Document Document Title
US09991406B2 Curable polyorganosiloxane composition for use as an encapsulant for a solar cell module
The invention relates to curable polyorganosiloxane compositions for the use as an encapsulant for a solar cell module, in particular, for the encapsulation of photovoltaic modules, cured polyorganosiloxane composition made therefrom and photovoltaic modules comprising the same as encapsulant.
US09991405B2 Solar module with aligning encapsulant
A photovoltaic module can include an encapsulant having an alignment portion configured to maintain alignment of solar cells during manufacture of the photovoltaic module.
US09991404B2 Solar cell module and solar cell module manufacturing method
A solar cell module manufacturing method is provided. This method includes: preparing a solar cell element that has a surface whose outer periphery is surrounded by a plurality of sides, an encapsulant that seals the solar cell elements, and a coating that has light diffusivity; applying the coating in an outer peripheral area of the surface via a printing plate that has a pattern corresponding to the outer peripheral area and in which a protection member is provided at a position that corresponds to a corner portion located between two sides of the plurality of sides, the two sides extending in directions that intersect with each other; and sealing, with the encapsulant, the solar cell element on which the coating is printed.
US09991401B2 Solar cell and method for manufacturing the same
A solar cell is discussed. A solar cell includes a semiconductor substrate, a conductive type region on one surface of the semiconductor substrate, and an electrode connected to the conductive type region. The electrode includes an electrode layer on the conductive type region and a printed electrode layer on the electrode layer.
US09991397B2 Semiconductor device
To provide a semiconductor device that includes an oxide semiconductor and is miniaturized while keeping good electrical properties. In the semiconductor device, an oxide semiconductor layer is surrounded by an insulating layer including an aluminum oxide film containing excess oxygen. Excess oxygen in the aluminum oxide film is supplied to the oxide semiconductor layer including a channel by heat treatment in a manufacturing process of the semiconductor device. Furthermore, the aluminum oxide film forms a barrier against oxygen and hydrogen. It is thus possible to suppress the removal of oxygen from the oxide semiconductor layer surrounded by the insulating layer including an aluminum oxide film, and the entry of impurities such as hydrogen into the oxide semiconductor layer; as a result, the oxide semiconductor layer can be made highly intrinsic. In addition, gate electrode layers over and under the oxide semiconductor layer control the threshold voltage effectively.
US09991391B2 Pristine and functionalized graphene materials
Disclosed are dispersed graphene sheets, ribbons, graphene molecules and the like which are pristine in the plane, i.e., free of significant defects and chemical modifications such as oxidation. The materials could be functionalized at the edges. These materials are dispersed in solutions rather than in aggregated or insoluble forms as their parent starting materials. Also disclosed is a method comprising the steps of intercalating an insoluble graphitic material. The method may comprise exfoliating graphite and re-intercalating the resultant material with an acid composition, such as oleum, and a strong organic base such as tetrabutylammonium hydroxide in a solvent solution to form a homogenous suspension, which is then agitated to form dispersed graphene materials. The materials may be solubilized with a hydrophilic polymer and can be further manipulated by transfer into different solvents, formation of films, application to optical and electronic devices, and other applications. The materials are solubilized by functional groups mostly at the edges.
US09991389B2 Thin film transistor, a thin film transistor array panel including the same, and a method of manufacturing the same
A thin film transistor includes a semiconductor layer, a gate electrode, and an insulating layer. The semiconductor layer includes a source electrode, a drain electrode, and a channel part disposed therebetween. The gate electrode is disposed on the channel part and extends in a direction crossing a channel length direction of the semiconductor layer. The insulating layer includes a second region connected to the first region and extending in a same direction as an extending direction of the gate electrode from the first region. A hydrogen content of the source electrode or the drain electrode is in a range between a maximum hydrogen content that is larger than a hydrogen content of the second region of the insulating layer by about 10% and a minimum hydrogen content that is smaller than the hydrogen content of the second region of the insulating layer by about 10%.
US09991388B2 FINFETs with wrap-around silicide and method forming the same
A device includes isolation regions extending into a semiconductor substrate, with a substrate strip between opposite portions of the isolation regions having a first width. A source/drain region has a portion overlapping the substrate strip, wherein an upper portion of the source/drain region has a second width greater than the first width. The upper portion of the source/drain region has substantially vertical sidewalls. A source/drain silicide region has inner sidewalls contacting the vertical sidewalls of the source/drain region.
US09991387B2 Semiconductor devices
Semiconductor devices are provided. A semiconductor device includes a channel. The semiconductor device includes a gate structure having first and second portions. The channel is between the first and second portions of the gate structure. A contact structure is adjacent a portion of a side surface of the channel. Related methods of forming semiconductor devices are also provided.
US09991384B2 Semiconductor device including fin structures and manufacturing method thereof
A semiconductor Fin FET device includes a fin structure disposed over a substrate. The fin structure includes a channel layer. The Fin FET device also includes a gate structure including a gate electrode layer and a gate dielectric layer, covering a portion of the fin structure. Side-wall insulating layers are disposed over both main sides of the gate electrode layer. The Fin FET device includes a source and a drain, each including a stressor layer disposed in a recess formed by removing the fin structure not covered by the gate structure. The stressor layer includes a first to a third stressor layer formed in this order. In the source, an interface between the first stressor layer and the channel layer is located under one of the side-wall insulating layers closer to the source or the gate electrode.
US09991381B2 Semiconductor device having fin-shaped semiconductor layer
A semiconductor-device production method includes a first step of forming a fin-shaped semiconductor layer on a semiconductor substrate and forming a first insulating film around the fin-shaped semiconductor layer, and a second step of, after the first step, forming a second insulating film around the fin-shaped semiconductor layer, depositing a first polysilicon on the second insulating film to achieve planarization, forming, in a direction perpendicular to a direction of the fin-shaped semiconductor layer, a second resist for forming a first gate line and a first pillar-shaped semiconductor layer and a third resist for forming a first contact line and a second pillar-shaped semiconductor layer, and etching the first polysilicon, the second insulating film, and the fin-shaped semiconductor layer to form the first pillar-shaped semiconductor layer, a first dummy gate formed from the first polysilicon, the second pillar-shaped semiconductor layer, and a second dummy gate formed from the first polysilicon.
US09991380B2 Lateral super-junction MOSFET device and termination structure
A lateral superjunction MOSFET device includes multiple transistor cells connected to a lateral superjunction structure, each transistor cell including a conductive gate finger, a source region finger, a body contact region finger and a drain region finger arranged laterally within each transistor cell. Each of the drain region fingers, the source region fingers and the body contact region fingers is a doped region finger having a termination region at an end of the doped region finger. The lateral superjunction MOSFET device further includes a termination structure formed in the termination region of each doped region finger and including one or more termination columns having the same conductivity type as the doped region finger and positioned near the end of the doped region finger. The one or more termination columns extend through the lateral superjunction structure and are electrically unbiased.
US09991375B2 Metal gate electrode of a semiconductor device
The invention relates to integrated circuit fabrication, and more particularly to a metal gate electrode. An exemplary structure for a semiconductor device comprises a substrate comprising a major surface; a first rectangular gate electrode on the major surface comprising a first layer of multi-layer material; a first dielectric material adjacent to one side of the first rectangular gate electrode; and a second dielectric material adjacent to the other 3 sides of the first rectangular gate electrode, wherein the first dielectric material and the second dielectric material collectively surround the first rectangular gate electrode.
US09991374B2 Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes sequentially stacking a first epitaxial layer, a sacrificial layer, a second epitaxial layer, and a third epitaxial layer on a first substrate, forming a trench which penetrates the third epitaxial layer, the second epitaxial layer, and the sacrificial layer, forming a structure layer on an upper surface of the third epitaxial layer, forming a metal film which covers an inner surface of the trench and the structure layer, forming a second substrate which fills the trench and covers the metal film, and separating the second epitaxial layer, the third epitaxial layer, and the structure layer from the first epitaxial layer.
US09991372B2 Device with channel having varying carrier concentration
A semiconductor device including a device channel with a gate-drain region having a carrier concentration that varies laterally along a direction from the gate contact to the drain contact is provided. Lateral variation of the carrier concentration can be implemented by laterally varying one or more attributes of one or more layers located in the gate-drain region of the device.
US09991369B2 ESD protection SCR device
An ESD protection SCR device includes a semiconductor substrate, an epitaxial layer, device isolation layers, an n-type well formed in an anode region, a first high concentration p-type impurity region formed on a surface portion of the n-type well, a first high concentration n-type impurity region formed on the surface portion of the n-type well, a p-type well formed in an cathode region, a second high concentration n-type impurity region formed on a surface portion of the p-type well, a second high concentration p-type impurity region formed on a surface portion of the p-type well so as to be spaced apart from the second high concentration n-type impurity region, and a third high-concentration p-type impurity region formed on the surface portion of the p-type well so as to surround a side portion of the second high-concentration n-type impurity region, adjacent to the anode region.
US09991368B2 Vertical BJT for high density memory
Some aspects of this disclosure relate to a memory device. The memory device includes a collector region having a first conductivity type and which is coupled to a source line of the memory device. A base region is formed over the collector region and has a second conductivity type. A gate structure is coupled to the base region and acts as a shared word line for first and second neighboring memory cells of the memory device. First and second emitter regions are formed over the base region and have the first conductivity type. The first and second emitter regions are arranged on opposite sides of the gate structure. First and second contacts extend upwardly from the first and second emitter regions, respectively, and couple the first and second emitter regions to first and second data storage elements, respectively, of the first and second neighboring memory cells, respectively.
US09991366B2 Anchored stress-generating active semiconductor regions for semiconductor-on-insulator FinFET
After formation of a gate structure and a gate spacer, portions of an insulator layer underlying a semiconductor fin are etched to physically expose semiconductor surfaces of an underlying semiconductor material layer from underneath a source region and a drain region. Each of the extended source region and the extended drain region includes an anchored single crystalline semiconductor material portion that is in epitaxial alignment to the single crystalline semiconductor structure of the underlying semiconductor material layer and laterally applying a stress to the semiconductor fin. Because each anchored single crystalline semiconductor material portion is in epitaxial alignment with the underlying semiconductor material layer, the channel of the fin field effect transistor is effectively stressed along the lengthwise direction of the semiconductor fin.
US09991365B1 Forming vertical transport field effect transistors with uniform bottom spacer thickness
A method of forming a vertical transport field effect transistors with uniform bottom spacer thickness, including, forming a plurality of vertical fins on a substrate, forming a protective liner layer on the plurality of vertical fins, forming a sacrificial liner on the protective liner layer, forming a spacer liner on a portion of the sacrificial liner, wherein at least a top surface of the sacrificial liner on each of the vertical fins is exposed, converting the exposed portion of the sacrificial liner on each of the vertical fins to a conversion cap, and removing the conversion cap from each of the vertical fins to expose an upper portion of each vertical fin.
US09991356B2 Integrated circuits devices with counter-doped conductive gates
Integrated circuit devices with counter-doped conductive gates. The devices have a semiconductor substrate that has a substrate surface. The devices also have a first well of a first conductivity type, a source of a second conductivity type, and a drain of the second conductivity type. A channel extends between the source and the drain. A conductive gate extends across the channel. The conductive gate includes a first gate region and a second gate region of the second conductivity type and a third gate region of the first conductivity type. The third gate region extends between the first and second gate regions. The devices further include a gate dielectric that extends between the conductive gate and the substrate and also include a silicide region in electrical communication with the first, second, and third gate regions. The methods include methods of manufacturing the devices.
US09991354B2 Metal nitride alloy contact for semiconductor
Systems and methods are provided that enable the production of semiconductor devices having a metal nitride layer in direct contact with a semiconductor layer to form a Schottky diode, such as a TiN gate on an AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT). Metal nitrides offer exceptional thermal stability and a lower diffusion coefficient. Technology enabled by embodiments of the present disclosure improves the reliability of GaN-based microwave power transistors.
US09991350B2 Low resistance sinker contact
An semiconductor device with a low resistance sinker contact wherein the low resistance sinker contact is etched through a first doped layer and is etched into a second doped layer and wherein the first doped layer overlies the second doped layer and wherein the second doped layer is more heavily doped that the first doped layer and wherein the low resistance sinker contact is filled with a metallic material. A method for forming a semiconductor device with a low resistance sinker contact wherein the low resistance sinker contact is etched through a first doped layer and is etched into a second doped layer and wherein the first doped layer overlies the second doped layer and wherein the second doped layer is more heavily doped that the first doped layer and wherein the low resistance sinker contact is filled with a metallic material.
US09991347B2 Semiconductor device having a cavity
A power semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a drift region, a gate electrode trench in the semiconductor substrate and a field electrode needle trench in the semiconductor substrate. The gate electrode trench extends into the drift region and includes a gate electrode. The gate electrode is arranged in the gate electrode trench and electrically insulated from the drift region by a gate dielectric layer arranged between the gate electrode and the drift region. The field electrode needle trench is laterally spaced from the gate electrode trench and extends into the drift region. The field electrode needle trench includes a field electrode arranged in the field electrode needle trench and electrically insulated from the drift region by a cavity formed between the field electrode and the drift region.
US09991344B2 Silicon carbide EPI wafer and method for manufacturing same
An embodiment provides: a method for manufacturing a silicon carbide epi wafer, the method comprising the steps of preparing a wafer, applying a reaction gas to the wafer, heating the reaction gas to generate an intermediate compound, and forming a silicon carbide epi layer on the wafer using the generated intermediate compound, wherein the reaction gas contains a plurality of hydrocarbon compounds; and a silicon carbide epi wafer comprising a silicon carbide epi layer formed by a reaction gas containing a plurality of hydrocarbon compounds, wherein the C/Si value of the silicon carbide epi layer is uniform on the wafer, and thus the uniformity of the silicon carbide epi layer on the wafer can be improved.
US09991342B2 Electronic device containing nanowire(s), equipped with a transition metal buffer layer, process for growing at least one nanowire, and process for manufacturing a device
The electronic device comprises a substrate (1), at least one semiconductor nanowire (2) and a buffer layer (3) interposed between the substrate (1) and said nanowire (2). The buffer layer (3) is at least partly formed by a transition metal nitride layer (9) from which extends the nanowire (2), said transition metal nitride being chosen from: vanadium nitride, chromium nitride, zirconium nitride, niobium nitride, molybdenum nitride, hafnium nitride or tantalum nitride.
US09991340B2 Mechanical stress-decoupling in semiconductor device
According to a method in semiconductor device fabrication, a first trench and a second trench are concurrently etched in a semi-finished semiconductor device. The first trench is a mechanical decoupling trench between a first region of an eventual semiconductor device and a second region thereof. The method further includes concurrently passivating or insulating sidewalls of the first trench and of the second trench. A related semiconductor device includes a first trench configured to provide a mechanical decoupling between a first region and a second region of the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device further includes a second trench and a sidewall coating at sidewalls of the first trench and the second trench. The sidewall coating at the sidewalls of the first trench and at the sidewalls of the second trench are of the same material.
US09991338B2 Electronic device including a conductive structure surrounded by an insulating structure
An electronic device can include a substrate and an insulating structure laterally surrounded by the substrate. In an aspect, the electronic device can include a first conductive structure or an active region that is laterally surrounded by the insulating structure and the substrate. In another aspect, the electronic device can include an inductor surrounded by the insulating structure. In a further aspect, a process of forming an electronic device can include patterning a substrate to define a trench and a plurality of features, including a first feature and a second feature, within the trench; forming a first insulating layer within the trench; removing the first feature to create a first cavity; forming a second insulating layer to at least partly fill the first cavity; removing the second feature to create a second cavity; and forming a conductive or semiconductor structure within the second cavity.
US09991334B2 Nanosheet capacitor
A capacitive device includes a first electrode comprising a nanosheet stack and a second electrode comprising a nanosheet stack, the second electrode arranged substantially parallel to the first electrode. A first conductive contact is arranged on a basal end of the first electrode, and a second conductive contact is arranged on a basal end of the second electrode.
US09991333B1 Metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor structure and method for forming the same
A metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor structure and a method for forming the MIM capacitor are provided. The MIM capacitor structure includes a substrate. A MIM capacitor is formed on the substrate. The MIM capacitor includes a U-shaped electrode having a first portion. The MIM capacitor also includes an inverted U-shaped electrode. The first portion of the U-shaped electrode is clamped by the inverted U-shaped electrode. The MIM capacitor further includes an insulating film between the U-shaped electrode and the inverted U-shaped electrode.
US09991332B2 Integrated circuit with lateral flux capacitor
An integrated circuit has a lateral flux capacitor assembly that includes a first metal layer having a capacitive portion with first and second lateral sides and first and second capacitive fingers, a first dummy metal lines portion positioned adjacent the first lateral side of the capacitive portion and a second dummy metal lines portion positioned adjacent the second lateral side of the capacitive portion. The first set of capacitive fingers is electrically connected to the first dummy metal lines portion and the second set of capacitive fingers is electrically connected to the second dummy metal lines portion. A method of making an integrated circuit assembly with a lateral flux capacitor includes electrically connecting a first plurality of capacitive fingers in a first metal layer to a first dummy metal lines portion of the first metal layer.
US09991331B2 Apparatuses and methods for semiconductor circuit layout
Apparatuses including compensation capacitors are described. An example apparatus includes: first, second and third capacitors arranged such that the second capacitor is sandwiched between the first and third capacitors, each of the first, second and third capacitors including first and second electrodes. The first electrodes of the first, second and third capacitors are electrically coupled in common to one another. The second electrodes of the first and third capacitors are electrically coupled in common to each other. The second electrode of the second capacitor is electrically insulated from the second electrodes of the first and third capacitors.
US09991325B2 Display unit and electronic apparatus
There are provided a display unit and an electronic apparatus that are capable of preventing color mixture in adjacent color pixels, and improving color reproducibility and chromaticity viewing angle. The display unit includes: a drive substrate having a plurality of pixels with a partition therebetween; and a first light shielding film provided on the partition.
US09991324B2 Array substrate, display panel and display device
The present invention belongs to the field of display technology, and particularly relates to an array substrate, a display panel and a display device. The array substrate comprises a light-emitting unit, a driving unit for driving the light-emitting unit, and a driving signal unit for providing a driving signal to the driving unit, the driving unit being provided in a central area of the array substrate, the driving signal unit being provided on at least one side of a marginal area surrounding the central area, wherein the light-emitting unit covers the driving unit and extends into the at least one side of the marginal area on which the driving signal unit is provided. The array substrate can have not only enlarged display area but also decreased bezel width, and also have improved aperture ratio of a pixel.
US09991322B2 Organic light emitting display panel and manufacturing method thereof, display device
The present invention discloses an organic light emitting display panel and manufacturing method thereof and a display device, which can reduce the critical dimension bias of the pixel defining layer and improve the display uniformity. The organic light emitting display panel provide by the present invention comprises: a pixel defining layer, which is provided with a plurality of light emitting material filling areas, being characterized by further comprising: a metal layer provided on the pixel defining layer; the metal layer is provided with openings corresponding to the light emitting material filling areas respectively. The solutions provided by the present invention are used to improve the display effect of the organic light emitting display device.
US09991312B1 Electroluminescence display apparatus and manufacturing method thereof
An electroluminescence display device and manufacturing method thereof are provided. An electroluminescence display device includes a pixel, having: an electroluminescence diode, a driving transistor configured to supply a current to the electroluminescence diode, and a switching transistor configured to switch a signal supplied to the driving transistor, wherein a size of a channel area of the driving transistor is different from a size of a channel area of the switching transistor, and wherein a taper angle deviation of the channel areas of the driving transistor and the switching transistor is less than or equal to 10°.
US09991309B1 CMOS image sensor having enhanced near infrared quantum efficiency
An image sensor comprises a semiconductor material having an illuminated surface and a non-illuminated surface; a photodiode formed in the semiconductor material extending from the illuminated surface to receive an incident light through the illuminated surface, wherein the received incident light generates charges in the photodiode; a transfer gate electrically coupled to the photodiode to transfer the generated charges from the photodiode in response to a transfer signal; a floating diffusion electrically coupled to the transfer gate to receive the transferred charges from the photodiode; a near infrared (NIR) quantum efficiency (QE) enhancement structure comprising at least two NIR QE enhancement elements within a region of the photodiode, wherein the NIR QE enhancement structure is configured to modify the incident light at the illuminated surface of the semiconductor material by at least one of diffraction, deflection and reflection, to redistribute the incident light within the photodiode to improve an optical sensitivity, including near-infrared light sensitivity, of the image sensor.
US09991305B2 Stacked type solid state imaging apparatus and imaging system
The present invention reduces the leakage of the electric charge, which occurs at an end of a pixel electrode. An imaging apparatus includes: a plurality of pixel electrodes arranged separately from each other; an insulating film arranged on the pixel electrode; a pixel isolating film of an insulating member arranged between the pixel electrodes; and a photoelectric conversion film arranged on the insulating film, wherein the pixel isolating film contacts the pixel electrode.
US09991304B2 Image pickup device having an infrared absorption layer between a laminate band-pass layer and a low refractive index layer above on-chip lenses
An image pickup device according to the present technique includes an on-chip lens, a low-refractive-index layer, and an infrared absorption layer. The on-chip lens is formed of a high-refractive-index material. The low-refractive-index layer is formed flat on the on-chip lens and formed of a low-refractive-index material. The infrared absorption layer is formed of an infrared absorption material and laminated as a higher layer than the low-refractive-index layer. The infrared absorption material includes an infrared absorption pigment and a binder resin, the binder resin, being a synthetic resin constituted of a siloxane skeleton alone or a synthetic resin constituted of a siloxane skeleton part and a partial skeleton having a low reaction activity in an oxygen part.
US09991298B1 Stacked image sensor pixel cell with a charge amplifier and selectable shutter modes and in-pixel CDS
A pixel cell has a photodiode, a transfer transistor, a reset transistor, an amplifier transistor in a common source configuration and a readout circuit block. The photodiode, transfer transistor, reset transistor and common source amplifier are disposed within a first substrate of a first semiconductor chip for accumulating an image charge in response to light incident upon the photodiode. The readout circuit block may be partially disposed within a second substrate of a second semiconductor chip and partially disposed within the first substrate wherein the readout circuit block comprises optionally selectable rolling shutter and global shutter readout modes through the use of computer programmable digital register settings. The global shutter readout mode provides in-pixel correlated double sampling.
US09991297B2 Imaging device and manufacturing method thereof
An imaging device is provided, in which the dynamic range of still pictures can be suppressed from being decreased. In the imaging device, a photodiode including an n-type impurity region and a photodiode including an n-type impurity region are formed in a p-type well. An n-type impurity region is formed between the n-type impurity region on one side and that on the other side so as to contact each of the two. The impurity concentration of the last-formed n-type impurity region is set to be lower than those of the first-formed n-type impurity regions.
US09991295B2 Array substrate manufactured by reduced times of patterning processes manufacturing method thereof and display apparatus
An array substrate, a manufacturing method thereof and a display apparatus are provided. The array substrate includes thin-film transistors (TFTs) and conductive electrodes; the TFT includes a gate electrode, a source electrode, a drain electrode and an active layer; the source electrode and the drain electrode are arranged in the same layer and at two ends of the active layer and at least directly partially contact the upper surface or the lower surface of the active layer; and the conductive electrode is directly disposed on the electrode. With improved layer structures of the array substrate, a plurality of layer structures is formed in one patterning process by stepped photoresist process, so as to reduce the frequency of patterning processes, better ensure the compactness of the array substrate, and guarantee good contact between the layer structures in the array substrate.
US09991288B2 Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
A more convenient and highly reliable semiconductor device which has a transistor including an oxide semiconductor with higher impact resistance used for a variety of applications is provided. A semiconductor device has a bottom-gate transistor including a gate electrode layer, a gate insulating layer, and an oxide semiconductor layer over a substrate, an insulating layer over the transistor, and a conductive layer over the insulating layer. The insulating layer covers the oxide semiconductor layer and is in contact with the gate insulating layer. In a channel width direction of the oxide semiconductor layer, end portions of the gate insulating layer and the insulating layer are aligned with each other over the gate electrode layer, and the conductive layer covers a channel formation region of the oxide semiconductor layer and the end portions of the gate insulating layer and the insulating layer and is in contact with the gate electrode layer.
US09991287B2 Thin film transistor array panel
A thin film transistor array panel includes: a substrate; a semiconductor layer disposed on the substrate; a gate electrode disposed on the semiconductor layer; and a source electrode and a drain electrode disposed on the semiconductor layer to not overlap the gate electrode, wherein a first edge of the gate electrode is aligned with a second edge of the semiconductor layer in a direction that is perpendicular to the substrate.
US09991286B2 Display device and electronic device including the same
One embodiment of the present invention provides a highly reliably display device in which a high mobility is achieved in an oxide semiconductor. A first oxide component is formed over a base component. Crystal growth proceeds from a surface toward an inside of the first oxide component by a first heat treatment, so that a first oxide crystal component is formed in contact with at least part of the base component. A second oxide component is formed over the first oxide crystal component. Crystal growth is performed by a second heat treatment using the first oxide crystal component as a seed, so that a second oxide crystal component is formed. Thus, a stacked oxide material is formed. A transistor with a high mobility is formed using the stacked oxide material and a driver circuit is formed using the transistor.
US09991277B1 Three-dimensional memory device with discrete self-aligned charge storage elements and method of making thereof
A memory opening can be formed through an alternating stack of insulating layers and sacrificial material layers over a substrate. A material layer stack containing, from outside to inside, an aluminum oxide tunneling dielectric layer, a silicon-containing tunneling dielectric layer, and a vertical semiconductor channel is formed within the memory opening. After forming backside recesses by removing the sacrificial material layers, charge trapping material portions are formed on physically exposed surfaces of the aluminum oxide tunneling dielectric layer by employing a selective silicon nitride deposition process. A backside blocking dielectric layer and electrically conductive layers are formed in the backside recesses. The charge trapping material portions are discrete silicon nitride portions located at levels of the electrically conductive layers and vertically spaced from one another by the insulating layers.
US09991276B2 Semiconductor device
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a substrate; a first structure; a second structure; a step; an insulating layer; a first pillar; a second pillar; a first contact portion; and a second contact. The first structure includes a first electrode layer and a first insulator. The first structure has a first terrace on a surface of the first insulator. The second structure includes a second electrode layer and a second insulator. The second structure has a second terrace on a surface of the second insulator. The second contact portion is electrically connected to the second electrode layer via the second terrace. The first contact portion is located between the step and the first pillar. The step is located between the first contact portion and the second pillar.
US09991274B2 Semiconductor memory device and method for manufacturing the same
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a stacked body including a plurality of electrode members and a plurality of insulating members, each of the electrode members and each of the insulating members being stacked alternately in a first direction on the substrate. The semiconductor memory device also includes a memory hole that extends in the stacked body in the first direction and a semiconductor member that is disposed to extend in the memory hole in the first direction. The semiconductor memory device also includes a memory member that is disposed between the semiconductor member and the plurality of electrode members. The plurality of electrode members including a first electrode member and a second electrode member, a thickness of the memory member at the position of the first electrode member being greater than a thickness of the memory member at the position of the second electrode member.
US09991273B2 Floating gate memory cells in vertical memory
Floating gate memory cells in vertical memory. A control gate is formed between a first tier of dielectric material and a second tier of dielectric material. A floating gate is formed between the first tier of dielectric material and the second tier of dielectric material, wherein the floating gate includes a protrusion extending towards the control gate. A charge blocking structure is formed between the floating gate and the control gate, wherein at least a portion of the charge blocking structure wraps around the protrusion.
US09991271B2 Integrated circuit device including vertical memory device and method of manufacturing the same
In one embodiment, the semiconductor device includes a stack of alternating interlayer insulating layers and conductive layers on a substrate. Each of the conductive layers extends in a first direction less than a previous one of the conductive layers to define a landing portion of the previous one of the conductive layers. An insulating plug is in one of the conductive layers under one of the landing portions, and a contact plug extends from an upper surface of the one of the landing portions.
US09991260B2 HVMOS reliability evaluation using bulk resistances as indices
A method of determining the reliability of a high-voltage PMOS (HVPMOS) device includes determining a bulk resistance of the HVPMOS device, and evaluating the reliability of the HVPMOS device based on the bulk resistance.
US09991259B2 Semiconductor device
Provided are a semiconductor device and a fabricating method thereof. The fabricating method includes forming first to fourth fins, each extending in a first direction, to be spaced apart in a second direction intersecting the first direction, forming first and second gate lines, each extending in the second direction, on the first to fourth fins to be spaced apart in the first direction, forming a first contact on the first gate line between the first and second fins, forming a second contact on the first gate line between the third and fourth fins, forming a third contact on the second gate line between the first and second fins, forming a fourth contact on the second gate line between the third and fourth fins and forming a fifth contact on the first to fourth contacts so as to overlap with the second contact and the third contact and so as not to overlap with the first contact and the fourth contact, wherein the fifth contact is arranged to diagonally traverse a quadrangle defined by the first to fourth contacts.
US09991256B2 Semiconductor structure and manufacturing method thereof
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure includes forming a plurality of dummy semiconductor fins on a substrate. The dummy semiconductor fins are adjacent to each other and are grouped into a plurality of fin groups. The dummy semiconductor fins of the fin groups are recessed one group at a time.
US09991243B2 Integrated circuit assembly that includes stacked dice
An integrated circuit assembly that includes a substrate; a member formed on the substrate; a first die mounted to the substrate within an opening in the member such that there is space between the first die and the member and the member surrounds the first die, and wherein the first die does not extend above an upper surface of the member; an underfill between the first the die and the substrate, wherein the underfill at least partially fills the space between the die and member; and a second die mounted to the first die and the member, wherein the second die is mounted to the member on all sides of the opening.
US09991242B2 Semiconductor device, method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, and positioning jig
A semiconductor device has a plurality of small-sized semiconductor chips disposed between an insulated circuit board having a conductive pattern and a terminal. The semiconductor device exhibits a high accuracy in positioning the semiconductor chips. The semiconductor device includes an insulated circuit board having a conductive pattern, a first semiconductor chip with a rectangular shape connected to the conductive pattern through a first joining material, a second semiconductor chip with a rectangular shape, disposed on the conductive pattern separated from the first semiconductor chip and connected to the conductive pattern through a second joining material, and a terminal disposed above the first semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip, connected to the first semiconductor chip through a third joining material, and connected to the second semiconductor chip through a fourth joining material. The terminal has a through-hole above a place between the first semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip.
US09991241B2 Light emitting device package
A light emitting device package is provided. The light emitting device package may include a main body having a cavity including side surfaces and a bottom, and a first reflective cup and a second reflective cup provided in the bottom of the cavity of the main body and separated from each other. A first light emitting device may be provided in the first reflective cup, and a second light emitting device may be provided in the second reflective cup.
US09991238B2 LED light source for automotive application
Proposed is a light source comprising first and second LED light sources. Each of the first and second LED light sources have: a semiconductor diode structure adapted to generate light; and a light output section above the semiconductor diode structure adapted to output light from the semiconductor diode structure in a light output direction, the area of the light output section being less than the area of the semiconductor diode structure. The second LED light source is arranged above and at least partially overlapping the first LED light source with non-aligned light output sections with respect to the light output direction.
US09991237B2 Light emitting device
A light emitting device includes a base, a first light emitting element, a second light emitting element, and a sealing member. The first light emitting element has an active layer of a nitride semiconductor and has a first emission peak wavelength in a blue region. The second light emitting element has an active layer of a nitride semiconductor and has a second emission peak wavelength longer than the first emission peak wavelength of the first light emitting element. The sealing member includes a first region and a second region. The first region contains a phosphor to be excited by light from the first light emitting element. The first region is provided on an element mounting surface. A first upper surface of the first light emitting element is located in the first region. The second region does not substantially contain the phosphor and is provided on the first region.
US09991236B2 LED lamp device having a fluorescent element shaped for uniform light conversion
An LED lamp device includes a plurality of LED elements separately mounted on a substrate and effective to emit light having a first wavelength. A fluorescent element includes a fluorescent material excitable by light emitted from the LED elements to emit light of a second wavelength, and is arranged to cover each LED element with no gaps provided between the fluorescent element and the substrate. The fluorescent element is shaped in accordance with the positioning of the LED elements and the spaces defined there-between such that a proportion of light of the first wavelength with respect to light of the second wavelength is substantially uniform irrespective of light exit direction.
US09991233B2 Package-on-package devices with same level WLP components and methods therefor
Package-on-package (“PoP”) devices with same level wafer-level packaged (“WLP”) components and methods therefor are disclosed. In a PoP device, a first integrated circuit die is surface mount coupled to an upper surface of a package substrate. Conductive lines are coupled to the upper surface of the package substrate in a fan-out region. The first conductive lines extend away from the upper surface of the package substrate. A molding layer is formed over the upper surface of the package substrate, around sidewall surfaces of the first integrated circuit die, and around bases and shafts of the conductive lines. WLP microelectronic components are located at a same level above an upper surface of the molding layer respectively surface mount coupled to sets of upper portions of the conductive lines.
US09991229B2 Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device including a package substrate having, at the periphery of the main surface thereof, bonding leads disposed in a row, a semiconductor chip mounted inside of the row of the bonding leads on the main surface of the package substrate, wires for connecting pads of the semiconductor chip and the bonding leads of the substrate, a sealing body for resin sealing the semiconductor chip and the wires, and solder bumps disposed on the back surface of the package substrate. The top of a loop of each of the wires is disposed outside the wire connecting portion so that the wire connection between the bonding leads and the pads of the semiconductor chip has a stable loop shape to prevent wire connection failure.
US09991226B2 Semiconductor packages having asymmetric chip stack structure
A semiconductor package may include first chip stack including first chips which are stacked on a package substrate and offset to form a first reverse stepwise sidewall. The semiconductor package may include a second chip stack including second chips which are stacked on the package substrate and offset to form a second reverse stepwise sidewall. The first protrusion corner of the first chip stack may protrude toward the second chip stack.
US09991224B2 Bump-on-trace interconnect having varying widths and methods of forming same
Disclosed herein is a bump-on-trace interconnect with a wetted trace sidewall and a method for fabricating the same. A first substrate having conductive bump with solder applied is mounted to a second substrate with a trace disposed thereon by reflowing the solder on the bump so that the solder wets at least one sidewall of the trace, with the solder optionally wetting between at least half and all of the height of the trace sidewall. A plurality of traces and bumps may also be disposed on the first substrate and second substrate with a bump pitch of less than about 100 μm, and volume of solder for application to the bump calculated based on at least one of a joint gap distance, desired solder joint width, predetermined solder joint separation, bump geometry, trace geometry, minimum trace sidewall wetting region height and trace separation distance.
US09991218B2 Connector structures of integrated circuits
A die includes a substrate, a metal pad over the substrate, and a passivation layer covering edge portions of the metal pad. A metal pillar is formed over the metal pad. A portion of the metal pillar overlaps a portion of the metal pad. A center of the metal pillar is misaligned with a center of the metal pad.
US09991217B2 Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device that includes a bipolar transistor, wherein a third opening, through which a pillar bump and a second wiring line, which is electrically connected to an emitter layer, contact each other, is shifted in a longitudinal direction of the emitter layer away from a position at which the third opening would be directly above the emitter layer. The third opening is arranged, with respect to the emitter layer, such that an end portion of the emitter layer in the longitudinal direction of the emitter layer and the edge of the opening of the third opening are substantially aligned with each other.
US09991214B2 Activating reactions in integrated circuits through electrical discharge
Embodiments of the present invention provide integrated circuits and methods for activating reactions in integrated circuits. In one embodiment, an integrated circuit is provided having reactive material capable of being activated by electrical discharge, without requiring a battery or similar external power source, to produce an exothermic reaction that erases and/or destroys one or more semiconductor devices on the integrated circuit.
US09991213B2 Resin-encapsulated semiconductor device and its manufacturing method
A resin-encapsulated semiconductor device having a semiconductor chip which is prevented from being damaged. The resin-encapsulated semiconductor device (100) comprises a semiconductor chip (1) including a silicon substrate, a die pad (10) to which the semiconductor chip (1) is secured through a first solder layer (2), a resin-encapsulating layer (30) encapsulating the semiconductor chip (1), and lead terminals (21) electrically connected to the semiconductor chip (1) and including inner lead portion (21b) covered with the resin-encapsulating layer (30). The lead terminals (21) are made of copper or a copper alloy. The die pad (10) is made of 42 alloy or a cover alloy and has a thickness (about 0.125 mm) less than the thickness (about 0.15 mm) of the lead terminals (21).
US09991209B2 Guard structure for signal isolation
A method of fabricating an electrical guard structure for providing signal isolation is provided. The method includes providing a substrate having a mounting surface comprising a first area for hosting at least one electronic component. The method further comprises synthesizing a plurality of thread-like structures over the substrate to collectively form one or more electrically conductive projections extending transverse to the mounting surface. The one or more electrically conductive projections include one or more wall-like structures which are elongate parallel to the mounting surface. The electrically conductive projections can be transferred to another surface such as a major surface of a second substrate. There are further provided a support structure and a guard structure having the wall-like electrically conductive projections which are electrically grounded when in use to provide signal isolation.
US09991205B2 Semiconductor device and method
A representative method for manufacturing a semiconductor device (e.g., a fin field-effect transistor) includes the steps of depositing a first insulating material over a substrate, and forming a first conductive contact in the first insulating material. The first conductive contact has a protruding uppermost surface, with a first height along a central portion of the first conductive contact, and a second height along a vertical vector projection of a sidewall of the first conductive contact. The first height is larger than the second height. A second insulating material is deposited over the first insulating material, and a second conductive contact is formed in the second insulating material. The second conductive contact is disposed over and at least partially within the first conductive contact. A distance between a bottommost surface of the second conductive contact and the protruding uppermost surface of the first conductive contact is less than about 1.0 nm.
US09991204B2 Through via structure for step coverage improvement
A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a dielectric structure, a barrier layer, a glue layer, a copper seed layer and a copper layer. The dielectric structure is disposed over the substrate. The dielectric structure has a through via hole passing through the dielectric structure, and a sidewall of the through via hole includes at least one indentation. The barrier layer conformally covers the sidewall and a bottom of the through via hole. The glue layer conformally covers the barrier layer. The copper seed layer conformally covers the glue layer. The copper layer covers the copper seed layer and fills the through via hole.
US09991201B2 Electrical antifuse including phase change material of tantalum
An antifuse structure including a first electrode that is present in at a base of the opening in the dielectric material. The antifuse structure further includes an antifuse material layer comprising a phase change material alloy of tantalum and nitrogen. A first surface of the antifuse material layer is present in direct contact with the first electrode. A second electrode is present in direct contact with a second surface of the antifuse material layer that is opposite the first surface of the antifuse material layer.
US09991195B2 Semiconductor device
The semiconductor device includes a wiring substrate having a plurality of ball lands formed on a lower surface of a core layer, a solder resist film covering the lower surface of the core layer, a via conductor layer penetrating the core layer and connected to the ball lands, and an upper surface wiring formed on the upper surface of the core layer, the upper surface wiring having one end formed as a bonding land and the other end connected to the via conductor layer. The semiconductor device further includes a semiconductor chip arranged on the wiring substrate, a solder ball connected to the ball lands. The solder resist film has an eliminating portion that exposes the lower surface of the core layer, and the upper surface wiring has a thin-wire portion and a thick-wire portion, and when seen in a plan view, the thick-wire portion overlaps the eliminating portion.
US09991194B1 Sensor package and method of manufacture
A method of manufacture and a substrate for sensor packages is provided. The method involves premolding a lead frame with strips having V-grooves; cutting the substrate partially, and plating the exposed surfaces of the lead frame. The method subsequently involves attaching a die to a dies pad and connecting wires between the die and leads to form a sensor package. The sensor package is separated from the substrate by snapping along the score line. The substrate for assembly of sensor packages as well as substrate of sensor packages is manufactured using at least part of the method of manufacture.
US09991193B2 Semiconductor device package
A semiconductor device package includes a first conductive base, a first semiconductor die, a dielectric layer, a first patterned conductive layer, and a second patterned conductive layer. The first conductive base defines a first cavity. The first semiconductor die is on a bottom surface of the first cavity. The dielectric layer covers the first semiconductor die, the first surface and the second surface of the first conductive base and fills the first cavity. The first patterned conductive layer is on a first surface of the dielectric layer. The second patterned conductive layer is on a second surface of the dielectric layer.
US09991187B2 Electronic device and method for manufacturing the same, and substrate structure and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device includes: a silicon substrate that includes a heat release mechanism formed on a rear surface thereof; and an element layer that includes a transistor element and is formed on a front surface of the silicon substrate, the heat release mechanism including: a carbon material being a high heat-conducting material such as a CNT that is higher in heat conductivity than the silicon substrate and is formed in a plurality of first holes formed in the rear surface of the silicon substrate; and a carbon material being a heat-conductive film such as a multilayer graphene film that is thermally connected to the CNT in a manner to cover a rear surface side of the silicon substrate. This configuration provides a carbon material-embedded silicon substrate realizing very efficient heat release with a relatively simple configuration to obtain a highly-reliable electronic device.
US09991184B2 Electronic module and method of manufacturing the same
An electronic module 1 includes an electronic module 10 that includes a substrate 11 and an electronic element 12, an electronic module 20 that includes a substrate 21 arranged such that the principal surface 21a faces the principal surface 11a, an electronic element 22 electrically connected to the electronic element 12 with a connecting member 18 therebetween, and an electronic element 23 electrically connected to the electronic element 12 with a connecting member 19 therebetween passing through the substrate 21 in a thickness direction, the electronic module 20 thermally connected to the electronic module 10 by the connecting members 18 and 19, and a heat sink 30 that includes a housing part 31a therein and houses the electronic modules 10 and 20 in the housing part 31a such that the principal surface 11b is in contact with an inner wall surface of the housing part 31a.
US09991181B2 Air-cavity package with enhanced package integration level and thermal performance
The present disclosure relates to an air-cavity package, which includes a bottom substrate, a top substrate, a perimeter wall, a bottom electronic component, a top electronic component, and an external electronic component. The perimeter wall extends from a periphery of a lower side of the top substrate to a periphery of an upper side of the bottom substrate to form a cavity. The bottom electronic component is mounted on the upper side of the bottom substrate and exposed to the cavity. The top electronic component is mounted on the lower side of the top substrate and exposed to the cavity. And the external electronic component is mounted on an upper side of the top substrate, which is opposite the lower side of the top substrate and not exposed to the cavity.
US09991178B2 Interposer and electrical testing method thereof
An interposer is provided which includes: a substrate having a first surface with a plurality of first conductive pads and a second surface opposite to the first surface, the second surface having a plurality of second conductive pads; a plurality of conductive through holes penetrating the first and second surfaces of the substrate and electrically connecting the first and second conductive pads; and a first removable electrical connection structure formed on the first surface and electrically connecting a portion of the first conductive pads so as to facilitate electrical testing of the interposer.
US09991177B2 Method and arrangement for analyzing a semiconductor element and method for manufacturing a semiconductor component
According to the improved concept, a method for analyzing a semiconductor element comprising polymer residues located on a surface of the semiconductor element is provided. The method comprises marking at least a fraction of the residues by exposing the semiconductor element to a fluorescent substance and detecting the marked residues by visualizing the marked residues on the surface of the semiconductor element using fluorescence microscopy.
US09991172B2 Forming arsenide-based complementary logic on a single substrate
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for forming a logic device, including forming an n-type semiconductor device over a silicon (Si) substrate that includes an indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs)-based stack including a first buffer layer, a second buffer layer formed over the first buffer layer, a first device layer formed over the second buffer layer. Further, the method may include forming a p-type semiconductor device over the Si substrate from the InGaAs-based stack and forming an isolation between the n-type semiconductor device and the p-type semiconductor device. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09991168B2 Germanium dual-fin field effect transistor
In one example, a field effect transistor includes a pair of fins positioned in a spaced apart relation. Each of the fins includes germanium. Source and drain regions are formed on opposite ends of the pair of fins and include silicon. A gate is wrapped around the pair of fins, between the source and drain regions.
US09991167B2 Method and IC structure for increasing pitch between gates
Aspects of the present disclosure include integrated circuit (IC) structure and methods for increasing a pitch between gates. Methods according to the present disclosure can include: providing an IC structure including: a first gate structure and a second gate structure each positioned on a substrate, a dummy gate positioned between the first and second gate structures, and forming a mask over the first and second gate structures; and selectively etching the dummy gate from the IC structure to expose a portion of the substrate underneath the dummy gate of the IC structure, without affecting the first and second gate structures.
US09991164B2 Semiconductor die singulation methods
Methods of singulating semiconductor die. Specific implementations may include: providing a semiconductor wafer including a plurality of die located on a first side of the semiconductor wafer where the plurality of die include a desired thickness. The method may include etching a plurality of trenches into the semiconductor wafer from the first side of the semiconductor wafer where the plurality of trenches is located adjacent to a perimeter of the plurality of die. A depth of the plurality of trenches may be greater than the desired thickness of the plurality of die. The method may also include mounting the first side of the semiconductor wafer to a tape, thinning a second side of the semiconductor wafer, exposing the plurality of trenches while thinning the second side, and singulating the plurality of die through exposing the plurality of trenches.
US09991159B2 Semiconductor device manufacture method
According to some embodiments, a semiconductor device manufacturing method includes forming a sacrificial film on a material film. The method includes processing the sacrificial film, and forming a first groove in the sacrificial film having a first width and a second groove in the sacrificial film having a second width larger than the first width, the material film defining a base of the first groove and a base of the second groove. The method includes forming a catalyst layer on the sacrificial film, and on the base of the first groove and the base of the second groove. The method includes forming a first metal film having a thickness equal to or larger than half the first width and smaller than half the second width on the catalyst layer by plating. The method includes removing at least a portion of the first metal film in the second groove while leaving a portion of the first metal film in the first groove unremoved. The method includes removing the catalyst layer on the sacrificial film while leaving the catalyst layer on the base of the second groove unremoved. The method includes forming a second metal film in the second groove by the plating.
US09991158B2 Semiconductor device, layout of semiconductor device, and method of manufacturing semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a substrate having an active area, a gate structure over the active area, a lower conductive layer over and electrically coupled to the active area, and an upper conductive layer over and electrically coupled to the lower conductive layer. The lower conductive layer is at least partially co-elevational with the gate structure. The lower conductive layer includes first and second conductive segments spaced from each other. The upper conductive layer includes a third conductive segment overlapping the first and second conductive segments. The third conductive segment is electrically coupled to the first conductive segment, and electrically isolated from the second conductive segment.
US09991155B2 Local trap-rich isolation
A trap-rich polysilicon layer is interposed between the active (SOI) layer and the underlying handle portion of a semiconductor substrate to prevent or minimize parasitic surface conduction effects within the active layer and promote device linearity. In various embodiments, the trap-rich layer extends vertically through a portion of an isolation layer and laterally therefrom between the isolation layer and the handle portion of the substrate to underlie a portion of the device active area.
US09991153B2 Substrate support bushing
In one embodiment, a substrate support bushing for a lift pin used in a semiconductor processing chamber is provided. The bushing includes an elongated housing sized to guide the lift pin in a substrate support pedestal. The housing has a longitudinal bore formed through the housing. The housing includes at least one passageway slot extending and open to substantially the entire length of the bore. In another embodiment, a method for transferring a substrate from a substrate support pedestal is provided. The method includes displacing a lift pin through a central bore toward a substrate disposed on a substrate support pedestal. The bore has at least one slot extending substantially along and open to the central bore. The method further includes spacing the substrate from the substrate support pedestal on the lift pin.
US09991152B2 Wafer-handling end effectors with wafer-contacting surfaces and sealing structures
Wafer-handling end effectors and semiconductor manufacturing devices that include and/or are utilized with wafer-handling end effectors are disclosed herein. The end effectors include an end effector body and a plurality of wafer-contacting surfaces that is supported by the end effector body and configured to form an at least partially face-to-face contact with a wafer. The end effectors further include a vacuum distribution manifold that extends between a robot-proximal end of the end effector body and the plurality of wafer-contacting surfaces. The end effectors also include a plurality of vacuum openings that is defined within the plurality of wafer-contacting surfaces and extends between the plurality of wafer-contacting surfaces and the vacuum distribution manifold. The end effectors further include a plurality of sealing structures each of which is associated with a respective one of the plurality of wafer-contacting surfaces.
US09991150B2 Procedure of processing a workpiece and an apparatus designed for the procedure
The present invention provides a procedure of processing a workpiece such as backside grinding of a device wafer and an apparatus designed for the procedure. The procedure comprises (1) preparing a bonded stack comprising (e.g. consisting of) a carrier layer, a workpiece layer, and an interposer layer therebetween; (2) processing the workpiece layer; and (3) delivering a gas jet at the junction between two adjacent layers in the stack to separate or debond the two adjacent layers. Technical merits of the invention include enhanced efficiency, higher wafer throughput, reduced stress on workpiece surface, and uniformly distributed stress and avoidance of device wafer breakage and internal device damage, among others.
US09991149B2 Semiconductor bonding with compliant resin and utilizing hydrogen implantation for transfer-wafer removal
A transfer substrate with a compliant resin is used to bond one or more chips to a target wafer. An implant region is formed in a transfer substrate. A portion of the transfer substrate is etched to form a riser. Compliant material is applied to the transfer substrate. A chip is secured to the compliant material, wherein the chip is secured to the compliant material above the riser. The chip is bonded to a target wafer while the chip is secured to the compliant material. The transfer substrate and compliant material are removed from the chip. The transfer substrate is opaque to UV light.
US09991141B2 Substrate processing apparatus and heater cleaning method
A substrate processing apparatus includes a heater having an infrared lamp and a housing for heating an upper surface of a substrate held by a substrate holding mechanism with the heater in opposed relation to the upper surface. A heater cleaning method includes locating the heater at a position above a lower nozzle in opposed relation to a first spout of the lower nozzle, the lower nozzle being in opposed relation to a lower surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding mechanism, and a lower cleaning liquid spouting step of supplying a cleaning liquid to the lower nozzle to spout the cleaning liquid upward from the first spout with no substrate being held by the substrate holding mechanism to thereby supply the cleaning liquid to an outer surface of the housing of the heater located at the heater cleaning position.
US09991138B2 Etching method and etching apparatus
An etching method includes a step of etching a cobalt film formed on a surface of a target object by supplying an etching gas containing β-diketone and an oxidizing gas for oxidizing the cobalt film to the target object. The supply of the etching gas and the oxidizing gas is carried out such that a flow rate ratio of the oxidizing gas to the etching gas is ranging from 0.5% to 50% while heating the target object to a temperature lower than or equal to 250° C.
US09991137B2 Substrate treatment method and substrate treatment device
This substrate processing method includes: a substrate rotating step of rotating a substrate around a predetermined vertical axis line at a first rotation speed; a liquid-tight step performed along with the substrate rotating step, and where a first opposed surface is opposed at a first distance to a rotated lower surface of the substrate, and at the same time, a processing liquid is discharged from a processing liquid dispense port of a lower surface nozzle opposed to the lower surface of the substrate to cause a space between the lower surface and the first opposed surface to be in a liquid-tight state by the processing liquid; and a liquid-tight state releasing step of releasing the liquid-tight state in the space between the lower surface and the first opposed surface by separating the lower surface and the first opposed surface after the liquid-tight step.
US09991134B2 Processing systems and methods for halide scavenging
Systems, chambers, and processes are provided for controlling process defects caused by moisture contamination. The systems may provide configurations for chambers to perform multiple operations in a vacuum or controlled environment. The chambers may include configurations to provide additional processing capabilities in combination chamber designs. The methods may provide for the limiting, prevention, and correction of aging defects that may be caused as a result of etching processes performed by system tools.
US09991133B2 Method for etch-based planarization of a substrate
Techniques herein provide an etch-based planarization technique. An initial film is deposited on a substrate. Deposition of this initial film results in a non-planar film because of differences in area density of underlying structures (for example, open areas compared to closely spaced trenches). Etch processes are executed that use a reverse lag RIE process to planarize the initial film, and then another coat of the film material can be deposited, resulting in a planar surface. Such techniques can planarized substrates without using chemical mechanical polishing (CMP).
US09991131B1 Dual mandrels to enable variable fin pitch
A double masking process is used to form semiconductor fin arrays having a controlled and variable fin pitch within different arrays. During the process, a top mandrel layer overlies a bottom mandrel layer over a semiconductor substrate. Sidewall structures formed on first mandrels within a first region of the substrate define a patterned hard mask that cooperates with a patterned photoresist layer over a second region of the substrate to form second mandrels within first and second regions of the substrate. Sidewall structures formed on the second mandrels are used as a masking layer to form a plurality of fins over the substrate.
US09991125B2 Method for forming semiconductor device structure
A method for forming a semiconductor device structure is provided. The method includes forming a dielectric layer over a semiconductor substrate. The dielectric layer has a first recess. The method includes forming a first conductive material layer over an inner wall and a bottom of the first recess. The first conductive material layer is partially filled in the first recess. The method includes performing a reflow process to convert the first conductive material layer into a first conductive layer. The first conductive layer has a second recess in the first recess. The method includes performing an electroplating process or an electroless plating process to form a second conductive layer over the first conductive layer so as to fill the second recess.
US09991124B2 Metal gate and manufacturing method thereof
The present disclosure provides a semiconductor structure, including an active region with a first surface; an isolated region having a second surface, surrounding the active region, the first surface being higher than the second surface; and a metal gate having a plurality of metal layers disposed over the first surface and the second surface. A ratio of a thinnest portion and a thickest portion of at least one of the plurality of metal layers is greater than about 40%.
US09991121B2 Method of manufacturing semiconductor device
To improve accuracy and shielding capabilities of impurity implantation, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided, the method including forming a first photoresist on a front surface of a semiconductor substrate, the front surface being provided with a front surface structure, forming, on the first photoresist or below a rear surface of the semiconductor substrate, a second photoresist having opposite photo-curing properties from those of the first photoresist, and implanting impurities into the semiconductor substrate using as a mask the second photoresist, which has been subjected to patterning.
US09991120B2 Dilution doped integrated circuit resistors
A process for forming an integrated circuit with a dilution doped resistor with a resistance that may be tuned by partially blocking the implant used to dope the resistor. A process for forming an integrated circuit with a dilution doped polysilicon resistor by partially blocking the resistor dopant implant from a portion of the polysilicon resistor body.
US09991114B2 Photolithographic patterning of electronic devices
A method of patterning a device includes forming a fluorinated photopolymer layer over a device substrate. The photopolymer layer has a lower portion proximate the device substrate and an upper portion distal the device substrate. The fluorinated photopolymer layer includes a radiation-absorbing dye and a fluorinated photopolymer having a solubility-altering reactive group. The photopolymer layer is exposed to patterned radiation to form exposed and unexposed areas in accordance with the patterned radiation and a developed structure is formed by removing unexposed areas using a developing agent that includes a first fluorinated solvent. The lower portion of the exposed area of the photopolymer layer has a dissolution rate in the developing agent that is at least 5 times higher than a dissolution rate for the upper portion.
US09991112B2 Method for forming dielectric film and method for fabricating semiconductor device
A method of forming a dielectric film includes providing a substrate in a chamber, and forming a silicon nitride film on the substrate using an atomic layer deposition (ALD) method in which a first gas including a silicon precursor containing hexachlorodisilazane (HCDZ) and a second gas containing a nitrogen ingredient are introduced into the chamber.
US09991106B2 Mass spectrometer with digital step attenuator
A method is disclosed comprising passing a signal output from a detector through a programmable attenuator or a programmable amplifier prior to digitizing the signal, and switching an attenuation factor or gain factor of the programmable attenuator or the programmable amplifier one or more times during a data acquisition period.
US09991099B2 Filament holder for hot cathode PECVD source
A chemical vapor deposition source that includes at least one plate to which first and second electrical connection posts are coupled. The chemical vapor deposition source also includes a filament having a first end and a second end. The first end of the filament is electrically connected to the first electrical connection post and the second end of the filament is electrically connected to the second electrical connection post. The chemical vapor deposition source further includes at least one filament holder electrically insulated from the at least one plate. The at least one filament holder holds a portion of the filament between the first end and the second end.
US09991095B2 Ion source cleaning in semiconductor processing systems
Cleaning of an ion implantation system or components thereof, utilizing temperature and/or a reactive cleaning reagent enabling growth/etching of the cathode in an indirectly heated cathode for an ion implantation system by monitoring the cathode bias power and taking corrective action depending upon compared values to etch or regrow the cathode.
US09991094B2 Low energy electron microscopy
The disclosure relates to a low energy electron microscopy. The electron microscopy includes a vacuum chamber; an electron gun used to emit electron beam; a diffraction chamber; an imaging device; a sample holder used to fix two-dimensional nanomaterial sample; a vacuum pumping device; and a control computer. The electron beam transmits the sample to form a transmission electron beam and diffraction electron beam. The control computer includes a switching module to switch the work mode between a large beam spot diffraction imaging mode and small beam spot diffraction imaging mode.
US09991092B2 Scanning electron microscope and sample observation method
A scanning electron microscope of the present invention performs scanning by changing a scanning line density in accordance with a sample when an image of a scanned region is formed by scanning a two-dimensional region on the sample with an electron beam or is provided with a GUI having sample information input means which inputs information relating to the sample and display means which displays a recommended scanning conditioHn according to the input and performs scanning with a scanning line density according to the sample by selecting the recommended scanning condition. As a result, in observation using a scanning electron microscope, a suitable scanning device which can improve contrast of a profile of a two-dimensional pattern and suppress shading by suppressing the influence of charging caused by primary charged particle radiation and by improving a detection rate of secondary electrons and a scanning method are provided.
US09991090B2 Dual laser beam system used with an electron microscope and FIB
The present invention discloses an electron microscope and FIB system for processing and imaging of a variety of materials using two separate laser beams of different characteristics. The first laser beam is used for large bulk material removal and deep trench etching of a workpiece. The second laser beam is used for finer precision work, such as micromachining of the workpiece, small spot processing, or the production of small heat affected zones. The first laser beam and the second laser beam can come from the same laser source or come from separate laser sources. Having one laser source has the additional benefits of making the system cheaper and being able to create separate external and internal station such that the debris generated from bulk material removal from the first laser beam will not interfere with vacuum or components inside the particle beam chamber.
US09991083B2 Magnetron cooling fin and magnetron having the same
A magnetron cooling fin has a flat plate shape in which one or a plurality of corrugated regions are formed in a body of the magnetron cooling fin to improve cooling efficiency thereof. A magnetron cooling fin in which a corrugated region processed to increase a contact area in contact with air is formed around a through-hole through which an anode unit of a magnetron passes, thereby improving cooling efficiency thereof.
US09991076B2 Electromechanical device
Electromechanical devices described herein may employ tunneling phenomena to function as low-voltage switches. Opposing electrodes may be separated by an elastically deformable layer which, in some cases, may be made up of a non-electrically conductive material. In some embodiments, the elastically deformable layer is substantially free of electrically conductive material. When a sufficient actuation voltage and/or force is applied, the electrodes are brought toward one another and, accordingly, the elastically deformable layer is compressed. Though, the elastically deformable layer prevents the electrodes from making direct contact with one another. Rather, when the electrodes are close enough to one another, a tunneling current arises therebetween. The elastically deformable layer may exhibit spring-like behavior such that, upon release of the actuation voltage and/or force, the separation distance between electrodes is restored. Thus, the electromechanical device may be actuated between open and closed switch positions.
US09991075B2 Controlling a controllably conductive device based on zero-crossing detection
A load control device may control power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source. The load control device may include a controllably conductive device adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between the AC power source and the electrical load, a zero-cross detect circuit configured to generate a zero-cross signal representative of the zero-crossings of an AC voltage. The zero-cross signal may be characterized by pulses occurring in time with the zero-crossings of the AC voltage. The load control device may include a control circuit operatively coupled to the controllably conductive device and the zero cross detect circuit. The control circuit may be configured to identify a rising-edge time and a falling-edge time of one of the pulses of the zero-cross signal, and may control a conductive state of the controllably conductive device based on the rising-edge time and the falling-edge time of the pulse.
US09991072B2 Air break electrical switch having a blade toggle mechanism
An electrical switch includes a pivotally supported blade, a toggle mechanism, and an operating mechanism. The operating mechanism is drivable in a first direction to pivot the blade about a first axis and toward a closed blade position. When pivoting toward the closed blade position, the toggle mechanism inhibits the blade from pivoting about a second axis. Upon reaching the closed blade position, continued motion of the operating mechanism in the first direction causes the toggle mechanism to pivot the blade about the second axis toward a closed contact position. In the closed contact position, the blade contacts at least one blade contact to electrically connect the blade and a first electrical terminal.
US09991069B2 Surgical instruments and switch assemblies thereof
A switch assembly includes a switch housing, a first switch subassembly, and a second switch subassembly. The first switch subassembly includes a shaft and a toggle button. The shaft is disposed within the switch housing and has a proximal end portion and a distal end portion. The shaft is pivotable relative to the switch housing about at least one pivot axis to actuate at least one function of a surgical instrument. The proximal end portion of the shaft includes a magnet. The toggle button is non-rotatably connected to the distal end portion of the shaft. The second switch subassembly includes a safety bar and a post. The safety bar is axially movable within the switch housing. The post extends through the safety bar such that movement of the safety bar along a longitudinal axis thereof moves the post between a firing position and a non-firing position.
US09991068B2 Push-button switch
A side-push push-button switch is provided in which the strength of a rear surface side of a housing to which a load is particularly applied by outside force caused by the switching operation of a push-button member is increased to stably mount the housing on a circuit board and ensure reliable and secure switching operation. The push-button switch includes a housing, a push-button member, and a holding frame. The housing accommodates a switch contact. The push-button member is disposed on a front-surface center portion of the housing and configured to press the switch contact. The holding frame of a channel shape covers outer surfaces of the housing. Both ends of the holding frame are secured to front-surface side portions of the housing on both sides of the push-button member.
US09991065B2 Contact MEMS architecture for improved cycle count and hot-switching and ESD
The disclosure is directed to optimized switching circuitry utilizing MEMS (Microelectromechanical Systems) circuitry in series with solid state circuitry. Specifically, the MEMS circuitry includes a first MEMS circuit in parallel with (and separate from) a second MEMS circuit. A paired signal is defined as a transmit signal and a receive signal (in a single band) that are transmitted or received on separate paths or on separate nodes. The transmit signal is associated with the first MEMS circuit, and the receive signal is associated with the second MEMS circuit. The solid state circuitry switches between the first MEMS circuit and second MEMS circuit without requiring any switching in the first or second MEMS circuits.
US09991063B2 Interlock article
An interlock for a circuit breaker having a first circuit breaker switch and a second circuit breaker switch. The interlock includes a first actuator movably associated with the first circuit breaker switch, a first limiter plate and a first handle securely associated with the first actuator and the first limiter plate. The interlock further includes a second actuator movably associated with the second circuit breaker switch, a second limiter plate, and a second handle securely associated with the second actuator and the second limiter plate. The first limiter plate and second limiter plates are configurable between a first configuration and a second configuration. When the first plate is in the second configuration, the second plate is non-movably configured in the first configuration, and when the second plate is in the second configuration, the first plate is non-movably configured in the first configuration.
US09991057B2 Hybrid fluoropolymer composition
The present invention pertains to a hybrid fluoropolymer composition, to a process for its manufacture and to its use in the manufacture of fluoropolymer films.
US09991056B2 Sonicating bath for anode foils
A process and apparatus are presented for cleaning the tunnels of an electrochemically etched anode foil. The apparatus includes a tank, a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, and one or more tranducers. The tank is designed to receive a plurality of cartridges, each of the plurality of cartridges having a reservoir and being designed to hold a metal foil. The fluid inlet and fluid outlet are coupled with at least one of the plurality of cartridges, and are designed to introduce and expel, respectively, a liquid from the reservoir within at least one of the plurality of cartridges. The one or more transducers are coupled to at least one wall of each reservoir, the one or more transducers being designed to sonicate the liquid within each reservoir at a frequency less than 300 Hz.
US09991055B2 Solid electrolytic capacitor assembly for use at high temperatures
A capacitor assembly that is capable of exhibiting good properties under hot conditions. The ability to perform under such conditions is due in part to the use of an intrinsically conductive polymer in the solid electrolyte that contains repeating units having the following formula (I): wherein, R is (CH2)a—O—(CH2)b; a is from 0 to 10; b is from 1 to 18; Z is an anion; and X is a cation. The resulting capacitor assembly may exhibit excellent electrical properties even when exposed to high temperatures.
US09991047B2 Antenna coil unit
The antenna coil unit includes a main coil and an auxiliary coil electrically insulated from the main coil, the auxiliary coil being arranged at a position in which an induction current is produced by a magnetic field produced by an electric current flowing through the main coil. The auxiliary coil is configured in a state in which a frequency deviating by a predefined amount in a predefined direction from a target frequency predefined within a harmonic component of the fundamental component of an electromagnetic wave produced by the electric current flowing through the main coil is taken as a resonance frequency. The direction and amount are such that the phase of an alternating-current current flowing through the auxiliary coil is in an opposite-phase state, which is opposite the phase of the harmonic component of an AC current flowing through the main coil.
US09991044B2 Electronic apparatus
An electronic apparatus includes a base and an electronic module. The base includes first and second base walls, a separating wall connected between the first and second base walls, and two receiving spaces disposed at opposite sides of the separating wall. The electronic module includes a terminal unit, and two electronic units respectively received in the receiving spaces and connected to the terminal unit. The terminal unit includes two pairs of first terminals, each of which has a connecting section protruding from one of two opposite side surfaces of the second base wall, and two second terminals, each of which has two connecting sections respectively protruding from two opposite side surfaces of the first base wall.
US09991042B2 Fixing structure for upper pressing blocks of stereoscopic wound core open-ventilated dry-type transformer
A fixing structure for the upper pressing blocks of a stereoscopic wound core open-ventilated dry-type transformer, including three coils arranged vertically. Three coils are arranged in triangle; an insulation ring is arranged at the upper end of each of the coils; a pressing block used for pressing the corresponding coil is placed on the upper surface of each insulation ring; an upper clamp is arranged above the pressing blocks; and press rods for pressing the pressing blocks are arranged on the bottom surface of the upper clamp. According to the disclosure, the upper clamp presses the pressing blocks and then the pressing blocks 3 press the coils, so the loosening of the coils is prevented and impact resistance of the coils is ensured; moreover, the pressing blocks which press the coils do not need to be tensioned by a lower clamp through utilizing a screw, and thus, the phase-to-phase distance between three coils will not be increased and the insulation distance between the coils is not to be increased; and in addition, four pressing blocks are evenly arranged on each coil, and thus, the coils bear more uniform stress, so the coils can be pressed better.
US09991039B2 Linear actuators
A linear actuator (20, 20′, 20″) comprises a plunger receptacle (22); a coil (24); a magnetic plunger (26); a magnetic base (28); a return spring (30); and a lock spring (32, 32′). The coil (24) is wound about at least a portion of an exterior surface of the plunger receptacle (22). The magnetic plunger (26) is at least partially disposed within a cavity at least partially formed by an interior surface of the plunger receptacle (22) for linear motion along a plunger axis (34). The magnetic base (28) is radially disposed relative to the plunger (26). The return spring (30) is disposed to bias the plunger (26) to a plunger extended position. The lock spring (32, 32′) is configured and oriented to lock the plunger (26) in the plunger extended position when power is not applied to the coil (24) but to be attracted to the magnetic base (28) and thereby permit movement of the plunger (26) to a plunger retracted position when the power is applied to the coil (24).
US09991034B2 Rare-earth permanent magnet and method for manufacturing rare-earth permanent magnet
There are provided a rare-earth permanent magnet and a manufacturing method thereof capable of preventing deterioration of magnet properties. In the method, magnet material is milled into magnet powder. Next, a mixture is prepared by mixing the magnet powder and a binder made of long-chain hydrocarbon and/or of a polymer or a copolymer consisting of monomers having no oxygen atoms. Next, the mixture is formed into a sheet-like shape so as to obtain a green sheet. After that, the green sheet is held for a predetermined length of time at binder decomposition temperature in a non-oxidizing atmosphere so as to remove the binder by causing depolymerization reaction or the like to the binder, which turns into monomer. The green sheet from which the binder has been removed is sintered by raising temperature up to sintering temperature. Thereby a permanent magnet 1 is obtained.
US09991029B2 Multi-phase cable
A multi-phase cable, the cable including a plurality of conductors for conducting currents of two or more different phases, each phase being associated with one or more conductors and each conductor being associated with one respective phase. Each conductor has a cross-section with at least one dimension that is sized to decrease a skin effect of the conductor at a maximum or nominal operation frequency of the conductor. The conductors are arranged to permit free air cooling of the cable on at least two sides of each conductor, and such that each conductor of a given phase has, as immediate neighbors, only conductors of one or more different phases.
US09991028B2 System and method for protecting a downhole cable
This disclosure relates to a system and method for protecting a downhole cable. A cable protection system can comprise a cable clamp. The cable clamp can comprise a pair of outer segments that can protrude in opposite directions and a middle segment that can connect the outer segments. Each of the outer segments can comprise an outer segment top portion and outer segment side portions. The outer segment top portion and the outer segment side portions can be connected substantially in a U-shape. Each of the outer segment side portions can comprise one or more slots.
US09991022B2 Electroconductive resin composition and pressure sensor
[Problem] To provide: an electroconductive resin composition which can be produced at low cost and is suitable as a material for the electrical conductors of a pressure sensor; and a pressure sensor including electrical conductors constituted of the electroconductive resin composition. [Solution] The present invention provides a pressure sensor (1) which includes an insulator (10) having a hollow portion (13) and a plurality of electrical conductors (11) that have been disposed apart from each other along the inner surface facing the hollow portion (13) of the insulator (10), the plurality of electrical conductors (11) comprising an electroconductive resin composition that includes both a styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer and carbon.
US09991021B2 Laser-weldable electrostatically dissipative polyoxymethylene based on stainless steel fibers
Polymer compositions containing a polyoxymethylene base polymer that is compounded with a conductive filler and pigment carbon black are disclosed that exhibit electrostatic dissipative (ESD) capabilities while also being laser weldable. The polymer composition can be formed into shaped or molded articles such as filters, flanges, connectors, etc. for use in fuel systems where conductivity, ductility, weldability, and resistance to aggressive fuels are required. The compositions can be compounded into a pellet product which can then be formed into a shaped article that complies with the ESD capabilities required by SAE J1645. At the same time, parts produced from the compositions can absorb laser energy sufficiently to form a high quality welded interface with parts produced from other compositions that are transparent to laser radiation and cannot absorb laser energy sufficiently.
US09991017B2 Method of forming amorphous carbon monolayer and electronic device including amorphous carbon monolayer
A method of forming an amorphous carbon monolayer (ACM) and an electronic device including the ACM are provided. The method includes forming the ACM on a surface of a germanium (Ge) substrate via a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. The CVD process includes injecting a reaction gas including carbon-containing gas and hydrogen (H2) gas in to a reaction chamber containing the Ge substrate, wherein a partial pressure of the H2 gas in the reaction chamber may range from 1 Torr to 30 Torr.
US09991015B2 Wire for electric fencing lines and electric fencing lines made from such wires
A use of a carbon steel wire for electric fencing lines, said carbon steel wire having a corrosion resistant coating, wherein the carbon content of said carbon steel wire is below 0.20 wt % and said corrosion resistant coating is zinc aluminum alloy or zinc aluminum magnesium alloy coating with a coating weight in the range of 30 to 100 g/m2.
US09991013B2 Production assemblies and removable target assemblies for isotope production
Production assembly for an isotope production system. The production assembly includes a mounting platform including a receiving stage that faces an exterior of the mounting platform. The mounting platform includes a beam passage that opens to the receiving stage and a stage port that is positioned along the receiving stage. A particle beam is configured to project through the beam passage and through the receiving stage during operation of the isotope production system. The stage port is configured to provide or receive a fluid through the receiving stage during operation of the isotope production system. The production assembly also includes a target assembly having a production chamber configured to hold a target material for isotope production. The target assembly includes a mating side that is configured to removably engage the receiving stage during a mounting operation.
US09991012B2 Extraction process
A process for extracting Cs-137 from i) an acidic solution obtained by dissolving an irradiated solid target comprising uranium, ii) an acidic solution comprising uranium which has previously been irradiated in a nuclear reactor, or iii) an acidic solution comprising uranium which has been used as reactor fuel in a homogeneous reactor, the acidic solution i), ii) or iii) having been treated to harvest Mo-99, wherein the process comprises contacting the treated acidic solution with an adsorbent comprising ammonium molybdophosphate (AMP). In an embodiment, the AMP is combined with an organic or inorganic polymeric support, for example AMP synthesized within hollow aluminosilicate microspheres (AMP-C).
US09991008B2 Systems and methods for analyzing soft errors in a design and reducing the associated failure rates thereof
Systems and methods for analyzing and reducing the failure rates due to soft errors in a design are provided. One such method involves analyzing the design by reading the design from a register-transfer-level language description or a netlist, manufacturing process soft error information, library information and timing constraints for the design to generate the failure in time (FIT) rate for the modules in the design. Another such method involves using the design and a list of memories that need error correction code inserted automatically and limiting the impact to the clock cycle, by analyzing the timing to the inputs and from the outputs of the memories and inserting an in-line or a late timing wrapper, which includes the ECC insert during writes, and ECC check and correct during reads, identifying the registers that need to be shadowed and used in the delayed ECC correct cycle, identifying the clock gating required for various elements in the design to get the correct logic at the conclusion of the re-play cycle of ECC correction in case of late timing ECC correction.
US09991007B2 Nonvolatile memory device and a method of operating the same
A nonvolatile memory device with a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells coupled to first through M-th wordlines and first through N-th bitlines (M>2, N>2), and a page buffer circuit including first through N-th page buffers that are coupled to the first through N-th bitlines, respectively, and generate first through N-th output data, respectively. A K-th page buffer includes first through L-th latches which generate read data by sampling a voltage of a K-th output line, which is discharged through a K-th bitline, at different sampling timings after a read voltage is applied to a P-th wordline (K≤N, L>1, P≤M). The K-th page buffer outputs the first output data if an error in the read data of the first latch is correctable.
US09990997B2 Semiconductor device including transistor with back gate, and memory device including the semiconductor device
The memory device includes a first transistor and a circuit. The circuit includes a second to a (2n+1)th transistor, a first to an n-th capacitor, a first wiring, and a first to an n-th retention node (n is an integer greater than or equal to 2). When n is 2, a memory cell MC[1] includes a transistor ROS[1], a transistor WOS[1], and a capacitor C[1] and a memory cell MC[2] includes a transistor ROS[2], a transistor WOS[2], and a capacitor C[2]. A back gate of the transistor WOS[1] and a back gate of the transistor WOS[2] are electrically connected to a wiring WBG. A bake gate of a first transistor, a back gate of the transistor ROS[1], and a back gate of the transistor ROS[2] are electrically connected to a wiring RBG.
US09990992B2 Method, system and device for non-volatile memory device operation
Disclosed are methods, systems and devices for operation of non-volatile memory devices. In one aspect, a correlated electron switch (CES) device may be placed in any one of multiple memory states in a write operation. A plurality of bitcells may be connectable to a common source voltage during a two-phase operation to place individual bitcells in intended impedance states.
US09990991B2 Resistive memory device and method relating to a read voltage in accordance with variable situations
A resistive memory device and a method may be provided. The resistive memory device may include a reset voltage-detecting circuit, a set voltage-detecting circuit, a control circuit and a read voltage-generating circuit. The reset voltage-detecting circuit may receive a variable preliminary reset current to detect reference reset voltage information. The set voltage-detecting circuit may receive a variable preliminary set current to detect reference set voltage information. The control circuit may receive the reference reset voltage information and the reference set voltage information to determine middle voltage information of the reference reset voltage information and the reference set voltage information. The read voltage-generating circuit may receive the middle voltage information to generate a read voltage.
US09990984B1 Pulse-stretcher clock generator circuit for high speed memory subsystems
The apparatus provided includes a memory. The memory is configured to receive a memory clock. The apparatus also includes a single stage logic gate configured to generate the memory clock from a reference clock. The memory clock is a gated clock. Additionally, the memory clock has a wider pulse width than the reference clock. In an example, the single stage logic gate comprises a pull-up circuit configured to pull-up the memory clock, and a pull-down circuit coupled to pull-down the memory clock. In an example, the pull-up and the pull-down circuits are configured to be controlled by the reference clock, a delayed reference clock, and a gating signal. An example further includes a delay circuit configured to generate the delayed reference clock from the reference clock. An example further includes a latch configured to generate the gating signal.
US09990978B2 Semiconductor devices relating to a refreshing operation
A semiconductor device may be provided. The semiconductor device may include an address input circuit and a target address generation circuit. The address input circuit may be configured to latch a bank address and an address to generate a bank active signal and a latch address based on the execution of an active operation. The target address generation circuit may be configured to generate the latch address as a target address.
US09990977B2 Power reduction for a sensing operation of a memory cell
Methods, systems, and devices for operating a ferroelectric memory cell or cells are described. A memory device may leverage non-volatile memory properties of a ferroelectric capacitor—e.g., that a ferroelectric capacitor may remain polarized at one of two states without a voltage applied across the ferroelectric capacitor—to activate a subset of sensing components corresponding to multiple memory cells with a common word line. For example, a first and second set of memory cells with a common word like may be selected for a read operation. A first set of sensing components corresponding to the first set of memory cells may be activated for the read operation, and a second set of sensing components that correspond to the second set of memory cells may be maintained in a deactivated state.
US09990971B2 Devices, methods, and systems supporting on unit termination
The present disclosure includes devices, methods, and systems supporting on unit termination. A number of embodiments include a number of memory units, wherein a memory unit includes termination circuitry, and a memory unit does not include termination circuitry.
US09990970B2 Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device may be provided. The semiconductor device may include a first chip and a second chip. The second chip may be configured to receive signals from the first chip to generate a latch address based on the received signals from the first chip.
US09990968B2 Control circuit and memory device having the same
In an embodiment, a control circuit may include a command interface, a clock selection signal output circuit, and a clock generating circuit. The command interface may output a selection enable signal in response to a command. The clock selection signal output circuit may output, in response to the selection enable signal, a clock selection signal according to various sub-operations performed in a selected operation. The clock generating circuit may generate main clocks having different periods according the clock selection signal.
US09990966B2 Simulating access lines
Examples of the present disclosure provide apparatuses and methods for simulating access lines in a memory. An example method can include receiving a first bit-vector and a second bit-vector in a format associated with storing the first bit-vector in memory cells coupled to a first access line and a first number of sense lines and storing the second bit-vector in memory cells coupled to a second access line and the first number of sense lines. The method can include storing the first bit-vector in a number of memory cells coupled to the first access line and a second number of sense lines and storing the second bit-vector in a number of memory cells coupled to the first access line and a third number of sense lines, wherein a quantity of the first number of sense lines is less than a quantity of the second and third number of sense lines.
US09990965B2 Storage device
Noise attributed to signals of a word line, in first and second bit lines which are overlapped with the same word line in memory cells stacked in a three-dimensional manner is reduced in a storage device with a folded bit-line architecture. The storage device includes a driver circuit including a sense amplifier, and first and second memory cell arrays which are stacked each other. The first memory cell array includes a first memory cell electrically connected to the first bit line and a first word line, and the second memory cell array includes a second memory cell electrically connected to the second bit line and a second word line. The first and second bit lines are electrically connected to the sense amplifier in the folded bit-line architecture. The first word line, first bit line, second bit line, and second word line are disposed in this manner over the driver circuit.
US09990962B2 Data sense amplifier and a memory device with open or folded bit line structure
A data sense amplifier may include: first and second external nodes, wherein a potential difference occurs between the first and second external nodes when a memory cell is selected; an amplification unit suitable for generating and amplifying a potential difference between first and second nodes in response to the potential difference between the first and second external nodes; and a switching unit suitable for electrically coupling the first and second external nodes to the first and second nodes, respectively, after a predetermined time elapses from when the memory cell is selected.
US09990957B2 Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and recording medium
The present invention comprises an input part for inputting image data, a receiving part for receiving production information relating to production transmitted from another apparatus, a recording part for recording the production information received by the receiving part and image data input by the input part, a detection part for detecting a recording position on a recording medium at an editing point of image data recorded by the recording part, and a transmission part for transmitting information of the recording position detected by the detection part, whereby identification information for identifying image data and voice data is recorded in a recording medium or a recording device, this relieving a burden on a photographer and an editor and facilitating extraction of image data and voice data.
US09990956B2 Recording apparatus
In a recording system comprising a plurality of recording apparatuses connected in cascade to increase the number of audio channels, a desired audio signal can be monitored. In the recording apparatus, when a digital audio signal is input from a digital input terminal and an analog audio signal is input from an analog audio input terminal, the analog audio signal is converted to a digital signal, which is further embedded in the digital audio signal and output from an output terminal. When an operation unit designates a channel to be used for monitor output, among the digital audio signal input from a digital input terminal and a digital audio signal obtained by converting the analog audio signal to the digital signal, an audio signal of the channel which is designated is output for monitoring.
US09990955B2 Image recording apparatus and method, and image playback apparatus and method
An image recording apparatus having an image sensing unit and a particular operation unit controls so as to start or to stop, in a case where the first recording mode is set, in accordance with an operation on the particular operation unit, a recording to a recording medium of a moving image captured by the imaging unit, and to control so as to record, in a case where the second recording mode is set, in accordance with an operation on the particular operation unit, while continuing recording to the recording medium of a moving image captured by the imaging unit, information indicating a start of a scene which is a portion of the moving image being recorded, or information indicating an end of a scene which is a portion of the moving image being recorded.
US09990950B1 Calibration and adjusting target pre-write clearance offset for a heat-assisted magnetic recording device
An apparatus comprises a slider configured for heat-assisted magnetic coupled to a controller. The slider comprises a writer, a heater, a near-field transducer, and an optical waveguide for communicating light from a laser diode to the near-field transducer. The controller is configured to set a target pre-write clearance of the slider prior to performing a write operation, set a target write clearance of the slider for performing the write operation, and determine a difference between the target pre-write and write clearances to define a target pre-write clearance offset. The controller is also configured to measure, for a plurality of different target pre-write clearance offsets, a writability metric for the slider while sweeping a laser diode current, and adjust the target pre-write clearance offset so that the writability metric reaches a predetermined threshold. The controller is further configured to perform subsequent write operations using the adjusted target pre-write clearance offset.
US09990948B1 Disk device with stopper for movable member
According to one embodiment, a stopper of a disk device includes a fixing member to be fixed to a supporter of the disk device, and a cushioning member formed of a fluorine rubber and attached to the fixing member. The cushioning member includes a contact surface which contacts the fixing member, a first contact surface which can contact the supporter of the disk device, and a second contact surface which can contact a movable member in the disk device, the first contact surface has a first surface adhesive force based on adhesion of the fluorine rubber, and the second contact surface is subjected to a non-adhesive surface treatment and has a second surface adhesive force which is less than or equal to 1/20 the first surface adhesive force.
US09990947B1 Pad sharing for contact sensor and bolometer with temperature compensation in heat-assisted magnetic recording device
A slider of a heat-assisted recording head comprises electrical bond pads coupled to bias sources and a ground pad, an air bearing surface, and a waveguide configured to receive light from a laser source. A contact sensor proximate the air bearing surface is coupled between a first bond pad and a second bond pad. A bolometer is coupled to a reference thermal sensor. The bolometer is situated at a slider location that receives at least some of the light communicated along the waveguide. The reference thermal sensor is situated at a slider location unexposed to the light communicated along the waveguide. The bolometer and reference thermal sensor are coupled between the first and second bond pads and in parallel with the contact sensor. A ground connection is coupled to the ground pad and at a connection between the bolometer and the reference thermal sensor.
US09990946B2 Head assembly and magnetic disk device
To control the resonance generated in the head assembly and improve property on the head location controlling. A head assembly includes: a slider having a head element; a slider supporting plate for holding the slider; a load beam for holding the slider supporting plate; a support projection which is arranged on the front end part of the load beam and on which the slider supporting plate is supported rotatably; a drive unit that rotates the slider supporting plate around the support projection; a dynamic vibration absorber arranged on the slider supporting plate, wherein the dynamic vibration absorber is disposed closer to the rear end side of the load beam than the support projection and has vibration freedom in the rotating direction of the slide supporting plate.
US09990940B1 Seed structure for perpendicular magnetic recording media
A data storage medium having a seed structure formed of a first seed layer comprising a nickel alloy NiY, where Y is an element selected from Al, B, Fe, Nb, W, and Co, and a second seed layer represented by NiWAX, where A is an element selected from Al, B, Fe, Nb, and Co, and X is either B, Si, Ti, Nb, V, Cr, Ru, or an oxide, with the second seed layer being disposed on the first seed layer; and a magnetic recording layer above the seed structure. In addition, a method for manufacturing a data storage medium containing the aforementioned seed structure is also disclosed.
US09990937B1 Device and method for synchronizing speakers
A first speaker, comprising: a receiver configured to receive, from a second speaker, a second runtime and a second number of audio samples when the first speaker plays an audio file synchronized with the second speaker; a calculator configured to calculate a time interval value based on the second runtime; a generator configured to generate a revised second number of audio samples based on the time interval value; a comparator configured to compare a difference between the revised second number of audio samples and a first number of audio samples of the first speaker so as to determine the amount of latency of the first speaker; an adjustor configured to adjust a playing speed of the first speaker; and an output configured to output the audio file according to the adjusted playing speed.
US09990936B2 Method and apparatus for separating speech data from background data in audio communication
A method and an apparatus for separating speech data from background data in an audio communication are suggested. The method comprises: applying a speech model to the audio communication for separating the speech data from the background data of the audio communication; and updating the speech model as a function of the speech data and the background data during the audio communication.
US09990928B2 Audio watermarking via phase modification
An audio watermarking system conveys information using an audio channel by modulating an audio signal to produce a modulated signal by embedding additional information into the audio signal. Modulating the audio signal includes segmenting the audio signal into overlapping time segments using a non-rectangular analysis window function produce a windowed audio signal, processing the windowed audio signal for a time segment to produce frequency coefficients representing the windowed time segment and having phase values and magnitude values, selecting one or more of the frequency coefficients, modifying phase values of the selected frequency coefficients using the additional information to map the phase values onto a known phase constellation, and processing the frequency coefficients including the modified phase values to produce the modulated signal.
US09990927B2 Method and apparatus for encoding and decoding 3-dimensional audio signal
A method of encoding a multi-channel 3-dimensional (3D) audio signal mixed with a multi-channel 3D object signal is provided. The method includes: obtaining a location parameter indicating a virtual location of the multi-channel 3D object signal on a multi-channel speaker layout based on a gain value of the multi-channel 3D object signal for each channel; and encoding the multi-channel 3D audio signal and the location parameter.
US09990926B1 Passive enrollment method for speaker identification systems
Techniques for passive enrollment of a user in a speaker identification (ID) device are provided. One technique includes: parsing, by a processor of the speaker ID device, a speech sample, spoken by the user, into a keyword phrase sample and a command phrase sample; identifying, by a text-dependent speaker ID circuit of the speaker ID device, the user as the speaker of the keyword phrase sample; associating the command phrase sample with the identified user; determining if the command phrase sample in conjunction with one or more earlier command phrase samples associated with the user is sufficient command phrase sampling to enroll the user in a text-independent speaker ID circuit of the speaker ID device; and enrolling the user in the text-independent speaker ID circuit using the command phrase samples associated with the user after determining there is sufficient command phrase sampling to enroll the user.
US09990920B2 System and method of automated language model adaptation
Systems and methods of automated adaptation of a language model for transcription of audio data include obtaining audio data. The audio data is transcribed with a language model to produce a plurality of audio file transcriptions. A quality of the plurality of audio file transcriptions is evaluated. At least one best transcription from a plurality of audio file transcriptions is selected based upon the evaluated quality. Statistics are calculated from the selected at least one best transcription from the plurality of audio file transcriptions. The language model is modified from the calculated statistics.
US09990910B2 Locking strap mechanism
An automatically actuating strap lock mechanism for use on instruments is disclosed. The multiple embodiments disclosed herein use an automatically actuating retaining mechanism to allow a user to attach the end of a strap to a strap button on an instrument without having to manipulate a lever or knob. The retaining mechanism is capable of being moved into the open position using the head of a strap button, allowing a user to slide the mechanism over a strap button. Once a strap button is seated in the strap lock mechanism, the retaining mechanism is automatically released, locking the strap button in place.
US09990909B1 Cymbal
A cymbal having a plurality of openings where at least a portion of the material removed from the plurality of openings is maintained on the cymbal.
US09990907B2 String locking tailpiece for fixed bridge musical instruments
A string-locking tailpiece for fixed bridge musical instrument which allows for quick string changes. The device eliminates the conventional 3 wraps around the tuning peg. Tuning is stable because the ball end cannot slip thru the tuning peg hole. As well, it also drastically reduces the time necessary for restringing. The tailpiece receives a free end of the string after it has been strung through the tuning pegs and is clamped by a set screw within the tailpiece.
US09990905B2 Information displaying apparatus and information displaying method
Provided is an information displaying apparatus in which even when an image movement operation is received, it is possible to move an image excluding an image desired by a user. The apparatus is able to receive a predetermined selection movement operation for selecting a part or the whole of the image that is being displayed currently as an image to be moved for moving and a predetermined selection operation for selecting a part of the image that is being displayed currently as a movement prohibition image. When the predetermined selection movement operation is received in a state where the movement prohibition image is selected depending on the above-described predetermined selection operation, the apparatus executes display control to move the above-described image to be moved in a state where the above-described movement prohibition image is displayed at a current display position as it is.
US09990889B2 Organic light-emitting display device and driving method thereof
A display device has first and second pixel columns and at least one third pixel column. The first pixel column includes first pixels to emit light of a first color and a second pixels to emit light of a second color alternately arranged in a first direction. The second pixel column includes the first pixels and the second pixels arranged in the first direction in a reverse order from the first pixel column. The at least one third pixel column includes third pixels to emit light of a third color and arranged in the first direction. The first and second pixel columns are alternately arranged in a second direction crossing the first direction. The third pixel column is between the first and second pixel columns. The second pixel of the first pixel column and the second pixel of the second pixel column are connected to a same data line.
US09990888B2 Organic light emitting diode display and method for driving the same
An organic light emitting diode display and a method for driving the same are disclosed. The organic light emitting diode display includes a display panel including data lines and gate lines crossing each other, blocks each including a plurality of subpixels, and sensing paths, each of which is shared by the plurality of subpixels included in each block, a data driver supplying a sensing data voltage to each subpixel through the data lines and outputting a sensing value of each block obtained through the sensing path, and a data modulator selecting a compensation value of each block based on the sensing value of each block, modulating data of an input image using the compensation value, and transmitting the modulated data of the input image to the data driver.
US09990885B2 Throttling power consumption based on a current draw of an organic light emitting diode (OLED)
Embodiments of systems and methods for power control in an Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) display device are described. In an embodiment, a method includes monitoring a level of current draw from an Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) display device. The method may also include comparing the level of current draw to a threshold value. Additionally, a method may include throttling system power consumption in response to the level of current draw exceeding the threshold value.
US09990884B2 Pixel selection control method, driving circuit, display apparatus and electronic instrument
A pixel selection control method, driving circuit, display apparatus and electronic instrument are disclosed. A driving circuit includes a logic circuit configured to receive a reference signal associated with a line of pixels. The reference signal has a first logic level or a second logic level. The driving circuit also includes a switch circuit configured to receive the reference signal and an enable signal, and to provide the enable signal to the logic circuit when the reference signal is at the first logic level. A display apparatus may be provided that includes the driving circuit.
US09990880B2 Pixel unit reducing voltage stress applied to driving transistor, pixel circuit having the pixel unit and driving method thereof
Provided is a pixel unit, a pixel circuit comprising the pixel unit and a driving method thereof. The pixel unit comprises a light-emitting element and n driving sub-circuits; wherein n is a natural number and n>1; each of the driving sub-circuits comprises a scan signal line for control-electrode, a switching transistor and a driving transistor; the switching transistor has a control electrode connected to the scan signal line for control-electrode, a first electrode connected to a data line, and a second electrode connected to a control electrode of the driving transistor; the driving transistor has a first electrode connected to a power supply line and a second electrode connected to a first electrode of the light-emitting element; and a second electrode of the light-emitting element is connected to a reference voltage terminal.
US09990878B2 Data clipping method using red, green, blue and white data, and display device using the same
A data clipping method using red, green, blue and white data, and a display device using the same are disclosed. Red (R), Green (G), Blue (B), and White (W) data are modulated by multiplying clipped data of an input image by a gain, a luminance increment is created based on the result of subtracting the clipped data from the modulated RGB data, and the luminance increment is added to the W data to be written to a W sub-pixel.
US09990876B2 System and method for monitoring a signage system of a transit vehicle
A sign-monitoring system includes at least one electronic sign and a controller comprising a processor and memory. The electronic sign includes a pixel array, the pixel array including a plurality of pixels. The electronic sign further includes an embedded controller coupled to the at least one electronic sign. The embedded controller develops diagnostic information for the at least one electronic sign, the diagnostic information including information related to a number of malfunctioning pixels in the plurality of pixels. The controller is communicably coupled to the embedded controller and receives at least a portion of the diagnostic information from the embedded controller. In addition, the controller assesses the at least a portion of the diagnostic information to develop health information. The assessment involves evaluating the information related to the number of malfunctioning pixels.
US09990875B2 Display panel, method and device for measuring screen flickering, and display device
The present disclosure provides a display panel, a method and a device for measuring screen flickering, and a display device. The display panel includes a substrate, data lines and gate lines arranged on the substrate and crossing each other, and subpixel units defined by the data lines and the gate lines. Each subpixel unit includes a TFT, a pixel electrode, a first common electrode and a second common electrode. The second common electrode is connected to an input end capable of providing an alternating voltage at a first frequency. An orthogonal projection of the second common electrode onto the substrate at least partially overlaps an orthogonal projection of the pixel electrode onto the substrate.
US09990874B2 Method, apparatus and computer program product for testing video playback quality
A method for testing a display includes capturing information displayed by the display at a location of an identifier displayed with a frame of a sequence of frames; and analysing the captured information. The method further includes determining a colour of the identifier; and using information on the determined colour to determine at least one of the following: a change of a frame in the sequence of frames displayed by the display; a timestamp of a frame in the sequence of frames displayed by the display; a frame of the sequence of frames not displayed by the display. An apparatus for implementing the method is also included.
US09990873B2 Display apparatus and method of testing the same
A display apparatus includes: a display unit including a plurality of pixels connected to a plurality of scan lines and a plurality of data lines; an initialization unit for applying an initialization signal to the plurality of data lines; and a wire test unit for applying a wire test signal to the plurality of data lines through a plurality of fan-out lines respectively connected to one end of each of the plurality of data lines.
US09990869B1 Modular display panel
Embodiments of the present invention relate to integrated modular display panels. In one embodiment, modular display panel includes a shell with a first thermally conductive material, a printed circuit board disposed in the shell, and a plurality of LEDs attached to a first side of the printed circuit board. A driver circuit is disposed in the shell and coupled to the plurality of LEDs from a second side of the printed circuit board. The panel further includes a power supply unit for powering the LEDs. The printed circuit board are disposed between the power supply unit and the plurality of LEDs. A second thermally conductive material is disposed between the power supply unit and an outer back side of the panel. A protective structure is disposed over the first side of the printed circuit board, where a display side of the panel, opposite the outer back side, is waterproof.
US09990868B1 Compact, convertible exit sign
A compact exit sign includes a main body having an open frontal portion, an annular side wall portion and a rear panel portion including a central opening extending across greater than half of the rear panel, and a front plate including a face portion provided with exit indicia. The exit sign can be selectively converted between single and double face exit signs by snap-connecting a first, solid and non-transparent insert to the main body across the central opening of the rear panel to establish a single face exit sign and snap-connecting a second, exit indicia containing insert to the main body across the central opening of the rear panel to establish a double face exit sign. A lighting system is housed within the main body for illuminating the exit indicia for either of the single or double face configurations.
US09990865B2 Shrink wrap label coating to facilitate recycling
The present disclosure relates to a coating composition used to form a bond in the seam area of a label substrate material that wraps around an article and is shrunk in conformance to the size and shape of the article. The coating composition is comprised of at least first and second resins, and in some instances, third resins as described herein. The coating composition provides good bond strength in the seam area of the label, and the coating composition and/or each of the resins thereof may be at least partially hydrolysable but not solutionable in a hot caustic bath, enabling separation of the label from the article during recycling. Further disclosed is a method providing for the separation of labels from the articles, and further disclosed are labeled articles employing the coating compositions.
US09990863B2 Perfusion phantom device
The invention relates to a phantom device for reproducing the fluid perfusion in a body, said device comprising a phantom organ that may be introduced into a scanner, said phantom organ comprising a housing in which are defined a plurality of fluid channels, suitably of differing cross-sectional areas; a feed tube arranged to supply liquid to a first end of all of said channels and means for collecting liquid from the other end of the channels. Alternatively or additionally, the device may comprise an element comprising a phantom heart through which fluid can flow, wherein the phantom heart comprises a first chamber representing a right atrium which is arranged to receive fluid from a fluid supply, a second chamber representing a right ventricle which receives fluid leaving said first chamber, a third chamber representing a left atrium which receives fluid leaving the second chamber and a fourth chamber representing left ventricle which receives fluid leaving the third chamber; and wherein a phantom thoracic system is interposed between the second chamber and the third chamber.Uses of the device in quality control, validation or calibration of monitoring devices such as magnetic resonance (MR) or computerized tomography (CT) scanners, in teaching or training of machine operatives or for research purposes including for research into scanners, scanning techniques or reagents such as contrast agents used in such processes, form further aspects of the invention.
US09990858B2 Golf swing classification method, golf club selection method, golf swing classification device, and golf swing classification system
Provided is a golf swing classification method that is capable of optimizing selection of a golf club. A golf swing classification method when a golf club hits a golf ball according to the present invention includes the steps of: acquiring acceleration in at least a single point on the golf club or in at least one point that follows the single point during the golf swing; and mapping a behavior of the golf club based on a time period from a time point when an absolute value of the acceleration is at a maximum to a time point when the golf club hits the golf ball.
US09990856B2 Systems and methods for providing vibration feedback in robotic systems
Systems and methods for training an operator of a robotic surgery system are disclosed. One such method includes enabling the operator to perform a test procedure, recording vibrations of a surgical tool of the robotic surgery system during the test procedure, and generating a score for the operator based at least in part on the recorded vibrations of the surgical tool.
US09990855B2 Method for guiding an aircraft
The guiding method such as described correctly guides an aircraft on a platform of an airport, even in complex taxiing areas.
US09990851B2 Obstacle-information-managing device
An obstacle-information-managing device determines, with high precision, the presence of an obstacle around a vehicle. The obstacle-information-managing device includes an obstacle-information-acquiring unit, an obstacle-detection-possibility-information-acquiring unit, and an obstacle-presence-determining unit. The obstacle-information-acquiring unit acquires obstacle information pertaining to an obstacle around each of a plurality of vehicles including a host vehicle, the obstacle being detected using environment sensors mounted on the vehicles. The obstacle-detection-possibility-information-acquiring unit acquires obstacle detection possibility information pertaining to the possibility, when at least one obstacle is detected using the environment sensor(s) mounted on at least one of the vehicles and at least one obstacle is not detected using the environment sensor(s) mounted on the remaining vehicle(s), of at least one of the obstacles being detected using the environment sensor(s) mounted on the remaining vehicle(s). The obstacle-presence-determining unit determines the presence of at least one obstacle based on the obstacle-detection-possibility information and the obstacle information.
US09990847B2 Traffic accident occurrence notification system using LED display lamps
The present invention relates to a traffic accident occurrence notification system using LED display lamps, comprising: an emergency message generating unit provided in a mobile means so as to generate a wireless signal in an emergency situation; a plurality of LED display lamps provided together with street lamps provided on a road so as to receive the wireless signal from the emergency message generating unit and display a turned-on or flickering state from a position at which the wireless signal is received to a position at which a distance is set at a rear; and a street lamp control server for controlling the street lamps and the LED display lamps and determining the position at which the wireless signal is received so as to transmit information thereof to a rescue server. The present invention provides the emergency message generating unit in a vehicle so as to detect an accident or enable a driver to recognize an emergency situation and select propagation of the emergency situation, and enables a nearby street lamp to receive the wireless signal when the emergency message generating unit transmits the wireless signal so as to turn on or flicker the LED display lamps such that the LED display lamps located at the rear of a distance set at a corresponding position are turned on or flicker so as to make a driver in a rearward vehicle recognize the occurrence of the emergency situation ahead, thereby preventing the occurrence of a secondary collision accident.
US09990846B1 Device, system and method for traffic management
Devices, systems and methods for adaptive traffic signaling, including at least one signal output unit, at least one processor to receive a first input from a traffic signaling control system, and to receive at least one second input from at least one external source, and a wireless communication module to allow communication between the at least one external source and the processor, wherein the processor is to control operation of the signal output unit based on the first input and second input.
US09990845B2 Communications platform for facilitating efficient container transport
A process, including a mobile application, for tracking the drayage driver and vehicle movement and reporting where the driver is and how much time he has been at a location, as well as details about the driver and cargo is described. This process can correlate driver and vehicle identification and allow for the transfer of bill of lading or hazardous material restrictions. Data captured is easily be made available in advance to the port terminals (which must have container ready for pick up); available for the shipping company (which can see cargo en-route—regardless of which company the driver works for); and available for the destination warehouse (which must receive and process the shipment). The association of cargo owners, shippers, terminal yards, drayage companies, drivers, and drayage job assignments can further be linked.
US09990839B2 System and method of identifying a number of occupants in a monitored region for effective emergency evacuation and assistance
When an ambient alarm system detects an alarm condition in the monitored region, the ambient alarm system can transmit a first signal to one or more registered user devices, responsive thereto, the one or more registered user devices can activate a respective Bluetooth peripheral device, the ambient alarm system can initiate a discovery process with the one or more registered user devices, responsive to the discovery process, the respective Bluetooth peripheral device of each of the one or more registered user devices can transmit a respective second signal to the ambient alarm system indicative of a respective identification of a respective one of the one or more registered user devices. Based on a number of received identifications, the ambient alarm system can identify the number of occupants in the monitored region.
US09990833B2 Apparatus and method for providing a task reminder based on user location
Providing a reminder of a task to be performed at a task location includes receiving location information identifying a location of a user via a mobile communication device associated with the user, receiving information that identifies a task, receiving information that identifies a task location, and providing a reminder for the task based on a current location of the user and on a comparison of an estimated probability of the user traveling in a trajectory leading toward or away from the task location.
US09990832B2 Occupancy detection by social media
A method for security and/or automation systems is described. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving social media data via a signal, analyzing the social media data based at least in part on a first parameter, identifying occupancy information based at least in part on the analyzing, and assessing a structure occupancy based at least in part on the identifying.
US09990830B2 Spatial telemeter alert reconnaissance system
Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for a spatial telemeter alert reconnaissance system (“STARS”). According to one aspect disclosed herein, the STARS can receive, from a spatial mapping and monitoring (“SMM”) device, an initial space map for a space in which the SMM device is deployed. The initial space map can include a volume capacity of the space. The STARS can receive, from a user device, at least one space parameter to be utilized for the space in which the SMM device is deployed. The STARS device can update the SMM device in accordance with the space parameter. In some embodiments, the at least one space parameter can include a mapping frequency. The mapping frequency can instruct the SMM device to perform spatial mapping of the space at a specified time interval.
US09990829B2 System and method for adapting alarms in a wearable medical device
According to another example, a wearable medical device controller is provided. The device controller includes a memory and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to determine a correlation between a phenomenon identifiable by the wearable medical device controller and at least one response pattern associated with a patient and store, responsive to detecting the correlation, an adaptation path to address the at least one response pattern, the adaptation path specifying an adaptation of at least one characteristic of an alarm. The at least one response pattern may include a plurality of response patterns and the adaptation path may reflect adaptations made to address at least some of the plurality of response patterns.
US09990826B1 System for monitoring offender during correctional supervisory program
The present disclosure provides details of a system for monitoring an offender during a correctional supervisory program. The system includes an offender communication device that transmit and receive communications via a communication and monitoring center. The offender communication device include a smart phone or tablet that obtains identity information including biometric information from an offender before a communication is transmitted or received. The offender communication device also stores data including metadata, metrics, or content of a communication and transmits the stored data to the communication and monitoring center. The communication and monitoring center transmits and receives communications from the offender communication device and another communication device. Further, the communication and monitoring center provides monitoring functionality to record a communication and determine that a location of an offender is in an authorized location based on rules and requirements of the correctional supervisory program.
US09990825B2 System and method for detecting and suppressing fire using wind information
A fire detection and suppression system correcting fire detection based on wind. Wind may affect both the apparent position of the fire detected by the fire detectors and also the suppressant jet being delivered by a monitor. Typically wind results in shifting of estimated fire location away from the real fire in the direction of wind. Similarly, the suppressant jet will also be diverted in the same direction. The system comprises fire detectors for acquiring two-dimensional fire location information for a fire. A wind sensor acquires wind information, often in region of the fire. A system controller then compensates the three-dimensional fire location information based on the wind information. Additionally, the position of fog/jet monitors is preferably compensated based on the wind information. The jet pressure setting is also ideally determined based on the wind.
US09990819B2 Magnetic hinge sensor for barrier
Methods and systems are described for determining operation of an openable barrier into a building. A method for determining an open state of a barrier may include identifying a first position for the barrier, the barrier having at least one hinge and a hinge sensor magnetically mounted to the at least one hinge. The method may further include determining, based at least in part on the hinge sensor, when the barrier changes position from the first position to a second position. The method may further include wirelessly transmitting data concerning the change in position of the barrier.
US09990818B2 Enhanced emergency detection system
A method includes reading a digital signal from a sensing device in an area of a structure, where the digital signal is configured to be present periodically. A trailing edge of the digital signal is determined. An analog signal from the sensing device is read, where the analog signal includes an output from a sensor included in the sensing device, and where the sensor is configured to detect an aspect of an environment. The analog signal is read after the trailing edge of the digital signal.
US09990810B2 Decoy sensor system for automated teller machines
Apparatus and methods for a sensor system are provided. The system may be configured to detect a dispensing of cash from an automated teller machine (“ATM”). The system may be configured to orient one or more sensors to capture a first information stream that includes the dispensing of cash. The system may be configured to detect a retraction of cash by the ATM. The system may orient one or more sensors to capture a second information stream that includes the retraction. The system may be configured to determine an estimate of cash collected by an ATM customer. The estimate may be based on a comparison of the first information stream and the second information stream.
US09990809B2 Method and apparatus for electronic gaming
A system and method for providing a card game is provided. Players are provided an option to enter one or more tournaments (for real monies or play monies). In an embodiment, a tournament lasts for a predetermined number of hands for a predetermined duration. As an example, a tournament duration may be defined by the number of players who bust out or complete a requisite number of hands by a predetermined date and time, or is defined by a specified number of players who bust out or complete the requisite number of hands. A tournament payout pool is determined based on the number of players who busted out or played in the tournament for a predetermined number of hands and duration.
US09990805B2 Gaming system and method for providing a bonus game with a choice by another player(s)
A gaming system having a plurality of game devices, a game controller, a shared experience controller and a method for operation thereof is disclosed. Each game device allows a player to make a wager on a game and awards the respective player an award as a function as a result of a winning condition for the game played by the respective player. The game controller is coupled to the game devices for playing the game, randomly establishing the actual outcome of the game, and determining if any of the players have a winning condition. The shared experience controller is coupled to the game devices for recognizing a bonus condition for one of the players, responsively providing a choice of items to one or more other players, and providing a bonus award to the one player and/or any of the other players in response to selection of on of the items.
US09990802B2 Gaming device having multiple interacting independently operable wheels
A gaming device having multiple interacting independently operated symbol generators, such as wheels. In one embodiment, each wheel includes a plurality of sections that are associated with a plurality of different outcomes which are displayed to a player. One or more of the wheels are activated, either sequentially or simultaneously and the results of the wheel activations influence one or more subsequent wheel activations. Upon a terminating event, an outcome based on the results from one or more spins of one or more of the wheels is provided to the player.
US09990799B2 Table games and related methods
A gaming table in which the outcome of the game is determined manually, and in which players place bets electronically and wins or losses are calculated electronically. The gaming system is applicable to any suitable game including roulette.
US09990795B2 Dynamic transaction card with EMV interface and method of manufacturing
A dynamic transaction card with EuroPay-Mastercard-Visa (“EMV”) technology that includes an EMV interface connecting EMV contacts and an EMV processor to enable a multifunctional dynamic transaction card. A method of manufacturing a dynamic transaction card with an EMV interface connecting EMV contacts and an EMV processor. A dynamic transaction card with an EMV interface may be manufactured using a separate printed circuit board (PCB) layout with EMV contact patterns placed into the top surface of a molding to create the dynamic transaction card. The edges of the EMV contact patterns would be incorporated through holes, which are trimmed to scallops, to allow for surface mounting. The EMV interface may then include a connection between the EMV contact patterns and the EMV microprocessor such that the EMV microprocessor does not have to be placed directly beneath the EMV contact patterns.
US09990788B2 Systems and methods for anticipatory locking and unlocking of a smart-sensor door lock
An electronic device associated with a lock device detects a trigger event related to security of a smart home environment, determines a target state of the lock device based on the trigger event, and determines a current state of the lock device. A notification is sent to a user device including an indication of the trigger event and a prompt for an override input, and instructions to operate the lock device are either provided or not provided to the lock device based on a result of a comparison of the target state with the current state, and further based on a received override input or lack of a received override input.
US09990787B2 Secure door entry system and method
A method for controlling access to a secure area via an electronic door entry system includes the steps of: displaying a bar code associated with the door entry system which can be read by a smartphone, the bar code encoding instructions for establishing a communications channel between the smartphone and a remote authentication system where a passcode for the door entry system can be obtained by an authorized person; receiving authentication data for a person over the communications channel from the smartphone; authenticating a person based on the authentication data; communicating a passcode to the smartphone; receiving a passcode input at the door entry system; verifying the passcode; and, generating a door lock release signal for the door entry system if the passcode is verified.
US09990786B1 Visitor credentials
A request is received by a member of a credential granting authority to issue an electronic visitor credential to a visitor of the credential granting authority, the electronic visitor credential enabling access to resources of the credential granting authority. It is determined that the member of the credential granting authority is authorized to issue the credential to the visitor. Based on the determination that the member of the credential granting authority is authorized to issue the credential to the visitor, the electronic visitor credential is issued with at least one timing restriction that defines a time period during which the electronic visitor credential is valid and at least one usage restriction that limits resources of the credential granting authority to which the electronic visitor credential enables access It is determined to withdraw the electronic visitor credential. Based on determining to withdraw the electronic visitor credential, the credential is withdrawn.
US09990783B2 Regulating vehicle access using cryptographic methods
A system and method of regulating access to a vehicle from a wireless device communicating using short-range wireless communications includes: transmitting a vehicle access certificate signing request from the wireless device to a central facility; receiving an authenticated vehicle access certificate from the central facility in response to the vehicle access certificate signing request, wherein the authenticated vehicle access certificate is signed using a central facility private key and includes the wireless device public key; transmitting the authenticated vehicle access certificate containing the wireless device public key from the wireless device to the vehicle via a short-range wireless communications protocol; receiving from the vehicle a shared secret that is encrypted by the wireless device public key; decrypting the received shared secret using a wireless device private key; generating a command controlling vehicle functions; and transmitting the command from the wireless device to the vehicle.
US09990779B2 System and method for modifying virtual objects in a virtual environment in response to user interactions
The methods, systems, techniques, and components described herein allow interaction volumes of virtual objects in a virtual environment, such as a Virtual Reality (VR) environment or Augmented Reality (AR) environment, to be modified based on user interactions taken on virtual frames created for those virtual objects. A user interaction element of a virtual frame may receive a user interaction. The user interaction may comprise one or more instructions to modify the size, shape, or other visual property of the virtual object. As an example, the user interaction may comprise one or more instructions to change a size of the virtual object while maintaining a scale of the virtual object. In response to the user interaction, visual properties of the virtual frame and/or the virtual object may be modified. Interaction volumes of component elements of the virtual frame as well as interaction volumes of the virtual object may be modified in response to the user interaction.
US09990778B2 Notification system for virtual reality devices
A notification system for virtual reality devices that includes a message indicator device, an audiovisual (A/V) signal source connected to the message indicator device and adapted provide an A/V feed containing at least one of video information and audio information, a monitoring system connected to the message indicator device and configured to detect notification events at a monitored premises, and a virtual reality (VR) headset connected to the message indicator device and adapted to receive and present the A/V feed, wherein the message indicator device is adapted to communicate the A/V feed to the VR headset during a normal operating state, and wherein the message indicator device is adapted to communicate an alert signal to the VR headset upon detection of a notification event by the monitoring system.
US09990777B2 Privacy-sensitive consumer cameras coupled to augmented reality systems
An augmented reality display device comprises a housing for one or more components for the augmented reality display device, wherein the one or more components comprises a plurality of sensors to capture information pertaining to the user's surroundings, and wherein at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors is an image-based sensor, a processing module communicatively coupled to the housing to process a set of data retrieved from the plurality of sensors, wherein the processing module comprises a gating mechanism that selectively allows data to be uploaded to the cloud, and a detachable camera removably attached to a housing of the augmented reality display device, such that when the detachable camera is attached to the housing of the augmented reality display device, the gating mechanism is opened such that data retrieved from the detachable camera is uploaded to the cloud.
US09990774B2 Sensory stimulus management in head mounted display
Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for managing the sensory stimulus generated by a head mounted display (HMD). One method includes an operation for identifying the game state of a game being executed for display on a head mounted display (HMD). Further, the method includes an operation for determining the game intensity value for the game state based on user intensity ratings obtained from user play of the game. The user intensity ratings represent the level of sensory stimulus presented to users during the user play of the game via the HMDs of the respective users. Further, the method includes an operation for presenting the game intensity value to the HMD for rendering during execution of the game.
US09990769B2 Conveying state-on-state data to a user via hierarchical clusters in a three-dimensional model
Systems and methods according to various embodiments enable a user to view three-dimensional representations of data objects (“nodes”) within a 3D environment from a first person perspective. The system may be configured to allow the user to interact with the nodes by moving a virtual camera through the 3D environment. The nodes may have one or more attributes that may correspond, respectively, to particular static or dynamic values within the data object's data fields. The attributes may include physical aspects of the nodes, such as color, size, or shape. The system may group related data objects within the 3D environment into clusters that are demarked using one or more cluster designators, which may be in the form of a dome or similar feature that encompasses the related data objects. The system may enable multiple users to access the 3D environment simultaneously, or to record their interactions with the 3D environment.
US09990766B2 Method and system for predicting collision probability of space objects via graphics processing unit
Method and system for predicting collision probability of space objects are provided. Space objects are allocated according to a total number thereof for parallel computation in a GPU device. Initial orbit states of the space objects are generated by an initial-orbit-state generation kernel of the GPU device. Orbit propagation for each space object is performed based on the initial orbit state to predict a state of each space object by an orbit propagation kernel of the GPU device. The predicted states of the space objects are collected by a predicted-orbit-state collection kernel of the GPU device. A real-time visualization and rendering of the predicted space objects are performed in a form of point cloud during interactions between CPU threads and GPU kernels. A CPU host predicts a collision probability of any two space objects among the multitude of space objects, according to the interactions between the CPU threads and the GPU kernels.
US09990762B2 Image processing apparatus and method
An image processing apparatus includes a calculator configured to calculate a first difference value between frames in terms of either one or both of a position and a direction of a direct light by comparing a current frame to at least one previous frame, and a determiner configured to determine that an indirect light of the current frame is to be sampled in response to the first difference value being greater than or equal to a threshold.
US09990754B1 System for rendering using position based finite element simulation
The present disclosure provides embodiments of systems and methods for rendering and skinning in video game applications that utilize a modified finite elements analysis in combination with position based dynamics. Position based dynamics can be used to provide a tradeoff of accuracy for speed and stability. The resulting position based finite element process provides for rendering and skinning elements, such as character models, during real time execution of a game application. Embodiments of the position based finite element technique can provide high quality deformations with a small number of elements, and simulate those elements more efficiently than previous methods used in the art.
US09990753B1 Image stitching
A computer system that execute a method to stitch satellite images into a wide-angle image. The method includes dividing each of the satellite images into plural subimages, determining whether the subimages include an overlap area that overlaps with adjacent subimages, obtaining cropped subimages by removing the overlap area from the subimages, generating preprocessed satellite images each including the cropped subimages, selecting a reference image and a target image from the preprocessed satellite images, determining plural correspondent pairs in an overlap region between the reference and target images based on a feature matching algorithm, obtaining a transformation matrix by a least-squares algorithm and based on coordinates of the correspondent pairs, obtaining calibrated coordinates for each pixel of the target image by applying the transformation matrix, and stitching the target images into the wide-angle image based on the calibrated coordinates of the target image.
US09990752B2 Image processing device, imaging device, microscope system, image processing method, and computer-readable recording medium
An image processing device includes: an image acquiring unit that acquires first and second image groups, each image sharing a common part of a subject with the other image in different first and second directions; a calculating unit that calculates, as a shading component, a ratio of luminance of an area in one or more images, the area sharing a common subject with another area including a flat area whose shading component is constant in a single image other than the one or more images, to luminance of the another area, for each of the first and second image groups; and a correcting unit that performs a shading correction on shading areas in the images using the shading component. The shading component includes a normalized shading component based on luminance of the flat area, and a non-normalized shading component based on luminance of an area other than the flat area.
US09990750B1 Interactive geo-referenced source imagery viewing system and method
The present invention pertains to geographical image applications. A user may transition between nadir and street level imagery using unstitched oblique imagery. Oblique images offer a rich set of views of a target location and provide a smooth transition to or from other images such as nadir photographs taken by satellites or street level photographs taken by ground level users. Using unstitched oblique images avoids artifacts that may be introduced when stitching together one or more images. This allows an application to display images to a user and create the illusion of three dimensional motion.
US09990745B2 Personalized-recommendation graph
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a number of recommendations for a first user. Each recommendation being made by a second user and including information that: identifies an item being recommended; provides an explanation for the recommendation; identifies the first user as an addressee of the recommendation; and identifies the second user as an author of the recommendation. The method also includes providing for presentation to the first user one or more of the recommendations.
US09990743B2 Suppression of vascular structures in images
Image processing techniques may include a methodology for normalizing medical image and/or voxel data captured under different acquisition protocols and a methodology for suppressing selected anatomical structures from medical image and/or voxel data, which may result in improved detection and/or improved rendering of other anatomical structures. The technology presented here may be used, e.g., for improved nodule detection within computed tomography (CT) scans. While presented here in the context of nodules within the lungs, these techniques may be applicable in other contexts with little modification, for example, the detection of masses and/or microcalcifications in full field mammography or breast tomosynthesis based on the suppression of glandular structures, parenchymal and vascular structures in the breast.
US09990740B2 Camera-based brush creation
In embodiments of camera-based brush creation, an image is displayed in a brush application interface of a virtual brush application on a computing device. A photo capture selection can be received through the brush application interface to initiate capturing a digital photo of the image with a camera device of the computing device. A brush can then be created for the virtual brush application based on the image and brush-edit inputs, and the brush saved as a brush template in a brush library that is accessible by the virtual brush application. The brush can be created as a ribbon brush that expands a middle section of the image represented as a brush stroke in the brush application interface. Alternatively, the brush can be created as a scatter brush that repeats multiple images of the image represented as a brush stroke in the brush application interface.
US09990735B2 Image generation device that acquires images based on a periodic variation of an anatomical structure
An image generating apparatus includes: a diagnosis image generating section that generates, as a diagnosis image for every first time interval, at least one of a moving image in which a predetermined part of a human body or an animal is photographed and temporally continuous images based on the moving image; an image target setting section that acquires, for the diagnosis image, a first image at a predetermined time and a second image for every second time interval longer than the first time interval from the predetermined time; a pixel color converting portion that converts, of pixels of the first image and the second image, colors of pixels satisfying a predetermined condition to be distinguishable; and a display image generating section that generates an image for display using the first image and the second image whose colors of the pixels have been converted by the pixel color converting portion.
US09990732B2 Entity recognition system
A first terminal accompanying a subject moving entity transmits a first time-sequential data string, which represents a history of a first state quantity varying depending on a behavior of the subject moving entity, to a second terminal wirelessly. The second terminal stores a second time-sequential data string representing a history of a second state quantity of a moving entity detected by a moving entity detector in association with the moving entity detected. The received first time-sequential data string and the stored second time-sequential data string are referred to so as to identify the association between (i) the first terminal, which is equivalent to a transmission source of the first time-sequential data string, and (ii) an identified moving entity that is identified from the detected moving entity, to determine that the identified moving entity is associated with the first terminal.
US09990730B2 Visible light image with edge marking for enhancing IR imagery
The invention relates generally to edge detection and presentation in thermal images. Infrared and visible light images comprising at least partially overlapping target scenes are analyzed. An edge detection process is performed on the visible light image to determine which pixels represent edges in the target scene. A display image is generated in which some pixels include infrared image data and in which pixels corresponding to edges in the visible light image include a predetermined color and do not include corresponding infrared image data to emphasize edges. Edge pixels in the display image can include exclusively the predetermined color, or in some examples, a blend of a predetermined color and visible light image data. Methods can include replacing one or the other of visible light edge pixels or corresponding infrared pixels with the predetermined color before combining the visible light and infrared image data to create a display image.
US09990725B2 Medical image processing apparatus and medical image registration method using virtual reference point for registering images
A medical image registration method includes determining whether a reference point of registration is present in a first medical image and a second medical image of an object; in response to determining that the reference point is not present in one of the first medical image and the second medical image, estimating a virtual reference point corresponding to the reference point in one of the first medical image and the second medical image, in which the reference point is not present, by using anatomical information of the object; and registering the first medical image and the second medical image by using the estimated virtual reference point.
US09990724B2 Image recording simulation in a coordinate measuring machine
The present invention relates to a method for simulating an image recording by an optical sensor of a coordinate measuring machine for inspecting a measurement object, comprising the following steps: providing a first data set representing a model of the measurement object, a second data set representing a model of an illumination of the measurement object, and a third data set representing a model of an optics of the optical sensor, and rendering an image stack on the basis of the first data set, the second data set and the third data set, wherein the image stack has a plurality of virtual images of at least one partial region of the measurement object, wherein each virtual image is rendered at least with a different second and/or different third data set. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for optimizing an image recording by a coordinate measuring machine.
US09990717B2 Hemoglobin and hematocrit analyzer and analyzing method thereof
Described is a hemoglobin and hematocrit analyzer, and an analyzing method thereof. The method includes: scanning and taking an image signal of the palpebral conjunctiva of a subject by a scanning unit; receiving the image signal by an analyzing unit connected to the scanning unit; providing a default colorimetric scale by a database connected to the analyzing unit; inputting a clinical test result into the analyzing unit through an input unit connected to the analyzing unit. The image signal is transformed by the analyzing unit to a measured color value. The measured color value is compared with the default colorimetric scale to obtain a test result. The measured color value and the clinical test result are provided as feedback to the database.
US09990714B2 Apparatus and method for global optimization
An apparatus and method for computing optima of a function of a digital image. The apparatus includes circuitry configured to initialize a plurality of candidate points that lie in a solution space of the function, and computes one or more stationary points of the function. The circuitry deflates a gradient of the function at each of the one or more computed stationary points, and repeats the computing and the deflating until a first criteria is satisfied. The circuitry selects a predetermined number of fit points, recombines the selected fit points to generate a set of new candidate points, and repeats, for the set of new candidate points, the computing, the deflating, the first repeating, the selecting, and the recombining, until a second criteria is satisfied. The circuitry obtains the optima of the function upon the second criteria being satisfied, and processes the digital image based on the obtained optima.
US09990710B2 Apparatus and method for supporting computer aided diagnosis
An apparatus and method for supporting computer aided diagnosis (CAD). The apparatus includes: a control processor configured to determine a duration during which a remaining image of a first region of interest (ROI) detected from a first image frame is displayed, based on a characteristic of measuring the first ROI; and a display configured to mark a remaining image of a second ROI of a second image frame in the first image frame and display the marked image on a screen, in response to the first image frame being acquired during a duration set to display the remaining image of the second ROI. the first image frame is obtained subsequent to the second image frame.
US09990707B2 Image analysis methods for plated through hole reliability
In some embodiments, methods include acquiring a micrograph image of a plated through hole and converting the micrograph image to a binary image. Methods include defining a pixel line at a copper-dielectric material interface of the binary image. In some embodiments, methods include comparing a length of an interface line compared to a length of a portion to determine a roughness of the pixel line. In some embodiments, methods include determining a roughness of the hole wall before copper plating. Methods may include determining a roughness of the interface using the pixel line.
US09990706B2 Global contrast correction
Systems and methods may apply global contrast correction to a plurality of thermal images. For example, a vehicle may capture a plurality of aerial thermal images for use in generating a composite image. Each individual thermal image may be individually contrasted based on the temperature range of pixels in that image, so the contrast range of the thermal images may vary. The plurality of thermal images may be analyzed to determine a global contrast range. Extreme temperatures may be excluded from the global contrast range. Based on the global contrast range, a contrast level of each of the plurality of thermal images may be adjusted. For example, the individual temperature range of each thermal image may be scaled to a global temperature range. A composite image having consistent contrasting may be generated from the plurality of thermal images.
US09990704B2 Image processing apparatus and image processing method
An image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes: an obtaining unit configured to obtain a brightness range value; and a generating unit configured to generate a display-image data on the basis of the brightness range value obtained by the obtaining unit, wherein the generating unit generates the display-image data on the basis of two or more of first image data, second image data, and brightness difference data such that, when the brightness range value obtained by the obtaining unit is within a predetermined range, a maximum gradation value of the dynamic range of the generated display-image data steadily approaches a maximum gradation value of the dynamic range of the first image data as the brightness range value obtained by the obtaining unit decreases.
US09990700B2 Systems and methods for media privacy
A system comprises a picture and metadata captured by a content capture system; a recognizable characteristic datastore configured to store recognizable characteristics of different users; a module configured to identify a time and a location associated with the picture based on the metadata, and to identify one or more potential target systems within a predetermined range of the location at the time; a characteristic recognition module configured to retrieve the recognizable characteristics of one or more potential users associated with the potential target systems, and evaluate whether the picture includes one or more representations of at least one actual target user from the potential users based on the recognizable characteristics of the potential users; a distortion module configured to distort a feature of the representations of the least one actual target user in response to the determination; a communication module configured to communicate the distorted picture to a computer network.
US09990699B1 Block match denoising for real-time imaging
A low-latency method for applying image processing steps includes processing and displaying portions of the image as they are received in real-time. In a denoising process, the portion is denoised by selecting pixels, establishing a block centered on each pixel, identifying similar blocks within the portion, and performing a filtering process such as hard thresholding before the entire image is received. Pixels within each block may also be averaged.
US09990698B2 Control apparatus, lens apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that determine data as coefficient data corresponding to an order less than a predetermined order of an approximation function
A control apparatus includes a storage circuit that stores first data containing a plurality of coefficient data obtained by approximating an optical transfer function of an optical system to an approximation function having a predetermined order. An input circuit inputs information of an image processing apparatus that is different from the control apparatus and performs image processing on an image captured by using the optical system. A determination circuit determines second data, that are coefficient data corresponding to an order lesser than the predetermined order of the approximation function, from the first data, based on the information of the image processing apparatus. An output circuit outputs the second data to the image processing apparatus.
US09990695B2 Edge sensing measure for raw image processing
A method, apparatus and system for performing a demosaic operation are described. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises: a plurality of interpolation modules to perform a plurality of interpolation operations to generate color pixel values of a first color for a plurality of pixel locations in an image region that do not have color pixel values of the first color; a first module to generate a set of color pixel values of the first color for the image region, one or more color pixel values in the set of pixel values being generated based on color pixel values of the first color from one of the plurality of interpolation modules; and a second module to select the one interpolation module based on an interpolation direction determined by color intensity gradient calculations that involve pixel values of the first color and at least one other color.
US09990694B2 Methods and devices for outputting a zoom sequence
Certain embodiments of this disclosure include methods and devices for outputting a zoom sequence. According to one embodiment, a method is provided. The method may include: (i) determining first location information from first metadata associated with one or more images, wherein the first location information identifies a first location; and (ii) outputting, for display, a first zoom sequence based on the first location information, wherein the first zoom sequence may include a first plurality of mapped images of the first location from a first plurality of zoom levels and the plurality of mapped images are sequentially ordered by a magnitude of the zoom level.
US09990688B2 Signal continuity assessment using embedded watermarks
Methods, apparatus, and systems use embedded watermarks to determine whether the segments of a multimedia content has been rearranged. The embedded watermarks are recovered from the content and one or more attributes associated with the recovered watermarks are identified. A continuity of the content can then be assessed in accordance with the one or more attributes. The continuity assessment may be based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to a determined heartbeat of the recovered watermarks, a density, separation, location, or extent, of the recovered watermarks, as well as information associated with the watermarks, such as a stego key, channel bits, packet numbers, a fingerprint, or the like.
US09990686B2 Method for generating a data-bearing halftone image, and method for decoding the data-bearing halftone image
A method for generating a data-bearing image is implemented by an encoding system including a halftoning module and an encoding module that stores encoding rules associated with respective codes. In the method, the halftoning module converts a grayscale image into a halftone image having a plurality of image cells each consisting of a plurality of dots, at least one of which is a first-tone dot and each of the rest of which is a second-tone dot. Afterward, the encoding module generates a data-bearing halftone image encoded with at least one of the codes by maintaining or changing the number of the first-tone dots in one of the image cells based on one of the encoding rules associated with the at least one of the codes.
US09990685B2 Automated guidance system and method for a coordinated movement machine
An automated guidance system for a coordinated movement machine includes a camera and a processor. The camera is mounted to a movable component of the coordinated movement machine. The processor is configured to visually recognize individual workpieces among a plurality of similarly shaped workpieces using a program running on the processor. The processor is further configured to determine x, y and z and Rx, Ry and Rz of the movable component with respect to each recognized workpiece among the plurality of recognized workpieces, and to move the movable component of the coordinated movement machine after determining x, y and z and Rx, Ry and Rz of the movable component.
US09990682B2 Facilitating passenger to manage airline reservation within electronic message
Systems and methods for facilitating passengers to manage airline reservations within electronic messages are disclosed. Interactive content may be determined based on airline reservation information associated with the passengers. The interactive content may include content sets for the passengers to purchase flight options such as upgrading seats, meals, entertainment, and the like within the electronic message. The interactive content may include content sets for the passengers to interact with (e.g., select) offers by merchants. Targeted offers or advertisements may be obtained from the merchants by providing passenger information. In some examples, selection of targeted offers for presentation to the passenger in the electronic messages may be made based on historical information related to the passenger (e.g., such as product preferences manifested by the passengers in the past).
US09990670B1 Apparatus and method for providing product location information to customers in a store
A system and method are disclosed for providing product location information within a store. The system comprises a first user interface fixed within the store and an inventory information unit coupled to the first user interface. The first user interface is configured to receive an input signal from a user related to the identity of a product within the store, to process the input signal and to provide a product inquiry signal in response to the input signal. The first user interface is further configured to receive a location information signal, and to provide an output signal in response to the location information signal. The inventory information unit comprises a database containing product location information and is configured to provide the location information signal to the first user interface after receiving the product inquiry signal from the first user interface.
US09990668B2 System and method for intelligent ordering between a user and multiple providers
The present invention provides a computer system and method for facilitating a transaction between a buyer and a seller. The seller is one of multiple available providers of a product and/or service. Initially, the buyer sends out an order, and the order is automatically verified. A seller is then determined based on at least one desirable characteristic of that particular seller. Then, the order is automatically translated into a format understandable by the desired seller. The order is communicated to the desired seller and the status of the order is later communicated to the buyer.
US09990665B1 Interfaces for item search
Searching for items, such as apparel items, can be performed using a set of category-specific outlines or contours from which a user can select. The outlines enable a user to quickly specify a relevant category, and provide guidance as to how to orient the camera in order to enable an item to be identified in an image without the need for an expensive object identification and segmentation process. The outline can specify a “swatch” region, indicating where the user should position a view of a pattern, texture, or color of the item in which the user is interested. The category selection and swatch region data can be used to determine matching items. If the user wants a different set of search results, the user can select a different outline, causing a new query to be executed with updated category information and swatch data to obtain new search results.
US09990662B2 Computer-based technology for aiding the repair of motor vehicles
A computer-assisted inspection system provides computer architectures and software controlled algorithms to automatically provide vehicle inspections and repair recommendations including estimated repair time and cost of depression type damage such as dents. Features provided by a handheld wireless touchscreen based inspection device include flat car part picking, auto grading including seller grading, and automatic calculation of body and bumper dent repair parameters and directions.
US09990660B2 Dynamic group formation for electronically collaborative group events
Member profiles, for the participants of a social networking service and their relationship information with other participants and activity history data, are received. A plurality of groups is generated that include one or more participants. A set of parameters for a collaborative shopping event is received. At least one group is adjusted based upon the set of parameters. The participants of the at least one group are sent an invitation to join the collaborative shopping event. The collaborated shopping event is linked to a cyber shopping service. The at least one group is scored based upon participation of participants in the collaborative shopping event. The participants in the collaborative shopping event are modified based upon the score.
US09990658B2 Retail location robotic wall system
A robotic retail wall is presented allowing for the dispensing of merchandise within a retail location. The robotic wall includes commodity products and robotics that pick and deliver products to consumers in response to input at a kiosk. The robotics and products are separated from a retail space by a transparent barrier, allowing consumers in the retail space to view the actions of the robotics in retrieving a product. Behind the robotic wall is a product stocking area, where commodity products can be added to the robotic wall with assistance from the robotics.
US09990657B2 Information display device, distribution device, information display method, and non-transitory computer readable storage medium
According to one aspect of an embodiment, an information display device includes a display unit configured to display first content and second content in a display region so as to overlap each other. The information display device includes a change unit configured to change the second content to third content, depending on a position where a predetermined region included in the first content is displayed.
US09990652B2 Targeting social advertising to friends of users who have interacted with an object associated with the advertising
A viewing user is provided with social advertisements when accessing content associated with a social networking system. A social advertisement can include a candidate advertisement and an associated social story. Candidate advertisements are advertisements provided by one or more advertisers, where the advertisements each specify a relationship between their advertising content and one or more social networking objects. To identify social stories associated with the candidate advertisements, the social networking system identifies other users associated with the viewing user who has interacted with social networking objects that are related to candidate advertisements. Additionally, the social networking system identifies the one or more interactions between the other users and the one or more objects as a social story. The social networking system selects a candidate advertisement and combines it with a social story to create a social advertisement and sends the social advertisement for display to the viewing user.
US09990645B1 Digital frequency card
Techniques for providing a digital frequency card are disclosed. A digital frequency card provides an offer or reward upon completion of a prescribed set of one or more actions. In some embodiments, in response to receiving an indication of an occurrence of an action from a set of one or more prescribed actions associated with a digital frequency card of a user, information associated with the digital frequency card stored with respect to a user account of the user is automatically updated to reflect the occurrence of the action, and the user is automatically provided a current status of the digital frequency card.
US09990642B2 System and method for granting promotional rewards to credit account holders
A system and method for providing promotional rewards is provided. First, a promotional reward is communicated to a customer. The promotional reward offer comprises a promotional reward associated with one or more promotional reward-earning behaviors and a promotional time frame. The offer may specify a customer population, and the customer may be enrolled in the promotional reward program if the customer is determined to be in the population. The customer is credited a promotional reward if the customer accomplishes the promotional reward-earning behavior(s) within the promotional time frame. The customer may also be enrolled in a base reward program. The promotional rewards and base rewards may be accumulated in a customer account. A system for implementing a promotional rewards program is also provided.
US09990638B1 Providing data messaging support by intercepting and processing received short message service (SMS) messages at a customer support service
A message receiving, intercepting and processing method and corresponding application and device may provide receiving a message at a message processing server, the message being intended for a phone number associated with a customer service provider, identifying a telephone number of the sender of the message, parsing at least one word from the message, retrieving user account information of the sender, and generating an automated response to the message that includes contextual information that is based on at least one of the user account information and the parsed at least one word from the message.
US09990634B2 Managing an experience of a member organization of a collaborative commerce community through a network
Embodiments for methods, systems and apparatuses for managing a member organization experience of a collaborative commerce community through a network are disclosed. One method includes managing buyer company profiles of a plurality of buyer organizations and seller company profiles of a plurality of seller organizations, wherein the buyer company profiles and the seller company profiles are shared amongst the buyer organizations and the seller organizations associated with the network, wherein the member organization is at least one of the plurality of seller organizations or the plurality buyer organizations. The method further includes providing unified management of collaborative interactions between the plurality of seller organizations and the plurality of buyer organizations, determining an intra-organization link between users of the member organization based on the collaborative interactions of the member organization and a subset of the plurality of buyer organizations or a subset plurality of seller organizations.
US09990633B2 Providing market feedback associated with electronic commerce transactions to sellers
An electronic commerce system providing market feedback to sellers includes a server. The server records query information associated with a search query for a buyer of one or more databases containing product data and also records presentation information associated with presentation of multiple search results to the buyer, each search result including data for a product matching one or more search criteria specified in the search query, the search results including one or more search results reflecting product data for a particular seller. The server also records selection information associated with selection by the buyer of a particular search result from among the multiple search results and also provides at least some of the recorded query information, presentation information, or selection information to the particular seller to allow the particular seller to assess one or more aspects of its product data relative to product data of other sellers.
US09990629B2 Internet service provider (ISP) authentication of eCommerce transactions
The present disclosure provides internet service provider (ISP) authentication of eCommerce transactions, more particularly, a method and system of associating an ISP recognition identification (ID) with a cashless payment account. A system, method, and software product are provided for fraud prevention in the field of cashless payment account transactions. A computing device receives details of completed eCommerce payment transactions. A number of ISP recognition IDs are also received indicating merchant URLs of personal computing devices. A computing device then flags all received ISP recognition IDs for a time period surrounding the completed eCommerce payment transactions, and defines sets of flagged ISP recognition IDs. The sets of flagged ISP recognition IDs are then compared in generating candidate ISP recognition IDs (i.e., ISP subscriber lines), which are associated with each cashless payment account. Further iterations allow for limiting of the number of ISP recognition IDs associated with each cashless payment account.
US09990628B2 Two-level authentication for secure transactions
A system and method provide efficient, secure, and highly reliable authentication for transaction processing and/or access control applications. A Personal Digital Key stores one or more profiles (e.g., a biometric profile) in a tamper-proof memory that is acquired in a secure trusted process. Biometric profiles comprise a representation of physical or behavioral characteristics that are uniquely associated with an individual that owns and carries the PDK. The PDK wirelessly transmits the biometric profile over a secure wireless transaction to a Reader for use in a biometric authentication process. The Reader compares the received biometric profile to a biometric input acquired at the point of transaction in order to determine if the transaction should be authorized.
US09990626B1 Personalized gift cards
Techniques and arrangements for personalizing gift cards based, in part, on exchanging personalized messages between a customer that buys a gift card and a customer that receives and uses the gift card. A point-of-sale (POS) device of a merchant may receive a personalized message from the customer buying the gift card at the time of the purchase. The POS device may then present the personalized message to the customer receiving the gift card when the customer uses the gift card to satisfy a cost of a transaction between the merchant and the customer. During or after the transaction, the POS device may further receive feedback from the recipient customer of the gift card. The POS device may then send the feedback to the customer that originally bought the gift card.
US09990623B2 Systems and methods to provide information
Systems and methods are to provide information to facilitate online transactions via mobile communications. In one aspect, a system includes a data storage facility to store and associate personal information of a user with a telephone number of the user, and an interchange coupled with the data storage facility. The interchange includes a common format processor and a plurality of converters to interface with a plurality of different controllers of mobile communications. The converters are configured to communicate with the common format processor in a common format and to communicate with the controllers in different formats. The interchange uses the converters to communicate with the mobile phone of a user to approve the providing of the personal information from the data storage facility to a website.
US09990620B2 Shared mobile payments
Methods and systems are provided for facilitating shared mobile payments. According to an embodiment, a user can initiate a purchase using a mobile device. The mobile device can display a total price for the purchase. The first user can cooperate with one or more second users to share the cost of the purchase. The cooperation can be facilitated via the first and second users' mobile devices.
US09990616B2 Magnetic head protection frame, card swiping module, and POS machine
The present invention is applicable to the field of POS machines, and provides a magnetic head protection frame used in a POS machine, a card swiping module using the magnetic head protection frame, and a POS machine using the card swiping module. The magnetic head protection frame comprises a support frame, the support frame is strip-shaped, and the support frame defines a first opening exposing the magnetic head; a circuit board is mounted on an outside surface of the support frame, the circuit board is arranged along the whole length direction of the support frame, and the circuit board avoids a position corresponding to the first opening; connecting wires are connected on the circuit board. By arranging the circuit board on the outside surface of the support frame, since the circuit board will be open-circuited or short-circuited when it is subjected to a physical attack, an alarming signal will be triggered, and thus a security processor on a main board of the POS machine can be triggered, such that information stored in electronic components in a protected area is erased or destroyed, the function of preventing user information from being stolen is achieved, and the magnetic head is protected so as to read card information safely.
US09990615B2 Digital jukebox device with karaoke and/or photo booth features, and associated methods
Certain exemplary embodiments relate to entertainment systems and, more particularly, certain exemplary embodiments relate to jukebox systems that incorporate digital downloading jukebox features along with karaoke jukebox and/or photo booth features. A combined karaoke/photo booth/jukebox may enable more integrated performance-like experiences in an in-home or out-of-home location or venue. By leveraging vast audio media libraries, trusted rights-respecting network infrastructure, and on-site image/video capturing from integrated recorders and/or remote portable devices, a more sociable experience may be created for karaoke jukebox patrons, e.g., where custom content can be generated and shared in a safe and legally appropriate manner.
US09990607B1 Balanced network and method
A low-latency, high-bandwidth, and highly scalable method delivers data from a source device to multiple communication devices on a communication network. Under this method, the communication devices (also called player nodes) provide download and upload bandwidths for each other. In this manner, the bandwidth requirement on the data source is significantly reduced. Such a data delivery network is scalable without limits with the number of player nodes. In one embodiment, a computer network includes (a) a source server that provides a data stream for delivery in the computer network, (b) player nodes that exchange data with each other to obtain a complete copy of the data stream, the network nodes being capable of dynamically joining or exiting the computer network, and (c) a control server which maintains a topology graph representing connections between the source server and the player nodes, and the connections among the player nodes themselves. In one embodiment, the control server is associated with a network address (e.g., an IP address) known to both the source server and the player nodes. The data stream may include, for example, a real-time broadcast of a sports event.
US09990603B2 Product inventory system
Methods, systems, and apparatus include computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, including a method for identifying, inventorying and managing physical possessions. Image data is captured including one or more images or video of physical possessions of a person that occupy a space. The captured image data is automatically analyzed to recognize physical products included in the image data and to determine a position of each recognized physical product in the space. The recognized physical products are automatically inventoried including preparing a list of products. Each entry in the list includes a product name or identifying information and location information for where the product is located in the space. A representation of the space is generated including respective physical products. A user interface is provided for presenting the inventory including providing the representation of the space and displaying a representation of respective physical products in the space.
US09990602B2 Cost and latency reductions through dynamic updates of order movement through a transportation network
A method, system, and computer program product for shipping management. The computer implemented method commences upon receiving a first set of orders to be shipped to a destination region in accordance with a first set of timing constraints, then building a first set of multi-stop shipments, the first set of multi-stop shipments comprising a first multi-stop carrier schedule that satisfies the set of timing constraints. The method waits a calculated duration before receiving a second set of orders to be shipped to the destination region in accordance with a second set of timing constraints. A second set of multi-stop shipments is built, wherein the second set of multi-stop shipments comprises a second multi-stop carrier schedule for at least one stop not included in the first set of multi-stop shipments, and the second multi-stop carrier schedule satisfies both the first set of timing constraints and the second set of timing constraints.
US09990601B2 System, delivery device and methods for use therewith
A delivery device includes an image capture device for generating delivery image data of a delivery at a service address. A processor executes a delivery application to bidirectionally communicate delivery data with the delivery data server via the network interface, wherein the delivery data includes a delivery tracking number and the delivery image data. The delivery data server processes the delivery data to provide a delivery confirmation to a customer at the service address, wherein the delivery confirmation includes the delivery tracking number and the delivery image data.
US09990593B2 Systems and methods for event admissions based on fingerprint recognition
Systems and methods for fingerprint recognition-based event admission are provided. A user may use a user device to purchase a ticket for an event and provide a fingerprint scanned on the user device to a fingerprint validation system. The fingerprint validation system may associate the purchased ticket with the user and store the fingerprint template associated with the user as a reference template. When the user arrives at an entrance of the event, the user may scan a fingerprint at a fingerprint scan device at the entrance. Fingerprint validation system may compare the received fingerprint template with stored fingerprint reference templates, validate that the user is associated with a purchased ticket, and grant access to the event.
US09990591B2 Automated assistant invocation of appropriate agent
Invoking an agent during a dialog between a user and an automated assistant. Some implementations are directed to receiving, during a human-to-automated assistant dialog, natural language input of the user that indicates a desire to engage an agent, but that fails to indicate a particular agent to be engaged. Those implementations are further directed to selecting a particular agent from a plurality of available agents, and transmitting an invocation request to the selected particular agent. In some implementations an agent selection model can be utilized in selecting the particular agent, such as a machine learning model. The machine learning model can be trained to enable generation of output that indicates, for each of a plurality of available agents (and optionally intent(s) for those agents), a probability that the available agent (and optionally intent) will generate appropriate responsive content.
US09990587B2 Machine learning heterogeneous edge device, method, and system
A machine learning heterogeneous edge device, method, and system are disclosed. In an example embodiment, an edge device includes a communication module, a data collection device, a memory, a machine learning module, a group determination module, and a leader election module. The edge device analyzes collected data with a model, outputs a result, and updates the model to create a local model. The edge device communicates with other edge devices in a heterogeneous group. The edge device determines group membership and determines a leader edge device. The edge device receives a request for the local model, transmits the local model to the leader edge device, receives a mixed model created by the leader edge device performing a mix operation of the local model and a different local model, and replaces the local model with the mixed model.
US09990586B2 System and method for analyzing and validating oil and gas well production data
A system and method for analyzing and validating oil and gas well production data is disclosed. The system includes a network, a server connected to the network, and a set of wells connected to the network. In a preferred embodiment, the server is programmed to store and execute the method. The method includes the steps of collecting a set of data from the set of wells, performing an first RPI® evaluation on the set of data, creating a matched data set from the set of data, segregating the matched data set into a set of comparison groups, normalizing each comparison group of the set of comparison groups, calculating a set of performance metrics between a subset of the set of comparison groups, and calculating a probability for each performance metric of the set of performance metrics.
US09990584B2 Rule-based register checking for digital voltage regulator controllers
A method of rule-based register checking for a digital voltage regulator controller includes: defining register settings for the digital voltage regulator via a GUI (graphical user interface) based controller parameter configuration system; accessing a rule-based checker by the GUI based configuration system to check for rule violations in the register settings; and uploading the register settings from the GUI based configuration system to the digital voltage regulator controller after checking the register settings for rule violations. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program operable to implement the rule-based register checking is also provided.
US09990583B2 Match engine for detection of multi-pattern rules
Methods, systems and computer program products are disclosed for detecting patterns in a data stream that match multi-pattern rules. One embodiment of the invention provides a method of recognizing a specified group of patterns in a data stream. The method comprises identifying a rule for said specified group of patterns in the data stream, and using a first array of finite state machines to scan the data stream for at least some of the patterns in the specified group. For patterns in the specified group that are found in the data stream by the first array of finite state machines, pattern identifiers are sent to a second array of finite state machines. The second array of finite state machines determines if the specified group of patterns is in the data stream in accordance with the identified rule by, at least in part, using said pattern identifiers.
US09990581B2 Insulin dosage assessment and recommendation system
A computer-implemented method is presented for recommending insulin dosage adjustments for a patient having diabetes. The method includes: identifying a plurality of bolus events from patient data; grouping bolus events having a recommended bolus dosage substantially equivalent to the amount of administered insulin into a first subset of bolus events; determining a bolus outcome for each of the bolus events in the first subset of bolus events, where the bolus outcome is expressed in relation to a target range of blood glucose values and is selected from a group including above the target range, in the target range and below the target range; determining whether one of the bolus outcomes is predominant amongst the bolus events in the first subset of bolus events; and generating a recommendation pertaining to insulin dosage for the patient in response to a determination that one of the bolus outcomes is predominant.
US09990578B2 Redox active polymer devices and methods of using and manufacturing the same
The disclosed technology relates generally to apparatus comprising conductive polymers and more particularly to tag and tag devices comprising a redox-active polymer film, and method of using and manufacturing the same. In one aspect, an apparatus includes a substrate and a conductive structure formed on the substrate which includes a layer of redox-active polymer film having mobile ions and electrons. The conductive structure further includes a first terminal and a second terminal configured to receive an electrical signal therebetween, where the layer of redox-active polymer is configured to conduct an electrical current generated by the mobile ions and the electrons in response to the electrical signal. The apparatus additionally includes a detection circuit operatively coupled to the conductive structure and configured to detect the electrical current flowing through the conductive structure.
US09990577B2 Card with built-in electronic component
Provided is a card with a built-in electronic component, which has a superior button click sensation. A card of the present invention into which is built-in a module substrate upon which an electronic component has been disposed is provided with: a front cover sheet stacked upon a side above the module substrate; an adhesion layer adhering between the module substrate and the front cover sheet; and a dome switch which is disposed upon the module substrate, and by way of the card upper surface being pressed, the switch's movable portion deforms to the module substrate side so that the electrical contact comes into tactile contact with the module substrate in order to operate the card; wherein the switch's movable portion is such that the upper surface does not adhere to the adhesion layer and the deformation to the module substrate side is unrestrained with respect to the adhesion layer.
US09990575B2 Card and card production method
To provide a card capable of improving external appearance, and a card production method. A card (1) is provided with: a module substrate (30); a lower layer (10) and an upper layer (50) arranged above and below the module substrate (30), the layers having an outline larger than the outline of the module substrate (30); and thickness adjustment layers (11, 51) for adjusting the thickness in a substrate outward region (S1), the thickness adjustment layers being provided between the lower layer (10) and the upper layer (50) and to the substrate outward region (S1) further outward than the outline of the module substrate (30), and being provided by printing to at least one layer among the layers that form the card (1).
US09990573B2 Information processing apparatus, method of controlling the same, and storage medium for performing operations based on whether an externally-attached device is connected
An information processing apparatus, and a method of controlling the same, determine whether or not a second reader for authentication is connected, and, in a case where it is determined that the second reader for authentication is connected, control the information processing apparatus to use the second reader for authentication rather than a first reader for authentication.
US09990570B2 Information processing apparatus that determines spooling completion, and method for information processing apparatus
An information processing apparatus in which an application for print control and a printer driver corresponding to a destination printer operate, comprises a unit configured to, by performing a listening at a listening port designated by a loopback address, receive from the printer driver, on which the designated port is set as a transmission port by the application, print data generated based on data from the application; a unit configured to determine, according to completion of communication corresponding to the print data, a spooling completion of the print data; a unit configured to specify, from the received print data, information corresponding to the data from the application; and a unit configured to notify to the application the determined spooling completion, the print data, and the specified information.
US09990566B2 Point cloud simplification
Some embodiments are directed to a computer implemented method for simplification of a point cloud including a set of points. The method comprises implementing recursive spatial partitioning of the set of points into a hierarchy of clusters, identifying representative points within each cluster in the hierarchy and, for each representative point, defining a point-pair that consists of or includes the representative point and a representative point of an immediate parent cluster. The method further includes calculating a contraction error metric for each point-pair, and iteratively contracting the point-pair with the lowest contraction error metric, updating remaining point-pairs as a result of the contraction, and revising the contraction error metric of the updated point-pairs accordingly.
US09990565B2 Methods for object recognition and related arrangements
Methods and arrangements involving portable user devices such smartphones and wearable electronic devices are disclosed, as well as other devices and sensors distributed within an ambient environment. Some arrangements enable a user to perform an object recognition process in a computationally- and time-efficient manner. Other arrangements enable users and other entities to, either individually or cooperatively, register or enroll physical objects into one or more object registries on which an object recognition process can be performed. Still other arrangements enable users and other entities to, either individually or cooperatively, associate registered or enrolled objects with one or more items of metadata. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.
US09990563B2 Image processing device, image processing method, program, and recording medium for detection of epidermis pattern
An epidermis pattern detection unit detects epidermis patterns in an epidermis image captured from the epidermis of skin by an epidermis image capturing unit. An acquired element analysis unit analyzes uniformity of shapes of the epidermis patterns in the epidermis image. A texture evaluation unit evaluates a texture state of the skin based on the uniformity of shapes of the epidermis patterns. The present technology, for example, may be applied to systems that evaluate the texture state of the skin.
US09990561B2 Identifying consumer products in images
Systems and methods identify consumer products in images. Known consumer products are captured as grayscale or color images. They are converted to binary at varying thresholds. Connected components in the binary images identify image features according to pixels of a predetermined size, shape, solidity, aspect ratio, and the like. The image features are stored and searched for amongst image features similarly extracted from unknown images of consumer products. Identifying correspondence between the features of the images lends itself to identifying or not known consumer products.
US09990560B2 Test strip mobile APP system and method
A mobile device reads a test strip to determine a chemical condition of a fluid. The mobile device transmits the determined chemical condition to a fluid treatment system which treats the fluid in response to the determined chemical condition.
US09990557B2 Region selection for image match
The accuracy of an image matching process can be improved by determining relevant swatch regions of the images, where those regions contain representative patterns of the items of interest represented in those images. Various processes examine a set of visual cues to determine at least one candidate object region, and then collate these regions to determine one or more representative swatch images. For apparel items, this can include locating regions such as an upper body region, torso region, clothing region, foreground region, and the like. Processes such as regression analysis or probability mapping can be used on the collated region data (along with confidence and/or probability values) to determine the appropriate swatch regions.
US09990550B2 Wide baseline object detection stereo system
When detecting an object of interest, such as a bicyclist passing a truck, two downward looking cameras both capture images of the cyclist and detect the cyclist as a deviation from the flat ground plane. The ground plane is reconstructed using a homography (projection) matrix of each camera and compared. Where the camera images do not agree, the ground is not flat. The cyclist is located as the intersection of the rays extending to either end of the area of disagreement between the images.
US09990548B2 Traffic signal analysis system
A traffic signal analysis system can receive image data from one or more cameras of an autonomous vehicle, where the image data includes a traffic signaling system located at an intersection. The traffic signal analysis system can determine a pass-through action for the autonomous vehicle through the intersection, and access a matching signal map that includes characteristic information indicating properties of the traffic signaling system. Based on the characteristic information and the image data, the traffic signal analysis system can identify a state of the traffic signaling system for the pass-through action, and generate an output for the autonomous vehicle indicating the state of the traffic signaling system for the pass-through action.
US09990545B2 Extraction method and extraction device for crime scene footprint through photographing
This application involves a crime scene footprint photography and extraction method and extraction device that can photograph a first image of the footprint in the oblique light from a fixed angle, and a second image of the footprint in the diffuse reflected light from a fixed angle; divide the first image's brightness component V1 by the second image's brightness component V2 to produce their brightness distribution ratio V3; and extract a third image corresponding to the brightness distribution ratio V3. According to the technical scheme of this application, the technology has a better image collection effect, and can provide better image materials for future footprint acquisition and identification, and can also remove the patterns of the footprint trace carrier, and leave only footprint images displayed clearly and cognizably. Moreover, the method is simple and the results are more accurate.
US09990536B2 Combining images aligned to reference frame
In various examples there is an image combiner comprising a memory storing two or more frames being images depicting the same scene; and at least one processor. The memory holds instructions executable by the processor to select at least one of the frames and designate it as a reference frame and to designate the other frames as target frames. The instructions align the target frames to the reference frame and compute an output image by combining the reference frame and the aligned target frames. The process of selecting the reference frame comprises any one or more of: local analysis of characteristics of the frames, face detection, smile detection, object detection, computing signal to noise ratio of individual frames, use of sensor data from at least one non-camera sensor.
US09990527B2 System and method for document processing
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to document processing, and more particularly to systems and methods that can utilize relative positions between the content of the document and a decodable indicia affixed to the document. In one embodiment, indicia reading terminals are provided that include an imaging module for capturing a frame of image data of a document. The document can include one or more decodable indicia such as a form barcode and various content fields, which delineate particular content of the document. The form barcode can include information respecting the form design and form design data. This information can be used to process the content of the document such as by providing coordinates or similar location and positioning metrics for use in processing the content of the document. In one example, the frame of image data is analyzed to identify the form barcode, from which the relative location of the content fields can be discerned without extensive processing of the frame of image data.
US09990525B2 On-chip optical indicator of the state of the integrated circuit
An integrated circuit (IC) having an on-chip electroluminescent silicon light source arrangement is disclosed. In the IC, the light source arrangement is a two-dimensional display arrangement and the IC includes an on-chip modulator operable to modulate data indicative of a state of the IC which can be displayed by the display arrangement, thereby providing an optical representation of the state of the IC.
US09990524B2 Eye gaze detection controlled indicia scanning system and method
By tracking a user's eyes, an indicia scanning system can make educated guesses as to what the user is interested in. This insight could be useful in dynamically configuring a camera system, configuring an indicia decoding process or even as a method to select data that the user is interested in.
US09990520B2 Indicia reading terminal including frame quality evaluation processing
There is described an indicia reading terminal that can be operative to capture a succession of frames of image data and that can be operative so that a certain frame of the succession of frames is subject to quality evaluation processing where a result of the quality evaluation processing is responsive to one or more of an incidence and sharpness of edge representations of the frame of image data.
US09990518B2 Systems and methods for controlling radio-frequency indentification (RFID) tag communication
Systems and methods for radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag communication are provided. One radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag includes a communication device configured to communicate with an RFID reader and an impedance element configured to change an variable impedance of the RFID tag. The RFID tag further includes at least one switch connected to the impedance element and a controller connected to the at least one switch and configured to control operation of the switch between open and closed states based on a control signal received from the RFID reader, wherein the variable impedance of the RFID tag is changed between a first modulating impedance value and a second modulating impedance value when the switch is changed between the open and closed states.
US09990516B2 Security systems and methods for social networking
Data may be masked on public networks, such as social networking sites. At a publishing node, the system may monitor data input fields in a webpage that are processed by an internet browser. The system may intercept data, such as text, images, and video input at the data input fields, prior to the data being posted online. The publishing node may control which users are permitted access to the posted data by defining a policy associated with the data input field. The posted data may be transformed or tokenized to ensure that it is inaccessible to a user (or group of users) unless that user/group has access to the decoding key under the policy. In this way, data security and data control may be provided to a publishing user node. Data that has already been posted may be destroyed, for example, by deleting the decryption key or a token.
US09990514B2 Joint ownership of protected information
Disclosed herein is a system and method for managing collaborative electronic data that is owned by two different users who belong to different organizations. Both users are also granted ownership rights of collaborative electronic data created by the users. Users then contribute to the collaborative electronic data by providing information that may be confidential to their organization. The users want to ensure that they can cut off access to the confidential information if and when the relationship between the users or organizations sours. When one of the users with ownership privileges decides to end the cooperation with the other users, that user simply revokes access to the collaborative electronic data to the other user. As a result of the revocation all users are no longer able to see or access at least a portion of the collaborative electronic data to protect confidential information of all the parties.
US09990513B2 System and method of applying adaptive privacy controls to lossy file types
The proliferation of personal computing devices in recent years, especially mobile personal computing devices, combined with a growth in the number of widely-used communications formats has led to increased concerns regarding the safety and security of documents and messages that are sent over networks. Users desire a system that provides for the setting of custom access permissions at a file-level or sub-file-level. Such a system may allow the user to apply customized privacy settings (and, optionally, encryption keys) differently to particular portions of a document—even if the document is of a ‘lossy’ file type, e.g., a JPEG image. According to some embodiments, the custom access permission settings may be implemented by obfuscating portions of the original file and then embedding “secret,” e.g., hidden and/or encrypted, versions of the obfuscated portions in parts of the data structure of the original lossy file before transmitting the file to the desired recipients.
US09990504B1 Systems and methods for generating and maintaining immutable digital meeting records within distributed network nodes
Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems and methods for digital meeting management within a blockchain. Before a meeting, a computer may generate a digital meeting record containing a plurality of data fields and linked to various smart contracts to capture meeting activities. During the meeting, a first smart contract may authenticate and record attendees in the digital meeting record based on biometric information received from the attendees' devices. Furthermore, a second smart contract may capture in the digital meeting record, meeting actions of each attendee, including date, time, and location associated with the meeting actions. After the meeting, a third smart contract may autopopulate post meeting documentation. After review by the attendees, the third smart contract may store a hash of the documentation to the digital meeting record and store the documentation in a repository. Once appended to the blockchain, the digital meeting record becomes an immutable record of the meeting.
US09990503B2 Cryptographic key server embedded in data transfer system
Systems and methods for managing cryptographic keys in an avionic data transfer system are provided. A host device associated with the avionic data transfer system can receive one or cryptographic keys via a key fill interface. For instance, in one embodiment, the host device can receive one or more cryptographic keys from a removable data cartridge. The host device can act as a key server for other cryptographic units associated with the avionic data transfer system via a data bus. For instance, the host device can distribute one or more cryptographic keys to other cryptographic units associated with aircraft via an aircraft bus. The other cryptographic units can use the one or more cryptographic keys for cryptographic processing of data.
US09990502B2 Systems and methods for security hardening of data in transit and at rest via segmentation, shuffling and multi-key encryption
Systems and methods for security hardening of a file in transit and at rest via segmentation, shuffling and multi-key encryption are presented. The method including segmenting at a first computer system a file into a plurality of file segments, and encrypting the plurality of file segments using a plurality of encryption keys in order to generate a corresponding plurality of encrypted file segments, wherein each file segment of the plurality of file segments is encrypted using a respective encryption key of the plurality of encryption keys. Additionally included is bidirectional data transformation of a file by obfuscating at a first computer system digital values of the file in order to generate corresponding obfuscated digital values of the file, wherein the obfuscated digital values of the file retain their contextual integrity and referential integrity.
US09990498B2 Method to scan a forensic image of a computer system with multiple malicious code detection engines simultaneously from a master control point
A multi-engine malicious code scanning method for scanning data sets from a storage device is provided. The method includes, among other steps obtaining at least one data set from a storage device and generating a single forensic image of the data set and also applying a recover data application to the data set to generate a single recovered data set. A scanning is initiated of the single forensic image and the single recovered data set using the selected plurality of malware engines, where each of the malware engines, installed on the independent operating systems of the virtual operating system may be run concurrently on the single forensic image and the single recovered data set. A report is generated combining each of the malware engines reporting the results of the scans.
US09990495B2 Elimination of false positives in antivirus records
Systems and methods for managing antivirus records. A method can include providing a data store of antivirus records, providing an antivirus application to be executed on each of a plurality of user computers, and executing instructions by a remote server to implement a processing tool configured to collect an antivirus record parameter for a particular antivirus record and collect statistical data of a detection events associated with the antivirus record, and a processing tool to configured to determine a false activation using the antivirus record parameter and the statistical data.
US09990493B2 Data processing system security device and security method
Provided is a security device and method that protect a data processing system from various types of malicious code and prevent the divulgence of data and erroneous operation. The security device for a data processing system includes: an execution module configured to be called by a security loader when a stub file, including a security loader formed in a routine form and a stub composed of an original executable file, is executed, and to perform processing so that the original executable file restored from the stub by the security loader is executed; and a monitoring module configured to monitor the operation of the data processing system attributable to the execution of the restored original executable file.
US09990491B2 Methods and systems for assessing and remediating online servers with minimal impact
Embodiments include methods, and computer system, and computer program products for assessing and remediating online servers with minimal impact. Aspects include: duplicating, in real-time at time T0, first instance of computer resources of first server into second instance of computer resources of second server, the first instance of computer resources having first instance of operating systems, first instance of applications and first instance of data and the second instance of computer resources having second instance of operating systems, second instance of applications and second instance of data, running assessment and remediation on the second instance of operating systems and applications of the second server, merging the second instance of data of the second server with the first instance of data of the first server, and swapping the identities of the first instance of computer resources of the first server and the second instance of computer resources of the second server.
US09990488B2 Secure data entry
A method and associated computing device. A first arrangement of numeric characters 0-9 is displayed, on a touch screen of the computing device, for an entry of a confidential sequence of numeric characters by a user during display of the first arrangement of the numeric characters 0-9 in ten respective regions of the touch screen. Each region includes (i) a unique numeric character and (ii) a graphical design that does not include the unique numeric character. The graphical design in each region is a different graphical design in each region. Each region has a closed exterior boundary and is totally filled with the graphical design consisting of a background pattern or no pattern. A graphical characteristic is instantiated differently for each numeric character displayed in the first arrangement. User touches are received on the displayed first arrangement of the confidential sequence of numeric characters to authenticate or authorize the user.
US09990483B2 Dynamic activation of user profiles based on biometric identification
A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for biometric identification are provided. The apparatus may be a user device. The apparatus may detect biometric information for a predetermined period of time. The predetermined period of time may be set by a hysteresis timer. The apparatus may compare the detected biometric information with stored biometric information associated with a stored user profile of a plurality of user profiles. The apparatus may then determine whether to display the stored user profile based on the comparison after the predetermined period of time has elapsed.
US09990481B2 Behavior-based identity system
Disclosed are various embodiments for a behavior-based identity system that recognizes and/or authenticates users based at least in part on determining stored behavioral events. For example, stored behavioral events may have been observed previously at a client or have been predefined by an authenticated user. Multiple behavioral events expressed by the client relative to a network site are recorded. The behavioral events may correspond to data that a user has elected to share, and the user may opt-in or opt-out of the behavior-based identity system. A comparison is performed between the multiple observed behavioral events and the stored behavioral events associated with a user identity. An inverse identity confidence score as to whether the user identity does not belong to a user at the client is generated based at least in part on the comparison.
US09990480B2 Method, apparatus and storage medium for setting smart device management account
A method, an apparatus and storage medium are provided for setting a smart device management account. In the method, the apparatus receives a rights acquisition request at least carrying a login account and first location information of a first smart device. The apparatus acquires a first device group according to the first location information. When determining that the first smart device has management rights on smart devices in the first device group, the apparatus sets the login account of the first smart device as a management account of the first device group. The apparatus sends an authorization message to the first smart device and the smart devices in the first device group.
US09990479B2 Technologies for authenticating a user of a computing device based on authentication context state
Technologies for authenticating a user of a computing device based on an authentication context state includes generating context state outputs indicative of various context states of a mobile computing device based on sensor data generated by sensors of the mobile computing device. An authentication manager of the computing device implements an authentication state machine to authenticate a user of the computing device. The authentication state machine includes a number of authentication states, and each authentication state includes one or more transitions to another authentication state. Each of the transitions is dependent upon a context state output. The computing device may also include a device security manager, which implements a security state machine that includes a number of security states. Transition between security states is dependent upon the present authentication state of the user. The device security manager may implement a different security function in each security state.
US09990477B2 Dynamic network construction
A dynamic network is disclosed herein. The dynamic network can include a central server, one or several user devices, one or several remote servers, and a database server. The dynamic network can be created in response to a user request for content to be used in a compilation. The central server can identify one or several of the remote servers as potentially containing the requested content, and can communicate with the identified one or several of the remote servers to receive that content. Additionally, the server can identify and connect with one or several servers containing terms of use information for the requested content.
US09990474B2 Access control for selected document contents using document layers and access key sequence
In a digital rights management system, layers are defined for each document and user permissions are specified for each layer, to control user access at the layer-level. The layers are ordered by depth, where a layer completely contained inside another layer is deemed deeper than the other layer. The layers are encrypted in a deep-to-shallow order, each by its own encryption key. The entire document is then encrypted. When a user requests access to a document, the system generates an ordered sequence of encryption keys based on the user's access rights for each layer. The document open program on the user's client computer attempts to decrypt the various layers using the ordered sequence of keys. The client program and the system's key sequence generating algorithm are designed to give the result that only layers that the user has access to are successfully decrypted and displayed at document open time.
US09990473B2 Method and apparatus for policy-based content sharing in a peer to peer manner using a hardware based root of trust
Securely sharing content between a first system and a second system is provided. A hardware-based root of trust is established between the first system and a server. Content requested by a user and an encrypted license blob associated with the content is received by the first system from the server. A first agent on the first system connects with a second agent on the second system. The encrypted license blob and a sub-license request are sent from the first agent to a security processor on the first system. The first security processor decrypts the encrypted license blob, validates the sub-license request, and if allowed, creates a sub-license to allow the second system to play the content. The first security processor sends the sub-license to a security processor on the second system. The first system provides access to the content to the second system for future playback according to the sub-license.
US09990469B2 Inferring a state of a system over time
The present disclosure relates to a method, apparatus, system and computer program for inferring a system state over time. Biomedical measurement data is obtained, wherein the data relate to at least one indicator of a system of interest and includes at least two indicator values being indicative of the state of the system of interest and the indicator values are measured at different time points. At least one measure of goodness for the indicator is formed by using values of the indicator of at least one control state and at least one comparison state. Difference values are formed for at least two indicator values with reference to the control and comparison states, and using the at least two difference values a change in value of said indicator is displayed with a progress indicator so that the change over time can be used in inferring the system state. The progress indicator has at least one dimension depending on the value of the at least one measure of goodness.
US09990465B2 Information processing device, information processing system, and information processing method
An information processing device is configured to keep image data of paper document in association with first identification information, display a selection list from which one or more pieces of identification information including at least the first identification information is able to be selected, display a list of image data associated with one piece of identification information selected from the selection list in a specified list-display area of a plurality of list-display areas, and change, in response to reception of an operation of moving image data specified from the list of image data displayed in the specified list-display area, to another list-display area in a state in which a list of the image data associated with another piece of identification information selected from the selection list is displayed in the other list-display area, a keeping destination of the specified image data to the other piece of identification information.
US09990461B1 Method and apparatus for placement and routing of analog components
A method for placing and routing devices in a circuit layout is provided. The method includes determining devices to be placed in a circuit layout and a relative position of two devices in the circuit layout. In some embodiments, the method includes pre-routing channels in the circuit layout, determining routing trunk information from the pre-routed channels, and placing the two devices in the circuit layout based on the routing trunk information. Further, the method includes forming a first routing trunk along channels in the circuit layout, coupling the first routing trunk to one device of the two devices, and checking that a placement of a plurality of devices and the coupling the first routing trunk to one device of the plurality of devices meet a circuit layout specification. A computer system and a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing commands to execute the above method are also provided.
US09990456B1 Routing process including dynamically changing pad sizes
The present disclosure relates to a method for routing in an electronic circuit design. Embodiments may include receiving, at one or more computing devices, the electronic circuit design having a plurality of terminal pads associated therewith. Embodiments may further include generating a change in at least one of a size or an existence of at least one of the plurality of terminal pads. Embodiments may also include routing a portion of the electronic design based upon, at least in part, the generated change.
US09990454B2 Early analysis and mitigation of self-heating in design flows
A system and method for enabling the estimation and mitigation of self-heating in chip designs at a much earlier stage in a design flow. The system and method provides unique characterization of each standard cell in a library for its effective thermal resistance based on the topology and layout of the cell, and brings this per standard cell instance based delta-T to be available for the timing closure tools when completing a synthesized design. Thus, at the timing closure process, the generated design is free of self heating violations. The method computes a unique thermal resistance characterization on per standard cell manner—based on the topology, function and layout of the standard cell, and uses that to compute the deltaT per instance of the design. This information is presented to a violation mitigation tool which changes the power levels of the cells, logic function to mitigate the self heating violations.
US09990452B2 Low power corruption of memory in emulation
Aspects of the disclosed technology relate to techniques for corrupting memories in emulation. After a power domain in a circuit design being emulated in an emulator is powered down, a main memory model for a memory in the power domain is corrupted and a cache memory model for the memory is invalidated. The cache memory model is a hardware model in the emulator and the main memory model is a software model in a workstation coupled to the emulator. The cache memory model stores a subset of data that are stored in the main memory model. The combination of the main memory model and the cache memory model is used to model the memory.
US09990449B2 Pipeline design and installation systems and methods
A method and system for installing pipelines are disclosed. The method and system comprise creating a three-dimensional model of a work area, generating a proposed pipe alignment for fitting the pipeline within the work area, creating a three-dimensional model of a trench to be excavated within the work area based on the proposed pipe alignment, excavating the trench with a work tool to conform with the three-dimensional model of the trench, determining the position of the work tool during the excavating step, comparing the determined position of the work tool during the excavating step with the three-dimensional model of the trench to determine any differences between the excavated trench and the three-dimensional model of the trench, and adjusting the proposed pipe alignment to generate an adjusted pipe alignment based on the differences between the excavated trench and the three-dimensional model of the trench.
US09990444B2 Apparatus and method for supporting visualization of connection relationship
In a search server, a page collection unit collects Internet pages. An index generation unit generates an index of the pages. An index-tree generation unit generates an index tree representing the connection relationship among the pages in a tree structure, and in which a page linked from multiple pages is represented by different nodes in a duplicated manner. When a search word input unit inputs a search word in a client, a search-result generation unit of the search server generates a search result on the basis of the index. For the index tree, a search-result-tree generation unit, for example, highlights nodes containing the search word, and deletes nodes, each of which does not contain the search word and is not a branch point into multiple branches which contain the search word. The search-result-tree generation unit outputs the resulting search result to a search result display unit of the client.
US09990442B2 Method for determining relevant search results
Systems and methods for determining search results. The method may include receiving an at least partial search term, and identifying keywords based on the at least partial search term, wherein each keyword has an associated keyword measure based on the number of times each keyword has been previously searched for within a predetermined time period. For each keyword search results associated with the keyword may be identified, wherein each result has an associated search measure. A relevance measure may be determined for each result using the keyword measure the search measure, and used to provide at least one of the results as a search result for the at least partial search term.
US09990441B2 Suggested keywords for searching content on online social networks
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving an unstructured text query to search for posts of the online social network. The method includes parsing the text query to identify one or more n-grams. The method includes searching an index of keyword phrases associated with the first user to identify one or more keyword phrases matching one or more of the n-grams of the text query. The index of keyword phrases is based on posts by one or more second users of the online social network. The method includes calculating a keyword score for each of the identified keyword phrases. The method includes generating one or more suggested queries. Each suggested query includes one or more n-grams identified from the text query and one or more identified keyword phrases. The method includes sending one or more of the suggested queries to search for posts of the online social network.
US09990436B2 Personal trends module
A system and method for generating a personalized trends module includes steps of: for a given user, producing a social timeline by logging content posted on the given user's accounts on social media sites; analyzing the social timeline for recently posted content to derive an interim summary of first trending topics for the given user; receiving from a content personalization platform an in-stream feed of second trending topics based on the user's recent on-line activity including page views, queries, and clicks; augmenting the social timeline with the second trending topics from the in-stream feed to produce an interim list of third trending topics; ranking the third trending topics by source category using a frequency index; selecting the highest ranking third trending topics from each source category; and presenting a personalized trends module with positions allocated to the highest ranking third trending topics.
US09990435B2 Controlling access of user information using social-networking information
In particular embodiments, a computing system may receive a search query from a first user of an online social network, identify one or more second users of the online social network that match the search query, where each identified second user may have a visibility setting specifying which other users of the online social network can view information from the online social network associated with the second user, and send to the first user information associated with each second user having a relationship within the online social network to the first user such that the visibility setting of the second user specifies that the first user can view the information associated with the second user.
US09990433B2 Method for searching and device thereof
Provided are a method and an apparatus for searching for and acquiring information under a computing environment. The apparatus includes: at least one input device configured to receive a first query input of a first query type and a second query input of a second query type; and a controller configured to output a query input window including a first display item corresponding to the first query input and a second display item corresponding to the second query input, to automatically switch, in response to receiving the first query input, the apparatus from a first state to receive the first query input of the first query type to a second state to receive the second query input of the second query type, and to obtain a search result according to a query based on the first query input and the second query input.
US09990430B2 Graph server querying for managing social network information flow
An online social network is managed using one server for database management tasks and another server, preferably in a distributed configuration, for CPU-intensive computational tasks, such as finding a shortest path between two members or a degree of separation between two members. The additional server has a memory device containing relationship information between members of the online social network and carries out the CPU-intensive computational tasks using this memory device. With this configuration, the number of database lookups is decreased and processing speed is thereby increased.
US09990427B2 Information processing apparatus and recording medium
There is provided an information processing apparatus including an acquisition section which acquires a plurality of sub-contents included in each of one or more contents, and a management section which associates the acquired plurality of sub-contents with at least any one process from among a plurality of processes for executing processing related to an output of one or more of the sub-contents.
US09990426B2 Systems and methods for content management in an on-demand environment
Disclosed are methods, apparatus, systems, and computer readable storage media for establishing access with a content object stored in a content management data source from an on-demand database service. A request can be received from a user of the on-demand database service to access data regarding a content object stored in an external content management data source. The content management data source can be identified based on the request, and the request can be provided to a repository-specific connector communicatively coupled to the external content management data source. Access can be established with the content object to retrieve the requested data, and a virtual object associated with the on-demand database service can be created to instantiate connection between the content object and the on-demand database service. The requested data can be provided to a display device in a user interface for the on-demand database service.
US09990424B2 System for processing data received from various data sources
Techniques are provided for processing and categorizing data received from data sources. The processing and categorizing of the received data comprises: determining whether the digital data can be associated with one or more categories by determining whether a first match between one or more image characteristics of the one or more categories and one or more image characteristics of the digital data is found; in response to determining that the first match is found: associating the one or more categories with the digital data; determining, based at least in part on the one or more categories, one or more applications that are to be used to process the digital data; in response to determining the one or more applications that are to be used to process the digital data, initiating the one or more applications to process the digital data.
US09990423B2 Hybrid cluster-based data intake and query
Various embodiments describe multi-site cluster-based data intake and query systems, including cloud-based data intake and query systems. Using a hybrid search system that includes cloud-based data intake and query systems working in concert with so-called “on-premises” data intake and query systems can promote the scalability of search functionality. In addition, the hybrid search system can enable data isolation in a manner in which sensitive data is maintained “on premises” and information or data that is not sensitive can be moved to the cloud-based system. Further, the cloud-based system can enable efficient leveraging of data that may already exist in the cloud.
US09990418B1 System and method for creating an opinion and behavioral data economy
A system and method for the opinion economy that allows a user to make a choice of what data, demographics, opinions, behaviors, beliefs, and other information to share. The system and method provides capability to a user to set a value for that user's data, opinions, behaviors, and beliefs. The system and method further allows for dynamic pricing for surveys or data collection, either dependent on length of time, effort given by the user, or other attributes that might drive the value the user sets on that user's participation.
US09990413B2 Method and device for generating music playlist
A method for generating a music playlist includes: classifying a plurality of songs into first songs and second songs, the first songs being sample songs with mood vectors, and the second songs being new songs with no mood vectors; comparing physical attributes of the first songs to physical attributes of each second song; determining which first song of the first songs has physical attributes most similar to the physical attributes of each second song; assigning the mood vector of the determined first song having the most similar physical attributes to each second song; and generating a music playlist containing songs, all with mood vectors, by combining the second songs with mood vectors assigned thereto and the first songs.
US09990411B2 Platform for visually configuring a process flow across multiple discrete processes
Embodiments described herein relate to an improved system and method for defining and reconfiguring process flows for one or more processes within an organization visually in a graphical display at a client system using a process flow diagram comprising activity elements and decision elements representing the activities and decisions to be performed during execution of a process flow. Modifications to the process flow diagram at the client display can be saved and used to update the process flow. The process flow definitions and/or reconfigurations can be supplied to a server for storage in a database, and can be later accessed during execution of the process flow. During execution of the sequence of activities of a particular process flow, the server can access one or more services from a plurality of different service modules in communication with the server to provide those services.
US09990408B2 System and methods for integrated performance measurement environment
A system for integrated performance measurement environment comprises a plurality of distributed file systems; a database, wherein the database further comprises a layout details table, a layout definition table, and at least one raw data master file; at least one network; an extract-transform-load module in a memory; and a business logic module in the memory, wherein the business logic module further comprises metrics catalog and business intelligent plug-in blocks; and a collaboration module in the memory; and methods performing the same including extracting, transforming, and loading data into the system, retrieving data in accordance with rules in metrics catalog and business intelligent plug-in blocks, drilling down the metrics catalog and business intelligent plug-in blocks, and collaborating over the system.
US09990407B2 Stand-alone database browsing system and method
A computer-implemented system and method for creating a user-defined database interface. An Orbit Form module processes a call comprising an identifier for the database, a target data object (database table), approach filters (table fields), and results lines (table fields). Approach filters may support comparable data types, and results lines may support both comparable and non-comparable data types. The call may optionally include parameters that the Orbit Form module uses to govern retrieval of data from the target database, presentation of filter values, and/or formatting of results pages. After testing the call constructs, the Orbit Form module generates Approach boxes (corresponding to the approach filters) that a user employs to enter target input values to compare to records in the database. Record matches result in retrieval and user-specified display of data corresponding to the results lines (DaPs). A selectable view image field in a DaP extracts and displays image file data.
US09990406B2 Identifying missing content using searcher skill ratings
An approach for identifying missing content is provided. An approach includes: receiving a search string; determining a skill rating associated with a searcher that generated the search string; and searching a database using the search string. The approach also includes: updating at least one of a first score associated with the search string and a second score associated with the database based on the skill rating; and generating an alert based on one of the first score exceeding a first threshold and the second score exceeding a second threshold.
US09990403B2 System and a method for reasoning and running continuous queries over data streams
Disclosed is a method and a system for stream reasoning a plurality of data streams. The system comprises a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The processor is capable of executing a plurality of modules embodied on the memory. The plurality of modules comprises an event module and a application managed window module. The event module is configured to receive a data stream associated with an event from a stream reasoner application. The data stream provides factual information about the event. Further, the data stream comprises a request. The request may be an add request or a delete request. The application managed window module is configured to insert the request associated with the event or delete a prior request associated with the event from the memory based upon a type of the request.
US09990400B2 Builder program code for in-memory cache
Techniques are disclosed relating to an in-memory cache. In some embodiments, in response to determining that data for a requested entry is not present in the cache (e.g., because it has been evicted), a computing system is configured to invoke cached program code associated with the entry. In some embodiments, the computing system is configured to provide data generated by the program code in response to requests that indicate the entry. In some embodiments, the computing system is configured to store the generated data in the cache. In various embodiments, this may avoid cache misses and provide configurability in responding to requests to access the cache.
US09990399B2 Low latency query engine for apache hadoop
A low latency query engine for APACHE HADOOP™ that provides real-time or near real-time, ad hoc query capability, while completing batch-processing of MapReduce. In one embodiment, the low latency query engine comprises a daemon that is installed on data nodes in a HADOOP™ cluster for handling query requests and all internal requests related to query execution. In a further embodiment, the low latency query engine comprises a daemon for providing name service and metadata distribution. The low latency query engine receives a query request via client, turns the request into collections of plan fragments and coordinates parallel and optimized execution of the plan fragments on remote daemons to generate results at a much faster speed than existing batch-oriented processing frameworks.
US09990398B2 Inferring dimensional metadata from content of a query
Methods, computer systems, and stored instructions are described herein for inferring dimensional metadata from content of a query that references tables. A server analyzes the content of the query to determine which table(s) of the referenced tables could be fact tables and/or which table(s) of the referenced tables could be dimension tables. The server transforms the query to a transformed query that operates on a candidate fact table and candidate dimension table(s) of the referenced tables other than the candidate fact table. The transformed query, when executed, processes at least some data from dimension(s) using the candidate dimension table(s) before processing at least some data from the candidate fact table. Alternatively or additionally, the server generates an execution plan that operates on the candidate fact table and the candidate dimension table(s). The execution plan, when performed, processes data from dimension(s) using the candidate dimension table(s) before processing data from the candidate fact table.
US09990397B2 Optimized query ordering for file path indexing in a content repository
Techniques for indexing file paths of items in a repository may include, for each type associated with instances that are not associated with file path indexes, starting with folder types prior to item types in a round robin sequence, attempting to associate the instances of the type with file path indexes. The repository may be queried for instances of a current type that are not associated with file path indexes and that are filed in a folder that is associated with a file path index. Responsive to the querying returning one or more instances of the current type, the one or more instances of the current type may be associated with the file path indexes. Responsive to the querying returning one or more instances of the current type, attempting to associate the instances of the same current type with file path indexes may be repeated.
US09990395B2 Tape drive system server
A tape drive system server includes a non-volatile memory used as a cache memory for storing data files, at least part of the cache memory comprising a first region managed using a First In First Out policy management and a second region managed using a Least Recently Used policy management; a file system interface for interacting with data files stored on a tape drive system; an interface for allowing one or more remote systems reading and writing data stored on the cache memory; the server configured to: receive from the one or more remote systems one or more write requests for writing one or more data files; interpret attributes associated to data files instructed to be written by the one or more remote systems; and store data files instructed to be written by the remote systems according to the interpreted attributes.
US09990394B2 Visual search and recommendation user interface and apparatus
The present disclosure is directed towards conducting a search for content and results using a user interface. A number of graphical objects (715) and filters are displayed where a search query is generated in response to a user gesture (730) that selects a graphical object and filter. The filters shown can change depending on various factors that impact what filters are selected from a group of filters (720).
US09990393B2 Intelligent feed switch
Various techniques are disclosed for offloading the processing of data packets. For example, incoming data packets can be processed through an offload processor to generate a new stream of outgoing data packets that organize data from the data packets in a manner different than the incoming data packets. Furthermore, in an exemplary embodiment, the offloaded processing can be resident in an intelligent switch, such as an intelligent switch upstream or downstream from an electronic trading platform.
US09990391B1 Transactional messages in journal-based storage systems
A journal manager of a multi-data-store storage system receives a transaction which includes a message to be stored in the storage system's journal if the transaction request is accepted for commit. The journal manager performs a conflict detection operation, accepts the transaction request, and stores a corresponding committed transaction entry including the message in the journal. A write applier associated with a registered materialization node of the journal reads the committed transaction entry and applies a write indicated in the entry. A registered message subscriber of the journal reads the committed transaction entry asynchronously with respect to the write applier, and reads the contents of the message without applying the write.
US09990390B2 Methods and systems for vectored data de-duplication
The present invention is directed toward methods and systems for data de-duplication. More particularly, in various embodiments, the present invention provides systems and methods for data de-duplication that may utilize a vectoring method for data de-duplication wherein a stream of data is divided into “data sets” or blocks. For each block, a code, such as a hash or cyclic redundancy code may be calculated and stored. The first block of the set may be written normally and its address and hash can be stored and noted. Subsequent block hashes may be compared with previously written block hashes.
US09990386B2 Generating and storing summarization tables for sets of searchable events
Embodiments are directed are towards the transparent summarization of events. Queries directed towards summarizing and reporting on event records may be received at a search head. Search heads may be associated with one more indexers containing event records. The search head may forward the query to the indexers the can resolve the query for concurrent execution. If a query is a collection query, indexers may generate summarization information based on event records located on the indexers. Event record fields included in the summarization information may be determined based on terms included in the collection query. If a query is a stats query, each indexer may generate a partial result set from previously generated summarization information, returning the partial result sets to the search head. Collection queries may be saved and scheduled to run and periodically update the summarization information.
US09990385B2 Method and system for collecting and analyzing time-series data
A computer-implemented data collection and analysis method comprises receiving from a client computing device, at least one data analysis datapoint, adding the received at least one data analysis datapoints to a data structure, and adding an additional data analysis datapoint to the data structure, storing, in a data repository, the data structure further comprising a data processing result, maintaining at least partially consistent copies of the data structure across the plurality of host computers, in response to a request regarding an operation from the client computing device, retrieving the data processing result from the data repository, and providing the data processing result using routing information to the client computing device. The data structure comprises an index of data analysis datapoints from the plurality of host computing devices. A portion of the additional data analysis datapoint is added to the data value to generate a data processing result.
US09990384B2 Electronic device and method for automatically storing URL by calculating content stay value
An electronic device and a method for automatically storing a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) by calculating a content stay value are provided. The method includes detecting a weight value of contents displayed, calculating a stay value using the detected weight value, and when the calculated stay value is greater than a set value, storing the URL of the contents.
US09990372B2 Managing the level of consistency for a file in a distributed filesystem
The disclosed embodiments disclose techniques for managing consistency for a file in a distributed filesystem. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in the cloud storage systems; the cloud controllers ensure data consistency for the stored data, and each cloud controller caches portions of the distributed filesystem. During operation, a cloud controller receives from a client a request to access the file. The cloud controller determines a level of consistency that is associated with the file, and then uses this level of consistency to determine whether to communicate with a peer cloud controller when handling the request.
US09990371B2 Classification of data objects in a distributed file system based on application creation and/or access information
Technology is disclosed for classification of data objects (e.g., files) in a distributed file system based on application creation and/or access information. In some embodiments, data objects of a user are stored across multiple computing devices associated with a user, e.g., mobile computing devices such as a tablet, a laptop, or a smartphone, and/or at server systems, e.g., cloud-based storage servers, in a distributed cloud-based storage system. The technology described tracks the applications that create or touch particular data objects in the distributed file system and classifies the data objects according to these applications resulting in various application classifications. For example, a classification engine can process data objects in the distributed file system to identify an application that created the data object and/or applications that have accessed the data object. The classification information can be saved by, for example, a cloud-based storage server.
US09990366B2 Virtual partitions in virtual databases
Information from source databases is retrieved and stored on a database storage system. Multiple point-in-time copies are obtained for each database. A source database may contain partitions comprising sets of database tables. A partition is imported into a virtual database created. The database storage system validates the partition before importing, by checking whether the partition includes database tables that refer to database tables outside the partition. A partition imported in a virtual database may be rewinded to an older state or refreshed to a more recent state. Multiple partitions may be included in a virtual database and the state of each partition modified independent of the state of the remaining virtual database including the other partitions. Multiple versions of the same partition corresponding to different points in time are incorporated in the same virtual database, thereby allowing a query to process different versions of the same database table.
US09990364B2 Processing structured data
The present invention provides a fast and efficient way of processing structured data by utilizing an intermediate file to store the structural information. The structured data may be processed into a Binary mask Format (BMF) file which may serve as a starting point for post-processing. A tree structure built on top of the BMF file may be constructed very quickly, and also takes up less space than a DOM tree. Additionally, BMF records may reside entirely in the memory and contain structural information, allowing SAX-like sequential data access.
US09990362B2 Profiling data with location information
Profiling data includes processing an accessed collection of records, including: generating, for a first set of distinct values appearing in a first set of one or more fields, corresponding location information; generating, for the first set of fields, a corresponding list of entries identifying a distinct value from the first set of distinct values and the location information for the distinct value; generating, for a second set of one or more fields, a corresponding list of entries, with each entry identifying a distinct value from a second set of distinct values appearing in the second set of fields; and generating result information, based at least in part on: locating at least one record of the collection using the location information for at least one value appearing in the first set of fields, and determining at least one value appearing in the second set of fields of the located record.
US09990361B2 Language independent representations
Snippets can be represented in a language-independent semantic manner. Each portion of a snippet can be represented by a combination of a semantic representation and a syntactic representation, each in its own dimensional space. A snippet can be divided into portions by constructing a dependency structure based on relationships between words and phrases. Leaf nodes of the dependency structure can be assigned: A) a semantic representation according to pre-defined word mappings and B) a syntactic representation according to the grammatical use of the word. A trained semantic model can assign to each non-leaf node of the dependency structure a semantic representation based on a combination of the semantic and syntactic representations of the corresponding lower-level nodes. A trained syntactic model can assign to each non-leaf node a syntactic representation based on a combination of the syntactic representations of the corresponding lower-level nodes and the semantic representation of that node.
US09990357B2 Optimized summarizing and fact checking method and system
An optimized fact checking system analyzes and determines the factual accuracy of information and/or characterizes the information by comparing the information with source information. The optimized fact checking system automatically monitors information, processes the information, fact checks the information in an optimized manner and/or provides a status of the information. In some embodiments, the optimized fact checking system generates, aggregates, and/or summarizes content.
US09990356B2 Device and method for analyzing reputation for objects by data mining
A device for analyzing reputation for objects by data mining is provided. The device includes a big data collector assembly collecting first information from a web page, a text preprocessor assembly analyzing morpheme information from an original text of the first information, an ontology dictionary extender assembly classifying the morpheme information according to each category and extracting an associated word, an object recognizer assembly measuring similarity between the associated word from the morpheme information to recognize a plurality of entity names associated with a first object, an information sensitivity classifier assembly classifying sensitivity of the first information based on a frequency of a sensitive word associated with the first object from the morpheme information, and a risk evaluation modeler assembly deriving a numeric risk value of the first information according to a numeric sensitivity value of the sensitive word and a weight value level for evaluating event importance.
US09990353B2 Natural language interface for software customization
A system is provided. The system includes one or more hardware processors, a memory storing a plurality of parsing mechanics, each parsing mechanic of the plurality of parsing mechanics being associated with a plurality of functions provided by a software system, and a natural language interface engine, executing on the one or more hardware processors. The natural language interface engine configured to receive a first execution job from a user device of the natural language interface engine, the first execution job including a first sentence in a natural language, identify a first parsing mechanic from the plurality of parsing mechanics based on natural language contents of the first sentence, identify, from the identified first parsing mechanic, that a first function of the plurality of functions is associated with the first parsing mechanic, execute a first function call to the first function, and provide results to the user device.
US09990351B2 Patent drafting system
Systems and methods are disclosed to analyze a patent document by receiving patent application text including background, description of drawings, description and claims; generating a claim chart showing claim dependencies; checking for antecedent, support in drawings, support in the description; generating a navigable claim hierarchy; and generating a diagnostic message for the patent document.
US09990347B2 Borderless table detection engine
A borderless table detection engine and associated method for identifying borderless tables appearing in data extracted from a fixed format document. Due to the lack of visible borders, reliable automated detection of a borderless table is difficult. The borderless table detection engine uses whitespace, rather than content, to detect borderless table candidates. Applying heuristic analysis, the borderless table detection engine discards borderless table candidates with a layout that lacks sufficient characteristics of a table and is unlikely to be a valid borderless table.
US09990338B2 Display device for controlling enlargement of displayed image data, and data processing device and non-transitory computer readable medium
A display device, including: a storage unit in which page image data including a figure or a photograph and figure photo information are stored so as to be associated with each other for each page, the figure photo information corresponding to a figure or a photograph included in a page, being information for individually displaying the figure or the photograph and including area information which indicates an area occupied by the figure or the photograph in page image data corresponding to the page; a display unit; an operation unit; an identification unit; and a display control unit.
US09990337B2 System and method for using data and angles to automatically generate a narrative story
A system and method for automatically generating a narrative story receives data and information pertaining to a domain event. The received data and information and/or one or more derived features are then used to identify a plurality of angles for the narrative story. The plurality of angles is then filtered, for example through use of parameters that specify a focus for the narrative story, length of the narrative story, etc. Points associated with the filtered plurality of angles are then assembled and the narrative story is rendered using the filtered plurality of angles and the assembled points.
US09990333B1 Systems and methods for synchronizing the kinematics of uncoupled, dissimilar rotational systems
In one embodiment, a system or method for kinematically synchronizing uncoupled, dissimilar rotational systems pertain to modeling a first rotational system using an equation of motion to obtain a first system model, modeling a second rotational system that is physically dissimilar to the first rotational system using the equation of motion to obtain a second system model, and matching kinematic matching coefficients of the equations of motion for the first and second system models.
US09990331B2 Public wireless network performance management system with mobile device data collection agents
Artificial intelligence engine that receives data related to at least one of at least one available network of a mobile communication environment and system data of a mobile device in the mobile communication environment. The artificial intelligence engine includes a rules engine that receives a currently configured set including at least one rule, the at least one rule includes at least one condition and at least one action. The at least one condition includes at least one predicate and at least one condition state, and the rules engine is structured to evaluate the at least one condition and the at least one predicate. Further, a triggering device triggers the at least one action in accordance with the evaluation of the at least one condition and the at least one predicate.
US09990329B2 Interface for a communication device and related methods
A method that is for operating a serial protocol interface includes a communication device that is configured to exchange data over a communication link by sending output data on the communication link, and receiving input data on the communication link. The input data is synchronous with a clock signal generated at the communication device and propagated over the communication link. The method also includes initializing operation by sending the output data on the communication link at a first data rate, detecting a signal transition in the input data received on the communication link, and exchanging data over the communication link at a second data rate when the signal transition is detected, the second data rate being higher than the first data, with the exchanging of data at the second data rate synchronized as a function of the signal transition.
US09990328B2 Increased data flow in universal serial bus (USB) cables
Two super-speed lanes may be enabled on a single USB cable. In an exemplary, non-limiting aspect, the USB cable is a Type-C cable. In further non-limiting aspects, the super-speed lanes may be present even if there is no USB 2.0 lane present on the D+/D− pins of the USB cable. Use of the second super-speed lane increases data throughput. Eliminating the requirement that the D+/D− pins be used for USB 2.0 data allows greater flexibility in the use of the USB connection because audio or video data may be sent over the D+/D− pins instead of USB 2.0 data. Further, the use of the two super-speed lanes allows a single computing element to operate as a host on one lane and a device on a second lane.
US09990327B2 Providing multiple roots in a semiconductor device
In one embodiment, a system includes: a first root space associated with a first root space identifier and including at least one first host processor and a first agent, the at least one first host processor and the first agent associated with the first root space identifier; a second root space associated with a second root space identifier and including at least one second host processor and a second agent, the at least one second host processor and the second agent associated with the second root space identifier; and a shared fabric to couple the first root space and the second root space, the shared fabric to route a transaction to the first root space or the second root space based at least in part on a root space field of the transaction. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09990325B2 Universal serial bus (USB) filter hub malicious code prevention system
Embodiments relate a universal serial bus (USB) filter hub. An aspect includes receiving, by the USB filter hub that is in communication with a host computer system, a connection from a USB device at a USB port of the USB filter hub. Another aspect includes determining, by the USB filter hub, a type of the USB device. Another aspect includes determining whether the type of the USB device is valid. Yet another aspect includes, based on determining that the type of the USB device is valid, filtering commands that are communicated between the USB device and the host computer system via the USB filter hub based on a predetermined command set corresponding to the determined type of the USB device.
US09990323B2 Configuring a communication interconnect for electronic devices
Logic determines a connection arrangement for communication between electronic devices over a communication interconnect. A first group of signals of the communication interconnect is enabled in response to determining that a first connection arrangement is to be used. A second, different group of signals of the communication interconnect is enabled in response to determining that a second, different connection arrangement is to be used.
US09990316B2 Enhanced serial peripheral interface
A modified serial peripheral interface (SPI) is provided in each of a master device and a plurality of slave devices that does not use a slave select line. The master device may thus engage in full-duplex serial communication with each slave device through an SPI MOSI line, an SPI MISO line, and an SPI clock line.
US09990315B2 System and method for direct memory access in a flash storage
A flash storage device provides direct memory access based on a first communication protocol. A host selects the first communication protocol and provides a request to the flash storage device for a direct memory access. Additionally, the host provides data blocks to the flash storage device for the direct memory access. In the first communication protocol, the host need not provide an address to the flash storage device for the direct memory access. The flash storage device stores the data blocks at sequential addresses starting at a predetermined address in the flash storage device. Another host may then select a second communication protocol and transfer the data blocks in the flash storage by using the second communication protocol.
US09990314B2 Instructions and logic to interrupt and resume paging in a secure enclave page cache
Instructions and logic interrupt and resume paging in secure enclaves. Embodiments include instructions, specify page addresses allocated to a secure enclave, the instructions are decoded for execution by a processor. The processor includes an enclave page cache to store secure data in a first cache line and in a last cache line for a page corresponding to the page address. A page state is read from the first or last cache line for the page when an entry in an enclave page cache mapping for the page indicates only a partial page is stored in the enclave page cache. The entry for a partial page may be set, and a new page state may be recorded in the first cache line when writing-back, or in the last cache line when loading the page when the instruction's execution is being interrupted. Thus the writing-back, or loading can be resumed.
US09990310B2 Self-enabled bus conflict detection circuit
A bus contention detection circuit includes a delay unit having an input terminal for receiving an output signal of an I/O driver, a duty cycle adjustment unit connected to the delay unit, and a comparison unit having a first input terminal for receiving the output signal, a second terminal for receiving a reference voltage, and an enable terminal for receiving an enable signal of the duty cycle adjustment unit. The enable signal has a rising edge that is delayed relative to a rising edge of the output signal and a falling edge that is aligned with a falling edge of the output signal. The comparison unit compares a voltage level of the output signal with the reference voltage when the enable signal is in a stable voltage state and determine a bus condition in response to a comparison result.
US09990304B2 Multimode storage management system
A storage system includes multiple storage devices that have first partitions with first type interfaces and second partitions with selective underlying exposure (SUE) interfaces. A selected underlying aspect of the second partition is exposed in the storage system. The storage system also includes a multimode storage management system that directs conveyance of information to the storage devices. The multimode storage management system includes a controller that directs activities of the second partitions via the SUE interfaces and the selected underlying aspect of the second partition.
US09990301B1 Value cache in a computing system
The disclosure is directed to a cache management system (“system”) for storing data in a cache of a computer system in a compact form. The system identifies multiple instances of a candidate value stored in a primary cache and stores those instances as a single value in a value cache. The system stores multiple pointers to the candidate value in the value cache, e.g., as many as the number of occurrences of the candidate value in the primary cache, each of which corresponds to an address in a memory of the computer system storing an instance of the primary cache candidate value. By storing multiple instances of the candidate value as a single instance, the system reduces the cache pollution and the memory bandwidth and facilitates storing more number of distinct values in the primary cache of a given size.
US09990300B2 Delayed write-back in memory
A memory having a delayed write-back to the array of data corresponding to a previously opened page allows delays associated with write-back operations to be avoided. After an initial activation opens a first page and the read/write operations for that page are complete, write-back of the open page to the array of memory cells is delayed until after completion of a subsequent activate operation that opens a new page. Techniques to force a write-back in the absence of another activate operation are also disclosed.
US09990297B2 Processor and control method of processor
A processor includes an instruction executing unit which executes a memory access instruction, a cache memory unit disposed between a main memory which stores data related to the memory access instruction and the instruction executing unit, a control information retaining unit which retains control information related to a prefetch issued to the cache memory unit, an address information retaining unit which retains address information based on the memory access instruction executed in the past, and a control unit which generates and issues a hardware prefetch request. The control unit compares address information retained in the address information retaining unit and an access address in the memory access instruction executed, and generates and issues based on a comparison result a hardware prefetch request to the cache memory unit according to the control information of the control information retaining unit specified by specifying information added to the memory access instruction.
US09990293B2 Energy-efficient dynamic dram cache sizing via selective refresh of a cache in a dram
Techniques described herein generally include methods and systems related to improving energy efficiency in a chip multiprocessor by reducing the energy consumption of a DRAM cache for such a multi-chip processor. Methods of varying refresh interval may be used to improve the energy efficiency of such a DRAM cache. Specifically, a per-set refresh interval based on retention time of memory blocks in the set may be determined, and, starting from the leakiest memory block, memory blocks stored in the DRAM cache that are associated with data also stored in a lower level of cache are not refreshed.
US09990290B2 Cache coherency verification using ordered lists
Embodiments relate to cache coherency verification using ordered lists. An aspect includes maintaining a plurality of ordered lists, each ordered list corresponding to a respective thread that is executed by a processor, wherein each ordered list comprises a plurality of atoms, each atom corresponding to a respective operation performed in a cache by the respective thread that corresponds to the ordered list in which the atom is located, wherein the plurality of atoms in an ordered list are ordered based on program order. Another aspect includes determining a state of an atom in an ordered list of the plurality of ordered lists. Another aspect includes comparing the state of the atom in an ordered list to a state of an operation corresponding to the atom in the cache. Yet another aspect includes, based on the comparing, determining that there is a coherency violation in the cache.
US09990289B2 System and method for repurposing dead cache blocks
A processing system having a multilevel cache hierarchy employs techniques for repurposing dead cache blocks so as to use otherwise wasted space in a cache hierarchy employing a write-back scheme. For a cache line containing invalid data with a valid tag, the valid tag is maintained for cache coherence purposes or otherwise, resulting in a valid tag for a dead cache block. A cache controller repurposes the dead cache block by storing any of a variety of new data at the dead cache block, while storing the new tag in a tag entry of a dead block tag way with an identifier indicating the location of the new data.
US09990287B2 Apparatus and method for memory-hierarchy aware producer-consumer instruction
An apparatus and method are described for efficiently transferring data from a core of a central processing unit (CPU) to a graphics processing unit (GPU). For example, one embodiment of a method comprises: writing data to a buffer within the core of the CPU until a designated amount of data has been written; upon detecting that the designated amount of data has been written, responsively generating an eviction cycle, the eviction cycle causing the data to be transferred from the buffer to a cache accessible by both the core and the GPU; setting an indication to indicate to the GPU that data is available in the cache; and upon the GPU detecting the indication, providing the data to the GPU from the cache upon receipt of a read signal from the GPU.
US09990283B2 Memory system
A memory system includes: a first memory device including a plurality of first memories and a first memory controller suitable for controlling the plurality of first memories to store data; a second memory device including a second memory and a second memory controller suitable for controlling the second memory to store data; and a processor suitable for executing an operating system (OS) and an application to access a data storage memory through the first and second memory devices.
US09990281B1 Multi-level memory mapping
A system for memory allocation and deallocation with a multi-level memory map is provided. In some implementations, the system performs operations comprising allocating a memory map for addressing a plurality of memory locations in a heap, the memory map comprising a root node, one or more second-level nodes, and a plurality of third-level nodes. The plurality of third-level nodes can comprise third entries for pointing to the memory locations and/or the one or more second-level nodes can comprise a plurality of second entries corresponding to the plurality of third-level nodes. The operations can further include determining a location to store data within the heap and/or tracking the location by placing a pointer within a third-level node of the plurality of third-level nodes and incrementing a counter corresponding to the third-level node. Related systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are also described.
US09990280B2 Methods for reading data from a storage unit of a flash memory and apparatuses using the same
A method for reading data from a storage unit of a flash memory, performed by a processing unit, including at least the following steps: A first read command is received from a master device via a first access interface. It is determined whether data requested by the first read command has been cached in a first buffer, which caches continuous data obtained from a storage unit. A second access interface is directed to read the data requested by the first read command from the storage unit and store the read data in a second buffer and the first access interface is directed to read the data requested by the first read command from the second buffer and clock the read data out to the master device when data requested by the first read command has not been cached in the first buffer.
US09990277B2 System and method for efficient address translation of flash memory device
Disclosed are a system and a method for address translation for a flash memory device, and particularly, disclosed is a technology that is capable of efficiently performing address translation between a logical address provided to the outside of a flash memory and a physical address of an actual flash memory in managing the flash memory device. The system includes: a flash memory system writing a corresponding data page by allocating a physical address space when there is a request for writing a data page from storage clients, and performing address translation between a physical address and a logical address; and a logical address space formed between the flash memory system and the storage client to provide the logical address.
US09990264B2 Graphic performance measurement system
A Graphic Performance Index (GPI) for increasing performance of graphics in a process control system graphical user interface (GUI). A GUI is built from GUI elements for use on a device. Determining an element load time for each GUI element based a hardware profile of the device permits calculating a total load time of all the element load times of the GUI elements. And the load time is mapped to a GPI scale. Based on the GPI, the GUI elements of the GUI are altered to improve the performance of the GUI.
US09990263B1 Efficient use of spare device(s) associated with a group of devices
Efficient use of spare device(s) associated with a group of devices is disclosed, including: receiving a set of data; storing the set of data across a group of devices according to a protocol; determining a set of additional data units associated with the set of data; and storing the set of additional data units in a spare device associated with the group of devices, wherein the spare device is available to be used in the event of a failure of a device included in the group of devices, including by overwriting the set of additional data units as needed.
US09990262B2 Dynamic mirroring
One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for dynamic mirroring. A first storage node and the second storage node within a first storage cluster may locally mirror data between one another based upon a local failover partnership. The first storage node and a third storage node within a second storage cluster may remotely mirror data between one another based upon a primary disaster recovery partnership. If the third storage node fails, then the first storage node may remotely mirror data to a fourth storage node within the second storage cluster based upon an auxiliary disaster recovery partnership. In this way, data loss protection for the first storage node may be improved, such that the fourth storage node provide clients with access to mirrored data from the first storage node in the event the second storage node and/or the third storage node are unavailable when the first storage node fails.
US09990260B2 Cross-platform replication
One or more techniques and/or computing devices are provided for cross-platform replication. For example, a replication relationship may be established between a first storage endpoint and a second storage endpoint, where at least one of the storage endpoints, such as the first storage endpoint, lacks or has incompatible functionality to perform and manage replication because the storage endpoints have different storage platforms that store data differently, use different control operations and interfaces, etc. Accordingly, replication destination workflow, replication source workflow, and/or a proxy representing the first storage endpoint may be implemented at the second storage endpoint comprising the replication functionality. In this way, replication, such as snapshot replication, may be implemented between the storage endpoints by the second storage endpoint using the replication destination workflow, the replication source workflow, and/or the proxy that either locally executes tasks or routes tasks to the first storage endpoint such as for data access.
US09990259B1 Systems and methods for online brand continuity
The present disclosure provides a system and method for online brand continuity. Online brand continuity can include a number of Internet or intranet access points via which one or more network addresses can be advertised. A client can be provided with availability of a business image application via at least one of the Internet or intranet access points.
US09990258B2 Management computer and management program
In a management computer, a memory stores: association information indicating an association among a first physical computer, a virtual computer that is implemented by the first physical computer, a first physical resource that is allocated to the virtual computer, and a user who uses the virtual computer; failure information indicating a failed physical resource; and an upper limit value for a destruction amount as an amount of a physical resource that has failed by being used by the user. A processor calculates the destruction amount, and transmits, upon determining that the first physical resource has failed, that the destruction amount is equal to or less than the upper limit value, and that any of a plurality of physical computers includes the second physical resource, to the first physical computer an instruction to allocate a second physical resource as a replacement for the first physical resource to the virtual computer.
US09990255B2 Repairing compromised system data in a non-volatile memory
A first non-volatile memory stores a redundant copy of system data that relates to a configuration of at least one physical component of a system, where the first non-volatile memory is accessible by a controller in the system and inaccessible to a processor in the system. It is determined whether system data in a second non-volatile memory accessible by the processor is compromised. In response to determining that the system data in the second non-volatile memory is compromised, the compromised system data in the second non-volatile memory is repaired.
US09990249B2 Memory integrity with error detection and correction
Apparatus, systems, and/or methods may provide for identifying unencrypted data including a plurality of bits, wherein the unencrypted data may be encrypted and stored in memory. In addition, a determination may be made as to whether the unencrypted data includes a random distribution of the plurality of bits, for example based on a compressibility function. An integrity action may be implemented when the unencrypted data includes a random distribution of the plurality of bits, which may include error correction including a modification to ciphertext of the unencrypted data. Independently of error correction, a diffuser may generate intermediate and final ciphertext. In addition, a key and/or a tweak may be derived for a location in the memory. Moreover, an integrity value may be generated (e.g., as a copy) from a portion of the unencrypted data, and/or stored in a slot of an integrity check line based on the location.
US09990247B2 Write mapping to mitigate hard errors via soft-decision decoding
An apparatus includes an interface and a control circuit. The interface may be configured to process read/write operations to/from a memory. The control circuit may be configured to create dependencies between a current bit in a sequence of data bits and neighboring bits in the sequence of data bits to generate mapped bits in response to a condition in a region of the memory being true, write the mapped bits among at least two memory cells in the region of the memory with at least two of the mapped bits stored in each of the memory cells, where the dependencies mitigate a hard error due to one of the at least two cells being stuck in a fixed state, and write the sequence of data bits in the region of the memory in response to the condition in the region of the memory being false.
US09990245B2 Electronic device having fault monitoring for a memory and associated methods
An electronic device includes a memory having memory locations being subject to transient faults and permanent faults, and a fault detection circuit coupled to the memory. The fault detection circuit is configured to read the memory locations at a first time, and determine a first fault count and fault map signature including the transient and permanent faults at the first time based upon reading the plurality of memory locations, and to store the first fault count and fault map signature. The fault detection circuit is configured to read the memory locations at a second time and determine a second fault count and fault map signature including the transient and permanent faults at the second time based upon reading the memory locations, and compare the stored first fault count and fault map signature with the second fault count and fault map signature to determine a permanent fault count.
US09990232B2 Quality of service tagging for computing jobs
A processing device receives a job request to allocate one or more resources in a resource environment to a job. The job is related to an application. The job request specifies the job using a first description language. The processing device extracts one or more tags from the job request. The one or more tags describes handling parameters of the job and features of the application. The one or more tags are in a second description language different from the first description language. The processing device allocates one or more resources in the resource environment to the job in view of the one or more tags.
US09990230B1 Scheduling a notebook execution
A system for scheduling a notebook execution includes an interface and a processor. The interface is to receive an indication to schedule a notebook for execution, wherein the indication comprises a scheduled time and a cluster. The processor is to determine whether it is the scheduled time; and in the event that it is the scheduled time: determine whether the cluster is running; and in the event that the cluster is not running, set up the cluster and cause the notebook to execute using the cluster.
US09990227B2 Dynamic reconfiguration of applications on a multi-processor embedded system
A multiprocessor system and method for swapping applications executing on the multiprocessor system are disclosed. The plurality of applications may include a first application and a plurality of other applications. The first application may be dynamically swapped with a second application. The swapping may be performed without stopping the plurality of other applications. The plurality of other applications may continue to execute during the swapping to perform a real-time operation and process real-time data. After the swapping, the plurality of other applications may continue to execute with the second application, and at least a subset of the plurality of other applications may communicate with the second application to perform the real time operation and process the real time data.
US09990224B2 Relaxing transaction serializability with statement-based data replication
Consistency of replicated data copies with statement-based replication is provided without requiring transaction serializability. At a subordinate replication node, a transaction start message, replicated data modification statements, and a transaction commit message are received for a next committed transaction from a master replication node, wherein the transaction start message carries a master transaction identifier, an invisibility list consisting of identifiers of other master transactions that had started and not yet committed when this master transaction started, and an earliest invisible master transaction identifier. The master transaction identifier, invisibility list, and earliest invisible transaction identifier are mapped to subordinate transaction identifiers to preserve an order of transaction identifiers from the master replication node. A subordinate transaction is started with the mapped subordinate transaction identifier and with an invisibility list consisting of the mapped subordinate transaction identifiers for the master invisibility list for execution of the received data modification statements.
US09990220B2 Hypervisor remedial action for a virtual machine in response to an error message from the virtual machine
Exemplary methods, apparatuses, and systems include a hypervisor receiving an error message from an agent within a first virtual machine run by the hypervisor. In response to the error message, the hypervisor determines and initiates a corrective action for the hypervisor to take in response to the error message. An exemplary corrective action includes initiating a reset of the first virtual machine or a reset of a second virtual machine.
US09990217B2 Hypervisor printer emulation for virtual machines
A virtual machine manager (VMM) provides an emulated printer to a guest operating system. The virtual machine manager is configured to receive a printer mechanism type, receive an output type, and configure the emulated printer according to the printer type, printer mechanism type, and output type. The VMM, in one embodiment, also provides a virtual communication channel over which a guest operating system may identify and communicate with the emulated printer. The guest operating system installs a printer driver corresponding to the emulated printer, prints an object to the emulated printer via the virtual communication bus, and the VMM creates a print image of the object before communicating the print image with a target destination.
US09990215B2 User interface for managing a virtualized computing environment
A virtualized computing environment is managed with a user interface that includes a graphical interface portion as well as a command-line portion. As a user interacts with the graphical interface portion, a command-line entry corresponding to the interaction is automatically generated and populates the command-line portion. Similarly, as the user types in a command-line entry, a corresponding action is graphically depicted in the graphical interface portion. By providing a blend of a graphical interface and a command-line interface, embodiments of the invention provide improved usability of the virtual infrastructure client and allow users to more quickly become familiar with the use of the application.
US09990208B2 System and method for execution of a secured environment initialization instruction
A method and apparatus for initiating secure operations in a microprocessor system is described. In one embodiment, one initiating logical processor initiates the process by halting the execution of the other logical processors, and then loading initialization and secure virtual machine monitor software into memory. The initiating processor then loads the initialization software into secure memory for authentication and execution. The initialization software then authenticates and registers the secure virtual machine monitor software prior to secure system operations.
US09990205B2 System on chip and verification method thereof
A verification method of a system on chip includes receiving a test generator and an exception handler; generating, by the test generator, a test program including an exception-causing instruction based on a test template; executing a first instruction at a first operating state as the test program is executed; stopping the execution of the test program and performing a fixed instruction sequence included in the exception handler when the exception-causing instruction is executed during the execution of the test program; and resuming the test program from a second instruction at a second operating state set after the fixed instruction sequence is performed, the second instruction corresponding to an address adjacent to an address of the exception-causing instruction.
US09990200B2 Executing instruction sequence code blocks by using virtual cores instantiated by partitionable engines
A method for executing instructions using a plurality of virtual cores for a processor. The method includes receiving an incoming instruction sequence using a global front end scheduler, and partitioning the incoming instruction sequence into a plurality of code blocks of instructions. The method further includes generating a plurality of inheritance vectors describing interdependencies between instructions of the code blocks, and allocating the code blocks to a plurality of virtual cores of the processor, wherein each virtual core comprises a respective subset of resources of a plurality of partitionable engines. The code blocks are executed by using the partitionable engines in accordance with a virtual core mode and in accordance with the respective inheritance vectors.
US09990197B2 Memory management in secure enclaves
Embodiments of an invention for memory management in secure enclaves are disclosed. In one embodiment, a processor includes an instruction unit and an execution unit. The instruction unit is to receive a first instruction and a second instruction. The execution unit is to execute the first instruction, wherein execution of the first instruction includes allocating a page in an enclave page cache to a secure enclave. The execution unit is also to execute the second instruction, wherein execution of the second instruction includes confirming the allocation of the page.
US09990196B2 Instruction, circuits, and logic for piecewise linear approximation
A processor includes a linear approximator and a front end including circuitry to assign linear approximation of a nonlinear function to a linear approximator. The linear approximator includes circuitry to divide a range of values for the linear approximation into a defined number of segments, perform linear approximation for each segment, move borders between the segments to reduce discontinuity moving along segments of variable length, repeat linear approximation for each segment until convergence, and return values for the linear approximation.
US09990192B2 Remotable project
Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to remote project access. In aspects, project data for a project that is hosted on a server is provided to a client for use in a development environment of the client. A development environment may be instantiated and configured to allow a user to interact with the project as if the project existed solely on the client. Components on the client and server take care of transferring data and messages to and from the server to ensure that the user experience is seamless.
US09990190B1 Secured virtual storage appliance installation image
An installation image of a virtual storage appliance (VSA) is protected by initiating VSA installation from an archive image establishing a pre-installation operating state. The archive image includes an installation image with a lockbox storing a first key for accessing the installation image. The lockbox is encrypted using a second key derived from a stable system value (SSV), such as data for device partitioning, obtainable from an execution environment in the pre-installation operating state. During installation, the SSV is obtained and used in decrypting the lockbox to retrieve the first key and use the installation image to install the VSA. The VSA is installed in a manner establishing a post-installation operating in which the SSV is no longer obtainable from the execution environment, e.g., due to changing the device partition information. An SSV obtained from the partition information post-installation does not yield the key for decrypting the lockbox, protecting the installed image.
US09990187B1 Analytic execution for automatic decision making
A computing device executes analytic source code published to it. A revision definition includes source code in a first programming language compiled using a first compiler. When the source code compilation is successful, the source code is parsed to define code elements, an integration function is generated, the integration function is compiled with the source code using a second compiler in a second programming language to define an executable, an entry point address to the generated integration function is retrieved from the defined executable, an incremented revision number and the entry point address are stored in a created revision data structure, and the created revision data structure is stored in a created module context data structure. The integration function maps first input and output parameters of the source code in the second programming language to second input and output parameters of the source code in the first programming language.
US09990185B2 Responsive self-service website template
The technology disclosed relates to a self-service customization protocol for a single page website that implements a support component add-in to the CRM website. The self-service customization protocol includes a plurality of page elements that can be easily edited by the customers without any coding.
US09990184B2 Distributed component model
A distributed component model for creating a scalable and available distributed application is disclosed. The distributed component model provides for an application schema to be declaratively defined to include a module having a component. The schema includes a corresponding definition construct in a technology agnostic manner. The corresponding definition construct is declaratively defined to include metadata to control scaling and availability.
US09990181B2 Apparatuses and methods for random number generation
The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods for random number generation. An example method includes operating a sense amplifier of a memory device to perform sensing a first voltage on a first sense line coupled to the sense amplifier and sensing a second voltage on a complementary second sense line coupled to the sense amplifier. The example method further includes generating a random number by detecting a voltage differential between the first sense line and the complementary second sense line.
US09990180B2 Stochastic processing
A system, method, and device for stochastically processing data. There is an architect module operating on a processor configured to manage and control stochastic processing of data, a non-deterministic data pool module configured to provide a stream of non-deterministic values that are not derived from a function, a plurality of functionally equivalent data processing modules each configured to stochastically process data as called upon by the architect module, a data feed configured to feed a data set desired to be stochastically processed, and a structure memory module including a memory storage device and configured to provide sufficient information for the architect module to duplicate a predefined processing architecture and to record a utilized processing architecture.
US09990179B2 Arithmetic operation input-output equality detection
Apparatus and a corresponding method are disclosed relating to circuitry to perform an arithmetic operation on one or more input operands, where the circuitry is responsive to an equivalence of a result value of the arithmetic operation with at least one of the one or more input operands, when the one or more input operands are not an identity element for the arithmetic operation, to generate a signal indicative of the equivalence. Idempotency (between at least one input operand and the result value) is thus identified.
US09990176B1 Latency reduction for content playback
Methods and devices for determining whether a local version of content is stored on an electronic device associated with a user account on a backend system are described herein. In a non-limiting embodiment, the backend system may track and monitor the content stored on the electronic device using the associated user account. If an individual speaks an utterance requesting a particular content item, the backend system may determine, prior to sending the content to the electronic device, whether a local version is stored within the electronic device's memory. If so, the backend system may instruct the electronic device to output the local version, thereby reducing the amount of bandwidth consumed. The backend system may further be capable of predictively generating and then caching certain audio data to the electronic device. For instance, frequent utterances may be tracked, and likely responses to those utterances may be generated prior to the utterance being spoken so that the response is available substantially instantaneously.
US09990173B2 Mixing of single-bit and multi-bit audio signals for simultaneous output
An audio processor may process dissimilarly formatted digital audio signals and produce an analog output for reproduction by a transducer, such as a speaker. The audio processor may be, for example, a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) with multiple digital inputs and a single analog output. The audio processor may also include other components, such as processing components, filters, equalizers, amplifiers, and the like. The audio processor may process audio, such as high fidelity DSD audio and lower fidelity PCM audio, and combine the differently formatted data into a single output. During processing, the audio processor may manipulate the different audio signals, such as by ducking a music playback to allow a notification sound to be played.
US09990171B2 Audio device and method for automatically adjusting volume thereof
The present invention provides a method for automatically adjusting volume of an audio device, including steps of: S1, obtaining user identity information; S2, detecting an actual environmental volume; S3, determining user hearing condition according to the obtained user identity information, and adjusting a volume of the audio device according to corresponding relationship of user hearing condition, environmental volume and target volume of the audio device, so that the volume of the audio device reaches a target volume corresponding to the detected actual environmental volume and the determined user hearing condition. Accordingly, the present invention further provides an audio device for automatically adjusting volume. With the present invention, the volume of the audio device can be automatically adjusted according to environmental volume with respect to different users.
US09990169B2 Print controller, print control method and non-transitory computer readable recording medium for executing test print
Provided is a print controller connectable to each of a cut paper printer and a continuous paper printer, the print controller including a receiving unit that receives a print job in a job ticket format from a print work flow system, a test print instruction unit that generates a print job of a new test print based on the print job and instructs the cut paper printer to execute a print process to execute a test print using print data included in the print job, a holding notification unit that notifies the print work flow system of an effect that the print job is held, and a real print job instruction unit that sends the print data included in the print job and a print parameter to the continuous paper printer and instructs the continuous paper printer to execute a real print job.
US09990168B2 Recording medium, information processing apparatus, and information processing method
An information processing apparatus includes circuitry that accepts a configured print setting for generating image data, generates identification information for identifying the image data, generates first image data based on a first print setting different from the configured print setting, stores, in a memory, the identification information of the image data and the first image data associated with each other, generates second image data including the identification information of the image data by applying the configured print setting to the first image data, accepts a second print setting configured for the second image data and the identification information of the image data included in the second image data, the second print setting being different from the first print setting, specifies the first image data based on the identification information of the image data included in the second image data, and generates third image data by applying the second print setting configured for the second image data to the specified first image data.
US09990167B2 Mobile authentication for enabling host device functions
A system for adding value to a host device via a mobile communication device is described. The system includes: a host device configured for providing additional value to be utilized, wherein the additional value includes at least one printing device function and is provided in response to receiving an authentication code; a central system configured for providing the authentication code for inputting into the host device to authorize the at least one printing device function to be utilized; and a mobile communication device configured for negotiating the additional value to be applied to the host device.
US09990165B2 Simplified WOOBE experience
A system and method for cloud centric Web out-of-box print experience (WOOBPE) for Web connected printers are disclosed. In one example, a printer is registered with a cloud print service upon the printer coupling to a network. A WOOBPE application is then launched via a computing device to obtain a network identification (ID) of the printer. A user account is then created with WOOBPE service providers for a user of the printer upon obtaining printer specific information using the network ID. Printer email ID is then provided and the printer email ID is then activated and a test page is printed based on the printer specific information. The printer is then claimed by sending the printer specific information to the WOOBPE service providers for subscribing to one or more print services and associating the printer specific information with the created user account.
US09990164B2 Printing method of image forming apparatus and the image forming apparatus
A printing method of an image forming apparatus is provided. The printing method includes receiving, from one of an external apparatus and a server connected to the external apparatus, job information and first identification (ID) information related to printing of content, receiving, from a user, second ID information, transmitting accounting information based on the job information to a billing system, when the second ID information received from the user and the first ID information received from one of the external apparatus and the server correspond to each other, and printing the content based on the job information, when payment completion information regarding payment by the user is received from the billing system.
US09990157B2 Parity stripe lock engine
Embodiments described herein include a PSL engine that includes various memory elements that permit the engine to grant locks on particular portions of data in a stripe in a RAID storage system. The PSL engine can assign (or lock) different blocks of the stripe for different operations. The PSL engine can grant locks to multiple operations for the same stripe if the operations access mutually exclusive blocks of the stripe. Each time a new operation is requested, the PSL engine determines whether the operation would affect a stripe data block that is currently assigned to another operation. If the new operation corresponds to a block of data in the stripe that includes data locked by another operation, the PSL engine assigns the new operation to a wait list. In one embodiment, the PSL engine maintains a wait list for each of the stripes in the RAID system.
US09990154B2 Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device in which unwanted change in the secondary data which must be reliable is suppressed and the need for a considerable increase in the capacity of a memory unit can be avoided. Also it ensures efficient data processing by asymmetric access to the memory unit. It includes a memory unit having a first memory without an error correcting function, a second memory with an error correcting function, and a plurality of access nodes for the memories. A plurality of buses is coupled to the access nodes and a plurality of data processing modules can asymmetrically access the memory unit through the buses. The first memory stores primary data before data processing by the data processing modules, and the second memory stores secondary data after data processing by the data processing modules.
US09990153B2 Memory system and wear-leveling method thereof
A memory system includes a memory device performing write operations on lines included in a memory block among a plurality of memory blocks included in the memory device; a counting unit counting a write count for each of the plurality of memory blocks, and outputting the write counts; a first wear-leveling unit performing a wear leveling operation by shifting the lines of each of the plurality of memory blocks; and a second wear-leveling unit detecting hot and cold memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks based on the write counts, and swapping the hot memory block with the cold memory block, wherein the second wear-leveling unit selects at least one memory block among the plurality of memory blocks based on the write counts, and checks whether the write operation is performed on each of the lines included in the selected memory block.
US09990151B2 Methods for flexible data-mirroring to improve storage performance during mobility events and devices thereof
A method, device, and non-transitory computer readable medium for mirroring data, comprising, selecting, based on a plurality of data attributes, a portion of local data in a local storage device for mirroring to a remote storage device and copying the selected portion of the local data to at least one cache memory of the remote storage device. Next a determination of when a failover event has occurred in the local storage device is made, wherein the failover event comprises an event in which the local data in the local storage device is inaccessible to a client computing device when the client computing device attempts to access the local data from the local storage device. A copy of the local data from the cache memory in the remote storage device is retrieved when the failover event is determined to have occurred.
US09990149B2 Memory device for internally performing read-verify operation, method of operating the same, and memory system including the same
A method of operating a memory device includes writing initial data to non-volatile memory cells of a non-volatile memory cell array, generating a difference value based on a difference between first data related to the initial data written to the non-volatile memory cells and second data related to the initial data written to the non-volatile memory cells, comparing the difference value with a reference value, and generating and transmitting a status signal indicating that the initial data has been successfully written to a controller when the difference value is less than the reference value. The data may be randomized by the controller or the memory device.
US09990147B2 Methods and apparatus for optimizing resource utilization in distributed storage systems
Methods and apparatus for optimizing resource utilization in distributed storage systems. A data migration technique is described that may operate in the background in a distributed storage data center to migrate data among a fleet of storage units to achieve a substantially even and randomized data storage distribution among all storage units in the fleet. When new storage units are added to the fleet and coupled to the data center network, the new storage units are detected. Instead of processing and storing new data to the newly added storage units, as in conventional distributed storage systems, the new units are blocked from general client I/O to allow the data migration technique to migrate data from other, previously installed storage hardware in the data center onto the new storage hardware. Once the storage load on the new storage units is balanced with the rest of the fleet, the new storage units are released for general client I/O.
US09990145B2 Memory system and method for increasing read parallelism of translation pages
A memory system and method are provided for increasing read parallelism of translation pages. In one embodiment, a memory system is provided comprising a plurality of memory dies, where each memory die is configured with storage space for a portion of a logical-to-physical address map that is distributed among the plurality of memory dies. The memory system also comprises a controller in communication with the plurality of memory dies and configured to receive a plurality of requests to read a plurality of logical block addresses, determine which memory dies store portions of the logical-to-physical address map that contain the logical block addresses, and determine an order in which to read the portions of the logical-to-physical address map so that at least some of the portions that are stored in different memory dies are read in parallel. Other embodiments are provided.
US09990144B2 Stacked memory devices, systems, and methods
Memory requests for information from a processor are received in an interface device, and the interface device is coupled to a stack including two or more memory devices. The interface device is operated to select a memory device from a number of memory devices including the stack, and to retrieve some or all of the information from the selected memory device for the processor. Additional apparatus, systems and methods are disclosed.
US09990139B2 Scalable and area optimized method to implement command queues in SRIOV based NVM devices
Provided are method for dynamically allocating resources to command queues and response queues by a non-volatile memory (NVM) controller. The method includes creating command queues and response queues for at least one operating system among a plurality of operating systems running on a host system and mapping the created command queues and response queues to a plurality of internal shared queue registers. The plurality of operating systems running on the host system communicate with at least one NVM controller independently.
US09990138B2 Out of order SGL read sorting in a mixed system with PRP read or system that supports only SGL reads
A data storage device includes a non-volatile semiconductor storage device and a controller that is configured to issue first and second read requests in that order, to read data from the non-volatile semiconductor storage device, in response to receiving a read command, and store read responses to the first and second read requests in a queue in the order they are received. The queue is a circular buffer having a write pointer, a read pointer, and a special read pointer associated therewith, the write pointer being advanced each time contents are written into the buffer, the read pointer being advanced when oldest valid contents in the buffer are read, and the special read pointer being advanced when valid contents in the buffer, excluding the oldest valid contents, are read. As a result, instead of sorting read responses associated with the read command prior to storing them in the queue, the read responses are stored in the queue in the order they are received.
US09990132B2 Off-heap direct-memory data stores, methods of creating and/or managing off-heap direct-memory data stores, and/or systems including off-heap direct-memory data store
Certain example embodiments relate to a highly-concurrent, predictable, fast, self-managed, in-process space for storing data that is hidden away from the garbage collector and its related pauses. More particularly, certain example embodiments relate to improved memory management techniques for computer systems that leverage an off-heap direct-memory data store that is massively scalable and highly efficient. The off-heap store may be provided in connection with a Java-based environment, and garbage collection may be completely or nearly completely avoided for the off-heap store. The off-heap store may be integrated into a tiered storage solution in certain example embodiments.
US09990128B2 Messaging application interacting with one or more extension applications
A messaging system in one embodiment includes a messaging app and one or more extension apps configured to create content that is displayed in a view hosted by the messaging app. The messaging app can launch the one or more extension apps, and content can be communicated between each extension app and the messaging app through an interprocess communication.
US09990125B2 Mobile terminal and method of controlling the same
The present disclosure may provide a mobile terminal including a body having a front surface, a rear surface and a lateral surface thereof, a display unit disposed on the front surface to display first screen information, a lateral touch sensing unit formed on the lateral surface adjacent to both edges of the display unit to receive a user's consecutive touch input, and a controller configured to control the display unit to display second screen information in one region on the display unit corresponding to a touch range of the consecutive touch input.
US09990124B2 Mobile terminal and method for controlling the same
The present invention relates to a mobile terminal for efficiently sharing many images and a method of controlling therefor. In particular, the present invention relates to a mobile terminal including a touch screen, a memory configured to store a plurality of images, a wireless communication unit configured to transceive data with a counterpart terminal and a controller configured to control the touch screen to output a chat window including a history of messages transceived with the counterpart terminal, the controller, if a part of a plurality of the stored images is selected via the chat window, configured to control the wireless communication unit to transmit thumbnail images for the selected part of a plurality of the stored images to the counterpart terminal.
US09990118B1 Dynamic management and display of mobile application installation shortcuts
A user equipment (UE), comprising a display, a processor, a non-transitory memory, a geometry file, a plurality of application descriptors stored in the non-transitory memory, and an application installation shortcut manager stored in the non-transitory memory. Each application descriptor comprises a thumbnail image of an associated application and a uniform resource locator (URL) that identifies a location from which the application can be downloaded. The shortcut manager application presents a thumbnail image of an application descriptor in the display based on the geometry file for a predetermined period of time, receives a selection input for a currently displayed thumbnail image of one of the application descriptors, and downloads and installs the application associated with the selection input on the UE.
US09990116B2 Systems and methods for self-learning dynamic interfaces
A system and method for generating dynamic user interfaces that retrieve, at a backend UI server, one or more user requests originating from an information management application, retrieving, at the backend UI server, a data response originating from a data server in response to the one or more user requests, calculate, at the backend UI server, relevance values for each display component of the information management application, append the calculated relevance values to the data response, transmit the calculated relevance values and the data response to a frontend UI server; and generate, at the frontend UI server, a user interface for the information management application based on the calculated relevance values.
US09990114B1 Customizable publication via multiple outlets
Customizing publication via multiple outlets includes presenting a user interface for publishing a communication on a plurality of outlets; receiving an initial version of a communication; displaying the initial version of the communication in each of a plurality of editing windows simultaneously, wherein each of the plurality of editing windows corresponds to one of the plurality of outlets or a platform associated with one or more of the plurality outlets; receiving a customization to at least one of the displayed initial versions of the communication; and publishing the communication on each of the plurality of outlets, including the customization to at least one of the displayed initial versions of the communication.
US09990102B2 Creating and editing digital content works
Icons representing a library of predefined media objects for insertion in a digital content work open for editing within a content creation and editing tool may be displayed in a graphical user interface of the content creation and editing tool. Thus, the content creation and editing tool may include an interface which displays, simultaneously, a presentation view and a code view of content comprising the digital content work along with icons representing the library of predefined media objects. Computer-readable code corresponding to a selected one of the library of predefined media objects may be inserted within the digital content work at a user-specified location, e.g., responsive to user action specifying a desire to insert code. Also, an explanation of a selected one of the media objects of the library may be displayed responsive to a user action.
US09990101B2 Managing GUI control auto-advancing
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for preventing unintentional GUI control advances. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for preventing unintentional graphical user interface (GUI) control advancing associated with an auto-advance feature can be provided. The method can include defining a threshold time period, selecting a GUI control in a GUI for which auto-advancement is enabled, receiving complete input for the selected GUI control, and suppressing a manual directive to advance to a next ordered GUI control in the GUI responsive to the manual directive being received within the threshold time period between the receipt of the complete input and the manual directive.
US09990099B2 Display device
Provided is a display device. The display device includes: a touch sensitive element including an electroactive layer and a plurality of electrodes disposed on at least one of the top surface and the bottom surface of the electroactive layer; a shielding layer on the touch sensitive element; a display panel on the shielding layer; and a touch sensor integrated in the display panel and including a plurality of first touch electrodes and a plurality of second touch electrodes spaced apart from the plurality of first touch electrodes, and the shielding layer is electrically connected with the plurality of first touch electrodes or the plurality of second touch electrodes.
US09990093B2 Touch display substrate, touch driving method and liquid crystal display panel
A touch display substrate includes a substrate including a display region and a non-display region; a touch sensing circuit in the non-display region; a plurality of touch sensing electrodes in the display region, the plurality of touch sensing electrodes grouped into at least two touch sensing electrode groups in accordance with distances from the touch sensing electrodes to the touch sensing circuit; and a plurality of touch leads, where one end of each of the touch leads is electrically connected with one of the touch sensing electrodes, and the other end of the touch lead is electrically connected with the touch control circuit. The touch sensing circuit is configured to input touch driving signals of a different frequency to each of the touch sensing electrode groups, and the touch driving signals input to the touch sensing electrodes in the same touch sensing electrode group are of the same frequency.
US09990089B2 Sensor array with receiver bias electrode
A method of operation of an ultrasonic sensor array includes receiving a receiver bias voltage at a receiver bias electrode of the ultrasonic sensor array to bias piezoelectric sensor elements of the ultrasonic sensor array. The method further includes receiving a transmitter control signal at the ultrasonic sensor array to cause an ultrasonic transmitter of the ultrasonic sensor array to generate an ultrasonic wave. The method further includes generating data samples based on a reflection of the ultrasonic wave. The receiver bias voltage and the transmitter control signal are received from an integrated circuit that is coupled to the ultrasonic sensor array.
US09990084B2 Touch detection using multiple simultaneous stimulation signals
The use of multiple stimulation signals having one or more frequencies and one or more phases to generate an image of touch on a touch sensor panel is disclosed. Each of a plurality of sense channels can be coupled to a column in a touch sensor panel and can have one or more mixers. Each mixer in the sense channel can utilize a circuit capable generating a demodulation frequency of a particular frequency. At each of multiple steps, various phases of one or more selected frequencies can be used to simultaneously stimulate the rows of the touch sensor panel, and the one or more mixers in each sense channel can be configured to demodulate the signal received from the column connected to each sense channel using the one or more selected frequencies. After all steps have been completed, the demodulated signals from the one or more mixers can be used in calculations to determine an image of touch for the touch sensor panel at each of the one or more frequencies.
US09990073B2 Writable liquid crystal display device and manufacturing method, driving method thereof
Embodiments of the present disclosure disclose a writable liquid crystal display device, a manufacturing method and a driving method thereof. The writable liquid crystal display device comprises a first substrate and a second substrate arranged opposite to each other, and a liquid crystal molecule layer located between the first substrate and the second substrate. A plurality of pixel units arranged in an array are disposed on the first substrate, and a pixel electrode is arranged in each pixel unit. A piezoelectric transducer connected with the pixel electrode is further arranged in each pixel unit. A surface plasma resonance metal layer is arranged on the pixel electrode. A pressure transfer structure is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. One end of the pressure transfer structure is in contact with the second substrate, and the other end of the pressure transfer structure is in contact with the piezoelectric transducer.
US09990072B2 Display panel with pressure sensor and electronic device with pressing input function
An electronic device with pressing input function includes a substantially rectangular parallelepiped-shaped housing. A pressure sensor, a display panel, a protective member, and an arithmetic circuit module are disposed in the housing. In the display panel, a front polarizing plate is disposed on a front face of a liquid crystal panel. The pressure sensor includes piezoelectric films having birefringence, and electrodes formed on opposed faces of one of the piezoelectric films. The pressure sensor is disposed between the liquid crystal panel and the front polarizing plate. The piezoelectric films are arranged such that their uniaxial drawing directions are orthogonal to each other.
US09990067B2 Evolutionary touch-based graphical user interface for electronic devices
An electronic device having a customizable interface includes a processor configured to execute instructions and a display device configured to generate an interface based in part in response to the processor. The electronic device further includes a touch screen associated with the display device and configured to sense a user input with respect to a plurality of objects, wherein the input is provided to the processor. The processor further configured to determine at least one of a physical aspect of the user input and a frequency of an interaction with each of the plurality objects displayed on the touch screen. The processor further configured to modify a manner in which the plurality objects are displayed on the display device based on the determination of at least one of the physical aspects of the user input and the frequency of interaction with the plurality of objects.
US09990064B2 Electronic device stack assembly
An electronic device includes a stack assembly. The stack assembly is provided with a stack of sub-assemblies such as a display for rendering content, front lighting layered on top of the display for illuminating the display, a capacitive touch sensor layered on top of the front lighting for detecting touch inputs, and a cover glass layered on top of the capacitive touch sensor. Each sub-assembly is adhered to another sub-assembly with a film optically clear adhesive before coupling sub-assemblies with each other, which forms a touch-sensitive front-lit display that is capable of accepting user input and rendering content in low ambient light conditions.
US09990062B2 Apparatus and method for proximity based input
A method is provided for controlling proximity detection based user interface functions. In response to detection of simultaneous presence of a first object and a second object in close proximity to the input surface, an input mode may be activated, in which input mode a first action is associated with an input by the first object and a second action is associated with an input by the second object.
US09990059B2 Ink modes
Techniques for ink modes are described. According to various embodiments, different ink modes are supported, such as a permanent ink mode, a transient ink mode, a shape recognition mode, a text recognition mode, a selection mode, a command mode, an ink note mode, an ink for emphasis mode, and so forth. For instance, embodiments support a permanent ink mode where ink applied to a document becomes part of primary content of the document. A transient ink mode is also supported in which ink applied to a document is processed according to transient ink mode behaviors. According to various embodiments, a visual affordance of a particular active ink mode is presented on a document with which a user is interacting. Further, different ink modes each are associated with different respective visual affordances.
US09990058B2 Shape changing device
In some examples, a device to facilitate prevention or alleviation of a repetitive motion disorder may include a physical interface and a motor. The physical interface may include a size, a shape, an orientation, and a position. The motor may be operably coupled to the physical interface. The motor may be configured to automatically change at least one of the size, the shape, the orientation, or the position of at least a portion of the physical interface ergonomically and repeatedly during use of the device to facilitate prevention or alleviation of the repetitive motion disorder.
US09990057B2 Mouse for computer
The present invention relates to a mouse for a computer, which is a computer input device. The mouse has an upper case with a vertical cushioning function against force imposed on the mouse, and thus can operate smoothly. The present invention provides a cushioning function to a mouse, thereby eliminating fatigue and muscle pain of the wrist and fingers even when a user uses the mouse for a long time. The mouse is manufactured by assembling an upper case and a lower case, and is configured such that a protrusion box which protrudes upwards is formed on the lower case, a boss is fixed on the lower side of the upper case and penetrates the protrusion box, thereby being joined with the same, and a spring which is supported by the protrusion box is inserted into the boss from the outside while the lower side of the boss can be prevented from being separated from the protrusion box.
US09990053B2 Keyboard with detachable keys and method of controlling the same
A keyboard and a method of controlling the same are provided. The keyboard includes a base, a plurality of keys, a plurality of key chips and a controller. The base has a plurality of connecting portions. Each key is detachably connected to one of the connecting portions. Each key chip is correspondingly disposed on one of the keys and has a corresponding key code. The controller is disposed on the base. The controller outputs an inquiring code to each key chip, and each key chip determines whether the key code thereof corresponds to the inquiring code. The key chip which has the corresponded key code feedbacks a press state of the corresponding key to the controller.
US09990052B2 Intent-aware keyboard
Systems, methods, and computer storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that provide contextual services are provided. Embodiments of the present invention allow an input mechanism to provide contextual services. Exemplary input mechanisms include a keyboard, a gesture interface, and a speech interface. These inputs may be used to provide user input into one or more applications running on a computer. The contextual services provided include composition assistance, grammatical assistance, communication-context assistance, and research assistance. In one embodiment, an input mechanism (“IME”) program provides the contextual service. The IME program may work with a remote contextual-service provider. The IME program communicates user input and contextual information to the contextual-service provider. The contextual-service provider analyzes the input and contextual information to determine whether one or more contextual services should be provided.
US09990051B2 Portable keyboard
A portable keyboard includes a plurality of key assemblies including a plurality of key tops, a main body of a pillar shape of n angles, which is located in the vicinity of a first key assembly among a plurality of the key assemblies and includes a plurality of sides, a flexible connection member configured to connect a plurality of the key assemblies with the main body, and a main board configured to be embedded in the inside of the main body and process input signals inputted from a plurality of the key assemblies. In this case, the main body includes a first side of which one edge of the first side is connected with the flexible connection member, a second side adjacent to another edge of the first side and the second side of which an angle with the first side is equal to or greater than 90 degrees, and a cradle configured to combine one end of the cradle with the second side using a hinge to make the cradle to be rotated and the cradle configured to be contacted with the second side.
US09990049B2 Information presentation apparatus and information processing system
There is provided an information presentation apparatus. A detection unit detects whether another information presentation apparatus is within a predetermined range from an own apparatus. A specification unit specifies a theme in which a first user corresponding to the own apparatus is interested. An execution unit, in a case where it is found by communication with the other information presentation apparatus which is detected as being in the predetermined range from the own apparatus by the detection unit that there is a common theme between a theme in which a second user corresponding to the other information presentation apparatus is interested and the first user's interest theme which is specified by the specification unit, executes a notification operation to notify that the first user and the second user are interested in the common theme to the first user and the second user.
US09990046B2 Visual collaboration interface
Embodiments described herein includes a system comprising a processor coupled to display devices, sensors, remote client devices, and computer applications. The computer applications orchestrate content of the remote client devices simultaneously across the display devices and the remote client devices, and allow simultaneous control of the display devices. The simultaneous control includes automatically detecting a gesture of at least one object from gesture data received via the sensors. The detecting comprises identifying the gesture using only the gesture data. The computer applications translate the gesture to a gesture signal, and control the display devices in response to the gesture signal.
US09990043B2 Gesture recognition systems and devices for low and no light conditions
Gesture recognition systems for detecting gesture commands in light conditions and in dark conditions including a computing system having a processor and a thermographic camera configured to detect infrared radiation from a gesture made by a user and communicate gesture image information to the processor for carrying out a computer-readable gesture command are shown and described. In some examples, the computing system and the thermographic camera are supported on an eyewear article frame. In some other examples, the computing system and the thermographic camera are components of a mobile device. In even other examples, the computing system and the thermographic camera are components of a desk top computer or a laptop computer.
US09990040B2 Haptic CAPTCHA
A system performs haptic challenge-response functionality. The system generates one or more haptic effects, provides the one or more haptic effects as a haptic challenge question to a user via a haptic output device, and receives an answer from the user corresponding to the haptic challenge question. The system then determines, based on a model of human perception, whether the answer corresponds to a correct answer to the haptic challenge question. One embodiment predicts the correct answer to the haptic challenge question, compares the correct answer with the answer received from the user, and determines that the user is a human when the answer matches the correct answer. One embodiment repeats the generating, the providing, the receiving, the predicting, and the comparing when the answer does not match the correct answer.
US09990038B2 Customizing haptic effects on an end user device
Systems, methods, and associated software are described herein for enabling a regular user of an end user device, such as a cellular telephone, to customize parameters associated with haptic effects applied to the user by the end user device. In one implementation, among several, a method described herein includes enabling a user of an end user device to access software adapted to design or modify haptic effects of the end user device. The method further includes enabling the user to open a haptic track file and enter or modify parameters associated with the haptic effects of the opened haptic track file.
US09990034B2 Transparent display device and control method therefor
Disclosed is a transparent display device. A transparent display device according to one embodiment displays a predetermined image through a transparent display panel and senses the direction of the line of sight of a person gazing at the transparent display panel, thereby displaying detailed information of an object on the transparent display panel if the line of sight of the person is directed toward the object positioned on the rear surface of the transparent display panel.
US09990029B2 Interface object and motion controller for augmented reality
A method for interfacing with an interactive program is provided. Images of an interface object and a motion controller disposed in a gameplay environment are captured, a tag defined on a surface of the interface object. The captured images are analyzed to identify the tag on the surface of the interface object. Movement of the interface object is tracked by tracking the tag. Augmented images are generated by replacing, in the captured images, the tag with a virtual object, wherein generating the augmented images includes processing the tracked movement of the interface object to define movement of the virtual object. The captured images are analyzed to identify a pointing direction of the motion controller in the gameplay environment. The pointing direction of the motion controller is processed to identify a selection of a portion of the virtual object. The augmented images are presented on a display.
US09990028B2 System and method for providing live augmented reality content
A rendering platform for providing live augmented reality content to a user device is disclosed. The rendering platform receives augmented reality content associated with an event via a multicast data channel. A coverage area of the multicast data channel covers a portion of a venue associated with the event. The rendering platform receives a request to present an augmented reality display of the event at the user device within the coverage area. Further, the augmented reality content in the augmented reality display is presented based on the request.
US09990023B2 Systems and methods for handling sudden power failures in solid state drives
Systems and methods for handling sudden power failures in non-volatile memory devices such as solid state drives are provided by having the non-volatile memory device boot up in a low power write mode, which limits substantially all programming operations to a single level cell (SLC) mode, as opposed to a normal mode in which the programming operations can be performed in a multi-level cell (MLC) mode. Thus, if the system experiences a sudden power failure when it is being powered solely by AC derived power and the battery is below a level sufficient for powering the device while it is programming in the SLC mode, data integrity will be preserved because the programming operation was being performed in SLC mode. The non-volatile memory device may be permitted to exit out the low power write mode into the normal mode when the charge level of the battery is sufficient for powering the system.
US09990019B2 Apparatus for powering an electrical consumer via a data connection
The invention relates to an apparatus (1) for powering an electrical consumer (3, 4, 5) via a data connection (6, 7, 8). The apparatus comprises a power supply (2) for supplying power to the electrical consumer via the data connection, a data receiving unit (9) for receiving data to be sent to the electrical consumer, and a controller (10) for activating the supply of power to the electrical consumer via the data connection, if data to be sent to the electrical consumer have been received and the supply of power to the electrical consumer is deactivated. The electrical consumer itself does therefore not need to receive power from the apparatus, in order to stay alert to be able to react on data connection activity, thereby reducing the power consumption.
US09990014B2 Fan assembly for a computer system as well as holding device for a fan assembly
A fan assembly for a computer system that includes a fan, which has a flange having at least three fastening openings; and a holding device with at least two spring-loaded first fastening elements and a second fastening element. The fastening elements are arranged relative to one another such that in a relaxed state of the first fastening elements, the fan can be placed on the holding device in a first manner such that only the first fastening elements engage into respective two fastening openings, and in a second manner against a spring force of the first fastening elements.
US09990013B2 System and method for facilitating optimization of cooling efficiency of a data center
Disclosed is a system and method for facilitating optimizing cooling efficiency of a data center. The method may comprise receiving a layout of the data center. The method may comprise computing co-ordinates of each equipment of a plurality of equipments associated with the data center. Further, the method may comprise segregating the layout into a plurality of cells. The method may comprise capturing preliminary data associated with the data center. Further, the method may comprise determining a state value of the data center based upon the preliminary data. The method may comprise capturing CFD data and, selectively, thermal assessment data. Further, the method may comprise facilitating the optimization of the cooling efficiency of the data center by using an external analysis tool capable of performing Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis or thermal assessment followed by the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis using the CFD data and the thermal assessment data.
US09990008B2 Modular multi-mode virtual reality headset
A modular virtual reality headset that may be operated in multiple modes. Embodiments enable a mount with modular receivers having electronic and mechanical interfaces that accept swappable modules. Swappable modules may include swappable display modules, swappable audio modules, and swappable sensor modules. Embodiments enable multiple modes of operation, including for example a virtual mode to display virtual reality environments, a real mode to display images of the real environment surrounding the user, and an augmented reality mode that overlays real scenes with other information. Embodiments may also provide multiple modes of operation for audio.
US09990003B2 Motion effect reduction for displays and touch input
A movement compensation system is described herein that compensates a user interface and received touch input based on detected external motion affecting a mobile computing device. The system uses the integration of accelerometer data to either offset screen rendering or adjust screen size to improve readability. The system may also improve touch target selection by offsetting received touch coordinates to compensate for device shifting. Offsets can be applied to either the screen rendering offset or can be applied to the touch coordinate input. The system may increase font size or the size of other user interface elements in response to detecting external motion. The system may also receive tuning parameters to account for device mass, dampening filters on accelerometer integrations, latency effects, and user responsiveness to motion effects. Thus, the system allows users to continue to use devices under high motion environmental conditions.
US09990000B2 Electronic display suitable for submersion
There is disclosed herein a water tight submersible electronic device, such as a dive computer or a dive watch, comprising a case, a bezel, and glass through which a display can be viewed. The glass, case and bezel can all be different materials. The bezel is affixed to the case, in a permanent or removable manner, and has an opening for the glass and an electronic display. The electronic display is positioned under the glass and within the electronic device. For example, the glass is separated from and locked to the bezel by at least a locking ring, a shock absorber and/or a gasket. As such the glass can be free floating so that it and the bezel can deform under pressure without being damaged or causing damage to each other while maintaining a water tight connection.
US09989997B2 Wearable electronic device including a formable display unit
Particular embodiments described herein provide for a wearable electronic device, such as a bracelet, watch, wristband or armband that includes a circuit board coupled to a plurality of electronic components (which may include any type of components, elements, circuitry, etc.). One particular example implementation of a wearable electronic device may include a strap portion and a display portion that is secured to the strap portion. The display portion can include a formable display unit that comprises a formable material layer configured to be manipulated in one or more directions. The formable material layer can be configured to be manipulated in a first direction from a default position to a deformed position, which can be held until the formable material layer is manipulated in a second direction back to the default position.
US09989996B2 Wearable device, master device operating with the wearable device, and control method for wearable device
Provided is a wearable device that is wearable on a body of a user, the wearable device including a display configured to display a screen; a sensor configured to sense a motion of the user; and a controller configured to control the display based on the sensed motion.
US09989995B2 Electronic device with screen
An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a window panel having a front area and a curved area extending from the front area, a display panel disposed beneath the window panel, and a fixed part which supports a curved area of the display panel. The display panel includes a front display area, a side display area extending from the front display area so as to be curved, and a wiring area extending from the side display area, and the fixed part supports a curved shape of the side display area or the wiring area.
US09989990B2 Connector with staggered electrical pins
A receptacle connector may include a housing for housing a first pin and a second pin. The first pin may be of a first length and configured to be coupled to a first corresponding pin of an information handling resource received by the receptacle connector, the first pin comprising two contact bumps for maintaining electrical contact with the first corresponding pin. The second pin may be of a second length and configured to be coupled to a second corresponding pin of the information handling resource. The second length may be substantially shorter than the first length such that when the information handling resource is inserted into the receptacle connector, the first corresponding pin engages with the first pin before the second corresponding pin engages with the second pin. The second pin may comprise one contact bump for maintaining electrical contact with the second corresponding pin.
US09989988B2 Distributed MEMS devices time synchronization methods and system
A method is provided for time synchronization in a MEMS (MicroElectroMecahnical system) based system having a MEMS processor and a plurality of MEMS devices. In a specific embodiment, the method includes, in the MEMS processor, transmitting a synchronization signal to the plurality of MEMS devices and saving a local time upon transmitting the synchronization signal. The MEMS processor also receives sampled data and time information from the plurality of MEMS devices, when the data and information become available. The method also includes, in one or more of the MEMS devices, receiving the synchronization signal from the MEMS processor and storing a local time upon receiving the synchronization signal. The MEMS device also performs a sensing operation and stores sampled sense data and sense time information.
US09989987B2 Device for detecting amount of pedal operation
A pedal operation amount detection apparatus comprising: a transmitting member that transmits a pedal operation force; a movement lever disposed so as to be movable with respect to the transmitting member; a sensor rod disposed so as to be connected to the transmitting member and the movement lever; and a deformable body that is disposed on the transmitting member and is deformed when the pedal operation force or a reaction force corresponding to the pedal operation force is transmitted from the movement lever to the deformable body, the pedal operation amount detection apparatus electrically detecting a pedal operation amount based on deformation of the deformable body, the sensor rod extending through both the movement lever and the deformable body, the pedal operation amount detection apparatus further comprising: a first locking portion provided at an end portion of the sensor rod on a side where the sensor rod protrudes from the deformable body; a second locking portion provided at an intermediate portion of the sensor rod between the deformable body and the movement lever; a first elastic member that is disposed between the second locking portion and the deformable body in a natural state or a compressed state when a pedal is not operated; and a second elastic member that is disposed to so as to be connected to the movement lever and the sensor rod, and urges the movement lever to cause the movement lever to contact the second locking portion, when the pedal is operated, a load in a direction to displace the sensor rod toward the first locking portion is applied from the movement lever to the second locking portion, the sensor rod being moved toward the first locking portion in a manner such that the first elastic member is elastically deformed between the second locking portion and the deformable body, and the deformable body being deformed.
US09989986B2 Hitch position encoder with reference indicator for agricultural work vehicle
An output control system of an agricultural work vehicle includes a controller, a reference indicator communicatively coupled to the controller, and a dial communicatively coupled to the controller. The controller is configured to control power output through an output value range between a minimum output value and a maximum output value based at least in part on a manual input signal, to determine a current setting of the power output, and to adjust the power output from the current setting upon receipt of the manual input signal. The reference indicator is configured to indicate the current setting. Adjustment of an orientation of the dial from an initial position generates the manual input signal.
US09989984B2 Reference voltage circuit
A reference voltage circuit is provided, which includes bandgap reference circuit, bias current generator, first capacitor, second capacitor, comparator and control logic circuit. In the active mode of the control logic circuit, the control logic circuit controls the bandgap reference circuit to deliver bandgap reference voltage. The comparator transmits first comparison signal to control logic circuit when the first and second capacitors are charged to the bandgap reference voltage. The control logic circuit enters low power mode and controls the bandgap reference circuit to stop delivering the bandgap reference voltage. If the comparator detects the potential difference between the first capacitor and second capacitor exceeds the threshold value, the control logic circuit returns to active mode according to the second comparison signal transmitted form the comparator.
US09989981B1 Cascaded LDO voltage regulator
A voltage regulator is disclosed. The voltage regulator is cascaded, including first and second stages. The first stage may be a capacitor-less first stage that includes a source follower implemented with a first PMOS transistor, with the first PMOS transistor receiving a first reference voltage on its respective gate terminal. The first stage is coupled to receive a first voltage from an external voltage supply, and to provide a second voltage to the second stage. The second stage may be directly and exclusively coupled to the first stage, with no capacitor or connection for one coupled to the first stage output. The second stage may provide an output voltage, on an output node, with the output voltage being less than the second voltage.
US09989979B2 Inflating module for use with an inflatable object
An inflating module adapted to an inflatable object includes a pressure controlling assembly configured to monitor air pressure in the inflatable object after the inflatable body has been inflated and a supplemental air pressure providing device. The pressure controlling assembly is configured to automatically activate the supplemental air pressure providing device when the air pressure inside the inflatable object decreases below a predetermined threshold after inflation, and to control the supplemental air pressure providing device to provide supplemental air pressure to the inflatable object so as to maintain the air pressure of the inflatable object within a predetermined range.
US09989974B2 Method and apparatus of mass flow controlling for use in integrated gas delivery system
An apparatus of mass flow controlling for use in an integrated gas delivery system, comprising an input terminal, a sensor unit, an electromagnetic valve, and a control unit. The control unit comprises an A/D converter, a microprocessor, and a valve control circuit. The A/D converter converts a flow rate setting signal inputted by the input terminal into a first digital signal, and converts a flow rate detection signal outputted by the sensor unit into a second digital signal. The microprocessor further comprises a control module and a calculation module. The valve control circuit opens the electromagnetic valve according to the first control signal only, and further regulates an openness of the electromagnetic valve according to the first control signal and the second control signal. It is concluded that response time of the mass flow control apparatus of the present invention is shorten, and control quality is improved.
US09989971B2 Vehicle management system and vehicle management method
A vehicle management system for managing vehicles used by users has a usage managing unit configured to accept a user's request for using to use one of the vehicles, and manage the vehicles and parking spaces in which the vehicles are parked, an acquisition unit configured to acquire energy information from the vehicles, the energy information indicating a remaining amount of energy used for traveling of the vehicle, a determination unit configured to compare the remaining amount acquired by the acquisition unit with a remaining amount threshold that represents a shortage of energy, determine that the vehicle needs supply of energy when the remaining amount is lower than the remaining amount threshold, and specify a recovery vehicle that has been determined as needing supply of energy as a recovery vehicle, and a command outputting unit configured to output a recovery command for recovering the recovery vehicle from the parking space.
US09989962B2 Self-traveling cleaner, controlling apparatus, and automatic cleaning system
An automatic cleaning system is configured by a single controlling apparatus, and a plurality of self-traveling cleaners. When the controlling apparatus has received from a self-traveling cleaner a dust location signal containing a dust location detected by the self-traveling cleaner, it writes the received information into a storage unit. When the controlling apparatus has received from one of the plurality of self-traveling cleaners, with respect to dust which is not removed by any self-traveling cleaner, a signal requesting a reservation of removing the dust, the controlling apparatus will not accept from any other of the plurality of self-traveling cleaners a signal requesting a reservation of removing the dust, until receiving from the one self-traveling cleaner information indicating that removing of the dust has been completed or information indicating that the removing of the dust has been stopped.
US09989961B2 Antenna positioning system
An antenna positioning system includes an outdoor unit with a rotating antenna driven by a motor, and an indoor unit connected to the outdoor unit via a communications link, such as a cable or a wireless link, that enables the indoor unit to control the outdoor unit. On startup, the processor of the indoor unit directs the antenna to search for available signals. The resulting signal information is stored and displayed on a user interface on the indoor unit. The user can then select a desired signal and the processor of the indoor unit will automatically rotate the antenna to the appropriate angular position. Both the search procedure and repositioning of the antenna rely on accurate calibration of the antenna's angular velocity to determine the antenna's angular position, rather than relying on a position sensor.
US09989959B2 Workpiece processing system for carrying out sequential execution of process of workpiece in each process chamber by setting start time of process in each process chamber based on necessary processing duration specific to each chamber and necessary conveyance duration between the chambers
A workpiece processing system and method to process a workpiece in processing chambers in order, in which even if processing duration varies at any chamber, such a variation does not affect the processing of the workpiece in other chambers. Each chamber performs processing of a workpiece in a predetermined order; a conveyor that conveys a workpiece to a next chamber; and a control device controls at least a start time of predetermined processing at each processing chamber. The control device sets: predetermined representative processing at a first chamber as a reference processing step, start time of the reference processing step as control start time, necessary processing duration specific to each chamber, necessary conveyance duration required to convey a workpiece between the chambers, and controls starting of the representative processing at each chamber while considering the control start time as origination.
US09989958B2 Using cloud-based data for virtualization of an industrial automation environment
A cloud-based virtualization generation service collects industrial-automation-system-related data from multiple industrial automation systems of multiple industrial customers for storage and analysis on a cloud platform. A virtualization management component analyzes the data and generates a virtualized industrial automation system of the industrial automation system based on the analysis results. The virtualization management component updates the virtualized industrial automation system based on operation of, and user interactions with, the industrial automation system. The virtualization management component receives user interactions with the virtualized industrial automation system to facilitate remotely interacting with and/or controlling the industrial automation system and/or generates corresponding control signals that it sends to the industrial automation system to facilitate controlling operation of the industrial automation system. The virtualization management component also customizes a user's view of the virtualized industrial automation system based on user's role, authorization, or location.
US09989953B2 Visual interface and control of converting machine operations
A control method for controlling a converting machine that acts on plate elements for forming containers, the method including displaying with a graphical control interface at least one image representing a plate element or a container formed by a plate element, and control areas which are superimposed on the image and which respectively symbolize characteristic magnitudes of the conversions to be induced on each plate element, receiving by a processing unit a command entered individually by the operator by activating a control area, and controlling in response to the individually entered command, the processing unit to generate at least two respective adjustment signals correlated by a predetermined adjustment law to adjust at least two respective adjustable parameters, whereby corresponding converting members induce a change in a characteristic magnitude.
US09989951B2 Generation and publication of shared tagsets
Systems and methods are provided to facilitate receipt of tag requests from one or more interfaces, based upon which a single tagset is compiled at a controller comprising all the requested tags for a given update rate, whereupon the single compiled tagset is subsequently forwarded to the one or more interfaces. A controller generates a superset of tags associated with an industrial process. Each interface can request a copy of the superset, from which the required tags are selected. The controller receives the requested tags from all of the interfaces and combines the requested tags into a single tagset, for a given update rate, comprising the various parameters associated with the tags. At the selected update rate, the tagset is forwarded to the interfaces. A masterset can be utilized to identify the sequence of tags in a tagset and check code can ensure continuity of the tags in the tagset.
US09989949B2 Grid tied, real time adaptive, distributed intermittent power
A method for predicting the reactive power needs (or other power characteristic needs) for a plurality of customer circuits on an intermediate circuit operably connected to the grid by averaging measurements of utility power characteristics (such as power factor, frequency, and voltage) from a plurality of energy management controllers (or other measuring devices) connected to said customer circuits so that the utility or other grid participant can tailor its power output to meet active and reactive power needs (or other power characteristic needs) to improve transmission efficiency, increase capacity and avoid voltage fluctuations.
US09989948B2 Methods and systems for dynamic memory backup for transfer-switch controllers
Methods and systems for transfer-switch controller backup and transfer-switch controller operation are provided. An example backup apparatus includes a memory configured to store transfer-switch data related to a first transfer-switch controller, wherein the first transfer switch-controller is a controller for a given transfer switch. The apparatus is capable of interfacing with a communication interface of the first transfer-switch controller. The apparatus is further capable of being removed from the communication interface of the first transfer-switch controller and thereafter interfacing with a communication interface of a second transfer-switch controller, wherein the second transfer-switch controller is a replacement controller for the given transfer switch. The memory is further configured to, after the apparatus interfacing with the communication interface of the second transfer-switch controller, provide the transfer-switch data related to the first transfer-switch controller to the second transfer-switch controller.
US09989947B2 Driver circuit for driving electromagnetic actuators
Techniques for driving a plurality of inductive actuators are described herein. According to these techniques, a driver unit includes a clock terminal that receives an external clock signal used by an external control unit. The driver unit further includes a serial bus interface configured to communicate with the external control unit via a serial bus. The serial bus is configured to communicate both of trigger commands synchronized to the external clock signal that indicate to at least one of a plurality of programmable control circuits (PCUs) to generate drive signals in response to the trigger commands that are synchronized with the external clock signal and data associated with at least one of the plurality of PCUs and synchronized with the external clock signal, wherein the data is used by the at least one of the plurality of PCUs to generate the drive signals in response to the trigger commands.
US09989943B2 HVAC systems and controls
The embodiments disclosed herein are directed to systems and methods to control a HVAC system based on a state of an unloader of a compressor of the HVAC system.
US09989930B2 Mobile electronic device, control method, and non-transitory storage medium
A mobile electronic device according to one embodiment includes a sounding module that performs alarm sounding and a controller that determines whether the mobile electronic device is in a moving state. When it is determined that the mobile electronic device is in the moving state, the controller disables the alarm sounding by the sounding module.
US09989923B2 Electronic timepiece
An electronic timepiece includes an outer case, a back cover, and an antenna for receiving radio waves disposed in the outer case, wherein at least one of the outer case and the back cover is formed from a titanium alloy composed of aluminum in an amount of 3.50 mass % or more and 4.50 mass % or less and vanadium in an amount of 20.00 mass % or more and 23.00 mass % or less, with the remainder including titanium and impurities.
US09989921B2 Timepiece assortment using an amorphous metal alloy
The invention relates to a timepiece assortment including a timepiece component fixed to an arbor with the aid of a fixing element. According to the invention, the fixing element is made of at least partially amorphous metal alloy, is secured to the timepiece component by partial insertion and includes a hole into which the arbor is driven.
US09989920B2 Method of computing a hologram for reconstructing an object using a display device
A method of computing a hologram for reconstructing an object using a display device. The display device enables a holographic reconstruction of the object. The display device includes a light source and an optical system to illuminate a hologram-bearing medium being encodable with the hologram. The method includes the steps of: (a) computing the hologram by determining the wavefronts at an approximate observer eye position that would be generated by a real version of the object to be reconstructed; and (b) encoding the computed hologram in the hologram-bearing medium.
US09989919B2 Method for forming a hydraulic transfer film, hydraulic transfer film, and patterned article
A method for forming a hydraulic transfer film includes: (a) forming a water-soluble sacrificial layer on a water-soluble substrate; (b) forming a first holographic pattern on the water-soluble sacrificial layer; (c) forming a pattern forming layer on the water-soluble sacrificial layer such that the pattern forming layer is formed with a second holographic pattern on a surface that contacts the first holographic pattern and being complementary to the first holographic pattern, the pattern forming layer having a water-soluble region and an oil-soluble region; (d) forming an oil-soluble base layer on the pattern forming layer; and (e) forming an activating layer that is on the oil-soluble base layer and that includes a curable activating agent.
US09989918B2 Image forming apparatus having defined arrangement of heat discharge duct
An image forming apparatus includes a duct discharging a heat in a vicinity of a heating unit to an outer side of the image forming apparatus, a stay, and a toner cartridge storing a toner being supplied to a developing unit. The stay is arranged to be positioned between the duct and the toner cartridge in the vertical direction.
US09989909B2 Belt device and image forming apparatus incorporating same
A belt device includes a belt member, a detected unit, a window, an optical detector, and a regulation member. The belt member is movable in a direction of belt movement. The detected unit disposed on at least one side of the belt in a width direction of the belt intersecting with the direction of belt movement and extending in the direction of belt movement. The window transmits detection light emitted toward the detected unit and reflected light from the detected unit. The optical detector detects the detected unit. The regulation member is disposed on at least one side in a width direction of the window to keep the detected unit away from the window.
US09989908B2 Image formation system, image density correction method, and image formation apparatus
Provided is an image formation system of series tandem type in which first and second image formation apparatuses connected in series execute an image formation process on a recording material, wherein the first image formation apparatus includes: a first image carrier; a first toner image formation unit; a first density detection unit; a first density control value setting unit; and a first temperature detection unit, the second image formation apparatus includes: a second image carrier; a second toner image formation unit; a second density detection unit; a second density control value setting unit; and a second temperature detection unit, and the image formation system includes: a recording material density detection unit; and a control unit.
US09989907B2 Image information apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion configured to form a developer image on a recording material, a fixing portion configured to heat-fix the developer image to the recording material, a first motor configured to drive the image forming portion, a second motor configured to drive the fixing portion, and a control portion configured to control the first motor and the second motor. The second motor is a stepping motor. The control portion allows the second motor to start rotation at a speed in a self-start region, temporarily stops the second motor at a timing at which the first motor is activated, then allows the second motor to restart rotation at a speed in the self-start region, and changes the speed of the second motor to a speed outside of the self-start region before the recording material arrives at the fixing portion.
US09989905B2 Fixing device and image forming apparatus
A fixing device includes a nip formation pad which is disposed opposite an endless belt and forms a fixing nip between the endless belt and a pressure rotator. A contact heater is disposed at least at one lateral end of the nip formation pad in a longitudinal direction thereof and heats at least one lateral end of the endless belt in an axial direction thereof. A thermal conduction aid contacts a belt-side face of each of the nip formation pad and the contact heater and conducts heat in the axial direction of the endless belt. A cover is disposed outboard from the thermal conduction aid in a longitudinal direction thereof. The cover covers the belt-side face of the contact heater. The contact heater includes a power supply portion disposed outboard from the thermal conduction aid in the longitudinal direction thereof and covered by the cover.
US09989902B2 Image forming apparatus and computer readable medium storing program
An image forming apparatus includes a fixing member, a pressing member, a heating unit and a controller. The fixing member heats a toner image formed on a sheet. The pressing member presses the sheet onto the fixing member. The heating unit heats the fixing member. The controller controls the heating unit. The sheet is located at the fixing member in a first period and the sheet is not located at the fixing member and the fixing member is located between sheets in a second period. The controller controls the heating unit such that the heating unit heats the fixing member in a first heating pattern in which a heating period does not include the second period or in a second heating pattern in which a heating period includes the second period.
US09989895B2 Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a movable endless belt, a first image bearing member, second image bearing members provided upstream of the first image bearing member with respect to a movement direction of the belt, a first transfer roller, second transfer rollers, an auxiliary roller provided upstream of a most upstream second transfer roller of the second transfer rollers with respect to the movement direction of the belt, and an executing portion capable of executing an operation in a full-color mode in a first roller arrangement and an operation in a monochromatic mode in a second roller arrangement.