second type of resource, analyzing constraints and guarantees associated with the second type of resource, identifying a second group of resources that meet the request for the second type of resource and storing in a second list, calculating a co-allocation parameter between the first group of resources and the second group of resources and reserving resources according to the calculated co-allocation parameter of the first group of resources and the second group of resources. The request may also request exclusivity of the reservation.
US09959136B2 Optimizations and enhancements of application virtualization layers
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for optimizing and enhancing delivery of application virtualization layers to client computing devices are described herein. In various embodiments, an application virtualization layer optimization service may identify a first and a second application virtualization layer to be delivered to one or more client computing devices. Each application virtualization layer may represent a package of one or more applications. A layer analysis service may analyze the first and second application virtualization layers to determine conflicts between the layers, using predetermined conflict analysis rules, and generate an actionable conflict resolution report based on the analysis. Based on the actionable conflict resolution report, the application virtualization layer optimization service may resolve conflicts between the first and second application virtualization layers, order the first and application virtualization layers, and deliver the ordered layers to the one or more client computing devices.
US09959134B2 Request processing using VM functions
A hypervisor receives a notification from a source virtual machine that provides network function virtualization (NFV) support to execute a VM function component to send a request to a virtual processor. The VM function component identifies a physical processor associated with the virtual processor, and adds the request to a memory space associated with the physical processor.
US09959131B2 Systems and methods for providing a file system viewing of a storeage environment
A data identification system and method for operating the data identification system are provided. The method comprises identifying processing elements contained within the storage environment, identifying virtual processing elements contained within the processing elements, identifying virtual storage elements contained within the virtual processing elements, identifying contents of the virtual storage elements, generating the file system view of the storage environment, wherein the file system view comprises the processing elements, the virtual processing elements, the virtual storage elements, and the contents of the virtual storage elements arranged in a hierarchical order. The file system view of the storage environment is then provided.
US09959128B2 Digital sensor system
A system may include a digital sensor system including a sensor element and a digital interface. The digital interface may provide a wake-up signal based on a sensing action being performed by the sensor element after a predefined event is detected by the digital sensor system. The system may include a microcontroller to receive the wake-up signal provided by the digital interface, and wake from a sleep mode based on receiving the wake-up signal provided by the digital interface.
US09959121B2 Bypassing a higher level register file in a processor having a multi-level register file and a set of bypass registers
A register file bypass controller in communication with a set of one or more bypass registers, the register file bypass controller configured to receive a register file bypass request; determine whether to grant the register file bypass request; determine whether data identified by the register file bypass request is present in the set of one or more bypass registers in response to determining to grant the register file bypass request; determine a selected bypass register in the set of one or more bypass registers in response to determining the data identified by the register file bypass request is not present in the set of one or more bypass registers; determine to store the data identified by the register file bypass request in the selected bypass register; and notify an execution unit to cancel instruction execution associated with the data identified by the register file bypass request.
US09959119B2 Computer processor employing double-ended instruction decoding
A computer processor including an instruction buffer configured to store at least one variable-length instruction having a bit bundle bounded by a head end and a tail end with a plurality of slots each defining a corresponding operation, wherein the plurality of slots and corresponding operations are logically partitioned into a plurality of distinct blocks with a first group of blocks extending from the head end of the bit bundle toward the tail end of the bit bundle and a second group of blocks extending from the tail end of the bit bundle toward the head end of the bit bundle, wherein the second group of blocks includes a tail end block disposed adjacent the tail end of the bit bundle. A decode stage is operably coupled to the instruction buffer and configured to process a given variable-length instruction stored by the instruction buffer by decoding at least one operation of a particular block belonging to the first group of blocks in parallel with decoding at least one operation of the tail end block. Additional aspects are described and claimed.
US09959116B2 Scalable transitive violation matching
Methods for reducing storage and performing static analysis on violations across code base revisions are disclosed. An example method begins with receiving a child snapshot representing a code base at a specific revision. A parent snapshot is identified. Then, canonical representations for violations representing coding defects in the parent and child snapshots are computed. An example method determines matching violations between the snapshots, unmatched parent violations, and unmatched child violations. For matching violations that have different canonical representations, a mapping between the parent snapshot violation and the child snapshot violation is stored using their respective canonical representations. For unmatched parent violations, each violation's canonical representation is stored with an indication that the violation has been eliminated from the child snapshot. For unmatched child violations, each violation's canonical representation is stored with an indication that the violation has been introduced in the child snapshot.
US09959115B2 Method and system for automatic documentation of configurable systems
An automatic documentation generation and management system and method, for documenting configurable systems such as complex software applications and hardware systems is disclosed. The method retrieves configuration parameters from the configurable system and utilizes them to automatically generate an explanatory document specific to the configured system. The invention also discloses a documentation appliance system, which is a dedicated documentation server coupled to the configurable system via a communication network, preferably via an Intranet. In yet another alternative, the invention may be practiced by integrating code for automatic documentation generation within the configurable system program.
US09959102B2 Layered vector architecture compatibility for cross-system portability
An application that includes intrinsics defined in one architecture is to execute without change on a different architecture. Program code that depends on vector element ordering is obtained, and that program code is part of an application including one or more intrinsics. The one or more intrinsics are mapped from a first system architecture for which the application was written to a second system architecture. One or more operations of the program code are then converted from a first data layout to a second data layout. The application, including the mapped intrinsics and the converted data layout, is to be executed on a processor of the different architecture.
US09959100B2 Efficient storage and transfer of iOS binary files
A system builds an application. The system receives, by a build server, from an application development server, metadata information of the application and a build request to build the application. The system generates binaries of the application by overlaying the metadata information on binaries of a pre-compiled application. The system then signs the binaries of the application to generate signed binaries of the application, and sends, to the application development server, a corresponding signature and one or more files modified by the signing of the binaries of the application. In one embodiment, the build server stores, on a storage appliance, the corresponding signature, the one or more files modified by the signing of the binaries of the application, and the metadata information of the application.
US09959091B2 Evaluation of polynomials with floating-point components
A method identifies a floating point implementation of a polynomial that is accurately evaluable. The method comprises determining whether the polynomial has an allowable variety defined by a plurality of sub-varieties, and, if so, partitioning the input domain of the polynomial into a plurality of sub-domains about the sub-varieties. A floating point precision is then identified for each input to the polynomial falling within each sub-domain based on the location of the input within the sub-domain (e.g. how far away the input is from the sub-variety associated with the sub-domain). A floating point implementation for the polynomial is generated so that an input to the polynomial is evaluated using floating point components having the precision identified for the input.
US09959088B2 Systems and methods for the identification and/or distribution of music and other forms of useful information
The present invention relates generally to the field of telecommunications systems and methods. More specifically, the present invention is directed to systems and methods for identifying and/or distributing music and other types of useful information for users in a very simple and convenient manner. A variety of systems and methods are disclosed which provide users with quick and convenient access to various forms of information, such as, for example, audio information including music and news items as well as coupons and other information. The systems and methods allow users to store data representative of a time of transmission and preferably a source of transmission so that data of interest may be identified for ordering an/or downloading.
US09959087B2 Media item context from social media
Embodiments are described herein that may include a computing device. The computing device may receive an indication of a particular media item that is currently playing on a media playback system. The computing system may query a social media service for one or more accounts of the social media service that are connected within a social network to a particular account of the social media service that is registered to the media playback system and have received respective indications of the particular media item from respective media playback systems within a particular period of time. The computing system may receive data indicating the queried one or more accounts of the social media service and cause one or more respective indications of the received one or more accounts of the social media service to be displayed on a graphical interface in association with an indication of the particular media item.
US09959085B2 Processing method and system for identifying data by an audio conversion device
A processing method for identifying data by an audio conversion device includes: connecting the audio conversion device to a first terminal; sending an identification code stored in the audio conversion device to the first terminal, and sending the identification code to a server via the first terminal, wherein the identification code is used to identify the audio conversion device; obtaining user data; uploading the user data to the server, such that the server stores a correspondence between the identification code and the user data; connecting the audio conversion device to a second terminal; sending the identification code stored in the audio conversion device to the second terminal; sending a data obtaining request containing the identification code to the server; and receiving the user data sent corresponding to the identification code in response to the data obtaining request, or receiving multimedia data matching multimedia using feature information in the user data.
US09959082B2 Environ system
An environ system includes environ panels arranged to form a partial or full enclosure, wherein each environ panel includes display components that together provide a display area across a majority of a surface of the environ panel facing inward within the enclosure. The environ system further includes a local controller coupled to the environ panels and a master controller coupled to the local controller. The master controller provides control information to the local controller to coordinate a presentation of a visual display sequence across the environ panels.
US09959078B2 Multi-die rolling status mode for non-volatile storage
Systems and methods for increasing performance and reducing power consumption of a non-volatile memory system while the system acquires status information from a plurality of memory die are described. The non-volatile memory system may include a plurality of memory die and a system controller for controlling operations performed by each memory die of the plurality of memory die (e.g., read operations, write operations, or erase operations). The system controller may transmit or broadcast a first status command to each memory die of the plurality of memory die and in response simultaneously or concurrently receive one or more sets of status information from each memory die of the plurality of memory die. The status information may include ready/busy status information (e.g., indicating that a memory die is able to receive new data), programming loop count information, and erase loop count information.
US09959076B2 Optimized disk load distribution
A method in a distributed storage (DS) unit begins by the unit receiving one or more data slices to store. The method continues by determining a memory utilization method for the one or more data slices. The method continues when a multiple memory utilization method is determined. The method continues by determining a data slice distribution method. The method continues by storing a plurality of the one or more data slices in the multiple memories using the data slice distribution method and updating a virtual address to physical location table to reflect the storing.
US09959072B2 Systems and methods of compressing data
A method includes, in response to a first write command corresponding to first data and a first context which is identifiable with a first identifier and to a second write command corresponding to second data and a second context identifiable with a second identifier, determining whether the first identifier of the first context matches the second identifier of the second context. The method also includes, if the first identifier of the first context is determined to match the second identifier of the second context, forming a compression group of data including the first data and the second data, and generating compressed data corresponding to the compression group of data.
US09959070B2 Managing operations on stored data units
A system for managing storage of data units includes a data storage system configured to store multiple data blocks, at least some of the data blocks containing multiple data units, and configured to store, for at least some of the data blocks, corresponding historical information about prior removal of one or more data units from that data block, the removal affecting at least some addresses of data units in that data block. The system is configured to perform at least one operation that accesses at least a first data unit stored in a first data block according to address information interpreted based on any stored historical information corresponding to the first data block.
US09959068B2 Intelligent wide port phy usage
A controller of a storage device is described for handling communications with a host device. In some examples, the storage device includes a wide port comprising a plurality of phys. The wide port is configured to receive, via a first phy of the plurality of phys, a signal. The controller is configured to select, based on a respective power factor associated with each respective phy of the plurality of phys and a respective performance factor associated with each respective phy of the plurality of phys, a second phy of the plurality of phys to utilize for performing an operation associated with the received signal. In such examples, the wide port is further configured to perform, using the second phy, the operation associated with the received signal.
US09959066B2 Memory-attached computing resource in network on a chip architecture to perform calculations on data stored on memory external to the chip
A computing system includes a plurality of computing resources that communicate with each other using network on a chip architecture. One of the plurality of computing resources is attached to memory external to the computing system through an external memory interface. The memory-attached computing resource is configured to read data from the memory and modify the read data prior to either writing the modified data back to the memory, or transmitting the modified data to one or more other of the computing resources, or both.
US09959060B1 Data separation during host write with storage allocated based on traffic profiles
A plurality of traffic profiles is determined for a plurality of traffic groups where each traffic profile includes a share of traffic and an address footprint size associated with a corresponding traffic group. A host write is received from a host and the traffic group that the host write belongs to is identified. Write data associated with the host write is stored in the solid state storage allocated to the traffic group that the host write is identified as belonging to where the amount of solid state storage allocated to each of the plurality of traffic groups is based at least in part on the traffic profile of a given traffic group.
US09959050B2 In-memory data storage with transparent compression
A storage aware memory controller and method for managing a physical storage system. A described controller includes: a system for mapping physical memory space into a memory region and a storage region; a system for applying different error protections schemes, in which a fine-grained memory fault tolerance scheme is applied to data in the memory region and a course-grained memory fault tolerance scheme is applied to data in the storage region; and an in-memory storage filesystem that compresses and stores individual pages of data in the storage region, wherein each page of data is compressed into a set of codewords that are codeword aligned such that no codeword shares compressed data from different pages, and wherein the in-memory storage filesystem stores a compression-aware logical block address (CA-LBA) for each page of data.
US09959048B2 Managing a set of blocks in a storage system
Disclosed aspects include management of a set of blocks in a storage system. A set of write requests is initiated to the set of blocks. In response to the set of write requests, a set of expiration metadata for the set of blocks is established. Based on the set of expiration metadata, an expiration event is detected. In response to detecting the expiration event, an expiration operation on the set of blocks is processed.
US09959045B2 Write procedure using estimated best setting in first run
In one general embodiment, a tape drive system includes: a read channel; a write channel; logic configured to receiving a request for a write operation to be performed in a tape drive; logic configured to determine an optimum a write procedure in response to receiving the request, the determining being based on expected writing times of each of a plurality of write procedures and an expected transaction size of a next write operation; and logic configured to invoke the determined optimum write procedure in response to determining the optimum write procedure.
US09959044B2 Memory device including risky mapping table and controlling method thereof
A memory device includes a first storage unit storing an address mapping table, and a control unit coupled to the first storage unit and including a second storage unit storing a risky mapping table and a cached mapping table. The control unit is configured to: write data into the first storage unit; update mapping information associated with the data in the risky mapping table; and store mapping information in the cached mapping table into the address mapping table.
US09959042B2 Robust mechanism for adaptive power conservation in solid-state devices
Disclosed herein is a technique for dynamically scaling a low-power self-refresh (LPSR) idle interval associated with a solid state drive (SSD) of a user device in order to promote enhanced battery life efficiency within the user device. A determination can be made regarding whether the LPSR idle interval is to be scaled up or scaled down. Specifically, the determination is based on a total elapsed since the user device was first powered on and a total number of LPSR transitions or cycles that have been performed in association with the SSD. In turn, the dynamic scaling of the LPSR idle intervals causes NAND power-cycles to be consumed responsibly over an average system lifetime of the user device, which can result in better power management at the user device.
US09959039B2 Touchscreen keyboard
Operating a touch-screen device includes displaying at least a portion of a keyboard on a touch-screen, detecting a touch on the touch-screen, and detecting movement of the touch on the touch-screen. Operating the touch-screen device also includes moving the displayed keyboard in response to the detected movement of the touch on the touch-screen, detecting a release of the touch from the touch-screen, and assigning a character according to a final location of the touch relative to a location of the displayed keyboard.
US09959038B2 Displaying a graphic keyboard
In general, this disclosure describes techniques for providing a mechanism for facilitating text entry by a user interacting with a graphical keyboard displayed at a presence-sensitive screen of a computing device. For example, a computing device having a presence-sensitive screen and a housing, the housing further having a plurality of touch sensors, receives touch input at the touch sensors. The computing device determines a usage mode, based on the touch input. The computing device also displays, based on the usage mode, a graphical keyboard at the presence-sensitive screen. If the usage mode is a one-handed usage mode, a unitary graphical keyboard is displayed. If the usage mode is a two-handed usage mode, a split graphical keyboard is displayed.
US09959028B2 Methods and systems for real-time closed-loop collaborative intelligence
Systems and methods are for enabling a group of individuals, each using an individual computing device, to collaboratively answer questions or otherwise express a collaborative will/intent in real-time. The collaboration system comprises a plurality of computing devices, each of the devices being used by an individual user, each of the computing devices enabling its user to contribute to the emerging real-time group-wise intent. A collaboration server is disclosed that communicates remotely to the plurality of individual computing devices. Herein, a variety of inventive methods are disclosed for interfacing users in a real-time synchronized group-wise experience, and for deriving a convergent group intent from the collective user input.
US09959025B2 Device, method, and graphical user interface for navigating user interface hierarchies
An electronic device with a touch-sensitive surface, a display, and one or more sensors to detect intensity of contacts displaying a lower-level user interface that is part of a user interface hierarchy, where the hierarchy includes at least three levels, including the lower-level user interface, an intermediate-level user interface and a higher-level user interface. The device also, while displaying the lower-level user interface, detects an input on a portion of the device that is associated with user interface hierarchy navigation and, in response to detecting the input, in accordance with a determination that the input meets first transition criteria, the device replaces display of the lower-level user interface with display of the intermediate-level user interface and in accordance with a determination that the input meets second transition criteria, the device replaces display of the lower-level user interface with display of the higher-level user interface.
US09959018B2 Display apparatus and control method thereof
The display apparatus includes: a display device; an image processor which processes an image to display the image on the display device; a communication unit which communicates with at least one first external device in which content data are stored and at least one second external device in which an application is installed to process the content data; and a controller which controls the image processor to communicate with the first and second external devices and display a user interface (UI) image corresponding to the content data and the application on the display device, and controls the processing operation of the application with respect to the content data through the UI image.
US09959016B2 Method and digital device for access control with fingerprint authentication
A method for controlling display of content, the content including a plurality of display pages of a sequence, the method comprising: displaying a first display page on the display screen, receiving a first user input for changing from the first display page to a second display page of the content, the second display page being a neighboring display page of the first display page in the sequence, detecting the second user input when the second display page is a locked display page, extracting the fingerprint information from the second user input when the second user input is detected, and displaying the second display page when the second display page is accessible based on the fingerprint information or a third display page when the second display page is not accessible based on the fingerprint information.
US09959015B2 Systems and methods for monitoring and analyzing performance in a computer system with node pinning for concurrent comparison of nodes
In some embodiments, in response to the user selecting a first node in the tree to be pinned, the system displays a first detail panel for the first node, wherein the first detail panel displays state information for the first node, wherein the state information is frozen at the time of pinning. Moreover, in response to the user selecting a second node in the tree to be pinned, the system displays a second detail panel for the second node, wherein the second detail panel displays state information for the second node, wherein the state information is frozen at the time of pinning. Note that the first detail panel is displayed concurrently with the second detail panel to facilitate comparing state information between the first and second nodes.
US09959013B2 System and method for creating a family tree data structure
A tree building system that accesses data from a social networking site and, in some embodiments, other data sites having information that may pertain to the relationships between users of the social networking site. A rules engine within the system implements logic for analyzing the data from the social networking site. The system provides a candidate list of possible relatives for selection by a user and solicits information from the user through the use of guided questions.
US09959012B2 Digital jukebox device with improved karaoke-related user interfaces, and associated methods
Certain exemplary embodiments relate to entertainment systems and, more particularly, certain exemplary embodiments relate to jukebox systems that incorporate digital downloading jukebox features along with karaoke jukebox and/or photobooth features. A combined karaoke/photobooth/jukebox may enable more integrated performance-like experiences in an in-home or out-of-home location or venue. By leveraging vast audio media libraries, trusted rights-respecting network infrastructure, and on-site image/video capturing from integrated recorders and/or remote portable devices, a more sociable experience may be created for karaoke jukebox patrons, e.g., where custom content can be generated and shared in a safe and legally appropriate manner.
US09959010B1 Method for displaying information, and terminal equipment
Embodiments of the present application disclose a method and for displaying information as well as a terminal equipment, wherein at least one information card is displayed on a display screen after it is detected that the display screen switches to a screen-on state from a screen-off state. The switch of the display screen to the screen-on state from the screen-off state indicates that a user may be in a spare state. In this case, target information potentially desired by the user is displayed in form of an information card, such that the user can browse the target information with spare time, thus increasing utilization of the spare time of users.
US09959005B2 5-wire resistive touch screen pressure measurement circuit and method
A 5-wire touch screen system includes a touch screen (10) including a wiper (11) and a resistive layer (16) aligned with the wiper and first (UL), second (UR), third (LR), and fourth (LL) resistive layer contacts, wherein a touch on the screen presses a small portion of the wiper against the resistive layer, producing a touch resistance (RZ) between them at a touch point on the resistive layer. The wiper and various contacts are selectively coupled to first (VDD) and second (GND) reference voltages, respectively, to generate an analog touch voltage (VZ) at the touch point. The wiper and various contacts are selectively coupled to an analog input (56) and a reference voltage input of an ADC (48) for converting the touch voltage (VZ) to a digital representation. Analog voltages (VX) and (VY) at the touch point are converted to corresponding digital representations by the ADC.
US09959003B2 Touch window and touch device including the same
Disclosed is a touch window including a sensing electrode to sense a position, and a wire to electrically connect the sensing electrode. A width of the sensing electrode is variable in the sensing electrode.
US09959002B2 System and method for input sensing
In a method of input sensing and exclusion, an input is detected within a sensing region of an input device. It is determined that the input is along an edge of the input device. It is then determined whether the input satisfies exclusion criteria. Responsive to satisfaction of the exclusion criteria, the input is excluded from consideration as valid input.
US09958999B2 Capacitive touch sensor with Z-shaped electrode pattern
Designs for touch sensor circuitry and touch sensor incorporating such circuitry are described. More particularly, touch sensor circuitry including multiple elongate electrodes that are interleaved with one another is described.
US09958994B2 Shear force detection using capacitive sensors
An input device having a sensing region overlapping an input surface includes a first substrate, a second substrate physically coupled to the first substrate, and a sensor electrode disposed on the first substrate and configured to detect input objects in the sensing region. A first force sensor includes a first electrode disposed on the first substrate and a first conductive portion of the second substrate capacitively coupled with the first electrode. The first conductive portion is configured to move relative to the first electrode such that a first variable capacitance of the first force sensor changes in response to force applied to the input surface in a first direction parallel to the touch surface.
US09958993B2 Active matrix capacitive fingerprint sensor with 1-TFT pixel architecture for display integration
Embodiments described herein include a method for operating an input device by applying a charge voltage to a sense element through a first transistor that is between the sense element and a column output line and a first switch that is between the column output line and a drive voltage. The method also includes storing an electric charge on the sense element, wherein the electric charge comprises a magnitude corresponding to a feature of an input object. The method also includes driving a gate terminal of the first transistor low and disconnecting the charge voltage via the first switch. The method further includes transferring the electric charge to a feedback capacitor.
US09958988B2 Method for optically detecting a fingerprint or an object, and device with at least one screen
In a method for optically capturing a fingerprint or an object on a surface (2) of a cover plate (1) of a screen with a plurality of photosensors (4) which are each assigned to a respective display pixel (6), the display pixels (6) emit light radiation and the photosensors (4) capture light radiation from the display pixels (6) reflected by the surface (2) within a scan angle (8). The scan angle (8) describes in a virtual mirror image plane (9) the size of the display pixel (6).
US09958978B2 Array substrate and display panel
Array substrate and display panel are provided. The array substrate includes: common electrodes, first and second signal lines, wherein a common electrode insulated from the first signal line has a first slit in a part facing the first signal line, a common electrode insulated from the second signal line has a second slit in a part facing the second signal line, distance between the driver chip and a common electrode connected with the first signal line is greater than that between the driver chip and a common electrode connected with the second signal line, there are first deviation between width bisector of projection of the first signal line and width bisector of the first slit and second deviation between width bisector of projection of the second signal line and width bisector of the second slit, the first deviation is smaller than the second deviation. Display and touch performance are improved.
US09958973B2 Touch panel and touch panel-integrated organic light emitting display device
Provided is a touch panel-integrated organic light emitting display device. The touch panel-integrated organic light emitting display device includes an upper substrate, a lower substrate and a touch panel positioned between the upper substrate and the lower substrate. The touch panel includes an array of first touch electrodes connected in a first direction under the upper substrate, an array of second touch electrodes, in a same plane as the first touch electrodes, connected in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction under the upper substrate, a plurality of connection electrodes connecting the second touch electrodes in the second direction, and at least one of the first and second touch electrodes includes a touch detection part and a floating part electrically isolated from the touch detection part.
US09958969B2 Apparatus and method for automatically registering and executing preferred function in a mobile communication terminal
An apparatus and method for automatically registering and executing a preferred function in a mobile communication terminal. The method includes registering a function and a configuration value and use character string/numeral string value for the function, to a one-touch execution object. The method also includes, when a one-touch input for the one-touch execution object is sensed, executing the function registered to the one-touch execution object, by the configuration value and use character string/numeral string value registered to the one-touch execution object.
US09958964B2 Altering sampling rate to thwart attacks that involve analyzing hardware sensor output
A hardware sensor and a hardware user-input component are integrated in a portable electronic device. The hardware sensor is operable to produce hardware sensor output indicative of orientation or motion or both of the device within its environment. The hardware user-input component has multiple elements operable to accept user input through touch. A user-input driver and the device's operating system are jointly operable to detect touch events involving the elements. A software application stored in the device's memory is executable by the device's processor as a process. A sensor driver or the operating system or both are configured to control what hardware sensor output, if any, is receivable by the process. This control may thwart an attack based on analysis of the hardware sensor output, the attack designed to deduce what user input has been made via multiple elements of the hardware user-input component.
US09958963B2 Systems, methods, and apparatuses for creating digital glitter with accelerometer
Methods and systems for rendering an electronic greeting card to a portable computing device, wherein the visually-perceived light effects of the electronic greeting card are updated in real time. The electronic greeting card is dynamically rendered to the portable computing device including these dynamic light effects. An accelerometer is used to generate an input signal capable of initiating an algorithm that generates the dynamic light effects.
US09958962B2 Air pointer with improved user experience
A 3D pointing device and a method are disclosed to control an object on a surface and to improve the user experience when the user moves the object beyond the limits of the surface where the object can no longer be visualized. The user experience is enhanced by defining the behavior of a cursor in a margin around the screen.
US09958960B2 Three-dimensional imaging and display system
A three-dimensional imaging and display system is provided in which input is optically detected in an imaging volume by measuring the path length of an amplitude modulated scanning beam as a function of the phase shift thereof. Visual image feedback concerning the detected input is presented.
US09958958B2 Interactive projector and method of controlling interactive projector
An interactive projector includes an imaging section adapted to take an image of a projected screen, a correlation value calculation section adapted to calculate a correlation value between each of template images used to detect the pointing element and a taken image taken by the imaging section and including the pointing element to generate a first correlation value for each of the template images, a correlation value map generation section adapted to generate a correlation value map representing the correlation values between the plurality of template images and the taken image based on the plurality of first correlation values generated for the respective template images, and a pointing element detection section adapted to extract a high correlation value area in the correlation value map, and calculate a centroid of the correlation values in the high correlation value area to thereby detect a tip position of the pointing element.
US09958954B2 System and methods for calibrating a digitizer system
Systems and methods for calibrating a photoluminescent indicia-based digitizer system with a display, the photoluminescent indicia uniquely identifying local areas of a substrate.
US09958951B1 System and method for providing views of virtual content in an augmented reality environment
A system configured for tracking a human hand in an augmented reality environment may comprise a distancing device, one or more physical processors, and/or other components. The distancing device may be configured to generate output signals conveying position information. The position information may include positions of surfaces of real-world objects, including surfaces of a human hand. Feature positions of one or more hand features of the hand may be determined through iterative operations of determining estimated feature positions of individual hand features from estimated feature position of other ones of the hand features.
US09958948B2 Systems and methods for altering a state of a system using a remote device that processes gestures
Systems and methods systems and methods for altering a state of system using a remote device that processes gestures are described herein. The electronic device can communicate with the system in response to monitoring a user generated gesture or other interaction. For example, a user can wave the personal device or wave to the personal device, and in response thereto, the personal device can transmit an instruction to the system that causes it to change its operational state. Thus, embodiments discussed herein enable a user to perform remote gestures with a first device to affect the operation of a second device.
US09958945B1 Linear resonant actuator with elastic suspension system
A linear vibration actuator is provided, comprising a movable structure, a coil and an elastic suspension system. The elastic suspension system comprises a first and a second elastic sheets, and the first and second elastic sheet respectively comprising a first and a second fixed portions, a first and a second suspension portions, and a first and a second engaging portions. Both first and second suspension portions comprise a bend with an angle greater than 90°. The elastic suspension system enables the simple harmonic motion of the movable structure approximating a parallel motion to improve vibration effect without increasing current outputted to the coil, so as to reduce temperature and power consumption of the present invention. As a result, the present invention is able to provide superior vibration effect to portable electronic product and solve the overheating and power consumption problems.
US09958944B2 Encoding dynamic haptic effects
A system is provided that encodes one or more dynamic haptic effects. The system defines a dynamic haptic effect as including a plurality of key frames, where each key frame includes an interpolant value and a corresponding haptic effect. An interpolant value is a value that specifies where an interpolation occurs. The system generates a haptic effect file, and stores the dynamic haptic effect within the haptic effect file.
US09958943B2 Method and apparatus for modulating haptic feedback
The present invention concerns a method and apparatus for the modulation of an acoustic field for providing tactile sensations. A method of creating haptic feedback using ultrasound is provided. The method comprises the steps of generating a plurality of ultrasound waves with a common focal point using a phased array of ultrasound transducers, the common focal point being a haptic feedback point, and modulating the generation of the ultrasound waves using a waveform selected to produce little or no audible sound at the haptic feedback point.
US09958942B2 Data input device
The present invention relates to a wearable device and a method for determining a position of at least one finger of a hand relative to a predetermined reference point comprising a sensor unit in the palm of the hand comprising at least one sensor, a logic unit in operative engagement with a computer device and configured to generate a position signal based on the registered finger position, and to interpret and convert the signal to a command to be processed by the computer device, a housing at least partly enclosing the sensor unit and an attachment member. The wearable device is characterized in that the sensor is at least one image sensor directed towards a respective distal end of the at least one finger and configured to determine the position of the finger in relation to the wearable device.
US09958941B2 Eye-tracking enabled wearable devices
A method for mapping an input device to a virtual object in virtual space displayed on a display device is disclosed. The method may include determining, via an eye tracking device, a gaze direction of a user. The method may also include, based at least in part on the gaze direction being directed to a virtual object in virtual space displayed on a display device, modifying an action to be taken by one or more processors in response to receiving a first input from an input device. The method may further include, thereafter, in response to receiving the input from the input device, causing the action to occur, wherein the action correlates the first input to an interaction with the virtual object.
US09958933B2 Opportunistic waking of an application processor
Described herein in various embodiments are techniques to better coordinate long wakeup events on a network processor that are due to radio or network activity with the long wakeups that are due to requests from an application processor. In one embodiment, power management logic can receive wake requests from system processes upon notice that one or more application processors are transitioning into a low power state. The power management logic can coalesce the wake requests based on a supplied margin and determine a wake timeframe in which the application processor may be opportunistically woken from the low power state. The power management logic can provide the wake timeframe for the application processor to a network processor in the system. The network processor can opportunistically cause an early wake of the application processor during the wake timeframe.
US09958932B2 Processor including multiple dissimilar processor cores that implement different portions of instruction set architecture
In an embodiment, an integrated circuit may include one or more processors. Each processor may include multiple processor cores, and each core has a different design/implementation and performance level. For example, a core may be implemented for high performance, and another core may be implemented at a lower maximum performance, but may be optimized for efficiency. Additionally, in some embodiments, some features of the instruction set architecture implemented by the processor may be implemented in only one of the cores that make up the processor. If such a feature is invoked by a code sequence while a different core is active, the processor may swap cores to the core the implements the feature. Alternatively, an exception may be taken and an exception handler may be executed to identify the feature and activate the corresponding core.
US09958930B2 Application processor, mobile device having the same, and method of selecting a clock signal for an application processor
An application processor includes a main central processing device that operates based on an external main clock signal received from at least one external clock source when the application processor is in an active mode, at least one internal clock source that generates an internal clock signal, and a sensor sub-system that processes sensing-data received from at least one sensor module on a predetermined cycle when the application processor is in the active mode or a sleep mode, and that operates based on the internal clock signal or an external sub clock signal received from the external clock source depending on an operating speed required for processing the sensing-data.
US09958926B2 Method and system for providing instant responses to sleep state transitions with non-volatile random access memory
A non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) is used in a computer system to provide instant responses to sleep state transitions. The computer system includes a processor coupled to an NVRAM, which is accessible by the processor without passing through an I/O subsystem. The NVRAM is byte-rewritable and byte-erasable by the processor. In response to a request to enter a powered sleep state, the computer system converts the powered sleep state into a powered-off sleep state with system memory context stored in the NVRAM. The powered sleep state is defined as a state in which power is supplied to volatile random access memory in the computer system, and the powered-off sleep state is defined as a state in which power is removed from the volatile random access memory. In response to a wake event, the computer system resumes working state operations using the system memory context stored in the NVRAM.
US09958923B2 Preventing oversubscription to power resources in a computing system
Preventing oversubscription to power resources in a computing system that includes a plurality of power supplies configured to deliver power to a plurality of integrated technology elements (‘ITEs’), including: detecting, by a power management module, that power delivery capabilities of the power supplies have changed; determining, by the power management module in dependence upon a power redundancy policy and the power delivery capabilities of the power supplies, power settings for the plurality of ITEs; and updating, by the power management module, power settings for the plurality of ITEs.
US09958922B2 Low ripple mechanism of mode change in switched capacitor voltage regulators
Methods and apparatus relating to a low ripple mechanism of mode change in switched capacitor voltage regulators are described. In an embodiment, a mode change of a Switching Capacitor Voltage Regulator (SCVR) is caused based at least in part on a comparison of an output voltage of the SCVR and a reference voltage. The output voltage is sensed based at least in part on a clock signal. Other embodiments are also disclosed and claimed.
US09958920B2 Electronic device and method
According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes a power supply, a port and a circuit. The port is configured to connect with an external device. The circuit is configured to control the power supply to supply a first voltage to the external device connected with the port if a system status of the electronic device is not a power-saving status, and to supply a second voltage different from the first voltage to the external device if the system status of the electronic device is the power-saving status.
US09958918B2 Systems and methods to separate power domains in a processing device
A semiconductor device includes: a processing core having a plurality of sub cores, a plurality of power rails spanning from a first sub core to a second sub core of the plurality of sub cores, the plurality of power rails configured to provide an operating voltage to each of the first sub core and the second sub core, and a plurality of cells defining a boundary between the first sub core and the second sub core, each of the cells providing a discontinuity in a respective power rail, wherein the discontinuity includes a break in the respective power rail in more than one layer of the semiconductor device.
US09958916B2 Temperature management system
A temperature management system includes: a first temperature detection unit configured to detect a temperature of a heat generation component in an electronic device; a cooling apparatus configured to circulate air in the electronic device and to cool the heat generation component; a second temperature detection unit configured to detect a temperature of air flowing in the electronic device; a parameter setting unit configured to set a target value of the temperature of the heat generation component; and a control unit. The control unit calculates a predicted value of a future temperature of the heat generation component based on the outputs of the first temperature detection unit and the second temperature detection unit, and the power consumption of the electronic device, and determines a manipulated variable of the cooling apparatus based on the predicted value and the target value.
US09958914B2 Solid state drive apparatus
A solid state drive apparatus includes a housing having a first accommodation space and a second accommodation space; a substrate mounted in the first accommodation space, wherein at least one non-volatile memory chip is mounted on the substrate; and a heat dissipation member mounted in the second accommodation space and including an isolation barrier that defines a boundary between the second accommodation space and the first accommodation space and a plurality of fin portions that extend from the isolation barrier away from the first accommodation space, wherein a plurality of through air holes are provided in a side of the housing adjacent the second accommodation space.
US09958910B2 Shape memory alloy locking mechanism
A hardware retention mechanism comprising a frame including a first guide shoulder and a pivot point; an actuator arm including a first guide post; and a first shape memory alloy wire strung between the first guide shoulder and the first guide post that rotates the actuator arm between a locked position and an unlocked position. The actuator arm is rotatable around the pivot point between a locked position and an unlocked position. In some embodiments, the frame may further comprise a second guide shoulder, the actuator arm may further comprise a second guide post, and a second shape memory alloy wire may be strung between the second guide shoulder and the second guide post that rotates the actuator arm between an unlocked position and a locked position.
US09958906B2 Leaf spring computer device stand
A support stand leg is pivotally supported by a leaf spring relative to a back cover of a computer device or a computer device case. The support stand leg is pivotal between a retracted position against the back cover and an extended position. The leaf spring urges the support stand leg towards the retracted position.
US09958903B2 Providing a representation of orientation and movement of an item being moved in space
The present invention relates to a method for providing a representation of orientation and movement of an item being moved in space by a user of the item. The user is wearing a wearable electronic device being physically separate from the item. The item comprises an item memory storing item defining data and a device communication unit. The wearable electronic device comprises an item communication unit, adapted to receive data from the device communication unit, and an orientation and movement detector. The method comprises retrieving, at the wearable electronic device, item defining data from the item; registering, at the wearable electronic device, orientation and movement of the wearable electronic device during user movement of the item; and computing, at a first processor, the representation of orientation and movement of the item based on the item defining data and the registered orientation and movement of the wearable electronic device.
US09958901B2 Electronic device
An electronic device equipped with a touch panel provided with, at side surfaces of the housing, first elastic members having a first modulus of elasticity and a first coefficient of friction and contacting a level surface when the electronic device is made to stand in a range from the vertical to 50° and second elastic members having a second modulus of elasticity lower that the first modulus of elasticity and a second coefficient of friction larger than the first coefficient of friction and contacting the level surface when the electronic device is made to lean against a wall from the level surface by an angle of 50° or less, the electronic device thereby prevented from slipping no matter what the range of angle, is provided.
US09958892B2 Voltage regulator with impedance compensation
A regulator configured to provide at an output node a load current at an output voltage is described. The regulator comprises a pass transistor for providing the load current at the output node. Furthermore, the regulator comprises feedback means for deriving a feedback voltage from the output voltage at the output node. In addition, the regulator comprises a differential amplifier configured to control the pass transistor in dependence of the feedback voltage and in dependence of a reference voltage. The regulator further comprises compensation means configured to determine a sensed current which is indicative of the load current at the output node. Furthermore, the compensation means are configured to adjust an operation point of the regulator in dependence of the sensed current and in dependence of a value of a track impedance of a conductive track which links the output node to a load.
US09958882B2 Heating system and method for heating a building and/or for preparing hot water
According to various embodiments, a heating system for heating a building and/or for preparing hot water is provided. The heating system can comprise a heat distributing device; and a computer, which is coupled to the heat distributing device in such a way that the heat produced by the computer is distributed in the building by means of the heat distributing device; wherein the computer is designed in such a way that the computer produces a message for a computing load distribution computer, wherein the message contains a piece of information about the heat demand of the heating system and/or of the building.
US09958880B2 Wireless valve actuator system and method
A gas-over-oil actuator system for use with a valve in a natural gas pipeline. The system includes a gas-over-oil actuator and a wireless position monitor operatively coupled to the gas-over-oil actuator. The wireless position monitor includes an integral opened spool valve and is adapted to be communicatively coupled to a remote workstation via a wireless network and a wireless gateway. At least one switching relay is operatively coupled to the gas-over-oil actuator and the wireless position monitor. Upon receiving a wireless command from the remote workstation, the wireless position monitor drives a pressure signal from the opened center spool valve to the at least one switching relay to manage high pressure supply to the gas-over-oil actuator and move the valve to a desired position.
US09958878B2 Multi-priority pump control unit
A pump control system includes a controller coupled to first and second pressure sensors. The sensors couple serial pressure related information to the controller. The controller can evaluate respective liquid levels, in response to received pressure related information from the sensors. A current sensor coupled to the controller can provide signals indicative of operation of one or more pumps coupled to the controller. The controller includes circuits to detect the presence of predetermined, prioritized, faults and to emit a wired or wireless fault indicator in response thereto.
US09958877B2 System and method of control of electronic parcel lockers
A system, apparatus, and method for use in delivery of items to a storage unit. The storage unit can include one or several storage receptacles and a control unit that controls and monitors the status of the one or several storage receptacles. The storage unit may be included in a storage unit system that can include one or several storage units and a central control unit. The central control unit can communicate with the one or several storage units, and can receive status and availability updates from the one or several storage units.
US09958876B2 Flight configuration for payload and lift aircraft
A flight configuration is disclosed. The flight configuration includes a lift configuration in which a lift aircraft lifts a powered payload via a tether. The flight configuration comprises a series of steps for transitioning from the lift configuration to a forward flight configuration. In the forward flight configuration, the lift aircraft and the powered payload are in horizontal alignment.
US09958872B2 Cargo-based vehicle control
A method, system, and/or computer program product controls operations of a vehicle based on a condition of cargo being transported. One or more processors receive output from cargo sensors and cameras on a first cargo vehicle. The processor(s) determine that the cargo has shifted beyond a calculated risk amount in the first cargo vehicle based on the output from the cargo sensors and cameras based on historical trips. The processor(s) determine that the movement of the first cargo vehicle has caused the cargo to shift beyond the calculated risk amount in the first cargo vehicle, and instructs a second cargo vehicle to adjust operations of the second cargo vehicle based on determining that the movement of the first cargo vehicle has caused the cargo to shift beyond the calculated risk amount in the first cargo vehicle.
US09958858B2 Associating computer-executable objects with three-dimensional spaces within an architectural design environment
Methods and systems allow for creating a variable spatial framework for use in designing and manufacturing an architectural component. The spatial framework can define a three-dimensional space having a plurality of boundaries. The system can receive an input to divide the three-dimensional space into multiple independent cells. Each independent cell can comprise an independently executable software object. A plurality of boundaries of the spatial framework can automatically adjust upon receiving an input defining a manufacturing constraint.
US09958853B2 Numerical controller having taper angle compensating function of taper machining in skiving
A numerical controller stores tool data (including information on an inclination and length of a linear blade of a tool), reads an instruction block from a program, analyzes the instruction block, and generates instruction data indicating a movement amount of the tool on each axis instructed by the instruction block. Further, when performing taper machining, the numerical controller calculates a compensating amount for compensating an instructed path, based on the stored tool data, such that an actually-machined taper angle matches a taper angle instructed by the instruction block, compensates the generated instruction data based on the calculated compensating amount, and outputs the compensated instruction data.
US09958852B2 Multi-mover linear motor controller providing shared coordination subsystem
A runtime coordination subsystem allows programmers of multi-mover, linear motion systems to provide simple commands to the movers without concern for the presence of other movers on the track. The runtime coordination subsystem manages proper separation distances to prevent collisions and automatically queue movers in contention situations. In addition the runtime coordination subsystem permits a specialized multi-mover command controlling movers in unison with constant separation.
US09958851B2 Apparatus for the automated removal of workpieces arranged in a container
The present disclosure shows an apparatus for the automated removal of workpieces arranged in a container, having an object recognition device for detecting the workpieces and a gripper for gripping and removing the workpiece from the container and having a control for evaluating the data of the object recognition device, for path planning and for controlling the gripper. In this respect, the apparatus is set up in a modular manner by a handling module and a feed module, wherein the handling module has the gripper kinematics, in particular a robot or an area gantry, and the feed module has an arrangement for providing a container having workpieces.
US09958850B2 Energy management system
An energy management system is disclosed having an in situ processing unit with a measuring unit capable of measuring a set of power related parameters over a main electricity cable. The system has a first processing unit capable of processing the power related parameters by applying a signature detection algorithm, for detecting an event relating to turning ON or OFF an electronic and/or electric appliance and for characterizing the event. The system also has means for transferring to a server a data packet having an output of said signature detection algorithm. The processing unit triggers the transfer of a data packet only in case such an event is detected. Also disclosed is a method for monitoring the use of electronic and/or electric appliances.
US09958846B2 Data processing device
A data processing device includes: a first controller requiring a first activation time; a second controller requiring a second activation time, which is shorter than the first activation time; and a data processor for switching a mode, in which data is processed, between a first processing mode without collaboration with the first controller, and a second processing mode in collaboration with the first controller. The data processor processes data in the first processing mode after completing the activation of the second controller and before completing the activation of the first controller; processes data in the second processing mode after completing the activation of the first controller; and processes data in the first processing mode after a fault occurs in the first controller.
US09958843B2 System and program for managing management target system
A management system has a topology display screen of a management target system with an area, where icons of system components are typically displayed in the related art, which is embedded and displayed with a graph of a monitor value of the system component. A band having a predetermined width is displayed to show a relation between system display objects indicating the system components. The width of the band is determined by the number of requests which are transmitted or received by the system components. When a time-sequential graph of the monitor value of a system component is displayed, a vertical bar which can be operated by an input/output device is displayed in the graph. When the operation of the vertical bar is detected, an icon indicating integrity of the management target system at a time indicated by the vertical bar is displayed in the vicinity of the vertical bar.
US09958840B2 System and method for controlling system using a control signal for transitioning a state of the system from a current state to a next state using different instances of data with different precisions
A controller for controlling a system includes a non-transitory computer-readable memory storing data for an operation and a control of the system and at least one processor operatively connected to the memory for determining a control signal transitioning a state of the system from a current state to a next state. At least two instances of the data are stored in the memory with different precisions defined by numbers of bits storing the instance in the memory. The processor determines the control signal using the instances of the data with the different precisions.
US09958839B2 Parameter tuning method of unknown PID controller
A parameter tuning method of an unknown proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller is provided. The unknown PID controller is replaced with the control algorithm of the generic controller to perform the optimal parameter tuning to obtain the target parameter of the generic controller. The unknown PID controller is set with a first parameter group so that the corresponding input signal, the control signal and the output signal are measured for performing the parameter identification procedure of the generic controller to obtain a second parameter group of the generic controller. When the second parameter group is not within a specification range of the target parameter, the first parameter is re-calculated and modified by a direct search method in accordance with the difference between the second parameter group and the target parameter for setting the unknown PID controller again, and then the input signal, the control signal and the output signal are measured again.
US09958837B2 Motor control apparatus for correcting interpolation error of position detector
A motor control apparatus includes a position detector for detecting the position of a rotor of a motor, a speed detection unit for calculating a speed detection value based on a position detection value detected by the position detector, a speed command generation unit for generating a speed command which commands a rotation speed of the rotor of the motor, a correction amount calculation unit for calculating a correction amount based on the position detection value detected by the position detector, a correction processing unit for correcting the speed detection value by using the correction amount, and a torque command generation unit for generating a torque command which commands a rotational torque of the motor based on the speed command and the speed detection value corrected by the correction processing unit.
US09958833B2 Coupled timepiece oscillators
Timepiece movement or watch including one isochronous oscillator mechanism, including only a first sprung balance oscillator including a first balance spring attached to a fixed structure at a first stud and to a first mobile component pivoting about a first axis, and a second sprung balance oscillator including a second balance spring fixed to a second mobile component, coupled to each other by mechanical connection via this second elastic return means attached to the first mobile component, this second balance spring being attached, to a felloe or an arm of the first mobile component at a second stud, and to this second mobile component which pivots about a second axis, and the maintenance of the oscillations is effected on only one of first mobile component or second mobile component.
US09958831B2 Timepiece resonator mechanism
A watch or movement including a timepiece resonator movement including two RCC flexural pivots mounted in series about an intermediate rotary support and having the same virtual pivot axis, each including two straight flexible strips of the same length, whose clamping points opposite to this pivot axis are at the same distance with respect to this axis, and which define linear directions, forming angles, in pairs, with this virtual pivot axis, whose value expressed in degrees is comprised between: 109.5+5/[(D/L)−(2/3)] and 114.5+5/[(D/L)−(2/3)], or more particularly between 107+5/((D/L)−(2/3)) and 112+5/((D/L)−(2/3)).
US09958828B2 System for acquiring images by means of heterodyne digital holography
A system for acquiring images by means of heterodyne digital holography comprises an image sensor having at least one photodiode coupled to an oversampling analog-digital converter.
US09958823B2 Device including roller, and image forming apparatus and process cartridge incorporating same
A device disposed opposing an image bearer includes a roller to rotate while contacting a surface of the image bearer, a rolling bearing fitted around a shaft located at an end of the roller in an axial direction of the roller, a frame to house the roller, and a bearing support removably attached to the frame. The rolling bearing includes an outer ring, an inner ring, and a rolling element disposed between the outer ring and the inner ring. The bearing support holds, from an outer-ring side, the rolling bearing interposed between the bearing support and the frame. The bearing support includes a receiving portion to contact the outer ring of the rolling bearing and bias the rolling bearing toward the frame in a direction in which the rolling bearing is interposed between the bearing support and the frame.
US09958821B2 Image forming apparatus that applies a powder to reduce adhesion of an adhesive layer
Provided is an image forming apparatus including an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium, and an applying unit that causes powder included in a liquid mixture to be interposed between the recording medium and the image forming unit by applying the liquid mixture to the recording medium, or to the image forming unit which comes into contact with the recording medium, wherein the recording medium includes an image forming layer, an adhesive layer, and a base layer, and the liquid mixture includes the powder reducing adhesion of the adhesive layer and volatile liquid.
US09958819B2 Fusing apparatus and manufacturing method therefor
A fusing apparatus, including a base member, a sheet member, a fixing portion, and an endless member, is provided. The sheet member includes a contact portion to contact an inner peripheral surface of the endless member, a first portion having a first hole, and a second portion to be fixed to the base member. The base member includes a first face to support the contact portion, a second face, and an inner face recessed from the second face to form a recessed portion. The fixing portion includes a first engagement portion protruding from the inner face of the recessed portion to be engageable with the first hole, and a holder provided at the first engagement portion to hold a peripheral portion around the first hole in the first portion of the sheet member at a position between the inner face of the recessed portion and the holder.
US09958815B2 Control method of image forming apparatus
A control method of an image forming apparatus including a fixing device including a fixing rotator includes starting warming up the fixing device; detecting at least one of an electric voltage, an electric current, and an electric power input to the image forming apparatus when the fixing device is warmed up; detecting a temperature of the fixing rotator when the fixing device is warmed up; determining that the image forming apparatus is in a low input state that does not satisfy a predetermined input condition based on the detected one of the electric voltage, the electric current, and the electric power; determining that the fixing rotator is in a low temperature state that does not satisfy a predetermined heating condition based on the detected temperature of the fixing rotator; and issuing a notification that urges a recovery operation of the fixing device.
US09958811B2 Image forming apparatus having transfer belt
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that forms a developer image, a transfer portion that transfers the developer image to a transfer object, an endless transfer belt that rotates passing between the image forming unit and the transfer portion, a driving roller that drives the transfer belt to rotate, a plurality of marks provided on the transfer belt and arranged in a rotating direction of the transfer belt, a measurement unit that measures a rotation period of the transfer belt using the plurality of marks, and a controller that adjusts a timing at which the image forming unit forms the developer image, based on a measurement result of the rotation period measured by the measurement unit. A circumferential length L of the transfer belt in the rotating direction has a length based on a natural number multiple of a circumferential length m of the driving roller.
US09958809B2 Magnetic carrier
A magnetic carrier according to the present invention includes a magnetic carrier core and a resin covering layer formed on a surface of the magnetic carrier core, wherein the resin covering layer contains a resin component and an inorganic fine particle, the inorganic fine particle contains an oxide of a typical metal element or a carbonate of a typical metal element, a moisture adsorption rate of the inorganic fine particle when allowed to stand in an environment of a temperature of 30° C. and a humidity of 80% for 72 hours is 25.0% by mass or less, an electrical conductivity of the inorganic fine particle is 2.0×10−9 μS/m or more and 2.5×10−5 μS/m or less, and a degree of crystallinity of the inorganic fine particle is 60% or less.
US09958806B2 Developing device and image forming apparatus incorporating same
A developing device includes a toner bearer to rotate while bearing toner and a toner regulator including a bend on a free end side. The bend is disposed in contact with a surface of the toner bearer and defines a regulation nip to adjust an amount of the toner on the toner bearer. The toner regulator further includes an area having a water contact angle greater than or equal to 70 degrees. The area having the water contact angle includes, at least, a downstream end of the bend in a rotation direction of the toner bearer.
US09958800B2 Toner
A toner includes a toner particle containing a resin component. The resin component contains an ester group-containing olefin copolymer and an acid group-containing olefin copolymer. For example, the ester group-containing olefin copolymer is an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, and the acid group-containing olefin copolymer is an ethylene-methacrylic acid copolymer. The acid group-containing olefin copolymer has an acid value of 50 to 300 mg KOH/g. The content of the ester group-containing olefin copolymer in the resin component is 50 mass % or more based on the total mass of the resin component. The content of the unit derived from the vinyl acetate is 3 mass % or more and 35 mass % or less based on the total mass of the ester group-containing olefin copolymer.
US09958796B2 Electrophotographic photoreceptor, image forming method, and image forming apparatus
An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes an intermediate layer, a photosensitive layer, and a surface layer laminated on a conductive support in this order, wherein a cured product of a polymerizable monomer contains an electron transport agent and n-type metal oxide fine particles to which a reactive organic group is bonded in the surface layer.
US09958793B2 Lithographic apparatus, positioning system for use in a lithographic apparatus and method
A lithographic apparatus having a reference body and a positioning system, the positioning system including a main body; a reaction body; an actuator; and a controller. The main body is moveable relative to the reference body along a path in a first direction and a second opposite direction. The reaction body is moveable relative to the main body along a further path in the first and second directions and is moveably connected to the reference body to be moveable relative to the reference body in the first and second directions. The controller provides a first and a second signal to the actuator. The actuator is arranged between the main body and the reaction body to accelerate the main body in the first direction and to accelerate the reaction body in the second direction under control of the first signal, and to accelerate the main body in the second direction and to accelerate the reaction body in the first direction under control of the second signal. The controller determines when the reaction body moves in the second direction and to provide the second signal after the first signal to the actuator when the reaction body moves in the second direction along the further path.
US09958791B2 Inspection apparatus and methods, substrates having metrology targets, lithographic system and device manufacturing method
Disclosed is an inspection apparatus for use in lithography. It comprises a support for a substrate carrying a plurality of metrology targets; an optical system for illuminating the targets under predetermined illumination conditions and for detecting predetermined portions of radiation diffracted by the targets under the illumination conditions; a processor arranged to calculate from said detected portions of diffracted radiation a measurement of asymmetry for a specific target; and a controller for causing the optical system and processor to measure asymmetry in at least two of said targets which have different known components of positional offset between structures and smaller sub-structures within a layer on the substrate and calculate from the results of said asymmetry measurements a measurement of a performance parameter of the lithographic process for structures of said smaller size. Also disclosed are substrates provided with a plurality of novel metrology targets formed by a lithographic process.
US09958790B2 Inspection methods, substrates having metrology targets, lithographic system and device manufacturing method
Disclosed is a method of measuring overlay between upper and lower layers on a substrate using metrology targets formed by a lithographic process. The lithographic process is of a multiple-patterning type whereby first and second distinct populations of structures are formed in a single one of said layers (L1) by respective first and second patterning steps. The metrology target (620) in the single one of said layers comprises a set of structures of which different subsets (642A, 642B) are formed in said first and second patterning steps. An overlay measurement on this target can be used to calculate a combined (average) overlay performance parameter for both of the first and second patterning steps.
US09958789B2 Method of metrology, inspection apparatus, lithographic system and device manufacturing method
Disclosed is a method of determining a correction for measured values of radiation diffracted from a target comprising a plurality of periodic structures, subsequent to measurement of the target using measurement radiation defining a measurement field. The correction acts to correct for measurement field location dependence in the measured values. The method comprises performing a first and second measurements of the periodic structures; and determining a correction from said first measurement and said second measurement. The first measurement is performed with said target being in a normal measurement location with respect to the measurement field. The second measurement is performed with the periodic structure in a shifted location with respect to the measurement field, said shifted location comprising the location of another of said periodic structures when said target is in said normal measurement location with respect to the measurement field.
US09958788B2 Method of operating a patterning device and lithographic apparatus
A lithographic reticle is illuminated to transfer a pattern to a substrate, inducing distortions due to heating. The distortions are calculated using reference marks in a peripheral portion of the reticle and measuring changes in their relative positions over time. A plurality of cells are defined for which a system of equations can be solved to calculate a dilation of each cell. In an embodiment, each equation relates positions of pairs of marks to dilations of the cells along a fine (s, s1, s2) connecting each pair. Local positional deviations can be calculated for a position by combining calculated dilations for cells between at least one measured peripheral mark and the position. Corrections can be applied in accordance with the result of the calculation. Energy may be applied to the patterning device (for example by thermal input or mechanical actuators) to modify a distribution of the local positional deviations.
US09958787B2 Lithographic method and apparatus
A method of exposing a patterned area on a substrate using an EUV lithographic apparatus having a demagnification of about 5× and a numerical aperture of about 0.4 is disclosed. The method comprises exposing a first portion of the patterned area on the substrate using a first exposure, the first portion dimensions are significantly less than the dimensions of a conventional exposure, and exposing one or more additional portions of the patterned area on the substrate using one or more additional exposures, the additional portions having dimensions which are significantly less than the dimensions of a conventional exposure. The method further comprises repeating the above to expose a second patterned area on the substrate, the second patterned area being provided with the same pattern as the first patterned area, wherein a distance between center points of the first and second patterned areas corresponds with a dimension of a conventional exposure.
US09958785B2 Exposure apparatus, exposure method, and method for producing device
An exposure apparatus includes a nozzle member which has at least one of a supply port for supplying a liquid and a recovery port for recovering the liquid, and a nozzle adjusting mechanism which adjusts at least one of a position and a posture of the nozzle member depending on a position or a posture of a substrate. The exposure apparatus forms an immersion area of the liquid on the substrate, and performs exposure for the substrate through the liquid in the immersion area. Accordingly, the liquid is satisfactorily retained between the projection optical system and the substrate, thereby making it possible to realize the exposure highly accurately.
US09958784B2 Super-resolution imaging photolithography
Provided are apparatuses and methods for super resolution imaging photolithography. An exemplary apparatus may include an illumination light generation device configured to generate illumination light for imaging a pattern included in a mask through the mask. The illumination light may include a high-frequency spatial spectrum such that a high-frequency evanescent wave component of spatial spectrum information for the light is converted to a low-frequency evanescent wave component after being transmitted through the mask pattern. For example, the illumination light generation device may be configured to form the illumination in accordance with a high numerical aperture (NA) illumination mode and/or a surface plasmon (SP) wave illumination mode.
US09958780B2 Coating compositions for photoresists
In one aspect, the present invention relates to coating compositions that comprise a resin component, wherein the predominant portion of the resin component comprising one or more resins that are at least substantially free of fluorine. Coating compositions of the invention are useful as photoresist overcoat layers, including in immersion lithography processing.
US09958779B2 Photoresist additive for outgassing reduction and out-of-band radiation absorption
A patternable layer is formed over a substrate. A photo-sensitive layer is formed over the patternable layer. The photo-sensitive layer contains an additive. The additive contains at least a floating control chemical and a volume control chemical. A spin drying or a baking process is performed to the photo-sensitive layer. The floating control chemical causes the additive to rise upward during the spin drying or baking process. Thereafter, as a part of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography process, the photo-sensitive layer is exposed. One or more outgassing chemicals are generated inside the photo-sensitive layer during the exposing. The volume control chemical is sufficiently voluminous and dense to trap the outgassing chemicals inside the photo-sensitive layer.
US09958778B2 Cross-linkable fluorinated photopolymer
A photosensitive composition is disclosed including a fluorinated photo cross-linkable polymer provided in a fluorinated solvent such as a hydrofluoroether. The photo cross-linkable polymer includes a first repeating unit having a fluorine-containing group but not a cinnamate group, and a second repeating unit having a fluorine-containing cinnamate group. The polymer has a total fluorine content in a range of 30 to 60% by weight. The composition can be used to form patterned barrier or dielectric structures over substrates and devices such as organic electronic devices.
US09958777B2 Resist composition and patterning process
A resist composition comprising a base polymer and a sulfonium salt capable of generating fluorinated aminobenzoic acid offers a satisfactory dissolution contrast and minimal LWR independent of whether it is of positive or negative tone.
US09958776B2 Resist composition and patterning process
A resist composition comprising a base polymer and a phosphazene salt compound offers a high dissolution contrast, minimal LWR, and dimensional stability on PPD.
US09958774B2 Imprint lithography
A method of determining a position of an imprint template in an imprint lithography apparatus is disclosed. In an embodiment, the method includes illuminating an area of the imprint template in which an alignment mark is expected to be found by scanning an alignment radiation beam over that area, detecting an intensity of radiation reflected or transmitted from the area, and identifying the alignment mark via analysis of the detected intensity.
US09958771B2 Method and apparatus for pellicle removal
A method and apparatus for removing a pellicle from a photomask wherein the adhesive between the pellicle frame and photomask is cooled sufficiently to allow the adhesive property of the adhesive to diminish to the point where the adhesive will release from the photomask with little or no mechanical force and leaving minimal adhesive on the photomask. The adhesive is cooled by way of manifolds containing coolant being brought in contact with the pellicle frame or by way of a coolant spray nozzles spraying coolant directly onto the pellicle frame.
US09958768B2 Display device
The present invention provides for a display device, which is applied to rear projection system. The device includes a screen, which is curved with incident rays penetrating into a concave side of the screen, and then being transmitted by the screen, to form parallel rays to be emitted out from the convex side of the screen. The device also includes a projecting unit, configured to project rays of an image to the screen, the image including a valid area and an invalid area. The device yet further includes a covering plank, located between the screen and the projecting unit, and configured to cover the invalid area of the image for getting the light of the valid area of the image emitted by the projecting unit to project to the screen.
US09958766B2 Light source unit and projector
A light source unit according to an aspect of the invention includes a first semiconductor light emitting device disposed centrally and a second semiconductor light emitting device disposed outwards of the first semiconductor light emitting device, the first and second semiconductor light emitting devices emitting lights, and a first collimator lens disposed centrally and a second collimator lens disposed outwards of the first collimator lens, the first and second collimator lenses being disposed so as to correspond to the first and second semiconductor light emitting devices, respectively, on sides of the first and second semiconductor light emitting devices from which the lights are emitted, and a degree at which the light of the first semiconductor light emitting device is collected onto an illuminated surface differs from a degree at which the light of the second semiconductor light emitting device is collected onto the illuminated surface.
US09958765B2 Projection image display device including optical system
A projection image display device includes: laser diodes which emit excitation light; a top-hat diffusing element which diffuses and provides the excitation light with a top-hat intensity distribution; a phosphor which emits light when illuminated by the excitation light diffused by the top-hat diffusing element; an integrator rod which homogenizes the light emitted by the phosphor; DMDs which modulate the light homogenized by the integrator rod; and a projector which projects the light modulated by the DMDs.
US09958764B2 Projector
A projector includes a polarization changing mechanism and a polarized beam splitter. The polarization changing mechanism is movable. A first polarized beam is configured to pass or not pass through the polarization changing mechanism. The first polarized beam transforms into a second polarized beam when the first polarized beam passes through the polarization changing mechanism. The polarized beam splitter has a light splitting surface. The first polarized beam enters the polarized beam splitter and is guided by the light splitting surface to travel in a first direction, when the first polarized beam does not pass through the polarization changing mechanism. The second polarized beam enters the polarized beam splitter and is guided by the light splitting surface to travel in the first direction or a second direction, when the first polarized beam passes through the polarization changing mechanism and transforms into the second polarized beam.
US09958758B2 Multiple exposure structured light pattern
Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer program products are provided for illuminating a scene with light containing speckle patterns. A plurality of instances of coherent light are generated in sequence. From each instance of coherent light of the plurality of instances of coherent light, a corresponding instance of illumination light is generated that contains a respective speckle pattern, thereby generating a plurality of instances of illumination light containing a plurality of respective speckle patterns. The plurality of speckle patterns are configured such that a summation of the plurality of speckle patterns forms a substantially uniform illumination pattern. The plurality of instances of illumination light are projected into an illumination environment in sequence.
US09958754B2 Lens apparatus and image pickup apparatus including the same
Provided is a lens apparatus, including: a lens barrel comprising an operation ring rotatable about an optical axis of an optical system to operate a movable optical member included in the optical system; and a driving apparatus engaging with the operation ring to drive the operation ring in a mounted state on the lens barrel, wherein the driving apparatus includes a first communication unit and an operation unit; the lens barrel includes a second communication unit; communication between the lens barrel and driving apparatus is established through the first and second communication units; in the mounted state, the first communication unit is disposed on a surface covering a part of an outer peripheral surface of the lens barrel; and is located on a object side relative to an operation unit arranged closest to an image side in an optical axis direction of the optical system on the driving apparatus.
US09958748B2 Array substrate and manufacturing method thereof, and display device
The present application provides an array substrate and a manufacturing method thereof, and a display device, to solve the problem in the prior art that the resistance of the common electrode is large due to an improper layout of the common electrode so that the common electrode is easily affected by other signals to cause voltage fluctuation and thus the quality of the display is influenced. In the array substrate and the manufacturing method thereof, and the display device provided in the present application, since the first common electrode is provided in the source/drain metal layer and the second and third common electrodes are further formed, connection of the first, second and third common electrodes effectively enables a low-resistance common electrode, which is not easily influenced by other signals to cause voltage fluctuation, therefore, the quality of the display can be improved.
US09958745B2 Light-on detection device and light-on detection method
The present disclosure provides a light-on detection device and a light-on detection method. The light-on detection device includes a substrate, and a probe block provided with probes and connected to the substrate. The light-on detection device further includes a flattening element configured to apply a force onto a surface of the display panel so as to change the surface of the display panel from a first shape having a first height difference to a second shape having a second height difference less than the first height difference, thereby to enable the probes to perform the light-on detection on the display panel with the second shape.
US09958743B2 Liquid crystal display panel
The present invention provides a liquid crystal display panel, comprising: a control terminal of the first main thin film transistor on the nth row of the pixels connected to a branch of the scanning lines to which the nth row of the pixels correspond; the control terminal of the second main thin film transistor on the nth row of the pixels connected to a first branch of the scanning line of the (n+1)th row; the control terminal of the auxiliary thin film transistor on the (n+1)th row of pixels connected to a branch of the scanning lines of the (n+1)th row.
US09958741B2 Liquid crystal display device
According to one embodiment, a liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate unit, a second substrate unit, and a liquid crystal layer. The first substrate unit includes a first pixel electrode and a second pixel electrode. The second pixel electrode is adjacent to the first pixel electrode in the first direction. The second pixel electrode is light-reflective. The second substrate unit includes a counter electrode. The counter electrode is light-transmissive. The liquid crystal layer is provided between the first substrate unit and the second substrate unit. The first pixel electrode includes a first electrode portion and a second electrode portion. The first electrode portion is light-reflective. At least a portion of the second electrode portion is provided between the first electrode portion and the second pixel electrode. A light reflectance of the second electrode portion is lower than a light reflectance of the first electrode portion.
US09958740B2 Blue phase liquid crystal display panel
Disclosed is a blue phase liquid crystal display panel which includes an upper substrate and a lower substrate which are disposed opposite to each other, and blue phase liquid crystals provided between the upper substrate and the lower substrate. The upper substrate is provided with a first common electrode on a side facing the blue phase liquid crystals, and the lower substrate is provided with a second common electrode and a plurality of pixel electrodes on a side facing the blue phase liquid crystals. The pixel electrodes each extend towards the first common electrode, thus forming a horizontal electric field between the upper substrate and the lower substrate. According to the present disclosure, higher horizontal field intensity can be achieved so that the external drive voltage of the blue phase liquid crystals can be greatly decreased.
US09958731B2 Method for rubbing alignment layer and liquid crystal display panel
The present disclosure provides a method for rubbing an alignment layer on a substrate with a plurality of spacers that are arranged in rows and columns and a liquid crystal display panel. The method includes: determining a first rubbing direction and a second rubbing direction in such a manner that the second rubbing direction is an arrangement direction of liquid crystal molecules when the liquid crystal molecules are arranged correctly on the alignment layer, and an angle between the first rubbing direction and the second rubbing direction is greater than or equal to arctan (b/a), where a represents a row pitch between the spacers and b represents a width of one spacer; performing a first rubbing on the alignment layer in the first rubbing direction; and performing a second rubbing on the alignment layer in the second rubbing direction. The second rubbing direction is different from the first rubbing direction.
US09958730B2 Display device
According to one embodiment, a display device includes a first substrate with a first alignment film, a second substrate with a second alignment film, and a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween. The first substrate has first and second electrodes. An initial alignment direction of liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer is parallel to a first direction or a direction orthogonal to the first direction. The second electrode includes comblike electrodes extending parallel to the first direction and a connecting portion which connects the comblike electrodes. The connecting portion includes a projection which projects in a second direction more than an outermost comblike electrode.
US09958728B2 LCD panel and method for manufacturing the same
An LCD panel and a method for manufacturing are provided. The panel includes: a first substrate and a second substrate disposed opposite to the first substrate; a liquid crystal layer comprising a plurality of liquid crystal molecules and color quantum rods mixed in the liquid crystal molecules, wherein both the color quantum rods and the liquid crystal molecules have a major axis, and a major axis direction of the color quantum rods is identical to a major axis direction of the liquid crystal molecules.
US09958724B2 Substrate and method of forming photoresist layer
A method of forming a photoresist layer includes: forming alignment electrodes on a base; mixing color QRs and photoresist to form a mixed material; coating the mixed material on the base; applying the base coated with the mixed material with positive and negative voltages so that the long axes of the color QRs align horizontally under the effect of the horizontal electric fields generated by the alignment electrodes; vacuum-drying the base coated with the mixed material to enhance the viscosity of the photoresist; interrupting electricity at a designated point to form a photoresist layer, wherein the long axes of QRs remain aligned horizontally; the color film substrate includes color resist films; when a backlight source emits blue light to the color film substrate, a color filter is disposed on top of the red color film to filtrate the blue light.
US09958721B2 Curved display device
A first integrated circuit disposed in a region, in which a length of a first space in a device depth direction is largest, among two regions dividing an entire region of a first main surface of a signal processing circuit board into two in a device width direction. The first space is a space between the signal processing circuit board and a metal chassis, which is a member of the metal chassis and a back cover that opposes the first main surface on which the first integrated circuit is mounted. A first heat sink is disposed between the metal chassis and the back cover and has a plurality of fins. A length of each of the plurality of fins in the device depth direction is set according to a length of the first space in the device depth direction at a position of the fin in the device width direction.
US09958717B1 Method of adjusting display size
Disclosed is a method of adjusting a display size, comprising steps of: providing a display, including a first substrate, a second substrate and an image generating medium; locating first and second cutting lines on the first and second substrates, and an orthographic projection of the first cutting line on the second substrate does not overlap with the second cutting line; cutting the first substrate and the image generating medium along the first cutting line to form a first reservation part and a part of the image generating medium corresponding thereto, and cutting the second substrate along the second cutting line to form a second reservation part, and the second reservation part protrudes relative to the first reservation part to form a protruding part; adding adhesive on the protruding part to make the adhesive permeate between the first reservation part and the second reservation part to solidify the adhesive.
US09958716B2 Display apparatus
Provided is a display apparatus having a holding structure for an optical sheet capable of preventing wrinkles, bending, and sheet damage to the optical sheet in the display apparatus, and preventing defects such as irregular brightness and reduced brightness.A chassis for holding an optical sheet of a rectangular shape holds the peripheral edge part of the optical sheet at a holding surface of hollow rectangular shape, and has engaging parts to hold the optical sheet provided to stand at the edge part of one side of the holding surface. The holding surface is inclined or has a stepped protuberance formed, whereby the surface of the other region opposite of the end part of the one region on which the engaging parts is provided to stand is closer to the display panel than the surface of the one region of the holding surface within the height range of the engaging part, wherein the one region and the other region are present on the opposite side with respect to an opening of the holding surface.
US09958715B2 Display device framework and display device
A display device framework and a display device, solving technical problem of application limitation of existing display device frameworks due to an integral structure thereof. The display device includes: a rear frame (20) configured to support at least a display panel (21); and a front frame (10) configured to support at least an out-cell panel (11), wherein, the front frame (10) and the rear frame (20) are flexibly connected so as to be movable with respective to each other along a first direction (101), wherein the first direction is perpendicular to a display panel (21) upon the display panel (21) being supported. The display device includes at least the display device framework.
US09958713B2 Array substrate and display device
An array substrate and a display device are disclosed. A coating layer (8) is disposed between a base substrate (1) and a first transparent conductive oxide film layer (2), a refractive index of the coating layer (8) is bigger than that of the base substrate (1) and smaller than that of the first transparent conductive oxide film layer (2). A multi-layer reflection phenomenon caused by the relatively big difference between the refractive indexes of the base substrate 1 and the first transparent conductive oxide film layer 2 can be weakened, thereby the light transmission rate of the array substrate may be improved.
US09958712B2 Liquid crystal variable drive voltage
A voltage may be provided to a liquid crystal addressable element as part of a liquid crystal device. The provided voltage may be reduced from a driven state to a relaxed state in a time period greater than 1 μs. The reduction may further be performed in less than 20 ms. The liquid crystal device may be a polarization switch, which in some embodiments may be a multi-segment polarization switch. In one embodiment, pulses of limited duration of a light source may be provided to the polarization switch. The manner of voltage reduction may reduce optical bounce of the liquid crystal device and may allow one or more of the pulses of the light source to be shifted later in time.
US09958710B1 Multi-channel laser system including an acousto-optic modulator (AOM) and related methods
A method may include generating a laser light beam with a laser source, splitting the laser light beam into a first front side beam and a back side beam for a back side of an ion trap using a first beamsplitter, directing the front side beam to a second beamsplitter using an input telescope, and splitting the first front side beam into a plurality of second front side beams directed to a common acousto-optic medium using a second beamsplitter. The common acousto-optic medium may have a respective plurality of electrodes coupled to the common acousto-optic medium for each of the second front side beams. The method may further include directing the plurality of second front side beams to a front side of the ion trap using an output telescope, and generating a respective RF drive signal for each of the plurality of electrodes using a plurality of RF drivers.