| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US10021243B2 |
Telephone call placement
A method or apparatus for connecting a telephone call between a vehicle driver and a customer, the method comprising receiving a driver request message from a device associated with the vehicle driver to place a telephone call between the vehicle driver and a customer; using the driver request message to match the vehicle driver with a job allocation record in at least one database and identifying from the record the identity of the customer; retrieving a telephone number relating to the device associated with the vehicle driver and retrieving a customer telephone number from the at least one database; and causing a telephony service to use the telephone numbers to place the telephone call between the vehicle driver and the customer. |
| US10021237B1 |
Isolating connector module for ruggedized mobile device
An apparatus for connecting a mobile device to a vehicle-based network includes a USB or similar accessory connector enclosed in a protective housing. The connector housing may include a Bluetooth or similar wireless connector for establishing a wireless link between the mobile device and the vehicle-based network via the USB port. The connector housing may include a hinged panel allowing access to the USB connector while open, and securing the USB connector to a USB port of the mobile device while closed. The connector housing may include a flexible impact absorber for isolating the connector from shocks or vibrations conducted by the vehicle mount by which the mobile device is mounted to a dashboard or interior surface of the vehicle. |
| US10021236B2 |
Mobile functional apparatus
A mobile functional apparatus is arrangeable on a body part of a user and includes at least one communication unit configured to communicate with at least one external unit and/or at least one sensor unit configured to capture at least one user and/or environment parameter. The mobile functional apparatus further includes at least one energy harvesting unit configured to convert at least one form of energy into electric power for supplying electric power at least to the at least one communication unit and/or to the at least one sensor unit. |
| US10021235B2 |
Method for controlling electronic device
A method for controlling an electronic device comprises performing a first function and displaying a screen of the electronic device corresponding to the first function, receiving an incoming call, displaying a window on a portion of the screen in response to the reception of the incoming call, the window displaying predetermined information relating to the incoming call, receiving a control signal from a user of the electronic device, and performing a second function in response to the reception of the control signal. |
| US10021229B1 |
911 call assistance for assisted device user
A system and method for use with an assisted user's communication device that includes a display and a speaker, the method comprising the steps of providing a processor programmed to perform the steps of, upon placement of an emergency call to a hearing user, recognizing the call as an emergency call, automatically initiating a captioning service to provide text transcription of voice messages from the hearing user and providing some indication to the assisted user that captioning has been automatically commenced and, upon placement of a non-emergency call, only starting the captioning service after a request for the captioning service from the assisted user is received. |
| US10021226B2 |
Display cover mounting
Techniques are described for mounting a display and/or display cover to a housing of a display device, such as a mobile phone. In an embodiment, the housing and display cover include chamfered edges at complementary angles to allow for an “edge-to-edge” display. The display cover and housing are affixed to each other at the chamfered edges using curable liquid adhesive. |
| US10021224B2 |
Trigger-based single user uplink transmission
A first communication device receives, from a second communication device, a trigger frame. The first communication device generates a single-user (SU) physical layer (PHY) protocol data unit that includes a PHY protocol payload, wherein the PHY protocol payload include information other than information that acknowledges a previous transmission from the second communication device. In response to the trigger frame, the first communication device transmits the SU PHY protocol data unit to the second communication device, such that the SU PHY protocol data unit is transmitted prior to the first communication device transmitting any other PHY protocol data unit after receiving the trigger frame. |
| US10021223B2 |
Reducing network latency
A method of transmitting data for use at a data processing system and network interface device, the data processing system being coupled to a network by the network interface device, the method comprising: forming a message template in accordance with a predetermined set of network protocols, the message template including at least in part one or more protocol headers; forming an application layer message in one or more parts; updating the message template with the parts of the application layer message; processing the message template in accordance with the predetermined set of network protocols so as to complete the protocol headers; and causing the network interface device to transmit the completed message over the network. |
| US10021222B2 |
Bit-aligned header compression for CCN messages using dictionary
One embodiment provides a system in a first node that facilitates efficient packet forwarding. During operation, the system stores, in a storage device in a first node, a static dictionary comprising a mapping between a type and length (TL) string and a byte-aligned compressed replacement string. The system encodes the byte-aligned compressed replacement string based on an encoding technique to generate a bit-aligned encoded replacement string and stores a mapping between the encoded replacement string and the TL string in an encoded dictionary. If the system identifies the TL string in a packet, the system replaces the TL string with the encoded replacement string and transmits the packet to a second node storing the encoded dictionary in a local storage device, thereby facilitating bit-aligned compression of a TL string. |
| US10021220B2 |
Object amalgamation based on categorization and protocol granularization
Object amalgamation based on categorization and protocol granularization is described. For certain example embodiments, each object belongs to a category of objects that is associated with a particular protocol. A protocol may include a wireless communication protocol and/or a characteristic description protocol. The object is capable of communicating a characteristic in accordance with the corresponding particular protocol. The characteristic may be an intrinsic attribute or a sensed value. A coordinator object groups other objects so as to amalgamate them into subnetworks in which the member objects are empowered to communicate with each other. If two objects correspond to different protocols, another object may translate a wireless communication from one protocol to another protocol. A coordinator object amalgamates characteristics received from other objects into a combined characteristic entity that may be used to jointly analyze the characteristics locally and produce a report for an end user based on the amalgamated characteristics. |
| US10021216B2 |
Monitoring services key performance indicators using TWAMP for SDN and NFV architectures
Techniques are described for extending a two-way active measurement protocol (TWAMP) to enable measurement of service key performance indicators (KPIs) in a software defined network (SDN) and network function virtualization (NFV) architecture. The TWAMP extensions enable control messaging to be handled by a TWAMP control client executed on a centralized controller, and data messaging to be handled by a TWAMP session initiator executed on a separate network device. Techniques are also described for extending TWAMP to enable measurement of any of a plurality of service KPIs for a given service supported at a TWAMP server. The service KPIs may include one or more of keepalive measurements, round trip time measurements, path delay measurements, service latency measurements, or service load measurements. The TWAMP extensions for the service KPIs may be used in both conventional network architectures and in SDN and NFV architectures. |
| US10021210B1 |
Providing faster data access using multiple caching servers
A method and system for identifying an optimal server to receive requests for network content requested by a user of a network device is provided. A browser application in a network device receives a request for network content from a user and transmits the request to a server. The browser application receives the network content from the server and renders the network content to the user on the network device. Executable code in the rendered network content enables the browser application to identify an optimal server to receive subsequent items of network content requested by the user. When the user selects an item of network content in the rendered network page, the browser application connects to the optimal server to receive subsequent items of network content for the user. |
| US10021208B2 |
Dynamic cache allocation and network management
A system and method for dynamic caching of content of sites accessed over a network by a user is provided. The system includes a processor, a first storage device for maintaining cache accounts for storing the content of the sites accessed over the network by the user based on activity over the network by the user with the sites, a second storage device for storing statistics, and a non-transitory physical medium. The medium has instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to gather statistics on suitability of the sites for caching based on the network activity, store the caching suitability statistics on the second storage device, and dynamically create, delete, or resize the cache accounts based on the caching suitability statistics. |
| US10021201B1 |
Managing social equity in a portal platform
An administrator can use a portal platform to manage social equity for social collaboration features of the web sites. A goal is to encourage users to contribute to an online community's social activities such as its blogs, message boards, and wiki pages. The portal platform supports social equity features, where users can earn points for their participation. The administrator can specify a counter period, where the points accumulated during the last period are reset. This feature can be used to encourage continual participation by the users. |
| US10021199B2 |
Apparatus and method for providing streaming music service
An apparatus and a method for sharing contents provided based on a social network between members of the social network. A content providing method includes, when a first terminal in a social network requests to use content, transmitting the corresponding content to the first terminal. The method also includes transmitting content use information associated with the first terminal to at least one adjacent terminal in the social network, via the social network. The method further includes, when a second terminal of the at least one adjacent terminal requests to use the same content as the first terminal, transmitting the same content to the second terminal. |
| US10021198B1 |
Software-based mobile tracking service with video streaming when events occur
An improved system and method for defining an event based upon an object location and a user-defined zone and managing the conveyance of object location event information among computing devices where object location events are defined in terms of a condition based upon a relationship between user-defined zone information and object location information. One or more location information sources are associated with an object to provide the object location information. One or more user-defined zones are defined on a map and one or more object location events are defined. The occurrence of an object location event produces object location event information that is conveyed to users based on user identification codes. Accessibility to object location information, zone information, and object location event information is based upon an object location information access code, a zone information access code, and an object location event information access code, respectively. |
| US10021197B2 |
Multiple cloud services delivery by a cloud exchange
In some examples, a network data center comprises a cloud-based services exchange point comprising a network, the cloud-based services exchange point operated by a cloud exchange provider that operates the network data center; and a programmable network platform comprising at least one programmable processor configured to receive a service request that specifies a plurality of cloud services provided by respective cloud service provider networks operated by respective cloud service providers, wherein the service request further specifies a topology for the plurality of cloud services; and provision, responsive to the service request, the cloud-based services exchange point to forward service traffic for the plurality of cloud services according to the topology for the plurality of cloud services. |
| US10021196B1 |
Private service endpoints in isolated virtual networks
A service implemented at a first isolated virtual network of a provider network is added to a database of privately-accessible services. Configuration changes that enable network packets to flow between the first isolated virtual network and a second isolated virtual network without utilizing a network address accessible from the public Internet are implemented. Service requests originating at the second isolated virtual network are transmitted to the first isolated virtual network via private pathways of the provider network. Metrics corresponding to service requests directed from the second isolated network to the service are collected and provided to the respective owners of one or both isolated virtual networks. |
| US10021195B2 |
Cross-device synchronization system for account-level information
Features are disclosed for synchronizing information across various devices, and using the synchronized information during subsequent content interactions. Devices may receive and/or store information, such as cookies or other account-level information, in connection with content interactions, such as content page retrieval, application execution, and the like. Information that is not device-specific can be synchronized across multiple devices, thus providing access to the information on any of the devices regardless of which device originally received or stored the information. |
| US10021190B1 |
Communication management method and system for inserting a bookmark in a chat session
Communication management methods and systems may insert a bookmark in a chat session. In one implementation, a communication management server is provided. The communication management server comprises a memory storing a set of instructions, and at least one processor configured to: receive, from a plurality of user devices, communication messages associated with a group communication session; store the communication messages in a communication content database; provide the communication messages for display on a display of a user device; receive a display suspension instruction; and generate a visit bookmark indicating a last displayed message in the communication messages. |
| US10021185B1 |
Optimized virtual storage fabric
The disclosed embodiments included a system, apparatus, method, and computer program product for optimizing the storage of data based at least in part on cost and service levels utilizing a cloud-based virtual storage fabric. Those embodiments are configured to compile operational information for service offerings that provide data storage at different storage locations, determine the costs of migrating that data to and storing that data at each of those storage locations utilizing the operational information, designate at which storage location each datum is to be stored based in part on those costs, and designate at least one datum for migration from one of the storage locations to another if the cost of storing that datum at that storage location is determined to be greater than the costs of migrating and storing that datum at the other storage location. |
| US10021183B2 |
System for tracking external data transmissions via inventory and registration
A platform for tracking external data transmissions through implementation of a data transmission inventory and registration process. The data transmission inventory provides for collection of data transmission logs and data transmission schedules from various sources throughout an enterprise. The information from the data transmission inventory is used to determine whether a pending, ongoing or completed data transmission is currently registered and, if so, whether the registration is currently valid. If a determination is made that no registration exits or the current registration is invalid, a validation/registration process ensues, whereby the data, the internal source and the external target are validated according to requisite requirements of the corresponding transmission. If validated, the data channel is deemed valid and is registered. If the data, internal source or external source are found to be invalid entries in the data transmission log or schedule are tagged/flagged indicating the invalidity and cause of the invalidity. |
| US10021179B1 |
Local resource delivery network
A local area network (LAN) may contain several local computing devices that are in communication with a remote network storage provider that is not part of the LAN. Resources may be available from the remote network storage provider. When a user requests a resource using a first local computing device in the LAN, the first local computing device may check the other local computing devices on that are in the LAN for the resource before requesting the resource from the remote network storage provider. If the resource is available within the LAN, the resource is not requested from the remote network storage provider. |
| US10021168B2 |
Application streaming using pixel streaming
Systems and methods for pixel streaming a stream-enabled application to a client device that is executed on an intermediary client device virtualization system. Portions of a stream-enabled application are used to begin execution of the stream-enabled application on the client device virtualization system. The output of the beginning of execution of the stream-enabled application are used to generate a pixel based stream-enabled application stream. The pixel-based stream-enabled application stream is sent to the client device. User interactions in response to the display of the stream are represented in user interaction data. The user interaction is determined from the user interaction data and application execution commands are determined based on the determined user interaction. Continued execution of the stream-enabled application occurs based on the application execution commands. The pixel-based stream-enabled application stream is modified according to the continued execution of the stream-enabled application. |
| US10021167B2 |
Accessing mobile documents
Various embodiments of systems and methods for accessing mobile documents are described herein. In an aspect, the method includes receiving a request from a device for creating an analytical file corresponding to a document. Upon receiving the request, a business intelligence archive resource (BIAR) file related to the document and at least one of data, one or more annotations, and one or more operations related to the document is retrieved. The retrieved BIAR file and the at least one of the data, the one or more annotations, and the one or more operations are integrated to create the analytical file corresponding to the document. |
| US10021166B2 |
Mechanism for building normalized service model to expose web APIs
Systems and methods for generating and using a normalized service model metadata repository to translate web APIs are described. In some embodiments, a normalized service model generator may allow an application to expose web APIs in new formats and/or standards that were unknown during development of the application and without requiring a change of code to the application to support the new formats and/or standards. In some cases, code or programming instructions associated with an application may include annotations (e.g., Java annotations) that classify whether particular methods or functions within the code correspond with a particular operation and specify relationships between objects or entities within the code. An annotation processor may process the code in order to extract entity relationships and service models exposed by the application and to generate a normalized metadata repository that may be translated into any kind of web API. |
| US10021165B2 |
Method of sharing browsing on a web page displayed by a web browser
A method of sharing browsing on a web page displayed in a window of a first web browser executed in a first terminal, with at least one second web browser executed in a second terminal. The method comprising: the second browser obtaining (S23) a video stream that is being played back in the first terminal, said stream including the display data of the web page; playing back (S24) the video stream in a playback zone included in a window of the second browser; on detecting (S25) at least one action triggered by a user of the second terminal and applied to at least one graphics element displayed within the play back zone, obtaining (S26, S27) information about the location of the action by evaluating the position of the graphics element relative to a reference frame associated with the display zone of the web page in the window of the first browser; transmitting (S28) a message to the first browser, which message includes an action type associated with the detected action together with the information about the location of the action; and applying (S29) the action to the web page (WP1) in the window of the first web browser as a function of the content of the message. |
| US10021161B2 |
Compression of graphical commands for remote display
In one example, a method for transmitting video data includes capturing a plurality of sets of graphical command tokens respectively renderable into a plurality of frames of video data; and responsive to determining that a length of a current set of graphical command tokens of the plurality of sets of graphical command tokens is the same as a length of a previous set of the plurality of sets of graphical command tokens, outputting, by a source device and to a sink device, a compressed version of the current set of graphical command tokens. |
| US10021159B2 |
Method of stabilized adaptive video streaming for high dynamic range (HDR)
An adaptive video streaming stabilization system includes a computer network comprising a data source; a video player; and a session controller connected between the data source and an adaptive streaming stabilizer. The session controller is configured to use in parallel a variable number of streams in order to maximize download throughput from the data source to the video player. The adaptive streaming stabilizer is connected between the video player and the session controller. |
| US10021156B2 |
Method and an electronic device for performing playback and sharing of streamed media
Described herein are methods and electronic devices for performing playback of streamed media, including uploading an associated second media content item while performing playback of a first media content item. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, when performing playback of a first media content item, a message is sent to a computer server system, to return information that a service for sharing a related second media content item is selectable. The information is displayed at a user interface as a visual array of tiles, wherein each tile corresponds to a respective service. When a service is requested, a service data is processed, and the second media content item captured and uploaded with the requested service. By enabling a user to obtain media content items associated to the currently playbacked media content item, the user may find associated media content items, which he/she normally should not have been aware of. |
| US10021154B2 |
Electronic devices for capturing media content and transmitting the media content to a network accessible media repository and methods of operating the same
A client device is operated by obtaining a list of contacts, wherein the list of contacts includes contact information of authorized users, recording media content, defining a selected recipient of the media content, and transmitting the media content and contact information of the selected recipient to a media repository system to enable the media repository system to compare an identification of a user requesting access to the media content from the media repository system with the contact information of the selected recipient and to enable a communication device of the user to access the media content from the media repository system responsive to a determination that the contact information of the selected recipient matches the identification of the user. The media content includes audio, video, and/or image content. |
| US10021153B2 |
Determination of a user context and sending of a third party proposition
A method comprising identifying a user account associated with a user, the user account referencing at least one third party user account associated with the user, receiving, by an apparatus from a separate apparatus, circumstantial information that is indicative of a user context of the user, determining the user context based on the circumstantial information, determining that the user context is classified by at least one user context classification that is associated with the third party user account, sending information indicative of the third party user account and the user context to a third party server, the third party server being associated with the third party user account, receiving a third party proposition from the third party server, and sending, to a user apparatus, the third party proposition in response to the receipt of the third party proposition is disclosed. |
| US10021152B2 |
Sharing location information for locations accessed during a conference
Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for providing a location sharing service. A server computer executing a location sharing service can identify a presenter for a location sharing session and a participant in the location sharing session. The server computer can receive location information from the presenter. The location information can identify a location accessed at a computing device associated with the presenter during a conference. The server computer can provide the location information to a user device associated with the participant during the conference. The server computer also can provide a log including the location information to the user device during or after the conference. |
| US10021150B2 |
Systems and methods of establishing and measuring trust relationships in a community of online users
Systems and methods for establishing and measuring trust relationships in a community of online users. In the systems and methods, indications of the trustworthiness of members of an online community, and/or other resources within or outside of the online community, can be obtained that are dependent not only upon the perceived trustworthiness of the respective online community members and/or other resources themselves, but also the perceived trustworthiness of others within the online community who have deemed those respective online community members and/or other resources as being trustworthy. Such indications of the trustworthiness of online community members and/or other resources are measurements that can be strengthened as the trustworthiness of others within the online community with whom trust relationships have been established increases. In this way, the usefulness of such indications of the trustworthiness of online community members and/or other resources can be enhanced. |
| US10021149B2 |
System and method for augmented and virtual reality
One embodiment is directed to a system for enabling two or more users to interact within a virtual world comprising virtual world data, comprising a computer network comprising one or more computing devices, the one or more computing devices comprising memory, processing circuitry, and software stored at least in part in the memory and executable by the processing circuitry to process at least a portion of the virtual world data; wherein at least a first portion of the virtual world data originates from a first user virtual world local to a first user, and wherein the computer network is operable to transmit the first portion to a user device for presentation to a second user, such that the second user may experience the first portion from the location of the second user, such that aspects of the first user virtual world are effectively passed to the second user. |
| US10021148B2 |
Selective copying of track data through peer-to-peer remote copy
In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes: receiving a request to establish a Peer-to-Peer Remote Copy (PPRC) relationship between a primary storage system and a secondary storage system; and copying one or more data tracks of a primary storage device in the primary storage system to the secondary storage system without copying at least one other data track of the primary storage device to the secondary storage system. The one or more data tracks of the primary storage device comprise one or more data tracks of a first characteristic. Other portions of the primary storage device comprise one or more other data tracks of a second characteristic. Tracks of the first characteristic may include valid data records, while tracks of the second characteristic may include invalid data records and/or empty tracks. Corresponding systems and computer program products are also disclosed. |
| US10021146B2 |
Asynchronous event-driven messaging framework for a remote video assistance system
The present invention provides an over-the-top intermediary application for delivering video assistance services. The invention brokers and coordinates all messaging between user and video assistant multimedia applications/platforms, as well as backend resource allocation infrastructure services. By encapsulating different protocol messages from disparate multimedia clients/vendors and backend infrastructure services into a common standard-based messaging protocol, the present invention is able to provide video assistance services regardless of which multimedia client is implemented by the user or video assistant and is able to readily implement new, emerging multimedia clients and backed infrastructure services in a plugin-like fashion. In addition, the video session broker of the present invention streamlines call workflow, maintains the presence of all user/video assistant endpoints, coordinates video session ignition requests and maintains messaging transport between users, video assistants and backend infrastructure resources. |
| US10021141B2 |
Managing network resource access using session context
A computing device providing a network service to a service area may receive a connection request from a user device and generate a session start request to start a user session in a service domain covering the service area. One or more policy rules may be evaluated to determine whether any rule is applicable to the user device, which includes determining that an authoritative user session has already been established in the service domain. The user session may be established in the service domain for the user device, and at least one permission for access to a controlled network resource may be associated with the user session based on the determination that the authoritative user session has already been established. A request from the user device to access the controlled network resource may be received and access to the controlled network resource may be granted. |
| US10021138B2 |
Policy/rule engine, multi-compliance framework and risk remediation
Techniques are provided that for providing complete solutions for role-based, rules-driven access enforcement, the techniques including active policy enforcement. Techniques address blended risk assessment and security across logical systems, IT applications, databases, physical systems, and operational technology systems in the context of threat and fraud detection, risk analysis and remediation, active policy enforcement and continuous monitoring. Further, techniques provide out of the box workflow rules that give the ability to add, modify, or delete the applicability parameters for policy enforcement. |
| US10021137B2 |
Real-time mobile security posture
In an example, a system and method for real-time mobile security posture updates is provided. A mobile device management (MDM) agent may run on the mobile device, and may register with the operating system one or more mobile security posture change events that may affect the mobile security posture. These may include, for example, installation of an MDM agent, uninstallation of a program, connecting to a secured or unsecured network, or similar. When any such event occurs, the OS lodges the event with the MDM agent, which then communicates with an MDM server engine to potentially receive new security instructions. Lodging the event may include providing a joint user-and-device authentication to the MDM server, such as via SAML. |
| US10021135B1 |
Inducing data loss in Zigbee networks via join/association handshake spoofing
Methods, systems, and devices for instituting a new type of attack on Zigbee networks are provided. Targeting the data-collection aspect of Zigbee's use cases, a denial-of-service attack can be implemented, and can induce loss of the data transmitted from an end device to the coordinator of the network. Such an attack can exploit the fact that the handshake for a newly joining node to the Zigbee coordinator is not encrypted. Methods, systems, and devices to mitigate such an attack are also provided. To mitigate such a type of attack, a low-overhead countermeasure can be implemented, based on a challenge-response. |
| US10021134B2 |
Methods and systems for phishing detection
A method of determining a probability that a received email comprises a phishing attempt may comprise analyzing a link therein to determine whether the link comprises a phishing attempt. This determination may comprise comparing features of the link with records stored in a remote database to determine whether the link comprises a phishing attempt. It may be determined that the link comprises a phishing attempt if there is a match. If the compared features do not match the records stored in the remote database, a multi-dimensional input vector may be built from features of the link, which input vector may then be input into a phishing probability engine. The probability that the link comprises a phishing attempt may be computed by the phishing probability engine. Thereafter, the received email may be acted upon according to the computed probability that the link comprises a phishing attempt. |
| US10021131B2 |
Origin controlled attack protections in a distributed platform
Some embodiments provide an origin whose content is distributed by a third party content distributor control over invoking attack protections from the third party content distributor. The origin independently monitors requests and messaging the content distributor passes to the origin as a result of the content distributor needing to retrieve content from the origin before redistribution or because requested content is dynamic or uncacheable. Upon detection of an attack, the origin signals the content distributor to perform one of several attack protections on its behalf. In this manner, the origin leverages the content distributor distributed platform architecture to shield itself from attack. Based on the origin signaling, the content distributor rate limits, blocks, redirects, or performs other attack protections to reduce the load on the origin server. |
| US10021130B2 |
Network state information correlation to detect anomalous conditions
State information relating to the operation of network devices is used to identify network issues and/or anomalies relating to the operation of the network. The state information from the network devices may include time-series signals from a number of the network devices. Correlation values may be obtained between pairs of time-series signals. Pairs of time-series signals that have a relatively high correlation value may be determined to be related to one another. In one implementation, mitigation of the network issues/anomalies may be automatically performed based on calculated correlation values. |
| US10021127B2 |
Threat indicator analytics system
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for analyzing threat intelligence information. One of the methods includes receiving by a threat information server, threat intelligence information from one or more intelligence feeds and generating one or more identified security threats, identifying a compromise by a management process orchestration server and retrieving information from the threat information server and identifying one or more actions to be performed, determining by an indicator analytics processor, a composite credibility based on the actions, and determining one or more components for profiling and determining indicators of compromise for each component, and communicating the indicators of compromise to the management process orchestration server. |
| US10021125B2 |
Infrastructure monitoring tool for collecting industrial process control and automation system risk data
This disclosure provides an infrastructure monitoring tool, and related systems and methods, for collecting industrial process control and automation system risk data, and other data. A method includes discovering multiple devices in a computing system by a risk manager system. The method includes grouping the multiple devices into multiple security zones by the risk manager system. The method includes, for each security zone, causing one or more devices in that security zone to provide information to the risk manager system identifying alerts and events associated with the one or more devices. The method includes storing the information, by the risk manager system, in association with unique identifier values, the unique identifier values identifying different types of information. |
| US10021124B2 |
Computer program product and apparatus for multi-path remediation
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for a database associating a plurality of device vulnerabilities to which computing devices can be subject with a plurality of remediation techniques that collectively remediate the plurality of device vulnerabilities. Each of the device vulnerabilities is associated with at least one remediation technique. Each remediation technique associated with a particular device vulnerability remediates that particular vulnerability. Further, each remediation technique has a remediation type are selected from the type group consisting of patch, policy setting, and configuration option. Still yet, a first one of the device vulnerabilities is associated with at least two alternative remediation techniques. |
| US10021123B2 |
Customized network traffic models to detect application anomalies
Systems, methods, and devices of the various aspects enable identification of anomalous application behavior. A computing device processor may detect network communication activity of an application on the computing device. The processor may identify one or more device states of the computing device, and one or more categories of the application. The processor may determine whether the application is behaving anomalously based on a correlation of the detected network communication activity of the application, the identified one or more device states of the computing device, and the identified one or more categories of the application. |
| US10021119B2 |
Apparatus and method for automatic handling of cyber-security risk events
This disclosure provides an apparatus and method for automatic handling of cyber-security risk events and other risk events. A method includes detecting, by a monitoring system, a first event associated with a device in a computing system. The method includes initializing a risk item corresponding to the first event, and setting the risk item to a full risk value, in response to detecting the event. The method includes determining whether a second event, corresponding to the first event, has been detected. The method includes altering the risk value over time in response to determining that no second event has been detected. The method includes determining if the risk value for the risk item has passed a threshold. The method includes clearing the event in response to the risk value passing the threshold. |
| US10021115B2 |
Integrated security system having rule optimization
Techniques are described for optimizing the placement of automatically generated rules within security policies. An administrator may, for example, interact with the graphical representation of rules rendered by the threat control module and, responsive to the interaction, the system may determine an optimal placement for the created rule in the list of rules for the identified security device based on either the existence of anomalies or threat IP data and/or advanced security parameters. In this way, the system allows administrators to configure rules with the most optimal sequence to detect threats. |
| US10021114B1 |
Determining the legitimacy of messages using a message verification process
A server computer receives an indication of an interaction between a first user device of a first user and a second user device of a second user, where the interaction includes a message for transmission from the first user to the second user. The server computer performs a verification process on the message, including performing one or more binary checks on the message. The server computer then generates a response indicating whether the message is a legitimate message based on the verification process. When the response indicates that the message is a legitimate message, the server computer transmits the message to the second user device of the second user for display. |
| US10021111B2 |
Location based authentication of users to a virtual machine in a computer system
An apparatus and method uses location based authentication of a user accessing a virtual machine (VM) by using the physical location of the virtual machine as a criteria for the authentication. When a user requires a logical partition to run in a known, specified physical location, the user specifies the physical location when the VM is created. The specified physical location is then incorporated into the user authentication process. Users are challenged and must know the physical location in order to be authenticated to the system. When a “disruptive event” in the cloud environment occurs that necessitates moving the VM to another location, the original physical location is stored so the virtualization manager later can automatically relocate the VM back to its original physical location. |
| US10021106B1 |
Logging location and time data associated with a credential
Location information of a client device associated with a credential is determined to be tracked. The credential has been granted to a user of the client device by a credential granting authority to indicate a status of the user with the credential. Known location data that indicates known locations is maintained. The credential data is associated with each of the known locations, and geographic data for each of the known locations. A location of the client device associated with the credential and a particular time associated with the location is determined. A subset of the known location data that defines one or more locations that are known for the credential is accessed from the known location data. The location of the client device associated with the credential is compared with geographic data included in the accessed subset of the known location data. |
| US10021104B2 |
Method for operating a security element
A method for operating a security element, preferably in the form of a chip card, having a processor, and a memory. stores an operating system comprising an operating-system kernel and at least one additional operating-system module for supplying optional operating-system functionalities, and at least one access permission associated with the operating-system module and determining whether the operating-system module can be accessed during operation of the security element. The method comprises the step of changing the access permission for the operating-system module for supplying optional operating-system functionalities in reaction to the receiving of a message from a server. The message from the server may be an OTA message sent from the server to the security element via a mobile radio network. |
| US10021103B2 |
Service authorization methods and apparatuses
An apparatus and method to authorize Application Programming Interface (API) or method level access in system and application services are provided. The method includes receiving a request for access to a service from another service or an application via an interface accessible by the other service or the application, and determining whether to authorize the request based at least in part on a specified policy. |
| US10021102B2 |
Leak-proof classification for an application session
The present disclosure discloses a system and method for classifying an application session for forwarding or refrain from forwarding to a client. Generally, classifying an application session includes: receiving a first request from a client device at a first network device; transmitting, by the first network device, a second request to obtain classification information corresponding to the first request; forwarding, by the first network device, the first request from the client device prior to receiving the classification information corresponding to the first request; receiving, by the first network device, the classification information corresponding to the first request; receiving, by the first network device, a first response corresponding to the forwarded first request; and based on the classification information, forwarding or refraining from forwarding the first response to the client device. |
| US10021100B2 |
Systems and methods for device authentication
Embodiments include methods, and systems and computing devices configured to implement the methods of authenticating a computing device. A processor of a first computing device may obtain a transitory identity and may send the transitory identity to a second computing device and a third computing device. A processor of the second computing device may send the transitory identity to the third computing device with a request to authenticate the first computing device. The processor of the third computing device may authenticate the identity of the first computing device in response to determining that the transitory identity received from the first computing device matches the transitory identity received from the second computing device. |
| US10021098B2 |
Account login method, device, and system
An account login method detects whether an account login request carries an indicator for keeping a logged-in state to determine whether a user decides to keep a logged-in state, and authentication information allocated by an integrated data services platform is stored when it is determined that a logged-in state on a third-party application or website needs to be kept; therefore, in a subsequent login process, the third-party application or website may use the authentication information to automatically perform authentication login to the integrated data services platform. |
| US10021096B2 |
Biometric information management method and biometric information management apparatus
In a biometric information management method, a first comparison result is acquired by comparing first biometric input information with registered first biometric authentication information and a second comparison result is acquired by comparing second biometric input information with registered second biometric authentication information. Further, satisfaction or non-satisfaction of a predetermined authentication information compensation condition is determined based on the first comparison result and the second comparison result. If a result of the determining satisfies the authentication information compensation condition, the first biometric authentication information is compensated by using the first biometric input information or the second biometric authentication information is compensated by using the second biometric input information. |
| US10021095B1 |
System, method, and computer program for two layer user authentication associated with connected home devices
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for two layer user authentication associated with connected home devices. In use, it is determined whether a user is authenticated to control at least one connected home device utilizing a user device, as a first layer of security. If it is determined the user is authenticated to control the at least one connected home device, a command for controlling the at least one connected home device is received by the user utilizing the user device. Further, it is determined whether at least one registered fingerprint is accessible by the user device. If it is determined that at least one registered fingerprint is accessible by the user device, a fingerprint identification interface is displayed on a display associated with the user device. Additionally, a fingerprint input is received from the user utilizing the fingerprint identification interface. Furthermore, the received fingerprint input is compared with the at least one registered fingerprint. Still yet, it is determined whether the user is authenticated to control the at least one connected home device based on the comparison, as a second layer of security. If it is determined that the user is authenticated to control the at least one connected home device based on the comparison, the command for controlling the at least one connected home device is executed. |
| US10021092B1 |
Systems and methods for device authentication
Systems and methods for providing access to secure information are disclosed. In one aspect, a computer-implemented method for providing access to secure information comprises receiving a first one-time password (OTP) from a computing device, and verifying whether the first OTP is valid. The method also comprises, if the first OTP is valid, performing the steps of generating a second OTP for accessing the secure information, and transmitting the second OTP to the computing device. In another aspect, a computer-implemented method for providing access to secure information comprises generating a first one-time password (OTP), and transmitting the first OTP to an OTP device. The method also comprises, in response to the first OTP, receiving a second OTP from the OTP device, and sending the second OTP to a system that controls access to the secure information, wherein the first OTP is different from the second OTP. |
| US10021089B2 |
Customized user validation
Mechanisms and techniques for customized user validation. A login attempt is received from a remote electronic device with one or more computing devices that provide access to one or more resources. The login attempt is analyzed to determine a profile from a plurality of profiles corresponding to the login attempt. The one or more computing devices support the plurality profiles with each profile having a corresponding flow. The flow corresponding to the profile is performed prior to allowing continuation of the login attempt. The login attempt is continued, via the one or more computing devices, after the flow corresponding to the profile is completed. Access is granted to the one or more resources, via the one or more computing devices, in response to a successful completion of the login attempt. |
| US10021085B1 |
Encryption and decryption techniques using shuffle function
Encryption and decryption techniques based on one or more transposition vectors. A secret key is used to generate vectors that describe permutation (or repositioning) of characters within a segment length equal to a length of the transposition vector. The transposition vector is then inherited by the encryption process, which shifts characters and encrypts those characters using a variety of encryption processes, all completely reversible. In one embodiment, one or more auxiliary keys, transmitted as clear text header values, are used as initial values to vary the transposition vectors generated from the secret key, e.g., from encryption-to-encryption. Any number of rounds of encryption can be applied, each having associated headers used to “detokenize” encryption data and perform rounds to decryption to recover the original data (or parent token information). Format preserving encryption (FPE) techniques are also provided with application to, e.g., payment processing. |
| US10021083B1 |
Providing credential information
A server system maintains data indicative of credentials held by multiple different users. Each of the credentials has been issued by a credential granting authority that is separate from an entity that operates the server system. The server system receives selection data that indicates how credential data of a first user is to be made available to other users. Based on the selection data, the server system stores availability data that indicates how credential data of the first user is to be made available to the other users. The server system also maintains a location of a mobile computing device associated with the first user and, based on the availability data and the location, provides, to at least a second user, information about at least one credential held by the first user in association with an indication of the location. |
| US10021081B2 |
Method and apparatus for trust-based, fine-grained rate limiting of network requests
A method and apparatus for fine-grained, trust-based rate limiting of network requests distinguishes trusted network traffic from untrusted network traffic at the granularity of an individual user/machine combination, so that network traffic policing measures are readily implemented against untrusted and potentially hostile traffic without compromising service to trusted users. A server establishes a user/client pair as trusted by issuing a trust token to the client when successfully authenticating to the server for the first time. Subsequently, the client provides the trust token at login. At the server, rate policies apportion bandwidth according to type of traffic: network requests that include a valid trust token are granted highest priority. Rate policies further specify bandwidth restrictions imposed for untrusted network traffic. This scheme enables the server to throttle untrusted password-guessing requests from crackers without penalizing most friendly logins and only slightly penalizing the relatively few untrusted friendly logins. |
| US10021078B2 |
System, apparatus and method for encryption and decryption of data transmitted over a network
A method and system for securing data transmitted between a client device and a server by obtaining input text at an intermediate module, processing the input text to obtain processed text, deciding whether to transform the input text deterministically or non-deterministically, or a combination of deterministically and non-deterministically, and based on that decision, transforming the input text accordingly, using at least one key to obtain processed text, and transmitting the processed text to the server. Other embodiments and features of the invention include searching for processed text, allowing for sorting of processed text records by applying an order-preserving transformation, storing unabridged processed elements in a storage device managed by the intermediate module, providing a function by the intermediate module on the input data in lieu of the server, and processing the processed text so as to determine by the intermediate module a transformation applied by the server on input text. |
| US10021074B2 |
Encrypting method and decrypting method of security short message and receiving apparatus for receiving security short message
An encrypting method of a security short message includes performing a first encryption computation according to a short message content and a deadline code to generate a verification code, performing a second encryption computation according to the short message content, deadline code and verification code to generate an encrypting field, and combining a non-encrypting field and the encrypting field to create the security short message. |
| US10021069B1 |
Real time dynamic client access control
A system and method for facilitating controlled access by a client device to one or more services provided by a server are disclosed. The client device's access to the services provided by the server may be dynamically controlled by a controller, which may generate instructions to an agent to effectuate the access control. The agent may be configured to control one or more access components associated with the server. The instructions generated by the controller may instruct the agent to cause the access control components to grant or remove the client device's access to the services provided by the server. In some implementations, the controller may generate such instructions based on a status of a session established between the controller and the client device. |
| US10021065B2 |
System and method for suppressing DNS requests
A virtual private router (VPR) intercepts DNS requests and returns a pseudo IP address to the requesting application and the pseudo IP address is mapped to a domain name in the request. Requests for content including the pseudo IP address are modified to include the corresponding domain name and transmitted to an intermediary server, which resolves the domain name to a real IP address and forwards the content request. The content is received by the intermediary server, which returns it to the requesting application, such as by way of the VPR. Real IP addresses may be returned by the intermediary server such that subsequent content requests to the domain name may bypass the intermediary server. Requests for certain domains, ports, and/or protocols may bypass the intermediary server such that the VPR resolves the domain names to real IP addresses. |
| US10021063B2 |
Apparatus and method for protecting proprietary information over public notification infrastructure
A method includes generating an obfuscation of a notification and transmitting the obfuscation to an end-user device via an unsecure notification infrastructure. The method also includes, in response to a request from the end-user device, transmitting the notification to the end-user device via a secure connection. The request from the end-user device can also be received via the secure connection. The method could also include receiving information associated with an event and storing at least one of the notification and the information in association with the obfuscation, where the notification contains the information. The event could denote an event associated with an industrial process control and automation system. The obfuscation could include a unique identifier associated with the notification or a summary of the notification. |
| US10021058B2 |
Method and system for providing notifications for group messages
A method and system for providing notifications to users for group messages transmitted over a social networking platform are disclosed. A server with one or more processors and memory obtains a group message from a first user account in the social networking platform, where the group message is to be sent to a group of user accounts in the social networking platform. For a respective user account in the group of user accounts, the server: determines a status of a group message notification function of the social networking platform for the respective user account; in accordance with a determination that the group message notification function is disabled, determines whether the respective user account is referred to in the group message; and, in accordance with a determination that the user account is referred to in the group message, sends a notification to the respective user account regarding the group message. |
| US10021055B2 |
Using e-mail message characteristics for prioritization
Message prioritization may be provided. First, a message may be received and a priority level may be calculated for the message. If the message is not rejected for having a priority lower than a predetermined threshold, the message may be placed in a first priority queue. Next, the message may be de-queued from the first priority queue based upon the calculated priority level for the message. Distribution group recipients corresponding to the message may then be expanded and the priority level for the message may be re-calculated based upon the expanded distribution group recipients. Next, the message may be placed in a second priority queue. The message may then be de-queued from the second priority queue based upon the re-calculated priority level for the message and delivered. |
| US10021054B1 |
Implementing secured email
A method for implementing secured messages via public e-mail services includes: receiving a content of an original message to be transmitted to a recipient; parsing the content of the original message into a plurality of segments; dividing the plurality of segments into a first group of segments and a second group of segments; generating a first message including the first group of segments and a second message including the second group of segments; and forwarding the first message via a first messaging service and the second message via a second messaging service different from the first messaging service. Further, a method includes receiving the first and the second messages via the first and the second messaging services and merging the first and the second messages to generate the original message. |
| US10021053B2 |
Systems and methods for throttling display of electronic messages
A method throttles display of electronic messages. The process displays a list of entries in an email application. The list of entries includes a first electronic message, a first message cluster, and a second message cluster. The process detects the occurrence of a cluster display trigger event for the first message cluster. The trigger event is one of: detection of passage of a predetermined amount of time since refreshing display of the first message cluster, an occurrence of a particular time of day, an occurrence of a predetermined date, or receipt by the first message cluster of a predefined number of new electronic messages since previously refreshing the display of the list. In response to the detected trigger event, the process refreshes the display of the list of entries, including re-ranking the first message cluster within the list of entries. This changes the relative position of the first message cluster. |
| US10021045B2 |
Method, system, and storage medium for message processing
The present disclosure is related to the field of communication technologies and provides a method, system, and storage medium for message processing. The method includes the following steps: configuring, by an initiator, a serial number for a message, and sending the message having the configured serial number to a target end; extracting, by the target end, a serial number of a message that a user chooses to reply to, and adding the serial number to a corresponding reply message; and displaying, by the initiator according to the serial number carried in the reply message, the reply message next to a message corresponding to the serial number carried in the reply message. In the present disclosure, the serial number is configured for each message, and the reply message is displayed next to the corresponding message according to the serial number carried in the reply message, thereby improving pertinence between a reply message and its original message. |
| US10021044B2 |
Instant messaging
Disclosed is a user device comprising a display having an available display area, a network interface, and one or more processors. The network interface is configured to transmit and receive messages between the user device and a communication network in an instant messaging communication session. A client application executed on the one or more processors has a user interface capable of operating in a conversation mode or in an engagement mode. The client application is configured to detect a condition indicative of the level of engagement of the user by analyzing the user's activity at the user device and responsive to the detected condition to modify the client user interface, when configured to operate in one of said modes, to operate in the other of said modes instead. |
| US10021041B2 |
Vehicle network node module
A vehicle network node module includes device buffers, a network buffer, a switch circuit, and a processing module. The device buffers temporarily store outgoing device packets from, and temporarily store incoming device packets for, vehicle devices in accordance with a locally managed prioritization scheme. The network buffer receives incoming network packets from, and outputs the outgoing network packets to, a vehicle network fabric in accordance with a global vehicle network protocol. The network buffer also temporarily stores the incoming network packets and the outgoing network packets in accordance with the locally managed prioritization scheme. The switching circuit selectively couples the network buffer to individual ones of the device buffers in accordance with the locally managed prioritization scheme. The processing module interprets the outgoing device packets and the incoming network packets to determine types of packets and determines the locally managed prioritization scheme based on the types of packets. |
| US10021034B2 |
Application aware multihoming for data traffic acceleration in data communications networks
A method for application aware multihoming with multipath tunneling protocols is provided. A message client data packet is classified based an application from which the data packet originated. The header structure of the data packet is modified to generate a proxy data packet comprising the client data payload and a proxy header structure. The proxy header structure comprises source-client and destination-server parameters and an identifier of a client-proxy device, protocol parameters indicating a source protocol sequencing of the message client data packet, and protocol parameters including source parameters of the client-proxy device and destination parameters of a server-proxy device. A network communications link is selected for transmission of the proxy data packet to the server-proxy device, where the selection is based on the classification of the message client data packet. The proxy data packet is transmitted to the server-proxy device via the network communications link. |
| US10021033B2 |
Context driven policy based packet capture
A computer system provides a method for context-based packet scanning in a computing environment. The method includes the steps of receiving a packet from a virtual machine, determining if a network flow associated with the packet exists in a context data structure, and upon determining that a context entry associated with the network flow exists in the context data structure, tagging the packet with context information included in the context entry, comparing the context information and network flow information to context and network flow criteria in one or more packet capture policies, and recording contents of the packet when the context information and network flow information match one of the one or more packet capture policies. |
| US10021031B1 |
Pipelined packet policer
Provided are systems and methods for packet policing for controlling the rate of packet flows. In some implementations, an integrated circuit is provided. The integrated circuit may comprise a memory, a counter, and a pipeline. In some implementations, the integrated circuit may receive first packet information that describes a first packet, and subsequently receive second packet information that describes a second packet. The integrated circuit may process the first packet information concurrently with processing the second packet information. Processing each of the packet information may include determining, using the pipeline, a drop status for each packet, wherein determining the drop status includes determining, using the counter, the packet information, and a policing context, whether sufficient credits are available to transmit each packet. The integrate circuit may then provide the drop status for the second packet subsequent to providing the drop status for the first packet. |
| US10021029B2 |
Method for routing incoming communication
A first mobile device and a plurality of other mobile devices connect to a network. A routing configuration table is configured. The routing configuration table includes rules about sharing communication between the first mobile device and the plurality of other mobile devices. The first mobile device is paired with the plurality of other mobile device based on the routing configuration table. A determination is made whether the first mobile device has received a communication. In response to the determination that a communication has been received by the first mobile device, the communication is transferred to at least one mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices based on the configuration table. |
| US10021023B2 |
Packet forwarding method, controller, forwarding device, and network system
A network system includes one controller and a plurality of forwarding devices, where the forwarding devices forms a plurality of network topologies; the controller is configured to: allocate, according to a different attribute requirement of a virtual link on a basic link in the network topology, a link global label to the basic link based on the attribute requirement, and send a link binding relationship between the link global label and to the forwarding devices, where global labels allocated to each virtual link are different; and the forwarding devices is configured to receive the link binding relationship, and generate a label forwarding entry including a mapping relationship between the link global label and virtual link forwarding information, where the virtual link forwarding information includes the basic link and specified attribute processing that are corresponding to the global label. |
| US10021021B2 |
Broadband fallback for router
Systems for routing data over first and second broadband network. A router includes a first network interface that is configured to provide communication via a first broadband channel. There is a second network interface configured to enable communication via second broadband channel. In various embodiments, the first and second broadband channels may be used to provide failover, load balancing, and/or secure transmission of communication data. |
| US10021014B2 |
Avoiding routing interruption during transition to a virtual entity
A method of avoiding routing interruption during transition to a topology transparent zone (TTZ) including virtualizing a path from an edge router to another edge router within the TTZ in a first direction without removing original links, wherein the original links are links from the edge router to its neighboring routers within the TTZ, receiving, by the edge router within the TTZ, a router link state advertisement (LSA) from the another edge router within the TTZ while the original links remain in place, wherein the LSA comprises a path from the another edge router to the edge router in a second direction different from the first direction, and removing, by the edge router within the TTZ, the original links after the LSA has been received from the another edge router and the virtualization of the path is complete. |
| US10021013B2 |
Optimizing the monitoring of an enterprise server environment
The present invention provides for identifying the core server parameters to be monitored enterprise-wide and the baseline thresholds/limits for such parameters. The thresholds are dynamically optimized as the server environment evolves over time based on the composite historical performance of the servers in the enterprise. Moreover, each parameter's threshold is optimized in comparison to the thresholds of other core parameters that impact that specific parameter. In the event that the monitoring results in a threshold being met or exceeded alerts may be generated to designated personnel and appropriate corrective action taken. |
| US10021012B2 |
Notifying original state listeners of events in a domain model
Notifying original state listeners within a domain model. Identifying listener registration information pertaining to a listener. Monitoring a hierarchical relationship tree for an observable event, whereby the hierarchical relationship tree includes model objects, and whereby an observable event includes one or more of a change to a model object, an error condition associated with a model object, and the hierarchical relationship tree returning to an original state. Determining that a first observable event to the hierarchical relationship tree has occurred. Transmitting a notification to the listener detailing the occurrence of the first observable event. Determining that a second observable event to the hierarchical relationship tree has occurred. Determining that a third observable event to the hierarchical relationship tree has occurred, whereby the third observable event includes the hierarchical relationship tree returning to an original state. Transmitting a notification to the listener detailing the occurrence of the third observable event. |
| US10021011B2 |
Polling parameter adjustment
An approach, executed by a computer, for adjusting polling parameters. The approach includes one or more processors polling an endpoint application using an initial polling quantity and an initial polling frequency. The approach includes determining a first number of events not consumed in a queue of a listening application and a second number of events in a queue at the endpoint application at an end of a polling cycle. Furthermore, the approach includes adjusting at least one of the initial polling quantity and the initial polling frequency based, at least in part, on a comparison of the first number of events not consumed in the queue of the listening application and the second number of events in the queue at the endpoint application at the end of the polling cycle. |
| US10021009B2 |
Methods, systems, and products for network topology
Methods, systems, and products simulate a topology of a communications network. Devices communicating via the communications network supply configuration and performance data. A simulated view of a topology of the communications network may then generated. |
| US10021008B1 |
Policy-based scaling of computing resource groups
Techniques are described for scaling a group of computing resources. A computing resource service receives a scaling policy for use in scaling the group of computing resources. The scaling policy specifies a target level for a resource utilization metric and magnitude-based changes to the group. The computing resource service receives information about a magnitude of a measurement for the resource utilization metric. The computing resource service determines, based at least in part on the scaling policy, one or more changes for the group and initiates the one or more changes in the group. |
| US10021007B2 |
Measuring latency within a networking device
Presented herein are techniques to measure latency associated with packets that are processed within a network device. A packet is received at a component of a network device comprising one or more components. A timestamp representing a time of arrival of the packet at a first point in the network device is associated with the packet. The timestamp is generated with respect to a clock of the network device. A latency value for the packet is computed based on at least one of the timestamp and current time of arrival at a second point in the network device. One or more latency statistics are updated based on the latency value. |
| US10021004B2 |
Communication device, control method for communication device, and program
A communication device capable of handling, even in the case where requests for provision of a service are received from a plurality of devices, the requests appropriately, is provided.A communication device which provides a service to a service utilizing device which utilizes a service, determines whether or not the communication device is executing a service requested from the service utilizing device. In the case where it is determined that the communication device is executing the service, the communication device makes a response to the request with the contents of the response changed according to whether or not the service is able to be provided to a plurality of service utilizing devices. |
| US10021000B2 |
Provisioning in support of an embedded cable modem MAC address
Methods, systems, and computer readable media can be operable to facilitate the provisioning of a device using an embedded cable modem media access control (MAC) address. An optical network unit (ONU) may include an embedded cable modem, wherein the embedded cable modem has a dedicated MAC address. Provisioning servers may provide identical configuration files to a virtual cable modem at an optical line termination (OLT) and the embedded cable modem at the ONU. The embedded cable modem MAC address, along with an associated Internet protocol (IP) stack, enables traditional DOCSIS cable modem provisioning and management over a passive optical network. |
| US10020998B2 |
Data center service oriented networking
A tangible machine readable storage medium stores instructions and implements a method when the instructions are executed by a processor. A service catalog (SC) includes a service unit (SU). The SU includes an array of service resources (SR) to define a service using end-user service-oriented terminology. The SU is assigned to a module. The module includes a component associated with a configuration and a device. An operational task is executed on the device to deploy the configuration on the device to implement the service. |
| US10020991B2 |
System, method, and computer program product for automatically capturing configuration information for a plurality of computer components, such as a converged infrastructure
A system, method and computer program product for automatically capturing configuration information for a plurality of heterogeneous computing components, such as a converged infrastructure. For example, the method detects a configuration change request comprising a request to change a configuration of a plurality of heterogeneous computing components. Responsive to detecting the configuration change request, the method determines configuration information for each of the plurality of heterogeneous computing components, the configuration information is information being about the configuration of the one or more of a plurality of heterogeneous computing components The method determines the configuration information prior to changing the configuration of the plurality of heterogeneous computing components in response to the configuration change request. The method aggregates the configuration information for each of the plurality of heterogeneous computing components and stores the aggregated configuration information in a data store. |
| US10020988B2 |
Auto-configuration of wireless network extender
Methods, systems, and computer readable media may be operable to facilitate the automatic configuration of a network extender with network parameters. An access point may identify a network extender and may determine whether the identified network extender is configured for an automatic configuration of network parameters based upon device description information retrieved during the identification of the network extender. The access point may output a configuration message to the identified network extender, the configuration message including one or more parameters associated with a network provided by the access point, and the network extender may apply the one or more parameters. The access point may periodically or conditionally provide the network extender with updates to the network parameters. |
| US10020987B2 |
Systems and methods for correlating sensory events and legacy system events utilizing a correlation engine for security, safety, and business productivity
Monitoring systems and methods for use in security, safety, and business process applications utilizing a correlation engine are disclosed. Sensory data from one or more sensors are captured and analyzed to detect one or more events in the sensory data. The events are correlated by a correlation engine, optionally by weighing the events based on attributes of the sensors that were used to detect the primitive events. The events are then monitored for an occurrence of one or more correlations of interest, or one or more critical events of interest. Finally, one or more actions are triggered based on a detection of one or more correlations of interest, one or more anomalous events, or one or more critical events of interest. Events may come from sensory devices, legacy systems, third-party systems, anonymous tips, and other data sources. The present invention may be used to increase business productivity by improving security, safety, and increasing profitability of business processes. |
| US10020984B1 |
RSVP local protection signaling reduction
In one example, a merge point network device (MP) receives a plurality of resource reservation request messages for establishing a plurality of label switched paths (LSPs), wherein each of the plurality of LSPs has a common point of local repair network device (PLR) and has the MP as a common MP, wherein each of the resource reservation request messages identifies a common bypass tunnel that extends between the PLR and the MP and avoids a protected resource. The MP stores an association between the bypass tunnel and each of the plurality of LSPs. The MP receives a single message to trigger creation at the merge point network device of backup LSP state information for all of the plurality of LSPs. In response to receiving the single message, the MP installs state information for all of the LSPs that correspond to the bypass tunnel according to the stored association. |
| US10020983B2 |
Reachability fault isolation and recovery using asynchronous notifications
A fault isolation system asynchronously builds a fault domain graph to identify fault domains to isolate a root cause of a problem in a computer network. Basically, when the fault isolation system receives a notification that an entity of the network is unreachable (i.e., in a down status), the fault isolation system requests neighbor lists and statuses for the neighbors to asynchronously build a fault domain graph. From that topology, the fault isolation system determines a root cause of the problem with the network. |
| US10020980B2 |
Arbitration processing method after cluster brain split, quorum storage apparatus, and system
The present disclosure discloses an arbitration processing solution when brain split occurs in cluster. The solution includes: receiving, by the quorum storage apparatus, first master quorum node preemption requests within a first master quorum node preemption detection period sent by the at least two quorum nodes when brain split occurs in the cluster; sending, by the quorum storage apparatus, a first master quorum node preemption success response message to the initial master quorum node when the first master quorum node preemption request sent by the initial master quorum node is received; where the first master quorum node preemption success response message indicates the initial master quorum node succeeds in master quorum node preemption. |
| US10020979B1 |
Allocating resources in multi-core computing environments
Provided are methods and systems for allocating resources in a multi-core computing environment. The method comprises selecting, by one or more processors, at least one dedicated core for execution of a resource allocation algorithm. After selection of the dedicated core, the dedicated core allocates, based on the resource allocation algorithm, a network resource to a client. Furthermore, the dedicated core assigns the network resource to network packets associated with the client for processing by data cores. After the assigning of the network resource, the data cores process the network packets according to the allocated network resource. |
| US10020971B2 |
Method and user equipment for transreceiving TDD
According to one embodiment of the present invention, suggested is a method for user equipment transceiving a time division duplex. The method comprises the steps of: receiving from a cell first information on a downlink (DL)-uplink (UL) subframe configuration according to the TDD; receiving second information on whether to apply a third cyclic prefix (CP), which has a reduced length compared to a first CP and a second CP; and depending on the first information, determining whether to apply the third CP to the downlink subframe and the uplink subframe according to the second information. |
| US10020970B2 |
Data processing apparatus and method for interleaving and deinterleaving data
A data processing apparatus is arranged to map input data symbols to be communicated onto a predetermined number of sub-carrier signals of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed OFDM symbols. The predetermined number of sub-carrier signals is determined in accordance with one of a plurality of operating modes and the input data symbols are divided into first sets of input data symbols and second sets of input data symbols. |
| US10020966B2 |
Vector signaling codes with high pin-efficiency for chip-to-chip communication and storage
An alternative type of vector signaling codes having increased pin-efficiency normal vector signaling codes is described. Receivers for these Permutation Modulation codes of Type II use comparators requiring at most one fixed reference voltage. The resulting systems can allow for a better immunity to ISI-noise than those using conventional multilevel signaling such as PAM-X. These codes are also particularly advantageous for storage and recovery of information in memory, as in a DRAM. |
| US10020964B2 |
Channel estimation for wireless systems without matrix inversion
In various embodiments, techniques are provided to determine channel characteristics of various communication systems such as OFDM systems or systems using a plurality of transmit antennas by using various sets of training symbols that produce zero cross-correlation energy. Channel communication can accordingly be simplified as the zero cross-correlation property allows for channel estimation without a matrix inversion. |
| US10020963B2 |
Method and apparatus for selectively transmitting data using spatial diversity
A method, performed in a communication device having multiple transmitters, for selectively transmitting data using spatial diversity, that includes determining whether the data meets a data-type criterium, such as whether the data includes priority data, and transmitting the data using spatial diversity when the type of data meets the data type criterium. |
| US10020960B2 |
Virtual distributed bridging
Virtualization software that includes a VDRB (virtual distributed router/bridge) module for performing L3 routing and/or bridging operations is provided. At least some of the VDRBs are configured as VDBs (virtual distributed bridge) for performing bridging operations between different network segments in a distributed manner. The bridging tasks of a network are partitioned among several VDBs of the network based on MAC addresses. MAC addresses of VMs or other types of network nodes belonging to an overlay logical network are partitioned into several shards, each shard of MAC addresses assigned to a VDB in the network. Each VDB assigned a shard of MAC addresses performs bridging when it receives a packet bearing a MAC address belonging to its assigned shard. A VDB does not perform bridging on packets that do not have MAC address that falls within the VDB's shard of MAC addresses. |
| US10020958B2 |
CAN FD
A device for allowing a CAN 2.0B controller to participate passively in CAN FD communication is described. The device is configured to identify whether a frame on RXD is a CAN FD frame and, in dependence upon identifying that the frame is a CAN FD frame, to replace a section of the CAN FD frame, including the data phase of the CAN FD frame, with substitute data having a format which complies with CAN 2.0B. The device may be included in a CAN transceiver. |
| US10020957B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling devices for smart home service
A method and apparatus for controlling devices for a smart home service are provided. The method includes grouping devices to receive at least one command simultaneously from among devices registered to the smart home service into a group for one mode, generating mode configuration information for each mode including grouped devices for the mode and at least one command for the mode, transmitting the mode configuration information for each mode to the registered devices, selecting one of each mode for which the mode configuration information has been generated, and transmitting a mode activation request for activating the selected mode to the registered devices. |
| US10020956B2 |
Thermostat with direction handoff features
A thermostat in a building includes an occupancy sensor configured to collect occupancy data. The thermostat includes a communications interface configured to communicate with one or more display devices for the building and a user interface configured to display information to a user and receive input from the user. The thermostat includes a processing circuit configured to identify the user based on the occupancy data and generate building navigation directions based on the identity of the user and cause the user interface to display at least a portion of the building navigation directions. The processing circuit is configured to cause the communications interface to send at least a portion of the building navigation directions to at least one of the display devices in the building. |
| US10020951B2 |
Crowdsourcing-based detection, identification, and tracking of electronic devices
In a method of detecting electronic devices, information about a first user equipment device is received at a server. The information is received from at least one second user equipment device within range of a wireless communication interface of the first user equipment device. A presence of the first user equipment device is detected at the server based on the information received from the at least one second user equipment device. The receiving and the detecting may be operations performed by at least one processor of the server. Related apparatus and computer program products are also discussed. |
| US10020948B2 |
Charging in a software defined network
A controller includes control plane charging system to configure data plane charging system in a plurality of switches to gather charging information for user flows and provide the charging information to the controller. The data plane charging system in a selected switch of the plurality of switches can be configured to gather charging information for a user flow and autonomously provide the charging information to the controller. |
| US10020945B2 |
Information processing apparatus and to efficiently substitute coefficients of a multivariate polynomial
Provided an information processing apparatus including a number generation unit configured to generate numbers used in coefficients of terms included in a pair of multi-order multivariate polynomials F=(f1, . . . , fm), using a predetermined function, from information shared between entities executing an algorithm of a public-key authentication scheme or a digital signature scheme that uses a public key including the pair of multi-order multivariate polynomials F, and an allocation unit configured to allocate the numbers generated by the number generation unit to the coefficients of the multi-order multivariate polynomials for which the pair of multi-order multivariate polynomials F are included in constituent elements. |
| US10020944B2 |
Device and method for discontinuous hashing of digital data
A cryptographic hash value is computed in a hardware processing unit of an apparatus. The cryptographic hash value is computed iteratively processing blocks of data in a predetermined order by, for each block: obtaining at least one intermediate value for the block by applying a function to the block, computing a value of a weight function, and updating at least one hash variable with a corresponding intermediate value only if the value of a weight function is equal to at least one predetermined value. The processing unit then generates the cryptographic hash value from the at least one hash variable. |
| US10020943B2 |
Method and apparatus for binding device
Methods and apparatuses are provided for binding a device and a terminal. In the method, the terminal acquires a binding password from a smart home device in a local area network. The terminal transmits a binding request for binding with the smart home device to the server, where the binding request includes a binding password and a user login Identifier (ID). A binding relationship between the user login ID and the smart home device is established by the server when the binding password in the binding request matches with a binding password stored in a server. |
| US10020940B2 |
Identity-based encryption for securing access to stored messages
A method, system, and computer program product for securing access to stored messages using identity-base encryption are disclosed. The method includes generating a master private key and generating a corresponding master public key. The master private key and the master public key are both generated at a messaging client. The method also includes transmitting the master private key from the messaging client to a messaging server. The transmittal of the master private key to the messaging server is performed without transmitting the master private key. |
| US10020938B2 |
Secure messaging with disposable keys
Methods, apparatus, and systems are disclosed for, among other things, secure passphrase handling for computing devices. In one respect, a method is provided. The method includes receiving a plurality of passphrase elements from an input device. The method also includes performing a sequence of secure delay processing operations, each operation generating a delayed output value from an initial value. The passphrase is verified upon completion of the sequence of secure delay processing operations. Further, initial values of respective secure delay processing operations are based on respective passphrase elements and, for each secure delay processing operation after a first secure delay processing operation, a delayed output value from at least one other secure delay processing operations. |
| US10020937B2 |
Apparatus and method for the detection of attacks taking control of the single photon detectors of a quantum cryptography apparatus by randomly changing their efficiency
An apparatus and method for revealing both attack attempts performed on the single-photon detector(s) of a quantum cryptography system and Trojan horse attack attempts performed on quantum cryptography apparatus containing at least one single photon detector. The attacks detection relies on both the random modification of the setting parameters of the said single-photon detector(s) and the comparison of the measured detection probability values for each setting parameter with the expected detection probability values. The modified parameter of the single-photon detector can be its efficiency or its timing of activation for example. |
| US10020935B1 |
Systems and methods for encryption and provision of information security using platform services
Systems and methods for securing or encrypting data or other information arising from a user's interaction with software and/or hardware, resulting in transformation of original data into ciphertext. Generally, the ciphertext is generated using context-based keys that depend on the environment in which the original data originated and/or was accessed. The ciphertext can be stored in a user's storage device or in an enterprise database (e.g., at-rest encryption) or shared with other users (e.g., cryptographic communication). The system generally allows for secure federation across organizations, including mechanisms to ensure that the system itself and any other actor with pervasive access to the network cannot compromise the confidentially of the protected data. |
| US10020931B2 |
Apparatus for dynamically adapting a clock generator with respect to changes in power supply
Described is an integrated circuit (IC) with apparatus for dynamically adapting a clock generator, e.g., phase locked loop (PLL), with respect to changes in power supply. The apparatus comprises: a voltage droop detector coupled to power supply node, the voltage droop detector to generate a digital code word representing voltage droop on the power supply node; and a PLL including a ring oscillator coupled to the power supply node, the ring oscillator to generate an output clock signal, the ring oscillator operable to adjust frequency of the output clock signal according to the digital code word. |
| US10020930B2 |
Method of non-uniform wavelet bandpass sampling
A compressed sensing method based on non-uniform wavelet bandpass sampling. A K-sparse signal of interest is projected onto a sequence of waveforms succeeding one another at the bandpass sampling rate, the waveforms belonging to an overcomplete dictionary, the parameters of the waveforms depending on the characteristics of the bands of the signal. The correlation values are then non-uniformly sampled to provide a compressed representation of the signal. |
| US10020927B2 |
Method and device for decoding reception signal in wireless communication system
The present disclosure relates to a pre-5th-Generation (5G) or 5G communication system to be provided for supporting higher data rates Beyond 4th-Generation (4G) communication system such as Long Term Evolution (LTE). A method of decoding a reception signal having an interference signal included therein by User Equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system is provided. The method includes receiving the reception signal having the interference signal included therein, identifying at least one of transmission parameters for the interference signal, identifying a modulation scheme of the interference signal and reception strength of the interference signal using the identified transmission parameter, removing the interference signal from the reception signal based on the identified modulation scheme and the identified reception strength of the interference signal, and decoding the reception signal from which the interference signal is removed. |
| US10020926B2 |
Signal strength aware band steering
A system or method that receives a current request from a client, and responds to the current request based on signal strength associated with a previous request. If the current request is received on a non-preferred communication band, and a previous request was received on a preferred communication band within a pre-determined time, the system determines whether the signal strength associated with the previous request is weaker than a pre-determined threshold signal strength level for the preferred communication band. If so, the system responds to the current request. Otherwise, the system ignores the current request. If no recent request on the preferred communication band is received, and the signal strength associated with the current request is weaker than a pre-determined threshold signal strength level for the non-preferred communication band, the system responds to the current request on the non-preferred communication band. Otherwise, the system ignores the current request. |
| US10020923B2 |
Method of transmitting and receiving downlink signal in unlicensed band in wireless communication system and apparatus therefor
Provided is a method of transmitting data by sensing a channel in an unlicensed band including sensing a channel on a secondary cell (S-cell) on which data is to be transmitted in the unlicensed band and if it is determined that the channel is in an unoccupied state, transmitting data to a reception node in one of a plurality of flexible TX time windows configured in advance or transmitting a reservation signal to the reception node in one of a plurality of data transmission prohibit windows configured in advance for the data transmission. The plurality of the flexible TX time windows and The plurality of the data transmission prohibit windows are configured to respectively have a boundary of a transmission unit shifted from a boundary of a transmission unit of a primary cell (P-cell) transmission structure by a specific time. |
| US10020917B2 |
Method for handling of DRX timers for multiple repetition transmission in wireless communication system and a device therefor
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and a device for handling of DRX timers for multiple repetition transmission in wireless communication system, the method comprising: monitoring a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) during an active time when Discontinuous Reception (DRX) is configured; receiving multiple repetitions of a PDCCH in a first plurality of subframes; receiving multiple repetitions of Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) corresponding to the PDCCH in a second plurality of subframes; starting a Hybrid ARQ (HARQ) Round Trip Time (RTT) Timer in a subframe containing a last repetition of the multiple repetitions of the PDSCH. |
| US10020915B2 |
System and method for user equipment cooperation
An embodiment method includes receiving, by a first user equipment (UE), a message, for a second UE, transmitted over a plurality of resource blocks (RBs) on behalf of a communications controller and determining a plurality of log-likelihood ratios (LLRs) in accordance with the received plurality of RBs. The method also includes transmitting, a subset of the determined LLRs to the second UE. |
| US10020911B2 |
Method and apparatus for improving resource usage in communication networks using interference cancelation
Systems, method and devices utilized in wireless communication may include creating, scheduling and/or using a transmission having at least one quasi-ABS which includes at least one macro set corresponding to a designated sector of a plurality of sectors in a macro node. Such subframes may be formed and partitioned to provide for a partition which may be used by a range expansion resource, such as a pico node or user entity. |
| US10020910B2 |
Systems, devices and methods for network communication
Systems, devices and methods for link level communication between a user equipment and plurality of network devices are described. A user equipment can include at least one processor configured to: after broadcasting a first data message to the plurality of base stations, receive one or more acknowledgements, corresponding to the first data message, from at least one of the plurality of base stations; and upon receipt of at least one acknowledgement, broadcast an indicator to the plurality of base stations, the indicator providing an indication of at least one of the at least one received acknowledgement. |
| US10020907B2 |
Transport functions virtualization for wavelength division multiplexing (WDM)-based optical networks
A method for virtualizing an optical network, comprising: abstracting optical resource information corresponding to resources within the optical network, constructing a plurality of candidate paths for one or more optical reachability graph (ORG) node pairs, determining whether the candidate paths are optical reachable paths, and creating an ORG link between each ORG node pair when at least one optical reachable path exists for the ORG node pair, wherein linking the ORG node pairs creates an ORG. In another embodiment, a computer program product comprising executable instructions when executed by a processor causes a node to perform the following: determine an optical network's optical-electrical-optical (OEO) conversion capability, partition a plurality of service sites into one or more electrical reachability graph (ERG) nodes, determine a grooming capability for each ERG node, and construct a plurality of electrical-layer reach paths between the ERG nodes to form an ERG. |
| US10020906B2 |
Adaptive multi-client single host TDMA communications
TDMA communications between a host device and a number of clients on a communications channel are dynamically adapted to allocate or de-allocate time slots in response to changes in the number of active clients. The system initially operates in a startup mode in which the host device transmits a startup message on the communications channel and assigns a timeslot in a TDMA cycle in response to connection requests received from each of the requesting clients. After exiting the startup mode, the system operates in a normal mode in which the host device initiates the TDMA cycle by transmitting a polling message on the communications channel that indicates a number of timeslots occurring within that particular TDMA cycle. The host changes the number of timeslots indicated in the polling message to responsively adapt duration of the TDMA cycle as the number of clients communicating via the communications channel changes. |
| US10020903B2 |
Method, device, and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium for supporting relay broadcasting using mobile device
Provided are a method, device, and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium for supporting relay broadcasting using a mobile device. It is possible to reduce a computing load of a repeater device by distributing a computing load required to produce relay broadcasting content to a plurality of photographer devices and thus widen the range of photographer devices that may participate in relay broadcasting. |
| US10020902B2 |
Method and apparatus for performing MBMS MDT in wireless communication system
A method and apparatus for performing multimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS) minimization of drive test (MDT) in a wireless communication system is provided. A user equipment (UE) receives a MBMS-MDT timer configuration from a network. A MBMS-MDT timer is newly defined for the MBMS-MDT. The UE starts the MBMS-MDT timer based on the received MBMS-MDT timer configuration when a specific condition, which relates to degradation of quality of MBMS, is met, and while the MBMS-MDT timer is running, the UE performs the MBMS-MDT. |
| US10020901B2 |
Inter-gateway interference management and admission control for a CDMA satellite communications system
An approach for inter-gateway interference estimation and admission control is provided. A gateway receives return link signals, each being received via a satellite from a respective user terminal (UT) located within a satellite beam serviced by the gateway. A transmit power factor and an interference factor are determined for each UT based on the respective return link signal. A total interference factor is determined for the UTs based on the transmit power factors and the interference factors. A residual capacity level for the satellite beam is determined based on the total interference factor and a noise power factor. The gateway receives an admission request from a further UT requesting admission for transmission of a return link signal. The gateway determines whether to grant the admission request based on a required capacity level for the return link signal of the further UT relative to the residual capacity level. |
| US10020893B2 |
Communication device, quantum key distribution system, quantum key distribution method, and computer program product
According to an embodiment, a communication device is connected to another communication device through a quantum communication channel and a classical communication channel to share an encryption key. The device includes a photon detector, a measurer, a difference generator, and a transmitter. The photon detector is configured to detect photons transmitted from the other communication device through the quantum communication channel. The measurer is configured to measure time when each photon is detected by the photon detector as time stamp information. The difference generator is configured to generate difference time stamp information as a difference between time obtained by adding particular information to the time indicated by the time stamp information previously measured by the measurer and time indicated by the time stamp information subsequently measured by the measurer. The transmitter is configured to transmit the difference time stamp information to the other communication device through the classical communication channel. |
| US10020890B2 |
Host unit and remote radio head for distributed antenna system supporting large data traffic
A remote radio head disposed between a baseband unit and a host unit. The remote radio head may transmit and receive a digital optical signal to the baseband unit, transmit and receive an analog optical signal to the host unit, and convert the digital optical signal and the analog optical signal, a frequency of the analog optical signal transmitted and received by the remote radio head and the host unit may be an intermediate frequency of a baseband, the host unit may be disposed between the remote radio head and a radio unit, the host unit and the radio unit may transmit and receive the analog optical signal, and the frequency of the analog optical signal transmitted and received by the host unit and the radio unit may be the intermediate frequency with a baseband signal. |
| US10020888B1 |
Transmitter and receiver for direct communication of multiple optical wavelengths via an optical link
An optical transmitter may generate a first optical signal having a first wavelength and a second optical signal having a second wavelength. The optical transmitter may output the first and second optical signals to a link without performing a multiplexing operation. The optical transmitter may output part of the first optical signal to the link while part of the second optical signal is being output to the link. An optical receiver may receive the first and second optical signals, via the link, as separate optical signals. The optical receiver may receive part of the first optical signal from the link while part of the second optical signal is being received from the link. The optical receiver may provide the first and second optical signals to a photodetector array that includes a first photodetector to detect the first optical signal and a second photodetector to detect the second optical signal. |
| US10020886B2 |
Methods and systems for fiber optic communication
The present invention relates in general to communication systems, and more specifically towards methods, systems, and devices that help improve transmission rates and spectral efficiency of intensity modulated (IM) or power modulated channels utilizing multi-level pulse amplitude modulation PAM-M. In an embodiment, the present invention used an iterative algorithm to open the eyes of an eye diagram in a relatively short number of steps. The algorithm, which may not require previous characterization of the channel, utilizes pseudo-random sequences, such as PSBS15 or PRQS10, and adaptive non-linear equalizers to optimize the pre-distortion taps. |
| US10020881B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting secure VLC identifiers
In an aspect of the disclosure, a method, a computer-readable medium, and an apparatus are provided. An apparatus is for determining position using visible light. The apparatus receives positional information regarding a plurality of stationary light fixtures. The apparatus receives reset information indicating an occurrence of a reset event. The apparatus receives an identifier from a first stationary light fixture of the plurality of stationary light fixtures via visible light. The apparatus determines a position of the first stationary light fixture based on the received identifier, the received positional information and the received reset information. The positional information and the reset information are received via a wireless communication medium different from visible light. |
| US10020878B2 |
Optical signal-to-noise ratio monitor and method for measuring optical signal to-noise ratio
An optical signal-to-noise ratio monitor includes: a measuring unit that measures an optical signal-to-noise ratio of a polarization multiplexed optical signal, a polarization state of the polarization multiplexed optical signal changing with respect to time; a selector that selects, from a plurality of optical signal-to-noise ratios measured by the measuring unit at a plurality of measurement points within a designated measurement period, an optical signal-to-noise ratio that is higher than an average of the plurality of optical signal-to-noise ratios; and an output unit that outputs the optical signal-to-noise ratio selected by the selector. |
| US10020877B2 |
Method and apparatus for beam selection for a multibeam, multi-satellite communications system
An apparatus for satellite selection within a multi-satellite communication system, comprising an antenna, receiver, and transmitter, and a processing module configured to calculate a normalized distance metric for the plurality of user spot beams of a first and second satellite, select the user spot beam with the lowest normalized distance metric, and determine which of the at least first or second satellite is transmitting the selected user spot beam. Further, a method for increasing the aggregate capacity of a satellite communications network, comprising identifying high traffic regions within a coverage area of a first satellite, determining which user spot beams of the first satellite are available to each of the identified regions, determining a normalized distance metric for each user spot beam identified, and plotting a second beam pattern of a second satellite to produce at least one user spot beam with a lower normalized distance metric. |
| US10020876B2 |
Systems and methods for command and control of satellite constellations
The disclosed technology relates to systems and methods for tasking satellite constellations. A method is disclosed herein for receiving, from a resource database of a satellite control system, knowledge data corresponding to a plurality of components associated with a satellite constellation communications system. The plurality of components can include one or more satellites associated with a constellation. The method includes processing the knowledge data according to at least one received mission objective. Processing the knowledge data can include determining a status of at least one satellite in the constellation. The method includes scheduling the satellite control system based at least in part on the received mission objective and the processed knowledge data; initiating communication with the at least one satellite in the constellation according to the scheduling; receiving updated status information for at least one component of the plurality of components; and storing, in the resource database, the updated status information. |
| US10020873B2 |
Mobile station
Even in the case of satellite communications to which LTE is applied, a difference between reception timings of uplink singles transmitted from a plurality of mobile stations UE located in the same cell is kept within GI specified in LTE. A mobile station UE#1 according to the present invention includes: an offset calculation unit 23 configured to calculate an offset δ from a transmission timing to be referenced, based on a distance Lx between the mobile station UE#1 and a satellite 1 used in satellite communications, and a distance Lref between the satellite 1 and a reference mobile station UE; and an RACH functional unit 24 configured to adjust a transmission timing of a random access preamble based on the calculated offset δ. |
| US10020869B1 |
Wireless repeater chain to exert frequency control
A wireless repeater chain exerts frequency control. A source wireless repeater wirelessly repeats a Radio Frequency (RF) signal that comprises multiple component frequencies. A target wireless repeater wirelessly receives and processes the repeated RF signal to determine frequency responses through the wireless repeater chain for each of the multiple component frequencies. The target wireless repeater processes the frequency responses to determine frequency gains for each of the multiple component frequencies. The target wireless repeater wirelessly transfers the frequency gains for each of the multiple component frequencies for delivery to the source wireless repeater. The source wireless repeater wirelessly receives the frequency gains for each of the multiple component frequencies and responsively applies the frequency gains to the multiple component frequencies. |
| US10020866B2 |
Wireless communication node with adaptive communication
The present invention relates to a wireless communication node (1) comprising at least one antenna arrangement (2, 3, 4). Each antenna arrangement (2, 3, 4) comprises at least three antenna devices (5, 6, 7, 8), comprising corresponding pairs of antenna ports (A, B, C, D) with a corresponding first and second antenna port (P1A, P1 B, P1 C, P1D; P2A, P2B, P2C, P2D). Each antenna port (P1A, P1 B, P1C, P1D; P2A, P2B, P2C, P2D) is arranged downlink and uplink and is connected to a corresponding radio transceiver unit (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18). Each antenna device (5, 6, 7, 8) comprises at least one corresponding dual polarized antenna element (19, 20, 21, 22) arranged for transmitting and receiving signals at a first polarization (P1) via the corresponding first antenna port (P1A, P1B, P1 C, P1 D) and for transmitting and receiving signals at a second polarization (P2) via the corresponding second antenna port (P2A, P2B, P2C, P2D). A beamforming arrangement (23) is arranged to apply beamforming on downlink signals. For an adaptive mode of operation for downlink, the beamforming arrangement (23) is arranged to apply beamforming such that one or two antenna beams (48a, 48b) is/are directed in a first direction (49), and such that one or two antenna beams (32a, 32b) is/are directed in a second direction (33). |
| US10020864B2 |
Method of selecting receive antennas for MIMO systems
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a device, process or software that determines an operation between a number of pairs of antennas of a set of antennas. A pair of antennas of the number of pairs of antennas is determined based on the operation. One antenna of the pair of antennas is eliminated from the set of antennas, which results in a reduced number of antennas remaining in the set of antennas. Each of the determining of the operation, the determining of the pair of antennas of the reduced number of antennas and the eliminating of the one antenna of the pair of antennas is repeated in response to the reduced number of antennas being greater than a predetermined number of antennas. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US10020861B2 |
Method and system for distributed transceivers and mobile device connectivity
A plurality of distributed transceivers in a mobile entity such as a car, a truck, an omnibus (bus), a trailer, a mobile home, train, bus, a forklift, construction equipment, a boat, a ship, and/or an aircraft, and/or one or more corresponding antenna arrays that are communicatively coupled to the distributed transceivers are configured to handle communication of one or more data streams among one or more of a plurality of wireless communication networks, one or more other mobile entities and/or one or more mobile communication devices. The data streams may be communicated utilizing the configured one or more of the plurality of distributed transceivers and/or the one or more corresponding antenna arrays. The wireless communication networks includes a satellite network, a wireless wide area network, a wireless medium area network, a wireless local area network, a wireless personal area network, a network cloud and/or the Internet. |
| US10020859B2 |
Channel feedback for vertical and full-dimensional beamforming
A method implemented in a base station used in a wireless communications system where different antenna arrays are employed for transmissions to different co-scheduled users in a cell is disclosed. The method includes configuring multiple channel state information (CSI) processes for a user equipment (UE), and configuring, for the UE, a plurality of non-zero power (NZP) CSI reference signal (RS) resources, each of which is associated with an antenna array. Other apparatuses, systems, and methods also are disclosed. |
| US10020858B2 |
Multi-input multi-output communication system, transmitter, and method of assigning resources therein
Transmitter (101) extracts CQI values representative of reception qualities measured by and transmitted from receivers (102-1 through 102-β) as representing reception states of antennas (121-1 through 121-φ) of receivers (102-1 through 102-β), from data receivers (102-1 through 102-β) and received by transmitter (101), combines the extracted CQI values depending on preset weighting coefficients, calculates resource coefficients for assigning resources for transmitting data to receivers (102-1 through 102-β) from the combined CQI values, and assigns resources for transmitting data to receivers (102-1 through 102-β) based on the calculated resource coefficients. |
| US10020852B2 |
Schnorr-euchner expansions and their fast implementations
Methods and apparatus reducing or eliminating the number of multipliers in Schnorr-Euchner expansion algorithms are disclosed. Methods and apparatus for implementing Schnorr-Euchner expansion algorithms with a reduced number of multipliers or without any multipliers are also disclosed. Also disclosed is a Schnorr-Euchner expansion method for a multiple-input multiple-output communication system. The method includes receiving, by a plurality of input terminals, a plurality of input signals. The method also includes detecting a symbol transmitted by each input signal. The detection includes identifying a list of possible symbols that may be transmitted by each input signal. A cost value for each possible symbol is determined based on a cost function. The cost function is implemented without requiring a multiplier. The possible symbol with a lowest cost value is identified as the transmitted symbol. |
| US10020849B2 |
Self-canceling magnetic structures for transferring power and communication signals
A structure comprises a plurality of first turns of a coil and a plurality of second turns of the coil having a similar shape as the plurality of first turns of the coil, wherein the plurality of first turns of the coil and the plurality of second turns of the coil have a similar center position and a current flowing through the plurality of first turns of the coil and a current flowing through the plurality of second turns of the coil are in opposite directions. |
| US10020843B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting electromagnetic waves
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, an apparatus including a waveguide, an antenna, and a transmitter. The transmitter can facilitate transmission of first electromagnetic waves via the antenna, the first electromagnetic waves having a fundamental mode. The waveguide can facilitate propagation of the first electromagnetic waves at least in part on a surface of the waveguide. The waveguide can be positioned at a location that enables the first electromagnetic waves to induce second electromagnetic waves having fundamental and non-fundamental modes that propagate on a surface of a transmission medium. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US10020842B2 |
Reception device and transmission/reception system including same
The invention relates to a reception device, etc., applied to a transmission/reception system capable of performing high-speed transmission, having a structure to enable to adjust an offset without increasing a circuit area and power consumption. The reception device includes a signal input unit including an offset adjusting circuit, and an adjustment unit. When a pair of adjusting signals of which a voltage between signals is fixed to zero V is outputted from a transmission device to the reception device connected to each other via a differential signal line including at least a pair of signal lines, the signal input unit that has received the pair of adjusting signals outputs logical value data corresponding to the voltage between signals. The adjustment unit determines adjustment value data to adjust the offset of a threshold to obtain the logical value data based on the logical value data inputted in a certain period. |
| US10020839B2 |
Reliable orthogonal spreading codes in wireless communications
Techniques of transmitting wireless communications involve generating orthogonal spreading codes for any number of user devices that are linear combinations of sinusoidal harmonics that match the frequencies within the spread bandwidth. Along these lines, prior to transmitting signals, processing circuitry may generate a set of initial code vectors that form an equiangular tight frame having small cross-correlations. From each of these rows, the processing circuitry produces a new spreading code vector using a code map that is a generalization of a discrete Fourier transform. The difference between the code map and a discrete Fourier transform is that the frequencies of the sinusoidal harmonics are chosen to match the particular frequencies within the spread bandwidth and differ from a center frequency by multiples of the original unspread bandwidth. Different transmitters may then modulate respective signals generated with different spreading code vectors. |
| US10020838B2 |
Sequence generation for spread spectrum from signal sampling
A method for generating spread spectrum spreading sequences in communicating devices. A first device receives a first sequence of one or more signals from a second device, sends a second sequence of one or more signals to the second device, samples the first sequence of one or more signals, generates sampling results, and generates a spreading sequence based on the sampling results. The second device receives the second sequence and creates an identical spreading sequence using an identical process to create sampling results and generate the sequence. The spreading sequence may be used by the first and second devices for spread spectrum communications with each other. Gain for spread spectrum communications may be dynamically varied based on available bandwidth by varying the number of signals and sampling rate. |
| US10020835B2 |
Wearable device and method of transmitting message from the same
A wearable device worn on a body of a user is provided. The wearable device includes a sensing unit configured to sense state information of the user, a touch input unit configured to receive a touch input from the user, a controller configured to select at least one of a plurality of strings based on the state information when the touch input is received, a display configured to display the selected at least one string, and a communicator configured to transmit a message including the at least one string to a receiver device. |
| US10020825B1 |
Method and apparatus for turbo decoder dynamic iteration control
Turbo codes are used for high throughput and high performance communication systems. Turbo codes are a class of codes that can be decoded iteratively for high performance. The iterative decoding leads to increased processing requirements which in turn requires a higher clock speed. A turbo decoder that can support the worst case clock speed requirement may lead to high power consumption. A method and apparatus are disclosed that enable high performance turbo decoding while keeping the required clock speed and the power consumption low. |
| US10020819B1 |
Speculative data decompression
A computing system includes a network interface, a processor, and a decompression circuit. In response to a compression request from the processor the decompression circuit compresses data to produce compressed data and transmits the compressed data through the network interface. In response to a decompression request from the processor for compressed data the decompression circuit retrieves the requested compressed data, speculatively detects codewords in each of a plurality of overlapping bit windows within the compressed data, selects valid codewords from some, but not all of the overlapping bit windows, decodes the selected valid codewords to generate decompressed data, and provides the decompressed data to the processor. |
| US10020818B1 |
Systems and methods for fast delta sigma modulation using parallel path feedback loops
An error feedback system for a delta sigma modulator is disclosed. The error feedback system has an error transfer function where at least k−1 coefficients are set to zero. This allows the error feedback system to be divided into k feedback paths that are performed in parallel at a clock speed that is 1/k of the system clock of the delta sigma modulator (i.e. the rate at which the output of the delta sigma modulator changes). |
| US10020816B1 |
Hybrid successive approximation register analog to digital converter
Systems, methods, and circuitries for converting an analog voltage to a digital signal are provided. In one example a method to convert an analog voltage into a binary sequence that represents the voltage includes two modes. In the first mode, in each cycle, values for a next two or more of consecutive most significant bits (MSBs) in the sequence are determined using M comparators, wherein M is equal to or greater than 3. In a second mode, in each cycle, M redundant comparison results are determined using the M comparators. A value for the LSB is determined based on the M redundant values. At an end of conversion, the sequence of N bit values is generated based on the MSBs and the LSB. |
| US10020815B2 |
Apparatus for data converter with internal trigger circuitry and associated methods
An integrated circuit (IC) includes an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The ADC includes an ADC core circuit integrated in the IC to receive an analog signal, to convert the analog signal to a digital signal in response to a trigger signal. The ADC core circuit further provide the digital signal as an output of the ADC. The ADC further includes internal trigger circuitry integrated in the ADC to provide the trigger signal to the ADC after a prescribed delay period has expired. |
| US10020812B1 |
Techniques for variable latency redundancy
An integrated circuit includes first and second circuit blocks. The first circuit block includes a first storage circuit. A first data path passes through the first storage circuit and a first multiplexer circuit to a first input of a first logic circuit. The first multiplexer circuit is coupled to the first storage circuit. A second storage circuit is coupled between the first storage circuit and the first multiplexer circuit. A second data path passes through the second circuit block to a second input of the first logic circuit. The first multiplexer circuit is configurable to bypass or to couple the second storage circuit in the first data path based on an indication of whether a redundant third circuit block is coupled between the first and second circuit blocks in at least one of the first data path or the second data path. |
| US10020803B2 |
Drive unit
A drive unit includes a first transistor, a second transistor, a current source that is connected to a high-potential-side electrode of the first transistor, and delivers constant current, a current control circuit configured to perform control to start of charging of the gates of the first and second transistors using the current source, and a gate charge circuit that charges the gates of the first and second transistors, separately from the current source. |
| US10020799B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit
An object of the present invention is to reduce burden on a program for changing an operation mode of an internal circuit in accordance with an internal clock frequency without mounting a large-scale circuit in an LSI in which setting of the frequency of an internal clock can be dynamically changed. In an LSI including an internal clock generation circuit generating an internal clock from a clock source in accordance with a parameter supplied, a register storing frequency information of the clock source, a register storing the parameter, and an internal circuit having a plurality of operation modes, a table circuit controlling the operation mode of the internal circuit in association with the frequency information and the parameter supplied from the registers is provided. |
| US10020798B2 |
Low phase shift, high frequency attenuator
A wideband RF attenuator circuit that has a reduced impact on the phase of an applied signal when switched between an attenuation state and a non-attenuating reference or bypass state. A low phase shift attenuation at high RF frequencies can be achieved by utilizing a switched signal path attenuator topology with multiple distributed transmission line elements per signal path to provide broadband operation, distribute parasitic influences, and improve isolation to achieve higher attenuation at higher frequencies while still maintaining low phase shift operational characteristics. In an alternative embodiment, extension to even higher frequencies can be achieved by utilizing a quarter-wave transmission line element at the signal interfaces of each signal path, thereby improving insertion loss and power handling. |
| US10020791B2 |
Ferrite composition and electronic component
Provided is a ferrite composition composed of: a main component including 23.0 to 47.0 mole % of Fe compound in terms of Fe2O3, 3.0 to 16.0 mole % of Cu compound in terms of CuO, 4.0 to 39.0 mole % of Zn compound in terms of ZnO, 1.5 to 13.0 mole % of Si compound in terms of SiO2, and a residue of Ni compound; and a subcomponent including, with respect to 100 parts by weight of the main component, 0.1 to 8.0 parts by weight of Co compound in terms of Co3O4 and 0.25 to 5.00 parts by weight of Bi compound in terms of Bi2O3. |
| US10020789B2 |
Switchable filters and design structures
Switchable and/or tunable filters, methods of manufacture and design structures are disclosed herein. The method of forming the filters includes forming at least one piezoelectric filter structure comprising a plurality of electrodes formed to be in contact with at least one piezoelectric substrate. The method further includes forming a micro-electro-mechanical structure (MEMS) comprising a MEMS beam in which, upon actuation, the MEMS beam will turn on the at least one piezoelectric filter structure by interleaving electrodes in contact with the piezoelectric substrate or sandwiching the at least one piezoelectric substrate between the electrodes. |
| US10020788B2 |
Vehicle engine sound management
An active sound management system comprises a transducer that senses an actual sound or vibration from a sound generating source and generates a transducer signal in response to sensing the actual sound or vibration; a harmonic extractor device that extracts a plurality of harmonics from the transducer signal; and a harmonic modifier device that adjusts a feature of the extracted harmonic to be within a predetermined threshold with respect to a target harmonic corresponding to a desired sound. |
| US10020784B1 |
Broadband differential trans-impedance amplifier (TIA)
A TIA includes first and second input terminals for differentially receiving an input current signal, and first and second amplification circuits. The first amplification circuit includes a first Alternating-Current (AC) path and a first Direct-Current (DC) path that are configured to amplify in parallel respective first AC and DC components of the input current signal flowing via the first input terminal, and a first combiner configured to sum the amplified first AC and DC components. The second amplification circuit includes a second AC path and a second DC path that are configured to amplify in parallel respective second AC and DC components of the input current signal flowing via the second input terminal, and a second combiner configured to sum the amplified second AC and DC components. First and second output terminals are configured for outputting an output voltage signal formed between outputs of the first and second combiners. |
| US10020783B2 |
Class D amplifier using Fs/4 modulation and envelope tracking power supplies
A high power class D amplifier/modulator for use in Radio Frequency ranges that is capable of digital modulation schemes at high efficiencies is disclosed. The new amplifier design features an envelope tracker unit that uses digital pulse-width modulation (PWM) generation to create analog I and Q phase high voltage signal components and sign bits. The I and Q phase signal components and sign bits are fed into an Fs/4 modulator stage to produce an analog output that is an high power RF signal modulated by the analog input signal. |
| US10020779B2 |
Power amplifier module
Improvement in linearity is achieved at low costs in a power amplifier module employing an envelope tracking system. The power amplifier module includes a first power amplifier circuit that amplifies a radio frequency signal and that outputs a first amplified signal, a second power amplifier circuit that amplifies the first amplified signal on the basis of a source voltage varying depending on amplitude of the radio frequency signal and that outputs a second amplified signal, and a matching circuit that includes first and second capacitors connected in series between the first and second power amplifier circuit and an inductor connected between a node between the first and second capacitors and a ground and that decreases a gain of the first power amplifier circuit as the source voltage of the second power amplifier circuit increases. |
| US10020776B1 |
Monitoring system and monitoring method
Provided are a monitoring system and a monitoring method. The monitoring system includes a monitoring center, N data transmission systems each in communication with the monitoring center, and N data control systems each in communication with the monitoring center, with the N data control systems corresponding one-to-one to the N data transmission systems. With the monitoring system, it is possible to monitor, at anytime and anywhere, the project service and operation conditions of N solar systems arranged at different locations, timely acquire the real-time operation information of the N solar system monitoring devices arranged at different locations, and conduct, according to such information, remote and centralized control over the solar system monitoring devices. The monitoring system enhances the controllability of the solar system monitoring devices, saves and reduces the maintenance costs, improves the scientific management level, and also has functions of energy saving and environment protection. |
| US10020760B2 |
Control method for three-phase dc brush less motor, control device, and image forming device
A control method for a three-phase DC brushless motor including a rotor that includes a plurality of magnetic poles and that is rotatable, a stator that includes a plurality of magnetic field generation parts to generate a magnetic field to be a driving source of the rotor, and a sensor to detect a magnetic pole of the rotor which pole passes through a first position in the stator is provided, the method including: detecting in which the sensor detects a first magnetic pole of the rotor which pole passes through the first position; estimating, based on a result of the detection of the first magnetic pole, time until the first magnetic pole reaches a second position in the stator; and controlling the plurality of magnetic field generation parts in such a manner that a suitable magnetic field is generated when the first magnetic pole passes through the second position. |
| US10020759B2 |
Parallel modular converter architecture for efficient ground electric vehicles
Method and apparatus for powering electric motors. The electric motors are connected to a DC power supply by a parallel modular converter that includes a plurality of parallel power converters that convert the DC power to AC power. The parallel modular converter selectively connects different parallel power converters to different ones of the electric motors to provide an adequate supply of electrical power to meet the load conditions of the electric motor. As the load conditions of the electric motors dynamically change, the parallel modular converter can selectively connect certain PPCs to different motors to satisfy the changing load conditions. |
| US10020756B2 |
Boost chopper circuit
In a boost chopper circuit, a backflow prevention diode circuit has a withstand voltage equal to or more than a withstand voltage of a capacitor circuit connected in series to the backflow prevention diode circuit between opposite ends of a switching device circuit. |
| US10020755B2 |
Apparatus for discharging a high-voltage bus
A power inverter includes a multi-phase inverter circuit electrically connected to positive and negative conductors of the high-voltage bus. A bi-stable switch is electrically connected in series with a discharge resistor between the positive and negative conductors of the high-voltage bus, and a capacitor is electrically connected between the positive and negative conductors of the high-voltage bus. First and second trigger circuits are in communication with a gate of the bi-stable switch, and first and second contactors are controllable to electrically connect a respective one of the positive and negative conductors of the high-voltage bus to the high-voltage DC power source. The bi-stable switch is controllable to provide a low-impedance electric current flow path through the discharge resistor between the positive and negative conductors of the high-voltage bus in response to an activation signal from one of the first and second high-voltage DC contactor circuits. |
| US10020754B2 |
String inverter system
A multi-inverter system with at least a string of inverters sharing a DC bus and outputting to a shared AC bus. Inverters are hot-swappable and configured to be turned on or off during powered cycles. Central control may comprise reducing power point tracking redundancies or promoting other operational changes at individual inverters of a group. |
| US10020753B2 |
Hybrid control method for an electrical converter
The present application is directed to an electrical converter having at least one of an active rectifier and an inverter interconnecting an electrical source with an electrical load. A method for controlling the electrical converter includes receiving at least one estimated control variable, receiving at least one outer loop control variable provided by an outer control loop and determining a control region based on a control error and selecting control parameters based on the control region. The control method then predicts at least one reference control value based on a solution of a physical model of the electrical converter. The solution is based on a constraint that minimizes a difference between the at least one estimated control variable and the at least one outer loop control variable. The control method then determines switching states of the electrical converter based on the reference control value. |
| US10020742B2 |
Hybrid boost-bypass function in two-stage converter
A controller for use in a two-stage power supply is coupled to control switching of a switching element to regulate a transfer of energy from an input to an output of a flyback converter. The controller activates a boost switching element during a first interval in each line half cycle of an input voltage to boost an output voltage at an output of a boost-bypass converter. The controller deactivates the boost switching element during a second interval in each line half cycle such that the output voltage of the boost-bypass converter drops towards the input voltage during the second interval while the output voltage of the boost-bypass converter is greater than the input voltage. The controller controls the output voltage to follow the input voltage during a third interval of each line half cycle while the boost switching element remains deactivated and the input and output voltages are substantially equal. |
| US10020741B2 |
Adaptive cable drop compensation based on scalable cable offset factor
A power supply control system delivers regulated power to a load via a delivery cable. The power supply control system includes a power stage operable to deliver power to the load at a first regulated voltage level and a second regulated voltage level. A cable offset voltage unit generates an offset voltage signal representing a drop in voltage across the delivery cable. The offset voltage signal is generated based on a first cable drop compensation value when the power stage is operated to deliver power at the first regulated voltage level and based on a second cable drop compensation value when the power stage is operated to deliver power at the second regulated voltage level. A controller coupled to the power stage and the cable offset voltage unit controls the power stage to deliver the regulated power to the load based at least in part on the offset voltage signal. |
| US10020738B2 |
Interleaved switching power supply and control method for the same
A control circuit for an interleaved switching power supply having a plurality of parallel coupled power stage circuits, can include: a feedback circuit that receives an output voltage of the interleaved switching power supply, and generates an output voltage feedback signal; a ripple generator that receives a plurality of switching control signals, and generates an AC ripple signal having a frequency that is N times a switching frequency; an adder circuit that adds the output voltage feedback signal with the AC ripple signal, and generates a superposition signal; a comparison circuit that receives the superposition signal and a reference voltage, and generates a comparison signal; and a frequency divider circuit that divides the comparison signal into a plurality of turn on control signals configured to control turn on of a plurality of main power switches in the plurality of power stage circuits. |
| US10020737B1 |
Plurality of converters extending duty cycle by checking voltage thresholds
An example device in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure includes a first converter to selectively convert a first input signal to a first output signal, and a second converter to selectively convert a second input signal to a second output signal. A controller is to control switches of the first and second converters based on the input signals and output signals, and based on operating the first and second converters exclusively with respect to each other such that a total of first and second duty cycles does not exceed one. |
| US10020735B2 |
Efficient multi-mode DC-DC converter
In one form, a multi-mode converter includes first, second, third, and fourth transistors having respective control terminals and arranged in a four-switch buck-boost (FSBB) configuration for coupling to an inductor. The multi-mode converter also includes a first driver having an input for receiving a first switching signal and an output, a first charge pump having an output, a second driver having an input for receiving a second switching signal and an output, a second charge pump having an output, and a control circuit. The control circuit alternatively couples an output of the first driver or an output of the first charge pump to the control terminal of the first transistor, and the output of the second driver or the output of the second charge pump to the control terminal of the fourth transistor in response to a mode of operation of the multi-mode power converter. |
| US10020733B2 |
Adaptive controller for a voltage converter
A DC-to-DC converter includes an input voltage node, an inductor, and a switch coupled to the inductor and the input voltage node. More specifically, the switch has an on state and off state, wherein during the on state, current flowing through the inductor increases and the off state results in a decrease of the current flowing through the inductor via a driver coupled to the switch. The driver comprises a plurality of transistors and an adaptive voltage node, wherein a voltage level at the adaptive voltage node is to vary in accordance with the current flowing through the inductor so as to decrease a variation of the amount of time to turn off the switch. |
| US10020732B2 |
Power converter having low power operating mode
A power converter includes an input node that receives an input voltage and a control loop that regulates an output voltage of the power converter. The power converter also includes a comparison voltage generation circuit that generates a comparison voltage based on an operating point of the power converter. The power converter also includes a first comparator that compares a control loop voltage in the control loop with the comparison voltage, and generates a control signal. The power converter also includes a mode control circuit that transitions the power converter from the low power operating mode to a first operating mode using the control signal. The output voltage is regulated in both the first operating mode and the low power operating mode. |
| US10020731B2 |
Power switch circuit
A power switch circuit includes at least one switch unit including at least one first switch and one second switch which are connected in parallel. A turning-on loss of the first switch is smaller than a turning-on loss of the second switch, a turning-off loss of the first switch is larger than a turning-off loss of the second switch; during one controlling period of the switch unit, when the switch unit is controlled to be turned on, a moment when the first switch is turned on is controlled to be earlier than a moment when the second switch is turned on; and when the switch unit is controlled to be turned off, a moment when the first switch is turned off is controlled to be earlier than a moment when the second switch is turned off. |
| US10020724B2 |
Duty-ratio controller
A controller for determining the duty-ratio for a pulse width modulator of a converter includes an inner current loop, an outer voltage loop and a multiplier with an input voltage feed forward to connect both loops. A prediction unit determines a correction signal icor that is added to the reference current iref by means of an adder and it further determines a sample correction signal to correct the current samples in the current loop. This error-controlled duty-ratio prediction with sample correction results in an improved total harmonic distortion as well as in an improved power factor of the converter. |
| US10020721B2 |
Self-recharging electric generator system
A self-recharging electric generator system in communication with an external system, where the external system includes a power source external to the self-recharging electric generator system, and the self-recharging electric generator system includes at least one electric motor configured to receive power from the power source of the external system, at least one generator configured to produce power to be supplied to the external system, and to the at least one electric motor, at least one sensing device configured to be connected with an onboard battery system of the external system, to sense a charge status of the onboard battery system, and a switch device electrically coupled with the at least one sensing device and configured to switch from the power source of the external system to the at least one generator as the source for supplying power to the at least one electric motor. |
| US10020720B2 |
Latching devices
Described herein are latching devices where relative speed of movement between members is in part controlled or reduced via eddy current formation and in part controlled or relative motion stopped via a latch arrangement. Various embodiments are described, one being use of a conductive member; at least one magnetic field and a latch member that, prior to latching, moves independently to the at least one conductive member. A kinematic relationship exists between the conductive member and at least one magnetic field that enables the conductive member to move at a different speed relative to the magnetic field on application of an energizing force, thereby inducing an eddy current drag force by relative movement of the conductive member in the magnetic field. The eddy current drag force resulting causes movement of the conductive member causing the conductive member to engage the latch member thereby halting movement between the at least one conductive member and the at least one latch member. |
| US10020710B2 |
Poly-generation system
A poly-generation system includes: at least one cylinder; a reciprocating piston provided in the cylinder; an engine rotor generates a magnetic force and reciprocates with the piston; an engine stator includes an engine coil which induces an electromotive force by interference with the reciprocating engine rotor and outputs the electromotive force induced in the engine coil; and a generator which is integrally coupled with a reciprocating shaft of the piston and generates electricity using an inertial force generated by the reciprocating piston, the generator includes: an elastic member deformed by the inertial force; a generator rotor includes a generator magnet and reciprocates due to the deformation of the elastic member; a generator stator includes a generator coil and outputs an electromotive force induced in the generator coil due to interference with the generator magnet, and a generator battery stores the electromotive force induced in the generator coil. |
| US10020709B2 |
Motor having a damping member disposed on a motor housing
A motor includes a motor housing, a motor body, and a damping member. The motor body includes a drive shaft. The motor body is housed in the motor housing. The damping member is disposed on an outer surface of the motor housing. The damping member includes a damping layer and a constraining layer. The damping layer is made of an organic polymeric material, and bonded to the outer surface of the motor housing. The constraining layer is made of at least one of a resin mixed with an inorganic compound and an elastomer mixed with an inorganic compound. The constraining layer is disposed on the damping layer. |
| US10020702B2 |
Stator
A stator having slots separated by stator teeth, into which shaped bars, formed from a plurality of individual wires, are deployed, wherein in each case sidewalls of a stator tooth bounding adjacent slots in a region of the shaped bars run essentially parallel to one another. |
| US10020701B2 |
Brushless motor having first adhesive part bonding magnet to core and second adhesive part bonding end surface of rotor core to end surface of magnet
A rotor includes: a rotor core; a plurality of magnets; and an adhesive that adhesively bonds the magnet to the rotor core. The magnets are housed in the magnet holders such that the same magnetic poles of adjacent magnets face each other in a circumferential direction of the rotor core. The adhesive includes: a first adhesive part that adhesively bonds two interior surfaces of the magnet holder facing the circumferential direction to the magnet and that reaches one of ends of the magnet in a direction of axis of the magnet; and a second adhesive part that adhesively bonds, on a side of one of end surfaces of the rotor core in a direction of axis of the rotor core, said end surface of the rotor core to an end surface of the magnet in an axial direction of the magnet and that is connected to the first adhesive part. |
| US10020697B2 |
Double-stator electric rotating machine
A double-stator electric rotating machine with a retainer. The retainer includes a connector which joints between an outer stator and an inner stator. The retainer is placed in contact with an outer peripheral surface of the outer stator and an inner peripheral surface of the inner stator to retain the outer and inner stators together. Specifically, the retainer works to join the outer stator and the inner stator together and also to tightly hold the outer periphery of the outer stator and the inner periphery of the inner stator, thus minimizing misalignment of the outer and inner stators in axial and radial directions there of. |
| US10020692B2 |
Foreign object detector, power transmitter, power receiver, and wireless power transmission system
A foreign object detector includes: an oscillator circuit 100 having a coil 110 and resonant capacitors Cx, Cy, the oscillator circuit 100 being configured to output a voltage which includes an AC component and a DC component, the AC component having a positive cycle and a negative cycle; and an electric circuit for sensing a variation of the AC component and a variation of the DC component in the voltage output from the oscillator circuit 100 when a foreign object approaches the coil 110. |
| US10020691B2 |
Apparatus and method for transmitting power wirelessly
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for wirelessly transmitting power. A method for wirelessly transmitting power according to an embodiment can measure and store signal strength values corresponding to inductive coupling degrees with a secondary coil of a receiving apparatus sequentially with respect to two or more primary coils included in two or more resonance circuits, select a primary coil related to a largest signal strength value among the signal strength values as an operating coil, adjust a reference value of a power loss value which becomes a basis for entering a mode for detecting power loss based on a difference between a signal strength for a primary coil adjacent to the operating coil and a signal strength value for the operating coil, and transmit power to a wireless power receiving apparatus through the operating coil. |
| US10020689B2 |
Power transmitting device, power receiving device, power supply system, and power supply method
Provided are a power transmitting device, a power receiving device, a power supply system, and a power supply method able to supply electric power by emitting electromagnetic waves. A power transmitting device comprises: a calculating unit for calculating the maximum value for the emitted output of electromagnetic waves meeting exposure standards on the basis of a response delay time measured by the communication link between the power transmitting device and a power receiving device; a power transmitting unit for transmitting power via a power supply link with the power receiving device at an output not exceeding the maximum value; an anomaly detecting unit for detecting an anomaly in the power supply link on the basis of communication with the power receiving device via the communication link; and an output control unit for controlling the output on the basis of the detection of an anomaly in the power supply link. |
| US10020683B2 |
Systems, apparatus, and method for a dual mode wireless power receiver
Systems, methods and apparatus are disclosed for a dual mode wireless power receiver. In accordance with on aspect, an apparatus for receiving wireless power is provided. The apparatus includes a first coil configured to wirelessly receive power from a first transmitter configured to generate a first alternating magnetic field having a first frequency. The apparatus further includes a second coil configured to wirelessly receive power from a second transmitter configured to generate a second alternating magnetic field having a second frequency higher than the first frequency. The second coil is positioned to enclose the first coil. A first coupling factor between the first coil and a coil of the first transmitter is higher than a second coupling factor between the second coil and a coil of the second transmitter when the first and second coils are positioned within respective charging regions of the first and second transmitters. |
| US10020679B2 |
Handheld electrical device system and method
An apparatus and a handheld electrical tool system comprising an insert receivable in an ultrasonic handpiece comprising a primary coil disposed about a well and electrically connected to a primary current supply, the insert comprising a secondary coil disposed about at least a portion of the insert dimensioned and arranged to be disposable within the well such that the secondary coil is inductively coupled to the primary coil, the secondary coil in electrical communication with at least one electrical device powered by the secondary coil. A method of operating a handpiece and of retrofitting a handpiece is also disclosed. |
| US10020677B2 |
System, method, and apparatus for grid location
A computer system at a substation of an electrical grid examines on-grid communication channels and for very channel, the system compares and correlates a GLA signal provided by a downstream transmitter on that channel to a reference GLA signal. The channel that provided the signal with the best correlation is mostly likely the channel with the transmitter. Thus, the feeder and phase of the signal can be determined from the correlation of signals. |
| US10020676B2 |
Watchdog circuit
One example discloses a watchdog circuit: wherein the watchdog circuit is configured to receive a primary ground from a primary power supply, and a backup ground from a backup power supply; wherein the watchdog circuit includes a ground switch coupled to the primary ground and the backup ground; and wherein the ground switch is configured to isolate the primary ground from the backup ground in response to a fault signal. |
| US10020675B1 |
Emergency lamp tube and bulb
An emergency lamp has a first line contact configured for connection to a first line. A second line contact is configured for connection to a second line. The second line is not switched. A neutral line contact is configured for connection to a neutral line. The voltage checker changes a mode of a main driver enablement signal and an emergency driver enablement signal when the voltage checker does not sense voltage. The voltage checker is electrically connected to the second line. A main driver is powered by the first line and the neutral line. The main driver is controlled by the main driver enablement signal. An emergency driver is powered by a battery. The battery is maintained by a charge controller. The charge controller is powered by the second line and the neutral line. The emergency driver is controlled by an emergency driver enablement signal. |
| US10020673B2 |
Electronic device including non-contact charging module and battery
A mobile terminal is provided, which includes a wireless charging module, a battery pack, and a circuit board substrate. The wireless charging module includes a charging coil formed of a wound conducting wire and a communication coil placed adjacent to the charging coil. The wireless charging module has a substantially planar shape. The battery pack has a substantially planar shape and is configured to store power from the wireless charging module. The circuit board substrate is configured to control operation of the mobile terminal. The wireless charging module overlaps with each of the circuit board substrate and the battery pack. |
| US10020672B2 |
Enhanced wireless power charging system
A network of participating geographically diverse organizations or locations that offer a bluetooth/wifi aggregated enhanced wireless charging system to charge personal digital assistants is provided. The enhanced wireless charging system includes a bluetooth charging outlet device that charges the personal digital assistant, and a bluetooth charging USB plug-in device. The bluetooth charging outlet device includes a function button that turns the bluetooth charging outlet device ON or OFF, ventilation slots that maintains air flow in the bluetooth charging outlet device to avoid overhearing The bluetooth charging USB plug-in device is coupled with the personal digital assistant. The bluetooth charging USB plug-in device includes a USB that connects the bluetooth charging USB plug-in device to the personal digital assistant, a function button that turns the bluetooth charging USB plug-in device ON or OFF, a USB charging port that charges the bluetooth charging USB plug-in device, and a Velcro that couples the bluetooth charging USB plug-in device to the personal digital assistant. |
| US10020671B2 |
Magnetic sheet for wireless power charging system
A magnetic sheet for a wireless power charging system includes an electrode layer, first and second magnetic layers disposed on the electrode layer, and first and second adhesive layers disposed on the electrode layer. The first adhesive layer is disposed between the electrode layer and the first magnetic layer, and the second adhesive layer is disposed between the first and second magnetic layers. In one example, the first and second adhesive layers each include a plurality of core loss decreasing members, formed of at least one of an amorphous material, a ferrite material, and a synthetic material of amorphous and ferrite materials, dispersed therein. In another example, the first and second adhesive layers each include a plurality of magnetic saturation (Ms) reinforcing members, formed of at least one of a hetero-amorphous material, a nanocrystalline-amorphous material, and a synthetic material of hetero-amorphous and nanocrystalline-amorphous materials, dispersed therein. |
| US10020669B2 |
Wireless power receiving apparatus and power control method thereof, and wireless power system
Disclosed is a wireless power receiving apparatus, which includes: a residual power collecting unit configured to collect residual power remained after supplying an RF power signal to a load while receiving the RF power signal through a resonator; a power selecting unit configured to select one of the RF power signal and a power signal of an auxiliary battery according to a reception state of the RF power signal; a communication unit configured to receive the power signal of the auxiliary battery and perform wireless communication with the wireless power transmitting apparatus, when a supply of power to the load is required in a state in which the transmission of the RF power signal from the wireless power transmitting apparatus is stopped; and a controller configured to request the transmission of the RF power signal to be supplied to the load. |
| US10020666B2 |
Power supply control device, battery device, power supply system, and power supply control method
Provided is a power supply control device including a command sending unit configured to deliver a polling command to a bus line, and a battery registration unit configured to give an identifier to a battery device that has responded to the polling command within a predetermined response period. The command sending unit delivers information of the identifier to the bus line for the battery device to which the battery registration unit gives the identifier and delivers, to the bus line, a command for the battery device to which the identifier is given. |
| US10020659B2 |
Systems and methods for dynamic wireless charging compensation
A charging pad may include a transmit coil comprising a plurality of segments of conductive material, one or more segment switches, each segment switch configured to electrically couple two of the plurality of segments together when such segment switch is activated and electrically isolate the two of the plurality of segments when such segment switch is deactivated, one or more power source switches configured to selectively electrically couple a tap point of one of the plurality of segments to a first terminal of a power source, and a coil control system configured to generate one or more control signals based on one or more physical parameters associated with the charging pad, the control signals for selectively enabling and disabling the one or more segment switches and the one or more power source switches in order to select an active path of the transmit coil based on the physical parameters. |
| US10020654B2 |
Energy storage installation
An energy storage system is provided that is adapted to simultaneously carry out control and system tasks in non-local and local power supply grids and to a method for operating such an energy supply system. The energy storage system comprises at least one energy storage module and a system storage capacity and system output, wherein the energy storage system is at least intended for connection to a non-local power supply grid for the execution of received, non-localized control and system tasks in the non-local power supply grid and for connection to one or more local power supply grids for the execution of received, localized control and system tasks in the local power supply grid(s), and is adapted to be connected to a communication network via at least one interface and to receive at least the non-localized control and system tasks via the communication network. |
| US10020651B2 |
Systems and methods for dissipating transient voltages in electrical systems
A solid-state power controller (SSPC) includes two or more SSPC channels for connecting a load to a feed bus. The SSPC channels include a disconnect switch and an enable switch having a terminal connected to a gate of the disconnect switch. A voltage clamping diode of the SSPC channel is connected to the gate of the enable switch, and is arranged to close the enable switch when a transient voltage applied to the SSPC channel when the transient voltage exceeds the breakdown voltage of the voltage clamping diode. |
| US10020650B2 |
Battery energy storage system with arc flash protection, energy conversion system and protection method
A battery energy storage system is disclosed, the battery energy storage system comprising a rechargeable battery assembly for storing and providing energy and a protection system including an arc flash protection device to protect against risks due to arc flashes. The arc flash protection device comprises an overcurrent protection unit which detects overcurrent conditions indicating arc flash conditions in case of a low impedance of the battery assembly and an undervoltage protection unit which detects undervoltage conditions indicating arc flash conditions in case of a low impedance of the battery assembly, wherein upon detecting the overcurrent conditions and/or the undervoltage conditions for a predetermined minimum time period, the arc flash protection device initiates protective measures to prevent further operation of the battery assembly. An energy conversion system comprising such a battery energy storage system, which can be used for stationary and mobile energy supply or distribution applications, is also disclosed. |
| US10020648B2 |
Apparatus for detecting malfunction of relay
The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for detecting malfunction of a relay, which includes a temperature determination unit configured to determine whether or not a relay resistor is overheated based on a resistance temperature of the relay resistor being connected to a relay; a charging voltage determination unit configured to determine whether or not a variation value of a charging voltage of a direct current (DC) link capacitor according to an operation start of an inverter system exceeds a reference variation value; and a relay malfunction determination unit configured to determine whether or not the relay is malfunctioned based on one or more the determination results whether or not the relay resistor is overheated and whether or not the variation value exceeds the reference variation value. |
| US10020644B1 |
Movable raceway
Apparatus and corresponding method contemplating electrical raceway technology. A first segment has opposing first sidewalls and a first partition between the first sidewalls. A second segment has opposing second sidewalls and a second partition between the second sidewalls. The second segment is operably connected to the first segment so that the segments are selectively movable in relation to each other. The first sidewalls overlap the respective second sidewalls, and the partitions overlap at all selected movable positions of the segments, to define separate compartments in the raceway. |
| US10020641B1 |
Resistance-limited electrical interconnects
A resistance-limited electrical interface includes a printed wiring board, a bus bar, a U-shaped conductor, and a retainer. The bus bar extends from the printed wiring board. The U-shaped conductor has a first wall and an opposed second wall, the bus bar arranged between the first and second wall to define a conductive joint between the first wall and the bus bar. The retainer is compressively seated between the second wall and bus bar opposite the conductive joint to exert force on the bus bar for retaining the bus bar in the U-shaped conductor and limiting electrical resistance of the conductive joint. |
| US10020638B2 |
Optical semiconductor device, semiconductor laser module, and optical fiber amplifier
An optical semiconductor device outputting a predetermined wavelength of laser light includes: a quantum well active layer positioned between a p-type cladding layer and an n-type cladding layer in thickness direction; a separate confinement heterostructure layer positioned between the quantum well active layer and the n-type cladding layer; and an electric-field-distribution-control layer positioned between the separate confinement heterostructure layer and the n-type cladding layer and configured by at least two semiconductor layers having band gap energy greater than band gap energy of a barrier layer constituting the quantum well active layer. |
| US10020636B2 |
Tunable laser with multiple in-line sections including sampled gratings
A tunable laser with multiple in-line sections including sampled gratings generally includes a semiconductor laser body with a plurality of in-line laser sections configured to be driven independently to generate laser light at a wavelength within a different respective wavelength range. Sampled gratings in the respective in-line sections have the same grating period and a different sampling period to produce the different wavelengths. The wavelength of the light generated in the respective laser sections may be tuned, in response to a temperature change, to a channel wavelength within the respective wavelength range. By selectively generating light in one or more of the laser sections, one or more channel wavelengths may be selected for lasing and transmission. By using sampled gratings with the same grating period in the multiple in-line sections, the multiple section tunable laser may be fabricated more easily. |
| US10020628B2 |
Method for producing a water-tight plug connector
A method for producing a water-tight plug connector in which at least one electric conductor such as a wire is introduced into a guide channel of an insulator part via a lateral opening in order to hold the conductor. The insulator part with the introduced conductor is arranged in a plug connector housing, and the lateral opening of the insulator part is closed by a cover. An internal volume of the plug connector housing is then at least partly filled with a sealing compound. A plug connector is produced in such a manner. |
| US10020624B2 |
Multimedia faceplates having ethernet conversion circuitry
A multimedia faceplate includes a frame having a front face and a rear face and at least one connector mounting aperture therein, a non-Ethernet connector mounted in the connector mounting aperture, an Ethernet conversion unit that is electrically connected to the non-Ethernet connector and a plurality of wire connection contacts that are electrically connected to the Ethernet conversion unit. The Ethernet conversion unit is configured to draw an electrical power signal from either an AC to DC power conversion unit or from a Power-over-Ethernet power signal received from an Ethernet cable that is connected to the wire connection contacts. |
| US10020623B1 |
Electrical circuit jumper cable assembly for testing
An electric circuit jumper cable assembly having a plurality of leads electrically connected serially at first ends of the leads to form an electrical junction within a bus within a housing; a plurality of terminals individually connected at second ends of the leads, each terminal having: a base, an electrically conductive tip in the base electrically connected to one of the leads; and a cover element relative to the base that selectively shields at least a portion of the electrically conductive tip. The electric circuit jumper cable assembly is useful for convenient testing of electrical circuits. |
| US10020622B2 |
Connector
A connector, fixable to first and second bus bars having different electric potentials and mateable with a mating connector, includes an insulator accommodation member and first and second contacts. The accommodation member has first and second surfaces opposite each other in a predetermined direction perpendicular to a mating direction, and accommodates the contacts in a pitch direction perpendicular to the mating and predetermined directions. Under a fixed state, screwed portions of the first and second contacts are either flush with, or project outward beyond, the first and second surfaces, respectively, in the predetermined direction. Under the fixed state, the first and second contacts are screwed to the first and second bus bars, respectively, by first and second screws, respectively, inserted in screw holes thereof, and the screwed portions of the first and second contacts are in direct contact with the first and second bus bars, respectively. |
| US10020621B2 |
USB interface and mobile terminal
The present disclosure provides a USB interface and a mobile terminal. The USB interface includes a USB interface main body, an inserting tongue of a power line configured for coupling to an external power line via inserting portions and an inserting tongue of a ground line configured for coupling to an external ground line via inserting portions, in which a bottom of the inserting tongue of the power line and a bottom edge of the inserting tongue of the ground line are coupled to the USB interface main body; the inserting tongue of the power line has P inserting portions extending therefrom, where P is greater than or equal to 2; and the inserting tongue of the ground line has Q inserting portions extending therefrom, where Q is greater than or equal to 2. At least two of the P inserting portions have different lengths, and at least two of the Q inserting portions have different lengths. |
| US10020620B2 |
Connector
There is provided a connector connectable to a mating connector that includes a first jack terminal configured to be coupled to a first plug terminal of the mating connector; a second jack terminal configured to be coupled to a second plug terminal of the mating connector; and a third jack terminal configured to be coupled to the second plug terminal of the mating connector, and having a resistor and a capacitor connected in series thereto. Upon the connector being separated from the mating connector, the second jack terminal is separated from the second plug terminal after the third jack terminal is separated from the second plug terminal, and the first jack terminal is separated from the first plug terminal after the second jack terminal is separated from the second plug terminal. |
| US10020616B2 |
Locking electrical outlet
A locking electrical outlet has a housing with a channel and an outlet latch within, a slider configured to move axially within the channel, a memory block, a locking plate with an opening, and a spring configured to bias the locking plate towards a first angle. The slider is configured move axially rearward relative to the housing by the insertion of the plug. The rearward movement of the slider reduces the angle of the locking plate such that a blade of the plug can move through the opening of the locking plate. The memory block is partially compressed by the slider such that it the slider engages the outlet latch of the housing, temporarily holding the locking plate at the reduced angle until the expansion of the memory block disengages the slider from the outlet latch and allows the spring to return locking plate towards the first angle. |
| US10020614B1 |
Pluggable module having a latch
A pluggable module includes a pluggable body having a top wall, a bottom wall and side walls therebetween. The pluggable body defines a chamber extending along a longitudinal axis between a cable end and a mating end opposite the cable end. The pluggable module includes a latch held by the pluggable body. The latch has an actuation end and a latching end opposite the actuation end. The actuation end has a handle and the latching end has a latching tooth configured to latchably secure the pluggable module to a component when the latching tooth is in a latching position. The actuation end is movable in a linear actuation direction to move the latching tooth in a linear releasing direction perpendicular to the actuation direction from the latching position to a released position. |
| US10020612B2 |
Method for conditioning a section of a mating member
A method for conditioning at least a section of a mating member of a connector unit having the mating member and a corresponding receiving chamber with a cavity wall partially encasing a receiving cavity, including at least the steps of: using a mating force caused by a mate of the mating member and the receiving chamber to force an insulation medium housed in the receiving cavity of the receiving chamber to travel along a distribution path for the insulation medium, wherein the insulation medium exits the receiving cavity and re-enters the receiving cavity along the distribution path and conditioning at least the section of the mating member with the insulation medium while the insulation medium is bypassing the section of the mating member due to the mate of the mating member and the receiving chamber. |
| US10020610B2 |
Waterproof connector
A waterproof connector includes a female housing (21) configured to form a sealing space (S) when connected to a male housing (11). The female housing (21) has an inner housing (22) with cavities (23) into which female terminal fittings (27) are to be inserted. The inner housing (22) is to be fit into a receptacle (13) of the male housing (11). A tubular fitting (35) of the female housing (21) surrounds the inner housing (22) and is fit to an outer periphery of the receptacle (13). A ventilation member (60) includes a ventilation film (61) enabling ventilation between the sealing space (S) and an outside of the female housing (21). The ventilation member (60) is arranged so that the ventilation film (61) at least partially overlaps the receptacle (13) in a virtual projection plane perpendicular to a connecting direction of the housings (11, 21). |
| US10020608B2 |
Connectors for delivery of power
A connector includes a connector insert comprising a first plurality of electrical contacts configured to electrically couple, in a mated position, with a second plurality of electrical contacts within a connector receptacle housing accessible via a first surface of a computing device; and a non-magnetic connector insert housing configured to mechanically couple, in the mated position, with a second surface of the computing device. A computing system includes a connector insert comprising a first plurality of electrical contacts; a computing device comprising a connector receptacle housing accessible via a first surface of the computing device, the connector receptacle housing comprising magnetic elements and a second plurality of electrical contacts configured to electrically couple, in a mated position, with the first plurality of electrical contacts in the connector insert; and a non-magnetic connector insert housing configured to mechanically couple, in the mated position, with a second surface. |
| US10020606B1 |
Integrated electrical connector
An integrated electrical connector is integrally formed of a sheet and includes a main body. The middle of the main body is formed with an H-shaped cutout portion to divide the main body into a square frame and two elastic pieces. Two first opposing sides of the square frame are disconnected from the elastic pieces and erected upwardly. Inner edges of two second opposing sides of the square frame are connected with lower ends of the two elastic pieces, respectively. Upper ends of the two elastic pieces are inclined upwardly to form an elastic clip having an included angle for insertion of a male terminal. Outer ends of the main body are formed with pins for connection of a PCB board. The structure is simple to provide convenient electrical connection and better reliability. |
| US10020603B1 |
Fine pitch high density high-speed orthogonal card edge connector
A fine pitch high density high-speed orthogonal card edge connector includes at least one signal transmission assembly which includes a plug-in connector, a press-fit connector, and a PCB board. A side of the PCB board is provided with a row of first pads, and a side of the PCB board adjacent to the side where the first pads are located is provided with a row of second pads. Each first pad corresponds to one second pad one by one through the wiring of the PCB board. An extension line of each first pad is perpendicular to an extension line of each second pad. The plug-in connector is mounted on the side of the PCB board provided with the first pads and is connected to the first pads. The press-fit connector is mounted on the side of the PCB board provided with the second pads and is connected to the second pads. |
| US10020600B2 |
Wire terminal assembly and adapter kit
An assembly is provided for a connector of an electrical wiring device having a base with a plurality of electrical terminals having a connecting screw. The assembly includes a plurality of terminal connector with a base extending from the first end and having a screw hole for coupling to one of the electrical terminals by a connecting screw. The leg has a screw hole receiving a coupling screw for electrically connecting a wire to the terminal connector and the terminal of the electrical wiring device. A clamping member receives the coupling screw for clamping the wire between the leg and clamping member. A cover encloses the terminal connectors and includes one or more apertures directing a wire through the cover to the terminal connector assembly to clamp the wire in place. Access openings are provided in a wall of the cover to access the coupling screws for clamping wires to the terminal connector assembly. |
| US10020599B1 |
Connector back shell assembly
A back shell is described herein. The back shell is configured to be attached to a connector body defining a first attaching feature in its outer surface. The back shell has an attachment portion defining a second attaching feature and a generally tubular support portion extending from this attachment portion. The second attaching feature is configured to engage the first attaching feature of the connector body to secure the back shell to the connector body. An outer surface of the attachment portion of the back shell defines a third attaching feature that is identical in configuration and function to the first attaching feature. |
| US10020597B2 |
Electrical connection element for fastening, in particular soldering, to a glass pane, and ribbon litz wire mixed braid
An electrical connection element for fastening, in particular soldering, to a glass pane and conductive sections present there, in particular to a vehicle pane, consisting of a solder connection part and a ribbon litz wire section fixed to the solder connection part by welding. The ribbon litz wire section consists of a mixed braid which, in addition to single wires made of copper or a copper alloy, contains single wires made of a material which has a melting temperature that corresponds substantially to the melting temperature of the solder connection part or has a higher melting temperature than the latter. |
| US10020596B2 |
Radio base station
A base station performs the combination of digital precoding and analog beamforming. Transceiving antenna elements are classified into antenna groups. The analog beamformer includes branches corresponding to the antenna groups. Each branch includes sub-branches, and each sub-branch is connected to one antenna element. In self-calibration, after pilot signals are transmitted from antenna elements belonging to an antenna group and are received by antenna elements belonging to another antenna group, it is identifiable as to which antenna element transmitted each pilot signal. After pilot signals are received by antenna elements belonging to an antenna group, it is identifiable as to which antenna element received each pilot signal. |
| US10020593B1 |
System and method for terahertz integrated circuits
A system that includes an electromagnetic wave transmission structure having a first end and a second end, conducting components, the conducting components selected from at least one of a network of carbon nanotubes, at least one strip of palladium, at least one strip of platinum or at least one exfoliated graphene sheet, deposited across a location in a wave transmission section of the wave transmission structure (also referred to as a gap), and at least one antenna electromagnetically coupled to the electromagnetic wave transmission structure at one of the first or second end, the antenna and the electromagnetic wave transmission structure being formed by integrated circuit techniques is disclosed. |
| US10020588B2 |
Antenna device and method for manufacturing same
An antenna device is provided, which includes a ground plate formed of a conductor for ground to perform ground function, and a slot formed with specific width and length and positioned on an upper portion of the ground plate, wherein the slot includes a feeding portion configured to receive a signal for feeding, and a plurality of chip resistors positioned apart from the feeding portion for a predetermined distance in a direction that crosses the width of the slot. Accordingly, an electromagnetic signal that is radiated by radar and then is reflected from points excluding a target can be effectively intercepted and thus the system performance can be improved. |
| US10020583B2 |
Antenna device
A dual-band antenna includes a substrate, a first antenna assembly, an isolation metal sheet, and a second antenna assembly. The first antenna assembly includes a first and a second planar inverted-F antennas, which are symmetric with each other and disposed on the first side of the substrate. The first planar inverted-F antenna includes a first radiation portion and a first ground portion. The second planar inverted-F antenna includes a second radiation portion and a second ground portion. The isolation metal sheet is coupled between the first ground portion and the second ground portion. The second antenna assembly includes a third and a fourth antennas, which are coupled to the first and the second ground portions, respectively, and are symmetric with each other and are disposed on the second side of the substrate. The first and the second antenna assemblies are operated at a first and a second frequencies, respectively. |
| US10020577B2 |
Technique for detection of line-of-sight transmissions using millimeter wave communication devices
Systems and methods for wireless communications are disclosed. More particularly, aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to techniques for wireless communications by a first apparatus comprising obtaining, via at least first and second receive antennas having different polarizations, first and second training signals transmitted from a second apparatus via at least first and second transmit antennas having different polarizations, determining, based on the first and second training signals, one or more characteristics for different transmit-receive antenna pairs, each pair comprising one of the first or second transmit antennas and one of the first or second receive antennas, and generating, based on one or more characteristics, a parameter indicative of whether a link path between the first and second apparatuses is line of sight (LOS). |
| US10020571B2 |
Antenna mounting system for metallic structures
An antenna mounting system includes a metal plate having a void formed therein and one or more continuous slots extending from the void to an edge of the metal plate. An antenna is mounted inside the void. |
| US10020568B2 |
RFID inlet antenna and RFID employing same
The present invention provides an RFID inlet antenna comprising a resin base film and a metallic circuit formed via an adhesive layer on the surface of the resin base film. The RFID inlet antenna is prevented from removal of the metallic circuit by unauthorized detachment after the RFID inlet antenna is bonded to an item by a bonding material disposed in such a manner as to cover the metallic circuit. |
| US10020567B2 |
Antenna and vehicle having the antenna
An antenna includes a first antenna body formed as a hollow cylindrical shape having a first outer surface, a first inner surface and a first radiation surface formed in a circular shape, a second antenna body accommodating the first antenna body inside the second antenna body, the second antenna body formed as a hollow cylindrical shape with a second outer surface, a second inner surface and a second radiation surface formed in a ring shape, a plurality of first partitions, and a plurality of second partitions, wherein a plurality of first radiation apertures, formed by the plurality of first partitions for radiating a first radio wave, is formed on the first radiation surface, and a plurality of second radiation apertures, formed by the plurality of second partitions for radiating a second radio wave, is formed on the second radiation surface. |
| US10020565B2 |
Band-type electronic device and antenna module included therein
A band-type electronic device and an antenna module included therein are provided. The band-type electronic device includes a band configured to be worn on a body of a user, a metal housing configured to connect to the band, and a frequency control module configured to operate such that the metal housing is used as a wireless charging antenna. |
| US10020560B1 |
Stacked circularly polarized antenna structure
The invention relates to a stacked circularly polarized antenna structure (10). The stacked circularly polarized antenna structure (10) comprises a first antenna (1), a second antenna (2), and an adhesive element (3). The adhesive element (3) is adhered between the first antenna (1) and the second antenna (2) to stack and form a stacked circularly polarized antenna structure (10) having the first antenna (1) and the second antenna (2) made of ceramic material with the same dielectric constant, having two feeding elements to reach circular polarization and enhance antenna bandwidth, and stacking the two antennas (1, 2) together to form two resonance frequencies. |
| US10020558B1 |
Auto tracking antenna platform
The present invention is an auto tracking antenna platform upon which multiple antenna elements can be mounted to track a common moving object. The antenna tracking platform generally comprises a bottom pedestal enclosing a rotary azimuth actuator for controlled-rotary motion about the single vertical (z) axis, and an upper multi-tier framework housing a horizontal antenna-mounting beam pivotally supported for rotation about a horizontal (x) axis, and a drive assembly for direct-drive rotation of the antenna-mounting bar. Antenna elements are mounted along the horizontal mounting bar and the feeds routed through the azimuth actuator. This enables the use of fiber optic rotary joints or slip rings to pass data and video, instead of RF (waveguide) rotary joints which are required to pass high power RF signals. |
| US10020556B2 |
Deformable apparatus
An apparatus comprising: a deformable antenna configured to operate in a first physical configuration and configured to operate in a second physical configuration that is deformed relative to the first physical configuration; and magnetic material located in close proximity to the deformable antenna and configured to have a first physical configuration when the deformable antenna is in its first physical configuration and configured to have a second physical configuration that is deformed relative to the first physical configuration when the deformable antenna is in its second physical configuration, wherein the magnetic material when in its first physical configuration has a first magnetic permeability and when in its second physical configuration has a second magnetic permeability. |
| US10020555B2 |
Reconfigurable 1:N wilkinson combiner and switch
An electronic device includes circuitry configured to determine an antenna operation mode for one or more antenna arrays. The circuitry is further configured to control the one or more antenna arrays to operate in a combined antenna mode via a Wilkinson combiner. The circuitry is also configured to control the one or more antenna arrays to operate in an isolated antenna mode via a single-pole, multi-throw switch. |
| US10020553B2 |
Fuel cell system and method for controlling fuel cell system
A fuel cell system includes a battery, auxiliary machines including an actuator and a heater that heats cooling water circulating in the fuel cell. The actuator is driven to cause gas to be supplied to a fuel cell configured to generate electric power using the gas. Furthermore, the fuel cell system includes a warming-up operation unit that adjusting operations of the auxiliary machines so as to realize output of fuel cell such that a predetermined electric power is extracted, a discharge control unit that supplies the electric power from the battery to the auxiliary machines when electric power generated by the fuel cell is lower than electric power consumed by the auxiliary machines. Furthermore, the fuel cell system includes an auxiliary machine restriction unit that restricts electric power consumed by the actuator when the discharge control unit supplies the electric power from the battery to the auxiliary machines in a case where the fuel cell is warmed up using the heater. |
| US10020552B2 |
Metal air battery and cathode current collector included therein
A metal air battery includes: at least one gas diffusion layer including a first surface and a second surface facing the first surface; at least one cathode layer disposed on the first surface and on the second surface of the gas diffusion layer and configured to use oxygen as an active material; an electrolyte membrane disposed on the cathode layer; an metal anode layer disposed on the electrolyte membrane; and a cathode current collector including at least one blade, wherein the gas diffusion layer is electrically conductive, and wherein the at least one blade of the cathode current collector contacts and is at least partially embedded in the gas diffusion layer. |
| US10020549B2 |
Battery module with novel structure
Disclosed herein is a battery module including chargeable and dischargeable battery cells mounted in a module case, wherein the battery cells are mounted in the module case in a state in which the battery cells are stacked in a lateral direction in which electrode terminals are not located, the module case is configured to have a frame structure open at one or more surfaces thereof, the module case including a receiving part to mount the battery cells, and a heat dissipation support member to dissipate heat from the battery cells through thermal conduction based on direct or indirect contact with the battery cells is mounted in the receiving part, in which the battery cells are mounted. |
| US10020548B2 |
Gauging method for battery discharge-capacity corresponding to temperature and electronic device using the same
A gauging method for a battery discharge-capacity corresponding to a temperature includes steps of detecting a temperature of a battery module of an electronic device according to a predetermined condition; detecting an internal impedance of the battery module and estimating the battery discharge-capacity of the battery module according to the internal impedance if the temperature meets the predetermined condition; and detecting an output current and a voltage of the battery module according to the temperature and calculating the battery discharge-capacity of the battery module according to the temperature, the voltage and the output current if the temperature does not meet the predetermined condition. |
| US10020543B2 |
Low temperature battery with molten sodium-FSA electrolyte
The present invention provides a molten sodium secondary cell. In some cases, the secondary cell includes a sodium metal negative electrode, a positive electrode compartment that includes a positive electrode disposed in a molten positive electrolyte comprising Na-FSA (sodium-bis(fluorosulonyl)amide), and a sodium ion conductive electrolyte membrane that separates the negative electrode from the positive electrolyte. One disclosed example of electrolyte membrane material includes, without limitation, a NaSICON-type membrane. Non-limiting examples of the positive electrode include Ni, Zn, Cu, or Fe. The cell is functional at an operating temperature between about 100° C. and about 150° C., and preferably between about 110° C. and about 130° C. |
| US10020539B2 |
Nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery and battery pack
A nonaqueous electrolyte solution secondary battery of the embodiment includes an exterior material, a nonaqueous electrolyte solution, a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a separator sandwiched between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. The nonaqueous electrolyte solution is charged in the exterior material. The nonaqueous electrolyte solution contains at least one of sulfone-based compounds represented by formula 1, a partially fluorinated ether represented by a molecular formula of formula 2, and at least one of lithium salts. The positive electrode is housed in the exterior material. The positive electrode contains a composite oxide represented by L1−xMn1.5−yNi0.5−zMy+zO4 as a positive electrode active material (wherein 0≤x≤1, 0≤(y+z)≤0.15, and M represents one, or two or more selected from Mg, Al, Ti, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Nb, Sn, Zr and Ta). The negative electrode is housed in the exterior material. |
| US10020530B2 |
Fuel cell
A fuel cell includes an electrolyte provided with electrodes in the form of an anode and a cathode on opposite sides of the electrolyte, and a system of flow ducts arranged so as to bring a first flow containing a first reactant into contact with an active surface on the anode and to bring a second flow containing a second reactant into contact with an active surface on the cathode. The system of flow ducts includes a distribution arrangement adapted to distribute a flow incoming to the active surface uniformly over an inlet region which extends along the active surface. |
| US10020523B2 |
Fuel cell system and control method for fuel cell system
A fuel cell system includes a fuel supply unit that supplies a fuel to electrolyte membrane of fuel cell, an oxidant supply unit that supplies an oxidant to the electrolyte membrane, and an electricity generation control unit that controls electricity generation by the fuel cell by controlling supply of the oxidant by the oxidant supply unit and supply of the fuel by the fuel supply unit. the fuel cell system includes a wet/dry state detection unit configured to detect a wet/dry state of the electrolyte membrane, a flow rate adjustment unit configured to adjust a flow rate of the fuel supplied to the fuel cell by the fuel supply unit; and a temperature adjustment unit configured to adjust a temperature of the oxidant supplied to the fuel cell by the oxidant supply unit. when reducing an amount of water in the electrolyte membrane in accordance with a signal output from the wet/dry state detection unit, the electricity generation control unit is configured to reduce the flow rate of the fuel, and increase the temperature of the oxidant in accordance with the signal from the wet/dry state detection unit, compared with when increasing the amount of water in the electrolyte membrane. |
| US10020519B2 |
Molding method for removing separator distortion and molding device for removing separator distortion
A molding method and a molding device are provided for removing distortion in a separator. In the molding method and the molding device, first and second dies which correspond to a product shape of first and second pre-molded surfaces of a separator base material. In a first molding step, the first die is pressed by applying an impact force towards the first molding surface side of the separator base material causing the separator base material to move towards the second dies. In the second molding step, the second dies are pressed towards the second molding surface side of the separator base material, and the molding part of the separator base material is sandwiched between the first die and the second dies. |
| US10020518B2 |
Fuel cell stack
A fuel cell stack includes a stacked body, a first insulator, and a first shim. The stacked body includes electrolyte-electrode assemblies and separators. The electrolyte-electrode assemblies are stacked in a stacking direction and have a first end electrolyte-electrode assembly disposed at a first end of the stacked body. The separators includes a first end separator disposed at the first end of the stacked body between the first end electrolyte-electrode assembly and a first contact end plate having a first contact surface which the first end separator contacts. The first shim is provided in a first recess between the first contact end plate and the first insulator and has a thickness such that an outer peripheral surface of the first end separator is positioned between the first contact surface of the first contact end plate and an outer peripheral surface of the first insulator in the stacking direction. |
| US10020517B2 |
Solid oxide fuel cell bundles with flexible power transmission system
A fuel cell assembly comprising: a plurality of fuel cell bundles, each fuel cell bundle comprising: an array of elongated tubular fuel cells comprising a plurality of rows of spaced apart, elongated tubular fuel cells; a plurality of elongated electrical connectors each having a first contact for coupling with a first fuel cell and a second contact for coupling with a second fuel cell and wherein each of said electrical connectors is disposed between at least two of said elongated tubular fuel cells; an oxidant supply system; a fuel supply system; and a support structure for integrating as a bundle said fuel cells, said oxidant supply system and said fuel supply system, wherein said support structure comprises an elongated tubular fuel cell support/spacer plate and an oxidant feed tube support/spacer plate; wherein the elongated tubular fuel cell support/spacer plate is spaced from and connected to the oxidant feed tube support/spacer plate by one or more first pin-in-sleeve combinations each of which is connected to a first side of the elongated tubular fuel cell support/spacer plate and to a first side of the oxidant feed tube support/spacer plate. The fuel cell assembly may also comprise flexible members defining open slots on electrical connectors. Flexible power leads with cross-over plates and tabs may also be comprised in the fuel cell assembly. |
| US10020511B2 |
Lithium secondary battery
This invention provides a lithium secondary battery that comprises a positive electrode comprising a positive electrode active material layer and a negative electrode comprising a negative electrode active material layer. The positive electrode active material layer and the negative electrode active material layer are placed to face each other. The negative electrode active material layer has an area A comprising a non-positive-electrode-facing portion that does not face the positive electrode active material layer. The area A comprises a negative electrode active material, a hot-melt binder and a temperature-sensitive thickener. The hot-melt binder has a melting point and the temperature-sensitive thickener has a gelation temperature both in a range of 45° C. to 100° C. |
| US10020510B2 |
Single component sulfur-based cathodes for lithium and lithium-ion batteries
The present invention pertains to the selection of cathode materials. The cathode materials of concern are the conducting polymer or backbone and the redox active species or sulfur species. The selection of the materials is based on the characteristics of the materials relating to the other components of the batteries and to each other. The present invention also pertains to the resultant cathode materials, particularly a selected cathode material of a single component sulfur-based conducting polymer with the sulfur species covalently linked to the conducting polymer, and most particularly a thiophene based polymer with covalently linked sulfur species. The conducting polymers have been covalently-derivatized with sulfides and/or sulfide-containing groups as battery cathode materials. The present invention also pertains to a battery employing the selection method and resultant cathode materials. |
| US10020509B2 |
Lithium transition metal phosphate, method for producing same, and lithium secondary battery produced using same
The present invention relates to a lithium transition metal phosphate including nano rod-like Fe2P crystals, a method of preparing the same, and a lithium secondary battery manufactured by using the lithium transition metal phosphate. According to the present invention, a lithium transition metal phosphate including nano rod-like Fe2P crystals may be provided, thereby enhancing high rate capability and low-temperature properties of a lithium secondary battery prepared by using the same. Further, the whole or a part of an airflow direction in a firing furnace may be controlled to be in a direction opposite to a proceeding direction of a fired raw material by adjusting the exhaust conditions in the firing process, thereby providing a method of preparing a lithium transition metal phosphate, in which the nano rod-like Fe2P crystals are reproducibly included. |
| US10020508B2 |
Composite material as electrode for sodium ion batteries, production method therefor, and all-solid-state sodium battery
A composite material as an electrode for a sodium ion secondary battery includes an active material crystal, a sodium-ion conductive crystal, and an amorphous phase. The active material crystal may contain Na, M (where M represents at least one kind of transition metal element selected from Cr, Fe, Mn, Co, and Ni), P, and O. |
| US10020506B2 |
Active material for a cathode of a battery cell, cathode, and battery cell
An active material for a cathode of a battery cell which includes a first component containing Li2MnO3. The first component has been doped with a dopant containing a fluoride of a transition metal. Moreover, a cathode of a battery cell which includes an active material, and a battery cell which includes at least one cathode, are provided. |
| US10020500B2 |
Carbonized polyaniline-grafted silicon nanoparticles encapsulated in graphene sheets for li-ion battery anodes
A method for producing a graphene-composite material, including removing any oxide layer from each of a plurality of silicon nanoparticles, forming a polyaniline layer over each clean silicon nanoparticle, binding a graphene oxide sheet to the polyaniline layer of each particle, and carbonizing the polyaniline to yield a plurality of composite particles. Each composite particle has a graphene outer layer substantially encapsulating a silicon inner core. |
| US10020498B2 |
Coated nickel hydroxide powder for positive electrode active material for alkaline secondary battery, and production method therefor
A method for producing coated nickel hydroxide powder for a positive electrode of an alkaline secondary battery wherein the pH of a suspension of a nickel hydroxide powder is kept at 8 to 11.5, and an aqueous cobalt salt solution and an aqueous alkali solution are supplied to the suspension to coat the surface of nickel hydroxide particles with cobalt hydroxide. Then, the pH of a slurry of the cobalt hydroxide-coated nickel hydroxide powder is adjusted to 12.5 to 13.0, and oxygen is supplied to the slurry so that the total amount of oxygen supplied per mole of cobalt in the coating is 30 l/mol or more to oxidize the cobalt hydroxide. |
| US10020497B2 |
Lithium secondary battery having improved electrochemical properties, and method for manufacturing same
A lithium secondary battery comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a separation film, and an electrolyte, wherein the negative electrode includes a silicon-carbon composite as a negative active material, and wherein the electrolyte includes an additive selected from the group consisting of FEC, VEC, VC, EC, DFEC, t-butylbenzene, and t-pentylbenzene. |
| US10020495B2 |
Glass-coated cathode powders for rechargeable batteries
The invention provides a cathode active material for use in a rechargeable battery, comprising a coated lithium nickel oxide powder or a coated lithium nickel manganese oxide powder, the powder being composed of primary particles provided with a glassy lithium silicate surface coating. A method for preparing the cathode active material comprises the steps of: providing a lithium transition metal based oxide powder, providing an alkali mineral compound comprising a Li2−xSiO3−0.5x compound, wherein 0 |
| US10020493B2 |
Coating compositions for electrode compositions and their methods of making
Compositions and methods of making are provided for coated electrodes and batteries comprising the same. The compositions may comprise a base composition having an active material selected from the group consisting of LiCoO2, LiMn2O4, Li2MnO3, LiNiO2, LiMn1.5Ni0.5O4, LiFePO4, Li2FePO4F, Li3CoNiMnO6, Li(LiaNixMnyCoz)O2, and mixtures thereof. The compositions may also comprise a coating composition that covers at least a portion of the base composition, wherein the coating composition comprises a non-metal or metalloid element. The methods of making comprise providing the base composition and a doped carbon coating composition, and mixing the coating composition with the base electrode composition at an elevated temperature in a flowing inert gas atmosphere. The coating composition may be a nitrogen-doped carbon composition a nitrogen doping element selected from the group consisting of: pyridine, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide, and mixtures thereof. |
| US10020491B2 |
Silicon-based active materials for lithium ion batteries and synthesis with solution processing
Silicon based anode active materials are described for use in lithium ion batteries. The silicon based materials are generally composites of nanoscale elemental silicon with stabilizing components that can comprise, for example, silicon oxide-carbon matrix material, inert metal coatings or combinations thereof. High surface area morphology can further contribute to the material stability when cycled in a lithium based battery. In general, the material synthesis involves a significant solution based processing step that can be designed to yield desired material properties as well as providing convenient and scalable processing. |
| US10020487B2 |
Rechargeable battery with voltage activated current interrupter
A high energy density rechargeable metal-ion battery includes an anode energy layer, a cathode energy layer, a separator for separating the anode and the cathode energy layers, an anode current collector for transferring electrons to and from the anode energy layer, the battery characterized by a maximum safe voltage for avoiding overcharge, and an interrupt layer that interrupts current within the battery upon exposure to voltage in excess of the maximum safe voltage. The interrupt layer is between the anode energy layer and current collector. When unactivated, it is laminated to the cathode current collector, conducting current therethrough. When activated, the interrupt layer delaminates from the anode current collector, interrupting current therethrough. The interrupt layer includes a voltage sensitive decomposable component that upon exposure to voltage in excess of the maximum safe voltage decomposes, evolving a gas, delaminating the interrupt layer from the anode current collector, interrupting current therethrough. |
| US10020486B2 |
Battery pack
Disclosed is a battery pack which can be adaptively used even in various approaching and extending directions of a connection wire even while ensuring the safety by minimizing exposure of an electrode terminal. The battery pack according to the present invention comprises: a cell assembly having a plurality of secondary batteries; a pack housing having an internal space to receive the cell assembly; an electrode terminal which is connected to the cell assembly and is formed to protrude to the outside of the pack housing; and a terminal cover which covers the top portion and a part of the sides of the electrode terminal and is configured to be attached/detached to/from different portions of the pack housing. |
| US10020484B2 |
Cell wiring module
A cell wiring module is configured to include a plurality of connection members connecting adjacent electrode terminals of a plurality of single cells having positive and negative electrode terminals. The cell wiring module includes a first unit housing a housed connection member, and a second unit connected to the first unit by a linking connection member different from the housed connection member. Sliding occurs in the connection direction of the connection members between the linking connection member for connection and at least one of the first unit and the second unit. |
| US10020483B2 |
Battery module and method of coupling first and second electrical terminals of first and second battery cells to a voltage sense member of an interconnect assembly
A battery module and a method are provided. The battery module includes a first battery cell having a first electrical terminal, a second battery cell having a second electrical terminal, and an interconnect assembly having a plate portion, a first finger portion, and a first voltage sense member. The first voltage sense member is coupled to the first finger portion. The first electrical terminal has a first terminal portion disposed directly on and coupled to a first voltage sense wall of the first voltage sense member. The second electrical terminal has a first terminal portion disposed on and coupled to the first terminal portion of the first electrical terminal such that the first terminal portion of the first electrical terminal is sandwiched between the first voltage sense wall of the first voltage sense member and the first terminal portion of the second electrical terminal. |
| US10020480B2 |
Layered-double-hydroxide-containing composite material and method for producing same
Provided is a layered-double-hydroxide-(LDH) containing composite material including a porous substrate and a high density LDH-containing functional layer on and/or in the porous substrate. The LDH-containing composite material of the present invention includes the porous substrate and the functional layer formed on and/or in the porous substrate. The functional layer contains a layered double hydroxide represented by the general formula M2+1-xM3+x(OH)2An-x/n.mH2O (where M2+ represents a divalent cation, M3+ represents a trivalent cation, An- represents an n-valent anion, n represents an integer not less than 1, x represents a value of 0.1 to 0.4, and m represents a value not less than 0) and has water impermeability. |
| US10020477B2 |
Battery enclosure vent assembly and venting method
An exemplary assembly includes an enclosure wall of an enclosure that houses at least one battery cell, and a vent of the enclosure wall. The vent is configured to move from a first position to a second position in response to an increase in a pressure within an interior of the enclosure. The vent in the second position provides a passage to discharge battery vent byproducts from the interior. An exemplary battery pack venting method includes moving a vent of an enclosure wall from a first position to a second position in response to an increase in a pressure within an interior of an enclosure having the enclosure wall. The vent in the second position provides a passage to discharge battery vent byproducts from the interior. |
| US10020473B2 |
Electric storage device
An electric storage device includes a first connection plate, a second connection plate, a fastening member, and a plurality of storage modules. The plurality of storage modules are provided between the first connection plate and the second connection plate in a stacking direction. Each of the plurality of storage modules includes a plurality of rectangular storage cells stacked in the stacking direction to provide a stack of storage cells. The plurality of storage modules are arranged next to each other in a direction that crosses the stacking direction. The plurality of storage modules are clamped between the first connection plate and the second connection plate and fastened together by the fastening member. At least one of the first connection plate and the second connection plate is fastened to the plurality of storage modules in the stacking direction by the fastening member. |
| US10020466B2 |
Flexible multilayer scattering substrate used in OLED
A flexible multilayer scattering substrate is disclosed. Built on a flexible supporting layer, the multilayer contains one or more scattering layers and other functional layers so that it can extract the trapped light in substrate and waveguide of an OLED. The processing of each layer is fully compatible with large area, flexible OLED manufactory, and by controlling processing conditions of each incorporated layer, the substrate microstructure can be tuned. Topographic features can be created on the top surface of substrate by changing the thickness and properties of the multilayer. |
| US10020465B2 |
Composition for encapsulating organic light emitting diode device and organic light emitting diode display using the same
A composition for encapsulating an organic light emitting diode device and an organic light emitting diode display, the composition including a di(meth)acrylate including an unsubstituted alkylene group, a tri(meth)acrylate including a substituted or unsubstituted alkylene group or a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, and a photo-initiator, wherein the composition for encapsulating the organic light emitting diode device has a chloride content of about 200 ppm or less. |
| US10020462B1 |
Electronic devices with flexible displays
An electronic device may have a hinge that allows the device to be flexed about a bend axis. A display may span the bend axis. To facilitate bending about the bend axis, the display may have layers such as a display cover layer with grooves or other recesses. The recesses form a flexible portion in the display layer. The display layer may be formed from glass or other materials that are transparent. Elastomeric material, fluids, and other materials may be placed in the recesses in the display layer. The material in the display layer may have an index of refraction that is matched to the index of refraction of the display layer. A hinge may be formed between rigid planar layers that are separated by a gap. Flexible layers that lie flush with opposing surfaces of the rigid planar layers may be used to span the gap. |
| US10020461B2 |
Display panel capable of preventing a defect in light emission of an organic light emitting element
A display panel includes an auxiliary electrode on a base substrate, a first electrode spaced from the auxiliary electrode, a first light emitting unit on the auxiliary electrode and the first electrode, an conductive thin film layer on the first light emitting unit, a second light emitting unit on the conductive thin film layer, a first contact hole through the conductive thin film layer to expose the auxiliary electrode, a insulating layer in the first contact hole, and a second electrode including a first electrode part and a second electrode part, the first electrode part being on the insulating layer in the first contact hole, and the second electrode part overlapping the first electrode and being on the second light emitting unit, wherein the insulating layer is between the first electrode part and the conductive thin film layer. |
| US10020458B2 |
White organic light-emitting display device
A white organic light-emitting display device includes a red emission layer between a charge generation layer and a yellow-green emission layer and having a hole transport-type host. The white organic light-emitting display device can improve brightness, color gamut, and color shift rate since the red emission layer functions as a hole transport layer and an electron blocking layer, as well as an emission layer. The white organic light-emitting display device can further improve the efficiency of the red emission layer by reducing exciton quenching between the charge generation layer and the red emission layer by the insertion of an auxiliary layer composed of a hole transport-type host between the charge generation layer and the red emission layer. |
| US10020451B2 |
Light-emitting element, light-emitting device, electronic device, lighting device, and heterocyclic compound
A light-emitting element with high heat resistance and high emission efficiency is provided. A novel heterocyclic compound that can be used in such a light-emitting element is provided. One embodiment of the present invention is a light-emitting element which includes, between a pair of electrodes, a layer containing a first organic compound, a second organic compound, and a light-emitting substance; the first organic compound includes one pyrimidine ring and one ring with a hole-transport skeleton; the second organic compound is an aromatic amine; and the light-emitting substance converts triplet excitation energy into light. A combination of the first organic compound, which includes the one pyrimidine ring and the one ring with the hole-transport skeleton, and the second organic compound, which is the aromatic amine, forms an exciplex. |
| US10020449B2 |
Composition for anode buffer layer of organic thin film solar cell and organic thin film solar cell
Provided is a composition comprising: a charge-transporting substance that comprises N,N′-diphenylbenzidine; an electron-accepting dopant substance; and an organic solvent. This composition is suitable, for example, as a composition for the anode buffer layer of an organic thin film solar cell, said composition being used to produce a thin film that is suitable for use as an anode buffer layer that makes it possible to achieve an organic thin film solar cell having a high photoelectric conversion efficiency. |
| US10020445B2 |
Magnetoresistive effect element
A magnetoresistive effect element includes a first ferromagnetic layer, a second ferromagnetic layer, and a nonmagnetic metal layer interposed between the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer. The first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer include a Heusler alloy consisting of a CoMnSi alloy. A ratio x of Mn with respect to Co2 in each of the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer is 0.7≤x≤1.7. Compositions of the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer are different from each other. |
| US10020441B2 |
Piezoelectric transformer device
A piezoelectric transformer device is disclosed having a decreased thickness. In particular, a piezoelectric transformer device is disclosed that includes a piezoelectric transformer element in which first and second element electrodes are provided on first and second side surfaces of a piezoelectric transformer main body, respectively, and first and second flexible electrode members which are arranged at the lateral sides of the first and second side surfaces of the piezoelectric transformer main body, respectively, and are electrically and mechanically connected to the first and second element electrodes, respectively. |
| US10020439B2 |
Electrostrictive element
An electrostrictive element that can prevent the breakage includes a current collector that is constituted by sheet-shaped carbon nanotube aggregates, and can expand in the fiber direction in a state in which carbon nanotubes overlap with each other, when a dielectric film expands. |
| US10020435B2 |
Composite thermoelectric material, thermoelectric element and module including the same, and preparation method thereof
A composite thermoelectric material comprising a matrix comprising a thermoelectric semiconductor; and a nanoscale heterophase dispersed in the matrix, wherein the thermoelectric semiconductor comprises an element belonging to Group 15 of the Periodic Table of the Elements, and the heterophase comprises a transition metal element. |
| US10020432B2 |
Etched trenches in bond materials for die singulation, and associated systems and methods
Etched trenches in a bond material for die singulation, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A method for solid state transducer device singulation in accordance with one embodiment includes forming a plurality of trenches by etching through a metallic bond material forming a bond between a carrier substrate and a plurality of the dies and singulating the carrier substrate along the trenches to separate the dies. In particular embodiments, the trenches extend into the carrier substrate. In further particular embodiments, the dies are at least partially encapsulated in a dielectric material. |
| US10020431B2 |
Sealed semiconductor light emitting device
A method according embodiments of the invention includes providing a wafer of semiconductor devices. The wafer of semiconductor devices includes a semiconductor structure comprising a light emitting layer sandwiched between an n-type region and a p-type region. The wafer of semiconductor devices further includes first and second metal contacts for each semiconductor device. Each first metal contact is in direct contact with the n-type region and each second metal contact is in direct contact with the p-type region. The method further includes forming a structure that seals the semiconductor structure of each semiconductor device. The wafer of semiconductor devices is attached to a wafer of support substrates. |
| US10020428B2 |
White light emitting device having high color rendering
The present invention relates to a white light emitting device having high color rendering, and the white light emitting device is a white light emitting lamp comprising a blue LED chip having an excitation wavelength of 440-460 nm, and a phosphor layer covering a light emitting surface of the blue LED chip and excited by the excitation wavelength of the blue LED chip so as to emit light, wherein the phosphor layer comprises a first phosphor having an emission peak wavelength of 480-499 nm; a second phosphor having an emission peak wavelength of 500-560 nm; and a third phosphor having an emission peak wavelength of 600-650 nm. According to aspects of the present invention, a white LED chip having high color rendering can be provided, and particularly, the white light emitting device having high color rendering for specific colors such as R9 and R12 can be provided. |
| US10020427B2 |
Phosphor, manufacturing method therefor, and light-emitting device using the phosphor
The present invention provides a red-light emitting phosphor that exhibits high luminous efficacy and emits light when excited by light having an emission peak in the blue region; and a method for manufacturing said phosphor. The phosphor represented by general formula (A): a(Si1-x-y,Tix,Mny)Fb and also characterized in that the half-band width of a diffraction pattern attributed to the (400) plane is not less than 0.2° determined by X-ray powder diffractometry. This phosphor can be manufactured by preparing a reaction solution consisting of an aqueous solution containing potassium permanganate and hydrogen fluoride, immersing a silicon source in said reaction solution, and reacting them for 20 to 80 minutes. |
| US10020424B2 |
Display substrate having improved manufacturability
A display substrate is provided. The display substrate includes a gate electrode disposed on a base; a gate insulating layer disposed on the base and covering the gate electrode; a semiconductor layer disposed on the gate insulating layer and overlapping the gate electrode; a source electrode and a drain electrode disposed on the semiconductor layer and connected to the semiconductor layer; a pixel electrode disposed on the gate insulating layer, connected to the drain electrode, and extending from the drain electrode; a common electrode insulated from the pixel electrode and overlapping the pixel electrode; and a semiconductor pattern disposed between the gate insulating layer and the pixel electrode, the semiconductor pattern overlapping the pixel electrode. The semiconductor pattern comprises a same material as the semiconductor layer and extends from the semiconductor layer. |
| US10020420B2 |
Repairing method, manufacturing method, device and electronic apparatus of micro-LED
A repairing method, manufacturing method, device and electronic apparatus of micro-LED are disclosed. The method for repairing micro-LED defects comprises: obtaining a micro-LED defect pattern on a receiving substrate; forming micro-LEDs (703b) corresponding to the defect pattern on a laser-transparent repair carrier substrate (707); aligning the micro-LEDs (703b) on the repair carrier substrate (707) with defect positions on the receiving substrate, and bringing the micro-LEDs (703b) into contact with pads at the defect positions; and irradiating the repair carrier substrate with a laser from the repair carrier substrate side, to lift-off the micro-LEDs from the repair carrier substrate (707). |
| US10020417B2 |
Photovoltaic module having printed PV cells connected in series by printed conductors
A PV module is formed having an array of PV cells, where the cells are separated by gaps. Each cell contains an array of small silicon sphere diodes (10-300 microns in diameter) connected in parallel. The diodes and conductor layers may be patterned by printing. A continuous metal substrate supports the diodes and conductor layers in all the cells. A dielectric substrate is laminated to the metal substrate. Trenches are then formed by laser ablation around the cells to sever the metal substrate to form electrically isolated PV cells. A metallization step is then performed to connect the cells in series to increase the voltage output of the PV module. An electrically isolated bypass diode for each cell is also formed by the trenching step. The metallization step connects the bypass diode and its associated cell in a reverse-parallel relationship. |
| US10020416B2 |
Radiation sensor, method of forming the sensor and device including the sensor
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor structure formed on a substrate, a gate formed on a first side of the semiconductor structure, and a charge collector layer formed on a second side of the semiconductor structure. |
| US10020413B2 |
Fabrication of a local concentrator system
A local concentrator apparatus is described. The apparatus includes an array of photovoltaic cells arranged along an elongated strip, and one or more optical elements. The one or more optical elements are arranged to direct and optically concentrate sunlight onto the photovoltaic cells such that position that the directed sunlight impinges onto the strip follows a path moving along the strip without the optical elements tracking the sun as the sun traverses the sky during the day. |
| US10020411B2 |
Retaining system for installing a photovoltaic module
The invention relates to a holding system (1) for mounting a photovoltaic module (6) to a base (8) by means of ground supports (2, 2a, 44, 44a) which comprise a bearing head (4, 4a, 50, 50a), a ground support body (22) and a bearing surface (28, 48) on the bottom side which counteracts a penetration of the ground supports into the base (8), wherein the ground supports (2, 2a, 46, 46a) comprise on their head side a bearing plate (14, 14′, 14a, 14a′, 54, 54′, 54a, 54a′) that is disposed at a slanted angle (α) in relation to the base (8), and wherein the ground supports (2, 2a, 46, 46a) are provided and prepared such that, in the mounted state, the bearing plates (14, 14′, 14a, 14a′, 54, 54′, 54a, 54a′) of a ground support pair (2, 2a, 46, 46a) are spaced apart from each other vertically in relation to the base (8) and from each other horizontally in adjustment to the photovoltaic module (6) and that they are aligned with each other at least in essence. |
| US10020408B2 |
System of architecture and related built-in nanomembranes for the emitter of a light-to-electricity all-silicon converter for the giant photoconversion and the method of its manufacture
Architecture of the light-to-electricity converter characterized in that the system of amorphized nanograins, preferentially nanograins of amorphized silicon, of any shape are optimally spread within the crystalline host material, preferentially crystalline silicon that are wrapped around with a metamaterial seg-matter nanolayer, characterized by secondary generation centers, called segtons, that are conditioned around divacancies and disposed entirely or only partly within the volume of the emitter, this volume being limited at each end by a nanomembrane assuming the appropriate exploitation of the lower-energy secondary generation through the giant photoconversion involving hot electrons, segtons, and seg-matter. |
| US10020407B2 |
Cooling structure for photoelectric conversion element
This cooling mechanism for a surface-mounted-type photoelectric conversion element is provided on a circuit board to which a surface-mounted-type photoelectric conversion element, which has a signal terminal that is connected to inner wiring and a terminal for fixation that is not connected to the inner wiring on a back surface thereof, is mounted, the cooling mechanism has a front-surface-side copper foil pattern to which the terminal for fixation is connected, a back-surface-side copper foil pattern, and a through-hole via which connects the copper foil patterns, a cooling member which is fixed to the circuit board so as to have contact with the back-surface-side copper foil pattern, and which cools the back-surface-side copper foil pattern. |
| US10020402B2 |
Thin film transistor and method of manufacturing of the same
Provided are a thin film transistor (TFT) and a method of manufacturing the TFT. The TFT includes a substrate; a first conductive type semiconductor layer on the substrate and having a recess; second conductive type spacers at opposite side walls in the recess; a main semiconductor layer covering the first conductive type semiconductor layer and the second conductive type spacers and comprising a channel region and source and drain regions; a gate insulating layer on the main semiconductor layer; and a gate electrode on the gate insulating layer and corresponding to the recess. |
| US10020401B2 |
Methods for straining a transistor gate through interlayer dielectric (ILD) doping schemes
A method of making a semiconductor device includes doping a first portion of an interlayer dielectric (ILD) with an oxygen-containing material, wherein the ILD is over a substrate. The method further includes doping a second portion of the ILD with a large species material. The second portion includes an area of the ILD below the first portion, and the second portion is separated from the substrate. The method further includes annealing the ILD. |
| US10020399B2 |
Semiconductor device having compressively strained channel region and method of making same
A semiconductor device and method making it utilize a three-dimensional channel region comprising a core of a first semiconductor material and an epitaxial covering of a second semiconductor material. The first and second semiconductor materials have respectively different lattice constants, thereby to create a strain in the epitaxial covering. The devices are formed by a gate-last process, so that the second semiconductor material is deposited only after the high temperature processes have been performed. Consequently, the lattice strain is not substantially relaxed, and the improved performance benefits of the lattice strained channel region are not compromised. |
| US10020397B2 |
Bottle-neck recess in a semiconductor device
A device including a gate stack over a semiconductor substrate having a pair of spacers abutting sidewalls of the gate stack. A recess is formed in the semiconductor substrate adjacent the gate stack. The recess has a first profile having substantially vertical sidewalls and a second profile contiguous with and below the first profile. The first and second profiles provide a bottle-neck shaped profile of the recess in the semiconductor substrate, the second profile having a greater width within the semiconductor substrate than the first profile. The recess is filled with a semiconductor material. A pair of spacers are disposed overly the semiconductor substrate adjacent the recess. |
| US10020386B1 |
High-voltage and analog bipolar devices
The present disclosure relates to semiconductor structures and, more particularly, to high-voltage, analog bipolar devices and methods of manufacture. The structure includes: a base region formed in a substrate; a collector region formed in the substrate and comprising a deep n-well region and an n-well region; and an emitter region formed in the substrate and comprising a deep n-well region and an n-well region. |
| US10020383B2 |
Preserving the seed layer on STI edge and improving the epitaxial growth
A method of forming self-aligned STI regions extending over portions of a Si substrate to enable the subsequent formation of epitaxially grown embedded S/D regions without using a lithography mask and the resulting device are provided. Embodiments include forming a STI etch mask with laterally separated openings over a Si substrate; forming shallow trenches into the Si substrate through the openings; forming first through fourth oxide spacers on opposite sidewalls of the shallow trenches and the openings; forming a deep STI trench between the first and second oxide spacers and between the third and fourth oxide spacers down into the Si substrate; forming a STI oxide layer over the first through fourth oxide spacers and a portion of the STI etch mask, the STI oxide layer filling the deep STI trenches; and planarizing the STI oxide layer down to the portion of the STI etch mask. |
| US10020380B2 |
Power device with high aspect ratio trench contacts and submicron pitches between trenches
This invention discloses a semiconductor power device disposed in a semiconductor substrate including an active cell areas and a termination area. The semiconductor power device further comprises a plurality of gate trenches formed at a top portion of the semiconductor substrate in the active cell area wherein each of the gate trenches is partially filled with a conductive gate material with a top portion of the trenches filled by a high density plasma (HDP) insulation layer. The semiconductor power device further comprises mesa areas of the semiconductor substrate disposed between the gate trenches wherein the mesa areas are recessed and having a top mesa surface disposed vertically below a top surface of the HDP insulation layer wherein the HDP insulation layer covering over the conductive gate material constituting a stick-out boundary-defining layer surrounding the recessed mesa areas in the active cell areas between the gate trenches. |
| US10020379B2 |
Method for forming semiconductor device structure using double patterning
A method for forming a semiconductor device structure is provided. The method includes forming a mandrel masking structure over a target layer. The method also includes patterning the mandrel masking structure to form mandrel lines parallel to each other, and forming spacer structures on sidewalls of the respective mandrel lines to define first openings. Each of the spacer structures includes a first spacer and a second spacer between the first spacer and the corresponding mandrel line. The method also includes removing the mandrel lines to define second openings, and etching the target layer through the first and second openings to form a target pattern therein. |
| US10020377B2 |
Electronic devices
A method of manufacturing an electronic device comprising a first terminal (e.g. a source terminal), a second terminal (e.g. a drain terminal), a semiconductor channel connecting the first and second terminals and a gate terminal to which a potential may be applied to control a conductivity of the channel. The method comprises a first exposure of a photoresist from above the substrate using a mask and a second exposure from below, wherein in the second exposure the first and second terminals shield a part of the photoresist from exposure. An intermediate step reduces the solubility of the photoresist exposed in the first exposure. A window is formed in the photoresist at the location which was shielded by the mask, but exposed to radiation from below. Semiconductor material, dielectric material and conductor material are deposited inside the window to form a semiconductor channel, gate dielectric, and a gate terminal, respectively. |
| US10020376B2 |
Sidewall passivation for HEMT devices
Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) which includes a heterojunction structure arranged over a semiconductor substrate. The heterojunction structure includes a binary III/V semiconductor layer made of a first III-nitride material to act as a channel region of the e-HEMT, and a ternary III/V semiconductor layer arranged over the binary III/V semiconductor layer and made of a second III-nitride material to act as a barrier layer. Source and drain regions are arranged over the ternary III/V semiconductor layer and are spaced apart laterally from one another. A gate structure is arranged over the heterojunction structure and is arranged between the source and drain regions. The gate structure is made of a third III-nitride material. A first passivation layer is disposed about sidewalls of the gate structure and is made of a fourth III-nitride material. |
| US10020375B2 |
Tungsten gates for non-planar transistors
The present description relates to the field of fabricating microelectronic devices having non-planar transistors. Embodiments of the present description relate to the formation of gates within non-planar NMOS transistors, wherein an NMOS work-function material, such as a composition of aluminum, titanium, and carbon, may be used in conjunction with a titanium-containing gate fill barrier to facilitate the use of a tungsten-containing conductive material in the formation of a gate electrode of the non-planar NMOS transistor gate. |
| US10020374B2 |
Field-effect transistor, semiconductor memory display element, image display device, and system
A field-effect transistor includes a substrate; a source electrode, a drain electrode, and a gate electrode that are formed on the substrate; a semiconductor layer by which a channel is formed between the source electrode and the drain electrode when a predetermined voltage is applied to the gate electrode; and a gate insulating layer provided between the gate electrode and the semiconductor layer. The gate insulating layer is formed of an amorphous composite metal oxide insulating film including one or two or more alkaline-earth metal elements and one or two or more elements selected from a group consisting of Ga, Sc, Y, and lanthanoid except Ce. |
| US10020373B1 |
Semiconductor device
Provided is a highly reliable semiconductor device that uses a thick passivation layer. The protective film is formed so as to cover mostly the entire surface of a semiconductor substrate, and is open only in an area of part that is above a metal wiring layer (connection area). The passivation layer includes starting from the bottom side, a first silicon nitride film that includes silicon nitride (Si3N4), a silicon oxide film that includes silicon oxide (SiO2), and an organic film (organic layer) that includes a polyimide. The silicon oxide film and organic film are formed so as to cover the electrode layer (metal wiring layer) except the top of the insulation layer and the connection area, however, the first silicon nitride film is formed only on the insulation layer and not formed on the electrode layer. |
| US10020364B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device and method of manufacturing the same
One embodiment includes: forming a laminated body by alternately laminating a conducting layer and an interlayer insulating layer on a substrate; forming a memory hole passing through the laminated body; forming a memory gate insulating layer including a charge storage layer on an inner wall of the memory hole; forming a first semiconductor layer on the memory gate insulating layer; forming a cover film on the first semiconductor layer; removing the memory gate insulating layer, the first semiconductor layer, and the cover film on a bottom surface of the memory hole, to expose the substrate; forming an epitaxial layer on the exposed substrate; removing the cover film; and forming the second semiconductor layer along the first semiconductor layer, to electrically couple: the substrate to the first semiconductor layer; and the substrate to the second semiconductor layer, via the epitaxial layer. |
| US10020363B2 |
Bulb-shaped memory stack structures for direct source contact in three-dimensional memory device
Sacrificial semiconductor material portions are connected by a sacrificial semiconductor line extending along a different horizontal direction and protruding into an underlying source conductive layer. After formation of a vertically alternating stack of insulating layers and spacer material layers, memory stack structures are formed through the vertically alternating stack and through the sacrificial semiconductor material portions. A backside trench can be formed through the vertically alternating stack employing the sacrificial semiconductor line as an etch stop structure. Source strap material portions providing lateral electrical contact to semiconductor channels of the memory stack structures can be formed by replacement of sacrificial semiconductor material portions and the sacrificial semiconductor line with source strap material portions. Structural-reinforcement portions may be employed to provide structural stability during the replacement process. |
| US10020359B1 |
Leakage current reduction in stacked metal-insulator-metal capacitors
Capacitors and methods of forming the same include forming a dielectric layer on a first metal layer. The dielectric layer is oxygenated such that interstitial oxygen is implanted in the dielectric layer. A second metal layer is formed on the dielectric layer. The dielectric layer is heated to release the interstitial oxygen and to oxidize the first and second metal layers at interfaces between the dielectric layer and the first and second metal layers. |
| US10020355B2 |
Photosensor and display device having the same
A photosensor includes a first light-shielding layer provided on an insulating surface; a first insulating layer covering the first light-shielding layer; a semiconductor layer provided on the first insulating layer, the semiconductor layer being connected to a first electrode and a second electrode, and the semiconductor layer configuring a diode; a second insulating layer covering the semiconductor layer; an opening provided in the second insulating layer so as to surround the semiconductor layer as viewed from a planar direction and the opening reaching at least the first insulating layer; and a second light-shielding layer covering at least a side wall of the opening. |
| US10020352B2 |
Substrate structure
A substrate structure may be used in a display device. The substrate structure may include a base substrate, a transistor, and a silicon oxynitride layer. The transistor may include a semiconductor member and a gate electrode and may overlap the base substrate. The silicon oxynitride layer may directly contact at least one of the base substrate, the semiconductor member, and the gate electrode and may include (and/or contain) a hydrogen atom set. A hydrogen concentration in the silicon oxynitride layer may be greater than or equal to 1.52 atomic percent. |
| US10020348B2 |
Organic light emitting display device with multiple emission layers
An organic light emitting display device includes a first emission part between an anode and a cathode and a second emission part on the first emission part. At least one of the first emission part and the second emission part includes at least three emission layers emitting lights of different colors, and one of the at least three emission layers include a green emission layer including a phosphorescent material. Accordingly, a lifetime and color reproduction rate of the organic light emitting display device having green lifetime is enhanced. |
| US10020346B2 |
Resistive memory device by substrate reduction
To provide enhanced data storage devices and systems, various systems, architectures, apparatuses, and methods, are provided herein. In a first example, a resistive memory device is provided. The resistive memory device comprises a substrate, and an active region having resistance properties that can be modified to store one or more data bits, the active region comprising region of the substrate with a chemically altered reduction level to establish a resistive memory property in the substrate. The resistive memory device comprises terminals formed into the substrate and configured to couple the active region to associated electrical contacts. |
| US10020345B2 |
Method for manufacturing image capturing device and image capturing device
An offset spacer film (OSS) is formed on a side wall surface of a gate electrode (NLGE, PLGE) to cover a region in which a photo diode (PD) is disposed. Next, an extension region (LNLD, LPLD) is formed using the offset spacer film and the like as an implantation mask. Next, process is provided to remove the offset spacer film covering the region in which the photo diode is disposed. Next, a sidewall insulating film (SWI) is formed on the side wall surface of the gate electrode. Next, a source-drain region (HPDF, LPDF, HNDF, LNDF) is formed using the sidewall insulating film and the like as an implantation mask. |
| US10020342B2 |
Image pickup module manufacturing method, and image pickup module manufacturing device
A manufacturing device holds a lens unit on a Z axis that is orthogonal to a chart surface of a measurement chart, holds an image pickup element unit on the Z axis, picks up an image of the measurement chart by an image pickup element while changing a Z-axis direction position of the image pickup element unit held on the Z axis in a state in which current is applied to a second lens drive unit and a third lens drive unit of the lens unit held on the Z axis, adjusts the position and a tilt of the image pickup element unit relative to the lens unit on the basis of image pickup signals that are obtained in the case where the image of the measurement chart is picked up, and fixes the image pickup element unit to the lens unit. |
| US10020340B2 |
Solid-state image sensing element and imaging system
Each of a plurality of pixels arranged in two dimensions includes a photoelectric conversion unit including a pixel electrode, a photoelectric conversion layer provided above the pixel electrode, and a counter electrode provided so as to sandwich the photoelectric conversion layer between the counter electrode and the pixel electrode, and a microlens arranged above the photoelectric conversion unit. The plurality of pixels includes a first pixel and a plurality of second pixels. At least either the pixel electrodes of the plurality of second pixels are smaller than the pixel electrode of the first pixel or the counter electrodes of the plurality of second pixels are smaller than the counter electrode of the first pixel, and a configuration between the counter electrode and the microlens of the first pixel is the same as a configuration between the counter electrode and the microlens of each of the plurality of second pixels. |
| US10020323B2 |
Thin-film transistor device and display device using same
A display device including: a lead wiring layer pattern 207, made from metal, that extends outside a region 10A on a substrate in which a light-emitter is present; a passivation layer 216; a contact hole 216a in the passivation layer 216 outside the region 10A in a position over the lead wiring layer pattern 207 in plan view; a connecting wiring layer pattern 237 that is continuous across the passivation layer 216, an inner circumference of the contact hole 216a, and the lead wiring layer pattern 207 in the contact hole 216a; a sealing layer 217 covering a portion of the connecting wiring layer pattern 237 in the contact hole 216a; and an upper sealing layer pattern 219 covering the sealing layer pattern 217 that is above the connecting wiring layer pattern 237. |
| US10020322B2 |
Transistor and semiconductor device
A highly reliable semiconductor device which includes an oxide semiconductor is provided. Alternatively, a transistor having normally-off characteristics which includes an oxide semiconductor is provided. The transistor includes a first conductor, a first insulator, a second insulator, a third insulator, a first oxide, an oxide semiconductor, a second conductor, a second oxide, a fourth insulator, a third conductor, a fourth conductor, a fifth insulator, and a sixth insulator. The second conductor is separated from the sixth insulator by the second oxide. The third conductor and the fourth conductor are separated from the sixth insulator by the fifth insulator. The second oxide has a function of suppressing permeation of oxygen as long as oxygen contained in the sixth insulator is sufficiently supplied to the oxide semiconductor through the second oxide. The fifth insulator has a barrier property against oxygen. |
| US10020320B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing same
According to the embodiment, a semiconductor device includes: a stacked body; a columnar portion, an insulating portion; and wall portion. The stacked body includes a plurality of electrode layers stacked with an insulator interposed. The columnar portion is provided in the stacked body and extends in a staking direction of the stacked body. The insulating portion is provided around the stacked body and surrounds the stacked body. The wall portion is provided in the insulating portion and is separated from the stacked body. The wall portion extends in the stacking direction and in a first direction crossing the stacking direction. |
| US10020316B2 |
Split-gate semiconductor device with L-shaped gate
A semiconductor device having a substrate, a dielectric layer over the substrate, a first gate conductor, an inter-gate dielectric structure and a second gate conductor is disclosed. A gate dielectric structure is disposed between the first gate conductor and the dielectric layer, and may include two or more dielectric films disposed in an alternating manner. The inter-gate dielectric structure may be disposed between the first gate conductor and the second gate conductor, and may include two or more dielectric films disposed in an alternating manner. The second gate conductor is formed in an L shape such that the second gate has a relatively low aspect ratio, which allows for a reduction in spacing between adjacent gates, while maintaining the required electrical isolation between the gates and contacts that may subsequently be formed. |
| US10020312B2 |
Static random access memory
A Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) Cell includes a first gate electrode layer covering a channel region of a read pull-down transistor, a second gate electrode layer covering channel regions of a first pull-down transistor and a first pull-up transistor, a third gate electrode layer covering a channel region of a second pass-gate transistor, a fourth gate electrode layer covering a channel region of a read pass-gate transistor, a fifth gate electrode layer covering a channel region of a first pass-gate transistor, and a sixth gate electrode layer covering channel regions of a second pull-down transistor and a second pull-up transistor. The first and second gate electrode layers are separated from each other by a first dielectric layer interposed therebetween, and are electrically connected to each other by a first interconnection layer formed thereon. |
| US10020311B1 |
Semiconductor memory device provided with DRAM cell including two transistors and common capacitor
A semiconductor memory device is provided such as a random-access memory (DRAM) including a plurality of DRAM memory cells. Each of the DRAM cells includes an N-type transistor, a P-type transistor, and a common capacitor. The components are disposed in the same direction as the bit-line, with the common capacitor occupying the center region between the N- and P-type transistors. The common capacitor is a metal insulator metal (MIM) capacitor configured by connecting three capacitor elements in parallel. The three capacitors include a first capacitor element formed on a first source/drain region of the N-type transistor, a second capacitor element formed on a first source/drain region of the P-type transistor, and a third element over the field isolation region between the transistors. A bottom electrode of each of these capacitor elements connects the first source/drain region of the N-type transistor to a first source/drain region of the P-type transistor. |
| US10020308B2 |
Thyristor memory cell with assist device
A vertical thyristor memory array including: a vertical thyristor memory cell, the vertical thyristor memory cell including: a p+ anode; an n-base located below the p+ anode; a p-base located below the n-base; a n+ cathode located below the p-base; an isolation trench located around the vertical thyristor memory cell; an assist gate located in the isolation trench adjacent the n-base wherein an entire vertical height of the assist gate is positioned within an entire vertical height of the n-base. |
| US10020304B2 |
Fin field effect transistor, semiconductor device and fabricating method thereof
A substrate is patterned to form trenches and a semiconductor fin between the trenches. Insulators are formed in the trenches and a first dielectric layer is formed to cover the semiconductor fin and the insulators. A dummy gate strip is formed on the first dielectric layer. Spacers are formed on sidewalls of the dummy gate strip. The dummy gate strip and the first dielectric layer underneath are removed until sidewalls of the spacers, a portion of the semiconductor fin and portions of the insulators are exposed. A second dielectric layer is selectively formed to cover the exposed portion of the semiconductor fin, wherein a thickness of the first dielectric layer is smaller than a thickness of the second dielectric layer. A gate is formed between the spacers to cover the second dielectric layer, the sidewalls of the spacers and the exposed portions of the insulators. |
| US10020298B2 |
ESD protection device
The present invention is provided with a Si substrate, an ESD protection circuit formed in the Si substrate, pads formed on the surface of the Si substrate and electrically connected to first and second input/output terminals of the ESD protection circuit, a rewiring layer formed on the surface of the Si substrate for electrically connecting the pads and metal plated films, and an insulating resin film formed on the rear surface of the Si substrate. Thus, provided is an ESD protection device which can suppress the influence of external noise, etc. |
| US10020297B2 |
Semiconductor module
Control ICs for controlling IGBTs include overheat detection comparators that determine an overheated state of the case, in addition to overheat detection comparators that determine an overheated state of chips of the IGBTs. Outputs of the overheat detection comparators are input into an AND circuit, and when all of the overheat detection comparators determine the overheated state of the case, the AND circuit outputs a protection operation signal of high level, and an alarm output circuit outputs an alarm signal. The overheated state of the chips and the overheated state of the case are detected on the basis of chip temperatures measured by temperature detection diodes which are provided with the IGBTs respectively, and therefore a temperature detection IC for case overheat protection is unnecessary, and detection accuracy of the case overheat improves. |
| US10020290B2 |
Semiconductor device having stacked semiconductor chips interconnected via TSV
A semiconductor device includes at least first and second semiconductor chips stacked on each other along a first direction, at least one through-silicon-via (TSV) through at least the first semiconductor chip of the first and second semiconductor chips, a contact pad on the at least one TSV of the first semiconductor chip, the contact pad electrically connecting the TSV of the first semiconductor chip to the second semiconductor chip, and a plurality of dummy pads on the first semiconductor chip, the plurality of dummy pads being spaced apart from each other and from the contact pad along a second direction, and the dummy pads having same heights as the contact pads as measured between respective top and bottom surfaces along the first direction. |
| US10020289B2 |
Layout of transmission vias for memory device
Apparatuses and methods for supplying power to a plurality of dies are described. An example apparatus includes: a substrate; first, second and third memory cell arrays arranged in line in a first direction in the substrate; a first set of through electrodes arranged between the first and second memory cell arrays, each of the first set of through electrodes penetrating through the substrate, the first set of through electrodes including first and second through electrodes; and a second set of through electrodes arranged between the second and third memory cell arrays, each of the second set of through electrodes penetrating through the substrate, the second set of through electrodes including third and fourth through electrodes. |
| US10020288B2 |
Semiconductor chips including redistribution interconnections and related semiconductor packages
A semiconductor chip is provided including an integrated circuit on a substrate; pads electrically connected to the integrated circuit; a lower insulating structure defining contact holes exposing the pads, respectively; and first, second and third conductive patterns electrically connected to the pads. The second conductive pattern is between the first conductive pattern and the third conductive pattern when viewed from a plan view. Each of the first to third conductive patterns includes a contact portion filling the contact hole, a first conductive line portion extending in one direction on the lower insulating structure, and a bonding pad portion. Ends of the bonding pad portions of the first and third conductive patterns protrude in the one direction as compared with an end of the bonding pad portion of the second conductive pattern when viewed from a plan view. |
| US10020285B2 |
Method of producing a semiconductor device and a semiconductor device
A method of producing a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes: providing a semiconductor wafer, the wafer including an upper layer of a semiconductor material, an inner etch stop layer and a lower layer; forming a plurality of functional areas in the upper layer; performing a selective first etch process on the upper layer so as to separate the plurality of functional areas from each other by trenches etched through the upper layer, the first etch process being substantially stopped by the inner etch stop layer; and removing the lower layer by a second etch process, the second etch process being substantially stopped by the inner etch stop layer. |
| US10020284B2 |
Functional spacer for SIP and methods for forming the same
A device includes a spacer, which includes a recess extending from a top surface of the spacer into the spacer, and a conductive feature including a first portion and a second portion continuously connected to the first portion. The first portion extends into the recess. The second portion is on the top surface of the spacer. A die is attached to the spacer, and a lower portion of the first die extends into the recess. |
| US10020283B2 |
Direct metal bonding method
Method including the steps of a) Providing a first stack including a first substrate on which is deposited a first metal layer including a first metal, and a first solubilization layer distinct from the first metal layer, the first solubilization layer including a first getter material configured to solubilize the oxygen, b) Providing a second stack including a second substrate on which is deposited a second metal layer including a second metal, c) Contacting the first metal layer and the second metal layer so as to obtain a direct metal bonding between the first metal layer and the second metal layer, and d) Applying a heat treatment for annealing the bonding. |
| US10020281B2 |
Metal bonding pads for packaging applications
Methods and semiconductor devices for bonding a first semiconductor device to a second semiconductor device include forming metal pads including a textured microstructure having a columnar grain structure at substantially the same angular direction from the top surface to the bottom surface. The textured crystalline microstructures enables the use of low temperatures and low pressures to effect bonding of the metal pads. Also described are methods of packaging and semiconductor devices. |
| US10020279B2 |
Semiconductor device including built-in crack-arresting film structure
A wafer-to-wafer semiconductor device includes a first wafer substrate having a first bonding layer formed on a first bulk substrate layer. A second wafer substrate includes a second bonding layer formed on a second bulk substrate layer. The second bonding layer is bonded to the first bonding layer to define a bonding interface. At least one of the first wafer substrate and the second wafer substrate includes a crack-arresting film layer configured to increase a bonding energy of the bonding interface. |
| US10020276B2 |
Protrusion bump pads for bond-on-trace processing
An embodiment apparatus includes a dielectric layer in a die, a conductive trace in the dielectric layer, and a protrusion bump pad on the conductive trace. The protrusion bump pad at least partially extends over the dielectric layer, and the protrusion bump pad includes a lengthwise axis and a widthwise axis. A ratio of a first dimension of the lengthwise axis to a second dimension of the widthwise axis is about 0.8 to about 1.2. |
| US10020275B2 |
Semiconductive packaging device and manufacturing method thereof
A semiconductor device includes a first substrate including a plurality of first pads disposed on a first surface of the first substrate, a second substrate including a plurality of second pads disposed on a second surface of the substrate, a plurality of conductive bumps bonded the plurality of first pads with the plurality of second pads correspondingly, a solder bracing material disposed on the first surface and surrounded the plurality of conductive bumps, an underfill material surrounded the plurality of conductive bumps and disposed between the solder bracing material and the second surface, and a rough interface between the solder bracing material and the underfill material; wherein the rough interface includes a plurality of protruded portions and a plurality of recessed portions. |
| US10020274B2 |
Solder particle
Disclosed is a solder particle including a plastic core; a copper-free metal layer which is formed on an external surface of the plastic core; and a solder layer which is formed on the copper-free metal layer and contains not less than 85 wt % tin. Thus, it is possible to provide a solder particle with a copper-free metal layer, which is excellent in strength and conductivity and prevents or minimizes generation of a void during a reflow process or the like. |
| US10020271B2 |
Calibration kits for RF passive devices
A method includes measuring a first calibration kit in a wafer to obtain a first performance data. The wafer includes a substrate, and a plurality of dielectric layers over the substrate. The first calibration kit includes a first passive device over the plurality of dielectric layers, wherein substantially no metal feature is disposed in the plurality of dielectric layers and overlapped by the first passive device. The method further includes measuring a second calibration kit in the wafer to obtain a second performance data. The second calibration kit includes a second passive device identical to the first device and over the plurality of dielectric layers, and dummy patterns in the plurality of dielectric layers and overlapped by the second passive device. The first performance data and the second performance data are de-embedded to determine an effect of metal patterns in the plurality of dielectric layers to overlying passive devices. |
| US10020265B2 |
Semiconductor structure and fabricating method thereof
A method of fabricating a semiconductor structure includes forming an alignment mark layer on a substrate; patterning the alignment mark layer for forming at least one alignment mark feature; forming a bottom conductive layer on the patterned alignment mark layer in a substantially conformal manner; forming an insulator layer on the bottom conductive layer; and forming a top conductive layer on the insulator layer. |
| US10020263B2 |
Semiconductor package and manufacturing method thereof
Provided are a semiconductor package and a manufacturing method thereof for securing a space for mounting a semiconductor device by etching a temporary metal plate to form a plurality of conductive posts. |
| US10020262B2 |
High resolution solder resist material for silicon bridge application
In accordance with disclosed embodiments, there are provided high resolution solder resist material for silicon bridge application. For instance, in accordance with one embodiment, there is a silicon bridge disclosed, the silicon bridge having therein a solder resist layer formed from a high resolution solder resist material; in which the solder resist layer includes a polymer material which hardens when exposed to light radiation; in which the solder resist layer further includes spherical particles; a plurality of vias patterned into the solder resist layer by a photolithography process, the plurality of vias forming a set of larger vias and a set of smaller vias patterned into the solder resist layer by the photolithography process, each of the larger vias being greater in size than each of the smaller vias, and further in which each of the smaller vias are less than half the size of any one of the larger vias; in which the larger vias and the smaller vias provide through-silicon vias (TSVs) interconnects through the solder resist layer electrically interfacing two or more functional semiconductor devices affixed to the silicon bridge; and the silicon bridge further having therein a copper layer positioned below the solder resist layer. Other related embodiments are disclosed. |
| US10020261B2 |
Split rail structures located in adjacent metal layers
A first metal layer of a semiconductor device includes a plurality of first metal lines that each extend along a first axis, and a first rail structure that extends along the first axis. The first rail structure is physically separated from the first metal lines. A second metal layer is located over the first metal layer. The second metal layer includes a plurality of second metal lines that each extend along a second axis orthogonal to the first axis, and a second rail structure that extends along the first axis. The second rail structure is physically separated from the second metal lines. The second rail structure is located directly over the first rail structure. A plurality of vias is located between the first metal layer and the second metal layer. A subset of the vias electrically interconnects the first rail structure to the second rail structure. |
| US10020259B2 |
Copper etching integration scheme
The present disclosure relates to a method for forming an interconnect structure. In some embodiments, the method may be performed by forming an opening within a sacrificial layer. The sacrificial layer is over a substrate. A conductive material is formed within the opening and over the sacrificial layer. The conductive material within the opening defines a conductive body. The conductive material is patterned to define a conductive projection extending outward from the conductive body. The sacrificial layer is removed and a dielectric material is formed surrounding the conductive body and the conductive projection. |
| US10020256B2 |
Electronic fuse having an insulation layer
A structure including a dual damascene feature in a dielectric layer, the dual damascene feature including a first via, a second via, and a trench, the first via, the second via being filled with a conductive material, a fuse line at the bottom of the trench on top of the first via and the second via, the fuse line including the conductive material; an insulating layer on top of the fuse line and along a sidewall of the trench, and a fill material on top of the insulating layer and substantially filling the trench. |
| US10020251B2 |
Semiconductor device and method fabricating the same
According to an exemplary embodiment, a semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes a first seal ring and a first circuit. The first circuit includes a first capacitor and a first inductor connected in series. The first circuit is connected between the first seal ring and a ground. |
| US10020248B2 |
Tape for electronic devices with reinforced lead crack
Provided is a tape for electronic devices with lead crack and a method of manufacturing the tape. According to the present invention, by forming a cutting portion on a narrow circuit pattern to be connected from an inner lead to an outer lead and further forming the cutting portion within a resin application portion, the problem of occurrence of cracks along a width of a narrow wiring can be avoided. The tape may include a first lead and a second lead formed on a dielectric substrate and a cutting portion formed on one of the first lead and the second lead wherein the cutting portion is formed within a resin application portion. |
| US10020246B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate through which a via hole is formed from a back surface to a front surface of the semiconductor substrate; an electrode provided on the front surface of the semiconductor substrate and closing the via hole; and a metal film provided on the back surface of the semiconductor substrate, a side wall of the via hole and a lower surface of the electrode, wherein an opening is provided in the metal film on the back surface of the semiconductor substrate, and the opening abuts on only part of a circumference of the via hole. |
| US10020245B2 |
Laminate electronic device
A method of manufacturing a laminate electronic device is disclosed. One embodiment provides a carrier, the carrier defining a first main surface and a second main surface opposite to the first main surface. The carrier has a recess pattern formed in the first main surface. A first semiconductor chip is attached on one of the first and second main surface. A first insulating layer overlying the main surface of the carrier on which the first semiconductor chip is attached and the first semiconductor chip is formed. The carrier is then separated into a plurality of parts along the recess pattern. |
| US10020244B2 |
Polymer via plugs with high thermal integrity
The present disclosure relates to providing via plugs in vias of a semiconductor material. The via plugs may be formed of a polymer, such as a polyimide, that can withstand subsequent soldering and operating temperatures. The via plugs effectively fill the vias to prevent the vias from being filled substantially with solder during a subsequent soldering processes. |
| US10020243B2 |
Power electronics assemblies having a wide bandgap semiconductor device and an integrated fluid channel system
A power electronics assembly having a semiconductor device stack having a wide bandgap semiconductor device, a first electrode electrically coupled the wide bandgap semiconductor device, and a second electrode electrically coupled the wide bandgap semiconductor device. A substrate layer is coupled to the semiconductor device stack such that the first electrode is positioned between the substrate layer and the wide bandgap semiconductor device. The substrate layer includes a substrate inlet port and a substrate outlet port. An integrated fluid channel system extends between the substrate inlet and outlet ports and includes a substrate fluid inlet channel extending from the substrate inlet port into the substrate layer, a substrate fluid outlet channel extending from the substrate outlet port into the substrate layer, and one or more semiconductor fluid channels extending into the wide bandgap semiconductor device in fluid communication with the substrate fluid inlet and outlet channels. |
| US10020239B2 |
Semiconductor structure and manufacturing method thereof
A semiconductor structure includes a substrate comprising a die pad disposed over the substrate, and a passivation disposed over the substrate and surrounding the die pad, a redistribution layer (RDL) comprising a dielectric layer disposed over the passivation and an interconnect structure disposed within the dielectric layer and electrically connecting with the die pad, a conductive bump disposed over and electrically connected with the interconnect structure; and an isolation layer surrounding the substrate and the RDL. |
| US10020238B2 |
Method for manufacturing composite body and composition
Provided is a method for manufacturing a composite body, the method containing: a composition preparation process of preparing a composition that contains a polymer having a cationic functional group and having a weight average molecular weight of from 2,000 to 1,000,000, and that has a pH of from 2.0 to 11.0; a composite member preparation process of preparing a composite member that includes a member A and a member B, a surface of the member B having a defined isoelectric point, and that satisfies a relationship: the isoelectric point of a surface of the member B< the pH of the composition |
| US10020236B2 |
Dam for three-dimensional integrated circuit
An apparatus comprising a first substrate, a dam structure disposed on a first side of the first substrate, and an integrated circuit (IC) memory chip coupled to the first side of the first substrate by a plurality of first conductive members. A second substrate is coupled to a second side of the first substrate by a plurality of second conductive members. A lid coupled to the second substrate encloses the IC memory chip and the first substrate. A thermal interface material (TIM) is coupled between the lid and the dam structure. |
| US10020235B2 |
Selective surface treatment of thallium bromide (TLBR)-based detectors to improve longevity and/or restore operational capacity thereof
In various approaches room-temperature gamma detector longevity may be improved by selectively removing, or selectively incorporating, alternate halogen component(s) from select surfaces of the detector. According to one embodiment, a method of improving operational longevity of a thallium bromide (TlBr)-based detector includes: selectively treating one or more surfaces of the TlBr-based detector to produce a surface substantially comprising pure TlBr. Similar techniques may be employed to restore a degraded or failed detector. According to another embodiment, a method of forming a TlBr-based detector exhibiting improved operational longevity includes: selectively treating one or more surfaces of the TlBr-based detector to replace Br therein with one or more alternate halogen components while also substantially avoiding replacing some or all of the Br in other surfaces of the TlBr-based detector with the one or more alternate halogen components. Corresponding structures for TlBr-based detectors with improved longevity are also described. |
| US10020229B2 |
Fin type field effect transistors with different pitches and substantially uniform fin reveal
A semiconductor device that includes a first plurality of fin structures in a first device region and a second plurality of fin structures in a second device region. The first plurality of fin structures includes adjacent fin structures separated by a lesser pitch than the adjacent fin structures in the second plurality of fin structures. At least one layer of dielectric material between adjacent fin structures, wherein a portion of the first plurality of fin structures extending above the at least one layer of dielectric material in the first device region is substantially equal to the portion of the second plurality of fin structures extending above the at least one layer of dielectric material in the second device region. Source and drain regions are present on opposing sides of a gate structure that is present on the fin structures. |
| US10020223B1 |
Reduced tip-to-tip and via pitch at line end
A semiconductor structure and methods of forming the semiconductor structure forming a single damascene line formed of a conductive material in a dielectric layer. The single damascene line is at a thickness equal to a line height and a via height. The single damascene line is subtractively cut and patterned to form a first line including a via at a first line end and a second line including a via at a second line end. The tip-to-tip spacing is minimal and defines via pitch. A conformal conductive metal cap layer including cobalt is deposited onto the first and second lines including the respective vias at the first and second line ends. |
| US10020221B1 |
Method and structure for minimizing fin reveal variation in FinFET transistor
A semiconductor device includes a plurality of fins spaced apart from each other on a substrate; a liner layer on the substrate between each fin of the plurality of fins and on at least a portion of a sidewall of each fin; and a plurality of isolation regions adjacent and between the plurality of fins. The plurality of isolation regions includes a dielectric layer; and a doped region on the dielectric layer. |
| US10020219B2 |
Method for realizing ultra-thin sensors and electronics with enhanced fragility
A method of fabricating ultra-thin semiconductor devices includes forming an array of semiconductor dielets mechanically suspended on a frame with at least one tether connecting each semiconductor dielet of the array of semiconductor dielets to the frame. |
| US10020218B2 |
Substrate support assembly with deposited surface features
A method of manufacturing an electrostatic chuck includes polishing a surface of a ceramic body of the electrostatic chuck to produce a polished surface and depositing a ceramic coating onto the polished surface of the ceramic body to produce a coated ceramic body. The method further includes disposing a mask over the coated ceramic coating, the mask comprising a plurality of elliptical holes and depositing a ceramic material through the plurality of elliptical holes of the mask to form a plurality of elliptical mesas on the coated ceramic body, wherein the plurality of elliptical mesas have rounded edges. The mask is then removed from the coated ceramic body and the plurality of elliptical mesas are polished. |
| US10020216B1 |
Robot diagnosing method
A robot diagnosing method of detecting a deviation amount caused by a lost motion includes: a first step of preparing a robot and a line sensor, the robot including a robot arm including one or a plurality of joint portions including a first joint portion, the line sensor including a detecting portion configured to detect a position of a detected portion based on a light receiving state of a light receiver, the detected portion being inserted between a light emitter and the light receiver; and a sixth step of detecting the deviation amount caused by the lost motion at the first joint portion based on (i) the position of the detected portion based on the position of the detected portion detected in a third step and a command value from a robot control portion in a fourth step and (ii) the position of the detected portion detected in a fifth step. |
| US10020214B2 |
Conveyor apparatus and method for transporting leadframe
A conveyor apparatus for a leadframe includes a track defining a longitudinally extending passage through which the leadframe travels. A magnetic clamping system arid a plurality of first guide magnets are provided on the track. A gripping device is provided and is securable to the leadframe. At least one clamping magnet and a plurality of second guide magnets are secured to the gripping device. The first and second guide magnets cooperate to move the gripping device in a first direction along the length of the passage. The magnetic clamping system and the at least one clamping magnet cooperate to selectively move the gripping device in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction between a first condition spaced from the track to a second condition magnetically fixed to the track. |
| US10020209B2 |
Fine temperature controllable wafer heating system
Disclosed are a method and a system for processing wafers in fabricating a semiconductor device where disposing chemicals and wafer heating are needed for chemical reaction. A wafer is placed above a wafer heater such that a second surface faces the wafer heater, and heated from the second surface. A chemical layer is formed on an opposing first surface. The wafer heater is sized and configured to be capable of heating the entire second surface, and adapted to produce a locally differential temperature profile if needed. During heating, an actual temperature profile on the wafer may be monitored and transmitted to a computing system, which may generate a target temperature profile and control the wafer heater to adjust local temperatures on the wafer according to the target temperature profile. A supplemental heater for heating the chemicals may be used for finer control of the wafer temperature. |
| US10020208B2 |
Methods and apparatus for cleaning semiconductor wafers
A method for cleaning semiconductor substrate using ultra/mega sonic device comprising holding a semiconductor substrate by using a chuck, positioning a ultra/mega sonic device adjacent to the semiconductor substrate, injecting chemical liquid on the semiconductor substrate and gap between the semiconductor substrate and the ultra/mega sonic device, changing gap between the semiconductor substrate and the ultra/mega sonic device for each rotation of the chuck during the cleaning process. The gap can be increased or reduced by 0.5/N for each rotation of the chuck, where λ is wavelength of ultra/mega sonic wave, N is an integer number between 2 and 1000. The gap is varied in the range of 0.5λn during the cleaning process, where λ is wavelength of ultra/mega sonic wave, and n is an integer number starting from 1. |
| US10020207B2 |
Apparatus and method for scanning an object through a fluid stream
An apparatus for treating the surface of a microelectronic workpiece via impingement of the surface with at least one fluid and a method for operating the apparatus are described. In particular, the apparatus includes a treatment chamber defining an interior space to treat the microelectronic workpiece with at least one fluid within the treatment chamber, and a movable chuck that supports the workpiece within the treatment chamber. The apparatus further includes a workpiece translational drive system configured to translate the movable chuck between a workpiece load position and at least one processing position at which the workpiece is treated with the at least one fluid using at least one nozzle connected to at least one fluid supply, and a workpiece rotational drive system configured to rotate the microelectronic workpiece. |
| US10020205B2 |
Transparent display apparatus
A display apparatus includes a pixel having a first area emitting light and a second area transmitting light. A pixel circuit unit is in the first area and includes a thin film transistor. An inorganic insulation layer is in the second area. A first insulation layer covers the pixel circuit unit in the first area, and has an opening exposing the inorganic insulation layer in the second area. A first electrode is on the first insulation layer in the first area. The first electrode is electrically connected to the pixel circuit unit. A second insulation layer covers edges of the first electrode and is outside the opening formed in the first insulation layer. A second electrode is in the first area. An intermediate layer, including an emissive layer, is between the first electrode and the second electrode. |
| US10020204B2 |
Bottom processing
Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to methods and apparatus for processing of the bottom surface of a substrate to counteract thermal stresses thereon. Correcting strains are applied to the bottom surface of the substrate which compensate for undesirable strains and distortions on the top surface of the substrate. Specifically designed films may be formed on the back side of the substrate by any combination of deposition, implant, thermal treatment, and etching to create strains that compensate for unwanted distortions of the substrate. In some embodiments, localized strains may be introduced by locally altering the hydrogen content of a silicon nitride film or a carbon film, among other techniques. Structures may be formed by printing, lithography, or self-assembly techniques. Treatment of the layers of film is determined by the stress map desired and includes annealing, implanting, melting, or other thermal treatments. |
| US10020202B2 |
Fabrication of multi threshold-voltage devices
A method of fabricating multi Vth devices and the resulting device are disclosed. Embodiments include forming a high-k dielectric layer over a substrate; forming a first TiN layer, a first barrier layer, a second TiN layer, a second barrier layer, and a third TiN layer consecutively over the high-k dielectric layer; forming a first masking layer over the third TiN layer in a first region; removing the third TiN layer in second and third regions, exposing the second barrier layer in the second and third regions; removing the first masking layer; removing the exposed second barrier layer; forming a second masking layer over the third TiN layer in the first region and the second TiN layer in the second region; removing the second TiN layer in the third region, exposing the first barrier layer in the third region; removing the second masking layer; and removing the exposed first barrier layer. |
| US10020201B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of fabricating the same
Provided are a semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same. The semiconductor device includes: an active region provided on a substrate; an inlet channel formed as a single cavity buried in one side of the substrate; an outlet channel formed as a single cavity buried in the other side of the substrate; a micro channel array comprising a plurality of micro channels, wherein the plurality of micro channels are formed as a plurality of cavities buried in the substrate, and one end of the micro channel array is connected to a side of the inlet channel and the other end of the micro channel array is connected to a side of the outlet channel; and a micro heat sink array separating the micro channels from one another. |
| US10020194B2 |
Laser annealing device, production process of polycrystalline silicon thin film, and polycrystalline silicon thin film produced by the same
The invention relates to the field of laser annealing, and discloses a laser annealing device, a production process of a polycrystalline silicon thin film, and a polycrystalline silicon thin film produced by the same. The laser annealing device comprises an annealing chamber, in which a laser generator is provided, wherein an annealing window, through which the laser passes, and two light-cutting plates oppositely provided above the annealing window are also provided in the annealing chamber, wherein the light-cutting end face of each of the light-cutting plates is a wedge-shaped end face. In technical solutions of the invention, since the light-cutting end face is a wedge-shaped end face, the included angle formed by the reflected beam, which is formed by the reflection of the incident beam arriving at the light-cutting end face, and the ingoing beam, which passes through the annealing window, is relatively large, and the vibrating directions of them differ relatively greatly. Hence, the phenomenon of interference will hardly occur, and thus the interference mura generated on the polycrystalline silicon thin film due to the interference is reduced, the quality of the polycrystalline silicon thin film is improved, and the percent of pass of the product is also increased. |
| US10020190B2 |
Nano-heterostructure
The present disclosure relates to a nano-heterostructure. The nano-heterostructure includes a semiconductor layer, a first metallic carbon nanotube, a semiconducting carbon nanotube and a second metallic carbon nanotube. The semiconductor layer comprises a first surface and a second surface. The first metallic carbon nanotube is located on the first surface and extends in a first direction. The semiconducting carbon nanotube is located on the first surface and extends in the first direction. The semiconducting carbon nanotube is parallel and spaced away from the first metallic carbon nanotube. The second metallic carbon nanotube is located on the second surface and extends in a second direction. An angle forms between the first direction and the second direction. |
| US10020186B2 |
Silicon germanium selective oxidation process
Implementations described herein relate to selective oxidation processes for semiconductor device manufacturing. In one implementation, the process includes delivering a substrate having a semiconductor device comprising at least a silicon material and a silicon germanium material formed thereon to a process chamber. Process variables are determined based upon the germanium concentration of the silicon germanium material and a desired oxide thickness and a selective oxidation process is performed utilizing the determined process variables. |
| US10020183B1 |
Edge roughness reduction
A method for processing a stack with an etch layer below a mask is provided. The mask is treated by flowing a treatment gas, wherein the treatment gas comprises a sputtering gas and a trimming gas, providing pulsed TCP power to create a plasma from the treatment gas, and providing a pulsed bias, wherein the pulsed bias has a same period as the pulsed TCP power, wherein the pulsed TCP power and pulsed bias provide a first state with a first bias above a sputter threshold and a first TCP power, which causes species from the sputtering gas to sputter and redeposit material from the mask, and provide a second state with a second bias below the sputter threshold and a second TCP power, wherein the second TCP power is greater than the first TCP power, which causes species from the trimming gas to chemically trim the mask. |
| US10020182B2 |
Digital wireless data collection
The present disclosure provides an apparatus for fabricating a semiconductor device. The apparatus includes a portable device. The portable device includes first and second sensors that respectively measure first and second fabrication process parameters. The first fabrication process parameter is different from the second fabrication process parameter. The first and second sensors may communicate the parameters using different and incompatible protocols. The portable device also includes a wireless transceiver that is coupled to the first and second sensors. The wireless transceiver receives the first and second fabrication process parameters and transmits wireless signals containing the first and second fabrication process parameters. |
| US10020178B2 |
System and method for matrix-coating samples for mass spectrometry
Disclosed herein are embodiments of a system and method for preparing matrix-coated samples for analysis using mass spectrometry. In particular disclosed embodiments, the system and methods of using the system utilize an electric field to enhance results obtained from mass spectrometric analysis of the matrix-coated samples. The methods disclosed herein can be used to prepare biological samples that have improved characteristics facilitating the detection, localization, and/or identification of biomarkers for disease. |
| US10020177B2 |
Piezo-electric vibration on an in-source surface ionization structure to aid secondary droplet reduction
An ion source is disclosed comprising a nebulizer and a target. The nebulizer is arranged and adapted to emit, in use, a stream of analyte droplets which are caused to impact upon the target and to ionize analyte to form a plurality of analyte ions. The target is vibrated by a piezo-electric vibration device to reduce the size of resultant secondary droplets. |
| US10020175B2 |
Multiple oil-emission measuring device for engines
A multiple oil-emission device for hydrocarbon emissions in an exhaust-gas mixture, comprising an exhaust-gas probe, which has a transfer capillary, and a measurement channel, which has an ion source and a filter apparatus having a measuring apparatus. The transfer capillary has a drop-catching apparatus at the tip of the transfer capillary, which drop-catching apparatus comprises a short throttle segment and a transfer segment, which adjoins the throttle segment in a flow direction and is at least ten times longer. The measuring apparatus is connected to an analysing apparatus, which comprises a classifier for vaporous oil constituents and oil constituents in the form of drops. The classifier makes possible a differentiation between vaporous constituents and constituents in the form of drops, which makes robust and accurate determination possible regardless of the operating point because of the collection of constituents in the form of drops. |
| US10020170B2 |
Chemistry compatible coating material for advanced device on-wafer particle performance
A method includes feeding powder comprising a yttrium oxide into a plasma spraying system, wherein the powder comprises a majority of donut-shaped particles, each of the donut-shaped particles having a spherical body with indentations on opposite sides of the spherical body. The method further includes plasma spray coating an article to apply a ceramic coating onto the article, wherein the ceramic coating comprises the yttrium oxide, wherein the donut-shaped particles cause the ceramic coating to have an improved morphology and a decreased porosity as compared to powder particles of other shapes, wherein the improved surface morphology comprises a reduced amount of surface nodules. |
| US10020168B1 |
Systems and methods for increasing efficiency of delivered power of a megahertz radio frequency generator in the presence of a kilohertz radio frequency generator
Systems and methods for tuning a radio frequency (RF) generator are described. One of the methods includes supplying, by a high frequency RF generator, a high frequency RF signal to the IMN. The method includes accessing a plurality of measurement values of a variable measured at an output of the high frequency RF generator to generate a parameter. The variable is measured during a plurality of cycles of operation of a low frequency RF generator. The measurement values are associated with a plurality of values of power supplied by the high frequency RF generator. The method includes determining, for one of the cycles, a value of a frequency of the high frequency RF generator and a value of a factor associated with a shunt circuit of the IMN for which there is an increase in efficiency in power delivered by the high frequency RF generator. |
| US10020164B2 |
Charged particle beam apparatus
The present invention provides apparatuses to inspect small particles on the surface of a sample such as wafer and mask. The apparatuses provide both high detection efficiency and high throughput by forming Dark-field BSE images. The apparatuses can additionally inspect physical and electrical defects on the sample surface by form SE images and Bright-field BSE images simultaneously. The apparatuses can be designed to do single-beam or even multiple single-beam inspection for achieving a high throughput. |
| US10020162B2 |
Beam alignment method and electron microscope
There is provided a beam alignment method capable of easily aligning an electron beam with a coma-free axis in an electron microscope. The method starts with tilting the electron beam (EB) in a first direction (+X) relative to a reference axis (A) and obtaining a first TEM (transmission electron microscope) image. Then, the beam is tilted in a second direction (−X) relative to the reference axis, the second direction (−X) being on the opposite side of the reference axis (A) from the first direction (+X), and a second TEM image is obtained. The reference axis is incrementally varied so as to reduce the brightness of the differential image between a power spectrum of the first TEM image and a power spectrum of the second TEM image. |
| US10020161B2 |
Charged particle system and methods for irradiating a planning target volume
A method for irradiating a planning target volume with charged particles includes delivering the charged particles to the planning target volume with a charged particle therapy system including a charged particle beam path and a gantry configured to rotate about the planning target volume and to direct the charged particle beam path; rotating the gantry, during an irradiation session, to a plurality of positions; during the rotation, irradiating the planning target volume with the charged particles at a first energy level at one or more of the plurality of positions. |
| US10020160B2 |
Charged particle beam device
An object of the present invention is to provide a charged particle beam device which can realize improved contrast of an elongated pattern in a specific direction, such as a groove-like pattern. In order to achieve the above-described object, the present invention proposes a charged particle beam device including a detector for detecting a charged particle obtained based on a charged particle beam discharged to a sample. The charged particle beam device includes a charged particle passage restricting member that has at least one of an arcuate groove and a groove having a longitudinal direction in a plurality of directions, and a deflector that deflects the charged particle discharged toward the groove from the sample. The charged particle discharged from the sample is deflected to a designated position of the groove. |
| US10020158B2 |
Transmitting-type target and X-ray generation tube provided with transmitting-type target
A transmissive-type target includes a target layer, and a transmissive substrate configured to support the target layer. The transmissive substrate has a pair of surfaces facing each other and is formed of polycrystalline diamond. In the transmissive substrate, one of the pair of surfaces includes polycrystalline diamond having a first average crystal grain diameter which is smaller than a second average crystal grain diameter of polycrystalline diamond included on the other surface opposing thereto. The target layer is supported by any one of the pair of surfaces. |
| US10020156B2 |
Resonant enhancement of photoionization of gaseous atoms
A system and method for using a high-performance photoionization subsystem are disclosed. Embodiments of the present disclosure employ narrow bandwidth laser radiation to selectively excite ionizing resonant states of gaseous atoms in electric fields. This subsystem and method may be incorporated in an ion source producing ions by photoionizing gaseous atoms; the resultant ions may be employed to efficiently produce an ion beam of high brightness. |
| US10020154B2 |
Trip bar stop
An operating mechanism including a number of biasing elements and a number of linkage members is provided. The linkage members are operatively coupled to each other and each are movable between a second configuration, an initial tripped configuration, a rebound configuration, and a final tripped configuration. The biasing elements are operatively coupled to the number of linkage members and bias the number of linkage members to the final, first configuration. A stop member is coupled to one of the linkage members. The stop member moves with the associated linkage member. The stop member is positioned to contact a stop surface when the linkage members are in the rebound configuration. Contact between the stop member and the stop surface substantially arrests the motion of the linkage members. |
| US10020152B2 |
Plug-on neutral connection
A plug-on neutral circuit breaker includes a housing, a neutral terminal, and a biasing member. The neutral terminal is pivotally coupled to the housing and includes a body portion, a first leg, and a second leg. The first leg extends from the body portion in a first direction and the second leg extends from the body portion in a second direction. The biasing member is positioned within the housing and is configured to engage the second leg of the neutral terminal, thereby biasing the neutral terminal in a first rotational direction. The biasing of the neutral terminal in the first rotational direction causes a portion of the first leg of the neutral terminal to be urged into contact with a neutral bar of an electrical distribution apparatus in response to the plug-on neutral circuit breaker being installed in the electrical distribution apparatus. |
| US10020151B2 |
Safety relay configuration system with multiple test pulse schemes using graphical interface
A safety relay configuration system for configuring safety functions to be carried out by a safety relay is provided. The configuration system comprises a number of features that facilitate intuitive and simplified configuration of an industrial safety relay, including but not limited to features that guide the user through the configuration process using an intuitive sequential procedure that provides feedback and prompts based on user interaction, enforce design consistency throughout the configuration project by intelligently limiting user selections, and visually organize configuration and status information in a manner that efficiently utilizes display space and allows the user to quickly evaluate available configuration options. |
| US10020149B2 |
Control apparatus for controlling a switching element
To avoid additional costs, in particular by replacing a switching element too early or by expensive monitoring measures thereof, a control apparatus for controlling a switching element is provided. The control apparatus has an operating unit for setting a load stage at which the switching element can be operated, a control unit for calculating a first numerical value which reflects expected switching cycles of the switching element estimated on the basis of the set load stage and which corresponds to an expected service life of the switching element in dependence on the set load stage, and for determining a second numerical value which reflects effected switching cycles of the switching element. Information from a difference between the first and second numerical values or from a quotient from the second numerical value to the first numerical value during operation of the switching element is provided to a user. |
| US10020145B2 |
Mechanical connector and circuit breaker provided with mechanical connector
A mechanical connector for high and low voltages has a first connector part with a first end having a cavity; a second connector part with a first end having a cross section adapted to the cavity of the first connector part, wherein the inner dimensions of the cavity correspond with the outer dimensions of the cross section to provide a slide fit and an electrical connection between the outer circumference of the cross section and the inner circumference of the cavity; and a thermal conductive, electrically insulating layer is arranged between and in contact with the end face of the second connector part and the bottom of the cavity of the first connector part. A circuit breaker may have such a mechanical connector incorporated in the fixed electrode rod. |
| US10020141B2 |
Key device and light guiding membrane switch
A key device includes a bottom plate, a light guiding membrane switch, and a keycap. The light guiding membrane switch is disposed on the bottom plate and includes a lower membrane layer, an upper membrane layer, a light guiding spacing layer, a reflective layer, and an adhering layer. The upper membrane layer is disposed above the lower membrane layer and farther from the bottom plate than the lower membrane layer. The light guiding spacing layer is disposed between the lower membrane layer and the upper membrane layer and includes opposite upper and lower surfaces. The reflective layer is securely fastened on the upper surface. The adhering layer is adhered between the reflective layer and the upper membrane layer, and a position and a shape of the adhering layer correspond to a position and a shape of the reflective layer. |
| US10020139B2 |
Key structure
A key structure includes a base plate, an illumination module, a switch circuit board, a metallic elastic element, a supporting element, a metallic pressing plate and a covering member. The metallic elastic element is disposed on the switch circuit board. The supporting element is located beside the metallic elastic element. An edge of the metallic pressing plate is fixed on the supporting element. As the metallic pressing plate is swung relative to the base plate to push the metallic elastic element, the switch circuit board is triggered by the metallic elastic element. The covering member covers the base plate and the metallic pressing plate. The covering member has a light-transmissible region. A light beam from the illumination module passes through the light-transmissible region. Consequently, the key structure is illuminated. |
| US10020135B2 |
Key structure and scissors-type connecting member thereof
A scissors-type connecting member includes a first frame and a second frame. The first frame includes a rotating shaft. The second frame includes a pivot hole, an entrance and a stopper. After the rotating shaft is introduced into the pivot hole through the entrance, the first frame is pivotally coupled to the second frame. The stopper is located near the entrance or arranged between the entrance and the pivot hole. A position of the rotating shaft is limited between the stopper and the pivotal hole by the stopper. Consequently, the scissors-type connecting member is assembled easily, and the stability of connecting a first frame and a second frame of the scissors-type connecting member is enhanced. Moreover, the present invention also provides a key structure with the scissors-type connecting member. |
| US10020131B2 |
Transformer tapping arrangement and methods of operation of same
A tapping arrangement for a transformer, the arrangement comprising a plurality of fixed contacts, a movable rotary contact, a transition rotor with pairs of transition contacts, an interrupter coupling assembly and driving motor(s) are compacted into a single vacuum chamber. |
| US10020129B2 |
Contact bridge arrangement for an electrical switching element
A contact bridge arrangement for an electrical switch, such as a contactor or a relay, is disclosed. The contact bridge arrangement comprises a contact bridge having a contact bridge body, an actuating member on which the contact bridge is held that is movable with respect to the contact bridge along an actuating direction, the actuating member having a stop and a spring base, and a spring disposed between the spring base and the contact bridge body pressing the stop against the contact bridge. |
| US10020128B2 |
Structure of contacts for air circuit breaker
The present invention relates to a structure of contacts for an air circuit breaker, in which a movable contact arm can be stably brought into contact with a fixed contact arm by changing an applying direction of an electromagnetic repulsive force generated between a movable contact and a fixed contact, and, to this end, the structure, which includes the fixed contact arm having the fixed contact, and the movable contact arm having the movable contact and rotatably installed to be brought into contact with or separated from the fixed contact arm, is configured such that the fixed contact and the movable contact have contact surfaces, respectively, disposed in an inclined manner, and a line commonly passing the contact surfaces of the fixed contact and the movable contact forms an acute angle with respect to a line passing through a center of a longitudinal axis of the movable contact arm. |
| US10020121B2 |
Dye-sensitized photoelectric conversion element
A dye-sensitized photoelectric conversion element including a cell is disclosed. The cell includes a conductive substrate and a transparent conductive layer, a counter substrate facing the conductive substrate and including a metal substrate, a semiconductor layer provided on the conductive substrate, a sealing portion bonding the conductive and the counter substrates, a connecting portion connecting one end of a wiring material and the metal substrate, and a portion to be connected which is connected to the other end of the wiring material, the connecting portion contains first conductive particles, a filler, and a binder resin, the wiring material contains second conductive particles and a binder resin, an average particle diameter of the first conductive particles is greater than that of the filler in the connecting portion, and a content rate of the filler in the connecting portion is greater than that of the filler in the wiring material. |
| US10020117B2 |
Multi-layer ceramic capacitor and method of producing the same
A multi-layer ceramic capacitor includes a multi-layer unit, a side margin, and a bonding unit. The multi-layer unit includes ceramic layers and internal electrodes. The ceramic layers are made of first ceramics and laminated in a first direction, the first ceramics having a first average crystal grain diameter. The internal electrodes are disposed between the ceramic layers. The side margin is made of second ceramics and covers the multi-layer unit from a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, the second ceramics having a second average crystal grain diameter. The bonding unit is made of third ceramics and disposed between the multi-layer unit and the side margin, the third ceramics having a third average crystal grain diameter that is larger than the first average crystal grain diameter and the second average crystal grain diameter. |
| US10020107B1 |
Hybrid inductor
A hybrid inductor includes a board, a first inductor provided in the board and including conductive patterns disposed at different heights, and a second inductor mounted on the board and an end of the second inductor being connected to the conductive patterns. Since mutual inductance is generated, inductance higher than a capacity value of a single inductor may be obtained. |
| US10020103B2 |
Grain oriented electrical steel sheet
A grain oriented electrical steel sheet reduces local exfoliation of insulating coating films and thus has excellent corrosion resistance and insulation properties. The grain oriented electrical steel sheet may be obtained by, assuming that a1 (μm) is a film thickness of the insulating coating at the floors of linear grooves and a2 (μm) is a film thickness of the insulating coating on a surface of the steel sheet at portions other than the linear grooves, controlling a1 and a2 to satisfy the following formulas (1) and (2): 0.3 μm≤a2≤3.5 μm (1), and a1/a2≤2.5 (2). |
| US10020094B2 |
Hybrid conductor core
An electric conductor may be provided. The electric conductor may comprise a conductor core and a plurality of conductor strands wrapped around the conductor core. The conductor core may comprise a plurality of core strands comprising an overall number of strands. The plurality of core strands may comprise a first portion of core strands and a second portion of core strands. The first portion of core strands may comprise a first number of strands. The first portion of core strands may comprise steel. The second portion of core strands may comprise a second number of strands. The second portion of core strands may comprise a composite material. A ratio of the first number of strands to the overall number of strands and a ratio of the second number of strands to the overall number of strands may be optimized to give the conductor core a predetermined characteristic. |
| US10020092B2 |
Insulated wire and method of producing the same
An insulated wire which comprises an aluminum conductor, having: an adhesion layer formed by directly baking, on the aluminum conductor, varnish containing a carboxy group; an insulation layer as an outer layer of the adhesion layer; and a reinforcement insulation layer as an outer layer of the insulation layer; and a method of producing the same. |
| US10020089B2 |
Conductive polymer composite and substrate
The present invention provides a conductive polymer composite including (A) a π-conjugated polymer and (B) a dopant polymer which contains a repeating unit “a” represented by the following general formula (1) and has a weight-average molecular weight in the range of 1,000 to 500,000, wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; R2 represents a fluorine atom or a trifluoromethyl group; Z represents a single bond or —C(═O)—O—; “m” is an integer of 1 to 4; and “a” is a number satisfying 0 |
| US10020088B2 |
Copper-alloy plate for terminal/connector material, and method for producing copper-alloy plate for terminal/connector material
A copper alloy sheet for terminal and connector materials contains 4.5 mass % to 12.0 mass % of Zn, 0.40 mass % to 0.9 mass % of Sn, 0.01 mass % to 0.08 mass % of P, and 0.20 mass % to 0.85 mass % of Ni with a remainder being Cu and inevitable impurities, a relationship of 11≤[Zn]+7.5×[Sn]+16×[P]+3.5×[Ni]≤19 is satisfied, a relationship of 7≤[Ni]/[P]≤40 is satisfied in a case in which the content of Ni is in a range of 0.35 mass % to 0.85 mass %, an average crystal grain diameter is in a range of 2.0 μm to 8.0 μm, an average particle diameter of circular or elliptical precipitates is in a range of 4.0 nm to 25.0 nm or a proportion of the number of precipitates having a particle diameter in a range of 4.0 nm to 25.0 nm in the precipitates is 70% or more, an electric conductivity is 29% IACS or more, a percentage of stress relaxation is 30% or less at 150° C. for 1000 hours as stress relaxation resistance, bending workability is R/t≤0.5 at W bending, solderability is excellent, and a Young's modulus is 100×103 N/mm2 or more. |
| US10020085B2 |
Isotope-specific separation and vitrification
Apparatuses, processes and methods for the separation, isolation, or removal of radioactive isotopes from liquid radioactive waste, these processes and methods employing a plurality of microspheres. In some embodiments, the processes and methods further include the vitrification of the separated isotopes, generally with the plurality of microspheres. Vitrification is often a step in a larger scheme of preparing the radioactive isotopes for long-term storage or other disposition. |
| US10020078B2 |
Composite fuel rod cladding
A fuel rod for a nuclear fission reactor is disclosed and claimed. The fuel rod includes an elongate hollow cladding configured to retain a nuclear fuel therein. The cladding includes an elongate hollow tube. Fiber layers are positioned around the outside surface of the tube or within the tube forming an integral part thereof. Both the tube and the fibers are formed of a ceramic material. A fuel assembly including a plurality of such fuel rods is also disclosed and claimed. |
| US10020076B1 |
Personal assistant computing system monitoring
A computing system is configured to process at least one voice input of a user and output an audio result. The computing system comprises at least one microphone configured to receive the voice input from the user. The computing system further comprises at least one processor configured to at least interpret the voice input and generate the audio result. The computing system also comprises an output speaker device configured to output the audio result. The audio result includes a description of whether one or more behavioral health states associated with the user have been detected. |
| US10020071B2 |
Test mode setting circuit and semiconductor device including the same
A test mode setting circuit may include: a first test mode signal generation unit operated by a first supply voltage, and suitable for activating a first test mode signal at a first voltage level in a state where mode setting is being performed, the first test mode signal corresponding to a test code among a plurality of first test mode signals; and a second test mode signal generation unit operated by a second supply voltage, and suitable for latching the first test mode signal at a second voltage level and generating the latched first test mode signal as a second test mode signal even when the first supply voltage is deactivated to a third supply voltage lower than the first supply voltage. |
| US10020070B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and method of operating the same
Provided herein are a semiconductor memory device and a method of operating the same. The semiconductor memory device includes: a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells; a peripheral circuit configured to control the memory cell array, the peripheral circuit including a first region disposed under the memory cell array and a second region; and a fall sensing unit configured to sense whether a failure has occurred in the first or the second regions. |
| US10020069B2 |
Fully differential output swing for analog array based charge mode readout used in a CMOS image sensor
Disclosed herein are novel charge mode readout circuits and associated methods of signal processing. The devices and methods of the invention allow for the improved processing of stored signals by a charge mode readout amplifier, wherein the readout level may be shifted to a desired range and wherein a fully differential output swing may be imparted. The invention advantageously employs a single pair of capacitors to serve the dual roles of modulating amplifier gain and level shifting the output. |
| US10020066B2 |
Systems and methods for sub-zero threshold characterization in a memory cell
Systems and methods relating generally to data processing, and more particularly to systems and methods for characterizing a solid state memory. In one embodiment, the systems and methods may include programming a first cell of a solid state memory device to a first voltage, programming a second cell of the solid state memory device to a second voltage different than the first voltage, detecting a voltage shift in the first cell when the second cell is being programmed; characterizing the first voltage of the first cell offset by the voltage shift as an interim voltage of the first cell, and repeatedly reading the interim voltage of the first cell using a first set of incrementally adjusted voltage values until an output of the first cell changes. |
| US10020064B2 |
Dynamic reference current sensing using multiple reference cells
A circuit includes a current generating circuit and a sense amplifier. The current generating circuit includes a first current mirror that generates a first current having a first current value less than a value of a first cell current through a first reference cell, and based on a ratio of the first cell current to the first current. A second current mirror generates a second current having a second current value less than a value of a second cell current through a second reference cell, and based on a ratio of the second cell current to the second current. The current generating circuit generates a reference current having a reference current value based on the first and second current values. The sense amplifier receives a third current having a third current value and generates a voltage output based on the reference and third current values. |
| US10020061B2 |
Memory system and operating method thereof
A memory system may include a memory device including a plurality of memory blocks each memory block including a plurality of pages; and a controller suitable for non-sequentially selecting some pages among a plurality of pages included in an open block among the plurality of blocks, checking a program state or an erase state of each of the selected pages, and searching for a boundary page between the program state pages and the erase state pages among the plurality of pages. |
| US10020056B2 |
Methods and apparatuses including a string of memory cells having a first select transistor coupled to a second select transistor
Generally discussed herein are apparatuses and methods. One such apparatus includes a data line, a first memory cell and a first select transistor. The first transistor has a gate and is coupled between the data line and the first memory cell. The apparatus can include a second memory cell and a second select transistor having a gate. The apparatus can include a third select transistor having a gate. The second select transistor is coupled between the second memory cell and the third select transistor. The third select transistor is coupled between the second select transistor and a source. The apparatus can include a drive transistor coupled to both the gate of the first select transistor and the gate of the second select transistor or the gate of the third select transistor. |
| US10020054B2 |
Memristor-based processor integrating computing and memory and method for using the processor
A processor including a computing and memory structure including X in number integration units and X in number communication units, and a control unit. The integration units are computing and memory units (CMUs), each computing and memory unit (CMU) is connected to a corresponding communication unit. The control unit is configured to produce control signals according to the commands, connect communication networks between the CMUs, choose operand addresses and result storage addresses, and search for one or a plurality of idle CMUs when extra CMUs are required for an operation. Each computing and memory unit includes M in number bit units and M−1 in number vertical line switches. Each bit unit includes a resistor, a horizontal line switch and N in number memristors. X is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2; M is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1. |
| US10020050B2 |
Local bit line-sharing memory device and method of driving the same
Provided is a local bit line-sharing memory device, including a plurality of memory cells that share a local bit line pair; a pre-charging unit that is connected to a write bit line pair and pre-charges the local bit line pair; and a data reading unit that reads data when bit line voltage pre-charged in a memory cell selected from the memory cells is discharged. |
| US10020048B2 |
Integrated circuit including embedded memory device for performing dual-transient word line assist using triple power source and device having the same
An integrated circuit (IC) and a mobile device are provided. The IC includes a memory cell that includes a word line, a bit line pair, and a storage cell connected to the word line and the bit line pair. The IC further includes a timing control circuit configured to generate switch signals based on an operation control signal, and a switch circuit configured to receive a first voltage, a second voltage and a third voltage having different levels, and output, to the word line, one among the first voltage, the second voltage, and the third voltage based on the switch signals. |
| US10020045B2 |
Partial access mode for dynamic random access memory
Some embodiments provide a method to reduce the refresh power consumption by effectively extending the memory cell retention time. Conversion from 1 cell/bit to 2N cells/bit reduces the variation in the retention time among memory cells. The conversion can be realized very simply from the structure of the DRAM array circuit, and it reduces the frequency of disturbance and power consumption by two orders of magnitude. On the basis of this conversion method, some embodiments provide a partial access mode to reduce power consumption dynamically when the full memory capacity is not required. One bit data may be stored into 1 cell for a normal operation mode and stored into 2N cells for a self refresh operation mode for a first partial access mode, while one bit data may be stored into 2N cells for both normal and self refresh operation modes. |
| US10020044B2 |
High-density magnetic memory device
A high-density magnetic memory device includes: a heavy metal strip or an antiferromagnet strip with a thickness of 0-20 nm, and a plurality of magnetic tunnel junctions manufactured thereon, wherein each of the magnetic tunnel junctions represents a memory bit, which from bottom to top comprises a first ferromagnetic metal with a thickness of 0-3 nm, an oxide with a thickness of 0-2 nm, a second ferromagnetic metal with a thickness of 0-3 nm, a synthetic antiferromagnetic layer with a thickness of 10-20 nm and a No. X top electrode with a thickness of 10-200 nm, wherein an X value is a serial number of the memory bit; two ends of the heavy metal strip or the antiferromagnet strip are respectively plated with a first bottom electrode and a second bottom electrode. The write operation for the memory device of the present invention is accomplished by applying unidirectional write currents. |
| US10020043B2 |
Methods of reading and writing data in a thyristor random access memory
A volatile memory array using vertical thyristors is disclosed together with methods of operating the array to read data from and write data to the array. |
| US10020034B2 |
Systems, methods, and devices for parallel read and write operations
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and devices for parallel read and write operations. Devices may include a first transmission device coupled to a local bit line and a global bit line associated with a memory unit of a memory array. The first transmission device may be configured to selectively couple the global bit line to the local bit line. The devices may further include a first device coupled to the local bit line and a sense amplifier. The first device may be configured to selectively couple the local bit line to the sense amplifier. The devices may also include a second device coupled to the local bit line and an electrical ground. The second device may be configured to selectively couple the local bit line to the electrical ground. |
| US10020032B2 |
2-pin interface data input and output, controller and instruction circuitry
A two pin communication interface bus and control circuits are used with circuit boards, integrated circuits, or embedded cores within integrated circuits. One pin carries data bi-directionally and address and instruction information from a controller to a selected port. The other pin carries a clock signal from the controller to a target port or ports in or on the desired circuit or circuits. The bus may be used for serial access to circuits where the availability of pins on ICs or terminals on cores is minimal. The bus is used for communication, such as serial communication related to the functional operation of an IC or core design, or serial communication related to test, emulation, debug, and/or trace operations of an IC or core design. |
| US10020031B2 |
Location-based optimization for memory systems
Various implementations described herein are directed to a method of integrated circuit design and fabrication. In the implementation of a memory integrated circuit, the floorplan of the integrated circuit comprises memory blocks, where instantiations of the memory blocks are optimized to satisfy timing specifications while minimizing power consumption or not significantly contributing to leakage current. |
| US10020028B2 |
Data processing device
A microcomputer provided on a rectangular semiconductor board has memory interface circuits. The memory interface circuits are separately disposed in such positions as to extend along the peripheries of the semiconductor board on both sides from one corner as a reference position. In this case, limitations to size reduction imposed on the semiconductor board can be reduced compared with a semiconductor board having memory interface circuits only on one side. Respective partial circuits on each of the separated memory interface circuits have equal data units associated with data and data strobe signals. Thus, the microcomputer has simplified line design on a mother board and on a module board. |
| US10020027B2 |
Disk device and method of manufacturing disk device
According to one embodiment, a disk device includes a disk-shaped recording medium, a head which processes data on the recording medium, and a housing accommodating the recording medium and the head. The housing includes a base with a side wall, and a cover having a welded portion welded to the side wall by laser welding. The welded portion includes a first welded portion welded to a first region of the side wall and having weld beads with a first shape, and a second welded portion welded to a second region of the side wall and having welded beads with a second shape different from the first shape. |
| US10020024B2 |
Smart gallery and automatic music video creation from a set of photos
Various embodiments provide a so-called smart gallery that is designed to create a short summary view of a collection of content, such as photographs and video. The content can be prioritized and presented in a smart gallery user interface that includes gallery elements that can be sized in accordance with prioritized content. Prioritization can take place based on whether content is manually captured or automatically captured. Alternately or additionally, prioritization can take place based on content analysis that looks at content quality and/or objects that appear in the content. |
| US10020023B2 |
Method, apparatus and system for playing audio synchronously
The present invention discloses a synchronized audio playing method, apparatus, and system for playing audio synchronously. By outputting designated data using a designated data buffer area before arrival of the starting time point of synchronous playing so as to make an audio link in a stable state, the method shuns from the impact of factors like system process scheduling interruption and system hardware on synchronous playing, thereby enhancing the precision of synchronous playing; moreover, upon arrival of the starting time point of synchronous playing, by computing a tuning amount of the audio data in the local synchronization buffer area, adjusting the audio data in the local synchronization buffer area according to the tuning amount, and meanwhile performing output playing on the tuned audio data, the method achieves audio synchronization play. Compared with the prior art, the present invention needn't add playing timestamp information to an audio data stream, and the playing terminal needn't process timestamp information during the entire playing procedure, thereby effectively increasing the flexibility of synchronous playing. |
| US10020022B2 |
Multitrack recording system with wireless LAN function
A multitrack recording system is disclosed. A multitrack recording/reproducing apparatus records a first audio signal with a multitrack recording apparatus into any of a plurality of channels (tracks). In the meantime, a smartphone records a second audio signal as a sound record file into a recording medium. A Wi-Fi connection is established between the sound recording apparatus and the smartphone, and the sound record file is transferred from the smartphone to the recording/reproducing apparatus. The recording/reproducing apparatus stores the sound record file into a remaining channel where the first audio signal is not recorded among the plurality of channels. |
| US10020019B2 |
Information processing device and information processing method
An information processing device includes: a data processing unit that executes a process of reproducing content recorded in a medium; and a memory storing a content revocation list in which an identifier (ID) of revoked content is recorded, wherein the data processing unit compares a minimum allowable version of a content revocation list recorded in a token which is management data corresponding to content recorded in the medium with a version of a content revocation list acquired from the memory, and when the version of the content revocation list acquired from the memory is an old version lower than the minimum allowable version of the content revocation list recorded in the token, the data processing unit halts determination on revocation of content based on the content revocation list acquired from the memory and reproduction of content. |
| US10020015B2 |
Magnetic medium having multilayered servo layer and method of forming the same
In various embodiments, a magnetic medium may be provided. The magnetic medium may include a substrate. The substrate may include a servo layer over the substrate. The servo layer may include a cap layer having a first coercivity. The servo layer may also include a granular layer having a second coercivity greater than the first coercivity. The servo layer may also include an intervening layer between the cap layer and the granular layer. |
| US10020013B2 |
Aligned shingled writing for magnetic recording media and media having shingle edge positioned tracks
A computer program product, according to one embodiment, includes a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith. The computer readable storage medium is not a transitory signal per se. Moreover, the program instructions readable and/or executable by a controller to cause the controller to perform a method which includes: determining, by the controller, whether a difference between information and corresponding design values is in a range; and computing, by the controller and using the information, data describing a lateral writing position to use during writing such that shingled track edges are aligned according to a format in response to determining that the difference between the information and corresponding design values is not in the range. The information corresponds to how an array of writers write and/or are expected to write to a magnetic medium during shingled recording. |
| US10020008B2 |
Microphone and corresponding digital interface
Analog signals are received from a sound transducer. The analog signals are converted into digitized data. A determination is made as to whether voice activity exists within the digitized signal. Upon the detection of voice activity, an indication of voice activity is sent to a processing device. The indication is sent across a standard interface, and the standard interface is configured to be compatible to be coupled with a plurality of devices from potentially different manufacturers. |
| US10020003B2 |
Voice signal processing apparatus and voice signal processing method
A voice signal processing apparatus and a voice signal processing method are provided. A loudness of an input voice signal is detected to obtain a reference loudness. Reference loudness gains corresponding to frequency bands are calculated according to the reference loudness and wide dynamic range compression curves corresponding to the frequency bands. Loudnesses of filter signals of the frequency bands are adjusted according to the reference loudness gains of the frequency bands. |
| US10020002B2 |
Gain parameter estimation based on energy saturation and signal scaling
A device including gain shape circuitry configured to determine a number of sub-frames of multiple sub-frames that are saturated, the multiple sub-frames included in a frame of a high band audio signal. The device also includes gain frame circuitry configured to determine, based on the number of sub-frames that are saturated, a gain frame parameter corresponding to the frame. |
| US10019999B2 |
Data processing method and system
The present disclosure relates to a data processing method and system. The method includes obtaining network data and a sound wave synthesized with the network data by a terminal, the sound wave being obtained by performing an encoding conversion on resource data; and according to an operation performed by a user on the network data on the terminal, invoking an audio playback apparatus of the terminal to play the sound wave synthesized with the network data to terminals of one or more users nearby. |
| US10019996B2 |
Orienting a microphone array to a user location
For orienting a microphone array to a user location, a processor detects a user location with a presence sensor that detects a user using electromagnetic signals. In addition, the processor orients a microphone array to the user location. |
| US10019994B2 |
Systems and methods for recognizing textual identifiers within a plurality of words
Methods and systems for recognizing textual identifiers within a plurality of words are described. A textual representation of a voice input is received from a user. The textual representation includes a plurality of words. A keyword is identified in the textual representation. It is determined whether one or more words adjacent to the keyword correspond to a textual identifier of a collection of textual identifiers. Responsive to a determination that the one or more adjacent words correspond to a textual identifier, the keyword and the one or more adjacent words are replaced with the textual identifier. |
| US10019992B2 |
Speech-controlled actions based on keywords and context thereof
A device includes a plurality of components, a memory having a keyword recognition module and a context recognition module, a microphone configured to receive an input speech spoken by a user, an analog-to-digital converter configured to convert the input speech from an analog form to a digital form and generate a digitized speech, and a processor. The processor is configured to detect, using the keyword recognition module, a keyword in the digitized speech, initiate, in response to detecting the keyword by the keyword recognition module, an action to be taken one of the plurality of components, wherein the keyword is associated with the action, determine, using the context recognition module, a context for the keyword, and execute the action if the context determined by the context recognition module indicates that the keyword is a command. |
| US10019987B2 |
Audible proximity messaging
Methods, systems, and computer program products for providing audible proximity messaging are disclosed. A computer-implemented method may include receiving a message for communication to one or more users, receiving a keyword associated with a message, analyzing an audio track to determine whether the keyword exists in the audio track, matching the keyword to the audio track, identifying one or more locations of the keyword in the audio track, converting the message to an audible format, determine whether to provide the message to a user based on one or more conditions associated with the user, and providing the message to a user when the keyword is played during the audio track. In some examples, the message may be an audio message played when the keyword plays in the audio track based on one or more of a user preference, a user location, a current user activity, and/or other factors. |
| US10019986B2 |
Acoustic model training using corrected terms
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for speech recognition. One of the methods includes receiving first audio data corresponding to an utterance; obtaining a first transcription of the first audio data; receiving data indicating (i) a selection of one or more terms of the first transcription and (ii) one or more of replacement terms; determining that one or more of the replacement terms are classified as a correction of one or more of the selected terms; in response to determining that the one or more of the replacement terms are classified as a correction of the one or more of the selected terms, obtaining a first portion of the first audio data that corresponds to one or more terms of the first transcription; and using the first portion of the first audio data that is associated with the one or more terms of the first transcription to train an acoustic model for recognizing the one or more of the replacement terms. |
| US10019982B1 |
Speech simulation device
A speech simulation system adapted for a user to communicate with others. The system has at least one sensor to sense controlled and coordinated body movement. The system has a computer processor connected to the at least one sensor. The system has a database memory connected to the computer processor. The system has software programming to operate the computer processor. The system has a feedback device connected to the computer processor and directed to the user. The system has an outward audio output device connected to the computer processor to provide sound and a speaker connected to the outward audio output device. |
| US10019981B1 |
Active reverberation augmentation
A method for using a loudspeaker array that is housed in a loudspeaker cabinet to present audio content to a listener in a room includes receiving (1) an audio channel that includes audio content and (2) acoustical characteristics of the room. The method also produces (1) a first beamformer input signal from the audio channel and (2) a second beamformer input signal and a third beamformer input signal by decorrelating the audio channel and adjusting the audio channel in accordance with the acoustical characteristics of the room. The second and third beamformer input signals are different de-correlated versions of the audio channel. The method also generates driver signals from the first, second, and third beamformer input signals to drive the loudspeaker array to produce a main beam, a first ambient beam, and a second ambient beam, respectively. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. |
| US10019979B2 |
Selective suppression of audio emitted from an audio source
Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to implement selective suppression of audio emitted from an audio source are disclosed. Example apparatus disclosed herein include a speaker, an audio output driver in communication with the speaker, memory including computer readable instructions, and a processor. In some disclosed example apparatus, the processor is to execute the instructions to perform operations including obtaining reference audio data corresponding to an audio signal to be output subsequently by the audio source and including identification data identifying the audio source, and in response to an input selection corresponding to the identification data, generating a suppression signal to provide to the audio output driver, the suppression signal based on the reference audio data and a time delay between a first time at which the reference audio data was received and a second time at which the audio signal is to be output by the audio source. |
| US10019976B1 |
Electronic percussion
An electronic percussion includes: a plate-shaped head constituting a struck surface beaten by a player; a frame formed into an annular frame shape surrounding an outer edge of the head, the frame holding the head via the outer edge; and a hitting sensor configured to detect at least one of a vibration and a pressure generated by hitting of the head to output an electrical signal. The frame includes: a first holding groove formed into a groove shape at an inner surface of the frame, the outer edge of the head being engaged with the first holding groove such that the head is held; and a second holding groove formed into a groove shape at a position adjacent to and along the first holding groove such that the second holding groove communicates with the first holding groove, the second holding groove having a depth deeper than a depth of the first holding groove. |
| US10019968B2 |
Variable refresh rate display synchronization
Systems and methods for synchronizing a video source and display circuitry using a dynamic tearing effect (TE) signal are provided. In one embodiment, an electronic display device includes: variable refresh rate circuitry that, when no new frame data is provided to the electronic display device, extends a vertical blanking period and reduces a refresh rate of the electronic display device. A tearing effect signal is generated, which is selectively set to a first logical level at a first period of time and a second logical level at a second period of time. The tearing effect signal is provided to the host electronic device that provides frame data to the electronic display device and upon receipt of new frame data, an un-extended vertical blanking period is returned to and the frame data at the next frame boundary is displayed. |
| US10019966B2 |
Method for displaying image and apparatus thereof
The present disclosure provides a method for displaying image and apparatus thereof, the method includes: When a first image in power saving mode needs to be switched to a second image, determining a difference of average picture level between the first image and the second image; according to a relationship between a preset difference of average picture level and a first time, determining the first time, and the first time is a time restoring a first brightness to a second brightness needed, the first brightness is a brightness of the first image in power saving mode, and the second brightness is a normal brightness of the second image; switching from the first image to the second image, and the brightness of the second image is gradually restored in the first time to the normal brightness. In this way, the human eye cannot bring discomfort and enhance the panel viewing comfort. |
| US10019965B2 |
Vehicle display system having a plurality of color temperature settings
A display system includes a plurality of display screens and a display controller. The plurality of display screens are disposed in front of the driver of the vehicle in a vertical direction in a row such that the distance from the viewpoint position of the driver differs, and present images showing predetermined information to the driver. The display controller is configured to display the images with a lower color temperature on the plurality of display screens, as the distance from the viewpoint position is longer. |
| US10019963B2 |
Systems and methods for adaptive third party content
Systems and methods which allow for third party displayed content, which is displayed with primary content, to adapt in response to a change in permitted display space are provided for herein. In some embodiments, third party content may include a plurality of elements where the elements are provided with a different priority ranking. In such examples, in the event that an available display area is reduced, elements with lower priority levels may be reduced at a faster rate with respect to elements of higher levels. Conversely, in the event that an available display area is enlarged, elements with higher priority levels may be enlarged at a faster rate with respect to elements of lower priority levels. |
| US10019962B2 |
Context adaptive user interface for augmented reality display
A user interface includes a virtual object having an appearance in context with a real environment of a user using a see-through, near-eye augmented reality display device system. A virtual type of object and at least one real world object are selected based on compatibility criteria for forming a physical connection like attachment, supporting or integration of the virtual object with the at least one real object. Other appearance characteristics, e.g. color, size or shape, of the virtual object are selected for satisfying compatibility criteria with the selected at least one real object. Additionally, a virtual object type and appearance characteristics of the virtual object may be selected based on a social context of the user, a personal context of the user or both. |
| US10019958B2 |
Display panel
A display panel includes a substrate, a plurality of pixels, a plurality of scan lines, a pull-down control circuit, and a gate driving circuit. The pixels are disposed on a display area of the substrate. The scan lines are disposed on the substrate and respectively coupled to the corresponding pixels. The pull-down control circuit is disposed on a peripheral area of the substrate, receives a plurality of clock signals, and has a plurality of pull-down units to provide a plurality of pull-down signals. The gate driving circuit is disposed on the peripheral area and has a plurality of shift registers. The shift registers are coupled to the scan lines to provide a plurality of gate driving signals and pull down the gate driving signals in sequence according to the pull-down signals. The pull-down control circuit and the gate driving circuit are arranged along a side of the display area. |
| US10019955B2 |
Array substrate, display panel and display device
The invention discloses an array substrate, a display panel and a display device, and belongs to the field of array substrate test technology, which can solve the problem that the performance of the thin film transistor at the display region of the array substrate in an ADS mode cannot be accurately tested. The array substrate in the invention comprises a plurality of pixel units, each of which comprises a pixel electrode, an insulating layer above the pixel electrode, and a common electrode above the insulating layer, wherein at least one of the pixel units is a test pixel unit, wherein an opening is provided in the insulating layer of the test pixel unit to be above the pixel electrode and separated from the common electrode. The display panel and the display device in the invention comprise the above array substrate. |
| US10019954B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and driving method thereof
A liquid crystal display device, including: pixels; data lines and scan lines coupled to the pixels; and a driver configured to supply a scan signal to the scan lines, and supply a data voltage to the data lines. The data lines include first to third data lines, to which a data voltage having a positive polarity is supplied, and which are adjacent to each other, and fourth to sixth data lines, to which a data voltage having a negative polarity is supplied, and which are adjacent to each other. |
| US10019953B2 |
Fuel dispenser
A system and method for displaying information at a fuel dispenser comprises an electrophoretic display that may be configured to operate in low temperature environments. The fuel dispenser may comprise a keypad located beneath the electrophoretic display in order to present a graphical user interface to a customer and receive the customer's selections. The fuel dispenser may comprise additional electrophoretic displays to present additional information to the consumer. |
| US10019944B2 |
Display device and electronic apparatus
A display panel including pixels disposed on a substrate, where each of the pixels includes a light emitting element, and a capacitor. The capacitor of a first one of the pixels is partially overlapped, in a vertical direction, by respective pixel areas of two of the pixels. The anode of the capacitor of the first one of the pixels may be disposed closer to the substrate than a cathode of the capacitor, thereby reducing a parasitic capacitance between the capacitor and an anode of the light emitting element of one of the two pixels overlapping the capacitor. |
| US10019943B2 |
Pixel compensation circuits, scanning driving circuits and flat display devices
The present disclosure relates to pixel compensation circuit, pixel compensation method and flat display device. Control ends of first to third, fourth, and fifth controllable transistors connect to first to third, third, and fourth scanning lines, first end of first controllable transistor connects to data line, control end of driving transistor connects to second ends of first controllable transistor, and second controllable transistors through storage capacitor, and first end of third controllable transistor; first end of second controllable transistor connects to first voltage end, second end of driving transistor connects to second end of second controllable transistor and anode of OLED; cathode of OLED is grounded; first end of driving transistor connects to second ends of third and fifth controllable transistors and first end of fourth controllable transistor, second end of fourth controllable transistor connects to reference voltage end; first end of fifth controllable transistor connects to second voltage end. |
| US10019940B2 |
Devices and methods for providing access to internal component
Systems, methods, and devices are disclosed for applying concealment of components of an electronic device. In one embodiment, an electronic device may include a component that is disposed behind a display (e.g., a transparent organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display) that is configured to selectively become transparent at certain transparency regions. Additionally, the electronic device includes data processing circuitry configured to determine when an event requesting that the component be exposed occurs. The data processing circuitry may control portions of the display to become transparent, to expose the component upon the occurrence of the event requesting that the component be exposed. |
| US10019937B2 |
Flexible display device
A flexible display device includes a sensing line, a sensor, and a signal controller. The sensor generates a sensing signal corresponding to a quantity of light of the sensing line. The signal controller detects an intersection of the sensing line and the sensor and generates a control signal corresponding to movement of the intersection. |
| US10019925B2 |
Electronic device capable of displaying and performing color compensation and color compensation method
The disclosure provides an electronic device capable of displaying and performing color compensation and a color compensation method. The color compensation method comprises: obtaining one or more brightness values for an original image from at least one of a screen brightness value and an ambient brightness value of the electronic device; determining whether each of the one or more brightness values is lower than a corresponding one of one or more threshold values, respectively; and enabling a color enhancement mode in events where each of the one or more brightness values is lower than the corresponding one of one or more threshold values, respectively, wherein the color enhancement mode comprises performing a color saturation compensation to enhance a saturation of the original image for display on a screen of the electronic device. |
| US10019922B2 |
Display device that adjusts the level of a reference gamma voltage used for generating a gamma voltage
A display device including a plurality of source drivers. Each of the .plurality of source drives may include a register storing information on a bias voltage provided from the outside; a gamma voltage generation unit receiving at least one reference gamma voltage and generating a plurality of gamma voltages according to the reference gamma voltage; and an output buffer including a plurality of source amplifiers driven by the bias voltage and receiving the plurality of gamma voltages. The gamma voltage generation unit may adjust a level of at lest one of the at least one reference gamma voltage, according to a bias voltage having the lowest level among bias voltages provided to respective source drivers. |
| US10019921B2 |
Data driver and display device having the same
According to some example embodiments, there is provided a display device including a display panel including a plurality of pixels, a scan driver configured to provide a plurality of scan signals to the pixels through a plurality of scan lines, a data driver configured to adjust an output timing of a data signal of a plurality of data signals according to a distance from a target pixel of the pixels, and to provide the data signal to the pixels through a plurality of data lines, and a timing controller configured to control the scan driver and the data driver. |
| US10019920B2 |
Display module detection device
A display module detection device is disclosed. The display module detection device includes a storage module, in which configuration parameters of multiple types of display modules are pre-stored for determining a configuration parameter to be outputted by the storage module based on a type of a display module to be detected, and a test system module being communicatively connected with the storage module and configured for determining an output parameter of a test signal output interface based on the configuration parameter outputted by the storage module. |
| US10019918B2 |
In-band tear detection system
A method for detecting a screen tear in a display device for a given frame of video is described. The method includes retrieving an identification code associated with each pixel row of the frame of video and determining whether the retrieved identification code is same across pixel rows of the frame of video. If the identification code is found to be same across the pixel rows of the frame of video, no screen tear is found. On the other hand, a screen tear is detected if the identification code is found not to be same across the pixel rows. An indication of the detected screen tear is provided to the host machine to re-render the frame of video without such screen tear. |
| US10019917B1 |
Sign holder and sign for a chair
This invention relates to a sign holder to carry a sign and be connected to a chair. The sign which displays information about the chair is removable from the sign holder to be replaced by a different sign having different information. The sign holder includes a vertically upstanding shaft that extends between the seat and the back of the chair. A chair attachment bracket which extends horizontally from the bottom of the vertically upstanding shaft is detachably connected to the bottom of the chair seat. A sign carrying bracket which extends horizontally from the top of the vertically upstanding shaft holds the sign adjacent one side of the chair back. The sign has a front which contains the information to be displayed, a back, and a closed top extending between the front and the back to be supported by the sign carrying bracket at the top of the shaft of the sign holder. |
| US10019913B2 |
Information encryption system and information encryption method using optical character recognition
An information encryption system and an information encryption method for encrypting character information and decrypting the encrypted information by using optical character recognition includes a user terminal comprising: a viewer region display unit for displaying a viewer region at the very top of a screen; a viewer character recognition unit for recognizing in real-time characters displayed on a screen region covered by the viewer region, a viewer character encryption unit for generating an encrypted character by encrypting a first character to be encrypted by using a cipher when the first character is recognized; an encrypted character substitution unit for deleting the first character and substitutively inputting the encrypted character; and a viewer character display unit for displaying a non-encrypted second character as it is, and decrypting an encrypted second character by using a cipher and displaying the same in an original character when the second character to be displayed is recognized. |
| US10019910B2 |
Dynamic and individualized scheduling engine for app-based learning
Systems and methods can dynamically set user-specific schedules for prompting users to access educational content objects. An educational performance metric is identified for a user. A learning schedule is accessed that includes an identification of a plurality of learning episodes. Each of the plurality of learning episodes is associated with a time-related variable indicative of when the learning episode is to occur and a substance-related variable indicative of a learning substance for the learning episode. The learning schedule is adjusted based on the identified educational performance metric and associated with the user. A presentation time is identified based on a time-related variable in the learning schedule. An electronic content object associated with the presentation time is identified based on a substance-related variable the learning schedule. A notification with an offer to access the identified electronic content object is presented at the presentation time via a device of the user. |
| US10019904B1 |
System for identifying high risk parking lots
Systems and methods are disclosed for identifying high risk parking lots. High risk parking lots may be, for example, parking lots that pose a higher than average risk of collisions and/or theft. Auto insurance claim data may be analyzed to identify hazardous areas. A virtual navigation of roads within the hazardous area may be identified. Public parking lots within the virtual navigation map may be defined, with each public parking lot determined as either in a hazardous area or not. A vehicle may be determined to be approaching or parking in a parking lot in a hazardous area, and a nearby public parking lot not associated with the hazardous area may be selected instead. A route from a current position to the nearby public parking lot may be generated, and the vehicle may be routed to the nearby public parking lot. As a result, collisions and thefts may be reduced. |
| US10019903B2 |
System and method for informing nearby vehicle to avoid a moving vehicle which is malfunctioning
The disclosure is related to a system and a method for avoiding abnormal vehicle. In the method, the avoidance system predicts multiple routes for the abnormal vehicle within a period of time according to historical data when an alert from the abnormal vehicle is generated. A route-potential figure can be created when the system gets the historical data. The system computes one or more available routes for the nearby vehicle based on its vehicle information when a collision is possible. Every available route has its collision risk value. The system finally provides a recommended route with lower collision risk value when it considers a time of the abnormal vehicle reaches its great change, a time of predicting the nearby vehicle meets the range of route-potential figure, and a safety distance there-between. |
| US10019900B2 |
Communication method and server for reconfiguration of a dynamic map
A method used in a server includes configurating a dynamic map by superimposing time-changing information on a road onto a static map based on first data indicative of surrounding information acquired by a first sensor mounted in a roadside unit; computing a first region that is incapable of being observed by the first sensor; receiving a plurality of attribute information items related to respective second sensors mounted in respective vehicles running on the road from the vehicles; selecting a specific second sensor from among the second sensors based on the attribute information items and the first region; receiving specific second data acquired by the specific second sensor among a plurality of pieces of second data acquired by the second sensors; reconfigurating the dynamic map by filling the first region by using the specific second data; and distributing the reconfigurated dynamic map to at least one of the vehicles. |
| US10019896B2 |
Methods and systems for determining information relating to the operation of traffic control signals
Data indicative of the durations of multiple instances of different phases of a traffic control signal in a given time period is determined. The data is used to obtain data indicative of a distribution of the durations of each phase. The distribution data is used to obtain data indicative of a probability of the traffic control signal having a given phase at one or more future time. The probability data may be used to provide an expected waiting time when arriving at the signal at a future time and/or a speed recommendation for a vehicle approaching the signal. |
| US10019895B2 |
Method and system for detecting frequent lane changes of moving vehicles
A method and system for detecting frequent lane changes of moving vehicles are disclosed. A method for detecting frequent lane changes of moving vehicles including extracting the Z axis angular velocity values, and storing those Z axis angular velocities, from the Z axis angular velocity of which numerical product is negative, analyzing the Z axis angular velocities stored in the specific time period, and judging the number of the Z axis angular velocities with the numeral number 0. It is determined whether the vehicle has made frequent lane changes or not in its moving process, so that an active monitoring for vehicle travelling statuses is implemented, thereby normalizing driving behaviors, and reducing traffic accidents. |
| US10019888B2 |
Weather-based reminders
Some embodiments provide a reminder application for creating and displaying weather-based reminders. The reminder application provides a set of tools to create a reminder and associate the reminder with a weather condition for a location. To present a weather-based reminder, the reminder application of some embodiments identifies a reminder associated with a weather condition for a location. The application then retrieves weather data for that location. After retrieving the weather data, the application then compares the weather data with the weather condition. When the weather data satisfies the weather condition, the application presents the reminder. |
| US10019887B1 |
System and method for tracking interaction between monitored population and unmonitored population
A method and system for detecting interaction between monitored individuals and unmonitored individuals is provided. The method includes at each monitored individual: identifying a short range wireless access point that is proximate to the monitored individual; first determining the location of the monitored individual when the identified short range wireless access point was detected; and uploading, from the monitored individual to a central monitoring location, data corresponding to the identified short range wireless access point and the location of the monitored individual when the short range wireless access point was detected. The method include at the central monitoring location: second determining whether: (a) the identified short range wireless access point is a mobile wireless access point; and (b) two or more of the monitored individuals encountered the identified short range wireless access point. |
| US10019886B2 |
Sticker, condition monitoring system, method and computer program product
A sticker for attaching to at least one part of a machine having at least one rotating component that is to be monitored is provided. The sticker includes a vibration status indicator arranged to indicate when a vibration of the machine having the at least one rotating component exceeds a predetermined level. Also, a condition monitoring system for monitoring the condition of a machine having at least one rotating component is provided. The monitoring system provides at least one such sticker and a device that is arranged to collect information from the at least one sticker. |
| US10019882B2 |
Protective equipment comprising alarm system
A protective equipment with an alarm system capable of ensuring safety, workability and convenience, as well as alerting to a life-threatening danger such as heatstroke is provided. The alarm system includes (i) a sensor for detecting a biometric information of a wearer of the protective equipment; (ii) a means for determining if the biometric information which is detected by the sensor reaches a threshold value; (iii) a means for alarming an elevated risk based on an instructions from the means (ii); (iv) a means for transmitting an alarm when the means (iii) is activated; and (v) a means for controlling the means (iii) and (iv). |
| US10019879B2 |
Conical light absorber for smoke detector
A smoke detector having a light source for generating a beam of light is disclosed. The smoke detector is arranged to transmit the beam along an optical axis and includes a sensor for receiving light scattered from the beam off the optical axis by smoke; and a light trap comprising one or more walls that define a volume for receiving light that passes unscattered from the light source past the sensor along the optical axis. The volume includes a first end closest on the optical axis to the light source; and a second end furthest on the optical axis from the light source. The volume is open at said first end but is otherwise closed, and at least one of the walls is sloped from the first end to the second end, such that the light trap progressively narrows from the first end axially towards the second end. |
| US10019877B2 |
Apparatus and methods for the semi-automatic tracking and examining of an object or an event in a monitored site
A method and apparatus for the investigation of an object or an event in a video clip, by playing video clips of the object or objects associated with the events. The video frames comprised within the video clips comprise information regarding the creation time and coordinates of the objects appearing in multiple frames, thus enabling an operator to immediately play video clips tracking the object starting at the object's creation time within the field of view, until its disappearance from the field of view. By defining neighboring regions, and keeping the creation time of each object within each video stream, an object is tracked between different fields of view. |
| US10019869B2 |
Gaming community management and personalization
The present invention involves methods and devices for controlling many aspects of a player's gaming experience, including game themes presented, game denomination, pay models, content and promotions. Some implementations of the invention provide a casino operator the necessary tools to create subsets of customers, often referred to herein as “communities,” and to control the gaming experiences of players in these communities. In some such implementations, communities may be created and/or modified according to various criteria, some of which may be weighted more heavily than others. Specific marketing messages, promotions, etc., may be provided to attract and retain players having similar characteristics and preferences. |
| US10019867B2 |
Gaming machine, control method for machine, and program for gaming machine
A gaming machine that provides an operation unit, a display unit, and a control unit. The operation unit is configured to receive an operation of the player. The display unit is operably coupled to the operation unit and is configured to display a plurality of cells. The plurality of cells is arranged in a plurality of rows and columns. The control unit is operably coupled to the operation unit and the display unit and, for each instance of the game, randomly establishes a symbol to be displayed within each of the plurality of cells. The control unit is further configured to provide a first instance of the game and to display the symbols established for the first instance of the game in the respective cells, and to automatically add a new row of cells to the display unit prior to each subsequent instance of the game. |
| US10019862B2 |
System and method providing enhanced security ballot image records
The system and method providing enhanced security ballot image records of the present invention includes an enhanced security ballot image tabulator and an enhanced security ballot image audit station. The tabulator processes each ballot of a plurality of ballots to be tabulated to provide an enhanced security ballot image record having diachronically and synchronically coordinated enhanced security ballot image files, each for another ballot of the plurality of ballots to be tabulated. The enhanced security ballot image record may be broadcast upon completion of tabulation and/or simulcast real time during tabulation or otherwise provided such as on a secure media upon completion of tabulation to the public or other parties interested in the tabulation of cast votes. The enhanced security audit station receives the enhanced security ballot image record and analyzes it to selectively identify out-of-bounds diachronic and/or synchronic security parameters. Any identified ballots may then be reviewed by election officials or other interested parties for validity and authentication purposes. The tabulator may be used to also produce images of the voter sign-in sheets, for the purpose of analytic correlation with the enhanced security files of the enhanced security ballot image record and their tabulation. |
| US10019860B1 |
Remote access authentication and authorization
Features are disclosed for accurately authenticating a delivery agent for unattended delivery of an item. The systems and methods described confirm the location of the delivery agent and proximity to the delivery location using short range wireless communications between a monitoring device at the delivery location and a communication device associated with the delivery agent. Access may also be conditioned on user specified “do not disturb” rules indicating when remote access is authorized. The authentication may be dynamically assessed such as based on a type of item being delivered. |
| US10019859B2 |
Systems and methods for individual identification and authorization utilizing conformable electronics
An identification device includes, but is not limited to, a deformable substrate configured to conform to a skin surface of a body portion of an individual subject; a sensor assembly coupled to the deformable substrate, the sensor assembly including one or more identity sensors configured to generate one or more identity sense signals associated with at least one physical characteristic of the individual subject; circuitry configured to compare the one or more identity sense signals generated by the sensor assembly to reference data indicative of one or more physical characteristics associated with an identity; circuitry configured to compare at least one of the one or more identity sense signals or the identity with one or more authorization parameters; and a reporter operably coupled to the circuitry and configured to generate one or more communication signals associated with the comparison with the one or more authorization parameters. |
| US10019858B2 |
Vehicle event playback apparatus and methods
Vehicle event data playback systems described herein may provide users means for reviewing events recorded by a vehicle event recorder. Circumstances relating to vehicle operation may be visually presented in these playback systems. Video playback from multiple recording devices may be synchronized with each other and/or with information related to the operation of the vehicle during the recorded events to affect a presentation of information related to operation of the vehicle. A user may be presented with many data types in graphical and/or intuitive arrangements. |
| US10019854B1 |
Methods and systems to detect oxygen sensor degradation due to sealant off-gassing
Methods and systems are provided for detecting exhaust gas oxygen sensor degradation due to sealant off-gassing. In one example, a method may include indicating exhaust gas oxygen sensor degradation due to sealant off-gassing responsive to a change in fueling demand without a change in driver-demanded torque after a threshold exhaust temperature has been reached. In response to the indication, a measurement correction may be learned and applied to measurements of the exhaust gas oxygen sensor in order to accurately determine an air-fuel ratio of the exhaust. |
| US10019853B2 |
Support server, mobile terminal, and support system
The fuel replenishment amount to a vehicle at each time is collected by a support server 10 through a smartphone 20. Then, information corresponding to calculation results such as the fuel remaining amount based on the information collected by the support server 10 is transmitted to a user through the smartphone 20. Thus, even when a terminal for transmitting the fuel replenishment amount to the smartphone 20 is not installed at a fuel supply station, information meaningful to the user in making a driving plan for the vehicle, such as the fuel remaining amount of the vehicle, can be provided to the user through this smartphone 20 at an appropriate timing. |
| US10019850B2 |
Adjusting location indicator in 3D maps
Some embodiments provide a mapping application that receives input to adjust an amount of tilt from which to view a 3D map for a viewing mode in which the 3D map is specified to be textured with camera captured images (CCIs) of the real world. The mapping application also adjusts a set of heights for a set of road path indicators in the 3D map based on the adjusted amount of tilt. Each road path indicator indicates a path of a road in the 3D map. The mapping application further displays the 3D map with the adjusted amount of tilt and the set of road path indicators at the adjusted set of heights in the 3D map. |
| US10019846B1 |
System and method for delivering progressive augmented reality using a series of related media
An augmented reality system that provides multi-media presentations super-imposed on and presented with a series of augmented-reality enabled (“ARE”) tokens. An user electronic appliance, possessing a display screen, a camera, and a software application, takes an image of an ARE token. A unique visual identifier is associated with each ARE token. A multi-media presentation, including a video component, an audio component, and, optionally, a haptic component, is associated with unique visual identifier. When the software application detects an ARE token, it creates the unique visual identifier and transmits it to a remote server and database. The remote server and database transmits the multi-media presentation, in return. The user electronic appliance plays and presents the multi-media presentation. The multi-media presentation associated with each ARE token in a series can interact and interoperate with the multi-media presentation associated with each of the other ARE tokens in the series. |
| US10019844B1 |
Display non-uniformity calibration for a virtual reality headset
An electronic display is driven to compensate for non-uniformity in a display property across display regions of the electronic display. Non-uniformity measures are determined for a set of electronic displays. A transformation is determined for converting the non-uniformity measures to transformed non-uniformity representations having fewer dimensions than a total number of the display regions in an electronic display. Using the transformation, a transformed non-uniformity representation for the electronic display is generated and stored, and an inverse transform is determined and stored. A system containing the electronic display generates correction values for the display regions by applying the inverse transformation to the transformed non-uniformity representation. Input display data for the electronic display is modified according to the generated correction values for the display regions. The electronic display is driven according the modified display data. |
| US10019842B2 |
Decorating system for edible products
An augmented reality system for a food product includes an edible media or a food product decoration with an embedded augmented reality marker and a related application for a mobile device. The application presents augmented reality content associated with the augmented reality marker. The application permits access to the augmented reality content in response to detection of the application recognizing the embedded augmented reality marker. |
| US10019834B2 |
Real-time rendering of volumetric models with occlusive and emissive particles
Methods, devices, and computer-readable media that allow real-time rendering while navigating virtually about or through a digital 3-D volumetric model. Examples provide techniques to facilitate real-time rendering while navigating through and around the 3-D volumetric model that can have many thousands of particles, where the particles can have emissive, occlusive, and translucent properties. Such complex particles of the 3-D volumetric model are presorted along predefined viewing directions in order to enable real-time rendering from when a navigation control has been entered. Presorting of data may be performed at a processing device(s) located across a public or private network from a user's device on which the real-time rendering is performed. |
| US10019830B2 |
Method and apparatus for rendering same regions of multi frames
A rendering method includes determining frames. The rendering method further includes successively rendering same regions of the frames. In another general aspect, rendering device includes an inter-frame determining unit configured to determine frames. The rendering device further includes a rendering unit configured to successively render same regions of the frames. |
| US10019828B2 |
Image generating apparatus, image generating system, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium
An image generating apparatus, including a memory storing avatar data representing a motion of an avatar in a virtual space and a processor coupled to the memory and the processor configured to obtain sensor information that represents a motion of a person in a real space acquired from at least one sensor, determine a first value that indicates an impression of the person based on the obtained sensor information, determine a type of the motion based on the obtained sensor information, select at least one candidate data set corresponding to the type of the motion from the memory, determine a second value that indicates impression of the avatar for each of the selected at least one data set, select a representative data set based on the determined first value and the determined second value, and generate an avatar image based on the representative data set. |
| US10019827B2 |
Material point method for simulation of granular materials
The disclosure provides an approach for simulating and rendering granular materials. A simulation application generates video frames depicting a granular material phenomenon using a strain based elasto-plastic constitutive model integrated with a hybrid Eulerian/Lagrangian material point method (MPM). The elasto-plastic constitutive model includes physical equation(s) which dictate forces that affect the granular material during the simulation. In particular, the constitutive model may include user-controllable parameters defining threshold(s) to start plastic deformation, as well as a hardening parameter which controls how fast the granular material packs under compression. The MPM is a procedure in which particles of the granular material and a background grid are coupled, with the grid being used to assist in computing forces dictated by the physical equation(s) of the elasto-plastic constitutive model. In one configuration, the grid may further be rendered with volumetric rendering to generate video frames depicting the granular material. |
| US10019824B2 |
Annotation of images based on a 3D model of objects
An annotation system for providing annotations for original images is provided. In some embodiments, the annotation system accesses an annotation associated with an object of a 3D model. The annotation system also accesses and displays an original image. The annotation system renders a model image of the 3D model based on the view from which the original image was collected. When the model image contains the annotated object, the annotation system provides an indication that an annotation is associated with the object of the original image. The annotation system can provide indications of the annotation for other original images that include the annotated object irrespective of the view from which the other original images are collected. |
| US10019823B2 |
Combined composition and change-based models for image cropping
In techniques of combined composition and change-based models for image cropping, a composition application is implemented to apply one or more image composition modules of a learned composition model to evaluate multiple composition regions of an image. The learned composition model can determine one or more cropped images from the image based on the applied image composition modules, and evaluate a composition of the cropped images and a validity of change from the image to the cropped images. The image composition modules of the learned composition model include a salient regions module that iteratively determines salient image regions of the image, and include a foreground detection module that determines foreground regions of the image. The image composition modules also include one or more imaging models that reduce a number of the composition regions of the image to facilitate determining the cropped images from the image. |
| US10019819B2 |
Imaging system and methods displaying a fused multidimensional reconstructed image
A system, method, and apparatus for displaying a fused reconstructed image with a multidimensional image are disclosed. An example imaging system receives a selection corresponding to a portion of a displayed multidimensional visualization of a surgical site. At the selected portion of the multidimensional visualization, the imaging system displays a portion of a reconstructed image which corresponds to the selected multidimensional visualization such that the displayed portion of the reconstructed image is fused with the displayed multidimensional visualization. |
| US10019816B2 |
Systems and methods for decoding image files containing depth maps stored as metadata
Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention are configured to render images using light field image files containing an image synthesized from light field image data and metadata describing the image that includes a depth map. One embodiment of the invention includes a processor and memory containing a rendering application and a light field image file including an encoded image, a set of low resolution images, and metadata describing the encoded image, where the metadata comprises a depth map that specifies depths from the reference viewpoint for pixels in the encoded image. In addition, the rendering application configures the processor to: locate the encoded image within the light field image file; decode the encoded image; locate the metadata within the light field image file; and post process the decoded image by modifying the pixels based on the depths indicated within the depth map and the set of low resolution images to create a rendered image. |
| US10019813B2 |
Embroidery region detection apparatus, embroidery region detection method, recording medium for storing program, and embroidery design layout system
Information with respect to an embroidery frame and information with respect to a mark alignment region are acquired. The mark alignment region is displayed for guiding multiple marks that are provided to an embroidery frame in order to define an embroidery region in the embroidery frame. When the multiple marks thus displayed are all positioned within the mark alignment region, an image of the embroidery region is acquired. Image analysis is performed based on the information with respect to the embroidery frame thus acquired and the information with respect to the multiple corresponding marks within the acquired image. Subsequently, the embroidery region within the embroidery frame is determined based on the analysis result. This allows the embroidery region to be detected with high precision in a simple manner. |
| US10019811B2 |
Image processing apparatus and method for estimating an error in registration between images
An image processing apparatus obtains a plurality of corresponding information items for registration of a first image and a second image of an object, calculates, in a case where the first image and the second image are registered using corresponding information items remaining after excluding at least one corresponding information item from the plurality of corresponding information items, a registration error that occurs at a position of the excluded corresponding information item, and estimates a registration error at an arbitrary position in a case where the first image and the second image are registered using the plurality of corresponding information items based on the calculated registration error. |
| US10019809B2 |
Underwater 3D image reconstruction utilizing triple wavelength dispersion and camera system thereof
An underwater camera system includes a projector operable to project a pattern of electromagnetic radiation toward a target object. The electromagnetic radiation includes at least three different wavelengths. A sensor directed toward the target object receives reflected electromagnetic radiation from the target object and stores corresponding image data received from the sensor. One or more processors process the image data to compute a refractive normal according to a wavelength dispersion represented by differences in the image data, and to compute an interface distance corresponding to a distance from a center point of the sensor to a first refractive interface nearest the sensor according to the refractive normal. The processors generate a 3D representation of the target object by back projecting each pixel of the image data at the first, second, and third wavelengths in order to determine an object point location according to the refractive normal and interface distance. |