| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09974220B2 |
Method for fitting printed circuit boards with components
A fitting system includes a plurality of fitting lines for fitting printed circuit boards with electronic components. A method for allocating printed circuit boards to the fitting lines includes determining requirements for fitting each of a plurality of printed circuit boards with components with which the plurality of printed circuit boards are to be fitted, determining an amount of printed circuit boards of which the component variances exceed a predetermined value, each component variance representing the number of different components with which a printed circuit board is to be fitted, and allocating the printed circuit boards to the fitting lines under the predetermined conditions via integral linear programming, such that the printed circuit boards of the amount are distributed as uniformly as possible over the fitting lines. |
| US09974218B2 |
Component supply device and component mounting device
A component supply device loaded with a component supply tape for exposing and supplying an electronic component from the component supply tape with respect to a component mounting device mounting the electronic component on a substrate includes a replenishing unit performing replenishment of a new component supply tape when a preceding component supply tape is exhausted and a sensor senses exhaustion of the preceding component supply tape while a confluent portion where a channel for the preceding component supply tape and a channel for the new component supply tape join with each other is formed between the sensor and the replenishing unit. A buckling prevention mechanism moves in response to an operation of the preceding component supply tape or the new component supply tape for preventing buckling when the new component supply tape is transported to the component supply device by the replenishing unit is arranged on the confluent portion. |
| US09974215B1 |
Electronic component package for electromagnetic interference shielding and method for manufacturing the same
Provided is an electronic component package for electromagnetic interference shielding. The electronic component package for electromagnetic interference shielding according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a substrate where electronic components are mounted, a molding member formed on the substrate and the electronic components, a magnetic layer formed on the molding member, and a conductive layer formed on the magnetic layer. Electromagnetic waves generated from the electronic components embeded in the molding member are absorbed in the magnetic layer to thus prevent or reduce harmful influence on other electronic components mounted in adjacent places. In addition, harmful electromagnetic waves generated from the outside may be shielded due to the conductive layer formed on the magnetic layer, thereby protecting electronic components embeded in the molding member from being influenced by the electromagnetic waves. |
| US09974214B2 |
Cooled power conversion assembly
A cooled power conversion assembly comprising a first chamber, a second chamber at least partially separated from the first chamber, at least one first type device located in the first chamber, at least one second type device located in the second chamber, and cooling means comprising a first cooling element and a second cooling element. The first cooling element is adapted to transfer heat out of the first chamber, and the second cooling element is adapted to transfer heat out of the second chamber. The first cooling element is in direct contact with the at least one first type device, and the second cooling element is in a heat transfer connection with the at least one second type device through a gaseous cooling medium. |
| US09974208B2 |
Pool boiling system
Pool boiling systems, cooling systems configured to cool one or more heat generating portions of a vehicle, and methods of maintaining a functional orientation of a pool boiling unit are disclosed. A pool boiling system may include the pool boiling unit and a stabilizing unit coupled to the pool boiling unit. The stabilizing unit maintains the pool boiling unit in a functional orientation across a plurality of operating orientations of the pool boiling system. |
| US09974207B2 |
Electronic apparatus
Disclosed herein is an electronic apparatus including a component disposed inside the electronic apparatus, a vent that is located in a first direction with respect to the component disposed inside the electronic apparatus and is opened toward the external of the electronic apparatus, a plurality of first louvers that are provided in the vent and are lined in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction when the vent is viewed along the first direction, and a plurality of second louvers that are located between the component disposed inside the electronic apparatus and the plurality of first louvers and are lined in the second direction when the vent is viewed along the first direction. A straight line that passes between adjacent two first louvers and is along the first direction intersects any of the plurality of second louvers. |
| US09974200B2 |
Adjustable swinging bracket
A universal cable bracket that enables one or more cables to be secured to a telecommunications chassis accommodates cables of various sizes and styles. The cable bracket is configured to be mounted in one of multiple orientations relative to the chassis. One or more fasteners can be inserted through apertures in the bracket and a chassis mounting surface to secure the bracket into the desired orientation. Cables or fanout arrangements can be secured to a platform of the bracket via cable ties or other windings. |
| US09974199B2 |
Electronic device having a display and method for manufacture
A method of making a device housing involves providing a transparent lens with a front surface and a rear surface, and a stepped flange along at least a portion of the lens perimeter. The method includes injecting plastic onto the transparent lens perimeter, including the stepped flange, the plastic forming a plastic feature that has a front surface that is tangent to the front surface of the transparent lens, a rear surface that is tangent to the rear surface of the transparent lens, and that extends outward from the sides of the transparent lens away from a device width center line. The plastic feature is molded to the rear surface of the transparent lens at at least one of two ends of the device housing, and the plastic encapsulates a stepped middle surface of the transparent lens flange. A device housing that is made by this method is also included. |
| US09974194B2 |
Electronic circuit board unit, electronic module and rear view device for a vehicle
An electronic circuit board unit for an electronic module installed in a vehicle rear view device. The electronic circuit board unit has a base plate, at least one printed circuit board, and at least one plug connection for an electronic and physical connection between the printed circuit board and the base plate. The electronic circuit board has at least one first receiver for mounting an electronic consumer unit of the electronic module and being attachable or attached to the base plate or to one of the at least one printed circuit board. There is at least one second connector attachable or attached to the base plate or to the at least one printed circuit board for connecting at least one further electronic consumer unit of the electronic module to the driver circuit of the base plate. This configuration provides either n printed circuit boards and n+1 of electronic consumer units, with n being an integer number of 1 and above, or a plurality of printed circuit boards is provided, with each circuit board comprising at least one first receiver and at least one second connector. |
| US09974191B2 |
Method of manufacturing semiconductor device, substrate processing apparatus and recording medium
Manufacturing quality of a semiconductor device can be improved, and manufacturing throughput can be improved. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes (a) placing a substrate on a substrate supporting unit installed in a processing chamber, the substrate having thereon a solder with an oxygen-containing film on a surface thereof, (b) reducing the oxygen-containing film by supplying a reducing gas into the processing chamber while maintaining a thermal conductivity of an inner atmosphere of the processing chamber at a first thermal conductivity, and (c) melting the solder by supplying a thermally conductive gas into the processing chamber while maintaining the thermal conductivity of the inner atmosphere of the processing chamber at a second thermal conductivity higher than the first thermal conductivity. |
| US09974186B2 |
Method of manufacturing printed circuit board with embedded electronic components positioned by using solder paste
A method of manufacturing a printed circuit board with embedded electronic components fixed by a solder paste includes: providing a carrier board with a copper foil layer on the carrier board, an insulating layer on the copper foil layer, and an opening on the insulating layer by laser; putting a solder paste into the opening to form a solder paste layer; performing a high-temperature reflow process of the electronic components on the solder paste layer until the solder paste layer is molten; curing the solder paste layer after cooling to fix the components to the center position of the opening; placing the copper foil layer below the electronic components and removing the solder paste layer; and performing copper plating and electroplating processes in an electroplating space to form a plating copper. The cohesion of the molten solder paste pulls the electronic components towards the center to eliminate position offset produced when the electronic components are installed. |
| US09974178B2 |
Multipolar lead parts and board coupling device
Multipolar lead parts having plural leads and a retaining member, wherein the retaining member includes a cylindrical portion so as to cover peripheries of the leads, the cylindrical portion facing in a board direction; wherein the leads each include an upper-side board coupling portion and a lower-side board coupling portion; wherein the lower-side board coupling portion comprises a forward protruding portion that the other end side of each of the leads is bent in a direction orthogonal to an arrangement face of the leads, a vertical portion extending downward from a front end, a solder coupling portion extending backward from a lower end, and a rising portion extending upward from the solder coupling portion; and wherein said rising portion is formed as to have an obtuse angle from said solder coupling portion regardless of a bending angle of said vertical portion with respect to said solder coupling portion. |
| US09974176B2 |
Mass storage integration over central processing unit interfaces
An apparatus includes a motherboard, a storage module, a first socket arranged on the motherboard, a second socket also arranged on the motherboard, and an interface. A processor is arranged within the first socket and a storage module is arranged within the second socket. The interface is configured to provide intercommunication between the processor and the storage module. The storage module contains a plurality of nonvolatile memory cards. |
| US09974170B1 |
Conductive strands for fabric-based items
Strands of material may be intertwined using weaving techniques, knitting techniques, non-woven or entanglement techniques, or braiding techniques. Fabric that is formed from the strands of material may be used in forming a fabric-based item. The fabric based item may include electrical components. The strands may include conductive strands that form signal paths. The signal paths can carry electrical signals associated with operation of the electrical components. Each strand may have an elongated core and a coating. Strands may also include intermediate layers between the cores and coatings. The cores, intermediate layers, and coatings may be formed from polymer without conductive filler, polymer with conductive filler, and/or metal. A polymer core may be provided with recesses to help retain subsequently deposited layers such as a metal coating layer. The recesses may be grooves that extend along the longitudinal axis of the core. |
| US09974166B2 |
Circuit board and manufacturing method thereof
A circuit board including a substrate, a patterned circuit layer and a photo-imaginable dielectric layer is provided. The substrate has a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other. The patterned circuit layer is disposed on the first surface, and a line width of the patterned circuit layer gradually reduces from the first surface towards the second surface. The photo-imaginable dielectric layer is disposed in the substrate corresponding to the patterned circuit layer. In addition, a manufacturing method of the circuit board is also proposed. |
| US09974165B2 |
Electronic component-embedded module and communication terminal device
To prevent decrease of the bonding strength of an electronic component and a multilayer substrate, an electronic component-embedded module may include an electronic component having a plurality of pads and a multilayer substrate which includes a plurality of resin layers and a cavity for containing the electronic component. The multilayer substrate may include a first resin layer having a plurality of first pattern conductors and a space, and a second resin layer having a second pattern conductor and a plurality of third pattern conductors. The plurality of third pattern conductors may be in conduction with either of the first pattern conductors or the pads, with the second resin layer being placed over the first resin layer. The second pattern conductor may be arranged around a first pad with a gap, and the second resin layer is present between the second pattern conductor and at least one of the first pads. |
| US09974164B2 |
Structure for flexible printed circuit boards
A flexible printed circuit board installed on a substrate in a display device is provided. |
| US09974161B2 |
Sideband conductor resonance mitigation
An apparatus comprising includes a first pair of conductors to carry differential signals, at least one ground conductor neighboring the first pair of conductors, the ground conductor to be connected to a ground plane, and at least one particular conductor to carry sideband signals. The particular conductor is to be connected to a ground plane via a resonance mitigation circuit, and the resonance mitigation circuit comprises a resistor. |
| US09974155B2 |
Variable-pulse-shape pulsed-power accelerator
A variable-pulse-shape pulsed-power accelerator is driven by a large number of independent LC drive circuits. Each LC circuit drives one or more coaxial transmission lines that deliver the circuit's output power to several water-insulated radial transmission lines that are connected in parallel at small radius by a water-insulated post-hole convolute. The accelerator can be impedance matched throughout. The coaxial transmission lines are sufficiently long to transit-time isolate the LC drive circuits from the water-insulated transmission lines, which allows each LC drive circuit to be operated without being affected by the other circuits. This enables the creation of any power pulse that can be mathematically described as a time-shifted linear combination of the pulses of the individual LC drive circuits. Therefore, the output power of the convolute can provide a variable pulse shape to a load that can be used for magnetically driven, quasi-isentropic compression experiments and other applications. |
| US09974152B2 |
Power efficient line synchronized dimmer
There is set forth herein a dimmer circuit for controlling delivery of input line voltage to a load. The dimmer circuit can include a switch coupling an input line voltage terminal to a load terminal. The dimmer circuit can be operative to provide one or more switch firing control scheme for latching the switch. |
| US09974149B2 |
Multifunction light controller equipped with localized control
An apparatus and method allow end users to interactively create complex lighting patterns by remote control. Applications include decorative lighting, landscape lighting, signage, or advertising platforms. A lighting control system is equipped with sensors that receive remote control signals from a variety of different sources, and route the control signals to modulate receptacles coupled to different lighting circuits, thereby independently controlling multiple light arrays to achieve separate light patterns, or to coordinate different lighting effects. The control signals independently energize localized groups of lamps to provide enhanced lighting effects, while using significantly less wire material. Interactive remote control is provided via a mobile computing device such as a smart phone running a customized program. In one embodiment, the remote control device communicates selections to a Bluetooth®-equipped speaker to produce sound-controlled lighting effects. |
| US09974148B2 |
Lighting control system for routing of messages between a number of lighting nodes forming a wireless multi-node network and method therefor
The invention relates to a lighting control system for routing of messages between a number of lighting nodes forming a wireless multi-node network and method therefor. The lighting control system comprising a number of lighting nodes forming a wireless multi-node network, each lighting node comprising a light source; a controller connected to the light source; and a wireless communication means connected to the controller for communication with other lighting nodes in the network, wherein the system is arranged to select for each first lighting node at least one second lighting node to which the wireless communication means of said first lighting node is to establish a routing connection on the basis of information about the geographical position of said first lighting node and the geographical position of said second lighting node. |
| US09974144B2 |
Method for detecting environmental illumination and a fixture built-in motion sensor thereof
A method for detecting environmental illumination and a fixture built-in motion sensor thereof, comprising: obtaining the environmental lux level on visible light band through a visible light detection module and the environmental lux level on invisible light band through an invisible light detection module; the lamp is turned on when said environmental lux level of visible light is lower than the preset lux level; obtaining the mixed lux level of the lamplight and the natural light on visible light band and obtaining the mixed lux level of the lamplight and the natural light on invisible light band; calculating the turn-off threshold value for turning off the lamp through the environmental lux level and the mixed lux level. The illumination of natural spectrum is detected accurately without being interfered by the illumination of the artificial spectrum emitted by the lamp itself, thus the lamp can be controlled accurately and stably. |
| US09974143B2 |
Light sensor assembly having wireless data transfer
A light sensor assembly includes a photocontrol receptacle connector configured to be mounted to a housing, such as of a light fixture. The receptacle connector has a mating interface for mating with a photocontrol sensor connector. The receptacle connector holds contacts at the mating interface for electrical connection with corresponding contacts of the photocontrol sensor connector for controlling the light fixture. The contacts are configured to be electrically connected to power wires of the light fixture. The receptacle connector includes a receptacle connector communication device for wireless communication with the photocontrol sensor connector. |
| US09974142B2 |
System and method for dynamic load sharing between electronic displays
An electronic display assembly which allocates power to a plurality of displays without exceeding a maximum current level for the circuit is disclosed. An exemplary system preferably includes an AC current sensor, a power load sharing controller, ambient light sensors for each display, and a brightness controller for each display. A maximum total current draw may be selected. The ambient light contacting each display may be measured and a corresponding desired brightness calculated. Depending on the present amount of current draw, the system determines if the displays can be driven at the desired brightness without exceeding the maximum total current draw. If yes, the displays are driven at their desired brightness. If no, the desired brightness for each display may be slightly reduced to prevent exceeding the maximum total current draw. Thus, as the ambient light varies between the displays, the available power may be shared. |
| US09974140B2 |
Light-emitting device and luminaire
A light-emitting device includes: a first light-emitting element array including one of a single first light-emitting element or a plurality of first light-emitting elements connected in series, and having a first emission color; a second light-emitting element array including one of a single second light-emitting element or a plurality of second light-emitting elements connected in series, and having a second emission color different from the first emission color, the second light-emitting element array being connected to the first light-emitting element array in parallel; and a third light-emitting element array including one of a single third light-emitting element or a plurality of third light-emitting elements connected in series, and having a third emission color different from the first emission color and the second emission color, the third light-emitting element array being connected to the first light-emitting element array and the second light-emitting element array in series. |
| US09974139B2 |
Solid-state auxiliary lamp
A solid-state auxiliary lamp includes a lamp head having a plurality of LED modules; a thermoelectric cooler coupled to the LED modules; and a drive unit. The drive unit can include a plurality of current sources, each of the current sources coupled to a corresponding LED module; and a processor coupled to the current sources and configured to control each current source to control the light output of each current source's corresponding LED module. |
| US09974132B2 |
Circuits, controllers and methods for controlling LED strings or circuits
Disclosed is a controller for controlling a string of N LEDs connected in series and each having a current bypass switch in parallel therewith and configured to be supplied from a current source connected in series with the string of LEDs and being supplied by a supply voltage, the controller comprising: a respective bypass switch controller for each bypass switch and configured to control the respective bypass switch such that the respective LED has an on-period and an off-period, according to a common duty cycle; a phase control unit configured to set a respective timing of each of the bypass switches such that the fraction of LEDs not bypassed corresponds to the duty cycle; and a duty cycle adjustor configured to adjust the duty cycle, in dependence on the supply voltage. Associated methods and circuits are also disclosed. |
| US09974130B2 |
Driving several light sources
A device for driving several light sources is suggested comprising a shift register comprising at least two cells, wherein an output of each cell controls one of the several light sources; wherein the at least two cells are connected in series and are driven by a clock signal; wherein each cell of the shift register comprises a flip-flop and a register; wherein the output of the flip-flop is connected with the input of the register; wherein the register is arranged to store the output of the register based on an update signal and wherein the output of the register controls one of the light sources; wherein the flip-flops of the at least two cells are filled with a data signal based on the clock signal; and wherein after a predetermined number of cycles of the clock signal the update signal is conveyed to the registers driving the light sources according to the values stored in the flip-flops of the cells. |
| US09974129B1 |
Circuit and method for LED current regulation and ripple control
A current source generates an output current having a nominal DC magnitude between a current output node and a reference node. The output current varies with respect to the nominal DC magnitude by a time-varying magnitude. An LED load and a sensing resistor are connected in series between the current output node and the reference node to receive at least a first portion of the output current as a load current. The load current flows through the sensing resistor and generates a sensed voltage proportional to the load current. A current regulator connected between the current output node and the reference node receives a second portion of the output current as a shunt current. The current regulator also receives the sensed voltage, and selectively increases or decreases the shunt current to reduce the effect of the time varying magnitude of the output current on the load current. |
| US09974126B2 |
Control system of an electrical load
A control system for an electrical load, which control system is intended to receive a voltage supplied by a mains electricity supply and includes a control switch, which is designed to take an open state or a closed state, a signalling indicator connected in parallel with the switch and designed to take two different states that are each linked to the open state or the closed state of the switch, a control device connected to the signalling indicator and designed to limit a voltage on the terminals of the electrical load below a threshold value when the switch is in the open state. |
| US09974124B2 |
LED controllers for dimming at least one LED string
Disclosed are LED controllers for dimming. An LED controller includes a current driver, a pulse-width modulator, a feedback circuit, and a decoupling circuit. The current driver, selectively in response to a dimming signal, causes a driving current flowing through one LED string. The dimming signal is capable of defining a dimming ON period and a dimming OFF period. The pulse-width modulator generates a PWM signal to control a power switch, in order to buildup a driving voltage at a power node of the LED string. The PWM signal is generated in response to a compensation signal. The feedback circuit, based upon a feedback voltage from the light emitting device, drives a compensation capacitor to generate the compensation signal. The decoupling circuit defines a decoupling period at the start of the dimming ON period and causes the feedback circuit not driving the capacitor during the decoupling period. |
| US09974123B2 |
Power supply system and method and circuit using the same
A power supply system uses a DC-DC power converter (28) for supplying an output load. A compensation circuit (40) is connected between the input to the DC-DC converter and the output of the DC-DC converter and it provides a compensating path in response to a voltage drop at the output of the DC-DC converter caused by a surge in the output load. The power supply system further comprises a low drop out regulator (30) as the output load, which low drop out regulator (30) having an input connected to the DC-DC power converter and the compensation circuit, and an output connected to an output terminal (C) for connection to a further output load. This enables the DC-DC power converter to have a low current capability, because a large current demand can be met by the DC supply to the DC-DC converter. |
| US09974121B2 |
Radio frequency heating apparatus
A radio frequency heating apparatus includes a printed circuit board on which power-supply noise filter circuit (20) that reduces power-supply noise generated by magnetron (15) and power-supply synchronization detecting circuit (21) that is connected across both terminals of power supply for detecting information on power-supply frequency are mounted. Power-supply synchronization detecting circuit (21) is used as a discharge path for charge accumulated at both ends of capacitor (3) configuring power-supply noise filter circuit (20). This achieves the radio frequency heating apparatus that eliminates the risk of electric shock, reduces power consumption, and reduces the number of components. |
| US09974113B2 |
Systems and methods providing improved success rate for RRC connection reestablishments
Systems and methods that provide improved success rates for connection reestablishments in a cellular communications system are disclosed. Embodiments of a radio access node in a cellular communications system enabling connection reestablishment for a wireless device to a target cell controlled by the radio access node are disclosed. In some embodiments, the radio access node is operative to: (a) perform a wireless device context fetch for a context for the wireless device from two or more candidate source cells of the wireless device in response to a connection reestablishment request from the wireless device and (b) receive a wireless device context from at least one of the two or more candidate source cells of the wireless device in response to performing the wireless device context fetch. By performing multiple context fetches, the radio access node mitigates the problem of physical cell identifier ambiguity. |
| US09974110B2 |
Controlling a packet flow from a user equipment
A method and User Equipment (UE) for limiting excessive packet flow from the UE to a communication network. The UE receives from the network, an instruction to activate a logic parameter for controlling the packet flow from the UE to the network. In response to receiving the instruction, the UE requests configuration of a network connection for transmitting packets to the network according to the logic parameter. The UE then requests deactivation of all other network connections upon successful configuration of the network connection for transmitting packets to the network according to the logic parameter. |
| US09974098B2 |
Method and apparatus for space division multiple access for wireless local area network system
A space division multiple access (SDMA) method is provided. The method may be performed by a station (STA), in a wireless local area network (WLAN) system. The method includes overhearing a third transmission response message transmitted by an access point (AP), and determining whether to access a channel on the basis of criteria information included in the third transmission response message. |
| US09974095B2 |
HEW station and method for UL MU-MIMO HEW with improved receiver performance
Embodiments of a high-efficiency WLAN (HEW) master station and method for communicating in a Wireless Network are generally described herein. In some embodiments, the HEW master station comprises a receiver configured to receive an uplink multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (MU-MIMO) transmission from a plurality of scheduled HEW stations. The uplink MU-MIMO transmission may comprise at least an HEW short-training field (STF) (HEW-STF) transmitted by each of the scheduled HEW stations. The HEW-STFs received from the HEW stations are distinguishable. The master station may process the HEW-STFs received from the scheduled HEW stations to set receiver gain for reception of UL-MIMO data from the scheduled HEW stations. In some embodiments, a single automatic gain control (AGC) setting may be determined from the combined HEW-STF resulting in improved receiver performance in UL MU-MIMO. |
| US09974093B2 |
Slotted sub-band duplex frame structure design in a wideband time-division duplex system
A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided. The method includes scheduling at a scheduling entity, a first frame for transmission over a wireless network that supports time division duplexing (TDD), where the first frame includes a first duplex symbol that includes a first bandwidth to be used for uplink transmission to the scheduling entity and a second bandwidth to be used for downlink transmission from the scheduling entity, and using the second bandwidth to transmit scheduling information while the first frame is being transmitted. The scheduling information may be related to a second frame that is scheduled to be transmitted immediately after the first frame. The scheduling information includes an uplink grant or a downlink grant. |
| US09974090B2 |
EPC enhancements for proximity services
Systems, methods, and instrumentalities are disclosed to describe reporting and/or reacting to a mobility event. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) may comprise a processor configured, at least in part, to establish a proximity service (ProSe) session with a second WTRU, detect the occurrence of a mobility event in a cellular network while the ProSe session is ongoing, determine a type of action to be performed with respect to the ProSe session based on one or more of the type of mobility event and type of ProSe session, and transmit a notification to a node in the cellular network, wherein the notification includes an indication of an action to be performed on the ProSe session. The node may be one of an evolved Node B (eNB), proximity server, or mobility management entity (MME). The node may be the second WTRU. |
| US09974084B2 |
Network nodes, a user equipment and methods therein for handling cellular and D2D communications in a wireless communications network
A method performed by a network node (110) for assisting cellular communications and Device-to-Device, D2D, communications of a first set of user equipments (123, 124, 125, 143 144) served by at least one neighboring network node (111, 112) in a wireless telecommunications network (100) is provided. The network node (110) determines a load on at least one Physical Radio Resource, PRR, which PRR is assigned to a second set of user equipments (121, 122, 141, 142) served by the network node (110) for cellular and/or D2D communications. The network node (101, 102) then transmits an indication of the load to the at least one neighboring network node (111, 112), wherein the load indication further indicates that the load on the at least one PRR is caused by cellular and/or D2D communications of the second set of user equipments (121, 122, 141, 142) served by the network node (110). A network node (103) for handling cellular communications and D2D communications, user equipments (121, 122, 141, 142) and methods performed therein are also provided. |
| US09974083B2 |
Network sharing
A wireless communication system includes one or more base stations able to divide resources between multiple network operators sharing the base station. A shared base station is configured to monitor a contribution to the load on the base station associated with network operators sharing the base station resources and to provide the determined contribution to the load to one or more other base stations for use in load balancing between the base stations. |
| US09974081B2 |
Method of power allocation and base station using the same
The disclosure proposes a method of power allocation and a base station using the method. The method is applicable to a base station for transmitting information signals to at least two user equipments in a non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) system. The method includes: setting a first transmit power of a first user equipment to be smaller than a second transmit power of a second user equipment, where a channel gain of the first user equipment is larger than that of the second user equipment; calculating a first system capacity of the first user equipment according to the first transmit power, and calculating a second system capacity of the second user equipment according to the second transmit power; summing the first system capacity and the second system capacity to obtain a sum capacity; and calculating the first transmit power and the second transmit power based on maximizing the sum capacity. |
| US09974080B2 |
Terminal configurable for use within an unknown regulatory domain
A terminal for use within an unknown regulatory domain, and a computer program product and method for configuring the terminal, are provided. The terminal can comprise first program instructions to actively scan one or more domain independent channels in a frequency band, second program instructions to configure the terminal for use in the unknown regulatory domain in response to the terminal receiving regulatory domain information as a result of actively scanning one or more of the domain independent channels, third program instructions to passively scan one or more domain dependent channels in the frequency band in response to the terminal not receiving the regulatory domain information as a result of actively scanning one or more of the domain independent channels, and fourth program instructions to configure the terminal for use in the unknown regulatory domain in response to passively scanning one or more domain dependent channels in the frequency band. |
| US09974079B1 |
Frequency selection for broadband transmissions among a shared spectrum
Various communication systems may benefit from improved radio frequency transmissions. For example, communication systems may benefit from the selection of a frequency band based on measurements of a spectrum surrounding the user equipment. A method, in certain embodiments, may include taking measurements by a base station of a spectrum of an environment surrounding a user equipment. The method may also include determining based on the measurements and radio frequency capabilities of the base station at least one desired frequency for transmission by the user equipment. In addition, the method may include sending a request from the base station to a network entity requesting a grant of the at least one desired frequency for transmission by the user equipment. |
| US09974077B2 |
System and method for communicating resource allocation for D2D
When the frequency resource allocation is conveyed on a bandwidth that is different from a bandwidth on which the frequency resource allocation is sent, a receiving D2D UE needs to understand the resource allocations. A resource allocation method for device-to-device resource allocation is provided according to an example. The resource allocation method includes a first D2D user equipment (UE) receiving a downlink control information (DCI) from an access point, wherein the DCI comprises a first D2D frequency allocation and the first D2D frequency allocation comprises a first resource allocation field for transmission of data; setting a second resource allocation field of a second D2D frequency allocation of a sidelink control information (SCI) format according to the first resource allocation field; transmitting the SCI format to one or more additional D2D UEs; and transmitting the data on the resource according to the second D2D resource allocation. |
| US09974072B2 |
Wireless base station device using coordinated HARQ communication system, wireless terminal device, wireless communication system, and wireless communication method
A first base station and a second base station perform a coordinated transmission process to a wireless terminal. The first base station includes a transmission unit that transmits to the wireless terminal a first control channel which indicates new data or retransmission data. The wireless terminal includes: a control channel reception unit; a data reception unit for receiving data from the first base station and data coordinately transmitted from the second base station using a resource which is indicated by the first control channel; a control channel transmission unit that transmits a second control channel related to a retransmission of the data received by the data reception unit to at least the first base station; and a reception control unit that controls Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (HARQ) process for data coordinately transmitted by at least the first base station and the second base station based on the first control channel. |
| US09974067B2 |
Aperiodic transmission method and apparatus for sounding reference signal in wireless communication system
A method for transmitting, by a user equipment (UE), an aperiodic sounding reference signal (SRS) in a wireless communication system, the method including receiving, via a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), downlink control information (DCI) for downlink scheduling. The DCI includes an SRS request for triggering transmission of the aperiodic SRS. The method further includes detecting the SRS request; and transmitting the aperiodic SRS on an uplink (UL) component carrier (CC), which is linked to a downlink (DL) CC in which a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) is scheduled by the DCI, among a plurality of UL CCs. If a carrier indicator field (CIF) is configured, the UL CC is indicated by the CIF. |
| US09974057B2 |
Method for transmitting HARQ ACK/NACK from user equipment simultaneously accessing multiple cells
One disclosure of the present specification provides a user equipment method. The method comprises the steps of: receiving a time division duplex (TDD) uplink (UL)-downlink (DL) configuration from a frequency division duplex (FDD)-based primary cell; receiving downlink data from at least one secondary cell; determining an uplink subframe of the primary cell to transmit a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) acknowledgement (ACK)/negative-acknowledgement (NACK) for the received downlink data, which is transmitted from the at least one secondary cell, according to the TDD UL-DL configuration; and transmitting the HARQ ACK/NACK from the determined uplink subframe to the primary cell. |
| US09974053B2 |
Method and apparatus for allocating wireless resources according to resource allocation setting in WLAN
Disclosed are a method and an apparatus for allocating wireless resource according to a resource allocation setting in a WLAN. The method for allocating wireless resources according to the resource allocation setting, in a WLAN, may comprise the steps of: an AP transmitting, to a plurality of STAs, resource allocation setting information; the AP allocating, to each of the plurality of STAs, each of the plurality of wireless resources in first resource units or second resource units, based on the resource allocation setting information; the AP transmitting to each of the plurality of STAs, through each of the plurality of wireless resources, each of a plurality of items of downlink data; and the AP receiving, from each of the plurality of STAs, channel feedback information for each of the plurality of wireless resources. |
| US09974050B2 |
Transmitter IC for single-channel Bluetooth beacon
Methods and systems described herein relate to broadcasting an advertisement event on a wireless channel. An example method includes generating, based on data, a data signal including one or more data packets, where each of the one or more data packets is a non-connectable and non-scannable data packet; generating an RF signal using an oscillator circuit; directly modulating the RF signal, based on the data signal, to generate a modulated RF signal; amplifying the modulated RF signal; broadcasting the amplified modulated RF signal on the wireless channel, where the amplified modulated RF signal is associated with the advertisement event. |
| US09974044B2 |
Location-assisted service capability monitoring
A digitally stored map can indicate the signal quality for each of the map's regions. A device can determine its location, speed, and direction using global positioning system (GPS) and other sensors. Based on this information, the mobile device can predict a field of locations within which the device will probably be located within a specified future time frame. Based on both the information indicating signal quality and the probable future field of locations, the device can estimate a moment at which the device will probably begin to suffer from low-quality or absent signal. Using this prediction, the device can proactively perform a variety of anticipatory remedial actions. For example, the device can begin allocating a greater portion of currently available wireless network communication bandwidth to the reception of data packets that represent content that is being streamed to the device, so that the device can proactively buffer those packets. |
| US09974039B2 |
User equipment and method for measurement of side-link reference signal received power (S-RSRP)
Embodiments of a User Equipment (UE) and methods for determination of a side-link reference signal received power (S-RSRP) are disclosed herein. The UE may receive a signal from a second UE as part of a device-to-device (D2D) communication. The UE may determine a resource element (RE) block size to be used for a determination of the S-RSRP. The RE block size may be based on a delay spread of a channel between the UE and the second UE. The UE may determine the S-RSRP based on multiple summations, sizes of which may be based on the determined RE block size. |
| US09974038B2 |
Circuits and operating methods thereof for correcting phase errors caused by gallium nitride devices
Circuits and operating methods thereof for correcting phase errors introduced by amplifiers employing gallium nitride (GaN) transistors are described. The phase errors are caused by trapping effects exhibited by the GaN transistors. The circuits described herein pre-distort the phase of the input signal to compensate for the phase error introduced by the amplifier. Thereby, the phase of the output signal of the amplifier has a reduced phase error. For example, the output signal may have a near zero (or zero) phase error. |
| US09974035B2 |
Synchronization between low energy end point devices and parent devices in a time slotted channel hopping network
Systems and methods are disclosed for synchronizing communications between a parent device operating on a time-slotted channel hopping (TSCH) protocol and a low-energy network device operating on a low-energy channel hopping protocol. The parent device sub-divides TSCH timeslots and communicates with adjacent TSCH devices during a primary portion of the timeslot and listens for communications from a connected low-energy device during the secondary portion of the timeslot. Upon receiving a synchronization request from a low-energy device, the TSCH device transmits a synchronization response comprising synchronization data. The synchronization data allows the low-energy device to synchronize communications with the TSCH network by synchronizing with the channel hopping pattern of the TSCH protocol. |
| US09974032B2 |
System and method for power control command for device-to-device transmissions
A transmit power control rule for device-to-device (D2D) transmissions may not be necessary during periods in which no uplink transmissions are scheduled to be received by an enhanced Node B base station (eNB). When uplink transmissions are not scheduled to be received by the eNB, the eNB may send a transmit power control (TPC) command to a D2D capable user equipment (D2D UE) that instructs the D2D UE to perform a D2D transmission at a pre-defined transmit power level (e.g., maximum transmit power level). When uplink transmissions are scheduled to be received the eNB, the eNB may send a TPC command to the D2D UE that instructs the D2D UE to perform a D2D transmission at a transmit power level defined by a power control rule. |
| US09974026B2 |
Terminal control method and terminal
The present invention provides a terminal control method and a terminal, and relates to the field of electronic devices. The method includes when a magnetic field sensed by a Hall device of a terminal in a standby state is less than or equal to a first preset threshold, activating a sensor of the terminal, where the Hall device is configured to sense a magnetic field generated by a magnet in a protective case of the terminal. The method also includes obtaining, by using detection data of the sensor, whether the terminal is obstructed, and maintaining the standby state of the terminal when it is obtained that the terminal is obstructed. The method and the terminal provided in the present invention are applied to the terminal. |
| US09974025B2 |
Channel-sensitive power control
A communication receiver which applies signal processing for quantitatively estimating receive signal factors such as communication channel quality, signal characteristics, and overall system received bit error rate (BER) or packet error rate (PER) and which applies a general algorithm for mapping these estimated factors to control receiver performance and minimize power consumption. |
| US09974021B2 |
Method for reducing battery power consumption of user equipment (UE) during manual CSG selection
A method for connecting to a Registered Public Land Mobile Network (RPLMN) after receiving an accept message with limited service from a user selected CSG cell, which is associated to a different PLMN than the RPLMN during manual CSG selection mode is disclosed. The method includes connecting to the RPLMN based on the availability of the user selected CSG cell in UTRAN. If the user selected CSG cell is not available in UTRAN, then the method includes connecting to the RPLMN by the UE using the stored duplicate value of the RPLMN. If the user selected CSG cell is available in UTRAN, then the method includes sending an ATTACH request to the user selected CSG cell without disabling the EUTRA capabilities. If the ATTACH request is failed, then the method includes connecting to the RPLMN using the stored duplicate value of the RPLMN. |
| US09974014B2 |
System and method for maintaining synchronization with low power endpoints in a time synchronized channel hopping network
Systems and methods are provided for maintaining a low power endpoint (LPE) synchronized on a time synchronized channel hopping network (TSCH). An LPE receives a guaranteed time slot (GTS) from a parent node. The LPE determines a wake-up time that coincides with or is prior to the GTS. The LPE enters a low power mode to conserve power until the wake-up time occurs. At that time, the LPE enters a regular power mode and may communicate with the parent node. |
| US09974013B2 |
Multidimensional algorithm for roaming
Methods and devices are described for wireless communications associated with a multidimensional algorithm for roaming. In one aspect, an access point (or like device) transmits a beacon signal. The access point receives, from a station in receipt of the beacon signal, a probe signal including at least one metric. The access point transmits a response signal based at least in part on the received probe signal, the response signal including information associated with the at least one metric. |
| US09974011B2 |
Network access method and mobile communications terminal
Disclosed are a network access method and a mobile communications terminal, said method comprising the following steps: obtaining the geographical location information of a mobile communications terminal; if the geographical location information of said mobile communications terminal is not the home geographical location information of the mobile communications terminal, then selecting, according to the geographical location information of said mobile communications terminal, a visited public land mobile network matching said geographical location information; adding said visited public land mobile network to an equivalent public land mobile network list; searching for a network according to the appended equivalent public land mobile network list, and if the visited public land mobile network is found, then executing a network registration operation for said mobile communications terminal. |
| US09974005B2 |
Method and apparatus for acquiring service area information in wireless communication system
A method for communicating between a user equipment (UE) and a network in a wireless communication system, the method includes receiving, by the UE, a first multimedia broadcast multimedia service (MBMS) service from a first cell on a first frequency while the UE is in an idle mode; receiving, by the UE, a first system information block (SIB) from the first cell on the first frequency, the first SIB including information on an MBMS service area (SA) provided at a second frequency; receiving, by the UE, a second SIB from a second cell on the second frequency, the second SIB including information on a multimedia broadcast multicast single frequency network (MBSFN) area; and receiving, by the UE, a second MBMS service from the second cell on the second frequency, based on the received information on the MBSFN area. |
| US09974003B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving frame including partial association identifier in wireless LAN system
A method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving a frame including a partial association ID (PAID) in a wireless LAN (WLAN) system are disclosed. A method for receiving a frame at a station (STA) from an access point (AP) of a wireless communication system including: determining whether a value of a partial association ID (Partial AID) of the frame is calculated on the basis of an association ID (AID) allocated to the STA by the AP and a basic service set ID (BSSID) of the AP; and decoding the frame, if the value of the partial AID of the frame is calculated on the basis of the AID allocated to the STA and the BSSID of the AP, wherein the AID is allocated such that the partial AID value calculated on the basis of the AID allocated to the STA and the BSSID of the AP is not identical to a first PAID value calculated by applying a modulo operation to a specific value obtained by converting values ranging from a 40th bit position to a 48th bit position from among 48 bit positions of the BSSID of the AP into a decimal number. |
| US09973996B2 |
Communication system, information processing device and femto base station therein, method and program for controlling the same, and method of transmitting information to femto base station
In order to change control over a user equipment within a femtocell in accordance with a change in camping of the user equipment, a communication system includes a femto base station (10) that provides a femtocell includes notification destination setting means (20) for setting, in the femto base station (10), a notification destination to be notified of a change in camping of a user equipment (30) on the femtocell. The femto base station (10) notifies the set notification destination of the change in camping of the user equipment (30), upon detection of the change in camping. |
| US09973993B2 |
System and method for programmable joint optimization of mobility load balancing and mobility robustness optimization
A joint optimization module (jointly optimizing MRO and MLB) includes: (a) an interpolator receiving a measurement report containing: signal strength/quality values, other performance indicator values, and load values reported by each base station; identifying one or more time instances that lack measurements (of signal strength/quality, performance indicator, or load values), and interpolating values for such time instances; (b) a storage unit storing the received measurement report and interpolated measurement values; (c) a MLB unit receiving the measurement report and outputting optimized HO parameters from a load balancing perspective to an optimizer; (d) a MRO unit receiving the measurement report and outputting optimized HO parameters based on reducing HO related link failures; and (e) an optimizer optimizing, jointly for both MLB and MRO, one or more HO parameters per user group based on the stored measurement reports and interpolated measurement values, the MLB module output, and the MRO module output. |
| US09973992B2 |
Offloading of user plane packets from a macro base station to an access point
A method for radio access offloading is disclosed, wherein the method includes maintaining, in a user terminal pre-configuration information on integrated local area radio access offloading layers. In response to detecting an access point of an available offloading layer, the user terminal may activate a local area radio access offloading mode. The user terminal transmits, to the base station via the access point, an indication indicating that the offloading mode is activated, and receives, from the base station, a confirmation indicating that the activated offloading mode is accepted by the base station. The user terminal then decides, whether or not to switch to the available offloading layer, wherein if the user terminal decides to switch to the available offloading layer, offloading is performed via the access point. |
| US09973989B2 |
Co-location of application service platform with access node and local gateway
A telecommunications network which is accessible to a user equipment (10) via an access node (110) provided with an application service platform (150). The application service platform (150) may be used for locally supporting one or more application services which are accessible to the user equipment (10) via the access node (110). Further, a local gateway node (120) is co-located with the access node (110). The local gateway node (120) carries user plane data of the user equipment (10) between the access node (110) and the application service platform (150). Control plane communication between the local gateway node (120) and at least one central node (212, 214, 216, 218) of the telecommunications network is performed via a central gateway node (210) connected between the local gateway node (120) and the central node (212, 214, 216, 218) of the telecommunications network. |
| US09973986B2 |
Systems and methods for mobility optimization in a heterogeneous network
Methods, systems, and devices for mobility optimization in a heterogeneous network are disclosed herein. A base station includes an anchor module, a context information module, and a transmission point module. The anchor module configures the base station as a virtual anchor cell for a plurality of small cells. The context information module is configured to maintain context information for user equipment (UE). The context information for the UE is maintained by the context information module while any small cell of the plurality of small cells is configured as a TP for the UE. The transmission point (TP) change module is configured to send at least a portion of the context information to a small cell configured as the TP for the UE. |
| US09973978B2 |
Method and apparatus for handling circuit switched calls at a user equipment
A method at a user equipment including detecting that a circuit switched (CS) call has been requested at the user equipment; if a most recent registration attempt or registration update attempt with a network of a first radio access technology (RAT) resulted in an abnormal state, registering with a network of a second RAT; and initiating the CS call with the network of the second RAT. |
| US09973976B2 |
Efficient session management method and apparatus guaranteeing terminal mobility
A session management method and apparatus for managing mobility and session procedures integrally to improve manage the session of the terminal efficiently in the handover procedure. The session management method of a control entity includes transmitting a bearer management message for one of establishing, modifying, and releasing a bearer to a source base station, transmitting, when a handover of a terminal occurs before the bearer management is completed, a handover request including at least one of a first list including the bearers being managed by the source base station and a second list including the bearers being managed by the control entity to a target base station, and receiving a handover response from the target base station, wherein the handover response includes a bearer list generated based on one of the first and second list. |
| US09973975B2 |
Method and system for providing reduced bandwidth acquisition latency
Methods and systems for providing reduced bandwidth acquisition latency may comprise communicating a reservation request for bandwidth allocation for devices operating under a wired network protocol, where the reservation request may be sent by wired network devices via a wireless network protocol over a wireless network. Bandwidth may be allocated in the wired network for the requesting devices by a network controller. Data may be communicated with the requesting devices via the wired network. The wired network communication protocol may comprise a multimedia over cable alliance (MoCA) standard. The wireless protocol may comprise an IEEE 802.11x standard, a Bluetooth standard, and/or any non-public network protocol. The communication of the reservation request via the wireless protocol may decrease a latency of the wired network. A medium access plan (MAP) may be generated by the network controller based on the reservation request and may comprise a bandwidth allocation for the requesting devices. |
| US09973973B2 |
Signal processing devices and methods
A signal processing device for communication is provided and includes a de-rate matching module, a decoder, a signal-quality generation module, and a first control module. The de-rate matching module performs a de-rate matching operation on the control signal to obtain a de-rate matching signal. The decoder performs a decoding operation on the de-rate matching signal to obtain a decoding signal. The signal-quality generation module generates at least one signal-quality indicator according to the control signal and the de-rate matching signal. The at least one signal-quality indicator includes a similarity indictor which is obtained by the signal-quality generation module performing a similarity calculation operation on the control signal and the de-rate matching signal. The first control module determines and controls whether to stop the decoding operation for the de-rate matching signal of the current control signal according to the at least one signal-quality indicator. |
| US09973970B2 |
Improving data rates of short message noisy network coding and decode-and forward relaying
A method for communicating data in a network node is disclosed. A data transmission is received from a first network node at a second network node. The first network node is configured to perform decode-and-forward operations and the second network node configured to perform compression operations. A compression index to be used for conveying the data transmission is generated. The generated compression index is encoded using superposition coding. The compression index is sent to at least the first network node. |
| US09973969B2 |
Dynamic frequency selection channel scan optimizations
Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described for adaptive dwell time for scan procedures. A wireless station (STA) may identify a scan period during which a passive scan procedure is performed on a first channel. The STA may analyze a channel congestion metric during at least a portion of the scan period. The STA may transition from the passive scan procedure to an active scan procedure on the first channel during the scan period based at least in part on the analyzed channel congestion metric. |
| US09973968B2 |
Distribution of time-division multiplexed (TDM) management services in a distributed antenna system, and related components, systems, and methods
Distribution of management services in distributed antenna systems having a central unit and remote units configured to time-division multiplex (TDM) downlink and/or uplink management signals into time slots to form a TDM management frame signal. In this manner, collision will not occur between multiple management signals communicated over a common communications medium at the same time in the distributed antenna system. Collision detection and management mechanism can add design complexity, cost by requiring additional components, and require additional area on electronic boards. The TDM management frame signal may also be modulated at a carrier frequency before being combined with RF communications signals so that the combined signals are within a linear range of shared certain communications components to reduce cost and area. |
| US09973963B2 |
Virtual guard bands
A radio resource scheduler at a first base station may be configured to: identify radio frequency resources in use by the first base station, identify radio frequency resources to be reserved as virtual guard bands to reduce adjacent band interference, and install virtual guard band rules for reducing interference with adjacent bands. The virtual guard band information may be hints, allocations, priorities, reservations, or scheduling instructions for avoiding certain radio resources, radio resource blocks, or frequencies. |
| US09973960B2 |
Dynamic selection and monitoring of wireless communication interfaces for cellular wireless access data offload in a wireless access network
A method and a wireless access interface selection and monitoring system (WAISMS) for dynamically selecting and monitoring wireless communication interfaces (WCIs) associated with wireless access points (WAPs) in a wireless access network for offloading data from a cellular wireless communication (CWC) interface in a CWC network to the selected WCIs are provided. The WAISMS generates and dynamically updates network latency information (NLI) by measuring latency on a cellular wireless network interface and the WCIs based on network node information received from the WAPs. The WAISMS receives and processes a request from a cellular wireless access data offload system (CWADOS), selects a first WCI (FWCI) and a second WCI (SWCI) based on predetermined interface selection criteria and interface selection information, generates and transmits a notification of the selected FWCI and SWCI to the CWADOS for offloading data packets, iteratively monitors the WCIs, and dynamically updates the NLI for selecting subsequent WCIs. |
| US09973956B2 |
Method and apparatus for measurement procedures with composite dynamic subframes in dynamic TDD
According to one aspect of the teachings herein, a base station (20), wireless device (12), or other network node (36), determines composite dynamic subframe, CDS, information for a Time Division Duplex, TDD, carrier frequency used for transmitting one or more TDD carriers (22) of interest, from respective cells (18) in a wireless communication network (10). The CDS information identifies or otherwise indicates that one or more subframes in one or more of the TDD carriers (22) are dynamic subframes having a dynamically changeable uplink or downlink direction. The measurement configuration of the wireless device (12) is adapted according to the CDS information, so that radio measurements performed by the device (12) with respect to the one or more TDD carriers (22) accounts for the dynamic subframes, e.g., by avoiding measurements on the dynamic subframes, increasing the number of measurements made, or increasing the measurement intervals. |
| US09973952B1 |
Mobile phone performance management based on personal quality criteria
A user equipment (UE). The UE comprises a client application that presents prompts to guide a user through inputting a personal quality metric definition, transmits personal quality metric definition inputs via the radio transceiver, creates data based on wireless communication service experienced by the UE, transmits the performance data to one of a server application or a data store, receives a personal quality metric from the server application, where the personal quality metric represents the quality of wireless communication service received by the UE based on the quality metric definition inputs and performance data transmitted by the UE to the server application or the data store and based on the performance data transmitted by other UEs to one of the server application or the data store, and presents the personal quality metric on a display. |
| US09973947B2 |
Wireless communication device and wireless communication system that performs wireless communication with a counterpart device using a directional antenna
A wireless device includes an imaging unit having an optical axis which is identical to a radio wave direction of a directional antenna, a reference image is stored in a storage unit, a wireless communication device serving as a communication counterpart and an area around the wireless communication device are photographed at regular intervals, and a control unit compares images photographed at regular intervals with a reference image, calculates a degree of similarity through normalized cross-correlation which is hardly influenced by a change in brightness, calculates an index value indicating a state of a region serving as a monitoring target based on a degree of weighted similarity, detects an abnormality when the index value is a specific numerical value or less, and outputs alert information including the photographed image when a state in which the abnormality is detected is continued for a certain period of time. |
| US09973945B2 |
Method and apparatus for reporting master information block decoding status of neighbor cell in wireless communication system
A method and an apparatus for efficiently reporting a master information block (MIB) decoding status of a neighbor cell in a wireless communication system are provided. The method includes receiving, by a user equipment (UE) and from an evolved Node B (eNB) of a serving cell, neighbor cell-related information for receiving an MIB of the neighbor cell, based on the neighbor-cell related information, decoding, by the UE, the MIB of the neighbor cell, and transmitting, by the UE, decoding information of the MIB to the eNB of the serving cell. |
| US09973943B2 |
Wireless network configuration using path loss determination between nodes
A method and corresponding apparatus are provided for network configuration selection in a wireless network comprising a plurality of nodes. A subset of the nodes are configured to simultaneously participate in a sounding process, in which a node of the subset omni-directionally transmits a predetermined signal and in which other nodes of the subset of nodes sample the predetermined signal as received by an omni-directional antenna array of that node. Measurement reports are received from the subset of nodes, each measurement report comprising a signal source angle and a received signal strength. A path loss is determined in dependence on each measurement report to generate a set of path losses covering a plurality of transmitter node receiver node pairs. Then a directional configuration is selected for a directional antenna of each node of the subset of nodes for data transmission in dependence on the set of path losses. |
| US09973942B2 |
Apparatus and methods for client server interaction in hybrid network environments
Methods and apparatus for modifying network management for hybrid operation. In one embodiment, the networks include an LTE network and a CDMA 1× network, and a mobile device can place CDMA 1× voice calls while registered with the LTE network. However, since the mobile device cannot simultaneously measure information for the LTE network while connected to the CDMA 1× networks, the mobile device modifies measurements and behaviors reported to the LTE network. In one implementation, the mobile device accounts for the time switched away from the LTE network in one or more subsequent reports thereto. |
| US09973935B2 |
SON-controlled DFS
A centrally controlled dynamic frequency selection (DFS) mechanism is defined that uses a historical analytical database to define DFS hop patterns, which allows for a better probability of picking a non-interfering channel but also meets the performance requirements of the mesh and satisfying the timing constraints of DFS. A method for performing dynamic frequency selection (DFS) is disclosed, comprising: receiving, at a gateway, measurement reports from a radio access node regarding observed utilization of a 5 GHz radio frequency band shared with a plurality of radio access nodes; determining, based on the received measurement reports, a frequency hop pattern at the gateway; and sending the frequency hop pattern from the gateway to each of the plurality of radio access nodes, thereby enabling compliance with DFS regulations using a centralized gateway. |
| US09973934B2 |
Cell clustering based configuration of flexible time division duplex communication
There are provided measures for cell clustering based configuration of flexible time division duplex communication, such as e.g. in layered heterogeneous network deployments. Such measures may exemplarily comprise measures for specifying a desired uplink-downlink configuration for time division duplex communication in a subject cell of a cellular communication system, obtaining at least one desired uplink-downlink configuration for time division duplex communication in at least one neighboring cell of the cellular communication system, wherein the at least one neighboring cell and the subject cell belong to the same cell cluster, and defining an uplink-downlink configuration for time division duplex communication in at least the subject cell of the cell cluster out of a set of predefined uplink-downlink configurations with flexible subframe patterns for flexible time division duplex communication on the basis of the specified desired uplink-downlink configuration for the subject cell and the obtained at least one desired uplink-downlink configuration for the at least one neighboring cell. |
| US09973933B2 |
Spectrum access system (SAS) controller, evolved node-b (enb) and method for allocation of shared spectrum
Embodiments of a Spectrum Access System (SAS) controller, Evolved Node-B (eNB) and methods for allocation of shared spectrum are disclosed herein. The SAS controller may receive an indicator that a group of channels in the shared spectrum are available for secondary usage. The SAS controller may allocate one or more channels in the group to eNBs for usage in one or more census tracts. The census tracts may include interior and exterior portions, in some cases. Fractional frequency reuse (FFR) techniques may be used in accordance with the interior and exterior portions of the census tracts for allocation of the channels. Channels may be allocated for Priority Access License (PAL) usage and/or General Authorized Access (GAA) usage, in some cases. |
| US09973931B2 |
Mobile terminal, display control method, and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium
The mobile terminal includes a display configured to display a lock screen and a controller configured to perform screen timeout when a non-operation state continues in the lock screen and also when the non-operation state continues in a screen other than the lock screen, wherein the controller sets the same predetermined time periods to a duration of the no-operation state in the lock screen before the screen timeout is performed and a duration of the non-operation state in the screen other than the lock screen before the screen timeout is performed. |
| US09973929B1 |
Electronic apparatus and method of selectively applying security in mobile device
A mobile device includes a display unit to display a screen to set the mobile device in a security mode and a condition as a safe zone in the security mode, a user interface to receive a user input to activate the mobile device, and a control unit to selectively apply the security mode in response to the user input when a current condition is identical to the set condition. |
| US09973923B2 |
Small cell activation procedure
A method of wireless communication includes receiving activation parameters at a low power node and detecting a proximity of an active user equipment (UE) based at least in part on the activation parameters. The activation parameters are triggered from a node different from the low power node, such as an eNodeB. The low power node initiates an activation sequence after detecting the active UE. |
| US09973918B2 |
Method of establishing a connection between a mobile communicating object and a remote server
The present invention relates to a method of establishing a connection between a mobile communicating object and a remote server, by way of a mobile communication network where the communicating object has a list encompassing a determined number of preferred mobile communication networks with which the object can be made to connect. The method comprises a first step where the communicating object establishes a radio connection with one of the networks available so as to transmit a first series of audit information (such as quality of signal, error rate, base station cell identifier) to the remote server, a step of verification by the server of the data received and, in the event of anomaly, of engagement of a procedure for modifying the selection of the mobile communication network to which the mobile object is connected. |
| US09973916B2 |
UE-based D2D discovery
In one embodiment, the present disclosure provides an evolved Node B (eNB) that includes a device-to-device (D2D) module configured to allocate at least one D2D discovery region including at least one periodic discovery zone, the at least one periodic discovery zone including a first plurality of resource blocks in frequency and a second plurality of subframes in time, the D2D module further configured to configure a User Equipment (UE) to utilize the at least one D2D discovery region for transmitting a discovery packet. |
| US09973913B2 |
Index of everyday life
A mobile phone connected to a fleet of radio transceiver chips that can be individually identified by the mobile station, which automatically are associated with a photo when the phone camera is used in proximity. The transceiver chips have a small loudspeaker, vibrator and/or light emitter for producing an alarm, and the transceiver chip also can determine and send back its location to the mobile phone. The mobile phone deduces its location by GPS or triangulation, and has an application which can be programmed to check the location of items given predetermined criteria are met, or upon user request. For example the mobile phone can be used to program luggage lists, and check whether everything is with the user at a time. The best mode involves typically a smartphone with relevant application software and RFID tags enhanced by light emitter, loudspeaker and/or vibrator and adhesive. |
| US09973902B2 |
Method for reporting MBMS information in wireless communication system and device for supporting same
Provided is a method for reporting multimedia broadcast and multicast service (MBMS) information by a terminal in a wireless communication system. The method comprises: determining whether or not to permit the logging of MBMS information; logging the MBMS information if the logging of the MBMS information is permitted; and reporting the logged MBMS information to a network. Whether or not to permit the logging of the MBMS information is determined on the basis of logging scope. |
| US09973901B2 |
Enhancing group communication services
In some implementations, a method in a user equipment (UE) for supporting group communication service includes receiving, from a base station, a group communication on a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH). The UE determines a first Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (HARQ) information that corresponds to the group communication on the PDSCH. The UE transmits the first HARQ information. In some implementations, the UE determines a group Channel State Information (CSI) for a group communication that is transmitted by a base station on a PDSCH. The UE determines a unicast CSI for a unicast communication that is transmitted by the base station on the PDSCH. The UE transmits the group CSI. The UE transmits the unicast CSI. |
| US09973897B2 |
Information processing apparatus, program product, and method
An information processing apparatus provides provision information based on position information items within a time period of a transmission device that sends out a signal including identification information of the transmission device. The information processing apparatus includes a processor, in communication with a memory, executing a process including storing a correspondence relationship between the identification information of the transmission device and an attribute information item that is information of a holding subject holding the transmission device; storing a threshold defining a predetermined value corresponding to the attribute information item; storing the position information items of the transmission device in time series in association with the identification information; and generating the provision information by acquiring the stored position information items of the transmission device within the predetermined time period, and correcting the acquired information with the use of the attribute information item corresponding to the identification information or the threshold. |
| US09973894B2 |
Prompting method and apparatus
A prompting method includes: sending, by a server, a navigation map requested to be outputted to a user device when receiving a map output request of the user device, the navigation map being outputted by the user device, wherein the navigation map is pre-generated according to an article position of an article in a place; acquiring article identification information of a pre-searching article; acquiring an article position of the pre-searching article in the place; acquiring a device position of the user device in the place; and generating a navigation prompt message according to a distance between the device position and an article position of each pre-searching commodity, and triggering the user device to output the navigation prompt message in the navigation map, the navigation prompt message being used for prompting the article position of each pre-searching article and a distance to the device position to a user. |
| US09973886B2 |
Wireless device searching apparatus and method in wireless communication system
Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure suggest an apparatus and method for rapidly establishing an initial connection and exchanging data among wireless devices in a wireless communication system. According to the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, a certain wireless device for transmitting data may discover neighboring wireless devices and display locations of the discovered wireless devices as information in the form of a map. Then, a user can easily select a wireless device to transmit data to based on the information which is displayed in the form of the map as described above, and transmit desired data to the selected wireless device. |
| US09973884B2 |
Device, system and method of controlling access to location sources
Some demonstrative embodiments include devices, systems and/or methods of controlling access to location sources. For example, a device may include a location caching controller to store cached location information in a cache based on location information retrieved from two or more location sources, to receive at least one location request from at least one application, to select between retrieving requested location information from at least one of the location sources and retrieving the requested location information from the cache, and to provide to the application a location response including the requested location information. |
| US09973880B2 |
Communication device, information display device, communication method and storage medium
A communication device includes a wireless communication unit, a memory and a processor. The wireless communication unit is configured to perform wireless communication with an information display device. The processor is configured to perform operations including: receiving first work data including first setting data from the information display device having the first work data by the wireless communication unit; and registering the first work data as storage data in a case where the memory stores second work data including second setting data and in a case where the first setting data and the second setting data are different from each other. |
| US09973877B2 |
Method of handling small data transmission
A method of handling small data transmission for a core network is disclosed, wherein the core network comprises a data base, a network gateway node and a network control node. The method comprises the network gateway node receiving a service request message from a machine-type communication (MTC) server, wherein information of the service request message is eligible for the small data transmission between a mobile device and the network gateway node; and the network gateway node including a small data transmission indicator in the service request message, wherein the small data transmission indicator indicates the small data transmission. |
| US09973874B2 |
Audio rendering using 6-DOF tracking
The methods and apparatus described herein optimally represent full 3D audio mixes (e.g., azimuth, elevation, and depth) as “sound scenes” in which the decoding process facilitates head tracking. Sound scene rendering can be performed for the listener's orientation (e.g., yaw, pitch, roll) and 3D position (e.g., x, y, z), and can be modified for a change in the listener's orientation or 3D position. As described below, the ability to render an audio object in both the near-field and far-field enables the ability to fully render depth of not just objects, but any spatial audio mix decoded with active steering/panning, such as Ambisonics, matrix encoding, etc., thereby enabling full translational head tracking (e.g., user movement) beyond simple rotation in the horizontal plane, or 6-degrees-of-freedom (6-DOF) tracking and rendering. |
| US09973873B2 |
Sound field control system, analysis device, and acoustic device
A sound field control system SY according to the present invention is provided with: a signal supply unit 210 which supplies a test signal sequence to a speaker; and an analysis unit 150 which picks up a sound including a test sound sequence emitted from a speaker based on a test signal sequence using a microphone, and which determines the sound pickup time of an initial test sound among test sounds included in the test sound sequence, wherein the analysis unit 150 detects the initial sound from the sound pickup signal picked up using the microphone, determines whether a sound is detected after the elapse of a sound emission interval, from the sound pickup time of the detected initial sound, between the initial test sound defined by the test signal sequence and an n-th (where n is an integer such that n≥2) test sound emitted from the same speaker as the initial test sound, and, upon determining that the sound has been detected, determines the sound pickup time of the initial sound as the sound pickup time of the initial test sound. |
| US09973872B2 |
Surround sound effects provided by cell phones
Systems and methods that reproduce surround sound effects from an audio source are described. Wireless communication devices form a wireless network in which music, for example, can be played on the speakers of the wireless communication devices to reproduce surround sound effects from a selected audio source. As the wireless communication devices roam with respect to each other or with respect to a focal point or listening position of the wireless network, the wireless network adjusts how the audio source is played at each speaker of the respective wireless communication device to maintain or to enhance the reproduction of surround sound effects from the audio source. |
| US09973871B2 |
Binaural audio processing with an early part, reverberation, and synchronization
An audio renderer comprises a receiver (801) receiving input data comprising early part data indicative of an early part of a head related binaural transfer function; reverberation data indicative of a reverberation part of the transfer function; and a synchronization indication indicative of a time offset between the early part and the reverberation part. An early part circuit (803) generates an audio component by applying a binaural processing to an audio signal where the processing depends on the early part data. A reverberator (807) generates a second audio component by applying a reverberation processing to the audio signal where the reverberation processing depends on the reverberation data. A combiner (809) generates a signal of a binaural stereo signal by combining the two audio components. The relative timing of the audio components is adjusted based on the synchronization indication by a synchronizer (805) which specifically may be a delay. |
| US09973870B2 |
Aural measurements from earphone output speakers
According to some embodiments of the present invention there is provided a method of using an earphone output speaker as a microphone for a phone call between two and/or more participants, or for measuring biometric data of a user. The method may comprise playing a received signal to an electro-acoustic output transducer of an earphone. The method may comprise instructing an audio processing circuit of a local client terminal to record an audio signal from the same electro-acoustic output transducer. The method may comprise calculating a voice signal and/or a biometric measurement based on a function combining the recorded audio signal, the received signal, and filtration coefficients, using a processing unit of the local client terminal. The method may comprise sending the voice signal and/or a biometric measurement through an output interface of the local client terminal. |
| US09973868B2 |
Method for estimating the battery life of battery-powered audio systems by means of an amplitude modulated broadband audio signal
Aspects of present disclosure relate to a test signal generator, a method for estimating the battery life of battery-powered audio products by means of a test signal simulating effects of music, and a computer program product for generating a test signal simulating the effects of music. The method may include at least one of: extracting, by a test signal generation controller, one or more general characteristics of music, transmitting, by the test signal generation controller, the one or more general characteristics of music generated to a graphical user interface of a test signal generator, processing, by one or more music characteristics simulators, a white noise signal generated by a white noise generator of the test signal generator according to the one or more general characteristics of music to generate the test signal, and providing the formed test signal through a test signal output device of the test signal generator. |
| US09973867B2 |
Moisture resistant headpieces and implantable cochlear stimulation systems including the same
Cochlear implant headpieces with improved moisture resistance. |
| US09973865B2 |
Hearing percept parameter adjustment strategy for a hearing prosthesis
A prosthetic system, comprising a first sub-system configured to evoke a hearing percept based on a first principle of operation, and a second sub-system configured to evoke a hearing percept based on at least one of the first principle of operation or a second principle of operation different from the first principle of operation, wherein the first and second sub-systems are configured to independently process respective inputs indicative of an ambient sound to harmonize an estimated recipient perception of magnitude of a property of the respective evoked hearing percepts. |
| US09973863B2 |
Feedback estimation based on deterministic sequences
A hearing system comprises respective input and output transducers operationally coupled via a forward path comprising a configurable output combination unit having first and second signal inputs and a signal output. The first and second signal inputs are a signal of the forward path, and an output probe signal, respectively, and the output signal is electrically connected to the output transducer and configurable to consist of either of the first or second signal inputs, or a mixture thereof. The hearing system further comprises a configurable probe signal generator for generating the output probe signal, an adaptive feedback estimation unit for generating an estimate of an unintended feedback path, and a control unit for generating a control signal for controlling the output probe signal, which may comprise a perfect or almost perfect sequence and/or an almost perfect sweep sequence. |
| US09973860B2 |
System and method for an optical MEMS transducer
According to an embodiment, an optical MEMS transducer includes a diffraction structure including alternating first reflective elements and openings arranged in a first plane, a reflection structure including second reflective elements and configured to deflect with respect to the diffraction structure, and an optical element configured to direct a first optical signal at the diffraction structure and the reflection structure and to receive a second optical signal from the diffraction structure and the reflection structure. The second reflective elements are arranged in the first plane when the reflection structure is at rest. Other embodiments include corresponding systems and apparatus, each configured to perform various embodiment methods. |
| US09973858B2 |
Electro-acoustic conversion film and digital speaker
Provided is an electro-acoustic conversion film that is suitably used for a digital speaker or the like, and that includes a polymer composite piezoelectric body formed by dispersing piezoelectric particles in a viscoelastic matrix formed of a polymer material having viscoelasticity at room temperature, and thin-film electrodes provided on both surfaces of the polymer composite piezoelectric body, and at least one of the thin-film electrodes is divided into a plurality of regions of which an area increases by 2n times (n is a natural number including 0). Thus, a digital speaker in which reverberation or crosstalk between segments is suppressed is obtained. |
| US09973853B2 |
Fixed apparatus and audio collection apparatus
The present invention is applicable to the field of audio collection and provides a fixed apparatus and an audio collection device. Multiple groups of simulated ear structures are disposed on the fixed apparatus, and the simulated ear structures have simulated ear canal openings used for placing audio collectors. The audio collectors may placed in simulated ear canal openings of the simulated ear structures of the fixed apparatus, so that collected audio signals have richer sources, higher quality, and higher stereoscopic sensation. The fixed apparatus may be used for audio recording in multiple orientations, so that smoothness, clearness, and comfort during sound field fusion and switching are ensured, more complete and richer sound field information is collected, the best sound field naturalness can be obtained, and a requirement for synchronization between a sound and an image in a VR panoramic video technology is met. In addition, a volume of the fixed apparatus is relatively small, and audio sound field restoration accuracy is further improved. |
| US09973850B2 |
Speaker control device and speaker control method
A speaker control device in one embodiment includes an oscillator connected in parallel with a drive circuit for driving a speaker, the oscillator changing an oscillation frequency according to a voltage, and a control circuit detecting a variation in the oscillation frequency of the oscillator, and adjusting an amount of current supplied to the speaker by the drive circuit in the case where a variation in the voltage exceeds an allowable value. |
| US09973845B2 |
Earbuds with acoustic insert
An earbud includes a housing that includes a driver assembly positioned within the housing forming a front volume in front of the driver and a back volume behind the driver. An acoustic insert is positioned behind the driver assembly and attached to an interior surface of the housing such that it forms a bass channel that is routed from the back volume to a vent in the housing. |
| US09973840B2 |
Waterproof receptacle connector
An electrical receptacle connector includes housing defining a cavity configured to receive a plug portion of a mating connector. A plurality of electrical contacts are secured within a contact assembly that is sealed to the housing with a gasket and held in place by a metallic bracket disposed around an outside surface of the housing. |
| US09973839B2 |
Method and apparatus for communicating audio data
A method and an apparatus are provided for transmitting audio data. The method includes setting a connection with a plurality of slave devices by using a short range wireless communication protocol, generating a data packet comprising the audio data, and repetitively transmitting the data packet to the plurality of slave devices through a multicast/broadcast channel a number of times. |
| US09973838B2 |
Liquid ingress-redirecting acoustic device reservoir
An acoustic device such as a microphone or speaker is positioned with and coupled to a housing to connect an acoustic port of the acoustic device with an external opening of the housing. A reservoir is connected to the external opening via a bleed channel. The bleed channel may be less resistive to liquid ingress than the acoustic port. As such, the reservoir and bleed channel may redirect liquid from the external opening away from the acoustic port. In some implementations, the reservoir and/or the bleed channel may be defined by one or more acoustically permeable barriers such as meshes that cover the acoustic port, compressible materials such as foams that form a perimeter around the acoustic port, and/or adhesive layers that couple the acoustic device, the housing, and/or one or more other components. |
| US09973835B2 |
Signal generator, a decoder, a method for generating a transmit signal and a method for determining speed data
A signal generator comprises a signal provider and a signal processing unit. The signal provider is configured to provide a sensor signal indicating a repeatedly detected event, occurring within differing time intervals. The signal processing unit is configured to generate a transmit signal based on the sensor signal. The transmit signal comprises event information representing the temporal occurrence of the event and additional information representing additional data. The event information comprises pulses associated to detected events, wherein the pulses are temporarily separated within the transmit signal according to the differing time intervals of detected events so that each time interval of the differing time intervals comprises one pulse associated to a detected event. Further, the additional data comprises at least one frame comprising a predefined number of additional data bits. The information of the additional data bits of the at least one frame is distributed over at least two time intervals of the differing time intervals. |
| US09973832B2 |
Sensor node and method of controlling sensor node
A sensor node includes a power generator, a power storage, a transmitter having an environment sensor, a transmission controller, and a transmission unit, a first switcher provided between the transmission controller and the power storage, and a second switcher provided between the transmission unit and the power storage. In a case where the storage capacity of the power storage decreases to a first threshold or less and then the storage capacity increases, when the storage capacity reaches the first threshold, the first switcher is brought into an on-state and the first switcher supplies electric power to the transmission controller. When the storage capacity reaches a second threshold higher than the first threshold, the second switcher is brought into an on-state and the second switcher supplies electric power to the transmission unit. |
| US09973828B1 |
Monitoring content consumption by restricted account
A content server stores digital content including video, audio, image, animation, or text content. The content server receives account permissions governing video access for a restricted account that an authorizing account supervises. The content server also receives a designation by the authorizing account of a delegate account authorized to control video access for the restricted account. The content server receives a request from the restricted account to view a video and determines whether the restricted account may view the video according to the account permission. In response to determining that the authorized account is not authorized to view the requested video, the content server transmits an authorization request to the delegate user, who provides authorization for the restricted account to view the video. In response to authorization from the delegate account, the content server transmits the video to the restricted user. |
| US09973825B2 |
Dynamic adjustment of electronic program guide displays based on viewer preferences for minimizing navigation in VOD program selection
Items of video content offered for viewing on a video-on-demand (VOD) platform of a digital TV service provider are each assigned a respective title and hierarchical address corresponding to hierarchically-arranged categories and subcategories within which the title for the video content is to be categorized. The title is listed in a location of an electronic program guide (EPG) using the same categories and subcategories as its hierarchical address. Any TV subscriber can access the EPG and navigate through its categories and subcategories to find a title for viewing on the TV. The EPG dynamically adjust its display listings of each level of categories, subcategories, and titles in order to minimize the number of remote control keypresses needed for a viewer to navigate to a title of interest. In one basic form, the EPG display is reordered by listing more frequently visited categories or subcategories first, and other less frequently visited categories or subcategories lower on the listing or out-of-sight on another page of the display. |
| US09973824B2 |
Electronic device and method of scanning channels in electronic device
An electronic device includes a detector configured to detect a user input and a controller configured to determine a favorite channel group according to a user's viewing history, scan channels in response to detecting an input of a control signal corresponding to a channel shift button for a predetermined time, and decrease a channel shift speed in a favorite channel group section corresponding to the determined favorite channel group and increase the channel shift speed in a section other than the favorite channel group section. |
| US09973823B1 |
Method and system for providing access to content data for previously broadcasted content
A system and method for accessing past program guide data includes a program guide repository storing past program guide data and a controller receiving a request for past program guide data and communicating the past program guide data to a user device located separated from the controller. |
| US09973822B2 |
System and method for interactive remote movie watching, scheduling, and social connection
Disclosed is a media sharing system that provides shared experiencing of licensed media content such as movies. The system includes a web server that communicates with multiple client devices over the internet whereby a user's multiple social contacts can participate in a synchronized stream of licensed media content such as movies. The system is able to schedule the multi-user experiencing of the licensed media content and further synchronize the streaming of the licensed content so the participating users receiving the media streams in a substantially synchronized manner. The system still further provides for social content interaction amongst the multiple recipients so that the multiple users can interact in a time-contextual manner consistent with the substantially synchronized receipt of the licensed media content. |
| US09973818B2 |
Product information display and purchasing
A method of providing additional information to a viewer of a moving image file is disclosed. The method includes the steps of providing one or more tags within the moving image file indicating the existence of additional product information; visually indicating the existence of the tags alongside or over the moving image; detecting a request to view the product information associated with the one or more tags; pausing the moving image; and displaying the requested product information over the paused image. |
| US09973816B2 |
Media content distribution
A method includes receiving, at a media device, a first content stream via a satellite distribution system, the first content stream including first media content. While receiving the first content stream, the method includes receiving, at the media device, a second content stream via a terrestrial distribution system. The second content stream includes second media content corresponding to an audio portion of the first media content. The method also includes sending the first media content to a display device and detecting a disruption of the first content stream. The method further includes, after detecting the disruption, sending the second media content to an audio output device associated with or included within the display device. |
| US09973811B2 |
Determining device state using a state-detection circuit
An audio/video (A/V) hub includes a state-detection circuit coupled to at least one pin in a high-definition multimedia-interface input connector, which can electrically couple to an entertainment device. When electrically coupled to the entertainment device, the state-detection circuit establishes a ground loop between the electronic device and the entertainment device. A control circuit in the A/V hub detects whether there is electrical coupling with the entertainment device using the state-detection circuit. When the electrical coupling is detected, the control circuit provides a set of first control commands associated with different types of entertainment devices until, in response, content activity is detected via the input connector. Moreover, when the content activity is detected, the control circuit provides a set of second control commands associated with different providers of entertainment devices until a change in a state of the entertainment device is detected via the input connector and the state-detection circuit. |
| US09973804B2 |
Conditional access method and apparatus for simultaneously handling multiple television programmes
A method of operation of an audio/video content receiver having a content decoder capable of decoding an audio/video program from a packetized data stream by using data packets defining decryption information comprises the steps of: receiving encoded audio/video content as a packetized data stream comprising one or more programs having data packets identified by respective sets of one or more packet identifiers and comprising identification data mapping programs to respective sets of the packet identifiers; selecting data packets from the packetized data stream for a required program according to the set of packet identifiers defined by the identification data for that stream in respect of the required program; selecting further data packets from the packetized data stream from which a program is selected which have packet identifiers not included in the identification data for that packetized data stream; generating a composite packetized data stream from the selected packets; generating composite stream identification data indicating packet identifiers of packets included in the composite packetized data stream; and supplying the composite packetized data stream to the content decoder for decoding the program from the composite packetized data stream according to the packet identifiers in the composite stream identification data. |
| US09973797B1 |
Video on demand consumption learning system
A user profile including content preferences is evolved by detecting and identifying user actions on network connected digital devices; relating the user actions to digital content; operating a sequencer and a timer to form aggregate user actions from the user actions; operating a second associator in conjunction with the timer and an adjuster to associate weight values with the aggregate user actions and the user actions, forming weighted user actions; and operating a profile server responsive to the second associator to evolve the user profile according to the weighted user actions. |
| US09973790B2 |
Multimedia system having an adaptive multimedia controller
An adaptive multimedia system includes a display, an audio device, and an adaptive media controller configured to selectively communicate with a media source and selectively signal the media source to stream only a desired portion of a media stream. |
| US09973789B1 |
Quantifying brand visual impact in digital media
Methods, systems, and computer-readable storage media for receiving a set of frames, each frame being provided as a digital image that depicts a portion of an event and a logo associated with a brand, for each frame in the set of frames, and for each pixel in a frame: determining a weight of the pixel based on a distribution assigned to the frame, providing a quality of the logo depicted in the frame, and calculating a pixel quotient based on the weight and the quality, for each frame in the set of frames: determining a frame quotient at least partially based on a sum of all pixel quotients for the frame, and determining an impact indicator for the logo based on a total size of digital media comprising the set of frames and a sum of frame quotients of the frames in the set of frames. |
| US09973787B2 |
Communication device and communication method
Content data control is to be performed in a preferred manner between a device such as an HDMI device and an IP (DLNA) device. In response to transmission request information received from a mobile terminal (14) via a wireless transmission path (16), a television receiver (13) transmits information related to uncompressed image/audio data to the mobile terminal (14) via the wireless transmission path (16), the related information having been acquired from an HDMI-connected BD recorder (11). The mobile terminal (14) displays a list of content information in accordance with the received related information, and transmits the control information about selected content to the television receiver (13). |
| US09973785B1 |
Automatic failover for live video streaming
A computer system receives two publishing streams from two multimedia recording devices for generating a playlist for streaming a live event. An ingest endpoint transcodes the publishing stream input into multimedia segments and uploads the multimedia segments to a data storage service. The multimedia segments from both publishing streams are evaluated to determine whether a failover event occurred that requires failing-over from a first publishing stream to a second publishing stream in order to generate the playlist. A playlist is generated, based on the evaluated multimedia segments, and includes Uniform Resource Identifiers for each multimedia segment of the live event. By using dynamic, on-demand playlist generation for input received on two publishing streams, the system is able to provide failover capabilities from a first stream to a second stream without the need for customer or viewer action. |
| US09973782B2 |
Signaling layer identifiers for operation points in video coding
Techniques described herein are related to coding layer identifiers for operation points in video coding. In one example, a method of decoding video data is provided. The method comprises decoding syntax elements in a video parameter set (VPS) within a conforming bitstream indicating a first operation point having a first set of content. The method further comprises decoding, if present, syntax elements in the VPS within the conforming bitstream indicating hypothetical reference decoder (HRD) parameter information having a second set of content for the first operation point, wherein the conforming bitstream does not include syntax elements in the VPS that duplicate at least one of the first or second set of content for a second operation point, and wherein decoding syntax elements comprises decoding the syntax elements indicating the first operation point and the HRD parameter information only within conforming bitstreams. |
| US09973777B2 |
Data encoding and decoding apparatus, method and storage medium
A video data decoding apparatus is configured to detect a control flag associated with at least a part of an encoded image for decoding, in which in a lossless mode of operation, a first control flag state enables sample-based angular intra-prediction but disables edge filtering of prediction samples, and a second control flag state disables sample-based angular intra prediction but enables edge filtering of prediction samples; and in a lossy mode of operation, the first control flag state enables residual differential pulse code modulation coding and enables edge filtering of prediction samples, and the second control flag state disables residual differential pulse code modulation coding but enables edge filtering of prediction samples. |
| US09973776B2 |
Method for storing motion information and method for inducing temporal motion vector predictor using same
A motion information storing method and a TMVP deriving method using the motion information storing method are provided. The motion information storing method includes a step of determining a representative block out of blocks of a motion data storage unit in a co-located picture with a current picture and a step of storing motion information of the representative block as motion information of the motion data storage unit, wherein the motion information of the representative block is used as motion information of the blocks included in the motion data storage unit. |
| US09973773B2 |
Moving picture prediction method, moving picture coding method and apparatus, and moving picture decoding method and apparatus
An image decoding method is provided which includes a time information determination step of determining time information of a current picture, a first reference picture referred to by the current picture and a second reference picture referred to by the current picture; a scaling parameter calculation step of calculating a scaling parameter based on a time distance between the first reference picture and a second reference picture; a weighting coefficient determination step of determining two weighting coefficients based on the scaling parameter; a predictive pixel value generation step of generating a predictive pixel value of the current picture by scaling a pixel value of the first reference picture and a pixel value of the second reference picture using the two weighting coefficients determined in the weighting coefficient determination step; and a decoding step of decoding the current picture using the predictive pixel value. |
| US09973768B2 |
CABAC decoder with decoupled arithmetic decoding and inverse binarization
An encoded bitstream of entropy encoded video data is received by a video decoder. The encoded bitstream represents syntax elements of a sequence of coding blocks. The sequence of coding blocks is recovered by processing a bin sequences associated with each coding block in a processing pipeline, wherein a defined amount of time is allocated to process each coding block in the processing pipeline. The encoded bitstream is arithmetically decoded to produce each bin sequence. The arithmetic decoder is time-wise decoupled from the processing pipeline by storing a plurality of the bin sequences in a buffer memory. |
| US09973767B2 |
Adaptive bit rate co-operative transcoding
Methods, systems, and computer readable media can be operable to encode an input video stream into one or more output streams by using information obtained from a first transcoding of the input video stream. During a first encoding of an input video stream, pre-processing, motion estimation, mode decision, and other information can be collected or buffered and can be re-used to encode the input video stream to multiple output video streams at different bitrates, resolutions, and/or frame rates. Motion estimation, macroblock mode decision, and pre-processing data can be manipulated and re-used during the encoding of an input video stream at various resolutions. Data can be re-computed at a new resolution or bitrate to improve visual quality. |
| US09973766B2 |
Image processing device, image processing method and computer-readable medium
There is provided an image processing device including circuitry configured to predict, from an image of a first layer, an image of a second layer having a different pixel attribute from the first layer, by using a lookup table in which a combination of a luma component, a first chroma component, and a second chroma component of the first layer is mapped to a predicted pixel value of the second layer corresponding to the combination, wherein a predicted value of a luma component of the second layer is acquired by using a first lookup table, and a predicted value of a first chroma component of the second layer is acquired by using a second lookup table with granularity different from granularity of the first lookup table. |
| US09973762B2 |
Methods and systems for image intra-prediction mode management
Embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and systems for ordering, communicating and applying pixel intra-prediction modes. |
| US09973755B2 |
Method, apparatus and computer program product for providing improved data compression
An apparatus for providing improved data compression may include an encoder comprising a quantizer for encoding input data and a side model. The quantizer may be trained with respect to high priority data among the input data and may be configured to partially encode the input data by encoding the high priority data. The side model may be trained jointly with the training of the quantizer and is configured to model low priority data among the input data. |
| US09973754B2 |
Low power ultra-HD video hardware engine
A low power video hardware engine is disclosed. The video hardware engine includes a video hardware accelerator unit. A shared memory is coupled to the video hardware accelerator unit, and a scrambler is coupled to the shared memory. A vDMA (video direct memory access) engine is coupled to the scrambler, and an external memory is coupled to the vDMA engine. The scrambler receives an LCU (largest coding unit) from the vDMA engine. The LCU comprises N×N pixels, and the scrambler scrambles N×N pixels in the LCU to generate a plurality of blocks with M×M pixels. N and M are integers and M is less than N. |
| US09973751B2 |
Slice base skip mode signaling for multiple layer video coding
Methods and apparatus may be used to signal slice skip mode of a multiple layer scalable coding system. A correlation between the corresponding regions of video signals in multiple layers and inter-layer processing techniques may make it possible to infer a slice or picture in the enhancement layer from the corresponding region in a base layer picture. Accordingly, a video stream may be encoded to indicate that an enhancement layer slice or picture may be skipped. |
| US09973749B2 |
Method for video coding and an apparatus, a computer-program product, a system, and a module for the same
A method includes encoding information of at least two short-term reference picture sets into a bitstream; encoding into the bitstream a structure of pictures description with an indication being indicative of which one of the at least two short-term reference picture sets to be used for decoding by a picture in question within the structure of pictures, the structure of pictures including one or more consecutive pictures in decoding order; encoding pictures according to the structure of pictures description into the bitstream. |
| US09973748B1 |
Multi-core video decoder system for decoding multiple coding rows by using multiple video decoder cores and related multi-core video decoding method
A multi-core video decoder system has a syntax parser, a storage device, a plurality of video decoder cores and a control unit. The syntax parser performs syntax parsing upon an incoming encoded video bitstream to derive required information of each picture to be decoded. The storage device buffers the required information of each picture. The control unit controls the video decoder cores to load required information of a plurality of coding rows in a picture from the storage device and then decode the coding rows in the picture, respectively. |
| US09973747B2 |
Method for the synchronization of 3D devices and corresponding synchronization device
The invention relates to a method for the synchronization of a set of 3D devices suitable for the processing of data representative of at least one stereoscopic image comprising a first image and a second image. In order to synchronize the 3D devices involved in the rendering of the at least one stereoscopic image, the method comprises the steps for: creating at least a first group comprising at least two 3D devices according to information representative of at least a property associated with each of the at least two 3D devices, said at least one first group comprising at least a pair of active glasses and at least a display device suitable for the sequential display of the first and second images, creating a second group comprising at least a second 3D device not belonging to the first group according to a second item of information representative of at least one property associated with said at least one second 3D device, transmitting a first item of synchronization information to the at least two 3D devices so as to synchronize the at least two 3D devices for the rendering of the at least one stereoscopic image. The invention also relates to a synchronization device. |
| US09973746B2 |
System and method for presenting and viewing a spherical video segment
Systems and methods for presenting and viewing a spherical video segment is provided. The spherical video segment including tag information associated with an event of interest may be obtained. The tag information may identify a point in time and a viewing angle at which the event of interest is viewable in the spherical video segment. An orientation of a two dimensional display may be determined based upon output signals of a sensor. A display field of view within the spherical video segment may be determined and presented on the display based upon the orientation of the display. The display field of view may be captured as a two dimensional video segment. If the viewing angle of the event of interest is outside the display field of view proximate the point in time, a notification may be presented within the display field of view. |
| US09973740B2 |
Method and apparatus for encoding three-dimensional (3D) content
Disclosed is a method of encoding three-dimensional (3D) content. The method of encoding 3D content according to an embodiment may include setting a dependency between texture information and depth information of the 3D content, and generating a bitstream comprising the dependency. |
| US09973738B2 |
Control apparatus, control method, driving apparatus, and electronic apparatus
A generation unit generates adjustment information to adjust a first clock indicating a timing of illumination of a laser beam to scan on a screen, based on a scanning position to be scanned by the laser beam.On the basis of the adjustment information, adjustment unit adjusts the first clock to a second clock different from the first clock. Then, in synchronization with the second clock, the laser beam is allowed to illuminate as a pixel. This may be applicable to a projection apparatus for projecting an image on the screen, for example. |
| US09973731B2 |
Participating in a peer-to-peer communication session
A third party automatically participates in a peer-to-peer communication session established between a first endpoint and a second endpoint. Once the peer-to-peer communication session is established, a third party receives a first user data provided by the first endpoint, and verifies the first user data. If the verification succeeds, the third party automatically participates in the peer-to-peer communication session. |
| US09973729B2 |
Display and service adjustments to enable multi-tasking during a video call
A telecommunication device configured to enable a user to engage in a telecommunication device activity while participating in a video call is described herein. The telecommunication device concurrently displays user interfaces for the video call and the activity. The user interfaces may be displayed adjacent to each other, or one may be presented as an overlay in front of the other. The telecommunication device also informs a video call service that the video call user interface is not displayed in full-screen and, as a result, receives video call data at a reduced frame rate or reduced quality-of-service. |
| US09973726B2 |
Systems and methods to perform actions upon content items associated with multiple series subscriptions
A method includes performing, at a media recorder device, a comparison of a user defined criterion to information descriptive of content items associated with a set of series subscriptions. The content items and the set of series subscriptions are stored at the media recorder device. The user defined criterion indicates that reruns of episodes associated with a particular series subscription of the set of series subscriptions have not been recorded within a time period. The method includes identifying, at the media recorder device, multiple series subscriptions of the set of series subscriptions based on the comparison. The method includes deleting the multiple series subscriptions from the media recorder device. The method further includes sending, from the media recorder device, a notification to a display device, the notification indicating that a cleanup operation has been performed on the set of series subscription stored at the media recorder device. |
| US09973725B2 |
Modular television system
A modular television system may include a display subsystem and a television module subsystem. The display subsystem has a housing that contains a display panel for displaying images and display subsystem port. The television module subsystem has a housing that contains a main board and a television module port in communication with the main board. In another embodiment, the modular television system may include a main module. The main module may include a main module processor, a display controller, an audio output device, and at least one computing module port. Each of the display controller, audio output device and computing module ports are in communication with the main module processor. The main module processor functions to present audio and video received by the main module processor. In addition, the main module processor is configured to communicate with a removable computing module. |
| US09973724B2 |
Playback apparatus and conversion method that converts the luminance value of an input SDR signal into a luminance value in a different luminance range
A display system includes a conversion apparatus converting video luminance including a luminance value in a first luminance range and a display apparatus connected thereto and displaying the video. The conversion apparatus includes a first acquisition unit, a first luminance converter, a second luminance converter, a quantization converter, and an output unit outputting a third luminance signal to the display apparatus. The display apparatus includes: a second acquisition unit acquiring the third luminance signal and setting information indicating display settings recommended to the display apparatus in display of the video; a display setting unit setting the display apparatus, using the setting information; a third luminance converter converting a third code value indicated by the third luminance signal into a second luminance value compatible with a second luminance range, using the setting information; and a display controller displaying the video on the display apparatus based on the second luminance value. |
| US09973721B2 |
Processing method and apparatus for misoperation, and display device
A misoperation processing method includes determining, in response to triggering a misoperation cancellation step, display status information of a display device. The display status information is stored in a data storage area of the display device before the misoperation occurs. The method also includes restoring a display status of the display device that existed before the misoperation occurred based on the determined display status information. |
| US09973720B2 |
Solid state imaging device, method of outputting imaging signal and electronic device
There is provided a solid state imaging device including a first analog-to-digital converting unit that compares a level of an analog reference signal with a first inclination with a level of an analog pixel signal output from a pixel array unit, and converts the analog pixel signal into a first digital pixel signal, a second analog-to-digital converting unit that compares a level of an analog reference signal with a second inclination that is different in inclination from the analog reference signal with the first inclination with a level of the analog pixel signal, and converts the analog pixel signal into a second digital pixel signal, and a digital compositing unit that composites the first digital pixel signal with the second digital pixel signal, and outputs a composite result. |
| US09973715B2 |
Imaging apparatus, imaging system, and image processing method
An imaging apparatus includes an optical system, a data storage unit, an imaging unit, and an image processing unit. The optical system is variable in focal distance and varies a size of an image circle by the focal distance. A data storage unit stores data indicating a correspondence between a value of the focal distance and a value of the size of the image circle. The imaging unit obtains image data from the optical image. The image processing unit performs composition processing of image data in multiple frames after dividing each of the image data in multiple frames corresponding to an outside of the image circle into quadrant-by-quadrant regions and aligning the divided image data in multiple frames quadrant by quadrant. |
| US09973713B2 |
Distributed audio control method, device system, and software product
A multipoint audio processing method for processing audio streams originating from a plurality of audio clients is executed in a multipoint audio processing node. The method includes the steps of receiving control information on how to preselect audio streams from received audio streams, receiving audio streams from audio clients connected to the distributed multipoint audio processing node and generating evaluated audio streams by analyzing packets of the received audio streams in terms of at least one audio communication characteristic, and attaching an analysis result information of said analysis to said packets, in each audio stream. Audio streams are selected by deciding on whether or not any evaluated audio stream is to be transmitted further, based on the received control information and/or the analysis result information contained in said evaluated audio streams. Then selected audio streams are transmitted further while discarding evaluated audio streams decided not to be to be transmitted further, without mixing any transmitted audio streams. Corresponding steps may be executed by a central audio processing node. A system of audio clients distributed nodes and a central node and a software product are also disclosed. |
| US09973703B2 |
Mobile terminal and method for controlling the same
The present invention relates to a mobile terminal capable of capturing an image by time-lapse photography, and a method for controlling the same. The mobile terminal includes: a camera; a display; and a controller configured to cause the display to display a preview image of an image to be captured via the camera by time-lapse photography; and calculate at least one capturing set value that is different from a preset capturing set value for the time-lapse photography based on at least one of an input of a capturing set value, a battery usage amount, or a memory usage amount. |
| US09973700B2 |
Solid-state imaging device, method for driving solid-state imaging device, and electronic apparatus
A solid-state imaging device, a method for driving the solid-state imaging device, and an electronic apparatus capable of suppressing occurrence of motion distortion while realizing widening of dynamic range and in turn realizing a higher image quality are provided. Each pixel includes a photo diode PD which accumulates a charge generated by photo-electric conversion in an accumulation period, a transfer transistor capable of transferring the accumulated charge in a transfer period, a floating diffusion FD to which the charge accumulated in the photo diode PD is transferred, a source-follower transistor which converts the charge of the floating diffusion FD to a voltage signal in accordance with the charge quantity, and a capacity changing portion capable of changing the capacity of the floating diffusion FD in accordance with a capacity changing signal, the capacity of the floating diffusion FD being changed by the capacity changing portion in a predetermined period in one readout period with respect to the accumulation period and a conversion gain being switched in this one readout period. |
| US09973699B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
An image processing apparatus, which captures and records a moving image and which can generate still image data from moving image data, evaluates validity of image capturing conditions related to imaging parameters such as focus, exposure, white balance, and image blur, generates a degree of appropriateness corresponding to each imaging parameter, and based on at least one of the degrees of appropriateness, changes characteristics of control of imaging parameters corresponding to the other degrees of appropriateness. |
| US09973697B2 |
Image capture and ordering
One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for ordering images for panorama stitching and/or for providing a focal point indicator for image capture. For example, one or more images, which may be stitched together to create a panorama of a scene, may be stored within an image stack according to one or more ordering preferences, such as where manually captured images are stored within a first/higher priority region of the image stack as compared to automatically captured images. One or more images within the image stack may be stitched according to a stitching order to create the panorama, such as using images in the first region for a foreground of the panorama. Also, a current position of a camera may be tracked and compared with a focal point of a scene to generate a focal point indicator to assist with capturing a new/current image of the scene. |
| US09973696B1 |
Apparatus and methods for image alignment
Multiple images may be combined to obtain a composite image. Individual images may be obtained with different camera sensors and/or at different time instances. In order to obtain the composite image source images may be aligned in order to produce a seamless stitch. Source images may be characterized by a region of overlap. A disparity measure may be determined for pixels along a border region between the source images. A warp transformation may be determined using a refinement process configured to determine displacement of pixels of the border region based on the disparity. Pixel displacement at a given location may be constrained to direction configured tangential to an epipolar line corresponding to the location. The warp transformation may be propagated to pixels of the image. Spatial and/or temporal smoothing may be applied. In order to obtain refined solution, the warp transformation may be determined at multiple spatial scales. |
| US09973695B1 |
Systems and methods for capturing stitched visual content
A first image sensor may generate images capturing a first portion of a capture field. The capture of images by the first image sensor may be characterized by a first rolling shutter direction. A second image sensor may generate images capturing a second portion of the capture field. The capture of images by the second image sensor may be characterized by a second rolling shutter direction. The first portion may be adjacent to the second portion. The first rolling shutter direction may be parallel to and the same as the second rolling shutter direction. A first image may be obtained from the first image sensor. A second image may be obtained from the second image sensor. A stitched image may be generated based on the first image and the second image. |
| US09973693B2 |
Image processing apparatus for generating wide-angle image by compositing plural images, image processing method, storage medium storing image processing program, and image pickup apparatus
An image processing apparatus that is capable of generating a wide-angle composite image in which halation and black collapse are reduced without needing lots of memory quantity. An obtaining unit obtains images that are photographed with different exposure values while changing a photographing target area continuously. A detection unit detects an overlapped area where an object overlaps between adjacent images among the images obtained by the obtaining unit. A generation unit generates a composite area in which overlapped areas detected by the detection unit are overlapped so as not to exceed a predetermined count. A computation unit computes composition ratios of the images obtained by the obtaining unit based on the exposure values and signal values at the times when the images are photographed. A composition unit generates a wide-angle composite image by compositing images in the composite area with the composition ratios computed. |
| US09973691B2 |
Panoramic image generation method and image capturing apparatus
A panoramic image generation unit 19 which generates a surrounding 360-degree panoramic image data centering around a photographing point using a plurality of photographed image data performs a step of combining the plurality of the photographed image data to generate a surrounding 360-degree or more panoramic image data centering around the photographing point, a step of deforming any one of common subjects of a starting end and a terminal end with respect to the common subject included in each of the starting end and the terminal end of the 360-degree or more panoramic image data, to match sizes and postures of the common subject, and a step of overlapping the common subjects included in the starting end and the terminal end with each other to generate the 360-degree panoramic image data. |
| US09973683B2 |
Focus control apparatus, focus control method, camera apparatus and focus control method in camera apparatus
There is provided a focus control apparatus including: a first adjustment unit configured to adjust a focus distance; a second adjustment unit configured to adjust an addition amount of the focus distance adjusted with the first adjustment unit; and a focus control unit configured to control a focus based on the focus distance adjusted with the first adjustment unit and the addition amount adjusted with the second adjustment unit. Also provided are a focus control method, a camera apparatus and a focus control method in the camera apparatus. |
| US09973682B2 |
Image sensor including auto-focusing pixel and image processing system including the same
An image sensor includes a pixel array including first to fourth pixels having an R, G, and B Bayer pattern. An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) block converts a pixel signal of each of the first to fourth pixels into a digital pixel signal. At least one among the first to fourth pixels includes two photo diodes separated in a first direction, and at least one other of the first to fourth pixels includes two photo diodes separated in a second direction which is different from the first direction. |
| US09973681B2 |
Method and electronic device for automatically focusing on moving object
A method of an electronic device for automatically focusing on a moving object is provided. The method includes generating, by a processor, at least one focal code based on information comprising depth information of the moving object obtained using at least one previous position of the moving object, focusing, by the processor, on at least one portion of the moving object based on the at least one focal code, and capturing, by a sensor, at least one image of the moving object comprising the at least one portion of the moving object. |
| US09973680B2 |
Auto-focus in low-profile folded optics multi-camera system
Embodiments of imaging systems and methods of autofocusing are disclosed, for example, using a folded optics configuration. One system includes at least one camera configured to capture a target image scene, including an image sensor comprising an array of sensor elements, a primary light folding surface configured to direct a portion of received light in a first direction, and an optical element having a secondary light folding surface directing light in a second direction. The system can also include a lens assembly having at least one stationary lens positioned between the secondary light folding surface and the image sensor, the at least one stationary lens having a first surface mechanically coupled to the optical element and a second surface mechanically coupled to the image sensor, and at least one movable lens positioned between the primary light folding surface and the optical element. |
| US09973677B2 |
Refocusable images
Embodiments of the present invention are directed toward providing refocusable image. Refocusable images are images that, after being captured, can be refocused, or adjusted to have a different focal length. The embodiments described herein can utilize a mobile user device, such as a smartphone, without the need for specialized hardware. A camera of the mobile device can be configured to take a series of images in succession over a short period of time in which the focal length of the camera is varied so that each image has a different focal length. An image stack is created by aligning the images, and images are processed to determine which image has the highest contrast (i.e., is in focus) for each region of the image stack. Embodiments can further include displaying a first image of the series of images. |
| US09973674B2 |
Remote camera user interface
At an electronic device with a touch-sensitive display, a remote camera control user interface may be displayed. In some examples, a user may provide input through a gesture at a location corresponding to the touch-sensitive display and/or through a rotation of a rotatable input mechanism to control a camera of an external device. Camera control may include control of the external device's camera features, including image capture, zoom settings, focus settings, flash settings, and timer settings, for example, and may also include access to the external device's library of previously captured images. |
| US09973673B2 |
Image signal recording/reproduction apparatus, method employed therein, and image signal recording apparatus
An image signal recording/reproduction apparatus having a generating apparatus that generates a dynamic image signal or a still image signal of a subject captured by an imaging apparatus; an operation apparatus that starts recording of the dynamic image signal or the still image signal generated by the generating apparatus; a recording apparatus that records the dynamic image signal or the still image signal into a recording medium through mechanical drive; a reproduction apparatus that reproduces the dynamic image signal or the still image signal recorded at the recording medium through mechanical drive; and a control apparatus that implements control so that the mechanical drive is sustained if the operation apparatus is operated while the dynamic image signal or the still image signal is being reproduced by the reproduction apparatus and so that the recording apparatus records the dynamic image signal or the still image signal in the recording medium. |
| US09973672B2 |
Photographing for dual-lens device using photographing environment determined using depth estimation
A photographing method for a dual-lens device may include acquiring a first image collected at a first moment by a first image sensor and a second image collected at the first moment by a second image sensor; performing scene recognition on the first image and/or the second image, and performing depth estimation on the first image and the second image to determine a photographing environment; and when an instruction for a photographing operation is received, generating a picture using the multi-frame algorithm. When photographing is performed using a multi-frame algorithm, two frames of images can be collected at the same time using a dual-lens device, which can reduce impact caused by a jitter of the device or a motion of a target object, so that ghost detection and an elimination algorithm are not required, thereby reducing a photographing time. |
| US09973671B2 |
Method and apparatus for directing data capture devices in a mobile unit with a single operation
In a single operation executed by a mobile device, operation is executed on at least two data capture devices housed in the mobile device with a single trigger operation. The mobile device receives information captured by at least one of a first data capture device and a second data capture device; instructs adjustment of the other of the first data capture device and the second data capture device based on the received information and receives information captured by at least one of the first data capture device and the second data capture device subsequent to the adjustment. The mobile device analyzes the received information, repeats instructing adjustment until appropriated details are retrieved from the received information; and directs data capture and/or an image capture by at least one of the first data capture device and the second data capture device in accordance with the retrieved details. |
| US09973669B2 |
Dual overmolded reconstructed camera module
An apparatus and method of producing a dual overmolded camera module. The dual overmolded camera module including a dual overmolded image sensor module having a first image sensor device and a second image sensor device spaced from one another in an x-direction at a predetermined alignment distance, and wherein at least one of the first image sensor device and the second image sensor device have a conductive via formed therethrough and a redistribution layer along at least one side. The dual overmolded camera module further including a first lens assembly and a second lens assembly mounted over respective ones of the first image sensor device and the second image sensor device, and wherein both the first lens assembly and the second lens assembly are aligned with a common target. |
| US09973666B2 |
Camera module and electronic apparatus including conductive housing and feeding coil
A camera module includes a lens and an image sensor that converts an image formed by the lens into an electrical signal. The camera module is disposed such that the lens is exposed from an opening in a metal housing. A feeding coil to which a feeding circuit is directly or indirectly connected, is disposed, for example, in a space between the image sensor and the lens in a direction of an optical axis of the lens. The feeding coil is coupled to the metal housing by a magnetic field, so that the metal housing defines and functions as a radiating element for communication. |
| US09973664B2 |
External camera device that thermally couples camera optics to a vehicle's ventilation system
An external camera device for a motor vehicle prevents condensation on the camera optics by thermally coupling the optics to an air stream from the vehicle's ventilation system. The camera optics are disposed adjacent to an optical window in a camera holder that is attached to an outer surface of the motor vehicle. A flow channel guides the air stream through the camera holder. An inlet of the flow channel is connected to the ventilation system, and the flow channel is thermally coupled to the camera optics. The device is mounted onto the vehicle through a mounting surface of the camera holder. The inlet of the flow channel passes through the mounting surface. The outlet of the flow channel can either pass through the mounting surface or exit adjacent to the optical window, in which case a fluid-guide element guides the air stream from the outlet towards the optical window. |
| US09973663B2 |
Systems and methods for self-cleaning camera
Methods and systems are provided for a self-cleaning camera. The system includes a camera including a lens and a housing surrounding the lens. The system includes a shroud coupled to the housing about the lens. The shroud includes at least one anchor point for coupling the shroud to a vehicle. The system also includes a motor coupled to the housing of the camera via a coupling system such that an activation of the motor moves the camera relative to the shroud, and the movement of the camera relative to the shroud assists in cleaning the lens of the camera. |
| US09973660B2 |
Image forming apparatus for forming test pattern on sheet using coloring material of plurality of colors
The image forming apparatus includes: a measuring unit configured to measure reflected light from a test sheet, the measuring unit including a first sensor and a second sensor, a generation unit configured to generate information regarding a color of a plurality of measurement images based on a measurement result by the measuring unit; and a detection unit configured to detect a sensor that has output an abnormal measurement result in the measuring unit, based on the measurement result. The detection unit is further configured to detect a sensor that has output the abnormal measurement result, based on measurement results obtained by the measuring unit regarding reflected light from a predetermined region of the test sheet. The predetermined region corresponds to a region on which the plurality of measurement images are not formed. |
| US09973655B2 |
Image processing apparatus, method for controlling image processing apparatus, and storage medium
An image processing apparatus includes an acceptance unit configured to accept entry of a user ID, a setting unit configured to, if authentication of a user based on the user ID is successful, set a remaining portion after deletion of domain information from the user ID as a portion of path information of a folder, which becomes a destination of image data, and a transmission unit configured to transmit the image data to the folder indicated by the path information as the destination. |
| US09973648B2 |
Context and content based automated image and media sharing
Digital media can be automatically transferred between a digital capture device or storage device and one or more other devices with little or no user intervention. Media can be selected for automatic transfer based on one or more media-content or media-context characteristics. |
| US09973645B2 |
Multi-mode laser energy control for thermochromic print systems
A printing system and method comprising a transport system configured to move a print target, a laser for directing energy on the print target, and a control system configured to adjust the energy directed on the print target according to a present speed of the print target the control system further comprising an analog control, a scrolling window control, a pulse width modulation control, and a halftone modulation control. |
| US09973644B2 |
Image pickup apparatus with forced air-cooling structure
An image pickup apparatus with forced air-cooling structure, which is capable of improving heat radiating efficiency. The image pickup apparatus comprises a fan, an inlet, an outlet, and a duct, which has an inhaling part interconnecting with the inlet, a discharging part interconnecting with the outlet, and a cooling part connected to each of the inhaling part and the discharging part. Each of the inhaling part and the discharging part is connected to the cooling part in a direction intersecting with the cooling part. |
| US09973641B2 |
Multi-function printer
A multi-function printer comprises: a printer engine unit having a function of switching the mode of the multi-function printer from a print mode to a power-saving mode based on predetermined conditions; a first to a third microphone arranged at intervals on the same plane; and a control section configured to determine the position of a sound source according to the difference between the moments sound sources are captured by the first to the third microphone and switch the mode of the multi-function printer from the power-saving mode to the print mode. |
| US09973640B2 |
Display device and method and non-transitory computer readable medium
A display device includes the following elements. An obtaining unit obtains a processing description and a processing state of each processing operation. A specifying unit specifies a processing state. A first display controller performs control so that a processing description of a processing operation belonging to the specified processing state is displayed in a first region. A second display controller performs control for each processing state so that an image reflecting the number of processing operations belonging to the corresponding processing state is displayed in a second region, and so that, if the number of processing operations belonging to a processing state that is not specified is changed, an image reflecting the changed number is redisplayed in a first mode and, if the number of processing operations belonging to a specified processing state is changed, an image reflecting the changed number is redisplayed in a second mode. |
| US09973639B2 |
Portable terminal and recording medium
A portable terminal includes a display that displays a message and a controller that controls a cooperative operation with the image forming apparatus. The controller causes the display to display the message when the controller detects a proximity of the portable terminal to the image forming apparatus, and causes the display to stop displaying the message that is displayed on the display when an intensity of radio wave for short-range wireless communication from the image forming apparatus becomes equal or smaller than a predetermined threshold value. |
| US09973633B2 |
Pre-distortion system for cancellation of nonlinear distortion in mobile devices
A pre-distortion system for improved mobile device communications via cancellation of nonlinear distortion is disclosed. The pre-distortion system may transmit an acoustic signal from a network to a device, wherein the acoustic signal includes a linear signal and a nonlinear cancellation signal that cancels at least a portion of nonlinear distortions created once a loudspeaker in the device emits the linear signal. Thus, when a loudspeaker of a mobile device is operating and nonlinear distortions are generated by the loudspeaker or adjacent components of the mobile device in close proximity to the loudspeaker, the pre-distortion system may create one or more nonlinear cancellation signals in the network. The nonlinear cancellation signal may be combined with the linear signal sent to the loudspeaker to cancel the nonlinear distortion signal created by the loudspeaker emitting acoustic sounds from the linear signal. Thus, the nonlinear cancellation signal becomes a pre-distortion signal. |
| US09973630B2 |
System for group supervision
A system includes one or more computer systems configured to receive a plurality of information streams from a corresponding plurality of client systems that have a defined geographic position, analyze the information feeds, generate messages based on the analysis of the information feeds, generate positional information associated with the messages, and generate a set of informational depictions of the generated messages, with the informational depictions of the messages when rendered on a display device are rendered in juxtaposition with representations of the client systems according to the generated positional information. |
| US09973627B1 |
Selecting audio profiles
A computer-implemented method to select a user profile is disclosed. The method may include obtaining, from a first device, a communication attempt at a user device. The method may further include obtaining first device data associated with the communication attempt and with the first device. The method may also include comparing the first device data with multiple data elements of each of multiple user profiles associated with the user device. The method may further include selecting a user profile of the multiple user profiles that includes the data element that matches the first device data in response to the first device data matching a data element of the multiple data elements. The method may also include loading an audio profile for the selected user profile on the user device. |
| US09973625B1 |
System to share and present temporary contact information
A system for sharing and presenting temporary contact information associated with a service personnel. When a user generates an order request, the system generates temporary data indicative of a contact name and a phone number associated with the service personnel. The system sends the temporary data to a media device of the user. The media device stores the temporary data in a secure storage and receives a communication from a service media device associated with the service personnel. The media device presents at least the contact name responsive to the communication. The media device after completion of the communication prevents access to the temporary data stored on the media device. |
| US09973623B2 |
Methods, devices and system for logging calls for terminals
A method is provided for notification of an event relating to execution of a procedure for processing a communication session to be supported by a communication device belonging to a set of devices associated with a user. The method includes: reception of a subscription request from a so-called subscriber terminal belonging to the aforementioned set, requesting subscription to an event notification service for at least one so-called event that may occur on a device in the set; reception of information indicating an occurrence of at least one so-called event on a device in the set, other than the subscriber terminal; and sending an event notification to the subscriber terminal, signalling the occurrence. |
| US09973621B2 |
Cross-device security scheme for tethered devices
Embodiments help to provide a cross-device security schema for an audio device and a master device to which it is tethered (e.g., a smartphone). An example security scheme provides flexible mechanisms for locking and unlocking the audio device and the device to which it is tethered. For instance, an example security scheme may include: (a) an unlock sync feature that unlocks the audio device and keeps the audio device unlocked whenever the master device is unlocked, (b) a separate audio device unlock process that unlocks the audio device only (without unlocking the master device, and (c) an on-head detection process that, in at least some scenarios, locks the audio device in response to a determination that the audio device is not being worn. |
| US09973616B2 |
Imaging system, imaging device, information processing device, method, and program
An imaging system includes a control unit. Also, an imaging device and an information processing device with a cellular phone function include a fixed state in which the devices are fixed to each other, and a separated state in which the devices are separated from each other. Fixation/separation information indicates the fixed state or the separated state. The control unit performs, for the imaging device or the information processing device, different state controls in accordance with the fixation/separation information and an operation state of the cellular phone function. For example, user-friendliness of both the cellular phone function of the information processing device and an imaging function of the imaging device improves by performing different state controls at the time of reception of an incoming call, an incoming call responding state, and an incoming call response end in accordance with the fixed state or the separated state. |
| US09973613B1 |
Re-organize pins based on proximity of other people
A computer-implemented process for organizing pins of a same social application based on proximity of others, the computer-implemented process comprising: detecting an account of a second user of the same social application on a mobile device by a first user of the same social application; measuring a proximity of the second user from a first user of the same social application using a proximity sensing technology; in response to first user and the second user being within a predetermined distance of each other, arranging items, also known as “pins” of the first user, the second user, or both, into a new arrangement according to predetermined criteria comprising common interests, differing interests and personal information of the second user; and performing a selected action from a predetermined set of actions including highlighting images and products that are in demand using the new arrangement. |
| US09973609B2 |
Handheld controller for a motorized wheel
A system for controlling the operation of a motorized wheel including a controller configured to control the operation of a motor for driving the motorized wheel, and a handheld device configured to receive inputs associated with the operation of the motor and to transmit instructions corresponding to the received inputs to the controller to control the operation of the motor via a wireless communication medium. The handheld device includes a main portion having a handgrip and a tail portion being biased toward the main portion to form an attachment mechanism by the main portion in cooperation with the tail portion, the attachment mechanism for attaching to a remote surface. The handheld device including a display for displaying information associated with the operation of the motorized wheel. |
| US09973603B2 |
Electronic device including flexible display
Disclosed is an electronic device includes a flexible display, a support structure that supports the flexible display and a housing, into which the flexible display and the support structure are inserted. When the support structure is inserted into the housing, the flexible display is inserted into the housing together with the support structure while being wound in a specific direction. When the support structure extends outside the housing, the flexible display is deployed so that the flexible display is substantially flat. |
| US09973601B2 |
Fault tolerant clock network
Fault tolerant and redundant grand master clock scheme may reduce or eliminate precision time transition caused by a network link or device failure. A primary synchronization message may be sent by a primary grandmaster clock and one or more backup synchronization message may be sent by respective backup grandmaster clocks. The primary and backup grandmaster clocks may be concurrently operated. The primary and backup synchronization messages may be sent to an end station over a network. The end station may derive a local clock based on one, some, or all of the received messages. The end station may or may not distinguish between the messages based on the clock source. The end station may validate messages received from a particular clock source. |
| US09973598B2 |
Communications device supporting dynamic modbus protocol mapping
Disclosed embodiments relate to a communications device that supports the Modbus protocol. In some embodiments, a device includes: a receiver to receive a transmit packet; a data packet extractor configured to extract a data packet from the transmit packet; a data packet analyzer configured to acquire a command indicated by the data packet based on a Modbus map that associates data included in the data packet with a handler function included in the communications device; and an action performer configured to carry out the acquired command. |
| US09973595B2 |
Neighbor aware network data link profiles
A method for selecting a data link schedule includes selecting, at a provider device, a Neighbor Aware Network (NAN) data link profile for a service. The NAN data link profile corresponds to a set of NAN data link schedules that satisfy transmission parameters of the service. The method also includes sending the NAN data link profile in a service advertisement to a subscriber device. |
| US09973593B2 |
Device gateway
A computing environment is disclosed that receives from devices requests directed toward services accessible in the environment, and that forwards communications from services in the environment to devices registered with the environment. During a registration process at the environment, devices are assigned a device identifier that is used to identify and authenticate each particular device and requests communicated from and to the device via the environment. The computing environment maintains state information for each device that has been registered with the system. As the device interacts with the system, the state information is updated to reflect the changes in the device. When requests to perform functions are received from devices, the computing environment determines for the particular device and the particular function requested what processing needs to be performed by the environment in response to the request. |
| US09973589B2 |
Enabling a push notification from a website
Techniques for enabling a push notification from a website are described. In at least some embodiments, a push notification generally represents a way for a website to push information to a client device. For instance, a push notification may include content (e.g., text, images, video, audio, and so forth) that a website pushes to a client device. The content can be output via the client device, e.g., independently of an output of the website itself. According to one or more embodiments, a push notification channel is generated that enables notifications to be pushed from a website to a client device. Generally, a push notification channel represents a set of attributes and procedures that enable notifications to be securely and accurately pushed from a website to a client device. |
| US09973584B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for location-based data access
A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for implementing a location-based records access system. An example of the method includes providing, in a browser sandbox environment executing on a processor, a client interface for interacting with a records server, receiving an indication of an occurrence of an event within the client interface, the indication comprising electronic data sufficient to identify a particular protocol handler application, executing the particular protocol handler application outside of the browser sandbox environment, wherein executing the particular protocol handler application results in execution of a listener, performing a call, by the client interface, to the listener to request a device identifier from the listener, receiving, by the client interface, the device identifier from the listener; and transmitting the device identifier to the records server. |
| US09973582B2 |
Method and apparatus for bi-directional communication and data replication between multiple locations during intermittent connectivity
A method and database server for synchronizing contents of a local database with contents of a remote database. The method includes writing data transactions to a local transaction log file, assigning bin numbers to the data transactions, and determining if the assigned bin numbers have changed due to receipt of subsequent data transactions and if the bin numbers have changed, inserting the subsequent data transactions into a local sequence log file and assigning the subsequent data transactions a first sequence number. The method includes providing, to a remote replicator service, access to the first sequence number, the remote replicator service having access to a second sequence number, and if the first sequence number does not match the second sequence number, providing to the remote replicator service access to the subsequent data transactions, the remote replication service updating a remote database to include the subsequent data transactions. |
| US09973579B2 |
Method and system for remote management of access to appliances
Embodiments described herein include methods and systems for remotely managing appliances associated with a user. A mobile phone is but one example of a controlled appliance. A third party operating system (OS) resident on the appliance and is in communication with a third party infrastructure. The appliance receives communications from the third party infrastructure related to management of the appliance, wherein management comprises controlling when the appliance is operable, and which functions the appliance can perform. |
| US09973577B2 |
Providing access to a resource for a computer from within a restricted network
Disclosed are systems, methods, and machine readable storage media that cause a storage computer and a client computer to perform a method of providing access to one or more resources on the storage computer for the client computer. The storage computer is operable for initiation of a network connection between the client computer and the storage computer. Initiation of the network connection between the client computer and the storage computer by the storage computer is enabled, and initiation of the network connection between the client computer and the storage computer by the client computer is disabled. The client computer and the storage computer are operable for maintaining the network connection between the client computer and the storage computer. |
| US09973575B2 |
Distributed processing system and control method
A control method for controlling a distributed processing system that performs distributed processing using a plurality of devices is executed by a processor. The method including acquiring load information from each of the plurality of devices, identifying a source device and a destination device based on the acquired load information, the source device being a device of a migration source of an allocated processing operation and the destination device being a device of a migration destination of the allocated processing operation. The method further including selecting as a processing operation of a migration target from among a plurality of processing operations allocated to the source device, a processing operation with which a rate that data used by the processing operation at the source device is to be used at the destination device is relatively high or higher than a predetermined rate. |
| US09973574B2 |
Packet forwarding optimization without an intervening load balancing node
According to some embodiments, a computer-implemented method for packet forwarding optimization across multiple nodes may include receiving, via a processor on a network controller, a first packet from a client. The first packet can include information indicative of a target node and a protocol type. The method may further include receiving, via the processor, a balancing node from a packet engine, forwarding, via the processor, the first packet to the target node though the balancing node according to a balancing node address, a target node address, and the protocol type, receiving, via the processor, a registration from the packet engine, and saving the registration to a network controller queue, and forwarding, via the network controller queue, a second packet to the target node based on the registration without the second packet traversing the balancing node. |
| US09973568B2 |
Measuring actual end user performance and availability of web applications
Techniques for monitoring web application performance are provided. A request for a web application is received at an application server. A response pipeline at the application server generates client application code corresponding to the requested web application. The client application code is intercepted in the response pipeline. Instrumentation code is inserted into the intercepted client application code to generate an instrumented client application code. The instrumentation code is configured to be executed when the instrumented client application code is rendered at the client to capture performance information at the client, and is configured to transmit the captured performance information from the client. |
| US09973563B2 |
Implementing a java method
A process and system for implementing a Java method. A browser in a second computer downloads, from a first computer, a web page having embedded therein a JavaScript and a Java applet. The second computer includes a Java Virtual Machine (JVM) communicatively coupled to the browser. After downloading the web page, the JavaScript receives from a Java servlet executing on the first computer a first message instructing the Java applet to execute the Java method. After receiving the first message, the Java applet executes the Java method. Executing the Java method includes the web browser executing the JavaScript which triggers execution of the Java applet by the JVM to cause executing the Java method by the Java applet. After executing the Java method, the JavaScript transmits to the Java servlet a second message that includes the Java method and a result of executing the Java method. |
| US09973557B2 |
Media acceleration for virtual computing services
Streaming media is problematic for thin clients using remoting protocols like RDP that were never designed to handle the volume of data associated with multimedia. The result is large demands on the host computer and thin client CPU and excessive bandwidth on the network, which results in a poor display quality. A process running on a host computer detects an existing multimedia acceleration channel to a thin client and also identifies unaccelerated media streams like Adobe Flash. The unaccelerated content is automatically re-encoded using a codec format supported by the thin client acceleration channel. This results in a significant improvement in the quality of the streaming media displayed on the thin client and overall reductions in host CPU load, network bandwidth and thin client CPU load. No additional software is required on the thin clients to support new media types including Adobe Flash. |
| US09973556B2 |
Distributing communication of a data stream among multiple devices
Methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture for distributing communication of a data stream among multiple devices are disclosed. Example methods disclosed herein include receiving a request from a first one of a plurality of devices to establish a shared connection to distribute communication of a first data stream among the plurality of devices. Such example methods also include establishing, in response to the request, respective data connections with the plurality of devices based on device capability information obtained from a system providing service for the plurality of devices. Such example methods further include splitting the first data stream into a plurality of partial data streams to be communicated to the plurality of devices via the respective data connections, the partial data streams, when aggregated, forming the first data stream. |
| US09973553B2 |
Meeting support apparatus, method for executing meeting support process, and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium
A method includes reporting area information identifying a predetermined area to the predetermined area, transmitting an application when terminal identification information identifying a terminal is received from the terminal that received the area information, receiving first tag information transmitted in response to an operation performed by the application, retaining the received first tag information, managing second tag information shared in a meeting held by the terminal and another terminal, determining a target share information to be newly shared according to the first tag information and the second tag information, transmitting a proposal proposing that the target share information be shared to the terminal retaining the target share information, and updating the second tag information based on tag information including a tag and importance information of the target share information newly shared in a case of receiving a response from the application indicating that the terminal accepts the proposal. |
| US09973549B2 |
Method and apparatus for communicating between communication devices
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, receiving from a web real-time communications gateway a first request for communication services from a network resource, where the network resource does not utilize a web real-time communications protocol and where the first request is compliant with a markup language that differs from the web real-time communications protocol, directing the network resource to provide the communication services identified in the first request, receiving a first message from the web real-time communications gateway, where the first message is compliant with the markup language, translating the first message to a first updated message conforming to a protocol used by the network resource, where protocol differs from the markup language used for communicating with the web real-time communications gateway, and transmitting the updated first message to the network resource facilitating the communication services identified in the first request. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US09973547B1 |
Method and systems for adaptively managing hypertext transfer protocol sessions in a content delivery network
A system (100) includes an interface portal (116) to receive (401), at a resource locator (402) pointing to media content (101), a request (117) for the media content from a client device (109). A server complex (102) can validate a secure token (403) of the request, and can issue a new token (405) that includes one or more session identification credentials (406). These can include a session identifier (407) indicating a session required to retrieve the media content to the client device, an identifier of an edge server (105) to serve the request for the media content, and other information. A resource management system (106), operable with the server complex and the edge server, can then throttle a data rate of the session as a function of the one or more session identification credentials or terminate the session as a function of the one or more session credentials. |
| US09973545B2 |
Method and device for managing circuit switched data calls
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, generating a tone during first communications with another communication device, providing the tone to a gateway to cause the gateway to transmit a re-invite message without the gateway providing the tone to the other communication device, receiving the re-invite message where the re-invite message includes a request for a higher bandwidth than the first communications, providing a response message to the gateway responsive to the re-invite message where the providing of the response message causes the gateway to provide the tone to the other communication device. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US09973543B2 |
Seamless switching between computing devices during an online meeting
Methods and systems for switching between computing devices during an online meeting are described herein. A collaboration server may receive a token from a first computing device connected to an online meeting hosted by the collaboration server. The collaboration server may receive another token from a second computing device and determine whether the received tokens match. If so, the collaboration server may establish an association between the second computing device and the meeting participant attending the online meeting via the first computing device. The collaboration server may accept a request from the second computing device to join the online meeting thus allowing the meeting participant to continue the online meeting from the second computing device. |
| US09973541B2 |
Lawful interception in an IP multimedia subsystem network
A method and apparatus for providing lawful interception in an IMS network. A first node in an IMS network receives a message from a Lawful Intercept mediation system node instructing the first node to perform lawful interception on a target. The first node sends a subscribe request message towards a second node located in an IMS core network. The subscribe request message includes at least an identity of a service type to be monitored. The first node subsequently receives a notify message from the second node, the notify message including session information from which intercept related information can be derived. The first node then sends intercept related information towards the Lawful Intercept mediation system node. |
| US09973540B2 |
System and method for building intelligent and distributed L2-L7 unified threat management infrastructure for IPV4 and IPV6 environments
A security gateway appliance is configured to evaluate network traffic according to security rules that classify traffic flows according to specifically identified application programs responsible for producing and/or consuming the network traffic and to enforce policies in accordance with network traffic classifications. The appliance includes an on-box anti-virus/anti-malware engine, on-box data loss prevention engine and on-box authentication engine. One or more of these engines is informed by an on-box dynamic real tie rating system that allows for determined levels of scrutiny to be paid to the network traffic. Security gateways of this type can be clustered together to provide a set of resources for one or more networks, and in some instances as the backbone of a cloud-based service. |
| US09973538B2 |
Architecture of transparent network security for application containers
A system comprises one or more application containers, each application container including computer-readable instructions and initiated via a container service and isolated using operating system-level virtualization. The system also comprises one or more virtual switches configured to route traffic from the application containers. The system further comprises one or more security containers, each security container configured to transparently intercept traffic from the one or more application containers for analysis of network security. The system further comprises a user interface (UI) container configured to receive configuration settings from a user. The system also comprises an analytics container configured to perform analysis on data received from the one or more security containers. The system also comprises a management container configured to configure settings for the one or more security containers and the analytics container. |
| US09973537B2 |
Method and system for updating security information
A method for updating security information is applied to a system including an information service provider and mobile devices. The information service provider includes a server and a database, in which the server provides security information to the mobile devices and each of the security information is related individually to a security code. The information service provider can transmit updated security information to the mobile devices in an active-push manner in communicative off-peak hours, and at the same time each of the mobile devices would be automatically waken up and connected with the service-provider so as to receive the updated security information. While the mobile device is to request additional information, the passive-pull transmission manner can then be applied by the mobile device to obtain the additional information from the information service provider. Thus, merits of both the active push transmission and the passive pull transmission can be obtained. |
| US09973535B2 |
Network security systems and methods
This disclosure relates to systems and methods for managing connected devices and associated network connections. In certain embodiments, trust, privacy, safety, and/or security of information communicated between connected devices may be established in part through use of security associations and/or shared group tokens. In some embodiments, these security associations may be used to form an explicit private network associated with the user. A user may add and/or manage devices included in the explicit private network through management of various security associations associated with the network's constituent devices. |
| US09973527B2 |
Context-aware proactive threat management system
This disclosure is directed to a context-aware proactive threat management system. In general, a device may use internal activity data along with data about external activities (e.g., provided by remote resources) for threat assessment and mitigation. A device may comprise, for example, a hostile environment detection (HED) module to coordinate threat assessment and mitigation. The HED module may accumulate internal activity data (e.g., from security services in the device), and external activity data regarding a system environment and/or a physical environment from the remote resources. The HED module may then assess threats based on the activity data and determine automated and/or manual mitigation operations to respond to the threats. In one embodiment, visualization features may also be used to, for example, visualize threats to a user, visualize automatic/manual mitigation operations, request user confirmation regarding the performance of manual mitigation operations, etc. |
| US09973522B2 |
Identifying network security risks
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for identifying network security risks. One of the methods includes receiving organizational hierarchy data and receiving access privilege data for a network, generating an adjacency matrix that represents connections between individuals within the organizational hierarchy and various groups, and that represents connections between the individuals and various access privileges, selecting an analytic technique for analyzing the adjacency matrix, determining, for each individual, an individual score that represents a security risk associated with the individual's network account, and in response to determining that the individual score meets a threshold, applying security controls. |
| US09973521B2 |
System and method for field extraction of data contained within a log stream
Embodiments of the present invention disclose populating a database by conducting a training phase to analyze training security log streams. A server extracts the words contained within the training security log and replaces each of the extracted words with a symbol to form a symbol string and an n-gram scan is conducted on the symbol string to generate statistical data. Tokens are extracted from symbol string, where the tokens are words, phrase or alphanumeric sequence represented by a symbol within training security log stream. The symbol string is replaced with the words they represent to allow for the identification of the actual token phrases. A scan is conducted on the token phrase to acquire scan data on the identified token phrases. Once the tokens, position information, and scan data are known they are stored within the database to allow security log streams to be analyzed in real time. |
| US09973512B2 |
Determining variable wait time in an asynchronous call-back system based on calculated average sub-queue wait time
A method includes a workload management (WLM) server that receives a first CHECK WORKLOAD command for a workload in a queue of the WLM server. It may be determined whether the workload is ready to run on a WLM client. If the workload is not ready to run, a wait time for the workload with the WLM server is dynamically estimated. The wait time is sent to the WLM client. If the workload is ready to run, then a response is sent to the WLM client that workload is ready to run. |
| US09973509B2 |
Provisioning system-level permissions using attribute-based access control policies
A permissions provisioning module includes a data adapter and a permissions calculator associated with a policy evaluator operable to evaluate an ABAC policy. The module is adapted to interact with a computer system including resources, metadata and an access control mechanism enforcing, in respect of each resource, an access control list associated with the resource. In operation, the data adapter receives metadata for said computer system and assigns values to attributes in the policy based on the metadata. The permissions calculator queries the policy evaluator on combinations of resources and principals of the system using the attribute values thus assigned, and returns permission data. The data adapter formats said permission data into ACLs, for deployment in the computer system. |
| US09973503B2 |
Method and internet-connected server for reviewing a computer-executable experiment
An internet-connected server comprising a first module for authorizing a user to access the server for: setting up, on the server, a given configuration for conducting a computer-executable experiment, wherein the given configuration comprises at least an executable instruction and a parameter or input data; executing, on the server, the computer-executable experiment with the given configuration so to produce a numerical result; certifying, on the server, the numerical result so to produce a certified result; and generating, on the server, a certification identifier of the certified result. The internet-connected server further comprises a second module for authorizing a reviewer for: providing the server with the certification identifier; and requesting and/or accessing, on the server, the certified numerical result on the basis of the provided certification identifier. |
| US09973496B2 |
Controlled use of a hardware security module
Methods are provided for using a hardware module connectable to multiple computer systems, where the multiple computer systems are connectable to a server within a common network. The method includes: providing a network address of the server in persistent memory of the hardware security module; providing an encrypted secret entity in the persistent memory of the hardware security module; providing a private key in the persistent memory of the hardware security module; and based on the hardware security module being connectable to one of the computer systems, the method includes: establishing a secure connection between the hardware security module and the server; retrieving, via the secure connection, a wrapping key from the server and storing it in volatile memory of the hardware security module; and decrypting the encrypted secret entity with the wrapping key and storing the decrypted secret entity in the volatile memory of the hardware security module. |
| US09973495B2 |
Bootstrapping user authentication
Disclosed are various embodiments relating to bootstrapping user authentication. A first security credential is received for a user account from a user. A first application is then authenticated with another computing device using the first security credential. After authenticating the first application, a bootstrap request is then sent to the other computing device for a second security credential to authenticate a second application without using the first security credential. The bootstrap request specifies a bootstrap session identifier. The second security credential is then received from the other computing device. |
| US09973491B2 |
Determining an identity of a third-party user in an SAML implementation of a web-service
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates determining an identity of a third-party user in a Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) implementation of a web-service. During operation, the system receives an SAML token profile web service request from the third-party user at the web-service. The system also receives a digital certificate designated by the SAML token profile web service request from the third-party user at the web-service. Next, the system analyzes the digital certificate to identify a third-party associated with the third-party user. The system then determines if the third-party is a trusted party. Next, the system receives one or more attributes associated with the third-party user at the web-service. The system then uses the attributes to identify the third-party user. Finally, the system performs a lookup in a user map to determine a user account that is associated with the third-party user. |
| US09973489B2 |
Providing virtualized private network tunnels
Various aspects of the disclosure relate to providing a per-application policy-controlled virtual private network (VPN) tunnel. In some embodiments, tickets may be used to provide access to an enterprise resource without separate authentication of the application and, in some instances, can be used in such a manner as to provide a seamless experience to the user when reestablishing a per-application policy controlled VPN tunnel during the lifetime of the ticket. Additional aspects relate to an access gateway providing updated policy information and tickets to a mobile device. Other aspects relate to selectively wiping the tickets from a secure container of the mobile device. Yet further aspects relate to operating applications in multiple modes, such as a managed mode and an unmanaged mode, and providing authentication-related services based on one or more of the above aspects. |
| US09973484B2 |
System and method for securely storing and sharing information
The present application generally relates to systems, devices, and methods to conduct the secure exchange of encrypted data using a three-element-core mechanism consisting of the key masters, the registries and the cloud lockboxes with application programming interfaces providing interaction with a wide variety of user-facing software applications. Together the mechanism provides full lifecycle encryption enabling cross-platform sharing of encrypted data within and between organizations, individuals, applications and devices. Control of the private key required for decryption is maintained by the information owner. More specifically, the mechanism establishes unique identities, verifies authenticity, generates and securely exchanges asymmetric encryption key pairs, encrypts, transmits, receives and decrypts data to/from cloud lockboxes; creates and appends metadata specific to the applications and retrieves and/or act upon metadata. |
| US09973477B2 |
Method and system for secure requesting of an object via a communications network
A method for requesting an object by means of a client system, which is coupled to a server system operatively via a communications network is provided, wherein a server means of the server system receives via the communications network a request message from an electronic document displayed at a client system, the request message comprises at least a first parameter, which identifies a user of the client system, and a second parameter, which identifies the requested object, the server means evaluates the parameters of the received request message, wherein data for the first parameter assigned to the user and data for the second parameter assigned to the object are determined, wherein the respective data are stored in a storage means of the server system, and after a successful evaluation, the requested object is provided for transmission to the user. |
| US09973475B2 |
Data computation in a multi-domain cloud environment
A gateway device for implementing data security is described herein. The gateway device is coupled between a client device and a server device, and is configured to receive encoded data and a set of operations from the server device in response to a request for cloud services from the client device. The gateway device is configured to decode the encoded data, and to provide the decoded data and the set of operations to the client device. The client device is configured to perform the set of operations on the decoded data, and to incorporate the operation results into an application or interface corresponding to the requested cloud service. The gateway device is configured to encode the operation result data, and to provide the encoded operation result data to the server device for storage. |
| US09973473B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for rapid filtering of opaque data traffic
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for rapid filtering of opaque data traffic are disclosed. According to one method, the method includes receiving a packet containing a payload. The method also includes analyzing a portion of the payload for determining whether the packet contains compressed or encrypted data. The method further includes performing, if the packet contains compressed or encrypted data, at least one of sending the packet to an opaque traffic analysis engine for analysis, discarding the packet, logging the packet, or marking the packet. |
| US09973472B2 |
Methods and systems for orchestrating physical and virtual switches to enforce security boundaries
Some embodiments include methods comprising: writing entries in a forwarding table of a switch through an application programming interface (API) of the switch, such that first data packets from a first host and directed to a second host are forwarded by the switch to an enforcement point; receiving the first data packets; forwarding the first data packets to the enforcement point using the forwarding table; determining whether the first data packets violate a high-level security policy using a low-level rule set; configuring the forwarding table through the API such that second data packets are forwarded by the switch to the second host, in response to determining the first data packets do not violate the security policy; configuring the forwarding table through the API such that the second data packets are dropped or forwarded to a security function by the switch, in response to the determining. |
| US09973465B1 |
End-to-end transaction tracking engine
A transaction management platform is provided that is configured to perform end-to-end tracking of transactions including messages. The messages may be tracked using universal message identifiers that are generated and associated with messages. The universal message identifiers are generated based on a message list received from a source node. A predicted path is determined for each message based on a message type for each message. The movements of a particular message are tracked by sending queries requesting message statuses to each node within the particular message's predicted path. A record associated with the particular message is updated after receiving query responses. |
| US09973453B2 |
Method and system for playing multimedia files
Playing multimedia files includes determining an instant messaging scenario type associated with an instant messaging session, locating multimedia file information that matches the scenario type, and sending the multimedia file information to at least one instant messaging terminal of a plurality of instant messaging terminals participating in the instant messaging session to trigger the at least one instant messaging terminal to play a multimedia file based on the multimedia file information. |
| US09973451B2 |
System and method for providing administration command progress status in a cloud platform environment
In accordance with an embodiment, described herein is a system and method for providing administrative command progress status for use with a cloud computing environment. In accordance with an embodiment, a job manager service provides an application program interface which receives administrative commands to be processed within the cloud environment as jobs, wherein each instance of the administrative commands is associated with a unique job identifier. A command line interface allows a user to issue a command to be processed within the cloud environment as a job. During progress of a job associated with an annotated command, a status associated with the progress of the job is determined and provided to the command line interface. For example, the system can provide job progress status during these operations, to reassure the user that the operation is proceeding normally. |
| US09973450B2 |
Methods and systems for dynamically updating web service profile information by parsing transcribed message strings
One or more computing devices may receive audio data from a first client device. The one or more computing devices may also receive a designation of a second client device from the first client device. The one or more computing devices may transcribe the audio data to text, and may further identify profile information associated with a user of the first client device in the transcribed text. The profile information may be stored to a profile associated with the user of the first client device. The one or more computing devices may also transmit at least one of the audio data or the transcribed text to the second client device. |
| US09973448B2 |
Predictive cached buffer for communication devices
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method that includes presenting a media content item at a communication device coupled to a network, and analyzing the media content item to determine a current desired cache size and to predict a future desired cache size for presentation of the media content item; the desired cache size varies during the presentation in accordance with properties of the media content item. The method further includes adjusting a cache of the communication device in accordance with the analyzing. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US09973447B2 |
Built-in ethernet switch design for RTU redundant system
A system includes a remote terminal unit (RTU) controller module. Each RTU controller module comprises a controller board configured to couple to a carrier board that includes first and second Ethernet ports. Each controller module comprises computer processing circuitry including the first and second MACs and configured to select to transmit a packet to the first Ethernet port through the first MAC and to alternatively select to transmit the packet to the second Ethernet port through the second MAC. Each controller module comprises an Ethernet switch configured to receive the packet from the first media access control (MAC) and transmit the packet to the first Ethernet port. Each controller module comprises a physical Ethernet interface (PHY) configured to receive the packet from the second MAC and transmit the packet to the second Ethernet port. The computer processing circuitry, the Ethernet switch, and the PHY are mounted on the controller board. |
| US09973446B2 |
Remote shared server peripherals over an Ethernet network for resource virtualization
Provided is a novel approach for connecting servers to peripherals, such as NICs, HBAs, and SAS/SATA controllers. Also provided are systems for arranging peripherals within one or more I/O directors, which are connected to the servers over an Ethernet network. Such arrangement allows sharing the same resource among multiple servers. |
| US09973445B2 |
Datapath with service stages
A novel design of a gateway that handles traffic in and out of a network by using a datapath pipeline is provided. The datapath pipeline includes multiple stages for performing various data-plane packet-processing operations at the edge of the network. The processing stages include centralized routing stages and distributed routing stages. The processing stages can include service-providing stages such as NAT and firewall. The gateway caches the result previous packet operations and reapplies the result to subsequent packets that meet certain criteria. For packets that do not have applicable or valid result from previous packet processing operations, the gateway datapath daemon executes the pipelined packet processing stages and records a set of data from each stage of the pipeline and synthesizes those data into a cache entry for subsequent packets. |
| US09973444B2 |
Relay system and switching device
When relaying a frame received at a MCLAG port to a bridge port, a MCLAG identifier adding unit adds a MCLAG identifier to the frame. When an encapsulated frame to which a MCLAG identifier has been added is received at the bridge port and the encapsulation of the frame, is performed by a peer device, a learning information control unit does not learn an encapsulation address contained in the encapsulated frame. More specifically, the learning information control unit learns a source customer address contained in the frame in association with the MCLAG identifier added to the frame to the address table, but does not learn a source encapsulation address. |
| US09973435B2 |
Loopback-free adaptive routing
A method for communication includes, in a network node that includes a plurality of ports, specifying for a given destination address at least one Adaptive Routing (AR) group. The at least one AR group includes two or more ports over which packets destined to the given destination address are to be adaptively routed. A packet destined to the given destination address is received at the network node, via one of the ports serving as an ingress port. An egress port is adaptively selected for the packet, from the ports in the at least one AR group but excluding the ingress port over which the packet was received. The packet is routed to the selected egress port. |
| US09973432B2 |
Load balancing in a virtualized computing environment based on a fabric limit
An apparatus and program product manage virtual machines in a virtualized computing environment based at least in part on limitations associated with storage fabrics through which virtual machines may access one or more storage systems in such an environment. The storage fabric limitations may be used, for example, in connection with placing virtual machines on hosts in a virtualized computing environment. As another example, storage fabric limitations may be used in connection with deploying virtual machines into a virtualized computing environment to reduce the likelihood of boot errors. As still another example, storage fabric limitations may be used in connection with load balancing across multiple fabrics in a virtualized computing environment. |
| US09973429B2 |
Software defined networking (SDN) controller orchestration and network virtualization for data center interconnection
A data center interconnection (DCI) network may comprise a data center controller (DCC) managing a plurality of data centers (DCs) interconnected by a provider network managed by a network provider controller (NPC). The provider network may be an OpenFlow based software defined networking (SDN) transport network. The DCC may initiate a virtual network service (VNS) negotiation with the NPC to connect the DCs and may specify a network abstraction granularity level. The NPC may respond by computing paths through the provider network accordingly and providing the DCC with one or more virtual networks (VNs). The DCC may compute virtual paths through the VNs and send virtual network element (VNE) connection setup commands to the DCC. The DCC may convert the VNE connection setup commands into network element (NE) commands to setup connections in NEs of the provider network. The DCC and the NPC may perform fault monitoring, detection, and recovery. |
| US09973426B2 |
System and method for scaling IPV6 on a three-tier network architecture at a large data center
Some implementations provide a method for managing switches in a data center that includes: (1) establishing a connection from one switch to another switch in the data center, the data center providing a plurality of virtual local area networks (VLANs), each VLAN including at least one Virtual Machine and capable of spanning across more than one of the plurality of switches; (2) provisioning device prefixes for IPv6 addresses, a given device prefix corresponding to a particular VLAN on a particular switch in the data center, the given device prefix included in a host address of a particular virtual machine, the particular virtual machine hosted on a server computer, the sever computer connected to the particular switch without additional intervening switches; (3) configuring a hardware memory to include prefix information and address information; and (4) transferring packets by using the prefix information and the address information. |
| US09973422B2 |
Traffic interconnection between virtual devices
According to an example, a virtual port is configured for a current virtual device (VD) to interconnect the current VD with other VDs. The virtual port may be a layer 3 port and route learning and advertising of port information may be performed through the virtual port. |
| US09973421B2 |
Method and device for connection management in a telecommunication network
The invention relates to connection management in a telecommunication network and particularly relates to a method (30) for managing telecommunication network connections, comprising a step of creating at least one list (L1, L2, . . . , LN, LN+1) of connections, said list being associated to a time interval (DL1, DL2, . . . , DLN, DLN+1) having a predetermined period and used to record at least one active connection (C1), for example, for which a transfer of a packet has been detected, in the time interval associated to the considered list. |
| US09973418B2 |
Techniques for change propagation across broker territories
Certain example embodiments described herein relate to techniques for propagating changes across broker territories. Broker territories are formed from broker servers that are placed in different geographical locations. When a territory is formed, a minimum spanning tree (MST) is formed between the brokers in the territory and, as a result, every broker in the territory will know its nearest neighbors and will be able to propagate the changes to these brokers. The MST may be dynamic in certain example embodiments. Each broker may be configured to calculate the cost of the edges based on certain predefined parameters, e.g., in computing the MSTs. Parameters that may be used in determining edge weights may include, for example, response to ping, geographical distance, whether a broker is in a LAN versus in a WAN, whether brokers are embedded in a mobile device, predefined categories (e.g., based on device type, etc.), and/or the like. |
| US09973401B2 |
Service function path performance monitoring
Methods, systems, and storage media for monitoring service function path are disclosed herein. In an embodiment, a service function chain classifier module may receive a network data packet and applying to it a network packet service control that establishes an ordered chain of network service functions to apply to the network data packet as it traverses a service function path. The service function chain classifier module may incorporate into the network packet service control an indicator to obtain time information relating to application of one or more of the plural service functions to the network data packet. A network service performance module may receive the time information relating to the application of the one or more of the plural service functions to the network data packet and to monitor the time information. Other embodiments may be disclosed or claimed. |
| US09973396B2 |
On-demand QoS for data connections
A method for providing on-demand quality-of-service for a data connection of a user equipment to a 3GPP data access network, this method comprising a sending step, during the attach procedure of the user equipment to the 3GPP data access network, of a message from the user equipment to the 3GPP data access network, this message including an access point name, this access point name comprising an explicit quality-of-service request being requested by the user equipment for the data connection, this explicit quality-of-service request being formatted in a predefined syntax. |
| US09973394B2 |
Eventual consistency among many clusters including entities in a master member regime
The present application provides techniques to interrelate a group of multiple entities. A master entity makes configuration decisions regarding the group of entities and communicates those decisions to the entities. When the master relinquishes the master role, the retiring master selects a new master to accede to the master role. The retiring master releases the master role and ensures that the new master becomes aware of its assignment to the master role. During the time between when the retiring master abdicates and when the new master accedes, the group of entities is temporarily permitted to have no master. The master changes the configuration of the group of entities in a similar way. Using the techniques described herein, a new master may eventually replace the retiring master, and a new configuration may eventually replace the old configuration, without the risk of duplicating or dropping the master role or a configuration change. |
| US09973391B2 |
Systems, apparatus, and methods of enhanced checkpoint summary based monitoring for an event candidate related to an ID node within a wireless node network
Systems, apparatus, and methods are described for enhanced checkpoint summary based monitoring for an event candidate within a wireless node network of ID nodes, a master node, and a server. The master node listens for ID node signals, detects a first advertising signal, and records a first observed parameter (e.g. sensor data generated by the ID node) based upon the detected first signal. The master node detects a subsequent group of signals broadcast by the ID node and records a group of observed parameters based upon respective ones of those signals. The master node generates a first checkpoint summary representing a first set of advertising signals (the detected first signal and the detected subsequent group of signals). The first checkpoint summary includes a summary observed parameter based upon the recorded observed parameter for the first signal and each of the recorded observed parameters for the subsequent group of signals. The first checkpoint summary is then reported to the server as the event candidate relative to the first ID node. |
| US09973388B2 |
Server information management apparatus, non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having stored therein server information management program, and server information management method
A processor of a server information management apparatus detects an added server to a management target system. Also the processor specifies an attribute of the added server based on a communication state of the added server, first management information related to the added server, and second management information related to a communication destination server of the added server. Therefore, it is possible to precisely determine an attribute of a server which is added to a business system. |
| US09973386B2 |
Communication network of moving things
Communication network architectures, systems and methods for supporting a network of mobile nodes. As a non-limiting example, various aspects of this disclosure provide communication network architectures, systems, and methods for supporting a dynamically configurable communication network comprising a complex array of both static and moving communication nodes (e.g., the Internet of moving things). |
| US09973385B2 |
Remote server configuration
Remotely configuring an online computer system. A configuration file is generated at a management controller associated with a computer system in response to a request from a configuration utility associated with a user device, wherein the user device is located remotely from the computer system. The configuration file is sent from the management controller to the configuration utility via a network connection. A modified configuration file is received at the management controller from the configuration utility via the network connection, wherein the modified configuration file comprises system level changes to a configuration of the computer system. The system level changes from the modified configuration file are implemented at the computer system while an operating system associated with the computer system is online. |
| US09973383B2 |
Placement of wavelength shifters in optical networks
Methods and systems enable optimized placement of wavelength shifters in optical networks. The wavelength shifters may include O-E-O regenerators for a single wavelength and all optical wavelength shifters for one or more wavelengths. An auxiliary graph is used to represent various links in a provisioned optical path. By applying cost values to each of the links, different types of optimizations for network resource utilization may be realized. |
| US09973382B2 |
Hitless upgrade for network control applications
A method for upgrading a set of controller nodes in a controller cluster that manages a plurality of forwarding elements in a way that minimizes dataplane outages. The method of some embodiments upgrades the control applications of a subset of the controller nodes before upgrading a decisive controller node. Once the decisive controller node is upgraded, the method switches the controller cluster to use a new version of the control applications. |
| US09973381B2 |
Linked list scripting engine
A system and a method are creating a linked list scripts for a networking device. The system receives a set of nodes defining script functionality and generates a script by coupling the nodes in a nodal structure based on desired order of execution, wherein a leaf node is an standalone node with no child node, and wherein a nugget node includes one or more child nodes, each child node being a nugget or leaf node. The system then determines an execution path through a subset of nodes in the nodal tree structure based on one or more input values. The system also compiles the subset of nodes into a linked list of operations, which follows the execution path, and executes the path of operations within the compiled linked list of operations. |
| US09973379B1 |
Managing integration of external nodes into provided computer networks
Techniques are described for managing communications for a managed virtual computer network overlaid on a distinct substrate computer network, including for communications between computing nodes of the managed virtual computer network connected to the substrate network and other network nodes external to the substrate network. The managed virtual computer network may have multiple associated virtual network addresses, with each of the computing nodes being associated with at least one of the virtual network addresses, and with one or more external network nodes being integrated into the managed virtual computer network based at least in part by associating one or more other of the virtual network addresses with the external network nodes. The managing of the communications may further include using one or more translation manager modules that interconnect the substrate network with one or more external networks or other external connections via which the external network nodes are accessible. |
| US09973376B2 |
System and method for processing information via networked computers including request handlers, process handlers, and task handlers
Systems and methods for processing information via networked computers leverage request handlers, process handlers, and task handlers to provide efficient distributed processing of processing jobs. A request handler can receive service requests for processing jobs, process handlers can identify tasks to be performed in connection with the processing jobs, and task handlers can perform the identified tasks, where the request handler, the process handlers, and the task handlers can be distributed across a plurality of networked computers. |
| US09973375B2 |
App store portal providing point-and-click deployment of third-party virtualized network functions
In one embodiment, a method comprises receiving by an apparatus, via a wide area network, a request for deployment of a selected one of available virtualized network services advertised by the apparatus, the request identifying a host service provider to deploy the one virtualized network service; identifying, by the apparatus, virtualized network functions required by the host service provider for implementation of the one virtualized network service, each virtualized network function having a corresponding and distinct virtualized container specifying attributes for defining execution of the corresponding virtualized network function within one or more physical machines of the host service provider; and sending to the host service provider, by the apparatus, a service container specifying instructions for deploying the one virtualized network service, the service container including instructions for deploying the virtualized network functions as interdependent for implementation of the one virtualized network service by the host service provider. |
| US09973374B1 |
Systems and methods for synchronizing content and information on multiple computing devices
Information can be synchronized between multiple computing devices by transmitting synchronization signals from a first computing device to a synchronization server and/or secondary computing device(s). The secondary device(s) can transmit mapped signals back to the synchronization server and/or other device(s) to provide feedback for this real-time or asynchronous peer-to-peer system. The system can also be used to virtualize and share sensors and output information between multiple devices. |
| US09973371B1 |
Requesting a specific website version
A system, method, and computer-readable media are described for allowing a user to request a version of a website. In one embodiment, a user interface is provided that allows the user to specify the version of the website. The request is sent to the web server hosting the website. The web server retrieves the requested version of the website and transmits it to the requesting web browser. |
| US09973369B2 |
Likelihood generation apparatus and method therefor
A likelihood generation apparatus for acquiring a likelihood of a 16QAM signal includes a first likelihood generation unit configured to generate a likelihood of each of two bits of a 16QAM signal point of the 16QAM signal from a relationship of each of an I-axis component and a Q-axis component with a likelihood when the 16QAM signal point is mapped on a constellation diagram, and a second likelihood generation unit configured to generate a likelihood of each of remaining two bits other than the two bits of the 16QAM signal point of the 16QAM signal based on a position of the 16QAM signal point in a lookup table, which is configured to input the I-axis component and the Q-axis component of the 16QAM signal point as arguments, and includes regions acquired by dividing the constellation diagram based on a possible value of each of the bits. |
| US09973367B2 |
Apparatuses, systems, and methods for communicating using MIMO and spread spectrum coding in backscatter of ambient signals
Apparatuses, systems, ambient RF backscatter transceivers, and methods for communicating using MIMO and spread spectrum coding of backscattered ambient RF signals are described. An example system may include an ambient RF backscatter transceiver that include an antenna configured to receive a backscattered ambient radio frequency (RF) signal, and a receiver coupled to the antenna. The receiver may be configured to demodulate the backscattered ambient RF signal using one of multiple input, multiple output multiplexing demodulation or spread spectrum code demodulation to retrieve the first data. The backscattered ambient RF signal may be generated by backscattering an ambient RF signal at a first frequency. The ambient RF signal may be configured to provide other data at a second frequency. |
| US09973366B2 |
Apparatus and method for sending and receiving broadcast signals
A broadcast signal transmitter is disclosed. A broadcast signal transmitter according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises an input formatting module performing baseband formatting and outputting at least one Physical Layer Pipe (PLP) data; a BICM module error-correction processing the PLP data; a framing & interleaving module interleaving the PLP data and generating a signal frame; and a waveform generating module inserting a preamble into the signal frame and generating a broadcast signal by performing OFDM modulation. |
| US09973365B2 |
Method and system for combining DFT-transformed OFDM and non-transformed OFDM
Methods and systems are provided that enable an OFDM transmitter to be used for transmitting conventional OFDM or a form of transformed OFDM. A technique is provided for transforming a coded and modulated sequence of samples prior to an IFFT that enables the transformed sequence of samples to be transmitted using conventional OFDM or transformed OFDM. The selection of a transform function for transforming the coded and modulated sequence of samples may be based on optimizing the transform function for particular operating conditions between the transmitter and receiver. In some embodiments of the invention OFDM and time transformed OFDM are multiplexed in time and/or frequency in a transmission frame. In some embodiments of the invention a pilot pattern is provided in which the pilot are sent using OFDM and data is sent using OFDM and/or transformed OFDM. |
| US09973360B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating phase shift control signals
A phase shifter controller arranged to generate phase shift control signals for at least one phase shifter. The phase shifter controller is arranged to receive a first phase value θ1, receive a second phase value θ2, and output phase shift control signals. The phase shifter controller comprises a digital synthesizer arranged to compute a first digital phase shift control value based on the received first phase value θ1, and compute a second digital phase shift control value based on the received second phase value θ2. The phase shifter controller further comprises digital to analogue converters arranged to generate the phase shift control signals based on the derived first and second digital phase shift control values. |
| US09973359B2 |
Cognitive radio system, resource allocation apparatus thereof and method therefor
Disclosed is a cognitive radio system, resource allocation apparatus thereof and method therefor. A resource allocation apparatus comprises: a transmission opportunity assessment device which is used to assess availabilities of transmission opportunities in radio resources of a primary communication system; a vector production device which is used to set a transmission opportunity selection vector for each secondary user in the cognitive radio system based on assessment results of the availabilities of transmission opportunities, wherein the transmission opportunity selection vector includes information for identifying multiple transmission opportunities assessed available; and a sending device which is used to distribute the transmission opportunity selection vector to the secondary user. |
| US09973354B1 |
Partial zero forcing equalization
In certain embodiments, an apparatus may comprise a circuit configured to receive a plurality of samples of an input signal. The circuit may update one or more equalizer parameters using partial zero forcing equalization. Further, the circuit may generate an equalized signal based on the plurality of samples of the input signal and the one or more equalizer parameters. |
| US09973349B2 |
Relay system and switching device
An encapsulation address of a first switching device is set so as to be different only in a mask bit in comparison with that of a second switching device. A learning information control unit of a third switching device does not learn the correspondence relation between a source customer address and a source encapsulation address in a first case and a second case. The first case corresponds to a case in which an encapsulated frame is received at an upper-link port and an encapsulation address corresponding to the source customer address is acquired from an address table. The second case corresponds to a case in which a difference between the source encapsulation address and the encapsulation address acquired from the address table lies only in the mask bit. |
| US09973347B2 |
Protocol converter between CPCI bus and ISA bus and conversion method thereof
The present application relates to the technical field of field bus communication, and in particular to a protocol converter between a CPCI bus and an ISA bus and a conversion method thereof, which are suitable for communication between railway vehicle CPUs and vehicle bus MVB devices. The protocol converter comprises a CPCI local bus interface extension timing module, an ISA bus interface timing module, a CPCI bus matching ISA bus timing interface module, and a clock management module. The CPCI bus realizes communication with the ISA bus by the protocol converter. The traditional conversion bridge chips are replaced with the protocol converters without changing the traction controller structure and other devices in the system; the flexibility is high; and the functions are diverse. In addition, 8-bit data width or 16-bit data width of the ISA bus is supported, and the operation of an ISA bus device by a CPCI bus device in the form of IO or in the form of MEMORY is supported. |
| US09973346B2 |
Apparatus and method for using a distributed systems architecture (DSA) in an internet of things (IOT) edge appliance
An internet of things (IoT) edge appliance is configured to perform a method that includes receiving a configuration signal to configure the IoT edge appliance to communicate with at least one of a first device on the cloud network or a second device on the industrial process control and automation system network. The method also includes configuring a communication link with a cloud network and an industrial process control and automation system network. The method further includes communicating data with the at least one of the first device on the cloud network or the second device on the industrial process control and automation system network. |
| US09973345B2 |
Calculating and signaling segment availability times for segments of media data
An example device for advertising a segment availability time when transporting media data includes a middleware unit configured to determine a playback duration, X, for segments of media data, determine a current time at a first scheduled burst, aburst, of a multicast channel (MCH) scheduling period (MSP) for a first segment having segment number a, determine an MSP duration, DMSP, calculate a segment availability time for a second segment having segment number b according to a formula that uses X, aburst, a, b, and DMSP as inputs, and advertise the segment availability time for the second segment. |
| US09973342B2 |
Authentication via group signatures
Methods and systems are provided for authenticating a message μ, at a user computer of a group signature scheme, to a verifier computer. The method includes, at the user computer, storing a user id m for the user computer and a user signing key which comprises a signature on the user id m under a secret key of a selectively-secure signature scheme. The user id m is an element of a predetermined subring, isomorphic to q[x]/(g(x)), of a ring R=q[x]/(f(x)), where f(x) and g(x) are polynomials of degree deg(f) and deg(g) respectively such that deg(f)>deg(g)>1. The method includes, at the user computer, generating a first cryptographic proof Π1 comprising a zero-knowledge proof of knowledge of the user signing key and including the message μ in this proof of knowledge. The user computer sends the message μ and a group signature, comprising the first proof Π1, to the verifier computer. |
| US09973339B1 |
Anonymous cloud data storage and anonymizing non-anonymous storage
A process of writing to a non-anonymous cloud storage is provided. On a client side, a write request to block X is received. A block key for the block numbers X is calculates as a function, which uses an Anonymous Key and X as its arguments. A hash function value of the block key is calculated. The content and the hash value are transferred to a Virtual Cloud Service. Then, on the Virtual Cloud Service, public cloud accounts are selected based on part of the hash value. A file name is generated from the calculated hash value. The content of block X is stored to the file with the generated name within the selected cloud account. Thus, there is no data reflecting the ownership of the user files on the cloud storage that is revealed. |
| US09973337B2 |
Domain-server public-key reference
A domain is identified from a communication address. The domain corresponds to a host name. Resource records associated with the host name are caused to be queried for a public key reference. The public key reference is received in response to the caused resource record query. A public key associated with the communication address is identified based on the public key reference. |
| US09973335B2 |
Shared buffers for processing elements on a network device
Examples are disclosed for exchanging a key between an input/output device for network device and a first processing element operating on the network device. Data having a destination associated with the first processing element may be received by the input/output device. The exchanged key may be used to encrypt the received data. The encrypted data may then be sent to a buffer maintained at least in part in a memory for the network device. The memory may be arranged to enable sharing of the buffer with at least a second processing element operating on the network device. Examples are also disclosed for the processing element to receive an indication of the storing of the encrypted data in the buffer. The processing element may then obtain the encrypted data from the buffer and decrypt the data using the exchanged key. |
| US09973331B1 |
Method and apparatus for synchronization
Aspects of the disclosure provide a circuit that includes a clock synchronization circuit. The clock synchronization circuit is configured to determine a sub-cycle offset between a first clock signal and a second clock signal, and select rising/failing edges of the first clock signal and the second clock signal based on the sub-cycle offset for enabling communication between a first clock domain that is operative in response to the first clock signal and a second clock domain that is operative in response to the second clock signal. |
| US09973330B1 |
Transmitter and receiver tracking techniques for user devices in a MIMO network
A technique includes (i) receiving a first pilot signal from a base station via a receiver of a client device, or (ii) transmitting a second pilot signal from the client device to the base station via a transmitter of the client device. First time differences and signal quality values for N samples of N respective packets in the first pilot signal are determined. Second time differences and signal quality values are received via the receiver. The second time differences and signal quality values are generated for M samples of M respective packets in the second pilot signal. An offset value is determined based on (i) the first time differences and signal quality values, or (ii) the second time differences and signal quality values. Activation or deactivation times of the receiver or the transmitter or transmission times of the transmitter are adjusted based on the offset value. |
| US09973328B2 |
Receiver with enhanced clock and data recovery
A receiver device implements enhanced data reception with edge-based clock and data recovery such as with a flash analog-to-digital converter architecture. In an example embodiment, the device implements a first phase adjustment control loop, with for example, a bang-bang phase detector, that detects data transitions for adjusting sampling at an optimal edge time with an edge sampler by adjusting a phase of an edge clock of the sampler. This loop may further adjust sampling in received data intervals for optimal data reception by adjusting the phase of a data clock of a data sampler such a flash ADC. The device may also implement a second phase adjustment control loop with, for example, a baud-rate phase detector, that detects data intervals for further adjusting sampling at an optimal data time with the data sampler. |
| US09973327B2 |
Connective assembly for selectively interfacing a listening device with two-way radio and cellular device
A connective assembly for selectively interfacing a single listening device with a two-way radio and a cellular device enables selective listening therebetween from a single listening device, such as an earpiece, a throat microphone, and a prior art microphone. The assembly provides both a half-duplex and a full-duplex system that creates communication in both directions, including simultaneous connections. At least one assembly switch enables powering on and off of the assembly, and selective interfacing between the two-way radio and the cellular device. A push-to-talk button enables enable half-duplex two-way communications. A send button enables full-duplex two-way communications. A finger switch enables selective interfacing between the two-way radio and the cellular device. A full-duplex switch enables simultaneous communication between the two-way radio and the cellular phone. A clip mounts the listening device to the garment. The single listening device enables discrete listening from both the cellular device and two-way radio. |
| US09973322B2 |
Data split between multiple sites
Splitting data in a wireless communications network. Data may be split to use multiple base stations for transmission to user equipment in order to improve the bandwith if a UE is on a cell edge, or may be split by user equipment for transmission to multiple base stations in order to improve handover. Data splitting may be performed at the Packet Data Convergence Protocol layer, at the Radio Link Control layer, or at the Media Access Control layer on user equipment or on a base station. Data may instead be split in a network node, such as in a serving gateway, in order to reduce X2 interface load or delay carrier aggregation. |
| US09973321B2 |
Signalling for using operating band combination
A method includes transmitting information from an apparatus regarding at least one operating band combination. The information regarding the at least one operating band combination may comprise at least one of an index comprising a plurality of operating band combinations, and a bitmap relating to the index of operating band combinations. The method also includes selecting by the apparatus either a supported indicator or an unsupported indicator regarding the information. The method further includes transmitting, by the apparatus, the selected indicator. |
| US09973320B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting channel state information in wireless communication system
A method of transmitting channel information by a User Equipment (UE) when an uplink sub-frame is used for downlink transmission in a communication system using a dynamic Time Division Duplex (TDD) UpLink-DownLink (UL-DL) configuration is provided. The method includes receiving reconfiguration information for reconfiguration of TDD uplink and downlink from an evolved Node B (eNB), measuring interference in a first sub-frame changed from an uplink sub-frame to a downlink sub-frame by the reconfiguration, and transmitting information on interference measured in only the first sub-frame to the eNB in an uplink sub-frame according to a predetermined timing. |
| US09973319B2 |
Network Allocation Vector Improvement for Wireless Networks
A method of sub-channel independent network allocation vector (NAV) management by a wireless station (STA) in a wideband wireless communications system is proposed. In the wideband system having multiple sub-bands, each NAV for a corresponding sub-band is independently managed. The protection duration for each NAV is independent for each sub-band and the threshold or update rule for NAV modification is also independent for each sub-band. The threshold or update rule for NAV modification may also be different when the NAV is generated or propagated by an OBSS STA. Furthermore, early termination of NAV is allowed if the NAV is set by an OBSS STA only. |
| US09973316B2 |
Control and data signaling in SC-FDMA communication systems
A method and apparatus are provided for transmitting data, acknowledgement information, and channel quality indicator (CQI) information. The method includes mapping a reference signal on a middle symbol in a slot; mapping the acknowledgement information on two symbols in the slot, which are directly adjacent to the middle symbol; mapping the CQI information and the data on symbols in the slot except for the middle symbol; and transmitting the reference signal, the acknowledgement information, the CQI information, and the data on the symbols. |
| US09973315B2 |
Systems and methods for semi-persistent scheduling of wireless communications
Methods, systems, and devices for transmission and reception of SPS communications are disclosed herein. User equipment (UE) is configured to receive, in a first subframe, a physical downlink control channel or enhanced physical downlink control channel (PDCCH/EPDCCH) corresponding to semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) activation. The PDCCH/EPDCCH conveys a value of nSCID. The UE configures, based on the SPS activation, a downlink (DL) assignment in a second subframe for receiving an SPS physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) without a corresponding PDCCH/EPDCCH. The UE determines a reference signal sequence corresponding to the SPS PDSCH using nSCID derived from the PDCCH/EPDCCH corresponding to the associated SPS activation. The UE receives the SPS PDSCH in a second subframe. The UE processes the SPS PDSCH based on the reference signal sequence for the SPS PDSCH in the second subframe using the nSCID derived from the PDCCH/EPDCCH corresponding to the associated SPS activation. The UE is configured for transmission mode 10 (TM10). |
| US09973312B2 |
Method and apparatus for feeding back CSI-RS resource combination, user equipment and base station
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method and an apparatus for feeding back a CSI-RS resource combination, a user equipment, and a base station. The method includes: acquiring information of a CSI-RS resource combination; determining a candidate CSI-RS resource combination according to the information of the CSI-RS resource combination, and performing a joint CSI measurement according to one or more sets of CSI-RS resources in the candidate CSI-RS resource combination, so as to select a CSI-RS resource combination according to a measurement result of the joint CSI measurement; and feeding back the selected CSI-RS resource combination and the measurement result of the joint CSI measurement corresponding to the selected CSI-RS resource combination to a base station. |
| US09973310B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting sounding reference signal in radio communication system
A method for transmitting an aperiodic sounding reference signal (SRS) to a base station by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, the method includes receiving, from the base station, an uplink grant or a downlink grant, with an indicator indicating a transmission of the aperiodic SRS; and transmitting, to the base station, the aperiodic SRS in a first uplink subframe; wherein the first uplink subframe is a subframe firstly configured after a second uplink subframe for the aperiodic SRS, wherein, if the uplink grant is received, the second uplink subframe is a subframe in which an uplink data signal scheduled by the uplink grant is transmitted, wherein, if the downlink grant is received, the second uplink subframe is a subframe in which an uplink control signal corresponding to the downlink grant is transmitted. |
| US09973308B2 |
User device for communicating data and method
A user device to transmit and receive data to and from an infrastructure equipment via a wireless access interface using a plurality of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) subcarriers extending across at least a first bandwidth. The infrastructure equipment transmits repeatedly signals representing a same instance of user device payload data in a second bandwidth, the second bandwidth being less than and within the first bandwidth and including a subset of the OFDM subcarriers. The user device is configured to receive one or more of the signals repeatedly transmitted across the second bandwidth and to store in a memory signals representing the repeatedly transmitted signals received across the second bandwidth. The user device is also configured to combine the stored signals and to detect the user device payload data from the combined signals, the user device having been provided with an indication of the second bandwidth. |
| US09973307B2 |
Apparatus and method for transmitting feedback information in wireless communication systems
An apparatus and a method for transmitting HARQ feedback information in a wireless communication system are provided. In so doing, the method for transmitting the HARQ feedback information in a receiving end includes confirming the number of packets received from a transmitting end, and when receiving a reference number of packets from the transmitting end, transmitting to the transmitting end a feedback signal comprising HARQ feedback information for the reference number of the packets. |
| US09973306B2 |
Freshness-sensitive message delivery
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for implementing freshness-sensitive message delivery are disclosed. A stream of events including an earlier event and a later event is received. A first attempt is performed to deliver a message indicative of the earlier event. The first attempt to deliver the message is unsuccessful. One or more additional attempts are scheduled to deliver the message indicative of the earlier event. The additional attempts are scheduled over a period of time following the first attempt. An attempt is performed to deliver an additional message indicative of the later event. The attempt to deliver the additional message is not delayed by the additional attempts to deliver the message. |
| US09973301B2 |
Memory management and path sort techniques in a polar code successive cancellation list decoder
Various embodiments are described of a system and method for improved SCL decoder operation. In particular, various embodiments are described which improve the efficiency of the buffer management based on updated path metric statistics. In some embodiments, the SCL decoder may perform selective replacement to limit the extent of LLR updates per row only to the statistics that have changed since the previous update cycle. In some embodiments, the SCL decoder may perform deferred updates, which may involves in-place calculation of both ûφ=0 and ûφ=1 bit estimate (LLR) updates based on the row from which the updated row will be derived. |
| US09973297B2 |
System and method for adaptive modulation
Systems, methods, and/or techniques for improving downlink spectrum efficiency may be disclosed. For example, a higher order modulation (HOM) transmission may be provided to a device. The higher order modulation transmission may be configured to be indicated by the network or a device. Additionally, multiple modulation and coding scheme (MCS) tables, transport block size (TBS) tables, and/or channel quality index (CQI) tables may be provided to support the higher order modulation transmission. |
| US09973295B2 |
Systems and methods for channel additions over multiple cascaded optical nodes
A method, an optical node, and an optical network include a power controller configured to bring channels in-service in parallel over multiple cascaded optical nodes quickly, efficiently, and in a non-service affecting manner. The method, node, and network utilize multiple states of a control loop that maintains a stable response in downstream optical nodes as channels are added in parallel. Further, the power controller is configured to operate independently alleviating dependencies on other power controllers and removing the need for coordination between power controllers. The method, node, and network provide efficient turn up of dense wave division multiplexing (DWDM) services which is critical to optical layer functionality including optical layer restoration. |
| US09973294B2 |
Passband abstraction layer
A node in an optical network may include a wavelength selective switch (WSS) and a processor. The wavelength selective switch may have a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports for routing and/or power-controlling of optical slices. The wavelength selective switch may have a plurality of control passbands, each control passband including a one or more optical slices. The processor may determine a passband group (PBG) having a plurality of PBG passbands, each of the plurality of PBG passbands corresponding to a particular control passband. The PBG may be used to translate control information, notifications, and/or instructions. |
| US09973292B2 |
Methods and systems for estimating offset and skew using linear programming
This invention relates to methods and systems for estimating offset and skew using linear programming. Embodiments of the invention relate to methods and systems which apply linear programming principles to links with asymmetric transmission rates which are estimated from an exchange of timing messages (for example under IEEE 1588 PTP). Further embodiments provide for the estimation of clock offsets using linear programming techniques when the skew is known or estimated. |
| US09973287B2 |
Clock generation circuit and wireless receiving device
A clock generation circuit includes a random number generator configured to generate random numbers according to a first probability distribution, a filter configured to output random numbers according to a second probability distribution, based on the random numbers according to the first probability distribution input thereto, and a variable delay circuit configured to modulate a clock signal input thereto by delaying edges of the clock signal by amounts corresponding to values of the random numbers according to the second probability distribution. Probability of a smallest number according to the second probability distribution is smaller than probability of the smallest number according to the first probability distribution, and probability of a largest number according to the second probability distribution is smaller than probability of the largest number according to the first probability distribution. |
| US09973283B2 |
Mode conversion for optical isolation
An optical coupling system includes an optical signal source to provide an optical signal from an aperture. The system also includes a substantially planar high-contrast grating (HCG) lens to convert an optical mode of the optical signal to provide a converted optical signal having a mode-isolating intensity profile. The system further includes an optical element to receive the converted optical signal. The optical signal source and the substantially planar HCG lens can be arranged to substantially mitigate coupling of a reflected optical signal associated with the converted optical signal that is reflected from the optical element to the aperture of the optical signal source based on a reflected mode-isolating intensity profile. |
| US09973279B2 |
Method for eliminating nonlinear effects, transmitter and receiver
The present disclosure discloses a method for eliminating nonlinear effects, a transmitter and a receiver. The method includes: setting signals to be transmitted and redundant signals, where the redundant signals are symmetrical to the signals, which are to be transmitted, about Y axis; and after the setting is completed, respectively executing dispersion pre-compensation on the signals to be transmitted and the redundant signals, and executing signal modulation after the dispersion pre-compensation is completed. |
| US09973277B2 |
Reduced complexity nonlinear compensation
Aspects of the present invention provide techniques for compensating nonlinear impairments of a signal traversing an optical communications system. A parallel array of linear convolutional filters are configured to process a selected set of samples of the signal to generate an estimate of a nonlinear interference field. The predetermined set of samples comprises a first sample and a plurality of second samples. A processor applies the estimated nonlinear interference field to the first sample to least partially compensate the nonlinear impairment. |
| US09973270B2 |
Multi-lane transmission device and multi-lane transmission method
It is an object to provide a technique capable of using a single framer as a necessary framer and causing the framer to be shared among a plurality of transmission destinations and priorities when coping with a plurality of transmission destinations or priorities and a change in a bandwidth of a physical lane that is caused by a change in a modulation scheme or a change in the number of wavelengths.A multilane transmission device that allocates client signals based on a transmission destination or a priority, decides the number of virtual lanes necessary for transmission of the client signals allocated based on each transmission destination or each priority, allocates the client signals allocated based on each transmission destination or each priority to the virtual lanes whose number has been decided, and frames the client signals allocated to the virtual lanes as transport frames, multiplexes the virtual lanes into a physical lane, and transmits the framed transport frames by using the physical lane. |
| US09973269B2 |
Electronic devices, systems, and methods for data exchange
A wearable electronic device for proximity-based social and professional networking which features electronics and software for the passive automated local wireless exchange of personal and/or business information with other electronic devices is disclosed. In some embodiments, an electronic device includes a controller having an operations unit; a communication unit configured to receive and/or transmit data from a first external source; and a memory unit configured to communicate with the controller and receive and/or transmit data from the controller. The operations unit may be configured to determine if received data from the first external source meets a set threshold and wherein the operations unit may be configured to instruct communication unit to accept data that meets or exceeds said threshold. The communication unit may receive and transmit data from the first external source provided the external source is within a predetermined proximity. |
| US09973263B2 |
Integrated communication and application system for aircraft
A method of transferring aircraft data from an aircraft to a portable electronic device entails receiving at the portable electronic device the aircraft data from a data connection with an aircraft data source without writing data back to the aircraft or from a user interface while being capable of receiving aircraft data via the data connection and executing an application on the portable electronic device using the aircraft data to present new information about the aircraft or its operating environment that is not available for display on a cockpit display but which is displayable on the portable electronic device based on the aircraft data received by the portable electronic device. |
| US09973261B1 |
Rapidly-deployable, drone-based wireless communications systems and methods for the operation thereof
Drone-based wireless communications systems are provided, as are methods carried-out by such wireless communications systems. In one embodiment, the wireless communications system includes a Satellite Signal Transformation (SST) unit and a plurality of aerial network drones, which can be deployed over a designated geographical area to form a multi-drone network thereover. During operation, the SST unit transmits a network source signal, which contains content extracted from a satellite signal. The multi-drone network receives the network source signal, disseminates drone relay signals containing the content through the multi-drone network, and broadcastings user device signals containing the content over the designated geographical area. In embodiments, the multi-drone network may broadcast multiple different types of user device signals for reception by various different types of user devices located within the designated geographical area, such as an area containing communication infrastructure disabled by a natural disaster, a hostile attack, or other catastrophic event. |
| US09973258B2 |
Wireless communications system and method
A wireless communications system including a base station, a relay device, and a terminal device. The terminal device is operable to receive from the base station an allocation of uplink resources for transmitting uplink data to the relay device, and to transmit uplink data to the relay device using the uplink resources allocated to the terminal device. The relay device is operable to receive the transmitted uplink data from the terminal device on the allocated resources, to receive an allocation of uplink data resources for relaying the received uplink data to the base station, and to transmit the received uplink data to the base station using the uplink resources allocated to the relay device. |
| US09973256B2 |
Relay gateway for wireless relay signaling in a data communication network
A Relay Gateway (R-GW) proxies Long Term Evolution (LTE) signaling in a network core for wireless relays that serve mobile User Equipment (UE). The R-GW receives relay-originated LTE signaling from the wireless relays through a data gateway system in the network core. The R-GW transfers the relay-originated LTE signaling to a UE control system in the network core. The R-GW receives core-originated LTE signaling that was transferred by the UE control system in the network core. The R-GW transfers the core-originated LTE signaling to the data gateway system for delivery to the wireless relays. |
| US09973254B2 |
Communications method and apparatus for carrier aggregation
A communications apparatus and method are provided. The communications method for an apparatus capable of Carrier Aggregation (CA), wherein the apparatus includes a plurality of processing engines and antennas, includes the steps of determining whether the apparatus is configured in a single component carrier for a first group of the antennas, and activating a second group of the antennas when the apparatus is configured in the single component carrier. T the first group of antennas are configured for a first part of the processing engines and the second group of antennas are configured for a second part of the processing engines, and the first part of the processing engines and the second part of the processing engines share a MIMO detector. |
| US09973253B2 |
Method for feeding back channel state information in wireless communication system, and apparatus therefor
The present invention relates to a method for a first terminal to report channel state information (CSI) in a wireless communication system, the method comprising the steps of: receiving, from a base station, an allocation of a group CSI report setting associated with a terminal group including the first terminal; broadcasting the group CSI report setting to the terminal group; and reporting group CSI to the base station, wherein the terminal group consists of the first terminal and at least one second terminal, and the group CSI report setting defines, as the group CSI, the CSI of the first terminal corresponding to a part of the CSI about each of a plurality of terminals constituting the terminal group. |
| US09973249B2 |
Channel state information feedback schemes for FD-MIMO
A method of operating a user equipment (UE). The method includes receiving a configuration message comprising a reporting type of channel state information (CSI). The method further includes calculating, in response to the configuration message, a CSI report comprising at least one precoding matrix indicator (PMI) associated with a codebook including a plurality of vectors, wherein each vector in the codebook represents a selection of a pair of antenna ports and a co-phasing between two antenna ports of the pair. The method further includes transmitting the CSI report on an uplink channel. |
| US09973241B2 |
Method and device for transmitting electric power and signals between a stationary wall and a leaf pivotably mounted on said wall
A method for transmitting electric power and signals between a wall and a leaf pivotally mounted on the wall. The method includes transmitting the electric power so as to be galvanically isolated, and transmitting the signals optically or optoelectronically. |
| US09973237B2 |
Wireless charging apparatus and method
A wireless charging method and apparatus are provided. A non-contact wireless local communication unit performs non-contact wireless local communication for wireless charging authentication through a non-contact wireless local communication antenna. A wireless power receiver receives supply power from a wireless power transmitter by using a resonator resonating on a resonance frequency equal to that of the wireless power transmitter after the wireless charging authentication. A charging controller performs wireless charging by using the supply power received by the wireless power receiver. One or more switches switch between a connection between the non-contact wireless local communication antenna and the non-contact wireless local communication unit, and a connection between the wireless power receiver and the charging controller. |
| US09973236B2 |
Deactivation method and system in crosstalk scenario
A deactivation method and system in a crosstalk scenario which relates to the field of mobile communications technologies. The method includes M transceivers of a central office end sending data using M lines, and when the M transceivers are in a data transmission showtime state, and when a trigger state change event is detected, switching, by N transceivers, to a deactivation execution state, to deactivate N lines among the M lines, acquiring an update coefficient used to update a crosstalk cancellation coefficient between active lines, updating the crosstalk cancellation coefficient between the active lines using the update coefficient, and controlling the transceivers in the deactivation execution state to enter a silent or an idle state. |
| US09973235B2 |
Signal receiving device for Ethernet and control method thereof
This invention discloses a signal receiving device for Ethernet and a control method thereof. The signal receiving device includes a gain control circuit, an alien near-end crosstalk canceller, a noise canceller, and a DFE. The gain control circuit adjusts an input signal of the signal receiving device according to a setting parameter. The alien near-end crosstalk canceller cancels an alien near-end crosstalk interference. The noise canceller uses a first filter to cancel noises. The DFE uses a second filter to cancel an inter-symbol interference of the input signal. The method includes steps of: temporarily stopping the gain control circuit from updating the setting parameter before a seed collision occurs, and temporarily stopping one of the noise canceller and the decision feedback canceller from updating the first filter coefficient of the first filter or the second filter coefficient of the second filter temporarily during the seed collision. |
| US09973234B2 |
Systems and methods for pseudo-random coding
Systems and methods for improving performance in terrestrial and satellite positioning systems. Signal processing systems and methods are described for selecting, from among a set of codes, certain codes having desired autocorrelation and/or cross-correlation properties. Systems and methods for generating, encoding, transmitting, and receiving signals using the selected codes are also described. |
| US09973231B1 |
Protective structures to provide impact protection for portable devices
A method and apparatuses protecting a portable device from an impact are provided. An accelerometer is operable to detect acceleration of the portable device. A protective structure disposed outside of the portable device includes a substrate and an elastomeric layer arranged on the substrate. The elastomeric layer defines an inflatable region in which the elastomeric layer is not attached to the substrate. The substrate includes a fluid channel in fluid communication with a pressurized fluid source. A controller is operable to trigger the pressurized fluid source upon detection of an acceleration event, wherein the pressurized fluid source transmits pressurized fluid to the inflatable region, causing the inflatable regions to inflate. The inflatable regions provide a cushion against impacts with surfaces when the portable device is dropped or otherwise propelled toward a surface. |
| US09973230B2 |
Phone cover with rotary latch
A phone cover with rotary latch including a first frame, a second frame, a limiting piece, and limiting grooves is provided. The first frame and the second frame are separated structures. A limiting hole and a positioning post are configured at the frame connecting ends disposed at the two sides of the first frame respectively. A limiting post and a positioning post are configured at the frame connecting ends disposed at the two sides of the second frame. A positioning hole is disposed in middle of the limiting piece, limiting protrusions are disposed in two ends of the limiting piece. The limiting hole is disposed corresponding to the limiting post, and the limiting post is embedded in the limiting hole. Limiting grooves are disposed at one connecting end of the first frame and one connecting end of the second frame respectively, and each limiting groove is configured with the limiting protrusion. |
| US09973229B2 |
Portfolio case for use with tablet computer
Tablet computers are increasing in popularity due to their versatility and portability. However, despite the ease with which such touch-screen devices may be operated in certain circumstances, there are situations in which a conventional desktop computer and/or laptop computer are preferred. The present invention provides a portfolio case in which a tablet may be secured to an inside surface of the lid for operable connection to a fold-out keyboard and power pack retained within the case. In this way, a tablet computer may achieve all the functionality of a laptop computer, while retaining the versatility of a tablet. |
| US09973228B2 |
Antenna apparatus with an integrated proximity sensor and methods
Wireless wide area network (WWAN) antenna with integrated sensor and methods of using the same. In one embodiment, an antenna subsystem and proximity sensing subsystem share a grounded antenna component/parasitic element. The parasitic element can be used to broaden the operating band of the antenna feeding component and provide an input (via a capacitance change) to a proximity sensor. The parasitic element is, in one embodiment, coupled in parallel to the proximity sensor allowing for a reduction in noise due to increased isolation between the antenna subsystem and the sensing subsystem. |
| US09973204B1 |
Resistor string digital to analog converter
In some embodiments, a resistor string digital to analog converter (DAC) comprises a first plurality of resistors disposed in a first column. Each of the first plurality of resistors couples to an output of the first column via one of a first plurality of switches. The DAC also comprises a second plurality of resistors disposed in a second column. Each of the second plurality of resistors couples to an output of the second column via one of a second plurality of switches. The second plurality of resistors is configured to couple in series with the first plurality of resistors. A first row selection signal is to control a first switch of the first plurality of switches and a second switch of the second plurality of switches. The first switch corresponds to a first resistor disposed at a top of the first column, and the second switch corresponds to a second resistor disposed at a bottom of the second column. |
| US09973196B2 |
Clock synchronizer
Apparatus for clock synchronization comprising a first phase locked loop (405) and a second phase locked loop (400). The first phase locked loop (405) is configured to receive a reference signal (Fcrystal) having a reference frequency, and operable to produce an output signal (Fout) having an output frequency that is a multiple of the reference frequency. The first phase locked loop (405) comprises a frequency divider (428) that controls the multiple in response to a control signal. The second phase locked loop (400) is configured to determine a phase error between the output signal (Fout) and an input signal (Fantenna), and to provide the control signal to the first phase locked loop (405). The second phase locked loop (400) comprises phase adjustment means (450), operable to adjust a phase difference between the input and output signal by varying the control signal for a duration. |
| US09973195B2 |
Local phase detection in realigned oscillator
Representative implementations of devices and techniques provide reduced jitter and local phase detection for a controlled oscillator. An edge of a reference signal is injected at a point within the oscillator, and replaces an edge of the generated oscillation signal at the injection point. A phase difference of the injected reference signal and the oscillation signal is measured locally and is used to tune the oscillator. |
| US09973192B2 |
Liquid crystal drive circuit and liquid crystal drive circuit control method
There is provided a semiconductor device including (1) a first power source section that includes a first power source output terminal and a second power source output terminal that output voltages at mutually different voltage levels, (2) a first output section that includes a first output stage switch that is provided between the first power source output terminal and a first voltage output terminal, and a second output stage switch that is provided between the second power source output terminal and the first power source output terminal, and (3) a controller that performs ON/OFF control of the first output stage switch and the second output stage switch such that both the first output stage switch and the second output stage switch are in an OFF state over a predetermined period encompassing a point in time when a signal level of the first signal switches. |
| US09973191B2 |
Power saving with dual-rail supply voltage scheme
In an embodiment, an integrated circuit includes a clock tree circuit and logic circuitry that is clocked by the clocks received from the clock tree circuit. The logic circuit is powered by a first power supply voltage. The integrated circuit includes a voltage regulator that receives the first power supply voltage and generates a second power supply voltage having a magnitude that is lower than the magnitude of the first power supply voltage by a predetermined amount. The second power supply voltage may track the first power supply voltage over dynamic changes during use, either intentional changes to operating state or noise-induced changes. The second power supply voltage may be used to power at least a portion of the clock tree. |
| US09973189B2 |
Insulated gate device discharging
A large-power insulated gate switching device (e.g., MOSFET) is used for driving relatively large surges of pulsed power through a load. The switching device has a relatively large gate capacitance which is difficult to quickly discharge. A gate charging and discharging circuit is provided having a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) configured to apply a charging voltage to charge the gate of the switching device where the BJT is configured to also discontinue the application of the charging voltage. An inductive circuit having an inductor is also provided. The inductive circuit is coupled to the gate of the switching device and further coupled to receive the charging voltage such that application of the charging voltage to the inductive circuit is with a polarity that induces a first current to flow through the inductor in a direction corresponding to charge moving away from the gate and such that discontinuation of the application of the charging voltage to the inductive circuit induces a second current flowing through the inductor in the direction corresponding to charge moving away from the gate such that the second current discharges the gate of the switching device. Faster turn off of the switching device is thus made possible and is synchronized to the discontinuation of the charging voltage. |
| US09973188B2 |
Switch driving device and switch driving method
There are provided a switch driving device and a switch driving method capable of preventing a self-turn-on phenomenon. The switch driving device includes: a first signal output unit configured to output a pulsed first driving signal from a first output terminal thereof; a second signal output unit configured to output a pulsed second driving signal to a control terminal of a switching element from a second output terminal thereof; and a negative power supply generating unit configured to generate a negative voltage relative to a ground voltage and bias a low level of the second driving signal toward a negative side by the negative voltage. The negative power supply generating unit includes: a first capacitor configured to store charge by the first driving signal; and a second capacitor configured to generate the negative voltage across terminals thereof by the transfer of the charge from the first capacitor. |
| US09973187B1 |
Circuits and methods providing power on reset signals
A power on reset circuit including an inverter powered by a first power domain, the inverter including a data input coupled to a power rail of a second power domain; logic circuitry coupled with an output of the inverter, the logic circuitry having a control signal output; and wherein, during a power up operation, the first power domain powers up before the second power domain powers up. Upon power up of the first power domain, the inverter can output a high signal to the logic circuitry and output a low signal to the logic circuitry in response to power up of the second power domain. The logic circuitry is further configured to output a first value for a control signal in response to the first power domain powering up and configured to output a second value for the control signal in response to the second power domain powering up. |
| US09973186B2 |
Circuitry and methods for use in mixed-signal circuitry
Switching circuitry for use in a digital-to-analog converter, the circuitry comprising: a common node; first and second output nodes; and a plurality of switches connected between the common node and the first and second output nodes and operable in each clock cycle of a series of clock cycles, based on input data, to conductively connect the common node to either the first or second output node along a given one of a plurality of paths, wherein the circuitry is arranged such that a data-controlled switch and a clock-controlled switch are provided in series along each said path from the common node to the first or second output node. |
| US09973184B2 |
Radio-frequency devices with gate node voltage compensation
Radio-frequency (RF) devices are disclosed having transistor gate voltage compensation to provide improved switching performance. RF devices, such as switches, include a plurality of field-effect transistors (FETs) connected in series between first and second nodes, each FET having a gate. A compensation network including a coupling circuit couples the gates of each pair of neighboring FETs. |
| US09973182B2 |
Re-timing based clock generation and residual sideband (RSB) enhancement circuit
Certain aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to methods and apparatus for generating clock signals. For example, certain aspects of the present disclosure provide a clock generation circuit. The clock generation circuit may include a first transistor connected in cascode with a second transistor, wherein an input clock node of the circuit is coupled to gates of the first and second transistors. The clock generation circuit may also include a frequency divider circuit having an input coupled to the input clock node, wherein an output of the frequency divider circuit is coupled to a source of the second transistor, and wherein an output node of the circuit is coupled to drains of the first and second transistors. |
| US09973181B2 |
Synchronized semiconductor device with phase adjustment circuit
According to one embodiment, a synchronous semiconductor device is disclosed According to this embodiment, the synchronous semiconductor device includes a pulse width detection circuit to provide detection information responsive to a plurality of delay amounts being different from one another and at least one of a high pulse width and a low pulse width of a first clock signal. The detection information representing relationships in size between each of the plurality of delay amounts and the at least one of the high pulse width and the low pulse width of the first clock signal. A delay line control circuit coupled to the pulse width detection circuit and the delay line. The delay line control circuit configured to change a delay amount of the delay line by a step size determined responsive, at least in part, to the detection information. |
| US09973173B2 |
Switch topology for switching filters multiplexers
This disclosure relates to radio frequency (RF) front end circuitry used to route RF signals. In one embodiment, the RF front end circuitry has a filter circuit and a switch device. The switch device includes a common port, an RF port, and switchable path connected in series between the common port and the RF port. The switch device is configured to present approximately the filter capacitance of the filter circuit at the common port when the switchable path is closed. However, when the switchable path is open, the switch device is configured to present a device capacitance at the common port that is approximately equal to the filter capacitance of the filter circuit. In this manner, if the common port is connected to an antenna, the capacitance seen by the antenna from the common port remains substantially unchanged regardless of which of the switchable path is opened or closed. |
| US09973171B2 |
Digital filter
A digital filter includes integrator circuits configured to operate based on a clock of a sampling frequency fS that is equal to a sampling frequency of input data and determine a sum of the input data on a sample-by-sample basis, a frequency converter circuit configured to perform decimation on data of the sampling frequency fS to reduce the sampling frequency fS to a sampling frequency fD=fS/N, one or more differentiator circuits configured to operate based on a clock of the sampling frequency fD and subtract data of an immediately preceding sample from the input data, a differentiator circuit for removal of 50 Hz configured to operate based on the clock of the sampling frequency fD and subtract, from the input data, data preceding the input data by a plurality of samples, and a differentiator circuit for removal of 60 Hz configured to operate based on a clock of the sampling frequency fD and subtract, from the input data, data preceding the input data by a plurality of samples. |
| US09973169B2 |
Surface acoustic wave filter with a cap layer for improved reliability
Embodiments of a Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) device, or filter, and methods of fabrication thereof are disclosed. In some embodiments, the SAW filter comprises a piezoelectric substrate and an Interdigitated Transducer (IDT) on a surface of the piezoelectric substrate. The IDT includes multiple fingers, each comprising a metal stack. The SAW filter further includes a cap layer on a surface of the IDT opposite the piezoelectric substrate and on areas of the surface of the piezoelectric substrate exposed by the IDT. The cap layer has a thickness in a range of and including 10 to 500 Angstroms and a high electrical resistivity (and thus a low electrical conductivity). For instance, in some embodiments, the electrical resistivity of the cap layer is greater than 10 kilo-ohm meters (KΩ·m). The SAW filter further includes an oxide overcoat layer on a surface of the cap layer opposite the IDT and the piezoelectric substrate. |
| US09973167B2 |
Impedance matching circuit and method for radio frequency transmission coil
Impedance matching circuits and methods for radio frequency (RF) transmission coil are disclosed. An example impedance matching circuit includes a coil matching circuit, a RF power detection circuit, and a spectrometer. The spectrometer outputs an output voltage reversely applied on a varactor diode of the coil matching circuit. An impedance of the coil matching circuit is changed based on the output voltage. The spectrometer outputs a RF transmission signal to the RF power detection circuit, receives a power of a RF reflected signal corresponded to the output voltages. The spectrometer receives powers of different RF reflected signals corresponded to different output voltages, and assigns an output voltage corresponded to a minimum power of the RF reflected signals as an impedance matching voltage, where an equivalent impedance of the coil matching circuit and the RF transmission coil matches with an impedance of RF transmission lines. |
| US09973166B2 |
Phase shift circuit
A phase shift circuit includes a 90° hybrid circuit, variable capacitors, a switch circuit, and a balun circuit. The 90° hybrid circuit includes a high-frequency signal input terminal and a high-frequency signal output terminal. The variable capacitors are respectively connected to between first and second variable capacitor connection terminals of the 90° hybrid circuit and the ground. The balun circuit includes an unbalanced signal input terminal and balanced signal output terminals formed by a pair of terminals. The switch circuit selects any one of the balanced signal output terminal and the balanced signal output terminal of the balun circuit and connects the selected terminal to the high-frequency signal input terminal to the 90° hybrid circuit. |
| US09973164B1 |
Power amplifier output power control circuit
A power amplifier output power control circuit includes a first operational amplifier with a negative input terminal configured to receive a power control signal; a first PMOS transistor with a grid electrode connected to an output terminal of the first operational amplifier, a source electrode connected to an external power source, and a drain electrode grounded via a voltage dividing network; a power amplifier with a power end connected to the drain electrode of the first PMOS transistor, an input terminal configured to access to a signal to be amplified, and an output terminal configured to amplify the signal; and a current sampling circuit configured to produce sampling current after sampling current across the first PMOS transistor and providing a negative feedback signal for the positive input terminal of the first operational amplifier according to the sampling current such that total output power of the power amplifier keeps unchanged. |
| US09973158B1 |
Power supply for class D amplifier in energy efficient applications
A power supply for use with Class D amplifiers in energy efficient applications is described herein. The power supply reduces the effects of off side charging and improves cross regulation. The topology of the power supply can be designed to minimize quiescent mode losses through resonant switching of some or all active switches. Additionally, the power supply can be implemented without external resonant inductors, the power supply can be implemented with smaller capacitors that have longer lifetime ratings, the switching losses present in a power factor correction stage of the power supply can be reduced, and/or a modified power factor correction choke can be utilized to reduce energy loss. |
| US09973157B2 |
Method and apparatus for achieving high-output signal swing from class-D amplifier
An apparatus and method are disclosed for providing output signal swings that are greater than the supply voltage in a class-D amplifier. The amplifier circuit boosts the voltage across the amplifier load, such as a loudspeaker, by using capacitors to “charge pump” the voltage across the load and thus increase the voltage temporarily. This is done by using two or more output bridges rather than one, and connecting the bridges through the capacitors. For signals of less than the supply voltage, only an inner bridge, similar to a full bridge of the prior art, operates. For signals above the supply voltage, an outer bridge charges capacitors, which are then used to ‘boost’ the voltage on the bridge output for the short period of the Class-D switching period. Thus, only relatively small value boosting capacitors are needed, as they do not need to supply charge for very long. |
| US09973151B2 |
Method for load measurement in switching amplifiers, corresponding device and amplifier
A method can be used to measure a load driven by a switching amplifier having a differential input, an LC output demodulator filter and a feedback network between the amplifier output and the differential input. The amplifier is AC driven in a differential and in a common mode by applying a common. The feedback network provides feedback towards the differential input from downstream the LC demodulator filter by computing the impedance of the load as a function of the differential mode output current and the common mode output current. The feedback network provides feedback towards the differential input from upstream the LC demodulator filter by measuring the impedance value of the inductor of the LC demodulator filter, and computing the impedance of the load as a function of the differential mode output current, the common mode output current and the impedance value of the inductor of the LC demodulator filter. |
| US09973149B2 |
Source switched split LNA
A receiver front end capable of receiving and processing intraband non-contiguous carrier aggregate (CA) signals using multiple low noise amplifiers (LNAs) is disclosed herein. A cascode having a “common source” configured input FET and a “common gate” configured output FET can be turned on or off using the gate of the output FET. A first switch is provided that allows a connection to be either established or broken between the source terminal of the input FET of each LNA. Further switches used for switching degeneration inductors, gate capacitors and gate to ground caps for each legs can be used to further improve the matching performance of the invention. |
| US09973148B2 |
Radio frequency system with switch to receive envelope
Aspects of this disclosure relate to a radio frequency system that includes an envelope generator configured to generate an envelope signal corresponding to an envelope of a radio frequency signal and at least two radio frequency components coupled to the envelope generator. One of the radio frequency components is a radio frequency switch configured to pass the radio frequency signal. The radio frequency switch is configured to receive the envelope signal to cause intermodulation distortion associated with the radio frequency switch to be reduced. |
| US09973142B2 |
Snow fence for a solar panel
An accessory for a solar panel assembly includes a bracket defining an elongated portion extending in a first direction and including a slot, a connector coupled to the bracket and configured to engage at least one panel frame of the solar panel assembly, and a fence member including a first portion and a second portion. The first portion including a planar surface oriented at an angle relative to the bracket portion, and the second portion includes a projection that removably engages the slot. |
| US09973140B2 |
Solar cell module
A solar cell module comprises a solar cell panel and a frame. A holding portion of a frame piece constituting the frame includes: a base extending upper than the panel upper surface of the solar cell panel from a main body portion 30B and covering a panel side surface; a nail portion extending from the base to the side of the solar cell panel and covering the panel upper surface; a drainage hole formed by notching a part of the base, said part being positioned lower than the panel upper surface; and a water guide portion formed by notching the nail portion from a connection portion. |
| US09973138B2 |
Brushless motor and washing machine provided with same
A brushless motor includes: a motor including a stator around which a winding wire is wound and a rotor holding a permanent magnet; a motor control microcomputer; an inverter circuit in which a power element is incorporated and controls an amount of a voltage applied to the winding wire; a temperature detecting element which detects a temperature of the power element; and a current detecting element which detects a power supply current or a current of the winding wire. A first current limit value is defined by current limit value which is set such that a junction temperature of the power element does not exceed a predetermined value, the brushless motor sets a second current limit value which is higher than the first current limit value, and the brushless motor operates, based on the second current limit value only in a predetermined period after start-up of the brushless motor. |
| US09973134B1 |
Electrical system with reverse current protection circuit
An electrical system includes a direct current (DC) voltage bus, a power supply providing a supply voltage to the DC voltage bus, an electric machine connected to the power supply, a reverse current protection (RCP) circuit positioned between the power supply and the electric machine, the RCP circuit including an energy dissipating element, and a controller. As part of an associated method, the controller detects a reverse current condition in which a current flows from the electric machine toward the power supply when an induced voltage of the electric machine exceeds a voltage level of the voltage bus. The controller transmits a control signal to the RCP circuit to direct the electrical current through the energy dissipating element for a duration of the reverse current condition or for a predetermined duration equal to or greater than that of the reverse current condition. |
| US09973131B2 |
Motor driving device and laundry treatment apparatus including the same
The present disclosure relates to a motor driving device and a laundry treatment apparatus. The motor driving device may include an inverter to convert DC power into AC power according to a switching operation and to output the converted AC power to a motor, an output current detector to detect an output current flowing through the motor, and a controller to control the inverter based on the detected output current. The controller changes a carrier frequency, changes a voltage command based on the changed carrier frequency and outputs an inverter switching control signal to the inverter based on the changed carrier frequency and the changed voltage command. Accordingly, noise may be reduced during operation of the motor. |
| US09973126B2 |
Method for controlling operating speed and torque of electric motor
Systems and methods for controlling the operating speed and the torque of an electric motor using an operational model are described. An operational model for the electric motor, including a plot of engine performance parameters, is used for reference, and a most efficient output path, which may pass through an optimal operation region in the operational model, is selected. The most efficient output path may be determined, for example, according to locations of a current output state and a to-be-reached target state in the operational model, enabling the operating state of the motor to reach the target state from the current operating state. By selecting a more efficient output path, the operating efficiency of the motor may be optimized, the life of a battery improved and/or the operating mileage of the vehicle may be increased, without significantly reducing the driving experience. |
| US09973118B2 |
Motor drive circuit, method for detecting single phase DC motor rotation direction and method for starting motor
A motor drive circuit including a back electromotive force detecting module and a processing module is disclosed herein. The back electromotive force detecting module is electrically connected to a single phase DC motor and is configured to detect a back electromotive force of the single phase DC motor and to output a detecting signal correspondingly. The processing module is electrically connected to the back electromotive force detecting module and the single phase DC motor. The processing module is configured to determine the rotation direction of the single phase DC motor according to the detecting signal and a hall signal outputted by a hall element located in the single phase DC motor, and is configured to control the single phase DC motor. |
| US09973117B2 |
System having a first electric motor and a second electric motor for driving a string
An exemplary system includes a first electric motor and a second electric motor, which are coupled mechanically to one another via a common string of the system. The string has a torsional natural oscillation at a natural frequency. A first oscillating torque acts on the string by the first electric motor and a second oscillating torque acts on the string by the second electric motor. The second electric motor is arranged with respect to the first electric motor such that the effect of the second oscillating torque on the string results in damping of the excitation of the natural oscillation owing to the first oscillating torque. |
| US09973113B1 |
Vehicle electronic power system with energy harvesting
Methods and apparatus are provided for a vehicle electronic power system. In one exemplary embodiment an energy harvesting device is configured to generate electricity in response to vibration of the vehicle occurring during normal vehicle operation. The energy harvesting device may be tuned to a frequency that falls within a peak energy region in a vibration profile of the vehicle. The power system may further include a charging circuit connecting the energy harvesting device to a rechargeable battery provides electrical power to an electro-mechanical vehicle component or system. |
| US09973105B2 |
Half bridge for an active rectifier having an overvoltage protection
A half bridge for an active rectifier having an alternating-voltage connection, a positive direct-voltage connection, as well as a ground connection, a first switch element connecting the alternating-voltage connection to the ground connection; a second switch element connecting the alternating-voltage connection to the positive direct-voltage connection, a first control element being connected to the first switch element for switching the first switch element; a connection of a first capacitor being connected to a voltage supply connection of the first control element; the positive direct-voltage connection being connected via a first diode in the forward direction to the one connection of the first capacitor; the first capacitor being connected in parallel to a series connection of the first switch element and the second switch element. |
| US09973104B2 |
Power module
A power module includes a substrate, a first sub-module, a second sub-module and a circuit board. The semiconductor switches and the diodes of the first sub-module and the second sub-module are embedded within insulation layers. Consequently, the first sub-module and the second sub-module are formed as a high-voltage-side switching element and a low-voltage-side switching element of a bridge circuit. The first sub-module and the second sub-module are disposed on a first surface of the substrate. An electrode of the first sub-module and some electrodes of the second sub-module are electrically connected with corresponding conducting parts of a circuit board. A heat sink is disposed on a second surface of the substrate. |
| US09973098B2 |
Fixed frequency discontinuous conduction mode flyback power converters employing zero voltage switching
A power supply system includes a flyback power converter and a control circuit coupled to the flyback power converter. The power converter includes an input, an output, a transformer having a plurality of windings coupled between the input and the output, a first power switch coupled to the transformer and a clamping circuit having a capacitor, a diode, and a second power switch coupled to one of the plurality of windings. The capacitor and the diode are coupled in parallel between the winding and the second power switch. The control circuit is configured to operate the power converter in a discontinuous conduction mode and control the first power switch and the second power switch at a fixed frequency to achieve substantially zero voltage switching during turn on of the first power switch. Various other example power supply systems, power converters, and methods for controlling a power converter are also disclosed. |
| US09973097B2 |
Regulating transformer rectifier unit with multiple circuits for preventing output overvoltage
A power supply system and related method for providing a regulated DC output from an unregulated AC input includes a Vienna rectifier having power factor correction circuitry and a series resonant DC to DC converter to provide a regulated DC output. The power supply system further includes one or more compensator circuits coupled in feedback configuration to control the Vienna rectifier and/or the DC to DC converter and avoid a potentially dangerous over-voltage condition at the regulated DC output. |
| US09973092B2 |
Gas tube-switched high voltage DC power converter
A direct current (DC)-DC converter includes a transformer and a gas tube-switched inverter circuit. The transformer includes a primary winding and a secondary winding. The gas tube-switched inverter circuit includes first and second inverter load terminals and first and second inverter input terminals. The first and second inverter load terminals are coupled to the primary winding. The first and second inverter input terminals are couplable to a DC node. The gas tube-switched inverter circuit further includes a plurality of gas tube switches respectively coupled between the first and second inverter load terminals and the first and second inverter input terminals. The plurality of gas tube switches is configured to operate to generate an alternating current (AC) voltage at the primary winding. |
| US09973090B1 |
Buck boost converter and control method thereof
The present invention provides a buck-boost converter including a converter power stage, a first mode control unit, and a second mode control unit. In the buck-boost converter, the converter power stage may include at least one inductor and a plurality of switching devices. Further, the first mode control unit may operate the converter power stage in a buck mode and regulate an output voltage of the converter power stage as a first voltage. Further, the second mode control unit may operate the converter power stage in a boost mode or a buck-boost mode, and regulate an output voltage of the converter power stage as a second voltage higher than the first voltage. |
| US09973088B2 |
Voltage regulator circuits for wireless devices
Voltage regulator circuits for wireless devices are provided. In some implementations, a transceiver module includes a transceiver circuit that generates a radio frequency (RF) signal, a power amplifier circuit that receives the RF signal and generates an amplified RF signal, and a voltage regulator circuit that receives an input voltage and provides a desired voltage to the power amplifier circuit. The voltage regulator circuit is operable in a regulation mode in which the desired voltage includes a regulated voltage and in a bypass mode in which the desired voltage includes a bypass voltage. The voltage regulator circuit includes a field-effect transistor (FET) electrically connected between the input voltage and the desired voltage, an amplifier that controls the FET, and a voltage generator that receives the input voltage and biases the amplifier. |
| US09973087B1 |
Power conversion apparatus
A power conversion apparatus is provided. A detecting circuit detects a current flowing into a boot voltage input pin and converts the current into a corresponding detecting voltage. An adjusting signal generating circuit generates an adjusting signal according to the detecting voltage. A control circuit adjusts control parameters thereof according to the adjusting signal. |
| US09973080B2 |
Switched capacitor power supply circuit
According to one embodiment, a switched capacitor power supply circuit includes a switched capacitor power supply circuit unit that supplies a voltage obtained by converting an input voltage with a predetermined conversion ratio as an output voltage by switching a connection configuration between a plurality of capacitors that perform charge and discharge, and a control circuit that switches the connection configuration between the plurality of capacitors according to the output voltage to change the conversion ratio. |
| US09973072B2 |
Power converter stage, controller, and method for providing power to controller
The invention relates to a power converter stage (2) for providing power supply to a power converter controller (3), a power converter controller (3) for such power converter stage (2), a power converter (1) including such power converter stage (2) and such power converter controller (3), a method for providing power to a controller (3) of a power converter (1) and a software product for controlling a power converter (1). In order to provide for auxiliary power supply for control circuitry of a power converter (1) during all operation modes of the power converter (1) while avoiding additional costs involved with providing a dedicated control power supply fed from bus voltage, it is proposed that power stored in power storing means (4, 5) included in a power converter stage (2) or more generally in a power converter (1) are used for supply to the controller (3) even if the power converter is in stand-by mode, as a transfer of power between such power storing means (4,5) through a primary inductance (6) may be used for providing also for a power transfer to a secondary inductance (7), which then supplies the controller (3). |
| US09973069B2 |
Rotor for synchronous reluctance motor with reduced flux leakage and residual stress
Provided is a synchronous reluctance rotating electrical machine that has superior rotor strength, and that can be manufactured at low cost. Asynchronous reluctance motor has a rotor wherein a multiple of quadrature axes are formed in a circumferential direction. The rotor has two neighboring quadrature axis holes sandwiching a center bridge in the circumferential direction of the rotor in order to form one quadrature axis. The quadrature axis holes communicate with an outer periphery of the rotor on a side opposite to that of the center bridge. The center bridge is located on the outer side, in a radial direction of the rotor, of an inscribed circle of the multiple of quadrature axis holes. Also, the rotor 3 has a direct axis projection protruding in the direction of a direct axis between two neighboring quadrature axes. |
| US09973065B2 |
Method for manufacturing a coil module for a stator for a tubular linear motor
A method for manufacturing a coil module for a stator for a tubular linear motor includes placing a plurality of bobbins and spacers on a winding mandrel and winding the plurality of bobbins with a single length of wire to form a set of coils. Three sets of such coils are interleaved on an encapsulation mandrel. A plurality of metal comb shaped elements, each including a longitudinal spine and a plurality of teeth are distributed about the circumference of the three interleaved sets of coils to form a coil module. The coil module and the mandrel are surrounded with an encapsulation mold. An encapsulating material is introduced into the encapsulation mold. The encapsulated coil module is removed from the encapsulating mold and the encapsulation mandrel after setting of the encapsulating material. |
| US09973063B2 |
Combined stator wedge driver and bar jacking tool
The present application provides a combined stator wedge driver and bar jacking tool for positioning a stator bar and a stator wedge into place along a slot of a stator core. The combined stator wedge driver and bar jacking tool may include a bar jacking tool to drive the stator bar into the slot and a stator wedge driver to drive the stator wedge on top of the stator bar in the slot. The bar jacking tool and the stator wedge driver extend from a common housing. |
| US09973062B2 |
Method of synthesizing aluminum carbon nanotube materials for structural and conductor applications
A method of in situ formation of an aluminum carbon nanotube composite material and an induction motor component produced with such composite. The method includes forming an aluminum-based matrix by mixing a catalyst precursor with an aluminum powder such that a colloidal compound is formed that is subsequently sintered to leave a catalytically-active material formed on the surface of the aluminum powder. A carbon-containing gas is introduced to the composite catalyst that includes aluminum and the catalytic metal so that carbon nanotube reinforcements are grown on the aluminum-based matrix with the assistance of the catalytically-active metal. Additional mechanical processing steps may also include pressurizing, sintering and cold-rolling the aluminum carbon nanotube composite material. |
| US09973061B2 |
DC motor including a rotation detection unit
A direct current (DC) motor including: a cylindrical frame, at least one end of which is open; a cylindrical end cover including an opening configured to block the at least one open end; a rotor including a rotor shaft supported by the frame and the end cover, and a rotor core installed on the rotor shaft; a commutator installed on the rotor shaft and arranged on one end of the rotor core; a cover unit installed on the rotor shaft, arranged between the rotor and the commutator, and including at least one location detection device; and a rotation detection unit installed in the end cover and configured to detect the at least one location detection device. |
| US09973056B2 |
Motor mounting assembly and method of manufacture
A motor mounting assembly for mounting a motor includes a motor base and a motor mounting fixture. The motor base has an elongate slot and a threaded adjusting rod. The motor mounting fixture cooperates with the slot for securing the motor to the base and includes a fixture body and a coupling member. The fixture body includes a fixture base and first and second oppositely disposed legs. First and second apertures extend through the first and second legs and a motor fastener projects proximally from the fixture base to be received in the slot. The coupling member has a through bore aligned with the first and second apertures between the first and second legs. At least one of the first aperture, the second aperture, or the bore includes screw threads engaging the adjusting rod for adjusting a position of the motor. |
| US09973048B2 |
Motor
A motor may include a rotor including a shaft; a stator; and a bearing supporting the shaft. The rotor may include a plurality of core pieces on an outer side of the shaft, a plurality of permanent magnets, and a mold resin part between the core pieces. The neighboring core pieces may include a magnet insertion hole provided therebetween. The permanent magnet may include two poles, with poles of neighboring magnets facing each other having identical polarity. The mold resin part may include at least one first guide part disposed closer to one side than the center between neighboring core pieces, and covers at least a portion of a surface on one side of the magnet insertion hole in a circumferential direction, the permanent magnet being in direct indirect contact via resin with the core piece disposed on the other side of the magnet insertion hole. |
| US09973047B2 |
Dynamometer for a test stand for an aircraft turbomachine
The invention relates to a rotating electric machine, such as a dynamometer. The rotor of the machine comprises a circular row of resultant magnetic poles of which the polarity forms an alternation of opposed poles. The resultant poles each include a pair of permanent magnets in a “V”, each equipped with a north pole N, a south pole S, and opposed faces, where the magnet poles are located. In each resultant pole the magnets are disposed so as to have faces having identical polarities, which faces are oriented radially outwardly, facing towards one another, thus forming therebetween an angle β between 90° and 110°, which makes it possible to increase the efficiency. The invention also relates to a turbomachine test stand equipped with a dynamometer enabling a recovery of electrical energy. The invention also relates to a hybrid motor vehicle propelled by the rotating electric machine. |
| US09973046B2 |
Communication device
A communication device proposed by the invention comprises, in a modularly assembled design, a first module for generating a mechanical rotary motion, the rotational energy of which is converted into electrical energy by a second module, namely a converter module. A third module is a transmitter module which is supplied with and driven by energy from the converter module. |
| US09973044B2 |
Motor stator
A motor stator includes a bobbin bracket, a modular mounting bracket, and a modular change box. The bobbin bracket includes a plurality of bobbins circularly disposed in a radial pattern. The modular mounting bracket is disposed on the bobbin bracket. The modular mounting bracket is formed with a first slide structure. The first slide structure is perpendicular to an axial direction of the bobbin bracket. A sensing circuit board is disposed in the modular change box. The modular change box is formed with a second slide structure. The second slide structure is perpendicular to the axial direction of the bobbin bracket and slidably connected into the first slide structure, so as to assemble the modular change box to the modular mounting bracket along a radial direction of the bobbin bracket. |
| US09973042B2 |
Power transmission system
In a power transmitting device (101) and a power receiving device (201), active electrodes (13, 23), passive electrodes (14, 24), and reference potential electrodes (15, 25) oppose each other so as to make capacitance coupling, so that capacitances Caa, Cpp, and Cgg are generated. Capacitors having capacitances C1a, C1p, C2a, and C2p are connected to between the reference potential electrode (15) and the active electrode (13), between the reference potential electrode (15) and the passive electrode (14), between the reference potential electrode (25) and the active electrode (23), and between the reference potential electrode (25) and the passive electrode (24), respectively. The power transmission system (1) satisfies any one or more of the conditions of Caa+Cpp |
| US09973039B2 |
Power receiver, wireless power system and related method of transmitting information with a power receiver
A power receiver includes a resonant circuit generating an internal supply voltage. A voltage rectification circuit receives the internal supply voltage and generate a corresponding rectified voltage. A voltage regulator receives the rectified voltage and a modulation signal and is configured to generate a corresponding regulated voltage. A controlled voltage-to-current converter receives the regulated voltage and the modulation signal. The converter operates to deliver, through an output line of the power receiver, an output current having a DC value corresponding to the DC value of said regulated voltage and having an AC value corresponding to said modulation signal. |
| US09973033B1 |
Smart emergency light
A smart emergency light comprises a microprocessor; a power switch connected to the microprocessor; a power supply connected to the power switch; a chargeable battery connected to the power supply; a light source driver connected to the power supply and the chargeable battery and controlled by the microprocessor; an illumination device connected to the light source driver and controlled by the light source driver; and a network module connected to the microprocessor so that the smart emergency light is connectable to a center computer; wherein the center computer controls the smart emergency light through the microprocessor. |
| US09973027B2 |
Wireless power charging device with rear side magneto isolation marking
An information handling system includes a wireless charging receiver, which in turn includes first and second surfaces, a receiver coil, and an isolation marker. The wireless charging receiver is coupled to a back side of the information handling system. The receiver coil is located within the wireless charging receiver and disposed between the first and second surfaces, and receives a magnetic flux field from a transmission coil of a wireless charging pad. The isolation marker is in physical communication with the first surface and aligned with the receiver coil. The isolation marker enables a user to align the receiver coil with the transmission coil of the charging pad, and isolates the magnetic flux field in the receiver coil and away from the user and other components of the information handling system. |
| US09973026B2 |
Wireless charging apparatus
Disclosed are a soft magnetic alloy and a wireless charging apparatus including the soft magnetic alloy. The soft magnetic alloy has a chemical formula expressed as Fe100-x-yCuxBy (wherein x ranges from 0.1 at % to 1.7 at % and y ranges from 2.3 at % to 9.6 at %). Without adding any expensive alloying element, only iron (Fe), copper (Cu), and boron (B) are used to obtain a nanocrystalline soft magnetic alloy that has a low coercive force and a high saturation magnetic flux density. The nanocrystalline soft magnetic alloy is applied to a wireless power transmitter and a wireless power receiver. Thereby, it is possible to make a shield member thin and increase a power transmission capacity. The soft magnetic alloy is easily processed into a flake form. The soft magnetic alloy processed in this way is applied to the shield member. Thereby, it is possible to increase permeability in a surface direction. |
| US09973025B2 |
Power providing equipment, mobile device, operating method of mobile device
An operating method includes receiving a power signal from a power providing equipment, transmit a first end power transfer message to the power providing equipment under a condition that the power of the battery is full, so that the power providing equipment stops providing the wireless power signal according to the first end power transfer message; charging the battery by utilizing the wireless power signal under a condition that the power of the battery is not full; and transmitting a second end power transfer message to the power providing equipment under a condition that the battery is fully charged by the charging module, so that the power providing equipment stops providing the wireless power signal according to the second end power transfer message. The first end power transfer message and the second end power transfer message are different. |
| US09973024B2 |
Method for detecting change in load during wireless charging and wireless power transmitter thereof
A wireless power transmitter and a method for detecting a change in load during wireless charging in the wireless power transmitter is provided. The wireless power transmitter includes a power transmission unit configured to transmit power to a wireless power receiver, a current detection unit configured to measure a voltage value corresponding to a current that is output to the power transmission unit while the power is transmitted from the power transmission unit, and a controller configured to adjust the power transmitted by the power transmission unit based on the measured voltage value. |
| US09973020B2 |
Method for charging a rechargeable battery of an electric device
A method for charging a rechargeable battery (3) of an electric device in different charging steps applying different charging currents is described, said charging steps comprising at least: a first charging step applying a first constant charging current (I1) to the battery (3) while the battery voltage is smaller than a first voltage threshold (V1) and/or while the battery temperature is smaller than a first temperature threshold, said first charging (I1) current being smaller than a second charging current (I2); a second charging step applying said second constant charging current (I2) to the battery (3) while the battery voltage is higher than said first battery voltage threshold (V1) and lower than a second battery voltage threshold (V2) and/or while the battery temperature is higher than said first temperature threshold and smaller than a second temperature threshold; a third charging step applying a constant charging current (I3) to the battery (3), wherein said third constant charging current (I3) is switched on every time when the battery voltage drops to a fourth voltage threshold (V4) and switched off when the battery voltage reaches a fifth voltage threshold (V5), and wherein said third charging step providing said repeated switching on and off the third constant charging current (I3) thereby producing current pulses ends if the length of a current pause (Toff) following said current pulse (Ton) equals or exceeds the length of p·(k−1)−times the preceding current pulse (Ton) with k being the ratio of constant charging current I3 and the constant charging current I1 and p being a defined factor. |
| US09973019B2 |
Charging current setting method, a charging method, a charging apparatus, and an actuator
A charging current setting method includes an upper limit temperature recognition step which recognizes an upper limit temperature of the secondary battery (11), an actual temperature recognition step which recognizes an actual temperature of the secondary battery (11), a maximum power recognition step which recognizes an maximum power according to a heat quantity which the secondary battery (11) allows during a charge period based on a difference between the upper limit temperature and the actual temperature, a thermal resistance of the secondary battery (11), and a length of a predetermined period and the charge period, and a current setting step which sets a charge current to be an upper limit value or less by recognizing the upper limit value of the charge current of the secondary battery (11) based on an endothermic and exothermic characteristics map of the secondary battery (11) with respect to current and the maximum power. |
| US09973014B2 |
Automated electrical charger for autonomous platforms
A system for charging rechargeable devices. A landing surface includes a plurality of conductive patches, and a rechargeable device includes a plurality of contacts. The configurations of the conductive patches and of the contacts are selected to establish, when the contacts of the rechargeable device come into contact with the landing surface, a plurality of separate conductive paths between a charger and the rechargeable device. |
| US09973012B2 |
Electronic cigarette charger
An electronic cigarette charger, comprising a housing, a charging circuit board, a first electric connecting piece and a second electric connecting piece, a first elastic metal wire, a second elastic metal wire, and a suspension structure arranged on the housing and used for suspending the electronic cigarette charger, wherein one end of the first elastic metal wire and the second elastic metal wire is connected to the charging circuit board in an insertion mode, the other end of the first elastic metal wire is connected to the first electric connecting piece in a buckling mode, and the other end of the second elastic metal wire is connected to the second electric connecting piece in a buckling mode. Therefore, the electronic cigarette charger is convenient to carry and to assemble by skillfully connecting the first elastic metal wire and the second elastic metal wire with remaining components, improving a production efficiency. |
| US09973011B2 |
Battery management unit and method for setting identifier by using frequency modulation
Disclosed is a battery management unit for setting a communication identifier through the frequency of a start signal. The battery management unit according to the present invention analyzes the frequency of a received start signal. If the frequency of the start signal is a fundamental frequency, the battery management unit sets itself as a master unit. If the frequency of the start signal is not the fundamental frequency, the battery management unit sets itself as a slave unit. In addition, when outputting a start signal to another neighboring battery management unit, the battery management unit according to the present invention outputs the start signal by modulating the frequency of the start signal into a frequency produced by adding an additional frequency value to the frequency as received in the battery management unit. Thus, the battery management unit is capable of setting the status of the battery management unit and also setting a communication identifier of the battery management unit by analyzing the value of the received frequency. |
| US09973009B2 |
Wireless power transmisson apparatus and wireless power transmisson method
A wireless power transmission apparatus and a wireless power transmission method includes: activating a first wireless transmission unit having a first transmission scheme and deactivating a second transmission unit having a second transmission scheme; transmitting power by the first transmission scheme when a reception scheme of a wireless power reception apparatus is same as the first transmission scheme; deactivating the first wireless transmission unit and activating the second wireless transmission unit when the reception scheme is different from the first transmission scheme; and transmitting the power by the second transmission scheme when the reception scheme is same as the second transmission scheme. Interference between the first wireless transmission unit and the second wireless transmission unit can be prevented from occurring by selectively or sequentially activating the first wireless transmission unit and the second wireless transmission unit. |
| US09973006B1 |
Detecting misconfigured power sources for a device
Techniques are described for providing an automatic transfer switch (ATS), such as in a data center, to determine whether the power system coupled to a first power input on the ATS is the same power system or a different power system that is coupled to a second power input on the ATS. The ATS determines and compares the electrical characteristics (e.g., voltage, current harmonics, etc.) to determine if there is a difference between the determined characteristics. If the electrical characteristics are substantially similar, then a single power system is coupled to both power inputs on the ATS. But if the electrical characteristics are significantly different (e.g., the difference in the electrical characteristics is above a threshold), the power system coupled to one power input on the ATS is different from the power system coupled to the other power input on the ATS. |
| US09973005B2 |
Solar power controller and impedance detection
A power controller assembly is disclosed that transfers alternating current (AC) power generated by solar panels to devices coupled to the power controller assembly. The power controller assembly includes a power connector assembly that is coupled to an AC power outlet and transfers AC power generated by the solar panels from the AC power outlet to a power cord that is coupled to the power controller configuration. The power cord transfers the AC power to the device that consumes the AC power. The power controller assembly also includes an outlet power controller that controls the device that consumes the AC power based on instructions received from a communications device via wireless communication between the outlet power controller and the communications device. |
| US09973001B2 |
Zero sequence, fifth harmonic filter for five-phase power distribution system
A zero sequence, fifth harmonic filter for reducing fifth harmonic distortion in a five-phase power distribution system includes five pairs of coils. Each coil has a first leg and a second leg and each pair of coils has a first coil and a second coil. The first leg of each of the first coils is connected to a corresponding phase of the power distribution system; one first leg to each of the five phases of the power distribution system. The first leg of each of the second coils is connected to a neutral of the power distribution system and the second leg of each of the first coils is connected to the second leg of a next second coil in a staggered fashion. |
| US09972997B2 |
Circuit interruption device
A switching device (28) comprising a primary switching block (30) including at least one semiconductor switch (34); and a switching control unit (32) to control the switching of the or each semiconductor switch (34). The switching device further includes a crowbar circuit (46) comprising a crowbar switch (56) switchable to selectively allow current to flow through the crowbar switch (56) in order to bypass the or each switching module; and a secondary switching block including a switching element (58) connected across a control electrode and a cathode of the crowbar switch (56). The switching element (58) is in communication with the switching control unit (32) to receive, in use, a control signal (66) generated by the switching control unit (32) when the primary switching block (30) is operating within predefined operating parameters. |
| US09972996B2 |
Steering wheel having a heating element, and fail-safety device using the same
The present invention relates to a steering wheel having a heating element and a fail-safety device using the same. The steering wheel having a heating element has a rim, a surface of which is coated with an electrically conductive heating element. The heating element includes a plurality of unit heating elements arranged in parallel, each of which includes a first unit line, each of two ends of which connect a positive power-applying terminal and a negative power-applying terminal together in series; a second unit line spaced apart from the first unit line, each of two ends of which connects the positive power-applying terminal and the negative power-applying terminal together in series; and a connection line for connecting the first and second unit lines. |
| US09972995B2 |
Circuit with a droop compensating mechanism
A method includes charging a capacitor connected to an input node, gradually decreasing an output voltage at an output node, and electrically connecting the input node to the output node. A circuit that performs the method is also disclosed. A system that includes the circuit is also disclosed. |
| US09972994B2 |
Systems and methods for over-temperature protection and over-voltage protection for power conversion systems
Systems and methods are provided for protecting a power conversion system. A system controller includes a first controller terminal and a second controller terminal. The first controller terminal is configured to provide a drive signal to close and open a switch to affect a first current flowing through a primary winding of a power conversion system. The second controller terminal is configured to receive first input signals during one or more first switching periods and receive second input signals during one or more second switching periods. The system controller is configured to determine whether a temperature associated with the power conversion system is larger than a predetermined temperature threshold, and in response to the temperature associated with the power conversion system being larger than the predetermined temperature threshold, generate the drive signal to cause the switch open and remain open to protect the power conversion system. |
| US09972991B2 |
Protection device and circuit protection apparatus containing the same
A protection device comprises a first substrate, a second substrate, a fusible element and a heating element. The first substrate comprises a first surface, and the second substrate comprises a second surface facing the first surface. The fusible element is disposed on the first surface of the first substrate, and the heating element is disposed on the second surface of the second substrate and is disposed above the fusible element. When over-voltage or over-temperature occurs, the heating element heats up to blow the fusible element and thereby providing over-voltage and over-temperature protection. |
| US09972977B2 |
Spark plug for internal combustion engine
A spark plug 5 for an internal combustion engine includes a center electrode 1, an insulator 2, and a housing 3. The insulator 2 includes a distal end side exposed part and an insulator enlarged diameter part 21. The housing 3 includes a lateral electrode 32, an engaging part 33, and a crimping portion 35. A buffer member 4 that restrains the distal end side exposed part 20 by pressing a part of the distal end side exposed part 20 toward the center and a part of the inner peripheral surface of the lateral electrode 32 in a radial direction at a distal end side of the engaging part 33 is disposed at a base end side of the gas pocket 230. |
| US09972976B2 |
Surge arrester
A surge arrester for the power supply of low voltage systems with a housing, two main electrodes which form a spark gap, an arcing chamber within the housing between the two main electrodes and with an ignition aid. When the ignition aid operates in an ignition region, ionized gas is produced which spreads in the arcing chamber so that the spark gap ignites between the two main electrodes and an arc arises in the arcing chamber. The ignition of the spark gap between the two main electrodes occurs relatively quickly after the operation of the ignition aid so that the components of the ignition aid are stressed as little as possible and are protected against damage, and at least one feed channel is formed between the ignition aid and the arcing chamber by which ionized gas produced in the ignition region flows into the arcing chamber. |
| US09972972B2 |
Vertical cavity light emitting device
A vertical cavity light emitting device includes: a first multilayer film reflector; a semiconductor structure layer that is formed on the first multilayer film reflector and includes a semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type, an active layer, and a semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type; an insulating current confinement layer formed on the semiconductor layer of the second conductivity type; a through opening formed in the current confinement layer; a transparent electrode for covering the through opening and the current confinement layer, the transparent electrode being in contact with the semiconductor layer of the second conductivity type through the through opening; a second multilayer film reflector formed on the transparent electrode; and a mixed composition layer formed to be in contact with an edge of the through opening and in which the current confinement layer and the transparent electrode are mixed. |
| US09972971B2 |
Surface emitting laser, information acquisition apparatus, and imaging apparatus
A surface emission laser includes a first beam, a second reflector disposed in an opening portion formed in the first beam, and a second beam disposed in the opening portion, and extending in a widthwise direction of the first beam to connect the second reflector and the first beam, wherein a length, in a longitudinal direction of the first beam, of the second beam is smaller than a length, in the longitudinal direction of the first beam, of the second reflector. |
| US09972965B1 |
Apparatus and method for stabilizing a light
An apparatus and a method for stabilizing output of a light source are disclosed. The stabilization device located outside of a light source comprises a stabilization element, and a stabilization controller configured to control a light output from the light source so that a part of the light output and other part of the light cross propagate in the stabilization element. |
| US09972964B2 |
Polarization-based dual channel wavelength locker
An optical device may include a laser emitter to generate a first laser beam and a second laser beam with orthogonal polarization states. The optical device may include first and second photodetectors to generate respective first currents based on optical powers of the first and second laser beams. The optical device may include a polarization-based beam splitter to combine the first and second laser beams. The optical device may include a wavelength filter to filter the first and second laser beams based on respective wavelengths of the first and second laser beams. The optical device may include a third photodetector and a fourth photodetector to generate respective second currents based on optical powers of the first and second laser beams after filtration. The wavelengths of the first and second laser beams may be controlled based on the first currents and the second currents. |
| US09972963B2 |
Process using a single circular wedge prism for fine alignment of a laser cavity with a single-axis scanning element as the optical Q-switch
The compact, laser cavity with a single-axis scanning element as the optical Q-switch incorporates all optical components required for a short-pulse laser. These optical components are ‘locked’ into alignment forming an optical laser cavity for diode laser or flash lamp pumping. The optical laser cavity does not need optical alignment after it is fabricated. Unfortunately, during the alignment process of the optical laser cavity there are small shifts due to the bonding process of the optical elements. These small shifts introduce alignment errors which results in a decrease in output energy and beam quality. The improvement presented adds a single circular wedge prism that corrects these alignment errors returning the output back to its optimum energy output and beam quality. |
| US09972961B2 |
Two-ended pumping of a composite fiber optic amplifier
Exemplary embodiments of the disclosure include a fiber optic amplifier system and a fiber optic oscillator system having a first stage, comprising a first core fiber having a first core diameter and a first cladding size; a second stage, comprising a second core fiber having a second core diameter and a second cladding size; and a double mode adapter connecting the first stage to the second stage, wherein the double mode adapter is configured to provide transitions for the cores and the claddings of the first and second core fibers. |
| US09972960B1 |
Reflection/absorption coating for metallurgical bonding to a laser gain medium
An active optical planar waveguide apparatus includes a planar core layer comprising an active laser ion; one or more cladding layers in optical contact with at least one surface of the planar core layer; a metallic binder layer chemically bonded to an outermost cladding layer of the one or more cladding layers; a metallic adhesion layers disposed on the metallic binder layer; a heatsink for dissipating heat from the planar waveguide; and a metallic thermal interface material (TIM) layer providing a metallurgical bond between the metallic adhesion layer and the heatsink. |
| US09972957B1 |
Connector module having insulated metal frame
A method for electrically insulating a connector module mounted on a printed circuit board assembly, the method including coating a first portion of a piece of sheet metal with an insulation material, forming the piece of sheet metal into a metal frame, wherein a second portion of the piece of sheet metal not coated with the insulation material is formed into a grounding pin, assembling the connector module, wherein components of the connector module include the metal frame, a housing, and a set of external pins, and mounting the connector module on a printed circuit board to form a printed circuit board assembly, wherein the set of external pins are electrically connected to a corresponding set of vias on the printed circuit board, and the grounding pin is electrically connected to a ground on the printed circuit board. |
| US09972956B2 |
Connecting element having a recessed portion on top of one end and a recessed portion on bottom of the other end
The present invention relates to a connecting element for electrical and mechanical connection of electronics modules. The connecting element includes a base part having a receptacle area that serves to hold an electronics module, wherein the receptacle area has first electrical contact points for the electrical connection of the connecting element to electrical contact points of the electronics module. The base part includes a first end region having a first recessed section on the top side and has a second end region having a second recessed section on the bottom side. Second electrical contact points for connecting to further connecting elements are disposed on the top side of the first recessed section and on the bottom side of the second recessed section. The recessed sections are designed such that the end regions of connecting elements that are located next to each other can be positioned opposite one another in such a way that the top sides of the connecting elements are located on a plane and the bottom sides of the connecting elements are located on another plane. The second electrical contact points are disposed in such a way that the connecting elements can be positioned at different angles (a) with respect to one another. The invention also relates to an electronic module arrangement having at least one connecting element and an electronics module disposed in the receptacle area of the connecting element. |
| US09972950B2 |
Shield case, and connector having the same
A shield case including a first shell having electrical conductivity and a second shell having electrical conductivity. The first shell includes a connecting portion and a cover. The connecting portion is a tube extending in a first direction and including a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is a portion of the connecting portion on one side in a second direction, the second direction crossing the first direction. The second portion is a portion of the connecting portion on the other side in the second direction. The cover extends in the first direction contiguously from the first portion of the connecting portion and includes a pair of walls opposed to the second portion, with interstices left between the respective walls and the second portion. The second shell includes a first blocking portion, the first blocking portion blocking the interstices. |
| US09972949B1 |
Solder-free DC connector
A DC connector that allows a user to insert a coaxial cable and secure it to the connector without the use of soldering. This allows a user to easily customize power cables without soldering, which is particularly desirable for musicians creating custom pedal boards. |
| US09972941B2 |
Memory module connector
A memory module connector (100) is described herein. The memory module connector (100) comprises a plurality of connector pins (102) distributed into a plurality of columns (104). The plurality of connector pins (102) further comprises a plurality of ground pins (106) for providing electrical ground to the memory module connector (100) and a plurality of signal pins (108) for carrying data signals across the memory module connector (100). Further, for each signal pin (108) provided in a column (104), each connector pin (102) adjacent to the signal pin (108) in an adjacent column (104) is a ground pin (106). |
| US09972935B2 |
Drainage structure for electrical connection box
Provided is a drainage structure for an electrical connection box capable of preventing an internal circuit board from getting wet even if water has entered. An electrical connection box main body is mounted on a vehicle wherein a main body-side connector is located on an upper side and protrudes from an opening in a horizontal direction, and a protruding end portion of a housing peripheral wall of a lateral electrical component attaching portion protrudes to the outside from a lateral window, the lateral electrical component attaching portion protrudes laterally from on a side edge portion of a circuit board. A first drainage channel is provided inside the electrical connection box main body, and a second drainage channel extends downward and having an upper end portion connected to the first drainage channel in the protruding end portion of the housing peripheral wall of the lateral electrical component attaching portion. |
| US09972930B1 |
Transceiver module wit flex circuit
A transceiver assembly is provided that includes a transceiver housing having first end, having a connector and an opposite second end having a passage in communication with a printed circuit board mounted in the housing. A peripheral connector having a first end and opposite second end includes a receptacle opening at the second end. A flex circuit is disposed between the first end of the peripheral connector and the second end of the transceiver housing. The peripheral connector is capable of being displaced with respect to the transceiver housing via the flex circuit. |
| US09972921B2 |
Connector with sub-housing and uniting portion
It is aimed to provide a connector capable of dealing with a change in the number of poles without structurally changing a mating connector. Housings (11) for accommodating terminal fittings (12) electrically connectable to tab-like terminals (52) include a main housing (11M) having a locking structure (21) for locking a mating connector (52) and a plurality of types of sub-housings (11S) having different number of poles and selectively unitable with the main housing (11M). The main housing (11M) and the sub-housing (11S) are united by coupling side surfaces to each other. A tab insertion groove (25) into which the tab-like terminal (52) is to be inserted at the time of connection to the mating connector is formed in a coupling part of the united housings (11). |
| US09972920B1 |
Terminal and terminal-equipped electric wire
A terminal that is connected to an end of an aluminum electric wire obtained by covering core wires with an insulating cover. The terminal is provided with a pair of insulation barrel pieces (crimping pieces) that extend in directions that intersect the longitudinal direction of the aluminum electric wire, and are crimped to the outer circumferential surface of the insulating cover. The pair of insulation barrel pieces have tip end portions that face and abut against each other in a state in which the pair of insulation barrel pieces are crimped to the insulating cover. |
| US09972919B2 |
Antenna apparatus and electronic device having same
According to embodiments of the present invention, an antenna apparatus and an electronic device having the same are provided with a circuit board comprising a plurality of layers; and a plurality of via-holes formed in the plurality of layers, wherein the plurality of via-holes in one layer are arranged in one direction (“horizontal direction”) and the plurality of via-holes respectively line up with a plurality of via-holes in another layer, thereby forming a grid-type radiation member. The antenna apparatus and the electronic device having the same according to the present invention can be realized through various different embodiments. |
| US09972916B2 |
Planar array antenna with changeable beam angle
The present disclosure provides a planar array antenna. The planar array antenna includes a plurality of phase modulation surfaces, in which each phase modulation surface includes an array including a plurality of transmission phase-shift elements; and a planar power source, configured to power the plurality of phase modulation surfaces, in which each phase modulation surface is configured to modulate a transmission phase of an electromagnetic wave based on the plurality of transmission phase-shift elements, and the plurality of phase modulation surfaces are controlled to change a relative position to change the beam angle based on the corresponding transmission phases. The planar array antenna may be installed in a conformal manner on surfaces of the mobile device, such as a vehicle, an aircraft, a ship or the like. |
| US09972915B2 |
Optimized true-time delay beam-stabilization techniques for instantaneous bandwith enhancement
An antenna includes an aperture defining a feed area of the antenna, the aperture divided into a plurality of discrete subarrays, and a feed network having an input port, a plurality of output ports, and a plurality of conductors, each conductor connected between the input port and a respective output port the plurality of output ports, and each output port of the plurality of output ports connected to a respective subarray of the plurality of subarrays. A line length of one conductor of the plurality of conductors is different from a line length of another conductor of the plurality of conductors to introduce different time delays between the input port and the respective output ports. |
| US09972914B2 |
Monopole array arrangement, computer-accessible medium and method for using the same
An array arrangement according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure can be provided. For example, the array arrangement can include a monopole array having a first end and a second end. The monopole array can be configured to be driven from the first end and from the second end. Further, a monopole array can be provided according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. For example, the monopole array can include a first monopole element can include a first antenna element, and a first grounding element in communication with the first antenna element. The monopole array can also include a second monopole element including a second antenna element, and a second grounding element in communication with the second antenna element. The first antenna element can be oriented in a first direction, and the second antenna element can be oriented in a second direction. |
| US09972912B2 |
Radio system for long-range high-speed wireless communication
Devices and systems, and methods of using them, for point-to-point transmission/communication of high bandwidth signals. Radio devices and systems may include a pair of reflectors (e.g., parabolic reflectors) that are adjacent to each other and configured so that one of the reflectors is dedicated for sending/transmitting information, and the adjacent reflector is dedicated for receiving information. Both reflectors may be in a fixed configuration relative to each other so that they are aligned to send/receive in parallel. In many variations the two reflectors are formed of a single housing, so that the parallel alignment is fixed, and reflectors cannot lose alignment. The device/systems may be configured to allow switching between duplexing modes. These devices/systems may be configured as wide bandwidth zero intermediate frequency radios including alignment modules for automatic alignment of in-phase and quadrature components of transmitted signals. |
| US09972911B1 |
Wide band frequency agile MIMO antenna
The wide band frequency agile MIMO antenna is a 4-element, reconfigurable multi-input multi-output (MIMO) antenna system. Frequency agility in the design is achieved using varactor diodes tuned for various capacitance loadings. The MIMO antennas operate over a wide band, covering several well-known wireless standards between 1610-2710 MHz. The present design is simple in structure with low profile antenna elements. The design is prototyped on commercial plastic material with board dimensions 60×100×0.8 mm3 and is highly suitable to be used in frequency reconfigurable and cognitive radio based wireless handheld devices. |
| US09972908B2 |
Capacitively coupled loop inverted F reconfigurable antenna
System and method embodiments are provided for capacitive coupled loop inverted F reconfigurable multiband antenna. The embodiments enable tuning and adjustment of the low frequency response of the antenna without appreciably effecting the high frequency response of the antenna. In an embodiment, a reconfigurable multiband antenna includes a first antenna section comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the second end is coupled to an antenna feed, a second antenna section comprising a third end and a fourth end, wherein the third end is coupled to ground, and a switch coupling the second end to the third end, wherein the first end and the fourth end are capacitively coupled. |
| US09972907B2 |
Method for plasma dynamic cancellation for hypersonic vehicles
A sensor system and method of reducing plasma-induced communication inhibition for a main antenna includes using auxiliary antennas for detecting a density of plasma that affects operation of the main antenna, and re-orienting an electromagnetic field around the main antenna in response to the density detected to reduce effect of the plasma on the main antenna. The auxiliary antennas are also operable for data link communication and switchable such if the density of the plasma inhibits receipt or sending of signals by one of the auxiliary antennas, another one of the auxiliary antennas may be used for data link communication. |
| US09972904B2 |
Electronically tunable antenna based on orientation correction and adjustment and electronically tunable antenna system
The present disclosure provides an electronically tunable antenna based on orientation correction and adjustment and an electronically tunable antenna system. The main body of the electronically tunable antenna includes at least one electronically tunable antenna body. The electronically tunable antenna includes: an attitude sensing device fixed to the electronically tunable antenna body, the electronically tunable antenna is used for sensing horizontal orientation angle, mechanical tilt angle, latitude, longitude and height in real time; and an antenna control unit connected to the attitude sensing device, the antenna control unit is used for adjusting electrical downtilt angle of the electronically tunable antenna body and transmits to outside the horizontal orientation angle, mechanical tilt angle, latitude, longitude and height information sensed by the attitude sensing device. |
| US09972901B2 |
Antenna electromagnetic radiation steering system
An antenna electromagnetic radiation steering system may include an antenna for emitting electromagnetic radiation, and a radome disposed adjacent to and at least partially enclosing the antenna, the radome including a window to pass electromagnetic radiation from the antenna to outside the radome, wherein electromagnetic radiation is directed based on a position of the window relative to the antenna. |
| US09972896B2 |
Wireless aircraft engine monitoring system
An engine monitoring system for an aircraft engine having a nacelle extending annularly thereabout and a sensor positioned radially inward therefrom. The system includes an engine control device coupled communicatively to the sensor and configured to receive engine data from the sensor and/or receive instruction data from a transmitter device positioned radially outward from a nacelle radially outward surface. The system also includes a composite panel including at least a portion of the nacelle and a ground plane positioned radially inward from the nacelle radially outward surface, the composite panel including an antenna coupled communicatively to engine control device and a radome positioned radially outward from ground plane. The antenna is configured to at least one of receive engine data from the engine control device and transmit engine data to a receiver device, and receive instruction data from the transmitter device and transmit instruction data to the engine control device. |
| US09972895B2 |
Antenna for use in a wearable device
An earpiece includes a housing, a first short range transceiver for far field communication disposed within the housing, and a second short range transceiver for near field communication disposed within the housing. The second short range transceiver for near field communications comprises an antenna formed from a plurality of coil turns. There is a battery disposed within the housing. The earpiece further includes a first generally planar printed circuit board disposed within the housing and a second generally planar printed circuit board disposed within the housing. There is a flexible connector between circuit boards. The battery is positioned between the first generally planar printed circuit board and the second generally planar printed circuit board. The antenna is mounted perpendicularly to the plurality of components mounted on the first generally planar printed circuit board to thereby reduce electromagnetic interference. |
| US09972890B2 |
Multiple coupled resonance circuits
A wireless device including at least one parallel resonance element and a plurality of serial resonance components is provided. The at least one parallel resonance element may be configured to radiate in at least one frequency. The plurality of serial resonance components may be configured to radiate in a plurality of frequencies. The device may further include a distributed feed element configured to couple to the parallel resonance element and the serial resonance components and serve as a radiofrequency signal feed. |
| US09972887B1 |
Enclosure for wireless access point
A system for securing the wireless access point within a ceiling or wall. The system includes a rough-in bracket including a frame member defining a window that closely receives an enclosure box sized to contain the wireless access point. The enclosure box includes a rear housing that extends through the rough-in bracket window and two pairs of rotatable dog ears that secure the enclosure box therein. Air vents are provided in only two sides of the enclosure box which are intended to be aligned with the longitudinal space between ceiling joists. Magnets on an inside face of anesthetic cover are attracted to ferromagnetic screws in the enclosure box used to rotate the dog ears. The enclosure box also features flexible arrangement of cable knockouts and includes structure for securing standard and nonstandard wireless access point devices therein. |
| US09972885B2 |
Long-distance radio frequency electronic identification tire structure
A long-distance radio frequency electronic identification tire structure is provided. When the production of the tire is completed and an electronic tag reading device is used for identification, an RFID chip of an ultra high frequency electronic tag of a main tire body receives and sends an electromagnetic wave signal generated by a far-field copper film antenna and the electronic tag reading device. The frequency band and the bandwidth of the electromagnetic wave signal are adjusted by a frequency band/bandwidth adjustment portion, and first and second field effect adjustment grooves of first and second field effect adjustment portions are configured to adjust the field effect when a tire bead bundle and a steel belt layer reflect the electromagnetic wave signal, so that the electronic tag reading device can read the identification code of the ultra high frequency electronic tag at a wide angle and a long distance. |
| US09972881B2 |
Coaxial line-to-waveguide adapter comprising a left-handed material used as an electromagnetic parameter adjusting component
The present invention provides a coax-waveguide adapter, which improves in-band flatness of a reflection coefficient in a simple way. The coax-waveguide adapter includes: a cavity-shaped waveguide connection component, a coaxial external conductor connected to the cavity-shaped waveguide connection component, and a coaxial internal conductor that is disposed inside the coaxial external conductor along an axial direction of the coaxial external conductor and inserted into the cavity-shaped waveguide connection component, where the coax-waveguide adapter further includes: an electromagnetic parameter adjusting component that is disposed inside a cavity of the cavity-shaped waveguide connection component and used for reducing an effective dielectric constant and an effective magnetic conductivity of the coax-waveguide adapter. According to the coax-waveguide adapter provided in the present invention, an external geometrical shape and geometrical dimension of the coax-waveguide adapter are not changed, an implementation manner is simple and easy, costs are low. |
| US09972879B2 |
Microwave filter
A microwave filter includes a strip transmission line and a filtering assembly connected to the strip transmission line. The transmission line has an input terminal and an output terminal. The filtering assembly includes a strip first primary branch connected directly to a first connection point of the transmission line. The first primary branch includes a first body portion and a first bent portion at a first end of the first body portion, where the first bent portion is connected directly to the first connection point, and the first body portion is substantially parallel to a body portion of the transmission line. With the microwave filter incorporated in an electric motor, the impedance curve of the transmission line can be matched with a high-frequency EMI curve, and therefore the filtering effect is enhanced, EMI is suppressed and the EMC level improved. |
| US09972874B2 |
Battery with extractible air electrode
A rechargeable battery including a casing containing therein: an air electrode; a negative electrode; and an electrolyte, in which the air electrode can be taken out of the casing. The rechargeable battery also relates to a cathode compartment for an air electrode battery, where the compartment includes an air electrode and is insertable into a casing of the battery without being part of the casing, and the compartment is removably movable. |
| US09972867B2 |
Cosolvent electrolytes for electrochemical devices
A system and method for stabilizing electrodes against dissolution and/or hydrolysis including use of cosolvents in liquid electrolyte batteries for three purposes: the extension of the calendar and cycle life time of electrodes that are partially soluble in liquid electrolytes, the purpose of limiting the rate of electrolysis of water into hydrogen and oxygen as a side reaction during battery operation, and for the purpose of cost reduction. |
| US09972866B2 |
Electrolyte for lithium secondary battery and lithium secondary battery employing the same
An electrolyte for a lithium secondary battery, the electrolyte including: an organic ester compound represented by Formula 1; an organic solvent; and a lithium salt: wherein, in Formula 1, R1, R2, and R3 are the same or different, and are each independently a group represented by Formula 2: wherein, in Formula 2, R′ is a C1-C10 alkyl group or a C3-C10 cycloalkyl group. |
| US09972865B2 |
Rechargeable electrochemical accumulator
The invention relates to a metallic lithium rechargeable electrochemical accumulator, comprising at least one lithium metal electrode and at least one polymeric electrolyte gel. Said accumulator is capable of operating at temperatures from −20 to 60° C., essentially without formation of lithium dendrites on the whole surface of the metallic lithium electrode. The above is also wherein a particularly long life, even with intensive use at low temperature. Said inventive rechargeable accumulator can be produced by use of a production method with particular application of temperature control during the specific production stages. As a result of the extremely high electrochemical performance of said accumulator, in particular the remarkable stability thereof, said accumulator can be used in new application fields such as hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles and emergency supply systems such as those of the UPS type. |
| US09972863B2 |
Compliant solid-state ionically conductive composite electrolytes and materials
Provided herein are ionically conductive solid-state compositions that include ionically conductive inorganic particles in a matrix of an organic material. The resulting composite material has high ionic conductivity and mechanical properties that facilitate processing. In particular embodiments, the ionically conductive solid-state compositions are compliant and may be cast as films. In some embodiments of the present invention, solid-state electrolytes including the ionically conductive solid-state compositions are provided. In some embodiments of the present invention, electrodes including the ionically conductive solid-state compositions are provided. The present invention further includes embodiments that are directed to methods of manufacturing the ionically conductive solid-state compositions and batteries incorporating the ionically conductive solid-state compositions. |
| US09972861B2 |
Electrode for secondary battery, preparation thereof, and secondary battery and cable-type secondary battery comprising the same
The present disclosure provides a sheet-form electrode for a secondary battery, comprising a current collector; an electrode active material layer formed on one surface of the current collector; and a first porous supporting layer formed on the electrode active material layer. The sheet-form electrode for a secondary battery according to the present disclosure has supporting layers on at least one surface thereof to exhibit surprisingly improved flexibility and prevent the release of the electrode active material layer from a current collector even if intense external forces are applied to the electrode, thereby preventing the decrease of battery capacity and improving the cycle life characteristic of the battery. |
| US09972858B2 |
Redox flow battery
Provided is a redox flow battery that can suppress generation of a precipitation on a positive electrode. The redox flow battery performs charging and discharging by supplying a positive electrode electrolyte and a negative electrode electrolyte to a battery cell that includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separating membrane interposed between the two electrodes. The positive electrode electrolyte contains a manganese ion and an additional metal ion, the negative electrode electrolyte contains at least one metal ion selected from a titanium ion, a vanadium ion, a chromium ion, and a zinc ion, and the additional metal ion contained in the positive electrode electrolyte is at least one of an aluminum ion, a cadmium ion, an indium ion, a tin ion, an antimony ion, an iridium ion, a gold ion, a lead ion, a bismuth ion, and a magnesium ion. |
| US09972855B2 |
Solid oxide fuel cell system and a method of operating a solid oxide fuel cell system
A solid oxide fuel cell system (10) comprises a solid oxide fuel cell stack (12) and an electrochemical device (14). The solid oxide fuel cell stack (12) comprises at least one solid oxide fuel cell (16) and each solid oxide fuel cell (16) comprises an electrolyte (18), an anode (20) and a cathode (22). An oxidant supply (24) is arranged to supply oxidant to the cathode (22) of the at least one solid oxide fuel cell (16) and a fuel supply (26) is arranged to supply fuel to the anode (20) of the at least one solid oxide fuel cell (16). The electrochemical device (14) comprises an electrolyte (34), an anode (36) and a cathode (38). Means (28, 50, 52) to supply a portion of the unused fuel from the anode (20) of the at least one solid oxide fuel cell (16) to the anode (36) of the electrochemical device (14), means (32, 50, 58) to supply a portion of the unused fuel from the anode (20) of the at least one solid oxide fuel cell (16) to the cathode (38) of the electrochemical device (14). In use the electrochemical device (14) is arranged to remove oxygen from the unused fuel at the cathode (38) of the electrochemical device (14) and the electrochemical device (14) is arranged to transfer oxygen through the electrolyte (34) from the unused fuel at the cathode (38) of the electrochemical device (14) to the unused fuel at the anode (36) of the electrochemical device (14). The electrochemical device (14) is arranged to oxidise the unused fuel at the anode (34) of the electrochemical device (14) and means (32, 60, 62, 68) to supply the portion of oxygen depleted unused fuel from the cathode (38) of the electrochemical device (14) to the anode (20) of the at least one solid oxide fuel cell (16). |
| US09972852B2 |
Fuel cell system with variable frequency drive for support equipment
Various embodiments enable the operation of fuel cell system support equipment using variable frequency drives and power from fuel cells and/or grid power sources. |
| US09972851B2 |
Method for manufacturing a membrane/electrode assembly comprising reinforcements
The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a membrane/electrode assembly, including the steps of: providing a proton exchange membrane comprising a first electrode and a second electrode; placing a first reinforcement with an overlapping portion vertically adjacent to the periphery of the membrane, and with an extension portion made of a polymer material extending laterally beyond the membrane; placing a second reinforcement with an overlapping portion that is vertically adjacent to the periphery of the membrane, and with an extension portion of said second reinforcement extending laterally beyond the membrane and being vertically adjacent to the extension portion of the first reinforcement; applying a laser beam to the vertically adjacent extension portions such as to define an opening through the extension portions and such as to weld the extension portions. |
| US09972850B2 |
Fuel cell component having dimensions selected to maximize a useful area
An exemplary fuel cell component includes a generally planar body having a total area defined by a length and width of the body. A first portion of the total area is occupied by a first fuel cell features that renders the first portion unusable for at least one fuel cell function. A second portion of the total area is occupied by a second fuel cell feature that renders the second portion unusable for the fuel cell function. A third portion of the total area is considered an active area of the component that is useful for the fuel cell function. An aspect ratio of the length to the width of the generally planar body is dependent on a dimension of the first portion and a dimension of the second portion. |
| US09972848B2 |
Method for producing fine catalyst particles and method for producing carbon-supported catalyst
The present invention is to provide fine catalyst particles with better catalytic performance than ever before and a carbon-supported catalyst with better catalytic performance than ever before. Disclosed is a method for producing fine catalyst particles, comprising: a potential applying step of applying a potential to the fine palladium-containing particles in a first dispersion, until a peak indicating a Pd{111} surface in a reduction wave of a cyclic voltammogram becomes larger than a peak indicating a Pd{110} or Pd{100} surface in the reduction wave of the cyclic voltammogram; a copper covering step of covering at least part of the fine palladium-containing particle with copper by preparing a second dispersion by mixing the first dispersion and a copper-containing solution after the potential applying step, and applying a potential that is nobler than the oxidation-reduction potential of copper to the fine palladium-containing particles in the second dispersion; and a platinum covering step of covering at least part of the fine palladium-containing particle with platinum by mixing the second dispersion and a platinum-containing solution after the copper covering step. |
| US09972839B2 |
Negative active material, method of preparing the same, negative electrode including the same, and lithium secondary battery including the negative electrode
A negative active material, a method of preparing the same, and a lithium secondary battery including the negative electrode. The negative active material includes a plurality of titanium oxide nanotubes, wherein the Raman shift of the negative active material includes a characteristic peak located at a Raman shift between about 680 cm−1 and about 750 cm−1. |
| US09972830B2 |
Method for the recovery of lithium cobalt oxide from lithium ion batteries
A method of recovering lithium cobalt oxide from spent lithium ion batteries, wherein said method is more environmentally friendly than the methods presently known in the art. The method includes a froth flotation step using renewable and biodegradable solvents such as terpenes and formally hydrated terpenes. The method can also include a relithiation step to return the Li:Co ratio back to about 1:1 for use in second-life applications. |
| US09972829B2 |
Negative electrode carbon material for lithium secondary battery and method for manufacturing the same, and negative electrode for lithium secondary battery, and lithium secondary battery
There is provided a negative electrode carbon material for a lithium secondary battery, including a graphite-based material in which holes are formed in a graphene layer plane. |
| US09972825B2 |
Method for sealing off an orifice of a storage cell container and container sealed off by this method
There is provided a method for sealing a filling orifice formed on a wall of a container in a leak-proof manner using a stopper arrangement comprising a tubular member with a flange having an upper face, and a lower face for covering the orifice, and a mandrel with a stem which is housed inside the tubular member, the force necessary for rupturing the stem being greater than the force resulting from the entry and advancement of a head of the mandrel inside the tubular member, comprising introducing the stopper arrangement into the orifice, bringing the nosepiece of the riveting tool into abutment with the upper face of the flange, actuating the riveting tool so as to exert a tensile force on the stem and bring about expansion of the tubular member against the wall of the orifice and rupturing the stem of the stopper arrangement. |
| US09972822B2 |
Battery pack including bushing for connecting end plate
Disclosed is a battery pack including a bushing for connecting an end plate. The battery pack according to the present disclosure connects an upper housing and an end plate for a battery module assembly by the bushing. |
| US09972821B2 |
Power storage device
When an electrode assembly of a power storage device is viewed from the front in the direction of lamination, the distance between a positive electrode electricity collecting portion and an imaginary reference line passing through the center of the electrode assembly is different from the distance between a negative electrode electricity collecting portion and the imaginary reference line. Therefore, the electrode assembly has an asymmetrical structure. |
| US09972816B2 |
Slurry for forming insulating layer, separator for electrochemical device, method for producing the same, and electrochemical device
A slurry for forming an insulating layer of the present invention includes heat-resistant insulating fine particles, a thickening agent, and a dispersion medium. The insulating fine particles are dispersed in the dispersion medium. The slurry for forming an insulating layer has a viscosity of 5 to 500 mPa·s. The proportion of particles with a particle size of 1 μm or less in the insulating fine particles is 30 vol % or more and the proportion of particles with a particles size of 3 μm or more in the insulating fine particles is 10 vol % or less. An electrochemical device of the present invention includes a separator for an electrochemical device of the present invention that is produced using the slurry for forming an electrochemical device of the present invention. |
| US09972814B2 |
Embedded optics in modular assemblies
An enhanced multi object potting fixture for exposure to a curing modality that sets an adhesive includes a fixture housing supporting a plurality of objects, the fixture housing having a wall defining a plurality of bonding wells with each the bonding well receiving a first portion of one of the objects, each the bonding well including an aperture in the wall proximate the first portion wherein each bonding well includes a target zone for selective cure of the adhesive to inhibit the adhesive from exiting the aperture; and a fixture enhancement structure integrated into the wall concentrating the curing modality in each the target zone. |
| US09972812B1 |
Battery and connection apparatus
A battery includes: a casing that includes a plurality of exterior faces having outer faces facing mutually-different directions and has an arrangement concave part formed; a cell that is housed inside the casing; and a connector that includes a connection terminal connected to an electrode terminal of a connection apparatus and is arranged in the arrangement concave part, in which a face forming the arrangement concave part of the casing is formed as a concave part forming face, and the concave part forming face is present between the exterior faces and the connector. |
| US09972809B2 |
Array substrate, organic light-emitting diode display panel, and display device
The present disclosure provides an array substrate, an OLED display panel and a display device. The array substrate includes a light-emitting region and a non-light-emitting region, wherein an anode, an organic light-emitting layer and a cathode on a base substrate are arranged at the non-light-emitting region, and a metal structure on the base substrate is arranged at the non-light-emitting region, wherein the array substrate further comprises a first light-absorbing layer arranged at the non-light-emitting region and configured to absorb a light beam from the organic light-emitting layer and arriving at the non-light-emitting region, and the cathode is transparent, and the anode is transparent or nontransparent. |
| US09972806B2 |
Display Device
A light-emitting element display device includes: a display area which has an organic insulating layer that is made of an organic insulating material; a peripheral circuit area which is disposed around the display area and which has the organic insulating layer; and a blocking area that is formed between the display area and the peripheral circuit area. The blocking area includes: a first blocking area configured by only one or a plurality of inorganic material layers between an insulating base substrate and an electrode layer which covers the display area and is formed continuously from the display area, and which configures one of two electrodes for allowing the light emitting area to emit the light; and a second blocking area including a plurality of layers configuring the first blocking area, and a light emitting organic layer. |
| US09972804B2 |
Light emitting element, light emitting device, and electronic apparatus
An organic EL element includes a pixel electrode, a light emitting function layer that is formed on the pixel electrode, an electron injection layer formed on the light emitting function layer, and a counter electrode that is formed on the electron injection layer and that has semi-transmissive reflectivity, in which the counter electrode contains a reductive material that reduces material of the electron injection layer and Ag with atomic ratio of 75% or more, and an adsorption layer is formed on the counter electrode. |
| US09972803B2 |
Carbazole-based compound and organic light emitting diode including the same
A carbazole-based compound is represented by Formula 1 and may be used in the organic layer of an organic light-emitting diode. An organic light-emitting diode includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and an organic layer between the first and second electrodes. The organic layer includes an emission layer, and the carbazole-based compound of Formula 1 may be included in the emission. |
| US09972794B2 |
Organometallic complex, and light-emitting element and display device using the organometallic complex
Disclosed is an organometallic complex capable of variable phosphorescence characteristics and yellow emission at high luminance. The organometallic complex has a structure represented by a formula (G1), where at least one of R4, R5, R6, and R7 is a phenoxy group, M is a Group 9 metal or a Group 10 metal, and n is 2 when the central metal M is a Group 9 element, or n is 1 when the central metal M is a Group 10 element. |
| US09972791B2 |
[2.2]paracyclophane-derived donor/acceptor-type molecules for OLED applications
Disclosed are [2.2]paracyclophane-derivative compounds and related polymers that are useful as stable, efficient, blue-light emitting compounds for OLED applications. |
| US09972786B2 |
Aromatic amine derivative, and organic electroluminescent element
Provided are an organic electroluminescence device that not only provides high efficiency but also has a long lifetime, and an aromatic amine derivative that realizes the device. The organic electroluminescence device includes an aromatic amine derivative, including at least one substituent A having dibenzofuran and at least one substituent B selected from groups each having dibenzofuran or carbazole, in a molecule thereof, in which the substituent A and the substituent B include groups different from each other, and the substituent A and the substituent B are bonded to the same nitrogen atom, or different nitrogen atoms, in the molecule. The molecules of the aromatic amine derivative hardly crystallize, which improves a yield in the production of the organic electroluminescence device. In the organic electroluminescence device, including an organic thin film layer formed of one or more layers including at least a light emitting layer, the organic thin film layer being interposed between a cathode and an anode, the aromatic amine derivative is contained in at least one layer, particularly a hole transport layer, in the organic thin film layer. |
| US09972784B2 |
Compounds and organic electronic device using same
The present invention provides a new compound and an organic electronic diode using the same. The compound according to the present invention may be used as hole injection, hole transport, electron injection and transport, and light emitting materials in an organic light emitting diode and an organic electronic diode, and the organic electronic diode according to the present invention exhibits excellent efficiency, driving voltage, and life-span properties. |
| US09972783B2 |
High energy triarylamine compounds for hole transport materials
This invention relates to triarylamine compounds and compositions including such compounds, that are useful in electronic applications. It also relates to electronic devices in which the active layer includes such a compound or composition. The triarylamine compound can be present as a hole transport material in a hole transport layer. The triarylamine compound can also be present in a photoactive layer in combination with an organometallic compound capable of electroluminescence having an emission maximum between 380 and 750 nm. |
| US09972779B2 |
Resistive random access memory
A resistive random access memory is provided. The resistive random access memory includes a bottom electrode, a top electrode, a resistance-switching layer, an oxygen exchange layer, and a sidewall protective layer. The bottom electrode is disposed over a substrate. The top electrode is disposed over the bottom electrode. The resistance-switching layer is disposed between the bottom electrode and the top electrode. The oxygen exchange layer is disposed between the resistance-switching layer and the top electrode. The sidewall protective layer as an oxygen supply layer is at least disposed at sidewalls of the oxygen exchange layer. |
| US09972777B1 |
MTJ device process/integration method with pre-patterned seed layer
A method for etching a magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) structure is described. A bottom electrode layer is provided on a substrate. A seed layer is deposited on the bottom electrode layer. The seed layer and bottom electrode layer are patterned. A dielectric layer is deposited over the patterned seed layer and bottom electrode layer and planarized wherein the seed layer is exposed. Thereafter, a stack of MTJ layers is deposited on the patterned seed layer comprising a pinned layer, a tunnel barrier layer, and a free layer. The MTJ stack is then patterned to form a MTJ device. Because the seed layer was patterned before the MTJ patterning step, the exposure of the device to etching plasma gases is shortened and thus, etch damage is minimized. |
| US09972772B2 |
Memory cell structure, method of manufacturing a memory, and memory apparatus
The present disclosure relates to a memory cell structure, a method of manufacturing a memory, and a memory apparatus that are capable of providing a memory cell structure of an MRAM, which reduces resistance of drawn wiring to be connected to an MTJ, reduces an area of a memory cell, and avoids performance degradation of the MTJ due to heat.A memory cell includes: a transistor that uses a first diffusion layer formed in a bottom portion of a concave portion formed by processing a silicon substrate into a groove shape, and a second diffusion layer formed in upper end portions of two opposing sidewall portions of the concave portion, to form channels at portions between the first diffusion layer and the second diffusion layer in the two sidewall portions; and a memory element that is disposed below the first diffusion layer. The first diffusion layer is electrically connected to the memory element via a contact formed after the silicon substrate is thinned. |
| US09972765B2 |
Method for producing an electronic structural element as a stack
A method of forming an electronic structural element having a stack including first and second electrode layers arranged alternatively with material layers is disclosed. A stack is formed with the first electrode layers projecting beyond a first lateral side of the stack and the second electrode layers spaced radially inward from the first lateral side. A first contacting structure that contacts each first electrode layer is applied directly to the first side of the stack, which contacting structure embeds such the projecting first electrode layers in an electrically conductive manner. A second contacting structure is formed by exposing the first and second electrode layers at a second side of the stack, forming, by an additive method, a solvent-free insulating structure that electrically insulates the first electrode layers, and applying an electrically conductive material over the solvent-free insulating structure to form the second contacting structure that contacts each second electrode layer. |
| US09972762B2 |
Thermocouple ribbon and assembly
A thermocouple ribbon features a pair of flat conductors and first and second layers of a polyimide film covering the conductors. The polyimide film preferably is coated with a fluoropolymer, such as fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP). During manufacture of the thermocouple ribbon, the first and second layers of polyimide film, with the pair of flat conductors positioned there between, are heated above the melting temperature of the FEP. The completed thermocouple ribbon is then cooled. A thermocouple connector may then be attached to a first end of the thermocouple ribbon, while a welded thermocouple junction may be formed at a second end of the thermocouple ribbon. |
| US09972758B2 |
Ultraviolet light emitting device
An ultraviolet light emitting device having high quality and high reliability is provided by preventing deterioration of electrical characteristics which is associated with an ultraviolet light emission operation and caused by a sealing resin. The ultraviolet light emitting device is an ultraviolet light emitting device including: an ultraviolet light emitting element (2) composed of a nitride semiconductor; and an ultraviolet-transparent sealing resin (3) covering the ultraviolet light emitting element (2), wherein at least a specific portion (3a) of the sealing resin (3), which is in contact with pad electrodes (16) and (17) of the ultraviolet light emitting element (2), is a first type amorphous fluororesin, a terminal functional group of a polymer or a copolymer that forms the first type amorphous fluororesin is a COOH group or a COOR group which is a reactive terminal functional group bondable to a metal that forms the pad electrodes (16) and (17), and a light emission wavelength range in the ultraviolet light emitting element (2) exists on a longer-wavelength side as compared to the long-wavelength edge of an absorption wavelength range in the amorphous fluororesin. |
| US09972754B2 |
Light emitting device including light transmissive member
A light emitting device includes a light emitting element; a light-transmissive member that has a lower surface positioned inside a peripheral edge of an upper surface of the light emitting element in plan view, a first lateral surface extending from the lower surface and having at least one inclined surface that is inclined with respect to the upper surface of the light emitting element, and a second lateral surface positioned above and outside the first lateral surface; a light-transmissive adhesive member positioned inside the second lateral surface in plan view, wherein the adhesive member adheres the upper surface of the light emitting element and the lower surface of the light-transmissive member to each other and covers the first lateral surface; and a light-reflective member covering the second lateral surface. |
| US09972751B2 |
Method for manufacturing wavelength conversion member
A method for manufacturing a wavelength conversion member includes: forming a phosphor layer on a base body including phosphor particles and oxide particles affixed to surfaces of the phosphor particles; and forming a cover layer covering the surfaces of the phosphor particles and surfaces of the oxide particles continuously, and having a same oxide material as the oxide particles. A wavelength conversion member includes: a base body, a phosphor layer disposed on the base body and including phosphor particles and oxide particles affixed to surfaces of the phosphor particles; and a cover layer covering the surfaces of the phosphor particles and surfaces of the oxide particles continuously, and including a same oxide material as the oxide particles. |
| US09972748B2 |
Thin-film semiconductor body with electronmagnetic radiation outcoupling structures
A method for producing a thin-film semiconductor body is provided. A growth substrate is provided. A semiconductor layer with funnel-shaped and/or inverted pyramid-shaped recesses is epitaxially grown onto the growth substrate. The recesses are filled with a semiconductor material in such a way that pyramid-shaped outcoupling structures arise. A semiconductor layer sequence with an active layer is applied on the outcoupled structures. The active layer is suitable for generating electromagnetic radiation. A carrier is applied onto the semiconductor layer sequence. At least the semiconductor layer with the funnel-shaped and/or inverted pyramid-shaped recesses is detached, such that the pyramid-shaped outcoupling structures are configured as projections on a radiation exit face of the thin-film semiconductor. |
| US09972744B2 |
Light emitting diode and display device including the same
A light emitting element includes a first electrode, a second electrode overlapping the first electrode, and an emission layer between the first electrode and the second electrode. The emission layer includes a quantum well that includes a first layer and a second layer, each having a different band gap. The first layer includes magnesium, and the second layer includes zinc. The first layer and the second layer are amorphous. |
| US09972740B2 |
Chemical vapor deposition tool and process for fabrication of photovoltaic structures
One embodiment of the present invention can provide a system for fabricating a photovoltaic structure. During fabrication, the system can deposit a first passivation layer on a first side of a Si base layer of the photovoltaic structure using a static chemical vapor deposition process. The static chemical vapor deposition process can be performed inside a first reaction chamber. The system can then transfer the photovoltaic structure from the first reaction chamber to a second reaction chamber without the photovoltaic structure leaving a common vacuum space comprising both reaction chambers, and deposit a second passivation layer on the first passivation layer using an inline chemical vapor deposition process. The inline chemical vapor deposition process can be performed inside the second reaction chamber. |
| US09972738B2 |
Solar cell and method for manufacturing the same
A solar cell and a method for manufacturing the same are discussed. The solar cell may include a substrate, an emitter layer positioned at a first surface of the substrate, a first anti-reflection layer that is positioned on a surface of the emitter layer and may include a plurality of first contact lines exposing a portion of the emitter layer, a first electrode that is electrically connected to the emitter layer exposed through the plurality of first contact lines and may include a plating layer directly contacting the emitter layer, and a second electrode positioned on a second surface of the substrate. |
| US09972737B2 |
Manufacturing semiconductor-based multi-junction photovoltaic devices
Manufacture of multi junction solar cells, and devices thereof, are disclosed. The architectures are also adapted to provide for a more uniform and consistent fabrication of the solar cell structures, leading to improved yields, greater efficiency, and lower costs. Certain solar cells may be from a different manufacturing processes and further include one or more compositional gradients of one or more semiconductor elements in one or more semiconductor layers, resulting in a more optimal solar cell device. |
| US09972730B2 |
Method of making a sensor package with cooling feature
A sensor device includes a first substrate of semiconductor material having opposing first and second surfaces, photodetectors configured to receive light impinging on the first surface, and first contact pads each exposed at both the first and second surfaces and electrically coupled to at least one of the photodetectors. A second substrate comprises opposing first and second surfaces, electrical circuits, a second contact pads each disposed at the first surface of the second substrate and electrically coupled to at least one of the electrical circuits, and a plurality of cooling channels formed as first trenches extending into the second surface of the second substrate but not reaching the first surface of the second substrate. The first substrate second surface is mounted to the second substrate first surface such that each of the first contact pads is electrically coupled to at least one of the second contact pads. |
| US09972729B2 |
Photodiode and photodiode array
A p− type semiconductor substrate 20 has a first principal surface 20a and a second principal surface 20b opposed to each other and includes a photosensitive region 21. The photosensitive region 21 is composed of an n+ type impurity region 23, a p+ type impurity region 25, and a region to be depleted with application of a bias voltage in the p− type semiconductor substrate 20. An irregular asperity 10 is formed in the second principal surface 20b of the p− type semiconductor substrate 20. An accumulation layer 37 is formed on the second principal surface 20b side of the p− type semiconductor substrate 20 and a region in the accumulation layer 37 opposed to the photosensitive region 21 is optically exposed. |
| US09972728B2 |
Solar cell, solar cell module, and method for manufacturing solar cell
A solar cell module includes an encapsulating member and a sealing layer for sealing a solar cell, and further includes a solar cell having a transparent conductive layer on its front surface. The solar cell includes a coating layer formed over the transparent conductive layer and having a plurality of openings, and a collecting electrode positioned in the openings of the coating layer and including a primary conductive layer containing copper. An undercoat layer is provided between the primary conductive layer of the collecting electrode and the transparent conductive layer. The coating layer and the undercoat layer are both composed of a resin. |
| US09972725B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method of the same
There is provided a semiconductor device configured to include a plurality of semiconductor units formed in a semiconductor layer. Each of the semiconductor units comprises a mesa portion; a Schottky electrode formed on the mesa portion; an insulating film formed continuously on another portion of the Schottky electrode that is nearer to an edge of an upper face of the mesa portion than one portion of the Schottky electrode, on a side face of the mesa portion, and on a surface of the semiconductor layer other than the mesa portion; and a wiring electrode formed on the Schottky electrode and the insulating film. An angle between the side face of the mesa portion and the surface of the semiconductor layer is 90 degrees. A part of the wiring electrode is placed between the insulating films formed on opposed side faces of adjacent mesa portions. The insulating films formed on the opposed side faces are interconnected on the surface of the semiconductor layer, such as to separate the part of the wiring electrode from the semiconductor layer. |
| US09972723B2 |
Piezoelectric thin-film based flexible sensing device, method for fabrication thereof and method for operating the same
A sensing device, a method for fabrication thereof, and a method for operating the same are disclosed. The sensing device includes a flexible substrate, a first metallization layer, a piezoelectric thin film layer, a second metallization layer, and an insulating layer. The first metallization layer forms at least a source region and at least a drain region. The piezoelectric thin film layer provides a channel region permitting passage of charge carriers between the source region and the drain region. The second metallization layer forms at least a gate electrode and regulates flow of charge carriers through the piezoelectric thin film layer. When subjected to an external force, the flow of charge carriers is modulated in response to a strain in the piezoelectric thin film layer. The force is measured as a correlation between the applied force and the modulation of the flow of charge carriers. |
| US09972721B1 |
Thick FDSOI source-drain improvement
A method of forming a semiconductor device is disclosed including providing a semiconductor-on-insulator substrate comprising a semiconductor bulk substrate, a buried insulating layer positioned on the semiconductor bulk substrate and a semiconductor layer positioned on the buried insulating layer, providing at least one metal-oxide semiconductor gate structure positioned above the semiconductor layer comprising a gate electrode and a spacer formed adjacent to the gate electrode, selectively removing an upper portion of the semiconductor layer so as to define recessed portions of the semiconductor layer and epitaxially forming raised source/drain regions on the recessed portions of the semiconductor layer. |
| US09972719B1 |
Laminate structure of thin film transistor
A laminate structure of a thin film transistor includes a thin film transistor array and a passivation layer. The thin film transistor array includes a gate, a channel layer formed on the gate, a gate insulating layer formed between the gate and the channel layer, and a source and a drain formed on both sides of the channel layer. The passivation layer is formed on the thin film transistor array, and the passivation layer has at least one contact hole exposing the source or the drain, wherein the passivation layer is an oxazole-containing photosensitive polyimide (PSPI) resin. |
| US09972717B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of fabricating the same
A semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same are provided. The semiconductor device comprises a first multi-channel active pattern which is defined by a field insulating layer, extends along a first direction, and includes a first portion and a second portion; a gate electrode which extends along a second direction different from the first direction and is formed on the first portion; and a first source/drain region which is formed around the second portion protruding further upward than a top surface of the field insulating layer and contacts the field insulating layer, wherein the second portion is disposed on both sides of the first portion in the first direction and is more recessed than the first portion, a top surface of the first portion and a top surface of the second portion protrude further upward than the top surface of the field insulating layer, and a profile of sidewalls of the second portion is continuous. |
| US09972713B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing same
To provide a semiconductor device including a power semiconductor element having improved reliability. The semiconductor device has a cell region and a peripheral region formed outside the cell region. The n type impurity concentration of n type column regions in the cell region is made higher than that of n type column regions comprised of an epitaxial layer in the peripheral region. Further, a charge balance is kept in each of the cell region and the peripheral region and each total electric charge is set so that a total electric charge of first p type column regions and a total electric charge of n type column regions in the cell region become larger than a total electric charge of third p type column regions and n type column regions comprised of an epitaxial layer in the peripheral region, respectively. |
| US09972709B2 |
Semiconductor device fabrication
There is provided a method for fabricating a semiconductor device having the following structure, and comprising the steps of growing a first and a second nucleation layer on a substrate; depositing a binary layer over these nucleation layers; and annealing the binary layer to form a first contact area and a second contact area on the substrate, wherein the annealed binary layer comprises a group 14 element selected from Si, Ge and their combination thereof, and the annealed binary layer in the first and second contact areas are capable of providing a lower contact resistance for a current to flow in the device. This method serves to provide an intermediate layer which enables the fabrication process to become CMOS compatible. |
| US09972702B2 |
Method for non-resist nanolithography
A method for forming a semiconductor device is provided. A first patterned mask is formed on the substrate, the first patterned mask having a first opening therein. A second patterned mask is formed on the substrate in the first opening, the first patterned mask and the second patterned mask forming a combined patterned mask. The combined patterned mask is formed having one or more second openings, wherein one or more unmasked portions of the substrate are exposed. Trenches that correspond to the one or more unmasked portions of the substrate are formed in the substrate in the one or more second openings. |
| US09972701B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a fin-type active area, nanosheets, a gate, a source/drain region, and insulating spacers. The fin-type active area protrudes from a substrate in a first direction. The nanosheets are spaced from an upper surface of the fin-type active area and include channel regions. The gate is over the fin-type active area. The source/drain region is connected to the nanosheets. The insulating spacers are in the fin-type active area and between the nanosheets. Air spaces are between the insulating spacers and the source/drain region based on positions of the insulating spacers. |
| US09972695B2 |
Binary metal oxide based interlayer for high mobility channels
A method of forming a gate stack that includes treating a semiconductor substrate with a wet etch chemistry to clean a surface of the semiconductor substrate and form an oxide containing interfacial layer, and converting the oxide containing interfacial layer to a binary alloy oxide based interlayer using a plasma deposition sequence including alternating a metal gas precursor and a nitrogen and/or hydrogen containing plasma. The method of forming the gate stack may further include forming a high-k dielectric layer atop the binary alloy oxide based interlayer. |
| US09972693B2 |
Display device
A display device is disclosed. In one aspect, the device includes a substrate and a display unit disposed on the substrate and including a plurality of pixels each pixel including a thin film transistor, a display element electrically connected to the thin film transistor, and a planarization layer interposed between the thin film transistor and the display element. The display unit includes a display region and a non-display region surrounding the display region, wherein the non-display region includes a voltage line. The planarization layer comprises a central portion, an outer portion and a dividing region interposed between the central and outer portions, wherein the dividing region is located in the non-display region. The planarization layer covers at least a lateral side of the voltage line formed in the dividing region. |
| US09972689B2 |
Semiconductor device having a surface with ripples
According to one embodiment of a semiconductor device, the semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a first surface, an insulation layer having a laterally varying thickness on the first surface, and a metal layer on the first surface. The insulation layer has ripples in its surface facing the metal layer. According to another embodiment of a semiconductor device, the semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and including at least one of a laterally varying thickness and an inclined first surface. The first surface of the semiconductor substrate has ripples. |
| US09972678B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of forming the same
A method of forming a semiconductor device is provided including the following steps. A substrate having a first voltage area and a second voltage area is provided. A first oxide layer is formed in the first voltage area. The first oxide layer is removed to form a recess in the first voltage area. A shallow trench isolation (STI) structure is formed in the substrate, wherein a first portion of the STI structure is located in the first voltage area and a second portion of the STI structure is located in the second voltage area, a top surface of the STI structure is higher than the top surface of the substrate, and a bottom surface of the first portion of the STI structure in the first voltage area is lower than a bottom surface of the second portion of the STI structure in the second voltage area. |
| US09972673B2 |
Electrostatic discharge protection device
The invention provides an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device formed by a Schottky diode. An exemplary embodiment of an ESD protection device comprises a semiconductor substrate having an active region. A first well region having a first conductive type is formed in the active region. A first heavily doped region having the first conductive type is formed in the first well region. A first metal contact is disposed on the first doped region. A second metal contact is disposed on the active region, connecting to the first well region without through any heavily doped region being located therebetween, wherein the first metal contact and the second metal contact are separated by a polysilicon pattern disposed on the first well region. |
| US09972667B2 |
Display device
A display device includes a substrate having an insulating surface; a plurality of pixel electrodes on the insulating surface, the plurality of pixel electrodes located away from each other; a first insulating layer covering an end of each of the pixel electrodes and exposing a part of a top surface of each of the pixel electrodes; and an organic layer provided on each of the pixel electrodes, the organic layer including a light emitting layer. As seen in a plan view, the first insulating layer includes a plurality of first regions, each of the plurality of first regions being around the exposed part of the top surface of the pixel electrodes, and a second region located between two adjacent first regions, the second region including a recessed portion. |
| US09972666B2 |
Display device
A display device includes a pixel electrode, a pixel isolation insulating film in which an opening through which the pixel electrode is exposed at a bottom is formed, and a light-emitting layer formed inside the opening. The pixel isolation insulating film contains particles that receive light emitted from the light-emitting layer and propagate light in a direction different from that of the light emitted from the light-emitting layer. |
| US09972663B2 |
Organic light emitting display device including driving sub-pixels each overlapping with multiple color sub-pixels
An organic light emitting display device can include a plurality of color sub-pixels including first, second and third color sub-pixels, the first and second color sub-pixels disposed along a first direction, and the third color sub-pixel disposed adjacent to the first and second color sub-pixels along a second direction different from the first direction; and a plurality of driving sub-pixels configured to drive light emitting diodes of the color sub-pixels. Also, each of the driving sub-pixels can include a driving transistor and a switching unit, and each and every one of the driving sub-pixels overlapping with at least two color sub-pixels among the plurality of color sub-pixels. In addition, the first, second and third color sub-pixels correspond to a portion of four of the driving sub-pixels, and one of the driving sub-pixels overlaps with three or four corresponding color sub-pixels among the plurality of color sub-pixels. |
| US09972659B2 |
Electronic device and method for fabricating the same
An electronic device may include a semiconductor memory. The semiconductor memory may include a trench formed in a substrate; a gate dielectric layer formed on a surface of the trench; a gate electrode which is formed on the gate dielectric layer, gap-fills a part of the trench, and contains dopants; a diffusion region which is formed to be in contact with the surface of the trench and to correspond to the gate electrode in the substrate; junction regions formed in the substrate at both sides of the trench; and a memory element coupled to a junction region in a side of the trench. |
| US09972655B2 |
Imaging device and method for driving the same
An imaging device capable of obtaining image data with a small amount of X-ray irradiation is provided. The imaging device obtains an image using X-rays and includes a scintillator and a plurality of pixel circuits arranged in a matrix and overlapping with the scintillator. The use of a transistor with an extremely small off-state current in the pixel circuits enables leakage of electrical charges from a charge accumulation portion to be reduced as much as possible, and an accumulation operation to be performed substantially at the same time in all of the pixel circuits. The accumulation operation is synchronized with X-ray irradiation, so that the amount of X-ray irradiation can be reduced. |